Dance With Me Harry

DANCE WITH ME HARRY

By Aerie22

CHAPTER 24

Saturday

* * *

Morning

* * *

Hermione awoke early on Saturday morning. Something was poking her in her ribs. She reached down and pulled out a book. And she smiled.

Poetry: A Collection of the

Best Poems of

the Wizarding World

By Lapis Lazuli

She turned to the inscription.

To My Best Friend Hermione on her 15^th Birthday,

Love,

Harry

She hugged the book to her chest. 'Maybe Harry isn't mad at me anymore,' she thought. 'Maybe he'll forgive me. Maybe..."

'I'll tell him how I feel at breakfast. Maybe we can go on that picnic after all,' she thought.

* * *

It was a Saturday morning, so Harry fended off half-hearted attempts by Ron to get up for breakfast with a wave of his hand. It had been an exhausting, but exhilarating night. Sara had told him how to kiss a girl during the summer, but he was not prepared for the emotional impact of kissing someone you loved.

Love? he thought. Parvati Patil? He pondered this question as he drifted back to sleep.

At 11:30, he was rudely awakened by a bucket of water being tossed on him by Ron and Dean. Seamus was on the floor laughing and Neville's eyes danced in mirth from the doorway of the dorm as Harry sputtered, screaming hex threats at all present.

"Rise and shine," Ron shouted merrily. "Now that we've taken care of your morning shower, it's time to get dressed for lunch."

Harry chased his roommates out and did a quick drying charm on the bed, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs.

In the boys' bathroom, he took a close look at his face. A real shower and a thorough scrubbing left him presentable to the world. But had he changed after last night? Was there anything apparent? Was he really in love? He shook his head and made a futile attempt to tame his unruly hair and headed for the dorm to get dressed.

"It's about time," Ron exclaimed in exasperation, as Harry finally came down to the common room. "We're going to be late for lunch, you git. If we wait much longer, there'll be nothing left but a few crumbs, if I know Dean and Seamus."

Harry blinked a few times. Parvati would be there. Would anything be different? What if she had second thoughts? They hadn't gone far--just some deep kissing and rolling around on the couch. But what if she thought he had taken advantage of her? After all, she was vulnerable after her miserable date with Ron. And what would Ron say if he knew?

Suddenly, Harry smiled. 'Uh, oh. I'm going into my Peter Waring act again.' He sighed and squared his shoulders. 'Best go down to the Great Hall and face whatever wrath Darla O'Brien has in store for me.'

* * *

Harry led Ron into the Great Hall and headed for their usual seats. He was almost there when he realized that Parvati and Lavender had supplanted Dean and Seamus from their usual seats next to where Harry always sat. Harry smiled as she looked up at him. She smiled back. Parvati was all he saw.

* * *

Hermione tried to catch Harry's attention but he passed without noticing and took a seat two seats away. Ron sat between them. Hermione kept looking past Ron but Harry seemed to be talking with Parvati about something. So Hermione went back to her lunch. 'I'll talk to him later,' she thought.

* * *

Parvati looked up as he neared her and gave a quiet, knowing smile, then turned back to Lavender, whispering. Lavender looked up at Harry with a gleeful smile and winked. Harry blushed and smiled shyly back and sat down next to Parvati, with Ron taking the seat between him and Hermione.

"Good morning, Parvati. You look nice," he said quietly.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who missed breakfast," she said in a husky voice. Suddenly, she unobtrusively took his hand in hers under the table. Harry couldn't help but smile at her, but quickly looked away when he realized he was staring. He couldn't believe he was holding hands with such a pretty girl. He gave a slight shiver, and Parvati squeezed his hand.

When lunch magically appeared on their plates, the couple gave a quick chuckle and decided that handholding at lunch didn't work when both were ravenously hungry.

When the meal was just about over, Parvati leaned over to whisper to Harry.

"Are you free this afternoon?"

Harry looked at her and nodded expectantly.

Parvati smiled softly. "I hoped so. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

As the meal ended, Harry rose and looked to Parvati uncertainly with eyebrows raised.

"Let's go find a place to stash our robes," she whispered.

Harry looked startled.

Parvati turned to look at him. "What's the matter? Aren't you wearing pants under your robes?" she asked with a mischievous grin.

Harry looked at her, shocked.

She laughed. "It's nothing. It's just that when Lavender and I were in first year, Fred and George told us that it was so hot and stuffy in the divination classroom that they never wore pants under their robes. That was the only way to keep cool, they claimed. We wondered about that for months before we had the nerve to ask Angelina about that. We heard that, during the next divination class, she did a ventus charm on them, blowing their robes up over their heads. Fortunately for them, they were fully clothed." Harry and Parvati left the castle laughing.

Harry brought her down to the Quidditch changing rooms to use his locker to store their robes. Fortunately, the weather had warmed from the previous stormy week, and Harry's light pullover was enough.

Then he looked at Parvati. She had a cream-colored sweater, but she was wearing the oddest slacks he had ever seen. They were a khaki color and baggy around the hips, and they looked to have suede or leather sewn to them on her inner thighs and up her backside. His mind began to whirl. 'Was this some sort of kinky sex outfit? What did she have in mind? And what have I gotten myself into?' he thought.

"Ah...um...Parvati? Wh...where are we going? And wha...what are you wearing?" he gulped in a strangled voice.

Parvati turned and gave him a puzzled look. "Oh, these? They're riding breeches. Haven't you every seen these before?"

Harry blushed and shook his head.

"Well, they're comfortable and tough, especially for where we're going."

"Ohhhh....." he said with a mixture of disappointment and relief. "So you ride horses?" he asked.

Parvati shrugged. "We have a small estate in Hampshire...more of just a farm than an estate. But every summer, our family would stay out at the estate and enjoy the countryside. And the thing I enjoyed most was riding. Padma and I could ride almost from the time we could walk."

Parvati took Harry's hand, but he suddenly stopped. "Parvati. I just realized. I don't even know where you live. Or what your family does. Or anything like that."

She turned to him in surprise. "You don't?"

Harry hung his head in embarrassment. "No," he said softly.

Parvati cocked her head to the side in puzzlement. "Well, I guess we never really sat down and talked before. But Hermione knows. She never said anything?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess it never came up."

Parvati rolled her eyes. "Typical," she muttered. "Well, come on. I'll tell you on the way."

Parvati grabbed Harry's hand again and started to lead him across the Great Lawn.

She sighed. "Well, I live in a wizarding community just outside of Portsmouth. We have a nice house, three stories tall, with a couple acres. We needed it--there were the seven of us kids. And my father and uncle are partners in the family potions' supplies importing business." She turned to Harry with a smile. "Probably a quarter of all the ingredients we use in potions' class were imported into England by my family," she said with a chuckle.

Harry's eyes were wide. "Why don't I know all this."

"You never asked, silly," she responded with a twinkle in her eye.

Harry shook his head sadly. "I guess Snape was right."

"What has Snape got to do with anything?"

Harry looked uncomfortable. "I got mad at his picking on us...on me...in class, so I confronted him about it after class one day. He told me in no uncertain terms that I had to work twice as hard as students raised in the wizarding world. He said I was 'in the wizarding world, but not of the wizarding world.' The things other students take for granted, I had to learn from scratch. So I guess he was right. I do have a lot to learn," he said with a sigh.

Parvati gave him a broad smile. "Don't worry, Harry. If you want to know something, all you have to do is ask me," she said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

Harry shrugged. They were now well past Hagrid's hut. "Okay, then. Where are we going?"

"The Forbidden Forest," she said.

* * *

Harry had been in the Forbidden Forest four times. Twice it had almost cost him his life. The first time, he had been attacked by Voldemort in the body of Professor Quirrell. The second time, he and Ron had been attacked by Arogog and his family of giant spiders. He wasn't sure he wanted to go again.

"Ah, Parvati...don't you remember what Dumbledore says at the beginning of each year? 'The Forbidden Forest is, of course, strictly forbidden'," he said in a nervous voice.

Parvati squeezed Harry's hand. "I know it's risky. But it's broad daylight, and we won't be going far into it. And it's not as dark and dense where we're going." She turned to look at him. "And there are some things that are worth the risk."

Parvati was true to her word. She led him into a part of the forest that was mostly low brambles with boulders strewn about, some as big as automobiles. About a hundred yards in, they came to a clearing.

"Harry. I want you to sit on this rock right here, and don't move. No sudden movements or anything. And don't talk loud or make noises or anything that might startle her."

"Startle who?"

But Parvati was already walking into the middle of the clearing. She gave a five-note whistle and waited. After about a minute, she gave the same five-note whistle and waited some more.

Harry was about to start fidgeting when he saw it. A young unicorn, pure white and just beginning to show a heavier coat in preparation for winter. It gave a playful shake of its head as it saw Parvati and began to walk towards her. When it saw Harry, it slowed its walk and made a loop around the far side of Parvati before approaching her and nuzzling her neck.

Parvati slowly turned toward Harry, her face a vision of rapturous joy. She gently turned the unicorn to face Harry. "Her name is Snowflake," she called to Harry softly as she stroked to beautiful animal, cooing in its ear. It rubbed its muzzle against her in obvious affection.

Harry smiled. "Parvati," he called in an equally soft voice. "All unicorns are called Snowflake."

She smiled and shrugged knowingly, then bent over the animal's side, her arms around its neck.

* * *

Parvati bent over so she could talk softly to Snowflake without Harry hearing her.

"Snowflake. I'm so glad you could come to see me again. I love you so much. But I wanted you here especially today so you could meet Harry. That's Harry over there." The unicorn again raised its head to look at Harry in an appraising manner. Then it lowered its head to nuzzle Parvati again and to listen. Parvati continued to stroke the animal's silky white mane.

"I know I've come to you to tell you about boys before. How they were cute, or sexy, or how they were prats and gits. Or how I liked them or hated them. But Harry is different. He's brave and cute and sweet and caring. I've known him ever so long, but I think I've now truly gotten to know him. I think I've seen into his heart. And I think he's the one. I hope he is. I think I love him. And that's something I know you've never heard me say."

Snowflake dipped her head in assent.

Parvati took a deep breath. "Snowflake? Can you look into his heart? Just to see if there's room in there for me?"

Snowflake raised its head and gave Harry a long look. Then it broke away from Parvati's grasp and slowly and cautiously began to walk toward Harry.

Harry was shocked. He sat frozen on the rock as the magical creature, which was supposed to avoid male humans at nearly all costs, approached him. It was a few feet away when it stopped. Harry was uncertain what to do. Slowly, he raised his right hand to the beautiful creature. Snowflake, a very wary look on its face, approached the last few steps and nuzzled Harry's palm. After a few seconds, it lowered its head, allowing Harry to stroke its muzzle, then its mane. Harry found the sensation exquisite, and felt a keen sense of loss when Snowflake finally backed away and trotted back to Parvati.

When it reached her, Parvati threw her arms around the unicorn and burst into bittersweet tears. "Thank you, Snowflake. I knew he was the one," she said in a whisper out of Harry's hearing. "I know I probably won't be able to come back and do this again with you. But please, please always remember me. And remember how much I love you."

As Parvati stood, Snowflake rubbed her nuzzle against Parvati's stomach, then raised it to rest on her shoulder.

The scene was so touching, so overwhelming for both that they failed to notice the little gray rat with the silver paw in the nearby bushes. Suddenly, the rat was gone.

* * *

Afternoon

* * *

Voldemort had sent Peter Pettigrew to watch. And Pettigrew had watched. For six long weeks, he had stood just inside the Forbidden Forest, usually in the bole formed by the roots of a large oak tree to avoid predators. But he had been patient. And his patience had unexpectedly paid off.

Voldemort had never expected to catch Harry Potter alone outside the apparating wards of Hogwarts. But he had sent Pettigrew to watch for an opportunity, any opportunity, to capture or kill his sworn enemy.

But the unexpected bounty did have its price. Voldemort was being attended to by only four of his servants, his inner circle, when Pettigrew apparated in front of him. Voldemort knew he had to act quickly. So on his order, Hugh Nott, Esau Avery, Walden Macnair and Lucius Malfoy, along with Pettigrew, apparated with the Dark Lord to the clearing in the Forbidden Forest.

* * *

Harry felt it as soon as Snowflake did. He threw his hand up to his scar as Snowflake bolted out of a startled Parvati's grip and was gone in an instant. Harry screamed: "Parvati, run!!!"

Reacting without thinking, Parvati was sprinting to Harry and was by his side before the Death Eaters finished apparating.

"Go!" Harry screamed. "Get to Hogwarts! Get to safety!"

"I'm not leaving you, Harry!" she screamed back, a look of abject terror on her face.

Suddenly, the tall, thin hooded figure of Voldemort appeared in the middle of the clearing.

"Kill the Spare!" he commanded.

The Death Eaters turned their wands at Harry and Parvati, intent on killing curses. But what they hadn't counted on was the speed, agility and reaction time of the dancer and the would-be martial artist.

Harry had leaped left just as Parvati leaped to the right, pointing her wand in the direction of the Death Eaters and throwing out stunning spells in their general direction. Parvati, by sheer luck, hit Avery in the midsection and he was down.

Harry, more drilled in such situations, was able to get off more accurate spells, stunning Pettigrew and Nott. But that left Macnair, Malfoy and Voldemort.

Parvati found herself behind a small boulder, shaking from the adrenaline surge and from pure terror. Steeling herself, she made a leaping dash for a larger boulder to her left, just avoiding a killing curse and again flinging stunning spells in the general direction of the remaining Death Eaters. The spells fell short, but one of them hit with such force that it plowed up loose earth, flinging it into Macnair's face, temporarily blinding him. Harry saw his chance, hitting Macnair with his own stunning spell.

Voldemort was reeling in fury. He turned to Malfoy. "Kill the bitch! I'll take the boy."

Parvati glanced around the large boulder she was hiding behind and saw Malfoy carefully approaching her. She ducked back just as Malfoy threw a curse at her. It shattered the side of the boulder, sending splinters that sliced open the skin at her right cheekbone and nearly severing about four inches of her braid.

In the meantime, Voldemort saw that Harry himself had hidden behind another boulder. A powerful curse hit the boulder, fracturing it and leaving little to hide behind. Harry leaped into the air, avoiding another curse, and aimed his own curse at Voldemort.

The beam of Harry's curse hit the beam of a Voldemort curse and the stream's of light locked. Suddenly, the two wizards were caught in a standoff as they had in the Shadow of the Tom Riddle's grave marker at the end of the TriWizard Tournament.

Harry had gained strength and will during the past summer, but so had Voldemort. Feeling each other's power, they strained to gain a killing advantage. But neither seemed to be able to overcome the other's power.

Parvati, tears of fear coursing down her blood-soaked cheeks, felt, rather than saw Malfoy's approach. His last attack had been to her left. But could he still be coming from that direction, or would he circle the boulder from the right? She wanted nothing more than to be in her bed in Hogwarts. But she had to act. She had to move.

She turned and crouched, looking up the side of the boulder, which rose a good ten feet above the ground with steep, rough sides. Right? Or Left?

No, neither! She took two quick steps back and ran forward, leaping at the side of the boulder. Her sneaker found purchase on the jagged edge of the boulder and, with a fierce leg push and she was on top, flying over it and spinning in the air.

Malfoy never saw her as she made a 180-degree turn in mid air, her wand out. As soon as she located him in her spin as he crouched, moving carefully and hugging the left-hand side of the boulder, she aimed her wand.

The stunning spell hit the rock next to Malfoy's head, throwing off a shock that temporarily stunned him. He fell to the ground unconscious.

Parvati landed awkwardly, spraining her ankle. She crouched on all fours until she saw Harry and Voldemort locked in a deadly stalemate.

Her first instinct was to run in terror. But this was Harry. She would stay by his side even if it meant her death. She raised her wand at Voldemort and began spelling.

The first few stunning spells seemed to have little effect as a bubble of energy seemed to envelope the two wizards. So Parvati limped forward, still casting her stunning spells. But as she moved through the bubble wall, it was as if she had entered an electric field. Her skin prickled painfully, but she would not stop.

The first stunning spell to get through the bubble hit Voldemort in the shoulder. What would have knocked a normal wizard out for hours was shrugged off like a bee sting. But Parvati didn't stop. The second spell hit within a second of the first. Then a third, a fourth, a fifth, and sixth. She was rattling off stunning spells as quickly as she could speak the words.

Suddenly, Harry recognized that Voldemort was weakening. He began to press his body against the force of Voldemort's spell. Then he felt it. He took a step forward. Then another. Then another against what felt like a hurricane force wind. But he was moving closer to the Dark Lord, who continued to absorb blow after blow from Parvati.

Harry and Parvati began to hear over the force of the connected spells a noise like a whirring. It began to build. Harry felt his scar throb. But he continued forward, relentlessly.

The noise continued to rise in intensity. Then Harry recognized it. It was a scream. It was a scream of frustration, fury and fear.

Suddenly, in the din of the force of the interconnected spells, he heard Parvati scream.

"INCENDIO!!!"

Suddenly, Voldemort was a ball of fire. He immediately broke the connection between his a Harry's wand and was gone, leaving only the smoke from his robes and flesh and the echoes of his screams behind.

Harry wavered and looked at Parvati, who was limping toward him.

"Pettigrew," he mumbled. "Got to get Pettigrew." And he collapsed into Parvati's arms, dropping his wand, which was smoking.

"Got him!" came a strangely accented voice.

Harry looked up over Parvati's shoulder to see Cyrus Thomas and the Hufflepuff auror, who he now knew was named Andy Winslow. And there were other aurors, and what looked like the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and several others gathered around, binding the Death Eaters or seeing how they could help.

Parvati, wide-eyed in terror and pain, pointed to the boulder where she had stunned Lucius Malfoy. "Over there, she yelled."

All eyes turned to where she was pointing. Lucius Malfoy was shakily pointing his wand at Harry. Harry yanked Parvati down just as the death curse passed over their heads. Before the aurors could react, Lucius apparated.

Suddenly, there was a new scream. Everyone turned, wands out, to see Peter Pettigrew, suddenly awakened from the stunning spell and holding up his silver hand. It was melting.

Two nearby aurors applied as much of an extinguishing charm as they was capable of at that point to Pettigrew's burning hand. As Pettigrew mercifully passed out, there was nothing left of his hand but a charred stump.

Parvati, who now was crying hysterically, grabbed Harry, who had gotten up to look at Pettigrew. Suddenly, he began swaying.

"Harry! What's wrong?"

Harry swayed in physical and emotional exhaustion and then leaned against her. Then he faltered, sitting down in a heap, with Parvati dropping down next to him.

After a quick set of questions, Parvati and Harry were levitated and soon were in Harry's old haunt, the hospital wing.