The return of Harry's age brought with it the return of Harry's insomnia. After the emotional ups and downs experienced since regaining his proper age, it was almost expected to find him meandering about. Only this time was different than usual. For instead of wandering the halls in brooding silence, he wandered in companionable silence with Draco by his side. "I don't see why you felt you had to come with me," he grumbled good naturedly; accidentally on purpose swinging his arm near the blonds'. "I just needed to get out and stretch my legs a bit."

Draco looked amused as he let Harry entwine their fingers. "I'm hungry."

Harry sighed; accepting that as the only answer he would receive as he steered them towards the kitchens. A brief interlude with overly enthusiastic house elves later, Harry and Draco sat side by side at the table with large mugs of hot chocolate and a platter of biscuits. "So," Draco carefully wiped crumbs away from his cloak. "Are you going to tell me what has you so restless?"

"What makes you think I'm restless?" Harry fidgeted at the table. Draco gave him a pointed look. Harry flushed. "Ok, so I'm a bit restless. I just," he frowned, absently raking his fingers through his hair. "I feel a bit empty. Unfulfilled. Like a part of me is missing."

"Because of your connection to the Dark Lord?"

"Yes and no." Harry ground a biscuit into dust as he thought his answer through. "I mean there's that, naturally, but it's more…" he sighed expressively. "It's more that everything has changed so much in the last month."

Draco shrugged elegantly. "I can hex you and go call Hermione a Mudblood if it makes you feel better." He frowned to himself. "No, that's far too predictable." He brightened, grinning smugly. "I'll go do something ridiculously Gryffindor and lock you up in the tallest tower of a hidden castle and say you've been kidnapped by Dark Lord supporters. Then, being the brave and selfless individual I am, I will rescue you and awaken you from an enchanted sleep or some such rubbish."

Laughter bubbled up. "No. But thanks for the offer."

"Harry," it was Draco's turn to sigh. "It doesn't necessarily make sense to me either. One minute I'm drinking with my friends plotting how not to become Death Eaters… the next I'm realizing I don't want to hex you to death out of pure aggravation. It was a rather unsettling realization."

"Thanks."

"Anytime." Draco grinned. "If it makes you feel better, Hermione has been spouting off parenting and human behavior textbooks like you wouldn't believe. For once in your life you are behaving in a disgustingly normal fashion. I have it on good authority that you wouldn't be human if you didn't feel this surplus of emotion."

"Yeah well," Harry shrugged again. "I never felt human anyways."

"Meaning what?"

"It was in one of Mione's books." Harry smiled sheepishly as he absently stirred at his cocoa. "The Iliad. She'd left it open on the chair and I glanced at it while pretending to work on my Potions assignment." Draco smirked at that. "There was a description in it of 'a thing of immortal make, not human, lion-fronted and snake behind, a goat in the middle.' I used to think that maybe I was a chimera."

Gray eyes blinked. "A chimera."

Harry looked up sharply to make sure Draco wasn't mocking him. "Yeah. You know," he gestured awkwardly, nearly knocking his cup onto the floor. "Mixed up between Gryffindor and Slytherin and Voldemort."

"I see." Draco looked solemn. "And, naturally, you concluded that the Dark Lord's presence in your life was synonymous to a goat."

A blush rose steadily up Harry's neck. "I never said it made sense," he muttered defensively. He drained his cup in one gulp before standing and grabbing Draco's hand once again. "Come on. Let's go back to bed."

Draco nodded earnestly; easily keeping stride with Harry as they wandered back to the dungeons. "Oh yes," he agreed casually. "I firmly believe philosophical discussions are best discussed lying on a bed."

Determined to avoid the same embarrassment when waking up with Draco for the second time, Harry came up with the idea to set an individual alarm to chime directly in his ear. At five in the morning. Groaning quietly when the annoying chime interrupted his dreams, he irritably waved the charm away and opened bleary eyes. Well, he decided ruefully, at least this time he'd managed to stay on the bed. Though he usually slept on his stomach, this time Harry was the one lying on his back while Draco used his chest for a pillow. He could feel warm puffs of air across his pectoral muscles, strong legs intertwined with his own, and a warm hand pressed to the side of his stomach while Draco's other arm had slid underneath Harry's pillow. Harry grinned dopily to himself as he tensed his muscles in preparation to slide out from under the blond; who knew Draco was such a cuddler?

"Are you seriously going to leave the bed at five in the morning?"

Green eyes opened wide at the irritated sleepy mumble. He glanced down at the blond in his arms. Draco's eyes were closed, body still, breathing deep and even. "Umm, what?"

A snort of laughter. "Harry, I thought you had your memory back?" While Draco's voice may have been quiet, the volume did nothing to distract from the open amusement expressed.

"I do."

"Well, if that were true, I have a question for you." Draco shifted slightly, raising his head from Harry's chest to settle on the pillow next to him. He finally bothered to open his eyes. "If Granger can wake up every single person in this dorm by simply opening up a door the wrong way…" he trailed off suggestively; smirking. "Do you really think I would sleep through someone shifting and trying to bumble their way out of bed?"

Harry bit his lip, thinking about how difficult getting out of bed yesterday had been. The innocent way Draco's hand would fall or his leg would shift, the awkward positions Harry was forced into in order for his groin to stay well away from Draco. He looked into laughing gray eyes and glared. "You bastard."

"A claim I have never denied."

"Do you know how long it took me to crawl out of bed?"

"Sixteen minutes."

Harry paused. "Really?" He frowned. "Didn't seem like that long."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Harry, I think you're missing the point."

"Well, what's the point then?" He knew he was sulking, but damn it! It was bad enough knowing that Pansy and Hermione had made fun of him while Blaise was awake. Knowing Draco had been aware of his…situation took his embarrassment to a whole new level.

A single eyebrow lifted before Draco smiled and rubbed his leg restlessly. Oh. Oh dear. Harry had forgotten in his embarrassment that their legs were intertwined. He sucked in a sharp breath. Between the leg rubbing against him and the mouth on his neck… "Draco, what are you doing?"

"Providing motivation." Little kisses were pressed to his neck as one hand slipped under the waistband of Harry's pajamas.

Harry arched before he could think not to. "Oh." He bit his lip, sliding one hand around Draco's hips to keep the blond close. "Motivation for what?" He winced at the slightly breathless quality of his voice. But Draco didn't seem to mind, if the way he lightly clenched and released his fist before sliding his hand up and down in a smooth motion was any indication.

"Motivation to stay in bed."

"Oh."

"Umm." Draco drew the sound out, making it one long hum of pleasure that Harry found indecently arousing. "See;" though Draco's face was flushed, he seemed quite pleased with the fact he was capable of cohesive speech while Harry lay there gasping. "I gave it a bit of thought while you struggled to get out of bed yesterday. Being the inate Gryffindor you are, you probably decided you didn't want me to see you all rumpled and sweaty and sleepy and," he broke off when Harry moaned. "But you see Harry," his voice sounded strained when he was finally able to continue. "I like you rumpled and sweaty and sleepy. And you've already seen me when I first wake up, so I don't need to have you killed."

Harry bit his lip and he arched into Draco. "But…"

"I'm not a Gryffindor, Harry." Draco's voice was definitely huskier. "I'm a Slytherin. I had all day to plan how to get you over your embarrassment." Glazed green eyes opened to find Draco watching him and his reactions in fascination. Draco bit his lip before continuing. "I decided waiting until you were asleep to set up a silencing spell and then trapping you under the weight of my body would be a perfect way to get you to stay in bed."

"Good plan," Harry panted out before reaching with his other hand and pulling Draco into a kiss; all worries over such stupid details as morning breath and sweaty skin and reality fading to the back of his mind as the wet warmth of Draco's mouth and the firm pressure of his hand took precedence. And then his body was trembling, his breath catching in his throat, and a strangled sort of whimper escaping as Draco tore their mouths apart to gasp into his neck; an answering sticky warmth spreading on his thigh.

They lay there, breathing harshly, before Draco collected himself enough to reach through the hanging on the bed to retrieve his wand. A few whispered spells later and Draco tossed his head smugly as he lazily stretched. "So," he asked blandly. "Are you sufficiently motivated to not try and sneak out of bed?"

Harry stared at him, laughter bubbling in his throat. "Good plan," he repeated, before draping himself across Draco and promptly going back to sleep.

HDHDHD

Pansy fussed with her hair; preening before the mirror as she waited for the last of her boys to finish getting ready to face the day. "Harry," she called out, offering a disturbingly sweet smile. "Should you ever decide to become a Dark Lord, please allow me to pick out the outfits you have your minions wear. OK? Thanks love." She blew him a kiss, calmly straightening her robe as Harry gaped at her.

"When I what?"

Draco looked thoughtful. "Perhaps silver robes? They're flattering and make me look ethereal. What?" he asked defensively in response to Harry's incredulous look. "It's important to project a certain sort of image."

"Where's Hermione?" Harry looked around desperately. She would tell them to stop this nonsense.

"Library," Blaise answered sympathetically.

"And the masks," Greg piped up helpfully. "Remember? You said the masks were guaranteed to cause blemishes."

"So I did." Pansy gave Greg a proud smile. "No masks, Harry. Have one of your minions create a custom glamour or something."

Harry looked bewildered as they left the common room and swung left. "I'm not going to become the next Dark Lord."

"You never know." Draco gave a non committal shrug as they walked side by side down the hallway. "You really don't have any plans for the future. You may wake up one day and decide you want to rule your own sovereign nation." He frowned, turning to Harry with a dark look. "However, I refuse to merely be a minion."

Desperately latching onto Snape's arm, Harry pointed accusingly at his friends as they turned towards the Great Hall. "Snape won't let you turn me into a Dark Lord."

A single eyebrow rose in response. "Pardon?"

"When Harry grows up he's going to take over the world," Vince told his professor seriously.

"And Draco's going to be his Head Minion," Greg piped up cheerfully.

Blaise held up his hands appealingly. "I simply go with the flow. But after throwing my lot in with Harry, I won't abandon him if he grows up and goes crazy."

"Thanks Blaise."

The Italian grinned, clapping Harry companionably on the back. "Anytime, Amico."

Snape gave the students a quelling look. "Potter is not going to grow up and become the next Dark Lord." Harry looked smug.

Pansy pouted. "But The Dark Lord Potter has such a commanding ring to it. And with the proper wardrobe and accessories, no one would realize he was dark until after he'd overthrown the government."

Harry looked confused. "I thought you were growing to grow up and use your millions to take over the Ministry of Magic?"

"Well, yes." Pansy sighed as though this were the most obvious thing in the world. "Haven't you learned anything over the years? A good Dark Lord has well placed minions. I don't want my routine to be unnecessarily disrupted, so if I take over knowing which departments you are going to eventually control it will ensure a smooth transition."

"I," Harry opened and closed his mouth several times; completely unable to come up with any sort of response. Giving up, he shook his head slightly and headed to the Gryffindor table.

"Morning," Ron greeted, before taking a healthy bite of eggs.

"Good morning," Harry responded absently. He shared a smile from across the hall with Draco before loading up his own plate.

"What were you talking about?" Hermione asked curiously as she slid into the seat next to him. "I joined you guys in time to hear Pansy saying something about having well placed minions?"

Harry gave her a betrayed look. "Oh, nothing much. After you ditched me this morning the snakes decided I was going to grow up and become the next Dark Lord. Pass the bacon, please."

Neville smiled as Ron choked and Hermione dropped her tea cup. "Well," he casually passed the platter of bacon, "if you need a good Herbologist to further your reign, I'll happily offer my services."

"But would we have to be called minions?" Ginny asked critically. "Couldn't we just become Potter's Army or something?"

Classes flew by for Harry in a blur of colors and sounds. It was odd, he reflected as he trudged wearily through the halls behind Ron and Hermione; it was harder to acclimate going to class now than it was adapting as a first year. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that for the last month school work had consisted of making pretty potions with Snape rather than climbing the endless array of staircases and forcing his brain to engage over material he could really care less about. Or, perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the only class he had with the Slytherins was after lunch. Or maybe it was due to the fact that people he never spoke to before this year were smiling and waving at him in the halls. Anthony Goldstein even flagged him down to give him a book on the history of pirates since he had so loved his stories as a child. Whatever.

By the time Transfiguration with the Slytherins came, Harry was exhausted from the overwhelming stimulation. His face hurt from smiling at professors and students, his shoulders ached from the unfamiliar weight of his book bag and the endless thumps on the back his friends had given, and his head was pounding from the realization of how very far behind he was as well as the sheer cacophony of noise surrounding him. Harry's shoulders slumped when he considered precisely how many overnight study sessions would be in his future. Sure, his homework had somehow been completed and turned in for credit, but that did nothing to assist him in the practical application of spells. And in a curriculum where mastering one spell helped to master the next… He was so irritated by that point he couldn't even be bothered to feel embarrassed for clinging to Ron in the hallways as the burly red head cleared a path through all the grateful students and enthusiastic well wishers. If he had known killing Voldemort would make him the most popular boy in school, Harry certainly would have waited to off the bastard until after graduation.

Gray eyes narrowed as Harry entered the room and slumped bonelessly into the seat next to him. "Are you all right?"

"I'm screwed." Harry's voice was muffled as he tried unsuccessfully to burrow into his desk. "So very, very screwed. Do you realize the amount of spells I have to learn? And no pressure to get caught up, my ass! If I don't get caught up I'll be behind for forever. Forever and a day. Forever and a year. Forever and a century. I'll never sleep and never graduate until I slowly lose my mind and continue to haunt the halls of Hogwarts as a ghost. Wailing pitifully. Forever."

"Bit overwhelmed?"

Harry lifted his face and glared at Pansy. "I'm screwed," he repeated resentfully. Not even Draco rubbing the back of his neck alleviated his stress level.

:Yes, yes," Pansy waived it off. "Forever. I heard you. But Harry darling you keep forgetting you're not just a Gryffindor anymore."

Greg looked confused. "Are we already starting to call him Dark Lord Potter?" He ignored Draco's laughter and gave Harry an earnest look. "Can I call you Dark Harry instead? Since we're friends?"

"It would be Lord Harry," Vince corrected with a frown. "And we could only call him that in private or it would undermine his authority." Pansy beamed at him in approval.

"I am not going to be the next Dark Lord!"

"Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Potter." Harry flushed, dropping his face back onto his desk with a thunk as Professor McGonagall's disapproving voice reached him. The teacher pursed her lips and frowned at his sprawled form. "It is understandable that you will be a bit behind, but do attempt to pay a modicum of attention in class."

"Don't worry about her, Harry," Ron leaned across his desk and whispered as soon as the teacher headed towards the front of the class. "She's been out of sorts since Snape had to fix you after she helped break you."

"Are you ok?" Hermione's face was tight with anxiety as she looked at his pale face.

"I'm fine," Harry answered automatically; scrubbing a hand across his face. "Just, you know, first full day back and all. It's a bit more difficult than I thought it would be."

"Mr, Potter!"

Harry snapped to attention. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Kindly come up here and demonstrate the proper wand movements needed to reverse the goldfish to beaver spell."

Resignedly, Harry got up and walked to the front of the class. Where he encountered yet another obstacle in his already overwhelming day. "Well, Mr. Potter?" McGonagall's face softened as she realized she was being a tad overzealous. "It's a relatively simply wand movement."

"Umm, Professor?" Harry's face flamed with embarrassment. "I don't have my wand."

The Slytherins scowled, Ron looked confused, Hermione gasped and covered her mouth while blushing profusely, and McGonagall looked utterly shocked. "Your wand?"

"No, ma'am."

"How long has it been missing?"

"Umm, I don't really know." Harry ran a nervous hand through his hair. "I used Draco's wand at the Manor, and haven't needed to cast any spells since. Maybe Professor Snape has it?"

"Oh." Perplexed, Professor McGonagall looked at the caged beaver on her desk. "Well, off you go then."

"Ma'am?"

"To Professor Snape." She sighed, making a shooing gesture with her hands. "Go retrieve your wand. Make haste now; no dilly dallying about in the hallways."

Hermione squeaked slightly, shifting guiltily in her chair. Harry exchanged shrugs with Ron, smiled at Draco, and walked out the door. He made it to the second floor before he tripped over his own feet and fell down the stairs. "Great," he muttered to himself; not feeling at all inclined to move from his slightly uncomfortable position on the cold stone floor. "Just great. I'm trying to become a ghost at Hogwarts even sooner than I anticipated."

"Pathetic."

Harry craned his head, wincing at the blond walking down the stairs towards him. He scowled half heartedly as he accepted the hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. "What are you doing here?"

A single brow rose in amusement as Draco straightened the Gryffindor's clothing and healed the cut on the side of his face. "I reminded Professor McGonagall that you were surprisingly vulnerable without your wand. She sent me to look after you."

"I'm going to get my wand, though. I'm only vulnerable on the trip down here."

"One would think. However, since I know Professor Snape doesn't have your wand, I still maintain my claim of a higher than normal level of vulnerability." Gray eyes swept over the staircases. "Naturally, I am correct."

Harry stopped walking. Draco didn't. "What do you mean Snape doesn't have my wand?"

"Precisely that. It's really not an inordinately difficult concept to grasp."

"But. But how do you know he doesn't have it?"

"Easy." Draco shrugged. "Gryffindors attempting to hide their emotions should be studied as an exercise in futility. The minute you announced you didn't have your wand Hermione realized she had taken it away from you when you were five for safe keeping." He looped a strong arm around Harry's shoulders and directed him towards Snape's rooms. "Momus." The door opened. "You need a break, however, so I thought we would take this opportunity for a bit of tea before you dragged yourself through the rest of your crappy day."

Harry sighed as he flopped into the chair in front of the fireplace. "And this day started out so well, too." Draco simply grinned and settled himself on Harry's lap.

HDHDHD

The brief reprieve from class was precisely what he needed to recharge his batteries and make it through the end of the day. "I did it!"

Neville laughed along with the rest of his roommates as they made their way to dinner. "Good job Harry, I knew you could do it."

"Knew he could do it?" Seamus snorted. "He finished a day of school, not climbed Mt. Everest."

"Yes, well," Ron slung a protective arm over Harry's shoulders. "Harry's been through a lot. We need to be encouraging. Protective factors decrease the risk of traumatic events from generating PTSD or other disorders such as depression and suicidal or violent behavior." He looked quite pleased with himself. "What?"

"Hermione's been hanging out with the snakes," Harry said wonderingly. "How did you retain that?"

"She lectured us all numerous times on what to do to make this transition as easy as possible." Ron shrugged. "You're my best mate. I wanted to make sure I didn't fuck you over on accident. So I read her stupid books."

"Is that why you were so nice about Draco coming to get me earlier? To support me?"

"Well, there is that." Ron shrugged. "But mostly because it was easy to see it was her fault you didn't have your wand." He grinned. "It's always nice when she's not so bloody perfect, yeah?"

"You eating dinner tonight with us or the Slytherins?" Dean interrupted.

"Erm…"

"It's ok," Ron interjected knowingly. "After a traumatic event, the person experiencing it needs time, support, and a sense of safety to re-establish trust. Experiences that have traumatized a person will usually cause anxiety, which might include an increased need for physical and emotional closeness, fear of separation, difficulties sleeping, loss of appetite, bed wetting, or changes in interactions with others." He smiled; looking eerily like Percy for a moment. "If you need to spend more time with the Slytherins until you readjust, we can support that."

The boys exchanged amused looks. "Wow, Ron," Harry grinned, "you sound like you really learned a lot." Ron nodded smugly.

"And should Harry start wetting the bed?" Seamus questioned innocently. "How will you help him through that?"

Ron paled slightly. "Umm…" He brightened. "We can make another list!"

Harry was still laughing as he headed across the hall to sit with the Slytherins. His smile widening as he saw a contrite Hermione sitting next to Blaise holding a familiar piece of Holly.

HDHDHD

It took his snakes half an hour to work out a viable schedule that would allow for studying, Quidditch, sleep, and basic human interaction. Leaving the library at nine thirty that night with Draco by his side, Harry allowed himself to feel cautiously optimistic that he may not have to die an unfulfilled spirit after all. "You don't need to walk me to Gryffindor tower," he teased. "Or wait; did our impromptu study session constitute our second official date?"

"Credit me with some class, Harry." The blond scowled slightly as he shifted the books in his arms. "I sincerely worry about the future of Gryffindors if a date inside a school would be considered a likely setting for a proper date." He paused, mulling this over. "Actually, that really wouldn't surprise me."

Harry nudged his arm playfully as they rounded the corner. "Shut it, you." He blinked, confused, when Draco abruptly reached out and lightly clasped his arm before the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"I need to finish something." Draco squeezed Harry's arm encouragingly. "Head on in. I'll see you later."

Harry's face fell. "Seriously?"

Draco smiled faintly. "Seriously."

"All right," Harry answered glumly. This would be the first time they hadn't spent the evening together since… well, since the night he had petrified Draco at the Manor and fled to Grimmauld Place. But before that it had been a very long time. "Nike," he told the Fat Lady quietly. He sent one last hopeful look at Draco; forcing a smile as the blond merely shook his head.

"There, there dear," the portrait cooed sympathetically. "Chin up."

Feeling tired and depressed, Harry bypassed the cheerful confines of the common room to flop onto his bed and shut his eyes with a groan. He figured it would take him about a week to get back into the swing of things and reestablish a routine of sorts. Still, as much as being in Gryffindor tower felt like coming home, it still felt a bit wrong that he wasn't in the dank familiarity of the dungeons. "Erm, Harry?"

For example, he'd had a bit more privacy to wallow in self pity while in the dungeons. He didn't bother to open his eyes. "Yeah Ron?"

"You have a visitor?"

"A vis.." Harry turned his head, confused, and stared at Draco lounging in the doorway to his room with a look of fixed disapproval on his face. "Draco?"

"So this is the lions den?" Gray eyes swept the room and found it wanting. "It's very red."

Harry ignored the slight, zeroing in on the object held securely in the blond's hand. "Flowers?" he questioned with a smile; feeling something akin to happiness flutter inside him. "You brought me flowers?"

A slight flush rose up pale cheeks. "Well, you are a Gryffindor. I decided not to include any poisonous blossoms; this time, at least." Carefully, Draco levitated the cut crystal vase of flowers onto Harry's bed. "Keep them by your bed when you're ready to go to sleep."

"All right," Harry agreed happily. His smile brightened as Draco pulled a large block of Gorus Glas and an ornate bottle from his robes and settled them next to the vase. "Vin chaud," he announced unnecessarily. "In case you get restless in the middle of the night and need something to help you sleep."

"Sure you don't want to sleep up here with me?"

"Not hardly." Draco rolled his eyes; though he smiled gently as he pulled Harry close for a hug. "The poor little Gryffindors would worry their virtuous little heads all night long and keep checking on you to make sure I hadn't murdered you in your sleep."

Harry grinned. "Just think of all the havoc you could wreck if they saw you smiling."

Draco released Harry after one last hug. "Some other time. Play with the little lions, reassure them their hero is still alive and in their midst, and then come back to the dungeons." He looked disdainfully at the windows as he walked reluctantly towards the door. "It's far too bright up here."

Dean smiled bemusedly at Harry's end table as the boys trooped inside the dorm room. "What's all this?"

Harry smiled down at the flowers. Large bushy frongy looking things, long stemmed and fragrant blooms, textured stick thingys… ok, so he may not know what they were, but he could still appreciate the gesture. "Draco gave them to me."

"Oh," Ron nodded agreeably, looking at the diverse bouquet in interest. "What are they?"

"Umm…" Harry tilted his head to the side.

"Flowers?" Seamus asked uncertainly.

"Shouldn't there be roses?" Dean asked. "It's supposed to be romantic to send roses. Or something."

Ron snorted. "Can you really see Draco Malfoy sending roses to anybody?"

"The bouquet is romantic enough."

All heads turned, startled, at the quiet voice. Neville flushed brilliantly before gesturing to the crystal vase. "Rosemary sprigs to ward off demons and prevent bad dreams. St. John's Wort to drive out evil. Marjoram to promote dreams of the one you love. Sage to promote longevity and mental capacity. Lavender, the herb of love, with the power to conjure memories of other times and places. Gentian to calm hysteria. Echinacea, used by Native Americans to aid in purification of body and spirit. Sweet Flag, a tension reliever; and Valerian to reduce stress, irritation, and pain, while naturally inducing sleep."

All the boys turned back to the vase. "Huh," Ron offered.

"I would guess that Harry was either nervous or scared about coming back to Gryffindor tower and Malfoy wanted to make sure he knew he was loved and had sweet dreams." Neville shrugged bemusedly. "Much more personal than simply sending roses."

"So," Seamus looked confused. "Malfoy's still a bastard… but he's a nice bastard?"

Dean nodded. "Makes sense. Harry and Draco getting together kinda defy the laws of Karma or something." He shrugged. "Why shouldn't the man be a walking oxymoron?"

Neville shrugged, turning to his own bed. "The only one in the bouquet that confuses me would be the Savory."

"Savory?" Harry looked at the busy plant Neville indicated. "What's so confusing about that? It's an herb, right?"

"Well, technically all of those are herbs." Neville's voice was muffled as he pulled a t-shirt over his head. "But the genus's Latin name, Satureja, is attributed to the Roman writer Pliny and is a derivative of the word for satyr; the half-man half-goat creature that roamed the ancient mythological forests." He smiled affably as he climbed into bed; missing Harry's start of surprise. "But, then again, they are also rumored to regulate your sex drive as well."

Harry grinned at the vase on his end table and prepared for bed.

HDHDHD

Sad day! My last review challenge for this story...

Slytherins: Why would "Momus" be Severus' password?

Gryffindors: Well, their password could mean two things. One Muggle, one mythological. Thoughts?

Ravenclaws: What's Gorau Glas and why would Draco deem it an appropriate gift?

And kind of a weak Hufflepuff question (sorry!) But why would Vin Chaud make an appropriate gift for a date?

This was the last full chapter of the story I had planned out and rather than being certain of the idea, I am merely kicking around the idea of whether or not to write an Epilogue of sorts to it or just leave it here. Thoughts?