"You look awful."

Harry was grinning at Luna, two days later. "You should rest, you just got out of St. Mungo's a few hours ago," Raven pointed.

"Well…I can't miss the engagement party," Luna grinned. "And we have to keep working in the case."

"You scared the hell out of us," Harry said. "Especially Neville."

"Shut up," Luna said, blushing deeply. "He is so nice."

"So they had no idea of what happened to you?" Raven asked.

"No. But…" Luna shrugged. "I mean, I think that…It's just a guess."

"Ishels?" Hermione entered Harry's office and looked at Luna.

"I thought you didn't believe in them," Raven smirked.

"I do now," Hermione said. "I read about them and I think that Luna was exposed to a great quantity of ishels."

"Yes!" Luna said excitedly. "I just touched the wall and… Oh, Hermione! That wall had ishels behind it!"

"You're so clever," Harry said in awe.

"Oh, thanks," Hermione blushed. "But we still have to find Marissa Corner. And the relation of Ditty with all this."

"It seems that Ditty ran away a year ago from Navitek's manor," Raven said, reading a parchment. "And the Corners found him and gave him work. Then he escaped a year later and returned to Navitek…."

"Navitek studied Ishels… and Marissa sensed them…" Harry mumbled. "Do you think Ditty used Marissa for finding ishels with the information he might have stolen from Navitek?"

"Yes… And then Navitek found out and Ditty stabbed him! House elves can't do magic so he killed him that way," Hermione said.

"Are you accusing a house elf?" Harry smirked.

"Ha, ha," Hermione said blankly.

"We have to get evidence, though," Raven yawned. "Oh, I'm so tired."

"But where's Marissa?" Luna wondered.

"And what has Malfoy got to do with this?" Harry asked. "He seemed suspicious when we went to Navitek's manor."

"Oh no, not Malfoy again," Hermione said.

"Hey, last time I was right about him, wasn't I?" Harry retorted.

"Forget it." Hermione stared at the floor and Harry just glared at her.

"So, your party is tonight, right?" Luna said nervously to Hermione.

"Yes," Hermione said, staring coldly at Harry. "You have to bring a date."

"Who are you taking, Harry?" Luna asked. "Ginny's out of town."

Harry opened his mouth to reply but Raven interrupted him. "He's going with me."

Hermione frowned at Harry and grasped his arm. "I want a word with you, Potter," Hermione said angrily.

They stepped aside and Hermione sighed. "What's going on between you and Raven?"

"Nothing…" Harry mumbled.

"I know you better than anyone, so don't lie to me," Hermione muttered.

"Probably you don't know me very well, since you spend all your free time with Ron," Harry muttered angrily.

"Since when Ron has been a subject in our fights?" Hermione breathed. "What will happen when Ginny finds out that you're fooling around with Raven?"

"Who cares? I'm quite tired of Ginny," Harry said truthfully.

"Well, then think about me," Hermione said. "I don't like her."

"So what?" Harry said in disbelief. "My world doesn't spin around you, Hermione."

"Oh, but I wish it did," Hermione said angrily.

"What?" Harry blurted.

"Forget it," Hermione said. "She's just not right for you! She's troubled and…"

"Excuse me, but she's an orphan just like me," Harry said. "And am I troubled?"

"Since when do you have to be an orphan so you can be Harry Potter's better half?" Hermione snorted.

Hermione had hit a nerve. "You don't have to," Harry snarled. "But it really helps. Now, back off."

Harry walked away and shook his head angrily. He stood next to Raven, who was arguing about something with Luna.

"Trouble in paradise?" Raven snorted.

"No," Harry said. "Hermione is insane…she's so… so…"

"Engaged?" Luna smiled knowingly.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked.

"Since Granger got engaged you have gotten all funny around her," Raven said wearily. "Save your love issues for other audience."

"Love issues? Verlaine, you are losing your marbles," Harry said angrily.

"Yeah, yeah," Raven said. "Are you picking me up tonight?"

"Yes," Harry said. He glanced at Hermione and saw that Ron was now talking with Hermione. Ron waved at Harry and walked over to him.

"I had to bring some papers," Ron said. "Um, Ginny is pretty upset with you."

"Yeah, why?" Harry asked.

"Well… I don't know, but… Are you seeing someone else? I mean, I won't tell…" Ron said in a whisper.

"No, I'm not," Harry said. "But I think that I'm no longer in love with Ginny."

Ron nodded and glanced at Raven. "Raven is hot," Ron sneered. "But I'm afraid of her."

"She's very nice," Harry said. "But you have a great girlfriend so…"

"Hermione, great?" Ron shrugged. "I dunno…"

"Ronald, we have still plans to discuss," Hermione said as she appeared next to Ron. She glared and pulled Ron away.

Harry sighed deeply and walked to his office. Sometimes he felt he hated Hermione. But just sometimes…

That Night

"I know I look amazing, but for Pete's sake, Potter!" Raven said uncomfortably. Harry was staring at her as they entered The Burrow. Raven was wearing a long black dress and her hair was tied on a ponytail. Harry thought she looked beautiful.

"It's in the garden, right?" Raven asked.

"Wha…? Oh, yeah, yeah," Harry said and they walked to the garden. Harry looked around and saw old friends of his, like Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas and (gulp) a very good looking Parvati Patil.

"There's your girl," Raven muttered. Harry turned around and saw Hermione holding hands with Ron, talking animatedly with Colin Creevey. Hermione was wearing a red dress and her hair was straight and very shiny. Harry felt his heart beating painfully fast, and for a moment he hated Ron.

He hated everything about him, and he hated that Ron was holding Hermione's hand and what he hated the most was that Ron would marry Hermione. Harry shook his head and tried to push those thoughts away.

"Oh, no," Raven mumbled. "She's coming."

Harry looked at Raven and frowned. "What are you talking about? Hermione is standing there with Ron and Colin."

Raven smirked and shook her head. "When I said 'your girl' I meant…"

"Well, hello, Harry." Ginny was standing in front of him, breathing rather heavily.

"I thought you were out of town," Harry said, his head starting to ache.

"So you thought it would be nice to invite your, er, friend to my brother's engagement party," Ginny snapped.

"Well, yes," Harry said truthfully.

"I can't believe you, Harry," Ginny said.

"Well… I'll be um, inside," Raven said as she entered the house.

"We have to talk," Harry said as he closed his eyes.

"Yes, I know," Ginny retorted. "These past three years have meant nothing to you?"

"They have meant the world to me," Harry said. "It's just that… I was mistaken about you. When I was in sixth year I thought you were the one for me. During the following year, all I could think about was you. I wanted to defeat Voldemort so badly so I could be with you. Then you didn't want me back, until some time had passed… And now I have just realized that everything I have wanted was right in front of me, and sadly, it isn't you." Harry glanced at Hermione while he said this.

Ginny stared at him, tears stinging her eyes. "And now we're breaking up," Ginny said as she lowered her head. "And it's not for a stupid, noble reason."

"I guess not," Harry said. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," Ginny said. "I hope that… you are happy with her, whoever it might be. And I think I have a pretty good clue of who it is. Maybe I have always known…" Ginny looked at Harry and shrugged.

"I have to go," Harry said. He glanced at Hermione again and sighed. He didn't know what he was feeling for Hermione… maybe he was confusing things and…

"Goodbye, Harry," Ginny said weakly and walked away. Harry looked after her and now stared at Hermione. She had always been there for him. She had been the one that had always understood him, not Ginny. He had thought that Ginny would always be there for him, but he was wrong.

But there was Raven, too. They didn't know each other very well, but Harry felt special with her. Maybe it was because Raven knew exactly how he felt every mother's day, every father's day.

"Stop it, Potter, you're driving yourself crazy," Harry thought. "Hermione is out of your reach now. She will marry Ron, not you."

And suddenly, Hermione looked back at him. Their eyes met and Harry gulped. He smiled weakly at her and Hermione smiled back. She seemed to have forgotten the fight they had that morning.

Harry looked away and entered the house. It was empty, and he decided to go to the kitchen. Raven was sitting there, drinking some water. She looked at Harry and put her glass down.

"Potter, this is my worst date ever," Raven said.

"It's not a…" Harry smiled. "Yeah, I guess now I can call it a date."

"So… are you okay?" Raven asked as Harry sat next to her.

"Not really," Harry shrugged. "It's weird to realize that Ginny wasn't the one. I had thought for so many years that she was."

"It can happen." Raven stared at the glass in front of her and Harry fell silent.

"Um… I guess I owe you an explanation," Raven said.

"Really? About what?" Harry stared at her and Raven turned to look at him.

"You know," Raven smirked. "That I appeared to hate you… Well, I did hate you, but I don't anymore."

"Okay so…" Harry was amused. "Why did you hate me?"

"I guess that…I mean, when I lost my parents I was sent with my grandmother and she was really mean to me and everything and I hated my life. And then I knew your story and I hated Harry Potter. He was an orphan, just like me, and his parents had been murdered, just like mine… But you were famous. People worshiped you for no special reason. Well, just because you had survived Voldemort's attack. I loathed you so much that I didn't want to enter Hogwarts just because you were there. So I went over to Beauxbatons. But when I returned to London and got to work with you… I realized that you were just like me. You had suffered a lot, too."

Harry just looked at her without saying anything. "I'm really stupid," Raven snorted.

"No, you're not," Harry grinned. "You had a valid reason for hating me."

"Yeah, I guess I did," Raven smirked. They looked at each other and Harry moved closer to her.

Raven blinked at him. Harry leaned gently and kissed her. Raven seemed surprised, but then she put her arms around Harry's neck and pulled him closer.

Then they heard a door open and a gasp. They pulled away quickly and turned around, but no one was there.

"Ginny," Harry said and kissed Raven again.

A/N: This was the longest chapter yet. Um, I bet you are wondering if H/HR will happen in this story. Of course it will, but it's still a rocky road for both Harry and Hermione. I like Raven a lot, but she's not for Harry (just like Ginny). Oh, yes, and Raven is part French, part british, ha ha. I know that maybe that's not important, but I wanted to make that point clear.