Disclaimer: Recognize it? Not mine.

Half-Angel, Half-Demon

I didn't quite mind dances. It wasn't like I fully enjoyed them, but I enjoyed them more than most social activities. I enjoyed them more than watching Quidditch games. I enjoyed them more than going to Hogsmeade with the pack of imbeciles that I had the misfortune to call my classmates. I decidedly enjoyed them more than group assignments.

For one thing, it was a social activity in which I wasn't required to talk much. I had a date, I could dance instead of exchanging meaningless words - in fact, conversation could be kept reduced to the bare minimum. I'd been trained since I was little to use opportunities like this to keep up the family name and strengthen my ties with other Pureblood families.

No matter how much I disliked people, dancing was merely the means to an end. I reveled in the fact that I could play my part to perfection.

I sighed and stared at my date to the Yule Ball. I was thankful that Daphne Greengrass wasn't like Parkinson or Bullstrode or any other girl I knew. When I'd complimented her on her appearance, she accepted the compliment with grace. She ate discretely and talked very little, and about all the proper things. She wasn't drinking any punch, and wasn't gossiping about Hermione Granger and Viktor Krum like most people I had the displeasure to witness.

Yes, Daphne was most pleasant. Or at least, pleasant enough that I didn't want to cast a Cruciatus curse on her.

"Do you want to dance?" I asked after we were both done eating. She gave me a curt nod. It wasn't the first formal dance I'd ever attended, as my father was a prominent member of the Pureblood society. I knew what to do.

I offered my arm and led her to a corner the dance floor that didn't seem too crowded. She smiled at me as I placed my hand on her waist. I returned the smile politely, albeit forcedly. As the song started, we danced in perfect harmony. I enjoyed myself, I enjoyed the music, and I enjoyed the colors that flew around us both.

Daphne's bright blue eyes were fixed on mine, her expression set in an unyielding, unreadable mask. I knew I shouldn't break eye contact too much, so as to denote I was into the moment. Because of this, when the last notes of the song played, I noticed that Daphne seemed troubled. I prided myself in being quite observant, so I knew there was something wrong because of the way her gaze wandered and her mouth twitched.

"Is everything alright?" I asked.

"I apologize if I seem absent, Theo. Don't worry about me."

I wasn't the least worried, but I knew better than to force her to have fun when she clearly wasn't. I didn't mind - I'd used my little formula for formal dances. Daphne Greengrass could tell her parents wonders about me, and everyone else present had seen me dance with such a stunning, distinguished young woman. Her present worries would only ruin my evening if I pretended we weren't there.

"I must insist."

She shrugged as music began again. We both traced the well-known steps.

"I'm watching over Astoria," she confessed. "Tried to warn her that dating Zabini wasn't a good idea."

"Such a great example of family unity," I said with my eyebrows raised. My moves took me to see the aforementioned couple. They seemed to be arguing.

When the dance let me see them again, I realized that the youngest of the Greengrass sisters had gotten up from her chair and walked toward the Great Hall's entrance. Daphne promptly released me, and I understood it was my place to escort her to the outskirts of the dance floor.

"My apologizes, Theodore, but I must leave for the evening."

I nodded casually and waved my hand once, to indicate a goodbye. She turned on her heels and disappeared behind her younger sister. It was well-known that the Greengrass sisters were each other's best friend, too proud to let anyone else in. It wasn't something I could fully appreciate, being an only child and having no friends.

Oh well. That had been it, and it definitely had been enjoyable enough while it lasted. While I sat down, I thought that I'd had luck with my partner. She hadn't even insinuated that I should kiss her, not even once. I winced at the thought of kissing Daphne Greengrass. She was almost objectively beautiful, but there was nothing about her that awakened my desire.

For that matter, I had not met a single girl that awakened my desire.

I found myself alone. While I liked alone, I very well knew that it wasn't the way to be in society. I debated between leaving to sleep, and staying to find another partner, maybe sitting down to mindlessly chat with the foreigners. I shuddered. No, no chatting. Dancing was a decent option though, so I scanned the room, but every place my eyes fell on seemed to bring inferior prospects.

At last, my attention was claimed by that table with those noisy Ravenclaws. They drank, ate, laughed and none of them seemed to understand the true meaning behind the occasion. I stared at them in anger, still searching for a reason to stay. Oh, there were Hufflepuffs as well. It only got worse. I missed my wand dearly - how could I have forgotten it in my haste to get ready?

I knew some of the people at that table. There was that Goldstein kid, who I didn't quite mind, but I looked down on him for he was holding that insignificant Brocklehurst girl's hand. His two friends, Corner and Boot, also had dates I couldn't identify. There were Ernie MacMillan and Hannah Abbott, then Mudblood Finch-Fletchley and Susan Bones...

And then, among them, a pretty brunette sitting alone. I gave her a look of approval as I realized she wore actual dress robes, with long sleeves and a delicate cape, and not those practically muggle garments I'd seen most non-Slytherin girls wear. This girl giggled and chatted with the rest, seemingly unaware that she was in couple hell.

I recognized her from those stupid group assignments Professor Sprout was so fond of. She was Morag MacDougal. Blood traitor. The thought was disgusting, but her father was a big shot at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement so that wasn't as disgusting. He researched dark wizards, documented their exploits and helped in their pursuit. In the last war, he'd even acted as a spy for the Ministry, merely for research. He almost got my father, but luckily, there was no proof against him.

After the childhood I'd had, I'd learned from my father's experience that I should never seek power through gangs. I was smarter than most, smart enough to make a name for myself. I would never do anyone else's dirty work and not being anyone's slave like my father had been for the Dark Lord.

On that train of thought, if there was ever a respectable way to become acquainted with darkness, powerful hexes and horrific acts of violence, the Research Unit of the Auror Office was definitely it.

I pondered this for a second. That's what I was aiming for, of course, and I'd always been civil to the MacDougal girl because I hoped that her father could one day be my boss. For this reason, she didn't seem to dislike me or fear me like many others did. There were chances she'd actually dance with me, so why not take them? It wasn't like I'd be seen with a Mudblood - she was a Pureblood girl of a respectable family.

I decidedly stood up and walked up to her. As I approached the loud table, I noticed how everyone shut up and some of the boys suspiciously placed their hands on their pockets. If only I had my wand...

I decided I wouldn't be intimidated as the girl looked at me with curiosity.

"Good evening, Nott. What brings you here?" She spoke with a cool voice.

"Morag MacDougal, I'd be honored if you joined me for a dance." I realized a bit too late that I'd sounded threatening, as if I was going to hex her if she refused.

She examined me quite closely, and then turned to her friends. They all had a tense expression, but I remained calm.

At last, to everyone's surprise, she nodded and offered her hand. I took it and led her to the same corner in which I'd been dancing with Daphne. I heard MacDougal's friends conspire with disapproval.

"You're insane, Morag!" Someone yelled from the table. "Don't go with that pig!"

But the girl rolled her eyes and placed her hand on my shoulder, letting me hold her waist. An upbeat song started, and I was surprised to discover she could follow my lead with ease.

"May I ask why is Theodore Nott asking me to dance?" MacDougal finally spoke.

"I saw a good-looking girl sitting without a partner..."

"Lies."

No one ever dared to speak to me in such a challenging manner. Then again, I was without a wand and she was right.

"I take interest in your father's work," I finally said as politely as I could manage.

"Of course you do," she said in a smooth tone. "I'd expect someone like you to find him fascinating."

I knew her attitude hid an insult, but I wouldn't confront her about something she had conveniently omitted.

"Why are you dancing with me, then?" I asked instead.

"Why not? You're a fantastic dance partner, or you could be if you kept your mouth shut."

"Are you insulting me, MacDougal?"

She chuckled as I let her spin, and she only spoke when we were back to rhythm again.

"Believe me, Nott. If I were insulting you, you'd be pretty damn sure. We're just very much unlike each other, so why ruin a lovely dance with unlovely conversation?"

I found myself internally smiling and thinking that, once again, she was right. I hated to admit it, but she had a spark Daphne had lacked. She was vivacious, clever, and refreshingly sincere.

I still wanted to steer the dialogue to friendlier topics. I needed to make a good impression. It didn't matter what I thought of that puzzling blood traitor, but I was compelled to have her think wonders of me. And so, I asked about a matter I was finding perplexing, hoping she'd take my inquiry as a compliment.

"How is it that you don't have a date?" And it was a sincere question too, as she was a good-looking girl of excellent lineage. Definitely not the classiest, but she wasn't trash like those Weasley idiots.

"I thought we'd agreed to keep our mouths shut," was her answer.

"Is this kind of conversation all that disagreeable?"

"I don't really mind, but you've never been one to like conversation. You can stop pretending to care."

"But I really am curious," I let out without thinking. Why was I talking with her, really? She'd given me all the opportunities to keep my mouth closed and keep matters enjoyable.

"My ex-boyfriend conveniently broke up with me a week before the Ball, if you care to know," she answered with a sour tone, but promptly calmed down. "Why are you without a partner, Nott? I thought you'd brought Greengrass as your trophy girl..."

Oh, she did not go there. I felt some anger rise up, but for the sake of my quest, I kept it low.

"You better watch your words, MacDougal."

"Hey, I gave you the right to remain silent and you ignored it. Now I'll have my fun. You very well know I don't find you intimidating."

I was physically disarmed, and now she was stabbing at my mental armor. If she didn't find me threatening, then what did she see in me? Why wasn't she cowering like every single one of her friends?

"After the frightened looks everyone at your table gave me, how am I supposed to know that?" I asked.

"I'm dancing with you," she pointed out before she spun again. She offered me a big, clean smile, then kept talking. "Truth is, after living with my father, there's no mindset that can impress me."

That made sense, and while thinking over her words, I finally took her offer of silence with delight. It was a comfortable silence, and I hated myself for it. I hated myself because I was actually enjoying the conversation with the blood traitor. I was actually enjoying the moment, all things included. How did that happen?

Oh well. The important thing was, she didn't seem to be too bored with me either, and that was a good thing.

"Are you acquainted with that mindset?" I tried to get her to keep talking about her father as much as possible.

"Quite. My mother also works for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, so I was very much raised to know about as many dark wizards as you can imagine. Instead of having my dad read bedtime stories to me, he'd tell me how we managed to catch some bad guys."

"That's..." I couldn't find a fitting word. I reckoned she could name more dark wizards than I even heard of.

"Appealing?"

"Unexpected," I finished with a quick smirk.

"Nott, you can smile! I'm impressed."

Against my better judgment, I found her joking remark to be amusing. However, I'd mastered the art of keeping a blank expression, and I thought this was an appropriate moment to do so.

"MacDougal, I warn you..."

"Again, you violated your own right to remain silent. Everything you say or do can be used against you."

"You really are the daughter of a lawyer," I observed, not bothering to hide my amusement anymore.

"I'm going to be a lawyer as well, so be a good boy. I'll have the power to get you in jail."

I scoffed.

"You can be sure I'm going to remain in my best behavior."

"Except you know more curses than anyone at Hogwarts."

I fondly recalled my repertoire of the Dark Arts. Yeah. It was quite extensive, and it had gained me a great deal of respect among my moronic peers. I wasn't above using them every now and then when I felt like it.

Either way, I needed to prove her wrong. My family history was no secret, surely not to the daughter of the man who knew all the facts on dark wizards. I knew better than to bring up that my father was a Death Eater and my mother was brutally murdered when her husband was suspected of betrayal.

I'd witnessed that murder, and no matter what, it wasn't something that I would wish on anyone. No matter how much I ever wished I could murder that person with my own hands.

"Getting too involved in questionable deeds has consequences I'm not willing to bring on myself," I finally said, carefully choosing my words. She seemed to understand the implications behind them, for her eyes widened and she was deep in thought for a minute.

"You have a good understanding of danger and glory, and that's wise of you," she spoke after the song we were dancing to had ended. I nodded, so as to accept her compliment. "So what do you plan on doing after Hogwarts?"

"After trying to make me shut up, do you really want to make small-talk?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm curious. After some of the things I've seen you do with your wand, I was sure you'd be the kind to face criminal charges."

She'd probably been present when Zacharias Smith dared to insult my father. I made his fingernails dig back into his hands, causing subtle but mortifying amounts of blood to pour out from them. The look of horror and pain in his face had been hilarious. That pathetic excuse of a wizard had it coming. Professor Snape had even seen my point and refused to give me detention.

"I'd never face criminal charges. If I ever do something, do you really think I'd be stupid enough to leave clues?"

"There's no such thing as a perfect crime."

"Maybe there is. A perfect crime would never be discovered in the first place." I let my words sink in, as she seemed to think them over with interest. No one had ever shown this degree of curiosity on my ideas, so I was slowly giving up on hating myself for these interactions.

Our choreographic moves were nothing more than second nature now. Everything that took my fancy at the moment was the beautiful girl that looked me in the eye, getting me to open my mind in a way that didn't seem forced or even revealing.

It was so easy to talk to her, to just express things everyone else wouldn't care about and have her regard them as significant. She was quite intelligent herself, I'd noted, so her input on things opened new doors to me.

Silence seemed futile at the moment, and so when it became clear she wouldn't answer, I kept talking. "Trust me, MacDougal, you won't have to deal with me if you become a law enforcer. Or maybe you will - maybe I will be your boss."

She laughed as we twirled on and on. I couldn't get over the fact that I'd made a joke - a funny one, apparently.

"Do you really want to become a law enforcer?"

"As I said before, your father's research interests me immensely. I'm aiming to become a Researcher."

"Good luck then. To be part of the Research Unit of the Auror Office they scan your whole background. You need to go through almost the same training Aurors do. They need to know you won't be seduced by all the darkness you'll find, and we both know you're a lost case since the very beginning."

"Darkness interests me, but it doesn't seduce me. There's a dark wizard within us all, I just accept I exists in myself and give him what he wants."

It took me a few seconds to realize I'd just exposed some deeply personal information. Her demeanor didn't seem to change with the revelation.

"That's an obvious principle," she said nonchalantly. "For an Auror to be drawn to light, they have to know exactly what darkness means. We all deal with our inner darkness and feed it somehow, but the Research Unit needs to be sure that you'll choose light when the time comes."

In the end of the day, I'd always choose the side that seemed safer. Being unable to voice that uncomfortable truth, I found myself handpicking my words.

"I'll do my job well. One might think it's all it takes."

At that very moment, the music we danced to halted suddenly. We both turned to the stage, letting go of each other. I missed her hand in mine and the contact through fabric of her other hand on my shoulder, my hand on her waist.

I quickly understood the reason behind the abrupt pause. The Ball's guest band, the Weird Sisters, were getting on stage and arranging their instruments for their show. I wasn't a fan, and for some reason, I hoped that MacDougal wasn't either.

I searched for clues in her facade. However, when my eyes returned to hers, I saw her looking in the direction of the table she sat in before. I had forgotten there were other people in the Ball. I never thought they mattered, but she seemed to think they did.

She straightened her robes, avoiding my gaze. After another quick glance to her friends, she finally looked at me in a piercing manner. I felt that a spell had been broken, making my brain work quickly. I needed to keep her around before she could choose otherwise. Daphne had been easy to let go, but I wasn't having such luck this time.

I wanted, needed to know more about this girl. It just couldn't end like that. That couldn't be it.

"MacDougal, do you wish to go somewhere where we can converse more freely?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure that's the best idea."

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not even carrying my wand," I confessed, intuiting that this would go a long way to prove my point.

"Why aren't you...?"

"Don't even ask." She shrugged.

"Alright then. I just noticed that my friends are trying to commit murder via staring..."

"Then I am definitely getting out of here before they succeed. Care to join me?"

She giggled and seemed more relaxed. Two jokes in one evening were too much for me. It's not that I didn't have a sense of humor - mine was sharper, deeper and darker than most. I just had never been amused enough by absolutely anyone, so I didn't feel the need to display it. With MacDougal words flowed freely, naturally, and I found her effect on me most intriguing.

I took her silence as a quiet agreement, and I was glad to note that she was following me out of the Great Hall. As we exited, the noise in the Ball became dimmed. Silence hit my ears and I felt the familiar joy of privacy, of getting away and retreating into my own thoughts.

But Morag MacDougal was there with me, and that fact made me immensely self-conscious.

"Where are you planning to take me, Nott?"

There was one place I would go to when I needed peace and quiet, but could I let her in?

I examined her, truly analyzing her appearance for the very first time. She was almost as tall as I was - she wasn't even wearing heels. Her purple robes and soft curls gave her a demure aura. I'd noticed her dark green eyes and her freckles, the features showed her face in a light of unassuming beauty. But I hadn't noticed the charm and intelligence her expression and her gaze gave away.

There was just something about her that made my heart beat faster, my head feel lighter.

"Follow me," I commanded.

I guided her through the Entrance Hall and to the eastern courtyard. As we both stepped out, we closed our eyes to the icy wind. The ground was covered with a coat of snow, but skies were clear and starry. The chilly air threatened to sip through my bones, so I tightened my cloak around my body. Good thing it was enchanted to repel the wind.

She probably had similarly altered garments, for she was standing straight without even wincing at the temperature.

I went to the opposite side of the patio, where a tall tower stood. Instead of climbing up the spiraling staircase, I gave two long strides to my left, to what seemed like a solid stone block under the stairs. I was looking at a tiny door that stood as tall as my waist, camouflaged so well with the walls that I had no doubt I was one of the few who had noticed it.

It was one of those doors one did not simply open. It didn't require a password either. It was one of those wimpy doors that craved for niceness and attention.

"Will you be so kind to let us out? Please?"

MacDougal laughed while the block of stone seemed to contentedly sigh. It moved out of the way, as if it was pushed away from us. When it stopped, we almost-crawled out to a breathtaking sight that was very familiar to me.

We had a thin strip of land in front of us that was limited by the castle's exterior on almost every side. South of the castle was a precipice. At its bottom, the Black Lake, all the lights from the skies shining on its surface as well. We could see as far as the Hogsmeade Station, and even beyond, where wilderness kept the castle away from indiscreet stares.

I couldn't reject the thought that her face filled with wonder was more eye-catching than the stars' reflection on the lake. I wondered about her, what went through her mind, what kinds of things interested her and why didn't she seem fazed by things others found intimidating.

What can one find in the dark corners of your mind, Miss MacDougal? I wanted to ask. But instead, I watched as she used her wand as a torch and melted the snow on the ground. It was no ordinary lumos; it was actual fire burning intensely from the tip of her wand.

It made her look otherworldly. Half-angel, half-demon.

"Where did you learn that spell?"

"Professor Flitwick only teaches it to Ravenclaws," she said with pride. "Rowena Ravenclaw used it when she traveled up north with the other founders. Rumor has it she invented it herself."

"What's the incantation?"

"House secrets, Nott. We all have ours."

"Indeed."

Her wand seemed to emanate a powerful fire, for it did its job quickly. She sat down on the now uncovered patch of land and I did the same, right next to her. She turned off her wand, so we were back to the vague light of the night sky.

"May I assume from your comments that you're interested in Hogwarts history?"

"That's right."

"I'm going to tell you some of my own theories." It was the first time in my life there was someone willing to listen, and it felt liberating. "Did you pay attention to the place we're in?"

"I did. It's almost like someone had specifically created it to simply get away. I like it, Nott. I'm grateful you're sharing this with me."

Why was my heart beating so quickly at her nice words? I found myself unable to look at her, fearing I was blushing. My expression didn't change though, and I stared at the lake while I spoke.

"It's interesting, really." I couldn't even address what she'd said. "After I stumbled upon this jewel, I did some research. Apparently, this door can be an attention-craving little idiot, but no matter how kindly you ask, it won't let you through if your blood purity is questionable."

"That is so... wait, do you think Slytherin...?"

"If I think this was Slytherin's very own hideout? Quite possibly. It's no secret he was the one who decided to settle near the Black Lake." As she seemed impressed by my knowledge, I went on. "We also have our rumors and house secrets MacDougal. This goes on about how Slytherin established his colors."

"I'm listening."

"Something he loved, and is visible in this very same place: the moon shining over the trees. Silver and green. Quite simple."

"Nott, please. You're more realistic than that." She rolled her eyes. "I think you're romanticizing a rumor to make it sound like a very important decision. I think matters were more pragmatic - the Founders simply sat down and had a good chat about instilling team spirit in their pupils. That's all there is to it."

"I like your plain version of events." I couldn't contain a smile. "I was only letting you in on speculations that could admittedly be rubbish. Then again, when it comes to the Founders, it's mostly myths and legends."

"That's true, but there's a fine line between conjecture and nonsense. When people start theorizing about why is just totally obvious that Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were a couple..."

It was my turn to roll my eyes.

"Don't even get me started on that. It's hard to stay polite when people speak such nonsense. I need to use mental tricks to keep myself from being creative with my wand."

"Well, when all else fails, remember that doors don't talk nonsense. Some, like this one, require your politeness. So try to treat people like doors."

I sneered at her questionable analogy. "That's quite a stretch."

"Well, I was entertained by how nicely you addressed that door. Next thing we'll know, you'll be bowing to it."

Her expression let me now she meant her words in jest. She'd finally warmed up to me, and I felt a complicity I'd never felt in my life.

"Is my civility so astounding? Miss MacDougal, haven't I been enchanting enough this evening?"

She laughed, but her answer was a serious one.

"That you have. I'm honestly impressed. I didn't expect to have this much fun at the Ball."

Neither did I, I thought. "You seemed to be having a pleasurable time with your friends."

"Since they all have dates, it's hard not to feel left out. More so since my boyfriend left me not long ago."

Who would leave such a charismatic creature?

"Do tell," I said trying to keep the curiosity in my voice down. She sighed, taking a long time before she spoke.

"We didn't date for long. He didn't even like me that much, but I gave him the chance and it was given that we were coming together to the Ball. A better-looking girl asked him out, so he dumped me. End of story."

Girl drama had never been my area of expertise, so I muttered a phrase I'd heard girls tell one another countless times: "You deserve better."

"Shut up, Nott. You sound like the Witch Weekly. I don't need you to tell me things I already know."

If I'd been taken by her before, my insides burned at her heated pride. I laughed, surprising even myself by this reaction.

My mind went back to Daphne's controlled attitude. At the time I'd found it agreeable, but how dull it seemed now in comparison! Morag MacDougal's kind of fun wasn't one I was used to having. I was surprised at the stimulating conversation and her clever mind. I was unsure about how to react to her lack of restraints.

"I didn't mean to offend you," I apologized after I was done laughing. "I'm just not sure of what kind of response you were expecting from me."

"You asked a question, I simply answered. I guess I'm just tired of people treating this as a delicate matter, as if I was willing to sacrifice my well-being for such a conceited bastard."

"If someone dared to treat me like he treated you..." I started, but nothing seemed like a good enough threat. "Well, let's say I wouldn't have an alibi for when you tried to jail me up." She let out a soft laugh, a bit disdainful but not insincere. "You seem to have a weird definition of dignity, MacDougal, but as long as you're able to stand straight and hold your head high, it's not my place to try and dissuade you."

She kept quiet for a while, mulling over my words as she'd done a few times that evening. Her stare was intense, with a weight I hadn't noticed before.

"You know, Nott," she said in a soft voice, "you're quite fascinating when you're not trying to make people fear you."

That was the closest thing to a compliment I knew I deserved from her, so I took it with a faint smile. I could feel how she intently observed all of my reactions. Even in the dim light, it was obvious to me that her gaze wasn't just fixed on my eyes but were scrutinizing my nose, my hair, my lips...

I bit my lip. I'd never felt so conscious of that part of my body - my lips.We were tickling in an unfamiliar way that I was almost sure I was imagining, but it made me curious nonetheless.

And what about MacDougal's lips? I lowered my gaze. She had a tiny mouth, painted pale pink, thin but delicately inviting...

Did this all mean I wanted to kiss her? Was I now feeling something akin to comradeship, to desire, to any sort of romantic predilection? I'd never felt anything like that before. How could I tell?

I'd never even kissed a girl. How could I even go about it? What if she didn't want me to kiss her, and she opted to humiliate me with a negative?

She placed her hand on my shoulder. This simple gesture informed me that she did want it, and that this was the moment.

"Nott..." she whispered as my own hand flew to the back of her head. I leaned in, unable to hide my hesitation.

In the end it was she who closed the remaining gap, and from there, things were just easier than I'd imagined. Closing my eyes and following her lead was all I'd needed, and her reactions were telling me that I was doing it right.

She was doing more than just right. She was waking up a monster I didn't know I had in myself. I wanted to pull her closer, kiss her more deeply, but when I let that instinct take over she broke the contact.

It took me a few seconds to fight my disorientation. I wished my expression wouldn't give away my disappointment.

"Is everything alright?" I asked with an even voice.

"It's wonderful and all, but I'm wondering about what comes after tonight. I'd like for you to answer that." She paused for a while, but as I had no comments, she had to continue by herself. "Will we pretend none of this happened? Forget you're a Slytherin and be honest. You have no reason to lie, for I'm more than willing to continue what we started. You can tell me the truth if that's what you want and spare us from a shameful time later."

Her sincerity demonstrated her use of cold logic and her levels of self-confidence. It only affirmed my own stand on the matter: I was really looking at a very special person. Someone who seemed to understand who I was and didn't let appearances fool her, or uncomfortable truths cloud her judgment. A valuable match to the inner workings of my mind.

"Is forgetting what you want?" I asked. MacDougal kept still for a few eternal seconds, after of which she shook her head. I felt my heart leap with relief and when I spoke, my voice was choked. "Good. Neither do I."

Our lips joined again, but I took care of controlling my impulses. Instead of trying to deepen the kiss, I gently placed a hand on her waist. She let out a soft moan, which sent shivers down my spine.

Kissing her felt just right. It made time disappear, made everything around us become nothing more than a faint murmur. I felt cold on my face, but my whole body was burning.

I was so into the moment that I was surprised when she gave a startled jump.

"What now?" I couldn't keep my annoyance at bay.

"Someone called my name..."

"Morag!"

We both looked around but found no one.

"Morag! Up here!"

We looked in the direction of the tower and saw someone looking out of a window, a floor higher than ground level. I recognized him as a brawly Gryffindor a year above us.

"Who's that idiot?" I asked rhetorically.

"That idiot," she answered anyway, "is my ex."

From the same window emerged a head of a girl, stupidly giggling as if she couldn't hold her alcohol. Given the sneakiness of some students, I wouldn't have been surprised if that couple had actually gotten their hands on some Firewhisky.

"Do you have no pride?" I asked with disgust.

"Again, I simply thought I'd give him the chance..."

"No, not you," I clarified. "Them."

"Oh. Yeah. No pride. Just ignore them."

"Oi! Morag! Come here!"

She shook her head resolutely and looked at me in the eye.

"Shall we just continue?"

I was about to fulfill her wishes when a flash of red missed me by inches. When I turned to search the source, I wasn't surprised to find the man in the tower laughing as if I was insane, his wand on the ready. The giggly girl was out of sight.

"Morag, did you really step that low?" her ex-boyfriend yelled. "Are you honestly kissing that filthy Slytherin? I didn't know you to be such a fucking slut!"

Looking at MacDougal's hardened expression, I decided that I'd had enough. While I knew he was provoking us out of sheer jealousy and possessiveness, I didn't think that was good enough reason to take it.

I menacingly stared at the intruder, searching my pockets out of habit. I knew almost instantly that it was futile. I felt inadequate without my wand, without my possibility of fighting for my dignity. It was much worse because I wasn't defending just my own pride, but also hers.

"Theodore, here." I was surprised to hear my name from MacDougal's lips, soft-sounding yet piercing like a knife. I turned to her and saw her unabashedly handing me her wand.

I took her gesture of trust with confusion. She simply nodded, her face devoid of expression. I thought a ephemeral smile curved her lips when I closed my fingers around the object she offered.

When she spoke, her tone of voice was commanding and detached.

"You know what to do."

Notes: This is for the second edition of the Guilty Pleasure Fic Exchange, for Maraudercat. She had four pairings on her list - two canon, two could-be canon. Could-be canon is my area of expertise, and I had a hard time choosing between Justin/Susan (who made a cameo here) and Morag/Theo. In the end, Ravenclaw and Slytherin won - not to mention they were first on her list. This piece was particularly difficult to write, but it was a lot of fun and I'm content enough with the results.

Maraudercat- Here it is! I hope you enjoyed this piece as much as I loved writing it. I knew I was taking a risk with the pairing I chose - I'm guilty of having read a story of yours to see how you envision them I know I didn't get them just right, but I hope their dynamics are close to what you imagine.

Again, special thanks to my beta ladyoftheknightley for sitting through all 6000+ words and still managing to look closely.

Everyone else- Thanks for reading! I'd be glad to receive support and feedback.

-Karyn.