Only 2 chappies left! The next one is really long it should be another 15 pager. Enjoy!

Chapter 6: Hufflepuff, Slytherin, An Almost Beating and Another Confession

Towards the end of January, Professor Martini found the heirs of Hufflepuff and Slytherin. She had just brought the case out of her trunk and placed it on her desk when she found Hufflepuff's heir. It was during her 5th year Gryffindor/Ravenclaw class. She was sitting on her desk explaining about the effects of combining the Bat-Bogey Hex and the Furnunculus Curse.

"Well it's quite funny actually. The person'll get boils and every time the boils pop they'll be attacked by bat-" she said accidentally placing her hand on the case, "OW!"

That shouldn't be hot! She thought Unless. . . . . .

"Professor! Are you alright?" asked a student.

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine."

"Professor? I have a few friends in your 6th year N.E.W.T. class and I know you studied aura balls with them a few months ago. I read up on them and know that they can be yellow in color so is there a chance that the glowing yellow ball floating to you is one?" asked Ginny

"Nope. That is one of my necklaces. I know why it's glowing but the floating things a new trick." she answered snatching the necklace out of the air.

So Hufflepuff's here……… she thought as she dismissed her class.

She found out who it was two days later when a student from her Gryffindor/Ravenclaw class came to ask her a question. Hufflepuff's heir was Ginny Weasley. It was also around this time that she found the heir of Slytherin. She was explaining why she had given this person detention when she again placed her hand on the case. Slytherin's heir was Draco Malfoy.

She stopped Harry in the hall the same day she discovered that Draco was Slytherin's heir.

"What's up Professor?"

"I've found the heirs of Hufflepuff and Slytherin."

"I thought that Voldemort-"

"Blood descendent. Nothing to do with the powers. Hufflepuff's heir is Ginny Weasley. Slytherin's is ……… Draco Malfoy."

"Can we hide it form him?"

"No. I am honor-bound to tell both of them."

"Alright. When?"

"Tonight at eight. Will you tell Hermione to meet us here? I'll inform Ginny and Draco to be here."

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Hermione. She received Ravenclaw's powers a week ago. She hasn't told you?"

"No, she hasn't."Harry left and headed to the library to speak with Hermione. She was sitting at a table close to the back surrounded by books about Arithmancy.

"Hey." He said

"Harry!"

"Be at Professor Martini's tonight at eight."

"Why?"

"She's found the heirs of Hufflepuff and Slytherin. We have to tell them.

"Alright I'll meet you there."

Ginny knocked on Professor Martini's door. Her professor opened it and ushered her inside.

"What's up with all the secrecy, Professor?" she asked noticing Harry and Hermione, "What are you to doing here?"

"No answers yet, Ginny. We're still waiting on one person." said Harry.

A few minutes later another knock came at the door. Professor Martini ushered Draco inside.

"Is this my punishment?" he asked, "I have to spend my detention with three of my four least favorite people? What Weasel King couldn't make it?"

"Ron has nothing to do with this, Draco." said Harry. "This has to do with you and Ginny. Have either of you heard of The Founder's Roses?"

It was so quiet you could hear flobberworms chewing.

"We'll take that as a no." said Professor Martini. "Since we don't have much time you'll get the condensed version. Back in the day each founder had a rose. Each rose corresponds to a house color. So, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw got hitched, Slytherin killed Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Gryffindor declared war and killed each other, Ravenclaw died and the roses were hidden until the heirs of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor could be found."

"Are you saying that we're the heirs of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor?" asked Ginny.

"Oh God No! That's Harry and Hermione! Once the heirs of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were found then the heirs of Hufflepuff and Slytherin could be found. You, Ginny are the heir of Hufflepuff, and Mr.Malfoy, you are the heir to Slytherin. Any questions?"

Draco started laughing.

"This is a great practical joke! The best I've ever heard!" he said around his laughter.

"It's no joke, Draco." said Hermione."Really? Prove it Granger."

"Alright."

Hermione closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment. A small pop was heard and fluttering where Hermione had been was a bronze bird.

"The Bronze Raven." said Professor Martini. "A very rare and powerful magic bird. Similar to the phoenix. Ravenclaw kept many of them around her and this was her animagus form. Or at least her magical one. Her normal animagus form was a bluebird."

"What about you Potter?"

"Maybe another time, Draco."

Another small pop was heard and Hermione was back.

"Professor?", asked Ginny, "May I …… get the powers of Hufflepuff?"

"Of course."

So, Ginny recieved Hufflepuff's powers. Afterwards Professor Martini turned to Draco.

"Well Draco?"

"Can I think this over?"

"Of course you may. You are all dismissed."

"Hermione?" asked Harry, "Can we talk?"

"I suppose."

"Professor, d'you mind……?"

"Not at all. Take as long as you need."

Ginny and Draco left and headed in their opposite directions without speaking. Alyssa headed up to her office.

"Why didn't you tell me when you got Ravenclaw's powers?" he asked

"I haven't exactly had the chance what with you avoiding me!"

"What was I supposed to do? I tell you that I'm in love with you and you stand there!"

"What did you want me to do? Run over and kiss you? Tell you that I love you too?"

"Some sort of reaction would have been nice!"

"What do you want form me Harry?"

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"You admit to my face that you love me and you wonder why I'm avoiding you?"

"Just because I said that does not mean that you have to avoid me."

"Oh really? What am I to do? Act as if none of this has happened? As if the people who once had our roses weren't in love? As if you never said you love me?"

"Yes! No! I don't know, Hermione! All I know is I miss you. I miss being your friend. I just want to be your friend again… I want to go back to the way things were."

"We can't go back. Things are far too different now. We're different people."

"We can go out of it. We can forget all of this."

"No, Harry we can't. I'm sorry but we can't. It doesn't work that way. You may love me but I don't love you."

Hermione left the office and headed to Gryffindor tower. She stayed in her dorm room the rest of the night with the curtains drawn around her bed so no one could see her crying. Harry summoned his invisibility cloak and strolled around the castle. When he returned it was nearly four in the morning.

Breakfast. . . . . .

Ginny slid into a seat next to Hermione.

"Hey." she whispered.

"Hey." Hermione whispered back

"What did Harry want last night?"

"The answers to a few questions."

"Is discovering this secret what changed your relationship?"

"Yes and no. "Hermione glanced around them before continuing. "He told me that he loves me."

"When?"

"A few weeks ago. Then I realized that I love him only now I can't tell him."

"Why didn't you tell him last night?"

"I almost did but he got me so angry. And then before I realized it I said that I don't love him."

"Hermione!" Ginny half-whispered, half-yelled. "Why did you do that?"

"I don't know. I miss him, Ginny. I miss talking to him. I miss laughing with or at him. I miss being able to grab his hand and drag him down a hall or to the library. I miss his presence, his warmth, his friendship."

"You have to tell him the truth."

"I can't. Not now. Not after what I said last night."

"The part about not loving him?""Not just that. Last night I said that we couldn't go back and that we're different people."

"Last night was last night. Today is a new day."

"Maybe, Ginny. But last night I screwed up, royally. And that screw up will have lasting repercussions."

Afternoon………….

Harry sat at the edge of the lake, staring into the icy water, thinking about what had happened the previous night. He heard Hermione saying 'You may love me but I don't love you' over and over again in his head.

"Cold, huh?" asked a voice interrupting his thinking.

Harry looked up and standing there was Draco.

"What do you want?" asked Harry.

"I know we've never been on the best of terms but can we talk?"

"Sure, Draco. What about?"

"This whole founder's heir thing. How did you know that doing this was right for you?"

"I know I have to fight Voldemort. It's what I've been training for my whole life. It's my destiny. I figured that this can only help. I know I'll have someone fighting with me. Why aren't you asking your father this?"

"My father's a prick. I know it. The whole school knows it. But I've only acted this way because of him. Crabbe and Goyle are his spies. He thinks I don't know but those two are too stupid to keep a secret. But now I'm in control. I've been looking for a reason to leave him and my mother penniless. I think that this is it."

"Draco, this isn't some game. This is real life. If you really want to leave you can. You don't need an excuse. If you accept these powers then there's no turning back if things get rough. Make your choice wisely. Don't accept them for some petty reason."

"Thanks Pot-Harry."

"You're welcome Draco."

So Draco went and got the powers of Slytherin. The next day there were signs announcing a Hogsmeade trip the day after Valentine's Day. Everyone was scrambling to find a date, everyone except Harry and Hermione. Harry planned to spend the day in his dorm, planning some events for Ron's birthday. Hermione's plan was to spend the day doing research in the library. On Valentine's Day, Harry was in the library finishing up his homework while Hermione and Ron chatted in the common room, alone.

"Hermione?" he asked.

"Yes Ron?"

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?"

"What?"

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow? As kind of a late Valentine's Day date?"

"I can't Ron. I'm not going and I don't have the same feelings for you as you have for me."

"You don't like me?"

"Not romantically. I'm sorry Ron. I know you were hoping for a different answer."

"This has to do with Harry, doesn't it?"

"No it doesn't Ron! Why are you so jealous of Harry?"

"I'm not jealous!"

"Yes, you are! You don't seem to understand that Harry hates the spotlight."

"You're supposed to hate him right now and yet you still defend him! You know what I think?"

"You think? I had no idea!"

"I think that you and Harry are secretly a couple. And that this whole 'we hate each other thing is simply a ruse to fool everyone!"

"Well Ron put another "X" in the wrong column because yet again you're wrong!"

"Locomotor Mortis!" Ron shouted aiming his wand at Hermione.

Hermine dived over a couch out of the way.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Harry, by now, was on his way back to the common room when Professor Martini ran up to him.

"Get to your common room, quickly. Ron's trying to curse Hermione!"

"What?"

"Your 'best friend' is trying to curse the girl that you're in love with." She said giving him a shove. "Now GO!"

Harry stumbled from the unexpected push but swiftly regained his balance. He ran the rest of the way to Gryffindor tower.

"Haven!"

He was inside the portrait hole before it was fully opened. By this time Ron had given up on using his wand and had gone to the age old method of trying to hit the girl. Harry started running towards them but for Hermione it was almost too late. She was up against a wall both literally and figuratively. Harry dove off the top of a chair straight at Ron. Ron was knocked over. He tried to fight back but one well placed punch to the temple knocked him right out. Harry stood and went over to Hermione, who had slid down the wall and was shaking from fear.

"Are you alright?" he asked taking her into his arms.

"Now I am but Harry, I thought he was going to kill me!"

"Not while I'm around."

"How did you know?" she asked. "That he was trying to hurt me?"

"A little birdie told me", he joked, "But on the serious side of things I should probably let go of you seeing as we're not on the best of terms."

"No! I want you to hold me!"

"But we're not even friends anymore. Why would you want me to hold you?"

"Because Harry,………I lied. When I told you that I don't love you,……… I was lying through my teeth. I do love you, Harry. I've always loved you."

Harry looked down at Hermione and saw the truth shining in her eyes.

"Why did you-" he started.

"Because I was angry. It slipped out. I never meant to say it. I wanted to tell you the truth but I couldn't. Please forgive me Harry."

"Of course I forgive you. I love you."

"I love you too."

Harry leaned in and without a moment of thought or hesitation kissed her. This kiss lasted much longer than the first one and when they parted for air they both agreed that it was much better than their first kiss."

"What about Ron?" Harry asked

"We can't tell him. Not yet. He'll be distraught. He asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him tomorrow."

"What did you say?"

"I said no."

"Well then, Miss Granger I would be delighted if you would spend tomorrow with me."

"In Hogsmeade?"

"No. I don't want anyone except for Professor Martini knowing about us for right now."

"Then where?"

"I'm sure we can find some room in the castle that has what we require."

"I think I just thought of one. I'll meet you there after breakfast tomorrow."

"It's a date."

Their date in the Room of Requirement went splendidly. No one knew where they were or could find them but everyone figured they were off hiding in the castle somewhere far away from one another. So that afternoon just before dinner everyone was surprised to see them show up together laughing and smiling. They told everyone that they had worked out their differences and were friends again.

R&R!!!!!!!! Thanks to all my reviewers and I hope you all liked this chapter.

Preview of next chapter: But Harry didn't see Ginny. All he could see was Hermione in silver robes and carrying a small bouquet of calla lilies flecked with silver and tied with a matching ribbon. Ginny had tamed her wild hair by braiding two sections and tying them with a silver ribbon and giving the rest of her hair a slight wave. Ben clasped their hands together.