Like Fire

A Harry Potter Fanfiction

I felt I had to right this for some reason, so don't take it too seriously. It was a spur of the moment. I haven't written anything in a long time.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.

The darkness wrapped around the corridors as a mother would coddle an infant. The shadows descended upon her like wolves, making her shiver and wishing that she never got out of bed.

Artemis Jane was burning inside.

Ever since she saw those emerald jewels, she was burning.

Her mother and father had no more undertaking in her upbringing than dead parents would have, so she conquered her demons alone. She faced her fears and challenged her tormenters head on; even the demon that was her brother. She fought rabidly and lied and manipulated her way through life until Fate gave her the gift of Witchcraft.

Her grandmother spared no expense in shipping her to Hogwarts, making sure she had a nice hotel to stay in during the summers out.

Good riddance to them and their self-righteousness. It did her no good to linger on the what-might-have-been and nor did it serve any purpose to remain bitter over wrongs past.

None of it mattered, because she burned.

She burned for none other than the Golden Child Hary Potter.

It struck her with the force of a thousand bolts of lightning as she looked into those eyes, and the flames of hades shoot through her body whenever he touched her.

But she would never tell him that.

With all the gorgeous girls to hold his arm and cheer him to victory, there was no need for a tainted wretch like her.

So she took to walking in the coolness of the winter air, cooling her traitorous attraction and gaining back the bearings she worked so hard in life to build. She trolled through the corridors up and down the stairs and towers, making sure to avoid Peeves, though even he took to ignoring her, displeased when she brushed off his pranks and tauntings with her own chilling wit.

So much a reject that even the reject couldn't stand her.

She walked and walked and walked some more until she came to a dead end with a large tapestry. The scene was of an elven woman, her head tossed back into the wind, holding onto the branch of a tree she balanced upon. Her mouth, full and red like passion, was sensuos. Her hair, fair and sparking, danced in the imaginary wind. Her body, willowy and woman, was a picture of perfection.

Nothing like her.

"Artemis?"

She spun around so quickly, she nearly stumbled. Her face was as if she were caught in some sinful act, trembling at the sight of the object of her suffering.

He stood before her with a question in his eyes. His garments were the standard night wear: a white t-shirt with red plaid pajama bottoms.

"What are you doing out so late?"

Her mouth worked like a fish, though nothing of substance came out. She was stilled by the sight of him, regardless of the hammering heart in her chest. She knew she was being foolish and such things were only possible in romance movies and novels, but her body was ignoring her, just as hungry for the sight of him as her rational mind was.

Taking her silence for fear, he held up his hands in surrender, "Don't worry; I'm not going to tell Filch if that's what you're worried about. I was just curious."

He walked up to her and looked at the tapestry, "Nice huh? I don't know much about fairies, but I do know that muggles have a farfetched image of reality. Waht do you think?"

Artemis swallowed, though her throat was still paper dry, and spoke words that came from nowhere.

"It's a confident way to depict the fire behind the creatures. How appealing it must be to have something of beauty with the spirit and life behind it. You'd have the best of both worlds."

Harry was a bit suprised at her words and gave a smile, "I guess. I'm not much good on these matters."

"Neither am I."

Artemis took this time to turn away, but not before hearing:

"I notice that you've been avoiding me for a long time. Every time I touch you or get closer, you edge away from me as if you were burned. Did I do something to you that I'm not aware of?"

Artemis bit her lip, not sure how to respond, so he did it for her.

"If so, I'm sorry. I want to start on a good foot."

He reached out and took her shoulders, wanting to look in her face. His eyes were warm and accepting.

The fire in her veins spread everywhere, overcoming her senses and kicking her mind into overdrive.

"Artemis?"

And her name on his lips wasn't helping anyone.

Nothing was making sense anymore. Images of harry and her in compromising postions. Words of sweetness and passionate promises crossed her mind. Sensations and warmth she compressed sucessfully for two years were pouring over and threatning to drown her.

She had to do something, anything, to calm the throbbing pain in her blood.

His lips were soft and sweet, addictive at first touch. His hair, now wound around her fingers, was as soft as lamb's wool. His pulse was strong and vibrant, calling out to her own.

His suprise was short-lived, as he took from her as much as she took from him and pulled at her hair, bringing her closer. Where he tried for sweetness, she battled with desperation and hunger. Succumbing to her, he took in her essence; sweet warmness with a hint of tart underneath.

An eternity and a second passed between them before they broke apart, buzzing with the senses of eachother still alive in their bodies.

Artemis was glowing warm with a pleasure she never felt before, but yet, still hungered for more. Hungered for something she couldn't quite grasp just yet.

"Artemis..."

She blushed at Harry's bruised lips and made to say something, though scorched brown eyes, peering at her from the brightening darkness halted the words.