AN: Thanks so much for putting this on alert, favoriting, reading, and of course, reviewing! I appreciate all the support. Thanks also to Marianne Le Fey and Heartmom88 for their help. Unfortunately, I got so bogged down with final papers that I forgot to send this to Marianne to Britpick. I thought about sending it to her, but I really didn't want to skip a day posting, especially since I don't post everyday anymore. So if you see any errors, those are all my fault and I apologize.

I don't own anything you'd recognize.

Snape read the document for the third time, trying to discern just exactly what had gone wrong. The painter had produced the replacement portrait precisely to specification, but upon completion, no amount of magic had been able to bring it to life. The Headmaster simply stared out from the canvas: unmoving, unspeaking, and unready to be hung at Hogwarts. Snape wondered if the dark magic that had destroyed the former portrait had somehow hindered its replacement, but the artist assured him that should not have been the case. Perhaps they needed to try a different spell… Perhaps they needed to try a different artist…

Just as Snape pulled out a sheet of parchment to formulate a response, he heard a soft tap on the door. He looked up to see who had finally dragged themselves into the land of the living after last night's drunken debacle, most likely with the aid of a healthy dose of Sober-Up. "Enter."

The visitor flinched and squinted in the light from the castle window as he stuck his head around the opened door.

"Potter?"

"I took a chance that you might be in your office," Harry began in a sleep-roughened voice. He looked like hell with his bloodshot eyes and his impossibly tousled hair. Even his robes were disheveled, as though hastily thrown on after spending the night in a heap on the floor. "I don't know who else to talk to."

"What seems to be the matter?" Snape asked as Harry gingerly closed the door, wincing at the click it produced.

"It's about last night." Harry stepped inside and eased himself into the chair across from Snape's desk. "I…I suppose you saw the confrontation I had with Ginny."

"To be honest, Potter, all I saw was the expression on Lucius' face when Draco escorted Miss Weasley to the door… and I presume, home. Suffice it to say that Lucius was less than pleased.

"I wish Draco… and I suppose by extension, Lucius… was my only problem."

"What is the problem then, Potter?" Snape asked, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the subject matter.

"Ginny. I tried sending her a Patronus last night, but she wouldn't respond. It would be one thing if she'd sent me a Howler or even just a quick note saying she'd discuss it with me when she'd had a chance to cool down, but I don't even know if she got my message."

"Potter, I am the last person who should give advice on lovers' spats. I can't even imagine why you would think to share this information with me. If you want to reconcile with Miss Weasley…"

"But that's the thing," Harry interrupted. "I'm not sure I do."

Snape leaned back in his chair in resignation and closed his eyes to prepare his mind for the onslaught.

Potter took a deep breath. "After the fifth Patronus… don't say it... I know… I started thinking. There was a reason I kissed Luna, and it wasn't the alcohol. Luna and I can talk for hours about anything and I feel happy when I'm with her."

"O Merlin, Potter, please spare me the details," Snape shuddered, palms up as if to halt the words before they reached his ears. With uncharacteristic compassion, his voice softened. "You seemed to be happy with Miss Weasley, at least in the photos that made it into the papers."

"I was happy with Ginny… but I'm starting to wonder if I stayed with her because she was safe."

"Safe?"

"Sometimes…" Harry bowed his head to collect his thoughts. "The Weasleys have been the only real family I've ever known and I guess I got caught up in the fantasy that one day I'd be an official member. I wonder if that's the real reason I've been dating Ginny… I've been telling myself that I love her… but maybe I always just assumed I'd become a member of her family… and marrying her was the easiest way to do that. I wonder if I've really just been using her as a way to obtain the family I never had." He sighed. "Merlin, that sounds horrible… But does that make sense?"

"In a mind-numbing way, I suppose it does," Snape replied.

Harry smiled ruefully at the jibe, then continued, "Ginny seemed like such a natural choice. I love her family, and I've known her since she was ten… I saved her." Harry's eyes became distant. "I saved her and she fell in love with me."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Snape asked.

"Sometimes it feels like she loves the hero who rescued her and not the ordinary person I really am. I think she wants someone strong to protect her… some romantic hero to adore her. I can be those things, but I'm also flawed. My temper rivals hers, and I don't always think things through before I act. We don't balance each other out well at all."

"We all have flaws, Potter. Why is Miss Lovegood any different? You saved her, as well, and she sees you as a hero."

"She also understands what it means to lose a parent. Luna watched her mother die and her father could be in Azkaban in a month's time. The absence of my parents is a large part of who I am. Luna understands that; Ginny doesn't."

"So you chose to reward that understanding with a… kiss." Snape concluded

"I didn't see Luna the rest of the night. She snuck out the back. I wonder if she'll even speak to me again," Harry sighed.

"She may have no choice, given your assistance with her father's case. But where does that leave Miss Weasley?"

"I don't know," Harry scrubbed his face in frustration. "I thought maybe talking this through with you would give me a little clarity on the issue."

"You picked an odd adviser, Mr. Potter."

"I know," Harry grinned. "But you're one of the few people still speaking to me this morning… and you have no interest at all in the outcome."

"That's an understatement." Snape smirked. "But if there's one thing this war has taught me, Mr. Potter, it's that life is too short to live it exclusively to fulfill the expectations of others. At some point, Harry, you need to live your own life. If that life includes Miss Lovegood, then so be it. No one has the right to dictate otherwise."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Harry replied, visibly relieved. "You've given me a lot to think about. I'll begin setting things right today."

Harry's eyes trailed to the document on Snape's desk. "How is the Headmaster's portrait progressing?"

"Not well," Snape replied. "Dumbledore won't come to life."

"What?" Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "Why?"

"We aren't sure. I'm considering hiring another artist."

"It wouldn't be Hogwarts without Albus Dumbledore..."

"Indeed," Snape answered flatly. Harry hadn't witnessed Albus at his worst and Snape had no intention of setting the record straight now. Some things were better left in the grave.

Another knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Headmaster Snape?"

"Miss Granger…" Snape turned towards Harry with a questioning glance, only to be answered with a shrug. "What brings you here this morning?"

"Research," Hermione answered. "I wondered if you might grant me access to the restricted section this morning."

"Wouldn't Minerva be able to do that?"

"Well… yes… but I won't be working on her project today. I need to do some reading for an independent project of my own."

"What are you researching that would take you into the restricted section?"

"Healing spells for black curses, Sir," she answered with an uncomfortable sidelong glance to Harry. "I'm still in the preliminary process of gathering information. Would you like me to brief you with my progress?"

"I think that would be wise, Miss Granger," Snape answered. "They call it 'restricted' for a reason. I'll see to it that you have access to the books you need."

"Thank you, Sir" she replied.

"How are you doing this morning, Hermione?" Harry asked.

She shrugged. "As well as can be expected, I suppose… a bit surprised to find you here."

"I needed to talk to someone and do a bit of thinking."

Hermione shot a questioning glance at Snape, who rolled his eyes. Stifling a grin, Hermione returned her attention to her friend.

"My behaviour last night was…."

"I don't think many people are happy with their behaviour last night, Harry."

"You…you heard about Luna?"

"Yes, I heard about the kiss," Hermione replied before giving him a smile meant to be reassuring. "It's a small alcohol-induced bump in the road. I'm sure you and Ginny will work things out."

"Sure," Harry muttered into the carpet. Raising his head and forcing a smile, he excused himself. "I guess I'd better get to it, then."

"Good luck, Harry," Hermione grinned. "I suppose I should go, too, and start in on that research."

As the door closed behind their good-byes, Snape paused to reflect on the strange events of the past few days: A mysterious, but somehow familiar pair of strangers show up at the Leaky Cauldron to throw a party for the key players in the Wizarding War. The purpose? To render most all of them temporarily insane for the evening? To cause chaos, most of which seemed to center around romantic entanglements? Who was toying with them and for what reason? And why was he still smelling pomegranate?

His only consolation was that the alleged Persephone had been no where to be seen. At least he had been untouched by the madness.

Snape picked up the document once more. He might have to take a trip to the restricted section, himself, to see what could possibly be keeping Dumbledore from returning to Hogwarts.