CHAPTER NINETEEN: Harry & Mystyk

Harry couldn't hide his surprise when he read Mystyk's mind asking him to meet her at their usual spot later that evening. He tried asking her what's wrong, but Mystyk wouldn't say. She just told him to meet her at their spot by the lake and that was that.

"Why do you think she wants to see you tonight?" Hermione mused.

"Do you think she's trapping you? Do you reckon she'l do you in this time?" Ron asked worriedly.

Harry and Hermione shot him an annoyed look. He has been obsessing about Mystyk killing Harry at any given chance since Draco told them of Mystyk's premonition. Now he wouldn't shut-up about it.

"Ron, Mystyk is not going to kill me. When will you get that through your thick skull, huh?" Harry assured him for the umpteenth time. "She's not that kind of person."

"Maybe when she's asleep she's not." Ron mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Oh no wait, it was in her dream that she do you in so either way she's unsafe." he added sardonically as an after thought.

"Pay no attention to him, Harry. He's just being himself again, that's all." Hermione said before Harry could open his mouth to say something back at Ron.

Harry expelled an exasperated sigh. Hermione's right. Ron could be thick headed sometimes. There is no point in him trying to explain the situation to Ron because he wouldn't give a damn either way.

"So, do you want Ron and I to come with you tonight?" Hermione offered.

"No, I think I will be okay. Besides, Mystyk sounds really upset. She wouldn't want to pour her heart out in front of a two complete strangers." he shrugged.

"Are you sure? Hermione and I could stand guard and...watch...oh, all right!" Ron conceded when Harry stared at him pointedly, warning him not to even finish the thought he's thinking. "I'll ease-up on my theory that Mystyk will do you in." Ron raised his hands in frustration, "But I still don't trust her completely." he reminded his two best friends sternly.

~*~

Mystyk jumped off her broomstick hovering a few feet above the ground when she heard approaching footsteps. She turned to the direction of the footsteps and broke into a run when she recognized the figure in the dark.

"Harry!" she exclaimed breathlessly and flung herself to him.

Harry staggered backwards a bit, he didn't expect Mystyk to come flying in to his arms like this after their last encounter. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and held her close. Mystyk sagged against him and burst into tears as soon as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hush now, it's okay." he ran his hand gently up and down her back, holding the crying Mystyk in his embrace. They remained as they were for the next little while. Harry let Mystyk cry to her heart's desire. He certainly know the need to shed some tears at times when the going has become very tough for someone to bear.

~*~

"So your guardian is your mother who used an aging spell to hide you and herself from your father?" Harry asked later on after Mystyk told him the reason why she asked for them to meet tonight. They were seated against one of the trees lined up by the lake. They thawed the snow around it and sat down huddled together in Harry's Invisibility Cloak.

Mystyk nodded, her cheek scraping Harry's shoulder.

"And this has upset you because your mother lied to you all these years?"

"That...and more."

"What do you mean?" he frowned, looking down at her dark head resting on his shoulder, "Shouldn't you be at least happy that all these years you have your mother to watch over you?"

"In a way I am happy that I am not really an orphan, but..." her voice trailed off. She couldn't continue. She couldn't possibly tell Harry everything Gertude Wiles and Professor Dumbledore told her about her paternity. "It's just so unfair."

"What is unfair, Mystyk? C'mon, you're not making any sense at all." Harry put his arm around her shoulders under the cloak, rubbing it gently up and down her arm, urging her to tell him what is really bothering her.

Mystyk pushed herself away from his embrace and looked at the face of the charming boy she has learned to care for in the few weeks that she have known him.

"Harry I don't want to hurt you. I swear that's the last thing I wanted to do to you." she promised.

"Mystyk, you're not going to hurt me."

"Oh yes I will, Harry, yes I will." she nodded, cupping his cheek.

"No, you're not. Mystyk, what are you--" Harry didn't get to finish what he was about to say. Mystyk swoop her head down and captured his lips for a kiss so unexpected it rendered him shocked for a few seconds.

It has been weeks since they first kissed, and since that first time they never kissed each other anymore. Slowly he parted his lips and trailed his tongue along her lips, parting them gently before sliding his tongue inside her mouth and mating with her tongue.

Mystyk let out a surprised gasp when she felt Harry's tongue touched hers.

Harry took advantage of her momentary stillness and deepen the kiss, reaching up his hands to cup her face, pulling her closer to him until Mystyk lay sprawled against his chest, their mouths locked together in a kiss that consumed them both of everything they have to live for.

~*~

"They really do care for each other, don't the Professor?" Gertude Wiles asked as she looked out of the window, watching her daughter and Harry Potter make out.

Professor Dumbledore took a deep breath and turned his back to the window. "Yes, Gertude. They have grown somewhat closer to one another in the few weeks they have been cavorting together after dark." he nodded.

Gertude turned her back to the window and watched the back of the man who has helped her daughter and herself escape the clutches of Voldemort all those years ago.

"They can't be together. They just can't or else they would only hurt one another." Gertude shook her mop of shiny jet-black hair.

"I know. But tell me, could you really tell Fate not to interfere when Harry and Mystyk's future has already been mapped for them?" Dumbledore questioned, looking over his shoulder at the petite woman in her mid-thirties.

"This is wrong. They shouldn't even be destined together! Both their lives are in grave peril." she protested.

"And yet you've seen proof of how much they care for one another." Dumeblefore turned to face her fully and gestured towards the window, indicating the couple huddled together by the Invisibility Cloak by the lake.

"It's wrong, Albus Dumbledore."

With a heavy sigh, Dumbledore held the eyes of the young woman who has been through enough and has seen enough death to last her a lifetime.

"I know, Gertude, I know. But have a little faith in your daughter. In the end it is all up to Mystyk to choose between what's right and what's wrong. We can't make that decision for her."

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~*~ oooh, Harry & Mystyk making out under the Invisibility Cloak. did they or didn't they go all the way? well...hehehe, it's for me to know and you guys to find out. hope you enjoyed this chappie. keep those reviews coming & thank you all once again for those of you who took some time to read my fic. i really appreciate it. ~*~