How Are You, Really? (Drarry)

Chapter Thirty-Six: Breakfast Time

The group walked into breakfast together the next morning, yawning and grumbling about their late night, casting dirty looks at Harry and Draco for keeping them up.

Draco and Harry walked next to each as they normally did, making sure they didn't touch. Harry was still furious with having to keep his newfound relationship a secret, but he wanted Draco to be as safe as possible. He'd have to figure out a way to end the bullying and fast. He wanted to be able to hold his boyfriend's hand. His fingers twitched.

Sitting with Krum, who'd gone to bed the night before citing a headache (which Harry thought probably had to do with Ron and Hermione bickering) and Neville and Luna, Harry picked at the food in front of him.

"Eat," Draco hissed. Harry rolled his eyes but took a bite.

"I'm glad to see you're finally together," Luna said airily.

Harry choked on his bite.

"How'd you know?" Draco frowned, staring at their friend.

She smiled serenely. "The blubbering spoonjack informed me on your way in."

Neville, who was sitting beside Luna, glanced around warily.

"Oh, he's back?" Draco asked as if it was a perfectly reasonable thing to say.

"Last Monday," Luna smiled. "He says hi and that he missed you."

Harry stared in wonder as Draco nodded. "Same. Hasn't been the same without him."

"Please don't tell anyone yet, guys," Harry implored.

Luna looked sadly at Draco. "For you two, anything."

Draco cracked a half-smile that broke Harry's heart. "Thank you. It's for the best."

Luna rose. "Goodbye all! I have to leave now."

As soon as she was out of earshot, Harry turned to Draco. "Can you actually see whatever she was talking about?"

"Of vourse he can't," Kru said around a bite of food.

Draco looked at him, surprised. "No. But it doesn't take any more effort to support her than it does to try and tear her down. She believes, why isn't that enough?"

Harry opened and closed his mouth. He didn't have an answer.

Blaise leaned across the table towards Neville. "You gonna tell anyone?"

Neville blushed. "No," he said softly.

"Good."

To Harry's surprise, Draco leaned over to Blaise and half-whispered, "Have you noticed how much we've all gotten better looking with age? Especially some of us..." he slid his eyes over to Neville, who blushed again.

Blaise turned back to Neville and gave him an intense perusal making the other boy almost cringe away; he was so embarrassed. "Yea..." Blaise said slowly, smiling a wolffish grin. "Neville, you got pretty damn hot! When did this happen?"

Neville looked like he was about to faint.

"That's not a very nice question, Blaise," Hermione came to the rescue.

Blaise blanched. "I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry, Neville. But just in case you were wondering, I was serious."

To everyone's utter amazement, Neville looked up into Blaise's face and said, "Thanks. I think you're pretty hot as well."

Silence reigned at the table while everyone processed what Neville had just said. Blaise turned a bit pink around the edges. "Oh." He cleared his throat. "Thank you."

Draco started laughing, and everyone turned to him in shock. "I've never seen Blaise caught so off guard. I didn't think it was possible! And then Neville came along!" he wheezed out in between laughs.

Harry smiled. It was pretty amazing Neville, of all people, caught Blaise off guard. He eyed the two men, both of who were blushing and avoiding everyone's eyes. Maybe there was something there...

"Let's go to class Ron, Harry, Draco, Viktor," Hermione said.

"Vhat? Ve still have twenty minutes?" Krum glanced at her in surprise.

Realizing what Hermione was trying to do, Harry gave Ron the look to encourage him to move and added, "We have to meet with Professor Flitwick. Very important."

"We do? Oh yes, we do, don't we!" Draco said, hopping to his feet.

"Well, I can come too," Neville offered.

"Oh no! Stay! Enjoy the rest of breakfast! You too, Blaise!" Ron added, catching on to what everyone was trying to accomplish.

The group hurried off, leaving Neville and Blaise alone. Once in the corridor, they all burst into laughter.

"Neville and Blaise, huh?" Ron managed to get out. "I never would have thought."

"It's never occurred to me. Blaise is such a whore," Hermione added thoughtfully.

"Me neither," Harry and Krum chimed in.

They all turned to Draco, who looked decidedly guilty. "I've known Neville's liked Blaise for awhile."

"How?!" Harry gaped.

Draco shrugged. "Neville told me."

"He didn't tell us!" Ron exclaimed indignantly.

Draco shrugged again. Harry felt a surge of happiness knowing Draco was friends with the people he cared about, not because Harry loved them but because he loved them too.

"I was just trying to help. I knew that when Blaise finally looked at Neville, his interest would be piqued. But I've never seen Blaise blush before, and he's been called more artful things than 'hot.'"

Everyone disgested this information. Maybe there was something there, after all.

"Vhat are we going to do now?" Viktor asked.

Hermione and Draco answered in unison, "Go to class. I have a question on the homework."

"Number five?" Draco asked.

"Yep."

They started discussing the homework situation in-depth as they strolled towards class, Viktor latched onto Hermione's free hand.

"Bloody weird, isn't it?" Ron said, gesturing at the Draco and Hermione.

Harry smiled. "I think it's nice they have someone to talk to about that stuff. That means it's not us."

Ron nodded appreciatively. "I just wanted to say, Malf- Draco isn't as bad as I thought he was. And if he makes you happy, then I guess I can deal with his presence."

Harry stopped walking. Ron stopped next to him.

"Thanks, Ron. That means the world to me."

Ron smiled. "I know. Now come on, they're leaving us behind."