A/N: Hey all. You are great reviewers! I really feel loved with all the reviews. Keep it up!

Peace, Love and Peanut Butter to you all,
Tadariada

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Harry made his way down the corridors of Hogwarts, a white towel draped over his shoulder. He was just about to exit the castle (it was a Sunday) when somebody put a hand on his shoulder. Harry half jumped and spun around. Krikor was looking at him oddly.

"Where are you going Harry?"

"Swimming." Harry said flatly.

Krikor's eyes bulged. "In October?"

"Yes." Harry said. "You have a problem?"

"No, but wont you be cold?"

"It's probable…" Harry said with a shrug, "seeing as it is October as you have pointed out earlier."

James made an angry noise in his throat and thought 'what an asshole' before remembering that this was his son.

Harry glared at him as if he had heard James's thoughts. "So if you'll please excuse me, there is a lake waiting for me."

James moved and let him through. Harry opened the door and shivered as the cold air hit his face but walked towards the lake. James shook his head and shut to door behind him. He was almost to the teacher's lounge when he heard a voice.

"Professor Krikor?" It was Hermione Granger. James liked her. She was nice and smart, most likely to be the head girl.

"Yes, Hermione?" He said.

"This is going to sound weird." Ron, who was with her said. "But hear us out. You see him almost more than we do these days."

"What is it you need?"

"Well." Hermione said. "We were wondering if you had seen Harry recently. We can't find him. We thought maybe…"

"Oh yes, I just saw him. He was- he was going swimming."

Ron paled but Hermione looked confused. "Won't that be a little cold? It's October!"

"That's what I told him, but he seemed assured that he would live." James said. "Ron, what wrong. Are you feeling well?"

"You let him go out there? Alone? SWIMMING?" Ron said. James nodded.

"Yes." James said. "What's wrong with that."

"Um…well it is October. The lake will be freezing." Ron said.

"We covered this." Krikor said.

"Let me finish!" Ron said. "The lake will be cold, there is a GIANT SQUID in there and on top of it all HARRY HAS ONLY GONE SWIMMING 3 TIMES IN HIS LIFE!"

"What?" Hermione said. "How do you know?"

"Before the second task, he told me something like 'Ron, I wish this task were something else. I don't swim much. The Dursleys never paid for lessons. I've only gone swimming twice in my life and I've almost drowned both times.'"

"And he had that fishy stuff the last time he went swimming, didn't he?" Hermione said. "So he could breathe underwater."

"I rest my case." Ron said.

"Well let's go!" Hermione yelled and took off down the hall.

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Harry looked at the lake uneasily. It was an angry grey color and now the sky was threatening to snow. He shivered and took off his robes to reveal a plain navy blue bathing suit. He poked a toe into the water and brought it back out instantly. He'd be lucky if he didn't get hypothermia from that water.

"If Krum can do it, so can I." Harry said and clenched his fists. He put on a brave, stereotypically Gryffindor like war face and dove in. It was like ice. Harry's blood felt like it was turning cold and he struggled to keep his head above water. He swam, a little clumsily and quite slowly, but it was swimming and Harry felt proud of himself.

He went under water for a while and then, when he reached something hard under his foot he rocketed upwards and broke through into the air.

'Hey!' Harry thought with a rare smile, 'this is really fun!' And went back under the water to repeat the action. For a few minutes he just bobbed. And then as he grabbed a breath of air before going quickly under again he heard shouts of his name.

Slightly curious, Harry came up to the surface slowly and looked. Ron, Hermione, Professor Krikor, McGonagall, Madame Pomfrey, Ginny, and Sirius were all yelling at him. Harry flipped onto his back and swam around.

"Harry get out of there!" Hermione screamed.

"W-why?" Harry called back. His voice broke because he was so cold. This seemed to worry the little crowd even more.

"You can't swim!" Ron roared.

"Harry!" Madame Pomfrey said. "You'll get hypothermia!"

"It's easily c-cured." Harry said, trying not to stutter with the cold. "I-I'm sure you've t-treated it before."

Professor Krikor had his chance now. "Harold Potter, if you do not die of hypothermia, surely you will die of a Grindylow attacking you without your wand. And the mermaids could get you too. And so could the-"

"Oh a-all of y- y-you!" Harry yelled. "I'm a b-b-big boy now! I c-c-c-c-c-c-can handle swimming in a b-bit of c-cold water."

"Please come out Harry!" Ginny looked like she was going to cry.

"You aren't proving anything by doing this you know, Harry?" Ron yelled.

"You're only worrying your friends!" Krikor added. "Good point Ron. Harry we all know you're brave. Come out of the water!"

"C-can't a guy swim anymore without g-getting yelled a-at?" Harry asked. "I d-don't want to p-prove anything. I j-just wanted to swim!"

"As the head of your house I ORDER you to come out of there, Potter." McGonagall said.

"No." Harry yelled back.

"I'll kick you off the Quidditch team!" She said.

Harry blanched. "Just for swimming?"

"Yes!"

Harry made a noise in his throat. "This is m-mad!" He was going to start swimming in when a big wave hit him full in the face. Harry swallowed some water and gasped for breath as he went under. He panicked and swam up to the surface and grabbed a breath when another wave came up. It was raining. Harry didn't know how to tread water. He was going to die, die, die.

The thought scared him so he kicked extra hard to try and keep above water. But try as he might he kept getting knocked under. Every time he came up for breath he heard screaming. A large wave was heading for him again. He gave up and let it hit him. He began to sink. His eyes bulged in the icy water as something large wrapped a tentacle around him and then he was suddenly on the shore of the lake coughing and wheezing for breath.

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Harry was sick. Ten heavy wool blankets were placed on top of Harry and hot bricks were on top of the blankets. As it happened, there wasn't a magical cure for hypothermia as he soon learned. So he sat shivering in his blankets, drinking hot butterbeer and tea.

"You're the first person in 500 years to get hypothermia." Madame Pomfrey told him one day.

"H-how did the last person get it?" Harry asked, teeth chattering.

"It says in the records we keep that a boy about your age was taking a hike in the mountains for his Hogsmeade day and a blizzard came in an buried him."

"Oh." Harry said. "A-am I almost cured?"

"No." Madame Pomfrey said sadly. "Maybe in a few days. But we're having problems getting a hold of Muggle formulas for this sickness."

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

"Ron and Hermione."

"Is that dog with you?"

"Yes."

"I don't want the mutt in here!" Madame Pomfrey said. "It's not hygienic!"

"He's not dirty." Came Hermione's voice. "Please, Madam Pomfrey?"

"This place will be the death of me!" Madam Pomfrey said quietly and opened the door.

Ron, Hermione and Sirius rushed in.

"Hey Harry." Ron said. "How're you feeling?"

"C-cold." Harry said. Madame Pomfrey promptly came over to Harry with another blanket in her arms.

"But you're sweating bullets." Hermione said. "And this room is stifling."

"We're trying to sweat out the fever." Madam Pomfrey said peevishly. "He should be back in school within the - month."

"Month?" All three students said in disbelief.

"Well it's not Hypothermia anymore, I think." She said thoughtfully. "Because that should have cleared up easily enough. But this is taking a while for him to get over."

Harry coughed.

"You shouldn't have gone swimming." Hermione said to Harry.

"I w-would have been fine if it hadnt started to rain." Harry coughed again. Hermione's stern face melted away.

"You poor thing." Hermione soothed. "Are you still cold?"

"Y-yes." Harry said. "But don't get the matron. She'll just give me more of that awful potion."

"It's probably good for you." Hermione pointed out.

"I'd rather be sick for the rest of my life than to drink more of that."

"Madam Pomfrey?" Ron said. "Harry wants more of that potion stuff."

Harry glared at Ron as Madame Pomfrey came to Harry and lifted the goblet full of the stuff to his mouth. He forced himself to smile at her. She pat his head and left. Harry promptly made a gagging noise.

"Someday I will find the -r- r- recipe for that crap and shove it down your throat R-" Harry coughed and then groaned like a person who's about to throw up. "Ugh, I f-feel t-terrible."

"Harry, we've got to go to lunch now." Hermione said. "Hope to see you soon okay?"

"Bye." Harry said. They left and Harry collapsed on the bed. Madam Pomfrey came over to Harry to check his pulse.

"No more visitors!" She said. "You'll only loose energy!"

Harry nodded.

"Now- sleep for heaven's sake!"

Harry closed his eyes.

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"Did you see him?" Ginny asked.

"Yes." Hermione said.

"Did he say anything about me?"

"Yes." Hermione lied. "He wanted me to say hi to you."

Ginny squealed. "Hermione, are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Oh! I'm in love!"

Hermione smiled weakly and nodded. What was she getting Harry into?

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"Harry." Hermione hissed.

Harry yawned and shifted positions in the hospital bed. "Five more minutes, Aunt Petunia," he said into his pillow.

"I am not your aunt!" Hermione said quietly but sharply.

"Sorry Dudley." Harry said. "You kind of sound like a woman."

"Harry, wake up!" Hermione said. "I need to talk to you!"

Harry yawned and looked at her. "Hi." He said. "Is my Aunt here?"

"No, thank god."

"I thought she was."

"It was just me."

"Oh."

"Are you disappointed?" Hermione screeched.

"Not overly." Harry said. "But you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes." Hermione sat down in a business like manner. "It's about Ginny."

"What about her? Is she okay?"

"Yes, of course she's okay." Hermione said. "Harry, who do you like?"

"I like everybody." Harry said. "Except every Slytherin in existence."

"Not like that, Harry." Hermione rolled her eyes. "I meant, who do you have a crush on?"

Harry blushed. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because I'm you're best friend that's a girl!"

"Well, I can't tell you that."

"Why not? Are you embarrassed?"

"I'm not embarrassed now." Harry said. "But if you told somebody who I liked, I would be embarrassed then."

"I won't tell a soul."

"Oh, Hermione, do I have too?"

"Yes."

"I thought we were talking about Ginny." Harry said. Hermione noted a certain blush that crept over his face when he said her name.

"We'll get back to her in a minute." Hermione said silkily, trying to conceal a smile. "So. Answer the question."

"But I don't-"

"Just tell me!"

"But you'll tell Ron and I'll NEVER hear the end of it." Harry said.

"I swear on my honor, I won't tell him."

"But you'll laugh at me!"

"I will not."

"You will too!"

"JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!"

Harry looked taken aback. Hermione looked murderous so he muttered a name in a squeak.

Hermione grinned.

"I knew it!" She cried and gave Harry a hug. "Oh this is just perfect!"

Harry glared at her.

"Wait until I tell Ginny! She'll just DIE…"

Harry held up a finger. "You said you wouldn't tell anybody."

Hermione looked at him like he was crazy. "But Harry, you like Ginny and she likes you! Ask her out!"

"DO YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT SO LOUD?" Harry said. "I DON'T WANT THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWING THAT I HAVE A CRUSH ON GINNY!" He clapped a hand over his mouth and sunk into his bed.

"It's a lucky thing that nobody else is in here, Harry." Hermione said and winked. "Or you'd be screwed."

Harry glared at her some more.

"You won't tell her, will you?" Harry said. "I don't even know if I want to date her."

"Why's that?"

"I don't want to find out that she's just an instant flame."

"Instant flame?"

"You know, Hermione. Instant flames are momentary. They die out."

"Good metaphor."

"Thank you." Harry said.

"But you do like her, don't you?"

"Well." Harry admitted. "I think so. I've been thinking about her a lot lately."

"Tell her that sometime. It'll melt her heart."

"I will."

"When?"

"When I get out of here, maybe?" Harry said. "But I'm feeling better today. Will you mention to Pomfrey how healthy I look when you leave? I want to get out of here."

Hermione chuckled. "Of course." She kissed Harry's cheek in a friendly way and moved to the door. "See you Harry."

"Bye Hermione!"

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Harry was back in classes the next week. He hadnt missed too much thanks to Ron and Hermione helping with his homework. Hermione had kept her promise about not telling Ginny and Harry was grateful for it. But soon, he would tell her. He had a good feeling she wasn't an instant flame now.

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