TRIGGER WARNING- Possible non-con. This isn't a non-con story or scene, but I want to acknowledge a possible trigger. Next chapter will have a quick summary if you need to skip this chapter.

The next few weeks post- Homecoming went as many do across America. Romances bloomed (Warbler David and his date Christine). Romances ended (Warbler Nick and his girlfriend Amber). And some romances never had a chance to begin.

The Monday after Homecoming found Harry sitting across from Wes at a study table, each nursing a hot beverage as they awkwardly tried to find the words to say that there was not going to be a relationship in their future. Harry reminded himself that he didn't shy away from Voldemort, so he needed to put on his Gryffindor big-boy pants and be honest with Wes. He liked the Warbler very much, but didn't see them as a couple.

The month wore on. Harry kept attending therapy. Blaine returned to his normal high-energy self, inspiring many an eye-roll in Kurt when Harry mentioned the delightful change. "Sure, Harry, no one knows why Blaine is cheery again after you and Wes decided not to date. No one at all…" ("I know, right!" Harry replied earnestly.)

Harry enjoyed the routine he finally found. Wake up, go to class, study while the Warblers practiced, then spend time with his new friends. Some afternoons he would meet with his therapist or Mr. Malfoy to work on his magical studies. For the first time in a long time he felt calm and focused.

At least twice a week he and Blaine would make the journey to the Lima Bean and hang out with Kurt and their other New Direction friends. During one fateful outing, the two wizards went to the counter to pick up their coffee.

"What did you think of the demo track I sent you?" Kurt asked.

"Mate! It was absolutely brilliant! I immediately had to send it off to Ron- he loved it too." Harry replied.

Kurt smiled at the praise, raised his eyebrows, and said, "But did it move you?" Harry rolled his eyes.

"Fine. I will tell you what you want. Yes, it moved me. Even though it was a recording, I cried like a baby."

Kurt beamed and gave Harry a quick squeeze, "Thank you! That is what I needed to hear. I think I'm ready to try out for that solo."

Harry continued to try to build Kurt's confidence in auditioning for the competition solo as they grabbed their coffees and went to add their milk and sugar.

From the trashcan nearby, Rachel shook herself out of her reverie after overhearing the conversation. "So Harry really reacts strongly to music, hmm?" she thought to herself. This was just the information she needed to set her plan in motion. Ever since she and Finn had broken up she was looking for a way to show him that other boys would notice her too. The problem was, while boys noticed her, all they saw was her perfect punctuality and unparalleled work ethic- things that don't inspire dates. Harry was the perfect answer! He was cute, British, got along with all the glee kids, but wasn't in a choir himself so therefore dating him wouldn't inspire the "treason" accusations from the Jesse St. James fiasco.

Her plan was simple- get Harry alone to see her sing and if he was really moved by music, he would obviously become in to her! It was foolproof!

The rest of the afternoon went pleasantly. Harry sat back and enjoyed watching his new friends. He admired Kurt's wittiness, basked in Blaine's smile, and chuckled at Mercedes' jokes. He couldn't help but notice how hard Rachel tried to fit in with the group even though everyone clearly accepted her. He felt like he could relate to that feeling of wondering if you actually belonged or if people just wanted you around for what you could offer them. Harry felt his understanding smile of Rachel jumping up to get more napkins for the table shift into one of male approval when he unconsciously checked out her ass when she reached across the counter. No matter what anyone said about her pushiness, Rachel Berry had an ass Harry wanted to squeeze and bite.

Two days later, Harry drove himself to Lima for an afternoon of studying. He promised Kurt they would go over their Charms after dinner at the Hummel's, but Rachel overheard the plan-making and Harry found himself committed to studying precalculus with her immediately after school while Kurt made up a Spanish test. A text message has him pulling into the McKinley parking lot and heading to the auditorium.

Harry walked through the auditorium seats and up onto the stage to where Rachel sat at the piano, plucking away at some keys.

"Harry!" she beamed up at him. Rachel stood up and steered Harry to take her place at the piano bench, arranging him so he faced away from the instrument and had a perfect line of sight of the microphone stand poised smack dab in the middle of the stage. "Now, I fully intend for us to ensure we have a complete grasp of solving systems of linear equations through substitutions but before we get to that I want you to see the solo I've been preparing for the audition that Mr. Shuester is sure to pick me because I am of course the strongest vocals in the, but that still doesn't mean I don't need to practice and practice is always better with an audience!" While Harry was still trying to figure out how Rachel said all of that in one breath, she had already started the background instrumental track and was at the microphone looking out at the empty auditorium.

Harry was so overwhelmed by the whirlwind that was Rachel (he only just noticed how amazing her legs looked in her short skirt) that he hadn't quite grasped her plan until she sang the first note. No matter what anyone said about Rachel Berry, they could never say she wasn't incredibly talented. Within the first note, Harry's magic swirled. By the end of the first verse of her stirring solo, the Chosen One was fully stirred.

His aura flared and his magic flowed outwards. The close intimacy of this performance was different from the other times his magic reacted to music. This time, the magic fared out.

At her pre-rehearsed and carefully selected moment for maximum emotional impact, Rachel turned from the empty audience to sing a particularly meaningful verse directly to Harry. Any ingenue worth anything knows that the fastest way into someone's heart is through perfectly timed solo eye-contact. When their eyes locked, Harry's aura reached out and entranced her. Unlike at Homecoming, there was no one to stop the effect of the magic as it reverberated across the stage between the teens. Any thoughts of Rachel's solo was lost as their attraction blazed through them and they lunged for each other and their lips met with hungry passion.

Kurt hummed to himself, tapping along to the textbook in his hand, as he walked through the familiar halls to the McKinley auditorium. Once again, he was showing what an awesome friend he was. Rachel had left her math book in his car when they when off campus for lunch and he knew she wouldn't want to study without the notes she carefully detailed with sticky notes inside of her book.

The moment his hand went near the handle of the auditorium door, Kurt knew something had happened. Magic thrummed against his fingers sealing the door shut. He took a deep calming breath. He knew he had to get in there but also had to be aware of the security cameras monitoring the halls, he thanked the gods that the auditorium was camera-free.

He gently placed his hands with one on each door handle. With one more deep breath, Kurt tightened his grip and whispered alohomora, willing his wandless magic to unseal the doors. The doors unlocked with a gentle click and Kurt made himself pick up the textbook and walk in like there wasn't a catastrophic magical event on the other side of the doors.

The doors closed behind him by the time Kurt took in the scene before him. On the stage, Harry and Rachel were enveloped by his aura and they were enveloped by each other. It was hard to see where one of them ended and the other began. Kurt stood frozen for a few seconds taking in the picture of Harry sitting on the floor of the stage with a lap full of Rachel. Her legs wrapped around his torso and hands locked in his hair with one hand gripping her to him and his other massaging her breast over her argyle sweater as they feverishly made out.

Rachel's loud moan as Harry kissed down on her neck as his thumb brushed her nipple quickly brought Kurt back to his senses. Not worried about the noise he made, he ran onto the stage. Not seeing the remote to control the sound system, Kurt pushed his way behind the curtain and manually shut off the stereo system.

From his spot at the edge of the curtain, Kurt could see the instant effect on his friends. Harry's aura receded and the teens stilled as they looked at each other. Kurt stayed hidden, wand in hand, watching to intervene if needed.

Rachel blinked back to reality as she looked down from her perch in Harry's lap into his concerned eyes. She smiled softly running her fingers through his soft, disheveled hair. Now that they'd stopped kissing, she could feel him tense around her, his grip on her back no longer passionate, but frozen, like he was unsure if he could still touch her. Rachel could admit to herself that was one of the hottest experiences she'd ever had- though it was surprising it had taken this long for her singing to encourage a boy to make out with her. But looking down into his beautiful (and maybe a bit tortured) eyes, she knew that her plan to make Finn jealous wasn't going to work. She liked Harry and definitely liked kissing, touching, and being touched by him. But he wasn't Finn. With Harry, she felt the pull of attraction and could happily continue exploring his lips and feeling more of his body. But Harry wasn't Finn. She didn't feel that swell of love she felt with Finn and that total sense of belonging.

She gently brushed her thumb over his cheek. "Hi", she said softly. She felt Harry's hand on her back relax and rub up and down her spine.

"Hi", he replied with a small smile. "I think I got a bit carried away there."

Rachel giggled, "I think we both did. That was really nice.." He seemed to sense her hesitation to continue. She liked him even more when his face immediately became concerned, he seemed genuinely worried about her. She took a breath and fruitlessly smoothed his hair off his forehead. "It was nice, and incredibly sexy, but I think we should stay friends." She looked into his eyes, trying to show him that she wasn't carelessly rejecting him, but truly wanted this cute British boy to stay in her world. " Is that okay?"

She bit her lip as he looked over her face and sighed in relief when he gently pulled her into a hug. "I would be delighted to be your friend, Ms. Berry." Rachel smiled into his shoulder.

"Maybe it's time we get out of this fairly compromising position, Mr. Potter?"

Harry let go and stood up with Rachel. Since they stopped kissing, he was using every ounce of will power to stay calm and seem normal, when in his head he was completely freaking out. He knew exactly what had happened and even if he couldn't feel the prickling of the anxious magic thrum of Kurt radiating from the corner, from his position on the stage he could see his friend holding a wand on him. It was that security of knowing his friend had his back that Harry was able to smile and joke with Rachel while they agreed to study a different time and watch her head off the stage. His heart rate increased, even more, when he heard Kurt mumble the counter charm to unlock the doors from his hiding place.

When the door closed behind Rachel, Harry started shaking and pacing as Kurt rushed over and pulled him into a hug.

"What did I do, Kurt? What did I do? Omigod. I just thought we were going to study, and then we end up making out on the floor?" He gripped Kurt's sweater tightly, trying to ground himself.

"Shhhh. Shhh, it's okay," Kurt said as he rubbed Harry's back to soothe him. "You're two people who are attracted to each other and you kissed. The music heightens your already existing feelings and my guess is it did the same to her. If you weren't willing to kiss her and she wasn't willing to kiss you, it wouldn't have happened, no matter how wonderful a singer she is. If there wasn't a mutual attraction, you would have both just cried. Though Rachel tends to cry in every solo, so no real change there."

Harry chuckled into Kurt's shoulder and ended the hug. But the levity only lasted a moment. "I know you're right. But you can't tell me that we would have made out without the magic either." Harry let the seriousness wash over them. "If I can't learn to control my aura magic when someone makes music near me, I won't be able to stay here."

Kurt replied, "I know."