By My Side

That night, just before tea, Poppy Pomfrey was called from her study by a scream. She ran to the ward to find Eve Lupin keeled over in bed, screaming in pain. She was clutching at her leg.

"Ah!" She cried, and when Madam Pomfrey get close she saw Eve had tears rolling down her face.

"Dardum Sicis!" Madam Pomfrey said, touching Eve's leg with her wand. Eve immediately stopped screaming and was left instead with racking sobs. "Here, here, it's alright sweetheart." Madam Pomfrey wrapped the tiny girl up in her arms and rocked her while she continued to sob. "Come, come now. It's all over. It means its getting better."

When Eve had stopped crying, Madam Pomfrey rushed away and brought Eve a sleeping potion. She didn't have to speak a word, Eve simply took it from her and drank it down. Just as she settled herself lying down, she fell into a deep sleep.

"Please? can I just sit with her?" Draco begged. Madam Pomfrey looked unsure. She had already turned away Eve's own father, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Ginny Weasley. She wasn't sure why she should only admit one visitor, it wasn't fair, but seeing the desperate look in Draco Malfoy's eyes, she opened the door wider for him and he slipped in.

"Thanks." He grinned.

"She might be in pain when she wakes, probably groggy, don't expect much."

"Thanks." He repeated, going to sit by Eve. Poppy watched from her office as Draco simply took Eve's hand in his and with his free hand, he stroked away Eve's hair from her face. Poppy Pomfrey smiled, and went back to her work.

"Draco?" Eve murmured when she first woke.

"I'm here." He whispered.

"Oh! Draco!" Eve moaned, feeling the extruciating pain sear through her legs again. Tears fell down her face without warning, and he held her tightly.

"Shall I get Madam Pomfrey?" He asked. She simply nodded, biting down on her lip to block out the pain. Draco left her too long when he went to get the nurse and when he returned Eve was grimacing in pain, clutching on tightly to the bed.

"Here." Poppy Pomfrey administered a strong pain-killing potion while Eve clutched onto Draco. Within a few minutes, the pain had eased considerably and Eve could speak.

"Ow!" She simply squeaked, which brought smiles to the faces of the two people she had spent each day every day with for the past week.

"I leave you for a day and you can't stop crying." Draco winked at her. "It's okay, I have that effect on a lot of girls."

"Oh, I bet you do Draco Malfoy!" Poppy Pomfrey laughed, leaving the two together but always keeping an eye on her patient from her office.

"How was your first day back?" Eve asked with a small smile.

"Boring." Draco informed her. "Snape is his usual Gryffindor-hating self. McGonagall still hates me, and Professor Binns class was good for a nap, as usual."

"Well it was great here without you chattering away." Eve lied with a smile.

"Hmm." Draco frowned. "I wondered why it was so quiet, now you remind me I suppose it was you missing." The two laughed.

"I just want to leave now." Eve said miserably, picking at the bedsheets and grinning when she realised Draco was still wearing his sexy Slytherin t-shirt without his robes. "I like your t-shirt."

"You taking the piss?" He asked with a mock-threatening tone.

"No, I mean it, I really do. It goes well with your hair. Green suits you."

"Thanks." He smiled. "I was going to say something in return, but I won't."

"What?" Eve laughed. "Tell me!"

"No." Draco shook his head.

"Tell me! or I'll never speak to you again."

"It's embarrassing." Draco blushed.

"Oh just tell me Drac!" She pulled his hands away from his face then made no move to let them go. He, in return, did not try to move them.

"I was going to say you look good in that nightie." He nodded towards her chest and she left out a warm laugh.

"Oh yeah?" She bowed her head and looked into his eyes, their hands still locked together, Eve feeling the passion rising in her body.

"Yeah, well, it doesn't leave much to the er....imagination."

"What are you trying to say Draco Malfoy?" Eve teased, her eyes batting seductively.

"Well, I'd tell you what I think of it, but there's not enough of it to form an opinion." Draco joked.

"Oi!" Eve laughed, tugging at Draco's hands. "Cheeky!"

"Yeah." Draco blushed, "Cheeky and pretty damn horny now," He said honestly, reaching over with one hand and grabbing Eve's dressing gown. "Cover yourself up girl."

"Ha ha ha!" Eve smiled and laughed easily, but still her heart was pounding she could have such an effect on him. She put on her dressing gown, and when she was covered up, they sat talking for about an hour.

"Mr Malfoy, come on, times up!" Madam Pomfrey bristled down the ward to the couple, who were laughing at a previous conversation.

"Aw! Madam Pomfrey!" Eve whined.

"Hey!" Poppy smiled, "I've turned away five other people for you tonight, you're lucky I let him in, and I don't want you worn out, you need your sleep."

"Five people? bloody hell, I am popular."

"They probably thought I'd still be here." Draco said with conviction, getting up and straightening down his t-shirt.

"Yeah right Draco." Eve scoffed, smiling at her friend.

"I'll come see you tomorrow." Draco breathed as he leaned down and kissed Eve on the cheek.

"I'll look forward to it." She grinned, waving as Madam Pomfrey ushered Draco out of the infirmary.

"Right! sleep!" Madam Pomfrey said, turning to her. Eve simply chuckled and obeyed.

******

The next four days passed in a whirlwind of extreme joint-pain, homework, visits from Harry, Ron and Hermione, more visits from her father, even one from Dumbledore, and of course, her nightly visits from Draco. Madam Pomfrey never let him stay long after that first night, insisting Eve got her sleep.

Also after that first night, Eve and Poppy had a little chat.

"Er.....Madam Pomfrey?"

"Yes Eve?"

"I don't suppose I could ask a favour, could I?"

"What would that be my dear?"

"When Harry and Ron and Hermione and my dad come to see me, don't mention that Draco visits me please?"

Madam Pomfrey just smiled.

"Evelyn, you should know by now how good a secret keeper I am. Didn't I keep your father's secret for all his seven years here at Hogwarts?" Eve then realised, that of course, Madam Pomfrey had always known about her father being a werewolf, because he had come in after every full moon for treatment for his cuts and bites and bruises.

"Yeah, I should have known really." Eve chuckled.

"Yours and Draco's secret is safe with me." Madam Pomfrey nodded, then walked with a smile down the ward.

Then one day, Eve woke up and shifted over in bed, kicking the covers about with her legs. Oh my God! my legs!

"Madam Pomfrey!" Eve screamed.

"What?" Poppy appeared, looking flustered.

"My legs!" Eve said excitedly, "My legs! I can feel them!"

"Oh dear!" Poppy grinned. "Wonderful, let me see." She pulled back the covers and did random checks. She poked here and prodded there, Eve saying 'Ow!' when Poppy touched a nerve.

"Seems you're all checked up." Poppy smiled. "How about we have breakfast, then try a walk?"

"Huh! no way!" Eve smiled, "I'm not waiting til after breakfast! I haven't walked in weeks."

"Okay, gently then!" Madam Pomfrey warned, ready to catch Eve should she stumble. But Eve did not stumble. At first, she felt fragile, but then she realised that she had been doing this whole walking thing all her life and walked with a step up and down the ward, laughing at herself.

"Yes! yes! Can I go now?"

"That eager to go?" Poppy laughed, but not offended.

"No! Madam Pomfrey, you've been great company!" Eve hugged the nurse, who wasn't used to hugs from her patients, and laughed at the affectionate sign.

"As have you."

"Oh! I can't wait to stride into the great hall for everyone to see! Oh! and I want to go down to dad's office and surprise him."

"Wait! wait! don't wear yourself out. How about you eat breakfast, take a short walk around the grounds with me, you could probably do with some fresh air, then spend the afternoon in bed. If you do all that, then I'll let you be ready to go when your dad and your friends come to see you."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Oh!" Eve stopped, on her way back to the bed. "What about Draco?"

"What about him?"

"He comes real late at night to see me, but I'll be gone!"

"Well send him an owl!" Poppy smiled. "I'll get you some parchment and if you send it with an infirmary owl right now, he might get it at breakfast."

"Yeah!" Eve said excitedly. She scribbled down ;

dear drac,

I'm up! and about! i can walk again! yay! i'm gonna spend today here though, and i'll be ready to leave when harry, ron, herm and dad come to see me tonight. so I won't be here when you come. no doubt i'll see you in lessons tomorrow though. try not to miss me too much until then *grin*

take care,

eve.

ps don't tell anyone, i want it to be a big surprise.

With the letter sent, Eve sat in bed feeling a lot better than she had in days.

*******

"I wonder when Eve will be able to come back to classes?" Ron pondered on the way up to the hospital wing.

"Soon, I hope." Harry muttered.

"She still hasn't handed in last weeks homework." Professor Lupin smiled, "Remind me to quiz her about it."

So it was that all four of Eve's visitors were laughing when they walked into the hospital wing. All eyes immediately went straight to Eve's bed, and when they saw it was empty, there was a communal gasp of shock.

"Hello!" Eve laughed. She was standing in the middle of the room, and when they looked, she ran to then, flinging herself into her father's arms.

"Hello precious!" He laughed. "This is a surprise!"

"I walked for the first time this morning." She told them all, pulling away from her father and turning to Hermione, who also embraced her.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Harry grinned, knowing he was next in line for a hug.

"Now where would be the fun in that, Harry Potter?" Eve laughed, detaching herself from Hermione and walking into the open arms of The Boy Who Lived.

"It's nice to have you back in the land of the walking." He told her, "It was horrid to see you in so much pain last week."

"You know what this means." Ron laughed, receiving his hug from Eve, "Back to schoolwork and classes."

"Oh I know!" Eve groaned. "I can't wait!" Everyone realised how sarcastic this was and laughed.

"This calls for chocolate and sweets!" Remus smiled at his only child. "Come on, my office, all of you!"

"Bye Madam Pomfrey." Eve grinned, saving her last hug for her favourite nurse.

"Bye sweetheart. Come see me anytime you want."

"I will. Thanks."

Eve, Harry, Ron and Hermione all walked out of the infirmary together and Remus turned to Poppy.

"Hope she wasn't too much trouble."

"Oh no, she's a joy to have. Brightens the place up no end. In fact, I'll miss her."

"Thanks for looking after her." Remus nodded fondly at the woman who had helped him all the way through his difficult school years then left the hospital wing and found his daughter and her friends waiting for him. He could tell by the look on Eve's face that she had all manner of stories to tell them all about the day, so he prompted her and everyone heard all about Eve's day on the way down to the DADA classroom.

******

Draco walked into the Great Hall a little late, talking to Blaize Zabini about Quidditch, and was surprised to find post had already been, and lying at the place he always sat was a folded and magically sealed piece of parchment.

Draco sat himself down, frowning. Ignoring the food, he grabbed the letter and opened it immediately. It was from Eve.

He smiled a little, careful not to attract too much attention to himself when realising who it was from.

While he was pleased that Eve could walk again, his heart dropped at the thought she would no longer be in the hospital wing, where he could visit her every night. He had thought about this moment quite a lot over the past week and had envisaged his relationship with Eve dying away into nothing when she was finally released. Potter would have her all to himself again, and that grated at Draco's nerves like anything.

He looked up to the Gryffindor table to see Potter, Weasley and Granger all tucking into their breakfast. Tomorrow morning Eve would be back there, and he would he able to smile at her pretty little face. The question was, would she smile back?

******

"So, tell me all the news I've missed out on." Eve smiled. They were walking up from her father's office much later that evening. When the reached the common room, Eve knew it would be straight to bed for all of them, so she planned to get the gossip now.

"It's been pretty quiet." Hermione admitted.

"Oh! Tell her about Malfoy!" Ron nodded.

"Not trouble?" Eve groaned, secretly worried for her new friend.

"No, in fact, the opposite." Hermione smiled.

"He's been ignoring us." Harry frowned. "He's been acting differently for a while now, and the stupid, picky comments have stopped altogether."

"He's acting like he just can't see us." Ron informed. " I think he's planning something, and I'm dying to provoke him, but Herm won't let me."

"Of course I won't let you!" Hermione glared. "There's no reason to cause trouble where there isn't any, Ron Weasley."

Harry and Eve smiled at each other.

"So what do you think it is, Harry?"

"Maybe he's just grown up." Harry shrugged. "I suppose things will heat up again when the Gryffindor vs Slytherin match comes up, but until then, I'm not complaining. I don't need Malfoy bothering me as well as everything else this year."

"Like you say," Eve smiled, "He's probably just got a life of his own, stopped butting in yours."

"I don't trust him." Ron shook his head, "He's trouble with a capital T, that one. We should keep an eye on him, not let our guard down, otherwise when he attacks, we won't be ready."

" When he attacks? Isn't that a bit pessimistic, Ron?" Hermione scowled.

"Fine, don't believe me then," Ron retorted, "But don't come running to me when he hexes you silly."

"I won't!" Hermione snorted. Eve thought she was going to strank off, but the four had reached the picture of the Fat Lady. Harry gave the password and Eve smiled at the sight of Gryffindor Tower again.

"Ah, I missed this place!"

"We'll have that party tomorrow." Ron grinned. "I'll let Fred and George know in the morning."

"Great!" Eve rubbed her hands in glee. "A party! for me! makes me feel dead important!"

"Well you are dead important." Hermione laughed.

"I know!" Eve said casually, with an air of mock-arrogance. When they all laughed, she pulled Hermione off to the girls dorms, calling goodnight to everyone, and sleeping as soon as her head hit the pillow.

*******

A man stood over her, laughing. 'You fool! your will is weak and your heart is weaker. now choose!' Eve found herself rolling onto her stomach then drawing herself up onto her hands an knees with all the energy she could muster. Her hands hurt, and her wrists. She had been bound to the tree, asked questions and plied for answers. 'Choose!' the booming voice echoed again, and she squinted into the darkness. Hanging limply near a tall oak were two figures. Eve could not see their faces, but she could see their auras. One figure had a bright red light about him, but she saw that dripping from his heart came black blood, and the crowd of folk watching all stood away from him in fear. Next to him the other figure had a white aura, and those about him were trying to save him, trying to untie and revive him, but none could get near enough. Eve knew what she had to do, she had to save one figure. The other, the one she did not pick, would be killed in front of everyone, and Eve began to cry, knowing that not only would she have to deal with her own feelings after she choose, but also that of the crowd. Suddenly, from no where, her father appeared, the only person whos face she could she clearly. He was speaking in a different language though, and gesticulating wildly around the figures. 'Which one daddy?' she was shouting, but now her cries could not be heard over those of the crowd. Silently, in her mind, Eve had already chosen, and as she raised her arm to point at the figure she wished to save, she lost her sight, and couldn't see which of the figures everyone saw her choose.

"Eve!" Hermione shook her shoulder, "Eve! time to get up!"

"Huh?" Eve sat upright with a fright.

"It's morning." Hermione laughed. "Come on!" With that, she left the hangings of Eve's four-poster and Eve dropped back down on her pillow. She had been dreaming, and as she recollected the dream in her mind she frowned. Why had her dad been speaking something odd? a foreign language. Not French, or German, or even her Grandmother's second language, Welsh. Eve was sure he had been speaking Goblin, but knew her father had probably never even heard it be spoken.

Eve pushed the dream from her mind and got up. She showered quickly, dressed then went to wait for Harry and Ron in the common room. Hermione was running a little late, so Eve was all by herself when Harry came bounding down the stairs and sat next to her with a grin.

"Morning!"

"Well, you're happy this morning." Eve laughed.

"Hmm," Harry agreed, "Excited about the party tonight. You looking forward to it?"

"Oh yeah!" Eve smiled. She was lying really, in fact, she hadn't thought about the party much, her mind was still lingering on her dream. "We can play some of my CDs."

"Oh yeah, introduce everyone to Muggle music." Harry winked. "That should be a laugh."

Eve just smiled. She looked down at the arm of the chair and began to picking at her shirt-sleeve. Things seemed strange between herself and Harry since she had got out of the hospital wing. She knew he probably hadn't noticed the difference, and she knew the reason for that was probably the fact he hadn't spent a whole week cooped up with no one but Draco Malfoy to talk to. Eve had tried to ignore the nagging feelings she was having for Draco. Oh, how I long to see those grey eyes again. His eyes are always full of something. Usually mischief, but that night, when Madam Pomfrey interrupted us, his eyes were full of something else. Was it longing? or am I imagining that? And his kiss on my cheek that first night he came to visit me. Why was it that ever since I have been imagining myself padding around a small London apartment with my hair messy from bed wearing only Draco's Slytherin t-shirt and his boxers? The worst thing is, in my daydreams, he calls to me from the bedroom, 'Eve! get back in here!' and I grin, carrying two cups of tea through to our bedroom. That's where the scene fades, and where I start to feel really confused.......

"Ready Eve?" Ron asked, appearing beside her.

"Yep! ready to go!"

The four of them walked down to breakfast, Eve shaking all the way. She wasn't sure how she would feel seeing Draco again, outside her little world of the hospital wing. Would they still talk? Would they still smile at each other and feel that electricity when they touched. She was so nervous that she didn't have time to fix her hair as she approached the Great Hall as planned. Instead, she followed Harry, Ron and Hermione in with a slight frown on her face. Harry and Ron were talking about their first class, divination, and Hermione was laughing at Ron's impression of Professor Trelawny. Eve's eyes snapped impulsively to the Slytherin table, where she saw Draco listening to something Goyle was saying, a totally bored expression on his face. She saw his eyes wander through the crowd and as soon as he realised who he had seen, Eve watched his expression change to a wide grin. He was even blushing, as they made eye contact and she returned his smile.

"Don't you think?" Harry asked her.

"What sorry?" She asked, hoping he hadn't seen her smiling at his nemesis.

"Don't you think Trelawny has a screw loose?"

"Oh yeah!" Eve laughed, "Definitely."

They sat at the Gryffindor table, and Eve made sure her seat was facing a certain blond Slytherin at the opposite end of the hall. Through the sea of faces, she caught him taking a drink of his pumpkin juice. The silly grin from earlier still plastered on his face like he couldn't wipe it off.

When he put down his juice, he realised he was being stared at and bit his lip, laughing at her across the hall. She looked away, embarrassed, but when she looked back up she almost fainted when she saw the look on his face. He had his eyes shut, his head shaking a little, and she knew he was laughing. When he opened his eyes and they realised they were both staring, he winked at her then turned to say something to Blaize, on his left hand side. Eve looked down at her food, realising the moment was gone. Suddenly, people were welcoming her back, and her father was waving to her from the high table. It seemed all eyes were on her, and she knew Harry's hand was in hers under the table, but she couldn't get that voice out of her head, ' Eve! get back in here......'

******

"I see much unrest here." Professor Trelawny announced when she reached the table Ron, Harry and Eve were sharing. "Oh yes," She continued in a dark tone, "I see arguments, confrontations and many tears on your part dear." The teacher placed her hand on Eve's shoulder, then looked gravely between Harry and Eve, and left, shaking her head. Eve frowned bemusedly at Ron.

"Looks like you'll have a good day, with plenty of laughs then." Ron assured her with a smile.

Professor Trelawny began explaining the ancient, extremely complicated art of arua-reading. She had started to say something about channelling energies when she stopped dramatically and cast her eyes around the room. They landed on the three sniggering figures in the corner that were Eve, Harry and Ron.

"I see it now!" She declared.

"Oh, here we go....." Ron muttered under his breath. Eve fought back a giggle, realising how much she had missed spending time with these two boys.

"There will be a fierce war!" Professor Trelawny announced. "You will die." She pointed to Harry, "Oh, it all looks very bleak."

"Turn up for the books......." Ron muttered.

"Yes, a strong love triangle." The teacher closed her eyes as though receiving information from an unseen source. Eve grimaced, it was all a little too close to the truth..... "Two boys who were the closest of best friends will fall out over a girl." She announced and in the corner, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil both went,

"Ohhh!"

"Ron, you will fight and slay Harry, for the love of Eve."

Ron, Harry and Eve looked to each other for a moment, all puzzled, then the three of them burst out laughing.

"Those who mock their future will be damned!" Professor Trelawny told them, shocked at their reactions. She had expected fear, even the beginning of the battle right here, in her classroom.

"I don't think so Professor." Eve said, quieting herself.

"Mark my words." The teacher said with an air of authority, then returned to her mystical tone and continued to whine about auras.

"She's mine Potter!" Ron said in a mock-evil tone and smiled at his best friend.

"Bloody hell Ron, you sound like Malfoy!" Harry laughed. Eve's smile died. Why did everyone always have to remind her of him?

"Well, I just can't choose." She played, faking a frown. "Can I have you both together? Maybe a Gryffindor sandwich?" Both boys laughed, then blushed a little, exchanging a look with each other and Eve. "No." Eve shook her head. "I think Hermione would kill me."

"Why would Hermioned kill you?" Ron asked, acting a little more interested than he would have liked to show.

"No reason." Eve grinned at Harry, turning her attention back to the teacher.

The rest of the day passed peacefully for the four Gryffindors. They had no lessons with the Slytherins, so Eve didn't get to see Draco, but they did pass once in the corridor on the way to Charms. They nodded at each other, and Hermione frowned at Eve. "Well, I spent all that week with him in the infirmary, didn't I?" Eve smiled, then passed off Hermione's worried look.

Eve noted that Draco was a completely different person when others were around. He had back on his cloak of indifference, and his eyes re-gained their cold stare. Eve didn't like looking at him when he was like that, part of it scared her, made her wonder whether they really did spend those nights together, chatting until the sun rose and telling one another their secrets. They had, of course, many more secrets yet to tell, and Eve wondered now whether they would ever get the chance.

Soon time rolled around to the party, and Eve vowed to keep Draco out of her mind for the evening. Tonight she would talk to Harry and see how he felt about her, she would try to ignore her feelings for Draco and she knew that if things went well with Harry, Draco would just turn out to be one of those silly little crushes.

I'm just doing that stupid thing women do, going for the guy they know is bad news. We didn't share any secrets! hell, they might have been lies. And that look in his eyes when he held me.....he might have been feeling sick again and he was trying to hold back vomit or something......yes, that's it, he's Slytherin, I'm Gryffindor, never the twain shall meet, as they say. The whole thing with Harry is so perfect, he's brave and courageous, ready to catch me if I fall, he's a Gryffindor, dad could stand up at my wedding and make jokes about Harry pulling my hair as a kid, and Ron could beam at me from the best man's place in the church. In his best man's speech he can talk about the first day Harry and I met on Platform Nine and Three-quarters, and he can mention how much he loves Hermione, his wife, my bridesmaid. Hell, imagine a Slytherin wedding! my father would disown me and Snape would end up dragging me down the aisle, Crabbe or Goyle would stand in the best man's place and grunt out a speech like Neanderthal man at the head table, and afterwards we could all go back to Malfoy Mansion and celebrate in style by getting the Dark Mark burned into my arm. Draco and I could fall asleep together that night with the smell of burning flesh.......oh dear, falling asleep with Draco.......

"It's best if you two go to the library." Harry told Eve.

"What?" Eve frowned, pulling her mind from its depths of hell.

"The library, you and Hermione." Harry frowned. He touched Eve's arm, "Are you okay, Eve?"

"Oh! yeah, fine." Eve nodded dumbly.

"If you're not up to this party then - "

"No! I am, honestly! Don't worry about me. Now, you want me and Herm to go to the library?"

"Yes, while we get things ready in the common room."

"Okay! listen, I'll go on my own, you take Hermione with you."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, I have some stuff I need to do anyway." Maybe I can find Draco if I'm on my own. A sickly guilt rushed over Eve as she looked into Harry's eyes, seeing concern there.

"Okay. If you're sure."

"Honest, go!" Eve laughed, patting his arm.

"Right.....Ron, 'Mione, Eve's going to the library to keep out of the way."

"Will you be alright on your own?" Hermione asked with concern.

"Yes, fine!" Eve smiled. This caring friend thing is getting a little over-used......

"Okay, bye!" Eventually, the three of them vanished and left Eve outside the Charms classroom. She looked around for a moment, wondering if she should go to see her dad. She could casually ask if he had seen the Slytherin fifth years today.......no, he would guess. She so much wanted to talk to him about the whole thing, but knew she couldn't, she was terrified of what he would say.

Eve began walking in the direction on the dungeons. She figured she could linger a little while around there, then move on to the Muggle studies classroom.

After walking a little while, Eve stopped and sighed. What the hell am I doing? wandering around like some little puppy dog, chasing after Draco stupid Malfoy! his father is probably chatting with the Dark Lord right now, 'So, Voldy, when d'you want to meet Draco?' Argh! stop it Eve! stop tourtuing yourself!

Eve leant against the nearest wall and began to bang her head softly against it. The corridor was deserted, most people having fled to common rooms or staff rooms. It was while Eve was muttering, "Stupid! stupid!" To herself that she felt a warm hand on her hip.

"I missed you." A voice like velvet whispered into her ear. For a second, Eve smiled to herself, her heart beating faster. She knew who it was, she was sure who it was.....

"Draco!" She grinned, turning and seeing him behind her. She flung her arms around his neck. "Oh Drac........"

"What's with the headbanging?" He asked, wrapping his arms protectively around her, taking in her smell of perfume and the lavender she dropped onto her pillow every night to get to sleep.

"I was just.......musing on something." She smiled as they pulled away. Now she stood nervously in front of him, her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. He ran a hand through his perfect blond hair and laughed at her.

"Why are you nervous?"

"I'm not nervous!" She jumped. "I just........well, I missed you too." Eve looked up, blushing furiously.

Merlin, she's so sexy when she blushes like that. Makes me think of all the things she doesn't know about, and all the fun I could have teaching her it..........

"Where's Potty and the Weasel?"

"Organising my 'welcome back' party in the common room." She smiled, relaxing a little as she leaned against the wall. He stood like some kind of angel in front of her.

"And you're here, all alone in a corridor, talking to a nasty Slytherin." He grinned. "Obviously you're not the kind of girl they can leave alone for long."

"Oi!" She leaned forward and hit him playfully in the stomach. With a seekers reaction, he grabbed her hand before she could lean back and pulled her to him slightly roughly, which made her head spin with desire. Pressed up against him, breathing in his smell, she could only close her eyes in bliss.

"So seriously, why the headbanging?"

"Huh?" She opened her eyes from the 'Slytherin t-shirt and boxers' dream to stare into those delightfully readable grey eyes. This time she could see he was concerned for her, and the arm around her waist said nothing to the contrary. "Oh! I was just trying to decipher this dream I had last night." She leaned her head on his chest and he lifted up his hand to stroke her hair.

This is a lovers position. This is how they stand in the movies before they kiss, this is the way he touches her before he asks her to marry him. He's touching me like a lover! and I'm reacting like one! what's going on? why aren't there any boundaries anymore? hell, I wish there were boundaries.

"What happened? in the dream I mean?"

If it's anything like the dream I had last night, I hope she doesn't go into too much detail otherwise I won't be responsible for my actions. Draco grinned to himself.

"I had to choose." Eve told him, pulling back to look at his face. "I had to choose who lived and who died, and my dad was speaking some strange language.....there was some guy there, telling me I had to pick one person or the other. Oh, and there was a crowd."

"Strange." Draco frowned.

Oh, he's so sexy when he frowns!

"Hmmm." Eve contemplated, then noticed a strand of blond hair falling across Draco's eyes. She tucked it behind his ear for him and that electricity ran down her arm to her feet. She blushed.

Please don't blush Eve! Draco thought, Please don't blush, you'll turn me on, the way you touch me is so delicate. No one ever touched me like that before. It's like every time you touch me, you touch my soul......

"Sorry, I - "

"Sorry for what?" Draco rushed out.

"Sorry for....." Eve stopped. You sound ridiculous! just shut up! close your mouth before you say something you shouldn't!!!

"Eve....?"

"Yeah?"

"What's.......going on, between you and Potter?"

"What?" Eve stepped back from his embrace. Well, I wasn't expecting that!

"I saw you earlier, in the corridor, he was practically holding your hand. Then I saw you after dinner and - "

"Hang on, you saw me after dinner? I didn't see you!"

"No, I was......waiting for someone. I saw you, he whispered something to you and you blushed. Are you........? I mean, if you are then......." Draco began to pace. Merlin, I sound like a paranoid boyfriend or something!

"Then what Draco?" Eve asked, a slight angry edge to her voice.

"Then........good for you." Why did you say that Malfoy? oh, what a wanker......you deserve for her to walk off down that corridor right now.......

"Good for me?" Eve frowned. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"I just thought - " Draco stopped, he heard footsteps and voices, older voices, so he pushed Eve into the nearest classroom and wedged himself next to her behind the open door.

"Draco, what?" Eve asked, confused.

"Shhh!" He put a finger to his lips. "Whisper."

"Okay!" She whispered angrily, "What's going on? why are we in here?"

"I heard someone." He told her, looking around the door a little.

"Draco, we were hardly shagging!" Eve said to his back.

"Hmm, that's an interesting idea." He turned to her and winked, then looked back towards the door.

Merlin, I so much just want to kiss him and run my fingers all over him and feel him pressed beneath me........hell I'm horny! Eve smiled.

"What are you smiling at?" He frowned. She hadn't realised he was looking at her.

"I was just.......imagining."

"Oh yeah?" He asked, leaning against her. "Imagining what?"

"If we were shagging......" She said boldly, then felt shocked by her own confidence.

Right, that's it, she's teasing me, and doing a fucking good job of it too. Must think of clean things, cold showers, tight boxers. Anything! oh no, not right now, please! Shit! why can't I control my body?!

"Why are you imaging us shagging?" He asked with a hitch in his voice. Draco slowly moved himself away from her, trying to lean against the door a little more.

"What's wrong?" Eve grinned mischievously. "Can't take it?"

"Oh shut up!" He tried to laugh, but she had pulled him to her and her eyes opened a little wide in shock.

Oh my God! he's hard. Fuck me! I did that! I made him hard enough to drive nails into wood. He. Wants. Me!

"Draco.....?"

"Yes?" He asked with his eyes closed, a bright blush covering his face.

"Open your eyes."

"Why?"

"Because I said so. Open them."

"No. Eve, I have to go." As he moved away, he opened his eyes, but tried not to look at her. "Look, I'm sorry, I - " He stuttered.

"Fine, just walk away." She tutted.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked angrily, far away enough now to look at her without caving in and coming right there all over himself.

"Hell, I don't know!" Eve shouted. "Do whatever you want! What is it you want anyway?"

"Are you still numb from the waist down?" He asked, "Because if you're not then you should know what I fucking want!"

For a second there was pure silence. The people outside must have passed, they both assumed, because no one had come into investigate their raised voices.

Draco shut his eyes and turned away, running his hand through his hair once more.

"Draco, please......"

"What?"

"Please just.........come here."

It was as though at that, everything fell together. Draco turned around to see her smiling at him angelically, a little flushed from all the shouting and anger.

"This is very, very dangerous......" He muttered, walking to her and wrapping up her little body in his arms once more. "You know that, don't you?"

"Mmhm." She nodded, then shut her eyes.

Just do it! just kiss her! His body was betraying him once again, staring at those delicious red lips and wondering what they would feel like.

I'm getting used to this, feeling him hard against me. I could get to like it. He must have a filthy mind, to be aroused the whole time like that. Thank Merlin I'm not a boy, I'd have a permanent hard-on being around someone as sexy as Draco.

Draco leaned forward and let his lips lie on Eve's for a second, savouring the sensation, then ran his tongue hesitantly along her bottom lip, requesting entrance. She made a soft moaning noise at the back of her throat before letting him in, letting her tongue play soft, inquisitive games with his. He searched her mouth, finding it hot and tempting, letting all his body go now. She lifted up her arms and fingered that soft hair at the nape of his neck. It was over all too soon.

"That was......" Fucking wonderful, "......Nice." He grinned.

"That's one word......" Eve also grinned. They just looked at each other for a moment, then as though having just had a silent conversation agreeing to do so, they began to kiss once again, this time a little more passionately.

Draco wasn't sure if he could control himself. He'd been in this situation with girls before, but it had never felt like this.....never so......unstoppable. All he knew was that he wanted her. He couldn't even begin to think about anything else. It was as though when they kissed everything he ever knew just fell away, and he was learning life all over again, but this time learning it all from Eve's point of view.

As it was Eve's first proper kiss, she took a back seat and followed Draco's lead. She felt something uncontrollable take over her for a moment though, and raised herself onto tiptoes, making her just the same height, and pushed them both right against the wall so that every inch of her body was on his. Her hands that were tangling themselves up in his soft blond hair began to take on a new mission though, and found themselves running all over his chest, drinking in all the curves and strong muscles. She brushed over his nipples and heard him moan a little into their kiss. His hands forced her even more up against him.

Soon the need for oxygen overtook them, but instead of stopping, Draco simply let his mouth find her neck instead and placed butterfly kisses in all the places her had admired whilst talking to her every day in the hospital wing.

"Draco.......Draco." She whispered. He smiled into her neck then looked up to find her with her head slightly leaning back and her eyes closed. "I didn't mean stop." She grinned after a moment, although not opening her eyes.

"I didn't think you did." He smiled, tracing his finger over the places he had just kissed on her neck. "I just wanted your mouth back, that's all."

Eve opened her eyes and looked into his. They both gave a little laugh and she placed a single, fleeting kiss on his lips.

"I never did that before, you know."

"Stone-cold virgin?" He asked, raising his eyes, but not really being surprised.

"'Fraid so." She shrugged, looking more than a little perturbed.

"I'll sort that out." He smiled deliciously, and she grinned in return.

"Is that a promise or a threat?" She whispered, never loosing eye contact.

"A promise."

"You make me forget where I am." She told him with a chuckle.

"Well you seem to heighten every nerve in my body." He blushed a little. "Sorry about...well, you know."

"Sorry about that hard bulge in-between your legs?" She asked.

"Yeah." He nodded, a little un-used to her direct speech. "I can't seem to control it when you........well, whenever you're around really!"

"You mean you were hard for most of that week in the hospital wing?" Eve asked, surprise evident in her voice and her eyes.

"Most of it, yeah." He nodded proudly.

"So when weren't you?" Eve smiled, "And why?"

"Demanding my body be ready for you all day every day are you?" He asked with a grin.

"That's about right." Eve laughed.

"You're sexy when you laugh." He told her, pulling her as close as she could get.

"You're sexy all the time." She retorted.

"How about we stop this sickly complimenting?" He suggested.

"Ah, ever the Slytherin, Dray."

"Dray?" His eyes went wide, then he smiled. "You know no one else would ever get away with that, don't you?"

Eve simply nodded with a satisfied smirk. So I'm allowed to go places no one else is......hmmmm, interesting.

With that, he leant forward and began to kiss her again. It was like wine, his body pressed closely to hers and their warm, wet mouths upon one another.

Soon though, Eve pulled away.

"I've got to get going." She told him reluctantly. "They said about an hour."

"I could throw you a party." He murmured, before burying his head in her neck and sucking gently on the more delicate, tasty looking parts.

"Draco I really have to - oh, Jesus that's nice! oh, don't stop whatever you do!" Eve let herself just be completely taken over by him. His hands wandered lazily down to her arse, feeling how perfect and curvy it was.

"You have a nice arse." He smiled, pulling away from her as if to examine her.

"I have a lot of nice things." She promised, walking backwards away from him now, "But I really have to go."

"Leaving me?" He asked, looking helpless and wide-eyed.

"I don't want to." She said, picking up her bag and throwing it back on her shoulder. She grabbed his green Slytherin tie and used it to drag him to her. "I'll see you tomorrow." Then she kissed him on the lips and took his hand in hers. She stuck her head around the door to make sure the coast was clear and while she did that he slipped his arms around her waist and began to slowly kiss and lick the back of her neck.

"Drac......." She drawled. "I have to go." She said half-heartedly.

"So go." He murmured, his hot breath tingling the soft hairs on the back of her neck and making her moan softly.

"I never knew....." She muttered, falling back into his embrace and feeling his still urgent erection pressing into the small of her back. "Anything ever felt this good......."

"Me neither." He leant up to nibble her ear.

"But you had sex with Pansy, didn't you?" She frowned, turning to him now. His lips were swollen and inviting but she tried to pull her mind out of the gutter.

"Yeah." He nodded. "Never felt like this though."

"Not even, you know, penetration?"

"No, not even that." He smiled, wondering how the hell he ever stumbled on such a wonderful girl and why she was even looking at him twice.

"So.....while we're on the subject, is she the only girl you ever......."

"No." He said as though he now regretted it.

"How many, and who?" Eve was not angry, just inquisitive.

"Two more, Karen Bleesen, year above us, and Jo-anne Miller, plays beater on the Quidditch team."

"All Slytherins?"

"All Slytherins." He nodded.

"Ew!" She shook a little and he laughed.

"I'll have you know you've just had your tongue down a Slytherin's throat, and I didn't hear you complaining." He winked at her.

"I didn't have sex with him though, did I?" She answered smugly.

"Not physically, no......" Draco shrugged, leaning back in to continue exploring her neck.

"What do you mean, 'not physically'?" Eve asked, leaning her head to one side so that he could have more space to kiss.

"Don't tell me you never had sex with me mentally......"

"Dray, how can you have sex with someone mentally?"

"You know," He continued, making his way up to where her hair ended and tracing down to the base of her neck with his tongue, "In your imagination."

"Oh!" She said. "Well, that's personal."

"And we're not personal?" He asked, pulling away to see her face.

"Yeah, of course we're personal but.......if I go admitting stuff like that, you'll have an advantage on me, won't you?" She smiled wryly.

"Advantage?"

"Yeah, well I don't know if you've ever had sex with me, mentally."

"Course I have." He half-laughed. "All the time, every day." He blushed a little. "Probably more than is healthy."

"In lessons?" Eve raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah."

"In the common room?"

"Yeah."

"In the Great Hall?"

"Yeah."

Then she asked more quietly, while playing with one of the buttons on his shirt and only making occasional eye contact.

"In bed?"

"Yeah." He nodded, "At which point I proceeded to make a mess all over the sheets." Eve flushed red but was smiling widely.

"You didn't?"

"Yeah, all the God-damn time. The house-elves in this school hate me and its all your fault." He teased.

"I can't believe you!" She laughed. "Where else?"

"In the shower, during Quidditch, just now."

"Just now?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"So how come you didn't......." She gestured towards his groin.

"Come?" He asked, feeling a little more relaxed now, able to speak freely to the girl in his arms. She nodded. "Eh! I do have some restraint you know!"

Eve laughed, "I bet the house-elves wouldn't say that!"

"Oi!" He poked her playfully in the ribs.

"Stop!" She squirmed in delight. He caught her when she was near to him and kissed her fully on the mouth. Immediately, she leaned into the kiss and they ended up in another passionate encounter against the wall.

"I have to go!" She laughed, pulling away.

"Okay! okay!" He sighed.

"Leave a little after me." She told him, straightening his tie.

"Okay."

"Bye." She smiled, kissing his nose.

"Bye sexy." He slapped her arse on the way out and she ended up laughing all the way down the corridor.

By the time Eve reached Gryffindor Tower, the guilt had set in.

I'm a whore! I can't believe I did that! I spent the best part of an hour snogging a guy my best friends hate while they organise a party for me! oh! I'm such a bitch! And now I'm going to walk in there and act like nothing happened. I'm going to lie to them! I'm going to say I was in the library and if they ask what I was doing I'll make something up. Oh hell! I deserve to be flailed in hell and disowned by all who know me. I wanted him so much! it felt so good! my body never reacted like that to anything. The feelings going on in my knickers were -

"SURPRISE!"

The whole of Gryffindor common room stood before Eve waving drinks and nibbles in her face. Someone somewhere started up 'for she's a jolly good witch' and Eve cringed inwardly.

Oh, if only you knew..........

"Hey!" Hermione smiled, pulling her through the Portrait Hole, where she had been standing, dumbstruck. Does guilt stop you moving your legs? I think it has with me.....

"Hey." Eve tried to grin, but it came out more as that look you give when you've just had a tooth pulled.

"How's our favourite fifth year?" Fred and George chorused, coming and slapping Eve on the back, wide grins on both their faces.

"Oh, you know....." A whore, "Shocked!"

"It's good to see you on your feet again." Fred (or was it George?) smiled.

"I didn't expect so many people!" Eve laughed.

"Everyone's here." Harry nodded, bringing her a drink of something green.

"What's this?" She asked him.

"Something lethal with the twins brewed up." Ron told her, "It'll turn your insides green."

"Huh! fun." Eve said sarcastically.

"Eve! Eve! pose for a photo!" Colin Creevy begged, pulling her and Harry together in an embrace.

Oh no.......damn you Creevy! Eve twisted, trying to manage a smile.

"Thanks!" He exclaimed, then disappeared. She looked at Harry uncomfortably then moved away.

"So.......whew! it's a bit loud, isn't it?" Eve asked, indicating the music. It was some witch band Eve had never heard of.

"It's okay." Seamus told her, "George put a silencing spell on the Tower. McGonagall won't be disturbing us tonight!"

"How was first day back, Eve?" Ginny asked.

"Er......okay." Eve nodded. There was now one of her better false smiles fixed onto her face and she moved about in a daze, trying to talk to everyone whilst keeping in sight of a frowning Hermione, who could tell something was wrong.

"Eve, can I have a word?" Harry asked, appearing at her side.

No! no you can't! run, save yourself! you can defeat Voldemort but you can't defeat my bitchiness! go, I'll only hurt you little Harry Potter.......

"Yeah! of course!" Eve said brightly. He took her arm and lead her over to a more quiet corner.

"Herm asked me to talk to you. She seems to think something's up." Harry smiled at her softly and took her drink out of her trembling hands for a second. "Is there?"

"No, no, I'm fine, I just........well, there's a lot of people and.......I'm just nervous."

Oh, and lying through my back teeth, as well.

"You don't seem yourself." Harry frowned, then touched her forehead in over-protective mother hen mode.

"I feel fine." Eve laughed.

Maybe that's because I've just been further with a lad than ever before. My spine is still tingling and my lips are still hot. Merlin, Draco Malfoy thinks of me when he.......no, don't go there!

"I'll look after you." Harry grinned, "Come on." With that he pulled her back into the throws of the party, and she realised she'd have to do a better job of acting if she wasn't going to let everything crash down around her pretty soon.

With that, she swept the incident with Draco under her mental carpet and went about greeting her friends.

******

Draco heard Eve's laugh echo down the corridor then he leant against the wall of the unused classroom.

Did that just happen? am I dreaming? if I am then I've started having pretty wonderful fucking dreams!

Draco sighed, trying to hold back a grin, but not being able to. His inner-Malfoy was scolding him for being so immature and lovesick, but there really wasn't much me could do.

She makes me dizzy, literally, my head spins. I feel like I'm somewhere else entirely. Hogwarts got crushed into dust and I'm standing in the rubble with this weird light-headedness. I kissed her! Hell, I kissed her. And oh damn it was good......I really need a cold shower right now.

Draco didn't think his legs would support him much longer, so he sank into a sitting position on the floor. No one would come to find him, they all knew better than to disturb Draco when he wanted to be alone. He hadn't even planned on finding Eve. Sure, he went looking for her, figured he would hang around the library or near the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, but he never guessed he would stumble upon her. But when he did.......he'd just stood there for a little while, watching her bang her head against the wall, letting his heart-rate return to something resembling normal, then he'd put his hand on her hip like it was just some casual gesture, where as really it too all his energy not to turn her to him and kiss her right then.

Does this mean we're an item? is she my girlfriend? she seemed to act like my girlfriend. Oh God, I sound so.....cheesy, like a bloody girl myself. I can handle this! if she turns to me tomorrow and says she was just fooling around then I'll take it. I won't crumble like a biscuit just been dunked in tea. Hell no, I'll move on, find someone else. I mean, it's not like I'm emotionally attached or anything.............

Oh, I wish she'd come back! I want to hold her again, touch her. It's like some burning need in my chest, like a weight. Right now Potter probably has his hands all over her. She's mine Potter! She's mine, she likes me!

Please don't take away the only thing I ever had.............

Draco ran his hands through his hair then stood up and straightened himself off.

Composed, cool, calm. Exude indifference.

Draco closed his eyes for a second, reliving the kiss, the way she had just responded so warmly, so readily.

How embarrassing! getting hard just cos she was kissing me. What a weirdo! she must think I'm some sort of sexual animal!

Well, I guess I am really...........

Draco smiled to himself, then opened the door and made his way slowly back down to the dungeons. No one would know what had happened, but everyone realised how good a mood he was in, and they were all just too glad of it to say anything.