Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad that you all are enjoying this story. Here's the next part! I'm working on the following chapter at the moment, and I hope to have it posted sometime next week.

I Have You Now, Don't I?

Harry went down to the Heads' common room after he had taken a quick shower, changed, and put his books together for his morning classes (There was a shortcut to all of the Houses' dorms in each of the Heads' rooms to allow easy access for the Heads. Harry, of course, could only go through the Gryffindor shortcut, and he used this frequently since he tended to stay the night at the Heads' quarters and it was the fastest way to get his books and clothes for the day).

Before he could make it to the portrait hole, a voice called him from behind. He turned back around and found himself facing the portraits.

The dreaded portraits of past Head Boys and Girls of Hogwarts. Although, according to Hermione, it was optional whether or not the Head wanted a magical portrait done of him/her.

Unfortunately or maybe fortunately if you want to look at it that way, James Potter and Lily Evans decided to have magical portraits done of them. But soon after Harry had his first visit to the Heads' common room, he began to realize what Hermione meant by, "The Heads are stuck in time in those magical portraits. It won't do any good to get your hopes up because as far as James and Lily know, you don't exist yet in their reality. And, anyway, all the Head portraits are charmed in a way as to prevent them from taking anything to heart about any future details that may concern them. It doesn't stay in their memories for long before they easily forget. So, just in case you get any ideas, Harry…listen to me when I say, 'you will not be happy with the results.'"

Harry didn't pay much attention the first time she explained it to him, but he hardly knew his parents. Any small hope he had of actually seeing them; he would take it in a heartbeat.

But in this case; this was just not worth it. Despite his shattered hopes, Harry decided to just be a man and stop dwelling on it. He had done a fairly decent job of acting with a modicum of normalcy with his parents' portraits. It might have had something to do with the fact that he barely remembered them anyway, but he preferred not to think about that.

"Harry?" She called again.

Brightest witch of her class, Head Girl Lily Evans was sitting comfortably on a burgundy couch with a well-used book beside her. She was wearing what looked to be fairly expensive dress robes – she must have put quite a lot of time and effort to look nice in her portrait. The dress was resplendent with crimson and gold – Gryffindor colors.

Harry sighed, and addressed his mother, or, more accurately in her case, his future mother, "Yes, what is it?"

"Ah, well Hermione wanted me to inform you that the password has been changed to the Heads' common room. You're not allowed to visit anymore either."

"You have to be kidding me. Seriously?"

"I'm only repeating what she told me. But she did also say that 'once it was all over' that then, and only then, would you be allowed entrance here again."

Harry muttered under his breath about how he would make whoever invented love potions pay for what they had done. How dare anyone have the nerve to create something as silly as a potion that creates false love?

A commotion from the portrait to the left of Lily's took Harry out of his reverie. Someone had just come into the portrait on the left, and had accidentally knocked a chair over.

"Fu--" He started, but when he saw Lily glaring at him in the adjacent portrait he changed tactic, "Fudge! Oh, I do love fudge."

She rolled her eyes and walked over to James Potter's portrait, stood in front of him looking stern, and said, "Had fun, did you?"

He groaned, and covered his face with his hands in what looked to be mock shame at his actions. When he looked up at Lily, he confessed, "Who knew that the punch was spiked. (Lily stared unblinkingly at him) Okay, okay. But I honestly didn't think Remus would actually go through with it! If you have to blame anyone, blame him!"

Lily grabbed his arm, and made him look in Harry's direction, "We have a guest, James. You do not swear in front of guests, no matter how drunk you may be!"

James grinned sheepishly at Lily, "But…technically, Lily…he's your guest, not mine. I was far too busy getting drunk to schedule any sort of visitation," And he gave the most ridiculous look that Harry had ever seen.

Lily's expression softened and she said, "Oh, James, honey. Shut up. Say hello to Harry, and go throw up. You're starting to look green." From what Harry could see, his father was swaying precariously back and forth as Lily tried to keep his balance steady, but it was proving to be a hopeless task. She sighed exasperatedly and settled him on the couch. His face was a sickly pale color with tinges of green creeping in. James Potter was most definitely drunk.

James scratched the back of his head for a second before he looked up and directed his attention to Harry. Even though he was running late this morning, Harry couldn't help but stay rooted to his spot. The look his father was giving him seemed very much like he was assessing his overall worth to society. And it made Harry rightfully uncomfortable.

"Harry, is it?" He asked. Harry nodded slowly.

A smile started to come upon his face, and he turned to Lily, "His name's Harry, Lily. Harry Harry Harry Harry."

Lily's eyes opened wide, and she clapped her hand over her mouth. "Shoot!" She breathed out. She quickly pulled James up by the arm to direct him toward the staircase.

"I think you really need to go do your business, James. Now."

James tried to resist, but Lily was too strong for him, especially in his condition where he swore he saw about four of her all at once. And he wondered if the room always spun around like that.

Harry said goodbye to both of them, thanking Lily for her information. Lily quickly nodded while James threw up a little on the staircase with Lily looking sympathetic. She moved her arm down around his waist, and James laid his head down on the crook of her shoulder, sighing in contentment.

"Honestly, Lily. You told me it was only a crush. I didn't mean anything by it,"

She ran her fingers through his messy black hair, and said softly, "And I have you now, don't I?"

James smiled mischievously, "Forgive and forget?"

Lily smirked at him, "Not a chance. Surely you'll be better by tomorrow?"

He groaned, "I think it's really getting up now."

Harry heard his parents exit the portrait as he himself went out the portrait hole, walking in a fast pace toward the Great Hall. Breakfast would be over very soon.

"Hey Harry! Over here!" He heard Ron call from the entrance to the Great Hall.

Harry walked to him, and smiled gratefully at his offer of two pieces of toast.

"Breakfast over already?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, mate. Why were you so late anyway?"

"Oh, I just got held up. So…how was breakfast?" He said idly, pretending he wasn't fishing for information. Particularly about how Hermione had "spread the news" about their break-up.

Ron shrugged, "The usual. Ginny tried to make up with Neville by having a full-fledged snogging session right in the middle of breakfast. Of course, Neville wouldn't have any of it, and stormed away from the table saying, "Call me when you're yourself! I'm not some mindless boyfriend perpetually looking for a snog!" Oh, and Luna, once again, misinterpreted what I said, and left to go back to the Ravenclaw table before breakfast was even half over! And then, well…Hermione--"

"What about her? What'd she say?" Harry cut in.

Ron had an odd look on his face, "She came to breakfast, crying. When Luna asked her what was wrong, Hermione said the most unbelievable thing,"

Harry waited impatiently for him to continue, "Go on, Ron."

Ron shook his head and looked up with a slightly annoyed look on his face, "She said – Hermione said that – she said that you two broke up. And apparently, you guys had a big row; something awful. Something that ended your friendship. Harry, mate, Hermione seems to hate your guts. What the hell did you do!" Ron accused him sharply, and shoved Harry against the wall.

Harry looked back nervously at Ron. He knew how hot-tempered Ron could get when someone pressed his buttons hard enough. He'd never been on receiving end of it before though.

"Like Hermione said. We're not together anymore. We're not anything anymore."

"Do you think I'm stupid? Something's up, and I want to know what it is! And if you or Hermione don't tell me, then I say this friendship between the three of us is finished! Got that?" Ron said, and Harry knew it was a real threat on his part.

He nodded.

"Okay. Let's go to class," Ron continued as if he hadn't just threatened Harry.

But Harry knew that if Ron wasn't clued in soon, the long-standing friendship between Ron, Hermione, and himself would be no more.