A/N: Thanks so much to all who are following this story! I'm getting some really interesting and enlightening feedback, and I'm so excited for you all to see what I have in store for our two lovebirds. Keep letting me know what you think!

Chapter rated T for language and suggestive themes.

"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."

-William Congreve

Chapter 8: A Woman Scorned

I was walking through the Great Hall with purpose. I ignored everyone congratulating me and trying to talk to me about last night. I even ignored the eyes I felt from the staff table at the front of the hall. I had a one-track mind, and I was determined.

When I got to my destination, I straddled the bench and stared expectantly. Albus slowly looked at me.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said with a grin. "How does it feel to be a part of the greatest band of all time?"

"I want to sabotage Malfoy."

"Why, Albus, it feels great that my band did so well, and I'm so happy that I was able to make it for the last song."

I arched an eyebrow and he sighed, his grin only slipping a little. "Is this about the detention? Clearly he saw the error in his ways because he let you out early."

"I don't care," I said. I didn't feel ready to enlighten Albus about everything that had happened—the real reason that my hatred for Malfoy had come back with a vengeance when I'd woken up this morning.

The nighttime had been different. I'd gone back to my dormitory and cried quietly into my pillow until I'd fallen asleep. Then when I woke up, I remembered that I'd cried at least three times in the last week after not having cried for almost a year, and every time, it was because of Malfoy. In that moment of realization, I realized that this was the whole reason I'd changed who I was a year ago. I hated feeling this way.

"I should have been at that whole concert. I didn't put that fucking telescope in his desk."

"Rose—"

"If you're going to be a bitch about it, I don't need your help."

I moved to stand up, but Albus pulled me back down.

"I'll help you," Albus said with a little desperation. "But you gotta help me understand."

"There's nothing to understand," I said, picking a sausage off his plate and taking a bite.

"Hey, good job last night, guys."

I looked up with a small smile while Albus grinned broadly and thanked whoever the person was—I didn't recognize him.

"Why did Malfoy let you out early?" Albus asked quietly after the guy walked away. I shrugged. "Why did you go back to the classroom after the concert?" He narrowed his eyes.

"I left my jacket," I said without hesitation. "I fucking left there so quickly because he said I could go and I was so excited that I wasn't thinking clearly."

Albus regarded me. "What happened during the detention?"

"I don't want to play twenty-fucking-questions," I snapped, holding up a hand. What the hell was he implying? How was he so damn suspicious?

"Okay," he shrugged and went back to his food. "Well, what do you want to do? The Quidditch thing?"

"No," I said. "Something worse."

He slapped my hand when I went to pick more stuff off his plate. He gestured toward the table full of food. I rolled my eyes.

"So what do you want to do?"

I grinned. "I thought you'd never ask."

I was standing in front of the mirror of the girls' bathroom in the dungeons right before I was supposed to go to Potions. My hair fell in thick waves around my shoulders. I had opened my school robe so that my uniform was showing. I had magically hemmed my skirt so that it was several inches shorter than usual, and the first couple buttons of my white school shirt were undone so that the crease of my cleavage was showing. I'd discovered muggle "push up" bras the previous summer, and that had practically changed my life. Sometimes, muggles were just far better at things than witches and wizards would ever be.

My cheeks had a light dusting of pink blush on them, and I was currently applying mascara to my eyelashes. I stood back and observed my handiwork when I was done. Hopefully people would notice me.

Hopefully one person in particular.

I strode down the hallway to the Potions classroom, and when I opened the door, I plastered a smile on my face and walked over to where Albus, Lysander, and Lucy were all chatting. None of them noticed my appearance. I didn't expect them to. There was really only one person I was hoping would notice.

He was sitting at the front of the classroom as he always was when we came in. I glanced up and found him staring at me. As if I didn't care, I turned to Albus and the others and joined in their conversation.

"Hey, where were you?" Albus asked.

"Bathroom," I said with a shrug. I swept my hair over one shoulder and leaned forward on my elbows on the table. Lysander said something about something the band at the concert had done a few nights previous. The others of us laughed, and I made sure that he heard me. I knew he could because I could still feel eyes on me.

I glanced over and saw that Hadley was staring at me. And knowing full well that Malfoy was watching, I winked at my ex-boyfriend. Hadley arched an eyebrow in response and I went back to my conversation as if it was the most casual thing in the world.

A few minutes later, class started. Malfoy seemed agitated and irritable. Every time someone so much as moved in a way he didn't like, he snapped at them. He'd already taken about 50 points from all the houses combined, and two people already had detention. I knew it was probably because of what had happened Saturday night between us, but it wasn't my fault. He had put his arms around me. He had comforted me. He had leaned in. And after the concert, he had pulled me inside. He had lifted me against the door. He had been hard and unyielding against me.

I had been stupid, I admitted that to myself that night, and I admitted it now. It wasn't until I had walked through the castle afterward that I realized why he had freaked out. I had been the fucking idiot who had called him "Professor." I hadn't meant to. It had just slipped out. I was used to calling him that. And he freaked because he realized he was my professor and I was his student and my legs were wrapped around his waist as I moaned and whimpered at what he was doing to me.

But those were his fucking hang-ups, not mine.

It was probably for the best anyway. I didn't know how far things were going to go in his office, and more than that—a relationship with someone like a professor could only end badly.

Even though I knew it was probably for the best, that didn't mean I wouldn't be getting my revenge. He had made a fucking fool of me. And I didn't take that shit lightly.

Albus and I were passing notes as we always did in Potions.

What's up Malfoy's ass? Albus slid the note over to me. I glanced down at it, and went to writing back immediately.

Not sure. I bet you wish it was your dick, though.

I slid the note over to Albus, and as soon as he read it, he snorted. He managed to cover it up, though, when Lucy turned around and said, "Bless you."

I bit my bottom lip to control my grin, and Albus kept his head down.

Malfoy glanced at us briefly before he went back to his lecture.

I can't believe you wrote that. Do you want to make me piss off Malfoy?

Fuck Malfoy.

I slid the note back over to Albus, and right when Albus's hand covered it—

"Ms. Weasley."

I looked up to see Malfoy staring at me angrily.

"Yes, professor?" I said sweetly.

"I hope that was help with the notes on this lecture that you passed to Mr. Potter."

I smiled. "I wouldn't want to crush your hopes."

Several people in the class snickered, a few gasped. Malfoy narrowed his eyes at me.

"You must enjoy having detention with me, Ms. Weasley," Malfoy said, his voice a hiss.

My smile slipped a bit before I plastered it on again. "I do," I said. "Unless you consider the fact that you're always there."

This time, people in the class laughed outright. Malfoy clenched his jaw.

"Detention tonight in my office at 8 o'clock," he said. Then he added, "And see me after class."

"Can't wait," I said with a smile.

At the end of the lecture, I packed up my things slowly. After I said bye to Albus, Lysander, and Lucy, I walked up to the front of the classroom where Malfoy was sitting with his hands folded on the desk in front of him. Wordlessly, he stood up and walked to his office. He left the door open, so I assumed that meant I should follow. My heart rate started to accelerate.

When I got inside, he closed the door behind me. I leaned against the door, and he stood a few feet in front of me. It would have been just like last night except for the distance.

I had removed my robe halfway through his lecture, and when I got into the office, I placed my bag on the floor and the robe on top of it. My shirt was still buttoned very low.

"Something wrong?" I asked. I tried to seem cool, but my chest was heaving slightly.

"Yes," Malfoy growled.

"What's that?" I asked.

He took a step forward.

"I… fuck," he stopped.

He looked agitated, his hair wild, his eyes wide. If I didn't know any better, I would think he might curse me. Nervousness curled in my stomach.

He looked up at me, eyes blazing. "I… I tried to get you out of my head all weekend."

My breath caught in my throat as he spoke. My fingertips started to tingle.

"I had finally managed to get some peace, and then you walk in here looking like…" He trailed off and looked at the floor.

I looked at him, wanting more than anything for him to look at me, see me. "Looking like what?"

When he looked up at me, I was unnerved by the intensity in his eyes. It was like they were pools of gray lava—on fire.

"Looking like you wanted me to rip your clothes off."

I gasped.

I wanted to run to him. I want to wrap my body around his and never let go. I wanted him to fucking kiss me again. I wanted to be pushed against the door again and kissed until I couldn't breathe. I wanted him to touch me. I wanted to feel his hands on my body, making me feel beautiful and helpless.

But I opted for something different.

I exhaled. "Well," I said, trying to control the quiver in my voice. "I'm sorry you felt that way."

His jaw clenched. "Rose…"

"I really have to go," I said. "I wouldn't want to disobey your wishes… Again."

And feeling like the most powerful woman in the world, I grabbed my things and turned and left his office, slamming the door shut behind me.

I almost ran from the Potions classroom. I didn't want to ruin my amazing exit. I felt like a woman from a movie—standing up to the guy who had fucked her over. I felt like that woman who walked away and managed not to look over her shoulder. I felt incredible.

I ducked out of the classroom and headed away from the dungeons. When I turned the first corner, I felt a hand on my wrist. My heart skipped a beat.

"Will you just—"

"Rose."

I turned around.

"Hadley?"

"Hey."

I was confused. "What do you want?"

"To talk."

I rolled my eyes and started to walk away but he grabbed my wrist again. I yanked it away.

"Hadley, there's nothing to talk about!"

"Look," he said, turning me toward him and grabbing both my wrists. "Just let me say this."

I sighed in annoyance and raised my eyebrows.

He smiled, and I almost gagged. "Okay. I… Well, I thought about what happened—like, everything, you know—that happened between us. And I was—I thought of something." I raised my eyebrows further, urging him on. "I think you're still in love with me."

I scoffed and tried to pull my wrists away.

"Wait!" He held my wrists tighter. "I just thought that—I mean, you wouldn't have gone through all that trouble to make me notice you and to make M—… anyone… find us if there wasn't still something between us."

He really was completely delusional—narcissistic, arrogant. Honestly. "Hadley—"

"Just let me finish," he said. "I didn't realize what I had until it was gone. I didn't… I didn't see who you were until I lost you. You see, it's like this…"

As Hadley went on and on, I tuned him out. I thought of something nasty I could say when he finished—something that would shut him up. For good. I looked at him as his mouth moved. He looked so desperate—so urgent. I almost laughed. And just when I was about to say something, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. Something that looked like white blonde hair.

Had Malfoy followed me? He must have. I didn't think I had imagined that flash of hair around the corner. Maybe I had though… I was trying to figure out what to do when something occurred to me—something delicious.

And a moment later, I grabbed Hadley's face in between my hands and pulled him down into a kiss. He seemed shocked at first, but then he grabbed my waist and started to respond eagerly. The nausea wasn't as bad as it had been on the train. Hadley had always been a decent kisser, and at least this time he was doing it because he thought we were still in love, rather than because he was a horny bastard. That made it slightly better, right?

After another few moments, I pulled away. He rested his forehead against mine.

"Babe…" he whispered. "I want to try again."

And hoping against hope that Malfoy really was around the corner, I said, "Okay."

Later that night, I was sitting in detention with Malfoy. He was sitting at his desk writing something, and I was doing lines, which was different than the last two detentions when I had had to organize all his potions shit.

When I'd come into the classroom, there was a quill, an inkpot, and a piece of parchment sitting on the desk. On the chalkboard, there was one line written: I will not disrespect my professor.

I had almost laughed when I'd seen it. Asshole.

After I'd sat down, all he had said was, "you'll be doing lines." I'd shrugged and started working, and neither of us had said a word since. I didn't know if he'd seen me and Hadley, but I had a sneaking suspicion that he had, and this was his way of taking it out on me. I didn't try to make conversation like the first detention, and I didn't feel like crying like in my last one. Instead, I felt relaxed. I was taking control of my life again, and I felt good.

Fuck Malfoy.

Next chapter:

"Because everyone else may be fine with watching your downfall but I'm not. Because the thing is... they don't realize that this time when he breaks you… I'll never get you back."