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A/N: Welcome back! Lots to learn, so away we go!

　

Harry’s words hung in the air between them, full of intentionally unintended emotion. Luna had asked him why, had needed a reason for why he couldn’t just let her be as she was begging him to do. And so he had given her one that had stunned them both into silence. He felt he had somehow put one foot too far over the edge- of what he wasn’t sure. But he had to find a way to fix it. "I could never just leave you like this, I couldn’t leave any of them if they were as distressed as you are, Luna. So there it is, I love you, I love all my friends! What else can I do?"

"How about doing what we ask?!" she exploded, jumping to her feet. He saw her stumble as her legs buckled a bit but she quickly recovered and turned to him as he also stood. "If you love me so much, then why can’t you just do what I want and go away!" she actually reached out and shoved him.

"No!" He shouted, refusing to back down any longer. "Not until you tell me what’s wrong! What did I do, Luna?"

She threw her hands up in the air. "What have you done?! What haven’t you done?! It’s all one in the same."

"But what does that mean!" He practically screamed at her, frustrated beyond anything he’d ever felt. "Just talk to me already, please! I’m sorry for it all, for everything that brought us here. I’m sorry about the article, but I only did it as part of the reason to bring Xeno around because I felt bad for making you stay at my house when it was so clear you wanted to leave. I wanted to bring your dad to you, I didn’t know it was wrong!"

"Of course you didn’t. Because you just expect everything to work out the way you want it to. Haven’t you realized yet that nothing ever happens the way you plan- the way any of us plan!" She stared at him earnestly, as if there was something very specific she was referring to- some plan he had that was somehow wrong. He regarded her blankly, perhaps purposely refusing to interpret her words. She shook her head, blinking the rain from her eyes. "Of course you haven’t."

As she started to walk away he felt himself become desperate and angry, reaching out and grabbing her arm to halt her retreat. "Hey! You were fine involving your father and the Quibbler back when Umbridge was around! Or have you forgotten the article Rita Skeeter wrote?"

She angrily shook him off. "Of course I remember, but I’m not talking about the article anymore Harry. And until you’re ready to realize that, I have nothing more to say to you. I told you in the hospital, remember… when you were begging me to stay… I said I couldn’t do this much longer. I meant it."

He recalled the conversation, it had been the first time he’d felt the need to assure Luna that he loved her. But he hadn’t then, feeling it was somehow wrong. Now that he had uttered those words it still felt wrong and the argument now brewing as heavily between them as the storm surrounding them was proof of that. "Well, I can’t have things like this anymore either. So what do we do about it?" The question was heavily loaded, and made him realize what they were both doing- they were each trying to goad the other into being the first to admit to some things. He tried to tell her without telling her, through his eyes, that he needed her to go first.

She shook her head. "We give it time." She said softly. Harry felt a warm, soothing sensation invade him, calming his nerves and making him feel completely at ease.

And then he realized it was her doing it and he snapped out of it, pushing her presence so violently from his mind that she actually stumbled a few steps in the physical world. "What are you doing?"

She actually sneered at him. "Trying to help. Sorry I didn’t ask first."

Harry faced away, emitting a loud growl of frustration before turning to shout at her. "You are the most frustrating person I’ve ever met in my life!"

"Me!?" She yelled back. "I’m the frustrating one! You’re the one who’s always been able to willfully ignore whatever you wanted!"

She tried to walk past him but he blocked her path, refusing to let her have the last word in all of this. "And you’re the one who’s always been able to willfully withhold whatever you wanted!" He threw back at her.

She once more tried to shake him off her, but this time he didn’t dare let go, seeing she had the intention to run again. Her eyes were filled with a sorrowful fury as she pushed against him. "If I do it’s because none of you are ever ready to hear anything I have to say! You think I want to be the one to mess it all up for everyone? I don’t!"

He took her by the shoulders, peering at her through the rain. He didn’t know what to say, wasn’t sure where to go from here. Anything he could say would put both feet out over the edge and leave him tumbling in free-fall as everything circled in chaos around him. Apparently she had realized it too, they were both at a precipice but neither was willing to take such a dangerous leap. He saw her eyes fill with tears once more; without thinking and despite her continued attempt to get away from him, he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms tightly around her. At first she struggled, and then she gave in, grabbing the back of his shirt in her fists as she buried her head in his shoulder.

Standing there so close, he could feel the release of emotions surging through her. He opened his mind completely to her as she unconsciously unloaded so much of the burden she’d been carrying. The despair over her brother and the anniversary of his murder… the fear for her father and everyone else in her life… the exhaustion derived from trying to catch up with the future and the secrets she had to keep as a result… the impatience for the present and having to wait for things to come to pass- he felt it all. He took it on himself, hoping to offer her a bit of relief for a short time. But when he touched on her anguished frustration with him they both pulled back, releasing and stepping away from each other.

Lightening ripped through the sky above them followed by a resounding boom of thunder. Harry could feel the electricity in the air, crackling around them as they stared breathlessly at each other. "Luna…" He choked out her name, still not knowing what to say, but words hadn’t always been necessary for them.

"I know." She answered his unspoken struggle. There’s too much in the way right now. Her voice whispered sadly across his mind.

So what do we do about it? He asked again. The wind was picking up, whipping hard drops of rain into his face.

As she struggled for an answer, another bolt of hot white lightening slashed through the clouds, striking a tree less than twenty feet from them. Harry pulled Luna back a bit as they watched splinters fly through the air while the ruined branch fell to the ground, scorched by nature’s fire. The enormous clap of thunder that followed seconds later startled them both, and they reached out to grab the other’s arm in support as the ground seemed to shake beneath their feet. Turning to be sure she was okay he met her eyes, once more finding himself too comfortably close to her. He felt drawn in by the mystery behind her eyes, which were now regarding him with a sparkling clear blue intensity. This time he felt the crackling electricity invade him, coursing through him and heightening his senses. He watched her expression become uncertain, and then pained.

He felt the very careful control he’d been keeping slip away as lost himself in her eyes, which were telling him so much. He gently reached out to cup her cheek, caressing her soft skin with his thumb as she rested her face against his palm, each of them giving into this small moment. But as he leaned in even closer she dropped her gaze, placing her hand over his and pulling away. She shook her head. "Now we wait. Harry. For it to be right. Until it’s time." She said softly, still looking at the ground. "Until then, please leave me alone, okay?"

He knew she was pleading with him and this time he didn’t have the fortitude to deny her. It was all too much, too important, too heavy. "Okay." He quietly nodded his agreement.

Without another word she walked past him, back toward the castle. Harry didn’t stop her, but he’d wanted to. Instead, he turned and made his own way back to school, being sure to take the long way around the lake so as not to run into Luna. By the time he made it back he was soaked through to his bones, his fingertips wrinkling from so much time spent out in the wet afternoon. He half-heartedly waved his wand behind him to clean the trail of water he left as he made his way to the dorm, praying Luna was already safely locked away in her own room. A brief scan with his mind as he stood outside the door told him she wasn’t in the dorm at all. He wasn’t sure where she’d gone, but he knew better than to go looking for her. Instead he pushed his concerns aside feeling confident that if she were in trouble she’d let him know. With a heavy sigh he pushed open the door and entered the common room where he was dismayed to find Hermione and Ron waiting for him.

"Where have you been? You’ve missed an entire class!" Hermione instantly scolded him. He turned away, unable to look her in the face.

Ron scoffed. "Well obviously he’s been outside. Unless you decided to go for a swim?" He grinned at Harry.

"I was outside." He answered shortly before turning to the Gryffindor wing and hurrying to his room.

They quickly followed. "Well, why were you out in this weather?" Hermione demanded.

"I was looking for Luna." He answered truthfully.

He caught the glance they threw each other. "Yeah, we heard about what happened." Ron admitted. "We went to Lupin looking for you and he told us about Elise and the fire and the Quibbler offices."

Harry didn’t want to admit that he and Luna had actually been there to see it all unfold for themselves. There was a lot he didn’t want to admit. "So then you know that Mr. Lovegood made it out. Well, Luna got a little scared and a lot angry and she took off out of Dumbledore’s office. I wanted to make sure she was okay."

Ron shook his head. "Man I remember how I felt when dad was attacked by that stupid snake. It was horrible, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone."

"Exactly." Harry agreed. "If you don’t mind guys, I really need to change clothes. And I think I need to lay down for a little bit too." He pulled off his sopping school robe, wringing it out in the water basin before grabbing fresh clothes and beginning to strip down.

"But we have another class in twenty minutes." Hermione protested.

"I just don’t feel so great right now. My head hurts and it’s all stuffy." He answered, pulling on his refreshingly dry T-shirt and throwing his school clothes in the corner.

"You probably caught a cold, running around out there." Ron said with a small bit of concern. "Luna will probably get sick too."

Harry saw Hermione’s face darken and knew what she was thinking- once more he’d followed Luna only to suffer the consequences, though catching a cold was nowhere near as severe as the Azkaban fiasco had been. He couldn’t resent her for the thought, but it stung none the less. "Will you please just cover for me in Herbology? Just so I can get a nap and I promise I’ll be up and ready for Defense."

"Of course that’s the class you’ll risk your health to make it to." She rolled her eyes.

"It is the most important one." Ron said on his behalf.

"Please, Mione?" He once more begged, just wanting to be alone.

She regarded him suspiciously for a moment before shaking her head with an aggravated smile. "Fine, but only because I know I’ll take better notes for you than Ron will."

"You’re right about that. I’ll be in class but you won’t be the only one napping, mate." He grinned.

"Thanks guys. I appreciate it." Harry answered, climbing into his bed.

"No problem, see you in a bit." Ron replied, walking out to gather his books.

Hermione remained, still looking at him suspiciously. Though almost certain he didn’t have a reason to be, he felt extremely guilty under her gaze. "So, is she okay?"

"Who?" He was genuinely confused, taken off guard by the question.

"Luna, you followed her out into this storm… is she okay?"

His heart thumped in his chest but he forced himself to remain calm. "Oh, I have no idea. I couldn’t find her. I came back because the lightening was starting to get really close."

Now she looked really suspicious. "And you left her out there wandering by herself?" her tone was skeptical.

"I ran into some Ravenclaw girl and asked if she’d seen Luna and she said she’d seen her come in ten minutes earlier. She’s in the castle somewhere." He tried to sound nonchalant, as if knowing she was safely indoors ended his worries about Luna.

"Well, if you see her before I do, let her know I’m here if she needs me, okay? It’s just terrible about what almost happened to her dad, and I can easily imagine how she feels."

He blinked in surprise, hearing real concern in her words. Had he imagined the suspicion? Was he feeling guiltier than he’d thought? He certainly hated lying to her.

"She’ll probably turn up at dinner." He assured her, though he was nowhere near sure himself.

"Well anyway I have to get to class, I’ll make sure to come wake you before Defense." She walked over and leaned down to kiss him good-bye and he instinctively turned his face.

Seeing her confused and hurt expression, he quickly fumbled out an explanation. "I might be ill, can’t risk you catching it too. You’d kill me if you had to miss any school."

She offered up a small grin. "Well, you’re right about that." Then she leaned over once more, placing a light kiss on his cheek. "I’ll be back in a little while and unless you’re about to die, you’ll be going to class."

"Yes ma’am." His smile faded as she walked out, closing the door behind her. He turned over on his side, staring at the stone wall as he thought. He wasn’t sure why he’d chosen to lie to Hermione, he felt horrible about it and all it had done was make him actually feel guilty. He closed his eyes with a deep sigh, trying to figure out his life.

(BREAK)

Luna reached the Room of Requirement just in time. As she closed the door behind her, the intense anguish she’d been carrying for more than a week overwhelmed her. It had started after Azkaban and continued to grow until it had become an unbearable driving force, boring into her soul. Today had been too much, between her father’s near escape and Harry’s confrontation with her, she felt like she’d been put through the ringer- although she’d already considered and thought she’d been prepared for both situations.

Dropping to her knees she let the tears come, sobbing with an uncontrolled freedom. Her wet, tangled hair fell into her face and she shivered in her damp clothes. Finally able to pull herself together, she waved her wand, drying herself off and lighting a fire in the small fireplace that had been in the room when she’d entered. As she held her shaky hands out to the flames trying to get warm, she felt Gabby’s private words to her once more push themselves into her mind. It wasn’t anything she wanted to think about, nothing she wanted to hear at the moment, but the entire scene overtook her memory.

Closing her eyes, she was once more in Dumbledore’s office saying good-bye to the healer. She had just thanked Gabby for fixing Harry when the woman regarded her with a kind and knowing smile. "Oh Luna, my new little moonbeam." She had said before pulling her in for a tight hug. And then she had pulled back, resting their foreheads together before the woman’s soothing voice had swept through her like a cool breeze. It is important to know that the head is fooled easily but the heart never is because it sees more clearly. The heart never questions as much as the head because it knows more. But you must always remember Luna, the heart can be quieter than the head because it already knows what it wants. Sometimes, it simply takes longer for some to hear the truth they already know.

Luna opened her eyes, bringing her back to the present. She shook her head to clear the words out, feeling that was all well and good- but what Gabby forgot was that sometimes no matter what the heart knows, lives can be too complicated to disclose that knowledge. That sometimes, it was better to ignore the heart and listen to the lies the head tells. After all, it lies for a reason… doesn’t it?

(BREAK)

Ginny was pretty worried by the time Luna completely missed a second class. Dumbledore had pulled her aside and informed her of what had occurred when she’d expressed her concern for her absent friend. Thankfully, the headmaster took pity on them and finally let them have an hour break before their third and final class for the afternoon. She hurried to the dorm, rushing down the Ravenclaw wing to Luna’s room. She knocked for awhile just to be sure the other girl wasn’t in there.

Walking back into the common room, she was just in time to see Ron and Hermione walk in with a few other seventh years. "Hey, have you guys seen Luna?"

They shook their heads. "Harry went after her but he lost her. She’s somewhere in the castle though." Hermione answered.

Ginny found it odd that Harry would just give up once he set out to find Luna, he never gave up on anything or anyone. She realized he had probably lied to his girlfriend, making her very interested to know what he and Luna had actually discussed. Deciding to let Hermione keep believing the lie she so obviously wanted to believe, she pushed on. "Well what about Draco? Where did he go?" She’d noticed right away that he hadn’t walked in with the others.

Ron’s face darkened a bit as he answered her. "He took off right after class. Said he wanted to be alone for awhile. I guess he needed time to go be all moody."

"He has a lot to be moody about." Ginny shot back.

"Oh yeah, almost time for him to leave for a couple of days. I can’t wait." Ron said, collapsing into the couch.

"He also had his last treatment today, you could be nicer you know." Hermione scolded him. He merely scoffed in return.

But Ginny was taken aback. They hadn’t really had a chance to talk that day and after his anger over what had happened with Tristan earlier she hadn’t seen him at all. She was a bit hurt that Draco wouldn’t tell her that he’d had his last treatment, it was a big moment in his life and he hadn’t shared it with her. "Well, where’s Harry? I need to ask him something." She had made the plan instantly, and then realized Harry was also no where to be seen. Why was everyone coming up missing?

"He’s not feeling well, but I have to go wake him up for Defense in a little while." Hermione offered.

A little while wasn’t good enough… "So he’s in his room then?" She walked down the Gryffindor wing, the others jumping to follow her.

"You can’t just barge into someone’s room." Ron argued.

"I’m not barging in anywhere, I’m knocking." She said as she reached Harry’s door and raised her arm to do just that.

He opened the door, his bleary eyes widening as he took them all in. "What’s going on?" he asked cautiously.

"I need to borrow the map." Ginny blurted out.

He appeared confused. "Why?"

"To find Luna and Draco." She answered, insinuating with her eyes that was all the information he’d get out of her.

With a sigh he turned and dug through his trunk, producing the Marauder’s map. "Is it time for class already?" He asked the others as he handed it over to her.

"You have about half an hour." Ron assured him.

Having what she wanted, Ginny thanked Harry and went on her way, knowing that since she had considerably more time before her next class than Draco did she had to hurry. She followed the dot representing him until it disappeared off the map. But that was okay, she knew where he was heading- Fred had taken her there once before.

(BREAK)

Fred walked into his store feeling satisfied. He’d gone through the entire crowd, exciting people to the idea that someone was trying to keep the Quibbler from releasing an important story. He was sure that after tomorrow, it would be the best selling issue ever. "Hey, you’re late." Lee said, coming out of the back office.

"Yeah, sorry. I got caught up using a near tragedy to its best advantage." Fred grinned, putting down his sample case. "Where are the test subjects?"

"Only one agreed to come back, guess he’s really hard up for the money." Lee answered with a twinkle in his eye. "Oh hey, before I forget- I asked around about Elanya liked you asked the other day."

"And?"

"Seems no one knows who her father is or how her mother died. No one knows where she went after she left London and no one is really sure about where she is now."

"She’s standing right behind you." A soft feminine voice said from the doorway. There was a hint of some kind of exotic accent in there, making her tone nearly musical in Fred’s ears. "Hello boys." Her lips curved into a lusciously tempting smile as they turned to take in the image of her. Her long dark hair glowed red against the sun streaming through the window and her warm golden honey eyes regarded them with seductive amusement. She stood before them in a bold red dress that accented her body in all the right places, her body language telling them she was inviting them to look... and they did. In a word, she was breathtaking.

"Elanya?" Lee sputtered out.

"The one and only. It’s been a long time boys, but I don’t think we’ve ever been properly introduced. Elanya Delamora." She reached out a long slender arm, offering to shake hands in greeting.

Lee actually stepped forward, looking quite eager to greet the evil beauty. Fred grabbed his arm to stop him. "Get a hold of yourself, man!" he scolded in a harsh whisper before turning back to their visitor. "What do you want?" he asked her rudely, wanting to show that her wiles had no effect on him- even if it was a lie.

"I was in town and just wanted to drop in on a couple of old school friends." She shot them a dazzling smile.

"You didn’t even know our names back in school." Fred shot back. Harry had told him what he and Luna had seen in Sarah’s head; he knew of the girls’ plan to have Elanya get close to someone. Well he sure wasn’t going to be that sucker and he wasn’t going to let Lee fall for it either.

"But I know them now. Fred Weasley and Lee Jordan, I am pleased to finally meet two of the many people I’ve been hearing so much about." She tried another smile.

"From your friends Sarah and Elise?" He prodded, seeing what she’d admit to, what her aim was.

"Maybe. Maybe I just remember you more than you thought." She answered coyly. "Maybe I noticed you and your brother more than you realized back in school. You should really think more highly of yourself."

"What I think it that you’re full of it." He countered. "If you think I’d believe a word you say, you’re as crazy as your pal Sarah."

"She’s not so crazy. She’s just been severely wronged. As have I." Elanya slunk loser to them, swaying her hips as she moved in such a mesmerizing way. "As soon as we right those who’ve wronged us, we’ll be done. We aren’t after world domination you know." She pouted. "I take offense that you think I would just want to hurt you, someone wholly unconnected to my situation. I’m not a monster. None of us are, we don’t want to hurt any of you."

Fred willfully crossed his arms. "Funny, Sarah sure seemed intent on hurting Harry and Luna. Cho wants to destroy all of us. And Elise just had a little barbecue over at the Quibbler offices that nearly killed Xeno Lovegood and destroyed half the block!"

"Sarah, Elise and I are caught up in circumstance. Those two incidents had nothing to so with us or our goals, we were following orders. We have nothing against this Potter kid or any of the rest of you." She protested. "As for Cho, Sarah is the only one involved with her."

And here Fred also sensed she was lying, remembering Draco’s certainty that they intended to break Cho out after his visit to the prison. But perhaps it was better to play along… "Okay, so if you really don’t want to involve us, then I ask you again, why are you here?"

"Because…" she looked down, struggling for words. He found it a convincing act. And then she once more looked up, her golden eyes full of grief and uncertainty. He was caught up in her gaze, wondering just how she could fake the sincerity he saw there. "Because I need help."

"Hey! Are we going to test products or what?" Someone said from behind them. Fred and Lee glanced at each other before whipping around to find Zander Bradford, one of their more eager test subjects. They’d forgotten he was there.

"What products? Are you reopening your store?" Elanya asked innocently.

Zander, having spotted such a pretty girl eagerly came forward, desperate to gain her attention. "They sure are, and I’m helping them test their new products! Taking the place in a whole new direction they are, going to help a lot of people-"

He was cut off when Fred grabbed him as he walked by, placing a hand over his mouth to stop the outpour of information. Then still holding onto the other boy to ensure his continued cooperation he turned to Elanya with a hard glare. "Yes, we’re reopening. Had to do a lot of renovation after Elise set fire to the place. But that was probably her just following orders, right? Destroying the shop I built with my brother, it was just business, right?"

"I’m sorry for that and I wish I could say she was too. I don’t always agree with their methods, but as I said- I have a score to settle and they are the best people to help me achieve it. Or so I thought. I had hoped you and your friends would agree to help me so that I could… well, so I could start breaking ties with them." She hung her head, lowering her voice as she continued. "They frighten me sometimes."

Fred hoped he had enough righteous anger to hold out because this girl was certainly dangerous. Glancing at the other two boys, he saw how eager they seemed, how much they wanted to reach out and comfort her. He held steadfast, thinking of how disappointed Hermione would be in him if he fell for something so obvious. He would be strong and aware, and he wouldn’t let his eyes or his hormones trick him into something he knew he couldn’t trust. "I don’t see how we could help."

She simply nodded, regarding him sadly. "Perhaps this was the wrong time. I should go."

"I think that’s a good idea." He answered stonily.

She shot him one more troubled glance, still silently asking for his help. He remained impassive. "Okay then. I’ll see you all around I’m sure." She said shooting a small smile over her shoulder as she exited.

Fred let out the breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding, also releasing Zander. "Hey, what was the problem? She seemed nice enough."

"Yeah, that was the problem, right?" Lee turned to him.

"Right." Fred answered, still staring out the door. He couldn’t wait for the first Hogwarts visit to Hogsmeade. He had vaguely planned it before, but now he was going to insist that Harry meet up with him so he could use the ring. He needed to talk to George. "Let’s just get back to work, alright?"

"Whatever you say boss." Lee said with a shrug and a smirk.

Fred watched as his friend grabbed the sample case and led Zander back to the office… assuring him the whole time that they’d already tested most of the products on themselves. He was left alone in the front of the store, watching people walk by through the clouded glass. He couldn’t decide what to do- should he tell the others about the visit he was just paid or hold out to wait and see what happens?

If he told them, he worried about how they’d take it, what their reactions would be. They were a bunch of rash thinkers, with Harry topping the list. And the last thing he wasted was for them to worry about his safety while they had so much to concern themselves with up at school. And if he told his parents, well his mother would insist he keep the store closed and he couldn’t do that- George and Hermione were counting on him to succeed. But he couldn’t keep something like this to himself, could he?

(BREAK)

Draco was a man without an island. He didn’t know where to go that wouldn’t be filled with any number of other people. He shot out of the Herbology classroom and just kept walking, going further and further down into the school. He remembered having been spying on Fred one day last year, and seeing the other boy disappear behind a certain statue. He hadn’t followed then, but he’d been sure that Fred had gone through one of the many secret doors that the Weasley Twins had been rumored to know about. He went there now, opening the door and staring down a dark earthy tunnel that seemed to slope downward. He went without hesitation, not caring where it led, not caring if he missed his next class, not caring about much at all.

He lit his wand as the tunnel grew darker, feeling no fear but a ton of curiosity. Eventually he caught a dull sparkle a little farther ahead and raced toward it, eager to see where he was being led. He stopped short when he entered the cavern, awed into stillness. Cloudy daylight broke through a crevice, hitting the sharply beautiful crystals growing all around him. He felt extremely peaceful for once, the wolf put comfortably to rest as he was invaded by a sort of cleansing wave of energy from the stones. He felt his mind relax and for the first time in days he was able to think clearly.

"Hey." Ginny said quietly from behind him, though her voice echoed around him.

He closed his eyes, preparing for whatever happened. "Hey." He returned, waiting for her to continue on. He wanted to feel as angry as he had before, but he couldn’t, the crystals wouldn’t allow anything but serenity.

"How mad at me are you?" She asked shyly as a slight grin of apology emerged.

"I don’t know." He answered honestly.

"I couldn’t just walk past that kid. It wouldn’t have been right. I never would have stood for it before and I want to be that person again, who I was when I was younger." She explained slowly, as if reasoning it out for herself as well.

"And therein lies the problem, Ginny. I could have walked by him, he wasn’t anything to me. And that’s who I’ve always been." He felt ashamed by the admission, but he refused to look away. If she expected him to accept her completely, then she needed to do the same.

"But you got involved for me." She pointed out.

"Because you aren’t nothing to me." He countered. "But you know that. What is it you want me to admit?"

"Nothing you don’t want to." She said crossing her arms. "But I’m willing to admit I don’t like that you wouldn’t have helped that kid. I also hate that you’re mad that I tried."

"And so that means what?" he asked calmly.

"I don’t know, I don’t intend to change and I suppose it’s only fair that I not expect you to either. But I can live with it… as long as you can deal with the fact that I’m not the kind of person who backs down." She took a few tentative steps toward him, shuffling her feet as she waited out on the limb she’d just placed herself on.

He offered her a smile. "I think I forced myself to accept that way at the beginning of this… whatever this is between us. You know, back when you refused to change your mind about giving the ring back?"

"If we’re going to start reminding each other of our mistakes, we’ll be here all day." She warned him. "So… am I forgiven then?"

"I suppose. I guess I’ll just have to make sure I stick close to Potter, in case you keep getting yourself into trouble." He teased, feeling much lighter now. His arm began to throb dully, his mind able to take in the pain now that his mind had been relieved of the pressure of fighting with Ginny. It had been awhile since he had taken the pain pills and so he reached into his pocket, where he’d kept them loose so he wouldn’t have to fumble with the cap. He saw her displeasure as he swallowed one down. "Something wrong?"

"Yeah. Now it’s your turn to ask me how mad I am at you." She answered, standing taller and placing her hands on her hips in mock anger.

He grinned. "Okay, how mad at me are you?"

"Pretty mad." She said smugly. "How come you didn’t tell me you were having your last treatment?"

"I had wanted you there." He admitted. "It wasn’t supposed to happen until tonight, but Drake had to go take care of some things tonight, so he surprised me by moving it up. You were in class."

"A likely story." She grinned, slinking a few steps closer. "You really wanted me to be there?"

"I really did." He smiled back at her, opening his arms as she threw herself at him, wrapping her own arms tightly around his neck. They were both relieved to have so easily gotten past yet another brief fight. He wondered if they were just priming themselves for the tougher issues yet to come.

She pulled back far enough to quickly yet passionately crush her lips to his. He had expected the wolf to rise up, but it remained asleep and he was grateful- though a wave of disappointment rolled through his body when she broke contact. "We better get you to class. Wouldn’t want you to get in trouble already."

"Are you going to walk me there?" he teased, stooping to pick up his book bag.

"If you’re nice to me I will." She shot back with a sly and seductive grin.

Hand in hand they began the long walk back up to the school hallway. "So how did you know where I was?"

She pulled out a folded up parchment. "I had a map." She answered with a grin. He listened with amusement as she told him about the history of the map, from it’s original creators- Lupin, Sirius, James and Peter- to the many ways the current generation had found it useful. Though he still felt relaxed, the further they grew from the cavern the more he felt the wolf stir up within him. Had he somehow found a way to contain the beast? He intended to find out, planning to experiment by coming back and taking a piece of crystal with him when he and Lupin left.

As they reached the entrance, he gasped, falling to his knees as he was gripped by a sudden and terrible pain. "What’s wrong?!" Ginny asked, remaining calm though her eyes were frenzied with concern.

He could almost feel his hand lengthening as the potion worked it’s magic. He gripped it tightly with the other, hugging the injured part of him to his body as the hot fiery agony spread through his body. "I guess one pain pill wasn’t enough." He answered through gritted teeth.

"Where are they?" She asked.

"In here." He reached with his good hand but it was shaking so badly he couldn’t make it into his pocket.

She batted his hand away, digging into his pocket and coming up with several pills. "How many?"

"Two." He choked out. Although Drake had assured him that the pain potion produced no side effects, the healer had also been sure to warn him that taking any more than three in an hour could upset his stomach.

She tried to put them in his hand, but he kept shaking and dropping them. She held the pills out and he tried to grab them from her but again he found it impossible. "Oh, open your mouth already." She said with frustrated pity. Having no other choice and not being able to stand the pain of regrowing his bones he obliged, letting her feed him the pills. She quickly waved her wand, producing a cup and filling it with water. He drank it as if he’d never tasted liquid before, and she quickly refilled it twice more for him before he was able to slow down and catch his breath. "Well that was scary." She said once he’d returned to normal, the searing pain had returned to a dull throb and was well on it’s way to disappearing all together.

"So you glad you were there for it?" He asked, gulping down one last cup of water.

"Not really. But I’m glad I was able to be there for you." She brushed his hair back and ruffled it before kissing his cheek. "You need a hair cut. You’re getting awfully shaggy and unkempt. It’s so unlike you."

"That’s why I kinda like it." He said, allowing her to help him to his feet. He appreciated that she had moved past that mortifying moment, acting now as if it hadn’t happened.

She walked with him all the way to the Defense classroom where he was dismayed to find that class had already started. He was more than ten minutes late. Remembering McGonagall’s warning that tardy students wouldn’t be permitted to stay, he decided to press his luck and see just how much a part of Potter’s group he was. After all, he was sure an exception would be made for any member of the Golden Trio- not that Granger would ever permit the other two to keep her from making it on time to anything. Ginny squeezed his hand before he turned and walked into class with his head held high.

"Mr. Malfoy! Thank you for finally deciding to join us." Lupin said in a stern tone, though his eyebrow was cocked and a small smile played around his lips.

"Sorry." He said taking a seat next to Weasley, who looked less than pleased with his chosen seat. Potter and Granger regarded him curiously but he shook his head at them, implying it was nothing he wanted to discuss.

"Okay, now that the interruption is over let’s get back to our lesson." Lupin moved to the board, but Tristan’s hand shot into the air.

"Excuse me, sir? I believe Professor McGonagall told us that there were strict rules regarding lateness… shouldn’t Draco be forced to leave?" He asked, sneering at Draco and Potter. "It doesn’t seem fair that an exception be made for him."

"I was already aware of Mr. Malfoy’s intended tardiness. It was due to a medical condition and there is nothing more you need to know. I don’t have to explain my actions to you Mr. Macnair. Please remember that in the future." Lupin scolded while covering for him with an extremely accurate guess.

"Medical condition… oh that’s right, the full moon is coming. Why don’t we jump ahead to werewolves in honor of Draco, so we can all gain a better understanding of what the two of you go through, Professor." Tristan goaded, stressing the last word with a malicious grin.

Draco looked around the room nervously. Everyone knew Lupin was a werewolf, but Tristan had just outted him to his classmates. They were all staring at him with that horrid mixture of awe, fear and disgust. It was what he had most feared and he clutched the edge of his desk to keep from fleeing the room. He had to appear strong. Weasley must have noticed his struggle, because when Draco glanced over he saw the red head working his jaw angrily. Then Weasley turned and let his words explode out of him. "Lupin already taught us about werewolves before you came here, but now that you’re here, maybe we should start refreshing ourselves about vampires- that way we know how to handle you!"

His outburst had been effective. Those who hadn’t known or suspected Tristan’s affliction appeared shocked, and all eyes were now on the other boy. Draco was amazed that Weasley had actually stood up for him and decided not to write him off completely.

"Everyone settle down!" Lupin tried to regain control of his class. "We’ll go over both of those subjects when we come to them. For right now, let’s get back to discussing advanced disarming spells."

Everyone returned to their books and the lesson, though every once in awhile nervous glances were thrown at him and Tristan. Potter, Granger and Weasley pretended not to notice, acting as if everything were normal. He tried to follow their lead but was finding it difficult. It was taking everything he had to remain calm, to not stir the beast beneath his skin. He shot a pleading glance at Lupin who nodded slightly. As soon as class was over, he asked Draco to stay. "You okay?" the professor asked when the room was empty.

"I was wondering if Drake already gave you any of the wolfsbane yet?"

Lupin offered an empathetic smile. "Having a hard time holding on to yourself here, huh."

"Yeah, a really hard time." He admitted.

"I know exactly how you feel. I actually had him brew it as soon as Albus made me aware that Mr. Macnair would be in my class… just to be safe. Vampires are our unnatural enemies, you know." He reached into his desk and produced a vial. "I already took one earlier today, it was how I was able to hold myself when he started up trouble earlier. I had hoped to give this one to you before class started, but you just had to show up late and instigate things." He grinned as he handed the potion over.

Draco drank it down without hesitation. "I was with Ginny when Drake’s treatment caught up to me really bad." He explained.

"Ah, I thought it may have been something like that after I heard you’d already been given the last dose." Lupin smiled. "I had hoped it wasn’t anything related to the curse. And hey, don’t worry about the wolfsbane, okay? Drake is already brewing more for us to take with in a few days."

"Good. Thanks for getting this round. I’m glad you thought ahead."

"I wish I had thought to warn you about Tristan Mcnair being here. But there was so much going on before we left for school, it slipped my mind as soon as I’d made arrangements with Drake." He said apologetically.

"Don’t worry about it. Like I said, at least you thought ahead enough." Draco shrugged, not sure that knowing before the train would have made much of a difference.

"Well, I’ll see you tomorrow." Lupin grinned.

"Same time, same place." He agreed, saying goodbye and heading out into the hallway where he wasn’t surprised to see the others waiting for him.

"I’m sorry he told everyone." Granger said right away, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"It’s fine." Draco said easily, as if it didn’t bother him.

"If you say so Malfoy. But the whole school will know by the end of dinner." Weasley pointed out unnecessarily.

He held back the sarcastic comment that had instantly risen up in him and instead nodded in agreement. "Which is why I think I’m going to opt out. I’d rather face them all in the morning, I’m too tired to put up with it tonight."

"Maybe I shouldn’t go either. I feel like punching Mcnair in the face." Potter said quietly but menacingly.

"That won’t help anything." Granger replied.

Potter shrugged. "It would make me feel better."

"Thanks, you know… for the support and all." Draco said uneasily to them all at once.

"No problem." Granger answered.

"Yeah, really really don’t mention it, okay?" Weasley grumbled, shuffling his feet.

Draco parted company with them in front of the Great Hall, choosing to just hole up in his own room for the rest of the night. About a half an hour after changing clothes and setting in bed, he heard the tapping at his door that he’d been waiting for. He immediately got up to let her in. "They told me what happened." Ginny said instantly as she just walked in right past him.

He closed the door and turned to her. "And?"

"The whole school is going to know, doesn’t that bother you?"

"Does it bother you?" He asked, peering at her carefully.

She smiled easily, wrapping her arms around him. "Not at all. Maybe now they’ll just decide to leave you and us alone. Ignorant fear does have it’s upside I guess."

He hugged her back, glad that she felt that way. It was along the same lines he’d been thinking and he hoped it worked.

(BREAK)

Hermione awoke feeling lonely yet serene. Harry had insisted they sleep in their own rooms, for fear of her catching whatever bug he thought he caught out in the rain. She was sure there was more to it, but even though it was the first night they were to spend apart in a long time, she hadn’t pushed. She knew there were things he was holding back from her because she knew him too well to fall for his lies, but she played along anyway deciding to ride it out and see where it went. Knowing if she was to survive life with Harry in any form, she’d become aware that she’d have to grow a bit more easy-going and a lot more crafty.

She stretched widely in bed, enjoying the freedom of space, of so much room to herself. Part of her terribly missed having Harry next to her, but another part was luxuriating in his absence. She finally rose feeling rested, dressing for the day in a calm daze as she took her time making herself presentable. Finally feeling she was ready to face the world and with a set plan for the day, she made her way to first Harry’s door and then Ron’s, knocking loudly to ensure they were properly roused had they failed to awaken themselves. She heard a thump as Ron threw something at his door, then his muffled reply. "Alright already, Hermione! I’m up!"

Harry however answered the door pretty quickly, completely dressed, with the books for his morning classes packed safely in his bag. "Well aren’t you the early bird today. Feeling better?" she asked.

"Yeah. Just needed to sleep it off I guess." He answered with his boyish grin, but she saw the discomfort he carried beneath it. Again she reminded herself that she was going to wait him out and pushed the need to confront him back down.

Instead she smiled back, accepting what he told her. "Well I’m glad it wasn’t a serious cold or anything." She knocked again on Ron’s door, eager to get down to breakfast.

"What’s the bloody rush?!" Ron yelled through the door. Harry also looked at her inquisitively.

She didn’t want to admit the reason she was so eager to get downstairs and so she wouldn’t. If she was going to allow him his secrets, then he’d have to do the same for her whether he knew it or not. "I don’t know, I just woke up starving." She grabbed her stomach, which had just given off a very well-timed rumble of hunger. Of course, she hadn’t eaten much the night before, disgusted by the chatter of her peers as they engaged in hushed discussions about Draco all around her.

In actuality, her rush was ensure that she be there as soon as the mail arrived. She knew, just knew Fred’s response would be here today. Of course, she wasn’t thrilled that she’d eventually have to tell Harry so as not to appear suspicious, but she was enjoying the sense of secrecy their work on the potion evoked in her. They were trying very hard to keep Draco or Lupin from learning of their efforts, not wanting either to get their hopes up.

With a sigh, she waited two more minutes before once more rapping on Ron’s door. This time he opened it, his school robe half on and his books spilling from his arms. She smiled, knowing on most other days Harry would have looked just as frazzled. "Okay, I’m ready oh mistress timekeeper." He said sourly. "Let us follow your masterfully prompt clock down to the Hall!" He stood tall and offered a salute before marching into the common room.

"Oh so dramatic!" She taunted, hurrying after him. As they made their way down, she glanced out every window she passed, hoping to see the arrival of the mail owls. But seeing nothing except an overcast but empty sky the entire way, she was disappointed. She hoped the same wouldn’t be true once they actually did show up.

(BREAK)

Ginny woke slowly, languishing in the comfortable warmth of both Draco and the blankets. She smiled as she felt him rouse and wrap his arm more tightly around her, leaning in to kiss her shoulder. He nuzzled the back of her neck, sending shivers of excitement running through her. "Alright, don’t start something you don’t have the time to finish." She said, turning over to face him.

"I can make time." He answered, shooting her what could only be described as a wolfish grin as he reached for her.

She allowed herself to give in for a moment before reminding herself they were already on their way to running late. Playfully shoving him away, she quickly rose out of his bed to prevent thoughts of any more fun. He simply grinned wider, lunging across the bed and grabbing her around the waist. She emitted a surprised squeal of laughter as he tackled her back down, pinning her to the bed before trailing kisses down her neck. She squirmed beneath him in delight, only halfheartedly trying to get free. Leaning up to bite his ear, she was swept away with hot pleasure as he gave a low growl in response, roughly capturing her lips with his as his arousal heightened. All thoughts of time, breakfast and anything coherent left her as they quickly went through a brief performance of the much longer passions they’d shared the night before. By the time they reached a crest together and separated, she was left breathless and sublimely satisfied.

Last month when he’d been this close to the change he’d been so much more unwilling to be around her… of course they hadn’t exactly been on as intimate terms then. She knew he didn’t trust that part of him not to hurt her and he’d told her last night that Drake had brewed him an extra potion to help keep the wolf at bay before the change. And she was so glad he’d taken it, that it made him confident enough to trust himself with her- because what she’d just experienced a few moments before and almost all last night was the most exciting, thrilling, fun, passionate and animalistic thing she’d ever been party to. Not that she had any complaints during the rest of the month, but she now knew that however he may feel about it, these few days where he was caught between man and beast would be her favorite to spend with Draco.

"I suppose that now it’s definitely time to get up." He said a few minutes later, still a bit breathless.

"It certainly is." She answered with a disappointed sigh. She wrapped her arm around his bare torso, resting her head on his chest as she breathed in the softly sweet sweaty smell of him. Then she sat up, suddenly self-conscious as she realized she too was all sweaty and wondered what she smelled like to him with his newly heightened senses.

"Something wrong?" He asked, also sitting up. He appeared so fearful and concerned she had to giggle, knowing he was worried he’d somehow hurt her.

"Yeah, with me." She smiled, leaning in to kiss him seductively.

This time he broke contact. "Okay, let’s not start that again. We’d be in here all day if I had a choice."

"I’m sure we would." She teased.

Going to her own room to dress, Ginny reflected on how happy she felt. But, did how she feel now make up for the times when Draco made her feel stressed, worried, disappointed and doubtful? She decided it did, because even though there were those times when she questioned them as a couple, the feelings were never as strong and never lasted as long as her certainty that she wanted to be with him. She grinned to herself, thinking of what a long strange month it had been and how quickly things had changed.

Meeting up with Draco in the common room, they realized everyone else had already gone down. A glance at the clock told them the meal had started five minutes earlier. They hurried down to the Great Hall together, but she noticed that the closer they got the tighter he gripped her hand. It had slipped her mind in all the activities they’d engaged in the night before but now it all came flooding back to her and a bolt of anger shot through her. She hated Tristan more now than she had instinctively at first sight since she now had a really good reason. He’d had no right to expose Draco’s affliction with the werewolf curse, but it was probably exactly the thing he’d been told to do- possibly by Lucius himself. The bright spot in it all was that he’d also been exposed as a monster, and she felt a sense of pride in Ron, despite the current tension between them because of her choice to be with Draco.

"You okay?" She whispered as they rounded the last corner.

He stopped short just outside the giant doors and took a deep breath. "I guess we’ll see." He answered as he slowly exhaled. She squeezed his hand back as tightly as he was gripping hers and as one they entered the Hall. It had been oddly quiet before they walked in, and after it was silent. And then flutters of whispered conversations flowed through the air around them as she watched kids at all four tables lean into each other with their hands over their mouths. "I’ll see you later." He said quietly before dropping her hand and walking quickly over to the end of the Slytherin table where he sat alone. Looking at the other students, she noticed Tristan wasn’t there. Apparently he’d chosen not to face the school that morning.

As she walked to her own table, a few eyes followed her but most attention remained focused on Draco and as she took her seat between Harry and Ron, she watched as Draco tried to remain sitting tall, with his shoulders back and his head high. She knew he didn’t want to show weakness in front of the others, but she also knew how much this was killing him inside. "He wasn’t here last night either." Harry said quietly.

"What?" Ginny turned to him, confused.

"Tristan- he didn’t show up to dinner last night either. He’s probably waiting to show his face for the first time in a less crowded arena, like class." He explained. He must have picked up her thoughts from earlier and she made sure she strengthened her shields.

"We kind of thought Draco was going to do the same." Hermione added, shooting a pity filled glance in his direction.

"He wanted to show everyone that it didn’t bother him." Ginny explained. Her heart actually hurt watching him try to be so strong when she knew that if she were in his shoes she’d want to do nothing but run. "This is stupid!" she erupted, no longer able to contain herself. She rose and began making her way over.

"Ginny! What are you doing?" Ron called after her.

She ignored him and walked right up to Draco, gesturing to the chair across from him. "Is this seat taken?" She asked in a flirty manner.

"What are you doing?" He asked, looking around with worry.

"Keeping you company. I guess I’ll just have to sit uninvited." She pulled out the chair and settled herself comfortably before reaching for a plate and beginning to fill it with food.

Draco regarded her with a shocked expression. "You’re incredible." He said at last shaking his head.

"I’m not sure if that sounded like a compliment or an insult." She took a bite of her toast and smiled.

"Good, because I’m not sure which way I meant it." He smiled back.

"Miss Weasley! Please return to your own table." Ginny cringed as McGonagall’s voice rang out across the Hall.

Draco looked concerned as she stood and faced the Head table. "If it’s okay, I’d rather not." She replied in a steady voice though her insides were churning. She had just reached a level of defiance she’d never thought to achieve by denying a Professor in front of the whole school.

Once more the Hall was silent as all eyes turned to the front, waiting to see how McGonagall would react to Ginny’s insolence. But before she could speak, Dumbledore rose and took a step in front of his quietly seething professor. "May I ask why, Miss Weasley?" His voice held waves of disapproval for her actions, but his expression clearly stated that he was willing to hear her out.

She took a deep steadying breath, feeling both Harry and Luna sending her their silent support from their separate tables. "With all due respect sir, it seems silly that we all be split up this way when our interactions with each other aren’t restricted at any other time during the day. You expect us all to get along peacefully and work together as a school to make it through the year successfully, yet you separate us during three of the most potentially socially interactive times of the day- meals. Meanwhile we are expected to co-mingle during classes and between them, why shouldn’t that extend into breakfast, lunch, and dinner?"

The student body seemed to hold their breath as one while Dumbledore studied her thoughtfully. "Well, it seems you’ve made a valid argument. Now what is there to do about it?"

"Desegregate the tables!" Harry suggested, also standing. "Let us really be one united school."

"A notable suggestion, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore answered. "I’d hate to set up a precedence for going against authority- so let me make myself clear to all of you. While the way Miss Weasley made her stand was unfavorable to say the least, her message is a relevant one. From this moment on, the tables in the Great Hall are no longer divided during meals. And Miss Weasley, I will be seeing you before class to discuss the proper forum to bring up any concerns you may have for how the school is run. That is all, everyone return to your breakfast and please, feel free to change seats."

He returned to his chair as she and Harry slowly sank into theirs. No one moved except to look around expectantly at everyone else. Ginny turned to look at Draco, unsure that she had gained any sort of victory. And then, ever one to be the stand up guy, Harry once again rose. He grabbed his plate of food and walked over to the Slytherin table, pulling out the chair next to Draco’s and settling himself comfortably… as if every eye weren’t on him. She whipped around at the sound of shuffling chairs and saw that as Ron and Hermione rose to join them, Parvati had also abandoned her table to join her sister who was sitting with the Ravenclaws. Slowly the Gryffindors proved they were courageous trendsetters, as each of them moved to join friends and/or siblings at other tables. She looked to Luna, waiting for her to join them as well, but the other girl seemed determined to remain where she was. Come on. It’ll be fine. Ginny assured her, becoming worried for her friend.

Maybe next time. Luna answered sadly. I’ll see you in class, okay? And then she slowly and discreetly made her way out of the Hall without notice. Well, almost without notice. She watched Harry’s eyes as he followed Luna’s exit, gazing at the doorway long after she’d gone. She smiled inwardly, glad that someone besides Hermione had finally turned his head, and had been turning it for some time if her intuition meant anything. That vicious little part of her that she now kept on total lockdown gave a little shudder of glee at the thought of Hermione finally being pushed aside- though she was very careful not to let it show.

As everyone around them began talking, the mood in the room returned to almost normal. There were still quite a few people very obviously talking about Draco, but as she turned and smiled at him across the table she found that all the others were easy to ignore. "You know you just put a big target on your back for so decidedly standing up for me." He said quietly.

"I’m sure it’s not much bigger than it was before." She grinned. "We’ll just take it as it comes, okay?"

"Do we have a choice?" He answered.

(BREAK)

The mail owls arriving were usually the most exciting part of breakfast, but today it was simply the icing on the cake. Harry watched the owls swoop over his head, delivering letters and packages to their lucky participants. He was amused as they fumbled around in the air, trying to figure out the new seating arrangements. He recognized the small brown owl that landed in front of Hermione as Orion, Arthur’s owl. As she reached for her letter, he saw how her eyes turned a luscious chocolate brown and sparkled with excitement. He hadn’t seen her so bubbly in a long time, at least not in his presence. "Who’s that from?" He couldn’t contain his curiosity.

She looked up, almost guiltily from the envelop now in her hand. "Oh, it from Fred." She answered casually. Then shooting a meaningful sideways glance at Draco, she added, "I’ll tell you later."

He nodded his agreement, finding that he wasn’t as jealous as he’d have thought. He was happy more than anything, glad that something and someone was able to bring back that sparkle he hadn’t even realized she’d been missing. And more than likely, Fred himself had influenced her to be a bit more laid back, after all he knew best how not to worry. Of course, her influence could be found in Fred’s newfound tenacity concerning his business. This project the two of them were working on seemed to pull them both out of a slump and if they were able to help each other and cure the werewolf curse then all the better.

Breakfast ended much more quietly than it began and leaving Ginny outside Dumbledore’s office, they continued on to Professor Binns class. Tristan sauntered in a few minutes later, looking unconcerned with the stares he received. It was apparent the other boy had decided it was best to slowly integrate himself in with his peers after being exposed for what he was, whereas Harry felt Draco had taken the more showy and braver direction. He certainly respected Draco more than Tristan for how he handled the situation, especially since Tristan had been the one to start things.

As Binns floated in, several kids groaned, opening their books and preparing their mind to check out for the next hour and a half. The ghostly professor took his place behind the desk and immediately went into his lesson plan. It took even Harry a moment to realize Hermione had her hand straight up in the air, waiting patiently to be called on. Soon the only one not to realize that someone was trying to get his attention was Binns himself. Hermione cleared her throat. "Excuse me, sir?" she finally asked politely.

The professor was startled to be interrupted as he always was when something derailed him from