A/N: To everyone anxiously waiting for more Harry/Evanna action, this one is for you!

Harry POV

If this term wasn't already terrible and confusing enough between Umbridge, the Dark Lord being back, and OWLs, it seemed Evanna Malfoy was on a mission to make it that much worse for Harry. One day the girl was bandaging his hand in the hallway. The next she was deliberately dumping a pailful of dirty water all over him as they served their detention in the trophy room.

"Oops," she said with an obviously fake innocent expression on her face. Her damnable boyfriend snickered behind her. She pushed roughly past him to grab the bucket, all but knocking him into the water. "Didn't mean to."

"Darling, we really must work on your clumsiness," Nott simpered, shooting Harry a triumphant look as he placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek. Evanna's face reddened, and she shot a look at Harry, frowning.

"Not now, Theo, we've a lot to clean," she said.

The thought of all the hexes Angelina Johnson would throw at him for getting another detention and missing more quidditch practice was the only thing that stopped Harry from retaliating. Instead he grit his teeth and continued scrubbing the floor, his hand stinging all the while. When they were finally released from detention, Harry all but ran out the door, ready to get away from the dreadful duo.

He could hear Nott down the hallway, calling her darling and sweetheart. It made him want to hurl every time she giggled at something she said. Harry shoved his hands into his robe pockets moodily as he slouched along the hall. In one pocket, he always kept his wand and the Marauder's Map. Usually the other only had lint and sometimes a candy wrapper, but now there was a crumpled piece of parchment. Harry frowned, pulling it out. It was more expensive parchment than Harry ever bought, and it smelled lightly perfumed.

Meet me in the place where you once found me hiding at 11 pm tonight.

Harry wanted to crumple the parchment and throw it over his shoulder. He wanted to set it on fire or blast it to pieces or feed it to the Giant Squid. She could not treat him worse than a dog while they were in detention and then turn around and demand he go down into the Chamber of Secrets for her. It was too confusing-it was too unfair.

Harry tucked the note into his pocket and continued to Gryffindor Tower. Ron and Hermione were waiting for him as soon as he walked i, Hermipne with a distinctly uncomfortable look on her face.

"What is it?" Harry asked, still irritated from the night's detention.

"We-well, I did and Ronald agreed-were thinking about Defense Against the Dark Arts and how Umbridge really isn't teaching us anything-"

"Hurry it up Hermione, I'm tired," Harry said, not really caring about how rude he was being.

Ron gave Hermione a look that clearly said he thought she should quit while she was ahead, but Hermione had never been known to let sleeping dogs lie.

"We want you to teach us. About fighting Dark magic," she said, the words coming like flood. "And maybe a few others too."

Harry blinked at her, wondering just what his friend was thinking. She continued hurriedly.

"You've faced down You-Kn-Voldemort so many times already, Harry, and you've come out alive each and every time, which is more than most wizards can say-"

"I've had help! And luck!"

"You didn't have help with the Philosopher's Stone, mate," Ron said. "Or in the Chamber of Secrets."

"Evanna was there. She helped me."

Hermione pursed her lips. "What about when you rescued Sirius? It was just you against all those dementors! And through all those tasks-"

"Disguised Death Eater making sure I got through it, remember?"

"He wasn't trying to help you survive the graveyard! And you faced down Voldemort again!"

Harry shook his head. "It was luck, Hermione. Luck and help."

"Harry, you're not listening-"

"No, you're not listening! I hardly know anything more than you do! I can't be somebody's teacher!"

"But, mate," Ron said quietly. "Umbridge isn't going to teach us. If you don't, who will?"

Harry shook his head. "I-"

"Just promise us you'll think about it," Hermione all but begged. Harry frowned, but Ron gave him a look. Hermione would not let Harry leave the room without at least saying he would think about it.

"Yeah, I'll think about it," he said, pulling his invisibility cloak from his bookbag. Hermione's eyebrows shot up.

"Where are you going? It's past curfew and you've enough detentions!" she demanded.

Harry did not say anything. He just left.

Evanna POV

Evanna paced the floor of the Chamber of Secrets, just in front of the statue of her ancestor. The stone face, while stern, gave her some amount of familiar comfort. Del was curled in a massive ball, watching Evanna as she paced.

"Why isss misstresss ssssso anxioussss?" she hissed.

"Harry should be here by now," Evanna mumbled back.

"Other sssspeaker?" Del said. "He isssss making misssstressss upsssset? Ssssshall I bite him?"

"He issss in the ssschool and I told you not to go upssstairssss," Evanna reminded the basilisk.

"But he issss not," Del said. "He isssss here now. I sssssmell the other sssssspeaker. I can bite him now."

"Pleasssse don't let her bite me," Harry said, holding up his hands as Evanna whirled on him. His eyes were clenched shut.

"You can go on, Del," Evanna said. The basilisk hissed threatenly at Harry, but listened to her mistress, uncoiling its massive body to slither deeper into the network of tunnels surrounding the Chamber. "You came," she said in English.

"I don't really know why I did," Harry said, regarding her with a look that said he was still contemplating just leaving. "After your performance during detention-"

"You have to realize that I am being watched," Evanna said.

"Yeah, I'm sure your boyfriend is reporting straight to your father," Harry scowled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Evanna demanded. Harry clenched his teeth, a jaw muscle twitching. "I'll have you know that Theo is loyal to me and a perfect gentleman unlike some people I could mention-"

"You know what? Hermione was right, I've had enough detention," he said. "I'm leaving."

Evanna's stomach lurched. This had not gone as planned and she needed Harry to hear her out. His life could well depend on it.

"Harry, don't leave," she said.

He ignored her and kept walking. Evanna all but jumped after him, grabbing him by the wrist. She felt that familiar zing of electricity go up her arm as she touched him, a feeling her mother's romance novels claimed she should be feeling with Theo, her boyfried. Not with Harry, her father's nemesis.

"Malfoy-"

"In the Hospital Wing last year, you knew this would happen. You knew that I would have to act differently," she said. "You understood my position. What changed?"

Harry was silent and did not turn around.

"Why did you ask me to come down here?" he asked tonelessly.

Evanna circled around him, doing her best to go slowly so as not to make him bolt. She kept her hand around his wrist the entire time as extra insurance.

"I wanted to help you," she said.

"Help me?" he said, blinking in confusion.

"Is that so strange?" she said. "I blasted my way into the maze last term to help you, I just bandaged your hand causing me to get detention-"

"Where you and your boyfriend proceeded to do your level best to make the detention that much worse for me!" Harry grumbled. Evanna rolled her eyes.

"You see! That right there! That is why you need my help!"

"What?"

"Everything you lack in nuance and cunning, you more than make up for in impulsivity and-and teenaged boy angst!" Evanna shouted, throwing his wrist down in anger.

"Well, now that I know what you think of me!" Harry snarled, stepping toward her. She had started to catch up to him again over the summer, her forehead coming up to his chin.

"Oh, you want to know what I think of you!"

"Well, it's only fair considering you blast through my mind to see what I think of you!"

Evanna felt her rage nearly boil over at that. "I can't help it and you know it!"

"Or maybe you just don't try!"

"Luckily for you you're obviously not thinking right now!" she spat back. "I am just trying to help you!"

"What the hell help could you offer me?" he snarled back. "Far as I know, you're neck deep in Death Eater land now!"

"Well those Death Eaters are expert duelists and you are not!" Evanna spat back.

Harry paused at that, obviously confused. That brief moment allowed both of them to take in just how closely they were standing together. There was hardly room for a billywig to fly in between them and Evanna could feel Harry's breath. She felt her face flush and Harry coughed, taking a step back. Despite herself, she could not help but miss the warmth.

"What-what do you mean?" Harry said once they had both composed themselves.

Evanna bit her lip, trying to find the right words. Too much had happened between them, too many nasty words exchanged, and this was too important for Evanna to mess up.

"For all his faults, Lucius trained me remarkably well. I could fight most any Death Eater and win," Evanna said slowly. "And because of his faults, Dumbledore has seen fit not to train you at all."

"I managed to duel Voldemort in the graveyard and come out alive," Harry said, though his tone said he wasn't even fooling himself. Evanna winced at her father's name. "You say you could duel Death Eaters, but you can't hear your father's master's name."

Evanna looked away, guilt churning in her stomach. Had Harry known who her real father was, his hatred toward her would have increased hundredfold, she was sure. But, she could not tell him-he would go straight to Dumbledore and Evanna would be sent straight to Azkaban and then the war would start in earnest. There would be no chance of convincing Harry that fighting for Dumbledore was the wrong choice.

Yet, she still felt incredibly guilty about lying to him.

"Harry, you need training," she said. "You have power, yes, but you need skills and technique. It was pure luck that saved you in the graveyard."

Harry snorted. "Funny, I was telling Hermione the same thing earlier tonight."

"What does Granger have to do with it?" Evanna asked, bristling at the mention of the other girl.

"She-well she and Ron want me to teach-it's stupid, any way," Harry said offhandedly. "So it's as I thought-I'm a shite wizard and I've no hope of making it through this war, have I?"

"Not if you follow Dumbledore's lack of a plan," Evanna said plainly. "But you're not a shite wizard. You are incredibly powerful-you just need the training."

"Dumbledore has hardly even looked at me this year and Umbridge is hardly likely-"

"Why do you think I'm down here?" Evanna asked, gesturing to the Chamber at large. "I told you-after Lucius' training, I could duel most any of the Dark Lord's followers and win. I can teach you."

"But you are a Death Eater's daughter," Harry argued. "Why would you help me?"

Evanna looked away. "I've been asking myself that same question for years."

Harry did not say anything.

"I'll still have to treat you the way I did in detention," she said. "Worse, even. We cannot allow anyone to know that I'm training you. I'm not sure which of us would be in more trouble."

Harry nodded. "So you won't be telling No-anyone?"

"Not a soul," Evanna said. "Meet me down here same time on Saturday and we can begin. Wait a moment before you follow me up."

She began to walk away, but Harry called after her.

"I didn't say yes," he said. "I'm not sure I trust you."

Evanna took a deep breath, trying to project her Dark Princess persona as much as possible. She had never played a more dangerous role.

"Good," she said. "I'll see you Saturday."

A/N: So there it is! I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. I am in the midst of making some career changes and applying for my teaching certificate while finishing out the semester here, but tonight I was anxious to just do something fun. So, the next chapter will probably come when next I just need to have a fun moment to myself. Any way, thank you to my reviewers and be sure to review this chapter! I am soooo close to 100 reviews :O!