A/N: So this is my first story, hope you all enjoy it! I honestly started writing this years ago so suggestions/feedback are much appreciated :)

As soon as I woke up, I knew today was going to be a bad day.

It might have been the fact that I missed breakfast, since I slept in and none of my roommates - who were also supposed to be my friends - thought it would be a good idea to wake me up.

Or perhaps it was because, in my mad rush to get ready on time, I'd left my charms homework in the dormitory - something that would later earn me a one hour detention with the ray of sunshine that is Professor Blake.

But maybe, just maybe, it had something to do with the fact that class A git, Al Potter, decided that today would be the perfect day to set fire to my hair.

As if my day wasn't already going badly enough.

I rushed to DADA twenty minutes late, bursting through the door in what could only be called a dramatic entrance for the records. My hair was a tangled mess, and I stood in the doorway, face red and sweaty, as I tried to regain some sense of my regular breathing. I felt the stares of the class as my teacher turned to face me, humour sparkling in his blue eyes.

"Ah Olivia," Teddy Lupin said, a smile on his face. "How nice of you to show up. I was beginning to worry you'd gotten lost again - after all, wasn't it only last week that you barged into my class with the second years?"

I flushed. In my defence, I wasn't lost. It just so happens that I can get a little… scatterbrained sometimes. Besides, I'm pretty certain the only reason I ended up in DADA last week (when I should have been in herbology) was because somebody decided to switch up my timetable.

That someone being Al Potter of course.

I honestly have no idea what I did to evoke his wrath. All I know is that our age old rivalry remains to this day, in everything that we do: classes, Quidditch, endlessly-annoying-the-other-until-they-want-to-tear-their-hair-out - you name it, we've competed over it.

Teddy's voice jolts me out of my thoughts. "Well Olivia, if you'd like to sit down instead of aimlessly standing in the doorway like a lost goldfish, I could continue my lesson." I could sense his amusement from here.

"Sorry Ted-Professor Lupin" I mumbled, quickly heading to my seat and thanking Merlin it was only Teddy's class I had been late to.

You see, Teddy Lupin was quite possibly the most laid back teacher Hogwarts has ever had. When he was in school, he caused havoc wherever he went, with pranks and parties that were the stuff of Hogwarts legend. And now, he had returned to teach (although most suspected he simply missed the chaos of Hogwarts). To this day, there have been rumours that he secretly participates in the prank wars, and although he's never been caught, McGonagall certainly has her suspicions.

She's got eyes like a hawk, that woman.

Well anyways, since my mum was practically best friends with Hermione Granger (what with them working together in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement) I ended up becoming close with the Potter-Weasley clan, which led to Teddy pretty much becoming an older brother of sorts to me.

Its nice to know that I've got at least one teacher I can blackmail when the need arises. After all, I'm sure Teddy wouldn't want his dear Grandmother Weasley to know about his drunken escapades during seventh year…

I plopped down in my seat, dumping my books next to me and blowing a stray curl out of my face. Crap. With how late I was running in the morning, I hadn't had time to put my usual straightening charm on my hair. Now it hung in a frizzy mess of dirty blonde curls - no wonder I was getting so many strange looks in the corridors.

And sitting right next to me was the cause of all my problems.

I elbowed her. Hard.

"Cassie!" I hissed. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Now I probably sound like an entitled bint, but let me tell you this: Cassie Williams has woken me up every morning since first year, without fail. Since she's up at the crack of dawn, drinking her green tea and doing her yoga, its never much trouble for her to get me awake. Originally, she struggled, since I'm as responsive as a rock when I sleep, but over the years she's developed quite an arsenal of tricks to get me awake. From levitating charms to simply tipping me off the mattress, Cassie's become quite well versed in the art of waking me up on time, not to mention she finds some sadistic amusement in torturing me at 7am, when I'm at my worst. Which is why this particular morning was such a shock to me.

"That my dear friend," She said, tossing her platinum blonde hair over her shoulders. "was revenge for ditching me for Quidditch practice." She spat the words out, obviously disgusted. I rolled my eyes. Cassie made it no secret that she detested Quidditch - it wasn't until third year, when Erin and I joined the team, that she even bothered showing up to watch the matches.

"Okay, I'm all for pissing off Liv, but leave Quidditch out of this!" Erin butted in.

Erin was your stereotypical punk. Literally. Inky black hair in a pixie cut, snarky attitude, questionable music taste (though she would kill me if she heard me say that), she had it all. She absolutely terrified most of the lower years (not to mention a lot of us when she first joined) but you could always count on her to be there for you, no matter what.

And there was always the fact that she was ready with her beaters' bat to greet anyone who decided to mess with us.

Rose looked up from her hastily scribbled notes,

"I swear guys, you talk non stop during every class, and then beg me for notes a week before the exams! This year, you're on your own."

"Yeah Rose" I said, smiling sweetly. "That's what you tell us every year"

In all honesty, I bet Rose liked to see us squirm. After all, by the time exams rolled around she was the most relaxed out of all of us. While the rest of us drowned our heads in books, she'd be busy planning some prank with James, tackling all the logistics and difficult spellwork that he couldn't get his head around. More than that, after five years, she had a lifetime's supply of Honeydukes' due to our incessant bribing for notes during exam season.

The rest of the class passed uneventfully, with the exception of Eleanor Bones managing to grow herself a rather flattering pair of antlers once we'd moved on to practical spells. At this point, I'm pretty certain the poor girl lives in the hospital wing, what with her constant magically-induced predicaments.

When the bell rang, we all got up and stuffed our books into our bags, eager to get out of class (even if it was only for a few minutes). As we walked down the corridor, Cassie spilled the latest gossip spreading through Hogwarts, keeping us up to date with the Hogwarts rumour mill.

"And then, apparently Julie Waters walked in on him snogging Madeline Vane! Can you believe it?" Currently she was busy detailing the exploits of Zachary Corner - a seventh year who was infamous for his short lived flings. Honestly, I'm surprised Julie expected a serious relationship with him, we all know that the words 'long term' don't mean a thing to Zachary Corner.

As we turned a corner, I realised I had no idea what class I was going to.

"Guys," I said. "What do we have now?"

Erin smirked, "Only your favourite class ever…"

Cassie joined in, apparently eager on making me suffer today. "Oh yes Liv, this class is practically your heaven on earth…"

I stopped in my tracks. Oh no. It couldn't be. Not…

"Potions."

Someone kill me now.

To say that I was bad at potions would have been an understatement. I sucked at it, metaphorically of course. The theory wasn't a problem, I could memorise that easily (even if I didn't understand a thing). But the practical part was a different matter.

It didn't help that my partner was none other than the complete arse Albus Severus Potter.

Slughorn slammed my assignment on the desk, and I jolted out of my thoughts. I looked down to find a big red 'E' scrawled on the top right corner.

Slughorn didn't spare me a second glance before he turned to the git next to me with a large smile plastered on his face. "Well done Mr Potter! I have a sense that you've done a lot of the work here." he said, while shooting a surreptitious glance at me. Then he turned to properly face me. "As for you Miss Adams, I trust that in the future you will actually contribute to your assignments, and refrain from making your partner do all the work."

I was fuming. How dare he! As if it wasn't me who spent hours in the library trying to finish the project while Potter was off doing who knows what! The git had made it clear he wouldn't give the project any importance, so I was left to finish it. That wanker didn't do a thing and yet he gets all the credit?

Furious (and probably a bit delirious - I blame the potion fumes in the dungeon) I started muttering under my breath, mimicking Sluggie (who had continued down the class), my voice steadily rising. "Oh Mr. Potter! You're so skilled at potions, a natural born talent, such a joy to have in the class. You're just like your father, I wish I could just bow down and kiss your feet!"

Okay so maybe the last bit wasn't the most accurate. Unfortunately for me it was the only part the prick next to me had heard, not to mention the rest of the class, who were all watching us eagerly.

Gossip-hungry animals, the lot of them.

"Now now Adams," Potter said loudly, raising an eyebrow. "I know I'm irresistible and everything, but lets keep our relationship strictly professional." His voice went lower. "But... if you want, we could arrange something… on the side." He smirked.

I felt the tips of my ears turn red. That arrogant wanker! I'm surprised his broomstick can carry the weight of his massive ego!

"I would never stoop low enough to date a self-obsessed maggot like you!" I shot back

"Oh really now? Well I vaguely remember a boyfriend of yours who fits that name much better than I do" He was referring to Michael Davies, my ex boyfriend from a few months ago. True, he was an arsehole, but I'd take him over Potter any day.

Before I could reply, Slughorn cut in, his tone dry. "Ahem. Well, as riveting as your conversation is, I'm afraid I have a lesson to continue with. Five points from Gryffindor."

I turn around to see that the entire class was staring at us now, some with knowing smirks on their faces. Pricks. They knew nothing.

"Alright class, today we are going to brew the Draught of Peace, a potion that will most definitely come up in your OWLs." As expected, there was a chorus of groans from the class - no one wanted a reminder of OWLS, which were only a couple of months away

Slughorn waved his wand. "Split up into your pairs, the instructions are on the board. I want a vial of your completed potion by the end of the lesson."

I sighed. This was going to be just great.

I stopped stirring the potion to smell something burning, and heard Potter mutter "Oh shit". I looked down, and screamed.

"POTTER! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" I shrieked, not caring about the rest of the class. In case you're wondering, he burnt my hair. That's right, he burnt my flipping hair. I quickly put the fire out and turned to Potter, glaring at him. "You were supposed to be tending to the fire! Can't you do anything right?"

"Oh please, don't act like you're better than me." He rolled his eyes. "Might I remind you who got top of the year in potions? Besides, class gets boring sometimes, you can't blame me for wanting to have some fun." The smirk was present, as always, making me want to slap the git.

"That doesn't mean you get to burn my hair!" Saying I was furious would be an understatement. The straightening charm I had put on my hair after defence had begun to wear off due to the heat, and my hair began to curl again.

"Relax Adams, It looks better like this anyway. I never did like your natural hair colour."

My temper flared. "Shut up Potter! you wouldn't know good hair if it was right in front of you!"

"Oh really? Because that explains why half the hogwarts population is dreaming of running their hands through my hair." He smirked, knowing I couldn't deny it. Right now I was seriously considering killing off every female in hogwarts - excuse my murderous tendencies.

Unable to think of a reply, I simply said,

"In your dreams, Potter."

He probably would have come up with a sarcastic retort, if it hadn't been for the bell.

While everyone else got up to leave the lesson, I looked down at our potion. It didn't look too bad, considering I was pretty preoccupied with yelling at Potter. I quickly poured some into a vial and left it on Slughorn's desk, eager to leave the classroom and Potter far behind.

Turns out Madame Pomfrey wouldn't fix my hair - something about "school regulations" and how it's a "trivial matter" that doesn't require her attention. I'm 99 percent sure that's bullshit, and that the real reason is that this is her payback for my constant whining in the hospital after Quidditch related accidents. I'm also fairly convinced that denying a student care and attention when they've been assaulted is illegal, but Madame Pomfrey was a force to be reckoned with. I ended up chopping off the burnt parts myself, so now my once waist length hair came to about my shoulders. Well, at least my straightening charm still works; I haven't had my hair in its natural state for years.

On the way back from the hospital wing, I hadn't stopped ranting - I mean, do you really blame me?

"Calm down Liv." sighed Rose. "It's just your hair."

"Well yes, but I'll have you know I quite liked my hair - before it was burnt. Besides, it's the principle of it - I mean he burnt my bloody hair! What do you expect me to do? Bow down and kiss his feet?"

"Well that's what it sounded like you wanted to do back in potions. Hmm… what was it you said again?" Erin smirked at me from next to Rose.

I cringed. "Was I really that loud? It's just that the git annoys me so much…"

Cassie, who was walking next to me, rolled her eyes. "Shut it Liv, this is getting old now. Just get into a broom closet and snog already."

Erin looked at her pointedly "Well seeing as that's your solution for everything, maybe you should try that with Louis."

Clearly feeling sorry for Cassie (who began to vaguely resemble a tomato), Rose intervened. "Shut up Erin, just cause you couldn't get a boyfriend if you tried." Wow, good one Rose! I'm sure Erin's cowering in terror.

Erin snorted. "Oh please, I don't need one. I'm too good for everyone in this hell hole anyways."

With that the four of us stopped in front of the fat lady, who looked offended at being called part of a 'hell hole'.

"Devil's snare." I said, eager to get into the safe confines of my bed.

As we made our way to the stairs leading to the girls' dormitories, something caught my eye. Potter and Malfoy were lounging in the armchairs by the fire, talking about god knows what.

I found myself walking towards them, and my mind vaguely registered the sound of Cassie muttering "And here she goes again…"

"Well hello girls" Malfoy said, a smirk on his face. "Do you need anything? Like perhaps a trip to the broom closet?"

"Nah we're good, wouldn't want to risk an STD," replied Erin, rolling her eyes. I hadn't realised she was behind me - but then again, you can always count on Erin to never miss a fight.

Malfoy looked mildly affronted, and Potter knowingly asked "Well then? What brings you here to this part of the common room?"

Before I knew what I was doing, I had my wand out and Potter was hanging upside down in front of me.

The git still had a smirk on his face.

"That," I hissed, "Was for burning off half my hair."

"Really Adams," He drawled, as unfazed as ever, despite the fact that he was dangling upside down from the ceiling of the Gryffindor common room. "You should be thanking me - now people won't have to stare at a rat's nest every time they look at you. You never know, this might be the change that helps you win back Davies…"

"In case you'd forgotten, I was the one that dumped Davies, not the other way around…"

"Right… after he cheated on you with Lancaster…"

I felt anger bubbling up inside me. Who did Potter even think he was, walking around the castle like he owned the place, setting fire to people's hair and then proceeding to poke fun at their love life in front of most of Gryffindor house?

"Well Potter, don't you have anything better to do? I mean, being the son of Harry Potter, don't you have expectations to live up to?"

Rose gave me a warning look from across the room, but I carried on, my temper taking hold of me.

"You must be such a disappointment, compared to your dad I mean. What was it he was doing in fifth year?"

Now Cassie and Rose had come up next to me, the latter who gave me a look that clearly said stop right now.

For some reason, the words wouldn't stop coming out of my mouth. My pride had been wounded, and this was the result.

"Oh, that's right, he started teaching everyone DADA, and went on to battle Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries. He must be so disappointed in his son, who doesn't even come close to being a hero."

Something changed in Potter's eyes, and I knew I had crossed a line. Still, my words were in the open now, and there was nothing I could do to change that.

He took a step forward, eyes narrowed.

"At least I know that I would try to save someone if I had the chance - could you say the same for yourself? Because judging from what I've seen, you're generally too self-obsessed to give a shit about anyone other than yourself."

I froze. He had hit his mark. His words had launched themselves at a memory buried deep inside me; a memory I had strived to forget for the past five years.

"You know nothing." I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

I turned away and walked up the stairs to the dorms, feeling hollow and numb inside. Upon reaching our room, I shut the door behind me and leaned against it.

Then I let the memory consume me.