A Redheaded Evans

Nicola dropped them off and bid them good night before zooming off into the darkness. Julia and Draco stood on the front porch, an awkwardness hanging between them that hadn't been there even on their first night.

"That was interesting, to say the least," Draco said finally. He turned and unlocked the door, stepping into the house.

"You didn't have to worry about me in the mosh pit," Julia said.

Draco closed the door behind them and locked it. How can I not worry about you? He wanted to cry. I'm in love with you - I'd die if something happened to you. Instead he said, "Forgive my mistreatment of you. Now that I am better informed nothing of the sort will happen next time."

Julia raised her eyebrows. "There'll be a next time?"

Draco shrugged one shoulder carelessly. "Perhaps." He began unbuckling the various black leather and metal accessories they had insisted he wear. Julia moved past him down the hallway to clean off her make-up. Draco slipped into his room to change into his pajamas. Had she even felt the kiss? Did she know it was on purpose? Did she know how he felt? He dressed slowly, turning these questions over in his mind, unable to comprehend the awkward atmosphere that lingered between them. When he emerged, Julia had scrubbed all the make-up off. She looked pale and tired, and the bruise stood out even more starkly. Draco saw his own bruised jaw in the mirror and winced.

Julia was starkly aware of the man beside her. Had she just imagined that kiss back at the concert? Had she imagined the emotion in his eyes? He came to stand at his sink, and he winced when he saw his own bruised jaw. He turned as if to speak to her, then hesitated. Julia sighed inwardly. When had things turned awkward between them? She hadn't seen him for the rest of the concert after The Origin of Love, and in the car on the way home he hadn't spoken to her much, and avoided her gaze when he did.

Finally he said, "I could - take care of that for you. If you like."

Julia blinked at him.

He gestured vaguely at her.

She blinked again.

"Your bruise - I could heal it."

She realized what he was implying, and shook her head. "Oh, no, but thanks. I have to show it off to Kenneth and Lisa before it goes away. They went to the last punk concert with me and Nicola, and Kenneth wouldn't let Lisa or me into the pit. I have to prove that I can survive the pit. But thanks, really."

"If you're sure."

"I am." Was it just her imagination, or was there hurt in his eyes?

Julia went back to brushing her teeth. Draco sighed and washed his face carefully. When he was done, he lifted one hand to his jaw. His eyes blazed silver for a moment, and when he lowered his hand, the bruise was gone.

Julia turned to him. "You can just do that? Heal yourself like that? I thought you were going to avoid doing magic."

Draco shrugged. "Yes. Wandless magic and medical magic have always been a special gift of mine. And Nicola was right - I bruise horribly with this pale skin, and it wouldn't do to show up at work on Monday looking like a bar brawler."

"Ah. You have a point." Julia blinked at him. "But - wow. I've never really seen you do magic. Is the bruise just gone, or is the pain gone too?"

"I didn't want to use too much magic. The pain still lingers." Draco set down his toothbrush. "Good night."

Julia watched him vanish into his room and wondered what had happened between them.

Draco lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering how he would survive this weekend. Should he just approach Julia and tell her about the kiss? But if she hadn't even felt it, then how would he explain? He wasn't going to apologize for the kiss. He wasn't going to apologize for the fact that he was in love with her. But it was clear that she wasn't in love with him. She did love him, he was sure of that, but they were practically best friends. She loved him the same way she loved Nicola and Steven and the rest of her friends. When had it come to this? When had Draco fallen in love with her? What would he do if she pushed him away once she knew the truth? He heard the shower come on through the wall, and then he heard Julia's gentle voice over the pounding water.

"When the earth was still flat, and clouds made of fire, the mountains stretched up to the sky...sometimes, higher..."

Draco swallowed hard. She was singing that song, the only slow song during the concert. The song that gave him four minutes to hold her, and one chance to kiss her.

The Origin of Love.

Draco swallowed hard.

Malfoys don't cry.

He stared at the glittering ceiling with wide eyes and willed the pain away.

When Julia awoke the next morning, she went to brush her teeth. On Draco's side of the counter lay a note. She unfolded it and read it carefully. She couldn't really remember the last time she'd seen his handwriting.

Dear Julia,

I was called into work unexpectedly by Robert. The weekend man is down, and I have to cover his twelve-hour shift. I'll call if I won't be home in time for supper.

Draco Malfoy

Julia stared at the note and frowned. She hadn't heard the phone ring, or Draco taking a shower. She must have been very tired from the concert last night. She ought to call in and make sure he had lunch.

Julia looked at herself in the mirror. The bruise across her cheekbone was darker and slightly puffy. She had her battle scars. She would have to go visit Kenneth and Lisa and show it off. Lisa would be jealous - Kenneth still wouldn't let her into the mosh pit. Then Julia remembered what had happened last night, the way Draco had come tearing through the mosh pit, panic in his eyes until he saw her. He had just pulled her into his arms; he never initiated physical contact, apart from the perfunctory good-bye kiss he always gave her before he left for work. She'd felt his heart beating through his shirt as he'd held her tightly, and all through the next song he hadn't let her go. He had been worried about her in the pit. Julia sighed and pushed the memories aside, concentrating on brushing her teeth. She had to ignore the memory of being in Draco's arms, of his warm, firm body and his arms wrapped around her tightly. Of his soft lips on the back of her neck.

Julia's eyes went wide, and she dropped her toothbrush.

Draco had kissed her. Not that he hadn't kissed her before, but this was different. He had just held her and kissed her.

Could he be in love with her?

Julia picked up her toothbrush and finished brushing her teeth. He had said that he wasn't planning on dating anyone while they were married, because there wasn't much chance that he would fall in love with anyone.

No, he had said something else, something with a totally different meaning.

"And I somehow doubt that I'll be falling in love with anyone else."

With anyone else.

Draco was in love with her.

Julia stared at her reflection, thinking.

She set down her toothbrush, squared her shoulders and marched into her bedroom to get dressed. The ball was still in Draco's court. She would wait until he made a move, and try to decide how she felt in the meantime.

But what if he never tells you? a small voice inside her asked. He's a Malfoy; they almost never express their feelings.

Julia dismissed the thought and tugged the shirt over her head. Then she headed over to the phone to call Draco's work and make sure he had lunch.

"Draco, you look even more tired today," Robert said. "Are you sure you can work?"

Draco nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Julia and Nicola took me to a punk concert down in St. George is all."

"A punk concert?" Robert raised his eyebrows. "I didn't think you were the type."

"It's not an experience I care to repeat. I'll say that much." Draco ran a few more keys through the decoder and crossed them off his task list.

"Did you go into the mosh pit?"

Draco turned to him, unable to hide a look of surprise. His Malfoy skills were slipping. After eighteen years of being a Malfoy, a month with Julia was turning him human. "What? Of course not. That - that thing is bloody barbaric!"

Robert chuckled. "You don't really seem like the type. Besides, you probably bruise too easily."

"I bruise easily and heal quickly," Draco replied. "But Julia went into the mosh pit. I thought I was going to have a heart attack."

"Really? You just let your wife dive in and get knocked around?"

"I had no idea what a mosh pit was before last night, to be perfectly honest," Draco said. "She said Nicola had agreed to let her into the pit, and I said all right, but I had no clue. I did actually wade through the mosh pit to get her out, but Nicola dragged her back in again."

"Is your wife all right?"

"Surprisingly enough, she escaped with a minor bruise. I'm still slightly miffed at this whole mosh pit concept." Draco tossed his head imperiously.

"I would be too. Whenever my kids go to those concerts I stay at home paranoid as well," Robert said.

Draco shivered when he remembered how Julia had fallen and not come back up.

The phone rang right then, and Robert let him get it.

"Holiday Inn, this is Draco."

"Hey Dray," Julia said.

Panic ripped through him, but he held his composure. "Oh, hello. Did you get my note?"

"Yes, I found it. Thanks for leaving it. Otherwise I'd have run around the house in a panic that you'd abandoned me." She chuckled, but the sound was slightly nervous.

I'd never abandon you, Draco thought. Instead he said, "I wouldn't want to worry you."

"Well, I called to ask something."

"Ask away."

"Do you have lunch?"

Draco thought for a moment. No wonder something had been nagging at the back of his mind - he'd forgotten to grab something for lunch. "Now that you mention it, no."

"I can bring something in for you. Anything in particular you'd like?"

"Julia, you don't have to."

"I'm your wife; I can't let you starve."

"Whatever you make will be fine."

"I imagine so. Is there anything you don't like to eat?"

"Liver and onions," Draco said promptly.

"Something you don't like that I like?" Julia prodded.

"Not really. You're a wonderful cook," Draco said, softly. "Even better than my mother."

"Draco, your mother doesn't cook."

I wonder if she's even alive, Draco thought. "Touché. Thank you so much, Julia."

"Draco, you're my husband and my friend. I care about you. I'll be in around noon, okay?"

"All right." There was a moment's hesitation, then Draco hung up first. He had managed to keep his emotions in check. She seemed oblivious to his kiss, to his feelings. He could survive this way. He was a Malfoy. Malfoys did the most practical thing, regardless of the harm to themselves.

At five past twelve Julia stepped through the automatic doors and into the hotel lobby. She had never really visited Draco at work before. She saw him standing behind the counter, head bowed over some paperwork, soft blond hair falling into his eyes.

She approached the desk and tapped the bell.

"Can I help you?" Draco asked. Then he lifted his head and blinked. "Oh, hello Julia."

She held out the Gundam Wing lunchbox. "I come bearing food."

He smiled and accepted the box from her, but she could see trepidation in his gray eyes. She decided to ignore it and asked,

"How is work going?"

"It's going fairly well, actually," Draco said. "Let me tell Robert I'm taking my lunch break and we can sit over there and eat." He pointed to a small table and two chairs in the corner near the elevators, then turned and headed into the back office.

Julia hadn't actually brought any lunch for herself, but she headed over to the table and sat down anyway.

Draco joined her soon after. He opened the lunch box and blinked. "You made Chinese food? I haven't had any of this in a while. Thank you."

Julia shrugged. "I haven't made it in a while, and it's good to use skills now and again, you know?"

Draco nodded. "It looks wonderful." He picked up his chopsticks and, handling them expertly, picked up one of the spring rolls. Then he paused. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"Actually, I have some left over at home. I didn't bring any with me," Julia said.

Draco set his lips in a thin line. "You can have some of mine."

She shook her head. "No, I made it for you. Besides, you need your strength to work, what with spending last night at a punk concert and all."

Draco rolled his eyes. "That wasn't a concert, it was a bloody riot. Mosh pit indeed."

Julia saw a chance and went for it. "I told you I'd be safe in the mosh pit. We look out for each other in there."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "You told me you'd be safe after I saw you go down and not come back up. And yes, perhaps you do look out for each other in there, but for a poor lad like myself who had no clue what was going on it seemed more like you lot helped each other just to prolong the beatings."

"Why Draco, I didn't know you were worried about little old me." Julia fluttered her eyelashes playfully.

Draco sat back and lowered his gaze, long black lashes hiding his blazing silver eyes. "Of course I worry about you. How could I not?"

Julia almost flinched at the pain in that voice. "Oh." She stood up. "Well, I ought to get home and eat those leftovers before they get cold."

Draco rose with her. "Julia, wait - "

She waved and fled for the doors. "See you tonight!"

She could feel Draco's gaze on her as she left.

That night when Draco would come home, he would find dinner in the fridge waiting to be warmed up, and a note from Julia saying that she was sorry she wasn't eating with him but she was out with the girls. She was sitting with Nicola and Lisa in the kitchen of their apartment. Christie was away at an evening class, Fiona was working and the other roommates stayed in their rooms. The three girls were seated at the counter on the high bar chairs, picking at a bag of Oreos.

"That's a pretty impressive lack of wounds for one who went into the mosh pit," Lisa observed.

Julia grinned. "See? Tell Kenneth he was wrong - girls as small as you and me can survive the pit."

"Yeah, but Draco went nuts when she went in there. He waded through the mosh pit to 'rescue' her," Nicola said.

Lisa's eyebrows went up. "Draco went to the Hedwig concert with you?"

Nicola nodded. "We should've gotten pictures. He makes such a pretty goth boy."

Lisa giggled. "So Draco had no clue what a mosh pit was and came after you, Julia?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He panicked and dragged me through the crowd. I didn't mind because the ballad came on, but still. He was really overprotective."

"Do British kids not have pits at their concerts or something?" Lisa's brow furrowed.

"I don't know - the Ramones were British, and they started punk," Nicola said. "Of course, I somehow doubt that Draco's parents even let him listen to punk, let alone go to a punk concert. Couldn't let their only heir get killed in the pit, you know?"

"If he's the only heir, what is he doing in America working a two-bit job at a Holiday Inn Express?" Lisa cried.

Julia and Nicola exchanged looks.

"Well, his father got into some legal trouble that his mother blamed him for, and so she sort of kicked him out," Nicola said.

Lisa's brow furrowed deeper. "What kind of legal trouble?"

"I just know that his father's in prison awaiting execution." Julia shrugged.

"I thought he said his father was already dead," Lisa said.

Julia remembered the conversation from Monday night. "He's actually not sure whether or not his father has been killed. He just prefers to think of his father that way."

"So will he get the inheritance, or have his parents disowned him?" Lisa asked.

Nicola shook her head. "Unless his parents manage to have another son, they can't. The Malfoy estate always passes through the oldest male heir - or in Draco's case, the only."

"He told me that in every generation of Malfoys there is only one boy so that rival families can't kidnap the younger boy, kill the older one and take the estate," Julia said.

Nicola's eyebrows went up. "I've heard of that before, but that's sort of barbaric and medieval, isn't it?"

Julia shrugged again.

"So, what happened at the concert yesterday, anyway? Draco was acting funny afterwards," Nicola said.

Julia sucked in a deep breath. She had to figure out a way to tell them without letting anything else slip...

"I think Draco's in love with me," she said finally.

Nicola's eyebrows rose even higher. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, during the ballad, he sort of...kissed me," Julia said.

"What do you mean 'sort of'? You can't sort of kiss someone!" Lisa threw her hands up in exasperation.

"Well, he was holding me during the ballad, and he kissed the back of my neck." Julia stared at a point on the wall beyond Lisa's head, lost in memory. "It was a soft, gentle kiss, so light I barely even felt it."

"Are you sure you didn't just imagine it?" Nicola asked. "I mean, for all that Draco puts on that aristocratic Malfoy act, he's a pretty awesome guy. Are you sure that you don't have a crush on him?"

Julia turned to Nicola and said, "Didn't you see the look in his eyes when you came to get me for the mosh pit again?"

Nicola shook her head. "Not really."

"You weren't there when he found me after I fell in the pit," Julia said quietly. "You didn't see the panic in his eyes. He grabbed me and just - held me. And he's never done that before."

Nicola and Lisa exchanged looks behind Julia.

"Well, what are you going to do if he is in love with you?" Nicola asked.

"I don't know. I mean, I care about him. He's a sweet guy. Underneath it all, he's the nicest boy in the world." Julia sighed and twisted her hands in her lap.

"Do you love him?" Lisa asked.

"I love him as a friend," Julia said.

Nicola peered at her. "Are you sure?"

"Not really."

"Well, you should think about it," Lisa said. "Give it a couple of days and just sort out your feelings for him and talk to him when you've decided."

"How will I know?" Julia asked. "I've never been in love before."

Lisa arched an eyebrow. "Not even with Tony?"

Julia rolled her eyes and groaned. "Thanks for the horrible reminder."

"You'll just know," Nicola said. "When you realize that you'd give up everything, not just your life. I mean, not like you'd give up your life for us and die for us. But you'd give up your future and your happiness to make him happy, and you know that it doesn't matter if you give up your happiness because he'll make you happy in return."

Julia smiled. "That's how you feel about Steven, huh?"

Nicola nodded and smiled dreamily to herself.

"That's a pretty good description, actually," Lisa said. "So think about it. And then talk to him."

Julia nodded.

"Now, tell me about the concert, and Draco in goth."

* * *

On Sunday, Draco woke first. He showered quietly, dressed, had some toast and then settled into the den with a copy of his potions book. He wondered if perhaps he should brew some potions to have on hand just in case. A few potions that would protect Julia if Death Eaters were to ever find this house while he was gone. He had no clue where he would be able to find ingredients, but it was worth considering. He had been disappointed when he'd come home and Julia was gone. He had eaten the dinner - it was still good even if he had to reheat it - and watched some television before giving up and going to bed. He had lain in bed waiting to hear her come home, but it must have been late because when he finally fell asleep she was still gone.

Did she know how he felt? He had sensed the odd ulterior motive the day before at lunch when she had jokingly asked him if he was really worried about her in the mosh pit. He was both a Malfoy and a Slytherin at heart, still, and no one could out-con him. She must have had a sense of his feelings. But after her questions, Draco had realized that he did indeed worry about her, and even though her plan to bring him to America and marry him was brilliant, he had let some of his Malfoy-ingrained vigilance (Potter and his friends called it paranoia) slide. While Draco was still the main target of the Death Eaters, Julia was at risk as well. He would have to protect her. Maybe some basic hex-off potions that she could drink regularly so she would be unaffected if any of the Death Eaters showed up. An emergency Polyjuice potion as well, perhaps.

Draco flipped through the pages. It had been a while since he'd needed to make a potion. He was actually very skilled at potions despite everyone's assumption that he got good marks in potions because Snape favored him. But how to get supplies...There were no cauldron shops in the area, and he was sure that if he asked Steven the cat-boy would know where some of the more common ingredients could be found in the woods and mountains outside of town. If he could figure out the volume of a standard school cauldron perhaps he could just brew the potions in an ordinary pot. But could he do it on a stove? He'd always brewed them over a fire. And he had no wand. Draco sighed. This would prove to be difficult. He had to try, though. To protect Julia.

He heard her door open suddenly, and noted how it was so unusual for him to be awake before her. He heard her stumble out of her room, grumbling, and brush her teeth. She stomped back into her bedroom, and a few moments later Draco glimpsed her fully dressed as she headed into the kitchen for food. She made little noise in the kitchen, and Draco realized that she thought he was probably still asleep. He went back to his reading.

Julia careened around the corner and into the den. She gave a little cry when she saw Draco sprawled across the sofa.

"Oh! I didn't know you were awake."

He peeked at her tentatively over the top of his book. "I went to bed early. Have a fun time with the girls last night?"

She nodded. "A night with the girls is always loads of fun."

"Do you think, if I talked to Steven, that he could help me find some herbs around town?"

Julia arched one eyebrow. "Herbs? Draco, you didn't get clam baked at the concert, did you?" She sat down on the other chair and began eating her bagel.

"Clam baked?" Draco echoed, confused.

"You know, high off of the smoke from the other kids getting high around you," Nicola said. Draco continued to look confused, so she rolled her eyes and muttered, "Non-muggles."

"No, no drugs," he said, finally comprehending. "I was hoping to brew some potions - we ought to have some on hand in case of emergency."

"Won't someone sense that you're doing magic?" Julia asked.

Draco shook his head. "Unless I have to cast a specific spell during the brewing, no one will notice. Other than me obtaining strange herbs, of course."

"And what sort of emergencies will require potions?"

Draco closed his book and sat up. He knew how to be diplomatic, but Julia seemed to throw him off no matter how good his upbringing had been. "While I am extremely grateful that you would just give up your whole life for me - because no matter what you say, most friends wouldn't do this - and this was a brilliant plan, the Death Eaters are cunning and intelligent. They will find me, but it could take years. Nevertheless, we should be prepared. I don't think you understood the danger you put yourself in when you decided to marry me."

Julia gazed at him, shadows in her eyes. "Draco..."

He fought the urge to bite his lip; his father had beaten the nervous habit out of him. Was she going to regret her decision? "Julia, perhaps I should have explained this before. I was selfish when I agreed to take your help - I didn't even consider the danger you would be in with me around. If you change your mind I understand, but in the meantime you need protection for when I'm not around."

She shook her head. "No, no, I haven't changed my mind. And I've read your history books, read about those Death Eaters. I know what danger I'm in. I trust in your strength as a wizard, though." She looked at him and said, "Do you really think I've given up my whole life?"

Draco sighed and took a moment to gain his composure. How he answered this could mean losing her. "You have. You're married now, and even though I said you could date, you won't; I know you. You believe in the sanctity of marriage too much. You'll never get the chance to meet your true love, never get to have that family you always wanted. You'll be stuck with me, a dethroned prince of a dying dynasty who is stuck between two worlds with the hounds of hell on his heels. Yes, you have given up your life, you've given up everything for plain old me."

She sat back and chuckled softly to herself. She wasn't really looking at him; she seemed to be lost somewhere in her own mind. "Yes, yes, I can see what you mean. Talk to Steven - he can probably help you find what you need. You could probably use a large pot for a cauldron. Thank you for caring about me, Draco, caring enough to risk your cover. Gosh, I really have given up my whole life."

"Do you regret it?" Draco asked softly.

Julia looked at him then, the cobwebs vanishing from her eyes. "No. Not at all. And it's the strangest thing."

"I'll call Steven, then. Thanks." Draco rose to his feet and quietly left the room, leaving Julia on the chair staring into nothing.

I'm really in love with him, Julia realized, something like terror curling through her. He could see it before I could - I've given up my whole life for him, and I didn't even care because it didn't hurt me. Because I haven't really given up anything at all. Because he's wonderful, and he loves me.

She heard him speaking in low tones on the phone to Steven, offering the common names of the undoubtedly exotic plants out of his Herbology book. What was she going to do now? Talk to him? How could she approach this conversation carefully, on the slim chance that she was wrong? She was quite sure that he was attracted to her at the very least, and his words from that first day suggested that he was in love with her. Unless that had changed over the past month.

Julia rose up and headed to her room to fetch some homework. Homework was always a good distraction until she could clear her mind.

She curled up on the sofa with her textbooks and binders surrounding her. She ploughed through some English history, poked at her French and then dove into her continental literature. She had always loved Dante's The Inferno, loved studying non-doctrine concepts of hell and Satan and the angels, but she was especially fascinated by Satan and hell. Her continental literature class would prove to be quite the challenge, but she planned on enjoying every moment of it. Perhaps she could get Draco to read her Dante's work in the original Italian - she loved the rhythms of the language and the beauty it created in his poetry. Then she shook her head - she was supposed to be doing homework, not thinking about Draco and his handsome face and his gray eyes and his baby-soft hair...

She growled in frustration and picked up her cell phone, dialing Fiona's number. The two girls and Andy could do some French together.

When she got home that night, a strange odor had permeated the whole house. She stepped into the kitchen and found Draco standing at the stove wearing an apron. He was fussing over a large metal pot with an oversized glass stirring rod.

"How is brewing coming along?" she asked.

He spun around, his eyes wide. "Julia! Where have you been all day? I got off the phone with Steven and you were gone!"

Julia bit her lip when she saw the worry in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Draco, I totally forgot to leave a note. I was off studying with Fiona and Andy."

He took a deep breath and calmed slightly, but Julia wasn't sure if it was genuine relief or some of that ingrained Malfoy aristocracy. "And if you ever can't find me, just call my cell phone, remember?"
Draco nodded. "Right. I forgot about that. But this potion is going well. When I'm done brewing them I'm going to bottle them and label them and store them somewhere we can find quickly and in an emergency."

Julia set her bag down on the kitchen table and moved to stand beside him. "So is it going well? Shall I order out?"

Draco surveyed the mess he'd made of the kitchen. "Ah. Yes. Supper. I had forgotten about that. Perhaps you should order out."

Julia smiled at him, pushing her earlier apprehension aside. "It's good to see you doing something you love. I remember how much you said you enjoyed potions in your letters."

He smiled faintly to himself. "It's good to feel useful again."

Julia peered over his shoulder at the bubbling contents of the pot, and the scent hit her quite strongly.

"So what does this potion do?"

"It's a Hex-Off potion," Draco said. "If you drink it, you become immune to hexes. I thought if I brewed up a large batch you could drink a little bit every day so you'd always be protected."

Julia wrinkled her nose at the concoction.

"It would be for your own good, and you know it," Draco said quietly.

Julia nodded. "I know. Bitter medicine is always the strongest and all that jazz. What else are you planning on brewing?"

"A disguise potion," Draco said. "If we have to go on the run, we can disguise ourselves as other people. Or even to make a quick escape."

Julia blinked. "Didn't know potions could do that."

"Potions are powerful magic," Draco said solemnly. "They just require patience and precision and a skill that few possess."

"So modest," Julia muttered. She turned away and flipped open her cell phone to order some Mexican food from a family place on Main Street. As soon as she order was placed she turned back to Draco and said, "So, what will it take to convince you to play some Vampire with us tomorrow night?"

He smirked and said, "More than you can pay. Besides, Robert asked me to work late and I agreed. I can always use more hours."

Julia bit her lip to stop herself from asking him why he was avoiding her. They were avoiding each other equally; she had no cause to accuse him. But they had to talk sooner or later.

"Fair enough - but we'll get you to play; just you wait," she warned.

Draco tossed his head haughtily. "I'm a Slytherin - good luck catching me."

"What do you want to do tonight once your brewing is done?" she asked, hoping to make a chance to talk to him.

"Actually, I'm going to be up brewing quite late. I really want to get these done - no reason to risk your safety any more than I have to," he said. "Steven was a fantastic help, by the way, but he's even more suspicious of me than before. I told him it was a veela thing, but he didn't really buy it."

"Steven and Nicola can be too perceptive for their own good," Julia observed. "So, tell me how this works."