Kylee woke a very disgruntled Rory up the next morning. Rory had no desire to get out of bed to go to Hogsmede, or so she said. When Kylee mentioned Marcus, Rory went into this trance-like mood and seemed to float everywhere she went. They showered and dressed.

Rory didn't know how long she stood at the foot of her trunk looking for something to wear. Twice, Lilibeth came in and told her to get some more clothes on. Rory said something that made Kylee conjure up a bar of soap that assaulted Rory, attempting to wash out her mouth. Several soapy hiccups later, Rory finally put clothes on. She decided on black jeans, a turquoise asymmetrical tunic shirt with a studded belt that hung around her hips. Rory laced her Converse with different laces with a flick of her wand and slipped into them.

After a fit of giggles at the bubbles mysteriously appearing everywhere Rory went, Kylee chose blue jeans and a red top with a tan corduroy jacket. She put on some black ballet flats and decided it was good enough. She sighed and ran her fingers through her strawberry hair.

Rory waited at the door out of the dorm for her. Rory watched as Kylee went over to the window. Kylee's face remained the same as she turned to follow Rory out. Rory decided that now was not the time to ask what was wrong. There was no point in making Kylee's obvious mood any worse.

By the time they reached the Entrance Hall everyone had already gone. Filch was there and he left the two pass after much questioning on where they had been.

The trek to Hogsmede was silent. Neither of the girls said anything, nor did either move to. Kylee was afraid that if she started to talk all of her suspicions about Sean would spill and Rory was equally afraid to open her mouth she would throw up; her nerves were really getting to her.

Their eyes met after they crossed into Hogsmede. Rory smiled and Kylee smiled back, they gave each other hugs and parted.

Rory and Marcus had their picnic on the rocky hillside on the far side of the village. Marcus was all haughty about having gotten some really great food from the kitchens. Rory was scoffing at him.

"MARCUS! Come of it, the house elves will give you anything you want! You don't even have to ask. They just bring it to you!" Rory said with a laugh.

"Do you know anyone who has gotten this much?" He asked her, leaning closer. Rory got a chill up her spine for a reason she couldn't quite think of.

"Well no, but..." Rory retorted, defiantly. She was cut off by Marcus who kissed her, hard on the mouth. Rory suddenly felt as if she were flying. Marcus put his hands on the small of her back and drew her to him, slowly. Rory could feel his heart racing and his ragged breathing when they pulled away from each other. "You okay?" Rory asked running her fingers through his hair.

"Yeah," he said, slumping back down to the blanket, head in his hands.

"Marcus..." he cut her off.

"Stop it, Rory," he said. Rory's breath got caught somewhere between her lungs and her mouth, she choked.

"What is wrong with you! You kiss me as if I'm the only one you'll ever feel this way about and then less than thirty seconds later. I mean nothing?" she said furiously, trying not to raise her voice

"No! No, it's not you! I-I just have a headache, that's all," Marcus said. Rory took a deep breath and tried to calm down. They ate in silence.

"You sure you're okay?" Rory asked daringly. Marcus didn't snap at her. He just nodded.

After they ate, things went back to normal. Marcus and Rory talked for a long time. They laughed at each other, swapped stories, and talked about friends.

"Kylee was acting really odd this morning," Marcus said.

"You noticed?" Rory asked, surprised.

"I was up early and decided to go down to the common room for some coffee and she was down there drinking her own cup and looking out the window. I asked her if she slept well and she nodded. Then I asked is she was okay, and she just shrugged. I figured you would know, but I guess not," he said and sighed.

"She never mentioned anything this morning. It was probably the coffee because she did have enough energy to make a bar of soap assault me this morning though," both of them laughed.

"Sleepy..."Marcus said and he lay down on the blanket

"Come to think of it," She yawned widely, "me too," she lay on his stomach and he ran his fingers through her hair.

Sleep came to the both of them fast. They were awakened some time later by a very abrupt scream...

Kylee and O'Malley had stopped in Three Broomsticks for a quick drink. It was only 6:30 and it everyone's curfew was 10:00 so they figured they would kill time. They sat in a booth near the front sipping Butterbeer and attempting to hear themselves talk over the noise of the pub. It was cooler outside, so the windows were fogging up. Kylee drew a smiley face on the window and Marcus laughed and added sloppy eyebrows and a tongue. Kylee laughed out loud.

"You suck," she said and wiped her hand through it.

"Hey!" O'Malley protested and flicked her hair. She flattened it nervously. They both fell silent; Kylee looked down at her lap and played with the zipper on her jacket. O'Malley fumbled his empty bottle, trying to get the wrapper off. It fell to the floor and shattered. With a quick glance at O'Malley Kylee broke into hysterical laughter. After being obviously embarrassed for a few seconds, O'Malley laughed with her. O'Malley pointed his wand at the pie of glass and muttered, Reparo, and the bottle reassembled. He put it back on the table and stood.

"You wanna...take a walk?" he asked and extended his hand.

Kylee grinned, "Yes, let's go," she took his hand. She reached out to Rory with her mind, Rory? Kylee waited, there was no response. Rorrrrrrryyyy! She sang in her mind. She suddenly got a vision of sheep bounding over a fence. She smiled. O'Malley looked incredibly confused.

"Whoa, whoa, that was really weird. You try and reach Rory or something?" he asked and twisted a finger in his ear.

"Yeah, but she's sleeping."Kylee was puzzled, where was she and why the hell was she sleeping? Kylee bit her bottom lip in thought. Maybe she didn't want to know after all. Rory's "slate" was not exactly clean, but her mind was even dirtier.

O'Malley held the door for her as they left. She giggled. How sweeeeet, she thought girlishly, and then rolled her eyes, in spite of herself, and continued hand in hand with O'Malley as they walked out the door.

They stopped quickly in Honeydukes for a giant bag of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans and then continued through the village eating them, and sometimes avoiding them, because they looked suspicious.

"Grapefruit with sugar, yum" O'Malley said and chewed.

"I'm craving..."she popped a mocha-colored one into her mouth, "CHOCOLATE...perfection,"

They stopped in Gladrag's Wizard Wear looking a little windblown and tired, but happy. Kylee ambled over to the dress robes and began picking through the racks. She pulled one out and held it up to herself, facing O'Malley.

"How about this one?" She turned to look into the mirror. It was a turquoise halter with tiny rhinestones dusting the top of the dress. A band of rhinestones made a belt going up, diagonally near the middle of the dress. A large, diamond shaped crystal was inlaid in the center of the belt and thee identical ones at the top of the dress, two on the straps and one in the center. The skirt was purposefully creased, made to have a big train. The rhinestone dustings was along the bottom half of the skirt was well. The wide skirt tapered off on one side giving it a chic, asymmetrical appearance.

There were sleeves, but just barely. A band of the turquoise fabric had been attached to each side of the gown, made to fall just below the shoulders. Shimmering, white fabric seemed to explode from these bands and across the back of the dress. They formed a wing-like train, dragging almost to the ground; the ends were cut choppy to mimic feathers. There were slits just under the turquoise bands than separated the fabric so arms could go through plus little finger bands on the inside of the fabric so when she lifted her arms the cape would go with her.

"It's beautiful," O'Malley said, getting up from the bench and walking to Kylee. She blushed and turned to try it on in the room behind the racks.

It fit like it was made for her. She struggled a moment with the zipper, half-wishing Rory was here to help, but glad she and O'Malley were here together. She stepped out of the dressing room.

O'Malley turned, his mind racing. His jaw dropped. He watched as she spun around and the dress seemed to flow exactly with her. He dropped her arms from their previously crossed position. Kylee stopped but the dress flicked at her and then stilled. She raised her arms a little. The sleeves were like wings, flowing with her movement.

"You look...like...an angel," O'Malley said, in pure shock and awe. He approached her and prayed that she wouldn't sense that his heart was in his throat and his hands were shaking like mad. He ran his right hand through her hair and his left crept to her back.

Kylee's goose-bumps started with her toes and shot all the way through her to her neck. She shivered slightly and O'Malley smiled. He tilted her head up and kissed her.

And in that moment, Kylee could fly.

A blood-curdling scream broke their enchanted moment. Less than a second later,

"WEREWOLF!"