Bella woke up in the morning with the sudden feeling that she'd done something very, very wrong. She sat up and looked over to the other side of her bed. Nothing. Just sheets and pillows. Normal. She sat staring at it, confused. She knew James had stayed, but where was he? She got up and ran her hands through her hair as it tried to tangle its way around her face. The door opened and Bella nearly jumped a mile. James grinned back at her.

'Where were you? Please tell me no one saw you!' Bella began panicking. She really hadn't thought this through. If one of her sisters saw him, there'd be hell up.

'No! Calm down!' He laughed, placing his hands on her shoulders so she looked him in the eyes. 'I was being stealthy.'

'Whatever,' Bella muttered, shrugging him off her. 'You're gonna have to use the fireplace in the kitchen and go by Floo Powder – I can't risk the neighbours seeing you leave.' She told him stiffly.

James looked somewhat hurt at her tone of voice. 'Oh,' He replied quietly. 'alright then.'

Bella turned back to look at him. 'I know you're bitter about last night.' She said abruptly.

'What?'

'You're bitter about what happened last night.'

'No, I'm not!' James argued angrily. 'Why would I be bitter? I'm glad about what happened!'

Bella glared at him. Her eyes spoke volumes for her. She didn't need to speak.

'I'll leave.' James said quickly. Bella sighed. She hadn't meant to be mean to him, because what if he wasn't bitter about it? What if he was really glad about it?

'James, don't go.' She tried to make it sound sincere. 'I didn't mean it.'

He turned around with a small smile on his face. He knew she'd say that – that's why he threatened to leave. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her cheek.

'I really quite like you, Bella.' He said to her quietly.

'Thanks, James,' She laughed at his honesty. 'I quite like you, too.' James grinned at her. But they were both thinking the same thing – there was no way this could work when they got back to school.

'But,' Bella continued. 'there's absolutely no point in telling each other these things because we can't do anything with them.' She said it so lightly, as if they were discussing something trivial. James sighed. 'Let's not think about the future. We ought to concentrate on the present.' He forced a smile and began searching for his shirt. Bella smirked as she watched his body moving; his muscles bending and curving around him. She bit her lip.

'You could help, you know,' He said to her, without turning around. 'I can feel you looking at me.' He stopped speaking as he felt her hands slip into the back pockets of his jeans. 'And now I can feel you touching me.' He laughed. James turned around and placed Bella's hands on his bare shoulders, so he could pick her up and spin her around. She kissed him as he gently lowered her to the floor, his hands weaving their way into her hair.

A knock on the door broke them apart. Bella stared at James, wide-eyed.

'You up, Bella?' It was Narcissa.

'Hide!' Bella hissed. James began rummaging for something in his bag, as Bella gawped at him. What was he doing? He pulled out a cloak and flung it around himself. Bella gasped at what she saw. James' body disappeared beneath the cloak, it became completely transparent. James winked at her before he threw the cloak over his head, his whole being seemingly disappearing.

Bella opened the door. Narcissa looked pristine. Her blonde hair was straight and not a single hair out of place; her make-up untouched and fresh. She smiled at her sister.

'Well, you look rough.' Narcissa stated.

'Thanks for that.' Bella said flatly. 'You don't.'

Narcissa giggled in the girly fashion that she did. 'I know.' She flicked her hair over her shoulder as if to demonstrate this fact.

'What do you want?' Bella asked her directly, her tone possibly a little harsh.

'I only wanted to ask how your night went… we usually just have a catch up…' Narcissa looked hurt by this sudden harsh tone. Bella sighed.

'We will, Cissy,' Bella told her, forcing a kind smile. 'later, okay? I'm tired now… and my head hurts.'

Narcissa nodded slowly. 'Sorry, Bella.'

'It's alright,' Bella smirked. 'don't apologise. It's a sign of weakness.'

'It's a sign of human weakness, Bella. They're different.'

Bella shook her head and shut the door again, as Narcissa began to make her way back down the stairs.

Bella felt a slight draught as James' cloak whirled around his as he swung it off like a cape. Bella raised an eyebrow at his pretentiousness. James chuckled to himself at her un-amused expression.

'That's an Invisibility Cloak, isn't it?' Bella asked him, slightly disbelieving of it.

James nodded. 'It is.'

Bella shook her head and sat down on her bed. Surely it couldn't be the Invisibility Cloak. That would be absurd. It must have been a replica, a cheap imitation. Surely.

'It's not real though, is it?' She questioned, again. 'I mean, it's just a copy of it.'

'What?' James appeared remotely hurt by this accusation. 'Of course it's real! My dad gave it to me when I started Hogwarts. I mean, it's a bit small now, but it still works just as well.'

'But… I mean,' Bella paused as her thoughts ran wild in her mind. 'It can't possibly be the real thing… from the story… can it?'

James handed her the cloak. 'See if you can find a reason why not.'

Bella let her hands roam over the material of the cloak. It was a black and brownish colour, and it felt like velvet. She slipped her hand underneath it, and watched it disappear and re-appear when she removed it. It looked aged and worn – and absolutely nothing that would make it seem anything other than the real thing.

'So this is… this is the Cloak of Invisibility? Originally given to the third brother?' Bella's voice became soft and vulnerable, as she let her mind speak freely.

'The very same.' James replied calmly. 'If you believe in those things, of course.'

'I didn't…' Bella began. 'But now? I'm not so sure. Do you believe it?'

'Completely.' James told her, unashamed of believing in what was supposed to be merely a children's fairy tale.

'Ever seen the Elder Wand or the Resurrection Stone, though?'

'No,' James shook his head. 'there'd be no proof even if I had. Why'd you think I can just keep that around with no one batting an eyelid? Because there's no proof that it's genuine. It's all down to believing it is.'

Bella nodded in agreement and passed James his cloak back.

'And besides,' He continued. 'the wand and the stone could be anywhere, couldn't they? Anywhere in the world by now. There's no way anyone would be able to posses all three. It would take them longer than a lifetime to find them.'

'I heard that there's a man working on something similar to the Resurrection Stone,' Bella remembered suddenly. 'I heard my father talking about him, saying that he was causing trouble because no one was certain whether it was legal or not. It just isn't illegal, but it might not be fully legal, either,' She paused as James' face became more interested by the second. 'and he's trying to create a stone that will produce and elixir that can give you everlasting life – provided you keep drinking the elixir, of course. Flamel I think his name is.'

'Really?' James breathed. 'That's amazing!'

'I know,' Bella smirked. 'anyway, you probably better get your things, James. Narcissa will be back soon if I don't go and find her. I'll have to make something up about last night, as well.'

'Especially seeing as Andromeda will be asking you who you were half-naked with in her bedroom.' James muttered, as he buttoned up his shirt.

'Oh God, I'd forgotten about that!' Bella ran her hand through her hair in slight frustration. 'Whatever I say will be the wrong thing.'

'Don't worry about it,' James said soothingly. 'I'm sure whatever you'll say will be fine. She's hardly going to go hunting around for the truth, is she?'

'You clearly don't know her as well as you think.' Bella smirked.

'Aw, I don't wanna go, Bells.' James moaned, throwing his bag to the side of the closed door, and sitting next to her on her bed. 'Can't I just stay here? I'll live in your wardrobe, or under your bed… or in your bed.'

Bella giggled and shook her head. 'Sorry, James.' She gave him a quick kiss. 'Your parents might wonder where you are.'

He nodded and stood up again, picking up the cloak. 'Might as well put this on, if you don't want me to be seen.'

'Andromeda would kill me.' Bella sighed, as she watched James disappear under the cloak once more. His bag then followed him under the cloak. Bella smiled in the direction she'd last seen James, before opening the door, and assuming he was following her.

She didn't even know why she was acting so cautious, no one could see James, so there was no reason to act suspicious. The only problem would be if someone came in while James was leaving through the fireplace. That could get awkward. She opened the kitchen door and peered her head around. Empty. Perfect. She walked into the room and waited a moment.

'James?' She hissed. It was beginning to get on her nerves that she didn't know where he was. A glass fell off the kitchen table.

'Shit!' She heard James' voice issue from that direction. Bella rolled her eyes and shut the door. She approached the glass and put her hand out in front of her, and as she suspected, she felt the material of the cloak. She whipped it off James. He spun around.

'Sorry,' He grinned, pushing the fragments of glass under the table with his foot.

'Don't worry about it,' Bella aimed her hand over the glass. It flew up towards the table again, and began sticking itself back together again. James' jaw dropped.

'Bloody hell.' James breathed. 'That's a neat trick.'

'Thanks,' Bella smirked.

'So you don't even need your wand to do stuff like that?' James was still awestruck over it, even as Bella replied with such collectedness.

'Not for the simple things,' Bella shrugged. 'Slughorn taught me some stuff last year about using magic without a wand.'

'Slughorn?'

'Yeah,' Bella nodded, not seeing anything wrong with this. 'he's my head of house.'

'Oh, yeah, of course.' James replied, realisation spreading over his face. 'Forgot about that. I'm used to going to Dumbledore for everything.'

'Hmm.' Bella didn't bother responding to that. Professor Dumbledore had never really liked her, and that feeling was entirely mutual. Transfiguration lessons were simply a doss lesson for her, as she refused to do any work in that lesson.

'He's not bad you know,' James had a weak attempt at persuading her.

'You ought to know better than to try and change my mind.' She laughed. 'It doesn't happen often.'

'Alright, alright, just saying,' James beamed at her. 'I'll just go then…'

'Yes,' Bella told him forcefully, but still with a smile. James put on sad expression. Bella simply raised her eyebrow. She gave in and smiled at him, then kissed his cheek. 'Go on, then!'

'Fine!' James laughed. He grabbed his bag and the cloak, and stood in the fireplace. Bella held out the Floo Powder pot to him. He took a handful of the silvery powder, and dropped it at his feet.

'Godric's Hollow.' And he was gone.

Bella exhaled and smiled to herself. Even she, who was so good at hiding things, could not deny her feelings for James Potter. But she'd try, and try so hard.

She decided she would go and see Narcissa after all, she did actually enjoy their catch-up chats. And she felt a twinge of guilt about being so snappy with her earlier. She flicked her hand towards the kettle, and it began to boil, then empty the contents into two mugs. She picked up the cups as the hot liquid began to turn chocolate-like. Perfect.

Bella picked up the cups and made her way to Narcissa's bedroom, gently kicking the door open with her foot. She saw her sister curled up on her bed, reading a book. She looked up at her and smiled, shutting the book.

'Peace offering?' Bella grinned at her as she handed her the hot chocolate.

'Accepted.' Narcissa smiled back, taking a sip. Bella dragged the chair from the window closer to the bed and sunk down into it.

'Good night then? That Malfoy kid treating you right?'

'Absolutely,' Narcissa answered both questions, accompanied by her girly giggle. 'he's lovely.' She concluded. Bella simply nodded at her, waiting for more information. None came.

'Oh.' She said finally.

'I don't know why you have such an issue with him. He's a really nice guy, he comes from a good family…'

'He's seems like the kind of guy who always gets what he wants, that's all.' Bella voiced her opinion.

'What do you mean?'

'You are the most naïve person I've ever met.' Bella said quietly.

'I still don't get you…'

Bella sighed and just spat it out. 'He seems like the type of guy who will get his own way with you. Get all close to you and seem really nice – then next thing you know you're pregnant and he's nowhere to be found.'

'Bella!' Narcissa gasped. Bella couldn't help but smirk at her innocent reaction. 'I'm thirteen!'

She shrugged. 'Means nothing.'

'Ugh,' Narcissa shivered. 'well, anyway, Lucius is a really nice guy and I really like him… whatever you think about him.'

'Good,' Bella decided. 'you're standing up for yourself.'

'Yes,' Narcissa's voice dwindled and simply became a mumble, all the previous fire she had suddenly gone. 'And what about you then? I heard Annie complaining that you were in her room with a guy…?' Narcissa turned the tables on her sister.

'Oh…' Bella remembered that she'd forgotten to think of something. 'Right, yeah.'

'Come on then,' Narcissa probed. 'who was it?'

'I…' Bella stammered, trying to make it look like it was embarrassment rather than nerves. 'I made a stupid mistake and I shouldn't have.'

'That's not like you.'

'To make mistakes?'

'To admit them,' Narcissa corrected her. 'but who was it? It's not like I'm going to spread gossip about my own sister.'

'I guess not.' Bella sighed. She wanted to tell her sister the truth, and she knew she wouldn't mind. But there was just something stopping her, and she couldn't put her finger on it. 'Don't judge me.'

'I won't.' She promised.

Bella took one final chance to argue with herself. The part of her that wanted her to be honest with her sister was putting up a hard battle.

'James Potter.' Bella said in tone near a whisper. Narcissa didn't move. She was frozen starring at her sister.

'When you said you did something stupid… I thought… I mean, I didn't think it could be…'

'I didn't do something stupid,' Bella said quickly. 'I had half a mind to tell you it was Roddy. That would have been a stupid thing to do.'

Narcissa gaped at her. 'And getting off with James Potter isn't stupid? What if Sirius finds out? What if he tells someone? Most of our house would turn against you like that!' She snapped her fingers for effect. Bella rolled her eyes; her sister was being melodramatic.

'No one's gonna find out.'

'So you didn't sleep with him then?'

'What? No!'

'So, he's not the person that spent the night in your room, then?'

'What?' Bella spat. He said no one saw him! Narcissa raised her eyebrows at her sister. 'How did you know?' She caved.

'I heard you talking this morning, before I came in. I heard voices – so I listened. I knew you were with someone, I just couldn't place the voice.'

'Okay, he stayed over,' Bella gave in again. If there was one person who could always appeal to her better side, it was her little sister. 'but I didn't sleep with him. Nothing like that happened. Honestly.' She laughed as a doubtful expression crept onto her sister's face.

'Now why don't I believe you?' Narcissa smirked.

'Because under any other circumstance I would have done. I know that. You know that. But I didn't. And besides, would it really have been the best idea for me to lose my virginity to James Potter? Someone of my standing, to lose it to him? I don't think so.' That was why Bella had accused James of being bitter about it. She assumed that the only reason he agreed to stay over was because he thought he'd sleep with her. Bella never really had any intention of it, but the thought had only occurred to her in the morning that James might not have seen it that way.

'Now, that I believe.' Narcissa agreed. 'And come off it – you can't seriously be a virgin, Bella.'

Bella raised her hand. 'I swear.' She grinned. 'I might come over like a slut, but I'm not.' She laughed.

Narcissa laughed. 'I'd know all about that.'

Bella sat back, feeling somewhat relieved that she'd told her sister the truth. However, that feeling was still sitting at the back of her mind that she'd rather not have admitted it. She didn't like the idea that someone else knew that, even if she'd trust that person with her life.