Author Notes: Here's the third chapter. As always, all constructive criticism is appreciated and looked forward to.

Harry stumbled forward into Demelza's parents in a state of utter turmoil, Demelza smirked to herself. His shirt was tucked out of his belt, his glasses were barely hanging by the side of his left year, and his carefully combed hair was in a state of utter ruins.

"Hello Mum! Hi Dad!" Demelza greeted cheerfully. "This is Harry."

She watched with amusement as Harry slowly lifted up his head from his feet to his parents, who were eyeing with vivid interest. But that was a problem, Demelza mused, as she knew Harry hated being stared at. Things weren't going very well for her.

"Hello Harry!" Her mother said warmly, extending her petite hand towards a confused Harry, who considered it for a few moments before shaking it. "Victoria Robins." Her mother smiled as she gave away her name.

Harry managed just a small little smile at her before her over-enthusiastic father pounced on him like a happy fat tiger.

"Mr. Potter. A pleasure!" He said pompously, extending his rough and wrinkled hand. Again, Harry eyed it rather fearfully for a few seconds before complying. "Roger Robins. A pleasure to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you too, sir." Harry said politely, even though Demelza could have sworn she saw him shoot a nasty glare at her out of the corner of his eye.

"So…" Her mother began decisively once Demelza and Harry had seated themselves on the two chairs at the small round table opposite her parents. "What is it you wish to talk?"

"I…" Harry said as if that was the last thing in the world he knew. He kept stuttering for quite some time while her parents waited patiently for him to realize he had a mouth to speak. "May I court your daughter?" He finally stammered.

"Harry!" Demelza hit him on the arm, thoroughly embarrassed. She was fuming with anger but couldn't really blame Harry for coming straight to the topic. After all, it was what they had planned to do in the first place.

Her parents too seemed to be slightly taken aback by Harry directly coming to business, but composed themselves fanstastically quickly. Demelza wished she had inherited that ability from them.

"So… what about the War? The Chosen One and all that?" Her mother said, slowly and carefully. Demelza clutched her hand in her hands. She knew where this conversation was heading, and would rather not hear it.

Harry merely scratched his head. "What about it?"

"Listen carefully, Mr. Potter." Her father began in the tone she knew too well – the tone he used while dealing with particularly nasty customers. "You can't really blame us for.. for… being concerned about our daughter's welfare, can you?"

Harry still didn't seem to understand what her parents meant but… he wasn't a Ravenclaw after all, Demelza muttered to herself.

"Let's get it straight, Harry." Her mother now intervened. Well, at least she was showing the decency of calling Harry by his First Name. Things weren't so grim really.

"We are concerned about you.. you… well, being in danger once the War we all know to be inevitable breaks out. And it isn't exactly a secret that you… you have taken a fancy to my daughter, is it?"

Demelza's face turned the colour of a bright red apple as she slowly turned her head to face Harry, wondering what his reply would be to that. She kept her fingers crossed behind her back. Now was the moment that would make or break her bond with Harry.

"Of course." Harry finally sighed. "I am a marked man. There's no doubt in that. And neither is the fact that I will most likely be killed in the upcoming war a secret. So… yeah, I am sorry to say I can't guarantee your daughter's survi-… well-being." He finished rather lamely.

Her mother put both her hands to her mouth in utter horror while her father's face suddenly paled as he put his hands on the table and seemed to have found his feet quite interesting. Both must have heard those unsaid words – I can't guarantee your daughter's survival.

"Well, if that's the case…" Her mother started again in an even more fearful tone. "I am afraid to say it will be the best for all of us if you don't get involved with Demelza."

A huge weight seemed to have suddenly dropped inside her stomach as she watched the scene with heartbreak. Demelza could smell the tension rising in the air. Harry's face turned somber as he struggled to find a response to that blatant refusal. Her mother seemed relieved that such a monumental task had been accomplished with brutal efficiency, while her father managed to bring a sad smile onto his face.

"That settles matters I guess." Harry huffed, a hint of disgust in his tone. And that started Demelza because for all she knew, Harry wasn't really interested in her but just being kind to her feelings. Now, the disappointment etched across his face spoke volumes of how much he was looking forward to getting together with her. And knowing that bit of information certainly didn't ease the overwhelming waves of guilt and anxiety sweeping over Demelza's poor little heart.

Before she could arm herself with a suitable reply or her parents could amend things a bit by donating some consolation, Harry simply got up, resigned. Without another word, he strode off outside the room.

Demelza watched him go away with horror and regret before turning back to her parents. Tears were prickling her quivering eyelids, and her throat felt dry. She watched helplessly as her parents kept sitting like two big fat morons in awkward silence.

Then, inspiration or madness took over Demelza as she hastily got up and started on her way outside the room as well, in Harry's footsteps.

"Demelza!"

"Come back here, sweetheart!"

She didn't turn back; she didn't reply; she didn't even care. Right now, all she knew was that she hated her parents, and that she need to find Harry at all costs. Just the thought of a sad Harry hunched down over some rock shattered her heart as she pushed open the door.

"Harry!" She cried miserably on spotting him, exactly as she had imagined – hunched over a desolate rock.

Calling out was a mistake, she realized just a second later, as Harry, spotting her coming towards him, pulled out some sort of silvery cloak from the pocket of his jeans and quickly put it all over himself before she could reach him. That was the Invisibility Cloack, she reasoned with herself. Yes, she had heard of some kind of invisibility cloak in Harry's possession, but had simply shaken it off as dirty little rumors. As it turned out, it was all true.

"Harry!" She cried out desperately upon reaching the place where she last saw him. Even though Harry was invisible, she knew it in her heart that Harry wouldn't leave her all alone here in this desolate grassland – he was listening. "I am sorry about what happened there. My parents are such stupid gits!" She said with gritted teeth before bursting into tears yet again.

"Please come back Harry. I love you." She said with folded hands. Still, no response reached her ears. Her insides felt empty as she stared all around herself, hoping against hope to catch a glimmer of Harry – but there was none.

Just as she was about to go away from the place, assured that her relationship with Harry was all over, she felt a sudden strong grip on her right wrist. Before she could open his mouth, some formidable force pulled her through a cloak and next thing she knew, her face was inches away from Harry's tear-stained one. All around her, the landscape had disappeared only to be replaced by some slimy silvery material – the Invisibility Cloak, she realized.

"Harry I am.." She tried formulating a response but none came to her mind. " I am really really…"

Her words were drowned out by an exquisitely delicious taste – a taste she had tasted just once before this – the taste of Harry's lips. As it turned, Harry, not wanting to hear anything else from her, had deemed it convenient to shut up her mouth with his own.

They finally broke their second kiss after some seriously blissful moments. A flustered Demelza was lost in glory of the moment when Harry's deep voice, drenched in misery, brought her back to her senses.

"Well, I wanted you to know that… I love you too." Harry said in a trembling voice. Demelza honestly couldn't tell what she was feeling at that moment – happiness for finally being enlightened of the fact that Harry loved her back, or sad because things were looking grim for the two of them.

"Oh Harry!" She moaned tearfully. "What shall we do now?" She said before pushing her head against the warmth of his chest and rejoicing in the touch.

Harry, it seemed, had something important to say, as he slowly put both his hands on the sides of her head and pushed it away from him. Demelza looked up to find tears rolling down his cheeks as he said, "Your parents are right. We can't blame them."

"But.." Demelza's retort was cut short by Harry putting a finger onto her lips.

"We can't really do anything." He whispered, his eyes gleaming with moisture. Demelza hated those tears marring Harry's handsome features.

"We can, actually." She began in a business-like tone.

Harry simply shook his head, prompting her to explain. "I can decide for myself without my parents interfering in every trivial matter." She said through clenched teeth, her arms crossed.

Harry gave a weak laugh at that. "Am I a small trivial matter to you?" He joked, causing her to blush and look down.

"I didn't mean that." She said softly. Harry simply placed a hand onto her chin and pulled her face up to face him.

"I know." He said in an angelic voice.

"Let's try to explain them."

"What?" Harry said, seemingly confused.

Demelza couldn't believe his foolishness. "That we love each other, of course!"

"Really?" Harry asked tentatively. That act was put up so brilliantly that only the smirk creeping onto Harry's face made Demelza realize it was another one of his nasty jokes.

"You prat!" She cried, hitting him on the arm.

"Ouch!" He yelled, clutching his shoulder. "That hurts!"

"Of course. Why else would I do it?" Demelza responded with a smirk of her own. "Anyways, let's go."

"It won't work." Harry said, the grin dissolving away from his face.

"What if I say I don't give a damn care about my parents' opinion!" Demelza squeaked out of dire frustration.

"Don't ever let me hear saying that." Harry's voice dropped to a deadly whisper as she immediately became alert for signs of danger. "You have parents, appreciate them. Not everyone gets to have what you take for granted."

Demelza was confused for a while before realizing what Harry was referring to – his dead parents, killed by You-Know-Who. That must be such a painful topic for him.

"Oh Harry!"

"Mum, Dad. Let's get something straight." Demelza said threateningly fifteen minutes later, her face towering over her parents' fearful ones. It had taken a lot of persuading to get Harry to come back here, and Demelza was determined not to let it go down the drain. "Harry and I am dating – that's all!"

Her father opened his mouth to retort, but closed it instantly on noticing his wife shooting a meaningful look his way. Roger Robins bit his lip as Victoria, her mother, took over. "I am sure we can discuss it over."

Harry, it seemed, had little hope in that as he intervened. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"It bloody well is!" Demelza countered with uncharacteristic determination. Even her parents seemed to be taken aback by her exceptional display of anger.

To her immense confusion, both her parents cracked a smile at that. This was not at all funny!

"I see that you two really love each other." Her mother said with a warm smile the thing she was about to utter.

"As such…" Her father joined in, beaming like the sun.

They turned to face each other, and with a final nod, turned back to face the young couple. "We approve of Harry!"

All her thoughts, all her emotions and all her senses were lost on hearing those words. She couldn't believe them. Did that mean… did that mean that… now…?

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Robins." Harry said with a smile of his own, having realized there was no need to worry now that everything was alright.

"But… but…" Demelza still couldn't believe what had happened, though she couldn't say she was not delighted by this surprise turn of events. "Why so abrupt?"

"My dear angel" Her mother started, causing her to look down in embarrassment. She really wished her mother would stop calling her that, especially in front of Harry. A glance at Harry out of the corner of her eyes showed her Harry smirking thoughtfully, cementing her worst fears of yet another session of taunting over that pet name. "Do you really have any problem in that?"

"No." Demelza added hastily. "But I mean… what made you come to such a… good decision."

"You walking off after Harry." Her father answered with a smile. "That spoke volumes of how much you love him."

Demelza was stunned beyond her senses, letting Harry take over. "I hope we can now move to some other topics."

"Of course." Her mother said warmly. "So tell me Harry. Did you really snog my daughter in front of the entire Common Room?"

"Mum!" Demelza squeaked out, but it was too late. Harry grinned at the prospect of teasing her before replying, "Yes."

"Harry, I must really ask this of you." Her mother started again. "What do you see in my Demelza?"

Harry scratched his head. "Well, I have already told her what I see in her." Her mother turned to her with a Really? look. "But I guess it won't do any damage if I say it again. I find her to be cute and sweet, and I really fancy the idea of snogging her."

All three of them roared out in laughter at the expense of Demelza's misery, who wanted nothing more than the ground to open up and swallow her at any moment.

"You really a delightful young lad, Harry." Her father said, wiping away a tear from his eye. It was a good sign that he too was now calling Harry by his first name. "My daughter couldn't have been in better hands."

Demelza pouted in disagreement. "I can really look after myself, you know. I am not a baby girl."

"Of course." Her mother answered, her voice wet with emotion. "You are not just any baby girl. You are our baby girl. And from now, Harry's baby girl as well, Right Harry?" She turned to him with a wink.

"Of course." Harry said with a smug. Demelza tried to diffuse the situation by glaring down at the young boy, but quickly gave it when she saw all her glare did was to nourish that unpleasant smirk she hated so much.

The rest of their time passed away in happy chatter and banter, more often than not involving taunting hurled at her by all three of the people who now meant the world to her.

"I think you two must head off now." Roger Robins finally said, looking at his wrist watch. "You will be late otherwise."

As she and Harry stood up, Demelza noticed that Harry was restless, as if wanting to say something.

"One thing is left though." He said with a grin.

"And what is that, my dear Harry?" Her mother said with a smile. A look at her father's grinning face confirmed Demelza's suspicions that she was the only one unable to understand what was impending.

But before she could ask anything, Harry bent down on his knees in front of her and offered her his hand. "Demelza Robins, will you be my girlfriend?"

Demelza didn't find it in her voice to say yes to that, as her heart had stopped beating. This was nothing less than dream for her – a dream that had kept her awake night after night in her bed. She simply pulled Harry up by the collar, bent down and proceeded to snog him thoroughly, not caring about the smug looks adorning her parents' faces.

"I take that as a yes?" Harry asked playfully once they had broken apart.

Demelza was too happy to open her mouth. She simply nodded.

I really wish there were more reviews. They supply me with the motivation I so desperately seek.

Anyways, thanks for reading.