A/N: OMG guys, I can't believe I wrote that last chapter. I have a terrible case of writers block now as a result so if this chapter seems constipated, please forgive me. I'm trying my hardest.

~ Tad ~








"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione asked at dinner. "The whole school is talking about you and Krikor. What did you do after you got kicked out of Snape's class?"

"I accidentally ran into the bastard and talked with him a little bit before I remembered that I hated him, told him so and left." Harry said, bitter once again.

"Harry, stop telling him that." Hermione said. "It's really rude."

"He's rude too."

"What did he do?" Ron asked. Personally, Ron really liked Krikor. He was nice.

Harry just stared down at his meatloaf. If only they knew they'd understand.

'Then tell them!' said his annoying inner voice. Harry told it to piss off and remained silent for the rest of the night.

~* ~* ~* ~*

"Ooh I want to hit him!" Hermione said later that night after Harry had gone to bed.

"We all do." Seamus said. "He's being a real dick lately."

"What is his problem?" Lavender said. "I haven't noticed anything."

"Well that's because you are a blonde. You don't always notice things like that." Parvati said with innocence. Lavender nodded and said she agreed.

"Ron, you're his best friend. Surely he's told you something!" Dean said.

"Nope." Ron said. "Nothing. Hasn't said a word about anything."

"Nothing?"

"I think our conversations consist of Hello's and Good bye's." Ron said. "He's really an introvert lately."

"Big word." Seamus said. "Please explain the big word."

"He's keeping to himself." Hermione explained.

"You've been hanging out with her to much." Dean whispered into Ron's ear. He shrugged.

"Well he's still upset about the third task." Hermione said. "That's obvious. But there has got to be something else."

"Like what?" Parvati said.

"Maybe it has something to do with Krikor." Neville suggested. "I mean the guy obviously did SOMETHING to him."

"Good point." Hermione said. "But what?"

"I have officially got a headache." Seamus proclaimed. "I'm going to bed."

"Okay."

They continued the conversation. After much talking they came up with a plan.

Lavender would try to get stuff out of Harry with some flirtatious behavior. Neville would try to listen in to Harry's conversations with other people if he could. Ron and Hermione would follow Krikor and see if he did anything suspicious. Parvati, Dean and Seamus would buddy- buddy up to Harry and see if he would budge.

It should have worked perfectly.

(A/N: please note that it SHOULD have worked perfectly.)

~* ~* ~* ~*

Lavender sat next to Harry in divination the next day, leaning over the crystal ball, pretending to be confused.

"Harry? Will you help me with this? I can't seem to understand it." She said and stuck her lower lip out.

"You know how to do this better than the bat teaching this class, Lavender." Harry said. "And I've never seen anything in these balls except my own reflection."

"And what a reflection it is too." Lavender said silkily.

Harry choked. "W-what?"

"Nothing, nothing." Lavender said. "I was just thinking…oh never mind." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and smiled at him.

Harry cleared his throat and shifted in his chair.

"Harry what goes through that mind of yours?" She asked and traced his jaw line.

"What do you mean?" Harry said, tensing up.

"Well you're so quiet lately. I can't help wondering."

"I'm not quiet." Harry said. "I just don't have anything to say."

Lavender scooted over closer to him. Harry wasn't aware that every Gryffindor was staring at them.

"I don't believe you." Lavender whispered, now quite close. Professor Trelawney stopped making tea to watch them. "I think you have a lot you could say. Couldn't you?"

"I suppose-" Lavender's heart leaped as Harry leaned in. And just as their lips were about to press together, he backed off. "But we'll finish our conversation later."

Lavender had to take a few calming breaths, but Harry didn't seem to notice. He just glanced at the two crystal balls on the table. Professor Trelawney took her chance and swept down next to the two.

"May I take a look at your balls?" She asked.

The entire class burst out laughing except Harry who looked very embarrassed. Professor Trelawney took no notice of the students and grabbed the closest globe.

"Oh how interesting." She said. "Very interesting."

"What is it Professor?" Lavender said, sensing the answer.

"I see a romance budding with you Mr. Potter." She said. "But I cannot seem to see the person with. Only that it is a woman your age…"

Harry looked out the window at this point. Lavender was giggling with Parvati on the pouf next to theirs.

How he hated this class.

~* ~* ~* ~*

Lavender sat next to Harry in Care of Magical Creatures too. She was good at this flirting business. But he was better.

"Harry, I was thinking about what happened in Divination and I just wanted to tell you that-"

"I know," Harry said. "I was completely out of line."

"Certainly not." Lavender said. "I was wishing you would have finished that sentence. I really am interested."

"Why?"

"I already told you." She said and grabbed a watering can and began to water the giant snapper plant they were growing. "You are quiet lately, and you usually are so interesting anyways. The silence makes me wonder. I want you to put my wonders to rest."

"Your- wonders?" Harry said.

"Well, one cant help thinking about you." She said and looked up to him.

"They cant?" Harry said, slightly dazed.

"Nope." She gently touched his nose.

"Well I wonder about you too." Harry said and looked away for a moment.

"Really?" Lavender said.

"Of course." Harry said. "You're so charming that sometimes we can't help but wonder."

Lavender's voice faltered as she said, "Oh really?"

"Really." Harry said.

Suddenly Professor Sprout walked by. She stopped when she saw them.

"The students are starting to complain." She said primly.

"Complain?" Lavender said. "Whatever about?"

"It's the air." She said icily. "With you two acting like that it's just too darn sweet to breathe." She smiled falsely and walked away.

The pair watched her move to Ron and Hermione who were working together. Then they looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Lavender smiled to herself that night. She had him in her hand. If only he didn't have her in his hand the situation would be perfect.

~* ~* ~* ~*

Lavender trailed after Harry the entire next day.

"And so if you just say that charm," Harry said to her during DADA. She had asked for help during the lesson. He was happy to provide. "The demon won't haunt you anymore. Do you think you have it now?"

"Oh, I get it perfectly." Lavender said. "You are a wonderful person to go to for help. Have you ever considered teaching?"

"Nah." Harry said. "I wouldn't have the patience."

"I think you would be brilliant."

"Thank you."

James eyed the two in the back row with suspicion. Lavender, one of his favorite students was getting awfully close to his son. He hadnt talked to Harry since there last * happy * visit. In fact, he was avoiding it. James hadnt worked it out in his head how Harry could have known. Maybe he didn't know. Maybe he thought that his teacher was a Death Eater. It was always possible.

But at the moment Harry was not paying attention to the lesson and neither was Lavender. It was his duty as a teacher to call them on it.

"I'm so glad you know all of this so you don't have to listen." James said. "Miss Brown, Mr. Potter would you two like to come up here and finish the lesson off for me?"

Lavender gulped and shook her head.

"Oh, but Professor, I just simply couldn't do that to your pride." Harry said.

"What?"

"Well, I figure you might get mad if my fellow students walked out of hear having actually learned something." Harry said. Krikor opened his mouth to shout something at him but Harry held up a hand. "Wait- save your breath, I'll leave."

~* ~* ~* ~*

Lavender sat next to Harry at dinner but she couldn't find anything to say really. So she just kind of stared at him, every once in a while nodding.

Finally she couldn't take it anymore. "I think what you said to Professor Krikor today was very out of line."

"Nah." Harry said. He wasn't eating much, she noticed. "He deserved it."

"Why?" She asked. "He's my favorite teacher."

"He's my least favorite." Harry said. "He's to damn nosy."

"Nosy?" She said. "All he wants to do is get to know you."

"Nosy."

"Well I want to get to know you too." She said. "Would you call me nosy?"

That shut Harry up.

"I didn't think so." She said. "Now, why don't you come up to the teacher's table with me and we can apologize to him."

"I don't really want-"He said, but she had gotten up. So he had no choice but to get up and follow her.

She marched strait up to James and tapped him on the shoulder.

"We've came to say we're sorry about the lesson today." She said. "DIDN'T we HARRY."

Harry coughed and looked away. She elbowed him.

"Sorry." He grunted.

James grinned. "Apology accepted. Just don't let it happen again."

"Sure thing." Lavender said. "Thanks Professor." And she turned on her heel and walked away. Harry followed her sheepishly. Malfoy snickered as Harry walked by.

"Whhhh-chhhh! You are so totally whipped." Malfoy said and smirked.

"Piss off Malfoy." Harry said. "At least the girls are interested in me."

Lavender and Harry sat back down at the table.

"What makes you think I'm interested in you?" Lavender said.

"You've been paying attention to me all day." Harry said. "You've got to be slightly interested in something, although what that might be is a mystery to me…"

"You've got me pinned!" Lavender giggled.

Hermione and Ron watched in disgust.

"God, she does her work well." Ron said. "He's totally hooked."

"So is she." Hermione said. "Lavender has had a crush on Harry since she saw him on the train here."

"Do you think she's getting anything out of him?" Ron asked.

"I hope so."

~* ~* ~* ~*

Harry had gone to bed early that night. The rest of the fifth years gathered around Lavender.

"So? What did he tell you?" Hermione asked.

"Not to much." Lavender said. "All I know is that he's got it in for poor Krikor. That man does not deserve that type of punishment from him. But I don't know why he doesn't like him.

"I heard a rumor today." Neville said suddenly.

"About?" Parvati asked.

"Well I was listening to the teachers conversation today after lunch because, you know-"

"Snape made you do detention in the staff room, we know. Keep going." Lavender said.

"Well, Krikor said that over the holidays somebody was wandering the halls one night under an invisibility cloak and that that person ran into him accidentally and dropped a bottle of laughing gas. And then Krikor said that the person, he was sure it was a boy, said, "oh shit" and ran away, leaving the bottle behind."

"And you suspect it was Harry." Seamus said.

"Who else has an invisibility cloak in this school?" Hermione said. "Thank you Neville. So I'm guess Harry saw something about Krikor that Krikor didn't want anybody to see. Maybe Harry like hates him for a reason. But what is it?"

"By Jove, you've given me another headache." Seamus said. "Goodnight!"

"D'you think Krikor's like a Death Eater or something?" Lavender said.

"Don't say that!" Ron said.

"Sorry." Lavender said. "But what else would make Harry that antsy around a teacher?"

~* ~* ~* ~*

"Harry." Ron said. Harry stopped flirting with Lavender and looked up from breakfast.

"Yeah?"

"Why do you hate Krikor? Can you please give us a strait answer for once?"

Harry thought for a moment and then told a lie. Well maybe it was just not the whole truth. "I don't think I hate him. I think he just annoys me a lot. He just bugs the crap out of me. And he puts up with all my shit so it's actually kind of like a sport with him. I get to push all his nerves until he kicks me out of class."

"Oh." Ron said. "So he's not a Death Eater or a Zombie or something like that… right?"

"Zombie?" Harry choked. He'd never thought of that. He regained composure. " I really hope not. And for Death Eater? If he was a Death Eater, I'd already be dead."

"Oh well that's nice." Lavender said.

"Oh but isn't it?" Harry said, going back to her. Ron looked at Hermione and shrugged.

"So he just bugs the crap out of Harry." Hermione said. "We did all those late night discussions for nothing."

"It seems so." Seamus said and sighed.

~* ~* ~* ~*

"I've got to go talk to Krikor." Hermione declared. "I do not understand this essay. How can we write about the physical characteristics of a Comber if they are invisible?"

"I'll come with you." Ron said.

"I'm staying." Harry proclaimed.

"Please do. Krikor's suffered through enough." Hermione said. They left.

"So are we really going to ask Krikor the question?" Ron asked.

"Of course." Hermione said. Krikor's office was very close to the common room so after a short walk they found themselves at his door.

Ron raised his hand to knock on his door, but Hermione held him back. If you listened closely, voices could be heard.

"I think he may be on to me." They heard a man say. It sounded like Krikor, only somehow different.

"How could that be?"

"I don't know. But the other day he said…" He mumbled something the two couldn't hear.

"He said THAT?" Dumbledore said. "Well James, that's pretty serious."

Hermione turned to look at Ron. "James?" She mouthed.

"I know." Krikor said. "But he's never liked me. I'm pretty sure he just thinks I'm a Zombie or a Death Eater. I don't think he's quite skeptical enough to think I was his father."

"That's true." Dumbledore said. "He wouldn't be looking out for his father to be alive like he would for Death Eaters trying to kill him."

"So you think my secret is still safe?" Krikor/James said.

"James Potter, I hid your identity so well that I'm sure it's safe." Dumbledore said. "Nobody suspects a thing. I'm positive."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other. Ron mouthed "holy shit". They took a long walk.

~* ~* ~* ~*


"Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god." Hermione said, chewing at her fingers.

"What are we going to do?" Ron said, pacing in front to the doors that led inside.

"Ron, we should tell him."

"He wouldn't believe us!"

"You're right. Oh damn it. This is so bad!"

"Hermione!" Ron said. "You cussed! That's amazing!"

"That doesn't matter!" Hermione said. "Harry's FATHER is alive. He's right here in this castle and he doesn't know it."

The doors opened. Hermione screamed.

"Good evening you two." Krikor said. "Have you seen Harry around?"

"What do you want with him?" Ron asked venomously.

"I wanted to see if he could duel me. I've been feeling rather stupid, losing to him."

"Well he's busy. Doing his homework. In the common room." Hermione said. "And plus do you think he would consent to dueling with you?"

"Probably not, but it was certainly worth a shot." He shrugged and smiled. "Good night to you."

"Professor?" Hermione called after him. "Wait! I have a question about the assignment. How can we describe a demon we can't see?"

"You can't." Krikor said. "That's the point. If people pay attention in my class they don't have to do much homework."

"Oh." Hermione said. "Thanks."

"Any time, Miss Granger." He said. "Please tell Harry I was looking for him."

He left.

Hermione sat down on the front steps and put her head in her hands. "Oh poor Harry." She wailed. "He doesn't deserve it."

"No shit." Ron said. "But you know what I want to know? I want to know how he survived AK!"

"Maybe he's just in a very lucky family." Hermione said. "Let's go. We need to tell Harry."

"Okay, if you're sure." Ron said.

"I'm positive." Hermione said and set her chin up and walked through the doors.

~* ~* ~* ~*

Harry and Lavender were at it again in the common room.

"Harry, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Lavender said.

"I don't know. I think a Quidditch player." He said thoughtfully.

"That's awfully dangerous."

"Nah. I survived a 50 foot fall in my third year, remember?" Harry said.

"Oh!" Lavender said. "I do seem to recall that. We all would have been so upset if you hadnt had made it out okay."

"I'm so sure." Harry said playfully.

"No really!" Lavender said. "We would have missed you."

They were sitting on the loveseat by the fire and Lavender kept scooting closer to him every time he looked elsewhere. Soon she was very close. Harry didn't seem to be minding. In fact he put his arm around her shoulders.

Ron and Hermione saw them and panicked.

"Should we interrupt?" Hermione said.

"Yes." Ron said. "I think this is pretty important."

"But they look so-"

"Come on." Ron said.

"Should we finish our- conversation- from earlier today?" Lavender now asked. "About you putting my wonders to rest?"

"Sure." Harry said and took two fingers and moved her chin up so she met his eyes. "What do you want to know?"

"What's your- favorite subject?" She fumbled.

"I think I like…" trailed off. His face was moving closer to hers. Ron and Hermione were moving closer to them too.

"What do you like?" Lavender asked. She was surprised that she barely dared to breathe.

"I like-" Harry said- and then he snapped. He moved in one inch and kissed her lips. Lavender let out her held breath in a sigh and melted in to him.

"Harry we need to talk to you." Hermione said. "It's really important."

With a free hand he shooed them away, still in the kiss.

Ron and Hermione sat down in chairs.

"Just our luck." Hermione said. "Right when something important comes up like this he's to busy to listen."

"And he's got his hands full this time, too."

~* ~* ~* ~*


A/N: My writer's block is gone, obviously. I hope it wasn't all too fluffy for you guys. Seriously I do hope you liked it. Please tell me if that was enough romance or if you want to see a little more. There will be some more, I guarantee you, but this was the Romance Chapter. Please review! It's what I live for!

Love,
Tad