Lydia pursed her lips against the pain in her arm and tried not to look back at Snape, who undoubtedly thought she was an idiot for falling for Black's little trick.
"You'll be all right in a bit dear, don't worry," Madam Pomfrey said as she watched her facial expression. "I'll check back on you in a moment." She nodded wordlessly and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, wiping the blood from her face with her good hand and trying not to look too upset.
"Least you're all right, Halliwell," Snape muttered, glancing up at her now.
She nodded absently, startled by the sound of his voice. He had not spoken up till this point.

"I'll get them. So help me. They'll be sorry." She muttered quietly.
"I'll help." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. He refused to make eye contact and his face seemed a bit more flushed than usual. He must really want to get them back…She glanced at him, slightly surprised by the offer.

"you will?"
"Course. You know anyone else with a vendetta against those two?"
"Good point." she murmured, looking away, still embarrassed. How could that happen to her, in potions of all classes, and in front of everyone in her year too...
"And I know some pretty good spells..." He added, more to himself than her. she glanced back at him. She wondered why she had never noticed him before. It wasn't as if he was not attractive, and he was clever too, and yet...he was so quiet, so...She didn't know what he was. He saw her looking at him and raised a dark eyebrow.

"What?"
"nothing." She murmured quickly. "just thinking." She added, looking away.
He looked as though he was about to ask her something, but Madam Pomfrey returned out at that moment.

"Take a swig of this, and everything should be fine in a few minutes. Then it's back to class for you two!"
She nodded and drank down the potion, grimacing at the taste and the stabbing pain in her arm as the bone mended itself. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, trying to keep from crying out. It was as if her arm was breaking several times all over again. Stupid Black! Stupid Potter! Oh she would get them for this! Several quite minutes passed as Madam Pomfrey watched her carefully. Finally;

"Alright, Halliwell, you're free to go. And thank you for coming with her." The med witch added, casting a matronly smile Snape's way. He muttered something unintelligible, not looking at either of them. He must have really wanted to leave…
Lydia nodded her thanks to both Madam Pomfrey and Snape and made her way for the door, wishing the day would hurry up and get over with. Snape followed at her heels.

"Where're you going?"
She shrugged.

"Back to Sluggy's class. I didn't get the homework...and then.." she trailed off and shrugged again. He nodded.

"Me either."
She cast him a sideways glance, expression unreadable, may as well give it a shot, right? "join me for lunch?" she found herself asking.
He opened his mouth to respond but thought a moment too long and shook his head. "No. I have to go to the library and look some things up."
She nodded and fell silent again. She hadn't expected him to accept anyway...
They made their way to Slughorn's class and Snape, seeming lost in thought, didn't speak much. Lydia gave up trying to make conversation and quickly got the assignment from the potions master. She had come to the conclusion that Snape did indeed think her an idiot for falling for the prank even after last term...
"Maybe I'll see you around more," Snape said quietly as they went their separate ways, though Lydia thought the formality sounded forced, more so than usual. She nodded.

"yeah, see you." She said, offering a small smile as she made her way towards the great hall.

The students were all talking amongst themselves. Not only had rumor spread about what had happened to Lydia but there was rumor about what happened after. And it seemed intriguing to say the least. Lydia ignored them, striding to her customary seating place, curled up in the shade of an old oak tree. She tried very hard to ignore the points and whispers, the glances and the snickers. What did people think happened between her and Snape? Did they think they were off in the dungeons snogging?

She gave a hiss of mirthless laughter at the thought. That's the last thing he would probably want to do with her. She saw a few students animatedly reenacting her brief flight in the potions room and wondered if it was time for a tactical retreat to the Slytherin common room. Before she could make any decisions however, a single

tawny owl, one seeming to be from the school flew through the high

windows and moved toward her. She started slightly.

She NEVER got mail.. The large bird didn't even stop, dropping the letter from

it's beak, the green envelope seeming plain, with no writing upon it. Tentatively she slit the envelope with one black

lacquered nail, waiting for the worst.

Dear Miss Halliwell,

I do not know quite why I am writing

to you, except that I have recently been overcome with the thought that

I must send you a letter. For a while now, I have been thinking of you,

though I doubt whether you know it. I have admired your beauty and wit, though I know I am unworthy of your affection. At least I can take comfort in knowing I may get a glimpse of you each day. For the sake of briefness, I simply wanted you to know that I truly hope to talk to you again.

Thinking of you,

The Half-Blood Prince

She read the letter with a quizzical expression. Half Blood Prince? Who was this person and why would they be interested in her of all people? She bit back a sigh and rose to her feet. The dungeons would offer the seclusion she needed to think on this new and possibly damaging letter. It was all probably some elaborate joke anyway...

"Whacha got there?" came a familiar voice in her ear. She tensed, instinctively clutching the letter to her chest with one hand as she reached for her wand. Black gave her an innocent look, lower lip sticking out, grey eyes large.

"I just wanted to apologize, Halliwell."

"get away from me, Black."S he hissed, spinning away from him and walking faster, her dark hair fanning out behind her. Why couldn't they just leave her alone?

"I'm dead serious!" he said, following her.

"You will be soon if you don't leave me alone."

"Aw, c'mon! I'm being honest here!"

"And so am I. leave me alone!" She snapped.

"But I'm sorry!" He said, moving after her.

"I don't care!" She growled, turning to face him with her wand out.

He stopped, hands up in the air in a non-threatening manner.

"Can't I even TRY to apologize?"

"no." She said bluntly. "The only reason you're even bothering with this is because your girlfriend told you to. You don't care that you broke my arm. You thought it was bloody brilliant! Get away from me!" He raised an eyebrow.

"Girlfriend?"

Lydia gave an indecipherable hiss and spun on her heel again, stalking away from the irritating Gryffindor.

But before she got far, another person snatched the letter from her hand quickly. Her face paled considerably and she snatched futilely for

it. But, Potter who was so much taller than her, was already moving away at a high speed, reading it.

"Give it back!" She snarled, stalking after him, panic rising in her throat.

"Padfoot! You'll never believe this, mate!"

"what is it, Prongs?" Sirius asked, giving his friend his full attention, suddenly very interested.

"HALLIWELL HAS A SECRET ADMIRER!" He practically bellowed, acting as though Black wouldn't have heard had he not just

announced it to the whole of the School. Lydia felt her face go scarlet as a number of students gathered round.

"Who'd like HER?" one asked with a harsh laugh.

"Some git calling himself the Half-Blood Prince," Potter replied, just as loud.

Lydia was shaking as a group of students barred her path to Potter, jeering and laughing. "Half Bood? Is he mad? She's a Pureblood!" One said

derisively. "She's too good for him!" He added with more laughter and a smirk

in her direction.

Black was on the ground, pounding his fists as he howled with laughter. This had

turned out better than expected. Lydia watched helplessly as Potter read the letter out

loud, pausing to let the students laugh heartily. When he finished he cast her a superior smirk.

She stood a moment with her head bowed, tears welling in her eyes. She moved slowly and deliberately towards him, and tore the letter from his hands.

"I hate you." She said bitterly before fleeing .And never before had she meant it as much as now.

"Awww! Prongsie! She hates you!" Sirius said mockingly.

The only response heard from Lydia was a strangled sob as she darted into the castle.

The other two Marauders watched the whole thing, Peter laughing loudly and calling out "Freak" before she had disappeared.