There was no doubt amongst the students and staff that Emaline Latham was a professor. She was well liked by her students and got along well with the other professors. She and Hagrid had become fast friends due to her interest in creatures of all kinds. Many of the students were now turning to her for help with Care of Magical Creatures and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Headmistress McGonagall had re-formed the dueling club and Emmaline was their sponsor. It was no surprise to see students coming and going from her classroom during her off hours.
It was on one such morning, eight weeks into the school term that the current school gossips were making their way into her classroom. Orla Quirke and Eleanor Branstone were an odd pairing but again, due to lack of classmates, they had become friends. Class did not begin until nine o’clock but Orla wanted to ask their Professor about her grade on a recent essay.
The two girls entered the classroom but stopped short when they heard their Professor talking with someone. Their eyes rounded as they both recognized the casual drawl of Draco Malfoy.
“Come on Emma, please, just one more time?” Draco sounded like a petulant child.
“Draco, I can’t do it. What if we get caught? How would I explain this to the Headmistress? She would be livid if she knew, and I would get thrown out of this school, not to mention what would happen to you.”
“I don’t care what they do to me. No one is going to know,” his voice lowered so that the girls listening below had to strain to hear his next words, “Come on, you know you want to.”
There was long pause of silence before Professor Latham answered, a touch of amusement in her voice, “Okay, just try to be a little discreet, and for God’s sake Draco, don’t tell anyone.”
“You got it, Emma.” There was the unmistakable sound of a quick kiss. Orla and Eleanor hightailed it out of the room.
By six o’clock that evening the entire school knew that Professor Latham had an intimate talk with Draco Malfoy. There was also now a rumor that she was sleeping with him.
There were also several other rumors: she was sleeping with Ron Weasley; she was sleeping with Harry Potter; she was dating Ron but sleeping with Draco. However, any way it was said, they were all rumors.
At exactly 8:18 P.M. Emaline slammed the door to her private quarters, causing the little boat in the portrait to tip precariously.
“So, how did it go?”
She glared at him so hard he started to squirm under her scrutiny. Knowing just what to do, he transfigured the overstuffed armchair in the middle of the room into a large, copper bathtub. He knew that would make her feel better.
“Well I have placated her a bit. She obviously knows that something is going on but I convinced her that all the rumors she heard today were not true. I have no idea how they started, we have been so careful.”
Using her wand to add a stream of hot air to the water flowing out of his wand the steam from the tub started filling the room. He turned to the small cabinet by the window and poured two glasses of wine, behind him the water splashed as she submerged herself into the relaxing water.
“Can I join you or do you want to me leave?”
She sighed and then opened her eyes to look at him. “If I didn’t want you here I wouldn’t have worked so hard to convince you to return to school.”
Fully clothed, he slipped into the water behind her. She laughed and leaned back against him. The steam caused his unruly hair to curl against his forehead, “What are we going to do?”
“I don’t know. When we come back from Christmas break it won’t matter. We will be married and since you are already of age there really isn’t anything anyone can say. Sure, I would rather not be married to one of my students, but that couldn’t be helped. You weren’t a student when I fell for your boyish charms, and you weren’t even going to return to school.”
He kissed her temple then lifted her arm out of the water to examine it. The blisters were healing but there was going to be scars. He summoned a jar from her bedchamber and began to rub cream onto the red welts. He then slipped his arm around her midsection and hugged her gently. “Your sure this didn’t do any other permanent damage?”
He felt her head nod up and down then relax against his shoulder.
She was starting to doze in the water when something smacked against the window to her room. He rose out of the water and dripped across the floor to see a very old and decrepit owl sitting on the window seal. He opened the window, and the owl fell to the floor in exhaustion. “Umm, it’s a Howler.”
“Give it here, quick.” Emaline ripped it open before it became too loud.
The extremely irritated voice of Molly Weasley filled the room. “HOW DARE YOU! YOU ARE A PROFESSOR; IF WHAT I HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF IS TRUE, AND YOU ARE CARRYING ON WITH MY LITTLE RONALD THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY. DO YOU HEAR ME! YOU ARE NOT THERE TO BE A TROLLOP; YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AN EDUCATOR. TO THINK I THOUGHT I COULD TRUST YOU THIS TIME!” With that the red paper burst into flames.
“Blimey, I’ve never heard her use curse words before. She must be really mad.”
No sooner had the little ashes disappeared, an eagle owl swooped in through the window. He grabbed the letter from the owl and ripped it open. “ ‘I knew you were too young to be a teacher. I told Minerva that you could not disguise your looks and see where it has gotten you. Not only have I been told that you were having a lovers’ chat with my son this morning but that you are also carrying on with that blood traitor Ron Weasley AND Harry Potter. While I admire your ability to attract the young men, I really must say I don’t think it is acceptable and you must stop at once. There is no telling what you might pass on to Draco.’”
Before she could get her robe on three more owls entered the room. Only one was carrying a Howler, which she opened first. Once again the unmistakable voice of Molly Weasley screamed out at her, “HARRY TOO?” and then it erupted in flames.
He stared at her, uncertain what to say. “I think we’re in trouble.”
She gave a nervous laugh, “You think?”
