Lizzy went to her dueling lesson early with a great deal of tension in her shoulders.

"Good evening, Miss Bennet!" Flitwick said cheerily. "I hope you are feeling better than last week. I've a few new techniques I'd like you and Mr. Darcy to try tonight."

"I am feeling much improved, Professor, thank you," said Lizzy. She took a fortifying breath. "I think I need to take some time away from dueling lessons."

Flitwick's eyebrows drew together. "You've had to choose between all your responsibilities, I presume?"

"Yes, Professor," Lizzy answered. "I do so wish I could keep going as I am, but it has been made abundantly clear to me that such is not possible."

"Hmmm," said Flitwick thoughtfully. "I may have a compromise. Let's speak of other things until Mr. Darcy comes to see if he agrees with my idea."

Lizzy was not fond of the idea of including Mr. Darcy in the discussion, but chose to trust Flitwick's judgement, and so engaged in benign conversation with the man.

Right on time, Mr. Darcy made his entrance and sat at Fltiwick's invitation.

"I believe I may have a solution to recent requests made of you both that would prove very satisfactory," Flitwick stated.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. What request could Mr. Darcy have made of Flitwick?

"You, Miss Bennet, have said you need more time for your other important tasks and you, Mr. Darcy, have requested aid in a research project," said Flitwick. "I propose we alternate weeks. Today, the three of us shall work on dueling. Next week, Mr. Darcy and I shall tend to research while Miss Bennet tries to keep herself from falling ill again. Does this proposal meet with satisfaction?"

Elizabeth found herself more curious than she would care to admit about the research Mr. Darcy wanted to do with Flitwick, but allowed herself to smile and agree to the scheme, anyway. One free evening every other week might not sound like much, but Elizabeth knew she would be able to do a great deal with it.

After a lengthy talk about finding balance in life with Professor McGonagall on Thursday, Lizzy had a purposeful discussion with her Quidditch teammates after practice on Friday.

"I wonder if you would agree to a change in our practice schedule after our first match," Lizzy said to the team.

"What kind of change?" asked Ezra Cooper, Gryffindor's Seeker.

"Rather than meeting on Mondays for practice, we extend practice on Tuesdays and Fridays," Lizzy answered. "You have all been performing admirably, and now that we've learned how we work together, I am confident we can continue to progress under such a regimen."

"I'm all for it," said Siobhan Malloy. She was as good a Keeper as Lizzy had ever met. "Would we be able to get the pitch for that time, though?"

"We might have to share for a short time with Ravenclaw on Tuesdays," Lizzy answered honestly. "I can talk to Higgins, though, and see if we can scrimmage in the overlap, and maybe even switch times every now and then, to keep things a little more in balance."

Octavius Donaldson, the third Chaser on the team, spoke next, "I don't know that I'm much of a fan of showing Ravenclaw our drills."

"If they remember too much, Julian and I can beat it out of them," said Levi, casually swinging his bat.

"You will not be beating anyone," said Lizzy flatly. "That's why I suggested that we switch times every now and then, Octavius. Sometimes we will see some of Ravenclaw's drills, and sometimes they will see ours. It's balanced that way, at least."

"What if Higgins goes to Bentham or Warrington with our plays?" Julian objected.

"Then we do the same with his, you fool," said Phoebe to her brother. "Now hush and respect your elders."

Julian responded by sticking his tongue out and making a face.

"Does anyone have any objections aside from Ravenclaw seeing some of our work?" Lizzy asked louder than was necessary, effectively distracting the Weasley siblings from each other.

The team responded in the negative, and so Lizzy promised to negotiate with Garrett Higgins before finalizing the schedule change.

Lizzy found the opportunity at Hogsmeade the very next day when she caught sight of Higgins in the street. She called out to him, and he approached with a mixture of pleasantry and suspicion.

"Morning, Bennet," Higgins greeted.

"I have a proposition for you," said Lizzy. She gestured to The Three Broomsticks. "Would you be opposed to discussing it over a drink?"

"What's the topic?" Higgins asked shrewdly.

"Quidditch."

"You're buying, then."

"That's fair," said Lizzy with a smirk.

"Find a spot near a window," Higgins asked as he held the door for Lizzy. "It may or may not happen, but someone's supposed to be meeting me in a few minutes."

"Is that so?" Lizzy asked with an arched brow. "Or do you simply want to make sure there will be witnesses aplenty if I decide to try to curse you?"

Higgins tried and failed to suppress a grin. "A request can have two functions, can it not?"

Lizzy chose a table with a fine view of Hogsmeade's main street and began coming to terms with sharing the Quidditch pitch for a time with Higgins. They verbally battled for nearly half an hour before finally coming to a compromise. Both teams would extend their Tuesday practices and their time on the field would overlap by nearly forty-five minutes. They would switch who was first on the field from month to month, and the later team would have fifteen minutes to warm up before they would scrimmage for half an hour.

Higgins flagged down someone entering the building as he made his last demand. "I'm sure you'll think it reasonable that we agree not to disclose any strategies, strengths, or weaknesses we learn about each other's teams to any members of Hufflepuff or Slytherin?"

"Perfectly so," Lizzy agreed.

"Good morning, Miss Bennet."

Elizabeth nearly screamed in frustration. Why was it that Mr. Darcy showed up everywhere she went? Could she not have one blessed morning of relief?

"Darcy!" Higgins greeted. "Finished answering your steward already, have you? Excellent. And you've brought your bag. I should have known. Have you any parchment to spare?"

Mr. Darcy sat himself beside Higgins and handed his bag over.

"You brought your assignments?" Higgins asked as he pulled out a Transfiguration book. "I enjoy learning just as much as you, Darcy, but you must allow yourself some breaks or you'll go mad. Ah! Here we go, blank parchment."

"Jane is here this morning." Elizabeth said as Higgins began to write out the terms of their agreement. "I shall go find her and she can serve as our witness when we sign."

"Nonsense, Darcy will do just fine," said Higgins without pausing in his writing.

"Jane is head girl, and a member of neither of our houses," Elizabeth continued to press.

"And your sister," said Higgins, looking up long enough to cock an eyebrow at Elizabeth. "Darcy's an honest fellow. He wouldn't let me cheat you, Bennet."

"Certainly not," Mr. Darcy concurred.

"Perhaps not, but it would be best if we found someone impartial to be our witness. Can we agree on a Hufflepuff?" Elizabeth asked.

"Fair enough," Higgins answered.

Elizabeth looked around the pub, and her eyes landed on Permelia Abbot. "Abbot?" she asked Higgins.

Higgins turned in his seat to glance at Permelia. "She'll do," he answered.

Elizabeth left the table to retrieve the agreed upon witness. Permelia consented to the office asked of her and returned with Elizabeth to listen to the entirety of the compromise, then watched as Higgins and Elizabeth signed the parchment before adding her own name, folding the paper, and tucking it into her pocket.

"I'll make copies to give to Sprout, McGonagall, and Flitwick," Permelia promised before wishing everyone a good day and returning to her own party.

"Now that's all settled," said Higgins with a relieved sigh. He smiled at Elizabeth. "What say you to a dance, Bennet? We've had a verbal one already. Might as well do the usual version."

Elizabeth laughed. "And be seen as fraternizing with the enemy?"

"You dance with Bentham often enough," Higgins said with a shrug. "Seems only fair I should have a turn."

"Does that mean I'm obligated to dance with Warrington, also?" Elizabeth asked archly.

"Merlin's beard, no," said Higgins quickly. "I wouldn't insist on anyone dancing with that troll.

"Come on now, Darcy!" Higgins continued, rising and pulling Elizabeth up with him. "Accompany us! Bennet might even be so kind as to dance with two non-Gryffindors this day at Hogsmeade."

"I've no need of your help finding partners, Higgins," said Elizabeth coldly. "I'll dance with you, since you insist and in honor of our negotiations, but find I have no great inclination beyond that."

"I would be pleased if you would dance with me, Miss Bennet."

Elizabeth felt her eyes widen in surprise as the words left Mr. Darcy's mouth. Had he really just invited her to dance? Could she find a way to refuse without causing an incident?

"Ah, there it is! You simply must agree to it now, Bennet. Darcy hasn't danced the entire time he's been here, and we've all begun to suspect he doesn't know how," said Higgins.

"I can assure you he does know how, as I've seen him at it before," said Elizabeth lightly, happy to have been presented with the opportunity to wriggle out of having to dance with Mr. Darcy. "He was staying with Bingley near my father's estate and attended an assembly. He danced two sets complete the entire evening."

"Only two sets?" Higgins asked, pretending outrage. "That won't do, Darcy! You should have danced at least once with each of the Bennet sisters in attendance. What's wrong with you? Get up, man! You'll do what you should have done then, now!"

Higgins grabbed Mr. Darcy by the arm and hauled him out of his seat.

Elizabeth found herself frustrated. Her plan to make Higgins abandon his effort to get Mr. Darcy to dance, and to avoid dancing with the man, herself, had backfired splendidly.

"Bingley!" Higgins shouted upon catching sight of the man out on the street.

Elizabeth felt herself blush. She was not embarrassed by Higgins's manners. They were quite accepted in the magical world, and she rather enjoyed the fact. She was, however, embarrassed that Higgins was dragging more people into the situation, Bingley and Jane in particular.

Bingley smiled at Higgins, waved, said something to Jane, and then walked over with her.

"What's this I hear about your guest only dancing two sets at an assembly?" Higgins asked Bingley accusingly. "I assume those two sets were with your sisters?"

"I did try to get him to engage," said Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth believed there was a true note of displeasure beneath Mr. Bingley's pleasant façade. "He can be remarkably stubborn, you know."

"Well, you just must not have been firm enough with him," said Higgins, nodding to his hand still clamped around Darcy's arm. "Come, I insist you and Jane join us, for I am determined to make Darcy give them the dances they are owed."

"It seems I have much yet to learn in dealing with Darcy!" Bingley cried delightedly. He joined the group heading toward Madam Puddifoot's and held the door for them as they entered.

"Do be civil, Lizzy," Jane cautioned Lizzy under her breath.

"I just might curse Higgins in the corridors on Monday," Lizzy growled back.

"Lizzy, you are so very stubborn!" Jane replied. If Lizzy did not know better, she would have thought her sister sounded exasperated.

"Ah, wonderful timing on our part!" Higgins exclaimed. "This dance is just about to end. Bingley, I'm afraid you'll have to fend for yourself. Lizzy has agreed to the next dance with me, and I must insist that Darcy attend to the eldest Bennet."

"It is no matter to me," said Bingley cheerily. "If I can't find a willing partner, I shall just go stag for the next set!"

Lizzy would have dearly loved to see Bingley dancing a set on his own, but his amiability allowed him to find a classmate willing to stand up with him. Lizzy, herself, rather enjoyed her dance with Higgins. She and he traded witty remarks the entire time, promising to knock various team members off their brooms during their anticipated scrimmages.

Her set with Higgins ended, and Elizabeth felt her amusement quickly draining as Mr. Darcy approached with Jane to exchange partners. However, luck was on her side, for once.

"Lizzy!" Josephine said loudly, suddenly appearing and grabbing her friend's arm. "You've got to come back with me, now!"

"Whatever is the matter, Jo?" Elizabeth asked concernedly.

"Lydia's gone and gotten herself into a fight with Jesse McLaggen," Josephine answered flatly.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Elizabeth fumed.

"McGonagall's got the both of them now, but I think we both know you'll be needed when they're released."

"Do you think I ought to return, also?" Jane asked.

"No, enjoy the rest of your morning here," Elizabeth huffed. "I shall keep Lydia confined to Gryffindor Tower for the rest of the day. I'm sure she's got work I can get her to do."

As much as she wanted to simply turn and run, Elizabeth forced herself to look at Mr. Darcy and say with cool civility, "I'm afraid you shall have to find another partner, Mr. Darcy. At least, with one set danced, Higgins knows you have the capability."

Mr. Darcy only bowed in response. Elizabeth rolled her eyes once she had turned and started to exit with Josephine.

"What happened?" Lizzy asked as she and Josephine hurried through the streets.

"I haven't a clue," Josephine answered. "One moment, all was well in the common room, and the next, Lydia had slammed a book into McLaggen's nose. Zebulon broke the two up while I went for McGonagall, then I went to get you."

Lizzy kept her eyes trained forward the rest of the walk back, occasionally muttering some threat or another against Lydia under her breath. Once through the main doors, she headed for McGonagall's office while Josephine returned to Gryffindor Tower.

"Lydia Bennet, you had better explain yourself, and quickly!" Lizzy said sternly upon being granted entrance to McGonagall's office. She stood over her seated sister, hands on her hips. McLaggen was already gone.

"Well, Miss Bennet, I have other matters to attend to," said McGonagall, rising from her seat. She nodded at Lydia, then gave Lizzy a loaded look before making her way to her door. "Do be sure to lock the door on your way out."

Once McGonagall had exited, Lizzy returned her full attention to her youngest sister. "Well?"

"McLaggen was being exceptionally rude and annoying, so I put an end to it," said Lydia unconcernedly.

"By breaking his nose?" Lizzy asked, her voice climbing in pitch and volume.

"Oh, Jo fixed it almost immediately," said Lydia with a wave of her hand. "He deserved much worse."

"What could he have possibly done to justify you acting like such a hoyden?"

"He was trying to get Adella to do his Potions essay for him, and when she refused, he took her cat from her lap and was about to throw the poor thing," Lydia paused in her narrative to shrug. "I stopped him."

Lizzy slowly sat in the chair next to Lydia.

"McLaggen's been bothering Adella for weeks," Lydia continued. "Salem, her cat, is an old thing. She told me only last night that she's worried he won't make it through the year."

"Why hasn't Adella told anyone?" Lizzy asked. "I may not know her well, but I was good friends with her older brother and heard much of her. She's a sensible girl!"

"Sensible, certainly," Lydia agreed, "but she is rather shy. I think she was afraid of being a bother."

Lizzy forced herself to breathe deeply. "Jo can draw her out, I'm sure. Either way, I'll make sure that she and I keep an eye on Adella, and on McLaggen."

"Oh, I can handle McLaggen," said Lydia.

"You acted rashly today, Lydia," Lizzy said sternly. "In the future, it would be better for you to let a prefect handle the situation."

"If you're expecting me to apologize to McLaggen, you're going to be sorely disappointed," Lydia snorted.

"I know better than to make such a request of you," said Lizzy shrewdly. "What I'm asking is that you not make the situation any worse."

Lydia sighed exaggeratedly. "I won't seek out another fight. Lord knows I'd rather never speak another word to McLaggen!"

"That will do, I think," said Lizzy. "What's your punishment?"

Lydia gave a pronounced frown, crossed her arms, and sank back into her chair in a pout. "McGonagall's given us each a week of detention."

"Well, hopefully you will use that time to reflect on alternative ways of dealing with challenging people," said Lizzy, rising from her seat. "Come. We'll go back to the tower, get our things, and then go to the library. I think it would be a good idea for you and McLaggen to stay away from each other for the rest of the day, don't you?"

Lydia followed Lizzy out of the office and whined only half as much as Lizzy thought the girl might about being made to go to the library.


Damn that girl! Darcy fumed inside his mind. He had been just moments away from a dance with Elizabeth, one which she could not possibly entertain hopes from, considering its origin, and that thoughtless child had spoiled the opportunity with her rashest decision yet.

Darcy did not stay long after Elizabeth left. He found himself in terrible humor, and so could not tolerate the teasing that Higgins and Bingley directed at him to try to get him to dance again. Jane Bennet, thankfully, had not partaken of the annoyance. Eager to regain equilibrium, Darcy had excused himself before he said something stupid.

Immediately upon setting foot back in the castle, Darcy headed to his dorm, grabbed a few more books, and made his way to the library. He would not allow Lydia Bennet's thoughtlessness to ruin every aspect of his day. Now that he had calmed down somewhat, in fact, he was almost thankful for the girl's interference. He was already spending far too much time thinking of Elizabeth Bennet, and a dance with her certainly would not have helped.

Darcy had just made up his mind to forget the entire incident when he heard a pair of familiar voices behind him.

"I don't see why I should be the one made to leave the common room!" Lydia whined. "I didn't start anything."

"Merlin's beard, Lydia! I have already agreed with you that McLaggen is a marvelous prat," said Elizabeth somewhat waspishly. "He was certainly in the wrong earlier, but that does not make your response any less wrong!"

"I still don't regret it, you know," said Lydia determinedly. "Any of it. Well, I do have one regret, I suppose. That Jo fixed his nose so quickly."

Darcy had to stifle a laugh at Lydia's audacity.

"Lydia, please!" Elizabeth said fervently. "Next time someone is bothering Adella, whether it be McLaggen or someone else, bring it to the attention of a prefect, or to me. If I can't convince you for any other reason, than settle on the fact that it will help you avoid a week's worth of detention in the future."

"I suppose you're right," Lydia sullenly agreed.

Elizabeth sighed audibly. "Now, let's move on from the subject, shall we? You've got homework. Get to it."

Darcy considered the provided evidence, and decided he had to commend Lydia if, in fact, she had acted in defense of a friend. He was about to force himself to get back to work and ignore the fact that Elizabeth was just a few tables away when Lydia asked a question and Elizabeth, in a very gentle and patient manner, set aside her own work to help her sister through hers.

In that moment, the fight was over.

Darcy wanted that gentle, patient woman at his side. He wanted Elizabeth, who was more intelligent and witty than anyone he had ever met. He wanted Elizabeth, whose laughter was enchanting and abundant. He wanted Elizabeth, who could find reason to smile in any occasion. Elizabeth, who was never satisfied with "good enough." Elizabeth who, despite having so much to do it made her physically ill, was willing to set aside her tasks to help someone in need. Elizabeth, who would certainly love Georgiana like a sister. Elizabeth, to whom no other woman could ever compare, no matter her wealth or purity of blood.

"Mary!" Elizabeth exclaimed after nearly half an hour. Darcy could hear the smile in her voice, and nearly turned around to catch a glance. "Come to join us?"

"I was on my way to the grounds and heard you thinking," said Mary.

Darcy felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. He had the sneaking suspicion Mary was not talking to her sisters.

"In any case, I decided I would come see how things were going with my eyes, rather than guess based upon your minds," Mary continued. A certain air had dropped from her voice. She was now, certainly, talking to her sisters. "Perhaps I could help you for a while, Lydia, and let Lizzy work on her own assignments."

Darcy packed up his things. He had accomplished nothing since Elizabeth had entered the library. He would try being productive elsewhere. "Maybe you could break some amount of my confidences," Darcy thought as he walked past the Bennet sisters.

"No, no," said Mary just before Darcy turned out of the aisle, "I shan't be doing your work for you, Lydia."

Darcy felt himself smirk slightly, certain again that Mary had actually been addressing him.


"Make sure you keep a good grip on your broom tomorrow, Bennet," said Malfoy snidely in Herbology. "I'd hate for it to be too easy to knock you off."

Lizzy pursed her lips and chose to focus on her assigned task. With the first Quidditch game of the year happening tomorrow, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, she had been taking a lot of extra commentary and threats from various Slytherins. Malfoy had been the worst, but, then again, he was almost always threatening her in some way, shape, or fashion. She believed his current threat to have more substance than the usual, however. Malfoy had been made a Beater.

"I hope you do put all your effort into trying to unseat Lizzy tomorrow, Malfoy," said Zebulon with false levity. "That'll be all the more to Gryffindor's advantage if one of Slytherin's team members is focused on a personal vendetta instead of the game."

"Keep your nose out of this, Thomas," Malfoy growled.

Lizzy put her hand on Zebulon's forearm, behind a plant and out of sight of Malfoy. Zebulon deflated and, though he was clearly anything but pleased, returned his attention to his task.

"I've been trying to decide when the best time to knock you off would be," Malfoy continued. He had abandoned his task completely, and was now mocking being in deep thought. "Of course, taking you out right at the beginning of the game would demoralize your team completely, but I thought it might be fun to let the lot of you start to think you might win and then take that hope from you so harshly. I think the second option would bring more satisfaction, really."

"Lizzy," Zebulon half-growled.

Lizzy glanced at her friend's eyes to confirm he was pleading for her to let him at Malfoy, but Lizzy was no fool.

"Zebulon, could you hand me that knife there?" Lizzy asked calmly, determined not to give Malfoy the satisfaction of acknowledgment.

"Poke her with it, so we can see what kind of mud her blood's made of," Malfoy encouraged.

As Zebulon's grip tightened on the knife he had been in the process of passing off to Lizzy, Lizzy quickly replied to keep Zebulon in check. "You can satisfy yourself as to the color of my blood tomorrow, Malfoy, if you manage to unseat me," she said icily. She plucked the knife from her friend's hand and resumed her task.

"That's coming along nicely, Bennet, Thomas," Sprout said, coming over to the table to examine progress. "Malfoy, what the devil are you spending your time doing? Come on, now, you don't have all day to get this done!"

Malfoy's face turned red and, under Sprout's intense supervision, returned his attention to the day's assignment. His furious eyes, however, did still occasionally zero in on Lizzy.

Only a table away, Darcy was hard at work repressing the rage he was feeling. Though he was largely successful, his hands still shook slightly. It was very difficult for him not to interfere any time Malfoy was harassing Elizabeth, but it had become more trying in the past week between the end of his internal conflict and the upcoming Quidditch match. He kept in check only with the knowledge that his acting out would make life more difficult for Elizabeth and himself.

Darcy knew Elizabeth could fight Malfoy well enough verbally, but he feared that the time would come when Malfoy put his words to action. Elizabeth was an accomplished dueler, as Darcy had discovered firsthand, but Ursus Malfoy had no scruples against ignoring accepted dueling etiquette, so long as it served his needs. Darcy also knew that Malfoy could very easily accomplish harming Elizabeth on the pitch tomorrow and make it believable as an accident.

Darcy had resolved in the first week of class that he would keep his distance from Malfoy's attempts to unnerve Elizabeth as long as possible. As soon as he actually interfered, he thought it very likely Malfoy would only escalate his behavior. Not only would Malfoy increase his venomous words and add action to match, but it was likely he would bandy the news that Darcy was interested in a woman of no standing to all his relatives. Unfortunately, Malfoy's older sister had married Darcy's cousin only a few months prior. Such an event only gave Malfoy more power.

If his family first heard of Elizabeth from Malfoy, Darcy was sure they would never accept her. No, her introduction was something that needed to be calculated and carefully handled.

"Darcy, you're bleeding," said Bingley.

Darcy looked down at his hand. Bingley was right. In the course of his musings, his traitorous, slightly shaking hands had at some point fumbled the knife he was using and sliced his finger. "Oh," was all he could think to say.

"How could you not notice?" Bingley asked, half-amused, half-worried. "Jane! Would you tend to Darcy's cut while I see if I can salvage this plant he's managed to bleed on?"

Jane was quick to grab Darcy's hand with one of hers and put her wand to it. After she had healed his wound, she observed his trembling hand before very purposefully making eye contact. "Are you alright, Darcy?" she asked lowly.

Darcy exhaled carefully and his hands finally steadied. "I'm perfectly well, thank you."


Author's Note

I believe it was the great Detective Rosa Diaz that once said, "Romantic epiphanies are dope."

I hope you're enjoying the realizations and brewing drama! Let me know your thoughts in a review.