(A/N): OMIGOD! Two chapters in one week? That's like a record for me!

"All right, let's head back inside," said the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, taking off his gloves.

Finally! Aria yanked off her dragon leather gloves and stripped off the apron wrapped around her waist. She had to talk to Ezra. All day, she'd felt jittery, not able to stop thinking about him. He's my teacher...but...I want him...but he's my teacher. She seesawed between her two options: pretend they had never known each other, or keep going with the relationship as if it was no big deal. Aria agonized over it through all her classes and breaks, so much that Mike had told her she looked "glazed over" and several teachers had pointed out that she wasn't paying 'd finally come to a decision. It didn't matter than she was his student. She was definitely more mature than the average seventeen-year-old.

While the rest of her classmates wandered off to their respective hangouts or common rooms, Aria ran up to the dormitory. She tore off her dirt-stained robes and dug through her trunk for something decent to wear.

Blue lace top? Too risque!

Tan blouse? Too frumpy!

Orange cami? Too bright!

Black tee? Too plain!

Purple one-sleeve top? Eh, all right.

She slipped into the top, grabbed a black mini and a long beaded necklace, and examined herself in front of the mirror. Aria applied a little mascara and just a light dab of eyeshadow, because she didn't want Ezra to think she was some kind of whore. Zipping on her highest black leather boots, Aria strutted out of the room.

She ascended the stone steps towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts room and turned a corner. As she did so, she came face to face with the entire Ravenclaw Quidditch team. All seven of the large, strapping guys were sweating and panting, having just gotten back from practice. Mike, Aria's brother, was among them, as well as Noel Kahn, whom she used to have a small -well, maybe not that small - crush on.

"Hey, Aria!" Noel's denim blue eyes enthusiastically looked her up and down, "You look...different."

"Well, thanks, but if you don't mind-"

"Where were you, again?" Noel asked conversationally. "Finland?"

"Yes," Aria said tersely, wanting him to shut up.

Noel grinned. "Are all the girls in Finland as hot as you?"

Mike rolled his eyes, and Aria grimaced.

"How do you know her?" asked one of the other guys, nudging Noel with his elbow. He was staring at Aria hungrily, checking her out from her bare legs to her glossy black-blue hair to the purple fabric stretched tight against her C-cup boobs.

"She's Mike's sister, remember?"

The guy raised his eyebrows at Mike. "If your room's right across from hers, can I stay over?"

This time Aria was the one to roll her eyes. English guys were such freaking perverts!

Well, teenage ones, at least.

...

I'm going to do this, Aria told herself, stomping up the stairs with determination. She and Ezra had something between them, and the fact that he was a teacher wasn't going to stop them.

She let her feet do the walking, though her heart was pounding in her chest so hard she thought it might burst. Aria pulled the door open and stuck her head in.

Ezra looked up from his leather swivel chair, where he was bent over his paper scribbling with a quill. He recognized her, his fingers freezing mid-air. "A-aria? Come in."

Aria slid through the door, gently clicking it closed behind her. Her boots were painfully loud as she crossed the room and stood beside his desk.

"Can I help you?" Ezra asked. "Do you have a question about the lesson?"

"No..."Aria gulped, and then awkwardly pulled up a desk. "I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" Ezra's fingers were clenched tight around his quill, not moving, not writing, just balled up into a fist.

"About...us."

"Look, Aria," Ezra's tone was low and serious. "I...I didn't know you were only a child. If I had, I wouldn't have led you on."

"You didn't lead me on." Aria lifted her chin up. "I knew what I was doing."

"You knew I was going to be your teacher?" He frowned, his sublime velvet-brown eyes sparkling with suspicion.

"No, no!" Aria said quickly. "I just-"

"You...you planned this, didn't you? You think you'l get exra points for being a good kisser?"

Aria raised her eyebrows. He thinks I'm a good kisser?

Ezra shook his head. "Never mind that. Aria, I'm not gullible."

"I wasn't trying to get extra credit! In fact, I didn't even know who you were." She flipped her hair coolly.

"And you want me to believe you?" His voice had an odd pitch to it. Aria looked at him more closely. He seemed...hurt.

"Yes, I really...um...had good intentions. I didn't know who you were. But, now that I do, it's not like it changes anything." Aria played with a strand of her hair, keeping her voice smooth and clear.

"Aria..." He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Please don't tell your parents."

"Why would I do that?"

"I could get in serious trouble for it."

Aria leaned forward, making sure she was close enough that he could probably smell her jade-scented perfume. "I won't tell anyone," she whispered, smiling in a way that she hoped was sultry and not just dumb-looking.

Ezra cleared his throat. "Well...what's done is done. Let's put this behind us, shall we?"

"Are you sure? We could still have...something...together."

He frowned at her, putting his quill down. "No...you're my student, Aria. I couldn't do that."

"Give me a chance, at least!"

"You're underage."

"No, I'm seventeen."

"Aria, look..." He slapped his palm down on the desk. "I'm a teacher. I shouldn't- don't want you." Ezra seemed to be trying to convince himself as well as her.

Aria smiled and brushed her finger tips against his warm, tingling hand. He flinched, but didn't pull away. "Is that really what you want? Think about it, Ezra."

And with those final words, Aria got up and left the room.