Chapter 17: Slughorn Christmas

December 20th


Elara sighed, closing her Transfiguration textbook and stretching her arms above her head. She smiled as she looked around at all her neat piles of parchment, separated by class, length of essay, and due date. She was officially done with all of her coursework for the first half of the term, and she even finished her take home assignments for Christmas Break! Which mean, she was given the rare opportunity to relax, and read at her own leisure, subjects she was becoming more interested in.

She missed that about the manor. She enjoyed the structure of going to classes, the routine and the socializing; but she missed being able to study further into things that caught her interest. For instance, she was well ahead of her classmates in Arithmancy and Charms—had she been at the manor, she would use that time to look into a weaker subject of hers, like Potions or Transfiguration. Or to study something that simply interested her like Muggle Studies or Herbology. Of course, she was taking those courses anyway, but she would have the time to look further into specific aspects of each.

"Finally done!" Hermione sighed, scribbling her last sentence and straightening her stack of parchment. "That last Runes breakdown was complicated!"

"Wasn't it though?! Did you understand what I meant in the notes? About translating to Scandinavian first?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes! It was a life saver!"

Elara smiled. She would miss Hermione while on break and staying at the Manor meant she absolutely would not be able to communicate with any of her Gryffindor friends- lest she risk someone finding out about her relationship with Harry.

"Are you going to Slughorn's party tomorrow?" Elara asked, packing away her ink and quills.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, unfortunately."

Elara arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Who are you taking?"

Hermione stared straight ahead and blinked very slowly, several times. "Cormac."

Elara choked. "What?! Why on earth would you-

"I wanted to take Ron! But he was being such… Such an arse! I knew Cormac would get under his skin! And who else would I have taken?!"

"You could've taken Dean! Or Neville!"

"Oh! Neville!" Hermione pushed her palm to her forehead. "Merlin! Why didn't I think of that?! That would have set up a much more pleasant evening!"

Elara chuckled and bit her lip as Hermione glared at her. "It's not too late. You could tell Cormac that you've changed your mind."

Hermione shook her head. "No. I'll just come find you and Harry during the party. I'm sure just being near you will keep him away."

Elara rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Yeah, the menacing Malfoy girl."

"They haven't figured out you're about as terrifying as kitten in pajamas." Harry chimed in, tossing his bag on the table and plopping down into the chair next to Elara. "Hello girls!"

Hermione laughed quietly as Elara glared at Harry. "You used to think I was scary too." She pointed out.

He shook his head. "I was never afraid of you. I just thought you were a Death Eater like the rest of your family."

As soon as it fell out of his mouth, Elara could tell he regretted the statement. Her eyes widened and her jaw set. The air in the room became thick as Harry stumbled over apologies and then finally stopped talking.

"No, you're right." She said. "It's not like it's a secret that my father and my barmy aunt are Death Eaters."

Harry's eyes flashed with anger at the mention of Bellatrix and Elara figured she had better change the subject before it turned into something unsavory. Thankfully, Hermione broke in and began telling Harry how to fix his Charms essay.

The tension between Elara and Harry had been off putting over the last week and half since she had received the letter from her Father. Harry had spent a significant amount of time with Dumbledore, more than he usually had, since then; and she couldn't help but wonder if the two were connected.

When she got the letter, he had been insistent that she go home, that she spend the holidays with her family and feel it out. Possibly go see her father, that it could provide closure. But every time it was brought up in conversation, he became suspicious and flustered with her. She had tried to ask him several times why he was upset, what she could do to change it… It was always met with a "Nevermind" or "Forget it."

"You know, I hadn't really thought about it." Harry said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "What do you think?"

She blinked a few times, clearing her head of her own thoughts and looked at him. "Sorry. Wasn't paying attention, what'd you say?"

He chuckled. "Hermione asked if we were going to coordinate our dress robes for Sluggy's party."

She wrinkled up her nose and shook her head. "No. Absolutely not."

Harry feigned offense. "You don't want to match with me?!"

"No offense love," She said. "But I've seen what you wear, and I don't think my dress will match."

"Says the girl who lives in knobby old jumpers and jeans!"

"I may prefer comfort to fashion, but I am a Malfoy. Dressing for parties is woven into the fabric of my being." She said with a smirk. "And believe me when I say that Narcissa Malfoy held back no Galleons for my first Hogwarts Christmas Party gown."

Harry smiled brightly and leaned over to peck her cheek. "You could wear rags and you would look great."

Elara smiled back and laced her fingers with his. He may have been standoffish recently, but he never failed to make her feel special and loved. She stopped her own brain for a moment. Loved? Was that really what she felt? She felt safe and happy when she spent time with Harry. She felt calm and understood for the most part. She enjoyed his company, whether they talked or just sat in silence. She enjoyed his kissing and the feel of his skin on hers. She liked that he wasn't ashamed to be seen with her, he didn't care if people shied away or made comments under their breath—he just ignored them and wrapped his arm around her as if to rub it in everyone else's faces. Is that what loving someone was?

No.

It couldn't possibly be love. She liked spending time with him, and he liked spending time with her, at least she thought so. And that was it. Love was a big step. Love was a risk she couldn't afford. A risk that Harry couldn't afford! And she had already risked so much to be with him. She was ignoring her brother, the task, putting herself and her family at risk if anyone were to find out and report it to the Dark Lord… No. She didn't love him. She couldn't afford to. This was just her getting to enjoy her time as a normal teenage witch. Having a boyfriend, and friends, and going to parties… Just as Draco had told her to do.

She watched him as he hunched over his parchment, correcting his many spelling and grammar mistakes on his Charms essay. Watched his brows furrow together as he grimaced and rolled his eyes in good humor at Hermione. She bit back a smile at the way his hair moved with him—almost as if it were animated on its own, cowlicks shoving every jet black strand into a hopeless mess of confusion that hung in his eyes and stuck out at the top. She had to admit that she really liked the way he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose when he was becoming aggravated, and how he ever so lightly dragged his tongue over his bottom lip before sinking his teeth into it, when he was deep in thought.

"You're staring." He said, giving her a smirk. "It's weird."

She pursed her lips and tried not to smile. "Is it? I would have no understanding how uncomfortable it can be to have someone staring you down…"

"Ha, Ha." He mock laughed. "You're awfully cheeky today."

She shrugged. "Haven't been cheeky with you in a while, you seemed like you could use it."

"Still not talking to your brother then? You usually get all this out with him."

She sighed. "He hasn't talked to me in over a week."

"I still don't understand what that argument was about. He's that angry with you for saying you weren't going home and then deciding to go? Wouldn't he be happy that you've changed your mind?" Hermione chimed.

"It's complicated." Elara said, feeling her mood deflate significantly. "He's jealous, I think, that my father wants to see me and hasn't asked to see him. And he's decided that he's completely against Harry and I being together."

"Well, you knew that would happen, didn't you?" She said. "The entire school thinks you're both mental."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, I guess maybe we are. But at least we're mental for each other."


Elara stared in the mirror and ran her hands over her stomach, turning to view herself from side to side and lightly tucking a strand behind her ear.

"Stop messing with your hair! It looks perfect! If you keep touching it the curls are going to fall!" Pansy whined, smacking her hands away.

"Panse, I never have curls."

"And it's a right tragedy! Look at how beautiful you look with them!"

Elara stared at herself again. She supposed Pansy was right. She had let Pansy talk her into actually doing something with her hair besides leaving it down or pulled back. While she always took care of her hair, she never did much with it in terms of styling, so Pansy was thrilled to work the glamor charms she knew. Elara's hair was parted on the left side and the sides pulled back to meet the rest in a cascade of curls held in place by a sparkling emerald clip. A few loose curls framed her face and it all looked purposefully placed. She knew if her mother could see her, she would be swooning.

"Don't you think the dress is a bit much though?" Elara asked, continuing her side to side turning dance. "I'm just not sure it's this kind of party… And of course, my mother had to go all out… I just asked for something simple."

"Darling, you look stunning. And it's definitely that kind of party! Even Blaise dug out his designer robes for it. Believe me, you don't want to be underdressed at something like this. You look exquisite. I'm only jealous that I won't be there to watch everyone pick their jaws up off the floor." Her compliments were honest, but the bitterness that accompanied them were as well.

"I'm sure it will be a bore." Elara said, trying her best to make Pansy feel better about not receiving an invitation to the party. All of the students were eager to go and had been waiting to see if they would be invited. A lot of the Slytherins were invited—Just not the ones that had known Death Eater parents. Except Elara… A strange event that she fully intended to ask Slughorn about tonight.

"It won't be." Pansy said. "But, no matter! The rest of us are going to have our own little party in the common room tonight. Theo was able to get some firewhiskey and Crabbe has a stash of Gigglewater he's going to bring out!"

"That sounds fun!" Elara said. "I'm only going because of Harry. I'd much rather stay here with you all."

"Oh yes, blowing us all off for Potter." Pansy said, laughing. "If his eyes don't fall from that enormous head of his from seeing you, he doesn't deserve you!"

Elara rolled her eyes. "You're really quite dramatic, Panse."

She had to admit though, as she looked in the mirror, she did feel pretty. The dark winged eyeliner and red lipstick felt like a bit much, but the dress really was gorgeous. She supposed that for her mother's tastes, it could be considered simple.

The dress was gold lace with a high neckline that was straight across her collar bones and long sleeves. It was almost completely backless, cutting a deep V from the top to right above her bum and the skirt flared out just under it, as it billowed to the ground.

Pansy handed her a pair of nude pumps to put on and laughed as Elara made a face. "I don't wear heels. You've seen how successful I am at walking in trainers…"

"Well you can't exactly wear your ruddy old trainers with a dress like this. Just wear these. I put a muffling charm on them as well, so they won't clack so loud against the ground."

"You really do think of everything for these kinds of things." Elara said, slipping the shoes on and trying to figure out how to walk without looking like a total idiot.

"I love this kind of stuff. You know that."

"I know." Elara said. "I'm glad I have you here to help me! I'm just not sure how I'm going to walk in this gown with these shoes!"

Pansy gave a bright smile and shoved her feet in another pair of even higher platformed heels and gave her a quick lesson. Elara laughed and played along, silently promising to herself that she would just remove them as soon as the party was in full swing and no one would notice that she had shrunk four inches and had no shoes on her feet.

Seven in the evening rolled around and Pansy did one last sweep of Elara, making sure every hair was tucked where it should be and that her dress and shoes were perfect, and followed her into the common room.

"Blaise, you may need to help her until she gets to Potter. Her ankles are wobbly in those heels." Pansy chuckled, as Elara glared at her, but smiled.

"I told you, I'm no good on my feet!" She said defensively. "You know I'm-

"You look beautiful."

Elara turned to see Draco staring at her, a shocked expression on his face. "Thank you." She smiled.

"No really, El. You look amazing…" He walked over to her and held her at arm's length, looking her over. He pulled her into a tight hug. "Father would die if he could see how beautiful you are right now. Mum would be beside herself with joy."

Elara pulled away, confused by the sudden rush of emotion from Draco after being cold shouldered for more than a week. "Mum picked it all out, of course."

"I didn't doubt it. If it were up to you-

"I'd be in jeans and a jumper. Yes, everyone has made it quite clear how they feel about my clothing choices." She rolled her eyes.

"Enjoy yourself." He said. "And be careful."

She cocked an eyebrow but nodded. "I will be."

Blaise held his arm out for her to take and they exited the Common Room and began their trek to the sixth floor. Blaise talked idly about meeting his date at the party, a fifth year Ravenclaw named Alannis Shepley. Elara had seen her around, usually with Blaise hanging off her side. She was a pretty girl, much taller than Elara, with olive toned skin and dark curly hair. She was the head of the Duelling Club for Ravenclaw and filled in as a chaser on their Quidditch team from time to time. She was also very quick witted and a little on the rude side, which Elara supposed Blaise probably enjoyed.

"So, are you actually dating her then?" Elara asked, as they climbed the stairs past the fifth floor. "You sound like you fancy her quite a bit."

Blaise smiled. "Alannis is great. I'm not sure if I'd call her my girlfriend though. I honestly don't know if she'd like that. She's a lot like me in that respect… Not into being tied down."

"You're sixteen. It hardly counts as being tied down." She said.

"Ah, but you see, if we label it, we're expected to act a certain way. I don't always want her attached to my hip, it's just nice to have the company and the shagging isn't bad either." He smiled, laughing lightly.

"Everyone is so obsessed with shagging." Elara rolled her eyes. "I mean, honestly!"

"Well, what do you and Potter do when you're alone? You can't tell me with truth that you aren't shagging!"

"We aren't." She said. "We've done… you know… Other things… I don't want to talk about this with you."

"Oh, come on, El! You're my best friend! Who else are you going to talk about it with?"

"No one!" She said, feeling the heat creep from her neck to her face as her cheeks flushed. "It's no one's business what we are or aren't doing!"

"But you aren't shagging."

"No. We aren't."

"So, you're messing around?" He pried, "Or just snogging?"

"More than snogging." She mumbled, her face deepening to match the blood red of her lipstick. "We really don't need to talk about-

"Oh, but we do." Blaise chuckled. "If for no other reason that watching you get so uncomfortable."

She rolled her eyes and slapped him. "You're a right git."

"You're a prude. Come on now, spill the beans! You use your mouths on each other or just hands?"

"Why do you need to know this?"

"Call it curiosity, I guess. Potter has been working my nerve for six years, I'd love to hear that he's terrible at pleasing his girlfriend."

"Well, you'll be disappointed because he isn't terrible at anything."

"Well, you're very inexperienced. He may be awful, and you just don't know it yet."

"I'm pretty sure I know how it's supposed to feel when he's… shut up!" She said as he howled with laughter.

"Okay, so just hands." Blaise said. "Since I assume you aren't flexible enough to get your mouth on yourself…"

"Zabini, you'd better watch it. I'll tell dear Alannis not to touch you for weeks and I can be very convincing."

"Using your abilities to run my sex life dry? That's low, Ellie." He laughed, ducking as she made to smack his head.

"Asking your friend to go into detail about her very new experiences is low too." She grumbled. "Leave me alone you pervert."

He laughed again and sighed. "Okay, okay. I'll leave it be, you prude. Wouldn't want your face to stay that red permanently."

"You make a terrible escort." She snapped. "Next time I'll walk alone."

"In those heels? I doubt it."

She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes at him as they reached the door of Slughorn's quarters on the sixth floor. "Prat."

"Possibly. You love me though." He teased, opening the door and crossing through the entrance.

"I do, you idiot. Go find your date."

He leaned down and pressed his lips lightly to her cheek. "Enjoy yourself tonight. You've worked hard all term, you deserve a break. Plus, I've heard the punch is spiked." He pulled several tiny bottles of liquor out of his lapel pocket and flashed a smile before walking toward the back of the room.

Elara shook her head and chuckled lightly at him as she gazed around the room. Slughorn's quarters were larger than normal for a professor's private suite. She wasn't sure if it was built that way or magically expanded, but it held the fifty or so people that wandered around it comfortably. She caught eye of a few of the other Professors walking around and scanned the room until she found Harry.

He was leaning against the wall toward the far-right corner of the room, looking every bit of uncomfortable. His hair, as always, was a messy shock of jet black. But he looked impeccable. He wore smart black dress robes with a white button down and slender black tie. His high waisted dress trousers were slimmer fit than the too big jeans he usually wore, and his shoes were shined and looked new. She smiled, knowing he hadn't seen her yet and happy to sneak a moment to stare at him without being interrupted. She had seen his body, knew it was lined in lean muscles—but couldn't help but stare as he crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head to the side a bit. He really looked charming in clothes that fit him, for a change. She was sure he'd feel the same about her.

She crossed the space, quickly enough to dodge any oncoming conversation from anyone who wasn't Harry. Finally, he looked up and saw her and she couldn't help but blush as his mouth slowly opened and his eyes widened.

"Elara…" He said, looking at her as if he had never seen her before. "You look… I don't even know a word for it. Gorgeous isn't strong enough."

She laughed and tilted her chin up to catch his lips in a sweet kiss. "You don't look so bad either, Potter." She smiled.

"No wonder you didn't want to match our clothes. I don't have anything this nice!" He took her hand and twirled her around to see her from every angle. "Are you taller?"

She laughed and pulled up the hem of the dress, revealing the tall heels. "Pansy said I needed to wear heels. I fully intend to take them off soon."

"I fully intend to take all of this off, very soon." Harry replied, a completely serious expression on his face.

She snorted with laughter and captured his lips again. "You're ridiculous."

"I'm ridiculous?" He said, his lips brushing hers as he spoke. "Look at you! Coming here looking like this! How am I supposed to focus on anything else with you in that dress?" He pressed his lips against hers again and she sighed as she tasted the honey on his tongue.

"Young love!" Slughorn boomed from next to them. "Oh, how sweet it is to be young!"

Elara promptly disengaged her tongue from Harry's and felt her face flush with embarrassment. "Sorry, professor." She mumbled.

"Oh, pish posh!" He said, waving his large hand about. "I was young once, Miss Malfoy, even if it was too long ago! Harry, I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine!"

Harry gave her an apologetic look as he trailed off after Slughorn, nodding enthusiastically but rolling his eyes as he looked over his shoulder at her. She bit back a smile and decided to wander about the room.

The room was warmly lit and filled to the brim with Christmas decorations. A large tree that sparkled with twinkling lights centered the room. She watched as house elves and other students walked about, serving hors d'oeuvres and bubbling champagne to the guests. She snagged a few canapes off a tray and ate them as she looked around the room. There were several more plush sofas than usual, and the large fireplace was crackling merrily on the far wall.

She made her way over to the set of French doors that were opened, charmed to keep the warmth on the balcony as guests stood outside to take in the view of the forest. She sighed, pressing her palms into the balcony and closed her eyes. It was beautiful here, the way the snow hung in the trees and the ice that covered the lake glittered in the moonlight… But it made her miss the Manor. The Manor at Christmas time had always been her favorite. Ever since Draco came to Hogwarts when they were eleven, Christmas had become even more special. The only time throughout the year that they were all together again for a couple of short weeks before he would return for the second half of the term. She wondered if it would still be as beautiful there, knowing the darkness that was using up it's resources for the last few months.

"Your parents would be astonished to see you here." The unmistakable drawl of Snape filled the air beside her.

"They'd be surprised I'm in this dress willingly." She agreed. "But not so much that I'm standing outside of the party with my back turned to it. You and I have found ourselves on the outside of events at the Manor together more times than not."

"Yes, it's easier to be around those who prefer the company of themselves to others. You don't force trite conversation like the witches and wizards who typically attend the engagements in your ballroom."

"Or like the ones that are here, now?" She smirked. "I imagine Professor Slughorn has a plethora of trite friends."

"Friends?" Snape gave a low huff of laughter. "If you'd call them that."

She looked up at the older man, his usual greasy black hair appeared to be washed and his robes, although they were very similar to the ones he usually wore, seemed nicer somehow. Pressed and new. She wondered if Snape was forced to come here by the other teachers, but then thought that he probably didn't do anything he didn't want to willingly do. "Why do you come then?" She asked. "If the company isn't to your liking?"

"Certain social gatherings are expected of you, at times." He said. "This seemed like the least… aggravating one to attend this year."

She chuckled. "Because you can sit out on the balcony and avoid everyone all night?"

"Because I can come out to the Balcony and ask you why your brother has not accepted the hand I have extended to him." He looked at her seriously, his beady eyes boring into her stormy gaze.

"I don't know what you mean." She said.

"I vowed to help him." He stated. "I know that you're both aware of that. He's failing and refusing help. I want to know why."

She shrugged. "Haven't the slightest. I suggest you ask him, professor. Before today, he hadn't given me the time of day for over a week."

"He hasn't been at meals and he's skipping classes. If he decides to keel over before the task is completed-

"he's under a lot of pressure!" Elara whispered, angrily. "He's not trying to skip meals and classes. He's terrified. I… I stopped helping him. He doesn't know what to do on his own and-

"You stopped helping him?" Snape said, drawing out every syllable of the sentence to be longer than necessary. "Why?"

"Because I don't want to." She said haughtily. "I have the right to choose, and I chose not to continue doing this."

"Because of Potter?" Snape chuckled, his laugh sounded mocking and dark.

"No." She grit her teeth. "Because I don't want to hurt anyone else."

"Anyone… else?"

"If you want to help him, talk to him. Otherwise, leave it alone." She said, turning to walk back inside. As she turned, Snape grabbed her wrist and she was instantly lost in a flood of images. Her mother, on her knees, holding his hands and begging for assistance. The crazed look on her aunt's face. And overwhelming feeling of fear and duty. The burn of dark magic as it coiled around her wrist…

She yanked her arm out of his grasp, panting, looking at him with terrified eyes. "What did you do?!" She hissed. "You said 'vowed to help' you meant it literally?! Why?! Why would you agree-

"I told you that success would be perceived. I told you that strategies were in place to ensure that perception." He said, his voice low and quick.

"You took a vow!" She said, her eyes growing wide. "You're supposed to be helping the order! How are you doing that if you took an unbreakable vow? You know what he has to do!"

"He has to let me help him, Elara." He said. "I know what has to be done, and so does Dumbledore. He has to let me help him."

She shook her head, trying to sort her thoughts. "What do you mean by Dumbledore knows?"

"There is more to this than you and your brother!" He spat. "It isn't about the Malfoy's or the Order or Dumbledore. It's bigger than that! Draco must let me help him."

"You have to tell him. You have to tell him that he doesn't have to-

"He won't listen to me!"

"Then speak clearer!" She said, the tone in her voice so fierce she could practically hear Lucius coming out of her mouth.

Snape stared at her for a moment. "Tell him I took the vow?" He questioned. "As if he would even-

"He isn't going to care." She said. "But if he knows that you have to pick up the slack if he can't follow through… It might save him."

"You cursed Katie Bell." Snape said, the look of understanding seeming out of place on his usually stoic features. "You quit helping because you don't want to hurt anyone else, it was her? Wasn't it? That's why she didn't know who did it."

She clenched her jaw tight, her eyes staring at him in stony silence.

"Does Potter know?"

She shook her head. "No." She said. "He doesn't know anything about any of it."

"Keep it that way. He's being prepared, Elara. For more than we are. You will keep him out of the way of the task."

"I wasn't going to tell him." She whispered. "I- how could I? He'd hate me."

"Good. Remember that." Snape said, with a quick turn he was gone, stalking back across the crowded, cheerful room.

She stood for moment, looking into the scene in front of her, watching as everyone laughed and smiled and drank and ate and danced. She suddenly felt extremely out of place, her heart began to race. What did Snape mean?! What did he mean that there were strategies in place? Was this all planned out? Did he know Draco would fail? She knew they would fail, the task was rigged from the beginning! How on earth were they supposed to succeed at something like this?! Getting the Death Eaters into the castle was one thing, but murder?! Killing Dumbledore of all people?! Impossible! The Dark Lord himself hadn't even managed to do it, and now he was expecting a sixteen year old to do it?!

And what did he mean that Harry was being prepared? Prepared for what? For the task? Did he have his own task? Is that why he was taking private lessons with Dumbledore? Lessons that no one seemed to know much about; Lessons he refused to talk about and used Occlumency around her to protect?

It had to be connected, didn't it? Dumbledore's death and whatever Harry was being groomed for. It had to be connected. And how was Snape involved? What made him the one who had to help? Why would he take an unbreakable vow? He wasn't particularly close to them—Father and Snape had become friends during school, but father was a couple years ahead of him, only really making alliance with him at the end of the first war…

None of this made sense, but she felt the overwhelming panic grip her chest, squeezing the air from her lungs and twisting her stomach in knots. None of this was right.

Why now? Why would Snape approach her now? At a party, the day before she leaves to return to the Manor for holidays?

"Ellie, are you alright?"

She looked up from the spot on the ground she was concentrating on to meet Harry's glittering emerald eyes. His brows pulled together with a crease of concern across his forehead.

She took a long breath and slowly blew it out. "Yes." She said. "Yes, I'm fine."

He looked at her, another moment and shook his head. "No, you aren't. What's happened?"

"Nothing." She said. "nothing. It's just- there's a lot of people in there, isn't there? It's a small space and-

"You're feeling overwhelmed?" He questioned. "We can leave."

She shook her head. "No. No, that's not necessary. I just needed to come out here and get some air. I'll be fine. I promise."

He reached his hand out and brushed a loose curl from her eyes and then trailed his hand around the back of her neck, resting it to cradle the back of her head. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her into him, pressing his lips softly against hers. She sighed into his mouth and returned the kiss, closing her eyes and letting the feel of his skin on her back, neck and lips consume her rapidly spiraling thoughts. Treacle, honey, chocolate, broom polish… The mix of woodsy and sweet that he always smelled, always tasted.

"Oh thank god!" Hermione said, interrupting the two. "Sorry."

For the second time that night, Elara pulled away from Harry, embarrassed and flustered. "Hermione, are you okay?"

"If we keep getting interrupted mid-snog I'm not going to be okay." Harry grumbled.

"You're snogging in public at a Christmas party, in front of people." Hermione snapped. "You're going to be interrupted. Not that Cormac cares about that!"

"You snogged Cormac?!" Elara laughed, her sides nearly splitting as she howled.

"No! Of course, I haven't!" Hermione said, grabbing a drink off a passing tray and sucking it down in two gulps. "He's been trying to corner me all night! I'm getting desperate! He keeps conjuring mistletoe above me!"

Elara laughed again and Harry joined this time. "Just tell him you don't like him!"

"He doesn't care!" Hermione said. "I told him we'd be coming here as friends and only friends! He doesn't care! He's repulsive!"

"You need better friends, it sounds like." Harry laughed. "If they're just trying to pin you down and snog you."

"And my good friends are too busy snogging other people to notice!" She growled, smacking his arm.

"Hey! I didn't tell you to bring Cormac."

"Yes well, I thought it would annoy Ronald the most. Obviously, I was right but-

"At what cost?" Elara snickered. "because it doesn't seem worth it."

"Oh god, he's coming this way. You haven't seen me!" Hermione said, frantically as she ducked away from them.

Harry turned back to Elara and laughed. "Well, that was… Something."

She chuckled. "I suppose we should join the party, just for a while…"

"I heard the punch was spiked." Harry said, looking at her with a mischievous grin. "We could start there."

"It was." She smirked. "Blaise brought the bottles, shrunken down in his pocket."

Harry took her hand and laced his fingers with hers as he led her back inside. They wandered around the room, idly chatting with other students and the random strangers that were all very excited to meet Harry and then very confused or furious when he would say "This is my girlfriend, Elara Malfoy." They chuckled at the reactions of the nosy guests as they would turn and walk away, mumbling about Malfoy's being evil people.

"You don't have to say my last name when you introduce me as your girlfriend, you know." She said, taking a sip of her punch.

"I know." Harry said. "But it is so much fun to watch the light in their eyes die as they realize I'm just as much a degenerate as anyone else."

"I make you a degenerate?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Look at you. They see this statuesque beauty next to me and then find out she's a Malfoy? They automatically assume you've been sent here to take the innocence from the boy who lived." He laughed. "they just don't know that I've probably done more corrupting to you than you ever could to me."

The liquor in the punch was making her feel more confident than usual, so she pressed her lips just below his ear and dragged her tongue up the side of his neck until she reached his earlobe. "We can see about that, Potter." She whispered, leaving a small kiss on his neck.

"You're gonna regret that promise later." He breathed, looking at her with wild eyes.

She sank her teeth into her bottom lip to bite back a smile and went to lean in to steal another kiss when she heard Draco's voice coming from the other side of the room.

"Get your hands off of me, you filthy squib!" He yelled, his face screwed up in disgust as Mr. Filch gripped his shoulder and pushed him to the center of the room where Professor Slughorn was standing.

"I caught Mister Malfoy trying to enter your party uninvited!" Filch said in his raspy, low voice.

"I was gate crashing! Okay?!" Draco said, scanning the room with his eyes.

"It's Christmas!" Slughorn said. "It's alright, he just wanted to be invited! Let the boy stay!"

Draco gave Filch a smug look as he yanked free from his grip, his eyes landing on Elara. He looked intense and something on his face told her that there was something urgent that needed dealt with.

He crossed the room quickly. "I need to talk to you." He said, the grimace of disgust and annoyance not leaving his features.

"It can't wait?" Elara said, looking in frustration at him. "It can't wait until tomorrow?"

"No." He said.

"We're having a nice time here, Malfoy." Harry said, tightening his grip on Elara's waist. "Why don't you move along."

"Fuck off, Potter." He growled. "I need to speak to my sister."

Elara heard the murmurs of the surrounding guests that hadn't heard about Harry dating a Malfoy. The ones that just found out that there were two Malfoy children and they were seeming to have a spat in the middle of an otherwise very nice Christmas party.

"Stop squabbling." Elara said. "There are people staring. Harry, I'll be back in a few minutes, yeah?"

He glared at Draco and then turned to Elara. "Fine. But then we're leaving. I've had enough of this damn party."

"Thought you were 'having a nice time'?" Draco sneered.

Elara gave a smile to Harry, ignoring Draco. "I agree. Give me five minutes, okay?"

He gave a sharp nod and clenched his jaw as Elara grabbed Draco's elbow and pulled him to the hall.

"What is wrong with you?!" She whispered furiously. "You've ignored me for over a week and now you choose to need my attention?! In the middle of a Christmas party with ministry officials and guests that write for the Prophet and-

"The cabinet isn't working." He said, interrupting her. "You can berate me later, but I put a bird in it, thinking it would make sense to pass something that was small through first. It came back dead, Ellie. I- I don't know what that means but I think it means that the-

"Unless they killed it and sent it back." She said, looking into his eyes. "Did you check to see how it died?"

"I don't have their wand to do that!" He said. "How am I supposed to see what killed it?!"

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Honestly, they don't teach you much in terms of defense against the dark arts here do they?"

"We've had a different professor every year." Draco mumbled. "Shut up. Just tell me what spell to use!"

"It's a form of Prior Incatatum. Revelio Incatato. Horizontal figure eight with a flick at the end, over whatever object you think has been affected by magic. It'll tell you what spell was used, if any. Can I enjoy the rest of my evening now?"

"And if it was the cabinet that killed it?" He asked, looking around as he whispered.

"The passing spell will reveal."

He gave a sharp nod and stared at her for a moment. She arched an eyebrow and impatiently tapped her foot. "Is there something else, Coco? Because I really would like to get back to my date and-

He wrapped his arms around her in a crushing hug, holding her tightly and giving several deep breaths into her hair. Confused, she returned the embrace, feeling his heart pound against her. His nerves were shot- that much was evident. She could feel his uncertainty and chest crushing anxiety as he held her in place for a moment longer than a hug form him would usually last.

"Are you okay?" She whispered. "Your head… You're full of fear…"

"We go back to the Manor tomorrow. I'm terrified." He whispered. "I need to have some sort of result before we return… I don't know what they'll do to me if I don't."

"We've made progress. We've gotten it fixed. It's just taking some time to get the incantation right." She murmured. "It'll be okay."

"You're always so sure that things will work themselves out." He said, finally letting go of her. "What if they don't?"

She stared into his face, looking over his sunken and tired features; thinking of the conversation she had with Snape. "There are things in place to ensure success." She said, repeating Snape's words. "Just… Trust it. Okay? I need to go back in… I told Harry five minutes."

"Yeah." Draco said, chewing over his words. "Yeah, go on then."

She gave him a small smile and pressed her hand to his cheek, trying to quickly reduce some of his fear. He pulled away and returned the smile. "Go." He said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She nodded and turned, stalking back into the Party to find Harry.

Harry sunk further back into the shadow of the opposite wall, watching Draco as he walked from where he and Elara had talked. His stomach pulled toward his feet, twisting with guilt. He knew he shouldn't have followed her out here, that she would be furious with him had she known… But he needed to know what was causing Draco to be so urgent that he would crash a party he wasn't invited to. He was a total arsehole, but Harry couldn't see him being so desperate to attend a party that he show up where he wasn't invited. If only because he knew how the Malfoy's felt about social etiquettes and that certainly wasn't a proper way to handle jealousy of a not being invited.

No. There was something else going on.

He could barely hear them though… Elara spoke so softly and the only time she was loud was when she was scolding Draco for showing up. He heard her say "Unless they killed it and sent it back" and then heard Draco tell her to 'shut up' and tell him which spell to use.

He watched as Draco hugged her, as if embracing her was holding him together. Harry furrowed his eyebrows, watching as Elara whispered something to him and held his cheek, pressing her middle finger to his temple.

She did that when she was trying to surface emotions… Or repress them. She had done it to Harry a few times, when he hadn't slept the night before from the nightmares of Sirius and the Department of Mysteries, and she would help ease his fears that has seeped into the morning so he could get on with his day… What was Draco scared of?

He tip toed down the hall, staying close to the wall and cursing himself for not bringing his invisibility cloak with him. He stopped, holding his breath as Snape barged from the room and caught up with Draco, gripping his arm and pulling him into a small alcove beside a portrait on the wall.

"You need to let me help you!" Snape said, his voice low and urgent.

"Get off me!" Draco said. "I don't want your help! I was chosen for this! Not you! I can manage just fine-

"Without your sister?" Snape sneered. "How do you plan on that? How do you plan on doing anything without her help?!"

"I don't need her help!" Draco said, pushing past Snape and walking further down the corridor. "She doesn't want to help!"

"You're going to get the both of you killed!" Snape said.

Harry's breath hitched in his throat.

"She's not going to be killed." Draco said, his tone furious. "She's getting out. She's got Potter now to-

"Potter has more important things to worry about than a death eater's daughter and your blind if you think that her welfare is going to come before any of this!"

"Her welfare will come before any of it!" Draco was nearly shouting now. "She will not be harmed because of me!"

"Than let me help you!"

"No!" Draco said. "You just want the glory of it! To be moved up to my father's place, you selfish prick! I won't let you take that from me! I was chosen! I have to succeed!"

Succeed at what?! Chosen for what?! Why is Snape so convinced that they're going to get themselves killed? Harry clenched his jaw. He knew there was something going on. He knew it, and he let his feelings for Elara cloud his judgement and get in the way.

She's getting out. Malfoy had said that more than once. She's getting out. Out of what?!

Harry turned and quickly made his way back into the Party before he was missed, hoping that Elara wouldn't realize he was gone.


Elara sighed as she took the tall heels off her feet, setting them next to the door of the Room of Requirement. Harry was sat on the sofa, staring into the fireplace, lost in thought. She wondered what was on his mind. He had been giving off a strange mix of reserve, anger, and fear since she came back to the party after meeting with Draco.

She padded over to where he sat and stood in front of him, interrupting his field of vision while she undid the backs of her earrings and pulled them from her ears. "Are you alright?" She asked. "You're giving off some odd emotions."

He gave a sharp nod, sighed, and looked up at her. "Yeah." He said, attempting a smile. "I'm okay. Just… heard a strange conversation from some of the ministry blokes that were there… Put me in a weird place."

Elara nodded, setting her earrings on the side table. "Yeah they weren't afraid to talk about things you shouldn't talk about at a party." She agreed. "One of them actually asked me if I would go on record to talk about my father! Can you believe that? At a Christmas party!" She shook her head in disbelief and sat next to Harry, sighing. "This dress is cutting off my oxygen supply."

"You really do look beautiful in it." He said, turning from the fire and looking at her. "You look beautiful all the time, though."

She laughed. "Yes, but an expensive dress and makeup doesn't hurt from time to time."

"I fully expected your dress to be black." Harry said, tilting his head in thought. "When you said your mum picked it out. Or perhaps purple… Since that seems to be your favorite color."

She smiled. "It is my favorite color, thank you for noticing." She said. "And don't worry, I've got black on." She gave a devilish smile and Harry smirked.

"Oh?" He said.

She nodded. "Oh, yes. And if you'd like to see it we can arrange a-

Harry pressed his lips into hers, resuming their interrupted snogs of the evening. He tilted her head back and pressed his lips against her neck, smiling into her skin as he heard a small moan escape her lips.

Elara ran her fingers through his hair, relaxing back into the cushions and shifting so Harry's weight was on her. She pulled his head back up to her face, eagerly nipping his lips and pulling him as close to her as she could get him. She shuddered as he wrapped his hands around her back, the heat of his palms across her bare skin causing goosebumps.

"unzip me?" She asked, sitting up so he could tug the zipper that was at the small of her back the few inches down, past her hips.

Elara felt a rush of heat tug between her legs as his fingertips trailed up her spine and his lips pressed into her neck again. She needed to be closer to him, needed his lips on her, his hands on her, his skin against her. In that moment of heat and lust and pounding heart, she realized she was going back to the Manor tomorrow, and she had no idea what would happen. No idea if she would return… If Draco was right, if what they had accomplished thus far wasn't enough… She may not make it to Christmas.

She wanted to feel good. To feel wanted. Just one more time before she went back.

She stood, shoving the dress from her shoulders and pulling it down her torso. She blushed as she realized her breasts were completely bare, the backless dress too unforgiving to wear a bra. She pushed the gold lace fabric past her hips, revealing a pair of lacy black knickers and she felt thankful that Pansy had the sense to convince her to wear something a little sexier than her normal cotton underthings.

She let the dress drop to the floor and stepped out of it, crossing back to the sofa and straddling Harry's hips.

"See?" Harry said, kissing her collar bones and palming her bum in his hands. "It isn't the dress that makes you beautiful. You're perfect just like this."

She pulled back from him and loosened his tie. "You have an almost completely nude girl sitting in your lap, Potter. It'd be rude of you to not call her beautiful."

Harry laughed. "I reckon you're right." He said, shrugging out of his robes and pulling his tie off the rest of the way. "Doesn't make it any less true."

He kissed down her neck and to her chest and worked his way back to her chin and then captured her lips once more. She sighed into him, her fingers working their way down the buttons of his shirt. Her hands were trembling as she got to the last button and shoved the fabric from his shoulders. He held her and moved, flipping them both so that she was on her back and his chest against hers.

In the month since they had first been in this very similar position, they had returned to heavy petting and snog sessions five times. But she had never been this exposed. Harry had never been completely disrobed either… She felt a shy tug of embarrassment as Harry pulled his shirt completely off his arms and threw it to the floor. She wasn't sure why she felt so shy, he had seen her breasts. Maybe it was the complete lack of bra… Every time before, they were both still partially clothed, never fully naked. But she wanted it. She wanted to be fully exposed in front of him, to see him the same. She needed the honesty of it.

She tugged at the belt of his high waisted trousers, smiling into his mouth as he helped her. He kicked the trousers off, taking his socks and shoes with them. She could feel him pressing into her inner thigh as she had many times before and then a strange tug in her head said "Mouths or just hands". She internally rolled her eyes at Blaise's comment, but then… She knew how he felt in her hand now… She couldn't help but wonder…

She wriggled under him, pushing him aside. He sat up. "Sorry." He said, his breath coming in short pants and a flush crawling from his chest to his cheeks. "I got carried away. I can stop if-

"No." She said, shaking her head. She bit her lip and pressed her hand to his chest, shoving him to his back. "I want to try something different this time."

He raised an eyebrow. "Alright." He said, blushing again as his length twitched beneath his shorts.

She leaned over him and kissed him, a deep, slow kiss before trailing down his neck, to his chest… Moving her lips slowly down his stomach to the elastic of his shorts. She looked up at him quizzically, and his head was thrown back, eyes shut tight. She smirked and tugged his shorts down, kissing him just above his pubic mound. She bit her lip and wrapped her hand around his length, giving it a few slow strokes, as she had before. This time, she lowered her head down and took him in her mouth, smiling around him as he let a low groan escape his throat.

She gave a light suck and heard him gasp. "Oh fuck, Ellie." He groaned. She took him further into her mouth, bobbing her head rhythmically and wrapped her fingers around the rest of his length, moving with the pace of her head. She realized as he gasped and squirmed beneath her, knuckles white as he clenched the fabric of the sofa cushions, she quite enjoyed this. It was all too easy for him to reduce her to a puddle of chest heaving nonsense when they had been intimate before. He never complained about her using her hands, never pressured her to do more, and she never asked for more from him. But she assumed that it was probably boring for him, seeing as it was something he could take care of with his own hands…

But this. This was power. This was more gasping and groaning and crying out than she had ever experienced coming from his lips during their… sessions. She felt him twitching, gasping for air and begging her "Please don't stop." She quickened her movements, adding more suction and applying more pressure with her grip.

"Ellie…" He moaned, his hips thrusting forward toward her. "I'm gonna come, Ellie." He said. "I'm…"

She gave a small laugh, feeling her voice vibrate against him. She looked up, her eyes locking with his as her cheeks hollowed and she worked him deeper into her mouth, sucking hard. His mouth dropped open and he twisted his fingers into her hair as he groaned louder, his cock pulsing. She felt his heat hit the back of her throat and she swallowed it on impulse.

"I'm sorry!" He gasped. "Fuck, I didn't mean to… In your mouth… I'm sorry." He whined as she sucked him through his apologetic orgasm.

When he was finally done, she pulled away from him and pecked his lips, pushing his sweaty fringe from his eyes. "I didn't move on purpose, you git." She chuckled.

His eyes grew wide and he nearly attacked her, sinking his teeth into her bottom lip and shoving her back. "My turn." He growled, sliding off the couch and pulling her hips to the edge of the cushions. He licked and nipped the inside of her thigh, while he rubbed his thumb against the lacy black fabric of her knickers. He smiled against her as she gasped.

"Harry, you don't have to." She said. "I wanted to! I didn't expect-

"I want to, too." He said, looking up at her. "I've wanted to for a while… I need to."

She nodded, biting her lip as she picked her bottom up off the cushion and allowed him to slide her panties off and pull them to the floor. She leaned her back into the cushions and looked up at the ceiling, feeling embarrassed with his face so close to her like this.

He trailed kisses up her thigh as he massaged small circles around her clit, giving her time to get comfortable. She sighed and let her knees fall a little further apart, feeling him grip her hips and then gasped as his tongue trailed across her slit, sucking lightly. Her hips instantly bucked forward and moaned. At this rate, she'd be unraveled in seconds.

She twisted her fingers into his hair as he worked his tongue against her, licking and sucking her clit as a finger slid inside of her to pet her sensitive spots. She gasped, her teeth digging into her bottom lip so hard she could taste blood. She looked down at him, her leg twitching of its own accord.

He tugged her hips, sliding her closer to the edge of the cushions and then propped her right leg up over his shoulder. The change of angle sent a wave through her core, her body shivered, and she gasped loudly. He moved his tongue slowly down to her entrance and then removed his finger, burying his tongue inside of her. She cried out again, arching her back and feeling the tug of pleasure behind her navel grow hot. He traced the flat of hit tongue back up to her clit and buried two fingers inside of her, working her quickly as he sucked. "Harry!" She gasped, digging her nails into his scalp. "Oh my- Shit!" She groaned, her hips bucking. He looked up at her and she felt him smile and she unraveled, feeling a rush flood from her.

Her hips thrust forward, bucking wildly at him as he continued to work her through her peak. Finally she yelled out, a voice that didn't even sound like her own, before sagging into the couch and pulling Harry's head up to meet her face, not even caring that her essence was on his mouth as she kissed him.

He smiled into her lips. "You swore at me." He chuckled, pulling her close to him and trailing his fingers up and down her spine.

"I'm sorry!" She said. "I- I didn't know what else to say! It just came out!"

He laughed "I don't care." He said. "You never swear. It was cute."

"Cute." She repeated, chuckling.

They laid in silence, listening to the heart beats and breaths of one another as sleep and post orgasm exhaustion claimed them. Harry having forgotten why he was worried about her and Elara losing memory of why she was worried of returning home.


a/n: I warned you this one was longggg. It's about 3,000 words more than my normal chapter! Probably because of the smut, but I wanted it, so it stays haha

What did you think of the chapter?! Please feel free to review or message with any questions or comments! You know I love them! I have the next chapter done already, so I'll probably post that up sometime tomorrow since I'm still off work with this messed up leg of mine (sigh). I guess it's good for you all though, since I now have nothing better to do than to update!

Thank you for your reviews, favorites, and follows! You guys are the best!

xo

-Mimi