I Do Not Own Harry Potter.

Okay, this is it until my beta-reader gets back to me. (cross your fingers that it will be soon) In the mean time, pester me with questions and reviews! :o) Happy Reading! Mattie :o)

The six students had been immediately taken to the infirmary when they reached the school. All of them had assorted cuts and bruises from the dodged and not-dodged spells. Neville and Ron had received some heavy burns from one of the Death Eaters on their way to the East Parlor.

Hermione and Draco were a bit worse for the wear, but were the first to be released from the ward. Harry had not needed any medical attention at all, but stayed at Eva's bedside.

Eva had let go of her breakfast as soon as they ported to Hogwarts. Madame Pomfrey said that she'd sustained a concussion from falling on her head. She had to be awoken every hour on the hour so she would not lapse into a coma. All her friends had asked why she couldn't just heal herself, and Madame Pomfrey answered that because she could not concentrate all that well, she could end up hurting herself more. Harry had stayed by her bed and undertaken waking her every hour. He had watched her sleep for a while and noticed something when she moved once. It was a scar on her chest; it had looked faded, but it was there nonetheless.

Eva awoke on her own after a day in the infirmary. Her father had taken Harry's place by her side and he sat reading a book. She flipped over onto her other side and tried to read the title of the book he was reading. She laughed out loud when she saw the name of the Muggle author; he was reading Eight Simple Rules For Dating My Teenaged Daughter.

Severus closed the book and looked at Eva with worry. It was not yet an hour since he last woke her up. He was surprised that she was awake and laughing. "Are you alright, Eva?" he asked with concern. His hand automatically went to her forehead, but he felt no fever.

"Fine, Dad. Good book?" she asked.

Severus lifted a corner of his mouth in half a smile. "I figured if I was going to let you date Potter, I might as well set down some guidelines."

"You're serious?" she asked.

Severus just nodded and went back to reading his book. Eva sat back and smiled. She noticed a plate of sandwiches by her bed and took one. She was done with her second sandwich when a pair of large eyes caught her attention. "Nagie!" she cried.

The house elf came into the cubicle and climbed onto the bed. Eva gave her elf a hug and sat her down in front of her. "How are the other elves?" she asked.

"We are doing well, Mistress. Master Dumbledore has allowed us to help the Hogwarts elves and we are permitted to see you whenever we please. Nagie has fixed up Mistress' room."

"Thank you, Nagie." Eva asked the elf what they had been up to in the last day that she had been asleep. Nagie informed her of what her elves had been doing and how her friends were.

"How's Draco?" she asked.

"Master Draco is most grieved for his mother. He has not left his room since he left hospital, Mistress. Nagie does not know Master Draco, but he is nice to Mistress, and so Nagie is sad."

"Thank you, Nagie." Eva sat talking with her elf for a few more minutes. When the house elf asked permission to leave, Eva nodded and then turned to Severus.

"Dad, do you think I could go see Draco?"

Severus looked at his daughter's eyes. He could tell that she was trying to keep the tears from falling, but they were there, just below the surface. "I think you should wait a day or so, before you see him. You are still healing and the walk alone could be difficult."

Eva just sighed and flipped onto her other side. She did not want her father to see her cry. She didn't know why, but this pain seemed a bit more private. She felt that since he had not been there for that part of her life, he would not understand the pain that she was feeling at the moment. She heard him stand and leave the cubicle. Eva waited and listened for any noise that would establish that someone was walking about. When she did not hear anything, she stood and steadied herself.

Walking as quickly as she could, she made her way down to the Slytherin dungeons. She did not see any students around the corridor and so she entered the common room with some trepidation. She did not feel up to an argument with Pansy, or anyone for that matter. She looked around the common room and only saw a few first years studying at a corner table. She waved at them and then continued towards Draco's dormitory. She knocked on the door and heard nothing.

Slowly opening the door, remembering the last time she'd entered a boys' dormitory without knocking, she peeked inside and saw that Draco had his curtains pulled around his bed. She walked to the four-poster and tugged at the curtains.

"Draco?" she called.

"I really don't feel like talking, Eva," he answered and turned on his side so she wouldn't see his face.

Eva sniffed back the tears that had begun to fall. "Then would you mind if I just laid here with you?" she asked in a husky voice.

Draco flopped over and Eva gasped at his puffy eyes and red nose. She had never, in sixteen years, seen him this upset. She let a sob escape from her lips and then sank into the bed next to him. Eva sobbed quietly and Draco pulled her into a hug. He let silent tears fall into her hair and held her as one would a lifeline.

"I'm so sorry, Draco," Eva eventually said.

"Thanks, Rave. I'm glad that I've got you here. I don't know what I would do if you weren't here." Draco placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.

They lay there for a few hours before falling asleep. Eva was surprised that her father had not come looking for her. He had done, when she would sneak into Gryffindor tower and go to Harry's room. It was dinnertime by the time Eva and Draco woke up.

Draco woke up first and gasped at Eva's sleeping form. How long had they been sleeping? More than an hour? He shook her by the shoulder and was relieved when she sighed and scooted closer to him. He let out a little chuckle; she was like a cat when she slept, always looking for warmth.

"Eva, wake up. It's dinnertime and we're already late," whispered Draco.

Eva opened her eyes and smiled at him. "What time is it?" she asked.

"Time for dinner. I'm surprised your appetite hasn't told you that." As if on cue, her stomach growled. Both smiled and got up from the bed.

Draco went into the bathroom to splash some water on his face to get it back to its normal color. Eva waited while he freshened up and sat on his bed. A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Hey, Drake!" she called.

Draco appeared from the bathroom. He was stripping off his shirt and looking for another one. "Yeah."

"I was just thinking," said Eva. She watched him as he changed. It wasn't like they hadn't seen each other naked before. "What's going to happen? I mean your Mum's gone," she cleared her throat and blinked a few times. "And Lucius is a wanted man. I'm sure there's no way the Ministry is going to let him touch his accounts."

Draco sat on the bed next to her. He sighed and looked down at the pair of trousers he had in his hands. His other ones were all wrinkled from lying in them all day. "I have no idea. I guess I'm going to have to talk to a lawyer and see what's up."

"A lawyer?" asked Eva.

"Well, a Wizarding Law lawyer. Mum's got one on retainer and I'm sure I've got some information on how to owl him somewhere." He fell back on the bed and dropped the pants in a heap at his feet. "I never thought about how much work comes with death." He squeezed his eyes shut and Eva saw tears fall down the sides of his face.

Eva wiped them away and leaned over him. "Draco," she said and her voice cracked. She cleared her throat and continued. "I know this is really hard for you. I loved your Mum like a real Aunt. I can only imagine the pain you're feeling right now." Eva moved the strands of white-blonde hair that had fallen from their usual place. "I would be more than happy to take care of everything for you; the service, the paperwork, everything."

Draco put his arm on Eva's shoulder and pulled her down to him. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" he whispered into her hair.

"I love you, too, Drake." Eva would have stayed there with him forever, but her stomach gave another audible protest and he sat up to put his trousers on.

Just as they were heading out of the room, Nagie and Moby appeared with trays of food. "Moby and Nagie have brought Master Draco and Mistress Eva their dinner," said Moby.

"We were just about to go down to the Great Hall, Moby, thank you," said Eva.

"Master Snape has ordered Moby and Nagie to see that Mistress Eva is taken care of." Moby sounded nervous.

"Tell you what, Moby. Why don't you and Nagie take those trays to my rooms in the East Tower and Draco and I will be there, shortly. How's that?"

Moby nodded and he and Nagie disappeared.

"I guess we're going to have dinner in my rooms. Do you mind?" asked Eva.

"Not at all. I'd rather be alone right now, anyway," said Draco. He and Eva were quiet as they made their way to her rooms and had a quiet dinner.

They were sitting on the sofa staring at the fire when a knock sounded on the door. Eva stood and made her way to the portrait. Her father had not said anything about coming to visit tonight. She opened the door and was surprised to see Hermione standing there, with Harry. "Hello, we weren't expecting you," said Eva. She let them in and walked back to the sofa where Draco was now hanging his head to hide his puffy eyes.

"We just came to check on you," said Hermione. She looked most anxious, especially since Draco had not yet lifted his head.

"We're fine, thanks. We just wanted to have a nice, quiet dinner," supplied Eva.

Hermione couldn't take it anymore; she sat down next to Draco and pulled him into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Draco."

Hermione couldn't tell who was more surprised that Draco actually hugged her back: Eva or Harry. She held Draco close and he clung to her tightly, sobbing in complete silence. Hermione was a bit creeped out by it, he made no noise whatsoever when he cried. She guessed that it must have been because emotions were not something you expressed in the Malfoy house, at least when Lucius was around.

Harry was even more weirded out than Hermione about Draco's breakdown. He'd never seen the Slytherin show any emotion other than contempt and disgust. This was Harry's first exposure to the Draco Malfoy that Eva had been trying to introduce to him.

The four of them sat together for hours. Sometimes in complete silence, sometimes talking in whispers about anything but what had brought them to this point. It was close to midnight when there was a knock on the door.

Severus walked in before Eva could get up and open the door. He didn't seem surprised that the four of them were in the room, but he did not look happy about it either. "It's past curfew," was all that he said to them.

"Sorry, Dad," said Eva. She'd not called him that in front of other students before. "We lost track of time."

"I understand," said Professor Snape. "I will escort Miss Granger and Mr. Potter back to their dormitory. I'll be back for Mr. Malfoy." He turned and expected Hermione and Harry to follow him.

They were almost too shocked to stand and follow, but they eventually did. Professor Snape led them through the corridors and up the staircases in silence. When he got to the portrait of the Fat Lady he turned and looked at the two students in front of him.

"I would like to thank you both for staying with Draco and Eva today. I'm afraid that she's not too confident in sharing things with me lately. I'm glad that they both have people who care enough to go looking for them."

Harry and Hermione did not want to say anything just in case the spell would break if they did. They just nodded and turned to the Fat Lady.

"Of course," said Professor Snape. "If you tell anyone what I just said I will make you wish you were never born." He nodded curtly and turned on his heel.

Harry and Hermione watched as he made his way down the corridor, robes billowing out behind him. Harry turned to Hermione and gave her a look that said I-knew-it-was-too-good-to-be-true, and then gave the Fat Lady her password.

Severus walked back into his daughter's room and smiled at the sight that greeted him when he reached the sofa. Eva and Draco were fast asleep. He sat down in one of the chairs around the fire and turned it, so he would be able to see them sleep. He'd enjoyed the time he had spent with Narcissa in London; it had given him a chance to hear what Draco was really like. Severus' opinion of the boy had changed dramatically.

Draco was a victim of his father's expectations, and was only guilty of trying to make his father happy. Severus knew all about that. His own childhood had been similar. Severus had often hoped for someone to come in and get rid of his father; the one person in the world that Severus could never please. Draco was lucky; he had someone who could help him.

Severus sighed and stood from the chair. He spread the blanket on the back of the sofa over the sleeping teens. He walked to the door and down to his office. He had a few owls to send concerning Draco's inheritance.

Eva and Draco spent the next day in her rooms. Nagie and Moby had gone down to the Slytherin dungeons to get some of his clothes for him. They spent most of the day going through what Draco knew about his father's affairs, which wasn't much, but he did know quite a lot about his mother's business.

Narcissa had left her dowry, which Lucius had never spent or touched, to Draco in a trust. It was untouchable by anyone until she died or he became of age, which ever came first. He did not know how much was in there, but he knew it had to be a tidy sum; his mother's family was on par with the Malfoy's. "I've also got a trust from both of my grandfather's," he said at the end of their investigations. "Both of which, only I can touch."

Eva nodded. "Looks like you're set for life, Drake. Even if you can only touch them after you become of age, I'm sure there's enough there to last you quite a few years."

"That may be true, but where will I live? There's no way I'm going back to Malfoy Manor while Lucius is still alive. I'm going to need some money to buy a new house."

"What about your Mum's cottage in Ireland? Can't you just live there?"

"Yeah, but it's going to be a pain to get to the Express when school starts," said Draco.

"It's only one trip, Drake. You'll be graduating next year, and you can go anywhere after that. You did say you wanted to travel."

Draco nodded his head and leaned back in his chair. "I just never thought I'd be going alone," he said.

"You wanted to take your Mum?" asked Eva softly.

"No. I always thought I would be taking you." He looked at her and gave a smirk. "You forget that I was under the delusion that we were going to be married for most of my formative years."

Eva ducked her head. "We've talked about this, Drake."

"I know, Rave. I'm not saying that I still want to marry you. I've been thinking about it. It wouldn't work between us. We know too much about each other and it's hard to get along sometimes, as it is. We'd be at each other's throats before our first year was over."

"That's sad, but true," replied Eva. She studied him for a minute before asking something that had popped in her head last night. "Are you and Hermione . . ?"

"No," Draco said. He had a look of surprise on his face. "No, of course not. Where would you get an idea like that?" He huffed and tried his best to look put off by her question.

"You like her," said Eva. She had not really known until she saw Draco's reaction to her question. He was trying really hard to hide something. He shook his head at her. "You really like her," she repeated, but this time with a smile on her face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied.

"You know very well what I'm talking about, Draco Malfoy. You like Hermione Granger."

"I do not," he said.

"Then why did you give her such a fierce hug last night?"

Draco's mouth opened and closed as his mind grasped at an excuse. "I was distraught and she offered some comfort," he finally said.

"Uh-huh, sure," drawled Eva.

"I'm telling you, I do not like Hermione Granger!" shouted Draco.

Eva laughed at his outburst. If that didn't prove that he liked Hermione, she did not know what would. "You've got it bad, Drake," she teased.

"Severa Nocturino, you stop laughing!" he ordered.

Eva knew she was pushing him, so she tried her best to calm herself. She almost lost it again when he sat back down in his chair and looked at her with an expression that resembled a king that had just been peeved. "What would you like to talk about?" she asked, still trying to hold back her laugh.

Draco led them into a conversation about how long he thought his inheritance would actually last him. Eva couldn't help but wonder if he wouldn't just spend it all in one day. He was more into spending money than she was. He wanted to buy another house, something 'less decadent' than Malfoy Manor. Eva was sure that whatever he picked would definitely be understated elegance; it would perfectly reflect the Draco Malfoy she knew and loved.

"So, when do you plan on going house-hunting?" she asked.

"Probably as soon as I graduate. I won't need to work or anything like that, so I can just find a house then."

"Don't you want to work, though? I mean, it's what you've been coming to Hogwarts for, isn't it?"

"Not really. I only came to Hogwarts because I didn't want to be schooled at home, like you. Imagine where I would be if Lucius was the one who schooled me?"

Eva visibly shuddered. "I see your point." They shared a comfortable silence, which was broken by Eva's anxious question. "So, do you like Hermione?" Before Draco could start on his little I-can't-believe-you-would-ask-me-that tirade she finished her statement. "I'm only asking because it looks like she likes you and I don't want her to be hurt."

Draco did not answer right away. He was tempted to just shrug the whole thing off, but he knew that if there was anyone who was going to be honest and helpful, it was Eva. "I'm not sure how I feel, Rave." He sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"Have you and Hermione talked about it. It's rather obvious that there is something there."

Draco snorted. "That would be a pleasant conversation. 'Excuse me, Miss Granger, but would you mind pouring your heart out to me, just to get things straight.' I don't think so, Rave."

"Maybe your first step should be using her first name," suggested Eva.

Draco smirked and shook his head. "I'll think about it."

Severus sat in his office and stared at the letter in front of him. Eva had taken care of the memorial service for Narcissa Malfoy and had tried to begin the paperwork for the movement of Draco's inheritance. Severus, however, had made the lawyer tell her that it was impossible for her to do it, because she was not yet of age. Since then she and Draco had been quite silent and settled. They did not know that Severus was indeed handling the paperwork for Draco's inheritance.

The Ministry of Magic had declared Lucius Malfoy insane and, therefore, unable to handle any of his money or affairs. All accounts in his name were, therefore, given to his next-of-kin: Draco. That, however, was not the letter that Severus was looking at. He knew that there was the small question of who would be his legal guardian until he turned of age in a year. Because Lucius was declared unfit, his Last Will and Testament were declared invalid, but Narcissa's were perfectly binding.

Severus read the letter again and thought about its implications. Narcissa had left instructions, that if Lucius should pass before her, then custody of Draco would go to Saveage B. S. L. Nocturino. If that were to happen, then the Ministry would have to find Sage in order to finish all the paperwork. Sage would have to come out of hiding and possibly risk her life and Eva's to do this. Severus pounded his fist on the table. Life was just punishing him, but he knew he deserved it. It was his penance for the life he had led before.

He gathered the paper work and left his office. Dumbledore would have to see this and figure out what the best way to proceed would be. He knocked on the door to the Headmaster's office and stepped right in when it opened. He walked to the desk and gave a perfunctory nod before placing the letters on his desk.

"I have been arranging the necessary paperwork for the movement of Mr. Malfoy's inheritance, but it seems that I have hit a snag," he explained.

Dumbledore read all the letters, nodding and 'ahaing' here and there. When he reached the final letter, which explained the situation of Draco's guardianship, he paused and considered it. "It seems we have reached a moment of great consequence," he said.

"Yes, I'm aware of that. The question is, what are we going to do about it?" asked Severus, rather impatiently.

"The answer to that is going to lie in the hands of one person. She is going to have to decide where she wants to go."

"She?" asked Severus.

Dumbledore peered over the top of his half-moon spectacles and gave Severus a knowing look. It conveyed just what the professor wanted to know: his daughter was going to have to decide where she was going to be.

"There is no question about Draco's guardianship. Narcissa's Will is binding and therefore Saveage has no choice but to accept, as I'm sure she would have done under other circumstances. The news of the death of the Elder Nocturino's will have to be announced in order for her to leave with little fan fare. I will contact her and inform her of the news."

Severus knew he had been dismissed. "Could you at least tell me where she is? If she's to come out of hiding, there is really no point in keeping it from me," he reasoned.

"Yes, there is, Professor Snape. If something is to happen, I would not have her life in jeopardy, as I'm sure you understand."

Severus knew the validity of Albus' statement. He left the office, without the letters, and turned into the corridor that led to his daughter's rooms. If she was to make a decision, then she might as well start thinking about it.

Draco sat stunned at what Eva had just told him. Harry and Hermione had not come to Eva's rooms that night because she had asked them to give the two Slytherins some time. Eva was not sure how Draco would take the news and thought it best to tell him in private.

"So, your Mum is now my legal guardian?" he asked absently.

Eva nodded. "The Ministry is going to contact her to begin the paperwork."

"Have you asked her how she feels about it?" he asked.

"She would never refuse, Drake. And not just because of your Mum, either. She does care for you like a son and she knows how close we are."

"What about your grandparents? I will be living in their house."

Eva sat down next to him on the sofa. "Drake, they're dead."

Draco's head turned so quickly, Eva thought he probably got a crick in it. "What?!"

"I was actually surprised that you didn't notice and say anything when you went after me to the Manor. I've wanted to tell you for a long time. I know I just shrugged off your questions about where they were, and I really shouldn't have, but Dumbledore and Mum told me it was important that no one know Nocturino Manor was abandoned. They died a week before the school year began."

"Is that why you were here before everyone else?"

"Yes. I got here a week before all the other students. I saw them die, Drake," she whispered. It felt good telling someone of her pain. "I watched the two Death Eaters just point and kill them in my own home. I wasn't allowed to say anything to anyone, until now. Dumbledore is giving the Daily Prophet the go-ahead to print the story so we can leave without a lot of fanfare."

"You seem oddly composed about this, Rave."

Eva nodded and gave him a sad smile. "I've had almost a year to deal with it. It also helped to see their headstones when I went back to the Manor. It was oddly comforting to see their names in stone."

"I wish I had known. You helped me so much with Mum, and I couldn't help you. I know how important your grandparents were to you."

"It's not your fault, Drake. I know you would have been there if you would have known, but like my Mum said, these things are out of our control. I'm glad that I had this school year with you, though."

"Me, too, Rave." Draco put his arm around Eva's shoulder and pulled her closer. "So what was the other thing we had to talk about?"

Eva sighed and pulled her head away from Draco's shoulder. "I have to decide where we're going to live," she stated.

"Excuse me?"

Eva nodded her head to indicate he had heard her correctly. "I have to decide where we are going to live. At least until you turn of age, and then the decision will be yours."

"I'm sorry, but could you please explain why you are the one who is going to make this choice?"

Eva shrugged her shoulders. "I honestly don't know the whole answer to that. When Dad came and told me about Auntie Nary's will, he said that the decision of where we would spend the rest of the time between your seventeenth birthday was up to me."

Draco was silent for a while and then turned his body on the sofa to face her completely. "Do I get a say in it?"

"Yes! I wouldn't move you anywhere without asking you about it first. Any suggestions?"

"I would like to visit America with you. You know, we could go and visit your cousin in Calibornica,"

"California," Eva corrected.

"Whatever. Just for a few weeks and then we could come back here and stay at Nocturino Manor. I'm sure Dumbledore will have fixed the security by then."

"That's a good idea, Drake. I'll tell Dad about it."

They spent the next hour planning what they would see while they were in the States. Draco left when it was curfew, but Eva stayed up half the night trying to figure out a way to tell Harry she was going to leave. Permanently.