Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!

Rated M = Mature, sex, language, drugs, ...

Updated: 8/15/09

Runic Animagi

Chapter 21: Cat's Out of the Bag

When I woke up late that Saturday morning, Daphne was still resting peacefully and by the looks of it, was healing quickly from the warrior runic tattoos. It probably wouldn't actually be as bad for her since she was already very healthy, and didn't have to do the actual tattooing either which always took a good bit out of me. I showered and dressed and went out to the balcony to join Dobby for a pre-lunch smoke since it was by this point closer to noon. He told me that Mistress Daphne took a pain relief potion and sleeping draught at about seven this morning when she woke up rather sore and still very tired, and would probably be asleep for a while still.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to make lunch, I figured I should go and not just sit around here making noise while she rests, and left to eat in the Great Hall. That was definitely a mistake since the moment I entered the Great Hall three pairs of Slytherin eyes latched onto me watching my every step with hard glares wondering where Daphne was. Once again for the record ...fuck Divination, fuck seers, fuck Trelawny ...and fuck my and Daphne's lives just exploded from private to public in the angry and protective words of Daphne's best friend in school.

"Where the HELL is Daphne, Potter?! She didn't come back to the room this morning?!" shrieked Tracey loud enough for the entire school to hear and completely ignoring her usual Slytherin Ice Queen calm as several people gasped surprisingly after putting the pieces together and figuring out the truth in an oh so wonderful way for me.

Instead of shouting over the Great Hall all about mine and Daphne's personal lives, I stood back up with a sigh and fixed Tracey with a very hard look. When I realized that she wasn't going to let me ignore her or let me leave without her getting answers, I confidently walked over to the Slytherin table and ignored the growing muttering and exclamations of surprise or outrage from a few select Slytherins I was really hoping to avoid. I sat down across from an angry looking Blaise, and happily smirking Sophia as Tracey continued her hard glare before sitting back down in her seat next to me, her posture screaming for vindication and answers.

"You're not welcome at this table Potter," sneered Malfoy loudly from his spot near the head of the table in the most prominent of locations.

"Piss of Malfoy," I snapped back harshly, "you're lucky I'm even letting your pathetic family keep their house and you in school. Merlin knows I'd love to throw you and your father's Death Eaters asses out on the streets, but I could never do that to a member of my family ...even if she is your mother."

"Fuck you Potter!" he shouted angrily as his face flushed.

"Sorry cousin, you're not my type," I smirked back expertly, as even a few Slytherins chuckled quietly before quickly trying to hide their amusement with coughs, as I returned to my attention to the three Slytherins around me wanting answers and glaring daggers.

"Well Potter?" snapped Tracey, thankfully much quieter now that we were closer, and I simply waved my wand casting a privacy bubble before I explained myself and the situation.

"Tracey, I give you my word that Daphne is fine, she's just sleeping still ...it's nothing to worry about," I answered honestly and without the smirk that was threatening to emerge as I thought about what they might read into those words.

"Why is she still sleeping?" accused Tracey still with a hard glance that didn't seem to be letting up now that she knew about Daphne and me, even after the three Slytherins had somewhat warmed up to me over first term in the DA and sharing so many classes together they didn't seem openly friendly at the moment but what did I really care.

"I don't think you really want to hear that answer," I replied back knowingly as I raised my eyebrows in challenge, to which their eyes all widened comically for a split second before their accusing glares returned in full force, "am I right?"

"You're taking us to Daphne this minute," demanded Tracey furiously, and obviously not trusting me when it came to her friend and roommate.

"Of course, follow me," I breathed back in defeat, knowing there was no way out of this by their determined glares, dispelled the privacy bubble, grabbed a sandwich for the walk, and rose from the table to lead them to my suite.

I lead the trio of silent Slytherins out of the Great Hall while ignoring the growing speculation and questions thrown out at us by a few brave souls, scowling at ruining my lunch as I slowly munched on the unfulfilling sandwich. After getting to my office I lead them to my suite's doorway portrait and dispelled the runic locking seal before they all pushed past me and quickly went into the suite. Tracey immediately began yelling out for Daphne, ignoring my explanation of the silencing charm permanently around the bedroom as she searched for her friend frantically.

The Slytherin trio quickly barged into the bedroom and thankfully Dobby had already assured Daphne's naked body was covered by blankets so they also wouldn't see all the many tribal runic tattoos which were still healing on her beautifully bronzed skin. Sophia seemed the most interested in everything else around the suite and especially our clothes scattered haphazardly about the room as she smirked, while Tracey instantly went to sit on the bed to wake up a still sleeping Daphne as Blaise seemed to just be observing everything carefully.

"Daphne, wake up," started Tracey loudly as she gently shook the lump of blankets that was her friend, causing a small pitiful groan and shifting of the covers as Daphne slowly seemed to be coming to.

"I don't wanna Harry ...come back to bed," she whined pitifully and still very sleepily causing my smile to widen as the others looked in a combination of disbelief and disgust.

"I don't think your friends would find that as pleasant of an idea as I would my dear," I spoke clearly and with a light chuckle to my voice as her friends proved me correct by again leveling their hard yet harmless glares at me as Daphne simply made another cute whining noise at not getting what she wanted. "Besides, we probably need to have a little talk now that Tracey spilled the beans about our relationship to the whole school at lunch just now."

"WHAT?!" shouted a now instantly awake Daphne as she blinked her sleepy eyes several times before fixing one of her best friends with a look of disbelief as I could only smile at her tousled hair and beautifully flushed and sleepy face.

"What's so funny Potter?" asked Blaise curiously, and only slightly angry at my smiling face.

"Her waking up all hot and bothered with tousled hair ...it's downright sexy," I answered with a lopsided smile at her friends and a wink to Daphne who replied with a playful glare that only made her look more desirable.

"So what happened in the Great Hall?" asked Daphne as she returned her gaze to her friend Tracey sitting next to her on the bed.

"You didn't show up for lunch," replied the known Ice Queen of Slytherin in an unusual display of losing her cool, and thinking that explained everything but only drew a raised eyebrow from Daphne and continued to elaborate reluctantly. "Then Potter just shows up strutting in the hall without any worries ...and we knew you were with him last night."

"And now so does the whole school," I supplied unhelpfully, but I just couldn't resist since it wasn't my slip up and I wouldn't let Tracey get away after that strutting comment ...I do NOT ever strut.

"How does the whole school know?" asked Daphne finding much less humor in the situation than I was, but figured she was still tired, cranky, and sore since we'd been thinking of going public with our relationship for some time now.

"Um ...I kind of yelled at Potter," conceded Tracey with great difficulty, obviously not used to losing her composure in public and embarrassed to have to apologize, if that's what you called that.

"And demanded where you were after spending the night with him," supplied Sophia with a happy smirk and mirth filled eyes that made me bite back my own comments since she pretty much got it dead on.

"Oh no," groaned Daphne as Sophia giggled, Tracey scowled, and Blaise and I looked on with growing amusement once I got passed the fact of everyone probably knowing by tomorrow, especially if word got back to the Daily Prophet which is highly likely.

"It's not that bad, we were planning on telling everybody soon anyway," I supplied hoping to help at some level and put everything into perspective, just pushing up the timetable.

"Yeah, but there's a big difference between dating and sleeping together," spoke up Blaise smartly and unhelpfully, "especially when it comes to the Gryffindor Golden Boy and a member of our house."

"Hey, I'm all man buddy," I answered in mock indignation at being called a boy, "but seriously, I've already okayed you moving in here with Dumbledore. If you're worried about the rest of your housemates ...no offense you three, you are allowed here from now on."

"Is Dumbledore like your Great-Grandfather or something?" asked a curious and slightly shocked Blaise, who had never personally spoken to the Headmaster like most members of his house and couldn't seem to understand my familiarity with the old wizard.

"He might be," I shrugged unsure, "it would definitely be easier calling him grandpa or gramps than Albus, that for sure."

"You call him Albus?" asked a wide eyed Sophia as the other Slytherins looked at each other and me with wide somewhat disbelieving eyes.

"See, you all think it's weird too, right?" I asked for confirmation.

"Everything about you is weird Potter," replied Tracey sharply, but without any serious malice in her voice.

"Hey, that's my future husband you're picking on," defended Daphne quickly and with her first real smile towards me since being awoken to the news of our secret being blown, before she mock glared at her friends who didn't really seem to know how to handle everything.

"Thanks Daphne," I responded gratefully, glad to not be getting ganged up on by her friends before my stomach chose that moment to let out a loud growl of hunger, since I didn't eat nearly enough for lunch. "I need food, anybody else hungry?"

"Winky made Master Harry Potter sir's favorite," announced Dobby after popping into the bedroom with a large serving tray holding a fresh and steaming pepperoni pizza and several cokes.

"Oh thank Merlin," I breathed out gladly and instantly reached for food, "you and Winky are the best mate."

"Dobby knows Master Harry Potter sir," he answered with a grin before popping out as I literally dove onto the pizza to begin eating, and even offered slices to everyone else ...talk about growing as a person.

"You and your pizza," muttered Daphne while shaking her head at my favorite edible obsession before turning to Blaise, "you really should try the pizza Blaise, I think you'll love it."

"Damn, this is brilliant," exclaimed the dark haired Slytherin with wide and excited deep brown eyes as he continued devouring the slice he first bit into with Ron like enthusiasm.

The group seemed to relax a bit after eating and stayed for another hour talking and catching up with each other, or for me getting to know them all in a very different setting than normal. I liked Blaise, he was kind of quiet and was content observing and staying out of most of the girls' drama even if he was secretly interested in it all. Sophia had a much more casual and teasing nature than Tracey, who acted more or less like the group's boss sometimes than just another friend. They were all wicked smart though, that much was obvious by a lot of their lengthy and heated discussions and topics.

When they finally left after promising they would return with us tonight after dinner to spend a little more time together getting to know each other better, I gave Daphne a long passionate kiss telling her that we would be okay. I then made sure she took some more healing potions and went back to sleep for a bit to heal from the warrior runic tattoos, hoping she would be ready for dinner in several hours as I returned to my main room to study. I looked over all my runic animagi notes, and now that my true animagus form had been revealed as a phoenix, I decided to get started working on other animals like that cat for Hermione and maybe Tracey who both didn't have the capabilities of becoming one themselves otherwise.

Apparently my mother had already begun researching the runic seals for the cat after using Professor McGonagall as a model like she first did with the Marauders. By dinnertime I was pretty close to a working runic seal, and felt happy that it didn't seem too hard with the start my mother gave me. I snuck into bed and cuddled up to a still naked and healing Daphne, at some level trying to wake her up but I did have a few other things on my mind as well. Once she was sufficiently awake, I got out some lotion and gave her a full body massage, knowing how sore she would still be after getting the warrior runic seal tattoos like I had this summer. She loved the massage, and frankly so did I, but we had to cut it short in order to make it down to dinner knowing we couldn't delay the inevitable any longer now that the secret of our relationship was definitely out.

I told Dobby before we left for dinner to go and put up alert wards at Daphne's house, and to deliver the short letter I prepared warning them about the secret falling apart and make sure they didn't need anything. Then Daphne and I proudly walked to dinner hand in hand, ignoring the few gasping and whispering people we passed on our way to the Great Hall, knowing it would get much worse. I guess I have just become so accustomed to the whispers, stares, and the noise in the Great Hall coming to screeching halt the moment I entered ...and tonight was no exception. I gave Daphne's hand a reassuring squeeze knowing this was definitely a first for her and guided her a few steps towards her friends since she seemed slightly frozen from all the attention, before reluctantly letting go of her hand and veering off to the Gryffindor table and the sea of gawking and stunned faces.

"What, did someone let in another troll?" I asked loudly and sarcastically and with a lopsided grin to the Head table and several surprised or twinkling eyes there, before looking over the shocked faces of my fellow house mates, even my friends who knew about it all this time.

"Ha ha Harry," replied a sarcastic Hermione with questioning raised eyebrows, "so, you're actually going public?"

"There's not much point hiding it after lunch today," I responded with a shrug as I sat next to Neville who had quickly made room for me.

"Yeah, it's all everybody's been talking about," spoke Ginny from the other side of Dean unhelpfully, yet proving my point.

"Lucky us," I returned sarcastically as I glanced across the hall at the Slytherin table which seemed to be stuck between glaring at Daphne and me, as her friends thankfully surrounded her and seemed to be keeping their eyes on the rest of their housemates.

"Don't worry, people will get over it soon enough," responded Neville simply between bites of Shepherd's Pie as I filled my plate still keeping an eye on Daphne.

"I hope so Nev," I answered gratefully while trying to eat and keep an eye on things at the same time. "Hey, do you guys want to spend tomorrow night after dinner hanging out in the suite?"

"Can girlfriends come?" asked Neville with a smirk directed at me for always complaining about being a third wheel when around other couples, and now had no more room to talk.

"Yes smart ass, all girlfriends are welcome," I answered back with a mock scowl directly at the seemingly unaffected and so different and more confident Neville.

"Is Greengrass going to be there?" asked a tactless and clueless Ron with a mouthful of cake spewing across the table.

"Daphne will most likely be there," I replied with a more potent and less friendly glare, silently reminding Ron who he was talking about and to whom. "If you can't deal with that, don't come."

"Oh, he'll be there," threatened Hermione with a hard look at her often clueless boyfriend that she would be having a long talk with very soon, making my glare turn into a smile at Ron's frightened look.

Dinner started breaking up slowly after that, and I waited until Daphne and her friends stood up and motioned to me that they were ready for the promised Saturday movie night. Daphne was telling me how excited she was to see her friends' reactions to the muggle world of TV and entertainment on the way to dinner, and I knew that I would enjoy it as well. I smirked and waved to the Headmaster whose twinkling eyes watched Daphne and I throughout most of the meal, as I got up and met the four Slytherins at the door leading out of the Great Hall. I grabbed Daphne's hand and pulled her in for a quick kiss as we left the stunned students watching in shock before we led her friends out into the entry and heading towards my suite with a dramatic roll of my eyes at the noise that echoed out of the Great Hall after we left.

"They must have no fucking lives," I said with a lopsided grin to Daphne and her friends as we headed for the nearest stairs.

Daphne and I really enjoyed snuggling up onto the side sofa and watching both the movies and the three purebloods' reactions to what they were seeing. They were all instantly hooked and seemingly hypnotized to the lights, sounds, and story before them as the three sat in the central sofa with Sophia almost in Blaise's lap most of the evening. Blaise and Sophia couldn't wait to watch more, and even Tracey reluctantly thanked me for a surprisingly fun evening when they all finally decided to return to their common room. Since it was already passed curfew, Daphne and I drew the invisibility runic seals over all three of them so they had a whole hour to get back to their dorms undetected by Snape or Filch, before saying our goodbyes and goodnights to them and heading to our room for bed.

Daphne woke me up in the most pleasant way Sunday morning, and after giving her the protection runic seals of love, we spent hours rolling in the sheets and then the shower before we managed to dress. Dobby returned Daphne to her dorm to go to breakfast with her friends, and afterwards met up with me out on the balcony to enjoy a relaxing toke and talk about the wards and protections in place at Greengrass Manor and what we would be adding to Antique Treasures in Nockturn Alley at some point today. Dobby ensured that both locations would be able to hold off an attack long enough for the two of us to get there and help, and felt the next step would be to cast the fidelius charm for the house.

Unfortunately, I arrived at breakfast as the morning owls delivered their letters and copies of the Daily Prophet and could feel the sense of dread setting in as I took a seat by my fellow sixth year Gryffindors. I immediately started eating and ignoring the opening, gasping, and reading of the Prophet's front page until I heard Hermione's groan and then soft muttering knowing it wouldn't be good. Of course it wasn't good news, when does the Prophet ever print something without their own slant or fucked up agenda.

"Is England's most eligible bachelor and savior dating a Slytherin?" read Ron over Hermione's shoulder, and I looked up to catch a glimpse of my own face once again front page and center, and had to scowl angrily at what I wanted to do to the fucking Daily Prophet and it's staff.

"Merlin, I fucking hate Rita," I responded with a slight growl and took several more bites of food before begging out of the Great Hall and promising to hang out this afternoon with all my friends at my suite before quickly leaving to avoid the growing gossip, muttering, and glares for the safety of my room.

That morning I quickly finished my small amount of homework, and then continued to work on and eventually complete the cat runic animagi seals and even tested the male version on myself to glowing success. It actually looked remarkably like Professor McGonagall's form, and I knew that Hermione would probably flip out when I introduced her to it this afternoon or evening. I enjoyed a quick toke with Dobby before going to lunch and picking up eight Gryffindors, one Ravenclaw, and four Slytherins to head back to my suite for an afternoon of movies and hopefully fun.

AN: The secrets out! Stay tuned for more. Enjoy!