Author's note: I am never, ever, letting Roman and Thomas in the same chat window - that'd be scary!

Disclaimer: Um, yeah, I don't own Harry Potter, Draco (since I mention him by name and all) or Hogwarts - says it all, really. Thomas is his, and just for a change, Roman is mine .:snickers:.

Rating: Still PG-13, I think...

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"Roman!" Nessa shrieked as she spotted the red-head a short distance away. She left her luggage trolley with her parents, and raced over to meet the girl.
She flung her arms around her neck and hugged her tightly.

"I wasn't sure you'd make it back in time for the start of the term!" she said finally, pulling back slightly.
Roman grinned down Nessa – even now, she was still taller than the other girl.

"What? And miss seeing my beautiful one after being away for two months? I think not!" she told Nessa, pulling her in for another hug.
Nessa smiled softly, and turned her face towards Roman's neck. "I missed you so much!" she murmured. Both sixteen, the two girls were still very much attached to each other.

"How very touching," a voice drawled scornfully from somewhere behind them.

Nessa jumped violently and nearly hit Roman in the jaw. Apologising with a touch, she began looking around, trying to spot who'd spoken..
Roman tapped her lightly on the shoulder and jerked her head over her right shoulder.
Peering carefully over the taller girl, Nessa spotted a boy standing not too far away, smirking like a Slytherin. Her eyes widened as she began to see similarities between the stranger and Draco Malfoy...they had to be related!
Grasping Roman's shoulder gently, she turned the other girl around so that they were both facing the boy, Nessa standing on tiptoes to see over Roman's shoulder, resting her chin lightly on the girl's shoulder.

Roman's eyes narrowed as she studied the boy, and she began to smirk.
"Excellent! Another Malfoy to torture and traumatise!" she exclaimed after a bit.

The stranger arched an elegant eyebrow.
"You must be Roman," he said lazily, unsubtly eyeing her. Wandering over, he stopped a few steps away and introduced himself.
"Thomas Malfoy, Draco's cousin."

Roman's eyes had widened at being recognised.
"How the hell do you know my name?" she demanded.

Thomas smirked, and rolled his eyes.
"I'd have thought that was obvious," he replied, as though talking to a three-year-old. "He and I have been plotting and planning against you all summer break – he doesn't appreciate the attention, you know..."

Roman laughed.
"And here I was, thinking that I didn't pay enough attention to him!" she said, grinning at Thomas.
"I'm sure that deep down, he actually does," she added softly to Nessa, winking at the girl.
Nessa chuckled, and stepped around from behind Roman – damn, but her neck was hurting!
"It appears you already know of Roman," she said to Thomas, smiling faintly. "I'm Nessa Meneldur."

Thomas crossed his arms and lent back against a conveniently placed wall, just examining Nessa.
She began to shift uneasily, feeling uncomfortable.
Slowly, Thomas smirked and walked towards her.
"Well, well, well," he said, now smiling broadly. "It appears that there was a good reason for transferring me here from Beauxbatons."
Nessa smiled hesitantly, and attempted to edge behind Roman, who was looking strangely possessive and threatening.
Thomas moved quickly, his hand darting out to grasp Nessa wrist lightly.
"I don't know where you think you're going," he said to her softly. "Just as we were beginning to talk nicely too!"
He flicked some of his blonde hair out of his eyes and gently pulled at Nessa's arm. Hesitantly, she stepped towards him, and cast a quick look over her shoulder to Roman.
Thomas reached out with the other hand and turned Nessa's head back towards him, keeping a firm but gentle hold on her chin.

"Ah yes," he murmured, moving his hand so that it caressed her cheek lightly. "Most definitely a change for the better..."

Nessa gave a small nervous laugh, and twisted her arm, trying to get free. Thomas smirked and pulled her close, brushing a feather light kiss along her jaw before letting go and stepping back, looking as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened – Nessa was willing to bet that for him, it wasn't!

Nessa smiled at Thomas, looking a little less uncertain, and stepped back to stand beside Roman, who instantly put her arm around Ness.
Nessa tilted her head and looked at Thomas thoughtfully.
"You're not particularly like your cousin," she said softly. "Except for your appearance, of course – there, you two could almost be brothers...but you're much better looking."
Nessa's eyes widened, and her hand flew to her mouth.
"I can't believe I just said that," she murmured, looking vaguely horrified, an expression echoed by Roman who was looking down at Nessa like she'd grown horns and a tail.

Thomas, on the other hand, merely laughed, his blonde hair falling into his eyes.
"Ah Ness," he said after a moment, "that was perfect! Thank you for that!"

Nessa smiled, stepping forward and unthinkingly brushing his hair out of his face. Thomas' hand snaked upwards and grasped her wrist again just as Nessa froze.
"What are you doing, love?" he breathed, pulling Nessa close.
"I, uh, er..." Nessa stumbled over her words, blushing slightly.
Thomas smirked, and wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her against him - Nessa automatically braced herself against his chest.
"I believe, love," he said to her softly, looking into her eyes, "that you were about to give me a kiss."
Nessa raised her eyebrows.
"Was I, now?" she asked, not sure whether to be amused or disgusted.
Thomas smirked again, and let go of Nessa's wrist, wrapping his other arm around her waist and pulling her closer, making Nessa arch backwards slightly.
"Yes, yes you were," he breathed.

Nessa giggled nervously, and somehow sensed that Thomas didn't intend to let go of her unless she did kiss him. Cautiously, she leant forwards and brushed her lips against his cheek, not really a kiss, but she hoped it'd satisfy him.
Thomas raised his eyes and met Roman's gaze, smirking slightly. He turned his head slightly and murmured in Nessa's ear.
"There now, not so difficult, was it? Although next time, I'm expecting more than that."
Grinning wickedly, he pressed a kiss against Nessa's cheek, before letting her go and sauntering off, waving jauntily at her over his shoulder.
Nessa watched him walk away, feeling slightly chilled after being held for that length of time. She didn't release that she'd been staring after him until Roman exploded from somewhere over her shoulder, making her jump.

"Nessa! Why the bloody hell didn't you knee him?!" Roman was demanding, looking bemused, angry, and more than a little hurt.

Nessa blinked.
"Because the thought never occurred to me?" she ventured, wincing slightly, and apparently with good reason.
"How dare he make you do that?" Roman was muttering violently. "If I didn't...If I wasn't...Why, I ought to...There's going to be trouble in the Dorms tonight."
Nessa took a small step away from Roman, watching her rage on – that was not good! In stepping back, however, Nessa discovered someone was already standing there.

"Oi! Watch where you're sticking those feet of yours!" a familiar voice said from behind.
Nessa leapt forward again, and turned around, to find herself face-to-face with Merenwen, who was grinning at her.
"Geez, Mere," Nessa breathed, "you scared me out of my wits then!"
"Not surprising, sister mine, with how out of it you seem," Merenwen replied, still grinning. "It's just as well I was still with Mum and Dad when you went racing off to see old steam-box there," she continued, nodding at Roman who pacing up and down frantically, muttering to herself.
"Someone, namely myself, had the good wits to keep them from noticing Blondie-Boy with his paws all over you – what was with that, by the way?"
Nessa flushed and suddenly found the platform floor very interesting.
"Nothing, Mere – forget it," she muttered, slowly turning red.
Merenwen raised her eyebrows and tilted her head, highly amused that Nessa was actually blushing.
"Alright then," she said after a moment, deciding to leave well enough alone. "In the meantime, you might like to calm Roman down – the train's here."
Nessa glanced along the length of the platform, and noticed that the Hogwarts Express was, indeed, pulling into the station.
"Thanks, Mere," she said, giving her sister a hug and a kiss, and racing over to her parents to say goodbye for the semester.

Watching her father give her luggage to one of the guards, Nessa approached Roman cautiously.
"Ah, Roman love," she began, "perhaps we should find ourselves a cabin?"
Roman paused long enough to examine Nessa carefully, before nodding shortly and heading for the train.
"Bye Mum, bye Dad – I'll write to you!" Nessa promised hurriedly, before catching up to Roman in one of the cabins.

"Roman?" she said hesitantly, sitting down opposite the other girl.
Roman flicked a half-glance in Nessa's general direction, before turning and staring determinedly out the train window.
Nessa sighed – it was going to be a long train trip!

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