Disclaimer to JK Rowling

Chapter Eight: Wish Aught Done Undone In The Past

Marriage on earth seems such a counterfeit,
Mere imitation of the inimitable:
In heaven we have the real and true and sure.

Robert Browning from The Real and True and Sure.

"Potter!"

The boy turned around to face Draco, and when Potter realised who had called him, he scowled. He went to turn around and continue walking down the corridor. Using his uninjured arm, he grabbed Potter by the robes when he caught up to him. Potter struggled against him as Draco forcefully dragged him to an empty corridor. Draco had waited until Potter was alone, which did not happen frequently, to approach him. The last thing Draco needed were witnesses of what he was about to do, especially that no-good ginger half-wit. Draco let him go, and the boy tried to straighten his robes as he glared at Draco with his piercing emerald eyes.

"I sincerely hope you're not about to tell me that you fancy me," Potter said shortly. Draco's jaw clenched almost automatically in response to his tone.

"As much as your eyes are as green as a freshly pickled toad, no, I am not about to confess any adulation," Draco retorted. Potter's glare deepened, and Draco knew then that even the Wonder-Brat-Who-Lived still could not live down the singing Valentine from earlier this year.

"What do you want, then?"

"I just want to thank you for being there for my sister," Draco said as reluctantly as he could. It was no secret that Lacie's Boggart had been the Heir of Slytherin and that Potter had chased her down like a valiant knight to comfort her. Even though several weeks had passed, girls still fluttered their eyelids at the bespectacled boy, wondering if he would ever come to their rescue too. Potter's mouth gormlessly fell open as he tried to process what Draco had said to him. Thankfully, he snapped it shut before he could drool on his robes.

"Well," Potter started as he ran his hand through his hair. He was probably feeling as uncomfortable as Draco was feeling at the present moment. "Lacie is my friend and she was upset, so… it's like what you would do for Parkinson, I guess."

"No, it is not," Draco admitted.

"Really?"

Draco ignored his question. He did not have to explain himself, especially to the likes of Potter. He held up his right arm to silence the boy before saying, "Potter, I know you have no reason to trust me -…"

"You don't say."

Draco glowered at the interruption before continuing, "Flint wants me to extend my arm injury as a ploy to get out of a match that could have unfavourable conditions."

"How does that concern me?"

Draco raised an eyebrow, silently wondering how Potter had managed to survive two life-threatening incidents without actually dying. He sighed, "It concerns you because Gryffindor might have to play Hufflepuff instead of Slytherin in November if we decide the odds would be against us."

"Why are you telling me this?" Potter asked with trepidation, and Draco could see distrust in his eyes.

"Maybe because you have helped my sister out several times, and I do not like to owe people favours in the long run."

"I told you, I do it because I'm her friend, and not because I want favours from anyone, especially from you."

So noble, as usual, Draco thought snidely. "Just be grateful for the information, and that I could potentially get kicked off the Slytherin team for blabbing."

The boy rolled his eyes, "Surely Daddy would be able to buy you in again, just like last year."

Draco did not justify it with a remark, or a scathing comeback about how some people's fathers were able to buy their son onto their team instead of being dead. However, he did not want to be hexed, especially as his wand arm was currently indisposed. Instead he shrugged.

"Just keep your mouth shut, and watch out for Diggory. He may seem soft but he has got a keen eye and excellent self-awareness."

Draco walked away as people started spilling into the corridor. He did not particularly want Potter to fall over his robes to thank Draco profusely for giving him the Hufflepuff game on a silver platter in front of a crowd. As he rounded the corner to head towards his Charms class, he was stopped by two Slytherin Prefects with scowls. The girl glanced at the boy and the boy nodded before walking off in the direction that Draco was supposed to be heading.

"Malfoy, Professor Snape would like to see you in his office."

Was he caught so soon? It was no secret in Slytherin that their Professor Snape seemed to be intuitive to house affairs. Draco knew first-hand of his godfather's capabilities to see the truth in any matter, and he could still remember the hour long lecture about covering up for Pansy the previous year.

"Professor Snape can wait until lunchtime, as I have a Charms class to attend."

The Prefect rolled her eyes, "Xavier is taking care of that."

Draco barely knew the newly-appointed Prefect, Maida Emory, but she always seemed to perpetuate the stereotype that Slytherin Prefects had a mean look about them. Her counterpart, Xavier Rottingson was barely any better and Draco wondered if his Head of House chose Prefects on how intimidating they looked.

She pushed at him, and if Draco were in better social standing or mood, he would have reminded the girl to get her filthy hands off him. He stalked off to Professor Snape's office with the Prefect trailing after him, as if Draco would artfully dodge her to attend Charms, or there were Slytherin house points on the line. Draco snorted. When have there ever been Slytherin house points on the line when it is Professor Snape?

Draco wore his best sulky expression as he fell through the door of the Potions Master's office. His godfather, however, did not fall for the petulant act and merely glanced at him before returning to his stack of parchment. He thanked the Prefect for retrieving Draco and dismissed her. Draco flopped into the armchair opposite the Professor.

"So?"

The Professor did not look at him. His hook nose was too busy touching whatever riveting material was on his desk. Draco watched him as he finished, and with red ink he marked it with a neat seven. "I believe the appropriate greeting is: 'Good morning, Professor Snape'. I would not want your mother to think that you have suddenly lost your manners along with your common sense."

"I do have common sense!"

"If you did have common sense, you would not have provoked a Hippogriff."

Draco pouted. He had countered the Professor's argument many times, the man remained resolute. Draco was in the wrong, and had provoked the Hippogriff. There was nothing Draco could do to change his godfather's mind. At least these were his private musings, in the Potions classroom, he was still adamant that Hermione help him brew Draco's potions.

Draco did not speak as Snape marked the homework, and there was a soft knock at the door. Snape barely looked up as he invited the person in, and Draco continued sulking at the door as it opened. His mother glided into the office, bringing rare sunlight into the gloomy place. She wrapped her arms around Draco, and was careful not to crush his arm.

"Does it hurt?"

"Mildly."

At the response, Mother quirked her eyebrow before shooting a dark look across the desk at Snape.

"Mildly? Severus, it has been weeks, why does my son's arm still hurt, even mildly?"

The man did not look up to answer, "Your son is unwilling to allow his wounds to heal, am I supposed to chain him to his bed and force him to constantly rub salve on his arm?"

"We will be having words about your impertinence, Severus," Mother warned, and Draco enjoyed at how Professor Snape squirmed a little in his seat. It seemed that the one person that seemed to frighten him was his mother. Draco snickered.

"If it is absolutely necessary but I do have classes to teach, Narcissa. Also is this how you greet an old friend? My, my, like mother like son."

Draco's mother gave Professor Snape a glare before her gaze softened and walking around his desk to embrace him. It was an awkward gesture as the Professor did not move to allow her to do so easily, so she perched over him. The door opened loudly and Draco's expression went from amusement to utter surprise. He stood up immediately, and out of the corner of his eye, his mother stiffened. Draco frowned in confusion, as the door revealed his Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor.

"Is this a bad time?" he asked quietly, holding the handle to the wooden door. "Shall I come back later?"

"No, I'll retrieve the…" the Potions Master started to say before glancing briefly at Draco, his thin lips twisted into a smirk as he continued, "thing for you, Lupin."

"Of course," Professor Lupin smiled whilst scratching his thinning hair. He nodded at Draco's mother as Professor Snape vanished through a door.

"Lupin," his mother said coldly to his Defence professor. She twisted her silver necklace around her index finger almost purposefully.

Why is mother so defensive?

Professor Snape seemed to take his time finding whatever it was Professor Lupin had requested, and the Professor in question stared at his mother's twirling finger with unease.

"Black."

"Lady Malfoy, do you have a severe lack of manners alongside with that terrible memory loss of yours?"

"I apologise, Lady Malfoy."

Draco bit back his snicker at the admonishment. It seemed that his mother seemed to frighten most men, if she wanted to. The professor, however, looked resigned.

"Also, I specifically remember warning you never to approach me again."

"Lady Malfoy, that was over a decade ago."

"Not long enough."

Draco wondered what the Professor had done to invoke such a reaction from his normally composed mother. Had she heard about Lacie's incident with the Boggart? He debated questioning her, but he did not want to be caught in the crossfire either. Curiosity got the better of Draco as he asked his mother, "Do you two know each other?"

His mother continued to glower at Professor Lupin for a moment before turning towards her son, and her expression softened as she spoke to him, "Your professor was one of my classmates at Hogwarts, and he ruined a family heirloom that was bequeathed to me."

Draco furrowed his brows further as he got more confused. Why would Mother care so much about a family trinket? If it was at all possible, Professor Lupin paled at her comment and a smug look appeared on his mother's face. Snape reappeared with a flask and passed it to Professor Lupin wordlessly. The professor quickly bid a rushed goodbye before hurrying out of the office. Draco turned back to his mother, who had a frosty expression on her face again. Her lips were pursed as she looked as if she wanted an explanation from Professor Snape.

"Play nice, Narcissa," the professor said with a smirk.

"Do not patronise me," his mother said as she folded her arms. Through a clenched jaw she demanded. "Where is Dumbledore's office?"

The Potions Master snickered before he mumbled somewhere on the third floor. He also said something in a quiet whisper, presumably the password to gain entry into the office. Draco watched as his mother glided across the office towards Draco and leant up to kiss him gently on the cheek. She gave him a glowing smile.

"It was a pleasure," she said, and then her face hardened as she spoke to Snape, "His arm better be fully healed the next time I write, Severus, or I shall send something far worse than a flurry of Howlers."

"I await your correspondence eagerly," the professor said without looking at her, as he had already returned to his stack of homework and was already scribbling over the parchment in red ink.

"Are you not going to see Lacie?" Draco asked as his mother made her way to leave.

"I have a Headmaster to interrogate about student wellbeing, and I am sure Lacerta can manage going without," his mother said through gritted teeth before storming out of the office. Draco stared after her, and was not too sure that the events of the past half an hour or so had been what he had been expecting when he had woken up that morning. He looked over at the professor, who was probably scribbling an admonishment on someone's dismal homework to alleviate his foul mood. Draco did not envy the student. Draco watched as he did so, dipping his quill into the inkwell several times to write an essay, and after he was finished his mouth twisted into a smirk as he appraised his handiwork.

I wonder why people dislike him, Draco thought to himself sarcastically. He was not too sure that the Professor knew that he was still in the room.

Draco cleared his throat. Professor Snape looked up and looked remotely confused at him.

"Have you not left yet?"

"Was I supposed to?"

"I thought you had a class to attend, or something…"

Draco raised an eyebrow, "You wrote a note to Professor Flitwick and authorised my absence."

"Well," the Professor said with a small glint in his eye, "Take this opportunity to take some free time, or do you wish to have a heart-to-heart with your beloved godfather?"

Draco was out of that office quicker than he thought his legs would go. He had at least half an hour before his Muggle Studies lesson, and free time was much appreciated. He needed all the preparation he could get as this was a Shakespeare lesson, and Draco was sure that Professor Burbage would choose him to recite Iago's lines again.

I should have said that Muggle Studies was to blame for my sustained arm injury, Mother would have forced me to drop the subject.

Draco groaned. He would have to save that excuse for later.

x-x-x-x-x

Narcissa stormed up towards the corridor towards the Headmaster's office. She was familiar with the route that Severus had reluctantly given her, and it was as if she was a student again and wandering the castle as she pleased. She shot looks of irritation at the tall, gossiping teenagers that Narcissa was sure that subscribed to the wretched Witch Weekly. They scarpered at her glares and she carried on.

"Loganberry laces," Narcissa hissed at the gargoyle that protected Dumbledore's office. As Narcissa stomped her way up the stone staircase she could almost feel the anger bubble in her once again.

"Severus!"

"Leave me alone, Narcissa!" Her long-haired friend wandered deeper into the tunnel, desperate to find something at the end of it that indicated that the miscreants that constantly tortured him were up to something nefarious. Narcissa knew that the self-titled Marauders were troublemakers, but Severus now was going too far. How he and Narcissa had not gotten themselves killed in the process of climbing into the tunnel under the Whomping Willow she would never know. It was as if someone had given Severus information to lure him down to this tunnel, for whatever reason Narcissa did not understand.

"I do not know what you expect to find here but…"

"Your half-wit, idiotic fool of a cousin and his pathetic friends come down here every month, and I think I know why…"

"You are being ridiculous, Severus!"

"If I am ridiculous, then go back!"

Narcissa was not abandoning her friend. She may not be a reckless but loyal Gryffindor like her senseless cousin, but she knew better than to leave her friend behind, seeing as he was the only one who knew how to freeze the Whomping Willow. Severus stomped as he went, and slowly the tunnel twisted and seemed to be going upwards. A small light was in front of them, and they walked closer to it. Severus was approaching the opening of the passage gingerly, and from glimpses that Narcissa could see past him, she started to know why.

"Mother of Circe," she whispered, her legs shaking so violently she was about to fall over. Severus started creeping backwards, slowly, as if any swift movement was going to change anything.

It was too late, the wolf had a sense of smell far greater than that of any other animal, and it had already turned its attention to the two teenagers. Severus yelped as the werewolf moved towards them but Narcissa had another idea, she ripped her necklace off her neck and threw it at the beast. It yelped as the silver hit it in the chest and seared into its fur and skin. The silver pendant stuck to its burning flesh as it reared backwards, but Narcissa had no time to consider if it would retreat back into the dirty shack, because she ran for her life, pulling Severus in tow. As she ran, she could hear devastating howls from the other end alongside her violently beating heart. She did not know when the sleeve of Severus' robe slipped from her fingers as she ran. Her sides ached in her exertion but her fear overwhelmed her. She ran until the smell of earth became overwhelming and she knew she had to be back near the trunk of the Whomping Willow. She did not even care if Severus was behind her anymore as she hoisted herself up through the hole in the ground. She did not care if the tree was animated again and would throw her into the air. She was just relieved to back on the Hogwarts Grounds. She was also glad that the Whomping Willow was still frozen. She saw a figure running towards the tree, just as Severus crawled out of the hole.

"You!" Narcissa screamed, pointing at the figure running towards them, seeing him come into view. "I always knew you hated Severus, but this is low even for you, James Potter."

The bespectacled boy ran a hand through his perpetually unruly hair as he struggled to speak, "Look, Narcissa – can I call you Narcissa? No? Okay, well, Black, this wasn't me, I swear."

"Making Severus werewolf bait sounds exactly like you, Potter, after all the despicable shit you have put him through over all the years."

"Language Cissy, what would dear Aunt Druella say if she could hear you now?" another voice lingered behind them.

"I do not give a flying Quaffle what my fucking mother would say!" Narcissa said rounding onto her cousin, the foolhardy prat that she was somehow, somehow related to. The grin was wiped off his smug face as Narcissa's hand collided with it. The force of the slap made Sirius take a step back.

"I almost fucking died because of the shit you pulled on Severus tonight. This ends now, every backhanded hex, every show of manliness in front of Lily Evans – do not even think I do not know who this is about – every little snide comment about each other, it stops here. You four 'Marauders' are supposed to be loyal, prideful Gryffindors but this display of pure idiocy was no better than the acts of the Slytherins you despise."

Silence fell upon them, and Narcissa thought she imagined a howl concur with her in the distance. The three boys in front of her hung their heads, although she was sure Sirius was displaying mock shame. She rounded onto Severus.

"Was that Lupin?"

"Yes."

"You knew Lupin was a werewolf?"

"I had a hunch…"

Narcissa tried not to strangle her friend, he had already suffered enough. He could have told her. She started to walk away before saying, "You owe me a new necklace, my dear cousin will inform you to what the coat of arms of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black looks like."

"I am not -…"

"You also owe me a life debt, Severus, do not make me regret saving your bony arse."

Narcissa did not bother with knocking on the heavy wooden door, and was glad to see that the Headmaster was sitting at his desk with no other company. The man looked up and glanced at her through his half-moon glasses. His expression warmed as he stood up for her.

"Narcissa - …"

"Cut the pleasantries, Albus, are you absolutely insane? You hired a-a… a werewolf?"

The last word in her sentence came out no more than a stage whisper. The man raised his arm towards the chair that was on the other side of his desk. Narcissa took it and sat down as gracefully as she could, and the Headmaster followed suit, perching himself at the edge of his large chair.

"Now, Narcissa, it is not like you to judge people."

"You know my stock and trade as a Malfoy, it is not like you to say such asinine things, Albus."

"Yes," the Headmaster said with a small smile, "Remus is more than a capable teacher, and you know if someone is willing to take on the position that I am not one to discriminate."

"You turned the Dark Lord down."

"Yes, well, Tom was quite the dangerous man."

"Lupin is dangerous."

"At full moon, and Severus is more than capable of brewing the Wolfsbane Potion…"

"Oh, perfect, have Severus brew one of his childhood tormentors a potion to keep the job that Severus has coveted for so long," Narcissa snorted in exasperation. "I am surprised Severus did not tell you to shove your wand -…"

"Narcissa," the Headmaster warned quietly, but with enough power to silence the woman as she ranted. Narcissa pursed her lip at the man. "Remus did not torment Severus, after all, and that is all in the past."

"Lupin stood by and watched as it all happened, and when you made him a Prefect in a pathetic attempt for him to try and control his vicious friends, he still watched it happen. He and that Pettigrew boy, Merlin rest his soul, were just as bad," Narcissa spat, before standing up and turning away from the Headmaster. The only salvation in her thoughts was that Severus managed to hex them back just as badly, and sometimes even worse in retaliation, but she could not ignore how lonely Severus was. He was close friends with a Muggleborn, something the rest of his house ostracised him for, and had to put up with the boy who would end up marrying her.

I wonder if that is why I am so accepting of Lacie's friendship with Hermione Granger to prevent her becoming like Severus in twenty years' time.

"You know why I cannot give Severus the Defence Against the Dark Arts professorship yet, and he does too."

Narcissa turned back to the Headmaster, still standing. "I am aware."

"Now, to the matter of Lucius Malfoy," the Headmaster looking at her with his cerulean eyes, "Are you prepared to return to him at the correct moment?"

Narcissa scoffed, "Why do you make it sound as if this is merely a chessboard and I am merely a pawn in your drawn-out game?"

"You do love Lucius, do you not?"

A small flush crept up Narcissa's normally pale neck and stained her cheeks, she could not look at the Headmaster, so instead she chose to stare at the floor. She played with her fingers as she fidgeted, not wanting to give Professor Dumbledore an answer until the knots in her stomach had ceased playing up.

Of course she loved her husband, she had harboured a crush the first time she had ever met him at nine years of age. He had been in Andromeda's year at Hogwarts, and had been promised to Andromeda for years, so Narcissa had hidden her unrequited love for him. When Andromeda ran off with that Tonks boy and ruptured the Black family apart, Narcissa had been more than willing to take her sister's place and marry Lucius, and had been delighted to find that he loved her dearly too. It had taken more than personal conviction to walk away, and taken more than sealing up her emotions to stay away.

It is more than difficult to conceal over twenty years of love, and play the nonchalant estranged wife.

"Yes, I do."

"Then it is settled."

"I must have a funny way of showing it, must I not, Albus? I claim to love a man for more than half of my life, and so quick am I to betray him," Narcissa laughed bitterly, "I am a poor excuse of a wife."

The Headmaster did not say anything to ease her thoughts, or respond to her musings. He merely regarded her with the same expression as he did when she questioned his actions for the past ten years. Everyone has their role to play, Narcissa. She could not afford to act like a child, not when she had put ten years into so carefully masking herself to be the docile wife who negotiated around her husband in her desperation not to be caught in her deception. She had had to endure years and years of Severus breaking into her mind, just so she could act in her capacity as the wife of one of the Dark Lord's most trusted men as well as one of Albus' most trusted allies.

She took a deep breath. When she was caught in her deceit, it would not matter who tormented who when they were young.

"My family may not have clout with the Governors of this school, but the moment that man puts my children in danger, I will personally demand for his dismissal."

"Spoken like a true matriarch of the Malfoy family," Albus said quietly, before sending her on her way.

x-x-x-x-x

Lacie sighed as she twirled her spaghetti around her fork. She sat with her head resting on her other hand and she sighed again, this time more dramatically. Hermione was reading aloud a piece of text regarding that day's Arithmancy lesson but stopped as she took stock of Lacie's pensive expression.

"Penny?"

"This Saturday is the first trip to Hogsmeade," Lacie said with yet another sigh. She continued to twirl her food and look listlessly at her dinner. Hermione raised her eyebrow at her.

"Don't remind me," Harry muttered, breaking Lacie out of her thoughts, "At least you've got a signed permission slip."

Lacie sighed again, "I have a piano lesson on Saturday morning with Cedric but I would much rather be exploring Hogsmeade than learning another waltz."

"Cedric?" Harry's attention had piqued, "As in Cedric Diggory?"

"What of it?"

Harry shrugged at her, before muttered, "Nothing. He's just the Hufflepuff Seeker and Captain."

"Wood has you doing homework on opposing Quidditch teams now?" Hermione asked with curiosity, but when Harry did not answer her question she turned towards Lacie, "Surely you can ask for the day off?"

"Cedric is surprisingly stubborn," Lacie said. "Do you know he has me practising the same piece of music over and over again until he deems it perfect?" Lacie turned to look at Harry, "You have that stubbornness to look forward to when Gryffindor play Hufflepuff in the spring."

Harry frowned at her for a moment before looking away, deep in his own thoughts.

"Surely you could ask," Ron wondered aloud before Lacie could ask Harry what he was thinking. "Maybe you could swish your hair at him and get your own way, like you usually do."

Lacie glared at the ginger boy, and watched as he finished his dinner. She dropped her fork and waited for him to catch her eye again before twisting her hair in between her fingers.

"Would you run along and leave me be?" Lacie said with a dazzling smile and her sweetest tone. Ron stuck his fork pigheadedly into a chocolate log and took the whole thing onto his plate. Lacie grimaced at him.

He really is a pig.

"At least when you finish your piano lesson, you'll have Harry to mope around with," Hermione said, and then she blushed, realising what she had said.

Lacie did not know what to make of her mother's letter, which had arrived earlier in the week but she had immediately shown it to Hermione. Her friend's eyebrows had furrowed as she read it, before wondering out loud why Lacie's mother would want her to stay away from Harry and associate further with Cedric Diggory.

At that moment, Harry had arrived with Ron in tow and had heard everything. As he sat down and coolly poured himself some cereal, before stating that it must be because there was a serial killer after him, and her mother was concerned that if Harry was gallivanting around Hogsmeade he would attract another person who would attack Lacie. Of course, Lacie apologised immediately for her mother's attitude despite it doing little to relieve Harry's pensive expression for the rest of the day.

Ever since that moment after that first disastrous Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, Lacie had made it a personal mission to not be alone with Harry – not because of her mother's instructions, but because she was feeling confused. Hermione had noticed, of course, and bottled it down to Lacie overanalysing things. Harry had saved her in the Chamber of Secrets, and then he had chased her down to make her feel better, of course she would see him in a different light. In reality, Hermione explained quite bluntly, Harry was looking out for a friend just like Hermione was.

The real question is, Hermione had asked in their empty dormitory, are you seeing it as something more? Do you fancy Harry?

Lacie had pondered the question for a moment before screwing up her face and retorting that she felt absolutely nothing aside from platonic feelings for Harry, but she did not want to spend time with him until she could ascertain that was a proper conclusion. Hermione rolled her eyes, and had done little to accommodate Lacie. It seemed that Hermione's question had been answered, and her best friend was convinced that Lacie had a crush on their dark-haired friend. That did not mean that Hermione was willing to completely drop Lacie in it.

"Just go ask Cedric, you work hard enough as it is," Hermione said with a comforting voice. "What is one weekend off?"

Ron dropped his fork at Hermione's words, and even Lacie was mildly surprised. Hermione was one of the most hard-working people that she had ever met, and never seemed to take a second off working. Even as she sat eating her dinner, Hermione's mind was still on their Arithmancy lesson. Lacie scanned the Great Hall, and saw that Cedric was not sitting on the Hufflepuff table. She bit the inside of her cheek. Hermione was right though, what was one weekend off? It would not hurt to seek out the Hufflepuff and ask him for the morning off. She did want to go to Hogsmeade, and preferably did not want to spend the rest of the day moping in the library with Harry as they did homework for subjects that did not overlap. As luck would have it, she watched as Cedric entered the Great Hall with some other Hufflepuff fifth-years.

"I am going to do it," Lacie said, standing up with confidence.

"Good luck," Hermione smiled at her, before scooping herself some jelly for dessert and explaining to Ron the difference of using numbers for divination as opposed to tea leaves, and its accuracy.

Lacie rolled her eyes and made her way towards the Hufflepuff table, which was conveniently next to the Gryffindor one. She walked towards where Cedric was busy laughing at something that his friend had said. Lacie stopped behind him, suddenly unsure of what to say or do. She could, as a last resort, carry on walking and pretend that she had never intended to speak to Cedric but it was now noticeable that she was hovering.

Use that proverbial Gryffindor courage you have and speak to him!

The girl sat opposite to Cedric looked up and rolled her eyes, "What are you doing here, Malfoy?"

"I am not here for you, Hutton. Cedric?"

The boy in front of her turned around, and when he saw her, his mouth formed a bright smile before saying, "Oh hi, Lacie."

"Can we talk in private?" Lacie asked, resisting tapping her left foot with impatience. She only hoped that he would come with her quickly before people could start staring. Cedric, on the other hand, had other ideas. He went back to his dinner and started piling some spaghetti onto his plate. Lacie just stood there, watching him as he did so, and Lacie could see from the corner of her eyes that people had definitely started to stare.

"Don't worry about this lot, Hufflepuffs aren't known for gossip mongering. Come and sit down, people are staring," Cedric said, as he twirled spaghetti on his fork. The boy to the left of Cedric moved away, making a space for Lacie next to him. Lacie sat next to Cedric, who ate his food carefully. The Hufflepuff boy could spend more time teaching Ron Weasley how to eat politely and less time torturing Lacie with arpeggios. Cedric looked at her questioningly, prompting her to speak. Lacie's throat was suddenly dry, but she managed to choke something out.

"About Saturday…"

"…Don't tell me, you've got more important things to do? I don't want to hear it, we're going to be doing scales because as good as you are, your finger work could do with improvement," Cedric interrupted, before twirling his spaghetti around his fork.

"Yes, but…"

"I don't want to hear it."

"Cedric!"

"Fine," he relented with a sigh before encouraging her with a wave of his free hand, "Give me your excuse."

"This Saturday is the first trip to Hogsmeade, and as I am a third-year, I have not been to Hogsmeade before…" Lacie started to explain, her words tumbling out of her mouth as if she could not get them out fast enough, "So I was wondering if we could catch up the week after, scales and arpeggios and every other unpleasant exercise you have planned."

After she had finished, Cedric was still looking at her with a kind expression before putting half a forkful of spaghetti in his mouth. He chewed on it carefully and swallowed before he spoke to her, "I see."

The calmness in his voice was slightly unnerving, as if merely asking him was causing him some form of irritation. She almost regretted asking, but she really wanted to visit Hogsmeade and spend a Saturday morning not cooped up in a classroom after her ballet lesson. She wanted to rap her fingers against the Hufflepuff table, but she also knew better than to fidget. She waited a moment before asking, "So?"

"Yeah, I suppose that's amenable," he said after a moment. Lacie grinned as she hopped up and away from the table.

"Brilliant, thanks Ced!"

She wanted to get away before he could change his mind and to tell Hermione the good news, as well as comment that she did not have to swish her hair to get what she wanted. All she needed to do was explain her reasoning in a clear and proper manner, no coercion needed.

"Er… Lacie?" Lacie heard as she almost reached outside earshot, she turned to see Cedric looking at her, amongst curious glances. Cynthia Hutton had quite the sour look on her face. Lacie walked back towards Cedric, with a falling sensation in the pit of her stomach. She had clearly not ran away quick enough.

There was still time, she could still run away and pretend she had not heard him.

"Yes?"

"Did you say that you haven't been to Hogsmeade before?"

"Yes, I did."

"I could show you around, if you want?"

Lacie's mouth fell open, as did the mouths of Hufflepuffs who had heard what Cedric had offered. She searched his eyes for the smallest trace of dishonesty. When she did not see any, she had to ask.

"Is this a joke?"

One edge of Cedric's mouth raised as he gave her his dazzling crooked smile. He chuckled a little.

"No, just that my plans for Saturday morning just fell through, I was supposed to be meeting this girl but she had other plans."

"What a rascal! Who would dare organise other plans?" Lacie replied, trying to suppress a giggle. She cocked her head as she put her hand on her hip, as she grinned at him.

What is wrong with me?

"So you see my conundrum."

"I do, but…"

"What's the worst that could happen?"

She bit her lip anxiously as she weighed up what could possibly be terrible about having Cedric show her around Hogsmeade. Her mother had practically suggested it in her letter, and there was nothing particularly harmful about going to Hogsmeade with Cedric. It was not as if Hermione would not also be there, and Ron could tag along, she supposed, that was if Ron did not want to go with Seamus, Dean and Neville instead.

Lacie beamed at him before saying, "Okay, would you mind if I brought some friends along too?"

"Of course not," Cedric smiled, "I'll see you Saturday morning in the Entrance Hall."

Lacie nodded as she turned around to walk back to her friends and she sat down with a smug look on her face.

"Success?" Hermione asked, pulling herself away from what seemed to be an angry confrontation with Lavender and Parvati. The other two Gryffindor girls seemed to look flustered before regrouping with Cheryl and hissing something under their breaths. Hermione sighed, before explaining that they had been arguing about the wishy-washiness of Divination, an opinion that had not sat well with Professor Trelawney's fledging most-dedicated fan club.

"I got Saturday morning off, Cedric said that he would show us around the village, too," Lacie explained.

Recovering from Hermione's rebuttal of her favourite subject, Lavender perked up.

"You're going to Hogsmeade with Cedric Diggory? Like a date?" she asked, and beside her, Parvati and Cheryl had started giggling.

"No," Lacie laughed, "I am going to Hogsmeade with Hermione and Ron, and Cedric said that he would show us around, seeing as he has been before."

"Do you mean to tell me," a scandalised look crossed Lavender's face, "That Cedric Diggory asked you to go to Hogsmeade with him and you invited Hermione and Ron to go with you? Are you mad? He asked you on a date, not a group outing!"

"I was there, and he did no such thing," Lacie said, as she poured herself a goblet of pumpkin juice. It was to no avail, the three witches were back to muttering under their breaths, casting Lacie surreptitious looks every so often. Lacie thought about what Cedric had actually said as she sipped her drink. He had only asked if he could show her around Hogsmeade, and it did not seem to be phrased to be a date.

Lacie later discussed it with Hermione in the Common Room, not that her best friend was any help. She had never been asked on a date before either.

A/N: Apologies for the week-later-than-usual upload. Life, you know.

I do have a backstory for Narcissa but I won't go into much detail, but I do enjoy writing Snape/Narcissa interactions.

As ever, happy reading.

CSxo