Chapter 17

Location: Cullen's Residence

Harry looked around to take in the tastefully decorated room; with shelves upon shelves of Books and Music CDS clattering one wall, to the floor to ceiling glass window that covered another. "Is this your room?" she asked.

"Yes." He replied, softly.

"It's beautiful," Harry acknowledged before turning to look back at him, "So, do you want to ask some more questions before I start?"

"I have about a thousand questions I want to ask you, Harry. Maybe later, though." Edward replied, with a small smile.

"Okay then. Let's get to the point. Earlier when I was asked about my motives, regarding why I decided to share my secrets with your clan, I could only tell you a part of the reason. I would like to share with you my primary motive, now."

Edward looked curious.

"I've known your clan for a year and a half. And as I've already acknowledged, during this time, you have truly gained my respect and admiration. But it's you, who truly motivated me to bridge this gap between us. As of now, you've already risked exposure to save me twice. How can I, keep my secrets to myself, when you've already proved that you hold me above your own?"

Harry took a deep breath, preparing for whatever is to come. Come on Harry! You're a Gryffindor! Act like it!

"I would like to court you," Harry said, in the next breath, looking at Edward nervously.

Edward stared blankly at her for a moment, before straightening his posture, "Courting? Does that mean the same thing that I think it does?"

"Like I said, we follow some old traditions and courtship is a part of it. My godfather raised me with those ideals once he knew I would have to take the mantle of 'Head of the House'."

"… Why me?" Edward said, running a hand through his messy hair.

Harry smiled, "Why you? Because… You are intelligent. You are humorous. You are talented. You care about me. I trust you. I love how easy it is to talk to you. And I want to… I want to know more about you. I want to learn your likes, dislikes and habits. Simply put… I'd like to give 'us' a try."

"But…" Edward stopped, before starting again, "I do care about you, Harry. And that is why I cannot allow this to proceed. You're beautiful, inside and out. I'm not, I'm a monster. And I don't want to hurt you, Harry. You know I'm physically stronger than you, and…. No… I can't take that risk to fulfill my own selfish motives… I don't deserve you." He said the last part turning away from her.

Harry sighed. Walking forward, she encircled his wrist with her hand, before tugging it gently to pull him towards the staircase. Edward frowned, but followed her, silently. Getting downstairs, she started walking towards the front door, before continuing onward. She reached the forest surrounding his house and only then, released his wrist from her grasp. Edward stayed silent, mildly confused but largely curious.

Harry walked ten steps away from him before turning back around to face him. She grinned at his confused expression, before her expression turned into a smirk. "Okay then, try to incapacitate me." She said, her wand sliding in her hand.

She was aware that they were not alone. She could sense the Cullen family watching them from the house.

Edward's expression turned wary, but there was a determined glint in his eyes. He slowly took a step happened. He took the next step, and suddenly, encountered an invisible barrier. He felt around, touching the invisible wall. He tried pushing at it, but the wall did not budge. Pulling his hand back, he punched the wall. But, it still didn't give way; rather the wall seemed to fold around his fist like an elastic.

"Come on, Edward. You are stronger than me, physically, you should be able to incapacitate me." Harry taunted lightly. Edward felt a small smile tug at his lips. He ran back a few paces and turned around to face Harry. Giving her a light smirk of his own, he ran at full speed towards her; hoping that the barrier will shatter with the force of his momentum. He felt strangely satisfied when the barrier threw him back with the same speed with which he had rammed into it. Harry waited at the center, twirling her wand in her hand. For the next three minutes, he tried every method that he could think of. Throwing himself at it did not work. Trying to jump directly on top of Harry did not work. What was strange was that the barrier specifically only kept him outside. Wind, even stones and sticks passed through it, easily.

"What if I throw a stone to knock you out?" Edward asked.

"Well, if it hits me, I'll definitely fall unconscious. Might bleed profusely, but, you still won't be able to get to me." Harry replied.

Edward narrowed his eyes.

Hmm... Time to change my tactics. "Fine, come at me, again." Harry said, she closed her eyes and expanded her magical senses. She may not be fast enough to see Edward with her eyes, but she could follow his aura in her mind. She carefully removed the magical barrier, then. As soon as he felt the wall vanish, Edward ran towards her at a human pace. Too Easy. Harry slashed her wand in his direction and sensed as the spell knocked Edward back into some trees. He came at her again, faster this time. Harry smiled, again shooting a mild blasting hex from her wand; sending Edward crashing into a boulder, shattering it. She felt him get up. This time, he paused for a few seconds before running at her at his true speed.

He reached Harry and wrapped his arms around her in an iron grasp. "Caught you," he whispered softly in her ears. Harry created a small isolation barrier between her and Edward. "Did you?" she whispered back and vanished with a pop. Reappearing a few paces in front of him again, Harry grinned at the shock displayed on Edward's face, as he stared at his empty hands. "Do you give up? Or will you try again?" she asked, tauntingly. Edward looked up, a small grin stretching his face.

He ran towards her again, holding her in the same position, "I'll keep trying to catch you, till you get tired." Harry grinned, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Alright then, try to get me again." Harry said; apparating once more, before shooting an 'immoblulus' at Edward. And just like that, Edward felt his body stiffen; turning to stone. He struggled to move his limbs, tried to speak… and, nothing moved. The only part of himself he could control, were his eyes; which locked onto a pair of fiery emerald green ones.

Harry gave him a small smile, as she walked closer. "So, you see, I can defend myself. I've been doing so for as long as I remember. Then again, during all of this, I gave you so many opportunities to truly hurt me, Edward. Not once, did you try to take advantage of such an opportunity. You were clear with your motives. You were careful." Harry said, releasing the hold of her spell over Edward. "Don't you dare call yourself a monster. I've seen monsters. I've seen evil. And you're not it, you're not even close. So, let me be the judge of who deserves to be with me!" she continued. I have had enough people in my life trying to dictate my actions! "I just want to know one thing, do you find me interesting enough to try and give 'us' a chance. If not, then I promise not to bother you. Do not feel obligated to answer positively. If you want time to think this through, well… I can wait." she said softly, closing her eyes.

Edward felt a torrid of emotions at that moment: Admiration, excitement, attraction, exhilaration, joy, curiosity; but most importantly, he felt hope. Feeling a helpless smile take over his face, he slowly raised his hands to cradle Harry's face and tilt it upwards to meet his own.

Bending his head down, he pressed his lips to hers, softly. Harry sighed into the kiss, feeling her magic go wild, running through them, like a current. The kiss was chaste; but still, it felt like it had lasted a millennium; a millennium that wasn't long enough, ironically. Raising her hands, she encircled Edward into her arms, before resting her head on his chest. "Typical," Harry said in a breathless voice, "I just had to throw my intended into some trees, and rocks; make him helpless with my magic; before he agreed to court me." She said, ending with a chuckle, which turned into full tinkering laughter when Edward joined her with his own chuckle.

I hope I'm doing the right thing, Sirius. For once, I'm going to do what you have always asked of me. I'm going to follow my heart.

A/N: Aww! They kissed! Yayyee! This chapter was difficult to write. I hope I've done it some justice. Let me know if you liked it! 3