He knew what he was looking for was in one of the boxes Luthien had minimized and set off to the side in his closet. He wanted to have it ready for Maeve. He knew if she'd been made enough to send a Howler that she would be stopping by soon. He wouldn't ever apologize for busting up Nott a bit, but he was sorry that he'd upset her. She was His and that damn well meant something. Maybe she didn't understand it. If that was the case then he would either have to explain or back off a bit. She was fully grown and Draco's words were ringing in his head, like a song on repeat. 'Hell, she's a grown woman. She probably doesn't need to be taken care of as much as you're probably trying to take care of her.' Draco didn't seem to understand either. His shoulders slumped as he finally came across the blue box with a with a white ribbon...the correct one this time. He sighed as he got to his feet, grabbing a grey skullcap as he passed. He set the box on the nearest shelf and pulled on the hat. It would keep his hair out of his face. 

Tracey didn't even know why she was going to Greg's flat. She was so upset that she could hardly see straight and yet there she was about to Apparate to his house. Even in his owls, he certainly didn't seem sorry about Halloween, despite doing the ONE thing she'd asked him not to do. Really, there was no real reason, other than presents and to make him beg her for forgiveness, for her to talk to him. Really, she should have made him come to her.

She Apparated directly into the bedroom, not caring if he was asleep or not. Her face was determined and hard when she saw him standing bare foot in his closet. "There are some things that need to be said, Gregory," she announced as she flipped her wand and made his bed. She wanted to sit down on something and that seemed as good a place as any.

Greg turned slowly, box in hand, eyeing his 'baby sister' warily. She looks murderous. Shite, shite, shite. "Maeve?"

She glared and motioned him to the bed with her wand. He complied, not out of deference to her, but because he wouldn't allow this to come between them. She was His plain and simple. He'd been protecting her for as long as he could remember and would continue to do so as long as he still breathed. Maeve was his baby sister, his family...if she walked away he would shatter. He needed to take care of her. Sitting on the bed, he set the box between them. "What is going on?" The concern hit him. "Are you injured?" 

"Oh, Honestly! You know why I'm upset, Greg Goyle. I'm not bloody injured. I'm cross! I've let it go all weekend because I'm trying to sort some things out, but it's about time we talked about this." Tracey was literally seething in anger. Her hands were almost shaking. "Of all people, you knew how I felt about him. You knew I asked you not to hurt him, but you didn't listen. You've been treating me like I was a child since we were babies and usually I let it go, but the one time I ask you to leave off... the ONE time, you hit him anyway. Don't you realise what you could have done?"

Greg held his hand up, stopping her. "Did you hear what he said about you and Pansy?" When she didn't answer he repeated himself. "Did you or not, Maeve?" 

"I know what he did. Isn't that enough? It's my life... isn't it enough to know that the boy I'm mad for has been shagging my dearest friend for years. That he went to her instead of coming to me? Did it ever occur to you that you were making it worse?" He tried to reach for her hand and she was having none of that, she pulled it away and began pacing instead.

Greg stood and caught her as she passed, holding her close. "He said, in front of all those people, that you and Pansy came on to him, Poppet. I wouldn't have hit him had he kept his mouth shut." He refused to let her loose until he was done. "He made you two sound like whores that one would pick up on a street corner. What was I supposed to do?"

She broke away from him. "You were supposed to leave him alone. Pansy is old enough to take care of herself and would have hexed him herself if, she was near enough. And you should have known better. Conveniently getting River and I to take a walk. You knew you were going to hit him... hell, you baited him. I heard him say it, 'Go ahead and hit me'. You wanted to hit him. It wouldn't have mattered if he had been the most respectful man in Hogsmeade that night." Tracey was trying to move forward, she really was, and having Greg rip her up again was not what she wanted. "An another thing, Theo chose not to fight back. You didn't see him punch the drunk that was harassing me in The Three Broomsticks. He could have easily fought back, but he didn't. What does that mean? That means that you were being an insufferable bully. Just like what everyone thinks about you. I know you're not that person. Why can't you show what you really are for a change? Why can't you be like Blaise? I told him the whole bloody thing and all he did was pout about not being my number one boy any more."

Greg took a big step back as his world shattered around his ears. An insufferable bully. Why can't you be more like Blaise? The words he never thought he would hear from her bounced about in his head, cutting deeper than anyone else's words could.

"Go. Now." He reached over and tossed the box at her feet. He kept his voice low and level. No matter what, this was still Maeve and he wouldn't raise his voice with her. "I'm not Blaise. Never have been and never fucking will be. Nott insulted the two women I've been looking out for since we were in nappies. He baited me, not the other way around." He shook his head in frustration. "I should have told McGonagall to go fuck herself when she ordered me to leave." He waved his hand towards the door and turned his back on her. "Go. Just go."

He turned back and looked her in the eyes. He would watch her make this decision. She was just standing there with a shocked look on her face. "I left the first time because I was forced to. If you want Nott to come between us now then just leave. I'll pack my bags and leave Britain. I came back for you...my sister. I guess I can leave now since I'm an insufferable bully who should model himself after Blaise. Funny, I never thought I'd hear that sort of thing from you."

He wasn't certain where the words were coming from, or even if he totally meant them. But, he'd had to say it. There was no stopping any of this. She had to understand that no matter what, there were things he just wouldn't allow her to do or say.

Tracey dropped into a chair, defeated. She was trying to stop the tears from falling. She finally spoke wearily, "Val, I'm not going anywhere. I don't want you to be Blaise any more than I want him to be you. I'm not letting you leave me again either. I knew you left for a reason last time, but you never told me. Apparently I'm too precious to tell the truth to, even when you'll defend me to the love of my life. I'm clearly not brave enough or smart enough or good enough to know the truth. I always have to be kept in the dark. Yet another thing that Pansy is better than me at." The tears came, but she bitterly pressed on. "Why did she order you to leave? And why couldn't you have told me before?" She never argued with Val. Ever. It was physically painful to keep on.

He crossed to her, taking her face in his hands. He's known she hadn't meant her harsh words, that she was just hurting. "Don't cry. You've cried over Nott enough." He wouldn't let her cry over this but he knew he had to tell her. "I saw my parents' murdered but was high on two potions at the time. McGonagall had me hidden in America before I really knew what was going on. I didn't tell you because that isn't something that can be told in an owl." He did his best to smile as he carefully wiped away her unshed tears before they could fall. "You are precious to me. But, you aren't weak." 

Tracey nodded slowly and digested what he'd said. "Your parents were killed in front of you, but you were high at the time? And that's why McGonagall sent you away?"

Greg winced. "I took illicit potions, yes. McGonagall sent me away because my parents were murdered when I refused to be a Death Eater." 

Tracey was floored. She held her temple forcing the pounding headache away. She still had lunch with Blaise's Mudblood to deal with today. "And this 'thing' that happened last weekend? Related to illicit potion usage?" He nodded tightly. "I don't want you to go anywhere, Greg. You need to be here. The last time I was here we should have focused on the things in your life rather then the mess in mine."

"Don't, Maeve. I'm always here for you." The he addressed her questions. "I was stupid and have promised not to do it again." He considered what else he could say, deciding that it had to be said. "You are my family, the most important person to me and have been for as long as I can remember. Of course I want to know everything that is going on with you. I just don't understand why."

"Why what? Why Theo? You of all people should know why, Val. There hasn't been anyone else for me. It's always been him. I guess I'm just loyal that way." Tracey's voice was pained. It was going to hurt, but the whole story was going to have to come out. She wondered if tonight was going to be the night.

Greg paced, trying to figure out why Maeve would allow Nott to hurt her. He was at a loss. Tossing his skullcap on his bed, he raked a hand through his hair. "He hurt you. I just don't understand why you would allow that or why you think I would allow that. I've never allowed anyone to hurt you."

She shook her head sadly. "Then you've never truly been in love with someone, Val. You accept them despite their flaws. He didn't do what he did to hurt me. It was never his intention. I've accepted that. Just as I've accepted that the boy I was in love with in school isn't the man that holds me at night. That boy was perfect. Flawless. So pretty to watch and pine after. The real Theodore Nott isn't that way. I still like to watch him, but now I can see things bubbling under the surface. He's more than just that boy who wouldn't follow his father into chains of the Dark Lord's making; who stopped smiling when his dad was arrested. Theo wasn't ever like us, but that was what I liked about him. It's what I love about him."

Greg didn't quite know what to say to that. He knew about loving someone. Didn't he love her and Pansy? He knew that he loved Raven and Afjc. He'd loved his Mum and Abbs too. "Maybe, maybe not. I do know that loving someone means accepting them just how they are. I've never, ever spoken badly of those I love. If you love someone, no matter the type of love, you protect and defend them." Then he really looked at her and saw the sadness on her face. "Do you believe me incapable of love?"

"No, I know you love me. I love you too, you great prat. I just wish you'd let me make my own decisions... my own mistakes sometimes." Tracey pulled him down toward her and hugged him tightly. "Seeing as I'm trying to make my life with the fool, do you think you could refrain from resorting to violence every time you see him? It's hardly his fault that I flew into a tizzy about something that happened before we were together and let it spill to my most protective friend."

"Your brother," he clarified. "I've always let you make your own decisions, Poppet. I didn't stop you and River from going to Hogsmeade back at Hogwarts did I? No, I let you go and slipped you hangover potions when you two stumbled back to the dorms. Who soothed you when your mother was a bitch? Who has protected you, even showing you the most painful hexes and jinxes?" They were rhetorical questions since both of them knew the answers. As for Nott...he'd let it lie for a bit. "I'll try. If he hurts you again..."

"Then I can live with that, though you'll have to stand behind me when I hex him first. Now, how about cuddling me before I have to go catch lunch with Blaise's girlfriend? I'm nervous as hell but I won't be able to show it to her... she was a Hufflepuff for Merlin's sake, it wouldn't do to show her any weakness. And were was that box? Just because I'm not mad any more doesn't mean I'm not above taking presents, especially if said presents are all sparkly."

He gave her a wry smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and tossed the little blue box at her. "I wouldn't expect anything else, Poppet."

(Summary: Tracey finally tears Greg a new one... and then feels terrible about it.)

the gifts: