A/N: Alright lovelies! I actually could have posted this at the beginning of the week if I was not so critical. I had to redo some of the scenes over and the flashback made me nervous. I hardly remember being that age so it was hard to place myself in the scene and think what I would say. So, if it feels awkward it is because I felt awkward.

Happy reading! I hope you all enjoy!

Henny, that lucky Penny!

Inspirational Ruler of the Home

"Wake up, Henria!" Neville's voice cut into my, thankfully, dreamless sleep. I rolled over with a soft moan. I really just wanted to sleep. It was Saturday and I had rights as a teenage human being to sleep in.

"Come on, Sownbinder." Seamus nudged my side, "its noon."

"I haven't slept the whole day away yet. You are ruining my plan." I mumbled into my pillow, my voice thick with sleep.

"My plans differ from yours. Get up." Neville started tapping my head. I tried, halfheartedly, to smack the offending hand. I pushed up from the mattress in defeat. I seated myself with the blanket pooled around my waist.

"Now that you have effectively ruined my day, what is up?" I yawned as I rubbed my neck.

"Your hair." Neville snickered. I glared at him.

"I'm going to take a shower. I'm not in the mood nor do I need your mockery." I grumbled. I crawled off my bed and gathered my undergarments, tank top, shorts and towel, "Give me fifteen minutes."

Twenty minutes later, I was looking better as I strode out of the shower room. The two boys were lounging on my bed. I grabbed my hair brush and some hair ties and situated myself at the foot of my bed. I set about French braiding my hair into twin braids. The two boys watched me curiously.

"So, Ginny had a one-sided conversation with me and told me I was being a prat." Neville started, "She told me that I had no reason to not trust you. And that you are here to help." I listened as I continued my task, "Caused a bloody scene at breakfast." I scoffed.

"Of course she did." I tied off the first braid.

"Is there any reason why I shouldn't trust you?" he asked, unsure of himself. Honesty is the best policy.

"I'm a bitch. I manipulate people. I like using snark to kick people when they are down. If I can't get you with snark, I will use my fists. And I tolerate people at best." I started on the second braid. Seamus eyed me carefully, "I also have a nasty habit of pissing people off because I can."

"That was...blunt." Neville had a guarded expression on his face, "And not at all what I was expecting."

"Oh, and I lie to get my way." I winced. Am I under Veritaserum?

"Merlin girl! Wha' don't ya do?" Seamus looked put out.

"Have sex for money." I replied calmly. I almost cracked a smile at their dumbfounded faces. Shock is always the best, "I'm just pulling your leg. I don't have sex. Period."

"Neville, I am never helping you wake her again." and Seamus left the room. I tied off my second braid.

"Oh, did I make you uncomfortable?" feigning concern. Neville coughed. His cheeks were flushed.

"I-I appreciate your honesty, even if you took it too far." he said softly. I flashed him a smile as I slid off the mattress.

"Now that I have my bad traits out in the open, let us discuss my more favorable ones." I opened my trunk and rummaged for jeans and a shirt, "I'm fiercely loyal and I have a terrible compulsion to always take the hit for someone I consider on my side."

"Hence why you didn't want them to hit me on Wednesday?" his inquiry was whispered.

"Hence why I didn't want them to hit you on Wednesday." I replied as I pulled my jeans over my shorts. I fastened the button and slipped my shirt on, "I'm generally a horrible person, but I do have my good days." I climbed back on the bed, sneakers in hand. I started pulling them on.

"Dumbledore was your great uncle?" my nod of affirm brought a small smile to his lips. I tied off my sneakers tight, "I won't apologize for my actions or attitude. But thank you for being on our side. I shudder to think about the disadvantage if you were with the Slytherins." I laughed loudly.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Mister Longbottom." I leaned over and kissed his flaming cheek, "Have a good day." I snatched up my wand and sweater before taking a ride down a stair slide.

It was close to ten at night and I had found my way to the Astronomy Tower. My mind was completely overrun with thoughts. I gazed lazily at the Black Lake. My head was resting against the wall I had been leaning on for an hour and a half. Questions, theories, questions and theories plagued my brain. What is my next course of action? Maybe if I begged for mercy on my hands and knees they will not take me in for more questioning. Why do I have to keep putting myself in the cross hairs? Seamus has a pretty nice bod-

"Sownbinder?" Shit! I've been found, "What are you doing out in the freezing cold?"

"Malfoy?" I blinked my eyes to focus, "I'm not freezing. Warming charms can work wonders. What are you going up?" I saw him shivering form.

"Ah, yes." he took in my posture, "I'm patrolling. Pansy says the stairs make her perspire and that ruins her make-up. I don't care much, so long as I can get away from her." a shudder shook his body.

"Come on, let's get inside. You'll catch your death out here." I pushed off the wall and led Draco into the tiny, but warm room, "Better?" Draco shivered at the temperature change.

"Much." he was eyeing my face. His grey orbs studied the bruises, "They hurt?" I did not answer him. He took notice and let his gaze wander to mine.

"Of course. I wince when I make expressions and I have accumulated some odd looks." I shrugged my shoulders and winced.

Pale fingers reached out and lightly touched my bruised jaw. He held my gaze with his swirling silver irises. The gentle caress of my injury was nice. His soft fingers made the pain lessen. And I soaked it in. My pain had been almost a constant feeling in my life recently. This small reprieve had my head reeling and my heart pounding.

Or that could have been because Draco was standing very close to me.

"I will never understand why they have to strike your face." he murmured quietly as his other hand cupped my cheek.

"They think it will degrade my insanely good looks." I responded haughtily. Draco offered me a sweet smile and it startled me. He has never handled me sweetly.

My surprise was quickly covered with warm, gentle lips. I felt him moving them slowly; coaxing me to deepen the lip lock. I felt his tongue brush my lips, requesting permission to enter. I acquiesced and melted into him. His tongue lazily explored. I felt my shoulders relax. My stomach started doing flips.

I brought my hands to his tie and loosened the knot. My fingers nimbly undid the top two buttons and I broke the kiss. As my lips dropped and feathered the side of his throat with kisses, he brought his palms down to my waist and slipped under my tank top. His warm fingers lightly and slowly ghosted over my skin, moving upwards. My shirts bunched over his hands and exposed my flesh to the warm air. I shivered under his touch and nipped at the skin on his neck. I felt the rumble under my fingertips in his chest. An unfamiliar heat raced through my body and pooled between my thighs.

The sudden need to be closer caused my hips to brush against his and I felt how he was reacting to me. My hands were at his buttons again, making the small opening to his flesh bigger. His fingers slid over the cups of my bra and I felt my nipples tingle at the soft touch. A gasp escaped my mouth and I saw his skin break out in goose bumps. I ground my hips against his and elicited a groan from him. He dipped his head and captured my lips in a heated kiss. It was firm and demanding. I untied his tie completely and untucked his shirt.

My fingers explored his sculpted chest as my tongue explored his mouth, tasting him and competing for dominance with his. His hands were at the top of my hips, squeezing them and sending electric shocks up my spine. His lips left mine and made a trail of warmth over my jaw and down to my neck. I lightly ran my nails down his torso and he sunk his teeth into the soft flesh where my shoulder met with my neck. I moaned softly as he sucked and my heat throbbed at the top of my thighs. I lightly fingered his waistband. I was growing impatient with lust and need.

"Draco!" a screech filled the tiny space. Draco tensed and I jerked my body away. That in turn made my sore muscles protest, "What the hell?"

"Pansy, you have unfortunate timing." he closed his eyes in frustration, "What do you need?"

"To save you from a horrendous mistake." she sneered, her dark eyes glaring at me, "Fifty points from-"

"Slytherin?" I finished for her, a smirk playing over my swollen lips, "I thought not."

"You stupid little -" her lips curled into a snarl.

"Blood-traitor? Mudblood lover? Whore?" I sneered back. Draco buttoned his shirt back up, "I assure you, only two of those are the actual truth. And I will not dignify those accusations with an answer."

"Go back to the Common Room." she ordered. Her attention focused on Draco, "We need to check in with the Headmaster." Draco redid his tie. With a last loathing look, Pansy started down the long staircase.

After he tucked his shirt back into his trousers, he pulled my body into a tight embrace. The tension did not go away. I did wrap my arms around his waist though. My cheek was resting against his chest. I pulled his cologne and smell through my nose. My heart lurched and I found myself holding back tears.

"I'll make sure she doesn't open her mouth about this." he promised quietly. I nodded my head and peeled away from his arms.

One last look over my shoulder and I made my way to Gryffindor Tower. My feet carried me to the portrait on the Fat Lady. Confusing thoughts and lewd pictures swirled around my brain, almost making me dizzy. They most certainly did mix my insides all up. I could hardly tell where my legs were from my arms.

"Semper fidelis." I muttered. The Lady huffed at me and grumbled about children out of bed. I ignored her admonishments.

The red and gold Common Room was warm and dim. I had come to realize this was my safe zone. I only ever had to worry about cranky lions and so long as you treated them as if there dangerous, they felt the need to leave you alone. Their repulsion to attacking an enemy while wounded made my eyes roll. Weak.

I plopped my tired and heavy frame onto the couch and stared at the fire. I felt my lips droop into a frown. My eyes tightened and narrowed at the offending flames.

"My dear Henria Aislinn, are you getting into mischief?" a soft voice teased me from behind. I spun around; my nine year old self had a marker and scissors in my tiny hands.

"Umm...if I say yes am I in trouble?" my eyes darted around, expecting to see my father in the shadows.

"That depends, have you already cut up your dress and marked your shoes?" his soft blue eyes twinkled with laughter.

"If I have?" agitation at my plans being figured out furrowed my tiny eyebrows.

"There are always consequences, my dear." Uncle Albus chided softly. My cheeks grew warm.

"Then I guess we will all wait to see if I have or haven't." I actually had not vandalized my clothing yet. But to admit that would feel like defeat to me.

"Come sit with me my love." he glided over to a very cushy chair. I placed my tools of destruction on the coffee table. He sat down and I crawled my way onto his lap, already working my tiny braids.

"Why did mommy call you nuncle?" I inquired while braiding his beard.

"It is a decidedly British term, my dear." he watched my little fingers work through the coarse hair.

"Am I allowed to call you nuncle?" my curiosity knew no bounds.

"Do you know the meaning of your name?" he pulled out his bumpy looking wand. Little elastic rings appeared into his opened hand. I picked one up and tied off the first braid. After I completed my task, I shook my head.

"Daddy never told me." my voice was weak. Daddy did not like to talk about things related to my mother. The memories always brought him to tears.

"Henria means Ruler of the Home." his lecture voice sounded academic, not quite his normal warm tones, "That is a great responsibility Henria. Are you up for the task?" I paused my plaiting to look him in the eyes.

"I can out yell anyone who would dare to not do what I tell them to do." my small understanding of what he was asking me made him chuckle.

"Of course, you silly girl." his tone was light again, "What does Aislinn mean, child?"

"That's my mother s name." I did not pause to answer him this time. Another elastic band, another braid tied off, "I didn't think she ever told me the meaning of her name."

"Aislinn means inspirational. Do you know what that means?" I had no doubts he would tell me, but my mouth was just learning how to become quick and biting.

"Mommy was my inspiration. I wanted to be just like her. I wanted to see the world as she did, bright and happy." another braid done, "Inspirational; to inspire. That is almost like motivating someone to get what they want, right?"

"You're getting to be too smart." the twinkle I loved so much was bright; "Can you inspire people to be the best person one can be?" I sighed. Too many questions.

"Probably not. Daddy says that I shouldn't run my mouth. But kids at school make fun of me and I get so mad. The first thing that flies through my brain is the first thing that flies out of my mouth." another tie around a braid. He sighed.

"Niece, you are going to have to learn control." his admonishment cut my chest open. I refrained from doing another braid, "Displays of bravado are never the answer. I know your mother taught you that. Furthermore, you need to learn control for when you are ruling your home, because a great ruler knows kindness, fairness, equality and compassion."

"I'm never getting married, uncle." I made a disgusted face and continued to braid his beard.

I blinked away the memory. I could feel the coarse, scraggly hair on my fingertips. The smell of sweets tickled my nose. But my heart felt heavy. Uncle Albus was not talking about marriage. My crazy uncle was talking about when I make a decision to live in which world I want. Slow moving Sitka, Alaska. It was safe there. It was familiar there. I loved it there.

Or here, in Wizarding Britain. Or all of Europe. I could be everywhere if I wanted to be. But did I really want to stay here and have a future. Dark idiots aside, could I live here?

My home.

Where do I want to call home?

Where does my heart really live?

I took a really hard look at my surroundings. I scrutinized every detail until my head hurt. Too many feelings and too much information.

Oh Merlin, why me?