Inspired by Elle Roche

"Well, well, well," came a mocking voice from behind. "Heir Potter, is it?"

"It cannot be,"said another condensing voice as it interrupted the first, "as the Potters were kicked out of the list of sacred Twenty-Eight, so no heir."

"So it is ...Mr. Potter," said the voice with a derisive snort. "I wonder why this lot is even here at this auspicious evening. I mean, can it get even more pathetic. I expected better from the Longbottoms. They might as well be as poor as the Weasely's. But maybe we can trade."

Henry heaved a sigh as he recognised the voices, unconsciously dropping his shoulders slightly. He wondered if it is too late to make a hasty retreat, but shook his ruefully at the absurd notion. Even though it might not be too late to retreat, he was a Potter and a Gryffindor. They never retreated. Ever.

He straightened his shoulder and took a deep breath and slowly turned to face the unwelcome company he received, he might as well get it over with. He knew they wanted to rile him up, and to his humiliation it was kind of easy as he never had better control on his temper unlike his other two twins, but he would not make them force him to leave. He owed Neville not to make a scene at his engagement ball.

"It's an honour to make acquaintance with you, Heir Rosier," replied Henry in a cheerful voice with a deep stiff bow, though he kept his gaze levelly with the Rosier. He turned his gaze towards the lady standing besides Rosier. Henry had to resist the urge to blink as the sparkling of the gems almost blinded him. The lady was covered from head-to-toe in heavy diamonds, ruby, emerald, sapphire. He was slightly bad for Rosier as the 'sparkling' Heiress was practically glued on him. He felt a laugh bubble in his chest and coughed slightly as he noticed the way Rosier tried to act nonchalant. He would have believed if not for growing with a Slytherin brother. He cleared his throat and stiffly bowed to the 'sparkling' Heiress as well, and forced his gaze towards the ground. He quickly released a deep inaudible breath as he let the frustration he felt release from his body. It won't do to let these people to see any of these emotions as they would twist it to their pleasure. It was a curse to live by these pureblood rules. He quickly straightened up and carefully unclenched his jaw and tried to make his voice as smooth as possible, "And you look absolutely ... jewelled tonight, Heiress Carrow."

The 'sparkling' Heiress sniffed at him, turning her gaze away, her nose wrinkled slightly. Henry felt his jaw tighten again and had to make a effort to unclench them.

"Can I know the reason that Heir Rosier considered I might be worth his time, seeing as you are quite busy with such a jewel...lady, the shine she is emanating might even surpass the beautiful fountain in the Ministry." The words were out of Henry's mouth before he could think them thorough and what was worse, he had imitated the git in question.

Henry wanted to groan out loud and face-palm. He had just had done what he was stopping himself from doing. He was glad his twin siblings weren't present. He was sure Harry would have sneered at him and called him an 'Uncouth Griffindor' and Haesel would have frowned at his callousness and took a painful revenge later for insulting a girl no matter that the girl in question had deserved every word. Carrow was a pureblood heiress and he was a half-blood and a Potter. And Potters, as kindly reminded by the 'sparkling' Heiress, were not included in sacred Twenty-Eight. They were below purebloods, but were at least considered to some title, unlike the muggle-borns. The purebloods might use their titles, even be friends or frenemies or brother-in-arms, but that was it. The purebloods never crossed the line to bond with them. Though Potters have had wives who were purebloods until James Potter, but they were all from another countries and never a heiress.

The last Potter to marry a pureblood Heiress lady was Hardwin Potter and at that time Potters were included in sacred Twenty-Eight.

But in the end he was a 'Pig-headed masochistic Gryffindor', curtesy of Dalante Malfoy, and he just looked back serenly at the duo in front of him.

Unbidden an image of grey eyes, long white-blond hair and a slight smile appeared behind his lids, causing his heartbeat increase. Henry opened his eyes, not knowing when he had closed them. However, his gaze fell on the twisted smirk that was present on Heir Rosier's face, making him considering if he should have not opened his eyes at all. He had to lock his feet and body in one place to make sure he could not turn around and run for the hill. He was a Potter, dammit. And a Gryffindor.

He felt his twin magic approaching him and felt his muscles relax slightly as his backup arrived. He turned and smiled as Haesel came to stand besides him. She was wearing a simple green gown with a small jewel broach pinned in her gown.

"Heir Rosier and Heiress Carrow," said Haesel sincerely with a smile, causing Rosier shifted slightly. If Henry didn't knew better, he might have believed her voice.

"Concubine Hufflepuff," spat Heiress Carrow looking down her nose at Haesel, causing Henry to narrow his eyes and balled his fists but kept his mouth shut as he knew what was coming. She looked back at Rosier and her voice turned sickeningly sweet. "Lets go, Heir Rosier. They have invited the poets and duffers, by the ..."

"I don't think the House of Smith will appreciate it if you go on to make such delirious gossip about the family, Heiress Carrow," interrupted Haesel causing Henry to bite his lips from smiling widely. Though it seemed to have left 'sparkling' Carrow spluttering.

"Wh...what do you mean?"

"My name is Ms. Potter, Heiress Carrow," Haesel replied slowly with her eyebrows drawn together as if talking to a retard, causing Henry to snort that he hid into a cough. Though he might not have succeeded well as he saw Heir Rosier glare at him. "I'm not falttered at all that you consider me from Concubine and a Hufflepuff as well, Heiress Carrow. You not to only question mine but Heir Smith's purity at that," continued Haesel as she forwned disapprovingly at the 'sparkling' Heiress, and the 'sparkling' Heiress reacted by paling rapidly and Rosier to intake a sharp breath. "It makes one wonder what will happen if they heard that you spread news of House of Smith in possession of a concubine, Heiress Carrow."

Henry raised his eyebrow slightly at his sister, and shook his head. Hufflepuff indeed.

"Well, Mr. Potter, I wanted to make sure how you were doing, is all. But it seems my kindness is unwanted," drawled Heir Rosier as he shook his head remorsefully.

Henry wanted to reply back something scathing but was held back when his sister tightened her hold on her arm. "Well, till next time, Mr. Potter and Ms. Potter," said Heir Rosier cheerfully, give him a mocking nod to him and Haesel, sauntering away with his 'sparkling' Heiress in tow, leaving an amused Henry in his wake.

"I hope you know that he will retaliate," said Haesel, looking sideways at Henry.

Henry shrugged and made his way with his sister towards the not-Heir Potter. "I'm not in his circle, or in his division either. Seriously the worst he could do is challenge me to a duel," said Henry smiling goofily as he winked at Haesel. "And between you and me we know who will win. How bad could it be?"

"Well you just made it worse by just saying that, little brother," came a drawled voice with a slight undertone of mocking in it.

"I wonder if you Slytherins are given lessons in speeches. Honestly, almost all of you sound same." Henry rolled his eyes and plucked the glass of firewiskey from his 'elder' brother's fingers, taking a sip.

"From Heiress Malfoy," said Harry too casually as he looked at Henry, causing him to cough uncontrollably, his eyes watering and snot dripping from his nose as the drink entered his windpipe. He heard a murmur of "Episkey", and his windpipe cleared. Henry took a deep gulp of breath and bowed his head to clean his face.

"I guess now I see why we are three twins rather than two. We both would have killed each other if not for you Haesel."

"You are welcome, Henry," replied Haesel, though Henry could see from beneath his eyelashes that she was glaring at their elder twin even though her lips were quivering slightly and his git of a brother was just smiling smugly back at her. Typical.

"Can I have you attention, respected Lords and Ladies! Heirs and Heiress! And ...Mister and Mistresses!" The voice was coming closer. Henry turned with his twins and towards the source of voice. His stomach churned and clenched painfully as he saw who was approaching him. Striding towards him with a sickening smile was Heir Rosier.

'Well at least he didn't wait for more time,' thought Henry as he breathed deeply. 'He couldn't have come with anything worse than a duel.' Henry slightly relaxed and twisted his hand, feeling the wand slide out into his hand.

"What have you done this time, you imbecile," Harry hissed at his from the corner of his mouth as he watched Heir approach them with boredom.

"Nothing...till now," replied Henry as he straightened his shoulders and went ahead to meet the Heir. Haesel tightened her hold on his arm when she felt him move ahead. Henry carefully removed her hand from his arm and placed it on Harry's arm.

As Henry stepped away from Haesel, he saw Harry watching him with narrow eyes and nodded with a tilt of his head. Henry breathed deeply and smiled as his brother just gave sign that he would make sure Haesel will leave if it turned ugly.

"We all know that Mr. Potter is known for his bravery and courage!" The voice chuckled, as the owner shook his head slightly. "I would have never have believed it but I'm now! Mr. Potter wants to confess a truth!"

Heir Rosier smirked as Henry came to stand before him. He quickly cut off the sonorous charm as he whispered to him. "Now Mr. Potter that was quiet rude of you to handle my simple request to help you regarding money in your vault. You have meagre as it is considering your two twins as well," Rosier glanced over Henry's shoulder and smiled brightly, though Henry could see how fixed it was. "I never liked your Slytherin of a brother, too over smart," Rosier tightened his jaw, "though you sister is another matter altogether."

Henry would have grabbed his throat, but he knew that Rosier was doing that on purpose to make him control. This time he would not fall that, at all. He unclench his fist and breathed deeply before replying. "Well I must say anything would be better than sparkling, even a marble figure."

Rosier sneered at him and Henry smiled back serenely.

Though his sneer quickly melted away as his eyes glittered and mouth twisted into a leer. He quickly placed sonorous charm back on himself and said, "To Heiress Dalante Malfoy!"

Henry felt his smile slip and blood turn cold. He couldn't, how did he even knew... He could feel the deep stares of his siblings bore in his back along with all the other eyes fixed on him and Heir Rosier as the silence followed the words. He felt the urge to run away more strongly than before. It would be so easy to leave and let his brother handle this situation. Or pretend he wasn't Henry, but was actually Harry. He could feel his heart beating loudly in his ears and wondered if all people could hear it as well. He could still feel his family Invisibility Cloak stuffed inside his robe pocket and wondered how fast he could pull it out and done it on. Yes, people will see but surely, the situation demanded it. They will call him coward, but surely, thinking about oneself's self interest was not cowardice, it was being smart as Harry would say. Unknowingly his eyes had started to look around and then his gaze feel on her and froze as his breath hitched.

Standing with her family was Dalante Malfoy. In an ice blue gown that trailed slightly behind her held barely on her shoulders by a lace, she was vision to behold. Her skirt on one side was split upto her lower waist, revealing the silver cloth, though as she moved slightly the silver subtly showed off her well toned leg which seemed to be going on forever, making him feel slightly warm in robe. As he raised his gaze, it came to a stop on her face. Her beautiful face was beautifully innocent, as her eyebrows were drawn together over her grey eyes. Her hair were twisted on her head like a crown, held together with a delicate hairpin.

As Dalante looked away, Henry broke his stare, feeling his face slightly becoming warm. Though due to his luck, his gaze landed on his twins and braced himself. Though now it was his turn to look confused as his twins looked at him with a sweet smile on their face, though it was the eyes that made his heart clenched painfully. Their eyes were full of pain even when they were smiling at him. He tried smiling back, though he could feel his smile and eyes mirroring them. He then turned to face his best friends but was surprised as even they mirrored his siblings smile.

And he finally grasped what they had already, though it only made his heart clench painfully he was surprised when it didn't started bleeding. One thing was certain it would before night would end.

Henry knew he was finally going to tell the world his secret which he was going to take to his grave, and will be rejected and mocked in return. Being mocked was not something new, but being rejected again would break his heart.

"Mr. Potter, everyone is ..!" Heir Rosier started to speak, though Henry raised his hand to stop him.

He knew he would never humiliate Dalante as such to leave her standing no matter the rejection he would face. He could neither say a line or two either as the Heir had called in his honour in question by asking to confess the truth. And he couldn't put the truth in simple words either.

He placed a sonorous charm and took a deep breath, closing his eyes, smile touching the corner of his lips as his heart thudded loudly in his ears.

As memories began to play, he lips began to move as well.

"You are a journey from body to soul,"

The first time they met on the train, as she came with her brother and two bodyguards, her cute face pinched red as they chose Ron over the them. Her two pigtails whirling around her as she headed for the door.

Her pink face as she shouted at him when he caught the Remembrall. Calling him, 'pig-headed, masochistic Gryffindor'.

"You are a whole life in a last breath."

Always following him whenever he went, trying to get him in trouble. Her tattling on them to Professor McGonagall.

Her tight hold on his hand as she tried to take one step after another into the forbidden forest.

I see only you in a crowd, tell me do you see me as well?"

At the end of the term when Slytherin won the House-Cup, as he saw her jumping up and down like an excited kid, and smiling largely and looked at him. That large smile that stretch across her whole, the twinkle in her eyes, suddenly it wasn't depressing anymore. That was the first time she smiled at him.

"You are flowing in my blood,"

At the beginning of the second year, she was there chatting energetically to her father. Her hair was still plaited in pigtails, but it had grown. On the train they had bumped into each other, though she had sneered and made a scathing comment regarding his eyesight and he replied an equally scathing reply about her head more bigger than her whole body, but for a moment when they hadn't seen who it was and not opened their mouth for verbal battle, he wasn't Henry Potter and she Dalante Malfoy.

"You are awake in my dreams"

When he had woken up to the feel of a cool touch on his burning forehead, he had seen her siting beside him in hospital wing. Those grey eyes had not looked at him coldly then, and their was a smile on her lips. And he had smiled in return at the beautiful dream which had felt so real. At the Valentine, when Professor Lockhart had brought dwarves to deliver valentine, she had received many, hearing them all and turning away without an ounce of embarrassment on her face. And then she had heard his.

He knew he was smiling goofily when she had laughed. She might have been laughing at his words or him even, but if it meant she would laugh like that again, he would make a fool of himself again and again.

"I mention only you in my every conversation"

And just like that they were going back to their home, and they met at the train again as she came with her brother. He knew he had replied as scathingly as she had, not caring one whit who saw, or what was said. Because that was the only way he could.

"Say something about me."

They met again at the Met Gala of Ministry. Or more like he just looked from afar as she talked her classmates or in her language, an colleague. But there was a boy was standing a little more closer to her than he should and she lent close to him to talk with her arm on his shoulder. He hadn't even known when he had moved or when he stood in from of her and threw his glass of butterbeer on her dress and made a scathing comment about her dress, hair and her mind. Her friends had surrounded around her and the boy had Henry's collar in his clutch, but she had walked away with her head held high. She hadn't replied.

"Since the day I saw you beloved, I have forgotten to breathe."

Then after break he had seen her again on the station, only this time it was different. She had grown over the summer. Her face was a little more pointed but now there were no pigtails, he thought ruefully. She was again with that boy from the gala, and now he had an arm around. Again without knowing his legs started walking towards her, but he was stopped by his friends. And when he looked back again, she was not there.

When Draco Malfoy came to pay his customary visit, she wasn't there and he left. He quickly began to make his way towards her compartment. He quickly reached his destination and opened the door. And there she was, with a book in her hand, looking at him squarely. And suddenly the lights went out as the train came to a screeched halt. He could still remember her falling on him, her breath was coming quickly, warming him, as she clutched his robes and hiding her face in his neck.

And then the lights came back and they were separated them again.

"This mild intoxication that is on me, You have definitely done something to cause it."

That gut-wrenching fear that tore through him as he saw the hippogriff raise his talons and in place of that dratted Malfoy who was laying nearby, she was there with her arms raised to shield herself. He could hear his brother trying to hold him back but he had blasted him away. And done the most stupid "pig-headed, masochistic gryffindorish" thing. He enveloped her in his arms and screamed as the talons tore into his back. He smiled and surrendered to unconscious. She had called him "Henry".

"This mild intoxication Is a passion of your love."

He breathed a sigh of relief when she began to talk to him after a whole year. It didn't matter that the words were scathing because her eyes were warm and sparkling.

And then she came to winter ball accompanied by him. She had become more beautiful than last year but her eyes were cold again. When he got a chance to dance with her and wished the time would stop. Because her eyes were warm again and their was a hint of smile on her lips.

And he smiled like a fool back.

"Let me be in this intoxication, don't turn your eyes away, the effect of love is light yet."

It was a for a year that she looked in his direction, if at all. And when he looked back, she never gazed back.

And faced the boy again.

When he followed her and that boy once to Hogsmade, and saw her laughing. But when that boy picked her up, twirling her around, with her laugh still ringing in his ears even today.

And he turned away, his heart thudding loudly and clenching it so painfully it was a wonder it hadn't broken out yet.

And then Henry opened his eyes.

A/N: This was just a bug that had been buzzing through my head for awhile, and now its finally out. It was 'meant to be' a one-shot, but if you guys want me a comment or pm me if you want me to continue further.