Chapter 30- Secrets

-

February 15th was cold, bleak and grey. The sky was cloudy and Luna wondered if it might snow. She would very much like to play in the snow again. She had fond memories of tobogganing with Wesley.

Luna could finally admit that when he had wrapped his arms around her and leaned close enough for her to feel his warm breath against her cold cheek, her heartbeat had raced. At the time, she'd been chanting 'friend, friend, friend.' It had not worked very well. In fact, the whole trying to talk herself into 'right thinking' had made her feel rather mental.

Her inner 'good girl', the one who was going to save herself for Harry Potter and live off dreams forever if need be had insisted, Remember, Roberts is only a friend. The little voice she'd called her 'inner tart' on New Year's Eve, had back in November been nameless, but just as vocal, encouraging, C'mon, be friendly by sticking your tongue into one of those dimples!

These days, Luna's personality felt healthy and integrated. Now she wanted to show Wesley how much she appreciated him being her boyfriend by sticking her tongue into his dimple--after she'd explored his mouth.

Last night, she had experienced the most romantic Valentine's Day of her life. This morning, she was reluctant to get out of bed, wanting to stay under the covers and continue dreaming that she and her love were slow dancing under an enchanted sky filled with shooting stars.

Bindy ruined her dreamy state by pulling off her covers.

"Get up! You'll miss breakfast, and it's the most important meal of the day!"

When that got no response, the girl used her most dire warning- soon the elves stopped serving. Grumpily, Luna watched the jovial girl wave and bounce out the door with Cindy chirping 'good morning' and exiting behind her.

Only Mindy remained in the room. Dark circles under greenish-blue eyes showed that her dreams had not been pleasant. Sympathetically, Luna asked, "Rough night?"

"You could say that. I kept dreaming Boot dumped Zabini for me, and I couldn't get Creevey to believe that I didn't care, didn't want Terry anymore. He kept saying, 'Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.' It was horrible."

Luna stood. "It was also a scene from a Muggle novel--Gone With the Wind. I told you not to read late at night."

Mindy frowned. "I thought you said not to eat late at night."

"That's what I told Bindy who's trying to reduce so she won't be embarrassed for Neville to see her in a bathing suit over Easter Holiday."

"What?" Mindy said indignantly. "She looks fine! I don't see Longbottom piling less on his plate at meals. The only Gryffindor who eats more than he does is that Weasley boy, and he must have a tapeworm or something!"

Nodding her agreement--Neville did enjoy his food and Ronald ate enough for three but stayed lanky as ever--Luna gently redirected the conversation, "So, how did the rest of the dance go after Colin's song?"

An unhappy laugh sounded. "You probably didn't notice, what with Wesley counting your teeth with his tongue and then Snape freaking everybody out by dancing with Lorelei, but my date spent most of his time staring at Zabini winding herself around Boot like a python. I got fed up with it and stormed out."

Luna said, "What happened then?"

A rueful smile crossed Mindy's face. "We ended up behind the statue of Bertha the Behemoth again, snogging our brains out."

"Isn't that good?"

Mindy shook her head while picking out a uniform and robes from her trunk. "Colin calls it practise. You know, for when he gets a chance to do to Zabini all the things he's been trying on me."

Luna quickly evaluated the situation and calculated the most effective action. "Only Colin can change his way of thinking, but you can change yours to help him want to change. Start right now. Next time he wants to 'practise', you use the opportunity to persuade him that you're the girl he really wants."

The girl backing toward the bathroom already looked ten times better than she had a few minutes ago, and Mindy hadn't even used a complexion charm yet. Luna returned her friend's hopeful smile and felt a warm, fuzzy glow fill her matchmaking heart.

-

Wesley's smile upon seeing her enter the Hall for breakfast made that glow of contentment spread throughout her body. She slid onto the bench beside him. While she fingered a silver unicorn earring, Luna thanked her boyfriend for ordering porridge and fruit for her.

His bright blue gaze noticed her eyeing his bacon. Breaking off a piece and offering it to her, Wesley's mouth curved in a way that made the glow become a flush. Her eyes became heavy-lidded while he fed her the bacon. Her lips brushed his fingers.

When he winked and turned to reply to something Terry said, she smiled across the table at Cindy, who asked teasingly, "Are you dreading our last class, Lindy? It's Divination today."

"I'm looking forward to it, actually." In response to a sceptical look, she said, "I want to take a nap in one of those comfy chairs."

-

In Ancient Runes, Luna smiled, remembering Wesley murmuring in her ear to spend class time wisely--daydreaming about him. With a start, she looked around and saw that her classmates were staring at her. That was never a good thing.

Professor Smalley chided, "Now, I'm sure you didn't mean to be disrespectful, Miss Lovegood. In fact, several of my self-help books state that people who ignore others may just need more positive affirmation in their lives." Sleepy brown eyes surveyed the class. He asked, "Who believes their classmate needs to practise a little self-affirmation?"

Every hand went up. Even her friends raised their hands, the traitorous witches. Familiar with the drill from months of watching others be 'in need of positive affirmation', Luna reluctantly stood and made her way to the front of the classroom. To the side, a large looking glass stood in a wooden frame.

The sandy-blond professor smiled encouragingly. "Do you remember what we should say whenever we're in need of positive self-affirmation?"

Luna closed her eyes to keep him from seeing them roll like blue marbles. "We do."

As usual, any negativity slid off the teacher like water off a duck, although, come to think of it, the man's lips bore an uncanny resemblance to waterfowl. Especially when the quack pursed his lips and nodded his head like she had seen birds do at home when waiting for breadcrumbs.

Levelly, Luna stated, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me."

Smalley, puffed up by his usage of drivel obtained from one of his many twelve-step programs, decided to allow her the 'honour' of using his authentic Norse wooden runes 'just bought from a real Islander--not Icelander, they don't like that--at a frost fair over the holiday.' Asking if she wished to seek knowledge for herself or a friend, the teacher said in response to her quick reply of 'friend,' "Think of that person."

For some reason, she thought of Blaise.

Smalley asked, "Which method would you like to use for divination, Miss Lovegood?"

She said the first one she thought of, "The Norns."

"Ah! Past, present and future illuminated with three runes. Excellent. Pull the first one out of the bag, which is not authentic, since fabric and animal hides didn't wear well back in the days before preservation spells."

Obligingly pulling out a rune, the girl handed it to her teacher. The man showed the symbol of an X to the class while exclaiming, "Gebo, the gift. Does anyone remember what this rune symbolises?"

A girl in the back said hesitantly, "An oath or bond?"

Smalley nodded. "Very good...anything else...?"

A boy on the front row lifted his hand. "Gebo is the connection between people. It shows how lives intersect, and the conscious choices we make in relationships."

"Absolutely correct. Do you know how this could apply to your friend, Miss Lovegood?"

"A choice she made to form a bond with someone in the past affects the present?"

The professor smiled. "Indeed. Draw the next rune."

Luna chose another rune.

The teacher displayed the symbol that looked like a Y with a short line continuing up through the middle of the V shape. "Interesting. Which symbol is this...Miss Cornfoot?"

"Perb. Associated with the goddess Freyja, symbolizing...uh...the womb, hidden mysteries, cause and effect, action and reaction...sir."

"Yes, and does this reveal anything to you about your friend, my dear?"

Thinking of all the ways Blaise's choice to be best mates with Draco years ago impacted her life today, Luna nodded. She reached into the bag for the third and final rune. Her fingers almost picked up one, but it seemed to slide away, causing her tingling fingertips to grasp another rune instead. Lifting it toward the professor, her pale brows contracted. This was a strange one.

"Laguz! Looks rather like a sickle, doesn't it? The water symbol...unusual. I don't hold to the notion that the third rune or runestone signifies one's inevitable fate. I prefer to interpret the symbol as the probable future result of a current situation, whether it happens today, or ten years from now. Even then, it is only one of many possible futures."

Bindy raised her hand into the air. "What does that mean, sir?"

The professor shook himself out of the reverie he'd fallen into, and changed his tone from rhetorical to instructional. "The Norse viewed water, or more aptly, the sea, as a dangerous, unpredictable, even terrifying place. Remember, it was home to the dreaded Midgard serpent and became many a sailor's grave. This rune signifies things hidden that will be revealed. Perhaps emotions, or fears, something the unconscious mind refuses to acknowledge. Do you find this helpful in regards to your friend, Miss Lovegood?"

Not really...everybody had secrets, things they didn't want to acknowledge or reveal. She lied, "Yes, quite helpful," and returned to her seat.

Smalley assigned the class to use the Norn method and concentrate on their own lives. Next class, they would hand in a scroll stating the meanings of the runes they had chosen and any possible ramifications the divination would conceivably have on their future.

Bindy, Cindy and Mindy gathered around their friend in the corridor after class. Patting 'Lindy' on the shoulder, Bindy said, "You look like you could use some chocolate to cheer you up. I've got a bar in my pocket, for emergency purposes only, of course. I wasn't going to eat it or anything."

Luna declined the treat. She needed a much more effective mood lifter.

A boy was strolling down the corridor toward her. His black robes made his hair shine golden. Her heart skipped a beat. She praised Merlin for the plentiful statuary around the school and gave him a look that made his steps quicken. Behind the nearby statue of Rupert the Red, Luna found in Wesley's kiss just what she needed to forget the cryptic meanings of the runes.

-

-

Before lunch, Ginny ran up to her room to grab a new quill. Inside the chamber, Rosaline and Esme were sitting on her roommate's bed, chatting.

Rosaline glanced up with a cool smile. "We don't usually see you around much during the day. You're always running off to the library or somewhere."

Esme asked, "Do you have a secret boyfriend that you meet there? Ros and I were wondering if we should follow you sometime...Ow! Why d'ya hit me sis? Ginny knew I was just kidding, didn't ya, Ginny?"

Ginny strolled over to her desk to pick up a quill. "Sure I did, Esme. If I didn't, I might have to tell Lorelei, who's a close, personal, friend of my family."

Rosaline's whole demeanour changed. "Oh no, there's no need for that. We're all friends who respect privacy here." She lifted a print off her desk. "Are you going to be seeing Professor Lorelei today? I took a picture that I think she will really like. It's just a thank you."

Ginny stared down at the photograph of Snape and Lorelei dancing. There was a box in her school bag that she had yet to return. "Yes, but I'm sure the professor is more thankful you were available to take pictures."

"The thank you is for sponsoring me for an internship with the Siren Corporation this summer. I'll be able to learn from professional photographers, and that's a...priceless opportunity."

After congratulating the other girl, Ginny controlled the urge to snicker over the formerly money-grubbing blonde's gushing that something was more important than the almighty galleon. She waved goodbye and made her way toward the Great Hall.

The door to the last classroom before the entrance hall opened when she walked by. Draco stood in the doorway. "Little Red, Little Red, won't you come in?"

Ginny moved into the room, staring in disbelief while her boyfriend shut the door and pressed her against it. "I can't believe that a Malfoy knows a Muggle faery tale!"

Grey eyes rolled in disgust. "Blaise told me it was a wizard tale, the little liar."

Her giggles stopped by his demanding mouth; 'Little Red' happily parted her lips, letting the 'Big Bad Wolf' in. She was still floating on air from last night, and feeling Draco's hands caressing her hair and back was almost too much stimuli for her overloaded nervous system to handle-- almost.

When he whispered to meet him later, she remembered what she needed to say. "I don't think we should meet there for awhile. My roommate is a little too curious about why I'm always heading off to the library. I stopped her with a threat to tell Lorelei, but I wouldn't put it past Rosaline to try and nose around anyway. She's as curious as a cat."

"She'll lose one of those nine lives if she crosses me."

Storm clouds had nothing on Draco's eyes. If looks could kill, Rosaline would be down to life number eight. It was sexy. Ginny forced herself to get a grip. "Where can we go instead?"

Her boyfriend shrugged off his temper and gave an intriguing half-smile. "How about someplace different?"

He looked like a little boy with a secret. "Where?"

"The attics."

Ginny blinked in confusion. Had he just said 'the attics'? Dracos's smile widened. "Remember when I gave you the mirror? You've got that same look on your face. Trust me, you'll like this almost as much."

The Big, Bad Wolf must have looked like that when he persuaded Little Red Riding Hood to leave the nice, safe path and go for a walk on the wild side. No wonder the girl ran off to 'pick flowers'. How could any female resist?

Well, normal females--McGonagall would probably look down her nose and inform the wolf that she had a schedule to keep and he could go put his dirty paws on someone less morally upright. Ginny giggled over the silly mental image. She agreed to meet him after dinner and gave her wolfish boyfriend one last kiss before rushing to the Hall. Snogging really made her hungry.

"Hungry, are you? I've never seen you eat this much. Good for you, Ginny!" said Ron.

Her brother's look of approval was offset the wide-eyed expressions of Harry, Colin and Hermione. Smiling closemouthed--she had manners, after all--Ginny kept chewing her large bite of ham sandwich.

A quick peek over at Slytherin revealed Blaise and Draco were gazing her way and smirking. Ginny noticed the pile of sandwiches on her boyfriend's plate and tried to return the smirk. She choked instead. Colin pounded on her back while Hermione quickly handed over a goblet of pumpkin juice to drink. Eyes watering, Ginny thanked her friends.

Colin chuckled. "Don't bite off more than you can chew this time, okay?"

Ginny caught him eyeing the Slytherin table and made a face. "Take your own advice, Colin."

"I do, Ginny. I really do."

She shook her head at his cocky smile.

Next to her, Hermione said, "We should probably go patrol before the next class."

Ron lunged off the bench, knocking over his goblet and almost upending his plate. "Cool. Yeah, I've really wanted to...uh...patrol."

Harry told Ginny as the couple left the Hall in a rush, "If all the prefects were like them, think of the mischief we could manage." He glanced over at the next table where a black-haired girl rose to leave the Hall. It was one of Blaise's roommates–Morrigan MacDuff. Abruptly, Harry levered himself up and said a quick goodbye over his shoulder before striding to the exit.

Across the table, Neville said awkwardly, "Bindy and I saw Harry and that Slytherin girl when we were looking for someplace to...talk...last night. They were very...er...friendly."

Reflexively, Ginny's eyes glanced toward Draco. He was twisting his lips and giving her the 'that bloke's not right' look. She couldn't deny it, and wasn't in a position to do anything about it. She gave a shrug and made an 'oh well' face. She saw her boyfriend smile smugly before lifting his hand in the secret wave they had come up with like two kids in a secret club. She returned the gesture. In the Malfoy girlfriend club, only one member was allowed.

Outside Lorelei's dungeon classroom in the time between lunch and the first afternoon class, Ginny felt uncertain, not bold. Should she knock, just open the door, say a quick thanks and leave, or try and say something more meaningful?

"Enter."

How did she do that? Was Snape rubbing off on the woman?

"I've been expecting you, Miss Weasley. Was the experiment successful?"

Ginny placed the box and the photograph on the potions professor's desk. "Yes, there were no side effects, the potions lasted all evening and our presence was never felt, except by Mrs. Norris. That didn't count because Draco was wearing cologne that a zombie would've drooled over and..."

"Encantar? I thought I caught a whiff--you're right, it's an amazing scent. This photograph is wonderful, too. Please give Miss Wells my thanks when you see her."

"We should both be thanking you." The words poured out without thought, but Ginny wouldn't have taken them back even if she could. She really meant every one.

The teacher smiled, and Ginny could see a difference between yesterday and today. Today, she glowed with happiness, all because Snape had danced with her in front of everyone, making their relationship obvious to anyone watching. Did having your partner be openly your partner make such a difference? The new radiance in Lorelei's smile said that it did.

Ginny said thanks again and goodbye before darting out of the room. She almost ran directly into Snape. The girl gulped.

The man looked down and said in the dark tone that made boys like Neville whimper like little girls, "Watch yourself, Miss Weasley. Rushing about heedlessly will lead to harm for you...and others...one day."

Ginny's eyes were huge in her face, caught by the intent stare of the man who seemed to be trying to look into the windows of her soul. Images came to mind. Draco smiling at her, Draco laughing, Draco sneering, before rolling his eyes and getting kissed by her for his adorable smirk...a vision of dancing with her boyfriend last night, unnoticed by the people around them made her smile and the man watching her so intensely scowl. Releasing her gaze, Professor Snape nodded curtly and swept into Lorelei's classroom.

Ginny heard muffled voices starting to rise and ran. She didn't want to have those wandless Legilimency rumours confirmed. It might cause her to die from embarrassment.

Arithmancy wasn't the most taxing of subjects. Numbers were boring, but reliable. They always added up correctly whenever human error didn't factor in. She could do these equations in her sleep. Today, Ginny was grateful for that ability, because her brain was refusing to concentrate on the subject at hand.

Instead, it wanted her to think about Draco, her family and figuring out a way to make both happy. Maybe she could start with Ron. If he could understand, that Draco wasn't the enemy. Her shoulders slumped. She wished that didn't sound so hard, like healing the blind.

Ginny decided she had to try. She finished her class work and asked the professor if she could have a pass to the library. Ron had bragged just this morning that he would be using his Prefect Pass to skive off History of Magic after lunch.

She received permission and turned in the assignment on the way out. In the library, Ginny went directly to the tables near the Restricted Section. Leaning back in one of the chairs, her brother was obviously not working on anything except how far he could tilt without falling over. Ronald and Charlie had a lot in common. Both brothers preferred to learn through doing rather than reading.

He grinned at seeing her, appearing happy to have someone to talk with. She watched his chair wobble precariously before he set it back on all four legs. She took a seat across from him. "Hey, brother."

"Hey yourself, sister. What's up? Is everything okay?"

Ron was so protective. He would be a good dad someday. Right now, the concern irritated, but Ginny refused to give in to the urge to snap his head off for it. She had a higher purpose. "Sure. Finished Arithmancy early so I came here...saw you and decided I'd rather talk than find a book. That okay?"

Ron looked pleased. "Sure. So...what'd you want to talk about?"

This was the hard part, where the lack of a plan made this 'crucial conversation' awkward. Casting about for some way to lead her brother around to the idea of Draco being a human being like everyone else, Ginny asked, "Did you see Snape ask Lorelei to dance?"

Ron made a face like he was about to spew a slug. "Yeah...almost ruined Valentine's Day. The mood, ya know?"

"Why? I mean, if they love each other, why shouldn't they be together openly? What was so wrong with them wanting to have a dance?" Ginny warmed to her subject. "Why can't people mind their own business and trust the two involved to know what's best for them whether those people like it or not?" Unconsciously, her voice began to ring with aggravation. "Why can't you just be happy that I...she's happy and give D--Snape the benefit of the doubt? If she loves him, she's not going to give him up just because her b--students don't like him and don't approve!"

Her brother's face scrunched in an effort to understand what she was saying. Blue eyes narrowed. "I didn't know that you felt so strongly about it. Sorry, but I can't bloody stand Snape, and it makes me wonder what kind of person Lorelei really is if she loves a snake like that. Maybe I was wrong to think she was so nice."

Ginny stood up, cheeks pink, "So, just because...a person...loves someone you say is bad, you think they must be bad too? Did you ever stop to think that maybe you are the one with bad judgment? That you made up your mind not to like someone and never gave him--or her--a chance? You just condemned them?"

Ron stood too, face reddened. His voice was now as strident as hers was. "Snape condemned himself every time he treated us like crap. He's done nothing but persecute Harry. So no, I won't give him a chance, and if you don't like it, maybe you've been hanging out with too many Slytherins!"

Her face must have paled, because her brother lost his mulish look and asked concernedly, "Hey, why are we arguing over Lorelei anyway? She doesn't give a toss whether I like Snape or not. It's no big deal, all right?"

Pince swooped over like a vulture, no doubt hoping there was a carcass to devour. They were sitting quietly when she appeared. With a loud sniff through her beak, the scavenger warned them to 'keep it down' and flapped away. Ginny went through the motions of talking about their family and safe topics like Quidditch. In reality, she was doing the same thing she had done in Arithmancy--using part of her brain to complete a task while the rest tried to figure out her life.

In the little chat with brother dearest, Snape and Lorelei had been the substitutes for her and Draco. She had almost slipped a few times, but he'd never noticed. If Ron was that adamant about refusing to reconsider his view of Snape, how much more intractable would he be about Malfoy?

When they left the library, Ron walked beside her all the way down the corridor to the main stairway, appearing relieved that their differences had been reconciled. If he only knew, Ginny thought. With heavy steps, she headed to her next class.

-

-

A light snow began to fall outside, causing the girl passing a window on the way to her last class stop and watch it for a moment. Blaise felt that snow on top of last night's dance was the icing on top of a lovely cake.

Terry called her name. She paused so he could catch up to her and held his hand on the way to Potions. Once they reached the dungeon classroom, her boyfriend kissed her hand.

"Gods, will you two just leave off? The way you act all lovey-dovey makes the rest of us sick." Pansy Parkinson's face looked even more like a pug when she sneered. The hag-in-training Millicent Bulstrode snorted like a wart hog behind her.

"Sick with jealousy, Pansy? I'm sorry, but I told you I only like boys."

Pansy was not attractive when angry. In fact, the red flush highlighted the moustache the girl was beginning to develop. Enraged, she screeched, "That's not what I meant and you know it!"

Blaise said mildly, "Then you're jealous because I have a love life and you don't?"

"No! You...you twist everything round...you...you Ravenclaw!"

"Were you just paid the highest compliment possible, Blaise? I salute you, but I'd like to get to class before Snape has us scrubbing cauldrons by hand, if you'd be so kind to step aside."

Wesley's droll words made the Ravenclaw classmates around them laugh. Pansy glared daggers, muttering vague threats. She and her crony stormed into the chamber.

Terry clapped his mate on the back. "Thanks for breaking that up. I was afraid my girl would be duelling in a moment. I saw Parkinson reaching for her wand."

"My pleasure, my friend."

Blaise entered the class and saw the worried look on Fiona's face. She hurried to their table. "What's wrong?"

"Pansy's been saying she's going to get you for humiliating her. Better watch your back, mate."

"I'll be careful."

Professor Snape addressed the class. "If it were up to me, I would not allow any more sixth years with dubious skills to attempt this solution. Unfortunately, the curriculum requires that you prepare it. If done correctly, this potion, taken from the medieval text Causae et Curae, may be used to medicate stomach ills."

He pointed his wand imperiously at the list of ingredients on the blackboard. "However...if the last five ingredients, marigold, yarrow, nettle, basil and valerian are not placed slowly, into a gently simmering cauldron, the resulting fumes act as a..." Snape closed his eyes briefly, appearing to gather strength to handle stupidity. He sneered at the students leaning forward in anticipation. "Aphrodisiac."

In a menacing tone, he promised that anyone careless enough to embarrass themselves or classmates would regret it. Snape didn't have to be specific. The mere thought of what he was capable of was enough to ensure every student measured, and combined the ingredients meticulously.

Fiona, irrepressible, whispered, "The one thing you and Terry don't need is an aphrodisiac."

Finely mincing the yarrow, the girls giggled until a silky dark voice asked behind them, "Do you find something about this potion amusing, Miss Flint? Miss Zabini?" Satisfied with the expressions of contrition, the professor stiffly inclined his head and told Fiona to re-do her yarrow before stalking across the room to correct another student.

Blaise avoided eye contact. She didn't want to start giggling again. Around her, students silently prepared their potions. At the end of class, every cauldron was gently simmering a correctly done solution--except one.

Pansy deliberately turned up her flames when Fiona stepped away to clean their implements in the back washbasin. Blaise watched in shock as the girl rapidly tossed the last five ingredients in one after another. Immediately, fumes arose. Pansy lifted her wand, blowing the vapours directly into Blaise's face.

Dizzily, the girl heard the professor use a dissipation spell to prevent the fumes from affecting anyone else. Her hazy eyesight focused on her best mate two tables in front of her. He was staring, horrified. Blaise smiled at him while her thoughts became fuzzy and everything turned dreamy.

-

Exhilarated by the energy and adoration poured out by the mortals who whirled around the bonfire without knowing their goddess danced with them, Freyja looked across the flames and smiled. Frey was standing on the other side of the fire. She called to him.

Gerd's brothers must be visiting again. The goddess was well aware that the redheaded giants tried Frey's patience, but Freyja had always found them extremely friendly.

She heard her name being called by the one who demanded she be his alone. Freyja blew a kiss to the deity of love before turning to face the warrior god. She felt her soul ignite. With a sultry smile, she held out her arms and breathed an invitation, "Odin."

Blue eyes blazed as her lover, her husband, pulled her into his embrace. His all-consuming love for her made the goddess of love and magic content to become Frigg, the wife, as well as Freyja, the lover. Lips that she never tired of kissing devoured her mouth. The flames of the bonfire were nothing compared to the flames of desire coursing through her body.

Her hands released the long, silken strands of his hair and stroked their way down his muscular frame. The seduction of his mouth and fingers made her knees weak. He lowered her to the ground with a reckless passion that engulfed her world in fiery sensation.

-

Slowly, Blaise became aware of her surroundings. When her eyes regained their ability to focus, she turned her head and saw Terry lying on the bed beside hers. He was sleeping. They were in the hospital wing.

"Awake? I hadn't expected that so soon."

Madam Pomfrey's brisk tone was comforting. Somehow, one knew that the formidable mediwitch would allow nothing to impede her patients' recovery. The woman checked her vital signs.

When the girl tried to sit up, she and the woman both gasped. Her uniform shirt had several buttons missing, showing an expanse of skin that was quite shocking. The mediwitch bustled over to a cupboard, removed a robe and drew a curtain around the bed to enable privacy. Shakily, Blaise changed and sank back down on the bed.

Madam Pomfrey tucked her back in and pulled the curtain aside. "You may visit now, Professor Snape."

The cool assessment in the man's gaze made Blaise tense in fear. Instinctively, she kept her eyes from meeting his. Her Head of House questioned expressionlessly, "Do you remember anything of what took place in my classroom?"

She nodded, looking at his nose. It was interesting rather than handsome like Terry's or classic perfection like Draco's nose. Accidentally looking into fathomless black orbs for a moment, the girl blushed when she saw a satiric eyebrow arch and a corner of Snape's mouth twitch.

Hastily, she focused on his cheek, and refused to think anything about it at all. Huskily, she admitted, "I remember Pansy throwing in the last ingredients and blowing the fumes my way. Then everything became fuzzy...like a dream...and then I woke up. How long have we been here?"

"Two hours. I have been monitoring your condition."

"What condition?"

Snape's mouth twisted wryly. "You were affected by the potion's fumes."

She was confused. "But why is Terry here?"

"It seems that Mr. Boot was affected when you spoke to him. Before I could administer an antidote, the two of you were...inseparable."

Part of the dream flashed into mind. Freyja and Odin--everything had really happened--to her and Terry! She covered her face. "How did we end up in the hospital wing?"

The professor cleared his throat. "It seems that Mr. Malfoy used a Petrificus Totalus at the exact moment I also employed it. The combined effect, added to the stress of the vapours, caused the extreme reaction which brought you here by way of a Mobilicorpus spell."

Salazar Slytherin, how many of her schoolmates had seen her and Terry frozen in an embrace together? Upset, she demanded, "Why didn't you use a Stunning Charm?"

He snapped, "I did. It was ineffective. As were several spells which should have been sufficient to restore you and Mr. Boot to normality. Can you explain to me why they were not?" After a moment of silence, the professor's tone lowered to one that was soothing, almost hypnotic, and invited confidences. "The only wizards I have known to have shown imperviousness to certain charms have been practitioners of the Dark Arts. I asked you once before, Miss Zabini, about the possibility of you and Malfoy...in childish ignorance...having dabbled in such magic. The circumstances were perhaps not the best for confessions of that sort, but now, I must ask you to tell me honestly. Have you performed Dark magic on more than one occasion?"

She heard her father's voice echo in her mind.

"Cara mia, there is no such thing as Dark magic. Magic is a tool, like fire. Fire in and of itself is neither good nor bad. The wizard using that tool decides to what purpose it is employed, whether for Dark or light."

In Enrique's view, no, she'd never done any Dark, malevolent magic. Her face expressed her answer.

"No? I am afraid the way you affected Mr. Boot, your reaction to the spells...even your being awake now instead of sleeping says otherwise." Stygian eyes flickered over to Terry. "Please make wise choices in the future, Miss Zabini."

Not long after the professor left in a billow of black, Draco entered, smiling in relief to see that she was awake. He strolled over and tossed a rose onto her lap. "Nicked from a greenhouse. Get well soon." He sat on the side of her bed. "What in the hell happened in Potions?"

"You tell me."

Draco glanced over at Terry's sleeping form. "It was mental. You called me Frey...then you called Tarzan Odin, and you two started...damn it, Blaise, if Snape and I hadn't petrified you..."

She touched his arm. "I'm glad you did. I wasn't myself. I was Freyja, thanks to those bloody fumes. I'm fine now, except for being totally embarrassed and wanting to hex Parkinson for pulling that stunt. Did Snape make her regret it, at least?"

"She gets detention with Filch for a whole month and no more Hogsmeade weekend privileges until next year."

They shared a smile.

Draco's eyes slid away. He said gruffly, "When you called me Frey...I felt...weird."

She waited for his gaze to return to hers and nodded understandingly. "I know. It was those fumes, but even when I thought we were gods, I was happy to be with Terry and I knew you were happy with Gerd--Ginny. That alone tells me we've never done Dark magic."

"That's good to hear."

Terry's scratchy voice made her start in surprise. Blaise quickly thanked her mate for the flower and stopping by. Meaningfully, she told him she would see him later. With an amused nod, Draco strolled out.

She immediately went to lie beside her boyfriend. Blaise touched his face, tenderly kissed smooth, firm lips.

Terry said, "Think we'll go down as one of the 'Most Scandalous Couples' in school history?"

She smiled crookedly. "I'm afraid so. Are you really upset about that?"

His fingers sifted through her curls, cupped her cheek. "Not anymore. I've gotten used to it. It's worth the notoriety to be with you."

He kissed her tears away, gently kissed her eyelids, her cheeks, her lips. Sweet kisses and whispered words of love made everything better.

"I said the last thing you two needed was an aphrodisiac!" Fiona cried from the doorway. "How long are you guys going to keep that up?"

Blaise looked at Terry while Morrigan, Fiona, and Wesley walked toward them. "How does forever sound?"

Pressing one last, tender kiss against her mouth, her boyfriend chuckled. "Sounds great."

-

-

Draco passed Blaise's roommates and that joker Roberts in the corridor. He inclined his head with civility to the girls, but ignored the performing chimp that mocked his gesture by sending him an exaggerated bow complete with wavy, effeminate hand gestures. When the girls weren't looking, Draco sent the other boy a hand gesture of his own. The gape-jawed disbelief on the fool's face made the day brighter.

That business in Potions still made him uneasy, although the talk with Blaise reassured him that it had been Parkinson and those bloody vapours' fault--they were still best mates. In that moment, when she'd called his name, he'd flashed back to New Year's Eve, to that embrace...and had almost taken a step forward.

Draco climbed the main stairway, reminding himself that he hadn't. He had remembered who had really been in his arms that night, and that Ginny was the girl he loved. He wasn't like his father, professing undying love to one woman while cheating with any other who took his fancy.

Ginny's bright hair shone like a beacon ahead. Taking the steps two at a time, Draco reached the girl waiting for him on the landing beside the door leading to the attics. Pulling her into his arms, he held her tight–too tight. She squirmed and protested she needed air to live. Reluctantly, he stepped back. "Sorry. I needed that. It's been a rough afternoon."

"What happened?"

Her concern made him spill the entire episode out at her feet. His girlfriend promptly hugged him so hard he had to fight for breath. It was just what Draco needed. She agreed that Parkinson deserved an additional hex, and vowed to help him look one up.

The thought of them cosily snuggling on the window seat in the Restricted Section, poring over Horrifying Hexes together, caused him to chuckle and feel warm inside. Draco groaned inwardly. Now he was mental! He unwarded the attic door. Slinky was the most helpful house-elf, and deserved a few pairs of unmatched socks, at least. He opened the door. "Ladies first."

"Oh, right, be chivalrous." Ginny lifted her robes as if they were skirts to a medieval gown. Loftily, his fair maiden said while sweeping past him, "Don't worry, brave knight. I'll protect you from things that go bump in the dark."

He said 'Lumos' and raised his wand to follow close behind his fiery wench. "Who's going to protect me from you?"

She spun around to face him at the top of the stairs, hands on her hips. "Exactly what threat do I pose to a big, strong boy like you?"

He winked. "The one to my virtue."

Ginny giggled before looking around incredulously. "There's no dust, no cobwebs--just a jumble of furniture and trunks!"

The attics of Hogwarts were different from the ones in most homes. As his girl had noticed, they were clean. Instead of a single large space, the attics were a connected series of large rooms spanning the length of the castle. Each chamber was filled with the cast-off furniture, forgotten clothing and mementos of inhabitants who had lived and died there over the centuries.

Draco had first explored the attics back in first year because they were off limits to students. Since then, he continued to return for a potentially embarrassing reason. Draco liked history. Not the boring dates commemorating when so and so did such and such. The artefacts--swords, armour, toys, books, even clothing--the things that made the past come alive, helped him understand what the wizards had been like.

He hoped his familiarity with the narrow path winding through the discards of past lives would go unnoticed. It didn't. Ginny asked while he led the way, "Have you been up here before?"

Hoping to avoid admitting he actually fancied sorting through ancient junk, he conceded, "Yeah."

Red's curiosity was almost palpable. He pretended it was no big deal, and hoped she would let it slide. No such luck--his lioness had all the inquisitiveness of a feline. "Draco." He tensed, but she broke off and stared at something to the right before exclaiming, "There are our ghosts!"

The spectres 'sat' together on an upholstered bench. The Bloody Baron lifted a sardonic eyebrow at the couple, but the maiden Ginevra greeted, "Merry meet, young lovers!"

Ginny's face lit up. "Hello, it's nice to see you again. How are you?"

The men, alive and spectral, traded commiserating glances while the females nattered on about Valentine's Day.

"We passed through the Hall on our way to...a private chamber...and watched you dance for a moment. It appeared most romantic," the ghostly Ginevra said wistfully.

Draco shrugged when the Baron threw him a look of irritation. Was it his fault that he and Ginny looked good together? Even with a partner like Parkinson a Malfoy shone with rhythm and grace. He and Red moved as one, and few could compare. Boot and Zabini perhaps, if amorphous writhing could be called dancing...and maybe some of the professors…who he didn't even want to think about.

The damsel was trading 'my overprotective loutish brothers' stories with his girl. The spirit's siblings had locked her in a tower when the Baron had asked for her hand in marriage. Grey eyes met ghostly black. The apparition shrugged. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

Ginny listened to the tale, enthralled. Glowing, the transparent maiden shared how her lord had gained access to the keep. The knight had pretended to be a pilgrim asking sanctuary for the night and then spirited her away. Soft brown eyes were misty at the end of the story, which concluded with a wedding in a candlelit chapel witnessed only by a sleepy priest and his housekeeper.

Draco pulled the starry-eyed girl away before she stopped sighing happily over the romance and started crying over the couple's sad ending. With the light of his wand to guide them, he held her hand and felt the thrill of exploration that kept him coming back. Finally, they came to the chamber he had in mind all along.

"Oh, it's almost like the Room of Requirement! But even more beautiful because it's real!"

Ridiculous how Ginny's approval made him feel so chuffed. Draco had reconstructed a medieval solar with the many items discovered amongst the piles of furniture and stacks of trunks. The dormer window seat wasn't as wide as the one in 'their' room on the seventh floor, but the length of velvet draped across the seat was just as soft. Smiling, he strode over to a heavily-carved wooden trunk and opened the lid. Her reaction to the dress he lifted out made his day.

"Merlin, its green velvet…and the embroidery…is this gold thread?"

Draco grinned over her delight. "Yes. Nothing too good for the nobility. Try it on."

"No, I'd be afraid to tear a seam, rip a hem or something. It's so valuable and historical."

While she spoke, he had drawn a tunic out of the trunk. He turned to stare. "Do you…like…history?"

The way he asked, the look on his face, something must have given him away, because Ginny stared in amazement at him. "Yes! Not that rot Binns teaches." She waved a hand at all the things around them. "This kind of history." Smiling, she said, "I love it…and you did this, put it all together didn't you?"

Relieved that she didn't find his hobby odd, he nodded. "How'd you like to help me excavate enough to set up a Renaissance room?"

"I'd love it!"

"All right, then the payment for being allowed the privilege of being my assistant is the sight of you in that gown. Go change." Not being the overly modest sort, Draco began to strip. His Ginevra licked her lips in a very distracting way. He removed the tie and began unbuttoning his shirt.

She started to speak, eyed his naked chest, and seemed to forget what she was about to say. After blinking, she finally collected her thoughts to protest, "I'm nobody's assistant. I'm a full partner, or you can see how this gown looks on that headless mannequin we passed a few chambers back."

Draco admired the way her pink blush highlighted cinnamon-coloured freckles before he tossed his shirt over a nearby stool and graciously assented. "Fine. You're already my partner, aren't you?"

"Hmmm?"

Kindly repeating his words for his preoccupied girlfriend, Draco smirked when she said dreamily, "That's chest great…I mean, just a great chest…no, that's just great. Yeah. I'll go change now."

He waited for his flustered sweetheart to kick a cushion out of her way and step behind a changing screen before laughing silently. He wasn't stupid enough to do it aloud. He pulled the black tunic over his head, admiring the golden dragon embroidered on the front.

Ginny said dubiously, walking from behind the screen, "Are you sure the gown's supposed to fit like this?"

The low, square bodice was meant for curves of a less generous nature. Draco loved it. He smiled roguishly. "Sure, its chest great…I mean, fits great."

His saucy wench sashayed over and ran a bold hand over the embroidered dragon. "I think so too."

A white-blond eyebrow rose inquiringly. "Think yours fits great, or mine?" His girlfriend had to know by now that licking her lips just made him want to do it for her and yet here she was doing it again. She showed such Slytherin cunning. It was sexy. The downward motion of his mouth stopped when she gave him that look that made him feel capable of slaying redheaded dragons.

"Both…we're perfectly matched."

Nothing could have stopped him from kissing Ginny at that moment--not a fire-breathing dragon, not the entire school staff, and certainly not a couple of nosy ghosts who poked their heads through the wall.

Draco kissed his girl softly, then possessively, and passionately. Masculine fingertips trailed along the edge of the bodice. Two feminine gasps echoed. That was one too many. Lifting his head and his hand, he scowled at the smiling ghosts. "Do you mind?"

The Bloody Baron's laughter sounded rusty. His bride's giggle was much more attractive. The Slytherin ghost intoned mockingly, "We thought you would mind if Argus Filch caught you up here. He will be patrolling upstairs in ten of your mortal minutes."

Frustrated in many ways, Draco uttered a curt, "Thanks."

"None is required. The pleasure of seeing our garments worn once again is more than sufficient recompense."

The spectres drifted through the wall again.

After the 'mortal' couple had changed and made their way through the darkened attic to the doorway leading to the lower levels, Ginny said, "Did you see the way the other Draco and Ginevra seemed almost opaque? Do you think becoming us gave them substance?"

Draco smirked as they rapidly descended the stairway. "We are amazing together."

They ducked into a classroom when they heard the echoing footsteps of Filch. The couple sat on the floor and leaned against the wall, prepared to wait a few minutes and give the caretaker and his cat time to patrol the corridor and head up to the attic. Ginny leaned close. "I think the lady was a Gryffindor. We boldly go after what we want."

She leaned over, sank her fingers in his hair and set her mouth to his. He responded in a Slytherin manner. He didn't waste his breath arguing, he saved it for a much more pleasurable purpose.

-

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A/N: I don't believe in Divination, but I do believe that the whole Rune thingy is really interesting from a historical perspective and was a lot of fun to research. (Yay for Protestant work ethic- heh) Will definitely use it again- lots of different casting methods to the old Runestones, perfect for writers when they're looking to add a bit of oomph to the magical plot! In my Norse gods research found several sources that speculated Frigg and Freyja were different sides to the same goddess. Both had falcon feather cloaks, and were accused of having an eye, or catching the eye of men and gods too much. Chose to use that characterisation because it fit with my story, of course! Professor Smalley was patterned on a SNL comedy sketch character who got his cable show 'guest's' to say his positive affirmation with him. Reviews are my affirmation that 'I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!' :D