"Good morning class" Professor Snape stood infront of the class, his arms
crossed across his chest. "Today is an important lesson. For some it will
be harder to grasp." He glared at Harry and he recognised the hate that had
always been there between them. Harry glared right back. "For those of us
with the gift in potions" he looked at Draco with the pride that he
reserved for his Slytherin members. "This potion will be simple to
understand." He turned his direction back to the class. " Turn to page 130
in your text books."
Harry glanced over at Hermione as he opened his book. He smiled weakly as
he caught her eyes. She glanced away, and started cutting up her toad
warts.
Harry sat alone at the table. He could feel people staring at him. He ate quickly before rushing up to the house common room to get his broom. He sat on his broom and kicked off the ground. He felt the stress of the days leave as he soared higher into the sky. Once at a reasonable height, Harry stopped and hovered. Carefully, he layed on his broom and watched the people below him. He felt so free of all the problems. A for a few free minutes, Harry was glad to be alone. Harry scanned the ground below him and spotted Ginny. He smiled as he watched her, sitting so innocently on the ground, eating a sandwich she had taken from the Great Hall. Suddenly Harry watched the ground eagerly as a tall, athletic boy sat with Ginny. They seemed to know each other, because they greeted each other with a warm hug. Harry felt the jealousy rise in him as Ginny left her half eaten sandwich on the ground and got onto the boys broom with him. Staying out of sight, Harry followed the pair, all the time thinking, 'It's not as bad as it looks.' Just above and ahead of Harry the pair stopped and the boy turned around to face her. Harry recognised the boy now as the Ravenclaw quidditch teams Seeker. They were talking and sitting close, his hand creeping up her skirt. Suddenly, the boy kissed Ginny. Harry watched for a moment before seeing Ginny kissing him passionately back.
Harry felt his heart drop as he watched them. What Jennifer had told him was true. Ginny was cheating on him. Harry dived onto the Quidditch pitch near a group of Gryffindors. Harry tried to get off his broom, but instead tripped on his robes. Normally this would cause the people around him to laugh, but one look at the pain and anger on his face told the group surrounding him not to make a sound. Harry turned to the people around him. "I just want to be alone." He said before picking up his firebolt and heading towards the castle. Hermione stepped forward, but Harry just glared at her, as if daring her to try and speak before heading away from her. Hermione caught Ron's eye before rushing after him.
Harry got to Gryffindor tower just as he saw Ginny enter before him. Anger built inside him as she watched her and he strode forward and said the password. Harry left his broom in the common room and marched up the stairs that lead to the Girls dormantaries. He opened the door without knocking. Ginny spun in her chair, pausing at her parchment. "Harry" she exclaimed as she rolled up the parchment. "Your not allowed up here." Harry laughed, "Well it did stop us before did it?" He advanced on Ginny. He sat on her bed. "Harry, are you alright?" Ginny had never seen Harry like this, and it scared her slightly as she watched him. He stared at her, not blinking. She settled back in the chair, and watched him watching her. "Do you love me Ginny?" Ginny looked him in the eye. " With all my heart." She assured him. Harry nodded. " Then do you love him then?" Ginny looked at Harry confused. "What are you talking about?" "Oh I don't know Ginny. Perhaps I'm talking about the guy you kissed 10 minutes ago?" Harry watched Ginny shuffle uncomfortably in her chair, but he didn't care. Harry wanted the truth. I-I-I didn't." she stuttered. Harry sat on her desk. "Don't lie to me. You love me, remember, and when you love someone you don't lie to them." Ginny got up and stared at him, anger in her eyes. " Who told you? They're lying to you. I swear. Was it that bitch Jennifer? You know that she wants you, that she's jealous of what we have. Why would you believe her?" "Actually, Ginny, she did tell me, Christmas eve, but I didn't believe her. I thought you loved me and nothing could stop that. But then today I saw you, I saw you kissing some guy! I saw you get on his broom, I saw you fly around, Ginny, I saw you kissing him!" Ginny watched Harry throughout his speech. When he was done, she smiled slowly. "Alright Harry, you want the truth, fine, here it is. Yes, I did kiss him. His name is James. And I have only known him for about a week now. You see Harry." Ginny sat on the bed opposite him. "Me and my friends had a bet last year, who could sleep with the famous Harry Potter. We all knew that you wouldn't sleep with just anybody." She looked him in the eye. " You had to be in love." She said mockingly. "All my friends tried. You may have noticed that they were all flirting with you?" Harry nodded dumbly. " Well now you know why. But I had inside information. You are my brothers' best friend. So why they threw themselves all over you, I just sat back and watched, taking mental notes on what worked, what you liked." "How much was the bet?" asked Harry disgusted with what he was hearing. " Up to almost 100 Galleons. Anyway, when I got to the train this year and saw you all over that.." "I was not all over her!" Harry insisted. "Anyway, when I saw you with that new girl, Jennifer, I saw that I may never get a chance to win, that she might get in there first. I knew that if I didn't do something soon, I could kiss the money goodbye." Ginny giggled. "And I won. I did something no-one else had ever done, I seduced Harry Potter." " And that's why you went home, for the holidays. To tell them you had done it, to get the money together." Ginny nodded and smiled again. " But why Ginny? Why would you just want to sleep with me?" "I thought you would have figured that out. You're the Boy Who Lived! Do you realise that you are in the top 5 fantasies in this school? To be your girl friend is a privilege. But to take your virginity, well, that's an honour. It is a guarantee for worldwide fame. It will really help my plans for a acting caree." Harry sat in shock. " You mean that this was a publicity stunt?!" Ginny nodded. " Sorry Harry, but you were just a bet." Before Harry could stop himself, he slapped Ginny across the face. "You are a slut." Was all he could say before he left. She watched him leave with a hand over her face.
Harry raced down the stairs only to be met by a gang of Gryffindors. Harry stopped at the last step. Hermione walked up to him. "Harry, are you alright?" Harry glared at her. All the pain and hurt that he had just received from the news Ginny had told him caused him to loose control. "No, Hermione. I'm not." He yelled at her before headed towards the boys dorms. Hermione ran after him. Behind her she could hear Ron following her and whispers from the students that stood around the common room.
Hermione stopped once she reached outside Harry's door. She knocked politely. She heard a sob and then nothing else. Hermione glanced back at Ron. He stared at the door blankly and shrugged. Hermione opened the door. "Harry?" Harry sat not facing her, sitting at the window. "Harry, are you ok?" Harry glanced at the pair of them and laughed, Hermione looked at Harry as if he had just gone mad. "Why not Ron? This is the first proper conversation we have had since we got here! And Hermione," Harry glared at her. "You haven't spoken a word to me for months, for a reason I don't even know. Can't you just see how happy I am!" Harry turned away again. Ron sat on Harry's bed. He wasn't used to this, sudden outbursts of emotions was not something that happened regularly at home. He sat there, staring up at Hermione, hoping for a sign, hoping that someone would tell him what to do. Hermione knelt beside Harry. "I'm sorry. Harry, I am so sorry." She looked up at Ron. "Could we speak in private for a moment?" Ron smiled. "Alright." Ron left the room, feeling relieved that he could get out of there, without seeing another emotional show. "Harry, I am sorry, but what you did upset me." Harry turned to face her. He had tears streaking down his face. "Well if you had told me what I had done wrong Hermione, I would have fixed it." Hermione got up and sat on the bed. She patted the space beside her. Harry reluctantly got up and sat beside her. "Remember on the train, you asked me for my advice and I said to follow your heart?" Harry nodded and wiped his face. "And evidently, it lead to Ginny. I've never told you this but I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for years. When I first saw you on the train." Harry stood up and faced the window. "Ha. Love! Whatever that means. What do you want to win?" He turned to face her. "How many Galleons am I worth to you?!" Harry's voice was rising but he didn't care, he didn't trust anyone anymore. "Who's in it so I can go and yell at them too." Hermione stood up, her hands on her hips. "I just confessed my love for you, Harry, a love that has been growing for seven years, and you start yelling at me like a wild troll!" Harry laughed. "What is love Hermione? What is it? Sex? Well I can do that, anyone could do that. And why love me? I'm sure there's someone for you in Ravenclaw! Or maybe it's the power you're attracted to, try Slytherin." Harry took a breath. " Try anywhere, just forget about love with Harry Potter!" Harry almost spat out his own name with disgust. Hermione looked at him. "What has she done to you?" she asked gently, not wanting another scene. Harry glared at her. "Why? Do you want to break my heart too?" "No, I am your friend Harry, and I want to help you." Harry sat on a chair, feeling the energy leave him. "She won a bet." He murmured. He looked at Hermione but she looked confused. " A hundred Galleon bet, with her friends. Can you guess what it was for?" Hermione shrugged. "Who could fuck me!" Harry felt the old anger rise, but he tried to control it. "Whoever did me first won a hundred Galleons. I can't believe I fell for it. I loved her, Hermione. I slept with her to show her how much she ment to me, only to find that she didn't care at all. Do you have any idea what that feels like?" Hermione shook her head. "No, I don't. And I don't think anyone should have to experience that either." She kissed Harry's cheek softly. As she drew away, Harry put a hand on her cheek and gently pulled her towards him. "I'm sorry." Harry said and he kissed her passionately. Hermione kissed him back. Slowly she pulled away. "Harry, you can't do that. You don't love me. I know you don't. You should be with the one you love." Harry looked at her surprised and confused. "Ginny?" He asked with a hint of loathing. "No. Jennifer. I see the way you look at her, and the way she talks to you. You can not deny it." Hermione turned away and left Harry with his thoughts.
Harry sat alone at the table. He could feel people staring at him. He ate quickly before rushing up to the house common room to get his broom. He sat on his broom and kicked off the ground. He felt the stress of the days leave as he soared higher into the sky. Once at a reasonable height, Harry stopped and hovered. Carefully, he layed on his broom and watched the people below him. He felt so free of all the problems. A for a few free minutes, Harry was glad to be alone. Harry scanned the ground below him and spotted Ginny. He smiled as he watched her, sitting so innocently on the ground, eating a sandwich she had taken from the Great Hall. Suddenly Harry watched the ground eagerly as a tall, athletic boy sat with Ginny. They seemed to know each other, because they greeted each other with a warm hug. Harry felt the jealousy rise in him as Ginny left her half eaten sandwich on the ground and got onto the boys broom with him. Staying out of sight, Harry followed the pair, all the time thinking, 'It's not as bad as it looks.' Just above and ahead of Harry the pair stopped and the boy turned around to face her. Harry recognised the boy now as the Ravenclaw quidditch teams Seeker. They were talking and sitting close, his hand creeping up her skirt. Suddenly, the boy kissed Ginny. Harry watched for a moment before seeing Ginny kissing him passionately back.
Harry felt his heart drop as he watched them. What Jennifer had told him was true. Ginny was cheating on him. Harry dived onto the Quidditch pitch near a group of Gryffindors. Harry tried to get off his broom, but instead tripped on his robes. Normally this would cause the people around him to laugh, but one look at the pain and anger on his face told the group surrounding him not to make a sound. Harry turned to the people around him. "I just want to be alone." He said before picking up his firebolt and heading towards the castle. Hermione stepped forward, but Harry just glared at her, as if daring her to try and speak before heading away from her. Hermione caught Ron's eye before rushing after him.
Harry got to Gryffindor tower just as he saw Ginny enter before him. Anger built inside him as she watched her and he strode forward and said the password. Harry left his broom in the common room and marched up the stairs that lead to the Girls dormantaries. He opened the door without knocking. Ginny spun in her chair, pausing at her parchment. "Harry" she exclaimed as she rolled up the parchment. "Your not allowed up here." Harry laughed, "Well it did stop us before did it?" He advanced on Ginny. He sat on her bed. "Harry, are you alright?" Ginny had never seen Harry like this, and it scared her slightly as she watched him. He stared at her, not blinking. She settled back in the chair, and watched him watching her. "Do you love me Ginny?" Ginny looked him in the eye. " With all my heart." She assured him. Harry nodded. " Then do you love him then?" Ginny looked at Harry confused. "What are you talking about?" "Oh I don't know Ginny. Perhaps I'm talking about the guy you kissed 10 minutes ago?" Harry watched Ginny shuffle uncomfortably in her chair, but he didn't care. Harry wanted the truth. I-I-I didn't." she stuttered. Harry sat on her desk. "Don't lie to me. You love me, remember, and when you love someone you don't lie to them." Ginny got up and stared at him, anger in her eyes. " Who told you? They're lying to you. I swear. Was it that bitch Jennifer? You know that she wants you, that she's jealous of what we have. Why would you believe her?" "Actually, Ginny, she did tell me, Christmas eve, but I didn't believe her. I thought you loved me and nothing could stop that. But then today I saw you, I saw you kissing some guy! I saw you get on his broom, I saw you fly around, Ginny, I saw you kissing him!" Ginny watched Harry throughout his speech. When he was done, she smiled slowly. "Alright Harry, you want the truth, fine, here it is. Yes, I did kiss him. His name is James. And I have only known him for about a week now. You see Harry." Ginny sat on the bed opposite him. "Me and my friends had a bet last year, who could sleep with the famous Harry Potter. We all knew that you wouldn't sleep with just anybody." She looked him in the eye. " You had to be in love." She said mockingly. "All my friends tried. You may have noticed that they were all flirting with you?" Harry nodded dumbly. " Well now you know why. But I had inside information. You are my brothers' best friend. So why they threw themselves all over you, I just sat back and watched, taking mental notes on what worked, what you liked." "How much was the bet?" asked Harry disgusted with what he was hearing. " Up to almost 100 Galleons. Anyway, when I got to the train this year and saw you all over that.." "I was not all over her!" Harry insisted. "Anyway, when I saw you with that new girl, Jennifer, I saw that I may never get a chance to win, that she might get in there first. I knew that if I didn't do something soon, I could kiss the money goodbye." Ginny giggled. "And I won. I did something no-one else had ever done, I seduced Harry Potter." " And that's why you went home, for the holidays. To tell them you had done it, to get the money together." Ginny nodded and smiled again. " But why Ginny? Why would you just want to sleep with me?" "I thought you would have figured that out. You're the Boy Who Lived! Do you realise that you are in the top 5 fantasies in this school? To be your girl friend is a privilege. But to take your virginity, well, that's an honour. It is a guarantee for worldwide fame. It will really help my plans for a acting caree." Harry sat in shock. " You mean that this was a publicity stunt?!" Ginny nodded. " Sorry Harry, but you were just a bet." Before Harry could stop himself, he slapped Ginny across the face. "You are a slut." Was all he could say before he left. She watched him leave with a hand over her face.
Harry raced down the stairs only to be met by a gang of Gryffindors. Harry stopped at the last step. Hermione walked up to him. "Harry, are you alright?" Harry glared at her. All the pain and hurt that he had just received from the news Ginny had told him caused him to loose control. "No, Hermione. I'm not." He yelled at her before headed towards the boys dorms. Hermione ran after him. Behind her she could hear Ron following her and whispers from the students that stood around the common room.
Hermione stopped once she reached outside Harry's door. She knocked politely. She heard a sob and then nothing else. Hermione glanced back at Ron. He stared at the door blankly and shrugged. Hermione opened the door. "Harry?" Harry sat not facing her, sitting at the window. "Harry, are you ok?" Harry glanced at the pair of them and laughed, Hermione looked at Harry as if he had just gone mad. "Why not Ron? This is the first proper conversation we have had since we got here! And Hermione," Harry glared at her. "You haven't spoken a word to me for months, for a reason I don't even know. Can't you just see how happy I am!" Harry turned away again. Ron sat on Harry's bed. He wasn't used to this, sudden outbursts of emotions was not something that happened regularly at home. He sat there, staring up at Hermione, hoping for a sign, hoping that someone would tell him what to do. Hermione knelt beside Harry. "I'm sorry. Harry, I am so sorry." She looked up at Ron. "Could we speak in private for a moment?" Ron smiled. "Alright." Ron left the room, feeling relieved that he could get out of there, without seeing another emotional show. "Harry, I am sorry, but what you did upset me." Harry turned to face her. He had tears streaking down his face. "Well if you had told me what I had done wrong Hermione, I would have fixed it." Hermione got up and sat on the bed. She patted the space beside her. Harry reluctantly got up and sat beside her. "Remember on the train, you asked me for my advice and I said to follow your heart?" Harry nodded and wiped his face. "And evidently, it lead to Ginny. I've never told you this but I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for years. When I first saw you on the train." Harry stood up and faced the window. "Ha. Love! Whatever that means. What do you want to win?" He turned to face her. "How many Galleons am I worth to you?!" Harry's voice was rising but he didn't care, he didn't trust anyone anymore. "Who's in it so I can go and yell at them too." Hermione stood up, her hands on her hips. "I just confessed my love for you, Harry, a love that has been growing for seven years, and you start yelling at me like a wild troll!" Harry laughed. "What is love Hermione? What is it? Sex? Well I can do that, anyone could do that. And why love me? I'm sure there's someone for you in Ravenclaw! Or maybe it's the power you're attracted to, try Slytherin." Harry took a breath. " Try anywhere, just forget about love with Harry Potter!" Harry almost spat out his own name with disgust. Hermione looked at him. "What has she done to you?" she asked gently, not wanting another scene. Harry glared at her. "Why? Do you want to break my heart too?" "No, I am your friend Harry, and I want to help you." Harry sat on a chair, feeling the energy leave him. "She won a bet." He murmured. He looked at Hermione but she looked confused. " A hundred Galleon bet, with her friends. Can you guess what it was for?" Hermione shrugged. "Who could fuck me!" Harry felt the old anger rise, but he tried to control it. "Whoever did me first won a hundred Galleons. I can't believe I fell for it. I loved her, Hermione. I slept with her to show her how much she ment to me, only to find that she didn't care at all. Do you have any idea what that feels like?" Hermione shook her head. "No, I don't. And I don't think anyone should have to experience that either." She kissed Harry's cheek softly. As she drew away, Harry put a hand on her cheek and gently pulled her towards him. "I'm sorry." Harry said and he kissed her passionately. Hermione kissed him back. Slowly she pulled away. "Harry, you can't do that. You don't love me. I know you don't. You should be with the one you love." Harry looked at her surprised and confused. "Ginny?" He asked with a hint of loathing. "No. Jennifer. I see the way you look at her, and the way she talks to you. You can not deny it." Hermione turned away and left Harry with his thoughts.