A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Keep it up.

Disclaimer: I still own nothing

December Miracle

Ch. 2: Harry's Search

Harry spent the next two days trying his hardest to avoid Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and anyone else who had overheard him at the dinner table. He could still remember the looks on their faces when he let slip his obsession over the mystery girl. Instead, he barricaded himself in the school library, making fliers for his missing cloak. He realized that the mystery girl would still have his cloak and, upon seeing his flier, would seek him out. Then he would have his chance to meet her again.

It wasn't like him to fall for a girl like that. One, he didn't even know her! That day by the lake was the first time he knew she'd existed. He felt angry at himself for feeling this way. But there was something about her, something that transcended her beauty. He felt like he had known her for a long time. He didn't understand love, but this feeling he had certainly felt like it. It was as if something were consuming him from the inside. An insatiable thirst, some might call it. An innate ability every human being possesses. Something that can feel so good, yet so bad at the same time. He wanted it so bad that it hurt.

He exited the library with an armful of fliers. He posted a flier on every bulletin board he came across, even on the entrance of the Great Hall.

The night before, Ron had asked him why he was so persistent to find the mystery girl. He provided the simple answer, "Because I'm in love."

He rounded the corner and stepped into his dormitory. It seemed like a lost cause, his searching for this girl, but so was the search for the Lock Ness Monster. Harry was hooked like a trout; the only way he could be free again was if the girl cut the line.

And fore her to do so, Harry needed to find her first.

And that was exactly what he was planning to do.

--

"This can't be happening!"

Ginny was pacing about the common room, deeply troubled. Hermione sat on an armchair, slightly amused by her friend's antics. "It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal!" She rounded on Hermione in a Mrs. Weasley-like fashion. Her voice was forced, and Hermione could tell she was desperate. "Harry has fallen for his 'cloak girl,' and I'm her!"

"So just tell him," said Hermione exasperatedly

"Have…you…gone…absolutely…mad!" she shouted, growing redder after each word.

"Well, what do you have in mind?" she asked irritably, glaring at the younger girl. "I'm just trying to help."

Ginny felt her anger diminish almost immediately. She looked at Hermione apologetically. "I'm sorry for going off on you. It's just…it's – "

"Harry we're talking about," Hermione finished for her, nodding her head. "Yes, I know that, Ginny. Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived. 'The Chosen One'. The wizard destined to kill Lord Voldemort" – at this, Ginny winced – "Yes, Harry is a lightning rod for attention, having faced Voldemort… - oh, get a grip! - so many times and lived to tell about it. But you must understand that Harry is still human. I am sure you two will get together. And honestly," she added, "do you really think that Dean is the one?"

Ginny nodded in agreement, grimacing. It wasn't that Dean Thomas was a bad person. To be frank, if he were not already taken, Parvati Patil would have asked him out ages ago. He was caring; perhaps too much that Ginny felt like a fragile porcelain doll. Their relationship was coming to the point that Ginny had to hide from him for some free time.

"Well, what should I do?" she asked again, this time in a more polite way.

Hermione thought for a moment. "Let's go over the situation again. Harry says he is in love with the blonde-haired girl he saved from drowning –"

"Who is me," Ginny added helpfully.

"Now he is totally obsessed with finding her," Hermione continued, showing Ginny the 'missing cloak' flier. "This 'cloak girl' of his –"

"But she doesn't exist," said Ginny miserably. "And when he doesn't get a response from her, he will be crushed."

"So what we need to do," said Hermione, her eyes glinting, "is to make Harry fall for you instead. That way, he will forget the 'cloak girl' ever existed."

Ginny got the hint. To do this, she had to make an excuse to not be seen with Dean anymore. Maybe get into a fight with him or something…

--

Harry entered the Gryffindor common room after walking all over school, posting up his fliers. Hogwarts, he had noticed for the very first time, was a very big place. He intended to gather his night wear, take a long shower, take a swing at his mounds of homework, and sleep till the sun comes up. Unfortunately, his plan was soon forgotten when he saw Dean and Ginny in the middle of the common room, both going red in the face.

"How many times, Dean? I can climb up the portrait on my own!"

"I'm just trying to be nice!" he roared back, trying his best to ignore the stares he was receiving.

"Well, don't! I feel like you're trying to cop a feel or something!"

Several sniggers were heard amongst the Gryffindor mass. Harry felt a swelling pride for Ginny. For some bizarre reason, he WANTED the satisfaction of witnessing the two break up. He stood in the corner of the room, watching the couple's dilemma unfold.

"Cop a FEEL?" Dean looked incredulous at first. His expression changed from surprised to livid.

"I…I don't want to see you right now!" With that, Ginny turned around and stormed into the girls' dormitory. As she passed by, Harry could have sworn she winked at him. Was he imagining things?

Dean, on the other hand, stood rooted to his spot. The silence broke as the common room came alive again. After a moment, Dean walked up to the boys' dormitory, not sparing a glance at Harry as he passed by.

In the midst of everything, Ron looked by far the happiest.

"THERE you are, Harry," said Hermione, grabbing his arm and steering him towards some armchairs nearest to the fireplace. She ignored Ron, who was in the corner currently busy with snogging Lavender. "So. Did you see that?" she asked. Harry could hear a faint tone of happiness in her voice.

"Yeah, I did," answered Harry, settling himself down by the fireplace.

"Weird, huh? She's been having rows with Dean for the past two days."

"Is that so?" said Harry in an unconvincingly interested tone.

"Oh, by the way, any luck with the mystery girl?" she asked, looking at Harry expectantly. Her eyes shone as she leaned over.

"No, nothing yet," sighed Harry, wishing she would drop the subject. The truth was, he was hurting so bad at this point. It was the same feeling he felt every time he saw Ginny with Dean, knowing that he could never have what Dean had because of his friendship with Ron.

Hermione heard the hurt in his voice and her heart sank.

"Listen, Harry," she said. "Why don't you go for someone else? I'm sure if you patch things up with Cho – "

"I have nothing more to say to her," interrupted Harry, carrying a steely tone. "Not after what had happened last year."

"Well, I'm sure you will find a nice girl," encouraged Hermione, reaching over and placing her hand on his. "Like Ginny said, 'Miracles happen in December.'"

'If only…' Harry thought bitterly. He saw Professor McGonagall marching in the direction he and Hermione were sitting. Deciding to avoid McGonagall's ever-watchful eyes, he retracted his hand from Hermione's.

"Well it's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow."

Harry got up, still depressed by his inability to locate the mystery girl. He felt so sick that he only listened half-heartedly to Hermione telling McGonagall of an appearance augmentation potion she had confiscated. As Hermione passed the confiscated object to McGonagall, Harry noticed that a small portion of the potion had been consumed.

Harry's jaw dropped. This meant…

"The mystery girl could be any girl in this school…"

A/N: Don't forget to review!