25. Confessions

They didn't see each other much during the following days - only for a couple of kisses in empty corridors. Harry wanted to spend more time with her, but compared to the previous week it was hundred times better of course. And as much as he enjoyed being with her again, he couldn't help feeling that something was different. Elena was different - he couldn't say in which way, but she was. He knew that it couldn't be like before - like they hadn't had a fight -, but he couldn't help wishing that it was. He missed their carefree meetings, her smile when she looked at him. That had been the first thing that he had noticed was different about her. She did smile, but it wasn't like before - there was always something else in her eyes. He didn't know what it was, surely not happiness though.

Harry repeated their 'conversation' in the room of requirement again and again in his head - a very unpleasant thing, but he hoped to come to something, which could help him understand Elena better. The only thing he realised after some time though was that she hadn't told him how she knew about the prophecy. He had totally forgotten the whole thing had started with him asking her how she knew about it. But this knowledge only made him worry more. He started wondering if there was more she had wanted to tell him and how bad it could be.

No matter how much he feared the things she hadn't told him, however, he still didn't doubt for a moment that it could stop him from loving her. He knew he couldn't stop and he didn't want to. He wanted to be with Elena - whatever that may mean. Because of that Harry started to watch her carefully every time they were together. After a while he began to realise what was really different. Elena was letting him make all the decisions - when and where they would meet and what they would do. And that was in quite in contrast to their relationship before the fight. Even though he hadn't really noticed it then, it had been she who had told him what to do. She had told him to meet her and he had without thinking of saying 'no'. She had listened to him of course and considered his opinions, but in the end they had done what she wanted and now… Harry couldn't shook the feeling that she was somehow afraid of him. He hadn't seen it clearly since that look in her eyes in the room on requirement, but it was still there. She was cautious around him and he desperately wanted the old Elena back, because he was sure that it had been her true self. He knew she was acting out of character in the moment. He didn't really have an idea why, but it was surely because of him.

After much consideration Harry decided to ask Elena about the prophecy again. He hoped that at least to some extend her different behaviour was due to the fact that she hadn't been able to tell him everything she had wanted - that she was still nervous how he would react to it. And after she told him he could assure her that he didn't care and maybe they could be together like before. If it didn't have anything to do with the changes in her at least he would get it over and done with once and for all.

So on Sunday as they were in the room of requirement he decided to ask her - after all there couldn't be anything worse than what she had already told him. They were sitting on the ground across from each other, writing their homework.

"Ellie", he said softly, "you didn't really tell me how you know about the prophecy or did I miss something?"

"Oh", she looked thoughtful. "We started arguing before I got to that part."

"Would you tell me now?"

She looked him directly in the eyes.

"If you promise not to get angry again."

Maybe there was something worse. "I'll try."

Elena looked at the pen in her hand, turning it over while she spoke.

"I told you that my mum went to Hogwarts?"

"Yes, she had been in Slytherin."

"Mhmm… She was in the same year as your parents…"

Harry looked at her surprised. Whatever he had been expecting it wasn't this.

"And she was friends with your mother. She was also part of the Order of the Phoenix and you mother told her about the prophecy and she told me. That's it", she said.

He just stared at her with his mouth slightly opened, but Elena continued to look at the pen in her left hand, her right playing with the collar of her shirt. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes and then Harry's eyes widened.

"Ellie, my mum…", his voice cracked. "she…?", he wasn't able to say anything else so he closed his mouth waiting for her to say something.

Elena didn't for a while though and when she did her voice was so quite that he almost didn't understand the two words: "She was", and after a moment of silence she started talking very fast.

"They met on the train and became friends even though they were in different houses. And they remained best friends after Hogwarts. Mum joined the Order of the Phoenix because of your mother even though grandma didn't want her to, but she couldn't really do anything, because she had already disowned my aunt and there was no one else. When I was born my mum asked yours to be my godmother. And if you had been a girl my mum would have been your godmother - that was what your parents had decided after arguing quite a lot about it. But you're a boy obviously so Sirius Black became your godfather. That turned into a problem though after your parents died and he was sent to Azkaban. Mum wanted to take you, but she didn't really have any rights to do it and Dumbledore wanted you to live with your aunt. She had a very big fight with him about it and afterwards she swore that she was never going to set foot in Great Britain again. She haven't been in the country since a couple of days after your parents died - not even when I started Hogwarts, my aunt gets me on the train every year", as suddenly as she had started talking she fell silent again.

Harry tried to make any sense of what she had just told him, which wasn't that easy since he wasn't sure he got everything with the tempo she had been talking.

"I've never been told about it", he said after a couple of minutes.

Elena shrugged, "Probably because most you know about your parents is from your father's friends. They've never been very close to my mum and yours for years as far as I know. And mum's never been on good terms with Dumbledore even before that fight."

He thought about it and he really knew much less about his mother than about his father. That was of course mostly due to Sirius and Lupin. And…

"And most people always compare me to my father because I look so much like him except of…"

"Your eyes, I know. I have a couple of pictures of your mother with me as a baby. It was quite strange looking into your eyes in the beginning - after I've known them from the photos… Are you angry?", she asked with fear in her voice. There it was again. Was she really afraid of him? And why hadn't she looked at him once since she had asked him not to get angry? Harry ran a hand through his hair.

"No, but I'm still trying to understand all you told me. I suppose you don't have those photos here at Hogwarts?"

"I do. I mean I asked Pimki to get them when I decided to tell you. The photo album's in my room."

"Could I see it, maybe?", he asked not quite sure if it didn't go too far - they were her baby photo's after all.

"If you really want to…"

"Very much."

She nodded, "Pimki!"

The house elf appeared immediately.

"Could you bring me the photo album?"

"Yes, mistress."

Pimki disappeared only to appear not a minute later with a blue photo album in her hands. She handed it to Elena and was gone again. Elena opened it skipping a couple of pages. When she found what she had been looking for she turned the album upside down and gave it Harry across the table, still not looking at his face. He looked down at the photo and his heart skipped a beat. His mother was sitting in an armchair with a small bundle in her arms. The baby seemed to be just a couple of weeks old, but it already had Elena's black hair and the small hands were gripping the fingers of Lily's hand firmly. His mother was smiling brightly at the baby. Harry's hand moved across the photo. Lily must have been already pregnant with him, but he couldn't see it. After looking at it for a while he decided to go through the other pictures. On the same page was a similar photo with a brown haired woman instead of his mother - probably Elena's mother. He turned the next pages with photos of Elena only. The next picture of his mother was a muggle one. It showed Lily holding Elena who was sitting naked in a metal tub with water. A man with long hair and beard - a priest Harry assumed - was standing behind them reading from a book. Elena's mother was standing next to them, both women seemed amused at the discomfort of the baby which looked as if was going to start crying any moment. They were also wearing muggle clothes and this time it was obvious that his mother was pregnant. After some time he continued with the other photos - photos of Elena, some with her or his mother and a couple of other people. He stopped at one in which he was sitting on his mother's lap. Elena was standing before them in a light green dress, her hair long enough for a ponytail. She was smiling brightly and holding a stuffed dragon behind her back. His mother was also smiling, whispering something in his ear, which made him grin, his eyes fixed on Elena. Harry looked at the little girl in the picture - she seemed to be a bit over a year old. Then he looked at the same girl just seventeen years older. Elena was reading her essay or at least pretending that she was.

"Do you know when this one was taken?", he asked her.

She glanced at his face for a second and then back at the table, leaning over it to look at the photo.

"Some when around your first birthday", she said while sitting back to continue staring at her essay.

Harry closed the album in frustration.

"Ellie, look at me."

She did slowly and when their eyes met he could see the fear in her black ones clearly. He frowned. When had the smart and happy girl he had fallen in love with turned into this insecure bundle of fears? What had he done?

"I'm not angry", he told her.

"But you don't look too happy either."

"I just need time to fully understand what this means."

"Do you hate me?", he could see that she hadn't meant to say it aloud and she looked away immediately.

"Of course not!", he was beginning to get worried about her. "How can you think something like that?"

"After all you said after I told you about my family…"

"I didn't mean it. I was angry, OK?"

"You must have - at least some of it or you wouldn't have said it."

"Ellie…"

"What if you're just thinking that it's not that bad, but then realise at some point that you couldn't be with me?"

"I…"

"After all when has it ever happened that a Slytherin and a Gryffindor got together?"

"Elena, would you listen to me!"

She closed her mouth, but she looked lost. Harry stood up and went to her, putting his arms around her shoulders.

"What's wrong, Ellie? I told you that I don't care. I wouldn't have if I didn't mean it."

"I know - in my head, but it doesn't help at all", she whispered leaning into his chest and he hugged her tighter. "I expected that you wouldn't take it well when I told you about my family. I thought I was prepared for your reaction, but I wasn't. It hurt hearing you say all those things, it was as if my heart was breaking. The moment you closed the door a started crying - I don't remember ever crying like that", her voice was trembling and he hugged her even tighter, feeling awfully guilty. "It's so stupid! I've been acting like one of those girls who think the world would end if they break up with their boyfriend. We aren't even together like that and I never thought someone could have such power over me… It's true I sometimes cry about sad stories, but I could always hold my feelings under control when it was necessary - that's what I've been told. But when it comes to you it's like my brain's turned off most of the time and I start doing silly things. I don't like it at all, but I can't do anything about it either. I… I just couldn't stand it if you hated me."

"But I don't hate you. I couldn't… never, I…", Harry took a deep breath before he continued. "I love you."

She pulled away from him, staring at him with unbelieving eyes.

"You love me?"

"I love you."

"Seriously?"

He nodded.

"You don't just say it to make me feel better?"

"No, I do love you. I've been in love with you for months - probably since the first day we spent in the room of requirement. I just didn't realise it for a while and when I did I had no idea what to do. I, I know I did a couple of really stupid things and I'm sorry I hurt you. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt. But at least now I'm absolutely sure that nothing could stop me from loving you. You could be Voldemort's daughter and I would still love you, Ellie."

Elena was still staring at him with wide eyes almost without blinking and Harry started to worry about her reaction after the shock wore off. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out so she closed it again. She did it two more times and by that time he was like frozen. So Elena caught him absolutely by surprise as she flung her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. Harry fell backwards, pulling her down with him. She continued to kiss him with more passion than ever and he returned it. After some time - he had absolutely no idea how much though - Elena broke the kiss by pulling her head away from his. They were both breathing very hard and Harry's head was still spinning - he had some difficulties to focus his gaze on her face.

"I love you too", she said with a bright smile. "And you're driving me insane."

He grinned back, "Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who's going crazy."

He caressed her cheek and she closed her eyes enjoying his touch. Harry couldn't quite believe she had just said she loved him. He had tortured himself with his feelings for her for so long and now he knew she returned them. And at least they could be…

"Ellie?", he whispered and she opened her eyes slowly, still smiling.

"So, ahm… Do you want to be my girlfriend?"

Her smile grew even bigger if that was possible.

"Yes."

She kissed him lightly, but when she looked back into his eyes some of the happiness was gone.

"We still have to keep it a secret though."

Harry nodded, "For now at least."

"Mhm", she bit her lip, thinking for a moment and then the smile was back.

"But now we are officially and secretly a couple, aren't we?"

"We are", he whispered.

Finally she was his and Harry was so happy that he thought he might explode. He couldn't resist the proximity of her lips anymore so he pulled her head back down for another kiss. And this time they didn't stop for a very long time.

A/N: I haven't been updating very often, but I've got a lot to do for university lately and it won't get better till the end of the year. I'll try to update at least once a week though.

As for this chapter I'm not sure if that wasn't a bit too much (not the length of it of course), but it had to be done and the next chapter will be mostly about the last quidditch match.