"Thank you, Harry," Pansy said as she rested her forehead on his.
"Did I do it right?" Harry asked softly.
"We could try it again. To make sure." She leaned forward to kiss him again.
"Harry?" a third voice said suddenly.
"Oh look, Harry," Pansy chuckled, "It's the Weasel."
"Go away, Worm," Harry laughed, "I'm busy."
"Harry?" Hermione's voice shattered his reverie. "Why are you kissing Pansy Parkinson?"
"Hermione? Ron? I'm back?" Harry asked, then shouted, "Pansy, I'm back."
"Uh, Harry?" Pansy said in a whisper.
"Pansy? You're here?"
Pansy snorted and said, "Remember the packet Dumbledore gave you?"
"Yes," Harry said laughing in return, "Whatever I'm holding will come with me when I return."
"And you were holding me," Pansy said, smiling. Whispering into his ear, she said, "Thank you, Harry. Now I won't lose my only friend."
"You're not upset?"
"Not at all."
As they hugged, Hermione interrupted. "Harry, why is Pansy with you?"
"This is ridiculous," Ron fumed, "Malfoy's making friends with my brothers and you're making out with her." Ron stopped suddenly. "Harry, is she from that other world?"
Harry and Pansy released each other and he apologized. "I'm sorry, Ron. Um, Pansy, these are my best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Ron, Hermione, this is Pansy."
"It's nice to meet you , Ron," Pansy said, holding out her hand.
A very confused Ronald Weasley shook her hand. A less confused, and thoroughly amused Hermione Granger followed suit. She was followed by a completely surprised Madame Pomfrey, who instantly summoned the headmaster.
*
"Welcome back, Harry," Dumbledore said a few minutes later as he walked into the infirmary. He smiled reassuringly at Pansy, saying, "Welcome to our world, Miss Parkinson. This is indeed a surprise."
"A pleasant one for me, Headmaster," Pansy assured him in return.
"I have this for you, Headmaster," Harry said, handing over the package he carried with him. "The headmaster said to give this to you as soon as possible."
Dumbledore took out several parchments and a photograph, looked at them briefly, and handed the photograph back to Harry. "You'll want to keep this, Mr. Potter. I think you know who it should go to."
"I didn't mean for this to happen, Headmaster," Harry told Professor Dumbledore. "I'm sorry if I've caused any problems."
"Mister Harry Potter," Dumbledore said with warmth, "I appreciate your concern, but your counterpart proved himself to capable of filling your shoes. He was an intelligent and resourceful individual."
Pansy asked, "Then what world did Dudley go to?" while Hermione smirked and said, "Unlike some people, Harry."
Dumbledore turned to Pansy. "Miss Parkinson, I think you should join me in my office to discuss your future."
"I understand, Sir," she said, then hugged Harry once more.
"Miss Granger," Albus said, as he and Pansy started to leave, "I have a feeling it might be appropriate for you to join us. You can escort our new student to the Great Hall for dinner after we are done."
"We'll see you later, Harry," Hermione said. "I'm sorry I'm going to miss it."
When they left, Harry asked Ron, "What was that all about?"
"I think your girlfriend might not end up in Slytherin," Ron said with a grin.
"I guessed that already. I meant about what Hermione said, about missing it.
"Perhaps you should show him, Mr, Weasley," Madame Pomfrey said, and ushered the two boys out of the infirmary.
"It was amazing, Ron." Harry told his friend as they walked. "The Malfoys made me feel like I was a part of their family. Even Uncle Severus went out of his way to help me."
"Harry, you've just referred to Snape as your uncle."
"Sorry, Ron. I was only there for a couple of days . . ."
"You were gone for a week."
"I know, but the dementors attacked, and I was in the infirmary unconscious for most of the time."
"The Dementors? Harry tell me later. I have a surprise for you. Dumbledore wanted to show you when you return, and since he's busy with your girlfriend . . ."
"Show me what?"
"We caught the spy while you were gone."
"We? Spy?"
"Not me actually, but Hermione and Malfoy, and Fred and George."
"Malfoy? You mean Draco?"
"Yeah. It was Moody, but not really, and he told the Minister everything. They've even caught Peter Pettigrew. They don't have their hands on Voldemort yet, but they have him trapped. He won't get away either."
"That's great, Ron. If they caught Pettigrew, that means Snuffles . . ."
". . .has been given a full pardon," a booming voice said, and Harry looked to see Sirius Black standing at the end of the corridor.
*
"That must have been a great adventure, Harry," Ron said as his friend concluded his tale.
"And you even ended up with the girl," Sirius said. "You haven't told us how the two of you became friends."
"We have a lot in common," Harry said softly, "but you are right. It was an adventure. And Sirius, I was asked to give you this."
Harry pulled out the photograph and handed it to his godfather. Sirius looked at the picture of the raven haired boy and smiled, wiping a tear from his cheek. "He has his mother's hair, and my eyes," Sirius commented.
"You know his mother?"
"I knew her, Harry," Sirius said. "She would have loved James."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It happened a long time ago, before you were born."
"I know it won't mean much coming from me, but I am sorry as well," Draco said.
Sirius glared at the boy then his look softened. "I should say thank you, but all of these changes are coming too fast for me to handle."
"How do you think we feel?" Fred told the man. "All of a sudden the escaped murderer we were told to be afraid of turns out to be a hero."
"Thanks for not telling us about him, Ron," George muttered to his brother.
"George," Draco interrupted, "It's not his fault."
"Wait," Harry said, "Fred, George, When did you and Malfoy become friends."
The three shared matching grins for a brief second. Harry watched as a memory crossed Draco's face and he briefly scowled. Fred caught the look as well, and put a reassuring hand on the Slytherin's shoulder.
"I think it was the second time Draco saved my life," Fred smirked.
"Or the third time you saved mine," Draco replied, with an uncharacteristic snort.
"Listen to the heroes brag," Ron said sullenly, then added sarcastically, "He saved my life. I saved his."
"And you saved ours," George said solemnly. "If you hadn't been so quick to bring Dumbledore, the four, sorry, five of us would have died or worse. Together, we were still no match for Crouch."
Draco looked at Harry and said, seriously, "We did become friends. We were forced to trust each other and I, for one, don't know how to withdraw that trust."
George refused to keep the serious tone. "Draco's always had a knack for trouble. We're merely giving him proper guidance."
"You look good in Slytherin robes, Potter. You should consider keeping them." Draco looked at Fred, who nodded, and held out his hand. "I was going to ask for truce, Harry, but Fred told me to try for friend."
As Harry dubiously shook Draco's hand, he asked, "What will your father say to all of this."
"You can ask him in class."
Harry gasped. "He's taking Moody's place?!"
Draco nodded, "I suppose we should tell you what happened while you were gone."
*
"Excuse me," Albus Dumbledore said from the doorway, "Everything has been sorted out as far as our new arrival is concerned." He stepped aside and let the two girls enter the conference room.
Harry stood up and said, "Everyone, I'd like to introduce Pansy Parkinson."
"Harry," Hermione interrupted, "There's been a change of name. We realized we couldn't have two Pansy Parkinson's."
"Call me Violet," the other girl said.
"Violet Parkinson?" Harry asked.
"I've changed that last part as well," Violet answered. "After all, I don't have much in common with the Pansy you have here. I thought it would be best to make a clean break. Hermione suggested Evans for a last name."
"That was my mother's name before she married," Harry said as Violet and Hermione smiled at each other
"I know things might not work out between us as time goes on, but in case they do, I thought it was appropriate."
"At the worst, we'll always be friends," Harry said, and reached out to take her hand. "There's a Gryffindor crest on your robes?"
"I had to change houses. The Sorting Hat agreed this was a good choice."
*
"I'll be glad when you're out of those Slytherin robes," Ron said, as the small crowd approached the portrait of the Fat Lady."
"I'm going to miss them," Harry mused. "Most of the Slytherins I met were actually decent people. They even forgave me for being in Gryffindor." As everyone laughed, he called out, "Golden Snitch."
"That is not the password," the Fat Lady told him, with a mischievous grin, "and welcome back Mr. Potter."
"What's the new password, Ron?"
"I didn't know it was changed," Ron said in surprise, and the twins and Hermione agreed.
"I changed it," a voice said out of nowhere, and the group turned around to see Neville Longbottom. "It was a present from Dudley," he told them. "He showed me how to change the password. He said we had done it once before, in his world."
"And what is the new password?" Harry asked, but Neville walked up to Hermione and whispered in her ear. Her face went white, then red.
"I refuse to say that," she sputtered. "It's indecent. How could you?"
"What's the password?" Ron asked.
"You tell him," Hermione told Neville.
"I won't," Neville said, laughing. "I promised Dudley I would only tell you."
"Please, Hermione," Harry asked, "Just say the password, or I won't be able to change before dinner, and I'll have to eat with Draco."
Hermione blushed furiously as she said, "I'm Stupid."
"You may pass," the Fat Lady chuckled, and the portrait swung open to reveal the entrance to the Gryffindor common room."
"I'm telling Professor McGonagall," Hermione complained.
*
Despite the capture of Voldemort and most of his henchmen, Harry was still required to participate in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. They had still not discovered who put his name in the Goblet of Fire. According to Fred and George. Ludo Bagman was the best guess. He still owed them money from the Quidditch Championship.
Harry was also forced to go to the Celebration Ball, but having Violet Evans as his date made the dance a wonderful experience. He smiled as he saw Draco Malfoy escort Hermione Granger into the Great Hall. He also smirked as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher tried to pretend that he did not object to his son's choice, and again when Lucius Malfoy showed relief as Victor Krum, the Dumstrang champion, asked Hermione for a dance.
Sirius Black had arranged to bring Remus Lupin to Hogwarts for the occasion. Severus Snape had revealed his plans to develop a cure for Lycanthropy (mostly because he knew he would receive the Order of Merlin for it, but also out of spite. He wanted to force his enemies to be grateful to him.) Remus, however, was driving the Potions Professor to madness by his constant expressions of gratitude.
Albus Dumbledore happily revealed that most of the information his counterpart gave him was now useless. He also noted that if the spy had not been caught, those notes would have proved invaluable.
The biggest surprise Harry had was when Lucius Malfoy approached him, asking forgiveness, and offering his help should Harry ever need it. Malfoy claimed that he owed that much to his son. Harry mentioned this to Violet when they were dancing to a slow tune.
"I wish I had met him."
"Who?"
"Dudley Malfoy."
"He's nothing like you are, Harry."
"I know. But he came here, and in one week turned my entire world upside down, or is it right side up?"
"I like your world, Mr. Potter," Violet said smiling. "Your people haven't forgotten how to laugh."
"Neither did yours," he pointed out. "They only needed a reason."
"You gave it to them," she said in response. "You repaid Dudley's favor to you."
"Do you regret being here? I mean . . ."
"Never, Harry. I have friends here. I don't have to hide my feelings, and," Violet added with a smirk, "I love the way Pansy frowns every time she looks at us."
They laughed as they continued to dance.
*
On Another Plane
"I hate rainy Sundays," Harry said to himself, as he sat in the deserted classroom.
Hermione demanded that he try to solve the mystery of the egg for the Triwizards Tournament, and refused to have anything to do with him when he told her there was still plenty of time. Ron was too busy playing wizard chess, and winning. Harry decided to go for a walk, only to be chased away by Filch and Flitwick, who were talking in the hallway. He finally ended up hiding in an empty classroom to avoid the Weasley twins.
The twins were always searching the school on the weekends they did not go to Hogsmeade. They always hoped to uncover another secret passage or something. Harry didn't want to join them in their search. If he did and then they became bored he could easily become the test subject for their latest practical joke. Harry could live without that.
And here he was, sitting on the floor in an empty classroom, staring at the outside gloom. Finally, Harry heard the twins' voices fade beneath the patter of the rain against the windows. As he turned to leave, he casually glanced around the room, and at the cabinet he had been leaning against, then walked out of the classroom to return to the Gryffindor Tower.