Jade was miserable as she got on the Hogwarts express and sat in the same compartment as Cassius and some other Slytherins. They were going to spend New Year with Cassius' parents and then spend two days with her own parents.

She heard from Pansy, who was talking to the twins earlier that day during breakfast, the reason why Draco had taken so long when he left to the bathroom during the Yule Ball.

Apparently, Draco found Cassius kissing one of the French girls that he was flirting with. He broke them apart, and told Cassius how of a fool he was, having someone like Jade. The two of them almost got into a fist fight but another Slytherin stopped them.

'We are free to be with someone else for now...' Jade told herself several times but she was still really hurt.

The few days spent with the Perseus family were a nightmare. Jade was tired of pretending and smiling while she was so hurt at the moment. Having her brother there didn't help either as he forced her to spend time with Cass and him and she only wanted to be on her own.

Finley Lias was a very tall man with red hair and deep blue eyes, he had one of the best jobs out there, that usually required him to travel abroad and was very known by lots of people, in Great Britain and outside. None of his kids had inherited his hair colour or eye colour but Lexion got his attitide from him. And both got their Quidditch talent from him.

Raven Lias, was one of the prettiest girls in school when she was young. Her dark hair was her trade mark, being almost black. Jade also had dark hair but hers was slightly lighter than her mother's. Lexion got her beautiful green eyes while Jade got hazel eyes, some thought that the blue circle that sometimes could be seen in one of her eyes was the same shade as Finley's eyes. Raven had a really good job at the Ministry and was well connected to important people in the Wizarding World.

When they saw their parents after New year, everything was just as usual. Their father asking about their grades, school and about the Triwizard Tournament, while their mother just stayed there listening, she didn't have much more to add and she was usually busy writing letters or checking work stuff. Finley didn't really care about his children but they had to represent well their family name so he was checking on that.

Jade had never seen any kind of affection among her parents, not even a kiss on the cheek or arms around the shoulders, even Cassius' parents were more friendly with each other. They usually joked and laughed, they seemed like friends. To Jade, this seemed like a business meeting.

Finley could be extremely cold and it was hard to impress him but he was even colder towards Jade. Not only, she was an unexpected pregnancy, or that's what Lexion told her once, but she was also a girl and Finley wanted a second son, or that's what she had once been told, he got a little bit more tolerant when she got into the Quidditch team without any help from him or Lex and showed she could be as good as her brother, even when she was younger than him. But being part of the team only represented more responsabilities to Jade and more pressure. She had to be the above a certain standard and at times Finley showed up to watch matches and she had to do good but not better than Lexion.

After a couple of awkward days at their "home" the Lias siblings and Cassius were once again on the Hogwarts Express, except that this time she shared the compartment with Draco. She somehow managed to escape the two older boys.

"How was it?" Draco asked her.

"Splendid," Jade said sarcastically. "My father was so eager and happy to see me and he was delighted to hear how my year has been so far."

"Sounds like my father too," Draco said, knowing it was the complete opposite for both.

"I heard what you did for me by the way..." Jade said. "I appreciate it."

"What exactly?" Draco asked confused.

"The thing with Cass..." Jade said awkwardly.

"No problem," Draco said. "He was lucky Bletchley stopped me. That prick..."

So that was her answer. It was Miles Bletchley who had told Pansy or someone else and somehow it got to Pansy and she told the twins and the twins managed to get everyone to know what had happened, including Lexion.

"Lots of people do it, you know? They date someone else before they are trapped for the rest of their lives."

"This is different, Jade. You know as well as me that yes, we can date and even have flings if you want to call it that but he had actually taken you to the ball and completely discarded you and there's a line and he was about to cross it," Draco said, looking away.

"What do you mean?"

"He didn't find him in the hallway as you heard," Blaise said as he walked into the compartment. "Draco found them inside the boys bathroom, his shirt was almost completly undone and there was this tension in the air... He was going to go all the way with that ugly duck..."

"Was she really ugly?" Jade asked, not knowing what to say.

"Ugly, ugly! And you know what he did?" Blaise asked, making the brunette girl look at him. "He lowered himself and now lost all our respect. I don't even know why your brother still hangs around him. People aren't happy. Like okay, he can kiss the girl and even date her but not fuck her, you know? That's so wrong in every way. And specially when that same night he had gone to the ball with you, if he hadn't gone with you it wouldn't have been so bad. We have principles. And despite not being officially announced, we all know he is engaged to you. And you are amazing."

"Well, thanks," Jade said, being a bit shocked at his words. "But can we stop talking about him?"

"Sure thing," Blaise said, "Actually I'm going to buy some sweets. Do you guys want something?"

Both shook their heads at him before he left, leaving them alone once again but the tension didn't leave with him, it stayed and neither of them knew how to break the silence.

"You should speak to him... letting him know that you know and you don't approve and..."

"Don't tell me what to do, Draco," Jade said quite harshly, interrupting him. "He knows, and I know he does. I haven't said a single word to him since that night. And it's not like I will fix it. It's not like this will make me get out of this stupid arrangement and I can be free to be with who I want."

"I think you can... and you should, especially after the way he behaved... at least until your engagement is announced and all that bullshit..."

"What if the guy I like says no?"

"Well, he is a fucking idiot then."

"Or maybe he is just respecting the person he is going to marry..." Jade said shrugging her shoulders. "And you know it's not right. People will talk..."

"Yeah, people talk and then they find something else to talk about, so what?"

"So what? If you were the guy... would you go out with me? Not caring about that girl you are supposed to marry?"

"Yes, I would," Draco said without hesitation, looking at Jade directly into her eyes, for once she felt a bit intimidated. It was usually her who intimidated others. "Why wouldn't I? That girl... you know how much I dislike her. I hate her. If I could get out of the arranged marriage I would without thinking. She is so annoying and you know it. So no, I don't care about her. And I know you want to do things right, Jade, and make your parents proud but let me break it to you... that won't ever happen, so you might as well date Potter or that Weasley you've been talking to..."

Jade looked as she was about to cry. The truth hurt more than she expected. She took a deep breath and looked away, trying to look unaffected by his cold but true words. Her parents would never be proud of her no matter what.

"So, just enjoy it while you can," Draco added. "Be happy."

"I don't like Weasley or Potter, what the hell Draco?" Jade said frustrated, trying to ignore what Draco had said and concentrate on the part that didn't really hurt her.

"The thing is... live a little. We all knnow what awaits us after Hogwarts."

"You live a little too, then."

"I would... if the girl I like, would like me too," Draco told her simply.

"How do you know she doesn't like you?" Jade asked, feeling a bit sad.

"Why would she? Besides, she always reminds me how good friends we are," Draco said sadly. "When I tried to tell her how I felt, well, she told me I had just drunk too much."

"What?" Jade asked confused, her heart beating ten times faster, her eyes slowly turning darker. Draco sighed and looked away.

"Nothing..."

"You are not talking about me, are you?" Jade said, remembering the night of the Yule Ball.

"Just forget it... I know we are just friends."

Draco stood up and turned to leave, but Jade stood up and grabbed his wrist, stopping him and making him turn around to face her. She looked into his grey eyes and her breath was caught in her throat. She felt like kissing him but she couldn't just do that. She tried to say something but then the train stopped abruptally, making the both of them fall, Jade on top of him, their faces inches away.

The train started moving again, Jade was so embarrassed at what happened and slowly got up and even helped Draco up, who was once again ready to leave. He was avoiding her gaze. He was embarrased that know Jade knew how he felt. He didn't mean to tell her, but he couldn't keep it in any longer.

"Yeah, you are right," Jade told him. "We are friends. The best of friends actually."

"Just stop, Jade."

"But... that doesn't mean I don't like you," Jade found herself saying outloud. For a year or so she had tried to hide and even refused her crush on her best friend but now here she was, admitting it not only to her best friend but also to herself.

"What?" Draco asked, turning around.

"All those nice things you told me that night, I didn't know what to say as I'm not used to being complimented and I didn't want to mess up and show that I do like you. I didn't want to scare you away either and make things awkward between us. I didn't want to lose you."

"So you do like me?" Draco asked confused and Jade nodded. "So... where does that leave us?" Jade shrugged. "Well, I answered you earlier if I would go out with you and my answer hasn't changed. So... would you go out with me?"

Jade couldn't speak, so she just smiled and nodded at the guy who she had been crushing on for a year. He smiled too. Her eyes had changed once again, gotten lighter, the blue spot could be seen in her eye now. Draco got closer to her and was about to kiss her when the train stopped again and yes, they both fell once again.

"For Merlin's sake," Draco exclaimed as he sat up but soon he burst out laughing, soon Jade was laughing too.

And that's how Blaise found them, both sitting on the ground, laughing so hard tears were coming out of their eyes.

"Should I be worried?" Blaise asked, making them laugh harder. "Yes, I do."

Hello guys, did you see it coming? Did anyone guess Jade was crushing on Draco? I think it was more obvious that he was crushing on her but let me know what you think.

I'm not longer sick! :) I had three bad days but I'm better. To be honest having to hide that I was sick was worse than the symptoms. I felt like I was commiting a crime. Lol.

Any shows you can recommend me? I'm currently watching Merlin, I think the effects are poor but somehow I'm still hooked lol.
And I'm reading LOTR, might read Dorian Grey when I finish. What are you guys reading or watching?