– Chapter Four –

The Height of Summer

"Listen to this," Draco said, straightening the Daily Prophet in his hands. "Those born under the conjunction of Saturn and Mars will have great success in their love lives."

He grinned at Romi, and nudged her. They were lying side by side in the hammock, clouds floating across the powder blue sky above them. The sun warmed their faces as it filtered down through the treetops. The buzz of insects was around them, and the sound of their mothers' soft voices were drifting through the open window in the kitchen.

"Oh, yes," Romi said, squarely, her eyes closed, soaking in the warmth. "Once upon a time there was a boy named Draco Malfoy, and he was so sexy that everybody died."

"Sometimes I think you shouldn't be let out of the house," Draco replied evenly, shaking out his paper, and adjusting in the hammock.

"You love it," Romi answered. Draco didn't reply, he just continued to read the paper in silence. Romi soaked in the sound of the wind in the trees and the lapping of the pool nearby. Vaguely she wanted to go swimming, but that would require her to get out of the hammock and change which was clearly too much effort on a summer afternoon like this.

"Listen to this," Draco said and Romi opened her eyes to look at him. "Prediction for the Quidditch World Cup."

"Really?" Romi said, exasperated.

"Come on," said Draco, "It's by a famous Seer."

"A respectable famous Seer wouldn't be working for the Daily Prophet," Romi replied.

Draco watched her for a moment with a pleading face.

Romi sighed. "Alright," she said, "Fine, read it."

Draco straightened the paper, cleared his throat and started to read;

Predictions for the Quidditch World Cup, to be held in England on the 22 of August this year, have ranged from the mundane to the absolute ludicrous in nature. The possible variables for the outcome of this great and important game cannot be undertaken lightly.

Here at the Daily Prophet we have the luxury of knowing the one and only Phoebe Capello, who has been listed as Witch Weekly's most gifted Seer in the last fifty years. The illustrious Ms Capello has never been wrong about her precisely detailed predictions for upcoming events.

Ms Capello has so graciously agreed to give the Daily Prophet's esteemed readers a sneak peak for the upcoming match!

Rita Skeeter, special Correspondent for the Daily Prophet, sat down with Ms Capello last Saturday for an exclusive interview, and here's the beans that Ms Capello spilled;

Rita: Tell me, Phoebe, before we get started, how long have you been such a renowned Seer?

Phoebe: Well, Rita, I have been able to divine my entire life, however, I did not think it was humble to advertise it. I simply wrote the Horoscope section until a couple of weeks ago, my boss here at the Daily Prophet became aware of my ability and suddenly it skyrocketed.

Rita: And how does it feel to become world renown at such a young age?

Phoebe: It's a little overwhelming to tell the truth. But I am trying to handle it as best as I can, and I am always open for suggestions and tips.

Rita: Fantastic. Well, I know what our readers really want to hear! So tell me, Phoebe, what does the Quidditch World Cup bring for British Witches and Wizards this year?

Phoebe: A very exciting experience, Rita, very exciting indeed. I'm seeing a very important and memorable event.

Rita: Can you elaborate a bit?

Phoebe: Unfortunately for diehard Quidditch fans, the game will not last two weeks as many have been hoping. I'm Seeing the game end after a couple of hours of intense, suspenseful playing!

Rita: Oh, too bad. How are the players' fortunes looking?

Phoebe: The National Irish Team looks like they'll have good fortune this time. I see several goals being scored, particularly by Moran. The Keeper will have to keep a strong eye out for wayward Bludgers, but that'll be the most of his problems. I see two unfortunate accidents for the Seeker Lynch this year, however it is unclear how they are to happen. As for the Bulgarian National Team, they will have to work hard to keep their own! The famous seeker, Viktor Krum, will see a humble glory this game.

Rita: Oooh! Tantalising! I don't think I'll be able to contain such suspenseful excitement! Is there anything else that our readers should know about the upcoming match?

Phoebe: Well, they will be pleased to know that it'll be dry that week, so there is no chance of the Game being playing in the rain. On that note, however, campers better beware of their campfires! I see a small blaze getting out of control on one of the campgrounds.

Rita: We are all duly warned! Thank you so much for being here, Phoebe, it was quite an illuminating interview.

Phoebe: Thank you for having me, and I hope that everyone will enjoy the Match just as much as I will!

Ms Phoebe Capello is available for personal readings, and may contact her at the Daily Prophet if any reader is interested in hearing their fortunes told accurately! A special thanks to Ms Rita Skeeter for organizing this interview and to Ms Phoebe Capello for sharing her wonderful talent.

Draco finished reading and there was silence for a moment.

"Wow, she sounds stuck up," Romi said.

"Really? I didn't think so," answered Draco. "I wonder if what she said was true."

"Of course it wasn't," replied Romi, taking the paper out of his hands and holding it up to look at the article. There was a pretty young woman, perhaps in her early twenties with brown curls, smiling at them as she stood beside Rita Skeeter. "It's just a bit of propaganda. Makes us feel better, because she said that Ireland will win."

"She didn't say that at all," Draco said, taking the paper back. "She said that Morgan would score a lot of goals."

"Whatever," Romi replied, readjusting in the hammock, and snuggling closer to Draco. "It's vague enough that anyone could read whatever they wanted into it."

"Well, aren't you a party pooper," Draco said, putting his arm around her. "It's just a bit of fun."

"It's just nonsense," Romi answered, "Rita Skeeter wasn't even entertaining."

"She's never entertaining," replied Draco, "all she writes is just a bunch of nasty stuff about people."

"Yet, she didn't about Phoebe…" Romi said thoughtfully.

"Maybe Rita likes her," Draco dismissed. "Anyways, reading Phoebe's predictions are always fun. She's usually pretty right too."

Romi looked up at Draco, "when did you read predictions… in fact when did you start reading the paper?"

"I've always read the paper," Draco replied.

"You've always read the comics," Romi retorted.

"Okay, so a couple of weeks ago, I was reading the comics, and well, Phoebe's article was next to it, so I gave it a read. It was interesting and entertaining, so I continued," Draco said, shifted in the hammock, clearly self-conscious.

"Oooh," Romi teased, "have a little crush?"

"Right, because I'm going to have a crush on a twenty-two year old girl, when I have the woman I've been in love with since I was three cuddled up next to me," Draco answered exasperated.

"Touché," Romi replied, wrapping her arms around him and leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Well on better news," Draco said after a moment, "guess what my father told me about this year at Hogwarts."

"Wait – is it about that thing that my dad's doing?" Romi asked, looking up at him.

"Maybe," answered Draco.

"No, don't tell me," Romi replied, settling against his shoulder again.

"Why not?" asked Draco. "You'd be like the only person to know."

"I don't want to know," answered Romi, "I'll find out eventually and I want to be surprised!"

"Why?"

"Believe or not, some people like to be surprised in what happens," Romi said.

"Oh, really?" said Draco, smiling, "and does anything count as a surprise?"

"I know where this conversation is going," said Romi, shifting to look at him. "That's not exactly a surprise."

Draco leaned forward to kiss her, but seconds later; Hector, who called them both inside for dinner, interrupted them.

The fire licked at her skin. It was burning hot all around her, she squinted into the distance, trying to figure out what she was seeing. But everywhere she looked it was just fire. Romi turned to look behind her, but the flames just stretched in every direction.

Even when she looked up, she couldn't see anything but angry red, orange and white-hot flames.

"Do you recognize this place!" someone shouted beside her. Romi turned to look, holding up a hand to block the light to her eyes, trying to see who was standing with her.

She could just make out the shape of a man.

"Who are you?" Romi shouted back, the roar of the flames was incredible.

"It's Captain," the man yelled back. "Do you recognize this place?"

"It's just fire," shouted Romi, "how can I recognize it!"

"Look, you have to make the connections your own – this place is very big in Muggle superstition. Sometimes I think witches and wizards have forgotten too much of the important mythologies because of their ability with magic."

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Romi shouted over the roar of the flames at him. "What's going on?"

Captain pointed into the distance, and Romi looked trying to see what he was seeing.

"Can you see them?" he asked.

"See what?!"

"Them!"

Romi squinted hard. It was getting difficult to stand the heat of the flames in the place. Then she saw the outline of four men on horseback.

"Who are they?" Romi asked.

There was silence beside her. She looked back at Captain, ready to shout her question over the flames again. However, there was no one there; just walls and walls of flames that seemed to be moving closer and closer to her.

Romi woke in her bedroom at the Malfoy Manor feeling like she'd just got out of a sauna. She lay for a moment, drinking in the quiet of the house around her. Her ears were ringing slightly from the noise in her dream.

Romi turned over, instantly comfortable and ready to go back to sleep. But she remembered what Neville and Ginny had asked of her, so she dragged herself out of bed.

Zhi, Romi's black cat, meowed annoyed as Romi dragged the cat off her desk chair and plopped her on the bed. Zhi stretched and started to chew at her claws, looking blearily at Romi.

Romi rubbed her eyes for a moment before blinking the sleep out of them and forcing herself to find pieces of parchment, a quill and some ink. Carefully she relayed everything that she could remember from her dream into three different letters. She addressed them to Neville, Ginny and Luna and then carefully snuck out of her room.

Despite having spent a lot of time growing up there, Romi felt that the Malfoy Manor was always creepy at night, and now she couldn't attribute any of the weird noises to the house-elf because he wasn't around anymore.

She made her way up the stairs and into the attic where the owls were kept. She was hoping that at least one of them would be in from their nightly feeds. When she got there, she saw that of the six owls that the Malfoys owned, four of them where there.

They hooted at her when she came in and she dispatched three of them with her letters.

She watched them disappear into the night sky for a long while, thinking about the dream that she'd just had. What had Captain been talking about when he said that the fiery place was common in Muggle superstition?

Romi didn't know a whole lot about folklore and mythologies. She was excellent at History of Magic, but that was facts and numbers and she didn't like it either way. Ginny was the one who was good with myths and legends.

Perhaps she would be able to figure out what Romi's dreams had been about.

In the meantime, it was almost four o'clock in the morning, Romi was exhausted and they were supposed to be having company over the next day.

Romi made her way back into bed; collapsed beside Zhi and closing her eyes, fell asleep immediately.

A couple of days earlier Aunt Narcissa had suggested that they invite their friends over for a visit. Romi knew that this did not mean Romi's friends. Aunt Narcissa meant to invite the Slytherins in the same year as Romi and Draco.

This caused great excitement, but also great apprehension on Romi's behalf. As Romi was in Gryffindor at school, it was always tense hanging out with Slytherins. There had been a long-standing feud between the two houses, right from the very beginning when Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin had a falling out and stopped being friends.

Most of the Slytherins associated with the Malfoys merely glossed over the fact that Romi was in Gryffindor and silently pretended that she was actually in Slytherin. However, there was one girl that Romi had gone head to head with since first year, and she was apprehensive that Pansy Parkinson would arrive at the Malfoy Manor.

Her fears, however, were recognized that morning, when Draco's two friends Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle arrived along with Daphne and Astoria Greengrass and Pansy Parkinson.

"Did you invite her?" Romi whispered in Draco's ear, as they walked towards their arriving friends.

"When have I ever invited her," Draco replied. "Of course I didn't, I don't think she understands the concept of invitation."

"Perhaps you should explain it to her," Romi suggested as they got closer to her.

"Do you really think she'll listen?" answered Draco, giving her a questioning glance. Romi held his gaze for a moment, and then sighed.

"Hey," Daphne said as they reached them. She gave Romi a hug, smiling broadly. Romi returned it, and then greeted Astoria with the same affection. She ignored Pansy all together.

"How was your summer so far," Romi asked Daphne, taking her arm and leading her outside towards the backyard. Astoria walked beside Romi, and Romi didn't look back to see if Pansy or the boys were following.

"Good," Daphne replied. "Mum took us to Paris for a two week vacation."

"Wow," Romi said, glancing at Astoria. "Did you go up the Eiffel Tower?"

"We did," Astoria said happily. "It was beautiful! I don't think I've seen quite an amazing site before." Astoria continued talking animatedly about Paris as they made their way towards the patio near the pool. Romi encouraged Astoria's retelling, as Romi was genuinely interested in hearing it, and also because it meant that Romi didn't have to face Pansy yet.

They reached the patio and Romi flopped into a lounging pool chair and looked at the companions with her. Only Daphne and Astoria were there, and Romi felt a twinge of annoyance that Pansy had stayed behind with Draco.

"I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother," Daphne said, softly, as she sat down in the beach chair beside Romi.

"Thanks," Romi muttered in response.

"Are you going to be staying here now?" Daphne asked.

"I'm not sure really," replied Romi, "I mean, for the rest of this summer yes… I guess mum and dad will decide what they want to do when I'm done school at the year."

"It must be a busy time for your father right now anyways," Astoria said. "With the Quidditch World Cup and everything."

"Yeah," Romi replied. "I hardly see him, he's always at the office. But I guess it makes sense, he's working with the other British ambassadors to make this thing pull off without a hitch."

"That's sounds fascinating," Daphne said with a little sigh. "I think that's where I want to go into."

"Really?" asked Romi, glancing at her. "International Magical Co-operation?"

"Well, I guess like more what your father does. Travelling all over the world, meeting new people-"

"Settling a lot of fights?" Romi offered. Daphne glared at her. "What? That's what he does. He's like a negotiator with an impressive title."

"And perks of getting to see the Quidditch World Cup without paying for tickets," Astoria added with a giggle.

"I think he definitely earned those," Romi replied. "He does work hard."

"Well, if you want to be good at anything and better than others you have to work hard for it and put in the effort," Daphne said relish. "If I want to be an ambassador like your father, no one is going to stop me. It's not like you're just going to sit back and take mediocre marks during your Healership."

"I'm not going to argue that one," Romi replied. "Nothing wrong with ambition."

Laughter floated to their ears and all three of the girls turned to see Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy coming around the corner of the house. Pansy was walking with Draco, her large bug eyes, staring up at him with intensity. It was Pansy that was laughing, and it seemed to be at something Draco had said.

Draco was looking a little bewildered at Pansy's behaviour, and Crabbe and Goyle were looking like they were thoroughly confused.

"Now, Pansy definitely has some ambition there," Daphne said with a laugh and she glanced at Romi. Romi was feeling nothing but hatred as she stared at Pansy. It must have shown because Daphne commented on it. "That's a scary face, Romi," she said with a nervous laugh, "you okay?"

Romi ripped her gaze away from Pansy and looked to Daphne, smiling.

"Absolutely," she replied, "couldn't be better!"

Pansy, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle reached the three girls.

"What all this? Leaving us behind?" Draco said, with a very pointed look at Romi. Romi just shrugged and leaned back into the beach chair, closing her eyes.

"Better be careful, Romi," Pansy said with a silly laugh, "get any more freckles on that nose and you'll definitely be looking freaky."

Romi opened her eyes, staring daggers at Pansy and was ready to retort when Draco interrupted.

"Enough, Pansy," he said irritably, "if you want to hang out here, you have to be nice to everyone that lives here, including Romi. And besides, her freckles are adorable."

Romi smirked at Pansy as Draco sat down beside her, leaving Pansy standing alone in front of them. After a tense moment, Pansy stalked to the last empty chair and they all sat quietly for a moment before Daphne launched into another topic that lasted them quite a while.

They spent the early afternoon chatting, and then decided that it was definitely hot enough for them all to go swimming.

Separating, they went to go and change. Romi changed quickly into her new bathing suit and hurried out again. The other girls and Crabbe and Goyle should have already been outside, not having to run all over the Manor to get their bathing suits.

However, as Romi was heading towards the stairs, she turned a corner, to see Draco and Pansy there. Neither of them saw her, and somehow Romi's instinct was to jump back around the corner.

Romi then scolded herself, it was quite clear that they were doing nothing more than talking, and Romi had never had an issue going to up Pansy before and telling her to go away. Romi was just setting herself up to go around the corner, when their voices floated back to her.

"I know you're a very private person, Draco," Pansy was saying softly. Draco just made an affirmative noise in response. If Romi could guess, he was feeling exceptionally awkward right now.

"I just wanted to let you know, that's okay," Pansy continued. "I know your feelings."

Romi frowned listening.

"What are you talking about?" Draco said finally, sounding very confused.

"Your true feelings, I understand that you might not even know what you're feeling yet," Pansy continued. "That's alright, I can wait."

Romi felt the anger boiling up and she stood up straight and turned the corner, ready to say something. Pansy was continuing to talk;

"So, just to get you thinking, here's a taste of what's waiting," Pansy said, and she leaned her hands against his chest, went up on tiptoes and kissed him.

Romi stood, staring dumbstruck, too shocked to say anything. Draco, on the other hand, grabbed Pansy's arms and pushed her away from him hard.

"What are you doing?" he asked heatedly, still unaware that Romi was standing in the hallway.

"Just letting you know my feelings," Pansy said, looking up at him with large eyes, smiling slightly, which emphasized her buckteeth. Pansy stepped forward slightly, putting her hands on his shoulders.

Draco stepped back, pushing her away from him.

"Fantastic, you can stop now," Draco replied bluntly. Pansy didn't seem to catch the annoyed tone of his voice.

"Just think on it," said Pansy sweetly. Draco looked at her baffled and then glanced up, and his eyes fell on Romi. He went white as a sheet. Romi fought furiously with herself about what to do, but she needed a moment to process what had just happened, so she smiled and pretended like she hadn't seen anything.

"There you two are," she said lightly, "ready to go down?"

Pansy jumped slightly and looked over her shoulder. She sighed when she saw it was only Romi, and then took a step back from Draco.

"Ready," she said annoyed to Romi and took a couple of steps down the stairs. Draco paused, looking panicked and waited until Romi got nearer to him.

"I have to talk to you," he said hurriedly, taking her upper arm.

"I know," replied Romi.

Draco looked at her his grey eyes clearly betraying his emotions. He looked to Pansy.

"We'll catch up with you," Draco said, turning slightly to walk back up the stairs, still holding onto Romi's arm. Romi gave Draco a confused stare, and glanced back to Pansy, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, an unreadable expression on her face.

Then she was out of sight and Draco dragged Romi back to her bedroom.

"What are you doing?" Romi asked, removing her arm from his grasp, but continued to follow him.

"I'm talking to you right now," answered Draco opening Romi's bedroom door and then entered. Romi followed and closed the door behind her.

"I think you were right about Pansy liking me," Draco said, looking slightly maniacal as he paced around Romi's bedroom.

"I know I'm right," Romi said. Somehow she didn't feel like relieving Draco of his current torment; because, although, she knew it was entirely Pansy's move, and Draco had even pushed her away, she was still a little mad at him.

"Yeah, well, she just made it painfully obvious," answered Draco, stopping pacing and looking ashamed. "She just kissed me."

Romi paused for a moment and then said, "Yeah, I know I saw."

Draco looked utterly defeated, "oh my god, what kind of a person am I, letting another girl kiss me in front of my girlfriend?" he said, looking horrified with himself.

Romi suddenly couldn't be too angry with him anymore. He had immediately told her, and it was clear that he didn't want to have kissed Pansy.

"Hey," Romi said quickly, grabbing his arms. "Relax, it's okay."

"No, it's not," answered Draco.

"I know that you didn't mean to," Romi replied. "Really! It's all Pansy on this one. And frankly, if you look from her perspective, there is nothing to say that you couldn't go out with her."

"Why are you defending her?" Draco asked, looking astonished.

"I'm not," replied Romi, her voice a little bit dangerous. "Oh, believe me, if I catch her alone at all, she's done for. I'm just saying that I don't find you at fault. And you did come and tell me right away. That's definitely points, you didn't try and hide that from me…"

"Why would I hide that from you?" Draco asked, looking confused.

"In case you thought I would be mad at you," replied Romi, "maybe. Trust me, it's just better that you told me. Though, I'll probably be much angrier with you if I catch you at that again."

"I definitely won't be," Draco said, coming up and wrapping his arms around her. "The only person I intend on kissing is you," he said.

"You also agreed that you don't want to make me mad," Romi said, smiling up to him.

"Oh, I don't know," teased Draco, "you get quite… passionate when you're mad."

"Hilarious," Romi said dryly. "Come on they are going to notice if we're missing."

"Oh, they won't notice if we are five minutes late," Draco replied, drawing Romi a bit closer to him. "Besides I've had a traumatic experience."

"Don't over do it," Romi said, but there was a smiling pulling at her lips. She would much rather stay here for the rest of the afternoon and never have to see Pansy's ugly pug face ever again.

"I won't," Draco said, and gave her a kiss. Romi kissed him back and then had to force herself to back away.

"Time to go," said Romi firmly. "You know it."

"I know," Draco replied, and he walked to the door, putting his arm around Romi as he went. "What's my exit strategy if Pansy corners me again?"

"Punch her," Romi replied as they walked out into the hallway. Romi saw a movement down the corridor, but as she stared, she couldn't see anything.

"I don't think that's a viable option," answered Draco. "Any others?"

"Tell her you're gay," Romi replied.

"That's terribly disrespectful," scolded Draco.

"Fine," answered Romi, she stopped and looked at him. "Tell her that you're not interested. Simple as that."

"Let's just hope that simple solution actually works," Draco said. They reached the stairs, and hurried down and outside again. Daphne, Astoria, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle were all standing around the pool chatting with each other as Romi and Draco came up to them.

Pansy was unusually quiet, and held Romi's gaze when she came up, with an indifferent, unreadable look. Romi wondered for a moment, but then Daphne started talking and distracted Romi.

Romi tried to ignore Pansy as best as she could, but there was something about her behaviour that made Romi continue to look at her. Pansy was normally chatting up Draco, almost to the point of ignoring her friends, and she always had some sort of juicy gossip to share.

However right now, she was listening mostly to Daphne. She stayed somewhat far away from Draco, and Romi was fervently hoping that was because Draco had rejected her advances on the staircase.

It was just about dinner time when Romi got out of the pool and headed to where her towel was, draped over a patio chair near the table of snacks Aunt Narcissa had set out for them.

It took her a moment to realise that someone had followed her out of the pool. Pansy stood beside her, silently getting some snacks. The rest of the group were still in the pool and somehow they felt very far away, the sounds of talking and laughter drifting back to them.

"You know," said Pansy finally, quietly as though she wanted to keep this conversation secret between Romi and herself. "I always took you as being a smart girl, even if you were a thorn in my side."

"I'm flattered," said Romi bluntly, rubbing her towel through her hair and watching Pansy intensely. "I can't say I had the same conclusions about you."

"Your witty responses won't help you this time," Pansy hissed.

"Oh really?" Romi said, trying to sound off hand but she was starting to have a hollow feeling forming in her gut. "What could possibly make this time different."

"I know your little lover secret," Pansy whispered into Romi's ear. Romi just stared straight ahead, trying to keep her feelings calm and figure out what she should say next. "I mean, it wasn't hard to sneak after you two down the hallway after Draco had to so desperately talk to you. Do you think he would have told you if you hadn't seen it?"

Romi was quiet, she just watched Pansy intensely.

"I'm inclined not too," Pansy continued. "I mean, if he has no trouble hiding an incestual relationship, you don't think he'd have trouble hiding a pure and innocent kiss?"

"That was definitely not innocent," Romi replied, staring down into Pansy's eyes. "You had other plans that don't involve innocence."

"My motives are not important," Pansy said. "What's important is that I know you're having a romantic relationship with your first cousin. Don't you think that's a little creepy? You share the same blood."

"That's where you're wrong," said Romi, "I'm adopted, and we aren't related."

"That's such a flimsy excuse," answered Pansy. "But you're in luck. I haven't decided what to do with this information yet. I could tell your parents. I could tell the other Slytherins. I could tell the Gryffindors. I could tell all of them. I mean, if you really didn't care what people thought, you wouldn't be having a secret relationship."

"Pansy, if you keep talking, one night I'm going to pull your teeth out, slowly and painfully," Romi replied through gritted teeth.

"Hmm, we'll see about that," Pansy replied. "I have information that you don't want people to know, that gives me a lot of the power. I'll let you know what you can do for me. Of course, for starters, you should probably hand your lover over to someone who isn't related to him. Like me."

Pansy turned away and walked back towards the pool, smiling and laughing, pretending like she had not just blackmailed anyone.