The Untouchable

C10: The Talk

When Harry woke again later in the morning, it was if a veil had been pulled from his eyes. He inhaled softly through his nose, the clarity of the room sparkling, watching the dust particles dance in the early beams of light. A stillness filled his mind, smoothing out the crinkles of the last school year.

When Harry got better, he hadn't expected it to be all at once. But, in that moment, Harry didn't feel like ripping off his flesh and crawling out of his own body for the first time in over a year. He felt ripples of emotion scatter across his chest, aware but not painfully so. Laughing lightly, wondrously, as his heart soothed.

Perhaps it was because Sirius and Hermione finally understood. Saw him for what he was and, though they fought at first, they didn't run screaming. Or perhaps Harry had just missed talking to Voldemort. He didn't put too much stock into that last one.

Harry sat at the kitchen table and watched Sirius talk. Harry hadn't quite realised how intense Sirius was before, the man beaming and chattering and overall brighter than the sun. Insane, yes, but that was a trademark Black trait. Sirius was something else. He understood why his parents made the man his godfather. Or would it be dogfather? The thought had Harry smiling.

"Harry," Sirius said suddenly, tone solemn and eyes creased. Harry tilted his head, considering, listening with crystal clarity. "I'm sorry about the... Thing with Hermione yesterday. I didn't mean to tell her everything, it just... I had to speak to someone about it and I didn't realise you hadn't told her because you two spend so much time together and I just... I couldn't stop talking once I got started. I'm sorry, Harry," Sirius ended lamely, looking very much like a kicked dog.

Harry looked at Sirius in surprise. "I understand," Harry replied slowly, considering. "It is... Difficult to hold those secrets in, I'm coming to realise. If anything, I expected you to talk to Remus about it but I don't mind you told Hermione. I trust her implicitly, as I do with Remus."

Sirius looked as if slapped. "You expected me to blab?" Sirius asked, heartbroken.

"You're not a saint, Sirius," Harry answered quietly, smiling softly. "I trusted you with that information and, in turn, I trust who you tell. Personally I wouldn't exactly go parading that information around, but you have my permission to discuss it. I love you, Sirius, and I love Remus and Hermione. I hope you all love me enough to not walk away."

"Holy fuck, Harry," Sirius breathed suddenly, approaching him rapidly. Two warm, heavy hands clapped on Harry's shoulders and he looked into Sirius' icy blue eyes with a smile. Sirius then wrapped Harry in a bone-crushing hug. "Merlin, I thought I'd lost you for a while there," the man muttered into Harry's shoulder, his voice sounding suspiciously thick. "Does it have anything to do with Hermione? You too have been awfully close lately."

Harry pushed on the man's strong chest with open palms, eyebrows drawn together and mouth twisted in confusion. "Hermione? How so?" Harry asked, baffled by Sirius' words.

"Like – you know," Sirius began, grinning wolfishly. "Don't you like her?"

Harry laughed then, a deep, wonderous noise that filled the room. Sirius smiled too, though a little unsurely. Harry liked that about Sirius, that the man was always willing to smile.

"Oh, no," Harry chuckled. "Hermione knows that I'm gay. Well, probably gay. Asexual is not quite off the table just yet."

Sirius reared back in surprise. "You're – you're what?" He asked, mouth opening and closing as he fought to find words to fill the room.

"Haven't I told you?" Harry asked in surprise, not missing a beat. "Oh, well. I guess that counts as my secret for the day. Will you tell me one?" Harry continued nonchalantly, not interested in anything his godfather might have to say regarding Harry's sexuality.