Harry woke the next morning; feeling quite revitalised, and got ready for the laps around the castle with the rest of his year.
Dumbledore had said he could have the day off to rest and Ron pronounced him completely insane as he watched Harry put on his white robes.
"Valentines this weekend." Dean exclaimed as the group set off at a brisk run. "What are you going to do with Claire?"
"I heard that she's expecting a good shag" Seamus grinned as he steadied himself before hitting a rock. Harry was astounded.
"She's expecting what?"
"I think I might ask Hermione to Hogsmeade" Ron muttered, going beet-red.
"I knew it! I knew you liked her!" Neville said excitedly, punching Ron on the arm before slipping on a sloppy patch of snow.
"What about Malfoy?" Harry asked, wondering why Ron would ask her.
"What about him?" Ron spat. He still hadn't accepted Malfoy as Harry's friend. Harry almost stopped running.
"You don't know."
"Know what? Spit it out, Potter!" Seamus was becoming impatient.
"Hermione and Malfoy hooked up at the ball. I think they're a couple now"
Ron frowned and dropped away from the group a little.
"Why does he suddenly like her?" Harry asked the remaining boys with a glance back at Hermione and the girls. They were taking it slow today so they were further back.
"He kissed her, last year after that thing with the department of mysteries," Neville informed them.
"How do you know?" Harry was slightly hurt that his two best friends had been romancing and neither of them had told him.
"I saw them. I don't think Hermione liked it much"
"How do you know that?" Dean was puffing now and was having trouble keeping up. Harry kept his eyes on Tokugawa's back as he powered on ahead of them with his sandbag.
"Because she went and made herself sick afterwards."
Harry felt suddenly sorry for her. Ron would no doubt try and win her over and Hermione would have to choose.
They finished their laps and retired to the baths.
Harry followed Hermione to the Prefect's bathrooms; Ron decided he didn't need a shower and went straight away to the boys' dorm.
Harry was soaking in the pool-sized bath with Ernie when Malfoy came in. he slid into the bubbles beside Harry with a groan.
"Hey, did you know that Hermione pashed Weasley?" Draco said after a while. Harry nodded sadly.
"He also wants to take her out on Valentines Day"
"Oh" the smile on Malfoy's face slowly died.
"Does that matter?" Ernie asked, looking from Harry to Malfoy with superior interest.
"She's my girlfriend"
"Poor Hermione"
"What the hell does that mean?" Malfoy said angrily, sitting up straighter.
"It means she has to choose between her best friend and her guy"
"This is a Katana" Tokugawa explained an hour later, holding up one of nine wooden sticks. "The Samurai's used these to train the young in weapon combat. You shall each receive your own Katana. Treat it as if it is your best friends. It will be the soul of you fighting"
Each person selected a stick. Harry got the last one, which was covered slightly in mud, and wiped it with his sleeve.
Tokugawa then proceeded to teach them how to block, attack and attack with stealth.
When they were finally release to go to normal classes, the sixth year Gryffindor's were feeling immensely pleased with themselves.
"So Harry" Seamus started as they unpacked their books for charms. "We didn't get to finish our conversation. What are you going to do if Claire wants a root?"
"Don't know" Harry muttered, feeling a little sick with himself and Seamus for even talking about it and he was glad when Flitwick put them into groups so he didn't have to hear anymore about it.
Harry was in a group with Hermione, Hannah abbot, (Gryffindor shared the Charms lesson with Hufflepuff) and Ernie Macmillan.
"What's up with Ron, Harry?" Hermione asked, feebly blocking his tickling charm. "He's been distant all morning"
"Girl troubles" Harry answered, not knowing whether it was his place to tell the truth or not.
"With Lavender?"
"I guess… He wasn't to clear on it…"
The day went by normally until dinner when Malfoy came and collected Hermione and took her into the entrance hall.
"I'm following them" Ron exclaimed, jumping up.
"No" Harry grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him back down.
"What if he hurts her?"
"He won't"
Ron waited until Harry was distracted with his meal before making a break from the room.
"RON!" Harry lunged after him and caught him at the door but it was to late. Ron had seen what was happening outside.
Hermione was crying ever so lightly and Malfoy had his hands on her shoulders, reassuring her. He then enveloped her in a hug. This was when he saw Harry trying to pull Ron away. He closed his eyes and turned his face back to Hermione.
"Get him away, Potter"
Harry put his arms around Ron's chest and lugged him back inside.
"I told you he'd hurt her" Ron seethed as the two of them came back into the great hall. Hermione sat at the end of the table with Ginny and Katie Bell.
"Leave it, Ron" Harry muttered, spooning apple pie onto his plate.
"If he didn't hurt her then why is she crying?"
"Because she doesn't want to hurt you. She's happy with Malfoy and she doesn't want to break your heart by saying no. Now will you shut up and eat?"
In the Gryffindor common room that night Harry was starting a game of wizards chess with Neville when Claire came over and perched on the arm of his chair. Harry pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her on the cheek.
"What's up?" Harry asked, using his pawn to kill one of Neville's.
"I was just wondering... what are we going to do on Valentines Day?"
Harry felt sick again
"Well…what do you want to do?"
Harry had been so distracted that Neville had been able to wipe out his king barely after the game had started. Neville wandered off in search of a bigger challenge.
"I dunno…we could go to the Three Broom Sticks or something, nothing special. I'm not real big on Valentines Day. It's bad luck"
"I don't want to offend you, Claire, but some of the gang have been saying you want to…well you know, do it. Is that true?"
Claire laughed.
"That'd be Cho and Parvati making up lies again. Cho wants to get back with you again. And no, I don't want to do it until I'm in a dead set relationship…"
Harry was so relieve he almost missed what was going on around him.
"You just go around pashing anyone who'll stand still for long enough!" Ron and Hermione were having a stand off over to one side of the room and, hearing Ron's words, everyone stopped to listen. Harry got slowly to his feet.
"Malfoy, I ask you? Don't you remember how he's treated you in the past?" Ron took a deep breath. Hermione remained speechless.
"Your just a tart, Hermione, a petty tart"
Harry stepped in and pushed Ron away. Hermione burst into tears and ran to the girls' dorm.
"That's not on, Weasley" a seventh year boy Harry knew as Damien Carter said.
Ron glared at everyone around him then finally met Harry's eye. Harry was almost as tall as him now and he stared Ron down as he had done with Voldemort. Finally Ron turned and took flight up the boys' staircase.
Harry sat down again.
"What is the world coming to?" he muttered.
When Harry retired to bed he found Ron sitting on the end of his bed, bathed in moonlight and his head in his hands.
Harry hesitated before sinking into the mattress beside him.
"Your eyes" Ron said, his voice muffled slightly by his hands. He didn't look up. "There was something in your eyes…"
Harry sat emotionless and quite. He neither hated Ron nor like him at the moment.
"I didn't mean it, Harry," he said suddenly, looking desperately at his oldest friend, his eyes pleading for forgiveness.
"I know" Harry was slightly startled to see he'd been crying
"I just feel like I'm losing you, and her, to Malfoy. How can I compete?"
"Your still my best friend, Ron. You've been there for me every single day. Malfoy and I just have a…" Harry sought for the right word "…Connection. What I mean is, we have a good old laugh but I can't trust him to take a bullet for me, like you would."
"But Hermione…"
"…Is with Malfoy" Harry finished. "But that shouldn't end your life, you'll find someone else"
"But what if he does hurt her?"
"Then I shall personally kill him"
Ron grinned feebly "thanks Harry"
For the next few days Hermione and Ron avoided each other, which Harry thought was for the best. Ron asked Lavender out and, surprisingly, she said yes so now they walked around together looking very awkward and holding hands.
On Saturday morning Harry woke bright and early. Tokugawa had released them from training for the weekend due to Valentines Day but Harry, feeling a bit fat, went down to the grounds to run anyway.
On his second lap Harry found Tokugawa running beside him.
"Nice to see your committed, Harry" he said, throwing the sandbag over his shoulder.
Harry got to breakfast early as well, having done only half the amount of laps as usual, and found that he was the first there.
He'd just finished his toast when a group of tired looking students entered the hall. It was the Australians.
They sat around Harry and set out filling their stomachs.
"It's freezing here!" Dale said, wrapping his coat tighter around him and sipping some orange juice.
"It'll get warmer" Harry informed them.
"Actually" Ebony stated, "Our winter back home is still warmer than your summer"
Her friends groaned.
"So what grade are you guys in?" Harry glanced up as a few Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff entered the room.
"Five" Chelsea said "but we can go to any class while we're here"
Claire came over and squished between Harry and Cameron.
"Happy Valentines!" she handed him a little white flower.
"Aw thanks!" he grinned and gave her a kiss. Cameron was looking over her body with deep interest. Harry presumed he was undressing her mentally and he took Claire to sit next the Dean and Ginny who were sharing a romantic kiss of their own.
"Have you seen Hermione?" Ginny asked, pulling away from Dean who proceeded to pat her ever-growing stomach.
"I saw her with Malfoy on the way in" Lavender said, sitting beside Ron. They shared no romance and Harry was beginning to suspect that Lavender was only dating him because she felt sorry for him, just as Ron was dating her to make Hermione jealous.
"I'll bet they've already had sex," Seamus informed them dutifully. "They're always sneaking off together"
Ron glowered moodily into his porridge.
Hermione and Draco had, in fact, not had sex. They hadn't even come close.
This morning they were just sitting on the front steps, embraced in each other's arms and admiring the sunrise, which was slowly being overtaken by massive rain clouds.
"Are you talking to Weasley yet?" Draco asked idly, twirling Hermione's hair around his fingers.
"No. I never want to talk to him again"
"He didn't mean it you know"
"But it hurt me"
"It hurt him to"
"How do you know?" Hermione looked into Draco's distant, grey eyes.
"Harry told me. Said he cried about it"
They sat in silence for a while longer. It started to rain so they jumped up and ran back inside to where the other students were getting ready to go to Hogsmeade.
"Ask them!" Seamus whispered to Harry as they watched Draco and Hermione enter.
"Ask what?"
"If they've had sex!"
"No! You ask them!"
Draco spotted Harry and led Hermione over to him.
Seamus pushed Harry forward.
"Potter wants to ask you something"
Harry sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Seamus, the horny bastard, wants to know if you've had sex"
Draco laughed and nudged Hermione.
"Maybe"
Seamus' eyes widened in delight and he hurried off to tell everyone and anyone.
"Righto" Filch entered the room carrying a scroll and looking very pissed. "Come and get your names marked off you little twerps"
Harry walked casually down the driveway hand in hand with Claire who was babbling away as usual. Harry didn't mind; he liked to hear her voice even if he didn't take notice of what she said.
They reached the gates and Harry gazed down the street to where the lone house was. Up ahead of them, Ginny did the same.
The Street looked the same as always. But Harry couldn't get the image of flying death eaters and crumbling buildings out of his mind.
He had no idea how he did it, especially since his magic was still recharging.
It began to rain again, though this time it was a lot heavier.
Harry and Claire ran to the Three Broom Sticks which was packed with students and decorated with pink love heart bubble which, when popped, would burst into a shower of glitter and sing the person a song.
"Two butterbeers" Harry ordered breathlessly while Claire found them a table.
She picked a good one too; a booth right in the corner of the room a little away from everyone else.
"This is fun!" Claire exclaimed, popping a heart bubble and giggling as it sang her the chorus of 'Love shack'.
"Is there anything else you want to do while we're here?" Harry smiled at her over the table as she popped another bubble. This one sang 'you are so beautiful'.
"I actually want to go to the sweet shop. What about you?"
"I'm flexible"
They finished their drinks before running out into the rain, laughing hysterically.
They entered the sweet shop, which was also full to the roof with Hogwarts students.
"Try this one" Harry popped some candy lips into Claire's open mouth. She laughed.
"It tickles!"
Harry noticed Cho over the other side of the room alone, watching them angrily.
Susan Bones called Claire away and Cho took the moment to pounce on Harry.
"We should be together today," she said, taking his hand in hers.
"You know we should be together. Everyone is saying it. You and Claire just don't fit."
"Would everyone be you and Parvati?"
"Of course not!"
"Harry?"
Draco came into the shop, his blonde hair dripping with water. Harry excused himself from Cho and fought his way over to the door.
"Have you seen Hermione?"
No. But I'll help you look for her. Anything to get out of here"
Harry called to Claire and the three of them set off down the street, trying to stay out of the rain as much as possible.
"-One minute she was standing beside me, the next she's gone!" Draco peered up the street leading to the Hogs Head.
"Maybe she went with Ginny somewhere" Claire suggested, shivering slightly. Harry gave her his jumper.
"Seamus said that you and Hermione had sex, is that true?" Claire asked, looking at Malfoy with innocent green eyes.
"No" Malfoy looked distractedly down another street and stopped. "Down there"
Hermione was sitting next to Ron on a large dumpster.
Malfoy made to go down there but Harry stopped him.
"Don't," he murmured, "Ron's apologising"
Harry led them back across the street to the post office where they pretended to be choosing an owl for mailing while they watched Hermione and Ron talking.
Finally Ron got up and Hermione gave him a quick hug before he left.
Harry and Claire trailed after Malfoy as he strode back across the street to Hermione.
"All sorted?" He asked, smiling. He defiantly wasn't the jealous type.
"Yeah"
When the rain stopped the foursome made their way back to the castle to find a group of their friends playing spin the bottle in an empty classroom.
Seamus summoned them in. sitting in a circle on the floor was Parvati, Seamus, Dean, Ginny, Neville, Ron, Lavender and Blaise, who had somehow gotten himself in the game by making a bet with Seamus.
When Harry, Claire, Hermione and Draco entered Ron immediately pulled Harry aside.
"I'm over her, Harry! I think I'm completely over her!"
"That's great!" Harry clapped Ron on the back as Claire, already positioned on the floor, called them over to start the game. Harry wasn't sure he wanted to play but today he was up for anything.
The 'bottle' was actually Seamus' ever-full gin bottle and when the bottle landed on someone, that person had to take a mouthful of the burning alcohol before kissing the other person for at least five seconds. The girls had ruled out all homosexual kissing.
"It builds the relationship," Seamus explained to Hermione when she announced her doubts about the game.
Seamus' spin landed on Ginny and they wasted no time in getting their kiss over and done with.
Ginny's spin landed on Harry and he glanced at Claire quickly before taking a large gulp of the gin and kissing Ginny for the minimum five seconds.
The game went smoothly for about half an hour and kisses became longer as participants became more intoxicated.
It was Ron's turn to spin and the bottle seemed to spin for extra long before centring on Hermione.
Malfoy looked up sharply from his conversation with Blaise and the rest of the group fell silent.
"You don't have to, Hermione" Harry said quietly as she picked up the bottle with shaking hands.
"Its ok" she focused her eyes on Ron as he leaned hesitantly across the circle.
Hermione took a moment to gather herself before lunging at Ron with a quick kiss. When it was over she got up and fled from the room.
"I knew it was a bad idea," Neville said as the rest of the group got to their feet and sat back against the tables.
"Ron?" Harry extended a hand to his friend who was still sitting on the floor.
"I'm over her." He whispered. "I'm over her"
shoves in the direction of the review box
just so you know… I'm feeling confident that there will be a sequel to the story.
I'll say no more