Chapter 4

" Come on Lucy, help me out here! You know I don't know the counter spell!" I heard a voice yell over the noise of the crowded common room.

I guess trying to nap in one of the armchairs by the fire on a Friday night may be more difficult then I thought.

It seemed like everyone and their brother was in the common room except for my friends, hence the nap I'm trying to squeeze in before they return. It seemed like everyone I knew played for the house Quiddich team. Unfortunately I lack the broomstick skills that both my siblings possess and was not picked to play when I tried out during second year and have never attempted again. Rose on the other hand, who is also terrible on a broom apparently she got it from her Mum, used her organization skills and ability to make strategies/ plays to become the teams " Everyday needs supervisor". She called her self this, because she didn't like the title of towel girl. This meant that even though she wasn't on a broomstick she still had to attend all evening practices and watch them and tell them what they needed to work on in order to make things happen. To me this seams like it would be the Al's job since he's the captain, but then again he is also playing and tends to miss things. She's had this position since third year.

Over the roar of noise that had been the common room all evening I heard my name.

" Ry Ry were back" I turned around to see a whole group of people standing in Quiddich robes looking around for someone.

" Over here guys" I called out waving from my seat.

My sister Bridget was the one who saw me first and drug the rest of the team over to me.

" Hey Riley, how's your Friday night been?" Bridget asked sitting down on the floor.

" Loads better now that all of you guys are back, I thought I was going to die of boredom"

Everyone burst out laughing and I took this opportunity to scan their faces. All of them were covered in sweat and grime, although how they get so dirty when their only flying is a mystery to me, with wind swept and tangled hair. They all also were wearing large smiles, especially Al and Liam. This couldn't be good.

" So Rye bread got any plans for the night?" Liam said as he casually sat down in the seat next to me.

I eyed him suspiciously.

" Well as of right now no. I was waiting for Rose to get back and see what she was up to. Why?"

"Well" Liam began looking over at Al for support as the rest of the team stood around watching our conversation. " I heard from Maggie"

"Maggie who?" I asked.

" You know Maggie Brown, the red head who's in Ravenclaw and is best mates with Claire".

I nodded my head. I did know Maggie; I just never really associated with her unless we were partners in class.

"Well she told me today in Charms that there's going to be a…." He paused thinking of the right wording " a small get together in the Room of Requirement tonight and I was wondering if you want to come."

I looked at him. This wasn't the first time I had been invited to a party in the Room of Requirement, but it was the first time Liam had asked me to go to one. I stared at him and I saw his eyes briefly flit over to someone standing with the team and then back to me. I followed the direction of where his eyes had been and found myself looking at Rose.

I cocked my head at her and she shook her head furiously mouthing the word no over and over again. I was about to turn back to Liam and tell him that I just wasn't feeling up to a party tonight when a movement above Roses head caught my eye. Al was standing behind her mouthing something, but I couldn't make it out.

Scorpions will bother?

What? That makes no sense. Maybe if I squint. Hmm

Scorpius will be there. Al mouthed again.

Oh! I almost said out loud catching on. Al and Liam, as well as everyone else who was friends with Rose Weasley, knew that she had taken a bit of a fancy to Scorpius Malfoy the past few weeks of term. They wanted Rose to go to party so she could talk to him. They also knew that if I didn't go she wouldn't go.

Well, that just wont do.

I turned back to Liam.

" Liam, I would love to go to the get together," I said with a wink.

"Excellent" Liam said with a smirk. I heard a groan behind me.

"Does this mean you'll go to?" Al asked looking down at Rose.

" Apparently, since there's going to be nothing else to do besides hang around with third years" Rose said into her hands.

"Brilliant, will see the rest of you lot there." Al said as he and Liam made their way up the boy's staircase to their dormitory.

I turned back to Rose. By this point the rest of the team had dispersed, gone to get themselves ready for the nights festivities.

"You just couldn't say no could you?" Rose said as she stamped past me heading up the stairs to our room.

"You know Rosie a party might do us a bit of good. It's been at least a month since we let off any steam" I said as I scrambled up the steps after her.

Rose stopped a few steps ahead and turned around smirking at me.

"This has nothing to do with the fact that it was Liam who asked you right?"

I felt my face flush.

"No" I stammered out. Just because I think he's fit as hell doesn't mean anything, also how on Earth did Rose know I secretly fancied him?

" You sure about that Ry?"

" Yes" I said coolly

" So the fact that I see you constantly ogling his arse has nothing to do with you saying yes?"

" And the fact that you constantly ogle Scorpius's has nothing to do with you saying no?" I countered.

" Toushe" Rose said as she turned and walked up the rest of the stairs into our dorm.

Do you know how fast time flies when you've had one to many shots of fire whisky? The 'small get together' Liam had been talking about earlier had grown into a full on party. There were people everywhere; music was playing so loud the chandelier was rattling. Someone had also managed to acquire a large amount of adult beverages and I found myself way past tipsy.

Slowly I made my way through the crowd where Rose was sitting with a group of people. Glancing around, as I sat down next to Rose, I saw that Liam and Scorpius were there. As well as Al and of course Claire, who had seated herself snugly into Al's lap. Thank Merlin Morgan wasn't here (she had something going on with her fellow puffers apparently) she would never allow for us to sit here. Or if we did she would bitch the whole time about Claire. Honestly she was beginning to annoy me about the whole situation. Its like she just didn't believe that I was working on breaking them up. These things take time, and I wasn't too comfortable with the whole home wrecker thing. Its not normally part of my personality.

" Any one up for a game of Smack?" Scorpius asked breaking me out of my thoughts.

" Yeah, I'm up for a game. As long as those who play don't blab about what happens the next day" Liam said as he glared at a brunet who was sitting a few people over to my left.

"Its not my fault" the brunet girl practically screamed looking like she was on the verge of tears.

I see some people can't hold their alcohol

"No ones saying it is your fault Colleen, just try to keep the information to your self next time" Maggie Brown said as she rested a reassuring hand on the girl's knee.

" I will. I promise it wont happen again," Colleen said a bit desperately.

I looked around blankly. I had attended these parties in the past but I have never played this game before. I leaned over to Rose seeking an explanation.

" How do you play this?"

Rose tilted her head towards me to me. Her breath smelled sweet like fire whiskey.

"Well, its kind of a combination of ten fingers, and truth or dare. When it's your turn you have to come up with something that applies to you, something good mind you no lame stuff like I've never left Europe. Everyone who it applies to as well has to take a drink. Then anyone who else who it doesn't apply to has to step forward or raise their hand or something, just make yourself known. Then out of that group the person who made the original statement that round picks someone. If you get picked you have to answer a question or you can chose to be dared. It's a pretty fun game and you find out a lot of information about everyone. You'd be amazed at how much shit people have done considering were stuck in boarding school for more then half the year."

" Why do they call it Smack?" I asked more intrigued by the title now that I knew what the game would initial.

"Well as far as I can tell James and a few of my older cousins made it up a few years back and when one of them, I think it was Freddie, found out some of the stuff they admitted or did during the game they just started smacking their head on the table, because they were so embarrassed. They just started calling it that and because most people end up feeling regretful in the morning and the name stuck."

I nodded my head and grabbed a drink off the tray that was being passed around.

Everyone looked to Al so I followed suit. He cleared his throat adjusted Claire on his lap and began to speak

" I've gone skinny dipping"

I felt myself blush as I brought the glass to my lips and took a sip along with a few other people in the circle.

Hey don't judge, I have a lake close by at home and it's very refreshing on a hot summer night to go for a dip in the nude.

I felt someone's eyes on me and turned to see whom it was. Liam was smirking at me from across the circle. I slyly winked at him. His grin just widened and he winked back.

Rose was right you did find out a lot of interesting stuff about fellow students. So far I learned that Colleen, who's an easy crier has snogged with a boy from every house, Liam gets people to write his charms essays for him, Al wasn't potty trained until he was five (apparently James told him there was a monster in the toilet that would grab him if he sat on it), along with other interesting tidbits from the others in the circle. The secrets just kept pouring out. Now I see why people would be pissed if Colleen blabbed after the game. So far I've seemed to get out of most things. Either the things that people are saying about them selves apply to me or when they don't I've only had to answer some pretty mild questions and do one lame dare.

Claire was up next and I braced myself as I felt her ice blue eyes scan all of our faces. I don't know why but I felt like she looked at me for a moment longer then everyone else.

" I've had sex"

She didn't beat around the bush like most of us had been doing she just went strait to the point. I looked around and saw a few people had raised their glasses to their lips including Al. I however did not and shockingly at least to me neither did Liam.

Claire just grinned wickedly at Liam,

"Still haven't done it yet Liam? I thought you would have done the deed over the summer for sure."

" Lay off, Claire" Al said giving her a little push.

" Fine. Truth or Dare Liam" Claire asked her voice taking on a frosty tone. Clearly she didn't like being reprimanded by Al in front of a crowed. I thought she did step out of line singling out Liam though.

" Dare" Liam said. His dark brown eyes never leaving Claire's.

" Hmm I dare you to snog little Miss. Prude over there" Claire said pointing to me.

" I am not a prude," I all but yelled.

I saw Claire's eyes flash.

Was she trying to get back at me for having Al read over my paper the other day? If so she really needs to get a life and let shit go. Seriously.

" Prove it," she said in a harsh voice.

I got up out of my seat and made my way over to Liam. Rage was coursing through my veins. How dare she call me a prude just because I haven't had sex! What a bitch. I'll show her I'll make sure I'm the best snog Liam's ever had! As I neared him I felt my nerves kicking in though. Yes I still get nervous when I'm about to song a fit boy, one that I might kind of fancy as well.

I gently placed my hands on ether side of Liam's face. Looked into his coco colored eyes and kissed him.

You know how in books and movies time seams to slow down and your whole body feels like its erupting with some sort of explosion. Well that didn't happen. Not. A. Tiny. Bit. All I felt was his hot lips on mine, the sharp taste of alcohol on his breath and the feel of his hands in my honey colored hair.

I tried; I really tried to get into the kiss. I mean I've fancied (there I said it) Liam since the end of last term! He's smart, fit, and plays Quiddich! What more can you want in a boy?

After a few more moments I pulled away. Again I looked up into his eyes and saw them looking back at me questioningly.

"What a lovely show. I guess your not a prude after all Riley, your just a slag"

That snapped me back to reality. I quickly turned and faced Claire. Everyone around us had gone silent, and the noises of the party that I had forgotten about filled the silence.

I stared defiantly back at Claire meeting her now icy blue eyes with my rage filled dark blue. I opened my mouth to speak but someone beat me to it.

" Merlin Claire you're a bitch and you know it"

Liam was standing up for me.

" Come on Rye Bread I've had enough of this lets go back to the common room" Liam said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me through the crowed, out the door into the hallway.

As soon as we put a floor in between the party and us he dropped my hand.

" You know I think you're fit and a damn good snog" I blushed at this " but I'm kind of interested in someone, would you mind keeping all of this on the down low?" Liam asked his brown eyes pleading.

I smiled at him.

" No problem"

We walked in silence for few moments before I broke the silence.

" I'm sorry"

" For what?" Liam asked looking at me confused.

"Claire daring you to kiss me"

Liam began to laugh

"How is Claire being a bitch your fault?"

"Because, Claire is pissed at me because I asked Al to read my transfiguration essay in the library the other day and if she wasn't mad she wouldn't have dared you to snog me"

" Claire is pissed at you because Al read an essay of yours?" Liam asked sounding confused again.

" I guess, she's been a bitch to me ever since that night. In potions the other day after she saw Al and I walk out of transfiguration together she purposely broke my vile that held my sample so I would get a zero for the day. Its almost like" But is stopped myself. I almost told him about how I was trying to break Al and Claire up.

" Almost like what?" Liam questioned.

" Nothing" I responded quickly.

We were back in the common room. I quickly said good night and scurried up to my dorm.

That was to close. Note to self when drinking be careful about what you're going to share with other people.

Wow I'm really on a roll right now! I'm still looking for a bata if anyone's interested. Reviews of any kind are welcome. :)