Girl Trouble

That week didn't improve much for Kiara. For starters, all of her subjects required the use of both of her hands and this meant she was often stuck reading or making sloppy notes with her left hand. Professor Sprout put her in charge of making sure all her equipment came back. Most of the teachers were considerate but by the end of the week, everyone knew that there was some kind of a feud going on between Kiara and Professor Rominisci. At least once a lesson she found herself on the wrong side of the classroom door, cursing under her breath. Severus was not very happy about this. He had tried to guilt her into not answering back to one of Rominisci's taunts by giving her a long speech of how she had been such a sweet girl when he had taken her in but it had done nothing to help Kiara.

Harry wasn't speaking to her much either. They exchanged formalities in the common room but nothing more. He seemed to be waiting for an invitation before he came close again. Kiara was relieved she didn't have to keep saying no but the taste of the sleeping potion was beginning to get to her. She saw Harry everywhere and every time she knew Draco was watching her closely. Blaise had taken to watching her closely all the time and it unnerved Kiara because she had no idea why. Draco hadn't distanced himself from her as she had feared he would but instead spent most of his time talking to her. Kiara enjoyed his company but couldn't help feeling it was only because she was Severus' daughter.

So by the time she was sitting in the Hospital Wing on Sunday waiting to get her bandages changed, she was despondent. She didn't have to come to Madam Pomfrey because Severus could have done it but after their argument on Friday about being sent to him again, she had been coming to Madam Pomfrey. The Hospital Wing wasn't packed as it had been on Tuesday but Madam Pomfrey had so much paperwork to do now.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Kiara asked as the woman was checking her temperature just for safety measures.

"Yes dear?"

"Is there any way that I could be able to use my arm again?" Madam Pomfrey frowned. She had known that she might ask her that but she wouldn't have expected differently.

"Yes but it means the scars it will leave on your arm will never heal and it will be painful too."

"How long will it take?"

"A few hours. If you took the potion now, you'll be out of the Infirmary by dinner." Kiara smiled, suddenly feeling like she could hug this woman who was constantly prodding a thermometer in her mouth. "But, you have to be sure. The scars will never heal."

"Please Madam Pomfrey. I can't bear to sit through another lesson of doing nothing." And I can't bear to be apart from Harry any more, she thought although obviously didn't say it.

"Well, alright then. And don't say didn't warn you about the pain."

Being able to use a knife and fork again was great and Kiara ate happily, not concerned about puking up or anything, even if her arm still ached from the potion. She listened to Pansy happily, not really caring that there was no way to get a word in edgeways. She didn't care about the fact pink satin dress robes made Pansy look fat or that her cousin who lived in Ireland owned several horses and made money by ripping of hapless muggles. All she cared about was getting through dinner and the few hours she spent in the Slytherin common room doing homework. Once or twice during Pansy's monologue, Kiara kept glancing over to the Gryffindor table and watching Harry gulf down food like that would be his last meal.

Even as she tested Draco on his star mapping, her mind wondered to Harry and tried to remember times before the magic bonding. His touch, his warmth of his body, the feel his bare chest as she woke up early in the morning to find herself nuzzled next to him and his arm wrapped around her protectively, pulling her close. Her arm had been the only excuse to not let Harry close and now it was gone, he was all she could think about.

"You are meant to be helping me, not day dreaming," Draco snapped bringing Kiara back to Earth. She blushed and mumbled an apology. "If you were daydreaming about what I think you were daydreaming, save me from the nightmares."

"It can't be helped. Not when we share a bathroom as well. Seeing him in nothing but a towel doesn't help," Kiara answered only to have to dodge a cushion being thrown at her. Draco looked genuinely horrified at the thought.

"I said save me from the nightmares, not induce several nightmares." Kiara giggled as Draco shuddered. It was a private joke they had established but he was still not approving of the idea. "Tell me again what the hell you see in Potter. I don't understand it."

"He's physically attractive and he's a good person. When we've been forced to have a conversation, he's been very nice and hasn't acted anything like the jerk you make him out to be." Draco snorted in disbelief.

"I bet he's slipped you a love potion that's why you like him. I'll bet you anything that it's a bet. Whoever can seduce Snape's daughter gets 50 Galleons. I wouldn't put it past him."

"As if you wouldn't do that," Kiara said huffily. "You're like him in a way. Good-looking, could have any girl you wanted and people willing to see me humiliated. How do I know you haven't got a bet going on?"

"You don't. Besides, if, emphasis on the if, I did approve of it, how do you know Potter likes you back?"

"I just do. Draco, please say yes. It's going to cause a lot of upset Slytherins and the last thing I need is my House to hate me. If you approve, most people will too."

"Only if you say 'Draco is a gorgeous sex god and the only reason why I'm not totally besotted with him is because Potter slipped me a love potion otherwise I would realise Potter is hopelessly pathetic and doesn't even deserve my affection' to everyone in Defence Against the Dark Arts tomorrow."

Kiara almost choked. "No chance. Rominisci would never let me live it down."

"Well then, you'll just have to find another way of persuading me."

"I'll tell Pansy you love her," Kiara teased looking over at Pansy who was sitting with several other girls congregating over several magazines from Young Witch Weekly to Dress Robes Delight to Hair Happiness Today.

"And I'll tell Blaise you think he's hot," Draco answered back, glancing at his friend who was sitting in a corner trying to figure out what the runes he had spread out in front of him meant. He and Kiara had yet to click. There were times it seemed like they were close to a normal conversation and he would clam up again.

"There's no winning is there?"

"A Malfoy never gives up without a fight."

"Harry?" Kiara said timidly as she pushed open the door of his room. He was sitting on his bed in nothing but his boxers flipping through what looked like a photo album, a smile on his face.

His room was definitely different to hers. His was Gryffindor colours with pale yellow walls and red curtains and carpet, but to Kiara's delight, her drawing had been put up on one of the walls to add a personal touch. Harry put the album away and watched as Kiara crossed the room to his bed, her pyjamas hanging of her small frame. She had a smile on her face, and Harry hoped she stayed that way.

"There's a scary spider in my room," she said although she was smiling and didn't look she'd just been scared away by a spider. "And I was just wondering if I could sleep with you tonight."

"I don't know. It doesn't seem like you're scared of the spider," Harry said trying to be serious, but a smile was beginning to creep onto his face. "I could scare it away and you could go back to your room safely."

"I didn't fool you for one second did I?"

"If you'd said your room's cold and you wanted to snuggle up to me I might have believed it but I know for a fact you are not scared of spiders."

"What would it take to worm into your bed Mr Potter?"

"The truth. It's been a week since we've slept in the same bed because you didn't want to. And now, you want to. Why?"

"I miss you Harry. A lot actually. Just because a potion stops the nightmares, doesn't mean I don't miss waking up next to you."

"But why did you not want me to sleep with you in the first place?"

"It would have been difficult with my arm and I was upset and scared the first night. I thought that with Bill's death and stuff, even you wouldn't be able to stop me from having violent dreams. But now, I don't care. Just as long as I have you to wake me up, it doesn't matter."

"Alright. Only on one condition."

"What?"

"I get a goodnight kiss each night before I go to sleep. You might decide to go out with Malfoy and I still want a goodnight kiss. Deal?"

"Deal."

They shook hands and Kiara placed a small kiss on his cheek before they got into bed. It was no different than before with Harry holding her protectively, whilst Kiara made herself comfortable, but for some reason it was. Kiara was oddly aware of Harry's toned chest on her back and his breath tickling her neck whilst Harry was aware that his hand lay millimetres away from her breasts and of the position of her bottom. These thoughts had not crossed their minds before and only after one week of separation; they were flying around their minds.

"Goodnight Harry," Kiara said quietly as she felt her eyelids begin to close. It was funny how Harry's steady breathing seemed to have the same effect as a sleeping potion. "Sleep tight."

"Goodnight Kiara," Harry answered although he wasn't sleepy. He had won beaten whatever potion Kiara had been drinking. Kiara had come to him like he had wanted but now she was here; he didn't really know what to do. They had a strong emotional connection and some physical but Harry didn't look at her and think phwoar just yet although he loved the way their bodies moulded together.

Despite the fact that seconds before he hadn't been sleepy at all, his eyelids were getting heavier and soon he was asleep.

Harry found himself in the same white space that he had been in when Sirius had spoken to him the last time. He walked around with his hands out, hoping to touch a wall but it seemed the whiteness as endless. He was grateful that it was endless darkness.

"Hello Harry," a voice said behind him. Harry spun around reaching for his wand that he usually kept in his back pocket only to remember he was in his boxers. He took a step back as he recognised the man standing in front of him. It was from this man he had inherited his untameable jet black hair and pretty much everything else except for his eyes.

"Dad?" Harry asked, slightly uncertain.

"Come here son." James Potter held his arms open, and hugged his son lovingly and rather tightly, as if he was afraid to let him go. "I've been waiting sixteen years to do that. And to hear you say Dad."

"I'm dreaming aren't I?"

"In a way. This is like when you saw Sirius except I waited for a more convenient moment." Harry nodding, partly understanding. He still believed what had happened with Sirius was sort of a dream. "I'm here because you're having a bit of girl trouble."

"Girl trouble?" Harry couldn't believe it. His dad was coming from God knows where to give him help on girl trouble. All the times he could have helped Harry but he only comes when Harry's having girl trouble.

"Yes with this girl Kiara. So what's wrong? Excuse me for being so blunt but you're sleeping in the same bed and yet you haven't actually slept with her? Why?"

"Dad!" Harry felt himself blush at the thought. "I haven't even kissed her yet."

"Well hurry up and do so. She's not going to wait forever and I'm pretty sure someone mentioned something about a guy could Brace Houdini or something like that."

"Blaise Zabini?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Someone's betting that they get together. So why don't you ask her how she feels before it's too late and kiss her. I can guarantee you she won't say no."

"It's not that simple."

"How so?"

"She's Snape's daughter. He's already given us enough grief over the sleeping arrangements. And she's a Slytherin. Until she can get approval from Malfoy, we can't really do anything."

"Yes you can. Just sneak around and hope you won't get caught. As for Snape, I'll try and see if I can have a word with him."

"You can do that?"

"Yes but it's only recently we've been able to talk to the Living. Some Unspeakable opened a rift between our worlds. Your mother gave her sister a right haunting about the way she's been treating you. It was funny." James grinned as he remembered that night.

"Is she alright?"

"She's fine. She might pay you a visit but only after you and Kiara get it together. In fact, if you get it together, the whole family will come and see you."

"Really?"

"I promise."

Harry woke up to find it was still night. Kiara was sleeping quite peacefully and her temperature was as normal as it would get for her. Occasionally she stirred and her breathing quickened but as Harry held her closer and whispered soothing words to her, she would calm again. Harry thought about his dream. Did he really have a chance with Kiara? Well at least he could say his chances of getting together with Kiara were higher than his chances of getting back together with Cho.

"What's so interesting over at the Slytherin table?" Seamus Finnegan asked at breakfast Following Harry's gaze he saw Kiara in a conversation with Blaise Zabini. Harry didn't seem to hear his question and continued to stare whilst absentmindedly sipping his coffee. "Harry? Don't tell me you're interested in Snape's daughter?"

"What?" Harry asked snapping out of his thoughts. Had Seamus just asked him that?

"You were looking at Kiara Snape and you had a sort of dreamy look on your face."

"No I didn't."

"Hate to tell you mate but you did. It was a sort of 'I'm smitten and have been thinking about her the whole night' look," Ron added doing nothing to help erase Seamus shocked but amused expression.

"Thanks Ron. You're a great friend."

"So you like her?" Seamus persisted. Harry had an idea. If Kiara was slowly getting Slytherin used to the idea of her liking a Gryffindor what if he did the same? Wondering why he hadn't thought of it before, he allowed himself to blush. "Are you serious?"

"I'm surprised you hadn't noticed. He's been staring at her since last week," Hermione said from behind her copy of Advanced Arithmancy. They were having a small assessment to see what they had learned last week and she was determined to get higher than this girl in Ravenclaw who always managed to beat her by one mark.

"But that's impossible. You hate Snape. How can you fall for his daughter?"

"If you accidentally walked in on her whilst she was in her underwear, I think you'd say the same," Harry said remembering this morning with a smile. He hadn't seen Kiara like that before and his gaze wondered up and down her body before he had excused himself blushing. "We share a bathroom and it doesn't lock."

"Harry, some of us are trying to eat." He shuddered and made a face. "Let's say I understand why you like her, what makes you think she likes you?"

"She walked on me in my towel and hardly looked away in horror. I know she liked what she saw." He heard a snort coming from behind Advanced Arithmancy. "And I'm Harry potter. I'm irresistible."

"To who?" Dean Thomas asked joining into the conversation as Ginny left to go pick up a forgotten homework in their common room.

"Harry here has got a crush on Kiara Snape and he thinks that she likes him as well," Seamus explained. Dean burst out laughing but stopped when he saw their serious faces. "No, he really does like her."

"You share quarters don't you?"

"Yes," Harry answered happy at the domino effect this was having. Dean would tell Ginny, and they would be overheard by someone who would tell somebody else and the cycle would go on.

"If you like her then we can hardly stop you. I wish you luck getting past Snape and Malfoy though. I heard he likes her."

"I heard Blaise Zabini likes her," Seamus argued.

"I overheard Malfoy teasing her in Potions about liking Harry so there you have it. Kiara likes Harry and Harry likes her. Now will you move on to something more interesting," Hermione snapped finally looking up from her book. The boys looked at her, confused. Ron was the one to air their thoughts.

"I thought you were reading."

"Where are we going?" Kiara whispered as Harry led the way under his Invisibility cloak. So far they had sidestepped the Head Boy and Girl and were now in a part of the castle Kiara hadn't yet managed to come across. He put a finger to his lips to silence her and continued walking. She decided to just follow him and hope wherever they were going didn't get them into trouble.

It was now Saturday and the whole week rumours had been flying. One rumour said that Snape had given her to Harry to stop a family feud that had been going on for decades whilst another said someone had slipped them both love potions. The rumours had caused outrage from some members of the concerned Houses whilst others didn't really care. Kiara made sure she didn't go to the girls toilets by herself for fear of getting attacked and Harry stayed away from the dungeons as much as possible. Especially after a death threat from Severus.

Harry led her up a narrow and steep circular stairway and once or twice, Kiara lost her footing. Reaching a door, the cold outside air hit them strong and sharp. Emerging from the cloak, Kiara was taken away by the sight. From where they were standing, you could look out over the Hogwarts grounds, the Forbidden Forest thick with trees and on the horizon you could just make out the centre of Hogsmeade all highlighted through the light of the full moon, obscured once or twice by a passing cloud.

"It's beautiful," Kiara said edging closer to the low wall that stopped her from plummeting to a very ugly death. She felt Harry by her side and wrap his arm around her waist. The funny feeling she felt in her stomach when she was around Harry intensified and she wondered what he was doing. She was neither cold, neither needed help standing up.

"I come here to think. About my parents, about Sirius," Harry explained looking out into the distance. "And about you."

"About me?"

"Yes you. Remember this summer when I asked you if we could be something more, something more than friends?" Kiara nodded but didn't say anything. There was nothing to say to that really. "And you said that I didn't know you well enough?"

"Well you didn't."

"I've been thinking and wondering whether I could wait any longer. I like you Kiara, I like you a lot. You're a great friend and this after seeing you in your underwear last week, I haven't been have been able to keep my eyes of your body."

"Harry…" Kiara blushed at the memory but instead of making her look unsightly (which happened to a lot of people), it added colour in her cheeks, making them all rosy.

"I know it'll take a lot of sneaking around but it would make me really happy if you let me be your boyfriend, even if it will be a secret for a while."

"My father will kill you," Kiara said finally seeing as this was her only argument. She wanted Harry and had fought a losing battle to keep les than clean thoughts entering her minds as he lay next to her in bed.

"At least I'll die a happy man," Harry replied, turning Kiara round so that she was looking up to him. Kiara had to admit she had never seen him look so handsome than he did tonight. Perhaps it was the moonlight that seemed to highlight Harry's face in a way that no other light did.

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't."

Kiara stood on her tiptoes, supported by Harry's arms which he had wrapped around her waist and wrapped her arms around his neck. There was a pause, Kiara slightly unsure. Harry's experience wasn't a lot more than Kiara's but he knew what he wanted. Bridging the small gap that was left between their lips, Harry kissed Kiara gently, just to see her reaction. She seemed to stiffen slightly before he felt her relax against his body. Parting for a moment, their lips met again, but this time the kiss deeper.

A meow from the doorway caused them to part and glare at who had dared intrude. Mrs Norris sat there, her eyes glowing eerily in the moonlight her usual arrogance present. Many people liked to give her a good kick every now and then. The problem was that wherever Mrs Norris went, the caretaker, Argus Filch was sure to follow, almost always ready to drag you to your Head of House.

Harry placed a finger on Kiara's lips to signal to her she shouldn't speak and motioned her to a gap in the wall where two people could fit snugly into and covered themselves with the Invisibility cloak. This put them in very close proximity of each other, acutely aware of their bodies against each other but also aware of the fact Filch was to appear any minute now. And he didn't disappoint them, coming through the door, wheezing from the hard climb. He was getting older.

"So where are they? Didn't jump off did they?" Filch said looking around and peering over the edge to make sure. For a moment, Mrs Norris came close enough to be able to scratch at the cloak but instead she meowed before turning and making her way down the stairs, tail in the air. "Where are you going now? Third time this week this has happened. You ain't been the same since you were Petrified, I'll tell you that."

They waited another five minutes before even daring to breath normally and making an attempt to get out of the gap. As they did so, Harry managed to steal a kiss knowing that it was probably time they made their way back to their quarters. Light-headed by the night's events, Harry took several wrong turns and almost bumped into the Head Boy –twice. The cherub that guarded their quarters had to bribed with promise of more people using that passage to stop it from making more noise than really necessary. By the time they finally climbed into bed, they were exhausted but giggling.

As she fell asleep, Kiara thought how she had to be the luckiest girl in the world. She had a father to be proud of, friends she would never forget, a boyfriend who also happened to be the Boy-Who-Lived and had managed to get this far in life.

A/N- puts on puppy dog eyes Why am I not get any reviews? Pretty plwease, can I have some? I thought I'd give you a double chapter to have something to mull over since you all will know my updating is very random. Although a few reviews might help...Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading the story, adn thank you very much for getting this far withoutturning back. Bear with me folks, it will get better. I have up to Chapter 25 written up.