It's not easy to explain, but . . .

Chapter 44

                               Chapter 44: "Don't pull out any of them feathers!"

"Ah Ha!" shouted Tom, as he came around the corner and spotted Draco and Emma emerging from the Library.  "I knew you'd wind up here!!! Couldn't resist, could you?"

Emma was smiling as Draco and she walked toward Tom, Fred, George and Neville coming around the corner behind him.

"Of course I'm going to take a peek at the Library, but I've also seen the Potions lab and Professor Flitwick's classroom. You?" she asked.

"Astronomy Tower, Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and now we're heading for the stairs to take a ride!" Tom answered.  "Want to come along?"

"Sure, we were headed in that general direction," Draco answered, giving Emma's hand a squeeze.  "But on the way we were going to check out a few of the short cuts and secret passages, which I believe are your area of expertise," he added, turning to the Weasley twins.

"Right you are, Draco!"  Fred grinned.

"Follow us!" declared George, leading the way.

"Neville, I've been meaning to ask you,"  Emma slipped her arm through Neville's as they all walked down the hallway.  "How are your parents doing?"

"Oh, well, about the same as always.  Thanks for asking, Emma."  Neville gave her a small smile.

"Please tell me if this is too personal, but has anyone ever tried using 'Legilimency' to see if they could help them?"

"Well, I wasn't old enough when it happened to remember what tests were run when they first got to St. Mungo's, but I don't think they've had any . . . psychotherapy, as I believe the Muggles call it?"

"Perhaps that's something you could suggest; if there is a Healer who does know how to do 'Legilimency'  they might be able to help your folks on that level, from within."

Draco and Neville both stopped and looked at Emma and then each other, then back at Emma. 

"That's bloody brilliant, Emma," Draco said. "I'll help you find someone, Neville.  Perhaps Father could ask over in the States; they seem to use more Muggle ways with their Healing methods over there . . . maybe they already do that kind of treatment."

"Thanks, Draco, I'd appreciate that," grinned Neville.  He reached out and gathered Emma in a bear hug, kissing her on the top of her head. "I love you, Emma!"

"Hey!" Draco barked. "Unhand my woman!" He pulled Emma away from Neville and wrapped his arms around her.

Emma was giggling and pushed Draco back. "Behave yourself, Draco!  Neville is spoken for!  You've got nothing to worry about! . . . Still . . . " She took each of them by the arm and continued down the corridor, Wizard on either side of her.  "It doesn't get much better than this!"

X X X

"I don't like those stairs moving," declared Emma, as she hopped off the bottom step of the last staircase leading to the ground floor. "Ah, back on solid ground!"

"That's why I was glad to be in Slytherin; I could get to my dorm without using them, but the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws were stuck," Draco said, as he joined her.

"Here they come," Ron called over his shoulder to the others waiting in the entrance hall, as he walked up to Draco and Emma.  "I was sent to see where you all had wandered."  Then he looked toward his brothers, who were racing Tom and Neville up one moving set of stairs and down another.  "Oy!  You lot are gonna be late if you don't stop goofing off!"