No.

There was absolutely no way in hell that what he was looking at right now was real.

Just a few feet away from him, the girl that had shattered him in the bathroom at Luna Nova, and gave him one of the best nights of his life, was standing by the food table, angrily shoving some cake down her throat. What was she even doing here? He didn't remember giving her an invitation to his party, especially after how they left each other last time. A low growl came from him, he side-stepped Diana as he was determined to get to her, but Diana matched him and put her hands on her hips. She glared up at him, "Andrew, I warned you about Akko."

"Get out of my way, Cavendish." He hissed. Frank raised an eyebrow at his friend, questioning his behavior. Never had he ever seen Andrew speak to Diana like that. But as Andrew's eyes scanned the room, he realized the girl in the pink dress no longer stood at the table. He scanned the crowd of rich aristocrats and royal families, before seeing her dancing on the other side of the room. Her partner was a boy with black hair and green eyes. Heir to the CEO of the chief of investigation bureau. He watched as a hand slid around Akko's waist, hand landing firmly on what Andrew would think was too close to the chest. Akko had a slight blush on her face. It was only when the boy leaned down into Akko's ear that Andrew saw red. He stormed through the guests and approached them, ignoring Diana's call for him to stop. Akko stopped once she saw Andrew approaching, she looked away bashfully. Andrew looked him in the eye, "Jackson." The boy continued to hold Akko close to him as he nodded towards Andrew.

"Sir, Andrew. How are you this evening?" Jackson had asked, a small smile on his face. Akko bit her lip, and started removing his arms from her waist.

"I'm quite fine. Whose this with you?" Andrew asked, eyes shifting towards Akko's small form.

"Ah, Miss Akko Kagari." Jackson turned to her, taking her hand in his, "Isn't she lovely? So graceful and beautiful." His lips descended towards the skin of her hand and she flushed again.

"Yes, quite lovely, in fact, I think I would like to cut in and steal a dance from her." Andrew deadpanned. Jackson frowned.

"Are... you sure? You see, I would think you had Miss Diana over there to yourself." Jackson's eyes narrowed, "I'd like to keep my dance partner-"

"You seem to forget whose party this is." Andrew cut him off, then turns his eyes back to Akko, "Might I have a word with you, Akko?"

At the first name basis, it suddenly clicked in Jackson's head. He looked at Akko, who was staring into Andrew's eyes with guilt, "Sure, Andrew." She whispered. Jackson scoffed and turned heel and walked off. Suddenly, Akko was pulled straight into Andrew's chest and they were dancing. She didn't realize their hands had been entwined, or that his other free hand had a steady and firm hold of her waist, keeping her close to him, her forehead only a mere inch from his lips.

"Andrew..." She whispered, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Why are you here?" He asked harshly, "I don't remember inviting you or your friends."

"I..." She let out a sigh, resting her head on his chest, "I thought this was a party? No one said there was an invitation..." She lied through her teeth, hoping her nervousness wouldn't get the better of her.

"Well there was." He hissed, grip on her waist tightening. She winded. He was obviously still upset at how they left things last time.

"Please, Andrew. Forgive me?" Her sweet little voice almost made him come undone. But he couldn't, she wasn't supposed to be here. He glared hard at her and she felt her lip tremble. Her head lifted up, her eyes showed lots of sadness and regret in them. Just one inch. One inch away and her lips would be his. But he wouldn't give into her, not after the heartache he felt.

"No." He pulled from her sharply, "I won't allow it. Get your friends and leave." Tears pricked her eyes and she nodded, turning her back to him sadly. He sighed as he watched her walk away, and as he eyed her back he felt a sharp pain in his neck. His hand reached back to touch it, but his gaze remained on Akko. Suddenly he felt different, he didn't want her to leave. No, he wanted to take her and run away. He sped up his pace and reached her as she got to Lotte, then grabbed her hand and spun her around. She turned in surprise and he tensed.

"Andrew?"

'What the hell is going on? What's with my body?'

He looked down at her and her flushed pink cheeks. He let out another primative growl and in just a few moments he had Akko against the wall, closing the space between them. He heard Diana's friends cry in agony, the people around him gasping, the sounds of clicks from cameras, but also he could focus on was Akko and how small she looked between him and this wall. His right hand trailed up her cheek and pulled her closer as his tongue darted out of his mouth to lick his lips. He wanted her so bad. She clenched her eyes and prepared for her first kiss, when she felt Andrew being ripped from her and a loud and angry voice yelling out his name.

Suddenly thankful that his father had stepped in, she escaped and sped out of the room and up some stairs.

"Andrew..."

When he started to focus again, he was standing outside his home and in front of the fountain. His fathers words woke him up from his trance. He turned, slightly confused as he was still coming back to his normal senses.

"I heard there were witches from Luna Nova in our house, but I had no idea you had such... feelings for one of them." His father stepped past him and Andrew tensed.

"I'm sorry father..." Andrew's voice trailed off sadly.

"And you invited them here, knowing how much I hate witches." Andrew said nothing, so his father sighed and continued, "Magic is an evil craft left over from ancient times. Do you know what I'm getting at?"

"No, sir..." Andrew said quietly.

"As statesmen, we must not allow them to get close to us. Do I make myself clear? Whatever you have with this girl, you will end it." His arms crossed behind his back as he glared at his own son, "Is that understood?"

"Do you think we really need to distance ourselves from them entirely?" Andrew spoke up.

"It's politics son. You tend to be captivated and pulled in by... useless things."

She's not useless. Shut up.

"Father..."

"Just like how you gave up piano-"

You made me give it up.

"You should give up on this girl. She's nothing more than a distraction. You're to be a leader in the new world, she's to be a useless witch with weak tricks. Give it up, Andrew." Andrew grimaced and glared hard at the ground, biting his lip as he heard his fathers footsteps again, walking back to the doors.

"Make sure those witches leave, understood?"

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

Andrew jumped and turned to see Akko sitting on the fountain bench. She looked up at him challengingly, "Go ahead and kick us out, since it was so easy for you to give up piano lessons too."

"Akko." He took a step towards her, taking in the beauty of her skin that was illuminated by the lights and water of the fountain.

"I didn't think you were such a coward." She spoke quietly.

He glared at her and approached her quicker this time, "I am not a coward."

"Oh, right, you're just a scared little boy who does whatever his daddy tells him to do." Akko crossed her arms and legs, raising her eyebrows uninterestingly.

"My father is a highly respected man and statesman, and it is my duty to follow in his footsteps!" Andrew spat back.

"Duty? What about following your dreams? You do have your own dream don't you?" Akko stood up and took a step towards him, poking his chest lightly, "Or does your dad also decide your dreams for you?"

"You don't understand..." He whispers, "Some of us are forced to uphold this 'proud lineage' but... that doesn't mean we like it."

"You know..." Her hands come to rest on his chest, and she forces herself to look up at his green eyes, "My dream is to become a great witch, like Shining Chariot..." Her natural smiles make's it's way across her face and she's found herself happy for once that night. "Even though I'm still just a witch in training, I've been able to follow my dream. It's been so fun doing new things and meeting new people. And thinking of Chariot's warm smile, makes me smile..." Her eyes close as she scoffs, "But I'm sure someone like you wouldn't understand at all..."

He doesn't know why, but now he's smiling too. He chuckles and it vibrates through his chest. Her eyes shoot open and she looks up at him, "Are you laughing? Are you making fun of me?"

"You know..." He tilted her head up with his index finger, "You're pretty cute."

She's blushing for a moment, before she looks away, "You don't actually think that. Sucy stung you would that stupid love bee of hers..."

"Akko," He takes a breath, "I stopped feeling the symptoms a while ago." She looks up at him with questionable eyes and he pulls her closer, "If you want to find that bee and kill it be my guest," His lips brush hers and her eyes widen.

"But it isn't going to change how I feel."

The bee is gone, and Andrew watches as Akko and the others leave. He takes a moment to watch her, this time in her school uniform as her dress had wore off. She turns to him and blinks, her hands absentmindedly coming up to touch her lips.

He wanted to do it again.

Then he and Frank are up on the castle's upper floor balconys. Frank goes off about Lotte, how it's hard to find a genuinely kind girl in this day and age. And then he asks the question.

"So, you and Akko?"

"Hm..." Andrew turned from his best friend, and Frank just grins from ear to ear.

"You asked to profess love with a kiss dude, what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking..." Andrew smiled without effort, his facial muscles betraying him as he thought about her cute shocked face as his lips touched hers.

"Obviously dude, do you know how pissed off Diana was? I have never seen that girl so angry." Frank laughed and Andrew felt his smile fade.

"Akko and I have some... connection of some sort." Andrew touches his lips, "I don't know what it is yet, but I want to see her more."

"Maybe you'll run into her again sometime soon." Frank said supportively. He clasped his hands together, "Oh, do you think if she comes back she'll bring Lotte with her too?"

"Ugh, dude..."