Here's the next chapter! The plot really starts to get rolling here, lol. Hope everyone likes this! The reviews have been great so far, I liked reading what you all had to say about the fic. There is a strong possibility that I'll use the suggestion put forth by jitterbug393. I've already decided how to bring it in. Any more suggestions would be great! I just may use it. :-)

Anyone who is shocked about Hedwig...sorry...had to do it. Hopefully no one will be mad at me after this chapter.

Unicorns

Harry and Ron walked the way to class in tension-filled silence.

Most of the female students who were passing them kept giggling and sneaking glances at Harry.

Harry could distinctly hear several of them whispering eagerly.

"That's Harry Potter!"

"Yes, he broke up with that Granger girl…"

"It's a bit of a shock, really."

"Yeah, I heard they were pretty far in their relationship…don't understand…"

"Did you know they've been friends for years?"

"Sudden, don't you think?"

"Well, if he's back on the market…"

"Who are we to question?"

"Hey! Shhh…he could hear us!"

Ron had had enough and told the gossiping girls to shut up and leave them alone.

They immediately scattered as they all went their respective ways to class. Some of the braver girls smiled flirtatiously in Harry's direction.

Harry tried his best to look the other way. "Oh Merlin. If this keeps up, a shot of firewhiskey would look very welcome in a few days or so…" He thought despairingly.

When they arrived at the classroom, Ron whispered to Harry that he should go on as he had to talk to Neville about something.

"And don't bother saving a seat for me. I'll be seating with Neville. You could use some time to think about what you have done." And with that, Ron went over to where Neville was already seated. Neville looked over his shoulder to give Harry an accusatory glare.

Harry sighed, and decided to sit in the very back of the classroom. As there was a door near him, he planned on making a quick and painless exit when the bell rang signaling the end of class.

As McGonagall started her lecture, Harry couldn't help but search for Hermione. As usual, she was seated near the front of the class; her quill scratching furiously on the blank sheet of parchment. Harry knew he should be concentrating on the lecture and taking notes also, but he needed some sort of contact with Hermione. So, he figured that the best bet was passing her note – charmed, of course, so no one would suspect.

He ripped off some parchment and soundlessly cast a privacy charm that only allowed Hermione to read what the note said. To everyone else, it would just be a piece of blank parchment.

On the note he wrote,

Hermione,

Is it true that unicorns can only be touched by female virgins?

Love,

Harry

Harry tapped Dean, who was sitting in front of him, on the shoulder. He gave him the note with instructions to pass it forward until Hermione had it.

Dean looked at him suspiciously, "Thought you hate Hermione now. What are you passing notes to her for?"

Harry hissed impatiently, "Just because I can't stand her doesn't mean I can't pass her a flipping note. Just do as I say. And shut it."

Dean submitted to his request if only because he knew it wasn't the best idea to get on Harry Potter's bad side. But he still looked a bit suspicious of Harry's actions.

When the note finally was given to Hermione, she stared at it in shock. She wasn't sure whether to laugh or be frustrated over the fact that Harry wasn't playing his part as well as she'd hoped.

"Hermione, why'd Harry want to give you a blank piece of parchment?" Lavender whispered behind Hermione.

"He charmed it…thank goodness," Hermione thought, thanking the stars for Harry's thinking ahead.

"Maybe he just wanted to get a rise out of me. Wouldn't be the first time," She explained in a hushed voice.

Professor McGonagall was starting to notice some of the whispering going on. She reminded everyone to stay on task and pay attention as the information contained in today's lecture would be on the NEWT exams.

"Mandy, throw this away, will you? Thanks." Hermione gave Harry's note over to the Ravenclaw girl who nonchalantly threw it away.

Hermione looked behind her to where Harry was sitting, and smirked. Harry glared at her.

Anyone who noticed, believed it was genuine. The rumors were true.

Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had finally gotten sick of each other.

Meanwhile, Ron and Neville were having a conversation of their own.

"So he said he'd help?"

"Yeah, he doesn't want it to happen as much as we do." Neville reassured quickly.

"Huh. That's interesting. Did he say why?" Ron wondered more as an afterthought than anything else. He had most of his attention on note-taking. Having a Ravenclaw for a girlfriend could make you do strange things. But here he was, taking notes when only maybe even a year ago he wouldn't have thought to take that much care into his studies.

Neville coughed, but didn't say anything.

"What is it?" Ron pressed when he noticed his behavior.

Neville shook his head, and then wrote something down on a small piece of paper shoving it toward Ron.

Ron stared incredulously at what was written on the paper.

Draco said that he fancies Ginny.

"The only consolation I have is that, as far as I know, it's one-sided," Neville muttered darkly.

Ron gave Neville a sympathetic look, "I don't like this anymore than you do. We'll get to the bottom of this, alright?"

Neville nodded, but his hand was trembling slightly as he took his quill and went back to taking notes.

When the bell signaling the end of class rang, Harry hastily gathered his things together and exited the classroom.

After a few minutes the classroom had nearly emptied. Ron gave a sparing glance in Hermione's direction as he left with Neville.

Hermione wondered what was going on in Ron's mind, but she figured she'd rather not know and left the room.

Before she was able to go down one of the corridors to her next class, a hand shot from behind her. It covered her mouth before she could scream in surprise.

"I don't think anyone's paying attention," the distinctly masculine voice announced as Hermione felt him look warily in both directions.

Even though he was standing behind her, she would recognize his scent anywhere. She let him move her into a darkened corridor.

Once he took his hand away from her mouth, Hermione turned around and saw Harry looking expectantly at her.

She sighed, "What, Harry?"

"Unicorns!" He answered a little too enthusiastically.

"You can't be serious…"

"But I am, but I am…I'd like an answer. Someone didn't get back to me about it."

"Harry, honestly. Oh alright. It doesn't matter. They prefer females, virgin, or, otherwise (she coughed suddenly), but it is not exclusive to just that gender. Happy now?"

"Ecstatic. Oh, and Ron's threatening to file for divorce," He added as if he were simply discussing the weather.

"What!" Hermione exclaimed before he covered her mouth with his hand again.

"Sssh, they'll hear us!"

She removed his hand from her mouth, and said more quietly, "What's Ron threatening?"

"He told me that if we don't tell him what is going on between us, that the friendship between the three of us is going to end. So…"

"Did he give you a specific length of time before the threat would follow through?" Hermione asked urgently.

"No, now that you mention it. You think I should ask him?"

"Yes, you should definitely ask him. I'm running late to class, Harry. I have to go…don't forget to work on your Potions assignment during your break period, okay?"

"Okay, sweetie. Love you." And he kissed her.

"Harry—I—I have to go. Oh my – where'd you learn that?" She breathed, a few strands of her brown hair escaping her ponytail.

Harry stopped kissing her, and stood back looking thoughtful, "I can't say I remember honestly. See you later then?"

"Yes…yes," she started, "No! I mean, we can't see each other like this now! What if – what if we get caught?"

"I'll figure something out," Harry assured her as she smiled gratefully at him and rushed off to her next class.

A tawny owl flew toward him, a letter in its talons.

"Who's writing to me, Ellette?" He wondered as he relieved his owl's burden, and petted her in thanks.

When Ellette looked expectantly at him, he said, "I don't have any owl treats with me. Come back at lunch, alright?"

The owl hooted and flew away back to the Owlery.

Harry swore under his breath once he finished reading the note.

It was from Ginny. Asking if he could meet up with her in the Gryffindor common room now as they had the same break period.

"I'd rather work on the Potions assignment than --" He muttered bitterly before he heard a couple of girls giggling nearby.

He took a deep breath and left the corridor to see a small group of fourth year girls staring at him.

"Hello…mind if you let me through? I have somewhere I need to go," He said slowly, smiling a little.

"I heard Ginny Weasley sent you an owl. Is that true?" One of the girls, this one with short black hair and grey eyes, spoke up.

"Yes. Wait…how'd you know about that? I just received the owl a few minutes ago…"

"She knows everything." One of the other girls informed him. She had very light brown hair and dark blue eyes.

"Oh. Well, I really must go. See you later," Harry said, and left the group whispering fervently behind his back.

Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the portrait entrance into Gryffindor Tower.