Ron stared up into the darkness of his bedcurtains. Sleep had evaded him for hours. He listened intently to the deep, heavy breathing of the other boys in the fourth-year dormitory, but could not find a way to join their slumber.

He hadn't meant to be snarky with Harry when they had reached the surface. He hadn't meant to tease him about trying to play the hero again by saving the Delacour girl. He'd just been so thrilled to be there in Harry's arms, in front of the whole school, and a little miffed to find there was a third member of their company.

Harry's arms had been so strong and warm around Ron in the cold water. And they hadn't been the only thing keeping Ron warm, for he now had proof - proof that the whole school had seen! - that he, Ron Weasley, was the most important person in Harry's world.

Ron's heart raced again, and a smile flew to his face. He almost laughed aloud in his renewed joy.

At this rate, he would never get to sleep.

"Ron?"

Ron froze. The whisper had come from only a foot or two away.

Harry's voice sounded again, a little more loudly this time: "Ron, are you awake?"

Ron inhaled deeply. He was fighting a losing battle to keep his heart from leaping out of his chest.

He sat halfway up and held the curtain open. "Yeah, I'm awake, mate."

Without waiting for permission, Harry crawled up into the bed next to Ron, letting the curtain fall behind him. Ron, speechless with delight, moved sideways to make room.

Harry's in my bed. Harry's in my bed! Oh sweet Merlin, Harry's! In! My! BED!!

Ron grabbed hold of his final remaining corner of sanity. This was no time to jump to conclusions. Harry probably just fancied a chat. Probably just couldn't sleep after the excitement of the day. Ron silently begged every part of his body to stay in its most appropriate position as the two boys found space to lie side-by-side on the narrow mattress.

"All right, Ron?" ventured Harry.

"I'm fine," he responded shakily. "You?"

Harry exhaled softly. In the stillness of the room, Ron could smell Harry's particular scent of warmth and night air and boy.

"Was it terrifying?" the smaller boy asked.

Ron started slightly. He'd forgotten that Harry wouldn't know how easy and peaceful the experience had been for all four hostages.

"Nah," he responded softly, shaking his head. "Dumbledore told us exactly what he was doing before he put us into that sleep. We knew there was no real danger."

Harry was quiet for a very long moment. Ron could hear the boy's soft breathing and unwittingly fell into concert with it.

When Harry still hadn't spoken, Ron tilted his head to look. His best friend's eyes were very wide, shining brightly in the sparse moonlight, more noticeable than ever because Harry had left his glasses behind. The boy's pale features were so beautiful that Ron didn't trust himself to stare for long, and he turned his face back toward the ceiling.

"I didn't know," whispered Harry.

Ron's chest grew very tight at the pain in his voice. "Harry, I didn't mean -"

"I thought I'd killed you."

Though barely audible, the words seemed to echo in the silence.

"Harry, no -" But Ron was cut off again, not by words, but by movement on Harry's side of the bed.

The unwilling champion rolled onto his side, curling his body against Ron's. His mouth came only inches from Ron's ear, maybe less. His soft, warm breath caused every nerve ending it touched to come to attention. Soon, Harry was the only one breathing, as Ron tensed in shock.

Oh sweet Merlin, oh - Ron quickly became aware of his body's reaction to Harry's proximity. He dearly hoped Harry wouldn't notice.

The reaction increased as Harry's voice broke the silence again, now murmuring directly into Ron's ear. "What would I have done if I'd lost you, Ron?"

Ron could barely hear the words for the pounding of his heart.

"So - so it's true, then?" he ventured.

"Hmm?" breathed the sweet voice.

"'What you'll sorely miss.'"

Seconds passed by without a response from Harry, which seemed like hours. Ron's heart sank incrementally with each tick. He was such an idiot! Why did he have to open his mouth and ruin the moment, the way he always did?

He closed his eyes and was about to roll away when Harry raised himself up on one elbow. Ron looked up at the face hovering above his.

His eyes are even greener in the moonlight. Ron was transfixed by the sight.

"Oh, Ron..." murmured Harry softly.

Ron's heart sank the rest of the way. Well, at least Harry would let him down gently.

The champion finished his sentence: "...was there ever a doubt?"

Whether yes or no, the answer was lost as Ron's entire world narrowed down to the space around his two lips.

The space that had just been occupied by Harry's mouth.

Ron closed his eyes and simply let himself be kissed for a glorious moment. Then Harry lifted his head again, opening heavy-lidded eyes to gauge the response of the boy on the bed.

Ron's grin had spread from ear to ear.

Harry snuggled closer to Ron's side, putting his head on the larger boy's shoulder and running a soft thumb across his cheekbone. Ron noticed with pleasure that he hadn't been the only one to react to their sudden closeness. As Harry's arm settled snugly across Ron's ribcage, the delighted redhead wrapped his own arm protectively around his best mate.

He had almost drifted off to sleep when a resounding snore echoed from Neville's corner of the room.

Ron started awake. "Harry?"

"Mmm."

"We can't fall asleep like this. If the rest of them find us in the morning..."

Harry propped his chin on his fist, eyes sparkling down at his love. "...then what?"

Ron hesitated. "Well, it will be obvious, won't it?"

Harry smiled, kissed him on the nose, and snuggled himself back down.

"Then there will be no more doubts," were the final words Ron heard before he drifted off to sleep.