"He was so nervous that he had somehow taken advantage over me, it was almost sad. he cared so much." Harry smiled sadly and fiddled with his ring.

"We're here!" Fred announced in a stage whisper. His grin lit up his features. The moonlight and twinkle of the stars sparkling in his eyes. Harry felt his chest flutter. he decided to ignore whatever that feeling was until tomorrow. New, weird feelings could wait a bit. 

Fred stretched out his hand to Harry. He helped the boy up a few large steps with a firm grip on his hand. The tower had a large overhang which Fred plopped himself down on. Harry peered at it cautiously. Fred noticed Harry's hesitation and his features softened.

"Come on and sit, the ledge is a bit scary but the view is amazing. Here, I'll hold your hand again, so even if you do fall, I'll be able to pull you back up." His voice was soft. Volume above a whisper but his tone was gentle, as if he was speaking to a glass statue instead of a preteen boy. 

Harry smirked, "Or we could both fall to our deaths, you being dragged behind my fallen body as we both plummet to the ground." He replied dryly. Fred snorted, eyes scrunching closed as his nose wrinkled. 

"Nice one, 'Ry. Only weird children stories end in the death's of two lovers." He shot back. Harry's face heated up and his feet tensed. His hand was touching Fred's, Harry's fingertips brushing against his knuckled. Fred's hand was in his reach as he stammered out a reply to Fred's remark.

"L-lovers?"

Fred realized his mistake and started stuttering an apology. Harry shook his head and took grasp of his hand.

"I like that. Us. Uh, lovers. It feels nice, makes me feel... safe." His last word was quiet. He was shutting himself off again, becoming shy as a defense mechanism. The quieter you are, the less attention you attract to yourself. He had learned that from the Dursley's.

"Safe enough to sit on the ledge with me and let me tell you about every constellation I know?" Fred asked. 

Harry gave the Weasley boy a tentative smile and then a mute nod.

"Care to tell me about the Big Dipper?" He questioned as he walked to the edge. Fred helped him situate his body so his weight was behind himself instead of tottering forward to the ground. His legs hung off the ledge, but quickly found themselves intertwined with Fred's legs.

"You realize if we have our legs tangled, we can fall to our deaths?" Fred asked after a few moments of silence. Harry had a loose grip on Fred's shoulder. A hand resting as a cushion for his head as he snuggled to Fred's side.

"I'd rather die with you than die alone." Harry remarked with such nonchalance that Fred nearly laughed. Instead of laughing at him, the older boy hummed. Slowly, he inched his arm around Harry;s waist. He pulled him closer to his side and kept his hand over Harry's hip bone. Harry let his hand stay.

"Fair enough." Fred mused before pointing to a bundle of stars.

"That, 'Ry, is the Big Dipper. A big ass pot in the sky that for some reason has a tinier pot somewhere close by."

The two spent the rest of their detention in the tower. Silent giggles coming out in huffs as cold air stung their faces. Fred smiling widely and Harry finding himself cuddling up to Fred for warmth. For once in his life, he felt safe. 

"It's weird," Harry commented, disrupting Fred as he spoke of Delphinus.

"I feel safe with you, warm... I haven't felt that, ever." Fred felt his heart crack. A chip falling into his stomach as his heart broke a bit for the boy.

"Well, get used to it. I'm not planning on going anywhere." He found himself saying. Harry grinned lopsidedly at him and turned to see his face. Their eyes gazed into each others deeply. Harry swallowed the saliva working its way to the tip of his tongue.

"Hey Fred, can I try something?" Fred gave him a nod of approval. Harry lifted his fingers to Fred's jaw. His fingertips brushing over his jawline before his palm pressed against it. Fred shivered as his spine jumped. 

Harry leaned in slowly, eyes still on Fred's. He could feel the warmth of Fred's breath on his lips. Just below his nose and above his upper lip before growing closer and the breath engulfing his lips with warmth. Harry could hear his heart beating in his ears. His skin was flushed and he learned closer. Their noses bumped awkwardly as Harry brought their lips together. 

They kissed again, and again it was cut short.

Fred fell backwards and sent Harry with him. Fred yelped and Harry felt his arms connect with the stone floors with a small thud. He winced and looked at Fred, their lips no longer locked.

"Guess I really fell for you, huh Harry?" Fred cracked the tension. Harry rolled his eyes half heatedly and untangled their legs. He got to his knees and Fred followed, they were staring at each other again.

"Fred, can I- wait, may I kiss you again?" Fred's lips separated for a moment. 

"I- are you sure?" He asked Harry, watching Harry sit up straighter.

"More than anything."