sugar & spice

chapter sixteen

"You're telling me I don't have to worry about Potter trying to curse me?" Draco asked.

She rolled her lips together to keep her smile at bay. "Trying?"

Draco smirked. "I said what I said."

After lunch, a quick visit to Hagrid's, a few more threats that she was meant to pass along to Draco and Theo, and a promise to owl more often, Harry and Ron had left rather unceremoniously, slipping away to McGonagall's office to floo out the same way they'd come in. Her day had been rather busy and she was just now able to catch Draco and Theo up to speed on the day's happenings and how her friends had sought her out to make amends. Rather than spend an evening working in the library, they'd convinced her-rather charming, those two-into working in their room and once again bending the rules to spend the night.

"No, neither of you needs to worry." She finished tying her back and secured it with a quick sticking charm. "They're not happy, obviously, but-"

"When I have given a lick about Potter and Weasley's happiness?" Draco patted the covers beside him. "Now your happiness on the other hand..."

"I care about that, as well." Theo nodded. "Which is Draco's way of saying we'll play nice with your friends."

Draco rolled his eyes. "That's an interesting interpretation of my words, but I'll allow it. As long as their apologies to you were...effusive."

"Effusive? Really?" She bit her lip, fighting a losing battle as the edges of her mouth twitched.

Theo stroked his chin. "Did they grovel?"

"Oh, tell me they got down on their knees and pleaded for your forgiveness." Draco was far too cheerful at that idea. Suddenly he cocked his head. "Would McGonagall let you borrow her pensieve? You could show us."

She rolled her eyes. "They apologized in a manner up to my standards. Sincerity was my hope, not some ingratiating display."

Draco scowled. "So Potter and Weasley didn't throw themselves at your feet. How unsatisfying."

"Truly. Not that I'm unable to bury the hatchet, but I'm still rather peeved for you." Theo sniffed. "If I'm allowed nothing else, it's to hold a grudge in your honor."

She stood at the foot of the bed, hands on her hips. The smile she'd been restraining tugged at the corners of her lips even as her chest panged. "You sound like my mum."

In a rare display of confusion, Theo blinked at her several times before shaking his head. "I beg your pardon?"

"You know." She shrugged. "Mums hold grudges worse than anyone when it comes to their children. You get into a row with a friend and you tell your mum who's absolutely incensed on your behalf. A week goes by and you make up with your friend, but your mum will still glower when you mention them three years later. Mums never forget misdeeds against their children."

An almost wistful smile crossed Theo's face. "That sounds...nice."

Nice...oh. Bugger. "I wasn't thinking-"

Theo waved away her apology with a flick of his hand and a shake of his head, but she still felt rotten over her absolute foot-in-mouth gaffe. Of course he didn't know about mothers and their grudge-holding protectiveness, not first hand at least. She might not have been on the best of terms with either of her parents, but they were still alive at least.

"I can imagine," he said. "Narcissa is certainly...inimitable in her protectiveness when it comes to you, Draco."

"She is." Draco nodded solemnly, his gray eyes soft.