Disclaimer: You know the drill. If you don't- slap! Shame on you!

Author's Note: bursts into tears WAAAAHHHHHHGGGHH!!! I'm so sorry for not updating! Stop sending me flames telling me to keep up with the story! I'm sorry! So sorry! Don't threaten me with your salad tongs anymore (you know who you are!)! sigh now then, thankies to all those who reviewed, especially Ginevra Riddle and Wency!! Thankies! I'm so happy! I have almost 10 reviews now! I'm so happy that there are ten people who like my story! Well, nine...okay, eight...two of them were flames, telling me to stop asking for reviews. slouches, and pouts meanies.....

stretches Now then- down to business. Sorry I cut the last chapter short, but I had to put my pants on and that's all I had the chance to write (don't ask). THIS is the chapter where Harry sees his true love, and so does Gwen. Also, It's SUPER long compared to my last few chappies. NOW! A poll! Yes, yes, you all know you love the poll-ish-iousness of polls. My poll: Should there be mind reading in this fic? If so, between who?

Crap- this is going on FOREVER! So- I'll end it here. Now Presenting:

Chapter Eight: Harry's True Love

(A/N: Don't forget-they're still in potions!)

"What is she doing?" Ron asked incredulously. "I don't know- probably some sort of strategy. No one likes Snape that much..."Hermione whispered back.

"STRATEGEY?!?! She's embarrassing herself, fawning all over a git like Snape, calling him 'Master' and the like! It's mental, it is!"

"Just because she doesn't share every intricate detail of her plans with you, Ron, doesn't mean she's crazy!"

Oh, you just like her because she's interested in spew"

"It's not spew, Ronald, it's the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare! Besides, I saw how red you turned when she complimented you on your Quidditch!"

"I did no such-"

"Is there a problem here, Miss Granger? Mr.Weasley? Hm?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione whipped around to find Gwen and Professor Snape standing right next to them.

"I think perhaps it is best that I split the Golden Trio up this lesson. Weasley! You go sit by Mr. Malfoy. Granger! I want you by Miss Jergins..." and he waited for Hermione and Ron to gather their things and move before consulting Gwen-"Now, then, Miss Commenus- Do you know who this is?" the oily teacher asked, gesturing to Harry.

"Yes, Master. I recognize him" was the prompt answer.

"Would you mind telling me who this is?"

"Not at all, Master. That's Harry Potter, sir."

"And how do you know that this is Harry Potter, my dear?"

Snape was now speaking to Gwen as though she were his favorite niece. Gwen looked at Harry blankly.

"By his scar, of course, Master."

"Have you never spoken with him?"

"No, sir. Never."

Snape regarded Gwen carefully.

"I find this hard to believe. You are Head Girl and he is Head Boy. You have your own dorms, and you share a common room to yourselves. You didn't talk with him last night before bed?"

Gwen didn't break face once.

"No, sir. By the time I found the correct portrait and went into the common room, he wasn't there. I assumed that he was in bed, so I went upstairs to bed, as well."

"I could have sworn I saw the four of you talking this morning over breakfast...."

Harry chanced a glace at Malfoy; he was looking very smug right about now.

"I was having a chat with Miss Granger, sir, about the schedule. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley merely sat next to us, and talked among themselves."

"I see...Well-if that's the case, then I suppose that you and Mr. Potter shall remain here. However, if I catch the two of you talking, you-Potter- will be sitting next to me, understand?"

Harry nodded stiffly.

Snape turned on his heel, and marched back up to the front of the room.

"The instructions are on the board-" they appeared there "-the ingredients are in the cupboard-" the cabinet doors sprung open "-and you have one hour. Get to work."

Gwen snapped her fingers, and all the ingredients they needed appeared neatly on the table in front of them.

"I'm very sorry I lied....Harry." she said suddenly, not meeting his eyes.

"Why did you?" he asked

She smiled beneath her veil. "Well, if I had said something like, 'Yes, that's Mr. Potter. He's actually quite nice, and I really enjoy his company,' then I doubt he would have let me sit next to you."

Harry felt his face go red, and he turned away in the guise of reaching for a vial of bat saliva. She chuckled. "I was almost afraid that he was going to use Legilimency on me."

Harry laughed as well. "Yeah, he seemed pretty intent on making sure you didn't know me"

"All of that bowing and master and sir stuff was just to lure him into a false sense of security." she confided, measuring out salamander blood, "Severus Snape isn't evil, he's stupid, and once you've convinced a stupid person that you're trustworthy, they open their heart to you endlessly. I know he used to be a Death Eater, and I don't trust him."

Harry remembered what Hermione had said about 'strategy' and suddenly appreciated that his friend was a girl. Hermione made figuring out things like this so much easier. Although- he still wasn't quite convinced that he was in love with Gwen.

"What's this potion supposed to do anyway?" Harry asked.

Gwen looked up and read the scrawly writing on the board. "'Amore Verbatum' Oh, is that all we're doing? This is simple..."

"What is it?" Harry inquired

"This potion forms a mirror-like liquid and when you look into it, you see the face of your true love."

Aha! Harry thought Now I'll know for sure!

The potion was not so easy as he thought but with some whispered tips from Gwen, by the end of class Harry's potion was almost the clear gold of Hermione's concoction. Gen wiped the sweat on her brow at all the heat and smoke in the room. "This blasted veil!" she exclaimed, plucking at it while stirring her cauldron, "I swear, it makes the temperature rise at least twenty degrees!" "Take it off then!" Harry suggested teasingly, "I'd like to see the rest of your face someday, anyway" She laughed and answered, "You know that I can't. It's against the law." But just as Harry opened his mouth to reply, Snape started to speak:

""Now," Said Snape, standing up behind his desk, "If you made it correctly, within ten to fifteen minutes on a low simmer, your potion till turn a clear silver, thus allowing you to see if your crush of the week is really your true love. In the meantime, start clearing up."

Harry and Gwen began to pick up and pack their bags.

"Harry, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to explain something to me." Gwen remarked as they sat on their stools, waiting for their potions to finish.

"Sure. What is it?"

"Quidditch." she replied, "I hear everyone talking about it, and Grandfather even mentioned it in passing a few times, but never really explained it to me and I still have no idea what it is so-"

She stopped talking. Harry's laughter had begun to drown out her words. But- she joined him and said jokingly, "Don't laugh! I'm serious!"

"I'm sorry," he apologized, still grinning, "Don't you have sports in your country?"

"Oh, yes," she nodded, "but nothing like Quidditch. We don't even use broomsticks. We have carpets for flying."

"Well, Quidditch, you see..."

Harry explained the whole game to her as best he could while she listened enraptured and wide eyed. "Wow..."she said when he'd finished, "that sounds...FUN! I wish I could play!"

"I'll show you how!" Harry exclaimed jovially, "Ron and I are going to play later, if you want to join in."

"Oh, that would be wonderful to watch! I-oh! Harry, your potion is ready." She pointed to his cauldron "Yours is too." Harry pointed out. They looked at each other. "On three then?" Harry asked. "One...two...three!" Gwen counted. They both lurched forward and looked deeply into their cauldrons.

After a moment, a figure shimmered into view within the confines of Harry's cauldron. It was a girl's head. She had long, cascading auburn hair and such bright hazel eyes, topped off with a mysterious yet warm smile.

She was absolutely breathtaking.

However, try as he might, Harry could not recall ever seeing this girl. Maybe I havent met her yet...

Beside him Gwen gasped. Harry turned round and looked at her. Her eyes were sparkling, and her cheeks were turning pink fast.

"Oh, my! I-I can't believe this!" she exclaimed softly.

"What?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice steady, "Who is it?"

"It's..." She turned to him and grinned. "It's a secret, and I'm not going to tell you!"

The bell rang; Gwen snapped her fingers, making her things disappear. Hermione came over and grabbed Gwen by the sleeve saying, "Come on!"

"I'm going with Hermione to the Library, Harry. I'll se you later!" Gwen explained quickly, and with that, they left.

Author's note: Phew! I'm pooped! That was A LOT of typing! So, tell me what you think. Suggestions are welcome, but I'm tired of flames (people can be pretty cruel on the Internet!) so if you don't like something, at least try to phrase it so I'm not crying into my pillow for hours on end after reading your cursed hate-mail. And don't forget to answer the critical question of the Day: conspiratorial whisper Do you know the muffin man?

This is Que Montgomery, signing off.

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