IF YOU DON"T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING OR ARE CONFUSED AFTER READING THIS CHAPTER, READ THE AUTORS NOTE FIRST!!! If you still disagree or do not understand just send me a review or a message and I'll try and get back to you.

But for now, I hope you'll enjoy the chapter!

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Harry Potter and the Phoenix Flames

Promise

Harry appeared in his room with Hermione still clinging onto him. He savoured the feeling for a moment before pushing her lightly away to look into her face again. He couldn't hold back a smile as he looked into her eyes. She looked back and he was at a loss of words.

"I missed you," she whispered, still looking intently at him.

Harry's throat tightened. "I'm sorry." He leaned his forehead on hers and closed his eyes.

"I know."

When Harry opened his eyes anew he gazed deeply into the awaiting, chocolate brown orbs of his best friend. Their gazes, like windows into their souls, locked for what could easily be eternity.

Their eternity was cut short by an inner instinct that nudged Harry. He himself could stand for very long periods of time but Hermione was still visibly shaking with emotions.

"C'mon Hermione, let's sit down." He put his arm protectively around her, deep down afraid that she would disappear at any moment. He led her to his bed and sat down with her, almost unconsciously gathering her even closer. Settling back against the headboard of his bed he relaxed, with Hermione snuggled safely into his side, and let silence engulf them.

&&&

The common room was deadly silent for a moment.

"Well, that was to be expected." Dumbledore sighed.

"I guess. It looks like my little Hermione prefers my student to her uncle," Xavier frowned.

"Oh, my old friend." The long-bearded headmaster laughed. "You took him away so suddenly, what did you expect?"

"Yes, well…"

"They're like a flame. Without a spark it won't burn," Jean said looking at the place where just a moment ago the young couple stood.

"I never took you for the romantic type, Red." Logan laughed earning a glare and a slap on the arm.

"I was hoping to speak to Harry before leaving but who knows how long they will take." Lupin scratched his head uncomfortably.

"Let us hope they will come down within the next hour or so. I still have some things to talk about with Xavier. Shall we?" Dumbledore gestured toward the professor's office.

"After you, old friend."

When the two headmasters were gone the conversations erupted. Some students watched the newcomers with interest, some walked up and talked to them, and some just went back to their previous activities, listening with one ear and casting glances from time to time.

Jean stood somewhat rooted to the spot, gazing at the ceiling above her.

"Ya know, you can't see through walls, Red," Logan joked before frowning. "Or can you?"

Jean just cast him a devilish grin. (1)

&&&

"Why did you leave?"

Her quiet question awoke Harry from his peaceful, half trance state.

"Huh?" He looked down at her, confusion written on his face.

She was looking intently at his chest tracing small circles on it. "Why did you leave so suddenly? No goodbye, no nothing. Not even a note." She looked up into his eyes.

Harry could see confusion and hurt written in them. Not able to stand it he looked away, out the window. "I was afraid," he answered quietly, telling half of the truth.

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

"Afraid, that if I did, I wouldn't be able to leave. That if I saw you two or even took the time to write a letter, I would break down and stay."

"And what would be so bad with that?" Her voice was now laced with anger. "What would be so bad in you staying? Huh? Tell me, what?"

"I…" He looked back at her for a moment and instantly looked away, regretting his decision to look at her in the first place. "I… I just couldn't. I had to do this. It was time," Harry choked on his answer.

"But why, Harry? Time for what?"

Quicker than she could register Harry turned around and gripped her arm in a gentle yet firm way. He looked at her with urgency, his eyes boring into hers with an intense and pleading fire in them.

"Please, Hermione. Don't ask me now. Not now. I promise I'll answer that question but not now. Just give me some time." He looked at her intently.

She gazed back for a moment or two before looking down, finding his shirt of the highest interest. "Promise me, Harry?" she asked quietly.

"What?"

"Promise me that one day you will tell me. Promise that one day we will end with all this secrecy. Promise me that one day you'll have no secrets from me and I will have none from you. Promise."

He looked at her for a moment processing what she had just said before a true smile spread on his face. He pulled her into a gentle hug. She hid her face in his chest gripping his shirt. Holding on tighter he whispered into her ear.

"I promise."

They held onto each other as moments passed by. Finally Harry pulled back, flashing Hermione a brilliant smile, before settling back to his former position, with his back against the headboard and her tucked neatly at his side.

"So," he started, "tell me all about what happened at Hogwarts while I was gone."

-----

Hermione sniffed as she walked down the empty halls of Hogwarts. It had been three days since Harry left but the pain and anger weren't getting any better. It was a gut wrenching pain, tearing her up from the inside every time she thought of him. At the same time, though, she felt as though she could burn the entire planet with her rage. She sniffed again and held her books tighter to her chest.

Suddenly she heard footsteps from behind, coming toward her swiftly, but instead of stopping she just walked faster. He had a swift and light walk, as though the floor didn't exist. She shook her head angrily, a few single tears sliding down her cheek.

"Hermione!" a familiar voice called her.

Ronald.

Strangely enough her boyfriend was the last person she wanted to see.

"Oi, Hermione! Slow down!"

After a few moments he finally caught up with her. He grabbed her arm, effectively stopping her, and leaned forward breathing heavily.

"You look flustered, Ronald? Did you run?" she asked icily, hoping he would understand she wanted to be alone.

"What do you think, 'Mione?" he wheezed. Finally catching his breath he straightened and looked at her, his blue eyes standing out on his red face. "I called you. Didn't you hear me?"

Hermione sighed, frustrated. This boy was as thick as a tank. "I was thinking," she said simply and turned to walk away.

"Whoa, wait a minute." She felt his hand tighten around her arm. "What's going on 'Mione? Is it still Harry?"

She turned to face him, her eyes burning with a fire of rage.

"Oh, no Ronald! It is definitely not about our best friend who left three days ago, not leaving a letter, note, NOTHING to imply he is even ALIVE, after seeing US snog."

Ron stepped back with a confused look on his face, which quickly turned to anger.

"Hey! He was my best friend too, remember?"

"Frankly I'm not sure, Ronald, because you don't seem the least bit concerned."

Ron blushed, but the angry and stubborn look didn't leave his face. "Well, maybe I show my concern differently? You know, not everybody has to bawl their eyes out every time something happens."

Hermione drastically rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes! I presume your best friend disappears without leaving a trace every second day!"

"That's not what I meant and you know it!"

"OH, well, Ronald if you intend…"

"What in the name of Merlin is going on here?" McGonagall's voice cut the air.

Both teenagers turned to glare at their teacher, who looked quite a bit taken aback, before Hermione composed herself and, holding her books even tighter to her chest, gave her a fake smile and said, "Forgive us professor, Ronald and I just had a small disagreement but everything is all right now. McGonagall raised her eyebrow.

"It certainly didn't look like a small disagreement to me." After taking a closer look at Hermione's face she asked in a concerned tone. "Are you all right, Miss Granger? Your eyes are very red."

Hermione just gave her another fake smile, powered by her anger, and walked past McGonagall, saying, "I'm positively fine, Professor. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be late for my lessons if I do not hurry."

-----

Hermione sat in the Great Hall eating dinner. Suddenly she heard whispers from all around.

"Did you hear about those disappearances?"

"Who didn't? I mean the Boy Who Lived and yet another DADA teacher just disappeared!"

"Yeah. It's kind'a strange though that they disappeared at the exact same time!"

"Mhm… You don't think they could… well, ya know…"

"Hmm… that sure would be the scandal of the century!"

Hermione bit down her pride and anger, stood up and walked out of the Great Hall, leaving her dinner unfinished.

-----

At the sound of choking Hermione looked up, surprised. Harry was coughing hard, holding his throat.

"Are you okay, Harry?" she asked concerned, helping him sit up.

"Yeah…" He gasped and coughed a few times before taking a big breath and leaning back against the bed. "Merlin's beard! People were really thinking stuff like that?" His face twisted in disgust. "That's sick! How can people think that! I mean, Jean's a lot older than I am! She could be my mother for crying out loud!" He shook his head.

After not hearing a response he looked down at Hermione who was quietly gazing at his bed sheet. His brow furrowed. "You didn't think that, did you?" Hermione twisted uneasily under his gaze. "Hermione…" His eyes widened.

"I didn't know what to think, Harry!" she burst, meeting his eyes, hers filled with desperation. "You disappeared! You could've been dead for all I knew! Everything was a possibility!"

"I know, but still…"

"Try and understand, Harry. Those were some of the hardest days of my life. I didn't function properly. My brain didn't function properly. Every scrap of information about you I could get, I both rejected and acknowledged at the same time! Try and understand…" She trailed off gazing at the bed again.

After a moment she heard a soft but firm voice.

"I understand."

A split-second later her eyes met his emerald orbs filled with laughter and understanding.

-----

Hermione sat in the Heads' Common Room, deeply engrossed in her homework. She barely noticed when the portrait swung open and two figures walked in, until they were standing almost right in front of her.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione's head snapped up at the sound of Dumbledore's voice. She smiled although she couldn't stop the flicker of disappointment in her eyes.

"Hello Headmaster. Is there something I can help you with?"

"I would like to introduce to you the new Head Boy, Mathew Dunell." Only now did Hermione notice the tall, handsome boy, in Ravenclaw robes, standing behind Dumbledore.

"The new Head Boy?" Her voice broke a bit.

"It's a temporary replacement for Mister Potter." He tried to soothe her worries.

Hermione quickly composed herself and put on a fake smile. "Of course, Headmaster."

"I hope we'll be able to work well together." Mathew gave her a warm smile.

Inwardly cringing, Hermione nodded. "I'm sure we will."

-----

Hermione closed her eyes as the wind rippled through her hair. She stood on top of the Astronomy Tower. It had been almost two months since Harry left, and still she hadn't received a single sign of life from him. Although her worry became a bit less paranoid, she still lived in the grip of fear. Every time she looked at a newspaper she looked for the big sign "The Boy Who Lived DEAD!" and every time she didn't find it she felt immensely relieved, but the next day it all happened again. She was sometimes working automatically, not noticing the world around her. She and Ron were on speaking terms again but it felt different than before. When Harry was around she knew that if she and Ron had a fight she would have somewhere to turn, and now without him she felt lost. She didn't admit it to anyone else but herself. She hoped that one day the portrait would swing open and he would walk back into her life, just like that. But she also knew that with each passing day the possibility of that grew slimmer and slimmer.

She sighed and turned to walk away when it hit her. Her knees buckled underneath her and she grabbed the railing with one hand, holding onto it for dear life, the other clutching the shirt over her heart, in a futile attempt to stop the energy from accessing her body. The power pressed down harder and harder, coming from everywhere at once, choking her. As suddenly as it began it stopped, leaving only ripples, like a stone thrown into a lake. Hermione's senses were sharpened extremely and she heard the commotion coming from the castle. She herself was still on her knees, on the floor, embracing her shaking body, rocking back and forth, sobbing her heart out and whispering one name over and over again.

"Harry, Harry, Harry…"

The next day, everyone was walking around in complete shock, the lessons cancelled. The newspapers were screaming, coming up with some more and some less absurd stories about what happened and the Ministry was in complete chaos.

Hermione was sitting in the Heads' Common Room, reliving yesterday's moments yet again, when the portrait swung open and Dumbledore walked in.

"Good day, Miss Granger." He smiled at her getting an empty and questioning look instead of the normal 'hello'.

"It was him, wasn't it, headmaster?" she asked him immediately. "It was Harry, wasn't it?"

Dumbledore nodded, with a solemn expression. "I'm afraid it was, Miss Granger."

Panic rose in Hermione's throat. "Is he all right? What happened? Is he okay? Is…"

Dumbledore raised his hand to stop her babbling. "Yes, Miss Granger, he's fine but I suggest you ask him yourself."

Her eyes widened. "He's here?"

"I'm sorry, no, but you can ask him by sending a letter to this address," he said, passing her a piece of paper, with something written in an unknown, to Hermione, neat handwriting.

She looked at Dumbledore again with tears glazing her eyes over. "Thank you," she whispered, clutching the piece of paper to her chest.

-----

"And then a week ago, he came again and asked if I was going to Uncle Xavier this year. When I answered yes, he said that he was heading here today and asked if I wanted to tag along and I agreed. My parents were supposed to come to but they're too busy, so it's only me. Well, anyway, I came here and I saw you and the rest you know." Hermione finished her story and looked up at Harry, who looked deep in thought. "Harry?" she asked, poking his chest lightly.

"Ugh, sorry." He looked down at her.

"Did you even hear what I said?"

"Each and every word. I was just thinking how many things happened when I was gone." A smirk spread over his features. "Sooo, how's the new Head Boy?" He asked wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Hermione blushed and swatted him on the arm, hiding her face in his chest, earning a laugh.

"You're an evil person, Harry," she mumbled, earning yet another laugh. "And if you really want to know, he is a decent and hardworking person, unlike some people I know." She gave him a meaningful look.

"Aw, c'mon Hermione, I'm hard working. If you'd seen me in the past few months you'd agree," he grinned.

"Well I didn't see you, did I? So how can I know you're telling the truth?"

Harry shrugged. "Ask Ororo, or the professor, or even Jean. Actually, especially Jean. She'll tell you."

"Jean? You mean Professor Grey?" Hermione asked surprised, earning a nod from Harry. "She's here?"

"It's she who brought me here."

"But why, Harry? Why did you come here?"

"I…" Harry was saved from answering by a loud crack and an even louder thud, followed by a few juicy curses in German.

"What happened, Kurt?" a worried voice asked.

"He put something on the room. I can't get in."

"Well, maybe we should just knock?"

"Yeah, we'll definitely hear what they're talking about then."

"It won't hurt to try."

A second later Harry heard a knock.

"Harry, are you okay?" asked Rogue.

He gathered Hermione closer and mumbled under his breath. "Go away."

Hermione just laughed quietly and snuggled closer to him.

"Hey, it's closed!"

"Kitty, come here and see what's going on," Bobby's unmistakable voice ordered.

"But, Bobby, that's…"

"Kitty, for all we know, Harry could be being strangled right now. So stick your little head through those damn doors."

A split of a second later Kitty's head appeared through the doors, a panicked expression on her face. "Harry, Harry! Are you okay?" She looked around, before spotting both the subject of her search and their new guest lying on the bead, locked in an embrace, the first looking at her with a bemused expression and the latter with light shock on her face. Kitty turned tomato red as she saw their position and mumbled "sorry" before disappearing.

"Vat's happening in there?" They heard Kurt's interested voice.

"You…"

Harry laughed silently. Bobby was in for the ride of his life.

"Whoa… wait a minute, Kitty. Is something wrong?" Bobby sounded very, VERY nervous.

"You said something was happening."

"No, no, no… I said something could be happening, not that something was happening."

"Oh, you…"

"No, wait Kitty, no… hey, wait… nooo…" Bobby's voice disappeared and Harry sniggered. He could see, in the eye of his mind, Bobby disappearing through the floor, kicking and screaming. Soon after that another knock sounded through the room.

"Harry?" Rogue's gentle voice drifted in. "Could you let us in?"

With a sigh, Harry waved his wand at the door and the lock clicked open. Hermione made a move, trying to pull away, but Harry just held her tighter. She gave him a surprised look but he just smiled at her and whispered, "I'm not going to let you go so easily, after so long."

She didn't have time to answer, because in that moment the doors flung opened revealing Rogue, Kurt, Tom and Harmony, the last two keeping back, but Harry felt her relax against him and he let a smile cross his face. The look on his friends' faces was priceless. Confusion, embarrassment and amusement all mixed together. Moments passed in silence, one side shocked, the other bemused. Finally Harry laughed and asked, "Was there something you wanted, guys?"

"Uhm… Ugh…" Kurt stuttered, openly staring.

"What?" Harry laughed again.

Rogue finally snapped out of her trance. She coughed and said, "Jean asked us to find you two and bring you down. Our guests are leaving soon."

Harry nodded and rose from his bed in one fluid move, taking Hermione with him. They walked up to the awaiting group, their hands entwined, never letting go.

&&&

Even though the hour was quite late the common room was almost full. In the middle of the commotion stood the four wizards. Jean was talking quietly to Dumbledore and Moody, and beside her Logan had a heated conversation with Lupin and Tonks. The metamorphmagus's hair was bright pink catching the attention of many students.

When Harry and Hermione got closer the adults stopped their conversations and turned to the young people.

"Well, Harry, Hermione, it is time we take our leave." Dumbledore smiled at his students.

"Because of your… ekhm… sudden disappearance, we didn't get the chance to give you your Christmas present, Harry." Remus seemed a bit uneasy.

"So here you go, Harry. Merry Christmas." Tonks handed him a big, soft package. "But you don't get to open it till tomorrow morning, got it?" she reminded him.

Harry nodded his head vigorously, flashing both a huge smile. "Of course, thank you."

Hermione turned to Dumbledore. "Thank you, Professor," she said quietly, a genuine smile on her face, the lost glimmer back in her eye.

The old headmaster's face was cut by a new web of wrinkles as he smiled even wider. "You are most welcome, my dear."

"Thank you, sir." Harry now stood beside Hermione, looking at his mentor.

"No need to thank me, Harry. No need at all."

Flashing both his students another wide smile, Dumbledore turned to the fireplace and reached into his robe, only to pull out a handful of floo powder a moment later. "Well, we're off then. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year." He waved and disappeared into the green flames shortly followed by the grinning werewolf and metamorphmagus.

All was silent for awhile, only the fire, now back to its normal colours, cracking quietly in the fireplace.

"Well that was quite unexpected." Xavier's voice cut the still air.

Harry felt Hermione move under his arm and face the bald professor.

"Hello to you too, Uncle." She smiled widely.

"'Mione." The old man's face lit up like a candle as he opened his arms.

Hermione's brow furrowed in, what Harry knew, was a fake frown. "How many times have I asked you, Uncle, not to call me that?" she asked putting her hands on her hips.

"An old man's memory is filled with holes, my dear." The professor's piercing gaze shifted to Harry. "Do I get a hug too, or are they only reserved for him?" he asked teasingly.

Hermione blushed but with a happy smile reached down and embraced the man she had known as long as he could remember. "I missed you, Uncle," she said quietly.

"Same here, dear, same here."

Harry looked away from the emotional reunion and looked around only to find the common room completely deserted with the exception of Jean, Logan, the professor, Hermione and himself. His shocked gaze met the redhead's green orbs. He could swear the room was full just seconds ago! Jean smiled and pointed at the Canadian who stood completely still, leaning against the door frame, a smug look on his face.

Harry walked up to Jean, who ruffled his hair lovingly. "That was quick," he observed.

Jean shrugged. "Hey, we're talking about Logan here. He's so scary they would run to the North Pole if he asked them nicely."

"I heard that, Red."

Jean laughed, pulling Harry in for a one-armed hug. "That was the point."

Harry laughed with her, finally feeling absolutely complete.

"Your eyes have changed," Jean said suddenly.

"What?"

"Your eyes."

"Red's right. They did change," Logan agreed, suddenly appearing beside them. "They're deeper…"

"…but lighter," Jean finished, nodding solemnly.

"What are you talking about?" Harry looked at them puzzled.

"I'm afraid they're right, Harry." The raven haired man turned to see Professor Xavier and Hermione coming toward them. "They seem to burn and sparkle at the same time, do they not, dear?" The old man turned to Hermione who stood beside him looking quietly at the floor.

"That's how they look when he's really, truly happy." She met Harry's curious gaze and blushed lightly. "He had that look only twice. Once when Sirius asked him to stay with him in our third year, and the second time was when we came back to Hogwarts in our second year. Those were the only two times I saw him this happy."

Harry stood stunned for a moment before composing himself and giving a retort of his own.

"And you had that look in our first year, the first time you saw the Hogwarts Library, and in the fifth year when you got your prefect badge," he said crossing his arms over his chest and smiling at her.

Hermione smiled back lightly and looked back at the floor. "True," she said quietly.

"Well, you two seem to know each other quite well." Xavier decided, moving to the side.

"I wonder just how well," Logan muttered under his breath loud enough for everybody to hear. Harry and Hermione blushed and Jean swatted him on the arm. "Ouch, Red! If you keep on hitting me like that I won't be able to carry you around!" the Canadian complained, a fake frown on his brow.

It was Jean's time to blush lightly, before she swatted him again. "First of all, you don't need to carry me around, and second of all, you deserve it." Suddenly a devilish smiled bloomed on her face.

"Ohhhh, I don't like that smile. Whatever it is, it's not my fault." Logan raised his hands and began backing away from the redhead.

"If I remember correctly you, my dear friend, have a date with a snow mountain for that trick you pulled on me earlier." Her voice was laced with self satisfaction.

"Oh, c'mon Red. I thought we put that behind us." Logan's back hit the wall.

"Well, think again," Jean said, with a downright scary grin and suddenly Logan was hanging upside down, his jacket over his head.

"That's unfair, Red!" He moaned as she levitated him to the entrance. "You're using magic!"

"And you were using brute force this morning," she reminded him. On her way out she stopped by Harry and dropped a kiss on his forehead.

"Sweet dreams," she whispered, smiling at him lovingly.

"G' night, Mom," he replied just as quietly earning a shocked look from Hermione.

"G' night, Pup." Logan's voice was muffled by the jacket hanging over his head.

"Night."

Jean gave him one more smile before turning to her prisoner, the same wicked smile on her face. "And as for you…"

All three people present in the room only heard a moan of disapproval and the click of the closing front doors. Harry and the professor exchanged glances and sniggered.

"That man will never learn." Xavier shook his head.

"Never," Harry agreed. He looked at Hermione and his smile dropped a bit. She looked worried and a bit sad. "Don't worry, Hermione." He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "D… I mean, Logan will be more than fine, even in this weather."

She looked at him and his smile disappeared completely. Her brown orbs were filled with sadness, worry and subtle anger.

"Hermione?" Harry put both his hands on her shoulders, trying to make her look straight at him. He vaguely registered that the professor left the room. When she refused to look at him he gently put a finger under her chin and pressed up. Unwillingly she turned her gaze to him and he saw the same emotions he saw just moments ago.

"Hey, Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked, his almost frantic concern showing in his voice. What came next knocked the wind out of him.

"You're planning on staying here, aren't you?" she asked, her voice quiet, filled with sorrow, accusation and fear. When she didn't get an answer she soldiered on. "You are. You want to stay here with Professor Grey and Mister Logan and everyone. You don't want to come back to Hogwarts. You like it here better." She sniffed and moved away from the stunned young man before her.

It took Harry a moment to process what Hermione just said but when he finally did he burst out laughing. "Oh, you silly, silly girl." He laughed, pulling her in for a hug. He felt her stiffen against his touch but held on. "Where on earth did you get that idea from?!" He shook his head and pulled her closer and this time she didn't protest. She all but glued herself to his torso, hiding her quickly reddening face in his chest.

"The way you behave around Professor Grey and the others… I just figured… I mean, you look so happy…" she mumbled hiding even deeper from his curious eyes.

Harry sighed and pried her gently away from his frame, taking her face in his hands, ignoring the familiar tingling, and looked right into her brown orbs.

"I am. I mean I'm happy here, but even more so now that you are with me. You have no idea how hard it was for me sometimes without you and Ron. I found a home here but …" He pressed on when he saw her eyes drop. "… I never, ever, forgot about any of the things I left behind. Hogwarts is as much my home as this place and I'm coming back anyways." He met her shocked eyes with a smile.

"You are?" she breathed.

"Yes, I am."

"When?"

Harry shrugged. "In a few weeks. I have to finish my training with Jean and Logan but after that I'm at Hogwarts 'round the clock, maybe except some weekends, till the end of the school year."

Her eyes sparkled like a thousand diamonds for a moment, but then dulled away again.

Harry frowned. "What's the problem now?"

Hermione turned her face away hiding it behind a curtain of her curly chestnut hair. "What about Professor Grey and Mister Logan?"

Harry shrugged again. "Jean's coming anyway, I mean, she is the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and Logan will probably pop in from time to time just to see her." He rolled his eyes at the last statement.

"They're a couple, right?" Hermione asked gently.

Harry laughed, put an arm around her and winked. "They say no, we say yes."

Hermione laughed with him as they walked back to the first floor. Harry stopped in front of the guest room doors and turned to his best friend. "This is your stop. Your things are probably already inside. If there's anything you need my door is on the second floor, at the very end of the corridor, on the right."

Hermione nodded and looked up at him, clearly wanting to say something but deciding against it and settling for a soft "Good night".

"Good night, Hermione."

Just before she vanished behind the doors Harry caught her hand in his and turned her around. "Thank you," he said in a low, husky voice.

He could see the decision suddenly flare in her eyes, as she leaned closer and planted a quick kiss on his cheek, effectively stopping his heart.

"Thank you, Harry. Good night." She gave him a quick smile and vanished behind the doors.

"G' night." Harry whispered into the silence and turned to go to his own room.

Neither of them noticed a man and a woman, dripping wet from the snow, standing on the stairs, with knowing smiles on their faces.

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A/N:

Hey everyone!

Long time no see! I shall skip the platitudes for you all know just how sorry I am about keeping you in the darkness for so long.

For a start I got just a few quick notes about this chapter. First off about what Jean said, the part by number (1), the answer is, no she can't. She was just teasing him.

Second off when Harry say's "they say no, we say yes" I mean that every one believes that there is something going on between them, BUT, MIND YOU, THERE ISN'T!!! Not like you think and not yet. Jean is still with Scott, no she is not cheating, she's just shearing a strong bond with Logan. I know it looks strange but just bear with me.

About Hermione being Xavier's niece, well you'll just have to wait and read the next chapter. ;-)

Oh, and please don't ask me why Hermione hadn't spotted Harmony. I'll explain later.

This chapter sort of came out long but don't expect all my chapters to be this long.

I'd like to thank all the reviewers, past, present and future for leaving so many reviews. I love it! ;-D

As always the humblest thanks to my beta, without whom this fic wouldn't be readable. Thank you so much Dreamer4! You're the best!

If you have any question what so ever just send a review or a message and I'll try to get back to you.

Till the next time and all the best

Lunaris Eques

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