Disclaimer: We are the Harry Potter fic called "Not Myself". Resistance as you know it is over. We will add your reviews and flames to the bucket in the corner.  You will be sucked in. Resistance is futile.

Disclaimer for Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.  Nor the Borg.  Other people own them.

Author's Note

As to the Mika in wolf form during the day thing, I was thinking about it while I was writing the last chapter, wondering about how I would do what I wanted.  And then I remember Remus saying something about him curling up under his desk in his office during the three days of the fool moon.  Which made me wonder if werewolves stay in wolf form for the entirety of the three days.  Not knowing if that is what J. K. meant, I just went on with the idea.

I don't recall who mentioned this and I can't get online at the moment to look it up but to whoever it was (and to anyone else who was wondering about it) here's yer answer.

And to whoever mentioned the Christmas Eve/Morning thing, Eve was first night of the full moon.  As there are three, Mika would have had two more days left (Christmas morn being the second).

Author's Note 2

We are the Harry Potter Borg Alliance. We rate your story as an A+, worthy of assimilation. We shall add you ditinctive wrting style and uniquness to our own. We shall also take control of your original chracters and you as well and make them Borg.
Resistance is futile.
((Seriously! A+! Kick ass!))
Lower your shields, and prepare to be assimilated.

*snorting hysterically*  That's the funniest review I've ever had!  Thanks ever so much for the laugh you just gave me!  =D

Not Myself by Saerry Snape

Chapter 147 – OWLS of Romance

"Hareeeeeeeeeeey!"

"Wha'?  GODS!"

The chair Harry was sitting in tipped backwards as Niamh charged across the common room and leapt onto his lap.  She laughed merrily and waved an envelope in his face as he rubbed the back of his head – which had decided it was high time it met the floor.

"What in Merlin's name is wrong with you?" asked Mika, peering at Niamh over the side of the couch with his still slightly amber eyes.  He winced with the motion and leaned back, laying his head on Ginny's shoulder.  "Oh, not a good idea to move that much…"

Ginny smiled gently and leaned her head against his.  It was only two days since the last day of the fool moon and the new werewolf was experiencing his second dose of after-change pains.

"What is it?" asked Ginny, catching a glimpse of the envelope Niamh was waving wildly about.

"Do tell," growled Harry, wincing as he felt a lump forming on the back of his head.  He closed one eye and squinted at the girl sitting atop him with the other.

Niamh grinned cheekily and chirped, "Its your OWLS!"

"What?" exclaimed Ginny.  "I thought you weren't taking those until Christmas hols, Harry.  Not before."

"I took 'em early.  Now, give me tha!"

Harry tried to snatch the envelope from Niamh but she laughed and held it out of his reach.

"Uh-uh!  I wanna see first!"

The dark-haired teen shrugged in defeat and watched in amusement as she ripped the envelope open.

"Two O's in Potions – why am I not surprised? -, an E and an O in Transfiguration, two O's in Charms, two in History, two in Defense – as if you wouldn't have that -, two in Divination – I find that laughable -, aaaaand an O and an E in Herbology.  Fourteen in all!  WHEE!"

"I feel so overjoyed," said Harry blandly as the cheery girl hugged him about the neck.

"Cheers, Harry," said Mika.  "You beat all of us but Mione.  Say, anyone know what Malfoy got?"

"Eleven," replied Amanda as the girl flopped down into a chair across from the pair on the couch.  "Parkinson was bragging about it.  She only got seven."

"Ouch."

"Don't you need eight to pass or something?" asked Niamh, not noticing the glare Harry was sending her.

Amanda nodded and said, "Something like that.  Oh, and Niamh, its probably a good idea to get off Harry."

"Huh?"

The dark-haired girl looked down at the boy she was sitting atop and blushed as she saw him glowering at her.

"Oh.  Sorry, Harry."

Harry just arched an eyebrow at her then smirked and rolled over, bringing the chair and Niamh after him.  The girl squealed and the others caught a flash of surprise in her eyes before she vanished behind the chair.  There was a short scuffle and then Harry scrambled to his feet, sprinting towards the exit into the corridor.

Niamh was up a moment later, the thrill of the chase bright in her eyes.  With a dog-like 'yip' she charged after Harry, leaping through the closing entrance after him.

The others heard her shriek and then Harry's shout before there was a loud crash.  Harry cursed loud enough that there was a shout from down the hall of, "MISTER POTTER!"  A shout that sounded very much like Snape.

Mika and Ginny looked at each other then burst out laughing.  Amanda just smiled and shook her head in amusement.

* * * *

"I can'na believe ye jumped on my back."

"Well, I did.  I didn't really hurt you, did I?"

Harry glared at Niamh and lifted his skinned elbow for inspection.  He arched a querying eyebrow at her and she blushed.

"Sorry."

Harry sighed and slumped against the stone wall.  He and Niamh had – after the scene in the common room – gone up to the West Tower, which seemed to have become their regular place to turn to when they wanted some place away from…well, everything.

"I's alright, Ni.  S'not like I have'n skinned that elbow a 'undred times before."

"But this time it was my fault."

"Stop that!  I'm the only one in this 'ere castle who can blame themselves fer anything."

Niamh turned her head to glare at him from where she stood looking down at the grounds and Harry winced.  He'd meant it as a joke…

"Don't you say that!" she exclaimed.  "You've got less right than me to blame yourself for anything!"

"I was my faul' Mika got bitten, mine that Mischa's arm is broken, mine that me Da was injured, mine that Tyls was brough' back, mine that C…"

Niamh rushed across the space between them and clapped her hand over his mouth, tears welling in her eyes.

"No," she hissed softly, dropping to her knees.  "That wasn't your fault, Harry."

He mumbled something behind her hand and she asked, "What?"

Harry sighed and reached up to move her hand away from his mouth.

"Ye didn't even le' me finish."

Niamh smiled sadly and whispered, "I knew what you were going to say."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Wha' then?"

"Cedric.  You blame yourself for Cedric."

Harry blinked for a few moments then turned his face away from hers.  He tried to keep his feelings of shame from her senses but by the look on her face (which he could see out of the corner of his eye) she felt it.

Gentle fingers reached out and forced his face back towards her.  Harry winced as he saw the tears that were now running silently down her cheeks and reached up with his left hand to brush them away.

"I do," he whispered, looking at her face but not her eyes – which was a rather hard trick to learn.  "I blame meself every day."

"Harry…"

"I should 'ave just grabbed it.  Grabbed it an' got taken there alone.  Then 'e wouldn't be dead…"

Niamh leaned forward and grabbed his face between his hands, forcing his eyes to meet hers.

"But if you had," she murmured, "if you had, I – I would never have realized my feelings for you."

"Ye'd have been far safer wi' him."

"So?  I live for danger.  Cedric was…wonderful…but I want some danger in my life.  I don't want to just fall in love, marry, and then settle down to some boring life.  Its not me."

"How do ye know that would be 'ow it would have been wi' Cedric?" asked Harry.

She smiled and replied, "I may not be able to see it but I can feel it.  Trust me on this."

"I do.  I should trust ye wi' everything."

"No one can trust anyone with everything, Harry.  It took you a year to tell me about Tyls."

"And ye three ter tell me about yer father."

"What about what happened in your coma?  You haven't told me that yet?"

Harry scowled and snapped, "Tha's none of yer business!"

"Please, Harry.  You know you can trust me."

"I can't," breathed Harry, looking down at her knees, which were situated between his feet.  "I don't wan' anyone else ter know.  I's mine, y'see.  Jus' for me."

Niamh looked at him for a long time before she said, "You saw your mother, didn't you?"

The emerald eyes lifted and glared accusingly at her but she lifted her hands in defense.

"I didn't read your mind, I swear.  You know I wouldn't do something like that."

"Then 'ow…?"

"She's the only thing you've ever wanted to keep to yourself," replied Niamh in a gentle voice.

Harry looked at her for a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity before his shoulders slumped.  The entire story spilled out of him, then and there.  He told her everything about what had happened in his coma.

It was a story he could only tell once and he was telling it to the one person in the world he loved more than his parents.

When he finished, Niamh sat there in awe.  She was surprised to see the sparkle of tears on her friend's pale cheeks.

Before she knew what she was doing, she leaned forward, gently lifting his head with her hands.  Harry's closed eyes flew open as she kissed his tears away with slow, gentle motions.

When she leaned back, he was giving her the oddest and most open look that he had ever given her.

Niamh smiled gently and started to shrug but was suddenly jerked forward by strong arms.  She tumbled helplessly against Harry's chest and blinked in confusion as he lifted her chin, their eyes meeting.  He leaned forward and her eyes widened before their lips met.

Another moment stretched into eternity and beyond before Harry pulled away from Niamh.  Sapphire eyes opened and a smile turned the corner's of the girl's lips.

"That was…"

"Shh," said Harry, leaning in for another kiss.

* * * *

"Where could they be?"

"Hey, what about the Tower?"

"Trelawney's?"

"No!  The West one.  The one that'll only let Slytherin's up."

"Good idea.  Let's go.  But slowly!"

Ginny smiled gently and slowed down for Mika, who was wincing every twelve steps.  The two of them slowly made their way up the winding stairs of the tower, panting by the time they reached the top.

Gently pushing the door open, they peered out…

"Oh!" whispered Ginny.

Mika frowned and peered over her head at the scene playing out on the tower's balcony.

"Well, well," he said softly.  "Its about damn time."

"Hush.  Let's go back."

Closing the door carefully, Ginny turned and started down the stairs, Mika at her side.  After a moment, the werewolf's arm wrapped gingerly about her shoulders.  A slim arm wrapping about his waist made the werewolf smile and he looked down at the redhead, who met his smile with one of her own.

At the top of the tower, Harry and Niamh pulled away from each other and smiled.

Author's Notes

Mel: I GOT MY KISS!

Saerry: Hey, mine too!

Saerwy: Aw, they're so sweeeet.

Atra: *blinks*  What's up with chicks and romance?

Bryv: We will never know.