A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I wanted to add more, but have been unable to. So I decided to give you what I had and promise another chapter this weekend. Please read and review!
Sidney entered the sitting room and flopped onto the settee with his sister. Esme glanced at him in irritation as he jostled her arm, nearly knocking the book she was reading out of her hands. Her face softened as she studied her brother. There were dark bags under his eyes and his mouth was pressed into a tight line. He shifted and laid his head on her lap, his legs dangling off the end of the couch. Settling in, he closed his eyes, and let out a huge sigh. She closed the book with a snap, wedging it between her thigh and the arm of the settee, a small smile forming on her lips. Pushing his hair behind his ears, she stroked his eyebrows mimicking their mother's oft used calming gesture, watching as the strained look melted away.
"Where have you been, Sid?" she asked softly.
"In the cemetery," he replied with a yawn. Esme bit her lip and wondered how far she could take this conversation without angering her father.
"Do you," she paused, glancing at the fire and taking a breath, "do you think that it is wise to be spending so much time there?"
"I find it comforting to talk to her," he mumbled. She ran her fingers through his hair, concerned that he received more comfort talking with a headstone than with her. They had always been close. When she was younger, many of the staff members had called her 'little mother', because she was always taking care of him when their parents were busy brewing potions or preparing for classes.
"I'm not the only one," he said sleepily.
Esme's brow furrowed. "The only one?" she questioned.
"That talks to the dead," he turned his head toward the back of the settee and folded his arms across his chest.
"Who else spends time in the cemetery?" she asked.
A small smirk crossed his face. "The great Harry Potter, that's who. I was sitting by mother and I saw him enter the cemetery. He didn't see me, and I didn't let him know I was there. He sat down by one of the Fallen and just started talking." Sidney opened his eyes and looked up at his sister. She shuddered slightly at the dark look.
"What did he say?" she asked softly, hating herself that she was prying into Harry's privacy. What did it matter what he said? Many of the Fallen were his friends and loved ones. Of course, he might want to visit them.
Sidney's eyes narrowed as he searched his sister's face. "Why do you want to know?" he asked suspiciously.
Esme shrugged her shoulder and looked away from her brother's intense gaze. "No reason," she said. "Just simple curiosity, I suppose."
Sidney snorted and hid a smile. This was going better than planned. He swung his legs off the arm and pushed himself up.
"Well, it gets better, my dear sis. He was sitting by the Weasley girl's grave. I only heard bits and pieces of the conversation, and Merlin knows I couldn't move any closer." He watched Esme wince at the mention of Ginevra Weasley's name. Sitting back, he waited for her to continue the conversation, counting on her inquisitiveness to win over her sense of propriety.
"What did you hear?"
'Oh, Es,' he thought, 'you really are too predictable.'
"Something about being sorry, loved only her, and that there would be no one who could take her place," he watched in sad satisfaction as the words sunk in. He knew that he was doing what needed to be done to protect Esme from making the worst mistake of her life, but he hated to hurt her.
"I guess Potter does have a heart after all. Or at least he did," he said, a slow smile spreading up his face. Esme stood up and plucked the book out of the cushion, clutching it to her chest.
"I-I need to go. I just remembered I promised Minerva that I would let her borrow a book," she said. Sidney shook his head. She was an appallingly bad liar. No wonder she'd been sorted into Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin.
"Alright, I need to go talk to Dad anyway. Is he in the lab?"
Esme nodded and smiled tightly. "Of course, did you expect him to be anywhere else?"
"I guess not." He stood and faced his sister, a thoughtful look on his face. "Shall I see you at dinner?"
Esme looked up in confusion, missing his question. "I am sorry, Sid. What did you say?"
A flash of anger shot through him. Maybe it was already too late. "I said: will I see you at dinner?"
"Um, yes, I suppose so." She ran a hand through her hair and turned toward the door. Sidney watched her leave, so distracted she forgot to even say good-bye. He clenched his teeth and went to report to his father.
Sidney pushed open the door to Snape's lab and let it slam shut behind him. Severus glanced up from the book he was reading and smiled at his son.
"How did it go?" he asked, setting the book aside, giving his son his full attention.
Sidney shook his head. "I think she believed me, but I think she may be too far gone for it to matter."
Snape gazed at him scornfully. "Don't be ridiculous. She has only known him for a little over a week. That is not enough time to form any sort of attachment, romantic or otherwise."
Sidney jumped up on the table, his legs hanging off the edge. Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he considered what his father said with his sister's behavior. Catching his father's eye, he shrugged. "Perhaps, but she took the idea that Potter was still pining over Ginevra Weasley pretty hard. I mean, most people wouldn't have been able to tell. But I've always been able to read Esme pretty well."
Snape sighed and rubbed his eyes. This was not going well. "We will just have to work all the harder, then. Esme is planning on helping me finish the last of the potions tomorrow. I will continue where you left off." He gave his son a sideways glance, "By the way, what do you have planned for Potter?"
Sidney grinned wickedly. "Oh, Dominic and I have been discussing several ideas. He is coming a few days early and we will make our final arrangements."
Snape nodded contemplatively, before giving Sidney a warning look. "Just be sure that it can't be traced back to you or Dominic, or Merlin forbid, me."
Sidney looked at him in exasperation. "Dad, this is me. I think I can pull a couple of pranks on Potter and not get caught."
"Make sure that you do. The last thing we want to do is something that causes Esme to turn to Potter for support, or vice versa. We must be patient and wait for the opportunities to come to us." Snape stood and started pulling out the tools he would need for tomorrow.
"So that's it? You are going to convince her that he's still in love with Weasley and I am going to pull a couple of pranks?" He looked doubtful. "That seems like a pretty weak plan Dad, especially for you."
Snape's hand hovered over the knife. He picked it up and placed it flush against the cutting board. "That is not my only plan. I am working on another avenue, but one that I hope and pray I do not have to use."
"What is it?" Sidney asked hesitantly, not sure if he truly wanted to know.
Severus threw a leveled gaze at him. "Something that could break your sister's heart."