A/N: Anyone who thinks the relationship is moving to fast has obviously never been a teenager.

One Step At A Time

During a break the following Monday, Olivia decided to send her father the letter she had written to him the previous day. She was feeling a little guilty for her lack of contact with him recently. It was not as though she didn't miss him, she missed him more than ever, there were just so many other things occupying her mind. The letter she had in her hand was thick, she had spent all of her free time writting it. She wrote about all of her classes and professors, about her new friends, the recent Halloween festivities, and even threw in a little about the last Quidditch game. She did not, however, mention anything about James, she wasn't sure if her father was ready for his only daughter to begin dating yet.

Winter had begun to replace fall and the weather outside of the castle was bitter and cold. She made her way up to the owlery with quick steps in hopes of getting back to the castle faster. Olivia was in such a hurry she suddenly collided with a body. Trying to regain her footing she grabbed the side railing for support, her victim had also taken a few steps back as a result of the impact. She was about to apologize when she noticed who it was.

"Oh I'm so sorry Poppy, I didn't see you."

"It's fine," Poppy was brushing herself off. Then, noticing the envelope in her hand asked, "you sending an owl to your father?"

"Yes, I am." She walked into the owlery without another word in the hopes that Poppy would follow her, which she did. "You see I haven't written him in a while so I thought I would fill him in on what was going on. He'll get suspicious if I don't." Olivia did not usually disclose so much information about her activities to people but she had a reason for doing it now. She was hoping that if the conversation stayed on the topic of parents it might be easier to ask Poppy some questions about her father.

"I know I just wrote to my mom. If she doesn't hear from me she sends me a howler, she's such a drag sometimes. But I suppose it's a parent's nature to be that way." Poppy had taken the bait.

Taking her cue Olivia quickly added, "Just imagine what they must have been like together, your mom and my dad. I just remembered something, I had mentioned your name in a letter to my dad and he said that he and your mother were sort of an item."

Poppy looked as if she was searching for a response. It made Olivia wonder whether she had even been aware of their parents romantic relationship at all, when finally she spoke, "From the way my mom speaks about it, it seems as though it was much more serious than that. I supposed she loved him, sometimes I think that's why she didn't stay with my father, that and because he was the biggest prat."

They made their way hastily to the castle and meanwhile Olivia wondered about Poppy. The fact that she still had her mother's maiden name was a sure give away that her parents had divorced. But the way she spoke of her father it was as if it wasn't a big deal. Not wanting to make Poppy uncomfortable, and wanting to change the subject Olivia asked, "Did she ever say anything else about him, my dad I mean?"

Poppy looked over at her and smiled, "She told me that they would hang around with a couple of his buddies and go to Hogsmead and stuff. I think she mentioned something about him being a prefect and all."

Olivia felt somewhat better, she was finally starting to learn a little bit more about who her father was, and it wasn't anything horrible like she had imagined. Maybe she had been right about the reputation of Slytherin House, maybe it was a bit overgeneralized.

When they reached the castle Olivia said goodbye and made her way to the dungeons for Potions. Potions was easily one of Olivia's strongest subjects, she had managed full marks on all of her work and sometimes professor Nivaha even asked her to help some of the other students. So when the lesson was over Olivia was not surprised when Nivaha asked to speak with her for a minute. Thinking that perhaps she wanted her to tutor someone again Olivia made her way to the front of the classroom.

"Miss Malfoy, I was wondering if you would be interested in participating in an extracurricular activity. It wouldn't be for credit mind you, your grades in my class have been exceptional, but I thought maybe you would do it for field experience, and-" she was about to continue when Olivia interupted.

"Professor you don't have to keep convincing me I'll do it. I like potions and anything I can do to gain more knowledge would be great."

"Excellent," Nivaha said grabbing a slip of parchment. "You will be helping Madame Promfey up in the hospital wing. She and the Headmaster have decided to offer Warming Drought to the students for the upcoming winter season. Since you did such an exceptional job on the drought in the beginning of the school year I immediately suggested your help. I think she could use a hand since she is going to be making a very large amount." She handed Olivia the paper. "You are to report to her office next Friday after your last class."

"Thank you Professor." Olivia took the parchment and gathered her stuff.

Later in the common room Leticia sounded mortified. "Extra Potions, but you said you've been doing well in the class."

Olivia was sitting by the fire re-reading her Herbology paper. "It's not for extra credit; I am going to help Madame Promfrey with the Warming Drought. It'll be good experience.

"It's for the Warming Drought? I guess that's okay then." Leticia said before she continued reading.

Smiling Olivia remembered how much she had been complaining about the cold weather lately.

After her last class on Friday, Olivia rushed up to the hospital wing eager to get started on the Drought. When she got there Madame Promfrey greeted her with a warm smile.

"You must be Miss Malfoy." She said as she bustled around the room gathering supplies. "It was so thoughtful of Professor Nivaha to let me borrow some of her students for this, its going to be a lot of work. Now we'll just wait for Mr. Potter to get here and then we'll get started." She left Olivia standing in the middle of her office while she walked to the rest area to check on a patient. Olivia stood there with her mouth opened unsure of what she had just heard, If she wasn't mistaken she had said Potter and that could only mean, she didn't have time to finish the thought the door opened once again and James came in breathing heavily.

"Am I late?"

"Oh, good you're here shall we get started then?" Madame Promfrey had returned and was motioning for them to follow her out of the room. Olivia still a little stunned from the way things were turning out, stood there and then realized James was waiting for her to walk out first, so she did.

Madame Promfrey led them to the back of the rest ward towards a narrow staircase. At the end of that staircase was what appeared to be a large storage area, There were rows and rows of aisles containing neatly labeled bottles and boxes. There were fresh herbs in small little pots and dried herbs hung from the ceiling. The room was comfortably warm and smelled heavily like a medicine cabinet. She led them to the last aisle of the room where seven cauldron's were set up on small burners. As Olivia looked around she could see that Madame Promfrey had already set out the ingredients that they were going to be using. She turned on the nearest burner, "Let's start with this one. I want you to take your time and do it one step at a time."

And with that Olivia and James set off to make the Drought. They worked well together going over each step with each other as they came to it. When they were finished Promfrey studied the Drought. "Excellent! I can see why Professor Nivaha suggested you two. Now then, I must go back upstairs with my patients. If you have any questions or concerns just run upstairs and fetch me. I will check up on you two momentarily." With that she walked noisily back upstairs.

"Professor Nivaha didn't say anything about anybody else," Olivia said to James as she looked around.

"Are you disappointed?" he asked.

"No on the contrary, I could not imagine a more qualified person. So how do you think we should organize this?"

James looked at the six burners and then took off his sweater, the finished batch was already giving off a good amount of steam and it was getting hot. "How about we each take three cauldrons?"

"That sounds like a pretty good idea, it will be the quickest. Let's separate the ingredients by steps first, so its easier." It was now Olivia's turn to take off her sweater. They sat on the floor began shifting through several herbs and bottles.

"Have you always liked potions?" James asked with a piece of fireroot in his hand.

"It has always been one of my stronger subjects but I think I like D.A.D.A better," she answered.

"Yeah you are really good at that too, is there anything you are not good at?" James asked starting on his first batch.

"I don't know I'll have to get back to you on that one," she answered with a smile and she began working on hers.

They had both finished the first batch when they heard Madame Promfrey walking down the stairs. "How's it going?" she asked while she examined their work. "Superb, I'll be back down a little later then."

"You know I've been meaning to ask you something," James asked not looking up from his batch his voice was shaking slightly. "I wanted to know if, well if you wanted to, go...out...sometime." He looked up at her.

Olivia had been in the middle of adding the Pepper Oil and stopped midway. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

"It does?" James was still looking at her.

"Of course James," the sound of his name coming out from her lips was magical. The steam was heavy in the room she couldn't tell if it was that, or the way James was looking at her, but her head was spinning. "Why wouldn't it be?"

They both continued to work moving much more quickly, the last cauldrons were already halfway done when James spoke again.

"You know that day on the train I really wanted to say something to you but I was nervous," he was looking at her again. "I don't think anyone has ever made me feel like that."

"I felt the same way. Usually around guys I'm okay but around you I'm all flustered. Why do you think that is?" she noticed how close they were sitting near the last two cauldrons his shoulder brushing slightly against hers.

"I know why you make me nervous," his voice was barely a whisper over the hissing of the steam, "Every time I'm around you..I...I..."

"What?" she asked her voice no louder than his. She was leaning towards him.

"It's just that you're so beautiful." It was his turn to lean in. Their faces were getting closer. "And I kind of wondered what it would be like to..." now merely inches apart Olivia closed her eyes and waited.

There were footsteps and Madame Promfrey was on her way down again. "Last batch? Wonderful when you are through you can turn the burners off and leave everything as it is, I'll clean it up later." She hurried back up the stairs.

Olivia's heart was pounding. She was suddenly aware that James had been about to kiss her. She couldn't help but feel a little frustrated at Madame Promfreys timing. She cleared her throat and stood up. She was about to turn off her burner when James called her name. She turned around and before she knew it he stepped up to her and leaned in. It was a soft kiss, her lips parted slightly, and even though there was steam everywhere she felt a shiver down her spine.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly as he stepped away. "It's just that before I was, I mean I wanted to and then she came in."

But he didn't finish because at that instant Olivia returned his kiss. It was much more eager than before and her hands quickly found the back of his neck while his rested on her hips. It went on for what seemed like an eternity, neither wanting to break the connection. Finally they heard the familiar footsteps on the stairs.

Madame Promfrey led them out of the Hospital with a million words of gratitude, She told them that Professor Nivaha would be receiving a note on their excellent performance. Thanking them again she left them out in the hallway.

He was looking at her intently as if trying to read her thoughts. Her face was calm, as it always was, but her mind was racing. She had kissed him, and it had been amazing. And now watching him standing there she fought the feeling to run into his arms with all of her strength. She smiled thinking once again of his kiss.

"Listen Olivia, about before."

"Don't say you're sorry about the kiss," she said in a hushed voice. The kiss was still fresh on her mind. She was staring up at him he seemed so much taller.

"I wasn't. That was amazing." His face broke into a soft smile, it to remembered.

Olivia laughed, "Yes it was."

"What I was going to say was that before when I asked you out, I really meant it."

"Oh, that? Well of course you did," she laughed again. "It's only obvious that a date has to be the first step in any relationship."

They both laughed. It seemed as if a moment ago the first step had been skipped, but there was no use dwelling on it, it was done and it had been perfect.

A/N: I hate begging. Please, please, please review