~ You must be my lucky star 'cause you make the darkness seem so far

And when I'm lost you'll be my guide, I just turn around and you're by my side. ~

***

The students were assembled in greenhouse number 3 as Pomona Sprout was giving a lecture on self fertilizing shrubs. Felicity was standing with her notebook and pen but was unable to take notes at the moment as her head was throbbing from lack of sleep. 

"As these plants feed on human flesh, I would advise you to wear gloves before handling them," Professor Sprout instructed as she started her round observing the students and helping them in taking care of the shrubs.

Apparently, the shrubs seemed totally harmless but Felicity realized that wasn't the case because soon as her hand made contact with the shrub, it snapped at her fingers.

"Another ungratifying and arrogant little brute," she mumbled taking a stick and spanking the plant which only resulted in it becoming more aggressive. 

Alicia who was standing beside her, laughed at the way Felicity was handling the shrub, "so I take it that all the tutoring is making you have a constant bad mood. The shrub has done nothing wrong, Fel and you are taking all of Potter's anger out on the poor creature."

"Poor creature? It tried to devour my fingers," she scowled visibly which caused Alicia to giggle more. 

"And you too tried to give it a spanking," she remarked holding back her laughter, "you should have gone to Madam Pomfrey for a Calming draught."

She mumbled, "I'm perfectly fine, thank you."

This time she was lucky that Herbology was held with Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs so she was initially spared the torture of hearing James Potter's absolute nonsense again. But she was still fuming on yesterday's episode when she found out that Sirius Black was just as good at Astronomy as she was yet Professor Sinistra asked her to tutor Potter not him.

She had accidentally seen the essays graded at Professor Sinistra's desk and was thoroughly surprised to see that Sirius's essay was graded an O and yet Professor Sinistra always made it seem as if she was the only student in the class proficient enough to tutor the likes of James Potter.

"You all must submit an essay on self fertilizing shrubs by tomorrow," Professor Sprout addressed the class before leaving, "and make sure it is of a considerate length. I won't be receiving any essay less than quarter of a scroll."

"More than a quarter of scroll to be wasted on this ungrateful shrub," Alicia whispered in her friend's ear who shook her head in disappointment.

"It's a relief that I won't have to tutor him today at least," she replied, "much of a blessing that Professor Sinistra gave me Wednesdays off. I'm definitely looking forward to a good long sleep tonight."

However fate was absolutely not in Felicity's favor because even on a Wednesday night all her hopes of being free of James Potter were crushed. She had reached the common room in higher spirits than usual but her sour mood returned soon as a third year told her that James Potter was at the Astronomy tower and he had requested her to go meet him. And also that it was absolutely urgent.

She balled her hands into fists not even replying and it was Alicia who told the third year girl that Felicity would come and that she may go now.

"Of all the things that could have happened..."

"Calm down, Fel, or else you'll probably blow up the Ravenclaw tower. Now go and see what so urgent matter it is for which Potter needs your assistance," Alicia remarked pushing her to the exit from the common room.

***

"So you mean to say that you called me up to the Astronomy tower just so I could answer this stupid question?"

He backed off alarmed by her explosive mood, "Latvia... You aren't going to throw me down this tower, right? Because if you do, you'll be sentenced to Azkaban and Merlin knows I don't want you to perish due to me."

"I'm already perishing due to you, Potter, and it's no better than Azkaban for me. I'm pretty sure that even the Dementors will perish if they ever caught the sight of you."

"Woah, that was rude."

"And you calling me twenty flights of stairs up here to this goddamn tower isn't rude at all?"

"I couldn't understand!" he held his hands up in surrender, "I called you because you happen to be the only person I know who could help me with that."

"You're so wrong. That Black guy you hang out with all the time knows just as much about Astronomy as I do. You could have called him up here instead of me. You could have spared me the trouble if you wanted. But of course, how can I forget that you love torturing me, it's such an enjoyable pastime for you, right?"

"It's not like that. Sirius sure knows about Astronomy but he wouldn't tell me anything because he just doesn't care. He wouldn't care if I flunked."

She shrugged carelessly, "I wouldn't honestly care if you flunked either."

"No, you would," his time was much lighter than before, the anticipation vanished from his voice, "it's your task. You'll be held answerable to Professor Sinistra if I flunked."

"Holy..." she was about to swear bit stopped herself in time, "you'll drive me crazy, Potter!"

"Uh well... That's kinda expected. All the girls are already crazy because of me, except you and (obviously) Evans."

"Shut up and pay attention here," she muttered pointing to the telescope, "do you even know how to handle a telescope without causing any damage?"

He shrugged, "depends on what you consider as damaging."

She sighed wearily, "wait, don't touch. I won't be able to take it anymore if you broke this as well. Just... Place your hands on it like this."

She showed him by gently grasping the stem of the telescope. He tried to do as she told him to.

"No no no, wait right here," she spoke in alarm, "not that tight. It's not a Beater's club and you don't have to hit Bludgers with it."

Grabbing his hands, she carefully positioned them round the telescope, "and don't squeeze any harder. Or else you'll have to wait for the next Hogsmeade weekend to complete your assignment."

"Okay, okay I'm not going to break it, I have held it sufficiently in the past school years too though it seems like you aren't going to believe that. You can relax."

"Look through this now, will you? And if you have kept the previous lesson in mind, you'll be able to recognize the constellations."

"Dunno about the lesson but I'll try."

He peeked through the telescope while she waited beside him hoping he would just see something and spare her the torture of staying any longer.

"Holy crap, Latvia, what the hell is this orange ball of flames?" James exclaimed in alarm quickly removing the telescope which in his haste fell down the tower.

Her jaw dropped open as if she was too startled to even comprehend what had just happened. "What... What the hell? You threw the telescope! You effing threw it down the tower? Are you insane?"

He backed off, "stop screaming or I swear to God I'll jump off the tower as well."

She pulled him away from the balcony, "you can jump whenever you like but for Merlin's sake don't dare commit suicide with me as a witness. I would hate it if people came to me asking about your last words. Besides I don't wanna be suspected either because your friends would be pretty certain that I threw you off."

His hand went up to scratch the back of his neck, "and here I thought you didn't want me to die... Guess I was wrong."

"When are you ever right, Potter?"

"Well... Just about now when I said I saw an orange ball of flames...?"

"It was a nebulae, idiot, not some alien hurtling towards Earth to kill James Stupid Potter."

"Are you done screaming your head off at me yet?"

She glared at him, "no, because like you just reminded me, it's my dreadful responsibility to make sure you don't fail and submit your assignments in time. And now that you've destroyed your telescope we'll have to wait until Hogsmeade weekend so you can buy a new one and finish your work."

"Or I could still finish it in time only if you lend me yours," he suggested.

Her eyes widened slightly, "don't even think about it. Who gave you the idea that I'll let you use my telescope? My telescope... Forget it."

He shrugged, "in that case I'll simply have to borrow your notes."

"No," she stated firmly.

"Fine then, I'll let Professor Sinistra know about that."

She looked at him as if she was actually going to throw him off, "you insufferable blackmailer...!"

"So I take it as a yes," he flashed her a bright smile, "I'll take your notes tomorrow. And thanks for the help."

She knew there was no other way left and she was fuming internally at him. "I hate you to death," she muttered under her breath.

But as she was about to storm off in her rage, he stepped right in front of her effortlessly such that she bumped right into him. "Love you too, Latvia," his smirk widened with mischief.

Before she could give a snide remark back, there was a clattering sound as if someone had tripped. Both of them turned around to see Lily picking up her books.

Her face was undeniably turning red from embarrassment at having tripped at such an inconvenient time, "I... I'm sorry to interrupt you guys. I wasn't eavesdropping anyway. And... Congratulations." Lily smiled at them politely before moving on.

James stared after her with his jaw dropped open. "Shit, shit, shit... Now of all times," he cursed under his breath while Felicity stood by silently, waiting for her to disappear completely from sight.

When she was sure that Lily was gone and won't be able to hear them anymore, she burst out into fits of laughter, "Oh... My... God!"

James turned to face her with an exasperated look on his face, "what?"

"Priceless... In this whole pathetically boring day, this was the best thing to ever happen," she spoke wiping tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, "serves you absolutely right, Potter."

He sulked evidently, "haha very funny. My stomach is hurting from laughing so hard."

"Exactly! I'll remember this moment for ever and ever and ever... Mr James Potter, I'm sorry to inform you that you've blown all your negligible chances of hooking up with Evans. God, I just can't even... Look at your face," she exclaimed doubling down hysterically with her chuckles.

"Sod off..." he mumbled, "and I have a guess that I'm not going to hear the end of it anytime soon."

She nodded knowingly, her smile still etched on her face, "probably never."

"Alright then, what are you waiting for? Shouldn't you have left a long while ago? Or are you hoping for me to climb off this tower and commit suicide just because I blew it off with Evans?" he remarked annoyed at seeing her so amused on his expense.

"I know you'd never commit suicide. For starters I could never be that lucky. And secondly you still have a million more people to drive nuts in the future."

"Latvia... Are you leaving or not?" he frowned, glaring at her probably irritated by her words.

She waved him goodbye blowing an air kiss at him sarcastically, "see you tomorrow, darling." And with that she burst into laughter again.

As she went down the stairs, he called after her, "I'll get back at you for this. You better be prepared, Latvia."

She looked up, "of course, Potter, try whatever you want."

"Sweet Dreams, love," he replied mockingly in the same way she had done so a while earlier and rolled his eyes warily.

She looked up at him flashing him the same annoyingly bright smile with which he had irritated her so many times before, "oh and good luck with your insomnia tonight."

***