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Disclaimer: I do not own any HP stuff, just my own sick twisted little mind.

So this chapter has been ITCHING to get out of me, and I'm so glad to finally post it. Be a dear and review at the end. Love you guys! Now on with the next installment...

Chapter 3

Little White Lies

"You look surprised to see me."

That's it. I'm convinced. Cassius Warrington has some sort of tracking device placed on me. How else would he have known that I was in the kitchens, let alone that I was hiding in that stupid cabinet? Angelina could deny it all she wanted, but it was the only logical explanation. Cassius Warrington was following me.

"What are you doing here?" I hiss, and then brush the dirt from the front of my robes. "Are you following me or something?" I say accusingly, although my voice trembles the slightest.

Where was that greasy haired git Snape when you needed him?

Cassius snorts back a laugh and casually leans back against the table, "You think I have nothing better to do then follow you around?"

"Well you obviously…" I'm cut short as he flashes something shiny pinned to his robes.

"Prefect Spinnet." He smirks, and I feel my stomach lurch again. I was a dead witch walking.

I still didn't know why I wasn't given Prefect, although Angelina usually reminds me that I had a pretty lack luster forth year. Forth year had resulted in a lot of detention for me on top of a lot of spent time in the infirmary. If it wasn't because I had decided to take part in Fred and George's escapades then it was because Warrington and I were usually in some rift over something bigger. So when I didn't receive a Prefect letter that summer before fifth year I had felt my entire world deflate. I had blown it.

I mean it wasn't exactly a fun time trying to explain to my parents why I wouldn't be following in Spinnet Prefect tradition. I had to listen to my Mum go on for hours about how I needed to start acting more like my sister, then of course she just had to add a little snarky remark about not being in Slytherin either. I swear they'll never get over it.

And now here I am stuck with Prefect Warrington and the super smug look on his face.

"Well go ahead and take away points." I hold my arms out at my sides beckoning him to lay it on me, "but could you make it quick cause I really want to get back to my room." I smirk.

I can see the color in his cheeks and I know I've hit that spot that makes him furious with me. If there was one thing Warrington hated more then me, it was when I made him feel like an idiot. Success!

"What makes you think I'm going to take away points? I could easily go back out into the corridor and get Snape to settle this matter…" he pauses, "but then you'd be serving detention with Weasley and I can't imagine that being much of a punishment for you." He scoffs, and I feel my own cheeks now turning red.

"What are you insinuating?" I try my best to keep my voice steady. Geez, was it that obvious I was in love with George?

He looks me over and chokes out a laugh, "I doubt your parents would be pleased to know that you are fraternizing with Purebloods like the Weasleys…let alone fawning after one like some love sick puppy."

I feel my cheeks grow hotter.

"It's actually disgusting, Spinnet."

I don't know what came over me, and I don't know why I let him get to me like he does, but I can't help myself. I'm moving around the table before either of us realize what's about to happen. That's when I lunged, knocking into Warrington and catching him off guard. He lands on the floor with a thud, and I'm smacking him in the chest, my legs pinned on either side of him.

"I hate you…" I repeat the phrase over and over that somewhere between the fifth or sixth time its numb on my lips.

Cassius is beneath me, his arms coming up first to defend his own face and then finally catching my wrists with his hands. I don't expect it, but he spins us around and suddenly I'm on my back and Warrington doesn't look exactly pleased with me. In fact I don't know if I've ever seen him look so red faced. But I'm a glutton for punishment and I begin wriggling around beneath him to attempt an escape.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He snaps at me, but I can clearly see that he's off his usual game. Something about the waver in his voice lets me know that I have truly rendered him shocked.

I buck my hips up, but I weigh about as much as a wet kneazle and Warrington could probably eat entire hippogriff in less than an hour. Still, it doesn't stop me from trying.

"Knock it off!" He hisses.

"Well get off of me you psycho!" I yell back, and buck my hips a third time.

He takes both my wrists in one hand and then slams his other down on my hip. "I said knock it off, what the hell Spinnet? You attacked me!" He growls, "I could get you expelled for this."

Ok, so here's the thing. Warrington's got me pinned to the floor threatening to get me expelled and all I can seem to concentrate on is his hand on my hip. I don't think I ever noticed how extremely large his hands were before, and although I probably should have been terrified that he was going to crush my bones I had to admit that I liked the pressure there. In fact I was having a difficult time remembering that this was Warrington I was getting a bit hot and bothered over which shocked me into my own silence.

"I – well – um –" Well this was quite the predicament. In all the years Warrington and I have tormented each other I rarely got tongue tied in front of him. Suddenly I was beginning to feel like one of those ridiculous Slytherin fan girls that somehow managed to be sucker punched into finding them attractive and suave.

Finally something clicked in my brain and I jerked my wrists free from his hand, "Get off me you jerk." I squirm beneath him again and begin batting his hand away from my hip although I have to admit that my efforts have become half hearted.

I wiggle around again, and barely notice the uncomfortable expression on Warrington's face. Before I have a chance to squirm and kick again he's backing off of me like I've just bathed in a vat of acid. I look up at him from the floor and realize that the spot on my hip has grown cold without his hand there. What the hell is wrong with me? As much as I want to run out of the kitchens I find myself trying to think of something clever to say to him. For a second I realize that I don't want to leave.

"Next time you touch me like that I'll fucking kill you."

Ok, not exactly what I wanted to hear. How the hell could I ever think of Warrington as anything but a complete bastard? I push myself up and begin rubbing my wrists. They'd definitely be bruised in the morning, sooner if I don't get some ointment on them.

"You know what," I shout, and actually scare myself as I wasn't expecting my voice to be that loud, " go ahead and kill me Warrington. Just do it!"

I rise up from my spot on the ground and stare him in the face. He's still clearly uncomfortable and I wonder what could have happened to make him look at me like that. I doubt it had anything to do with guilt over hurting my wrists the way he did.

I stand there and wait for him to say something, but when the silence passes between us I continue on with my little rant.

"For the last like ten years of my life all you have ever done is threatened me…promised me you'd kill me…and I'm sick of it." I stomp my foot down like a five year old, and I can't help but think I catch a smirk on his lips. "If you want to kill me then go ahead and get on with it…"

He snorts back a short laugh; "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Spinnet. Drop the whole sacrifice act…it's unflattering." He brushes off the front of his robes and adjusts his Prefect badge. "Clean yourself up before you leave, you're a mess."

He walks towards the door and steps through the exit before I even manage to open my mouth and shout, "Oh yeah?"

Very snappy comeback on my part. I'm thankful he isn't there to witness it because I'm pretty sure he'd have ripped me apart for the lack of creativity.

Merlin, I must be losing my touch…or my mind. Either way I couldn't shake the weird feeling in the pit of my stomach and wondered if maybe I should just sleep in the kitchens instead of walking back to Gryffindor tower. My head feels so dazed that I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it there without getting caught. I weigh my options for a second and then settle on using the secret passageway down the corridor to get back to the dormitory.

Of course as I maneuver my way through the winding passages I make two wrong turns and end up back on the first floor by the Great Hall. I'm obviously not a very good navigator. On the fifth go around I finally make it back up to the right floor and quietly slip back into the common room with the hope that everyone would be in bed. I tip toe by the fireplace and around the high back chair. My foot barely touches the first step of the girl's staircase….

"Where've you been?"

I scream.

It's becoming a habit.

I spin around; my stomach fills with dread as I look into George's face. He doesn't look angry with me, which is a good thing; after all it was his idea to go to the kitchen in the first place. Still, I can see that he looks worried or upset or something that I can't quite put my finger on, and suddenly all the dread turns to mush again. Was he concerned about me getting caught? Was he concerned about where I was all this time?

I try to think of a little white lie to tell him, but he's good, and I know he'll figure out that I'm keeping something from him. So with true Gryffindor bravery I go with the truth.

"Prefect Warrignton decided to give me hell after you left with Snape."

He's on his feet and moving towards me before I can say anything else.

"What did he do? Did he turn you in?" I can see his jaw tighten, "I'll hex that git from here to China if he did something to hurt you."

Oh, no George, everything was fine. He just pinned me to the floor, insulted me and then made me feel like a first year giggly schoolgirl when he touched me.

"No, just the usual taunting…" Which wasn't a direct lie, Warrington had spouted out some of his usual trademark insults.

"Are you sure he didn't hurt you?" His eyes drop to my neck and then my arms, and I discreetly place my hands in my pockets to avoid any questioning about the bruises on my wrists.

Apparently I wasn't subtle enough and he's jerking my hands back out of my pockets before I could protest.

"George, it's nothing…don't worry about it. I'm fine-"

"Like hell your fine!" His hands delicately hold my own as he takes in the dull brownish spots on my wrists. "What did he do to you Alicia?"

Again, my mind drifts back to my wrists in his hands and I get that unusual fluttering in the pit of my stomach. No, its only cause George is holding my hands. Yeah, that's the only reason.

"Nothing, we were arguing and then I kinda sort of – well – I jumped on him."

George's eyes go wide and I immediately regret using the phrase jumped on him.

"Like I attacked him, ya know, jumped on him…." I feel my cheeks redden and I'm glad that the fire in the common room was dying out. The dimly lit room wouldn't give away how incredibly embarrassed or stupid I was feeling at that exact moment.

"You were alone, he could have hurt you…." The brash tone he had just been using seemed to have melted into one of concern and worry. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"You don't have to apologize, it wasn't your fault…it was just the wrong place at the wrong time." Which was how my usual encounters with Warrington went. Wrong place, wrong time.

"I worry about you." His right hand caresses the side of my face

Wait what? I can feel my stomach dodging butterflies.

"You don't need to. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." I can't help but smile, and feel that nervous giggle bubble in my chest as he brushes some stray hair away from my eyes.

Was this really happening? I was torn between laughing and throwing up. Hopefully I didn't succumb to the latter.

"Leesh, you don't have to put up this big front for me. I know he gets to you…I know how much it bothers you."

True, Warrington did know how to push my buttons. Still, it didn't mean I couldn't take care of myself. I've been fighting him for ten years.

"Look, we have one more year and I'll be through with him. I wont have to worry about him anymore, ok. So you don't need to fret over something insignificant."

Although I was fairly sure that I'd be dealing with Warrington and his family until my families secret came out…or worse until my father died. I swallow hard and bite back the tears that are begging to be released.

"Alicia…you don't need to pretend with me."

"I'm not-" and then something unbelievable happened. I could feel my heart flutter as he moved his face closer to mine; all the fantasies I have been dreaming about coming to a head as his eyes searched mine.

"Ali…"

I swallow again, and this time it isn't because I'm excited or anticipating the result…I swallow because something doesn't feel right.

But I let him kiss me anyway.

It was soft and sweet. Everything I have imagined my first kiss with George to be. His lips moved over mine, capturing emotions that I have been harboring for the last few years. I mean honestly, here I am kissing the man I have loved forever, and yet all I can think about is that hand on my hip and exactly how it felt being held down by him. I must be getting sick.

Still, I return his kiss with my own, taking my time to make sure he understands that this is something I have wanted for so long. When his tongue parts my lips and deepens the kiss I involuntarily groan into his mouth and wrap my arms up around his neck. Merlin, how could I ever think of anyone but George?

When he finally pulled away (too soon for my own sake) he smiles down at me and takes my hands again.

"I've wanted to do that for awhile now." He smiles sheepishly and I can't help but giggle. "Are you laughing at me, Alicia?" Although I can sense that he's doing everything he can to hold back his own giggles.

"I've wanted it too, Georgie." I grin, and kiss him softly again, just barely brushing my lips against his. "I should go to bed…" Although I don't know if it will be possible for me to find the strength to sleep.

"Me too…"

I pull away from him slightly, still holding his hands with mine. "I'll see you at breakfast then?"

He leans forward again, his hot breath caressing my neck and sending goose bumps down my spine. "I'll wait for you down here…" He kisses my cheek and steps away, "Night 'Licia"

"Good night George." I mutter, and then turn towards the girl's staircase. It takes all of my effort not to bold back down and snog him senseless on the couch.

By the time I reach my room Angelina is snoring and Henrietta Whitmore is mumbling something about Herbology projects. I move towards my own four poster bed and begin to slip from my school clothes.

What the hell had just happened? I had just snogged George Weasley, the man I have loved forever, and all I can do is think about Cassius Warrington. I must be broken. Either that or classes and Quidditch were just beginning to take a toll on me. I peel back my blouse and chuck it on the floor, leaving me only in underwear and a white tank top. I was hot, although the temperature of the room was icy cold.

I slip beneath the comforts of my blankets and will myself to sleep; thinking of George and the feel of his lips against my own. By the time I'm drifting into la la land George is still there holding me… but I can't seem to shake the feeling of a hand pressed against my hip nor the pounding in my heart that's telling my mind that it isn't even George's hand.

Uh oh... poor Alicia is having conflicting feelings that she can't explain. What does this all mean!?

PLEASE take a five second moment to review; compliments, criticisms ... anything at all. Much love and chocolate chip cookies to everyone who reads till the end. Love you guys! Till the next installment!