A/N: And here's the third chapter! I'm not sure what to write here, so without further ado, let the story begin!
Oh, and the "key" for the bold/italics/regulars is going to get a bit confusing.
"Speaking"/Normal
Emphasis/Flashback (all flashbacks will be labelled)
Book/Author Notes
Parseltongue
That night, Harry and Hermione were practicing the Exploratorem, in the Room of Requirement.
"Perhaps we should try it on each other before we try any of the teachers. If we cast it wrong, someone might be able to sense it." Hermione reasoned.
"Yeah, probably a good idea." Harry agreed. "Who's going first?"
"I will." She said, and cast, "Exploratorem Harry Potter!"
Nothing happened. Huffing, she tried again, with no avail.
"Maybe you should try it with… Cygnus Malfoy?" Harry suggested, but Hermione shook her head.
"If you went through a blood adoption, your name would have been magically changed to Harry Potter, meaning it would only work for that name."
"Oh." He said, then added, "Maybe I can try. Since it's Dark magic, my hereditary affinity might help."
After Hermione's nod, he muttered, "Exploratorem Hermione Granger."
A small circular window appeared in front of him, showing Hermione's face.
Maintaining the spell drained quite a bit of his magic, but every couple of seconds he felt a tingling sensation spreading from his hands to his feet.
"I did it!" He crowed triumphantly, but he lost focus and the window fizzled out.
He collapsed, completely drained yet stimulated from the effects of Dark magic.
Hermione rushed over and hugged him, causing him to stiffen.
"You did it!" she said, eyes shining. "Now we can find out what Dumbledore is hiding!"
He relaxed in her embrace for just a bit, basking in her pride and warm scent.
Harry leaned against Hermione and whispered something in her ear that she would never forget. "I… think I love you."
She felt her spine tingle with shock.
"R-really?"
He nodded, and froze as Hermione broke off, looking at Harry with uncertain eyes.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "I thought you were with Ginny…"
He shook his head. "Remember that list? Dumbledore dosed me with some love potion."
She shook her head, balling her hands into fists. "That horrible old man! Who does he think he is, doing things for 'the greater good' and 'the light'. Compared to the Dark, what he's doing is nearly as bad! Just how many others' lives has he messed up?"
"I know, Hermione. I'm just as angry as you are, but I need you to keep me happy. So even just for a month, will you please be my girlfriend?" he asked, finally pulling together the courage to ask.
She blinked in surprise, then beamed. "Of course, Harry! I'd love t-" Her sentence was broken off as a completely disheveled Ron stood in the doorway.
"Oi! What are you two talking about without me?"
Exchanging a nervous glance, Harry lied, "We were discussing about Potions homework."
Ron glared. "I know that's not true! I heard Hermione and you talking about Dumbledore and how the Light is as bad as the Dark! How will he react if he finds out you've become a dirty Dark wizard?"
Harry was furious. "A dirty Dark wizard? Is that the best you can come up with? Oh, well, I'm actually not surprised as the only comeback you could say against Draco is 'shut up'."
"Oh, so you're on first-name basis with Malfoy?" he snarled. "Don't tell me you're a slimy Slytherin as well!" Ron said while advancing on the two. Upon seeing Harry's checkup results' paper, he ran forward and snatched it out of Hermione's grasp.
Ron unfolded it and read the first line, stopping when he saw Harry's real name.
"Cygnus Malfoy?" he roared, spittle flying everywhere. "No wonder you're referring to that scum as his first name. You're one of the Dark, Evil, Slimy Slytherins as well!" he raged. "You've infiltrated the Light's House, the noble Gryffindors as the Saviour of The Light!"
Harry stood there, silently quivering with emotion.
"Get out of my sssight." he said quietly, lisping into Parseltongue out of anger.
Ron, on the other hand, took it as more evidence that Harry was dark.
"See! Being a Parselmouth is another mark of a Dark wizard and being a Slytherin!"
Harry repeated himself, his words hissing out, barely understandable.
Taking a threatening step forward, he held his wand ready to hex him into oblivion.
Ron took one glance at Harry's wand and ran out of the common room yelling, "I'll get you for this, scum!"
Hermione turned to Harry. "I don't think Ron's coming back to us this time." she said carefully, trying not to hurt him more than he had already been that day."
However, his answer was not what she expected.
"I'll get him for this." he hissed, not realizing he was speaking Parseltongue.
"Harry, I can't understand that. Please try to calm down." she spoke softly.
He nodded and apologized. "I'm sorry, Hermione, for saying things like that around you. Now I know you won't l-love me." Harry said weakly, tears threatening to fall.
Hermione shook her head. "No, it's okay. Ron was being a git and I think he deserved it. Also, I will always want to be by your side no matter what happens."
"You really mean it?" he asked, hope shining in his broken eyes.
"Of course I mean it." she reassured him. "For ever and ever."
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I just thought ending it on this note would make the story feel… fluffier. I dunno.
Anyway, is the relationship moving too fast? Was Ron being too much of a git?
Please tell me in the reviews.
Arigats my amigos!
-Jordbæren
