There was a huge sugar quill under George's bed. It was not moving, but Ron knew he had to save his brother or it would rain Berty Bott's Every flavour beans. He pulled out his wand. It was not in his pockets. He crouched down and pulled a wand out of his boot. Without saying anything, Ron made the Wingardium Leviosa movement and a broom appeared. Ron sat on it, flew to George and grabbed the bed.

He was flying high in the sky to Little Whinging. He would leave George and the bed at Harry's home. Harry could use a brother.

"Ron." He heard him whisper. Ron was already at Harry's window at Privet drive. "Ron, wake up."

Ron opened the window and shoved George, who was still peacefully sleeping, and the bed into Harry's room. The window kept hitting Ron's shoulder, shaking him back and forth. It was starting to get uncomfortable.

"Ron come on!" Harry hissed and suddenly, Ron's surroundings disappeared and he got aware of a hand shaking his shoulder relentlessly. Ron grumbled in protest. "Ron, you're awake." Harry said.

Ron turned around and buried his face in his pillow. "'m not."

"Ron, please. It's important." Harry urged.

Ron sighed. The bed was warm and it was hard to built up the motivation to open his eyes, but well. What don't you do for your best friend? Also, he knew Harry would not stop until Ron was up.

The fire illuminating the common room helped Ron wake up a lot. He had not seen Harry since he stormed out a few hours ago. Sitting down in front of the fireplace in a comfortable red armchair he asked the first question that came into his mind. "Where were you? You weren't there when we went to bed."

Harry sat down in the armchair next to Ron's. "I needed time to think." He said after a short pause. Ron laughed. "What?" Harry glared.

"Hermione said the same thing." Ron said. "He needs time to think." He imitated her terribly. It put a small smile on Harry's face. "So... What were you up to in the middle of the night?" Ron looked up at the clock. 01:24 am.

Harry was quiet for a while. Ron let him. People told him he was tactless, and maybe they were right, but after six years of living in the same dormitory with his best friend he thought he knew when Harry just needed time to clear his thoughts.

"I talked to Malfoy." Harry finally said.

"You did? That's great. What did he say? What did you say? Wait-," Ron looked at his best friend, who was simply staring at the fire with a small smile, probably at Ron's excitement. "You were with him in the middle of the night? Do I even want to know what happened?"

He knew he made fun of Harry and Malfoy wanting to shag each other, but he really did not need to know any details. It was weird enough without that.

"No! No." Harry shook his head quickly. "No, nothing like that. We talked a few hours ago. It was actually right after I left the common room. I was, I don't know. I felt like I needed to do something. And there he was. He was talking to that Zabini guy. And he looked to cute, so concentrated. Like he really didn't understand what that stupid Slytherin was saying but trying to follow anyway. And I wanted him to listen to me that way. Like it was important to him what I had to say..."

Harry suddenly halted his rant like he just now realized that he was talking to someone. His face grew red and he glanced at Ron, who probably looked more amused then anything else. Harry looked back at the fire quickly and cleared his throat. It did nothing to decrease the awkwardness that settled over him.

"Blimey." Ron tried to keep the laugh out of his tone, but he knew he failed. "Just tell me what happened next."

Harry was quiet again. Ron knew Harry tried to built up his courage again. Ron looked at the fire to make it easier for him. Absent-mindedly, he pulled out his wand to increase the fire a bit. It reminded him of his dream. Did he really want to give his brother to Harry just because he did not have an own one? This whole dream was weird. But most dreams were weird.

"There was still so much... like, energy in me." Harry pulled him out of his thoughts. "Like, I can't explain it..."

"I know what you mean." Ron said. He knew after Harry had one of his angry rants, which did not happen very often, the boy needed something to let his anger out, punch something, yell, whatever. He could get very hot headed.

Harry gave him a small smile and looked back at the fire. "So I used the body binding curse on Zabini and pulled Malfoy into the next room, the potions classroom. It was empty. Fortunately."

"Why did you go to the dungeons?" Ron wondered.

Harry shrugged. "I didn't really think. I just went. Anyway. There Malfoy was in a room alone with me. He looked confused and a bit scared. And I felt just the same. So I asked him why he didn't react to the rumours yet. And he, I don't even know... It was like his face was blank. You know, when he tries to hide something."

"The Malfoy mask." Ron nodded. "His father also has it. Dad sometimes talks about it. It's like you never know what he's going to say next because he shows absolutely zero emotion."

"Yeah, that..." Harry stared into the fire. He seemed to be in deep thought. Ron tried to let him, but he grew impatient.

"And then?" He prompted.

Harry tensed like he had forgotten where he was. He glanced at his best friend, then stared back into the fire. It was a bit smaller than a few minutes ago. "Then what?" Harry asked.

"What did Malfoy say?" Ron asked.

"I don't exactly know." Harry said. "He said that we were planning something and we could stop because he's not going to fall for it. He said you know something. I didn't really understand what he was talking about. And then he just left." Harry had a deep frown on his face. He was probably trying to make sense of whatever Malfoy had said.

Ron rolled his eyes. "He still didn't let go of this idea, did he? He's way too proud for his own good."

"What idea?" Harry looked at him, for the first time in ten minutes, for longer than a second. "Ron, what do you know? What did Draco mean?"

"So he's Draco now, eh?" Ron grinned.

"Shut up." Harry looked away. In the dancing light of the fire Ron could see his cheeks go red.

"Blimey, this is weird."

Harry smirked. "I was wondering when you'd finally say that."

"While we're on weird topics," Ron said. "I think it's time I tell you something." And he told his best friend about the first time he heard Draco complain about Harry not noticing him, about Hermione and how she seemed to always know why Harry did something and for what reason, and about Malfoy and their mutual threatening.

"So..." Harry looked at him, wide eyed. "You're telling me you knew Malfoy... liked me the whole time and you didn't tell me?"

"Ah, sorry mate." Ron said. "It was just so weird and I didn't think-"

"You really think Draco likes me?" Harry barely listened to Ron. He had stood up and was now wandering around the empty common room. He walked along the back of the velvet sofa, watching his fingers run over the red material. "Maybe you misunderstood something."

"Harry," Ron rolled his eyes. "Didn't you listen to me? I heard him."

"Did he actually say my name?" Harry was still not looking at him. His eyes lifted to stare into the fire. "That day in the Three Broomsticks?"

"Yeah, I mean-" Ron halted. Now that he thought about it, Malfoy had never actually said "Harry" or "Potter". Ron had just assumed because... "He was looking after you when he was talking about your hair. Come on, who else could he be talking about? Whoever it was, according to Malfoy, he looked like he didn't comb his hair. The bird nest on your head is all the proof you need."

"Hey!" Harry glared, petting his hair in attempt to make it look more orderly.

"Oh, don't be offended." Ron said. "You don't even have to comb your hair and it looks perfect." Ron put a hand over his heart and imitated a hyperventilating teenage girl.

"Shut up." Harry glared, but there was no real heat behind it. He just looked flustered.

Ron saw that Harry was still a bit disbelieving about the whole story. "But seriously," Ron said. "If Malfoy was not talking about you, why would he act so panicked about me telling you? Honestly. You both were acting like lunatics. You deserve each other."

Harry looked at him. The fire made shadows and light flicker all over the room. The red pullover Harry was wearing looked alternating light orange and dark red. "I still don't get how you're so supportive of this. Draco offended you a million times. And Hermione. Why are you not freaked out?"

"Oh, I was freaked out alright." Ron said. "And I'm not happy about this, but to be honest, it's kinda funny." Ron let out an involuntary laugh. "Besides, I've talked to Hermione and we thought maybe it's good. This way, the git can distance himself from being just a clone to his son of a b*tch father."

Harry bit his bottom lip and nodded. He was still regarding Ron thoughtfully, which made him a bit uncomfortable, so Ron added, "But without Hermione, I would have killed that stupid Slyther-shit."

Harry smirked, probably relieved to see the not sentimental Ron back. "I guessed that much."

Ron grinned back and stood up. "So, wanna go to bed? We have four hours left until breakfast and I'm already dreading having to wake up."

Harry nodded, looking like the tiredness was finally catching up with him too.

#

"So what do I tell him?" Harry whispered.

"You pick the dumbest moments to talk." Ron hissed back, trying to keep up with McGonagall's rapid explanation about... some kind of Transfiguration. Dang it! Ron was already lost.

"Not true." Harry said. "Hermione will explain it easier anyway. But I was just thinking about-"

"Mr. Potter." McGonagall glared in their direction.

'Wrong, he was thinking about Malfoy.' Ron wanted to answer, but it was never a good idea to go smart on the head of Gryffindor. Besides, Ron would never out Harry like that.

"Have you and Mr. Weasley already figured it out or why do you feel the need to talk in my lesson?" Mc Gonagall scolded.

Ron shook his head. "Sorry, Professor." Harry said. 

McGonagall just nodded once and turned to the glass bowl on her desk. For a while, Ron tried to catch up with whatever their Professor was talking about. Eventually, he had to admit that he was hopelessly lost and let out a defeated sigh. He glanced at Harry, who was staring ahead, right at the glass bowl on McGonagall's desk, but he appeared to be not seeing it. His gaze was unfocused and his head probably far away from the occurrences in this classroom.

Ron actually thought about Harry's question. How should Harry make it clear to the stubborn, stupid Slytherin that he felt actual attractions towards him and was not trying to prank him or embarrass him? Ron had to admit, if the roles were reversed, he would be just as suspicious. Hermione would know, Ron thought. She knew everything. He glanced at her. Not surprisingly, she was holding her hand up and McGonagall was ignoring her in hopes of getting another student to answer the question. She was brilliant, Hermione, and she looked cute while smarting everyone out.

Ron sighed. He had to stop that. He had nothing on her and would never do.

#

That evening, Harry returned to the common room, beaming. Ron and Hermione were sitting in front of the fireplace with Neville, Dean and Seamus. "Good practice?" Seamus asked as Harry sat down next to Ron on the armrest of the couch. Harry just nodded. When Harry did not care to elaborate, Dean just continued telling his story about Easter with his Muggle family.

"Neville, you coming with us again this weekend?" Hermione asked once Dean was done. Neville had accompanied Harry, Ron and Hermione last Hogsmeade weekend along with Luna Lovegood. Ron actually enjoyed their company, even though they could be a bit odd sometimes. Okay, really odd.

"If that's alright with you." Neville looked like he was scared he would be a bother, which he probably was. Scared, that is. Not actually a bother.

"We would be happy to have you with us, right boys?" Hermione smiled. Ron just nodded.

"I'm not coming with you." Harry said.

"What?" Ron frowned. There had not been one Hogsmeade weekend that the two of them had not attended to together. Except for the first one in third year where he did not get the permission from his aunt and uncle.

"I'll tell you later." Harry said, but there was this weird shy smile on his face. Ron did not know how to handle that kind of behaviour from his best friend so he just shrugged and looked away.

Later that night, when Neville decided to tend to his plants and Dean and Seamus went to do Ron-did-not-want-to-know-what, Hermione leaned forward in her armchair. "You gonna tell us why you're not coming to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"I'm going to Hogsmeade." Harry said. "Just not with you."

"You replaced us?" Ron tried to sound offended but he had never been a good actor.

"I hope Draco does not want to replace you as my best friends." Harry said and tried really hard not to break into a full blown smile. "Otherwise I might have sent him the wrong message."

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked and fell around his neck.

"How did you manage that?" Ron wondered.

"What?" Harry asked. "Don't think I am charming enough to ask someone to a date?"

"Actually, yes." Ron said. "But that's not the point. I know Malfoy has a weird thing for you."

"Hey." Harry's indignation was damped by the giddy grin of his face. "So you wouldn't go out with me if I asked you?"

"Not a chance." Ron wrinkled his nose. "But what I meant was, why didn't he believe you wanted to prank him anymore?"

Harry shrugged. "I asked him after Quidditch practice. We were alone and I told him I wouldn't tell anyone. You know, to show him I did not want to embarrass him. And I told him you just told me last night about him. I don't know. He said we Gryffindors are too dumb to lie so well so he believed me."

"And you still wanna go out with him?" Ron asked. "After he insulted our entire house?"

Harry grinned. "That's part of the fun, isn't it?"

Ron and Hermione shared a confused look.