"What?" Hermione asked looking more confused than they had ever seen her.

"Oh, Hermione, you were also brought up as a Muggle, weren't you?"

"Yes I was, Harry, but what has that got to do with anything?"

"Remember when I came over to your house and we saw Spiderman together?"

"Oh god no! You can't do that!"

"Yes I can and I will do it tomorrow. No one hexes my friends. Even if he was aiming for me."

"I can't believe how bad his aim is." Dean said laughing.

"Maybe he was aiming for you, Dean."

"Seamus, no way. He had no reason to aim for me. He and Harry are arch nemesises."

"Nemesis's, Dean."

"Whatever Smarty Pants."

Hermione glared at Dean.

"Don't call me that. Anyway. Harry, you can't do this."

"I can and I will."

"Stop being a broken record! Think about it logically, Harry, you do this, and the whole school thinks you are gay."

"I don't care. We all know that I'm not, that's enough for me."

"You'll only be confirming that article Luna wrote."

"Dumbledore's arranged for us to have another Yule Ball this year hasn't he? Perfect opportunity."

"Harry you aren't your father and Malfoy isn't Snape! I know that Sirius wanted you to be like your father, but these games have to stop! You aren't James, Harry. James Potter is dead…and…he's not coming back…no matter how hard you wish for it. I don't know what happened this summer but if Remus and Sirius think that turning you into your father is going to change the fact that he's dead then…then you're as crazy as Lockheart. You can't bring him back, Harry…just face it."

Harry had been furiously pacing while she was talking now he stopped and rounded on Dean, Seamus and Ron.

"Get out. Now!" he snarled at them and they fled from the danger in his voice.

"How dare you, Hermione? How dare you say something like that to me? And in front of them? I know that I can't bring my father back, I've known for years that I can't. I'm not playing games. I'm on Marauder business. Did I tell you they initiated me over the summer. They taught me everything. Everything on how to become a Marauder. All their tricks, everything. Where do you think all my ideas for pranks have come from? They're the pranks that the Marauders did, years ago."

"But why, Harry, why become a Marauder? I don't understand."

"Because I had to. Sirius said it was James's dream for me to follow in his footsteps and become a Marauder, just like he was."

"You can't live your father's dream, Harry. I know about all the stories about what your father was like, I asked Remus. He willingly told me about what your father and Sirius did to Snape. And you're doing the same to Malfoy. You're torturing him. If you can't see that, then I see no difference between yourself and Voldemort. You're as bad as he was. But he was better than you. He knew when he was torturing his victims, you don't. Goodnight." And with that she stalked up to her room.

Harry sat there gazing into the fire. He didn't move when two tears rolled down his cheeks, half an hour later. He barely noticed the shape that sat itself on the arm of his chair and brushed them away gently.

"Harry?"

Now he moved his head very slightly towards the voice. It was Hermione. She looked very sorry for what she had said and very sad too. He couldn't stop another tear from wending it's way down his face and put his arms around Hermione and pulled her onto his lap for comfort.

"I want a true answer. Am I really worse than Voldy?"

"No Harry, of course not. I didn't mean it. I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me?"

"Stay with me for a while and I might think about it." He replied with a small smile.

"Silly boy!" she said affectionately. "That's just what James would say to…Lilly. I've just figured out who your Lilly is."

"Took you long enough!" he snorted. "Who do you think it is?"

"It's me, isn't it?"

"Would you like it to be you?"

"Stop being coy with me Mr Potter. That's a roundabout way of asking me if I fancy the pants off you."

"Fine. I'll be blunt. Do you fancy me?"

The look she gave him answered his question.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know what I think. You tell me and I'll tell myself that I was right, because you know I am."

"That all depends on what my answer is."

"Now who's being coy? Will you just answer the bloody question?"

"My, my we are impatient, aren't we?"

"Hermione…"

"Alright, take a pill of the chill variety. Sorry I had to."

"Okay that does it."

As Hermione was sitting on his lap he opened his legs and she fell in between them onto the floor. Or at least she would have done had she not grabbed him.

"I'm not going to tell you now."

"Fine, then you won't find out who my Lilly is." He grinned and hoisted her back onto his lap.

"Must you always be such a tease Harry?"

"Must you?"

"Oooh!"

"I try!"