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mekareami: Thank you for your kind words. I had already typed the chapter and I needed a distraction for a little while.

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Nerfi-Tiri: It is also very close to how I myself grieve and react, that is why it was easy but emotional for me to write.

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A/N: This chapter took me a while to start, but when I got half way through it went like a breeze. I have written my first make-out session and I would like it if you readers would please tell me what you think of it. RR please.

Chapter 6

Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny returned to Grimmauld place an hour after Harry and Severus. Molly had insisted on giving Harry some time to cool down. Ginny had to be forcibly restrained; she wanted to be there for Harry.

Hermione felt guilty about not telling everyone about what had happened during the attack. She spent the hour explaining everything to them. She had held Ginny's hand the whole time, half for support and half to keep her from going after Harry. Ginny silently cried, and Mrs. Weasley sniffled, Ron, Fred, and George gasped loudly every so often. When she told them about Lucius back handing her, Ron turned purple and let out a string of expletives. Mrs. Weasley didn't reprimand him; she nodded her head in agreement. She told them about her being a pureblood, they were shocked, but they assured her they didn't care whether her blood was pure or not. Ron asked what family of purebloods she had descended from, and he fell out of his seat when she told him the Bourge's. Everyone was staring at her slack jawed. When Ron managed to pull himself back into his seat he had said, 'Wow, the Bourge's are known as the most prominent, wealthy purebloods to openly oppose you-know-who. They caused him much anger, and he personally, systematically murdered them all.'

Hermione came out of her thoughts when they all entered the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley started making lunch, "Ron, you need to go talk to Harry." She said.

Ron grumbled and walked out of the kitchen, going in search of Harry. He walked slowly to his room; he didn't want to talk to Harry right now. Ron knew he had been wrong, but he was extremely stubborn and didn't like admitting it.

Ron walked into their room and was shocked to see all of Harry's stuff missing. Harry's bare mattress was where it always was, but there was an envelope on it. He picked it up and ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. He slid to a stop, and started to pant. Between breaths he said, "Harry's stuff is missing and this letter was in its place." He held the envelope up.

"Here," Hermione grabbed the envelope. "I'll read it out loud." She said, opening the envelope, and unfolded the letter.

"Dear Everyone, You're probably wondering where I am and where all my stuff is, so I'll tell you. Have no fear, I'm still in the house, and I've just moved my stuff into the master bedroom. But you won't find me in there. I've decided to resume occlumency lessons with Professor Snape; we are in a warded room and will not come out until the lesson is finished. Don't bother looking for me, you won't find me. Yours, Harry Potter." Hermione read aloud. There was a collective sigh and they all resumed what they were doing before.

Severus was stunned speechless by the colossal library. He itched to look at every book. The library at Snape manor was half the size.

"Nice isn't it?" Harry said looking at him amused.

"Yes." Was all he could bring himself to mutter.

"Alright, let's start." Harry said, bracing himself for the invasion his mind would have to suffer.

Severus reluctantly pulled his gaze away from the books. Facing Harry he drew his wand. "Clear your mind." He said.

Harry imagined all his emotions being drained from his mind until he had a blank canvas.

"Legilemens." Severus said. Hazy images flashed before his eyes. Harry tried to bring back the image of a blank canvas, after struggling for a bit, he successfully shut Snape out of his mind. Harry was dripping in sweat, the effort draining him considerably.

Severus was shocked, now that Harry was actually practicing; he was advancing quicker than he himself had. "You have obviously been practicing." He said to Harry.

Harry straightened, readying himself for another go. "I have." Was all he said.

Severus gave him an appraising look, he was obviously growing up. "Legilemens." He said.

The hazy images flashed before his eyes again. He called the blank canvas quicker this time. Harry's shirt was soaked through with sweat. He looked at Snape, and then pointed to his sweaty shirt. "Is this normal?" he asked.

"Yes. You are exercising your mind, conditioning it. After practicing the sweating will become less, and eventually non- existent. Closing your mind will become effortless with practice. After you master closing your mind, I can teach you how to erect mind barriers to partition your mind, and how to create false images to confuse your enemies." He said.

"Oh. No wonder you could always tell when I hadn't been practicing." Harry said, straightening himself again.

"Legilemens." Severus said. The hazy images were slightly clearer than before. Harry was exhausted and he couldn't call the blank canvas again. "Protego." He shouted.

Images of a young Snape cowering in a corner, his parents fighting, Snape creating his first potion, Snape and Lily talking on the Hogwarts express, Snape being dragged away from the hole in the base of the whomping willow after glimpsing the werewolf, Lily standing in Dumbledore's office, baby Harry cradled in her arms, James to her right, and Snape on her left, declaring Severus Snape as Harry's second God-father. Then Harry was slammed out of Snape's mind.

Severus was angry, and a little scared. He didn't know how Harry would take this news. He hadn't intended for him to find out this way.

Harry was shaking on his hands and knees on the floor, tears hitting the hardwood. "Is it true?" he asked, in an oddly hollow voice.

"Yes," came the reply.

Harry stood up, anger etched in every feature, he wiped the tears out of his eyes, "You're my god-father, and yet you've treated me like scum ever since we met." He accused.

"Harry, I know my behavior has been inexcusable, but also necessary. I know I can't make up for that time, but I hope we can move past that. And I'm sorry for the way I have treated you in the past." He said, hoping Harry wouldn't try to kill him or something.

Harry stared at him for a long time before sitting down in his usual chair. "I forgive you," Harry said, tears in his eyes. "I understand that your position as a spy doesn't afford for you to have gotten to know me." He motioned for him to sit in the other chair. Severus sat down, and Harry asked, "How does that work?"

"How does what work?" Severus asked.

"Having a second God-father. How does one end up with a second God-father?" he asked more clearly this time.

"It is a pureblood tradition. Customarily the man will name the God-father, and the woman would name the God-mother. But if the woman does not agree with the named God-father, she may name a second one, but can't get rid of the first. She still has the right to name the God-mother, but the man does not have the right to name a second God-mother if he does not agree with her decision. This is the law in all magic marriages, and the ministry agreed that the woman would know who would be better to take care of her children if both parents should perish." Severus told Harry.

They spent hours talking about each other's childhoods, finding they both had more in common then they had thought. Severus got angry when Harry told him about his cupboard under the stairs, and how Vernon had for the first time, physically abused him at the beginning of the summer. He was rescued by Arthur, Molly, Remus and Tonks. Molly had almost killed Vernon before Arthur and Remus could restrain her. Severus told him about his father beating his mother in front of him, and eventually killing her. His father would beat him, never inflicted fatal blows, because he wanted the Snape name to continue. Severus told him how he had become a death eater and how he had turned spy for the Order. They eventually fell silent, lost in thought. Severus's attention was caught by the piles of books on the table.

"Harry, why are you so interested in vampires?" Severus asked, looking curiously at the books.

"Vampires have always interested me, and I want to be an auror, so studying dark creatures is something I should do in depth. I figure if I do extra credit reports on different creatures for the next 2 years in DADA then the Head of the aurors will take me more seriously when I apply." Harry lied. He may have shared his past with Severus, but he couldn't risk him going to Dumbledore and telling him his plans. Harry looked at his watch, and noticed it was almost time for dinner. "I'm going to go have a shower," Harry said while heading for the portrait hole. "Dinner will be ready soon. Feel free to use my library whenever you wish, just don't touch the books on the table. Also, keep in mind the others don't know of this library and I want it to stay that way for now." And he disappeared through the portrait hole.

Harry had a quick shower, gelled his hair, and dressed in black jean shorts and a black t-shirt, and sat on his bed.

"Are you hungry, Nehebkau?" he hissed to her.

Nehebkau lifted her head from her curled body, turning her amber eyes on Harry. "Yes. That wretched witch only fed me once a week. Just because we can survive on food once a week, doesn't mean we like or want to. I prefer to eat at least three times a week." She hissed in reply.

"Do you want a mouse, or some of my dinner?" he asked her.

She slithered on to his forearm, "I want some of your dinner." She said.

"Then you'll never have to worry about going hungry when Mrs. Weasley is cooking." He said. Then he headed downstairs for dinner.

He stopped in front of the kitchen door and sighed. He now had to face Ron and the others. He could hear voices coming from the kitchen, it sounded like everyone was there. He sighed again and pushed open the door, and strode in with his head held high. The chatter ended instantly, and everyone stared at Harry for a second. Then Ginny jumped out of her seat and ran to his side, slipping her hand into his, and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Harry, I've been so worried. Where have you been." She said, looking up into his emerald eyes.

"I needed time to cool down, or I would have done something I would have regretted." He looked at Ron. "Severus and I had an occlumency lesson in a room that the rest of you can't get into." He said to the silent room.

"Harry, I think you should show at least one of us how to get into this room. What if we have an emergency and can't find you." Ginny said.

"Kreacher can get into the room, send him if there is an emergency." Harry said shrugging his shoulders.

Ginny was starting to become irritated, and she let go of his hand, stepped in front of him, and crossed her arms. "I think this is something you should share with your girlfriend." She said, giving him a piercing look.

Harry was surprised she was getting angry with him. He wasn't ready to share his library with anyone, he didn't even want Severus in there, but it was necessary. "I think not." Harry replied.

Ginny sat back down and glared daggers at him. Harry could tell he was in the proverbial doghouse right now, but he didn't know why. 'Maybe, she's PMSing' he thought.

"Harry since when did you start calling Snape by his given name?" Ron asked, giving Harry a weird look.

"That's a story for another day." Harry said in reply. He wasn't going to tell them that Severus was his God-father yet.

Harry sat down and looked around the table. "Well," he said, "are we going to eat dinner." He was tired of Fred, George, and Ron looking at him as if he had sprouted horns, and Hermione looking at him as if he were a particularly difficult puzzle that needed solving. Didn't she have her own problems, why did she have to try to solve his? And now Ginny was shooting him death glares.

Mrs. Weasley levitated dinner onto the table, roast garlic chicken, with mashed potatoes and corn.

Nehebkau grinned, or at least as close to grinning as a snake could. "I love chicken." She hissed to him. Everyone jumped as they noticed the snake.

"For the love of God, she won't bite you, and you're all going to have to get used to her, she's staying." Harry said, glaring at everyone in turn.

He put some of everything on his plate, with extra chicken. The meal passed in relative quiet, with Nehebkau grabbing pieces of chicken every few minutes.

Mrs. Weasley almost fell out of her chair as a beautiful tawny owl swooped out of the fireplace, barely missing the top of her head and landed in Hermione's untouched dinner.

Hermione untied the letter from the owl's leg and let the owl eat her dinner. There was a ministry symbol on the envelope. She opened it, scanned it, and then folded it back up. "It's from the ministry. They informed me that because I'm entering my seventh year instead of my sixth, I'm allowed to use magic and I can take my apparition test the day before school starts." She said out loud to everyone at the table. Then she jumped out of her seat, muttering something about having to study, and left the kitchen.

Harry finished eating and then stood up, "Ron, could we talk?" he asked.

Ron nodded and followed him to his room. Harry opened his bedroom door and held out his arm, welcoming Ron into his room.

Ron took a step into the room, whistled, and spun to face Harry. With one eyebrow raised, and his arms crossed he said, "Not defecting to Slytherin?"

Harry pushed him into the room and closed the door. "Ron, you know I'm just trying to piss you off with the green and silver. I'll ask your mom to help me change it a bit. I found most of this stuff exactly the way it is all over the manor. But, I'm afraid I've already grown attached to the ebony and the bed." Harry said, trying to avoid a big fight.

Ron gave him a mock suspicious glance, stroking an imaginary beard. "I guess it's not all that bad." Ron said, his mouth curving up in a grin. "But promise me you'll add some red and gold or yellow, because this Slytherin style Harry is really starting to creep everyone out."

Harry laughed and grinned, "I promise." Harry said. "Ron, come here."

Ron walked up to him and asked, "Why?"

Harry pulled up his sleeve, and cradled Nehebkau in his hands. "Honestly Ron, she's really gentle and she suffers from the misconception of snakes being inherently evil. Did you know that snakes near or in your home in ancient Egypt represented a healthy and safe afterlife?" Harry said, and then hissed to Nehebkau, asking her permission to let Ron hold her.

She gave her consent and Harry lifted Ron's arm up and Nehebkau slithered onto his arm. "No, I didn't know that." Ron said quietly, looking amazed at the deadly snake on his arm, and still slightly terrified.

Nehebkau looked at Harry, "What a chicken shit. He's shaking worse then the mice when I catch them." She hissed to him. Harry snickered in return.

"Amazing really, Ron not knowing something." Hermione said from the doorway. Ron glared at her. "Five years in school together should have told you how much he didn't know." She continued sarcastically, but smiled warmly.

"Oh right, Miss know it all, just because everyone else doesn't have a genius level IQ, doesn't mean you know everything." Ron said playfully. They hadn't had this playful banter in a long time, and they all just realized how much they missed it.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at Ron. "True knowledge and wisdom comes from knowing you know nothing." She said, turning all philosophical on them.

Harry and Ron sighed in unison, and Harry retrieved Nehebkau from Ron. Harry directed them into his room and they all sat on the bed. Nehebkau, not wanting to be squished, slithered up the nearest bedpost.

Hermione gave Harry a serious look. "Harry," she stopped for a dramatic pause. "You need to talk this out with Ginny. She was extremely worried about you. You could have at least shown some appreciation for her concern." She said, her tone matching her look.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Hermy, she needs to understand that I'm not ready to share that room with anyone yet." He said.

Hermione glared at him, "Regardless, you need to discuss that with her. She is your girlfriend, and if you continue to neglect her feelings, she won't be for long." She said, "I'm surprised you didn't learn that from your disaster of a relationship with Cho."

"She's right, mate." Ron piped in.

Harry knew it was impossible to win an argument with Hermione. "Fine, I'll talk to her later or tomorrow." He said, resigned.

Nehebkau hung by her tail from the post, "Hermione is right you know. Ginny came hurtling in here while you weren't here, she was looking for you, she looked extremely worried. She didn't say anything bad about the colors of our room, they match my scales. Plus, I like her. And I might bite you if you hurt her." She hissed menacingly.

Harry looked at her with a reproachful glance. "You would be hunted down and killed for hurting the boy who lived." He hissed back. Her eyes glinted in return and she raised herself back to the pole.

Ron and Hermione shared a confused look, not understanding Nehebkau. "I wish I could understand parseltongue." Hermione said.

Harry laughed. "We could teach her." Nehebkau said from above. "It's been done before, it's difficult, but I'm sure she has the intellect, perseverance, and ambition that would make it possible."

Harry gave her a disbelieving look, "And how long, pray tell, would that take?" he asked her.

"About 25 years, most likely. It's like learning to become a metamorphmagus. It takes a long time, but in the end it's worth it." She hissed in reply.

Harry gave a derisive snort. "What did she say Harry?" Hermione asked.

"She says we could teach you to speak parseltongue but it will take 25 years or more for you to learn." He said.

Hermione's face lit up when he said she could learn but it fell again when he said how long it would take. She was only slightly disconcerted. "There must be a shorter way." She thought out loud.

Harry gave her an incredulous look, "Ya, if your interested in the Dark Arts." He said, remembering the curse that transferred the parseltongue ability to him when he was just a baby.

"Sorry Harry. You know I didn't mean anything about the dark arts. But there might be temporary ways to understand parseltongue, and I may be able to enhance the spell or potion to make it permanent." She said, giving him an apologetic look.

"I think she's on to something Harry." Ron said. "As soon as we arrive at Hogwarts, she'll be heading straight for the library."

Harry and Ron laughed and Hermione gave them both an indignant look. They then laughed harder, until tears were running down both their faces, and they were clutching at the stitches in their sides.

Hermione huffed loudly. "Honestly, what's so funny?" It wasn't that funny, but stress does weird things to you.

Harry noticed that Ginny had moved on from the death glares to pointedly ignoring him. He sighed, and quickly finished his hash browns.

"Ginny, we need to talk." Harry said, standing up and waiting for her at the kitchen door. Ginny just ignored him and continued to spear her eggs maliciously.

Harry ground his teeth, "Fine, when you're ready to talk, I'll be waiting." He said, glaring at Hermione, and then stomping out of the kitchen, the sound of the slammed door reverberating through the hallway. "Padfoot." He said, and sat in his usual spot, waved his wand at the wizarding wireless radio in the corner and heavy metal started playing. The cloaking spell on the library allowed him to perform magic without the ministry finding out.

He sat fuming for awhile, allowing the harsh beat of the music to distract him from his thoughts. He found this style of music suited his mood more often than not lately. After he was suitably calm, he turned the wireless off and started reading his many books. As far as he could tell from what he had already read so far was that there was no way to retain your magical abilities and that his plan wouldn't work. He was starting to get frustrated, and he was seriously contemplating allowing Hermione to help. He could but then he would have to tell her the same lie he told Severus. "She would still be suspicious though." He thought out loud. He sighed and returned to his book and read until he fell asleep in the chair.

Ginny had stubbornly refused to go talk to Harry. Everyone had tried to persuade her too, but she would just say; 'Harry said when I'm ready, not when you're ready. I'm not ready.' And to top it off, Harry had been missing since breakfast, and it was already eleven at night. He was obviously in the room that only Kreacher knew about and no one knew how to get in there.

Hermione strode determinedly into Ginny's bedroom and glared at the back of the stubborn redhead. "Ginny, you could at least pretend to want to talk to him so we can get him out of his secret room. You know, he's probably not going to come out until you agree to talk to him." Hermione said roughly, demanding her cooperation.

Ginny turned around sharply, tears streaming down her face; a fierce glare etched into her every feature. "Fine." She said through clenched teeth. "Send Kreacher to go get him, and tell him to tell Harry that I'm waiting for him in his room." She stalked past Hermione, heading towards Harry's bedroom.

Hermione stood in mute astonishment. She had been starting to believe Ginny didn't really care, but she was obviously wrong. Very wrong.

Hermione snapped her fingers, summoning Kreacher. She hated asking house elves to do anything, but she was slowly getting over her intense hatred for the enslavement of house elves. She figured if they wanted to be free, they would already be free. They could overpower witches and wizards easily.

Kreacher appeared with a loud crack. He bowed low, nose scraping the floor. Hermione winced. "Yes Mistress Bourge. You wish something of Kreacher?" he said, ending his low bow. Kreacher had grown warmer towards Hermione when he had found out that she was actually a pureblood.

"Yes." She said, relating the message she wanted sent to Harry. "Dismissed." She said. Kreacher disappeared with another loud crack. Hermione ran her fingers through her hair, sighing when she reached tangles. She left Ginny's room and went in search of Ron, Fred, and George.

Harry watched as Bellatrix and Sirius dueled on the pedestal with the strange curtained archway. He heard a resounding crack as she cast the killing curse, it sounded almost like a muggle weapon known as a gun. As Sirius was falling in slow motion through the curtain, Harry was desperately trying to reach him, screaming at the top of his lungs. He could hear someone calling his name in the back of his mind and he was jolted awake. He stared into the squashed face of Kreacher.

"Master Harry." Kreacher said, bowing low. "I was sent to retrieve you. It's not an emergency, so don't worry." He added hurriedly as he saw Harry's sweaty face turn ghost white. "May I ask if you're alright?" You were thrashing rather wildly and screaming in your sleep." Kreacher said worriedly. After he had talked with his mistress he had taken quite a liking to Harry.

"Ya, I'm fine, just a nightmare." Harry said, wiping the back of his hand across his sweaty forehead.

"Okay. Mistress Bourge told me to tell you that young Mistress Weasley is waiting for you in your chambers. She's ready to talk." Kreacher said, bowing low again.

"Thanks, Kreacher." Harry said. Then he walked out the portrait hole and headed towards his chambers. He walked in to his bedroom and was confronted by the sight of Ginny, perched on the edge of his bed, crying her eyes out. Harry was really feeling horrible right now. He walked up to her, sat down beside her, grabbed her hand, turned her face to look at him, and said, "Ginny, please don't cry. I'm sorry for being a jerk, and for not taking you feelings into consideration." He said, his own eyes pricking with tears, he hated to cause her pain. She was the only thing that kept him going lately. "I'll show you my secret room in the morning, okay." He said, trying desperately to stop her crying. He didn't understand why girls insisted on crying around him. Harry smiled at her, rubbing slow circles into the palm of her hand. He didn't know what had made him say the things he just said, he had fully intended on making her apologize to him for not respecting his personal space, it must have been the look in her eyes when their eyes met. He had felt like something in the pit of his stomach had melted, lighting his body on fire.

Ginny smiled through her tears, flung her arms around Harry's neck and started kissing him thoroughly. She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his back.

Harry luxuriated in the feeling of her salty lips pressed hungrily against his own. He ran his hands through the silky red hair he admired so much, and deepened the kiss, his tongue running along her teeth, begging for entrance.

Ginny pulled away abruptly and smiled at the dreamy expression in Harry's eyes. "Harry, let's not fight ever again. I don't like fighting with you." She said.

Harry looked into her eyes, "Gin, I don't like fighting either, but it will probably happen again. We should try to make sure the fights don't drag on though." He said, standing up and lifting her into the centre of his bed. He climbed into the bed and positioned himself above her, careful not to lean on her hair.

Ginny's eyes glinted mischievously, and she clamped her legs to his sides, rolling them over so that she was on top. She grinned seductively at Harry, and leaned forward, pulling his shirt up over his head. She straddled his hips, and admired his surprisingly toned abs. she started to run her hands over his chest and abs, lightly trailing kisses down the centre of his torso, exploring every inch of the newly exposed flesh.

Harry's breathing quickened, and he growled in pleasure when she would hit sensitive spots. She stopped her downward trail of kisses when she reached his bellybutton, and pushed herself up to eye level with Harry, kissing him and putting her hands on the sides of his face. Harry opened his mouth, granting her the entrance she had been looking for, and she explored the inside of his mouth with her tongue.

Harry was quickly becoming aroused, and he lifted Ginny's shirt off of her, breaking their kiss off for a second. Harry cupped her breasts through her bra, their tongues dueling for domination.

Ginny pulled back, gasping for breath. She decided to nibble on Harry's earlobe, and Harry ground his hips into hers. She smiled before continuing her ministrations; she just found one of his really sensitive spots. Her hands trailing down his chest and abdomen, passing over his bellybutton, and landing on his belt buckle. She nimbly started to undo the belt, but Harry grabbed her hands with a speed only a seeker could possess.

She looked into his lust filled eyes, and realized what they were starting. 'Are we ready for a physical relationship?' she thought to her self. Her thoughts clearly reflected in Harry's eyes. She sighed and pulled her shirt back on, lying down beside him, her hand on his exposed chest, head resting against his shoulder.

Harry shot her a charming grin, "I can't have Ron being right about me stealing your virtue, now can I?" he said.

She sighed. "I guess not. We should slow down in the physical aspect of our relationship." She said.

Harry yawned and pulled the covers over them. They quickly fell asleep, and this time Harry remembered to clear his mind.

For once in his long reign as headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore had done absolutely nothing all day. He didn't have schedules to schedule, he didn't have meetings to plan or attend and he didn't have trials and conferences he would be required to make an appearance at. He sat at his desk, idly drumming his fingers on the oak top, staring around the room, trying to find something to do. His gaze landed on the old, tattered sorting hat, "So, got a good new song for the school this year?" he asked it.

"No, I've decided on a short speech." The hat said. "But it has come to my attention that Hermione knows of her true lineage now." The sorting hat inquired.

"Yes." He replied simply.

"You are aware of the ancient rules that haven't been changed right?" the hat asked.

"Quite." The headmaster replied. "She must be resorted. I suppose she will be surprised that she doesn't really belong in Gryffindor."

"You never know, she may truly belong in Gryffindor. Why did you want her in Gryffindor again?" the hat asked.

"I needed her to befriend Harry, and grow up with the Gryffindor values." He replied.

"You were so certain that Harry would be a Gryffindor?" the hat asked. Dumbledore nodded in reply. "So you wanted her in Gryffindor so she could fulfill her prophecy the way you want her too." The hat continued, using Dumbledore's trademark soul searching gaze.

Dumbledore scowled at the hat. "You know that if she doesn't play her part the right way our entire world will be plunged into darkness, regardless if Harry defeats Voldemort or not." He said to the hat.

"What would I know, I'm just a hat. What house do you want her placed in this time?" the hat asked.

"The one she is most suited too, of course." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling brightly.

Hermione had spent a half an hour playing exploding snap with Ron and the twins. Now she was standing in the centre of her room, looking around at the drab décor. "This room doesn't do a thing for a depressed person, I should redecorate." Hoping Harry wouldn't mind, she sat down and pulled out her brand new sketchpad. Hermione sketched the dimensions of the room, and then drew where she wanted her furniture. She took out her pencil crayons, and colored in the colors she wanted.

When her plan was finished, she gave a satisfied sigh. She grabbed her wand and the sketch and stood in the centre of the room again. Pushing her sleeves up past her elbows she set to work recreating her sketch perfectly in her room.

Hermione placed her twin size bed in the centre of the far wall and enlarged it to queen size. She tossed and turned a lot and would usually wake up as she hit the floor. She changed the sheets and pillows to a baby blue, and the comforter to a navy blue. She placed 2 matching mahogany bedside tables to each side of the bed, each with their own lamp. Her dresser she placed on the right wall beside her vanity, on her left wall she put a couch, which she transfigured from an extra pillow, and a desk. She put her wardrobe on the right side of the door, and her trunk at the foot of her bed. She changed the green carpets to white and the gray walls to white.

Hermione grabbed a book on apparition, and sat on her couch, which was incredibly comfortable. She started revising for her test tomorrow at the ministry. She read until her eyelids began closing of their own volition.

Yawning, Hermione placed a bookmark in her book, stood up and placed her book on the nightstand, and then crawled into bed.

She snuggled under the covers, and closed her eyes, waiting for the sandman to send her to sleep. But the sandman just wasn't delivering tonight and she found her mind replaying random days in her life; her first baby tooth falling out, her first A, her vacation to Rome when she was nine, her acceptance to Hogwarts letter, and the piercing eyes of the basilisk reflected off a mirror, the hall of prophecies, and her parent's murder. She started to cry, remembering all the good and bad times in her life. She cried in joy, happiness, anger, and sorrow. She wailed in frustration, anguish, and acceptance. She let every emotion she had repressed break through to the surface. She continued to bawl, seethe, and laugh until every muscle in her body was sore.

She was interrupted by a knock at her door. She instantly tensed and fell quiet, hoping whoever it was, would go away. But luck obviously wasn't on her side.

"Hermione, can I come in?" a voice from the opposite side of the door asked.

Hermione bit her lip; they knew she was in here, so she couldn't ignore them. "Who is it?" She asked, instead of answering.

"Fred." He said, "Can I come in?" he asked again.

She sighed loudly, "Sure." She said.

Fred walked in, closing the door behind him. He was holding a steaming cup of tea, and only had a pair of pajama bottoms on. He walked up to the side of her bed and handed her the cup of tea.

She sat up and took the tea. "I was on my way back to bed when I couldn't help overhearing you." Fred said, perching on the edge of her bed. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Ya, I'll be fine. I was just finishing anyway." She said, and then sipped the tea.

No one knew, but Hermione and Fred had a secret relationship last year. It didn't last long, but they grew closer as friends after the breakup. Fred is the only person in the world who she had told about her cutting problem. She would usually go to him if she felt the urge to cut. He never judged her for it and he would always calm her down. She wondered why she didn't go to him the other night.

Fred saw she was lost in thought, so he climbed into the bed next to her, put the tea on the nightstand and pulled her against him.

Hermione laid her head against Fred's shoulder, and cuddled up close to him. She closed her eyes, listening to Fred's rhythmic breathing. "I love you Fred." She said.

"I love you too, Mione." Fred replied. And they both drifted quickly off to sleep.