Megan came running through the Common Room cradling her left arm. She was at her dormitory door and had begun to turn the knob when she stopped at the sound of Zacharias' voice calling to her.

"Megan, wait! I have –"

"I have to go, Zach. My hand –"

"I know. Sally-Anne told me about Umbridge's detention. Is your hand all right?"

She tried to answer, but choked out a sob instead, shaking her head. She began to turn towards the door again, but Zacharias had already reached her, putting an affectionate arm around her shoulder. He guided her to the sofa and sat her down, returning in a moment with a bowl of clear gel-like liquid. He smiled at the face she pulled.

"Put your hand in here. It's a little warm and it might sting at first because your skin is so delicate, but it will feel better." She hesitated, but he added, "Trust me" and gently took her hand and placed it in the bowl dipping her hand under the liquid.

"Better?"

"So much better. Thank you." Her smile lit up the whole room and Zach couldn't help but smile back.

***

Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be enjoying their time on the Inquisitorial Squad. They walked around like roosters in the hen house. They shoved people out of their way. They took points away from other Houses. They terrorized the younger students.

When Zacharias rounded the corner coming from charms, he saw Goyle holding a second year Ravenclaw by the elbow and Crabbe had Megan pushed against the wall. He had little time to react, drawing his wand.

"Take your hands off her," he snarled.

"Is she your girlfriend, Smith?" He tightened his grip on her and when she winced in apparent pain, Zacharias fired off a red spark over their heads.

He spoke each word slowly, being clear, "I said, take your hands off of her."

Crabbe complied, but swung his arm to cuff Zacharias, who was able to dodge the blow.

He tossed his wand into his right hand, and punched Crabbe in the face, slamming him backwards into the stone wall. Crabbe lost his balance and fell to the floor, pulling Megan down with him.

Zacharias turned his wand on Goyle, who didn't hesitate in releasing the younger boy. Goyle helped Crabbe up and they stalked past Zacharias and down the corridor.

As soon as they were out of wand range, he ran over to help Megan up from her place on the floor. "Are you all right, Meg?"

She was out of breath and didn't speak, but stared at him and nodded her head slowly. He took her by the arm, and took the other student's hand, escorting them both to their Common Rooms.

***

"Aren't you good in charms?"

Zacharias looked up to see Megan Jones, parchment and quill in hand. Her hair looked different. "Um, yeah. I'm fair." Actually, he was very good in charms.

"Can you help me with this spell? I can't get the wand work right." Before he could answer yes or no, she scooted into the half seat between him and the end of the sofa. He moved a little to the left to make room, but with Derek sitting next to him, she was still left to practically sit in his lap, a situation that he wasn't offended by in the least.

He showed her how to flick her wand just right and soon there were wisps of colored smoke. She easily changed the colors and she picked up on the subtlety of the charm very quickly.

She thanked him, giving him a little wave as she left to find Morag across the room. His arm was still prickly from where she'd let her hand linger.

He felt the smile still on his lips when Wayne sat on the arm of the sofa, elbowing him in the neck with a smirk.

***

Morag and Susan stepped aside as Zacharias approached their little group, leaving the way clear for him to go closer to Megan. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, but he knew that he couldn't leave the situation the way it was before they returned to their Common Room.

"Can I talk to you Megan?"

She nodded and the others left. He sat down cross-legged next to her.

"Did you get hurt?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I fell when Nigel stupefied me. I think it's my funny bone. It should go away in a few minutes."

He reached over and began to rub her elbow. He concentrated on his task and shrugged, finally getting up the courage to speak again. "I was wondering…Megan. Tomorrow is a Hogsmeade day and it's actually my first since Quidditch was canceled…and I…um, well, I was wondering if…would you want to…"

He raised his eyes and found that she was watching him intently. His hands stopped moving on her arm, but he continued to hold her elbow, and his mouth was suddenly very dry.

"Would you want to go…I mean…meet there…have lunch…or something?"

She smiled and he couldn't quite hear the words, but he thought she said she'd meet him at noon at the Three Broomsticks. She jumped up then and dashed over to Morag. Their heads were together and then Morag looked at him with a smirk, making him slightly uncomfortable.

***

Zacharias sat in the small booth drinking a Butterbeer. He had ordered two, so that when Megan arrived, there would be one for her. He chose this booth because it was close the open window and he could see the door open and close as people entered the pub. He saw her right away. Her hair looked different. Usually she wore it tied back in a ponytail or clipped out of her face, but today, it was loose and framed her face. His heart was beating faster and faster as she saw him across the room and smiled, reaching him through the crowd quickly.

They talked quietly about the DA meetings and Umbridge. They didn't want to be heard by anyone who might repeat things to that horrible woman. Neither of them wanted detention again. They ate in near silence, both running out of things to say at the same time. Megan seemed about to say something now, but a noise at the end of the table distracted both of them.

"Morag!" Megan sounded annoyed. "What are you –"

She shoved her way into the table. "Sorry, lovebirds, no more tables. Wayne's coming over with Susan and Sally-Anne. Kenneth as well, I think, so make room."

Zacharias and Megan exchanged a look that, for him, was more of 'let's get out of here,' and he tried to slide out from his side of the booth, tugging Megan's hand in that direction. She nodded and slid with him until they were trapped by Wayne sliding in, following by Ken and Susan. Sally-Anne sat next to Morag. The small booth was full. And crowded.

"You know, Wayne, we were just going to leave. I've got to check the Owl Office for post from my parents." He made to move again and half stood, but sat back down when he realized that Wayne wasn't budging.

"They'll still be open in an hour. We're just having a drink, and then we can all go."

Zacharias begrudgingly leaned back in the booth. Wayne was almost sitting on him and he turned to Megan apologetically when he realized that he was still holding her hand. She had leaned forward to hear what Sally-Anne had said, resting her chin on her other hand. Instead of releasing his hand, she laced her fingers though his.

"Aren't you coming?" Wayne asked after nursing his drink for almost two hours. He rose, but turned back to Zacharias. The others had left already and Morag was holding the door open, waiting for Wayne. "You did say that you needed the Owl Office?"

"Yes. I'll be along. I need to pay Rosmerta. Oh, and my shoe's untied."

Megan was standing beside the table and sat when Wayne left. Zacharias spoke quickly. "I'm sorry about that. I thought we'd be able to talk more. It was…"

"Fun. I had fun, Zach." She curled a strand of hair behind her ear, bringing her hand back to touch his face. How did she do that to him without a wand? She leaned towards him, tilting her head and before he knew it, they were kissing.