Harry Potter and the Adventure He Affectionately Calls Life

    "A quick recap of what you are all to do today," Professor Dumbledore told his class. "I trust you are all anxious to get into the mirrors. Once again, the four in the back are reserved." He laughed.
    Hermione volunteered.
    "Yes, Miss Granger. Please."
    Hermione took a deep breath. Ron knew that it was the usual deep breath she drew when she was about to give a lengthy speech. In his first year, he would have groaned or at least tried to make himself a little more comfortable before spacing out. But lately it seemed that he could listen to Hermione recite something Professor Binns would say, and he would still be fascinated.
    "We are all each to go to one of the mirrors surrounded by the purple curtains. In the mirror, we will see our reflection. It'll talk to us, then it'll change into the person we hold a slight grudge against. We have to enter the stall with our wands in our right hands."
    Professor Dumbledore nodded his approval. "Thank you."
    "Good job," Harry whispered to Hermione, who's cheeks blushed from the compliment.
    Harry can make her blush, he thought, feeling a little jealous. I wonder if I can do it, too.
    He tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around instantly, and Ron loved the feel of her hair on his hands. "Nice job, Hermione."
    Hermoine looked down shyly. Ron remembered this look. It was the look Lana had given Harry when he asked her to spend some time in the rain with him later. "Thanks, Ron." She blushed furiously, and Ron felt a surge of pride shooting through him.
    "Well, you all heard Miss Granger. Does anyone need her to repeat it?" Professor Dumbledore looked around cheerfully. "Well then. Please." He gestured towards the mirrors.
    The students scrambled to find mirrors next to their friends. No one made a move for the four in the back. Hermione went into the leftmost one, Ron directly to the right of her, followed by Harry, and Lana in the rightmost stall.
    Ron closed the curtains around him and stared into the mirror.
    His reflection stared back at him. "Hi, Ronald."
    "H-hello."
    "Do you mind if I call you Ron?"
    "Not at all."
    "How about Ronnie?"
    "No Ronnie."
    "No Ronnie," the reflection agreed.
    "Well," Ron said, flustered. "Aren't you supposed to change?"
    "To whom?"
    Ron shrugged. "You're supposed to know that."
    "I'm you. I know what you know."
    "Oh."
    "Who are you angry at?"
    Ron thought long and hard. "No one," he said after a second.
    "Well... who aren't you mad at."
    "Hermione," Ron said without hesitation.
    "Hermione," his reflection said, dreamily. "She's gorgeous."
    "Hey!"
    "I'm you!"
    "Good point."
    "So when are you going to get Hermione to yourself?"
    Ron shrugged. "Whenever she's not around Harry, I guess."
    "Harry? Harry Potter?"
    Ron nodded.
    The reflection grew blurry.
    Ron was shocked to see Harry staring back at him. He raised his right hand.
    Harry, in the mirror, raised his left hand.
    "Harry! What are you doing in there?"
    "Ron, you're my best friend," Harry said in a very Harry-ish tone. "And I don't want to hurt you. There's a reason Hermione and I are always together."
    Ron raised an eyebrow.
    "I'm in love with her. But your cousin is gorgeous, and I need some ass. So I think I'll play them both."
    Ron was flabergasted. "No way! You're not real!"
    "No?" the Harry in the mirror taunted. "How real is this?"
    Ron watched as Hermione walked into the mirror. He watched as Harry locked Hermione into a passionate kiss, his hands tugging fiercely at her robes. "Stop it, Harry!" he yelled. "Get off of her!"
    Hermione disappeared. Harry did, too. A second later, he was staring at his reflection. "What the hell was that?" Ron demanded.
    His reflection shrugged. He opened his mouth to speak. "You have successfully finished level one. Please exit." The mirror went black. Then it shattered into a million peices.
    "Professor Dumbledore!" Ron exclaimed. "The mirror! I didn't do it on purpose."
    "It broke?"
    "Went black and shattered."
    "Good job, Mr. Weasley. You managed the first level. You may take your seat and wait."

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    Lana had just seen Jessica Levy in the mirror. She gritted her teeth in anger, then grinned when her reflection told her she had passed the level. "Cool!" she commented. "Very cool."
    Lana came out of her stall and paused, trying to guess who Harry was seeing in the mirror. He hadn't closed the curtain's entirely. Lana peered in.
    "Shut up," Harry was telling the reflection. "That's not real."
    "Oh yes it is, Potter," the person spat back. Harry's head obstructed Lana's view. "It's very real."
    "Go to hell. That's not real." Harry balled his hands into tight fists, then released it. He balled them into fists again.
    Who's pissing him off? Lana stood on her tip-toes, trying to see.
    "You really think you're better than me, Potter?" The voice in the mirror laughed. "You may be better than Weasley, but don't forget who I am. I'm a Malfoy."
    "Draco Malfoy, I am not listening to you anymore." Harry gritted his teeth.
    Draco said something back, but Lana wasn't listening. Hermione was right. I could stop this feud between Harry and Draco. She sighed. Now what do I do?
    Lana saw her cousin sitting at his desk. "Hey, 'cous. What's going on?"
    "Fine. And you?"
    Lana raised an eyebrow. "Right..."
    "Students, we have about five minutes left. Please come out." There were only two or three students left in their stalls. Harry and Hermione being among them. The other, Lana noticed, was Neville.
    Hermione came out first, smiling proudly. Lana assumed that she must have managed to pass the first level quickly enough.
    Harry stormed out next, taking his seat. He smiled at Lana, but it didn't reach his eyes.
    "So. Who would like to share who they saw in the mirror?"
    No one.
    "I'll go first then," Professor Dumbledore said cheerfully. "I saw Lana."
    Lana looked horrified.
    "No one has hurt me since your pinch yesterday."
    Lana looked immensley relieved. "Can I go?"
    "Please."
    "I saw Jessica Levy. She was this girl in my old school," Lana explained. "And she always had to out-do me. If I had a new robe, she had two of them." Lana sighed. "So... yeah." She nodded nervously.
    "Anyone else?"
    "I saw Draco," Neville said.
    Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Anyone else?" He looked around. "Harry?"
    Oh God, please no, Lana prayed. Then Hermione'll be right.
    God, apparantly, listens once in a while. Before Harry had a chance to speak, the hourglass was out.
    Harry came up to her desk. "You ready?"
    Lana nodded. She turned to Ron and Hermione. "Harry and I are-"
    "Going to sit in the rain," Ron finished. "I heard."
    "Have fun," Hermione said.
    "You should try it one day, Ron," Lana said suggestively.
    Ron blushed like crazy, making both girls laugh.
    "Uh... Ron?" Hermione asked quietly. "I have a really silly, somewhat childish request."
    Lana looked interested. "Ron says yes."
    Ron rolled his eyes. "Oh, go frolick in the rain."
    "Well, you know I hate thunderstorms, and the idea of walking back to Gryffindor Tower in a storm like this really freaks me out." She bit her lower lip. "Will you walk with me?"
    Ron nodded. "Sure," he said casually, as if he was used to being asked this question. "Let's go."
    Lana watched as her cousin left with Hermione. She turned to Harry. "Who did you see in the mirror?
     "Me? W-w-well, I saw my cousin. Dudley."
    "Cool."
    "Yes. Well, c'mon, then," Harry said. "Let's go."

___________________________________________________________________

    Lana sat on the sheet that Harry had laid out for them, her knees hugged to her chest, staring out at the moat. She leaned back against Harry, sighing contentedly. "This is really beautiful," she said.
    "Yes, you are," Harry replied serenely.
    Lana looked up, staring innocently into his eyes.
    He leaned down to kiss her, but she moved her head. "You did that on purpose!"
    Lana nodded proudly. "I did." Sighing happily again, she continued to stare at the water.
    "Knut for your thoughts?"
    "No thoughts. Just calmness and serenity. It's really gorgeous, you know."
    Harry leaned back against the trunk of a tree. The leaves offered no protection from the rain whatsoever.
    Lana and Harry had shed their robes and school uniforms before coming outside. Harry wore jeans and a hunter green shirt that made his eyes look even greener. Lana wore denim shorts and a long-sleeved white shirt. Harry thought it was strange seeing her in such casual clothes at Hogwarts, although he saw Hermione like that half the time.
    The rain had taken its toll on the two of them. Their hair was matted to their heads. Their clothes were matted to their bodies as well. Harry watched in fascination as the rain made a small but steady stream of water that started in the tendrils of Lana's hair, made her way down past her...chest...(Harry gulped, wondering what Ron would do if he knew that Harry was looking at Lana in that way), down past her legs and broke off, trickling down her ankles.
    Lana caught Harry looking at her. "What?" she said, frowning, slightly.
    "I was just looking at you. Can't a guy look at his girlfriend?"
    Lana narrowed her eyes.
    "I was just looking at your...feet."
    "My feet?"
    "Your feet. You have lovely feet."
    "Harry Potter, you really are one in a million."
    "So are you, Lana Weasley."
    Lana leaned foward. "I wonder," she said. "If both of us are one in a million, then do we add it and make it two in a million?"
    "Sure. Why not?"
    "Two in a million. Isn't that, like, one if 500,000 or something?"
    "My human calculator," Harry said affectionately.
    "You know what I am?"
    "Beautiful?"
    "Besides that," Lana said, laughing.
    "I don't know."
    "Wet."
    "I can fix that." He drew out his wand from his pocket. "Accio, umbrella!" Harry's large, scarlet umbrella came soaring. He reached out and caught it, opening it. "Wingardium Leviosa!" The umbrella stayed above them, leaving both of Harry's hands free. "Better?"
    Lana nodded.
    "Hey," Harry asked quietly. "Can I ask you something?"
    "Sure. What's up?"
    "Are you..." Harry broke off.
    "Am I what?"
    Harry grinned. "Ticklish?"
    There was only one word to describe the look of sheer terror on Lana's face: horror. "Uh... no?" Lana hoped she sounded convincing.
    "I'm sure." He reached down and tickled her, causing her to squeal with delight. "Not ticklish, I see." He tickled her on that inch of bare skin between the hem of her shirt and the waist line of her shorts.
    Lana burst into fits of giggles. "Stop it, Harry!" she said, trying to avoid his fingers.
    "Turn around."
    Lana did so.
    Harry leaned forward and kissed her, taking her by surprise after their play fight in the rain.
    Lana kissed him back, her hands slowly running up and down his spine.
    "Stop that," he ordered, taking his lips off of hers for a second. "It tickles."
    Lana stopped when her hands reached the base of his neck. She was aware that Harry was pressing her down onto the sheet, cradling her head in some sort of pillow. "Harry," she whispered softly.
    "Sh," he whispered back. "I would never do anything to hurt you." He kissed her tenderly, and Lana knew that she would be okay.
    The thunder rolled, and lightning struck on the lake a minute after, illuminating Lana's face.
    "That was cool," Lana said. "I think it was a sign or something."
     "A sign? Of what?"
    Lana shrugged.
    "Well... I think it was a rainstorm."
    "It is a rainstorm."
    Harry sat up, letting Lana rest her head in his lap. "Exactly."
    Lana frowned, confused.
    "So, Lana. Let me ask you something." His finger traced around her navel. Lana nibbled on one of her fingernails. "Are you ticklish?"
    Lana giggled. "Insanely."
    "Good," Harry said, leaning down to kiss her again.

______________________________________________________________

    Ron stood by the window looking down at the lake. Well, he was looking at his cousin and his best friend talking, laughing, and kissing by the lake. He was waiting for Hermione, who had run into the girls bathroom. For the millionth time, Ron asked himself why girls took so long in the bathroom. Guys just go in, do their business, and come out, he thought irritably. His gaze returned to Harry and Lana down on the field.
    "What are you looking at?" Hermione asked, causing him to jump.
    "Romeo and Juliet down there," he nodded in their direction.
    Hermione peeked down. She smiled. Well, there was no sense in bothering to call them in for lunch. She sighed.
    "What is it?" Ron asked, concerned.
    "Well..." Hermione sighed. "You can't laugh at me, okay?"
    "I would never laugh at you."
    Hermione glared at him.
    "Okay, I promise I won't laugh."
    "Look at Lana," she said. "She's miles and miles away from home. But she found Harry, and that's home to her."
    "I know what home is," Ron said. "I feel it whenever you and I get into an arguement. It's just so familar, you know? Like, I know exactly what I'm meant to do. Like a river."
    "A river?"
    Ron hummed.
    "That's pretty. What is it?"
    "Lana played it. Some song she knows."
    "I bet the words are pretty, too."
    "Now I know how the river feels when it reaches the sea."
    Hermione stared at him in amazement. "It finally finds the place it was always meant to be?" she finished.
    Ron nodded, smiling. "Holding fast, home at last."
    "Knowing the journey's through."
    Ron turned her to face him. "Here with you, I know how the river feels." He smiled. "You know it?"
    "Lana showed it to me, too. I just didn't recongnize it without the words."
    Ron leaned down to kiss her, and he knew that she would kiss him back because she was already rising on the tips of her toes to reach him.
    That is why Ron wanted to scream in frustration when a very loud clap of thunder sounded. Hermione shrieked, scared, and clung to Ron for support. Just like my little daydream, Ron thought, feeling semi-pleased.
    Hermione pulled back almost immediately. "Sorry," she said, her cheeks turning pinker than Ron could imagine.
    "Don't be," Ron whispered huskily. "I love you." And then she was in his arms and he kissing her and she was kissing him back. And it was sweeter than anything he could ever dream.
    Ron was so intoxicated by the scent of her and the taste of her and the feel of her hands interlocking with his that he didn't hear Seamus Finnigan mutter, "finally," on his way to lunch.
    And then it was over. Hermoine was staring at him, trying to make sense of what had just happened. "Ron...?"
    "Hermione," he said simply, reaching for her again...
    But Hermione gently pushed him away, ducking her head so that Ron's breath fell warm and humid against her forehead. "Ron." She looked up and stared imploringly into his eyes. "Do you really?"
    Ron reached for her hands, still intwined with his, and kissed her knuckles. "Yes, Hermione. I do. Since you pointed out that there was dirt on my nose that very first day on the Hogwarts Express, I knew."
    "Don't be silly, Ron. It wasn't until that incident with the troll on Halloween that we started..."
    "When did you know?"
    Hermione blushed. "When I told you that you had dirt on your nose."
    "I knew it," Ron said, cupping her chin in his hands and turning her to look into his eyes. "Do you love me? Tell me you love me," he begged.
    "I love you, Ronald Weasley. Didn't Harry give you my message?"
    Ron raised an eyebrow.
    "Guess not... I gave him a kiss and asked him to give it to you."
    "You... kissed Harry?"
    Hermione nodded.
    Ron laughed. "Hermione, Hermione, Hermione." His voice perked. "Can I call you Herm-erm?"
    "Absolutely not!," Hermione said, horrified, glaring at him.
    "Okay. Guess not... so why couldn't you deliver that message yourself?"
    Hermione shrugged, liking the feeling of not being able to answer a question for once.
    "You don't have to be afraid, you know," Ron said gently. "I would never hurt you. I love you to much."
    Hermione grinned. She checked left and right to make sure that no one was coming, then pulled him by the collar of his robes into the girls bathroom.
    "Nice bathroom," Ron commented, looking around. "Not to shabby."
    Hermione shook her head. This was her Ron, the Ron she loved. "Ron, Ron, Ron." She sighed. "Can I call you Ronnie?"
    "Absolutely not," he said, giving her the same glare she had given him.
    "Okay, no Ronnie..." She leaned foward and kissed him. "Ronnie..."

_______________________________________________________________

    "I guess we should go in for lunch," Harry said, pulling away from Lana reluctantly.
    "Hmmm..." Lana grinned up at him lazily. "I think we started with dessert."
    Harry groaned. "That line is so over done."
    "I know. But it's still kinda' funny. And kinda' true."
    "It is." He kissed her nose. "It definitely is."
    "So," Lana said, closing her eyes and drifting off as Harry concentrated on the sensitive spot of her neck. "What are we going to do about Ron and Hermione?"
    Harry pulled back. "I don't know," he admitted. "I would have suggested the rain, but that wouldn't have worked to well. Hermione hates them."
    "Ron could teach her to like them."
    "Very funny. I don't know what to do."
    "Well, it's sunny out now. They could watch the sunset behind the castle. Very romantic, you know."
    "I know. We should do that."
    Lana followed the path of the sun with her eyes. She gasped suddenly.
    "What is it?"
    Lana pointed to the window in the Gryffindor Tower's girls bathroom.
    Harry looked, and nearly burst out laughing. Ron and Hermione were standing by that mirror. Kissing.
    "Finally," Lana muttered, rolling her eyes, then focusing them on her cousin again.
    "Why is Ron in the girls bathroom? And where the hell are they going?" Harry wanted to know, watching Ron and Hermione break apart and walk away.

_____________________________________________________________

    "Hermione..." Ron whispered, burying his face in her hair.
    "I don't feel comfortable by the window. If Harry and Lana ever break apart for air, they'll see us."
    "So where do you want to go? Filch's broom closet?"
    Hermione blushed.
    Without warning, Ron bent down and carried her like a new bride. He carried her to the Common Room and placed her gently on one of the plush red couches.
    Hermione gazed at him.
    "Hermione," he moaned, and it made her insides melt at how beautiful the word sounded because it had escaped from his lips. "Do you have any idea how long I've dreamed this? Every day, every hour, every minute, every second. I love you, Hermione Granger."
    "Why didn't you say something before?"
    "Why didn't you?"
    "I was scared of ruining our friendship. I would have rather had you in my life as a friend than not had you in my life at all."
    Ron kissed her. "That's exactly how I feel."
    Hermione leaned up, eager for another kiss, but Ron wouldn't allow it.
    "I want to see you."
    Hermione's heart stopped. She looked at him, confused.
    "No, Hermione, not like that."
    Ron decided to start with her feet. He removed her shiny black shoes and her dainty ankle socks. Hermoine giggled as Ron's fingers tugged at her big toe. His fingers raced their way up Hermione's long legs, stopping at her knees. Ron's eyes continued their journey, stopping again at her midriff. Her sweater had snaked upwords when he placed her down. Ron stared at her beautiful figure for a moment longer, then once again continued up. They lingered for a minute on her chest, rising and falling with each breath she took. Ron decided to make full use of a finger, placing it delicately underneath her chin and tilting her face to look him in the eye. She trembled with anticipation as he kissed her again, shorter than the first, but with twice the amount of passion.
    "You know what Lana and Harry said?" Ron asked.
    "No."
    "I asked them what to do to get you, since things worked out so well for them and all. And they said, 'Jesus, Ron, just kiss her already.'"
    Hermione laughed. She propped herself up on her elbows and stared into Ron's crystal clear blue eyes. His index finger was still holding her face in his direction, not that it was needed. Hermione wasn't going to give up this view any time soon.

___________________________________________________________________

    "They're kissing!" Fred whispered to George, watching his younger brother kiss Hermione Granger.
    George rolled his eyes. "It's about time, too!" He looked at his watch. "Two minutes already. They're going to need air soon."
    "Right. Then we applaud."
    "Well, we need to talk to Lana. Where the hell is she?"
    "Off with Harry somewhere. But I wish she'd hurry up. We have important things to do. Can't sit around waiting for her all day."
    George nodded his agreement.
    "Geez, I think Ron and Hermione were scuba divers in a past life or something."   Â
    But George was right; the two broke apart shortly. (Fred nodded, impressed at Ron's ability to go for so long without breathing). Fred was about to clap when George stopped him.
    "They're talking."
    "What are they saying?"
    George shrugged.
    "I wish we had one of those Extendable Ears now," Fred said irritably.
    George nodded his agreement.
    "Damn, look! He's staring into her eyes."
    George faked a sob. "Oh, Fred. It's so..." He sniffled. "Romantic." He cried into Fred's shoulder.
    "I know," Fred said sympathetically, patting George's head. "I know." He grinned.
    "What are we crying at?" Neville wanted to know, coming in through the portal.
    George grabbed at him. "Shut up, Longbottom. We're watching the equivalent of a soap oprea here at Hogwarts."
    Neville frowned.
    Fred pointed to Ron and Hermione, staring at each other with a burning intensity to strong, Fred suspected they could melt the polar ice caps.
    "Oooh!" Neville looked pleased. "Did he kiss her yet."
    "Yep."
    Neville sighed. "Took them long enough." He rolled his eyes.

___________________________________________________________

    "Fred? George? Neville?" Harry looked at them, crouched on the floor staring at Ron and Hermione. "You guys!"
    "OUT!" Lana commanded. "NOW! ALL OF YOU!"
    Fred and George filed out, grumbling.
    "You, too, Neville."
    Neville followed them.
    Lana walked over to Ron and Hermione and waved her hands in front of them.
    No response.
    Harry stiffled a laugh.
    "Ron? Hermione?"
    Still nothing. They were gazing into each other's eyes.
    "We have to do something!" Lana said with an exasperated sigh. "They'll stay there all day if they have the opportunity."
    "Well," Harry pointed out. "It's just History of Magic and Herbology left for today."
    "And Transfiguration."
    "Oh yeah. That too."
    Lana walked away from Ron and Hermione. Then she ran back and shrieked. "We missed another class!"
    Hermione snapped to life. "What? Which one?" Then she noticed Lana, still soaking wet. "Wait a minute..." A slow smile started on her face. "That wasn't funny."
    "Yes it was," Lana responded, holding her stomach because it hurt to laugh.
    "Yeah," Harry agreed, grinning. "It really was."
    Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "Harry Potter," she said angrily, reaching for a pillow. "I'll kill you!"
    "It wasn't me!" Harry protested weakly as Lana pointed to him and mouthed "it was all him!"
    Ron reached for the pillow. "I'll save you, Harry," he said regally, and kissed Hermione again.
    "Sounds like fun," Lana said, shoving Harry onto the couch and sitting in his lap.  Harry smiled against her lips before kissing her.
    "Great," Seamus said, walking back in from lunch. "Now there's four of them."

__________________________________________________________

    The rest of the day past in a blur. Before Lana knew it, they had arrived at the Great Hall for dinner. Between her adventure with Harry out in the rain, watching Hermione and Ron finally, and their other adventure on the couch, it had been a very fun day.
    Now that everything was open between the four of them, Harry and Ron felt it was okay to start acting a little bit more like gentleman, something Lana certainly would not protest again.
    Harry took the seat across from Lana, right next to Ron, who was seated across Hermione. Ron reached for her hand over the table and leaned to kiss her quickly before dinner started.
    "If you're waiting for that kiss," Harry joked, taking her hand. "You're going to be waiting for a while. I gave you enough of those today."
    "I thought you couldn't have enough kisses?"
    "No," Dean Thomas said. "That's sex. You can never have too much sex."
    Ron's eyebrows shot into his head. "And you would know... how?" he demanded.
    "I wouldn't, Ron. That's just what my parents said once."
    Lana had a sudden image of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas going at his. She shuddered.
    Ron looked convinced. "Okay then." He looked to Harry, brightening up. "Well, Hermione and I have a lot of lost time to catch up on," he said, sqeezing her hand gently. "Six years."
    "Six years," Hermione echoed quietly.
    Dinner was served, and Lana and Harry helped themselves to dinner. Ron and Hermione nibbled at their food. All they wanted to do was stare at each other.
    "Oh no," Lana said. "Not one of those hypnotic gazes again. Rescuing you from the Pit of Weasley Eyes was not easy."
    "It was funny," Harry pointed out.
    "Yeah, it was funny."
    "So was the look on George's face when I kicked him out. Now that I think about it, I was supposed to meet him because he needed to talk to me."
    "About what?" Harry asked.
    Lana shrugged. "I don't know. I missed them. And it's your fault."
    "My fault?"
    "You distracted me," she grinned.
    After Harry and Lana had finished eating (they gave up on trying to get Hermione and Ron to eat, too), Hermione said something interesting.
    "Ron, let's go for a walk."
    "Okay. Where to?"
    Hermione shrugged. "Just anywhere."
    "Let's all go for a walk," Ron suggested. "And look at the stars. Or not look at the stars..."
    Hermione blushed, biting her lower lip. "Okay."
    "Uh..." Lana blushed. "You guys go. You, too, Harry. I have something I need to do."
    "Are you sure?" Harry looked concerned. "Because I'll stay with you if you want...?"
    Lana shook her head. "No. It's okay." She kissed him quickly. "Have fun." Then she turned to her cousin. "You forgot dessert," she said, winking at Harry.

______________________________________________________________

    Draco retired to his room early that evening. He felt upset about something, although he couldn't figure out what.
    Bored, he looked out the window. It was a nice night. Cool breeze, twinkling stars. It was the perfect night to for an evening fly on his broom.
    Rules are for losers, he thought, getting out of bed to fetch his brooms. Â
    What the fuck am I doing? Getting out of bed? He rolled his eyes and reached for his wand. "Accio, broom!"
    Draco ran his fingers over the smooth wood of his broom, but for some reason, it didn't make him feel any better. Potter's broom is better. He flies better. And what the hell does Lana see in him, anyway? Maybe it's because she has to hang around her cousin all the time.
    For a minute, Draco felt sorry for her. Her parents probably told her too. Damn it. Poor girl, now she can't meet better people. He flashed himself a grin in the mirror. Like me.
    Broom in hand, Draco set out. Lana was standing at the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room.
    "I didn't know the password," Lana explained. "And I was looking for you."
    "Well, come in," Draco said, pleased.

    Lana felt sick to her stomach. Ever since she had seen Harry in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, she had felt a huge knot of guilt in the pit of her stomach. Even when she was kissing Harry out in the rain, she had felt it. Â
    "You could have done something," she heard Hermione's voice in her head.
    "Well, come in."
    Lana did so. She looked around. The room looked utterly depressing. Stoney. Very stoney. The interior decorator who did this place should be shot, she commented.
    "What do you think?" he asked, looking as though he really cared about her opinion.
    It sucks. "It's nice. Although I'm a bit more partial to the Gryffindor room."
    Draco raised an eyebrow. "Red and yellow? Those colors clash like you wouldn't believe!"
    In spite of herself, Lana laughed. "Okay, the colors down here are better, but the Gryffindor Common Room is so much... homier."
    "Maybe I could come visit you one day upstairs."
    "Yeah... maybe..." Like never.
    "So what were you looking for me for? I was about to go for a midnight fly."
    Happy that he was busy, she said, "oh, you go then. I'll talk to you some other time."
    She turned around to leave, but he grabbed her wrist. "Wait," he said. "You can't just leave. I have to dismiss you."
    Lana frowned. "Excuse me, Mr. Malfoy. I am leaving. Now."
    Draco tugged her by her arm.Â
    I'm coming! No need to rip my freakin' arm off!Â
    He pressed her against the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room.Â
    You could have walked me out a little nicer, you know.
     He released his vice-like grip on her hand.
    Fat lot of good that did. I'm not going anywhere because I'm stuck between a wall of stone and wall of Draco.
    Draco leaned down and kissed her.
    Oh God, this is not happening to me.
    "Class dismissed," he whispered, turning around to let her out.

_________________________________________________________________

    Lana ran outside, hoping she hadn't missed Harry and the others. She hadn't.
    "Harry!" she called.
    "Lana!" He looked genuinely pleased to see her. "I thought you weren't coming."
    "I changed my mind."
    "I'm glad," he said, putting his arm around her waist. "Where did you go?"
    "I..." she shook her head, not wanting to lie to Harry, not wanting to tell him the truth either. She had gone to Draco to tell him to leave her alone. But that hadn't worked out to well.
    "It's okay," Harry said, sensing her hesitance. "I'm just glad you're here."
    "I'm glad, too," she replied softly, leaning up to recieve his kiss.
    In the moonlight, his skin looked silver, his eyes greener, his hair darker. In the moonlight, he looked beautiful.
    "Good idea," Ron murmured, placing a hand on Hermione's shoulders. She turned around almost immediately, landing on his lips.

________________________________________________________________

    Draco was very satisfied with himself. He was very satisfied, indeed. He had just kissed Lana. Never mind the fact that she was a Weasley. She was gorgeous. Next time, I want more than just a kiss.
    Draco mounted his broom and flew off. The moon was huge tonight, and Draco felt like flying right past it. Aiming, he flew up, up, and up.
    Reaching a decent height, he turned so that he could pass the moon and see Hogwarts. It really was a nice looking castle. The moonbeams illuminated the grass. This would make a decent postcard, he thought, considering Summoning his camera. I'll have Creevey do it, he thought instead.
    Draco steered his broom to a moonbeam. It ended at a huge oak tree, which protected two amorous couples. Heh heh heh, Draco thought evily. I'll pop in and say hi. Who knows. They may ask me to join in...
    But curiosity got the best of him, and he squnited down at the four kissing people. One of them was Ron Weasley. His hair was the give-a-way, even in the moonlight. Nice choice, Weasley. But who was that girl with the gorgeous body attached his mouth? Next to Ron was Harry. Congratulations, Potter, Draco thought wryly. He noticed that Harry, too, had gotten extremely lucky with the girl, as her figure was even more spectacular than Ron's girl.
    Yeah, they'll be begging for me, Draco thought, flying in a bit closer. "Wait a a minute!" he said aloud. "That's Ron with Granger! And Potter with Lana!"
    Draco froze midair, his head whirling with confusion. How...? When...? Why...?
    What on earth did Lana see in Potter? he wondered. Then he shrugged. Probably pity. She's probably kissing him and imagining that it's me. Heh heh heh, she probably can't keep her hands off of "me".Â
    Smirking to himself, he flew off, leaving Lana to imagine that she was kissing Draco and not Harry.

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    The next few days passed by in a blur. It wasn't only Harry who felt that way. It seemed that since Ron and Hermione had each other now, everyone was content.
    It had been almost two weeks since the start of the school year. Now that both the teachers and students alike were settled into daily and weekly routines, the teachers spared nobody. The work load never seemed to end. Only Hermione didn't seem to mind. ("It's for an education, Ronnie," she would say cheerfully.)
    Harry walked to Defense Against the Dark Arts class one day, slightly depressed. He wasn't sure if anyone was keeping track, but today was Professor Dumbledore's last day as his professor.
    "Last day, huh, Potter?" Draco sneered passing Harry in the corridors. "Try not to cry too hard."
    "Yeah. Last day," he muttered before walking into the class room. Thank God he didn't have class with the Slytherins. He couldn't bear the thought of having to share Professor Dumbledore with someone as unworthy as Draco Malfoy.
    Surprisingly, Professor Dumbledore looked most pleased that day. "I am afraid that there is no class today. I have matters to settle, and they simply cannot be put aside."
    Harry felt his heart sink. On his last day, too!
    "But before I dismiss you, I have an anouncement."
    The class looked up, interested.
    "Your teacher was unable to come. Therefore I am your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for another two weeks. Do try to contain your sorrow," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Class dismissed."

_______________________________________________________

    It was all everyone could talk about that day. Two more weeks of Professor Dumbledore as their teacher!
    At dinner that night, Lana took her usual seat across the table from Harry and next to Hermione, across from Ron who was sitting next to Harry. Something was different about Lana, but Harry couldn't put his finger on it. It had been going on ever since that night they had gone for a walk. Harry suspected it had something to do with whatever it was that had made Lana not want to go, but he had no idea what that was.
    "Good evening, Potter," Draco spat, looming over the four of them like a shadow of gloom. "Weasley. Granger. Hello, Lana."
    "Hi," Lana mumbled, not like her at all. Lana would have spat back, "Good day, Malfoy."
    Draco sat down in the empty seat next to her. Lana suddenly became absorbed in her meal.
    Harry raised an eyebrow as he stared at his girlfriend.
    "You've been avoiding me lately," Draco said matter-of-factly.
    "She was never with you to begin with," Hermione pointed out.
    "She could be if she wanted to."
    "Too bad she doesn't," Ron announced.
    "Yeah," Draco agreed. "Too bad. For her. And Lana's a grown woman. She can speak for herself, right, Lannie?"
    "Don't call me that ever again."
    "But I need some cute pet name for you."
    "I have one for you."
    Draco raised a blonde eyebrow. "Oh?"
    "Get lost."
    Harry grinned. His Lana was back. For now, anyway.
    Draco laughed. "You, my darling," he patted her nose, causing Lana to scowl, "are so complex. But you couldn't call me Get lost. Think about it. 'Hey, Get lost, come here!' Or even better. 'Come here, get lost!'" Draco laughed again.
    "Just leave," Lana said.
    "Not without you."
    Lana gritted her teeth. "Fine."
    Lana grabbed Draco by the collar of his robes. "Careful, my love. If you want that, there are spare rooms in the castle..." He winked.
    It took all of Lana's self control to not slap him across the face right there. Dragging him by his robes, she walked to the Slytherin table and dumped Draco in his seat. "There."
    With that, she walked back to the Gryffindors.
    "That was great, Lana," Harry said.
    "I'm not hungry," she mumbled, shuffling out of the Great Hall.
    Harry stood up to go after her, but Ron stopped him. "Let me go."
    Without waiting for Harry's okay (not like he needed it, anyway), Ron ran after his cousin.

    Lana was sitting on the floor in front of the fire. Her knees were pulled to her chest in a very un-Lana-like manner.
_________________________________________________________________

    "Lannie, what's up?"
    "Nothing, Ronnie. Go away." She wouldn't look at him.
    Ron sat down by her. "I'm not even going to ask if you if you're upset that Malfoy called you 'Lannie.' I'm the only one allowed to call you that."
    "How do you know?" Lana fired. "Maybe I was upset that he called me Lannie."
    "I'm not stupid, you know," Ron said gently.
    Lana said nothing.
    "Wow." Ron laughed. "You must be upset, or you would have made a wise crack about that."
    "Yeah, well..."
    Ron put his arm around his cousin and leaned her into his shoulder. Her hair smelled of the rain. "Lana, what's up? This isn't the first time Malfoy's been an ass. Why this of all times to let it upset you?"
    Lana looked up. She had been crying, another very un-Lana-like thing to do.
    "Tell me," he said, hugging her.
    "He kissed me," she said, her voice wavering. "That night you had all gone for a walk, I went to tell him that I was with Harry. You know, tell him that I was Harry's girl. I really didn't feel it right to let him even think he had a chance. Not that he did anyway, but that's besides the point." Her words were rushing now. "Anyway, yeah. So I went to tell him that I was with Harry, but he was busy, so I figured that I would tell him some other time. Then he said I couldn't leave the Slytherin Common Room until he let me go, and he thought he was being all cute and shit, but he wasn't. Then he kissed me and then said I could leave. And I got upset because he violated me, and I can't even look at Harry without feeling guilty and..." Lana broke off.
    "But it wasn't your fault," Ron pointed out. "You went to Malfoy to do the right thing."
    "I know, but what if Harry doesn't understand?"
    "Harry'll understand. Don't worry."
    "Yeah. Don't worry. I understand." Harry was peering down at them, a mixed expression of concern and amusement on his face. "Ron, could you give us a few minutes?"
    "Sure. Where's Hermione?"
    "Deciding which one of the twins she wants to elope with."
    "Ah. She's in the library." He gave Lana a supportive hug, then dashed out.
    Harry sat down next to Lana. "You couldn't tell me that why?"
    Lana shrugged.
    He tilted her head to face his and gazed deep into the depths of her aqua eyes. "I would have understood, you know. It's not your fault. You did go to do the right thing."
    "But I felt so guilty," Lana protested. "I mean here I am, your girlfriend, and I'm sandwiched between wall of stone and Draco, heart of stone. That's not cool."
    "No, it isn't." He leaned forwards and stared into the fire thoughtfully.
    "What?"
    "I'm just trying to think what I should to do Draco. I'm debating between hexing him, locking him in Filch's broom closet, or giving him an old-fashined beating."
    Lana suddenly felt better. "Take away his mirror," she giggled.
    Harry looked at her, no expression on his face. Slowly, a grin started. "Good idea," he said, laughing.
    "Why, thank you!" She was amazed at how much better she felt.
    "No problem, my lady."
    Lana giggled again as Harry helped her to her feet.
    "Accio, music box!" Harry said with a wave of his wand.
    A small silver music box came flying from the Boys Dormitory and landed on the table. It was beautiful, the music box, engraved with the words "This Music Box Holds Music."
    "Pretty," Lana commented.
    "Talking about yourself again?" Harry joked.
    "No, I was talking about the box."
    "Oh. I thought you might have been talking about me."
    Lana laughed.
    Harry opened the box and a slow instrumental peice filled the common room. "Come," he said to her. "Let's dance."
    "I don't dance."
    "Me either. I'm horrible."
    Lana laughed again. "So I've heard. Ron told me what happened at the Yule Ball."
    Harry blushed. "Is there anything you don't know about me?"
    Lana considered this. "Probably not."
    "Good," he said softly, bringing his head to hers and kissing her softly.
    Lana raised her head to recieve his kiss, but it (Harry's kiss) was not meant to last.
    "Are you feeling better about the whole Malfoy thing?"
    "Yeah."
    "Good," he said, kissing her again. The orchestra stopped playing, and a romantic jazz peice started.
    Lana pulled away, surprised. "How did that happen?"
    "How did what happ- oh. The music box. It's enchanted. It'll play whatever you tell it to, or any peice of music that fits the mood of the room it's in."
    "Wow!," Lana exclaimed, impressed. "That's amazing! So if I tell it to play something I can dance to, it'll play."
    "No, I have to tell it. And you don't dance anyway, so what's the difference?" Harry grinned at her.
    "Harry Potter, that's horrible!" she exclaimed, kissing him softly. "Thanks, Harry," she said later, leaning into his embrace and inhaling his scent. "I'm always feeling better when you're around."
    "Well, that's my job, isn't it?"
    "Yeah, I guess so. Mine too, right?"
    "Right."
    Lana sighed contentedly. This was perfect. Her boyfriend coming to the rescue and the sweetness in the atmosphere of the common room.
    "Lana!" Her twin cousins from hell burst into the common room. "We've been looking for you everywhere. Come NOW."
    Harry laughed affectionately, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll see you later." He kissed her softly, then nudged her in the direction of Fred and George.
    Did I just think that this was perfect? I hate my cousins. "What?" she snapped at Fred and George.
    "We need help."
    "I know."
    "Not that kind of help."
    "Says you."
    "Woah!" Fred exclaimed, looking at his brother. "She's bitchier than normal today."
    "PMS," George said, nodding knowingly.
    "It's not PMS. And don't talk about me like I'm not here."
    "If we stop, will you help us?"
    "I'll help you, or you'll never leave me alone."
    The twins looked at each other and shrugged. "Good point."

_____________________________________________________________

    The Gryffindor's had Defense Against the Dark Arts first that next day. Harry gobbled down his breakfast. He wanted to get to the classroom first and find out what exactly it was that was so important that Professor Dumbledore had to cancel class.
    "I'll see you later," he said, his mouth full of pancakes.
    "Where are you going?" Hermione wanted to know.
    "Defense Againsts the Dark Arts. I need to talk to Dumbledore."
    "Okay. See you in a few minutes then."
    "Bye, Harry." Lana waved, returning to reading the latest jokes section of Funtastic Funnies, the bi-monthly magazine that Fred and George had started.
    Harry ran off to the room. Professor Dumbledore was sitting at his desk looking over some parchments. A man in black jeans and a black-and-blue striped shirt was sitting in Hermione's desk. He was tall and had hair just a shade or two lighter than Harry's. The door was open, and Harry could just make out some of what they were saying.
    "Well, Tom. Do you mind if I call you Tom, or do you prefer Tomás better?"
    The man, Harry assumed he was Tomás, shrugged. "Either is okay." His voice carried a trace of an Italian accent.
    "Tomás, then. Since you will be a guest in my castle, I will personally make sure to it that you are properly accustomed."
    "Thank you, Headmaster."
    Professor Dumbledore smiled. Â
    Harry leaned against the stone wall. Who's this Tomás character?
    Harry took a deep breath, then knocked on the polished wood of the door.
    "Ah, Harry! Come on in." Professor Dumbledore ushered him in. "Harry, this is Mr. Tomás Crivellare."
    "Hello, Mr. Crivellare." Harry extended a hand to shake it.
    "Tomás, this is Harry-"
    "Harry Potter." He completely ignored Harry's hand, as he was staring at his face.
    Harry was shocked. How did a stranger know who he was?
    "That scar," Mr. Crivellare said softly, brushing aside Harry's hair to look at it. "It really is a give-a-way, you know."
    Harry sighed with relief. He would never get used to people recongnizing him.
    "You're early," Professor Dumbledore observed. "What can I do for you?"
    "I... just wanted to... get here early."
    "For what purpose?"
    "None, Professor."
    Professor Dumbledore looked at him. They both knew that Harry wasn't telling the truth. "Very well. You may take your seat."
    As soon as Harry sat down, the rest of the 6th year Gryffindors started filing in. Ron sat down right behind Harry. Hermione and Lana sat to the left of their boyfriends.
    Professor Dumbledore coughed softly, commanding the students attention. "We have a guest in the castle. Mr. Tomás Crivellare. He will be staying with us until the end of the term. I trust you all to help Mr. Crivellare find his way across the castle."
    "Uh... Tomás is fine, thank you."
    "I trust you all to help Tomás find his way across the castle."
    "Excuse me, Headmaster. It's been a long trip. Is there a place where I can rest?"
    "Certainly, Tomás. I'll have one of my students take you to your room. Miss Granger? The empty room on the seventh floor, please."
    "Certainly, Professor." She looked at Mr. Crivellare. "Right this way, sir."

___________________________________________________________________

    Hermione walked Mr. Crivellare to the spare room in awkward silence. Mr. Crivellare seemed lost in his own world, and Hermione really couldn't blame him. The castle was breathtaking. She smiled to herself, remembering the first time she had walked inside the castle with the rest of the first years. She had known what to expect, of course, since she had read Hogwarts, A History cover to cover, but seeing it in the flesh was miraculous.
    "Do you know him?" Mr. Crivellare asked suddenly.
    "Know who?"
    "Harry Potter."
    "Oh, yeah. He's one of my best friends. I've known him for years. He's an angel, Harry."
    "Who was that girl sitting next to him?"
    "Lana Weasley, his girlfriend."
    "Why weren't you sitting next to him?"
    "I was sitting next to Ron Weasley, my boyfriend."
    "I see. So what's he like?"
    "Who? Ron? Oh, he's sweet." Hermione liked the sound of his voice. His accent was sexy, and his face wasn't to bad, either. The polished wood color of his eyes complemented his ash blonde hair. Mr. Crivellare must have been about six feet tall. "Yeah. Ron's great. He's so funny. He's the youngest of six brothers, and sometimes I think he feel that he has to live up their standards, but he's wrong. His parents love him. And if they don't, Harry and I certainly do."
    "Actually, I was inquiring about Harry. But it doesn't matter. Harry and Ron are friends?"
    "Yeah. Best friends, those two. In fact, Harry and I only became friends because I was locked in the girls bathroom with a psycho mountain troll and they had to come rescue me. It's hard not to be friends after something like that."
    "I guess that would be true. What's Harry like?"
    "Harry's the sweetest person I know. He's so talk-to-able. Is that even a word? I don't think so..." Hermione broke off looking thoughtful. "Anyway, you'd think that he'd have a swollen head after all the fame, but he doesn't. He's the most down to earth guy ever."
    "Down to earth?"
    "Yeah. He's faced Voldemort countless times, and lived to tell the tale every time."
    "Six."
    "Six?" Hermione frowned.
    "Six."
    "Six what?"
    "Six times," Mr. Crivellare said softly.
    "Six times?"
    "Six times." He repeated it, and it almost sounded like an insult.
    "Six times what?"
    "Six times he's faced Voldemort," Mr. Crivellare said seriously. "First when he was a baby. Then the time when he tried to take the Sorcerer's Stone away. And then again with the Basilisk." He shook his head. "How's he's managed to escape so many times is beyond me. Not only does he escape, but he becomes an international hero for it. I'm sure you remember the TriWizard Tournament. And just a few months ago in the Department of Mysteries. It's crazy."
    "Well, he's Harry Potter. I guess that's all the explanation one can give." She waved to Ginny, who had just come out of the girls bathroom on the fifth floor.
    "Yes, he is," Mr. Crivellare murmured. "So between you, Ron, and Lana, which does Harry care for most?"
    Hermione was shocked that anyone could ask such a question. "I don't know. I honestly believe he would be devastated if anything happened to Ron or myself. And he's in love with Lana, for crying out loud, so of course he'd be upset if anything happened to her."
    "Between Harry, Ron, and Lana, who do you dislike most?"
    "Mr. Crivellare, that's horrible! I could never answer that!"
    "Who would Ron miss the most?"
    "I don't know."
    "Lana?"
    "I don't know," she said again, feeling stupid all of a sudden.
    Mr. Crivellare made a little grunt of annoyance. "Well, then."
     "Here you are, Mr. Crivellare," Hermoine said. "Alohamora!" The door opened, and she led Mr. Crivellare into his room.
    "Thank you, Miss Granger."
    "Hermione."
    "Hermione. Thank you, Hermione."
    "It's no problem at all," she responded politely, eager to get back to Ron.
    "One more question."
    Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Yes?"
    "Are you in love with Harry?"
    "No! I'm in love with Ron. Ron's in love with me. Lana's in love with Harry. Harry's in love with Lana. So is Draco Malfoy, but that's a completely different story... anyway, no. I'm not in love with Harry."
    "Draco Malfoy? Lucius Malfoy's son?"
    Hermione nodded.
    "I see."
    "Good day, Mr. Crivellare," Hermione said, backing away. As soon as she shut his door, she ran back to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room.
    "Running, Miss Granger?" Professor Snape sneered.
    "Back to class, Professor."
    "No running in the hallways, you know that. Five points from Gryffindor."
    "I'm sorry, Professor. It won't happen again." Hermione walked back to class. Once she was sure that Professor Snape couldn't see her, she started running again. She had already missed the beginning of class. And who would take her notes for her?

_________________________________________________________________

    Professor Dumbledore had just finished giving the class directions when Hermione walked back in. "Ah, Miss Granger! Welcome back. We'll be continuing with the mirrors again, but at level three. Dementors, you know." He looked around the class cheerfully. "Does everyone know the spell?"
    The class murmured yes.
    "Very well then. Proceed."
    Harry stood up, suddenly feeling dizzy. He frowned, then shook his head. I must be exhausted, he thought, thinking back to the romantic fly to the moon he had taken with Lana, via Firebolt.
    Harry's head pounded furiously. What the fuck...? His scar burned with a pain so strong, it blinded him. Harry squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the pain to pass.
    "Are you okay, Harry?" Ron asked, frowning.
    Harry opened his mouth to say yes. "No," he said.
    And then he collapsed onto the floor.