"That's a very roundabout way of admitting you're seeing someone the public wouldn't approve of," Daphne drawled. Harry flushed.
"No comment," people laughed.
he
croaked.
Several
"Whatever, it's not our business. Congratulations, I suppose. Is that an appropriate thing to say when someone comes out?" Anthony looked unsure.
"We support you? I don't know." Sullivan shook his head, shrugging. "As long as you're happy. And as long as Rita Skeeter's furious."
"That is the plan, yes," Harry agreed.
Last but not least, Harry gathered a small group of people in Gryffindor Tower the night before the article was due to come out, more nervous than he had been with any of the others. There were a few people in the group he'd already told, and they offered him supportive smiles.
"Hey, so, I'll try and make this quick," Harry started, knee bouncing anxiously. "I just wanted to give you a bit of a heads up about something that's happening tomorrow, since if anyone's likely to get questions, it'll be you lot." He looked around the gathered faces; his dorm mates, three of the five girls in his year, Ginny, the twins, and the rest of the quidditch team. His friends. They wouldn't judge him for this. "Skeeter's been writing a lot of crap about me lately — and about people close to me — so I thought I'd hit back with something true for once. I wrote an article for the Quibbler, it'll come out in the morning. And, uh, so will I, I suppose."
Both the twins looked at him in shock. "Really? To everyone?" George asked.
"Yeah. Better that than having it hanging over my head, wondering when someone will find out and tell everyone. At least then it's over with and everyone knows." The more he talked about it to others, the more confident Harry was in his decision. He didn't want to keep having to come out over and over again for the rest of his life. He was in the position of being able to say something and have just about everyone in the wizarding world listen; he might as well say what he wanted.
"That's really brave, Harry," Lavender said supportively, reaching over to pat him on the knee.
"I don't get it," Ron said, frowning. "What's the article gonna say?"
Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes, wondering if Ron was being purposefully obtuse. "It'll say I'm gay, Ron," he said, glad his voice didn't even tremble. "I've written an article in the Quibbler to tell everyone that Skeeter's article is bullshit because I don't even like girls."
Ron gave a forced-sounding chuckle. "That's a bit drastic, just to get her off your back, isn't it? Just make up a girlfriend or something. Let her think you're dating Ginny. Just because you don't want to tell her who your real girlfriend is."
Harry gave an exasperated look skyward. Ginny put her head in her hands despairingly. "I don't have a girlfriend. I'm not writing the article to get Skeeter off my back — I'm writing the article because I'm gay and people might as well know, if they're going to make shit up about me."
Ron turned pale, then very red, then a little bit green. "You're— what? But— but we've roomed together for years! That's— you can't be—"
"Tell me, little brother, why Harry can't be gay," George asked, his tone icy. Ron went even greener.
"I just meant— he's not like that, y'know? All…"
"All what, exactly?" George's voice just got colder. "Remember who you're talking to, Ronnikins." It seemed to hit Ron that his brother had gone to the Yule Ball with another boy, and he let out a quiet little 'meep' noise. "Don't worry, I haven't been perving on you while you're changing," Harry said with a roll of his eyes. Of course Ron would have a problem with it. "You're not my type." That made George smirk.
"If you've got a problem with Harry, you've got a problem with us," Dean piped up, gesturing to himself and Seamus. "We like boys and girls. But you're not either of our types either, Ron," he added dryly.
"Welcome to the club, Harry," Seamus added cheerily, winking.
"But I— but you—" Ron didn't seem to know what to say, and Harry didn't really want to stick around for whatever awful jumble of words made it out of his mouth.
"I'm not here to argue with anyone. I just thought you might like to know before the article comes out in the morning. Now I'm gonna go to bed. So, uh, thanks, I guess." Harry got to his feet, and when he did, he ended up bundled in a hug between the three Gryffindor chasers.
"We're proud of you, Harry," Katie said with a grin, kissing him on the cheek. Harry beamed at them.
"This is because of me, isn't it." He turned at the voice, meeting Hermione's sad gaze. Her hands were still a little raw from re-growing skin. "Because of all the hate-mail I got." "Not completely," Harry insisted. "I just want Skeeter to know that she can't bully me or my friends. I'll do things on my terms, my way, and she can stuff it. But yeah, it'll be nice if you and Ginny stop getting hate-mail." Hermione's lower lip began to wobble, and Harry sighed. "I'm doing this for me, Hermione. I'm not waiting to be forced out whenever someone wants public opinion of me to take a hit. Might as well get it over with now."
She stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. "As long as it's on your own terms."
Harry turned away to head to the dorms, and from the sound of flesh smacking flesh behind him, Ron had finally managed to get a sentence out. Harry kept walking; George had it handled. It wasn't his problem.
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