By My Side

Chapter 14.

After dinner, Hermione suggested that herself and Eve went to discuss outfits for the Ball.

"Mum and dad bought me a gown for Christmas, especially for tonight," Hermione informed Eve with earnest as they left Harry and Ron still catching up on what happened over Christmas at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

"Is it nice?" Eve asked, not really paying attention - she was trying to think of a way to get to Draco, as she couldn't wait to see him now.

"I think it is," Hermione nodded, "but you'll have to see it for yourself. It's deep purple with tiny cream flowers and - Eve, is everything alright?"

"What? yes! of course!" Eve chuckled.

"You keep looking around like you're trying to find someone," Hermione frowned, now looking about the place herself. Eve was glad that students were everywhere, criss crossing each other to get to various places in different directions, it meant that as Draco left the Great Hall alone, with a few cautious glances around him, Hermione didn't even see him.

He must have seen me leave and then left himself, Eve thought. Her stomach sank a little when she realised her chances of getting time alone with him before the Ball were slim.

"No, no one," Eve smiled, taking Hermione's arm and pulling her through the crowd. Hermione's brow was furrowed and as she was about to speak, Eve butted in. "So, this dress, tell me all about it!"

When they eventually reached the sanctuary of their dormitory, Eve flopped down on her bed and watched as Hermione unpacked her delicate dress carefully.

"Phew, that looks expensive," Eve's eyes went wide.

"It has an attachable train," Hermione demonstrated, "but I don't think I'll wear that tonight, it'll get in the way."

Suddenly, Eve looked across at her dress and couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"Let me see the embroidery," Eve smiled, trying to feel enthusiastic. Her father had told her about the Ball's at Hogwarts and how famous they were for their splendour. She had been excited until now but suddenly she felt like she was going with the wrong dress and.....well, the wrong man.

"It's all hand-sown," Hermione near-boasted, bringing the dress to Eve's bed and sitting beside her, letting Eve handle the fine velvety material, which flowed through her hands like fine wine.

"It's gorgeous," Eve said after a moment, in awe of the dress.

"What about yours?" Hermione asked, "is that it?" She nodded towards to where Eve's dress hung.

"Yeah," Eve sighed.

"It's lovely," Hermione went to the dress. "I wanted a silk dress myself. Try it on, let me see how it fits. The way it curves in at the waist looks pretty."

So Eve tried her dress on, and then persuaded Hermione to put her figure-hugging dress on too. They both looked lovely, although the dress styles were very different. When Eve's dress puffed out at the bottom, Hermione's pinched together at the back for an extra fold, in the late Victorian style. Looking at her friend, Eve thought Hermione would not look out of place in one of those Muggle period drama's on the t.v. In fact, all Hermione needed now was a bonnet.

"Does Ron have a purple flower?" Eve asked as they stood side by side in the mirror.

"I think so. Well, I hope so, you know what Ron's like..."

"Hmm, Harry had a blue one I think."

"Where would you get a blue flower at this time of the year?" Hermione frowned, adjusting the back of her dress and scrutinising her reflection.

"I think they cast a colour-changing spell on them," Eve smiled, watching her friend. "You know, you look perfect already, there's no need to fuss with it."

"Really? do you think Ron will like it?" Hermione almost blushed as she realised how interested she had sounded. Eve laughed.

"I think Ron will love it," she nodded. "After all, he likes you in those dour school robes, he's bound to like you in a new, hand embroidered dress."

"Well, he better had do," Hermione said huffily, and Eve laughed. The girls exchanged a smile before the door clicked open and Lavender appeared.

"Oooooh! don't you two look posh!"

"We just thought we'd see how we looked," Hermione began unbuttoning the back of Eve's dress.

"What are you wearing, Lavender?" Eve asked, wandering into the bathroom to take off the heavy dress.

"Well, my mum and I went shopping. I haven't got a dress exactly, it's a matching top and skirt which look very much like a dress. I wanted a corset style, you see, and couldn't find a dress like that."

"What colour?" Hermione shouted through to the bedroom, joining Eve in the bathroom.

"Scarlet red!" Lavender shouted. Hermione and Eve gave each other shocked glances, then Eve tried not to giggle.

"Have you made sure that Dean has a red flower?" Hermione asked, pulling her cardigan back on.

"What?" Lavender appeared at the door to the bathroom looking worried.

"The boy has to wear a flower in the colour of you dress. Tradition, I think."

"Oh no!" Lavender squealed and dashed quickly from the room, door slamming behind her. Hermione tutted at the loud bang then turned to Eve.

"I can't wait to see Lavender's dress," she smiled.

"Don't get me started, or I'll laugh!" Eve warned.

Both girls dressed back in their normal winter outfits, they descended the stairs to the Common Room where the boys sat about talking. Lavender was also there, waving her arms about frantically and talking to Dean in a high voice.

"Calm down! calm down!" Dean was saying, "I've got a flower!"

"And is it red?" Hermione and Eve heard Lavender ask as they sat down. Hermione sat next to Ron, who flashed her a grin. She blushed in return. Eve sat on the comfy bean-bag by the hearth, and watched the action unfold from there.

"Yes, it's red, woman, calm down!" Dean sighed.

"It better had be, Dean Thomas, I want this Ball to be just perfect!" Lavender warned before hurrying back of to her room with a concerned look.

When she was gone, Dean put his head in his hands and sighed. "Why did I have to ask Lavender?" he groaned. Those seated around the fire, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Eve, Seamus and Neville, all laughed.

"She was the only one left who'd have you!" Seamus teased, earning a swift knock on the head from his best friend.

"That reminds me, Seamus - I'll be watching you tonight, so no funny business with my sister, alright?" Ron warned, only slightly serious.

"See Dean? I have the brother from Hell to deal with, at least you only have Lavender!"

"I'm sure Seamus will be on his best behaviour, won't you Seamus?" Harry grinned.

"Yes, sir!" Seamus saluted at Ron, who leaned forward and swatted the Irish boy's hand away from it's mocking perch by his ear. Seamus laughed.

"I think it's more Fred and George you have to worry about, Seamus," Hermione's eyes sparkled with mischief and Eve watched her hand knock slightly against Ron's leg in silent communication. Curious as to what could be going on, Eve watched the exchange with interest.

"How'd you mean, Hermione?" Seamus asked, frown lines creasing his forehead.

"I was talking to them on the train here. They told me that if there's any funny business, they'll use you as guinea pig for all their new joke-products for the rest of the year."

"Oh, yeah," Ron nodded, catching on, "they told me that too."

"You mean, they're really serious?" Seamus asked.

"Yeah, they're ever so protective of Ginny," Ron nodded fiercely.

"I heard once that they turned Colin Creevy into a chicken for the day because he told some of his friends Ginny was his girlfriend when she wasn't," Hermione added.

"That's quite true, Herm," Ron affirmed.

From the couch, Harry caught Eve's eye and they grinned. It seemed only Seamus in the group thought Ron and Hermione were being serious - even Neville had caught on it was a joke.

"But.....they seemed alright when I told them I had asked Ginny to the Ball," Seamus shrugged, looking fearful.

"Well that's how they lull you into a false sense of security, you see," Ron tapped his nose, loving the joke, and Hermione for starting it.

"What d'you think I should do?" Seamus asked, glancing around everyone in the circle, who was trying not to laugh.

"Well, if I were you mate," Ron leaned in conspiratorially, as did Seamus, "I'd look up 'gullible' in the dictionary."

It took Seamus a moment to work out what Ron meant before everyone started laughing and Seamus sat back in seat. "Alright, alright!" he called over the laughter. "Shut up! shut up Neville! bloody hell!"

But of course, no one shut up, especially as George, Fred and Ginny took that exact moment to walk into the common room and Seamus shrunk down in his seat.

*******

Over in the Slytherin common room, however, the was a decidedly different air. Pansy was hanging around outside Draco's dormitory, ear against the wood trying to hear what was going on in there.

Draco had gone straight from dinner into his room and put some complicated locking charm on the handle so that anyone who touched it lost all feeling in their arm for the next half hour. Crabbe had tried it twice within the hour and Pansy certainly wasn't falling for that. Also, Gregory had informed her that if Draco didn't open the door pretty soon, he'd blast the thing off it's hinges then set to work on the room's occupant. Pansy was in two minds. While she really wanted to talk to Draco, she also wanted to see him set upon by Goyle.

Deciding that a chat with the youngest Malfoy to find out what his father had said to him over Christmas was a slightly more appealing idea, Pansy rapped lightly on the door (carefully avoiding the handle) and put on her best 'caring friend' voice, which sounded more to Draco like a sickly purr.

"Oh, Draco?"

When there was no answer, she gritted her teeth.

"Oh Draco, darling?"

Inside the room, Draco shut the Potions text he had been reading with a silent thud. He sighed, then composed himself.

"Yes, Pansy?"

"I know you're busy but......any chance I can have a tiny moment of your time?" the girl whined. Draco shut his eyes and tried to count to ten. No matter how many times he had told himself on the train back here that he had to be tolerant with Pansy this term, every time he saw her or heard her voice, the anger rose up in him and he lost all train of rational thought.

"I'm trying to get some studying done, Parkinson."

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, actually," Pansy said, thinking she had a stroke of genius pretending this was the 'word' she wanted to have.

"Pardon?" Draco choked, knowing for a fact Pansy probably only wanted to grill him for information of what went on at the Manor over Christmas.

"Potions, Draco, you're the Potions expert and I'm having trouble with my mutation draft."

Draco rolled his eyes in the confines of his room. The mutation draft was handed in at the end of the last week of term, if Pansy was going to lie, he at least expected her to be convincing.

Draco was, even he would admit, quite depressed. Christmas had been full of stony silences, and he was missing Eve like crazy. Just being on his bed, the place they had made love, made him ache with longing. He just wanted to see her again. They'd spoken, of course, all through the holidays, and he'd told her everything that had happened in his father's study on Christmas day. She had been sympathetic, but there were no words that could replace her just being next to him, pressed against him and holding him tight. He was beginning to feel sick with pining.

"Fair enough," he finally sighed, and flicked the charm from the doorhandle. Pansy practically fell in, obviously having had her ear to the door. Draco tried to stifle a laugh. "What's wrong, Pansy?"

"You see," she said, straightening herself then shutting the door and casting her own locking charm, "I've been having trouble with my stirring." Pansy stood in the most alluring manner she knew of and ignored the bored look on Draco's face. "I don't think I'm gentle enough with my caressing of the liquid," Pansy drawled sexily, fluttering her eyes.

"Well you're buggered if you intend to hand the mixture in next week, Snape will skin you, it's late," Draco said with tedium.

"Maybe you could show me?" Pansy laced her words with innocence. She began the short walk to Draco's bed and the dropped down in front of him, her shirt open just enough far down for him to see everything without it seeming obvious.

"Pansy, really, I - " Draco began, but was but short by her lips on his. Without hesitation, he pushed her off and she landed ceremoniously back at his feet on the bed. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he shouted. She winced at the noise.

"Well I just thought you wanted me, I mean, it's an awful long time since we last had - "

"Yes! thank you!" Draco held up his hand, "I don't need the sordid details. You thought you'd con your way in here just in case I was horny?"

"Well, Draco you did - "

"No! I didn't give you any signal or any sign. And yes, it's been a while but what d'you think I am? some bloody machine?"

"Don't you use that tone with me, Malfoy!" Pansy's facade vanished. "You asked me to this stupid Ball! I thought that was your way of telling me you wanted - "

"Sex?!" Draco said incredulessly.

"Well.....yeah," Pansy shrugged. Draco simply shook his head in amusement, feeling worn out. "I suppose at least now I know for sure," Pansy spat.

"Know what?" Draco asked listlessly, head in hands, trying to erase the feeling of her lips on his.

"You're seeing someone else," Pansy said with a hint of pride that she had deduced such a thing and had the guts to tell him.

"Someone else? you make it sound like I'm seeing you as well, Pansy, which I definitely am not. You've been playing some stupid little detective game around me but, d'you know what? I don't care, you can accuse me of what you like, I give up, finished. Just get out of my room and out of my sight, will you?"

After his speech, Pansy was silent for a second, rage coursing through her.

"Who is she?" she demanded in a low, threatening tone.

"There's no one," Draco sighed, his shoulders sagging.

"Don't lie to me!" Pansy screeched. "Now tell me, who is she?"

"Just get out, alright," Draco fumed, standing up and pushing the girl from his bed, towards the door. It was as he reached for the handle that she realised what he was doing and retaliated.

"Get your filthy hands off me!" she spat, pushing him away.

"I wasn't so filthy a few minutes ago when you were trying to woo me with your pathetic cleavage, now was I?" Draco sneered.

"I will find out, Malfoy, and when I do, I swear you'll wish you were never born," Pansy had her wand out, holding it inches away from Draco's heart. This didn't faze him though, he knew she wouldn't do anything so daring. Within seconds, he had pulled his own wand out of his pockets and hit her with a concussion hex. She fell to the floor, lifeless.

Draco tutted, then took the locking spell off the door, opened it wide and pushed Pansy's lifeless body out with little trouble. Slamming the door behind her, he replaced his old repelling charm and stood against the door, head back against the wood.

He tried to calm him breathing, telling himself this was nothing to get angry or worried about, but still he ached inside for Eve, and so he sunk to the floor, sliding down the door and buried his face in his knees, counting to ten under his breath.

******

Lavender, Hermione and Eve all got dressed together for the Ball. Prior to that, when she was alone, Eve had written to on their parchment, but she got no reply and started to worry about what could possibly be wrong. This was why she wasn't enjoying the pre-Ball preparations to their full as Lavender giggled like a girl and tried out about twenty different necklaces on Hermione.

"Do you think I should wear a shawl with this?" Lavender asked, indicating her sleeveless top that was, indeed, scarlet red.

"Maybe take one and get Dean to carry it," Hermione suggested.

"Oooh, do you think he'd do that?" Lavender giggled. "I like the idea of him waiting on me."

"Lavender, he's your date, not your footman," Eve smiled, fixing her ear rings in the mirror. She had taken off the chain she usually wore around her neck with Draco's ring on it because her dress came too low and everyone would be able to see. She felt bad, like she was betraying him, but she knew he'd understand her reasons.

"I'm thinking sultry black, what do you say?" Lavender asked, a shawl of each colour draped over opposing shoulders.

"Black," Eve and Hermione said together.

"Black it is then," Lavender grinned. As she went into the bathroom to check her make-up, Hermione went over to where Eve was sitting by her bed.

"Eve, can I ask your advice?"

"Yeah, of course," Eve patted the bed. Hermione sat down and kept her voice low so that Lavender couldn't hear.

"It's about Ron. If he......well, if he tries to kiss me, what do you think I should do?"

Hermione looked so confused, Eve almost smiled.

"I think you should do it if you feel you want to, but if you don't, then....just tell him you don't see him that way."

"Have you ever....you know, kissed anyone?" Hermione asked. Eve felt herself blush and wondered for a tiny second if this was the time to come clean, but an image of Draco being shipped off to Durmstrang by his father came into her mind and she said nothing.

"Once," she lied, then at Hermione's startled eyes, she waved her hand. "It was a boy I used to know."

"Oh, right, well......I haven't, you see."

"It's easy," Eve assured her, patting her hand. "You'll know what to do when it happens."

"You think?"

"Yeah, there's no rule book, and I doubt Ron is exactly an expert himself."

"I guess," Hermione laughed. "Do you think.....Harry might kiss you?"

Eve almost choked.

"Errr.....no, I don't think so," she shook her head.

"Well, I wouldn't be too surprised," Hermione smiled. Just as Eve was about to ask what the hell that comment meant, Lavender re-joined them and informed them it was time to go.

Eve felt like her head was all over the place - all she wanted to do was see Draco again and now she was having to fend off unwanted advances from Harry? something in her stomach knotted.

Brushing down her dress, she followed Hermione and Lavender from the room and down the stairs. When they reached the common room, it seemed the whole of Gryffindor was there, talking, laughing and commenting on dresses or hair-dos. Of course, the first few years still hadn't arrived back to school yet, but those who had were making enough noise for everyone.

"There you are!" Ginny smiled, coming over to the three. "I've been stuck with the boys. Don't leave me again!"

Hermione laughed and took Ginny's arm. "Right, come on, let's see what they think."

The group pushed themselves through the crowds to where a very nervous looking Ron was talking in hushed tones to Harry, who was smiling and trying to hold back a laugh. Dean and Seamus stood near-by. Apparently Neville had gone down to Hufflepuff for Susan (which Eve thought was very brave and slightly odd for Neville).

Harry knocked Ron on the arm quite visibly, at which Ron stopped talking and turned around to see Hermione. Ron blushed the colour of his hair before saying, "Very nice, you look......nice, Hermione."

"Thank you, Ron," she grinned, obviously loving the way she could tie him in knots. Harry didn't get chance to say anything to Eve as Seamus started to re-tell the tale of how Neville put a shrinking spell on his jacket instead of a cleaning one. Instead the raven-haired Gryffindor boy just smiled warmly at her and nodded. Eve was glad of the lack of ceremony and gave a small wave.

Before Seamus could even finish his story, the Portrait Hole swung open to reveal Professor McGonagall, who gave them all a quick, stern word about respectable behaviour, then led her house (and a few Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs who had come to pick up their dates) down to the Great Hall.

In the confusion to follow Professor McGonagall, the girls got split up, but were soon found by their partners. Eve noticed that Ron put his arm around Hermione's waist rather firmly, and she leaned into the embrace. Eve thought they made the perfect couple and beamed until she felt Harry come up beside her. She worried for a moment that he might try the same thing, but instead he just pointed out Dean and Lavender, who were stuck to each other via a loop of wool in Lavender's shawl and a cuff-link of Dean's shirt. Eve couldn't help but laugh at the pair. They then spotted Seamus and Ginny down the front. Seamus seemed to be rather keen, but Ginny kept looking over her shoulder, and Eve couldn't work out if she was looking for Hermione or Harry.

"Excited?" Harry asked, smiling. Obviously, he was. Eve considered it for a second and told him yes, she was, but she didn't know if she was excited about the Ball or seeing Draco again. She suspected it was the latter.

As they descended the final stairs and turned the corner, the noisy hub-bub of the Ball could finally be heard. Chattering voices and laughter rang out, and Eve felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up - she was getting nearer and nearer to Draco with every footstep. She might not be able to hold him, but right now, just seeing him was enough.

The Great Hall was a sea of colour, with rich foods prepared lovingly and distributed around upon the long house tables which had been pushed to the back and sides, against the walls.

The excitement was tangible, everyone felt pretty or handsome and it seemed for one moment to both Eve and Harry there had been no recent Death Eater murmurs, there had been no resurrection of Voldemort in the graveyard that night, and there had been no deaths, of either Cedric Diggory or Muggles.

The night sky was a deep black, stars twinkling brilliantly and illuminating the tiny shards of glitter that seemed to be suspended in the air. Of course, the Christmas trees were still up, tinsel sparkling in the candle-light and tiny enchanted carol singing characters provided the song before the band arrived.

Although she had grown up surrounded by magic in every way possible, Eve had never experienced a night that felt so intensely magical. Girls were chattering nervously in groups, sending glances at boys stood not far away, talking amongst themselves, glasses of punch and Pumpkin juice in their hands. The whole room seemed to hum with some kind of expectation, and everyone's eyes seemed alight. Conversations were animated, and Eve felt completely and utterly alive inside. For a short time, she wondered whether there was some kind of charm to make a room feel so happy, and then she decided that either Professor Flitwick had been going a little overboard with the Cheering Charms, or Professor Dumbledore had sprinkled some type of magic dust, the kind fairies appeared with in a small sack in Muggle cartoons.

Hermione and Ron met up with Harry and Eve and together they moved through the crowd of students with smiles and waves to friends before reaching what was usually the Hufflepuff table, lined now with glasses and magically re-filling jugs.

"Punch?" Ron asked. Both girls nodded, then turned away to admire and discuss other dresses.

"Doesn't Susan Bones look pretty in that white gown?" Eve raised her voice to be heard above the chatter.

"Yes, and I love what she's done with her hair," Hermione agreed, raising slightly onto tiptoe to see the other Hufflepuff girls. For a second, she tottered in her high heels, then firm arms steadied her from behind.

"Careful," Ron smiled, handing her a glass.

"Oh! thank you," Hermione blushed, turning to Eve and raising her eyes slightly when Ron turned away. Eve suppressed a chuckle and graciously accepted her own Pumpkin juice from Harry.

"So where are the band, then?" Harry asked, leaning around Eve to speak to Ron and Hermione.

"I expect they'll make a big entrance," Hermione grinned. "I read all about them in Witch Weekly, they're very popular at the moment, I have no idea how Professor Dumbledore booked them."

"Apparently, they play 1940s Muggle music, Eve," Ron placed his hand on the curve of Hermione's hip as he leaned in closer to Eve. "You should like them!"

"I'm sure I will!" Eve replied, noting how Hermione had not brushed Ron away, and how he too had not now removed his hand, even though it was no longer necessary.

"Where are the Slytherins?" Harry asked Eve as Ron and Hermione began to chat amongst themselves.

"I don't know," Eve replied with as much of a casual tone as she could muster, her stomach doing flip-flops as the thought of seeing Draco again. It had seemed like an age without him, not a matter of days.

Slowly, teachers were starting to filter in to the Great Hall, first Professor Flitwick talking with Joanna Jones, a Hufflepuff Prefect, closely followed by Professors McGonagall and Snape, who both seemed as though they disapproved highly of this sort of thing. Next came Professor Sprout, wearing her usual grin and demonstrating her effervescent personality by wearing a beautifully tailored ball gown made from silks in the colours of daisies and roses. For a moment, Eve didn't recognise the man on Professor Sprout's arm. He was handsome, although not overly tall, and he wore a grey suit with a cloak that attached at the neck and fell down his back in waves like water. There was an audible gasp from Eve as the man finally turned his head her way and she saw it was her father.

He looked healthier than she had seen him in months, and wore a wide smile which reached his sparkling eyes. He was laughing at something with the Herbology Professor, and seeing him so happy made Eve's eyes water with tears. She knew how proud her Gran would have been of him at that second, and she felt some of that pride, coupled with her own. Eve never failed to marvel at the way her father handled life - she felt personally that if she was inflicted with such a terrible illness as Remus, she would have given up a long time ago, probably living out in the middle of nowhere with a scowl for anyone who passed and never a good word to speak, but her father always managed to bounce back, he always had a smile for those who greeted him, and watching him now, Eve thought she might burst with love for him.

"Who is that with Professor Sprout?" a girl in front of them asked.

"That's my dad," Eve replied with a grin as the girl turned round to register the comment.

"Wow!" the girl giggled, "he never looks like that in class!"

Feeling Eve's pride, and seeing her beaming smile, Harry laid a hand on her lower back, at the place her corset jutted in sharply to her waist, then leaned in and whispered in her ear,

"Why don't you go and see him?"

Eve's only reply was a wide smile to the boy next to her. She thought it was a wonderful idea, and began to weave through the crowd, carrying the long trail of her gown behind her and holding up her dress-skirt slightly so that it did not brush along the floor.

"Excuse me," she smiled to the last person blocking her from her father's path. The other student apologised, then moved, and Eve grinned up at her dad, who had obviously been watching her make her way.

"Darling," he reached out for her hand, "you look truly beautiful."

"Thank you," Eve curtseyed with a laugh as her father kissed the back of her hand. "So do you, dad."

It was this scene that met Draco's eyes as he walked through the Great Hall doors - the girl he loved sharing a smile with her father. It was a normal scene, he thought, and under normal circumstances, the boy in his place would excuse himself from his friends and go and join his love for a kiss, but alas, this scene was far from normal, as Draco escorted a smirking, and now conscious Pansy into the Hall, and over to where his own father was standing, talking to the Headmaster.

"Ah, young Draco," Albus Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with some kind of in-depth knowledge, and Draco, knowing the strange ways of this 'old fool' as his father called him, wondered how much the genius headmaster had deduced from Draco's sly glance at the Gryffindor girl and his Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher.

"Good evening, Professor," Draco replied, feeling like a machine. He had been programmed by his mother since his fourth birthday about how to act in polite company and what topics were deemed fit to speak about. He understood with a sadness that mostly it was the truthful, honest conversations that were frowned upon here. It was to be niceties and 'isn't the weather atrocious?' all night. Draco shivered inwardly at the mendacity of it all.

"Ah, Miss Parkinson," Professor Dumbledore went on, "that is a delightful dress, don't you agree Lucius?"

"Oh yes, Albus, simply delightful," Lucius Malfoy bowed slightly to Pansy, who giggled and blushed with mock coyness. Draco knew that in private, the girl hanging on his arm so delectably, called most of the people in here idiots and had a mouth like the sewers.

Draco's eyes began scanning the crowd for Eve now, but his father's cold voice cut off his quest.

"Looking for someone, Draco?"

"No father," Draco lied, snapping his eyes back to the assembled party. "Just wondering when the band was going to start, that's all."

"Ah, yes! of course, the band," Dumbledore smiled good-naturedly. "I think just about everyone is here now. Do excuse me, Lucius."

"Of course, Professor," the eldest Malfoy nodded, but as Dumbledore turned his back and walked away, Draco watched his father's eyes ice over once more, before turning their threatening stare on him.

Draco looked away immediately.

******

"Good evening, everyone!" Professor Dumbledore called, and silence fell upon everyone in the Great Hall, as eyes turned to the raised platform on which the teachers tables usually stood. "It is my pleasure to welcome you all here tonight, I trust you all had a peaceful Christmas."

Draco winced inwardly.

"There truly is nothing I like more than a celebration, and so tonight we celebrate the coming of the new year. Most of all this evening is meant for one thing - fun. I am proud to tell you that the musicians I have booked for this evening are all former pupils of Hogwarts, and have currently interrupted their tour of the music halls to be here with us tonight. Ladies and Gentlemen, please put your hands together for Olivia Oberan's obbligato orchestra!"

Applause broke out throughout the Great Hall, and Eve's eyes went to Lucius Malfoy, who stood clapping stiffly in the corner. Draco was by him, eyes staring at the band with a kind of glazed over effect. Eve wanted so badly for Draco to look her way, even if all she got was a nod or a smile. Over Christmas she had thought a lot about the time they had spent together in the Hospital Wing, and she had been recalling all those feelings, that almost tangible air of heat between them. It was still there when they were together, touching and exchanging smiles and sweet-nothings, but from half-way across a crowded dance floor, Eve felt a little sad in her stomach that she had waited so long for Draco to be back and now he was, he wasn't even by her side.

The Orchestra began to play music in the style of The Big Band sound from the early 1940s and Eve's heart leapt. She loved this kind of music and instantly began to hum. Couples had already taken the dancefloor and were performing a complicated looking foxtrot. Eve turned to her father, standing beside her and smiled.

"Can I have the first dance, dad?"

"Of course you can, dear," Remus grinned, putting down the drink he was holding and informing Professor Sprout (who was near-by) that he would be back shortly.

So it was that Eve and her father had the first dance of the evening. They both performed the quadruple time step with ease, their short and long strides merging into a smooth movement. They flowed around the dancefloor like water, laughing together and remembering times when they had done the same thing in their old living room at home. For a few minutes, Eve didn't think about Draco once - she was remembering her old life back at home, her life she was so happy in she thought the world would always be so perfect. As the song came to an end and those on the dancefloor came to a still before applauding politely, Eve thanked her father, put on her happiest face and made her way back to where Hermione, Ron and Harry were laughing with Ginny.

"He was scared out of his wits!" Eve heard Ginny say as she made her way through the crowd, and when she stopped by Harry, the whole group turned to smile at her.

"You and you dad looked like you were having fun," Hermione smiled. Eve noticed that Ron still had his arm around her, but this time it was across her shoulders.

"Yeah, we were reminiscing," Eve told them.

"What about a dance, then, Hermione?" Ron asked, blushing slightly as he did.

"That'd be lovely Ron," Hermione smiled, before winking at Eve and letting Ron lead her to the dance floor.

"I can't believe it took him this long to pluck up the courage!" Ginny shook her head with a chuckle.

"He's doing okay now though," Harry observed as they watched Ron and Hermione glide between the couples, Hermione laughing at something as Ron bent and whispered in her ear.

Eve sighed, her eyes finding Draco, standing at the back of the room and whispering something to Blaise while Pansy looked on with a scowl. He's got no time for me Eve thought, her heart falling. Maybe that's it, maybe my luck has finally run out.

********

It was half way through the evening when the cellist stood up and announced an 'Excuse Me'.

"What's one of those?" Harry asked, frowning at Eve as they made their way to the dancefloor for the fifth time that night.

"It's an old fashioned tradition, that during an 'Excuse Me' dance, any other suitor can tap the man on the shoulder, say 'Excuse Me' and get to dance with the lady. You can have an 'Excuse Me' with any dance, this just happens to be a waltz."

"Oh!" Harry looked slightly puzzled, but they began to dance anyway. Eve had been taking the lead all night when she danced with Harry, as he was pretty useless to say the least. It wasn't a position Eve felt comfortable with really, but she only played it with Harry, as all the other people she had danced with (Ron, Seamus, Neville, an older Hufflepuff boy and her father) had led for her. She didn't mind so much though, as Harry had never been taught to dance, growing up under the stairs with people who hated him.

The night was going well, Eve mused as she made her way onto the polished dancefloor, Harry close behind. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, Ron and Hermione were getting on like a house on fire, having been sitting in the corner all night talking and laughing and generally being lost in each other, Remus seemed to be having fun, dancing with all the female Professors, (including a very startled McGonagall, as he dragged her politely by the arm up to near the back of the Great Hall).

Yes, indeed it was going okay. Except, of course, for.......

"'Excuse Me'," Draco said curtly, tapping Harry rather fiercely on the shoulder, causing Harry to look up in both pain and surprise - he had been watching his feet intently.

"What?"

"I said, 'Excuse Me', Potter. This is an 'Excuse Me' waltz, and I want to dance with your partner."

Eve flushed bright red and watched Harry and Draco exchange stony glances. She couldn't believe that Draco had had the nerve to do such a thing, and she was a little surprised herself, even if the sight of her partner did make her relax a little. In fact, she breathed a silent sigh of relief that all her fears for the evening had been unfounded.

It seemed for a minute that Harry would cause a scene and refuse, but then he steeled himself and remembered the rules of dancing etiquette. Nodding politely at Eve, Harry let go of her hand and her waist, stepped back and eyed Draco warily.

"No trouble, alright Malfoy?"

"Oh do shut up, Potter," Draco snarled, pulling Eve to him with surprisingly gentle force considering the tone of his voice, then whirling Eve away across the dancefloor, out of the sight of a dumbstruck Harry Potter.

"Draco!" Eve said, startled. Now matter how damn good it felt to be pressed close to Draco again, to feel his hand on her's and that strong, electrical force shivering up her spine from his hand placed on her lower back, Eve was still very much aware they were the only Gryffindor/Slytherin pairing up on the dancefloor, and both their fathers were only a glance away.

"What, love?"

"Draco! what if your dad sees us?"

"I'm past caring," Draco told her earnestly, spin the two of them around, very firmly taking lead.

"Past - "

"Did I tell you I missed you?" he frowned, drinking in the sight of her. "God, it was horrid without you, I've been aching to get you in my arms all night, and watching Potter claim you for his own has done nothing for my temper."

"Keep your voice down!" Eve warned, glancing around her, then turning her eyes back to her lover and softening. "I know, I've felt exactly the same, it's been agony without you but.......don't you think dancing with me is slightly risky?"

"I had to talk to you some way, and I don't think anyone would have liked it if I'd have just walked right over to you and asked you to meet me in secret tonight," Draco mused. He felt suddenly so much more relaxed, Eve's body flush against his own - he felt like he was finally back home.

"Meet you?" Eve raised her eyes, wishing the dance could go on forever. It couldn't of course, and people were now beginning to look. In fact, both Remus Lupin and Lucius Malfoy had spotted the pairing. The men gave each other frosty stares before following the couple's progress around the room. Remus was shocked - he didn't think Eve would be so silly as to accept a dance from a Malfoy.

"Yeah, I need to see you. I've missed you so much and - "

"You don't need to explain yourself," Eve laughed. "I know just how you feel, remember?"

"Right, okay then, meet me by the Prefect's bathroom, at half past midnight."

"Prefect's bathroom? but Draco, you're not a Prefect," Eve frowned.

"No, but Blaise is, and she told me the password."

"But - " Eve went to question, but Draco stopped her because the song was coming to an end.

"No but's, just be there, alright?" Draco winked lovingly then gave her hand a final squeeze before disappearing into the crowd.

Eve could only stand there in shock. It was then that her father appeared at her side.

"What did Malfoy want?" he asked, narrowing his eyes and looking towards the Slytherin table.

Eve panicked at the question. What could she say? "He probably just wanted to annoy Harry," she frowned after a moment, "you know how he is."

"Hmmm, well be careful, Lucius Malfoy is looking especially tense tonight. I think he might be planning something." Remus looked down into his daughter's eyes but didn't see the guilt. "Just be careful, okay sweetheart?"

"Yes dad," Eve nodded obediently, casting a final look in Draco's direction, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Eve returned to her friends at the side of the dancefloor. Hermione and Ron had now joined Harry and they were talking in low voices, all their expressions laced with confusion. Eve sighed - she knew what was coming. If only... she thought, if only I'd been in Slytherin.... Then she shook herself. What did I just think? no! no! I didn't mean that!

Angry at herself and having a fierce inner battle with her emotions, she felt all eyes on her as she re-joined the Gryffindors.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, concerned. Eve almost rolled her eyes - what did they think Draco had done? been such an evil soul that he'd danced with her just to issue death threats?

"Yes, I'm fine, it was only a dance," Eve explained, trying not to sound terse.

"What was he talking to you about?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"Nothing, we were hardly talking," Eve lied, hoping that the gang hadn't seen too much.

"Was he threatening you, because if - " Harry started, but Eve cut him off.

"Harry, honestly, he wasn't saying anything to me, only pleasantries such as the weather and the merits of the orchestra."

"So why did he ask you to dance?" Ron frowned, shooting a dirty look across the dancefloor where Draco was now being bored to death by Pansy Parkinson.

"I expect he wanted to annoy Harry, that's just like him, don't you think, Eve?" Hermione said prudently.

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing," Eve nodded, glad of Hermione's voice of reason.

"Hmm, I still think we'd better keep an eye on him," Ron scowled.

"I should imagine that Professor Dumbledore is doing that himself, Ron. We're here to have a good time, remember one of those? Can't you please forget Malfoy for a second?" Hermione sounded exasperated, but Eve agreed whole heartedly.

"Hmm," Ron grumbled, obviously still unsure.

"How about we go outside for some fresh air? it's stuffy in here," Hermione tried to calm the youngest Weasley boy, her hand on his arm.

"But - "

"Are you going to accompany me outside before I faint, Ron, or should I ask Roger Cleveland?"

Eve almost laughed at Hermione's shrewdness. This certainly caught Ron's attention. Hermione had danced with the aforementioned Ravenclaw boy once this evening, and Ron didn't plan to loose out again.

"Of course I'll come with you," Ron shook his head, putting his arm around Hermione's waist, "would you like a drink before you go?"

Hermione flashed a devious smile at Eve before answering,

"No thanks, I'm fine, come on. See you two in a minute,"

"Right," Harry said absently, eyes still lingering on the Slytherins. Malfoy and Pansy were now dancing together, although it seemed Malfoy was doing so rather unenthusiastically. Harry noted to himself that Malfoy had seemed everything but unenthusiastic when he had danced with Eve.

"Just forget it, Harry," Eve soothed, taking Harry's hand in her's, just using any way she could think of to avoid a showdown between the Gryffindor and her boyfriend. "Come on, how about we finish that dance we were having before we were interrupted?"

Harry's eyes flashed to Eve's. He seemed finally satisfied.

"Okay then," he smiled, and they went to dance.

Lost in the crowd, Eve was glad she had taken a lesson in boy management there from Hermione - distract them with something far more appealing. Maybe Hermione wasn't as inexperienced as she thought she was.

******

Out in the grounds, couples were walking together and chatting in the cold night air. It was chilly, but a pleasant change from the heat and light of the Great Hall. Hermione linked Ron gracefully as they made their way around the side of the castle.

"Having fun?" Ron asked tentatively, not really sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

"Yes, I am, actually," Hermione answered, surprising him.

"Oh... me too," Ron tried not to sound shocked. "I thought......well, I thought you might be bored, stuck with me all night."

"Why would that bore me, Ron?" Hermione chuckled. Earlier in the evening she had been remembering with fondness their fight against the troll when Ron and Harry had saved her in first year. She had come to the conclusion that evening that although Ron was often immature and slightly careless with the things he said, he was a good person, and that she cared about him greatly. He had always really looked after her, and she him, again in first year when she had taken him back to the castle, to the hospital wing when he heroically played that life-size game of wizards chess on their quest for the Philosophers Stone. Somehow, it was hard to tackle so many great obstacles together and not earn some kind of love, some kind of respect, for the other person. It was that calm, caring Ron she had been seeing all night, until a few moments ago of course, when Malfoy had riled him. That's why she brought him outside - she wasn't ready to go back to dealing with the other, hot-headed Ron just yet. She liked it when they were alone, talking - he was almost the perfect gentleman then.

"Well, you know, we spend every minute of the day together - what could be fun about me?" Ron shrugged. "I'm no Roger bloody Cleveland, am I?" he finished miserably.

"No," Hermione considered as they kept walking, "you're not like him, and that's why I like you. You're my best friend, and although we spend lots of time together.....you can still amuse me, you can still fire me up from a conversation on make me interested in the things you say. I had one dance with Roger and I was bored senseless."

"You were?" Ron asked incredulously, thinking that he must have hit the jackpot somehow.

"All he talked about was Quidditch, and how Ravenclaw were doing in the school prize this year."

"But...." Ron hesitated, wondering if he should be reading between the lines somehow - after all, Hermione was a girl, and girls were rarely ever this easy to understand. "All I ever talk about is Quidditch, isn't it?"

"No," Hermione smiled at him, "you talk about it surprisingly little when you're with me, and even when you do, you explain things to me, silly things like those Wonky faints - "

"Wronski Feints," Ron corrected, Hermione laughed.

"Yes, them, because you know I don't understand. That's what's nice about you."

Well, Ron was stunned. He didn't know how, but he seemed to have been doing something right. All evening he thought he was boring the pants off the pretty girl sitting beside him but no - apparently he was sensitive and explained things. He decided girls were complicated, after all.

"But I didn't know I was doing all those things," Ron said with a frown, realising they had come to a stop at some point and were now in the Herbology rose garden.

"Exactly," Hermione chuckled, "you're just being you."

"Oh....." Ron was frankly stunned. A silence fell between them as Hermione admired the night sky, a hollow, bubbling feeling in her stomach. She hoped he was going to do what she thought he was going to do.... but Ron seemed to be carefully considering his fingernails, not her. For a moment, Hermione wondered if she'd have to initiate this kiss - but that wouldn't be very romantic, now would it?

"Hermione.......?"

"Yes," Hermione smiled, the dainty butterflies in her stomach making their merry way into her chest.

"Well," Ron squirmed, in a seemingly permeant blush. He stared down at his feet, finding it hard to say the right thing - for some reason, at times like this, his brain always wanted to say something completely irrelevant and stupid. He forced himself NOT to ask her for the time of the next bus to Hogsmeade.

However, when he looked up at her and caught the look of mischief and more than just a little amusement in her eyes, his fears seemed to dissipate.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he smiled. Hermione only grinned. "I just - well, I enjoyed myself tonight, and I can't believe I haven't done anything wrong yet - I'm bound to soon, so, before I do, will you.....be my," Ron coughed, "girlfriend."

"Pardon?" Hermione teased.

"Oh shut it," Ron smirked. Hermione laughed loudly, her voice ringing out clearly in the hollow of the castle grounds, exposed against the night.

"Of course I will," she eventually blushed. She wasn't expecting Ron to attach his lips to hers quite at that moment though, and the kiss was messy at first, a clashing of two very different forces, but Hermione eventually pulled away and tutted. "No, I think it's done like this Ron," and she leaned forward, placing the most enticing, sweet kiss on his lips.

Then followed one of the many tentative, excited and nervous kisses that the couple shared that evening.

******

"Ron and Hermione have been gone a long time," Harry frowned. Himself, Eve, Seamus, Ginny, Neville, Dean and Lavender were all seated around one of the round tables tucked away at the very front of the Great Hall. There was a pastel tablecloth of pink, on which a candleholder stood, the light of the tiny tea-lights casting a flattering glow over the occupants of the table.

Eve supported her chin on her hand, lost in thoughts of Draco, and their solitary dance that evening. She was tugged from her thoughts when Seamus' merry voice broke the silence.

"You know what happened last time they were left alone too long,"

"Hmm," Neville sighed, "I hate it when they argue, Ron gets all grumpy."

"Oh, I know, and he winges on all night before bed about how Hermione is complicated. I'm only going to Charms these days in the hope Flitwick teaches us spells to silence someone!"

"Hermione's just the same," Ginny added, eyes flickering once again to Harry. She had been admiring him all night, Eve observed, and he was either blind or stupid.

"Maybe one of us should go and check on them?" Lavender suggested, checking herself in her pocket mirror before blushing insanely as the mirror cooed,

"Ooooh, lovely!"

There was a long silence - Eve was bored out of her wits, all she wanted to was be with Draco, and he was only a few feet away. Instead of a fun event, this was more like torture. The object of her affection had been dancing with various girls all night, but mostly with Pansy, who seemed to hang about him then parade him around amongst her friends like a trophy. Much to Eve's delight, Draco didn't look in the least bit pleased with Pansy's company. Lucius Malfoy was watching him though, every free second, his eyes would glance around the room and only settle when they found his son. Somehow, Eve didn't think it was a caring, parental gaze. Lucius seemed to be permenantly scowling, and once, when Draco returned his look, Lucius raised his glass to him in a supposed friendly gesture, but Eve saw the malice behind the stare and shivered inwardly for her boyfriend. She couldn't wait until that beast was out of the school, then Draco would be safe again.

"Oh, here they come!" Seamus announced, head bobbing, trying to see above the crowd. When Eve looked up, she noticed that Hermione and Ron were holding hands. Hermione had a glow to her cheeks Eve had never seen before, and wondered if she ever looked like that when she was with Draco, and, indeed, if anyone noticed.

"Nice walk?" Harry grinned to Ron. Ron blushed.

"Lovely," he finally managed.

"You were out there for years!" Seamus almost sang. "Sure, what's so interesting in the gardens? I've been down there myself and the only interesting thing is - "

"Oh, pipe down, Seamus," Ginny scolded. Strangely enough, the Irish boy listened to his date.

Once again, and kind of morbid silence descended on the group. Harry was confused and slightly miserable - simply because there was something up with Eve and he couldn't make out what it was. She seemed to be in a daydream, staring into space with a look that resembled longing in her eyes. He wondered what he'd done wrong - or what he hadn't done - he couldn't figure out.

"Well, you're a happy lot, aren't you?" Ron chuckled, brimming with happiness himself. He exchanged a frown with his new girlfriend, then shrugged. "How about I get some drinks? Seamus? Dean?"

"I'm alright," Seamus sighed, leaning back in the chair and watching Hannah Abbot dance with Justin Finch-Fletchley.

"Me too," Dean added, indicating the drinks Lavender had obtained for them both not so long ago.

"What about you, then Nev? punch? pumpkin juice?" Ron tried.

"Nah, I was about to go and find Susan, actually," Neville smiled nervously, standing up and joining the surrounding crowd. In the now available free chair, Ron led Hermione around boldly and sat down, before pulling her on his knee. No one noticed Hermione's blush and smile of joy as they couple entwined their hands. Suddenly, Ron was feeling on top of the world, and more bold than ever.

"You then, Gin? drink?"

"Yeah, why not?" Ginny smiled, feeling that this oppressive atmosphere was in no way conducive to fun.

"Great. Harry? Eve? Herm?"

"Pumpkin juice please," Hermione nodded.

"Me too," Harry agreed.

"I'll get them," Eve smiled sadly, eager to get away from the table. "Pumpkin juice for you too, Ron?" Ron barely had time to nod before she had stood up and had began wandering through the crowd towards the back of the Great Hall where a long table was situated with large, round, self-refilling punch bowls.

Eve reached the table and eyed up some of the other drinks before taking up two cups and pouring out equal measures of the red coloured drink which smelled highly potent, even though Eve knew Professor Dumbledore would never tolerate such a thing. Just as Eve was picking up the cups and beginning to turn around, a familiar voice caught her ear and she lingered.

"Well, yes, that's my view exactly."

The lavish tone was familiar, and Eve only knew one family that well spoken. When she turned slightly to look, she discovered her ears were correct - Lucius Malfoy stood with unabashed glory, talking to a small plump man with only a little hair, who looked rather nervous in the school Governor's company.

"I was relieved when you were re-appointed, Mr Malfoy, very relieved indeed," the plump man said with a sycophantic tone.

"I think it's absolutely preposterous, Dumbledore endangering every single one of our children, and I have already started wheels in motion to deal with 'the problem'."

Eve was just about to roll her eyes and walk away when the rest of the conversation made her strain to listen.

"'Deal with the problem', sir?"

"Well, naturally," Lucius drawled. "In fact, I held a meeting of the other school Governors only a few days before Christmas, a petition is currently being drawn up and sent to the Ministry regarding the werewolf's removal from the school."

Eve almost dropped the two glasses of punch she held. Lucius went on.

"Honestly, the Ministry bow to whatever that old fool Dumbledore says, but I don't believe a word of it. Apparently there is some potion which subdues the animal's condition, but to have him teach Defence Against The Dark Arts, of all things....."

Eve felt anger rise like a volcano in her chest. They were talking about her dad! Calling him 'animal' as though he were a piece of meat - less than society, and before Eve could stop herself in her already heavy hearted state, she had laid down the punch glasses and was standing behind Lucius Malfoy with a face full of rage.

"Excuse me," she said curtly, and it was the plump man who first noticed her. Lucius took a moment to turn, and eventually his icy glare fell on her, but Eve didn't relent, she wasn't phased by a look. "I do believe you were talking about my father just now, gentlemen," the last word dripped with irony, and the scowl Lucius was wearing turned to a thin, fake smile.

"I don't know what you could mean," he said innocently.

"Professor Remus Lupin," Eve said, her voice calm and the rising and falling of her chest as steady as a rock, "my father."

"Ah!" Lucius nodded slightly, eyeing her more closely, "yes, I heard there was a daughter."

"My name is Eve," the tone was steady, but Eve didn't feel it. In fact, she was trembling inside with rage, but never fear. How dare this man speak about her father in that way? like he was less than him!

"Well, whatever your name is - " Lucius went to brush her aside, but Eve held her ground.

"He is not an animal, and he is perfectly safe. I have spent my entire life with him."

The party continued in the background, but a few of the immediately surrounding people began to look on at the fracas. If their voices had have been raised, then maybe the whole school would have know, but as it was, everyone danced on, oblivious.

"My father's lycanthropy is not a disease," Eve explained in a calm, clear voice, "he is not a threat to anyone in this school, and Professor Dumbledore knew this when he re-instated my father to his teaching position at the beginning of this year. My father is a good man, he would not hurt anyone voluntarily, and he, above anyone, is most vigilant that he is away from anyone during those times when his change occurs."

Eve was staunch - she had that fire in her belly that only someone attacking her family could produce in her. For a moment she considered leaving Lucius with that comment, but then she felt a strength from somewhere, and felt Draco's eyes on her, as though he was egging her on.

"I would be most grateful if, in future Mr Malfoy, you would keep your opinions to yourself."

With that, Eve returned Lucius' cold, hard stare, and walked away, head held high. As she passed back into the crowd, she saw Draco smiling at her in a wistful kind of way, but she was too angry to do anything other than walk on.

Draco watched her go with a light feeling inside him. He had watched Eve rip his father to shreds and frankly, he felt like laughing. As he had watched her, she had not only felt love for his girlfriend, but he felt as though he was watching a very strong young woman who had no qualms about standing up for what she believed in. A new feeling washed over him, a feeling he couldn't name, as he heard her speak and then walk away with a stance full of grace. He knew he respected her, held her highly, but there was something else, as though he could tell one day, she would stand up for their children in just the same manner, and it made him feel slightly shaky for a moment, in a good sort of way.

He couldn't help but smile as she passed, but then he caught his father's eye and the smile vanished. He slipped away into the crown to avoid another father/son confrontation.

*******

The night ended much as it began. Tired and sleepy students wandered back up their dormitories around 11:00, and the guests present made swift way in the cold winter night to Hogsmeade and the nearest Apparition point.

Hermione and Ron hung back from the crowd as they returned to Gryffindor Tower, discussing what could possibly be wrong with the group of their friends. No one had known, and no one had seen the confrontation between Lucius and Eve, it had taken place well out of the Gryffindor's sight. Eve didn't tell them, simply because she didn't feel like explaining herself, and she was weary. More than anything, she wanted to drop into bed. Preferably with Draco beside her to hold her close and his warmth to lull her to sleep, but she knew that when she got to bed, he certainly wouldn't be there, and she couldn't even get any sleep. She had to stay awake for her meeting in just over an hours time.

Harry desperately wanted to ask Eve what was wrong - but she seemed to have gone cold again. The gap between them that had edged closed during the Christmas break was now once again a hollow void, and it made Harry frustrated. He couldn't think what could possibly be wrong, and he felt so useless. Ron had managed to talk to Hermione, (and Merlin knows what else) but he had spent a whole Christmas with Eve with.......what? nothing to show for it. He frowned to himself.

Seamus and Dean had abandoned Ginny and Lavender in favour of each other once again, and were having a heated discussion about West Ham football team as the group approached the Portrait Hole.

Ginny and Lavender were laughing at something, and Harry highly suspected it was him, but then shut off the paranoid voice in his head and quickened his steps to catch up with Eve, who was trying to wake up The Fat Lady.

"Beans!" Harry barked at the sleeping lady, who swung forward automatically. Eve smiled wearily at Harry with a grateful look, and they entered the Common Room.

"I'm going straight up to bed," Eve said, but Harry caught her hand and hung back, knowing the rest of the group were so far behind, they would be able to talk alone for a minute.

"What's so wrong? you've been upset all evening. Is it something I said?"

Harry looked so confused and almost frightened that Eve softened slightly and gave him a little smile.

"No, no, it's not you. I'm sorry - I ruined your evening, didn't I?"

"No!" Harry frowned, "no, of course not. I just want to know what's wrong - I might be able to help."

"Forget it," Eve shook her head, "I'll be alright in the morning, I'm just tired, that's all."

"You can talk to me, you know, I'm your friend."

"I know, Harry," Eve sighed. "I'm sorry, I just need to get to bed, you know?"

After a moment, Harry nodded reluctantly. He was surprised, then pleased, and then eternally confused when Eve embraced him in a tiny hug. It took him a few moments to realise what was happening, and just as he was beginning to reciprocate, she pulled away.

"Night," she said in an almost whisper, and disappeared off towards the girls dorms. By the time the rest of the group arrived, she was gone.

******

Of course, Hermione wanted to talk about Ron, and Eve found it almost impossible to get away. She tried to play 'interested friend', and nodded and smiled in all the right places during the conversation, but as always these days, her mind was with Draco, elsewhere in the castle.

"You were right about the kiss," Hermione told her. Lavender was asleep, and snoring noisily to prove it.

"Told you, didn't I?" Eve smiled.

"I just hope.......well, I hope Ron is different with me now, I hope we don't argue about silly things as much as we used to."

"You won't," Eve assured her, wondering what the time was. She yawned for effect.

"Oh! you must be tired!" Hermione blushed, "I'm sorry, have I go on?"

"No, no!" guilt rushed through Eve's system. "I love hearing your tales."

"It's just a pity you don't have any to tell me," Hermione said comfortingly, mistaking Eve's eagerness to get away for disappointment.

"I'm sure I'll have some soon!"

"Yeah," Hermione nodded encouragingly. "Get some sleep now, you look shattered."

"Hmmm, I feel it," Eve rubbed at her eyes. "Night, night."

"Night!" Hermione drew the hangings around her bed quietly, and Eve did the same. As soon as she was in darkness, she grabbed her watch and observed the time 00:14am. She sighed. Hermione would never get off to sleep that soon, which meant she'd have to be late.

Lying there in the darkness, now clad in her blue pyjamas that had little cream-coloured penguins on, Eve contemplated her sadness.

She could feel she had changed. She was lying, all the time, to everyone, to her friends and to her father. It made her feel sick yet......it was a like a drug, an addiction she couldn't give up. As much as she felt bad and guilty, she never made a move to change anything. Take now for example, here she was, waiting around in the dark like some kind of thief, waiting for her friend to fall asleep so she could steal away under darkness to meet up with the enemy. Even the thought of her betrayal made Eve hate herself, and she turned over onto her side, sick with turmoil.

Eventually, through the silence, Hermione's still breathing pattern became discernible, and Eve knew it was time. She was about 15 minutes late, but she knew Draco would understand, so she pushed back her bedcovers and pulled on some socks. Making sure that the hangings around her bed were firmly shut, she padded softly to the dormitory door and opened it noiselessly. She had become a professional at this, keeping quiet, and she descended the stairs to the common room with minimal noise. Reaching the final corner of the stairs, she waited, listening for any revellers who had yet to go to bed, but there was no one, and she made her way quickly past the fireplace and opened up the Portrait Hole.

It was only when she was out in the corridor that she realised she had no idea where the Prefects Bathroom was. Afterall, she had no need to use it, and although Hermione was a Prefect, she kept to the bathrooms in Gryffindor Tower. Feeling useless, Eve began to wander in some miserable hope of finding one room in an enchanted castle that was several stories high and over a hundred rooms wide.

Eve wandered for what seemed like hours. She was exhausted, and considered just sitting down and sleeping several times - her feet hurt so much. She was cold too, and her eyes were weary from looking endlessly for Mrs Norris or Filch.

As the time reached 1:26am on her watch and she was about to turn round and retreat to Gryffindor Tower, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, and a chill run straight through her. She turned the corner to find Peeves dangling upside down and sticking a Filibuster Firework into a fire-holder on the wall. Eve couldn't contain a grin.

"Peeves!" she whispered, and the mischievous ghoul looked around suspiciously. Eventually, his beady eyes rested on her.

"Miss Evelyn," he bowed ridiculously.

"Peeves, I need to find the Prefects Bathroom, do you know where it is?"

"Oooh! Miss Eve, what do you want to be going there for?" Peeves asked, dropping what he had been doing, the firework echoing on the stone floor as it dropped, the noise shattering the silence in the corridors. Peeves seemed not to notice, and whizzed by Eve's side.

"It's a secret," Eve winked, a laugh in her voice.

"An important secret?" Peeves grinned devilishly.

"Oh, most definitely," Eve nodded. "But it's urgent, please?"

"Second floor, around the corner from the Prefects Meeting room."

When Eve frowned, he added, "fourth door on the right."

"Oh! thank you, Peeves!" Eve gushed. "I owe you one."

"Think nothing of it, dear," Peeves winked.

"I'd kiss you, but....."

"I understand," Peeves said sadly. Eve grinned once more and raced away. Peeves groaned loudly and slapped his forehead. "Sometimes I just hate being dead," he said to no one in particular, then spotted the firework on the floor and went back to his job with glee.

******

Eve was panting and red - faced by the time she arrived at the Prefects Bathroom. She knocked hesitantly, and strained to hear noise from the other side of the door. Feeling more bold but scared that Draco had given up and left, Eve knocked louder. Just then, the door cracked open, and Draco's face appeared in the gap.

"Finally!" he smiled. He pulled her in and shut the door again. They were in a tiny room which had two doors on the far wall. One said 'Girls' and the other 'Boys'.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Eve said, close to tears, her throat burning. "I had to wait for Hermione to sleep and then I couldn't find the place and - " before she knew it, tears were streaming down her cheeks and Draco had pulled her into a warm embrace.

"Ssshh!" he soothed, "it's okay, it's alright, I've got you."

At this, Eve cried even harder, clinging onto him for dear life. It seemed that in a moment, all the stress of the evening, being so near yet unable to touch, and all the worry of Christmas, being so far away when she knew bad things were happening to him, came rushing over her, and she broke apart like a little doll in his arms. Eve hardly heard the soothing words as Draco rocked her gently and smoothed her hair.

Eventually, her sobs began to subside, but when she spoke, her words got hitched on her breath stuck in her chest, and her eyes were red rimmed, stinging still with tears.

"I - I - missed you. It - it was awful - being - so - close and not - being able to - "

"I know," Draco nodded, wiping at the tears that were glistening in the low firelight on the wall. "Come on, you need to sit down."

Draco led them both through the door that said 'Girls' and sat Eve down on a bench near the door. Eve wiped frantically at her eyes to see the little candles strewn everywhere, the bath filled high with lilac water and tiny lilies floating on the surface, bobbing with the ripple of the water waves.

As the candles flickered, they cast soothing, warmth orange glows around the room and over the floor, making the clean tiles seem less harsh. Draco watched Eve's face with anticipation as she surveyed his handiwork.

"Draco, it's gorgeous," Eve managed, looking up to him and worrying if once again, she would cry.

"Now tell me why you're crying," Draco said with concern, sitting down next to Eve on the little bench and wrapping a protective arm around her shoulder. Suddenly, Eve felt alright, the nagging ache in her chest seemed to disappear and she felt she could breath again.

This was right, she decided. No matter how wrong it is, it feels right, and that's all I can go by right now.

Eve leaned forward for a kiss, a much treasured kiss after such a long wait for it. Draco returned the sentiment readily, and moaned slightly when Eve pulled away.

"I was crying because I missed you, because I had a horrible show-down with your father, and he's a pig. Because Christmas was like torture without your skin, because I'm too attached to you and because I'm worried people will find out and hate me. Because I'm lying to my friends, and more than that, I'm lying to my father, and he's given me everything and I don't know what to do but this........ this feels so right," the last piece of what was otherwise a load of babble, was said in a whisper, and Eve clutched Draco's hand tight when she said it, before looking into his eyes and seeing everything she felt reflected there.

"Christmas is over, and you're here with me. I won't let anyone upset you now, but I can't do anything to stop the lying. If you want to tell your father, I'll help you, I'll come with you, he deserves to know. As for my dad, he's just a big bully. I hate him more with every minute, and if I knew a way, I'd get rid of him. He was cruel with you, but you stood up to him, you were brave and I'm proud of you," Draco smiled happily before engaging them in another kiss.

"Don't ever go away again," Eve pouted, shaking her head. "Never, right?"

"I promise," Draco chuckled. His laugh seemed to remind her.

"Oh, by the way, how did you find your way in here? It's a girls bathroom!" Eve looked about and smiled herself.

"Blaise knows the passwords to the girls room, but not the boys. I know this is doing nothing for my macho image, but......" he trailed off. Eve laughed and pushed him gently.

"What macho image?" she breathed, before feeling an over-whelming desire wash over her. As her eyes grew glassy with love and arousal, Draco captured her mouth with his and soon they were unbuttoning each other's clothing gently but with urgency. It seemed so long ago they last did this, and although it was no longer her first time, Eve still got those butterflies in her stomach. They were softer this time, and more of a comforting feeling, but they heightened her senses and each touch became unexplainable electric.

Somehow, the couple managed to make it over to the bath, which was much bigger, more of a pool than a bath, Eve thought. The water was luxuriously warm as Draco broke their heavy kisses and held her hand, guiding her into the water. They were both naked now, and when they clung to each other in the lilac colour water which smelled of Ylang Ylang and Patchouli, a fire raged inside Eve's body, an intense kind of passion, built up over the last few weeks of them being apart.

"I missed you," Draco whispered into Eve's skin as he kissed her collarbone and ran his hands all over the skin he had imagined so many times in his cold, lonely bed at the Manor. "You're precious to me, you know that?" he asked, looking into her eyes. At that second, he felt himself fall further.

Eve just nodded, rendered speechless by how he could do that - change so utterly and completely from that cold being who played a part for his audience and for his father's eyes at the Ball - someone who could spit cruel words at the Gryffindors with the same mouth he used to worship her.

"I love you," she smiled, touching his cheek gently. He leaned into her hand and his eyes fluttered closed.

"I love you too," he whispered.

Overwhelmed by everything, Eve kissed him again and every time it felt so new. It felt like their love was such a rare, delicate thing, it should be handled gently, but sometimes Eve couldn't help but just ravish him, his mouth, his chest, his delicate piano-playing hands.

They made love more than once that night, and when Eve eventually flopped into bed, she wore a sated smile and a clear conscience.