When the food was off all the tables, the house prefects stood and motioned for the rest of their houses to follow them to the Common Rooms.

Rachael sighed and slowly followed the Slytherins out of the Great Hall. She made sure not to catch the eyes of either of the four Marauders, or Lily. They were in Gryffindor, and therefore wouldn't let the fact she wasn't at their table or in their house go.

Crossing her arms, Rachael finally looks around. All the Slytherins were bunched together, heading down towards the dungeons. On one side of her, was open air. On the other side, was Regulus Black, Sirius' brother. She frowned, wondering how on earth she had gotten next to him. Deciding it didn't matter, and as long as it was dark, she checked him over.

Regulus, being a brother of Sirius, had some of his good-looks. If she wasn't mistaken, he'd grown cuter over the summer. What's with summer producing cuter versions of the Black brother, she asked herself, smirking a little.

Looking him over harder, she noticed that, while his hair was still black, his eyes were a darker brown than Sirius'. So much darker that she could notice it in the dark corridor. He was muscular, a little less so than his brother, but still. Watching him in the torchlight, Rachael suddenly remembered all the times she'd heard the girls in her dorm talking about him. All of them had a crush, except, of course, Narcissa and Beatrix, who were his sisters.

Narcissa, she remembered, had a major crush on Lucius Malfoy, while Beatrix liked Rudolphus Lestrange. She rolled her eyes, although none could see in the dark. She could understand liking Malfoy, he had that strange silver-white hair and lean, yet muscular, body, but she couldn't understand crushing over Lestrange. He didn't have the handsomeness that most Slytherin males had, nor was he particularly smart. Oh well, if he's what she wants…

Suddenly, Rachael felt a nudge in her side. Blinking, she looked around to realize she'd been gazing off into space, and that Regulus was looking at her. Well, checking her over was more correct. A little more obvious than when she was looking him over. She raised an eyebrow at his smirk, but didn't say anything.

"Rachael, isn't it? You hang around my brother a lot," he said softly in a low voice.

She nodded, "Yes, and yeah…"

"Why?"

"Why shouldn't I?" she asked, surprising him.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked incredulously. Seeing her blank expression, he sighed, "Ok, I guess not. He's a disgrace to the Black name! He's not in Slytherin like the rest of us are."

She shrugged, "Your point?"

"My point is, why do you hang out with him and…and that mudblood?" he drawled, looking around.

They were in the Common Room. When had they entered? Sometime during the conversation, obviously, she thought. Then remembered Regulus had asked her a question.

"Oh, because…Sirius isn't really that bad. He's a lot like a Slytherin, only in Gryffindor, but don't tell him I said that, please?" she looked up at him, trying to look innocent.

When normally charm would get him out of promises, Regulus felt the need, the want, to promise her. To make her happy. Strange…

"Alright, I won't tell him. I promise."

Rachael smiled, "Seal it in a circle."

He looked at her as if she'd suddenly grown fangs, "Why?"

"Because, a circle has no beginning and no end, like a promise," she said quietly, still smiling.

God she's beautiful…he thought. On impulse, he took her left hand in his, turning the palm upwards. He then traced a circle on it lightly with his index finger.

Shivers of pleasure ran up her spine, and Rachael looked at him in shock. He quickly dropped her hand and then ran his own through his hair.

She blinked and looked around, avoiding eye contact. It was dark, the lighting low, and empty. The Common Room was empty and she was alone with Regulus in it. It must be rather late…she thought. Yawning, she looked back at him to find he was staring at her.

She blushed, glad he couldn't see in the dark. "It's late…"

He blinked, as if he was coming out of deep thought. Quickly glancing around, he nodded in agreement before looking back at her.

"Yes, it is. You're also tired, as I can see," he replied, his voice low.

"Only a little," she replied softly, shrugging it off as if it was nothing.

He smiled, "Better go to bed anyway, full schedule tomorrow."

"Yes, you're right," she agreed. "See you around, Regulus."

"More than you think…" he muttered under his breath.

Rolling her eyes, Rachael walked past him, tired.

Walking into her dorm, she expected to be able to sneak into bed. She was wrong.

Every girl who had a crush on Regulus was standing there, furious.

One, obviously the one with the biggest crush, stepped forward and shrieked, "What were you and Regulus doing? What are you playing at?"

"Nothing! He was the one who talked to me, not the other-way-around!" she almost shouted back, her exhaustion catching up with her.

"He did, I saw him," came the disdainful voice of Narcissa.

Rachael rolled her eyes and walked over to her bed. "Leave me alone. 'Night," she said coldly as she closed the green velvet curtains.

She didn't bother undressing, for she was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

~*~*~

Narcissa wasn't the only Black sister awake. Beatrix was, too. She lay in her bed, the curtain drawn. Her eyes were closed and she was smirking.