Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters, places et al. are owned by J.K. Rowling. Also Twilight and all characters places et al. are owned by Stephenie Meyer

A/N: what a relaxing weekend can do to your writing... :) I hope you like it. I think we will soon have some more action soon...

Chapter 17: Meet the Boyfriend

Alice sat on the couch, softly stroking Seth's head as he rested next to her. Somehow she managed to look even smaller than she really was. Exhausted, like she had carried a great weight on her shoulders, and given what had transpired earlier, Draco guessed it must have been a considerable one. Jasper was sitting on the other side of the couch, supporting Alice while Carlisle stood before her, emotions running high as she told them the truth about the last weeks. She was still talking about the finer details of how imprinting worked and how she got entangled with a werewolf.

Draco didn't join their discussion, it was too private for him to bungle in this whole mess as a – maybe former – outsider. Listening to her story, he could understand her. It must have not been easy for her lately – and he himself was to blame for it, as well – and no one really had fully considered the ramifications for Alice. In hindsight, it should have been obvious that something else was going on, as Alice had been far more stable and happy the last days than Draco might have felt in her shoes.

As Draco looked at Seth resting, he stifled a chuckle. Not only did he stumble on a different type of vampire, no, he also found werewolves of some sort. The Wizarding World must have been truly blind to be able to overlook this whole matter so thoroughly.

Carlisle was exceptionally understanding given the circumstances, never raising his voice. He guessed that he knew not to cry over spilt milk. There's nothing to undo the past, only the future. Given the recent developments, though, this pesky future would be even more troublesome.

"-he cannot stay here, Alice," Draco looked up as he heard Carlisle say that. "His pack will come looking for him. And it would be more than just a bit problematic to have him here when they do. We are, after all, their enemies."

"But he must!" Alice stared at Carlisle, her voice almost snarling. "Who do you think did this to him? They will kill him!"

"You cannot be sure-" Carlisle tried to say.

"Oh please," Alice snapped and got up to her feet, standing protectively over Seth. "Who else did this to him then? Hardly one of us! He had no choice in imprinting on me, and I will not let him get hurt over this. Over me."

Carlisle put up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Alice, just relax. You must know this is the best for all family. It could get very dangerous – for all of us."

She stared at Carlisle, not giving an inch. Draco wasn't so sure as Alice that it had been his 'pack' that did it, but it was not that unlikely, either. Especially not if the feelings between vampires and werewolves were as Carlisle said they were. Staying here, they all could be in danger. A bolt of fear for Jasper shot through his body. He didn't want to – couldn't – let this little bit of happiness in his new life be lost because of such a technicality. And Alice deserved her shot at happiness, as well. A thought grew in his mind. It could work, he thought after a few seconds. Risky, but doable.

He harrumphed and when all were looking at him, he suddenly was acutely aware again that he was just standing in front of them all in a pair of silken boxers. Trying to suppress the blood rushing for his face, he said, "I might have a solution to the problem. It would probably solve the issue, at least for the short-term."

"Like what?" Alice asked annoyed.

"Seth could move to my place," Draco said. "I can ward it, no one of his pack would know where he is. There's enough space for him."

"But you don't live alone," Carlisle said thoughtfully. "Ms. Delling, right? I have seen her once or twice in the city. We have to keep a secret, we cannot just go to the next best person..."

"Firstly, she's no mug- not born into human society, so she knows more than you think. Secondly, there are wizarding ways for truly unbreakable vows, she couldn't tell anyone, even if she wanted. And thirdly, she cares about people." He pointed to Seth. "He could use that now..."

Carlisle thought about it for several silent minutes. "Well," he finally said, "it is worth a shot. If you can vouch for it..."

"If he goes, I go," Alice said with finality matching Carlisle's.

Draco sighed. "I just need a head-start to settle things with Martha. I will come back, so we can move him magically, not to draw attention to anyone who had – or had not – followed him."

Carlisle and Alice nodded.

"Just one thing," Draco said, smiling sheepishly. "It crossed my mind that I need a new space to live then..." he let the sentence trail of.

Jasper blurred and in a heartbeat was in front of him, hugging him tightly in an outburst of emotion. Draco was almost afraid that his ribs had cracked, but a quick check showed everything OK.

"You can move into my place," he smiled.

Draco looked at him, a warm feeling buzzing in his stomach. "If you want, I could, yes..."

Jasper slightly kissed him and a smile cracked his face from cheek to cheek. "Yes, I want to..."

"If the love bird would like to move now," an impatient Alice said from her position over Seth. "Time is ticking..."

"Oh, OK," Draco sighed. "I will go."

He waved his hand and then vanished.

It did only occur to Draco that he was still dressed in just a pair of boxer shorts when it was already to late. Standing in the middle of the kitchen, Martha looked over her glasses at him with a bemused smile.

"Forgot something, dear?" she chuckled.

He felt his face turn tomato-red. "Yeah, well," he murmured, "I was in a hurry. Sorry." He got his wand up in front of him. "Accio robe!" he said firmly and a few seconds one of his bathrobes came flying into the kitchen. When he felt his dignity coming back timidly, he sat down at the little kitchen table and looked at Martha.

"Now," he cleared his throat, "I have actually to tell you something urgent and important. But before I can tell you, I need to make sure it won't leave this room." Martha looked interested, but didn't say anything. "Don't get me wrong," Draco said assuringly, "I do trust you. But it's not just about me and you, so I need to protect other parties, as well." He stretched out his right hand in Martha's direction, his wand in the other. "I can do an Unbreakable Vow, at least the small version." Unlike the full-blown version, it would only bring endless pain to the one breaking it, not death.

"You got me really interested," Martha answered with a sly smile. "I knew something was up, but I guess there is only one way to find out." Martha nodded and gave him her right hand.

"Martha Delling," Draco said with a firm voice, "what I will tell you now, until the end of the Vow, you will not tell anyone and only speak about it with me or people that I have cleared. You will explicitly not talk about this within the Wizarding World. Do you understand and agree?" Draco asked her, looking straight in her eyes.

"I do," she answered firmly.

Draco whispered a rhyming spell, silvery threads appearing on and around their clasped hands. When he was finished they disappeared with a soft tingle and little bells chimed.

"Well then," Draco nodded as the vow was sealed, "where to begin..." He looked a bit sheepishly at Martha. "I do have a boyfriend."

Martha raised one eyebrow and chuckled. "Isn't a vow a bit overblown for this...?"

Draco blushed slightly again. "There is more..." He cleared his throat. "It is Jasper Cullen, and he is a vampire, as I thought." He looked into Martha's slightly shocked aged face. "And no, he is not like the vampires known to the Wizarding World. They are different."

"They," Martha simply said.

"Oh," Draco looked like someone had found him stealing cookies from a jar, "the Cullens, as a whole, are vampires. Or at least that's what they call themselves. They don't react to sun the same way our vampires do, for one. They managed to keep themselves apart from the Wizarding World. How, I probably will never know. But what is important is that they are peaceful. They live off animals, not humans – like some sort of vampire vegetarians."

"Knowing the old crusty Wizards making up the World, I could really believe that they would overlook something major like this. But what's really important, dear... are you feeling secure?"

Draco almost stumbled over the question, and after carefully searching his heart, answered, "I do. Strangely, yes, I do. I know he could kill me. All of them could. But for all his primal urges and nature deep down, I feel secure in his arms."

Martha nodded and radiated this warm glow again. In a way, he thought, she was a bit like Carlisle. "True love finds a way, I told you. And once in a while, it does so in the weirdest way possible. But still... Vampires?"

"I know," Draco answered. "It's strange and all. A year ago, I probably would have scrubbed my brain with sulphuric acid just for the thought, but now..."

"And that's all then," Martha asked and looked at him expectantly.

"Not...quite," Draco conceded. "There are complications. It would appear as if Alice, his 'sister' – his girlfriend, wife – somehow connected with a...werewolf."

"A werewolf?" Martha almost spit in the coffee she was drinking out of surprise. "You can't be serious!"

"I am," he nodded. "Believe me, it sounds strange, but they are not quite like the werewolves you or I know. Again, it seems they slipped under our radar, as well."

Martha shook her head, clearly having some problems processing all the new information into a consistent world-view. "I guess it's not everything you want to tell me, isn't it?"

"The other werewolves tried to kill the one called Seth. I managed to stabilise him, but Carlisle fears for him and his own family if he stays at the Cullens and the werewolves find him there. They are not the best of friends, you see."

"And you thought..." Martha let the thought trail off.

"I could live with Jasper, he has space," Draco said, "and I could ward the place into a fortress, so no werewolf enters to keep him safe."

Martha whistled. "From the looks of it you just jumped into a badly written Hollywood fantasy soap, really." When she saw the reference going right over Draco's head, she chuckled and smiled.

"What the hell," she finally said. "If I can help you, I will. I am probably too old to be freaked out by a werwolf living here. I survived you!" she laughed heartily. "I take it needs to be done quickly?"

"Indeed," Draco said and stood up, walking over to her. "Thank you," he said and hugged her tightly. Martha was startled for a second, but then returned the hug.

He stood up and quickly went to work. He cast powerful spells and wards, some, he was ashamed to acknowledge, gleaned from the Dark Lord, himself. Soon, the house nearly vibrated from all the magical energy flowing around it. Anyone, who wasn't invited and came within a hundred metres of the house would be...surprised.

When it was done, he apparated away. It all went very quickly afterwards. He brought the still sleeping Seth with him in a side-along apparition and put him in his bed, Alice and Jasper came using their vampire speed.

It was less awkward than he thought it would be, as Alice, Jasper, and Martha met the first time in Draco's former room.

"Hello Jasper," Martha extended her hand, smiling warmly. "Nice to meet you. And don't eat me!" she laughed.

It took a bit for Alice and Jasper to lighten up to the joke, at first shock was clearly written all over their faces.

"Sorry," Jasper answered finally, "it is not often we discuss these kind of things with...outsiders."

"Oh, I perfectly know what you mean," Martha nodded. "I may not have any magic in my bones, but I still grew up in the same world as Draco here. Secrecy is written all over the place. And don't worry, a Unbreakable Vow really is. I couldn't tell it anyone, even if I wanted."

"Nice to hear," Alice finally spoke up. "Draco told kind things about you." She looked over to Seth. "He means a lot to me, this one. I just want him to be safe."
"Oh, he will," Martha assured her. "What I know of Mr Malfoy here, is that he doesn't do small things. I guess this house is now a death trap for anyone not welcome here. Even werewolves have to bow to Magic."

Draco looked a bit embarrased. "Well, it should be good enough."

Seth sighed, and Alice was over him in a rush. Draco felt Jasper tense up a bit next to him. Martha seen it, too.

"Still not easy?" she asked compassionately.

Jasper looked a bit pained. "It is just..." He breathed slowly, as he watched Alice caress Seth on the bed, whispering to him. "We go back a long time. I just need time to get used to it. I guess it's only fair that she is happy, as well. I know I am..." He pulled Draco into a hug and kissed his cheek.

"But maybe we should leave them alone," Martha suggested.

"Oh, yes," Draco nodded. He whisked his wand around, packing all his personal stuff into a huge trunk. "I will call it from the Cullen's."

"But remember to visit some time," Martha smiled at him. "I would miss you." She pointed downstairs. "But maybe you would like a coffee for old times sake?" Her eyes glittered mischievously. "And maybe dear Jasper here has some stories to tell, as well."

Draco looked apologetically at Jasper and just shrugged as they walked downstairs.