𝔐𝔞𝔯𝔰 𝔯𝔢𝔭𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔰 𝔞 𝔫𝔢𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔱𝔢𝔪𝔭𝔢𝔯 𝔭𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔩 𝔲𝔯𝔤𝔢𝔰 𝔴𝔥𝔦𝔩𝔢 𝔞𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔞𝔪𝔢 𝔱𝔬 𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔯𝔞𝔠𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫

♂

DIANA WAS TANGLED IN GREEN sheets, her hands pinned by her side by long fingers interlocking with her own.

Her legs were hooked over bare shoulders, tan skin pressed against her thighs. Diana's left leg slid off smoothly as the figure between her legs rose up.

Her breath hitched at the sight of freckled skin stretched right across a hard torso, even more so when her gaze that followed a sharp cut was interrupted by the press of hips as the figure pressed into her.

She tried to lift her arms to touch the face- bring it closer to view, but the figure refused to be revealed as the thrust and drag increased. But she had a feeling who it was...

"Albus?" she called out, hoping that would coax him to reveal himself.

The hand on her thigh tightened as he leaned forward. A shiver escaped her when it was indeed Albus, a cool smile across his face.

His other hand reached up to settle on her throat, tightening with every thrust.

"Look at you," He spoke in Parseltongue, she could tell because the shape of his mouth didn't match the words she was interpreting. "Such a good girl."

Diana practically preened at his praise, but struggled to respond as his grip around her throat increased to the point of pain.

"It's a shame, though." Albus' smile turned cold. "I can't have anyone thinking a Potter is in bed with a Veela."

~

Lysander was hounding her in the common room that morning, addressing her clear discomfort that echoed in Ravenclaw Tower.

"What's going on? You've been acting strange." his golden brown hair was a welcome sight, driving away the memory of Albus' dark hair falling across sea green eyes.

She toyed with the zipper of her white sherpa jacket, tugging the zipper up and down each tooth. "I had a... weird dream."

Lysander came around the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw with a book in hand so sit on the opposite end of the sofa that she was currently territorial over.

"You're missing breakfast." he said softly. "Was it weird dream or a nightmare?"

She yanked her zipped all the way up and glanced over. "A nightmare. And I'd rather not talk about it if that's alright with you?"

He surrendered, sliding the book over until it nudged the edge of her blue velvet throw blanket.

"I yield. At least promise me you'll come for lunch after our tutoring session today?"

She didn't respond and leaned over to pick up the book, flipping to the first page. It was his great-grandfather's book about beasts. An easy read, with plenty of scientifically drawings of magical creatures for her to fawn over.

Diana appreciated Lysander. He always had a warm personality and took into account the feelings of those around him, even if he wasn't particularly close with them. A trait no doubt developed from spending time with his Hufflepuff other half.

She decided that she would deign to leave the safety of Ravenclaw Tower for lunch. She couldn't hide from Albus forever.

~

To her surprise, Albus was nowhere to be found in the Great Hall, even when she finally mustered enough courage to scour the long Slytherin table for him. All she found was Scorpius Malfoy and Althea Nott flirting with their Gryffindor conquests.

An even bigger surprise came in the form of Lily Potter tapping her on the shoulder just as she was about to leave the Ravenclaw table.

"Come with me, please." Lily smiled, eyes twinkling with something mischevious.

Diana's breath was immediately stolen. Were all the Potter siblings this beautiful close up? She understood now why Lysander was so infatuated with Lily. Her small smile was welcoming but private, like a secret shared only between you and her.

"Uh- Lily? Hi." Lysander was a bumbling mess beside Diana.

Lily turned her attention to Lysander. "Oh hello, haven't spoken to you in quite some time. I hope you're doing well. I'd love to stay and chat, but Diana and I have to go."

She turned brusquely to loop her arm through Diana's and pull her along.

"What's going on?" Diana struggled to keep up with Lily's walk. Despite her short stature, Lily's stride was rather long.

"We're almost there." the redhead banked right to cross the courtyard to a separate greenhouse attached to an enclosed gazebo. "Go on,"

Lily paused at the edge of the classroom doors that entered the greenhouse, encouraging her to enter.

Although hesitant, Diana entered the greenhouse, letting the door shut softly behind her.

A laugh burst past her initial gasp when she saw what was inside. A pair of enchanted gardening gloves twirled above her to drop a crown of flowers on her head. Albus was at the end of the path that was littered with luminescent florals.

"Hello," his mouth curved into a smile hidden behind a blue spider lily.

She took a few hesitant steps forward until she met him at the end. "When did you have time to do all this?"

"I had some help. Lily looks after this greenhouse in preparation for Professor Longbottom's new advanced botany class next year, so she let me use it. I also bribed Hux behind Scorp's back to get me all these flowers."

Diana noticed the slight puff of his chest- he was clearly proud of his work.

"It is really beautiful." she admitted, noticing that he too had a crown.

Albus' smile faltered. "What is it? Are you allergic to any of these species?"

"No, nothing of the sort." she hated this feeling. "I'm-I'm just confused. When you said you'd make it up to me, I thought it would be an invite to another gathering where you wouldn't leave me hanging. This feels like something you'd do for a witch you were smitten with."

A bitterness ran through her at his crestfallen face.

"And I know because of the our interaction at the Yule Ball..." she said as she removed the crown, "...that it's not me."

He caught her wrist to take the crown from her. "About that night- I want you know that I never meant to hurt your feelings. I realize now what I said was harsh and cruel, and I dismissed your feelings for me. I'm just trying to do right by you, to make up for more than just leaving you alone the other night."

She reached forward to push a strand of his black locks behind his ear, but decided against it and held her hand in a fist tight behind her back so she wouldn't make such a silly mistake like touching him. "I understand. But your actions are confusing me, I don't want a misunderstanding to get between us going back to normal- from going back to being friends."

He looked at her like she was insane. "There's one thing you have wrong. We were never friends."

Ouch.

Diana rapidly pulled away from Albus. "Yes, I know. I meant acquaintances who occasionally studied together. Lab partners."

"No, see I don't think you understand." Albus clenched the flower crown in his hand, destroying it. "I want more than that. I want you."

"Y-you do have me- every night in the Room of Requirement on weekdays." she insisted, a nervous stammer developing at his proximity and he backed her against a pillar wrapped in vines. "So technically speaking, you already have me."

"Not in the way I want." His hand dropped the crown on the floor.

Diana sucked in a breath. "And how di-did you w-want me?"

Albus tipped his head against hers as clouds blocked the sun with a downpour of rain to leave the greenhouse dark except for the glowing plants.

"Under me. On top of me." he reached out to brush her robes aside and settle his hand on her waist with his thumb pressing the quivering flesh under her navel. "I want to be here."

Her eyes grew wide when she realized his intention. "That- that can't happen."

"Says who?" Albus pulled away entirely, handing her the blue spider lily. "I don't care what anyone thinks. You're all I want, Diana. Is that clear enough for you?"

He walked away without a word, leaving her to warm the greenhouse with her intense blush as she slid down the pillar.

Her bad dream was nothing but that- a dream. He wanted her- a witch with Veela blood. And he didn't care about it.

She jerked her head up, pushing against the pillar to stop him just before he exited the the greenhouse.

"Diana?" his surprised tone ringed out as she caught him by his robe sleeve.

"If I'm to be yours, then you must be mine." she focused on saying the words carefully. "Like for like."

He smirked and Diana felt her insides melt at the sight. "Equivalent exchange, eh?"

When she nodded shyly he tipped her head up and leaned down brush his nose against hers. "We'll take it slow then."

Diana pushed up on her tip toes to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "What you wanted didn't seem slow."

"You'll find that slow can be just as satisfying," he laughed and pulled away. "Also; it would help if you didn't wear your civilian clothes to our tutoring sessions."

She frowned and settled back on her heels. "What's wrong with my civilian clothes?"

Diana noticed the sly sweep of his tongue across his full lower lip as he shook his head in disbelief.

"I was seconds away from fucking you hard and fast over the desk yesterday, that's why."

Her cheeks stayed warm for the rest of the day, and all she could do was smile like an idiot when Lysander asked her at dinner if her day went better than her dream last night.

It definitely went better. Much better.