By My Side

Chapter Three.

The first three weeks of term passed in the blink of an eye for Harry. Only two incidents marred those weeks, the first being a run-in with Cho Chang. Harry had asked her if she had a nice summer, as his stuttering mind couldn't think of anything else to say. She had stared at him for a moment, then her bottom lip began to shake and she burst into a fit of tears. She had streamed out of the room and her friends sent Harry death glares before following her. Everyone in the library stared for a second, so Harry got up and left himself, telling his friends he would be back in Gryffindor Tower if they needed him. He hadn't got four paces down the corridor before Eve, seeming to understand how he was feeling, ran after him and caught him in a re-assuring hug. For a second, Harry had been startled, but he eventually relaxed into her arms and returned his arms around her waist. She whispered 'it'll be okay' into his ear, and he felt tears prickle the backs of his eyes. 'It's not your fault, she's just upset.' Eve had gone on, and Harry knew that as warm and comforting as her embrace was, he had to get away before his mental dam broke and his emotions about the whole Cho thing rushed forward like a tidal wave.

"Thanks." He had muttered, before pulling away and striding somewhat purposefully away. Eve had watched his retreating back feeling sad for the boy who had accepted her into his life with such ease and welcome.

The second incident took place not long after they received their school timetables, at their very first potions lesson of the fifth year. Harry, Eve, Hermione and Ron had walked into potions laughing at something Seamus had told them at breakfast. Their smiles, however, faded immediately.

"Sit!" Snape commanded them, "You're late, ten points from Gryffindor." Eve looked as though she was about to respond, until Harry put his hand on hers and pushed her down into her seat next to him. Eve had looked away, clearly fuming.

The lesson had gone from bad to worse when they had been told about the extensive assignments that would be set for them over the coming year in preparation for the O.W.Ls. With each command Snape had given them and wrote on the board, Eve would whisper to Harry,

"Fat chance." "Huh, who does he think he is?" and "Well, if he thinks I'm handing that in on time he's got another thing coming." Harry had found Eve's commentary hysterical, and made himself a mental note to sit next to her in every potions lesson from now on to relieve himself of the Snape injustice.

It was at the end of the lesson that things struck a final dreadful chord, as everyone was cleaning up.

"I see you've got a new number one fan Potty, how does it feel?"

Harry turned to glare into the cold, grey eyes of Draco Malfoy.

"Push off Malfoy, unless you want to be hexed to Hogsmeade and back."

"Or is she the girlfriend?" Draco laughed coldly. "Took you long enough, I must say Potter."

"What's it got to do with you?" Eve asked, standing in front of Harry before he had a chance to retort. Harry, from his excellent viewing place, caught the glance Draco cast up and down Eve before he went on. He was clearly put off by her sudden presence, and took a moment to recover his spiteful line of questioning.

"How is The Boy Who Lived in bed then?" He drawled.

"He's just great actually." Eve smiled. Snape was in his office at this point, and didn't hear when Eve lowered her voice and drawled with more than a little seduction, "Makes me scream the place down."

There was a little shock for everyone at this comment. Only Eve held her own. Her eyes continued to burrow straight into Malfoy's. He blinked a few times in amazement, then shut his mouth, which had fallen open at the end of Eve's last comment. Hermione, behind Harry, was grinning at her new friend. This was a side of Eve that was new to everyone, but from staying with Eve over the summer, Hermione knew how clever and controlled Eve could be. She also knew she had a sharp mind, and was glad Eve had stepped in between Malfoy and Harry when she did.

Draco Malfoy was about to come back with a feeble retort when Snape bellowed,

"What's going on here?" He pushed his way between the pupils as if going to the scene of a fight, but all he found was Eve smiling at his favourite pupil.

"Just making some new friends Mr Snape Sir." Eve said in her most pleasant voice. "It was a wonderful lesson by the way, I can see its going to be one of my favourites." There was a note of sarcasm in her voice which brought a smile to Ron's face, but Snape simply glowered at her.

"Go to your next lessons." He shouted, "Everyone! out!"

"Pleasure." Eve spat, picking up her bag and dragging Harry from the room. She could feel Professor Snape's eyes boring in the back of her head, and when out in the corridor, her whole body erupted in laughter.

"Who was that guy?" She asked, meaning Malfoy.

"Draco Malfoy." Harry said, and Eve froze dead in her tracks,

"I just pissed off the son of a Death Eater?" All eyes turned to her. "Whew!" She smiled, resuming her walk, "I sure know how to start the year!"

*******

With each passing week, Defence Against The Dark Arts became easily Harry's favourite subject. Not only was Professor Lupin a brilliant teacher, Harry was also enjoying having Eve beside him more and more. She had a running patter with her father, asking him difficult questions at the most inappropriate times and making the Professor laugh when things were supposed to be serious. Although the lesson was definitely the most important one they had now that Voldemort was returned to full power, there was a light air in the room.

"Why can't we just hex the boggart silly Professor?" Eve asked, eyeing her father mischievously.

"Because I expect it would hex you back Eve." Remus Lupin enjoyed nothing more than talking to his daughter. He considered her a genius in many ways, but easily her best talent was making people laugh, as she was doing now.

"How about if I hexed it then pushed it over, to confuse it, like?"

"I'll hex you and push you over if you aren't careful Evelyn." Remus laughed. "Is your sole intent here to disrupt my lesson?"

"I'd say so, yeah." Eve nodded.

"And what about if you ever need defence against the dark arts?"

"Oh, don't worry about that daddy." Eve waved her hand, "I'll just stand behind Harry. You'll protect me, won't you Haz?" With her innocent eyes upon him, Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"Course I will Eve." He didn't say, but after only a few short weeks with the girl beside him, he knew he would protect her with his life.

"Great." She said, "I'm set then, don't know about you lot!" Eve sat back in her chair and laughed to the ceiling. "Well go on then!" She said when she saw everyone smiling at her, "You'd better bloody listen, if you've got no one to stand behind!"

"Evelyn!" Remus said in a warning voice, "Language!" He turned back to the blackboard and Eve returned to her note-taking.

At the end of the lesson, when everyone else was getting their things and going, Eve motioned to her friends to go on without her.

"How you feeling dad?" She asked, lugging herself up on her father's old oak desk. He had his back to her, cleaning the blackboard.

"Alright, actually, Severus popped me in some more Wolfsbane potion this morning, so hopefully this month should be pretty uneventful."

"I'll miss you." Eve said honestly, looking at the way her father made sure everything was done miraculously before moving on to his next task. Ever since she was s little girl, she loved to watch the way her father worked, taking in every careful motion and action.

"As I will miss you my dear." He now turned on her with a smile, "But you'll have all this homework," He motioned to her spare parchments, "To keep you busy."

"Hmmm," Eve grumbled. "I guess I will." Tonight was full moon, and for the next three days, Eve knew well the pain and anguish her father would go through.

"Keep your head down." He said sensitively, touching his daughter's hair in a gentle, familiar way. "Don't let petty people bother you. Has Malfoy been giving you trouble?"

"No, no!" Eve shook her head. She didn't want any more worry to add to the lot her father already had. "I can handle him, he seems tough, but he's not."

"Eve." Remus cautioned, "You know how powerful his father is, don't let yourself get caught up in it all, okay?" When her father's eyes were upon her, Eve would do anything to make the smile she knew so well appear on his face.

"Okay dad, you got me." Remus Lupin drew his only child into his arms. He was proud of her strength and head-strong attitude, knew that she would survive alone in the world, and never give him a worry, but he couldn't account for others, others as evil as the Malfoys, and he didn't want anyone with a grudge against the most precious thing in his life.

"Best not come down to say goodnight tonight." Remus said, and immediately saw the hurt flare in Eve's eyes. "It might be dangerous. Stay with Harry, Ron and Hermione. I'm sure you could do with a little extra chess practise." Within a second, all hurt had gone as Eve hit her father playfully.

"Oi! I don't need any practise, you do!"

"You wish!" Remus was glad things had settled. "Now get off, Hermione and the others will be waiting."

"Okay." Eve jumped down from the desk. "I'll see you in a few days."

"Bye sweetheart. Remember, keep out of trouble!" Remus shouted as Eve left. She simply waved and ploughed on into the corridors. Remus smiled at her retreating back and shook his head. Somehow, he severely doubted Eve would ever keep out of trouble.

*******

At dinner that evening, Professor Lupin's seat at the high table was empty. It seemed everyone noticed, and put two and two together. People were looking at Eve strangely, as if expecting her to change into a werewolf at any moment.

"Oh." Eve sighed, "I do hate this time of the month."

"I'm sure he'll be okay Eve." Hermione put her hand on Eve's across the dinner table and Eve looked up. Both her and Hermione had finished their evening meal and Eve had an idea.

"Do you fancy a walk around the grounds, Herm?"

"Yeah, okay, let's go." Hermione stood up and Harry and Ron looked up expectantly. They were hoping for an invitation, but Hermione left them both clear of where they stood when she said, "Ron, could you take my text book up to Gryffindor tower when you go? thanks." She smiled sweetly at Ron, then grinned at Eve, and they both left the table.

"Huh! girls!" Ron shook his head, talking through a mouthful of food. Harry was glad Hermione wasn't there to scold Ron for this action. "Probably going outside for more 'girl talk'."

"Bothers you, doesn't it?" Harry asked with a laugh.

"Well, yeah, of course it does. I want to know what they're saying about me!"

"Who says they're talking about you?" Harry asked, putting a carrot and potato chunk in his mouth.

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it? I mean, girls talk about boys, and we're the boys in their lives!"

"Ha!" Harry laughed, "You don't know, they could be talking about Seamus, or Dean, or even George and Fred!"

"Huh! typical that they would get the girl I like!" Ron stopped, a fork full of food on its way to his mouth. He realised what he had said and blushed red. "I mean -"

"It's alright Ron." Harry chuckled. "I mean, it's really obvious."

"It is?" Ron asked, his voice low.

"Yeah. Although I'm not sure if 'Mione has noticed."

"Well, good!" Ron huffed. "Oh, and it's pretty obvious that you like Eve too."

"I don't like Eve!" Harry stopped, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Oh come on Harry!" Ron laughed, "You go all happy when she's around."

"I so don't." Harry said grumpily, looking back down at his food. Ron chuckled to himself. Harry wondered if Ron knew about the dreams he'd been having. He knew that sometimes during his nightmares he shouted out, Ron had told him that, but he wondered if the same went for the dreams he had about Eve, which were getting more and more sexual with each night. He often woke up sweating, and always aroused. It embarrassed him slightly, and would be devastated if Ron ever found out.

******

"It's been busy, hasn't it?" Hermione asked, her arm linked through her friends as they walked in-step down the stone steps of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Hmm," Eve mused, "It's flown by."

"So what lesson do you like most?"

"I'd say........divination, simply because it's so funny." Hermione laughed.

"I quit that, walked out and everyone stared."

"Hmm, I might too, but only after hearing Professor Trelawny predict my love-child with Harry a few more times."

"She said that?!" Hermione asked, shocked.

"Oh yes." Eve sighed, "That's only half of it. She said that our off-spring, Harry's and mine, would conquer the world, and survive many disasters, only then to be mowed down shamelessly by a horseless carriage when driving through Hogsmeade."

Hermione laughed, "Oh well, at least Harry's staying alive long enough to have kids, she was always predicting his untimely death."

"He looked quite horrified though," Eve said in almost a whisper, looking away from Hermione and down at their feet as they walked, "To think he would be having children with me."

"Oh!" Hermione pulled her friend closer, "I'm sure he didn't mean it like that Eve. I'm sure he likes you, I'm almost positive of it."

It was beginning to grow dark now, and the moon was out. The two girls walked along in silence, down to the lake and up around to the Quidditch pitch. Eve was contemplating many things, like how her father was doing right now, but mostly about Harry.

She found her feelings to him were always more than just friends. Eve had few friends when she lived at home with her Gran and her dad, and none of them were boys. In fact, boys were pretty alien creatures, but from the moment she had seen Harry Potter standing on Platform 9 3/4 with his unruly hair and sweet green eyes, she had been sure he was the only man for her - ever. She had, of course, acted like she was calm and composed, but she had made up some silly line about needing to find her father, hoping none of the students saw her talking to him a moment earlier.

At first Eve was shocked at how much Harry looked like the photos she had seen of James. Hermione had warned her during the summer that Harry was growing, getting better looking, she had told her that now many girls found him the object of their attention, and in a way, Eve had known then, that she might feel something for this boy she classed as an old friend.

She knew of the history between her and Harry, he did not. She had been told many tales by her Grandmother of how she and The Boy Who Lived would sit in the garden together and share toys. When she was twelve she learned of the hazy summer afternoons when Lily would bring Harry round to the house and after crawling on the floor after each other, their mothers would place them on the sofa and they would fall asleep beside each other.

These were memories that Eve wanted to tell Harry, but she wasn't quite sure how to approach it, didn't want to sound fascinated with him in any way. She was of course, fascinated with him, but not because he saved Voldemort's attack that fateful Halloween, No, Eve was fascinated with Harry because she liked the way his jeans fitted loosely around his slim waist, toned by Quidditch and duelling. She wanted to run her hands through that raven mess of hair, try to calm it under her fingers and wondered if it would feel as silky as it looked. She wanted to remove those glasses and look into his eyes, famous eyes that he inherited from Lily, the woman she knew was so kind to her when she was young. Eve felt that if she could figure out what went on behind those beautiful, bewitching green eyes, then maybe she could understand what made Harry so deeply shattered, and try to put it right.

Hermione knew Eve had feelings for her best friend, she knew that Eve felt attached to Harry in some way, but she was scared for her, because Hermione wasn't sure if Harry was ready for anything more than friends at the moment. She knew that Harry was faster with his feelings than Ron (she had learnt how slow Ron was the hard way) but Hermione knew the depth of emotions that ran through Harry, guilt, anger, confusion, ambition, and she wasn't sure if adding 'love' to that equation would do her friend more harm than good.

"What are you thinking?" Hermione asked Eve quietly.

"Oh, you know......" Eve answered vaguely after a few moments of more quiet thought.

"Animal, vegetable, or mineral?" Hermione smiled. Eve laughed deeply for a few seconds and clung to the girl beside her tighter.

"Animal." She answered, figuring that it was about right for her thoughts. Her father was probably that right now...animal, and sometimes her thoughts for Harry could get pretty animal indeed. Eve grinned to herself and blushed.

"Had I best not ask?" Hermione laughed, seeing the blush.

"Oh! Herm! he's so complicated, isn't he?" Their walk slowed as they reached the Quidditch pitch and saw a number of people flying in the distance.

"He doesn't have to be." Hermione said reasonably. "You know, I think you and him need a good talk."

"Hmm, but he sees me as a friend, and I like that, I don't want to go and ruin anything. Gran always used to say that if it wasn't broken, don't fix it."

"And she was right." Hermione intoned quickly, stopping and facing Eve, who wore a tired expression. "You know, maybe time will tell, maybe Harry will get a clue one day." The two friends grinned at each other, then Eve looked over Hermione's shoulder and groaned.

"Oh no...." Was all she managed to say before Hermione turned round and saw a very angry looking Draco Malfoy storm towards them.

"Spying on our Quidditch practise are you?" He thundered, "Going back to report to Potty and Weasel?"

"Oh shut up Malfoy!" Hermione shook her head, pulling Eve in the opposite direction.

"Just get lost, the both of you!" Draco called.

"Huh!" Eve muttered, then had a thought and stopped Hermione. She turned to face Draco and the first thing she thought was how damn good he looked in his flowing green robes. She passed the thought off as soon as it came.

"You know, Draco, you have a huge chip on your shoulder." Eve began walking quietly towards the Slytherin seeker. Hermione stayed at a distance, her hand in her robes pocket, clutched tightly around her wand so that she could strike Malfoy at any moment in case he hurt Eve.

Draco was taken aback momentarily, by the use of his first name, but to look at him you would never have guessed, as the smug, self-righteous mask he wore stayed in place.

"Aren't you supposed to be in doors Lupin? wouldn't want to get caught in the moonlight, now would we?"

"Wondered how long it would take you to insult me about my father." Eve said naturally, coming to rest inches away from Draco. She would smell a slight trace of sweat, he had obviously been flying a long time and looked weary.

"Wondered how long it would take you to snare The Boy Who Lived." Draco threw back without a second's silence.

"Haven't you got anything better to do than pick on defenceless girls?" Eve asked, adding a slight purr to her voice and batting her eyelids slightly. She knew her body language was changing, but she wasn't sure if she was in complete control of it.

"Defenceless? huh! I don't think so. Granger probably has her wand trained on me right now!" Draco hissed.

"Probably." Eve smiled, and let out a genuine hearty laugh. For a second, she thought she saw a smile play at Draco's lips, then he looked back up to his team-mates and took on an impatient stance.

"Well off you go then!" He said, batting his hand towards the castle. "Otherwise you'll have your little friends out here looking for you!"

"Well at least someone would come look for me." Eve said in an almost snarl, all her previous joviality gone, "No one I know would piss on you if you were on fire Draco." With that, Eve turned her back on the boy and strode toward Hermione. Eve still had a smile on her face from the way she had spat out the boy's name like it was dirt. She refused to call him by his surname, as her friends did. The reason for that, she was not sure of, but she knew it was because not all of her feelings for the blonde boy were hateful.

"Merlin, he's an arsehole!" Eve smiled as she linked Hermione once more and they continued up to the castle.

"Made you forget about Harry for a moment though, didn't he?" Hermione laughed.

"Yeah, I guess." Eve smiled. They spent the rest of the journey in silence, gazing at the stars listening to the sound of the grass crunch beneath their feet. Eve longed for Spring again, with the smell of freshly cut grass and the first signs of sun after a long hard winter. Full moons always seemed to pass more quickly in Spring, and Eve knew it was because she felt like she was waking up from something. Right now though, as they approached October, Eve felt things slipping into a void, as apposed to wakening from one.

*****

Draco Malfoy prided himself on having complete restraint.

He knew that he could make most of the girls in the Slytherin common room want him if he so desired. All her had to do was walk through from the showers in only a towel and conversations would stop, heads would turn and mouths would fall open.

Yes, he knew he was good looking.

However, he himself, didn't think many girls he knew were equally as good looking.

That was, until now.

Evelyn Lupin had flounced into his life like butterfly. She had landed on his shoulder when he least suspected it and showed him her beautiful coloured symmetrical wings, turning his own head.

In fact, since she had arrived at the school and they had had their first meeting in the potions classroom, the house-elves were getting more and more annoyed with him, having to change his sheets every morning as a result of the sordid dreams he had found himself in the middle of. He tried to wake up before he made a mess all over everywhere again but each time Eve would appear and kiss him, or something more, and he was finished.

"Stupid girl." He muttered to himself later that night, trying hard to concentrate on his Transfiguration homework. He had to write an essay about why it was so difficult to change water into wine. He knew why it would be difficult for him, he would probably be picturing Eve stripping slowly infront of him, but he couldn't say why anyone else would find it a task. Maybe they were all picturing her too.

"Draco?" Vincent Crabe stuck his head around the dormitory door.

"What?" Draco sighed, throwing down his quill and rubbing his eyes.

"Pansy wants to talk to you, shall I tell her to come in?"

Draco thought for a moment. Pansy was stupid, she fawned over him and was touchy-feely to say the least. However, hopefully it would take his mind from Eve, and distract him from Transfiguration.

"Yeah, yeah." Draco nodded. At this, Pansy pushed past Crabe and shut the door loudly behind her.

"Oh Draco!" She wined, climbing on his bed and crawling towards him. She plonked herself at his feet, and put her hands on his knees, which were drawn up to his chest. "What are you doing in here all alone?"

Draco and Pansy were certainly not an 'item'. In fact, Draco would hate nothing more. At best, Pansy was someone to takes out his sexual frustration on now and again. He didn't need her, but she had somehow got that idea in her head.

"Working Pansy, it has to be done." He shook his head at her stupidity, then she looked up at him with puppy-dog eyes.

"You're not angry at me are you Draco? what have I done?"

"Nothing." He sighed, "I'm not angry."

"I think you've been avoiding me." She whispered, trailing her finger down the inside of his thigh. Her hand then rested on his crotch. He was hard, and she smiled, thinking it was her doing, but of course, Draco knew different.

"Come here." He whispered huskily, and she obliged, pressing herself against him and drawing him into a passionate kiss.

As was common these days, Draco began to imagine the girl now on top of him was Eve. Oh God! He thought, She's the daughter of a werewolf! what am I thinking?

Telling himself to concentrate on Pansy, he slid his hands to her hips and began to grind himself against her. He was a professional at this. If there was one thing no one could better Draco Malfoy at, it was sex. He had made himself the best lover he could imagine, fawning over Pansy in their first sex sessions, doing anything and everything that made her moan for more. He had learnt quickly, and when it came to the other two girls he had dated, roumers spread quickly at how downright wonderful he was between the sheets.

Pansy began to strip him and he tried, he really tried, but he couldn't seem to keep his mind away from Eve.

"Stop! stop." He sighed, shrugging Pansy off.

"Wha-? Draco! what's wrong with you?" Pansy thundered, pulling her jumper straight and buttoning her trousers.

"Just leave me alone." Draco said, turning over, leaving his back to her. He didn't bother to replace his t-shirt that she had thrown on the floor.

"Draco, just tell me." Pansy said more gently, touching his naked shoulder.

"I said, get lost!" He shrugged her off as though her touch burned, then faced her with his best 'scary Malfoy' face. She looked hurt momentarily, then regained her best haughty Slytherin face and left, slamming the door behind her.

In the silence that followed, Draco kicked his school things off the bed and they landed nosily on the floor beside him.

"Argh!" He scolded himself angrily, lying on his back, facing the ceiling and running his hands through his blonde-white hair. "Get a grip!" He shouted, breathing raggedly.

"Draco, are you talking to yourself?" Crabe asked a second later, appearing at the door.

"FUCK OFF!" Draco shouted. This was enough to earn him no visitors for at least the next two hours.

******

At the other end of the castle, Eve was also sat in her bedroom. One of her favourite CDs was spinning on her bedside table, but the volume of Whoa Nelly by Nelly Furtado was relatively low for Eve. The reason for this was her new time schedule she had received from Professor McGonagall that afternoon. Because Eve had only had her Gran to teach her around eight subjects for the last four years, she was inevitably now playing catch-up. She was having to work in extra Transfiguration lessons as well as extra potions homeworks. Next week was the thing she dreaded most though, her first flying lesson. Deciding it was all too much, she stopped the CD and left for the common room.

"Thought you were working." Hermione frowned when Eve sat down.

"Oh, it's too much for my brain." Eve complained. Harry and Ron were pouring over Quidditch tactics, as the first Gryffindor Quidditch team practise was the next day. Ron was excited because at tomorrow's meeting the new team captain would be chosen, and he was hopeful for Harry.

"When's your first flying lesson?" Ron asked.

"Next week." Eve moaned, shutting her eyes. "I just know I'm going to be crap at it."

"Why would you be crap?" Hermione laughed, putting the large book she had been reading on the floor.

"Well," Eve grinned, "I can't be good at everything, can I?" Her three friends laughed. "Merlin, I'm starving."

"We could go and get something from the kitchen if you like." Harry volunteered, "I want to introduce you to Dobby anyway, I haven't seen him yet this year."

"Yeah, great!" Eve jumped up.

"We'll be back in a bit." Harry smiled to Ron and Hermione, mentally begging them both not to follow them, he wanted a chance to talk to Eve alone.

"Okay." Both friends said. Within seconds, Ron was teasing Hermione about the 'light' reading she had been doing, and they had both forgotten about Harry and Eve.

"Who's Dobby?" Eve asked when she stepped out of the Portrait Hole.

"A house-elf who made friends with me a few years ago." Harry explained.

"Aw! I love house-elves." Eve smiled, "They're so cute!"

"Did you ever have any?" Harry asked.

"Oh no!" Eve laughed, "Couldn't afford house-elves. Besides, we had dad to do the dishes!" Harry laughed too, then when a silence fell, he plucked up the courage to turn and grin at Eve.

"So," He said, "What do you think of the place so far?"

"Well, slightly scary." Eve admitted, "I mean, it's so big and ........ well, changeable."

"Hmm, been to the classroom that's only there on Tuesdays I take it?"

"'Fraid so." Eve smiled.

"It's like home to me." Harry said quietly.

"Hopefully it will be to me too soon. Dad and I have to stay here over the Christmas and summer holidays, otherwise we're officially homeless."

"Really?" Harry asked, startled.

"Yeah, we had to sell where we used to live when I came to school here."

"I bet it was hard, to leave your home."

"Yeah." Eve nodded solemnly, "Especially so soon after Gran died." There was a small silence then Harry said,

"Well, if there's anything I can do......to make it more......like home......I mean - " Harry stumbled on his words and Eve laughed quietly.

"I understand Harry. Thank you." She touched his arm then looked away, blushing furiously.

"I meant to say thanks as well."

"Whatever for?" Eve asked,

"For stepping infront of Malfoy the other week in Potions, if you hadn't, I think I would have added some whiskers or mouse ears to that smug face of his."

"Oh! that." Eve nodded. "I hope you didn't mind me implying that we're.......that we've....." This time it was Eve stumbling on her words, and Harry stepped in to save her, as she had done for him.

"No, it's fine."

"Is this it?" Eve asked, as they had stopped infront of a painting of some fruit.

"Yes." Harry said, stepping forward. "You just tickle the pear and......"

The picture flung open to reveal a little kitchen busy with house-elves cleaning and washing.

"Hi Dobby!" Harry called, stepping in and waving to his friend in the corner.

"Oh! Harry Potter sir! Harry Potter has come to see Dobby!" Dobby bounded over and flung himself at Harry.

"Dobby, there's someone I want you to meet." Harry said, gently prying Dobby away from himself. "This is Eve Lupin, Professor Lupin's daughter."

"Oh! Miss Lupin." Dobby bowed. "Dobby is much pleased to meet you."

"Hi." Eve shook Dobby's hand. "I like your socks." She smiled. Dobby was wearing odd socks as usual, one was bright luminous pink and the other a dull grey.

"Thank you Eve Lupin." Dobby blushed, waggling his feet at her one by one. Eve laughed.

"Dobby, erm....any chance of some snacks?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes!" Dobby said, but before he had time to move, four or five anxious-to-please house-elves appeared with plates of biscuits and fruit.

"Any chocolate cake?" Eve asked the nearest elf. The elf nodded and smile, popping into mid air for a second then re-appearing with six slices of chocolate cake immediately. "Wow!" Eve smiled at Harry.

"Let's get this lot back for Ron and 'Mione." Harry motioned to all the cakes.

"Harry Potter will come and see Dobby again, sir?" Dobby asked, wringing his hands and following the two to the door.

"Of course Dobby." Harry assured him.

"Goodbye then Harry Potter, Miss Eve."

"Bye!" The two called, then shut the door. Back out in the corridor, the cold air hit them immediately and Eve shivered.

"You look cold." Harry observed, "Here." He took off his cloak and wrapped it around Eve's shoulders.

"Thanks." Eve blushed at his touch, thinking what a gentleman he was.

With that, the two went back to the common room and began spreading out their treats.