Disclaimer: I own nothing. NO-THING. Except for the story…and, of course, Lily, Andrew and the twins.

Kyra2117: Thanks (I hate the chapter myself).

Jayce: Yeah…. I really HATED writing this chapter because all they had to do in it was hook up and I had plans for everything BUT this one…. basically she just is kind of self-absorbed.

Scotty26: Yeah, I realized that after I posted it, but alas, I didn't want to go back and upload a new version of it for the third time (I did that at the end of seven, too…oops). But yeah, basically, I figured it might be better to give a little background than say "Yeah, Harry and Fleur's sister are together. Moving on!" Oh, you sound like the guys in my family because they hate musicals with a burning passion.

Harry94Ginny: Don't worry, it won't last long.

Denisje: Thank you!

Pyrotechnic: Ok…

A/N: Sorry this took so long, but finals are a humongous pain the in ass, as I'm sure everyone who's ever gone to high school knows. :N/A

.x. Having Heart Is Full Of Pain .x.

She Said, "I Can't Take This Town, I'm Leaving You Tonight..."

"Hermione…what the hell happened?" Harry was sitting in Ron and Hermione's living room, head in his hands, trying to figure out what exactly had happened that morning. "I mean, she got up, took one look at me, yelped, and I didn't see her again until she was completely made up. I mean, what is that?"

Hermione nodded. "Well…what happened last night, on the date?"

"Well, she insisted we go to this fancy French restaurant in Paris—and fuck was it expensive, too—and I took her back and she didn't seem too enthused about Grimmauld Place, honestly. She's….she's rude, and stuck up, and…and…and…and completely high maintenance!"

"So why did you sleep with her again?" she asked, one eyebrow cocked curiously.

"She was pretty…."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"No, no, no. I know how that sounds, but…it was like, if you got near her, you wanted her! I don't' know how else to explain it. I'm sorry," he said to his friend as she shook her head.

"I hate Veela…" she muttered.

"What?"

"Fleur's half Veela, right? So that means Gabrielle is as well."

Harry kicked himself for not realizing it. "So that's why I just slept with someone that bugged me all night?"

"Most likely."

"Thanks, Hermione."

"No problem. Just do me a favor, and don't introduce her to Ron."

Harry smiled. "No worries there…" There was a pause; a scratching on the window could be faintly heard, and Harry got up to see what it was. There was his owl, a fresh roll of parchment tied to its leg.

"What's that, Harry?" Hermione asked as he slid the window open to let the owl hop inside.

"It's a response to the letter I sent Hogwarts last night," he responded, looking at the crest that had been stamped on in wax.

"You didn't send it until last night?" Hermione said shrilly, reminding Harry of a stifling mother hen.

"Erm…"

"Harry, it's August 31! Term begins tomorrow!"

"Well, let me read it before you snap!"

She fell silent, looking at the letter curiously.

"Well…open it, then."

Harry's fingers trembled a bit as the tore the parchment of the envelope. After all, what would he do if he didn't get the job? Slowly, he slipped the letter out and read it silently to himself.

Dear Mr. Potter,

Thank you for expressing interest in the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I regret to inform you that your letter was sent past the deadline we set for new job applications.

Harry stared blankly, stuck on the last sentence had had read. He hadn't gotten the job…

"Harry, are you okay?"

However, as the position had not yet been filled, we have made an exception in your case.

At one o'clock in the afternoon, this letter shall become a Portkey that will transport you to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I expect you shall be prompt and look forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon. Best wishes,

Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Harry could have jumped for joy. Hugging a baffled Hermione, he shouted a quick "Thanks!" and rushed out of the apartment without another word.

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When Harry opened the door to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, he was greeted by a surprise. A note reading "Go upstairs," had been taped to the door, and, curious, he followed its instructions. At the second story landing was another note, this one reading "The bedroom." There, wearing diamond-encrusted stilettos and a tight and revealing low-cut black dress, stood Gabrielle. Not one hair was out of place, and her hair looked flawless. Harry, who had come here with the full intent of finding her and telling her that it was over, felt himself becoming powerless to her Veela blood all over again.

"I 'eard zee good news, 'Arry, and I zought zat we should celebrate."

She bit her lip in a way that Harry found irresistible, and he came closer to her. Wrapping his arms around her and forgetting everything negative he had felt about her earlier, he asked her, "Really? And how did you find out?"

"I am good friends with McGonagall," she responded, "Fleur is a teacher at 'Ogwarts."

"Mmmm…" Harry began to kiss her neck, and Gabrielle giggled. They then moved on to kissing, and finally Gabrielle broke apart from him.

"I'm going to miss you, 'Arry," she whispered seductively in his ear. He inclined his head in a way that said, "Really?" and she nodded her head. "I might not see you again until zee Christmas 'olidays," she told him, and he nodded, swallowing. "So, I was zinking zat we should make zis a…night to remember?" Without another word, Gabrielle laid down on the bed, and Harry followed her.

He laid next to her, looking at her awkwardly. "What…what do you want me to do?" Gabrielle merely grinned, pushed herself on top of him, and began to kiss him passionately. Nervously, Harry let his hands roam as Gabrielle lead him.

"Oh, Ginny…" Harry whispered, and, before what had happened hit him, Gabrielle had rolled off of him and was glaring daggers at him.

"I…Gabrielle, don't!" He called after her as she stalked out of the room angrily. "Come back, it just slipped, okay?"

She reappeared in the doorway, seething. "'It just zlipped'! I know zat Ginny you speak of, zat 'orrible Weasley girl! Zat girl who 'as never worked a day in 'er life and sleeps around. Zat 'orrible woman is a whore!"

"SHUT UP ABOUT HER!" Harry shouted, now enraged. He breathed in for a moment, letting himself regain his calm, and then continued. "What about you, eh? You're the most high maintenance woman that I've ever met—you wouldn't' even let me see you with your hair messed up! And you seem pretty experienced yourself, and you're, what, five years younger than she is?"

"At least I don't cheat!" she screeched.

"Well neither do I!"

"Don't tell me you're not sleeping with 'er!"

"I'm not! Because you know what, you don't need to sleep with someone to care about them!"

Gabrielle glared.

"And you want to know another thing? You don't have to care about someone you sleep with. And I don't care about you. You annoy the hell out of me! You're stuck up and snooty and as far from modest as you can be! So…so do me a favor and just get out!"

"I'm leaving," she snarled.

"Good!"

"Ass'ole," she called back, and Harry heard the slam of his front door.

"That went fantastic," he muttered to himself. His cheeks were still flushed from their embrace; his hair was more of a mess than usual and his shirt was halfway unbuttoned. Finishing the job that Gabrielle had started, he took his shirt off and changed into pajamas. He was exhausted, and he needed to get up in time to pack for Hogwarts tomorrow. He sat back on the bed with a yawn, and was asleep before his head hit the pillows.

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At five minutes to one the next afternoon, Harry was standing in his kitchen, his bags shrunken to the size of Knuts and resting in the pockets of his robes. He continued to nervously glance at his watch as he reread the letter from Hogwarts again and again. He knew that this was a great opportunity, but he couldn't help but feel very worried about the change. He had no lesson plans prepared, he didn't think he would know anyone at Hogwarts except for McGonagall, and, lastly, he wouldn't see Ginny until the Christmas holidays. He knew that it was bad to need to see her, and that, honestly, it was best if he didn't, and that he needed to forget about her, but he wanted so badly to believe that she was the one for him, and that he hadn't screwed that all up.

Harry had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he had forgotten to continue checking the time, and was caught quite off guard when he felt the familiar pulling at his navel. He was surrounded by a blur of colors, and finally landed, quite ungracefully, on the cold stone floor of the Entrance Hall.

"Good afternoon, Potter."

Harry scrambled up and turned to see Professor McGonagall, smiling slightly, standing behind him.

"'Lo." Harry felt himself turning red. "Great first impression," he thought to himself bitterly.

"Your bedroom is in the back of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom—surely you remember where that is?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Well, then, you are free to do as you please until five-thirty, at which time I ask you to come down to the Great Hall and find your seat."

"Thank you," Harry said and headed off in the direction of his new office. After unpacking, he spent the rest of his free time attempting to write up lesson plans and poring over reports of what each year had learned already and what they hadn't. One thing that he was beginning to realize was that being a teacher was going to be more work than he had expected. Soon it was five twenty-five, and Harry left to go to the Great Hall.

When he reached the Great Hall, it was almost eerie. In his seven years at Hogwarts, he had never seen the Great Hall as empty as it was now. The closest he had ever come to seeing it completely devoid of people besides himself was when, in his third year, he had stayed at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays, but even then there were thirteen people at the Christmas dinner. As he made his way to the staff table, he could hear his sneakers echoing off of the walls. The enchanted ceiling was colored with vibrant pinks and oranges, reflecting the sunset that was taking place outside. He wondered how long it would be until students started arriving…

When he reached the magnificent oak table, one of the first things he noticed was that there were more seats than there had been when he went to school. The second was that, where each chair was placed, there was a name and class carved into the wood in perfect cursive. As he walked the length of the table, he read them to himself, looking for his seat.

Charms—Fleur Delacour; Herbology—Dina Blumen; Transfiguration—Viktor Krum (Was that what Krum was doing with his time now?); Astronomy—Seamus Finnigan (Harry thought this appointment was a bit odd, as he remembered Seamus getting very low marks in astronomy); Divination—Lavender Brown; Divination—Parvati Patil (Harry wasn't surprised by this at all, considering the way they had both worshipped Trelawney in class); Head—Minerva McGonagall; Muggle Studies—Eloise Midgen; Ancient Runes—Isa Lange; Care of Magical Creatures—Luna Lovegood (Harry couldn't help but laugh at this as he tried to imagine what kinds of fictional creatures she would teach about); Arithmancy—Remus Lupin (At this, Harry's heart swelled. He would at least have Lupin to keep him company); Defense Against The Dark Arts—Harry Potter.

His seat was located in the second to last spot at the table, and he strained to think of which subject hadn't been named. Finally, he looked over, and felt his heart drop. Potions—Gabrielle Delacour.

A/N: Okay, so that was much better than seven. Sorry again for the wait, it's just I had so much work… Anyways, hope you liked it. Also, has anyone else seen Tristan & Isolde? I saw it Friday night, excellent movie, absolutely great. Best romance I've ever seen, better than Titanic and Romeo and Juliet…but yeah, erm, the next one will be out sooner…I hope. :N/A