A/N: Bear with me...

Quote that describes my writing process: "Nobody said it was easy. No one ever said it would be this hard. Or take me back to the start" –Scientist by Coldplay

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling. I am writing this for my own amusement and am not being paid in any way.

*Chapter Five*

"I'm all too serious," she was saying in response to someone that Ron and Harry couldn't hear or see. Her wand was still out, not wavering at all. Neither was her resolve. Her face was calm. Yet evident by the tone of her voice, she was not.

"She's going to hurt her," said Harry in panic, as he grabbed Ron and ran over to the group.

They both breathed heavy sighs of relief when they reached the circle. Liliana's wand was not pointed at Hermione, but instead at Draco Malfoy whose hand was in his pocket, obviously searching for his own wand.

"What's the matter?" she asked, "Can't find your wand? I'll give you one minute, 'cause I'll have no problem hexing you with or without it."

"What's going on?" asked Ron, of no one in particular.

Dean Thomas, who was standing nearby, leant over and explained. "I think he tried to kiss her or something... Well, he was just really close to her face. But when she pushed him away, he fell, and to save face he called her something nasty... so now she's threatening to kill him."

"I think she's capable of it too..." muttered Harry.

Ron pulled out his wand but kept it close to his side. He walked cautiously over to Liliana and said something in her ear. She laughed softly but shook her head. Ron said something else to her before walking back over to Harry. "She doesn't want any help."

"I don't think she needs any either," said Dean, shaking his head.

"Time's up," she exclaimed. She dropped her wand and walked up to him. Draco smirked at her, thinking that he had the advantage now that she didn't have her wand. That was his first mistake; his second was his decision to provoke her.

"What's the matter doll? Do you want a hug?" he asked, mockingly opening his arms.

She walked right up to him and grabbed hold of his tie. "Silk?" she asked, twirling it around her fingers.

"Only the best," he replied, putting his arms down.

"How sweet," she smiled. She had his tie wound tightly around her fist now, and with one strong pull, he was in her face, struggling silently against her grip. "You know I could kill you right here, right now?" she asked, "But I don't think that Azkaban would suit me..." She kissed him softly on his nose before throwing fiercely him to the floor. He got up hastily; pushing away his fellow Slytherins who were trying to help him up. "It was just a kiss..."

"Hold her," he instructed his cronies Crabbe and Blaise who were standing closest to Liliana. They each grabbed one of her arms and Draco strode up to her, "You know I could kill you now..."

"Maybe you could... and while I wouldn't fare well in Azkaban... you might, or at least you could get some advice from your father." She smiled dangerously, "Tell him I said hello, would you."

Crabbe and Blaise dropped her and cackled as they disappeared back into the crowd. Draco grinned maniacally as he raised his wand to hex her. He had barely opened his mouth when a chorus of Gryffindor voices based by none other than Professor Snape yelled, "Expelliarmus!" Draco's wand flew promptly out of his hand as he was thrown into the stonewall behind him.

"Get inside the classroom! All of you!" yelled Snape. Liliana got to her feet and Snape kicked her wand over to her. "You and you, in my office," he said, pointing to them.

"Malfoy started it," a few brave Gryffindors yelled, as Snape, Draco, and Liliana went through the classroom and into Snape's office.

"Is that true? Did you instigate a fight with a girl?" Snape asked, turning his back completely to Liliana once the door was closed.

"I started it," said Liliana bluntly from behind him.

Snape was shocked to say the least, "I don't believe you."

"Draco got in my face and I started the fight... that's what happened," she paused. "He needs to go to the hospital wing..."

Snape looked over to Draco, who was nursing a swollen wrist. "Get out of my sight! Both of you. I'll see you in detention tonight at 8 o' clock." He turned to Liliana, "and you, girl, I dare you to join my house. Go on and try," he sneered.

"Where are we supposed to go?" drawled Draco.

"You both need to go see Madam Pomfrey, I couldn't care less what you do afterward... I just don't want to see either one of you." Snape turned and walked out of his office. Draco followed him, with Liliana not too far behind. Before leaving the classroom, she looked over at Ron and offered a small smile that he returned with a thumbs-up.

They walked to the hospital wing in silence.

"It's locked," exclaimed Draco after jiggling the door handle with his good hand.

"I can't imagine why," replied Liliana sarcastically, indicating the sign hung next to the door.

"What does she mean she's 'out,' this is important," he said loudly, as though the intensity of his voice could change something.

"Give me your hand."

"You're kidding right?"

"No. I'm not. Give me your hand or stay in pain."

"It doesn't hurt."

"I'm not blind, give me your hand."

"And I'm not stupid. She'll be back in an hour, I can wait."

"Fine. Do what you want," she said, sitting down on the opposite side of the door, under the sign.

"I will."

After a half hour of silence and excruciating pain, Draco spoke up. "Here," he said. "Do what you were going to do before."

Liliana looked up and shook her head at him. "No."

"What do you mean 'no?'" he moved over to where she was sitting. "This hurts like hell and it's your fault. Is that what you want to hear?"

"It's good enough," she said, getting up. She took his hand gently and turned it over. "Your hand's freezing."

"So?"

"Your circulation's poor. I wouldn't be surprised if Madam Pomfrey had to send you to St. Mungo's to cut it off."

"My hands are always cold."

"So?" she rolled her eyes, "Where does it hurt? Be specific." He pointed to the left side of his right hand. "Right here?" she asked, pointing to the spot. He nodded. "It's broken."

"Great... now fix it."

"It's going to hurt," she warned.

"It can't hurt more than it already does."

"Trust me, it can, and it will... Osseous Repairum!" she exclaimed, with a great flourish of her wand.

"That didn't hurt at all," he said, pulling his hand away and flexing his wrist.

"Oops," she said. "And you're welcome."

"Mmhmm," he responded.

Liliana debated saying something about his disregard but opted for being the bigger person, "I'm sorry for saying what I said about your father, it wasn't my place. And it has nothing to do with you."

"You should be... Oh. You're doing that apologizing thing aren't you?" he asked, noticing the expression on her face.

"Yeah, that apologizing thing."

"Well. O.K."

She shook her head at him, but decided against saying anything else about it, "Where are you going now?"

"To the commons room. I have things to do."

"Would you mind showing me where the owlery is?"

He looked appraisingly at her before responding, "I've got some letters to send myself... so you can follow me."

"Great," she said, rolling her eyes.

"How much farther?" she asked once they began their ascent up the stairs that led to owlery.

"It's not too far. Do try and keep up though," he said, stopping to turn around and look at her.

"What do you have against me?" she asked him.

"Nothing really, other than the fact that a pure blood like you would choose to associate with Potter, Weasley, and Granger."

"Is that why you decided to try and ruin my day?"

"Not because of you exactly, just to get at Granger."

"So I just kind of got in your way," she said cynically.

"If you want to put it like that," he said, starting to climb again.

"Well what do you have against muggle-borns?"

"Don't tell me that you weren't taught about them; growing up in your family."

"How'd you know I was a pure blood?"

"You're a gypsy right?"

"Yes."

"Well there you go."

"I've heard about them before, but not too often."

"Well whenever I'm around my family, that's all I hear about. And frankly, I agree with everything I've heard."

"Everything?" she asked, a bit out of breath, "what about arranged marriage? That's something that I've heard a lot about."

"I wouldn't be surprised if my mother was at home right now making a list of prospective girls. And I know you're lying if you say that no one's ever tried to set you up."

"My grandmother has been setting me up on dates since I turned eleven. But my parent's would never allow an actual marriage."

"Here we are," he said, reaching the landing.

"Thanks," she said, walking over to the rows upon rows of owls. "Vodka," she called. After a brief ruffling of feathers, a silver and black owl landed on her shoulder.

"Vodka?" asked Draco incredulously.

"I got him the night of my sixteenth birthday party," she said blushing.

"But vodka?" he repeated, as an all black owl flew toward him.

"I was a bit tipsy... and I've tried changing his name but he doesn't respond to anything else," she smiled, "what's your owl's name?"

"She doesn't have one. I haven't felt like making one up."

"That's sad," she said, picking a quill and a sheet of parchment up off a shelf.

"I suppose," he said, fastening his letters to the owl's leg.

Liliana's lips were pursed in thought as she scribbled a few lines onto the paper. "Well I'll be going now," said Draco as his owl soared gracefully out of the window. "I trust you'll have no trouble finding your way."

"None at all," she said, rolling up the parchment.

"I'll see you around then," he said awkwardly as he began his trip down the stairs.

Liliana sent her owl off and reached inside her robes. She pulled out a small hourglass that hung on a chain around her neck.

"You didn't expect me to let you remember that did you..." came Draco's voice from the stairwell. He reached the landing and gasped. It was too late for him to do anything now…  she had already set it. "Is that a Timeturner?" he asked as he saw her tucking it back under her robes.

"It's a secret," she whispered as she disappeared.

Draco pocketed his wand and swore... surely she would go back to her little friends and tell them that he had actually been civil toward her. This was the reason he never talked to strangers.

A/N: One can only hope I won't have to take this back to the start... Toodle Loo! Oh yeah... but I'm still looking for some betas...