(A/N - Hi again! I'm so glad you're still reading, because tons of cool things are to come! Not just love triangles, but love pentagons....hexagons....you get the idea. Plus a lot of humour, and action as well! Enjoy this next chapter of Apple Cinnamon and Roses! )

"Uh....no. Go back to sleep, I mean...er...this is a dream...?" Harry tried pitifully, but must have sounded too uncertain because the girl had just flung her arms around him. Harry could feel tears soaking his robes, and astounded, he patted her back gingerly. She pulled away, wiped her eyes, and Harry had a good look at her now. She had the longest light brown hair Harry had ever seen, a strong jaw line (which looked rather weak in all her excitement), and eyes that changed colour rapidly. Harry was beginning to get dizzy by looking at them, so his eyes traveled to her mouth, where he observed her red and gold braces (Gryffindor colors?!) on her teeth.

"Dear God! I've...I've waited...everyone made fun of me...but now...!" she mumbled excitedly. Should I put a Memory Charm on her?? Harry debated, but then pushed the thought aside. This strange girl was so intriguing, and he really wanted to know why his pictures were tacked all over her bedroom. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself...I'm Marielle...call me Mari...I hate my real name...WOW. The scar...you...you ARE real!" Marielle squealed with excitement, and Harry thought for a momet that she'd hug him again, but she refrained. She had a funny American accent.

"Well, you seem to know who I am," Harry said, looking around at his pictures once again.

"I guess you could say that..." said Mari, blushing. "...you're Harry James Potter, 15 years old, fifth year at Hogwarts, and Seeker on Gryffindor's Quidditch team..." she trailed off, stopping at the look of utmost bewilderment on Harry's face. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said all that...uh...I, erm, love your English accent..." Mari blushed deeper and looked down, embarrassed.

"Oh, I'm not mad!" replied Harry, "just a bit surprised...but how? How do you know, I mean? You are a Muggle, right?" Harry regretted saying that last bit, because Marielle was suddenly looking incredibly gloomy.

"Wish I wasn't..."

"Oh no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean--"

"That's okay...I get it all the time. Anyway, I know about you because I suppose someone found out about you and wrote books about you. J.K. Rowling, her name is. Very good authour too...she writes about you wonderfully. Blimey, I can't believe I'm meeting you!"

Harry grinned at this girl, using his friend Hagrid's signature word, "blimey".

"Oh, Harry, I have one favour to ask of you, before you leave," said Mari, her eyes shining, now an orange colour.

"What is it?"

"Could you...not put a Memory Charm on me, please? I want to remember this night forever...and I promise I won't tell a soul, I know your world has to be kept secret," she said. Harry could tell by the look in her eyes that she was sincere, and agreed ("Oh, THANK YOU, Harry!").

As Mari began talking animatedly about all of her friends teasing her for thinking Harry Potter was real, pulling him the books from her shelf, and showing him pictures she had drawn of him and his friends (which were rather flattering and well-drawn as well), Harry couldn't help thinking, What if I just brought her to Hogwarts...?