AUTHOR'S NOTE: Indeed, I am back. I am Iron Woman! Sorry, still on Black Sabbath buzz. Or is that Red Bull buzz? Oh, wow, that's fun to say. Red Bull Buzz. What? No one else talks to themselves as they write? Fine, I'm insane, so what? Here's the next chapter...hope you ejoy. Indeed, ejoy. Indeed. I don't know why, but suddenly that is the most fascinating word in the English language. Indeed, it is. Hahahaha.

Indeed.

DISCLAIMER: Indeed, if it does not belong to J. K. Rowling, it is indeed mine. Indeed.

The Hogwarts Renaissance

Chapter 10: A Malfoy that Bleeds is Good Fun Indeed

Colin fell back on the stone floor for the fifth time that night…that he could remember. Next to him, Odekerk was breathing somewhat heavily, smoothing sweat-laced strands of long, long hair from her flushed face.

"Dear gods." She muttered somewhat achingly. Colin exhaled sharply as if to accentuate her statement. The point was, 'dear gods' didn't even come close to describing the past couple of hours.

As they lay there, the chill from the stones of the dungeon seeping into their heated bodies and slowly cooling them, Colin turned to face the amazing woman beside him. Amazing…definitely amazing. Not that he was an expert in such matters (as wizards like Malfoy were), but the past few hours had easily been the most astounding and glorious of his life.

Odekerk rolled over on her bare side, staring up at Colin affectionately; something she hadn't felt in a long time. "That was…" she searched for the words, but found none….for a good reason; there were no words in any language to even begin to describe the incredible experience the two unlikely lovers had just shared…though 'fucking mind-blowing' would have been a good start.

But Colin understood. "I know." He said softly, leaning down to press his lips to the unbelievably soft skin of her neck. Odekerk laughed lowly and pushed him gently away. "Again? What, are you trying to go for twelve?" she asked. Colin laughed in response, pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around the body he was now so familiar with. "I think we hit twelve about three goes back." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Care to make it an even twenty?"

Laughing as she shoved him away, he stood, stretching sore but satiated muscles. As he went bout gathering his clothes, he felt acutely aware of her eyes still on him. Pulling on his boxers (which were in none other than Neville Longbottom's cauldron), he turned to her, only to find her watching him with a look of content, slight amazement and amusement on her face. "What?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Odekerk laughed. "Nothing, but doesn't it scare you that we…you know…on Snape's desk?" she cocked her head to the side, coal-black hair falling coquettishly over one eye. Colin smirked and slipped out of the shirt he'd just put on.

He strode purposefully over to her, aware of her eyes drinking in his every movement hungrily and purposefully exaggerating every one. "In all honesty…?" he asked, settling down on the cool stone beside her and leaning in to trail kisses along her jaw. She closed her eyes and bit down hard on her lower lip as her cheeks flushed. Colin reached her chin and lifted his lips almost up to hers, lingering millimeters away. "…you could make a bloke randy anywhere."

Her lips met his fiercely, and before either knew it, they had somehow migrated back to Snape's desk and Colin was once again without his boxers.

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"Realization hurts, doesn't it?"

Harry gasped in air, turning to find Blaise Zabini standing in the most negligent pose behind him, relaxed, yet somehow still superior in posture. The dark Slytherin smirked and tossed his head casually, flipping hair away from his eyes. Harry could only manage a half-hearted glare through watery eyes.

"Bugger off, Zabini." He growled, turning his face away to gain some recovery time; tears had only barely stopped running down his face. Harry had no idea what the hell Blaise was talking about, but he was a Slytherin, so it couldn't be good.

Blaise just slunk negligibly around in front of Harry, crouching down to stare him in the eyes. Harry glared; the damage was done…no use avoiding the man now. "State your purpose or be off, Zabini." Harry said shortly.

Blaise was smirking satisfactorily. "When did you find out?" he asked. Harry actually looked up, baffled. "Find what out?" he asked, too startled to be hostile. Blaise merely grinned knowingly. "You didn't fancy girls when all the other boys did, Potter." He said.

Harry's mind was drawing a complete blank. He briefly wondered just how well Blaise did in Madame Trelawney's class before Blaise leaned in, his face inches from his own. "Think about it Potter…you know the truth, don't you? You've figured it out…you're changed. You don't have to hide anything from me."

And with that, he sauntered off, in the way only Slytherins can.

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"Hermione, why don't you come one up?"

Hermione pulled her eyes away from the Charms book in front of her as Hart called down to her once again. Hermione sighed. "I don't fly, Hart. That's what Harry and Ron and Ginny and just about everyone else in the wizarding world is for."

Hart just smirked, flying in lazy circles. "I see. Scared, then?"

Hermione scowled. "I most certainly am not."

Hart smiled. "Yes you are. There's something you're not a genius about and it scares you. It's alright, though. You don't have to know everything."

Hermione though that statement a bit rude, but she ignored it. "I'll have you know that I've read every book on Quidditch that Hogwarts has to offer." She said knowingly. Hart gave her an 'oh really' look. Hermione nodded emphatically. "Yes I have…just last year. It was either learn all I could about Quidditch or have Ron and Harry beat me with their brooms for talking about Wonky-Faints."

Hart nearly fell off her broom laughing. "You didn't!" she gasped, holding tightly to her broom. Flying down to the ground so she wouldn't kill herself, Hart collapsed into laughter. Hermione felt her cheeks growing warm as she tried to ignore it.

Hart was silent for a while before breaking out in giggles again. "Wonky-Faint." She muttered to herself in amusement.

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"Bloody damn hell buggering sodding fuck!" Ginny burst out as Draco Malfoy stepped further into the room. Pansy immediately leapt up and stealthily made her way over to the bed. Luckily, from where he was standing he couldn't see the cradle, where Evangel was asleep. But five more steps…

Ginny headed him off. "Please Malfoy…please…we're allowed to be here; you can ask Dumbledore. Please, just go." she pleaded with him, desperation falling heavily on her words purely by strategy. There was one thing she knew about Malfoy for certain and that was that he liked to dominate. And right now she needed his cooperation or else he was going to do a lot of damage in a way only a snotty little bastard of a Malfoy could. He stopped in front of her and cast a glance over at Pansy, glaring at him over her glasses, still a threatening figure despite the fact she was wearing pajamas and a robe.

He turned his glance back over to Ginny, eyes roving once more over her body. Anger surged up her throat, but she swallowed it and schooled her face into a submissive mask. "Please, Malfoy." She wanted to throw up and probably would sooner or later. When the time came, she would aim for Malfoy. She knew what it could mean for Pansy if Malfoy found out about the baby; it would be all over the school in a matter of hours. Malfoy would probably try to get Pansy kicked out of the school. With the little fucker's influence, he'd probably succeed, too. Pansy didn't deserve that; as odd as it was, Ginny considered Pansy a friend, and there was no chance in hell she would let Draco Bloody Malfoy hurt her again.

Malfoy's lips curved up in a smirk as he looked back and forth, from Pansy in her pajamas, to Ginny in her rumpled and half-undone clothes. "Well, well, well. What have we here? Two lovely young ladies engaging in inappropriate behavior out-of-bounds after hours. I'd say that's good for at least a month of detentions and fifty points from each house."

Sneering, he stepped closer, only moments away from discovering Evangel. Pansy's eyes widened in genuine fear for her child. Ginny, clutching at straws, grabbed Malfoy's arm. "Wait!" she gasped. "Please…please. Don't…just don't…I'll do anything, just please go away." She begged, already planning just how Pansy would repay her for this and just how she could obliterate Malfoy later.

Malfoy's eyes glinted. "Anything?" he asked suggestively, glancing her over once more. Pansy made a noise of protestation behind her. Ginny ignored it, taking a deep, steadying breath as the annoyance surged again. "What did you have in mind?" she asked hesitantly. Truthfully, she really didn't want to know…Malfoys had dirty, dirty minds.

"Well, many thoughts of things I'd like to do to you have passed through my mind." Ginny lowered her head; she knew her eyes would be rolling. Apparently Malfoys were melodramatic as well as being utter pricks ruling supreme in the utter prick universe. "Please…just go." she whispered again, praying he wouldn't see the snicker that was working on her face, hidden behind her stony façade. Honestly, this was no time to start laughing. Malfoy seemed to be evaluating the situation. Finally, he nodded.

"Fine. We have a deal. I won't say anything, if…" he broke off, making Ginny lean in expectantly. "If…" she prompted, trying not to sound snappish. He smirked and the movement sent shivers down her spine and not the good 'oh, yes touch me there' kind. "If you come with me." He ended vaguely. Ginny breathed out a sigh of relief. No specifics, no deal. She'd go with him, conk him on the head, and be gone. Or at least she hoped it would be so easy. There was always that pesky issue of him behind a full head taller than her and way stronger. She glanced back at Pansy, who was shaking her head violently, mouthing 'no' to her. Ginny turned back to Malfoy, a scowl on her face.

"Fine."

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"Will you hurry it up?"

Ginny trudged along a little faster, as he asked. No one wanted to piss Draco Malfoy off, and she was lucky enough he'd let the issue with Pansy go so quickly. If she was really, really lucky, she could get off without sacrificing anything to Malfoy except a fist to the face.

"Hey Malfoy?"

He made a grunting noise she assumed could be interpreted as 'what?'.

"What do you want?"

That caught his attention. His eyes glinted cold as he stopped and turned to face her. "What do I want?" He asked, voice clipping his words sharply. Ginny nodded. "What could you possibly want from a Weasley?" She asked.

That horribly malicious and avaricious look went into his eyes. "I should think that would be pretty obvious." He smirked at her apparent distaste. "But you've got all those girls in Slytherin…" she cocked her head to the side. "And Ravenclaw…" he cut her off before she went any farther.

"You know why I want you?" he advanced on her, and she backed up warily, her mind already buzzing with escape routes if he tried anything. Where were Fred and George's Beater sticks when you needed them? "Why?" she asked, determinedly, stalling for time as her mind was out of smart ideas, having used up that one to actually go along with Malfoy. Her back hit the wall and she stopped moving back, instead putting up a hand to stop him.

He leaned in close, his face inches from hers. "I want you because…" he paused and on habit she leaned in to hear what else he was going to say. "…because you hate me. And you hate everything to do with me. And it would kill your brother." He smirked again, and in a sudden movement, pressed her body to the wall.

Ginny's eyes widened and she turned her head away as he leaned in to kiss her. She tried lifting her hands to carry out the 'conk him on the head' plan, only to find they were pinned to her sides and she couldn't wrench them from his surprisingly strong grasp. His lips hit the skin of the junction of her jaw and ear. She shuddered in repulsion at his touch. "Stop it!" she hissed, trying to push him away. She was putting up a good fight, but it was just inevitable that he would win…he was stronger than she was and he had the advantage she'd been hoping for. Although she could definitely get in a few good bruises and if she was lucky, a knee to the goods.

"Why?" he asked, running his lips up her neck. She wriggled away. "Get off me!"

Draco pressed his hips against hers and flattened her chest, knocking the air out of her. "I plan to be more on you than just this." He warned, leaning in once more for the kill. A booming voice stopped him.

"DRACO!"

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Blaise sighed heavily for the fifth time in so many minutes.

He'd gone. There'd been no sense in staying, not after he'd made his first move. Of course he'd gone…like there was anything else he could have done. Blaise congratulated himself for his restraint in not pushing it too fast. The situation needed time, and if Blaise kept his head and played his cards right, could prove to be a lifetime masterpiece.

It must have been near on midnight (though the gods knew his sense of timing was fucked up) when he was broken out of his reverie by a frantic voice.

"Blaise! Blaise!"

Blaise sat up, looking around; his newly opened eyes adjusting to the darkness. He knew that voice…but where was it coming from? And what the bloody hell did she want from him?

"BLAISE FUCKING ZABINI! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?"

Damn, Parkinson had a set of lungs.

He stood, squinting to make out the dark form that was scuttling frantically around in the darkness, hissing and cursing at unseen things.

"Pansy?" he called, stumbling towards her figure. The form froze where it was bent over a bush, parting branches in search for him, undoubtedly. "Blaise?" she hissed, straightening. "No, it the other Blaise Fucking Zabini. And if you ever have children, I suggest you let someone else pick out their middle names." He said sarcastically, not noticing the way she froze again at the mention of children.

Her immobile status didn't remain as such for long. In seconds flat, she'd practically tackled him, fisting her hands in his robes, and he was certain she would have hauled him up if she hadn't been so short.

"You have to do something, NOW!" she said frantically. Blaise cocked his head. "What the bloody hell are you on about?" she gave him a little shove. "Malfoy! Draco Sodding Malfoy! He's gone off with her and I swear to Salazar, if he does anything to her because you're standing here like a daft prick, I will personally torture you both, scoop out your internals and have you feed it to each other, do I make myself perfectly clear!"

With that she whirled and began to haul him along behind her, back up to the castle. It wouldn't have been possible for her to do unless Blaise hadn't been compliantly walking along after her. Then again, he had no other choice; he wasn't entirely sure she wouldn't make good on her threat, whatever the hell she was talking about.

"Listen, Pansy…" he started as she pulled him into the hallway. "…what on earth is going on?" Pansy stopped long enough to give him her full stare. It was something Slytherins had a knack of doing; reading each other's eyes like a book. Blaise saw fury there, most dominantly, floating around like razor-sharp chips of steel. But there was fear, there was plenty of fear; shaking and shifting around, trying to evade him. There was affection for some unknown source; something Blaise had never seen in Pansy's eyes in the seven plus years he'd known her. There was a new sense of being in her, blossoming forth through the haze of her older, more clouded self. It was enough to make him nod and continue on after her.

He waited for her to speak; he knew if she wanted to, she'd do it on her own terms in her own time. If she didn't want to, nothing would change her mind.

"If you'd told me, years ago, that I'd get this worked up over a Weasley, I'd tell you that you were insane." She spoke suddenly, her voice softer and more controlled than it had been outside; yet fear and urgency spoke untold volumes in their hinted presence in her tone.

"She's become…almost like a mother and a sister and a best friend and a guardian angel to me." Blaise's head snapped up at the awe-like wonder so gentle in her eyes and voice. He'd never thought a Slytherin capable of something like that.

They rounded another corner, and Blaise recognized it as they went past the infirmary. Blaise didn't have to ask who Pansy was talking about; there was only one female Weasley, thank the gods. The one they had was more than enough to handle. "He came…and I just couldn't let him see…" she paused, biting her lip. "…I had to get him out of there…Ginny was there and she…she told him she'd do anything if he'd just go…" she trailed off, her eyes sharpening as they passed the portrait of Sir Godfred Milington of Cadaway, who was pacing around in his picture.

He looked up as they passed. "I say! Young knight and fair lady…you must do something! The dragon has taken a fine young maiden against her will! You must rush to aid her, before all is lost!" he declaimed dramatically.

Blaise leaned forward, intrigued, to ask more on the topic when Pansy impatiently sighed. "Come off it Milington, just tell us where he took her." Blaise turned as the old hard-as-nails Pansy resurfaced, glaring darkly at the portrait, who immediately turned and hurried on to the next painting ahead of them.

Without a word passed between them, Pansy and Blaise rushed after him. They followed him down twisting staircases and darkened halls as he blundered through each painting, armor clanking as he went, shouting apologies to the nuns he knocked over or the children he trampled.

Blaise was getting dizzy by the time they reached a narrow corridor with no paintings. Sir Godfrey had to stop, but he pointed insistently down the hallway. Pansy didn't even hesitate, jogging forward with Blaise at her heels.

"Stop it!" was the first thing they heard, slithering towards them from around the corner up ahead. Pansy made a gasping noise and sped faster. Blaise caught some of the exigency and with long, purposeful strides, hurried towards the corner.

"Why?" he recognized Draco's voice, soft and dangerous, like a snake waiting to strike. "Get off me!" Oh gods. Pansy and Blaise's identical thoughts clashed with a sense of horror at whatever was happening just beyond their reach.

The image that presented itself to them stopped them in their tracks. Draco was forcing himself on Ginny Weasley, pressing her against the wall. Ginny's face was scrunched up in disgust and turned away from his lips, searching hungrily for hers. "I plan to be more on you than just this." He said huskily, turning her to face him and lowering his lips to hers.

"DRACO!" Blaise burst out, overcoming the paralysis that had come over him and rushing forward to pull Draco off the much smaller girl. Blaise held his friend at arm's length and turned to the younger girl. Poor thing barely came up to his nose. She was a little pale, but other than that, she looked fine. As fine as one can be when being pressed against a wall by the Slytherin Sex God. Shaking herself a little, she nodded to Blaise and went over to Pansy, who looked uncertain whether she should slap her senseless or slap some sense into her. Both were looking good by now.

Blaise watched as Pansy carted the red head off. At the corner, Ginny turned her head to look back just once. Her eyes locked with Blaise, and he swore he saw something like approval there…and something else…understanding.

With a small, knowing smile, she was gone.

Blaise turned back to Draco, anger burning in his eyes. "What…the…fuck…was…that?" he asked, fists clenching in his robes as his voice grated against the very walls of the foundation.

Draco felt that familiar surge of fear as Blaise's normally cheery face hardened, anger prominent on the planes and contours in every inch of skin. "What was what?" he asked, hoping to play dumb. Bad move. With a half-hiss, Blaise shoved Draco against the wall as he had several weeks ago. "Don't you dare toy with me Draco!" he growled. "What, were you trying to get back at her? Because she showed you up? That's pathetic, man. You were going to force yourself on a girl just because you don't like her?"

Something broke in Draco…and Blaise saw it. It was something he couldn't define, nor would he ever recognize. It was something that stunned him, because whatever it was, he had the feeling it shouldn't be seen on a Malfoy.

Lowering him, Blaise stepped back. "Leave her alone, Malfoy." He said, voice like ice. With a swish of his cloak, he was gone, leaving Draco to crumble warily to the floor.

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Harry stumbled back into the Gryffindor Common Room much later. His thoughts were whirling about in his head. Harry quickly slammed up a wall in defense, shielding himself from those thoughts. He didn't want to think about it anymore; no more than he wanted to think about Zabini and the things he'd said. It was like he'd known…everything.

Harry was still uncertain why Zabini had talked to him in the first place, and was still fairly certain it wouldn't do him any good, but it intrigued him, just as much as it unnerved him. what on earth was going on?

He shook his head violently, heading over to where Ron and Hermione were sitting, studying their Charms books intently. Or rather, Hermione was and Ron was busy practicing turning her hair different colours without her knowledge.

Grinning at Ron and a violet-headed Hermione, Harry sunk down into the armchair across from them. It was actually quite late and everyone else had gone up to their separate dorms. Ron was getting increasingly worried every time he remembered that Ginny still hadn't come back.

Since it was Friday, Hermione had asked them to stay up with her and get their homework finished for the weekend so they could 'do something fun together'. Harry and Ron prayed it had nothing to do with S.P.E.W. Sure, she'd given it up, especially after that one house-elf incident with the mop…but there was always the lingering fear that it would pop up in her mind again and come back to haunt them all.

Hermione looked up from her book, totally oblivious that her hair was flashing neon green, and smiled up at Harry, looking happier than she had in days. Ron just sniggered and went back to her hair.

"Where have you been, eh?" Ron asked distractedly, his spell going wrong and turning her hair into a bunch of slithering green snakes. He rushed to fix the problem before Hermione realized her hair was hissing. Harry swallowed a smirk; the question brought back the thoughts he'd managed to subdue. It didn't help he was talking to the brother of one of said thoughts.

Praying to Godric that Ron had no mind-reading capabilities, Harry put on his best impassive face. "Just out thinking." He covered effortlessly when he realized Ron was still waiting for his answer, having managed to get Hermione's hair back to a comfortable tangerine color. Ron nodded and with a decisive flick of his wand, Hermione's hair was sporting glittering scarlet lions. Sitting back, a satisfied grin on his lips, Ron smirked at Harry.

Harry wondered briefly just exactly what Ron would do to him if he ever awoke to hear Harry calling Ginny's name out restlessly in the middle of the night. He was still thinking on the subject when suddenly the fire roared and with a pop, someone with shaggy, more-mussed-than-usual hair appeared in the fire.

Hermione and Ron leaned over the back of the couch they were sitting on and Harry wandered around it to kneel in front of the flames. Remus Lupin's head was floating in the fireplace, an expression of pure horror on it. Harry thought to himself that he'd never seen Remus look this frightened, ever.

He was gasping for breath and his eyes were darting around furtively, fearfully; fear lodged permanently in his tired brown eyes. "Harry! Ron! Hermione! Please, please, you must do something, quick!" he screamed, begging wildly, all the while glancing about as if someone would attack him.

Ron leaned forward so much he fell over the back of the couch and ended up crawling over to the fireplace to stare in horror at their calm and composed former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. What could possibly scare an Order member and werewolf so badly?

In the background they heard loud bangs and muffled shouting. Harry was the first to get over his shock. "Remus! What's happening? Is it a DeathEater attack? What's going on?" Remus's eyes rolled around as he shifted, lower lip actually trembling. "It's not that." He said hastily as the pounding got louder and more determined. The shouts rose and they could tell it was definitely female.

Harry racked his head for female supporters of Voldemort, but they were all in Azkaban or dead. What was happening? Had there been a break-out? He forced himself to remain calm, as Remus certainly wasn't going to do it. "Remus, Remus…take a deep breath. What's happening?" Remus let out a pitiful moan and swiveled his head as the pounding was accompanied with splintering, cracking noises. His eyes widened as they listened to what was most likely someone or something breaking through a door.

He turned to them. "Please, please! You've got to help me! She's coming through the door! She's after me, you've got to help me, please!" Harry moved closer frantically at the hysteria in his voice. "Remus, who? Who's after you?" the splintering increased and Remus clutched his head in his hands.

"Fleur!" he shrieked.

All three of them were silent as what he'd said processed through their minds. Then a low chuckle started behind them. All three whirled to see Ginny standing in the middle of the common room, apparently having heard the conversation. In the midst of all the panic they hadn't even heard her come in.

She started laughing harder as Remus was tackled out of sight by something pale and quick. Her laughter was drowned out by Remus's somewhat muffled cries for help. "No, no! No, don't…get off me! No, no not the pants, I-" the fire dulled and with an accompanying pop! the image disappeared, leaving the room in silence but for Ginny's boisterous laughter.

Three very confused heads turned to her questioningly. It took her a full two minutes to stop laughing, and even where she did speak, it was with an occasional giggle.

"Ooh…they did it…ha…they actually did it." She giggled again. Ron cocked his head. "Who? Did what?" he asked, his previous worry for her disappearing. She grinned uncontrollably to herself as she sunk down in the chair Harry had vacated.

"Fred and George write to me every week, letting me know what they're up to and what I'm allowed to know about what's going on at Grimauld Place." More laughter. "Well, last week they sent me a letter saying they've invented a new batch of Love Potion; makes you show your true feelings to people you love. Actually, they sent me a letter asking if I'd like to help them test something out. I said no." she scoffed. "Apparently, they were afraid the potion's lust factor was too high and since I declined their generous offer, the mentioned something about "accidentally" knocking an experimental batch into Fleur's tea to see what she'd do to Bill." She glanced at the ceiling, barely restraining laughter.

Confused glances passed between the two boys but Hermione's jaw dropped and her eyes sparkled like mad. "I can't believe it!" she shrieked almost triumphantly. Ron eyed her suspiciously. "What on earth…?" he mused.

Ginny grinned wickedly. "Last summer when Fleur was visiting to tell mum about her and Bill's engagement…you remember- she had to stay in our room because mum didn't want her and Bill up to anything?" that wickedly evil smirk again.

Hermione let out a snort and picked up the explanation. "Well, we may or may not have gotten Fleur a little sloshed…but either way, she told Ginny and I a tiny little secret." She said, holding her index finger and thumb centimetres apart.

"She's apparently a very competitive girl, our Fleur." Ginny said, smirking. "Doesn't like anyone turning her down; can't comprehend that anyone could ever not fall for her."

Hermione shot an almost fond look at the fireplace. "Remus didn't." Ginny laughed. "Turned her down flat during one of her and Bill's off moments. Seems he's got eyes for someone else." She shrugged her shoulders. "Dunno who, but it seems that even though she's marrying Bill in a few weeks, Fleur's still lusting over him. Mum won't be too happy…"

Comprehension dawned on them, and soon the entire room was filled with their laughter as they recalled the flash of white that had been Fleur, and Remus's last words. Poor Remus…

Wiping her eyes, Ginny stood and prepared to go off to bed. She was feeling much better than she had been earlier, when Pansy had walked her back to Gryffindor tower, insisting she did so, giving the excuse that she'd placed the baby in Pomfrey's care and that Malfoy might pop up unexpectedly at any moment.

More likely than not. Ginny shuddered at the thought of everything she had put on the line, everything she could have lost, if not for Pansy and Blaise. Blaise…she would have to thank him. It would be alright…she didn't think it would do any harm…it wasn't like he desired her for himself…she didn't know why exactly, it was just a gut feeling she had…

And she'd learned to trust her gut feeling.

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Colin stirred slightly as something ran down his bare back. He shivered, still half-asleep, and rolled over. Odekerk was absentmindedly running one finger down his back, drawing lazy circles with her nail. She looked up as Colin rolled over and smirked.

"Hello Mr. Creevey." She quirked her lips up. Colin grinned down at her. "Good morning Ms. Odekerk." He smiled back at her, reaching out to touch her chin. She closed her eyes sleepily, shifting closer to wrap an arm around his waist. She breathed in deeply, seemingly content.

Colin wasn't quite so. He fingered her long charcoal-coal hair idly, winding it around each of his fingers. "Oy, look…I, eh…I don't want you to think I regret this, but…" he took a deep breath as she tilted her head up to look curiously at him. "…where does this leave us?" he asked, letting out his breath in a whoosh.

Odekerk frowned slightly, eyes focusing somewhere far off, somewhere not in the room: the future. Several seconds ticked by and her lip went numb from how harshly she was biting it. Finally she shook her head slightly and turned to Colin, still half-locked in embrace.

"Well…I have to think from a teacher's professional mind frame…what is best for you and for me. Responsibly, I think the best thing would be to forget this ever happened and go our separate ways." She stated matter-of-factly, containing any emotions she might have otherwise displayed.

Colin stared off over her shoulder, trying to do the same. Okay, so he wasn't exactly the virginal altar boy…still, he had felt something, some connection he'd never felt before. It had been the most mind-blowing experience of his young life and he would have liked to have thought it was the same for her…apparently not.

He didn't know what he had thought would happen; of course they couldn't start something. He was a student and she was a teacher. If they were ever found out, he could be tossed out of Hogwarts and her as well. This was the best course of action to follow, his logic told him that much…but the rest of him was point-blank disagreeing.

He opened his mouth to say something…anything…he really wasn't sure…when she put a finger to his lips. He looked down to find a hesitant smile in her eyes, along with a wild look that Colin recognized from watching people about to do something they thought they shouldn't.

"However, what I think is best to do, and what I intend on doing are two separate things." She said, slowly, yet assertively. She wasn't backing out on this; when she was sure of something, if her heart or body told her something, she went with it. And of this she was sure.

Colin's vacant eyes took on a glimmer of joy and wonder. Since when was he so lucky? With a sudden, decisive movement, he leaned down and took her lips. She closed her eyes and moaned softly as his lips and tongue moved against hers. Instinctively she moved closer, reveling in the warmth and satiating comfort he provided.

The interruption was most unexpected and unwelcome. They broke apart and glanced over at the door to the Potions classroom, where a muffled cursing sound was heard as something thumped against the door.

Everything happened so quickly. Colin had no time to do anything but leap up, completely starkers and turn to Odekerk, eyes wild and questioning. She, equally de-clothed, jumped up and shoved him forward. There was no time for him to get dressed or get out, so she did the only logical thing anyone would think of:

She shoved him under Snape's desk.

Muttering, "Donatius!" frantically under her breath, Odekerk aimed her wand (which she'd grabbed from the corner where it had been flung along with her cloak) at her clothes. All items reappeared on her body, leaving her with jut enough time to smooth out her hair and seat herself composedly at the desk Colin was under before the door to the classroom opened with a disgruntled, "Alohomara!"