Addie loved spending time with the twins however there was only so much "Weasley" one person can handle. Addie left the Great Hall before the boys for a little alone time. She found her self wandering to one of the garden benches overlooking one of the steep hills leading to the east side forest. She studied the transfiguration homework for awhile before daydreaming of more amusing activities. Addie had just come up with the idea of using trunk tops as sleds on this very hill with the twins when a voice from behind almost knocked Addie clear into the last of the winters snow.

"Ah! Adeline, there you are. What are you studying? Oh, I see, Divination… a tricky one. Well, I could always tutor you if you are finding yourself struggling." Darus' smiled a kind smile as Addie searched for the ability to make audible words come out.

"Uh yeah, tutor, sure." Addie wanted to do a face plant into the snow right then and there. Why oh why can she not be a normal, comprehendible human around this boy?

"Adeline, next trip to Hogsmeade, go with me." It was phrased more like a strong suggestion than a question. Addie tried to match his effortless calm.

"It's Addie. Isn't that tomorrow?" Ok, good. She had spoken words. They were questionable sentences with no real flow but it was an improvement!

"Yes, tomorrow Adeline. We'll meet here around 9:30? It's going to be a blast." Darus simply rose and strode off, beyond proud of himself, leaving Addie open mouthed and slightly giddy. Understanding and giddiness rising correspondingly Addie headed back to her own common room.

Had Addie realized the size and oddity of the smile on her face she most likely would have removed it before entering the common room where the twins were located. Her brain working on autopilot, she moved to their sitting area and joined them. George and Fred both looked from Addie's face to each other.

"Are you feeling ill Addie?" George asked overly slowly and a touch loud, as if Addie was an infant with degrading hearing. Addie immediately snapped out of her mood and reminded herself she was with the boys. They didn't need to know of the events outside nor her plans for tomorrow. They wouldn't even care if she told them. Surely they wouldn't care that she was going with Darus. They would most likely be at the castle all day experimenting and such. They weren't fans of Darus but they surely wouldn't care at all if Addie liked him. Addie instantly became defensive fore they could even pass judgment.

"Are you feeling ill George? You sound weird. And Fred, are you ok? You look weird, well weirder than normal. Usually I just put up with it but man you're practically an alien. How do you live with yourself having to wake up to that face?" Addie was going to play cool and her normal self. If the boys didn't find out about Darus then there would be no trouble. She busted out laughing after two seconds of watching the twins' faces turn in reaction. They soon joined in laughing once realizing she was only messing with them. "What were you going over before I came in?"

"Oh, the plan for tomorrow! You're going to love it. We were checking out the map and noticed this one path leading to…well we can't tell you yet but you're going to flip." Uh oh, Addie hadn't planned on the boys making plans for all of them tomorrow.

"Well I was actually looking forward to just going to Hogsmeade tomorrow."

Fred chimed in this time trying to convince Addie to join in the fun. "It's on the way! It won't take all day; we'll have plenty of time to go to the shops and stuff."

Addie stared down at the floor not wanting to meet their eyes. This was not going to be an easy escape. "Sorry guys I just have other plans. You go on and do whatever it is without me."

Fred and George looked at each other, "she's hiding something." Addie chuckled a little; she always thought it a little humorous when they spoke at the same time. And the interrogation began:

"Where are you going tomorrow Addie?" Fred leaned in.

Addie leaned back in her chair, shoulders slouched, head towards her feet, "Hogsmeade."

"What are you doing there?" George leaned in mirror to his twin.

"I don't know. Shopping, walking, the usual." Addie shrugged, she knew one of them was going to figure it out. There was a pause, slightly awkward, it seemed like 5 minutes but was most likely hardly 30 seconds.

Fred's eyes widened. "Who are you going with tomorrow Adeline?"

What was the obsession with boys using her whole name when pressing something on her? Addie rolled her eyes and whispered out, "Darus Zonko." Surely they didn't hear her, right?

"That little git! He thinks he can just waltz in here and take our Addie! Bullocks!" Addie and George just stared at the now standing Fred.

"Anyway, Adeline did he ask you to go with him?" George asked almost not believing Addie's story.

"What is so hard to understand? Yes! Darus asked me to go with him! Is it impossible to think a guy might actually like me? Well he does like me! At least I think so. He asked me to go with him that has to mean he likes me! Right? And he offered to tutor me, so he is nice and he likes me so you two knuckle heads can deal with it!" Addie was also standing, although she stood in her chair making her much taller than the boys, fists at her side.

The boys burst into laughter. Addie wanted to join them but she didn't know what on earth they could find funny in this situation, she had made herself intimidating and strong, not weak and humorous! "He…offered…to tutor…YOU!" George couldn't contain himself

Addie was confused as she stepped down from her chair/high horse. "Yes, in Divination. Why are you laughing?"

Fred was almost falling from her last statement. "Divination? Anyone wanting to tutor you is a joke; you do better than most Ravenclaws in every subject. Divination is something you naturally succeed, no excel, no dominate! He knows nothing about you, clearly!"

"Well, I'm going to give him the chance to learn a thing or two." Addie couldn't help it. The boys were right, it was funny. Looking back on Addie's reaction to this boy was funnier than the twins could imagine. Addie didn't have to be as cool as him, she was probably smarter. She would use this confidence around him.