A New Relationship

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. They are the property of JK Rowling. I only own the new OC's which appear in the following chapters.

The week had passed by and the homework had piled up, which Harry hadn't touched much of. Hermione began to nag and used Ron as an example of what Harry should be like. Ron became happier as the days went by and Harry became angrier. He was too busy concentrating on Lorena to concentrate on homework. He had started all his homework, but he hadn't got around to finishing it. Snapes essay was due in just a few days and he hadn't even half of it done.

'Harry.' Hermione warned, 'Snape doesn't like you in his class. This could give him a reason to kick you out.

'Hermione, everything will be done by Sunday night, so stop worrying about me and start worrying about Ron.' Harry said calmly, forcing her to roll her eyes before she retorted.

'Ron? Why Ron?'

'Everyone knows the two of you are…' Harry made a gesture with his hands that Hermione was not sure what it meant. She just looked at him like he was crazy and shook her head, turning swiftly and walking out of the portrait hole, followed by Ron, probably going to the library to do more homework. Harry looked after them… Ron was completely different. More… Hermione-like. And where the bloody hell was Lavender these days?

'Hi Harry!'

Harry jumped and turned around, startled by whoever had called him. He was facing a group of three girls. Harry thought they were probably in fourth year.

'Er… Hi. Who are you?'

'I'm Romilda, Romilda Vane.' She smiled widely and Harry felt that she was the most prominent of the group. 'We heard about you and Melina.'

Harry raised his eyebrows at her unsure of her she came across this bit of information. He didn't imagine news about him and Melina had travelled so fast.

'Oh, that's Alison's,' Romilda pointed to a girl behind her, 'Older sister.' The girl didn't look a bit like Melina. The only resemblance was the long dark brown hair. But plenty of people could have that.

'Ok…' Harry said, unsure of exactly why they were here.

'We just wanted to say she's a bit.' Romilda paused here, 'Crazy… All her boyfriends break up with her. So I just wanted to say, there are no hard feelings.'

'Um… Okay. Thanks.' Harry made to walk away, when he spotted Lorena walking down the staircase from the girls dorms.

'Okay, bye Harry!' Romilda waved, 'Talk to you later!'

Harry noticed how pretty Lorena looked as she walked down the stairs. Her hair was always messy, but light blonde and wavy and hung past her shoulders. She always held the end of her sleeves in her balled fists which made her look like she was always nervous, which Harry was sure was the reason. Her skirt was tiny… unnaturally tiny. It was just long enough to cover her backside, and she was clever enough to have a built in, tiny pair of shorts, the same colour as her school skirt underneath.

'Hey Harry.' She smiled as she picked up her bag off a nearby table, 'Ready for class?'

'You want to be there early?'

'What else do we have to do?'

'Breakfast?'

Lorena grimaced, and Harry felt the same. Food so early in the morning tended to be rather sickening for him. He wouldn't go near the Great Hall until lunch. They headed for McGuire's class, which Harry had soon grown to dread. She didn't stop passing hints at him. But she never gave him another detention. He made sure he always did everything perfect and was always on time. The only people that noticed the way McGuire acted were Ron, Hermione and Lorena. Melina attempted to work at making Harry jealous by flirting with other guys in the class. Lorena would look between Harry and Melina to see his reaction, and he was never bothered by it. She was clearly wondering how Harry felt about Melina and Professor McGuire. Defence Against the Dark Arts, which was once the subject he found easiest, suddenly became the hardest, he had to actually concentrate. He concentrated completely on ignoring both Melina and his professor and also tried to maintain his O average.

The class was over as soon as it had begun. And after Defence Against the Dark Arts, they had to walk to the Transfiguration classroom. This class honestly wasn't the most enjoyable. Professor McGonagall always gave them loads of homework.

'Potter?… Miss Valdéz?' McGonagall said as the class had ended. 'May I speak with you two for a moment?'

Ron looked at Harry uncertainly then followed Hermione out the door.

'Potter, here.' She walked up along through the desks, as Harry and Lorena followed her up to desk, 'We'll have to start looking into reforming the Quidditch team Potter. I'll leave that to you to sort out.' She said after she sat down behind her desk. She paused and looked at Harry over her glasses. Taking them off she sighed. Harry sincerely hoped she wasn't going to pull one of McGuire's moves. 'I've been talking to Professor McGuire.' Harry's heart suddenly started beating fast, she hardly told anyone, did she? 'I've been informed you've had two Friday evening detentions already.' He breathed a sigh of relief.

'Er…Yea.' Harry said, 'Won't happen again.'

McGonagall raised her eyebrows, 'Well Potter, it better not, because we can't have that kind of behaviour from a Gryffindor.' Then McGonagall turned to Lorena, 'Speaking of bad behaviour…' Lorena stepped forward apprehensively, 'Miss Valdéz, there has been a report of an attack, by you on Miss Todd, also a fellow Gryffindor.'

Lorena looked shocked, 'Wait, no no. She attacked me first. Her black eye, that was me defending myself.'

'Miss Valdéz, you never reported it. So therefore I am forced to believe Miss Todd. You will serve a detention-'

'What? You can't be serious.'

'Miss Black-' McGonagall stopped suddenly, 'Valdéz. I meant Valdéz, you will serve a detention… With Hagrid, tonight at seven. That clear?'

Lorena looked grumpily at her head of house and nodded solemnly.

'Good, you may go.'

Lorena was late for her History Of Magic class at this stage. Harry was lucky as he didn't have any class for that period. Lorena hurried a goodbye and rushed off to her class where Hermione would already be sitting, taking detailed notes. Luckily, Professor Binns noticed absolutely nothing that went on in his class, so Lorena could easily sneak in. When Harry had went back to the common room, he decided he would start of some of his homework as Hedwig, his snowy white owl flew in through the open window and left an envelope by his side.

'Thanks Hedwig,' Harry picked up the letter and noticed it was from Sirius.

Harry,

Sorry I couldn't write sooner. I think it's best that we don't converse through the fire anymore. I wasn't caught, before you start worrying, but some of the Order just… Informed me it would be a lot safer to talk by mail. And Remus was kind enough to play a nasty trick on me that night. I was sure someone was listening in on our fire conversation.

The Order aren't sure at the moment if the Ministry are still keeping an eye on the fires, though. After Umbridge left, with the control going back to Dumbledore he mightn't allow it, but he also might not have any say over it. And before we find out we shouldn't be chancing this sort of stuff. (As Remus helpfully pointed out.)

Snivellus is always over for Order meetings. Unfortunately he never misses one. And we all have to endure him talking about you and Lorena after them. He says you two never shut up in his classes, good job! I suppose, in a way I enjoy his visits so he can tell us all what you guys get up to during his class.

Send my regards to Ron and Hermione,

Snuffles.

Harry put down the letter and looked across at Ron who had finally taken a break from homework.

'You've been pleasing Hermione a lot recently,' Harry grinned at his friend.

'You think?' Ron asked hopefully.

'Just ask her out.' Harry said quietly, 'The worst she can say is no. Even at that, it's not like that's the end of the world.'

'It'd make things weird.'

'So what are you going to do?'

Ron looked around to see if anyone else was listening, 'Well, I've kind of been with Lavender.'

'So? I know that.' Harry rolled his eyes and turned back to the letter, scanning over it one last time before he stuffed it in the envelope.

'No, no.' Ron said quickly, a blush forming on his face, 'It'd make things awkward with Hermione because I was with her.'

Harry looked back at his friend, completely confused. He opened and closed his mouth for a few seconds, not sure of what to say, or how to react, he finally settled on a very whispered, but very loud, 'What?!'

'Yea… Just you know...' Ron stopped, 'You know, Harry.' He paused again as Harry continued to gape at him, 'Hey, is it so hard to believe I had sex with her? I wasn't a virgin you know!'

'I know.' Harry said quickly, sensing Ron wasn't too happy with this conversation, 'But… It's just. You really like Hermione-'

'No, Harry. I don't.' Ron said simply, returning back to the book he had been reading, but now his eyes were no longer moving across the page.

'If you want to go out with her just ask her, and stop fooling around with anyone else, that'd just make her mad.'

'And that's why you dumped that Melina girl, yea? Because of Lorena… Harry, she clearly doesn't want you.'

Harry remained silent, not keen on discussing his private life with Ron, especially when Ron was suddenly critising it… Yes he was spending a bit too much time with Hermione.

Harry decided on meeting Lorena after her Ancient Runes class, the last class of the week. He found Hermione and Lorena as they were walking out of the class together, giggling about something. Harry smiled as he saw them looking each other in the eye and laughing, then looking back over their shoulders.

'Hey, what's so funny?'

He startled them, and they both immediately stopped laughing, 'Whoa, Harry, you scared us… What are you doing here?' Hermione asked.

'You didn't answer my question.'

'Well, some guy-' Lorena was cut off by Hermione hitting her. 'Ow.'

'Cormac… Cormac McLaggan asked me if I wanted to go to Hogsmeade with him. You know the first Hogsmeade weekend is coming up. Next weekend I'm sure.'

'Ah, Hogsmeade weekend… Are the dates up on the notice board? I better send them to Sirius.'

Hermione looked at Lorena then at Harry, slightly unnerved.

'Is that all you have to say?' Hermione began biting her nails, 'You won't tell Ron will you?'

'Could the two of you please just go out. It's kind of annoying me, you know.' But there was no more said on the matter. Hermione roughly pushed past Harry, rolling her eyes as she did so, leaving Lorena standing there awkwardly.

'Here.'

'I can carry my books Harry.' Lorena said slightly impatiently as she tried to wrench them from his grasp, and walked off, leaving him to follow her hurriedly. If this was the way Lorena treated all her potential boyfriends he wasn't sure if he even wanted to be in the running.

'Hey Lorena?' Harry asked as Lorena sat up in the boys dorm with an acoustic guitar. She was sitting on the end of Harry's bed, while he was at the head. Seamus, Dean, Neville and Ron were all upstairs, playing a wrestling game. Harry had a feeling that Seamus and Dean were trying to impress Lorena with their wrestling moves… She didn't seem too interested though. She didn't seem interested in anything but her own fingers tapping off the frets.

'Hmm?' She asked, keeping her head down, looking at her fingers move skillfully with a frown on her face.

'You know where you haven't seen yet?… The Room Of Requirement. Want to go there before your detention? It's really cool.'

Lorena looked up at him, with a sort of impressed expression on her face. She shrugged and said, 'Sure.'

'Now?' She nodded at him and left the guitar on his bed, and walking out the door in front of him. Ron shook his head at Harry, while Dean and Seamus just grinned.

'What?'

'Tell us how it was when you get back.'

There were a few people walking through the corridor, so Harry told Lorena to wait. As soon as the third year Ravenclaws had rounded the corner Harry began explaining how it worked. He walked up and down three times, thinking about what he wanted. Lorena just stood there, watching him, not sure if he was going crazy or not. Then a door appeared.

'See.' Harry smiled at her, he opened the door and she followed him in. The room was small, it was just like a tiny, forlorn living room. It looked very inviting. Lorena took the first step into the room and sat down on a couch, resting her legs on a coffee table, beside a little brown box. Harry followed and sat down beside her.

'So, you can make this anything you want?' She asked, picking up a music magazine that was on the floor beside her. Harry nodded, 'So, why didn't you make it something cool like, a concert hall… With Korn playing?'

'Want to smoke?'

'I don't smoke Harry.'

'Not that… This.' He picked up the little brown box and held it open for her to see inside. There were close to twenty, perfectly rolled up joints, just asking to be smoked. She grinned at him and shook her head in a humorous way. She glanced at her watch to check the time.

'Well… I do have two hours until my detention… Why not?'

Harry took one of the long, white cigarette-like objects out of the little box, held it in front of him, and lit the tip.

'Take one for yourself.' Harry said, 'It's not like we're going to run out.'

'I take it you come here a lot.' She grinned to him, this room was an endless supply of whatever you wanted. Of course he'd come here every time he got the chance. Lorena did as she was told, and then took the lighter from Harry. They both got comfortable on the couch, turning to face each other, with their legs folded in front of them.

'So, do you come here often to do this?' Lorena asked again, exhaling to her left, as to not blow smoke in Harry's face.

Harry shook his head, 'We always stay in the Common Room, or in the guys dorm. Never been here before… We used to use this place for Dumbledore's Army… Then Cho's friend told about it.' Harry looked around the room sadly. 'This is just our supply room.'

'You really liked her didn't you?' Ron hadn't skipped on informing Lorena on all the juicy details of his friends past. Everything that Harry had determinedly left out, Ron had told her, just for the fun of it.

'Well yea… She was the first girl I went out with because I actually liked her… And the last… We even kissed for the first time here.'

'What was that like?' Lorena laughed out loud.

'Ironically, I didn't think the fact she was crying over her ex-boyfriend was anything to worry about.'

'You actually kissed a girl while she was crying because of her ex-boyfriend. You are some…' Lorena shook her head, 'You know, I'm surprised this room doesn't have a bed…'

'Come on, I'm not trying to get you to sleep with me.' Harry said indignantly, but also finding it amusing, which probably had something to do with what they were smoking, 'I'm trying to get you to go out with me.'

'Really? So, you're trying to tell me, you don't want to have sex with me? You just want to be my boyfriend?'

'Is that so hard to believe?'

'Yea… I mean, I saw you over the summer, and the last two weeks with Melina. You're not too trustworthy. You're actually like my double, we're exactly the same it's funny, but after I saw how you treat girls, I'm content with just being a really, really close friend.'

'What if.' She smiled at him, because he was quite charming in the way he tried to persuade her, and she couldn't blame Cho for fancying him a bit, 'We go out, but we don't do anything.'

'Anything, as in?'

'Sex. Or whatever else would prove to you that I actually really like you and don't just want to sleep with you and dump you. Deal?'

'Honestly Harry.' She leaned into him, 'I always thought you were really cute, but I don't trust you, not in the slightest… So the plan is, we go out and have sex when I want to?… That is, if I want to.'

'Yea, because, Lorena, I've been dying to touch you since I first saw you.' They both burst out laughing at this statement. And that was it, it had been settled. Both at this stage had finished smoking. Harry, who had been wanting to do this for a long time, went to kiss her, putting a hand on her face.