DISCLAIMER: god, here I am once again. Ooookay. *clears throat* I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, ideas etc from the book. That belongs to JK Rowling. However, this little story is mine and Nova, Niall, Astrid, Tarquin and Roman (did I miss someone?) are all mine as well as the de Mornay estate and everything about it.

AUTHOR: l88er-az a.k.a. Aida or 'The Master'

RATING: PG-13. Yet again. Nothing really untoward is going on yet.damn.

SO FAR: Nova meets Snape's son and we get and appearance from a character from her past that gives us some more hints into what happened. "He smiled grimly over her head. She might resist, but he was patient. And persistent. If she wanted to resist, he'd just wear down her walls. Whatever the outcome, he would fight for her. This time, he was going to let her go so easily. Not now that he had a second chance. Not now that he knew why she had let go the first time. He grimaced imperceptibly. Damn if he didn't go and fall in love with her again."

Bill had somehow convinced her to rest, finally. He tucked her into bed with a quiet, 'Rest, I'll be back', and went out of the infirmary. He wasn't surprised when he saw Roman Snape and Minerva McGonagall waiting outside. However, he was surprised to see the Malfoy children. The ones that, he'd been told, brought her here. To the infirmary and inadvertently back to him, again.

"She's resting," he told the small audience, quietly. His eyes lost, slightly, their haunted look and he even managed a faint smile. McGonagall looked vastly relieved and she nodded, curtly. Roman was looking at him in speculation. Astrid and Tarquin looked their usual bland selves, naturally. He looked pointedly at them and Tarquin's mouth curved mockingly.

"My sister wanted to make sure the girl was alright, Professor," he stressed the last word mockingly. Bill refrained from making a comment at that obvious disregard of his authority. He merely raised an eyebrow. If some punk thought that he'd stand for any of his crap, he was so wrong. He had worked at Gringotts. He'd met Malfoy's type before. Face far scarier stuff than the Malfoy scion. The brat. He felt the smile that threatened to sneak out.

"Well then, Ms. Malfoy, I'm happy to tell you that she's fine. She just needs to sleep and get over.things." The easiness of his manner slipped slightly as his eyes darkened. McGonagall placed a hand comfortingly on his arm. Her usual stern expression softened as she looked at the man who had always been a favorite of hers as a student in long ago days. She knew what had happened between Nova and Bill and was incredibly saddened by it. She had known how he had suffered. How she had. But it wasn't enough, just knowing. She hadn't been able to help. But by god, she would comfort!

"Rest, Bill. I'll see that Miss de Mornay is looked after. You need to sleep, especially after some.revelations that you two have had."

Bill smiled at her, ever grateful that she was still alive. "No. If you don't mind, I'd like to stay for awhile. To make sure that she really is fine." And to make sure she really is here, he found himself thinking. He knew McGonagall knew, but she understood. The woman nodded.

"Very well, then. Professor Snape, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Malfoy?" the woman asked the other 3. Roman hesitated, but nodded. He clapped a hand on Bill's shoulder and murmured, just before he left, that they would talk about it. Later. Bill had to smile at that. Ever since Roman had come to teach at Hogwarts, the two men had become friends. Ironic, really, him being Snape's son and all.

The two Malfoys made no sign of budging. Bill raised an eyebrow at their delay. "Well, then? Something keeping you here instead of being back in your houses?" Still they hesitated. Well, more like didn't move. They showed none of their emotions, something that Bill greatly admired and found greatly annoying as well. Finally, though, the Malfoy girl did something quite extraordinary. She seemed unsure.

"Well, sir," she said, and then hesitated. Bill nodded for her to go on. "She said her name, before. She called herself Nova de Mornay. Is this true?" Bill nodded, unsure where this was going.

"But.But that can't be!" she burst out. Bill looked taken aback by the show of emotion. But the girl seemed past caring. "Father told me about her. She was one of her best friends, but something happened and she disappeared."

"It is true. She did. She was."

"But she looks like she's.she looks no older than Tarq!" she said, stubbornly. Bill looked towards Tarquin. He was leaned against a wall, arms crossed. He looked like he could hardly care, but his body was tense and Bill could tell that he was listening very intently indeed into their conversation. This apparently seemed of great interest to the Malfoy children. He frowned, then. Just what the hell was Malfoy hiding from them?

"So what exactly is she?" This came from Tarquin. It was spoken slowly; as if unsure he should ask. He looked uneasy. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere else than here. He looked, Bill noticed; suddenly pale with shock, very much like how Nova did at that age. He looked at the tall young man and he paled further. It might be Malfoy's face and Malfoy's eyes, but it was her hair, her mouth. His eyes were shaped like hers and at that moment of unease, he projected Nova so much Bill wanted to vomit. No. God, no. it couldn't be. 'Yes it could', a little voice goaded, in his head. 'She was gone. Disappeared. Malfoy was her closest friend next to Gin. The children seemed to know a lot about her'. Bill shook his head. He was so far gone that he had not heard Astrid talking to him. Astrid's hand on his arm brought him to life, though.

"Professor, are you alright? You're looking very pale."

"Looked like you saw a ghost," Tarquin commented unhelpfully. Bill cracked a bitter smile. No, not a ghost, but close enough.

"I'm fine. Shock, is all. I'm sorry, Tarquin. She's from the past, we think."

"How is that possible? We didn't see a time turner on her," Astrid said, biting her lip. But she looked quietly relieved. She wasn't a ghost. Oh no.

"We're not quite sure of that ourselves, but we are going to be looking into it. Astrid," now it was his turn to hesitate. "How is it that you seemed balk at the idea that it was really Nova?"

Astrid looked uncomfortable. Tarquin's face was turned away, but his jaw was clenched. She looked at her brother, at Bill, then at the closed door of the infirmary. She sighed, and closed her eyes, as if collecting her thought. Then she opened her eyes and looked directly at Bill.

"Because Nova de Mornay is dead."

For the umpteenth time that day, Bill found himself shocked beyond words. He stared at the girl, then shook his head. He glanced at the infirmary, at Astrid, at Tarquin, hoping they would reveal that this was some kind of stupid, cruel joke. Both looked dead serious (no pun intended!). Bill finally found his voice.

"Y.You're joking, right? This is just some kind of stupid prank. Right?" He looked at them desperately. Tarquin still looked away, Astrid met his gaze solidly. She shook her head, slowly.

"I'm sorry, professor. I know that this would seem implausible. But it's true. We, Tarquin and I, have seen the grave ourselves."

"And why have you?" Bill found himself snapping at her. She flinched at his angry tone, his hard look, his devastated eyes. This man had suffered and suffered greatly. All because of that one woman on the bed in the infirmary. To wield such power to make so many lives devastated.. Astrid mused. God, to have that power to drive this powerful man to his knees. Quite a few of the girls in Hogwarts were head over heels for Professor Weasley. He was extremely good looking with that long red hair, the fang earring, the haunted look in his eyes only made the girls want to make it disappear. She had done that.

Astrid shook her head from the thoughts. She was one of the few who had not fallen for the devastatingly good looking professor. The only reason being, she knew, was the fact that she had known what had put that look in his eyes. Or rather, who. That and that he was, despite everything, the best teacher Hogwarts had to offer.

"There's a grave. On the grounds of Malfoy manor. She wanted to be buried there, father said. He'd bring us there often. To remember someone that was incredibly important to him. He.he said that it was a damn pity that she would be forgotten. But he said she'd never be forgotten by us, at least."

"Why?" Bill asked, hoarsely. Why would she want to be buried in Malfoy manor? Why would she not want anyone to know? Why would she want to be forgotten? As if she could.

Astrid shrugged, but she looked at him with sympathy in her eyes. She gave him a quick hug and stepped back. Noticing Bill's stunned look, she smiled. "I always liked you best from Aunt Ginny's brothers. Don't fret. There has to be a reason. Now that she," she gestured to the doors, and Nova. "Is here, maybe she could tell you. Don't beat yourself up about it. You've done that enough already."

She turned on her heel and walked off, Tarquin skulking behind. But he stopped by Bill's side. Looked at the older man. "I wondered, you know. I saw me in her when we picked her up. I know you see it," the young man shrugged. "It hurt. That I might have been lied to. That they'd kept it away from me. But I know it must hurt you a whole damn much worse, because you.loved her," he looked uncomfortable saying the big 'L' word. But he smiled grimly. "You'll find out soon enough, eh? I know for damn sure Father's getting an owl about this." His lips twitched. "I wish I could send him a damn Howler."

With that, Tarquin left leaving Bill sniggering at the mental image of the unflappable Draco Malfoy being harassed by a Howler. With a last smile, he turned and strode back into the infirmary. To Nova. To the one woman who could give him the answers to the question that burned him. The woman who was his past and hopefully, his future. He shook his head as he settled into a chair by the bed and sat, watching her sleep fitfully until his own lids felt heavy and drooped down, bit by bit, until he too was fast asleep. He was not aware that he was being watched by the very woman he had been watching with a soft look in her eyes and a sad smile. She reached out a hand and lightly ran her fingers over the glossy hair.

"Soon, my love. Soon," she said softly. Then she settled back into bed and fell into the deepest, most fitful sleep she had had since breaking things with everything she had held most dear. Thoughts of what had been and what would be were forgotten for the night as the gods granted them that one night of peace as a reprisal from the nights of hell that they had suffered trough.

End of that chapter. As usual, feedback!

LadyRhiyana: much appreciated for the review. And no, the Hufflepuffs were never that interesting, really. (. I will write about them and I will make a pertinent point, I swear. This whole dragging out thing was never planned. I let the story flow how it flows. At this point, it's flowing in this direction so..*shrugs, then holds up hands in a 'don't shoot me' gesture* I don't control them, they control me. Ah.as to whom the identity of Roman Snape's mother is.all will be explained in time. Seems like they want to go with a big bang.

N.B. god, that was tiring! As usual that was written straight out on a very uncomfortable chair in my dad's study at the ungodly hour of.well; it had been nearly 3 am the last time I checked. So.feedbacks are mucho appreciated for the hell I've been through, right? (