"Harry," Melissa said the next morning just after breakfast, grabbing Harry's shoulders before he could go over to Khadija and Hermione. "Can we have a little talk?"

'What about?' Harry signed, they were still in the Great Hall which meant he was being surrounded by people he couldn't talk around.

"Ah, that's a secret, you'll find out in Ven's room when we talk." Melissa said, booping Harry's nose.

'Okay.' Harry signed with a small nod, pulling away from Melissa to follow behind her to talk about whatever was bothering her.

"Hey Harry, weren't we going to go to the Black Lake today?" Khadija said, coming over to Harry and Melissa as the two of them started heading towards the dungeons rather than the large double doors to the grounds.

"Sorry, I need Harry right now, he can come over when we're finished talking." Melissa said, smiling at the girl.

"Oh, okay, come over when you're done, Harry. We're going to be looking for different plant life in the shallow parts of the Black Lake with Neville." Khadija said with a bright smile, waving at Harry and running away back to Hermione where the blond boy who was constantly losing his toad was standing too.

"So," Melissa said, turning to face Harry with a slightly evil looking smile once they were in Ven's room, Ven sighing and closing their door. "Draco said you've been avoiding him recently, anything happened?"

Harry stiffened, his mouth agape as his eyes flickered between the two older teens, looking scared. He stepped back from the bed slightly, he knew he wasn't really in danger, but he felt so guilty that he had made Draco feel like he was avoiding him. He was, but it wasn't because he hated him, but because he was worried that he had started to figure out how he really felt about Draco and he didn't want Draco to hate him and leave him.

"Uh, Hermione said something and I thought I should spend more time with my other friends..." Harry mumbled, picking his nails and avoiding eye contact with Ven and Melissa.

"Oh? And what did Granger say to make you think that?" Melissa asked, sitting on the end of the bed, looking at Harry intently with raised eyebrows, of course, she knew full well what Hermione had said, but it seemed to have made Harry think more than Draco, so maybe there was something else said that Draco didn't pick up on.

Harry's cheeks darkened as eh let out a small squeaking noise. "What she said isn't important, I just thought it would be best to get closer to other people."

"So it's not that she suggested that you and Draco should kiss?" Ven asked, their tone and expression rather flat.

Harry jumped, looking like he was shocked that they knew what Hermione had said, it definitely seemed like if they hadn't revealed that they knew what was said he would never have said what had actually happened.

"N- n- no, I- I mean- wh-why would I care abo-about that? I- it's just tha- that I realised how- how much closer to him I am than any- anyone else an- and I should try to g- get- get closer to the others." Harry stuttered, waving his hands around, his face flushed.

"So you don't want to kiss him?" Melissa asked, almost looking too interested in Harry's answer.

"I- I... Yes." Harry mumbled quietly, looking a little deflated, it was hard to hear what he had actually said, but his actions made it obvious that he had answered positively.

"It's okay Harry! You should definitely tell Draco though." Melissa said, her face splitting into a bright, almost face splitting, grin.

"No!" Harry said loudly, looking shocked and scared. "I can't do that, it would change everything between us and he's not going to want to do it too so it'll just be embarrassing!"

"Look, even if it does make things a bit awkward for a while, you two are too close to have everything be ruined just because you admit that you want to kiss him. It might make things a little different, and it might be different in a good way not a bad way." Melissa said, spreading her arms for a hug that she didn't get.

"I want things to not change though." Harry mumbled, still looking at his shoes as though they were the most interesting things in the world.

"You're already changing things by staying away from him without telling him anything. He thinks he's done something to upset you." Ven said, saying that much about what Draco had told the two of them didn't tell Harry anything Draco wanted to keep private.

Harry stiffened for a moment, realising Ven was right, he was changing things himself because he was too scared Draco would find out how he felt and change things himself. If he didn't want things to change then why would Draco?

"So you're going to tell him how you feel?" Melissa asked brightly, smiling at Harry, who had finally looked up at them.

"It's your fault if he hates me." Harry said, frowning.

"Yes, yes, now go tell Draco." Melissa said, guiding Harry by the shoulders towards the door.

"I- I need to go meet up with Khadija and Hermione." Harry stuttered, being pushed towards the door, his footsteps rather heavy.

"Mhm, no, you're going to tell Draco now. If you don't you're going to chicken out, and having to go see Petterson and Granger means that you can have an escape if it goes poorly." Melissa said as though she had the answers to all the ways of relationships.

"But I said I would meet up with them." Harry said, looking like he absolutely did not want to do what Melissa was suggesting.

"You still can and if you don't you can truthfully say it's my fault. Besides they have Longbottom with them, they'll be fine." Melissa said, pushing him towards Draco where he sat with Pansy and Blaise, seeming dissatisfied with what was going on.

"Harry?" Draco asked, looking up as soon as Harry stumbled towards him. "Is something wrong?"

'Can we talk in private?' Harry signed, looking down at his hands.

"Sure, everything okay?" Draco asked, getting up and taking Harry's hand, taking Harry to their room.