Dance With Me Harry

DANCE WITH ME HARRY

By Aerie22

CHAPTER 23

Friday

Sleep had not come easy to Harry last night. So he was a little groggy when he woke up on Friday morning. Suddenly, the events of the past two nights came crashing into his mind. And he didn't like the images that were forming. All he seemed to see was Parvati. Her lovely face, her laugh, the fierce look of concentration as he taught her karate spins and kicks. And, most of all, the vulnerable, almost desperate, look on her face when she hugged him before retiring last night.

The images scared him. Then he looked over at Ron, who was groggily assembling his toiletries before heading to the showers.

Harry got up and strode over to his best friend. "Ron, we've got to talk."

Ron waved him away listlessly. "No talk. Shower," he grunted, his eyes barely open.

Harry took a deep breath. "Go. Take your shower. Then we'll talk."

Harry followed Ron into the boys' bathroom and took a cold shower to wake himself up and cool his imagination. He had to talk to Ron as soon as possible. He had to get him to act on Parvati before it was too late. He had already risked Ron's friendship by confessing to him that he had feelings for Hermione during the summer. It took three weeks and several owls before Ron had responded to Harry's original confession, and Harry had been in agony for the entire time. So now he couldn't do anything with Parvati. Not with Ron liking her. That would be the last straw. He couldn't betray his friend like that.

Harry was already in the dorm and dressed when Ron sauntered in wearing a blue hand-me-down terrycloth bathrobe that he'd already outgrown last year.

Harry walked over to Ron's bed and sat down as his friend started to dress. "Ron. You've got to ask Parvati out and you've got to do it quick."

Ron lifted his head and gave Harry an unfocused stare. "Whaaat?" he asked absently.

Harry took a couple deep breaths. "Look, you know those nightmares I've been having?"

Ron nodded, looking a little more focused.

"Well, I haven't been having any lately. Not since I've been running. I've been wearing myself out and have gone out like a light as soon as I hit the pillows. I sleep right through the night."

Ron nodded. "Good." Then he looked at Harry and shrugged. "I thought that running stuff was some Muggle thing you picked up during the summer. You know, like a disease."

Harry gave a wry smile. "No."

Ron was now dressed except for his robes. He shrugged again. "So?"

Harry sighed. "Look, I had another nightmare on Tuesday night."

"Yeah?" Ron said with some concern, unconsciously touching his forehead.

"No, not one of those dreams." Harry looked down at his feet. "Woke me up in the middle of the night. And I couldn't get back to sleep. So Wednesday night, I couldn't sleep again and just got up and wandered around the tower for a while. I couldn't run that night, so I was restless."

Ron nodded.

"So I put on my gym shorts and a tee-shirt and went down to try a workout. I thought I might wear myself out so I could sleep."

"Okay," Ron said uncertainly.

Harry paused, trying to think how best to tell the story. He shrugged. "I guess I woke up Parvati. She came down and thought I was dancing by myself."

Ron snorted and tried to stifle a chuckle.

"Don't laugh, you prat. Did you know she was a dancer?"

Ron's face took on a new interest.

Harry nodded. "She loves to dance. So I showed her some of my karate moves, you know, the kicks and spins I showed you."

Ron's face took on a concerned look. "And..."

Harry gave a small shrug. "She showed me some dance moves. It was fun. Then we talked."

Ron frowned. "Let me get this straight. You and Parvati were dancing around in the dark alone in your underwear," he growled.

Harry leaned back, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, Ron. Oh...and she's great in the sack." He gave his friend a playful smack on the shoulder, but Ron continued to scowl.

"Listen you stupid prat. We danced and did kicks and stuff for a while. Then we talked."

Ron's face remained cloudy. "About what?"

Harry leaned in. "About Hermione and me. And about you and her."

Ron blinked a few times, a look of panic crossing his face. "You talked to her about me?"

"Yes, Ron. We talked about you. She told me she liked you. But she said she was tired of waiting for you to do something. She actually turned down a date because she was hoping you would ask her out."

Ron's eyes widened. "She said that?"

"Yes, Ron. But she also said that it wouldn't happen again. She's pretty and popular. But she hasn't gone out on a date since the beginning of the term, waiting for you. That's probably as long as she's gone without a date since she hit puberty. And she's not going to wait any longer."

Ron was upset and restless. He got up and put his robe on, and started pacing. "I don't know what to do...what to say to her. I don't know..."

Harry grabbed his friend and pulled him down on the bed. Putting his face in Ron's face, he lowered his voice. "It's a Hogsmeade weekend starting tonight. Just go up to her at breakfast and tell her she looks nice and ask her to go to dinner at the Three Broomsticks...or wherever. And make it clear that you'd like it to be just the two of you. And don't look to me or Hermione to be a chaperone. Just the two of you."

"At breakfast? With everybody around?" Ron whined.

Harry rolled his eyes again. "No. Go up to Dumbledore's podium do a sonorus charm and simply announce it to everyone in the hall." Harry snacked Ron playfully on the back of head.

Ron shuffled his feet. "Gee, I don't know...It's awful sudden."

Harry blew a deep breath out. "Yea, Ron. It's only been about a month. I've seen glaciers move faster than you."

Harry grabbed Ron's arm. "Listen, I talked to her. She was really nice. And interesting to talk to. And the one of the prettiest girls in the school. And she actually likes Quidditch."

Ron nodded absently.

Harry's eyes took on an evil gleam. "Oh...and Ron. While she was dancing and showing me ballet moves, she showed me that she could do a split."

Ron's head jerked up and he turned to Harry. "A ...a..split?" he stammered.

"Yes," Harry said with a gleam in his eye. "And not just any split. A vertical split."

Ron looked puzzled.

"You know, where a girl is standing straight up and lifts one leg up until she's standing on one leg and the other leg is pointing straight at the ceiling."

Ron's gulped, his eyes like saucers.

"Go get her, big boy. Before she does her split for some other guy," Harry said with a wink.

Harry got up and walked out of the dorm with Ron still pondering the wonders of ballet.

* * *

Evening

* * *

Harry sighed when he found that Hermione wasn't in the common room. It was the first Hogsmeade weekend. And it was her birthday. He shook his head. He hoped at least that she was doing something pleasant. Not up in the library again. Hiding. He gave Lavender the book of wizarding poetry he bought Hermione as a birthday present to put on Hermione's bed when she came back. And he left for Hogsmeade.

Harry spent the evening listlessly wandering around Hogsmeade, waving or nodding at friends but declining to join them. He paid his respects at Zonko's but didn't buy anything. He did buy a large sack of candy at Honeydukes just to have some in stock at the dorm to share with Ron and the firsties.

But mostly, he wandered, thinking. Ron had taken the plunge and Parvati agreed to go out with him. Harry felt a little jealous, but in his heart, he was rooting for his friends to take to each other. It would be nice to see Ron happy, even if he and Hermione weren't.

Eventually, he called it an early evening and wandered back to Hogwarts.

It was only a little past 11:00 when Ron came in, a sour expression on his face.

Harry jumped up to greet him. "How did it go?" he asked, full of hope.

Ron scowled at Harry. "Horribly," he said and flopped in his bed.

"What?" Harry was dumbfounded. "What happened?"

Ron turned to face away from Harry, sulking. "I thought you said she was nice," he muttered.

Harry walked to the other side of Ron's bed. "Of course she's nice. Ron, what happened?"

Ron turned away from Harry again. "She's stupid."

Harry leaned against the one of Ron's bedposts. "Ron, she's not stupid. She's not as smart as Hermione, I'll grant you. But she was interesting and fun to talk to when I was with her."

"Well, if she's so great, why don't you go out with her," Ron sulked.

Harry felt his heart flutter, but he shrugged it off.

"No. You're going to tell me what happened."

Ron was quiet for a while. Finally, he began to talk. "You said she liked Quidditch. She doesn't know anything about Quidditch."

"What? She's got four brothers who are as Quidditch crazy as you are. She even told me she goes to matches here just to enjoy the match, even when Gryffindor isn't playing. How many girls who don't actually play do you think do that?"

Ron sniffed. "She said that the Chudley Cannons are permanently second-tier. She said they would have a better record if they called in forfeits. And she laughed at them."

Harry banged his head against Ron's bedpost a couple times in exasperation. "You broke up over the Chudley Cannons? Ron, was she wrong about the Cannons?"

Ron turned to face Harry angrily. "Don't you start!" he snapped.

Harry shook his head. "Ron, when was the last time the Cannons were in the first tier?"

Ron snapped his head toward Harry. "In 1984! They were in third place in the league in 1983 and would have been in the Quidditch Association finals if it wasn't for lousy refereeing in that game."

"And you were how old at the time? Three? Four?"

Ron shifted in bed again, sulkily. "She also insulted me," he grunted.

Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "What did she say, Ron," Harry said, a note of concern in his voice.

Ron turned on his side, an upset expression on his face. "I unbuttoned my robe because it was hot in the Three Broomsticks. She saw my jumper and told me I shouldn't wear orange. She told me it looked terrible on me. That orange was awful for me."

Harry made an exaggerated roll of his eyes. "Ron, you git. She's right. Orange is a horrible color for you with your freckles and red hair."

Ron shifted to look Harry square in the face. "Now you're doing it. Orange is my favorite color. It makes a statement."

Harry started to chuckle. "You always say that. And you know my response."

Ron turned away petulantly.

"It makes you look like...." Harry prompted.

"...a pumpkin. But I don't care. I like orange. And it's one thing for you to tease me, but quite another for a total stranger to insult me."

Harry threw his hands in the air. "Didn't you at least talk to her about her interests? Didn't you at least tell her she looked nice? Or ask her about her family? Or her dancing? Or anything like that?"

"She knows I think she's pretty. I told her on the Hogwarts Express just last month. Why did she think I wanted to go out with her? Because she was ugly?"

Harry snapped his head around. "Ron, that's a horrible thing to say. Is that the only reason you went out with her? Because she's pretty? Doesn't liking a girl have anything to do with going out? If pretty is all you're interested in, maybe you should date Draco Malfoy. He's got a pretty face."

"Go to hell," Ron muttered. "You just said I should have told her she was pretty."

"You don't get it, do you, Ron," Harry said in frustration. "Girls need reassurance that the boy they're with appreciates their efforts to look nice. But they also want to know that you to like them for themselves, not just how they look. And a part of that is being able to listen to what they are interested in as well as telling them what your interested in. Didn't you ask her about her interests? About her family? Her dancing?"

Ron grunted. "You said she was interested in Quidditch, so I talked about Quidditch. I wasn't going to ask her about dancing. I don't like dancing. I'm not interested in dancing. Why should I talk about dancing?"

Harry was beginning to get annoyed with Ron. "Maybe someday when you're old and gray and haven't had a date in about 50 years, you'll start to realize that talking with a girl means more than just talking about what you like. Can you imagine what would happen if you went out on a date with Hermione and all she talked about were Goblin Rebellions? Boy, wouldn't that be fun."

"I don't want to talk about it any more. I just want to go to sleep," Ron said in a sulk.

Harry sighed. He didn't know what else to say. He knew his friend was too upset and annoyed for anything more to be accomplished that night. Well, maybe over the course of the next few days, he could give Ron a few of the 'charm school' lessons he'd learned during the summer from Sara.

"Ron, try not to go to sleep in your robes. Not unless your anti-wrinkle charm has improved over the past few weeks," Harry said as he got dressed for bed.

Ron grunted. "Sorry for messing up about Parvati, and being such a prat," he said in a small voice.

Harry smiled. "No problem, Ron."

Ron started undressing.

Harry got under the covers. "Oh, and Ron..."

"What, Harry?"

"Orange really isn't your color."

"Go to hell, Potter," Ron said chuckling.

* * *

Night

* * *

"Harry?"

Harry wasn't sure that the dreamlike voice was real. His mind was struggling just beyond consciousness when he heard it again.

"Harry? Are you awake?" came the urgent whispered voice.

Harry's eyes fluttered. He could just make out the worried large almond-shaped brown eyes staring into his.

"Parvati?"

She was dressed in her pajamas and a quilted dressing gown. "I waited for you downstairs, but you didn't come. Can you come downstairs?"

Parvati was now looked nervously around, knowing she wasn't supposed to be in the boys' dorms.

Harry nodded quickly and rose to a sitting position, grabbing his glasses. Parvati was tiptoeing out of the dorm. He looked himself over and satisfied he was reasonably presentable, given the hour--it was 2:45--and the fact that he was in his pajamas. He grabbed his cotton dressing gown and slippers and made his way downstairs.

Parvati was sitting on the same couch as the night before. And she was clearly upset.

"Parvati, do you know what time it is?"

She nodded. "I was hoping you would come down tonight. I needed someone to talk to," she said in a tiny voice. She took a deep breath. "But after about two hours, I figured you weren't going to, so I went up there to get you."

Harry came over to the couch and sat at the opposite end and watched her. She continued to stare sadly into the embers of the fireplace. "I put a couple more logs on the fire, but they're just about burned down by now."

Harry continued to watch her. After a couple minutes of silence, he spoke. "This is about Ron, isn't it."

She nodded slowly.

"It was pretty bad, then?"

She nodded again.

"How bad?"

She turned to him with sad eyes. "He was boorish and inconsiderate," she said and turned back to the fire.

"He was scared, Parvati. He was unsure of how to handle himself," Harry said soothingly. "He's not always like that. He's a really nice guy."

Parvati gave what sounded like a cough. "Boorish or inconsiderate I can handle," she said listlessly. She turned to look at Harry. "Don't take this the wrong way, Harry, but boys can be trained to act almost like human beings."

Harry chuckled. "And pigs can be trained to fly."

Parvati joined his chuckling. "Well, they can be charmed to fly...if the witch is charming enough," she said, batting her eyes playfully.

But the smile quickly faded and she turned back to the fire. "It's not just that," she said with a sigh. "He was boring. I don't know if someone can be cured of that."

Harry looked at her in surprise. "Ron is anything but boring. He and I have been through a lot together. He's got a lot to talk about. That and his family, and he could probably have enough stories for a dozen dates."

Parvati turned again to Harry. "That's just it. He won't. He only wants to talk about what he's interested in. I mean, I like Quidditch, but enough is enough. I ended up resorting to conversation stoppers and still he wouldn't shut up."

It was Harry's turn to sigh and stare into the fireplace. "Like I said, he was nervous and didn't know how to act. I'm trying to work on that with him. Give him a chance and next time he'll be better. He'll be another successful graduate of the Harry Potter Charm School," he said with a hopeful look.

Parvati sighed. "There isn't going to be a next time, Harry," she said quietly.

Harry's face fell. He felt sorry for Ron. Here was a really nice young girl, and a pretty one, too. And Harry had pushed her at Ron and it failed. He had failed.

"Ron is at an awkward age," he said in a murmur. "Maybe down the road, he'll find his stride."

"Harry, you're our age, and you're not awkward," she said tentatively.

Harry smiled to himself. "Just give me a chance...I'll show you my two left feet."

Parvati chuckled. "I don't think so."

The two sat there for a while in silence. Finally, Parvati spoke. "What happened between you and Hermione?"

Harry stirred uncomfortably at the sudden shift in the conversation. "I don't know..."

Parvati turned to him. "No, what actually happened?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess I was a little too forward."

Parvati now looked at him with a more serious look. "What did you do to her?"

Harry began to squirm. "Look, I really don't want to talk about it, okay?"

Parvati gazed intently at him. "No, it's not okay. What did you do to her?"

Harry continued to stare into the fire.

"Look Harry, we're friends. At least I hope we're friends. And friends help each other. I know you tried to help me with Ron. And I don't hold you responsible for what happened tonight. You were trying to help Ron and me. Maybe I can help you and Hermione. Now tell me. What did you do to Hermione?"

Harry shifted again. "I kissed her," he said in a faraway voice.

Parvati started. "You kissed her," she said in a flat voice.

Harry nodded.

Parvati turned back to the fireplace with a puzzled expression on her face. "That doesn't make sense to me. Tell me exactly what happened. Did you corner her or something, grab her, make a pass or something?"

Harry shrugged. "No, nothing like that."

Parvati looked at him again. She moved over on the couch and took his hand. "Harry. Tell me exactly what happened. And start from the beginning. Maybe we can repair the damage."

Harry looked down. He took a deep breath. "Well, last year, as we got off the Hogwarts Express at the end of the year, I turned to say goodbye to her, and she reached up and kissed me on the cheek," he said taking another deep breath. "I thought about that kiss all summer long. I had some really bad times this summer and that kiss helped me get through everything."

Parvati was now looking into his eyes. "And what happened?"

Harry looked away uncomfortably and took another deep breath. "All summer long I tried to think of a good way to show her that I liked her...you know, like a girlfriend. But I couldn't figure out how. But this girl I met in the neighborhood...she was much older and more experienced...told me that a good boyfriend should surprise and delight his lady with an unexpected compliment."

Parvati chuckled. "I read that same thing in an article in Teen Witch Weekly. But what about the kiss?"

Harry leaned back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. "Well, we were in the library studying together and it was about closing time. So I started packing up and turned to Hermione. She looked so cute, sitting there concentrating on her studies. I guess I was staring and she caught me. She asked me what was wrong. And Sara's words came to me. 'An unexpected compliment.' So I told her I was sorry that I hadn't noticed how pretty she was until the Yule Ball last year. I got up to leave, but she didn't react. I thought maybe it didn't register. So I bent down and kissed her on the cheek."

Parvati was staring at him. "Oh, Harry! That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard. What did she do?"

Harry fought to contain the tears that were beginning to form in his eyes. "Nothing. I asked her if she wanted to walk back to the Tower with me. She refused. Said she had other things to do." Suddenly, like a dam breaking, the tears began to flow. "Oh, Parvati. She wouldn't even look at me. It was like I wasn't even there. Or like I was some horrible creature that she couldn't bear to look at. I don't know. She's hasn't really spoken to me since."

Parvati now had a horrified look on her face. "That's it? That's it?"

Harry nodded miserably.

"That bitch!!! Here I was thinking something horrible happened between you two, that you'd done something horrible to her and were doing some sort of adolescent boy penance for your sins. Instead, you did the sweetest thing I've ever heard a boy do for a girl and...and she treats you like that?"

Harry started to get panicky. "Please Parvati, don't do anything," he said in a rush. "Ron thinks she maybe feels confused, or scared, or embarrassed about the whole thing, or is sorting out her feelings...or something."

Parvati's face was livid. "Bugger Hermione's feelings!!!" she exclaimed. "And while we're at it, bugger Hermione!!!"

Harry was shocked at Parvati's outburst, and felt his panic rise. "Parvati, he whispered urgently. "You'll wake the whole house!"

Parvati stared at him with a furious expression. "So what if we do?"

Harry was in a full-blown panic. "But...but..."

Parvati grabbed him by the shoulders. " 'But..but..' nothing! What about your feelings, Harry? You've been wandering around like the walking dead for what, a month?"

Harry hung his head. "Ten days," he choked out.

"And all this time, while she's wandering around sorting out her 'feelings,' she's left you out there hanging!" she said angrily. "You don't do that to any boy...unless his committed some sort of unforgivable act...I wouldn't do that to that pest Colin Creevey, much less somebody as nice as you!"

"Don't say anything. I don't want to be hurt any more, for her to be hurt any more," he managed to choke out.

Parvati grabbed Harry and pulled him into her arms, letting him cry on her shoulder, stroking his hair. "Harry, I won't do anything or say anything, but only because you asked me not to. But if I had my way, that story would be a flea in the ear of every witch at Hogwarts inside of 24 hours!"

Harry managed to get control of himself. Parvati pulled him up to arm's length and looked him in the eyes. "Harry, you did nothing wrong. In fact, from what I can see, you did everything right. So I'm going to tell you this for your own good. Forget Hermione. She doesn't deserve you. No witch who does that to a boy deserves to have him as a boyfriend...or a friend. Forget her."

Harry hung his head, ashamed for being so weak. He rarely cried, and only when he was alone. Of all his friends at Hogwarts, only Ron had seen him weep. He knew he could trust Ron and that Ron understood. But now he was doing it in front of Parvati. And she seemed to understand, he thought. And just by being there with him, getting him to talk about it, she was helping him through his pain. Somehow, this young witch who he had always thought of as a silly young girl was easing his burden, helping to make the pain go away.

'Maybe she's right,' Harry thought. He couldn't bring himself to hate Hermione. Or even be angry with her. But he felt a sense of loss, a huge sense of disappointment. He realized that he had invested four years of emotion in Hermione, and had spent the last eight months doing little else but think of her--as a potential girlfriend, as a romantic partner. But he began to realize that not all hopes are realized and not all dreams come true. It was time to move on. He let out a big sighed and slowly relaxed on Parvati's shoulder.

Parvati, sensing the wave had crested, poked him. "Come on, Harry. You're probably the most eligible young wizard in all of Hogwarts. Don't let this get you down."

Harry shook his head and shrugged. "That's the problem. There are probably a lot of girls who are interested in 'The Boy Who Lived.' But they just see the scar. To me, it's something that happened to me as a baby. I didn't have anything to do with it. I don't even remember it. All I want is for somebody, for once, to care about me. Not 'The Boy Who Lived,' but 'just Harry'."

Parvati, who was now breathing hard, grabbed him and turned him to look him in the eyes. "Look, Mister Harry Potter. I had a big crush on 'The Boy Who Lived' and was delighted to be his date at the Yule Ball last year. You know something? That 'Boy Who Lived' turned out to be a real prat. But recently, I met 'just Harry,' and you know what? He seems to be a wonderful guy. So don't you worry."

Harry found he was rapidly calming down and relaxing now. Parvati had managed to have such a nice effect on him. His heartache over Hermione now seemed less painful. It was like she had wrung him out until there was hardly any hurt left.

In the meantime, Parvati sat back, deep in thought. "Hmmm...who should we set you up with..."

Harry began to squirm uncomfortably, and Parvati gave him a playful swat. "Oh, hush up and sit still. We're only deciding your entire future."

"Hmmm...," she continued to ponder. She turned to Harry. "You know, Katie Bell would be just right for you, except she's too old and she's seeing Fred...or is it George."

Harry looked up. "She and George are a couple?"

Parvati rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You boys are so thick. They are a couple whenever she can pry him loose from that brother of his and can get him to sit still long enough for a snog. Harry, you're just going to have to learn to pay attention to these things," she said in mock exasperation.

She went back to her musings. "Susan Bones from Hufflepuff is cute, but I think she's a little flaky. She's a brooder and you don't need a brooding woman, do you, Peter Waring?" she said, teasingly.

Parvati had, by now, put her arm companionably around Harry's shoulder and had pulled him against her. "You know who would be perfect for you...?

"Millicent Bulstrode..." he offered jokingly.

Parvati threw back her head in laughter. "Harry, she's a lot of woman," she said chuckling. "There'd be nothing left of you but a grease spot after your first snogging session.

The two sat chuckling together.

"No," Parvati said, catching her breath. "Actually, Hannah Abbott would be perfect for you. She's very pretty and sweet and warm and loyal...everything I hate in a woman," she said with a giggle. "But she's seeing Ernie MacMillan. And she's not the type of girl to toss aside a nice boy when she sees another one she likes. Not even for you, Harry. Too bad, though," she said thoughtfully. "But I'll keep my eyes open for you in case something happens between them."

Harry was now thinking. "How about Ginny Weasley?" he offered.

Parvati looked at Harry, her face now becoming serious. "Do you like her, Harry?"

He shrugged. "She's very sweet. And she's had a crush on me forever."

Parvati continued to shake her head. "She's absolutely the wrong kind of person for you, Harry. At least right now, anyway," she said with a sigh. "She's very young, Harry. Not just because she's a year behind us. But she really is still just a girl, with a lot of girlish notions. If you were to go out with her, you would end up spending all your time trying to live up to her image of you. It would make you miserable, and you would wind up disappointing her...or hurting her...in the end. And that's not what you need right now." She looked at him. "Listen, if you really like her, give her a chance to grow up a little first. You're still young, Harry. But she's very young."

Harry nodded. "What about Cho...?" he whispered.

"No, Harry," she said softly. "Not Cho."

"No?"

"No, Harry," she said, looking into his eyes. "I know you had a crush on her last year. I know she's pretty. But there's just too much that's gone on since last year. You would never he able to relax together, never be happy. Too much baggage. Too many ghosts."

Harry felt a lump in his throat and sank back into the cushions.

Parvati watched him. 'The poor dear boy,' she thought. 'So sweet. And he's gotten cute. But he's been through so much. And he's so unhappy.' He heart went out to him. She put her head down, trying to think of a way to perk him up. Then she smiled.

"You know, Harry, my sister Padma might just be available. She and Terry Boot have been dancing around each other, trying to sort out their feelings. But knowing Padma, that may turn into a marathon dance. And Terry's not much better. He's a little on the thick side."

Harry sat up a little straighter and looked at Parvati. "Padma?"

Parvati started laughing. "And why not Padma? After all, there are some very discerning people here at Hogwarts who happen to think that Padma is the second prettiest girl in school," she said in an arch tone that rapidly disintegrated into giggles.

Harry joined her laughter, but suddenly took a long appraising look at Parvati. She didn't seem to notice, and reached over to grab a lock of hair from the back of his head, shaking it gently.

"Now listen here, Harry Potter. It's not that funny," she said with a playful pout. Then she leaned back into the cushions of the couch. "No, Padma isn't right for you. She's too reserved. Too...I don't know." She turned to Harry, her eyes lighting up with mirth. "You know, I think she's adopted," Parvati whispered conspiratorially of her twin. "She's nothing like me."

The two collapsed in laughter.

Parvati stared up at the ceiling, still chuckling with a bemused expression on her face. "No, Harry, you need a real woman."

Harry glanced at her with a mischievous look on his face. "Lavender?" he said with a smile.

Parvati burst into laughter. "Oh, Harry, I sincerely hope not...for your sake," she said in glee. "Listen, she's my very best friend and I love her like a sister..." she turned to Harry with a twinkle in her eye "...and sometimes a lot more than my sisters...but I think she might be a little too much for you. She is...how should I say this?...a little on the 'high maintenance' side."

Harry looked at Parvati, a puzzled smile on his face.

She turned to Harry. "Look, I love reading romance novels...the Tamara Trueheart and Darla O'Brien stuff...but Lavender's been raised on them. She takes them as gospel. She expects boys to dote on her, to swoon over her. And that doesn't happen. Not, at least, among 15-year-old boys with any spark of life in them. That's why she's been through so many boyfriends. She wants some strong, handsome, popular, self-sufficient boy to suddenly melt whenever he sees her. And let me tell you, it's been my experience that strong, handsome, popular, self-sufficient boys have a tendency not to melt very easily...at least after the first snogging session, when they start getting all possessive and territorial. If she wants someone to melt whenever he sees her, she'd be better off trying Colin Creevey, or better yet, his little brother Dennis."

Harry found they were laughing together and leaning against each other. What was it about this girl? he thought. He had never laughed so much. Just minutes ago, he had been weeping against her shoulder and, somehow, she managed to chase his mood as if by a wave of her wand.

They sat quietly, leaning comfortably against each other and watching the glowing embers in the fire. His mind was working furiously behind the calm facade as the minutes ticked by. He had never been able to talk to a girl like this. And Parvati was so easy to talk with. And so pretty. Maybe...just maybe he could tell her.

Yes, she had been so easy to talk to when she was just someone from Gryffindor, someone he had no emotional stake in. But something had suddenly changed within Harry. He cursed himself internally. Why can't I tell he I like her? Why do I always have to be Peter Waring?

He turned to look at her. She turned and smiled at him and turned back to the fire.

He steeled his courage and sighed, speaking in a small, tentative voice. "Maybe Peter Waring never stuck around with Tamara Trueheart because there was someplace he'd rather be...."

Parvati's head jerked up and she stared at Harry, who was now himself staring into the fire.

"Tell me, Harry. Tell me about Peter Waring," she whispered.

Harry gave a painful sigh. Could he do this? Could he tell her in a way that she would understand...if she chose to?

"Maybe it was a real complicated story. That Muggle girl I met over the summer told me that all great love affairs are complicated--that's what makes them great."

Parvati was now staring at Harry in wide-eyed anticipation. "Tell me about this complicated love affair. I love a good love story."

Harry's brain was racing. He took a deep breath. "Well, maybe Peter Waring and Jack Morgana were best friends, but they both liked Tamara Trueheart, and...and both were afraid to admit it to her, or each other, for fear of harming their friendship." He paused, thinking furiously. "Ah...then Jack sensed Peter's love for Tamara and...um...after much anguish, gave his blessing to his best friend to try to win Tamara's love."

Harry was breathing heavily now, his face a mask of anxiety and concentration. Parvati reached over and stroked his hair. "Go on," she whispered.

Harry took another deep breath. "Well, Peter knew the risks. But he put a brave face on things, and confessed his love to Tamara. But she rejected him, leaving him empty and alone."

Paravti's eyes were beginning to fill up with tears.

Harry concentrated, trying not to think of the warm presence of the beautiful girl leaning against him. "Then he met Jack's new love, Darla O'Brien. Peter was happy that his friend was in love with such a wonderful woman...that at least Jack would at last find the true happiness that had always eluded each of them in the past."

Harry's eyes now were filling as well. "But Peter..." and Harry's voice caught. He heaved a big sigh. 'Say it, Harry! Tell her! Tell her how you feel!' his mind screamed.

"But Peter found he was...ah...falling in love with Darla, himself. He knew he could not betray his best friend. So he kept silent, and brooded some more."

He paused, trying to catch his breath.

"Harry," Parvati said, laying her head on his shoulder. "Don't stop."

"But Jack...found he could not find true love with Darla...that he could not make her happy," he took a deep breath. "Peter was heartbroken for his friend....but he knew he loved Darla. Peter was unsure what to do."

Harry turned his beautiful, tortured green eyes to Parvati and she felt her insides melting. "Di...Did Peter ever decide...what to...what to do?" she said breathlessly.

Harry took a deep breath and nodded. "He gave Darla a long, smoldering kiss." Harry gazed at Parvati and gently took her into his arms and kissed her. They kissed long into the night.