Disclaimer: Some wishes come true, but owning Harry isn't one of them : (

Author's note: yay! Alerts are now working again on Hopefully everyone will get this one! Special thanks to WIMK for betaing this so quickly!

Chapter 5: Quidditch, Parties, and Whispered Conversations

'Why aren't you playing?' Emma asked him. It was time for the first quidditch game and Draco wasn't playing.

'I have to work, and with everyone out it is the perfect time' Draco said. 'Easier to get into Slughorn's office now.'

Emma sighed. 'I'll be glad when this war is over'

'Let's hope we make it that long' Draco said. Emma mentally nodded in agreement.

"And here is the Gryffindor team," Zacharias Smith said. Emma half-heard his commentary ragging on the team. Emma was too busy trying not to fall asleep and fall off her broom. Harry didn't get to sleep till extremely late, so Emma only got about 2 hours of sleep.

The adrenaline kept her pumped up during the game, and she applauded with everyone else when Ginny crashed into Zacharias after the game.

Emma arrived back at the Common Room to find a party starting. "Good game Emma!" Seamus said. "Four goals! Not to mention that wonderful dodge there from the bludger," he said happily. "Who'd have thought Ron would be so good today?" he added. He went on to mingle with Dean and Ginny.

Emma found a chair in the corner, and before she knew it she fell asleep for a long overdue nap. "Do you think she is alright?" Neville asked Ginny. He, Ginny, Dean, and Seamus were grabbing a butterbeer when they saw Emma asleep.

"I would think so, she did good today didn't she?" Dean said.

"Hermione says she hasn't been coming in till the early morning. She hasn't been sleeping much the entire year," Ginny whispered. The others looked shocked.

"Why would she do that?" Seamus asked. Ginny shrugged. "Should we talk to her?" Seamus asked.

"If she starts getting worse. One nap isn't a bad thing," Ginny said trying to draw the attention away from Emma. "Did you see Ron and Lavender?" she asked laughing. They talked about that scene for awhile.

Emma woke up and found the party winding down. She headed upstairs and grabbed her Arithmancybook to do the essay that was due on Wednesday all the while visions of Canaries floated in Harry's mind. (A/N: after Hermione conjured them and they attacked Ron : )

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Emma sighed when she received the invitation to Slughorn party. Emma ran into Harry the next day, "Hey Emma," he said. "You going to Slughorn's party?" he asked. Emma nodded. "I hate these things."

"Not to mention you have the entire female population practically drooling over the chance to go with you," Emma pointed out grinning.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me. Do you want to go with me, as friends? This way no one will try to poison me with love potions," he asked.

Emma paused in mid-step. "Normally I would say yes, but I don't think I'm going since my boyfriend can't go," she said. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find someone who will go with you without poisoning you."

Harry gave a small grin. "Hopefully, but if I end up going with Romilda Vane, take me to Pomfrey," he warned. Emma laughed. "I promise," She said. They walked to lunch together.

'You should be happy you are friends after so long,' Draco said.

'Yes, if only I could tell him. How do I tell him? Dumbledore hasn't said anything lately about not telling him. Now he knows about the prophecy so there is no real reason for him not to know,' Emma said.

'How do you want him to find out?'

'I have wondered if Dumbledore was going to tell him during their lessons, maybe a memory showing some hint of it.'

'Maybe he wants you to take the initiative,' Draco suggested.

'One more thing to worry about,' Emma grumbled.

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Emma arrived at Slughorn's quarters the next night after Harry asked her to come so he had more people to hang out with. Even with Luna coming he was afraid of Slughorn cornering him. She looked around trying to just make a quick appearance and leave, but had no such luck. "Emma! So glad you could make it," Slughorn said. "Severus here was just telling me about your excellent potion and defense abilities. I must say, just like your mother and James." He said with a broad grin. Emma mentally cringed, and was thankful no one heard him say that.

"Thank you sir," Emma said, and was glad that he went to join Harry and Luna over by Trewlaney.

"You do not look well, Emma," Snape said. "I've noticed it lately. I think the strain is getting to you. Perhaps I should speak to the Headmaster," he said. Emma knew he was actually trying to be helpful. "In fact, you look a lot like Dra. . ."

"Ah, stop skulking and come and join us Severus," Slughorn called out, grabbing Snape. Snape shot Emma a dark look saying 'join the conversation or die,' so Emma stepped into the odd little circle.

"So Harry wants to be an auror," Slughorn said happily. "Very good, very good."

"No, Harry, you shouldn't become an auror," Luna said seriously. Everyone looked at her questioningly, even drunk Trewlaney thought Luna was a bit odd. "The aurors are part of the Rotang Conspiracy. They want to bring down the Ministry from within through the Dark Arts and gum disease," Luna explained.

Everyone gawked at Luna. Emma wasn't going to laugh, she was used to Luna's odd ideas, but seeing Snape gawk at the Ravenclaw made Emma snort.

Harry heard Emma snort and laughed even more into his mead. "I caught this one trying to sneak in," Filch hollered with Draco standing next to him. Slughorn waved him in, but Harry saw that both Snape and Emma looked afraid. Why on earth would they be afraid? Harry wondered. Especially Emma? . . . Harry looked from Draco to Emma, and noticed for the first time that both of them looked exhausted and ill. Emma, he realized, had looked exhausted for awhile now, but he hadn't seen Draco up close since school saw Snape and Draco slip off into an empty classroom.

Harry excused himself and slipped after Snape and Draco and pulled on his invisibility cloak. ". . .cannot afford mistakes, Draco. It was clumsy and foolish. You are suspected of having a hand in it," Snape said through the door Harry crouched behind.

"Who suspects me? And don't look at me like that! I know what you're doing, I can feel it, but it won't work. I can stop you," Draco said.

"Ah, Aunt Bellatrix teaching you occlumency?" Snape said quietly.

"Why would I have Bella teach me when I could have someone else. There are things even Bella can't teach me," Draco muttered.

There was a pause before Snape said, "Listen to me," Snape said so low Harry could barely hear him, "I am trying to help. I swore to your mother, I made the unbreakable vow, Draco. I want to help you," Snape said and practically pleaded with his godson.

"You'll have to break it. Your life isn't the only one at stake," Draco said darkly.

"Let me help you, Draco. I understand your father's imprisonment has upset you, and you're worried about your mother, but . ."

"Then you understand nothing," Draco said darkly. "My father doesn't concern me in the slightest. It is someone else," Draco stalked off and practically plowed through Harry. Harry thought he saw Draco glance at him under his cloak, but convinced himself he had imagined it. There was no way Draco could know he was there.

'We've got problems, Em,' Draco said tiredly.

'That's an understatement,' Emma said. Emma was back in the common room (managed to escape shortly after Harry had) and was reading a book Jane had sent her for Christmas.

'No, I mean Snape is starting to suspect something,' he said. 'And not about the job I have, I mean about us,'

'I know. He practically asked me about it during the party,' Emma said.

'And Harry overheard at least part of our conversation. He was there in his invisibility cloak outside the classroom,' Draco informed her.

'So my abilities are starting to rub off on you,' Emma said. 'Well, I suppose, worse comes to worse, I can make them all forget their suspicions'

'And make Harry forget six years worth of hatred? That would be too much stress for you right now Emma. Let's face it, neither of us are up to form,' Draco said. Emma sighed. She couldn't see a way out of this yet, either, and Snape's unbreakable vow certainly complicated matters. 'Snape and Dumbledore are talking, surely they will come up with something,' she said encouragingly.

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"What are you doing for Christmas Emma?" Harry asked. They were both lounging in the common room the night before break began.

"Going home this year," Emma said. "My father is home this year and wants me to come. You going with Ron?"

"Yes. Ginny said Bill and Fleur will probably come. I don't understand why they all dislike Fleur. It's not like she snared Bill in with her Veela Charm."

"You know that and I can vouch for that before the Minister himself that Bill's feelings are genuine. People are just complicated in general," Emma said. "Hey, you might like this," Emma said and grabbed a book she had finished. "It's about the strategies for the Irish and various other British quidditch teams throughout the last century. It's a good read," she said tossing it to him.

"Thanks. I've been so busy I haven't had any time to read up on strategies and such for us," he said.

"I could probably get one about the Bulgarian team from Krum if you are interested," she said. "I seem to remember you cheering for them at the cup," she said with a frown.

"Well, I did lose," he joked.

"Quite right," Emma nodded making Harry laugh. "Have you heard? Oliver is starting for Puddlemere this season," she said.

"He must be excited. If he works half as hard as he made us it's not surprising," Harry said. "I'll save you a seat on the train if you want," Harry said.

"Yeah, thanks. Normally I end up sitting with Luna somehow," she said as Harry went up to bed. She scratched Pippin behind his ears. "Well, Pip, maybe I'll figure out how to tell him over break," she said. He gave an encouraging meow.

Author's Notes: Ah, we are building up to the grand unveiling : ) I realize we jumped quite a bit of time, but things will slow down more in the second half the school year since there is a lot more that will be happening (everything from Harry finding out to the night on the astronomy tower!)

AnimeCrazy-- She will eventually get the hang of it. DaffodilSweetie-- Thank you! I wanted them to be friends, and then the BIG unveiling of everything : ) (I tend to the dramatic side, I guess, he-he). I loved that dream too : ) As for year 7, I have written my over version of it, but I need to rewrite a bit of it to make it more adventurous/dramatic. All in all, it is complete though : ) KRP-- Author's perogative! You do such a good job of guessing plot twists, I shouldn't give you any more clues : ) Nothing exciting will happen at Christmas with Percy . . . I'm saving it all for next year. I love the end of this year. I think it marks a . . . dramatic change for Emma. It was fun to reinterpret all of the events ::evil grin:: And I am operating that Dumbledore is discovering what Draco is doing without Emma telling him. FishLuver: Thank you! I love hearing from new people, and you inflated my ego so much! Thanks! BornBlue-- Thanks! I thought I should throw in some relationship moments once in awhile. Emma tries to be the optimistic one for Draco while he is working on his 'assingment' (and if you read KRP's review from chapter 4, you will find a MAJOR hint in what he wrote. He makes excellent guesswork in future plot points). year1989-- I feel so bad no one was getting alerts! I kept trying to Email to tell them. ::grrr:: They should be working now. Just remember, I try to update at least once a week if you haven't heard from me: ) Amarthiel-- I would love to make Emma head girl over Hermione (slight author biases), but you'll have to wait and see what they all decide to do after the end of this year ::evil cackle:: We are building up to Harry finding out! Yay! I think everyone is letting out a collective "Finally!" SongxOfxGlory-- I love Oliver too! I like letting people know (even if I have to make it up) what characters are up to. It makes it feel more full-circle. I don't think we will "see" him again, though. ABitofBlack-- Dumbledore will make more appearances after the Christmas holidays : ) Snuffles-Sweetie- thank you! Dd's death is sad, but inevitable I think. I just try to reinterpret the whole ordeal and give more insight into it. Professor Epona-- Thanks! I love Oliver too : ) Draco and Emma . . . they have a lot to deal with at the end of this year (and to give it away, they have a ton to deal with at the end of year 7) : ) Childofthekng-- If the alerts don't work I'll PM you. So far, I think Emma knows that Dumbledore knows (and Snape is starting to have some ideas after Slughorn's party, he-he), and it will all come together in . . . a couple chapters. I can't wait for the book either! I want to know how much I guess is correct. I guessed the horcruxes (although I didn't know what she would call them), and I had the same idea for my first HP fanfic before the book came out. I can't wait to see what twists she puts in the last one.