Chapter Two

Noelle reunited with Megan at breakfast.

"Ahhh, it's so good to see you!" Noelle said, hugging Megan. "Your hair looks great!"

"Thank you, love," Megan said, pulling away. "How was the train ride?"

"Fine," Noelle said. "I didn't see you."

"My mum brought me," she said. "We were in Paris, remember?"

"Of course," Noelle said.

"C'mon, Elle," James said, tugging Noelle's arm for her to come and join them at the breakfast table.

"Ugh, hang on!" Noelle said, turning back to Megan. "How's your dad?" Megan's father was very ill.

"They transferred him to St. Mungo's," Megan said, her voice strong and not faltering. He had been sick for so long that Megan had gotten extremely used to talking about it. "He's in care there."

"Oh," Noelle said, not knowing what else to say. She gave Megan another quick hug and let herself get dragged away by James.

"Course schedules," Ian said, handing Noelle hers. She looked over it with a critical eye, smiling at the fact that she had almost all advanced classes because of her O.W.L scores. She felt like her mother.

"Let's see it, then," James said, reaching for her schedule. She let him compare as she ate toast and drank hot tea. His face started to fall. "We don't have any classes together!" he said.

"What?" Noelle said, taking the schedules and laying them out before her. He was right. James and Ian had nearly all of their classes together but Noelle was in Advanced and she was put into classes with the other Advanced students.

"I thought we'd all be having classes together!" James said. "This is our last year here!"

"Jamie," Noelle said soothingly. "Don't worry about it. C'mon, it's not like we're in different Houses or anything. It's just classes."

"Elle, this is weird," he said. "Why'd they change it all of a sudden?"

"It's always been like that," Ian interrupted. "The seventh-years will pretty much get separated all over."

"I didn't know that," James said in a whiney voice.

"You sound like a cranky little kid," Noelle said. "It's fine." The bell rang. She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Look, it'll be fine!" He shrugged.

"I have Defense right now, so I'll see you guys at break, okay?" She walked away, joining Megan in the Entrance Hall.

"Schedule?" Megan said. Noelle handed her the piece of parchment. "Look at this, we have every class together," Megan said. "That's a little strange."

"James wasn't very happy about it," Noelle said. "We don't have any classes together."

"That's because he has a humongous crush on you," Megan teased as they mounted the stairs.

"Ugh, that's a disgusting thought," Noelle said. "He's practically my brother."

"Practically being the key word, m'dear," Megan said. "You're not blood related and perfectly compatible."

"We fight."

"Sometimes."

Noelle shrugged. "It's just weird." Megan nodded.

"I can understand that." They laughed about it and went into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

Professor Hall was a dynamite little blonde woman with a tenacious personality and a passion for her subject. The only reason that Noelle had even passed Defense last school year was because of Professor Hall and her unusual teaching techniques. Noelle and Megan adored her. "Good morning, Professor," they said as they entered the classroom.

"Ah, my two favorite girls!" she said. "You will find a seating chart on my desk. Please take your assigned seat and take out your textbooks. I think we will find them of little use but the Ministry insists I use them and so I do."

"Seating chart?" Megan muttered. Noelle shrugged.

Megan was pleased with where sat, right by the windows. Noelle however, was extremely displeased at where she sat: directly in front of Tristan Malfoy.

"Good morning, Granger," he said as she sat down.

"No snide comments today, Malfoy?" she said. "Or have you stopped staging them in front of the mirror now?"

"You amuse me, Granger," he said. "Yours are the ones that sound rehearsed."

"I don't spend half the time in the front of the mirror that you do," she said, opening her bag and getting out her book. "The tales of the boys' loos are true."

"How'd you manage to make your way into this class?" he asked snidely.

"I didn't buy myself in to make myself seem even remotely intelligent, if that's what you mean. No, Malfoy, my placement in this class came from something very foreign to you: hard work."

"Ahem!" The class had begun. "Good morning, class!" Professor Hall called. There were a few muttered greetings. "Since today is the first day when all of you are completely mixed up and confused, let's start with introductions. My name is Professor Elizabeth Hall. This is my third year teaching at Hogwarts School. Your placement in the Advanced Defense class was determined by your O.W.L scores and your enthusiasm for learning. Since we are not in our Houses anymore, there will be stricter guidelines for you to abide by." Then she launched into a speech describing her teaching methods, her classroom rules, the curriculum and her policies regarding homework.

"Interesting, right?" Malfoy's mouth was right up by Noelle's ear.

"Absolutely," Noelle replied.

"I always knew you were strange, Granger."

"Thank you."

He leaned back in his chair and stared at the back of her head. She had longish black hair that was pulled up into a French braid. He could see her bra strap through the white material of her school shirt. Smirking, he realized that the bra was black. His gaze drifted to her hands. One of them was cupping her chin. The other was impatiently tapping her pen on the desk. That was another thing that puzzled him about her: she never used parchment and quills, considering them to be silly and old-fashioned. In the strangest of ways, she was quite a Muggle but she was headstrong and determined. He realized that she would make one hell of a Death Eater.

Tristan Malfoy himself was not a Death Eater but he knew that's what awaited him later in his life. He didn't fully understand what his father did within the Dark Lord's revival circles. Ever since Harry Potter had defeated the Dark Lord, Draco Malfoy and the rest had been trying to discover a way to revive the dead. The Death Eater lifestyle didn't appeal to Tristan, but he understood that that was his destiny. He was lost in thought when the bell rang. Noelle shoved her textbook in her bag while Professor Hall yelled, "Read chapter one and come ready with a summary! One paragraph!" The class hurried out.

Noelle caught up with Megan and sighed. "I have the worst seating arrangement ever," she said. "I'm sitting in front of Malfoy, Dark Prince of Asshole Town."

"Oh, Elle," Megan said. "I think he has a crush on you as well."

"Oh, shut up," Noelle said. They giggled and headed off to their next class.

Potions was Noelle's strong subject and she did well with it even when Professor Snape sneered over her cauldron. She knew, however, that no matter how hard he tried to hate her, he couldn't because she was the only student to participate in his classes.

"Good morning," he said quietly, "even though we can't tell in this miserable shit hole." Megan laughed. "Is there something funny, Miss Zelara?"

Megan nodded. "Yes, sir," she said, smiling. "You said 'shit hole.'"

"Does it amuse you?"

"Am I laughing?"

"Are you amused by this class?"

"I'm amused by the fact that you even let me in your Advanced class."

"Your O.W.L scores were exceptional," Professor Snape said. "But I'm sure everyone here knows that. That is the reason you are here. Advanced Potions is dangerous and a difficult subject to master. However, I have no doubt in my mind that such a gifted class such as you can handle it. Yes, even you, Mr. Malfoy."

"Thanks, Professor."

"Don't thank me, thank your father, ungrateful boy," Snape said. "And your mother. They gave you the genetics and they sent you to school."

"And they paid for him to get into this class," piped a tall girl from the back. Noelle knew her name was Tera Something-Or-Other.

"That was very intelligent comment, Miss Harold," Snape said. "However, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy did not pay for their son to be in my Advanced class. Believe or not, class, Mr. Tristan Malfoy is quite bright." Tera blushed.

"You know all about me so I won't bore you with the silly introductions the rest of my colleagues waste their time with," he said. "This class is not something to be taken lightly. I will not handle any messing around when we are working. If you are behaving like a retarded wretch, I will send you out and you shall never return. That will go on your transcript so don't conduct yourself in a dim-witted manner and I see no need to send you to see our headmaster. The potions we will be making will be extremely advanced. Keep in mind that you are jumping from a Level F to a Level K. There will be several long-term Potions that will require your attention at times when you will not be attending this class. Also, there will be a special project that we will find out about next class."

They were silent, seated at tables lined up in the dungeon classroom. "Since today is a first day, please get out a writing utensil and something to write on. Your textbook, Moste Potente Potions, will be of great help in this class so treat it well." For the rest of the class, they took furious notes while Snape strode in front of them, making corrections as he lectured.

"You do not have any homework," Snape said. "However, next time I expect a more scholarly type of attitude from all of you. Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy," Snape called as the bell rang, "please stay after class. I must speak with both of you."

Noelle looked puzzled. She glanced back at Malfoy, who looked pleased, as always. He pushed back his hair from his face, his emerald Malfoy signet ring glittering her eyes. He winked at her. She gave him the finger and slowly began to gather her things, tucking them into her bag. As soon as everyone had left, Snape said, "The two of you, come up here." They slowly approached his desk. He was writing something on a piece of parchment. They waited until he was finished. He pushed the paper and quill aside and looked up at them. "I understand that Malfoys and Grangers are not meant to get along because of the long-time grudge held between your two parents," Snape began. "However, you two have been selected because of your unnaturally high O.W.L scores. The judges that stood over your Potion's O.W.L wrote down that you showed extraordinary confidence and resilience in your Potion-making skills. Keep in mind that I did not select you for this, Headmaster Dumbledore did." He glanced up at the two of them. "You are dismissed."

"Excuse me, sir," Malfoy said. "Selected for what?"

"To help me teach this class," Snape replied.

"What?" Noelle was gaping.

"You will still do the Potions but you will do them ahead of time. Professor Dumbledore and I have arranged for you to come down here every night and prepare the draughts prior to coming to the class. Then, you will show the class what you have done and they, like the mindless idiots they are, will mimic you. Understand?" Snape turned back to his parchment and they couldn't get another word out of him.

"Hey, Granger, wait up!" Malfoy yelled as Noelle dashed up the stairs. She was almost all the way up the spiraling staircase when she saw something in the courtyard that made her laugh. Leaning out of a window, Noelle saw that Ian was flirting outrageously with Megan and Megan was flirting right back. She grinned, leaning farther out, wondering if she could hear what they were saying. Then she felt a hand on the small of her back and she nearly pitched out the window until the disembodied hand grabbed her around the waist and spun her around. She hit her head on the top of window.

"Ow!" she said, her hand immediately flying to brace her head.

"Ah, shit, are you alright?" he asked, ducking his head to look at her face. Her eyes were closed in pain and she wasn't saying anything.

"I probably have a concussion now," she said after a moment.

"Nah, you didn't hit it that hard."

"My head's going to explode," she moaned, opening her eyes.

"Not at all," Malfoy said. "Madam Pomfrey can fix that in an instant."

"Well, she's not here right now, is she?" Noelle said angrily.

She suddenly realized how close he was to her, his right hand on her hip, his left hand cupping her elbow and their faces terribly close. She thought he might kiss her and try as she might she couldn't push him away because in her secret heart she was enjoying this.

"Elle?" She turned her head to look and saw James standing about five stairs above her and Malfoy.

"James!" she said, pulling out of Malfoy's grasp.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"Nothing," Noelle said, taking his hand and leading him upstairs into daylight. "Nothing at all."

"What did Malfoy say?" James persisted.

"Nothing!" Noelle hissed, releasing James's hand and walking beside him. "I was watching Megan and Ian talk and I nearly fell out the window until he grabbed me and then I hit my head and he was just making sure I was okay."

"Why would he do that?" James asked. "He's a snake."

"Jamie, there's more to people that what they let on," she informed him, walking out and into the courtyard.

"Finally!" Ian said. "Good afternoon, Noelle. Been enjoying these first few hours of your Advanced classes?"

"You don't have to sound so condescending," Noelle snapped.

"What?"

"You guys always make it out so that I'm always singled out," she said. "Can't you just be happy for me for once?"

"Elle, we are happy for you," James said.

"No, you're not," Noelle spit out these words to him. "This morning you were making such a big deal about not having the same classes, boo hoo. I know that you were wishing that I wasn't in those Advanced classes."

"How do you know I wasn't wishing that I was in those classes?" James asked.

"Because, James, you don't like to do any extra work," Noelle nearly yelled. A group of Slytherins, including Malfoy, glanced over at her.

"That was mean, Elle," Ian said.

"Shut up," she said. "Just shut up. I'm so sick of this shit. Now I know how my mother felt when your fathers acted like this." She broke away from them and was racing out of the courtyard.

"Elle!" she heard James call.

"Fuck you!" she yelled and raced back up the stairs and into the castle. She was nearly crying. Her headache was back and so she raced up the stairs and burst into the Hospital Wing. "Madam Pomfrey!" she called.

The harried-looking nurse came running out. "Oh, my, what's the problem here?" she asked.

"I have a killer headache," she said. "And I feel nauseous."

"Miss Granger, take a seat while I come back with your remedy." Noelle took a seat in a large, puffy chair. Moments later, Madam Pomfrey came with a violent violet bottle. Noelle watched as a violet powder came out of the bottle into a short Scotch glass of water.

"Here, drink this," said the nurse, handing Noelle the now purple liquid. Noelle drank it all in one gulp. Then she pulled the glass away from her mouth and burped. "How pleasant," Madam Pomfrey said. "Feel any better?"

Noelle did but she didn't want to go back to join James and Ian because they would ask questions about her outburst and then she'd have to reply that she really did mean all those things she said. "Can I stay here for a while?" she asked Madam Pomfrey. The nurse cast a critical eye over Noelle.

"No, Miss Granger, I'm afraid you'll have to get back to class," she said. "But here…I'll write you a pass." Noelle sighed as Madam Pomfrey dipped her quill in ink and scribbled out a pass for Noelle to get back to class with.

Noelle went into the Transfiguration classroom where Megan and Tristan Malfoy cast her weird looks. She sat in the very back of the classroom and took quick precise notes like she'd been doing all day.

Then she ate lunch. Instead of sitting in the Great Hall to eat lunch, she grabbed a turkey sandwich and a pumpkin juice box and sat on the stairs in the Entrance Hall. James came out five minutes later and Noelle knew that she should have gone outside, even though it was pouring rain out there.

"Elle?" he said softly, sitting down next to her. "What happened today?"

"I'm tired of you guys treating me like some freakshow smart girl," she said, her voice even. She didn't want to portray any emotion because it would betray her and then James would think she needed saving, even when she didn't. "I'm sorry I'm in all those classes but it's like…I can't help it."

"Don't be sorry," James said. "We are assholes. Sometimes."

"Often."

"Rarely."

"A lot."

"Ooookay!" They both grinned as she finished her sandwich. "So, how were classes this morning?"

"Tiring," she said. "Professor Hall has a seating chart and she put me directly in front of Ferret Child. And then in Potions we have this weird project to do and I'm paired with Malfoy and we're the only two and now I'm angry because all these teachers know that I hate Malfoy and yet they make it a point of forcing one-on-one time with each other."

"Maybe they hope to get rid of you both, hoping that you'll finish each other off by next month," James teased.

"You're funny," she said sarcastically.

"I knew I was." The ten minute bell rang. James glanced at his watch. "Ten minutes left for lunch. You could go back in there and talk to Ian. He's kind of upset."

"Ummm, you tell him I said sorry," Elle replied. "I just want to hang out here for a while."

"Sure," James said, getting up. "I'll see you later?"

"Hopefully," she said, tilting her head upwards so that James gave a quick kiss on the forehead and went back into the Great Hall. Noelle finished her sandwich in silence, then slurped the last of her pumpkin juice and threw her trash away in a bin, using her wand to Magically levitate the garbage to the can. It dropped perfectly and she put her wand back into her robe pocket, hating the first day of school.

The rest of the day passed by in a slow blur. Noelle took notes and insulted Malfoy and giggled with Megan but never really understood any of it until she got back into the Common Room. It was half full and so she climbed up the girls' dormitories and threw her bag on the ground, throwing herself on the bed and pulling a pillow over her face. She groaned into the pillow.

"Oh, darling, what's the problem?" Silver asked.

"I'm sick of Malfoy," Noelle said, yanking the pillow off of her face. "Did you know he's in every single one of my classes? And don't go on about how lucky I am. I don't feel lucky; I feel like shit."

"Maybe a bit of dinner will help?" Silver said.

"I want mashed potatoes," Noelle whined, yearning for comfort foods. "And macaroni and cheese and broccoli."

"Yuck," Silver said. "All carbs."

"Carbs are healthy for the body, Silver," Noelle said, reaching into her bedside table drawer and taking out a hairbrush. "If you eat them they give you energy and so you burn them off."

"Where'd you hear that?"

"My mother," Noelle said, thanking Hermione for her vast array of knowledge on nearly everything.

"Interesting," Silver said, changing into regular clothes. "I'm not much into exercising."

"Too bad," Noelle said, dropping the hairbrush onto her bed and walking to her dresser, wondering what clothes she'd find. She finally found a pair of soft, worn jeans and a bright yellow shirt that had 'PUMA' written on it in bright red letters. She pulled these on, then glanced out the window. "Why the hell is it raining so much?" she asked Silver. "It's like April."

"The weather hates us," Silver said. "Ready to eat all those wonderful carbs?"

"Absolutely."

They walked down together to the Great Hall. Noelle was impressed by how smart Silver really was. Noelle's impression of Silver had been Queen of the Airheads but she was surprised to discover that Silver really did have depth. They discussed Muggle musical bands for a while until they reached the Great Hall. Then Silver and Noelle parted and Silver sat with the other girls while Noelle searched for James and Ian. They were nowhere to be found.

"Miss Granger?" Noelle turned around. Professor McGonagall was standing directly in front of her. "Misters Potter and Weasley are in the locker rooms with the rest of the Quidditch teams."

"Teams?" Noelle asked.

"Every House team is having a meeting," McGonagall told her. "I suggest you hurry out there."

"But…dinner…" She looked longingly at the food. She grabbed a small bowl and dropped a dollop of mashed potatoes in there, then took a fork and ran to the locker room, getting only slightly wet as she entered breathlessly.

"Look who decided to join us," came the voice of Tristan Malfoy. "Hello, Granger."

"Well, if it isn't Ferret himself," she said, sliding into a seat next to James. "Alright, Malfoy, you may continue drawling."

"If you don't respect this meeting—"

"What? Going to have your bouncers take care of me?" she asked.

"Just shut up, both of you," said Natalie Wood, Seeker and Captain for Ravenclaw. "Malfoy was explaining the practice schedule to all of us."

"Right," Malfoy said, sneering at Noelle. "Before I was interrupted. The schedule will be written up here." He waved his hand to a clean white board behind him. "It's the responsibility of the team captains; Potter, Riviera, Wood and myself; to look at this schedule daily to see when their team has practice and what times. No team gets practice twice a day. If the weather is bad, the practice can be rescheduled but that's the responsibility of the Team Captain."

"One question, Malfoy," said a tall lanky boy Noelle knew as Josef Riviera, Captain and Keeper of the Hufflepuff Team. "How do you reschedule?"

"You talk to Madam Hooch," Tristan said, "who is the organizer for Quidditch this year. She can reschedule it."

"Who writes out the schedule?" Natalie asked.

"That's what the Captains will discuss once the other players are gone."

"Shouldn't the whole team discuss it?" A short cute girl from Hufflepuff named Anna Hubris.

"Don't you trust your captain?" They all fell silent. Then Tristan cleared his throat and said, "Now we'll read out the rosters to see about tryouts. In alphabetical order so Gryffindor goes first."

James stood up, holding a sheet of parchment in his hand. "The Gryffindor team lineup is as follows: Leandra Able, Chaser; Terrence Ashwood, Beater; Noelle Granger, Chaser; Henry Newton, Keeper; James Potter, Seeker; Ian Weasley, Beater. We have one vacancy: Chaser." Noelle saw Malfoy nod and write something down on his clipboard.

Then Josef Riviera stood up. Noelle was strangely aware of how much she paid attention in Quidditch but hardly enough attention in History of Magic. "The Hufflepuff Quidditch team lineup is as follows: Gabrielle Ashe, Seeker; Anna Hubris, Chaser; Gordon LeToyant, Beater; Josef Riviera, Keeper. We have three vacancies: two Chaser positions and one Beater position." Once again, Malfoy nodded and wrote it down on his clipboard.

Then the Ravenclaw captain read out her list. They only had two vacancies for a Chaser and a Keeper. "Looks like we're short Chasers this year, half-pint," James whispered to Noelle.

"Aren't you glad you've got me?" she asked, smiling.

"Slytherin lineup is: Natalia Ceracione, Chaser; Thomas Light, Beater; Tristan Malfoy, Seeker; Gretchen Odem, Chaser; Kyle Quistine, Chaser; Ariel Zabini, Beater. We need a Keeper."

"Fine," James said. "Now can we schedule tryouts?"

"As soon as everyone else leave," Natalie Wood said.

"Wait," Gabrielle Ashe said. "We'll be attending tryouts, right?"

"Absolutely," Malfoy said. "Now…can the Captains get down to business?" Grumbling, the others left. Ian followed Noelle out.

"This is so stupid," Ian said. "We can't do shit."

"Scheduling practices and tryouts are so boring," Noelle said. "Let's go and play Gobstones or something."

"I've got a ton of homework," Ian said.

"I finished all mine during my other classes," Noelle said. "Maybe I'll go to the library or something."

"Read boring books and listen to forbidden music?" Ian asked, chuckling as they climbed up the stairs in the Entrance Hall.

"Definitely," Noelle said. "I will not stop listening to music just because they want to bore us out of our minds."

"And what's the music choice for today?" Ian asked as they headed for the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I think today is a Mogwai day," Elle replied, grinning.

"The Scottish noisemakers?"

"You know it."

"You have terribly taste in music."

"At least I have taste in music," she replied.

"You've got a point there," he said.

"Darling, I've always got a point when you're concerned."

"Thanks, Elle."

"No problem, Ian," she said, climbing up the girls' stairs to get her book and CD player. When she came down, Ian was doing his homework at a corner table. "See you later," she said, waving at him. He smiled and waved back. She left, stuffing the book and CD player in the pocket of her hooded sweatshirt.

She reached the library and found her secluded corner where she could read in peace. With her wand she made a large bean bag chair appear that she seated herself comfortably in, her legs crossed as she opened her latest book.

No matter how hard Noelle tried, she couldn't get interested the novels that Wizarding authors wrote. She hated the plot lines and to her, they all seemed the same. After two summers in Los Angeles, Noelle had decided to screw the Wizarding world books and had developed a passion for Muggle authors. She had gone on several day trip excursions with her neighbor, Seneca, to visit tiny private bookshops and find thousands of books. Seneca was a twenty-year-old woman who attended the Academy of Art during the school year. Seneca's birth name wasn't really Seneca; it was Jane. "I used to be a Plain Jane," Seneca would say as they baked tortilla chips in her kitchen. "Then I became Seneca."

"How?" Noelle had asked.

"I just did," Seneca said. "I wanted to."

"What about your family?"

Seneca had a sad smile when Noelle asked that. "They don't talk to me anymore." Noelle gave Seneca a hug and they drank tea and ate soft sugary bread. Noelle smiled remembering Seneca's face and her flower garden where they picked lilies and roses and gladioli and irises. Noelle hung the flowers upside down and took them back to her home in London and put them in vases so she'd have some of Seneca always.

Noelle's favorite author was Francesca Lia Block and Noelle had finally ended up meeting her this past summer. Noelle was amazed at how normal Francesca seemed. Noelle had gushed over her and Francesca had smiled and thanked her and planted a kiss on her cheek. Elle had walked around in a daze for a week until Seneca snapped her out of it and they went to a punk show at a local club.

Now Noelle was reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower and was loving it and falling into it, not even paying attention to the music by this point. She didn't even notice that a shadow had fallen over her. She glanced up and saw a tall Slytherin boy she knew to be named Clion Snape, a boy in her classes and Professor Snape's son. She pulled her headphones off, closed the book and stood up.

"Uh…hi," she said. He nodded. He was walking down the shelf, searching for a book. He ignored her as she sat back down, pulling her headphones on and opening her book. After a while, she felt his eyes on her.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"No, thanks," he said, resuming his hunt. She found him a little awkward but liked that. He wasn't the stupid kind of Slytherin like Malfoy's cronies but he wasn't like stuck-up Malfoy either. For a long while, she felt that he was watching her until finally she was tired of looking up and seeing him look away quickly. She pulled off her headphones and, still holding her book and CD player, she walked over to him, practically bouncing.

 "I'm Noelle Granger." She held out her hand. He shook it.

"I'm Clion Snape," he said.

"Would you like to go out some time?" she asked suddenly, not aware of what she was asking but extremely aware at the same time.

"With you?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Well…yeah," she said. "I wouldn't be asking you myself if I wanted you to go out with my friend or something." He laughed.

"Oh, right," he said. There was a silence.

"So?" she persisted.

"Sure," Clion said.

"Great!" Noelle said. "How about the next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Do we really have any other chance to go out?" he asked.

"No, that's why I'm thinking about Hogsmeade," she said.

"Hogsmeade would be fine," he said. "When's the next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"I have no idea," Noelle said happily. She liked the way he dressed. He was wearing worn khakis and a plain black t-shirt and old black boots. His hair was long-ish and black, like hers but hers was considerably longer.

"When you find out, talk to me about it," he said. "You're in all of my classes."

"That's pretty convenient," she said to him.

"Snape," said a very familiar and obnoxious voice. "You're around books?"

"Tristan," Clion said. "Do you know Noelle Granger?"

Malfoy smirked at Noelle. "No, I don't think we've met," Malfoy said, bowing formally.

"Shove it, Malfoy," Noelle said, then turned to Clion. "Um, so I'll talk to you later?"

"Absolutely," he said. She smiled, nodded and pushed past Malfoy.

"Granger," Malfoy yelled, "those things are illegal around Hogwarts campus."

"You should be, as well," Noelle called as she left the library. Malfoy turned to Clion.

"She'll talk to you later?" Malfoy said. "What the hell was that about?"

"She asked me out," Clion said, laughing.

"What?" Malfoy was shocked. Clion expected this kind of reaction from Tristan. Tristan considered himself to be above other guys when girls were concerned. It was commonly known that out of nearly every other guy at school, Tristan Malfoy was the most lusted after. Tristan was also not a virgin and had taken the virginity of many girls in the school. Clion knew for a fact that Natalia Ceracione, Gabrielle Ashe and Ariel Zabini had "dated" Malfoy but had stopped when they discovered that he had been sleeping with other girls on the side.

Tristan Malfoy had no respect for women who wanted him; he respected women who didn't want him and that included Noelle Granger.

"Yep," Clion said.

"She asked you out?" Tristan said as they walked out of the library, Clion still bookless.

"Malfoy, I'm not gay, no matter what people think," Clion said.

"But…she doesn't know about…" Malfoy was falling over with laughter now.

"I won't let her kiss me," Clion said.

"And then she'll be pissed."

"But I can't kiss her."

"Too bad. She's quite hot."

"Then why don't you kiss her?"

They were silent until Malfoy said, "What if she bites off my tongue?"

 Author's Note: I enjoyed writing this chapter! Yayayayay! I love Clion's character and Noelle's response to him. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I do! Review if you can!

Fae