A/N: I've been updating frequently this week, and to be honest it's all thanks to you guys; my readers and reviewers! I love to hear your thoughts and every time someone new follows, favorites or reviews, it just lights up my day, thus: I write more chapters! Introducing a new Black in this chapter, I actually really enjoyed writing Regulus, and I think perhaps you'll see some more of him in this story (if you like him, too, that is!).

Ever since that one night in May, when the Marauders had first told her their secret, Aurelia had spent several nights in the 6th year boys' dorm in Gryffindor tower. Only sleeping, mind you. Well, to be honest they her and James had done a lot more than sleep up there, but they hadn't gone as far as she had with Rabastan, mainly because she wouldn't let that happen with his three best friends in the same room. Either way, she could tell already that once it did happen, it wasn't going to be anything like it had with Rabastan. James was gentle and kind, and even at times when he was completely wound up and mad with desire, he looked at her with adoration, not like she was pray to be hunted down. Oh, how she despised the way Rabastan would look at her. How he had looked at her two years ago, and that early morning this Easter, and how she would still catch him looking at her over the tables in the Great Hall from time to time. It was sickening, and although she had James looking out for her now, it still worried her, frightened her, that he might actually hunt her down again someday.

That morning, as she entered the Great Hall, there were no dark brown eyes eyeing her from the Slytherin table, and she relaxed into her seat only to be bothered by a snow-white owl dropping an elegant envelope on the table in front of her.

Ms. A. Fawley
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Highlands
Scotland

She was, least to say, confused. It wasn't her mother's handwriting on the letter, nor her father's. And while it was certainly rare, they were the only people who ever did send her letters. But there she was, holding this elegant, off-white envelope with her name spelled out on it, not sure what to expect. She didn't waste any time ripping the envelope open, in a fashion which did not do the beautiful paper any justice.

Mr. and Mrs. Cygnus Black

Mr. and Mrs. Abraxas Malfoy

request the pleasure of

Ms. Aurelia Fawley

at the marriage of their children

Narcissa Cassiopeia

to

Lucius Abraxas

at Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England

on Saturday 15th of July 1978

at 1:30pm

followed by a reception

R.S.V.P. by 5th June to

Mr. and Mrs. Abraxas Malfoy

Malfoy Manor

Wiltshire

Aurelia was beside herself with relief, joy even. It wasn't that kind of joy she would assume people normally had when being invited to a wedding; the kind you feel for the happy couple. No, she knew better than that. The happy couple were more likely to barely know each other in this case, but she assumed Lucius was relieved and happy for the same reason she was. They would not be marrying each other. The man at the top of the list of worst contenders for her hand in marriage, had just been scratched right off it. It was an indescribable relief. And although Rabastan Lestrange had now taken over first place on her awful list, she barely payed it any notice. Not at the moment. Not when she knew for certain that she would not have to marry her cousin, that she would not have to spend most of her life trapped in a house with him and Augustus, and that she would not, Merlin forbid, have to produce children with said cousin. The mere thought sent cold shivers down her spine, and completely eradicated her appetite. The weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders, and for that, she could kiss her uncle Abraxas out of thankfulness. Hell, if he were there right now, she probably would. They had seen sense, finally. Or perhaps, and more likely, they had simply received a better offer. The Blacks were, after all, one of the wealthiest pureblood families in Britain, and seeing that her uncle already had influence over the Fawley family, this union would be more valuable to him. Because that was what it was all about, after all; money, influence and heritage.

Her good spirits lasted throughout the day, despite the fact that she was paired up with Regulus Black for potions that afternoon. She could swear that it was due to Slughorn's dark sense of humour, and she did not appreciate it.

"So, I suppose we'll be related then," the dark-haired boy mumbled, over the sound of grinding occamy eggshell for the Felix Felicis they were attempting to brew.

"I hardly think a marriage between our cousins makes us related."

"Perhaps not. But then I suppose there are still plenty of opport…"

"Merlin, Black. Is that all you lot can think of? You're sixteen yea…"

"Fifteen, actually," he corrected, glancing up at her with grey eyes that reminded her a lot of the black dog she was getting quite used to be having around after spending so much time in James' dormitory.

"Fifteen. And all you can think about is marriage and politics?"

"It's our way. You'd do well to remember keeping these opinions to yourself, Fawley."

"Or what? I'll end up like Sirius? You do remember your brother, don't you?"

A grin made its way to the young boy's face, one which for a moment erased any sign of the stiff pureblood who had just been standing in front of her. One which had him looking just about identical to his older brother.

"My brother, you say? Well, well. We might just end up related after all."

"Disgusting, Black. I assure you there's nothing going on between Sirius and I."

"Did you tell him that?"

"Seriously? Make yourself useful and fetch the rue, will you? Powdered!"

Aurelia thought she heard a sarcastically muttered 'Siriusly' as the dark-haired wizard walked away from the table to fetch the powdered rue, and she let out a small sigh of relief as he was gone. Not even Regulus Black would manage to ruin her mood today. It was a good day. No, it was an exceptional day. Her life was good, for once. She was not going to marry Lucius, and in a few weeks the school year would be over, and Rabastan would be graduating, thus getting out of her hair. However, nothing could top the fact that she would be seeing James tonight, as she had most nights that week. Yes, her life was good indeed, and she had no intention of letting herself consider how that might change come summer.

"Why, aren't you beaming today…" Remus mumbled as he glanced up at her from the book he was reading, when she entered the dorm. It had nearly gotten casual, her spending time there, it was as though they didn't mind anymore. In the beginning, they had definitely minded. The first morning she had woken up there, after being invited for the first time and learning about their secret, both Remus and Peter had been fairly irritated. Sirius, in his usual manner, had joked about it. James, on the other hand, James had been quite amazing to wake up to. He still was. Oh, how she loved waking up with his arms wrapped around her waist, murmuring a soft 'Morning' into her neck. She lived for those mornings.

"Yeah, what's up with you, Fawley?"

"My cousin is getting married! To your cousin, in fact, Narcissa," she replied, ripping herself out of daydreams of waking up next to James, at Sirius' question.

"To Malfoy? Ugh, I can't believe her. I honestly thought she might be different, and then she goes and marries that slim…"

"Hey! That's my cousin you're talking about," she defended, uncertain as to why she would defend Lucius. For some reason, despite however much she disliked going home and spending time with them, she was still unquestionably loyal to her family. And Sirius, well, his prejudice was extended to all purebloods. Or more like it, nearly all purebloods.

"Wait hold on a second! Malfoy's your cousin?"

"Well, yes. I thought you knew."

"You're related to Malfoy?"

With raised eyebrows, she simply nodded at the tall, handsome boy with the seriously confounded look on his face. Her boy.

"Seriously Prongs, you've been seeing her for what now, a month? And you didn't notice her hair nor her eyes?" It was Sirius' irritable tone that cleared things up for James.

"Wait, what?! You are a Malfoy?"

"No, wha…. I can't believe we're having this discussion. My mother's… She was… Oh sod it. Let's be real; I am as much a Malfoy as I am a Fawley. Does that bother you?"

"N-No… I guess not, it's just a bit of a shock, that's all."

"Well, the important thing is that Lucius is marrying Narcissa, and now I don't have to worry about that anymore!"

"Worry about what?" James continued inquiring, and Aurelia was certain she had never seen him look so confused before. The poor boy was learning a lot this evening.

"Marrying her cousin, you daft git," Sirius muttered, still irritated, clearly having had to worry about a similar arrangement, and a round of 'Oh's from the remaining three boys filled the room.

"Sorry, I forget that you don't have to deal with these things. Either way, it's nothing to worry about anymore!"

"I'll drink to that," Sirius mumbled, offering a small grin and a bottle of Odgen's olde firewhiskey.

Some hours later, an intoxicated James was dragging her down the spiral stairs of Gryffindor tower, going on and on about needing to show her something. They didn't often roam the castle this late, unless there was a party happening, and seeing that the rest of the Marauders were fast asleep, Aurelia seriously doubted that was the case. She didn't mind, though. She quite liked having their fingers entwined, despite some rough comments from tired, grumpy portraits. They walked up and down flights of stairs, through several dark corridors, James constantly eyeing the map to avoid Filch.

"Wait 'til you see this," he beamed, as he stopped in the middle of a corridor after walking back and forth for what seemed like forever, and shoved the map into his back pocket. Moments later, the wall in front of them started forming a door, and while Aurelia had seen countless magical things in her life, she had never witnessed anything quite as magical as this.

"The room of requirement," she whispered in awe, before he had even had the chance to open the door. She had read about it in 'Hogwarts: A History', but she had never thought she would see it with her own eyes.

"How did you find it?"

"I didn't. Peter found it, apparently, he needed a nap between classes," he grinned, warm hazel eyes meeting hers.

"And just what do you need, James Potter?"

"A place where I can be alone with this brilliant, beautiful witch I've been seeing."

"Oh, yeah? Who is she?"

"She is as much Malfoy as she is Fawley. She is the most beautiful witch at Hogwarts, although she seems oblivious to it. She is the truest Hufflep…"

Her lips cut him off mid-sentence, as though she had no control over them. But perhaps she simply had no control over herself. Not around him, his soft smile and wonderful words.

Needless to say, there was more than just sleeping going on that night, and it was possibly even more magical than the bloody door. She had been right about James, he was everything Rabastan would never be, and more. He was warm, bright and had a sense of optimism that she could never measure up to. In many ways, he was everything she was not, yet everything she needed. He was the hopeful to her pessimistic, the playfulness to seriousness. He was the warmth to her normally cold, cold world.

So, when they lay there on the incredibly soft bedsheets in the room of requirement, half-asleep later that night, it wasn't just their bodies that were tangled and entwined. It wasn't simply white-blonde hair on jet-back, it wasn't just pale grey eyes against deep hazel ones, it wasn't just a tall strong body holding onto a slender, short one. It was everything about them. It was constant turbulence versus stillness, glee versus gloom, reassurance versus concern. And that night, wrapped in his arms, wrapped in him, she could feel all those things. She could feel the heat radiating off his skin, warming up not only her but all the cold air around her. She could feel his smile pressing against her lips, causing an eruption of bubbles in her chest and a similar smile on her lips; one that would last for days. She could feel his ease as his skin brushed against hers, and suddenly she found herself optimistic. If this undeniably amazing boy could fall for someone like her, share not only his, but his friends' deepest secrets with her, and let her so easily into his world, then surely anything was possible. Perhaps her parents wouldn't object to him as she expected them to. In fact, he was a pureblood, too, and not a poor one at that. And they couldn't possibly not like him if they met him, nobody could.

It was possible, she decided, as his lips brushed against her collarbone and his fingers ran through her hair. They were possible.

"I love you," she mumbled, a near inaudible whisper against the soft skin of his strong chest. It was silent for a moment, and she hoped he was asleep, she hoped he hadn't heard her. But then his arms moved, pulling her closer, burying his face in her disarray of silvery hair.

"And I love you, Lia. More than I thought possible."

A/N: Aah, there it is; fluff, romance, adorableness! Now bring on the drama! Writing this almost made me ship James/Lia as much as you readers clearly do! I am truly humble at the follows, favorites and reviews that I'm getting for this story, and they are truly what keeps me going (especially the reviews). So please, give me a comment, ever-long or super-short, in the review section and I'll be forever thankful!