DISCLAIMER: Okay, let's go. I do NOT own any of the characters recognisable here. HOWEVER, Astrid, Tarquin, Nova, Niall, Roman and Pat Keelin I DO own. The rest of the Harry Potter gang all belong to JK Rowling and I am not that lucky to actually own any of them, drat it.

AUTHOR: L88er-az or Master Aida

RATING: PG-13

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Right, first up, thanks to my reviewers, I appreciate it, and…you know who you are, the very few of you. It's funny; my other fic is surviving better than this one. Anyone else have this? Also, my good friend Silveretta has borrowed Roman for her own purposes, so I advice you to check on her stuff. She's really good, though she mostly deals in parodies. I am so sorry for the delay of this chapter, but I'm halfway through my term at school and haven't had much free time as I'm in the middle of my 2 year GCSE course. So…wish me luck, next year. My parents expect me to get at least 7 A*s and 3 As. As if! I'm kind of hobbling along as it is. The internet has been down in the school because of the bloody virus and people not doing the virus check on their laptops PLUS I've just recently got my own laptop, so yay! It's meant to be for work purposes, though. It's going to be compulsory next year = ( . Anyway, too much babbling, on to the fic….

LAST WE SAW OF OUR HEROES: Some more weird stuff is uncovered, Tarquin is unnerved because the strange girl he found is the illustrious Nova de Mornay that was his father's best friend looks a hell of a lot like him. Bill has to face his demons and is determined that this time, ain't nobody taking his girl away. Last chapter-ish:

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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Fic starts here---------------------------------------

Chapter 5: Revelations

The morning sunshine filtered through the window and fell like a warm, comforting blanket over the two slumbering figures. The first was a girl of about 17 or 18 with pale skin, dark hair that was strewn over her pillow messily and exotic features. A look of peace was on her face and she had a slight smile that curved her lips. The second figure was of an older man, possibly nearing his 40s, with shoulder length dark red hair that had escaped from its restrictive rubber band and dustings of silver on his temples, a pierced ear with a fang earring and rugged features. Deep lines scoured his face and there were shadows under his eyes. But his face, like the girl's, was peaceful, with the same small smile curving his lips.

 He was sleeping on a chair by her bed and sometime during the course of the night, their hands had become intertwined. It was a beautiful picture of love, although disturbing in the fact that he was scores older than she was. The man looking at them smiled sadly, it wasn't every day that he saw this little tableau anymore. He hated to wake them up, but he knew that it was necessary. So with that thought goading him on, he cleared his throat. As he knew it would, her eyelids fluttered and slowly opened. When she saw him, her eyes widened and she sat up abruptly on the bed. The man with whom her fingers had been joined jerked awake at the intrusion. Then he noticed the other man.

"Malfoy. I'm guessing that Tarquin owled you?" Bill asked dryly. The other man nodded curtly, his eyes glued to Nova. There was such…..wonderment in them. Awe. Disbelief. He knew the feeling, the feeling that if he believed that she was truly there, she would disappear. It seemed that Nova's sudden appearance was as much a surprise to Draco as it was to the rest of them. Either that, or Malfoy was a really good actor.

"I came as soon as I heard," he said quietly, ignoring Bill. His whole attention was focused on the one lone girl. She smiled, the same slight, almost smirk that was her trademark smile. The small lifting of a corner of her mouth. Memories, so many memories were there and all of them revolved around her. This one girl that he had lost once and that lost had nearly crippled him. He didn't know what would happen if he had to suffer through another loss like that.

"Did Tarquin owl you?" she asked, her tone as quiet as his. He nodded. Then hesitated. His face showed uncertainty as he contemplated the next course of action. He seemed to begin to speak, only to stop and hesitate once more. Finally, after several attempts at speaking, she shook her head. "Just say it, Draco. At this point, I think I need the truth. Don't gloss it over for me, please. Whatever that's on your mind, ask or speak."

"You've seen Tarquin, then?"

Whatever she had expected him to say, it wasn't that. She hadn't expected him to ask her about his own son. Slowly, cautiously, she nodded. Draco closed his eyes and sighed. He suddenly looked very tired and much older. He looked for a place to sit and she patted a space on her bed which he automatically took. He covered his face with his hands, his elbows on his knees. His shoulders were slumped.

"They say you time travelled," it wasn't a question, but she nodded anyway. He sighed again. "When was it? Looking at you, I'd guess around the start of our…thrift. Around 17, I would say. Is…..is that right?"

"Hogwarts ended 2 weeks ago before I was given the wizarding version of a whammy on the head."

He sighed and rubbed his temples, then ran a long fingered hand through silky strands of silvery blond hair. It was no longer gelled back from his head as he had worn it during his early years at Hogwarts. Actually, he had stopped wearing it gelled back coming into their 5th/6th year. The stint he had going on with Umbridge and the rest of the Slytherins was more of a ploy than anything else. If he hadn't, then his father would have suspected that he wasn't in the same mind frame as they were. Those were the days where their friendship was fragile and careful.

"Nova," he began, then paused. "I don't know how to say this. Strega, after you left, it wasn't the last time you saw all of us. After…after you…You disappeared to the rest of the world, baby. No one could get into the de Mornay estate, thanks to all of those bloody wards your grandmother de Courcy and your uncle Jean-Pierre Mornay put onto the grounds for your safety. No one could get in, baby. You were isolated and alone for a little more than 3 years. Then you got hold that your Grandmother was dying, so you left the estate that she had built for you, had called the de Mornay estate because you refused to be called anything else but something that linked your families together… You went to the funeral, held at the ancient home of the de Courcys and you stood under the rain in your muggle clothes of mourning, a veil obscuring your face. But we knew it was you. Niall, Ginny, Blaise and I recognised you from the start. You…you left an impact on us, darling. No matter what we did, we couldn't deny that. So we didn't. We cornered you after the funeral and made you talk to us. There might have been…harsh words between you and Blaise. He took it the worst; he cared for you more than he let on. That year was hard on him. What with what happened and all, with you leaving, he snapped. Blay went a little crazy for awhile and there was nothing we could do about it. We tried to stop you guys from doing too much damage, but were too late. Blay left and a few weeks after that…"

For the first time in the history of their friendship, Nova saw tears well up in his eyes. Her heart sank and she paled to near white. She started shaking and could feel the tears stinging her eyes. Someone was whispering, No, no. She realised that it was her. Her chest felt tight, her heart felt like someone was slowly, cruelly squeezing. Her throat closed up and she started gasping for air, clawing at her chest. No, it couldn't….It wasn't true…It couldn't be…Blay.

"No," a sob of anguished escaped her tightly constricted throat. "No, not Blay. Not Blay. God, no. Not like that, not with anger. Oh God, no."

"Nova…" Draco reached for her, but she drew back, hugging herself. The tears fell from her eyes, now. A steady stream that trailed down the smooth cheeks as she closed her eyes tightly, attempting to stop the flow of tears, maybe. Or maybe to stop the images of Blaise from infiltrating her thoughts. Neither of the two friends noticed when Bill quietly got up and left the two of them alone. Draco tried to reach for her again, wrapping his arms around her. She buried her face on his chest and started sobbing, her chest heaving, her hands gripping his shirt. Draco held her tightly, his own face a portrait of sorrow as he slowly rocked her.

"God, Blay. How, Draco? How? Why? Why did he…how could he have…Oh god, Blaise. Oh god, oh God, oh God. I…I… help me, Draco. Tell me."

"Blaise was killed by death eaters, darling. He… he was heading towards home from work when they ambushed him. He…he gave his best and we were too late. They did the killing curse on him…but only after several bouts of Crucio." Draco's face was awash with pain as he said it. He and Blaise had been close and thoughts of his death still brought him sorrow.

"Death eaters? But… but Voldemort's dead! Harry killed him! We saw it happen! Voldemort's dead. He's dead. How can there…how can there be death eaters?"

"Bella Lestrange, darling. She has always been Voldemort's staunchest follower. After he was beaten, Bella was never found, remember. She was eaten up with hatred and she began to kill those that helped with the dark lord's destruction. And although it's well known that the Indefinables were never close to the Dream Team, it's also known that we were always at the front line, helping them fell Voldemort. There were more than just a few that were incredibly…angry that Blay and I switched sides," a corner of Draco's mouth lifted sardonically. "My death has been attempted several times, but I was never naïve enough not to guess that they would try to kill me. Neither was Blaise, but the argument you two had must have shaken him enough to…to forget. And it cost him."

"It's my fault, it's all my fault. If I hadn't fought with him, he'd be alive. Oh god, Blaise. He'd still be alive. All my fault. All my fault. All my fault."

Draco was beginning to get properly frightened at that point. Nova had gone sheet white and she was rocking and talking like she had lost her mind, her eyes grief stricken and she was mumbling, rocking, talking to herself and not to him anymore. She had gone like that once before and after that one moment, she had gone insane. Almost literally. And that had been after…after…after her family had been slaughtered at their bedsides.

Nova couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't do anything. It was the worst night in her life, because just that day she had come on top of all her classes, surpassing even her rival Hermione. And the Indefinables had cocked up a truly devious prank which they had pulled, with success, on the dream team. The event came as a huge blow as when they had entered the Dining Hall, Dumbledore had walked over to her and asked to see her with grief in his normally twinkling blue eyes. For he had known the Mornays and the de Courcys. He had broken the news to a shell shocked Nova, eyes wide, skin deathly pale.

"Nova, I asked you to come here because something truly sorrowful has occurred. I honestly wish that I didn't have to break this news to you, my dear. I wish as I always do, that I could shield all of you from this." Dumbledore sighed, his age showing in that one moment, eyes tired and sorrowful, the twinkle gone from his eyes and shadows darkening the soft skin under them. He sighed again and shook his head.

            "What's going on, sir?" she asked, perturbed. Seeing Dumbledore like this frightened her and she hated being frightened. She hated the helpless feeling that it wrought unto her. She felt cold fear knot itself in her stomach, but she tried to shove the emotion away. She was being pessimistic, was all. It couldn't be too bad.

            "Nova, your uncle Jacques and his family…he was…they were…they were murdered."

            Cold fear, rushing through her veins, cold fear clamping, squeezing on her heart, fear twisting inside her system, crushing her lungs. Cold fear returning tenfold. Her uncle Jacques, Aunt Veronique and her cousins Paul, Charles and Dominique. Dead, all dead. All of them, killed. Ruthlessly murdered. Her family. Her living family next to Grandmere de Courcy. Dead.

            "No."

            And all was black.

"Nova. Nova, snap out of it!"

            "She's not responding." Frantic, the voice sounded frantic.

            "Oh God, get the smelling salts!"

            "Smelling salts?"

            "Muggle potion that wakes people up. God, what's wrong with her? Draco, what happened?"

            "She went slightly…insane after I told her about Blaise. Then she fainted."

            "Nova? Strega, are you alright?"

            Nova stirred, then blinked. Peering at her from above were four familiar, frantic faces. Two of which were highly familiar and she hadn't had the pleasure of seeing yet. With a screech, she threw herself into the arms of the two. They were so startled that the three staggered, then crashed to the ground, Nova still on top of them. The man grunted whereas the woman let out a little yelp.

            "Ginny, Niall! Oh god, you're both here. Oh God, Draco told me about Blaise. Oh Gins." She promptly burst into tears once again. Ginny's eyes watered as well as she regarded her best friend and reached to clasp her in a firm hug. She rocked Nova and smoothed her dark hair away from her face as the younger girl sobbed. She made soothing noises and rocked her gently. She was wailing and that was good. At least she wasn't being catatonic. This was how Nova healed. She would keep everything inside, then she would let it out in a fury of either temper or artistry. She would play amazing music or write the most inspirational stories. Or, like the events of her family's deaths, had passionate sex with Blaise. Or, after her fight with Blaise, have amazing sex with Draco.  At least, that was what she had guessed, since the two had never divulged any details. Ginny herself knew that sex with Draco would be inspirational; she had gone through all that, hadn't she? Suddenly, there was a moan from under both of them. Ginny looked down and blushed scarlet. They were both sitting on top of Niall, who had a suffering look on his face.

            "Sorry, Niall," she said quickly, then got off of him, dragging Nova with her. Niall lay still on the ground, eyes closed and heaved a sigh. It sounded, strangely, caught between irritable and disappointment. Draco shook his head, but amusement gleamed in his eyes. He leaned negligently on the wall, arms crossed.

            "Need help, mate?"

            Niall glared at Draco, but took the proffered hand. He dusted himself off and refused to look at Ginny in the eye. Nova looked at the two with a weird look on her face, then let out a bitter sweet smile. Her two friends. They were so obvious and so obviously right for each other. And she had missed this, missed the fact that Niall fancied Ginny. And vice versa too, if the dark blush on Ginny's now adult face was any indication. God, she could imagine what Blaise would say…Blaise. Her face fell and tears welled up in her eyes. She had always loved Blaise, a little. After her family had died, she tried everything but the pain remained deep in her. Then, one day, Blaise had offered her a solution that she hadn't thought of. And it worked marvellously.

Sex with Blaise had been amazing. He knew that it was her first time, so he had been incredibly gentle. His touches had lingered on her skin and made her light headed, made her blood seem like honey travelling through her veins. He had made her skin sing and ache and made her beg for more, arching into his touch, and drew out each sensation, lingering until she thought she would go mad. When he finally entered her, the pain had been sharp, but had dulled until it was a pleasant sensation that made her beg for more and with each thrust, he had filled her fully. When she finally came, it was a bittersweet crest that made her cry out, arching into him, her nails digging into his shoulders and riding it out with him until she fell back onto the pillows, spent.

The others had known of their little tryst, but had said nothing of it. At that point, Draco was sleeping with Ginny despite Ron. He had once remarked jokingly that at least Fred and George had left so that at least he wouldn't be pranked to death. Ginny had playfully hit him and she, Blaise and Niall had snickered. The twins were still legendary, their success at Diagon Alley with their joke shop invoking awe from everyone. Blaise and Nova acted no differently to each other, maybe they touched each other a little more and their gazes locked lingeringly sometimes. No one knew for sure if their relationship had been more than just that one time. But after that night, Nova seemed to have calmed down and her grief more of a bittersweet sorrow that was a beautiful kind of pain. He had been the only one who could console her when others gave her up for inconsolable and he had been able to reach out and yank her out from her darkest pits of despair. It was a truly amazing feat that he alone had seemed able to do.

Blaise…they all had their own parts to play, in their little clique. Ginny was the heart, Niall the brain, Draco the cunning and Nova the indisputable leader, the strength. But Blaise, he held the most important role of all. He was the light. The life. They were all prone to tense moments or little disagreements and Blaise had always been the neutral point, the person that could make you look into perspective with just one comment. No one would guess, but Blaise was actually really funny. He had a dry sense of humour that caught you off guard. True, his humour was often dark, but so were theirs. He could crack them up without seeming effort and shrugged good naturedly when they cracked up at the more amusing habits he had. He didn't mind being made fun of by his friends. In fact, he would deliberately make himself look like a prat if it meant that he could cheer them up. He was just that kind of guy and he pulled it off with such aplomb, such dignity and grace that no one really noticed, really knew except those of the Indefinables.

Draco, Niall and Ginny looked at her sharply when a sob escaped her throat. She clamped both hands over her mouth, but it was no use. The tears were starting again and she felt her shoulders heaving. She was starting to cry again. Draco enveloped her in a hug and whispered achingly sweet, nonsensical words in her ear, rubbing her back soothingly, familiarly. Familiarly. A familiarity that hadn't been there, before. She frowned, wiped her eyes and pulled away. She stared at Draco in the eyes and what she read in them made her jaw drop. A hand lifted, shaking, to cup his face. Then she stood on tip toes and gently kissed him on the mouth. There were horrified gasps and she heard a hoarse no! from a familiar voice. She pulled back and looked at him. Draco had not moved, his eyes steady. It confirmed her fears, his mouth had softened automatically on hers, had moved familiarly over hers. Only his mouth. And the arm that was now wrapped around her waist. She turned to Bill.

"Don't despair, love. Can't I kiss the father of my child?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alright. That has taken me more than a week to write, and I have busted my ass trying to get that done, since I've got hell loads of work at the moment to do. I can't believe I did that. I think that might possibly be my longest chapter, ever. More is revealed, yet more to be revealed. Read on, ladies and gents. I've got chappie 6 in the making right now. You'll find out who Roman Snape's mother is in the next chapter. Yes, I have finally figured who the hell she is, now. More about Nova has been revealed, a little more explanation will be given and more questions raised, eh? Anyway, read Silveretta's stuff, she does parodies and she's damn good at it. She's also written with a collaborated group of people coming under the pen name Totally Clichéd and they've written a totally hilarious HP/LoTR cross over parody fic which is a must read. She's borrowing Roman Snape and I've let her, was that smart? He he, I'm sure she'll take care of my baby.

Hello? Don't go yet:

Review…you know you want to…