"As promised, class, I've got your partners for the potions final right here in my hand!" Slughorn announced with all the excitement he could muster only to be met with a chorus of disappointed groans. He held his hand up to silence them, expecting this response. "You lot have no choice so you'd better accept it now or you'll be accepting a failing grade later. Now… Lysandra Travers… you'll be paired up with Thalia Prewett."

There was a small, triumphant yes! from Lysandra in the left corner of the room, met with a laugh from Thalia next to her. Evan Rosier and Maisie Wright had been paired together, a groan erupting from either side of the room as they hung their heads in disappointment.

"Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange."

"WHAT?"

Everyone turned to look at Bellatrix, who had emitted the inhuman screech. Rodolphus turned and smirked, waggling his fingers at her tauntingly. This earned him a scowl. The rest of the names had been called and Slughorn let them pair up to begin their discussion for whatever they would do for the final, a list of suggested potions on the board at the front of the room. Rodolphus sauntered over to Bellatrix's table, whoever was sitting next to her had gotten up and moved to sit with their partner, leaving the seat next to Bella empty for Rod. He slid in, propping his chin up with his hand and a smirk set in his face, waiting for her to turn around, something she was desperately trying to avoid. Finally, she turned to face him, unable to find anyone else she could talk to seeing that everyone else had already paired up with their partners and were now discussing their finals.

"So…" Rodolphus started, "nice of you to join the group discussion. Thanks for taking your time to be here."

"Shut it. We're doing a Polyjuice."

"Oh! Ambitious are we? Well, sorry to burst your bubble but turning into you wouldn't exactly be my description of a perfect day."

"I'm not to hip on turning into a blubbering idiot myself but the potion is impressive. It would look incredibly good if we could brew a complicated potion like that. Our marks would be outstanding."

"And it would be equally humiliating if we were to fail the potion in front of the class… and it was also be quite painful to be stuck between transforming into you." Rod's voice was filled with distaste, any playful banter long gone. "Perhaps we should do something on the recommended potions list? Something that will guarantee our passing?"

"Because pulling off a Polyjuice would guarantee our passing?"

"Or it could be completely disastrous, much like any interaction with you is."

Bellatrix huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. She wanted to murder him and if she could have, she would. Perhaps she could brew something that would dissolve his body… then she'd be rid of him and would get a passing grade for a successful potion. Rod, on the other hand, was starting to think he had signed up for more than he bargained for. He knew she would be a handful, that was a given, but he didn't realize that she would be this shrewish.

"Look, if you aren't going to settle for doing a simpler potion then, by all means, do the Polyjuice yourself. But you're forgetting that we have to present it together so it'll kind of be a problem when we show up on the date with two different potions." Rod was getting fed up already. "So you either convince me to do the Polyjuice with you or we drop it and you go with my idea of doing a simpler potion that will guarantee us passing marks. Your decision, princess."

Bella sat back in surprise before the irritation set in on her face. "What do I have to do to convince you to do the Polyjuice, then?"

Rod sat back and put his feet up on the table, smirking at the witch in front of him. "Hogsmeade."

"No." Bella's reply was quick and sharp, as if she had expected that. Obviously she wasn't going to be so easily swayed, Rod could sense that now.

"Then no deal," Rod said, raising his hands in defeat. He would get her out one way or another. He may not have been as honest as the next guy but he was going to give Nott his money's worth, even if he didn't like him very much.

"Well, eventually I'll get you to do this potion, whether you like it or not."

"If that's how you're thinking about it, then you'll eventually end up going to Hogsmeade with me." Rod winked at Bella, his smirk widening.

Bella rolled her eyes. This wasn't going to be easy but like hell Rod would back down from a challenge like this. The two of them were pulled from their argument by Slughorn announcing that they were dismissed and to remember to meet up outside of class to work on their finals.

"You hear that, princess? Looks like you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together." Rod wiggled his eyebrows at Bellatrix as she packed up. Bella scoffed, sneering at him.

"Most of that will be against my will," Bellatrix said, shoving her ink in her book bag and slinging it over her shoulder, "Almost none of it will be willingly."

"Almost!" Rod called after her as she left the room with the rest of the class. This was going to be a long process… long but incredibly fun for him.