Author's Note: Harry learns the truth behind Marietta Edgecombe ratting them out.

Marietta Edgecombe

Harry had every reason to believe that Marietta had been the one to rat them out to Umbridge about their secret DA meetings, after all the evidence was clearly emblazoned right there on her forehead. There was simply no denying that, but what he thought he knew was the reason behind her betrayal turned out to be wrong. Very much wrong in fact, but soon proved to be one of the best things that ever happened to him.

At the start of his 6th year, with Umbridge now gone and the Ministry fully aware that Voldemort was alive and well, Marietta came to him to apologize, the word SNEAK still very clearly emblazoned across her forehead.

"I'm sorry about what happened," Marietta told him sadly.

"All right," He told her, unsure how else to reply. He wasn't sure he could forgive her, but he also was grateful that she had come to apologize and he did feel bad about the fact that apparently she had been unable to get rid of Hermione's curse. He then added, "I'm sure you were just looking out for your mother's job."

"Is that what you think happened?" She questioned incredulously, "you thought I did it for job security for my mom?"

"Well yeah, Ron told me that-" Harry tried to answer.

"Ron's an idiot then if he thinks I ratted you out for that," Marietta said angrily, "I mean of course I was worried about my mother's job, but my mother would have killed me if I betrayed what is just and right just for her. I ratted you out under Veritaserum, I didn't know what it was when I drank the tea Umbridge offered me."

Having had Umbridge try that on himself actually, he found that quite believable and it caused him to feel very guilty.

"Okay, now I think I should be the one apologizing," He said, "I wish you had just told me that in the first place."

"I thought I did, but apparently somebody never passed that little important detail onto you," Marietta said still sounding quite understandably angry, "of course I was so mad about this stupid curse I've still got I kind of just gave up explaining."

"You have every right to be angry," Harry agreed, "I know I would be too if I were you. I could try talking to Hermione about getting it removed and-"

"I already tried getting her to remove it, but she said she couldn't and neither could Madame Pomfrey or anyone else I tried over the summer," Marietta said impatiently, "apparently the curse didn't work the way it was supposed to and only lasted for a week. Instead there was a bad reaction and now it appears to be permanent. I've been researching it myself as well trying to find a cure."

Feeling really guilty now he offered, "I could try and help you with that."

"Don't worry about it," She said dismissively, "I know it wasn't your fault at least Harry."

"Still I feel partially responsible," He told her, "let me at least try and help."

After looking at him for a moment, she finally agreed as she nodded and said, "If you want to."

That started the beginning of their search for a cure for Marietta's curse which caused several developments. First of all, after explaining what had happened to the rest of the members of the DA, they were then much more forgiving towards Marietta and went out of their way to try and apologize to her. In turn she was eventually able to forgive them. The lone exception was Ron who refused to believe her story even ironically when she offered to retell it under Veritaserum. Ultimately it created a wedge between his and Ron's friendship that he chose not to mend, but he felt better off without him in a lot of ways.

Instead, he spent less time with Ron and more time trying to help find a cure for Marietta. One day while looking over books in the library, Marietta let out a long sigh.

He knew that sigh quite well by now as she always made it at the end of another long unfruitful day of searching.

"I think there might be something in this book," He told her, trying to reassure her.

"Perhaps," She agreed, but without much hope, "or I suppose I'm just going to be stuck with this on my forehead for the rest of my life."

"Hermione said she might have something," Harry said again.

Hermione, feeling like it was in large part her fault as well had also agreed to help Marietta, but was currently busy trying to track down a book from Madame Pomfrey's private collection for them to use.

Marietta however instead of replying threw the wadded up piece of paper she had made up into the air to catch it, but missed as the ball then hit the ground and rolled several feet away from her out of reach. A warning glance from Madame Pince suggested she expected her to go pick it back up, littering never tolerated in her library.

Sighing again, Marietta was forced to get up out of her seat and retrieve it. As she bent down to go retrieve it however, he couldn't help but stare at her admittedly rather attractive large rear. She must have caught him staring because she slowly got back up and then smiled at him knowingly.

"Did you like me doing that?" She asked him.

"Well yeah, just because you have SNEAK on your forehead doesn't mean you aren't attractive," Harry told her honestly.

Even with SNEAK, there were still plenty of things to like about her. She had long curly red hair, a somewhat larger than average build, but also some curves to go with it, including a large rear that he had just found himself staring at.

She blushed a bit and took it as a compliment as she told him, "You know, I think that might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"Really?" He asked, "I'm sure someone must have told you were attractive before?"

She shook her head before saying, "even before the curse. I was usually just Cho's less attractive best friend. Of course if you liked that so much I could pretend to bend down for you again."

At that, she pretended to need to pick something up, causing him to be unable to avoid staring again.

Marietta seemed very amused by that.

"I think I just might have found your weakness, Dark Lords, giant snakes, and whatever else you've faced no problem, but you just can't resist my ass," Marietta couldn't resist quipping.

He laughed a little at that.

"I could bend down for you and see how you react," Harry responded.

"Oh I would love that Harry," She told him honestly as she waved her hand as if trying to encourage him.

At that he got out of his chair and bent down right in front of her. To his surprise however he felt her suddenly grab his bum for a second before quickly pulling away.

"Hey!" He complained, "You weren't supposed to actually grab it."

"You aren't really mad," She pointed out unconcernedly, "besides if it bothers you so much grab mine right back."

"Maybe I will," He suggested with a bit of a grin on his face.

"All right, then do it," Marietta urged him.

At that, he reached around and did just that, squeezing her delicious left cheek.

Madame Pince however noticed and came over to scold them and say angrily, "In a library? Go do that somewhere else."

At that, they were both then kicked out of the library and after walking out, he asked her, "so what now?"

She couldn't resist smiling and suggesting, "Well you heard Madame Pince. She wants us to go do that somewhere else."

He grinned back and said, "I'm not sure that's what she really meant, but I'll take it."

At that, they quickly found an empty classroom. However when they got inside, she then suddenly looked worried as she questioned, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"To continue to squeeze your bum, yes," He told her easily.

"I mean, are you sure you want to do this…with me," She admitted nervously.

He got what she was getting at. He could understand her concern what with her feelings of lack of self-worth and he felt it was his job to reassure her of it.

"I think you're a very attractive girl," He told her honestly, "and I also would like to do whatever is about to happen between us, but it is entirely up to you."

She grinned and said, "thank you Harry."

At that, she got up the courage to lean in and kiss him which he eagerly returned, enjoying every bit of it. Both of them even opted to grasp each other's bums while doing so only adding to their pleasure. When they broke apart, to reassure her even more, he opted to kiss her right in the center of her forhead, right on the E in SNEAK.

It was meant to be symbolic or whatever, but she seemed to appreciate and understand such a gesture as she smiled back at him. He decided right then no matter what was on her forehead, she was still a very attractive girl both inside and outside. Misunderstood of course, but he was eager to help rectify that and help her feel better about herself. Perhaps he couldn't remove the curse himself, but he could at least do that for her… and enjoy what came with it every step of the way.

As they went to go in for another kiss, the door to the classroom suddenly burst open and Hermione came in as she said breathlessly, "There you both are, I've been looking for you everywhere. Somebody said they saw you come in here. Guess what? I think I finally found a cure for your curse!"

He expected Marietta to be ecstatic, but while she certainly looked happy, she looked back at him with a smile on her face as she told Hermione, "You know what Hermione. Maybe having this curse isn't so bad after all."

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