Harry ran his hands through Pandora's hair, a small smile on his lips. She leaned over and kissed him gently. They gazed at one another, smiling uncontrollably. Her eyes traced the hinge of his jawline, the curve of his lips as her fingers trailed down his back, touching him just to touch him. He cupped her face and kissed her, small kisses over and over again, just to kiss her.

Every free moment they had they snuck off to spend time together. They would meet up and escape from reality to be with one another. It was better than reality; they were in heaven, high off one another, addicted to the other's presence. They spoke about classes, grades and friends; but then they talked about life, religion, nature, fears, dreams and more. He told her things he had only thought in private, things he thought he would never share with a soul. She told him secrets she had kept bottled up for what felt like forever. As they talked, it was like they had known each other all along.

"I've never been good enough," Pandora confided in him one night, her eyes shining with tears that had yet to fall. "No matter what I do, it's like I just can't reach the expectations set out for me. I try… Trust me. I try so hard. But it's never enough." Harry traced the curve of her back as she spoke, his touch comforting.

"I think you're trying to be someone that you're not," he whispered, kissing her. "You have this idea of who you're supposed to be and what you have to do, but you really don't. It's your life. You can live it how you want to, you know?"

"Maybe," she mumbled, looking down at the floor.

"Hey," he reached over and tipped her chin up so she had to look him in the eyes. "You're great. Amazing, actually. You're probably the best person I know. And I'm crazy about you." They kissed and kissed.

That next day, they were together again. Harry leaned over to reach for a sip of water then curled back up against Pandora. They hadn't moved from his bed for hours. He traced the curve of her back as she told him stories of her childhood; of the magical things she had done with her parents meanwhile he detailed the horrors of his past. She was empathetic but not sympathetic; she did not treat him like someone she pitied. She understood how he felt, alone and confused. The two bonded over secrets they hadn't ever shared with anyone, not even their closest friends. As the hours flew by the two continued to talk, to kiss, and to hold one another.

"I have two weeks until the third task," he whispered after a moment of comfortable silence. Despite the fact that he knew he was safe, with Pandora in his arms, he still felt the paralyzing fear beginning to creep up into his mind. He had pushed it down for as long as he could but suddenly it was upon him.

"Don't be afraid," she kissed him softly, reading his mind. "You're stronger than you think."

"People actually think I'll win," he replied, breathless from both the fear and the feelings he had for her.

"And you don't?" She pulled back to stare into his eyes.

"No," he admitted. "How could I? I'm a fourth year. The others can cast spells I have never even heard of."

"You're incredible. You've done so well even for a competitor, let alone a fourth year. You need to stop being so hard on yourself." She kissed his neck in between words.

"I'm just worried I'll prove everyone who believes in me wrong. Or worse, right." He shook his head. "I know, it's odd."

"And understandable," she leaned forward, brushing her lips against his. "I know what it feels like to feel as though you're constantly trying to prove yourself. Like you're just feeding into what they say. But none of that matters. The question is, do you want to win?"

"I don't know."

"And that's okay," she told him. "That's okay."

"You're amazing," he said suddenly. "I can't believe I met someone who gets me the way you do. It sounds lame, I know. But, Pandora, you make me feel like all of this doesn't matter. Like, as long as I have you by my side I can be whoever I want to be…because I know you'll accept me no matter what I do, no matter how I act. You don't expect me to be something I'm not. You don't refer to me as chosen or famous. You see me as Harry. Just Harry."

"You're a lot more than just Harry," she was grinning uncontrollably. "You're smart, loyal, honest, not too bad looking," she winked and he laughed at that.

"Oh, thanks so much," he teased.

"You're welcome," her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "But, Harry. You're wonderful the way you are. I don't expect you to be anything but yourself. That's good enough for me."

"You make me so happy," he ran his hands through her hair, kissing her deeply and sincerely. "So happy. Pandora I—" The door suddenly creaked open. Pandora leapt out of bed and lunged for the invisibility cloak Harry kept in the back of his closet. She pulled it over herself in an instant, just in time in fact, as Ron walked into the room.

"Sup Harry," Ron mumbled in between mouthfuls of food. Harry looked worriedly in Pandora's direction, then back to Ron.

"Hi," he greeted.

"Third task is comin' up soon,"

"Yeah,"

"You nervous?"

"Little bit,"

"Ah, no reason to be. You're already in the lead. You just got Diggory to beat. You'll be fine," Ron grunted.

"Yeah, I hope so."

"Oi, you know if Hermionie and Krum are still seeing each other?" he suddenly asked. Harry shrugged in response, then looked curiously at Ron.

"Why are you asking?"

"Just wanted to see if she was fraternizing with the enemy, you know? That's not good sportsmanship. Or whatever." He looked visibly uncomfortable. "I gotta go. I've got to-er-study." He left rather abruptly. Pandora waited a few seconds before whipping the cloak off of her.

"That was a close one," Harry sighed, smiling at her.

"I thought for a moment he might've seen me," she giggled nervously.

"Nah, we're totally fine. He has no idea. Neither of them do," he grinned. The inflection of his voice was pure joy, complete relief. For some reason, it made Pandora slightly annoyed.

"No idea at all?" she asked, her inflection rising.

"None!" Harry responded blissfully, ignorant to the anger sparking on her face.

"And what if they did know? What would you do then?" she asked.

"Uh…I dunno," he looked at her stupidly, as if he was just thinking of it.

"Well what's going to happen when you do tell them?"

"Er…what?"

"When you tell your best friends that you've been hanging out with—snogging—a Slytherin girl?"

"I didn't…I didn't think we were going to tell them," he stammered.

"Oh, so we're just never going to tell anyone? We will just forever be each other's little secret?"

"Have you told your friends?" he countered.

"Well, no," she hesitated.

"Why's that?"

"Well…because, they wouldn't…. I don't know. They would judge. They wouldn't understand." She babbled, her hands reaching out to encompass some stray thought, idea, but nothing was there. Her hands, out in empty space, slowly fell back down to her sides. Harry looked her quietly for a minute, his eyes sad and understanding. He took her empty hands into his.

"For now, this is what's best." He said solemnly. She nodded. "One day, we will tell them. But things are complicated right now. There's so much going on…"

"One day," she agreed, squeezing his hands. "When things aren't so complicated."