Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

"EXPELLIARMUS!" she deflected the spell with a quick protego. Seeing her distracted I shot a quick stupefy at her and watched knowing she did not have time to defend herself.

LIZZY'S POV

I watched as Potter's spell flew towards me aware of it being too late to dodge or halt its progress. Instinctively I closed my eyes anticipating the impact of the spell. After a few seconds I opened my eyes in confusion only to see Harry Potter glaring past me and I turned curious and only to see something which made me silently sigh in relief. My best friend, Draco Malfoy, had his arm extended forward with his wand pointed directly and confidently at Potter. He had reflected the spell.

"My, my Potter, using violence to solve your problems, how very unethical of you, how very ungryffindor of you." Draco sneered. Intense dislike covering his tone. I heard laughter from behind him and only then did I notice the rest. Pansy was giggling unattractively as if her pug like face made it difficult to breathe, Blaise was looking at Potter with a bored expression even as Nott was regarding the two boys in sadistic anticipation. Millicent, Crabbe and Goyle unsurprisingly were watching Draco in awe and adoration.

"Unethical of me Malfoy? I'm not the one cowering behind superior numbers." Potter indicated with a casual wave of his hand.

I snorted disbelievingly and Potter turned to regard me. I lifted my chin and looked over his shoulder.

"Your sidekicks presence would beg to differ Potter" I said unemotionally, slipping effortlessly back into my Slytherin personality. This is how the rest of Hogwarts saw me. Cold, cruel and icy. Potter was the only one which could force me to abandon my mask and loose my temper. He got to me like no one else could, and I hated the affect he had on me more than anything!

With the appearance of the Gryffindor's Draco had moved himself beside me in a protective position as well as to present a united front. We weren't called the King and Queen of Slytherin for nothing, the two of us ruled our house through a partnership and alliance.

Just as our position changed with Draco and I at the front and the rest behind us so had the Gryffindor's shifted subtly also showing their power structure. Predictably beside Potter were Weasley and Granger, while Longbottom, the Weaslette, Thomas and Finnegan stood behind. Finished with watching his lackey's I returned my impassive yet unyielding gaze to Potter and was shocked to see him staring at me. I shifted feeling uneasy under his uncompromising stare. I caught the end of Weasley's voice and felt the urge to sign in exasperation at his stupidity.

"...well if your crazy death eater tendencies didn't rear their ugly heads all the time then we wouldn't have to defend ourselves against you. As Gryffindor's it is our obligation to protect the school from the likes of you." Oh Merlin! His moralistic spew was chipping away at what little self control I possessed not to curse him into oblivion. I looked at Potter again only to be taken aback, he was sporting an expression of irritation and frustration directed at his friend. He must have sensed my stunned gaze as he swiftly twisted to look at me. As my eyes met emerald green all I could suddenly think was how beautiful his eyes were, they drew me in and even more troubling was the absence of hatred I usually felt towards him. I snapped out of my daze when I felt Draco brush my arm as he took an aggressive step towards Weasley and continued trading insults. I looked at the floor in horrified disbelief. What was wrong with me? Not only did I stare at Potter and look like a complete and utter idiot but I thought his eyes were beautiful. This is Potter! I hate him! He's an egotistical, arrogant, self-sacrificing GRYFFINDOR! I looked up alarmed just in time to see the same panicked wild look in his gorgeous green eyes. Wait! NO! Not gorgeous...oh no...I thought Potter had gorgeous eyes.

I felt Draco pull me against him at the same moment I saw Ronald Weasley lunge towards us...wow, I must have missed alot. Potter and the rest of the Gryffindor's were restraining him as Weasley screamed bloody murder. Honestly and Potter had complained about my screaming before? I was nothing compared to his idiot best friend. I caught his eye and raised an eye brow while indicating sightly with my chin towards the buffoon. I think he understood my reference to his earlier insult and saw the right side of his mouth turn up, as if he were suppressing laughter. WAIT! I was having silent conversations with Potter? I was joking with him?! This cannot be happening! I saw Potter freeze the same time I did and choke on air, as if realising like me what he was doing and with whom. Twin expressions of shocked dismay were shared between us before I heard Granger's comment.

"Ron! Stop it! They aren't worth it and a professor is coming!" I rolled my eyes, was she always such a control freak? But her comment had immediately caused each group to disperse and return to their territories. I felt Draco wrap a protective arm around my shoulders and heard him as he leaned down to whisper in my ear with concern and affection "Are you alright?" I nodded my head numbly still dazed by both my actions and thoughts about Potter. Unable to stop myself I turned around and craned my neck to watch the Gryffindor's leave and caught a pair of magnificent emerald green eyes studying me intently, as I felt my stomach flip, my pulse quicken and heat pool in my cheeks in a blush all I could think was...this was not good.

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HARRY'S POV

I can't believe I was staring at Elizabeth Edwards like a love struck fool! I mean come on! This was the ice queen of Slytherin and somebody I have hated since first year! And now I'm joking with her? Watching her? Feeling JEALOUS of MALFOY! For Merlin's sake, I still feel angry from watching him wrap his arm around her and seeing him whisper into her ear! God this has to be impossible.

I could hear Ron up ahead ranting about the evil Slytherins while Hermione attempted to calm him unsuccessfully. But a comment Ron made caught my immediate attention.

"...and Edwards thinks that just because she's the hottest girl in school she can do anything she wants!"

I quickly interrupted. "What? Ron did you just call Edwards hot?!" I cried in disbelief. Ron never complimented Slytherins. Granted it wasn't meant as a compliment but his voice had held a sort of reluctant awe. I turned astounded when Dean joined the conversation.

"Oh come on Harry. I know you two don't get on and all but even you have to admit she's beautiful" Hermione gave an indignant huff as she stormed into their compartment and the rest of us followed. As we sat down Seamus added "Yeah mate. She's totally smoking! I'm telling ya I swear every guy in Hogwarts has had a wet dream of her at least once." The rest of the guys laughed while I heard Hermione mutter sarcastically as she opened her Charms textbook "Oh, what an accomplishment."

Ginny, Dean and Neville were laughing and joking with each other now while Ron and Seamus began to play chess and Hermione was lost in her book, so I took this moment to think back on the guys comments about Elizabeth Edwards.

I had always known she wasn't bad looking but it wasn't until that fight in the corridor of the train today that I really noticed how stunning she looked.

I mentally reviewed my memory of her. At about 5'8 Edwards was slim and athletically fit. Not only that but she had curves in all the right places. Light brown hair with natural blond highlights fell silkily to the bottom of her back deadly straight. Her skin, snow white, was free of blemishes and freckles. She had full red pouty lips begging to be kissed, but the most amazing feature she had were her eyes. Large almond shaped piercing sky blue eyes framed by dark sooty eyelashes clearly displayed the intelligence of the person within.

I was jolted out of my musings when the train halted at Hogsmede station. As I climbed almost robotically into the thestral drawn carriages I turned my head to look out of the window and stared unseeingly into the night as I returned to my thoughts about Elizabeth Edwards.

She was seen at Hogwarts as unfeeling and cold, more than once guys and girls alike have asked me how I get a rise out of her, how I can make her respond with emotions and feelings. Edwards was intelligent, highly so, I'd always known that. She picked up theory like Hermione and again like Hermione I don't think there is a hex, curse or jinx she wouldn't eventually figure out how to do. But Edwards has more power than Hermione, in fact she only came second to me in power level. Edwards, similar to the way it seemed only I could force her to drop her emotionless mask, was the only one, not even Malfoy , who affected me to the extent that I lost control of my rational and logical thought and acted purely on emotions.

Elizabeth Edwards was amazingly beautiful, keenly intelligent and could make my heart rate increase with a look.

This was NOT good. I was attracted to the ice queen of Slytherin!