Disclaimer: OK, you really should know by now that nothing but Bryn belongs to me.

Chapter 15 - Don't Kiss and Tell: January faded into February, and then it was Valentine's Day. Bryn was usually amused by the cheesy, neon pink valentines couples exchanged, but this year it left her annoyed. After dinner, she sat with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the common room for about an hour before the silliness of the flirting teens surrounding them threatened to drive her insane. "I'll be back," she told the others, and walked out before they could ask where she was going.

What was her problem, anyway? That was what Bryn wondered as she stalked through the corridors, her temper still high. She was never bothered by the sappy romanticism of Valentine's Day, so why would she be bothered now? It made no sense, none at all.

"Mad because Potter doesn't want to be your valentine?" said a voice behind her. Bryn spun to see Blaise Zabini standing there. She glared at him.

"Excuse me?" she said.

"Potter. Everyone's been saying you like him, and you seem mad, so I guess he turned you down when you asked him out?"

"He didn't turn me down, because I've never asked him and I never will. Who's saying that I like him?"

"Everyone, basically. Of course, it seems he has his eyes on the Weasley girl, so maybe it's good that you've given up."

"Given up? I don't like him, so how exactly have I 'given up'?"

Blaise chuckled. "It's OK, Ambryn. We all know he broke your heart."

She stalked over to him, making him back up until he hit the wall. "Listen to me, Zabini. I do not like Harry Potter as anything more than a friend, and I would appreciate it if you would stop insinuating otherwise!"

"Prove it then."

"What?"

"Prove you aren't interested in him." His sapphire eyes - so in contrast with his swarthy skin and blue-black hair - glittered strangely.

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?" Bryn demanded.

"Simple. A girl who's interested in one particular boy won't kiss any other one, no matter what. Single girls not interested in anyone won't be as strident."

"So... you want me to randomly kiss some boy where you can see?"

"No, I want you to kiss me. Right now. I'll make it a dare if that makes you feel better."

Bryn stared at him. Did he just say what she thought he'd said? "You want me to kiss you, right now."

"Yes. And then I'll stop teasing you about Potter. I swear."

"Swear on what?"

"I don't know, on anything I guess. Listen, I'm serious."

"That's what scares me."

She had to be crazy. Certifiable. There was no other explanation. Why else would she be willing to kiss an almost-stranger? Well, he had made it a dare, and she had her pride... Telling herself it would be just a quick peck and nothing more, she let her lips touch his.

It was a completely unexpected reaction. She really had meant to pull away, but now, she simply couldn't seem to do it. Her heart was pounding; she had no idea why. After all, she had been kissed before. But this was different, somehow, this was something else...

Blaise didn't know what had driven him to do it. Maybe he was sick of being haunted by smoky gray eyes whenever his mind wasn't focused firmly on something else, and sometimes even then. Maybe he had thought that a kiss would end this silly infatuation, show him that anything between him and this Gryffindor of unknown lineage was impossible. He'd expected her to refuse his challenge, actually. And now... if he'd hoped this kiss would knock some sense into him, he'd been completely wrong. He was caught up in her, and she was caught up in him, and it didn't seem like it would ever end.

But then she pulled away, not because she wanted to, but because she needed oxygen. And Blaise came to his senses and took off. Bryn stood there for a second, leaning against the wall closest to her, and then sank to the floor. She now knew for sure - because she'd wondered herself - that she wasn't interested in Harry. This would be a good thing, except for one little snag. Because usually this would mean that she was free of romantic entanglement and could continue the free bird life she enjoyed. But this time, she wasn't interested in one boy because she was all too interested in another, a tall, dark boy with blue eyes that didn't match the rest of him, a boy who was so patently wrong for her it was almost funny.

A/N: I think this was the most dialogue-centered chapter I've ever written. Easily the most emotionally charged (in the possible romance way) too, even though most of my stories have romance in the works. R&R!