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It was very true once they were given their leashes. Carolinha was ready to cry after the third sting on her hands. Angel wasn't able to do much with his skrewt either. Daphne was genuinely running away from her skrewt. Harry, Ron and Hermione were about the only students honestly trying their hardest to do what Hagrid asked. As much as Romina cared for them and Hagrid, she couldn't bring herself to follow.

"Ow," she flinched when a leash lightly hit her arm. She looked to her left and saw Draco spinning his leash. "Where's your skrewt?" she asked him.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said.

Romina folded her arms over her chest and gazed up ahead. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure mine's the one trying to kill Dean's skrewt over there. Poor Dean." Because Dean had just gotten a wicked burn on his wrist. Again.

"Like mother, like daughter, isn't it?" Draco snickered at his joke.

"Shut it." She shoved him to the side. "Where's yours?"

"I don't bloody care, really. I'm not looking for another burn."

Romina could agree with him on that. "Honestly, Arden's right. These things should just die before Christmas and make a lovely present."

"Oh, are you going to tell your dear Hagrid that?"

Romina rolled her eyes. "Unlike you, I do have a filter. Here." She pushed her leash into his arms. "You go get mine."

"You wish! I'm not going anywhere near those things."

"I bet you five galleons you can't get at least one of them."

"I don't need galleons, Oswell! It's frankly offensive!"

"I know that."

"Then why would I take that deal?"

Romina turned to face him. "Because I'm bored, you're bored and this is the only type of fun we can have until the class is dismissed. Need I go on?"

Draco couldn't get enough of her straightforwardness. How on earth did she get away with stuff like this? He asked that as he amended the deal. "Ten galleons."

Romina raised an eyebrow at him. "Really?"

Draco nodded. "You have enough or what?"

Romina scowled. "Really?"

"Well, do you?"

Romina raised a hand to stop whatever nonsense was about to come out of his mouth. "Fine. Ten galleons." She pointed at her leash in his hands. "Good luuuuck," she wiggled her fingers.

"The things I do for you, Oswell," Draco said with a shake of his head as he walked off. He hadn't realized what he said until he was already gone. Well, I'm not taking it back now. And why would he anyways? He didn't tell a lie. He distinctly remembered visiting that stupid park and market because of Romina.

Romina was left smiling with flushed cheeks. She watched with glee and giggles as Draco lived up to his end of the deal, though it wasn't going so well. The skrewts were creatures from hell.

By the end of the class, only a handful of students had managed to properly leash their skrewts and to Romina's genuine surprise, Draco was one of them. He stomped his way to where Romina stood and held the leash to her.

"Your damn skrewt," he spat.

Romina pursed her lips together to keep her laugh from getting out. She could see the stings and burns on his hands and with his rolled up sleeves, she saw his arms were in just as bad shape as well. "Aw, I'm sorry,"

Draco pointed a finger at her. "Ten galleons," he reminded her. "You're not getting out of it."

"Wasn't planning on it," Romina assured him. She eyed his arms again. "Okay, I really am sorry. I didn't think you would actually do it!"

"Ten galleons," Draco reiterated. Romina nodded again, promising him she would deliver. "Can you at least walk with me to the night wing?"

"Yeah, of course," Romina chuckled lightly. She motioned him to walk first, though as soon as he did he heard her quiet snickers.

~ 0 ~

By the time Draco was free from the nightwing, it was near dinner time. He went down to the Great Hall immediately; he was actually very hungry today. Chasing skrewts worked up an appetite.

"Where have you been?" Blaise asked him as soon as he'd sat down.

"Nightwing." Draco started weighing the options before him. Truthfully, everything looked delicious, which was a testament to how hungry he was. The french soup didn't smell remotely good.

Angel and Theodore looked up from their plates.

"What for?" Angel asked.

"You haven't spoken to Oswell, have you?"

"Not really, no. Why? Did something happen?"

Draco didn't bother with Angel's suspicion. He was too hungry to take it head on. "She and her ideas, you know how it goes."

"I've been learning," Theodore said, eyes widening slightly. "Arden's told me some stories."

"What the hell is going on between you and King anyways?" Blaise jumped on the opportunity to ask. "Last time we heard, you were at each other's throats."

"From what I heard, shouldn't you be directing that question to him?" Theodore flapped a hand directly at Draco.

"The fact you would even consider that King and I—"

"Not you and Arden," Theodore stopped Draco from finishing what was sure to be an exceptional threat. "You and Romina. It's the whole reason why I now know Arden in the first place."

"What's he talking about?" Angel immediately inquired, eyes flickering between the two suspiciously.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Nothing. Theo" — he spat the new nickname the brunette in question gained as of late — "is just being ridiculous."

Theodore's expression clearly indicated the contrary but since he was well aware of Angel's feelings, he said nothing more for the moment. "Where are the girls anyways?"

"Daphne was holding them hostage with dress discussions," Angel said slowly, still trying to decipher what had just happened. "It'll be a while."

"God help me," Blaise said for some reason, until it dawned on the others.

"Zabini," Draco put a hand on Blaise's arm, "Don't tell me you…"

Blaise nodded. "I asked her earlier."

"Why?"

Blaise shrugged. "Don't know. I figured I already know her and we're past all that awkwardness. It's just comfortable and easy. She agreed. Shrieked about it, actually."

"Alright Zabini," Theodore nodded. "That leaves you two then..." He looked between Draco and Angel.

"You asked someone already?" Draco raised an eyebrow at him.

"Who?" Blaise stared suspiciously at Theodore who, in return, just smirked to himself and continued asking Draco and Angel who they were thinking of going with.

"I don't think I'll be asking anyone," Angel said, ducking his head to his plate.

"What are you talking about? Romina's right there," Theodore said, completely missing Draco's irritated look. "Not literally but you know what I mean."

Angel shrugged. "I've already asked. She's going with Harry."

"Potter?" Draco spat the name out. "No she isn't."

Angel lamented the fact it was true. "She made an arrangement with him. Romina told him if he can't find a date, she would go with him."

"Oh, so it's a pity date. That makes more sense." Draco felt half of his nerves relax once he got the gist. "That's still terrible, though."

"You should still just ask her again," Theodore suggested, once more missing the irritated glare Draco sent him.

"Theodore, eat," he instructed. Beside Draco, Blaise smirked into his goblet.

"She's already got someone, there's no point," Angel shrugged. "Besides, it's Harry of all people, she's not going to say 'yes' to anybody else."

"So you're just...done, then?" Draco asked in a manner that sounded a lot like fishing. Angel nodded. "Really?"

Not a moment later did Draco feel Blaise's nudge. He was still smirking.

~0~

"This is mad," Ron's complaint didn't make it out as a whisper. It was a study session in the Great Hall but instead of actually studying, most of the students were talking about the ball.

"Ron, we're supposed to be studying," Hermione reminded him and ducked her head in her book. Snape was coming by their spot and fast.

Ron didn't notice. He was too disappointed with his lack of victory. "At this rate we'll be the only ones in our year without dates."

Snape whacked him on the head with a rolled up parchment and went on his way like nothing. Ron rubbed the back of his head while the others snickered at him.

"You had that one coming," Romina remarked in a quiet whisper.

Ron glared at her. "You're not helping!"

"I literally have no power over your lack of courage, Ron," Romina shrugged. Next to her, Hermione chuckled. "Harry, tell me you've asked someone."

Harry regretfully shook his head. "Not yet."

"'Yet' implies that you will ask someone so what's the problem?" Romina all but hissed. Sometimes Harry was very annoying with how slow he was doing things he wanted to.

"It's hard, Rom," Harry said, exchanging nods with Ron beside him.

"Yeah, I can't find one girl alone," Ron said, "At least we're not the only ones having trouble. Neville's probably in the same predicament."

Hermione tutted behind her book. "It might interest you to know that Neville's already got someone."

Ron legitimately gasped. "Who?"

"Your sister, Ron!"

"No way!" Ron immediately searched for Ginny but she was too down the table to hear. She was whispering with Luna anyways. "Now I'm really depressed."

Fred passed him a note suddenly and with despondency, Ron read it.

"Oh, that face is even worse. What's the note say?" Romina asked as Harry himself read the note out loud. "Get a move on or all the good ones will have gone!"

"You're shallow, Fred Weasley?" Romina frowned at him.

"I meant personality wise," Fred amended. "Isn't that right, George?"

"Hm? Oh yeah," George nodded. "What about you, Romina? Has anyone asked yet?"

Romina put on a sweet smile for the pair, promising a good answer. "I was waiting for a pair of redheads to get the courage to ask me already." The twirl of her hair was the perfect touch to her dramatics. It gave Harry, Ron and Hermione a good laugh.

"Ah my dear, Romina, you should have just asked," George leaned over the table, "But alas, you're too late, for I have already asked someone else." He bopped Romina's nose with his finger.

"And I'm asking Angelina," Fred said, proceeding to throw another crumpled up parchment, but this time at Angelina a few spots down the table.

The others snickered watching Fred ask Angelina to the ball with silent gestures. To his credit, he did get the date.

"You break my heart," Romina clutched her chest afterwards. The twins laughed with her, barely quieting down in time to avoid Snape's whacks.

"So funny, ha, ha," Ron mocked them. "Hey Romina, what about Arden? She's about the only Slytherin I can tolerate."

Romina deadpanned him. "Wow Ron, you have such a way with words. Not that it's any of your business, but she's already been asked and she said 'yes'.

"By who?"

"Theodore Nott."

"That git!?"

"Arden swears he's funny," Romina remarked She never spent any time with Theodore alone but from what Arden had been telling her lately, he was quiet but with much more to say than people actually thought.

Ron grumbled. After a moment or two, something new came to his mind. Harry and Romina saw it.

Ron's eyes fell over Hermione who was still reading quietly from her book. "Well Hermione, you're a girl."

"Oh well spotted," she said dryly.

Romina looked between the pair with anticipation. "Oh boy…"

Harry heard her and with a sharp look begged her not to interfere. Romina grabbed her Transfiguration book to try and distract herself.

"Come on," Ron insisted with Hermione, "It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone. For a girl it's just sad."

"He's really doing it…" Romina commented on the side, flipping a page and acting as if Harry wasn't glaring daggers at her to shut up.

Hermione put her book down to meet Ron's gaze. Her face was getting redder by the minute. "I won't be going alone because believe it or not someone's asked me. And I said yes!"

"And he did it," Romina said as Hermione got up and stormed out of the Great Hall after delivering her work to Snape.

"Bloody hell," Ron blinked rapidly, clearly having no idea what just happened.

Romina shook her head. "You're a downright idiot, Ron Weasley."

"Oh c'mon, you don't actually believe her do you?" Ron looked between Romina and Harry, both of their expressions puzzled with his question.

"I'm confused, why wouldn't we believe her?" Romina asked.

"Because it's not true!" Ron waited for Harry to chime in with his support but it never came. "Harry?"

The brunette shrugged meekly. "Hermione doesn't lie."

Romina gestured towards Harry. "Exactly."

Ron and Harry went back and forth about whether or not Hermione lied, more so Ron. Romina saw Snape coming back in their direction and dove into her book. He didn't look too happy. Ron wasn't being particularly quiet.

Snape stopped behind the two boys, his expression utterly irritated with their bumbling whispering. Romina barely hid her laugh when he pulled the sleeves of his robes and pushed both Ron's and Harry's heads down to their books.

"It's not funny," Ron hissed at her when Snape was gone. He double checked.

Romina rolled her eyes at him. "The truth of the matter is that both of you need to man up and ask whoever the hell you were planning on asking and be done with it."

Ron narrowed his eyes on her, none too pleased with her tone. "It's hard to believe no one's asked you yet, Romina."

"The answer's no if you're thinking about it," Romina said, slamming her book shut. "Good luck, Harry." She collected her things and left. She handed Snape her work and walked away. On her way past the table, she heard the twins teasing Ron.

"Shot down before you even asked. That's cold!"

Romina laughed coming into the hallway.

"What's the joke?" Rolf asked as he walked up to her.

"Ron Weasley," Romina said, thinking that was enough explanation. And it was. "You didn't need the study period?" she asked in an effort to change subjects.

Rolf shook his head. "Nah, Luna and I are going to get together later."

Romina was momentarily dumbfounded. "I'm sorry, Luna? My Luna? Quibbler Luna?"

Rolf smiled. "Yeah. Actually, can you keep a secret?"

Romina mimed a zipper across her lips. "Course!"

Rolf's face was tinted pink as he leaned closer to his cousin. "I'm going to ask her to the Yule Ball."

Romina's eyes widened to the brim. "NO WAY!" Her yell echoed down the hallway, prompting Rolf to shush her with a hand over her mouth. "Sorry," came Romina's muffled apology a moment later.

"It's okay," Rolf said, pulling his hand off her mouth. "Don't tell her please."

"I won't, I promise!" Romina said, raising a hand to show she meant business. "But...when did this happen? You two didn't even know each other up until a few weeks ago!"

"We owe it to you, I guess," Rolf shrugged. "So, thanks."

"Oooh, this is exciting!" Romina bounced in her spot. "Luna's going to say 'yes', I know it! She's going to be so happy! You know Ginny's going too so that'll be even more motivation."

"You're not going to say anything, right?" Rolf had to ask again. Romina was too excited and he was afraid that she would let something slip in her moment.

"I won't, don't worry!" Romina said, surprising him with a hug. "Good luck!"

Rolf chuckled. "Thanks. Did you get grandma's letter saying she's doing our robes?"

"Mhm! I told her she could pick whatever colors for me! What about you?"

"Same," Rolf nodded. "Grandma never disappoints, you'll see."

"I can't wait to see what she comes up with. I hope it's pretty enough to distract people from the fact I can't dance to save my life!" It terrified Romina to think that if Harry didn't find a date, she would be that partner he would open the ball with.

~0~

At the start of Potions, Romina knew there would be some heavy tension between Ron and Hermione. Harry mentioned the challenge it was becoming to deal with the two ever since Ron made his mistake in the Great Hall. Romina contemplated sitting beside Hermione to ease the tension and help Harry, but she got sucked into a conversation with Carolinha sitting in the desk in front of her and it all went downhill from there.

Now, as Carolinha gushed about the Durmstrang boy named Alec who asked her out, Romina scribbled a couple things down on a piece of actual paper with a pen. She didn't want to waste parchment on things like this, much less the ink. She promised her aunt Sage she would start writing back to get a handle on what they would need to ultimately pay grandma Abby for her designs. Though Romina was pretty sure her grandmother wouldn't allow for any type of payment.

Truthfully, Carolinha's voice had started to drift from Romina's ears. Instead of writing lists, Romina started to think of things she might like to do with her hair. Way to be a girly-girl, she told herself.

"Carolinha, I heard your chatterbox of a mouth from outside," Draco said as he slid into his seat beside Romina. Carolinha frowned at him.

"Don't mind him, Carol, he's just grumpy," Romina said without looking up from her writing. She was thinking maybe half up and half down for the moment.

"That's nothing new, it's like the only emotion he's capable of," Carolinha retorted.

Romina paused to look up, her lips pursed as a laugh threatened to come out. Carolinha rarely had comebacks. It wasn't her style. Draco thought the same which was why he stared at Carolinha for a good minute before it sunk in that she really had said something to him.

"Well, I mean…" Romin started, sticking her pen's cap between her teeth.

Draco knew he wouldn't like whatever was about to come out of her mouth next. His glare didn't deter her.

"She's not wrong."

There it was.

Carolinha smiled triumphantly.

"You're both annoying," Draco said in the end. It wasn't one of his best lines, he knew, but he had other plans.

Romina did not make things easier. And she didn't even know it. "Oh, Carol, you got him good if that's all he's going to say."

Carolinha giggled. She turned around in her seat, preferring to take her victory how it was. She was soon distracted when Daphne joined her.

Romina went back to her paper. Maybe doing a fancy ponytail would be better? Easier? Romina scrunched her nose as she scribbled over that line. What if they made her look old? Or worse, like a kid.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Romina flinched, her thoughts now fully interrupted. She glanced to her right and saw Draco staring at her paper.

"It's a list, can't you see?" Romina shrugged. She perched an elbow on the desk and rested her cheek against her left palm. "Or read, for that matter."

"It doesn't make sense." Draco could see the list consisted mainly of irrelevant things that had to do with hair.

"Because it's my list," Romina said, "I don't know how I'll be doing my hair for the Yule Ball so I decided to make a list."

"You care about that stuff?" Draco asked with genuine surprise.

Romina laughed lightly. She wrote a quick 'Low ponytail?' on the next line. "This may come as a shock to you, but I'm not all shouts and snaps. Once in a while, I like to look my best."

"You forgot incessantly competitive in there," the words tumbled out of Draco's mouth before he knew it.

Romina still smiled. "You're just mad because you lost. And I did give you the galleons so put that grumpy face away already. Sheesh, do you ever smile?"

"Sometimes…"

"Besides when you're making Harry miserable?"

Draco's eyes fell over the brunette in question up ahead. Whatever ghost of a smile that had been on his face was gone. "Don't sour the conversation, Oswell."

"I'm really not," Romina said. 'Braid crown' made it to the list. "In fact, I'm hardly in this conversation at all. I've got important things to think about after all." She tapped her pen against her paper.

"Right—hair." Draco rolled his eyes. "I heard you're going with someone."

"Ish," Romina corrected.

"Yeah, 'ish'," Draco repeated sourly. "Is it really true you're going with Potter?" Romina nodded her head. "If he can't find his own date!?"

"Yeah," Romina confirmed again. "I know you would hate that the most considering your relationship with Harry but he's my best friend."

"So what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You!" Draco didn't think he would have to actually spell it out for her. Romina was too smart for that.

Romina playfully rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a drama queen. I'm doing my list, aren't I? I'm content, Draco. I didn't think you would be so concerned."

"I'm not concerned, I'm annoyed!"

"Because it's Harry, I know."

"You're literally giving yourself up as a second choice, a pity date if you will."

"It's not that big of a deal—"

"So you admit that I'm right," Draco cut her off and motioned her to agree with him out loud.

Romina shrugged meekly. "I guess? I just don't really care. Lots of people are stressed out over these dates. I mean, I guess if I was one of the girls hoping Viktor Krum would ask me out, I could see it." Draco scoffed. "And of course there's Cedric…"

"Oh please," Draco scoffed coldly. "What the hell does Diggory have that would make you go all...you know…?"

Romina was up and ready with her list. "He's got the gorgeous hair, mesmerizing eyes, charming personality, he's tall, smart — need I go on?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "You're disappointing me, Oswell. I didn't think you would be like the other girls."

Romina giggled. "I'm not blind. But that's never happening. Cedric and I are just friends. Like Harry and I."

"Except Diggory isn't the one forcing you into a pity date."

"I've already told you that Harry's not forcing me. I just don't care."

Draco was silent for a moment. Romina was busy writing yet another possible hairdo on her paper to notice the pensive, nervous, glint in Draco's eyes.

"You don't care who you go with?" He asked a few seconds later.

Romina half shrugged. "Not really, no."

Draco shifted in his spot to face her. "Then...go with me."

Romina's laugh was expected. "Right." She didn't even bother looking up from her paper.

"I'm being serious here. Go with me," Draco said. He knew he got her attention when she finally looked up.

Her brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what on earth just happened. "What?" She put her pen down and looked around, half expecting someone to start laughing.

Draco presumed where her thoughts went. "Romina, seriously. Go with me to the Yule Ball."

It still didn't fully register with Romina. Everything was scrambling up in her head. Thankfully—for the first time in her life she was thankful—Snape finally entered the class.

Romina waited until the professor passed them to speak again and even then it was hushed and quick. "You, me, after class. Alone."

Draco nodded and faced forwards. Romina looked at the board ahead where Snape was already writing down the lesson of the day. She wouldn't be able to pay attention for sure.

~ 0 ~

Romina yanked Draco out of class before anybody had a chance to talk to either of them. In the time it took them to come up from the dungeons, Romina had thrown every possible threat at Draco if he thought he was being funny with her.

"Why on earth would you ask me?" Romina demanded. "We all know that you're taking Pansy!"

"Who the fuck said that? Because it wasn't me, I can tell you that! In fact, I'm pretty sure it was you who started that." Draco stopped walking and forced Romina to do the same.

She scoffed at him. "You are taking her!"

"No I'm not! You said that, not me!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes, you did," Draco said slowly for Romina to finally understand. "You said it a couple days ago during breakfast. Unprompted too. I have never said that I was going to ask Pansy. That was you, you bloody stubborn girl!"

Romina brought a hand to her mouth once she remembered that morning. "Oh my God...it was…Alright, I'm sorry for that one but…" she pursed her lips, her eyes flickering to the side. She saw a couple of Beauxbaton girls making way for the courtyard. "Well...how do I know you're actually serious? You go all ga-ga for the Beauxbaton girls anytime they pass by."

"I do not!" Draco nearly laughed but Romina was quite serious.

"You've blown me off twice. You literally lost all focus on me because you were staring at the Beauxbaton girls!"

Draco smirked suddenly. "Well, go to the ball with me and I will focus solely on you."

Romina became flustered on the spot. You walked into that one, she reprimanded herself. But why the hell was it making such an effect on her now? "Okay, so…" she struggled to find her words, and it irked her that in all that time, Draco just kept on smirking at her like he knew what he'd done.

And he probably did.

"You—you're actually asking me?"

"What gave it away?"

"But why?" Romina asked. "I-I've said that I'm already going with Harry—"

"As a pity date," Draco finished for her, "You shouldn't go with someone because they couldn't find a date. You should go with someone because you want to."

"Oh, and you want to go with me?" Romina raised an eyebrow at him. "Me? Don't I make things hard for you? Aren't I annoying? That's what you always say about me."

"And a living hell sometimes, yeah," Draco cracked a smile at her as if he was just coming to terms with that now. "You're fun. Your competitions, albeit annoying sometimes, are amusing. I don't ever know what's going to happen when you're around. You're a breath of fresh air and I find myself liking it more and more."

Romina gulped, feeling the same rush of heat starting in her chest. All her words were caught in her throat.

"Romina, do you want to go to the ball with me or not?"

Romina lightly flinched when he stepped closer to her. "Um...I mean...I already told Harry…"

"I heard," Draco said, "But did you hear me? You shouldn't be someone's second choice. You're certainly not mine."

Romina had no idea he was capable of saying words like that and with meaning. And yet hearing them for the first time had her heart racing. "…can I think about it?" The question left her lips before she knew it.

To her surprise (yet again), Draco nodded. "Yeah. But don't take too long, I won't be a second choice either." He stepped around her and walked off.

Romina watched after him until it dawned on her that she was staring at him. She shook her head and hurried in the opposite direction.

~ 0 ~

When Arden found Romina, the latter was on her bed with a dozen books and parchment surrounding her. However, based on the fact Romina was staring into space, Arden could bet that no work was actually getting done.

"Earth to Romina!" she called on her way to her own bed. She let her book bag unceremoniously drop on the covers. Romina startled but stayed silent. "Where'd you get to today? Luna's been looking for you. Says she has something to tell you."

"Mhm." Romina looked down at the book on her lap. She forgot she was doing her Muggle Studies essay.

"Oh, and Harry asked for you too."

Romina's head snapped up, her eyes widening in horror. "Is he mad!?"

Arden laughed. "What? No. Don't think so, anyways."

"Are you sure? What did he say?" Romina pressed for an exact answer. What if Harry already knew about Draco asking her to the Yule Ball? Oh God, what if they fight again?

"Romina, you're so pale," Arden said as soon as she noticed. "Are you feeling well?"

Romina brought her hands to her cheeks and gave them a light pat. "I'm fine," she said quickly.

"Bullshit." Arden forgot all about her bookbag and walked over to Romina's bed. "You look like hell. What's going on?"

Romina took her bottom lip with her teeth. She looked down at her book again.

"Hello?" Arden called, waving a hand. "Romina? What's going on?"

"N-nothing," Romina said weakly. She was going to burst if she didn't start talking and yet her tongue wouldn't help her out.

Arden pushed books out of her way to sit down on Romina's bed. She then pulled Romina's book on her lap, or rather she tried to because Romina gripped it. Arden's brow furrowed. "Romina, let go!"

Romina shook her head. "I have an essay to do!"

"Yeah and I can bet you're not actually reading anything! Let go!"

"No!"

"Fine." Arden suddenly let go of the book and watched Romina fall back against the headboard. Romina now had to deal with a pain in the back of her head. "Learned your lesson yet?"

Romina pouted. "Sure."

Arden sighed and reached over for the book again, this time Romina let her have it. "Thank you." Arden placed the book behind her. "Now then, what's got you all messed up?"

Romina pursed her lips. "I don't know if I should say anything."

"With that face?" Arden pointed at Romina's pale face, "You bet your ass you're going to tell me. Who did it?"

Romina eyed the door and made a quick mental note of where Carolinha and Daphne were at the moment. She didn't want either of them coming in and overhearing. Arden would keep the secret for sure. "It's Draco."

"Goddammit—what did he do this time?" Arden furiously demanded.

Romina grabbed Arden's arm when the brunette gave signs of getting up to find Draco. "It's not what you think! He…" Arden noticed the paleness in Romina's face fade away to be replaced with red. "He asked me to the Yule Ball."

Arden dropped herself back on the bed, her eyes wide with dazzlement. "No way!" she exclaimed.

Romina nodded. She put her hands together on her lap, her shoulders slumping. "He did."

"When!?"

"Today in the morning. It came out of nowhere and he's actually very serious about it. He wants me to go with him."

"So, what did you say!?" Arden was absolutely excited and Romina couldn't figure out why.

"What do you think? I said I needed to think about it."

"What?" frowned Arden. "What for!?"

"Arden! What do you mean 'what for?'?" Romina reached over to tap Arden on the forehead. "Did you listen to what happened!?"

"Yeah, did you?" Arden removed Romina's finger from her forehead. "What's the problem? He wants to go with you, you clearly want to go with him—"

"I haven't said that!" Romina exclaimed.

"I know it because I've seen you with him. Romina, you cannot sit there and tell me that everything that's happened so far this year hasn't gotten you thinking a little bit more about Draco than usual?"

Romina shook her head fervently, her cheeks puffing. "Course not!"

Arden raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, I know you, Romina Oswell. This has been going on since summer. It's been escalating without you realizing it."

Romina passed her hands down her hair and let out a big breath. "I can't...that can't be true."

"Why not?" challenged Arden.

"Because it's not possible. He's...he's him! And I'm me!"

"Yeah, and you both feed off of each other. Hence the bets and the back and forth. C'mon Romina," Arden chuckled, "Just say yes and see what happens. It doesn't have to mean anything."

"I can't go with Draco to the ball," Romina said definitively. "Can you imagine what Harry would say? Apart from the fact that I've already told Harry I'd go with him if he didn't find anybody else, he would go ballistic if I told him I was going with Draco."

Arden couldn't deny that the scene would be particularly violent. The bad blood between Harry and Draco was far too high to come back from. "Well, you know what? What they have going on is not your fault," Arden said. "If they want to kill each other, let 'em. After your date, of course."

"It's not a date!" Romina snapped. "It's so not a date and don't you dare say that again. If I were to go, it would just be a one night thing."

"So then why is it a big deal if it's just for one night?" Arden smirked knowing that she had gotten Romina with that one.

Romina ducked her head. "You know what I mean. I'm genuinely afraid that it'll make Harry angry with me forever."

"But then you do want to go with Draco?"

Romina shrugged again. "I don't know...maybe?"

Arden laughed and playfully patted Romina's knee. "I knew it! Just go for it! You deserve it."

"I think you're being biased," Romina said, meeting Arden's gaze from under her lashes. "You're my best friend. Of course you're going to forget all logic and tell me to go for it. I need some more opinions on this matter."

"I can get Carol and Daphne—"

"No!" Romina was quick to say, making Arden laugh again. "I love them but I know once I tell them, they're going to be all giggly about it. They won't be able to keep it a secret."

"Alright, who do you have in mind, then?" Arden curiously asked. If Romina was cautious telling her about the situation, who else could she want to tell?

~ 0 ~

"Malfoy asked you to the ball?" Hermione could not believe her ears. Unlike Arden, she hadn't yelled. The shock was too much.

Romina could only nod. She had managed to find Hermione on her own the next day and with luck, they took a walk through the courtyard without disturbances.

"Please don't tell Harry or Ron," she begged Hermione.

"Of course," Hermione said, much to Romina's relief. "I'm really surprised here. Pansy Parkinson is always after him, I just thought they'd…" She trailed off upon seeing the frown marking Romina's face. "But he asked you so…"

"It's okay to have no words, I sure didn't," Romina bit on her bottom lip. "I still don't. It's why I'm avoiding Draco until I have my thoughts in order."

"That can't be easy being in the same House," Hermione said. "But listen, don't take this the wrong way but, why are you telling me? I would think Arden would be above me on your list."

"I did tell her but I also know that Arden is loyal to me. She'll tell me to go for it. You don't have that problem. In fact, your loyalty is to Harry and that's okay with me!" Romina finished quickly before Hermione felt the urge to apologize to her. "I get it. So, only you can tell me if this is nonsense."

"What? You mean tell you that you shouldn't go with Draco? That's kind of a lot of pressure, Romina," Hermione said, tugging her collar for show.

Romina chuckled. "You know what I mean. Look, Draco and I went back and forth on this. Of course I warned him I'd kill him if this was a joke but he swore that it wasn't. So then I reminded him that I already told Harry I'd go with him if he didn't find somebody."

"And what did he say about that?" Hermione presumed there had been a lot of condescending words in that conversation.

"That I shouldn't go with someone as their second choice. He called it a pity date. He said…" Even now, Romina felt an annoying flutter in her heart remembering Draco's exact words, "I should go with someone because I want to go with them. The person I go with should want to go with me as well."

Hermione's eyebrows raised. That wasn't anything near what she was expecting to hear. "He said that?"

Romina nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh my god," Hermione said, suddenly stopping in her tracks.

Romina saw her rubbing her stomach. "Are you okay?" she asked with concern.

"Yeah, it's just…" Hermione's nose crinkled, "I can't believe I'm going to say this—it's probably the only time I'll ever say it—but I agree with Malfoy."

"Woah," Romina blinked, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Hermione gave a small laugh. "Yes," she assured. "Harry and Ron would crucify me for what I'm saying but I think Malfoy's got a point. I think what you're doing for Harry is sweet and caring but at the end of the day, Harry doesn't actually want to go with you. He asked Cho Chang and it didn't go so well but she's the one he wanted to go with."

"Oh poor Harry," Romina said, swallowing hard. If the girl of his dreams said no to him, he was more likely to fall on her word of going with him. That was...disappointing? Oh God what is happening to me?

"He'll survive," Hermione said. "Cho's going with Cedric. If you go with Harry, you really will be his second choice."

"He would never see me like that," Romina said weakly.

"Of course," Hermione agreed. "But it's what you would be. If somebody wants to take you to the Yule Ball—if they ask you with sincerity, you have every right to say yes."

Hermione looked so sincere that it brought tears to Romina's eyes. Hermione would be okay if she decided to say yes to Draco. "Hermione, you have no idea what you're doing to me."

Hermione smiled at her. "I can make a guess," she put a hand on Romina's shoulder. "I just have one thing to ask."

"What?" Romina sniffed, clearly wiping some tears off.

"Don't ask me to tell Harry."

Despite being legitimately afraid of how that would go, Romina laughed. "Of course not." Hermione joined her soon enough.

"While we're on the subject of secret dates," Hermione started once they'd sobered from their laugh, even walking again, "Is this a two way conversation?"

Romina nodded. "Of course. Are you going to take pity on me and tell me who this mysterious date of yours is?"

Hermione had been in Romina's predicament albeit with slight differences. But, like Romina, she needed to tell someone before she burst. "It's Krum. Viktor Krum."

Romina slapped a hand over her mouth to prevent an actual shriek from getting out. Hermione was red as the color of her House. "Hermione Granger, how'd you manage to snag him!?"

Hermione burst into laughter again. "It just happened! He was in the library again and I of course turned to leave because of the group of girls he was going to attract but he stopped me and we talked. Turns out he finds them just as annoying as I do."

"Ah, and so it was love at first sight," Romina feigned dramatics with a hand over her heart.

"Don't go that far!" Hermione tried to scold but she was a laughing mess. Romina had never seen her in such a state.

"You do realize you'll be opening the ball with him, right?"

Hermione nodded. "I have given it some thought, yes. How do you think the boys will react?"

Romina's eyebrows raised as she considered how the whole ordeal would go. She brought a hand to the back of her head, fingers lightly scratching through her hair. "Umm, I think Ron will have a proper heart attack. He still thinks you're lying so this will be a good way to show him you weren't."

"I didn't do any of this just to prove him wrong," Hermione said in alarm.

"I know that," chuckled Romina. "But serves him right for what he said. You'll get him good. It'll be like a two for one thing."

Hermione smiled but it was still done nervously. "And what do you think Harry will say? Krum is someone he's competing against."

"Harry will be surprised but I think he'll ultimately remember that you're his friend and he'll get over it."

Hermione's smile softened. She nudged Romina on the side. "You should take your own advice."

"Oh no," Romina shook her head quickly, "My situation is completely different. Harry doesn't absolutely despise Krum. He hasn't nearly dueled him twice."

"No, he just competed against him," Hermione shrugged and earned a startled blink from Romina.

"Are you cracking jokes now? Impressive," Romina ultimately said, "But what I'm saying is true. Honestly, a little part of me is wondering if Draco did it to spite Harry."

Hermione bobbed her head in thought. "That does sound like something he would do."

Romina nodded. Draco had swore that it wasn't a joke but what if she wasn't supposed to figure it out? Would he lie? The mere thought of it all being a joke gave her a pang in her heart. Being aware of that pang pointed out where her stance was in the 'yes' or 'no' department.

"Romina," said Hermione, unknowingly pulling the girl out of her darkening thoughts, "Do you want to go with Draco? Forgetting everything, and I mean everything, do you want to go with him?"

"Well…"

"No," Hermione said sharply, "None of the 'wells' or the 'buts' here. It's yes or no, Romina. Pick one."

Romina started biting on her bottom lip. When it was put like that, she had to be honest with herself. "Yes." Her answer was so quiet, almost a whisper, that Hermione had barely heard.

Luckily, Hermione was a sharp listener. She patted Romina's arm comfortingly. "There you go."

"Harry's going to kill me." Because not only would Romina have to tell Harry that she would no longer go with him to the ball, but he would also learn who she decided to go with.

"Who are you going to talk to first?" Hermione asked her after a moment.

That was an easy answer. The one who wouldn't kill her on the spot.

~0~

Romina slunk down at the Great Hall table. She didn't touch her plate, her goblet, nor the various dinner choices in front of her. Her arms came together to rest on her lap.

"Took you long enough," Draco took pity on her and said. "You've been avoiding me."

Romina wouldn't deny it. If he was coming into a room, she was rushing out. "Don't suppose you want an apology…?"

Draco couldn't tell if she was joking or not. "Can we get to the point before the others start coming?" Neither would be able to say a word with their friends around. Chatterbox Carolinha would have a word or two to say, or yell.

Romina sighed. "Tell me one thing…"

"What?"

"Did you ask me just to spite Harry?"

Draco froze. He looked at Romina, initially surprised but ultimately impressed for some reason. "No, but that would've been a good idea."

Romina's head snapped up, eyebrows furrowing in annoyance. "What the hell, Draco!?"

"Again, you said it, not me," Draco laughed at her.

Romina rolled her eyes at him. "You could've bloody well said yes or no."

"Funny, I was just about to tell you the same thing." Draco reached for the platter of toast when Romina put her hand over his arm.

"Just tell me the truth please," she pleaded. There was genuine fear in her eyes and all because of that one silly thought?

"Who the hell put that thought in your head?" Draco demanded, pulling her hand off his arm. "Did you tell Potter already?"

Romina shook her head. "No. I didn't tell him and nobody put the idea in my head. I thought of it. And can you blame me? For the past 3 years, you've found every possible way to mess with Harry. I'm one of his best friends. It's not that big of a stretch."

"You're my friend," Draco snapped, sounding almost possessive. "I've told you that I'm not kidding. I don't know how else to put it. You're too smart for this, honestly."

Romina brought her hand on the table, fingers lightly tapping. Her eyes fell over her empty plate. "So...not a joke…"

"No."

"Okay," Romina paused for a minute. "...then yes."

Draco did a double-take on her. "What?"

Romina sheepishly met his eye. "Yes," she repeated, this time with flushed cheeks, "I'll go with you to the ball."

Draco didn't know he could smile so quickly until that moment. "Brilliant."

Romina swore that had been Carolinha in the back. She had to hide her laugh behind her mouth.

McGonagall either didn't hear or chose to ignore the comment. "The Yule Ball is approaching—a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests."

"A ball?" Daphne piped up beside Carolinha, already the most excited one of all. McGonagall nodded her head.

"Isn't that just a fancy way of saying 'let's show off'?" Romina said, giving up raising her hand halfway.

McGonagall looked at her irritably. It didn't help that Daphne decided to exclaim 'That's the point!' afterwards.

"Now then," McGonagall spoke sharply, sending each girl a look not to interrupt again, "The ball will open only to fourth years and above, although you may invite a younger student if you wish. Dress robes will be worn and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Eve. As representatives of the host school I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward, and I mean this literally because the yule ball is first and foremost...a dance."

Giggles from the girls and groans from the boys soon spread amongst the class.

"I won't bother going into detail twice as you will be meeting with your respective Head of House later on this today for a better explanation."

"I don't think we need one," Romina whispered to Hermione who was already smiling embarrassed for some reason.

After class, Harry was kept behind for a couple of minutes while the others were free to go. Romina wanted to wait out of sheer curiosity but Daphne was keen on getting her, Carolinha and Arden to start going over details and whatnot.

"I mean, we'll have to go shopping! There's a couple Hogsmeade visits before Christmas so we'll have time of course but we—

Arden clapped a hand over Daphne's shoulders. "Please breathe," she begged. "Or you'll miss the Yule Ball on account of being dead. Cause of death being loss of air."

Daphne smiled gleefully. "I just love balls!"

"It's a party," Romina rolled her eyes. "Saying a 'ball' is just a way to fancy up 'party'."

"Oh shush," Daphne waved a hand at her.

"It is kind of exciting," Carolinha said squeakishly, "I mean, who do you think you'll go with?"

"I get the feeling Daphne won't care so long as her dress is the best," Romina said with the first genuine laugh since they learned of the ball.

Daphne didn't hesitate to nod her head. "You bet!"

Romina shook her head. She saw Harry coming out of the class and joining Hermione and Ron. "I'll catch up with you guys."

"Don't lag, remember we got to meet Snape this afternoon," Arden reminded her. "Just to go over this thing again."

"Mhm," Romina agreed and hurried to meet the Gryffindor trio. "Hey Harry, what did McGonagall want?"

Harry seemed pale and sick for some reason. It wasn't until he explained that he, being a champion, would get to open the ball with his partner in a dance.

Romina laughed as they began walking.

"I don't see why it's funny, Rom," Harry said, "You know I don't dance!"

"You danced with Victoria."

"At a birthday party! This is a ball!"

"Again, a party," Romina shrugged. "And what's the big deal? You just have to dance for a bit." She conveniently left out the fact she didn't know how to do much dancing either.

"She's right Harry," Hermione said. Both girls received the same looks from Harry and Ron. "What?" Hermione asked them.

"It's all easy for you two—we have to ask the girls out," Ron huffed.

"I need to have a partner," Harry said. "It's traditional."

"So, you get one," Romina said, glancing at Hermione. "Honestly, why is this so hard for them?" Hermione shrugged.

"Oi!" Ron frowned. "You go ask somebody!"

"I would if I wanted to," Romina said, "But as of right now, I literally don't know who I would go with. But look, Harry," she stopped walking and grabbed her best friend by the arms, "in the event that you can't find somebody, I'll go with you."

"Oh come off it, Rom," Harry rolled his eyes. They had just gotten over the article stuff.

"I mean it," Romina insisted. "I sort of joked with Daphne that it was all about the dresses and robes instead of the actual date but...I kind of do just want to wear a pretty dress and do my hair...the date is the least of my concerns. You go on and try to ask someone out but don't kill yourself over the stress. I'll go with you if you can't find somebody."

Harry seemed reluctant to believe her, mostly because he already had someone in mind that wasn't her at all. He was still touched that she would do this for him so he ultimately agreed. "Okay. Thanks."

"That's bloody great, you two are all settled but what about us?" Ron made a gesture between himself and Hermione.

Hermione went pink again, making Romina giggle. Ron, of course, had no idea.

~ 0 ~

Romina eventually found the girls in the assembly room later in the day. It was no surprise that the girls were still outrageously giggling and laughing at what was to come while the boys were closer to looking depressed.

"It's not that bad," Romina told Angel, who was just as miserable as the others. "It's just a party."

"You keep saying that like it's supposed to be true," Angel sighed. He helped her climb up the bleachers. "But in the end, it's the boys who have to ask you lot out."

"That's the best part," Arden was eager to say. "Loads of stress off my plate."

"Thanks Arden," Angel said as he sat down with Romina in the bleacher below Arden, Carolinha and Daphne. "Great help."

"Hey Theo!" Arden called as Theodore, Draco and Blaise walked into the room. "Over here!"

"Sorry, did she just say…?" Angel looked at Romina with wide eyes.

Romina nodded. "Yeah, she did." She grabbed hold of Draco's arm on his way up behind Theodore. "You did something there, I hope you know that..." she told him with a nod in Arden's and Theodore's way.

"Yeah, gonna regret that one," Draco muttered. "They won't shut up now." Romina laughed and let him go.

Snape strode in not much later and just like McGonagall had said before, he went over the details of the Yule Ball. Though unlike McGonagall, he had a sharper tone to his voice, a threatening one.

"If I so much get a whisper that one of my students is acting anything less than a respectable Slytherin,rest assured that you will wish you were dealing with one of Hagrid's skrewts."

"Message received," Carolinha squeaked between Arden and Daphne.

"As if Carolinha would be the one to break that rule," Romina whispered to Angel who snickered with her. Behind them, Draco eyed them with a slight frown.

Snape went on to explain what was expected of them when it came to the dancing. He didn't miss the opportunity to throw in another threat about proper behavior in case they'd already forgotten his first threat. The truth seemed that he wanted to be there less than they all did, especially when he had to actually explain how the dancing went.

"I heard the saying 'to dance is to let the body breathe'," Daphne whispered to them, "Because inside every girl a secret swan slumbers longing to burst forth and take flight."

Everyone thought it was crap but only one was brave enough to say it out loud.

"Something's about to burst out of Pansy but I don't think it's a swan," Arden said so clearly that it was impossible for everyone in the group to hold in their laugh.

"That was actually a good one, King," Draco gave her the credit.

"Thank you," Arden flicked her collar proudly.

"Is something amusing over there?" Snape's eyes soon swept over them and picked out the culprits. "Miss King, Mr. Malfoy, since you clearly think you have the knowledge of what I speak about, perhaps you would like to demonstrate."

The mere suggestion had them snorting with muffled laughter. The only ones who remained quiet now were Arden and Draco.

"Down," Snape pointed a sharp finger to the spot beside him. "Now."

"This oughta be good," Romina mumbled to Angel. Arden gave a good kick with her knee to Romina's back on her way down.

"I'll kill you for this," they heard Draco warn Arden. The two begrudgingly made their way down to Snape.

Romina couldn't read lips but she knew Arden enough to presume her response ran along the lines of 'Not if I kill you first'. They were the center of attention whilst Snape instructed the pair to show the proper stance and positions of each of their hands.

"If ever there's ever been a moment where I wish I could have a camera, it's now," Romina could barely hold her giggles. She wasn't planning on becoming Snape's next example.

"They're going to murder each other," Daphne said, her words shaky as she too struggled to keep a straight face.

"Threee galleons says Arden steps on him," Blaise suddenly said.

All eyes landed on him.

"Blaise Zabini, you shock me," Romina said with a hand over her chest.

Blaise half smirked. "There's never going to be another moment like this. I plan on using this against Malfoy every chance I get."

"Blaise, if you talk more like this, we could really be best friends you know," Romina leaned back to touch his knee. "Think of all the chaos we could make."

"Romina," Angel shook his head disapprovingly. "They look mad enough." He and Carolinha were the only ones really watching their miserable friends below. Despite actually pulling it off, both Arden and Draco looked ready to murder each other. No doubt they were blaming each other for their situation.

Snape finally let them go two minutes later and they couldn't possibly push each other away fast enough. "The rest of you," Snape addressed the group, "Pair up. No foolishness."

The girls were eager to get down the bleachers to find partners, those unwilling being dragged by their friends. The boys were slower to get down.

"This one's going down in the books for sure," Romina finally laughed freely (though not loud enough to get herself in trouble) when she and the others reached the ground.

"Not a single word, Romina," Arden pointed a finger at her.

"Not a syllable from you,Zabini," Draco said as soon as he saw Blaise's mouth opening.

"Look at that, they're even matching their words," Blaise said to Romina who then had to cover her mouth.

"I'm not kidding, Zabini!" snapped Draco, nearly launching himself on him. He was livid enough already.

"Pair up, now," they heard Snape order the remaining students.

"Draco, how about you come with me?" Pansy scurried up to them though paid no attention to anyone but Draco. He was busy glaring at Blaise to form any answer so Pansy took her chance to answer for him. "C'mon!"

"Not sure that was a step up," Blaise remarked.

"Hey!" Arden scowled.

"Romina, you want to be partners?" Angel had to tug Romina's arm to get her attention. She watched Pansy practically drag Draco with her.

"What was that?" she blinked at him.

"Do you want to be partners?"

"Oh, um, yeah," Romina shrugged. She let Angel lead them to an empty spot. "I have to warn you that I genuinely don't know how to dance this type of fancy stuff."

Angel chuckled. "What are you talking about? I thought you said it was just a party?"

"Well, party or ball, I've only ever been to muggle birthday parties back home."

"What about the dance classes you said you took during Summer?"

"That was for fun! And again, it was a muggle class. This is the wizarding society we're talking about now. I frankly don't know what I'm doing."

Angel couldn't help the second laugh that slipped out of him. "It's fine, don't worry." He gently took her hand and lifted it to his left shoulder. "My dad's a lawyer so the family's always invited to these parties—balls." He placed his hands around her waist.

Romina blinked. "Really? I didn't know that."

Angel guided her slowly on the floor. "You never asked."

Romina flushed. No, she had never asked. "Sorry. Um, what does your Mum do?"

"Not a paying job but she does charity work. Honestly, I think it's what's expected of women from, um…"

"High class?" Romina presumed. It was the only thing that he could be trying to get at. He was just too humble to say it out loud. The Paes family was pureblood and even though they moved from Brazil, they were still reveled amongst the English wizarding society.

"She gets together with the other women of her circle."

"Ah, sounds...nice?" Romina chuckled. "I'm sorry. It's all new for me. I severely lack knowledge of these wizarding classes."

"Your class too may I remind you," Angel said, "The Oswells. Not that it matters."

Romina 'hmphd' and looked away. "There are no more Oswells, Angel. They took care of plunging our name deep into the abyss."

"There's you. And that's all they need to see their names rise through the ranks again." Angel smiled warmly at her.

Romina blushed under his gaze. "So sweet, Angel. Always."

"Not saying anything that's not true," Angel said sternly. "And while we're here, um, you haven't thought about who you're going to the ball with, have you?"

Romina shrugged. She looked around to see who had paired up with who (and even seeing her options didn't give her an exact answer to Angel's question). To her surprise, Arden had found Theodore and the two danced quite in sync. Carolinha had roped Blaise in while Daphne paired up with none other than Goyle. She didn't look necessarily upset about it; she was chatting away about something. Then Romina's eyes fell over Draco and Pansy. It irked her that they both seemed to dance with such ease.

Both clearly experienced, she grudged the thought.

"Romina?"

Romina's head snapped back to Angel in front of her. She realized then that her fingers had gripped Angel's shoulders somewhere along her thoughts. "I'm sorry." She pulled her hands off him, stopping the dance altogether.

"Don't worry," Angel chuckled. "You just got lost for a second. Did you hear what I asked?"

"No, sorry, I forgot," Romina lowered her head with guilt. Her thoughts kept getting away from her and she really didn't like the reason why it kept happening; over who.

Angel still smiled at her in his kindly manner. "I was asking if you knew who you were going to the ball with?" He gestured for her to take his hands again. Snape was roaming around, eyes keen on finding any mistakes. For that matter, Romina took his hands.

"Oh right," Romina nodded. "Well I told Harry I'd go with him if he couldn't find anyone."

"Really?" Angel blinked. "Is that...is that permanent?"

Romina shrugged. "I guess. He was really stressed out because being the one of the champions, he needs to have a partner to open the dance with. I told him not to worry; that I'd go with him."

"Oh…"

For a moment, Romina thought he was going to say something else. His mouth opened but he closed it a second later. For the rest of the practice, he didn't speak again.

~0~

The buzz of the Yule Ball was set and rising. Christmas decorations were already up and they were far more luxurious than what students had seen in the previous years.

They're showing off, Romina had told those who commented about the decorations around her. Daphne had said that so long as it was all pretty, nobody gave a damn if they were supposed to be showing off.

Later in the week when their mail started dropping at breakfast, Romina was surprised with a letter from her grandmother.

My dear Romina,

It's about time you get to know about the Yule Ball. Always one of my busiest moments. Don't worry about your dress, I've already spoken to your aunt and uncle and they agreed to let me design one for you. I've got your measurements from your school robes. If you have any specific color or design you have in mind, write back to me immediately!

Yours,

Grandma Abby.

Daphne couldn't have shrieked any louder than she had. The Gryffindor table next to them stopped to look over at them.

Romina folded her letter up and shot a glare at Daphne. "Nice one, don't think France heard you."

Daphne could care less. "You're getting a dress from the Gejéls! That's top fashion!"

"It's my grandmother's," Romina said pointedly. She folded her letter and set it beside her just as Arden sat down.

She didn't think twice about picking it up. "What's that?"

"Hey!"

"Love letter?" Arden smirked as she waved the letter above her head.

"I'll take a peek!" Theodore exclaimed and slipped the letter right from Arden's hand.

"Hey!" Romina's frown deepened. "I don't know you like that! Give it back!"

"Oswell, isn't it too early for you to be yelling already?" Draco asked on his way as well.

"Theodore took my letter!" Romina gestured to the brunette sitting beside Arden.

"A love letter," Theodore emphasized.

Draco stopped in his tracks, backtracked to where Theodore sat, and plucked it out of his hands. "Thank you!"

"Unbelievable," groaned Romina as the blonde passed her. "You're all nosy as hell."

"So who's this from?" Draco wondered as he unfolded the letter.

"It's from my grandmother, you twit!" Romina finally snatched her letter back and held it tight before somebody else got the idea to take it from her. "She wrote to me about the Yule Ball."

"What she say?" Arden looked up with the same excitement that Daphne had earlier.

"She's going to make my dress," Romina said and shut her eyes when Arden yelled a sharp 'Shut up!' followed with a whack against her arm. "That actually hurts."

"Now you know how it feels," Draco mumbled.

"Shut it," Romina waved him off. "And Arden, do you really have to yell?"

"Yes! You're so lucky! My parents don't know jack-shit about wizarding dresses! I have to put all my faith in Daphne over here," Arden jerked a thumb in Daphne's direction. Daphne gleefully grinned. "Guess you're not coming to Hogsmeade then?"

"I am," Romina said, "I just won't be shopping for me anymore. It's—how did you say it?—one load of stress off my plate."

"Seriously, all you have to think about is who you're going to go with," Daphne agreed. "You're beyond lucky."

"Can you stop saying that already?" Theodore groaned. "God, it's annoying."

"It never stops, Theo," Draco said in a warning fashion.

Romina side-glanced him with a questioning glint. 'Theo?' she mouthed at him again.

He shrugged. "It caught on," he said out loud. He did spend a good portion of his day with Arden and Theodore. "And he's right. It's annoying as hell. Shut up—all of you already."

"Oh, so you're all set then?" Daphne raised an eyebrow at him. "Robes and everything? Date?"

Draco was well on his way to answering but he was left with his mouth open when Romina spoke on his behalf (apparently).

"Please, we all know who he's taking," she said so confidently.

Draco shot her a look. "You want to let me in on this little secret, Oswell?"

Romina rolled her eyes. "It's not even worth my time saying it out loud but if you want to play that game then so be it." For the first time in his life, Draco was sure he wasn't playing any game with her. "Pansy, of course!"

He definitely wasn't playing a game this time.

"Where the hell do you get off on saying that monumental lie!?" Draco's voice had risen several octaves but Romina remained calm as ever.

"It's just logical," she said with a shrug. "You danced so easily in practice. You didn't look exactly like you were being tortured."

For a moment, Draco didn't know how to string his words together without yelling because the moment he yelled would be the moment Romina snapped. He wasn't fishing for another argument. He pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself. "This may come as a shocker to you, Oswell, but I just happen to know how to dance. More than that, the Parkinsons are always at my family's events. Of course I know how to dance with Pansy because we do so at these events."

"Ah, so you've already gone on the dates. Awesome," Romina said through gritted teeth as she picked up a piece of toast. Crumbs fell to her plate when her fingers gripped the corner of her toast a bit too hard.

Daphne raised an eyebrow at the pair, her eyes soon flickering over to Arden and Theodore. Arden just smirked and shook her head. Theodore was frankly bemused. This was all new to him.

"Holy shit—do you even bother listening to me?" Draco would have liked to shake Romina to see if those ridiculous thoughts would spill from her head.

"I am," she said sharply, glancing in his direction to see his blazing eyes, "That's why I said what I said. Why are you mad at me?"

Draco's incredulous stare couldn't have been more amusing for the others. He looked at Daphne first, gesturing to Romina, then he looked at Arden. She was struggling not to laugh.

Yes, Harry had gone to Hogsmeade a few days ago. She would know, she was with him all afternoon. He was under the Invisibility Cloak the whole time. Harry hadn't wanted to deal with anybody's comments but it didn't mean he couldn't see them. Hermione had spent most of her time trying to persuade Harry to talk to either Ron or Romina, or both! But Harry mentioned that Ron hadn't even asked about him and Hogsmeade. Hermione couldn't lie there since Ron really hadn't asked about him.

So she tried with Romina. Romina had definitely asked for Harry at Hogsmeade. But then Hermione made the mistake of bringing Harry to the Three Broomsticks. They tucked themselves in a corner so nobody would accidentally sit on the invisible Harry. Romina was there with her friends Arden, Carolinha and Daphne. And for a moment, Hermione had been really close coaxing Harry out from under the cloak to go talk to Romina once and for all. But the girls were soon joined by more of their group.

Harry liked Angel, he was nice like Carolinha. Blaise and Theodore he could tolerate — they were neutral in almost every battle — but Harry couldn't stand the fact that Draco had come by with a drink for Romina. At first it looked like Romina would refuse it—she pushed the glass back to him. There was a small exchange between the two. Harry saw Romina with her defiant look (he knew that look from years ago). Draco leaned close (too close if anybody asked Harry) and said something to Romina to which she then rolled her eyes at and responded. In the end, she accepted the damn drink and looked pretty content with the situation.

Hermione had seen it as well. She had actually winced when she heard Harry's snarl. He was even less happy with Romina after that and Hermione, sworn to secrecy by the laws of friendship, was stuck in the middle again.

"I think he's over exaggerating," Romina said. "I genuinely tried fixing things by looking for him."

She had searched for Harry for so long that in the end, Arden was the angry one. She claimed Romina was wasting her time on her first trip of the year to Hogsmeade (a trip that Romina was supposed to be enjoying this year) so she dragged Romina to the Three Broomsticks where they eventually found Carolinha and Daphne. Romina admitted that she did sort of forget about her search for Harry once she and the girls started talking. She definitely forgot when they were joined by the boys and a drink was placed in front of her. Draco was smart enough to know that Romina wasn't entirely over the badges. She gave him the credit for at least being aware he wasn't in the clear yet. She then rescinded the credit when he thought she was stupid not to see what he was trying to do by buying her a drink.

"What makes you think I would even want it?" Romina raised her head defiantly, promptly waiting for the best answer he could come up with.

Draco leaned close to her, wearing a stupid smirk on his face. "Why wouldn't you want a free drink?"

Romina rolled her eyes. He was just too damn cocky. She pushed the drink back to him. "Because you could have well poisoned it," she didn't think twice in answering,

"Like I would do that in a public spot. I know how to pick my moments, Oswell."

"So then you  are  trying to poison me?"

In the end, Arden groaned beside Romina. "Just take the bloody drink already!" she hissed at Romina. "Making everything a damn challenge between you two. It's annoying!"

Arden hadn't exactly been quiet with her words. Everyone else seemed to agree with her. With a roll of her eyes, Romina accepted the drink.

"So we're good then?" Draco asked her after she took a sip of her glass.

"I guess," Romina shrugged, offering half a smile. "I look forward to seeing you screw up again. It's inevitable for guys." Romina's joke, which honestly hadn't really been a joke, was well received by the other girls. It did help lighten the mood and after that, she began to really enjoy Hogsmeade.

Romina sighed heavily. "I don't know what else to do."

"Just keep trying please," Hermione almost begged her. "I can't take the silent treatment between Harry and Ron. I'll surely lose my mind if I have to deal with the same thing between you two."

Romina felt pity for the spot that Hermione was put in. Anyone else would have surely cracked by now. "Okay, I promise."

They arrived shortly later at the library but they only lasted an hour before Viktor Krum showed up. Hermione promptly ushered them out before Krum's group of admiring giggly girls showed up.

~0~

Romina kept to her promise to Hermione and tried making amends with Harry. Whenever Romina had the opportunity to, she would try to get close to Harry to talk with him. It was fairly easy considering Ron wasn't around and Hermione tended to be in the library or studying, but even then talking to Harry wasn't an easy job either. He blew her off with such ease that Romina had to wonder if Harry had always kept this disdain against her to himself for years.

"Harry, please," she caught up with him during one of their Care of Magical Creatures lessons. He picked up his pace but Romina did her best to keep up with him even if she did have to half jog it. "Why is this such a big deal? Not even Draco gave me this much crap about it!"

"Hm," Harry curled his fists when he remembered what he saw at Hogsmeade. "Shocker."

Romina shook her head. "C'mon, we're best friends! I was just trying to help! Hermione would've done the same thing!"

Both she and Harry knew that was a lie. Hermione would've never told such a big lie to a professor, much less to Snape.

"I have a big mouth, I know, and I sometimes get riled up when I feel challenged and that's what happened back there!"

"I didn't challenge you, Romina," Harry said curtly. He stopped walking abruptly, leaving Romina a few steps ahead. "You got in the way, I would've had Malfoy this time."

"And then what?" Romina asked, exasperated that he hadn't yet thought of the aftermath of such a ridiculous duel. "Snape would've had your ass with that. I know you know that. I feel like there's more to this than you're telling me and that's not fair."

"Technically, it's what you're not telling me," Harry said.

Romina blinked. Her nose scrunched as she wondered what on earth he was talking about.

"I need to get to class," Harry said, walking hastily past her. Hagrid was grouping the class up ahead and Harry had no desire to be on Romina's side nor Ron's.

~ 0 ~

Days later, Romina communicated her latest attempt to talk to Harry with Hermione. Hermione wasn't surprised at all that Harry had said what he did to Romina. She was just perplexed why he hadn't said it more clearly. If he was that upset with those presumptions, he should have just told Romina directly.

"Hermione, at least tell me he's spoken to Sirius already?" Romina asked as an afterthought. Whatever problems she had with Harry didn't mean she wanted to see danger come his way. Speaking to Sirius was key for Harry to stay safe and well.

Hermione nodded silently. She stopped walking and reached for Romina's arm. "Yesterday night he did."

"And did it go well?" Romina suspected there was something she was missing. Hermione was gripping her arm tightly.

Hermione half shrugged. There wasn't much to report in that aspect. Harry had spoken to Sirius for all five minutes before Ron, of all people, interrupted the conversation right when Sirius was about to tell Harry the spell he needed to take down the dragon. Because oh yes, Harry had figured out the first task were dragons.

"He's going up against dragons!?" Romina half-shrieked, causing Hermione to shush her as several students walking by gave them curious looks.

"Nobody's supposed to know!" Hermione said.

"Well, how did Harry find out?"

"Hagrid showed him—it's a long story," Hermione said when Romina opened her mouth to no doubt ask how on earth Hagrid knew about the dragons. "What's worse is that Charlie, Ron's brother, is one of the wizards in charge of the dragons and Ron didn't exactly say anything."

"Well...we're assuming that Ron knew…" Romina weakly tried to say but even Hermione thought otherwise. Romina sighed. "You know, this year was supposed to be better than last year but I honestly think it's going to be worse. Much, much worse."

"Just keep trying, please," Hermione insisted, once again squeezing Romina's arm.

"Yeah, of course," Romina assured her. "But keep me in the loop about what's happening with Harry. Even if he doesn't want me helping him, I'll do it."

Hermione promised and from there, the girls split for their respective classes. Romina didn't have much of a head for Muggle Studies that day. Rolf was more talkative during the lesson, ironically, and simultaneously used that to try and cheer Romina up. Even as they left the class with an outrageous amount of homework, Rolf rambled on about something called nargles and how everybody apparently had them.

"You and Luna seemed to have hit it off," remarked Romina blankly. She was only paying half attention to the conversation.

Rolf chuckled. "She's interesting. And she does have a lot to say about you."

"Hm, she's about the only one right now with good stuff to say about me."

"Not true, and you know it." Rolf tapped the side of Romina's head. She rolled her eyes. "You're the talk for some people—rumors about the incident with Harry and Malfoy."

Romina groaned. "It came back to bite me in the ass. I'm paying big time for that one."

Not much later did she attempt to talk to Harry again, only this time he didn't even give her the opportunity to string a whole sentence.

"I need to find Hermione for something," he snapped as he strode right past her. He seemed determined and with purpose so Romina decided to call it quits for the day.

She told Arden she wasn't hungry for dinner and went straight for the common room. She decided to take on the homework she'd been assigned for Muggle Studies despite its due date being very far. If anything, she should get started on the Transfiguration work. But of course, being perfectly honest with herself, Romina knew that whatever class she decided to focus on wouldn't actually happen. There was just too much on her mind.

Later on, she heard the entrance opening up. Dinner was over and the students were retiring to their dorms. Romina wasn't sure if she was going to be able to sleep either. She started gathering her things from the couch. Sleep or not, she would be more comfortable on her bed anyways.

"Are you coming to sleep without me having to nag you?" Arden stopped by the couch.

"Yes, don't worry," Romina said. She stacked her one book over the other. "I'll be there in a bit."

Arden watched her for a few seconds as she picked up more of her things. She ultimately decided Romina was telling her the truth and headed for their room.

"So you're starving yourself now," Draco's voice came a few seconds later.

Romina shrugged as she put her roll of parchment on top of her pile. "I just wasn't hungry."

"Right. It's because of Potter, isn't it?"

Romina turned around. She didn't have to say anything. Actually, she did but for fear of making things worse, she kept her mouth tightly shut.

"Arden mentioned it," Draco went on, "You're being ridiculous. So what if he's not talking to you?"

"You got a lot of nerve considering it's your fault," Romina remarked. And so much for keeping your mouth shut.

"My fault?" Draco repeated incredulously. "I'm not the one who told that fat lie in front of the whole school."

"No, but you're the one who made those stupid badges in the first place. As if you actually gave a damn about Cedric Diggory being the champion. You just wanted to mess with Harry as usual."

All Draco did was shrug. It was more or less true.

Romina rolled her eyes. "It's great, really, because no matter how much I try, Harry won't talk to me."

"And somehow you equate that with not eating. That sure makes sense."

"I am not starving myself!"

"No, you're not." Draco reached for something under his robes and the next thing Romina knew, he was tossing her something wrapped up in a napkin.

She barely caught it with her free hand. "What is this?" she frowned. She couldn't unwrap it with her thumb as much as she tried.

"A biscuit. Can't exactly take a plate with me, right?" Draco gestured to the bread in her hand. "But eat it. I'm not going to take more if you're just going to throw it out because of Potter."

"Thank...you…?" Romina was too surprised to sound remotely close to sure.

"Eat it," Draco warned her as he went for the corridors.

Romina stayed where she was for a couple minutes. She was utterly lost but at least now she had something to eat. And it was actually good.

~0~

She might get yelled at, she might even get detention for it, but Romina would try anyway. The day of the first task had finally arrived and knowing Harry, he must be nervous out of his mind. He always said that his legs felt like marshmallows whenever he was really nervous.

"You're going to get in trouble," Hermione insisted despite hurrying along with Romina down to the champions' tent.

"That's why I have you to keep a lookout," Romina said obviously. "I have to talk to him!"

"Now?" Hermione flapped her arm in the direction of the bleachers that were almost full. Everybody was anxiously waiting for the tournament to begin. "You pick now of all times to try again!?"

"Yes!" Romina stopped once they reached the tent. "There's no better time than right now!" She peeked around the tent to make sure there were no teachers around. "Because Harry's at his worst right now and he needs all his friends. Ron's clearly not coming anywhere close here."

Hermione lamented the fact. "Alright, fine," she relented. "Go."

Romina beamed. "Thanks!" She tiptoed down the front of the tent until she reached the opening. She could hear someone walking back and forth near the entrance but she wasn't entirely sure if it was Harry.

If it's Fleur, I can get away with wishing her luck on behalf of my grandmother. If it's Krum, I'll say I was looking for Cedric. If it's Cedric...I'll say I was looking for Harry.

Romina was actually dizzy from all that logic but she went ahead and whispered to the champion inside. "Pssst! Harry? Is that you?"

To her luck, it was Harry. He didn't come out but Romina sensed he was right by the entrance. "What do you want, Romina?"

Romina sighed. "What do you think? To wish you luck."

"Really? Not here for Cedric, then?"

"Come off it, Harry. You're my best friend. And I really hate the idea of you being this angry with me while you have loads of worse things to deal with."

Well, at that, Harry could agree it wasn't fun. He didn't have Ron around nor Romina. Two of his best friends were far away and unavailable. "You'll get in trouble for being here," he said weakly. He had no idea why he even said that anyways.

"Please, remember when we snuck out of my house to go to Victoria's 10th birthday?" Romina asked.

Of course Harry remembered. It was one of the brief moments where his aunt and uncle had allowed him to go over to Romina's house for a whole afternoon under the pretense that they would actually be at Romina's house with her aunt and uncle in the house. Neither were true. Sage and Lyonel Oswell were both working and they took advantage to slip on over to their neighbor's birthday party. Dudley was not invited and Victoria would gladly keep their presence a secret. It was all gung-ho until Sage Oswell returned from work early and discovered them. She was livid but she did Harry the solid of not telling the Dursleys' about his lie. They were, however, both grounded under her roof.

"We had to do chores like crazy," Harry said, flexing his hands as if they were still aching from all the mopping and grooming he was tasked with.

Romina laughed lightly. "My hands were all pruned up for days after doing laundry and dishes."

Harry's smile slowly faded. Sometimes it was hard remembering his life before Hogwarts. Things were so much simpler and just childish for a child. "Rom, I miss you."

"I miss you too," Romina said. She turned just as Harry decided to step out of the tent. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that lie to Snape. I was mad that you and Draco were talking to me like that so I sort of went with the easiest thing I could do to get both of you back the quickest."

"Mission accomplished," Harry said with a shake of his head. He couldn't get enough teasing from the Weasley twins alone.

"Are we...are we okay, then?" Romina turned to face him completely.

Harry still thought of Hogsmeade. Maybe Hermione was right and he was just over exaggerating. Right now, at the brink of dealing with a dragon, it all seemed pointless. "Yeah, we are," he nodded.

Romina couldn't contain herself. She threw her arms around him for a hug. "Oh thank goodness! I love you, silly!"

Harry's laugh was muffled with her long hair. "Love you too, Rom."

The flash of a light stunned the two until they realized it was a camera flash.

Rita Skeeter stood a few feet from them with her cameraman beside her. "Young love!"

Romina glared then looked to the side to see Hermione apologetically smiling at her. Hermione's not the best look out, Romina concluded.

"Ohh how...stirring," Rita gushed. "If everything goes unfortunately today you might make the front page."

"How the hell did you even get down here?" Romina knew she of all people shouldn't be asking that. She snuck down too, after all.

"You have no business here." Viktor Krum had come out of the tent with the commotion. "This tent is for champions and friends."

"No matter. We've got what we wanted," Rita said triumphantly then walked off with her cameraman.

Harry could half smile at Krum's words. Friends. He glanced at Romina who was already smiling at him.

"Well alright then friend," Romina started backing away to where Hermione was, "I will be cheering you on."

Harry grinned. He hoped so!

"C'mon Hermione," Romina tugged the girl by her arm. For some reason, Hermione was looking at Krum and vice versa. "Hermione!"

"Yes!" Hermione exclaimed, having no idea what Romina had said.

"You okay there?" Romina eyes her curiously.

"Of course, yeah! Loads now that you and Harry are good again!" Hermione beamed at the idea. Now all they had to do was get Ron to join and they would all be great again.

~ 0 ~

'It seems like Mr. Potter has found love in the midst of the difficult times the Tournament brings. Longtime best friend Romina Oswell (yes, from  that  family!) Had to sneak down before the first Task to wish her boyfriend good luck. The special hugs and exchange of 'I love you' were sweet enough to make you sick! Now Mr. Potter seems to have been able to move past his girlfriend's family's dark reputation. That is what love does in the end!

Romina slammed her copy of the Daily Prophet down on the table, startling those around her having breakfast. "That cow!" She yelled enough to attract the attention of the next table, the Gryffindors.

Hermione looked back at her with her own copy. Unfortunately, Rita Skeeter hadn't stopped with Romina. Hermione was also featured further down the page. She was apparently preying after Viktor Krum of all people.

It was only a few days since the first task and already Rita had done them so dirty out of nothing! Romina was furious but, deep inside, a little impressed with the woman's speed. Still, there was another overwhelming feeling...

"I'm going to murder her," Romina declared, "The next article having to do with me will be about the tragic murder of Rita Skeeter."

Arden was drowning porridge beside her. "Big deal," she said in-between chews, "Not the first time anybody thinks that about you."

"There's a huge difference, Arden," Romina said, "We were nine back then! It wasn't serious!"

"Don't get all upset, nobody's going to take that junk seriously." No sooner had the words left Arden's mouth when Carolinha and Daphne plopped down opposite of them.

"You're dating Harry now!?" Carolinha shrieked, once more attracting unwanted attention.

Romina pointedly looked at Arden. Arden, in return, amended her words. "Fine, only idiots will believe it."

"Hey," frowned Carolinha.

"Is it true?" Daphne insisted on an answer. "I mean, I can kinda see it but still."

"Idiots," Arden reiterated before going back to her porridge.

"No, of course it's not true!" Romina exclaimed. Her eyes skipped over the pair of girls to where Harry sat. He had just smiled at somebody at the next table and spilled milk down his shirt. He had forgotten he had drunk something! "You really think I'm going to be in love with that!?" She gestured furiously at him. "He's like my brother!" Her words seemed to have only appeased them halfway. Romina groaned. "Unbelievable!"

When had she ever given any indication that she liked Harry beyond a friend? She was pretty sure she never had. But now suddenly a crappy article was enough to make many people think otherwise.

"You really know how to get your name into people's mouths, don't you?" Draco caught up with her in the hallway later in the day.

Romina was forced to stop walking. "I have History of Magic to get to. Move."

Draco unrolled his copy of the Daily Prophet and went to the exact spot featuring Romina's and Harry's story. "You do realize that Angel is working up the courage to ask you about this. Thought I'd cut out the middleman."

"How noble of you," Romina said dismissively. "And also how stupid of both of you to think this is true."

"So it's not?"

Romina clapped her hands together hard enough for the strap of her book bag to slide down to her elbow. "Let's see," she leaned towards the article in front of her, "Oh yes, because I definitely told Rita that…" she raised her finger to one line in the middle and read out loud, "'Harry's my light in this dark world that I live in.' Does that sound remotely like me?" She looked up at Draco, her expression flat again.

Draco gave it some genuine thought and the idea of Romina saying those exact words was beyond laughable.

"I assume the wheels are working in that head of yours?" Romina's finger went in circles beside her head.

"I had to ask." Draco started rolling up the pages.

"Why?"

Draco shrugged. He'd read the article earlier in the morning and as stupid as it sounded, he needed to ask Romina directly about it. He didn't quite understand where the urge came from but he didn't spend much time thinking about it either.

Romina shook her head. "How on earth could you believe in that rubbish?"

Just as Draco opened his mouth to answer, they heard the collective shouts of the Weasley twins from a distance.

"Ah! The Chosen One's girlfriend!" Fred clapped as he and George walked towards them.

Draco raised an eyebrow at Romina. That's why.

Romina pursed her lips together. "Don't say a word," she raised a finger at him.

"I don't have to—they're saying it all," Draco said wryly. He turned to leave.

"Well could you...don't say anything either!" Romina called after him. She didn't hear his laugh. Romina groaned and turned to face the approaching twins.

"There she is," George said with a big grin on his face. "The Chosen One's girlfriend! My, my, what a big secret you've been keeping from us, Camille!"

Romina could honestly strangle them right now. "Come here," she directed them with her fingers to lower down to her level.

"Another secret?" Fred said as he and George followed her finger.

Romina smiled sweetly. "Not exactly," she said just before smacking them upside their heads. Her smile dropped to be replaced with utter anger. "Why the hell are you yelling that nonsense!?"

"Because it's funny as hell," George snickered as he rubbed the side of his head.

"And not true!" Romina exclaimed.

"Well of course we know that," Fred rolled his eyes.

George snorted beside him. "Yeah, what do you think we are? Idiots?"

Romina pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're screwing me even more. Some people actually believe what Skeeter wrote."

"Yeah, I know," Fred nodded. "Harry's been red ever since breakfast."

"I need to talk to him about this," Romina said with a sigh. "It's embarrassing. I've known Harry since we were seven. He's seen me with pigtails."

The twins exchanged glances with each other.

"Can we see pictures?" they both asked with the same teasing grins.

"NO!"

~ 0 ~

By the time Romina actually got to talk to Harry, he was still red but it was mostly laughs between them. It eased Romina's nerves so much. They had just gotten back on good terms, after all. Romina wanted to take things easy. Things seemed to be just that way while Harry and Ron laughed. It was also nice to see those two finally good again. Romina joked that they all needed to get together to give Hermione a huge thank you card for dealing with all of them during their respective arguments.

Romina handed Harry their homework for their charms class. Her time was terrible as Hermione joined them on their spot on the ground of the courtyard.

"That's cheating!" She said as she dropped beside Ron, her book bag sliding down her arm in the process.

"Please," snorted Romina, "With that summoning charm he used for the task, he should be letting me copy."

The irritated look on Hermione's face was enough to make the trio giggle at her. Clearly that hadn't been what she meant.

"Speaking of, have you figured out what the golden egg is supposed to do for the next task?" Romina asked Harry partly to get Hermione off her back.

Harry shrugged carelessly. He was studying Romina's homework into his book bag. "I have until February."

"Still, time can fly pretty quickly. Can we help?"

"We're not supposed to," Hermione pointedly reminded them.

"Yeah, because that worked out for the first task," Harry snorted. "But like I said, I have until February. Right now, I just want to think of nothing but Christmas and nonsense."

"Yeah," Ron agreed and high fived with Harry. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I can actually say that sounds great," Romina said as she too raised her hand for Harry to high five. He was all too happy to do it. Romina laughed with him.

"Oh, um, Romina?" Hermione bit on her bottom lip suddenly. "Angel's looking this way and he doesn't seem very happy."

"Huh?" Romina followed Hermione's gaze to see Angel across the courtyard. He looked away as soon as Romina turned her head but it was too late by then. Romina had seen the put-out expression on his face.

"Rom, he doesn't actually believe in what that article said, right?" Harry asked, making a face as he recalled the cringy lines of the article.

Ron snorted. "Half the school does, why shouldn't he?"

Hermione whacked his arm. "Ron! People should know better!"

"Then how about what it said about you, huh?" Ron challenged. "You and Krum."

Hermione's face went pink fast. "That's utter rubbish!"

Romina waved a hand at them to shush the argument. "Every word that Rita Skeeter writes is rubbish. I'm hoping things will die down as time goes by."

"Then maybe you should clarify things for Angel," Harry said, "Because I really don't feel like getting the stink-eye again."

Romina rolled her eyes. "That's because somebody was supposed to tell him already."

"Who?" Harry blinked.

"Another idiot," Romina huffed.

~0~

Romina wouldn't waste time beating around the bush. As soon as she saw Draco in the common room, she marched right up to him.

"Hey!" she called seconds from reaching the couch.

He looked up from a book in his hands, none too pleased he'd been disturbed. "Why is it that whenever you're around, I can never have peace?"

Romina scowled at him. "First of all, as usual, that's rich coming from you. You do realize it's your fault we didn't speak for almost 2 months, right?"

"Oh this oughta be good," Draco said as he put his book down, "What do you want, Oswell?"

Romina shook her head at him, though with a struggle not to smile. "I thought you were going to tell Angel about that stupid article and that none of it was true!"

"When did I say I would do that?"

"You literally said you were cutting the middleman out! What else is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh...I don't know, I thought it would be more fun to let him squirm for a bit." Draco smirked as he picked up his book to continue where he left off.

"What?" Romina made a face. She sighed and walked around to take the seat next to him. "I'm confused…"

"There's a shocker." Draco regretted his words when Romina punched his arm. "How the hell are you so strong?"

Ronina ignored him. "Aren't you friends with Angel?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because lately it seems like you're not. Actually, if I'm getting it right, you guys have been sort of shaky ever since we saw each other during summer."

"Putting so much thought into this, Oswell. I'm touched."

Romina could do without his smirk. "I'm being serious, Draco. What's going on between you two?"

"Nothing," he said in a half laugh. "I have just said a couple things that he hasn't liked."

"Like what, exactly?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yes!"

"Okay, fine." Draco tossed the book which, now that it landed on Romina's lap, was actually a comic book, then shifted on the couch to face Romina. "I told him he needed to stop sticking his nose where it didn't belong. And before you say anything," he raised a finger at her open mouth, "he was trying to make me feel bad for not apologizing to you back then. But that's not all. I guess I was on him for not having the courage to speak up in regards to you."

"To me?" Romina made a face.

At this point, it looked like Draco was ready to smack her for being so oblivious. "He likes you, Oswell! God, how many times do I have to say that!?"

"Well...you could say it without yelling it at me," Romina said, close to pouting. Draco rolled his eyes at her. "And really, is it any of your business what Angel decides to say or not?"

"It becomes my business when he starts acting all high and mighty around me. You can say what you want about me, but I'll say whatever the hell is on my mind."

Romina had no doubt that he would. He had countless times. "Yeah, you don't have much of a filter. One of these days, though, you're going to pick the wrong person to be unfiltered with and get your ass kicked."

Draco didn't pay her any attention. "To answer your question, Angel and I are on neutral terms for now," Draco said, shrugging nonchalantly. He didn't seem very perturbed with the situation. "I didn't say anything because I thought after a while it would become obvious that it wasn't true."

"And yet you had to come ask me directly," Romina pointed out, flashing him a smile.

"Ah, see," Draco wagged a finger at her, "I asked directly. If it's on my mind, I'm going to say it." The certainty in his words made Romina roll her eyes. He was seriously too cocky and proud sometimes.

"It's never that easy, you know," she said.

"For you, I can see. You're just as terrible as Angel for not telling him it's never gonna happen."

"Oh, and why are you so sure about that?"

"Cos it's obvious. Angel's too soft."

Romina gasped in offence. "What are you trying to say about me? And I'd watch that unfiltered mouth of yours!"

Draco knew there was no way he was going to get out scot-free once he said what he had to say but in the end, the desire to see her reaction won out. "You're sweet and sour." Even with the room's dank light, he could see the pink tinge on Romina's cheeks.

"I'm what?"

"You're sweet—that's self explanatory—but then you get sour and all hell breaks loose."

Romina gaped at him. "How d-are you!?" Her voice cracked out of embarrassment.

Draco laughed. "You asked and I answered."

"With the wrong answer!"

"No, I don't think so," Draco struggled to keep his laugh from getting louder. Romina looked ready to murder him.

"I am not sour," Romina folded her arms over her chest.

"You have a knack of running your mouth whenever you feel like you've been a)—" Draco started listing off his fingers, "—challenged, b) blown off, c) just downright offended. Notice how I said 'feel' because half the time, you're just imagining stuff."

Romina rubbed the side of her neck. Okay, that may be true in some parts. "I don't like being 'sour'," she said quietly.

"It's not a bad quality but I know for a fact Angel can't handle that. He's going to coddle you and that's the last thing you need."

"And what, pray tell, do you think it is that I need?"

"A good smack," Draco didn't hesitate to answer instantly. "Among other things."

"Well!"

"Well, if you're being senseless, why on earth should you be coddled for it?" Draco waited for an answer that he knew Romina would never give. Another quality of hers was being terribly fair. He knew that she knew he was right.

"The fact that you're actually making sense is kind of scary, not going to lie," she said in the end.

"Sweet and sour is what you are and the sooner you get that, the quicker you can find a way to let Angel know the truth already." Draco grabbed his comic off her lap and flipped to the page he'd left off on.

Romina exhaled and leaned back on the couch. "I have no idea, honestly. I guess I've been putting it off."

"No," Draco said sarcastically. He flipped one more page.

"I don't want to hurt his feelings."

"You're going to do it either way."

"You're so blunt!"

"I believe it was 'unfiltered'?"

Romina turned her head at him but he was too focused on his current page to care. She leaned slightly in his proximity. "What are you reading anyways? I've never seen you read comic books."

"It's not mine—I stole it from Goyle." From the corner of his eye, Draco could see Romina's widened eyes. "Relax, I'll give it back eventually. He pissed me off so naturally I had to get him back where it hurts most."

"I don't know what's worse," Romina started with a true pensive moment, "The fact you steal so easily or the fact that I'm just now learning Goyle willingly reads. And comic books too!"

As soon as she started scooting close to him, Draco reacted. "What are you doing!?"

"I want to see!"

"No!"

"You can't tell me anything—you stole the damn thing!"

"Oswell, I swear to God, you need to back the hell up! God, don't you know anything about personal space?" He scrunched his nose when her chin came to rest on his shoulder.

"That may have been a recurring comment on my report cards in my muggle classes." And yet, Romina reached over to flip a page back.

Draco gaped at her. "Unbelievable!"

"I just want to see," Romina insisted. "What are you going to do?"

"Smack you!" Draco gave the answer almost before Romina even finished asking it. "I take it back, you're sweet, sour, and annoying."

"All I hear is that you think I'm sweet," Romina said with an annoying laugh. She flipped the page back to where Draco had originally been. "This one's kind of boring."

"Then get off me," Draco said pointedly.

"Or we could just read it together?" Romina tilted her head enough to meet his gaze. She was definitely closer than she planned on (for reasons having to do with the simple act of annoying him). She felt the familiar warmth rush up her face but even then, she couldn't pull away. Despite his snaps, she felt comfortable with him. They could go back and forth with snaps and bickering but they could also easily fall into whatever this was. Friendly and playfulness with a touch of snaps inbetween. It was just so...nice.

"You're so childish, Oswell," huffed Draco but he let things be anyways.

"Yeah, cos you're ever so mature," he heard her mumble under her breath.

For the sake of his sanity—because he was sure they could go back and forth again for the rest of the evening—he said nothing more. They read the comic together in silence but every so often, Romina had to point out things that just didn't sit well with her. Surprisingly, Draco didn't show signs of annoyance. It started getting funnier the further they went along the pages. Romina was very animated over these comics, something Draco couldn't quite get with. He really only took the comic from Goyle to get back at him. Romina took these things very seriously apparently.

"Sweet, sour, annoying and weird," he said some time later. "The list just keeps growing."

Romina had gotten tired of their earlier position and decided to rest an arm over Draco's shoulder to then rest her cheek. She didn't think she could get away with it but clearly she had and she was slightly giddy over it.

"Keep talking but all I hear is the sweet part," she said calmly as she flipped to the last page of the comic. She missed his smile.

"Of course you do," he said. He would've shaken his head if she wasn't right next to him. He could've pushed her away but that meant getting rid of her rosy scent. It seemed peculiarly stronger today and he was just fine with it.

"You keep complimenting me, it's not my fault," Romina shrugged lightly. "I have an obligation to point it out."

"You're quite insufferable, you know that?"

"That's my line."

"So you admit you say it just because?"

Romina side-glanced him with an admittedly pretty smirk. "Careful there, you almost sound like you're hopeful."

Draco rolled his eyes but with his pale skin, it was almost impossible to hide his flush. "Shut up," he said as a last resort. Romina laughed.

A few seconds later, Romina's laugh was interrupted—or rather covered—by an even louder commotion at the entrance. To their surprise, they saw Arden and Theodore coming in laughing together.

"Am I seeing right…?" Romina mumbled to Draco who was just as surprised as her.

"Bloody hell, how long have we been here?"

"Oh hey," Arden greeted them, "My, you two look cozy."

In that moment, Draco could genuinely say he hated Arden King. Romina pulled away from him as soon as the words left Arden's mouth. The air around him changed and he was no longer smelling sweet roses. (And he didn't have the warm touch either).

Romina had scooted a few inches from Draco and sent Arden a glare for her words. "What are you two up to?" She flipped the subject because she was sure that Arden would have plenty more to say if they gave her the opportunity.

"Well, Theo and I were pretty much making up crap for our Divination homework…" Arden explained and had another good laugh with Theodore. "I taught him that Trewlany pretty much buys anything you put so long as you add in 'the planets will align' and whatnot…"

'Theo?' Romina mouthed at Draco. For a moment, he thought he misheard too.

Theodore confirmed it, however, when he started listing the several ways they were supposed to die this upcoming Christmas. "I gotta say, Arden's kind of creative with these things."

"Oh, so suddenly I'm supposed to forget the last month?" Draco asked him. "You told me what I would die of if we didn't switch back."

"Yeah, you got Parkinson—I'd say that's the short end of the stick alright," shrugged Theodore. "I like my partner. At least she's funny."

Romina and Arden giggled with Draco's stunned reaction. "What?" he demanded.

"Don't tell me you actually thought you were funny?" Arden asked, nearly losing it when he raised a hand to stop her.

"Nott, you and I have some talking to do," Draco declared, getting up from the couch and tossing the comic so carelessly that it hit Romina on the side of her head.

"Hey!" she frowned. She got a hand as well. "Hey!"

"Keep the comic, Oswell." Draco motioned Theodore to walk with him to the hallway.

"It's not — it's not ours!" Romina called after him in vain. She sighed and got up with the comic in her hand. "Thanks Arden, you ruined it."

Arden turned her head slightly, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Oh, and what exactly did I ruin?"

Romina cleared her throat awkwardly. Why the hell had she said that? She scratched her head. "Uh, I...you know what? I need to go finish homework."

"Mhm," Arden pretended to agree, "Sure."

"You're always together. Whenever I can't find you, it's because you're with him! Not to mention the fact you lie to me about where you are." Romina jumped on the chance to remind Arden that she'd lied about being in the Astronomy tower and she knew it because Harry, Ron and Hermione had seen her in the library with Draco.

"Okay, that one's true," Arden conceded, making Romina hum in agreement. "But that's about it. Nothing else is true!"

Romina scoffed. "Right!"

"It's not!"

"Arden, c'mon, I'm your best friend!" Romina jumped to her feet. "I know. It's obvious!"

"Why on earth would you think it's obvious!?" Arden grimaced. "When have I ever given any indication that I liked Draco?"

Romina folded her arms and rolled her eyes. "Well, why else would he do you the favor of taking Pansy off your hands as a partner?"

"For you!" Arden exclaimed more to the point of yelling. Startled, Romina's arms came undone. "God—for you Romina!" Arden groaned. "It's all for you! We meet in secret to talk about you and how the hell he can fix things with you! One of my conditions to agree to help him was for him to switch Divination partners, hence taking Pansy."

There was too much to process in such a short period. Romina heard Arden, she heard Arden clearly, but it...it was making her utterly confused. "What…?"

Arden groaned again. "Okay, I am going to walk you through this because if not, I'm genuinely afraid of what you'll believe in next." She took Romina's hands, squeezing them tight to make sure Romina was paying attention. "Listen to me well, Romina. Are you listening?" Romina nodded silently. "Okay. Draco and I are not dating. That will never happen. Literally — not even in a parallel world! The reason we've been seeing each other is to come up with a way for him to talk to you. He wanted to fix things but given his male nature, he's an idiot. I agreed to help him and that's it. There is nothing else, do you understand?"

Well, with that slowness and clarity, all Romina could do was bashfully nod her head.

"Okay then," Arden exhaled and let go of Romina's hands. "No more confusion, right?"

Romina shook her head. Arden was satisfied to see Romina's face slowly turning red. Served her right for thinking such a thing.

"So...he did all that for me?" Romina finally mustered the courage to ask.

Arden laughed lightly. "Yes, Romina. All for you. Who else?"

Romina may have forgotten how to breathe properly. A funny little feeling started blooming in her chest. She didn't know what to do with herself nor with the information she now had.

Good thing she had Arden back now.

Arden moved to stand beside Romina. "So, now that we have the correct information, I'm thinking it's time to finally clear the air with Draco. I will give him points for trying this time. He's been trying for a while, actually."

Romina flushed. "I remember." More like she realized. The last times she had spoken with Draco, he had mentioned he wanted to talk to her but she'd been so bothered by what she thought he and Arden were hiding that she didn't give him the opportunity. "He's actually been trying…"

"Miserably," Arden added with another laugh.

Romina side-glanced Arden, the red from her face barely beginning to fade. "He really worked with you? Willingly."

"It was either me or Harry since we're the ones who know you best. But we know that's never going to happen so...he got me instead." Arden pointed at herself with the most innocent of smiles.

Romina half smiled. "He had no idea what he was getting into, huh?"

Arden snorted. "None." They laughed together and suddenly it was like old times again.

"I'm sorry, Arden," Romina said when it was all that was left to say. "I-I thought…"

"Yeah." Arden shuddered. "That's never happening. But c'mon, you should go talk to him."

"I think I'm the last person he wants to talk to right now, " Romina said. "After what Moody put him through…"

"Yeah, that one's going to go down in the books," Arden said, barely able to hold in her laugh.

"Arden, it's not funny. That was actually very cruel."

"Not like he didn't have it coming for years worth of stuff he's done. Just ask Harry."

Romina sighed. That was a fair point. "Still, I think a professor shouldn't do things like that. I'm glad to have found McGonagall in time."

"That was you?" Arden shook her head and laughed. "Don't tell Harry. He'll crucify you for cutting the entertainment short."

"Arden."

Arden raised her hands in front of her. "Alright, alright, go on then."

Romina nodded. "Right. Um, what do I say?"

Arden looked at her like she was crazy. "You just...I thought you had a whole thing planned out? That's what you were yelling out all the time before you stopped talking to me! How could you forget?"

Romina fiddled with her fingers in front of her. "I sort of forgot," she admitted. Her brain was a bit compressed with the clarifications and what had happened outside in the courtyard. It was natural to lose her train of thought.

Arden didn't seem to agree. She raised an eyebrow at Romina. "You okay there?"

"Um, yeah, yeah…" Romina pressed her hands to her sides, smoothing her skirt out. "Just a bit rattled."

"Sure that's it?"

"Yup."

Arden tilted her head at Romina, eyes squinting in suspicion. Romina didn't say anything else. She was too busy thinking of what she would say to Draco when she found him. She only made it a few steps away from Arden when someone called her name.

"Miss Oswell!" Mcgonagall stood not too far behind Arden. Romina paused and looked back as did Arden. McGonagall was staring directly at Romina. "A word please?" The question was rhetorical, of course. Romina had no choice but to follow McGonagall.

~0~

Arden had to control herself when she saw Draco for the first time after the courtyard fiasco. Carolinha may have called her rude several times but Daphne was just as giggly as Arden was.

"You have the Divination homework," she dropped into the empty spot beside Draco on the couch. She was pretty sure he wasn't really doing the homework. After what happened that day, she wouldn't have much of a head for anything.

"No," Draco responded in a low mutter. "Leave me the hell alone, King."

As expected, Arden thought. "I'm not saying anything—"

"Then leave," Draco snapped. He only afforded her a small glance but that was all Arden needed to see the full rage still in his eyes.

"I'd listen to him, Arden," Blaise called from a nearby table. He was in the middle of a card game with Theodore. "Sent Crabb and Goyle running for their lives half an hour ago."

"No doubt about that," Arden said, "But listen, about Romina—"

"Don't," Draco warned, "I don't want to hear anything about anybody. Besides, she skipped out of dinner pretty fast anyways. I get the feeling she didn't want to speak either."

Arden rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, she was worried about you, you know."

"Mhm, sure. Haven't seen her at all and she didn't exactly talk to me during dinner. Seriously, can you leave me the hell alone already?"

Arden shook her head. She pulled his parchment out from under his hands and hid it behind her back.

"ARDEN!" Draco shouted, ignoring the looks he got from the rest of the students in the common room. He didn't care about anything that night.

"You're on a short fuse today—I understand why—but you really need to listen to me!" Arden exclaimed, genuinely fearing for her life at that moment.

"I don't want to! Give me my homework back or I'll—"

"Please just talk to Romina—"

"I don't give a fuck about anything, much less having one stupid conversation with a girl who doesn't even care!"

"She does," Arden decided to speak calmly in hopes of lessening his anger. "Oh my god, she really does. She was going to talk to you today in the afternoon but—"

"Let me guess, Potter got in the way as usual? No," Draco gasped sarcastically, "I know who—Angel. Cos it's always someone with her. I don't care anymore, alright? I've had it with this stupid game."

"She has detention, Draco, that's why she's not here!" Arden groaned. "McGonagall gave her detention right after dinner. She's there right now!"

"And why should I give a damn about that piece of information?"

"She got detention because of you, dumbass! Who do you think went to get McGonagall in the first place?"

"That was her?"

"Yes!"

"Why is she in detention?"

"Because McGonagall couldn't let it slide that Romina yanked her down the hallway to save your ass! Apparently, and I quote, 'it is simply inappropriate behavior of a young witch'," Arden mimicked McGonagall's tone.

"Bullshit," the word tumbled out of Draco's mouth before he even thought of it. Romina had never gotten a detention in the four years she'd been at Hogwarts.

Arden shoved his parchment to his chest. "Do your homework but don't you dare forget what my best friend did for you. As far as I know, you absolutely got what was coming to you and I definitely wouldn't have tried saving your ass. Shooting someone on the back is just lazy."

Draco let her go despite her comment. He could care less what she had to say. All he could think of at that moment was Romina. Goddammit, he thought when he concluded what he was going to do next.

~0~

Romina came out of the Transfiguration class shaking her hands and flexing her fingers. She heard McGonagall's goodbye but the door "accidentally" closed' before Romina was able to say goodbye back. She had no desire to see the woman for the rest of the month. It was too bad that she has Transfiguration first thing tomorrow.

Restraining herself from yelling—because that was exactly what got her into this situation in the first place—Romina started heading for the dungeon. She wanted nothing more than to see her bed.

"Oswell!"

Romina stopped abruptly with a flinch. She soon saw Draco approaching her. "Don't do that!" she hissed at him.

"Not afraid of the dark, are we?" he smirked.

"What are you doing here? Don't tell me you have detention too." Romina leaned closer a bit to whisper; her eyes did a quick scan of the hallway to make sure it was empty. "Was it Moody?"

Clearly the mention of Moody's name still had an effect on Draco. He cleared his throat and shook his head fervently. "No!"

Romina leaned back, eyes now suspiciously looking him over. "Then why are you here?"

"Arden talked to me, she told me what happened…"

Immediately Romina tensed. Had Arden told Draco everything? Her heart raced. He would be angry as hell if he ever found out what she'd thought. "What...what did she say?"

"You dragged McGonagall down the hallways, yelling and everything. That's what earned you detention with her." Draco made a nod for McGonagall's classroom.

"Is that all she said?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No reason!" Romina turned her head away to hide her relief. Arden did her a solid.

"I'm sorry you got detention because of me. I can walk you back to the common room..." Draco stopped when Romina's head snapped in his direction and revealed her wide eyes. "What?" He frowned.

"You never apologized, I know that," Romina said, her widened eyes narrowing so he knew exactly what she meant. "Is that all you have to be sorry for?"

Draco rolled his eyes. He should've known better than to think she wouldn't bring that up. "I would rather not fight right now."

"Too damn bad," Romina said, "Arden said you've been working together for a while now all to come talk to me so let's hear it. What do you have to say?"

"I won't be talking to you if you're going to give me that look," Draco warned, gesturing to her current stance. She had her arms crossed and an expectant raised eyebrow waiting for him.

"Why do you have to be so difficult?"

Draco's eyes widened incredulously. "Me? Why are you so damn difficult!?"

"I'm sorry if you think I'm difficult because I'm not letting your terrible vocabulary against my friends slide by!"

"Oh c'mon! This was months ago! And I always call Granger that!"

"This was different, Draco and you know it!" Romina leaned towards him. "You were okay letting her die and for what? Because she's a muggleborn? Do you know how stupid that is? You are so smart and yet you choose to believe this pureblood nonsense! By your logic, I should be dead too!"

"NO!" Draco cut in with an unexpected urgency that even surprised him.

"Why not?" Romina challenged him. "I live like a muggle. When I go home, I have to do things as if I wasn't a witch. I go to violin classes, I go to the park, I go to farmers' markets—something you actually liked if you care to remember—"

"SHUSH!" Draco clapped a hand over Romina's mouth, eyes sharp with anger. "You promised you'd never mention that here!"

Romina pushed his hand off her. "I'm making a point!"

"To what? To get me in trouble? My father would kill me if he ever found out I went to that place with you." As much anger as Draco intended on showing, Romina easily saw there was genuine fear in his eyes. "Maybe you're right, you do live more like a muggle at home. My home is very different too, you know. There are certain things I am expected to do, to say and show. And if I don't do any of them…" Draco didn't seem to know how to finish that sentence. He shifted on his feet, eyes not quite meeting Romina's.

"It's hard to be honest with your parents," Romina said, "I get that. I mean, I don't have parents but I get that."

Draco half smiled at her. "Seriously, Oswell?"

"I do," she insisted. "My aunt and my uncle—it's hard sometimes being honest with them. I don't always agree with them and I'm scared of what the consequences would be if they found out. For example, they would absolutely kill me if they found out that I lied and brought you to the, uh, place…"

"Believe me, between them and my parents, I'd hit the grave long before you do," Draco said. Romina nodded. She had no doubt about that.

"But my point stands, you came over and you enjoyed yourself. The people there, would you really let all of them die just because they're Muggles?"

For a moment, it seemed like Draco would answer her question but at the last moment, something different came out instead. "Why is this so important to you?"

"Why is it so hard for you to just answer me?" Romina cleverly said. "I mean, okay, you don't like Hermione. But it's different to hate her because of some stupid notion that she's different."

"She's annoying and a know-it-all," Draco easily said.

Romina tilted her head. "Okay, debatable—"

"Not."

Romina groaned. "Okay fine! What about Arden?"

"What the hell does she have to do with this now?"

"You've been working with her, willingly. You guys are friends whether you want to admit it or not. She's helped you with your Charms homework, probably Divination, and, really, you guys go back and forth like friends. Would you let Arden die because she's a muggleborn?"

Draco couldn't believe where the conversation had gone. Of all the things they could've talked about, they were going to talk about Arden King?

"Draco, c'mon!" Romina insisted, nearly shaking out of frustration. "Arden—our friend! Would you let her die?"

Arden King was downright annoying. Draco would never hesitate to say it out loud or even in front of Arden herself. On occasion, she needed to be aware. But it was at that moment, that Draco also had to be aware of the things that Arden had done for his sake. The latest one was her assistance in handling his problems with Romina. She stuck by him even when they argued a lot. In Divination, before they switched partners, it was always amusing watching her irritate the hell out of Pansy. Draco knew of Pansy's reputation amongst the other Slytherin girls. Not many people had the guts to mess with her as much as Arden did, especially because she was a muggleborn. Romina, as much as she lived like a Muggle, would never have to deal with Pansy's wrath against muggleborns. Besides, between the rest of their mutual friends (Arden, Carolinha and Daphne), Arden was the only one Draco could say was the most tolerable. Carolinha was squeaky and Daphne was squeamish.

"No, I wouldn't," Draco said with a long sigh. It was freaky the way Romina's face just lit up in a minute. "Oswell, stop looking at me like that. Now!"

Romina smiled so widely it could've cracked her face in half. "Finally. Was that so hard to admit?"

"I don't know, you can answer that. Are we good now?" Draco pointed between them. God, were they finally good now?

Romina gave a shrug of her shoulders. "I don't know…"

Draco deadpanned her. "What more do you want from me!?"

"Dunno, it's just pretty fun to mess with you." Romina giggled.

Draco paused, head turning slightly as Romina's giggles filled the air around them. It was the first time in a long time that she laughed with him. She'd been laughing and giggling with Angel far too much for his liking.

"We should go," Romina said, casting a glance in the direction of McGonagall's classroom. "Before she opens that door and tells me I missed a stupid cup."

"What did she make you do?" Draco asked her. He watched her flex her hands several times.

"I had to scrub the objects we use for Transfiguration. They're a lot more dirty than you think," Romina's nose crinkled at the reminder. "Now my hands hurt."

"Can't be that bad…" Draco trailed off once Romina fixated a deep glare on him. Backtrack, backtrack, backtrack. "Alright, let's see the damage, shall we?" He took Romina's hands in his and raised them for a better look.

Romina watched him with curious eyes as he gingerly dragged his thumbs over her palms. She could feel an insane amount of heat coming over her entire body this time. He never touched anybody, not if he didn't have to. And yet right now, Romina could feel his skin against hers—soft and warm—and his slightly strong grip. Actually, it wasn't 'slightly', it was unmistakably strong.

"I see now," Draco's mumble startled Romina out of her thoughts (thoughts she probably shouldn't even be thinking about).

"S-see what?" she asked, swallowing hard.

Draco looked down to meet her eyes. "That you're an absolute princess when it comes to hard work. Or should I say, Princess Bride?"

Any wrong thought was shoved out of the way. Romina yanked her hands out of his then pushed him away. He laughed at her.

"That's rich coming from you," Romina laughed dryly. "If anybody's a princess here, it's you. Bet you've never washed your own dishes."

"Now why the hell would I ever do that?" A real look of horror crossed Draco's face at the idea.

"I rest my case," Romina gestured towards him. "Now let's go, please. I'm beyond tired."

"Yeah, alright," Draco agreed. He motioned her to start walking. He took it as a sure win when Romina smiled at him on her way past him.

~ 0 ~

Romina silently slid a small box over to Arden beside her just as they'd begun eating breakfast. Surprised, Arden glanced at Romina to question her over the box but Romina merely gestured to Arden to open it.

"Please don't tell me this is one of those tricks from the Weasley twins," Arden said as she started unwrapping the bow on top.

Romina chuckled. "I would never do that to you, Arden."

"Mm…" Arden still cautiously pulled the bow and lifted the lid slowly to peek inside. To her delight, and relief, she found nice assorted chocolates inside.

"They're from home, by the way," Romina said when Arden started picking through the boxes. "I know they're your favorite."

"What's this for?" Arden chuckled. "Not my birthday and it's too early for a Christmas present."

"It's my way of apologizing for the...incident that occurred a few days ago," Romina spoke hushed and with very much caution as more Slytherins started sitting for breakfast.

"Oh," Arden said, a smirk tugging at her lips, "You mean when you ridiculously thought that…" she shuddered just like she did each time she thought about it, "When you thought that Draco and I were dating. Gross!"

Romina flushed with embarrassment. "Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. I was just…" She didn't actually know what came over her. "I'm sorry, Arden. And I owe you big time for not telling him about that."

"Are you mad? He'd hurt me, badly, if he ever found out about that," Arden said.

"No, he wouldn't," Romina said calmly but with a strange smile on her face. Arden got the gist she was missing out on something.

Romina cleared her throat suddenly. A moment later, Draco was taking a seat on Romina's other side. With him came Blaise and a slightly begrudged Theodore.

"What's his deal?" Romina soon asked Draco, nodding over to Theodore.

"Told him he can't be my partner," Draco shrugged. "Apparently, I'm just that good of a partner."

Arden nearly lost it on Romina's other side, so much that she almost choked on her chocolate. "Wow, somebody's ego is extra inflated this morning."

"I can't make this up," Draco insisted as Theodore very much grumbled to Blaise.

"More like Arden is a big talker," Romina presumed, ignoring Arden's brief glare. "Theodore told me that last week. Arden, this is exactly why Mrs. Mace moved your seat in the fifth grade."

"I hated that bitch," Arden scrunched her face at the reminder of the reprimanding woman.

"My point is," Draco started again, slightly louder to wash out whatever Arden was going to say (her mouth was opening already), "Oswell, we have Potions today."

"I'm aware," Romina said as she reached for a scoop of fruit. "I know how to read."

Draco deadpanned her for a second. Why couldn't she make this easier? He'd been thinking of how to put it casually and here she was being sarcastic. "I can't imagine your current seating arrangement trumps getting high marks from Snape."

Romina felt a little fuzzy realizing what he was trying to get at. Still, she couldn't for the life of her be serious because that would mean ignoring a warmth on her cheeks. "I'll have you know that I'm good at Potions too."

"Oh, no one is debating that, but I think we both know who's the best between us." It was like Draco couldn't stop smirking whenever Romina was clearly irritated with him. It just provided a rush that he couldn't describe.

Romina upheld his look until the urge to roll her eyes won over. "You're annoying."

"I'm not hearing a 'no'..."

That's because Romina knew he was right. She was pretty good at Potions but he just understood everything. And with such ease too.

"Okay, fine," she raised her hands in front of her, "Whatever. We can be partners again."

"Admit it, you missed me," Draco said, nudging her side.

"No, I didn't," Romina was quick to say. On her right, she swore she heard Arden mumble 'yes you did' before stuffing another chocolate into her mouth. Romina glared at her. "Who's side are you on now?" She was careful to whisper. Arden shrugged in response.

After breakfast was done, Romina and Arden got up first to head for their History of Magic class.

"I'll save you a seat later," Draco said, still wearing his usual smirk.

Romina shot him a look. "You know, it sounds like you missed me."

"Maybe I just missed seeing you mess up so much, ever thought about that?"

"I don't mess up!"

Draco stopped eating altogether to turn in his seat. He raised an eyebrow at her, silently waiting for her to admit the truth.

"Sometimes," Romina hissed. "Sometimes I mess up but you know what? You don't do so well in Hagrid's class."

"That's not even a class by my standards," he retorted.

"Romina, c'mon, we're going to be late," Arden tugged her friend's arm. "You'll have plenty of time to bicker in Potions. Angel can't save seats forever."

"He's saving you seats?" Draco asked with the hint that he knew something more about that precise action. "Course he is."

"He's nice like that," Romina snapped, "Something you might want to pick up."

Beside Draco, Blaise and Theodore both snorted. "That'll be the day," one of them said. Romina was too amused to pay attention to who said it.

Draco ignored them (though with a big struggle) to look at Romina directly. "Open your eyes, Oswell. You know why he's so nice to you."

"Because he's my friend—I'm not doing this," Romina wagged a finger at him. She turned quickly with Arden and hurried off together.

"I kinda have to agree with him there," Arden admitted once they were out in the hallway.

"Ugh, look at you," Romina crinkled her nose. "You work with him for a few weeks and suddenly you're all partners and whatnot. Look how far you've gone, Arden."

Arden playfully rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha." She ignored Romina's laugh.

As expected, Angel was already in class when the girls arrived. Arden slipped into the desk behind them while Romina took the seat next to Angel.

"Didn't you eat breakfast today?" Arden asked Angel as she started pulling her things out of her bag.

"I did, but I had a ton of things to review before class," Angel said. "I'm falling a bit behind. My mother's not too happy about it."

"You were stupid enough to tell her?" Arden nearly laughed.

"Arden, be nice," Romina shook her head.

"It wasn't me. Carol did it," Angel said with a frown. "My sister can really be mean, you know."

"Pretty sure that was because you stole her ink," Romina reminded him.

"That didn't equate the retaliation!"

"Guys are just mean and then expect girls not to retaliate," Romina said with frank bemusement.

"Ain't that the truth," Arden said and reached over the desk to high-five Romina. "Oh, dammit!" Romina and Angel turned to see her searching through her bag. "I don't have my book!"

"How do you forget your book?" Romina made a face.

"I just did! I'll be back!" Arden scrambled up from her seat and rushed out.

"No way she'll make it," Angel said to Romina as soon as Arden was out.

"No," agreed Romina. "Especially if she'll bump into Pansy later."

"Oh yeah." Angel's eyes widened at the idea.

"Or Theodore for that matter, they're not on the best of terms right now," Romina added as an afterthought.

Angel hummed. "I heard about that. I also heard you and Malfoy are good now. That true?"

Romina nodded. "I guess. I figured I should probably move on because sooner or later he's going to screw up again." All lies but she would rather say that than ever let it spill the conversation she and Draco had.

"You don't have to tolerate anything you don't like," Angel said, "We both know how he can get."

"I'm not the type to let things slide if I don't like them, no matter who it is," Romina eyed her friend sharply, slightly indignant Angel would think otherwise.

"I'm not saying you are but Draco's smart enough to twist his words around. Make them in his favor. I wouldn't want you to get caught up in them."

Romina's face scrunched. She couldn't figure out where these words were coming from and she honestly didn't want to. "Can we not talk about this anymore? Sorry, it's just...I want to move on." That's what she and Draco had agreed on anyway. She didn't see any reason to discuss it further, especially with Angel of all people.

Fortunately, Angel desisted as soon as she requested. "Of course. Actually, I was meaning to ask you something."

Romina was all too happy to move onto something else. "Shoot!"

"You know Hogsmeade visits are coming up soon now and I was wondering if you were going this time?"

Romina didn't think twice in nodding her head. She knew exactly what he meant. She'd wasted her previous year grieving over her similarities with her parents to think about anything else. The few times she did go to Hogsmeade were done because 1) Draco practically blackmailed her and 2) Arden practically did the same thing. This year, Romina wanted to take full advantage of everything that Hogsmeade had to offer.

"I am! I am so ready to actually enjoy it!" She said with a chuckle.

"That's great!" Angel beamed. "Do you want to go together?"

"Of course!" Romina said, tucking her curls behind her ears. "Gosh, I really want to go with you and the others this year. It'll be so much fun!" She was too excited at the prospect to notice that the beam on Angel's face had faltered.

"Yeah, with the others," he agreed with a sigh. His plastered smile tricked Romina into believing him. He didn't say much for the rest of the class.

~0~

Romina could only endure Arden's grumbles for so long. They were heading down to the dungeons for Potions but Arden couldn't get past the reprimand she'd received in History of Magic. Professor Binns hadn't been at all pleased that she'd been late.

"He was exaggerating," Arden said with such a hard scoff that Romina wondered if it had hurt her throat.

"I'm no genius, but I'm pretty sure it being the third time you're late because you forgot your book isn't exaggerating," Romina said.

Arden frowned. "Who's side are you on?"

"I believe it was you who said…" Romina made a show of shrugging just like Arden had done to her at breakfast.

Arden rolled her eyes. "Funny."

"I am."

"You know I was right, though…"

Now it was Romina rolling her eyes. "I'm not talking about that." She picked up her pace. The last class she ever wanted to be late to was Snape's. Being a Slytherin could only get you so far in the end.

When they arrived, they saw the whole class still waiting outside but a good part of them were laughing. And hard.

"What joke did we miss?" Arden made a face. "And how can I get in on it?"

Romina didn't have the same desire as Arden. She spotted Harry and Draco at the center of it all. "Of course," she muttered.

"What are those?" she heard Arden ask. Looking back, she saw Arden pointed at a badge on a Slytherin girl's chest.

The badge flashed 'Support Cedric Diggory-the REAL Hogwarts Champion!' in bright red letters. Of course after one push, the words changed and the red turned to bright green. 'Potter stinks!'.

"Oh for the love of God!" Romina groaned. "See what I mean? He was just going to screw up later anyways."

Arden had no idea what she was talking about but she got the gist when she saw where Romina was headed. "Of bloody course," she said with a sigh before following Romina.

Harry and Draco were going back and forth with snaps and insults. Romina wasn't surprised in the least. She did note that it was only Hermione standing on Harry's side throughout it all. Ron was with Seamus and Dean to the side, none too pleased with the happenings but not that displeased to put aside his differences with Harry to help.

Romina snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Hermione's loud yelp at Harry. Romina soon understood why. Harry had pulled his wand out.

"Harry!" Hermione insisted for him to put it away. Snape was due at any moment and they all knew if something actually happened, Harry (and the Gryffindors) would pay for it.

"Go on then," Draco taunted Harry; he'd taken his own wand out as well. Everybody around them had taken a good cautious step away from the pair. "Moody's not here to look after you now. Do it if you have the guts."

'This is the last thing we need!' Romina inwardly groaned. She had no idea what she was doing but suddenly her hands had clamped down over the tips of the two wands. Everyone watched carefully. If someone were to fire, Romina would get the full hit. It was why Romina heard Arden's quiet hiss asking her what the hell she was doing.

Romina was more preoccupied with the scene before her. "You two are beyond stupid!" she exclaimed.

"Romina, this doesn't concern you," Harry said, eyes locked with Draco's.

"The one thing he has a point on," agreed Draco. "Hands off, Oswell."

"Harry, you're going to get in trouble for this! Put the wand away now!" Romina hissed. "And you," she snapped at Draco, "I presume the badges are your doing?"

The only confirmation Romina needed was Draco's proud smirk. "I'm slightly offended you even have to ask."

Romina gripped his wand tighter. "You're a pesk. Both of you need to put the wands down!"

"We can't do that if you don't let go," Draco said, pointing it out.

"I need to hear you both say you'll put 'em down. Harry?"

Harry's eyes briefly met Romina's and it genuinely startled her to see he had no intention of doing it. She was hoping that he would come to his senses like he always did and not take Draco's bluff. He wasn't. Even Hermione was surprised.

"Harry c'mon," Romina pleaded.

Everything was finally coming down on Harry to be level headed this time. His name being put into the Goblet, being forced to participate in a deadly tournament, dealing with Rita Skeeter's articles, handling the fact most of the school hated him again—no he was not going to put his wand down. Why did he have to calm down when the whole school kept pushing him every which way?

"Sorry Rom, but it's like I said: it doesn't concern you," Harry said, shaking his wand a bit to get her hand off.

"Harry!" Romina frowned. She gripped his wand tighter.

"You heard him, Oswell. Get your paws off." Draco followed in Harry's suit and shook his wand.

Romina was downright offended that both of them were blowing her off like that. "You know what—"

"What is going on?" Snape's voice startled Romina, and everyone else for that matter. The professor moved forwards, the students all making a path by backing away as quickly as possible.

Romina had no idea how she was going to finish her sentence but now Snape had given her the perfect idea to get back at her two idiot friends. She eyed Harry and Draco with a small smirk. Draco had once seen that same expression 2 months ago.

He barely had time to dread before Romina let go of their wands.

"To put it simply, professor," she turned to face Snape, "They were fighting over me." Their reactions couldn't have been any better than she imagined.

"Rom!" Harry cried at the same time Draco did.

"Oswell!"

She shot them both a wider smirk. Served them right.

The only one not amused was Snape. His dark eyes swept over the trio silently. For a moment, Romina considered the possibility that she may have gotten all three of them detention. That was certainly the expression Arden was giving her.

Totally worth it, Romina decided.

"I will not have this foolishness in my class," Snape finally spoke. "Hex yourselves outside if you want to. The rest of you, inside!" Everyone broke into a scurry to get inside the classroom.

"I can't believe you did that," Harry whispered on their way in. "You know I'm a rumor magnet right now!"

"Then next time think before you talk to me the way you did back there," Romina hissed. She stopped to meet Harry's glare, she wasn't backing down anytime soon and they both knew it.

"C'mon Harry," Hermione ushered him to their seats. She cast a grateful smile in Romina's direction. She knew that Romina, albeit with her unorthodox ways, had helped Harry avoid what would've been a promising lengthy detention.

Well at least someone gets it, Romina thought.

"Funny joke you played back there." Draco took hold of Romina's arm and dragged her with him to her old seat with him.

"Ow, that hurts," Romina glared at him. His grip was tightening. His steps were big, making Romina have to half sprint to stay on her feet.

"Let me be clear," Draco shoved her into her seat then moved around for his spot. "Don't you ever do that again, got it?" He sat down and met her eye. She stared at him for a full minute before she punched his arm. "Ow!" Draco clapped his hand over his arm.

"Don't you talk to me like that," she snapped, ignoring the snickers around them. "I did all that because of the way you and Harry talked to me. Plus, you should be thankful. I just saved your ass from a good detention."

Draco scoffed. "I wouldn't have gotten detention."

Romina hated his certainty. "Oh, so I was just supposed to let you make Harry get detention?"

Draco bobbed his head and so Romina threatened to punch him again. "Okay, fine," he said with hands raised in defeat. "Just stop hitting me already!"

"Why even bother to make the stupid badges?" Romina barely got the question out when Arden, who had taken a seat in front of them, snorted.

"Because he has no self control."

Draco glared at the back of her head. "Shut it, King."

"She's right," Romina said. She shushed him when Snape started the class. She had no mood to continue what would be a pointless conversation anyways. Besides, she was a little more concerned with the way Harry was looking at her now. Hermione was failing making him see what Romina had done for him.

As soon as Snape let them go pick out their ingredients for today's lesson, Romina jumped on the opportunity. She maneuvered through the crowd of students to get to Harry. He was looking between two admittedly similar plants.

"Harry," she whispered. Snape wasn't saying anything but he was sure looking at all of them.

"What?" he hissed. "Come to help out again?"

Romina sighed. "You know I had to do something. You were fully prepared to do something stupid."

"Maybe I was just done with the way people have been treating me lately."

"That's a fair sentiment but not when it's in Snape's class."

"What's it to you? You're back there sitting with Malfoy anyways?"

"That's not the point—"

"Yes it is," snapped Harry. He had no idea what he was even looking at so he put one plant down and hoped for the best. "I thought you weren't talking to him."

"We figured it out," Romina said weakly. Harry was the last person who needed to know how things were fixed between her and Draco. "Back to the actual thing here—I'm sorry if I went too far but I was just trying to keep you out of trouble."

"Do me the favor of not butting in, then," Harry muttered, turning to leave without giving Romina the chance to say anything back.

"Harry," Romina called as loud as she could without drawing attention, which wasn't much. Harry moved in a haste to get back to his seat beside Hermione.

"You just love being the center of attention, don't you?" Pansy said, making Romina turn to see the dark-haired girl right in front of her. Much like Harry, Pansy wore a scowl on her face.

"Okay, I'm pretty sure you don't have anything to do with me today," Romina said, attempting to walk around her but Pansy grabbed her arm.

"You used to cry over the rumors and whispers about you and now you're the one creating them." Pansy gritted her teeth together as she leaned close to Romina's face. "Putting yourself between Malfoy and Potter like that? You're not that slick."

Romina had never seen such contempt on Pansy's face. "I just didn't want them to do something stupid," she said.

"Really? Or did you just want to be between them? Don't think I haven't noticed," Pansy said, letting go of Romina's arm.

"Noticed what…?" Romina said slowly, pulling her arms behind her back. She wasn't taking her eyes off Pansy for anything. She was unusually serious. Typically it was all snide remarks and snickers but this time around, Pansy was dead serious and angry.

Pansy raised her head; Romina was slightly taller than her. "Don't play stupid. I'm watching you."

"For what?" Romina insisted on an answer. Whatever the hell had Pansy acting like that, she would gladly stop. It was too freaky.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "That's fine, you don't have to admit it here, but I know." She pushed past Romina, leaving her to think.

"Peanut butter and jelly," Romina said, surprised that she had to even explain that.

"What have you dressed up as, Romina?" Angel curiously asked, though with a hint of a flush. He thought she probably looked adorable in whatever costumes she'd picked in the earlier years.

Romina was none the wiser as she thought back to the years before Hogwarts. "I was Tinkerbell the last year I went to my muggle school. That's the little fairy in Peter Pan with the green dress, doesn't talk." All three of her friends gave her the same blank stare. "Not ringing any bells? No, of course it wouldn't be. Before that, I was a witch of course. Couldn't help myself with that one. I've also been a vampire slayer, a cheerleader, and queen."

"Way to be on the nose," Angel remarked, making Romina laugh. "Witch, vampire slayer and a bloody queen? Really?"

Romina flushed pink with embarrassment. "I thought I was being cool about it."

Angel leaned forwards, resting his arms over the table. "More like blatantly obvious."

"What? That was I queen?" Romina pushed her hair behind her shoulders. "Why yes, that is blatantly obvious." Carolinha and Daphne both snorted. "Thanks for pointing that out."

Angel playfully rolled his eyes. "Sure, you're the queen."

"Say it again!"

Angel wasn't even surprised anymore. "You're the queen, Romina." It was all worth it when he heard Romina's giggle. That was what Draco and Arden saw when they emerged from the corridor.

"Trying to be a little more obvious there, Angel?" Draco made the call before he even finished thinking it. Soon as it left his mouth though, Arden shoved her elbow into his side. "Ow!" He threw her a glare.

Arden upheld his glare with her own, silently reminding him about what they'd just talked about. "Maybe we should go," she 'suggested'.

"Go where?" Romina asked them, forgetting the conversation altogether. She had begun understanding what Theodore meant the last time they talked. It seemed like she was never able to find either Arden or Draco alone. They were either gone or together. It was beyond strange and kind of irking her.

"None of your business, Oswell," Draco muttered and started walking for the entry door.

Arden groaned as she hurried after him. "We just talked about this!"

"Talked about what?" Romina never got her answer. Arden disappeared with Draco once again. Romina scowled. "What the hell is going on?"

"Romina, don't even worry yourself with Draco," Angel said, leading to a very huffy response.

"I am not worried," Romina said, "I would never be worried about him."

"Well good because you shouldn't be," Angel said, "I've noticed that you're not arguing with him a lot anymore."

"Oh, we've noticed that too and thank god because it was getting annoying," Daphne remarked. She'd gone back to the flipping through the magazine with Carolinha.

Romina shook her head. "We haven't stopped, he's just…not doing a lot anymore."

"Isn't that good?" Carolinha made a face because the way Romina had spoken led to believe that she was annoyed.

"Yeah, course it is," Romina scratched behind her ear. She wasn't going to admit that it was somehow leaving her a little disheartened inside. If Draco had lost interest, then it meant he had no intention of fixing things with her. He was ready to leave things as they were.

"Romina, are you okay?" Angel asked after silence stretched between them for too long.

Once again, Romina had to shake herself out of her thoughts. She needed to stop thinking so much about things. But then there's Arden…

"Actually, I forgot I have to finish some homework," she ultimately decided to say. She got up from the floor and went straight for her dorm. She would bury her face in homework if it meant warring off thoughts for a while.

~ 0 ~

"I told you not to say anything if it was going to be mean, sour or downright snappy," Arden reprimanded Draco once they were far away from the common room. They walked together down the hallway.

"It's Angel who's doing it," Draco snapped. "You know he's pulling all this crap to finally make a move on Oswell, right?"

"So?" Arden snapped, thumping him on the side of his head. "That's none of our concern!"

He smacked her hand away from him. "Don't touch me!"

"Then stop being an idiot! Who cares what Angel's doing? At the rate you're going, Romina's never going to speak to you again. Isn't that what you should be more concerned about?"

Draco didn't say anything but the huff he gave was answer enough. Arden picked up on the fact he used that as an admittance to something he didn't want to say out loud.

"Just take my advice already and talk to her," Arden said for what she was sure was the millionth time.

"It's hard."

"How?"

"She infuriates me!" And that was the nicest way Draco could put it. He wasn't sure if Romina had always been like that but lately she was annoying him in every way possible. She never let go of the stupid war she started with him. For every thing he said, she had something to quip back. He liked a challenge but why did she have to constantly be in a battle with him while others like Angel got all the playful banter, the nice eyes and giggles—

He stopped walking abruptly. Unwelcomed heat rushed up the back of his neck and face.

Arden was a few steps ahead before she noticed Draco was no longer with her. She looked back at him and wondered what the hell he was frozen for. "What are you doing?" She raised an eyebrow at him. She swore she saw him jump.

"Nothing!" he said quickly. He pushed away all thoughts concerning Romina and her giggles. In fact, he shoved them to the deepest part of his mind. He had no business thinking about that.

"Okay, are you going to do what I'm telling you to or are you going to drag this out for another month?" Arden asked, "Because we've been at this all October."

"I just need more time," Draco said. Arden blinked in surprise. That was a different answer than the previous times. The first time he had said some not so nice words to her for "talking to him like that" and whatnot. He was thinking about talking which, in fairness, was a step up. He was thinking how best to approach the subject with Romina.

So Arden would take it.

~0~

"My dear Aline!" Romina had heard Fred's call from a good distance. She tried her best to escape down the hallway but in the end, the Weasley twins captured her by the arms and lifted her up to then carry her.

"When will you stop doing this!?" Romina groaned, her legs swinging back and forth in her attempts to get down.

"When you grow some more," George said then shares a snort with his brother.

"You jerks!" Romina exclaimed.

"Calm down, Aline," Fred said once they put her down. They had carried her all the way to the courtyard. "We just wanted to discuss some things with you."

"And for that you had to carry me through the whole school?" Romina fixed her shirt that had ridden up a little on the ride. "Can't you be normal?"

"We have style," George said proudly, flicking the collars of his shirt. Fred did the same.

"You have something alright — nerve," Romina shook her head. Both twins laughed in agreement. "So what do you want?"

"We were just wondering what ideas you had for Halloween this year," Fred said.

"Right." Romina crossed her arms over her chest.

"Any new Muggle tricks you learned for us?" Fred wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Ron said you watched some new muggle Halloween movies during summer. Anything we can use?"

"That depends, do you guys do musicals?" Romina smirked. "Cos the Nightmare Before Christmas had some good songs."

"I'm not sure singing is where our talents lay," George said, "But you're more than welcome to join us."

"Yeah, my thing's the violin. Arden does the singing."

"Arden?" Harry heard the last thing Romina had said. He, Ron and Hermione were walking up to the trio. "If she doesn't watch out, she's going to get hexed."

Before Romina could ask what he meant, Ron answered it. "We just saw her with Malfoy in the library."

"Again?" Romina said a tad softly. Last time she heard, Arden said she was heading for the astronomy tower to work on a project.

"Again?" Ron made a face. "You mean she's willingly spending time with Malfoy?"

"Maybe they were working on a project," Hermione said with a groan. "We shouldn't be getting into anyone's business, even if it is someone like Malfoy."

"I care for Arden only," Harry clarified. "She's our neighbor and friend, right Romina?"

Romina nodded silently. She was more preoccupied wondering why the hell Arden lied to her earlier. Theodore is right. He has to be. Except it absolutely irked her that he was right.

"Well if he gets smart with Arden, Georgie and I are more than happy to help out with some tricks," Fred said, swinging a shoulder around Romina. "We have an insider in the Slytherin House." Romina felt his subtle nudge and as much as she wanted to smile, it wasn't wide enough.

"Romina, we were going to go visit Hagrid, if you wanted to come," Harry said, eyeing her strangely.

"Um, yeah, that would be nice," Romina said, deciding that she needed to stop thinking so much about business that wasn't anything to do with her. Hermione was right.

"What about our tricks, Romina?" George asked, feigning offence that they were being forgotten.

Romina playfully rolled her eyes. "I'll make a list of all the cool things I saw in the last Halloween movies."

"There's our partner in crime!" Fred gave her a big hug from the side and followed it with a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"Ah! Fred!" Romina exclaimed, swatting him away from her.

"Off we go, George!" Fred announced as he took off in a sprint.

"Agreed!" George nodded. He made to leave but at the last second, he dove for Romina and kissed her other cheek.

"GUYS!" Romina yelled after the pair who couldn't have run any faster. "Ron, your brothers are insufferable!"

"Which ones," Ron said, causing a round of snickers.

"C'mon Rom," Harry slid his arm around Romina's shoulders.

"Just don't kiss my cheek," she warned as they started down for Hagrid's hut.

"Kiss the spots where Fred and George kissed you? Yeah, I'll pass," Harry said, crinkling his nose at the thought. "Maybe later."

"Jerk," Romina chuckled.

~0~

As it turned out, Romina remembered exactly what had soured her mood before visiting Hagrid. Seeing Arden in the Great Hall reminded Romina. Looking around to make sure that no one else (specifically a blonde) was around, Romina headed for their table.

"Oh hey," Arden greeted Romina when she sat down beside her. "I was wondering where you went."

"I went with Harry, Ron and Hermione to visit Hagrid." Romina started going through their dinner options on the table.

"How nice!"

"Mhm…" Romina watched her friend pick up her goblet to drink.

Arden noticed it soon enough and cut her drink short. "What?"

Romina ducked her head; she swallowed hard. She was itching to bring up the subject but she had no idea how.

Thankfully, Arden had known Romina for such a long time now. She knew Romina like the back of her hand. "What is it?" Arden asked her. "Something's on your mind."

"N-no…"

"Romina, I can see it. Come out with it," Arden motioned. "Afraid I'll bite or what? C'mon." Arden nudged her on the side until Romina ended up smiling. "What's the secret?"

It's yours, Romina sourly thought. "Arden, you would...you would tell me if something big happened in your life, right?"

Arden snorted. "Yeah, just as soon as something happens."

Romina sighed in annoyance. She left her plate and shifted to face Arden. "You know that in this entire world, you and Harry are my best friends." Arden nodded. "You two are the people I most trust. You've been with me way before Hogwarts. I love you guys."

"Me too, Romina," Arden agreed. "And I'm sure Harry feels the same way. Why are you talking like this?"

Romina was frustrated. She was frustrated with Arden for not telling her the big secret about her and Draco. She was frustrated with herself for not being able to directly ask Arden about it.

"Romina, what is it?" Arden pressed for the answer. Whatever was nagging at Romina's mind had to be big to make her act like this.

"Arden, you would tell me if you were seeing someone right?" Romina finally asked. "Whoever it was...right?"

Arden had no idea where the question had come from but if it was bothering Romina so much, she would just answer it. "Yes, of course."

Romina nodded, staying silent to give Arden the chance to speak. Except, Arden didn't. She didn't know what else she was supposed to say. "You would tell me, right!?" Romina asked again, nodding at Arden to speak.

"I already said yes," Arden said, making a face of confusion. "Why, is anyone interested? Oh! Is it that cute Durmstrang boy Blaise talks to? Cos he is cute!"

"Arden!" Romina snapped, startling the brunette. "Aren't you—is there something you want to tell me?"

"Not really, no," Arden answered slowly, eyeing Romina with concern. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Romina couldn't believe her ears. "Me!?" she said incredulously.

"Yeah, what is it with you lately?" Arden genuinely wanted to know. "Is it this Draco thing that's finally getting to you?"

Romina wanted to tell. She wanted to yell so badly. She swallowed it down, slamming her hands on the table as she stood up.

"Romina, what's happening?" Arden stood up with Romina but the latter was storming away before Arden even touched her. "Romina!"

"Leave me alone!"

~0~

Romina did not speak to Arden for the rest of the week. She found it incredibly hard to get over the fact Arden lied to her face. Romina felt like she needed time to get rid of her anger before she could talk to Arden again.

Meanwhile, Arden was going crazy trying to figure out why on Earth Romina was so upset with her. As much as she thought, she couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation. She even got the others in their group to try and help her out but they were just as lost as she was.

"I'm turning into you," she told Draco before their Divination class was to begin. "She's not talking to me."

"Sounds to me like she just came to her senses," Draco remarked, smirking at Arden's scowling reaction. "All this time, you've been nagging me about screwing up. Now look where you are."

"Why the hell do I even talk to you?" Arden muttered.

"Because I made my payment," Draco was happy to respond with. It was hilarious reminding Arden that she was basically in debt with him until further notice. Course then Pansy showed up to claim her seat next to him and reminded him exactly how big his payment had been. And Romina had yet to direct a word to him.

"What do you want, King?" Pansy demanded.

Arden didn't even bother with her. She locked eyes with Draco and pointed a finger at him. "Talk to her now."

Draco would've liked to demand how the hell he was supposed to do that when Romina made it her personal mission to stay clear of them both. He ended up thinking about some ways during class. Trewlany never had anything interesting to say anyways. Plus, Pansy would take care of the work for him. (It was the only good thing that came out of the exchange).

After class, Arden made sure to remind him to go find Romina. He had to shake Pansy off him, literally—she was clinging to his arm—to go search for the stubborn girl. Whether it was lucky or not, he spotted Romina sitting by herself in the courtyard. She held a book in her hands, muggle by the looks of it.

"'Princess Bride'?" He asked in bemusement when he sat down beside her.

Romina silently flipped the page. She should've known better than to pick a public spot for reading. Hermione Granger owed her for such stupid advice. This was supposed to calm me down...

"Gotta say, Oswell, I didn't take you for the princess or bride type," Draco remarked. He smirked when Romina met his eye.

"I can like many things," she said with no emotion whatsoever, "But don't get it confused. It's not your typical princess story."

"Does it have a prince?"

"Yes but—" Romina was quick to say when she saw Draco opening his mouth, "—he's actually the evil one. It's the masked man in black who gets the girl."

Draco snorted. "Seriously? I didn't know you were that type!"

Romina scowled at him. "Shut it! Can't you go somewhere else? Bother some poor first year or something!?"

"I needed to talk to you!"

Romina scoffed. "Now you want to talk to me?"

"Hey, I've been trying to find you but you keep hiding or something!"

"I am not hiding from anybody." Lies. Romina was definitely doing her best to avoid him and Arden. It was easier with Draco because they didn't share a dorm. "If I was hiding, would I really come out to read here of all places? Use your brain, if you have one of course."

"You didn't have any doubts when we were partners in Potions," Draco reminded her with a smug smile. "You were definitely happy with the results."

Romina rolled her eyes. "You love the attention you get from your class partners, don't you? Heard you specifically switched Theodore for Pansy of all people. I know Divination isn't all that hard but...even then..."

Whatever smugness Draco had vanished. "I did not ask for Pansy."

Romina scoffed. "Right." She turned the page of her book.

"I didn't!"

"Then why did you switch partners?"

"Why are you so interested?"

"Because Theodore's came up to me about three times to complain about you and Arden blowing him off. Honestly, whatever you two have going on, do me the favor and leave me out of them."

"Going on…? What the hell are you talking about?"

Romina finally stopped pretending to read—she had been looking at the same sentence over and over for minutes now—and looked at Draco. Her eyes had widened to make her point that this was Draco's moment to tell her the truth. Given that Draco had no idea what this truth was, he could only stare back. The blank stare was Romina's final straw.

She smacked his shoulder with her book. "You're insufferable!"

"What did I do now!?" Draco was sure he was going to lose count on how many times Romina had hit him with something.

"And you've got some nerve!" Romina exclaimed, smacking him again with her book.

"Can I at least know what I had the nerve of this time!?"

Romina's answer came in the form of another smack. "Like you don't know!"

"I don't!" Draco saw the next smack coming when Romina raised her book again. He caught it before it hit him on the head. "Stop hitting me!"

Romina held onto her book tightly and tried pulling it out of Draco's hands. "Let go!"

"Why? So you can go ahead and 'lightly tap' me again?" Draco would never forget the poor excuse she gave him the last time she decided to get violent with him. Romina should count her lucky stars he didn't retaliate for that one. Anyone else who dared to hit him on the head in front of a whole crowd would've been hexed.

"If you don't let go of my book right now, you're going to wish all I did was 'tap' you!"" Romina pulled on her book again. Draco was surprisingly stronger than he looked. Her pull did almost nothing. She could feel his fingers touching hers each time she pulled. It shouldn't be causing her any type of sensation. The same went for the stupid smirk on his face.

"Got lost in my eyes there?" Draco made the question just as soon as it'd come to mind. It was too hard to resist.

"You wish," Romina said, releasing her book in the process. She laughed when he nearly fell back from the sudden loss of her pull.

"Oh, that was funny?" Draco released a breath once he'd reclaimed his balance on the bench.

Romina nodded, the ghost of her laugh still playing at her lips. "Mhm, yeah."

Draco mocked her for a brief second before whacking her on the head with her own book. It wiped any trace of a smile and laugh from her.

"You hit me!" Romina said, eyes wide and mouth in a gape.

"You hit me like 10 times already!"

Even though that was very true, Romina wouldn't admit it. "Give me that!" She snatched her book from him. "Go find Arden or Pansy or whoever the hell you're talking to these days!" She jumped from the bench and glared.

"I'm talking to you right now but I frankly don't understand what's going on." This was nowhere near what Draco envisioned when he thought of talking to Romina...but she always had a way of changing things around him. He got up as well and faced Romina. "Why are you so...grumpy lately?"

"I am not grumpy!"

"Yeah, you are. It's adorable up to a certain point…" Draco said, trailing off when he noticed the fluster on Romina's face. He smirked. "Alright there, Oswell?"

Romina couldn't stand his smirk. "I hate you!" She gave him one more smack with her book then stormed off.

"Don't think you do!" Draco called after her in an almost sing-song manner.

She absolutely hated him.

~ 0 ~

The Halloween feast was, as usual, delicious. The Great Hall was filled with floating candles and pumpkins but what really took the attention was the Goblet of Fire's new place at the head of the room. Tonight, the three champions would finally be announced. Everybody was jittery, to say the least. Even Romina was excited despite the fact that Mr. Crouch was back in the school. She had done her due diligence of not looking his way. She was having a much better time with Angel, Carolinha and Daphne anyways.

"'I myself am strange and unusual'," she mimicked Lydia Deetz after gushing about the character in her latest line of favorite Halloween movies. "She's who I would've gone as for Halloween this year."

"That movie just sounds weird," Daphne said, shaking her head.

"I think it's funny weird," Carolinha shrugged her shoulders. "Definitely haven't heard something else like that. Muggles are creative."

"It was such a good movie but remember—don't say Beetlejuice three times!" Romina warned with a playful finger.

"Yeah, that guy just...he doesn't sound too nice," Angel said with a grimace. "Why'd you like the movie again?"

"Because it's funny," Romina chuckled. "Our favorite part was the singing."

"And when you say 'our' you mean Arden…?" Angel watched Romina sober from her laugh at the mention of her best friend she currently wasn't speaking to.

Arden currently sat with the Carrol twins a bit further down the table, unsurprisingly (in Romina's mind anyways) not too far from where Draco was sitting with Blaise. Romina didn't even look in their direction.

"Don't start, Angel," she warned quietly.

"You've never gotten into a fight with Arden," Angel said. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Romina insisted. She grabbed one of the pumpkin pastries on her left. She would rather not think about the fact her best friend refused to tell her about her ongoing dating. She was thankful that the feast was done a few minutes later. She would much rather focus on the champions that were going to be called.

Dumbledore had risen from his seat, commanding the silence of the entire room. "And now the moment you've all been waiting for, the champions selection!" He approached the Goblet whose flames were beginning to glow red. Soon, it shot into the air to spit out a piece of parchment.

Dumbledore caught it and unfolded it to read the first champion's name. "The Durmstrang champion is ... Viktor Krum!"

Everybody burst into cheers and applause as the Krum got up from the Slytherin table to walk up to Dumbledore. He shook hands with the headmaster then followed Crouch and Lugo Bagman towards a door behind them.

The Goblet soon spit out another name. The parchment was baby blue and perhaps laced?

"The champion from Beauxbatons... Fleur Delacour!"

A girl with near silver blonde hair rose from the Ravenclaw table. Romina recognized her as the girl Ron often fawned over. And by the looks of it, all the rest of the boys fawned over her too.

"Look, the other students aren't that happy," Carolinha remarked about the rest of the Beauxbatons students at the Ravenclaw table.

"Seriously," Romina said after shifting in her seat to get a better look. Some of them were actually crying. "Where's the solidarity my grandmother spoke of?"

Fleur soon disappeared along with Krum and now the final name had been released from the red flames. Excitement increased tenfold as they waited to hear who would be the Hogwarts champion.

"The Hogwarts champion... Cedric Diggory!"

The entirety of the Hufflepuff table jumped from their seats to cheer Cedric on. He was perhaps the most cheered for champion. Romina was no exception to the cheering.

"I know one of the champions!" She clapped excitedly.

"Excellent! We now have our three champions!" Dumbledore said once the applause had finally died down. "But in the end only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice of champions, this vessel of victory the tri-wizard cup!"

But before he could say more, the Goblet hissed as its flames once more turned red. Confusion spread in the room as the flames released another piece of parchment.

Equally confused, Dumbledore reached for the fluttering parchment in the air. There was a long moment of awkward silence before Dumbledore finally read the name on the parchment. "...Harry Potter."

Silence.

Even Dumbledore seemed like he didn't believe what he had read. Gazing down at the parchment again, he repeated the name written down. "Harry...Harry Potter!"

Romina nearly keeled over. Her head flipped in the Gryffindor table's direction and saw Harry was frozen in his spot. All eyes were on him. Some students were even standing up just to stare at him better.

"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore called again, lowering the parchment in his hand to spot the brunette.

"Go on Harry. Harry for goodness sake," Hermione urged Harry. It had to be better than just sitting there waiting for the vultures to come for him because oh they were going to come. Hermione saw at least a handful of angry eyes on Harry.

Harry was numb but his legs seemed to do him the grace of letting him stand up.

"He's a cheat! He's not even seventeen yet!" He heard someone say as he slowly walked up to the head of the room.

"What is he doing?" Carolinha whispered to Romina. "What on Earth does he think he's doing?"

Romina could only shake her head. There was no way in hell that Harry had figured out a way to slip his name into the Goblet. Better men had tried. So how the hell did his name end up in the Goblet?

~ 0 ~

It was absolute chaos in the Slytherin common room that night and the following morning. There wasn't a single soul who believed that Harry had not willingly put his name into the Goblet of Fire.

"Please, half of you didn't even like Cedric Diggory before tonight," Romina spat at a grumbling group of fifth years near the fireplace. "You all wanted a Slytherin champion so don't for a second say you loved Cedric."

"C'mon Oswell, you can't defend Potter for this one," Draco called. He, Blaise, Theodore and Angel were huddled at one of the tables. "He just wants the attention."

"Harry wouldn't be stupid enough to put his name into the Goblet, much less for attention," snapped Romina. "You're the one giving him the attention if we're being technical." She went straight for the dorms that night. She could very well pick a fight with everyone and she would if they asked for it.

"C'mon Romina," Carolinha watched Romina sulk on her bed later in the evening. "You really don't think Harry may have just gotten smart like the Weasley twins tried to a while back?"

"He wouldn't do it, Carol," Romina insisted. "God! Haven't any of you paid attention so far!? Harry doesn't seek attention! He doesn't put himself in mortal danger for fun!"

"Harry's not like that," Arden spoke quietly and avoided Romina's look. She was as unwelcomed as any other time but she would be damned if she listened to someone else claim that Harry put his name into the Goblet.

Romina did look in her direction but she didn't snap. For a moment, there was solidarity between them. Truthfully, Romina missed that.

"Then how did his name get in there?" Daphne curiously asked. "Because out there," she made a nod for the common room, "there's a lot of nasty rumors going around."

"They're just that, Daphne, rumors," Romina said sharply. "I beg you guys not to believe in them. I know Harry, okay? I have all my life. He did not do this." Carolinha and Daphne ultimately nodded but there was still a hint of doubt. Romina didn't waste the night arguing with them. She had a feeling there would be plenty of unconvinced people to deal with in the days to come.

~0~

Romina was able to find Harry the next morning but was surprised to find out that Ron was one of the people who firmly believed Harry put his name into the Goblet.

"He's finally lost it," Romina whispered after hearing Harry's moment with Ron the previous night.

"I tried telling Harry it's more jealousy than anything else. It's always Harry getting the attention whether or not he wants it." Hermione seemed torn between both sides. Romina understood her. It wouldn't be easy handling both boys for the time being.

"I don't," Harry practically snarled. He was just as furious as Ron was with him. He expected his best friends to believe him! Two out of three did!

"Really, try to understand him," Hermione insisted. "Ron's got all these brothers to compete against at home and you're his best friend and you're really famous…"

Romina made a cutting motion across her neck. Harry could give a damn about anything else right now.

"Great, really great," huffed Harry, "Tell him from me I'll swap any time he wants. Tell him from me he's welcome to it. People gasping at my forehead everywhere I go…"

"I'm not telling him anything," Hermione snapped. She didn't deserve any of his attitude, that much she was sure of. "Tell him yourself. It's the only way to sort this out."

"She's right on that, Harry," Romina remarked only to earn a deep scoff from Harry in return.

"You haven't spoken to Arden in how many weeks now?"

Romina blinked. Fair point.

"I'm not running after him trying to make him grow up!" Harry continued. "Maybe he'll believe I'm not enjoying myself when I've got all my neck broken or—"

"That is nowhere near funny," Hermione scolded him.

"Bad joke indeed," Romina said, "At least tell me you've already written to Sirius about this?"

"I told him earlier," Hermione informed.

"And let me guess, he hasn't?"

"Not that I know of!"

"I'm right here!" Harry snapped at the pair. "And I'm not doing it. He came back to the country just because my scar twinged! He'll probably come bursting into the castle if I tell him that someone entered me in the Triwizard Tournament!"

"Doesn't matter, he would want to know," Hermione said sternly.

"He's going to find out anyways, Harry, might as well cut out the middle man," Romina patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"How?" He asked, clearly unconvinced.

"It's called the frikin media, Harry! The Daily Prophet is guaranteed to be covering this and given that you're 14...I'm pretty sure it's going to be some big news."

Harry stayed quiet, and pensive. That did make sense. Sirius was in hiding but he didn't live under a rock. "Fine," he sighed. "I'll write."

"Thank you," Romina said, voicing Hermione's relief as well.

The two girls personally accompanied Harry to the owlery to witness the letter being written. They couldn't take the chance of Harry backing out at the last minute.

~ 0 ~

The days that came after were no better for Harry. Romina didn't have to be in Gryffindor to know that. In fact, it was probably better that she was in another House. She saw things perfectly.

The Hufflepuffs were absolutely livid with him. None of them were talking to the Gryffindors. Even the Ravenclaws were doing their best to avoid the Gryffindors. Romina didn't bother much with her own House. The Slytherins were split in three. One side was just as livid as the Hufflepuffs, the second side were genuinely interested to see how the hell fourth year Harry Potter was going to compete against the more advanced students and the last side simply didn't care.

"I don't think we should be splitting our loyalties between Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory," Luna Lovegood shared her unique opinion with Romina one afternoon. The two girls had found a comfortable spot in the courtyard where Luna could show Romina the latest edition of the Quibbler.

Romina smiled to herself. Luna never had one bad thing to say about anyone, not even one bad thought. "I wholeheartedly agree, Luna."

Luna shrugged slightly. "Hogwarts has two champions. We're fortunate, really."

"I don't think Harry sees it that way," Romina said with a light sigh. She leaned on Luna's side to get a glimpse of the next page of the Quibbler. "He's scared. He's got less years of experience and the fact that most of the school hates him doesn't help either."

"I'll cheer for him," Luna said, making Romina smile. Luna hadn't even properly met Harry. She just knew him through Romina and Ginny Weasley.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate that," Romina said.

"Romina," she heard Rolf call. He was approaching the two girls. "Hey!"

"Hi Rolf," Romina smiled at him. "Luna, this is my cousin, Rolf Scamander." The bright blonde girl wiggled her fingers at Rolf. "Rolf, this is my friend, Luna Lovegood."

"Yeah," Rolf nodded. Romina guessed that he knew much of Luna's quirky reputation like the rest of the school. "Hey," he smiled at Luna. "You reading the Quibbler?"

"Luna shows me the editions every month," Romina said.

"My father's the editor," Luna explained.

"Oh, that's cool!" Rolf exclaimed. Luna beamed. It wasn't often that people said things like that to her.

Romina looked between the pair with a small smile. "You want to read it with us?" she asked Rolf, figuring Luna would be more than happy to share with another person. Romina didn't think anyone else really read the Quibbler, much less with Luna herself.

"Sure!" Rolf said, making way for Luna's other side on the bench. "Oh, I almost forgot. Romina, I just ran into Arden King—she was asking for you."

Romina's eyes lowered to the Quibbler's pages. She had no idea why turnips were supposed to be lucky but she would rather read that than deal with this conversation.

Luna, however, had no idea that Romina wasn't on speaking terms with Arden. "Arden is your friend, isn't she?"

"Was," Romina whispered before clearing her throat. She looked up and happened to see Harry walking from the opposite end. "You know what? I forgot I have to go talk to Harry about something. Rolf, you want to read the Quibbler with Luna?"

"Umm…yeah, but what about Arden?"

"I'll see her later," Romina said, promptly getting up from her seat. "I'll see you guys later." She hurried away before either Luna or Rolf said something else about Arden.

Unsurprisingly, Harry was alone when Romina walked up to him. Hermione was off in the library and he just couldn't stand spending so much time there.

"Not like Ron, huh?" Romina giggled.

Harry's expression soured at the mention of Ron. "Not at all but you know what? At least Hermione believed me."

"He'll come around, Harry, I know it," Romina assured. "Has, um, has Sirius written back yet?"

"Yeah, yesterday. He wants to talk face to face."

Romina stopped walking, widened eyes meeting Harry's. "How's that going to work?"

"I'm sure Sirius has a way. He told me this Saturday at one o'clock in the morning."

"Tell him everything, Harry, got it?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "I know—"

"I mean it, Harry Potter. Everything," Romina pointed at him. She knew exactly how Harry was. He would try to hide things from Sirius no matter how dangerous it got.

"Yes, I promise, sheesh!" Harry exclaimed. "Get off my back, will you? It's not been a lovely week."

"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry," Romina said. "I did get to read Rita Skeeter's article about you—erm, you didn't tell her that you cry at nights, right?" Harry deadpanned her until she answered herself. "Right, course…"

"Everything in that article was lies," Harry huffed. "I didn't say any of that stuff."

"It's like Hollywood," Romina said.

They started walking again, albeit slowly as they continued to discuss the lies that were sure to come in future articles if Rita Skeeter was the author.

"But listen, Harry, just know that I'll be cheering for you. In fact, even Luna Lovegood is on your side!"

"The only Ravenclaw," Harry mumbled.

"Well, I know that Angel, Carolinha and even Daphne are rooting for you. Just, um, don't be surprised if you hear the girls gushing about Cedric too."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Is it just them gushing over Cedric? I seem to recall you doing the same thing at one point."

Romina's face turned a bright red. "Shut up he's cute,," she promptly said, making Harry chuckle. "You know I'm your number one supporter!"

"Right. Hey, what does Arden say about this?" Harry had to ask. He'd been trying to broach the subject but lately his days were consumed by his own problems.

"I don't know what she says these days," Romina shrugged.

"Rom, why are you two fighting? You never fight."

"I abhor lies, Harry, you know that. And right now, Arden is lying to me. I know she is and she knows it too but she doesn't admit to it."

"I really can't see Arden lying to you of all people," Harry said, even making a face at how absurd that was. He'd known both Romina and Arden since before Hogwarts and if there was one person Arden King could never lie to, it was Romina. Romina was Arden's confidant for everything. It was vice versa.

"Well she has now," Romina said quietly, "And it hurts. I thought we were best friends."

"Just talk to her, Rom," Harry insisted and heard Romina's loud groan.

She picked up her pace, leaving Harry to trail after her. "No!" she yelled. "I've given her ample time to come clean! I'm not going after her for anything!"

"Oh, so you're so keen to tell me to talk to Ron but you won't take your own advice?"

"That's different!"

"How!?"

Romina whirled around, coming face to face with Harry. They bore the same challenging glares. Ironically it was something that Arden used to point out whenever they got into moments like these. Unfortunately, Arden was nowhere near to help ease the tension, neither was Hermione for that matter. The only person nearby wasn't quite interested in helping them out.

"Why so tense Potter?" They heard Draco's voice somewhere nearby.

Romina and Harry tore their eyes from each other to face Draco, only that took a moment seeing as they couldn't actually find him. Romina happened to look up and found the blonde perched up on a tree. Her face scrunched up in utter confusion. "What the fuck are you doing up on a tree?" Harry followed her gaze up and frowned.

"Gotta see the sights, Oswell," Draco remarked, "You know you spent about an hour with Looney Lovegood over there? How interesting can that really be?"

"You spy on me now?" Romina raised an eyebrow. "Are you that bored? Or just that creepy?"

"Rom, let's just go," Harry reached for Romina's arm. He had absolutely no mood to deal with Draco today.

"Don't go so quickly, Potter," Draco called, stopping the pair in their tracks. "You know, my father and I have a bet going on. I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five."

Now it was Romina trying to tug Harry away.

"I don't give a damn what you or your father thinks Malfoy," he snapped, "He's vile and cruel, and you're just pathetic. Let's go, Rom!" He turned right on his feet and strode away, leaving Romina to scurry after him.

Neither saw Draco jump from his spot on the tree, hand whipping out his wand to aim on Harry's back. The loud bang stopped Harry and Romina in their tracks, but neither understood where it came from, nor why several students had yelled. They turned around and saw Moody not too far from them with his wand out and levitating a...white ferret?

"I'll teach you to cast when someone's back is turned!" growled Moody apparently at the creature. It bounced in the air, going zig-zag all around.

"I'm so confused," Romina whispered to Harry, both of them in a trance much like the growing crowd around them.

"I'm not," Harry said, his eyes widening as he started making the connections. Romina saw the odd smile on his face. "That's Malfoy, ha!"

"What?" Romina hissed.

"Didn't get you, did he?" called Moody over to Harry. Harry shook his head, his grin might as well be glued on by this point. Moody forced the ferret into a smack against the ground.

Romina flinched. She actually heard the smack. "Make him stop!" She tugged on Harry's arm but he was frozen and not out of horror. "Harry!"

"What's going on?" Romina then heard Arden's voice through the crowd. The brunette pushed her way through the crowd until she was close enough to be pulled by Romina. "Romina, what's—"

"That's Draco!"

"What?" Arden's eyes widened and her mouth pursed together to hold back a laugh. Moody was now punctuating his reprimands by smacking the ferret against the ground, the tree and even a stone bench.

Romina groaned. "Arden! Do something! That's your boyfriend!"

"HE'S MY WHAT?" Arden's scream could have rivaled the growing laughter from the crowd. She was absolutely affronted with the confident claim.

Romina frantically pushed Arden out of her way to run through the crowd. She shoved whoever was in her way until she was on the other side. She had no idea where she was going but she had a good idea of the people she was looking for.

She found McGonagall in the hallway and without thinking, Romina yelled her name until she had run up to the professor.

"Miss Oswell!" McGonagall naturally reprimanded her. "That is no way to address somebody!"

Romina was out of breath from running and yelling. "Professor — outside — Professor Moody — and Draco! He's a...!" Romina had to hold her knees to keep herself standing. She was a blundering mess and she knew it.

McGonagall was downright appalled with what she was seeing. "Miss Oswell, calm yourself down and then find me. Perhaps with a little bit more etiquette."

"But Professor!"

"Keep this going and I will take points from Slytherin!"

"I don't care!" Romina snapped frantically.

McGonagall couldn't look any more irritated. "Alright, that's 50 points from Slyth—MISS OSWELL!" McGonagall yelled when Romina yanked her by the hand. "This is highly inappropriate! Let go now!"

Romina did no such thing. "It's Professor Moody! Please!" She insisted, running quicker and holding McGonagall's hand tight. "He's done something terrible!" Romina wasn't sure if McGonagall had said anything, or yelled for that matter, during their run. Romina felt her ears ringing and her heart pounding. She didn't care if she lost the entire points Slytherin had racked up so far. She just needed to get McGonagall to the courtyard so she could see—

"MOVE!" She screamed at the crowd in her way. She did hear when McGonagall scolded her again for squeezing them through the crowd.

Moody was still holding the ferret captive. It certainly got McGonagall's attention off Romina. "Professor Moody what are you doing?" She asked him.

Moody was absolutely calm as he moved the ferret from one point to the next. "Teaching."

It took only a second for McGonagall to realize why Romina had been so frantic. "Is that a student?" she looked back at the young girl who nodded. Romina was still horrified and frankly pleaded for Mcgonagall to do something.

"Technically it's a ferret," Moody answered. He shoved the ferret down Crabb's pant leg, causing a whole roar of laughter, including Harry's and Arden's.

Romina would have yelled at McGonagall to act if her status at Hogwarts wasn't already in danger for the way she dragged the professor there. Fortunately, McGonagall snapped out of her own trance. When Moody pulled the ferret out of Crabbe's pants, McGonagall took the opportunity to point her wand ahead and turn Draco back to normal.

He was, understandably, all out of sorts. His robes were askew and his hair was sticking up in all kinds of directions. He twitched, his eyes flickering from one side to the other as if Moody were about to hit him with another spell. "My father will hear about this!" He yelled, but soon regretted it when Moody stepped forwards.

"Is that a threat?"

Draco chose to run away there and then.

"I could tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair boy! It doesn't end here!"

"Professor Moody!" McGonagall had to shout over the laughing crowd of students. "We never use transfiguration as a punishment, surely Dumbledore told you that."

Moody didn't look abashed in the slightest. "He might've mentioned it…"

"Well you will do well to remember it." McGonagall turned to the crowd of students, eyes sharp and blazed with irritation. "The rest of you—don't you have studying to do?"

Students went every which way except for Romina. For when she turned around, she came face to face with Arden.

"I think she's better in Ancient Runes," Carolinha said, finally giving up the magazine in her hands. "I ask her for help all the time in that class. I gotta say, she was better than any of the private tutors Mum and Dad hired for us before coming to school."

"You guys had private tutors?" Romina said, making a face and glancing over her shoulder to Arden. "They had private tutors, Ard..."

"Of course," Arden did a fake curtsy for the twins.

"What a shocker," Romina said right before flicking her paper ball. It hit Angel between the eyes.

"Hey!" He frowned.

Romina giggled. "That counts as a goal."

"I'm pretty sure it doesn't…" Angel's head turned in Arden's direction, "Does it?"

Arden rolled her eyes. "Romina, quit being mean."

"Arden's right guys, why don't we go outside?" Carolinha suggested, finally putting down her magazine. "Or we could go see if anybody else is putting their name into the Goblet?" The room of the Goblet of Fire was a hot spot and it would continue to be one until Halloween night when the champions' names were called.

"What for? I already got my fill when Fred and George did their little aging number," Romina said, resting her palms on the table. Angel called quits on their game. Ten to 2 was something to ponder for him.

"Then let's go to the lake! Oh!" Carolinha hopped off the couch with a lit up face. "You can show us that violin of yours!"

"You brought it?" Angel asked Romina, fairly curious as his sister had been when she first saw the instrument.

Romina nodded. "I thought it would be nice if it didn't collect dust this year."

"Let's do that!" Carolinha exclaimed. "Can we, Romina? Please?"

Romina shrugged. "I guess. But I stand by my warning that I only know muggle tunes. It's a muggle class."

"Something different," Angel smiled. "We'll love it, I'm sure."

Romina flushed. "Alright then. Be back in a bit." She pushed herself up from the ground and headed for the hallway.

"And I guess I'm off to Divination," Arden said, making a face. "Will you guys still be there afterwards?"

"Yeah," Angel nodded. "I want to listen to as many tunes Romina can play."

Arden smirked knowingly. "Oh, I bet you do."

"Arden," Romina's call was sharp and full of warning. Arden decided to hurry along for her Divination book in her room.

"So, Romina, are we doing it?" Carolinha eagerly asked.

"Yeah, why not," Romina started pulling herself up from the floor. "I win, Angel."

Angel sighed. "Not much of a game if one of the players doesn't know how to play."

Romina pushed her hair behind her shoulders, smiling smugly. "Doesn't mean anything." She started for the hallway.

"Pretty sure it means everything!" Angel called after her, making her laugh.

~ 0 ~

The lake wasn't that crowded given that classes had only started a couple weeks back. Students were still grappling to their new schedules. Those lucky enough to enjoy some time off, like Romina, Carolinha and Angel, had found ample space to relax in.

Romina had been shy carrying her violin all the way down to the lake. Several students had given her strange looks for owning the instrument in the first place. The Beauxbaton girls were the only students who seemed slightly impressed...as if no Hogwart student could be graceful enough to use the instrument correctly.

"That looks new," Carolinha remarked as they sat down on the mushy grass. She and Angel sat opposite of Romina.

"It sort of is," Romina said, placing the violin over her lap, "My aunt and uncle bought it for me last year as a Christmas present. I've only ever really played it during last summer."

"Arden said you were taking classes, right?" Angel asked. "Or that you had started it up again?"

Romina nodded. "Before coming to Hogwarts, I took violin classes after school. You could say that the violins have grown with me."

"That's cute," Carolinha giggled. "Poetic."

"Yeah, that's about the only poetic thing about me," Romina said, sharing a laugh with her afterwards. "But in all seriousness, I do love this thing so much. I may be a loud mouth, impulsive, and my character could use some more ladylike traits but when I play the violin...I feel like I'm truly elegant and graceful."

"You can be those things when you want to be," Angel said, "And even if you aren't, who cares? You're still great."

Romina smiled sweetly at him. "Thanks."

Carolina cleared her throat with purpose. She was beginning to think her brother was going a little overboard with his crush. Annoying was crossed a long time ago. "Anyways," she said, throwing her brother a look for him to calm himself, "I want to hear something."

"Well," Romina said, pausing to think for a second, "Before we came back to Hogwarts, Arden and I were practicing this cover of Halloween muggle movie we watched."

"What was it?" both Carolinha and Angel inquired, even sharing the same curiosity that only twins could.

Romina was shy when she answered in a whisper. "Hocus Pocus…"

"Hocus what?" Carolinha lifted an eyebrow at her. "That sounds weird, even for Muggles."

"It's a Halloween movie. A comedic Halloween movie," Romina reminded them, "It's about 3 witches who come back to life after being lynched in the Salem Witch Trials—"

"That's supposed to be a comedy?" Angel made a face. "The Salem Witch trials are terrible, Romina. Nothing funny can be made out of it."

Romina sighed. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised that even the twins didn't understand her muggle ways sometimes. "It's supposed to be fake, guys," she said quietly.

"But it's not," Carolinha said adamantly, "Witches and wizards used to be hunted down for real until we decided to go underground."

"I get that but this is just a movie and you know what?" Romina frowned at the pair of siblings. "If we're going to be on the honesty part—those witches deserved it. If anybody's stealing youth and killing children, then they should be killed." She opened her arms to wait for a counterargument from either sibling.

Of course, there was none.

"Thank you," Romina said, rolling her eyes, "Now then, would you like to hear the version of the song they used for the movie? It's catchy, I swear. And the title…?"

"Yeah, I guess," Angel nodded, slowly. He could see where Romina's annoyance stemmed from and over a movie. Maybe he and Carolinha were over-exaggerating a little bit. There was no way Romina would ever be okay with the Salem Witch Trials.

"The song's called 'I Put a Spell on You'," Romina said, earning a combined laugh.

"Of course it is," Carolinha shook her head. "Okay, maybe it's not that bad."

"The way Winnie sings it is hilarious," Romina continued with more giddiness now that they were focusing on the 'it's a movie' part. "She makes the humans dance. But the actual song is a little bit more...sensual, I think."

"Oooh," Carolinha's eyes widened, her lips curling into a smirk. "Now I definitely want to hear it."

"I'm not sure I want to anymore," Angel muttered. Carolinha promptly elbowed him on his side. "I'm just saying!"

Romina laughed. "You should hear Arden sing it. She's actually really good. If this whole witch thing doesn't turn out, we might go into show business. Arden sings and I play the violin."

"I'll pay for the tickets!" Carolinha quickly volunteered.

"Oh alright, can we just hear it?" Angel asked, preferring to get it out of the way before Carolinha started going on in a ramble.

Romina thought the same. "Okay." She pulled her violin over her left collarbone. It took some adjusting but she'd remembered everything Mrs. Vale had taught her. She'd only been going to Mrs. Vale's class since forever. Soon, she was delicately moving the bow over the strings to create—to the best of her ability—the melody of the song. To help the twins imagine the song better, she decided to hum along.

Whatever qualms and annoyances that had occurred were forgotten in a matter of seconds. The twins were dazzled with Romina's talent. The melody truly did sound like it was trying to tempt you into something, taunting even. Carolinha swayed her head, imagining what it would sound with even more instruments. Angel listened as well but he was more focused on Romina. It looked like she had forgotten they were even there. Her hums grew louder yet remained soft to stay between them.

"Sing," Angel suddenly requested. He had done so breathlessly that Carolinha sent him another 'calm down' glance.

Romina's eyes flickered to the twins, smiling lightly. "I'm not much of a singer," she reminded them. She continued to play without the humming. "Maybe when Arden gets out of class, she can help."

"You're playing amazingly," Angel said.

"You really are," agreed Carolinha.

Romina was flushed with embarrassment. "Thanks guys," she said. "You want to hear more? I've got Disney classics under my belt."

"Disney?" Both twins chorused with the same confusion.

Romina laughed. "Oh dear, I've got to catch you up."

~ 0 ~

Divination could not have ended any slower. Arden was ready to leave, especially today. Trewlany had, had some crazy ideas and suggestions about rearranging seats for the class and Arden wasn't very content with her new partner. The only thing that they could agree on was that neither one wanted the other for a partner.

"Hey King!" she heard the call from the steps above.

"No," Arden said sharply when she turned to Draco coming down the stairs.

"I haven't said anything," the blonde said with a frown.

"I don't care," Arden snapped. "You saw who I got stuck with as a partner!" She flapped her arm in the direction of their class. "You really think that after sitting next to Pansy for what seemed like an eternity, that I would have the energy to handle whatever the hell you're going to send my way?"

"Kinda weak there," Draco remarked, smirking when he could practically see the fumes coming out of Arden's ears. "I was just going to ask if you had any idea where Oswell would be right now? I have something...fun to show her."

"Oh, I bet," Arden rolled her eyes. She was also in no mood to handle the petty war between the two. "She's at the lake. I sincerely hope she'll shove you into the water. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the library to get a headstart on that homework Trewlany assigned. Fancy making predictions?"

"Not unless they include me winning," Draco was quick to answer with. He moved around her and went on his way.

Arden went in the opposite way for the library.

~ 0 ~

Maybe it was a little late to enact another round of retaliation but after thinking about it during Divination class—because Draco pretty much thought about anything but the actual class—he decided that he earned some fun times. Trewlany made time go so unbearingly slow.

"Remind me again why we can't go back to the Common Room after a long day?" Blaise asked him as they trudged down towards the lake. Like Draco, and Arden for that matter, Divination had sucked the life out of him.

"Because you can never miss an opportunity to stick it to Oswell," Draco answered automatically.

"On the contrary," said Theodore, rolling his eyes, "I don't think any of us care enough like you do. Is it really that important?"

"Absolutely," Draco said confidently. He was sure that if Romina had thought of the same thing he had, she wouldn't waste a second in enacting it.

"And why are we here again?" Blaise asked with a sigh.

"Because I require an audience and you two have nothing better to do."

"...fair."

Draco thought as much. He picked up his pace, leaving Blaise and Theodore to do the same. The closer they got, the more they started hearing what sounded like music. It took them a short moment to realize it wasn't exactly music but a product of a violin. And with that violin came the giggles of familiar girls.

Draco immediately picked out Romina's from Carolinha's, the latter having a more squeakish type of giggle. He soon spotted the pair sitting on the ground and, unsurprisingly, it was Romina who had been playing the violin. Then Draco saw Angel sitting a bit too close to Romina. In fact, during her fit of giggles (apparently over something Angel was proudly saying), Romina occasionally let her head fall over his shoulder. And of course Angel lived for it. Of course he did. Draco knew he did.

"Are you going or not?" Blaise demanded beside Draco, very much tired.

"Seriously," Theodore threw his head back impatiently.

Draco continued to watch in silence for a few more minutes. He knew he got angry a lot—it was part of his personality—but he couldn't ever remember a moment where he felt this type of anger. It was an unjustified anger—he could admit that to himself and only to himself—and it consumed him in under a minute. A record time; something else he was aware of but would only admit it to himself.

"Look, she's clearly not even thinking about your stupid war—can we go now?" Blaise said, despite already turning away. Theodore was doing the same thing.

No, Romina clearly wasn't thinking about anything else that didn't have to do with that violin of hers and Angel sitting perhaps but a centimeter from her. Draco had never turned so fast, that Blaise could ascertain, considering he was shoved to the side.

"Hey!" Blaise called after him but Draco was too far ahead to notice or hear anything, not that he would even if he had been close.

"What the hell is his problem?" Theodore rolled his eyes and got started walking back to the castle.

~ 0 ~

Arden lowered her parchment to see both Harry and Ron staring at her with wide blinking eyes. They'd been working quietly in the library since they'd found each other. They were also taking Divination which led to a lot of common ground between them, mostly questions about how to do the assignment. Arden had long lost patience and when Ron suggested they just start making up their predictions for the month, Arden went right with it. Now she was done and she was ready to present her homework to them.

"Erm…Arden…" Harry said a minute later, he and Ron both looking at her chart, "You wrote down that you're going to get run over."

"Yeah," Arden shrugged. "So what?"

"Getting run over implies cars and...there's no cars at Hogwarts," Harry said, pressing his lips into a thin line.

"Huh, you're right." Arden planted her arms on the table and thought for a second. "Oh!" She snapped her fingers. "I can get trampled over! She can't question that with the Beauxbatons' horses out there."

"Sounds good," Harry snickered as he handed her parchment back.

"I hope she buys it though—Trewlaney," Arden said.

"She will as long as we put ruddy stuff like the 'planets aligned'," Ron mimicked their professor's tone, causing a fit of snickers amongst them.

"King!"

Arden groaned. "Not again," she whispered just as Draco strode up to the table. "I thought you were going to the la—"

"We need to talk, now," Draco declared, "Get your stuff and let's go!"

Arden raised an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me?"

"Now!"

"You can't talk to her like that," frowned Harry.

"For once in your lifetime, Potter, stay out of it," snapped Draco without so much of a glance in Harry's direction. His eyes were glued on Arden as he waited for her to pack her stuff up.

"That's rich coming from you," Harry scoffed.

Draco paid his remark no attention. "King, let's go!"

Ron looked between Arden and Harry, sharing the same surprise and genuine curiosity. It wasn't every day that Draco Malfoy ignored them. They wished that would happen more often but sadly reality wasn't that kind to them...which begged the question of what had caused such a phenomenon in the first place.

"I will get your stuff and shove into the bag," Draco warned Arden, "and whatever homework you got done—"

"I get it," Arden said, raising a hand to keep him right where he was. "Sheesh, what the hell got into you?" She started rolling up her parchment. She packed up quicker just out of sheer curiosity. "I guess I'll see you two later—ah!" Draco had yanked her away from the table before she could finish saying goodbye to Harry and Ron. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" Arden exclaimed against his hard grip around her arm.

Madame Pince shot them both a look for the disturbance but since they were on their way out anyways, she didn't bother with anything else.

"Would you let go of me? Since when do you touch me anyways!?" Arden wrestled out of Draco's grip. "And how can I make that never happen again!?"

"Shut it!" He snapped. "And listen!"

"Not like I have much of a choice," Arden muttered as she rubbed her arm. "What's gotten into you?"

"You...you were right," Draco said after much struggle, "I...I think I need to fix things with Romina."

Arden paused, her head turning slightly. "Oh, you're serious." He huffed. "You used her first name. How'd that happen in the course of an hour?"

"Doesn't matter," Draco said, "I just need...some...help." The struggle to admit any of that was enough to send him to the nightwing with stomach pains.

Arden's eyebrows raised. "Oh? My help?"

Draco nodded. "Unfortunately, the only people who really know Oswell are you and Potter. And I will die before I ever ask him for help."

"Yeah, yeah you would," Arden agreed. "And you're in luck, Harry lives a few houses down from Romina but I live right next door to her."

"I know, that's a torture I don't even want to imagine...for her, you know."

"You want my help or not?"

"...yes," Draco admitted.

Arden tilted her head. "Say it completely. I require a full admission before I offer my services."

"Seriously?"

"Mhm. You fucked it up, therefore you gotta work for it."

"Oh I bet," Draco grumbled. He had thought long and hard before coming to Arden and as such, he expected a couple things. "Fine," he relented, "I need your help. What's it going to cost from you?"

Arden grinned. "Two things," she said, much too quickly...almost as if she'd expected this situation to happen. "One," —she raised a finger—, "you have trade Divination partners with me."

Draco's face filled with horror. "You want me to take Parkinson!?"

Arden nodded. "Absolutely."

"No, no, anything else!"

"That's one of my prices!"

"Nott doesn't even like you!"

"Not my problem, I'd rather work with him instead."

"NO!"

Arden crossed her arms. "Why not? She's like in love with you so you could get her to do your work."

"It's not worth it!" Draco said far too quickly for Arden not to laugh on the spot. "I mean it!"

"That's part one of my deal," Arden said, "Take it."

Draco passed a hand over his face, groaning, "Fine! How will you explain that to Trewlany anyways?"

Arden cleared her throat and proceeded to answer in the voice of their professor, "Because my birth planet would be out of its orbit if I was next to Parkinson." She laughed shortly afterwards.

"What else?" demanded Draco before he truly lost it.

"I've seen you talking to Viktor Krum—I want an autograph."

"You don't even like Quidditch, why would you want an autograph from him?"

"Because then I'm going to sell that for a couple galleons," Arden answered matter-of-factly. "I can definitely start a schoolwide bidding for it," she smirked.

Draco paused and looked at her. "I am...very tempted to say I like your style."

Arden nodded. "We can work well together."

"Fine, I will switch partners with you and get the stupid autograph. Will you help me fix things with Romina?"

Arden held her hand out to shake with him. "Done deal."

Draco begrudgingly shook hands with her. "Not a word to anyone," he warned. "That's my end of the deal."

"I don't think they'd believe me anyways," Arden pointed out.

In that, Draco could relax but everything else...it seemed impossible. He had yet to flush out the anger he felt from the lake.

~ 0 ~

"I'm so tired," Arden said as she and Romina made it into the courtyard, "And you Romina, you look so…" Arden finished her sentence cautiously when Romina threw her a glare.

They had just finished a Care of Magical Creatures class and the skrewts were getting too big for either girl's liking. They were burning more. Romina had marks on her arms to prove it. "I love Hagrid but I'm afraid he's going to kill us," she said on their way to Great Hall.

Arden laughed. "I know."

"The only good thing is that it wasn't just me who looks like this," Romina held her arms out for Arden to see. "Draco had the lovely idea to say I should connect the dots with them as if he didn't have a big mark on his neck."

Arden snorted. It was actually a fairly funny joke. "I mean…"

"Shut it!" Romina snapped. "I'm going to get him back for that one too."

"Again with that? Aren't you getting tired of that?"

"It's like you don't know me at all."

"I'm just saying…" Arden wouldn't say that she was saying it in the first place because of the deal she'd made with Draco a few days back, "Don't you think it's kinda childish?"

"Maybe," shrugged Romina, "But it's also kind of fun."

Arden took note of the smirk on her friend's face. "It's more like weird flirting, you know."

The smirk dropped right off Romina's face. "I will punch you if you ever say that again to me."

Now it was Arden who was smirking. "Why? Cause it's true?" Romina said nothing before punching Arden's arm. "OW!" Arden yelped, hand clapping over her arm.

"I warned you," Romina said, entering the Great Hall. She was extra hungry after dealing with burning Skrewts.

"I was just saying—" Arden stopped altogether when Romina's fist raised again. "I meant maybe you should call it a truce already."

"Why would I ever do that?" Romina found an empty spot at their table. "It's not like Draco will."

"You never know," Arden said, taking a seat beside her. "You could try talking to him."

"Why bother? What I really want to hear from him will not be coming out of his mouth anytime soon." Romina reached for the bowl of peas. "I think he's forgotten the reason why we're in this in the first place."

"You mean because of what he said at the World Cup?"

Romina nodded. "Yes. Until he shows me a shred of decency, I can't forgive him."

"But...even Hermione doesn't seem that mad about it anymore and it was directed at her," Arden reminded. She'd done her due diligence and fished it out of Hermione herself. If anything, Hermione was more concerned that Romina would end up pushing Draco too far and would get hurt because of it.

"It doesn't matter," Romina snapped, "It's what he implied for the rest of muggles. I have to be honest, I still think that maybe, just maybe, he didn't mean it."

A silver lining. Arden jumped on it. "So use that and go talk to him!"

Romina shook her head. "No way. He'd laugh in my face for sure. He doesn't want to talk to me."

Arden cocked her head to the side, lips pursing as she mumbled under her breath. "You'd be surprised."

"Did you say something?"

"Huh?" Arden jumped. "Nope! Well, I was just curious…"

"About what?"

"Well, look, I'm kind of tired of this bullshit so excuse my curiosity. What do you really want Draco to do?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes!"

Romina side-glanced her friend with some suspicion but given that Arden was pretty much everywhere, Romina decided not to think about it so much. "I guess...I just want him to be honest. Mainly, I'd like to know that he's not as terrible as everybody says he is. Human decency, you know? He's not willing to let somebody die." Romina stopped eating altogether. She hadn't meant to be so specific. It was almost like she'd been thinking about it nonstop—which she hadn't. "I need to go change."

"What?" Arden frowned when Romina started getting up. "But we just sat down. You said you were starving!"

"I had my fill," Romina said quickly before rushing off.

"With what?" Arden was left calling. She took a look at Romina's plate and saw it was still pretty heavy on the load.

Half an hour later, Arden was relaying the conversation with Draco. They walked alongside each other down the bridge

"So basically you have nothing for me," Draco said sourly, shooting Arden a glare. Arden rolled her eyes in return. "I've already paid you but I will take my partner back."

Arden snorted. "No way in hell I'm giving Nott back. He's actually not that bad." Somewhere in the distance, she was sure Theodore would be hexing both her and Draco for using him like that. "And calm down, drama queen, I'm doing the best I can but you sincerely fucked it up."

"Wipe that smile off your face," Draco snapped as soon as he saw Arden close to laughing. "You said you were going to help me. Deal's a deal, King."

"Yeah, yeah," Arden waved him off. "I am. I had to do some fishing before I could actually help."

"That implies you've figured it out, then?"

"Mhm." Arden came to a stop, prompting Draco to do the same. "You want to fix things? You need to man up and go talk to Romina—and listen extra close for this one—without any tricks and jokes. No more retaliations, no more tricks. You need to be serious for once in your life."

"I thought I gave the implication that I was very serious when I agreed to take Parkinson off your hands," Draco reminded her.

Arden would bobbed her head. "Yeah, okay." That was a sacrifice all on its own. "But I meant what I said. Honestly, you just need to talk. I can help arrange that."

"No," Draco flatout said.

"Why not?"

"Because…" Draco struggled to come up with a decent answer and it was simply irritating Arden to no end. It was like he was purposely sabotaging his own attempts.

"I'm calling the shots now," she decided and took off for the courtyard.

"What—get the hell back here!" Draco rushed after her. Arden was surprisingly fast for someone petite like her. "That's not what we agreed on!"

"We agreed that I would help you and if I have to drag you there myself, I'll do it," Arden said, making the motion that she was more than willing to pinch him by the ear if she had to. "I have a younger sister and brother, you know. I'll do it for sure."

"Malfoy?" The pair stopped at the call. Theodore was coming up to them with a fairly confused face. "What are you doing with King of all people?"

Arden audibly groaned. "Dating—is it any of your business?"

Draco could have strangled her at that moment. He cast a deep glare in her direction but Arden was long used to the looks Pansy always sent her.

"Seriously, think about it. Talking is the way to go," she warned him before taking off.

"What the hell was that?" Theodore asked, or rather demanded, from Draco when Arden was gone. "First, you make me switch partners and now you're spending time with her? Dude, what the hell is going on?"

"None of your business," snapped Draco before he, too, took off. He had to consider his very few options before Arden decided to follow through with her threat to arrange things.

~ 0 ~

Romina felt like she was being watched in a way. She had no idea what it was, nor who it was, but she felt the presence of someone's eyes on her. She wouldn't realize it until a couple of Beauxbatons girls came up to her one day with the message that their headmistress—Madame Maxim—was waiting for her in the courtyard.

"But why is she looking for me?" Romina dumbly asked the seventh year girl who'd relayed the message. Don't be stupid, you know why, she reprimanded herself. She'd been wondering how long she could put that awkward conversation off.

The answer was a month.

So, after getting herself a little more ready for the meet—because she couldn't meet Madame Maxim without making herself a little more presentable—Romina went to go find the woman in the courtyard. Sure enough, there she was with a couple of her students.

Romina cleared her throat the closer she got. One of the girls informed Maxime about her presence and were promptly shooed as Romina arrived.

"Ah, bonjour Miss Oswell," she greeted cordially.

"Hello," Romina said, feeling like she probably should have said something else, something fancy.

"It's very nice to meet you," Madame Maxime said, smiling politely and cordially. "I believe your grandmother talked about us? The Beauxbatons Academy?"

Romina nodded. She sincerely hoped that her grandmother hadn't mentioned the big time gap since she first requested she (and Rolf for that matter) speak to her old headmistress.

"Abigail Gejél was one of my prized students back in the day," Madame Maxime remarked, her expression growing distant as she thought of the past. "I had just become the headmistress of the academy. Your grandmother, bless her heart, made my job a lot easier."

"I get the idea that she does that a lot," Romina said. It was embarrassing to admit that she didn't yet know her grandmother like a true granddaughter should.

Madame Maxime made a gesture for Romina to walk with her. "Oh yes, as a young girl, Abigail showed clear signs that she was poised and disciplined like a young lady should be."

Back in the day, Romina sourly thought. They were talking about the early 20th century of course. She, however, was not as "poised and disciplined" as her grandmother. She doubted she ever would be.

"She grew up to be a prized example of what all Beauxbatons students should be like," Madame Maxime said. She brought Romina to an empty bench where the two could sit together. "And she brought more recognition and pride after her work against Grindelwald."

"Who?" Romina asked, making a face. She regretted it the moment Madame Maxime looked at her crazily.

"You do not know of your grandmother—your grandparents'—history in the wizarding world?"

"Um...I have a complicated past myself," Romina said, biting her lip. "I only just discovered that Abigail was my grandmother. I heard a few things about a war but...I don't really know the exact details."

"This is an important history. Your grandmother fought to keep everybody safe, she helped fight one of the most powerful wizards apart from You-Know-Who."

"I didn't know," Romina admitted with shame. Maybe she should spend a little more time with history books rather than play tricks on people.

"I suppose Abigail didn't want to talk about the dark past with her grandchildren," Madame Maxime said, shrugging her shoulders.

Romina had to wonder if Rolf knew about this. Of course he has to. He's known grandma forever. Romina could feel a sting in her heart. What if her grandmother hadn't said anything because she didn't want to? Maybe she doesn't trust me enough.

"How old are you, Romina?" Madame Maxime inquired as she looked Romina over to calculate her own answer.

"Fourteen," Romina said.

"Ah, prime year to get ready for your exams the following year," nodded Madame Maxime. "As I have told Abigail time after time, the doors of the Beauxbaton academy are always open for her family."

Romina's eyes widened slightly at the idea of her actually attending Beauxbaton Academy instead of Hogwarts. It was terrifying to say the least.

"She's never taken my offer, though," Madame Maxime lamented, "She and her husband decided to send their kids to Hogwarts." She made a weak gesture towards the school. "I deeply respect Dumbledore but I must admit I have a little sore spot when it comes to my alumni."

Romina could smile at that. "I'm sure my grandmother doesn't think any less of your school. There's just something about Hogwarts, I guess. My father's family is originally from Columbia and they emigrated a long time ago to England just for the school."

Madame Maxime eyed Romina with genuine surprise. "Really?"

"Mhm," Romina nodded. ""Long time ago. Whole generation of Oswells have been coming here..."

"Well," Madame Maxime said with a huffy sigh, "I suppose I still have a chance of nabbing another Gejel when you and your cousin grow up."

Romina laughed for sheer embarrassment at the implication. "I'm fourteen, Madame!"

"Right now you are, but don't forget about Beauxbaton when you have your little ones, alright?" The woman winked at Romina and chuckled when she saw the bright blush on the girl's face.

~ 0 ~

It would be days before Romina could even glance in Madame Maxime's direction during meals in the Great Hall. Even then, Romina preferred to mostly focus on her meals. She did, however, nab the first opportunity to speak with Rolf later that week.

"She got to you too then, huh?" Rolf was shaking his head when Romina finished telling him the awkward conversation she had with the Madame. "I love grandma Abby, but that Madame is a little weird." Rolf hopped onto one of the windowsills for a seat. "And very obsessed with having more Gejéls at her school."

"Oh God, did she talk about that with you too?" Romina now felt mortified for the two.

"My future kids and whatnot! Lady, I'm 14!"

"And a guy, for that matter," Romina added, nearly snorting when Rolf went with a sharp 'yeah!'. "You're a scaredy cat."

"Oh come off it, you thinking about your future children already?" Rolf shot her a look.

"Of course not," Romina crossed her arms over her chest, "It's just not as terrifying as it probably is for you guys. Women are just inherently braver, hence the reason we're the ones who have kids."

"Whatever," Rolf said, rolling his eyes. "At least we got that stupid conversation over with. Now we can report back to grandma and that'll be that."

"Yeah, about that...Madame Maxime taoked a lot about grandma's history?" Romina decided to take a seat beside her cousin. "She was talking about these important battles that Grandma supposedly fought in the past? And I had no idea what she was talking about. Grindelwald?"

Rolf nodded. "Yeah, both grandma and grandpa had to do their share of fighting against that guy. He was almost as bad as You-know-who."

"Powerful — that's what Madame Maxime said about him," Romina remembered. "How come grandma hasn't told me about it?"

"Probably didn't want to talk about that the first time she met you," Rolf shrugged. "Not exactly the most cheery way to greet your granddaughter for the first time."

"But them afterwards? Not even grandpa said anything."

"To be fair, grandpa never likes talking about that dark period. He's more shut off about it than grandma."

"It just feels like they don't really trust me," Romina admitted.

"Don't go there, Romina," Rolf warned.

"Why not?" Romina huffed.

"Because it's not true?" Rolf said in a manner that expressed this was logical thinking. "You have no idea how much everyone lamented that they couldn't meet you, but no one more than our grandparents."

"Then why didn't they tell me any of this stuff?"

"Because it's full of darkness, of-of endless fighting. They didn't want that story to be the first thing you heard of them. Do you know how long it took me to hear the story? Ages."

"It's not like I haven't heard worse," Romina said quietly.

Rolf stayed silent. He knew exactly what she was talking about, ironically the other reason why their grandparents hadn't said anything either. They knew Romina's past already held much more darkness than any fourteen year old's past should.

"Romina," Rolf reached for his cousin's arm, gently squeezing it, "They love you. Don't you dare think otherwise. It's not fair to either side."

Romina could agree with that sentiment. Her grandparents had shown nothing but deep affection for her since the moment they met. She shouldn't start doubting them after one conversation with a woman she barely knew.

"You're right, I'm being stupid," Ronina shook her head. She felt silly now that she thought about it.

"I wouldn't go that far," Rolf said with a light chuckle and pat on her arm. He slid off the windowsill. "Now c'mon, we have Muggle Studies today."

Romina agreed and moved to slide off the windowsill as well until she heard her name. To her surprise it was Theodore approaching her.

"What's up Nott?" Romina raised an eyebrow at him.

"You tell me," he responded rather sourly, something that Romina and Rolf exchanged glances for. "Since you seem to be besties with Arden."

"I don't 'seem to be', I am," Romina corrected. "Have you not being paying attention for the past 4 years?"

Theodore rolled his eyes at her. "Where the hell is she? I can't find her."

"Why are you of all people looking for Arden?"

"Well, I've been trying to get a word with Draco but he keeps blowing me off!"

"And the connection between that and Arden would be…?" Romina made a gesture with her hand for Theodore to get on with it. Beside her, Rolf wanted to laugh at how his cousin was handling things. She just had a way, didn't she?

"I was partners with Draco in Divination and then suddenly he says he's taking Parkinson instead and that I have to be Arden's partner now."

Romina paused just to replay Theodore's words in her head and make sure she heard right. "Sorry, you said…"

"No explanation whatsoever and whenever I try to ask about it, turns out neither Draco more Arden can be found!" Theodore scowled. "And the moments that I've caught them, they're always together."

At that, Romina had to laugh. "Yeah right!" Theodore wasn't laughing. He stared at Romina long and hard until she got the message. "Oh, you weren't kidding…" She blinked. "That makes zero sense. They couldn't stop complaining last year that they were stuck as each other's partners for Divination. In fact, the only thing they could both agree on is that this year it would be better because they wouldn't be partners anymore. Why would they be doing favors for each other?"

"Really Oswell? You can't figure it out?" Theodore snapped.

"Figure what out?" Romina made a face. She glanced at Rolf and saw that he was more or less agreeing with Theodore. "What? What am I missing?"

"They're either together or nowhere to be found, which is really just the former," Theodore said, "They're seeing each other in secret. They're dating — which is disgusting!"

"They so gotta be," Rolf agreed, crossing his arms and nodding his head.

Theodore gave him a grateful gesture for seeing it his way. "Right? Thanks, Gyrffindor."

"My name is Rolf."

Theodore ignored him in favor of Romina who had yet to say anything. "Well, Oswell, Arden's your friend. Get her to leave my things alone and by that, I mean keep her paws off—"

"No," Romina spat, her nose crinkling.

"Romina, just use your connections—"

"No!" Romina yelled with a sudden rush of anger. "You're mad if you think you're right!"

"No I'm not," frowned Theodore, "I've been chasing them down for a whole week. I have eyes, Romina. They're always together!"

"NO!" Romina's anger kept rising like bile in her throat. "That's not true! They're not dating!"

"Romina," Rolf gently called to calm her down. He didn't think she'd want the attention from others in the hallway.

Romina drew her arm away when Rolf attempted to touch her. "He's being stupid, Rolf," she said in reference to Theodore, "The last people who would ever date each other in this world are Draco and Arden!"

"Then how do you explain the switcheroo Draco pulled on me?" Theodore challenged her. "Unless he did it to spend time with Pansy—"

"NO!" Romina said just as loudly as before. Neither option settled well in her stomach.

"God, Romina, why are you so mad with me?" Theodore made a face, genuinely insulted that somehow he was on the receiving end of her wrath. "I'm just as lost. If you see either of them, send 'em my way will you?"

Romina's entire face scrunched with anger. With no words to describe her emotions, she settled for attempting to shove Theodore.

"Woah!" Rolf quickly reached out for his cousin and grabbed her arms.

"Dammit Romina, you're mad!" Theodore took several cautious steps back from her.

"And you're a liar!" Romina snapped. She wanted to free herself of Rolf's grip but he was surprisingly strong.

"I will leave her with you," Theodore said to Rolf. His eyes flickered back to Romina. "Talk to me when you don't have flames bursting from your head."

Romina glared daggers after him. "He's lying, he's got to be," she said. "Arden would never!"

"Romina, calm down," Rolf urged her. "Why are you so mad?"

"Because Theodore's making up lies about my best friend, Arden!" Romina wrestled free from his grip even when it ended up hurting her elbow a bit.

"That's it?" Rolf asked cautiously but still ended up getting a crazed look from Romina anyways.

"What do you mean 'that's it?'?" She frowned. "Of course it is! What else is there?"

Rolf seemed like he wanted to answer that but for safety reasons, he decided to hold his tongue. "You know we're family right?"

"Obviously!" Romina exclaimed, exasperated.

"So you know I'd never say anything, right?"

"The hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing," Rolf said, shrugging his shoulders. "Just a reminder. Let's go to Muggle Studies, yeah? Calm down a bit?"

Romina nodded slowly. Her heart was beating too fast like it would implode any moment. That wasn't healthy.

"You want to come into the Gryffindor common room?" Rolf asked, grinning.

"I can't do that, Rolf…"

"Yes you can. There's no rules about it in any of the books."

For the first time since Theodore had shown up, Romina managed to smile. "Who are you, Hermione Granger?"

Rolf laughed. "That's my cousin. C'mon." He came up beside her and slung his arm around her shoulders.