He didn't come…  She couldn't actually believe that he had stood her up!

            "You want to dance?"

            Gabrielle didn't even bother to look up as she waved her schoolmate off.  There was only one person she wanted to dance with and he had stood her up.  Sighing sadly, she stood and wandered slowly over to the doors open to the gardens.  Drinking in the cool spring air, she could faintly make out the figure of Professor Snape who, like always, was destroying bushes in the name of decorum.  She stifled a laugh as her fellow seventh years shrieked and cowered under his stern gaze.  Tearing her eyes away from the scene outside, she glanced up at the head table where the other Professor Snape sat.  It had been the shock of the term, returning from summer holiday to discover that they had two Snapes to contend with.  No one quite understood what the lovely woman saw in him, but Gabrielle sensed it had something to do with the warm, fuzzy, teddy bear he became when the other students weren't around.  That or he was really good in bed.

            A slight breeze blew in the doorway making Gabrielle shiver and she turned away from the door, intending on heading back to her room.  The rest of her class were dancing and celebrating the end of their years at Hogwarts, but she had no desire to celebrate.  Harry had warned he might be late, but the dance was more than halfway over and he still wasn't there.  She didn't need to see any more pitying glances or hear anyone else snickering over the great Harry Potter standing her up.  It was hard enough knowing that he didn't care enough about her to show up, she didn't need to deal with her annoying classmates too.  After collecting her things, she stopped to pull a rose from the flower arrangement in the center of the table.  Feeling someone watching her, she spun around and caught Professor Snape, Severus not Margherita, standing furiously in the doorway.

            Not wanting to deal with him, Gabrielle ran from the great hall not wanting to have anyone see her cry.  She'd gone out on a limb asking Harry to be her date to the dance.  Their relationship had been a little…tense since the 'bar' incident.  When she had woken up the next morning and had gone to find him, Professor Snape had gently informed her that he had left.  He hadn't even left her a note as to why he'd flown off at the crack of dawn, not even bothering to say goodbye.  Afterwards, she didn't see or hear from him for nine weeks.  Even Ron, who always knew where Harry was, had no idea where he was or why he was hiding from her.  The other girls in the dorm had begun to feel sorry for her, poor little Gabrielle who pined away after the Boy Who Lived for years, only to kiss him and then have him disappear off the face of the earth.  When Harry finally began returning her letters, he never made any mention of his disappearance, where he was, or why he'd avoided her for so long.  And Gabrielle, though she really wanted to know where he had gone, why he had run, and why he hadn't written, didn't have the heart to ask, fearing his answers could further shatter her heart.

            Throughout her sixth year, they'd been in nearly constant correspondence, but it never was quite the same.  Harry became more reserved, she could tell he was choosing his words carefully, and on the few occasions where she saw him in person, he was different.  Something had changed and Gabrielle didn't like it.  She'd spoken with Professor Snape about it, well, cried on his shoulder was more like it, numerous times.  At first, he'd advised her to give it time, that Harry was probably ashamed of his actions, but his being ashamed of something happening over two years prior did not excuse his not showing up tonight.

            Slamming the door to the common room behind her, she tossed her scarf and bag onto one of the chairs and flopped onto the couch.  She pulled out her wand and relit the fire, which became the only source of light in the room.  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, continuing to obsess over her relationship with Harry.

            "This place hasn't changed at all!  You'd think in five years…"

            "It's only been five years, Draco.  Considering how long the school's been around, it's like a blink of an eye!"

            Gabrielle jumped when she heard the voices, frowning when she heard the name Draco.  Just when she thought things couldn't get worse.  Hearing footsteps on the stairs, she sat up, not wanting them to think she was spying.

            "Oh," Draco muttered in surprise, seeing the blonde girl sitting on the couch.  "We didn't think anyone was down here."

            Gabrielle narrowed her eyes, not seeing them in the dark.  "I just got back."

            "You're Gabrielle Delacour aren't you?  A friend of Harry's?" Ginny asked warmly, following Draco down the stairs.  As she came into the light, Gabrielle could see that she was expecting a baby.  "You came to the…wedding," she laughed, turning to smile at her husband.

            Draco stepped out of the shadows and Gabrielle smiled as she saw the small child balanced on his hip.  Harry had mentioned that Ginny and Draco had a baby about two years ago…  "That's Ron's godson?" she asked, standing up and walking over to the cherubic little boy.

            "Yes, this is our son, Keiran," Draco stated tenderly, turning so that Gabrielle could see the child's face.  "Say hi, Keiran."

            "Hi."

            "Well, hello," Gabrielle whispered.  "So what are you guys doing here?"

            Ginny walked over to stand next to her husband, reaching out and smoothing down Keiran's reddish gold hair.  "Draco came to see the Headmaster and he wanted to take a look around while we were here.  I thought tonight was the big dance?" Ginny questioned, taking in Gabrielle's fancy dress.

            "It is.  I got bored," Gabrielle lied.

            Ginny looked at Gabrielle critically with an inquisitive smile on her face.  "So…have you heard from Harry recently?"

            "Not really…"

            Draco glanced at Ginny, recognizing her plotting look, "He hasn't been around much has he, Gin?  Even your mum has remarked on it."

            "True, very true.  Ever since the wedding…"

            Gabrielle bristled.  Well of course Harry would be avoiding her!  She left him standing at the altar for gods' sakes!  Opening her mouth to defend him, Gabrielle was interrupted by Draco.

            "But even before the wedding, right?"

            Ginny looked up at Draco and smiled, her eyes gleaming.  "Oh yes…Remember, I told you how he moved all his things into my flat and then vanished until the night before the wedding," she drawled, rubbing her stomach absent-mindedly.

            "He what?" Gabrielle whispered in shock.  Harry hadn't lived with Ginny.  He'd merely given up his place and moved his things into hers.  Gabrielle couldn't fathom why he hadn't said anything to her.

            "Wasn't that around the time he took that new position with the Ministry?  The one he never would give any details about?" Draco asked slyly, shifting Keiran from one hip to the other before sitting on the armchair.

            "Yes, yes it was.  Whatever he's doing, he keeps disappearing.  Even right after the wedding," Ginny paused to let the implication sink in.  "He was gone for weeks!  No one saw him, heard from him, not even Ron and Herm.  And of course, he never told us afterwards either."

            "Some honeymoon that would have been," Draco scoffed, earning a quelling glare from his wife who slapped him on the arm.

            "Wait…You mean Harry's disappearances, his periods of being out of touch…  They are part of his job?" Gabrielle asked in confusion, sitting heavily onto the couch.

            "Gabrielle, Harry's an Unspeakable," Ginny informed her matter of factly.

            "Or so we suspect.  He doesn't speak about it," Draco sneered, laughing at his own joke.

            "Haven't you noticed how he's….quiet about certain things?  More reserved?  Even around Ron and Hermione."

            "He's that way with everyone, Gin.  Probably being all valiant, trying to shield you all from his dangerous work," Draco muttered, making it abundantly clear that there was still no love lost between the two schoolmates.

            "Draco," Ginny hissed in warning, rolling her eyes.  "Anyway, ignoring ol mister nasty pants over there," she teased, motioning towards her husband who simply grinned back, "don't hold Harry's silence and disappearances against him."

            "But…I…I…."

            Ginny smiled knowingly at the stammering teen.  "Look at the time," she gasped, not looking at hers or anyone else's watch.  It is well past Keiran's bedtime.  Poor thing is drooling all over his daddy."

            "He's the poor thing?  I'm getting all wet," Draco grumbled playfully, standing up and taking his wife's hand in his.

            "Yes, you are and I dare say you are enjoying every minute of it," she whispered teasingly, lifting his hand to her lips.  "Let's get him to bed and you cleaned up then."

            "It was nice meeting you Gabrielle," Draco stated warmly, heading towards the door with Ginny behind him.

            "Are you staying here?" Gabby asked in confusion, coming out of the daze created by Ginny's information.

            "Yes…  There's a room off this hallway for Alumni of the school."

            "Really?"

            "See, good to know I'm not the only one who didn't know about it.  I would bet even Fred and George…"

            "They knew," Draco laughed, pausing in the open doorway.

            "They…  But…  They never, you never…."

            "Ginny, I saw your brothers coming from that room more often than you'd like to know.  Fred with Angie, George with Katie, even Ron with Hermione on quite a few occasions seventh year," stated with a grin.

            "Ron and Hermione…."

            "Yes, my dear, with the latter in quite a state of dishabilles," he drawled, dragging Ginny through the doorway.

            As the door shut behind them, Gabrielle leaned back on the couch, closing her eyes in though.  Harry was an Unspeakable?  He'd not run off because of her but because of an assignment?  He was distant with everyone, including Ron?  Sighing, she pulled a blanket over her legs as she remembered with a smile another thing Ginny had said.  If Harry hadn't been living with her…then it meant he might not have been sleeping with her.

            The sound of someone banging on the door yelling at the top of his lungs woke Gabrielle from a sound sleep.  Slightly disoriented, she fell off the couch not remembering until she hit the floor that she wasn't in her bed.  The banging and yelling continued and it took a moment for her to realize that it was her name being shouted.  As she stood up, stretching out the kinks she'd acquired by falling asleep on the couch, Gabrielle blinked the sleep from her eyes and realized with a start that it was Harry.

            "Gabrielle!  Gabrielle open the door!  Bloody password my arse!  Let me in!" Harry screamed, his voice ringing up and down the hallway.

            "What in Merlin's name is going on out here?"

            Harry glanced behind him, seeing Snape standing in his doorway, scowling as usual.  Turning back without a word, he again began yelling.  "Gabrielle!"

            "Harry Potter.  Can't you just leave that poor girl alone?  Is it not enough that you have…"

            Harry glared at Snape just as another figure appeared behind him.  "Severus, dear, leave them alone.  It's all quite romantic really," a petite woman whispered, wrapping an arm around the potion's master's waist.  "This has been building for a long time.  Let them be."

            "It's three in the morning!  He continually toys with her feelings, confusing her and leading her on just to disappoint her.  If he had cared…"

            "Severus, look at him," the woman hissed, eyeing Harry carefully.  "Good luck, Mr. Potter," she stated gently, hauling her husband back into the room with a wink in Harry's direction.

            As the door closed behind the couple, Harry spun back to face the door, raising his fist to bang against it once more.  The door, however, swung open revealing Gabrielle standing behind it, looking sleepy and beautifully disheveled though still dressed in her dancing robes.

            "What the hell do you think…" Gabrielle spat, trailing off as she realized he'd recently been in a fight.  "Harry!"

            "Sorry I'm late," he muttered before the exhaustion finally hit him and he pitched forward.