A/N: Okay, I'm not familiar with the whole 'show business' thing. Please excuse the typographical errors and such—if there are.

Behold! The next chapter for Run Away Princess!

Disclaimer: I don't own HP

Chapter 4: "We're Just Friends"

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Harry sat in his dresser, his stylist was doing his hair and make-up—he forced him to only put powder, or something like that since he wasn't an expert in those things. The hair and make-up took about an hour. Harry was bored to death, completely restless and he kept on fidgeting due to nervousness of confronting Cho, reporters, interviewers and the like on the red carpet. They would ask about what his role was in "Downhill" but still—he knew that the first question would always be about Casey.

After an excruciating hour and a half, he was finally ready. He was wearing a white button up shirt and a blue sweater over it. He wore jeans, and a pair of converse shoes that he hadn't used in a while. He topped it all of with a blazer over it—giving a smart casual feel. He breathed in deeply as he entered his limo. Scared for himself—and Casey—for what was about to happen. Slowly, the actors entered the car one by one, each of them chattering eagerly as they were nearing the premiere venue.

A certain woman, one year older than him, who had a petite frame, her silky, black hair tied up neatly into a bun with her bangs falling directly over her eyes. She glared at him, sending chills up his spine. She took a seat beside him—since there was none left.

"It would be advisable if you let me know that you broke up with me before the press." She hissed.

"I didn't break up with you! She was just an acquaintance." He whispered into her ear.

She didn't say a word to him during the whole ride. He sighed—he had actually expected this. Creepy.

The car came to a stop, and one by one, the actors exited the vehicle towards the crowd. He followed suit, and he smiled at all the fans, giving autographs and taking pictures with them. One fan even asked him to marry her—and he shuddered at the thought of it. He only smiled at her nervously and gave a quick hug.

"So, Harry, how was the movie? Can you tell us a little more about your character?" asked an interviewer who introduced herself as Luna Lovegood.

"Erm, I play Jonathan Flame. He's uhm—a troubled teenager, who fell victim to drugs and alcohol, then erm, his parents die and he's sort of—erm, alone. And a girl, Martha Abshire—who is played by Cho Chang—saves him. It's a really interesting movie. We had fun erm, filming the movie." He stuttered, he always had a hard time at the red carpet, his mind was swirling at the flashes from the cameras that were pointed at him and too many things in his mind prevented him from thinking properly.

"Oh, so, what do you have planned for you after the movie?" She asked.

"Well, erm, I'm working on a different movie right now, they just sent the scripts and the casting should start next week, I think." He replied, running his hands nervously through his hair. Luna turned to her camera, talking.

"So that's Harry Potter, playing Jonathan Flame in Seamus Finnigan's new movie—Downhill." She announced, then turned to Harry, shaking his hand. "Thank you so much Harry. Hope to see you again."

"Right, pleasure." He said, smiling at her.

After 10 seconds, suddenly Rita Skeeter appeared beside him, thrusting a mike in his direction.

"Who's that dazzling woman you were with yesterday?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We're friends." He lied, since he wasn't sure if they were friends or not, he'd take the risk. "She rode with me since she didn't have a ride."

"So, are you together?" Rita asked, resting one of her hands on his shoulder.

"Erm, no." Harry replied nervously.

"Yes, we've broken up. I know, but, I won't let him affect me in my work." He heard someone say from a distance, and his body went cold. Cho was spreading that they were broken up. He sighed—he hated it when Cho was like that.

"We're just friends." He insisted to Rita. Smiling like he never heard Cho.

---

Harry sat tiredly on his bed, and lied down. He stifled a yawn, and he felt dizzy.

He must've said the phrase "We're just friends." For a thousand times today.

We're they really friends?

"Good evening James." He said politely into the phone that rang noisily beside him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Good evening, Harry. Your mother told me that you have been rude to her." James accused.

"I've always been rude to Penelope." Harry reasoned, his mother died a few years ago, and his father remarried a girl who was after their money.

"I don't like your attitude, young man."

"I don't like her attitude. She keeps dragging me off to charity work for the weird chance that she will somehow be branded the 'Worlds Nicest Woman'. I already donated 200,000 dollars to that foundation already. I was intending on doing the cancer one but she had to but in."

"Your mother is the Worlds Nices—"

"She's not my mother!" He retorted, "My mother was the woman who died 5 years ago! She's dead. And I hate Penelope. Please James, hang up the phone." He grumbled.

"I have received news that the Grangers have pinpointed their lost heiress—or princess, if she pushes through with the marriage with Ronald. He's a nice man." He informed him, ignoring Harry's outburst. "They're planning to bring her home within a few months. You still have a chance, Harry."

"I'm not into royalty, just because I happened to be an eligible bachelor 7 years ago, doesn't mean that I'm completely in love with the custom, it was just one masquerade ball. I abandoned the thought years ago. Let the Weasley take her."

"You don't understand—the riches, and the power. It would do the Potter fortune a good deal!"

"So you're asking me to marry her for the money? Dad—"

"I told you not to call me dad, I know of no such son of mine who abandoned his family to start chasing his dreams." He snapped.

"That's rich." He retorted. "I won't marry her, you can handle yourself." He said to him, then snapped the phone shut.

He put his head in his hands—so what if they found the lost princess? I don't care. I don't want to marry her. I hate the idea of arranged marriages, anyway. Ronald can have her, for all I care.

---

"How was the red carpet?" Draco implored, taking a sip from his orange juice. Ginny and Hermione were in the living room, engrossed in the soap opera they recently got addicted to.

"Dreadful." Harry replied, scratching his eyes. "I just came home from the after party a few hours ago. I can't believe I'm having another audition today."

"She was worried, last night, actually. They saw you on TV. Too bad I didn't see it." He chuckled, taking a bite from his breakfast. Harry stared at him.

"Who was worried? Ginny?" He asked.

"Her—Casey." He answered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "She was worried, thinking that she got you into trouble and all."

"Nah, she's okay." Harry said, trying to sound nonchalant. "She puts up with me."

"Who would?" Draco snorted, taking another sip from his drink.

"You, Ginny... And Casey was just recently added to the list. I don't act arrogant to everyone you know. Just to a fair few."

"I've never seen you so arrogant though. Only now—to Casey. Is there like, a weird vibe that caused you to be more cruel than you usually are?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You should've seen her on her first day!" He exclaimed, and then made a face. Soon the two were laughing.

"Why are you guys laughing?" Emerged Hermione from the living room, taking a seat to eat her breakfast, wiping tears from her eyes. "Rodolfo left Maria, because Maria was carrying Gustave's baby. Gustave is Rodolfo's long lost brother for Christ's sake! Then Isabella fell in love with Maria's half-brother. Who was actually Rodolfo's distant cousin. Everything's so messed up. Plus Isabella eloped with Rodolfo—while he was in a coma! A coma!" her eyes were puffy, she was still in her pajamas. She's gotten used to Harry's presence, the four practically lived together.

"Did I feature in that?" Harry asked, he pressed his lips tightly together, stifling his laughter. Women and their soaps.

"I think you were the homeless kid." Hermione added, giggling.

A low chuckled escaped his lips. "Ooooh. So I was in that one. Oh yeah, Mandy's gonna die."

"It's Maria. Wait—she's really gonna die?"

"Yeah, then an earthquake will come to kill them all, after they're invaded by aliens." Draco added. The two boys burst into fits of laughter.

"Wait—I'm going to tell Ginny!" Hermione cried, dropping her utensils and running off to the living room. They laughed even harder.

"Draco, I am so going to kill you!" Shouted a voice from the living room, Ginny came in not too long after that. Then the laughter died down "I can't believe you spoiled the whole damn thing!"

"Are you two deranged? We really didn't know that it would happen, come on—Spanish Soap Opera, earthquakes and aliens? They don't fit at all! We didn't know that it'd happen!" Draco said frantically at his girlfriend's behavior.

"Well—it—it did!" She cried, sniffing loudly, after blowing her nose into a piece of tissue.

---

"No! We're just friends!" Hermione told her officemates. "Honestly—you guys seriously can't think that we're together? I loathe him!"

"Hey Casey." Harry greeted, emerging from his office door. "Please get me a coffee, thanks. Black—this time."

"Sure?" She asked, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Cause Mitch here will—"

"Yes. Black, we're having our first shooting and it'll most likely take 8 hours, can you stay until then? Thanks." He smiled, they both laughed. His attitude has changed over the days, and it was starting to freak her out.

"You loathe him, eh?" Carrie asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest.

---

"Just get in the car, Casey." Harry ordered her.

"Why do you have to be so difficult?" he pressed, opening the door.

"Won't you be afraid of the press release thing?" She asked, "I can take a cab home."

"No you won't. I don't care of what they say. Just go in the car." He said sternly. "Go on." But she didn't move a muscle.

"Get in the damn—"

"Fine." She huffed, entering the car. He smiled in disbelief.

"I don't get you. There are some people out there who would want to enter a car with me and Mitch and you of all people refuse to." He complained. A smirk graced his lips.

She snorted. "Actually, we're four in this car, Mitch, me, you, and your ego."

"The other Harry says thank you for noticing him." He replied, he received a playful punch on his arm. "Ouch. I was just playing along."

"That's for the TV show you ruined." She mock-scowled, staring at his emerald green eyes. Then they both burst into nervous laughs.

"So, uhm—" He was speechless, her eyes were, beautiful. Seconds of time concealed in history. "Erm. I, uh."

"Are you okay?" She asked, pressing her warm hands against his neck and forehead. He felt jolts of electricity run through his veins.

"Are you okay?" The lady asked, putting her warm hand over his in concern "Tell me your name." She suggested.

"I can't. Those are the rules, remember?" Harry replied.

"Oh yes. Rules. I hate rules." She said sadly.

"And parents. Don't forget about controlling parents who use you for money." He added. Smiling at her.

"Yes. Them too." She said happily, the room was empty now. And then she kissed him on the cheek. "Good bye, the ball is about to end."

"Goodbye." He said quietly, watching her dainty movements towards the door. Completely stricken.

It all happened so fast—like an involuntary action. He grasped her hands and set it down. Moving slightly away from her.

"I'm fine." He said through gritted teeth. She reminded him of the woman 7 years ago. The woman he met in the masquerade ball.

"Oh. Sorry." She apologized, moving towards the edge of her seat, putting as much distance between them. She looked out the window, and watched the moon. Was he watching the same moon? She was reminded of the man she had met 7 years ago in a masquerade ball. What had happened to him?—she didn't know.

"Anyway, Casey. I was erm, thinking if you would go with me to dinner... Since Malfoy and Ginny are out and—"

"I can cook for myself." She said quietly, "Just because I was almost kidnapped, doesn't mean that you have to go to dinner with me. I'm fine."

He felt his heart drop for some unknown reason. "Okay then." he said stubbornly.

Hermione returned to her flat, and walked inside. She walked over to her stove, after taking out chicken to fry. She turned the knob, but the fire wouldn't show up.

She turned it again. And there still wasn't any fire.

She sighed.

---

Knock knock.

"What brings you here, Barrett?" He asked, smirking. It was highly unusual for Hermione to show up on his doorstep.

"The stove won't work. I was wondering if I could cook here and then I'll stop bothering you." She pleaded.

"Better yet—let me take you to dinner." He said, smiling his smile that usually took Hermione's breath away. She sighed—signaling his victory.

He brought her to a high-class restaurant next to their building, the restaurant was practically made up of gold and marble. She felt her stomach do little summersaults, this was way too expensive. She'd probably spend all her life's work just for a piece of bread in this place. She inhaled deeply, savoring the smell of different scents of food all mixed together. There were a few people inside, and she suddenly felt embarrassed—showing up in this restaurant in only jeans. He intertwined his fingers with hers, pulling her through the crowd outside the restaurant—probably the crowd that stalked them since they left the building, shouting insults at Hermione occasionally. He ignored the cameras pointed at them.

She felt shivers up her spine that exact moment. That exact moment their hands fit together. She dismissed the thought. He's an arrogant, insufferable, egotistic man who smiles at your suffering.

"Why did you bring me here again?" She sighed, whining.

"I just wanted to see your face. You looked funny when I brought you here. God, I wish I had a camera. Your mouth was open and—" He teased.

"Gee. Thanks." She rolled her eyes, as he smiled mischievously at her. He's an arrogant, insufferable, egotistic man who smiles at your suffering. She repeated the line over and over again in her head. It already seemed like it was her mantra.

"Okay. Now that you've seen my face." She began, "Let's go now."

"No thanks." He said, his eyes dancing with amusement. "I want to see your face when all this is over."

"To speed up the process, I'll show you what my face would've been after this." She said. And she made a face.

"How do you know that I intend to make you angry? What if it's the complete opposite?" He asked quizzically.

"What—"

"You'll see, soon. Casey." He smiled. Hermione looked at his face, looking for any hint that read 'public humiliation' or such. But his expression was unreadable.

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A/N: Too cliffie-ish? Hee hee hee. Anyway, thanks a lot for checking out my story. , next chapter is already in the works. Please, please, review:D Sorry for making James be the bad guy it was painful for me. Lol... Don't worry. He'll come around sometime. I enjoyed writing this. Esp. The Soap opera thing.

Note: Harry didn't ask 'Casey' out because of his father's advice. He doesn't know that 'Casey' is the princess.