Draco was sent upstairs by Brody and told which door to rap upon. He had a garment bag slung over his arm. Hannah had given the specifics, and Draco suspected he'd picked something nice. Draco knocked and waited. A confused looking Mac opened the door. Draco breezed past her into the room.

"I went on the assumption that you have suitable undergarments. There is one tea party-ready dress in here and a pair of flats. I... hullo, Longbottom."

Neville had been working on his sit ups again. Mac had convinced him that to take his mind off of the situation with the orb, he should continue to do his daily routine. Now that Mac was better, she encouraged him when he did his small work-out, but he knew she just liked to watch.

He had been just as confused as Mac was when there was a knock on the door. No one knocked--everyone just tended to barge in, especially her family. The fact that it was Malfoy staring down at him while he was half-naked was not only confusing, but slightly embarrassing.

"Can you put a shirt on, Longbottom. I don't want to see that," Draco said. He thrust the garment bag at Mac. "Go try this on."

"What-"

"It's your dress for Grandmother Longbottom's holiday tea party. Hannah mentioned you wanted to look nice."

"And you-"

"Go," Draco snapped. "I know clothes."

Neville had scrambled to pull his shirt on, and stared strangely at Draco. This was the first time he'd seen the other man since the exorcism.

"How do you know what size clothes my girlfriend wears?" he asked suspiciously.

"It's just something I can do. Like I know the colors she looks best in are black, blue or red. What do you want me to say? I've had my hands on her? Right. I like my arms attached to my body."

"Well you are best mates with Zabini," Neville said with his arms crossed. He sat back on the bed as far away from Draco as possible. "Why are you doing this?"

"Hannah asked me to," Draco said frowning as he set on the very edge of the bed. "What? I can't do someone a favor? Especially when she saved my life that time?"

Neville inched away from Draco and kept his eyes on the bathroom door. "I just asked why you were doing it; you don't have to get all defensive."

"I'm just tired of having to give a speech every time I do something decent. I'm no longer the little bastard that stole your rememberall, you know. I didn't do it for you though. Just so we're clear. I still don't like you. You made my girlfriend all crazy with worry. I actually want to punch your face, but I don't want Mac to beat me to a pulp."

Neville snorted. "From some of the owls I read from Ginny, you pissed her off pretty bad by leaving as well. Did you have the spirit of one of Voldemort's Death Eaters in your head too?"

Draco bristled. "That's none of your business."

Mac walked into the room with her dress hanging open. "How the fuck does this damned thin' work?"

Draco rolled his eyes and tied the black and white floral wrap dress for her. He stepped back and studied. "Well. Still you, yet perfectly respectable. You can not wear your boots."

"You've never seen her in heels," Neville said, a small smile on his face as he looked over Mac. He would never admit it to Malfoy, but she looked good. "I'd be carrying her all night."

"Interesting," Draco said. "Not the impression we want to make on grammy, so there we go."

Mac grinned. She felt like a real girl. "Thanks, Draco."

Draco just nodded at her then headed for the door. "MacDougal, Longbottom... don't do anything in that dress. Take it off and hang it back up first."

He exited before they could retort.

Once it was just them in the room, Neville relaxed a bit and scooted forward on the bed, looking at her in the dress more. "He's very strange."

"Aye," Mac said before untying the dress and hanging it up as was suggested. She didn't pay any mind that she was standing there in her knickers and bra.

Neville sighed. "I still don't think this tea is a good idea. Especially with the orb missing. I'll be jumpy and everyone will think I've gone mad."

Mac spun around and put her hands on her hips. "Neville, do ya really want to owl yer regrets to yer Gran, telling her yer worried about bein' out an' why?"

They'd had many talks about this before, and she always did a very good job and shooting down every negative thought he had.

"No," he sulked, then paused. "What if Pettigrew is possessing one of my Gran's friends and then he tries to get me?"

"Do ya even hear yerself right now? Tha's fockin' ridiculous, Nev. Pettigrew isna goin' to possess one of yer Gran's old biddie friends. Man up, lad! We're goin'."

At least he was tall enough that the old women couldn't pinch his cheeks anymore and coo at him. The last time he had gone that had been downright embarrassing.


{SUMMARY} Draco brings Mac a dress for Gran Longbottoms Christmas tea. Neville tries yet agin to argue about not going. Mac isn't having any.