I could not deny that I owed Viktor my life. And Leo as well, but owing Leo was easier. I mean, Leo is family. He saved me because as much as we fight, we love each other. He is my cousin, one of my best friends. Hell, he is practically my brother.

Owing Viktor was… different. Why did e save me? I mean, OK, if I was being perfectly objective, and remember, I told you to start with not to get used to that, Viktor was kind of OK about that sort of thing. Brave, in an arrogant arse sort of way. So why he saved me once he knew I was in trouble was not a mystery.

But why had he come back for me to start with? I was sure I would get myself off that hook by asking, well, demanding really, that Leo tell me he was the one who insisted they come back to help me.

"Nope." Leo said with a frown "Viktor insisted. He said he had a feeling something wasn't right. We started down the path, and then he started running. He heard you call his name and started running even faster. When we found you… Miri, it was awful. I thought you were… you were just lying in a heap and there was blood…"

Leo looked so pale and frightened. I am not a big hugger, but I reached out and pulled him in.

"Anyway…" he said finally "Viktor ran to you. I have never seen him look scared before. He told me you were breathing and tossed me your broom telling me to go get help. I didn't want to leave you in case whoever had done that to you came back but someone had to go and I am the better flyer so…"

"It is OK Leo, you did the right thing." I reassured him.

"Before I left, I could hear him singing to you. Some song about… ummm… you not leaving… I think." Leo was staring at his hands. I noticed they were shaking a little.

"I am sorry I scared you Leo." I felt really guilty. Leo is a lot more sensitive than he lets on.

"Just… don't do it again." He hugged me with one arm. "Miri… I hate to ask, but you… you don't think it was a Death Eater angry with your Dad do you?"

"Yeah… I don't know. He did help catch an awful lot of them who had escaped. But… I mean they were all caught, right? So how could it be." I frowned. I wasn't angry, not with Leo for asking. But if Leo thought to ask… others would too.

"It doesn't matter who it is." I heard from the doorway "They won't have a chance to attack a second time."

I looked up to see Viktor staring very seriously at me. Ravens and eagles! How long had he been standing there? "Not much we can do about it if they do. We are just a couple of fifth years." Merlin's saggy arse, did I just say couple?

"Oh? Think that is what your Uncle Harry said when he had to take down Voldemort at our age?" I felt Leo shudder at the name.

"Uh yeah… I am pretty sure he said that all of the time." OK I had no idea if he had actually said that, but it seemed likely. I mean, I would have!

Viktor smiled at me, but he looked serious too. There was something about the way he was looking at me. I felt hit and a little nervous all at the same time. "Maybe. But he did what he had to anyway."

I managed a shrug. Honestly, I am surprised I managed that much. There was something about the way Viktor was looking at me that stole away my higher thought processes. Merlin, was I going to be reduced to a babbling moron every time he walked in to a room? I had to get a grip on myself!

Deciding I had acted foolish enough for one sitting I jumped up "I need to go to the library to study." I announced.

Leo narrowed his eyes at me "Why? You can study perfectly fine right here."

"I need other books. I need to get those books from the library. You know…" I knew I was babbling but I could not force my brain to make coherent thoughts. "Because I need to study?"

Leo hopped up from where he was lounging "I will go with you. I could do with a bit of study time myself."

I did not miss the look that passed between Leo and Viktor. I couldn't decipher what that glance meant. It was though they were deciding something amongst themselves. Something that involved me but I wasn't in on. I was not happy about that!

I had intended to interrogate Leo as soon as we were alone but he beat me to it "What was that about?" He asked, looking at me from the corner of his eye.

"What was what about?" Oh I knew very well he meant my sudden need to flee and my fumbling to string two words together, but if I was going to sound stupid anyway I could certainly play stupid to go along with it.

"That weird, bashful, blushing girl… thing you had going on? That was just weird Mir. What is going on? Is it because he helped save you? Because I was there too and you aren't acting like bumbling dolt around me." He seemed to think about it "Of course you are lways a bumbling dolt as far as I am concerned so maybe it is harder for me to notice…"

"Oh har har." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"So… what's up? Is it because he saved you? Because that is kind of silly." He was sure not going to be letting this go any time soon.

"Yes… no… I don't know." Great back to babbling again.

"Well then….?" Leo pressed.

But I had learned a thing or two from having Slytherin parents.

"Forget about me." I glared at him, distracting him from his line of thought. "What is uo with you? Why are all of you following me around everywhere I go? And what was that look that you gave Viktor before we left?"

"I gave Viktor a look?" Oh he was good.

"You know very well you did. And you know very well you have all been following me. Now spill it!" I was all about family time but this had become ridiculous.

Leo and Jamie walked me to practically every class. While we were actually in the same class, never before had either, much less BOTH of them walked me to each class.

And their excuses for doing so were getting pretty silly "Hey Miri, I need to borrow your notes…" and "Hey Miri, what did you think of that article in the Quibbler today?" It was all just nonsense.

And then there was the weekend that Teddy and Victoire insisted it had been far too long since we hung out and demanded to be allowed to accompany me to Hogsmeade.

Where they promptly spent the entire trip snogging. Yeah, good times.

Even James once insisted he needed to walk me to class to discuss the odds of Ravenclaw taking the House Cup. Don't get me wrong, James and I usually get along fine. We aren't bosom buddies, but he is family and I like him well enough. When he isn't being an enormous arrogant arse.

James is usually being an enormous arrogant arse.

But for him to have gone on what I have taken to calling babysitting duties… something was definitely up and I was going to make Leo tell me what.

Leo was looking decidedly sheepish. "Well… see, it is like this… Uncle Draco may have asked some of us to keep an eye out for you. For your safety."

"OK, my father asked a bunch of bloody students to make sure I am safe? How does he think that will work? I can out duel most of you!" What was my father thinking?

"Your Dad is just worried. You being attacked like that really shook him up. It really shook all of us up." Leo looked away.

Now I just felt bad. Leo really had been worried about me. "OK, but why didn't any of you tell me this?"

"Well… some, not me, but some of the others, thought you might feel a bit offended by being watched over. And when you feel offended you get a bit… punchy." Leo looked at me grinning.

"Right… punchy… OK, that is fair." What could I say? It actually was a fair point.

"Now, your turn, what is up with your weirdness around Viktor?" Damned, why wasn't I better at this distraction thing?

"I… nothing. There is nothing weird at all." I could feel my cheeks heating up.

"Merlin's saggy arse, are you BLUSHING?" Leo practically shouted this.

I slugged him hard in the arm. "No… shut up!"

His eyes grew wide. "You ARE blushing!"

I grabbed him and dragged him in to a broom closet.

"So help me Leo." I hissed "If you do not keep your voice down I will hex your balls off!"

"Does this mean… do you like him now or something?" Why was he frowning? I thought this would make him ecstatic. He was the one always pushing Viktor on me!

"I don't know… maybe.. I just… why aren't you trying to shove him down my throat right now? You are acting very odd." He was starting to worry me.

"Miri, we are family, and that comes first but Viktor is my best mate." He was still frowning thoughtfully.

"Wait…" I was confused "are you saying that YOU are interested in Viktor?"

"What?" he looked started so that wasn't it "NO! Gross, he is practically like a brother to me! It is just…" he hesitated "Do you think maybe you only like him now because he saved you? Because gratitude is nothing to form a relationship on."

"So now suddenly… what? I am not good enough for Krum?" Secretly, I think this may have been some of my problem from the start. This worry that I was not good enough. I knew how I looked, that I am attractive enough, but it isn't like I had any part of that. All of that was pure genetics handed down by my parents. Well, mostly my Dad I guess.

"No, not like that." Leo reassured me "It is just that… Viktor has gone through a lot, OK? If you are genuinely interested, great. If this is a passing fancy…"

Oh how absolutely sweet. He was worried about his friend. "I may or may not have been interested before he saved me…" I admitted.

Leo grinned "I knew it!"

I slugged him in the arm. "OK, now what?"

"Now? That is easy. Now you tell him." Easy he says. Yeah, like THAT would be easy.