Snow was swirling against the icy windows once more; Christmas was approaching fast. The Great Hall was already being decorated with the usual twelve Christmas trees that Hagrid single-handedly delivered, garlands of holly and tinsel that had been twisted around the banisters of the stairs, and everlasting candles flowed from the inside of the helmets of suits of armors.

There were also mistletoes that hung across the corridors of the castle. Some students felt excited to get caught under one of those, while some were repulsed by the mere idea of them.

The first kind were Ron and Lavender, who couldn't find time to untangle themselves from each other, Ginny and Dean, who had accidentally walked under them many times.. and Amelia and Daphne, who had overtime turned into the sweetest couple in all of Hogwarts.

The second kind though.. were Hermione, Blaise, Seamus (who seemed to miss his best friend and rumoured to have a girl in Ravenclaw he fancied), Luna (who seemed disinterested in all this and more interested in conspiracies anyway), and Theodore (who was rarely around, these days).

Some rare cases were people like Haynes and Bonheur— who didn't care but didn't want to be caught up with each other in any instance.

Ria, who of course, had many other things to occupy her mind with instead of some bunch of grass.

And Harry, who took different routes every time because large groups of girls tended to converge underneath mistletoe bunches every time he went past. He thanked his frequent nighttime wanderings and the Marauders' Map for giving him the knowledge of the castle's secret passageways.

Ron, who once might have found the necessity of these detours a cause of jealousy rather than hilarity, laughed about it all once he learned. And Harry found out he very much preferred this new Ron to the moody, aggressive one he had been enduring for the last few weeks.

But it came with a price.

Firstly, he had to put up with the frequent presence of Lavender Brown, who seemed to think that any moment she was not snogging Ron was a moment gravely wasted. And secondly, he found himself in a situation once again, where two of his best friends were on the verge of never speaking to each other ever again.

Ron's hands and forearms still bore scratches and cuts from Hermione's bird attack. And he held quite a resentful tone while talking about her.

"She can't complain." He said. "She snogged Krum. So she's found out someone wants to snog me too. Well, it's a free country. I haven't done anything wrong."

Harry did not answer, pretending to be absorbed in another book of ancient magic he had taken from the Restricted Section. Determined as he was to remain friends with both of them, he was spending a lot of time with his mouth shut.

"I never promised Hermione anything," Ron mumbled. "I mean, all right, she did propose taking me to Slughorn's Christmas party. But it was probably in the spur of the moment. It wasn't anything serious.."

Harry turned a page, aware that Ron was watching him. Ron's voice tailed away in mutters, barely audible over the loud crackling of the fire, though Harry thought he caught the words "Krum" and "can't complain" again.

Hermione kept her schedule so full that Harry could only properly talk to her in the evenings, when Ron was, in any case, tightly wrapped around Lavender.

Naturally, Hermione refused to sit in the common room, so Harry generally joined her in the library, now reading the Prince's textbook. "He's at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes," she said, hissing. "I really couldn't care less."

"And actually," said Hermione, after a few moments, "you need to be careful."

"For the last time," said Harry, speaking in a slightly hoarse whisper after three-quarters of an hour of silence, "I am not giving back this book, I've learned more from the Half-Blood Prince than Snape or Slughorn have taught me in—"

"I'm not talking about your stupid so-called Prince," She said, giving his book a nasty look as though it had been rude to her. "I'm talking about earlier. I went into the girls' bathroom just before I came in here and there were about a dozen girls in there, including that Romilda Vane, trying to decide how to slip you a love potion."

Harry looked taken aback. "Love Potion?"

Hermione nodded. "They're all hoping they're going to get you to take them to Slughorn's party, and they all seem to have bought Fred and George's love potions, which I'm afraid to say probably work—"

"Why didn't you confiscate them then?" demanded Harry. "You're the Prefect. You can do those things, can't you?

"They didn't have the potions with them in the bathroom," said Hermione scornfully. "They were just discussing tactics. As I doubt whether even the Half-Blood Prince—" she gave the book another nasty look, "—could dream up an antidote for a dozen different love potions at once. Just invite someone to go with you, that'll stop all the others thinking they've still got a chance. It's tomorrow night, they're getting desperate."

"There isn't anyone I want to invite," mumbled Harry, getting a look from Hermione that exposed him in ways he couldn't comprehend. "Bold of you to think she'd come with me."

Especially after last week.. after that confession.

They hadn't talked to each other, at all, after that.

He was certain he had made her cry, but for some reason he didn't regret it, which he couldn't understand was bad or not.

Anyway, it was enough now. He wasn't going to give up. He wasn't even going to pretend.

"Have you asked?"

"I don't need to." He answered. "She won't. I don't even know if she's coming to the party—"

"She is." Hermione answered, a bit too quickly. "And she's bringing a partner."

Harry blinked once, twice, thrice. "What?"

"Amelia told me." she said, her eyebrows twisting with what looked like pity.

Harry drove himself into endless possibilities now.

Nott? Zabini? Bonheur? Malfoy? Pucey— no, he graduated. That guy from her Quidditch team? Another guy from her Quidditch team? That one Hufflepuff who had asked her to the Yule Ball?

Someone else entirely?

It was never a secret that Ria had her fair share of admirers too. He just couldn't see them because they rarely swarmed her.. because she rarely left her room, classroom, and library to wander the corridors.

Harry frowned a little. That didn't make him feel very nice.

"Harry!" Hermione's voice brought him back. "Well.. just be careful of what you drink— or eat, because Romilda Vane looked like she meant business," she said grimly.

He nodded slowly. "Right.."

Hermione sighed then. "Have you decided then.. who you're taking?"

Harry did have someone in mind, and he knew he was being a little petty again, but he couldn't help but think that taking her would absolutely piss Ria off.

"Uhm.. I'll tell you in a while."

Asteria felt like she could wander across the entire world and still manage to come back to the haunted letter resting in between the pages of her old history book.. at the bottom of her drawer.

It had been around a month or more since she had last seen it. Some minutes since she had last thought of it because it rarely ever left her mind.

She had seen her in a dream again.. though a warmer one, this time. Where she sat with her; where they talked about all the things they used to do. Where she didn't vanish at the end, but just bid her goodbye and told her that she'd see her again.

But that was the worst part, she presumed.

Nightmares made her want to hold onto her mother's last memory. Dreams made her want to open the letter and listen to her voice again.

Both felt torturous.

The creak of Cassandra's portrait opening made Ria hide the letter between the pages again, and she looked up from her place on the couch.

"Blaise.. What is it?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Can't I meet my girlfriend just for fun, now?"

Ria resisted rolling her eyes at the old term as he walked inside and settled beside her. "I thought we were over that. Both Theodore and you."

"Pfft— never. Anyway." He held up a familiar, violet-ribboned scroll.

"No! I told Slughorn I'd make it.." Ria sighed with exasperation. "Do you think Snape could give me a detention?"

"No." he said with honesty. "But ban you from another Quidditch match—? Yes."

She rolled her eyes, muttering an "arsehole" under her breath.

"Honestly, just come to this one. It can't be that bad." Blaise shrugged. "There's going to be.. alcohol. We're supposed to bring dates— and I can see you're not convinced."

"No." She shook her head. "No, of course. I'm not. I don't want to go."

"Why?"

"Just because."

"Just because?" He asked with a little chuckle. "Or is it because of Pott—-"

"Shut the fuck up, please." She interrupted him. She did NOT want to think about him.. ever.

"Tell me this, what the fuck happened to Theodore that he literally moved out of your dorm? And why didn't any of you tell me? Why did I have to hear it from Raywood out of all people?"

Blaise's playful expression quickly hardened. "Why do you always assume I know fucking everything about that guy? I don't! I don't know what fucking crisis he's having or whatever!"

"Then ask him!"

"Why would I? He won't tell me anyway." He snapped. "And what do you think we are? Best friends who are inseparable or some shit like that?"

Ria was taken aback. He rarely was this angry. "You aren't?"

"No. Fuck no." He looked repulsed. "We know each other, have mutual friends and tolerate each other. That's all. End of the story."

Ria opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say. Though suddenly, a light shone upon her head. Her mouth fell open with slight shock. That couldn't be, could it?

"Is this.. I'm sorry— is this about.. Willow Arbutus?" She asked.

There was a split second where his expression transformed before going back to normal. "No. Why would you think that?"

Oh God, does Blaise fancy her?

But doesn't she like Theo?

Ria didn't know what to do.

Maybe changing the topic was the better thing to do, at the moment. "About the.. erm.." she cleared her throat. "About the Christmas Party.. who.. who're you going with?"

Blaise was surprised at the sudden change, but didn't show on his face. "No one yet..?"

"Me neither." She said, hoping she wouldn't regret it. "Do you wanna go together?"

He didn't need even a moment to think about it. "Actually, I came here to ask you the same thing."

"Great. I'll be wearing navy blue." She said with a nod.

"Cool— wait, you wanna match?" He asked.

"I like to match whoever I'm going with." She told him. "Just a tie is enough."

"..okay." He said, awkwardly. He had been sure it was going to take some days to convince her, but..

He got off the couch. "Right, I'll get going then. You seemed busy before I came here— Oh, one more thing. I need your shampoo."

Ria tilted her head, squinting her eyes. "Did you run out?"

"Yes. And I need it, immediately."

"Can't you take it from anyone else?" She went inside her room to fetch it anyway.

"Would rather take it from my girlfriend."

She chucked it right at his face, which he fortunately caught. "Kidding. Thanks anyway. See you."

"See you." She sat back on the couch with a roll of her eyes. "Don't overuse it. Or you'll smell like fruit."

"Got it!"

Ria could hardly wait for the night to be over as she found herself walking alongside Blaise. Like she had mentioned before, she had worn a navy blue dress with silver accessories adorning her ears, neck and hair. And Blaise matched her with a very similar navy blue suit.

"If I get bored, I'm killing you in your sleep." she muttered to him.

"I hope you do, then." He remarked.

They were already approaching Slughorn's office, and the sounds of laughter, music, and conversations were growing louder with every step they took.

She didn't know whether it was built that way or was it some enchantment that made Slughorn's office look bigger than the usual teacher's study. The ceilings and walls had been draped with various royal-coloured hangings. The room was crowded, being bathed in the golden light falling from the fancy little ornate lamps across the ceiling. Around a corner, some band was singing loudly.

"And here you are, finally!" boomed Slughorn, almost as quickly as they had entered the room, and Ria held onto Blaise's hand tightly, not giving him any possible chance for an escape.

"I'd almost lost hope of you showing up, Asteria!" He said, shaking her hand with excitement. "Looking sharp, Zabini."

"Nothing compared to you, sir." He shook hands with the professor too, who looked very festive himself.

"Oh, you flatter me too much!"

Slughorn led Ria purposefully into the party; who seized Blaise's hand and dragged him along as well. There were several old wizards she met— many of whose names and jobs she couldn't remember for her own good. And thankfully, Blaise carried most of the conversations, so Ria didn't have to worry much.

Although her attention gathered itself straight when she saw who Slughorn had dragged towards next. "And this is—"

"Gwenog Jones— oh, Merlin! Pleasure to meet you." Ria could hardly help herself as she shook her hand.

The woman smiled politely, with her sleek eyes looking as sharp as her perfectly fitting suit. She shook Blaise's hand too, exchanging a polite nod.

"Ah.. everyone knows her, of course. The beloved and infamous Captain of the Holyhead Harpies. She often insists that I attend her matches, and I could never bring myself to reject her invitations." Slughorn laughed, then patted her back. "I always knew you had it in yourself, dear."

"Thank you, sir." She smiled.

"By the way, Miss. Asteria Edwards here— I'm sure you've heard about her.." He said, and Ria could almost see the twinkle of curiosity in her eyes. "As much as she is known for her origins, she is nearly not known enough for her incredible play."

"Although I have never seen her play yet, I've heard many times from people around me, and even the students— that Asteria is one of the best players in the school. So good that she might even make it in the big league, one day."

Ria exchanged a glance with Blaise now, and when he smirked, she was sure that she appeared burning red in her face. "Professor.."

He ignored her and continued talking to Gwenog. "Truly, the same feeling I get from her that I used to get watching you play. Incredible." He laughed again, this time patting Ria's back. Okay, maybe he wasn't so bad after all. "I've heard, Gwenog.. to get a chance to try for Quidditch professionally, one needs to get a letter of recommendation by their name, that too from someone in the Quidditch business."

"That they do."

"Ah.. knew it." He nodded quickly. "If you'd like to watch our Miss. Edwards play one day, please do tell— Oh, there he is! I'll be back."

When he left, Ria was left speechless, literally. But Jones was the one to start the conversation again. "A bit too excited, isn't he?"

She chuckled, a bit nervously. "Kind of, yes." She sighed.

"Was he the same, back then?" asked Blaise.

"Oh, yes, totally!" She gushed. "He also had a bit more credibility, since he was the Head of Slytherin House. I wonder why he left though.. when he had such a good pay too."

Ria nodded, understanding her confusion. "Did he organise such parties and suppers too, back then?"

"Yes, he did." She said, then glanced around. "And let me tell you, he was even more insufferable, back then." She whispered, and the two chuckled.

"Yeah.. I figured." Ria sighed. "So.. how is it? Playing professionally?"

Gwenog pursed her lips. "Stressful.. but also very thrilling. Ever been to a match held in a big stadium?" Ria nodded, remembering her time at the Quidditch World Cup. "You feel on top of the world, when you're playing that big, in front of such a crowd. You feel glorious."

Ria grinned, exasperated. "I could imagine."

But Gwenog's expression turned a bit serious. "There's also times when you want to give up though.. when you haven't reached there yet. Don't do that."

The girl nodded sincerely. "I'll try not to."

Gwenog hummed. "And you want to play professionally too, don't you? Or was he bluffing?" She chuckled quietly.

"No! No, I do want to." said Ria, in a bit of a rush.

The woman nodded. "Right. What position?"

"Keeper." She answered. "I've played Seeker too, but I'm kinda mediocre."

"Mediocre?" Blaise bellowed, disbelief dripping from his tone.

"Shut the hell up, please." Ria whispered harshly. "I meant Seeker— I'm not very good. But I play Keeper well."

"Really damn well— ouch." He hissed when Ria pinched at his forearm.

Gwenog laughed at their back-and-forth. She then looked around, before leaning a bit closer to her ear. "Now.. why don't you write to me before a match.. that you think will be the best one you've ever played? And I'll try my best to make it."

Ria's mouth dropped open, and she looked at the player with awe. Wait— really?

"Oh.. Oh, I'd be glad, but you don't have to—"

"I do." said Gwenog sincerely. "Trust me, I do."

Ria nodded, slowly but surely. "I will, then. I will write to you."

"I hope it will be soon." Gwenog shook her hand again, and with a brief pat on her hand, excused herself to meet with other people.

"Oh, my God. Can you believe that?" Ria could barely conceal her excitement. "Gwenog Jones wants to watch me play. Holy shit—"

"See? And you didn't want to come to the party." Blaise teased. "It's important knowing a bunch of people, you know?"

"Shut up, really. Let me enjoy this for a moment."

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine."

"Asteria! If you could come here?"

She followed Slughorn's voice to the other side of the room with Blaise by her side. And her happiness subsided almost immediately.

"Hey, Asteria." Celine greeted her with a warm smile, her hand looped around Harry's.

And goddamn, he looked good, that little—

Ria shook her head slightly, bringing herself out of whatever trance his perfectly fitting black tuxedo was putting her in.

"Hey.. you okay?" asked Celine, and Ria lifted her head to watch the slightly horrified expression on Harry's face, while his eyes fixated on the floor. "Harry?" She called again.

And he looked up finally, looking at Ria, then at Blaise, and then back at her again. "Yeah.."

Ria glanced between the two— Harry and Celine— trying hard to hide the expression of discomfort that was fighting to show.

You don't deserve it. She had to remind herself again and again. You left him. You abandoned him. You refuse to let him be around you again. You don't deserve to feel jealous.

She tried to focus on something else— on Slughorn and the hundredth supposed guest he was trying to introduce her to.

"Harry, Asteria. I'd like you to meet Eldred Worple, an old student of mine, author of Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires— and, of course, his friend Sanguini." He said.

Worple, who was a small, stout, bespectacled man, grabbed their hands one after the other and shook them enthusiastically; the vampire Sanguini, who was tall and emaciated with dark shadows under his eyes, merely nodded. He looked rather bored.

"Harry Potter, I am simply delighted! And Asteria Edwards, of course." said Worple, and the way he said it, for some reason, gave Ria the urge to roll her eyes. "I was saying to Professor Slughorn only the other day, 'Where is the biography of Harry Potter for which we have all been waiting?'"

"Er," said Harry, trying to exchange a glance with Ria, but she was seemingly determined to ignore him with all her might, "were you?"

"Just as modest as Horace described!" said Worple. "But seriously—" his manner changed; it became suddenly businesslike, "—I would be delighted to write it myself— people are craving to know more about you, dear boy, craving! If you were prepared to grant me a few interviews, say in four- or five-hour sessions, why, we could have the book finished within months. And all with very little effort on your part, I assure you— ask Sanguini here if it isn't quite— Sanguini, stay here!" added Worple, suddenly stern, for the vampire had been edging toward the nearby group of girls, a rather hungry look in his eye.

"Here, have a pasty," said Worple, seizing one from a passing elf and stuffing it into Sanguini's hand before turning his attention back to Harry.

"My dear boy, the gold you could make, you have no idea—" His eyes turned to Ria suddenly, for he had caught Harry stealing a glance at her way too many times. "And you, dear.. Asteria—"

"Miss. Edwards." Ria corrected.

"Of course, Miss. Edwards." He said with a smile so fake, it could rival Umbridge. "We could make it in collaboration. After all, it is the two of you who are destined to be in the midst of this. Something like.. 'The Chosen One and The Last Azrael' would defini—"

"No!" The two spoke up. "I'm definitely not interested." added Ria, walking off with a rather furious look on her face.

"Yeah, me neither," said Harry firmly, "and I've just seen a friend of mine. Excuse me."

He didn't bother to ask if Celine wanted to leave too, only kept following the mane of brown hair he had spotted in the crowd. "Hermione! Hermione!"

"Harry! There you are, thank goodness!" Her eyes darted somewhere behind him, and then widened. "Oh, no. Here!" She hid them both behind what seemed like a curtain.

"What's happened to you?" asked Harry, for Hermione looked distinctly disheveled, as though she had just fought her way out of Devil's Snare itself.

"Oh, I've just escaped— I mean, I've just left Cormac," she said. "Under the mistletoe," she added in a whisper.

And Harry's face contorted with disgust. "McLaggen? You brought McLaggen?"

Hermione shrugged uneasily. "Well.. I contemplated asking Zacharias Smith at first, but—"

"What's gone wrong with you?" He asked. "Smith? And then McLaggen? Out of all people?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I could only think of two people who would piss Ron off the most." She hissed. "Who else could I have asked?"

Harry shrugged. "Someone a bit decent.. I suppose." He thought only for a while. "Theodore Nott, maybe. Girls like him.. so it's possible he's charming. He plays Quidditch. And Ria likes him, so we know he's a decent guy."

"He wouldn't have come with me, Harry." said Hermione, as if she had thought about it already. "Assuming him and Zabini really are fighting— I don't think so. I've also heard it's very serious. Nott moved out of their dorm, and into Dale Raywood's dorm, with the seventh-years."

Harry huffed. "Then you should've asked Zabini."

Hermione stared at him for a second. "Did he piss you off again?"

"No." He scoffed, not wanting to remember what had happened just some minutes ago. The thing that made him stare at the ground, horrified, for a moment.

Why did that arsehole smell like Ria?

Hermione smiled though, knowing she was correct. "Is it the fact that he came with Ria?"

"No."

No. It's the fact that they came together, even though the two could've brought someone else with them and still be at the party. They both had been invited.

And it's the fact that they matched their outfits. And that the arsehole smelt like Ria.

Hermione didn't press him further. She knew Harry had always deep down envied how close Zabini was with Ria.. and even though that idiot knew that he and Ria were practically inseparable, he was still jealous of Zabini.

Only when he could see Zabini be pleased over their relationship, would Harry accept him as a well wisher. Or he'd always see him as a threat.

"Oi. I know you're making calculations in your head. Stop that." said Harry, making Hermione roll her eyes.

"Fine.. just keep an eye out for McLaggen, please—"

The curtain patted, making them both flinch just a little. But then a boy appeared with a tray. "Dragon tartars?"

"No, thank you." Hermione scrunched her nose, peeking through the curtain.

"Good choice." The boy examined the tray. "They give one horrible bad breath—"

"On second thought.." Hermione took the whole tray, shooing the boy away, and shoved one of them in her mouth. It almost made her choke, but then she saw him.

"God, here he comes—" she handed the tray to Harry and slipped out of the corner.

The curtains parted again, and McLaggen walked inside, looking around. "I think she just went to powder her nose." said Harry.

"Oh.. Slippery little minx, your friend." McLaggen smirked. "Nice to work your mouth to, isn't she?"

Harry didn't know what he meant, and didn't want to ask either as he watched Cormac reach for the tray in his hand. "Yeah—"

"Yeah." He put one in his mouth, then looked at Harry again. "What is it I'm eating, by the way?"

He looked down. "Dragon balls."

The look McLaggen gave him was nasty, before he instantly ducked and threw up all over the floor— someone's shoes.

Harry looked up. He pressed his lips in a line.

Oh, the curtains. He examined them with his fingers. They looked exquisite.

McLaggen slowly looked up to look into the void that were Snape's eyes. "You just bought yourself a month's detention— Not so quick, Potter."

Harry stopped right where he was, halfway outside the curtain, and faced Snape. "Sir, I really think I should rejoin the party. My date—"

"—can surely survive without your irresistible presence for another minute or two, I'm sure." He taunted. "Besides, I wish to convey a message."

"A message?" Harry repeated.

"From Professor Dumbledore. He asks me to give you his best, and hopes you enjoy your holidays. You see.. he's travelling. And he won't return until term resumes."

Harry blinked. "Travelling where?"

Snape blinked twice in return, before turning to the other direction and walking away.

"Can you believe that guy?" Ria huffed with disbelief. "The Chosen One and the Last Azrael. If people don't stop with this bullshit, I swear—"

"What? Mentioning your ex in the same sentence with you pisses you off that much now?" Blaise attempted a joke, but silently looked around for a glass of drink when she passed a deadly glare through him. "Thank you." He said to the server boy, handing a glass of mead to Ria before taking one himself.

"I'm just saying.. why'd they have to mention it everywhere?" She muttered, almost pouting. "Just.. just shut up for a while, you know? Meet new people. Get to know them—"

"Mm— don't gulp down things you've never had before." He pulled the glass away from her lips. "Small sips."

She glared at him one more time, before taking a tiny sip. Her face contorted almost immediately. She'll need a minute to adjust.

But it took her just one more sip before deciding that mead just wasn't it. She handed her glass to Blaise and fetched herself a glass of red wine.

"Pfft— boring."

"Yeah, boring enough to stain your precious suit— you want that?"

"Do you sometimes forget that we live in a magic world?" Blaise taunted again, and it all made her question why she was friends with him in the first place.

Ah.. right. Before, I had the energy to annoy him just as much. With Theo.

Now, she didn't have either.

Is this his way of taking revenge for all those years?

"Ria.." Blaise sighed. "I'm just saying.. maybe they talk about it, because they admire it.. admire you."

"Ah.. yes." She smiled sarcastically. "This girl is going to die of a horrible curse that she got because an ancestor of hers was really shitty. Let's admire her for that."

Blaise scoffed. "You know I didn't mean it like—"

"Professor— Professor!" Filch's voice echoed outside.

"Take your hands off me— you filthy squib!"

Blaise's eyebrows contorted with confusion. "Isn't that—"

Soon Filch was in the middle of the room, dragging a boy by the collar of his suit. "I discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and to have been delayed in setting out. Did you issue him with an invitation?"

Malfoy pulled himself free of Filch's grip, looking furious. "All right, I wasn't invited!" he said angrily. "I was trying to gatecrash, happy?"

"No, I'm not!" said Filch, a statement at complete odds with the glee on his face. "You're in trouble, you are! Didn't the headmaster say that nighttime prowling's out, unless you've got permission, didn't he, eh?"

"That's all right, Argus, that's all right," said Slughorn, waving a hand, clearly enjoying himself too much to care. "It's Christmas, and it's not a crime to want to come to a party. Just this once, we'll forget any punishment; you may stay, Draco."

Filch's expression of outrage and disappointment was perfectly predictable, but..

"Shouldn't he be happy?" Ria whispered to Blaise. "He wanted to come to the party, so he crashed it, and now got to stay too.."

He nodded. "Maybe he's embarrassed."

No.. that's the thing. He's Malfoy. He's rarely ever embarrassed by what he does. He always thinks he's right.

Ria continued to stare at him. Malfoy looked almost equally unhappy, but only for a moment. After Filch turned and shuffled away, Malfoy had a small smile on his face as he thanked Slughorn for his generosity.

"It's nothing, nothing," said Slughorn, waving away his thanks. "I did know your grandfather, after all.."

"He always spoke very highly of you, sir," said Malfoy quickly. "Said you were the best potion-maker he'd ever known.."

"Has he.. Has he been ill?" asked Ria.

Blaise shrugged. "Not that I know of.." He said. "Would've gotten a hint if he had asked Crabbe and Goyle to slave around but oh— he does that anyway, doesn't he? No matter what the occasion or the status of his health."

Ria clicked her tongue with annoyance, smacking his arm right after. "I'm being serious. He looks like he's been sick." She said, referring to his paler skin, and darkened eyebags.

And suddenly, her mind travelled back to everything Harry had told her; every suspicion of his about Draco Malfoy, and how he was now a Death-eater.

"Has he been up to something, recently?" She asked again. "Anything.. that normally he wouldn't—"

"I'd like a word with you, Draco," said Snape suddenly.

Ria's eyes snapped towards his direction almost immediately. It didn't feel right..

"Oh, now, Severus," said Slughorn, hiccuping again, "it's Christmas, don't be too hard—"

"I'm his Head of House, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise, to be," said Snape curtly. "Follow me, Draco."

And they left, Snape leading the way while Malfoy looked at him with a look of resentment.

"Right.. Stay here, okay." She said to Blaise after they were out of the room. Gulping down the wine and placing the glass on a nearby table, she told him: "If anyone asks where I am.. I had too much wine. Had to go to the bathroom."

"Wait— where are you—"

"To the bathroom, Blaise." She emphasised, making sure some of the crowd around them had heard. "I've had too much."

She knew she had to follow them because all Snape had ever done is ignore Malfoy's blatantly bad and irrational behaviour. Giving him an earful, for crashing a party— out of everything, was just so out of character.

Ria kept her distance, pausing right outside the door first to take her heels off because they were making too much noise and she was here to sneak behind them. But then she saw another person walk out the room.

Harry stared at her first, as she straightened herself and looked back at him with an equally awkward expression.

She knew he had the same idea. And she was not glad about that, because she didn't want to be in his presence.. or be in a situation where they would be alone.

But now wasn't the time for thinking all that.

They followed the two from a distance, hiding behind every corner until they saw which turn they took, until they were in a corridor that was too empty. Harry did not stop; he proceeded to press his ear against door after door, until he crouched down to the keyhole of the last classroom of the corridor and heard voices. Ria rushed to where he was and crouched down too.

"..cannot afford mistakes, Draco, because if you are expelled—"

"I didn't have anything to do with it, all right?"

"I hope you are telling the truth, because it was both clumsy and foolish. Already you are suspected of having a hand in it."

"Who suspects me?" said Malfoy angrily. "For the last time, I didn't do it, okay? That Bell girl must've had an enemy no one knows about— don't look at me like that! I know what you're doing, I'm not stupid, but it won't work— I can stop you!"

There was a pause and then Snape said quietly, "Ah.. Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master, Draco?"

"I'm not trying to conceal anything from Him, I just don't want you butting in!"

Harry gave Ria a knowing look that clearly translated to 'I told you so'.

"So that is why you have been avoiding me this term? You have feared my interference? You realise that, had anybody else failed to come to my office when I had told them repeatedly to be there, Draco—"

"So put me in detention! Report me to Dumbledore!" jeered Malfoy.

There was another pause. Then Snape said, "You know perfectly well that I do not wish to do either of those things."

"You'd better stop telling me to come to your office then!"

"Listen to me," said Snape, his voice so low now that Harry had to push his ear very hard against the keyhole, while Ria opted for the little gap around the hinges of the door. "I am trying to help you. I swore to your mother I would protect you. I made the Unbreakable Vow, Draco—"

"Looks like you'll have to break it, then, because I don't need your protection! It's my job, He gave it to me and I'm doing it, I've got a plan and it's going to work, it's just taking a bit longer than I thought it would!"

"What is your plan?"

"It's none of your business!"

"If you tell me what you are trying to do, I can assist you—"

"I've got all the assistance I need, thanks, I'm not alone!"

"You were certainly alone tonight, which was foolish in the extreme, wandering the corridors without lookouts or backup, these are elementary mistakes—"

"I would've had Crabbe and Goyle with me if you hadn't put them in detention!"

"Keep your voice down!" spat Snape, for Malfoy's voice had risen noticeably. "If your friends Crabbe and Goyle intend to pass their Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. this time around, they will need to work a little harder than they are doing at pres—"

"What does it matter?" said Malfoy. "Defense Against the Dark Arts— it's all just a joke, isn't it, an act? Like any of us need protecting against the Dark Arts—"

"It is an act that is crucial to success, Draco!" said Snape. "Where do you think I would have been all these years, if I had not known how to act? Now listen to me! You are being incautious, wandering around at night, getting yourself caught, and if you are placing your reliance in assistants like Crabbe and Goyle—"

"They're not the only ones, I've got other people on my side, better people!"

"Then why not confide in me, and I can—"

"I know what you're up to! You want to steal my glory!"

There was another pause, then Snape said coldly, "You are speaking like a child. I quite understand that your father's capture and imprisonment has upset you, but—"

Ria was suddenly dragged away from her place and shoved into a dark place before she knew it. Her heart was already pacing, but then she saw Harry, so close.

"What are—"

His hand covered her mouth immediately, her back hitting something solid. Panic washed over her, eyes darting rapidly over any and every part of his face that she could find in the darkness.

"It's okay." He mouthed, lifting a finger up to his ear, gesturing her to listen closely. And she did.

The door had burst open, and loud stomps passed through. "Malfoy." Harry mouthed again, slowly taking his hand off. Ria nodded, absentmindedly chewing on her lower lip, waiting for Snape to leave too.

Instead, two pairs of footsteps united in the corridor. "Professor—"

"Mr. Filch." Snape acknowledged, and Ria and Harry shared another look. "I have sent the boy off to bed, you won't have to look for him anymore."

The old man huffed with such force, he let out a cough or two. "Ruddy children these days, I swear.. Oh, how I wish the old punishments—"

"Mr. Filch." said Snape loudly to interrupt his rant. "Why don't you stand here.. and see if any other children stumble on? I am pretty sure I heard noises around here before."

Ria's eyes widened. No. No, come on.

The space they were in was already small. And then there was Harry.. All she wanted was to get out of there as soon as she could.

"I would have done it myself, if I didn't have a party to attend." Snape added.

"Of course, of course!" There was a newfound enthusiasm in Filch's voice.

Once they heard Snape's footsteps fade away, Harry raised his wand. "Muffliato—"

"Hey! Who was that?" Filch roared instantly, but resumed his pacing around once a silent buzz fell again. "Find them.. I'll find them all."

"Do you think Snape knew?" asked Harry.

"Of course, he knew. That's why he had that long bit of conversation with Malfoy." Ria muttered.

"Not that—" He sighed. "Do you think he knew— about us— hiding here?"

Ria suddenly looked a bit troubled. "No.. I don't think so." She pressed her ear against the door, closing her eyes with despair after finding out that Filch was still there. "If he did— first thing he would've done is to open this.. broom cupboard, and told us to get out."

"Hm.." Harry seemed to agree. "Well.. he doesn't like me very much, does he? Not generally.." He huffed quietly, letting his eyes linger over the highs and lows of her face for a bit longer. "Not for you either.."

Her expression stiffened for a moment. She cleared her throat, still not looking at him, and focusing on listening outside the door instead. "I know you did this so we wouldn't get caught, but.. could you have not found a better place?"

Harry's brows furrowed. "Better place?" He said with disbelief. "We barely made out without getting caught and you want a better place?"

Ria rolled her eyes. "No, no, you tell me!" He demanded. "Maybe if I had my Invisibility Cloak with me, I would have found a better place to hide."

She looked at him, eyes squinted with slight annoyance. "Fine. I'll give your precious cloak back to you as soon as I can."

Harry should be mad. God, he should be furious. But she looked like the literal embodiment of a night sky, with tiny silver flowers hung in her dark brown hair like stars. Like the goddess Nyx had herself appeared.

"I still need the Marauders Map." He muttered.

"Then keep both."

"No!" His answer came too quickly and too forcefully. "No.. Keep the cloak with you." He added. "For safety reasons."

It took a moment for Ria to nod, with her heartbeat still racing madly. "Fine." She looked towards the door again, unable to keep looking at him for it made her cheeks flush with scarlet. "And for the record, I was talking about a classroom."

"Huh?"

"You could've hidden us in a classroom.. with a lot of space. There were lots of empty ones on the floor." It was only after saying out loud she realised what she had implied; that Harry had trapped her with him in a broom cupboard on purpose. And when she glanced at him, his flustered expression confirmed the implication. "Not that.. you didn't do.. a good job. You were very quick. And we didn't.. uhm— get caught so.. Yeah."

"Yup— got it. Thanks."

"Weeeeeeee!"

The two jumped in surprise at the whitish figure floating inside the cupboard. It gasped.

"Potty! Eddy! In a broom cupboard! Together!!" Peeves floated above them, hung upside down as he closed his eyes with his hands. "Scandalous!" He laughed.

"Oh, Godric— it's just you.." Harry placed a hand against his thumping chest. "Of course, who else would float inside like that?"

"What are you doing?" Peeves laid on his stomach now, still in the air, holding his head in his hands and kicking his feet like a teenage girl.

"Playing hide and seek. Wanna join?" grumbled Ria nonchalantly.

The poltergeist gasped again, spinning once with his hands clasped. "Oh— my— yes!"

Ria groaned with frustration, leaning her head against the door with a thump. If the heels in her hand could somehow touch ghosts, she would knock him unconscious without another thought.

But Harry seemed to have something else on his mind. "Fine. Whose team are you in?"

Peeved smiled mischievously. "Not yours!"

"The other one is Filch."

"Yours!"

His lips curled up in a small smirk. "Good. Now, why don't you go outside.. and get Filch away from here, so we can sneak out and win?"

Peeves began to laugh, so much that he eventually got upside down while clutching at his stomach. "I'm a ghost, Potty! Not an idiot!"

Harry groaned. "Ugh.. Fine. We'll get McGonagall to not scold you for any mischief you do.. for.. one week. She will." He pointed towards Ria.

"Yeah— yeah, I will."

Peeves blew a raspberry, flipping his thumb down. "One year! And we have an agreement."

Ria squinted her eyes. "You have too many demands for someone who isn't alive."

"Rude!"

"Two weeks." She negotiated.

"No! One year!"

She snorted. "Like hell. Two weeks."

Peeves squinted his eyes too. "Six months."

"Three weeks."

"Three months."

"One month, or I'll burn the kitchen down and blame it on you."

Peeves frowned almost comically. "Unfair, Eddy! Unfair!"

"Okay, now the offer's out. And you're taking the blame for the burnt kitchen."

Harry hadn't ever watched a ghost go red, but it was amusing, the way Peeves got angry when it was more common to watch him make others angry.

The two watched Peeves walk through the cupboard door as it was nothing. Then.. "Arguuuuuuuuuuuuus!"

"Oh— not you again."

Ria chuckled to herself, failing to hide the smile that appeared whenever she managed to do something like this. And Harry, like always, stared at the girl in front of him, failing badly to keep his feelings in check.

He wondered.. so often.. Would you ever fall in love with me? 

Would you ever fall enough to give up the fear, and trust me to catch you before you hit the ground?

He could give up so much to keep his star shining.. she had no idea. He could burn on her part, if it came to it.

"Hey.." said Ria, and even though the banter outside was louder, he seemed to tune everything out just to listen to her. "Just a bit longer."

He nodded wordlessly, and then she looked at him. Then their eyes met, after so long it seemed. Even though it was night and even though they were trapped in a dark broom cupboard, he could still see her perfectly, as if they were standing in the clearest morning light.

Maybe it made sense in his head to believe that although where he stood wasn't the best place.. what was ahead was brighter than a daydream. And he was made to chase it.. to chase her.

"You went to the Astronomy Tower that night." He said. "I saw you."

Ria gulped, her lips parting with the intention to speak, but she couldn't find the right words. "Did you.. Did you follow me?"

He shook his head. "No."

I just knew I'd find you there.

"So.. what about it?" She asked, eyes almost threatening to turn this conversation into another fight if she needed to.

Harry shook his head again. "Did you find what you were looking for.. there?"

Answers came to her mind just as quick. Solace? Carrow's voice in my head— and my own, self-sabotaging one— to be silenced? The feeling of having all the troubling burdens off my chest forever?

You?

"No." She said, averting her gaze. "No, I didn't."

"Why don't you ever call me, then? Call me for help?"

His words were an arrow through her heart and a loving embrace at the same time.

"I don't need help." She said, her voice shaking; contrarily to her words.

"I know. I know, you don't need help. I know, you can do it all on your own, if it came to it.." said Harry, his tone soothing and trusting.

"But if you want it.. just know that there's a lovesick fool waiting for you to ask."

Ria's heart leaped, skipped a beat or two. And she wished it would skip multiple at once so she could leave this miserable earth and this stubborn of a boy behind.

She didn't realise she had tears in her eyes until Harry's fingers met her chin. He lifted them to make her face him— her free hand instinctively rested on his chest to make him back away— but he only wiped the tear at the corner of her eyes with his thumb.

Oh, great! As if this will not make me cry even more!

"Why don't you just.. find someone else?" She stressed, her lips quivering, eyebrows knotted together. "You know? Someone like Ginny. Or-- Or Celine, even." She had never imagined herself saying that. "Find someone who won't be as difficult.. as miserable.. Someone who'll actually stay with you, forever.. instead of dying out of nowhere."

It hurt to say, but it was what he deserved to hear. It was what he deserved in life.

He had all of his family unfairly taken away when he was young. He didn't deserve to go through that again.. feel that loss again.

This time, he held her face in both of his hands, moving slightly closer, and with every bit of sincerity, he said. "No one else. It's you, or no one else."

Ria tried to shake her head and opened her mouth to speak, but he had beat her to it. "I'll go meet with Death myself.. and ask it to unhand you. To give you back to me." He sighed, bringing her close enough to rest against her forehead.

And Ria knew, if it ever happened that she was spared, she would run to him. She would stay with him forever.. Give him everything he needs and wants, and shower him with all the love he missed out on while giving even more..

She'd be forever grateful that he was the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Letting you go is not an option. For me, it has never ever been." He said. "And I don't mind if you take the time that you need. Take all of it. But promise me one thing."

"Promise me you'll end up back here.. with me."

If she hadn't left that day, in the hospital ward, he would've said these words sooner.

They had always been there, rotting in his throat.. making him doubt partially that they would scare her away, but also preserving the hope that they would form the thread keeping them bound together.

Ria's brows knotted with despair, as if pleading with him silently the same request she had made before.

Say you didn't mean it..

But she couldn't ask him for that. She knew he wouldn't say it again.

In fact, she didn't want to hear him say it. It had hurt her enough— although she had believed it would drive her away.

Maybe she could have this.. have the only thing that could revert her back to who she was.

"Promise me." He whispered again.

And there it was— the gentle nudge of his lips against hers.

She chased it right away, falling into its comfort too easily. She closed her eyes; the noise outside stopped— so did the bubbling inside her mind. Only he existed for a while: The steady rise and fall of his chest. His hands on her cheeks. The feel of his hair curling into her fingers. The echo of his words through her entire body.

Maybe she could have him.

There was a loud thud that broke them apart. The pair of heels in her hand had slipped and fallen on the ground.

She looked up at him again; And saw in his eyes that he was waiting for an answer.

Maybe I could have you..

"Ria..?"

..but just to painfully lose you, in the end.

He watched as her eyes filled again, not as much as before, but he could see their corners glisten again, in the dark.

He got his answer.

"I can't."

Harry lowered his gaze for a brief moment, nodding.

The silence settled again, and realisation dawned upon the two. Ria slowly opened the door, peeking outside. "They've left." She said, referring to Filch and Peeves.

She stepped out first, took a deep breath of the cool air outside before picking up her heels again. And when she turned to him, he'd already been looking at her.

She couldn't look at his face, for some reason. She didn't know what it was.. fluster, embarrassment, guilt, shame.. a weird mixture of it all and many other things.

"I'm.. I'm sorry."

But Harry only let out a small chuckle. "Don't be." He said. "Just know that.. what I said, I meant it."

Ria's eyes widened.

"You gave me your word, or not— doesn't matter." He pursed his lips into a smile, green eyes somehow radiant in the dim night. "I'll still be waiting for you."

And Ria— again— turned right around and started walking away.

Only this time she wasn't angry. This time, she didn't scream to herself how much she hated Harry Potter.

Instead, she wondered what she had done that fate itself had gifted her him.. even after seeing the ties she held with Azrael's soul.

She wondered what she had done in her past life to have that sweetheart of a boy fall in love with her.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

[word count: 8264]

a/n: *deep breath* MEME TIME