(Not a very good title this time, but whatever.)

Yes, Trouble

~~~~~

"Your father paid me a visit."

"Father?"

"Please, sit down Leila."

I obey automatically, sinking onto the couch as I stare at the headmaster.

"He knows you're here."

"I knew he'd find me eventually," why can't I feel anything?

"He can't take you away."

"He won't. I'll leave - "

"Where would you go?" Kind eyes observe me from behind half-moon spectacles. Kind. That was my first impression of him. "He can't take you away Leila, because he doesn't have custody of you any more."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I've explained your case to the ministry - your real case. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy are no longer your legal guardians."

I freeze at a sudden memory, a scent of flowers, a song. "Mother . . . " it's barely a breath, but he hears me.

"How long has it been since you last saw her?"

"I . . . I cannot remember."

A glass of cool water appears from nowhere and he gives it to me. I sip slowly.

"Professor Binns has been informed you will not attend his class today."

"But - "

"You will stay here. Read if you will, or sleep. Fawkes will keep you company." The phoenix inclines its head in my direction.

"Yes sir."

He stands and moves for the door.

"Sir?"

"Yes?" he looks back. Late afternoon sun reflects off his glasses and I can't see his eyes.

"What did Father say?"

He doesn't answer for a long time. When he does, he bows his silvery head and looks away from me.

"That if you weren't who you are he'd have killed you years ago."

And he leaves, closing the door behind him.

I curl up in the corner of the sofa and hug the cushion to my chest. Fawkes makes a sad noise and flies across the room to perch beside me.

"Why?" I ask him, I ask you, I ask myself. "Why does the world have to be as it is?"

But no one has an answer for me.

~~~~~

For the second time I hear a knock at my bedroom door. But this time I roll over and ignore it, I am not in the mood for Draco right now. He would remind me too much of a mother I haven't quite forgotten.

"Alohamora," he whispers. The door opens.

"Go away," I mumble into the pillow.

"Leila?" That's not Draco. I sit up.

"Harry."

"I didn't see you at dinner, are you alright?"

"Did Snape tell you I was here?"

"Um . . . " he trails off, looking uncomfortable.

"And here I was thinking I was safe."

He leans against the doorframe, slipping his wand through his belt. "Why weren't you at dinner?"

"I happen to enjoy my own company." Why do Gryffindors bring out the worst in me? But Harry doesn't appear to notice my tone.

"You weren't at lunch either. Hermione told me she ran into you."

"I'm sure she told you what we spoke of as well."

"No actually. She said something vague about snakes then left for the library. That was it."

"Sums up the conversation fairly well." My, that was an easy lie. Or half-lie at least.

"Your father came to the school today."

It takes a lot to hold his gaze. His eyes are very green.

"I know."

"Why?" Like leaves glinting with dewdrops.

The silence goes on.

"Can I come in?" he asks at length. "Or will you make me stand in the doorway all night?"

"You're planning on staying all night?" I have inherited the lightning quick Malfoy tongue.

He ducks his head. The tips of his ears go pink.

"I can see why my brother likes to tease you," I smirk. "It's very easy."

Harry steps inside and closes the door behind him. "I didn't come to talk about your brother."

"Why did you come then?"

He stands in the middle of the room, hands in pockets. I cross my legs and rest my palms on my knees, my back straight.

"What kind of Malfoy has a house elf for a best friend?"

"The kind that gets rescued by said house elf."

"Rescued?"

"Have a seat Harry. This might take a while." I shuffle back and he comes to sit at the end of my bed. He's decidedly uncomfortable with this arrangement.

"What do you want to know?"

He shrugs. "Whatever you're prepared to tell."

~~~~~

I'm crying by the end of it.

I can't believe I'm crying. But when I reached the point of my most recent interview with Dumbledore, I thought of my mother and the tears began to flow.

Nor can I believe that I'm sitting next to my twin's nemesis, on my bed, with his arm around my shoulders and his hand wiping the salt dewdrops from my face. His skin stings mine.

Pray shadow, that this moment is not broken. I couldn't take that now, not after today.

"What do you remember of her?" he whispers.

"A lullaby. Falling asleep in her arms."

His other arm pulls me closer, and I relax, accepting this for what it is. A Platonic kind of comfort.

"I wish I could help."

"Don't worry about it. You don't have to save everyone." Although I can't see his face I'm sure I hear him smile.

"Can we be friends, Leila?"

"If you want to. I have no pride left to lose."

His arms are warm, and I shift so I am closer to him.

"How did the lullaby go?" he asks.

Very quietly, I begin to hum. As I close my eyes it's like I'm with my mother, listening to her singing to me. Listening to her voice fly like a bird broken out of its golden cage. I don't know the words, I'm not sure if there are any. As my voice fades away, Harry's takes up the tune, and I smile.

Slowly I begin to drift, thinking nothing in particular as I listen to the simple, yet haunting song. He lays me down gently and pulls the blanket over me, hanging my school robe on the bedpost. I feel him sit beside where I lie, still singing wordlessly.

The last thing I remember is his lullaby, and his hand smoothing back my hair.

~~~~~