In the following days, Harry was shocked to find that Eloise had been right about one thing. Apparently, Harry Potter was the hot item for the dance. It soon got around that he had turned down Cho, which seemed to open a floodgate for other invitations. Girls from many houses and years were asking him to the dance, each disappointed to hear that he was no longer on the market.

Sirius had been coming to visit Harry about three nights a week and on weekends ever since he had found out about Harry's cancer. Harry loved the time they spent together, but it also stressed him out slightly since Sirius always shot him sad looks when he thought Harry wouldn't notice. He was glad the ball was coming up. It was something that would take his mind away from the fact that he didn't have that much time left.

Meanwhile, Hermione and Ron kept blushing every time they saw one another.

Hermione had confided in Harry that she was relieved that Ron wasn't daft enough to wait until the last minute this year to ask someone, which was Hermione's way of saying how happy she was that Ron asked her and not some other girl. Hermione had been ecstatic to hear that Harry had asked Eloise. She had hugged him and squealed in delight, exclaiming how sweet it was.

Now it was the day before the dance, and everyone had the day off of classes. After breakfast, Harry met up with Hagrid in Dumbledore's office, dressed in his Muggle clothes. They used his office fire to floo to the Leaky Cauldron. Harry waited outside for Kota, while Hagrid decided to have a drink inside. He felt awkward just standing there while everyone around him seemed to be rushing to get one place or another. He had nothing else to do but people-watch, having to quickly avert his eyes whenever they felt his gaze.

"Harry!"

Harry looked up to see Kota walking quickly toward him waving. He waved back. Kota greeted him with her usual friendly hug.

"So where are we shopping?" she asked eagerly, looking up from the big book shop to the record shop.

"Kota, what do you see between the book shop and the record store?"

She raised an eyebrow. "A brick wall."

"All right, then you're just going to have to trust me," he said. He took her wrist and led her to the Leaky Cauldron.

When he opened the door she gasped. "Oh my God! Where did that door come from?" Then she looked inside and smiled in wonder. "Woah."

Harry led her inside and over to Hagrid, of whom she seemed slightly afraid, especially when he stood up. "Well hey there," he said with a friendly smile.

"Uh, hi," Kota said, discreetly taking a step back.

"What time should we meet you Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"Be back 'ere 'round four. Don' worry if yer a little late, but don' make me worry," he said cheerfully, sitting back down to finish his drink.

The two said goodbye and went out back. Harry tapped the correct brick. Kota gasped as the doorway opened up to reveal a bustling Diagon Alley.

Harry led her to Madam Malkin's, prying her away from various store windows, promising to let her explore after getting her robes. He wasn't sure how long it took for girls to shop, but he'd heard frightening tales of girls spending hours in one shop. (Hermione had pointed out that Harry and Ron did this in the Quidditch shop, but they had insisted that it was an entirely different situation.)

Kota watched in awe as various wizards and witches being measured by just the measuring tape. "This place is amazing, Harry. If I was ever doubting your sanity with this whole wizard thing, my doubts are now completely dashed."

"And disappearing from your home and appearing in a castle by touching a feather wasn't enough to convince you?" he asked with a chuckle. She just made a face at him. "Ooh mature. And I thought you were supposed to set a good example for me," he said with an exaggerated sigh.

Kota ignored him and ran her hands along the robes hanging on the racks.

"I can't believe you wear these, Harry. I just couldn't see you in them," she gushed, holding out some particularly hideous ones with a laugh.

"Well I don't wear those," he said rolling his eyes. "I look absolutely smashing in my robes thank you very much," he joked, puffing out his chest and flicking his hand.

"You'd look like a girl in a dress!" she teased.

"I do not look like a girl in my robes! I look like a perfectly formidable wizard in my robes," he said indignantly.

"You do realize that formidable means menacing."

"Damn. I thought it meant proper. Fine a reputable wizard then. Take that."

"Spell reputable for me Harry," Kota asked innocently.

Harry glared at her. "You suck."

Kota just laughed. They always joked that they were smarter than the other was. Kota usually won.

"May I remind you that I haven't been to Muggle school since I was ten? Anyways, that's not the point."

"So what is the fashion for school dances?" She pulled out some bright orange robes with a high, frilly collar and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Yup, that's what the girls wear," he said seriously. Kota looked horrified.

"Oh please tell me you're kidding."

"Of course I'm kidding." He grabbed her wrist and led her over to another rack or girls' dress robes. "These are what most people wear, but hey, if those neon orange robes were just calling to you, then by all means, knock yourself out."

"Ooh, I like these. They're so strange, but I like them," she said wistfully, pulling different colors and styles from the racks. "Harry, I want to see you in robes. You're trying some on so I can see," she demanded once her arms were laden with a decent sized pile of clothes.

"You've seen me in my school robes," he protested.

"Those are just black though and they don't really look like these. I want to see you in dress robes," she argued back.

"You'll see me in them tomorrow. Will one day kill you?" he groaned.

"Yes it will. I refuse to try these on unless you try some on," she said stubbornly.

"So, don't try them on. Just go to the dance in your knickers. I'm sure that'll grab George's attention."

Kota swatted him lightly with a hanger.

"Fine, I'll try some on you weirdo," he said, grabbing some boys' dress robes that looked his size.

"Ooh a 'weirdo.' I'd be truly hurt if I was five," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Well I just assumed since you still have an IQ of a five year old, you'd be more familiar with their insults," he teased as they make their way to the dressing rooms.

"Want to talk IQ? Spell and define idiom."

"You're an idiom," he murmured, causing Kota to burst out laughing. "Well, Miss Smarty-Pants, define and spell Petrificus Totalus."

"All right, enough with the vocabulary lesson, let's try these on," she said, pushing Harry into the dressing room next to hers. Harry quickly changed out of his Muggle clothes and pulled the robes over his head.

There was a squeal of delight. "Okay, Harry, I'm coming out. I need your opinion."

Harry stepped out of his stall to face Kota. She was wearing dark teal robes just a few inches too long.

"Those look good."

Kota put a hand on her hip. "Those look good? Harry, that's not what you say to a girl showing you what she's wearing to a dance."

"You look very pretty. George will have an extra hard time pretending to be a gentleman."

"Thank you! And, Harry, you look so cute!"

"Don't you mean too manly and handsome for words?" he joked. Kota burst out laughing a little too hard.

"You. Look manly," she laughed clutching a stitch in her side. Harry turned around and looked into the mirror. He had been joking, but he hadn't realized it was that much of a joke. He was starting to feel self-conscious. Didn't he look okay?

"Oh Merlin, do I look like a girl? Really? You have to tell me."

"Harry, calm down, I was just kidding. You look great. By the way…'Oh Merlin'?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harry shrugged. "Wizard thing."

When they were both back in their Muggle clothes, Kota ran back and grabbed two pairs of the hideous neon orange robes. The two crammed into one dressing room, and laughed hysterically as they each tried on the robes over their clothes.

"You're head looks like a pearl in an oyster," Harry laughed quietly, not wanting to be overheard making fun of the store's clothes.

"That collar looks like what they put on dogs after they've been neutered," Kota whispered through snorts. Harry doubled over at this and they ended up both sitting on the floor, wiping away tears and gasping for breath, their fits of laughter starting each time they caught each other's eye or the reflection of themselves in the mirror.

Kota had to get hers altered and loved watching the measuring tape zoom around her. The alterations were done swiftly and the two got in line to pay.

At the register, Kota pulled out her Muggle money and began to hand it over, but Harry caught her hand and pulled it back.

"They don't take Muggle money here, Kota," he informed her. "Anyways, I'm paying for them. Think of it as an early birthday present." He ignored her protests and pulled out a sack of galleons, sickles, and knuts, handing over the appropriate amount and letting Kota delightedly examine the rest.

They made their way out of the store and toward Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

"Are you sure you don't fancy a plate of raw liver, Kota?" he asked, pointing out a stand that was selling just that. Kota looked disgusted and made gagging sounds.

"Not for all the money in England."

Harry felt a tugging on his arm and turned around to see a young witch, probably about seven years old, looking up at him in awe.

"Are you Harry Potter?" she asked in amazement. Kota looked confused. Harry shifted uncomfortably, but couldn't bring himself to lie to the young girl.

"Er…well, yes as a matter of fact. I guess I am," he said with an embarrassed smile.

"Can I, I mean may I please see your scar please?" she asked, trying to hide her excitement. Harry lifted up his fringe to reveal his scar. The girl stared at it in wonder.

"Harry, what's going on? Do you know her?" Kota asked in puzzlement.

The girl looked up at her in surprise. "He's the Boy-Who-Lived. He defeated You-Know-Who a bunch of times. My mummy and daddy say he's a hero."

Kota stared at Harry who blushed crimson and avoided her gaze.

"What, so Harry here, he's famous then?" she asked the little girl.

"Oh yes, very much so," she said, nodding enthusiastically. She turned around as a couple walked out of a store. "Mummy, Daddy, come here! It's him! It's…"

"Shhhh…" Harry interrupted before she could say his name too loudly. He didn't really fancy being mobbed at the moment. She looked up at him curiously. When her parents came she jumped up and down with excitement.

"It's Harry Potter, Mum and Dad. It's really him! He's got a scar and everything!"

Harry's face burned.

"Are you really?" the man asked in amazement. Harry showed him his scar with a small shrug.

"Merlin, you really are," the woman gasped. "What does You-Know-Who look like?"

"Don't ask him that Marlene!" her husband scolded, as if afraid they'd frighten Harry off.

"It's okay," Harry assured him. "He's really ugly."

The man laughed and clapped Harry on the back. "I'll bet he is, my boy. You're a real hero, you know that?"

"No, I'm not. Really. I'm just lucky," Harry insisted.

"Lucky doesn't make people risk themselves to save other people. Nope, you're definitely a hero," the woman said fondly as her daughter rifled through one of their bags, pulling out a small book. It was a diary.

"May I please have your autograph?" the young girl asked shyly, holding up her diary and a quill from her mother's purse. Harry glanced at Kota who was looking at him in astonishment. Though he had once promised himself never to give out autographs like a big-headed celebrity, he couldn't turn down the little girl.

"Sure," he said, face burning as he took the book. "Uh, what's your name?"

"Sarah," she said softly, biting her lip shyly.

"Sarah. That's a pretty name."

The girl beamed at him, showing the gap where her front tooth was missing.

He looked to Kota, clueless. "What do I write?"

She laughed. "I don't know. Wise words from the famous Harry Potter!"

"Real helpful," he muttered, rapidly trying to think. Oddly, something Dumbledore had said in his first year popped into his mind and he knew what message he wished he could say to those people who gaped at his scar.

Sarah, he wrote, Evil can leave a mark, but so can love. –Harry Potter

He didn't know if it was particularly wise, but it felt right. He handed the book back to the girl, who quickly read what he had written and beamed even brighter. She hugged the book to her chest and ducked happily into her mother's side.

"Thank you so much," said the mother, patting the girl's head. "You made her day."

Harry shrugged, a little embarrassed by the whole ordeal. "It's no problem. We should probably get going."

"Of course, of course," said the father. "Just so you know, we never believed any of that rubbish that Rita Skeeter published, or that garbage in the tabloids. Good kid, I always said."

Harry doubted that, but said a shy, "Thanks," anyway.

The young girl waved at him from behind her mother's legs as he and Kota walked off.

Once they were out of sight, Kota grabbed Harry's arm. "Uh, so, do you have something you'd like to tell me? About, oh, I don't know, you being friggin' famous?"

"Er…in a sense…hey look, there's a goblin!" he said, trying to get the focus off of him. Kota didn't take the bait though.

"Harry! That is something that comes up in conversation!"

"It's not a big deal, honestly. I don't like it really, so I don't bring it up. It's more trouble than it's worth. I'm not all that famous anyways."

"So what if I yelled your name and pointed at you right now?"

"Don't even think about it," he growled.

"What are you famous for?"

Harry sighed. "Do you want the short version or the long version?"

"Short version," Kota said decisively.

"All right. There's an evil wizard who has tried to kill me many times starting from when I was one year old, and through many flukes, much stupidity on my part, and pure luck, I've managed to beat him or escape from him about four times," he said simply.

Kota stared long and hard.

Harry sighed. "Fine. I'll tell you the long over ice cream, okay?"

"Lead the way, hero boy."

They therefore spent the last few hours of their trip licking ice cream as Harry told Kota the story of why exactly he was famous.