• 1-The Matchmaker I

"Hey, um, Harry?"

"Hmmm?" Harry Potter turned around, still a bit groggy from the nap he'd taken right before Astronomy. His green eyes were half-covered by limp eyelids and he still had a pillow crease imprint on his cheek. "Oh, hi, Neville."

Neville Longbottom, a fellow yearmate of Harry's, had the hem of his school robes clutched tightly in his left hand. The hem was wadded up so tightly that Harry didn't think the wrinkle was ever going to come out. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Neville, but we'd better head to class." Harry yawned and jerked his head to motion down the stairs. Neville reluctantly nodded and went down side-by-side with Harry.

"Um, did you notice something odd about Seamus and Ron?"

Harry frowned, not quite awake. "Odd? When?" He looked at Neville, who seemed to be having problems making eye contact with Harry.

"This afternoon, down by the lake."

"Oh." Harry thought back to several hours before. The Irish boy and Harry's red-headed best friend had been sitting at the lake's edge, chatting with their heads close together for some time. "No. They were just talking."

Neville stumbled and Harry steadied the other boy as they stopped on the stairwell. "Harry..." Neville's voice trailed off lamely. "Harry, I don't know what you classify 'just talking', but I'm pretty sure that lips sealed together isn't a usual thing."

Harry's mouth dropped open in shock. "WHAT?" he blurted out. Neville nodded his head, brown eyes wide. "No!" snapped Harry. "Don't be ridiculous! Ron and Seamus would never -"

"We'd never what, Harry?" Seamus' Irish fil filtered from below them. Ron and Seamus were standing at the foot of the stairs, looking up. Both looked impatient, but that wasn't what had Harry's undivided attention. "Come on, we're gonna be late!"

Seamus and Ron were holding hands.

"Ron!"

"Leave off, Harry!"

"RON!"

"I said let it alone!"

"RON!"

Ron Weasley turned on his best friend in anger. "WHAT?! What's your problem?" y spy sputtered a moment. Ron rolled his eyes. "I like boys." The statement was simple. Too bad Harry couldn't handle simple.

"But Padma-!"

"Boring. You did notice I didn't do much with her."

"Hermione!"

"Nice figure but we tried a couple of kisses and it just didn't do anything for me." Ron gave a wry grin. "Or her either for that matter."

Harry was flabbergasted. "But, but, but -"

Ron patted his best friend on the back. "Don't worry, Harry. You're just my best friend. I have no romantic designs upon you." And with that parting shot, Ron walked away, allowing the bathroom door to swing shut behind him. Harry watched him, mouth hanging open and Ron's final sentence ringing in his ears.

The-Boy-Who-Lived was even more flabbergasted to come to the conclusion that he was insulted by the fact that Ron had no romantic designs on him. Outraged would be a better description. 'What's wrong with me that he can't be attracted to me?' Harry found himself thinking. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, studying his features closely. He wasn't unattractive, but not what he'd call handsome either. Draco Malfoy was handsome, in a pointy chinned, arrogant way. Harry was the boy next door handsome, he supposed, which had its own excellent qualities.

Harry turned his attention to his body, turning sideways and looking himself up and down. He'd grown a bit over the past school year and his features weren't quite so gaunt and hauntingly slim from lack of proper eating. His metabolism had definitely sprintointo action and he was eating almost as much as Ron. His shoulders were broadening out, as was his chest, from the workouts for Quidditch. His hair was still an unmanageable mess, but Harry figured that was part of his charm. The messy hair didn't seem to stop his father from bagging his mother, so to speak, so it shouldn't be a mark against Harry either.

So why didn't Ron find him attractive? And why the hell was Harry so worried about this? He wasn't sure he wanted Ron to be attracted to him, after all.

Or did he?

For the next week, Harry groused to himself, put on a smiling face for everyone else, and watched Seamus and Ron get it on. The two Gryffindor boys were obvious about it; they were discreet in public. In private, however, it was a different story altogether. Harry, Neville, and Dean found themselves complaining bitterly about the odd noises coming from either Seamus or Ron's bed at any given time. Apparently an audience didn't bother the two lovers one iota.

Finally Harry broke down and confessed all to Hermione. He figured Hermione would either be shocked to the core or shrug and tell Harry it was about time he'd discovered Ron was gay. The reaction he got was not the one he'd expected.

"Seamus?" It took Harry a moment to figure out Hermione was outraged. "Our Seamus and oi> Ri> Ron?"

Harry was at a loss for words as Hermione's brown eyes sparked angrily. "Um, yeah," he said lamely.

"That boneheaded, twisted, fluff-brained...He...I..." Harry watched as Hermione was actually at a loss for words. It was ausuausual occurence and always fascinating to watch. "I'll kill him, Harry. I swear I will!"

"Um, why?" Harry was now even more confused than ever.

"Because he told me -" She broke off, face flaming, but from anger or embarassment, Harry couldn't tell. "I'll just kill him," she finished off instead. Harry watched her stalk off.

"What was that about?" Seamus spoke from behind him. Harry whirled around and managed a weak smile at Ron and Seamus. They were shoulder to shoulder but it was the only part of their bodies touching.rry rry had to confess it turned him on enormously, except he wanted to be in Seamus' spot.

Harry managed a lame shrug. "I'm not sure. Something about one of her classes."

Ron watched Hermione stalking away with a concerned look. "I'm going to go talk to her. She looked really angry. Later, Seamus, Harry."

Harry didn't want to be left alone with Seamus and from the look he was getting from Seamus, Seamus didn't want to be left alone with Harry. "So," Harry said, "you and Ron, huh?"

Seamus burst into laughter. "That's the best you can do, Potter?"

Harry was immediately offended. "What am I supposed to say when I discover that a classmate and my best friend are doing each other every chance they get?" This made Seamus laugh all the more.

"You are dense, aren't you, Harry?" Seamus shook his head. He leaned forward. "I told Ron this wouldn't work, but to shag *that* body on a regular basis, well I wasn't going to argue with such a plan." Seamus winked at Harry and strolled off to join Dean and Neville in a game of Exploding Snap.

'Now what the hell did that mean?' Harry wondered as he watched the Irish boy join his friends.

Two days later Harry thought he had it figured out but was uncertain what to do next. He'd made the mistake of asking Hermione, but she threw her hands over her ears and stalked off shouting, "I'm not listening! I don't hear this! EW!"

If Harry interpreted Seamus' comment correctly, Ron and he were just shagging. No emotional involvement was involved in the relationship. Ron apparently had feelings for someone else, unrequited feelings. While Harry was having a hard time with the concept that someone could not want Ron, he was okay with that, because, well, he wanted Ron for himself. The only problem was how to go about doing that.

He didn't want to be a boyfriend snatcher.

Finally Harry gathered up his courage and asked Ron if they could talk alone. They gathered their books from the table they'd staked out earlier in the evening for studying and left Hermione to her own devices. The two boys made slow progress toward the tower that housed the Gryffindor students, taking a roundabout way.

"So, what's up, Harry?" Ron finally promptedn Han Harry didn't seem to be starting the conversation.

"I- well that is - Ron, I wanted to ask-" Harry grimaced. He couldn't think of a polite way to ask Ron to dump Seamus and go out with him. "Never mind, it was a stupid thing."

Ron sidled Harry a curious look. "You can tell me, mate. We're best friends, aren't we?"

Harry, unable to take it anymore, blurted out, "But I don't want to be best friends anymore!" Ron looked at him in shock. "I mean, I want us to be best friends, yeah, but - oh to hell with it!" Harry dropped his bag and threw his arms around Ron's neck. Ron was still a head taller than Harry, but Harry had no problem reaching up and kissing Ron full on the mouth. It took Ron a long moment to respond but Harry couldn't fault the redhead his eventual enthusiasm.

Ron's mouth slanted over Harry's possessively, aggressively, before straightening up again. Harry's mouth was open and inviting but Ron wasn't taking the invitation. The taller boy pushed away, dragging in air. "What's this about?" he demanded.

Harry blinked in surprise. "I thought it would be obvious," he began stupidly.

Ron made a slashing gesture with his free hand, the other hand still holding his bag. "Well, its not. You have never looked twice at me and now suddenly me and Seamus are together and you're coming on to me? What's the deal?"

Harry frowned. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

Ron gaped at him. "You really do have one big ego, don't you, Harry?" The words were quietly spoken and before Harry could respond Ron was laughing. "You think everyone's after you or something? Can't stand to not have an admirer? Is Malfoy right after all?"

Harry was affronted. "Seamus said -"

"No, he inferred, he never said. He told me what he said. And yes, you're right in some ways, the whole thing with Seamus started out as a way to get your attention." Ron shrugged. "But I like being with Seamus. I like the sex. I like the non-committment of he and I's relationship. No strings, no hurt feelings if I catch him with someone else, and vice versa. I've decided I like being Seamus' fuck toy, so you'll just have to wait until we're done with each other."

Harry watched as Ron sauntered away. For a split second he thought about letting Ron go, but his brain kept screaming 'ARE YOU NUTS!? GO AFTER HIM!'

"No!" Harry scooped up his bag and ran after him. "I'm not accepting that!"

"Too bad."

Harry dropped his bag again and then tore the bag from Ron's hand as well. With as much strength as he could muster, Harry shoved Ron against the stone wall and kissed him again. At first Ron seemed to refuse to respond but then something happened. Ron became aggressive again, scarily so. Before both boys knew it, they were panting on the floor, Harry's shirt torn open and Ron's ceteletely off. Ron's hands were struggling with the fly of Harry's jeans, succeeding in getting them open.

"Ron, I've never -" Harry began as he too fumbled with Ron's trousers.

"That's okay, I'm a bottom anyway. It'll be easier on you, just go easy on me." Ron dug around in his bag a short arm's length away. He took out a small vial and shoved it in Harry's hands. "You'll need that," he panted.

It was heaven. Harry would have never thought having sex with a guy could be heaven. Ron showed him everything he knew, which near as Harry could tell was quite a bit. Ron confessed as Harry was experimenting on how far to push himself into Ron that Seamus seemed to have a lot of experience going both ways, position and gender-wise. The rhythm caught them both up and conversation was forgotten.

As Harry moved, Ron moved in tandem. Ron took one of Harry's hands and, after a brief caress, showed Harry how to stroke him. Soon both boys were panting and sweaty, lips melding together in a frenzy, their movements coordinated and smooth. Ron came first, his groans echoing through the corridor. Harry felt the warm splash of Ron's ejaculation on his bare chest just two seconds before he came himself.

Ron grinned as Harry shouted out his release. Interesting to discover that Harry was a screamer. It was going to make their lovemaking sessions in the dormitory slightly difficult.

Seamus watched the two boys come together, literally. Smirking to himself, he pulled a list out of his bag and made two check marks: one next to Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. "Hmmm," Seamus said. "I think I'll tackle Neville next."