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Barty grinned as he walked back into the dorm room. His shirt was half undone, and the hickies that James had left along his collar bone were on display. His tie hung around his neck, though he knew it looked better around James', and thanks to James his hair was an utter mess. Regulus rolled his eyes at him, and Evan didn't acknowledge him.
"Welcome home," Regulus muttered.
"Oh come on honey, it's not what it looks like!" Barty joked, dropping back onto his bed.
"Uh huh, you didn't hook up with someone at whatever party you crashed then?" Evan asked. Barty laughed. To them it was confirmation, but really he hadn't. He'd been with his long-term boyfriend away from the Gryffindor party which he had actually been invited to.
"It's not like that," he said anyway. It had become a sort of fun routine they did every time Barty came in late clearly from hooking up with someone.
"Really? You weren't with someone else?" Regulus asked. Evan sighed.
"Honey, like I would ever do that to you," Barty said.
"Well clearly you are! Do you think I'm blind? Do you think our son is blind?" he asked, gesturing to Evan when he said son.
"Hey pops, let dad go fuck who ever he wants to," Evan said.
"I'm putting you up for adoption," Regulus told him, Evan just grinned back.
"I love you both, but why are you up at midnight?" Barty asked.
"Why are you only getting back at midnight?" Regulus asked.
"Don't blame me, I wasn't going to say no to a round two with him," he said, rolling off the bed to head to the dorm bathroom.
"Gross," Regulus muttered.
"Or a round three," Barty added with a laugh. Regulus flipped him off as he shut himself in the bathroom.
"For the record, I was just doing homework I've been ignoring," Evan shouted. Regulus started laughing.
Barty grinned at himself in the mirror. He wasn't too sure why he was still keeping his relationship with James a secret. It was fun, having a constant excuse as to why he was sneaking out. They just assumed he was off to some other party, or to meet up with someone to hook up with. James wasn't too sure why he hadn't come out yet, his friends would support him no matter what. So it wasn't because of that. They just, didn't tell anyone. And just kept not telling anyone.
James scratched at his neck as he walked through the mostly empty Gryffindor common room. He could guarantee that at least one of his friends was awake and waiting for him. Probably all of them. He wasn't sure what he'd tell them. There wasn't any good reason not to tell them the truth, but he there was something fun about keeping his relationship with Barty secret.
"Oh look what the cat dragged in," Sirius said, sat at the end of James' bed. Peter snorted and Remus rolled his eyes.
"Hey guys," he said, trying to head straight for the bathroom. Remus stuck his arm in the way, his homework in hand.
"Met a girl Prongs?" Sirius asked. He laughed at that. Not only was he dating Barty, and had been for just over a year, he was also gay. Very gay. Entirely and utterly a homosexual.
"Doing some pranks without us?" Peter asked.
"Escaping the hell hole that is this friend group?" Remus asked.
"We love you too Moony," the other three chorused.
"Well, where were you?" Peter asked. James shrugged vaguely, and pushed Remus' arm out of the way.
"Just out," he said. He was met with three looks. All some variation of annoyed mother. Well, they all had a tendency to be the group mum from time to time, it was still creepy though. And effective.
"Come on guys, I wasn't doing anything you would have wanted to be a part of," he tried. It wasn't even a lie. He couldn't imagine any of them wanted to be a part of his relationship with Barty.
"Where were you?" Remus asked. James just smiled at them and ran for the bathroom. There were three sighs as he closed the door, and he laughed. He realised then that he hadn't picked up his pajamas yet and groaned. James slipped back out, only to have them thrown at him by Sirius.
"Thanks Pads," he mumbled.
"You better tell us where you keep sneaking off to!" Sirius shouted as he shut himself back into the bathroom. He could hear them talking still.
"Do you think he actually has gotten a girlfriend?" Peter asked. James sighed.
"I'm used to him being single though," Sirius said after a moment. James shook his head and went about his nightly routine.
James smilled at Barty across the library. He smiled back. They both turned their attention back to the homework they were meant to be focusing on with their friends. It didn't last long, James found it hard not to pay attention to Barty. Remus was focused on his defence against the dark arts homework, and Sirius and Peter where whispering together.
James tore a piece of his notebook out, scribbled a note onto it, and folded it to send over to Barty. He watched the miserable looking plane hit Barty's arm, and watched him unfold it, neither Regulus or Evan noticing. Barty looked up at him and grinned. James glanced between his homework and Barty as he scribbled a note back.
"Prongs," Sirius hissed.
"Prongs," Peter hissed before he got the chance to respond.
"What?" he asked quietly.
"Can we set you up on a date?" Sirius asked. Peter grinned at him. Barty's note, folded into a love-heart, hit him in the arm.
"Pads, Wormy, I love you both, I do not want to go on a date with anyone any time soon," he said. Only partially a lie. There was only one person he'd want to go on a date with. The same person that had just hit him in the arm with a second love heart shaped note. Both Sirius and Remus looked behind them to see who was sending the notes, but Barty looked engrossed in his homework.
The first note was Barty telling him they should meet in the astronomy tower that night. The second night was him daring James to come and kiss him. James tore another piece from his notebook.
"So no to the date?" Peter asked.
"I'm not going on a date any of you set up," James said as he scribbled out a note. 'Confession time?' it read. He folded it into a bird under the table and sent off with a silent spell. He watched as it Barty's arm, and then turned back to his homework.
"You are seeing a girl!" Sirius said, a little too loudly because the librarian shushed him.
"Nope," James said, another love heart note hitting his arm.
"You so are!" Peter said, pointing to the note. "You're dating someone." James grinned and read the note.
'Confession time darling, I dare you to kiss me.'
"I'm dating someone," James admitted as he stood up. Sirius waved his arms around in shock, Peter looked annoyed, and Remus just sighed. The three watched him walk across the library to Barty's group.
James tapped Barty on his shoulder. Barty looked up at him and grinned.
"Hello darling," Barty said, grinning. Evan and Regulus rolled their eyes.
"You know I never back down from a dare," James said. Barty chuckled and grabbed his tie.
"I know," he said.
"Now he's flirting with people in front of me," Regulus complained. James kissed Barty, one hand on the back of his chair, the other on the table. Barty's spare hand rested on his hip and after a moment he pulled back as much as he could with his boyfriend still holding onto his tie.
James looked to Regulus. Barty had told him all about the little joke they had going on. He'd spent a long time trying to come up with something fun to say if he ever got the chance.
"You may be the husband," James said, grinning, "but I'm the boyfriend, and he spends more time with me." Evan sighed and Regulus did a dramatic gasp.
"You're cheating on me with, with some Gryffindor?" Regulus asked. Evan laughed slightly.
"Hey, he looks good in a Slytherin tie," Barty muttered. James lightly wacked him on the arm, blushing slightly.
"How long have you two been together?" Evan asked.
"Just over a year, or so," Barty said, looking to James for confirmation.
"Sounds about right," he agreed.
"I see how it is," Regulus said, smiling slightly. "You're leaving our family, for, for, him!" Regulus pointed at James in acusation. Barty and James laughed slightly.
"I'm going with dad and his new boyfriend," Evan muttered.
"No, I want custody," Regulus said.
"Hey, kid wants us, we want the kid, don't be an arse," Barty said. James kissed his cheek then, simply because he wanted to.
"Prongs," Sirius called as he walked over.
"Surprise, you don't have a straight friend," James said, smiling slightly. Barty rolled his eyes, and pulled James into his lap. He laughed slightly, blushing heavily.
"I can't believe you've done this to us Prongs," Sirius said gesturing between him, Peter who had joined them, and Remus who was watching from their table.
"Honestly mate, this is just rude," Peter said.
"Guys come on," he said, laughing slightly. "We can find a straight friend!"
"Straight friends are over-rated," Barty cut in.
"Shush dear," James said, laughing slightly. Peter and Sirius laughed slightly too. Barty shook his head.
"You were the straight friend," Peter said. "This is, the ultimate betrayal. Just pure evil!"
"I can't believe you lied about our friend group having a straight friend, that's rude Prongs," Sirius said.
"Wormtail, come on, it's not serious," James said. "Really, I never actually said I was straight. So I never lied to anyone Pads."
"It is very serious," Regulus cut in. "You've broken up my marriage, my family," he said, dramatically slapping a hand to his chest. "You've stolen my husband, my child!"
"He came to me!" James said, leaning against Barty. Peter sighed, and returned to the table they had been sat at. Sirius looked between them for a moment.
"We're talking about this later," he said, pointing at him threateningly.
"Sure, do you want all the details or just the briefing?" James said, grinning.
"Details?" Sirius asked, slightly confused. Barty chuckled.
"Three rounds, wasn't it darling?" he asked, grinning at Sirius over James' shoulder. A look of realisation spread over his face, quickly followed my disgust. Both James and Barty laughed as he walked away.
"It was four," James corrected.
"If you're going to talk about it, leave," Evan said, glaring at them both. James shrugged and stood up, taking Barty's hand and dragging him with him.