Yay, fast chapter! :D I won't be updating for at least 8 days, as I'll be on a bus, then in Toronto, then on a bus again until I get home.

OOOH! And I got a laptop! :D All shiny and new and Acer-ish :) I love it, so hopefully (once my wireless router arrives) I can update from their. I like my computer's writing system a lot better than shitty Works Word Processor here :P

Anywhooozles, enjoy! :D

"What do you know about Blaise Zabini?"

Annabelle, who had been dreadfully studying in the library, looked up curiously. Before her stood a fourth year she'd never met before - never really seen in school, even - asking her an absurd question. She quirked an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry?" she asked. And attempted to ignore the heat that was creeping up her neck. Damn it all, she thought vulgarly to her stupid blush trigger. Why was his name such a random flick onto said part of her mind?

"I said, what do you know about Blaise Zabini?" she pushed. Annabelle calmly closed her book and folded her hands in her lap.

"Nothing whatsoever, actually," she replied. And this was the completely honest truth. The fourth year nodded slowly, and Annabelle thought (and hoped) that she would leave.

Instead, she placed her few books on the table across from her.

"Um, why do you ask?" Annabelle prompted. "And who are you, too?" It was late Thursday night, so this fourth year had changed into her Muggle clothes, making it even more difficult to place her.

"I'm really sorry, I'm Harriet Bond," the girl introduced, grinning, shaking hands. "I'm a Hufflepuff. I know Eryn Winters, your friend." Annabelle inwardly groaned. If Eryn had something to do with this girl coming up to her about Zabini, it couldn't be leading anywhere good.

"I see."

"Mmhm. And she told me that you knew something about Blaise Zabini, just after breakfast, actually." She sighed a bit, honesty in her tone. This didn't sound fake. She seemed to be truly curious about him. "I guess not."

"Look, Harriet," Annabelle said, feeling suddenly terrible that she couldn't help this girl. "I don't know anything about Zabini, I'm sorry. But I'm curious as to why you're curious about him."

Harriet giggled nervously. Her cheeks turned a fair pink. Annabelle noticed that she was twisting a strand of her chestnut hair around her index finger. And that her eyes, wide and hazel, looked timid and a bit confused.

And something Annabelle couldn't recognize.

"Well," Harriet began, "It's just that…he sort of, kind of…interests me." She let out breath of laughter, as if asking Annabelle to tell her that pursuing Zabini was bad news. And deep down, she wanted to say as much.

But that was overtaken by a completely new emotion. One she'd never experienced before, one she felt herself greedily taking hold of. It roared like a flame, the fiery tendrils threatening to slither up her throat and burst out.

It was jealousy, plain and simple. She could practically feel the green-eyed monster oozing out of her pores. Obviously, it wasn't actually happening, though, for Harriet still sat calmly yet with a bit of anxiousness to her posture.

"It's stupid, I know," she quickly said, as though taking Annabelle's silence to mean stunned shock. "But, his face is just… And his eyes, they just… And his smile, that faint…" She sighed, and Annabelle forced a fake grin onto her face.

"It's not stupid," she advised, lying through her teeth. Harriet immediately perked up. "No, I understand what you're saying. It's simply the fact that no one has ever…mentioned him like that, like, ever."

"I know," Harriet moaned. "I feel so bad for him! I mean, everyone should have a chance to be admired, right?" She paused a moment and looked Annabelle up and down. "I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about. You've probably had many guys doting on you in the past."

Annabelle stopped breathing for a moment. Did Harriet just hit on her?

"Um, yeah, sure," she quickly recovered, and slammed her books closed. "Look, Harriet, um, I've got this thing with my friends. So -"

"Oh, yes, of course," Harriet said with the same hastiness, now looking a tad worried she'd frightened the girl off. "Maybe we can talk again?"

"Um, sure, maybe," Annabelle mumbled. She stuffed the rest of her things into her knapsack, slung it over her shoulder, and rushed out of the library. Madam Pince gave her a look of distaste, to which Annabelle flipped her the bird and continued.

Her life just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

"Eryn…"

Eyes of emerald shone brightly into her own sky blue orbs.

"You're so beautiful."

Jet black hair, standing on end, naturally a full-blown mess.

"How could I even think about anyone else?"

"ERYN!"

Eryn sat up quickly, her eyes bleary. She looked about, trying to figure out where she was. It seemed like…the Great Hall.

How had she fallen asleep in the Great Hall? It was so bloody noisy, she could hardly hear herself think whilst awake. She turned her head from right to left. Surprisingly, no one had noticed the little reverie she had woken from. Or that she'd been sleeping in the first place.

The only people who did were in front and on either side of her.

"Oh, Harry, Harry, you're so beautiful!" Kenzie laughed.

"How could I even think about anyone else?" Sam chimed in. Eryn's face suddenly became quite warm.

"Shit," she mumbled. Rose, who was next to her, wrapped an arm around her small shoulders.

"Yes, dear, you do talk in your sleep at times," she chuckled. "But don't worry, we're the only one's who heard."

At this, Eryn looked down the table - which she found to be Gryffindor, as everyone was wearing red and gold ties - and saw Harry, sitting with Ron and Hermione, laughing loudly at something or other. She let out a breath she had not realized she'd been holding.

"No, he didn't hear," Annabelle comforted. "You have nothing to worry about on that front. Though that doesn't mean we won't tell him." A fork was promptly held up by the blonde in question, and Annabelle put her hands up in surrender. "Kidding, love, kidding."

"I fucking hate all of you," Eryn grumbled, slamming the fork back down. The girls all shrugged.

"No, you loooooove us," Kenzie cooed. "Just like you loooooo-"

"Shut it!" Eryn cried over her. Annabelle chuckled.

"Hey, this is simply my payback to you for siccing that Harriet Bond chick on me," she snapped. Eryn raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Harriet who?"

Annabelle rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. She came up to me in the library and told me that she was interested in Zabini. And that you told her I might know something about him." Eryn's confused expression never changed.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Eryn asked.

"Right after breakfast, she said you came up to her and -"

"Eryn was with me and Sam right after breakfast," Rose interjected. "We were trying to get her to ditch. No one came up to her."

Annabelle's eyebrows knitted themselves together, and she hunched over her dinned silently. So Harriet had been lying. Either that, or Eryn wasn't telling the truth. Though why wouldn't she? The joke had gone on long enough.

Of course, while Annabelle was trying to solve the puzzle of Harriet Bond, Sam's eyes were moving around the entirety of the Great Hall. Mostly because Neville Longbottom didn't seem to be seated anywhere.

Every time Sam and Neville had a class together, he became increasingly nervous and sweaty. More so than usual, even. He didn't seem the least bit interested in her. Each time she accidentally rubbed her knee against his, or mistakenly took his textbook instead of her own, every male would throw him envious looks while he would try and back away. It was the most curious thing.

"Looking for Neville?" Kenzie taunted suddenly, making Sam jump a bit. She hurriedly pulled on a mask of cool indifference.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she replied. "Now, if you don't mind, I will get back to my roll-buttering."

Kenzie rolled her eyes and sat her chin in her hand. Sam, however, continued to remain on the lookout, only more conspicuously this time. From behind a glass of water, she eyed the opposite wall.

And there he was. Entering the Hall as quietly and stealthily. He was obviously trying to avoid her, as his gaze kept flickering to the Ravenclaw table, where she was supposed to be. Throwing caution to the wind, Sam stood up and waved over her head.

"Hey, Neville, over here!" Everyone looked at her with wide eyes. She realized her blunder too late, as his face turned the color of a tomato and he hauled up his bag and raced out of the room. Many people - most from the Slytherin table - let out loud guffaws. Even her friends were giggling a bit, but one stern look from Sam and they sobered.

"I don't get it!" Sam whined, falling back onto the bench and receiving quite a few funny looks. "Most men bow down at my feet!"

"This is why we chose Neville!" Annabelle pointed out. "We knew he wouldn't. It's supposed to be challenging."

"But if he won't even look at me, how the hell am I supposed to get him in bed?" Sam clasped her hands together. "Please, give me someone, anyone else!"

All girls shook their head and continued to eat their dinner. Sam groaned, and grumpily began to eat the remains of lasagne.

Ooooh, some more Annabelle and Eryn, because I've been lacking with them :) So, there we have it, another chapter.

Enjoyable? REVIEW! :D:D:D