It was the sound of someone knocking on my bedroom door that woke me.

"Yeah?" I asked, sluggishly shifting from my stomach to my side so that my body faced the door.

"Ron, it's me. Can I come in?" Harry's voice drifted from the hallway.

"Yeah," I answered, sitting up in bed.

The familiar silhouette of Harry came into view as the door opened. The light that followed Harry into the room hurt my eyes and I instinctively shield them with a hand. Harry closed the door the soft click alerted me that he had also locked the door. I tried not to show how much that worried me.

"Hey."

"Hey."

By this time I was laying on one side, my knees bent outward, so there was a languid "S" shape to the sheets. Harry took the few steps from the door to my bed and sat in the curve made by my chest and stomach, my kneecaps fit in the small of his back. When I tried to shift my legs in order to give him more room, he placed a hand on my hip, stopping me. "You don't have to move. There's enough room for me. Besides, I like having you close."

I grinned uncertainly. One thing Harry had insisted on when he agreed to become flat mates with me was privacy. He wanted his space and any violation of boundaries would result in my insides turned to the outside courtesy of the entrails-expelling curse. He even wanted it as a part of their contract he was so adamant about it. I managed to talk him out of it but I knew that it wasn't an empty threat. It was that very idea of meeting my spleen then that confused me now.

I was a shirt lifter who fancied his best mate, and Harry was dating my sister. I understood that, I respected that, so when Harry scooted over towards me so his bum rested against my crotch, there was more than a twinge of discomfort.

"Ron, we're mates right? We're the best of mates, since our first year at Hogwarts." Harry leaned back so that my knees were pressing into the small of his back even more.

"Yes. Harry what's your point?" I said more impatiently than I wanted too. He was too close, and my body was starting to react to the heat of our bodies so pressed together.

"My point, my adorable friend, is that I want to become more." Harry said in a low, husky voice.

"More?" I swallowed. "More than just friends?" I searched his eyes, trying to find any sign that he was under in the influence of something, anything, to help explain Harry's sudden urge for a cuddle-fest with his gay best mate.

"Mmm, much more." Harry's tongue slid out of his mouth and gently swept across his dry lips. "Is that okay?'

I could barely breath as my eyes followed the small swell of his pink tongue, inviting me. An involuntary shudder passed through me at the rough touch of Harry's hand on my chest. Already my nipples were hard and sensitive as he ran a hand over my tee-shirt.

My breath hitched at the feel of his other hand traveling underneath my shirt from behind.

"Gods, how I've wanted you to touch me like this."

"You can touch me too Ron." Harry whispered. "I won't mind. Please, I want you to touch me."

Without full control of my body's reaction, I closed the remaining distance between our bodies and crushed my mouth against his. Lips, tongues, teeth, and breath all came together in heated kiss after heated kiss. I even felt the loud moan pass from Harry's throat and jump down my own as I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer. I laid back down on my bed and nearly explode with all the heat passing between our bodies. watched as Harry took off his tee-shirt. He hissed when I reached up and rub one of his nipples with a finger.

Wordlessly, he moved from his sitting position and has both his knees on either side of me, straddled the bed. It took me a moment to realize that I am pinned to my bed with the love of my life hovering over me, and then he began to move. He started slowly, rocking his hips against mine. Harry leaned down and kissed me.

"Take me Ron." Harry whispered.

"Shit," I moaned, sitting up in bed. My breath was shallow and sweat poured down my face. It was a dream. Another unfulfilling dream. I placed a hand over my rapidly beating heart and took a couple of deep breaths to steady myself.

These dreams were happening more recently ever since Harry and Ginny broke up two weeks ago. It wasn't like Harry was available, or even interested in me, but that didn't stop the dreams. I knew better than to think that it would be the last time, they were constantly breaking up, only to make up again a few days later, once they had time to cool off.

I laid back down, but now I was too restless, the dream still to vivid. Nothing a nightcap couldn't cure. I got out of bed and opened my bedroom door. It's much cooler out here than under my bed sheets and goose flesh instantly appeared on my bare arms and legs.

The smell of a freshly lit cigarette smoke told me that I was not the only person in the flat who was still up. And sure enough, I found a fully clothed Harry laying on the sofa in the darkened living room. There was a glass in his hand and a small bottle on the coffee table. His arm rested on the armrest above his head, occasionally, he would bring it down and take a drag of the cigarette. He looked so mysterious, so masculine, so sexy with a fag sticking out between his index and thumb. I noticed a bottle and glass sitting on the coffee table.

"Hey, what've you got there?" I asked, walking into the room.

Harry seemed startled to see me. "W-whiskey."

"Mind if I join you?"

"Yes. No. I mean, yes, you can join me. No, I don't mind." Harry gestured to the space next to him.

I walked across the room and sat down dragged the bottle over and refill his glass. "It looks like I am not the only one who couldn't sleep." I picked up the glass and drained it in one go, reveling in the burning sensation of the liquor down my throat.

"I just needed to think." He said dismissively. I looked at the half empty bottle, but didn't say anything, usually people drank in the dark to forgot they could think, not encourage it, but I didn't say this to Harry.

I asked for a cigarette though I don't really care much for the brand. He lit the end of the cigarette with his, our fingers brush when it passed over to me. "So, what's got you up so late?"

I thought he hadn't heard me when he didn't respond. I was about to repeat the question when Harry turned away from me and said. "The usual." He leaned over and filled the glass half way.

I didn't press the matter, though I wanted to. Instead, I took the hint and started talking about everything, we talked about the Canons chances against the Ballycastle Bats and complained about the ever growing workload at the Ministry. The night passed with talking We continued to talk about anything, except what was in our heads and in our hearts.

"Damn, morning already." I said, watching the cigarette smoke swirl in early morning sunlight.

Harry stood and stretched. "I suppose we should go to bed."

I stood up with him. "Yeah."

I started to follow him out of the living room when he stopped and turned to me. "Thank you Ron. I really needed this night." Before I could ask him what I meant, Harry's arms encircle me. "Too bad I didn't fall for you, eh?"

"Yeah," I said, unsure if he was joking or not.

The two of us walked down the hallway leading to our awaiting bedrooms. I watched Harry's hand swing back and forth, each time it seemed to swing closer to me. It would be so easy to grab his hand. Would he care if I took his hand? Does he want me too? Is that why he is walking so slowly? Just as I gain enough courage to go for his hand, Harry grabs the handle to his bedroom. And I mentally smack myself.

Harry turned and faced me. "Ron…"

"I'll wake you at noon." I interjected, answering his unspoken question.

Harry smiled softly at me. "Thanks."

"Sleep well Harry." I said, putting a hand on my bedroom door handle.

"You too, Ron." Harry said, disappearing into his room.

I stared at his door for a moment, the familiar pain of longing broke through and I turned the handle to my room. Walking inside, I fell onto the bed and was asleep the moment my eyes closed.

As the sun rose over the world, I dreamt of a kiss filled with fire whiskey and smoke. Fire whiskey and smoke. That was what I would have tasted in our kiss.