Chapter 14! Here we go! Prepare yourselves for a lot of smooching and drama. Whooot woot. This is also the longest chapter i've ever written so prepare yourself for that too... and please please review. It makes my day when i get one...thx :)

Taylor:

"What happened up there?" Arthur Prince asked Taylor.

"What?"

"What happened up there, Taylor?" he asked again.

"Dad, Seriously? I took him upstairs and made him take a shower and then I ironed his shirt."

"You…made him…take a…shower?"

"Ok, Dad, really? You make it sound really bad."

"Well then what really happened?" asked her mom.

"I already told you, but dad made it sound horrible. He looked like he had run for 20 miles non-stop. And he looked tired and scared and…" Her mom didn't say anything. "Mom, he just lost his parents and he basically has no family left."

"Well…doesn't he have cousins?"

"Nymphadora Tonks is dead. He just needs help, mom. Nothing is going to happen. I can handle it."

"I'm going to hold you on that," she said.

Taylor nodded and did her best not to storm out the door.

"Where are you going?" asked her father.

"Out."

Draco:

The outside of the Princes' house was just as nicely kept as the interior. Draco stood in his room looking out the window. They had a large property although most of it wasn't the house like Malfoy Manor; instead, most of it was land. There was a small little shed by the back of the house and after that the land went on for a good acre. There were several large trees ranging from pine to aspen.

That's when he saw a flash of shiny black hair high up in one of the tallest pine trees. Was that Taylor?

He staggered down the stairs as he was still a bit shaken from his dream. When he got to the bottom two pairs of dark eyes stared back at him once again.

"Is Taylor…" he stuttered. He was still uncomfortable with Taylor's parents. He couldn't speak. He waved his hand towards the door leading out to the back. "Is she…umm…out."

"Yes," her dad interrupted, "she's outside."

"Thanks," he mumbled as he turned to leave.

"But Mr. Malfoy," he said. Draco turned around. "Be on your best behavior." Draco nodded shakily and turned quickly to leave.

The door opened and a lovely whiff of fresh air suddenly enveloped his face. He breathed in a sigh of relief. His shoes sunk in the lush green grass and a cool breeze blew through his platinum hair.

When he reached the tree he saw the flash of black hair in, he looked up and saw blue and purple plaid converse and laughed.

He started climbing the large pine tree until Taylor noticed him. A huge smile spread across her face. When he was near her feet, her hand extended to him and Draco took it. She pulled him up on the thick branch that she was sitting on. Draco didn't care if he was wearing nice slacks and yet another dress shirt.

There was a refreshing breeze in the air and it blew gracefully through her raven locks. "How'd you know I was here?" she asked. "I saw you through my window," he said, "your hair, anyway." She smiled. "Do you come here often?"

"Almost always," she said, "especially when I'm angry or confused or sad. Stuff like that." Another gust of wind blew through her hair and she closed her eyes with satisfaction.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it calms me down."

"What does?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's the feeling of being way up high but safe in a tangle of branches. Plus the smell is wonderful. It's just so peaceful." She hugged him but kept one hand on the trunk as not to fall.

"Hmm…" he said as he thought about it.

"You should try it sometime."

"Maybe I will," he said.

For a while, they just sat there on the sturdy branch. "How high are we?" he asked.

"About 40 feet."

"Wow."

"You scared?"

"no." and then a sudden gust of wind blew in their faces. Taylor sucked in deeply and beamed. Draco breathed in too and then his chest swelled with ta huge amount of joy. "I absolutely love it up here." He said.

"See? I told you."

"Yeah. Wow, I guess that really does work," he said, "but on another note, is there something wrong?"

"What?"

"You said you come up here when you're angry or sad or confused. Is something wrong?" Taylor looked away. "Taylor?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," she mumbled. A few strands of hair blew in front of her face.

Draco pushed the pieces of Onyx hair away from her face. "Please?"

She paused for a moment. "My parents are being difficult," She sighed.

"Why?" She was silent again. "Tell me."

"They feel uncomfortable with you in the house," she said rapidly.

"Really?" his face fell.

"No, no, it's just they're worried 'cause…well…you're a…uh…a guy and they're…umm…well you know what I mean."

"Yeah, ok," he said unsurely.

"But don't worry," she said quickly, "I know they're wrong and they made a very good choice in letting you stay here." She gave him a reassuring hug. He could tell she was really mad at them.

"I'll make a good impression on them," he said. His voice was no longer sad and depressed. Taylor had been right; somehow being in the tree had lightened him. "Thank you," he then said.

"What?"

"I said thank you," he said.

Her mouth arced into a huge smile. "I love this change."

"What change?" he asked as he put his arm around her.

"Remember the train ride?" he nodded. "Then you were saying 'I'm sorry' all the time. Now… you say 'thank you'. I love it."

Then he kissed her.

Taylor:

It shocked her for a moment. But then she relaxed.

His kiss wasn't forcefully and fierce. Instead it was gentle and passionate; like he was expressing years of love are care through it. His mouth was warm and firm and she caressed his strong chin. She kissed him back just as passionately.

When they pulled back there were the biggest grins plastered on their faces.

"Well if being in a tree and kissing a pretty girl at the same time doesn't bring me out of a funk then nothing will."

Taylor blushed. "Just shut it with all of this mushy stuff and kiss me," she said. Then she pulled him in again.

Draco deepened his kiss and it was no longer the gentle kiss. Instead it was strong and invigorating. Taylor sucked in a shocked breath but then kissed him back.

Draco pinned her against the tree trunk and kissed her harder. Her tongue just happened to graze his bottom lip.

When they finally pulled back, their breath was ragged. Taylor didn't say anything.

Draco:

Suddenly it dawned on him. Taylor's father had told him to be on good behavior. And what did he do? He kissed her. Wow.

He quickly pulled back from her. "Shoot," he said.

"What?" she said.

"I kissed you."

"Umm…yeah you kinda did," said Taylor, "am I missing something here.

"Your parents," he stammered.

"Oh Draco, don't worry about them. I doubt they can see us and they know what kissing is. As much as I hate to say it…they've done it too."

"Yeah but your dad told me to have good behavior," he said.

Taylor sighed. "Well then you better make a good impression on him like you said." That made Draco even more stressed. "And don't worry."

He nodded unsurely. And when they opened the front door of the house and Taylor's mom and dad took in their wind-blown hair, things were at the most possible level of awkwardness.

Taylor:

Taylor Prince sat cross-legged on her bed. She nervously played with her shirt. Downstairs, Draco was trying to win her parents over. She knew it was going to be hard on him. He wanted her to not be there because he thought it would cause her too much stress, but it was really causing her more stress being up there. Even though her hearing was actually very good, she could only hear the quiet murmurs of their voices.

But she did hear bits and pieces of their conversation.

"Draco I know that…"

"She has helped…"

"How is…?"

"Why are you…?"

"But I know that…"

Taylor then got frustrated and flopped back on her bed. Her black hair spread out around her head and blended in with the soft black comforter. Her black shorts started riding up and she adjusted them onto her hips. She tugged nervously at her hunter green scoop neck blouse.

When she couldn't take it any longer, she snatched a piece of parchment off of her desk and grabbed a quill out of her drawer. Then she began to write. When she was done, she enclosed one of her blue and black feathers in the note. Then she called the Soot owl, Fallon over and sent her off.

Blaise:

Blaise stroked a thin piece of hair out of the face of Natalie Carson. His parents let her come over. She aimed for a peck on the cheek but Blaise purposefully moved his head so she got him on the lips. Then an owl dropped a letter in his lap. He thought it might be Taylor's. He slung his arm around Natalie and unrolled it. When he saw the blue and black feather with the note he knew it was from Taylor, it was about time she wrote to him.

Blaise,

I don't know what to do right now. My parents don't really like that Draco is in the house. They think something is going to happen and it's really not. But he has no family at all left.

Today, he found me in the tree that I'm usually in and then we talked…and then some things led to another and then he kissed me. Don't get me wrong though. I totally didn't mind. But before he came out there my father had told him to be on his best behavior and right now he is talking with them. I'm so stressed out right now. He says he can win them over but my dad is hard to please.

I'm sorry if reading this is taking away time from Natalie. I'm assuming she is with you right now. I just miss you. I know we don't know each other that well but you were always so nice to me and I feel like you are already one of my best friends.

Thank you for your time.

Taylor.

When he finished reading it he placed the note on his trunk. Then he laughed. How had she known that he was with Natalie? He turned to look at her. "May I take some time to write back?" he asked politely. Natalie nodded.

"I'll just go talk to your mom," she said, "I like her."

Blaise watched her walk down the stairs and then he turned to write back.

Taylor,

I'm sorry for what has been going on since I left you guys on the train ride. And how did you know I was with Natalie? But anyway, there's not much I can say here except for stay strong and remember that the worst that could happen is that things stay awkward for a while. But don't worry, if things don't work out right now then eventually they will warm up to him.

And I'm glad you think of me as a best friend. I know I do to you.

Write back soon.

Blaise.

Draco:

Draco walked cheerfully up the stairs to Taylor's room. When he saw her, her eyes were wild eyed and she ran over to him. She grabbed him hard and immediately enveloped him in a hug. "Draco," she said, "did it go well? Oh, I hope it did. I mean, if it didn't that's ok 'cause they will warm up to you and…"

Draco silenced her with a quick kiss. When he pulled away, he smiled at her.

"Everything is fine," he said.

"Really?" her voice was shaky with concern.

"Yeah, I mean at first they didn't really like me but then I…"

"What?" you what? Come on you're killing me."

"I told them about all of the times you helped me in our sixth year. And how amazing you are and how I would never hurt you," he said.

"Well that's a bit sentimental and mushy, isn't it?"

"You really want me to be here?" he countered.

"Ok fine. I just can't imagine you saying that."

"Fine," he said looking away, "I guess to you I'm just a soulless and heartless robot who's un-capable of feelings who you only find amusing because he is kissable and good looking."

"What are you talking about, Draco?"

He turned back to her. "Just kidding."

She stood on her tip-toes and kissed him quickly on the cheek. "I'll be right back," she said, "I'm gonna see how it really went."

Draco watched her disappear down the stairs.

Taylor:

Taylor sat in a big squashy black armchair across from her parents on the couch.

"So…" she said awkwardly.

"So, we need to talk about Draco," her mom said.

Great, this wasn't going to go well.

"What about him," she said casually. She expected the worse. "Please don't make him leave," she blurted out.

Her father held up his hand. "We were never intending to, Taylor."

"What?"

"Draco is a very fine young man."

Taylor was stunned. By the way the conversation had started she had thought they would make him leave. "Really?"

"Yes," went on her mother. "We talked to him and he is very sweet. And he cares about you."

Taylor gave them an unsure smile. "Umm… ok, so…I'm just gonna… go now." She got up to leave.

"But, Taylor."

"Yes, Mom?"

"I'd prefer it if you guys…umm… kept your…umm…kissing to a minimum."

Taylor looked back with a disgusted face. "Really, mom?"

"Well then, at least not near us."

"Ok. I wasn't even planning on it."

Taylor ran up the stairs.

That was a particularly long chapter but I had to write about the deal with Taylor's parents and Draco. Alos due to Silverred89's request I had to add Blaise in it. (She gets a character named after her, Natalie Carson.) There was also a lot of kissing in that...about time anyway, the last time Draco and Taylor really kissed was in chapter 6... Draco kissed her in chapter 10 but Taylor was asleep so... yea, another one will come soon!