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Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.

Authors Note: About this chapter, it was originally going to have Harry trying to get the memory from Slughorn in it, but as you'll see the characters kind of got a life of their own, as they sometimes do, and decided to go against my plans. Anyway, hope you all enjoy, thanks for the reviews.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The following weekend found the Slytherin Quidditch team doing aerial battle with Ravenclaw. Harry was up high, searching for the Snitch in his usual manner. His opponent Seeker, Cho Chang, was hovering close by, obviously marking him. It was her usual tactic, and Harry wasn't worried. His Firebolt and skill would easily leave her in the dust, so to speak, once he spotted the Snitch.

At the Keeper post, Draco was doing terrible. He had already let in more goals than he cared to admit, but he just couldn't keep his mind on the game. His eyes kept finding themselves locked on a particular head of flaming red hair, Ginny Weasley, who was sitting next to a girl with bushy brown hair called Hermione Granger, another Gryffindor. On top of that, his mind kept wondering, as it seemed to always do these days, onto the problem of whether or not he should get his revenge on the girl who had humiliated and crushed his pride. Thus, Ravenclaw was winning.

Funnily enough, the person commentating made this rather odd game of Quidditch even odder: Luna Lovegood. She kept drawing attention to Draco's dismal save record in a way that, had Draco been paying more attention, would have seriously irked him. The crowd seemed to find it highly amusing though, especially the Gryffindors. Despite all this, Draco just couldn't find the desire to care. That in itself was rather out of character for him, giving even more credence to how turned about the 'Ginny problem' (as he had dubbed it) was making him.

In the end, regardless of the Slytherin teams (minus Harry) dismal effort, they still won the match. Harry managed to snatch the snitch before Cho Chang, as was usual, ending the game before Ravenclaw could get enough of a lead for it to count. The crowd groaned at the end, even though it had become expected every time Harry played that he'd catch the snitch. They at least hoped Slytherin would lose on points.

Afterward, in the changing rooms, Harry was treated to the usual post game backslapping by the rest of the team, which he shrugged off irritably. He quickly got dressed, watching out of the corner of his eye as Draco did the same. Draco left the changing rooms in a huff, obviously frustrated by something. Harry had an idea what was bothering him, but decided to let the Malfoy figure it out by himself. Harry left the changing rooms shortly after that and headed to the Library, not surprised to find Hermione and Neville waiting for him.

"Hi Harry," Hermione greeted, leaning up to give him a quick kiss as he sat next to her.

"Hey," Neville added.

"Hey guys," Harry returned, leaning his head back against the chair and letting out a relaxing sigh.

"You okay sweetie?" Hermione asked.

Harry looked up, cocking an eyebrow, ignoring Neville's muffled snigger. "Sweetie?"

"I'm trying it out," Hermione answered, grinning.

"Do you have to do it in public?" Harry said, motioning to the snickering Neville.

"Yes," Hermione said, leaning over the table to swat ineffectually at Neville, thus making him shut up.

"Okay..." Harry said, resigned.

"You were great today." Hermione said, changing the subject.

"Yeah," Neville said, leaning forward. "You kicked butt, and won me five Galleons. Seamus will make a bet with anyone over anything." He was grinned when he said this, flashing one of the gold Galleons over the top of the table cheekily.

"Glad I could help," Harry said, running a hand through his wet messy hair.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, batting his hands away and feeling his forehead like a worried mother.

Harry smiled, grabbing her hands and squeezing them lightly. "You're the cutest thing ever," he said, giving one of her hands a little kiss, "and I'm fine. Just a little worried about Draco."

"Oh?" Hermione sounded interested.

Unwilling to go into details, Harry changed the subject, "So Neville, you been practicing that advanced Shield Charm I showed you?"

"Yeah," Neville said, his grin alighting his slightly chubby face, "I think I've got it too. At least, I'm a lot better at it than the last time I showed you. Can you show me some more spells?"

"I'd like too," Harry said, "but we really don't have any place to practice them. I'm surprised we got away with those few spells last time. If Madam Pince found us doing spells back here we'd be thrown out in a second. Not that I'm afraid she'll throw me out, I just like to keep a low profile. If she found us back here doing spells she wouldn't leave me alone for the rest of the year. That would just annoy me."

"Oh," Neville slumped down in his seat, frowning.

"But hey," Harry said, getting the boys attention, "I'll have a look around, try to find a good place to practice."

"Cool," Neville said with a grin, "thanks Harry. Anyway, I have to get going. Ron wants me to help him learn to Apparate. How funny is that - someone wants me to help them! Ha." And he took off, grabbing his bag and leaving them behind with a cheery wave.

"Wow," Hermione whistled, "I've never seen him that happy. He's really improved since he met you Harry. Thank you."

"Its no problem," Harry said, "he had the talent in him. He just needed confidence."

"Still," Hermione said, leaning her head against his shoulder, "you've done wonders for him."

"It's not entirely without reason," Harry said, "after all, I'm going to need him when I face Voldemort."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, pulling back and looking at Harry questioningly.

"Well," Harry regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, then took a deep breath and went on, "okay, I haven't been completely honest with you."

"What?" Hermione's eyes narrowed, her insecurities getting the better of her, making her mind come up with a thousand different ways Harry could have been misleading her, all of them bad, in just a matter of seconds.

"Wait," Harry said, reaching out and stroking her cheek softly, "don't jump to conclusions. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I'm sure you'll understand once I do, and I am going to. It's a very important secret, okay? It's so secret only a few people know it in this world, one of them being Dumbledore, okay? I don't know how he'd react to me telling you this, but I don't care. He's kept things from me before, this secret being one of them, so screw him."

"Harry!" Hermione looked indignant, shocked that he could speak like that about a wizard she viewed as almost godlike.

"Hermione," Harry said, sighing, "I know you think Dumbledore is some kind of saint, and that's mostly true, but he's also human and he makes mistakes like everyone else. There are some things that me and Dumbledore will never see eye to eye on, so it created a little rift between us, but don't think I don't respect the man. I do, just not like everyone else seems to, with this Dumbledore can't go wrong mentality."

"I...Okay," Hermione said with sigh, accepting Harry's explanation for now, "but what is it you want to tell me?"

"Not here," Harry said, looking around the mostly empty (especially at the back) Library mistrustfully, "we can be too easily overheard here. Let's go to the chamber, okay?"

"Okay."

Together, the two teens grabbed their stuff, Hermione stuffing her bag with books and Harry waiting patiently, his own bag slung over his shoulder. When Hermione had finished, they left the Library and Harry led her down the hall, to an out of the way alcove down the corridor. He looked around cautiously, checking for signs of life, and finding none, he raised his wand and hissed in Parsletongue. The wall to the left of them gave in with a crack, moving back and sliding to the side with the sound of stone on stone, grating. Harry led Hermione into the dark passage behind the wall, and when the stone slid back into place behind them, casting them into total darkness, he raised his wand and it lit up with a blindingly bright light. Hermione squinted her eyes against the light, looking down the passageway.

"That's bright," she whispered.

Harry chuckled, "Sorry, sometimes I don't know my own power."

"It's this way right?" Hermione continued, pointing left when they reached another secret corridor that led of in two directions, left and right.

"Right you are," Harry said, taking the lead. "You know, you're getting to know these tunnels almost as well as me."

"Well," Hermione said, and Harry could tell she was smiling just by the sound of her voice, "we do pass through them a lot."

"Yeah," Harry said, "it's easier to get from the Library to the chamber this way, instead of taking the long way around."

They descended into silence, just walking along, winding their way through the walls of Hogwarts and heading towards Salazar Slytherin's secret chamber. After a while, Harry reached out and clasped Hermiones hand, and was comforted when she squeezed it. Finally, they reached a dead end, and Harry muttered in Parsletongue again, before the wall slid forward and to the side, revealing the hidden chamber.

Harry stepped inside, dismissing his Lumos, and then helped Hermione out of the dark tunnel with a hand. He dusted her off a little, patting at her shoulders, before doing the same to himself. Hermione smiled at him a touch, before walking over to the couch and sitting down, expecting Harry to follow. He did, sitting across from her on the small table.

"Well?" Hermione pressed impatiently.

Harry couldn't tell if she was angry or nervous, or hell, maybe it was a bit of both. Whatever it was, it was making her extremely impatient. Not wanting to anger her further, or to make her worry too much, he took her hands and held them between his, meeting her eyes.

"I'm sure you've asked yourself why Voldemort attacked my parents and myself on that night, right?" Harry started and, not letting her get a word in, he continued. "Well, the answer is simple. You see, before I was born, a prophecy was made. The prophecy said that a child would be born at the end of July and that this child would be marked as Voldemorts equal." He stopped for a second, to raise the bangs of hair covering his forehead, exposing his scar. "Like this. The prophecy also said that the boy would have a power the, and I'm quoting, 'Dark Lord knows not'. I don't know what that is, but I'm sure Dumbledore does, he just won't tell me. Anyway, the last thing the prophecy says is that neither me nor Voldemort can live whilst the other survives, meaning, one of us has to kill the other."

Throughout Harry's speech Hermione's eyes had been getting wider and wider, until finally, once he had finished, tears glistening, she flung herself into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face into him, sobbing.

"I'm sorry Harry," she sobbed, sniffling, "so sorry."

"Hey," Harry said, rather taken aback, but nonetheless rubbing soothing circled on her back and nuzzling her head with his own, "don't worry about it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"Oh," Hermione blubbered, "don't worry about that. I'm sorry, I didn't know. It's awful Harry, I'm so sorry." She seemed to be unable to say anything other than that, so Harry just let her be, giving her time to get it out of her system.

When she finally had calmed down, she pulled back, locking eyes with Harry. She sniffed once, gave him a weak smile, and then kissed him softly on the lips. Harry could feel what was left of her tears against his own cheeks, but didn't care. He gently moved her backwards and kissed away her tears, before returning her weak smile with one of his own.

"Don't worry Hermione," he said, "I won't lose. I've been preparing for this since I learnt I was a wizard and I'm not going to lose. Especially not after I found you."

"But how Harry?" Hermione said with another sniff. "Vol-Volde-Vodlemort," she paused, getting her breath back, and giving Harry another smile, "he's too powerful Harry. I know you're amazing, but he's..."

"Overestimated," Harry finished for her, "just like Dumbledore is. Sure, they're great wizards, but they're just men. Even though Voldemort sure doesn't look it, he is. Hell, he's less than a man. I won't lose. Besides, that's why Dumbledore is giving me these lessons," Harry went on, hoping to appease her and make her feel better, even though he himself though the lessons were a joke, "so I'm prepared to face him."

"I guess," Hermione murmured, "I guess your right." Them, as if she was hit by a sudden lightning strike, she went on: "Harry, you still haven't got that memory from Professor Slughorn have you?"

"Erm, no," Harry admitted, "not yet."

"Then," Hermione gave him a huge grin, "I want you to use my Felix Felicis."

"What?" Harry shook his head. "No, you won it fair and square Hermione. It's yours."

"Yeah," Hermione said, "it is. And I want you to use it to get that memory. Please Harry, you need it so much more than me."

"I...Fine," Harry said, "but only a little bit. I'll give it a try."

"Good," Hermione said, giving him another soft kiss, "because I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. If I can help, I want to. In anyway I can."

"I know," Harry said, returning the kiss, "I know."

"Thank you Harry," Hermione murmured against his lips.

"No," Harry whispered, "thank you."

They fell silent again, just enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms. Somehow, Harry wasn't sure how, they ended up spooning on the couch. Harry's back was to the back of the green sofa and Hermione was curled up in his arms. Harry had his own arms around her, idly stroking one of hers. Harry looked down at Hermione, who had a content smile on her face, and felt a mirroring smile bloom on his face as well. At that moment, Harry probably wouldn't have cared if the world were coming to an end, just as long as he could stay here, with Hermione in his arms, forever.

However, the comfortable silence that had descended over the couple was eventually broken when Hermione spoke:

"Harry?" she spoke softly.

"Mmm?" He mumbled, too comfortable to form words.

"You never really answered my question," Hermione said, opening her eyes and turning in his arms to face him, "what does Neville have to do with you facing V-Voldemort?"

"Oh," Harry smiled, moving forward slightly and kissing her forehead, "nothing much. Only two babies where born at the end of July that Voldemort could have picked to mark as his equal, although he didn't know about that, after all he only heard part of the prophecy. I bet you can guess who the over baby was, can't you?"

"Neville."

"Bingo," Harry replied, "and that's why I want him on my side. Despite the fact Voldemort didn't mark him, I figure he has to have the power in him, at least somewhat. Whatever that power is."

"It makes sense, I guess," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"I thought so," Harry said, "anyway, enough about that. I just want to relax with my beautiful girl."

"So I should go?" Hermione replied, mock serious.

Harry chuckled and was rewarded with one of Hermione's cute giggles and beaming smiles. He leant forward and gave her the deepest, most passionate kiss he could. Pulling back, he said:

"You're the best, you know that, right?"

"Yup," Hermione continued to beam at him.

"Come here," Harry pulled her close and again they kissed, but this time neither wanted to break apart, and the kiss continued.

Harry's hands started wandering, moving down her lithe frame and landing at the curve of her hip. Deciding to explore a bit and test the waters, he went further, his hands cupping Hermiones bottom gently. She giggled into his lips but made no attempt to stop him, so he let them rest, enjoying the feel of her soft flesh through the fabric of her robe.

For a teenaged relationship, they had both been very respectful of the other. Harry didn't want to push things too far and ruin it, so he curbed any teenaged hormones and desires he'd been feeling. Hermione, on the other hand, was dreadfully shy and unsure of herself, so she was a little afraid of making any big moves. Thus, they had hardly done anything more than kissing, with slight tongue action, during the course of their relationship.

This was the first time Harry had decided to push things a little, but both felt it was long overdue. Hermione seemed encouraged by Harry's actions, and her own hands started exploring, pressing against his chest and reaching around to his back, feeling his toned muscles through his robe.

Harry grinned into her mouth and turned slightly, shifting them around until Hermione was lying underneath him. He smirked down at her and finally pulled back, leaving her gasping slightly for breath beneath him and watching him with desire filled eyes. He grabbed his robe and pulled it over his head, tossing the offending garment aside. He was now only wearing a green muggle shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black corduroy pants.

Hermione sat up a bit, giving him a little peck on the lips as she did, before pulling back and removing her own robe. Harry watched her, saw her nervous gulp, and decided to make the next move for her. He pressed his weight down on her lightly, making her lie back on the couch, and began to kiss her deeply again. His hands went to her waist instantly, teasing the hem of her blouse. When she made no protest, he moved them underneath and explored the soft planes of her abdomen.

Hermione shivered in response and started to explore as well, copying Harry. She moved her hands to his shirt and slipped them underneath, feeling his toned muscles underneath her fingers, softly brushing his skin. She giggled again when she felt the soft tree of hairs around his naval and started playing with them, making Harry smile into the kiss.

Hermione took a deep breath, breaking away, staring up at him with shinning chocolate eyes. He knew what was coming.

"I love you Harry," she breathed softly.

"I know," he replied, and kissed her again.

(----)

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