The redhead put the 50's clothes on her bed, and was about to remove her shirt, when she heard her phone buzzing.

Get over here, Stefan is coming to pick me up, so we can get ready together.

Azalea smiled, grabbed her wand and disapperated.

Elena grinned as the redhead appeared in her room. She had the curlers in her hand.

"Are you ready?" she grinned.

"Absolutely not," Azalea said, before plopping into the hair.

"Ok I'm going to put it up like this," she showed her. "Give you a quiff, and then curl the ponytail, sounds good?"

"Sure," she said, digging into her bad and getting out the blue ribbon, lifting her arm up Elena to take it off her.

"Hold it for now," she said as she took the brush from Azalea's bag ad got to work. As she worked, Azalea couldn't help but smile, she hadn't really done this kind of thing, she and Hermione weren't often around of invited to the little gatherings in the dorm. She thought back to some of the other things she also lost from Voldemort. Experiences like this… fun, goofy teen stuff. She could never have that with –

"Ok, done!" Elena's voice snapped her out of her spiralling thoughts, she looked at her reflection in the mirror then the proud Elena Gilbert, and smiled.

"Brilliant,"

"Then your tick is pink right?" Elena said, evaluating the redhead's hair again, checking for anywhere that may need a touch up.

"Yep, I reckoned it would work with the blue."

"I approve," Elena smirked, then her expression grew curious. "Did you do this much at Hogwarts? Was it like one giant sleepover all the time?"

"Sometimes, but me and 'Mione didn't spend that much time in our dorm, especially with being friends with Ron, and the other boys more. Often when they were doing this stuff we'd be in the library talking about Voldemort, or whatever,"

"Well," she said, smiling. "You get to have that with us," she said hugging her from behind. Azalea put her hands-on Elena's arms.

"Thanks, be nice to have more normal, teen stuff. Even if it is still amongst life-threatening drama."

Elena pulled her lips down shrugging her shoulders slightly, before grinning at her in the mirror.

"I can add more of the life-threatening drama if you want?"

"You know what… That would be great, I reckon that would make me feel more at home." The redhead said seriously. Then the two burst into giggles.

"Get changed – oh your hair, can you get ready, with magic would that work?" Elena said looking at her creation with worry, her expression growing more excited at the idea of seeing 'Harry Potter' magic as her question finished.

Azalea checked the door, before taking her wand from her boot. With a flick of her wand she was in a baby blue poodle-skirt with a black T-shirt.

"That was incredible," Elena said looking in amazement, as the redhead's old clothes were neatly in the bag she had brought with her. Azalea gave a mock bow.

"Beat that, Bonnie," she teased. Elena laughed again.

The two chatted while they finished getting ready.

As Elena was finishing off her own hair with the blow dryer, Azalea was putting in her poodle earrings.

When she turned it off, it was too quiet...

"Jenna, Jeremy," Elena called, Azalea turned to bed hearing a horrible clicking.

"Elena, the compass," she said slowly, grabbing her wand. Elena grabbed her phone and began to dial, grabbing the redhead's hand they flew down the stairs.

"Where is he?" she demanded down the phone, before sighing and coming to a stop. "Thank God, the compass was spinning, Stefan must be here, thank you." Elena hung up, and as she did so the car vampire jumped down from the ceiling and grabbed the redhead, he bit her neck, she screamed non-verbally sending him a stinging hex. He yelled out in pain. Azalea was about to grab Elena and disapperate, but Stefan appeared, pulling both girls behind him and growling at the intruder who blurred away.

"Lea, your neck," he said, checking Elena over before blurring to the redhead, biting his wrist.

"No, I don't want your blood, I have the tic, I'll heal it." She said backing away from him. He watched her for a moment before nodding. He walked back to Elena, wrapping his arm around her. Desperately trying to ignore the smell of the small witch's blood. He focused on Elena.

Azalea headed upstairs, she casted several spells to clean herself up, after a minute she glanced into the mirror, checking her clothes for anything she may have missed. Taking a deep breath, she made her way back downstairs to see Damon had arrived. He looked at her, concerned.

"I'm fine," she said as he was suddenly right in front of her.

"Can I have a week off from rescuing you, please." He said, but touched her neck in concern.

"It's fine, I'm fine," she assured him, gesturing him to walk so she could get to the sofa and sit down.

They were all silent for a moment.

"Well," Damon broke it. "How'd he get in?"

"He was invited in." Elena said, Stefan was close to her, the brunette was still in shock.

"He posed as a pizza delivery guy last night," Stefan said.

"Well he gets points for that. Did he say what he wanted?" Damon said.

"No, he was so busy trying to suck me dry." Azalea said, before sighing and sitting down. "I'm fine," she said as the two vampires leaned towards her. They both paused, Stefan leaned back again, but the older brother continued to walk until he was beside her.

"Damon, he's been invited in," Stefan said, Damon nodded.

"Yeah, he can get anyone who walks through this front door. So, we go get him tonight. You up for it?" he looked at the redhead.

"What do I have to do?" she said.

"You have a date to the dance," he said holding out his arm.

The redhead rolled her eyes.

"It's good, I'll just let him drain me," she said, making Damon pout, and the other two laughed.

Azalea was surprised at how decorated the place was, with one of the brothers within a few metres of her, she greeted classmates, then found Bonnie and Carolina in the crowd.

"Hey, you two look great,"

"Lea," Caroline smiled, pulling her into a hug. "You look sooo cute!" she said looking the redhead up and down. "Love the poodle earrings,"

"Hey Lea," Bonnie smiled.

"Shame we look so great when the party is so lame," she said looking around.

"Oh you have no idea," Azalea laughed before she could stop herself. Bonnie and Caroline looked at her. Crap.

"This guy is being super creepy, following me around. So, Stefan and Damon are acting like it's the eighteen hundreds, and are bodyguarding me." she said giving Bonnie a little look, she watched as the novice witch clicked to her meaning.

"Lame," Bonnie said, this group would really have to work on their acting if they were going to keep people safe.

"So, Damon's here," Caroline said.

"Yeah, sorry. He kind of insisted, I know he didn't treat you very well, so I have made it my mission to tell him how badly he screwed up all night while he's keeping me safe."

"I'm going to go talk to Jeremy, I will see you guys a little later, unless you leave." She smiled at the two before making her way over to the punch bowl.

"Wow, a real punch bowl," she said as she got close enough to join him.

"Not a thing?"

"Nope," she said.

"Well, full American experience," he said grabbing the ladle and pouring her a glass.

"Thanks Jere," she said taking a sip.

"You ok? I noticed Damon was here,"

"It's fine Jeremy, nothing you have to –"

"So, it is a vampire thing,"

"Yeah, remember that crash I had –"

"Jesus, a vampire –"

"Yep, it's a fun little game for him now, so don't move, everyone knows where you are here."

"I'm not the one he's after,"

"It doesn't matter Jere," she said. "I'll be fine,"

As she spoke, she saw Damon talking to Bonnie and Caroline, neither girl looked happy. The redhead frowned, suspicion growing.

"I'm going to talk to Damon, do not move from this spot. Ok?"

He looked hesitant, but he nodded. Putting the drink back on the table, she began to make her way through the crowd.

"What'd you say to them?" Stefan said as she walked over to join them.

"I was perfectly polite," he smirked, then looked at Elena. "Elena, would you like to dance?"

"I would love to," she said with a smile, before she turned to Stefan. "Stefan would you like to dance?"

"I would love to," he said.

"Humph," Damon muttered as the happy couple went to the dance floor. She burst out laughing.

"Come on then," she said. "I'll put you out of your misery, one song, one dance." She said as he took her hand whisked her of onto the dance floor.

"I know you aren't a fan, but here is the safest place for you to be," he murmured in her ear as they began to dance. "Soo," he said twirling her under his arm. "Guess where we are going to be until we see him," he smirked, doing the little eye twinkle. She pulled a face, as Damon moved her body.

"Can't I just be drained instead?"

"You know if you make a joke too often, it no longer becomes funny," he said. She rolled her eyes.

"What can I say I didn't inherit my Dad's humour. Tell me about some cool moments in history, I may as well have something to enjoy while I am being hunted," she said. Damon smiled a little.

"What do you want to know?"

"What was it like, during American civil war times, I mean did you fight,"

"I was forced to fight for the South," he said.

"You –"

"Back then you kind of did as your parents told you to do, especially when they are a dick. I fought, I deserted."

"Your Dad –"

"Was a rich slave owner, who wanted to keep slaves." He said darkly.

"Mental. You grew up around it? Had… that's so bizarre to wrap my head around,"

"Yeah, I was there for some of the civil movement too, but fighting for the side I wanted to, you know much about senators?"

"No, not really. I know you just got a cool president,"

"Well, let's just say me and the senator of Vermont were buds back in the day,"

"Where have you been Damon? States, countries, and when?"

Damon smirked and began to talk through some of his favourite memories...

"I'd figure at your fancy, rich magical boarding school, they'd have least taught you to dance to the classics," Damon said she stuck her tongue out. The music changed, and he began to dance more upbeat, taking the redhead's arms and pushing and pulling them wiggling both their body's as their arms moved back and forth opposite to each other.

"I'm not dancing."

"Argh, such a buzzkill, maybe you and Stefan should stay on the side-lines, neither of you like to –"

Azalea turned to Stefan and Elena as he stopped speaking seeing Stefan lift her in the air then do a move that everyone around them amazed, then as he put her back down, timing his kiss perfectly.

"Kiss me baby!"

Azalea laughed at the happy couple.

"Well, two can play at that game." Damon said smirking, Azalea's heart dropped.

"Damon no –"

He pulls her out so they are both arm's length away from each other making big steps with his feet then he pulls her back and rolls her around his back, twirling her under his arm to untwist hers then he pulls her outwards then back in again. Lifted her under her arm twirling her the pulling her back holding her waist energetically bringing her long arm up and down with big footsteps, then picked her up like Stefan did Elena, moving her side to side.

She laughed, he kept a hold of her waist once he put her back down, she gentle moved out of his arm.

"I'm going to grab a drink, no that's not an offer." She beat him to it, as he opened his mouth. He pouted, she laughed at him shaking her head and making her way through the crowd. As she reached the punch bowl, shaking her head slightly at the stereotype, as she grabbed the ladle, a hand grabbed her arm, she aimed to punch, until she saw Elena's terrified face.

"He has Jeremy, he said the both of us need to go to that door;" she said, Azalea gestured for her to go. She followed, Elena.

"Why'd he call you?" she said as they headed to the door, then she realised, Elena had loved ones that he could use to control them.

As soon as we went through the door we began to run, until we got to the cafeteria and met a dead end. Azalea conjured a fake fire between and the vampire and she and Elena, then she put one between him and the door.

"Going somewhere," she said curiously as he tried to escape. "So, you wanted me, you got me. What do you want?"

"You're delicious,"

"Gee, thanks,"

Stefan and Damon came from nowhere, one behind him and one near us.

"Hey dickhead, no one wants to kill you. We just want to talk. Lower the fire lightning." He said smiling at her, she removed the fire and ran to the elder Salvatore. Elena stayed where she was watching Stefan. He tried to run at Azalea, but Stefan stabbed him in the stomach.

"Now you feel like talking?"

"Screw you," he said, the groaned as Stefan put the stake further in.

"Wrong answer," Damon said. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because it's fun."

"What do you want with them?" Damon said, as Stefan twisted the wood.

"She's delicious, and she looks like Katherine." He said looking at Elena.

"You knew Katherine," Damon said.

"Aw, you thought you were the only ones. You don't even remember me," he said.

"Tell me how to get into the tomb, hmm?" Damon crouched over so his face was close to the guys.

"No,"

Stefan pushed it in further, Azalea looked away.

"The Grimore," he chocked.

"Where is it?" Damon asked, the vampire didn't speak.

"Check the journal, Johnathan Gilberts,"

"Who else is working with you?"
"Who else is there?"

"No, you're going to have to kill me."

Azalea closed her eyes as Stefan took the stake out of the vampire's torso. Knowing full well that the next one would be going in his heart. She heard the vampire cry out.

"Wha – What do we – How are you gonna find the others now?" Elena stammered out, at the redhead just avoided looking at the body.

"He had to die," Damon said to her, before turning his head to the redhead in concern.

"But –"

"Elena," Stefan said, but the redhead was barely listening. She we was invited in,"

There was a bang outside, Azalea turned her wand to the noise, Damon moved infront of the group.

"Go," Stefan said to his brother. "I've got this."

Damon headed out the doors, leaving the three of them with the body. Stefan moved to comfort Elena.

After a moment Damon walked back through the doors.

"It's all good." He said.

"I'll take Elena home," the redhead said, holding the teen close before disappearing the a pop.

After taking with Elena til Stefan got back, Azalea wasn't ready to go home, she to the Grill hoping something on her stomach would help, she saw Caroline and Matt having some kind of fight. It looked like actual teen drama, and though that was something she came here for – to be normal – she did not need that on top of all the vampire craziness. She again began to think of the life she could have had if she had been a normal kid. Raised by her parents, playing with kids broomsticks, getting letters from her parents, and Sirius and Remus. Being happy…

She ate her food, feeling a little better, checking the time, she headed to the bathroom and made sure no one was there to hear the sound of her going home.

The redhead appeared on her porch and opened her door, throwing her key down exhausted. She needed a drink; she forced her tired feet to move to the kitchen to discover her Uncle.

"Alaric, hey, uh, I thought you'd be in bed by now."

"And miss you coming in, after you went to that damn event to lore a vampire who was trying to kill you. I assume he's dead, or do I need to go get my crossbow?"

She gave a tired laugh and shook her head.

"He's dead,"

"Ok, then," he said, offering her the mug in his hand.

"I made you hot chocolate," he said, offering her the cup she laughed. Then her throat began to feel as though there was a golf ball wedge in there, her eyes burning.

"Oh hey," he put down the cup, and hugged her.

"Sorry, it's stupid," she croaked out, as the tears began to fall.

"Shh, no hey it's been an ordeal tonight –"

She laughed through her sobs, before her face crumbled again.

"That's not why… that's a first time a family member had given me a comforting drink. I'd always keep a lid on it with Mr and Mrs Weasley.

He held her tighter.

"It's not stupid," he reassured, they stood together as she cried. After a minute or two, with raked breathes the redhead began to pull away, wiping her eyes.

"Sorry, thanks," she said taking the tear provoking drink, and taking a sip.

"Never be sorry," he said. "Wanna talk about it."

She shook her head, putting the mug on the coffee table.

"I've had too many normal firsts today, and it just made me realised how much Riddle stole from me, you know." She said looking at the mug and no where near Alaric.

"You wanna tell me about some of those firsts." He said softly.

"School dance – thought that one feels very American – getting ready at a friend's house, and a few other little things with Elena, and Damon weirdly enough… I'm fine Ric, really."

"Know you can always talk to me, or would that also be on the list." He said trying to cheer her up. She laughed, grabbing the chocolate again, cupping the mug with both hands.

"By a blood family member yeah," she said before taking a sip.

"I'm sorry Petunia didn't treat you well. If Lily hadn't – if I'd known."

"It's ok…" she said softly, touching his knee. "Besides if you looked after me, I'd have had an American childhood. I may have liked guns," she mocked.

He shook his head.

"Pro-gun control here – vampire crossbows are different." He said defensively. She laughed.

"I would have liked baseball," she teased.

"That a little true," he said.

"And American pancakes, no thank you."

"They are actually pretty good; though I wouldn't put lemon and sugar on them."

She made a loud gasp. "Or… preferred tea over coffee." She pretended to faint. "I think being starved and forced to live in a cupboard for 10 years is worth that monstrous act, really dodged a bullet there,"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm a traitor," he said nudging her gently so she wouldn't spill, then he thought of something. "You ever been tucked in?"

She just laughed sarcastically.

"And I'm guessing a bedtime story –"

"Also, in the laughed at arena," she said.

"Well, get your jammies on and we'll pick a book,"

"Alaric I'm seventeen," she frowned slightly.

"Yep, and I am going to tuck you in and read to you, if we are having a day of normal bucket list ticks, then we can get a couple more out the way before the day is out."

She looked down; she could feel the warmth flowing. As a child she had always wanted to be read too, she was always jealous of Dudley. Especially as he hated it and never wanted to read with Petunia or Vernon. She had asked one time, and well, it hadn't gone well.

"Thanks Ric," she said, keeping her eyes on the brown liquid in the cup.

"You got it,"

Ric is trying to be a good Uncle at the end there 😊 Hope you guys liked this chapter.

See you next time 😊 xx