By My Side

Chapter 11.

It was around six o'clock in the Gryffindor common room. Seamus, Dean, Neville, Harry and Eve were all sat about the fire, sharing Honeydukes sweets and Neville was having particular trouble with a bag of chocolate limes that turned you a funny shade of lime.

"Maybe they can't tear themselves away from each other," Dean suggested, regarding Ron and Hermione, who had still not returned from Hogsmeade.

"Yeah, or maybe Ron lost his patience and killed her. I wouldn't be surprised if he was burying her in the Herbology garden right now."

Everyone laughed and Seamus pulled a smug face.

"Yeah, well the former doesn't sound too much like Ron and Herm, so I'll go with the latter," Eve concluded, stealing another piece of fudge then curling her legs up underneath her and relaxing on the sofa.

"Here, here," agreed Neville, changing from his usual pink to lime.

Harry simply smiled. "No, I think their prolonged absence can only be a good thing."

"Why?" Eve frowned.

"Well, they change from friends to lovers, right?" he began, casting a look around the group. Everyone nodded. "So they need some time to.......figure things out. I mean, it's a pretty huge decision."

"I guess," Eve pondered, "but don't you think going from friends to lovers is a pretty easy thing to do?"

"Yeah, sounds great to me!" Seamus nodded vehemently. "All the fun of your best friend with some snogging here and there."

Dean and Harry and Neville laughed while Eve smiled and shook her head.

"Boys," she muttered.

Harry shot her a grin and winked. "So what's so easy about it. I mean, there's got to be a lot of courage there," he swallowed, leaning forward for some more chocolate.

"Courage? yeah sure but don't you think that if you know someone pretty well, relationships can just......slip in, where you don't expect them?"

"Oooooh!" Seamus grinned. "Sounds like she's talking from experience, boys!"

"Shut up!" Eve blushed. "I'm just saying, sometimes the huge decision and difficulty is to stay friends."

"Sounds like you have a story, Miss Lupin!" Seamus giggled, leaning forward and thrusting an invisible microphone to Eve's mouth. "Care to share?"

"No story, Seamus," Eve lied.

"Well then maybe you've already been discussing this with Hermione?" Dean suggested. Seamus whooped, thinking he'd found the answer, but Harry's serious voice silenced them all.

"Have you ever felt like that? about a friend?"

Eve squirmed in her chair. She began to twist her t-shirt between her fingers and looked down to hide her blush. "I've had feelings for someone I classed as a friend, someone I knew I shouldn't go there with," she lifted her head towards the end of her speech and stared right into Harry's eyes.

"Did you do anything about it?" he asked.

There was a pregnant pause, and just as Eve was about to lie for the millionth time that day, the common room erupted as the Portrait Hole slammed open.

"Your head is the size of a small country!" Hermione blazed. Her hair was falling out of it's tie-up and her face was red, an outward sign of her clear fury.

Needless to say that an equally furious Ron followed her into the room.

"Oh dear," Seamus chuckled, turning his attention to the couple, who now commanded everyone's gaze.

"What level of arrogance gave you the idea that I fancied you, Ron Weasley?" Hermione practically screamed.

"Oh, blaming it all on me now are we?" Ron asked and Eve got the impression that if his face colour could match his hair even more, it would.

"I've known toddlers with more maturity than you!" Hermione shot back with anger in her eyes. Eve jumped up and ran between her quarrelling friends.

"Okay Herm, let's go, yeah?" she said soothingly.

"Like I'd fancy you!" Ron shouted, looking Hermione up and down with disgust. Eve saw this brought clear hurt and tears to Hermione's eyes, and as a close girlfriend of the witch, she knew the best thing was to get her away from Ron right now before he saw her cry.

"Come on, Herm, upstairs," Eve physically dragged Hermione from the room, who then upon entrance to the fifth year girls dormitory, collapsed into Eve's arms, crying.

"Hey! hey, come on, shhh," Eve soothed, gently rubbing Hermione's shoulder. The summer that they had spent together when they got so close flashed through Eve's mind. She had personal experience that Hermione felt rather deeply for Ron. To Eve, the very fact they argued so much showed that. After all, didn't her Grandma always used to say that if you didn't care, you wouldn't bother to argue?

"He.....he....." Hermione choked through tears.

"He what?"

"Well," Hermione wiped at her eyes and sat lifelessly down on Eve's bed. Eve sat next to her, listening intently, "we were walking past the Shrieking Shack and we started talking about Victor Krum. He was being all.......arrogant about him, just like last year!" Hermione stopped for a sniffle then went on, "but I ignored that, because I know Ron hasn't grown up much. Then we saw Liam Treshie and Roger Cleveland from Ravenclaw, you know them?"

"Yeah, seventh years," Eve nodded.

"Well they started talking to me and Roger asked me if I'd heard about the New Years Ball that Dumbledore was planning. So Ron got all funny and dragged me away from them which really embarrassed me. I was only talking to them!"

"Hmm," Eve agreed. She wasn't too sure what to say, but she was just glad Draco wasn't as immature as Ron.

"I asked him why he was being weird and he said I was flirting with them, so I explained that I wasn't but he just got all angry!" Hermione then started to cry once more and it was a while before Eve got the full story out of her friend. It turned out that Ron had said 'But you fancy me, don't you?' in a fit of anger, hence the insults and accusations that flew in the common room. Things between the pair seemed to Eve to be irreconcilable, but she knew that they had experience troubles in the past, so she decided that not all was lost.

"Boys have this weird way of....letting you know they like you," Eve explained, not that she felt any kind of expert on the male psyche.

"Yeah, well, if that's Ron's way of asking me out then we're never going to get together!" Hermione bristled, wiping her eyes with the edge of a tissue.

"You know, maybe this is a good thing," Eve reasoned.

"Good? how?" Hermione screwed up her face in a frown.

"Well Ron thinks you like him, and the jealousy he showed means he likes you too."

"Well right now I fancy practising some of those Dark Arts hexes your dad showed us on him. Is that good?"

"No, not exactly," Eve laughed. "Although the fact you're angry shows you care. I mean, if you weren't bothered, you'd laugh it off, right?"

There was a second while Hermione contemplated this then she smiled.

"Hmm, maybe you're right."

"You know I am," Eve grinned playfully.

"I think I'll have a shower," Hermione decided, grabbing her towel, "might help me calm down."

"Okay," Eve gave her friend one last hug before she disappeared. Eve was about to leave and re-join her friends in the common room when she remembered Draco, and their promise to write to each other tonight. Sure enough, when she picked up the magical parchment, Draco's elegant handwriting was on there.

Hello there sexy......

Bad news. I just received an owl from my father. He has been re-instated on the board of governors which means he will be even more heavily involved in school politics. He was also questioning me about girlfriends, which is a worry - maybe someone knows about us? We've got to be extra careful. On a lighter note, how was your day? have fun with scar-face?

Draco.

xx

Eve grinned, and searching around for her quill and ink, she wrote back.

Hiya!

Missed you today. Surely your dad being on the board of governors means you get special privileges now? you could get us our own room

;o) Hogsmeade was alright, but Ron and Hermione had this huge row just now, so that's kind of the gossip.

Who would have told your dad about us?

Eve.

xx

Eve thought that Draco must have been staring at his parchment with nothing else to do when he wrote back so quickly.

Part of me can't believe someone would have caught us, we're always so careful but.... you never know. I know I just said we should watch ourselves but do you fancy meeting up tonight? I want to see you.

Sadly, my father would probably hex me if I asked me for my own room.....

And here was me thinking nice Gryffindors didn't argue...... has Parvati given you any shit today?

D

x

Eve replied with an expectant grin.

I haven't seen Parvati today, and yes, sometimes perfect Gryffindors do have disagreements. The whole thing is very noble though.... :0)

I'd love to meet up with you! when, where? right now?

Eve.

xx

Draco's reply was immediate.

How about midnight? I'll meet you at the end of the corridor, where I left you last night. I don't want you walking around on your own.

I'm going for a shower now. See you later.

your forever adoring Draco

xxxx

"Oh! that was good!" Hermione smiled, coming back in the room so that Eve had to shove the parchment back into her bedside drawer.

"Did you wash that man right out of your hair?" Eve laughed.

"Definitely," Hermione nodded, combing her hair through. It was tame when wet, and Eve wondered if there wasn't some serum somewhere that could tame Hermione's hair permanently.

Eve faked a yawn. "I think I'll have an early night tonight."

"Hmm, me too, although I do have some Charms homework to finish up."

"Yeah, I have my dad's notes to write up on controlling spells. I might do it in bed."

"Sounds good to me!" Hermione smiled. "We'll get some drinks from downstairs first though - I don't want Ron to think he's pushed me out of my own common room."

******

It was ten minutes past midnight when Eve eventually made it out of the Portrait Hole. She had been paranoid about Hermione still being awake, so she had waited until completely sure no one would be listening. She hastened down the corridor, thankfully that the Fat Lady had been half-asleep and not really seen her go.

Draco was standing on the edge of the corridor, his eyes shut softly while his hands played with the fabric of his robes. Eve admired him for a moment before gently kissing his cheek. He smiled an opened his eyes.

"Thought you weren't coming," he raised his eyebrows.

"About to give up on me?" Eve teased.

"I'd never give up on you," Draco said with that kind of assertive tone to his voice that Eve found so sexy. At this, he leaned over and kissed her properly. "Come on, lets go before Filch catches us."

So together they walked through the halls of the grand old castle, their footsteps echoing lightly on the floor. Both had lots to say to the other, but they saved the words (and the kisses) until they were alone and sure of safety.

"Hmmm. Been eating fudge?" Draco asked after a rather passionate kiss.

"Yeah," Eve frowned guiltily, "but I cleaned my teeth!"

"No, it's nice, you shouldn't have," Draco laughed.

"Are we going to make it to the sofa tonight?"

"Make it to the sofa?"

"Yeah, or we could kiss here all night," Eve suggested with a smirk.

"Okay, the sofa then," Draco dragged her over to their usual place in the abandoned muggle studies classroom.

"So what exactly does your father being a school governor mean?" Eve asked.

"Basically he uses not-so-gentle persuasion on all the other governors to get what he wants."

"But Dumbledore knows he's a supporter of Voldemort, why did he let him back on the committee?"

"Father said something about tactical moves. He also suspects there are more supporters of the Dark Lord inside Hogwarts than anyone realises."

"You're joking!" Eve sat up straight, her eyes wide in alarm. "But Dumbledore would know, he'd - "

"He's not God, Eve!" Draco frowned.

"I know he's not God, but he's really powerful and - "

"There's a lot neither I nor you know about Dumbledore, Eve," Draco reasoned, pulling his girlfriend back into his arms. Eve was still stunned.

"But I can't believe that - "

"Think about it, if Dumbledore was so strong, why didn't he just finish the Dark Lord off when things started to go wrong?"

There was a silence.

"I don't know, but...."

"Well then," Draco shrugged. "Anyway, why are we talking about this?"

"It's important, Draco," Eve scolded, turning to face the slytherin.

"So's this," he whispered, pulling her to him. "So did Potter try anything on with you?" Draco asked when they had ended a long kiss.

"No, nothing whatsoever," Eve said smugly, settling back into her position between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested them on her stomach, drawing pictures and shapes with his fingers in such a gentle manner Eve giggled from the tickling sensation.

"What did your dad say?" Eve asked in a dreamy state, eyes half open. "About the girlfriends I mean."

"Asked me if I was attached. Asked me who I was planning to take to this stupid New Years Ball. He said I have to take someone, preferably a pureblood slytherin."

"He said that?" Eve asked with shock in her voice.

"Not in so many words, he's still playing the nicey nicey to the ministry and letters have been known to be intercepted when they come from Malfoy Manor, so he was rather.....tactical, shall we say, about his wording."

"Who are you asking?" There was a silence.

"Hadn't thought about it."

"Well think. Who are you asking?"

"I'd ask you but....."

"Daddy wouldn't approve?" Eve offered in a bitter tone.

"Well, no."

"I see."

The silence that descended between them was uneasy.

"You're a complete bastard," Eve finally muttered.

"What?" Draco half-laughed, twisting her around so he could see her face.

"You should go alone, if you can't go with me!"

"Eve, I'm expected to have a partner, remember?"

"Oh yes," Eve bristled, "of course." For a second, they just seemed to sit looking at each other before Eve leaned forward and plonked a defeated kiss on Draco's cheek. "Sorry," she whispered.

"Well, so am I," Draco shrugged.

"Let's talk about something good, okay?" Eve suggested.

"How about how beautiful you are?"

"That won't be a long conversation," Eve smiled.

"I could think of a few things to say. Oh, and demonstrations, obviously."

"Well obviously."

"I think we should start with a kiss, so how about you come here?" Draco winked.

Eve obliged and of course the couple spent the rest of the night in each others arms, locked up in each other, which they both thought was the nicest way to be.

********

All of Sunday for Eve was spent with her father. She went down to see him real early and didn't get back until just before lights out. Harry filled her in on the latest Ron and Hermione situation. It seemed that they were still not talking.

Come Monday morning, however, they were seemingly forced into reconciliation.

"Where's Harry?" Eve enquired when her and Hermione met Ron in the common room before breakfast.

"I only just woke him up," Ron explained with a grave face. "He was up in the night with one of his nightmares, and his scar was burning so he didn't get much sleep."

"He has to go and see Dumbledore!" Hermione said worriedly.

"That's what I told him," Ron nodded. At this, Harry joined them, pushing down the hair over his scar.

"Oh Harry! how are you feeling?" Hermione asked, looking to Eve as though she really wanted to throw her arms around the pale-looking boy.

"Very tired," Harry told them groggily, "and this thing is killing still." He didn't need to explain that he meant his scar.

"We all agree you should go straight to Dumbledore," Eve told him.

"Yes, right now," Hermione said sternly. Harry looked to Ron as though for sympathy.

"You don't want to ignore her when she uses that tone, mate," Ron shrugged. Hermione shot him a death glare and took Harry by his free hand.

"Come on, I'll take you there whilst Ron and Eve go down to breakfast."

"I can take him!" Ron told her angrily, "I'm his best friend."

"I can go by myself!" Harry practically shouted. "I'm fifteen for goodness sakes, not five!"

There was a silence in which Eve felt like laughing. She knew the situation was serious, but in some ways watching her three friends fuss over one another was like watching a play or a film. She almost searched for her popcorn bucket.

"Harry's right," Eve nodded, "he can look after himself. We'll go down to breakfast and we'll see you in first lesson Harry, alright?"

"Yeah, thanks Eve," he nodded. Without much more of ado, he left via the Portrait Hole and Eve was left standing between a grumpy Ron and a grumpy Hermione.

"Oh come on you two! you act like children sometimes," Eve laughed, and with that she left for breakfast.

Harry re-joined them as promised in their first lesson, which was Charms.

"So what did Dumbledore say?" Ron asked as he tried unsuccessfully to cast an invisibility charm around the ink pot on the desk.

"He just offered me a sleeping draught and the afternoon off," Harry informed them all as he took his turn with the ink pot.

"What did you say?" Eve asked, trying her hardest at the task, but failing miserably.

"I said I'd be okay."

"Oh Harry! you're so foolish! Professor Dumbledore was only trying to help and some sleep would do you good," Hermione scolded whilst she flicked her wand and the ink pot disappeared.

"Did he say he'd look into the matter or anything?" Ron asked with a twinge of concern in his voice as he moved onto his feather quill. He could no longer find the ink pot and he refused to ask Hermione to re-locate it for him. She would only get it right, after all, and he wasn't sure if he wanted her boasting.

"He seemed pretty concerned, but he wouldn't tell me why," Harry frowned, taking his turn with the quill but still not quite getting the charm. The point at the end flickered for a moment, but stayed in view.

"Maybe he knows something we don't," Eve suggested, turning her attention to the ink pot, which Hermione had now cast the counter-charm on.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Ron grinned as the feather finally disappeared. He shot Hermione a look of triumph but she simply rolled her eyes in Eve's direction. Eve bit back a laugh.

"Anyway, let's talk about something else," Harry decided, hardly noticing when his charm also worked and the ink pot disappeared. Hermione quickly tapped it with her wand and Eve had another go.

"Oh!" Eve sighed with frustration. "I'm just not getting this!"

"Here, let me show you," Hermione offered. "Concentrate on seeing nothing." Within seconds, the place the ink pot had been was empty.

"No, I'm just terrible at it!" Eve slumped down on the desk.

"You couldn't manage the opening and closing charm last week, either," Ron offered, "maybe you should see Flitwick."

"Trouble over here?" the little Professor asked, ambling over to the foursome.

"I still can't get this Professor," Eve explained.

"Hmmm, yes, it does seem to be a problem doesn't it? Do you have last week's homework, dear? maybe I could check over it and see how you're doing."

Eve gingerly pulled the homework out of her bag. She knew that most of it was wrong. It only took a second for the tiny Charms teacher to read over it then he sighed.

"Hmmm," he mused, "I think you'd better see me at the end of the lesson."

*****

"Urgh, how embarrassing!" Eve shook her head. "Extra lessons! I'm never going to pass my O.W.L.s, then they'll keep me back a year, and I'll still be here when I'm fifty, attending lessons with the first years, and I'll never get to be a Professor and - "

"Calm down Eve!" Hermione chuckled, "it's only a few extra Charms lessons. You didn't really expect things to come that easy did you?"

"Gran always said I was good at my Charms though," Eve frowned with exasperation.

"O.W.L.s are a very advanced level you know," Hermione informed.

"Merlin, you've started to sound like Percy!" Ron laughed. Hermione simply glared at him then flounced into their next lesson, Herbology.

Just as the group were donning their dragon-hide gloves and preparing to tackle the rose bushes, there was a knock at the green house door.

"Come in!" called Professor Sprout with her usual friendly grin. When the door opened, Eve also grinned.

"Hi dad!" she waved. There were small laughs from everyone, including Eve, who then blushed.

"Hello sweetheart," Remus smiled. "I don't suppose I could borrow two of your students could I Professor?"

"Of course you can!" Professor Sprout laughed. "Which two would you like? you can have them all, if you really want."

"Just two will do thanks," Remus laughed. He then turned his attentions to where Eve and the others were standing. "Eve, Harry, can I have a word please?"

Eve and Harry frowned at each other then pulled off their gloves and excused themselves from the room. Outside in the crisp autumn air, Remus greeted them both with a big smile.

"Harry, Professor Dumbledore wants to speak to you, and he has a visitor I think you might like to see."

"Visitor?" Harry frowned with a smile. "Okay, thanks Professor," with that, he was gone, off up to the castle.

"What's up Dad?" Eve smiled, throwing her arms around her father's waist.

"I've got some news for you," Remus returned the hug. "But I'm not sure you're going to like it."

"Why?" Eve pulled away slowly. "You're not ill or anything are you?" she looked horrified.

"No!" Remus smiled, "But I do have to go away for a while."

"Away? where?"

"There have been some death eater attacks on Muggles up in north Wales. Albus wants Padfoot and I to investigate."

"Uncle Snuffles?" Eve's eyes brightened. Then it dawned on her. "Oh! that's Harry's visitor!"

"Exactly," Remus nodded.

"But why you, dad? can't anyone else go?" Eve realised she was probably whining, but she was very protective of her father.

"This is very serious, Eve. It's connected to the dream Harry had last night, and Albus has a lot of theories of his own about Voldemort, which we don't have the time to go into right now. I was always told I would be a last resort for trips away, because of my teaching job here and of course, my lycanthropy, so you can see how important this must be, right?"

Eve simply nodded.

"Oh dad, please take care!" she hugged him tighter.

"I will. I'll be back before you know it!"

"I'll miss you, and you'd better tell Uncle Snuffles from me that he had better look after you like he and I agreed."

"I will," Remus chuckled. Eve thought he knew nothing of what had been said between herself and Sirius, apart from the fact it was a pact between them. Sirius had of course since told him that he had been made to promise at wand-point that he would, at all times, step infront of any danger Remus might be in. The girl that Sirius thought of as a daughter had also made him promise with his very life that he would always bring Remus back to her safely, and preferably with his usual laugh or a chuckle. ("Then she told me that of course I should always look after myself too," Sirius told his old friend Moony.)

"How long will you be gone for, do you know?"

"I'm not sure, but Dumbledore won't keep me away from school any longer than is necessary. Defence Against The Dark Arts lessons are becoming all the more important these days."

"Who will teach them while you're away?" Eve asked. Defence was the lesson she enjoyed most, not only because she got to see her dad, but also because she knew it all anyway, and the whole hour was just like a little reminder course.

"No one, but tasks have been set, and I'll expect them done. There's also a chapter on ellepuffs I want you to make notes on."

"Oh, easy," Eve waved her hand. She had once had a very unpleasant encounter with a ellepuff.

"Listen, you look after yourself while I'm gone, okay?"

"Yes dad."

"And try not to get into too much trouble, right?"

"Yes dad."

"You can use my room whenever you want, for peace and quiet or study, but I don't want to hear of any major parties or anything when I get back, you hear?"

"As if I would dad," Eve smirked.

"Hmmm," Remus wagged a finger in Eve's face and she giggled, holding him close again.

"Oh, dad?" Eve said with a worried tone.

"Yes?"

"Professor Flitwick says I have to have extra Charms lessons, to catch up."

"What's wrong with that?" Remus smiled.

"Well, I'm going to fail my exams miserably this year, aren't I?"

"No darling,." Remus put his hand under his daughter's chin. "Have faith in yourself. Your Gran and I couldn't have possibly taught you everything, now could we?"

"I suppose not," Eve shook her head, resignedly.

"Don't worry," Remus assured her, "these things take time. Extra lessons are a good thing, not a bad thing. Okay?" Eve simply nodded and there was a silence for a moment while they savoured their last hug for now.

"Love you," Eve whispered.

"Love you too, sweetheart," with a final kiss to the top of her head, Remus smiled and turned away back to the castle. Eve watched him until he was out of sight then said a silent prayer that he would return in one piece.

Back inside the greenhouses, Harry soon returned and indeed it was Sirius he had found waiting for him.

"He says to say 'Hi'," Harry smiled at Eve. The general story Harry had been told was that his nightmare last night was some kind of indication of what atrocities Voldemort was carrying out down in north Wales.

"There's quite a high wizard population there," Hermione explained, "stretching from Llandudno all along the coast inwards towards the old Roman city of Chester, is packed with wizards. There's even a full wizards town, just like Hogsmeade hidden between Holywell and Flint."

"So why did they go for Muggles?" Ron asked, frowning.

"Some plan, Dumbledore reckons, he says that Voldemort," (Ron flinched) "is just trying to scare the wizarding population. He thinks if he kills off enough Muggles it will be warning and that he can get the whole of the wizarding population in the area to join him," Harry explained.

"Do you think they'll join him?" Eve asked with a little disbelief and terror in her voice.

"Not if The Order of The Phoenix can help it," Harry sighed. "It's the code-name Dumbledore is giving to the organisation which includes all the top wizards, like your dad and snuffles. Apparently, we're not to worry."

"Hmmm," Eve grumbled. "That's easy for Dumbledore to say."

"Right you four! how are we getting on?" Professor Sprout was nearing their table with a smile on her chubby face, so the four friends quickly made themselves look busy.

******

Later on in the evening, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Eve were sitting around discussing Harry's nightmare, and general other Voldemort issues. High on the discussion list was also The Order Of The Phoenix. The whole conversation was making Eve miss her dad very much though, and she found that whenever Harry, Ron and Hermione got talking about things like this, she felt out of place, and a lot more like 'the new girl' than she did any other time. The three had, after all, been through a lot without her, and sometimes she felt it showed.

She would have gone off to find Draco, but from an earlier chat via their magical parchment, she knew that tonight he had Quidditch practise.

"I'm going for a little walk," Eve announced, standing up. Three faces frowned at her.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked.

"Missing your dad?" Harry added.

"Hmmm, I think so," Eve nodded. "I'll just go for a little walk, clear my head and all that."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Hermione smiled.

"No, I'll be okay," Eve assured them. "I'll see you all in a bit."

With their goodbyes said, Eve wandered through the Portrait Hole, and without any preferred destination, she turned left.

She must have been just walking and thinking for about half an hour when she realised she had sub-conciously led herself to the staff wing of Hogwarts. Giving passwords at both the official entrance and her father's door, she stepped into her dad's room and sighed, shutting the door behind her. Just like she used to when he was a little girl and she knew he wouldn't be there, she still called out, "Daddy?" just in case. There was, of course, no reply.

Eve sighed, and approaching the window, she saw seven very distant figures flying around above the Quidditch pitch. At the thought of Draco, she gave a little smile, feeling a little warmer, and she approached the old trunk in the corner of her dad's room. Knowing which lock her father would have placed on it, she uttered the unlocking spell and the lid clicked open. She knew she wasn't intruding - hadn't she packed this very trunk herself not so many months ago? Her father was always a last minute packer, so she had done the job for him.

Sifting through such items as her father's old Gryffindor school cloak and documents detailing the sale of their old cottage, she found what she was looking for - the family photograph album.

On the first few pages there were pictures of her and her mum when she was a tiny baby. There was also one which must have been taken literally days after her birth, wherein she was being held by her father, who looked like he was crying. Eve had, of course, seen all these pictures a hundred times before, and so flipped through to the one she had been thinking of, and sat down on her father's bed.

The picture was of her Gran, and had been taken on Brighton beach when Eve was much younger. In the photograph, Eve's Gran still wore her youthful smile. It looked as though the subject of the photograph was laughing at something very funny, and the wind was blowing her hair, sweeping it aside from her face. She was leaning on one arm, lying on a towel placed over the warm sand. The woman in the photo was unmistakably beautiful.

"Hi Gran," Eve said softly, brushing her fingers over the still, Muggle photograph. When they lived at home, just after her Gran's death, Eve would often go down to the tiny cemetery and talk to her Gran. Since then, she would just open the photobook and start chattering away, although she would admit that she only did it when she was very lonely.

"So........I need to tell you something," At this, Eve got self-conscious, even though no-one could see her, so she got up and started to tell her tale whilst wandering around her father's room.

"I met this boy, who I REALLY like, and it's sort of just how you said it would be, you know, with the funny mood swings, and the wanting to be with the person all the time. Most of the time I can't get him off my mind, and I think I'll go crazy if I don't see him. I know he likes me too, and I think we get on so well because we spent lots of time together when we first met and......I guess I would call him a friend before anyone else. Although, he's not really 'friend' material."

Eve stopped, realised she was talking to an empty room and chuckled to herself. Call it mad, but sometimes just saying things out-loud seemed to help. Planning not to go on talking, instead just thinking, she wandered to the window, to watch the seven little dots fly around, wishing she had some omninoculars to pick out which one was Draco.

Before she knew it though, she was talking out-loud again.

"I think it's getting worse. I don't think it's just 'I like you' anymore. I know it's only been about a month or so, but I remember you telling me, Gran, that you loved Grandpa the second you saw him, and that it took hardly any time before you were talking about love and marriage and things," Eve sighed. "I just want to know if its..........wrong, that's all."

Eve turned back to the book lying open on the bed.

"Oh, I wish you were here, Gran. You always used to explain everything away so that I didn't feel confused, and if I was unsure of something, you'd always explain. Even now, I know that if you could give me advice, then you'd suggest I go to dad, but I can't go to dad with this....."

Eve picked up a little ornament that was lying on the window-sill. She didn't remember who bought it, but she knew it was her mother's favourite. She was always warned away from it when she was tiny.

"Sometimes.........sometimes I even wish mum was here, so I could ask her."

There was a silence, then Eve put down the little figurine and went back to her original sitting place.

"I can't talk to you, and I can't talk to dad, and I can't talk to Uncle Sirius or Hermione so.......I guess I'll just have to talk to Draco," Eve shrugged. "He's the only person I've got to talk to about this. Me and him, him and me. It's sort of weird really, thinking that I've got a boyfriend. You always used to say that you talked to Grandpa about everything. You said it was important to have someone you could go to with your problems, no matter how big or how small. Well, if I think I might be falling in love with him, I guess then it is him I should talk to......." Eve smiled. "I'm rambling now, aren't I? you always used to say I ramble when I get nervous. Oh, and that I sing when I'm upset," the smile grew into a grin.

"I miss you," Eve then whispered to the picture, before kissing the tip of her finger and pressing it onto the cheek in the photograph.

With that she shut the book and placed it back in her dad's trunk. She locked the trunk once more in the way she had found it then made her way out of the staff wing and down through the castle.

She found herself outside the Slytherin Quidditch changing rooms, and sneaking a look around to check she wasn't being watched, she hid behind a nearby statue of a larger than life-size knight holding a sword.

At first, there was no one, and Eve wondered if she'd missed the players, then two boys came out laughing, whom she recognised as the Slytherin team beaters. It was a while before a lone girl came out of a separate door. She looked suspiciously up and down the corridor then exited onto the school grounds via a passageway Eve had previously missed. Just as she was thinking how typically Slytherin this move was, three other boys left the changing rooms. One looked sullen and burly, while the other two were rather handsome, Eve decided. Smiling to herself, she relaxed when she knew the only person left to come out of the changing room was her Draco.

Minutes later, a faint whistling sound met Eve's ears. She couldn't make out the tune, but it sounded happy, and as it grew louder, she saw Draco emerge. He had a fresh white t-shirt on, and a pair of dark green trousers whose fabric and cut reminded Eve of a soldier's uniform. He did look, she thought, extremely sexy.

Draco was also carrying a piece of parchment in his hands, on which Eve saw her own handwriting. It was undoubtedly their magical parchment and she watched him, wondering what he was thinking of writing. His damp towel was slung over his shoulder, and he continued to whistle as he shut the changing room door.

"Draco!" Eve whispered, still wary that someone might turn up out of nowhere. He clearly didn't hear her, as he carried on walking. She whispered his name again, only slightly louder. At this, he stopped and looked around with a frown on his face and a slight smirk. Eve thought she might melt with his beauty right there and then.

"Over here!" she whispered, which sent him turning on the spot and breaking into a grin.

"You'd be no good at espionage," Eve tutted, stepping out from her hiding place with a flourish. She watched her boyfriend's face light up.

"Hello!" he said, surprised but pleased. "This is a very nice surprise," tucking the parchment into his back pocket, he went over to her and kissed her soundly, gently edging her backwards into the hiding place she had just come from.

"Can you read my mind?" he smiled, ending the kiss, but leaving just their foreheads touching so he could see into her eyes.

"Why?" she noticed he smelled fresh, like soap, and she could just about make out a smell of coconut, which she suspected was the shampoo.

"Because when I stepped out of that shower I wanted nothing more than for you to be there."

Of course, this line sent her pulse racing.

"I just - I just thought I'd come and surprise you," she stammered, before pulling him back for another kiss. Many thoughts flooded into her head as he pulled her closer and she felt the skin to skin contact of his hands slide up her shirt onto her bare back. Most of the thoughts were rather filthy, but the one thing she pulled away from him to say was,

"My dad's gone."

"Gone?" Draco frowned. "Where to?"

"Wales," Eve answered dumbly. It was as though she had so many things to say, she couldn't say any of them. Sensing this, Draco went on patiently.

"Holiday?"

"No, business. Dumbledore sent him there."

"Ah! the death eater attacks," Draco nodded.

"You know?" Eve asked, her eyes wide.

"Of course I know, one of them was dear old Lucius."

"And......what? when did he tell you?"

"Sent me a letter this morning," Draco explained. Then he took one arm from around her and reached into his back pocket. Pulling out their magical means of communication he said, "I was about to tell you."

"Oh," Eve said, stunned. Then she panicked, "he's not still there, is he? he's not going to kill my dad, because - "

"Shh!" Draco calmed her. "It's okay. He's back at the Manor, your dad will be fine. In fact, I'd say that when he got there, things would have been pretty much back to normal. Your dad's in no danger."

"Oh, right," Eve sighed with relief. Somewhere in the back of her mind, her warning voice told her that Draco was always one step ahead - the Death Eaters were always one step ahead, which definitely was not a good thing.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked, looking at her with concern.

"Hmm, I will be, if you kiss me again," Eve told him, so he did, and she was right. Things were okay after that.

The two decided that some time alone together would be an excellent tonic, and so they set off towards the nearest empty classroom, which was a room Eve had never seen before. Inside there was a huge blackboard, and several rows of desks.

"I think this is where they give Medi-wizard training," Draco told Eve when she asked.

"I've never seen it before, how did you know it was here?" Eve questioned.

"In first year, I was taking a walk after lights-out and Filch caught me, so I ran to get away from him, and ended up here. I'd say I've only ever been here about twice in my life, but it doesn't seem like its used."

"Hmm," Eve agreed, wiping a finger through the thick dust on the desks.

"So why have you got that frown on your face, then?" Draco asked, perching himself atop a desk.

"Thinking," Eve replied.

"About what?"

"Oh, many things," Eve said airily, wandering between the rows of desks, dragging her fingers through the dust on each one. Draco sat patiently following her with his eyes. Eve noticed his patience and was grateful, which set her mind wondering how much she could tell him about what she was truly thinking.

"Do you ever think about....emotions?" Eve asked hesitantly after a while, never stopping her journey around the classroom.

"Emotions? you mean like how I feel?"

"Yeah."

"Of course I do," Draco smiled. "Where is this leading?"

"Nowhere," Eve lied, meeting his eyes and smiling back at him. "I've just been wondering lately, that's all."

"Wondering if I think about my feelings?" Draco chuckled, running his hands through his hair, which was still damp from the showers.

"No, well, yes. Wondering about my feelings mostly."

"Feelings about what?"

"You," Eve said simply in a quiet voice. Draco looked shocked for a moment after her admission, then he smiled.

"And........what have you concluded?" he asked hesitantly.

"I'm not sure," Eve chickened out.

"Is this your way of finishing of with me?" Draco panicked.

"No!" Eve laughed, watching the obvious relief flood over him. "No! of course not!" she went to him and put her arms around his neck with a smile. "Just ignore me," she laughed slightly as he returned the half-hug and slid his arms around her waist, noticing how nicely she fitted between his knees.

"I could never ignore you," he smiled, kissing her lips gently. "But I think there's something you want to tell me, so come on, out with it."

"Nothing!" Eve lied with a smile.

"Liar......." Draco accused in a gentle tone.

"It's nothing, I........." Eve squirmed comfortably, but then she glanced up at her boyfriend, who was now smiling kindly down at her, simply waiting. "I think I might be falling in love with you," Eve whispered coyly. For a nervous moment, she waited for a reaction. Half of her expected Draco to push her off, the other half expected him to act uncomfortably and tell her it was nice, but he didn't feel the same way. The reaction she actually got, however, was something she was not expecting at all.

First Draco smiled, then kissed her soundly on the lips. The shock on Eve's face was evident.

"Good," he smiled, "because I've been thinking the same thing and I didn't know how to tell you."

"Really?" Eve said dumbly. She still wasn't sure if it was a joke or not. "But.....but......"

"But what?" Draco asked. To him, the expression on her face was adorable. His answer was clearly not what she'd been expecting.

"Since when?" Eve couldn't repress a smile.

"I'm not sure," Draco shrugged, "but it hit me last Saturday, on the way to Hogsmeade. It's strange, I don't go about telling people I love them, so the whole thing is pretty new to me."

"So," Eve grinned nervously, her heart doing somersaults, "where do we go from here?"

"I don't know," Draco blushed. "How about a kiss?"

The couple kissed for some time, feeling like their confessions of love had made everything new again. They touched each other with nervous hands and Eve kept stopping the kisses to smile and gaze fondly at her boyfriend.

When Draco pushed himself off the desk and hugged Eve closer to him before pulling out a chair and sitting himself down, he dragged her onto his knee then deepened their kisses.

"They'll wonder where I am," Eve whispered in-between kisses that were growing more urgent.

"Fuck them," Draco muttered, trailing tiny kisses down to the sensitive spot just below his girlfriend's ear. Eve gave an appreciative moan before saying,

"I've got to go," but making no move whatsoever to carry out her threat.

Things were so heated between the pair that they didn't notice footsteps outside in the corridor approaching the door and then the tiny click of the door opening. There were a few seconds while the intruder simply stood, watching aghast, Gryffindor badge glinting in the dying light coming through the window.

It wasn't that she heard the extra presence in the room, rather Eve felt an unfamiliar set of eyes on her, and she dragged herself unwillingly back to the empty classroom surroundings and her eyes immediately fixed on the figure standing by the door.

"Shit!" Eve shouted, pushing Draco away from the buttons on her top and standing up, staring at their intruder, who wore an expression of complete shock.

"You two?" Neville stammered, eyes wide open and visibly shaking with fear.

"Neville, I can explain," Eve rushed as Draco stood up leisurely. Taking once glance at Neville, he withdrew his wand from his pocket and stunned the small, clumsy Gryffindor boy. Neville stood on the spot as though in free-frame.

"Draco!" Eve hissed, turning her head quickly to see her boyfriend. "What did you do to him?"

"I just stunned him, that's all," Draco told her calmly with a shrug.

"Oh my God!" Eve panicked, "he knows about us, he's going to tell everyone, my dad will find out and - "

"Shush will you?" Draco chuckled, "and calm down, I'll stick a memory charm on him."

"No way!" Eve said as she walked to the door, peaked out into the corridor and then shut the heavy oak door firmly. She stood against it, eyes to the ceiling, her mind racing and her heart doing ten to the dozen. The prone form of Neville Longbottom stood infront of her. "Oh God!" she groaned, putting her hands over her eyes. "Why didn't we lock the door?"

"Calm down," Draco said quietly. Eve opened her eyes in time to see him straighten his T-shirt.

"Calm down?" she hissed incredulously, "what do you suggest we do? he KNOWS!"

"Yes, I know he knows," Draco brushed some dust from his clothes.

"And you're being calm about this, because.......?" Eve was startled.

"Look, between us we know more ways to stop this squib talking than I've had hot dinners, so one of us will unfreeze him, the other will stick him under a memory charm and hey presto! the love affair that would rock Hogwarts is once again secret."

Draco smiled with a mischievous look in his eye.

"I'm not casting a memory charm on a fellow housemate!" Eve choked.

"Okay, I'll cast it," Draco shrugged, getting his wand ready.

"No!"

"What now?"

"Well........we can't! poor Neville!" Eve pointed at her stiff housemate and stood by Draco's side once more, surveying the situation.

"Yes, well, poor Neville shouldn't be wandering around dis-used classrooms, should he?"

"Oh God! what if there's more of them? what if there's a meeting in here and he's just the first! quick!" Eve was in tatters.

"Stay calm," Draco placed his hands on Eve's shoulders and forced her to look into his eyes.

"Calm?!" Eve squeaked. "Is this what your father taught you, calm at all times?"

"Yes, isn't that what your father taught you?"

"No!"

"Well, now I'm teaching you," Draco looked back at Neville as though contemplating things. "I reckon that when we unfreeze him, he'll make a dash for the door, so who's quickest with the memory spells, me or you?"

"I'll do it," Eve said shakily, "I want to make sure it's done right."

"Oh thank you!" Draco laughed.

"How strong should it be?"

"The charm?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know....nothing too heavy. It'll probably knock him out for a few hours, so make it a moderate one, nothing too fancy, right?"

"Right," Eve nodded, still unsure, but the clock was ticking in her mind.

"Ready?" Draco pointed his wand at Neville.

"Ready," Eve replied.

In the second that Draco cast the unfreezing spell, Neville looked about him and realised what had happened. As Draco had predicted, he then made a terrified run for the door. Eve was practised, however, on memory charms. They were a side of the Dark Arts that her father had concentrated on with her, and she could now fight off mild ones. The one she used on Neville though, she made sure was not so mild. Knowing the nature of memory charms, Eve stepped out of the way and dragged Draco with her, as they often rebound on the cursor. Neville fell to the floor by the door as the lightening of the charm lit up the room, and in the push to get away, Eve and Draco fell into a near-by desk and ended up on the floor, covered in dust.

"Phew!" Eve coughed, brushing herself off and scrambling over to where Draco lay, flat on his back, resting up on his elbows, surveying the now completely knocked out Neville.

"I can't believe I did that!" Eve said, horrified. "I knocked out someone who is supposed to be my friend!"

"Like I said, he shouldn't go wandering around where he's not wanted then, should he?"

"Draco! how can be so cold?"

"I'm a Slytherin, remember?" he smirked, standing up and offering a hand to help her up. Eve took it and stood up too. "We'd better get out of here before someone comes and finds out if was us," Draco remarked, pushing the desks back in place in a rather hap-hazard manner.

"What, you're just going to leave him here?!" Eve asked, incredulous

"You want to carry that fat lump up to McGonagall's office and explain why when he comes round he won't be able to remember where he's been for the last few hours? no chance, come on."

With that, Draco grabbed his girlfriend by the hand and pulled her out of the classroom, stepping over the unconscious form of Neville on the floor.

"Merlin, I feel awful!" Eve moaned, "how could I consider doing that to another human being?"

"Oh, it's just a little memory charm," Draco said flippantly, checking if the coast was clear. "It's not like you put him under Imperius or anything."

"I should think not!" Eve scolded him, horrified.

It was dark outside the castle now, and although she wasn't wearing her watch, Eve knew it must be pretty late. Although Draco started off down the corridor, she pulled him back after a few seconds.

"I can't," she told him.

"Can't what?"

"Can't leave him there! who knows when he'll be found?"

"When he doesn't come back to Gryffindor Tower tonight, someone is bound to go looking for him," Draco reasoned calmly and quietly, holding both of Eve's hands in his. "It's really not that bad, like you said, maybe there is a meeting and people will be along any second - we don't know, so how about we get out of the way just in case, okay?"

"O-okay," Eve stammered, reluctantly following the blond boy, constantly looking over her shoulder. "I feel like such a bad person," she muttered.

Draco looked sideways at her and gave her a little smile before squeezing her hand. They walked through the maze of Hogwarts corridors and up two sets of stairs when they bumped into Mrs Norris and Draco froze.

"Filch!" he whispered. They quickly retreated and decided in hushed tones that if they were going to get found wandering the corridors it should not be the two of them together, as people would find out, and it wasn't worth them both getting detention, so with a hurried, frantic final kiss, they separated and Eve tiptoed all the way to the Portrait Hole with her heart beating fast in her chest, pounding in her ears feeling like a dreadful person and almost forgetting that the boy she loved had just told her he loved her too.

Once inside the common room, Eve found most people still sitting around as she left them, except Ginny had joined the threesome of Harry, Ron and Hermione in the corner. Eve waved and joined them.

"Hey!" Hermione smiled, patting the arm of her chair, which Eve sat down on, trying hard not to let her fluster show.

"Where did you get to? you've been ages," Harry frowned.

"I think they were going to send out a search party!" Ginny laughed. Eve and Ginny hadn't really spent much time together since they met at the start of the year, but from what Eve could guess, she knew that given the chance, her and the youngest Weasley would get on like a house on fire.

"I went for a walk to my dad's room," Eve explained, trying her hardest not to lie - she figured she had done more than enough of that lately, "just looking through photo albums and stuff, you know."

"Good time?" Hermione asked with friendly eyes.

"Yeah, it was okay," Eve nodded bravely.

The next few hours before bed were spent playing exploding snap and discussing the latest gruesome homework Snape had set them. Ginny left them around ten o'clock and as Harry and Eve laughed together during a particularly firework-like game of snap, Dean Thomas ambled over, Seamus following closely behind, both with looks of worry on their faces.

"Hey Dean," Ron grinned at his friend, "what's up?"

"Have you guys seen Neville? he disappeared hours ago to leave some overdue homework for Professor Eastwood and he hasn't come back since."

"Maybe he just went for a walk," Hermione suggested.

"No, he's been hours Hermione."

"Well, which classroom did he go to?" Eve asked nervously.

"The medi-wizard classroom on the second floor," Seamus told her.

"Why did he go there?" Ron chuckled, "didn't know Nev was training to be a doctor!"

"He gets extra lessons, Ron," Hermione glared at him. "Do you think we should go down and look for him Dean?"

"I guess, yeah," Dean nodded, looking to Seamus for support.

So it was decided that Harry and Dean should go looking for Neville under the invisibility cloak. It was too risky for everyone to go, and as Dean knew where the classroom was on the second floor, he fitted under the cloak that would save them from Filch, and Hermione let them out of the Portrait Hole with a worried look on her face.

From the conversation that ensued, Eve learned that Hermione actually cared quite a lot about Neville, it seemed she had taken him under her wing and was helping him with his Potions homework almost every night. Time flew past, and when Harry and Dean returned, they were helping along a groggy Neville. Eve was pleased to see him back to his usual self, but for a moment she worried her spell hadn't worked, and hung back in case the sight of her brought it all back to the clumsy boy. Hermione fussed about like a mother hen, and sat him by the fire with a glass of pumpkin juice.

"I don't remember what happened!" said Neville, who now had a blanket of Hermione's wrapped around him while he sat in the closest chair to the fire. "All I know is I left here with my homework and then.........that's it! it's all blurry after that."

Eve cringed, maybe I was a little forceful with the extent of the spell.

"Well if you made it down to the classroom, maybe you hit your head or something," Hermione suggested.

"Oh, I don't know but I've got a killer headache!" Neville complained, nearly spilling his drink.

"Maybe it'll be clearer in the morning," Dean put in.

"Hmm, sounds suspicious to me," Hermione narrowed her eyes. "You don't remember seeing anyone Neville? not even a teacher or anything?"

"No, nothing," Neville said pathetically. The guilt was getting too much for Eve. She felt sick inside, sitting there with the knowledge that she caused this fuss, and upset her friends. When she looked across to Harry, she found him sitting there with a worried frown for poor Neville and frankly Eve felt disgusted with herself.

Draco's making me into a bad person! she thought. If it wasn't for him, I would never have been in that classroom, and now I wouldn't be lying to these people who think I'm their friend. I can't be anything like a friend if I betray them in this way and then lie into their faces when they question me as to where I've been. The only trouble is........I don't think I can stop this thing now it's started.

The final straw came for Eve when she thought of her Gran. Oh God! what would Gran say if she could see me now? she always taught me to be loyal to my friends above anything else. I'll never be anything like my dad if I carry on acting like this!

Casting her eyes over the people sitting around, watching their mouths move in speech but not hearing anything, Eve took in the faces of Hermione, Harry and Ron and a thought struck her, Oh dear lord! I'm the traitor! I'm just like Peter bloody Petigrew, I betray these people every day and then smile into their faces at night.

"Excuse me!" Eve stood up, all eyes turning to her in shock.

"Are you okay E - " Hermione went to ask, but Eve was already crossing the common room, consumed by guilt. She slammed the door of the dorm room, not caring if she woke Lavender, and shut the hangings on her bed, sitting herself down. For a long time, thoughts whirled around her head, and she felt so bad, felt so at the cross-roads of light and dark that the only answer she could find was to finish with Draco. This thought brought her to tears but she felt so consumed, and then out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something moving on her desktop and looked over to find words appearing on the magical parchment :

I love you,

Draco.

xxx

Immediately she saw the words, all doubts melted in Eve and as she picked up the parchment to reply, she didn't even notice she had inadvertently started off along one of the paths at the crossroads.

I love you too,

Evelyn-Jane.

xxx

Smiling, Eve changed into her bedclothes quickly and gave a quick kiss to the picture of her father on the bedside table before turning over and cuddling up into her blankets with Draco's last written words imprinted on her eyelids.