Gabe took a calming breath before pushing the doors open of the interrogation room, Kingston was sitting at the table, magically bound so that he couldn't move. Keeping his face impassive he sat down at the table, setting the journal down in between the two of them on the clear expanse of the table. Kingston's eyes flicked down, the slight dilating of his pupils the only sign that he recognized the tattered leather.

"So Malfoy, decided to pay a visit. I must say I expected you earlier than this," Kingston leaned forward his pale face drawn in a smile that sent chills up and down Gabe's spine. "Or perhaps you have some questions for me?"

Gabe stiffened in his chair, but didn't say anything. Kingston laughed, leaning back he smiled broadly, "Come on Gabriel, its just us. Now tell big brother what's on your mind."

Gabe glanced down, opening the journal he flipped to an entry in the middle. Calmly he began reading out loud, "Today Draco went to see his mother, I think he is beginning to suspect. But by the time that he has figured it out it will be too late…"

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Blaise whirled around at the cracking of a twig, his wand drawn and at the ready. Rolling his eyes at the figure approaching, "Damn it Potter don't sneak up on me. I don't want to explain your missing appendages to Dumbledore."

Harry rolled his eyes, crouching down next to the already low slytherin, "Any movement yet?"

"No, and Draco is late," Blaise muttered under his breath. He was cold and hungry, having been waiting in the woods for hours, "Any word from the Weasley's?"

"No," both men jerked at the quiet voice that came from the right. The blonde slytherin smirked as he soundlessly walked through the undergrowth. "Why the hell are we here Blaise? I told you to follow my father?"

Blaise glared at him, "I did; him and Snape both came here two hours ago and haven't left since."

The three men looked to the cheerfully lit up cottage, the wildflowers and high grass of the meadow reaching to the very door of the typically uninhabited dwelling. Draco slowly stood, "I'll take the back, Potter the side, leaves you with the front."

The two men nodded, as one the group began creeping forward. Sticking to the shadows they made there way towards the various entrances. Harry crouched down by the open window on the side, ready to dive through at a moments notice. He couldn't see or hear Draco or Blaise, but he knew when they were in position. A bang from the back sent the form Gryffindor diving through the window and rolling across the floor to a standing position with his wand at the ready. He glanced to the right and found an equal prepared Blaise who was pointing his wand at the two men standing across the room. A cry from the closed door to the left made all four men flinch.

"Bloody hell," the roar of outrage caused Harry to turn his attention to Draco who was being shoved forward by an angry blonde woman, who Harry had only seen once before. "Mother quite."

"What was that noise," a scared voice asked from next to Harry. All three intruders froze, Harry felt his throat close up. Looking over at Draco, he watched the blonde freeze, his face showing nothing but his eyes burning as they looked to the now open doorway across the room.

Ginny stood holding a trembling Michael in her arms. Her hair mussed from sleep, but her eyes showing her attentiveness, and they widened when they landed on Harry standing just a few feet away from her. Taking a shaky step forward, she began to cry as she reached out a hand to her friend, "Harry?"

Harry dropped his wand and hugged her to him, mindful not to crush the whimpering boy in between them, "Oh Gods Gin, I was so scared that we wouldn't find you."

Ginny pulled back, bringing up a hand she traced her fingers over his face. Her smile was overwhelming, and a bit watery, but it had never been a more beautiful one, "How did you find me?"

"It took you three long enough to come in," Severus muttered as he sat back down in an old leather armchair. "I was beginning to think that we weren't obvious enough for you to follow Blaise."

Blaise shook himself out of his stupor, "Well Professor, if I had known you were expecting us I would have sped these two up to accommodate you."

Severus smirked, looking up he watched Lucius warring with himself as he looked at the two Gryffindors' hugging just a few feet away. "Lucius sit down, they aren't going anywhere."

Lucius nodded, but remained standing stiffly, "I was just watching Severus, no harm in that."

Severus rolled his eyes, before turning his attention to the other Malfoy male. Draco was also stiffly watching the hugging couple, but his eyes were not confused, they held an almost unchecked fury in them that startled the older man. He watched as Narcissa laid a soothing hand upon Draco's tensed wand arm. Knowing where his former student's thoughts were going, he cleared his throat loudly, getting everyone's attention but twos.

"Michael is alright isn't he Miss Weasley? No harm done by their rather loud entrance?" Severus asked, making eye contact with Narcissa who nodded in understanding and began to steer Draco to the kitchen table.

Ginny drew back from Harry, holding a now happy fully awake little boy in her arms. Nuzzling her son's head she turned to Severus and rewarded him with a smile, "No, no harm done."

Michael looked around the room, his pale grey eyes widening at the group assembled. Overlooking his grandfather, Uncles Harry and Serverus, and the dark stranger leaning against the door with a friendly smile; his eyes rounded when he saw the pale blonde head seated at the table with his grandmother. Wiggling down he began to shout with happiness, "Dada."

Ginny watched stunned as her son jumped from her arms, and ran to the now kneeling man. His happy cries echoing harshly on her ears, her eyes watered as the sight that she never thought she would see was before her. Walking around Harry, she half stumbled across the room till she was standing before her son and his father.

Draco looked up from his position on the floor, holding Michael close to him he made eye contact with Ginny as he stood. Her eyes were unreadable, which scared him more than he would like to admit, gone was the girl who he had been able to read like a book. The girl who's every emotion had been laid before him, it was worse than looking at her and seeing a stranger in her body. Locking eyes with Ginny, he knew that the girl he had fallen in love with was truly lost to him. And after seeing her in Potter's arms he knew that it was truly so.

"Dada, Mama," Michael yelled turning in his father's arms he held his small arm out to his mother, "Mama look Dada."

"Narcissa would you mind watching Michael for a minute?" Ginny whispered, her voice cold in the quiet room.

Narcissa moved forward soundlessly, her smile coaxing as she held her arms out to the small boy, "Michael come with me and I will get Uncle Sevie to play potions with you."

Blaise snorted at the nickname, "Uncle Sevie? Why Professor I never knew you for the family type."

"Shut it Zabini," Severus snarled, "I will remind you that technically you are in enemy territory, and a casualty would not have been unexpected for this little venture of yours."

Harry looked around the room dazed at the simple homey quality and the fact that no one was trying to kill him. Looking over at Lucius he noted that like Blaise he had not relinquished his hold on his wand, something that even himself had done when he had seen Ginny and Michael safe. But since the older man had chosen not to speak, Harry thought it wise not to call his attention.

Michael reluctantly went to his grandmother, his face showing his worry though that his father would disappear if he did not stay with him. Draco smiled reassuringly at his son, "Don't worry, I won't be leaving anytime soon."

Ginny nodded to Narcissa and walked out the back door without another word, Draco followed her movements with fire in his eyes. How dare she be so calm, when he was a wreck, he thought giving the room a glance he followed behind her. Not closing the door for fear that Michael would begin to cry, and also not wanting to be cut off from his son just yet.

His eyes adjusting to the dim light of the moonlit night, he saw Ginny standing fist clenched just a few feet away. He stopped, and waited for her to say something, his eyes taking in every obviously furious detail she presented.

He didn't have to wait long for her to react, she took the two steps required so that she was within reach of him. Raising her hand she brought it hard across his cheek, the power of it making his head snap around. He remained impassive as she brought her hand up to do it again, the second time falling on a stinging cheek making his eyes waver but his expression remained solid. It wasn't until she raised her arm for the fourth hit that he moved, grabbing her wrist in his hand he yanked her arm down. His grey eyes taking in the tears pouring down her face, the defeated furious look that made his heart ache.

"I'm sorry," he whispered it so quietly that at first he thought she didn't hear him over her own sobs, "I'm sorry Gin."

"I loved you," Ginny choked, "I loved you and you threw it back in my face like it was trash, like I was trash."

He didn't say anything, she wouldn't let him, "I gave up everything for you. My friends, family, the only boy to ever love me."

He clenched his jaw to keep from yelling at her that he loved her more than Potter ever could or did, that he had always loved her. That he had never stopped, even when he didn't realize that what he was feeling was love his mind had been filled with thoughts of her.

"You used me to get to Harry," Ginny whispered her voice lacking any emotion, "Like I was some whore. I hate you. I don't love you."

"Yes you do," he growled, he could take anything from her but that he could not. He could take her hate, her tears to an extent and even the cold indifference, but when she took her love from him was the final straw. It was the only thing to keep him going on the many Death Eater meetings he had to face, the times he had to sit by and watch an innocent child tortured. The time he had tricked an entire platoon of men into thinking that the Weasley's were dead, her love that had been given so freely and passionately when he had her. The love that he had thrown in her face when he held a wand to her throat, the love he had truly realized the day he was told she was gone, possibly for good. "You promised me Weasley, always remember?"

"I lied, just like you did," Ginny tried to free her arm, but Draco tightened his grip and trapped her further by gripping her other arm. "Let me go Malfoy."

"I never lied to mio fuoco," Draco whispered, drawing her closer he crushed his mouth to hers. The kiss was anything but sweet, Ginny fought the entire time, and Draco only pulled back when she bit at his lips, "Remember when I told you that it was the fire that you had to worry about when it came to the dragon Draco? You are my fire, il mio fuoco. My all consuming fire."

"Enough of your lies Draco," Ginny cried, struggling to break away from him. Being near him was to hard, the pain was to much for her. "I can't, I won't be your plaything again."

Draco let her go, his heart clenching as he watched the frightened look on her face as she stumbled back from him. Her eyes wild with fear and something he couldn't read, taking a step forward he stopped when she jumped back. Stopping he dropped his hands to his sides, "Ginny please."

Ginny choked back her sob, shaking her head she skirted past him and ran into the cottage. Draco took a deep breath as he listened to the door to the bedroom slam shut in the stillness that followed her retreat. He didn't even realize he was still just standing there until he felt a hand on his trembling shoulder, turning he looked down at his mother.

"I lost her," Draco whispered, Narcissa smiled sadly up at him cupping his cheek in her smooth hand, "I thought that if I could just find her, that if she could just see how much I love her she would come back to me. But it was too much, she hates me now."

"Quiet, your son does not need to see this, and he wishes to see his father before he goes back to sleep," Narcissa pulled him down so that she could look him in the eye without straining, "Give it time Draco."

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Ginny laid in bed listening to the stillness of the cottage, Michael was asleep in his small tumbler bed across the room. Lucius, Snape, Blaise and Harry having left to strategize shortly after her talk with Draco. Narcissa and Draco had taken longer to leave, Michael falling asleep for the first time in his father's arms because he was to excited to let Draco go to get into bed. Now the small cottage was quiet, and it made Ginny face the thoughts running through her head.

Seeing Draco was startling, nothing like she imagined. Her first thought had been anger, anger that he had shown up after all this time his heart in his eyes as he held the son she had never known he had known about in his arms. Then anger at herself for the pang of jealousy she felt that it was her son in Draco's arms and not herself. She had felt broken after confronting him, and used feeling she hadn't felt since the last time by the lake.

Nerves making her unable to sleep she swung her feet off the bed as she sat up, tiptoeing over she looked down at the sleeping boy. Smiling she tucked the sheet around him, his little body overly warm with night sweats made it impossible for him to sleep comfortably with a blanket on. Michael shifted in his sleep turning so that he was sprawled on his back one arm flung wide in search of his lost green dragon, the one that Ginny had always assumed one of her brothers had given him, and had realized tonight that Draco had been the provider. Straightening she made her way out of the bedroom, stopping short when she saw the blond man sprawled on a pallet in front of the fireplace.

Ginny walked over and looked down at Draco's peaceful sleeping face, the urge to kick him flashed through her mind. Then she saw the tail of green peeking out from under the cloak that he was using as a pillow, crouching down she carefully eased the small stuffed animal from under the black material. Holding the animal to her she smiled at the frayed fur, stained in various places from Michael's rather rough treatment. She didn't know what made her look up, a shift in the air of the room or just a deep knowledge of Draco. But looking up she found herself looking into Draco's alert eyes.

"He has been missing this," Ginny whispered, her anger disappearing as she recognized the look he was giving her. A look she had not seen in so long, the same look she had craved for even longer. Need that was the only way she could describe it, a look filled with such need for her that it could make her weak in the knees from across a room. Shaking her head she began to get to her feet, only to be stopped by his hand on her arm, "Please…"

Draco sat up, drawing her closer he brought his other hand up so that he was cupping the back of her head. His fingers flexing through her hair as he brought her closer to him, his lips brushing softly over hers. Ginny sighed, her eyes fluttering closed as he deepened the kiss, his tongue begging entrance which she happily granted. Ginny felt her blood surge as his tongue plundered her mouth, her hands coming up to grip his shirt front she drew him closer as she matched his fervor. Mouths slanting, Draco pulled her so that she was pressed against him on his lap. His mouth trailed across her jaw and down her neck, Ginny felt as if her body was on fire. His fingers trailed down her torso catching the edge of the pajama shirt she wore and ghosting under to dance across her stomach, making her muscles quiver.

"Mama," Michael's sleepy shout stilled their movements, Ginny's breath was coming in labored bursts. And Draco was no better, but with a resolve that belied the force of his passion moments before he pulled his hand out from under her shirt. Wild golden eyes met dark grey ones as Ginny hastily got to her feet and began walking back to the bedroom, the stuffed green dragon in her hand.

"Mama's here baby," Draco heard Ginny murmur to their son, the thought made him smile. He shifted, still painfully aroused but knowing that a repeat of the snog he had just had was unlikely he climbed to his feet and cautiously walked to the open bedroom door. Ginny was sitting on the trundle bed, Michael laying back the dragon clutched in his arms as Ginny whispered a song to him. Draco watched sleep take over his son, the large grey eyes drooping as he was lulled asleep by the soothing voice of his mother.

"Fi la nana, e mi bel fiol,

Fi la nana, e mi bel fiol,

Fa si la nana.

Fa si la nana.

Dormi ben, e mi bel fiol,

Dormi ben, e mi bel fiol,

Fa si la nana.

Fa si la nana."

Ginny looked up at him at the last verse, Michael sound asleep before she had even finished. Getting up she walked slowly to the door, her eyes sad as she looked up at him, as she closed the door softly between them. Draco closed his eyes as the door clicked into place, leaning his forehead against rough wood he listened as the bed springs of her bed squeaked as she climbed into bed.

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Harry looked up as Owen handed him a cup of coffee, raising it to his lips he turned his attention back to the room containing the silently glaring Cassandra Granger. The two men watched as the door to the interrogation room opened and a shuffling woman walked in. Her dark brown hair hanging down in her face as she juggled a hand full of files and a coffee cup, while trying to pull the door closed.

Cassandra raised an eyebrow of disdain at the young woman before her, "Are you the secretary?"

The woman raised her head for the first time since entering the small interrogation room, revealing a pair of lightning blue eyes set that were so startling that Owen was amazed. Tearing his eyes away from hers, he took note of her other features, high cheekbones set off by a golden complexion, and full pouty lips. The only mar was a long jagged pale scar running down the right side of her face, when she smiled coldly at the prisoner you hardly noticed the scar at all. Owen simply stared at her as she set her things down at the table and took a sip of her coffee.

"Auror Longbottom at your service Miss Granger," the woman said sitting down opposite Cassandra.

"Let me guess, they were worried a man would fall in love with me and wouldn't be able to get the job done?" Cassandra looked disdainfully at her nails. Studying the ragged edges with the air of up most importance.

"Actually, they believed that due to certain circumstances the most qualified Interrogator was necessary for this case," Longbottom said with a cool voice, her attention turning from the woman across from her to the files in front of her. "You are quite an interesting character Cassandra-May I call you Cassandra?"

Cassandra waved her hand in dismissal, "Could I stop you?"

Longbottom chuckled under her breath, "No I don't think you could. I mean I am not your style am I, you like to seduce and then get them while they are," giving Cassandra a sly grin, "shall we say on the flat of their backs?"

Cassandra snarled, "I don't know what you are insinuating but I have never done anything so crass."

Harry turned to Owen, who was simply staring at the pair in the room beyond the charmed stone wall. Smiling he chuckled at the confounded expression on the younger man's face, "Seraphina Longbottom, Neville's middle daughter. And one of my best interrogators, girl's got more steel in her spine than old Mad Eye Moody."

"She isn't what I expected," Owen looked at the girl he could remember vaguely from his years at school. She had been shy, sticking to her own friends in the Gryffindor common room and letting her elder sister have the lime light. He remembered watching the quiet girl sitting in the corner reading, her long brown locks blocking her face and the scar from view. Celeste though had everyone's attention, and eventually Owen had simply forgotten about the other Longbottom.

"She isn't what most people expect, throws people off when she walks in the door," Harry smiled at Owen, "She'll get all the information we need without resorting to potions, or torture."

"Looking at your file Cassandra I was somewhat surprised that you resorted to killing to get what you wanted," Seraphina flipped the file around so that Cassandra could look at her life neatly laid out for everyone to see. "Though your mother died when you were still in school, you had doting Grandparents who provided you with everything. And when that wasn't enough, you had your boyfriends. Seven of the most eligible bachelors in the continent were listed among your bed partners."

"Are we going to trade stories now, compare my love life to the one you can scrounge up," Cassandra leaned forward, a mean glint in her eyes, "Have you ever known the touch of a man Auror Longbottom? Ever had one between your thighs driving into you, making you forget everything with the pleasure of it?"

Seraphina sat back as if contemplating the answer, but Cassandra sneered at her before she could answer, "I don't imagine that you have, men run the other way from woman who look as hideous as you do."

Owen stiffened at the insult, "Bloody hell, I had forgotten how cruel she could be."

Seraphina smiled calmly though, "No, I don't think you could imagine that at all. Tell me Cassandra did any of those lovers compare to the power you felt when you took Matteo Zabini's life? The exhilaration of it, knowing that you were almost godlike in your power?"

Cassandra smiled, her beautiful face a marble mask, "No, none of them did."

"Tell me what if felt like, the power the rush," Seraphina leaned forward eagerness written on her face.

Cassandra laughed low, tapping her chipped nails on the file she paused her eyes twinkling in the harsh lighting, "Hoping to ensnare some poor sap, with your face it must be hard difficult."

Seraphina shrugged, "Something like that. Did you learn this from your mother?"

Cassandra stiffened, "Mother was a fool, she threw her life away on some notion that Malfoy would come back to her."

Seraphina nodded in female sympathy, "Did she tell you about him, and her relationship with him?"

"She never talked about anything else, Teddy and I had to listen to her all the damn time," Cassandra dragged a finger across the lip of the file, making the papers flutter, "Olivia was lucky, her father convinced Mother to let him have custody of her. She never say us except at special occasions."

"Her father, I thought you all had the same father?" Seraphina raised a dark eyebrow in question, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Cassandra rolled her eyes, "Teddy's father was Malfoy, mine was an official she bribed to let her go after the war, and she didn't even stick around long enough to learn his name. Olivia's was a Quidditch player she met in a pub one night; he was the only one of her boyfriends to stick around long enough to learn the truth about her. Paid her off when Olivia was three and took her off to live with him in Romania."

Seraphina shook her head, "Why if you saw how her life was did you take up where she left off after her death."

"Because they didn't suffer, they were living as if we didn't exist. As if Mother didn't exist, he acted as if she had never mattered. He destroyed her, and he gets to live like she never existed," Cassandra's face was flushed and mottled with rage.

Owen couldn't believe the insane creature seating just beyond the wall from him was the same woman that he had dated and fallen in love with for two years. Turning away from the wall, he walked over to the door calling over his shoulder as he walked away from the small room, "Call me when she is about to get the kiss."

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"She is insane," Seraphina said as she set her evaluation on the desk in front of Gabe. "Her mum did a real number on her and the brother, blaming them, the Malfoys, and Zabini's for everything that ever went wrong in her life. Hermione would get drunk and beat Theodore, called him Draco while she did it. Damn miracle that Olivia's father got her out of there, she would have probably been beat to."

"As horrible as she was they still took up where she left off?" Gabe asked incredulous, he was exhausted after his interview with Kingston. But the job had to be resolved with in week so that the siblings could be prosecuted.

Seraphina ran a hand through her hair, pushing the loose curls off her face so that she could pierce him with her lightning blue eyes, "You see it a lot in kidnapping cases, the victim becomes like their captor in the hopes of winning their approval. The captor is so in control of the victims' actions that they are the only one with whom the victim thinks they have to prove themselves."

"So we are supposed to pity them?" Owen asked incredulous, leaning back in his chair he studied the quiet woman.

Seraphina sighed in obvious frustration, "Harry told me to find a reason as to why they would do what they did, and I did. By all means don't pity them, but understand them it is what makes you different from them. They blame you for what your parents did to their mother, they don't separate you from your parents. But prove that you are better, separate them from their mother, understand that they suffered perhaps even more than you have. Then sentence them."

Not waiting for anything else Seraphina turned and walked out the door. The soft click resounding in the small office, and washing over the two occupants sitting stiffly in their chairs.

Owen looked at his brother, taking in the indifferent mask that was just held on by sheer determination, "Nice girl, invite her to dinner."

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"Carolyn?"

Carolyn looked up from the letter she was reading, to see Patrick hesitantly shifting from foot to foot. The library was unusually full for a Saturday afternoon, but finals were coming up and half the student body was trying to cram a years worth of studies into a weekend of studying. Carolyn smiled politely at him, and nodded for him to sit down across from her, which the red head did with obvious reluctance. Going back to her reading, she ignored the boy who had begun pulling books out of his bag to study.

Patrick looked up from his Transfiguration work; he couldn't help it when his pulse sped up as he looked at the blonde concentrating so intently. She was chewing on her bottom lip, a line of frustration marring her forehead, and black circles made her cheeks paler than normal. She had obviously not gotten enough sleep in the last couple of days, but to Patrick she had never looked more beautiful. He had always thought so, even when she had been an awkward kid tripping over her feet. He had teased her, because well it had been the only way that he could get her attention, she was the type of girl that if you weren't a book or a quaffle she didn't care. Then his prat of a cousin had come into the picture and all of a sudden she was noticing a guy, just the wrong one.

Carolyn glanced up, her eyes widened when she found Patrick staring at her, a frown on his face. Smiling nervously, Carolyn turned back to her letter, but glanced up after a few moments to find Patrick looking intently at his book. Sighing Carolyn set the letter from her mother down, it had been full of motherly advice on how best to handle an over protective boyfriend. Advice that didn't help her in the least, but Carolyn didn't care she was planning on resolving things on her own anyway.

"Carolyn could you help me with this," Carolyn set her things aside, as Patrick handed her his essay on shape shifting charms for non humans into human.

Glancing over the information quickly she glanced up at him and grinned, "This is good Patrick, but you got the wand movements for the animation of a non living transfiguration a little confused. It's a long swoop and then a short flick."

Patrick took back the offered scroll, "Thanks, I knew there was something wrong about it."

"No problem," Carolyn said before going back to her work, looking up she caught Patrick looking at her again. Rolling her eyes at the situation she set her books back down and looked at him, "What is it Patrick? Do I have something on my face?"

Patrick grinned as she began rummaging in her bag for a mirror, "No you don't have anything on your face. What a guy can't look at a pretty girl?"

Carolyn blushed, "Thanks I guess."

"I always thought you were pretty, its just that you never gave any guy the time of day," Patrick gulped back the nervousness in his belly, "Look what I am trying to say is that I am sorry for making your life a living hell, I was just…I was…"

"Trying to flirt?" Carolyn laughed, leaning back in her chair she tried to stifle her laughter with a hand to her mouth, but the muffled sounds still leaked out.

Patrick turned red as he looked down at his papers, muttering under his breath, "It's not that funny."

Carolyn snorted, causing the redhead to look up in shock. His face slowly breaking out into a grin as he looked at the laughing girl, "Did you just snort?"

Carolyn shook her head, but a smaller snort escaped her as she laughed. Patrick threw his head back as he laughed at her now, while Carolyn tried to control her snorts. When they looked at each other, the laughter just started fresh again, causing several students to look and whispering to make the rounds of the library.

"Excuse me, but you two have to leave now," Madame Pince looked down her rather beak like nose at the two students crying because they were laughing so loud. Who laughed louder as they looked up at her, "Well I never, Miss Jacobs as Head Girl I would think that you of all people would no the proper decorum for a library."

Gathering their things together the two giggling students sniggered all the way out the library. Once the massive wood doors slammed close behind them though, they began to sober. Carolyn smiled up at Patrick as she shifted her bag on her shoulder, "Well that was interesting."

Rubbing the back of his head, Patrick grinned, "Jacobs I never thought I would see the day when you were thrown out of the library."

"Yeah me either," Carolyn laughed, sobering she looked down at her watch, she was suppose to meet Gabe in the Room at nine. It was only fifteen after eight, turning her attention back to Patrick she smiled, "Want to get a bite from the kitchens?"

Patrick straightened, "I'd love to."

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Gabe smiled as he waved goodbye to Dumbledore, quickening his pace he glanced at his watch. He was running late, and knew that Carolyn was probably furious at him, sighing he rounded the corner to the Room of Requirement and stopped short. Carolyn was leaning against the wall laughing at something that Patrick was saying to her. Gabe leaned back in the shadows of the corner and watched his cousin as the younger man leaned against the wall opposite Carolyn.

A sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach caught him, an ugly thought racing threw his head as he watched the easy banter of the two. Had he lost her because of their fight about her job? He had barely even had her before she had slipped through his fingers; bile was rising in his stomach from the thought. Pushing the sickness aside he straightened from his rather undignified hiding spot. Putting a charming smile on his face, Gabe sauntered forward, "Hello cousin, I see you finally learned some manners."

Patrick blushed, his eyes darting to Carolyn before answering, "We just came to an understanding is all. No harm no foul, right Carolyn?"

Carolyn grinned, her dimples flashing, "Yes, though it was touch and go there for awhile. I must say the Malfoy's aren't the only side of the family with charm."

Gabe inwardly bristled, but smiled knowingly at his younger cousin, "I'm sure that's true. Do you still want to go over the next section tonight?"

Carolyn glanced down at her watch, shaking her head, "No it is to late to start now."

Gabe nodded in understanding, "Well then I guess I will be on my way. Night to you both."

Turning he began making his way down the hall, missing the hurt look that flashed on Carolyn's face, and the angry flush that resulted from the look on Patrick's. Patrick gave Carolyn a nod and motioned for her to follow the quickly leaving man. Carolyn murmured a good bye, and dashed after Gabe, leaving a now glowering Patrick to shuffle off in the opposite direction.

Carolyn caught Gabe just as he was turning the corner, "Gabe, what is wrong?"

Gabe stopped looking at her with fire in his eyes, "What's wrong with me? We get into a fight and you all but jump into my cousin's arms. My fucking cousin."

Carolyn sucked in a painful breath, "You think I was doing something with Patrick?"

"Well you two went from being enemies to being awfully chummy pretty damn quick. What the hell was I suppose to think?" Gabe growled, his frustration wearing his patience thinner than it had ever been before.

Carolyn laughed, the sound a harsh rendition of what it had been only moments before when she had been joking around with Patrick in the hall. The very thought of her joking around with the other man was enough to set his teeth on edge.

"I love you, you stupid prat," Carolyn yelled, her hands coming to clench his shirt front and drag him down so that he was level with her. Crushing her mouth to his for a fraction of a second she yanked back and pushed him, "I don't know when or why but I love you. And just because we get into one stupid fight does not mean that I will go running off to some other guy. Now I am going back to the room, and after you have got that through your thick skull you can join me."

Gabe watched stunned as Carolyn walked away from him, her slight figure disappearing from sight before he could even breath normally again. His feet quickly eating the ground separating them. Catching her arm in his hand he whirled her around, his mouth swooping down to hers. Softly he coaxed her lips apart so that his tongue could taste her, his fingers curled around her arm drawing her closer. His other hand going up to tangle in her hair, massaging her skull.

Carolyn sighed into the kiss, leaning her body fully on his she wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him closer to her. He wrapped an arm around her, pressing her against him as he lifted her off the floor, deepening the kiss. Carolyn groaned when he broke the kiss, and leaned back. Looking up at him she felt her knees weaken at the barely controlled passion she saw in the golden depths.

"If you want me to stop, then now would be the time," Gabe whispered, his voice rough. His hands loosening, so that she was standing on her feet again, though she leaned against him weakly. Gabe almost smirked at the dazed passion on her face, the expression solely for him.

Carolyn didn't say anything, taking his hand in hers she began walking towards the room, once the door was open Gabe pulled her so that she was facing him once again. The door shut behind them was the only sound in the room besides their heavy breathing. Running a finger down the side of her face, Gabe leaned down to nip at her lips. His finger trailing down and hooking in the open v of her shirt, stopping when it rested in between her breasts and prevented from going further by the still fastened buttons.

Carolyn gasped, her body tingling for more than the feather light touch of his hands and lips. Pulling him by the hand over to the large bed situated near by, Carolyn smiled against his lips as he followed her more than willingly. Nervousness settled in her stomach though when she felt the bed at the back of her legs, but Gabe her no time to dwell on it. With the deliberately slow movements he picked her up and sat her on the bed, with him standing in between her legs, his hips pressing against her core. Carolyn leaned back to look him in the eye as he pushed against her, her mouth open in pleasure t the friction their clothes created.

Gabe ran his hands along her thighs, pushing her skirt up out of his way fingers tingling as they brushed against the bared skin. Kissing her, he hooked his fingers in her panties and dragged them down. Breaking the kiss long enough to drag the garment off her completely. Stepping forward until he was once again settled in between her thighs, he slipped a hand between them.

Carolyn arched back as his hand touched her, her eyes closing as she cried out at the new sensation. His fingers working her until she was quivering for release, her hands fisted in the covers of the bed as she peaked. Her cry of pleasure reverberating over the walls of the room, Gabe smiled down at the girl laying before him. Leaning down on his hands over her, he kissed her slowly, his tongue coaxing her to respond to him. When he withdrew, he felt her hands come up to hold him in place.

"Gabe," Carolyn whispered, her voice huskier than normal. Sitting up, she blushed up at him, not knowing what to say to a man who had just given her an amazing orgasm.

He smiled at her, his hands leaving her long enough to unbutton his shirt. Shrugging out of the suddenly unbearable material, he hissed as she ran her hands down his stomach. Fingers playing lightly over the tense muscles, to rest at the fastening of his pants. Gabe cupped her cheek in his hand, causing her to look up at him.

"Carolyn you," he stopped when she leaned forward her tongue licking his bellybutton. His hand involuntarily moved to cup the back of her hair, fingers clenching in her hair, as she placed tiny bites up his abdomen, until she reached his collarbone. Kissing her way to his mouth, and now on her knees Carolyn traced her hands across the front of his pants. Gabe sucked in a fresh lungful of air at the teasingly light touch, gripping the back of her head he pulled her face up to meet his kiss. His lips savage as they sought to find some kind of release from the pleasure coursing through him.

Carolyn gasped into his mouth, her fingers flying to the buttons of her own shirt. Breaking apart, the two wrenched their clothes off, Carolyn kneeling naked on the bed couldn't feel embarrassment in the situation, she was to stunned with the Gabe standing bare before her. Pulling him to her with a soft hand on his arm, she brought his lips to hers, the kiss slow and tender, as they memorized each others bodies with seeking hands. Falling back on the bed, Carolyn moaned at the feel of Gabe's hard muscled body on top of her own. Arching against him, her breath caught at the feel of his arousal burning her flesh.

"I can't wait any longer," Gabe whispered his voice little more than a whisper as he braced himself at her entrance. Looking down at her, brown locked with green as he pushed forward with one quick stroke. The minimal resistance lost in the pleasure of being one, slowly they began to move together. Building with each other towards the promise of pleasure, bodies moving with one another. Gabe's muscles tightened as Carolyn found her release for a second time, her body tightening as she cried out. With a low grunt he was lost, collapsing on top of her as he spent himself.

Sliding off his sated lover, Gabe hauled Carolyn so that she was laying on top of him. Her head pillowed by her hands, she smiled as she looked down at him, a sigh of pleasure rolling through her as he swept a piece of sweat soaked hair off her cheek.

"I love you," Gabe whispered, his voice still uneven having not really caught his breath yet. Leaning up he kissed her softly, falling back on the bed he tucked her into his side, "Il mio cuore."

Carolyn snuggled into him, her eyes drifting closed as sleep overtook her. Her voice barely more than a whisper, "L'amo anche, il mio angelo."

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A.N.: Sorry it has been so long since I updated, I was trying to write and work at the same time. I hope this meets with everyones approval. The next update will be a little slow to, don't worry there will definitely be more past timeline in that one.