Chapter 5: When The Maiden Didn't Ride Off Into The Twilight To Live Happily Ever After

"Hi darling" Anthony mumbled as she sat down next to him a few weeks later in the great hall, and Lux grinned widely.

"Hi" She gave him a light peck on the lips.

"I'm always amazed of the purely interesting contents of your conversations" Rose said, with a roll of her eyes. Lux poked her tongue out, and Rose grimace back.

"Mature" Code commented, while chewing loudly. Lux glared slightly at him together with Rose.

"So what's everyone doing during Christmas?" Rose said "And oh by the way Lu, we're all celebrating together this year, apparently our parents wanted to have some sort of reunion or something"

"Everyone meaning..?" Lux froze instantly under Anthony's arm.

"The Weasleys, Potters, Scamander's and Longbottoms" Rose grinned, as Lux dropped her jaw.

"I have to spend Christmas with Albus The Jackass?" She exclaimed, and felt Anthony's arm tighten around her.

"He's not that bad"

"Ugh I'd rather die" Lux buried her face into Anthony's chest. The two of them had been dating since the dance, and Lux had finally gotten over the dizzy feeling that she had a boyfriend. And that it was Anthony.

"You could come to my house" Anthony murmured in her ear, and Lux blinked.

"What?"

"My parents are interested in meeting you" He smiled slightly, as Rose stared between them.

"No you're going o my house, we always spend a part of Christmas break together" Rose exclaimed.

"I can do that too" Lux said absentmindedly as her brain worked on overspeed. Spend time at Anthony's house… who knows what they'd be doing then. But was she ready? They hadn't really gone very far, just snogged. And despite how she felt for Anthony she just wasn't comfortable with the thought of taking their relationship to the next level.

But everything to avoid her brothers and Albus.

"I'd love that, but not for the whole break" She finally smiled.

"Great, sounds like a plan"

"Traitor! I can't believe you're abandoning me for sex!" Rose exclaimed, and Lux felt her face flushing as people turned around to stare.

"Thanks Rose" She muttered sarcastically to Rose, who simply grimaced again. Lux didn't respond, she was trying to figure out what to tell her parents. Well hello, I'm going to my boyfriends house over the weekend to potentially take our relationship to the next level. That's okay isn't it?

Don't think so.

She thought of that during the whole day, and started composing a letter in her head. And at the end of the day she wrote it down and sent it away with her family's owl. Hoping for the best.

And thankfully she had something to occupy her thoughts with, namely another quidditch match. But this time she was only excited to watch, since it was Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff. She would cheer for Hufflepuff of course.

She and Anthony walked there together, hand in hand like usual. Lux knew her parents wasn't coming to this game, because parents where only allowed at the beginning game of the year. It would have been slightly awkward introducing them to Anthony, and her brothers had probably only said bad things about him.

Lorcan and Lysander had made it perfectly clear what they thought of Anthony, and didn't miss a chance to say it again. But that's what Lux liked about Anthony, he didn't care and he could handle them. Anthony was simply perfect in every single way. Her own prince charming.

"Here's a good spot" Anthony pointed towards two free seats, and put his hands on the small of her back to guide her there. Lux sighed inwardly, she could walk by herself.

"You're betting on Hufflepuff too aren't ya?" She grinned as they sat down. Rose and Cody came dumping down behind them a few seconds later, chatting highly about something.

"Of course, you?"

"Me too"

"Not your brothers then?"

"Nah, and I love seeing Albus lose, that's the only reason I'm here" She chuckled.

"I totally agree" Anthony chuckle, but looked a little grim for a second as the two teams started filing onto the pitch. Lux peered over the mass of heads to see her brothers, Albus and James. Albus was looking out over the stands, and then their eyes fixed on each other. They hadn't talked since that time during the Halloween dance, and when she saw him he usually had Mary draped all over him. Ugh.

'I hope you loose' She mouthed at him, and he glared. That was going to come back to her later, she just knew it.

"You look really nice today" Anthony brought her out of her toughts by mumbling into her hair. Lux flushed slightly, she'd let her hair hung and borrowed some of Rose's makeup. She was even wearing the short skirt that she'd worn the day when Anthony asked her out. Behind them Rose and Cody made gagging noises.

"Way to ruin the mode man" Anthony glared at Cody, who grinned innocently. Lux poked Anthony as the game started.

Albus was playing good, her brothers where playing amazingly, she couldn't deny it. Gryffindor was in the lead as the announcer exclaimed.

"And the seekers have both seen the snitch-"

Anthony planted a kiss on her neck.

"Stop snogging, I'm trying to watch the game!" Rose growled from behind them, and Lux glanced over her shoulder at her best friend, then winked at Anthony. She reached up to give him a kiss, and realizing her intentions he deepened it. Both Rose and Cody made gagging noises as Anthony's hand went up in her hair and she leaned slightly backwards.

"HUFFLEPUFF WINS! Albus Potter had the best chance but missed it, is he starting to loose his touch?" The speakers boomed, and Lux broke free from Anthony as Rose let out a yelp.

"Noooo!"

"What happened?" Lux tried to focus on the field, and saw the Gryffindor's huddled together, James was yelling at Albus who was looking grim.

"They lost, Albus just… missed even though he had the world's greatest chance" Rose mumbled dazedly. Lux felt bewildered, she knew Albus was a great player. How come he suddenly started loosing?

"This game sucked, let's go" Cody said, and Anthony nodded in agreement. Lux couldn't help but exchange a glance with Rose, who was looking quite worried.

But Lux didn't care, if Albus was loosing his touch that was his problem.

"You've got to be kidding! Mum and dad's letting you go to Corner's house?" Lysander exclaimed, and Lux paced nervously. They where standing in the middle of the crowded corridor as she was explaining why she wasn't going to be home at first few days of break.

"I'll be home to Christmas eve" She tried, and they groaned.

"No the point, are you going to sleep in the same room as him?"

"I don't think that's any of your business" She gasped, once again flushing.

"Well yeah it kinda is" The twins chorused.

"Look guys, I appreciate that you're trying to take care of me but It's simplt annoying"

"Corner older then you, he might be you know… expecting more then-"

"LALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" She covered her ears with a horrified look, and people glanced over at the siblings wonderingly. Lorcan grabbed one of her hands while Lysander grabbed the other. She continued to hum loudly while keeping her eyes closed.

"We're just sayin-"

"LALALALALA-"

"LU!"

"Oh this isn't going anywhere! Just don't okay!" Lysander gave up, and she nodded.

"No more sextalk?"

"No more sextalk" They nodded in agreement, and she let out a breath.

"Good"

"But could you please stop snogging in public, especially at quidditch games!" Lorcan exclaimed, and Lux glared.

"Again, not your business!"

"It's your fault that we lost"

"What?"

"If you wouldn't have snogged with Corner Albus wouldn't have been distracted and then he'd have caught the snitch"

"I pretty sure that the only thing that can distract him is Mary Spinnet" She rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say" Lorcan leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. "It was much easier before, when you weren't having all these guys running after you"

"I hear ya brother" Lysander sighed.

"Uhm, I'm pretty certain I have one boyfriend" Lux pointed out.

"Ah, so naïve" Lorcan grinned together with Lysander, and Lux stomped her foot.

"You're so annoying!"

"Mission completed then"

"Hey! I didn't know that was a family thing!" Rose exclaimed as she plopped up beside Lux, who jumped high in surprise.

"Rose! Stop scaring me!"

"Nah"

"Bitch"

"Jerk"

"Moron"

"Dimwit"

"Slag"

"Hey!"

"So, you're going to sleep with him aren't ya?" Rose asked with a smug smile as she and Lux where packing. Lux froze over her bag.

"No"

"Yes you are, that's what you do if you're staying at your boyfriends house"

"No it isn't!"

"Yes it is!"

Lux groaned, she didn't want to tell Rose but she didn't actually want to move on with Anthony. But she was pretty sure that was his intention. And he'd probably think she was acting childish if she didn't. But she just felt so uncomfortable with the thought. Kind of like dancing.

And she did go to Anthony's place, and they didn't share a bedroom. And she did feel uncomfortable, and they didn't do anything.

"Do I really have to? I mean really really?"

"Yes"

"But I mean reeaaaalllyyy?"

"YES!" Both her parents and brothers bellowed in unison and she shrugged back. She'd come home to her own house a few hours ago and now they where going to floo over to the Potter and Weasleys big beach house, and apparently spend the night. Wow, what a great Christmas eve. Not.

Lysander and Lorcan dragged her into the fireplace together with them, as the whole family struggled to fit in. Lux tried to wiggle away one last time when her father said the address but Lorcan looped an arm around her waist.

And then she toppled out in the beach house. Landing face-down.

"You couldn't hold on a little longer?" She groaned into the floorboards, as Lorcan chuckled behind her.

"Nope"

"Asshole"

"Ah, you wound me"

"Hope you die"

"I love you too"

"Hmpf" Lux pushed herself up as the rest of her family field out of the fireplace, brushing off their clothes. She found the entire Potter family looking down at her with raised eyebrows.

"Did you have fun with Corner?" Albus smirked, and she resisted the urge to smack him.

"Did you have fun loosing some more quidditch games?" She said coldly and brushed off some imaginary dust of her jeans. For once she was clad like the old Lux, with no makeup and her hair in a braid, only simple black jeans and a jersey.

"That's low" Albus winced, sounding angry.

"If that what it takes"

"No one wants to hear your bantering, where's the food!" Lorcan exclaimed, and their mother slapped him on the shoulder.

"Lorcan!"

"Ha ha" Lysander and Lux chorused, Lorcan glared at them. At the same time the fireplace cracked again, and Rose tumbled out together with her family.

"LUX! We need to talk. NOW!"

"Uh-"

"Everyone outta my way!" Rose pushed herself through her family without saying hello, making her mother scowl slightly at her daughters behavior, then Rose used her redhead powers and leaped at Lux. Once again they where both on the floor.

"You really have to stop doing that Rose, my back hurts"

"You sure it didn't before?" Rose wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and Lux felt her eyes widen.

"Ew Rose! Shhh!" She hissed and pushed her best friend off.

"Yeah we're going to do some girltalk, bye!" Rose caught her hand and Lux was dragged away after her. She could just make out the voices from the living room as they rushed upstairs.

"Girltalk about what?" Her father's voice, bewildered.

"You did let her spend a few days at her boyfriends house" Lorcan.

"What? She said she was at a friends house!" Her father exclaimed.

"Oh Merlin, and I thought I was the confused one" Her mothers voice, then Ginny and Hermione's laughs.

Ooops, Lux would have to deal with that later. Right now Rose was pushing them into the little bathroom and locking the door behind them. Then she turned around with an eager expression, planting herself at the edge of the bat.

"Talk. Now. Details"

"We. Did. Not. Do. Anything" Lux said in the same tone mockingly.

"Seriously?" Said Rose surprised.

"Nope, we've only ever snogged, and we barely did that. You know his parents where home!"

"But still…" Rose looked at her suspiciously.

"Are you having second thoughts about dating Anthony?"

"What? No! Why would I? He's perfect"

"You're acting like you don't really want to be with him. And I know that he's perfect, everyone thinks so. But is that what you want Lu?" Rose gazed intently at her, for once not a trace of humor. Lux swallowed thickly, trying to gather her racing thoughts.

"Of course that's what I want, who wouldn't?" She giggled nervously.

"You're not anyone Lu, we all know that. You're slightly weird in an awesome way" Rose grinned at the last words, and Lux smiled slightly.

"You're slightly awesome in a weird way"

"Tss, I'm not even weird, just awesome"

"About that…"

"I'm hungry, let's go eat!" Rose cut her off by opening the door, only to find Albus and Henry almost falling into the bathroom. Albus caught himself but Henry toppled in, landing at Rose's feet.

"Where you eavesdropping!" Lux shirked, and Henry covered his ears.

"Merlin Lu, you scream louder then Rose"

"I haven't screamed yet, and when I do you're going to regret it" Rose hissed "NOW WHERE YOU EAVESDROPPING?"

"Holy shit!" Albus jumped high together with Lux, and somehow they ended up clutching each other's arms. Both of them knew not to mess with a furious Rose. Henry looked completely shocked on the floor.

"Um… not on purpose…" Henry tried, and Rose glared at him. Lux suddenly realized that she was still clutching Albus arm and jumped away from him, both of them looking slightly bewildered for a second. Then she remembered that she was angry with him.

"That's incredibly immature!" She pointed out as Henry stood up, still glancing over at Rose frequently.

"Albus made me!" Henry squealed, as Rose narrowed her eyes a little extra.

"Way to go man, thanks" Albus rolled his eyes, Rose hit him on the arm. "Ow"

"I told you they'd be angry" Henry said with a sigh, and Lux hit him on the arm. He yelped and glared at Albus, who pointedly ignored him.

"What's going on up here?" Lorcan and James heads suddenly plopped in through the door, both of them looking mildly surprised at the sight. Albus and Henry clutching their arms, Rose still fuming and Lux glaring at them.

"Nothing" The four of them echoed together with innocent smiles. Lorcan and James exchanged a glance.

"Weird stuff bro"

"I don't even want to know" James shook his head and the two of them sauntered away. Undoubtfully to find Fred and Lysander and pull some kind of prank.

"Dimwit" Lux purposefully walked into Albus as she stalked out of the little bathroom, that had been pretty crowded with four people in it, and gave him a scuff. Rose flicked Henry in the back of his head before joining Lux.

"You know you love us!" Albus called after them.

"Are you stupid mate? They're already annoyed!" They heard the distinct sound of someone being slapped, then Albus groaning.

"Why is everyone hitting me today?"

When everyone had arrived it was time for dinner, and the conversation was fluid and easy. Strangely enough Lux found herself having a pretty good time, sitting between Rose and Henry. Even though she occasionally found herself glaring at Albus, who only winked back.

"I'm completely stuffed" Lorcan declared, and Ginny beamed at him.

"That's great to hear"

"Your cooking is great, no one can cook at our home" Lysander rolled his eyes, and Lux laughed as both their parents coughed meaningfully. It was true though, no one in their family could cook. But Lux was the only one who was downright dangerous in a kitchen.

"Lu blew up our microwave once"

"Not on purpose!" She exclaimed as everyone laughed.

"So… how many detentions did the guys get themselves this time?" Mr. Potter asked Mr. Longbottom, who laughed merrily.

"No more then usual, but quite a few of them where given by Lux here, and Anthony Corner of course"

"Hey what can I say, I choose my friends carefully" Lux grinned, and Rose rolled her eyes.

"You broke the rules too" Albus said accusingly, and she glared at him.

"Once! And that was Rose's fault!"

"Hey don't drag me into this, I'm completely innocent, whatever it is"

"Yeah sure" Henry snorted.

"Shut up"

"You shut up"

"Seriously guys?" James raised an eyebrow.

"I don't get anything right now…" Mr. Weasley.

"We where out on a little night stroll-" Lorcan started, and all the adults frowned "And then we run into Lux and Rose in a corridor-"

"Because Rose wanted candy" Lux chimed in, and Rose glared at her.

"And then Teddy and Corner come's by, and we hide in a broom closet, wich I don't really get how we all fit into by the way, and oh then we lost Lux and Albus. And that's about it"

"We weren't lost" Lux rolled her eyes amiably.

"You where, I weren't" Albus said, she glared at him, once again her only winked back.

"Why did you ask?" Mr. Weasley said bewildered towards Mr. Potter, who looked just as confused.

"I don't know…"

"Anyway, I think it's time for a snowball fight!" James grinned, as the adults didn't seem to be following in the conversation.

"Oh, I like that!" Lysander shot up, and Lux, Rose and Lily all rolled their eyes.

"Boys"

"It's just because we're so much more awesome then you" Lorcan grinned.

"I'll take that bet" Lux shot up with a devilish grin. "I'll take you all on"

"Hah, you?" Albus looked doubtingly at her, one eyebrow raised. She put her hand on her hip and flicked her hair around.

"I got Rose to back me up, don't I?" Silence "Rose!"

"Uh right…" Rose was still shoveling in food together with her brother and dad, they where the only one's still eating.

"Okay one rule" Lux grinned as all the teens and kids stood up to move, they all looked at her expectantly.

"No rules" Rose exclaimed grumpily.

"There are no rules"

"I like that rule" Albus grinned, launching one arm around her shoulders as they headed out.

"I have a boyfriend you know" She stated.

"Whom you don't really like"

"I hate eavesdroppers" Lux grumbled. "And I do like him"

"But not enough" Albus stopped for a second, looking completely serious. "Just don't do anything you'll regret, and don't let him hurt you"

"What are you, my dad?" She shot at him and went to put on her clothes, Albus looked after her determinately.

"No but I'm your friend" He mumbled when she was out of earshot.

Ten minutes later everyone had pulled on their shoes and thick sweaters, and Lux felt even more ungraceful then usually in the heavy clothes and snow that muffled every step. Rose couldn't stop laughing as she kept falling over, landing face down.

"You're not going to manage a single blow Lu, you have no coordination whatsoever" Rose grinned as she threw a snowball directly into Hugo's back, he fell over.

"I can totally hit someone, I just need a god motivation" Lux snarled and pushed herself up, brushing snow off her clothes, not bothering the hair that was already dripping wih melted snow.

"Okay then, I bet you can't hit Albus" Rose crossed her arms. Lux turned around and found Albus and his brother throwing snow at each other at the far end of the yard.

"I'll take that bet, and if I win, you have to snog Henry"

"What?"

"Take it or leave it" Lux smiled devilishly as Rose glared at her.

"Fine, but if I win, you have to admit to yourself that Anthony isn't your night in shining armor"

"That's a really bad bet Rose"

"It's sad but true, and you're going to loose anyway"

"Am not"

"Yeah you are"

"Shut up and let me concentrate" Lux bent down and retrieved some snow, and squished it into a ball as Rose jumped excitedly next to her. Everyone else was busy in their own little fights. Lorcan and Lysander where almost choking each other in the snow a few feet away. Hm… maybe she'd get rid of them.

Right, concentrate on Albus. Raise your hand, look at him…. He was laughing. Black hair tousled in the wind and snow dripping from it, he was winning over James. He looked like he was having fun.

Not the point Lux. If you hit him Rose is going to have to snog Henry! And that would be awesome. Not to talk about how good it would feel to place this cold and wet snowball in the back of his head.

Lux threw.

She hit him squarely in the back of his head.

"I told you I just needed motivation!"

"Holy shit! I'm going to have to snog Henry!" Rose squealed, her hands over her mouth. Lux turned around with a raised eyebrow.

"You know you want to"

"Um Lu, you might wanna run" Rose was squinting over her shoulder.

"Don't change the subject-"

"No I mean really you want to run"

"Rose c'mon top being such a-"

"BEHIND YOU FOR MERLIN'S SAKE!" Rose grabbed her shoulders and whirled her around. Lux eyes widened in shock as she saw Albus just a few steps away from her, leaping against her to knock her down.

"AAAAH!" She screamed as she jumped away in the last second, and Albus caught air.

"You're going to regret that Lux" He growled, but he was smirking. Lu poked her tongue out.

"You're going to have to catch me first"

"I'm not considering that such a hard task" Albus stopped for a second, raising his eyebrow at her. Lux blushed as he realized he was completely right. But no way she was going to give up without a fight.

"I know how to fight dirty" She finally snarled before setting off over the snow, pushing Rose away so she was knocked into Albus, buying herself a few seconds. She laughed as she looked back and saw Rose slapping Albus harshly as he tried to stumble off her.

"You're definitely going to regret that" Albus growled behind her as she just kept laughing, jumping over drifts and piles of snow, barely avoiding falling. She could heard him closing in behind her, and deliberately dived straight into the snow.

He looked surprised at her, when she came up spluttering and drenched in snow, it was everywhere and she had to wipe it off her eyelashes before grinning mischievously up at him.

"Why did you do that voluntarily?"

"So that you couldn't push me" She smiled crookedly, and he chuckled.

"Should have known, you're really weird"

"And now undefeated"

"You gave up"

"Did not!"

"Yeah you did" Albus was panting slightly, his hands on his knees, cocking his head to the side to look at her. When his scarf fell undone and dripped into the snow Lux grin grew wider. For a fraction of a second he seemed to know what was going on as she reached for it, but it wasn't enough to move away.

Her cold fingers closed in around the yellow and scarlet scarf, and with a soft pull she'd brought him off balance, and into the snow. She just hadn't anticipated that he'd land on top of her. But it actually didn't bother her as he shook his head vigorously, sending snow in every direction. It dripped onto her face.

"Stop acting like a dog Albus!"

"You're the one who dragged me down into the snow!" Albus exclaimed, as he suddenly looked down, and Lux realized that their faces where just a few inches apart. He was holding his own weight up, his arms by either side of her body. Lux stopped laughing as her breath got caught in her throat, and her heart made a strange skip.

"I won after all" She managed to say, not as vicious as she'd wanted it to be. Albus smiled, a half smile that only turned the tip of his lips upward.

"You seem to do that a lot lately"

"I'm just that awesome" She winked, not feeling at all like herself. Shouldn't she be pushing him off her, yelling some and then they could go back to ignoring each other.

And more importantly, Albus was practically closer then Anthony, and she didn't feel uncomfortable.

Oh Merlin, Anthony. Her boyfriend.

"Gerroffme" She mumbled distractedly, and put her hands on his chest to push him off, he looked confused at her sudden change of mood and quickly rolled off her. She forgot why she'd pushed him off in the first place as she stared at him.

"Really? I though you'd keep me pinned to the ground and make a few inappropriate jokes before letting me go" She blurted out, her mouth acting on it's own accord.

"We're friends, I couldn't do that to a friend could I?" Albus stood up, then extended his arm out to her. She stared up at him suspiciously.

"What's the ulterior motive?"

"No ulterior motive"

"I seriously doubt that" She snorted as she accepted his hand and let him haul her up. With one swift motion he'd brought her up close to him, so that the tips of their shoes where touching, she could feel the warmth of his body radiating towards her.

"If that was the case, you'd know" Albus smirked, lips daringly close to her cheek. Lux gulped.

Then a snowball hit her in the back, and she toppled into Albus, who caught her easily. She glared around to find Rose grinning at the both of them.

"Aw isn't that cute Lu? He can act like a knight in shining armor" Rose laughed to herself.

"Wanna help me kill her?" Lux glanced up at Albus, who was still clutching at her elbow, he nodded.

"I never thought you'd ask"