Disclaimer: We do not own.

Warning: This chapter starts to descend into angst. The results of which will last for the next few chapter. We apologize for this, but it could not be avoided. Thankfully, though, It does not last long, and the comedy portion of this story will be back soon. Thank you for bearing with us. :)

Japanese Vacation

Chapter 13

Battle Plan

As the bell rang, Fred and George got up and left the room. As soon as they left, the redheaded twins shared a glance and headed directly for the other's room.

--1-A--

Neither Harry nor Hermione wasted any time. As soon as the bell rang, Harry was on his feet and approaching Draco, while Hermione grabbed both hers and Harry's lunch. This meeting would probably take all of lunch, as they would have to figure out what to do.

And it would all be without Snape.

--

"Malfoy," Harry said.

Draco glanced up from his bag.

"We need to talk." His voice was urgent.

After a another moment of silence, Draco stood, nodding once to Haruhi, before following him from the room, meeting up with Hermione at the door.

The twins were already waiting for them outside.

--

Haruhi watched as Draco got up and left. She shrugged and pulled out her lunch, beginning to eat.

Hikaru and Kaoru stood up simultaneously as the others left. They walked to Haruhi's desk and pulled up seats.

"What is it you two?"

"We found out about them."

"I don't care what you found out." Haruhi did not even so much as look at the two sitting in front of her.

"But you need to know," Hikaru lowered his voice. "They're wzards, Haruhi. Kyouya found out somehow and told us in a text."

Her eyes grew wide as she finally looked up at the two. Then after a moment of staring at them with her chopsticks in her mouth, she took them out and began to talk. "So? That doesn't make them any less the people we first met, the people we're friends with." She shrugged and continued eating.

The twins looked at each other, then sighed. "Well I guess your right."

They both shrugged and went back to their seats, where they ate their lunches in silence, for once.

--

As soon as they found an empty room (it was surprisingly easy this time), Hermione threw up several silencing and privacy spells.

Fred and George frowned.

"What is it?"

Harry cleared his throat, changing to English, the others followed his example. "They know."

"How?" Draco demanded.

Harry shrugged. "Ohtori, who else? He told the twins, and they told me that they knew."

Draco shook his head. "We should have just obliviated him when we had the chance. Now we've got all of them to deal with."

"I'm sure it won't be too bad," Harry said, sitting down on a table.

"No?" Draco asked. "Have you not read about the witch hunts?"

"That was several hundred years ago, Malfoy," Hermione said, "besides, these are just students. Nobody's going to listen to them."

"Oh, no?" Draco snorted, raising an eyebrow. "Ohtori has an entire army at his control. If he wants to he could probably kill us. Or manage to make us disappear for experimentation."

"An army?" Harry asked, incredulous.

"Fujioka told me that today."

"So what do we do?" Fred asked.

"We need to tell Professor Snape," Draco said.

"Do you know how to get a hold of him?" Harry asked.

Draco shook his head.

"He won't be here until later tonight," Hermione said. "He's meeting with Dumbledore."

Everyone turned to stare at her.

She shrugged. "I overheard him talking this morning."

"So we're on our own?"

"It seems that way," George said.

"I repeat, what do we do?"

Silence reigned for several minutes, each of them carefully eating their lunch as they wracked their brains.

"We could always try to obliviate them," Draco said.

"And if we fail, we'll end up next to Lockhart in St. Mungo's" Harry said.

Draco blinked. "Was that what happened to him?"

Harry nodded.

Silence.

"It's not going to go away if we ignore it," Hermione stated.

"Well, what do you suggest we do?" Draco snapped.

Hermione pursed her lips, but said nothing about it. "Avoid them until we can tell Professor Snape. He'll know what to do. He'll know how much to tell them, or if nothing else, what to do to obliviate them without losing his own memory instead."

"When is he supposed to get here?" George asked.

"Either tonight or tomorrow. They didn't exactly spell it out, and it wasn't as if I could ask them. I wasn't even supposed to be there."

"Two days," Fred mused. "Avoid them for two days. Think we can do it?"

George shrugged. "We've avoided mum for longer. They can't be too much harder than that."

"We've gotten fairly good at avoiding people," Harry said, motioning between himself and Hermione.

"I'm a Slytherin," was all Draco said.

The bell rang.

--

Haruhi sat in her desk staring off at the door. For some reason she had the feeling that things were going to be very awkward. She sighed for a bit before she saw the door open. Instead of seeing the others return, it was Kyouya.

"Excuse me sensei. I need to speak with Fujioka-kun." Kyouya said as he entered. The teacher simply nodded. Haruhi stood up quickly and walked to the door. When they were out in the hall, Haruhi took a deep breath.

"How could you!"

Kyouya was taken back by her out burst. "How could I what?"

"Snoop into their lives. It's none of our business what goes on in their own country. They came here to get away from their troubles back home and you're only creating more." Haruhi's eyes darkened. "So what are you planning on doing with this information?" Her hands came up and rested on her hips.

"Ah yes…well first of all we have a right to know about our fellow student-"

"No you don't!"

"I'm not going to do anything with the information. In fact, after I speak with them I am going to burn and delete all documentation of them." His eyes narrowed at her.

"I will not be at the Host Club today. I want nothing to do with you right now." With that she turned and stormed into the class room and sat down in her chair. She glared at the board.

I cannot believe that . . . I just can't . . . Gah! She clutched her head as she felt a headache come on. Turning, she dug into her backpack and pulled out a bottle of painkillers, and took one.

--

Hermione hurriedly took down the spells, and, as they all hurried back to class, they cleared their throats twice, switching back to Japanese. Two days, that was all they had to do. After that, Snape should be back, and he would take care of everything . . . they hoped.

It felt strange for the four Gryffindors, to put all their hopes in said teacher, and to just sit back and do nothing. But all of them were out of their depths in this, and knew that things could get very bad, very, very fast.

Harry, Hermione, and Draco quickly returned to their class, briefly seeing Kyouya before he was lost in the crowd. The three of them shared looks before hurrying into the classroom.

Both Draco and Hermione glanced at the twins, and knew that they had it easy. Hermione didn't have anybody to pester or bug her, and Haruhi didn't seem interested in anything they had done before entering Ouran.

Those twins however . . . Yes, Harry was definitely the worse off of the three.

--2-A--

Fred and George entered their class and shared a look upon noticing that Kyouya was missing. They quickly found their seats as they both wondered where he was, and what he was doing.

Kyouya came storming into the class room and took his seat. Tamaki noticed the anger that seemed to roll off of his friend.

"Kyouya-kun what's wrong?"

"Your precious little Haruhi-chan just lectured me. Of all people!" He glared down at Tamaki who then shrunk back.

--1-A--

Haruhi kept her head down as she grumbled in pain from her headache.

Draco glanced at Haruhi. "Alright?" he asked, figuring that as long as they avoided the subject of where they came from, things would be alright.

"No I'm not." She took a deep breath. "I'm very sorry about how deeply Kyouya-sempai has dug into you personal lives." She shook her head. "Everything is just giving me a head ache."

"You know then?" he asked.

"Yes."

Draco nodded. "Actually," he said softly, after a moment. "His thoroughness reminds me of a reporter we have back home. Bloody well irritating, is what she is; never leaves well enough alone, and she will do anything to get her story." Draco smirked at her.

Haruhi smiled back. "Really? Better make sure they never meet each other." She laughed a bit as she felt her head ache begin to dissipate.

--

Hikaru and Kaoru just smiled at Harry and Hermione giving them small waves.

Harry and Hermione nodded back, smiling slightly, though nervously. Hermione gave Harry a sympathetic look before returning to her seat. Harry simply sighed. It was going to be a long day.

Hikaru just went back to working on his assignment.

Kaoru looked at Harry for a moment. "What's wrong?"

Harry sighed. "I'm fine, Hitachiin-san."

Kaoru flinched at Harry's words. "Uh..right…"

Harry turned back to his work, pausing only long enough to close his eyes and take a deep breath, fist clenching under his desk. He hated hurting his friends, but they were also supposed to avoid them. Harry took another stabilizing breath and concentrated on his work.

Kaoru gave a small sigh and laid his head on his desk, feeling himself begin to doze off. This is all Kyouya-sempai's fault.

Hikaru looked over at his brother then back down at his own desk before continuing to work on his assignment.

--

Draco laughed. "I wonder," he said, "which of the two would back down first if they were to meet. I've never known Skeeter to back down from anything."

Haruhi laughed along with him. "Yeah I've never known Kyouya-sempai to back down either." She looked at the twins and saw their upset expressions. "What's going on? Kaoru-kun and Hikaru-kun look upset."

Draco hesitated a moment. "We're avoiding the club," he said, feeling rather Gryffindor at the moment.

She turned her head swiftly to look at him. "Why? Kyouya-sempai said they weren't digging anymore." Her voice was quick and a part of her chest seemed to tighten for some reason. "I mean I understand why you would keep stuff a secret and want it to stay that way but," She took a breath trying to calm herself. "All I'm saying is that no one here is going to hurt you or say anything about it. Kyouya-sempai is even going to burn and delete all of the information that he found. And if he doesn't, then I'll just have to find some other way of paying him back."

Draco sighed, closing his eyes. He knew he should have kept quiet. When they opened they were cool and piercing. He leaned forward, eyes staring directly into hers.

"Our sensei is currently not here and we had not planned on anyone finding out. We do not know what to do in this situation, so we are staying out of it until he can tell us what is to be done. There are laws, Fujioka-san, and we have broken several of them with you knowing what you now do. Even if we didn't tell you anything it is unlikely that they will believe us."

Haruhi blinked at the change in Draco's attitude, the look in his eyes sent shivers through her. "G-g-gomen, Malfoy-k….san…" She stopped herself and turned back to the front of the room.

Good going, Kyouya-sempai…you got them in trouble.

Draco blinked at her stutter, the look in his eyes disappearing. "Ha . . .Fujioka-san, you did not know. I shouldn't have . . ."

Damn, he was bad at apologizing.

Haruhi only shook her head. "No…it's alright." She put on a fake smile, the same smile she used with customers when she was having a bad day.

Draco blinked. "You're bad at lying, Fujioka-san," Draco whispered, but he turned around and faced forward anyway. Who was he to disrespect someone's want for privacy? especially if pushing made his help nod want to help him.

--

Hours later the school bell rang. As soon as it did, Hikaru and Kaoru walked over to Haruhi.

"Come on Haruhi-chan. We gotta go-." They chimed.

"I will not be returning to the Host club for a while." Haruhi said as she stood, holding her already packed bag in one hand.

Kaoru and Hikaru both looked at her in shock. "WHAT?!" Their holler almost seemed to echo in the class room.

"I'm not playing host today, I've already told Ohtori-sempai that." Her eyes were almost emotionless as she passed the twins and walked straight towards the door. The twins shared a look then let their gazes travel down to Draco. After a moment they sighed.

"Today will be a very boring day at the Host Club." With that they began to walk out of the classroom.

--

"What now?" Hermione asked as they headed for the door, unaware of how close the twins were behind them.

"Now?" Harry asked back shrugging. "Now we go back, and hope Snape-sensei returns tonight." He ran a hand over his face.

"They might pull us out," Hermione said. "According to Title IX of the Wizard Law, under subsection 7, clause 4 it says that no muggle, except for the immediate family of a muggleborn student, or the spouse of a witch or wizard may know of our existence. The consequences of violating-"

"The point, Hermione," Harry interupted.

Hermione hesitated before shaking her head. "We could be in a lot of trouble, Harry. And the Host Club could be in even worse."

Hikaru lifted his head as he heard Hermione's words ahead of them. "That's it." As soon as he could he passed the two and sprinted straight for the music room.

"Wait, Hikaru-kun!!" Kaoru ran after his brother.

Harry and Hermione were heading to meet up with Fred and George. They both hesitated, however, when they saw Hikaru race passed them, and then, a moment later, Kaoru, yelling his twin's name. Another moment passed before they looked at each other again. They'd been in the 'business' long enough to know when something was going on, and that definitely looked like something.

"We should get Fred and George and go back to the house. Maybe Snape-sensei is back?" Hermione suggested.

Harry, sighing, nodded.

--

Draco quietly packed up. He had never felt so tired in his life, and he didn't know why. It wasn't as if he'd done anything physical.

--

Haruhi was already at the front entrance of the school, her mind racing. She could hardly keep herself from breaking down and screaming.

--

Hikaru burst through the host room doors and stormed right up to Kyouya. "You've really done it now!"

"And what is that?" Kyouya asked, not even looking up.

"Thanks to you, Harry-neko and the others could get into a lot of trouble. They have laws about people not knowing!" Kaoru came in shortly after his brothers' outburst. "Not to mention Haruhi went home upset. She said she's not coming back."

"Things will blow over." Kyouya waved his hand at them as if trying to dismiss them.

"Yeah, so you think. I doubt it though." Hikaru turned around to go and leave. "I'm not feeling good today. I think I'm going home." His eyes narrowed as he left the room, before he closed the door he looked back. "Oh and Ohtori-sempai, I blame you if they have to leave."

--

Haruhi sat on the grass, setting her bag down. After a moment she laid down and felt her chest tighten again, like it had when she looked into Draco's cold eyes. "I can't believe this is happening. I think I actually start to like a guy and then, of course Ohtori-sempai has to go and ruin everything."

Draco left the building, alone, and started to turn toward the house, when he caught sight of Haruhi. He paused in debate for a moment, but then turned completely in her direction.

"Fujioka-chan?"

Haruhi looked up and blushed a bit. "Oh…Malfoy-k…san." She sat up and looked away. "I thought you were trying to avoid everyone…" Her eyes traveled down.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps," Draco said. "But, unlike the others, you have not tried to pry, and I know you will not." Draco sighed, carefully lowering himself onto the grass. "You're different than I thought you would be, you know."

Haruhi blinked looking back up at Draco. "How did you think I was going to be?"

Draco shrugged. "I suppose I never really thought about it," said looking around. "Muggles, I mean. I'd never met one before. They were this strange, obscure . . . thing. I never pictured them like you." He looked back then, his eyes open and more sincere than they had even been with her. They held a touch of amazement in them.

Haruhi blushed a bit before being very confused. "I'm probably going to see very stupid to you but….what's a muggle?" She tilted her head to one side and raised an eyebrow.

Draco blinked before laughing. "Gomen. A muggle is a non-magical person. You."

"Oh, ok." Haruhi looked up at the blue sky for a moment. "So you've never known any other 'muggles' till now? What made you change your mind and come to Japan?"

Draco laughed then. "Ironically enough, Potter. When I said I had no wish to come, he told me I was afraid. I couldn't let him show me up."

"Eh…" She began to laugh a bit herself, bringing her hand up to her mouth. "So you came here on a challenge, pretty much?" Her laughter seemed to grow as she thought about it.

Draco winced slightly. "Put that way you make me sound like a Gryffindor," he whined, then gave an exaggerated sigh. "But, yeah."

Haruhi only turned her smile to Draco. "You know, it's ok to be different from what people say you are. No one's fate is set in stone."

Draco shrugged. "Sure, here, but back home, you're defined by your family, and your house. Everyone goes to Hogwarts, unless they were in a different country, so everyone already knows what house you're in. If not because you went to school together, then because their kids did."

Haruhi continued to look at Draco, her smile had fade only slightly. "Well from what I've heard about Slytherin it's filled with rude, mean, deceitful people who rather watch their own backs then other people's." She looked at the grass they sat in and took a breath. "But you, Malfoy-kun, don't seem like that at all. Unless the way you've acted with me was simply a disguise." She tilted her head to one side. "Still, I don't think it is. I think you are a nice person who simply doesn't see that you don't have to be what your family makes you." She shrugged. "Sorry if I offended you…"

Draco shrugged back, giving a little smile. "Perhaps there is not much that is different between us after all," Draco said thoughtfully. "What you have just said about my house, is nothing different than anything any one else has . . . Actually, I think yours was nicer. And, me, nice? Oh, Pansy'd get a kick out of that."

Haruhi simply sighed a bit with a smile still on her lips. "Just because I can't do magic and you can doesn't make us that different. We are both still human, and we can take control of our own lives. As for me saying all this being nicer, perhaps it's because I'm your friend, at least I'd like to think I am." She leaned back on her hands, letting the grass slip through her fingers.

Draco blinked at her a moment. "Well," he blinked again, smile widening. "I think we are."

"That's good." She laid out on the grass once more, "I hope these things don't change after you speak with your sensei, I'd hate to lose a good friend because Kyouya-sempai was being stupid." She turned her head to look at Draco.

Draco leaned back. "Well, if we do have to head back, I can always owl you. Keep in touch that way."

Haruhi raised an eyebrow. "Owls?"

"It's how we communicate," Draco said. "None of those . . ." he waved his hand around. "Fellytones?"

Haruhi couldn't help but to burst up laughing. "You mean telephones." She clutched her sides from laughing so hard. "I'm sorry. I'm not meaning to laugh at you but..." She sat up on her knees whipping a tear from her eyes. "That would be good to stay in contact with you." She smiled; her voice still light with laughter.

--

(A/N: Everyone is speaking English here)

Harry sighed, shaking his head. "I can't believe this," Harry whispered, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Don't worry about it so much, Harry," Hermione said, from the table. "I'm sure Professor Snape will get everything straightened out when he gets back."

Harry nodded, straightening and tossing a smile, obviously forced. "Right. We've just got to avoid them until he gets back."

He turned back to the pan, quickly stirring the vegetables.

"I think we should tell one more person."

Harry dropped the spatula as he spun to face Hermione. "What?" he asked incredulously. "'Mione, seven people already know. We're lucky that they don't intend to tell anyone, or so Malfoy says he's been told. That can change at anytime. Don't you think that it would be a touch too risky to add someone else to the list?"

Hermione bit her lip, glancing down at the table. "This one has probably already figured us out. Or thinks that we're practitioners."

Harry blinked frowning. "Who?"

"Nekozawa."

Harry sighed as he bent to pick up his spatula. "We have slipped up enough around him, haven't we?" He asked as he made his way over to the sink.

"We have."

He was silent as he washed the utensil and as he made his way back to the stove. "Why are you asking me, anyway?"

"You're our leader."

"Fred and George are older."

"So? Age doesn't mean anything. Harry, even Malfoy has been listening to you."

Harry didn't say anything as he opened the oven and checked on the chicken. "Extenuating circumstances, 'Mione." He set the timer for 15 more minutes.

"Whether they are or not, you're in charge. It's unvoiced, of course, but still in charge."

"Fine," Harry said, finally. "Just . . . make sure he won't tell anyone before you do?"

"Of course, Harry."

"You think he'll be back tonight?"

Behind him, Hermione shrugged. "I don't know, Harry. It all depends on what they're doing, I suppose."

Silence reigned for several minutes until Crookshanks sauntered into the room and mewed up at him.

"Nothing yet," Harry laughed. "It's not done."

Crookshanks' tail twitched as he turned and jumped onto a chair. Hermione smiled at him fondly.

"How much longer, Harry?" she asked. "I'm starving!"

Harry laughed. "Almost done."

--

Aku-Hitokiri-Kitsune: OMG!! What is going to happen?! XP Just kidding of course I already know.. oh that was mean wasn't it... oh well PX Well I think I'll let Alla tell you all to review today XP. TTYL!!

Allanasha Ke Kiri: (laughs) Wow, Aku seems a bit hyper today, doesn't she? Oh well, it makes things interesting. Let's see . . . debating putting the pairing up next chapter, as some people still don't know them . . . well, anyway. Kyouya seems to not be very popular with several of the hosts. Things are certainly heating up with our little crew of characters. See you all next time, and don't forget to Review!! :)