Chapter 7: Learning to Rebuild

"There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment."
-Sarah Dessen "The Truth About Forever"

Genevieve was not a stupid girl. She had known the moment she had discovered the depths of her feelings for Draco that it would complicate everything. But nothing could prepare her for just how true this was or how much harder it would make it for her to watch him pass her in the halls without so much as a passing glance shared between them. Time spent in the great hall was absolute agony. When had watching Draco drink from a goblet become so voyeuristic? It made her heart rate increase as she thought about his lips on her in not so innocent places. And she could swear everyone knew.

Draco always knew. There wasn't a meal that passed by that she didn't need to excuse herself for fear of fainting. The sensations created by her imagination alone were just too much for a sixteen year old girl to handle. And every time she would hurry out of the great hall, he would be waiting for her in some darkened corner of the castle where he would pull her into him and that was it. She was finished. She could die happy. Life was absolute bliss.

Their encounters were always frenzied at first. But as the weeks passed, they became less hurried. Their kisses became less frantic and more languid, there were hushed words shared between them meant for no one else. It wasn't just a quick snog and run anymore, but Genevieve knew she had never been just a snog to him. She was not a stupid girl. This was Draco Malfoy and there was no one who knew him better than she did. Draco was serious about her in a way that he was seldom serious about anything.

To all the world, it always appeared as though he was playing a game; he was the rook, knight, bishop, and queen all rolled into one while everyone else was merely a pawn. He knew every single move before the game had truly begun. It was one of the first things Genevieve had ever realized about him. But with her, it was different. Rarely, was he anything but careful with her. He was always open. Never in all her life had she met someone whose expressions read so clearly on their face as Draco's did. And she was the only one who ever saw him that way.

They were currently pushed flush against each other in a cramped broom closet, breathing heavily. It was evening feast. They'd both left early and had spent almost an hour snogging each other senseless.

"Merlin, Draco, how many hands do you have," she moaned breathlessly. They both staggered back against the wall and froze when several mops, brooms, and buckets crashed about them. They pulled apart reluctantly and Draco held up his wand to give them some light. He was having trouble keeping his eyes above her neckline. "You don't think anybody heard, do you?"

She rubbed his side soothingly as she looked around her. Draco's hair was mussed beyond repair and it was hard to keep from snogging him agains when he looked so disheveled. "I hope not. Can you imagine the trouble we'd be in if Umbridge caught us?"

He winced, frowning. "I've seen her handiwork. That would be more than horrible."

She nodded in agreement as she smoothed out her sweater and ran her fingers through her hair to tame it. Draco looked disappointed. "Just five more minutes, Vivvy."

She shot him a reproving look. "Draco, I have to go. I may study a lot, but soon everyone's going to get suspicious."

"Tell them the truth," he said with a shrug. She shot him yet another look. "Just tell them I'm busy snogging you in broom closets and empty classrooms? Nobody would believe me."

"Exactly," he exclaimed with a smug smirk. Genevieve rolled her eyes as she reached up to straighten his hair, ignoring the mischievous look in his eyes. They flashed with something that Genevieve knew firsthand was not good for her sanity. "I'm sure my housemates would love that."

"Mine too," he replied easily, his grin widening. "which is why I told them before I came up here."

Genevieve's hand froze and then, before either of them could register what was happening, his left cheek and the palm of her right hand were stinging. "What the bloody hell, Draco?" She didn't sound near as upset as the slap implied. He rubbed his reddened cheek and tried not to frown. "They took it much better than you're taking it," he grumbled and she tried not to stamp her feet in exasperation when his lower lip jutted out in a perfect pout. "Honestly, Vivvy, do you really think that they would believe me?"

She didn't answer back and he didn't wait for her to. "Honestly, you think any of them would believe I'd have a chance with you? You're not exactly attainable by Hogwarts standards."

"That's the sweetest thing you've said to me so far this week," she cooed and kissed his cheek. Draco scowled, growling deep in his throat. It took a lot in him to admit that. It was a real hit to his pride to have to admit that most of the school- Slytherin house included- considered her above him. It was a real hit to have to admit he was beneath anybody. It left a foul taste in his mouth. But it made her happy. At least she'd made that noise at him she made whenever he'd done or said something she liked so much. And that always meant more snogging.

Draco moaned when her fingers ran the length of his chest and disappeared from view. And she thought he had more than two hands? Blimey, she was going to kill him. "I thought you had to get back," he moaned against her lips, relishing the way she pulled at his hair. She giggled against his lips. "I do."

"You're about to lose that sweater if you don't behave," he warned and she smirked up at him. "Meet me in the library tomorrow? We'll study some spells and enchantments from the spellbook. I need to do some actual studying soon. N.E.W.T.s are coming up and I'm so behind."

"I wouldn't worry, you're brilliant," he assured her between kisses. "I doubt you have to do any studying. You just know things."

"Yes, but I think we're falling behind in dueling." He smirked proudly down at her. "We've been busy."

"And while I enjoy our...dalliances, we really must get back on track. Snogging is not going to keep the world from descending into chaos."

He rolled his eyes and straightened his tie, watching as she picked some lint off her sweater. "We're allowed to act like teenagers, Vivvy. A little snogging-"

"Three to four times a day? Sometimes, five?"

"It's healthy. We're expressing ourselves."

"In broom closets."

"I could always sneak you into my dormitory," he teased, running his fingers through her hair as he leaned over her casually. Genevieve tried hard to seem as though she weren't affected, fully aware that he could see right through her. She pushed him away from her and rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, Draco, sometimes."

She combed through her hair and pushed open the door. He stumbled out behind her, still wrestling with his tie. Genevieve batted his hands away and began to straighten it for him. "So, see you tomorrow in the library? Free period?"

"Of course, love," he agreed, kissing her soundly one last time. "Goodnight, Vivvy. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Draco, have a goodnight," she waved as she watched him go. She practically floated all the way to the common room. Someone stood up from the couch near the fireplace and she stopped when she realized it was Katie. "You're back early."

"I went to the library to study with you," Katie responded, not returning her friend's smile, "you weren't there." Genevieve didn't know what to say. This was the first time anybody had confronted her. Katie didn't look angry. She looked concerned. "You're not doing anything that's going to get you in trouble with Umbridge are you? You've seen what she's done to other students. If she catches you-"

"I was snogging Draco Malfoy in a broom closet," Genevieve told her, her eyes almost widening as she realized what she had just blurted out. Katie blinked at her. They stared at each other for a long while before Katie burst into uncontrollable laughter. Genevieve smiled at her, amused at her reaction. "He's really quite good."

"Fine, don't tell me," Katie laughed and rolled her eyes as they both collapsed on the couch. "How about you help me with my DADA essay. I have no idea what to write other than that I find it to be a complete and utter waste of brain cells."

"Ugh, that took me longer to write than my potions essay and you know how Snape is about essays," Genevieve sighed. "Could you help me with transfiguration? I can't quite get down changing an iguana into a pot of begonias."

"I can try to help you, but I've not been doing so well on that lesson either."

"Bullocks," she grumbled. "This year is killing me. Can you imagine how horrible next year will be? It'll be an absolute nightmare." They both gathered up their books and Katie looked over at her. "Do you think McGonagall would let us borrow her classroom?"

"I don't doubt it." Katie turned at the portrait hole and gave her friend a teasing look. "Would you really snog Malfoy?"

Genevieve grinned back and gave Katie a playful shove out of the common room. "Of course, you've seen how fit he is!"

They both dissolved in a fit of giggles. "He is really handsome," Katie giggled, "I'd say he's the best looking bloke in fifth year. Definitely the best in school now that Diggory's-"

They both broke off and Katie cleared her throat, ashamed. "I actually forgot he was gone for a moment."

"Sometimes, it's okay to forget." Genevieve comforted her, putting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it. "You know, my parents don't want me coming home this Christmas. They're worried something bad will happen to me if I do. That the death eaters-" She didn't know what else to say. "They never talk about magic and now...Now it's all they talk about."

"So you're staying here, then?"

"I don't know. I might go home anyway. If something does happen. I'd like to see them one last time." She thought off her mother, bustling about the kitchen making sugar cookies while she and her father watched "It's a Wonderful Life" and strung popcorn to hang on the Christmas tree. They always waited until she was home to decorate the tree. "I keep thinking maybe it's all just a dream and we'll all be able to just continue on like we did for the last four years..."

"Do you really think it will be that bad?"

"No, I think it will be worse," she said, looking up at the castle walls surrounding them. "I don't think there's really anything that will prepare us for this, but there's not anything we can do either."

"Where do you think we'll be when it happens?"

"Hopefully, far away from here."

Genevieve was far from Hogwarts when the war reached her. She was at King's Cross Station waiting for her parents and they were unusually late-later than she ever remembered them being for a single function in their lives. In fact, they considered themselves late when they arrived five minutes early. But she didn't know what to do. She didn't know who to turn to for help. Who did she ask? What did she ask? She stood motionless on the platform, her gaze unfocused, the noise around her a dull roar. She didn't jump when a hand carefully perched on her shoulder. "Genevieve?"

Of course it would be Hermione. Genevieve didn't move; she only acknowledged the younger girl's presence by saying, "My parents are late. They're never late for anything."

She tightened her hold on her wand and swallowed thickly. "Could I possibly trouble you for some muggle money for a cab?"

"Of course," Hermione said quietly, "would you like me to come with you?"

Genevieve shook her head. "I'd rather go it alone first. I don't-I'm not ready."

She couldn't remember getting in the cab or the ride home. But she could recall the exact moment her home came into view. The front seemed devoid of life. There was nothing that gave the impression that there was life. She asked the driver to wait and opened the front gate. It felt unnaturally cold the moment she stepped onto the front lawn and she resisted the urge to hug herself for warmth. Opening her own front door had never seemed like such a daunting task.

She set her hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly. The door pushed open, with little fuss, swinging off-kilter on its hinges. It was not a comforting sight. The house was dark and eerily silent. Nothing was out of place, but there was a density to the atmosphere that was unnerving. She pulled out her wand. She may not be allowed to practice magic outside of school, but that wasn't going to stop her from trying to protect herself should the need arise.

She hastily flipped on the lights and looked around. Everything looked as it always had. The pictures on the wall were all in their correct places. The only thing that was unusual was the pile of unopened mail by the front door. Her mother and father were always up to date when it came to the post. She ventured further in to the house and turned toward the right, gazing into the open archway of the living room. Again, nothing was out of place. But there were no Christmas decorations up. The mantle of the fireplace was usually covered in Christmas cards, garland, and stockings. It was bare and it looked as though the hearth hadn't been lit for at least a week.

She left the living room and double back into the entry way, toward the dining room, slowly coming around the wall that jutted out and froze. It looked so normal. She didn't understand why she hadn't been able to smell the decay. It was overpowering. They had been sitting down to breakfast. Her father had the paper open; it was laying over his plate, the corner of one page upturned against the side of his half finished mug of coffee. His eyes were open, but they looked empty, glassy. There were flies covering the plate of toast to his right. He was wearing a dark green sweater that her mother had gotten him for Christmas the year before.

Her mother was laying on the floor, halfway through the doorway that separated the kitchen from the dining room. She was lying on her stomach. Neither one looked as if they'd been surprised. They'd hadn't seen it coming and Genevieve was thankful for that, but she couldn't seem to move her eyes from the scene before her. Wasn't she supposed to be crying? Screaming? Hysterical? She backed up against the wall and stood motionless.

It was a dream, wasn't it? This was a nightmare and her subconscious had managed to realize how absurd this all was. But then why did it feel so real? Why did everything seem so normal, so ordinary and mundane? Shouldn't there be some blaringly obvious detail that alerted her to the fact that it was indeed her imagination? Like some sort of talking animal? Or a parade that would suddenly start up in the living room. If either instance one is going to happen, now would be the time, she thought hopefully.

"Get up, get up, get up," she chanted in a whisper, "Get up, get up, get up. Please, just get up."

And that was how Sirius found her, pushed up against the wall opposite her dead parents and gripping her wand so tightly in both hands she was close to snapping it. He crouched beside her. "Genevieve."

"They won't get up," she said quietly, her voice much too even for his liking. "But you can."

Slowly, he helped her to stand. She don't move any further. "They haven't written me in over a week. I thought it was because they knew I was studying so hard for my..." she broke off then and covered her mouth with her hands. "How-why-"

"Come on, you can't stay here any longer," he told her, turning her back toward the living room. He put both hands on her shoulders, urging her to look up at him. "I need you to go upstairs and pack all you can as quickly as you can."

She nodded up at him and looked toward the living room, only barely surprised at seeing Professor Lupin, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and two other wizards standing in the living room. They were all staring at her in various degrees of shock and pity. It didn't escape her notice just how shocked Harry looked.

She bypassed all over them; feeling as though she weren't at all in control of her body as she walked toward the hallway that led to the second floor of what had once been her home. She heard Sirius tell Hermione to go with her. Once they reached the top of the stairs, Genvieve turned to the first door on the right. The door was open and Hermione gasped behind her. "Sirius!"

There was a clambering as several pairs of feet thundered up the stairs while Genevieve stumbled into her bedroom. It was in shambles. The posters above her bed had been ripped from the wall and the drawers of her dresser and desk and been pulled out and their contents strewn across the floor. What clothes she had left behind had been torn from her closet, littering every corner of the room. Her window had been left open.

"Where are the letters you've been receiving for the past three years?"

"I burn them after I read them," she responded woodenly. The only other person who read them was my mother."

"And when you wrote home, what did you write about?"

She shrugged helplessly as she picked up a shirt that had been ripped to shreds. "My studies. Sometimes I wrote about what I read in The Daily Prophet. I didn't want to scare them with what was going on. I never told them about you or..." Draco. She didn't need to say his name for Sirius to get her meaning.

"We need to be leaving," Professor Lupin said from somewhere behind them. Genevieve felt herself begin to shake her head. "But I have nowhere else to go."

Sirius took her hand and squeezed it. "Yes, you do."

She looked to her right when Hermione took her other hand. "It'll be okay, Genevieve. I know right now it isn't, but it will be someday soon."

"I wish-" she stopped herself. I wish Draco was here, she thought forlornly. They led her down the stairs and out of the house. The two wizards she hadn't recognized stayed behind and Sirius apparated her and himself to twelve Grimmauld Place.

"Sirius, I know what's happened to her is terrible and she does need help, but do you think it's wise to bring her here," Harry ventured. Hermione turned to him with an outraged expression on her face. He ignored her. "I mean, this is the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix-"

"She won't be staying here long, Harry," Sirius said curtly, causing Harry to halt in his steps. Sirius had never been so cold toward him before. "Now, I should like a word with Genevieve, if you'll excuse us."

He pulled her into the kitchen and shut the door. He gestured for her to sit down at the table and sat across from her. "Harry's correct, you can't stay here. I don't think anyone should know your connection to me. These are dangerous times and I couldn't bear it if something were to ever happen to you the way it did your mother. I'm going to have Remus take you to Diagon Alley. From there, I want you to go to Gringott's and enter your vault. There, I want you to take what you need. You will meet Remus outside Gringott's, buy what you can in the alley and then Remus will take you to look for a flat. Once you find one, I want you to stay there. Don't go out by yourself. I'll have Hermione come to see you every day to make sure you're alright. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she said. He patted her on the back and stood. "I'll go and have a word with Remus."

He stopped in the doorway and turned back to give her a reassuring smile. "Everything will work out. I promise, nothing will happen to you."

She waited patiently and studied her surroundings. Sirius's home was very gloomy. She jumped when there was a loud crack and an old, decrepit house elf appeared before her. "Would Mistress Black like for Kreacher to make her some tea?"

Genevieve's eyes widened and she nodded. "That would be lovely, thank you, Kreacher. How did you know-"

"Kreacher knows many things," the house elf wheezed out, "yes, Kreacher knows more than he lets on. Kreacher has looked forward to this day for a very long time, he has. Knew it would come. Kreacher is very pleased to be serving Mistress Black."

He placed a cup of tea before her and watched her drink from it. "Is the tea to my Mistress's liking?"

"It's very good, Kreacher, thank you. Might I trouble you for some more?"

"So polite! Just like her mother. Always so polite," Kreacher exclaimed, "Lovely, lovely girl. Yes, I shall get you anything you require. Perhaps you are hungry? Should creature make you something to eat?"

"If it's no trouble," she said with a smile, "Thank you, again, Kreacher."

"So polite, so polite," he crowed once again as he hurried about the kitchen. "Wonderful, wonderful Mistress. Oh, how happy it makes Kreacher!"

He brought her another cup of tea and several muffins and stood by patiently, watching her as she took her first bite. "Oh, these are grand, Kreacher. Better than the muffins at Hogwarts!"

"I am happy you like them, Mistress," he said with a bow, and Genevieve couldn't help but smile. "Kreacher, if I asked something of you, something important, could you do it for me without anyone else knowing?"

"But of course, Mistress Black. Kreacher would do anything you ask of him. Anything!"

She took a sip from her tea cup and lowered her voice. "I should like to send a message to a dear friend of mine and I should like it if you would be sure to deliver it to my friend and no one else. It's very important that no one else know."

"Yes, yes, Mistress. Kreacher understands! He will tell no other soul!" He came closer, his hands clasped. She smiled down at him. "Oh, thank you so much. Could you please, please go to Malfoy Manor and tell Draco Malfoy that something awful has happened, but I'm okay and I will owl him as soon as I am safe. No one else must get this message but Draco. It is of the utmost importance that nobody but Draco get this message."

"Yes, Mistress, I shall deliver your message to Master Malfoy and nobody else. I promise on the noble and most ancient house of Black that only Master Malfoy will get this message."

"Thank you, Kreacher, thank you so much."

Kreacher apparated instantly and Genevieve sighed in relief. Not long after, Sirius and Professor Lupin entered the kitchen. "Are you ready to go, Genevieve," Sirius asked gently. Genevieve finished off her tea and nodded. Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I see you've met Kreacher. I hope he wasn't too terrible."

"Oh, he was wonderful. I've never met a house elf before, but he was really nice."

"I doubt that," Sirius mumbled darkly as he gestured for her to follow Professor Lupin. Once she said her goodbyes to Sirius, she followed Professor Lupin outside. "Ready?"

She took his hand and nodded. With a crack, they were in Diagon Alley. He dropped her hand and they pair headed toward Gringott's in silence. Once inside, Professor Lupin led her to one of the goblins who looked down at her with a less than friendly expression. "Yes?"

She pulled a chain out from the neck of her sweater, unclasping it from around her neck. She held it out to the goblin and he took it from her. "I should like to enter my vault."

"Ahh, Miss Black," the goblin said in a low voice, "Follow me."

Professor Lupin patted her shoulder. If he was surprised by the surname with which the goblin addressed her, he didn't show it. "I'll be waiting for you at Fortescue's. Take your time."

Neither one noticed Narcissa Malfoy, who stood not far away. She had heard everything.

Sorry for the not updating sooner. It's been an eventful month or so. The holidays kind of took over for a while, then the flu made everybody in the house sick besides me and guess who got to play the part of nurse? Several doctors appointments, ER visits for unrelated incidents, and family functions later, I was finally able to edit this chapter. The next chapter is already written, but needs to be edited. I edit the previous chapter once I start the next chapter or even finish it. I like having one extra chapter in case I have to take a long absence-which I will this spring, when I have my second son (I'm so excited). Once it gets to be around that time, I'll try to have several chapters finished and ready to be posted.

Again, sorry for the long wait, I hope you like this chapter. Please review. Negative or positive, I love my feedback.