A/N: Hey y'all. Sorry this took so long to get added on. I've been really busy crying all night about how few and far between my reviews are. If you review, you know who you are, and I love you all dearly to death!

Chapter 16: Can I Kill Her Now?

While Julia danced around her bed with absolute glee, Harry leaned in closer to the table where he and his friends poured over last minute homework. Ginny had stumbled off to her dorm several minutes before, and Harry was fairly sure the people left in the common room were much too busy with homework to be bothered to listen in.

"Hey, Hermione, Ron, I need to tell you about my conversation with Dumbledore this afternoon," he whispered.

Hermione grumbled and didn't even look at him. "Harry, you told us already. Dumbledore thought you'd done something to Parkinson. Is it really that interesting?" she asked tersely.

"Well, I had to say something in front of everyone else, didn't I?" he whispered. The whisper couldn't mask the slight rise in his voice that the hurt had given him.

Hermione thought about this quickly. She couldn't, in good conscience, blame Harry for Dumbledore's pathetic reasoning. It would be nice too, to take some of the pain away. But, it wasn't so much of a pain now, more of a sting, really. "Well, then, what was it?" Hermione asked, trying to sound interested, which she was.

"It was about Voldemort," Harry told them. Ron coughed as his head shot up. Hermione gave him a good pat on the back.

"Go on," she said. It didn't occur to Hermione that she'd begun to whisper too.

"Dumbledore wanted me to be more alert. He said that Voldemort has been chasing after some powerful weapon, and that he may have finally gotten it."

"What's the weapon?" Ron asked.

"Ron," Hermione sighed. "If it's some powerful curse of something, I doubt the Death Eaters are going to come and say, 'Hey, look at this great new curse we found, it's really cool'."

Harry nodded. "Dumbledore's spies are in the dark. They told him that they've only just heard it filter around through the higher ranks in meetings, and only a few times at that. I guess nothing is that certain yet."

Hermione bit her lip, all previous annoyances gone. "Harry, are you in any danger?"

He shrugged. "The Professor's not sure, but he told me to be on guard. I guess they might try to use it against me somehow."

Ron scratched his head. "But, I thought they couldn't get close enough to you at Hogwarts, or the Dursleys, or even on the train. How's You-Know-Who going to touch you if he can't be in the same place as you?"

Hermione shook her head. "He's gotten to Harry before, hasn't he? I'm sure if he really wants to get to Harry, he'll find a way. Maybe this weapon is something that will get Harry where Voldemort wants him. Or, maybe he'll just use a portkey. Harry, I wouldn't accept anything from anyone for awhile."

"Does that include your advice?" Harry joked.

"Jeez Hermione," Ron reply, "you're full of doom and gloom, aren't you? The way you're talking, it's like the evil git's already taken over, and we're prisoners in his sinister grip. Can't you be cheerful?"

"Oh, like you're being?" Harry laughed.

Hermione ignored them both. "But Harry, what if this new weapon gets to you? Aren't you going to get any help on this?"

"Actually, I am."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Professor Dumbledore told me that Professor Sharper agreed to give me extra lessons for DADA. I guess she may have connections with the order or something, because Dumbledore said she'd know exactly what I need to know."

"What?" Hermione gasped a loud, sucking intake of air. Luckily, no one turned to look. Just those crazy 6th years acting up. "Harry, is Dumbledore crazy? Professor Sharper is related to an insane Death Eater. How does he know that she won't kill you out of revenge or madness or something?"

"Hermione, what is wrong with you? Professor Sharper isn't mad," Ron told her. If Harry hadn't known better, he would have thought Ron liked the Professor, or something like that. His tone of voice was too firm in its conviction.

"No, but her sister is," Hermione informed them.

"Hermione, what are you going on about? Is Arithmancy finally getting to you?" Harry asked, looking a bit concerned.

"No," Hermione replied firmly. "Remember that conversation we had about Professor Sharper having the same name as the Executioner? You guys just thought it was a coincidence." Hermione didn't wait for a reply. "Well, I looked it up, and the Executioner, Melody Sharper, is Cherrie Sharper's older sister. They were both orphans at St. Stephen's in London. That means that Melody Sharper would also be Professor Sharper's only family."

"Are you serious?" they replied.

"Yes. Maybe Ms. Sharper hates her sister these days, but I'd watch out when you're at those lessons. Who knows what could happen?"

Harry swallowed, "Well, if Dumbledore trusts her, then I guess I will too."

Hermione sighed. Harry's blind faith in Dumbledore could land him in a tight spot one day if she wasn't careful. It wasn't so much that Dumbledore was always wrong, or a bad judge of character, but the Professor was getting old, and sooner or later someone or something would managed get the best of him. It was just how people tended to die these days. Hermione just hope that whatever got the Order's leader wouldn't conquer everyone else as well.

Seemingly from nowhere, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil sauntered over to the table. They had been in a habit of appearing where they were least expected lately. Both said it wasn't their fault they were inexplicably drawn to the best eavesdropping positions. Of course, Hermione had other ideas about this strange phenomenon, most of them involving bought magic. Right now, though, she was interested in shooing them away so she, Harry, and Ron could discuss Professor Sharper further.

Harry, on the other hand, looked relieved to see them. The girls looked full to bursting about something, and Harry was sure it would distract Hermione, whatever it was.

Parvati came and stole the seat right by Ron. Lavender came up and took a seat next to the glaring Hermione. "Well, Parvati, would you look at what we have here."

"Why Lavender, it looks like a bunch of kids who didn't do their homework. Shame, shame," Parvati said dryly. Somehow, over the summer, the two girls had developed an annoying sense of humor, along with their strange abilities

Lavender assumed the role of a teacher. "So, Mr. Weasley, would you happen to have an explanation for this terrible, half finished piece of trash?"

"We were in the hospital half the weekend, Lavender, didn't you hear? Kera nearly died in our common room," Ron muttered.

"That weird girl? What was she doing in our common room? And why would you visit her, of all people?" Parvati had an eyebrow cocked like a gun.

"Well, Ginny brought her in, and we felt kind of guilty when she fainted in front of us, alright?" Ron growled. Out of the three, he denied any acquainted with Kera the most; she was always his little sister's friend, end of story. "Besides, it wasn't like she could take herself," he muttered.

"Yes, but it wasn't like you actually had to visit her afterwards, did you?" Parvati commented. "After all, if she's fainted, I hardly doubt she going to notice any visitors."

Hermione snorted. "Parvati, how long do you think a fainting person is out for? It was yesterday, not five minutes ago."

Parvati shot a dirty glance at the bushy headed girl. Hermione Granger never knew how fortunate she was. Best friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, top of the class, and not even an ugly birthmark to be found. For years, Parvati and Lavender had watched her, waiting to make the move that would put them with Hermione on her high Gryffindor position. It wasn't so much that they wanted to take Hermione's place, or push her out; under other circumstances, the three may have been thicker than chowder. But fate had put Ron in Lavender's heart, and ambition into Parvati's mind. If Lavender could just date Ron, maybe Parvati could rub elbows with the friends of one of the fastest ascending stars in the Wizarding World. But if Hermione insisted on acting like Parvati was simple, well then she would have to go for awhile.

"Well, I think maybe you shouldn't have gone to see her," Lavender said matter-of-factly. "I mean, I heard she's a real witch to be around. That's why no one will go near her."

"Oh, really?" Ron asked.

Hermione sighed. She couldn't believe Ron would do such a thing to someone who, before the year had started, he had called, 'a really strange but funny girl'. Then again, he had always been the most susceptible to the popular whim. Who else had so widely spread 'The Great Sneezedini'? All three friends had been on the butt end of the social scale, and while it made Harry and Hermione and even Ginny more adverse to the popular idea, Ron had developed a strange urge to become like everyone else and to do what they did. That taste of popularity he'd gotten in the Quidditch final had ignited the issue, and the frequent glances of Lavender Brown in class had done nothing to deflate it. Of course, she had wait several months before she had even approached him.

"Lavender, that's ridiculous. Kera's been perfectly friendly to us, hasn't she, Harry?" Hermione wasn't even going to attempt to get an honest answer from Ron.

Harry looked up. He hadn't been following a word, except a few words that a certain redhead had told him again and again. Thinking of Ginny, he said, "Oh, yeah. She's a great person to hang out with."

"Lavender," Hermione tried the gentle approach, "have you actually seen Kera acting like a witch around anyone?"

Lavender thought about this while Parvati rolled her eyes, and Ron stared at Lavender. Finally she said, "Well, no, I haven't seen her acting mean towards anyone. But, then again, I almost never see her around anyone anyway, so how can I tell?"

Parvati giggled. "Well, Lavender, that's not true anymore."

Lavender smiled. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Not anymore. Oh, they looked kind of cute together, you know."

"But who could've guessed? I mean, that came out of no where. Even I had no idea." Parvati prided herself on knowing about couples even before the couples themselves knew.

Harry looked up sharply. For some unexplainable reason, he thought Parvati had looked at him slyly, like she knew something. Ron and maybe even Hermione still hadn't found out about his fairly new relationship with Ginny, and he didn't exactly want Parvati to be the one who told them. "What are you talking about Parvati?" he asked, praying someone else was the subject of her prying lifestyles. If not, well… maybe he could explain everything to Ron from on top of the roof, before he got pushed off.

Parvati giggled again, making Harry feel worse. "Well Harry," she muttered, "I don't know. But, I guess since you're so nice to her, she won't mind. But then again…"

"Oh Parvati, just tell them. I mean, they weren't sneaking around; the whole school will know soon. Actually, within a day or two, by my guess. Torturing Harry won't do a thing." Lavender smiled at Ron.

Harry was relieved to know it wasn't about him. Wait. What if 'she' was Ginny? "Please Parvati, just tell ,me already."

"Yeah, Parvati, I want to hear this too." Hermione smiled slightly. Parvati must have heard some pretty bad stuff about Kera to want to tell it this badly.

"Well… It is her secret after all." Parvati smiled, enjoying all the attention as she played her little game.

Ron looked at Lavender. "Aw come on Parvati, just tell them," Lavender half-whispered, staring at Ron. Hermione felt a little sick and wanted to go to bed. She was finished with her homework anyway.

"Alright." Parvati always listened to Lavender. The two girls were pretty much sisters at heart. "Well, Lavender and I were walking down by the lake after the snowball fight we'd had with those two cute Hufflepuff boys, Mark Twinning and Michael Brown. You know, the two fifth years that look like brothers. They have the most gorgeous green eyes and floppy brown hair. I'm so sure at least one of them likes me too. I mean, Mark kept coming after me with snowball after snowball, but every time Michael was there to protect me. I mean, they practically got into a brawl over me. But I think I'd prefer Mark to Michael; Michael way too sensitive for my tastes. I like a man who's tough and not afraid to-"

Hermione cleared her throat loudly. Ron and Harry sat dumbstruck in the face of Parvati's musing. Hermione never went on about boys; she was really like a boy with a girl's looks.

Parvati smiled. She knew how unused they were to all of this, and she liked it. "Well, we, that is, Lavender and I, were walking around the lake to try and warm up afterwards, when Kera walked out of the woods. I stopped Lavender, not wanting to be seen. See, I have this special talent for being able to tell when I'm about to see something important and-"

"Parvati," moaned Lavender. "You're scaring the boys. Just let me tell them already so we can go to bed."

"Okay."

Lavender spoke directly to Ron, continuing, "At first, we thought it was just Kera taking a walk or something. But, a second later, we realized someone else was right next to her, holding her hand. And, as they got a little closer, they turned towards us, and we saw them. It was a guy. Guess who it was."

"Well," Ron said snidely, "are you sure it wasn't a girl? I mean, I can't think of a single guy that would ever date someone like her."

Parvati snorted. Lavender stared. Hermione huffed. Harry ignored them all. Lavender sighed and continued. "No Ron, it was a guy, I'm sure of it. How many girls look like Draco Malfoy?"

Earlier that day, Draco and Kera went to the Winter Courtyard. Kera had wanted to stay inside, but she didn't have much of a choice. Without Draco, all she could do was hobble and trip. At least he gave thirty seconds to the thought of her homework, only to remember that she'd probably already finished it or could do it in thirty seconds tomorrow. Kera was secretly pleased. The winter courtyard really was a nice place to be, even alone. She had gone back once or twice on her own. It didn't disappoint. Fresh snow had fallen in the middle of the night, erasing all the footprints from before and spreading glittering icing over ground again. Draco went to his favorite bench, tucked back in an alcove, and awkwardly brushed off the snow with his left hand. Kera took a grateful seat, smiling shyly one of the few gentlemanly gestures Draco had ever done for her. He took his seat and began to look at everything. Everything but the girl he'd brought here. It took long enough, but he finally caught her wispy look in his direction and focused in.

"What?" he asked, finally letting go of her hand. He seemed almost surprised to find it still there.

"Nothing," she hummed. The smile grew.

"Oh, really?" He raised an eyebrow. "There's nothing on your mind? Come on Kera, you're too smart to not be thinking of something." He still got a silent Cheshire cat. "At the very least you're thinking of how adorable I am, aren't you?"

That broke it. Kera gasped and lightly punched him. He grinned. "Oh, you actually were? I'm touched."

Kera gasped again, but this time she didn't bother to retaliate. "Draco, can I ask you something?" He nodded. "No, I mean for real, not joking, seriously?"

"I don't see why not."

"Why did you bring me out here? I mean, I know that I'm supposed to be your fake girlfriend and everything, but what's the point in pretending if no one's around to see the act?" She looked down at the snow, wishing it would fall and never stop until she was buried in it. Or that tree, its hand reaching out to grab a piece of the sky for itself, would grab her instead. But then she wouldn't finish her thought, and the conversation would be left open for all eternity. So no such luck. "Don't get me wrong. It's still just as breathtaking as the last time, but why here? Why not somewhere more public? Why waste your time entertaining me in private?"

Just like a seat back, the wall almost curved to fit the bench. Draco leaned back and sighed. It was long and heaving, conveying some hidden emotion its owner would appreciate not having to devoid. His pale brow furrowed at her. "Well, I-" Draco just let his voice trail off. Those weren't the right words. Snide comments and angry asides wouldn't answer the question. He actually thought about her comment. Was he really that terrible to her? The concern had never been raised until now. "Do you honestly think that badly about me?" he asked her.

"No, of course not, how could I- maybe a little." The last part leapt out of her mouth just before it closed forever in the following mortification. She swallowed at his crestfallen face. "Oh, come on Draco, you haven't given me a reason not to. I mean, you ignore me in public, and then that thing with Pansy, and Ginny, and Harry…"

"Kera I- I don't what to say. For once."

"Well, I don't even mind it so much. I mean, there was no harm done, except that Pansy is after me every time I turn around, and Ginny won't trust me alone with Harry, and at least half the school hates-" Kera didn't mean for her words to turn nasty, but once it began it didn't seem to stop.

Draco quickly cut her off. "Okay, okay, I get it. I guess I haven't been the nicest guy around." For the first time, Draco's pale face flushed. Maybe it was from injured pride, maybe it was from actual care, but it happened.

But Kera wouldn't let him off so easily. "You Draco, maybe it's not okay. I never really gave it too much thought, but you're behind most of the cruel things that happened to me here."

"Kera-I-I'm-"

"No, not right now." Kera stood up, shaking. "Draco, remind me again why I'm even pretending to date you. Because right now, I feel like I should just be as far away from you as possible. I mean Draco, can you name one thing you have ever done for me that was kind or generous and without anything in it for you?"

Draco seized her hands and forced her back onto the bench. "Don't stand up when you get excited. You're too weak to do that right now." Kera's mouth dropped open, halfway to making another sound. Draco slid a black gloved hand smoothly over it. A snowflake hit his face and melted from the heat still coursing through his cheeks. "Here's one nice thing I'm doing for you. I'm keeping you here, and stopping you from saying something you might regret. Remember, we need each other right now."

Her face leapt away. "How do I possibly need you, Draco?"

He shook his head. "You just do. You need me to be your boyfriend just like I need you to be my girlfriend so people will take me seriously."

"Yeah, and I'm the only one who will even pretend these days."

"No, you're the only one who won't take it seriously."

"Oh. Yeah. Right." Kera tore herself away and started to stomp off. "See you, Draco." How could he talk to her like that? Of course she didn't need him; she'd gotten along without Draco Malfoy for 11 years, so why should she suddenly develop such a crutch for him now? The blood in her head made Kera dizzy. She did the only sensible thing. She fainted.

Coming to meant looking up at Draco's slightly nervous features. He helped her to sit, nothing more. "See, you need me. The moment Pansy see the state you're in, it'll be sharks in bloody water. You'll never survive. But now, if I'm with you, you'll be fine. And everyone will think we're dating. Simple, right?"

By Monday, wildfire gossip had spread around the school. Ginny, by means of interrogation, bribery, and the friendship card, had managed to find out that neither Parvati, nor Lavender, nor any of the other ten people they told about Kera had let the cup spill over. Since Hermione, beyond sleepily informing Ginny, and Harry clearly didn't care, she could only assume Ron was in the throws of another fit of malice and jealousy. After all, he never got nearly as much publicity as Draco Malfoy, especially from a positive perspective.

She tracked him into the Great Hall for dinner. Just as she was about to open her lips, however, Hermione dashed in. "Ginny, get out here now. I think Pansy is about to slaughter Kera!"

Ginny vaulted over the bench. Well, that's a bit extreme. She clumsily flipped over the edge and followed her bushy friend out into the entry way. A crowd had come around, tightening in around two girls. One, angry and pug-faced, was busily working away at demolishing the other, who weakly attempted with steadily failing strength, to block or punch back. Both of their wands lay useless at a passerby's feet. As Ginny decked, shoved, and coerced the students out of her way, she began to overhear snatches of the public feeling. "Oh my, if Pansy's not careful, she could really hurt that girl." "Yeah, wonder what the girl did? Did she steal Pansy's stuff or something?" "Well, yeah, if Draco Malfoy is Pansy's property." "What was that?" "Yeah, didn't you hear-" "What if Kera gets killed?" "Well, good riddance." The last speaker yelped in pain as Ginny's elbow was accidentally driven into his ribs.

A breath of fresh air filled Ginny's lungs as she cleared everyone. But, her wind left her as she took in the scene. Kera was half conscious, slipping away as Pansy kicked her in the stomach. Her hands fell useless at her sides, and she looked like a dying animal who finally had resigned herself to the end. Pansy, too, was like an animal, but a grunting, sweating bulldog innocently tearing apart another creature in its bloodlust. But Pansy was speaking, screaming half coherent words over the murmuring words of the crowd. "You… took him… won't let you… little bitch… dead now… going to… laugh… you're…"

"Pansy, get away from her!" Ginny knew it was stupid to interfere, and knew what was going to happen next. With alarming speed, Pansy dropped her rag doll and turned to the fresh meat. There was blood on her knuckles.

"What did you say to me, blood traitor?" Pansy was one to talk about being a traitor to the old blood. By beating a servant of the Malfoys without permission, she ran the risk of being labeled a traitor herself. Hurting a worker of the master without cause was like breaking the mistress's finest china.

Pansy began to advanced, being too impassioned to wait for a reply, knowing who had said it. From off to the side, a timid voice muttered, "Maybe you should stop now, Pansy. I think you've made your point." Pansy grunted and Ginny closed her eyes, knowing she could never fight her way through the crowd in time.

"Pansy," came a raspy voice. Kera hadn't lost consciousness after all. "I know I'm going to hate myself for this, but your fight's with me. Smash me to pulp; Ginny's not yours to beat." She gave a slight bloody cough.

"Pansy, maybe you should just stop fighting them both. I think it would be in your best interest if no more blood was lost tonight. If you keep going, you might find some of it is your own." The voice was cool and slick. Everyone in the crowd shuddered, forgetting how cruel and calm that person could be. Why had they been so stupid to think a man like that was gay?

Pansy shuddered. The madness faded from her eyes as she crept around to face him. "Draco, I was only doing what needed to be done. The girl needed to be punished for what she did."

"And what did she do, Pansy. May I point out that Kera and I followed years of tradition and that I was the one who asked her to be my girlfriend, not the other way around?" The years of breeding had done their job. Draco was the upright lord to Pansy's grumbling serf. She edged towards the ring of people.

But Pansy wasn't completely down yet. "Draco, Kera did this to you. The Temptress put a spell on you to make you love her, and forget who you really care about. I was just trying to free you."

Draco threw back his head and laughed. Everyone began to back off, loosening up in case a teacher finally heard and came out. "Pansy, have you seen Kera with me at all today?"

"No, why?"

"Well, you of all people should know that even the strongest love potions have to be administered at least every 18 hours."

"How would I know that?"

"Don't lie. I've seen you use them before." The crowd chuckled as Pansy bloomed furiously. "Now," he continued, "if Kera hasn't seen me for at least eighteen hours, how do you propose she slip a potion to me? A friend perhaps? None of hers have been near me today. In fact, the only person who has been following me close enough to do anything to me today was you Pansy. And since you were trying to 'save' me just now, I doubt you slipped me a potion."

Pansy stammered. "Well, maybe you don't like her right now."

Draco's fake smile that had appeared while he talked with Pansy fell flat. "Well Pansy, right about now, I like Kera so much I'm ready to rip you to pieces for doing this to her. Does that answer your question?"

When no reply came, Draco turned and knelt by Kera. Petting her head, he began to wipe off the blood from her mouth with his robes. Pansy harrumphed and he glared at her. Kera opened a groggy eye and stared at him. "You lied to me," she whispered.

He smiled, "If I had no Pansy was so-"

"Pansy?"

"Yeah, Pansy, I would have kept you a lot closer. Do you need to go to the infirmary?"

She winced. "Speak not the name. I don't know."

"Well," he sighed, "let's get you out of here."

"Aw, look at that. Flaming Draco is helping his dear friend to the infirmary. Could he get more feminine?"

Draco wanted to turn around and find his assailant, but right now, his main concern was Kera. He leaned in to pick her up, and, before he knew what happened he leaned in too far, and she leaned in a little more and they touched. Her lips knew right where to go as they met his, as though it had been planned all along.

Kera didn't know what was happening. She felt weaken than at any moment when Pansy had attacked her. She knew she was bloody and that the blood in her mouth was in his and her blood was on his clothes, but he didn't seem to care. If anything, it made him hold her closer. For the first time, Kera felt completely safe and secure with Draco, aware that everyone within twenty feet was watching. She didn't care. But, the space between them did. It began to push them apart, shoving in embarrassment and worry and pain. They separated, both with redder cheeks than before.

Ignoring their classmates, Draco held Kera so that she barely touched the ground. As they wandered off, he whispered, "There. Have I done something completely unselfish for you yet?"

She looked at him, half out. "No."

"What? You're kidding me. I just saved you from the slaughtered house."

"True, but it was selfish as well."

"How?"

She grinned. "After that little shenanigan, how many people do you think will still label you as gay?"

"True. I'm sorry I didn't give you any warning, but it just kind of happened to me too."

She closed her eyes. "Don't tell me that. I didn't hear you and I'll still think it was all part of some plan of yours."

Julia was mortified. Her brother played his part for the servant so well, but to act like that in public. If he wasn't careful, he would sully the family name again, with all this cavorting about with the lower classes. Off to her side, she heard Ginny Weasley turn to the boy who had made the flaming comment. "How many homosexuals kiss like that?" she asked him.

The boy had no reply and left quickly. Ginny lingered a minute more, watching Kera go down the hall with her head on Draco's shoulder. She hated to admit it, hated to give any credit to Malfoy, but for once, she was proud to say that she knew him. For once, he had done the right thing. Even if it was a little weird to see him actually care for anyone before. She couldn't wait to go chew out Ron for making fun of those two and went back to get her brother.

Julia heard heavy breathing beside her. She turned to find Pansy behind her, disheveled and broken. "What?" Julia asked.

"When exactly can I kill that girl?"

Julia sighed. Pansy was such a boy when it came to these things. "Soon enough," she told Pansy, cautioning her in a motherly voice to wait for her turn.