Rory was visibly bored and annoyed by the time Harry got back from listening in on Draco and Snape's conversation.

"I've been looking all over for you," she whined.

"I know; I'm sorry," he said. "I'll tell you all about it as soon as we get out of here."

She looked confused for a moment and then frowned. Her voice dropped down to a whisper. "Were spying on Draco and Snape?"

"Yes, and for good reason, apparently," he replied. "Do you want to go?"

Rory nodded. "Hermione's already gone back to the dorm. Atlas and Luna left as well."

The party did seem to be winding down, Harry noticed. Hand in hand they bid farewell to their remaining classmates and professors and headed out. But he wanted to talk to her, alone, before they got back upstairs. Tomorrow they'd be on the train home and who knew when he'd get another opportunity to be alone with her.

When they opened the door, there was a familiar bed in the room and Rory let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, these shoes are killing me," she said as Harry closed the door behind them. She sat on the bed, slid out of her shoes, and flopped backward. Harry sat beside her, sliding out of his own shoes, and fell back beside her.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much," she said. She rolled onto her side and kissed him with intent. Her fingers grazed his cheek before sliding into his hair. His skin tingled as she dragged her nails across his scalp.

"I did bring you in here to chat," he said as she kissed down his neck.

"Sure," she replied. "This bed is here because you wanted to have a chat with me and not just because you wanted to get me out of this dress."

"If I recall correctly, I mentioned that I'd like you to keep it on," he said.

"So you didn't forget," she said pulling away.

He had hardly been thinking about anything else until Draco showed up at the party if he was being honest. Now that he was watching Rory wiggle out of her tights, the dress hiked up around her thighs revealing her blue, lace knickers. Maybe he'd have her keep those on too.

She tossed the tights to the grounds and then sat astride him. He ushered her back to his lips and he slid a hand beneath her dress and grasped her ass tightly. She inhaled sharply and her hips rocked against his in response.

"I think this bed showed up because you were getting ideas," Harry said.

"I'm the one with the ideas?" she laughed and kissed him deeply and she rocked her hips against his again. He was already stiffening and Rory was taking full advantage. "Feels like you're the one with ideas."

"You're not helping," he said. She continued grinding against him.

"Not helping?" she asked. "I think you're quite enjoying it."

"So are you," he said, resting his hand between her thighs. He could feel the heat radiating there. A cursory swipe of his thumb across her barely there knickers proved he was correct. She shuddered and moved harder against him.

He grabbed her hips but was surprised when she grabbed his hands and pinned them down beside him. She shook her head.

"Not yet," she said. It was clear now that she was trying to wind him up as much as possible. Her hips moved rhythmically, the friction between their bodies was delicious and he just wanted more.

"You're quite the tease tonight aren't you?" he asked. She chuckled, and her body shuddered. "Seems like your plan is going to backfire."

"Is it?" she challenged.

"You're going to make yourself come if you keep this up," he said.

"If I do, I can just come again. And again," she said, already her voice was getting breathy. "I wonder, how many times can I make myself come before you can't stand it anymore?"

She was very determined as she spoke the words, moving faster and faster. She put a hand on his shoulder and her eyes closed. She moaned softly with each rock of her hips. Harry was entranced. She looked incredible.

"Do you want to see me come, Lovey?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, raising his hips to press his cock into her. He was certain that he was not going to last either.

To Harry's astonishment, Rory let go of his shoulder and she slid the hand beneath her dress and into her knickers. She moaned louder now, rocking her hips against his cock and her fingers.

Rory's thighs clamped around him and her hand as she came. She moaned his name, panting desperately. The one hand she had on his chest was all that was keeping her upright. She trembled as her climax ebbed and her eyes started to flutter open.

"Do you know how fucking sexy you are when you do that?" he said as she pulled her fingers from her panties. He took her fingers into his mouth and sucked them clean. She pulled her fingers away and kissed him, her tongue sliding into his mouth, chasing the taste of herself in him.

Then she sat up suddenly and grabbed the belt on his trousers.

"All done teasing me?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "Because I'm a liar and I'm weak and I want you."

He could hear the desperation in her voice. To her great luck, Harry also felt that same, hungry desperation.

Harry kicked his trousers and underpants away and then pulled Rory back onto his lap. He slid his hands beneath her dress and pushed it upward. Rory fully cooperated as he pulled it over her head and tossed it to the ground.

"What happened to keeping it on?" she asked as she undid his tie.

"I'm also a liar and weak and I want you," he said. Rory smiled and kissed him, hard. Her fingers fiddled uselessly against the buttons on his shirt. The wet lace of her panties was grinding temptingly against his cock. She seemed to be very determined to get his shirt undone and Harry decided to do everything in his power to distract her from her task.

He did a great job at distracting her. Her lips maneuvered their way down his jaw to his neck. She rocked into him. He was playing a dangerous game now that Rory was actively participating. But he could taste her want, feel it in every press of her hips against his and every soft moan she breathed into his neck.

Rory reached for his shirt buttons again, but her fingers still faltered. She groaned in frustration. She rocked against him, clearly desperate now, having had enough of a taste of her own medicine.

"Harry," she pleaded. He was all too eager to give in, but her movement stopped suddenly and her legs clenched around him. She moaned loudly and clung to him tightly, burying her face into his chest.

After a moment, she relaxed against him again. Harry's hands traveled up to her waist.

"Did you just come again?" he asked. She nodded, her face still buried in his shirt. Harry took a fistful of her hair and tilted her head up to his. She kissed him hungrily. Her fingers clawed at his shirt and he felt her pull it open. Harry was only faintly aware of the sound of buttons clattering to the ground. The press of her warm body against his drowned out all his other senses.

Rory's hands traveled up his chest to his shoulders. She kissed his neck again, her mouth practically lived there since they'd gotten here.

"Again?" she pleaded into his neck. "I still want you."

Harry could only think of how badly he wanted to be inside of her right now. It was only a miracle that he hadn't come the same as she had. But he was through playing. He grabbed her knickers, now thoroughly soaked through, and pulled them to the side, teasing her entrance with his finger.

Rory'd had enough teasing too. She raised her hips and then lowered herself onto him. The relief of it was almost ecstasy. Rory came almost immediately, but Harry was undeterred, thrusting into her over and over again. She buried her face in his chest, repeating his name every time he buried himself instead of her.

It was incredible, she was incredible. The way her body gripped his, the way she felt around him, the way she was moaning his name. And he was so deep inside of her with him atop her like this. Harry was lost, driven by an insatiable need for release and for more of her.

His orgasm was powerful, and he gripped her tightly, haphazardly driving himself into her, enjoying every drop of his release.

When they stopped, they were sweaty and loose-limbed, breathing hard. Rory rested languidly against him. Harry grabbed hold of her hips and then moved her to lie on the bed. Laid down beside her and he felt a blissful kind of exhaustion take him over.

"Sorry about your shirt," she said.

He was still wearing it, though it was clinging to his damp skin now.

"It's alright," he chuckled. Harry rolled onto his side. Rory's face was tilted towards his, a sleepy kind of smile on her face. He kissed her and she giggled again. "Pretty good reason to have my shirt ruined. Didn't look very good on me anyway."

"Everything looks good on you," she said.

"Especially you," he said. This elicited another giggle from Rory. This time she kissed him, a slow, lingering kiss. He stared down into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you," she repeated. She kissed him again and sat up. She turned her head to the corner of the room. Another door had appeared there. "Lovely. I need to get myself cleaned up." She climbed out of the bed and walked over to the door. Harry couldn't help but stare at her mostly naked form as she crossed the room. She looked over her shoulder at him and gave him a wink before walking into the bathroom and closing the door.

Harry got up from the bed and got himself put back together as well. He'd turned his back from the bed for only a second and when he finished gathering his clothes from the floor he'd turned back to the bed and it was neatly made again and a pile of neatly folded pajamas was at the foot of the bed.

The last time he'd slept here had been about a year ago when Mister Weasley had been attacked. Circumstances were very different tonight. And they were leaving tomorrow morning. Harry was already packed. He was sure Rory wouldn't protest. And if she wanted to go back to their room, he had the cloak with him after all. That was how—

How he'd been able to spy on Draco during the party. He'd almost forgotten. He'd gotten wildly sidetracked bringing her in here. He was likely to get distracted again if he was going to sleep next to her tonight. But he had to mention this to her before they went home.

He changed and climbed onto the bed. A few minutes later, Rory emerged from the bathroom, clad in her own pair of clean pajamas. She climbed onto the bed beside and cuddled in close to him.

"Sleepover?" she teased.

"If you like," he said.

"I like very much, thank you," she said. She kissed his cheek and climbed underneath the blankets. Harry joined her and she scooted in close to him. She let out a deep breath and he felt her relax against his body.

Harry was thinking of how to start this off, how to avoid an argument as he explained himself. Suddenly she was snapping in front of his face.

"Earth to Harry Potter," she giggled. "Have you heard a word I've said?"

"Sorry," he apologized. "I was just… Thinking about Malfoy."

Rory crinkled her eyebrows.

"Do you often think of Malfoy after we have sex?" Rory asked.

"No, it's not that, sorry," he said. He kissed her. "Before we left the party, I heard Malfoy talking to Snape in the corridor."

"Ah," she said. "When you abandoned me. I'd almost forgotten."

Harry sighed. "I know you don't believe me about Malfoy."

"Lovey, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just… He's Draco Malfoy. He's an asshole and I understand he could be pissed about his dad, but he's not evil," she said.

"Snape told him he was being reckless. Malfoy said that whatever Voldemort asked him to do, he could do it on his own. But then Snape said he was going to help him and that he'd promised Malfoy's mother that he'd make sure nothing happened to him," Harry explained. "He said he made something called an 'unbreakable vow.'"

Rory cocked an eyebrow at him. "That's what he said? The Unbreakable Vow?"

Harry nodded. "What is it?"

"Well, it's what it says it is. It's a magical vow. It's unbreakable," Rory said.

"What happens if you break an unbreakable vow?" Harry asked.

"You die," Rory said. "Magic is lovely isn't it?" She sat her head on his shoulder. "If anything, Lovey, I think it's Snape we should be worried about. If Malfoy is a deatheater, why is Snape helping him and making unbreakable vows with his mother? Why does Dumbledore even trust him? He was a deatheater before. What made him switch sides? If he did at all?"

Rory laid back on the bed with a huff.

"Are you upset?" he asked. He laid down beside her, lying on his side to face her.

"I'm not upset with you," Rory said. Harry brushed one of her loose curls from her face. He kissed her cheek. "It's just… Why can't we just be like regular 16-year-olds, who sneak around and whose pillow talk doesn't involve dark wizards?"

"I am sorry I brought it up," he said. It had been kind of a nice evening until he'd opened his mouth.

"It's not that you brought it up, it's that you shouldn't be worrying about it at all," she said. "It's not fair. We should just be worrying about normal stuff like our end-of-term exams, NEWTs, and if my dads will be able to tell if we're sleeping together when they see us over break."

Harry furrowed his brow. "Well, I hadn't even considered that last thing until you said it just now, but I am worried about all those things anyway."

"And now you have to worry about if some Dark Wizard is going to kill you," Rory said. She rolled onto her side to look at him. "I just hate that this is your life."

"It's your life too. Plus the cult," Harry said.

Rory huffed. "Yeah. It's all stupid."

They were silent for a moment. Harry chose his words carefully. "I agree with you about Snape. I don't trust him either. I don't think I ever have. But Draco… It sounds like—"

"He probably is a Deatheater Harry," Rory said.

"And you think Dumbledore is right? That you being friends with him will turn him away from all that?" Harry asked.

Rory sat up. She looked far away all of a sudden. For a moment he thought she was about to tell him she'd had some horrible prediction, but instead, he watched her wipe tears from her eyes. He sat up now, resting a hand on the small of her back.

"What is it" he asked.

"You don't know what it feels like to be around him. The exhaustion, the fear… The guilt," Rory said. "This is his life too. Probably worries if a dark wizard is going to kill him or someone he cares about. I don't think he deserves that any more than we do."

Harry put his arm around Rory and she rested her head back on his shoulder.

"I know he kind of sucks. A lot. But he sucks a lot less these days," she said. "And one day… I'm going to need his help."

"With what?" Harry asked.

Rory shrugged. "I'll sleep on it and journal it and dissect it in the morning. But until then—"

The rest of her words were cut off as he groaned. He didn't need to hear the rest to know that she'd predicted something, vaguely, about Draco Malfoy. And if she said that she was going to need Draco's help, he knew she was probably right.

"I don't like this," he said.

"I know," she said. "But he needs help. And the only other person offering it to him is Snape."

"I don't want you getting dragged into whatever shit he's in," Harry said.

"Lucky for you, neither does he," Rory said. "I don't like to say that Dumbledore is right, but when it comes to Draco, he's right about that."

Rory laid back on the bed and Harry laid beside her.

"I trust you," Harry said. Rory had legitimately become friends with Draco Malfoy. She cared about what happened to him. "I don't trust him. But I trust you."

Rory stayed the night with Harry in the Room of Requirement. They'd meant to get up early and head back to the dorms just before breakfast, but they'd gotten a bit distracted. Instead, they changed into a fresh set of clothes, provided by the room, and went down to breakfast.

"Smart of you to not come back to the dorm," Matilda said. "Ron was pissy all evening and Lavender was in a crap mood as well. They were sniping at each other all night. And when Hermione finally came back to the room, she and Lavender got into it as well."

"Knew that would happen," Rory said.

"Ginny and Dean got into it as well. They're pretty much over," Matilda said.

"I wondered why they weren't at the party," Harry groaned. "Hopefully it doesn't affect the team too badly."

Matilda huffed. "All your friends' relationships are going to shit around you, meanwhile you're off having a grand old time screwing each other all night."

"Hey," Harry started, "all morning too."

Rory elbowed him in the side and he and Matilda laughed.

"Think you'll be able to survive now that you'll have to keep your hands to yourselves for several weeks?" Matilda asked.

"Well, I'll be fine. Don't know about this one," Harry teased.

Rory rolled her eyes. She was not going to entertain this subject any longer. "It's not too late to change your mind about spending the holidays with us."

"I know, but I'm going to stay here," Matilda said.

Rory pouted. "I hate thinking of you being here all by yourself."

"I'm going to be spending the holiday with some of Hogwarts' finest educators. And it's going to be paradise sleeping alone in our dorm without a gaggle of giggling girls for once," Matilda said.

"But—"

"No buts," Matilda insisted. "The only thing I can of being more depressing than spending Christmas here is spending it with you and Weasleys and your dad all constantly checking in to make sure I'm alright."

"What if I promise not," Rory said.

"You wouldn't be so insistent on me coming if you were going to be able to do that. You're not even good at not checking in on me right now," she said.

Rory took a breath. She could tell Matilda was getting annoyed, so she stepped off. But Rory didn't think it was such a big deal that she worried about her best friend.

"I just—"

"Stop," Matilda said. "If it makes you feel better, I won't be alone. I'm not the only person staying at the school for the holiday, after all. I've already even made plans to hang out with them as soon as the train leaves the station."

"Who, you and Draco Malfoy?" Rory scoffed.

"No one you need to worry about," Matilda said.

Rory frowned. "And this is just a friend. Not a 'friend'?"

"What are you getting at?" Matilda asked.

"Well, it's just that Neville is under the impression that you're seeing someone," Rory said.

Matilda rolled her eyes. "Of course, he thinks so. Good of him to be concerned about it after he decided all on his own that we weren't going to be a good match right now."

"He only—"

"Rory I'm done talking about this," Matilda said. "You know, for someone who needed all the space in the world after going through something utterly traumatizing, you sure don't know how to give other people that same space."

"Mattie—"

"I'll see you when you get back. Have a happy Christmas," Matilda said. She got up from the table, but Rory wasn't going to let things end like this. She got up and followed after her.

"Matilda, wait," Rory said as she chased her up the stairs in the entrance hall.

"What?" Matilda asked. "I'm not letting you talk me into coming to your house for Christmas, I don't want to hear any more about how worried about me you are and I kind of hate how much time you and Neville spend commiserating about my well-being."

"We don't commiserate," Rory said. "He's not even the one who mentioned you might be seeing someone. He told Harry about what happened over the summer and that he thought you might seeing someone. Harry just repeated it back to me."

"Well, I'm glad Harry Potter is also speculating about my well-being now as well," Matilda said.

"He's not," Rory said. "I don't understand why you're being so hostile."

"Merlin, Rory, do you not listen or something?" Matilda asked. "Space. I want space. From you, from Neville, and every single other person who won't let me stop thinking about what happened. You don't get to decide for me how much space I need or how long I want that space. At this point, you don't even know how to listen when I ask you not to bring it up."

"I just don't want—"

"I just want to be able to make decisions for myself without everyone telling me I'm dealing with things all wrong," Matilda said. "Do you get that?"

Rory nodded. "Yeah."

"Good. Happy Christmas," Matilda said. And she marched up the stairs away from Rory.

After breakfast, Rory was hopeful that Matilda would be in their room so she could try to clear the air one last time before they got on the train, but Matilda was nowhere to be found.

Rory had started that morning feeling excited about the holiday and now she was in the worst mood ever. She and Matilda had bickered lots over the years, but they'd never argued so much before, not like now. Not like today, Matilda's parting words had very much sounded like she wasn't planning on staying in touch at all over the break and that the silence might continue when Rory got back to school.

Sirius was giddy with happiness as he waited on the platform for the children. Remus was still very much dead on his feet beside him, but he wasn't going to miss an opportunity to see her as soon as he could. And rightly so.

Tonks had gone by the time Remus woke up yesterday, but Sirius filled him in on the meeting and the Servants of Pythia in general. He'd only had to hint about Aurora's general disapproval of him staying out of touch after he promised he wouldn't. She was sure Aurora would give him hell for it at some point.

Molly was standing anxiously with them, looking down the track for signs of the approaching train.

"What's got you so excited, Molly?" Sirius asked.

"Ron thought he would introduce his girlfriend while she was here," Arthur said giving them a knowing look. There had not been a girl brought into the Weasley clan who hadn't been scrutinized to the teeth that Sirius had seen. Even though Harry wasn't a Weasley, Molly was even wary of Aurora.

"I'm sure she's lovely," Arthur said.

"Sure. They all are aren't they?" Molly said, sounding completely unconvinced.

"Oh, good, I'm not late."

They turned and Tonks was standing there.

"Wasn't expecting you," Remus said.

"Wasn't expecting me either, until I was asked to make sure Harry and Aurora are properly escorted home," Tonks said.

"You should stay for dinner with Harry and me," Sirius insisted.

"Happily," Tonks agreed. She looked to Remus. "Have you had much sleep since yesterday?"

"Only about 18 hours of it," Remus said.

"Can't have you going out like that again," Arthur said matter-of-factly. "Might not come back at. all. And you look terrible, don't mind me saying."

"I'm well aware," Remus said as the train whistle sounded down the tracks.

"Finally," Molly said. She took a deep breath. "I'm sure she's lovely."

The train pulled into the station and slowly students began to disembark. Something had clearly happened on the train because everyone was talking excitedly.

Sirius spotted Aurora and Neville first, talking with a tall, dark-skinned boy who looked deeply upset by something. Next, Hermione stepped off the train with Ginny who wasn't crying but had been. Harry stepped off the train with Atlas who—

"Is he bleeding?" Tonks asked.

"He doesn't seem bothered by it," Remus said. "Interesting that it's not Harry for once."

Ron was close behind Harry, a girl wound around his arm.

"Lavender?" Remus asked.

"That's the girl's name," Arthur said. "You taught her?"

"Yes," Remus said. "She's… Not who I was expecting."

Sirius was still trying to untangle all of the chaos that was currently transpiring. Aurora had walked away from the boy and joined Harry and Atlas.

"'Sup," Atlas said casually when he reached them.

"Why are you bleeding?" Sirius asked.

"Correction. I was bleeding. I am not anymore," Atlas said. "Harry fixed my nose after someone punched me in the face and broke it."

"Why did someone punch you in the face?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, don't worry. I deserved it," Atlas said dismissively.

"Yes, you absolutely did," Aurora scolded him. "I told you—"

"I know, I know, I know," Atlas said. "I will make sure I listen to your advice in the future."

"I don't believe you," Aurora replied.

"That's probably for the best," Atlas said. "See you in a few weeks. I'm gonna go get yelled at by my mom." He looked to Sirius. "I'm sure she's going to catch you up on all my shenanigans."

"Looking forward to it," Sirius said.

Atlas hugged Aurora and then went on his way.

"I have more sympathy for you having to go to school with him," Rory said, motioning to Sirius as she hugged Remus.

"Having someone break your nose is right on the mark for your particular brand of chaos," Remus said.

"It does seem disturbingly genetic," Sirius said. He turned to Harry while Remus and Aurora caught up. "So what exactly happened?"

Harry let out a long-suffering sigh. "So much. Just… So much." He looked over to Ginny, and then he turned his attention to Ron and Lavender who were talking to Molly and Arthur. Lavender had a death grip on Ron's arm.

"And those two?" Sirius asked.

Harry groaned again. "So much."