Bella's black dress still looked stunning as she walked with Lucy down to the Great Hall. She shocked herself at the fact she was actually nervous. She could feel the imaginary butterflies in her stomach. And it was almost purely because she knew James would be watching her.

Lucy looked fantastic in her little navy dress, and it complimented her lightly tanned skin perfectly. She met up with Alex outside the Great Hall, and gave Bella a sympathetic smile as she linked his arm. Bella didn't have a date for this event – she didn't want one. Abby had already wandered down earlier with Matt, and probably wouldn't be seen again until tomorrow morning.

She didn't need to be told that she was required to go her own way now, as she simply stepped past them and strolled by herself into the Great Hall. It was just as she'd feared it would be. All the house tables had gone, and been replaced with many sets of round tables with chairs around them, with white table clothes and a lavish floral display adorning each of them. A space was cleared in the centre, in front of the staff table, which was evidently a dance floor. Bella swallowed. If there was one thing she hated more than organised fun, such as this - it was dancing. She had a natural rhythm, but not the sort that allowed her to be able to dance without feeling like a fool. She could rhythmically fire off spells at people for maximum effect, but place her in the arms of a man on a dance floor with some classical music, and she was like a frightened horse on a frozen lake.

Her eyes scanned the room for a point of interest, and she found the bar. Excellent. It wasn't as if it was a proper bar, but she could at least sit there and not have to worry about making conversation with people she hated the sight of.

Serving at the bar was none other than Chesney Larkin, the Ravenclaw Seeker and Captain. He grinned at Bella, knowing there was a bit of friendly rivalry between them. He pushed a glass in her direction. She looked up at him, taking the glass, but not drinking from it.

'Because I know you can't enjoy yourself without it.' He winked at her like he was mocking her. She glared playfully at him before taking a sip, before she realised it wasn't a drink you could sip. She downed it almost skilfully and thrust it back at him. He stored it somewhere under the bar.

'Alone?' He asked, trying to casually eye her up.

'Yes,' She said strongly. 'and I intend on it staying that way.'

Chesney shrugged. 'Fine by me.'

'You here all night?' Bella asked him, a little shocked that they'd stop him from enjoying the party by keeping him at the bar all evening.

'No,' He replied. 'but I don't mind staying longer than I have to. I don't have a date, and I can't dance to save my life.'

'Lucky for you you'll never have to dance someone to death.' Bella joked. Chesney grinned in agreement. He was about to say something else to her, when the music began and it seemed apparent that the dancing was going to start imminently. She watched as couples in expensive dresses and sharp suits took to the floor. She noticed James and Lily were amongst them, but Lily didn't look pleased about it. Her long red hair was gently curled down her back, but she was giving James a hard stare as he tried to be as romantic as he could while leading her around the floor. She was having none of it. In fact, as soon as the soft music had finished playing, she stormed away from him and into the trophy room. Bella wondered what she could be doing in there, but she wasn't curious enough to follow her and find out. Instead, her attentions were focused on James, as he was evidently making a beeline for her. She aimed an evil smile in his direction.

'Black,' He addressed her angrily. 'what did you say to her?'

Bella gave him a quizzical look. 'What?'

'Lily. What did you say to her?' He repeated.

'I still don't know what you mean,' Bella answered heatedly, not liking his tone one bit. 'I didn't say anything to her.'

'Don't lie,' James shot back, his eyes almost piercing. 'she keeps mentioning you. Keeps saying I'm looking at you. She says I want you, not her.'

Bella sat stunned staring at him. She really said those things? Did that make them true? Even just a little bit?

'Then tell her she's wrong.'

'I have.' James said, through gritted teeth.

'Evidently not convincingly enough.'

'Apparently.' James sighed. He slouched down into the seat next to her, all that anger seemed to be just a façade. He was clearly feeling more defeated than anything else.

'Maybe…' he started to say, but cut himself short.

'Maybe, what?' Bella pried, too curious to let it go. He observed her for a moment. That dress… it was the one he picked out. He adored it on her, it just made everything about her stand out. She was perfect anyway, but it just made her seem even more so; slim, but not skinny; curvy, but not too much… perfect. And her hair, falling all round her face, those tight curls just escaping all around her. Untameable. 'James?'

'Ah? What?' He shook his head. 'Sorry?'

Bella smirked at him. 'I said, maybe, what?'

'Oh,' James appeared to blush a little, but it must have been a trick of the light. 'just thinking, maybe what Lily's saying…' He stopped again, having an internal argument with himself. 'Nothing.' He concluded.

Bella sat for a moment, saying nothing. What did he mean? What Lily's saying was what? She tried to push it out of her mind. After all, whatever he was going to say was irrelevant. Why did it matter? It didn't. Or at least that's what she told herself. Soon she'd go back and see Tom Riddle, maybe over the Christmas holidays, and that would be nice. He'd teach her something else, they'd have a chat… he'd give her that look again. It would be lovely.

'Bella,' Someone else interrupted her internal musings – and it wasn't James. It was Roddy. 'can we talk?'

She sighed and gave James an almost apologetic look, but it was more sarcastic than anything else. He smirked at her and let her leave without another word, as she followed Roddy outside.

'It's cold.' She commented without thinking, as the chilly winter air whipped around her bare arms.

'Want my jacket?' Roddy offered. She shook her head, as he knew she would. There was no helping her.

'So,' She started, looking him in the eyes. 'what's up?'

'I guess I just wanted to remind you of something,' He said quietly, trying to pluck up the courage to meet her sharp gaze. Eventually he forced himself to do so, and stare into her impossibly dark eyes. He swallowed hard.

'Remind me what?'

'Remind you that I still feel the way I did before.'

Bella remained silent. She didn't want reminding of this. She'd hoped he could move on. She wanted him to move on so badly. When she didn't answer, Roddy took it as another opportunity to speak.

'I know it might be stupid to say this – it's probably too soon,' He paused and glanced around them before continuing. 'I still love you, Bellatrix.' She still didn't reply. She was too shocked. She wanted desperately to turn and literally run back into the Great Hall, but she couldn't even if she wanted to, her feet had rooted to the spot. Roddy misinterpreted this silence as compliance, and leant towards her to try and kiss her. In reflex, the first thing Bella could think to do was slap him. And she did.

He stepped back, his hand clutched to his cheek, glaring at her. She maintained the hard stare she was so skilled at.

'Don't.' She told him. 'Just don't.'

He snapped his hand away from his face. 'You'll always be mine, Bellatrix. Don't try to deny it.' His tone scared her, sent a shiver down her spine.

She drew her wand, which she'd been keeping discretely down the front of her dress. He didn't seem fazed by this, as he was overcome by his emotions and anger. He should have thought better of it. As he made another advance at her, Bella fired a spell at him, and she wasn't even sure what it was. A powerful wind flew around him, breaking branches off the nearby trees. It wasn't like the last times she let her emotions take over, this was different. This wasn't anger, this was passion. The passion of feeling let down, of being misled, of being hurt, and of being betrayed. It was everything she associated with Roddy.

He staggered backwards as she whirlwind died down, his hair flustered all around him, and rips now showing themselves in his suit.

'You little bitch!' He shouted back at her, rage emitting from him like a glow. Bella took a few involuntary steps backwards. She admitted she was scared now. She'd never been able to do that before, but she was willing to admit it now. She'd scream it from the rooftops if it meant she could get out of that situation. It wasn't because she was in fear of violence, because she knew she could handle that, it was fear something else. Roddy wasn't threatening her violently, she'd have known that. It was the lust and hunger in his eyes that frightened her to her very core. She was terrified of him right then – in fear of being hurt in a whole other way. Against someone like him, so well built and tall, she'd have no chance of ever being able to push him off her. Her head couldn't try to hide it from her anymore, and it burst through the centres of the mind like an overflowing reservoir. She was scared of being raped.

A sharp ring echoed through the silence for a second, only a second, and Roddy fell forwards, Bella skidding backwards to avoid his body crushing her as he hit the floor like a boulder. She looked up through the tears she hadn't realised she had, and saw the concerned face of James Potter. She didn't have time to even think, she ran at him, letting him embrace her if only to feel safe. His arms wrapped around her and she felt warmth spread through her.

'He didn't touch you, did he?' James whispered to her. Bella shook her head, though it was still buried in his shoulder. She felt him relax slightly. 'Good.' He stroked her hair caringly.

'Thank you,' She told him quietly, her hands winding around his neck.

'Would never have hesitated to do it again.' James told her softly. Bella nuzzled back into the niche between his neck and shoulder. It felt like home to be back in his arms.

'D'you know what I was going to say to you before? In the Hall?' He asked her, although Bella knew it didn't require an answer. Before he got the chance to answer, there was shout from nearby.

'James? What the hell are you doing?' It was Sirius. He was angry. He knew. Bella looked up at James, pulling back a little, but only to be able to look him in the eyes.

He didn't even look back at his friend. He didn't care if he heard.

'Maybe what Lily says is true.'

And he turned away to Sirius, pushing Bella gently back towards the doors. The last thing she heard was Sirius shouting obscenities at his best friend. He didn't deserve it. Bella leaned against the wall of the Great Hall, oblivious to what was going on around her, the music just washing over her.

Lily was right. And Bella wanted James just as much as he wanted her.