A.N. I planned this story to just be about Harry's love to Hermione, but as things tend to happen, it started turning out to be more. I then rewrote the relevant parts to make it only one love, trying not to make it too lame. So, here we are with Harry's Love. I didn't discard the other story, though.

I now have two stories with identical first six chapters. I'm going to post these six as part one of the story/ies, and then post the remaining chapters as two different stories: Harry's Love will stay strictly Harry/Hermione while Harry's Loves will diverge into Harry/Multi.

I hope you'll enjoy reading both as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Disclaimer: As usual – I claim no ownership of the Harry Potter world and its characters. I'm only here to play with it for my fun and yours. The rights are still belonging to J.K. Rowling and her business associates. I only own the few original characters added by me and the plot.

Harry's Love(s)

1. Revelation

June 1998

Harry was sitting in the kitchen of the house at 12 Grimmauld Place, just as he had been doing for the last two days. He was thinking once again of the events that made him leave the Burrow and settle in this house which held so many memories for him. The house, now being in the process of renovation, was not yet fit for living, but Kreacher had done his best to assure Harry could stay there comfortably, at least in the master bedroom, the study, the library and the kitchen

It all started three days earlier. Harry was waiting for Ron to vacate the bathroom, so he could go in and get ready for the night, when he heard some noise from the kitchen. "I could use some company until Ron finishes his business there," he thought.

He walked down the steps, trying to stay quiet so that he wouldn't wake up Hermione, who had already retired to bed earlier. He was about to step into the kitchen when he suddenly heard Ginny's voice coming clearly through the kitchen's open door: "There's only one more dose of love potion left. How am I expected to keep Harry interested when you can't supply me with enough love potion? You know he wouldn't even look at me without it!"

Harry's first thought was that Ginny shouldn't bother, really. He liked her a lot and thought she was very pretty and attractive. He then stopped on his tracks. If she was dozing him with that potion, then these feelings may just be the effect of the potion. The more he thought about it, the less attractive Ginny looked. He still liked her looks and would have been happy to see her without any clothes on, but he no longer thought of her as his partner for life. He needed someone he could trust, not someone who would drug him for her own interests.

He continued listening. Molly was speaking now. "You know I can't do anything when you're all in the house, as Hermione would spot it immediately and Merlin knows how she may react. The weather has been quite gloomy since the battle, as if mourning Fred along with us, keeping you all inside. Tomorrow promises to be a sunny day, if the muggle weather forecast is anything to rely on. I'll send you all out to soak some sun and then I'll be able to start brewing."

"Just make sure to have enough to last until we go back to school. Hermione insists on finishing her schooling and she will drag Harry along, although I'm not sure about Ron," Ginny said.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll make enough to last you until Christmas. As for Ron – he won't let Hermione out of his sight for more than a few hours. He'll join you there, I'm sure. I'll also remind him that he needs to help you with Harry."

Harry didn't want to hear any more. He mounted the stairs quietly and returned to the room he was sharing with Ron, who was still in the bathroom. He wrote a quick note. "Sorry to be so brusque. I feel as if I'm interfering with your mourning, and my own nightmares are affecting others as well, so I decided to let you recuperate without my interference. Don't worry, I'll be alright. See you in a few weeks, Harry"

He put the note on his pillow with a mild sticking charm, waved his few belongings back into his trunk, shrunk it and put it into his pocket. He heard Ginny's door open and close and then he heard Molly's heavy trotting up to her bedroom. He waited another moment and then slipped out under the cover of his invisibility cloak. A few minutes later he was sitting in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place.

Just as he was doing now. Despite the two days he spent thinking, he still couldn't understand. He wasn't sure how long it would take for the love potion to leave his body completely and how much longer its effects would last. He missed Ginny, despite knowing he shouldn't. He also missed Ron, in a different way. While Kreacher was definitely not the same as when he first met him, the elf was not even close to the friend he had enjoyed for almost seven years.

Yet most of all he missed Hermione. They had become very close during their months of hiding, especially during the time Ron wasn't with them. She was an even closer friend than Ron, he thought, and a much more loyal one, at that. Yet he missed her differently than he missed either Ron or Ginny. He just didn't understand.

"Master must eat!" Kreacher insisted, shoving the plate under Harry's nose.

Harry had eaten very little since he came to the house, to the dismay of Kreacher. The old house elf had been worried about his young master. His master was THE hero of magical Britain, yet he was acting as if he lost the war, not like the one who won it almost single-handedly. Now, that he came to respect his young master, despite being a half-blood, he didn't want to lose him. Yet the young wizard wouldn't eat!

Harry was brought out of his musings by the sound of the entrance door. His hand tightened around his wand as he looked towards the entrance corridor. Logically, only Ron and Hermione would be able to come in so easily. Hermione had warded the house while they stayed in it after Bill's wedding, yet they may have breached the defenses after they stole the locket – he wasn't sure.

"Harry! Are you here?" he heard Hermione's voice. He was actually glad to hear her. Any company would have been welcome, and Hermione was more than mere company.

"I'm in the kitchen!" he called back, feeling a grin spreading on his face.

Hermione came a moment later, looking quite tired. "I was hoping to find you here, but I would have stayed here for a day or two anyhow," she said as she plopped on a chair.

"Why? Have you quarreled with Ron again?"

Hermione smiled sadly. "Well, we had several quarrels during the two days since you left. Without you calming us, each quarrel was quite memorable." She stayed silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "I've just found out they were using love potions on both of us."

"Both?" he gasped in surprise. "I thought it was only me, as you and Ron had something since fifth year..."

"It was all fake, caused by the potion," Hermione cut in. "I should have realized it sooner, though. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Harry tried comforting her. "The potion has some dumbing effect as well..."

He looked at her more attentively. Her eyes had dark circles around them and her face looked tired, as if she hadn't slept for quite awhile.

"Would you like something to eat or to drink? I haven't yet eaten breakfast and I'd love your company."

Hermione stifled a yawn. "I've eaten breakfast at the Burrow. I could use a cup of coffee, though.

Harry wanted to make the coffee for her, but Kreacher wouldn't let him. "Master must stay with Mistress. I'll take care of the rest!" It was clearly non negotiable.

With Hermione sitting at his side, Harry felt suddenly quite hungry. He ate his breakfast with gusto, although it was already cold. Hermione just looked at him with a kind smile on her face. Harry could tell she was just happy to see him well and free of the Weasley potions.

Hermione got her steaming cup while he was still eating. She let it cool a bit before starting to sip the bitter-sweet dark liquid.

"So, how did you find out about the potion?" she asked him, once he finished his meal.

"Ginny and Molly were in the kitchen and I thought I'll join them, as Ron was once again staying excessively long in the bathroom."

"He was probably wanking. He's no good even at that!" Hermione spat, making Harry gasp at her words.

"Well, I was still outside the kitchen when I heard Ginny urging her mother for more love potion, as she was afraid I would lose my interest in her. Molly told her she couldn't brew it while we were all in the house, but she would do it as soon as the weather permitted, sending us out. She was actually afraid mostly of you..."

"She should have been!" Hermione said heatedly. "I understand that was the last evening you stayed at the Burrow, wasn't it?"

Harry nodded. "I actually wanted to retaliate in a way, but I didn't think it was wise to act in haste. I just wrote them a note that disclosed nothing..."

"Yes, I've seen it. I knew that was not the real cause you left, and I think Ginny and Molly also thought so, but nobody suspected the real cause; certainly not I."

"Then, how did you find out?"

"Well, it wasn't too difficult once I started being suspicious. It was a fine morning and Molly urged us to go out and soak some sunshine. Ron and Ginny wanted to go flying and even managed to drag George out of his room. I didn't join them, of course. I said I would just read something, sitting in the sun."

Harry chuckled. Nothing could keep Hermione away from her books for long.

"Well, I didn't just read. I actually took from my bag one of the books we had taken from this house when we left. It was about antidotes to different potions, mainly poisons and other dark stuff, but also love potions and hate potions and the like. I didn't expect it to become so handy so soon."

She frowned a bit before continuing. "I was actually sitting near the kitchen window, only I couldn't be seen from within. I then heard Ron and Ginny return. 'Well, Mom, she isn't here now. Have you started brewing the potion?' I heard Ginny's voice."

She frowned some more. "I then heard Ron. 'I also need potion to keep the Mudblood infatuated with me, or else she'll run to Potter.' I could hardly control my temper hearing this. I was carrying my wand with me, as I've been doing since before the battle, so I used it to disillusion myself and crept nearer. Molly asked each of them for a few hairs, which she put in two clearly labeled envelopes. She then sent them out to look for me. I took advantage of the open door to sneak into the kitchen. Once Molly thought she was alone, she opened a wall panel and revealed a fully equipped potions lab. She walked in and closed the panel behind her. It looked like a part of the wall again."

"Wow! That's sneaky!" Harry commented.

"I didn't let them suspect anything. I was now looking through that book for any potion I could use to get rid of the love potion's effects and also for other stuff which would come handy. I talked with George after lunch, asking him about some of the potions he was selling in the shop. He told me about one of Fred's last inventions – a potion which acts like Veritaserum, but lasts longer and has none of the side effects. 'Just think of a party where the drinks are spiked with this. People will start saying what they really think about the others. It would be hilarious!'"

Harry wasn't so sure, and Hermione's face showed her doubts as well. "I didn't want to say anything against it. Such a party would probably become a social disaster, I believe, but I played along. I asked to see the recipe to try and make it even better. He gave it gladly, and I saw a bit of old George for a moment, before he slumped down again."

Hermione now grinned like a Slytherin. "I've studied both the book and the recipe for the rest of the day and then retired early to bed. As soon as the rest of the family was asleep, I sneaked down to that potions lab and brewed the antidote for the love potion. Molly had left her notes open at that recipe, so I could easily find the one I needed. While waiting for my potion to be ready, I found two large bottles with clear liquid in them. One had a large 'P' on it and the other a large 'G'. I spilled their contents into the kitchen sink and filled them with water instead. I also made sure that I missed none of the ingredients for the other potion, but I couldn't make it yet. It needed about four hours to prepare and it was almost morning already."

She took another sip from her cup. It was clear that she was keeping herself awake on will power only, as her eyes were drooping constantly.

"I pretended to have suffered nightmares during the night, so they didn't question my tiredness. It was a rainy day again. Ron stayed close to me and I even saw him pouring a vial into my cup. I didn't mind it, as the antidote was already removing any effect this might have had, even if it wasn't from the new bottle. Ginny was quite upset, though, not knowing when she would meet you again. I'm sure she was thinking more of the potion than of you."

Her cup was almost empty by now. Kreacher brought them both some pumpkin juice and two cans of Coke.

"I tried to rest a bit during the afternoon, just as I was doing since the battle. I also took another portion of the antidote, telling Ginny it was for the after effects of the Cruciatus I had suffered at Malfoy Manor. That night, which is actually last night, I brewed the truth potion. I've made quite a lot of it, really, and mixed about a third of it with the can of pumpkin juice in the cooler, before returning to my bed."

Harry was grinning now, starting to understand her plan.

"I was too anxious to fall asleep now, and I also wanted to be up early. I just dozed off a bit until I heard Molly rise. I soon joined her in the kitchen, offering to help her prepare breakfast and make the table. She accepted my help willingly and even praised me for being a good future housewife, as if that's something I'd ever like to be. I used this chance to spike most of the food with the truth potion. She then took a cup of tea before the rest of the family woke up, but I didn't spike it, not wanting her to get suspicious prematurely."

She could barely hold her eyes open by now, and Harry was also feeling very tired.

"As much as I'd love to hear about it, I think we both need some sleep now. What do you say about it?" Harry asked her.

"I could use some sleep..." she answered.

"Kreacher, can you set one of the rooms for Hermione?"

"No, Master. We've just removed all the beds yesterday, and most of the furniture. There's only your bed in the house."

Harry tried some quick thinking. It wasn't easy, considering how tired he was. He also didn't see as Hermione quickly dumped a small vial into his glass of pumpkin juice. Neither did Kreacher.

"I can sleep on the couch in the study," Harry told the elf. "Let Hermione use the bedroom."

"Oh, no, you don't! I won't accept sleeping in bed while you sleep on a couch. After all you've done, all you've suffered, you deserve at least a decent bed to sleep in," Hermione intervened.

"But..."

"Master and Mistress can sleep in the same bed," Kreacher commented. "It's only natural for a couple to share bed."

"We're not a couple," both said in unison.

Kreacher chuckled. "You've been a couple at least since last Christmas. I could feel my bond to both of you since then."

Both youngsters seemed stunned. Harry eventually sat down and took his glass, drinking almost half of it in one gulp.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked the elf.

He didn't even bother to answer. He just chuckled some more.

"Well, it's not so bad, really," Harry finally said. "I've been in love with you since fifth year, and not even the love potion could completely overcome this. It was most difficult keeping it secret when we were left alone in the tent, after Ron left us,"

He suddenly realized what he was saying and he put his hand over his mouth, as if to stop his words.

Hermione smiled kindly. "I think I've been in love with you since first year, when you jumped on the troll, and I was surely in love with you when we saved Sirius in our third year. It only became deeper afterward, although the potion got in the way."

"So, you really love me?" Harry said with disbelief.

"I sure do." She took another vial out of her robe. "Drink this. It will get rid of the remnants of the love potion."

She then took Harry's glass and drank the remaining juice. "I've put some truth potion in this, to make you spill out your feelings. It's just right that I drink it as well." She now smiled at him innocently. "Would you lead me to our bed now?"

Please Review!