A/N: Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews! I actually got into fanfiction because a friend told me about her 'guilty pleasure' there...so here I am, the odd disciple in the H/S cult. (Attn: I don't own this all! J.K. does!) Everyone was so concerned after I mentioned my fingers hurt from guitar, that this chapter has been partially typed by Xander and Kylie McNeville for me. My dear siblings type dictation quite well, you know...Kylie's a so-far-unpublished HP nut on fanfiction, and Xander's writing poetry for when he goes on. He's also the resident Buffy nut. As a matter of fact, he inspired part of this chapter as follows here:

"Jannie, if Spike fought Christian, who d'you think'd win?"

"Who?"

"Spike from Buffy and Christian from Moulin Rouge."

"Hmm...James Marsters vs. Ewan McGregor...hmmm." It was a delicious little thought, to say the least of things.

"Oh, don't be getting that freaky lustful look on your face-"

"Do you think they might burst into song once or twice."

"Well, in the musical, Spike sings real well- I d'know."

And that is why the Weasley twins misbehaved. Here you go.

Chapter Sixteen: Julie's First Day Back

"Have you got the spores?"

"Pipe down, coz, I'm coming," Tom Weasley puffed. He and his cousin were alone in the Common Room, and Tom had just been raiding one of the greenhouses for Symphon Spores. "These ruddy things stink like a box of feet!"

"I got them last time, it was your turn to-"

"Never mind." Tom added precisely five spores to the cauldron there. "Julie's going to love it if this goes right."

"And if it doesn't?"

"She might still find it funny, then."

"Are you sure that Uncle Ron said she's ticked at 'Fessor Pureblood though? 'Cause if she's really ticked at Donaghan. she won't like this."

"I know! We'll give him some, too, then they'll both-" A noise silenced Tom for a few seconds. "-you know."

"She'll find it funny either way!"

"You don't like Julie?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like like like her, more than our coz, y'know?"

"I don't think so... Do you like her?"

"Not like that."

For a moment the cousins looked at the cauldron, unable to look into each other's eyes.

"She's gonna love it when that Malfoy git starts to-"

"Shh!"

Another creak of the stairs left them whispering.

***************************

Julie walked into the Great Hall the next morning, having returned from St. Mungo's the preceding night. Two identical mischievous grins moved apart for her to take a seat between them at the Gryffindor table for breakfast of eggs and grits.

"They've served us Muggle cereal, Jules, look at this!" Tim pointed to the white grits disgustedly.

"'Zat grits?" She tasted the white stuff and smiled at them. "It's an American thing we used to eat on holidays."

The Weasleys watched Julie actually eat some grits, matching looks of abject horror and revulsion there.

"What is it?"

"Cracked hominy...some kind of corn. Put pancake syrup on if you're not used to it."

They followed her orders and found grits improved considerably.

"I don't mean to rag on your favorite food, but this does taste like sand without syrup on."

"Who told the house-elves to make this American stuff?"

Julie smiled inwardly, noting several other Gryffindors were puzzled, too, and not a Slytherin but Alexei was eating it. Some Ravenclaws had figured out the syrup trick, whilst some Hufflepuffs just crunched it uncomplainingly. She also recalled a long discussion of favorite foods, and noted Malfoy was liking his very much. Her father and mother were giggling at some odd joke, probably a crack about what they thought it reminded them of, not that she liked to think of what they joked about; and professor McGonagall looked quite amused by everyone. Hagrid had gotten some in his beard. All in all, she decided she'd have to talk to Malfoy about 'tampering.' The winks and eyebrows he was sending her proved her suspicions about why they all were eating grits.

"Doesn' this Muggle food taste sorta funny, Julie-girl?" Donaghan asked, lifting grits with spoon and watching them slurp off. "I've never 'ad it, but if this is what it's s'posed to be-"

"It's meant to taste like this, but maple syrup helps a bit." Julie passed him the bottle and he smiled at her. 'Oh, damn,' she thought, noticing the longing gaze. 'I am such a damnable git for not catching this!'

"Catchin' what?" he asked. She had thought out loud again-drat! Hastily she made up a clever lie.

"This syrup I've got on my cuff right here. I mean, I'm a Seeker, you would think I'd catch a drip at least!" The Weasleys and Donaghan laughed at the hasty joke, oblivious to how she'd made it up too fast.

"I noticed y'look very different now," Donaghan said, looking at the uniform. "It suits y', and the Gryffindor lion's nice."

"I think she looks a bit leggy, though," Mack chipped in. "If you'll pardon my saying so, you look great."

"Oh, perfect, Mack, just flirt your little eyes out!" Tom chided.

"Yeah, next time you can tell her that she's got nice-" SMACK!

"I'm sorry, Julie," Donaghan apologized, "he needed that."

"It's alright, you don't need to defend me, Donaghan."

Donaghan sighed quietly and nodded with a friendly smile. He had hoped Julie would like him to protect her still, but maybe smacking her 'cousin' had been a bad move at first.

"I'm sorry, Tim."

"That's okay." Tim was smiling bright as morning sun. The whole series of cracks had been designed to make Donaghan look away, giving Mack the co-conspirator the chance to spike his pumpkin juice quite royally. Having him burst into song was worth many smacks.

"Were you people always this chipper before I left?" Julie thought she detected a note of false cheerfulness.

"D'know, aren't hospitals so boring that we seem giddy?"

"I suppose, although I slept so much I don't recall."

"Didn't anything interesting happen?"

"Read any books?" Donaghan tried to appeal to the bookworm half of Julie's mind.

"Well, Malfoy read to me a lot of-" she stopped, frozen cold.

"Who read to you?" Tim asked.

"Um, er- Malfoy did." Julie was blushing rather furiously.

"Not 'Professor Malfoy' or 'professor pureblood,' Jules?" Aldous knew she didn't really take to 'purebloods' much.

"Well, uh, he is my parents' friend, so I just call him- -not in class. It's like our Uncle Harry after Quidditch games."

"Oh." Tom sounded entirely unconvinced. "So he read you a book about-?"

"Oh, lots of stuff, you might not find it interesting."

"Naw, tell us." Donaghan hoped to make her smile again.

"Well...there was a story about a man who tried to tame an Orc."

"Was he eaten?"

"I don't think so, just smelled very bad after and gave up meat."

"That's funny, though I'd like an Orc for a bodyguard."

"Do you need one? You're a Gryffindor; my friend as well." Julie didn't like Aldous thinking he was all alone.

"Not like that, just to intimidate, and pick up rocks."

"Rocks?"

"Yeah, whenever someone bothered me, he'd bring a rock, like a great big boulder and just put it there. And then I'd have him say something like, 'Drop on head?' like he wanted to know if I wanted the person squashed."

"That sounds like a very nice idea, Aldous. I think that'd work on Lester Bulstrode quite impressively."

"And if worse comes to worse you could just borrow Flint."

The Gryffindors laughed amid scattered glares at the Slytherins' Seeker. The boys were still very ticked about the episode with Julie's teeth.

"So, will I see you in the library?" Aldous asked. Julie nodded, but the Weasleys rolled their eyes at her.

"Got to recharge the batteries like Mum, no doubt."

"Hey!"

"You do not rag on my parents," Julie said softly.

"Sorry."

As Tom got up he saw the knife beside his neck.

"Geez, Julie," Donaghan said in awe as she reclasped the switchblade and returned it to its' hiding place.

"I am so sorry Julie-"

"Naw, it's alright." She gave Tom a perfectly normal smile then. "I made my point -no pun intended- you're okay."

"You almost put a knife through my cousin's head!" Tim whispered in a mix of awe and terror at what she'd almost done.

"I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you if-"

"He could've died!"

"I really wouldn't have hurt him, it was-"

"Julie-girl, you did get that knife out too fast," Donaghan was trying his best not to offend her, but it was too much. "If y're worried about gettin' jumped again, I'll watch for you."

"No, Donaghan, I'm alright, it's not 'cause of Flint. I've carried a knife since I was quite young, it's just what I do."

"Jules, if that had been a wand, you would have cursed him dead."

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to give you all a scare like that."

"Could y' maybe not use that knife in school, y'know?" Donaghan asked. "I mean, y' could hurt y'reself, or someone else-"

"Alright, Captain." Julie handed the switchblade to Donaghan, then giggled nervously as she sat back down again. "It's been so long since I've not carried one, I feel...do you know when you take off your clothes sometimes, like you're completely helpless, that's kind of how it feels when-" She just ranted on. Without the blade, young Julie was hysterical, manically chattering impossibly.

"Julie?" She didn't stop. "Julie!" Donaghan tapped her. "Take this knife back, we have got to see your dad 'bout this."

"Okay, Donaghan, good idea, very nice-"

Before they could get to Professor Snape, Professor Malfoy greeted Julie with an unusual smile.

"Good morning, Starcatcher."

"'Allo, Malfoy."

"Hello, Professor Malfoy," Donaghan started. Were he and Julie really being civil now? "Julie and I were just going to talk to Professor Snape."

"Oh. Well, Sev's in a meeting with the Headmistress right now -if I could borrow Julie for a moment..."

"Oh, sure. Be right back, Donaghan." Julie went off with Malfoy toward the library.

For a moment Donaghan was certain she would be back soon. But then something about the way Malfoy had looked at her stuck in his mind and made him think about her parents' age difference. Could that possibly be the reason why she had left him? Jealousy and worry about Julie welled up so fast he didn't stop to think that hard. He hurried to the library to check on her.

"Hey, Donaghan!" she called. "Come see what Malfoy's got."

The captain found himself looking at a long green snake that seemed to be sunning itself curled around Julie's neck. Malfoy was offering it a lump of meat while Julie talked to it- -in Parseltongue. His jaw dropped to about his feet.

"What's she say?"

"The meat is too cold. Could you warm it up?"

Obediently Malfoy pointed a wand at the meat and used the Thermos charm, after which the green snake ate the meat quite whole. Donaghan noticed the library was void of all but Slytherins save Julie and himself.

"Yeh're a Parselmouth, Julie?"

"Yeah, just found out. Malfoy couldn't get Nagaina to eat her breakfast, so I came up here to translate what she wanted him to do with it."

"Would you like to hold her?" Malfoy offered, holding up the snake. Donaghan swallowed his nerves and nodded. "Just support her coils."

"She's after bein a girl snake, then?"

"Yeah, gentler. Nagaina's a good lady, aren't you, sweetie-snake?" Malfoy tickled the snake underneath her chin. She hissed at Julie who laughed sort of hard and hissed right back.

"Well, what'd she say, Jules?"

"She thinks you look a little silly when you do that, but the tickling is a good thing that she likes a lot."

"Then why did you laugh so much?" Malfoy asked.

"It won't translate." Julie smiled obnoxiously at her teacher.

Donaghan couldn't believe she was doing this. Flirting with a teacher just to mess with...whom? What if the performance wasn't directed at him at all, but an effort to lure on a Slytherin? Was it Alexei?

The Durmstrang transfer slouched over to them.

"Could I see ze snake vhen you are done, Don-again?"

"It's 'Donaghan,' Alex, you don't pronounce the 'g' in it." Julie corrected his pronunciation too quickly. Judging by the way Julie's wrist went to her belt and Alexei flinched away, Donaghan gathered she'd have pulled the knife.

"I am zorry."

"Tha's alright, man, just a language thing." Distractedly Donaghan handed Nagaina to him and turned toward Professor Malfoy again. "Tha's a right lovely snake yeh've got there, 'Fessor."

"Oh, thanks, McPhersen, I just bought her last Saturday."

"Was Julie with yeh?"

"No, she was off with her folks and then I met them afterward."

"Then this is that snake, the one that made 'er scar go odd?"

"Mm-hm."

"Well, don't y'think it's bad to let 'er 'old it, then?"

Malfoy gave the McPhersen boy a calculating look.

"You're one of Julie's friends from Gryffindor -the Quidditch team?"

"I'm Chaser and the captain for this year, sir, yeah."

Instantly Malfoy knew why he was worried about Julie so. This was the boy she had been seeing once. They were still friends, he remembered her telling him, and for a second he was glad the boy protected her. But then another of Julie's biting remarks surfaced in his memory; when he had asked her if she'd ever shagged a Muggle she had only denied any Muggle guys. His suspicion of Donaghan trebled there.

"Oh. I myself was a Seeker in my school days here. Tell me, are the practices still every night for Gryffindor?"

"Pretty much, sir, why're y' wond'rin'?"

"I was just curious."

Donaghan knew he didn't trust the Slytherin a metric inch.

"Well, we're trainin' for our match agains' Hufflepuff. Slytherin lost to us in nineteen seconds, last."

"I heard Julie did well in that match for you. How's the arm?"

"It's quite well."

"Good. I'm sure you'll need it soon."

"I us'lly do."

There was a tense second where either of the guys might have hit the other hard.

"Did you date Julie long?"

"What makes y' say I ever did?"

"Word gets around."

"We're friends still, if y' wondered, broke qui' ami'bly"

"I gathered that from the fact she still talks to you."

"Really? I'm astounded she talks t' you so much."

"Are you implying something, McPhersen?"

"Nothin' odd, professor, jus' that yeh're a Slytherin."

Suddenly Julie turned back to both of them with an odd look.

"Talking Quidditch?"

"Naw, Julie, jus' a bit o' friendly chat."

"Yes, this young friend of yours seems really quite an okay chap. Do hope he isn't injured in tomorrow's match," Malfoy drawled with a very Snape-ish leer.

"An' y're Professor seems a very cheerful snake-lover."

Julie was a little unnerved but more amused by this development. Hastily she changed the subject:

"Professor Malfoy, when does Dad's meeting end, d'you know?"

"I'm not sure, it's about curriculum, could take hours."

"Oh, cripes. Donaghan, do you think that we could tell him 'bout this later, then? I've really got some studying to get done with."

"Alrigh', Julie, I'll see y' at practice, then."

"Farewell, Captain."

"'Bye, professor," Donaghan responded a little abruptly, turning quickly to kiss Julie's cheek. "See y' later, only-girl-here," he said quietly.

Julie looked at Malfoy bewilderedly after Donaghan left the room.

"Could you meet me in the dungeon?" she asked almost silently.

"Five minutes," Malfoy mouthed back, trying not to be noticed by the students there. Julie pretended to pick up and read a book while he collected his snake and put her in the cage. After most of the Slytherins had followed Malfoy out of there, Julie left and headed for the ex-Potions or Defense Against the Dark Arts hall. There was a painting of Bodrick the Unmusical on the left wall, and Julie waved at him as if he were a real person. The painted goblin put down the guitar with tangled strings and waved at Julie, too.

"What's the password, Malf- -girl?"

"'E flat power chord.'"

"Right. But why are you going into Malfoy's rooms?"

"I have an assignment that I need to talk to him about."

"Oh. Okay." The goblin went back to blistering his fret fingers, after swinging aside to let Julie into Malfoy's rooms. He had assured her that poor Bodrick wasn't very smart, and as long as she changed her appearance or accent slightly each time she came, the goblin wouldn't know it was the same girl twice. Julie thought the guitarist goblin seemed an okay sort, although considering the bloodstains on his guitar's neck, she was very glad the paintings couldn't make loud noise.

She stepped into an entirely dark sitting room, and as it was her first time there she couldn't tell whether there were chairs or not. Rather than risk tripping and breaking her neck in there, Julie stood silently, waiting for the dark to change.

Before there was so much as a flicker from the other side, the blackness enveloped her and kissed her with familiar touch. It was Malfoy. She kissed him back fervently.

"Why's it so dark in here?"

"I haven't put the lights on yet."

They laughed briefly and Julie felt him stroke her hair. She could also tell he was uncertain about something then.

"Lumos," she said, lighting up her wand. In the dim light of the glowing fire she saw his face. "What do you want to ask me?"

"What's with you and McPhersen?"

They had decided that in serious matters they couldn't waste words in spite. It was one of the few 'rules' that Julie really planned to follow much. So she answered him.

"We dated for a few weeks in mid-September, dear. I got bored with the way he was treating me and told him I would rather just be friends."

"Was he hurting you?"

"The opposite. We only kissed." Julie felt herself blushing from what that implied. She also noticed Malfoy smiling, with some slight relief.

"So you were after someone tougher?"

"Or more interesting."

"So what's his deal? He looked like I was a threat to his favorite girl."

"Aren't you?" Julie joked, and Malfoy grinned at her. "Seriously, I think he might still fancy me."

"I don't mind competition."

"Didn't think you did. Just don't get too over-confident, you might be wrong."

"I wasn't wrong when I suspected that you'd never shagged."

"Are you? You don't know that for certain, now."

"I think I do. You said you'd never banged a Muggle guy. And if you and the Scotsman only kissed, you haven't had the time."

"I'm partly Slytherin, and you know we tend to lie."

"You weren't lying."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, come and bang me then."

Julie called his bluff.

"Alright." She stroked his chest. Malfoy found himself being almost forcibly moved toward the bedroom door, Julie's wand tucked over one ear like she might a pen. She undid the catch on his robes and they slid right off, showing a satin shirt of the kind her father liked to wear. Malfoy had no chance to protest before she started unbuttoning it, kissing him fiercely as if she didn't want him to escape.

"Are you still convinced?" she asked a little teasingly.

"Of course. You're only trying to change my mind."

"Damn it," she capitulated. "You are right."

"Was it so hard to admit that?"

"Yes, of course it was."

"You don't like being made to give up, do you, Jules?"

"'Jules'?"

"I heard one of the Gryffindors call you that."

"Obviously." She gave him a look of complete surprise.

"Do you not like being called that?"

"Not by you, at least." Julie petted him on the head. "It's kind of a guy's name and the Quidditch players call me that. I'm a completely different person now, alone with you."

Malfoy smiled and snapped his fingers. Several lamps went on.

"So you're a different person when you're with me -that sounds right." He slouched lazily onto the leather couch, taking the younger girl down with him. "You're all feminine and not quite such a bitch with me."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, admit it, you're a flaming shrew."

"Only if you admit that you're a pureblood snob."

"What makes you say that I'm-"

"You've never walked more than eight miles straight before. Your hands are softer than mine and better manicured. You've also probably never starved because of budget cuts, never split a cup of coffee with two other kids, and definitely never been without a sack of gold. The signs are all over you; pureblood snob."

"So my family was rich. I couldn't help that, Jule."

"That name I like better. You didn't have to treat the poorer kids like dirt."

"Until I was your age I had always been told that they were dirt. You can't fault my upbringing unless I fault yours, Julie."

"How can you?"

"You've been taught to live on nothing straight and still like it. Anyone tries to talk to you the wrong way and you pull a knife. You're a thistle on defensive with a trust problem. Did you leave McPhersen because you were bored or because he got close to you? You haven't even called me by my first name yet!"

The last two lines struck Julie like two leather whips. Quietly she straightened and her face grew stiff. Malfoy realized he had hurt her and immediately stopped.

"Julie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Yes, you did, Malfoy." She stood up silently and tucked her wand back in her robes. "I also hate to admit it, but I think you're right."

"Julie, what I said was mean. Don't go because-"

"I said the same mean things to you. And I am a shrew. I do pull knives on friends sometimes. I probably did leave him because he got close to me. And I won't use your name because it puts me close to you."

"You don't want that?"

"I'm afraid of what you'll do to me!"

Julie all but ran to the door, but Malfoy pulled her back. She tried to struggle against what sort of felt like arms, only to realize he had levitated her by wand. Silently he drew her back onto the couch, as she glared at him with all her might and didn't move.

"I will not hurt you even if you tell me to."

"Malfoy, you already have. I'm starting...to like you." She couldn't say what she was afraid the real term was.

"I already like you and I'd like you close to me."

"So I can lose you?"

"I'm not going to die like your brother did. You see, I know he was your brother in a dire sense. I know you're scared to trust your friends with any more of you than they could pick up in a talk about something else. You didn't even tell your parents 'til they knocked you out."

"I didn't know they were my parents when they did the charm."

"And yet you trusted them. If you hadn't you wouldn't know." Julie had not realized this and Malfoy stroked her hair gently. "I'm asking you to trust me with a bit of you. Not everything, just tell me what you're feeling now. I like you more than I've ever liked anyone, and I don't want you to be scared to show yourself to me."

Julie was silent, considering what he'd said. Finally she whispered:

"I like you a lot."

That was enough. He held her for a long time there.

***********************

"Draco, wake up. It's nearly twelve o'clock."

"What'd you call me?"

"Uh...your name?" Julie asked a little nervously.

"I thought that was what I heard. So you can say my name."

"It was a matter of inclination and I'm tipping fast."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm becoming more inclined to your point of view. To incline is also to tilt, and so I'm tipping fast."

"Mother's side. You play with words like child's blocks."

"Precisely."

Julie kissed Malfoy gently on the lips again.

"What do you imagine they would think of this?" he asked her, meaning her parents, especially the father side.

"Dad might get used to it if he thought it was just intellectual, and Mum already seems to think you're just a Lockhart case."

"How's that?"

"You're just a guy that I find dishy and it's going to pass."

"I'm lots different from Lockhart, as I hope you know."

"I do. I 'magine Dad might find everything except our ages to be good, and Mum will find just ages and your being a Slytherin wrong."

"Would you be frightened if I told you that I hope this lasts?"

"Not really- -how long?"

"I don't know. I want to see what you grow up into."

"I was sort of wondering what you were like as a kid."

"If this does last, will you promise not to break my heart?"

"Why would I do that?"

"I seem to think I found some pieces of a Scottish one."

"Oh, dear. I was afraid that he was lying when we broke it off."

"He will get over it. At his age, guys bounce back like they had rubber souls."

"But if I hurt him-"

"Sure you hurt him. He'll get over it. I'm not trying to sound jealous, but I sort of am," Malfoy confessed a little sheepishly. "And I was that age once-"

"Sixteen years ago."

"Do you mind that I'm so much older?"

"No, I find you nice." Julie leaned on his chest like a firm pillow. "You aren't such a git as the boys my age are. That and you're also done with growing and the hormone thing."

"So you're alright that I'll be fifty when you're thirty-two?"

"I doubt I'll live that long, but yeah, I'm fine with that."

"I think you'll live to have two kids and graying hair."

"Mum says hair doesn't gray in our family and I'm sorry, but I don't take reproduction well."

"You don't want to have kids?"

"Not now, and probably not until I'm fairly old."

"By old do you mean my age?"

"I mean twenty-nine. You know how old that seems when you're still fifteen, right?"

"When I was your age I thought I would live to maybe twenty-two. Of course, the situation with the Dark Lord changed my fear of death, especially after I wasn't expected to be a Death Eater anymore."

"When your dad died?"

"Yeah, and mum told me she'd spied so much. She's really brave."

"I've heard from lots of people that she did a lot."

"She personally led Aurors straight to Voldemort."

"I guess that qualifies as a lot. You must be proud of her."

"Definitely. I'm also proud of working with your dad so much, you know he was the first one to curse the Dark Lord down?"

"Really? Dad?"

"Can't you see him taking House points off of anyone? Voldemort was supposed to be afraid of two people: Albus Dumbledore and your dad. Dumbledore because, well, he's Dumbledore, and your dad because he changed sides and still knew the Dark."

"He knew about every trick that they could throw at him?"

"Exactly. He scared me a lot as a kid, too."

"I thought he favored the Slytherins."

"In public, yes. But the instant we were back in the dungeon, he used to tongue-lash us worse than you would believe. He only stopped from taking points off to beat McGonagall. You know that they compete a lot between Houses still?"

"Considering how she exulted over me beating the Slytherins, I could tell that she liked seeing Dad torn in half."

"Julie, I would like to watch your father at that game." Malfoy kissed her on the cheek. "But do you have to win?"

"I'm part Slytherin. I love to win like nothing else."

"Well, you're winning my heart faster than you know."

"Draco, that's one of the singularly most romantic things you've ever said." Julie kissed him long and well before they stopped to breathe.

"But who needs English when you say something like that, m'girl?"

***********************

"It hasn't worked, Tim. He's still studying over there."

"Maybe nothing's inspired him today so far."

"No, he'd have done something, considering Julie's left."

"Are you sure you got the right kind of spores?"

"I think."

"Spores?" Professor Longbottom asked cheerfully.

"Oh, yeah, we're, uh...doing a project, sir."

"Perhaps you'd like to see the new ones I got last night; Tryphon Spores, they increase hormonal elements."

The Weasly boys froze.

"What do they look like?"

"Green, and they smell like a moldy boot. I'll be in Greenhouse Four if you'd like to see."

The instant the professor was gone, Tim slapped Tom upside the head.

"You idiot!"