"Coming?"

Zacharias looked hopeful as Megan closed her History of Magic book. He had waited all morning for her to finish studying so they could go into Hogsmeade together, but he felt his disappointment rise as she frowned.

"I'm sorry, Zach. I…I don't think that I can."

"But you're finished."

"With this. I have to chart my astronomy notes from last week."

"Didn't you already do that on Tuesday?"

"No. Remember, we stayed up all night down here. Talking," she added, red-faced when Morag snickered. "Just go on without me. I'll wait for you for dinner." She threw her book down in frustration and picked through her rucksack until she found her astronomy notes and a clean piece of parchment.

"I'll stay," he said, sitting on the sofa next to her.

"And what? Watch me do my homework?"

He shrugged. "Why not? It's better than watching the others snogging in Hogsmeade. And anyway, maybe when you're finished, you'll want to snog me."

She shrugged now, feigning disinterest. "I don't know. Maybe."

He pushed her, just enough so that she fell back against the back of the sofa and he used that unguarded moment to lie down on the cushions, sliding his head into her lap. She laughed and tugged on his hair, leaning over his head to kiss him.

***

Megan sat cross-legged in the center of her bed. She tried to concentrate on the homework, but it wasn't working. She hadn't heard from Zacharias in days, and she really thought he would have owled by now. They had made plans to meet in Diagon Alley, but her Mum would never let her go alone; not after the strange things that had been going on. Even the Muggles could feel it.

Her door swung open, startling her. Her brother stood there with a folded parchment in his hand. He turned it over in his hand, watching her for a moment. She tried to ignore him, but there was something about the look on his face that was disquieting.

"What do you want, Bran?"

"Me? I don't want anything. I thought you might like this, though. Smith's your boyfriend, isn't he?"

Her head lifted, wondering what it would cost her to get the letter.

"Do Mum and Dad know about him? I wonder if they'd like to read this first." He tapped the parchment against his chin.

"What do you want, Bran?" She repeated her question, this time a bit harsher than the first time.

"Tell Mum that I'll take you to Diagon Alley to meet…" – he turned the sealed parchment over in his hand, thoughtfully, but it was obvious that he had thought about this already – "Smith, and I'll escort you and see that you two remain a respectable distance from one another, and she can stay home."

"That's all?"

"Yes." He paused, but quickly continued, holding out the letter, but pulling it back. "Well, you two will do what you like, we'll meet back at the Leaky Cauldron at, let's say, three o'clock and you won't tell Mum that I wasn't actually with you. Agreed?"

Megan knew that she should say no, but it was better for her if Bran took her instead of Mum, and anyway, Bran was a grown wizard. He didn't need Mum's permission to meet friends in the Alley.

"Agreed," she said, reaching out for the parchment.

Bran laughed, handing her the message, closing the door behind him.

***

The crowd roared as Gryffindor scored again. Megan laughed, but no one heard her. She and Zacharias were entwined, hands roaming, mouths crashing. He had been carrying her and he lifted her higher. She wrapped her legs around him and he pushed her against the timber, kissing her once more.

He paused only briefly when he heard a cat's meow and only glanced around momentarily, seeing nothing.

His mouth ghosted over her jaw and down her neck, stopping at Megan's shirt. He looked up and smiled, beginning to unbutton her shirt. She stopped him with a kiss.

Zacharias was knocked back, stumbling as he both tried to regain his balance and catch Megan to keep her from falling. She landed hard on her arse, breaking her fall with her arm. She screamed out in pain. Zacharias turned towards the source of the spell, drawing his wand.

Luckily, he was able to stop himself as he rounded on Professor Snape, his own wand drawn and pointing at them while Mr. Filch looked on, the source of the meowing in his arms.

"Professor Snape?" Zacharias asked, lowering his wand.

The crowd above them roared. Gryffindor must have scored again.

"Mr. Smith. Take your constitutional above the stands, although it appears," he said with a flicker of a glance at Megan, "that Ms. Jones should see Madam Pomfrey first. Nothing a little Skele-Gro won't fix, I trust? After that, see me for detention."

Snape turned and walked away brusquely, leaving Filch to shoo them out from under the stands.

"Off ya go. Hospital wing for the two of you."

Zacharias knelt beside Megan and helped her up, glaring at Filch's back as they followed him into the sunlight.

***

"What are you saying?" Zacharias stood as his voice rose, meeting Ernie toe to toe.

"You know what I'm saying old chum. These public displays are not acceptable and as Prefect –"

"As Prefect, you should follow your own rules." Zacharias gave a pointed look to Morag on the other side of the room.

"Are you suggesting –"

Zacharias interrupted by jabbing his finger into Ernie's chest. "I'm not suggesting anything. I'm telling you that you're a hypocrite, and I don't like your tone."

"My tone?" He stepped closer to Zacharias and pushed his hand aside roughly. "My tone will only get worse if I catch you again. You will be written up."

Ernie turned on his heel and stalked across the room sitting on the arm of the chair where Morag sat. Zacharias grabbed his jacket and his broom and had just opened the door to head out when his arm was grabbed from behind.

He turned sharply, but toned his reaction down when he realized that it was Megan. "Sorry, Meg."

She ran her hand along his arm. "Can I come with?"

He shook his head. "No." He pulled his arm away, but came back to her quickly and pulled her against him. "I'm sorry."

She nodded, raking her fingers through his thick hair and pressed a deep kiss to his mouth.

"Mmm. I'll be back in about an hour; after I cool off a bit." He nodded at her and stepped through the doorway.

***

Zacharias stood between Megan and Susan Bones, staring at the body on the ground. This couldn't be happening. Professor Dumbledore was dead. What happened? Megan clutched his hand, moving closer to him. He could feel her against him shaking with her tears. He turned and took her into his arms, holding her tightly, rubbing her back, letting his chin rest in her hair, simply staring from his place in the circle. Staring.

Professor McGonagall shooed them off to their dormitories, but no one listened. Megan wasn't alone in her crying. Others were weeping. Some students had drawn wands. Did she really say that Professor Snape had murdered the Headmaster? That seemed impossible.

Finally back in their Common Room, it was quiet. The flickering fireplace was the only sound. The sobbing had ceased, and everyone sat in their own kind of numb mindless state. The younger students had gone to bed, but Justin, Hannah and Ernie sat in their usual cluster. Morag sat on Wayne's lap as he stroked her head that she rested on his shoulder. Kenny sat alone on the floor, just in front of Sally-Anne on the sofa with Susan. Zacharias and Megan sat together in the large chair, his arms around her as they tried to process this.

When Professor Sprout came to speak with the House early the next morning, she found the room unchanged from the night before; the seventh years having fallen asleep where they sat.

***

It was mere weeks until the end of term and Zacharias sat under the tree near the Black Lake watching people as they milled about, trying to enjoy the last few days of the term. He smiled when he saw Megan approaching. She was wearing a brightly colored sundress. It was short enough that he could see much of her legs and even more when the breeze hit the skirt just right. The top was well fitted and his heart caught in his throat. After his request, she had let her hair grow out a bit and it brushed against her shoulders in gentle waves. He took a deep breath.

"Do I look all right? What are you staring at?" As she sat on her knees, she had begun to brush imaginary lint from the bodice and moved her hand in sweeping gestures down the dress.

He shook his head. "No, Megan. There's nothing. You're beautiful."

Even he was surprised by how much adoration was in his voice and her cheeks flushed. She looked down, but he wouldn't let her look away, taking her chin in his hand. "I love you Megan." He scrambled quickly to his knees and took her in his arms, kissing her thoroughly, until they were both breathless. He look intently into her deep brown eyes, and kissed her temple. "Meggie –"

"Don't call me that," she half-heartedly insisted with a laugh. "I don't –"

"Oh stop. You don't mind as much as you protest."

She laughed, but shut him up with another long kiss. He felt her; her curves finding their place against his own body, fitting herself into his arms easily as though she belonged there.

"I haven't got anything to give you, but I will next year. I just want to know if you'd want to…I mean…if you'd want me, and I've already started saving money…"

He trailed off at the confused look on her face. Before she could ask what he was talking about, he continued, "I'm not making sense am I?"

She shook her head, and gave him a tiny laugh.

He kissed the side of her head and then her lips gently, whispering against them. "I love you. Next summer, after we leave here…will you marry me?" He was afraid to look at her. Everything stopped and in that moment, the birds were silenced, the breeze ceased, and Megan was trembling.

He had just begun to get anxious when her hands snaked up the front of him, cupping his face in both her hands. He smiled. She was nodding and speaking and kissing his face lightly, but he didn't quite hear her through all the buzzing in his ears. He thought he heard a murmured "yes."