It was the middle of December when snow was falling and cold winds blowing. It was also near to the Christmas holidays for the students at Hogwarts.

In the Hogwarts school castle in the Griffyndor Common Room Harry Potter had this on his mind and much more, including the history essay he was currently trying to get done on the history of wizards and witches marrying muggles. He was also thinking about the book of advanced magic he had found and who the Half-Blood Prince whom it belonged to was; and also whether or not he should attend Professor Slughorn's early Christmas party; and last but not least he was thinking about the periods after classes were over when he would meet with Headmaster Dumbledore and he would show him various memories in his pensive of people who had known Tom Riddle, who was know known as Lord Voldemort, and wondering what he was getting to with them.

Lord Voldemort was a wizard who had gone bad and had killed Harry's parents fifteen years ago because of a prophesy of a boy born at the end of the seventh month who must either kill or be killed by Voldemort. When his parents had perished while protecting him the power of their love for him had backfired Voldemort's spell meant to kill Harry and so he had survived with a lightning shaped scar on his forehead which always burned whenever Voldemort was close by as he had returned to power just two years ago and it was only last year that everyone had actually started to believe it.

Harry had always hated the heavy burden this destiny he had never wished for had thrust upon him. And ever since he had found out about his true identity as being "The Boy Who Lived" he had been constantly trying to live in vain as if he were an ordinary boy, if also a magical one. But at the same time he knew this could never be, though he still wished somehow if just for a short while he could experience life as the others of his world did, and also in a world in which there was no war going on.

"Hermione?"

Harry looked up and glanced over at the table to the left of him where his two closest friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were seated. Hermione, as usual, had her face buried deeply in a heavy book, while Ron was looking at her with a hesitating nervousness as he spoke her name rather quietly. Hermione though just appeared to bury herself even more intensely in the book she was reading without so much as looking up at him.

"Hermione?" Ron tried again in a faltering tone.

"What is it, Ronald?" Hermione muttered dryly without looking at him.

"You... um..." Ron cleared his throat slightly before going on. "You want me to tell you the truth about Lavender?"

Then, as if on cue, Hermione promptly snapped her book shut, got up briskly from her chair and rushed out of the Common Room without a word or another look to Ron. Ron stared after her in dumbfounded defeat.

Harry then turned back to writing his essay. He knew very well what was going on between Ron and Hermione, perhaps even better than either of them did. Ron had been with Lavender Brown since almost the beginning of the school year after he had won the Quidditch Cup and Hermione had been noticeably miserable about this. Harry knew quite well that his two best friends were meant for each other, if only if they could realize that for themselves.

It was some time later when he had nearly forgotten about the previous incident when he felt someone tap him lightly on the shoulder.

"Harry?" came Ron's hesitating voice.

Harry looked up from his nearly done essay and turned toward Ron. "What is it, Ron?" he asked.

"Could... Could you do a small favor for me?" Ron asked rather timidly.

"Well, what kind of favor do you have in mind?" asked Harry who felt he had too much on his mind to worry about already.

"Well... It's... It's about Hermione," Ron began in a lost voice.

"What about her?" asked Harry, though he sensed he already knew.

"I know she thinks I'm a git because I've been with that Lavender for so long now," Ron said in a rush, "But what was going on with Lavender and me was a mistake, I realize that now, and it's over between us."

"Really?" asked Harry rather surprised.

"Yes, it is," Ron continued, "I now understand that it's been Hermione I've been wanting to have all these years. I knew it as soon as I woke up after being in that bloody coma after drinking that poisoned love potion."

"And it's about time," said Harry. "So why don't you just go find her and tell her how you feel about her?"

"I can't, mate. I... can't," Ron said in a hopeless voice. "You must have seen it yourself, I tried to but she won't listen to me. And I don't bloody blame her either. So, could you go to her and tell her how I feel about her for me?"

Harry looked at Ron is surprise. "But, Ron, I can't," he said.

"Why the bloody not?" demanded Ron.

"Well, those are your feelings, and so you should be the one to tell her, not me," Harry said simply.

"But I just told you why I can't, mate!" Ron exclaimed. "She won't even look at me, and even if she would I'd be sure to say the wrong things and make things worse for us both. Whenever she looks at me I just feel warm all over and my heart just races to a hundred miles an hour!"

Harry knew just what Ron meant as he got the same kind of feelings every time Ron's little sister Ginny looked at him. Though he hadn't had the nerve to tell her. So how could he ever tell Hermione Ron's feelings of her for him? But then they were his best friends.

"Look, mate," Harry said finally. "I'll think about it, okay?"

"Okay," said Ron with a sigh. Then he got up and walked out of the room.

Harry then turned to face the window in front of him. He sighed as he looked at the snowflakes falling against the window's glass. He felt once again he was stuck in a tough situation. How was he supposed to tell Hermione about Ron's feelings for her? And if he was did he really expect her to believe him? More likely she would think he was just making it up to make her feel better or something. And if he messed things up Ron would be furious with him and the last thing he needed now was for one or both of his closest friends to turn their backs on him now.

He was so absorbed in these thoughts that he didn't hear the cracking sound enter the room, and he was then quite startled when he heard a high and shrill voice exclaim,

"Harry Potter!"

Harry turned around abruptly to look into the wide gleaming green eyes of Dobby the house elf who was standing at his side.

"Oh, hi Dobby," Harry said managing a small smile. Dobby was another one of his closest friends, and perhaps the most loyal of all of them.

"Is Harry Potter feeling alright?" inquired Dobby with concern.

"I'm fine, Dobby," Harry said weakly, "It's just that... Well, let me put it this way, have you ever felt like you just had to do something for someone who was close to you and yet you didn't know how to do it without making things worse than they already were?"

Dobby smiled as he answered promptly, "Yes, Dobby has, sir."

"Well, what should I do?" asked Harry.

Dobby thought for a moment and then said, "Harry Potter should just let his heart tell him what the right is to do, he should."

Harry smiled. "I should tell that to Ron, I guess," he said. "Thanks Dobby."

"Any time, Harry Potter, sir," Dobby said with a low bow. Then the elf went about cleaning up around the room.

It was then that Harry realized how late it was and that he should be getting up to see Dumbledore for tonight's new information. So he quickly picked up his books and parchment and hurried out of the room.

He went up to the Griffyndor Tower where Dumbledore's study was. He entered and found the Headmaster there. Dumbledore turned toward him and looked calmly at him with his wise and gentle blue eyes.

"You are just a tad bit late tonight, Harry," Dumbledore said in his usually calm voice.

"Sorry, Headmaster," Harry said breathlessly.

Dumbledore smiled gently and then said, "Well, now let us view what tonight's memories reveal, shall we?"

Harry nodded, and then they proceeded.

A half hour later they were done and Harry thought he might like to ask Dumbledore for advice on his new situation as well.

"Headmaster," Harry began, "I'm under a lot of stress now."

"I know, Harry, I know," Dumbledore said softly. "In time you'll learn to handle it."

"But I don't mean just because of that stupid prophesy... Sorry," Harry said as Dumbledore's left eyebrow had lifted slightly, "But because of what is going on now with my friends."

"Ron and Hermione?" Dumbledore asked knowingly.

"Yeah," said Harry, "I think they're in love with each other now. Only one doesn't know it and one won't admit it to the other. I just don't know what to do."

Dumbledore smiled understandingly. "Ah, Harry, you should just let your friends be and allow for nature to take its own course. All things come and pass with time, as does love, and if it is a real and pure love it will stay."

Dumbledore than got a wistful look of remembering in his eyes. "Reminds me of when I was just about your age, when I had a similar problem when I was friends with Annette McCoy and Joshua Potter."

Harry blinked. "Were those my grandparents names?" he asked curiously.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, indeed your great-great grandparents. They were very close friends of mine here from year one through seventh. I remember how when I first saw them together I somehow knew they were destined to be with each other for life. Your grandfather loved your grandmother very early on, but he was always to shy to come right out and admit it to her. While your grandmother thought he wasn't noticing her and it was breaking her heart. They both confided in me about this constantly. I was in a tough situation. Then one day your grandmother was seen with Narco Malfoy and your grandfather knew he was trouble. Then one day, out of the blue, he approached her and told how much he had always loved her, and she said she felt the same way with him. Then they vowed never to separate from each other ever again, and of course they never did for that was how your father was born."

Harry smiled. He now felt more at ease, as well as enlightened to know some more about the family which he never knew. "Thanks, Headmaster," he said.

"You're welcome, Harry," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Harry then turned to leave but then Dumbledore stopped him and said, "Oh, and by the way, Harry. Could you do me a small favor and pick something up for me in Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

"Of course. What is it?" asked Harry.

"It is called an Omnicron. It should be with Ms. Fletcher in the Gift Exchanging Shop of Hogsmeade."

"What is an Omnicron?" asked Harry.

Dumbledore's face became gravely serious. "It is a very rare, almost one of a kind, magical device that has belonged to great wizards passed down from centuries upon centuries. And if it were to get misplaced and into the wrong hands it would cause disasters of cosmic proportions. Which is why I must have it and as soon as possible."

"Yes, Headmaster," Harry said. "Are you sure you want to trust me with something like that?"

"Harry," Dumbledore said with his familiar smile again, "I would trust you with my life."