Heads up to Abraxan, another one of my ABSOLUTE fav ficers. If you haven't read her Refiner's Fire, I suggest you do so. It's fantastic. I borrowed her Quidditch team for this chapter.

Hope you're still enjoying! Much love to all my readers and please review!

Last Chapter…

Harry laughed and hugged her tightly for a moment. He caught her gaze and smiled sadly. "I think you look beautiful." She smiled at him. "We're over now, aren't we, Cho?" He asked, tone filled with sadness.

She bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Harry. I really like you, but I just don't think we're good together. I'm not her. I—"

"No, it's okay, Cho. I get it." Harry offered her his lopsided smile. "Friends still, though, right?"

She nodded and they shared one last kiss. "I'll always be here for you, Harry Potter. You've got me for life, even if it isn't how I'd like it." She chuckled wetly. "I mean it though, Harry. I'll always be here."

Finally, when he smiled at her, it reached his eyes.

Chapter 35 – Of Annoyances

Sunday dawned bright and cheery, causing Harry to curse the gods and anyone else who was listening. Hermione had heard back from Izumi and they agreed to do the article today. Dumbledore had freed him from his history lesson. He cursed again and pulled the blanket over his head.

Twenty minutes later, his warm cocoon was disturbed when someone yanked the blankets from his hands. Groaning loudly, he rolled onto his back and cracked his eyes open to glare at Hermione. The bushy-haired Gryffindor blushed to the roots of her hair and looked away from him. "Harry you need to get ready to go. We're leaving in a half hour."

Harry opened his eyes, that had drifted shut again, and screeched, "What?!? Why did you wake me up earlier!?!"

Hermione refused to look at him. "Harry, go shower and dress."

Noticing her embarrassment, he glanced down at himself. He had fallen asleep last night wearing only a pair of silk boxers. He flushed and leapt out of bed. Snatching up his towel, he disappeared into the bathroom. Hermione's eyes snapped on the door as she heard it close. Cheeks still pink, she sighed and left the room.

Standing under the spray of the hot water, Harry let his mind wander. Thoughts of his break-up with Cho flittered through his head and he frowned. What had she meant when she said 'I'm not her'? She's not who?

He shrugged and finished washing his hair. Stepping out of the stall, he wrapped a towel around his waist and went to get dressed. A pair of pressed black pants and a black dress shirt lay across his bed. On top of them was a note from Ariadne.

He raised an eyebrow when he read, "H- Here's your clothes for the day. Make sure you leave the top few buttons undone. It'll make all the girls swoon. – A"

He laughed and made to do as she asked.

######

Harry glanced around him nervously. He and Hermione had been led into a large studio with a pair of tall stools and an armchair off to the side. Ariadne sat waiting for them in the lobby, reading a journal of some sort. She had winked at Harry and smirked when she saw that he'd done as she asked.

He and Hermione followed the short redhead from Diagon Alley to the seating. A tall blonde woman, who looked vaguely Swedish Harry thought, came in behind them and started setting up camera equipment.

Izumi, the redhead, gestured Harry onto the stool and told Hermione to take the armchair and not to talk as they'd be filming. Hermione frowned, but nodded and took her seat. Harry shot her a nervous glance. She smiled at him encouragingly. Izumi sat across from him. "Mr. Potter—"

"Harry, please, ma'am I wanted to apologize for my rudeness at Diagon Alley the other day. I was trying to spend sometime with my girlfriend. I hadn't seen her in a while and it was our one-month anniversary. I got angry and I was out of line. I'm really sorry."

The woman's brusque manner softened and she smiled. "Harry, it's perfectly fine. I completely understand. I really shouldn't have bothered you like I did. And please call me Izumi."

Hermione smirked and gave a small nod. Izumi didn't see her, focused on Harry. "Before we begin filming the interview, I thought it might be a good idea to ask you if there are any topics that you'd like us to avoid?"

Harry smiled brightly at her and she flushed slightly. "Thank you, Izumi. Normally no one cares if they ask me question that make me uncomfortable. Actually, there are a couple of topics. I'd rather avoid the ridiculous speculations that Skeeter published and I think avoiding direct mention of Voldemort and the war would be good. It would keep the article light and maybe give the public a little bit of…I dunno. An escape, thinking about something that isn't death and all."

Hermione smiled proudly at him. Izumi tilted her head and examined him, but nodded. "Alright, Harry." She glanced at Manadis, the photographer, who nodded. "Now, that camera will go on in a moment and we'll start."

Harry nodded and tensed. Izumi waited a moment before she smiled brightly and turned back to him. "Welcome to Eligible Wizard Magazine's Celebrity Interviews, Harry Potter! We are glad to have you here."

Harry offered her a lopsided smile. "Thanks, Izumi. I'm glad I could do something for you."

She flushed again, very lightly. "Okay, Harry. This is your first public interview, especially for this kind of magazine. So, let's have some juicy stuff first and then we'll go back to the normal questions." Harry nodded and tilted his head. "So, a significant other? I know you talked about your one-month anniversary with your girlfriend, earlier."

Harry nodded at that. "I did mention that, but no. My girlfriend and I broke up a few days ago. After the article that appeared in the Prophet, Cho Chang, who plays Seeker for Ravenclaw, was incredibly upset. We discussed it and decided that we are better as really good friends. The extra spark that would make taking that kind of press worth it just wasn't there."

"I'm sorry, Harry! That must be terrible. But I'm sure all your fans are quite pleased that you're on the market, again." Harry grinned. "Alright, now, what's the most attractive thing in a partner to you?"

Harry bit his lip. "Well, um…Intelligence, courage, kindness, and a good sense of humor. And she has to be able to put up with all my shit." He laughed.

"How about physically? Describe your perfect woman." Izumi leaned forward slightly.

"Well, I've always liked redheads." Harry grinned and winked at her. Izumi flushed. Hermione in the background frowned and images of Ginny flashed through her mind. "But I have to say, I've always found russet hair attractive. Um, I guess I like tall girls, but not as tall as me. Not that's I'd find many girls as tall as me, after my recent growth spurt."

"How tall are you, Harry?"

"Now? I'm just over 6 foot." Harry smiled broadly, obviously proud of being tall.

"Alright, how about some more mundane questions. What's your favorite color? Is it Gryffindor red?" she smiled and chuckled.

Harry laughed. "Surprisingly, no. It's not." Harry leaned in and glanced around in mock nervousness. "Don't tell my dorm mates, but I'm not overly fond of Gryffindor's colors, except for the shirts that my…That Mrs. Weasley makes for me at Christmas. Those are brilliant. Otherwise, my favorite color is blue."

"How about favorite song or band? Favorite book?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Both of those are Muggle. My favorite band is an American Muggle group called Rusted Root. I love the feel of their music. My favorite book? Anything that Douglas Adams wrote." Harry shot Hermione a glance and asked, "He is a muggle, right?"

She smiled at him and nodded. "Yes, Harry. Adams was a muggle."

Harry turned back to Izumi. "He wrote the Hitchhiker's trilogy. There were five of them."

Izumi frowned and repeated, "Five? In…a trilogy?"

Harry grinned and nodded. "You'd have to read them to understand, but they are all very funny."

Izumi shook her head. "Ok, Harry. Favorite professional Quidditch team? Then we'll get a little bit more personal."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I don't really follow any professional teams. Don't really have time, but I'd have to say that new team, the London Lions, is pretty cool."

"More personal now, then. Who was your first kiss?"

Harry blushed a little. "My ex-girlfriend, Cho."

Izumi nearly squealed. "Harry! That is so sweet! Okay, first date?"

"Um... I went to the Yule ball with…Pavarti Patil, I think." He turned back to Hermione. "It was Pavarti, wasn't it, Hermione? And R…Weasley went with Padma?"

Hermione nodded. "I think so, Harry, but really. You don't even remember which one you went with? I'm appalled."

Harry groaned. "It's not my fault I detested every minute of the torture! I try to block the whole of it from my mind!"

Izumi laughed. "I take it that it did not go well?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "That's got to be the understatement of the century. That's like saying a basilisk is a big snake or Acromantulas are just kinda large and kinda poisonous."

"Do tell!"

"I was one of the Champions, which means I was one of the ones who had to open the ball with a formal waltz. I couldn't dance to save my life. I hate being the center of attention, and the only thing I do well in front of crowds is play Quidditch…and apparently out fly dragons, but that's really beside the point. I fumbled my way through that dance and refused to stand up again. Pavarti was not pleased. I also was more interested in the goings on among the staff and visiting schools then my date. She refused to speak to me for at least a month afterwards."

"Why were you so interested in the staff, Harry? That's kind of odd."

"Well, you see, at the time the Headmaster from Durmstrang was a former Death Eater. The Dark Mark was becoming active again and so he was very nervous and acting oddly. Also, our Defense teacher was acting oddly. It turned out he was a Death Eater in disguise. He'd been using Polyjuice Potion all year. No one suspected because Mad-Eye is a bit odd anyway and the Death Eater in question was supposed to be dead." Harry paused for a moment and thought about what he said. "Professor Dumbledore was keeping an eye on Karkaroff, but no one knew about the Moody imposter."

"Alright, lighter topics. Boxers or briefs?"

Harry gaped at her for a moment. "Please tell me you are not asking me about my underwear?" Izumi grinned broadly at him, but said nothing. Harry narrowed his eyes. "What if I said neither?"

Izumi's eyes widened. "Nothing?"

Harry laughed. "No! I'm joking!" He was bright red now. "B-boxers, if you must know! I can't believe you asked me that!"

Hermione sat in the background flushed, but giggling. Harry shot her a weak glare. Izumi looked gleeful. "Here is an even better one! Who was your first, Harry?"

Harry narrowed his eyes and glared at the reporter. "My first what? You better not mean what I am pretending you don't."

"The first person you had sex with, obviously." The redhead said in a chipper voice.

Harry groaned and slouched on his stool. "I'm not going to tell you that! That's just rude! You saw what happened to Cho when Skeeter caught us kissing! I'm not going to let that or anything worse happen to anyone else if I can help it!"

Izumi grinned like that cat who'd caught the canary. "So you admit that you're not a virgin then?"

Harry turned beet red and his mouth dropped open. "I...I…you…" He stuttered, staring at her with wide eyes. "Oh! That is so not fair!" Harry finally managed to growl.

Izumi laughed in delight and Hermione narrowed her eyes. When did Harry have sex? And why didn't he tell me?

"Fine, we'll go back to the safe topics. What's your favorite subject and least favorite subject?"

Harry pulled his mind forcefully from the gutter they'd sent it to and thought about that. "Right this moment? Or Hogwarts lessons? Or from a specific year?"

Izumi shrugged. "All three."

"Well, right now, I am rather enjoying Ariadne and Olympia's fencing lessons. Excuse me, Professor Aureus and Professor Ourania."

"Why do you call them by their first names?"

"Well, all the members of the Summer Coven have been giving me extra training all summer. I was sick early in the summer. Very sick and I ended up really weak. They've been helping me get back up to snuff. Ariadne's also been helping me with my Defense. We've never had any consistency in our Defense training, what with having a new teacher every year. Our Second year teacher and our fifth year teacher were both totally incompetent. Our first year teacher, well, let's not even talk about him. The only one we really had that was any good was Remus Lupin, in our third year. Last year, I…well, Hermione and I started a study group, for students who actually wanted to learn practical defense. Umbitch…excuse my language, Umbridge didn't teach us anything at all. We started the DA to learn some useful defense. All this is by way of explaining that I needed to get up to snuff with my defense as well and Ariadne's been helping me. She told me to call her by her first name because calling her Professor Aureus is kinda formal when we're dueling with each other." He chuckled.

Izumi smiled. "That makes sense. The rest of those questions?"

"Um…least favorite subject was Potions. Favorite Hogwarts subject would have to be Transfiguration, with my head of house, Professor McGonagall."

Izumi laughed. "I am not surprised about Potions. The, um…shall we say animosity? Between you and Professor Severus Snape is legendary."

Harry smirked. "Yes, it is at that. The man was a bastard to me for a very long time, but I wasn't much nicer to him. We've worked out our differences this summer though. It probably doesn't hurt that I look more like my mother now and less like his old rival, James Potter. We've misunderstood each other until now. He's been helping me, at the prompting of Professor Dumbledore, with my Potions this summer as well. Seeing as it is his fault that I am so abysmal at it to begin with." Harry laughed. "I need the class to become an Auror and he agreed that if I showed sufficient improvement, I could take it."

Izumi frowned. "Really? That is surprisingly generous of him."

Harry smirked. "Yes, the Headmaster was most pleased, I think. I think it was Ariadne's good influence, though. They are…um…involved. I would say dating, but really that word doesn't seem to fit to describe Professor Snape."

Izumi laughed. "No, it really doesn't." Still smiling, she gestured to Manadis to cut the camera. "Alright, now, Harry, we're going to photograph you in what you're in, but we also have several other outfits we'd like you to wear."

Harry blushed slightly and dropped his eyes to the floor. "Um, Izumi, could I maybe look at the outfits first? I…"

Izumi frowned, but nodded. "Of Course, Harry, but can I ask why?"

"I…well…" Harry looked at Hermione, pleadingly.

She stood and came forward. "You see, Izumi, Harry has been in several battles against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. He has scars from these encounters that he isn't comfortable with them."

Izumi's eyes widened. "Oh! Of course! Is there any particular place that…" She seemed lost at how to phrase it.

"Mostly on my back. I've come to terms with the scars on my arms and I suppose I'm alright with the ones on my chest, but especially the scars on my back. I don't want people to see them."

Izumi nodded. "Well, you can look over all the clothes." She gestured for Manadis to get them. The blonde disappeared. "You could also cast a low level glamour over them so they can't be seen. If Hermione does it, I wouldn't see them either."

Harry nodded, looking relieved. "Could we have a moment, so she can do that, please?"

Izumi smiled indulgently and left. Hermione frowned at Harry. "I didn't know you had scars on your back, Harry."

Harry's eyes dropped back to the floor. "I didn't want anyone to see them. I…You're not going to like them at all, but they're not from battling Death Eaters. Death Eaters can't be muggles."

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione stepped forward and hugged him briefly. "Alright, Harry, take off your shirt so I can cast this glamour." She paused. "Come on, Harry. I've seen you with in just your boxers before!"

Harry nodded shakily. "But never from behind." With stiff fingers, Harry unbuttoned the dress shirt and shrugged it from his shoulders. He stilled at her gasp and dropped his head. A moment later, he jerked away from her fingers as they ghosted over his scars.

"Oh, Harry." There were tears in her voice when she whispered, "These look like lash marks. From a belt or a whip." He nodded, but remained silent. "Okay, Harry. Let me just glamour them."

She waved her wand and they disappeared. Laying a gentle hand on his shoulder, she turned him on the stool. Looking into his eyes, she murmured. "Harry, I know you don't want to talk about this, especially right now. But you have to. At some point, you need to talk about it. I am here for you. I am always here if you need me."

He nodded and she hugged him tightly. After a moment, she became aware that he wasn't wearing a shirt. Blushing brightly and dashing away her tears, she pulled back. He grinned weakly at her and pulled his shirt back in place. The buttons were quickly done and Izumi was called back into the room. She entered with Manadis following behind her, and dragging a rack of clothes. The redhead smiled brightly at them. "Good. Alright. Here are the clothes we picked out for you, Harry."

The next fifteen minutes were torture equal to the Yule Ball for Harry. The two women paraded a number of ridiculous getups in front of him before he called a halt to it all. Izumi had just pulled out the most outlandish pair of cut off jean shorts and an almost see-through muscle shirt. "Stop!" Harry shouted, causing everyone to freeze. "No! I refuse to wear all of the insane clothing! I am not some kind of puppet for you to dress up in idiot clothing."

"But, Harry!" She whined. "You promised!"

He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. "Hermione, can you pick out something not too ridiculous?"

Hermione laughed and agreed. Within a couple minutes, she'd pulled out a pair of snug leather trousers and an emerald green t-shirt. Harry sighed but nodded.

"Alright, since you obviously trust Hermione to dress you, why don't we start with the shoot and she can pick out a few outfits." At Harry's nod, Izumi continued. "Alright, unbutton your shirt and go sit on the stool with your hands in your pockets."

Harry looked at her aghast, but complied.

######

Several hours later, Harry finally said goodbye to Izumi and Manadis, sighing in relief at being free. His cheeks were pink in embarrassment at posing for a photo-shoot, but he smiled at Ariadne when she stood.

"Alright there, Harry?" she called as they approached her.

He nodded. "I feel like a puppet and a prat, but yeah, I'm alright."

Ariadne grinned. "You're not a prat, Harry. This will do what you wanted it to and now all you have to worry about is poster-sized cutouts of that picture of you in those lovely leather pants. Who knew you were so muscular? Must be all that Quidditch."

Harry groaned. "Can we just leave? Please?"

Hermione and Ariadne both chuckled. Pulling Harry outside, Ariadne apparated all three of them back to the Hogwarts gates. The short walk back to the castle was filled with teasing and laughter. The big double doors were wide open to let the cool breeze into the Entrance Hall. Severus met them at the foot of the staircase. "Well?"

Ariadne smirked. "Successful, of course. Your son is now a cover model. I think perhaps you will be confiscating many copies of EW and the foldout posters that will be inside the next issue."

Severus sneered. "Lovely. You are fulfilling my deepest wishes."

Ariadne pouted with amusement in her eyes. "Aw, Sev, I thought I was supposed to do that!"

Harry choked on his laughter and Hermione had to turn away. Severus raised an eyebrow, but smirked. "Indeed."

He stepped off the staircase and led them into the Great Hall for dinner. Harry had been gone all day and all three were starving. As they sat, Harry turned to his father and said, "Severus, do you think you could teach me to apparate? I think it might come in handy someday soon."

Severus frowned at him for a moment, before nodding. "Indeed, it might. You are too young to get a license, but when have the rules ever stopped you before?" He smirked.

Harry's voice was low so as not to carry down the table when he replied, "Thank you, Father."

Severus blinked at him as Ariadne smiled warmly. Hermione rested a hand on Harry's knee under the table and squeezed. Finally, Severus came out of his stupor and offered his son a smile that made Ariadne's breath catch.