Disclaimer: No own-y Harry Potter!

Albus walked back to the table, giving her a genuine smile. He handed her the glass, then took a sip out of his own.

"So, you're already trying to get me drunk," Arianna teased as she drank some as well. "I don't know how I'm going to stomach this much alcohol."

"Oh, please," Albus laughed. "I've seen a Slytherin party, and I've seen you knock back enough firewhiskey to kill a grown man," he smirked.

"Yeah, it's a talent," Ari shrugged. "Actually, it kind of sucks because it takes a really long time to get wasted. No one gets any better looking," she said with a smirk.

"Good thing I'm already easy on the eyes then, ay?" Albus asked. He felt like conversation and teasing were easier now that they weren't at school, away from the traditional expectations.

"You're very vain, Potter," she noted, only half kidding.

"What makes you think that?" Albus asked her curiously, propping his chin up on his fist and waiting for her answer.

"I think it's because you have too many girls that want you," Arianna mused. "It's given you the idea that all girls feel the same way. Or that they should, at least."

"No, not all of them. There are plenty that I wish would leave me alone. Personally, I quite like a challenge. Easy girls are no fun," he smirked, shrugging. He leaned closer to her, though only infinitesimally.

"That's quite interesting. Would you like me to be more fickle then?" she challenged.

"Who said I was talking about you?" Albus asked. "And no, I quite like you not being fickle."

"So it is about me?" Arianna asked casually, drinking another sip of butterbeer

"You're very vain, Malfoy," Albus smirked. "I think it's because you have too many boys that wnt you," he grinned. Arianna laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Please don't call me Malfoy," she requested. "I hate when people do that. My name's Arianna."

"Okay, then don't call me Potter," Albus offered. "Deal?"

"Deal," Arianna agreed after a moment of hesitation. "Don't kill me if I slip." Albus smiled at her broadly, and the full force of it made her blush and look down. He nudged her foot with his. "Tell me something about yourself," he requested.

Arianna thought for a moment, looking for something to say. His foot nudged her again.

"Come on," he sighed, "just something."

"I'm deathly afraid of spiders," Arianna admitted, nudging him back. "If you must know," she sighed. She scowled when Albus laughed loudly, and she kicked his shin lightly.

"So's my uncle," Albus explained. "He cries like a baby. He always makes my aunt kill them for him," he chuckled.

"I called Scorpius into my room at about three in the morning," Arianna began, "What I didn't know was that his girlfriend was with him," she giggled. "She was not happy that I had interrupted."

"And your parents were alright with Scorpius and his girlfriend shagging in their house?" Albus asked skeptically.

"No, they didn't no," Arianna shook her head. "And they're not in the same wing as us, so they didn't notice anything."

"Nice," Al said with a roll of his eyes. "My parents know everything that goes on in my house," he chuckled. Arianna giggled, shrugging. Albus listened to the sound with a small smile. It wasn't something he got to hear often, and he found that he quite liked it. They continued like that,talking casually, actually enjoying each other's company

"Come on, let's go walk," he suggested when they both finished. Arianna nodded hesitantly, standing up and walking out of the Three Broomsticks beside him. He took her hand as they exited.

"Albus-" she began.

"No one's going to see," Albus reminded her, holding on with a smirk. Arianna sighed at his persistence. He laced their fingers, and Arianna stopped protesting. Why not? No one would see. The only people in Hosmeade at the moment. He continued walking with her in silence for a while.

"Tell me something about yourself," Arianna suggested. Albus thought for a moment before smiling at her cheekily.

"I have a thing for blondes," he smirked. Arianna glared at him slightly.

"I'm serious, Albus," she sighed.

"As am I," Al shrugged. "It's a legitimate fact."

"I want to know something serious about you, Albus. Whatever we're doing isn't going to work if we can't talk," she pointed out.

"So, are you saying there's something?" Albus asked with a hopeful grin. He was starting to worry that his real emotions and the way he was supposed to be acting were getting much too mixed up.

"I'm saying that there might be," she shrugged. "I mean, you are holding my hand," she pointed out. Albus and Arianna both blushed a little at her comment.

"Alright, well, here's something about me. I find you to be very attractive. And...sometimes I wish I wasn't a Potter. Also, I have the worst name ever."

"I'm going to respond to that in order," Arianna began. "Thank you, why, and no you don't," she said in one breath.

"You're welcome," he supplied before thinking for a few seconds. "Well, there's so much that I'm supposed to be. I mean, James was perfect for a Potter. He got in some trouble, but the teachers loved him, he got good grades, he was fantastic at Defense. I may look like my father, but he was just like him."

"Well, I'm sure there are good parts too," Arianna said softly. "You get plenty of girls after all," she pointed out.

"Only because my family's rich and powerful," he shrugged. "None of them would like me if it weren't for that."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Arianna murmured. "I'm sure a few actually like you for you." In that aspect, she could really look at Albus. The fact that he was a Potter made her want to dislike him. And her family was already rich and powerful, so it wasn't like she gained anything monetary by being with him. Not that she was with him. Nope, just holding his hand on a secret date in Hogsmeade. Nothing else.

"If it's any consolation," Arianna began a few moments later, "I really understand what you mean," she said with a smile. They had slowed to a stop now, and were just talking, facing each other. "And I like your name,"she grinned.

"Tell me why you don't like being a Malfoy," he requested, pulling her a little closer, his arm around her waist.

"I don't like being disliked because I am one. I don't like feeling like I'm a terrible person," she laughed slightly. "And there's a certain way I'm supposed to act."

"Like hating me?"'

"Yes, that's exactly what's expected," Arianna shrugged. "And I like fitting in."

"Maybe you should try something unexpected sometime," he suggested, lowering his head until their lips were hardly a breath a part.

"Maybe," Arianna agreed, her breath becoming erratic already. She was sick of being teased by him, by having him walk away before really kissing her. And damn it, if she had to dream about kissing him one more time, she would never go to sleep again. "Albus," she began.

"Yes," Albus sighed, ready to pull back again when she protested.

"Kiss me," she ordered, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him to her. Albus froze for a second at the unexpected gesture as his lips pressed to hers, but he responded quickly. At first it was a quick kiss, just a gentle brushing of the lips. Albus pulled back to examine her face for a second, but couldn't stop himself from kissing her again.

Arianna felt the strangest thrill course through her body. Merlin, it felt good. She kissed him back, her lips moving against his now, and she gasped as his tongue traced her lower lip asking for entrance. After a moment's hesitation, she parted her lips.

Albus tightened his hold around her waist, kissing her back with abandon, his tongue tasting her. He nearly came undone when her tongue touched his, tentatively at first, and then fighting for dominance. He won, exploring every facet of her mouth gently. No wonder Micheal always wanted more, she had an easy sexuality about the way she kissed. He didn't care that they were in plain view of anyone-

"Hey, Al," someone greeted, a smirk evident in the obviously male voice. Arianna flushed, breaking the kiss and looking at Albus with wide eyes. They had been caught. Albus looked just as worried, recognizing the voice of his older brother immediately. Albus sighed, shooting Ari an apologetic look as he turned around and stepped out from in front of her.

"James," Albus greeted, coughing awkwardly.

"And who's the pretty girl you're snogging?" he asked, looking at Arianna curiously. Albus showed no sign of answering, so Arianna piped up.

"I guess the last time I saw you, I was going through a rather awkward phase," Ari laughed, smirking and Albus groaned inwardly, wishing he could just disappear.

"Well, you're not anymore. Al usually doesn't date such pretty girls," he chuckled. James had always been a flirt, even if he had absolutely no interest in the girl.

"Oh?" Arianna asked.

"We're not dating," Albus said at the same time.

"He just follows me around," Ari confirmed, shooting Albus a smug look. He was making her look like a complete bint of a girl that just snogged anyone and she was pissed. "My name's Arianna," she added, shaking James hand when offered.

"I assume you're either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw," James added, oblivious to Al's discomfort with the situation.

"Hardly," Ari giggled. "Slytherin," she informed him, watching in amusement as his face changed perceptively. She was enjoying this a bit too much. James looked at her for a few seconds, finally figuring it out.

"Malfoy," he finally comprehended, laughing. "Al, don't you think you've gone a bit too far this time?" he sighed.

"Oh, come on," Ari sighed, "I don't bite," she grumbled. "Unless you're into that kind of thing," she added slyly.

"And if I am?" James challenged, already over the revelation. He enjoyed this flirting and the fact that they were both doing it solely to get a rise out of Al. Arianna because she was mad. James because it was just entertaining.

"Well, write me an owl, and I'll see what I can do," she grinned. James winked as Al grabbed Ari's arm, tugging her back to the castle forcefully.

"Thanks," she mouthed to James, as she tried to pull her arm out of his grasp. James shrugged innocently, his hands in his pockets as he headed to the bar, debating on whether or not to tell the family.

"What is your problem?" Al demanded, releasing her arm and shaking his head in disgust. He didn't know what he was more angry about; the fact that James knew who she was, or that the two had been flirting conspicuously. "You were being so..."

"Nice?" Arianna supplied.

"Flirtatious!" Albus exclaimed heatedly, looking like a sullen child.

"Why do you care? We're not dating," she pointed out, crossing her arms.

"So you act like a whore?" he snapped, instantly regretting it.

"Still a virgin, thank you," she snapped.

"How on earth is that even possible?" Albus asked in exasperation..

"Well," Arianna began, "I know you wouldn't understand, but I've always just kept my pants on."

"Whatever," Albus muttered. "You shouldn't act like some sort of whore, though," he mumbled, crossing his arms. He didn't like this sudden insecurity.

"Harmless flirting hardly makes me anything more than the average teenage witch, you know," she commented calmly. "I think you're angry for two reasons."

"Enlighten me," he said dryly, halting their procession towards the castle.

"Firstly, you're jealous," she smirked. "You might not want to actually date me, but you don't want me interested in anyone else,' she said smugly.

"You were snogging me rather heavily," Albus reminded her. "I took that to mean that you were interested in me, why should I be threatened by my ginger brother?"

"And.." Arianna continued, as if he hadn't spoken a word, "You're pissed that he knows who I am because you're embarrassed to be with a Malfoy."

"You sound confident," Albus noted.

"I am-"

"No, you're not," Albus cut her off. "You're scared. You're upset because you feel something around me."

"Nausea," Arianna supplied quickly. "We're supposed to hate each other, Al."

"But I don't hate you," he shrugged.

"And I don't hate you," she relented.

"And you're bloody good at snogging," he added.

"So now what?" Arianna asked nervously. She was scared, admittedly. He was exactly the kind of guy she didn't want to get involved with.

"I think we get to know each other better," Albus said with a smile, "And snog sometimes," he chuckled, pulling her by the hand to the castle.

"In secret?" Arianna clarified cautiously. She didn't want her brother or any of her friends getting wind of this if she didn't know it would work out.

"Of course," Albus agreed as they reached the castle and he threw the Invisibility Cloak over them. He held her hand as he walked her towards the Slytherin dorm. He stopped just outside the entrance, pushing her lightly against the wall as he kissed her fiercely once again. He couldn't stop it, he had to taste her again.

Arianna broke off after several seconds, kissing him lightly once more before disappearing into her common room and leaving Albus feeling more confused than ever before.

Alright, next chapter is going to be ALL about Olivia and Hugo because I've had several people ask for stuff about them, and it's coming I promise. Also, obviously this fanfiction has sex in it. I can write fairly decent smut. Do you guys want it?

Read and Review

Cunning and Ambition

Ps. Nice long chapter since I probably won't update till next weekend.