Sirius' P.O.V

"Harry, who is that boy?" I asked at dinner.

"He's called Draco Malfoy." He answered taking a bite of his broccoli.

"I know that." I sighed taking a bit of the steak. "I meant, how do you know him?"

"He goes to my school, he's in my classes."

"But why hasn't he been here before today? Is he new?" I questioned.

"No papa." He said and pushed his plate forward to indicate he was finished eating. "He's just never really talked to me."

"Why now?"

"I don't know." He said and looked up at me. "Can I not go out with him?"

"Harry, I just want to know more about him so I know you're safe." I told him and he looked down mumbling something. "What was that?"
"He was the one who punched me." He raised his head. "He apologized though." He said and I swallowed.

"Harry, is the bully you were telling me about?" I asked and he nodded. "Harry." I groaned.

"Papa, he's really nice."

"How do you know Harry? He's your bully!"

"No! He just tells people to bully me."

"Harry, that doesn't make him nice."

"But papa-"

"Harry, I don't know if you're safe with him." I told him sternly. "How do I know he's not gonna take you somewhere and really hurt you!" I raised my voice slightly. He dropped his head.

"You don't think anyone could like me." He whispered brokenly. "You think I'm a freak too."

"Harry, don't say that." I yelled and he flinched. He was sniffling so I sighed. "Harry, come here." I said and he did. He cried into my neck and I rubbed his back to calm him down. He sniffled and lifted his face. "Harry, you're not a freak and I don't think that. I just need time to think this through."

"Okay." He whispered.

"Go finish your homework and we can talk later." I said and he nodded. He walked away from me and I sighed. I stood up and placed the plates in the sink and wiped off the table. I sat back down and decided to call in the reinforcements.

"Hello?" The gruff voice answered.

"He wants to start dating." I blurted out.

"What? Who?" Remus asked suddenly alert.

"Harry of course." I scoffed. "He wants to go on a date this Friday."

"Okay, then let him." Remus said and I gasped.

"Remus do you really think he is ready for that step? He still bloody plays with toys." I told him and he sighed.

"Sirius, think about it. He starts to date, he'll be too busy to play with his toys, he'll have a boyfriend and he'll explore new things."

"Whoa, back up. He is not exploring anything!"

"Not sex Padfoot, I meant it to be new things in life. Dating may just be the one thing he needs to stop acting so childish."

"His bully."

"What?"

"He wants to date his bully. The young man was at my house today and asked me."

"Then what are you worried about? "

"What if he hurts Harry?" I yelled and he grunted.

"Sirius, calm yourself. Think about it. If he came to your home and asked you personally, what makes you think he'd do all that work just to hurt him? If he didn't care as much, he would have just asked Harry out and Harry would have talked to you himself." He reasoned and that made me feel better.

"So, I should let him go?"

"Yes but set ground rules." He told me and I sighed.

"Fine yes okay." I said. "Would you like to meet him too?"

"Yes, that would be good." He told me and I smiled.

"Thanks moony." I let out a breath of relief. "Come by at six."

"Will do, see you then." He said and we hung up. I finished cleaning up the kitchen and made my way up the stairs. I knocked on Harry's closed door and he allowed me to come on.

"Harry, can we talk?" I asked and he nodded looking up from his desk. I sat on the edge of his bed and he turned in his seat to face me. "I've talked to Uncle Moony and he thinks you dating is a good idea."

"Really?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes and he's gonna come here to meet Draco."

"Okay!" His eyes lit up.

"I will allow you go on this date but I need to set some ground rules down." I told him and he nodded. "If he plans on paying, I will give you money just in case."

"Okay." He nodded and I smiled.

"You're growing up so fast love, it was like just yesterday when you were my little ten year old." I said and he grinned. He got up and hugged me.

"Don't worry papa, I'll always be your little boy." He told me and I kissed his cheek.

"Good." I told him and swallowed. "I'm sure your parents would be very proud of you." I said and he sighed.

"Papa, would they be mad that I'm gay?"

"Not at all Harry." I told him and pulled him onto my lap. "Your parents were very open minded people. In fact, they were very supportive of me and moony when we came out." I told him and he looked up at me with those big green eyes.

"You're gay too papa?" He gasped and I nodded. "And you were with Uncle Moony, why aren't you together anymore?"

"Things change Harry." I kissed his head. "People change."

"Oh but you're still friends."
"Till the very end." I said and he smiled. "Alright, I'm sure you want to call Hermione and tell her everything."

"Oh! Good idea." He said smiling. I smiled, stood up, and left his room. As I walked down the hall, I turned and looked at a picture that was hanging on the wall. It was of James and Lily so I smiled and whispered,

"Please keep him safe."

Harry's P.O.V

Just as my phone connected to Hermione's so we could video chat, my heart sped up. She accepted and her smiling face appeared on the screen.

"Hey Harebear, what's up?" She asked.

"I have a date 'Mione!" I chirped and she dropped the phone in surprise. I giggled and she picked her phone up, shock written all over her face.

"What?" She exclaimed.

"Well today when you were in detention, I was crying cause I was upset." I said and her face softened. "Anyway, Draco Malfoy came over and was all like 'I'll protect you'." I giggled at the thought. "He comforted me and held my hand!"

"Are you playing a joke on me?" She accused.

"No! I swear!" I gasped. "So he walked me home and asked papa if he could take me out."
"He asked Sirius?"

"Yes!" I told her.

"And Sirius said yes?" She inquired.

"Yup. He wasn't too happy about it but he caved and said I could." I smiled shyly.

"But Draco Malfoy?" She asked and frowned.

"Do you not want me to date him?" I swallowed hard and my bottom lip quivered.

"Don't cry Harry, I want you to date whomever you want." She told me. "I'd like to have a conversation with him before your date, when is it?"

"Friday."

"Okay so I'll beat him up tomorrow." She teased and I sniggered.

"That's not nice 'mione." I told her.

"I know. Then can I at least yell at him?" She asked me and I smiled.

"Fine yes but don't hurt his feelings."

"You must really like him yeah?"

"Yeah I kind of do." I started to play with the hem of my nightshirt with one hand. "I mean, he's been mean to me but papa said people can change."

"They can but are you sure you want to date him?"

"I do, he was really nice to me today." I said and then gasped. "He apologized for hitting me and calling me all those names on Halloween." I told her and her eyes widened.

"He did?"

"Yeah he said he was in a bad mood." I explained and she nodded. She looked like she was thinking for a bit and then she let a breath.

"I give you my blessing Harry. As my best friend I want you to be happy and I think dating would be good for you."

"Really?"

"Yes." She said and I grinned widely.

"Thank you 'mione! I love you!" I piped and she smiled back.

"I love you too Harry."

***

"Oi baby Potty!" Goyle menaced and ran towards me. He was with Draco and Crabbe, I so happened to be alone. Is Draco gonna do something? Did he not want us to tell people? I shielded my face closing my eyes and waited for something to happen.

"Goyle stand down." The icy voice cut through my ears. I flinched out of instinct and opened my eyes. Draco was smirking at me but it wasn't his usual smirk, it was the nice kind. "Crabbe, Goyle. Harry and I are dating." He announced and walked over to me. He laced our fingers together and stood by me as the others looked in shock.

"What?!" They yelled.

"We are dating, there will be no cause of harm to him or his friends are we understood?" He growled and I remained quiet.

"He's a fag and he made you one to?" He asked and I frowned. Fag? What did that mean? Draco's hand clenched on mine tightly and his face grew a scowl.

"Vincent Crabbe, you will never use that derogatory term to describe me or Harry, or I swear you will be sorry." He growled lowly. Crabbe nodded quickly without a word and Goyle just nodded along. "Now get out of my face because I can't stand to look at you." He hissed and they dispersed. The blonde took a breath to gain his composure. He turned to me and give me a warm grin. "Ready to go to English?" He asked and I nodded. He started to walk off but I was still in too much shock to move. "Well?" He cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Thank you." I grinned and he smiled.

"Of course, I made you a promise and Malfoy's don't back down on promises." He said and I tittered.

"I'll remember that." I confirmed and he nodded his head.

"Good, shall we go?" He asked and I nodded. We started walking off and passing a few people who gawked at us. I wasn't worried about my friends finding out cause I had already told them after I had 'mione. I wondered if she would say something to Draco like she promised. Just as we were about to walk into class, we were stopped by a loud shriek.

"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" The pug faced girl yelled. I covered my ears at the voice.

"Sod off Pansy." Draco hissed.

"You're cheating on me?" She gasped.

"We were never dating!" He shouted. "Leave us alone!" He yelled.

"You better watch it baby Potty, or I'll get you!" She hissed and I flinched. Draco glared as she stomped away and then gave me a sympathetic look.

"Sorry Harry." He said and I gave him a small smile.

"It's okay." I whispered. He pulled me into the classroom and we walked to my desk in the front. We had some time before class so as I sat, he stood.

"So are you excited for Friday?"

"Yes!" I grinned widely. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." He smirked. "But I think you'll like it."

"I probably will." I nodded smiling. The bell sounded and he sighed. Kids started to shuffle in.

"I'm gonna go to my seat now but wait for me after class yeah?"

"Okay." I nodded. With one last glance he walked away and Hermione walked in taking her seat.

"You alright Harry?" She asked her face slightly flushed.

"You're the one who is flushed." I pointed out and then giggled. "Did you make out with Ron?" I asked and she scowled.

"I may have been with him." She told me and I chuckled. "Where were you?"

"With Draco."

"Oh?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

"No mione." I gasped. "He walked me to class. We only held hands." I swore and she laughed.

"Oh of course Harry." She leaned over and patted my shoulder. I smiled and then looked over to see Draco staring at us. He gave me a smirk and winked. I turned around quickly blushing.

"I can't wait for this Friday."

>rV?Q C