A/N: I am very proud to introduce this fic to FF.net. I began writing this (by hand!) during school one day a month or so ago to relieve myself from the boring hell that is analytical geometery, and I have just now begun to type it into the computer. I have three chapters, but since it took me an awfully long time just to get this first one typed up, it may be a while before I post any more. I'll try.

This story contains loads of slash. It is mostly slash of the non-graphic type, with plenty of snogging and more (tee hee) in later chapters. It is somewhat fluffy. Sorry about that. Studies of this fic show that four out of five Gryffindor males are gay. What can ya do?

I would like to point out that Dean Thomas and Hermione Granger are definitely not gay.

But not together either.

Oh damn, I've lost myself again.

The other chapters are better, I promise!

Anyways, I have several thank-yous before I begin:

To Meg Albatou, for everything. I know it's considered bad manners to go to someone's house and use their computer for hours on end just so you can post the first chapter of your fic, but you don't seem to mind, so merci beaucoup for allowing me to be a rude house guest.

Thanks also to all my other RHHS girlies:

Lisa for tolerating the unrealistic pairings

Sarah for trying to edit out all hints of Percy/Oliver (sorry babe… didn't work!)

Caitlin for being so enthusiastic and, well… squealing at the N/S stuff.

I love you all… you're my favorites!

There is much, much more to come.

Future pairings may include:

Harry/Ron

Seamus/Neville

Lupin/Sirius

Oliver/Percy

I would like to assure you all that, no matter what it looks like from this chapter, this is NOT, N-O-T not a Harry/Draco or Harry/Hermione fic.

Enjoy!!! -Nymphean

"Limb by limb and tooth by tooth

Tearing up inside of me

Everyday every hour

Wish that I was bullet proof…"

                                -Radiohead

Chapter 1: Revelations of a Rather Odd Sort

                Harry a sat in the Hogwarts library, scribbling furiously on a large piece of parchment.

                "The effects of the Fundungitis Potion can vary quite a lot depending on the dosage. When taken in small amounts, the fundungia plant causes those who ingest it to see in opposites; Black becomes white, Up becomes Down, Night becomes day, and so on. When taken in larger doses, however, it causes the user to see things that aren't actually there, which is another thing all together." Harry stopped reading and glanced across the table at Hermione and Ron, who were also writing on large scrolls of parchment.

                "Well?"

                Ron nodded approvingly, but Hermione shook her head.

                "It doesn't JUST cause hallucinations, Harry. The user sees the thing he or she MOST WANTS to see… in other words, it dupes them into thinking their wildest dreams have come true. There's a slight difference."

                "Right," Harry said, sounding rather lost. He ran his fingers through his unruly hair and made a frustrated noise. "I'm never going to finish this essay! How did I end up with this topic anyway?"

                "Snape hates you," Hermione reminded him, without looking up from her own parchment.

                "Screw Snape," Ron hissed as he slammed the book he was reading shut.

                "No thanks." Hermione continued to scribble. Harry made a disgusted face.

                "You guys, that's just not right." He threw his hands in the air. "Well, I officially give up!" He pushed away from the table and table and tucked his parchment under his arm. "See you guys later."

                Ron waved goodbye and Hermione nodded dismissively, to engrossed in her essay to offer a real reply.

                Harry had just left the library when he heard slow, deliberate footsteps behind him. Harry stopped in his tracks, turning on his heel to face whoever was following him. When he saw who it was, Harry's face contorted into an angry scowl, and he felt his fists ball up at his sides.

                It was Draco Malfoy, and he was holding Harry's essay.

                "Malfoy," Harry hissed, "Give me that."

                Draco raised an eyebrow and unrolled the parchment. He read for a few seconds, and then chuckled a little.

                "Interesting, Potter… very interesting."

                Harry fought for control. "Give it to me, Malfoy."

                Draco grinned maliciously. "Why Potter, I never n\knew you thought of me in that way!"

                "That's disgusting!" Harry cried, his voice quivering with rage. "Just give me the essay, Malfoy, and BUGGER OFF!"

                Malfoy glanced at the parchment again. "Why would I do a thing like THAT?" He drawled lazily, leaning against the wall.

                "Oh that's right, I forgot that you have issues with acting like a decent human being!" Harry said angrily.

                Draco shrugged. "Frankly I'm having far too much fun to even consider that right now." He looked down at the essay. "Hmmm… you really did a lot of work on this…" Without warning, he raised his wand and pointed it at Harry. "Petrificus Totalus!" Before Harry could react, his entire body was frozen and he fell against the wall stiffly, like a wooden board.

                "As much as I HATE to admit it, you've done an excellent job here, Potter." Draco circled Harry, still reading from the parchment. "Yes, I dare say Professor Snape will be quite impressed. Or he would be, if YOU hadn't written it." Harry glared at Draco, who laughed wickedly. "Oh come ON, Potter, Don't just stand there like a lump! SAY something!" He waited for a few seconds, a vicious grin an his face. "Well fine then, be that way if you want!" Draco began to saunter off down the hall. When he had Walked a considerable distance, he stopped and turned tro face Harry. "Oh, and by the way Harry," He said, raising his wand, "Finite Incantum!"

                Harry felt himself unfreeze just as Draco threw something at him and took off down the hall. Harry reached out, a bewildered look on his face, and caught his essay.

                                                                                *****

                "…And then he just… gave it back to you?" Ron looked at Harry incredulously.

                "I swear! I'm not making it up!" Harry watched as his knight beheaded one of Ron's bishops. The two were playing chess in the Gryffindor common room after Quidditch practice.

                "Bugger, I needed that!" Ron said irritably. "So what, he just wanted to terrorize you or something?"

                "I guess so. I mean, it's MALFOY, right?"

                "I always knew he was nuts, but… what kind of an idiot steals an essay, put the writer in a full-body bind, then GIVES THE BLOODY THING BACK?" Ron shook his head. "He makes me so bloody angry!"

                "Clam down Ron. The last thing we should do is let him get on our nerves like that. That's just what he wants."

                "Why are you so calm about this?" Ron demanded "I would have thought you'd be furious!"

                Harry shrugged. "Life's too short to let bastards like Malfoy get in the way. That my new tactic, ignoring him." He moved his piece.

                "Whatever. Checkmate."

                Harry frowned. "How come you always manage to beat me?"

                Ron shrugged. "Don't worry, you don't suck. I'm just really good." He got up. "Well, I'm going to go back to the dorm. See you in a bit?"

                "Yeah," said Harry, putting away the chess set. Ron left, and Harry was all alone in the common room. He pulled out his essay, re-reading what he'd written.

                "I've never seen you work so hard on anything for Potions class," said a voice from behind him. Harry knew who it was immediately.

                "Hey Hermione," He said without turning around.

                "Just came to see how you're doing. I ran into Ron on the way down here, and he was muttering something about you, Malfoy and a full-body bind… sounded rather nasty…" She arched an eyebrow. Harry made a gagging noise.

                "Don't be vulgar!" He exclaimed. "Oh… I sound like you!"

                "And I sound like you!" Hermione said before bursting into giggles. "Sorry, I'm feeling rather odd tonight."

                "Don't worry about it." Harry turned to face her and suddenly felt light-headed. The room began to spin slowly, and his vision became hazy, as thought someone had breathed on his glasses. He squeezed his eyes shut.

                "Harry? Are you all right?"

                Harry opened his eyes. The room had stopped spinning, and his vision was clear again. Almost clearer than before, he thought.

                "What's going on?" Hermione demanded worriedly, laying her hand on his shoulder.

                "I'm fine," he said shakily, raising his eyes to look at her. His breath caught in his throat.

                It was Hermione, of course it was Hermione, but she looked… different. Her eyes were sparkling and bright, her chestnut hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders instead of the usual frizzy tangles. Her cheeks were bright, and her mouth turned up at the corners instead of down. But most of all, the frown line between her brows which was so often there was gone. She looked happy, peaceful… Beautiful.

                "What?" Hermione asked laughingly.

                "Huh?"

                "What are you LOOKING at?"

                Harry laughed and shook his head. "I was just thinking that… well, you look really good tonight."

                Hermione wrinkled her nose. "No I don't".

                "Seriously, 'Mione. I mean it." Harry saw a pink flush creeping into her cheeks.

                "Thank you, Harry." There was a long silence, then, "Harry?"

                "Yeah?"
                Hermione cleared her throat. "Umm, I know I act a little bossy sometimes, and sometimes IU'm not even all that nice, but after almost seven years of being your friend, I just wanted to tell you that I… Well, I love you."

                Harry looked at her incredulously. "You DO?" He looked slightly horrified.

                Hermione laughed and shook her head. "No no… not like THAT!" Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "You're my best friend, Harry. You're like the brother I never had. I just wanted you to know. I don't always show it, and I know I push you around a lot, but you should know that I only do it because I care about you. I never… I never really had friends before Hogwarts, but, well… it's been worth the wait."

                Harry smiled. "You may not think it, but you're one of the people I admire the most. I don't really mind so much when you push me around… I think Ron and I'd both be dead by now if it' weren't for you.

Ron may be my best friend, but you're pretty much my family. He put an arm around her. "I still wish for my parents sometimes, but at least I know that I have friends who care about me." Hermione laughed and pulled away to look at him.

                "EVER the sentimental one. I should repeat this conversation to that group of third-year girls who're always following you around."

                Harry glared jestingly. "You even dare, and I swear I'll…"

                "Okay, okay… just joking!" Hermione sank back into the couch. "I'm exhausted!"

                "You should go get some sleep… Wouldn't want to drift off during the Dark Arts test tomorrow."

                "Good point." Hermione stood up and stretched. "Good night then."

                "'Night, Mione." Harry smiled as she left the room, thinking that he was truly lucky to have good friends like Hermione and Ron. Just as Harry thought his name, he heard a voice behind him that could only belong to the youngest Weasley brother.

                "Still sitting here all alone?"

                Harry turned his head to see Ron, a smirk on his face, leaning against the doorframe.

                "Thought you went up to the dorm room," Harry said.

                "Yeah, but I had to talk to you. Got a minute?"

                "Sure." Harry shifted his books off the sofa to make rrom beside him. Ron sat down, and Harry noticed that he was shifting nervously in his seat. "What is it?"

                Ron took a deep breath. "Well, I've wanted to say this for some time now, but… maybe it's best if I just show you…"

                Before Harry could protest, Ron had surged forward and pressed his lips to Harry's. For a moment, Harry didn't respond, and then he pulled away as quickly as he could. "Ron, what the hell…"

                Ron got up from the sofa. "I've got to go…"

                "Hey wait a minute!" Harry furrowed his brow as Ron fled the room.

                What the HELL was that?!?

                                                                                *****

                "He didn't!" Hermione was in shock as she walked towards the school with Harry after morning Quidditch practice.

                "He did." Harry kicked at the grass as he walked. "And then he just ran off." He took a water bottle out of his Quidditch bag. "It was weird tough… he didn't SEEM like Ron. I mean, it HAD to have been him, but he just wasn't acting normal." Harry unscrewed the cap to his water bottle and was about to take a sip when Hermione grabbed the bottle from his hand. "HEY!" protested Harry. "What…"

                Hermione sniffed the water carefully, then poured a bit into the palm of her hand. To Harry's surprise, the water was a sickly sort of green.

                "I knew it," Hermione whispered. "Harry, when was the last time you refilled this?"

                "Last night, before practice."

                "And the last time you drank from it?"

                "Last night, after practice. Why is it GREEN?"

                Hermione breathed an exasperated sigh. "I can see you didn't do a very thorough job researching your potions topic," she said off-handedly. "FUNDUNGITIS POTION, Harry! It turns green when it expires! Someone must have slipped it into your bottle when you weren't paying attention." She pour some more of the tainted water into her palm. "It's rather dark… indicating a large concentration of the potion. Which means Ron didn't REALLY kiss you in the common room, you just…" she paused , raising her eyes to his face. "Oh…"

                It took Harry a moment to process this information and catch onto what Hermione was suggesting. When it finally sank in, he turned to Hermione with a startled gaze. "But that's… that's impossible! I don't…
                "You do, Harry," stated Hermione with a leveling gaze. "You have to."

                Harry shook his head. "NO, I don't! That's… is that even POSSIBLE?"

                "What, to be in love with your best friend?" she paused, then, in a lower tone, "Of course it is."

                "I'm not.." Harry began, stopping to inspect the area around them to make sure they were alone. "I'm not in love with Ron," he hissed. "That's crazy!"

                "Maybe not in love, but you must have feelings for him if the potion reacted that way."

                Harry shook his head. "That's crazy," he repeated. "I'm 17 years old! Wouldn't I know if I was gay? Wouldn't YOU know?"

                "Not necessarily," Hermione said quietly. Harry made a frustrated noise.

                "What the hell is going on here?" He look at Hermione with a crazy look in his eyes. "I don't understand it!"

                "Oh Harry…" Hermione sighed and pulled her coat tighter around herself. "I know this isn't the easiest way to find out how you really feel, but…"

                "I don't even know what it is I feel, Hermione! I'm just so confused!" Hermione put her hand on his shoulder.

                "I know. But Harry, it doesn't matter what you're feeling, I'll still be here for you. I'm going to see you through this, no matter what."

                "Thanks Hermione." Harry embraced her shakily. For a moment he just stood with his arms around her, and then, in a lower tone, "What if I DO like dim? What then?" Hermione sighed.

                "I don't know, Harry. I really don't. But hey, the good news is the potion has worn off by now."

                "And the bad news is we're going to be late for breakfast if we don't get a move on!" The two headed towards the building together.

                                                                                *****

                Ron raised his head as Harry took his seat next to him at the Gryffindor table. "Where were you?"

                Harry shrugged. "Talking to Hermione after practice."  He raised an eyebrow as he glanced and his bowl. "Porridge?"

                Ron nodded, swallowing a spoonful of oatmeal. "You wouldn't think it, but it actually tastes pretty good."

                "I'll pass," Harry said, suddenly feeling a lot less hungry. He drank his orange juice and glanced at his bright-haired friend out of the corner of his eye. Ron had finished his porridge and was now absent-mindedly dragging his spoon across the empty bowl. Harry found himself regarding his friend with a new sort of curiosity which he couldn't entirely understand.

                Ron sensed Harry's eyes on him and felt his face flushing. What is he staring at me for? Ron continued to toy with his spoon in silence. Finally, Harry spoke up.

                "Ready for the Dark Arts quiz?"

                "Guess I'll have to be." He shifted uneasily in his chair. "So, when did you get in last night? I didn't hear you at all."

                "Oh, I fell asleep in the common room after… after Hermione left." Harry cursed himself silently for almost slipping up. "I came in around two or three."

                "Oh." Ron was silent, then he turned and looked at Harry. "What's wrong?"

                Harry looked startled for a moment, and then he laughed. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong."

                Ron shook his head. "Harry, I've been your friend for long enough to know when something's up with you, and something is DEFINITELY up with you this morning."

                "Now is REALLY not the time for me to tell you about it," Harry said quietly. Ron regarded him curiously with a little concern.

                "All right. Well, you know if you want to talk about it…"

                "I don't," Harry said quickly, a little more loudly than he'd intended. Several of the younger students turned to stare at him. "I've got to go," he said, this time more quietly. "See you in class." He didn't see Hermione shaking her head or Ron's hurt expression as he fled the great hall.