Eve

            That Friday after classes were over, I left Charms with Ginny and headed down to the lake so we could sit with Harry and Neville. Ginny had had a particularly difficult Transfiguration test earlier that morning, so she wanted to just relax now that it was finally the weekend. I didn't blame her; this week had crazy in more ways than one, so I wanted nothing more than to just sit around and do nothing for a while.

            We were able to sit on the ground beside Harry and Neville, now that the weather was starting to get warmer and the snow had melted. I hid my smile when Ginny tactfully placed herself beside Harry, while I took a seat on the other side of Neville.

            The four of us talked and sat around for a few hours, and in that time I had managed to forget all about the stress of classes and everything that had been happening during Potions lately. I had my back pressed against the trunk of the large oak tree when Neville suddenly looked up at the sun and said, "It's got to be almost five."

            "Is it?" Ginny asked, and she sounded worried as she got up off the ground. She glanced between Neville and Harry, saying, "We should get going, then."

            "Yeah, let's go," Harry agreed, standing quickly along with Neville.

            I sat up and looked at the three of them, wondering why they were all in such a big hurry. "Wait, what? Do you have somewhere to be?"

            "Huh?" Ginny seemed to remember that I was there, and she awkwardly looked at Harry as though he could answer for her. When he said nothing, Ginny avoided eye contact with me and replied quickly, "We've just got to go. Quidditch meeting. Sorry, Eve, I'll see you around."

            "Okay. Bye," I said, and then they were gone before I could remember that Neville didn't play Quidditch.

            I decided to just forget about it, because worrying over what the three of them were up to was not something extra I needed right now. I leaned back against the tree again, figuring that being alone for a little while would be good for me. Lately, I'd felt as though I was always surrounded by people—and usually it was people I didn't like. Potions was becoming especially difficult, because Zabini had been trying to talk to me this week and Draco looked as though he was about to hex him at all times. I just wished Zabini would try to forget that I was even at that table; after all, that was what I was doing for him.

            Eventually, the air got to be too cold for me and I finally stood up. Brushing the damp leaves from my legs, I started back for the castle. It was getting dark now too, so I decided I would just go straight to dinner—I'd already forgotten about Ginny's hasty excuse from earlier.

            When I entered the Great Hall, most of the tables were pretty full, so I made my way over to the Slytherin table. I was just looking to see if Draco was already seated when I heard him call my name.

            "There you are," he said, waving me over from his place near the end of the table. I headed over and sat across from him, unsure as to why he looked so flustered. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

            "I was down by the lake," I told him slowly, reaching for the potatoes. "Why?"

            Draco pushed his finished plate away from himself as he leaned a bit closer to me, and he watched me carefully as he said, "I—I actually need a favor."

            "What?" I laughed, looking over at him as I picked up my fork. "Alright, go for it."

            "Okay look," Draco sighed, putting his elbows against the edge of the table. "You know Ben Parkinson? He got suspended today."

            "...for what?" I asked, not sure where this was going.

            "He played a prank on Umbridge this morning," Draco grinned. "It was brilliant, he—never mind, I'll tell you later. Anyway, he's been suspended so he can't play in the match against Hufflepuff tomorrow."

            I was opening my mouth to automatically ask who Draco was going to get to replace Pansy's brother, but I glanced across the table and realized he was looking at me. My stomach dropped as I realized exactly what he was doing and asked, "Wait...are you actually—?"

            "Yes," Draco interrupted, looking nervous as though he was expecting me to throw my potatoes at him. "You have to—I mean, I was wondering if—if you wanted to play for us again."

            I looked at him as he stumbled over his words, knowing he was trying his hardest to ask nicely. Shifting in my seat, I began unsurely, "I don't know..."

            "Please, Eve," Draco said. "You're brilliant at Quidditch, everyone knows it now. Besides, I know you liked playing in the last match."

            "Not really," I said weakly, but I knew he wouldn't believe me. And I couldn't deny that I really did like playing Quidditch; I just didn't want to get that nervous over another match again, because actually being sick to my stomach over Quidditch was not something I needed. "Are you sure you want me to? I mean, we lost when I—"

            "Of course I want you to play. We would've done a lot worse if you hadn't played for us last time," Draco told me instantly, then realized what he'd said and awkwardly looked down at the table. "Um, what I'm trying to say is that you'll definitely help us win. Come on, Eve. It'll be fun."

            He gave me a stupid half grin at this, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and smile back. Finally I gave in and said, "Alright. I guess it won't be so bad."

            "See? I knew you would," Draco grinned, and then he reached across the table to give my hand a squeeze. I felt the breath catch in my throat, and I glanced down the length of the Slytherin table to see if anyone had seen. But no one seemed to have noticed, and I felt a bit of disappointment at the pit of my stomach when Draco immediately pulled his hand away.

            Pretending that I wasn't affected, I poked at the food on my plate and said to him nervously, "But wait, I won't have any time to practice. The match is tomorrow."

            "We can practice right now," Draco said easily, shrugging his shoulders. "Flint gave us the night off since not many of us could make it, but you and I could go out quick if it'll make you feel better."

            "Okay," I said, trying to stop the heat from rising to my cheeks at the way he was looking at me. I pushed my plate away from me, already too nervous to eat. "Can we go now?"

            "Sure," Draco laughed, starting to stand from the table. "Not that you need any extra practice."

            I rolled my eyes for the second time, knowing he was exaggerating. I got up from the table and walked around to meet him on the other side, and when I reached him, Draco leaned down and told me quietly, "I'm really glad you're playing again, you know."

            "Are you?" I teased with a small smile, hoping he would close the distance between us and kiss me.

            But instead, Draco smirked and said, "Let's go before it gets too dark."

            This time, I couldn't keep the disappointment off my face. As Draco started to turn for the doors, he saw my expression out of the corner of his eye and immediately stopped. He turned back to me and asked above the quiet chatter of the Great Hall, "What, what's wrong? Was it something I said?"

            "No," I said, not wanting to say anything about it. But Draco was looking at me with so much concern that I finally confessed, "I just—I don't understand why you act so different when we're in front of people."

            There was half a second of silence before he shook his head and asked, "What do you mean? I—"

            "You don't—" I broke off awkwardly, finally saying, "—you don't act like you do when we're alone. I dunno, you just—you don't kiss me when we're in front of people."

            Draco was staring down at me intensely as I continued with pink cheeks, "Sorry, I know it's stupid. I'm just worried that you don't want anyone to know. Like you're embarrassed of me or something, I don't know—"

            And then he cut me off by pressing his lips to mine.

            When he pulled away, I blinked up at him as he held both sides of my face with his large hands. I felt dizzy as Draco looked down at me and said firmly, "I am not embarrassed by you. I'm just—I'm bad at this whole thing, you know? I'm trying, I really am, but I'm not very good at it. I'm sorry."

            "You don't have to apologize," I said weakly, feeling like my knees were about to buckle.

            "I do," Draco told me easily, finally pulling away. "I'll get better at this, I swear."

            My insides felt warm as I smiled shyly up at him, and Draco grinned back at me and laced his fingers with mine. He leaned down one last time to kiss my cheek, then said, "Let's get out of here."

            I followed him out of the Great Hall in a daze, feeling as though my feet were no longer touching the floor.

~*~

Draco

            Eve and I practiced for a good hour before the sun dipped completely below the horizon and the grey skies began to turn an inky black. The air was freezing as we finally touched back down, and I tucked the Quaffle under one arm as I made my way over to her.

            When I spoke, my breath came out in puffs of moisture. "You did great, Eve. I don't understand why you don't brag about yourself, seriously."

            And I wasn't lying—Eve had played just as well as she always did, and we'd even been messing around a little instead of practicing seriously. It was becoming harder now for me to look away from her when she was ducking and rolling through the air as though she weighed nothing.

            Eve rubbed her shoulders hard and said through chattering teeth, "Thanks. But if it's this cold tomorrow, I might be frozen onto my broom."

            "That's a good thing, isn't it?" I laughed, then realized she really was freezing right now. I asked, "Are you cold?", but I was already reaching for her. I pulled her against my chest and rubbed my free arm against her back, trying to make her warmer. I was already starting to feel guilty for asking her to help.

            "How are you so warm?" Eve mumbled against my jacket, shivering against me.

            "I'm just hot, what can I say?" I replied cheekily, but she laughed anyway. She finally pulled away from me, her cheeks red from the cold. I kissed her forehead and said, "Quick, let's get inside before you freeze to death."

            "Thanks," Eve said sarcastically, and her numb fingers fumbled with her broomstick as she tried to adjust her grip.

            I reached for it, saying, "Give it to me, I'll take it. Let's go."

            As I tucked both brooms under my arm, I pretended not to notice the huge smile she was trying to hide.

            We headed back up to the locker rooms quickly, stumbling a bit in the darkness now that it was nearly night time. When we came to a stop outside the girls' room, I handed Eve's broom back to her and asked, "See you in the common room later?"

            "Yeah," Eve smiled, taking the broom from me. She took a step closer to me and, with the cold air swirling around us, stood on her tip toes and kissed me. Her lips felt cool against mine, and she pulled away before I was ready. She started for the door, grinning at me over her shoulder and saying, "See you."

            As she disappeared inside the locker room, I stared after her and suddenly didn't feel so cold anymore.

       I shook my head and finally turned for the boys' locker room door, smiling to myself and wondering what I had done to deserve anyone as good as this.