Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. It was a good but emotional weekend. A friend that I was in a drama troop with died on Thursday. He was only 48 years old and had a 15 year old son and a 12 year old daughter. I'm glad to know that he's in heaven now discussing theology with C.S.Lewis but he will be greatly missed. You can see him in action (and me too actually) at www.ycafe.com. Dave is in the sketch about the married couple called 'perfectly fine'. His wife is acting with him. (I'm in the sketch after that about the girl who's parents get divorced. That's me as Jessy.)

And now back to the story:

* * *

Molly's first class the next day was double potions with the Slytherins. She didn't really care. In fact she was so in her own little world she didn't even notice who had stepped up next to her to be her partner for the project they were doing.

"The word is that Weasley finally stepped off," he drawled, "that you're fair game."

Molly looked over at him and up he was a good deal taller than she was. "That's not exactly how it is." She looked back down.

"But you aren't with him right now are you?"

"Well no." Lucius Malfoy was the last person she wanted to have this discussion with.

He stepped back with his arms crossed and surveyed her. He had taken notice of her last year but had never been able to get anywhere near her with Arthur Weasley always hanging around. "How about a picnic?" He said suddenly.

"What?!" The vile she was holding fell to the floor and shattered.

"Do be more careful Miss O'Grady." Said Prof. Crockford looking up from her desk.

Molly nodded crisply at the teacher and bent down to clean up the mess. Thankfully it was only water.

Lucius dropped down beside her, "Well?"

"Are you asking me out?" Molly whispered.

"Saturday, lunch, by the lake," was his answer.

She thought of the feeling she got when she saw Arthur and Mattie holding hands. "Yes, Lucius. I think that would be lovely."

"Good." He stood up not bothering to help her sweep up the shards of glass and began preparing their potion ingredients.



Over the next few days Molly was constantly tailed by Billius and Charlotte Weasley. They got her caught up on what was going on with the rest of the Weasleys (Daphne-9, Edmond-7, Franny-5, and baby Gwinevere). This, Molly didn't mind so much. It was just the "Do you still love Arthur?" and "When are you going to talk to Arthur?" and "Arthur really loves you." intermingled with the small talk that got on her nerves. For this reason Molly enjoyed the escape of her classes.

Her last class on Friday was Divination. She and Sophie both enjoyed the class for a good laugh even if they thought it was a load of bunk. They weren't surprised at all to find Sybil Trelawney already there telling Prof. Fairweather everything she had "seen" over the summer.

"Hey Sybil," Sophie jeered, "Is the world going to end tomorrow? I was wondering if I should go ahead and do my Transfig. homework or not."

Sybil leered back at her and took her seat.

"Miss Clearwater, Miss O'Grady how nice to have you for another term." Prof. Fairweather greeted them. For someone with the sight, she certainly didn't have the hearing to go along with it. "Molly, there's something different about you."

"Just the same old me," Molly said slightly uncomfortable at the way the Professor was looking at her.

"No, it's your Aura. Your inner child is significantly dimmer than it was last year."

"Maybe I grew up a lot over the summer." Molly gave a nervous half smile.

"It's almost as if," Prof. Fairweather continued, "Part of you is gone. . . or missing."

"She just broke up with Arthur," Sophie said quickly.

"Maybe that's it." But the Professor didn't look convinced.

"You don't think she knows something?" Molly whispered to Sophie as the teacher went off to greet more of her students.

"Nah," Sophie grinned, "She's a flake."