Harry Potter:Diamond Heart.

'I did, didn't I?' Harry remembered, frowning. 'Might as well get it over and done with, then.'

He dragged himself reluctantly out of his chair, offering Katie a hand to get back to her feet from where he had unceremoniously shoved her.

'Such a gentleman,' she laughed, pulling herself up.

'I try,' Harry nodded magnanimously. 'So what's the DA doing today?'

'Neville promised everyone that today would be the Patronus Charm. Hermione looked quite excited by it,' Katie embellished. 'There are going to be questions.'

'I'm sure there will be,' Harry remarked dryly. 'The Patronus Charm is a light spell, how are you able to cast it if you're a dark wizard?' Harry mimicked the squeaky voice of Dennis Creevey, the even smaller, more annoying version of Colin, who, unlike his older brother was almost as scared of Harry as he was of Katie.

Katie laughed, and dragged him towards the portrait, still holding his hand. Harry slipped it free to go first though the passageway.

'Harry.' He started slightly, Ginny's voice had come from right next to his ear.

'Ginny?' He hadn't spoken to her in a long time.

'I was wondering about something,' the red -head began. She was twisting her fingers round one another anxiously and Harry's stomach began to sink in expectation. Katie stepped out of the passage into his back, pushing him forwards.

'Ow,' she remarked, rubbing her chin from where it had hit his shoulder.

'I was wondering if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade on the next weekend,' she blurted.

'We talked about this Ginny,' he sighed. 'I'm sorry, I can't.'

'You can't or you don't want to?' Ginny demanded, a little of her hope still lingered for the slight chance that he was busy and might come with her on another occasion.

'Both,' Harry replied gently. 'I don't want to keep leading you on.' 'Then why can't you go?' Ginny asked, throwing a glance past him at Katie who was hovering awkwardly off to one side looking very much like she wanted to be anywhere else but here.

Harry couldn't find an answer. He could hardly tell her about Fleur, but there didn't seem to a lie that fitted.

'He's busy,' Katie spoke up, saving him.

'Oh.' Something flickered in the red-head's eyes as she glanced between them. 'I see. I just had to ask, Harry. I promised myself that I'd ask one more time and if you said no then I'd move on.'

Harry knew he should say something to make her feel better, but he had no idea what. If Fleur had not returned his feelings there wouldn't be any words that would make him feel better. He opened and closed his mouth slightly several times, absent-mindedly watching a spot of blue crawling along the girl's shoulder.

'There are plenty of guys who would be lucky to be with you,' Katie told her, saving Harry once more.

'Just not the one I want,' Ginny answered, her tone slightly cool. 'I'll see you at the meeting, Harry,' she added, more warmly, spinning away on her heel in swirl of red hair. The spot of blue was brushed off her shoulder over the balustrade onto the stairs below.

'That could have gone worse,' Harry decided after a moment.

'It could have gone better too,' Katie commented softly. 'Did you see how she looked at us?' Harry raised an eyebrow questioningly. 'She thinks the reason you can't go with her is me,' Katie explained. 'Oh,' Harry breathed.

'Exactly,' Katie agreed.

'Do you think she'll tell anyone?' Harry asked, more in hope than anything.

'Will she talk to her friends about why she's upset over you turning her down?'

'Well when you phrase it like that…' Harry trailed off. 'Everyone's going to believe it, aren't they?'

'Most likely.' Katie didn't seem too put out by it. In fact she seemed to find it more amusing than anything else. Harry supposed since they both knew it wasn't true and didn't want it to be that it was sort of funny, or at least it would be as long as Fleur didn't find out and jump to conclusions.

'I'll tell her we aren't together at the DA meeting,' Harry decided, belatedly following Ginny up towards the Room of Requirement. He wasn't risking Fleur misunderstanding what had happened.

'What will you tell her when she asks why you're busy? You aren't going to tell her about Fleur, are you?' Katie bounced after him, catching his arm to pull him back alongside her.

'I won't tell anyone about Fleur who doesn't already know,' Harry explained. 'I guess I just won't answer.'

'She won't believe you.'

'It isn't her I'm worried about believing me,' Harry reminded her. 'It's Fleur hearing about it that concerns me.'

'You could always swear an unbreakable vow,' Katie suggested lightly. 'I might have to,' Harry agreed. 'I'd rather do that than have her misunderstand.'

'You'd rather permanently bind your life and your magic than have her upset at you?' Katie was staring at him, a small smile playing around the corners of her mouth.

This time he did flush, realising he might have given away more of his feelings than he meant to, and looked away to admire the worst tapestry in all of Hogwarts.

'That's so sweet of you,' Katie sighed. 'I'm such a lucky a girl,' she giggled.

'Don't say things like that where other people can hear,' Harry pleaded. 'It stops being funny when important people think it's true.'

'They'll forget about it in a few weeks. I'll just have to look particularly insulted every time someone asks whether we're together.'

'Whatever it takes,' Harry agreed, glancing up and down the corridor, then opening the door.

'Ah, the teacher arrives,' Cedric announced. 'Neville was beginning to fear you weren't coming.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ready to lose yourself in an epic tale? Download the full PDF now and start reading from page one!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

https://fictiontopia.tiendup.com/