"If I Could Melt Your Heart" by Redcandle17
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and elements from the Harry Potter series belong to J.K. Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended.
Alicia stared at Warrington all throughout lunch the next day. He glanced at her once then kept his gaze away from her and the Gryffindor table. She wondered if she'd imagined the previous night's conversation and the kiss.
The kiss.
The kiss had haunted her dreams. She was grateful she didn't talk in her sleep, because last night she might have said some truly embarrassing things. She'd had a rather erotic dream about Pucey in her third year, but this was different. She'd never kissed Pucey, so that dream hadn't felt as real as last night's dream.
"And it's all thanks to Alicia here." A hand patted her shoulder. Lee.
"Huh?" Alicia said, belatedly realizing she'd missed an entire conversation among her friends.
Lee gave her an injured look. "Where were you? I was just telling everyone how things went with Sandy."
"Sorry, Lee." She forced herself to grin, "I couldn't bear to hear you speak of your love for another woman. My heart is broken."
They all laughed, though Katie and Angelina threw her knowing looks. Alicia ignored them and started teasing Fred and George about their dancing styles.
Warrington didn't try to talk to her or even look at her for the rest of Christmas break. Eventually Angelina and Katie got tired of teasing her. Alicia tried to convince herself that she'd imagined the entire encounter. Maybe her punch had been spiked. It was ludicrous. Why would a Slytherin - a Quidditch rival at that - be attracted to her? And even if he was, it should mean nothing to her. Yes, she convinced herself, it never happened.
The first day back in class, however, Warrington brushed against her on his way to the front of the Potions classroom. It could have been an accident, she told herself. She didn't believe that it was an accident. The passageway between desks wasn't so small that he had to bump into her. It must have been deliberate.
Two days later, she was studying in the library when he sat at the table next to hers. He didn't try to talk to her. He was just there - pretending to study. All right, it was quite possible he was studying. There were books open in front of him and he was looking down. It was paranoid of her to think he was trying to flirt with her or something. It was outlandish. Next thing you know, I'll be ordering a subscription to The Quibbler. Still, she couldn't concentrate with him so near. She glared at Warrington as she strode pass him. He didn't even look up.
The following afternoon, Alicia, Angelina, and Katie went down to Hagrid's hut. Alicia and Angelina no longer took Care of Magical Creatures - who would, with a teacher like Hagrid? Katie, as a fifth year, still had the class. She'd insisted on showing them the unicorns the substitute teacher had procurred.
"Oooh. ook at te qwute wittle baby! He's so cute!" Angelina scratched a foal's head.
Alicia and Katie looked at each other and snickered. It wasn't every day they heard Angelina indulging in baby-talk. The unicorns were gorgeous and the babies were adorable, so Alicia and Katie ended up cooing nonsense and petting them also.
Alicia happened to look up at the exact moment that a group of Slytherin sixth and seventh year boys walked by. Warrington looked at her, his expression not changing as their eyes met. Then he looked away and walked on. It was maddening.
"We HAVE to see those precious little things again tomorrow," Angelina said, as all three girls headed back to the castle.
"Warrington is driving me crazy," Alicia blurted out.
"What did he do now?" Katie asked.
"Nothing. And that's the problem. Or he is doing stuff, but subtly, so I'm sure what he's doing."
Katie and Angelina exchanged puzzled looks. "Erm, Alicia, you sound like a lunatic," Katie said.
"What exactly did Warrington do to you the night of the Yule Ball?" Angelina asked.
"I told you already! He followed me out of the Great Hall, then he waxed poetic about my hair and stuff. Then I had to let him kiss me because of the mistletoe."
'"You're not leaving anything out?" Angelina queried.
"No! And then he doesn't even look at me for a week. But then he bumps into me in class. And he sits near me in the library. And he looks at me in the hallways. He looked at me just now!" Alicia sounded a little hysterical.
Katie looked alarmed. "Calm down, Ali." She patted Alicia's back. "Sweetie, looking at someone isn't a crime. Anyway, if it really bothers you, tell the guys and they'll do something nasty to Warrington."
Angelina smirked. "Katie, it's not that kind of problem. The problem," she announced, "is that Alicia wants him."
"I do not!" Alicia protested, outraged by the accusation.
Katie grinned. "I do believe you are correct, Angelina dearest.
"Oh, for God's sakes!" Alicia snapped. "The Slytherins are plotting to drive me mad and my own friends are mocking me by claiming I want Warrington."
"Alicia, honey, be rational," Angelina said. "Why would the Slytherins want to play mind games with you? There's no Quidditch this year, and you don't antagonize them the way the boys do."
"Maybe not all of Slytherin House," Alicia conceded. "But maybe this is Warrington's pet project."
"Ali, c'mon. Warrington is actually pretty decent for a Slytherin. He doesn't take points from the other houses for stupid reasons like some other Slytherin prefects," Katie said. "Just admit you like him, it's better for your sanity."
"I do not like him."
"Want him, then. It's not that big a deal. I wouldn't mind some time alone in a closet with Montague myself," Angelina said matter-of-factly.
Alicia gaped at her.
"And I had a thing for Flint last year," Katie added, blushing.
Alicia groaned. "Not you, too."
'Give me a break," Katie said. "I was fourteen and Flint was...Flint. I'd never do anything about it, of course."
"Look, Alicia. Don't be a drama queen. You want Warrington, just admit it to yourself. Don't make up paranoid delusions," Angelina said sharply.
"Yes, Mother."
But Alicia didn't like or want Warrington. The fact that he appeared in her dreams had no more meaning than that series of dreams about giant, purple rabbits she'd had when she was eight years old. She admitted to herself that maybe she was feeling...hormonal. And Warrington had been a good kisser. That was all.
He'd said he wanted her, right? Alicia chewed her lip, ignoring Professor Flitwick. She'd been staring at Warrington all throughout the day's Charms lesson. Maybe if she kissed him a bit, it'd relieve this hyper-awareness she had of him. Then she'd be fine. But how to arrange it? She considered sending him a note right away. No, she couldn't risk it being intercepted by anyone else.
An owl!
She hurried through lunch so she'd have time to go to the Owlery before her next class. The large eagle owl she selected glared at her as she tied the note to its leg, almost as if to say, Stupid girl, why are you making me deliver something right here in the castle? "Make sure it's delivered by dinner at the latest."
After dinner, Alicia waited in the Gryffindor bleachers of the Quidditch pitch. It was already dark. She hoped Warrington wouldn't show up. That would be for the best.
She had no such luck, however, as Warrington arrived at precisely the time she'd specified. "You wanted to see me, Spinnet?" He sounded amused.
"I wanted to continue our Yule Ball conversation."
"As I recall, you were the one who ran away."
"You were behaving very oddly."
"It'd been a long day and I was upset. I apologize if I scared you."
How did you tell a boy you didn't even like that you wanted to make out with him? "I wasn't scared," Alicia lied. "I was only scared for your sanity. I mean, you were being very poetic."
He laughed. "I thought you would appreciate that kind of language more than if I'd said 'I desperately want to fuck you.'"
That was the perfect subject opening if she'd ever heard one. Still, she was a fairly good girl. She just couldn't bring herself to say anything like that. But she didn't want this meeting to be a waste either. "Um, maybe not that far."
"Huh?" Warrington was seated several feet away from her, but he leaned closer, as if to ensure he'd hear her.
"I, um," Alicia took a deep breath, staring down at her hands. She was squeezing her left hand with her right one so hard, they both hurt. There was absolute silence, since no one else was out on the Quidditch pitch. "Doyouwanttokissme?"
Warrington moved closer to her, frowning slightly. "Pardon me?"
"You heard me," Alicia snapped. "Kiss me."
Warrington's eyes widened as he finally heard her, then he smirked. "I don't see any mistletoe around at the moment."
"All right then," Alicia said. She stood and began to descend the bleachers.
"Wait." Warrington quickly caught up to her. "I'd love to."
His arms were around her and his lips were on hers. She opened her mouth and pressed herself against him. She couldn't think of anything while they kissed, which was much better than thinking about him plotting against her all the time.
"Warrington," she gasped, as his mouth worked on her neck. He was using his teeth too much - it felt so good, but it was going to leave marks. Marks Angelina, who saw her in the shower every day, would want an explanation for. She certainly couldn't let Angelina or anyone else know about this. "Warrington, stop."
"Problem, Spinnet?" he asked, his lips next to her ear.
She shivered. Oh, God. This was trouble. "You're biting too hard. Don't leave any marks."
"So sorry." He kissed the area just below her ear.
"Shouldn't we be on a first name basis now?"
"You called me Warrington, so I didn't think so."
"Cassius."
"Alicia."
She sighed, then yelped. "Hey! No unbuttoning of my clothing. It's freaking cold out here." Though she hadn't felt the winter chill for quite a while now.
He caressed the exposed flesh. "Alicia..."
She pushed him away and buttoned her blouse. "I think we're done for the night."
"Same time tomorrow?"
"Okay. But...do you know of any place warmer? Inside the castle?"
"I'll ask Pucey and Bletchley, they'd know. I'll send you an owl in the morning."
She nodded. What did you say to the person you'd just made out with but was not dating? "We should go inside."
"It's probably better in the interest of secrecy if we didn't return together. Good night, Alicia."
She wanted to kiss him good night, but that might end up keeping them out here longer than intended. She settled for smiling and saying, "Good night, Cassius."