Disclaimer's Notice: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters featuring in the books or the films. They belong to J.K Rowling and her wonderful mind.

Chapter 4

Sparks flew as the two men's blunted blades collided with each other again, and again. Neither one seemed to be giving or gaining any substantial ground. Although Malfoy's skill surpassed that of William's, he was being gentle on the young man to give him a fair chance to land a few blows before he finished this little game they were playing. It really was an unfair pairing as Malfoy had eight years of training that William did not; however, as far as raw and basic skill went it would be a lie to say that Malfoy was unimpressed. By no means as precise as Draco with his attacks, William wielded the blade like a natural: his grip was steady and firm, his footwork solid and his strokes well timed. Malfoy found himself pleasantly surprised to be sparring with someone who, after a little much needed training and refinement, could potentially prove to be a good future partner. For the time being though, William was making it far too easy for him to win.

After a solid two rounds of constant parrying and deflecting, Malfoy still had not begun the full assault of his sparring strategy. He truly did want to give William a chance to overpower him but he was growing tired of the constant back and forth of blows; not to mention William was running out of attack combinations. He had exhausted his arsenal of manoeuvres and so Draco decided that there was nothing left for the boy to prove to him. He blocked William's last thrust and feigned a left swipe before switching sword hands and knocking William down by the knees with his sword hilt. He then took two steps forward to administer a mock fatal blow when William rolled over and blocked the strike. He surged forward and aimed for Malfoy's jugular vein but missed as Malfoy rolled back his shoulder and side stepped away from his opponent. Draco laughed aloud as the crowd cheered for William who had just blocked yet another strike. If the crowd wanted a grand finale then Malfoy would oblige with the least humiliation for William as possible. Once again, he feigned an attack from the left but at the last minute instead of knocking William down, he spun towards the right swinging the sword around his head in a smooth motion before placing the middle of the blunt blade flush against the back of William's neck.

"Fatality point to Malfoy," shouted Tiberius over the cheers of the spectators.

William thrust his sword, blade first into the soft sand in front of him. He released the hilt and bowed his head before it.

"William concedes!"

Malfoy removed the sword from William's neck at Tiberius' words and moved so that he was facing him. Extending a hand, he smiled at the younger man who was red-faced and sweating profusely through his cotton-weave shirt. Malfoy's face and bare chest were a little damp from the exertion as well but it was obvious which of the two was in better physical condition. William took his hand and shook it firmly.

"An honourable spar, Malfoy. Although, I do wish you had given the fight your all from the start of the session! I can always tell when someone is going easy on me and you make it especially obvious. I mean look at you! You are barely sweating at all meanwhile I am running Niagara Falls on tap here," said William slightly short of breath.

"Nonsense William! I was giving it my all from the start, you were just too good to beat," replied Malfoy with a broad grin.

"What lies you tell sometimes! Ah well, it was a good match and one day, after I have trained a bit more, I will beat you. That I promise you!"

"I do not doubt it my young friend; you do posses extraordinary skills with a sword and to allow them to go untrained would be a great waste."

The crowd of Death Eaters cheered even louder, while the Knights merely looked stone-faced and serious. William smiled at Malfoy and walked over to the fencing around the sparring arena. He replaced his sword and climbed over the fence. Dozens of Death Eaters rushed towards the young man, clapping him on the back and shaking his hand while Malfoy grinned. As William was led away by his adoring fans, Malfoy returned his sword to Theodore and moved toward his possessions that were still hanging on the fencing of the pit. He reached for his silver shirt and just as he was about to put it back on, he noticed a figure still sitting in the stands. She was dressed the same as him, a silver shirt under a black surcoat embroidered on the chest with the Order's coat of arms in Silver. Her chin rested on the back of her metallic hand as she watched Malfoy with dark green eyes. Her blonde hair shone like slivers of gold in the sunlight and had been pinned back off her face in a practical yet elegant way. Once he recognised who it was, Malfoy felt a rush of adrenaline course through his system.

Her name was Eva Archer.

Malfoy looked away having held her gaze for a few minutes longer than he would have liked. He quickly put on his shirt, picked up his sword and surcoat and began to walk towards the gate. Unfortunately, that meant he was walking towards Eva and he always found himself lost for words whenever she was around him. Taking a deep calming breath, he strode towards her for what would most likely be a short conversation.

"Eva," muttered Malfoy by way of greeting.

"Draco," replied the woman with a raised eyebrow.

She stood from her bench and began to climb down towards him. Malfoy felt his heart rate increase slightly at her approach. As she walked towards him, Malfoy's four-year-old history with Eva Archer flashed through his mind like a series of lightning bolts.

Her scent as she approached him in a rarely used corridor.

The feel of her soft hands as they found their way to his neck and shoulders.

The taste of her lips as she caressed his mouth with her own.

The pulsating desires radiating from both their bodies as he fumbled with the door handle of his quarters.

The weight of her as he lifted her petite frame off the ground in a lustful embrace.

The strength of her legs as she wrapped them around his waist.

The suppleness of her body as she writhed with pleasure beneath him.

The feel of her warm breath in his ear as she begged him to take her over the edge of pure pleasure.

The strength of her fingers as she clawed his back during passionate release.

The bitter taste of rejection when she walked away, choosing a mission over him.

The knowledge that she neither deeply cared for him nor loved him.

The desire he harboured for her still, despite it all.

"I have to admit Malfoy, I was surprised to hear you accepted that little pup's challenge. Have you really been that bored or is this an all time low?" asked Eva coyly.

"I didn't know you were back, Archer. Some warning would have been nice," replied Malfoy quietly.

"Why? So you could 'sort out your feelings' before the next time we met," laughed Eva. "I really didn't expect you to be the 'falling head over heels' kind. It was just a bit of fun," she replied with a hint of a smile. "Plus, I only got back an hour or so ago. The Grand Master and Seneschal wanted to debrief me before I reintegrated into society. Sensitive Intel and all that, you understand."

"I understand perfectly, Archer. If you remember, I too am a Knight and just because I have yet to disappear on a four year mission does not mean I am oblivious to the value of long term Intel," replied Draco sharply.

"Oh Draco! You really are far too easy to wind up you know that?" said Eva as she linked a slender arm through Malfoy's.

Malfoy found the weight of her arm on his oddly comfortable and mentally scolded himself for feeling anything but camaraderie toward a Dame who made it perfectly clear she wanted nothing more from him. He frowned slightly at the grit and pebbles beneath his feet. Was he being foolish by allowing Eva to creep back into his heart? Was it not better for them to maintain professional distance after all that had passed between them? His answer came when he realised he had made no move to remove her hand, which continued to rest lightly on his forearm.

Their conversation continued as they walked and talked for a while before Malfoy began steering them towards the Knights' Tower. When they reached the wooden door of the tower, Eva removed her arm from Malfoy's and stepped in front of him. She threw her hair over her shoulder and placed her un-gloved right hand over the door. As it began to click & release she threw a sly look at Malfoy over her shoulder. He noticed the look but was confused by its meaning and instead chose to ignore it completely. Eva pushed the door open and began to walk towards the staircase. When they reached the third floor Malfoy assumed she would continue on up but Eva moved towards the landing and headed in the direction of his room. When she reached his door, she passed it and kept walking but stopped at the door directly adjacent to his.

"My new quarters," said Eva by way of explanation.

"I see," was all he could say.

The thought of having Eva so close and yet totally out of reach was going to kill him.

She pushed the door ajar and before walking in turned to face Malfoy who was about to enter his own room.

"I'll see you at supper. I need to freshen up from my journey."

"Till supper then," he replied.

Closing his door securely behind him, Malfoy threw his surcoat and sword onto the bed and placed both his hands on the doorframe. He leaned against it heavily and pressed his forehead into the sturdy oak door.

'Get a grip Malfoy. She is back; it was going to happen eventually. Just be a man and deal with it,' he said to himself sternly.

He pushed himself away from the doorframe and made his way over to the armchair and table by the window. He reached to a shelf above the chair and pulled down a small bundle of cleaning equipment. He began his daily ritual of oiling and cleaning his sword before placing it back into its scabbard and hanging it in its usual place. He dumped his dirty surcoat and shirt on the ground and removed his boots and socks. Placing the boots next to his dirty clothes for polishing, Malfoy removed the remainder of his clothing. Heading towards the bathroom, he noticed that it was twilight; the day really had passed quickly. He turned on the shower and found his thoughts drifting back to Eva. Determined not to think about her he began soaping himself down with unnecessary vigour. Scrubbing his hair thoroughly allowed him a few more minutes of clear thinking before he began to rinse himself off. As he stepped out of the shower and reached for his towel, he heard the door to his room click and open. His initial reaction was to drop slightly into a forward attack stance before straightening up again almost immediately; realising it was probably a house-elf come to collect his dirty clothes and sandy boots he smiled to himself at his reaction and began to towel himself dry. After a few minutes he realised he had not heard the door again and after running a comb through his damp hair, he pulled the bathroom door open to investigate.

Sitting in the armchair by the window was no house elf.

It was Eva Archer.

"I thought that you had filled out a bit since I last saw you while you were sparring but the up close and personal view is so much better. I must commend you, you look truly fabulous," said Eva with a smirk.

Malfoy had instinctively reached for his towel, which to his relief, was still tied securely round his waist.

"Well Eva I am a man now, I was a boy when we were last together. It is only natural," replied Malfoy evasively.

"Eau Natural indeed," replied Eva as she stood from the armchair.

She was wearing a white cotton bathrobe and her hair was still damp from a recent shower. The shadows visible in the fold of the robe indicated she was wearing nothing else. Her arms hung loosely at her sides as she padded over to where Malfoy was standing still only in his towel. Archer raised her left hand and ran her index finger down the middle of Malfoy's chest.

"You've grown taller," she said in a soft murmur.

"I have," replied Malfoy standing a little straighter.

"Eva took another step closer; there were now mere centimetres between their two bodies. Malfoy could feel the body heat radiating off Eva and it was tempting him tremendously. He did not know how much longer he could keep his hands stationary. Eva's eyes roved over every inch of Malfoy's exposed body, from his feet, his calves and his knees to his stomach, chest, shoulders, arms and his hands. At last she raised her eyes and looked into his face. Her left hand came up to trace the lines of his jaw and the hair of his chin. She ran her thumb over his thick bottom lip and stroked his nose. She traced his eyes and then followed the hairline down to his ear. She caressed his ear lobe, which caused Malfoy to visibly shudder in anticipation. Malfoy's left hand cupped her cheek as he bent forward to kiss her. Eva tilted her head back and closed her eyes. Just before their lips met Malfoy paused, he could feel her breath coming in hot short bursts against the corner of his mouth.

"Archer," he breathed.

"Malfoy," she responded.

You left me," he muttered. "You left me for a mission that you could have refused, no one would have thought less of you if you had stayed."

Eva opened her eyes to see Malfoy staring down at her. She lowered her chin and placed her left hand on Draco's chest.

"Information is power; that is why I left Malfoy. To learn more so that I could give the Dark Lord more power. Isn't that our goal here, power?"

"That is bullshit and you know it, Archer! You left because of me, because you were scared of how serious I was about you! You were scared that we would become something more important than the Dark Lord and his cause. You still don't get it; I wasn't asking you to give up your loyalty to all this for me. I was asking you to unite your loyalty with mine so we could have been invincible. Can you imagine what we could have become? Unstoppable! Doing the Dark Lord's work with love as well as loyalty to fuel our passions! That is what I wanted for us, but you bolted because you got scared."

Eva stepped away from Draco who had worked himself up into bitterness and hurt during his rant.

"Fuck you and your ideals Malfoy! You always thought bigger than you were," spat Eva as she turned away and began heading for the door.

"ARCHER!" bellowed Malfoy.

Eva opened the door a crack and was about to swing it fully open, when she heard Malfoy shout her name. She turned her head to see him stride toward her in four graceful, long steps. He spun her around, lifted her up to his face and slammed her back into the door, which immediately shut with a thud. Their faces were centimetres apart once more. Eva's legs had automatically circled Malfoy's waist as he lifted her and he was now standing with his chest pressed against hers, hands firmly on the door either side of her head. His eyes blazed with ferocity and resentment.

"That's more like it," said Eva.

She placed both hands on either side of his face and pulled him toward her. Their lips met with such force that Malfoy had to steady himself. He pushed them away from the door and ran his hands up Eva's thighs. She tightened her grip around him as she released his lips and embraced him tightly.

"I've missed you," she whispered into his neck.

"Me too," he said hoarsely.

He wrapped his arms around her slender frame and hugged her close to his chest. Slowly, still wrapped around each other, Malfoy began to walk towards the bed. Eva ran her hands down his back and over his rear. She nibbled at his ear and immediately felt him harden beneath her. Malfoy undid the knot on her robe with one hand and peeled it slowly away to reveal Eva in all her glory bathed in the summer twilight. He stared at her naked front and traced his palm over a white scar shaped like a crescent around her torso.

"This is new," he said quietly.

"Gathering information isn't as safe as some like to think," she replied distantly.

Malfoy lowered her onto the bed and bent to kiss the scar. It was hot against his lips and glistened slightly. As he moved toward her stomach, she giggled audibly.

"Your chin fluff tickles! That's also new," she squealed.

"Fluff!? This is not fluff, Archer. It's a beard thank you very much," said Malfoy in mock outrage.

"It's soft and smooth yes, but it still tickles," she replied sitting up to face him.

They kissed tenderly as Eva's hand went down to unwrap Malfoy's towel. She pulled away as soon as the towel came off and dived under the covers. Malfoy was not far behind her and soon enough had pinned her beneath him.

"All that muscle does seriously weigh a ton, Malfoy!" she laughed. "I don't remember you ever being this heavy!"

"Then allow me to refresh your memory," said Malfoy coyly as he bent down to kiss her again.

As Archer and Malfoy made love over, and over and over again all thoughts of supper were soon forgotten. Twilight passed to reveal a warm summer's night while a gentle breeze tickled the sweet scent of honeysuckle into Malfoy's bedroom. Exhausted after a long awaited reunion Malfoy fell asleep close to dawn completely satiated.

Archer however, waited for Malfoy to fall asleep before quietly removing herself from his embrace, kissing him on the forehead, gathering her bathrobe and leaving with the first rays of sunlight.