Chapter Thirty-Eight

1996

Scarlett

The entire school was at war against Umbridge. Fred and George had spectacularly begun the chaos, before declaring they were leaving Hogwarts, and hightailing it from the castle on their old Cleansweep brooms. Since their departure and the swamp, they had left behind, the entire school was a battle zone of pranks, directed at Umbridge, and her Inquisitorial Squad, including Filch, who now carried a vicious looking horsewhip.

"Got here safe?" Max asked, placing a chaste kiss on my cheek as I flopped down at his side, Harry taking a seat across from us with Hermione.

"Yeah, just." I grinned, pulling my books and a quill from my bag.

"I think I heard McGonagall encouraging Peeve's to break a chandelier." Harry said, and I nodded, recalling the strange scene of the Poltergeist unscrewing a great crystal chandelier, and our head of house not batting an eyelid.

"Bloody hell!" Ron said, crashing into the seat next to Hermione, face scrunched in pain.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, alarmed.

"Filch and his whips. The bloke's a sociopath." Ron held out his arm, and tutting, Hermione pulled veritaserum from her robes pocket, and treated the raw welts while Ron hissed in pain.

"You all need to lay low before tomorrow's game." Harry said, shaking his head at Ron's now healing injury.

"Near impossible, to avoid this madhouse." Neville said, seated on Max's other side. It was only now I noticed his ears appeared larger.

"Harry has a point." Max murmured, wrapping an arm about my shoulders. "I don't want you getting hurt."

"Twenty points, Hunter, for indecent contact with another student far too smart for you." Came Draco's smug voice from across the library study area. With a groan of annoyance, Max withdrew his arm.

"I'll fix him." I whispered, as we all began our looming exam study, glancing up every now and then to check how many Slytherins surrounded Draco. He was enjoying his position as head of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad far too much, and it was nearly impossible to recall the wizard I'd spent so much time with during the earlier part of the school year. How close we'd been. I'd started to believe it really had all been a lie on his part. Now, what colour should I change his hair? Red. Yes, red would upset him the most. Perfect revenge. I'd have to do it without getting caught. I really didn't want another detention with Umbridge.

"Do you need help?"

"Huh?" Max gestured to my stalled note taking in Arithmancy. "Oh, no. I think I'll grab a book though I've borrowed previously." I pushed away from the desk and wandered into the stacks, pushing my plans to get back at Draco aside for now. A few weeks earlier, I'd had a meeting with Professor McGonagall about career choices. It was something all the Fifth Year students were participating in. She had checked I was still intent on becoming an auror. I'd nodded, as she'd run through my results over the past year, noting my strengths were potions and charms. She'd asked me, surprisingly, to perform various self-defence moves, and spells, and I realised my levels with Umbridge were too below standard to qualify for the correct exceeds expectations to get into Auror training.

I turned into the row on Arithmancy and slammed into another body. "Daydreaming, Ashwood?"

"Draco!" I let out a gasp, jolted from my thoughts.

"Did you like my little points deduction?" He asked as I walked around him, focusing on the book spines.

"Hilarious." I muttered, studiously ignoring him as I searched out the book I'd used for study during the mock exams. Mock exams I had studied beside the blonde wizard now hell bent on antagonizing me at every chance. "The Inner World of Arithmancy." I whispered, grinning as I pulled the book from the shelf.

"Ah, you've found the book I need." Before I'd registered his words, the book was snatched out of my hand.

"Give that back!" I grabbed it, tugging it back towards me.

"Oh no, I'm taking this."

"You prat, you knew I was looking for it."

"Don't know what you're talking about." He flashed a cocky smirk, and I wanted to punch him in his pale face.

"I need this book to study." I hissed.

"Too bad, I need it more." I stared at him, trying to figure out if it were due to his father, although I'd warrant now, he was Umbridge's lap dog, she'd give him any grade he desired, especially if it meant Hermione wouldn't top the year. "Don't make me deduct more points from Gryffindor, you really can't afford to lose any more."

"That's a rotten threat, even for-" A thunderous boom filled the library, and students screamed from the direction of the entrance. A hard and fast wind exploded into the stacks, and books flew as the towering shelves began to tumble.

Still holding the book, we both began running towards the end of the shelves.

"Scar, watch out!" I looked up, sliding to a stop as a wall of books came crashing down. Something dragged me to the ground, and I let out a scream as the books were about to crush me, but they'd stopped moving, inches before my eyes. I gasped, frozen in place except for my pounding heart, and the pounding heart beating hard beneath the chest I was half lying on. It was now I saw the arm poised protectively above me, pale, slender fingers grasping a hawthorn wood wand

"That bloody poltergeist will destroy the school at this rate." Draco bit out from behind me. The books began to move away from us, falling gently to the floor. The shelf had fallen against the shelf behind us, creating a narrow, unstable tunnel. "It's safe to move." He said, pushing me towards the light at the end of the fallen stacks.

"Okay." I whispered, voice shaky and carefully crawled off him. All around us were shouts and cries and I froze at the scent of smoke. Was it an attack, like at the Theatre?

"Scarlett, it's okay. We need to keep moving in case the stacks collapse." Draco murmured, voice deceptively calm. "We're just in the library, at Hogwarts. It was just Peeves, up to no good, we are quite safe." I felt a hand cover mine. "You're quite safe."

"There's smoke."

"Yeah, which is why we need to keep moving." He was now right at my side, and I felt an arm wrap about my shoulders, prompting me to move. On shaking hands and knees, I shuffled forward over the strewn books. "That's the way, just think, your Gryffindork boyfriend's probably going balmy looking for you."

"Max?"

"Yeah, that bludgerhead." I nodded, trying to close out the shouting, the smoke, and focus on the light ahead, the voice at my side, the encouraging, protective arm about my shoulders. "Nearly there."

Light spilled across my face, and suddenly strong large hands were grasping my forearms, pulling me to my feet. "Scar, thank Merlin you're alright!" Max was there, pulling me into his arms. I let out an involuntary sob, burying my head into his robes.

"Get her somewhere quiet." I heard the familiar voice which had guided me out of the fallen stacks. "She's in shock."

"What did you do to her, Malfoy?" Max's voice rumbled.

"Really, Hunter?" I heard him scoff. " I just prevented her from being crushed, now get her the hell out of this shitshow."

"I'm sorry, uh, I owe you, Malfoy." Max muttered, seeming shocked by his uncertain words.

"Whatever, get her out of here." I was picked up, and automatically grasped my arms about Max's neck.

"Check Malfoy's okay, he's back there." Max called out to someone. The smoke became stronger, and I heard someone call my name.

"She's fine, just in shock. Taking her back to the tower." Max replied to someone else, and then the smoke was gone, and the noises faded.

"Password." Came the Fat Lady's calm voice.

"Fiddlesticks" Max murmured, and carefully stepped us through the open doorway.

"What's happened?" Someone asked, and I felt warmth permeate my shaking body, and the crackle of fire.

"Peeves destroyed half the library." Max said, taking a seat, still holding onto me. "Scar was caught up in the destruction."

"Merlin, the school's become a warzone." Someone else muttered. "I hope Dumbledore returns soon."

"You okay?" Max shifted me in his arms in order to peer down at me.

"I think so." I whispered, and felt his lips press against my hair. I had no intentions from leaving his safety, my ear pressed against his steady heartbeat, so different to the erratic thrum of Draco's earlier, as we'd lain trapped beneath the stacks. Draco had put on a calm facade, I realised, for me. I let out a shuddering breath, and pressed closer to Max, wanting nothing more than to shut everything else out, ignoring all the voices which floated in and out around us.

…

Eventually the common room had quietened but for the gentle snap and crackle of the hearth. "Scar, Hermione's brought some blankets down from your bed, and your pillow, if, well, if you want to sleep here tonight?" I pulled myself back, to gaze into his nervous yet worried dark eyes.

"With you?"

"Yeah." Max nodded. "If you want, if you think it will help?"

"Okay."

"Okay?" He breathed.

"Okay." I nodded.

"Right. Just a moment, I'll set up the lounge. "Don't forget, we've got the Ravenclaw game tomorrow. This is purely tactical, so everyone's favourite chaser is on her A-game." He shot me a grin, as I stood, moving out of his way. He was nervous. We weren't doing anything, only falling asleep together, provided I did sleep. I was tired, and I liked the idea of falling asleep surrounded by Max, but this was still intimate, and new for us.

We'd kissed, Merlin had we kissed, sometimes for nearly an hour if we could find a private enough place, but so far nothing more. I felt like this was crossing some line, although I was certain Max wouldn't act on it.

"Your bed awaits, my lady." Max grinned, gesturing to the lounge he'd added a widening charm to, and the pillow and half folded down quilt from my own bed. I realised then he'd set up a second lounge for himself, and my heart dropped.

"It's no good?" He asked, frowning.

"No, it's great, really, but I thought you meant umm..." I felt my cheeks warm.

"Sharing?" He whispered. Swallowing, I nodded. "Do, do you want to, share?" I forced myself to meet his gaze and nodded once. A grin flit across his features, and he sat down on the makeshift bed for me. "Come here, I'll keep you safe."

Needing no invitation, I crawled under the blanket, and snuggled securely against his chest, wrapped in the safety of his arms.

…

I slept deeply, which surprised me, only waking from the first cool rays of sunshine spilling onto my face from the alcove window in this secluded part of the common room. I slowly opened my eyes to find Max already awake, watching me with a gentle smile.

"You're so beautiful and peaceful when you sleep." He murmured, voice husky, his hair tousled. I blinked a few times, bringing him into focus in the dim early morning light. Somehow, he was impossibility more gorgeous, dare I say, sexy? "You slept alright?" He asked in that husky voice again and my stomach plummeted into a nosedive. Definitely sexy.

"Yeah, I slept great. You?" I was partially lying on top of him, and upon shifting one of my legs, realised they were tangled in his. Oh gosh...

"Amazing. If only we could do this every night." He let out a sigh, stretching a little beneath me. "I'd say we've got an hour until anyone else is up." He mused, squinting out the window.

"Hmm, bet Angelina will be the first one, bellowing for us all to have a big breakfast." I said, and Max chuckled.

"More than likely." He reached a hand out to push a most likely messy tress of hair behind my ear, leaving his hand there, stroking my cheek with his thumb. "I was so scared yesterday, when those stacks fell, and I heard you scream."

I didn't remember screaming, had I? I only remembered Draco yelling at me, and then dragging me down with him to avoid us both getting crushed. He'd saved me. Again. He was so quick on his feet with his magic, and I wondered what kind of career he'd decided upon. He could probably pass as an Auror. What an absurd thought?

"Scarlett, you okay?"

"Oh, yes sorry. I was just thinking about yesterday. I'm okay." I added, and leaned in, brushing my lips against Max's, to erase the lines of worry between his dark brows.

"I'm glad." He murmured against my mouth, before deepening the kiss. Suddenly, I was very awake, and hyperaware we had an hour alone on this lounge together. Max moved, manoeuvring my body with him, until he could lean above me, and then he lowered his head, and an involuntary gasp escaped me as he lay hot kisses along the side of my throat. Threading my fingers into his hair, I guided him back to my lips, before kissing along the edge of his jawline. He let out a groan, and I became aware of how he'd pulled his lower body away from mine, and dragged the heavy, now cumbersome blanket down to our hips.

I continued, kissing a line down his throat, hands tracing his shoulders, his neck, while his own ran an enticing circle over my belly, beneath my transfigured loose t-shirt. l let out a ticklish giggle, and he pulled back, to gaze down at me. His eyes were dark hot chocolate, intense and pooled with desire. I could let myself be lost for eternity in those eyes. A wicked grin graced his mouth, and I let out a gasp and laugh as he pushed my shirt up, to pepper kisses across my belly and ribs. The laughter dissolved quickly into shaky sighs, as he pressed the t-shirt up higher, and higher, and, oh Circe, higher. He didn't move the bra I still wore, but his mouth was an inferno through the silken fabric.

Max moved again, above me, gaze now locked onto mine as I fought to catch my breath, only to let out another breathy gasp as a weighted heat settled between my thighs.

"Is this, okay?" He murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead, and simultaneously pressing against me, before pulling back and reassessing my reaction.

"Yeah." I let out a shaky exhale, and he gently repeated the action, once, twice, a third time, until I couldn't resist raising my own hips to meet his. The throaty groan he let out was all the encouragement needed. Threading my fingers back behind his neck, I pulled him into a delirious kiss as my body rocked against his, and my mind wondered at how this could possibly feel better without two pairs of pyjama bottoms between us.

...

"Ready, Scar?"

"Hmm?" I focused on whoever had addressed me in the Great Hall, more aware of Max's hand on my knee, and the movement of his thumb rubbing against my leg. I couldn't stop thinking about our hour alone that morning. We'd stopped, not going any further, but I'd wondered since, would we have gone further if we weren't at risk of someone entering the common room? Did I want it to go further?

"Daydreaming?" Max whispered for only my ears.

"Maybe." I whispered back.

"What are you two whispering about?" Ron asked, looking pale with untouched toast before him.

"Game tactics." Max replied smoothly. I merely grinned.

"Right, well, you best get out there." Harry said, just as Angelina called us all to attention.

"Game on." Ginny said cheerily, walking past us with broom in hand, to which Ron paled further.

"Good luck, Ron." Luna, who was dressed in a golden eagle's headdress encouraged as she walked by.

"Ron, mate, it will be fine." Max clapped him on the back as we all headed towards the Quidditch Pitch. He let out a groan of despair as the Slytherins chanted, 'Weasley is our King.' "Give them a show, Ron. Lord it over the lot of them." Max added, his words a challenge as Madame Hooch brought out the box of balls and ran through the usual rules.

The weather was perfect, a clear morning, not a cloud in sight. Angelina ran us quickly through some of the plays we'd been practicing, and my nerves spiked tenfold at what was at stake today, the House Cup.

"Stay safe and play hard." Angelina said, as Max pressed a chaste kiss to my lips, before we took up on our brooms. I flew over to Katie and waited for the game to start.

The game was hard and fast, but surprisingly, every play we'd practiced worked in our favour. And then something incredible happened, Ron blocked the Quaffle from Ravenclaw. A collective gasp filtered through the entire pitch, and the Slytherins wavered in their chanting, before the Gryffindor side erupted into cheers. From that moment, the game was ours, Ron blocking each goal, while between Katie and myself, we scored again, and again.

Snippets of Weasley is our King morphed with each minute which passed, words changing, now a battle cry, a victory song, as Ron stopped the Quaffle again, and a double cheer went up, as Ginny caught the Snitch.

"We won, we've won!" Angelina screamed, tears streaking down her face as Cho Chang, threw her broom down in anger, stalking from the field. Ginny was beaming as we all touched down on the grass. Ron gaped, in a daze, before Gryffindors swamped him.

"Hey you." I turned to see Max, and with a grin, jumped on him in elation.

"We've won!" I laughed as he caught me up in his arms.

"We won!" He shouted back, laughing as I kissed him hard on the mouth. Disentangling, we joined the crowd of Gryffindors marching into the Great Hall, which was draped in Golds and Reds. Victory colours.

Celebrations continued on into the night up in Gryffindor Tower, Ron seated like royalty, our Quidditch hero. Someone had discovered a note left from the Weasley twins, with directions to a stash of spirits, and Hermione turned a blind eye, so the team could celebrate properly.

I laughed at the effects of Giggle Water, as Max peppered kisses across my throat, in a mostly private corner of the common room. "We should try and sleep down here again tonight." He murmured against my ear, sending tingles down to my toes. His hand was under my Quidditch jersey, tracing a pattern against my skin. The scent of Firewhisky mixed with butterbeer, sweet on his lips and I recalled another Quidditch Cup celebration and stilled. We were moving too fast. Even that morning, it was probably too fast.

"I... I think, we should hold off a bit." I replied, fearing his reaction. His languid strokes across my belly ceased, and he pulled away with a frown.

"Shit, have I upset you. Am I going too fast?" He breathed out. I swallowed and nodded.

"A little too fast." I whispered, and it was his turn to swallow hard. "It's not that... I mean, I don't want to stop, I'm just um, not ready to move on to umm..."

"Was this morning too much, if it was, that's okay." He cupped my face in his hands, gazing carefully into my eyes.

"No, not really but..." I didn't know how to answer him. It had felt incredible, I hadn't wanted to stop, but if we hadn't stopped, how much further would we have gone? He seemed to guess at my indecision and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"How about, we'll take a backstep until exams are over, and see what happens from there." Max suggested.

"Okay." I let out a relieved sigh, resting my head against his chest.

"But I still expect kisses daily, or I'll go insane." He chuckled, nuzzling into my hair.

"Always." I let out a laugh at his antics, glad we were on the same page.

Draco

It was mere days until exams began. Lessons were now for additional revision, and everyone was in a panic. I was admittedly nervous, and with a pang, realised I missed how I'd studied with Scarlett for the mock exams months earlier. Of course, I didn't let on to my fears, making sure everyone was more scared of the examiners than I was, because my father knew one of them personally.

I was unsure if I had too much to worry about regarding my father. He had sent a short reply to my last two letters: 'Well done, Draco.' I'd done something he'd approved of, and something the Dark Lord approved of too, although I wasn't exactly sure how my latest information had helped. Still, past years had proven, if my grades were not up to his standard of absolute perfection, I'd feel his wrath. I'd messed up in Transfiguration and could not afford to lose any more marks.

Tonight, I did not have prefect or Inquisitorial Squad duties, and so headed to the Finer Arts Chamber, to practice my exam piece. A roster had been created upon the door to the chamber, with times allocated for each student to practice in private. I was technically early by half an hour, Scarlett in the current time slot. She hadn't cast a silencing charm, and so I leaned against the door, listening.

She was good, a fact I already knew, but the song was far too lovesick for my liking. I could only imagine it was about Hunter. What she saw in him, I'd never know. I'd heard him in a corridor, refusing to let on to his sixth and seventh year friends how far he'd gone with her, but had hinted enough to make my blood boil. They'd all lost house points for loitering.

The song ended, and I made to push my way in, only to pause as she began another, nothing like the first. Goosebumps broke out upon my forearms as I recognised the haunting melody, the lyrics falling silently from my lips, as she breathed life into them. Scarlett could sing? I pressed myself against the door, entranced by every note, every word. She wove a spell, stronger than any magic, which resonated with my very soul long after she'd finished.

The door vanished from before me, and I crashed forward, grabbing onto something to keep from falling, hearing a surprised yelp on my way down. Somehow, impossibly, I didn't crush her beneath me on the floor.

"Draco, what the hell?" She gasped out, making to shove me aside. I grabbed her hands at my chest, still partially possessed by that song.

"What are you, a Veela? Part mermaid?" I blurted out, and she stared up at me in shock. "Your voice..." Her face drained of colour.

"Oh my gosh, you heard me." She stammered, cheeks now reddening. She had to be Veela blood, I could barely think, all those thoughts about her I'd locked away, came flooding back, and I wanted to, no had to kiss her, I had to...

"Draco, let me up." She demanded, her hands still against my chest, a barrier stopping me from doing anything crazy.

"Is there Veela in your blood?" I asked, refusing to move. She said nothing, her green eyes wild and wide. "There is." I stated, the puzzle pieces falling into place. "No wonder I can't help..." I shook my head, and staggered to my feet, heart slamming against my chest.

"Can't help what?" She whispered, getting to her own feet.

"You need to be careful with that voice, it's bloody powerful." I warned instead. She nodded, before gathering her book-bag and fleeing from the chamber. I took the seat at my own piano, and ran my hands through my hair, letting out a growl of frustration, the Veela blood within me now singing through my veins. What the hell had she awoken in me?

I'd sought out the library, thankfully fully repaired since Peeve's incident, and taken three books on Veelas, before hiding away in a

less visible reading nook. I'd known there was Veela blood on my mother's side, and she'd given me a lesson on Veelas and what it could mean to have some of their traits, the year I'd started Hogwarts. It was on record, and father believed it to be an additional strength to the Malfoy bloodlines. My magic had certainly been strong as a young child. My childish songs had enchanted the House Elves. I'd never really thought about it since, not until Scarlett had sung. Now something had awoken, but, perhaps it already had been there all along?

It has been common throughout history, for Veela to find Wizard partners, which in turn can add strength to Wizarding bloodlines. Older Pureblood families were known to introduce Veela blood every seventh generation to ensure strong magic and lessen chance of inbreeding and the birth of Squibs within magical families.

The potency of Veela blood, has been known to skip generations in Wizards and Witches, showing up as the following traits:

Pale hair and skin.

Attractive, alluring features.

Natural dance skills, which can sometimes alure the opposite or same sex.

Musical talent, including an

exceptional vocal range, known in witches, to enchant the opposite or same sex.

A high sense of protectiveness in Wizards over other family members, or romantic partners. This protectiveness may include self-sacrifice for the safety of family and romantic partners.

A strong dislike in sharing what a Veela blooded wizard deems as theirs, whether item, creature, or another Witch, Wizard, or Veela.

Veela blooded Wizards will often be able to unconsciously sense witches also carrying Veela blood.

Well, nothing like some extra revelatory study on top of exams. I let out a long, tired sigh. Wondering if Scarlett had also realised, I carried Veela blood. Somehow, I doubted I'd hear her voice again, but I knew with every fibre of my being, I'd never forget it. Casually, I flipped through the book until I came to a chapter on Veela song, one paragraph stood out above all others, sending a chill through me.

'Veela blooded males have been known to compose melodies for their female counterparts, and a male will recognise his true mate by the way her voice resonates with his soul.'

When I first began this fic, I being a singer myself, refused to have anything beyond the piano in any musical scenes with Scar and Draco. I blame this slight deviation entirely on the beautiful Voice Croatia battle performace of "Lovely" dueted by Albina and Filip. Youtube it, and you will not be disapointed. :)

Thank you for the reviews on the previous chapter, put a smile on my dial considering it has been so long since I updated!

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and its little twist at the end.

xx