Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by the brilliant mind that is J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers

Chapter 49

Harry's POV

I flicked a speck of dust that settled on my collar, smoothing out the black dress shirt as I stared into Seamus' mirror.

"Someone's getting mighty dolled up for tonight. Who's the lucky lass?"

I shook my head at him as I adjusted the collar, he's one to talk. He's probably the only bloke in the whole of Gryffindor Tower with his own full length mirror. With wheels by the way. Just so he can always be sure to pull it into the perfect lighting for flawless viewing.

"Here, let me."

I smiled in appreciation at Dean, handing him the tie, not knowing how to knot it manually and never learning the spell. He looped the thin black material over his neck and begun knotting it muggle style. "Before I start, who ARE you off to see?"

I raised my brows at him and he smirked, "How does knotting my tie have anything to do with who I'm going to see?"

"So you are seeing someone?" Seamus jumped up from his seat on Neville's bed with such gusto that Neville tumbled to the floor. The Irishman ignored him completely and walked over to me, "Its Romilda isn't it. Fuck, it's Romilda. You bloody devil you."

I sighed, crossing over to my four poster and digging in my trunk for cuff links. It was part of my inheritance from Sirius and I hadn't worn them before, might as well break them in. I took out the little pieces of shiny metal and tried to figure out how to insert them.

"Cuff links! Then it's not Romilda..." Seamus' brown eyebrows was about to merge with his hairline. I didn't want even ask how he came to that conclusion based on my use of cufflinks. His blue eyes lit up, "It must be Chang then!"

"No." I spat out, "It's not Cho." I turned to Dean and sighed, "You haven't even begun knotting it!"

"Well of course not, you haven't answered my question? The type of knot depends on the girl you're dating, so who is the girl?"

"Just give it here, I'll ask Ron to do it." He jumped up on the bed and held the tie out of reach, when I walked forward he jumped higher, onto Neville's drawer.

"Seriously? What on Earth does Leanne see in you?"

"Hey! I happen to be the only boy here that managed to bag a girl older than him, have some respect for a man of my mature-ouch." Seamus sniggered as Dean fell to the floor as I shook the drawer, "I could have broken me head Harry!"

"Yeah Harry, don't wanna mess up this pretty face! How will he become a soccer player then?"

"Hey! You lot laugh now, but I'm twice as good a FOOTBALL," He looked annoyed at his best friend, "Player than I am a quidditch player."

"So that means you're only half bad at football then?" Seamus dodged Neville's transfiguration book that Dean just chucked at him after he got to his feet.

I sprayed some cologne as Dean looked at me with wide eyes, "Cap'n, you going to let him speak to me like that?"

"I don't know Dean, you knot that tie yet?"

"Why, is Lindy James waiting for you?" I raised my brows at Neville, even him? He smiled as Seamus howled at his contribution to the conversation.

"Harry, mate, please, for all us normal blokes... Lindy... Lindy's just-"

"Well I'm not even going to knot a tie if it's for James. It'll only slow her down haha." Dean's eyes crinkled as he began slipping the tie to and fro across the back of his neck in some kind of lewd dance.

"Mate, what's taking you so long? Ky's already-"

"OOOOOOHHHHH!"

I clutched my forehead as Dean started shaking his hips with his tie dance and Seamus started jeering at what Ron said and ran up to me.

"I knew it! You dirty devil! In the Common Room last night! You guys... Fuck Harry how-"

Ron looked at me in confusion as I slithered out of Seamus' hold and made my way towards the door shaking my head, trying to get away from the catcalling and suggestive winks as quick as possible.

"Hey mate, don't forget your tie."

Dean stopped me halfway down the stairs, tossing the black material at me which I caught with ease. I looked at the knot, it looked completely normal.

I looked up as Dean's laughter travelled down the steps at my confused look, "It's just a standard Windsor. I was just messing about the knot thing."

I shook my head, turning to walk down.

"Hey Harry..." I turned to Dean who was leaning against the banister, his brown eyes sincere, "I hope you two work things out."

I turned back, nodding my head in thanks, "You and me both..."

I took a deep breath, straightening out my shirt again. I don't know what it was about formal attire that made me feel so self conscious. I mean, it's not that much different to a school shirt is it? The tie, the pants, it's all just the same really.

Well in actually fact the formal attire was just a cover for my nerves, sweating over it was easier to do than sweating over the real problem...

I cleared my throat, it had been annoying me a bit, I knew I should have gone for a round of Pepper Up when Madam Pomfrey sent notice on Monday.

I raised my hand, rested it on the door knob... not turning it...

"Well if it isn't Harry Potter." I snapped around, my wand already out but the spell never left me when I recognised who it was.

"Oh, it's just you Myrtle. You scared me half to... you scared me."

"Just Myrtle?" The ghost frowned at my wand and turned her nose up at me, "Some friend you are. Not been to visit-"

"Well I actually came to visit last Wednesday." I really couldn't deal with Myrtle right now, and I definitely couldn't risk her having a fit here. I glanced at the door and then back at her as I watched her take in the lie.

"Really?" She raised her brows, "Liar."

"No, I'm serious, you weren't around."

She pouted as she floated higher and higher, deep in thought. She brightened up suddenly, "Wednesday! Wednesday is the day I chase the sewag... I mean, the day I swim... in the lake..."

I nodded my head, "Of course. Now I know not to come on Wednesday."

"Good. Actually not Friday either, I like to 'visit' Miss Prissy Mermaid in the Prefects Bathroom. Speaking of Miss Prissy, your friend, that girl with the bushy hair, I've seen her in there." She floated right up to me and I fought against flinching, she raised her brows conspiratorially, "She gets naked you know. Nude as the day she's born, struts around as if-"

"Myrtle... you don't think you could do me a favour?" I cut across before she began describing Hermione! I mean! It's Hermione!

"Well... it depends... I'm very busy. You know, I get visitors, interesting visitors. All kinds-"

"Yes yes that's lovely Myrtle, you think you can help. If you can't, I'll just ask Nick."

"No! Don't ask Nick." She gasped, "I'm under inspection seeing as I've auditioned for House Ghost. Ravenclaw, that damned Grey Lady just goes around moping all over the place. What kind of example is she setting for the little ones? No, no. They need a strong, gutsy role model. That's what I told Nick and the Friar. So don't go complaining to him about me!" She snapped, "Anyway, what is it that you want Harry."

I bit my lip, "Well, it's actually a big... you know what I don't think, I can't ask this of you..."

"No. No, go on? Stalking, maiming, spying... haunting even."

"Well, that first one seems about right. Professor Snape. Yeah... I need to know his whereabouts for the next hour or so... think you could do it?"

"Of course! You want your standard stalker, or would you like a little haunting in it?"

"Only if it's not too much to ask. Thanks a lot Myrtle."

She winked at me and whizzed of, stopping halfway down the corridor, "Be sure to tell Nick about this!"

"Of course!" I replied, pulling the door open with a jerk.

"I do not STRUT in the nude! It's a bathroom! I undress and then walk to the bath! It's like five steps! Ugh that miserable little ghost!"

I pushed Hermione into the toilet and pulled the knob behind me, it appears she was standing at the door, eavesdropping.

"Well either way she wouldn't be bothering us for an hour or so."

My eyes swept the room as I walked into the familiar lavatory. I saw there were three cauldrons set up near the sinks, with three times the amount of smoke, the room was smouldering. I pulled my tie in discomfort...

"Watch where you walk!"

I stopped dead at her squeak, looking down. There were symbols and lines all about the rooms drawn with what seemed to be ashes of some kind. The cauldrons simmered in the centre of the intricate patterns.

"This is mainly why it took me so long to brew the potion. Firstly you have to wait till the peak of the potion potency and then there is a runic aspect to the brewing process, you see how complicated-"

"Is this is?" I cut in, my anxiety overriding any explanation. I just wanted it to be over, I looked into the black concoction, and I took another deep breath. It's going to be OK.

"Well it's not that simple, apart from a bit of whoever you're testing you also have to wait for the right lunar time and constellation and star signs correlate to different potions ingredients, it's all very specific." I turned to Hermione who had her head hovering over a thick tomb, worrying her bottom lip. "Well, it should be any moment now. Seven seconds to be exact. It says here, second generation sharing the same maternal and paternal blood line will result in a misty blue colour. Second generation sharing the same maternal bloodline a blood red colour whilst paternal would be a glassy green sheen, third generations sharing a maternal blood line a..."

"Hermione..." I swallowed thickly as the cauldron's contents started bubbling. She got to her feet and ran to me...

I couldn't process a thing except the bubbling potion, each movement catching my eyes, each sound seizing my interest, my tummy flipped like an acrobat at a circus, again and again as it chugged and churned.

"Oh Godric..." I gasped, falling back against the closed stall door behind me as the potion shined up at me... blue... misty blue... what was misty blue... wait... same maternal... same paternal... how

Hermione squealed, "Perfect! Harry... Harry..."

I lowered myself to the floor... same... what? How? What?

"Harry!" Hermione's brown eyes floated in front of me, "Harry calm down, breathe! Here drink this."

I pushed the glass away and lowered my head in between my knees trying to calm down... no...

"Harry! Harry!" Hermione shook me until I looked up at her, her face coated with desperation, "Harry that isn't yours and Ky's! That's the control of the experiment! Just to make sure I brewed it correctly. It's actually Ron and Ginny's!"

"What!" I blinked... Ron and Ginny's...

"I'm sorry." She grumbled as she pulled me to my feet, "I should have said something. The middle one is just a negative control, it doesn't contain bits of anyone, done just to see what it looks like in its natural content. Bubbling black. That's right."

"Then the last one?" I glanced into the last cauldron which was simmering quietly. I watched as it faded from red, to pink... "White?"

"Misty white!" Hermione gasped, "You'd call that-"

"Yes yes misty, what does-"

"OH HARRY!" Hermione jumped on me, swinging her arms around my neck, "I knew it, I just knew it didn't I! It's that damn Blishwick! Lies! Lies!"

I extricated myself from her and crossed closer to the cauldron, screw the runes, I had to makes sure I was right. White. Misty. Pure blinding white!

"That means we're not related?"

"Total strangers in terms of bloodlines! Godric! I cannot believe that slithering slimey manipulative little ponce actually lied, forged documents, made you think... Harry? Harry!"

I crossed the bathroom in three strides, Godric! This was it! This was the truth! Fuck, all this time I wasted... believed those damn receipts and letters... all this time! I took the stairs three at a time, not even caring that I was probably waking up half the castle with my footsteps.

"Hey YOU!"

I pushed past Filch not even bothering with a reply and ducked through the open front doors just as McGonagall and Sprout walked in, both gaping at me. It seems like the formalities finished.

I jumped into the dark night, stumbling slightly as I landed on the uneven gravel and surged forward, I was in the forest in minutes.

"Harry? Mate you missed the whole-"

I pushed past Ron who was standing in the Forest path with two aurors that I didn't know the names of.

I could see the shadow of flames and rushed to it, I knew Ky would be there, even as all these people seemed to be walking away, I sidestepped a tall blonde guy. She couldn't have left? Not without me seeing her. Godric, like she could be in my periphery and go unnoticed. Not her soft, wild, dark tresses or her wide, open grey eyes, her pink lips that trembled when she was angry and lounged across her face when she was happy...

I pushed through a few branches, hearing voices and seeing a few more aurors leaving, casting me a curious glance. I saw Tonks who waved at me, I think I returned it.

As if knowing my destination was just a few strides away my lungs squealed, my chest growing heavier and heavier until I reached the clearing...

And then I stopped...

My chest rose and fell in silence as my eyes took in the situation... I couldn't see the wide grey eyes, or the pink pouty lips... but those dark tresses, I couldn't mistake it, or those dainty fingers... how many days I spend just threading my own fingers through them. I knew every knuckle, every wrinkle... I watched as it clutched to the black leather... the black leather that fit snugly across the back... the tall tapered back of... Roger Davies.

I swallowed once, the slight tingle of my sore throat processed somewhere in the back of my mind as I watched them embrace.

I blinked...

"The fuck?" His blue eyes widened as he tumbled backwards, stopping a foot before the burning fire, tossing the heat at his back a cautious glance as he righted his jacket which I practically pulled off of him when I pushed him away from her.

He became collateral damage quite quickly though, as I took his place in front of her...

One deep breath... gaping pink lips the same colour as the apples of her cheeks... a tear hanging off her eyelashes above her right stormy grey orb, the little violet specks dancing around her pupil.

Her back, my left hand, her waist, my right hand... one pull as I stepped forward...

I might have stepped into the fire. That could be the only explanation that my body surged with heat, my blood lava and my breath fire that was captured by those delicious pink lips that tasted like the most delectable treat on this planet... I stepped forward, pulling her tighter, wanting to not just witness this volcanic eruption but be one with it. One with those soft thighs that sat on my pelvis as silky tan legs met at my back...

One step, two, three... smack.

I felt the bark at my left hand as I let go of her waist, her legs tightened at my back, her back met the back of my hand as I held the rough tree bark, feeling the stinging of cuts on my palm but I didn't let go. My right hand slipped underneath the cotton like a ghost and I groaned when I felt it... oh fuck... my fingers made way with the lace in haste, clawing it down and then I caressed it...

My skin shivered when I heard her moan as my right hand almost as on muscle memory made quick work on her left breast. That single moan and little pants was like the fuel to the beast within me as he surged onward, touching, tasting every bit that I came in contact.

"Eh hem."

The pants became louder as I freed her mouth, her waist became heavy as I felt her legs unlock behind me and she wiggled her way to her feet, hand on my stomach pushing me away slightly.

"Eh hem."

"We heard you!" She snapped, running her hand through her hair and away from her reddening face, she stepped aside as I turned around and my fists clenched.

"Sarah forgot her jacket." Davies walked towards the fire, and picked up a denim article from one of the logs that surrounded it. I glared at him, couldn't he have done that later... or in silence!

He rolled his eyes at my glare and looked at Ky, "And Johnson and Parker are watching you."

He pointed to the bush to the right of us and sure enough two guys peaked they're heads over, unashamed with eyes bright with alcohol and lazy smiles, shrugging as if it was the only logical thing to do. Like peeping into someone's private time was just normal behaviour.

The two of them followed Davies out of the clearing as Ky sighed, wiping her face as if trying to rub sense into her.

I took a step back and rested against the bark, trying to regain my breath. Her back was to me as she stared at the entrance of the clearing; I can imagine her biting her bottom lip, her eyes deep in thought... I was about to touch her when her shoulders started trembling... oh Godric... no...

"Ky... Ky...I'm..." Sorry? I wasn't... not one bit. I touched her shoulder and she turned around, lips gaping and cheeks growing redder as she... laughed?

"Ky?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so-so-sorry!" She wheezed as she clutched her waist and shook her head as she laughed on, "It's just..." She shrugged, "What the fuck is going on?" She gestured around the clearing.

I dumbly followed her movements as if she was pointing to the source of her amusement, her giggles got louder and she stumbled forward, "You nearly pushed Roger into a fire, do you know that? And then you..." She gestured at the tree trunk at my back, "You're crazy you know that Potter. You are...mad. Just... certifiable really. One second you're dating Ginny, then you're...not." She shrugged, "I don't know... I don't...what?"

I straightened up, expecting just this but not finding the right words. She stepped forward, her chest almost at my own, I opened my mouth but still no words came out.

"You know what you are Harry? You're fucked. In the head. You are. You..." She tugged on my tie and pulled me down to her, "You... nearly pushed Roger into the fire... you're mad... you know that?"

She traced my bottom lip with the side of her index finger and they were shivers down my spine, "You nearly pushed Roger into a fire..."

"OK, OK, I get it... I'm sorry..."

"No..." She took a deep breath and pushed her chest closer to mine, "You'd rather see someone burn alive than be with me... that's fucked up."

"I said... I'm sorry. I didn't want him to burn... I just..."

"Got jealous?"

I swallowed thickly, very aware of her chest on my own, "Yes."

"Because you love me?"

"Yes." I nodded; I could smell her shampoo...

"And you miss me?"

My breath hitched as I felt her fingers run down my tummy.

"Yes."

"What about Ginny?"

"What about Ginny?"

She cocked an eyebrow up at me as her fingers found my belt, "And that girl?"

"What girl?"

She let out a bark of laughter, her fingers stilled on the buckle of my belt, "So let me guess, we should just forget about the cheating. Forget about Ginny. Forget about the last ten months?"

"Yes." I gulped. I'd tell her the truth in a bit, not when her fingers were busy, didn't want to distract them...

She blinked, cocking her head to the side. "Really? Why?"

I leaned forward, groaning slightly as her fingers brushed against me and I captured her lips, "Because I'm a really good kisser." I smirked.

She stood before me, frozen. And then three things happened that made my breath hitch and my heart soar.

There was a chink of metal as my belt unravelled.

Metal ran over metal as my zip opened

And Ky smiled.

"That you are Potter. That you are."

"SAY CHEESE!" We looked up as Lavender popped up after a blinding white light, the blonde pouted as she stared at Ky and I, taking out the photo from the camera and shaking it.

"Lavender!" Ron ran out of the bush behind her, turning to us, "Sorry guys, she just ran off when Davies told us you two were making... up. She's-"

"Just forgiven your sorry ass so your next words should be chosen very wisely!" Lavender glared at Ron who smiled down at her in apology.

"So you thought Harry and I were making out so you came here to catch us in the act?" Ky raised her brow at the blonde at her place next to me on the log. "Well that should teach you to listen to rumours you great big git. Even if Harry and I did make up, doesn't mean I will engage in physical activities with him, I'm not some slag. I have restraint. Class. A reputation to uphold."

"Oh is that so?" We all turned to the entrance of the clearing as Hermione walked through, Nott right behind her, "A reputation as a complete fibber! You do know you're not wearing any pants right?"

We both smiled sheepishly, Ky's jeans were... well I don't know how but the zip broke and neither of us knewthe spell to fix it. Hence we were sitting on this log, me in my t-shirt whilst my dress shirt lay across her legs, trying to figure out how we were going to fix this.

Hermione sighed, pulling Nott in by the hand, "Hand me your jeans, I'll fix them."

"That's... that's Theodore Nott?" Lavender gasped, "You! You and-"

"Look Lavender. You're dating Ronald. And considering Ronald is my best friend, I trust him with my life. And even though you are the queen of gossip and every logical pore of my beings is shouting at me not to, I trust... you." Hermione gulped, "This is Theodore. My boyfri-"

"I KNEW IT! Oh I just knew you had a boyfriend!" Lavender skipped across the clearing and engulfed Hermione in a hug that nearly knocked them both of the floor.

"You can't tell anyone Lavender!"

"Who would I tell?" The Blonde asked innocently.

"Listen here Brown, if I find out you've told a soul, living or dead, I'm going to take that Madam Zangara handbag your mother bought you last Christmas and hang it off the top of the Astronomy Tower and then I'll rip the matching sweater to shreds and tell everyone about the time you pissed the-"

"KY! You-"

I ducked to the side as Lavender fell onto Ky, wrestling her to the floor, "I'm not wearing pants you bitch!"

I raised my brows as Ky turned Lavender over, sitting on her waist, my shirt thankfully still tied up at her waist keeping her modesty in check. Not that she cared much as the two were engaging in what seemed to be...hand wrestling?... I have no idea.

I stood, glancing between Ron and Hermione. Ron wore a rare soft expression as he looked on at Hermione, as if to say thank you. This was a big step. Her telling Lavender was a big risk... but we all couldn't go on like this. Living separate lives like strangers because our significant other's couldn't stand each other.

"Ron." Hermione stepped forward, "This is Theodore. My boyfriend."

Ron looked at Nott, the softness escaping to be replaced by a stern stare. He then laughed, shaking his head, "Bloody hell Hermione we've been in the same Potions class for six years, I know his bloody name. Go get Ky off my girlfriend before she damages her permanently. Butterbeer?"

Nott nodded, letting go of Hermione and catching the butterbeer Ron tossed at him, I did the same, opening it as two hands snuck around my waist. "Ron. This is Harry. My boyfriend."

"Oh shut up." Hermione spat as Ky mocked her, Lavender righted her hair and collapsed onto Ron shooting a glare at Ky who stuck her tongue out at her.

Ky ducked under my arm and I held her shoulder as naturally as if we were doing the very same thing every day for the past ten months, "Where's my butterbeer Ronald?"

"Well there was only three left-"

"And who says that the last three goes to all the boys?" Lavender snapped.

"Well... I just-"

"Oh get used to that Lavender, Ron has always been a complete sexist." Hermione walked over to Nott and sunk down next to him, "Don't be surprised if he makes you stay at home and look after the kids."

"Will you do that?"

Ron's eyes widened as Lavender looked up at him, he glanced at me and I shrugged, "No! You can do anything you want when we're married, work, not wor..." He stopped speaking as Lavender was currently eating his face.

I frowned, looking down at Ky in confusion. She shrugged, taking my butterbeer and swigging from it, "He said when 'we're married', that's practically a proposal to that one."

I laughed, pulling her down to our log. My smile faltered as I recalled the happenings of an hour ago, "Hey... what was going on between you and Davies."

She laughed, fishing out something from her jeans pocket. It was a brown, leather wallet. It looked like a guys. She nodded her head at me, urging me on so I opened it.

"They... he found it with some of Silvain's things. Thought I should have it."

I looked down at the picture. Ky and Selina were not even looking at the camera, her dark hair and Selina's light strands were blowing in the wind, they both were laughing, heads jostling with a large mountain in the background. They looked to be in Eastern Europe somewhere. The image stops when Ky and Selina both turn to the camera and look straight at it, eyes widening comically as they realised they were being taped.

"I know right, who would have thought Silvain was so sentimental." She sighed, looking ahead at the low burning fire, "Anyway, I apologised to Roger for... you know... stealing his identity for an hour and locking him up in a broom cupboard... hence the hug." She turned to me, taking the wallet and looking down at it, "I was thinking about giving it to Fred, but I'm sure he has loads of pictures of her..."

"What is it?" I could tell there was something else bothering her; she blinked then looked up at me with sad eyes.

"It's just... I just feel guilty and disappointed. I mean, they lied right to his face. I know they did it to protect him, so he doesn't do anything stupid, but Selina is... was his person. He had the right to know, to try and save her. I would be furious if you were... taken or hurt and people lied to me just so I don't endanger myself. I know baiting Corner, trying to do a trade... it wasn't my smartest idea. I just couldn't leave them... to just... Nonno could though." She rose to her feet and crossed her arms. "It's frustrating how he just... makes these decisions. It's the Prophecy all over again! And his injured hand! He just chooses what to say and what not to say! It makes me think what else is he hiding?"

I pulled her to me, looking up at the treetops that surrounded us and the dark sky. I didn't want to talk about this, about how important honesty is when I was sitting with a few lies on my shoulders. Should I tell her now? Maybe she will be happy, after all I didn't cheat on her... then again I did what Dumbledore does. I chose not to tell her... but it was only to protect her?

"I think I should tell Fred."

"What? No Ky. If you tell Fred-"

"I know. I know." She bit her lip, if she told Fred he would never forgive his family. "It's just, it's not right, lying like that."

I looked down at the fire. I should just tell her. Tell her everything. Tell her that I never cheated on her. That it was Blishwick's lies that kept us apart... if I did though, wouldn't that meant I lied to her? For ten months? No matter how good my intentions are? Anyway, she seemed ready to forgive and forget... but not telling her the truth... was that lying...

"Harry?"

I looked down at her, "Yeah?"

"I said I'm glad you're here. I missed you. Alot."

I kissed her, holding her tighter as I lay my chin on the crown of her head, closing my eyes, "I missed you too."

"I actually... we should talk about... everything that happened this past ten months." I couldn't see her face but I could hear the guilt in her voice... she was feeling guilty for spoiling this perfect moment by bringing all this up? "We should sort it out."

"Why don't we just start again?" I tried not to sound too nervous as I opened my eyes, "I'm really sorry I hurt you. We can't rewind time... but let's just go from here."

She turned around and looked up at me, her answer holding my heart, preventing it from beating freely.

She bit her bottom lip, then slowly nodded...

We both turned to the fire, staring into the heart of it, our friends' whispers surrounding us merging with the wind... I pulled her closer...

I'd tell her the truth.

One day.

Just not today.

Please review

Kalina