HerRoyalInsaneness - *scratching head*  Blue hair?  Huh?  You'll have to enlighten me a bit.  lol.  Although I'm very glad you're reading, enjoying, and most importantly reviewing!  The rest of you readers out there, follow HER lead!  *pointing*

MetroDweller - Thank you!  I seem to have this thing for dark, dangerous, tortured men.  *sigh*  Of course, Draco is blonde, but it's that oh-so-sexy darkness inside that's so intriguing.  Keep reading, and don't hesitate to offer advice if I start to get off-character. 

Shahrezad1 - *greedily wolfing down cookies*  Matchmaker?  Me?  Surely you have me confused with some other overly ambitious writer.  I mean, how could such evil souls as Snape and Draco be relationship material?  *licking lips speculatively*  Mmm.  Snape..  Ahem.  Anyway.  Stay tuned and see whether Draco fights or caves.  Heh heh heh.

To the rest of my Gentle Readers:  Read!  Review!  (and please accept my apologies for this taking so long)

Chapter 6

The next day, Cara was surprisingly cheerful.  At breakfast, there were sticky buns tosavor.  And then Charms in themorning, which always put her in a good mood.  She liked Professor Flitwick, hell, she liked anyone who wasshorter than she was. 

And then after lunch, which had contained a very nice applepie, she had Defense Against the Dark Arts.  And that was her favorite class of all.

She slipped into a seat next to Ginny, who always tried to hide from her older brother in the back of the room.  Funny thing, it never seemed to work. 

"Good afternoon, Miss Weasley," Professor Weasley calledcheerfully from the front of the room. "And aren't you looking particularly lovely today."

"Bite me, big brother," Ginny mumbled under her breath,trying unsuccessfully to flatten her hair one more time, before smilingsweetly.  "Why thank you,Professor, but don't you think you should be spending the class' time on morevaluable things than my appearance?"

Her older brother smirked as the rest of the class wassettling into their seats, grinning at each other.  They did something like this every class, Cara thought witha smothered smile.  "Ah, but thenthey wouldn't get to find out that you sleep at home with your very favoritestuffed purple panda from when you were three."

"BILL!" Ginnyshrieked, looking furious, as the rest of the class broke into laughter. Professor Weasley just grinned and blew his sister a kiss. 

Cara swallowed her giggles and tried to comfort her friend, who was slouched in her seat, muttering furiously under her breath.  Something about telling mum and knowingwhere Bill kept his underwear. Cara blushed at that thought. After all, Professor Weasley wasquite cute. 

"Don't worry, Ginny, I heard that he's picking on Ron evenworse in class," she whispered. 

"Bloody git of a brother." Ginny was still muttering.

Professor Weasley cleared his throat and Ginny subsided,still glaring blackly at her brother. "Right then, back to the real world," he said with a smile. "Page 102 in your texts, the Bubble Shield.  We've read about it, you've written essays, and today we'll be working on practicing the shield in partners.  You'll try to hold your shield while your partner uses mild hexes.  Mild hexes, now," he emphasized.  "I see any blood, and you'll be scrubbing the underside of every desk in the castle."

Cara grinned and rubbed her hands excitedly.  Now this was what she took this classfor.

"Pair up, and find a clear spot of floor." Professor Weasleywas saying as everyone started moving. Cara grabbed Ginny's hand with hers. 

"Come on, I want to go first," she said excitedly, draggingthe redhead with her over near the wall. 

"Stupid bloody brothers," Ginny was still mumbling, beforeshe shook her head.  "Fine, you cango first.  I feel like hexingsomething, anyway." She shot a last glare over her shoulder at where herbrother was standing on the other side of the room. 

Cara rolled her eyes. "Whatever.  Get over it, andhex me," she ordered as she raised her wand.  "Bulbous protectiago!" She felt a thrill when she saw the waivery orange light enclose her. Just like it was supposed to.

She concentrated on holding that orange glow, as she watched Ginny raise her own wand and start flinging curses at her.  The first one made her shield shake alittle, and Cara's forehead creased with concentration as she focused onsteadying it.  No way was sheletting one of Ginny's hexes through. Not with the mood her friend was in, no way.  She didn't want to think about just how strong thatBat-Bogey Hex would be right now. Another spell thudded hard against the bubble, and she winced. Yep, that was probably the Bat-Bogey, she thought.

They went on that way for nearly fifteen minutes, Cara holding the shield and Ginny trying to break it.  Her arms were starting to ache with fatigue, and she could feel the sweat starting to trickle down her back by the time her friend lowered her wand, looking a little weary herself.

With a sigh, Cara released the spell, and dropped her wand.  The orange light winked out, and Cara jumped at the sound of someone clapping. 

"Well done, Miss McDouglas," Professor Weasley said approvingly.  "There's not a lot of people I know who can hold a shield against my sister's Bat-Bogey Hex."  He cast a look at his sister. "Which, technically, she wasn't supposed to be using."

"I was pretty sure Cara could handle it," Ginny said sweetly. 

Professor Weasley rolled his eyes.  "Just don't make me tell Mom on you, sis," he said.  "Now switch, and see how you do goingthe other way."  He moved off towhere Colin Creevey had just gotten dropped on his head, thanks to hispartner's particularly strong Leaden Limbs Hex. 

Ginny flexed her arms before grinning at Cara. "Ready?" she asked.

"I'm taking you down, Weasley," Cara said, grinning like a maniac herself. 

"Bring it on," Ginny retorted.  "Bulbous protectiago!"

**********

Draco hated this class.  He absolutely hated it.  Honestly, how could anyone be expected to learn a thing when their teacher was translucent, floating five feet in the air, and was duller than his already-dead-self?

He continued to ignore Professor Binns, and instead kept recopying his Potions proposal.  He was determined to hand it to Professor Stone tonight.  Before that wretched little Gryffindor managed to ruin it again. 

He was almost done. He carefully inked the last line, and then blew gently to dry the parchment.  Now all he had to do was turn the whole thing into Professor Stone. 

Sitting back, he looked idly over the rest of the room.  Most of his classmates wereasleep.  He resisted the urge tochuckle at the rather ridiculous sight of Pansy, asleep with her face pressedagainst her quill.  Hesmirked.  She'd have ink all overher face when she woke up.  He wastempted for a minute to add a little something to the ink in question, say, asticking charm, but decided it wasn't worth hearing her screech for the nextweek.

His eyes wandered about the room, eventually stopping on theGolden Trio.  He frowned. Usually Weasley was asleep by this point, and Potter keeping him company. Granger, of course, was always copying down every blasted word Old Binns ever said, just on the off chance it would be on an exam.  Today, however, the three were sitting,heads huddled together, whispering quietly. 

What the devil were they up to now? he wondered, thensneered.  What did he care, Potterand Company were always sticking their noses into something that didn't concernthem.  Sooner or later, they'd getcaught and he'd get to laugh.

Looking back at Binns, he resisted the urge to sigh. Maybe he should take a nap as well, he thought.  Merlin knew he wasn't going to manage anything else productive in this class. 

He slouched low in his seat and rested his head against theback of the chair.  Or, instead ofa nap, he could figure out just what he was going to do to that obnoxious girlhe was stuck tutoring.  Lipcurling, he glared at his proposal. The things he did.  hefumed.  And it was all his bloodyfather's fault.  Every damn bit ofif.  If the old bastard hadn'tgotten in so deep with You-Know-Who, then this summer he wouldn't have had to.

He cut of that train of thought.  He wasn't dwelling on those moments any longer than he hadto.  He had more important thingsto think of, such as the Nerve-Deadening Potion and how it could very well savehis skin by the end of the year. And in order to do that, he had to tutor the little Griff.

Draco resisted the urge to rub his forehead and insteadstared off blankly into space.  What had she said last night?

What the devil were they up to now? he wondered, then sneered.  What did he care, Potter and Company were always sticking their noses into something that didn't concern them.  Sooner or later, they'd get caught and he'd get to laugh.

Looking back at Binns, he resisted the urge to sigh.  Maybe he should take a nap as well, hethought.  Merlin knew he wasn'tgoing to manage anything else productive in this class.

He slouched low in his seat and rested his head against the back of the chair.  Or, instead of a nap, he could figure out just what he was going to do to that obnoxious girl he was stuck tutoring.  Lip curling, he glared at his proposal. The things he did.  he fumed.  And it was all his bloody father's fault.  Every damn bit of if.  If the old bastard hadn't gotten in so deep with You-Know-Who, then this summer he wouldn't have had to dodge those visits from dear cousin Bellatrix.

He cut of that train of thought.  He wasn't dwelling on those moments any longer than he had to.  He had more important things to think of, such as the Nerve-Deadening Potion and how it could very well save his skin by the end of the year. And in order to do that, he had to tutor the little Griff.

Draco resisted the urge to rub his forehead and instead stared off blankly into space.  What had she said last night?  Bloody hell, you're an ass.  Truce, and I'll see you same time tomorrow night.  One corner of his mouth curled sardonically.  Of course he was an ass.  Didn't the girl listen to anything said around Hogwarts?  It was his stock-in-trade, being disliked by one and all. 

He thought of Professor Stone's dark, serious eyes on him last night, and swallowed his disgruntled sigh.  Dammit.  He'd have to make nice, or at least as nice as he could with this annoying girl.  He reached for a clean piece of parchment and his quill.  Maybe he'd try a different tack, one where he didn't have to talk to the girl.  He remembered her hurling insults at his head and snorted silently.  Somehow, he had a feeling she'd make that difficult.

**********

Cara was humming as she swung her bookbag with one hand on her way down to the dungeons.  She'd had a good day.  Defense had been brilliant, especially when she'd managed to sneak a Jelly-Legs Curse past Ginny's admittedly very good Bubble Shield.  She grinned again.  Funny how Professor Weasley hadn't seemed to see Ginny floundering about for nearly five minutes.  He was usually so attentive to how students were doing.  And with all the yelling Ginny had been doing, too.

She giggled at the memory as she pushed the classroom door open, and even managed to hold onto some part of her happy smile as she stepped into the room and came under the surveillance of cold, gray eyes. 

"Let's try this again, shall we?" she said cheerfully, and walked up to where Draco Malfoy, 6th year Slytherin and Arrogant, Mean Prat stood leaning against the wall.  "I'm Cara McDouglas.  I'm in Gryffindor, 5th year, and I can't seem to do a thing right in Potions."

She stood there with one hand held out to him and waited.  And waited.  Hah.  He thought he'd outlast her, she thought smugly.  Mr. Malfoy had NO clue how stubborn she was. 

She kept her smile firmly fixed in place, and stared up into those remote gray eyes.  They were cool and measuring, and hard as the stone wall he was leaning against.  And somehow mesmerizing, she thought in surprise, getting drawn in despite herself.  Was there a hint of something behind those eyes, something softer and kinder?  Something that wasn't quite what it seemed to be on the outside?

And then there was a quick shift in his eyes, as if she could almost hear the click of his mind deciding, and he reached out one hand and took hers.  "Draco Malfoy," he said in a cool drawl.  "6th year Slytherin."

Cara smiled at him, her first genuine smile.  "Right then," she said, still looking up at him, hand still in his.  "Where do you want to start?"

He seemed to be studying her another moment, before he released her hand.  "Bring your materials to this table," he said, in that same cool voice.  "Set up your equipment, and we'll proceed from there."  Cara picked up her bookbag and headed for the table, still smiling.  "And do me a favor," he added to her back, in that same smooth drawl. 

She cast him a glance over her shoulder.  "Yes?" she asked, as she started unpacking her equipment.

His look was measured and remote again.  "Try not to do anything too stupid," he said.

Cara blinked, somehow disappointed that they were back on familiar turf.  "Oh, never fear," she retorted.  "I'd have to be wearing green and silver for that." 

**********

Draco rapped on Professor Stone's office door, all the while keeping a close eye on McDouglas.  The girl was truly incompetent in Potions.  She just couldn't seem to keep her mind on what she was doing.  He told her to add three teaspoons of ground pumice, and she added three tablespoons.  He told her to use a twelve-inch spoon, and she reached for a ten.  He would have suspected her of acting again, but she seemed genuinely distressed by her frequent mistakes. 

Right now, she was sitting and watching her potion, waiting for the color change to occur.  He'd told her to immediately remove the cauldron from the heat when it did, figuring that it was something she was less likely to screw up. 

The office door opened, and Professor Stone appeared.  "Draco," she said with a smile.  "How is the tutoring going tonight?"

He inclined his head respectfully, knowing that she truly wanted to know.  "Fine, ma'am.  I have my proposal for you."  He held out the neat stack of papers. 

Professor Stone raised one eyebrow.  "Already?  Heavens, you and Miss Granger both, you're so motivated to get started.  You DO know you have all year?"

I don't, he thought.  "Yes, ma'am," he answered. 

She was flipping through the stack, scanning carefully.  "The Nerve-Deadening Potion?" she asked, glancing at him curiously.  "Why that particular potion?"

Draco was now on shaky ground.  He couldn't lie to her, it was simply physically impossible.  When he tried, his throat closed up and the words refused to come out.  And yet, there was no earthly way he would tell her the real reason why he wanted that particular potion.  Instead, he opted for part of the truth.  "It's a difficult one, Professor," he said.  "And since you were the one who invented it, I wanted to try it when you could help me, should I run into any difficulties."

Professor Stone smiled at him.  "You usually don't," she said, and Draco felt a glow at her praise.  "I'll read through this and give you my final decision tomorrow," she said.  "I don't foresee any problems, however."

"Thank you, ma'am," he said, feeling an unaccustomed rush of relief.  He needed that potion, he needed it badly.  and he needed it before it became too late.

"Oh, and Draco, I'm still expecting you Saturday morning, correct?" she asked, as she turned back to her office. 

"I wouldn't miss it, Professor," he said sincerely.  The chance to assist and see the kind of creative genius that she and Professor Snape would do.  That oaf of a gamekeeper and all his nasty animals couldn't drag him away.  She gave him a last nod, and then closed her door once more.

Draco stared at her door a minute, his mind racing.  He would make the potion.  perhaps have the chance to avoid using it until the end of the year. 

A noise behind him drew him back to reality, and he silently cursed.  That damned little Gryffindor.  He'd all but forgotten she was sitting there.  He turned slowly and coldly, his best and most intimidating look firmly in place.  "Are you watching that cauldron?" he asked icily. 

And just as he'd intended, McDouglas jumped and sputtered a startlingly profane phrase before snatching the cauldron from the fire.  And then cursed again as she burnt herself, forgetting that metal became hot when placed over fire for an extended period of time. 

"Perhaps you should leave the pads on," Draco drawled as he dangled the item in question in front of her, used for the very purpose she had forgotten. 

She glared at him, mouth screwed tight in pain.  "Shut up," she muttered, gingerly snatching the heavy pad from his hand, and reaching once more for the cauldron.  He noticed how she winced as she lifted the heavy vessel and frowned.  She hadn't burnt herself that badly, had she? 

He reached over and picked up her hand as she set the steaming cauldron down on the table.  "Apparently you don't know any healing charms," he drawled, examining it as if it were an unusual potion ingredient.  In truth, he was startled.  Her hand had sore-looking red marks from where she'd burnt it against the cauldron a moment ago, but there were also dark smudges of bruises ringing it.

She was glaring at him, and snatched her hand from his.  "Oh, right, rub it in," she retorted.  "Bad enough you gave me the bruises, now you want to make fun because there're still there?"  she snorted and reaching for a flask, slammed it down on the tabletop and proceeded to fill it.  "Well, Mr. I'm-so-smug Malfoy, I don't know how to heal a bruise, because I'm not really accustomed to having them.  And I haven't gotten around to seeing Madam Pomphrey about it, because I've spent my last two evenings down here, with your charming self."  She jammed the stopper into the bottle and shoved it in his direction.  "So bite me."

She was stomping out the door by the time Draco recovered from her little rant, and surprisingly found himself amused.  McDouglas was quite the little spitfire, wasn't she? He thought.  "McDouglas," he drawled as she shoved at the classroom door.  She paused, but didn't turn around. 

"Now what?" she snapped.

He leaned leisurely against the table and just watched her, outrage quivering in every short inch of her body.  Amusing.  "Tomorrow, write out and bring with you what each of your mistakes tonight were," he said coolly.  "We'll be doing the same potion again."

He thought he heard her mutter something under her breath, suspiciously like "bloody pain in the ass Slytherin know-it-all." but then she gave the door a shove and was gone.  Safe and alone, Draco grinned.  He'd admit it.  This tutoring thing could be a little more interesting than he thought. 

His mind flipped to the bruises on the girl's hand and he frowned.  He'd done that?  He cast his mind back and remembered gripping her hand rather tightly during their, ah, disagreement the night before.  Bloody hell.  He hadn't realized that he'd been holding her that hard.  For some reason that bothered him, as the sight of the dark marks on the small, smooth hand had bothered him.  He scowled.  Merlin, he was getting soft.  A few years ago, he wouldn't have thought twice about bruising a girl, a Gryffindor, no less.  His thoughts darkened as his mind went back.  A few years ago, he emulated his father every way he could, right down to using and abusing anyone he pleased. 

He shuddered and pushed the memories away.  And then had come Professor Stone, and she'd somehow dragged something out of him that he hadn't realized had existed.  He silently began to tidy the workspace.  And now, here he was, uncharacteristically feeling bad that some 5th year had a bruised hand. 

He shook his head as he swept the waste into the fire and watched it flare.  He was getting soft.  He'd have to be a bit more careful, considering his own life could be at stake.  He remembered the summer again, and winced.  He could not afford to be soft.