Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
Thank you all so much for the reviews and a special thanks to the many lovely reviewers who told me about the cramped last paragraph-don't know what happened there, it was fine when I took a look at it, but anyway THANKYOU! I've got the next couple of chapters planned out so the updating should be fairly regular. I'm trying to make my chapters longer-if you hadn't noticed they've been getting progressively longer- and I think I'm going to re-edit the whole thing soon. Not right now and it isn't a rewrite, it's just the bits and pieces you miss while writing and only see once you come back to it and have a bit more perspective, but that shouldn't slow down the updating so don't worry! I want to write this story as much as you guys want to know what happens next...so we're on the same side! :] Enough of me blabbing! On with the story............. :]
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"Get your broomstick out of arse Malfoy and try to think rationally, I know that's a monumental effort for you but - do try. Yes, we are together. Happy? Something is just screaming at me that that is joy and happiness running through you at the moment." Harry mocked brutally. Again, I was reminded of the very dangerous and threatening power of Harry Potter. He was not one to idly tango with, neither magically nor verbally. He very rarely lost. It was one of the reasons the enmity between us was so explosive. In each other we'd met our match.
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And I was reminding him that he did not want those darker abilities of mine aimed at him..................................................
"No buts, Mr Black. However, I can safely assure you that however awful this time will be for me due to your comment it will be nothing compared to your torment." I grinned darkly at the man. "O, for God's sake Malfoy! Stop shrieking! I swear," Harry's dark emerald eyes twinkled wickedly, "We only did it in your bed once...maybe twice."..................................................................................................................................................................
HARRY'S POV
"Well isn't this just lovely? Not only have you let everyone suffer from claustrophobia all holidays Potter, but we now get to show up at platform nine and three quarters with a pink haired klutz, the gaggle of moronic orang-utans and a one legged kleptomaniac...boy, what would I have ever done if I missed this experience." Malfoy drawled as the disorganised occupants of Number 12 Grimmauld Place frantically tried to assemble in the foyer.
I didn't even bother to look at him. If I have learnt nothing else this entire Christmas, it was to just ignore Draco Malfoy as often as humanly possible or be driven prematurely insane.
"Nobody asked you for your comments Malfoy!" Hermione shouted.
"Oh! I knew I was forgetting something. You have also made it impossible to escape the repulsive presence of that skin care's nightmare, know-it-all, beaver."
I rolled my eyes and tried to tune out the familiar sound of Hermione's screeching, Ron's bellowing and Malfoy's unimpressed sarcasm. I didn't quite work.
"Harry!"
I turned around and came face to face with a twin set of inane grins. Wariness gripped me and I smiled weakly.
"Yeah George?" I asked restlessly shifting my weight to my left foot while attempting to inconspicuously search the red heads for any possible combustible objects.
"You know Harry..."
"You're the only one we..."
"know of that can ever tell..."
"us apart. How..."
"you do it, my..."
"good sir, is a secret we..."
"trust you will..."
"take to the grave."
I eyed them both speculatively for a moment trying to comprehend the jumbled words. I felt like I was watching an intense and competitive tennis rally with the amount of neck turning I was doing.
"Right...I'll keep that in mind." I said slowly.
The Weasley twins beamed.
"We just wanted to tell you how sorry we are for our little brother's behaviour these last couple of weeks..."
"...years..." Fred interrupted George.
George nodded in agreement, "We'd say he was the black sheep of the family or a genetic anomaly but unfortunately the existence of Percy begs to differ." He grimaced as if in pain.
"But," Fred jumped in with a grin, "you can count on us to flush his head down the nearest toilet and gift him with unsightly warts for six months when he's being a prick."
"Thanks guys." I laughed, oddly touched by their words.
"Not a problem mate. In any case..."
"You're more fun than anyone..."
"else we've ever met so where..."
"else would you..."
"expect us to be?"
Watching them walk away I just shook my head at their antics and winced as a crash and Crookshank's furious hissing erupted from behind me.
Don't turn around. I chanted to myself, resisting the primal instinct to turn and make sure someone wasn't about to jump out a stab me to death.
These last few days had been excruciating. Everyone had been one raw nerve, infuriated with the close quarters and non-existent personal space. The house's occupants had been split firmly in half with Remus, Sirius, Lizzy, Draco the twins and myself on one side and Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Mrs Weasley on the other. The Order tried to stay neutral and succeeded for the most part while Mr Weasley, while disagreeing with his wife refused to cross her. And Snape?...well Severus would never align himself with a Black or a Potter never mind both. All in all, most people had sore throats from all the yelling, black bags under their eyes from staying awake to watch for any pranks of retaliation and a vastly extended vocabulary of swear and curse words.
"Would you idiotic lot of infantile delinquents...and yes, Miss Granger that includes you...shut you traps and get ready?! I will be leaving in fifteen minutes with or without you. Anyone who thinks that will not be enough time is welcome to stay here for the rest of the foreseeable future and bunk with me." Moody yelled with a wolfish grin.
I watched; amused, from the shadowy corner I was standing in as Ginny's eyes widened in alarm before she set off running towards the kitchen calling anxiously for her owl.
A flash of pity for the only Weasley girl filled me along with a thread of distain for her weakness. Ginny wasn't an unkind person but six older brothers-all of whom had extroverted personalities- must make it hard to have her say at home. I felt guilty for the contemptuous way in which I thought of her in my thoughts. I knew it was arrogant of me but I could never respect a person like her, not matter how nice a personality they had. Her weakness made me grimace and her naive words made me sneer.
I should be nicer to her, I decided resolutely.
Just then she turned and caught me looking at her, she blushed unattractively, giggled and stumbled over her trunk crashing to the floor. I turned away to hide my laughter at her humiliation and felt like an even worse human being because of it.
I'll try harder, I promised myself.
"And the Potter charm reaches new heights, beware witches for the gaze of Harry James Potter makes all women so weak in the knees they often collapse in a heap." Sirius intoned theatrically.
"Shove off." I glared irritably, annoyed by Ginny's reaction to me.
Straightening up from my slouched position against the wall I peered over the crowd of people trying to spot a flash of sleek honey brown hair.
"She isn't here Harry, you better go find her, Mad-Eye will leave when he says he will." Remus murmured in my ear.
I scowled and folded my arms stubbornly across my chest with absolutely no intension of leaving this spot.
"Go on Harry. I'm sure she won't throw more than two curses your way." Sirius grinned cheekily.
"Since when has it ever been okay to throw multiple curses at a person?" I hissed at him angrily.
"Since you started dating the only peer you have that can give you a run for your money in a duel." Sirius sang happily.
"We're not dating." I growled moodily furious with the truth of his words.
"No, you just randomly make out at various times of the day together." Remus piped in.
"How's Tonks Remus?" I asked in a fake innocent tone.
I smirked, no answer. That shut him up quick.
"Moony old chum, no one would ever believe you were a Marauder with the way you folded just then." Sirius bemoaned.
I ignored the comment. "I'm not going to go fetch her. For all I care she can miss the train if she's too lazy to get out of bed in the morning."
"Harry? Just – let - it - go." Remus stressed the words with a sideways look that told me I was being immature.
I gaped at him; outraged, "Excuse me? Let it go?" I mimicked, "She let that peroxide blonde ferret over there punch me!" I yelled at them.
"She didn't 'let' him hit you Harry," Sirius said gently.
"Of course not Sirius," I mocked, "she just immobilised me so I could get the full appreciation of watching his fist slowly come closer towards my face!"
"It was funny though." Sirius laughed.
I glowered at him.
"You shouldn't have insulted her, Harry." Remus said calmly.
"Well she didn't have to be so sensitive about it!"
"You called her the fiery green dragon of Slytherin that should be sent out to scare away the Muggles that aren't spooked by the Dementors of Azkaban, how did you expect her to take it?!" Remus exclaimed incredulously.
Honestly, I still don't see why everybody keeps bringing that point up, Elizabeth Edwards is scary. She's the first person since Lily Evan's for Christ's sake that can keep my Godfather in check!
"Ten minutes!" Moody yelled.
"How my Father lived through seven years of sharing a dorm with you infuriating people to greet him every morning is beyond me." I snapped at them as I pushed myself off the wall and stalked towards the stairs.
"Somebody had to get him ready to face Lily for the rest of his life Prongslet!" Sirius yelled after me.
Upstairs, the house was deserted so by the time I got to the top floor the deafening noise from below had faded away and only the sound of my footsteps echoed in the corridor.
"Edwards?" I knocked softly on her door and after a few moments with no answer I turned the brass door knob and pushed it open.
"Merlin Lizzy, where are you?" I murmured as I took in the empty room and perfectly made bed.
The fleeting irritation I felt towards her for the punching incident last night faded away. It was just the way we were. Harry Potter and Elizabeth Edwards would never have a relationship without disagreements and frankly, I grinned as I shut the door behind me; I was glad that was the case it meant that things never got boring.
"Seven minutes!"
I quickened my pace at the sound of Moody's holler and travelled deeper into the house following the subtle prompts of my magic. Without thinking about it I made my footsteps silent and travelled within and between the shadows.
"You must learn how to go unnoticed Mr Potter, how to become invisible by simply using the environment which surrounds you. It must be effortless; you must learn to do this so that it becomes second nature and something you need not think about."
I felt my magic stretching outwards towards the end of the hallway; I stopped at the end of the corridor facing a lone door. I felt my magic pulse once before diving headlong through the wall and out of sight. I sighed slightly at the erratic behaviour of my magic; I had to get it under control. Thankfully, I knew enough of its habits and quirks by now to know that Lizzy was on the other side of the wall. The wooden door was slightly ajar, as if a person had gone to shut it but had been distracted, a beam of sunlight cut across the dark floorboards I was standing on and it widened as I pushed the door further open.
"Lizzy?" I called softly.
She was just standing there, arms handing loose at her sides, her face void of expression while she stared, transfixed, at the figure lying absolutely still in the bed. I absently noticed that the sheets were unruffled; perfect, the man hadn't moved once since someone had laid him there.
"Come on. We better go." She murmured.
I took in the strong, handsome, aristocratic face of the man, the dark brown hair and the broad shoulders; I knew from what little Lizzy had said of him that her Father was a powerful man, one I wanted on my side.
I reached out and caught her hand as she walked passed me, she turned to look at me and slowly her mask fell in the silence.
"I'm okay Harry." She whispered and gave me a small smile squeezing my hand.
I raised an eye brow in disbelief. She chuckled at the look and wrapped an arm around my waist.
"He's going to wake up Harry. I know he is." Her eyes were hard, determined and again I felt that attraction between us swell.
I didn't acknowledge her words, instead, I wrapped an arm around her shoulders guiding her out the door and with one last glance inside shut it behind us and steered her toward the staircase.
She waited, probably impatiently; I thought, a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth.
I leaned down and kissed her temple softly.
"I believe you." And I did, she wasn't one to give into fanciful dreams and wishing.
Lizzy grinned at me impishly, "I'll immobilise Draco next time...promise." She laughed at the dark look I gave her and I felt my heart quicken at the sparkle so evident in her sky blue eyes.
"Really Harry you can be such a..."
Incapable of resisting the attraction and warmth I felt for her at that moment I captured her mouth with mine effectively cutting her off her words. The action would no doubt get me into trouble with her later I realised with amusement so I deepened the kiss hoping it would last longer. Her fingers crept their way up to bury themselves in my hair as I pulled her closer towards me and ravished her mouth, twin moans of ecstasy created a buzzing sensation which just seemed to heighten the pleasure.
"W-why Mr Potter, I do think you're getting carried away." Lizzy gasped in a husky voice as she attempted to catch her breath.
A roughish grin spread across my face and I heard her sharp intake of breath.
"Well, you know what they say Miss Edwards, practise makes perfect, I'm just doing my little bit for the teenage curriculum." I smirked and before she could comment I crashed my lips down on hers and backed her up against the wall.
Unable to resist, I curled my arms around her waist, pulling her closer. Tilting her head to the side Lizzy gasped as I kissed my way up her throat and jaw making a painful procession to her mouth. Burying a hand in her thick hair, I pulled her up and we kissed with a ferocity and passion that blew me away. Her tongue slid boldly against mine sending hot tendrils of desire throughout my body. Breaking off, she reached up a shaking hand to feel her swollen lips, my lust darkened eyes following her every movement.
"Edwards! Potter! Get your arse's down here now!" Moody roared.
We both took a few moments to calm our racing hearts and control our ragged breathing.
"I don't think you need any more practice Mr Potter." She breathed.
"Oh, I don't know, there's always room for improvement isn't there?" I asked slyly.
She smirked, "Perhaps."
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"Harry! Over here!"
I craned my neck to see over the crowd and spotted Neville waving frantically at me from next to one of the train carriages. I smiled slightly and started to make my way through the mass of people, Neville Longbottom I could handle it was Hermione and Ron that were the problem.
"Hey Neville, good Christmas?" I yelled over the noise.
"What?" he shouted back with a confused look, "I can't hear you!"
"I said…" I began to repeat myself feeling ridiculous, "oh, forget it." I mumbled to myself and waved Neville's questioning look aside before climbing onto the train. Once we were both aboard I closed the metal door and heaved a sigh of relief as the chaos from outside dissipated.
"Now, let's try that again shall we?" I said in a normal volume as we dragged our trunks down the cramped train to find a compartment. "How were your holidays Neville?"
"It was fine I guess, Gran had all the family over to our house this year so I didn't really get much alone time but it was nice to catch up with the family…they all liked my greenhouses." I smiled at Neville's childish brightness as he said that, Herbology was his passion and I was glad that his family had come to accept that.
"That's fantastic Neville, you'll have to show me them some time." I said as I went into an empty compartment and sat down in a heap.
"Hey!"
I laughed as Seamus and Dean squeezed their way into the compartment neither willing to let the other go first.
"So," Seamus chuckled, "where's the other two thirds of the Golden Trio? We hardly ever see you guys without the other at least in seeing distance of you, of course, that's discounting the times Ron and Hermione decide to indulge us all with a sickening snogging display in the common room for everyone to see. Come to think of it Harry-You're always the first one out the portrait hole! You must have an in build defensive mechanism or something because I've rarely seen anyone move so fast in my life!"
I grimaced as past traumatic scenes of Ron and Hermione making out flashed through my mind, "Great, thanks for that reminder Seamus." I deadpanned my face contorted in disgust.
The Irish man laughed, "Call it pay back for not passing on the warning to the rest of us!"
"Seriously though, where are the two of them?" Dean asked peering out the sliding glass door as if expecting them to appear as he said their names.
I shrugged my shoulders, hell if I knew where the two bigoted idiots had gotten to; I'd ditched them as fast as humanly possible as soon as we'd passed the barrier. Ron's constant death glares had become old weeks ago and Hermione's furious lecturing and unsightly skin was enough to make me nauseous.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean demanded with a shocked look, one he shared with Neville and Seamus.
"Just that." I said casually.
The three shared a look before staring at me strangely.
"Did…aw…something happen between the three of you?" Seamus said carefully.
At this point I couldn't help but thank the wards the Headmaster had erected around Headquarters, it ensured that no events or information one learned there could be disclosed to others…so, I smirked, Ron and Hermione couldn't say anything about Lizzy and I. They just get to stew knowing something that no matter how desperate they are they can never reveal.
"You could say that." I answered evasively and they seemed to get the point as the subject changed to what each of them did for Christmas and the like.
Although the occupants of 12 Grimmauld Place had found out that Lizzy and I were together I have to admit that it seemed as though it was only Sirius, Remus and Tonks that thought it was great.
"You've got yourself a good one Harry, count yourself lucky, most of us don't ever find the one for us let alone when we're at school. Must be a Potter thing-I remember the first time your Father ever saw your Mother, she pushed him off the boat and into the Black Lake on the way to the sorting Feast in First Year" He smiled wistfully caught in memories.
"Remus?" A soaking wet, handsome, black haired boy called to the nervous looking sandy haired boy on his right.
"Yeah James?" He whispered, trying not to be heard by the stern looking witch issuing instructions.
"I'm going to marry that girl one day." The eleven year old boated seriously, pointing to the pretty red head girl listening with rapt attention to Professor McGonagall.
"Eww, you want to live with a girl? They're disgusting!" The sapphire eyed boy on James's other side whispered with a grimace.
"I don't care Sirius! I'm going to marry her, just you wait and see!" James glared a challenging, stubborn glint in his hazel eyes as he turned back to stare at girl again.
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"I think it's wonderful that you and Edwards are together Harry!" Tonks squealed in excitement while Ron sent her a venomous glare. "Finally! Another Slytherin to converse with, I hate to say this but it's true, no one is better conversation than a Slytherin." She stated seriously.
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"Don't mess this up Prongslet that woman is capable of keeping you in line and I'll just say that that is no mean feat. Plus, she's totally hot and you'd be an utter moron to lose her. Now, on the topic of Miss Edward's female desirability Harry, I thought it might be a good idea for me to inform you that as much as I like Lizzy and as much as I know you like Lizzy, I don't think miniature Potters running madly about the place are exactly what we need right now, so…" Sirius leaned closer with a maniacal gleam in his eye.
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I winced remembering how Sirius had then gone on in painstaking detail to explain contraception spells for both a man and woman; the mechanics behind them, when they should be used and how to check they're working. I had never wanted to know just how extensive my Godfather's knowledge was on the subject…but alas we can't always get what we want.
Everyone else …well, nearly everyone, the twins didn't know what to think…hated the idea. Mrs Weasley had come to the conclusion that Lizzy had seduced me and that's why I hadn't fallen in love with Ginny yet. Hermione thought I was just being childishly rebellious and Ron…well Ron was jealous that it wasn't him that had got Lizzy so he went on and on about how Dark she was and how I was turning evil and in league with Voldemort. Malfoy…I clenched my fists together and felt my eye twitch in annoyance with the very thought of the leech…Malfoy would sneer and insult and curse and basically do anything else in his giant temper tantrum to make sure everybody knew exactly how horrible he thought the idea of us was. As if he even needed to open his mouth to accomplish it, I thought sourly.
Ignoring the trivial conversation going on around me I turned to look out the glass window at the darkening sky and flashing green scenery of Scotland. We'd made sure that the Slytherins and Gryffindors among us separated into two different apparating groups at Headquarters. It wouldn't do to see us all arriving together, any Death Eaters or allies of the Dark would have passed on the information about the whereabouts and company of the Edwards and Malfoy heir's quickly and efficiently, I thought darkly, frowning out into the night.
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"Hey Harry, look." I looked where Seamus was pointing and felt my heart quicken.
"They look cozy don't they?" Seamus continued, grinning lecherously across the Great Hall towards the Slytherin table.
"What do you mean?" Neville asked in confusion.
"Ah, Neville, your naïveté astounds me," Dean stated theatrically throwing an arm around Neville's shoulders and leaning forward to speak, "Seamus here was salivating at the idea of Zabini and Edwards as a couple."
I gripped my goblet tightly and tried to keep my face impassive but my eyes refused to move from the pair.
"Not true!" Seamus laughed, "Envy has taken me over-what I wouldn't give to be in Zabini's place right now. Look at how close they are! They're practically on top of one another!" He cried.
Lizzy and Zabini were huddled together, food forgotten, whispering in each other's ears. I could feel jealously spreading through me as I watched them and forced my eyes to return to my plate.
Control! I yelled silently.
My magic was swirling dangerously around me, simmering and hissing in agitation watching the pair with as much focus as my eyes had just been doing. I dropped my fork and it clattered to the stone floor but I ignored it. My magic wanted out. It wanted to tear across the hall and force the two apart. It was taking everything I had to contain it; the training over the break had only made it stronger.
"How far do you think he's gone with her?" Dean asked his best friend eagerly.
In the back of my mind I was astonished that Lizzy hadn't felt my fury or sensed how restless and turbulent my magic had become. I sneered in repulsion; she must be completely lost in her conversation with the Zabini boy.
Seamus smirked, a lustful gleam in his eye, "I don't know mate, but if I were him I'd be working my ass off trying to find a way to get her into my bed."
Enraged my magic crashed against my control, my thoughts and their words feeding its fury. I barely managed to smother the cry of pain that wanted to escape as some of my magic forced its way through my shields and hurtled through the air towards its target.
I felt rather than saw Lizzy's magic flare out to form a defensive dome against the spear like attack of my magic. Her head snapped up, alarm in her eyes, unintentionally creating space between her and Zabini. I saw the disappointed and irritated look in his eyes when she became distracted and clenched my fists tighter painstakingly pulling my escaped magic back into my core.
He likes her, my mind whispered in warning.
Her eyes locked with mine and I saw the confusion and small trace of annoyance within her gaze.
I clenched my teeth together and my eyes darkened further as I watched Zabini snake an arm around her middle attempting to regain her attention.
She ignored him and that sent a small thrill of satisfaction through me. Her eyes demanded an answer for the behavior of my magic and I looked away; furious with my lack of control. Snape would kill me if he knew.
"Edwards is a slut." I didn't turn to look, I knew whose voice that was; the nasal sneer was unique to Ronald Weasley. "She'd bang anything that looked at her twice, just look at the way she's hanging all over Zabini," he snickered and I finally raised my eyes, he was looking straight at me, triumph spreading across his freckled face at my reaction to his words, "she nothing more than a common whore." He spat his eyes dripping with contempt.
"Whoa, harsh man." Dean chuckled weakly aware of the weird tension between us.
Neville looked between Ron and myself warily, his hands twisting nervously in his lap.
"It's just how I feel." The red head laughed and Hermione sent me a superior smile laying a proud hand on her boyfriends shoulder.
Silence had engulfed the Gryffindor table, older years hushing the excited younger ones pointing in our direction urgently.
The sudden quiet of the most boisterous House in the school caught the attention of the neighboring Hufflepuffs who immediately calmed the Ravens. The quiet chatter of the Slytherin table fell away and all attention focused on us.
I picked up my goblet and took a long sip staring at the victorious and smug faces of the rest of the Golden trio.
"Tell me something Hermione," Although my voice was soft it carried in the silent Hall.
Her brown eyes narrowed and I smirked inwardly. She knew me better than Ron, I realised, Hermione knew I was neither stupid nor one to lie down and let Ron's comments slide. She wasn't taken in by my innocently curious face.
"What?" she said tightly, suspicious.
I swirled my drink lazily, around and around, watching as her irritation and impatience mounted in the dead quiet of the school.
"Are the rumours about Ron getting you pregnant true?" I asked my voice calm and inquisitive.
…
The hall exploded with life and noise, Hermione's face darkening with embarrassment and Ron's growing red with anger.
"W-what? How dare you! It's not true! Tell them it's not true!" Hermione screeched.
"You bastard!" Ron screamed spittle flying from his mouth.
In the chaos I let my mask fall for the first time and the true depth of my rage and fury burn within eyes.
"I have done nothing to you which you have not brought on yourself."
Hermione flinched at the cold fire dancing in my eyes.
I gasped, it felt as if a warm breeze was brushing away all of my anger and bitterness at their betrayal. I knew it would catch up with me eventually; the fury, the hurt, the resentment…you couldn't go through the things we had as friends and just push their actions and words aside like they were nothing.
"Lizzy…" I breathed and raised my eyes to see her staring at me from across the enormous stone room, her magic was gently caressing mine, slowly calming me.
"Don't make me threaten you again... Next time, I'll make it permanent." I stated coldly to the two infuriated individuals opposite me before I rose from the wooden bench and walked out of the hall into the quiet, deserted corridors of Hogwarts.
"Well… that was unexpected, wasn't it?"
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I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED IT! AND SO THE PLOT THICKENS! TENSION AND DRAMA IN THE NEAR FUTURE! PROMISE :P!