Harry squeezed his eyes shut as he reached into the darkness. There were demons in this dark hellhole; he was certain of it. If it weren't for the whole Muggle thing, he was almost willing to bet that there was a Boggart hiding inside his old cupboard under the stairs. He let out a howl when his hand touched something wet.

"AAARGH! No way! Awww, NASTY…" Rose shook her head pityingly, patting his arm to comfort him.

"Look, Harry, I'll clean the cupboard out if you wa- eeek!" she shrieked and backed away when Harry produced a wet, mouldy sponge from a corner with a grimace. "What the heck is that doing in there?"

"Um, when I first moved into my bedroom upstairs, a pipe in the cupboard had started to spring a leak," Harry said, contemplating. "I remember putting a sponge there the week before I left…ugh. Six year old leakage."

Rose bit her lip, trying to keep a laugh in check. "Boys. I swear, you're all the same."

Hermione nodded fervently from her spot next to Rose. "I can't decide whether that sponge belongs in a Petrie dish or a zoo," she said passionately. "Growths like that bring a whole new meaning to the word 'penicillin'."

"No kidding. It's like a lucky dip, trying to clean out this cupboard. Never know what I'm going to find."

"Well, I'll see about trying to get a lightbulb, okay? It'll be better once we can get some light down here," Hermione offered, trying to be useful.

Harry looked doubtful. "Aunt Petunia keeps spares in the third drawer of the kitchen – across from the fridge. I'm not sure if there'll be any left, though."

Rose shrugged. "I'll check."

"You know what they are?"

Rose nodded, frowning slightly. "I'm not dense. Dumbledore made sure I took Muggle Studies from him personally."

She stood up straighter, rolling her shoulders to get the crick out of her neck. Watching Harry go back in, she winced. It was really unacceptable, the way he was expected to live. Ron, Gin, Lindsey, Rory and Draco were upstairs, speaking in hushed tones.

Rose walked over to the kitchen, still feeling weird in her Muggle clothes. She was wearing a dark purple fluffy-knit jumper with a rolling collar. It was one of Hermione's favourite pieces, and was bought overseas in France. Despite this, Rose actually felt kind of silly wearing it. She was used to wearing robes or nightgowns, but her clothes were predominantly medieval style dresses. No particular reason, she just liked them. Three cheers for velvet and silk. In the Wizarding World, it was quite acceptable for women to wear such clothes. Rory had said that her aunt Narcissa, Draco's mother, spent most of her time in them as well. It was a Pureblood trait.

Rose wasn't a Pureblood, but hey. It felt and looked good.

To complete the outfit, Hermione had given Rose a pair of low-cut, dark denim jeans. Rose had been assured that it looked fine, but still. It felt foreign, like she was pretending to be someone she wasn't.

Jeans. The very word was foreign to Rose. Hello? Dresses!

Rose approached the kitchen and made a beeline for the third drawer. She gripped the chrome handle and pulled, and the drawer slid open smoothly. Corn-cob holders, aluminium foil, Glad-Wrap, some permanent pens…no lightbulbs. She shut the drawer slowly, mulling it over with a slight frown on her face. If I were a lightbulb, where would I be?

"What are you looking for?"

Rose started, and spun around quickly. She banged her knee on the corner, but ignored it. Petunia appeared out of nowhere, tapping her long fingernails on the polished granite bench top impatiently.

"I, um, was looking for some light bulbs for, ah, Harry's room. He said third drawer, but…" she gestured loosely at the unfruitful drawer.

Petunia regarded her silently for a moment without saying a word. Seeming to come to a conclusion in her own mind, she tilted her head calculatingly. "We're all out," she said evenly. "I'll go buy some more when I go to the shop."

"Okay, great," Rose nodded. She pulled awkwardly at her jumper. "Um, Aunt Petunia…I don't really have enough clothes for three weeks. Dumbledore said I could buy some clothes when I arrived – he gave me money. Could you perhaps take me to the shops sometime?"

Petunia Dursley nodded. "Of course." She paused, thinking. "Actually, I need to go shopping for eleven people this evening…It'll probably take more than one shopping trolley. If I take you this afternoon, and leave earlier than usual, we could go clothes shopping then go for groceries. We might even need another pair of hands – how about that Granger girl? She seems normal enough."

Rose brightened externally, but inside her heart sunk guiltily. Here she was, going for a shopping spree, when poor Harry was cleaning out six-year-old mould! "Yeah, that sounds fantastic!"

Petunia felt a smile threatening to emerge. "We'll go in an hour or so. Yes, we'll have to go clothes shopping first, so that the perishable groceries don't spend too much time in the car." She sighed wearily. "I still have no idea what to cook to keep this mob happy for three weeks."

Rose grinned wryly. "I'm sure it'll be fine. Did you know, Mrs Weasley has to cook for twenty people every meal, minimum?"

Petunia stared back, unimpressed. Rose changed tactics. "Ooo-kay. Uh, I'll go tell Hermione."

"You do that."

Rose offered a weak smile and walked out into the hallway. She could hear voices rising steadily. Hermione's voice was taking on a bossy tone.

"NO! I told you, no, don't- oh, now look, you've got grease all over you."

"It's not my fault! You're the one who wanted to clean behind the pipe as well."

"But I didn't say to open that valve up! You're lucky that wasn't the septic pipe."

"…thank you very much. I'm never going to get that thought out of my head."

"Septic tank leaking on you while you sleep?" Rose asked, kneeling.

"How'd you guess?" Harry answered, rolling his eyes behind his glasses, which were now covered in grease.

"Psychic, remember?" Rose smiled when Harry snorted, and put a hand on his arm. "Harry, you should go upstairs and clean that grease off before Beefy comes home with Beefy Junior." She gave him a shove in the direction of the bathroom. "Just take a break from cleaning until we go shopping and come back with lightbulbs."

Harry shrugged, standing slowly. His back was killing him; it was evident from his stooped shoulders and 'my back is killing me' comment.

"Hey Hermione – I talked to Aunt Petunia and she wants you and me to go shopping with her in an hour. We're going clothes shopping first, and then groceries."

"Oh. Um, okay. How'd I get picked for shopping duty?"

Rose shrugged. "Apparently you're the most normal."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Came a cocky voice from above them. Rose and Hermione looked up to see Draco leaning against the stair banister.

"Whatever, peroxide boy," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Actually, speaking of peroxide, how's Rory going?"

Harry dragged himself into the bathroom with some strong cleaning agents, meeting Aurora at the sink.

"Harry! Whoa, what happened to you?" she cried, eyeing his dishevelled and thoroughly greased appearance.

"Undid a valve under my cupboard that I shouldn't have," he replied wryly. "Although I think I've grown as a person, after that experience."

Aurora grimaced and handed him some soap. "Um, I'm glad?"

They both sat down on the edge of the bathtub, him trying to scrub his right arm clean for a start. Aurora sighed, glaring vehemently at the other side of the room. Harry followed her gaze and found himself looking at a bottle of peroxide.

"I really am sorry about the bleach," he said remorsefully, "but the Dursleys are magic Nazis."

"It's not your fault, Harry. You don't have to apologise. I'm sorry you had to live here for ten solid years."

"Not your fault either," Harry chuckled.

Aurora grinned. She stood and made her way over to the bleach, picking it up disdainfully. "Arrivederci, blue."

"Always a drama queen." Draco shook his head from the doorway. Aurora flicked her hair dangerously.

"Care to come closer and say that?"

"Um, no thanks."

Hermione sashayed past Draco into the bathroom, planting herself in front of the mirror. "Why, Draco? Are you scared?" she teased.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I don't pick fights with girls."

Harry blinked. "Might want to rethink that."

Hermione smirked. "Yeah, I slapped you with style back in third year." She paused, thinking back. Ah, yes. It had been a particularly stressful day, what with Buckbeak and trying to fit in all her classes with the use of her Time-Turner. He had struck a nerve; crossed a line. Something within Hermione had snapped and – SMACK. The rest was history. She sighed, a dreamy look crossing her face.

Aurora tittered, observing Hermione's face. A quick glance told her that Harry was sporting a similar expression. Draco was rolling his eyes.

"But I didn't fight back, you silly girl," he sneered. "I was brought up properly."

Harry's look dissolved as he thought of Lucius Malfoy.

Yeah, sure Draco was brought up properly. Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater, for God's sake! Harry knew all too well that Lucius would have brought up Draco from the very beginning to be a Death Eater when he graduated. Harry's jaw set at an angle. Lucius Malfoy didn't just pick fights with girls. He murdered them, tortured them and did many other things just as unpleasant.

Harry bit his tongue to keep his rage in check. I don't like Draco Malfoy. Never have, never will. As IF Draco had a proper upbringing!

Draco, meanwhile, was scratching his head. "Well, there are safety issues as well, when fighting females."

Aurora smiled primly, and wrapped a white towel around her shoulders, combing her wet hair and putting plastic gloves on as Draco continued.

"Like what?" Hermione asked. "Can't be any more dangerous than fighting other boys."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you'd be surprised. First of all, there's the bitch-slapping." He sent Hermione a pointed look.

Harry and Hermione both beamed at each other. "Then," Draco continued, "There's the undeniable fact that girls fight dirty and take cheap shots."

"What?" Hermione said, looking annoyed. "That's stupid, Malfoy, and you know it is."

"Ah, but here is where you're wrong, Granger," Draco said. Harry noted idly that they were back on last-name terms. "When me and Misia – oh, fine, Rory," he snapped irritably at Aurora's embarrassed wince, "-were younger, I discovered that girls fight dirty. It's just dangerous."

"Like what?" Hermione asked scathingly. She felt like her whole gender's honour had been offended. That was a pretty big insult, even coming from Malfoy.

"Girls bite, scratch, kick, hiss, pinch, grab and pull hair," he said wisely. "And Aurora in particular had a tendency to poke eyes."

Everyone's eyes shot to Aurora, who beamed. "Guilty as charged," she said cheerfully. "Come on, Hermione, it's kind of empowering when you come to think of it."

Hermione shrugged. "Whatever."

Harry had remained silent the whole way. Who does Malfoy think he is? He thought frostily. Oh. Right. He thinks he's a Malfoy. Cough-DEATH EATER-cough.

After a while, Hermione drifted away to find Ron, and Draco went off to inspect Dudley's bedroom.

Harry was left alone with Aurora, who had just finished her hair.

"Sheesh! This water is freezing, Harry!"

Harry pulled a face. "Uncle Vernon and Dudley probably had long, hot showers this morning. That might explain it." He folded a towel, putting it on a pile with others. "Either that or the valve I had a run in with earlier was the hot water valve."

He patted the space next to him and Aurora perched on the bathtub edge. He got a dry towel from the stack he was making and wrapped it around her shoulders, rubbing her back to warm her up.

Harry frowned when he noticed her teeth chattering. He scooted closer to her and she leant in to him, leaning her head on his collarbone.

"You're warm," she smiled, snuggling up. Harry was starting to feel very warm indeed: although she couldn't see, his cheeks were burning. And that wasn't all.

"Maybe it has something to do with being a Fire Elemental," Harry said, trying to stay composed.

"Mmm," replied Aurora. Or the fact that you're such a hottie…

"Aren't you, like, impervious to cold water, anyway? I seem to recall you jumping in the lake at Hogwarts in the middle of winter without any problems."

"…maybe."

Harry blinked as she smiled benignly at him, and watched as her cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink. He furrowed his brow in thought. But if she's not really cold, then that's not why she's snuggled up next to me. I wonder why she…OH!

Aurora smiled, and looked up at him. Those green eyes were sparkling in a way that made her just want to melt. Her heart was trip-hammering wildly, and she was fairly certain that she was going to get high blood pressure when she was older. His eyes crinkled slightly at the corners in a reassuring grin and she felt instantly warmed. He started to lean in…

Ginny wriggled out of Lindsey's grasp and poked him in the ribs playfully. "Oh my Lord. One day out of school, and you're already planning to sneak into a pub. You're underage! Dumbledore would kill us!"

"Aww, come on, Gin. It'd be great! I've got it all sorted out. As soon as the olds go to sleep, we take a rope, some card and some- "

"What, so we can get drunk? You sound like Mundungus!"

That stopped Lindsey dead in his tracks. "I do not."

"Do to."

"Most certainly do not."

"Do to!"

"You'll pay for that!"

Ginny snorted. "As if. I could take you down."

Lindsey's mind was clicking. "With what?"

"With my Bat-Bogey He-" Ginny froze. Hex. Hex, remember? Needed a wand. There was no wand.

The look on Lindsey's face told her he knew that already. He grinned evilly. "I don't need a wand to tickle you…"

Ginny ran.

She was turned into the bathroom to hide behind Aurora when she saw the very girl in question about an inch away from Harry's face. Ginny skidded to a halt, and Lindsey smacked into her from behind.

Aurora was close – so, so close. Just a little further…her lips were an inch away from Harry's, she was almost there. Just as she was closing her eyes, Aurora caught a flash of red in her peripheral vision. Peeking closely, she saw over Harry's shoulder that Ginny was dancing around like a maniac, mouthing frantically at her.

"Hook in! Go!" Ginny was mouthing, waving her arms crazily. Lindsey poked his head in and flashed her a thumbs up, grinning. Aurora saw that they were not going anywhere soon, and reluctantly pulled away from Harry.

Harry felt cool air hit him as she pulled back. Feeling like an idiot, he flushed and ran his hands through his hair, muttering quickly. "Oh, ah, I, um…sorry, I didn't…I didn't think. I shouldn't have, uh, tried to…tried to kiss you. Sorry-"

Aurora looked down at the floor. "Oh, no, I have no problems with you. It's them," she said accusingly, pointing towards the

door.

Harry looked up at Lindsey and Ginny, trying to burn holes in them with a death glare. It half worked: they both cringed a fled, slamming the door. "Oh." Said Harry.

Aurora looked anguished. "I want you to know that I do like you and everything… actually I more than like you, Harry."

Harry suddenly felt like a candle had been lit inside his chest. "Good to know," he breathed in relief.

"It's just that they were trying to egg me on and…" Aurora trailed off, looking miserable and embarrassed.

Harry smiled a crookedly, turning her face to look at him. "You didn't want me to think you only went along kissing because they were telling you to?"

Aurora stared at him, surprised he got it. "Um, yes, actually."

"For the record, I wouldn't have cared." After the confidence boost of knowing that Rory liked him, Harry felt no apprehension in leaning forward and kissing the girl of his dreams long and hard. Aurora had no problems either.

Neither of them noticed, but there was a gasp nearby and suddenly the door flung open from the pressure on it, and in a pile on the floor lay Ginny, Lindsey, Ron, Hermione and Rose. Evidently, it was not the best door to eavesdrop through.

Harry and Aurora leapt apart, and stared in shock as everyone on the ground alternatively groaned and grinned at them.

Draco appeared a few seconds later, and stopped when he saw the group all in the bathroom, looking at each other furtively.

He gazed around, confused, totally unaware of The Kiss.

"What are we all looking at?"

A/N

I think I'd get hurt if I tried excuses, so I'll just cut to the chase and thank everyone who reviewed.

Farfumsane

Godric1

Tuxedo cat

Lee black

Gryfforin

Star estrella

And my special people who threatened me every week for not updating, Pez and Alanna. Luv ya guys!