She didn't know how she got there—breathing in heavily, shoulders rising up and down forcefully, enraged, fuming with fury and the need to murder as the people around her stared petrified. All of them gaping at her as her insides screamed kill, kill, kill.

"Miss Weasley?"

Lifting a palm to her face, wiping away excess of potion off of her now wet face, Rose took a heavy inhale as she looked at the Professor. Her infuriated brown eyes taking in the man, almost as if her gaze was twisting his thick figure, crumbling his stupid hat and shoving it far inside a dragon's mouth and tossing him inside to go and find it. "Yes, sir?"

Horace Slughorn swallowed a lump of nerves, staring calculating at the redhead as she practically hissed at him. "You're excused, Miss Weasley. Feel free to go clean yourself, you can turn in the assignment next lesson."

"Thank you," Rose said through clenched teeth, turning around to her right to look at another redhead looking disturbed as the class hurried back to their assignments, acting like they didn't see her and her dripping anger. "Take my bag to the common room, please."

"Sure," Roxanne Weasley replied to her cousin. "You know, Rose, I can take away points if you'd like. I can wait at the proper moment and drain all the emeralds," she offered, hoping that that would wipe away some of the bubbling anger in Rose's eyes, instead it got a chuckling noise from both sides of the chamber. "Shut up, Fred," Roxy hissed, turning her neck slightly to glare at her twin brother.

"Sorry, Roxy, but for being a stuck-up Prefect, that would be wicked to witness," said Fred.

Beside him, James Potter grinned darkly at Roxy. "Do it. Put Gryffindor ahead of all the other Houses. You know it's been two years since we've beaten Slytherin in particular for the House Cup." 

"I'm not doing that," Roxy said to her brother and cousin. "I take being Prefect seriously. It's a commitment. The Headmistress counts on all of us to carry the—"

"And I'm bored," James huffed, turning back away from Roxy before she started on a lecture that their Uncle Percy had practically written for her and Victorie (the only Prefects thus far amongst the children).

"Just bring my bag to the common room, will you?" Rose made her presence noticed again. As soon as she received a quick nod from the twins, who knew not to mess with her when she was in a murder-spree, and a roll of eyes from James, Rose tried to give them a smile. "Thank you."

"I know you're not the smartest witch in the cauldron, Weasley," and just before she could turn around and walk out of the classroom, Rose was met with the silver gaze of the devil. "But the potion is supposed to go inside the pot, not on you."

"This is all your fault!"

Staring unmoved by the red on Rose's cheeks, her hyperventilating chest, and grinding teeth, Scorpius Malfoy smirked at her. "I suppose it is," he sighed mockingly eyes drifting down to the liquid oozing down her front. "But then again, I am not your nanny, Weasley. And I am not daft enough to have you as a partner, I need to work with someone who has the same intellectual level."

And as he leaned back on his seat, a dark-haired witch turned her head towards the fuming redhead. "Oh, my. Rose, do you need help washing that off?"

"No," Rose snapped, feeling sickened by the sweet, caring tone in the girl's voice. "I think you and Malfoy did enough already, actually."

Lana McLaggen raised an eyebrow, bewilderment pooling into her beautiful expression and emerald eyes.

"Ignore her, Lana," Scorpius said softly, putting a gentle palm on her shoulder. "Rose tends to let out her anger on everyone." Giving her a pat like she was a cat, the Slytherin turned away from his house-mate to look towards the Gryffindor girl. "She had nothing to do with your stupidity, Weasley. Don't blame people because you can't brew a potion. Not that I'm surprised anyway, your genetics don't provide you with much to begin with."

Balling her hands into fist, Rose scowled with all her might. "Your mother may be the brightest woman that has ever lived, but I am pretty sure she had you with a Dementor, you evil bastard."

Storming away from the aggravating blonde, Rose felt more anger seep into her skin as she heard Lana ask if she was alright, only receiving a 'Forget it, Lana, Weasley is as demented as they come' from Malfoy.

Rose honestly didn't know how she ended up in the place she was at—not the part where she is covered in a failed attempt of the Truth-Telling Serum, but loathing Scorpius Malfoy with every fiber of her being. She knew the feeling was mutual, but she just couldn't understand why. Sure, they weren't related, but his mother and her father were practically family, they grew up together for Dumbledore's sake, and yet, the hate was unavoidable between her and Scorpius.

She tried controlling it most of the time, tried pulling out that respect-everyone card her grandfather Arthur is so fond of, but keeping the peace with Scorpius was harder than getting her father to fit into his Christmas sweaters. And truth be told, a part of her didn't honestly want to try and get along with the white-devil. But in a corner of her heart, somewhere dark and mysterious, she felt like she needed to put up with it, like she would be rewarded in the end.

"—What happened to you?"

Turning from the piles of clothes she was leaving in the corner, Rose found a tall, dark-haired student looking at her with an eyebrow raised high. "Malfoy happened," she hissed, loosening her ruby and gold tie as she found the wet material sticking to the skin of her neck. "I went to get a few more ingredients for my potion, when I know that the prat slipped something into the cauldron before I went back to my desk. He was smiling too brightly for my taste. That should've tipped me off, but instead I offered him a bit of my lacewing flies."

"Alright, alright, calm down, Rose."As the redheaded witch yanked on her tie, practically strangling herself, Damien McLaggen approached the girl; his hands racing to removed hers from herself. "You'll suffocate yourself and won't get to take revenge on that git."

"I don't want revenge, Damien!" Rose grunted angrily, looking up to the ceiling of the ancient castle as he undid the knot of her tie. "I just want Malfoy to get eaten by a Hippogriff! I want him gone so I could live my life without walking out of my lessons drenched in potion that smells like sewer water!"

Rolling his eyes at the younger girl, Damien put his palms on either one of her shoulders. Lightly moving away the strands of silk-straight red hair as he looked deeply at her face. "You're still adorable, Rose," he smiled. "Even covered in potion and completely irritated."

Flicking her brown eyes at the Sixth Year Slytherin, Rose stared blankly at the boy. "...Thanks, Damien."

"No problem.You know how much you mean to me." Stretching his smile a bit more on his face, McLaggen leaned down towards the redhead, his eyes closing just as hers was.

Their lips moved together in an unfamiliar, unrecognizable way. Almost like if their mouths had not been adjusted to their likes already. Even though it hadn't been the first time they had shared a kiss. It was still a bit uncoordinated, teeth clanking with each other, tongues too deep, foreheads bumping— but even though it was a disaster all the time, Rose couldn't bring herself to stop.

"—Ow." But luckily for the confused girl, loud footsteps on the corridor floor separated her from the Slytherin. "I can't believe this happened to me."

"Can't believe we managed to boil the potion that high." With a slight sneer in his face, Scorpius paused his teasing as he reunited with the fuming redhead again; this time with her little travel dog as well.

"Lana?" Stepping away from Rose, Damien moved to the girl in Malfoy's arms. "What did you do to my sister, Malfoy?"

"Damien, stop."At first a little skeptical of the intrusion and venom in Damien's tone, Lana frowned at her brother as he shoved Scorpius to the side. Moving his massive self towards her, taking her by the shoulders as if he was about to go flying through a group of Chasers in the Quidditch pitch and she was the quaffle. "Scorpius was just escorting me to the Hospital Wing, I burned myself with the brewing potion."

"You don't need help from this idiot, Lana," McLaggen hissed, throwing a glare at the blonde. "We will never owe you anything, Malfoy." Was what he said before dragging Lana down the hall with him, silently hissing at her about the debt that she could have put them in.

Not bothered by McLaggen's attitude, Scorpius just stood there. That forever smirk on his handsome face. "Your boyfriend has a bit of attitude, doesn't he?"

"I thought you fancied Lana McLaggen, Malfoy," Rose ignored the blonde's remark, throwing hers in fast enough to prevent him from continuing on. "But I suppose no one is safe from your wrath, right? Poor, stupid girl. She was just trying to figure out how to brew a potion and your burned her."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Jealous, are you,darling?"

"Of you?" The redhead looked skeptical, snorting at the Slytherin Fifth Year.

And taking a slow step towards her, the boy grinned lightly. "Of her."

"...Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy, I have Damien. Not every girl in this castle is attracted to you," Rose muttered, distracted of her anger as her heart picked up in rate. "Damien's a fantastic bloke, despite what you and my cousins think. He treats me wonderfully."

Keeping his lips pressed together for another few seconds—just so he wouldn't vomit from the disgusting lies and images the girl was giving him— Malfoy was now standing an inch from the nervous-looking Gryffindor. "I reckon, Rose, that you're naive enough to fall for McLaggen," he whispered, a glint illuminating his silver eyes to sparkle dangerously. He stretched his fingers, gripping a loose strand of her inflamed hair. Just twisting it in his fingers as he looked at her; already seeing her about to go into a fit. "All he needs to do is mutter a few words...smile at you...hold your hand...tell you that you're beautiful..." He dropped the strand of hair, moving his left hand to her face.

Feeling the surprisingly warm skin of his fingertips on her face, Rose felt her soul flutter inside her chest. It was strange, almost like tiny bolts of electricity were making her skin come to life, to ignite every cell in her body. There was a need inside of her, almost bringing her to tears—making her feel relieved, like she had been waiting for too long.

With a piercing gaze still on the redhead, Malfoy moved his hand to her neck, pulling her forward gently.

She was so close to him now. So much that she started feeling lightheaded. She could feel his breath on her nose, smell the scent of mint he had, of something cold but irresistible. Could sense the warmth from his chest, see the light grey in his eyes that always looked so stormy from a distance.

He parted his lips, slowly lowering his mouth to hers, eyes closing as hers fluttered to do the same. "...You're too easy to mess with, Weasley."

And just as the shivers raced up her spine, Rose's fury reappeared as the blonde student pulled himself back ten steps; a large leer playing on his annoyingly-handsome face.

"You're a foul, evil bastard, Malfoy!" She hissed, whipping out her wand from her wet pocket. "You know nothing about me, and next time you get close to me, I will hex your tiny manly-bits off!"

Ring. Ring. Ring.

"Oh, but I do know you, Weasley," Malfoy sneered as he heard the bell ring across the ancient walls of Hogwarts, not paying any importance to her burning wand-tip. "I know that you are so desperate for love that you'll hold on to anyone who is willing to give it to you. You're afraid to end up alone. You're thick enough to make yourself believe that you have feelings for McLaggen, only just to have something to show. "

"—Rose? You didn't go change?"

And just as the shuffling of shoes, grunts of aggravation, and laughter started filling the corridor from the students exiting their classrooms, Malfoy smirked at the redhead again as her cousin appeared before them, carrying Rose's belongings.

"Best be off, I got to check on Lana." Waving a mocking palm at the girls, Scorpius turned away from them. Knowing that he gave Rose Weasley a thing or two to think about— his revenge for  ever thinking that she knew what truly lies inside of him.

                                                                          X

"Don't look at me like that." Flinching away from the blank stare on the brunette's face, Savanna Zabini looked at her surroundings before speaking again. "Oh, come on, Ana, you had to have noticed. It was very obvious, clearer than the crystal-balls in Trelawney's classroom."

Rolling her eyes, Ariana looked around her as well, just to make sure there wasn't any eavesdropping Gryffindors in their house-table. And just as she saw that the coast was clear, she aimed a quick look at a girl sitting a few people away, her brown eyes looking at the plate of untouched dinner as she tried to blend in with the background. "She's been upset for a while, Savanna, maybe it's that time of the month."

Savanna frowned. "I'm being serious, Ana—look at her. That has to be more than a few cramps. And besides, she had hers weeks ago. She can't possibly have hers again, she's irregular."

"And how in Merlin's name, do you know that?" Ariana asked, raising her eyebrow in a slight discomfort. "Have you been reading her journal again? She will murder you if she finds out, and I'm not saving you from that anymore. I mean, you would think that the curse she put on it would tip you off to not go near it, but then again—"

"Her mum's a Healer, Ana!" The Ravenclaw among lions shouted, ruining her whispering-to-be-sneaky-and-mysterious routine she had going on. "She talked about menstrual cycles when we were ten, remember? She told us that Roxy was irregular and that might happen to us—-but that's not the point," she muttered furiously. "Roxy's been in a depression for the last couple of days. We'll be going on holidays soon, and that always cheers her up. She packs for days, but word around the girls lavatory is that she hasn't even began to pack."

"The holidays are still ages away, Savanna. Besides, even if your theory is correct, what can we do about it? It's sort of impossible to get the object of her happiness back."

Grunting because she knew the Gryffindor was right, Savanna rolled her eyes to herself. "Who would have guessed it, Roxanne Weasley in love with Dash Finnegan."

Spooning her mash-potatoes, Ariana turned discretely towards Roxy; watching her faraway gaze, the lack of interest in her usually smiling face. Perhaps the Fifth Year did fancy Dash, and Ariana can't begin to imagine the pain she must have felt when Finnegan packed his trunk and left Hogwarts. It was already hard to fancy someone, to have those undefined, magnificent, complicated feelings for a person when they were nearby. But when they were far, how do you do that? When you can't let the emotions out? When they just bottle up inside of you? Torturing you because you have no one to give them to?

Ariana looked back up, towards the Slytherin table, finding it empty from those she knew.

She supposed love is just a complicated thing. She was thirteen, too young to even know what it must feel like, but she is the smartest thirteen year-old anyone could ever come across. She knew that love was just a powerful feeling, incapable to contain, to express even, but that it brought joy to peoples hearts—or destroyed them. She wasn't sure if she was willing to put herself in the position, ever. She was so used to being the ruthless one, of being a solitaire piece of the collection of humans in the world that were impossible to reach; impossible to hurt.

"Hello, girls, good night, yeah?"

"Potters, Weasleys," Savanna mouthed, irritation appearing on her dark face as the Gryffindor table suddenly started getting fuller than before. She coughed lightly, aiming a look at her best friend, but one of Ariana's house-mate got in her way before she could plead the girl for them to leave.

"You look upset, Sav, everything alright?" Fred asked, smiling at the younger girl as he finished throwing a spoon at his twin, signaling Roxy for her to come and join them.

"...I'm fine," Savanna grunted, rolling her eyes openly to the people around her.

"Are you sure?"The boy asked again.

"Of course she's not, Fred." Reaching for a plate full of delicious-looking dinner, right down from the steak and potatoes, James Potter smirked at his redheaded cousin. "You keep calling her Sav, and we all know Zabini loathes that little pet name." He purred, pretending to claw as the Ravenclaw's face grew more irritated. " Sav sounds like a kitty, meow."

The Ravenclaw girl frowned, not amused. "Kitty, your mother, Potter!"

"—Oi!" Peeking her little head through the massive crowd, Lily scowled at the dark-skinned girl. "Don't be talking about my mother, Sav. Not unless you want me to tell you how your mother reminds me of a female dog."

"Lily!" Louis gaped as Savanna's jaw dropped, forming the perfect hysterical 'O' shape. "No, no, lad. We do not go around insulting each others mothers, remember? Chapter three, paragraph two of our Weasley/Potter Family handbook."

"There's no handbook, Louis," Dominique interjected, looking proud as Lily picked up a thing or two from her in the previous summer. (At that rate, Dominique knew Lily Potter would become the prodigal girl of the family once she graduated Hogwarts. ) "Rule number three on the Weasley/Potter girls list, always defend your mum, Lily. Remember that, love."

Louis frowned. "If there's not a family handbook, then there really isn't a book for you psychotic lot."

"Oh, but there is," Dominique and her little redhead cousin smirked in unison. "Grandmum Molly keeps it locked up in that trunk she won't let Granddad Arthur in. The same one she cursed Uncle George when he tried breaking it open."

"You seem awfully quiet, Ana, are you alright?" Fred asked, cutting in again as Savanna fumed the more and more his family talked.

Feeling the slow gazes turning to her, Ariana Malfoy cleared her throat as she was almost caught dazing off into a shade of green that always captivated her. "Have any of you seen my brother? My mum sent me an update on Demi and I just wanted to share it with him." A couple of eyebrows rose. "I need to pass it on to him, alright?" She corrected, annoyed that they would think she was being considerate about her brother.

"Hannah gave Scorpius and Angelo detention, Ana." Making the girl turn a light shade of pink, Al continued on oblivious to the change in the girl. "We were on our way to the Great Hall from the library when we saw Joseph Flint shoving Peyton to the floor when, well you know, we attacked back. Zabini gave Flint a pig's tail, and your brother broke his nose as I tried holding my cousin back. Peyton can be really revengeful, you know?"

"Of course he is, Aunt Pansy is mental," Lily added, smiling as she felt a warm connection with that dark-haired woman. Evil just suited their family well. Despite how much her Grandparents tried to tell the Third Generation that revenge and cruelty is never a method to live by, the kids found their lives a bit more cheerful when they whack a couple of people.

"Chances are they won't be leaving the Headmistress office until curfew," the Slytherin Third Year finished.

But being the oldest, and a bit more sharp than Al, James saw the blushing in the Malfoy girl's cheeks; the way she scooted her body back as she looked at his brother from across the table. "How is Demetria, Ana?" He pretended to be loss of appetite, turning in an angle and putting a palm on her shoulder.

"...No sign of changes,"Ariana mumbled, a knot forming in her throat as she imagined her blonde sister in that glass crib in St. Mungos. That haunting image became more dominate now, almost as if she couldn't remember the two year-old in her always-constant bubbly state; with her hazel-eyes always glittering with life as she was the ball of hope in their family. "Dean has taken my sister's case into his personal care. Attending to her, trying to find some remedy, even a muggle case that could help Demi's...but nothing. There is no explanation. Only theories that the magic affected her brain waves to the point that they won't respond..."

"Oi, none of that, Malfoy." Shaking his dark hair, James moved his hand towards Ariana's face. Grabbing a hold of her chin as she turned away from them, that silver in her eyes becoming wet. "Don't go feeling bad about what happened to your sister, alright? Because if you do, then you are giving out a sign to the world that you are truly mourning her loss; that you believe she won't ever get better...Remember how she always has been, full of life and owning all those ugly babies at the park."

Ariana smiled and James glowed.

"Whoa, mate, who knew you could actually console someone?" Louis teased, eyeing James and Ariana carefully. "That made me feel better. Now I even got something to tell Victorie. Poor girl has been roaming about the house all faulty. Mum's tried to get her to focus on her studies, to be the best Healer since Aunt Angelina, but it seems like Vicky was a little too dedicated to Demi."

"Of course she would," Dominique snorted, feeling aggravated out of nowhere. "Victorie tries to play cottage with Teddy, just like mum and dad. She thinks she's already married to the bloke, and she fancied to act like Demi was their baby. It sickens me."

Fred furrowed his brows at the Seventh Year Gryffindor. "How do you know that, Dom?"

"Read her diary," the curvy redhead shrugged, and Ariana threw her an eye-roll. "What? Well it's her fault, she's a complete dunce. Who leaves their diary tucked underneath their socks? Obviously that's always a place to hide your belongings, it's not my fault she can't even hoodwink a troll." She looked down at her plate, stabbing her fork into her steak. "...Perfect Victorie, ha."

"...Anyway," James coughed, looking away from his cousin after giving her a suspicious look. (Like he didn't know Dominique was into Teddy and that she'd try to win over Victorie at any cost.) "Hogsmeade soon, want to come with me?"

The table went silent, almost like every Gryffindor present heard James Potter speak.

"...It's the first trip to Hogsmeade, James,"Ariana spoke, eyeing everyone carefully as they all looked between her and the oldest Potter. "You are aware that it's my first time too, right?"

"I know," James continued, holding up his swagger and charm perfectly well. "I would just like to show you around. I know the village better than anyone else. Those people love me, and I'm sure I can get you some discounts or tell you what not to buy."

"I'll be fine on my own, Potter," Ariana said, moving her shoulder so James' hand could fall off. "I don't need a nanny. Besides, Savanna and I were going together."

A smirk tried its hardest to tug on James Potter's face, threatening to come out like his true intentions. "Even better," he said sincerely, with a smile adding to his tone. He reached for one of her hands, still only looking at her as the rest of the table eyed him. (He was a fantastic actor, and it was about time these people realized what he was capable of doing.) "...I just want to be with you, Ana. Even just for a bit, if that's alright. I don't mind if Savanna is present, I promise I'll behave."

Bang.

Almost like something snapped inside of her, making her skin bubble dangerously with that anger that was not used to pumping through her veins, Savanna Zabinni banged her goblet against the Gryffindors table, pulling herself onto her feet as Ariana stared wide-eyed at her. "Don't worry about me, I won't be a bother," she practically hissed, scaring other eavesdropping students into turning away. "I rather stay at school, working on my perfect academic path. Rubbish like that doesn't just happen, you know?"

"Sav—" But before Fred Weasley could begin to try and comfort the Ravenclaw, Savanna scowled at him and proceeded to leave the table. Fuming and heaving, making her bright eyes darken as she pictured James' face in her head, twisting it and aiming spells at his thick expression.

"Merlin, Freddie, you really upset her," the oldest Potter smirked as his redheaded cousin frowned at the pet-name. "So, what do you say, Ana? Come with me to Hogsmeade?"

Hiding among the background, blending in with the bodies of the Gryffindors, the Slytherin among them felt a pang of something as James grabbed a hold of Ariana's hand once more. That something burning inside of him as the girl blushed and looked fluttered at his touch.

Al never quite knew what it was—what Ariana Malfoy was about. All he knew was that she was made up of something so enthralling, almost bewitching. She had the most unique shade of gray living in her eyes, a color that was more magical and enchanting than what he had ever seen. Her silvery eyes were almost considered white; so light and glowing. They were intense enough to keep you glued to them, enough to scare you into a panic whenever they were infuriated. Her hair color was soft, a bouncy caramel color; like her parents genetics mixed perfectly together to create her. And when she smiled...

Albus blinked in time to watch Ariana tug on a smile, a radiance taking over her pale features as he missed what his brother said to make her glow.

He was young to know what love actually was. Thirteen wasn't even enough to consider him an experienced teenager, but Al knew that there was just something. A feeling that had him scouting the halls for Ariana whenever he could. Sparks of excitement that seeped into his system when there was a class between the Third Year Slytherins and same rush that had him staring at her from his desk, gazing off into his personal desires as he watched her play close attention to her lessons.

"Please?"

Ariana's silver eyes flickered away from James for a tiny second, casting her stare towards the boy sulking behind Louis; the only Slytherin she could handle. She looked deep into Al's eyes, asking for something silently. Almost as if she was expecting him to rescue her, to jump up from his seat and say something. "...Alright, Potter."

But with Albus Potter, she has just learned that she would drown—he would never throw her a lifeline and rescue her from the freezing water.

James grinned proudly, intertwining his fingers with the ones from the Malfoy girl and putting their clasped hands on the tabletop. "Oh, it's a great day to be a Potter, mates."

Watching as Ariana frowned, but kept her lips in a tight line, Al turned around in his seat. Looking down into his plate as he felt a few tugs in his chest, a painful lurch that made his heart sink. It was that feeling that always caused him to feel hurt whenever he purposely let Ariana go that made him realize that there was something. That although he wasn't the expert in most things, and his life has yet began to takeoff, that he knew that his heart called out for that Gryffindor girl. That he cared a little more than what was required for his best friend's sister; that he was in love with Ariana.

"Alright there, little brother?"

Peering up to find James' mocking brown eyes looking down at him, Al managed to pull on a calmed expression. "Couldn't be better, Jamie," he leered, learning how to get his Slytherin-half take over his good side. "In fact, I'm thinking Hogsmeade is going to be bloody brilliant, I'm just excited."

"The dateless always think so, little Al," James sneered, squeezing Ariana's hand as she got up from her seat and he did the same. "But it's alright, Ana and I could spare a few minutes to show you around. But, please, don't feel like the third-wheel at anytime, alright?"

Smiling up at Ariana, Al nodded. "So kind of you, James, Ana. I'm sure Scorpius would fancy to join this tour too."

And as Ariana stormed out of the Great Hall, with a glare and a trailing James behind her, Al knew that there was a reason why he didn't know what love was all about.

He seemed to keep ruining it every time he opened his mouth.