Mia eyed her cauldron wearily as the bubbling liquid went from a soft shade of orange to a dark murky green. Damn, she thought looking over her text to see where she had gone wrong. The potion was supposed to lighten to a pinkish almost clear liquid, and smell of flowers and sunshine, not an icky green. She stirred the concoction and cringed visibly when Snape strolled by to observe her work. The Potions professor looked into her cauldron and his scowl deepened with disgust as he saw what was brewing inside.

"Ghastly," he said loud enough for the entire class to hear.

She looked down at her cauldron her cheeks going red as she watched whatever was in her cauldron turn brown.

"I'm not sure he was really talking to you," Neville whispered as he wiped his brow with the back of his hand.

"Oh I'm sure," she whispered back gesturing for him to look into her cauldron.

"Hey," he said shrugging good-naturedly "looks just like mine."

Mia smiled though she was upset that she had failed yet again.

Dumping the contents of her cauldron that had already began to stink like rotten eggs and gym socks she made her way out of the classroom but stopped at the door when Professor Snape called her name. She turned slowly wondering what she had done to further aggravate him.

"Yes sir?" she asked her blue eyes wide with innocence.

"I just wanted you to know that you should not expect any preferential treatment from me," Snape drawled.

"Yes Sir," she said narrowing her eyes at him.

Turning on her heel she walked out of the Potions classroom and as she made her way down the hall she saw a nervous Harry turn quickly about the corner.

"Harry!"

Her voice echoed down the dungeon halls and he stopped dead in his tracks knowing that there was no where for him to go.

"Mia," he greeted as he turned around slowly trying to avoid her searching eyes.

"Hi," she said falling into step beside him.

She snuck a glance at him. His face held no trace of emotion but his eyes darted around as if looking for the best way to escape.

She let out an exasperated sigh and stopped walking. Grabbing his arm, she tried to pull him to a stop.

"You're avoiding me," she stated firmly.

Harry shoved his hands into his pockets and avoided her accusatory gaze.

"What I want to know is why." She said simply.

His green eyes flicked to the air around her, careful not to make eye contact.

"You're a prick you know that?" her blue eyes flashed as she stalked past.

Pausing inches away from him she forced him to meet her gaze.

"Prick or not," she said, "you need to make good on that tutoring offer," she inched away, "tonight, room of requirement."

Mia began to walk away but turned slightly to throw a plea in his direction.

"Please," she said her blue eyes softening, "Harry just be there."

Harry watched her walk down the corridor and disappear around the corner. He shook his head trying to get the image of her face inches away from his own. When he finally managed to move his feet he sighed.

"Shit," he muttered not looking forward to the night that was undoubtedly coming.

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"Harry," Hermione said from her comfortable place in front of the fire, "what's on your mind?"

Harry spared her a quick glance but continued pacing, his face twisted in immense concentration.

"It's about Mia isn't it?" Hermione asked stopping him in his tracks.

"How did you know?" he asked slowly turning toward the smiling girl.

"Oh Harry," Hermione said her eyes crinkling as she patted the cushion next to her.

Harry flopped down letting out a frustrated sigh.

"That obvious?" he asked pulling his glasses off and rubbing his eyes.

"Well," she said a knowing look in her honey brown eyes, "you are my best friend, almost like my brother so…"

Harry put his glasses back on and leaned his head back.

"So you know me."

"Exactly," Hermione said excitedly.

Harry eyed her excited expression wearily, "Mione."

"Well," she began plowing through his warning tone, "you refused to see her while she was in the infirmary, you won't come to the Prefect dorms, and you get fidgety whenever her name is mentioned."

"I do not get fidgety," Harry protested but even as he said it he knew it wasn't true.

"You won't start tutoring her either," Hermione said a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

Harry opened his mouth to argue but shut it quickly.

"Face it Harry," Hermione said leaning back and giving her friend a triumphant look, "you fancy Mia."

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Hermione's words echoed in his head.

You fancy Mia.

Three simple words bounced round and round in his head.

I fancy Mia? Well that would explain a lot.

Harry saw Mia sitting Indian style on the stone floor hunched over a book. He cleared his throat and she looked up her blue eyes widening with pleasant surprise.

"You came," she said as she reached her hands up to him.

"You didn't think I would?" he asked as he brought her to her feet.

"No," she replied looking up at him.

He dropped her hands and stepped back uncomfortably.

"You ok?" Mia asked arching an eyebrow at him as she bent down to retrieve her book.

"Fine," he said turning abruptly to the unadorned wall in front of them, "Know how this works?"

Mia threw him a look that said Duh stupid and he nodded. Wiping all thoughts of her and Hermione's words out of his mind he began concentrating on the room they would require. Without warning, a door appeared and Harry knew that behind it lay the ideal training room with everything they would need.

Harry reached for the doorknob, "After you," he said as he opened the door and ushered Mia inside.

"Thanks," Mia nodded as she stepped past him and into the room of requirement.

Her eyes grew wide as her mind struggled to wrap itself around the idea of a room that could become whatever you required. The room that she and Hermione had required had been lined with shelves of books about anything and everything in the wizarding world. A large table had sat in the middle of the room where a fresh supply of scrolls and quills sat ready for use.

There was no table and only one exceptionally thick book which stood on a lone pedestal off to the side. Mia touched her hand to the wall. What looked like wooden paneling felt like a mattress. The floor was covered with plush dark blue carpeting and the room was illuminated by dancing flames.

"Well," Harry said his voice filled with disappointment as he surveyed his surroundings.

"Something wrong?" Mia asked as she slid her jean jacket off her shoulders.

Harry's eyes widened.

"Something wrong?" Mia repeated crossing her arms over her chest and cocking her hip forward.

"Nice shirt," Harry said his eyes filling with happy tears.

"What's wrong with it?" Mia looked down at her black tank top. It had a picture of a blue car suspended in the air. A caption read Cars Fly!

"N-nothing," Harry stuttered a laugh escaping his lips.

Mia shook her head and rolled her eyes as he chortled happily.

"Let's get started?" Harry suggested his green eyes still dancing.

He moved to the center of the room and brandished his wand gesturing for Mia to do the same.

Mia moved to stand across from Harry and held her wand loosely in her hand.

"Here," Harry closed the gap between them, "hold your wand tighter."

Mia tightened her grip.

"That's too tight," Harry said with a quick shake of his head, "Relax be comfortable."

Mia relaxed her grip.

"Good?" Harry asked.

Mia looked up at him, "Good."

"Good," Harry cleared his throat and moved to the pedestal by the wall.

"Defense Spells," Mia read as she appeared at his side, "Original.

With a flourish, Harry opened the book and read aloud from the first page.

"May all who use this book be well protected always."

"So where do we begin?" Mia asked.

"Disarming," Harry replied as he turned to the first spell.

The two moved to the middle of the room and stood apart.

"Expelliarmus is what you say," Harry said, "you gesture like this."

He waved his wand in a swift gesture and Mia imitated him.

"Expelliarmus!" Mia said as she waved her wand.

Harry flew back into the wall.

Mia's hands flew to her mouth, "Oh my God!"

She kneeled at his side, "I'm so so sorry."

"Why're you apologizing?" Harry asked from his spot on the floor.

"Well, I…"Mia trailed off, "Oh my GOD!" she shrieked, "I did magic!"

She fell into him and hugged him excitedly.

"I did magic! I did magic!" Getting up, she ran over to the book and began reading excitedly.

Harry leaned back his head reeling.

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Ace shifted carefully through the scrolls and supplies on the desk trying to remember exactly where everything went. He knew that the spiral blue notebook was somewhere among the junk. Moving silently to the bedside table, he began sifting through her drawers and let out a frustrated sigh when he came up empty handed.

Damn, he thought, where is it?

Sinking down unto the bed, he closed his eyes trying to remember where the blasted blue notebook was.

The door creaked open and the two girls walked into their room.

"So he showed?" Skye asked as she dumped her books.

"Yes," Mia said her cheeks flushed with excitement, "and I disarmed him!"

She made her way to the bed and scooped up the black and white cat.

"Aw Ace," she sighed into his soft fur, "I missed you."

A/N: I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get this out but here it is. Hope you like.