A/N: the new characters last name, Bossë, is pronounced BOSS-A (short A) but I can't figure out how (without copying and pasting each time) to put the Umlaut over the E. I tried and ended up messing up my whole paragraph. Forgive me that I intentionally left off the ë and just used plain, old English "e".
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Back to Life
It had been four hours since Marissa had been side along apparated home to Malfoy Estate.
She had lunch with her mother while her father went back to school and continued to teach his full schedule of classes.
Marissa managed, barely, to stay in her own bed at the hospital, figuring it wouldn't look virtuous to be sleeping in the same bed with Brian. But, she had suffered for it…waking up every hour, being restless and from the way Brian had circles under his eyes Wednesday morning, it looked like he had experienced the same sleeplessness.
Now, it was one in the afternoon and she was lying in her bed, burrowed under the covers in a long t-shirt staring at the wall. Her mother was downstairs doing paperwork and it was very quiet in the house without her siblings. She wondered how her parents spent their evenings here in the quiet. No one to yell at, no one to ground for fighting with a brother or sister, no one flying in their large, open back yard. At this very moment, Devon was probably in his Herbology class and the triplets in Transfiguration.
`And here I am, feeling sorry for myself because I miss Brian. I wonder what he's doing?' Marissa thought to herself, rolling over onto her other side and staring out the window at the rain that was coming down. She heard a muffled noise at her door and turned over seeing her mother standing there with her hand on the doorknob, getting ready to close it.
"I thought you'd be asleep by now," Ginny said quietly walking in. Marissa sat up a bit and reclined against her headboard, feeling the oak spindles cut into her back.
"I can't."
"Why?" Ginny sat down on the edge and for a moment Marissa met her mother's eyes trying to locate the smallest ounce of courage inside her to tell her mother the truth. Briefly she glanced up at the ceiling then down at her lap.
"It's too quiet for one," Marissa said being truthful in that regard.
"It always is when you and everyone else are gone. I enjoy it though." Ginny smiled and Marissa smiled down at her lap where he eyes were tracing the pattern in her blanket. "But, that has never stopped you from falling asleep before. Can you tell me what's bothering you? Are you still thinking about everything?"
Marissa could hear the hesitation in her mother's voice as to whether she should have even asked that question to Marissa. Closing her eyes, Marissa took a deep breath and let it out.
"I'm fine about the whole kidnapping thing. Talking to my friends and seeing my family helped." `Not to mention a nice cry,' Marissa thought to herself while simultaneously figuring out how to best word her next thought.
"Are you missing Brian?" Ginny asked gently her hand touching Marissa's knee reassuringly. Surprised, Marissa looked up at her mother and whatever look was on her face must have given away the answer. This happened to be one of the few times that Marissa had been caught off guard and not able to slip into that Malfoy Neutral look.
"I can tell. You were fine the whole time at the hospital and now you aren't…and I know being with him for four days predictably brings out a bond between you two."
Marissa just nodded, now looking back at her hands feeling anxious for the turn this conversation was about to take.
"Do you want to talk to him via floo or something?"
"No…yes…I mean I should be able to survive four hours without seeing or talking to him," Marissa reasoned in a voice that didn't sound to sure to her own ears.
"You will survive that long, and much longer but believe me, I know what it's like to be away from someone that is close to you. I can say the usual, `Oh, it's only until Sunday, you'll survive now buck up!' but that won't make you feel any better. Your dad and I had time to establish our relationship and to figure out what to do when we weren't together. You and Brian were thrown into a room where you were pretty much stuck to each other for days. That forces you to bond, or hate each other with a passion and I know it's not the latter." Ginny rubbed Marissa's leg seeing her nod her head and took it as a sign to continue.
"After your nap and after dinner we can see if they would like to come over. I'm sure Harry will send the girls back by 8 in time to finish their work and we can see if they'd like to come here for a bit…want to try that?"
Marissa felt her body say "YES" before she could even voice it. Her heart leapt at the thought of seeing him and she felt those familiar butterflies take up their movement in her torso.
"I don't want to take their family time away though. I think I've caused them enough grief…I know, it's not my fault," Marissa said ruefully and gave a small smile to her mother.
"I have to ask Hermione a few questions about a case at St. Mungo's anyway and I can sneakily throw in the question…as long as it's alright with your father."
"Okay…," Marissa now looked at her mother's face and it dawned on her that somewhere along the line her mother felt the way she was right now. She wasn't pushing the issue with Brian, she was just helping Marissa along to see where things fell in the relationship with Brian Potter. "Thanks," Marissa said and on impulse she leaned over and hugged her mother.
After that talk, which was the first tiny crack into opening the door to the world of boy talk with her mother, Marissa
was able to fall asleep actually dreaming she was standing on a beach hand in hand with Brian occasionally separating
to collect shells and rocks up and down the coast.
----
As it happened, Draco agreed to having the Potters over after everyone was done eating and Devon, Erin, Derek and Dixon were back at school. They ended up leaving an hour after dinner, Devon having an exam in DADA; he said it probably wouldn't look good to have his professor stop in and see him here at home instead of studying. After helping with the dishes, Marissa received some more hugs, even a kiss on the cheek from Devon and they floo'd back to school.
"I'm going to go upstairs and look at the work I missed from Tuesday and Wednesday," Marissa said grabbing a bottle of butterbeer and heading up the stairs all the way to the back of the house where her room was. It was a large, spacious, typically large Malfoy-type house. Each child had their own room which they were all thankful for, probably none more so than the parents who didn't have to deal with privacy and sharing items that were in the room.
Pushing her door closed behind her, she decided to try and study until Brian got here. She spread out her Potions
homework on the floor and began reading along with some note taking on the one potion she would have to make up on her
own time. She found though as she tried to read down through her text she was replaying what Devon had said about the
two new students that had transferred into Hogwarts from a German school.
A set of twins, brother and sister, Arnold and Claudia, were their names had been sorted into Ravenclaw. But apparently they had already made some enemies at Hogwarts among the students. When Marissa had questioned why Devon just shrugged, saying they were 5th years so he didn't know them well but from what a few of his friends had said, they liked to be rude, talk back to teachers and just make fun of people in general.
"Well, McGonagall won't let that go on will she?" Marissa had asked, receiving another shrug from Devon.
"I've given them each detention once and they have only been in the school for three days," Draco said while he helped himself to some more potatoes. "I've never met such rude children and wouldn't be surprised if they were expelled for something they will most likely do to deserve it."
"They probably think that they are smarter than everyone…obviously there are some brains there if they were sorted into Ravenclaw," Ginny added.
"I heard that they read about Marissa and Brian in the paper and were making comments," Derek said thanking his mother when she refilled his plate with another piece of chicken.
"What kind?" Marissa asked and he gave the same Devon-type shrug.
"Probably about how you planned it, or that you deserved it in some way…which you didn't," Dixon added in a rush seeing his father glance up and over at him.
"There's always one in the bunch who makes things hard," Ginny said lightly sitting back down from giving everyone second helpings.
"Amy heard Arnold and Claudia talking about trying to cheat on an exam. She was in Herbology late cleaning up and the fifth years came walking in," Erin added to the conversation and everyone looked at her in surprise. For she very rarely gossiped or talked about school and what people were doing.
"Well, with the anti cheating charms on the parchment and quills, I'd like to see them try!" Devon snorted, taking his plate and setting it in the sink where it began to wash itself. He turned to Marissa and locked gazes with her.
"If one of them gives you any trouble, I'll deal with it for you," he said loyally. Marissa opened
her mouth to reply but Draco cut her off.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, son. They're just being teenagers. They've transferred to a new school, a new country…no one is saying they are going to cause trouble for your sister or Brian."
"Maybe," Marissa said and then changed the subject, asking how Quidditch practice was going and who was practicing in her place. The subject of Arnold and Claudia Bosse was forgotten for the moment.
Shaking her head she decided maybe Potions wasn't going to get done tonight so she traded it for her Transfiguration, trying to learn how to make her water turn into wine then back again. This was a bit more interesting and she was able to keep her mind on task, until she heard a knock at her door.
Figuring it was her mother or father she yelled for them to come in, turning her head and peering over her shoulder from her sprawled out spot on the floor.
It was Brian dressed in something she had never seen him in before. Navy blue dress slacks and a white button down dress shirt with navy blue pin stripes. She stared at him for a bit trying to figure out why he was dressed in some nice Muggle clothes. He walked in after standing in the open doorway for a few beats waiting for her to say something and as he made his way around her bed she continued to stare at him.
"We went out to dinner…Muggle restaurant in London," Brian explained when she seemed to have lost her ability to talk and look away.
"Oh," was all she could get out. But she was thinking a million thoughts a second in the back of her mind from how handsome he looked to wondering how it was going out to a Muggle restaurant. Something she had never done.
"Was it good?" Marissa cleared her throat watching him fold his legs under him and sit down, hands braced on his thighs. He gave her that typical male shrug.
"It was good, but just a restaurant." Brian picked up her Transfiguration book, checked out what she was learning then set it back down and turned to look at her, as she was still staring at him openly.
"What?" he finally asked and noticed that she blinked then looked down, a blush rising to her cheeks.
"You…I don't know," she whispered then decided she wasn't going to play those coy games, "You just look really good and I haven't seen you in anything like that before." She stared at her book in front of his knees and then saw him move so he was laying on his stomach like she was.
"Thanks…this isn't something I normally wear so I guess you haven't seen me in it before," he said a bit awkwardly, not used to someone being so upfront with him. At least it was refreshing to know what she was thinking and not have to guess endlessly…then end up guessing wrong.
"So, how's your first day back home?" Brian asked closing the book and laying it next to her school bag.
"Not to exciting. Took a nap," Marissa said quietly, wondering if she should admit she had missed him and couldn't find anything to do besides school work and thinking of him. "What did you do?"
Brian shifted his position, resting on his side propping his head in his hand and looked at her.
"What do you think?" he asked her causing Marissa to look at him curiously.
"Ummmm…same thing I did?"
"Yeah…and," he pulled himself a bit closer to her so their faces were level and she could see the green specks in his eyes. "I missed you." Those three words made her heart jump and all of a sudden the ache was gone, only to be replaced by his lips against hers in a soft, gentle but restrained-I-Know-Our-Parents-Are-Downstairs-Kiss. A sigh escaped from Marissa as he pulled away.
"I missed you too," she admitted feeling his hand cover hers and for a moment they stared, almost shyly, at each other.
"Why is it I should miss you when we just saw each other a bit over nine hours ago?" Brian questioned, looking at her extra parchment then pulled a piece towards him along with an extra quill intent on doing his homework with her.
"I was wondering the same thing," Marissa said watching him flip to the correct page in her Potions book. She watched him flick his gaze at her and smile; both still not one hundred percent comfortable with sharing their innermost feelings about the other.
"Why don't we do a bit of homework? That way if someone comes up…they'll see we are behaving and we can stay away from our parents." Brian pushed the Potions book towards her and she agreed, settling down next to him, both of them reading her text together.
----
Marissa managed to survive the next few days of seeing Brian intermittently. She and her family floo'd over to Harry's to write down their statement about what happened fully aware of their parents watching them for any signs of distress, but Marissa found it almost therapeutic to write it all out as the former Headmaster Dumbledore sat on the Potter's sofa drinking tea. She wrote out her version, Brian wrote out his and upon inspection they were the same, exact story. Before she had left that evening, Friday, Brian gave her a longer than normal hug even though everyone was standing in his living room. Marissa had noticed the small smiles on their mothers' faces and the look of interest on Harry's face. Her father was still talking to Professor Dumbledore and never even saw the exchange.
Saturday saw both of them packing up, getting one last check up from their mother's finally given the full bill of health and ready to return to school. Brian and Marissa caught up on most of their work and come Sunday Brian floo'd to the school with his father and Devon came to take Marissa back. He had come over early in hopes of getting a homemade lunch and had stories to tell about the gossip that was going around about Nott and his captors.
"Most of it is negative stuff on Nott. Doesn't seem anyone has discovered that he's Amy's father so no one is saying anything," Devon had told his parents and Marissa who nodded in understanding over lunch.
"Those German twins though are a piece of work. Claudia is really excited that Harry Potter's son goes there and Arnold is just walking around like he owns the place. Both are pains in the--," Devon started and Draco pointed his fork at him.
"You-know-what," Devon finished. "He's hitting on all the girls, so watch out," Devon told Marissa.
"I can handle myself," she responded, finishing up her leftover spaghetti.
"That's what I'm afraid of…he has already come onto Janet and she was getting mad he wouldn't leave her alone. Finally, Calvin had to physically step in and pull her away, saying she was his girlfriend."
Devon took his plate manually to the sink, grabbing Marissa's in the process.
"Do you need anything else?" Ginny asked Marissa as she stood up to get her school supplies and her trunk.
"I have it all in my school bag or trunk…though a plate of those sugar cookies you made for a belated Easter gift would be great," Marissa smiled and watched her mother jump up and prepare a plate.
Draco then stood up and cleaned up his area, then turned to his children.
"Make sure she gets settled and I want to see you sometime tomorrow, hear how your first day back went," Draco said pointing at Marissa who nodded.
"I have free time late in the afternoon, I'll stop by then. I would also like to borrow your POTIONS BOOK FOR THE CRIMINALLY INSANE if I can," Marissa asked.
"What for?" Draco followed them to the living room and watched her get her cloak and fasten it around her neck.
"I'm still trying to complete that formula for a cure for Wizards Flu and had an idea. I think what I need is in that book," she said seriously. Her father knew she was going to work tirelessly on this until she was convinced it couldn't be done or that she found the answer.
"I'll find it and have it ready. It's big and heavy, so you might want to bring your bag," Draco handed her her Ravenclaw school bag and Devon grabbed her trunk, pulling it towards the fireplace and placing it on the floor.
"Have a good week, honey," Ginny came over and kissed Marissa's cheek and hugged her.
"I will mum…dad," Marissa turned to her father and hugged him as well. Holding her for a moment longer than she expected she realized that he was a bit nervous about her going back.
"I'll be ok…won't touch anything strange and cat's aren't my favorite animal anymore," she joked lightly, pulling away from her father who patted her shoulder than escorted her to the fireplace.
"Just lock my room up after you get out," Draco said, already giving Devon the password which he would change the next morning.
"Will do dad," Devon said, grabbing some floo powder.
"Thanks for taking her back, Dev," Ginny gave him a quick hug and he nodded.
A minute later the Malfoy brother and sister stumbled out of the Potions Classroom's fireplace, exited the classroom (Devon casting the locking spell per his father's orders) and he walked her up the stairs to the tower.
"Ready to get back to the daily Hogwarts life?" Devon asked.
"Sure am. Just want to put this behind me," Marissa said following him into their tower immediately hearing
her sister shriek her name and come over to hug her. Janet wasn't far behind and after many hugs to her fellow
Ravenclaws she headed upstairs, Janet helping her set her trunk down.
"I saw Brian earlier. He looks better than he did when you guys were in the hospital," Janet said watching Marissa hang up her cloak and put her books on her desk.
"We're both feeling back to normal I think."
"How's it going with him? Have you done any more talking…or whatever," Janet winked at her and Marissa let out a small laugh.
"No, just some homework, a visit with Dumbledore…that kind of thing. It'll be interesting to see how we do with school back in the mix now."
"You two make the cutest couple," Janet said positively reinforcing the fact that she would love to see them together.
"Thanks…but we're going to take it slow, but I think that his previous belief of not being able to do THIS with Owls has gone by the wayside."
"Good...'bout time he got some sense into that thick head of his…cute though it is." Janet followed her out and down the common room, only to pull her back around the corner before they descended the last few stairs.
"What?" Marissa grabbed onto the wall steadying herself.
"I just wanted to warn you I hear those German twins down there. Loud and obnoxious they are for some reason," Janet whispered and Marissa told her what Devon had said.
Sure enough as they walked into the common room, which wasn't busy since it was a beautiful day outside, Marissa caught a glance of a tall, thin brown haired boy making his way towards her and Janet. She could feel Janet tense behind her and Janet's hand was grabbing Marissa's elbow in a protective gesture.
"Well…I haven't met you…where did you come from?" he asked in a thick German accent. Marissa tilted her head and wondered how she should answer.
"Well, I came from upstairs," Marissa answered.
"Nice sense of humor…I like that," he looked at her hair flowing down her shoulders and she could almost feel his amber colored eyes move down her body.
"I'm Arnold Bosse…transfer student," he stuck out his hand and Marissa briefly shook it.
"Marissa Malfoy," she said and she saw his eyes widen.
"Ahh, yes…my sister Claudia and I have heard all about you and your…episode," he said struggling to find the word he needed. Marissa just nodded.
"We have to get going…lots to do," Janet tugged Marissa's arm. She gave a neutral smile in Arnold's direction and hurried out of the Ravenclaw Common Room behind Janet.
"Better make sure you align yourself with Brian right quick or he'll make the moves on you," Janet said as she steered Marissa quickly down the stairs and out to the Great Hall…then out into the sunshine.
"Arnold can try all he likes, won't work," Marissa waved to a few fellow students and followed Janet down towards Hagrid's.
"Hagrid wants to see you. He feels so bad with what happened. So, let's go say hello…it'll take us away from Arnold, who will probably follow us out here," Janet led the way down the stony path.
Marissa cast a look in the direction of where the portkey had been placed, feeling a slight shiver go up her spine.
`Thank Merlin I'm back here and alright. I never want to do that again. I'll take that Arnold guy over Nott any day of the week,' Marissa thought to herself. Then she looked up as a flock of birds flew over head…never so glad to be out in the sun, with her best friend walking the school grounds and feeling so eager to the schedule of her life and school.
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