Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Sorry about the late update. My computer was being a major hoser and then I went on vacation without internet for a week. This chapter is mostly talking but there are some important milestones so don't give up on me! Also, I have a few announcements at the end so please stay tuned.

Enjoy Chapter 12!

Chapter 12: Love Looks Not With The Eyes But With The Mind

I heard the hinges on the door creak as it was swung open. There was the sound of someone gently treading across the floor. From the light footsteps I determined the person was a woman. The bed sank slightly as she sat down on the edge beside me.

"Vera dear," She said softly, "You didn't come down for breakfast. Are you feeling alright?"

"Mother," I groaned, "I think I'm sick."

I rolled over onto my back. My head was pounding more than it had after I had drunk half a bottle of firewhiskey. My body was cold and ached as if I have been brutally beaten. My face felt hot and when noises penetrated my ears they sounded as though I was hearing them through water.

I felt a cool, dainty hand rest against my forehead.

"You're burning up." She muttered. "You should stay in bed today. I'll make sure the kids bring you up some tea. I have to go to a management meeting and fix some press release issues for a few hours but I'll be back to check on you after that, alright?"

"Yes mother." I said as I forced my eyes open. My head spun as I lurched up into a sitting position.

"Mrs. Potter! I'm so sorry. I thought you were my mother."

She smiled gently at me. "It's alright. I told you you're part of the family now, didn't I?"

"Yes ma'am." I said, staring down into my lap.

"Ginny." She insisted.

"Yes Ginny." I corrected.

"Good. I'll owl Hermione and get her to come take a look at you. She's good with those healing spells and potions. Well she's good at everything." Mrs. Potter finished with amusement.

"Alright – er – Ginny. Thank you."

She patted my arm in response then stood and disappeared out the door. I rested back against my pillows and closed my eyes.

I'm never EVER going out in the cold again. I decided as my head gave another painful twinge. I hated being sick.

I began to relax and drift off to sleep again. A loud tapping sound brought me sharply back down to Earth. I opened my eyes and stared blearily through the glass where and ancient screech owl was visible. Recognition jolted me out of bed and carried me to the window. The owl belonged to my father.

I gripped the edge of the sill and pulled the window wide enough for the owl to hop in. The moment I untied the scroll it too off into the pale gray sky. I glanced at the words written on the outside of the parchment and deciphered,

Olivera Narcissa Greengrass Malfoy

The Potter House

I clumsily unrolled the parchment and read,

Vera,

What were you playing at going off into a muggle village on your own like that? You could have been killed. And I am at a loss to understand why neither you nor your brother thought to tell your mother and me that you weren't staying at Hogwarts. We could have made other arrangements for you if you'd told us you didn't want to stay at school. But now that I know you are with the Potters, I am telling you to remain inside their house at all times. Don't go wandering around by yourself, especially not at night. Stay close to Harry Potter. He is a powerful wizard and can keep you safe.

I heard about Nott and I don't want you or your brother anywhere near the same fate. I can't tell you where I am. It would be dangerous for both of us if you knew. Just stay inside and please, STAY SAFE.

Your Father,

Draco

I read and reread the letter three times before every detail registered in my mind. So my father had somehow heard about what had happened to Albus and me in the village. How, though, was beyond me. And how had he not received my letter about going to stay at the Potters? I had never known Ella to allow my correspondences to stray. Had she perhaps been intercepted on the way to my parents? That would explain how those men knew where to find me. They couldn't have just been there by chance.

Another detail that drew my attention was the one in which he told me he couldn't tell me where he was. For sure that meant that he was in hiding somewhere. Which meant that he thought it was dangerous to stay at Malfoy Manor.

A solid knock on the door broke me from my reverie. I made a beeline for my bed and stashed the letter out of sight beneath my covers before burrowing down into the blankets. The door opened and Albus and Lily entered followed by James who was holding a steaming teacup. I quickly hid my face behind a pillow. James looked particularly dashing today and I didn't want him to see me looking like the poster child for flu potion.

"Good morning Ms. Malfoy. I'm Healer Potter and these are my associates Healer Potter and Healer Potter." Said Albus mockingly as he waved to his siblings. "We are here to nurse you back to health."

The bed sank again as the three of them sat down around me and Lily yanked to pillow out of my hands.

"Go away." I groaned at them, throwing my hands over my face.

"Not to worry Ms. Malfoy. We're professionals. Besides, we have the tea you ordered."

I dropped my hands. The prospect of blisteringly hot tea on my agonised throat was extremely inviting. I sat up and James handed me the cup. I inhaled the spiraling steam rising from its deep orange surface.

"Mandarin Orange Spice." I recognised. "It's my favourite. How did you know?"

"James told us." Lily informed me.

"Thanks." I said, turning my eyes to him. He nodded and gazed back at me. Only Albus coughing awkwardly broke our staring contest.
"Well I guess we should take our leave. Mum said for you to stay in bed today, Vera. Holler or send your patronus if you need anything."

"Alright." I murmured, resting back against my pillows and closing my eyes. My bedroom door opened and closed again and I felt the weight on my bed shift as someone came to sit in the empty spot beside me. I opened my eyes to find James sitting next to me and staring at the opposite wall, apparently deep in thought.

"Er…hey." I said. I was going to ask, 'Why are you still here?' but I thought that might make it sound as though I didn't want him to stay.

"Good morning." He replied, still not looking at me. His legs were stretched out in front of him and he was twiddling his thumbs.

"So…uh…what's up?" I asked as confusion set in.

"I was just wondering if now was a good time for us to talk."

My heart sped up slightly. "Sure."

"So I guess," James said after some slight hesitation, "We should talk about what happened last night."

I nodded, my heart rate speeding up again. I hated 'relationship' talks and had no idea where to start.

"I think first you should tell me what happened with Don."

I especially didn't want to talk about that but I simply said, "Alright" and recalled out loud Donovan and my conversation from the previous night.

"I followed him outside after that whole confrontation thing and I stopped him right before he disapparated and told him I wanted to talk to him. He told me he didn't think there was anything to talk about but I insisted. I apologised for what happened between you and me and that I cared about him a lot. Then he…he told me he loved me and asked me if I loved him back and…well I told him I didn't know how I felt. Which was a lie but I didn't want to hurt him anymore. And then he told me he could forgive me." I made sure to leave out the question he had asked me and the part I was particularly ashamed about: when I told Don that James meant nothing. I wished more than anything I could take back the lie.

"Then he told me he would talk to me after the break and then he left. So I think we might be friends again soon." I finished. James sat silently as my story ended. It took me several seconds to realise it was a stony silence.

"I see." He answered finally. "So neither of you ever actually said the words 'break up'?"

I wracked my memory. The conversation had certainly had a tone of finality in it. But come to think of it neither he nor I had stated we wanted to break up.

"I…er…thought it was implied." I said sheepishly. James rolled his eyes, looking as though he was torn between amusement and anger.

"Somehow I don't think he picked up on that, Vera."

"I'm so sorry." I decided groveling was the best approach at this point. I knew how I would feel if I thought I had just started dating someone and then found out she hadn't actually broken up with her boyfriend. "I forget how in touch most people are with their emotions. In my house, most things are implied. In fact in my house, what happened between Don and I would have been considered a grizzly break up."

Again James managed to look both amused and upset. I bit my lip nervously as he slipped into thought. My heart began to beat faster as seconds turned into minutes. I felt more strongly about James than I had ever felt about a boy, and I was positively terrified that our relationship would slip back into the abusive and resentful one it had been before.

"It's alright." He said at last. I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "So you guys didn't break up. That doesn't mean we can't still get to know each other, right? I suppose it would make more sense for us to start as friends anyway. I mean we just barely stopped hating each other."

I nodded. Honestly, I didn't want to be just friends with James. The powerful physical draw I felt toward him definitely wasn't friendly. Lustful or I'd-like-to-jump-you-this-instant would be more accurate. But this was neither the time nor the place to feel that way about him. Finding out if we even had compatible personalities was surely the most logical way to begin this new relationship. Besides, just being friends definitely gave me more time to figure out the whole Don thing. And perhaps if things went well Don and I could have a peaceful break up when we returned to school and James and I could have the opportunity to explore some of these new feelings. Ugh, have I mentioned how much I hate the word 'feelings'?

"Yeah that makes sense." I replied. "So let's start getting to know each other. I get to ask the first question!"

He turned his amber eyes upon me and smiled. "Okay. What's your question?"

"How do you know what my favourite tea is?"

James suddenly looked uncomfortable, as if this simple question was one he wished I hadn't asked. "I – er – watch you sometimes at the Gryffindor table. That's the kind you always reach for at breakfast so I naturally assumed it was your favourite."

"I see." I said. My heart sped up faster. He watched me? "How often do you watch me?"

Again he looked as though he would rather not answer. "Just sometimes."

"Okay. What else have you figured out from watching me sometimes?" I was honestly curious to know how much he had gleaned from simple observation.

James' brow furrowed as he thought. "Umm…let's see…you always wear vanilla perfume. You hate the smell of tuna. You prefer to eat sugary food for breakfast. The scent of pine needles makes you smile. You and your brother aren't very close but he watches you from the Slytherin table. I think he is just protective. You touch your lips when someone drinks mint tea around you. You cringe when your friend Mark tries to touch you. Whenever you make a snowball you check it first. Most of the time you remove ice chips from it so I assume that's why you check. You wrinkle your nose when you hear loud sounds. You bite your lip when you're nervous. You seem to find brushing your hair relaxing. When you're thinking hard about something you bite your index finger. Oh and you claim you don't know how to dance but I've seen you do it and you've definitely been taught."

I simply stared at him as flattered, shocked, and bewildered battled to be my dominant emotion. How on earth did he know all that? I thought. I don't even know half those things about myself. I struggled to come up with an intelligent response while James looked at me uncertainly.

"You know that's really creepy, right?" I finally said. He looked down at his lap ashamedly.

"I know. I've paid a lot more attention to you over the years than I let on."

"I can see that." I said. Then to make him feel better I said, "But I've probably paid more attention to you than I should have as well."

He looked up, hope lighting his eyes. "Really?"

"Yes. For instance, the only time I've ever seen you genuinely smile is when you are riding your broom or when you see your family. The rest of the time you seem to wear this mask. When I see you in the library I always know when you're studying Defence Against the Dark Arts because it's the only time you look truly focused. You admire your dad more than anyone in the world. When classes are over the first thing you do is loosen your tie. And the reason I always touch my lips when I smell mint is because that's your favourite kind of tea and it's what you always smell like and I…I've wondered for a very long time what it would be like to kiss you." I finished in a blush. He smiled at me kindly, giving me one of his rare, genuine grins.

"It's good to know I'm not the only stalker at Hogwarts."

"Hey! No one ever said anything about stalking. It's not like I follow you around or anything. Oh and by the way, I never said I didn't know how to dance. I said I couldn't. My mother tried to teach me ballroom dancing as soon as I was old enough to walk. She wanted me to be a 'proper' pureblood lady. Unfortunately for her I'm about as elegant on the ground as a baby horse. She is a lovely dancer though. She's like a swan." My tone was almost dreamy as I finished. My mother's dancing tended to have that effect on people.

James nodded absently as I finished speaking, as though he was mentally recording the information I had just given him. We lapsed into silence, both of us staring at the opposite wall.

"I have a question." He said, still examining the wall.

"What's that?" I asked.

"How long did you wonder what it would be like to kiss me before – you know – that day?"

"Er – do I have to answer honestly?" I asked, wishing he would say no.

"Well now you do." James flashed me that grin I was really beginning to love. I mean like. Just like. I wracked my brains for the answer to his question.

"Since I was thirteen I think. It was around the time Al and I found you and that girl snogging in the passage that leads to Gryffindor tower behind that tapestry."

"Oh. I remember that. If only I could remember her name…"

I smacked his shoulder. "You really do need to be nicer to girls." I informed him. My tone was sharper than I had intended. He hung his head, shame gripping his features.

"I know. I've been doing better though if you've noticed. I've just always had this problem."

"What problem?"

"Well there was this girl I met when we were young. I've felt very strongly for her since the first time I saw her. But I didn't want to. It was wrong, you see. So I started dating as many girls as I could in the hope that one day maybe I could come close to feeling that same way about another girl. It hasn't worked yet though."

I felt a sinking feeling, as though both my stomach and my heart had been completely removed from my body. Jealousy coursed through me even as I tried to force it away. Why was he telling me this? Was his new honesty part of the whole becoming friends thing? Didn't he realize that confessing undying affection for another girl wasn't going to help our relationship at all?

"I see." I managed to reply. "Tell me about her." So much for feeling more strongly for James Potter than any other boy. I thought grumpily.

"She's very pretty. Maddeningly smart. Quite witty and down-to-earth."

"I see." I repeated.

"Yes. But I've tried so hard not to like her that way. I shouldn't. It would be wrong for so many reasons. And incredibly complicated. So I've pushed her away. Said horrible things to her and about her. Played cruel pranks on her. It wasn't fair really. I hope eventually she will be able to forgive me. I did some very wretched things."

"Oh." I said stupidly. "You're talking about me."

He chuckled slyly. "Who else would I be talking about?"

"I don't know. There are a lot of pretty girls at Hogwarts." I muttered.

James laughed again. "I wouldn't be thick enough to tell a girl I was interested in that I had feelings for another girl."

"I know that." I mumbled quietly. Then the full meaning of his words hit me. "So you…you really feel that way? Or are you chatting me up?"

He took my hand and placed it firmly against his beating heart.

"I'm telling the truth. Cross my heart."

I was thoroughly unprepared for the serious turn our conversation had just taken. We'd just barely admitted to liking each other two days ago. Confessing the extent of those romantic feelings didn't seem like a conversation appropriate for this point in time. But I had entered the exchange, so I may as well provide full disclosure.

"I – I think I feel the same way. Other guys I dated…they always accused me of being too distant and guarded. I'm not really the type to bear my soul as you've probably noticed. But you're different. You always have been."

His amber eyes bore into my blue-green ones. Currents of electricity were passing seamlessly between us as though we were a complete circuit (this thing muggles use in place of magic). I felt a powerful impulse to kiss him in that moment. I could see that he wanted to kiss me too, but he was holding back. Just as he should. This was neither the time nor place to engage in such things. Albus and Lily were downstairs, I was a guest in the Potter home, I was covered with germs and filled with sickness, and I still had a damaged relationship hanging over my head.

But even as I looked at him my reason seemed to melt away. The warmth of his skin and texture of his lips called to me like a siren song, yet filled me with the sweet comfort and intoxication of a phoenix song. I began to inch slowly towards him, never breaking eye contact. He was leaning toward me as well, pulling me closer. His lips were centimetres from mine…

The door slammed open like a gunshot and someone yelled,

"My dad is such a prat!"

James and I jumped apart as Rose stomped furiously into the room and then stopped as she caught sight of us.

"Oh. Am I interrupting something?" She asked as pink invaded her cheeks.

I said, "No." at the same time James exclaimed, "Yes!"

Rose looked between the two of us, comprehension dawning on her face. She began to back out of the door as someone else began to enter. Perhaps the most unwelcome person to this scene in the world.

Scorpius collided with Rose in the doorway and she bounced back into the room.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded of my brother.

"I could ask you the same thing." Scorpius said as his eyes zeroed in on where my hand still rested on James' chest.

"We were talking." I said defensively.

"That's completely what it looks like." Rose said, throwing herself metaphorically between us before a sibling argument could erupt. There were more voices in the hallway.

"Honestly Ronald," I heard a bossy voice. "She's seventeen now. We can't baby her forever."

"We absolutely can. If she's consorting with types like the Malfoy's then she obviously doesn't – "

Rose's parents entered the room a split second later.

"Dad, you followed us? Would you please just go away?" Rose said, sounding unusually teenage-like as she addressed her father.

"Not until we've settled this." He said, fixing himself up the same way Mrs. Potter always did when she was angry (though he was substantially less intimidating).

"We have settled this. Scorpius and I are together and you are going to let go of your stupid prejudices."

"They are not stupid. They are perfectly founded. If you'd seen what I've seen then you would – "

"Oh you sound just like James. Can't anyone just let the past be the past in this family?"

"Would you two please shut up?" Mrs. Weasley said over her husband and daughter's bickering. The two of them fell silently instantly. I jumped violently as a silver stag suddenly galloped through the wall and came to a halt before Mr. Weasley. He stared at the creature for several seconds.

"Harry needs me in the office." He announced. Rose gave an audible sigh of relief. "But don't think this is over young lady." Mr. Weasley barked as he turned and exited the room.

"Wouldn't dream of is daddy-dearest." Rose said under her breath as her father disappeared. Mrs. Weasley looked momentarily exhausted as she stared after her husband before turning to me and forcing a smile onto her face. She conjured a chair with her wand and sat down beside me. James quickly and covertly scrambled into a standing position next to Rose.

"So Vera," said Mrs. Weasley. "Ginny owled me and said you weren't feeling well. What exactly is wrong?"

"I'm alright. I just have a fever, headache, body aches, and my ears don't feel quite right but I'm sure I'll be – "

Mrs. Weasley ended my assurances by producing a thermometer and shoving it in my mouth. She waited several moments before checking the small numbers and exhaling loudly.

"Yep that's quite the fever you have there. Open up." She pulled a tongue depressor and a small flashlight out of midair and examined my throat and ears. "You have the beginnings of an ear and throat infection. How long did you spend in the cold dear?"

I glanced guiltily at James before muttering, "A while."

"I see. Well I know a few potions that will fix you right up. James, would you mind helping me downstairs? Rose, get Vera a few more blankets. Scorpius…find something useful to do." Mrs. Weasley said. Rose began to conjure several heavy woolen blankets and wrap them around me. I glanced at James and Scorpius. They were locked in some sort of alpha male stare down. I found the two of them equally terrifying so I wasn't sure who would win. My brother was very tall, but James still towered over him intimidatingly as they glared at each other. Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat and pointed James out of the door before her, effectively ending the showdown. The second Mrs. Weasley's feet cleared the threshold, Rose dropped into the chair at my bedside and rested her face in her hands. Scorpius slid into the space behind her and began running his fingers comfortingly through her tight, dark red curls.

"What's wrong?" I inquired curiously. Rose gave a heavy sigh and lifted her head to look at me.

"Nothing. I just hate arguing with my dad." She folded her hands in her lap and leaned back into the chair.

"What did you two row about?"

Rose turned slightly pink and glanced back at Scorpius who answered with a guilty expression. This was answer enough for me.

"Oh no Scorp, what did you do?" I asked exasperatedly.

"Nothing!" It was Rose who answered. "Alright well something but it wasn't just him. I agreed to it."

"What exactly is 'it'?" I asked, dreading the answer. Picturing my brother in scenes of passion made me want to die, come back to life, and then die again.

"Oh it wasn't like that." Said Scorpius, rolling his eyes at me. "I didn't want to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas so I went back to the manor. But then when that incident happened with you and Albus in Ottery St. Catchpole so Rose's mum insisted I come and stay with them because it's safer."

"So that's why Mr. Weasley is angry?" I wasn't quite following. Rose turned even pinker at my question.

"Well no…" She muttered. "I haven't been sleeping well lately and I feel calmer when Scorpius is there so I've been sneaking to his room after my parents go to sleep and sneaking back to my bed before they wake up. But this morning…"

"You didn't make it back to bed." I finished.

"Exactly. So he came in and thought something was happening that wasn't and just lost his head completely."

"I thought his brain was going to explode." Scorpius added.

"Yeah. Well I suppose I can't judge can I?"

Rose nodded absently while Scorpius exclaimed,

"Excuse me?"

I chose not to answer.

"What exactly did you do?" He demanded. Neither Rose nor I said anything.

"Did you sleep with Potter? Seriously tell me."

I sighed. "Yes in the sleeping sense. As in we were asleep. And it was once. Not like you two. Sneaking around like horny ninjas." I muttered the last part.

"What are ninjas?" My brother asked curiously. I was saved the trouble of explaining by Mrs. Weasley, who bustled back into the room at that moment holding a tray with three small vials on it containing brightly colored liquids. James followed behind her looking subdued. He resumed his seat beside me while Mrs. Weasley set the tray down on my bedside table and selected a round bottle with neon pink potion within.

"This is a painkiller."

I took the bottle and tossed the contents down my throat. It gave me a pleasant warming sensation that relieved the areas in my body that were aching. Mrs. Weasley handed me a second bottle. It was tall and rectangular and seemed to steam slightly.

"Pepper up potion." I recognised. I had brewed it successfully at the beginning of the year. It was quite tricky for something so regularly used. I drank the potion and steam spurted from my ears and turned my face scarlet. I imagined I looked rather like the Hogwarts Express. Mrs. Weasley handed me another bottle as the steam coming from my ears began to slow in intensity. This one was a deep midnight blue.

"It's sleeping solution." Mrs. Weasley answered my curious stare. "In my experience, sleep heals better than anything else."

I nodded in agreement and drank the final potion. Calm spread instantly through me. I felt my muscles relax and my eyes drift shut as I sank down into my blankets.

"How much did you give her?" I heard James' voice.

"Two or three hours' worth. I left the rest downstairs if she wakes up and wants more."

I snuggled into James' warm side and slipped off into a restful sleep.

I awoke much later to the sound of rustling pages. I had been so deeply asleep I couldn't even remember dreaming. I opened my eyes. Through the window I could see a deep orange sun woven in a basket of pink lighting the darkening sky. It was sunset. I turned around and found James beside me, reading an enormous book beneath the yellow light of the bedside lamp. He glanced over at me as I shifted around.

"Good evening." He said, smiling impishly at me.

"Good morning." I replied. He chuckled and turned his eyes back to his book.

"What are you reading?" I asked, wanting to reclaim his attention. He showed me the deep green cover with gold embossed writing on the front.

"The works of Shakespeare." He explained.

"What's a Shakespeare?" I asked curiously.

"Some muggle bloke. William Shakespeare."

"Never heard of him." I admitted.

"Yeah well Rose insisted I read one of his plays called, 'Romeo and Juliet'. She said it might 'enlighten me'."

"Is it any good?"

"I'm not sure how I feel about the story but the verse is excellent. Listen to this,

What if her eyes were there, they in her head?

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars

As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven

Would through the airy region stream so bright

That birds would sing and think it were not night."

I listened to his gruff voice as he recited the lines. They were beautiful. The rhythm with which they flowed and the delicacy of the sounds were enchanting.

"That's lovely. What does it mean?"

"I think he is saying her eyes are bright. Like they have stars in them. Like yours I think." He said the last part as though it was a throwaway comment of no real importance.

I tried to pass off my blush as fever rather than as a response to his comment. There was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in." I called before entering into a coughing fit. Through my watering eyes I saw Mr. Potter push open the door. He was wearing deep purple dress robes and a black wizard's hat. Mr. Potter took the seat at my bedside as I tossed a throat-soothing potion in my mouth.

"James, could I speak to Vera alone for a moment?" He said as my coughs subsided. James glanced at me protectively before nodding and leaving the room. When the door shut behind him, Mr. Potter drew a newspaper from within his robes and dropped it onto my lap. I picked it up and looked at the front cover. It displayed the faces of two horribly familiar men. They were the dark-haired and fair-haired men who had accosted Albus and me down in the village. The headline proclaimed in bold black letters,

The Dark Lord Rises Again?

My eyes quickly scanned down the article,

The Auror Office announced early this morning that two men have been taken into custody as suspects of the recent murder of Mr. Theodore Nott, Head of the Office for Mishandled Magic and proprietor of the Nott fortune before his death. The two men have been identified as Alisto Johnston (top left) and Frederik Karkoski (top right). Johnston and Karkoski were detained after attempting to subdue none other than Albus Potter, son of the famous defeater of Tom Riddle: Harry Potter and the ex-captain and current manager of the Holy-Head Harpies Ginny Potter, and Vera Malfoy, Granddaughter and great niece to known ex- death eaters Lucius Malfoy and the late Bellatrix Lestrange. While being initially arrested for the use of the Cruciatus Curse (declared an 'Unforgivable Curse' by the 1887 Wizengamot Council) on Ms. Malfoy, Johnston and Kartaski were found to be connected with the newly identified terrorist group led by a man calling himself The Half-Blood Prince. As reported previously, the intent of this group is to eliminate the remaining pure-bloods within wizarding society in Great Britain.

Ms. Malfoy and Mr. Albus Potter defended themselves through the use of wands and managed to neutralize the threat by the time officials arrived on the scene in the town of Ottery St. Catchpole (For more information on the unlikely friendship between Vera Malfoy and Albus Potter, see page three). The two were deemed in good health with no lasting damage to either mind or body.

Upon disclosing the news, Auror Harry Potter (head of the Auror Office and 'The-Boy-Who-Lived-Twice') released a statement saying,

"We are doing our best to nip this problem in the bud. We have a Ministry of powerful wizards on our side and more importantly, a just cause. In the meantime, we ask that you do not panic and take appropriate security measures such as completing all business before nightfall and being aware of possible magical concealment." For more information on how to recognize methods of magical concealment, see page six.

Despite Mr. Harry Potter's words of reassurance, recent events surrounding the so called Half Blood Prince strike a sinister note in the hearts of all members of the wizarding community. After living in a state of peace for nearly thirty years, many are unwilling to wage a third war against the Dark Arts. One can only hope that the Auror Office and Magical Law Enforcement Squad will be able subdue this threat to our way of life before any more lives are lost.

I finished the article with a hollow feeling in my chest. I was tempted to flip through and browse the section on Albus and me but knew by Mr. Potter's grim expression that he had other things on his mind. I put my first question to him,

"The two men, Johnston and Karkoski, have they told you anything?"

Mr. Potter's frown became even more pronounced at my question. I suddenly noticed just how many lines his face held and how many strands of gray streaked across his black hair.

"Not yet. Karkoski is not a citizen of the United Kingdom so we have no jurisdiction of him and must turn him over to his own government at their earliest convenience. I submitted an application to the Wizengamot to allow the use Veritaserum on Johnston and am awaiting their approval. I'll let you know when we do learn something. That's not what I wanted to talk to you about though."

He removed his hat and ran his hand wearily through his hair. I waited quietly as he gathered his thoughts. At last he said,

"We still haven't been able to locate your parents which is unfortunate because we could offer them Ministry protection. I just wanted to know if you have received any form of communication from them at all."

I froze. Was he a master of perfect timing or could he somehow know about the letter I had received earlier this morning? This question was quickly pushed aside as another one came into bloom. Should I tell him? What would happen if I didn't? Perhaps no one would find out and I could remain in my parents trust for not revealing their private letters to the Ministry. But what if someone did find out about my father's letter? Would they mark me a traitor? Would the Potters banish me from their home out of pure fury and feelings of betrayal?

Whether they found out or not I couldn't help but wonder what the right thing to do was. Keep private correspondence with my family private and thus uphold my parent's trust? Or tell Mr. Potter and possibly aid him in his attempt to seek information on and bring down the Half-Blood Prince? I knew what my choice should be, but did that make it right?

Taking a slow, deep breath, I pulled my father's crumpled letter from beneath my covers where it had been hidden for the better part of the day. I handed it to Mr. Potter who took it and straightened it out. His eyes slid quickly down the page and back up again as he read and reread the letter. I waited anxiously for him to speak. Upon completing the letter for a second time he said urgently,

"Have you shown this to anyone else?"

I shook my head ashamedly. I knew I should have made its existence known earlier.

"Good." He said, banishing my shame instantly. "This information shouldn't be shared with too many people. It confirms that your parents are in fact on the run and that they had some foreknowledge of the danger they are in." He looked at the letter again before asking, "You didn't tell your parents you were coming here?"

"No I wrote them and told them. I guess they didn't get the message though."

Mr. Potter seemed to find this detail riveting. He stared at me intensely.

"I see. You have your own owl, correct?" I knew it was serious when he slipped into official auro lingo.

"Yes." I said slowly.

"And has your owl failed to deliver letters before?"

"No but I suppose there's a first time for everything."

"Perhaps you're right. But did your owl seem at all flustered when she returned to you?"

"Her feathers were a little bent out of shape but I figured it was from the storm."

"I don't think so. I think someone may have intercepted your letter. That would explain how they knew how to find you in Ottery St. Catchpole. It's common knowledge that I live in this area. Luckily few people know exactly where."

My eyes widened as I recognised the seriousness of this statement.

"So you – you think they are after my family next?"

"I think it's a definite possibility." Mr. Potter rolled the parchment into a messy scroll and handed it to me. "I want you to keep this in a safe place. Somewhere no one else will be able to read it. Do you understand?"

I nodded crisply.

"Very well. And come to me, Ron, or Hermione if your parents attempt contact you again. No one else. Understand?"

I nodded again.

"Good. I'm making arrangments for us all to move to Grimauld Place tomorrow. It's a safe house I own in London. Your brother will come as well. In fact, I think it's best he spend tonight here. We have increased security since that incident with your back."

I let out a groan before I could stop myself. "Does he have to come?"

Mr. Potter smiled as me serenely. "I'm afraid so. Both of you are at risk. Now try and get some rest."

I nodded for a third time. "Mr. Potter, I have one more question."

"What's that?" He asked distractedly.

"How did this letter make its way to me first without the ministry intercepting it?"

He sighed. "I suppose that's an oversight on my part. The Auror Office is keeping an eye on all items sent to Vera Malfoy, as anyone who would be addressing you would use that name. We do not, however, inspect letters sent to Olivera Narcissa Greengrass Malfoy. Do you use your full name often?"

"No." I replied. "Not many people know my full name."

"In that case," Mr. Potter seemed to be deciding something, "I think I will allow that line of communication to remain open in case your parents attempt to contact you again. Is that alright?"

I nodded once more and Mr. Potter rose to his feet. He was at the door when a thought seemed to occur to him. He stopped and said,

"You should know your father was right. I will do all in my power to protect you and your brother."

"Was he also right when he said you were a great wizard?" I asked slyly.

Mr. Potter cast me a paternal smile. "I'll let you decide that." Then he left. I rested once more against my numerous pillows. I closed my eyes, trying to banish the familiar terror rising in my chest at the prospect of my family being in danger. After several minutes I heard three more pairs of footsteps enter the room. I knew who the owners of those feet were before I opened my eyes.

"Hey." I said as the three Potter children took spots on my bed.

"What did dad want to talk to you about?" Lily asked without preamble.

"I don't think he wants me to share it with anyone." Three pairs of eyes shone with the characteristic Potter curiosity, a curiosity that often got them in trouble.

"Well give us a hint at least." Albus said. I sighed and handed him the newspaper article which he grabbed at quickly. James and Lily gathered around him to read over his shoulder.

They all glanced up at me upon reaching the end of the article.

"So it has to do with this Prince fellow?" Lily asked.

"Yes. He was just updating me on what was going on with those two men who attacked us."

James nodded. "Dad told us we were moving to Grimauld Place tomorrow so it must be serious." Then he grinned and looked at Albus, "You have to share a room with Scorpius."

Albus grimaced at him and set the newspaper on the foot of my bed. "Don't remind me."

"What's so serious about Grimauld Place?" I asked. The three of them exchanged looks. Albus answered,

"Well for one thing it's impossible to find unless you know where it is. The Blacks, the people who built the house, were really paranoid so they made it unplottable. Theoretically, someone could stand right in front of the house, almost on the front porch, and still not be able to find it. So it's usually used as a safe house. The other thing is that dad hates going there. We used to stay there whenever we went to London on vacation but that stopped when Lily was about five."

"If he hates it so much why doesn't he sell it?" I asked. The solution seemed simple to me. The Potter children exchanged another look. This time Lily answered,

"It used to belong to his godfather, Sirius Black. I think that's why dad hates it so much. Sirius lived there the last few years of his life while he was in hiding and he was miserable. He hated that old house. It reminded him of how awful his family was growing up. I figure dad can't help but picture his godfather wandering around those halls alone and restless."

I nodded. It made sense. To constantly be haunted by the memory of someone you loved and lost would be torture. It also impressed upon me just how serious the situation had become.

"I don't want him to have to endure that on my account. Isn't there anywhere else we can go?" My voice was slightly pleading.

"Dad owns loads of properties. He inherited all of them except this one which he and mum built. But there's no place safer that Number 12 Grimauld Place." James informed me. I bit my index finger thoughtfully. I hated being an inconvenience but going into hiding did seem like the most logical option. After several moments of silence James asked,

"Are you feeling any better?"

I nodded. "Yes I think so."

Albus rolled his eyes. "Oh come off it Vera. I know you feel dreadful." Albus knew me too well. I could never sneak anything past him.

"Okay so I'm not in the best shape of my life but I really am feeling better. Do you think I could get some more peppermint potion?"

The three of them nodded vigorously and piled out of the room. I cast my eyes around when they had left. The anthology of William Shakespeare James had been reading still sat beside me on the bed.

I picked up the enormous book and examined it. The table of contents listed a vast number of plays and sonnets. I was intrigued by one called, 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' I flipped to it and read the summary. It was filled with fairies, magic, and elixirs. Much more my speed than the eternal love theme in the 'Romeo and Juliet' description. I could see why Rose suggested it to James though. They main characters were from two competing families who loathed each other. Yet through jumble of prejudices and under unlikely circumstances, Romeo and Juliet fell in love. The Capulets and the Montagues. The Potters and the Malfoys. Damn that Rose Weasley. Too smart for her own good.

I flipped to the fairy play and stopped at an intriguing passage.

Things base and vile, folding no quantity,

Love can transpose to form and dignity:

Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind;

And therefore is wing'd cupid painted blind:

Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste;

Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste:

And therefore is Love said to be a child,

Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.

There was a knock on the door as I finished the last line. James, a now frequent visitor to my room, entered carrying a tray made of sterling silver that had three familiar bottles and a cup of steaming tea balanced on it.

"Whatcha' doing?" He asked as he set the tray down on my bedside table and handed me the pink potion.

"Just taking a look at your book. It's interesting." I said, swallowing the potion and coughing slightly.

"I think so." He handed me the second vile of pepper up potion. I tossed it down my throat and again steam spilled from my ears, relieving my sinuses and throat. James handed me the tea last and said,

"You can take the sleeping solution when you feel like sleeping." I nodded as he took his usual spot on the bed next to me.

"So how was your day?" I asked. I was surprised to discover that I was actually curious about the answer. What was going on with me lately?

"It was good. I woke up, stuck a few cockroach clusters in Albus' muffin, watched him run around for ten minutes while he tried to get them off his tongue, then mum came down and told us to take care of you so Lily made some tea. You know what happened after that."

I turned slightly pink at the memory. "I do. What did you do when I was asleep?"

For some reason beyond my understanding he looked slightly embarrassed. "Oh nothing really…"

My curiosity was pricked. "Seriously, what did you do?"

"Well I watched you sleep for a little bit. You're quite funny when you're unconscious." He smiled impishly at me.

My stomach filled with dread. I was infamous for sleep walking and talking at home. Once my father even found me rearranging a bookshelf in the dead of night while entirely asleep. I wondered if I'd said or done something that could have humiliated me.

"What do you mean?" I braced myself for the answer.

"Well it's actually rather cute." He explained, "You put both your hands over your face and start murmuring what sound like math problems."

Cute? Like the way puppies and babies are cute? Somehow I didn't find it flattering. "Well I doubt you're the picture of serenity when you sleep either."

"As a matter of fact I'm the ideal sleeper. I always stay in one spot, I don't spread my arms or legs out, and I'm told my snoring it delightfully rhythmic. People consider it an honour to share a bed with me." He winked so I knew he was joking.

"Oh ha-ha." I said sarcastically.

"Oh and when I do this," He reached down and jabbed his fingers into my sides, tickling me mercilessly. "You start to purr like a cat."

I giggled furiously and tried to push him away. I hated when boys tickled me, which believe it or not has happened to me more than once. But when James did it I found it funny. It was a joke after all, not an attempt to fulfill some kinky fantasy all men seemed to share.

To end the ticklish torture I pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him, trying unsuccessfully to restrain his wrists so that he couldn't resume. He laughed and rolled onto me, trapping my wrists above my head with one hand and fluttering his fingers around my ribs with the other.

"Stop!" I gasped through laughs.

"Say uncle!" He demanded.

"Uncle!" I declared. He stopped tickling me but made no move to get off me or release my hands. Instead he stared into my eyes with that same blazing look he'd worn so long ago in the changing rooms.

I gazed back, entranced by the intensity in his amber eyes.

"Her eyes in heaven would through the airy region stream so bright that birds would sing and think it were not night…" He whispered. He leaned toward me. His lips brush my gently. Once again I took in his scent, his taste, his feel…

The all too familiar sound of the door banging open and Rose Weasley barging in reached my ears. James' lips disconnected from mine and I peered around him to see Rose stop in the doorway with a classic 'deer in the headlights' look on her face.

"Oh…er…" She stuttered.

"For the love of Merlin, Rose. Leave!" James yelled at her. She stumbled back out of the frame and closed the door behind her. James rolled off of me and put his hands over his face.

"We aren't doing so well with the 'just friends thing', are we?" I asked, trying to catch my breath.

"Yeah somehow I don't think so." He answered. "But what can we do about it?"

I bit my lip, "Well for starters I think we should stop spending so much time in a bed together."

He nodded. "Sounds fair." He got to his feet and strode around to my side of the bed.

"I think I'll try and get some more sleep." I decided. "I'd like to kick this virus soon."

"Good idea." He swooped and pecked my cheek. I was positive his lips had burnt my skin from the body heat that had gathered there.

"Good night then." I said.

"Yeah. Night." He cast me one more intense look before exiting the room. As soon as I was alone I seized a pillow and threw it over my face so that no one would hear me scream out of pent up attraction.

No matter where our relationship was, whether he despised me, liked me, or adored me: James Potter could drive me insane over and over again.

Sorry about all the Shakespeare. I've performed a few of these monologues and I've never been able to get them out of my head. I adore them.

Announcement: I've been brainstorming and writing a few things from James' point of view and have made a couple of decisions. In this story there will probably be a few future chapters told by James just because there are certain things that you may not want to read about from Vera's POV. I've also decided NOT to rewrite the entire story from James' POV but rather release a series of one-shots about what he is thinking during key parts from this story.

I'm playing with the idea of a sequel told by James that would cover his path to becoming an auror, his ongoing battle against the Half-Blood Prince, and of course his relationship with Vera.

Let me know what you think of those ideas and if you would be interested in reading some more.

I also saw several authors thanking their readers and I thought it was a good idea because you guys are so awesome. People who left excellent reviews last chapter were:

Hannah Carson, imperial queen, Guest 1, Lizaluvsdoggies, PotterDuckx, RenaMystique, Shoot-for-the-moonxo, SKewedViEW, and soITshallbe.

And thank you to all others who contributed!