I stare down the hill towards the front gates near my friend Hagrid's hut. It's over. It's finally over. Voldemort, the dark wizard who murdered my real parents, is dead. His faithful followers, confused and dazed as they are, are for the most part captured and being led away by the Aurors with a few lying dead in the Great Hall. Mum's people after her are gone with Mezra's death too. I, the Boy-Who-Lived or the Chosen One as some have dubbed me thanks to the Prophet, am finally free to live my life normally. Right?

I smile when I feel a familiar hand on my shoulder. I glance up and nod at Dad as he glances down at me. We can be an ordinary family now: Dad, Mum, Dray, El, and me. Hell, I can just worry about Quidditch and girls instead of who is out to get me this year. No more suffering nightmares of people taking my second chance at happiness either. I can finally be a normal fifth-year Gryffindor!

"Ah, good," the headmaster suddenly murmurs near me as he walks past flanked by Professors McGonagall and Flitwick. "The students have returned. Let's get them resettled in their rooms before we inform them of the events, shall we?"

I glance towards the growing masses of students heading up the hill towards us. It seems like a lifetime ago since Draco and I handed our little sister off to Fred as the whole school evacuated. Was she all right, I wondered as I waited to see her usually cheerful face in the crowd. The whole battle, if one could call it that, seemed to last only a second in my eyes, but I knew it wasn't in hers. One moment Draco and I were cowering outside an empty classroom wondering if Dad and Mum were alive, and the next I was throwing a wand to Draco and watching him then kill Mezra with the Sword of Slytherin.

Snorting, I shake my head. My brother the hero.

My eyes then find Hermione and Ron in the crowd. Hermione's waving at me with Ron looking at me strangely. I'll have to ask him what that look is all about. I then see Blaise and Theo before finally the twins with Angel in hand. All of them are rushing up towards us. I can't help but smile wider at this. They're all safe. We're all safe.

"Harry!" Hermione shouts before she hugs me tightly. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"Jeez, Hermione. You're worse than my mother with him," Ron drawls, shaking his head. "He's fine. Can't you see that?"

I glance down when I see her glare directed at him. One of these days he's going to learn to keep his mouth shut when it comes to things like that. I mean, he has to at some point. Doesn't he?

"What?" Ron frowns, looking at all of us seemingly confused. "She is. I mean, I can't help it if the truth hurts sometimes."

The moment I hear the hard whack, I close my eyes. Ron, you idiot.

"Blimey! What was that for?" he grumbles, likely rubbing the spot she hit.

"If you can't . . . honestly, Ronald! Sometimes I just want to . . . ugh!" Her eyes then dart up to my dad. "I apologize for my actions, sir." She then glances towards me and gives me a sad smile. "Harry." And with one last dirty look at Ron, she turns away and storms towards the castle.

"What crawled up her knickers and died? Merlin. I didn't say anything wrong." Ron then glances at me. "Right, mate?"

I, however, am not going anywhere near that comment, so I remain silent. Another voice, though, speaks from next to me.

"Ten points to Gryffindor."

My eyes widen when I hear my dad awarding Ron points. I glance up at him in shock. What in the actual Nine Hells is happening? Dad agrees with Ron? Since when? I stare at Dad, wondering if maybe he has a concussion or something. There is no way he agrees with Ron. None.

"See? Even Snape agrees with me! I didn't do anything wrong!"

I watch my dad's smile contort into his 'Oh, really' face then and feel my heart race. Oh no. This is not going to be good.

"You're once again mistaken, Mister Weasley," Dad drawls coolly. "The points I awarded were for Miss Granger, not you."

"What? But that's not fair! She hit me!"

"She defended herself," Dad corrects, leveling a glare on him. "And you're lucky that she only slapped you, Mister Weasley. She could have very well cursed you for that and all your heirs."

"But I didn't do anything wrong!" Ron argues, throwing his hands up into the air.

"And that right there is why you will never be a worthy suitor for Miss Granger."

"Suitor?" Ron glances at me before he whirls back outraged. "You don't know what you're talking about, Snape. Hermione loves me. Maybe you're just too—"

Recognizing Ron's temper flaring instantly, I step in front of him and Dad. "Ron, stop." For the love of God, I add in my head, stop before you get us both killed.

"No, you stop, Harry," he growls at me. "I didn't do anything wrong. Why doesn't anyone see that?" He shakes his head before he too storms away.

I sigh as I watch him leave. I'm certain I'm going to hear all about it later tonight when I'm in the dorms, so I don't go after him. That can wait.

"Harry?" a soft voice murmurs softly close to me.

I turn instantly and smile when I see my little sister Angel. "Hey, El." I step forward and feel her arms wrap around my neck at once. Fred gently hands her over to me the rest of the way before he and George head up to the castle with Blaise and Theo.

"Where's Draco?" Her warm brown eyes stare deep into mine.

"He's with Mum." I can tell by the look she's giving me that answer won't suffice. "They're in the hospital wing." Her eyes widen into large saucers. "No, no, it's okay. Everything's fine. I promise." Oh, please don't start crying, Angel, I plead in my head. I hate when she cries. Actually, I hate when any female cries. "Draco and Mum are fine." I suck at this whole big brother thing. I really do. "He's just keeping Mum company. That's all." Angel's eyes dart behind me, likely to look towards Dad to see if I'm telling the truth.

"They are both fine," Dad says next to me.

"Are you sure?" she asks.

"Positive."

With a quick nod, she accepts Dad's answer and rests her head on my shoulder again. I smile when I feel her start to relax. It's strange, but I like knowing she feels safe. I don't know why, but I do.

When I notice Dad turn and head towards the doors a moment later, I know my time is up. Though, to be fair, Dad had told me that we were only there to collect Angel and then head to the hospital wing. But I can't help but feel sad for some reason.

I mean, I honestly have no reason to feel this way. I have two loving parents and a brother and sister now. And we're all alive and safe. So, why do I feel incomplete still? What more could I possibly be wishing for in life?

"Harry?" El whispers as we near the front doors, her breath tickling my neck.

"Yeah?" I ask, turning my head towards her while still walking. A moment later, I connect with someone that hadn't been there just a moment ago. My arms wrap protectively around my little sister even tighter to make certain she isn't hurt, as all thoughts are on protecting her. As soon as I'm certain we're both fine, I glance to see who I ran into. And I stare.

"Hello, Harry," the soft, dreamy voice says, swirling around me briefly.

Unable to think, I continue to stare into the silvery-gray eyes. So much life is in her eyes. So much innocence too with maybe some fierceness as well. I can't help it. I just keep staring into the mysterious orbs that are her eyes.

"Harry?" I hear Angel say, clearly confused by my behavior.

"Luna." Her name rolls off my tongue so naturally. Luna. Sweet Luna.

"Sweet Luna?" Dad's voice echoes in my head.

My eyes dart up to him and notice the raised eyebrow. Uh-oh. I forgot about our link. However, a second later, when I feel Luna's hand rest briefly on my arm, my eyes dart down to her hand. She's touching me. Like, really, she's touching my arm. My eyes then narrow. She's done that before, though.

"I'm glad your family is safe now." Luna then smiles, and I, in return, stare back at her like an idiot. "It was nice seeing all of you," she says, her hand moving from my arm, before she then leaves.

"Merlin, help us all," Dad mumbles, his hand resting on my shoulder in order to steer me towards the door. "Come along, Harry." Naturally, I obey.

I can feel Mum's eyes on me every now and then through our dinner. However, I keep my head down and continue to pick through my food. Around me, I can hear Draco going on about something with Angel, but I don't catch what it is. Not that I really care after all.

In fact, in my head, I keep replaying my encounter with Luna earlier outside. I mean, why did I act all stupid with her back there? Luna's my friend. Well, sort of is my friend. I mean, we went to Mum and Dad's wedding together. Oh, Merlin, this is confusing. Is she my friend or isn't she?

"Harry?"

I blink before glancing up. "Yeah?" It's then I notice that everyone but Mom and me have left. I sigh and hang my head. "Sorry," I mumble.

"What for?"

I glance back at her and sigh. "For spacing off." I then shake my head again. "Dinner was good, Mum. I just, I don't know, I guess I wasn't hungry or something."

She snorts, rolling her eyes as she grabs my plate. "It's the 'Or something,' love. Let's be honest there, all right?"

My head falls forward dejectedly. Here she was, having made all of us dinner, and I could not even pull myself out of my own thoughts long enough to eat it. I'm a horrible son. It's official.

"Oh, will you cease with the dramatics?" she drawls with another quiet laugh. "It's fine. I'm not mad, Harry. You're a teenager. You're perfectly in your right to stare off and contemplate the confusing world at the dinner table every now and then. It's fine. Really." She then turns her back to me and heads to box up my leftovers.

I don't deserve having such a kind mum. I really don't. Holding in another sigh, I ask, "Where's Dad and the others?" Maybe a distraction will get my mind off things for a bit.

"Well, Draco went to his dorm," she answers. "And Severus is getting Angel ready for bed."

I nod slowly. That makes sense on second thought. "Oh. Well, I should probably head back too." I push myself up from the table to leave. However, the moment she snaps her fingers at me and points back at my chair, I know that I'm not going anywhere.

"Sit." She then turns around and heads back to the table before she takes a seat opposite of me.

I can't help but feel nervous as she stares at me for a few minutes. I mean, what's going through her mind right then? How horrible of a son I am? How she wishes she could get rid of me once and for all? How—

"All right, young man. Spill it."

My brows furrow. "Spill it?" I repeat, slightly confused. Spill what?

"Harry, you're great at many things. Controlling your emotions and thoughts is not one of them. So, come on. Get it off your chest. I'm all ears."

I stare at her, though. I mean, she can't be serious. Can she? She wants to hear all about how stupid I am? No. No this has to be a trick.

"Harry, I have nowhere to be tonight. So, we can sit here all night until you're ready to speak."

"But what if I don't?"

"Then it's going to be a very long and silent night for the both of us, isn't it?" she remarks, knitting her fingers together on top of the table.

It's clear now she's not going to back down from this, so I sigh heavily.

"Whatever you have to say, I promise it's not as earth shattering as you think it is."

"You don't know that."

"No, I don't, but I'd be willing to bet on it, though."

I run a hand through my hair and close my eyes in defeat. "It's stupid, though."

"Most adolescent problems are," she quips with a faint smile. I glare at her, which in turn makes her laugh. "Come on, Harry. Just get it off your chest. You'll feel better. I promise."

"No I won't, Mum. I'll just be even more confused than I already am."

"Okay, so this is about a girl then."

I blink. How . . . "But I haven't even said anything yet!" I squawk.

"Oh, love, at your age, it's always about a girl. And if it's not, then it's about Quidditch or some other sort of 'boy' thing. Like whose is bigger and that sort of thing."

My mouth drops. There is no way she just said . . .

"Really, Harry?" she replies, snorting. "I've been around adolescents most of my life. Trust me. It's the same for both sexes. Now, what is it about this girl that has you all twisted up inside?"

Frowning, I rub the back of my neck. "I wouldn't say I'm twisted up inside."

"Don't let him fool you, Aurora," Dad says suddenly as he walks into the room. He tugs on his sleeves. "He could barely say two words when he saw her earlier."

"Hey!" I growl, glaring at Dad.

"Severus," Mum says with a pointed look. "Let Harry speak."

Dad inclines his head then before he sits down beside her. There's no way I can talk now with him there. He's just going to make fun of me again. Shaking my head, I push myself up off the table.

"Actually, you know, I think I'm going to head out. Long night and all," I say weakly, turning away and walking towards the door. I'm fleeing, I know, but it's out of self-preservation.

"Harry James Potter, you sit back down at this table right now," Mum commands, her tone forcing me to stop in mid-step. She never uses that tone with me.

I stare at the door, my salvation.

"I will not repeat myself, young man," she states.

I can't describe it. There are just no words for what happened next. One minute, I'm standing with my back to them, wishing I am anywhere but there. And the next I'm facing them, yelling at the top of my lungs and flailing my arms like a lunatic.

"I think I love Luna! All right? Or at least love her like a friend. Or something. Gah! I don't know! Everything is just all too damn confusing for me right now. And you treating me like some five-year-old is not helping! Because I know it's not what either of you want . . . it's not what I should want either, but that's the way it is. Okay? So, forgive me for not wanting discuss that with either of you two, two people who couldn't even manage to declare your love for each or understand it until just last year!" I can see the shock on their faces. Not wanting to hear their responses, I sprint out of there.

Considering it's been two days since my outburst and I have yet to see Mum or Dad, I think it's safe to say they're giving me my space. Though, I admit that I sort of miss them. A part of me finds myself heading towards the dungeons sometimes, but I always stop myself as soon as I reach the staircase that leads down. I can't face them. Not yet at least. I mean, I yelled at them. Like, I really yelled at them like some crazed idiot. No, no I'll stay up here in my dorms, going to every class but theirs like I've been doing.

An elbow hard to my gut a moment later makes me wince before I turn towards the person.

"What, Ron?"

"Have you figured out yet who you're asking?"

My brows furrow. "Asking about what?"

"To the ball of course. Remember? Dumbledore said that we can still have it, sort of like a victory ball now with Old Moldy and Snake Lady dead now. It's tomorrow night, remember?"

"Oh." I smile weakly. "Uh, no. I don't know yet. You?"

Ron's grin widens. "Oh yeah. I'm asking Hermione."

"Hermione?" I repeat, staring at him like he's grown a second head.

"Yeah. See the way I see right now, Draco is being all smooth with her and stuff, but that's just because I haven't worked my magic with her yet."

"What?"

"Once she sees that I can be sweet too, she'll forget all about him."

"You're mad."

"No. I'm brilliant," he declares proudly. "You know what? I think I'm going to ask her right now." He claps me hard on the back. "Thanks, Harry. See you." He then dashes out of the room, leaving me all alone up in the dorm again.

The moment the door closes, I groan loudly. It's going to end in disaster for him. Knowing Draco, he's probably already asked Hermione like ages ago. I sigh and head over to my own bed, flopping back.

It seems hours pass before the doors open again. I peek one eye open and glance towards it. When I see Neville, I smile faintly.

"Hi, Harry," he says quietly, walking to his own bed.

"Hi, Neville." It must be getting close to curfew if he's already back.

"So, did you hear?"

I shrug. "Hear what?"

"I asked Ginny to the ball tomorrow."

"Yeah?" Good for him.

"And she said yes. Can you believe that? Ginny. I'm going with Ginny." He then pauses. "You don't think Ron's going to be upset about that, do you?"

I snort. "I think Ron's going to have enough on his plate than to worry about that."

"What do you mean?"

"He's asking Hermione."

"Wait. Isn't she already going with Draco?"

"Probably," I respond with another shrug. "But he thinks he can woo her." When I hear Neville's loud wheezing laughter, I glance at him and see him doubled over.

"He's mad."

"You'll get no argument from me on that. But you know Ron." I catch his nod and then glance up at the ceiling again.

Good for Neville for asking Ginny out. They're a good match. I guess. I don't know. I mean, I know she likes me for some reason. Probably the fame. But I'm happy for him. He's being brave for once, instead of me who is currently being a big coward feeling sorry for himself.

I mean, who cares what anyone thinks anyway? So Luna's a little strange. It's not like she's a murderous Muggleborn hater. She's a free spirt. And she's kind. So very kind. And she gets me. Like, really gets me sometimes.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?" I sigh, wishing Neville hadn't just interrupted me.

"Who are you taking?"

"I don't know yet. Maybe no one. I don't know."

"Oh."

I nod and sigh. "Yeah."

"What about Luna?"

If I weren't already sprawled out on my bed, I'd surely have fallen off. "Luna?" I choke out.

"Yeah. I know what everyone says about her, but she's not really that bad."

"I know that. They just don't understand her."

"Yeah. Like we do." He smiles faintly to me. "Everyone thinks they know us from what they see, but they don't know that you hate the attention they give you all the time."

"Or that you're wickedly smart at Herbology and stuff."

"Exactly."

I think about what he's said then. Luna does understand me better than anyone else. It's one of the reasons I like her so much. But if I ask her, then she's going to get harassed by others. But if I don't ask her, I'm going to regret it. I sigh heavily. Why do these things have to be so damn complicated?

"Neville?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you really think I should ask Luna?"

"Harry, don't take this the wrong way, but it's obvious to anyone who sees the way you look at her that you like her. So, honestly, I think you should have asked her two days ago." When I turn my head to look at him, I see his shy smile. "In fact, I've been trying to figure out why you haven't."

"Because I don't know how to ask her."

"Well, if it helps, I just walked up to Ginny, asked her, and then ran."

I snort and smile back. "Yeah. Thanks." He nods before climbing into bed. I'll ask her tomorrow.

After consulting the Marauders' Map a half a dozen times, I finally find her. She's outside in the Forbidden Forest on the very edge of the map. A part of me knows that if I'm caught out here, I'm going to be in huge trouble with Mum and Dad. But another part of me is totally wanting me to ignore that and ask her. I have to, don't I? So I don't spend my entire life wondering what could have been.

It takes me a few minutes of navigating the forest before I see her. She's feeding the Thestrals again. I approach very slowly.

"Hello, Harry," she says with her back still to me a few moments later.

"How did you know it was me?" I ask with a laugh.

She slowly turns towards me with a smile. "You're the only one who doesn't mind being seeing with me," she answers in her usual brutally honest way.

I can't help but wince when I hear her answer. "I'm sorry, Luna."

"That's nice." She then turns back and starts rubbing one of the Thestrals.

"So, I, uh, don't know if you heard about it or not, but I guess we're still having the ball." She doesn't say anything so I trudge forward. "So, you know, I, well, that is to say, I was sort of wondering if you, you know if you're not busy or anything, would like to go with me." I watch her stop petting the Thestral and turn towards me. "If you'd like to, that is."

"I've never been to a ball before."

I smile. "Yeah, me neither. But it might be fun."

"We'd go as friends?"

"Yeah, if you want." This is going so much easier than I thought it would. What have I been so worried about? Honestly.

"That's nice," she responds a moment later before turning back towards the Thestral.

"So, then do you want me to come by Ravenclaw Tower about, say, five then?"

"No."

"Okay, then when do you want me to come by?"

"I don't," she replies, metaphorically slapping me in the face.

"Wait. What?" But didn't she just say she'd . . . "Luna, I don't understand. I just asked if you wanted to go to the ball with me, and you said yes."

She turns back. "I can't go to the ball with you, Harry."

"Why?" I then frown. "Did somebody already ask you?"

"No."

"Then why can't you go with me? I mean, we went to Mum and Dad's wedding together."

"Exactly." She smiles faintly. "So if I go with you to the ball, then it'll be our second date."

"Our what?"

"Our second date," she repeats. "And I have no intention of drawing attention from the fairies, Harry. So, respectfully, I'm going to have to decline."

I stare at her, utterly bewildered. What in the Nine Hells is she going on about this time? The fairies? Second date? What?

"How is us going to the ball together going to draw attention from the fairies? And why would they even care, Luna?"

"They'd care because fairies are the ones who guide you onto the path of marriage. And I wouldn't want to upset them when they realize we're just friends. An angry fairy is not one we should cross paths with ever." She then rests a hand against my arm. "I'm sorry, Harry, but I can't go with you and risk that from happening."

"Well, what if I spoke with the fairies beforehand? Told them that we're just friends?" Luna laughs quietly, rubbing my arm gently.

"Oh, Harry. They'll know the moment they see you that you're lying."

"How?"

"By the Wrackspurts in your head, silly. It really is quite alarming how many there are in there now." She then lowers her voice. "You have been thinking positive thoughts lately, haven't you?"

"Then what do I tell them?"

"The truth."

"That I like you more than a friend?" I blurt out, my eyes widening as I hear what I said echo. I watch her smile widen before she leans towards me and kisses my cheek.

"If you speak with the fairies and they're all right with it, then I'll go with you to the ball."

"Done." Though, I have no idea how in the world I'm going to accomplish this. I watch her eyes then dart behind me towards where I know the castle is.

"Your father's coming." She releases me. "You should go before he finds you here."

"What about you?" She pushes me, though.

"Go, Harry. I'll be fine."

I don't want to leave her, but if what she's saying is true, then I have to. With a heavy sigh, I run off in the direction she pushed me. A moment later, I feel a warm sensation and notice that the sounds of my feet shuffling through the leaves has been silenced. I can't help but smile. Thanks, Luna.

Once I reach the entrance hall, I duck into an empty alcove and pull out the Marauders' Map once more. Dad is out on the grounds still, but my eyes search for where Mum is. I find her name a moment later up in the Astronomy Tower. So off to the tower I go.

I make it there in record time. Honestly I have no idea how, but I guess it's true what they say, 'Where there's a will, there's a way.' I find the area where Mum was previously and knock against her office door. It opens a moment later, so I walk inside.

Good, she's alone.

"Mum!"

"Harry?" she says, setting down her cup of tea.

"I need to talk to you."

"Oh?" She then crosses her arms, leaning back in her chair. "You mean, after three days of absolute silence, now you want to speak with me?"

"Yeah. Um, sorry about that, but where can I find fairies?"

"What?"

"Fairies, where can I find them?" It all just tumbles out of me then. "Luna says the only way she'll go with me to the ball is if I talk to the fairies and tell them that we're not dating or ready for marriage or any of that, but just want to go and see if we're compatible together."

Mum stares at me blankly.

"So, do you know where I can find some?"

"Um, well, they're known to inhabit woodlands or glades."

"Good. So, would the Forbidden Forest count or do I need to go further out from there?"

"Harry . . ."

"Mum, I need to talk to a fairy."

"Yes, I understand that, but—"

"Wouldn't you do everything in your power, like finding a fairy, if it meant you could be with Dad?" I point out.

"What I was going to say before you interrupted," she states "is Filius has a few fairies here in the castle you could speak with."

"He does?"

"Yes. He uses them sometimes to decorate the Christmas trees."

"Wicked. Thanks, Mum." I then whirl around to sprint out to find Professor Flitwick. However, the door to Mum's office refuses to open. I pull harder on the handle, and still it does not budge. I then turn back and see her wand in hand pointed towards the door. "Mum, I have to go!"

"No. You don't."

"Yes, I do. Luna said—"

"Harry, love, listen to me. You do not have to go right this moment."

"But what if someone else asks her and she says yes because I didn't get to the fairy in time?"

"Oh, sweetheart," she murmurs, lowering her wand and walking around her desk. "Do you honestly think she'd say yes to anyone other than you?"

"But she said if I spoke with the fairy, then we can go together."

"She's wanting you to make an effort, Harry. To see if you'll really do it."

"But why?"

"Likely because some of the other girls have been telling her that's the normal thing to do."

"I don't understand." I mean, that doesn't make sense. This is Luna we're talking about. She's not going to listen to what other people tell her to do or even care what the normal thing is.

"Think back to when you first heard about her. What did you hear?"

I shrug. "I don't know."

"Harry, think."

"I guess some people called her 'Loony Lovegood.' But she's not crazy."

"She's not," Mum agrees with a nod. "But to them, she's different, strange even, because she's not like them."

"Well, that just shows people suck."

Mum laughs softly. "They do sometimes. But the point I'm trying to make is, well, when you first heard about her, did you find yourself wanting to be friends with her? Wanting to get to know her a little better?"

"Not really."

"Exactly." Mum then sighs. "She's had it rough here since she's arrived. Some of her housemates have stolen her shoes and hid them on her. Others just openly mock her. You, though, have been nice to her, kind even. You listen to her and don't do any of that."

"Okay." I know Mum has a point somewhere here, but I don't see it yet.

"My point is that sometimes when you're getting treated like crap day after day, you start to become suspicious of even the nice people, Harry." My eyes narrow. "Your dad is the same way. He was suspicious of me as well at first, waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak."

"So, what you're saying is that Luna wants me to find this fairy because she wants to see if I'll actually do it? Not just say I will and then go to her later and lie my way through it."

"Yes. Sort of." She laughs quietly, running a hand through her long hair. "I know I don't have to tell you that she's very perceptive. In fact, she probably knew you liked her before even you did. But there are sometimes I've learned over the years with her, that she'll use her uniqueness to see a person's true self. And there are times when she'll attempt to adapt to her surroundings. I'd imagine this is one of those times. She's likely been hearing from all the other girls about all the hoops they're asking their dates to go through."

"So, then, do I find the fairy or not?"

Mum shrugs. "You could, but I don't think she really believes that the fairy will be the one to decide if you're compatible together or not."

"So, what do I do?"

"I don't know, Harry. In the end, that's up to you to decide. But I'd say that if it were your father and me, and I had been like Luna asking for him to find a fairy, I'd be more relieved if he asked the fairy with me there. Sort of as a way to show that he accepts all of me. Even the strange side."

I nod, thinking for a moment. "In other words, to show one you like them is to show them acceptance first?"

"That's the way I've always thought of it, yes." She then laughs. "But then again, I'm a hopeless romantic according to your father, so what do I know? I could totally be wrong about this whole situation with you and Luna."

I laugh at her honesty. She might be, but what she's said does sort of make some sense.

"Thanks, Mum."

"Anytime."

At the sound of loud, persistent knocking on her door a second later, I glance at her.

"Professor Sinistra, I need to speak with you!" Draco's voice filters through the cracks. He sounds almost half-crazed.

I watch Mum flick her wand at her door and hear the lock click open. The door flies open soon after, causing me to jump out of the way as it comes swinging towards me.

"I need your help!" Draco declares, seemingly not seeing me at all.

"All right," Mom starts, her voice calm somehow. She motions towards the chair I've vacated. "Sit down." Her eyes then meet mine. She doesn't need to say goodbye. I just know it. I leave her office a moment later. "Now, what's going on?" I hear her say as I close the door quietly behind me.

It's funny if you think about it. I came in just as half-crazed however many minutes ago, and now so has Draco. Is this what it means to be a normal family? To burst into a parent's office, half out of your mind for whatever reason, so she can bring you back down to some sense of calmness again? I laugh quietly, walking towards the staircase. It makes you wonder why anyone would ever want kids.

With the fairy in hand, or rather with the fairy's cooperation to follow, I stand before Luna in the Ravenclaw common room with everyone looking on. It's a little unsettling, but I'm learning to ignore all the looks. All that matters here is if Luna's happy.

When I feel something sprinkled on me a few moments after Luna pulls back from speaking with the fairy, my eyes narrow. What is that? I hear the audible gasps around us soon after. It's then I see it. The fairy has tossed some sort of sparkly substance towards us. Fairy dust, I wonder.

"Well?" I ask quietly.

Luna grins instantly before she nods. "I'd love to go to the ball with you, Harry."

"You would?"

She nods again before she leans in and kisses my cheek once more. "I'll meet you in the entrance hall in an hour."

"Wicked!" She's said yes. There are no words to describe my happiness at hearing her say that. I grin and whirl around to leave, stumbling slightly as I lose my balance temporarily but recovering nonetheless. I can see the looks of contempt from the other Ravenclaw girls who are glaring at me now, but I brush past them. Luna said yes.

Take that world!

I've got a date with the coolest girl around!

For an hour we've been here now at the ball. An hour full of awkwardness at times and definitely a lot of uncomfortableness. Luna is in good spirits, though. I have no idea how. So far, I've managed to spill my glass of pumpkin juice on her dress and stepped on said dress a half a dozen times. Not to mention how many times I've stepped on her poor feet. Thankfully, we've now decided to sit down at a table for a bit. Probably so she can rest her sore feet thanks to me.

"Harry?"

I glance back at her, having looked away from Hermione and Draco sharing a slow dance. He makes this look so damn easy. Stupid git. That's how I was hoping this would go for Luna and me.

"Yeah?" I say back quietly.

"You're not having fun, are you?"

I force a faint smile to my lips and sigh. "I'm sorry, Luna. It's not you. It's me. I just, ugh, I suck at all of this."

She laughs quietly. "I actually thought you were doing quite well considering all the Nargles in here." She then looks around at the other couples on the dance floor.

"Yeah, and my head being filled with Wrackspurts isn't helping either."

She turns back to me, still smiling. "That's because you're not thinking positive thoughts. They'd vanish if you did."

"I'm not sure if I have anything positive to think about right now." Her eyes narrow instantly. "I didn't mean it like that. I like being here with you at the ball. I just mean I don't have anything else positive going for me." Instead of helping, that only makes her eyes narrow even more.

"You have two parents who love you, who have risked their lives for you, and a brother and sister who adore you. You have more good things in your life than most people do, Harry."

I can't help but wince at her words. "No. I know that. I didn't mean that either. I just, well, I spilled my drink on you, Luna."

She stares at me for a moment before she reaches across the table and grabs a glass of pumpkin juice someone had left behind at our table previously. Before I have time to react, she tosses it at me, splashing the juice into my face.

"There. Now, I've spilled a drink on you as well," she states proudly. "We're even."

I stare at her, though, with my mouth slightly open. What in the actual hell just happened?

"Do you want me to step on your feet as well, Harry?"

"No," I answer instantly. I know her heels are going to hurt. "Luna, I . . ." I'm at a loss of words.

"Accidents happen. There's no need to allow the negativity to fester, Harry." She then rests a hand against my arm. "I actually thought it was cute when you stepped on my feet earlier."

"Really?"

She nods. "I know you didn't mean to."

"I didn't. I just, I was clumsy."

"Exactly." She smiles. "Look at your parents." She turns her head towards Mum and Dad, who are dancing slowly. "Even your dad has those moments. Not that he'd let anyone know it. But watch his feet for a few minutes."

I do as she says, watching Dad. They seem to be in perfect sync with one another. If Mum goes right, Dad goes with her. I smile as he twirls her away from him before spinning her back into him, her back know against his chest. They look absolutely perfect together. So I don't understand what Luna is going on about. And they're laughing too, having fun with one another. The longer I watch them, the more I think about how Draco and Hermione look like this as well. They're not nervous with each other. They're just there in the moment with one another as if no one else is there. That's probably my entire problem right there. I can't find a way to get to that point with Luna.

My eyes then widen as I see Dad stumble unexpectedly. He pulls Mum towards him, but she seems to have been off balance as well. I watch in horror as they both tumble back as a result before crashing into a nearby dessert table.

My head whips around to glance at Luna, noticing her look of shock as well.

The whole hall has gone absolutely silent.

I turn back, unable to think of what to do. Should I try to help them? Or leave them alone? Or . . . I watch Dad shake off some of the frosting that's covering him and see Mum shaking slightly as she lies on top of him, her face buried in his robes. Is she all right? I then hear her laughter as it grows louder.

"You look ridiculous," Mum says through fits of laughter.

"I look ridiculous?" Dad repeats, a hint of amusement in his voice. "You should see yourself, Sinistra. You're not exactly one to look at right now either."

"Says the man wearing red butter cream frosting."

When I see Dad grab a bit of destroyed cake beside him, I start laughing, knowing what he's about to do next. He smears into her face a moment later. Mum, however, isn't going down without a fight. She grabs globs of frosting and cake from her side before tossing it at him. It's soon all out food fight between them, causing the other students to join in.

Draco is protecting Hermione, I see, from Blaise and Theo and their dates. Hermione is covered head-to-toe in red velvet, and Draco looks like he rolled in some sort of jelly. As a volley of pumpkin pasties come hurtling towards Luna and me, I duck. My eyes then catch our attacker as I toss back a chocolate frog. Fred I recognize, but his date . . . It's strange, but I've never seen her before at Hogwarts. And I'm pretty sure I'd recognize her seeing as how gorgeous she is. The young woman about Fred's age winks at me, though, before darting off in the opposite direction, her long golden-blond hair flowing behind her. She seems so familiar to me, but I know I've never seen her before. However, before I can think any more on it, Luna pulls my hand sharply.

I glance at her and notice her look towards Professor McGonagall and the other teachers headed our way. I nod to Luna. Time to go. We run as fast as we can towards the doors. Behind me, I can hear the other professors taking points from every House and hear McGonagall going on about how disgraceful it is to have a food fight at a ball. Wait until she learns that it was Mum and Dad who started it. I can't wait to see the look on her face then.

We dodge left and then right before sliding right under a table as we near Professor Flitwick. Somehow by the grace of Merlin we evade him. I don't even know where we're running to, but Luna and I are just running. We rush up the staircases, jumping onto the landings as soon as we come close to them. I'm laughing loudly like a crazed man in love. Luna's laughing too, skipping now as we head down a long corridor. Ravenclaw Tower, that's where we're headed I recognize after a bit.

It's not long after that we reach the door to her common room. I smile at her, my heart racing.

"I had fun tonight, Luna."

"So did I."

I nod slowly, unsureness starting to creep in. What am I supposed to do now? I know I'm supposed to walk her back to her common room. Draco's done that with Hermione at least. So, now what do I do? He never told me that part.

"So, how much trouble do you think we'll all be in?" I ask suddenly.

She laughs, shrugging. "Probably not as much trouble as your sister."

"What?" I reply, slightly confused. I know Angel's in the dungeons being watched by house elves. I remember the whole fight that was earlier because she thought she was grown up enough to go to the ball too. Dad, however, didn't agree.

Luna only smiles, though. "Good night, Harry."

"Um, good night, Luna." I watch her start to turn and sigh. That can't be all there is, right? I mean, we had a perfect night. Well, once I got over my stupidity. I hate this. I hate that she's leaving. I hate that I haven't gotten a chance to give her a proper goodbye. "Luna?"

"Yes?" Her eyes sparkle beautifully in the moonlight.

Biting my lip, I throw aside all thoughts and step towards her. I lower my head and brush my lips against hers gently. When I feel her kiss me back, I smile and pull back. Her eyes are wide as she stares at me, and I laugh. "Sorry. I was trying to get rid of the Nargles."

She bursts out laughing at once, rolling her eyes. "That's silly. Everyone knows the only way to get rid of Nargles is this." She grabs ahold of my tie and yanks me towards her before she kisses me again. Now it's my turn to be speechless. When we pull apart, she smiles. "Good night, Harry."

Merlin, I love her. I walk back to my common room. I can't wait to see what's next for us.

"Come on, Pomfrey!" cries a familiar voice to my left. "You can't keep us locked up forever!"

I snort silently and glance at the older witch. Glad to know I'm not the only one annoyed by this sheer madness. One would think we were fugitives with how we're being treated.

"Oh, like hell I can't, Aurora. Now sit down or, so help me, I will make you," responds the very annoyed matron with a threatening finger pointed in our direction. When Sinistra doesn't reply, Pomfrey hurries in the opposite direction of us, the privacy curtain snapping shut behind her once more.

So much for that plan.

Resigning myself to fate, I sigh dejectedly and allow my head to fall into my hands. In the back of my mind, I do understand the need for precautions by the matron. I am, after all, a Slytherin. We do think things through unlike idiot Gryffindors like Harry. But this is pure lunacy. We're no more injured than Harry or Severus, and both were released almost instantly hours ago.

"It isn't fair," Aurora grumbles as she moves to the window to resume her previous watch. She has been pacing back and forth the entire time we've been here.

"Your husband would be the first to point out to you that life isn't fair, Professor," I reply quietly through my hands.

"Remind me to hit him upside the head when we get out, will you?"

I spread my fingers just a bit to stare through the open spaces at her. I can't tell if she's serious or not, but seeing how annoyed she is I wouldn't put it past her currently. I then catch her wince as she takes another step. She's been favoring that leg ever since the battle in the Great Hall.

"You should sit."

She turns to me, her hands going to her hips. Everything about her posture screams at me to leave her the hell alone.

"I'm fine, Draco. Or do I need to prove it to you as well as everyone else in this damn place?"

I force myself not to react to her biting words. After all, this is Sinistra we're talking about, not my mother. Her anger and annoyance frankly shouldn't bother me in the slightest since I'm not her flesh and blood. But it does unfortunately. A weakness, I suppose, which I'll have to keep hidden from others so it isn't exploited. Weaknesses, after all, tend to get one killed in my experience. My father taught me that lesson long ago.

"I thought not," she huffs, turning her back to me.

There are so many words I want to scream at her. "Selfish brat" is the one most prevalent currently, but I say nothing. If she wants to be an idiot, then so be it. After all, she's nothing to me. My heart twinges at my thought, and I glance away from her.

That's a lie, and I know it. If she truly meant nothing to me, then why the hell would I have done such a stupid, idiotic, and Gryffindor act as I had done just a few hours earlier? In other words, why save her? My eyes close, and my heart answers for me. Unlike my mother, she doesn't place certain expectations on me, certain criteria I must meet before I am loved, considered a good son in other words. Aurora has a way about her, an annoying and sometimes frustrating way, of letting one know she cares and loves you with no expectations of it to be reciprocated. It's practically Hufflepuff-like really.

"You're being an idiot." The words fall from my tongue a moment later. I catch the sharp breath from her but decide to hold my ground. After all, she hasn't hexed me yet, so might as well go all in now and be a complete Gryffindor. Stupid Harry is rubbing off on me clearly. "Sit down. Or else Pomfrey will never let us leave this godforsaken place."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Professor," I reply, forcing my eyes to meet hers.

"Since when do you think you can talk to me like that, Mister Malfoy?"

Her words are like a slap in the face with a bucket of cold water afterwards for good measure. She is right after all. Since when do I think I have the right to speak to a professor like that? My mind moves to the next play, and once more I speak before thinking.

"Since I killed the monster after you!"

"That gives you—"

"A chance at having a mother who gives a crap about me, not one who looks at me and hopes I'll join the ranks like my father someday, proud to kill innocents all for a scrap of praise, not even that sometimes, from a murderer. But, please, by all means, do continue limping about the room like an imbecile. After all, it's not as if I care, isn't that right, Professor?"

"Draco . . ."

I cut her off, though. Too much anger has bubbled to the surface.

"If Harry were here, he'd tell you the same thing. Carrying on like some pathetic child, and for what? All because the matron asks you to wait while she attends to more injured than us so she doesn't have Severus breathing down her neck if you were to injure yourself even more so? Grow up, Sinistra. Honestly, grow up! Life isn't perfect and sniveling about how unfair it is isn't going to help anyone. If there's one thing you should know, it should be that given our family of misfits. So, sit down. Now."

She stares at me for a few moments, as if trying to figure me out. I don't blink, though. I just hold my ground, at the ready to lob a few more shots at her if she continues her stubbornness. Finally, she quietly sighs and limps to a chair, sitting down soon after. I feel myself start to relax somewhat.

We sit in silence then. Neither one of us is looking at the other. Instead, she's looking out the window, and I'm looking down at my shoes. And that's just fine with me.

My mind replays the events of just a few hours ago as the silence drones on. Had I truly done that foolish Gryffindor act just to prevent Harry from doing it? He had, in fact, acted as if he was going to comply with Severus's wishes for once. Yet, I was the one who brought the both of us back into the fray, not him. My eyes close.

"Draco." Another memory flitters about, and I latch onto it, desperate to escape my emotions, to escape the here and now.

I can smell the mustiness of the dungeons once more and hear the crackling of the fire from the nearby sitting room. I'm back to that day once more when it all hit me. All it took was a little petulant girl with blond ringlets to shatter my world that I had spent so much time building up after my parents' deaths. One fleeting moment later, a word, just a word, screamed, and down came that world of illusion.

"Draco."

I draw in an unsteady breath, knowing what is to come next. My eyes remain closed to hide the tears I know that would surely fall otherwise. I feel once more the faint touch of a hand resting on my shoulder just as it had that day. That one action, one brief moment, so much was conveyed with it. I wasn't alone anymore. My actions, or rather outburst as it was, was understood and accepted. I didn't need to hide myself away as I had always done before out of fear, out of shame. Not anymore.

I inhale again, my breathing hitching slightly as I choke back more tears. My eyes slowly open, and I find that the ghostly touch from my memory isn't just from my memory. Sinistra has moved from her chair and now kneels before me. Her eyes reflect the same emotion they reflected that day. Not pity, never pity, but love is in her eyes as she stares at me. A mother's love.

"Draco." Her voice is soft, as if speaking to a skittish animal. I've heard her speak to Angel this way sometimes in fact. Angel and Harry actually if I'm honest.

"Yes?" Years of practice allows me to keep my voice steady as I respond.

"Thank you."

My eyes narrow. Thank you? For what? I haven't done anything.

She smiles, though, before coming up slightly and pressing a kiss against my forehead. My eyes instinctively close, and I feel her hand gently card through my hair.

Love, they say, is the strongest weapon of all. It can end wars or start them. It can heal wounds deeper than any healing spell can penetrate or cut deeper than any curse. I believe it all because I've seen it. I've felt it in action. Love is why I overrode my strong instincts of self-preservation and logic earlier. Love is why I chose to do the Gryffindor thing and run towards the battle, towards the death and destruction, towards the pain and heartache. Love is why I saved Sinistra. And if I were a betting man, I'd swear it is why the Sword of Slytherin appeared to me. Not for this idiotic fallacy of being a true Slytherin, as others believe. Because, honestly, why would a dead Founder from a thousand-or-so years ago enchant it to be used by a Malfoy of all pureblood families? But for love, I can see it. I certainly can state with no doubt that love was behind my actions in the Great Hall when I drove that sword deep into that monster's chest.

"What do you say about us making a break for it, hmm?" she asks with a playful smile.

I snort, thankful for the distraction she's giving me.

"I say that if we do and Severus learns we left without being examined first, one of us is going to get a lecture, and it likely wouldn't be you, Professor."

She rolls her eyes and laughs. "Perhaps not in front of you, but I assure you he'd lecture me eventually. He always does." She then sighs, taking a seat next to me on the cot. "You do know I don't mean to upset you so, right?"

Frowning slightly, I glance at her. "I know that."

"Good. Because I wouldn't want you to think that I do it on purpose. I just, well, sometimes I forget, you see? Forget that my actions affect others, affect you and Angel and Harry especially." She then sighs heavily, her hand gently moving through her hair. "And Severus," she murmurs softly a moment later. "I'm still learning how to do all of this. How to be a wife, a mother. It all came so suddenly, you know? Not that I would change it of course, because I wouldn't. I just, well, being here, it stirs up memories I'd very much like to forget."

"I understand."

"No, you don't, and I wouldn't want you to ever understand, Draco." She pats my knee gently. "You see me as being selfish, and you're right. I am being selfish. I'm wanting to disregard the proper protocol, to throw everything to the wind, and leave this damned place."

"Well, I don't want to be here either," I say quietly, unsure of where she's going with this.

"Of course you don't." She forces a soft laugh. "You'd very much rather be with your friends, with Miss Granger."

I glance away as my heart skips a beat. Hermione. I haven't even thought about her since arriving here. She'd be all right of course. She was with the others. And Weasley. Through all his faults, he'd surely keep her safe I know. Or else I'll show him the raw power of a Slytherin.

The privacy curtain then snaps open, and I nearly jump out of my skin because of it. I notice Sinistra's look instantly. I clear my throat, though, and tug on my collar.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Madam Pomfrey drawls as she stares down at us. "Is that really Aurora Sinistra, mistress of fleeing the hospital wing herself, sitting there patiently waiting for once? Well, I'll be damned. And here I thought I'd have to drag you back from the dungeons yet again."

"Hilarious, Poppy. Now, can we get this over with?" She forces her smile even more. "Please?"

"I suppose. Since you asked so nicely." Pomfrey glances at me briefly before she draws her wand. "What about you, Mister Malfoy? Any aches, pains?"

"No, Madam. Nothing," I answer.

She nods sharply and then waves her wand over me. I feel the cool chill of her diagnostic spell soon after. When she ends it a moment later and turns to Sinistra, I know she's satisfied with me.

"You can go, Mister Malfoy."

I hop off the cot instantly. I can leave. Finally. I take several steps towards the door and then stop. Slowly, I turn back and glance at Sinistra.

"Now, let's see how badly injured you are this time, shall we, Aurora?" Pomfrey murmurs, not noticing that I haven't left yet.

Sinistra smiles faintly at me before she waves me off. I incline my head and take my leave soon afterwards. However, I only go as far as the entrance to the hospital wing. While I may not understand why she hates being here so much, I do understand that one doesn't like to be alone either. I sit down on a bench and wait. It seems we're one of the last ones remaining.

When the door to the hospital wing creaks open several minutes later, I'm expecting it to be Harry and Severus. After all, it's only been four hours now. Instead of them, I find myself staring at—

"Granger." My voice cracks slightly as I speak. When her face lights up into her familiar smile, I stand up. She embraces me, the strong scent of parchment settling around us. "Been reading again, have you? And here I was off fighting with Harry, dueling to the death and all that. I see how I rank."

"You're incorrigible," she drawls, lightly hitting my shoulder. "Are you injured? When I saw Harry and not you . . ."

"Yeah, unfortunately, I'm not Saint Potter and allowed to leave whenever I wish."

"Draco," she admonishes.

"I'm fine." I glance back towards the privacy curtain I know Sinistra's behind. "Pomfrey released me just a moment ago."

"Then why are you still here?"

I shrug. "Because Sinistra still is." My eyes dart back to Hermione, as I try to gauge her reaction.

"That's sweet of you." She kisses my cheek and grabs my hand. My eyes instantly dart down. She feels so warm.

"Yeah . . ." My voice trails off. She's holding my hand. Granger is holding my hand. This is real. This is really happening. I, oh Merlin, what happened to smooth Draco? Why am I a blubbering idiot just because Granger is holding my hand?

"Draco?" My eyes snap up to hers. "Are you all right?" she asks, giving me a strange look.

"Course I am," I reply tersely, pulling my hand back. I catch the slight look of hurt in her eyes and instantly feel a pang in my heart. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings. I just need my hand back to think clearly. I open my mouth to apologize, but no words come out.

"I should go," she states a moment later, turning away from me.

My mouth remains stuck, and I'm forced to watch her leave the hospital wing. The moment the door closes behind her, I groan and slam my fist against the wall.

"Damn it!" I snarl, the pain shooting up my arm.

"Well now, that could have gone better I do believe," I hear behind me.

"And here I thought Severus was bad."

My eyes close at once, and my head thumps against the wall.

A Killing Curse sounds good to me right about now.

During dinner, I'm doing my very best to avoid Sinistra's eyes. Though, she seems to be more concerned with Harry than me thankfully. That doesn't mean that I'm free, however. A certain little girl with blond ringlets has me in her sights tonight it seems. She's been talking my ear off ever since we've returned to the dungeons.

"And then Fred says unicorns have special blood to make things better. But it's bad to drink it 'cause it'll hurt you or something. I don't know." Angel turns to Severus. "Daddy, can I have one?"

"No."

"But I was good!"

"And I'm very proud of you for that, but no," Severus replies, holding Angel's gaze. "You're not getting a unicorn."

"But I want one!"

"How grand. You're still not getting one." He stabs a bit at his salad.

"But . . ." Her pout instantly morphs into determination followed by her head whipping around to Sinistra. "Mummy, Daddy won't let me have a unicorn," Angel whines.

I glance to Severus and notice his frown. Have we truly already reached those years with the little pipsqueak already? I shake my head and take another bite of salad. If she thinks pitting Severus against Sinistra is going to work, well, she has another thing coming to her. But kudos to her for taking the Slytherin approach.

"So I hear, sweetheart."

"You'll let me have a unicorn, won't you, Mummy? Cause I was a good girl. I stayed with Fred, protected him just like Draco told me to."

"Love . . ."

"Thank you, Mummy!" She turns back to Severus. "See, Daddy? Mummy'll let me have a unicorn." When Severus leans back in his chair and crosses his arms, the little imp sticks her tongue out.

Glancing across the table towards Harry, I notice that he's not even paying attention to this spectacle. He seems deep within thought. Then again, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. He always misses things. Like the fact that Severus wasn't trying to kill him every single year he had been here. Or that Ron, his so-called best mate, is a few bricks short of a wall.

"Angel Celestria Prince!"

"Yes, Daddy?" she drawls, batting her eyelashes at Severus.

I can't help it. I burst out laughing. Honestly, Potter, how can you be missing this? Our little sister is a bigger troublemaker than both of us combined. Who would have thought it?

"You know very well what, young lady," Severus replies, glaring at the little imp.

"That you love me?" Her grin widens. "I know, Daddy. I love you too."

"Aurora," he growls, glancing at Sinistra.

"Nope. I'm the good parent here," she says, barely hiding her laughter. "You're the one who told her no to getting a unicorn. Not me."

"Then you can clean up after the damn thing," he snaps before glaring at Angel, who in turn returns a similar albeit much cuter glare of her own. "We are not getting a unicorn."

"Are to!"

"Are not!"

"ARE TO!" Angel screeches, her little hands slamming onto the table.

"ARE NOT!" Severus shouts back. "Unless you want Daddy to kill the blasted creature and harvest it for his potions. Now, do you want Daddy to do that? To cut it up into little pieces? A little horn here and a little unicorn heart there?"

My mouth drops. He couldn't have just said what I think he just said, right?

"Severus!" Sinistra hisses.

I glance towards Harry. He had to have heard what Severus just said. There's no way he didn't. But there is no reaction from Harry whatsoever. He just sits there like a zombie. How the hell can he just sit there when Severus just said that to our little sister? Is he deaf?

"What?" Snape replies gruffly. "I'm not lying. Unicorn ingredients are expensive to procure. It's the least the blasted thing can do for me."

Then comes Angel's banshee screams, as she flees to the safety of her room. Harry is still lost in his own little world, it seems, so it's up to me to stand up for our little sister. Honestly. How can he just sit there and not be angry? This is our sister for Merlin's sake! Ugh. It just, it makes me so angry. I can't hold back any longer. It explodes from me.

"How dare you say that to her!" I yell, my hands clenching into fists by my sides. "Just because you were outsmarted by a four-year-old doesn't mean you have to take it out on her." Numbly, I notice Severus quickly pale, but I push forward. So much anger is in my words. So much of my own pain flows freely. "She's your daughter, Professor! I'd have thought you'd of all people wouldn't treat his own flesh-and-blood like that." My nostrils flare, and my eyes harden. "You're no better than Lucius, you know that?" I feel Sinistra's hand rest on my arm, but the words continue leaving my lips. "Next you'll take her hunting with you, yeah? Teaching her all the good Unforgivables? Telling her that she has to mean it!" I hear Lucius in my mind as I snarl my words. "First, it'll be the unicorn. Then you'll move onto a house elf. Chatzy probably. And then it'll be a friend of hers."

"Pathetic. Truly pathetic. You aren't even trying, Draco. Again!" Lucius's voice echoes in my mind as I stare Severus down.

"It won't be long then before it'll be Harry and me . . . and then when you really want to test her, you'll have her torture her own mother while you watch and cheer her on." My body shakes as the memories I've locked up long ago overpower me.

"Please, Draco," my mother's voice pleads faintly in the memory. "Please."

"I can't believe I thought you were better than him. What do I expect, though, from a Death Eater like you? No amount of good will ever wash it out of you after all. Mother taught me that." Numbly, I watch Severus's face fall before his eyes dart behind me. "No. I won't let you do that to her!" I push back from the table and draw my wand, pointing it at him. "You will not do that to her! You won't take away her innocence. Not like my father did me. I'll kill you before that will ever happen. Do you understand me? You will not make her like you!" I jab my wand towards him for good measure. However, when I try again, my wand vanishes from my hand.

"That's enough! Both of you!"

My head snaps towards the snarled voice to my right. In all my years here at Hogwarts, I've never seen Sinistra this upset before. A part of me cowers inside, knowing that we've pushed, I've pushed, too far tonight.

Her finger is outstretched and pointed at Severus. She says nothing to him, but he understands and turns away silently, heading towards Angel's room.

"How can you let—" I start to say.

"Because he didn't mean it, Draco. He'd sooner walk off my tower than hurt his children."

"But he—"

"I'm very much aware of what he said."

"Then how can you justify his behavior? Make excuses for him, Sinistra?"

"Because I know him, Draco."

"Yeah, well, my mother knew my father too supposedly and look how well that turned out."

"He is not Lucius."

"No. At least Lucius was honest about how much of a bastard he really was."

She grabs my upper arms then. Every single part of me wants to flee, but I can't. I just stare into her eyes. So much emotion, so many that I can't discern them all. Flickers of something start, and then the images quickly overtake my vision.

"You little fool, give it—" Severus. That's Severus's voice I recognize.

My eyes narrow as I notice that I'm looking down at Harry.

"Draco has it," Harry yells.

Fear, overwhelming fear, surrounds me. My vision tunnels as I look towards myself. This is Severus's memory of the Great Hall earlier I quickly recognize. Questions swirl about.

"What?" Severus's voice is low. To anyone else, it'd be his 'I'm going to kill you' voice. But I feel no anger, just fear and anxiety. He's worried.

The wand that I previously head morphs into the sword, and I watch myself plunge it deep into Mezra's chest. The bright light overtakes us, but still I feel Severus's concern, his fear. When my eyes finally adjust, I see myself staring shocked at the empty space before me. Severus's fear remains still. There are other words, but I can't hear them.

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter," Severus growls. Anger is starting to replace his earlier fear mixed with relief. The scene then swirls around like a memory in a Pensieve.

"It's as if those boys are trying to send me to the grave early, I swear it." The room is dark again before it flickers into appearance. I look to my right, and I can see Sinistra looking towards Harry, Angel, and me as we're all setting the dinner table. This was just a few hours ago.

"Well, now that you mention it, I did see a few more grays on you earlier." Her tone is playful.

"Hilarious. But you know what I mean. What were they thinking doing such a reckless and foolish thing as that? They could have been killed."

"So could we have, Severus."

"We have experience. They do not." His tone conveys complete frustration. "They're children for Merlin's sake. They're supposed to live longer than we are, have better lives than we had. And look at them." We've taken our seats, Angel talking my ear off and Harry staring off into space.

"Oh, I don't know. They seem to be plenty happy right now."

"Until the next thing pops up. If we were any good sort of parents, we'd take them far from here. Away from the darkness." The memory then ends, and I find myself staring back into Sinistra's eyes.

"That's the Severus I know," she states, holding my eyes. "I'm not excusing his behavior or justifying it because he was flat out wrong to act like that. He let his temper get the better of him. But that one action, while vile and repugnant as it is, doesn't make him as despicable as Lucius. It just makes him a bit of a bastard who needs a good slap upside the head or four. If he makes a habit of it, though, you can bet your arse I will not stand idly by and allow him to hurt our family. Do you understand, Draco? I will do everything in my power to protect this family, to protect you. I give you my word." Numbly, I nod, and she releases me. Shortly after, I leave for my dorm, the portrait closing behind me.

It's been a day since my outburst. I should have returned to the dungeons to apologize. Not that I was really in the wrong, mind you, but I should have. As it is, though, I find myself in the library, where I've been hiding myself away.

My fingers run down the spine of yet another book I have no intention of ever reading.

"Does Hermione know you fondle books like that when she's away?" a voice teases nearby.

My hand falls to my side, and I glance in the direction of the voice. When I see familiar witch with honey-colored curls, I sigh inwardly. Jezlyn. Of course. I had almost forgotten she's still here. Though, that could be because she's been keeping to herself lately.

"Wow. Way to make a girl feel appreciated." She then scoffs, shaking her head. "And here I was going to give my favorite nephew a present."

"I'm not your nephew."

"Ouch." She presses a hand against her chest. "Is that any way to talk to your aunt?"

"What do you want, Jezlyn?"

Shrugging, she crosses her arms. "I don't want anything. Well, other than to figure out why you're sulking in the library lately."

"I'm not sulking."

"Fine. Lurking," she drawls, rolling her eyes as she plucks a book from a nearby shelf. "You've been going on like you lost your best friend, and we both know that's not true." She slips the book into her bag before she stands tall again. "So, out with it. What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah, you know, not really convincing there, Draco."

"Lucky for me, I don't have to explain myself to you. Now, if you'll excuse me," I state, brushing past her.

"Maybe not," she replies behind me, "but I know a certain little girl, maybe you know her too—tight, blond curls—who happens to believe her brother hates her now."

"That's absurd." I turn back to her. "Why would she think I hate her?"

"Because it's not just Aura and Professor Snape you've been avoiding, dear nephew. Not to mention, this is a four-year-old we're talking about. She doesn't understand these things really. All she knows is something bad happened the other night, and her brothers have been avoiding her since."

"But she didn't do anything wrong."

"No, but, again, she's four."

My eyes then narrow on Jezlyn. "What do you mean 'brothers?' Surely, Potter's been there to visit since yesterday."

"He hasn't. In fact, it's my understanding that he's hidden himself away further than you have. So, we come back to the question at hand. What's going on? Why are you choosing to hang around the library of all places than your rooms?"

"Your sister didn't tell you?"

"What? That Professor Snape lost his temper with my niece when she kept wheedling him for a unicorn? No, she didn't, but Angel did. In her own way of course." Her green eyes narrow on me. "You can't honestly be avoiding Angel because of that? I mean, come on, Draco. Everyone in the entire world knows that Severus Snape can be a bastard sometimes, especially when angry."

"So we're just supposed to live with it? Is that right?"

"Wow. Somebody has some serious Daddy issues he needs to get over with right there."

My brows furrow. "Excuse me?"

"No, honestly, Draco. You need to speak with someone about that stuff. I mean, wow. I'm not a mind healer, thank Circe, but, I mean, wow. If you truly think that Snape losing his temper with her is the equivalent of your dear dead father taking you to little Death Eater parties to torture the help, then you need a whole army of mind healers. Because it's nothing like that at all."

"You weren't there," I growl, glaring at her. How dare she speak about that like she knows! What the hell does she think she knows exactly? Nothing.

"You're right. I wasn't. But I was there when my brother-in-law did the right thing and apologized for what I'm told was the hundredth time since he said that. And I was there when he tried to make it up to his daughter again and again. I saw the look of regret, unimaginable regret, Draco, in his eyes when he was kneeling—kneeling—before her, telling her how sorry he was for upsetting her, begging her—a four-year-old—for forgiveness. So, yeah, you know, you're right. I wasn't there to see him be a first-class bastard to her, but you bet your arse I was there to see him do everything in his power to make it up to her. But, you know, do go on thinking that he's a bastard just because your dad never apologized for anything he ever did. After all, good fathers are rare nowadays, aren't they?" She scoffs and rolls her eyes. "And you know what? I may not have been there to witness his words, but at least I was there to see him try to be a good father and make it up to her. Of course, you wouldn't know that, seeing as how you've been hiding yourself up here having a pity party with yourself."

I open my mouth to snarl something back, but she slaps me hard across the face instead.

"Go see your sister for goodness sake, Malfoy! And then go see Pomfrey or whomever to work through this." She throws her hands up into the air. "Honestly! Every single one of you needs therapy in one form or another. Hell, you'd probably get a good discounted family rate in fact." She then huffs before she whirls away and leaves me standing there with my mouth agape.

Several moments pass before I can finally come to my senses again. I shake my head and touch my cheek, feeling the warmth from where she has hit me. I have not been having a pity party for myself up here. I then pause and glance around the empty library. Have I?

I mean, I'm not the one on trial here. I've done nothing wrong. Snape has! He's the one who said that vile—Well, I suppose that's one difference between Snape and Lucius. Snape only said something, whereas Lucius would have done it. But that doesn't change anything. Words can cause more harm than actions sometimes.

But if what Jezlyn is saying is true, then . . . Lucius never saw anything he did as being wrong. After all, I was expected to be the next member of Voldemort's Inner Circle and carry on the legacy of killing Muggleborns and Blood Traitors. So killing a pet house elf then was just his way of trying to toughen me up for what was to come.

Severus, though, has never expected me to do that. In fact, he's always been trying to undo Lucius's abuse. Telling me that I am free to do what I want to do within certain limits. To become my own person and not another Death Eater. He . . . Is she right? Is Jezlyn right, I wonder. Am I just projecting my memories of Lucius onto what happened with Angel yesterday?

"There you are. I've been looking all over for you," Hermione states as she suddenly appears by my side. Her head cranes to the side as she approaches. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes," I answer, forcing my voice to remain steady. That is what I'm doing, though, isn't it? This entire time I've been projecting my childhood onto—

"I didn't upset you, did I? With the kiss and all? I didn't mean to be forward, but I did think it was sweet of you."

My lip curls upwards into a half-smile. "No, Granger. You didn't upset me."

"Even with grabbing your hand?"

"Even with that. I just, honestly, I couldn't think with you holding my hand. We haven't really done that, you know? It was—"

"Exciting," she cuts in before glancing down with a faint blush. "I mean, new of course."

My smile grows as I watch her. She's so beautiful. I want to tell her, but there are no words that could convey that correctly. Especially no words that could be uttered from my lips.

"I'm sorry for my behavior the other day. I shouldn't have reacted that way."

Her eyes glance up to mine. "It's fine."

"No it's not," I respond with a quiet sigh. "I like you. I do hope you know that."

"I do." She smiles back. "You've only sent me half-a-dozen poems telling me that."

I chuckle softly and nod. I haven't sent her anything lately, though, I know. I've been wallowing in my own—whatever this is since Severus's words.

"Anyway, Angel said you needed to see me."

"Angel?" My smile falls. When did she talk with my little sister?

"She sent me an owl a little while ago, telling me you'd be here. So, here I am."

My eyes narrow in confusion. How could Angel have known that I'd be here?

"What's wrong?"

"I didn't tell anyone where I was going, and I certainly haven't seen Angel since last night."

"Strange." Hermione frowns before she digs in her bag. It takes a bit but eventually she pulls out a slip of parchment folded like a swan. "This was with the letter. She claimed it was from you."

My eyes stare at the swan as my heart thumps loudly in my head. It's not possible . . . I slowly grab it from Hermione and unfold it. Sure enough, my handwriting stares back at me.

"That's impossible," I murmur. I then glance back to Hermione. "Did you read this?"

"Was I not supposed to?" she asks, biting her bottom lip.

I scoff. "I threw this away the other day. It didn't seem good enough or proper, I guess, to do."

"Oh."

"Not to mention, I thought after my behavior the other day you wouldn't want to go with me."

"What?" She laughs, her hand resting against my arm. "Draco, that's absurd. Of course, I'd want to go with you. I wouldn't want any to be escorted by anyone else."

"Really?"

"Of course." She shakes her head and leans in towards me, kissing my cheek once more. "I would love to go to the ball with you, Draco."

I smile in return. My eyes then glance down at the note in my hand.

"I'm sorry, Granger." I sigh heavily and hold her gaze. "There's something I have to do. I'll see you later, though, all right?" I catch her confusion and chuckle quietly. "There's someone I need to apologize to and another I need to thank."

She snorts and rolls her eyes.

"Tell the professors I said hello and thank your sister for me as well."

"Of course." I incline my head and walk towards the door. This apology is long overdue. But maybe it'll help me get back on track again. Or at the very least give Severus a reason to send me to Pomfrey and talk to her. After all, I certainly do have things to discuss, it seems.

It's not right. Nothing is right. I growl and throw yet another tie across the bathroom. Nothing I've tried on is good enough. Not for Granger. She's going to look stunning, I know. And this is our official date. Not that most of Hogwarts doesn't already know about us being together. I have unfortunately made it painstakingly obvious.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror for a moment. I could always go shirtless I suppose. Chuckling softly, I run a hand through my long hair. That would certainly get attention. But, no, I have to pick an outfit. The perfect outfit for tonight.

My formal robes seem foreign to me. Not because I haven't worn them lately, but because I'm not that person anymore. I'm not Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa, destined to be a Death Eater. Not anymore. I'm more than that now. I've evolved into something more than a spoiled brat who wants to burn all that is different from him. I realized that this morning during my session with Pomfrey.

I turn away from them and sigh. No. They aren't what I'll be wearing tonight. My hands grab my black button-down shirt, and I quickly throw it on.

Does it even matter what I'll be wearing? Hermione is the one who should be adored, not me.

A thought then occurs to me. Oh no! I couldn't have—

My eyes dart back up to the clock. An hour. That's all I have left. Exactly an hour before the ball. I don't have anything prepared. I—I might be panicking a tad bit I realize.

Whirling around, I rush out of the bathroom. Sinistra. She'll know what to do. She's done these things a thousand times, and she's got the certain female mindset I need.

"Draco, could you—?" Angel calls out as I rush past.

"Not today, Celes." I don't even look at her as I reply. There's no time. Pushing the portrait open, I rush out of our rooms and head at breakneck speeds up to the Astronomy Tower. It's the only place Sinistra could possibly be given the time of day.

I reach there quicker than Disapparating it seems and grab the handle of the door to open it. However, the door doesn't budge I quickly learn. What in the world? Her office door is always open. Unless she has a student in there, but all of them would likely be getting read I'd imagine. My fist pounds against the heavy oak door. When it doesn't open a few seconds later, I knock harder and more incessantly. Why isn't she opening the door? She always opens the door!

"Professor Sinistra, I need to speak with you!" I shout through the door, wondering if maybe she isn't in fact in there. This is absurd. Any other damn time she'd be there. But, of course, the one time I need her, she's not answering. I bet she wouldn't do this to Potter. Both hands now slam against the door, causing it to rattle slightly. Doesn't she hear me? Hear how badly I need to speak with her? I'm just about to slam my fists against the door one last time when I hear the locks turn. Finally.

Throwing the door wide open, I step inside. Vaguely, I do see a slight motion off to my side, but I ignore it and step towards her.

"I need your help!" My gray eyes hold her calming brown.

"All right." She motions towards the open chair across from her. "Sit down." Her eyes move from mine briefly before her eyes return to me. "Now, what's going on?"

"I need it to be perfect!"

"What do you need to be perfect?"

"This!" I respond, throwing my hands up into the air. "All of it. I need to make all of this tonight to be perfect for Granger." I notice her smile instantly and frown in return. "This is hardly amusing."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so certain of that, Draco, considering Harry was just here to see me about the same thing."

"Potter was here?" She inclines her head. "I didn't see him."

"That much was obvious, love. Now, why do you think you have to have it perfect?"

"It's our first time together." She raises a brow at me, which causes my frown to deepen. "Well, yes, obviously, Hermione and I have spent time together before, but not as, well, boyfriend and girlfriend really. More like really good friends."

"Who just, you know, happen to snog each other every now and then. Yeah, no, I get it. I was in one of those relationships myself not long ago."

"Yeah?"

She snorts and shakes her head. "Oh, love."

"What?"

"Never mind. Let's move on to your relationship, all right?" She then stands and moves closer to me. "You think everything has to be perfect all the time, and, well, I hate to break it to you, Draco, but life is messy. It isn't perfect. You could do the most elaborate thing tonight with her to declare your love for all to see, and it would still not change things. I mean, it might, but it likely wouldn't."

"How do you know?"

"Because I'm a hopeless romantic who spent almost all of her adulthood fancying a man who wouldn't give her a time of day because he was still hung up on his son's dead mother," she replies with a shrug. "And I've seen Septima and her numerous failed relationships. Trust me. It wouldn't necessarily work."

"But don't girls want the elaborate schemes."

"Maybe in their dreams, I suppose, but what they really want is just someone who loves them and wants to be with them."

"So you're saying you didn't want the whole white knight thing?"

Sinistra almost immediately doubles over laughing. "Oh, hell no. There's really no such thing, Draco. We're not all black and white like that. We all are a little bit gray." She then smiles and rests a hand on my shoulder. "Did I want Severus at some point to come charging in to save me from some sort of danger? Or to bow and be the perfect gentleman all the time? Maybe in the beginning, but this, what we have now is so much better. It's real, Draco."

"But how am I supposed to show her that she's the one, that I love her?"

"You show her by being there. By the little smiles you get when you're around her. By the innocent touches. The stolen snogs. There's so many ways a person can show that."

"But what if this night is a disaster?"

"It's only a disaster if you don't show up, Draco. The flowers, the candy, the false chivalry. We don't remember that. We remember the way your eyes seem to stare into our very souls at times. The way your heart skips a beat when we kiss or touch. The way you laugh at something we've said for the hundredth time. That's what we remember. Not what you're wearing. Because, honestly, I couldn't tell you a thing about what Severus was wearing on our first date. Probably black robes knowing him, but that's not what I remember about that night."

"What do you remember?" I ask quietly.

"I remember him trying and failing to tell me how wonderful I looked. The way he touched my back as he led me to our table. It was as if he was afraid he'd break me. But above all else, I remember how he held my eyes, as if no one else in that restaurant mattered."

"Because they didn't," Severus's low voice responds near the door.

I turn towards him and glance down guiltily. I feel like I'm interrupting now. After all, no adult really cares about a teenager's problems.

Though, I must say that he is wearing some wicked formal robes currently. For all Lucius's money, he could not ever look that good in robes.

"I should go," I say quietly. As I walk past Severus, he reaches towards me and I stop.

"As long as you stay by Miss Granger's side tonight, she will see the truth to your affections without the words needing to be said. I am of the understanding that actions speak louder than words in this case." He then lowers his voice. "And it's not the witch who remembers what the other was wearing. It's the wizard, Mister Malfoy." His eyes then move to Sinistra. "Hair swept up with two loose curls on either side of your head. Sapphire drop earrings to match your sapphire, ruffled, off-the-shoulder gown. You were wearing two-inch silver sparkled heels. And you smelled like raspberries."

I glance at Sinistra and smile awkwardly. They are semi-adorable. That is if one doesn't think of them as being one's parents. Not that they are or that I do, but, perhaps, one day I might. Maybe. Inclining my head, I step away from him and leave.

Could they be right? Will none of this matter in the end? Will me just being there with her be enough? Lucius always did elaborate displays, but then I'm not him. Am I?

An hour has passed by, but it seems so much longer than just an hour. I smile as I twirl Hermione one more time before I pull her back against me. This night has been so refreshing. I've taken Sinistra and Severus's advice and thrown aside my quest for perfection. It doesn't need to be perfect to be right.

"If Pansy screws her face up like that anymore, she'll get it stuck that way," Hermione whispers in my ear as she rests her head against my shoulder. We're swaying back and forth with the music.

"What a pity," I reply just as soft. My arms rest loosely around her back.

"I'm having a wonderful time, Draco."

I smile inwards and nod. "As am I."

"You do know, though, that you don't have to give me something every time we meet, right?"

I glance down. Even though I know I can't see it with her head still on my shoulder, I know she's wearing the necklace I gave her tonight.

"I do, but it goes perfect with your gown. How could I not give it to you then?" I hear her snort and roll my eyes. My excuse is rather weak on second thought.

"Professors Sinistra and Snape look amazing together, don't they?" she states quietly.

"I suppose."

With a laugh, she glances up at me. "It must be strange to hear someone say that about your guardians. Not to mention, your professors."

"It is. Sort of." I chew on my bottom lip for a moment before I sigh. "I'm still trying to figure out what they are to me."

"You know that you don't have to think of them like Harry does, right?"

"Yes. Madam Pomfrey and I discussed that earlier. All this time, I thought I kept them at bay to protect myself. It seems, though, I might have only been trying to protect them. I don't know, though. I don't hold much stock in everything she says all the time, after all."

"It's good of you to talk to her, though."

"It is," I agree.

"Now, if you could get the rest of your family to talk to her . . ."

"One has to be ready in order for that to work according to Pomfrey. I'm not certain they're ready yet. Though, I'd imagine Severus is speaking with Professor Sinistra and she in turn with him."

"Harry, though . . ." her voice trails off.

"Yeah. Lucky for us, we have a little sister who likes to push us."

Hermione laughs. "She was so disappointed when she was told she couldn't attend I heard."

"Oh, she threw a right fit. Worthy of a Gryffindor actually," I tease, chuckling when Granger lightly hits my chest.

"Draco," she admonishes playfully.

"While she might not understand it, it's good for her not to be here, I think."

"Oh?"

"We won't be interrupted by her." My eyes then catch Harry with Luna over by a table. "And judging by Potter's current situation, we won't have to worry about him either."

"How grand," she drawls, her eyes lighting up.

"Indeed."

She's so beautiful. I can't help it. I brush back a stray strand of hair and lean in to kiss her. However, before my lips can connect with hers, I find myself stumbling slightly as someone bumps into us. My head whips towards the offender instantly, and I nearly do a double-take at the oddly familiar young golden-blond lady standing next to—

"Weasley!" Fred that is.

"So sorry. We got a bit carried away there. Didn't we?" Fred says quietly, chuckling awkwardly. He pulls his date in a bit closer, as if he's afraid she'll run off.

The young lady's dark eyes then look away from mine. "You look so beautiful," she says to Hermione. "Draco is so lucky to have you as his girlfriend. I was telling Fred that a bit ago."

"Yeah, she was," Fred replies through an uncomfortable smile. "Well, wouldn't you know it? We should be going, poppet, yeah?"

My eyes narrow on the both of them. There is something strange about this whole thing. The young lady isn't Jezlyn, I know, as I can see her dancing with Blaise and Theo across the way. So, who is she? And why is she so—

When her hand rests on my forearm a moment later, it hits me before she even opens her mouth.

"Maybe next time you'll listen to me before you run, big brother."

"Celes?!" I squawk, nearly reeling back in surprise. No. No! No way in hell is this my little sister. No! It isn't possible. Celes is four! Like, she's a child. My eyes dart back to Weasley then. "Tell me it isn't her, Weasel!"

"Uh, yeah, um, you see, she got one of Snape's aging . . ." His words, though, are cut off by a commotion somewhere off to our right follow by the first volley of food.

I instantly grab Hermione and pull her towards me. When I turn back, Celes and Weasley are gone. How in the hell did my little sister grow up so fast? More food flies through the air, landing nearby us. I do my very best to duck-and-weave to protect us, but there is after all only so much one person can do. When Blaise and Theo and their dates join in, I decide enough is enough. Grabbing Hermione's hand, I pull her towards the nearest door. To my left, I notice Harry is doing the same with Luna. I should tell him that I ran into a teenage version of our little sister. However, I focus more on getting out of there and lose them in the crowd.

It isn't long before I find myself in the dungeons again with Hermione beside me. She's laughing softly as we near the portrait to Severus's rooms.

"Oh, let her have her fun, Draco," Hermione says softly.

"She's four, though."

"She might be four, but clearly she's a very resourceful and determined four-year-old. Not to mention, Fred seemed to be the perfect gentleman with her. I don't think you have to worry about anything. They looked like they were just good friends. Nothing more. And Fred is rather smart."

"You're positive?"

"I am." She smiles before she rakes her teeth across her bottom lip nervously. "I believe you were about to kiss me, Draco."

I stare at her for a moment before I sigh quietly.

"That was before I learned my little sister took a potion to age herself into a teenager."

"So, no kiss then. Got it." She shrugs before she grabs my hand. "Want to go inside and talk?"

I glance towards the portrait and then to Hermione. "Yeah. I would." The portrait then swings open, and we step inside. I draw my wand a moment later. "But first, let's get rid of the cake, shall we?" Her grin widens as she nods. I flick my wand at her first and then me, magicking the cake away.

In the soft lighting and the fire crackling around us, the mood starts to prod me again. I stare at Hermione, seeing how beautiful she truly is. I can't believe I was such a right git to her when we were second-years.

Once more my hand finds a stray curl of hers. I brush it back as I lick my lips. There's so much excitement pulsing through me. I can barely think straight again.

"Oh, honestly," she suddenly says, taking me by surprise. She grabs ahold of my shirt and yanks me into her. Our lips crash into one another as a result. Pure electricity sparks between us. However, it's as if everything is out of focus. Everything but her that is.

I find myself wanting more from her so I part my lips more before I deepen our kiss. However, I soon find myself falling backwards as she puts more of her weight onto me. Who would have known that Miss Granger was a bit of a wild cat when it comes to love? We tumble to the floor soon after, giggling once we settle.

I hold her in my arms, staring up at her.

This night may not have been perfect, but it sure as hell is damn close. I never want it to end.

She gives a quiet yawn a few moments later, and my smile deepens.

Another Draco might have made a sexual remark, but as it is, I only brush back her hair. "It'll be a few hours before the others return," I state coolly. "You could rest in my bed for a bit."

"Only if you hold me."

"Deal." We head to my room not long after, not caring what'd happen if we were discovered.

Frowning, I continue my usual stride through Hogwarts's quiet, dark halls towards the hospital wing. Judging by how Harry is walking beside me with Angel in his arms, I can tell his head is in the clouds now after his earlier encounter with Miss Lovegood. Have we already reached that stage where I'm forced to speak to the boy about girls and relationships? I truly thought I had a few more years before we had to cross this bridge. Not that we haven't skirted around the issue before, mind you. Because, unfortunately, we have.

It's absurd to think how much a witch can influence one's mind if one thinks about it. Either you become a starry-eyed zombie for her or bitter about how much you had to change your life for her needs. There's likely other ways, of course, but it all boils down to the fact they hold a certain power over others that are stronger than any Imperious Curse cast.

Not that we lucky souls who know of love would change it for the world, though.

But if one had asked me years ago about love, I'd have given my usual answer: It's a waste of time and creates a weakness that can be exploited. It's a tactical answer from one who has seen his fair share of war over his years. But that's not my answer any longer. There's so much more to it than that. Yes, it creates a weakness one could exploit, but it also creates a well of strength to draw from during difficult times. A person needs that to survive the harsh realities of life.

As we turn the corner nearing the hospital wing, I notice Granger walking towards us. Her head is down so I know she doesn't see us through that frizzled hair of hers that is currently in her face. I continue walking, taking note that she's sniffling as I pass by. Clearly something had to have upset her. I glance to Harry, expecting the young man to say something to his friend. Harry says nothing, though, still lost in his own thoughts. My daughter, however, does say something to the distressed witch.

"Mione! Don't go!" Angel calls after her.

Harry blinks almost instantly, snapping out of his thoughts. "Huh?" He glances from Angel in his arms to me. "What's going on, Dad?"

Noticing that Granger has hurried her pace, I sigh. Clearly, she doesn't want to be seen. "Nothing, Harry." I push open the oak door then and hold it open for Harry and Angel. "In you go." Thankfully, the boy doesn't argue and enters soon after. I follow in a moment later.

"And here I thought Severus was bad," I hear my wife say.

With my hand still on the door holding it open, I stare at her dumbfounded. What on Earth? My eyes then dart to the side and notice Draco with his forehead pressed against the wall. Judging by Harry's confused look to me, he hasn't a clue what's going on either. Though, my mind is focusing more on Aurora's words. I'm bad?

"Draco was trying to talk with Hermione, and it didn't go well for him," Aurora offers.

My annoyance increases tenfold. Does she truly have to tell everyone in the entire bloody world that I have certain difficulties speaking sometimes when she's around? Shouldn't some things like that remain private and between us alone? No, of course not. Not in her mind. No. No she has to tell everyone about how much of a dunderhead I become sometimes because of her. How wonderful. Yet again I'm the butt of a woman's jests. I try to recall why I allowed our relationship to continue and grow. I should have just turned away from her the moment she first said hello and remained alone.

She then smiles at me, and my annoyance starts to falter. Damn her and her smile. Slowly, she holds her arms out to Harry. When the young man hands Angel over without hesitation, Aurora pulls our daughter closer, kissing her forehead like the loving mother she is while she gives Harry a sideways hug. My annoyance is hardly existent now, and I sigh inwardly.

"Oh, sweetheart, Mummy missed you," she murmurs, hugging our daughter. "Actually, I missed all of you. What do you say to us going home, hmm?"

"Sounds great, Mum," Harry replies. "Right, Draco?"

The young blond mumbles something, but I can't make it out.

Aurora's dark eyes meet mine, and she smiles again at me. She doesn't have to say the words because I know. I've always known, even when I refused to believe it.

"Always and forever, my love." My eyes close, and I breathe in when I hear her in my mind.

Always and forever.

Later at dinner, as I watch my daughter flee from me with tears streaming down her face, I feel my stomach twist horribly into painful knots. How could I have said that to her?

Draco's words then assault me as he stands up for her. I glance at him, noticing his anger and deep look of hatred. What have I done? When he draws his wand, I stare at him numbly.

No. No this all must be a dream. I couldn't have just caused my daughter to run sobbing from me. It's a nightmare. It has to be. I'm not that angry man anymore. I glance to Aurora and notice her deep frown. What have I done?

"I'll kill you before that will ever will happen. Do you understand me? You will not make her like you!" Draco jabs his wand at me threateningly. However, when he tries again, his wand vanishes, and my eyes snap back to my wife.

"That's enough! Both of you!" snarls Aurora, her eyes cold and hard.

She points at me and says nothing to me. She doesn't need to, though. I've screwed up royally. We all know it. Turning away silently, I head to my daughter's room.

What have I done?

Why is it that whenever I get angry or annoyed I lash out at the ones I love? I've always been like that. It's why others always kept their distance in the past. Draco's right. I lashed out because I was bested by a four-year-old. She had me, and she knew it. I should have done the proper thing and kept the annoyance and anger at bay. For Merlin's sake, she's four! She doesn't know any better really. I—I don't deserve them. I should go and save them the heartbreak.

One Obliviate, and she'll be happy again. And then I can walk away, knowing that Aurora will make things right again. They'll hate me, but I'm used to hatred. Hatred is what comes naturally around me. I could do that. Make them hate me so they're all right. I could—

My eyes close, and I inhale shakily. It needs to be done. I . . . I'm a coward. It's true. I . . .

Through the door, I hear my daughter's sobs and feel my heart constrict. I'm the reason she's crying like that. Not anyone else. Me! All because I couldn't keep my damn mouth shut.

My hand turns the knob, but I don't walk in. I can't.

I don't deserve happiness. I never have. Lily told me that once. Of course, that was after I had called her a particular nasty word.

Sighing, I press my head against Angel's door. I should walk in and apologize. I know I should, but I can't. Not yet. I need to . . . to get back in control. I can . . . I glance down the hall. I can talk to her later. After we've both had time to cool down. Because I honestly couldn't bear to hear my daughter scream how much she hates me right now.

I inhale slowly and pull my hand back. I'll speak with her in a few minutes. When we're calmer. When she's no longer crying and breaking my heart. I'm the reason for that.

Aurora will likely hate me, but I can't do this. Not yet. I turn away from the door and head back to our sitting room. Harry seems to have finally snapped out of it, I notice.

"I wouldn't say I'm twisted up inside," Harry states, rubbing the back of his neck.

I roll my eyes and enter the room, tugging on my sleeves. "Don't let him fool you, Aurora. He could barely say two words when he saw her earlier." When I glance at my wife, I notice her crossed arms and look. She knows.

"Hey!" he growls, glaring at me.

"Severus," Aurora says with a pointed look. "Let Harry speak."

Inclining my head, I sit down beside her. Judging by the fact she hasn't gotten up and moved to the other side of the room, she's not too mad at me it seems. I sigh inwardly and glance at Harry to watch him push himself up off the table.

"Actually, you know, I think I'm going to head out. Long night and all," he says weakly.

"Harry James Potter, you sit back down at this table right now," Aurora commands beside me, her tone forcing him to stop in mid-step. She never uses that tone with him. With anyone really. Except me sometimes, which I know she'll do later when we're alone. "I will not repeat myself, young man," she states.

He whirls around a second later yelling at the top of his lungs and flailing his arms.

"I think I love Luna! All right? Or at least love her like a friend. Or something. Gah! I don't know!" He grabs a bit of his hair and tugs on it. "Everything is just all too damn confusing for me right now. And you treating me like some five-year-old is not helping! Because I know it's not what either of you want . . . it's not what I should want either, but that's the way it is. Okay? So, forgive me for not wanting to discuss that with either of you two, two people who couldn't even manage to declare your love for each or understand it until just last year!"

I blink the moment he starts shouting at us. Then his words hit me. He loves Luna? What we want? What in the world is he going on about? I open my mouth to speak, but he runs out before I have a chance to say anything. The portrait closes behind him, and I sigh. Well, this day has just thoroughly sucked it seems.

"Go apologize," Aurora states, not wasting a single second once we're alone.

"I . . ."

She crosses her arms again and gives me that look that is so eerily familiar to that of one my mother has given me many times.

"Severus, you are many things. Stubborn jackass. Heartless bastard. All-around git somedays. But a bad father you are not."

I glance towards our daughter's room and sigh, my shoulders slackening.

"She hates me."

"Yeah, well, I hated you for a moment there too. Now, go in there and tell her what a big dunderhead you are."

Nodding, I push myself up off the table and head towards Angel's room again. I glance back at my wife and notice her waving me to go on. My hand goes to the doorknob again, and I open it this time. I don't deserve them.

"Angel?" My voice is soft, barely above a whisper, as I enter the room.

I hear that Angel's sobs have turned into hiccups now and force myself to move closer to her. I want her tears to disappear. To hear her sweet laughter once more. To feel her arms around my neck as she murmurs sleepily how she loves me. To hear her say Daddy once more with all that love and innocence she has. I want . . .

A pillow suddenly flies towards me, and I duck instinctively. My daughter's dark eyes, my eyes, stare back at me. I no longer see the familiar warmth and love. Only hatred stares at me.

"I'm so sorry, Angel."

Her glare intensifies, her eyes becoming even colder as she stares at me.

"Please? Angel, I am so sorry."

She throws something else at me, her nostrils flaring out slightly. When I duck again, I hear an intense crackling. I can feel . . . something else too. I can't discern it quite yet, but I push forward.

"I didn't mean it," I say, looking at my feet. "I didn't mean anything I said to you. Promise. I'm sorry, love. I just . . . Daddy's an idiot. Certifiable dunderhead, sweetheart." I glance up at her then.

When I see a jet of light streaking towards me, I throw up my hand and cast a quick shield charm. It slams into me, though, shredding through my shield like it's nothing. I feel intense pain that is worse, so much worse, than a Cruciatus curse flood my body. My head falls back. My back bows. And I try to scream as every nerve flares up, but no sound leaves my throat. Images then flash before my eyes. It takes a moment before I realize that they're my memories. Memories of my time as a Death Eater. She's . . . I gasp and try to push past the pain, realizing what she's done. I have to stop her. Push her out. She doesn't know what she's doing. She's . . . oh . . . As quickly as the pain came, though, it vanishes suddenly, and I slam hard onto the floor, my breaths heaving.

The nausea and intense headache then comes. Groaning, I lift my head up and notice that she's limp on her bed. Her little body couldn't handle that. No one could untrained. I clench my teeth and push myself up. I need to get to her. I just reach her bed, using her blanket to pull myself up, when the door to her room opens up.

"Severus—holy—What the hell happened?"

"Aurora," I rasp, my breathing still coming as gasps. "Help . . ." I inhale sharply when I feel her arm wrap around me as she tries to help me up. As soon as I can, I lay beside our daughter, my hand cradling the side of Angel's head.

"Severus?" I wave Aurora off, though. I need to concentrate.

Closing my eyes, I mouth 'Legilimens' and feel myself thrown into her young mind instantly. She's too young to understand what she did. To understand that kind of magic. It took me years to master this, and much of the time was just reading about it. I find Angel a few seconds later, cowering with her knees drawn up to her chest in the darkness. I hold my hand out to her and pull her towards me when she grabs my hand. We leave her mind soon after, and I sigh heavily. That was too close.

"Daddy," my little girl whimpers, curling into a ball as the pain is likely very great.

No spell will take away her pain. A potion, though . . . "Top drawer. Bed," I groan, my voice faltering so I can only get the first half out before feeling my body tense once more. I feel Aurora leave then and close my eyes. I feel sicker than I've ever felt before. But uncontrolled Legilimency does that to one unfortunately.

I rub gentle circles on my daughter's back. I can hear her whimpers grow, and my heart constricts even more. "Shh. I know, love. I know." When she vomits a moment later, I keep her rolled onto her side so she doesn't asphyxiate.

"Here. There's only a bit left, though," Aurora declares as she rushes back into the room a moment later.

I grab it from her and nod. Unfortunately, I knew that when I sent her for it. I gently try to pull Angel up for a moment as she seems to have paused in sicking up. I can't keep ahold of her, though, as the pain still is radiating through me. Luckily, Aurora seems to understand what I'm doing.

"For her," I rasp.

"But . . ." My eyes dart to my wife, and she understands. She pours the clear potion into Angel's mouth and gently massages her throat to swallow it. It doesn't take long before we both know it's worked. Angel's body slackens, and her breathing normalizes.

It's only then that I feel myself start to relax slightly. Angel will be all right now. I see Aurora vanish the vomit and glance at her again.

"What do you need me to do?" she asks.

"Sleep," I say through shaky breaths. "I need sleep."

She nods and picks our daughter up. She then glances around before she pulls my wand out of my robes. I can see the wheels turning in her head. She's debating whether to levitate me out of the room to our bedroom or expanding Angel's bed temporarily.

"Levitate," I whisper before I groan and shudder.

"Are you sure?" When I grab her forearm, she sighs. "All right. Our bed it is." She flicks her wand, and suddenly I'm weightless.

I close my eyes and concentrate on my breathing as she levitates me to our bedroom. When I feel the soft bed a moment later, I reopen my eyes and roll onto my side. She's set Angel down beside me.

"Maybe Pomfrey has some more of that stuff."

"No." I grab her arm again. "Only I have it."

"Well then, where's your book? I'll have Slughorn or someone brew it for you quick."

If I weren't in so much pain, I'd smile at that. My wife, always wanting to lessen my pain.

"Too long to brew." I then move my arm underneath Angel's head.

"Well, there has to be something I can do!"

My hand pats the empty spot on the other side of our daughter as I glance at her.

"You honestly believe I can sleep after that? I mean, Circe, Severus . . . this day sucked Merlin's balls and then some, you know that?" I can't fight the smile that time. She reluctantly agrees, though, and climbs in on the other side of our daughter.

The moment I feel her head rest atop of my arm, I sigh softly. My body slackens a bit more.

"We did have a pretty," I groan and wince "shitty day, didn't we?"

"The worst." Her eyes then move to Angel. "She'll be all right?"

"Yes. Just needs to rest."

"Like you."

"Yes." Another groan leaves my lips. "I forgot how much this hurts." I've only felt like this once before. It was the only time I ever lost control with my Legilimency, using it as a weapon to cause pain, and I paid that price dearly as did Aurora.

"I don't," she quietly admits, her fingers gently carding through our daughter's hair.

I snort before I start coughing softly. "Safe to say, karma works."

"That's not what I'm saying, Severus."

"I know." Of course, she wouldn't mean that. I can push her to the breaking point, but she would never wish me to be in pain like this. She's too good for that. Too loving. I close my eyes and draw in a shuddering breath.

My head feels like I've been hit by a hundred Erumpents repeatedly. That and as if someone's dug around my head with a dull spoon. At least I don't feel so nauseated as I did earlier. One bright spot at least, I guess.

"Does this, I mean, is she natural then or is this just some sort of remnant? I know I don't know much about that branch as you do, but I do remember some of it."

"I don't know." I glance at our sleeping child and sigh silently. Could Angel be naturally inclined to Legilimency? It's possible, I suppose. The vampires had been going on about some sort of gifts passed on to her by interference with my mother. And to be honest, Aurora's pregnancy with her was far from normal by any means. I had given her a potion that had accelerated her pregnancy unbeknownst to me, and then some Elder had sped it up even more to have her born. Truth be told, our daughter, unfortunately, has had more magic surrounding her in her short life than most witches have. The only way to know for certain is to wait and see if it disappears.

"We have to teach her to control it, though, right? Just so it doesn't happen again."

How does one teach a four-year-old how to clear her mind? Frowning, I wonder if either Syra or my mother know of ways to do this. I suppose Orin or one of the vampires might even know. I'll send them an owl in the morning.

Glancing over at Aurora, I notice her worried look. It'll work out in the end. I know it will. I move my hand slightly so it rests against her and close my eyes again. Sleep. I need sleep.

When I wake up again, it's to someone's finger trailing down the side of my face. The majority of my pain is gone, but I still feel a dull ache in the back of my head. I slowly open my eyes and find dark innocent eyes staring back at me. Angel.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?" I murmur, coughing a moment later when she drops herself on my chest and hugs me tightly. Her bony little shoulder digs into my chin.

"I sorry, Daddy," she cries loudly right beside my ear. "I didn't . . . I sorry."

My arms come up and wrap around her gently. "Shh. It's okay. I know you didn't mean to do that, love. It's okay."

"I just . . . you . . ." She then pulls back from me before she punches me hard in the chest.

I cough loudly again, a sudden surge of pain shooting through me.

"Whoa there, sweetheart," Aurora says somewhere off to our side. "Let's not hurt Daddy today, all right?" She rests a gentle hand against my shoulder a moment later and smiles down at me.

"That was very mean of you," Angel declares, looking down at me and ignoring her mother.

"I know, my Angel. Daddy is so sorry."

"You better." She then turns to Aurora and frowns. "But I shouldn't have hurt you, Daddy."

"You didn't mean to. I know." She just has the unfortunate luck of having my temper it seems. She stares at me for a few more moments before she crosses her arms. Inwardly, I smile, thinking how very much she looks like her mother right now.

"Unicorns are pretty and good and they don't . . . why do you want to hurt them? They didn't do nothing to you. Unless you don't like pretty things." She then leans towards me, Aurora quickly grabbing her so she doesn't hit me again. "Do you?"

It takes every bit of self-control in me not to laugh.

"No, sweetheart. I don't have anything against unicorns."

"But you said you were gonna make them into potions."

"I won't."

"But . . ."

"I won't, Angel. I won't hurt any unicorns. Promise."

My daughter's eyes narrow on me as if she's debating whether I'm telling the truth or not. I only stare back at her, ignoring Aurora's badly hidden smile behind Angel.

"Okay. I believe you."

"Now, what do you have to say to your dad?"

"Nothing," Angel replies, slowly pushing up off me.

"Angel Celestria."

"Yes?" the cheeky brat says, batting her eyes up at her mother. She's so Slytherin somedays it's too cute to watch.

"Your father apologized for being a bastard to you."

My eyes dart to my wife. I'm not quite certain using that term around our daughter is wise. I grimace as I imagine our four-year-old using that word in the middle of the Great Hall one day. No doubt, I am going to be the one suspected first of teaching her that word.

"I know, and I sorry for hurtin' him."

I can just hear Angel's 'So everything's good again, Mum, as it's not a big deal' in her tone. I clearly have been around teenagers too long.

"It's fine, Aurora," I say quietly, waving her away.

"Fine. Then, do you think you're well enough to brew today with your daughter?" I can see Angel's excitement almost instantly, as her face lights up and she starts clapping wildly.

"I suppose." I don't normally brew with her nearby, since it always runs the risk of her getting hurt. But I understand what Aurora is doing. Angel and I do need to spend some time together.

"Good. Then you can brew more of that potion from last night, yeah?"

I pause for a moment and think about the ingredients. "We could."

"Good." Aurora then hands me my potions book. "Get brewing." Without another word, she whirls around and walks out.

Angel scrunches up her face in response before she turns to me. "Mummy's really bossy sometimes, isn't she?"

I snort and kiss my daughter's forehead. "Only when she wants to be, love." Slowly, I get up out of bed before I grab my book and head to my private lab next door. Angel is right beside me the entire time clutching her teddy bear in her arm. I wave my hand at the door to undo the lock and open it for her, which she grins up at me before she enters. We don't brew together frequently, as I admit I'm still hesitant to allow her near such dangerous things. I only ever want to keep her safe. She stands off to the side, just as I've always instructed her to do, until I enter.

"Can I help get you stuff again, Daddy?" she asks while I roll up my sleeves.

"A few of them, yes." The ones I'm certain won't hurt her, which leaves about four or five ingredients for her to retrieve in a thirty-seven-ingredient potion. I grab the first jar from the shelf and set it beside her at the table. Billywigs. I glance at her as she moves closer. "Do you think you can pick out two of them for me?" She bites her lip in response and glances back at the jar.

"Two?"

I nod and wait. She may be four, but we have been working on counting lately. Sort of. We've touched on it at least. For a few minutes at a time. Not surely enough time as I would have liked, but that is going to change now that the Dark Lord and Mezra and all the others who wish to hurt my family are gone. I watch her glance back at the jar again nervously.

"Would you like help?" I ask, noticing her little head shake fervently instantly. She's going to be stubborn today. All right then. I grab the next jar, powdered bicorn, and head to the cauldron with it. With my free hand, I wave it at the large black cauldron and lit the fire below it.

"Daddy?" she finally says a few moments later, after I've already added the powdered bicorn, water, and cherry juice.

I glance at her and see her look of sheer misery of the seven piles of Billywigs she has stacked in front of her. She knows that's too many. I walk over to her a moment later and pat her head gently.

"There is no shame in asking for help, my Angel." Which is rich coming from me, I suppose, since I rarely break down and ask for help. But she luckily doesn't know that thankfully. "Let's count aloud, shall we?"

"Okay." She then glances back at her piles. When I point to her first pile, she stares at it for a moment and scrunches up her face. "Um . . ." She glances back up at me. I hold up my index finger, and her eyes lit up. "One! It's one, Daddy!"

"Correct." She must have only memorized numbers by my use of fingers, I realize. I then hold up my middle finger as well with my index finger.

"Two!" She claps her hands together before she glances at the piles. "But I don't see that, Daddy. Do you?" She then pushes some of the piles away before she moves some of them into a 'V'. "There." She looks back up to me beaming.

"No, love. That's not two." I move one of the blue dead insects away from her pile. "How many is that?" She glances at it and sighs.

"One."

"Correct." I then move another beside the first. "And that?"

She glances up at me, biting her lip. "Two?"

"Is that a question or an answer?"

"Answer," she replies with a determined nod.

"Correct." I then move another beside the other two. "How many is that?"

She bites her lip and sighs. "The one after two?" she says, glancing up at me.

"Three." I then move each bug counting as I do. "One. Two. Three." I then add another bug. "Four." And add another. "Five." One more bug is added. "Six." Another joins the pile. "Seven."

She nods slowly and moves two bugs from the pile.

"How many did you move?" I ask.

"Two."

"Correct." I then ruffle her hair and sigh softly. "How about you put those back and then just watch Daddy today, all right?" She smiles up at me and nods, moving to sweep the insects into her hand to add to the jar. "We'll work on counting some more later." I pick up two of the Billywigs and add them to the cauldron. I glance at my notes and frown. Troll blood and aconite are next. Fifth and eleventh shelves on the right side. I turn around to retrieve them, taking note that Angel is looking at some of the ingredients on the fourth shelf. I pluck my ingredients and head back. It's nice to see her so fascinated by all the jars. Maybe there's hope she'll take after me in potions yet.

"Daddy?" she asks after several moments of silence.

"Yes?" I say with my back turned to her, adding bits of lily to the bubbling turquoise potion.

"What's this?"

I slowly turn around and notice that she's holding a small jar of silver liquid in her hand. Without thinking, I answer honestly. "Unicorn blood." The moment the words leave my lips, I watch her eyes widen and the jar fall from her hands. It shatters instantly at her feet, and deep down I groan as I think how much that is going to cost me. Not that it matters considering my horrified four-year-old is likely going to hate me again.

"Angel," I start to say, taking a step towards her.

My daughter, however, turns away and darts out the door.

"Unicorn killer!" she shrieks, disappearing around the corner.

I throw back my hand and cast a nonverbal stasis charm on my potion before I rush out after her. Thankfully, I find that she hasn't gone far. Aurora is currently holding and hugging her.

"Daddy's a unicorn killer!" Angel cries into Aurora's chest.

I notice my wife's look, and I wince. One of these days I will think before I answer Angel. She's not Harry or Draco after all. They understand that I haven't killed it. Just collected its blood after something else killed it in the Forbidden Forest years ago.

"Angel, sweetheart," I start to say, grimacing when she glares at me again. "Daddy didn't kill the unicorn." I notice Aurora's 'tread lightly' look and nod at her.

"You got its blood!"

"I do," I respond honestly.

"Then you killed it!"

"No. It was already dead, love." Her glare deepens. "Unicorn blood is very powerful."

"Unicorns did nothin' to you, Daddy!"

"They haven't. And I'm not doing anything to them."

"Except cook them," she spits back.

"Angel, I promise. I'm not hurting the unicorns." This whole conversation is absurd, but then again most are when speaking with a four-year-old. Cooking unicorns? Even though I know she means brewing with their ingredients, it's still preposterous to think one would cook them.

"Are to."

"Sweetheart, if your daddy says he isn't hurting unicorns, then he's not hurting them," Aurora says softly, sticking up for me.

"But he had a jar of their blood, Mummy!"

"I know, love, but Daddy loves unicorns. He would never hurt one."

"But that's not what he said last night."

Aurora glances at me with a look that clearly says our daughter is too smart sometimes. "Well, sweetheart, sometimes Daddy can be a bit of git. Just remember, though. Your daddy is all bark and very little bite when it comes to you, all right?"

"But he said he was going to use them to cook if he got me one."

"I know he did, sweetheart. But he didn't mean it."

My daughter glances at me.

"How can you be sure, Mummy?"

"Because I know your daddy, Angel. He wouldn't hurt such a beautiful and innocent creature."

Angel sniffles, using the back of her sleeve to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Is Mummy right?"

"Yes." I kneel down to her, ignoring the slight pain this elicits. I'm really getting to old for this. "I am so sorry, my Angel. So sorry that I upset you last night. That I made you cry. I didn't mean what I said. Your mum is right. I'm a big dunderhead. Saying things I shouldn't and—I'm sorry, Angel. Please forgive me. Please forgive your foolish, idiotic father who really needs to keep his mouth shut sometimes. Please?" When she stares at me, sniffling some more, I sigh silently and grab her small hands. "I'm so very sorry, Angel. Daddy will do his best not to be a git to you again. Promise."

She bites her bottom lip, staring at me. "Pinky promise?"

I hold up a pinky and smile faintly to her. "Pinky promise." When she wraps her arms around me a moment later, I close my eyes. I'm going to have to do my damnedest to keep that promise to her. The sound of clapping then echoes in my ears. I glance up at Aurora and notice it isn't her clapping.

"Jezlyn, knock it off."

Oh but of course. My sister-in-law. Figures. As if I need more adolescents in my life.

"And people think Professor Snape is the biggest git since the dawn of time," Jezlyn drawls from the sofa she's sitting at. "Though, I have to hand it to you, dear brother-in-law. You are a good father. Our dad wouldn't have knelt like that, but that's only because once you get past thirty you're too old to do that sort of stuff. Wait. How old are you again, sir?"

"Don't you have somewhere to be, Miss Sinistra?" I reply, using my best intimidating tone I can muster. In return, the cheeky girl grins at me.

"I don't know, Professor. Is there?"

"Dear sweet younger sister of mine," Aurora says, feigning her sweetness, "please do remember that you are speaking with your Head of House currently. One who could make your life a living hell. Understood?"

Jezlyn rolls her eyes and inclines her head. "Whatever you say, my very experienced and older sister." She then glances at me. "Many apologies, sir. I could perhaps make it up to you, Professor, by escorting my niece to see her brothers?"

My eyes narrow on her. She's up to something.

"That is if you're all right with it, sir?" she adds, holding my gaze.

Angel almost instantly pulls away from me with a wide grin. "Can I? Can I see them, Daddy?"

I glance to Aurora and notice her frown. She's thinking the same thing I am, no doubt. But do we really have any reason to keep our daughter from seeing her brothers? After all, Jezlyn may be up to something, but it's clear the whole Sinistra family is nothing but lovers not fighters. Unless warranted under extreme conditions, and there is no condition for it currently.

"What do you say, sir? Could I take her? Just for a bit? I promise we won't get into any trouble."

Aurora shrugs at me, as if to say it's my decision. Sighing, I look back down to Angel. She seems to want to do this. And the boys certainly could need a distraction, I suppose.

"Is that a yes then?"

I sigh silently and slowly stand up. "Two hours, and not a moment longer. Is that understood? And if I even so much as hear a word from anyone that you and my daughter were near anything even remotely close to trouble, you will find yourself in detention quicker than a Hufflepuff can find a sandwich." Angel quietly snickers.

"Understood, sir." She holds her hand out to Angel, who happily goes skipping towards her.

"Bye, Daddy. Bye, Mummy." And with that, they're gone, heading out the portrait soon after.

"Did we do the right thing?" I ask, not expecting an answer.

"Probably not, but what can we do? Lock her in here the rest of her life?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing, Aurora," I drawl, glancing at my wife. I catch her amused smile and sigh. "What do you think she's up to?"

"Knowing Jezlyn, probably using our daughter to get herself a date for the ball."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she was going on about how no one has asked her yet." She shrugs. "Course I told her I was going by myself as well, seeing as how no one has asked me either."

"Is that so?" I've wondered when she would start on this.

She takes a step closer to me. "It is."

I can smell the strong scent of raspberries again. Amortentia is nothing when compared to Aurora's perfume. When she places a hand on my chest, I feel the instant jolt of energy between us again and force myself not to inhale deeply.

"Of course, that could all be because everyone's worried about the ogre I'm married to. Do you know he honestly wanted to lock me in some remote part of the castle last year? As if I was Belle to his beast." Her lip twitches slightly as she tries to stop herself from smiling.

"How horrible."

"It is." She wraps her arms around my neck. "The kids are gone, Severus."

"So I see."

"It's just you and me."

"Indeed."

"All alone."

I nod, enjoying the annoyance slowly crossing her face.

"No interruptions. Just you and me."

"And me!" a nasally voice pipes up from above the fireplace.

Aurora's hands fall from my neck instantly, and she groans. "Somedays I hate this castle." She turns towards the portrait hanging above the fireplace. "I don't suppose you can go away for, like, an hour or two, Phineas?"

"Only an hour or two?" he replies, glancing at me. "When I was alive, I'd go for at least six, young man. I can give you a few potions to take if you'd—"

"Ugh! All right. I'm thoroughly creeped out now," Aurora declares, shaking off her disgust at his words. "Let's go finish your potion, all right?"

I incline my head and follow her back into my private rooms. There was a time when having Phineas Nigellus in my rooms was an asset. Now, he's quickly becoming a liability.

Before we reach my lab, I gently grab her arm and stop her. She pauses and gives me a confused look. I wave it off, though, secretly casting a Privacy charm around us.

"For the record, I wasn't aware I had to ask you to the ball. But if that's what you'd like—" I start to say before she presses a finger against my lips.

"I was teasing earlier, Severus. I don't need you to ask me like we're fifteen again. After all, there's enough squirming young men around here, don't you think?"

I snort and nod. Her finger falls away from my lips.

"It's sort of nice, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"Just being Severus and Aurora for once. Not having to worry about the Dark Lord or Mezra or the next big attack. No more Order. No more Death Eaters. Just . . . normalcy."

"Or at the very least as normal as we can get," I reply with a faint smirk.

"With a mother-in-law who hates my guts."

"As yours hates me."

"Two fathers-in-law who are doting on their grandchildren all the time."

"Indeed. And two teenage boys who are likely more nervous about the ball than needed."

"And a certain four-year-old who wants to be treated like an adult." My eyes narrow on her. "She was asking me last night before everything went to hell if she could go to the ball with Fred."

I snort. "Ah. No doubt, Mister Weasley will accompany Miss Johnson."

"Probably, but our daughter is persistent."

"She gets that from her mother."

"And father, let's be honest." She sighs. "Draco will ask Hermione of course. But Harry . . ."

"Acceptance is the first step, and judging by his reaction last night, that's done."

"What do you think about his going with Luna?"

I shrug. "There are worst choices. Though, I would imagine he needs to ask her soon before Mister Longbottom does." She snorts.

"Neville's going to ask Miss Weasley."

"How do you know that?"

"Because he's only been staring at her all year, Severus."

"That doesn't necessarily mean anything." She gives me that familiar 'You can't be serious' look. "He could just be very good friends with her."

"Yeah, and Pomona and Filius aren't at all dating, are they, Severus?"

"That's different."

"Is it?" She crosses her arms and stares at me.

"They've been very cordial with one another for years. They've just recently decided to become involved. Miss Weasley, however, well, you've seen the way she is."

"The way she is?" Aurora laughs before she rolls her eyes. "Can you imagine what the students would think if they knew we discussed them like this?"

"It's no different from the rumors they create about certain other members of staff."

"Which sometimes are so far off base. You have to admit that."

I shrug. "They are correct about your friend after all."

"Well, of course they are. It's not like Septima's hidden her feelings about Sirius in the slightest. In fact, I'm surprised that we haven't seen more of him lately considering."

My eyes narrow on her. "Considering what?"

"Oh, um, well, since he's, you know, Sirius."

"If you're concerned your friend is going to get—"

"I'm not concerned for her. I'm concerned for him, Severus."

"Why? Black will leave her once he gets bored like all the others before her."

"Not before Septima decides to, you know, grow the house of Black."

I groan instantly and think of anything but that. "Thank you for that lovely picture."

"Welcome," she says with a smile. "By the way, we're supposed to meet with Declan and Esmée later. They seem to know what's going on with our daughter."

"You informed them?"

"Well, they have always been involved with my family, and they are centuries-old vampires." She shrugs. "If anyone knows what's going on, it'll be them. They know of the old ways and such. Maybe they can tell us how to help her." I nod, hoping she's right.

After speaking to them, I retreat to my office. I need time to think. Could it be possible that all of Angel's accidental magic is just remnants of the Elders' interference like Declan and Esmée claim? We could wait and see if she grows out of it, but I've never been good at waiting when it comes to my kids. I laugh silently. My kids. Never in a million years would I have thought I'd have kids.

Even though they are frustrating little brats sometimes, I wouldn't change it for the world. I draw in a slow breath as I walk around my desk, my fingers brushing against the stacked papers. It seems a lifetime ago that I was sitting here, marking the latest dismal exams. So much has happened since then.

"Professor Snape?" a voice softly says from the doorway.

I glance over and see Draco hovering.

"Mister Malfoy." He glances down instantly, and I wince inwardly. I shouldn't have used his surname in hindsight after last night. "How can I be of assistance?"

"I'm sorry, sir." He lifts his head back up, holding my gaze. "I shouldn't have acted like a prat with you last night." He then sighs. "Of course you wouldn't intentionally hurt her like that. I, I shouldn't have said what I did."

"Apology not accepted," I respond coolly.

"What?" He seems genuinely confused by my refusal.

"You meant every word you said, Draco, and you were right to tell me off as you did. I am the one who should apologize."

"But you didn't—"

"Regardless of my intent, it doesn't excuse my actions. I am the adult, and as such I should have not acted like the child I did."

"Yeah, but I acted like you were Lucius, and you're not."

"Thank you," I say, inclining my head towards him.

He sighs quietly, his hands going to his pockets. He clearly has prepared a long speech, and I've unfortunately just took all of the wind out of his sails. I wait for him to collect himself, knowing that is what he needs me to do. He is so like Harry sometimes it's frightening.

"Jezlyn claims that I have father issues."

Now it's my turn to sigh. "Yes, well, Miss Sinistra has issues of sticking her nose in things she shouldn't. I wouldn't hold much stock in what she says."

"Then you don't think I should talk to Madam Pomfrey?" he asks with furrowed brows.

"I think only you can decide that, Draco, not me."

His shoulders sag, and his head falls to the floor. "I wanted you to tell me to do this, sir."

"Why?"

Slowly, his head comes back up. "So, I can't take any responsibility for it. If it doesn't work, then I can just say that you didn't know what you were saying or something, and that it was mad to think such a thing about me."

"Ah." I appreciate his honesty.

"But I can't use that excuse."

"Why do you believe it won't work?"

His gray eyes dart to mine. "Honestly, sir? You have to ask that?" He then huffs, a hand going to his long blond hair. "I'm not one to talk about such things. It's, well, difficult."

"If it weren't, then no one would have issues to work through. But ignoring them—"

"But you brushed yours aside for decades."

"Yes, and look how well that turned out for me, Draco," I answer flatly. His shoulders sag again. "You can continue to brush them aside as you've been doing. But there will be these moments, like last night, when it will bubble up to the surface again."

"I know."

"And quite frankly, it takes a strong man to admit he needs help and seek it rather than ignore it. So, if you want me to absolve you, well, I'm afraid I cannot do that. I will not do that."

He nods slowly. "I had a feeling you'd say that, sir." He then offers a soft smile before he squares his shoulders up, ready to conquer his demons. "Thank you, sir." He then turns and leaves.

Normally I'd have been getting ready for this silly ball, but instead I'm replenishing the entire stock of Pomfrey's Pepperup Potion since she has absolutely no idea on how to ration it. It's utterly maddening how much of this we go through in a year. Foolish little brats should just learn good hygiene practices in my opinion.

As I stir the potion again, I hear a knock against my door. It can't be Aurora, as she's in her office currently marking papers. I cast a quick stasis charm on my potion and unlock the door nonverbally. When I see a blond head stick in, I snort.

"Yes?"

"Daddy, can you help me?"

I incline my head and walk towards my daughter. She opens the door the rest of the way then, and I stop in mid-step. She's wearing a long white dress with a bit of green cloth hanging down her right side. In her hands is an ivy wreath headband with one large white calla lily on one side of it. She most certainly was not wearing that when I got her ready for bed earlier.

"Angel, where did you get the dress?"

She grins before she twirls around. "Do you like it, Daddy? Aunt Jezlyn gave it to me."

"Aunt Jezlyn?" I repeat quietly. Oh, that girl . . .

"Uh-huh. She said I could wear it to the ball tonight."

"The ball?"

She nods again with a wide grin. "She says every princess needs a pretty dress. I look pretty, right, Daddy?"

"Absolutely beautiful, my Angel," I say, forcing my smile to keep from saying what I'm really thinking. When I get my hands on Jezlyn, she's going to wish we weren't related by marriage.

My little girl lets out a high-pitched squeal and claps her hands. She's so happy. I almost feel like a git for my next action, but it has to be done. She's too young for balls and such.

"Do you think Fred is gonna like it?" she asks suddenly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but—" Her face falls instantly. "You can't go to the ball."

"But, Daddy!"

"No, Angel. You're too young."

She stomps her foot down, glaring at me. "It isn't fair! Harry and Draco are going!"

"Well, they're old enough, my Angel. You're not."

The wheels instantly start spinning in her mind as she thinks about what I said. "Well, how old do I have to be to go? Six?"

I wince. "Seventeen at least," I reply, "and that's a long time from now thankfully."

"But I want to go to the ball now!" She stomps her foot down again.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but my answer is no. Maybe when you're older." And even then, only if I meet the wizard first and he is worthy of her . . . and Declan or Esmée watching her and at the ready to swoop in and take her away.

"You're mean, Daddy! The meanest daddy there ever is!" She continues stomping her feet in full tantrum mode now. "You're lettin' Harry go even though he's in the forest right now with Luna!"

I blink and stare at her. What?

"And that's not fair! We're not s'posed to be out there. It's bad and scary, and we could get hurt. And he gets to go! It's not fair! I was good! I didn't come in here or nothin'. And he gets to go!"

"Sweetheart, what do you mean your brother is out in the forest?"

"He's out there. In the scary forest. The one Grandpa doesn't want us in."

My head snaps towards the window. Harry's in the Forbidden Forest? I ignore the fact that my four-year-old somehow knows this. I'll deal with that later. All thoughts earlier about her wanting to go to the ball are gone now. All I can think about is how my son is out in the Forbidden forest. That idiot boy is going to kill me one of these days with his foolheartedly stunts. I gently prod her towards the door, locking my lab once we exit it.

"Draco, watch your sister please," I bark as I go past his opened door. He's changing yet again.

"But, Daddy!" Angel cries behind me. I'm already down the hallway, though, and almost gone.

It's absurd to think, but somehow Harry managed to escape before I could reach him. I can only assume that Luna helped him somehow considering how close they seem to be tonight. I still haven't figured out how exactly he was able to avoid me.

"Oh, will you just give it a rest already, Severus?" Aurora drawls, her hand moving up to cup the side of my face. "You can ground him tomorrow, but right now your wife would like your undevoted attention. Got it?"

"Yes, dear," I reply mockingly. I half-smirk when she rolls her eyes. I spin her out first and then spin her back into me. I must say there is certain appeal to having her so close to me right now. When she leans back against me for what seems the hundredth time already tonight, I think of potion ingredients I need to keep from losing control and yanking her to the nearest alcove. She is enjoying this entirely too much. In fact, judging by the liberal amount of perfume I can smell from her, she wants to see me squirm like the rest of the titillated adolescents around us.

"All right there, Severus?" she asks, her eyes twinkling as she stares up at me.

I glance down at her and only raise an eyebrow. The cheeky minx will not get the better of me tonight. I will remain perfectly in control, and she will not win. No matter how badly she cheats and tries to rattle me.

"Perfectly peachy," I reply, my hand moving to the small of her back as we sway.

She laughs in response and steps closer to me, resting her head briefly against my shoulder. With a silent, content sigh, I feel myself start to relax a bit more against her. She is right after all. I can ground the boy tomorrow. Not that I have proof that he was actually out in the Forbidden Forest, but I don't need proof really. I just need the boy to know that I won't tolerate rule breaking. Which he knows.

My eyes narrow briefly as I notice the young lady with Fred Weasley across the way speaking with Draco and Hermione. I move to turn to Aurora and ask her if she knows who the young lady is, but I lose my footing. Pulling Aurora into me protectively, we fall back against the dessert table, my back slamming hard into it.

I hear the crack as the table can't support our weight, and we crash to the floor. Cakes and cupcakes of every flavor imaginable cascades onto us, along with every other dessert known to man. I groan and try to push myself up, tasting sickly sweet frosting on my lips.

Aurora's quiet giggles then enters my ears. My arms are still wrapped securely around her, so I can feel her laughter as her head is buried in my dress robes. As she pulls back, I notice the chunks of white and green sprinkles in her hair.

"You look ridiculous," she says through fits of laughter.

"I look ridiculous?" I repeat, staring up at her. "You should see yourself, Sinistra. You're not exactly one to look at right now either." Merlin, she's so beautiful right now.

She pokes her finger into my chest. "Says the man wearing red butter cream frosting."

Oh, beautiful minx, she has no idea how much in trouble she is. I reach back and grab a bit of the destroyed chocolate lava cake beside me. Raising a brow at her, I take the bit I have and smear into her face a moment later. After all, two can play that game.

When I realize a moment later that she's not going down without a fight, I duck just as she tosses globs of frosting and cake from her side at me. I grab another handful and lob it back at her. Her laughter serenades me. It's as if we've forgotten entirely about the rest of the world. Love does that to a person, though.

A groan escapes my lips when she moves in order to get a better position on me. She's almost straddling me now, even though, she still throwing bits of destroyed desserts at me. We're covered head-to-toe in cakes and cupcakes and sprinkles and chocolate. Her eyes light up when she hears my groan, and I can feel the surge of excitement in her through our link. I move to capture her lips just as she shoves bits of something cold down the front of my robes.

"Fuck!" I shout, hearing someone yell 'Six hundred points from Slytherin' from across the room in response. Fuck them and their points! That—gah! Fuck, that's cold!

Aurora is nearly doubled over laughing as I'm trying desperately to remove whatever it is she stuffed down my robes. Suddenly, the cold is gone, and I blink in confusion before we're blasted apart from one another. I notice her confusion instantly and grab my wand, ready to defend us to the death. However, when I see a familiar nine-and-a-half inches, fir wand two inches from my face, I lower mine instantly and wince. This isn't going to be good.

"Never before in all my years of teaching—Severus Snape." The way my name is said in that thick, brusque Scottish accent I can't help but wince. "And you, Aurora!" I glance at my wife and notice her trying and failing to hide her laughter. "There is nothing funny about this I assure you, Miss Sinistra!" The snort bursts out of me before I can hold it back. When McGonagall's wand snaps back to me, I instantly sober up. However, I'm having a very difficult time clearing my mind I find. "Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?"

I glance to Aurora. The corner of her lips twitch slightly, and I raise my brow even more intrigued by her.

"Cake, Minerva?" my wife says with a wide grin, holding up a bit of it that she hadn't had a chance to throw at me yet.

"Detention. Both of you!" McGonagall snaps in reply.

"Um, Minerva, I don't think you can give them—" Filius speaks up for us.

"Watch me!" Her eyes flash dangerously as she glares at us. "I want this hall sparkly clean by morning. No magic is to be used by either of you. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Professor." Both Aurora and I reply glancing down.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" She then whirls around to all the students who are looking on. I notice vaguely that neither of our sons or their dates are in the crowd. No doubt they ran as fast as they could. "You're all dismissed!" McGonagall yells, pointing towards the doors. "Return to your common rooms now!" None of them need to be told twice, as they all run fleeing.

Once we're alone, I glance at Aurora and smirk.

"I've never had detention with my husband before," she drawls, moving back to me.

I roll my eyes and shake my head. "It's going to take us all night to clean this, you realize?"

She shrugs before snapping her fingers. My eyes narrow on her until I notice a movement to my left. My head turns towards it, and I notice the two familiar vampires approaching from the shadows. Esmée and Declan are here?

"But she said no magic, Aurora," I remind, turning back to her.

"She did, but she also can't give us detention, love. We're not students after all. Now, dock our pay or suspend us she can do, but not give us detention."

"She'll know."

"So?" she replies with a lopsided grin.

"Are you truly advocating us to disobey the deputy headmistress?" It sounds so . . . Slytherin of her. I stare at her in wonder. Who is this woman and what has she done with my wife?

"And technically, we're not disobeying her, as she only said that she wanted this place sparkly and that we couldn't use magic. She didn't say that someone else couldn't get it sparkly clean."

My brow raises even more. "How . . . Slytherin of you."

She shrugs. "I have my moments."

"Awe. How adorable," Esmée murmurs, her hands clasped as she stares at us.

"Come along, Esmée," Declan replies, rolling his eyes. "Let us allow Mistress Aurora and Severus some privacy."

I open my mouth to state that isn't necessary, but the vampires blur before I have a chance. Almost instantly, the Great Hall starts to look its usual splendor as they use their superhuman speed to remove the food from the walls and floor.

"Come on," Aurora says, grabbing my arm.

"But . . ."

"Go!" Declan's voice echoes around me. "We have this under control."

"Yes. Go." Esmée's airy voice floats down to us. "Make more little ones for us!"

What? My head snaps towards the blurs, but Aurora yanks me towards the door. I stumble slightly, but follow obediently. A part of me feels guilty for not doing as Minerva ordered. We should have cleaned it, seeing as how we made that mess. The bigger part of me, though, agrees with Aurora. Minerva can't give us detentions. She's our boss, not our teacher.

As we work our way down to our rooms in the dungeons, I find myself thinking how much my life has changed over the past few years. It all started with a green-eyed, messy-haired Gryffindor showing up in the middle of a thunderstorm looking as if Death had greeted him. It'll end in a way I never thought would be possible. Me . . . a family of my own . . . loved.

We walk through Salazar's portrait when he opens it, my hand still in Aurora's.

Normalcy. That's all we've wanted lately. To be a normal family. But what does that mean honestly? To be a normal family? Is there such a thing?

When the portrait reopens, I glance to it and watch Harry walk in. I can still see the lipstick smears he's tried to remove. I chuckle softly. The-Boy-Who-Loved.

"What?" he says, glancing at both of us. "Is something on my face?"

"Only bits of Luna's lipstick," Aurora teases. "But you can hardly see them, love."

He groans and scrubs at his face again with the back of his sleeve. "I thought I got it all. It just, ugh, what did she use? It won't come off," he complains, rubbing his face.

"That's because you're rubbing it all wrong there, little brother," Draco drawls as he emerges from his bedroom with a blushing and guilty looking Miss Granger in tow. "There's a bit of a trick to it, you see? Dab a bit of—"

"Miss Granger?" I interrupt, noticing that Aurora is also staring at the young lady.

Hermione grimaces and forces her eyes to meet mine. "We can explain, sir—"

"Nothing happened, Severus," Draco cuts in, grabbing her hand beside him. "I swear."

The portrait then opens up again. My eyes narrow, wondering who it could be as everyone who is allowed inside without a password is already in here.

"Oh, hello, Daddy," says the golden-haired blond with a wide smile and familiar dark eyes. "You're still here." She then twirls around again, the exact same way my four-year-old daughter had hours earlier. "This dress is much prettier. Fred liked it after all."

As the realization hits me that this, this teenage girl is . . . is my daughter, I . . . My eyes then fall to her hand and the empty bottle she's holding.

"Sort of yucky tasting, but . . . it worked. Don't you think, Daddy?"

"Whoa! That's . . . but . . ." Harry cries in front of me, staring at the young lady. "El?"

"Who else?" she says with a laugh.

"How . . . Severus . . ." Aurora grabs my arm, as we both stare.

"An aging potion obviously," I murmur, unable to think. There are so many questions. I can't even think to ask them right now. My little girl . . . she's . . .

"Wicked," Draco drawls by us, taking a step closer to her. "Where'd you get the potion, Celes?"

"Draco," Hermione snaps, giving him the all-too familiar female look of 'Shut your mouth.'

"Fred," Angel replies, placing the empty bottle in my hand. "Said he had a very good teacher." She leans up and kisses my cheek. "Love you, Daddy." She then takes another step towards Aurora, starting to shrink as the potion quickly wears off.

When a moment later my four-year-old is standing before us in an extremely large dress, I feel my heart start to quiet in my ears. She drank a potion to make herself older just so she could go with Weasley after I told her no? She snuck out—

"A rule-breaker already, I'm impressed, Celes." Draco is slapped hard in the chest for that by Miss Granger. "What? It's not like Harry and I are angels after all."

"Or Mum and Dad for that matter," Harry adds with a quiet laugh.

"Boys," Hermione hisses at them.

My sons, however, instantly start to roar with snickers. I open my mouth to ground them both back to the stone age, but a hand on mine stops me. I glance at Aurora and notice her smile.

"That'll be all tonight, Miss Granger," she states softly. "Return to your common room."

"Yes, Professor," Hermione replies respectfully before she leaves.

"Aurora . . ."

"They're right, Severus. Every one of us has broken rules in some form or the other."

Well, of course we have. But that doesn't make it right after all. There needs to be clear rules. And they've shattered them royally. One son sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest. Another son with a young lady in his room. And a daughter, a daughter who . . . I can't even finish it.

"Daddy, Fred was good," my daughter declares in her usual high squeal child-like voice.

"Well, thank Merlin for that, or a certain Weasley would find himself in a very large ditch," I drawl, half-joking. A very small joke. Like a pinprick small.

Angel giggles instantly, though. "That's cause you love me, Daddy."

I kneel down to her again, feeling her arms wrap around my neck as she hugs me.

"Cheeky brat," I grumble, returning her hug. She has me wrapped around her little finger. Just like her mother. Clearly, I'll need to brush up on my stern father routine again, but quite frankly I just don't have it in me right now.

"Your brat."

Indeed.

I chuckle and shake my head. Normalcy is overrated. It hides the moments that otherwise would be forgotten. This . . . this is everything. Love is everything. And family is all the rest.