SLF: Hey guys! I'm sorry I didn't get this out sooner but school is draining...Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 10:

Fighting for the First Time

"-And then," Lyra could hear Draco's distinctive drawl as they drew nearer, "she begged me to have mercy and I, being the superior man that I am, only knocked her out for a few hours."

"She didn't deserve your kindness," Pansy squealed, "After all of the horrid, awful things she's done."

Swiveling around Lyra glared straight into Draco Malfoy's smug eyes,

"I knew you were a foul person, Draco," Lyra layered her voice thick with provocation, "But I didn't realize you were a chronic liar as well."

"How dare you!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson.

"Down, Pansy," Draco veiled his eyes with indifference, "I the liar? All the witnesses agree with my account of events."

Lyra exploded with outrage,

"That's because they're as demented as you are!"

The Gryffindors were making their way down the hill now; the trio in the lead. Hagrid watched helplessly as the verbal battle raged.

Draco laughed coldly,

"God, Lyra, could you be any more of a traitor? First you disrespect me, then you go and snog Potter, and now you've turned your back on all of Slytherin."

Being called a traitor stung Lyra badly but she refused to lose this time,

"One, I never asked to be put into this disgrace of a house, two Harry is the most amazing person I've ever met, and you turned your backs on me the moment I sat down that first night. I tried to make friends but you all decided to hate or ignore me from the first."

By this time the Gryffindors had reached the hut; Harry rushed over to stand at Lyra's side immediately glowering at Draco. Draco opened his mouth to retort but Hagrid took this interlude to clear his throat to call attention. Draco shut his mouth and the Slytherins in general grumbled darkly.

"Erm, okay then class," Hagrid stumbled still focused on the conflict, "Today we'll be lookin' at some Diricawls. Harry, Lyra could ye help me fer a second?"

Nodding, the pair followed him into the hut and Lyra nearly squealed with delight. There on Hagrid's floor were about six cages each with a Diricawl inside. They were exactly as she had imagined. Chubby and fluffy, each was a different color. Blue, pink, yellow, white, red, and her favorite, a soft lilac. As she and Harry each grabbed a cage, she questioned Hagrid about some peculiarities she had noticed,

"Why haven't the Diricawls disappeared out of their cages?"

"There's a spell put on 'em 'o course," Hagrid grunted carrying his two cages out the door.

As they set the birds on the ground, the girls cooed with delight for they were indeed quite cute with their large doe eyes and downy plumage.

"I'll pet yer inta six groups an' each a ye will get a Diricawl," Hagrid instructed, "Go ahead an' pick yer own group."

"Professor Hagrid," Lyra raised her hand, "May our group have the lilac one?"

"O course," Hagrid smiled his great large smile at her. Handing her the cage, Lyra set off to find a group. She ended up with Harry, Ron, Hermione. Dean, and Seamus.

As they fed and pet their Diricawl, Dean turned to Lyra,

"Is the rumor about your violent row with Malfoy true?"

"Which one?" Lyra asked in all seriousness, she was positive there were a hundred different versions floating about.

"Well I heard that Draco bested you in a duel and knocked you out for hours," Seamus answered as Harry's eyes shot up.

Lyra tried to ignore the stares as she answered, her cheeks coloring slightly,

"It was no duel. We argued and I turned my back. The coward hexed me and the next thing I know I'm lying on my back five hours later."

"That's awful!" Hermione gasped, "You have to report this!"

"Please," Lyra scoffed, "That would only serve to make me look scared. I refuse to compromise my pride."

Harry didn't speak a word the rest of the class making Lyra uneasy.

After class, Lyra stopped Harry as everyone left.

"Okay," she said, "What's wrong? You haven't uttered a syllable since Dean brought up the fight crap."

Harry shrugged. When Lyra sighed, however, he seemed to think better of it. Looking her directly in the eyes he evaded the question. Instead he posed one of his own,

"Why didn't you tell me Malfoy hurt you?"

"That's why you're upset?" Lyra exclaimed, "It wasn't a big deal, Harry. I'm fine!"

"It doesn't matter," Harry shot back, "Of course it's a big deal; to me."

"Harry," Lyra's voice softened, "I know guys like to protect their girlfriends but I'm not a damsel in distress."

"He hurt you though," Harry protested, "According to the boyfriend's rulebook I have to go bash the git's head in now."

Lyra laughed,

"Just beat him in the Quidditch match and I'll be happy."

Harry cracked a grin and the two embraced.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Lyra murmured into the fabric of his robe, "To tell you the truth I was embarrassed."

Harry pulled back so he could look into her face,

"Embarrassed? Why?"

"Because I lost," Lyra's cheeks colored, "I should have never turned my back on him. I made a mistake."

"You only lose if you don't learn from your mistakes," Harry encouraged, "Be glad you learned this particular lesson early."

"You know all about that, right?" Lyra asked in earnest, "I've been told you're quite the hero."

"I'm not," Harry supplied honestly, "I'm just very lucky. I could have died a hundred times over by now. All that's saved me is a mountain of luck and learning quickly; learning from my mistakes."

Lyra smiled,

"Whatever it's taken to do what you've done you shouldn't count yourself out of the equation."

"Maybe," Harry returned her smile, "We should really head inside. It's freezing out here."

"Gladly!" Lyra agreed immediately.

The pair raced up the hill as they knew they were rather late to class. Reaching the castle they exchanged quick goodbyes.

Lyra walked down the nearly deserted corridor with a feeling of weightlessness. She and Harry had emerged from their first fight perfectly. No hurt feelings and expectations were revealed. It was rather sweet that he wanted to take revenge upon Malfoy she had to admit. She fervently hoped that Gryffindor crushed Slytherin in the upcoming match. It was the first time in her life that Lyra had ever really looked forward to a sporting event. She was a competitive person by nature but sports never really appealed to her. She didn't see the point, really. She was, however, willing to fight at the drop of a hat. In elementary school they sent her home once a week for scraping with a kid who had made her mad. When she realized she couldn't kick and claw her way to every solution she took it upon herself to master the biting art of verbal sparing. With this mastery automatically arrived a tighter leash on her anger. Things didn't really upset her as often and of that she was very proud. Draco Malfoy, however, seemed to incessantly get under her skin. His sarcastic drawl, his attitude of infinite superiority, and his total control of Slytherin all made her want to wring his neck. The feud between the two of them was ridiculously large. Lyra's vindictive streak was much too long for her to end it while she was behind.

She neared the Charms classroom and winced as she noticed just how late she actually was. Opening the door as softly as she could she was immediately met with Professor Flitwick's first tenor trill,

"Miss Donavan you are very late. Ten points from Slytherin."

Lyra nodded inwardly shrugging; she had zero house pride. She quietly slipped into a seat near Hannah and Celia. Giving them a small wave she turned her attention to the lesson.

"As I was saying before we were interrupted by Miss Donavan the essential element…"

SLF: I hope you look forward to the next chapter as much as I do! Please review!