Author's note: Things of a sexual nature abound in this chapter.  If you wish to preserve your innocence (ignorance??), best to avoid me (and my writings) at all costs.  Vicarious loss of morality, virginity, and innocence may all be side effects of reading this chapter and general association with me.  J

Chapter 28. Gryffindors Drink to Pants

"And the Keeper?" she asked.

"Well, Ron's definitely the man for the job," Harry said with conviction. 

McGonagall arched an eyebrow and said, "I was watching from my office, you know."

~

~

~

Harry slumped back in the chair in front of her desk and looked down.  "Stimpson is a seventh year and she'll be gone next year--she froze when I got near her.  I think Ron will--he can do fine."

"Will or can, Potter?  They are two very different things," she said watching him closely.  

Harry sighed deeply.  "Listen," he said, "I just think that, well, I mean…" She was boring her eyes into him over her square-rimmed glasses and drumming her fingers on her desk.  "There're more important things than quidditch," he said abruptly. 

McGonagall considered him for a moment and then said, "Well, that's a very mature view to take on it, but I entrusted you with the welfare of the team, not your friendships."

Harry's mouth fell open.  He snapped it shut and then said, "Well, I don't believe this decision endangers the welfare of the team, Professor."  It was true, he thought, because really it seemed a toss up between Ron and Stimpson; both had their weaknesses and strengths.  But when the decision had to be made, Harry was definitely rooting for Ron to be the best. 

"You don't believe…?" she said coolly, watching him closely. 

Why is she acting like this?  Her questioning of his choice was starting to irk him.  "Professor, I don't understand why you're second-guessing my choice.  You say you entrusted the team's welfare to me--so let me make the choice.  Yes, I admit it, I am biased towards Ron because he is my friend and I know how much this means to him.  But he does merit consideration for making the team equal to that of Stimpson.  Perhaps I am also biased because I plan on being here next year as well and would like to not have to refill the Keeper position, yet again."  He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and added, "Either way, Stimpson will be on the reserve team and if Ron fails to perform in a match, then we do have a substitute to switch in--if--it comes to that.  But--I doubt it will."  He stared her down, as if to dare her to challenge the decision again.

She then did something unexpected; she smiled.  "Why don't you stay for tea, Potter.  I have a mountain essays you can help me grade." 

McGonagall had summoned lunch to her office and set before Harry a stack of parchments and a well of red ink.  "Second year essays, you should be able to handle it?" she said as Harry looked completely taken aback.  "Oh, and Potter?  I was only testing your decision-making skills before; I think Weasley will make a fine Keeper. And," she smiled again at Harry, "you are quite right to recognize that friendship is ever more valuable than a game--especially in days like these."

He had wondered as he read through and marked the second year's essays on switching spells just why, exactly he was doing this.  He thought at first, that it was payback due to McGonagall for the time she spent helping him over the summer.  Then, reading over the essays and the various ways of thinking demonstrated by the writings, he began to believe it was probably just another way to get him to study the theory of Transfiguration, which he still thought was rather boring. 

Finally after several hours, he finished the last essay and left them graded and stacked neatly on McGonagall's desk.  He checked the time and saw that it was already dinner. He wasn't really that hungry but he knew he had to get the team list made up before he returned to the Common Room.  Thinking for a moment, he realized he actually had an office to use and headed down the hall towards the Defense office. 

The office was very bare.  There was still the one wall lined with books but the rest was very sparse.   An empty tank sat in the corner that might have held some creature such as a Grindylow.  The Dark Detectors were long gone, probably waiting around the Room of Requirement for when he would call them to use.  The ceramic plates with blue-eyed kittens were thankfully far, far away and there wasn't a single portrait of Gilderoy Lockhart in sight. 

But there was a painting. A painting of a lion sleeping peacefully before a crackling fire in what looked similar to the Gryffindor Common Room now hung on the wall beside the desk.  Harry smiled at the painting; it was much better than the other things he'd seen on the walls in this office.  He pulled out some parchment from a drawer and found a quill and ink and began to work on the post for the team.

"There he is!"

"Oh, does he have it?"

"Harry!  Where the hell you've been?"

A rush of questions and Gryffindors hit Harry as he entered the Common Room.  Apparently he hadn't realized what a big announcement the quidditch team was for the House.  In fact, now that he thought about it, they had never had tryouts besides last year since he'd been at Hogwarts and there had been a party going on after he had finally gotten out of his detention with…well, anyway, it was obviously a big deal.

He grinned as a few people pushed near and bounced excitedly to get the news.  "Didn't realize it was such a big deal," he muttered.

"Where've you been?" asked Katie frantically as she came up to Harry and dragged him aside.  "We've been going stir crazy in here! And then you weren't anywhere to be found for dinner! Harry!"

Harry was laughing now.  "What?  Why?  I was helping McGonagall with some stuff."

"Why?" she said as her eyes bugged out.  "It's only the start of the biggest party of the year--except for the end of the year--it's tradition!"

Harry shook his head, "No it's not, I've never--well, okay, last year there was a party but never before that."

Katie hopped as Harry took his time unfurling the roll of parchment with the team.  "Harry, we didn't have to add any players before last year after you had joined!"

"Exactly!" said Harry as he smoothed out the parchment, purposefully taking his time.  "No one ever had a party in my first year."

Katie looked stricken for a moment and then clamped a hand over her mouth.  Harry thought he heard a muffled 'oops'. 

"What was that?" he asked.

"Er…" Katie laughed.  "Well, that's right, but there was a party."  Harry arched his eyebrows at her.  "Yeah, just Oliver was a bit insistent upon one condition that year."

"Which was?" Harry asked, now crossing his arms and holding the parchment against his chest, making others groan in frustration.

Katie frowned and then stomped her foot and said, "He made us promise not to taint the star Seeker with butterbeer and he forbid us to tell you about the party."

"What!?" Harry cried indignantly.  "He!!  Oooh," he said as his eyes narrowed and he thought about Oliver Wood saying just that very thing.  How like Oliver that would be.  Yes, Oliver valued quidditch over food and sleep; the git was insane. 

Harry turned and tacked the parchment to the wall, causing a great cheer to go up.  He turned, faced Katie and pointed a finger in her face, "I'm taking this all out on you, you know.  You're the only one of the lot left."  A sly grin grew in his face and he stated, "You owe me a party."

Katie got an equally sly grin, rubbed her hands together and said, "Oh don't worry, I just got a shipment from Fred and George today."

Three hours, two invisible trips to the kitchens, and fifteen randomly illicit incidents of Weasley Wizard Wheezes later, a very contented Ron turned to Harry and said, "You know, Harry, what we need is something for a man."  He scrunched up his face as he held up his bottle of butterbeer.  "Firewhiskey--we need Firewhiskey."  He suddenly got the brightest look on his face (it was odd) and exclaimed, "I know!  Harry--if we went to the Room of Requirement and said we needed Firewhiskey--it might just give it to us!"  Ron looked like he had just been told that grades were now obsolete at Hogwarts and that they would rank people according to who had the most maroon jumpers. 

Harry had to laugh at him and he grinned outright as he suggested, "Why don't you just ask me, maybe I'll just give it to you?"   Ron looked dumbly at Harry (that was more like it).  Maybe it was the dozen butterbeers or so that had made him do it.  More likely, it was the Wicked Lickers that Fred and George had sent along that had surely contained some liquors in addition to something that made you simultaneously levitate off the ground like a Fizzing Whizbee and made smoke come out of your ears like Pepper Up Potion.  Whatever it was, it made Harry fell it was just the perfect time to bring out something he'd been saving. 

"Accio Firewhiskey," Harry called as he pointed his wand towards the boys' staircase.

Harry grinned at Ron as he turned and waited.  There was a 'thump!' from the stairs and as he saw the gleaming amber bottle flying towards him, making students duck out of the way left and right, Harry saw Seamus stumbling down the stairs and reaching out for the bottle.  "Stop that bottle!" he cried.

Harry snatched it from the air before Seamus could lunge for it.  Unfortunately this caused Seamus to dive head first into the chair and land on Ron's lap.  Ron barely noticed the lapful of Seamus as he hurriedly stood up, knocking Seamus to the ground, and gazed in admiration at the bottle in Harry's hand. 

Dean soon left his corner to follow the golden glow of the amber liquid, Ginny following curiously behind.  Lavender and Parvati, never ones to miss out, budged in.  Even Neville, who had forsaken his Prefect duties for the sake of the party, joined the small gathering that now formed in front of the fireplace.  

"Wow," said Dean in an awed voice.  "I can't believe we've got Firewhiskey!  Pass it around so we can all have some!"

"No, no, no, Thomas, you muggle!" Seamus said knowingly as he pulled out a small silver shot glass.  "You use one of these and set it aflame before you drink!"

"What?" Ron said with confusion.  "Nuh-uh, you don't do that, I know--I 've seen my brothers drink more times that I can count."

"That's not saying much," Ginny muttered to Harry.

Harry sniggered and said, "I've never seen anyone light it on fire before they drink Seamus. But, if that's what you want--."

"All right, all right," Seamus said, waving them off.  "Never mind, let's just play a game.  How about every time someone says the word…."

"Pants!" Ron shouted with his finger thrust into the air.  Harry snickered at him and dropped his head into his heads, chuckling.

"Pants?" Seamus, Dean and Ginny all said at once as they all looked incredulously at Ron.

"How often do we say the word 'pants', Ron?" Ginny asked mockingly.

Ron looked smug and crossed his arms as he said; "You just said it twice--so drink up."  He smirked at her.  "And then pass it here, I want some."

And thus began the first ever-traditional game of "Gryffindors Drink to Pants".  Logic and sense dulled and as the younger years headed up to bed, the older students only got wilder.

Less than an hour later, over half of the bottle of Firewhiskey was missing and after each time Ron would take a swig, he would remark with wonder, "Where is it all going?" 

Lavender, being the viciously gossipy witch that she was and now with a little looser tongue, asked suddenly with her eyes narrowed, "So, who wants to guess where Hermione's at?"

Parvati sniggered and Ron answered loudly, "In the library no doubt.  Said she had work to do after dinner!"  He laughed loudly at this.  Harry had looked around for Hermione earlier and not seen her.  He had figured she had either retired to her room early or was, as Ron said, in the library. 

Parvati laughed and said, "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure!" She and Lavender exchanged looks and giggled again. 

"How would you know?" Ginny asked from her spot where she was nestled between Harry and Dean.  She then leaned forward and called over, "Pass the bottle, Ron--you're hogging it all!" 

Lavender and Parvati each affected smug looks and Lavender said, "Care to place a bet on it?  Our money's on that's she's with Blaise Zabini!"

Ron's eyes bulged out at this and Harry felt a swooping feeling unsettle his stomach.  "That's ridiculous!" Ron shouted, echoing Harry's thoughts.

"Oh?" said Lavender shrilly.  "Who'd she bring to the DA last night?"

Ginny blew this off and said, "So?  Are you telling me Harry is seeing two different Slytherin girls just because he brought them?"

Lavender eyed Harry and said, "Well, I certainly hope not!"

"You have something against Slytherins?" Harry asked, his ire up now.  Where the heck did that come from?  Must stop drinking when I begin to defend Slytherins…

"Noooo," said Lavender slowly.  "But that was an interesting reaction of yours."  She raised her eyebrows and looked quickly at Parvati before she said, "I simply meant that there are plenty of Gryffindors who would --"

"There's no way she's with some Slytherin," Ron stated simply. 

Parvati shot him a look and archly said, "Well, she's with someone--or else you tell me why she would be taking the Prophylaxis Potion!"

Lavender added smugly, "I saw it in her nightstand when I borrowed a quill."

Harry's world was suddenly sinking and he somehow managed to see that Ron was gaping like a goldfish.  He had a fleeting thought about hexing Parvati and Lavender so they couldn't talk and then obliviating the rest and acting like none of this happened.  But then Ginny spoke up, "Just because a witch is on the Potion doesn't mean she's out to shag someone!  You both ought to know that!"  Lavender and Parvati looked unconvinced.  "Hello!" Ginny shouted, "It can help regulate your hormones!" 

This was way too much talk about female hormones and Harry did the only logical thing he could; he grabbed the bottle and drank deeply.  He blew the smoke from his mouth after he swallowed and blinked rapidly before saying, "Too much girl talk. How 'bout those Cannons?" as he shoved the bottle to Ron.  This effectively derailed the issue of why Hermione was on a Potion and Harry shot Ginny a grateful look. 

Eventually, Katie had brought down her Wizarding Wireless and now anyone who'd had anything at all to loosen up was dancing like they couldn't care less.  Except Harry.  He was simultaneously trying to avoid Lavender and Parvati who were trying to lure him to dance with them (both of them) and trying to avoid Colin Creevey who was standing on a table and trying to shout out a toast to Harry to anyone who would listen. 

"Harry! Hey Harry!" Colin called, spotting his hero again.  "A Toast--to Harry Potter our captain and the cream of Gryff--oof!"  Colin tumbled down, off the table and to the floor as a rogue pillow was mysteriously (Harry did it) banished across the room to pelt Colin in the head.

A small hand touched Harry's forearm and ran up to his shoulder.  "My, what a quick wand you have, Harry," he heard Lavender coo.  He pried her hand off of him and tried to back away. 

Unfortunately, he bumped into someone else that latched onto him and said, "You're not scared to dance with us, are you Harry?" Parvati inquired as she batted her lashes, "A big brave Gryffindor like you wouldn't be scared of little us, would he?"

"I don't dance," Harry said firmly and he tried to get out from between the two girls.

"But we can teach you, Harry!" Lavender cried with excitement.

Parvati gave him a predatory look as she said, "We can teach you more than dancing…"

Harry stumbled back, stepping on something soft and squishy.  "Ow, my pancreas," muttered someone that sounded like a muffled Colin from the floor.

"Hold this," Ron said as he thrust the bottle at Harry.  Ron proceeded to lie down upon the floor and allow Seamus to build a tower of Exploding Snap cards on Ron's stomach. 

Harry held up the bottle and shook it; there was very little left now.  Well, am I still defending Slytherins?  Nope—Malfoy is indeed a ferret-faced sod.  Satisfied he was fine to have another drink; Harry tipped back the bottle and drained the last of it.

Another hand grabbed Harry's arm and he fearfully looked to see who was assaulting him now.  The room spun slightly as he turned to look and smoke wafted from his mouth.

"Hey, come here," Ginny said as she glared over at the other two skulking Gryffindor girls and dragged Harry over to the side.  "I was just upstairs and noticed Hermione's not back yet.  It's nearly curfew and she's bound to come in any minute."  Harry wasn't sure why Ginny was telling him this, although, he had been wondering when Hermione would finally join them so he could see her again.  "Let's keep an eye out and make sure she doesn't go spare because we're all up to no good." 

Harry nodded at her that he understood and wondered, how does she know I was waiting for Hermione?  "How do you—"

"Please, Harry," Ginny says knowingly, "You've been searching the Common Room all night, looking for someone."

An explosion then went off a few feet away from Harry.  Turning, he saw that Ron's robes had been blasted away by the Exploding Snap tower and his midriff was now exposed.  That has got to hurt, Harry thought as he watched his best friend stand up, inspect the damage and then grin before giving Seamus a high-five.

Suddenly, Ron's face dropped and he gaped stupidly toward the portrait hole.  He and Seamus both stumbled to Harry and, still looking off at the entrance, Seamus pulled Harry up and said, "Go, distract her.  She'll kill us if she finds out—" he looked down and grabbed the empty bottle of Firewhiskey from Harry's hand and spun him around before pushing him towards the portrait hole. 

Standing there, hair bushy as ever and rucksack bulging, was Hermione.  Despite her slack-jawed surveying of the state of the Common Room, Harry still grinned at her as he walked up to her.  "Hey," he said, still grinning.

Hermione narrowed her eyes as she looked past Harry towards the fire.  Harry turned and saw Ron now doing a very frighteningly accurate imitation of a belly dancer, showing off his bared midriff.  Seamus and Lavender were egging him on by throwing knuts at him, trying to get them to land in his belly button.

Harry quickly moved in front of Hermione to block her view.  She glared at him and then looked across the room to the other side.  He followed her gaze and saw two different unrecognizable couples snogging in dimly lit corners.  Just the sight of them, made Harry remember what he longed to do with Hermione right now.  He stepped in front of her again to block that view, grinning devilishly now. 

"Harry, what have you let them do?" she said with despair.

"Me? Nothing, I merely posted the names of the people who made the quidditch team," said Harry with a proud smile as he gestured to the bulletin board behind her.  Hermione spared a glance at it and frowned.  "Where have you been?" Harry asked her.

"Library.  Why weren't you at dinner?" Hermione asked.

"McGonagall asked me to help her for a while."

"Professor McGonagall was at dinner," said Hermione shrewdly.

Harry simply answered, "Well, that explains where she went while I finished grading her second year essays."

Hermione had clearly not expected this and stammered for a moment as she looked at Harry.  Then she scrunched up her nose.  She took a step towards Harry and leaned closer, narrowing her eyes.  Harry, thinking closer to Hermione was always a good thing, took a step towards her as well.  "What do I smell?" Hermione asked just moments before Harry's brain was about to urge him to kiss her.

Just then, Ron's timely loud voice carried across the Common Room as he said, "Harry! It's all gone!  We need more Firewhiskey!" 

Harry saw Hermione's face take on a deep scowl as she let her bag drop to the floor and angrily crossed her arms.  Harry firmly planted both hands on her shoulders and steered her backwards into a corner, just a few paces away from a heavily breathing couple that was joined at the mouth. 

Hermione started in an accusing and demanding tone, saying, "How did he--"

"Me," Harry answered as he bore his gaze into hers.  "It was mine."

"And from where did you get Firewhiskey, Harry?" Hermione asked shrilly, struggling to not let his intensely green gaze melt her.

"Gred and Forge," Harry grinned.  "For my birthday."

Hermione considered him for a moment and then conceded, "Well, I guess it lasted longer than I would have imagined then."  Another explosion went off by the fireplace and they looked over to see Ron now sporting blackened hair fringe.  Fleetingly, Harry was reminded of his own untidy mop. 

"RON!" Hermione shouted and made to storm over and put a stop to the nonsense. 

Harry stopped her from advancing with arm out and then wrapped it around her middle as he admonished her, "Shhh, Colin is sleeping."   He jerked his head over towards the prone body of the passed out Colin. 

Hermione looked like she was considering sending them all to bed and Harry couldn't help but admire the way her lower lip jutted out as she pursed her lips together in anger and the way her eyes glittered when they were narrowed so.  She then turned to look at Harry, who was looking back at her with desire clearly etched into his face.

"Harry," she said quietly as she removed his arm from her waist.  "There're people here."

"Then let's go someplace where people aren't," Harry suggested.  He looked around quickly and then whispered, "My bag is by the staircase, on the floor.  Take it upstairs like you're going to bed.  My cloak is inside, slip back down under the cloak and we can go somewhere."   Harry marveled inwardly at his ability to plan despite the burn of Firewhiskey still fresh in his mouth.

Hermione gave him a look and then, without a word, left towards the girls' staircase, picking up Harry's bag along the way.

"What'd she say?  Is she mad?" Ginny asked as Harry watched her disappear out of sight.

"No," he shook his head.  "Hey, can you help us--we're sneaking out and you can open the portrait hole for us.  If anyone asks where I went, just say I made another trip to the kitchens."

Ginny nodded and her eyes sparkled with mischief.  "I think you two could snog on the rug by the fireplace and Ron wouldn't even notice."

Harry then felt a hand slid across his back and he turned as it slid to squeeze his backside.  He saw no one but heard the distinct giggle of an amused Hermione.  "Block the view, Gin, while I get under the cloak," Harry said as he felt Hermione's hand smoothing over his chest now. 

"Hurry up," Ginny said as she made sure no one was watching.  She turned back to see nothing as she heard the distinct sound of a muffled moan.  "Hold on, you two; you're almost out," she whispered through gritted teeth as she nonchalantly walked around the corner and to the portrait hole. 

As she pushed open the portrait she heard them whisper, "Thanks," as they moved past.

Hermione had immediately wrapped her arms around Harry's waist when he joined her under his cloak.  Once in the hall, Hermione asked, "So, where are we--" her words died as Harry's mouth covered hers and pried it open as he delved his tongue in to tangle with hers.  Panting, she pulled away and finished her thought, "---going to go?"

"Er," Harry thought while he reacquainted himself with the wonderful feel of her body pressed against his. 

Where can I find a bed…Someplace to go to be alone…Someplace just right…With a bed…Oh!  The Room of Requirement gave Dobby a bed when he needed one for Winky to sleep in.

 "Come on," he said as he led Hermione away from Gryffindor Tower and down a flight to the familiar hallway.

"Here?" Hermione said, confused at first and then she got a look of understanding. "Oh!  Harry, what an excellent idea!  Let me do it!"  They paced together, under the cloak while Hermione closed her eyes and concentrated on the room she needed. 

Finally the door appeared and they entered a very small, cozy room with softly glowing candles and a large cherry wood canopied bed in the center.  The bed was covered and surrounded by sheer white gossamer hangings and bedcovers that made it appear to glow and all look very surreal. 

Hermione turned to Harry as he pulled off the invisibility cloak.  As she slid her arms around his neck, she breathed out, "Isn't this romantic?"

"Er, yeah, it's very…white," Harry said as he wrapped his arms around her, feeling his body come alive at the wonderful feel of her body pressing against his.

With deliberate slowness, he lowered his mouth to hers as the heat between them soared.  Kissing Hermione, in Harry's opinion, was the nearest thing to the exhilaration of flying.  Her mouth opening and welcoming under his and her soft lips pressed against his own was enough to make him want to cry.   But, rather, he moaned into her mouth as his hands slid up her sides, to her shoulders and then unfastened the closures on her robe to let it fall back. 

Hermione had one hand lacing through his hair as the other smoothed over his chest, down to his jeans and then, with a jerk, tugged up his t-shirt.  Breathlessly, Harry pulled back for a moment, whipped his shirt up and over his head, and toed off his shoes.  With hunger, his mouth latched onto Hermione's neck as she tilted back her head and shuddered.  Harry's hands began to work open each button of her blouse, down to the last one.  As he spread open her blouse, his mouth moved around to kiss along her jaw, to her chin, to the hollow of her neck and then slowly, across and down her chest as he pushed the blouse off her shoulders, letting it fall softly to the floor.

She was left wearing a white lacy bra, her skirt and her knee-high white socks.  Pulling back from her, Harry drank in the sight and decided it was a vast improvement upon the standard school uniform.  He led her through the softly billowing, filmy hangings and onto the bed.  He let her lay back with her brown hair splayed upon the pillows.  Harry moved beside her and leaned over and began to kiss her, from her forehead down and over every inch of bared skin. 

He worked his way back up to her mouth and kissed her deeply.  As he pulled back and looked down into her eyes, Hermione licked her lips and smiled and said, "Mmm, my lips are all tingly.  I think it's the Firewhiskey still on your breath.  I could feel it making my skin tingle as you kissed me." 

Harry's mind began working devilishly and a grin grew to match his thoughts as he suggested, "Perhaps, I should see what else of yours I might make tingle."  The hand upon her stomach then slid lower and to her thigh, moving up and under her skirt.  He moved down the bed and with both hands, slipped off her knickers and flung them onto the floor.  He glanced up and, catching her gaze, saw her watching him with a mixture of desire, anticipation and curiosity.  "May I?" He asked his hands pushed her skirt up and above her hips, revealing her beneath. 

Hermione held his gaze and in a breathy voice, laid her head back and said, "You've been reading."

"Mmm, hmm," Harry said as he stroked the inside of her thigh, coaxing her legs open. 

~~~

Meanwhile, fewer and fewer people remained awake back in the Gryffindor Common room.  Seamus was snuggled up on the couch in front of the dying fire, cradling the empty bottle that had contained the Firewhiskey.  Ron was seated into one of the armchairs; his head lolling on his shoulders and muttering, "Pants, hehe, pants."

Distractedly, Ron realized through his haze that he was hearing voices and noises.  He first thought maybe he too was a parselmouth and he was hearing a giant snake slithering around the castle.  Blinking his eyes open rapidly and swiveling his head towards the sounds though; he couldn't see any snake.  But he could see something moving behind the draperies by one of the large windows.  

Curious, he stumbled out of the chair and crossed the room.  As he neared, the noises became clearer and he thought it sounded either like someone in a lot of pain or like a disgruntled hippogriff.  Wondering which it could be, he pulled back the draperies. 

~~~

Back in the Room of Requirement, Harry and Hermione were fulfilling their needs.  Unsure and with only a few choice pointers and a few pictures in his mind, Harry had endeavored to master a new activity that was roundly recommended by The Book as the best way to please any woman—witch or muggle alike.  Eventually, through tentative explorations, he'd used Hermione's moans and fingers dragging through his hair as an indication to the proximity to his target.  Right now, he was pretty sure he was spot on. 

~~~

Ron widened his eyes, scrunched them shut tight and then opened wide again.  The red hair was immediately recognizable as Weasley red; long Weasley red hair.  

Here before Ron, was a boy and girl, clearly intent on snogging each other silly and the girl, Ron immediately recognized as his own sister.  Ginny was firmly seated in his lap and she moaned and threw back her head as he kissed her neck. Ron began to grin as he thought of the embarrassment he could cause by catching Harry and Ginny in such a state and then teasing them all about it.

With anticipated glee, Ron sang, "That's my sister you're snogging there, ya know."

~~~

Hermione's hands fisted into Harry's scalp and allowed him not the option to remove his head. He was pretty sure he hadn't taken a breath of air for at least three minutes. Her commands of "Don't stop!" and "No—the same as before!" were reiterating the fact that he was doomed to remain where he was until she had mercy on him or he passed out. He felt like his tongue might cramp up and another part of his brain (the one that sounded like Hermione) thought, there's got to be a charm to make this easier. 

~~~

Ginny fell right off Dean's lap and landed with a 'ker-thump' onto the floor.  Ron's grin froze as he saw Ginny land on the floor and look up at her brother in paled astonishment.   He positively paled in shock as his eyes registered the boy as Dean Thomas. 

The only word he breathed out was, "Harry," before he snapped his jaw shut and jerked Ginny off the floor by the neck of her robes.

~~~

If Harry thought he was tense, it was nothing to the way Hermione's body was tensing and quivering before him.  Instinctively, he knew (hoped) he was almost there; that Hermione was almost there.  Soon, he told himself, soon I can breathe. 

Shaking, Hermione began to convulse and with a shriek, she nearly snapped Harry's head off as she suddenly rolled to the side and yanked him away. 

Air…breathe…ahhh…air!!!  Harry regained a functional level of oxygen in his lungs and he watched as Hermione still panted upon the bed, growling his name and now looking at him with the deepest, darkest passion he'd ever seen in her eyes. 

~~~

Ron veritably yanked his little sister to her feet and lifted her off the ground as he held her face inches away from his.  "How could you do this to Harry?" he demanded wildly. 

Ginny, usually one who could take anything her brothers doled out, be it tricks, pranks, teasing or brotherly overbearance, was caught speechless.  But this—this rage--this was new. 

"Finite Ebrius!" Dean said with a rush as he pointed his wand at Ron.  He obviously hoped Ron's demeanor would calm with sobriety. 

Instead, Ron's face grew more and more red and Ginny tried to pry his hands away from the neck of her robes.  "Ron, it's not what you think!" she said desperately. 

"Harry…you…betrayed!"  Ron was spitting as he spat out the words at Ginny. 

Ginny was looking openly fearful now and she rushed to explain, "No, no Ron.  That's not it at all—let me down!"  She tried to kick at him to let her go.  "Stop it!" she yelled now as he lifted her higher off the ground.

"Put her down, mate," Dean said with forced calm as he trained his wand on Ron. 

In a flash, Ron dropped Ginny to the ground and wheeled to face Dean who never even had a chance to utter a hex before Ron's fist cracked into his jaw. 

"Petrificus Totalus!" Ginny snarled as she drew her wand on Ron.  She hurried over to Dean and saw him working his jaw and grimacing in pain.  "Are you all right?" she asked worriedly as Ron lay in the Full Body Bind on the floor. 

Gingerly, Dean nodded and stood up.  "Yeah…fine." 

"Do you need to see Madame Pomfrey?" Ginny asked with concern.

He shook his head but as he said, "No—" his voice broke in pain with the effort to form the word. 

Ginny whirled on Ron and stared down at him.  She knew Ron could still hear her while bound and she spoke: "We're going to the hospital wing and don't you dare follow us, you overgrown prat!  I didn't betray anyone and if you'd have let me explain to begin with—you would know why!"  She dragged Dean out of the portrait hole, leaving Ron to work off the spell on his own. 

~~~

Hermione leaned up and pulled Harry to her as she commanded him, "Need you—now," and her hands hastily fumbled to unbutton his jeans.  Finally freeing him, she pushed his jeans down and he struggled to get them off as her hands immediately started pushing his boxers down, too.  Finally, he managed to rid himself of his clothes and turned back to Hermione's intensive stare.  She pulled his face to hers and he hesitated to kiss her, not sure if she really wanted that right now.  She yanked him closer and captured his mouth as he watched her face for any reaction to the taste his mouth now held. 

Hermione's eyes opened as she kissed him and as her mouth opened wider and her tongue battled his for dominance, he felt his arousal peak to new heights.  Hermione's leg then bent and she guided Harry atop her.  With a knee to the small of his back, she urged him forward and he complied, lining himself up and then thrusting with unchecked male force.

~~~

Ron snarled as the binding hex finally wore off.  He jumped up and glared at the portrait hole through which Ginny and Dean had, just minutes before, left.  He then turned and bounded up the stairs to the boys' dorm, determined to find Harry and tell him what had just happened. 

He flung open the hangings on Harry's bed and stared as he found it empty.  He wondered where else Harry could possibly be.  Maybe he already saw them together, he thought with contempt aimed at Ginny and Dean.  Where would he go?

Ron spotted Harry's trunk at the foot of his bed and with a flash of brilliance, Ron went to it and threw it open.  He only marveled for a moment at the enlarged interior before spotting the worn piece of parchment he was looking for. 

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he muttered as he pointed his wand at the parchment.  The map activated and he scanned it quickly as he walked back down the staircase and into the Common Room.  He scanned the map, looking for the dot labeled "Harry Potter".  He wasn't seeing it anywhere. 

Not even pausing in the Common Room, he walked right out and down the hall into the castle, determined to find Harry and make sure his best friend was not sulking in a frantic depression over being betrayed by his sister.  He saw Harry's dot nowhere on the floor of Gryffindor Tower and he keep walking.  I need to find Harry, was his only thought as he scanned the map, examining the dungeon floor, the kitchens, the grounds, even by Hagrid's cabin and the Great Hall. 

~~~

Harry had never felt so uninhibited before.  His mind was flying with the triumphant joy of the obvious pleasure he'd been able to give to Hermione and now, he rode this high with new found abandon. 

Hermione clutched Harry's biceps and she willed every ounce of her heart to show him how much she wanted and loved him.    Harry couldn't have torn himself nor his eyes away from her for the world.  Voldemort himself could have walked in the door and he would not have cared.

~~~

I need to find Harry, Ron desperately thought again as he paused in a hallway, still staring intently at the map.  Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a door handle appear.  Recognizing the room and realizing this would indeed be a place someone might go to be alone if they needed it, Ron grinned and yanked the door open.

~~~

With a burst of stars behind his eyes and what felt like an explosion welling from deep within his stomach, emanating throughout his entire body, even rippling out through Hermione, through their connected bodies, Harry cried out, "Oh gods," shaking and collapsing, shivering with ecstasy.  "Oh gods," he breathed out again as he panted.  "Hermione…Hermione," her name meant everything to him at that moment. 

He'd felt their connection—not merely physical—but a true connection.  In her eyes he could see himself reflected; showing him just who it was she saw as Harry, just who it was she knew him to be.  He'd never seen himself so clearly before and in that glimpse; he'd had the briefest but most poignant view of a concept, that he had little to no previously understanding of ever before—love.  

Opening his eyes, he carefully rolled off to her side, drawing her leg with him and over his thigh to keep her close to him.  He kissed her with as much honesty showing from his heart through his eyes as he could imagine.  No words came to mind that could ever express the emotion he felt as her hand ran through his hair.  Before either could utter a word, a sound of something large collapsing to the floor startled them both.

~ ~ ~

Ron entered the Room of Requirement in a rush, eager to see and help his best friend, who, surely, Ron thought was in a desperate state after having likely witnessed his sister's betrayal.  The startling change in décor and arrangement of the room threw him for a moment and then he heard noises.  He saw softly billowing glowing sheers surrounding the noises and walked forwards.  

He immediately recognized the sound of his best friend's voice crying out in what sounded like distraught agony.  Ron rushed forward and drew aside the hangings.  Stunned beyond the capacity for rational thought, Ron swayed in the air for a few moments before fainting away in a heap to the floor. 

~ ~ ~

"You shouldn't have stunned him," Harry muttered as he levitated Ron's body into a chair awkwardly.

"Was I supposed to let him just wake up as we were scrambling to clothe ourselves?" Hermione countered as she inspected the new interior of the Room of Requirement.

The candles and romantic milieu was gone and a well-lit room that resembled the Gryffindor Common Room was now the setting.  It seemed that Harry and Hermione had both needed the room to be more conducive to not freaking out Ron any more than he surely would be once they allowed him to wake up. 

Just paces away from the bed where Harry and Hermione had been entangled in the climax of a most intimate encounter, Ron had fainted dead away to the floor.

Harry and Hermione had then swiftly jumped apart.  Hermione had reflexively stunned Ron for good measure, plucked the map from between his fingers, and then they both hurriedly dressed and changed the room to suit their new needs.

As his heartbeat finally began to slow down, Harry stood looking down with sadness at Ron, who merely appeared to be sleeping.  Ron's robes were tattered from his encounters of having served as the human base for games of Exploding Snap.  His fringe, normally bright red and setting off his freckles across his face, was now blackened and made him look very pale. 

Harry felt Hermione's hand lace through his and she followed Harry's gaze.  "He might just be passed out for the night," she said with a tinge of wistfulness. 

Harry sighed and shook his head, "Only one way to find out."  He pointed his wand at his best friend of over five years and whispered, "Ennervate."

Ron blinked his eyes slowly without moving his body. Harry could see his eyes look up and about; roving around from where Ron was inelegantly draped across the armchair.  "Harry?" he croaked as he attempted to sit up.

Hermione dropped Harry's hand before Ron had turned and she dropped herself silently in the armchair furthest from Ron. 

"Right here," Harry said quietly as he took a tentative step towards Ron.  "Are you okay?"

Ron shifted in the chair and rolled his neck, contorting his face as he looked confused and said, "Yeah, yeah, what happened?"

Harry frowned slightly and said, "Er, you kind of fainted there." 

Harry held his breath as Ron took in the sight of his surroundings and looked at Hermione seated in the chair.  Ron seemed to be trying to remember all that had just happened and his face contorted even more until he just shook his head vigorously and said, "Weird. I've just had the weirdest dream, I think."  Ron sat up straighter in his chair and looked between Harry and Hermione and almost choked out a laugh as he said, "A nightmare really—it was awful—" Ron stopped short as he ran his hand through his hair and felt his scorched fringe.  He slowly felt his hair and then looked down at the state of his robes. 

"We, er…" Harry swallowed the lump in his throat and pushed on, "There's something we've been meaning to tell you, Ron."

Ron slowly looked up to meet Harry's pleading look.  As Harry stood there and watched his best friend's face, he could almost see the flashing images of he and Hermione together that Ron must be recalling right now.  Harry felt awful; like the worst friend in the world who, in trying to keep someone he cared about from getting hurt, had only succeeded in making it worse. 

"Please don't be angry, Ron," Harry said, the pleading in his eyes nearing desperation.

"Ginny?" Ron said almost as a question, begging for an explanation as he began to shake his head back and forth.

"Ginny and I've never been seeing each other…" Harry said lamely.

"It was a cover, she's seeing someone else," Hermione said, speaking up for the first time.

Ron turned to her.  "Dean…I just caught her and Dean…" His head swiveled back to Harry and he said, "I was coming to find you.  I thought she had cheated on you."

Harry shook his head slowly.  "No," he said.  "No, she didn't cheat on anyone."

Ron's face took on the beginnings of a scowl and he looked shrewdly at Hermione's he said, "But you two aren't—" He stopped short as Hermione's hand reached out again for Harry's and held it. 

Harry felt the world pause as his hand held onto Hermione's.  The room was stifling and he felt as if he'd been holding his breath since they had revived Ron.  At her touch, Harry seemed to finally gain oxygen again after being held underwater.

Ron's gaze was riveted to the sight of the two hands connecting his two friends.  In a flash, Ron leapt from the chair and made for the door to leave. 

"Wait!" Harry called out, dropping Hermione's hand.  "It's not what you think!"

Ron whirled to face him, his face livid and red as he said, "What—you're NOT shagging Hermione?"

Harry gaped for a moment and then said weakly, "It--it's not like that."

Ron, with both hands, grasped the front of Harry's shirt and pushed him back a step and fumed as he said, "Tell me you weren't just shagging her senseless when I came in here!!  Tell me!!!"

"Ron—let him go!" Hermione said as she stood and approached them.

"You!" Ron said as he pushed Harry away, turned to glare at Hermione and spat out, "And you tell me you weren't just writhing under him—like—like—some scarlet woman!!"

Hermione took two quick steps forward, blinking in astonishment, and slapped Ron across the face.

Ron snarled at her.  Harry stepped in between them, facing Ron and backing up into Hermione as he roared, "Apologize to Hermione!"

"I don't want you to make him apologize!" Hermione said, stepping out from behind Harry to glare at Ron openly.

Still facing Harry, Ron demanded, "How long?" with his fists clenched at his side and his voice tight with barely controlled rage.

Harry's face regained the look of pleading for forgiveness as he said, "We started seeing each other this summer."

"No," Ron said through clenched teeth. "How long have you been plotting to get with Hermione?"

Harry shook his head, "No, no, I never planned this—"

Crack! Ron's fist knocked Harry out and flat on his back. 

When Harry awoke, Hermione was hovering over him and his head ached.  He tried to blink open his eyes but found it was very blurry and one eye did not seem to open very far. 

"Are you okay, Harry?" Hermione asked, worried.

"I can't see," Harry mumbled as he felt his face.

Hermione handed him his glasses and said, "Here, I repaired them fairly well.  Careful," she said as his fingers glanced over his swelling and aching face and head.  "I used an Anti-Swelling Charm I read about but it's still pretty bad."

"Where's Ron?" Harry asked as he sat up gingerly from the floor and placed his glasses carefully on his face.

Hermione's look hardened and she said, "Gone.  And with all the racket he was making, I hope he got caught by Filch."  She softened and said, "We should get you to Madame Pomfrey."

Harry shook his head.  "No, I'll be fine."  He waved off her protests and said, "Let's go."  With the aid of the invisibility cloak and now the map, they returned to Gryffindor Tower and to their own dormitories.

As Harry blearily stumbled to his bed, he noted the closed hangings of Ron's bed and the absence of his snores.

The next morning, Harry, despite waking up several times, and a rumbling stomach, remained in the safe cocoon of his bed.  He heard others waking and groaning as the latent effects of the previous night's binge caught up to them.  Finally, when he was fairly certain he was alone in the dormitory and his bladder could wait no longer, he pushed himself out of bed and to the bathroom. 

After cleaning and showering, he looked into the mirror above a washbasin.  His right eye and cheek were bruised and still swollen.  There was a cut to the side of his eye from where his glasses had broken and cut into the skin.  It even hurt to grimace at the sight before him and the mirror summed up pretty much how he felt as it said, "You look like the back end of the Knight Bus, Deary."

The door swung open and Harry turned, half expecting it to be Ron come to take another swing at him, rather, it was Dean.  "I see Ron found you last night, too," he said as Harry noticed the nasty purple and green shades coloring Deans left jaw.  Examining his injuries, Dean said, "Ginny dragged me to Pomfrey last night –this is after she healed it.  Had to stay there all night and the morning, too."

"Didn't she want to know what happened?" Harry asked.  He could just imagine the witch was livid about being awakened in the night to mop up the injuries from a student scuffle.

"Yeah, but Ginny just explained I was the victim of an overly protective act of brotherly love."

Harry had a vague wish that no one would see the obvious injuries on them but knew it was futile.  He had more private training with Dumbledore scheduled for the mid-afternoon and at this rate, Harry knew he had no time to even grab food from the kitchens before he had to go, much less stop by the hospital wing to get his face healed. Really, Dumbledore was one of the last people Harry wanted to see him like this, but then again, the man always seemed to know everything that went on in the school anyway.

The walk from the dorm to Dumbledore's office was thankfully quiet.  The beautiful autumn day had most of the students outside and the halls were rather vacant.

"Harry, come in, come in," Dumbledore said as the spiral staircase brought Harry to the top.  Harry walked in with his face down and seated himself in his usual chair.  Dumbledore joined him in the seat by the fire and said, "I've not yet --"

Dumbledore's cheery voice fell as Harry looked up at him stoically for a moment before lowering his gaze again.  Harry's gaze focused upon a stack of muggle newspapers as Dumbledore spoke gently, "Is there…anything you'd like to tell me, Harry?  Anything at all?"

Harry felt awful enough as it was with the way Ron found out just how close Harry and Hermione had become.  He didn't want to look up and meet the eyes of Dumbledore, who he knew would be disappointed in how he'd treated his friend.  Harry kept his gaze down, and readjusted his glasses upon his face.  "Not really, sir," he said softly.

"Hmm, well, I can't help but notice, Harry," Dumbledore said conversationally, "that you appear to have been caught upon the receiving end of some rather ill will."

"Yes, well, I deserved it, sir," Harry muttered, hoping they could just move on to the lesson.

Harry saw Dumbledore nodding out of the corner of his eye and then the old man spoke, "Do you feel you've not the Occlumency skill at this point to look me in the eye and block your mind to me, Harry?"

"Er, well…"  Harry felt compelled to look at him and then dropped his gaze again as he said, "It's not that, sir.  I believe-I know I can now, well, I…"  Harry shrugged and said, "I guess I just feel I lack the particular motivation right now.  I'm not particularly hiding anything, sir.  I'd even assume you've already pieced together what did happen.  I guess, well, I guess I just don't feel much like dwelling on it—I feel to blame enough as it is without lending it more thought." 

Harry paused, crossed his legs, straightening the pleat on his robe as he fidgeted through the ensuing silence.  It compelled him to speak again, slowly in a faraway voice: "It was Hermione and I… we knew Ron would be crushed once he found out.  We wanted to wait to tell him…until we were more sure and he could take it better."  He paused staring at an unmoving picture in the muggle newspaper and added with a weary frown, "It rather backfired."

When Harry finally hazarded a gaze at Dumbledore, he saw the aged headmaster twinkling with amusement.  "I must say, Harry," he said as he lowered his chin to peer over the top of his half moon glasses, "I know the feeling." 

Harry avoided dinner that night with a roundabout trip to the kitchens.  When he later met with Susan Bones and the two Slytherin girls that evening to practice Defense, they all confirmed that it had become common knowledge thanks to the gossip mill of Hogwarts that Ron Weasley had physically attacked two different Gryffindors.   News of Harry's bruised face was sure to soon be added to the rumors and speculation.

The next morning, Ron had already up and left the dorm when Harry awoke.  On the way to breakfast, Harry met up with Hermione and, exchanging a look, they mutely accompanied each other to the Great Hall.   As they approached the Gryffindor table, Ron rose from his seat that was directly across from Ginny and Dean and, without a look, left the Hall. 

"Was he giving you two trouble again?" Hermione asked as she and Harry sat across from Dean and Ginny in the now vacant spot.

Ginny shot a dark look towards the doors where Ron had just left and said, "Not unless you count being an overbearing git and following me around everywhere and glowering at us whenever we speak to each other, no.  Oh, and just so you know, the rumors all say Ron got brassed off when he caught me and Dean snogging—which is true.  But you," she nodded at Harry and dropped her voice to a whisper, "he was mad at because you knew about us…or something—that's the nearest that I've heard—and that includes the Lavender and Pavarti rumors, too.  So, you know, if you two still wanted to keep yourselves a secret…"

"No," Harry said immediately.  He glanced at Hermione and said, "We've no one to hide it from anymore."  This was true enough now that Ron knew.  Voldemort found out over a month ago now and really, there was no other single person that this needed to be kept from.  The only thing that made Harry hesitate to bring it all out in the open was the dread that it would end up as a headline in the Daily Prophet.

"Well," Hermione said with a look to Harry that made him think they were sharing the same thoughts, "we won't make a big to do about it but Harry's right—there is no reason to hide it."

"Well there is one thing," Harry said as he looked pointedly to Ginny who looked up inquisitively.  "You need to write your parents.  Your mum would be furious to find out from some newspaper article first.  You can use Hedwig if you like."

Ginny's face fell; she scowled and grumbled, "Fine, but if she sends me a Howler, I'm banishing it to you."

In Potions that morning, Harry and Hermione were nervously watching the door to the classroom, awaiting Ron's arrival.  Ron had scampered out of Transfiguration in a hurry after sitting as far away as possible from Harry and Hermione.  As they waited, Malfoy tried to fling some insults at Harry and taunted, "Heard Weasel was furious you wouldn't take up with the Weaslet, Potter.  He must have been hoping you could marry into their family so they could buy a floor for their hovel." But Harry didn't even glance at him and Malfoy quickly went to sulking and glaring at his partners, Ernie and Neville.

As the bell rang, Snape strode in and, almost gleefully (for him), informed the class, "One gone and only thirteen left."  He came to an abrupt halt in front of Harry's table and whirled, making his robes swirl and dance and sneered down at Harry and said, "Hopefully, Weasley won't be the last to leave us this year."

Harry's heart sank, as he knew for sure now that Ron had given up on taking NEWT Potions.  It was with little joy that he joined in his group's planning for their project for the term. 

Millicent Bulstrode took the lead in Harry's group and started to direct.  "Poisons—we've got to design a theory to construct a universal poison class antidote and then proceed to construct it, test it and generate a submissible journalistic style report on the experiment.  Now who wrote about which poisons?  We need to have an outline for our plan by next week."

Padma and Millicent seemed to battle for dominance in the group as they argued over the scope of their group project while Harry listened listlessly and watched Snape glower as he stalked around the room ominously.

After class and heading towards the Great Hall for lunch, Hermione caught up with Harry and said, "I can't believe he dropped the class!"

"I can," Harry said darkly.  "We knew he'd probably do this.  We never should have kept it from him—just should have told him everything from the start."

Hermione stopped walking and looked incredulous as she said, "When?  One day after we first kissed?"  Harry noticed a few passing students turn their heads at this.  "Or maybe two days after we first decided to see each other?  Harry—we weren't even sure about ourselves at that point!"

Harry glared at Mandy Brocklehurst who was staring and nudging a fellow student as she pointed at Harry and Hermione stopped in the hallway.  "No, Hermione, I mean--urgh!" he growled and dragged her off to the side of the hall as more and more people were turning their heads towards their rising voices. 

"Listen Hermione," Harry said in a heated whisper, "We could have wrote him about it after they left this summer or we could have told him on the train ride here—but no, we patronized him and kept him in the dark because we thought we knew what was best for him.  And look where all that got us now!  We were wrong to hide it." 

Hermione's eyes were shinning and her gaze ran over the bruising still evident on Harry's face as she said, "You don't think it would get to him if he saw us holding hands or even kiss goodnight?  Harry—I know you and know you don't want to hurt Ron any more than you would ever want to hurt me.  But it's not our fault he's got this…" Hermione's drew her mouth into a thin line and then continued, "thing that no one should be with me!  He doesn't own me!"  Her eyes welled with tears and Harry watched her cross her arms in an effort to hold herself together and not cry.  "He has no right," she said piteously.

A crying girl was always a bad thing, but an almost crying Hermione always made Harry's heart ache with misery.  As the most natural thing in the world, he stepped close to her and wrapped both arms around her, cradling her head as it rested on his shoulder.  He was distantly aware this was probably quite a scene for the halls of Hogwarts but he was also aware that he was tired of holding back his feelings and pretending to be someone he wasn't.  He was tired of pretending to ignore the fact that holding Hermione like this made him—him, feel like he was living far beyond his greatest dreams.

"You've got enough people loitering around here to make an official press statement," Hermione whispered with her head still on his shoulder. 

Harry smiled and drew her head back to look at her face.  Gazing into her eyes, he silently asked her permission to make it official.  Hermione responded by reaching a hand around his head and lifting up on tiptoe to meet him as he lowered his head to kiss her.  A quick succession of very brief and chaste kisses and a lingering embrace left them filled with all the meaning and promise in the world; all the promise that together, they would go on and that together is where they wanted to be.

They left the small gawking and whispering crowd in the hall and entered the Great Hall for lunch with their hands clasped in each other's.  Approaching the Gryffindor table, Harry saw Neville grin, as were Dean and Ginny and several others.  Ron was notably not there.

"It's about time!" Neville said enthusiastically with uncharacteristic abandon. 

A flash went off, temporarily blinding them and Harry immediately knew Colin Creevey had just commemorated the moment.   

As they took their seats, Harry noticed a few people trading coins as if to pay off a lost bet and saw Pavarti and Lavender whispering furiously back and forth at one end of the table.  He leaned in and whispered to Hermione apologetically, "Oh, I should tell, unless Ginny already told you, your two dorm mates?  Yeah, they know about the potion you're on.  I'm sure it won't take them too long to put it all together."

Hermione gave him a look and then said just as apologetically, "Well, I should tell you then, unless of course Ginny has already told you…having my dorm mates know you're off the market?  Yeah, it's just an added benefit.  After all, it means they can put a stop to their little plotting of trying to tempt you with their womanly ways."

Harry narrowed his eyes and wondered how much she knew about how Lavender and Pavarti had been pursuing him the night of the party.  "I wasn't tempted," he said trying to sound convincing.

"Uh, huh," Hermione said as she looked across the table at Ginny and poured two glasses of pumpkin juice.  "Two girls together doesn't tempt you," she stated for confirmation.

"No," Harry said as his voice broke slightly in an effort to again sound convincing.  (He was wondering though, whether it was really Hermione or himself that he was trying to convince.)

"Hmm," Hermione said loftily, "well I guess I'll cancel that thing I was planning with Ginny then."  Hermione smirked and Ginny choked on her pumpkin juice she was drinking as she erupted in a fit of laughter.  Harry and Dean just stared slack jawed at the two girls, slowly processing the concept that would be their new fantasy for years to come. 

Feeling like things could only get better from here, Harry left lunch with high spirits to meet yet again with Dumbledore for more training.  He was hoping that soon, they would have a Boggart to work with and further his Occlumency.  The previous day's session had been almost like a game of charades where Dumbledore would ask Harry a question and then, only after a minute of closing his mind, would Harry allow the answer to the question to flash in his mind for Dumbledore to see. 

"What do you mean he won't do it?  Of course he would—the boy does whatever you tell him to, Dumbledore!" 

Harry stopped as he reached the top landing outside Professor Dumbledore's office.  The door was slightly ajar and the voice within made Harry freeze and seethe with anger. 

"Cornelius, I have told you before, Harry makes his own decisions.  I do not control him and do not believe I could even if I were ever with want to try." 

Any reservations Harry had about eavesdropping on the conversation were washed away as he realized he was the subject of this conversation.

"He's a child!" Fudge blustered and Harry could hear the Minister sputtering.  "Surely someone tells him what to do!  And well, if not—then that's a problem we can't have!  Listen—I've made enough allowances for his sake—the least he—"

"Cornelius," Harry could hear the hard edge to Dumbledore's warning voice now, "Harry is not a tool for you to wield for your purposes.  If you truly believe he might help the Ministry raise funds to support the strengthening of defenses against the building Dark Army, then I suggest you ask him yourself."

"This is politics, Dumbledore!" Fudge said dismissively.  "You can't tell me a boy would understand the nuances and delicate balance that comprises the running of the Ministry."

Then a new voice spoke, one, which Harry also knew all too well, "Really Professor, you can't imagine the Potter boy could fathom the complexities of the running of the Ministry.  But he would surely be able to see reason and I would even wager he'd like to feel he's doing something to help."

Harry only managed to brace himself with composed restraint for a moment before he stepped forward, nudged the door to swing open and then strode forth into the room.  Extending his hand in greeting and with mocking joviality, Harry cried, "Percy!  How really corking to see you!"

~          *          ~          *          ~          *          ~          *          ~          *          ~

NOTE:  The "Pants" game is real my friends!!!  I saw it first on an HP website.  I'll post a link to the wonderful site where people write Harry Potter lines in the Game of Pants.  I'd post it here, but FF.net gets all freaky about that crap.  So, to my yahoo group if you want the link!  And here's to pants!!  Cheers!!