Disclaimer: (woeful sigh) I don't own Harry Potter.

From this chapter I'm going to start doing first person point of view, 'cause it gets a little more emotional from here. :)

Ally POV:

Today was the first day of classes. I sighed as I dragged myself out of bed. Talia Thomas and Ciara Finnigan, my dorm mates, were still asleep.

While I was getting ready, Talia woke up and muttered, "Are you nuts, Ally? You're already up?!"

Ciara said, "She's a Prefect, Tal, whaddya expect?"

I rolled my eyes, grabbed my bag, and headed down to the Great Hall.

"Might want to hurry and get up. Classes start in an hour," I called behind me, grinning as I heard their panicked screams.

Rose, of course, was waiting for me at the Gryffindor table.

"Hey Rosie," I said as I sat down next to her.

"Hi Ally," she said.

"So how's sharing a dorm with Malfoy going?" I asked her, concerned.

"Not too bad," Rose said, looking nervous, "Allyson, I wanted to talk to you about that, actually."

"Go on."

"Last night, before I went to bed... Malfoy wished me goodnight. He wished me goodnight, Ally!" Rose looked panicked and confused.

"How do you know he wasn't just messing with you?" I asked, cocking my head.

She calmed down, "Yeah, that's probably it. What's your first class?"

"Potions. You?" I hoped she was in the same class.

"Transfiguration. Darn," Rose grumbled, piling her plate with sausage and eggs.

I smiled; Rose could always manage to cheer me up.

I was reading a book from the new Muggle manga series I'd gotten hooked on, Inuyasha, in Potions, waiting for class to start, when I heard the chair next to me move. I turned and saw Albus bloody Potter of all people sitting next to me.

"Hullo, Lady Allyson," he smiled at me. Smiled! Not smirked!, "How are you this fine morning?"

I stared at him as if he had grown a second head.

"What are you reading?" Albus plucked the book out of my hand and read the title, "Inuyasha. Hm, seems interesting. What's it about?"

"Why are you talking to me, Potter?" I snapped, coming out of my shock.

"Why shouldn't I talk to you, hm?" he answered.

Just then, the old Potions professor, Professor Slughorn, stood up.

"Hello, students!" he said, "Ready for your Seventh Year Potions?"

A chorus of halfhearted Yeahs responded.

"Well," Slughorn said, ignoring the unenthusiastic response he had received, "The person you are sitting next to will be your Potions partner for the rest of the year."

I was horrified. Potter was my partner for the entire year?!

"What?" I whisper-screamed.

Slughorn noticed, "Something the matter, Miss Dixie?"

I shook my head mutely.

"Today we will be brewing the Draught of the Living Death! Page 124 in your books! Get started!" he laughed heartily.

"How about I get started in cutting the Sophophorus bean and you get started with the African sea salt?" Albus suggested.

I just nodded. We worked side by side silently until Albus broke the quiet.

"Look, Ally," wait. Had he just called me Ally?," I'm sorry, okay? I was really mean to you these past few years, when I really didn't have a good reason to. Please forgive me."

I looked at him. He seemed sincere.

"Okay," I sighed, "But no more teasing, okay?"

Albus visibly brightened and nodded. He was that happy I had forgiven him?

Slughorn told us to pour out finished potions into a vial and leave it on his desk. I did it as quickly as possible and got the hell out of there. I had Charms next, luckily with Rose, and I needed to speak to her.

Albus POV:

I smiled smugly as I watched Ally go.

Scorp came up to me, "I reckon you had good luck, mate?"

"She forgave me," I said, practically skipping to our next class.

"You seem happy," he remarked, "Someone fancies Dixie."

"Nope!" I grinned, "I'm just happy that I'll soon be fifty Galleons richer!"

Noooo! Ally, don't fall for Al's tricks!

Don't worry, though. Albus will stop being a jerk soon 'cause he'll realize he has feelings for Ally.

Review, review, review!