Harry Potter and the Legend of the Shinobi

A/N: Sorry for the wait/the length of this chapter. I just couldn't get the beginning right and I'm still not really happy with it but I'm leaving for England in an hour and fifteen minutes. That's also the reason for the length. I just don't have time to write a long, fluffy chapter like I wanted to. Also forgive mistakes I didn't really proofread. I'll check it when I get back on July 29. So no updates until then. But you can stalk me on livejournal and see how I'm doing. Link's on my profile. Happy reading!

Chapter Twelve

The Fateful DA Meeting

The meetings of Dumbledore's Army, as they had come to call it, became increasingly important to the increasingly paranoid shinobi, who were convinced that a massive attack on the castle was going to commence any day now.

Sasuke began carrying around nearly his full arsenal of kunai, hidden in various places on his body. His teammates had taken to walking several feet from him to avoid being poked by the knives. Sakura had begun taking a very serious interest in the whereabouts of both her team and their wizard companions. If she couldn't sense their presence for even a minute she started to vividly imagine their horrible deaths, and would proceed to think up ingenious yet sadistic ways to avenge them. Even Naruto was quieter than usual. During class he would envision himself defeating many sound shinobi single handedly. This resulted in him failing most of these classes, relying on Hermione and Sakura to help him stay afloat.

The news of a reprieve came one breakfast two days before the fall term ended.

"We're all going to Ron's house for the holidays." Harry informed them. "What are you guys doing? Staying here?" Sakura shrugged.

"I guess so. We don't really have any plans." But how will we continue guarding them if they're thousands of miles away. A foot came down on hers under the table. She bit back a surprised cry and glared at Sasuke, who was sitting next to her. He looked at her pointedly and indicated the door with a nod of his head. Then he glared at Naruto and nodded towards the door again. With that, Sasuke abruptly rose and wordlessly left the Great Hall. Sakura gathered that all the glaring and nodding meant that they should both meet him in a few minutes. Under the table she grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote the message on the piece of paper, slipping it in Naruto's hand. Then she too left the Hall without another word. Harry and Ron stared at Naruto in confusion while Hermione glanced worriedly after Sakura and Sasuke. Naruto gave them a huge smile after reading Sakura's note.

"Ah, sorry about them. They're just distracted because of…the vacation coming up! Yeah…They're all worried about all the work they have left to do…I should go check on them!" Naruto rose and left the Hall, waving back at the wizards with a huge smile. He found Sasuke and Sakura standing off to one side of the door, waiting for him. "Hey! What the heck was that all about? I had to make up a lie on the spot and you know I'm not so good at that!"

"Sorry." Sakura apologized, without any real emotion in her voice. Naruto glared at her. Sasuke shrugged. "You made up a fair one at least, right?" Naruto nodded and Sakura looked slightly relieved.

"But it was hard!"

"Hello!" Sasuke brought their attention back to the matter at hand. He basked in the light of his teammates' complete attention for a moment before speaking again. "Anyways, Kakashi told me that for the Christmas break we're going back to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix thing and the wizards are going back to Ron's house, as they just said, and they'll be sufficiently protected there." Sakura raised her eyebrows at Sasuke.

"When did he tell you this?" She asked.

"Last Friday."

"Where were we?"

"You and Naruto were fighting and walked out before he could stop you."

"Oh…" She and Naruto exchanged a sheepish glance. Sasuke sighed heavily, walking away.

"Idiots…" He mumbled under his breath.

"Hey!" Sakura chased after him, whacking him on the back of the head. Sasuke gave her an abused look and it was Naruto's turn to follow after his teammates muttering "Idiots…"

That night was another DA meeting. Being so close to the holidays combined with the cuteness of the patronuses they were conjuring gave the entire room a cheery feel. Harry watched with acute interest as the girl he had loved for years giggled at her patronus before it vanished into a cloud of pearly white smoke. Naruto snuck up behind Harry with a huge grin on his face.

"You like her." He said in a singsong voice. Harry immediately turned bright red.

"I do not." He adamantly denied. Naruto shook his head.

"Come on. It's pretty obvious. So what's her name?"

"Cho…" Harry drifted off, watching her. Naruto's grin widened.

"I think she likes you back. Every time you look away she glances over." Harry turned an even brighter red, something he thought was impossible.

"Really?" He asked, clearing his throat and straightening his posture.

"Yeah, go for it."

"I don't know if-"

"Um…Harry?" While they had been talking the very girl they had been discussing had come up to them and tapped Harry on the shoulder. He jumped, whirling around to face her.

"Oh Hi." He said his mouth suddenly very, very dry.

"Do you mind if I talk to you a minute after everyone leaves?" She said, her dark hair falling in front of her eyes as she looked at the floor.

"S-sure. That's f-fine." Everyone was filing out of the room besides Harry and Cho, and Sasuke and Sakura, who waved the others on. Naruto gave Harry the thumbs up as he left. The two remaining shinobi stepped into the shadows just outside the room, giving Harry his privacy.

"Oh my God, they're going to kiss!" Sakura squealed as she watched their faces get closer and closer under the mistletoe. She slipped out of the doorway just before they connected and felt a hand on her wrist. Sasuke gave a gentle tug and momentum swung her into him. Their lips connected for one brief shining moment before they pulled apart. Sakura ran her tongue over her tingling lips and appraised Sasuke with sparkling eyes. "What was that for?" She said jokingly. Sasuke was bright red, refusing to meet her eyes. He shrugged in response to her question.

"I guess I've been waiting to do that for a while." He said, with a half smile. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

But just before their lips could connect again a silvery senbon embedded itself in the wood between their faces.

4