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Albus was nearly busting with excitement. He had practically ran back to his common room, grabbing his cloak and a change of clothes. He hoped she wouldn't back out on him. That would be beyond frustrating, but he would take it, he supposed. Merlin, he was going to shag Arianna Malfoy tonight. He wondered how long it would be until he got sick of her. He really did care for her, but how strong he wasn't sure in the least. Sure, she was beautiful and interesting, but was she a girl he could bring home to his parents? He hadn't decided yet. He could think about that later though. He got to the Room of Requirement first, waiting outside so the door didn't close behind him.

Arianna had gone back to her dorm, changing. She didn't want to show up in her dress. So she had settled for something simple. Black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Besides, her dress had made a bra completely impossible and underwear options limited. Now she was wear a matching lacy black set. Merlin, push up bras really were magic. She looked in the mirror, shaking out her hair a little. Besides, leaving the Room of Requirement tomorrow morning in a floor length dress would be nearly impossible without everyone knowing exactly what had happened. And so, quickly, she made her way to the third floor, rubbing her hands on her jeans to wipe off the sweat that was gathering in small droplets on her palms. And there he was, looking calm as he waited outside of the Room for her, that was currently an expanse of tapestry.

"Albus," she murmured quietly, looking around. He turned to face her with a grin on his face. "You going to open the Room or not?" she asked in mock annoyance.

"I figure I'd give you the honors," Albus suggested.

"I'd rather you," Arianna admitted, chewing on her bottom lip. Albus nodded, pacing back and forth while Arianna continued looking for anyone else to come by.

When the door opened, she walked inside, met with the same room they had been spending so long it before. This time, the bed was back, and she was sweating more than ever.

"I liked the dress," Albus commented as he took her hand, tugging her gently towards the bed.

"S-should I have worn it?" she stuttered out, blushing like mad. Her first time shouldn't be this nerve wracking, should it?

"No, you look beautiful now too," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist, gently lowering her onto the bed, hovering over her, careful to keep his weight off of her small frame. Arianna nodded and with shaking hands pushed his dress robes off of his shoulders. He tugged them the rest of the way off, letting the heavy fabric hit the floor, leaving him in a dress shirt and black trousers.

"Slow, please," Arianna requested as he leaned down to kiss her. She was hesitant, and Albus knew the three words that would change that, that would make her his. But they hadn't proved necessary yet.

"I don't want to hide us anymore, Al," Arianna gasped out after several minutes of kissing and exploring hands. Albus pulled back to look into her gray eyes, fingertips grasping the hem of her shirt.

"Me neither," he mumbled, not even knowing if it was true as he lifted her shirt over her head. He had seen every dip and curve of her body before, but it suddenly seemed much different knowing how close they were to really being together.

"Would you ever want to meet my family?" Arianna asked as her fingers traveled to the buttons of his shirt, undoing them slowly as she waited on his response.

"Probably," Albus mumbled. Why were they still talking? He reached behind her and unclasped her bra, letting the offending garment fall to the floor beside her shirt. The mood changed now as Arianna's hands sped, shoving his shirt off of his shoulders without a second thought, attaching their lips in a flurry of fiery kisses.

"I'm scared," she admitted as he made record time with her pants, leaving her in only her knickers as he pressed kisses over her chest, making her gasp for air. "I don't know if I can-" she broke off, not knowing how to continue. Would he be angry if she backed out now as his hips moved frantically against hers? Now or never, Albus could either roll off of her, or put her hesitance to rest. He needed her, needed to prove to himself that she was only his. Throwing caution to the wind he kissed her softly.

"I love you," he said clearly, knowing he would regret the words one day probably very soon. Love was a commitment he wasn't willing to make, but it had the desired effect as she undid the button of his pants.

"I love you too," she responded, a glowing feeling taking over her entire body. This was what she had wanted to wait for. Love. It was so strange a feeling, Infinitely better than just lusting for him. And so, instead of trepidation, she felt only elation as he slid her knickers down her legs, not knowing he was keeping careful tabs on where they landed. Love. Confirmation that Olivia had been wrong, he wasn't using her.

"Ready?" he asked, positioning himself between her legs, and Arianna took a deep breath, knowing it was going to hurt her.

"Be gentle," she requested, kissing his lips, her body straining slightly as he began to push into her.

"It will hurt less if I get it over with," Albus told her, touching the side of her face lightly as he saw the discomfort there that he knew would get worse in just another moment. Arianna nodded, squeezing her eyes shut as he surged forward, breaking her barrier and then stilling. Arianna's eyes filled with tears, and she tried desperately to blink them back, but a couple slipped down her cheeks. Merlin, it hurt! It didn't help that he was larger than she had expected.

"I'm sorry," Albus mumbled, brushing away her tears with the pad of his thumb. He waited, using all of his patience until her pain had ceased.

"I'm fine now," Arianna finally said, her pain turning to a burning lust that was nearly as bad and she rolled her hips against him experimentally. Albus let out a hiss of pleasure in answer as he began to move inside of her, slowly at first. Arianna emitted a soft moan, clutching his raven hair as she kissed him. It felt perfect, and even more so as he quickened his pace. It didn't take her long, as inexperienced as she was to reach her climax, and she came, calling his name, arching up off of the bed. A minute later, he had joined her in ecstasy with a satisfied grunt.

"Merlin, Ari," he groaned, pulling her into his arms as he collapsed on the bed beside her. Arianna had always heard that the first time was very emotional for a girl, but she hadn't realized just how true it was. They were good emotions though, and she had a feeling that almost every girl had a flash of hope that she could spend her life with the man she lost her virginity to. It had certainly happened to her. It was probably stupid, but she could hope, right? "Sleep," he encouraged when he saw her try and suppress a yawn. Arianna nodded, letting her eyes fall shut and sleep claim her.

The next morning, she felt a rush of disappointment to find that she was alone in bed, a note where Albus' head had been when she had fallen asleep.

Arianna,

I'm sorry I had to leave, but I woke up and realized that I had neglected to pack last night and couldn't bare to wake you. Last night was beyond amazing, and I'll find a way to see you on the train. We can tell everyone about us when school starts back. Also, you asked me last night if I'd be willing to meet your family, and I will so long as you meet mine. I hope you're not mad that I left.

Albus

Arianna wasn't exactly mad. Maybe a little sad, but she let it go. Her trunks were packed and probably already on the train by now, so she left the room of requirement after finding her clothes from last night, noting in irritation that she couldn't find her underwear. They were probably lost in the tangle that was the sheets. So she just went without, realizing it was almost time to board the train and ran her hands through her tousled hair as she walked quickly to catch up with the other students in the Great Hall and onto the train, barely making it in time.

After about twenty minutes, she decided to try and find Albus herself, if only for a few minutes. She left the compartment full of girls, Olivia among them, though the two still weren't speaking more than an occasional hello.

"What the hell has got you smirking?" Hugo asked Albus finally, unable to take the incredibly smug look on his best friends' face as, unbeknownst to the two inside, Arianna found the door, stopping when she realized Hugo was in there as well.

"I did it," Albus said with a self satisfied grin. "And I saw things were pretty good between you and Olivia last night," he noted.

"Yeah," Hugo chuckled, his face tinting a light red. "Things are working well," he admitted. "You might want to move quicker, or I'm going to win the bet." What bet ? Arianna questioned internally, not liking the sound of this.

"Too late," Albus chuckled. "Ari and I shagged last night," he grinned, and Hugo's mouth dropped slightly, while Arianna stood, out of view of the window, listening. How DARE he tell Hugo about that? It was personal. "Will you ever learn not to make bets with me?"

A bet? He had made a bet on whether he could shag her? No, she must be misunderstanding, he had said that he loved her. She was positively panicking now.

"Proof?" Hugo demanded, hoping for his friends sake that he hadn't made his intentions with Malfoy too clear, or she'd have his head on a silver platter. Arianna watched in horror as the case of the missing underwear was solved. He had stolen her underwear, the bastard! For proof.

"I thought Malfoy wore an iron chastity belt," Hugo chuckled a little.

"No, apparently just really sexy underwear," Albus smirked, thinking back to last night with a grin. He was getting paid for having the best night of his life.

"Where's my two hundred galleons?" Albus asked Hugo impatiently.

"I'll give it to you at home," Hugo mumbled, though he wasn't terribly upset. He wouldn't have wanted to win this particular bet anyway. Besides, he was out, having told Olivia about it, but Albus didn't know that, nor did he need to. "So you done with her now?" Hugo asked, a tad more sharply than intended. Arianna didn't want to hear the answer, which was part of the reason she opened the compartment at that moment, tears in her eyes.

"Ari," Albus began, clearly surprised, quickly shoving her knickers into his trunk, as if he could hide what had just transpired.

"I-I was a bet?" Arianna asked quietly. She noticed Hugo stand up to leave, and Arianna whirled on him. "Sit down, ginger!" she snapped angrily, and Hugo complied with wide eyes. Albus remained silent, not knowing what to say. "You bet two hundred galleons to see if you could fuck me?" she demanded.

"Ari, it's not like that-" Albus began, standing up, reaching for her arm, but she jerked away from him, hurt clear on her face.

"And you stole my underwear as proof," she accused, her voice rising in it's indignity. "Olivia was right, you were using me!" she yelled, shoving his chest hard as he came closer. She couldn't help it, tears were streaming steadily down her face now. Albus threw Hugo a quick glare. Arianna was trembling with fury. She whirled on Hugo, when Albus showed no signs of answering.

"He made this bet?" she demanded, and Hugo nodded hesitantly, knowing that she was already well aware. "And you agreed to try and get Olivia?" Another nod. "But you must of told her." Nod.

"Ari, listen to me, you owe me that much-" Albus began. Big mistake, and he could tell immediatley by the way her eyes flashed.

"I don't owe you anything! I gave you everything, if you remember correctly!" she screeched, probably loud enough to be heard on the train, but she didn't care. "I slept with you because you said you loved me!" Merlin, Albus was even more of an idiot that his best friend had realized.

"I care about you," Albus defended.

"But you don't love me," she snapped at him. "You said that so I would give in, not because you meant it."

"You didn't mean it either, Ari," Albus mumbled. "You just-"

"Don't try and tell me what I felt, Potter. I've meant every word I've said to you," she told him. "I can't bloody believe you would do this to me," she mumbled, looking at a spot a few feet above his head.

"What can I do to make you forgive me?" Albus asked, almost desperately, and Arianna let out a derisive laugh.

"You told me you loved me, took my virginity, and you stole my underwear all for a bet. You hurt me. I'm not the type to forgive and forget," Arianna muttered, wiping away a stray tear, face red in embarrassment. She was the cheap slag that had been used, and she was sure the news was about to spread like wildfire. Stupid Malfoy girl had given up her virginity to Potter.

"Ari, please listen, it's not like that anymore," he defended, wishing he could reach out and hold her again. He had royally screwed up. Merlin, she was going to hate him for this. His name had already reverted to Potter.

"Oh, I'm so sure," she said scathingly, rolling her eyes. "You changed. You just happened to get two hundred galleons out of it, but you really did change for me. If you gave a damn about me you would have told me about the bet instead of letting me find out about it the night after I gave you my virginity." Her voice choked towards the end and she turned on her heel, practically running from his compartment, tears coursing from her eyes embarrassingly. She didn't want to cry over him, but how could she not? She eventually found a compartment with only Scorpius and Rose in it. It was the best she was going to do right now. At least Rose wasn't a gossip.

"Ari, what's wrong?" Scorpius demanded when she slid the door open. He stood up and hugged her tightly, patting her back. She never cried like this, and now she was sobbing into his shoulder, her whole body shaking. Rose was looking downright startled, and she looked at Scorpius, widening her eyes in question, and he shrugged his ignorance.

"I-I slept with Albus," she hiccuped. Scorpius stiffened instantly. "He said he loved me, and it was just a bet," she mumbled into his shoulder. Rose stood up immediately. Albus was a close friend, but he couldn't treat anyone like that. Scorpius clenched his teeth together, knowing now wasn't the time to kill the Potter boy. That would come when Arianna had calmed down a little.

How had Arianna let this happen? She had fallen and slept with the enemy. She was hurt, but, more importantly, she was pissed, and as soon as she could stop sobbing and the soreness between her legs had faded, she was going to make his life a living hell.

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Cunning and Ambition