NybCR - Thanks for the kind words. It's nice to know someone is reading/enjoying this! I'm adding chapters as I get around to it, but if I go too slow, let me know. The story is complete, but there are 22 chapters and it takes awhile to upload them.

Chapter 5

Having tossed and turned pretty much all night long, I finally gave up pretense and got up before the sun. I dressed in my sweats for warmth and crept down to the common room couch, to stare into the fire and think. Boy, I really needed Cassie there to talk to now.

I sat there for nearly a half hour, probably mostly feeling sorry for myself, when I heard something behind me. I turned to find Harry standing on the stairs, looking at me. If I hadn't spotted him, I think he might have quietly turned and wordlessly left, but when he saw I had noticed him he continued on into the room.

"You're up early," he commented, apparently trying to find safe ground. Those astonishing green eyes that so intrigued me now had a closed and shuttered look. He was trying to block me out, keep me from seeing what he was feeling. I suspected that wasn't a good sign. "You, too," I murmured.

His gaze flickered over me and I suddenly realized how awful I must look – I hadn't even combed my hair. 'Okay, Harry, guess you get to see me at my worst – disheveled and sleep-deprived,' I thought ruefully.

Oddly enough, maybe that's what made the difference. Maybe my rather grungy appearance revealed my inner turmoil more than I had intended. At any rate, his gaze softened and he finally sat down next to me.

"So, now that you and Malfoy are..." he tentatively began. He didn't finish the sentence, but I thought I knew what he had intended to say.

"Friends, Harry. JUST friends. And Draco knows that." It was important to me that he believe it, but it was awfully embarrassing to say. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.

This time, he did look me in the eye, almost probingly, "Really?"

"Yeah, really," I answered softly, and looked away.

Something touched my hand, where it was resting on the couch, and I glanced down to see his fingers curling around it. I didn't dare look up at him, but I couldn't help smiling with relief. A few minutes later, he slid closer and slipped his arm around my shoulders, leaning his head against mine. "I'm sorry," he whispered softly. "You didn't deserve to be treated the way I treated you. You were doing a decent thing and I acted like a spoiled brat."

I started to argue, but he pressed a finger to my lips, "Yes, it IS true. Let me admit it, okay?" I gave in and nodded, grateful for the gesture.

And then his lips found mine. Funny, he's only kissed me that one time before, but somehow I had missed it. It felt nice to have it back and I smiled up at him when we broke apart. Then we just sat happily gazing at the fire, holding each other. I had a sneaking suspicion Harry may have just made a liar out of me to Draco. If I wasn't his girlfriend, it sure felt like I was; at least right then, it did. Guess I'd have to wait and see what daylight brought.

I couldn't really tell you how long we sat there, wrapped up in the warmth of the fire and each other's arms. But sunlight was creeping across the floor from the nearest window when we began to hear sounds of stirring in the dormitories. I guess that jolted us out of the moment enough that we simultaneously realized what we must look like, and became all too aware that we likely were sporting some serious 'morning breath'. A little self-consciously, we mutually agreed it was time to hit the showers and clean up a bit, but I could tell he was planning on hurrying as much as I was so we could go to breakfast together, before too many people were up.

I dashed quickly upstairs, grabbed my shower things and scooted out the door again. The shower felt good and after washing my hair, I let the warm water run over my head a bit. Harry's image popped into my head, and with a smile I turned off the water and got on with the business of dressing and drying my hair. I was headed back to the common room within twenty minutes of leaving, possibly a new record for me.

Normally I wear my long hair pulled back into a braid, but I was hurrying so much I hadn't taken time to fix it yet. When I didn't see Harry waiting for me, I pulled my hairbrush from my pocket and began to brush it into three strands for braiding. Suddenly, Harry's arms slipped around my waist from behind and he buried his face in my hair. Laughing, he whispered in my ear, "I love the way you smell!" I wasn't sure what had prompted such playful behavior, but I liked it. I turned in his arms and gave him a quick kiss, "Why thank you." I sniffed at him tentatively, then grinned, "You aren't so bad yourself." We stood there giggling in each other's arms and that was where Hermione found us a moment later.

We heard someone on the stair but hadn't looked up until we heard a soft exclamation, "Oh!" She had frozen in place, staring at us, uncertain whether to continue down the stairs or retreat to the dorm room. Now that she had our attention, we said in unison, "Morning, Hermione!" That started us giggling again, and she took our greeting to mean it was okay to join us.

Once the initial shock wore off, her face lit up with a delighted grin, "When did this happen?" She may have suspected before, but recent events involving Malfoy must have made her believe anything going on between me and Harry had ended. Clearly, that wasn't the case.

Apparently Harry was too happy to even try to disguise his feelings, "Just a few hours ago. But I think it started long before then." He smiled into my eyes and kissed my forehead. His hand stroked my forgotten hair and he suddenly said, "Why don't you leave it down today? I like it this way." Without hesitation, I slipped the hairbrush and elastic back in my pocket and told him, "Done!"

We looked up at Hermione together and Harry said, "We're just going down to breakfast. Want to come?"

She paused then declined the offer, "No, not just yet. I've some things I want to do first. I'll see you later." She glanced at me and I suspect she was really turning us down so that we could be alone, bless her. Just before we went out the portrait hole, I caught another glimpse of her face and she looked so wistful.

I walked quietly along beside Harry, holding his hand, but lost in thought. Eventually he noticed that my thoughts were elsewhere, and nudged me with his elbow, "Something wrong?"

I glanced back toward the Gryffindor tower and his gaze followed mine. He gave me a look of curiosity. As we continued on, I admitted I was thinking of Hermione and Ron. He let out a sigh, "Oh, that. I've tried telling him that she likes him, but he just can't believe anybody like her would be interested in anybody like him. So he refuses to tell her how he feels, and she won't take the first step, and yet they can't stay away from each other either."

"Maybe there are things I can say that you can't," I suggested. He looked nervously at me, "Uh, like what? I'm not sure it's a good idea to meddle."

"Are you CERTAIN he likes her, the same way you like me?" I asked.

"Well...I don't know if he's got it THAT bad, but yeah, he likes her - a LOT!"

"Then I promise I'll be careful, and I'll make sure she feels the same way, and then I'll see if I can't come up with something to break their impasse. It's such a shame to see them wasting all this time pining for each other when they obviously want exactly the same thing!" Harry still looked a little unsure about this, but maybe he figured if I could get Malfoy to act almost human, I might even be capable of getting those two together.

"Just be careful," he said slipping his arm around my shoulders and continuing on to the Great Hall. "I really don't want to hurt either of them."

"Don't worry, Harry," I assured him. "I don't want that either."