The ghost of your disappointment is haunting him -- July 1997

I looked at her and shook my head.  "That's never true for us," I said to her.  "We're always in danger... as long as we're here in this house, we'll never be safe."  It was the sad, but honest truth.

I took his hands in mine. "And that's why we're leaving and going to Snape's." I reminded him. I brushed a stray piece of hair away from his face and continued, "I don't care about being in danger, all I care about is you getting better. If that means you want to talk about something, then talk about it. I will make sure nothing happens to you. I won't let them hurt you again." I promised him.

I smiled weakly at her.  "But if you know everything, then you would be in harms way," I said to her.  "And that is why I can't say some of things... the meetings were - are - horrible.  What you've gone to is bad enough."

I sighed and shook my head slightly, tears stinging my eyes. "You should know by now that I don't care what happens to me, as long as you're okay." I knew Draco would still want to protect me but I had to protect him too. "Look, we can talk in circles about this but right now, all that matters is that you are getting better."

I nodded at her.  "That we could... I'm sure we have this argument twice a week," I tried to joke with her.  I did not want Juniper to worry about me -- that was my job to fret about her in my opinion.

I gave a small laugh, "At least twice a week." I agreed. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I just have to make sure that you're okay Draco. I don't know how I would survive without you." I said sincerely.

"You and me both," I said to her, meaning that there was no way I could survive without her by my side.  I leaned back against my pillow.  "We'll get through this."

I smiled over at him. "We'll get through this together," I agreed, "just like we always have."

I nodded, leaning back against the pillows.  She was right.  We always got through things... this time, we would have Snape's help.  Hopefully.  at least just for the rest of the summer.  If he let us stay, anyways.  "I know," I said to her quietly.

I took his hands in mine. "He'll write us soon. He'll let us say." I spoke of Snape, doing my best to assure him. "You still have your something amazing that needs to happen to counteract the crap of the past year." I reminded him.

I hoped that Juniper was right about that -- about Snape helping us.  I was not sure if I deserved the something amazing that Juniper insisted that I would have.  "I hope you're right," I said aloud, but softly.

I rolled my eyes in an attempt to lighten the mood. "You should know by now, your twin's always right" I said, as if this piece of information should be obvious to him after all the years he has known me. I wish we could know for sure, but we didn't and there was no point in worry about things we had no control over. We had done everything we could've, now it was just a waiting game. I hated that there was nothing we could do.

I looked at June and a slight smile was on my lips.  "I wouldn't say always," I responded to her.  I could not have her getting cocky on me -- that was my job, wasn't it?

"I would, since it's true and all." I said with a small smirk at my twin. I was happy that I could make him smile, even if only slightly. I hoped I was helping him, I hated seeing my brother like this. He was one of the best things in my life and he deserved to be happy.

I shook my head at her, though a smile played at my lips.  "Let's agree to disagree on that," I said to her, nudging her playfully.  I was not one hundred percent by any means, but having my sister attempting to make me feel better was the best thing in the world.