PRECEDENT : Draco Malfoy II

41

I pull back, giggling, as he nuzzles into my neck, "would you quit it? I don't have a lot of time left."'

"Theo can-"

I put a finger to his lips and push him away with the tip of my wand. Draco huffs sitting beside me.

"My nose hurts," he groans.

I smirk, trying to avoid telling him it serves him right. Ginny can cast nasty hexes when she wants to do it, and he's lucky he managed to get the bats out of his face at all. Although, dramatic as Draco is, it's proven useful for me. We had agreed to meet this morning before breakfast, since now that all O.W.L. examinations are done so no one in our year will be awake this early. There is still the possibility of students in other years catching us I suppose, but less risk is better than a normal amount of risk we undertake. The sun is rising, and the lake is large enough around us that I can see it reflecting everywhere. None of his housemates will be surprised if he's gone when they wake up. They'll assume he went to Madam Pomfrey for a salve or potion.

"Just give me another minute."

I didn't sleep last night any more than two hours. Exams should have made me fall asleep for hours, but while I was writing the Charms exam, I had an idea on how to finally extend the range of the Sagum. We go home on Sunday and then I won't be able to practiced magic, so I've got three days to finish this project off. I'm determined not to work on it in sixth year.

The problem is, I cannot remember what I forgot for the life of me. All the Remembrall can do is shake with the expanding red clouds that fill it's interior. Gases can be compressed unlike solids, but there is only so much compression glass can take.

"You're obsessed," Draco sighs.

"Unfortunate for you," I muse.

"I won't see you until September," he points out, like I don't think about it every second. As if I haven't somehow managed to read Jane Eyre again while working on the Sagum and doing everything around me. He says it like I don't think about how I won't be able to avoid looking at him, that trying not to see him is some how more pleasant that not having him around at all. He says it like I haven't learn to say I love you in six languages even if I've never actually said it in this one, don't even know if I can, or even if I would if I wanted to do it.

"I know," I glance up at him, just barely, from the pile of things on the ground.

Books are strewn about me, carefully placed and waited with small rocks so the pages don't flip. I'm trying to move quickly. Every movement of my eyes is quickly planned. We aren't sure we will see each other another time before the train comes.

"Did you come up with a way to send letters?" I ask.

He pauses, "remember my house elf?"

"Floppy, right?"

"Mopsy," he corrects.

The Remembrall would be burning if it weren't already focused on the major breakthrough that I'd forgotten.

"She can bring them."

He doesn't sound sure but I'm not paying all that much attention. Right now, I'm debating resetting the Sagum entirely so that I can find where to find what I'm missing in its design. It would take me back months, but I have everything in my notes and I probably could recreate the Runes if I spent all of the next five days on it. A summer away from it though will destroy so much of my projects.