Harry? You're a Horcrux

Harry, Hannah, Susan and Luna where sat in their common room waiting for Neville to return from St Mungos. McGonagall had suggested that only Neville go this time, and then they could go and see Neville's parents another time. According to the Headmistress, Neville's Gran had much the same reaction as he had.

"Neville looked so happy" said Hannah.

"I wonder why his parents have suddenly become better" said Luna said, puzzled at the turn of events. She was back to her normal self after the news her father was not dead.

"Might have something to do with the fact Bellatrix is dead" Harry told her. "It might have something to do with the fact the caster of the spells was still alive. Now she is dead, the magic is cancelled out" he said.

"Well, I'm glad his parents are better" Susan said, smiling.

"Yeah" agreed Harry, "I've seen them before though" he said.

"What?" asked Hannah.

"When Arthur Weasley was in St Mungos, I saw Neville's parents in there" Harry said, remembering the entire event.

"I wonder what time he will be back" Luna said looking at the clock which displayed the time. "It's nearly eight as it is" she added.

"I don't know, and I don't care" Harry said. "As long as Neville is happy, I don't think McGonagall will mind" he added, then he saw concern on the three girls faces. "What?" he asked.

"Theres something we need to tell you" Hannah began slowly.

"It's not anything good either" added Susan.

"I'll go and get Hermione" said Luna and went out the tower, to fetch Hermione and returning several minutes later.

"I guess they've told you they have to tell you about something" Hermione said when she saw the look on Harry's face.

"Something along those lines" Harry said, and she detected traces of anger, but at that moment Neville came through the door with the biggest smile on his face anybody had ever seen. Harry silently told the group that he would talk to them later about what they where going to tell him.

"How did it go?" asked Luna to a still smiling Neville.

"It was fantastic!" exclaimed Neville. "It took a few moments for them to get to know me, but I don't mind. Gran told them about everything I've done like winning the House Cup for Gryffindor. She told them all about my membership of the DA last year, and they where both happy to see that I had taken part to defeat them, and to honour them" Neville seemed both happy and also on the verge of tears, and Luna sided upto him and put her arm around his waist.

"I'm really happy for you" said Harry, and Hannah and Susan agreed.

"Theres something else my Gran told them" Neville said. "She told them that I was friends with you, and they want to meet you to thank you for being a friend to me, and also for looking out for me" and Harry was surprised that Neville's parents wanted to see him.

"We can go tomorrow" he said. "I'm sure that McGonagall will let us have at least a day off" and Harry was certain of the fact the Professor would allow their request.

"It's not just you, it's everyone" Neville said.

"They want to see us?" asked Hannah astonished.

"My mum wanted to see all my friends" and Neville looked sideward at Luna, "Especially you" he said.

"Really?" Luna blushed.

"Well….. you are more then just a normal friend to me" Neville said, going as red as Luna's earrings.

"So what are we then?" huffed Hannah, Harry and Susan at the same time.

"You know what I mean" said Neville chuckling.

"I know" giggled Susan, and then she smiled at Neville.

"It was really amazing to see my parents so full of life" he said. 2I've been used to them being nothing more then breathing husks, and now…….." he left the rest unsaid as he began to sob into Luna's shoulder.

"We should get some sleep" Harry suggested, "If we don't then we won't be able to be awake in time for visiting hours" and the others agreed that it would be a good idea if they had an early night. Harry walked Hermione back to Gryffindor tower because he wanted to talk to her concerning the subject the other s wanted to discuss.

"Whats going on?" he asked when they where in a quiet bit of corridor.

"It's something that we should talk about tomorrow" Hermione said, and she had the look on her face that said she wasn't going to speak about the subject anymore. This was the one look that really annoyed Harry, because he knew it was impossible to get Hermione to change her mind. "It important though" she added.

"Important enough for you not to tell me now?" Harry asked, and Hermione could tell Harry was annoyed. She knew that she as well Hannah, Susan, Luna and Neville should wait for a later time to tell Harry what she had discovered. Hermione sighed inside herself – she owed too much to Harry, and Hermione decided that she was not going to hold anything back from him. Harry had done so much and indeed had placed himself in mortal peril to save her, and she was going to repay that trust and not to betray it.

"Can we go somewhere quieter?" she asked, and Harry was surprised at the low voice she used.

"Room of Requirement do you?" he asked in reply, and Hermione nodded and the two walked towards the Room of Requirement. After walking past a blank bit of wall three times, Harry and Hermione went inside to see the room had turned itself stone room with just two arm chairs. They sat down and Hermione looked at Harry and was thoughtful for a moment as if thinking of what she would say.

"Theres no easy way to say this to you, but you're a Horcrux" Hermione said, and she was slightly fearful of Harry's reaction – and she had good reason.

"What?" asked Harry, and Hermione was thankful that he had his emoticons and his magic in check.

"I promise this isn't a joke or anything like that" Hermione said, watching her friend go extremely red. "I was reading more of the books I found in the restricted section, and one described the fact that living people have been known to be used as vessels for others souls" and Harry narrowed his eyes at her.

"And what makes you certain I'm a Horcrux?" he asked.

"It's the symptoms – if that's the best word for it" Hermione said leaning back in her chair. "You have a connection to Voldemort and you can feel whenever he is angry. I'm sorry" she said, "But it's the truth" Hermione finished lamely.

"And the others know?" Harry asked.

"Yes" Hermione said simply.

"So how do we get this thing out of me? Harry said with venom lacing the entire sentence.

"The only way is to destroy it" Hermione said almost as a whisper.

"You mean I have to die?" Harry almost shouted. "That's not an option" he said.

"I know that" Hermione said hotly. "If I knew of another way then I would say so!" she shouted back. Harry calmed down and apologised to her.

"I'm sorry" he said. "It's just that I was beginning to enjoy life. Dumbledore isn't meddling in it anymore, I'm the richest person in the magical world, I'm married to the two most beautiful women in the entire known universe, Gryffindor are on course to win the House Cup again, and we are going to win the Quidditch cup as well" Harry looked down and shook his head. When he looked up, he saw Hermione quickly avert her gaze so she didn't have to look at him in the eye. "You're not telling me something are you?" he asked.

"No" Hermione admitted. "I think Voldemort probably knows it as well" and this time Harry didn't explode.

"What can I do then?" Harry asked.

"Keep your mental shields up" Hermione said.

"Thought it might be something like that" Harry muttered very darkly. He didn't feel like continuing the subject anymore, and he said he would finish walking Hermione back to the tower.

A/N:

A Little bit of a short chapter, but there you go!

The thing is that I've been on a massive bout of chapter writing and so I'm sorry about the abruptness. I'm going to skip the actual visit of the group to Neville's parents, and instead skip ahead several weeks because of something much more important.

With Regards

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