Hi Minna-sama! Took me a little while, but I'm back! hehe. Thanks a ton to all who left such wonderfully lovely reviews to "Slave", truly gave me something happy to keep me encouraged and inspired ;D hehe. By popular demand, here's the not-so-long awaited sequel, Master! Hope you all enjoy it; lemme know whatya think!

It hasn't been too long, but just a quick overview of Slave to those who need a little refresher ;)

Last time on...Slave...

The vacation from hell somehow turned into the best thing to ever come to Usagi Tsukino's life. A relationship between herself and Draco Malfoy has been established, and now they must test the strength of these newly formed bonds with the return to Hogwarts..

Note: To those who care about random little facts, the title of this chapter is taken from a SeraMyu song...it doesn't really make much sense...:sweatdrop:. lol, enjoy!

x-x-x-x-x-

Master
You're My Jewelry...

Soft moans were heard from both parties as they kissed, the sound muffled and restrained. "How much...longer do we have?" Usagi whispered out, biting her lower lip hard to prevent any sound as his teeth grazed against her neck.

"Not...sure..." Draco replied almost inaudibly, shuddering as her hand came to brush against the nape of his neck.

The bell chimed several times and they both froze. Draco swore softly, resting his forehead against the crook of her neck. "We're late," he muttered.

Usagi groaned, shaking her head as she straightened out her robes. "It's your fault this time," she whined. "I was trying to keep track of the time..." Draco sighed softly, pressing an almost apologetic kiss to her forehead. Usagi continued with a pout. "And Snape is gonna take off ten points from Gryffindor, and five points from Slytherin."

Draco smirked slightly, shaking his head. "No, he won't take any points from Slytherin," he replied smugly.

Usagi rolled her eyes. "Oh don't be so sure," she muttered.

The blond male raised an eyebrow as he gazed at her. "I bet you... one free insult to Potter tonight without your defending him if I'm right."

Usagi glared at him. "Why are you so insistent on being mean to him? Ack, we better go, already five minutes late..." Draco grasped her wrist as she proceeded away, halting her movement. She continued to glare at his patient, waiting expression before rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Fine! But if I'm right, you leave him alone for a week."

A smirk hinted upon his lips, amusement shadowing in his eyes. "I'm not usually one to compromise, but you're just too cute when you're so frustrated."

Usagi smiled and began walking away again, before his grip tightened slightly once more. She was halted again and frowned before he pulled her close, his lips pressing hard against hers. Usagi gasped in surprise, though he pulled away before she could truly respond. "Later," he murmured softly. She nodded with a faint smile, running out of the library to get to Potions first.

Draco smiled as he leaned against the back shelf of the last row in the large library, waiting a short while before proceeding out as well.

x-x-x-

"...And after you finish copying down these instructions..."

Usagi stumbled quickly into the room, nearly falling as she tried to slow down abruptly from running. "Sorry Professor Snape!" she cried breathlessly, gasping to catch her breath.

The greasy-looking professor frowned as he looked at her, his expression tinted with disgust. "And what makes you think you can come barging in here so leisurely, ten minutes late for my class, Miss Tsukino?" he inquired in an annoyed drawl.

Usagi blushed darkly as she lowered her head, mumbling an apology.

"Fifteen points from Gryffindor," he deducted harshly, earning groans from the other Gryffindor students and a few angered looks in Usagi's direction.

Harry gave her a small smile as she passed, and Hermione cast her a worried glance. As Snape proceeded back to the lesson, it was then that Draco Malfoy entered the classroom. "You are quite tardy, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said with a disappointed frown.

Draco nodded slightly, his expression apologetic. "Sorry, Professor," he said simply, not even bothering to offer a plausible excuse.

"Take your seat, Mr. Malfoy, and I'll let you off this time with a warning."

Usagi's mouth dropped open, her eyes widening with disbelief as he passed her. "That's not fair!" she blurted out, glaring as Draco gave her an amused smirk.

The professor raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the angered blonde. "Are you questioning my methods, Miss Tsukino?" he inquired. "Perhaps we'd like to go over the fact that you are tardy on a habitual basis, whereas this is a first offense for Mr. Malfoy. Or perhaps we could cover the fact that your grades are well below horrible, whereas his are the best in the class." Snape ignored Hermione's pointed glare; rightfully she felt her grades should be the best, but his outright favoring of Slytherins made it impossible to do better than Draco Malfoy.

Usagi opened her mouth to retort, but the embarrassment was too much. She quickly averted her eyes, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Professor," she mumbled quietly, though the frown stayed upon her lips.

"I suggest you remain silent for the remainder of the class, Miss Tsukino, and concentrate on actually getting an assignment done for once."

The embarrassed blush heated upon her cheeks as she shifted uncomfortably under the unfavorable attention.

The lesson continued tediously, and Usagi felt very grateful today was not Double Potions. The majority of the period was spent taking notes, giving instructions for the Potion that would be made the next day. When the bell finally ringed in dismissal, Usagi breathed out in uncontained relief.

Draco slowed his walking as he passed by her seat, a neatly-folded note landing carefully in her lap. She gazed at his retreating form with a small sigh, unfolding the piece of paper. Reading its content, she rolled her eyes:

' Told you so. See you at dinner, darling. '

" 'Darling'?"Usagi mumbled with a giggle. "That's a new one..."

"Miss Tsukino."

Usagi looked up from her seat, gazing curiously at Professor Snape. "Yes?" she asked hesitantly.

"I understand you do so enjoy my presence, but I'd suggest for you to leave as to not be tardy for yet another class."

Usagi looked around and realized she was indeed the only person there, left alone with the none-too-pleased professor. She laughed nervously as she quickly packed up, stammering quickly all the while as she left.

Snape watched silently as she left, the faintest smile upon his lips quickly shadowing to a frown.

x-x-x-

Usagi disliked Tansfigurations almost as much as Potions. It was a tough call, but the cruel professor of Potions gave Transfigurations the slightest edge of approval in her eyes.

"Hey babe, how goes it?" Duo greeted as she walked in. The class had not started yet; Usagi heeded Professor Snape's warning to heart and got to her next class early.

"Usagi-chan, I hate this subject," Minako moaned, looking around the room at the assortment of students from the different houses. This was a slightly lower level class, offered to all of the students from each of the four houses who had difficulty in Transfigurations the previous year, taught this year at a more (hopefully) comprehensible level.

While none of the three liked the class, it did give them a chance to continue their friendship without much controversy. "Me too, Mina-chan," Usagi mumbled in repliance to her Hufflepuff friend, shaking her head as she looked at the notes on the board, meant to be copied prior to class starting. She looked at Duo with a slight smile, her eyebrow raising. "I still can't believe you're in this class," she commented softly. "I thought you were soo smart."

"Nah, I'm suave," he corrected smoothly, offering her his charming smile that made several girls in the class sigh. "There's a difference. My talents lie in other areas of expertise which I'd be more than willing to show you..."

Usagi tilted her head. "It's okay, Duo-kun, I'm sure you're good at other subjects in school but you don't have to show me," she assured with a happy, naive smile.

Duo chuckled at her innocence, shaking his head.

"I hope this class starts making sense soon," Minako said wistfully, copying down the notes quickly as the bell chimed several times.

"Me too," Duo and Usagi chorused, sighing as Professor McGonnogal began verbally teaching the lesson.

x-x-x-

"I hate school," Usagi mumbled, looking hopelessly at the wide spread of her papers upon one of the tables in the Gryffindor common room.

Harry gave her a sympathetic smile, easing his chair closer to hers. "I could help you if you'd like..." He barely got the words out before the blonde's arms flung tightly around his neck, a chain of indecipherable "thank-yous" heard from her. His cheeks tinted in color at her closeness.

She pulled away abruptly, smiling a little shyly. "Can we start with Transfigurations?" she asked timidly, shuffling through her messy stack of papers to find her notes.

"Sure," he said quickly, biting his lower lip as he pondered if this was an appropriate time. "But first, Usagi, I'd like to give you something."

Usagi tilted her head curiously. "Hmm? What is it?"

Harry licked his lips nervously as he reached into his robe's pocket, pulling out a tiny wrapped square-shaped box. "It's a late Christmas present," he explained, placing the box in her hand.

Usagi's eyes lit with delight, before she quickly frowned. "I don't have a gift for you," she said guiltily, her eyes saddening. "Didn't exactly have time to do Christmas shopping, although I guess I should have tried to get something afterwards—"

"Don't worry about it," Harry insisted with an assuring smile. "Go on, open it."

Usagi smiled again at his encouraged words, carefully unwrapping the thin layer of paper. Pulling open the lid to the small silver box, a faint gasp escaped her lips. "Harry-kun," she whispered, brushing her fingers lightly against the beautiful piece of jewelry.

"I thought you might like it," he said with a pleased grin.

Usagi picked up the heart-shaped necklace, admiring the sparkle of the thin, matching, linked-gold chain it rested upon. "Oh, Harry, I can't," she murmured, tearing her eyes away from the beautiful necklace to look at him. "I don't deserve something this beautiful..." She smiled sadly as she thrust the necklace toward him.

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment before he took the necklace back. Carefully, he unhooked the tiny latch and went to stand behind her. Usagi tensed slightly as he placed the cold metal around her neck, refastening the clasp against the nape. "You shouldn't think quite so lowly of yourself," he said quietly, his hand resting against her shoulder. Usagi stood from her seat and turned to face him. "It looks beautiful on you," he commented softly.

Usagi giggled happily, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. "Thank you," she murmured with sincerity. She pulled away after a moment, grinning playfully at him. "So...how 'bout that Transfigurations help?"

Harry laughed softly, his smile broadening as they sat down once again.

x-x-x-

The next day...

"Make sure you re-read all of the steps for adequate understanding prior to beginning the concocting of this potion. The approximated time for the potion's completion is one hour and fifteen minutes. Each of you will test your own potion at the end of class and I will grade you based upon the results. You may begin."

Usagi hated Double Potions. This much she was sure of. Not only did she not understand the instructions; she had no idea where to even begin. She raised her hand to ask for help, but quickly retracted it. There was no way Snape would ever help her.

As the Slytherin-favoring professor turned around to write several alternative instructions upon the board, Usagi was startled to see a paper bird flap its wings and drop down in front of her. Blinking several times, she carefully unfolded its wings and read its note:

You look so lost, dearest Gryffindor. Start with placing in the two pigeon feathers and then proceed with the flower sap.

Usagi cast a grateful glance at Draco, but he was concentrating on his own concoction.

"Miss Tsukino, is there any particular reason you have not begun your assignment?"

Usagi laughed nervously as she hastily started the concoction, mumbling an embarrassed apology to Professor Snape.

Harry looked at Usagi with a saddened smile. While Usagi's past didn't influence or generate any dislike toward her from Snape as his own did, something about her certainly angered the professor. Her bubbly personality and his inability to wear down her spirit aggravated him to no end and seemed to only make him attempt harder to make an example out of her.

"Mr. Potter, I would advise you to quit dawdling and get to work."

...That was not to say he was completely free of the Professor's derogatory scrutiny.

The students all worked diligently with their allotted amount of time, some with a bit more ease than others. Usagi continuously glanced at the progress of students around her, feeling increasingly apprehensive at the different shades of the swirling pink color. Some students had pink so light it appeared white; others were so dark they appeared red. She looked uncertainly at her own hot pink liquid, hoping she was somewhere close to being right.

"Why does this have to be so hard?" she moaned pitifully, trying desperately to figure out the next step. Glancing around again, she noticed several students adding the grassy moss-looking ingredient into the cauldron. Quickly gathering some of it in her hand, she dropped a large clump into the mixture. She jumped slightly as the mixture hissed and sizzled, the color lightening significantly. She let out a sigh of relief at this, stirring the concoction clock-wise.

The minutes passed with an agonizing slowness, yet all too quickly for those who were having difficulty. "You have five minutes remaining," Snape informed them, pacing the room slowly and observing the progress of the students. "Begin placing your potion into the sampling vial."

Harry tensed as Snape paused to glance at his concoction, trying not to get too disheartened from the disgusted look the professor gave.

Hermione felt hopeful of getting a good grade; she was confident she had completed everything with accurate perfection, but immediately began to worry at the raised eyebrow the professor cast upon her as she dipped a small amount into the vial.

Usagi cringed as the frown deepened upon Snape's lips as he watched her pouring the potion into the sample tube. "Your color is rather off, Miss Tsukino," he said icily, referring to the lightened shade of pink. Students with similarly colored liquids began worrying, hoping they had did things correctly.

As Snape proceeded over to Draco, his frown lessened as his head inclined. "Very good, Mr. Malfoy," he complimented, his lips almost curling upward. Draco returned the nod, glancing at Usagi. He couldn't help the smirk that spread upon his lips as Usagi mouthed the professor's words with an annoyed mockery.

"We will begin with the sampling of the potions as I go down the rows. I will start from here; Mr. Malfoy, if you would."

"Surely, Professor," he replied, placing the vial against his lips. Draco winced slightly as the cold liquid tingled against the back of his throat, tingling through him with a surprising warmth. The students gasped as his feet slowly lifted from the ground, his entire body hovering several inches before returning just as gradually to the floor.

"A fine demonstration, Mr. Malfoy," Snape praised, nodding once again. "This is a Minor Levitation potion. Several alterations would increase its strength, but for the purpose of this lesson I have diluted its potency. Mr. Goyle next, please."

The demonstrations proceeded with a slight range in success, but most of the students received highly effective results. Even Harry floated a few inches before sinking back a little shakily to the ground. Hermione completed the sampling with the exact same results as Malfoy, but did not receive any such praise. "Your levitation seemed a bit rushed, which reflects the haste you put into the making of this concoction, Miss Granger," Snape had criticized.

A few students were not able to produce the successful effect of levitating... Usagi being one of them. "Miss Tsukino, your lack of time and effort is becoming a habitual matter that disgusts me," the antagonizing professor said crisply.

"I tried, Professor Snape," Usagi protested, pouting that she didn't get the potion right. "I don't know what I did wrong, honest..."

"It is not only your lack of success in this potion; it is your lack of success in general as a student." Snape watched as the blonde girl flinched under his harsh scrutiny. A slight tinge of guilt threaded through him as he pressed his lips together lightly. "Perhaps a student in the class could tutor Miss Tsukino."

Usagi looked around hopefully, though no one seemed willing to volunteer for such a task. Her hope rose slightly as Hermione raised her hand eagerly, offering an assuring smile to the blonde girl.

Snape glanced at Hermione with a barely masked disdain, but the voice of his favorite student saved him having to call upon her.

"I'd be willing to tutor the Gryffindor, Professor," Draco said smoothly, forcing his eyes to stay upon Snape and not stray to Usagi.

Professor Snape rose an eyebrow; he had not expected Draco Malfoy of all people to take the time or patience to attempt such a thing. "Are you sure, Mr. Malfoy? You needn't lower your standards to help such a low-grade student."

"So mean," Usagi mumbled, though gladly she went unheard.

"Of course, Professor. I can't leave a fellow student stranded behind... even if it is a filthy Gryffindor." Draco smirked as the Gryffindors in the class shot him nasty glares, while all of the Slytherin students chortled with laughter.

"Very well. Fifty points to Slytherin for such generosity."

Usagi's mouth gaped open. "Generosity? And hey! I didn't agree to be tutored by him," she pointed out stubbornly.

Professor Snape frowned at the blonde girl, his eyes narrowing upon her. "You should be grateful I am allowing you such assistance," he replied shortly, his tone offering no room for arguing. "You will report to this room two hours earlier every morning prior to breakfast with Mr. Malfoy and begin these sessions starting tomorrow. Is this a problem for you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"No problem at all, sir."

"It's a problem for me!" Usagi cried. "You're suggesting I wake up twohours earlier? And begin learning before I get to eat?"

"I'm suggesting you're scarcely on time to my class in the first place, Miss Tsukino, and if you complain about this situation any further I will begin deducting points for insubordination."

Hermione and Harry looked incredulous. "Professor, I think Usagi would feel more comfortable if a fellow Gryffindor tutored her, and I'd be quite willing to do so," Hermione suggested hopefully. They still had not gotten the information from Usagi on what exactly had happened between herself and Malfoy; now she had to spend even more time alone with him? They truly felt bad for her.

"Noo," Usagi moaned. "I just don't wanna wake up so early.."

"That is unnecessary, Miss Granger. Miss Tsukino needs the best help she can get at this point in her failure, and I feel Mr. Malfoy is better suited for such a task." The bell chimed several times, and the students began filing out.

Draco grasped Usagi's wrist before she left, pulling her to him slightly as he pressed his lips against her ear. "Marvelous acting, Usa," he breathed out, "for I'm sure you'll find it to be a rather enjoyable turn of events to have two additional hours together in privacy with no worries..." Pulling away, he glanced at the frowns of Harry and Hermione. Putting on a showy smirk, he nodded his head. "See you tomorrow, Gryffindor."

Usagi shivered as he pulled away from her, her heart quickening at the threaded anticipation of what tomorrow would hold. Having two hours together with Draco every day was a renewed blessing; it was getting difficult to sneak around for the few minutes they had between classes, which often resulted in tardiness. "But I still don't want to wake up soo early," she moaned.

x-x-x-x-x-

Yayy, I finally got this first chapter completed .:sweatdrop:.

I have so many scenes written to this story, but I'm having such a problem piecing them together to actually make sense, lol. Sorry if anything is confusing or boring or anything displeasing.. Pleease let me know whatya think of the initiating of "Master!" ;)

Next time on... Master...

The new two-hour advantage proves beneficial to Draco and Usagi, but they quickly realize they have to be careful with their interactions...Especially since Usagi is supposed to be learning from Draco that which can be taught in a classroom for once! The friends who already know of the relationship begin expressing their subtle disapproval of the relationship, and what happens when Draco notices Usagi's new necklace...? Find out next time, "Formal Lessons."