I'm sorry that this has taken longer than usual, I've been in Berlin for a short while (which is beautiful, by the way).

Please forgive me and review.

=)

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Evangeline's head hurt.

"Hermione..." She groaned, hands over her face. "I'm dying." Evangeline felt her sheets around her legs.

"You're not dying..." Hermione assured her, stepping to the side of her bed and placing a cup of tea on her bedside table. "I promise."

Evangeline slowly sat up and rubbed her face. "I feel really ill." She moaned, and picked up her tea. "Thanks mate." She said, taking a sip. "Why aren't you dressed?" She asked, frowning at her fluffy white pajamas.

"It's Saturday morning." Hermione chuckled. "Can you remember what happened last night Evey?" She asked, sitting beside Evangeline on the bed and picking up her own tea.

Evangeline frowned into her tea in thought, as Baldrick jumped up and nestled himself within her sheets.

"What did happen last night?"

"Well... Harry got back from detention and we mentioned to him about defending ourselves." She thought hard, her brain clouded. "Then... We came to bed and..." Evangeline frowned harder, and rubbed her forehead. "And..." Her eyes widened with shock as she remembered. "Oh no..."

Hermione nodded with a sympathetic smile. "Yeah..."

"Oh, no no no no no..." Evangeline got out of bed and set down her tea, forgetting about her ill feeling. "This can't be happening..." She ran her hands through her messy curls, pacing. "Why did I do that?" She asked Hermione incredulously, hands out in front of her.

"Well, remember that Love Potion that Ron spilled on you?" Hermione folded her legs, and sipped her tea.

"Oh fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck." Evangeline put her face in her hands, more and more memories of what she had done rushing back to her.

"I want you so much... Just touch me..."

"I want you Ron, you're amazing, you're gorgeous. I love you."

"Touch me Ron."

"I want you so much... Just touch me..."

"Don't you want me?"

"Do you like that, my love?"

"You want this though, love," She had said, running a hand down his stomach, to the hardness in his pants, "I can feel you."

"Oh God Hermione... I was all over him." Evangeline continued to frantically pace. "How the hell am I going to face him?"

Hermione chewed her lip; she didn't really have much of an answer for once.

"I'm sure he didn't mind Evangeline. He knew it wasn't you doing that stuff. He probably wished it was." Hermione commented. Evangeline raised her eyebrows.

"What are you on about?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh never mind." Hermione rolled her eyes. Ron and Evangeline were spectacularly thick in the way that they couldn't see how one felt about the other. "Listen, you just need to act natural around him, it's not like anything major happened, is it?" Hermione said in a calming tone.

Evangeline stopped pacing and nodded slowly.

"I suppose you're right." She said quietly, and flopped back down on the bed, face first. "I can't believe I touched his groin." She groaned, muffled by a pillow.

Hermione sloshed tea down her front.

"You what!?"

...

"She kinda just, was all over me..." Ron said, mid pulling on his trousers. Everyone had already gone down for breakfast, leaving him and Harry in the dormitory discussing the events of the night before. "Kissing my neck and stuff..." He fastened up the zip and button. "Touching my chest and my stomach..."

Ron had a slight far off look on his face, and a crooked grin, making Harry felt a little uncomfortable. He couldn't deny that he'd been a bit disappointed when Hermione told him she'd been under the influence of Love Potion. It was about time Evangeline and Ron got together.

"Wasn't real though was it?" He said eventually, his smile fading.

"Well... I dunno if that's entirely true." Harry said with a sly smile as Ron pulled on his jumper. Ron poked his head through quickly at his words, making his hair go static.

"What d'you mean?"

"Okay, don't tell Hermione I told you this; but she reckons that Evangeline only had a couple of drops of the potion." Harry said, tying his laces. Ron rushed over with only one arm in his jumper sleeve.

"So?" He asked urgently. Harry jumped when he noticed how quickly Ron had crossed the room, and laughed slightly.

"So, Hermione thinks that like the potion was stronger, 'cause maybe those feelings were already there. Or something." He tried to explain. "Hermione understood it better, being a girl and all..."

Ron couldn't fight off the grin stretching his mouth, and he finally put his other arm in his jumper sleeve.

...

Evangeline groaned with her face in her hands at the breakfast table, her head banging. She picked up her coffee, which she was clinging on to for dear life, and took a long sweet sip. She had just worn a pair of faded old jeans with a rip in the knee and her dark blue jumper with an 'E' stitched on the front, care of Mrs Weasley.

"Rough night Evey?" Fred and George plopped themselves down across from her and Hermione. She looked up at their identical grins and rolled her eyes.

"You know, don't you?"

"'Course we know, we know everything." George grinned.

"You little minx." Fred added with a wink.

Evangeline let out an even longer groan.

"This is the most embarrassing thing, ever." She shook her head.

"Ooooh, not quite." Fred nodded toward the door, where Ron and Harry were just entering the great hall.

Evangeline felt her face flush immediately, and willed herself to act natural. She sent him a small smile as the two approached, while repeatedly swearing under her breath.

"Oop, here comes lover boy." Fred chided as he came to sit down. Evangeline sent him a death glare, and gave a small shake of her head. Ron went crimson.

"Morning." Hermione said brightly, trying to keep everything normal.

"Morning." Harry replied, doing the same. Ron gave a smile and nodded, sitting himself down beside Evangeline, and trying not to act too uncomfortable. He found it difficult to look at her without memories of the previous night coming back fervently. Her lips had felt amazing on his skin, soft and perfect, and the way she'd moved her hands over his body made him shudder.

Breakfast went by in relative awkward silence between Ron and Evangeline; Fred and George makes jokes at any opportunity, and Evangeline found herself avoiding Ron's eye.

Eventually, she became frustrated with this.

"This is ridiculous." She thought.

"Damn it." She said suddenly, banging her hand on the table and making everyone jump. "Ron, can I talk to you a minute?" She said, hastily standing up and tugging on his arm. "Thank you." She said, before he replied and pulled him after her to the other end of the hall where they wouldn't be overheard.

Ron's hopes rose a little as she did so.

"Maybe she's going to tell me she likes me... Harry did say she hardly had any of that potion."

"Ron." She stopped and turned to him, releasing his arm. "This is silly, you're my best friend and I don't want to have to be awkward around you just 'cause I- just 'cause of what happened." She gave a slight derisive laugh, and so did Ron.

"Yeah me too... Barely even thought about it..." He said, looking at his shoes.

"Great." She smiled. "You're such a good friend. I'd hate to spoil that because of some silly Love Potion." She leaned over and pecked his cheek, although was so tempted to move her head a few degrees to the side and get his lips.

She turned and headed back to the table, leaving Ron feeling disappointed, and a little sad.

"So being with me would spoil our friendship, great." He rather bitterly thought as he followed her back to the table.

"I hope he doesn't think I meant being with him would spoil are friendship." She thought, sitting down.

...

Hogsmeade was the order of the day next. After a dreadful night and a rather awkward morning, Evangeline was in desperate need of a Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. The four headed out of the great hall, and Evangeline heard the wind hitting the windows. It was going to be a chilly day.

Evangeline fiddled around in her jeans pocket for a boiled sweet, and in her distraction collided with someone, knocking them back somewhat.

"Oh crap, I'm sorry!" She said quickly, putting her hand on their elbow apologetically. It was only then that she looked up at him. She'd not seen him before, but there was no doubting that this boy was very attractive. His hair was curly and brown, and he stood quite a bit taller than her, his frame thin and wiry.

"It's fine, I wasn't looking where I was going either." He smiled. Evangeline found herself feeling a little embarrassed at how she blushed like a little girl. His eyes were dark and his eyebrows thick, but the iris' of his eyes were a bright stormy grey.

He also spoke with a lovely Scottish accent.

"I haven't seen you before, are you new?" She asked, unconsciously tucking some hair behind her ear. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, and then at Ron, whose face was slightly stony while watching the exchange.

"Yeah, I just moved from Alnwich Magic School in the West Highlands." He said, his eyes running over her pink, slightly parted lips.

"Well, I hope you like it here... Nice to meet you." She said politely, still feeling that sense of embarrassment that comes from talking to an attractive boy.

"Pleasure to meet you too; hope to see you around." He said honestly, his smile charming, and making Evangeline want to giggle girlishly.

"You too." She smiled, and stepped round him to rejoin her friends, as he watched her bottom move in her jeans while she walked; or what he could see from the baggy jumper she wore.

"He seemed nice." Hermione said, looking sideways at her friend, but being careful about what she said in front of Ron, who had stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets, and hadn't spoken since they left the castle.

"He did, didn't he?" Evangeline gave slight smile, thinking about the boy.

"Seemed like a bit of a smarmy git to me." Ron grumbled to Harry; who nodded.

"Yeah, he did." Harry replied with a firm nod. In honesty, Harry thought he seemed perfectly nice, but Ron was his best friend and he just needed to make him feel better. It didn't take a genius to see that Evangeline seeming so taken with a boy had clearly bothered him.

They arrived in Hogsmeade, and after a quick stock up of sweets from Honeydukes, made a beeline for the Three Broomsticks. Madam Rosmerta greeted them warmly as they entered, and the girls chuckled at the way Harry and Ron gave her an awkward hello. Everyone fancied Madam Rosmerta; even a little bit. The four took their usual table and relished the warmth of the pub and the Butterbeers they ordered.

"Dear me it's getting cold." Evangeline sighed, letting out a slight shiver in her jumper.

"You're welcome to mine." Ron bitterly gestured to his own with a big 'R' on the front. He never liked Molly's jumpers.

"I don't know what you're complaining about. Molly's jumpers' are the best and you look positively adorable in them." Evangeline grinned and sipped her Butterbeer. Ron's face slipped from a smile to a slight frown creasing his forehead. Why would she call him adorable if she wasn't attracted to him? Did he get the wrong end of the stick before when she was talking about not wanting to spoil their friendship?

'No, she was off getting all sparkly eyed at that curly-haired twonk five minutes ago...' Ron bitterly thought.

Conversation went on as usual as they enjoyed their Butterbeers and the atmosphere of the Three Broomsticks; the four even ended up ordering lunch there while staying out of the bracing cold outside. They left the pub feeling full and relaxed, but Evangeline and Ron still insisted on going to Honeydukes afterward so that they could stock up on sweets.

"It's amazing how much the two of you can eat." Hermione commented amusedly, shaking her head as Ron started on a bag of jellies and Evangeline unwrapped a large red lollipop.

"Years of living with Molly is the only explanation I can offer, Herms." She grinned, before popping it into her mouth and enjoying the black cherry taste, holding the stick between two fingers. Ron felt his eye drawn to her mouth. "Where-to next then?" She brightly asked.

"I could do with a new quill." Harry said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, me too." Hermione said.

"Well me and Ron'll wait for you then." Evangeline said, sitting down on a wooden bench gratefully, and continuing to enjoy her lollipop. Ron sat down beside her as Harry and Hermione walked away, and shivered slightly against the cold.

"We're getting all wintry now." Evangeline smiled, noticing. "Excellent."

"Why's it excellent?" Ron asked, trying not to stare as her pink lips closed around the translucent red of the lollipop, and her cheeks hollowed slightly as she sucked.

"Halloween, Christmas, my birthday." She playfully nudged his arm, grinning.

"I'll have to get you a present I expect," he sighed, with mock annoyance.

"Yesss, and it had better be good. You might get something in return that way, dear." She winked. Ron blushed at her rude joke, and tried his best not to read much into it. "Want to try?" She was holding out her lollipop for him.

"Sure." He leaned forward, and took the sweet into his mouth as she still held it between her fingers. It was Evangeline's turn to flush now. He did have lovely pink lips that curled round it, and as she pulled it away again, Evangeline couldn't help but wonder how they felt. He looked up at her when she took the lolly back and replaced it in her mouth, knowing him too well to care much for germs.

She cleared her throat, which she hadn't noticed had gone a little dry.

"Like it?" She questioned, eyebrows high as she tried to keep her tone even.

"Yep." He nodded, momentarily unable to meet her eye. He was sure she must've been feeling the tension that he was. She seemed like she was feeling it to him, but he wasn't sure. As she smiled at her own girlish nervousness, and tucked some blonde curls behind her ear, Ron dared himself to move up a little closer to her, and was about to open his mouth to say something.

"Oh, hello again." Both looked up to see the boy from before, the one with curly brown hair and a charming smile, the one that Ron already hated.

"Hello," Evangeline smiled politely, taking the lollipop out of her mouth and holding it aloft. "What brings you here?"

"Well, Professor McGonagall told me I could come and have a look around the village, and I realized I didn't catch your name before." He sent her that smile again, the one that mad Ron's blood boil, and Evangeline blush a little.

"It's Evangeline Brown."

"Just as lovely as I would've expected," he said smoothly, and Evangeline once again felt herself swoon somewhat. "I'm Michael Danbury by the way."

Ron watched Evangeline stand to shake hands with him, and noticed his linger for a little while.

"Nice to meet you, again." She chuckled warmly, and it bothered Ron further that he was hearing that lovely laugh come from her.

"And you, again." There was a slight pause in which he regarded her pretty face, eyes lingering on her redder than usual lips. "Well, I won't keep you." He said, acknowledging Ron's existence for the first time since he had arrived. "See you both soon." He sent a quick nod to Ron, and flashed his smile once more to Evangeline before walking away.

"He seems nice, doesn't he?" Evangeline commented, still blushing slightly as she sat back now. Ron grumbled in response, feeling far more annoyed than he should've felt. Evangeline was about to question him when Harry and Hermione returned, paper bags in hand.

...

The weeks rolled by, and Halloween fast approached as Evangeline, Ron, Hrry and Hermione continued to study for their OWL's. Michael had started hanging round them at mealtimes, he was in Ravenclaw, so they saw him little. Ron still didn't like him of course, he noticed the way he looked at Evangeline, the way he'd glance at her bottom if she bent over or stare at her chest when she wore a low cut top.

They made no mention of Harry giving Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons after their original suggestion, and it was a while before the subject was broached again, on a wild, blustery evening near the end of October, when the three of them were sitting in the library, looking up potion ingredients for Snape.

"I was wondering," Hermione said suddenly, "whether you'd thought any more about Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry."

"Course I have," said Harry grumpily, "can't forget it, can we, with that hag teaching us –"

"She meant the idea we had." Evangeline said, catching onto Hermione's meaning. "About you teaching us."

Harry did not answer at once. He pretended to be perusing a page of Asiatic Anti-Venoms.

"Well," he said slowly, when he could no longer pretend to find Asiatic Anti-Venoms interesting, "yeah, I - I've thought about it a bit."

"And?" said Hermione eagerly.

"I dunno," said Harry, and Evangeline let out a slight sigh. He looked up at Ron for help.

"I thought it was a good idea from the start," said Ron, who seemed keener to join in this conversation now that he was sure Harry was not going to start shouting again.

"You did listen to what I said about a load of it being luck, didn't you?"

"Yes, Harry," said Evangeline gently, "but don't act like you don't know how good you are. You can do things that full grown wizards can't- and before you go saying that that's true for me..." She said, noticing him open his mouth. "I reiterate that I haven't done the stuff that you've done, and in honesty, people are going to be less likely to listen to me." She argued firmly.

"Well, what do you think? Will you teach us?" Hermione asked, eyebrows high.

"Just you, Evangeline and Ron, yeah?"

"Well," said Hermione, looking a mite anxious again and glancing at Evangeline. "Well: now, don't fly off the handle again, Harry, please: but I really think you ought to teach anyone who wants to learn. I mean, we're talking about de-fending ourselves against V-Voldemort. It doesn't seem fair if we don't offer the chance to other people."

Harry seemed to consider this for a moment, "Yeah, but I doubt anyone except you two would want to be taught by me. I'm a nutter, remember?"

"Well, I think you might be surprised how many people would be interested in hearing what you've got to say." Said Hermione seriously. "Look," she leaned towards him, and Evangeline and Ron leaned in to listen too, shoulders pressed together. "You know the first weekend in November's a Hogsmeade weekend? How would it be if we tell anyone who's interested to meet us in the village and we can talk it over?"

"Why do we have to do it outside school?" asked Ron.

"Duh," Evangeline poked him in the temple, ruffling the hair there slightly. "Umbridge won't exactly be pleased if she finds out what we're up to, will she?"

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Like I say, so sorry for taking this long, but please review if you're still enjoying it.

- Emma

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