Daphne: All right, this opening is just for my reviewer, Getsumei no michi,
otherwise known as Lady Crysania!
No, Severus is not in love with Lily! In fact, they are just friends. But as to why he warned Lily to stay away from James and Harry...you will just have to wait and find out! It probably won't come out until just before the end of the story, but you can look for it earlier, just in case!
Now, because time moves differently where the CC gang is presently, this chapter and maybe all of the later ones, will skip over several weeks and focus only on important things that lead up to the Big Finale. What that is...you will just have to wait and find out!
Now, on with the story!
~*~*~*~
Leopard Spots and Zebra Stripes
By: Daphne Li
Chapter 6.
"Well, here we are. Seventh year and we have made no progress." Harry groaned, leaning back in his chair. It was the day before school was to start, and they had woken up early from their long sleep to get their school supplies. It had been almost four 'years' since they had arrived, and Lily and James were no closer to getting together, than oil is to mixing with water. The only minuscule way they had helped, was setting Molly Shepherd and Arthur Weasley up for a date in their sixth year. The two had hit it off, gotten married just out of their seventh year, had had a son, Charlie, and Molly was pregnant with a second child. (a/n: That would be Bill, for all of you who are too daft to know!)
"Do you think it is even possible? I mean, come on! Lily avoids James like the plague, and James pranks Lily every moment that he can." Hermione groaned, collapsing into Ron's lap.
"I can't think! I am going out for a walk!" Ginny groaned, leaving the room quickly. They watched her leave, and then Hermione and Ron followed her example, heading up to the boy's dormitories, probably for another snogging- session.
"Come on, Rika. We have some last minute homework to do." Draco mumbled, getting to his feet and leading her over to one of the corner tables. Sakura yawned and stretched, looking at Syaoran expectantly. He grinned and gently took her hand, leading her out of the portrait hole and into the hall. Tomoyo sighed and walked up to the girl's dormitories, mumbling something about sewing, while Eriol pulled a book out of nowhere and started to read. Harry looked around, bored, and then got up and left the room as well.
"Hmmm...lake, Hagrid's cabin, library, Astronomy tower..." Harry listed off all the places he could go.
"Astronomy tower. It looks like a good night for star-gazing." He mumbled, heading in that direction. He crept up the stairs and opened the Astronomy room door silently. To his surprise, however, someone was already there. A small, red-headed someone.
"Ginny? What are you doing here?" He hissed. She turned around in surprise, and then looked back out the window.
"Same thing as you, apparently." She answered back. Harry shut the door behind him, and then sat down next to her, enjoying the view. They sat there for quite some time, not saying anything, until:
"Harry, why did Draco's dad hate my father so much?" She asked. He started, and then grinned.
"Ginny, didn't you notice? Lucius Malfoy was in love with your mum!" He laughed. Ginny looked at him in astonishment, and then went over that information in her head.
"He was always staring at her with that look on his face. It was rather disgusting, to tell you the truth. Be glad that you missed it. But I have a feeling that is why his dad hates yours so much." Harry mussed. Ginny was silent again, but it didn't last long.
"What did you mean?" She questioned. He looked at her in confusion.
"What?"
"When we were at the 'Three Broomsticks' during fourth year. What did you mean when you told me...'I love you too, Ginny'?" She asked, her voice surprisingly steady. Harry's heart jumped, and he felt heat rush to his cheeks.
"I...I mean...this is rather sudden...why do you want to know?" He finally stammered out. Ginny smiled dryly.
"No reason. Only, people usually say that when they mean it." Her voice was sharp, bitter. Then she started to get up; alarmed that he had made her feel bad, Harry took hold of her wrist and pulled her back down. Their eyes met, his filled with something indecipherable, hers with hurt and need.
The stare was hypnotic and intense. Then, without warning, Harry's lips descended on her's for the second time in their lives. Ginny shuddered as Harry's arms slipped around her, holding her close against him, and the only thing she could do was to twine her arms around his neck. The kiss was intense, thorough, warm, loving. Without warning, Harry's tongue gently pressed against her lips and in her surprise, she opened them to allow him entrance. After a few moments, though, they were forced to pull away for lack of air.
"And if I did mean it?" He questioned, his lips finding hers once again. Ginny moaned in delight at what she was feeling and what he had just said. He loved her! HE LOVED HER!!!
"Then I don't see anything wrong with that." She managed, as he pulled away again. Harry's eyes were filled with love, and his fingers gently traced the shape of her cheek.
"You are different, Ginny Weasley. You saw right through that cover-boy image that they pasted on me, and saw ME. I can never thank you enough for that. I love you." He whispered, trailing his lips along the soft flesh of her neck. Ginny shivered in delight, and grasped his face between her hands, forcing him to look up.
"I love you, Harry Potter. But so help me, if you do a single prank to me this whole year..." Her threats were cut off by his mouth covering her's once more.
~*~*~*~
"Where have you been?! It is past two 'o' clock in the morning!"
This was the greeting that Harry and Ginny received when they finally returned to the common room; it was Ron yelling it. Behind him, a sleepy looking Hermione stood shaking her head, while the rest of the girls tried to keep themselves awake while sitting on one of the couches. Draco was sleepily draped over one of the arm-chairs, while Eriol propped his head up on a table, looking amused. Syaoran was leaning against the fire-place, scratching the back of his head sleepily and looking cuter than ever.
"We were talking, Ron. Now go to sleep." Ginny commanded. Ron growled.
"*Talking* does not involve getting your hair mussed, or a hickey on your neck, Ginny!" Ron shouted. Harry and Ginny blushed.
"Fine, then Ron. If you want to know the whole truth, here it is. I went up to the Astronomy tower, met Harry there, and we started to talk. Then, we both admitted our feelings for each other and started a killer snogging session that felt wonderful, thank you very much, and then Harry stopped and told me that if we didn't leave soon, my brother would kill him, so we left and here we are. Now, if you don't mind, I am going to sleep. Good night, Harry." Ginny whispered the last part, kissing him once more on the lips, and then going off to bed. By now, Harry was bright red, as was Ron (though both of them for different reasons), Hermione was giggling behind her hand, Sakura and Tomoyo were looking exceedingly happy, Rika was smiling, Draco and Eriol were snickering and Syaoran was smirking.
"YOU DID WHAT TO MY SISTER?!?!" Ron roared, causing them all to loose their smiles.
"Well, time for bed! Goodnight everyone!" With this, Harry bulleted up to his dorm and slammed the door. Ron was still seething, while Hermione tried to calm him down.
"Finally! I was wondering when they would finally come to their senses. Goodnight!" Eriol said, walking back up to his dorm. Everyone but Ron and Hermione followed his example.
"It could be worse. She could have fallen for Colin Creevy." She reminded him. Ron's response was to shiver in horror.
~*~*~*~
"Wonderful. We've lost another one to the forces of evil, girls." Bella sighed, as she spotted Harry and Ginny snuggling in a corner of the common room a week later. Lily and Sophia looked up and grinned.
"Well, at least she has a decent man, Bella. Now, if Remus, Peter, Serius, or even James acted like Harry, I might consider getting to know them better." Sophia sniffed, looking back down at her latest 'Teen Witch' issue.
"REALLY SOPHIAKINS? You love me enough to get to 'know' me?"
The three girls looked up in annoyance to see a smirking James, Peter, Serius and Remus looking down at them. Serius, who had been the one to speak, walked over to Bella and put his hand on her shoulder.
"I would like it better if Bella said something like that. I might just consider your offer." Serius said, with a mock sigh. Bella looked at him in disgust, and then slapped his hand hard.
"Get off me, Black. I have no intention of getting to know you, much less, like you. So bugger off." She snapped. Sakura, who was watching the scene from a nearby chair, saw something flash across Serius' face, that surprised her. She watched as the three girls got up and left to their dorm, and James nudged Remus and Peter away from the table. Serius just stood there, looking angry, and if not a little upset.
"Syaoran, wait here. I have to talk to Serius." Sakura whispered, getting up. Syaoran, who was sitting next to her chair, looked up in surprise, but nodded. Sakura walked over to Serius silently, and placed her hand on his arm.
"Serius, are you alright?" She questioned. Serius looked down into her worried green eyes and forced a smile.
"I'm fine, Sakura. Thanks for caring." This last part was said half- sarcastically, as the older boy stalked away. Sakura sighed.
"Do you see it? It's happening, Syaoran. That change that Professor Bella was talking about. She said that they all suddenly changed in seventh year...and that they were an item. But Syaoran...I sense something happening. Something is wrong." Sakura sighed, going over to him, and instead of sitting on the chair, she sat carefully in his lap and snuggled into his arms. He looked thoughtful.
"Voldemort was still strong at this time, Sakura. Innocent people are dying now, and there is nothing that we can do about it. I have a feeling that that is what you are feeling." Syaoran sighed. Sakura whimpered and buried her face in his chest. It was becoming harder for all of them to keep from spilling out their secret to these people.
"Love. That is what is hurting all of them. Love." Eriol murmured, coming up behind them. He was looking unusually tired. Behind him, Tomoyo was fixing a robe for the umpteenth time, and looking quite bored. Ginny and Harry were still snuggling in the corner, while Ron and Hermione had their heads bent over some homework. Rika and Draco were snuggled together on the couch, reading from the same book and occasionally laughing or commenting on it. Eriol sighed.
"There are hard times coming up...for all of us. Loss will be immense, and many students will have their hearts broken. But we must get through it. It is essential that we put up a good face during this time." Eriol said. The three who were actually paying attention to him nodded.
Little did they know, just how much pain the school would see within the next few months.
~*~*~*~
"Ugh! We have only been here two weeks, and already we have so much homework, I think I am going to explode! I mean, come on! We have done this already, for heaven's sake!" Ron complained, pounding his pillow. They were all grouped in the boys room for a Saturday afternoon of studying.
"Oh, Ron. It's only homework. And besides! We *have* done it, therefore it should be easier for you to get good grades!" Hermione squealed. Ron groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Mione', that is all you ever think about!" He chuckled, going back to his work.
"Um...everyone...have you noticed anything strange lately?" Sakura asked after a short bout of silence. Everyone looked at her and frowned.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked. Sakura looked upset.
"Lily has gone missing. I haven't seen her for days. Do you think something's wrong?" Sakura whimpered. Syaoran put a comforting arm around her and pulled her close.
"Probably not. She is most likely buried under a mound of homework, just like us!" Ron joked. There was relieved laughter, and no one said anything more about it.
~*~*~*~
No, Severus is not in love with Lily! In fact, they are just friends. But as to why he warned Lily to stay away from James and Harry...you will just have to wait and find out! It probably won't come out until just before the end of the story, but you can look for it earlier, just in case!
Now, because time moves differently where the CC gang is presently, this chapter and maybe all of the later ones, will skip over several weeks and focus only on important things that lead up to the Big Finale. What that is...you will just have to wait and find out!
Now, on with the story!
~*~*~*~
Leopard Spots and Zebra Stripes
By: Daphne Li
Chapter 6.
"Well, here we are. Seventh year and we have made no progress." Harry groaned, leaning back in his chair. It was the day before school was to start, and they had woken up early from their long sleep to get their school supplies. It had been almost four 'years' since they had arrived, and Lily and James were no closer to getting together, than oil is to mixing with water. The only minuscule way they had helped, was setting Molly Shepherd and Arthur Weasley up for a date in their sixth year. The two had hit it off, gotten married just out of their seventh year, had had a son, Charlie, and Molly was pregnant with a second child. (a/n: That would be Bill, for all of you who are too daft to know!)
"Do you think it is even possible? I mean, come on! Lily avoids James like the plague, and James pranks Lily every moment that he can." Hermione groaned, collapsing into Ron's lap.
"I can't think! I am going out for a walk!" Ginny groaned, leaving the room quickly. They watched her leave, and then Hermione and Ron followed her example, heading up to the boy's dormitories, probably for another snogging- session.
"Come on, Rika. We have some last minute homework to do." Draco mumbled, getting to his feet and leading her over to one of the corner tables. Sakura yawned and stretched, looking at Syaoran expectantly. He grinned and gently took her hand, leading her out of the portrait hole and into the hall. Tomoyo sighed and walked up to the girl's dormitories, mumbling something about sewing, while Eriol pulled a book out of nowhere and started to read. Harry looked around, bored, and then got up and left the room as well.
"Hmmm...lake, Hagrid's cabin, library, Astronomy tower..." Harry listed off all the places he could go.
"Astronomy tower. It looks like a good night for star-gazing." He mumbled, heading in that direction. He crept up the stairs and opened the Astronomy room door silently. To his surprise, however, someone was already there. A small, red-headed someone.
"Ginny? What are you doing here?" He hissed. She turned around in surprise, and then looked back out the window.
"Same thing as you, apparently." She answered back. Harry shut the door behind him, and then sat down next to her, enjoying the view. They sat there for quite some time, not saying anything, until:
"Harry, why did Draco's dad hate my father so much?" She asked. He started, and then grinned.
"Ginny, didn't you notice? Lucius Malfoy was in love with your mum!" He laughed. Ginny looked at him in astonishment, and then went over that information in her head.
"He was always staring at her with that look on his face. It was rather disgusting, to tell you the truth. Be glad that you missed it. But I have a feeling that is why his dad hates yours so much." Harry mussed. Ginny was silent again, but it didn't last long.
"What did you mean?" She questioned. He looked at her in confusion.
"What?"
"When we were at the 'Three Broomsticks' during fourth year. What did you mean when you told me...'I love you too, Ginny'?" She asked, her voice surprisingly steady. Harry's heart jumped, and he felt heat rush to his cheeks.
"I...I mean...this is rather sudden...why do you want to know?" He finally stammered out. Ginny smiled dryly.
"No reason. Only, people usually say that when they mean it." Her voice was sharp, bitter. Then she started to get up; alarmed that he had made her feel bad, Harry took hold of her wrist and pulled her back down. Their eyes met, his filled with something indecipherable, hers with hurt and need.
The stare was hypnotic and intense. Then, without warning, Harry's lips descended on her's for the second time in their lives. Ginny shuddered as Harry's arms slipped around her, holding her close against him, and the only thing she could do was to twine her arms around his neck. The kiss was intense, thorough, warm, loving. Without warning, Harry's tongue gently pressed against her lips and in her surprise, she opened them to allow him entrance. After a few moments, though, they were forced to pull away for lack of air.
"And if I did mean it?" He questioned, his lips finding hers once again. Ginny moaned in delight at what she was feeling and what he had just said. He loved her! HE LOVED HER!!!
"Then I don't see anything wrong with that." She managed, as he pulled away again. Harry's eyes were filled with love, and his fingers gently traced the shape of her cheek.
"You are different, Ginny Weasley. You saw right through that cover-boy image that they pasted on me, and saw ME. I can never thank you enough for that. I love you." He whispered, trailing his lips along the soft flesh of her neck. Ginny shivered in delight, and grasped his face between her hands, forcing him to look up.
"I love you, Harry Potter. But so help me, if you do a single prank to me this whole year..." Her threats were cut off by his mouth covering her's once more.
~*~*~*~
"Where have you been?! It is past two 'o' clock in the morning!"
This was the greeting that Harry and Ginny received when they finally returned to the common room; it was Ron yelling it. Behind him, a sleepy looking Hermione stood shaking her head, while the rest of the girls tried to keep themselves awake while sitting on one of the couches. Draco was sleepily draped over one of the arm-chairs, while Eriol propped his head up on a table, looking amused. Syaoran was leaning against the fire-place, scratching the back of his head sleepily and looking cuter than ever.
"We were talking, Ron. Now go to sleep." Ginny commanded. Ron growled.
"*Talking* does not involve getting your hair mussed, or a hickey on your neck, Ginny!" Ron shouted. Harry and Ginny blushed.
"Fine, then Ron. If you want to know the whole truth, here it is. I went up to the Astronomy tower, met Harry there, and we started to talk. Then, we both admitted our feelings for each other and started a killer snogging session that felt wonderful, thank you very much, and then Harry stopped and told me that if we didn't leave soon, my brother would kill him, so we left and here we are. Now, if you don't mind, I am going to sleep. Good night, Harry." Ginny whispered the last part, kissing him once more on the lips, and then going off to bed. By now, Harry was bright red, as was Ron (though both of them for different reasons), Hermione was giggling behind her hand, Sakura and Tomoyo were looking exceedingly happy, Rika was smiling, Draco and Eriol were snickering and Syaoran was smirking.
"YOU DID WHAT TO MY SISTER?!?!" Ron roared, causing them all to loose their smiles.
"Well, time for bed! Goodnight everyone!" With this, Harry bulleted up to his dorm and slammed the door. Ron was still seething, while Hermione tried to calm him down.
"Finally! I was wondering when they would finally come to their senses. Goodnight!" Eriol said, walking back up to his dorm. Everyone but Ron and Hermione followed his example.
"It could be worse. She could have fallen for Colin Creevy." She reminded him. Ron's response was to shiver in horror.
~*~*~*~
"Wonderful. We've lost another one to the forces of evil, girls." Bella sighed, as she spotted Harry and Ginny snuggling in a corner of the common room a week later. Lily and Sophia looked up and grinned.
"Well, at least she has a decent man, Bella. Now, if Remus, Peter, Serius, or even James acted like Harry, I might consider getting to know them better." Sophia sniffed, looking back down at her latest 'Teen Witch' issue.
"REALLY SOPHIAKINS? You love me enough to get to 'know' me?"
The three girls looked up in annoyance to see a smirking James, Peter, Serius and Remus looking down at them. Serius, who had been the one to speak, walked over to Bella and put his hand on her shoulder.
"I would like it better if Bella said something like that. I might just consider your offer." Serius said, with a mock sigh. Bella looked at him in disgust, and then slapped his hand hard.
"Get off me, Black. I have no intention of getting to know you, much less, like you. So bugger off." She snapped. Sakura, who was watching the scene from a nearby chair, saw something flash across Serius' face, that surprised her. She watched as the three girls got up and left to their dorm, and James nudged Remus and Peter away from the table. Serius just stood there, looking angry, and if not a little upset.
"Syaoran, wait here. I have to talk to Serius." Sakura whispered, getting up. Syaoran, who was sitting next to her chair, looked up in surprise, but nodded. Sakura walked over to Serius silently, and placed her hand on his arm.
"Serius, are you alright?" She questioned. Serius looked down into her worried green eyes and forced a smile.
"I'm fine, Sakura. Thanks for caring." This last part was said half- sarcastically, as the older boy stalked away. Sakura sighed.
"Do you see it? It's happening, Syaoran. That change that Professor Bella was talking about. She said that they all suddenly changed in seventh year...and that they were an item. But Syaoran...I sense something happening. Something is wrong." Sakura sighed, going over to him, and instead of sitting on the chair, she sat carefully in his lap and snuggled into his arms. He looked thoughtful.
"Voldemort was still strong at this time, Sakura. Innocent people are dying now, and there is nothing that we can do about it. I have a feeling that that is what you are feeling." Syaoran sighed. Sakura whimpered and buried her face in his chest. It was becoming harder for all of them to keep from spilling out their secret to these people.
"Love. That is what is hurting all of them. Love." Eriol murmured, coming up behind them. He was looking unusually tired. Behind him, Tomoyo was fixing a robe for the umpteenth time, and looking quite bored. Ginny and Harry were still snuggling in the corner, while Ron and Hermione had their heads bent over some homework. Rika and Draco were snuggled together on the couch, reading from the same book and occasionally laughing or commenting on it. Eriol sighed.
"There are hard times coming up...for all of us. Loss will be immense, and many students will have their hearts broken. But we must get through it. It is essential that we put up a good face during this time." Eriol said. The three who were actually paying attention to him nodded.
Little did they know, just how much pain the school would see within the next few months.
~*~*~*~
"Ugh! We have only been here two weeks, and already we have so much homework, I think I am going to explode! I mean, come on! We have done this already, for heaven's sake!" Ron complained, pounding his pillow. They were all grouped in the boys room for a Saturday afternoon of studying.
"Oh, Ron. It's only homework. And besides! We *have* done it, therefore it should be easier for you to get good grades!" Hermione squealed. Ron groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Mione', that is all you ever think about!" He chuckled, going back to his work.
"Um...everyone...have you noticed anything strange lately?" Sakura asked after a short bout of silence. Everyone looked at her and frowned.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked. Sakura looked upset.
"Lily has gone missing. I haven't seen her for days. Do you think something's wrong?" Sakura whimpered. Syaoran put a comforting arm around her and pulled her close.
"Probably not. She is most likely buried under a mound of homework, just like us!" Ron joked. There was relieved laughter, and no one said anything more about it.
~*~*~*~