No response to my letter was forthcoming, and by the end of the week I had achieved a certain level of peace with it. After a hard practice in the chilly spring rain, I decided to reheat myself in the strong shower of the quidditch lockerrs, where I took the time to practice the meditation exercises Professor Firenze had recommended. Standing still and relaxed, I considered each part of my body from head to foot. The water running down the length of my long hair. My sore shoulders soothed by the wet heat. My back, relaxed and curved. My legs which I adjusted until my weight was exactly balanced between the two. My mind slowly emptied and I felt... something, like a gentle hum, waiting in the background. I sensed that this was my sight, my ability to latch on to anxieties and provide a vision. I tried to block it gently, lessen its presence. Firenze thought if I worked at this, I might be able to control it better, and not be triggered so easily by any agitated passerby.

By the time I exitted the shower and dried off in its antechamber, I realized I had once again lingered too long and the Slytherins had all come into the locker room to ready themselves for their practice. I would have to wait for them to leave before retrieving my clothes and getting dressed. I stood wrapped in my dark blue luxurious towel-you had to splurge on these types of necessities-I had learned that from Lavender. As I stood quietly, listening to their banter, the only voice I couldn't make out was Draco's. I knew he was there, as him teammates were speaking to him, he just wasn't saying much of anything back.

Suddenly a ludicrous idea struck me, which I was hesitant to carry it out at first, until I thought that Lavender would have dared me to do it and then laughed herself silly. I had to do it now, to honor my dead best friend. I drew my hair over my shoulder, refastened my towel to make sure it wouldn't come loose and grimaced to myself. This was going to be hilarious-maybe. At least I would have the opportunity to mess with Draco. I stepped out of the shower stall, wearing nothing but my towel and shower slippers and walked towards the lockers where the Slytherins were kitting up. Their voices lowered when they heard my footsteps. As I turned the corner and they came into view they went dead silent.

"Sorry to bother you, I just need to retrieve my clothes," I said ditzily pointing past them to my locker at the end of row. The Slytherins were on either side of a bench that ran along a narrow line of lockers. I turned sideways and squeezed past them, apologizing as several gaped at me but uttered not a single syllable. At least one stared dumbly at my chest as I passed him. Their one girl player and Michael were the only two chuckling. "Hi Michael," I said to him from across the aisle as I walked past.

He smirked back, "Hey there."

At the end of the group was their Captain, sitting several feet down from the rest of the team in the middle of putting on his boots. He too was staring up at me, and in his crouched position was blocking my way entirely. He was frozen and unmoving, until I smiled and gently asked, "Malfoy, do you mind letting me by?"

He stood up quickly, wearing one boot and knocking the other off the bench, sending his teammates into howls of laughter. I might have accidentally on purpose brushed against him as I passed. I gathered my clothes and when I turned around, Malfoy ordered everyone onto one side of the bench to let me pass unimpeded. "Thanks," I said and held his gaze for a second before sauntering away. He looked stoic, but I knew him well enough to know I had gotten underneath his skin. As I changed into my clothes and was lacing up my shoes, I heard the Slytherins all whispering and laughing about me. One praised my legs and another teased Malfoy for his reaction. The girl chided them all hypothesizing that I was messing with them before our upcoming game and they were falling for it. One of the players must have said or done something that crossed a line because Malfoy suddenly exploded and ordered him to run five laps before practice started. Aahhh, he did care.

Still smiling to myself, I came back out of the stall to find Malfoy had returned and was blocking the door. "What's up?" I asked casually, though my heart was thumping. I hadn't talked to him since the day Longwood and Rosier had discovered us. It felt so long ago.

"You need to understand, this is over between us," Draco said coldly.

"What makes you think I don't understand?" I asked.

"That little stunt."

"Maybe I just really needed my clothes. Maybe I wanted to flirt with Mulciber," I said grinning, and Malfoy looked angry. "Maybe I was just messing with you."

"Well, cut it out," he ground out.

"Does it bother you?"

"Yes, I'd prefer not to play games."

"Okay," I said looking down with mock contriteness. "Are you going to tell me why you broke up with me, what happened?"

"Nothing happened," he said with a straight face. "It was just time to end it."

"Well, Draco, that's a lie and you know it," I countered and his scowl deepened. "You don't go from where we were to nothing, just like that." I paused and realized he wasn't going to respond. I sighed. "But I'm glad to talk with you after so long. Walls up please."

"Huh?" he asked and realizing I was moving toward him for a hug threw up his mental walls so he wouldn't trigger me. He kept his body rigid and didn't wrap his arms around me but rested his head momentarily on mine. "I have to get to practice."

I sighed and hugged him tighter, "If this is our last hug, let me make it last. Just tell me, are you leaving me just to protect me?"

"No, it's to protect us both. I'm sorry but this relationship just isn't what I want anymore," he said testily. Liar. "You know, you still owe me one, a favor. I'm cashing it in now. Just leave me be, stop with the letters and the walking around in a towel." He was being so mean, but I stood on my toes and gave him a peck on the cheek. If I was right, this was hurting him even more than it hurt me.

"We'll still see eachother in class and things. Are we friends?" I asked.

"No," Draco said coldly. "We can be civil to eachother."

"Civil?" I gasped out and wanted to shake him. Who was this man? He acted like he had no feelings at all, except I knew the opposite to be true. For whatever reason he thought it was best to pretend like he had never known me. "I should go." I moved to leave and to my surprise he held onto me for a few moments and seemed to be cataloging my face. He then abruptly released me, turned, and rushed out the door.

What a goddamn mess.

The next time we had History of Magic he was indeed civil to me. He said next to nothing, handed me papers the Bulldog had given to the first table with the command to take one and pass it on. That was it. I wanted to reach across the bench and hold his hand as Professor Fields droned on, but he had used my promise to demand I leave him alone. I hadn't gone back on a promise yet, not ever, but was keeping my word worth it? We were still tied together, I felt it in every fiber of my being. Maybe I just needed to give it time. Let the earth take a few turns as the watch from my sister currently advised. I could do that, be patient and see what happened.

That weekend was the spring dance the entire student body had been looking forward to, including me. On our last trip to Hogsmeade I had picked out the perfect dress. It was a mint green satin that clung to my body and ended at my calves, had short fluttery sleeves, and was trimmed with copper colored lace that matched my shiny copper colored heels. I pinned my mass of hair back into an old fashioned updo and that rather pretty I thought, I tucked a few small white flowers into my hair, the epitome of spring. Fay had picked out a pastel blue dress of a similar length and we looked well matched as came down the stairs. Everyone, from the tiny little first years to the eighth years looked fantastic. Cormac found me quickly, smiled and complimented my appearance. I returned the compliment, he always looked handsome, but in his dress robes there was hardly a girl whose head he couldn't turn. I was definitely in that minority, but I could still appreciate what a fine looking partner he'd be for this party.

He was great all evening, dancing with me most of the time and otherwise just hanging around with our friends laughing and talking. I had half expected him to ditch me after a half hour. A large dance floor had been constructed on the grounds, and decorated extensively with spring flowers. It was an unseasonable warm evening. Floating candles provided gentle illumination while the colors of sunset still lingered on the horizon. At one point I noticed that Draco was dancing with several girls, but didn't seem to have one particular girl who was his date. That was a relief. When Cormac and I were tired from dancing, we made our way out to a patio set down the hill a ways. We sat on a oversized chair together by the fire and talked. We were soon joined by Seamus and Romilda and Michael and his girlfriend Tessa. We had spoken before, but didn't know eachother well. She was shy at first but opened up as the conversation progressed. Soon Mandy Brocklehurst and Blaise Zabini came to join us as well as Hannah and Neville.

Seamus who was slightly inebriated, observed, "All the houses being friendly together. Merlin, this makes me sick." Everyone laughed, and I reached out and squeezed Seamus' hand, knowing there was a bit of truth to his joke. He had come a long way since the beginning of the year, when sitting at a table chatting with a Slytherin, any Slytherin, had been out of the question. When I let go of Seamus' hand and leaned back I noticed McLaggen had draped his arm behind my shoulder. It didn't mean anything, it was just a tight space. Soon we were all laughing again, this time at the expense of Neville's non existent flying skills. After a while we were all summoned back to the dance floor by Dean and Fay.

As it grew late and people began leaving I found myself walking down a flower strewn path toward the castle, alone with Cormac. He drew me to the side and leaned back against a tree covered in white blossoms. "So what's your deal?" he asked me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, you're not seeing anyone, are you open to maybe changing that?"

"Cormac McLaggen, are you asking me out on a real date?"

"Well, sure, but if you want to skip straight to the making out, I'm game."

I shoved his shoulder, "You're incorrigible."

"No but seriously, why not date me?"

I sighed, "It's not you, per se. Though it is hard to take the idea of dating you seriously. Remember what you did to my best friend Fay?"

"I apologized for that," he said and smiled sheepishly. "I'm serious now, date me for real. What do you say?"

"I'd say, I'm flattered. You're a nicer guy than I've given you credit for, but no."

"Ah, so you think that poorly of me?" Cormac said actually looking a little disgruntled as he turned aside. "I know what my reputation is, I just didn't think it made me completely undateable."

I reached out and touched his arm. "It's not that, honestly. I just don't have the heart for it." I sighed, "Cormac, How do you do it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, go out with someone new every week? Have all these shallow relationships?"

"You mean, have fun?" he restated.

"Isn't it exhausting?"

He laughed. "You really want to know?" I nodded.

"Yeah, well, after last year and the almost dying and everything. I figure life is too short, I want to go out with all the pretty girls I see. Party. Laugh, feel alive, you know what I mean?"

"Actually, that makes sense." I said.

"So feel like having fun with me?" he asked again.

I sighed. "Somehow, after last year, the opposite seems to have happened to me. After losing friends, and cheating death, I want it all to mean something. I want to be soul-shaking deeply in love."

Cormac smiled genuinely. "Well damn, Parvati. Sounds like we're at an impasse. You might just win me over to your way of thinking though. Maybe you could be deeply in love with me."

I laughed, "Yeah right. Sorry my heart is already spoken for."

"Dean?" he wondered aloud.

"Nope."

"Finnigan? Potter? Longbottom? That Slytherin kid-Flint?" He kept guessing despite my vigorous head shakes.

"No, no, no, and no, and you'll never guess so stop trying."

"Why aren't you here with this mystery guy then?"

"That would be because he didn't want to take me." I admitted.

"Ouch, that sucks. You should make out with me, get your revenge," he said pulling me closer to him.

I laughed, "You're lucky you're cute or more girls would punch you in the face."

"I'm just messing with you," he said. "But seriously it's been fun tonight. You're all right you know."

I hugged him, "Friends?"

"Always," he responded. "Should I walk you back?"

"You go ahead, I'm going to walk for a bit, enjoy the moonlight." He looked at me puzzled, "I'll be back soon."

"Sure thing, good night then."

"Good night McLaggen." He strode off towards the door, his hands in his pockets and his tie loosened.

I took off my sandals, and walked off barefoot towards a secluded corner of the castle, where the stonework formed a comfortable bench on which I could lay back and bask in the moonlight. The evening was beautiful, I had wonderful friends, but I was also so alone. I released my hair from its pins and it fell backward draping down to the grass. My heart was hurting, and it wasn't the kind of hurt that would heal. I couldn't help but feel that Draco was making a huge mistake, but I couldn't stop him. A tear dripped down the side of my face and disappeared into my hair. I closed my eyes and let another tear slide free.

Suddenly I was being kissed, and there was no mistaking who it was. I drew my hands up and ran my fingers through his hair, and gasped out in relief. I sat up and he moved with me. "Just one night," he said to me. My eyebrows drew up in confusion, what was he saying?

"And then you'll leave me again?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Yes."