Ah, September 1st…

Maleah sighed but sunk into her seat on the Hogwarts Express. She desperately wanted to fall asleep but her mind wouldn't let her. Even though she had spent the night before in paradise (otherwise known as Jake's house where there was clothes EVERYWHERE) she felt unsettled. And she knew exactly why.

Raymond. She had to break up with him. She was so utterly bored and frustrated with the bloke that she thought she'd burst if she didn't do something drastic soon. It wasn't that she didn't like him. Raymond was one of the nicest blokes she'd ever met, but problem was that he just didn't excite her. She would have never noticed that if she hadn't allowed Michaelson to maul her in a broom closet last school year.

She was entering her sixth year at Hogwarts and this was also the year that James would be joining her at school. She could only imagine what James would tell Ginny when he saw her hanging out with people. She hoped that whatever compassion Ginny had shown her on her birthday would remain. While Ginny wasn't outright mean anymore, she didn't exactly scream motherly love. It was better than nothing, Maleah supposed.

"Cavalli for your thoughts," Ananda broke in.

Maleah looked up. Only Ananda would offer designers-muggle or wizarding-for someone's thoughts. Maleah shrugged. "Nothing. Just thinking."

"Yeah, that's why I'm offering Cavalli to know what's in your thoughts," Ananda said with a roll of her eyes.

Maleah shrugged again. "I'm just…thinking. You know what; I need to go to the bathroom."

Maleah stood and walked out the compartment and headed for the bathroom. She didn't actually have to use the facilities; she just needed to get away from Ananda and her knowing eyes and probing questions.

What she found on the other side of the door shocked her into ice. Michaelson and some blond were putting on their clothes after they obviously indulged in some sort of sexual exercise.

"I'm sorry," she squeaked a moment later before shutting the door quickly.

A minute later the blond left the bathroom, shooting her a look and Michaelson stood, leaning on the doorway.

"You have something to say, Potter?" Michaelson asked her with a smug grin on his face.

Maleah rolled her eyes. "Move," she snapped.

He took a step closer, smirking when she took a step back. "Or what?"

"Or I'll curse you to Kingdom Come," Maleah shot back.

Michaelson backed up and grinned. "I liked that movie."

Maleah forgot it was Michaelson and smiled. "Me too. Vivian B. Crox is beautiful."

"Yeah, she's hot," Michaelson agreed.

Maleah made to enter the bathroom but Michaelson blocked her entrance. She looked up, curiously.

"So when are you going to dump the Ravenclaw?" Michaelson asked.

Maleah frowned. "What makes you think I'm dumping Raymond?"

Michaelson sneered. "I'm not an idiot, Potter. Besides, I figured that relationship was long gone."

"Oh really?" Maleah asked, with an edge to her voice.

Michaelson nodded, smirk still in place. "Ever since he called you beautiful." Maleah froze. "You know, I don't get it. Most girls get all testy when a bloke calls them 'hot' or 'fine' or 'shaggable', but you get upset when they call you beautiful. Why is that?"

Maleah backed up, completely white.

"I mean, you have to know that you're damn hot. I mean, if I were a more caring bloke, I'd call you beau-."

"Don't," Maleah croaked.

"Why not?"

"I'm not beautiful!" she shouted.

Michaelson grabbed her arm and dragged her into the bathroom. "You're absolutely barmy. So if you're not beautiful, then what are you?"

"I'm a disfigured anorexic cow!" Maleah retorted bitterly.

Michaelson let out a breath and Maleah begged the tears that were pooled in her eyes not to fall. "Why don't you believe you're beautiful?" Michaelson whispered.

Maleah avoided his eyes. He grabbed her chin and made her look into his eyes that were infinitely blue.

"Answer me," he said harshly.

"Beautiful people don't live the life I did," Maleah answered.

As much as she wanted to, she couldn't tear her eyes away from Michaelson. He stared not into her eyes, but into her soul and Maleah didn't resist when he kissed her softly. It was so different, yet completely the same. No, the kiss was not fueled only by lust this time, but she felt the same melting of her body, as though she were liquid.

He backed away. "You're beautiful," he told her urgently. "You may not believe it but you are. You're the most beautiful person I've ever met."

Instead of correcting him, Maleah felt a giddiness in the pit of her stomach, but that bit of happiness turned to dead when she though of Raymond. Michaelson noticed her mood change and kissed her again.

"Don't think of him when you're with me," he commanded her, but let her go.

"What is this?" Maleah asked.

Michaelson gaze dropped to her lips but returned to her eyes. "Nothing until you dump Bradley."

Maleah frowned and opened her mouth to tell Michaelson off, but he shushed her by kissing her hard and long.

"Don't test me Maleah," he said. "I want you and you will be mine. Trust me."

He kissed her ear and left the bathroom, leaving her alone. 'Did he just call me by my first name?'

When she walked back into her compartment where Jake and Maria were, her mind was still reeling at the audacity of William James Michaelson. Exactly who did he think he was to tell her what to do, no matter how much she wanted to do what he asked?

"What's wrong with you?" Jake asked curiously.

Maleah snapped out of her Michaelson-induced trance and stared at Jake. "Er-nothing."

"Suuure," he sang but let it go. "If you'll excuse me, I believe that there is a fourth year in need of my tonsil hockey skills."

Maria laughed.

"He's dating someone?" Maleah asked, surprised.

Maria nodded. "Some fourth year Hufflepuff. She's so sweet and blond."

"When did that happen?" Maleah never knew Jake to have any interest in girls yet.

"At your birthday party," Maria told her then she frowned. "You were kind of out of it that night."

"Oh I feel horrible."

"Don't," Maria said. "I just found out last night while you were in the bathroom. It's no big deal."

Maleah nodded.

"Are you going to tell me what has your knickers in a bunch?" Maria asked.

"Raymond called me beautiful," Maleah blurted out.

"And I suppose there is a problem with that?" Maria asked slowly.

Maleah shook head but stopped and nodded. "Yes. No. I don't know. I'm so confused. I wish-."

Maria stared at her curiously. "You wish what?"

"That my mum was here," Maleah whispered. "She used to have the answer to everything and her face is fading from my memory. I can't smell her anymore, you know?"

Maria shook her head. "No, I don't and I hope I never do, but-."

"I get it," Maleah assured Maria. "I'm just being ridiculous."

"Never," Maria giggled with a shocked gasp.

"Oh, you think you're so funny with your witty one-liners," Maleah grinned.

A week later as Maleah left the History of Magic classroom late, she was dragged into a broom closet.

"Hey," Michaelson whispered after he kissed the breath out of Maleah.

Maleah let her arms drop from Michaelson's shoulders and let out a long breath. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

"Kissing you," he responded with a smirk.

"You have no right to kiss me," Maleah snapped back.

"Why not? You're mine, aren't you?" he mocked her.

"I'm not yours or anyone else's," Maleah told him firmly. "Cocky son of a-."

"Now, now, Chocolate Mousse Cake, there's no need for names," Michaelson said, wagging his finger at her.

"There's no need for name-calling, Vanilla Mousse Cake," Katia replied wagging her finger.

Maleah froze and stared at Michaelson through wide eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked, running his hands up her arms.

Maleah broke out of her frozen state and nodded shakily. "I'm fine. Look, Michaelson, I don't know what-."

"You didn't break up with him," Michaelson stated.

Maleah shook her head and winced when she saw Michaelson punch the wall.

"Why not?" he barked, blue eyes darkened in anger.

"Because it's not that simple!" Maleah cried.

"You want me," he said harshly dragging her to him. "I know you do. So why can't you stop being a tease and do something about it?"

Maleah shook her head. "You don't understand and I don't expect you to. It's not a matter of me wanting your or you wanting me. Maybe I don't trust you," she blurted out.

Michaelson didn't even dignify her statement with a response. He only dragged her closer, if that was even possible, and kissed her soundly. "Trust that," he whispered before leaving her in the closet.

Shorter chapters, sorry, but normal chapters are never longer than five pages. anyway, i'm so glad with the positive response toward katia. i absolutely love her. also, to jess, i'm glad you enjoyed it, i didn't want this to be a happy go lucky story even though it will have a happy ending...that is if i don't change my mind about that ;D