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 56

Ky's POV

"He is magnifique."

I turned away from the wanted poster I was inspecting outside the Three Broomsticks, the woman was engrossing. Totally mental and disgusting considering what she had done to Neville's parents, but there was something just entrancing about her…like a freak accident you just couldn't turn away from. Her dark eyes were like a vortex of insanity that pulled you in and made you want to smother her with a pillow all at the same time.

"Who is gorgeous?"

"Draco Malfoy." I followed her eye line and saw who she was looking at…or what she was looking at. The twat was being a bigger prat than usual these days, but at least he appeared sober. Not that I cared in the least anymore considering how vile he was being. I get that he doesn't like Harry and my dating him makes me his nemesis' girlfriend, but he could attempt maturity. I mean if I can speak of maturity, surely he can try. I watched as he sauntered down the main road, grey eyes hooded in boredom as Parkinson nattered away next to him, her brown eyes shining in a way that almost made her pretty. As if sensing my eyes on him, Malfoy turned and looked straight at me, I held his gaze unsmilingly…I guess I wasn't has mature as I hoped if I was now indulging in a staring contest with the ponce.

"Do you know him well?"

I broke eye contact at that…damn, he won. I then detected the interest in Alya's voice, "Well enough. Magnifique he may be Alya but it doesn't seep through the skin. Now Neville-"

"You misunderstand me Ky. I am not interested in Malfoy, I am finished with men like him. Harry and you are trying very hard to convince me of Neville's character, it's very sweet but also very unnecessary. I've already made up my mind, Neville is just the type of guy I need."

I thought about her words, it sounded almost as if she was settling for Neville, my thoughts seemed to be displayed on my face because her face went red and she waved her hands in emphasis,

"Don't get me wrong. I like Neville. A lot. He's the total opposite of my last boyfriend, domineering and chauvinistic. Neville is sweet, and pleasant and thoughtful."

And easy to walk all over? I forced a smile on my face, I am way to trigger happy. But luckily I bit my tongue, she seemed to have had a hard time with her ex and even if she was attracted to Neville because she thought he was docile…he really liked her and I wasn't going to say something to screw it up.

"You girls ready?" Neville looked about as keen as a sheep heading to the slaughter house at going to the Shrieking shack. Harry looked like the hesitant shepherd at a crossroads on what step to take next. His worried green eyes bore into mine much like they did in the pub and I understood why, but it was unnecessary. I smiled at him and looped my arm into his, pulling him up the road after Alya and Nev.

"You know you don't have to do this."

I laughed at the seriousness in his whisper, "Do you think I would do something I don't want to do?"

His face softened slightly but his arm tightened at my waist. We stood at the viewing point, observing the shack. Neville was muttering about the folklore regarding the shack but I just continued staring…trying to feel something…Harry's fingers were digging into my waist. I think this was harder for him than me. I snaked my hand around his waist and rested my head against his shoulder, he looked down at me, his cheeks pink and his face hard,

"Are you okay?"

I smiled, ever since Alya had brought it up, I was fascinated about going back here. I don't know why I never thought of it before but this was the best test to see if I was doing better and the results were…I was. I wasn't afraid, or uneasy, all I could feel was the warmth of Harry around me…I pulled away from him and took a few steps forward. I turned back to him, a look of hesitation on his face whether to rush after me or let me stand on my own. Even without Harry's capsule of warmth surrounding me…I was OK.

"Never been better. And looks like Nev can say the same."

He turned around and raised his eyebrows at the now kissing Alya and Neville. He turned back, a huge smile on his face but I didn't let him say anything as I grabbed him and pulled him closer to the shack. I spotted a parting in the trees on our right and pulled him through,

"Ky, what are you-"

I hopped onto him and kissed him, it took him a moment to recover but when he did he returned it with enthusiasm. I pulled back when he got handsy and laughed at the look on his face,

"Calm yourself. Don't you want to unwrap your gift?"

"I doubt it would be as fun as unwrapping you." He smirked and grabbed me, but I giggled out of his arms running to the end of the clearing, I just about reached the tree when he was on me again, pinning me against the trunk,

"Harry!"

"Ky!"

He trailed kisses down my neck…it had been a while hadn't it. "Five minutes?"

He sighed and pulled back, "300 seconds and counting."

I slid down the tree and crossed my legs as I sat down, he mirrored me. I fished out the box from my pocket and enlarged it and handed it to him,

"This isn't Ky wrapping?" I rolled my eyes, was it that obvious. I guess it was, the golden bow was tied to perfection and there was not a crease to the red wrapping,

"Mi wouldn't even let me cut tape for her…apparently I'm not allowed scissors."

"Smart girl that Hermione." He smiled and pulled the ribbon, tearing the wrapping to reveal a large black box. He grinned and I smiled back, he popped the lid and stared in confusion. He looked up at me in question,

"Go on!"

He tentatively put his hand through as if the box was full with snakes, he pulled the first item out and his confusion disappeared,

"Where on earth did you find this?"

I laughed at the childlike glee on his face, when we went to that county fair on his birthday, I remember that he played the larger version of this simple game and seemed to enjoy it a lot.

"You like it?"

He pressed the buttons on the Wonderful Waterfuls game and smiled as a ring floated onto the stick making my own smile broaden. Even if she didn't say it in words I could tell that Mi thought the gift was ridiculous. His smile of wonder fell and he stared at me, eyes shining,

"How did you know I always wanted one?"

I shrugged…I remember realising a lot about Harry that day. One of the most distinct differences in our upbringings even though we were both orphans, was that I would just have to look at something and I would get it, has once Linus and Len could, they spoiled me rotten. Yet Harry…the Dursley's would pay.

"When I was a kid...in pre-school, the teacher had given everyone these little presents before Christmas break. She was nice, I now think it was her first year of teaching. It was just these cheap little Waterful games. Dudley broke his in two once he got it because he didn't know how to use it and half the kids had lost theirs by the end of break but I remember taking such care with the toy. Making sure I hid it from Dudley and his gang and didn't press the buttons too hard…I managed to play with it for a whole afternoon before he saw me with it." He sighed, "Sufficed to say that it lasted about as long in his hands than his own one. It was the only toy I ever had…" He laughed, looking away, "That sounds ridiculous."

"That isn't ridiculous. Sometime I fantasize of burning your Aunt's house down."

He laughed, "I thought when you seek revenge dig two graves and all that."

"Oh I don't want to kill them. I want to hack into your Uncle's insurance account, cancel it, smash his car with a baseball bat and burn the house down so they would have nothing." He laughed at the too well thought out plan, his laughter fell away and I could see he was thinking about the past again. Fucking Dursley's,

"Here. Open the next one."

I pushed the little box into his hand. He raised an eyebrow, "Jewellery?"

I rolled my eyes, "Open!"

He laughed and complied, taking out the piece of metal. It was a dragonstone hand chain, it was plain black and I had to melt some from my own bracelet to make it. He ran his hand over the smooth bracelet and as he did so writing shone up at in fire red.

"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it."
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

"I won't ever let you doubt, I'd hit you over the head with your firebolt if you ever do."

―Kyrianna Thornton, Just the everyday stuff you have to deal with by being my person.

He smiled as the words faded away and it was nothing more than a black hand chain again,

"It's a fingerprint detecting spell which means the words only come up when you touch-"

I stopped as he brought my face towards him, unseating me and I fell onto him, smiling into the kiss. He liked it. I pulled back, "Wait till you see the last one."

"Another one? I thought we discussed-"

"Believe me…you won't be complaining about the details." He frowned at my smirk. I told him that I didn't want anything for Valentine's day, considering I didn't get him anything for Christmas and he had given me the gift of the century what with the Beatles concert. He sighed and fished the last thing out,

"A magazine?"

I sat back down, waiting patiently for him to flip it right side over. I smiled as his mouth dropped open and his eyes were very nearly about to push his glasses off his nose,

"Wha-How-Wha-"

"You like it?"

He pulled his eye away from the magazine and jumped forward, knocking me to the floor but protecting my head with his hand, "You" Kiss "Are" Kiss "The" Kiss "Best" Kiss "Girlfriend" Kiss "Ever"

I giggled as he assaulted me with his kisses and scrambled off me, pulling me up with him and tossing me into his lap as he sat on the grass, flipping the magazine open in front us,

"Where did you get all the outfits from?"

"There's a huge closet on the third floor, it's one of those rooms that are sometimes there and sometimes not. Mi thought this was the most indecent thing ever, she took the photographs. She didn't want to but then I said that I would let Colin Creevey do it if she didn't and she seems to think I was posing indecently. I disagree, their very classy, granted I never saw a nurse with a uniform like that but they cover all the naughty bits and their merely suggestive and it was actually quite empowering dressing up and getting all camera ready. I never thought I would enjoy it but I guess I am actually a raving slut on the inside."

"Hmmm. Yeah. Of course." I shook my head, he wasn't listening to a word I said. Harry turned to the one that I knew he would like the most, the quidditch player one. Hermione was so red in the face at having to take a photo of me suggestively straddling a broom that I thought she would faint from the indecency, but she soldiered on. I guess that's what best friends are for. And my stint as the Editor of the Hogwarts Xpress helped me learn some skills that helped with presentation; he reached the end of the magazine and snapped it shut. He leaned back onto the dirty ground, and I turned around, leaning against his chest on my elbows, smiling at his smile.

"Sometimes I wonder how I didn't see you last year. Like…I mean-"

"I know what you mean." Harry and I were so different from last year. It was like dating him changed everything. Listening to him help Neville…that confidence…and me? I have the goofiest smile on my face yet…I don't care.

"You make me feel like I can do absolutely anything."

I leaned down, "I'm going to let you in on a secret…" I kissed him slowly on the lips, "That's not a feeling…it's a fact."

Harry's POV

"So this is the food from the twins." I took the brown bag from Hermione, "Don't worry about heating the two Mac burger meals, I've already done that. The double thick chocolate milkshake from The Shake Shack and cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory has a freeze charm on it so you just have to negate it. I just checked and the Room of Requirement is empty and Ron's waiting there till you guys get there so nobody takes it, are you sure that's all I can do?"

I laughed at the eager expression on Hermione's face, "You've done more than enough Hermione. You're the best." Ky had promised we would spend the night together on Valentine's day. Between my almost daily Occlumency lessons and the DA classes and her Cheerleading and Potion making and us both being in our OWL year, this was the first day in weeks we got to spend quality time together. And I planned to make the best of it.

The Twins said they knew a guy who could hook them up with all of Ky's favourite muggle food. After supper I had a line up of activities. I knew she wanted to ice skate but never got to as we were cooped up in the Black Manor most of the holiday, then we were going to ten pin bowl and then glow in the dark mini golf and then…we'd have more fun in the dark. I need to get Dobby more socks for showing me the Room of Requirement.

"She should be done in the shower. I'll go get her and make sure she doesn't dawdle dressing up." Hermione walked through the portrait hole and I recited the list in my head, making sure I had everything. Ron had the invisibility cloak which I would fetch when we get to him. I had the map in my pocket.

"Potter? Fancy seeing you here."I turned to the unfamiliar voice; Theodore Nott was walking towards me, a single flower in his hand. I couldn't tell what it was, but it was very long and he carried it casually. If he got that for Ky for Valentine's day…I smiled to myself, I wouldn't have to do anything, Ky would probably hex him to Easter for getting her flowers. I don't know what was so fancy about me being here considering I am in Gryffindor, the portrait opened and Hermione ran out, red faced, she held her waist and breathed heavily,

"What is it?" I didn't like that look in her eye,

"Ky isn't in the dorm. Parvarti and Lavender have been dressing up in there for over an hour and they didn't see her, are you sure she said she's going to shower?"

"Yes, I left her in the Entrance Hall so I can prepare everything." I pulled the map out of my hands, trying to hold it steady and stop the trembling, I looked at the seventh floor and saw Ron…but she wasn't anywhere near there. If she intended to go to the Room, surely Ron would have seen her and distracted her until I got there so she couldn't be inside the Room already.

"Isn't she in Hogsmeade?"

I looked up at the confused expression on Nott's face, "Why would you think that."

"Well I saw her heading down the grounds towards the gate about twenty minutes ago. I was just getting back and I figured she was sneaking out to meet you there considering its Valentine's day…that's why I was surprised to see you here."

"Wait, so you saw her walking out of school and didn't stop her?"

He raised an eyebrow in the accusation in my voice, "I said hello, I don't think she heard me…anyway I'm not her boyfriend. It's not my job to know where she is."

I took a threatening step forward at the comment but he didn't even flinch,

"She's not in school Harry, I can't spot her anywhere on the map. Did she tell you anything about going back to the-"

"No she didn't Hermione, I wouldn't let her go back on her own." I made my way down the stairs, trying to keep my head clear so I could think. We reached the third floor staircase and Hermione rushed forward, giving the password to the gargoyles but they didn't budge.

"Maybe it's the wrong password?"

"No. If the headmaster isn't in, the office won't open." Hermione looked shocked at Nott's response, used to being the one with all the right answers. I turned and ran down the staircase.

I barged into his office without knocking,

"Potter, what in-"

"Ky's missing." Whatever snarky comment Snape had on his lips fell away instantly. He rose from his chair and started walking to a door which he pushed open, I could tell it was her lab. He closed the door and turned around,

"Have you looked everywhere?"

"I used the map." I knew he knew about the map and I had no time to worry about what he would do if he knew I had it back in my possession. He didn't seem to care either and I walked after him out of the classroom, Nott and Hermione had just reached the office…was I running?

"I just found out she was spotted near the Staying Inn in Hogsmeade ten minutes ago."

"How did you find out?"

Snape held a hand up, pushing my question to Nott aside, "Was she alone?"

"Yes. They assumed that she was going there to meet Potter so nobody thought it strange."

"Granger, go to McGonagall, tell her what's happened and to send word to Dumbledore. Potter, send an owl to Linus, Theodore, come with me."

"Wait, if anybody is going-"

"This is not up for discussion Potter."

"I'm coming with you!" I wasn't about to let anything happen to Ky, not if I could help it.

"That won't be necessary." We turned around at the feminine voice and I froze at the sight...my heart had stopped and my ears barely processed the shriek that Hermione emitted, my mind was trying to convince my eyes that what I was seeing was not possible…just half an hour ago those grey eyes shone with laughter…yet it now lay empty and cold before me…

A/N: Oh, oh…what has she gotten herself into this time…

Any guesses?

I know I'm churning these chapters out fast, but I've written most of the story and I'm excited has it's coming to the climax.

Please review! They really mean a lot and I really would love to know what you are thinking about the story.

Kalina