It Hit Me Like Never Before

by The Hazel Eyed

HP!Glee crossover. Starts at their first year at Hogwarts, and ends at their last. This is the story of Santana and Brittany, how they grow up together and how they end up together.

4. Fourth year

AN:

Hi guys. I'm sorry for taking such a long time with this chapter, but school has been killing me and I've been struggling with a huge writers block for a long time.

I'd really appreciate if you could tell me what you think of this chapter! I've been working really hard on it.

Soundtracks of this chapter:

Born to Die by Lana Del Rey

Never Let Me Go by Florence + the Machine

---

Over the summer, a lot changed. They all grew into teenagers, their bodies drastically matured in just a month or two. Santana even could sense the change in her own body, as her breast grew and her features changed.

Quinn, who had really worked hard over the summer to take control over her metamorphagi, but of course she had problems when she gets angry or really scared. When it reached that point, she couldn't really control it at all and went all crazy.

Draco, she had to say, had become quite handsome. Not that Santana liked him in that way, or ever would (just.. eww), she had to admit that he was easy on the eye. The teenage boy hormones where all around the place, sometimes he could be really sweet and the next minute he was all depressing and shit.

They all had become great friends, not that they weren't before this summer. But if you go through a lot together, the bond have a tendency to grow stronger. Like that time when Quinn talked back to her dad, and he hit her across the face. Or when they walked in on Santana when she was practicing animagi.

And that time when Quinn and her walked in on Draco when he was masturbating.

Yeah...

Other than that, they enjoyed that their parents were with them the whole summer. It was like a big happy family, because you could really tell that they all missed each other dearly. Even if the teenagers were never to admit that.

Brittany and her had never once stopped writing each other. Santana just decided to not give a shit about what her parents thought, and took their owl to write her friend. Each day became unbearable, she longed to see her, even just for a minute. The letter become more, and more intimate. She wouldn't be surprised if someone else read their letters, thought they were a couple.

She liked to describe the two of them as really, really great friends. But she wished for more.

"So," Mr. Lopez stood up from his seat around the table, eyeing everyone around the table. The Malfoys' and Fabrays' were gathered around it. "I am very happy to announce that we are indeed going to watch the Quidditch match, I already got the tickets."

Everybody smiles, and raises their glasses to toast. Draco, Santana and Quinn smirks at each other.

---

This is going to be awesome.

Dear Santana..

Today I found out that my dad has gotten us tickets for the Quidditch match, and I cannot wait until next week! Are you going to be there as well? I really hope so, because I miss you so much.

Lord Tubbington is getting bigger and bigger, I am a little afraid of his weight. But he told me that he's happy, so I'll leave him with that. He even caught a mouse yesterday, but I suspect that the mouse was dead already when it was found. I gave him chocolate anyway.

Germany this year is great, I love spending time with my family, and Cara has gotten so big. She adores me, and I think her mother is a little jealous sometimes. She's the most amazing child I have ever met, except the young you.

I want you to meet them someday, San. You are really important to me, and so are them. I would be so happy to be with my favorite persons all at once.

I miss the sound of your laugh, I wish you could send a little piece of it to me.

All my love,

Brittany S. Pierce.

---

There was a little heart scribbled down at the bottom.

Santana wrote a letter back as fast as she could, telling Brittany that she was going to be there. And that she wished she could meet her family as well.

Never once did she tell Brittany that she wanted her to meet the rest of her "family". By that, she mean the Fabray and Malfoy family.

Sure, Brittany could meet her best friends. But not their parents. That would be a disaster.

Just as she had sent the owl away to Brittany, Draco entered the room and slumped down at her couch.

"Writing Brittany, I presume?"

She nods as an answer, and closes her window. "Did you want anything particular?" she asks.

"I just wanted some company," he smiles and runs his hand through is blonde hair. "but I can go if you want to be alone?"

She sits down on the arm-rest next to him. "No, actually I was just ready to track you and Quinn down."

They're quiet for a few seconds, when Draco cuts the silence.

"You really like her, do you?"

He doesn't look at her, but out the window. She knows that he is referring to Brittany, so she just nods.

Draco seems to notice it, and he smiles and looks up, into her eyes.

"We've noticed," he says sincerely, making her smile a bit. "It doesn't bother us at all you know."

"I know." she answers, and run her fingers through his bangs, her eyes following the movements, while he looks out the window again.

"Quinn and I talked about it, and we both agree that we will help you as much as we can."

The air becomes a little thicker at once, and she could see him gulp when she removes her hand from his hair.

"I know you will."

Their eyes meet, and for a second they share the same thoughts.

And always will.

---

The following days are spent together with her friends. But then, she can't remember when they haven't spent a whole day together in a while. Caleb has traveled somewhere, and she can tell that her mother miss him a lot. But Lopezes doesn't dwell, and she isn't one to break that tradition.

Her father, Mr. Fabray and Mr. Malfoy are at the moment enjoying a glass of fire whiskey, while their wives are gossiping in the sofas', next to the fire. The three teenagers are playing with their wands in a corner of the room, making them spark with different colors.

"How are we going to get some fire whiskey?" Quinn asks them in a hushed tone, making the other two look up.

"I have no idea," Draco whispers, and then looks over his shoulder towards their parents. "perhaps we could steal a couple of bottles from your father, Satan?" he asks her when he turns his head back.

She is silent for a bit, considering the idea. They have arranged that they will have their own tent at the World Cup, and immediately they decided to throw a party, just a couple of friends and them.

"Maybe we could take some from mother's chocolate liqueur, and ask your house-elf if he could get the rest?"

Draco smirks at this, and again throws a look over his shoulder, just to be sure no one is listening.

"I can talk to him, leave it to me."

They continue planning the party, and they plan of having it after the big match is finished.

"Santana.. are you going to invite Brittany?"

Draco and Santana falls silent when they hear Quinn's question.

Her friends turns their head to her, their eyes wondering.

"I-I don't know.." she trails off, and Quinn raises an eyebrow at her. "Maybe, I guess."

"You guess?" Quinn asks with a little smile tugging on her lips, "we all now that you are crushing on this girl Santana. This could be your chance!"

"What if she doesn't like me back, huh?" Santana whispers back angrily, "I will not make a fool out of myself!"

Quinn only huffs, and leans back on her chair. "So what? Then you can move on!"

If you were to point out which of the three of them that was arguing the most, you could easily say that it was Santana and Quinn. Sure, they were best friends even before they met Draco, so he didn't really have the same relationship to them, as they had to each other.

They did argue, and they did fight. Mostly because Quinn didn't put up with her bullshit as much as Draco did. He mostly let Quinn take the part as the "bad guy", because she was better at it than himself. He was usually the one that calmed both of them down, and then made them have a mature conversation.

Point is, they all balanced each other out.

"Oh, really Quinn? Then I will lose her, she would never want to hang out with me if she didn't like me back!" Santana mirrors Quinn's movements and leans back on her chair as well.

Then they both cross their arms at the same time.

"Really, Santana? Do you really think that Brittany would do that?" She waves her wand around in the air, making yellow sparks appear. "Both you and I know that she would never do that!"

Draco nods at that, which makes Santana a little more irritated. "Oh? So if I were about to tell you that I was having the biggest crush on you, wouldn't it become really awkward?"

Quinn hesitates, and the yellow sparks stops flowing out of her wand. Draco is just sitting there, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Maybe you've got a point." Quinn finally admits

"Yeah."

Quinn leans forward, placing her elbows on the table. "But she likes you, too, you know."

"You don't know that." Is all Santana says back, looking down in her lap. "I like her, I do," she meets her friends gazes and they look back at her, encouraging her to continue.

"But I don't want to lose her over something like that."

---

She picks out some tight jeans, hiking-boots, a red cardigan and her green, long jacket to wear to the World Cup. Perfect for the weather at the moment, but she want to dress up later, so she packs her backpack with different clothes, and everything they will need.

Draco is handling the alcohol that he has got from Dobby, while Quinn sends out invitations to all of their friends that they want to come.

They're all dressed for travel, even if their parents are wearing nice clothes and they keep complaining, they don't want to stick out from the crowd that much. Maybe later.

When they are all packed up, and everyone is ready, they head out to the portkey in their yard. A minute later, they are at the Quidditch World Cup.

The first thing that she notices are how many people there is at such a small area. Their parents hold their heads high, and many of the people that were already partying, parts when they see them.

It hits her that they are afraid.

Never in her life has she felt so.. powerful. Because it all became clear now. That all of these people actually knew who they were, and what they had done. Maybe she was even a little ashamed.

Draco acted like this was normal for him, and maybe it was. Quinn on the other hand was completely new to this kind of thing, just like herself. So they just followed Draco's lead, holding their head up high.

She wanted to join these people, they were all so happy and a little drunk. There were people on brooms everywhere in the air above them, kids running around laughing and teenagers, like them, that were playing cards or singing.

Quinn and her exchanged smiles and hooked their arms together, after a while, even Draco let go of the snob-act and joined them. Their parents guided them to their tent and kind of left them there to take care of themselves.

They all had their own bedroom, and bathroom. And then there was a huge room, with sofas' and chairs, and then a huge kitchen area to the right.

Perfect for a party.

After a while, some of their Slytherin friends came to say hello, and to tell them that they were absolutely coming to the party later on.

Jesse and Sebastian had both become very mature over the summer, and seemed quite happy so meet them. They played some card-games, and every time Sebastian won.

Crabbe and Goyle came by as well, but couldn't stay because they weren't allowed to be anywhere without their parents. Some of their Quidditch teammates popped in, and everyone was having a good time as they served butterbeer and chatted.

It was kind of rare to see them all so relaxed and carefree. Santana knew that it was reputation and status on Hogwarts that made them so stuck-up.

She kind of liked all of them being like this.

It was two hours until the game began, so the three of them told their friends that they had to get going, and that they were all invited to the party later. They needed to get their own food, so Santana got the job as "food finder."

She was walking through a large crowd that was watching someone juggle with at least ten balls, when she heard a familiar laugh. And there, right in front of the food-trolley she had been looking for stood Brittany.

With that Abrams-boy. With her arm slung around his shoulder. And head tilted back in laughter.

Santana's blood started to boil, and she even became more angrier when she noticed that Artie had seen her, and was so taking advantage of the situation by wrapping an arm around Brittany's waist.

Like she was his fucking property.

She was just about to turn around, to find another trolley when Brittany spotted her and called her name. The blonde quickly unwrapped herself from Artie, and Santana could see how his face fell into a bitter scowl.

"SAN!"

Before she knows it, she is laying on the ground and enveloped in a tight hug. She quickly returns the embrace and ignores the faint pounding in her lower back.

"Hi Britt," she breathes into the blonde's ear, and she could have sworn that she felt Brittany shiver.

"Hi Santana," the gorgeous teen replies, and helps her up from the ground. Like last year, their eyes roam and take in as much as possible of the other girl.

Wow. Brittany has really become tall.. and muscular. And really... she notices that Brittany got hips, and legs. And breasts. Really.. hot.

Finally, she is looking into Brittany's eyes, and that familiar feeling comes rushing back to her. Her eyes are the most beautiful thing about her.

They're sparkling back at her with the same childlike glint as the last time they parted. She was standing in front of Brittany, the one person that made her feel all of these crazy feelings. It made her want to scream and jump. But it also made her almost cry.

God, she was so in love with this girl. It was insane.

The blonde was wearing a similar outfit as her, but she also has a scarf wrapped around her neck.

"God, I've missed you so much," Brittany whispers as she wraps her arms around her waist and buries her nose into her neck. "It's crazy."

Santana wraps her arms around her neck as fast as she can, sighs, and close her eyes. The smell of Brittany invades her and walls just tumbled down all at once.

This is how it as supposed to be all along, them, together.

"I've missed you too, B." She tilts her head and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek, and then lets go.

"What are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be with your friends?" Brittany asks as she takes her and leads her back to the trolley, where Artie is still waiting in line.

"I'm the food-searcher," she tells Brittany and gets a giggle in response. "They are preparing for the party we're having after the big match. You should come, B, and bring you friends."

"Yeah," Brittany smiles, "I'd like that."

They are way closer than how "normal" friends should be, and Santana knows this. But she doesn't give a crap about that right now. All she wants right now is to be close to the girl in front of her.

They arrive to the spot next to Artie, and he gives her a big fake smile as a greeting.

"Lopez." he says sweetly and she gives him a glare in return.

"Abrams."

Brittany starts talking about what she is going to order while Artie and her has a big staring competition. He eyes her up and down, and stops for a moment at their joint hands. Brittany is absently stroking her thumb up and down, and Santana smirks at him.

"What are you going to order, San?" Brittany asks her excitedly, and with that she decides to drop the little competition she and Artie is having.

"I don't know Britt. Quinn and Draco wanted some spaghetti-thingy and I guess I'll just get what they want."

Brittany nods, and because she is taller than Santana, looks over at the board of what food they have.

"They have pasta bolognese," Brittany tells her happily and rests her head on her shoulder. "I think I want that, too."

Santana just buries her nose into blonde hair, and can't really help that she places a kiss there.

She just smells so good.

They get their food, and then they part ways. (After five minutes of Brittany begging Santana to come with them, so they can spend 'special time' together. But Quinn and Draco maybe want to eat today.)

"We'll just see each other later, okay?" Santana murmurs into Brittany's hair. "I promise I'll find you later so we can watch the game together."

Brittany gives her a kiss on the cheek, really close to her mouth again that makes her want to kiss the crap out of the blonde. But that comes after she tells Brittany that she's in love with her, she decides in her head.

---

They all "dress up" a little before they head out of their tent. Santana is wearing long gray robes, and her deep red cloak with a pair of black boots, while Quinn has long gray robes as well, and black boots, but a green kind of cloak that matches her eyes perfectly.

Draco smiles big when he watches them do their hair, and put on some make-up.

"You both look beautiful, my ladies." he tells them, and they both just roll their eyes at him, with a hint of a smile playing at their lips.

Santana puts her hair in a ponytail, while Quinn does this braid that goes around her whole head.

Thirty minutes after, they are on their way up to the arena with their parents. They meet all of these important people that they have to make small talk with. Everything to put up with the status they have in the wizard world.

Her father gives her an approving nod as she starts talking to Cornelius Fudge, the Minister who has asked all of them to accompany him and his wife in his booth.

"So, I hear that you are the daughter of Álvaro, hm?" Cornelius smiles big and she raises her hand to let him kiss it.

"Santana, sir," she smiles back at him, and tries to give him all of her attention. But the only of that really has her attention these days are on her mind. She really just wants to get out of here so she can find Brittany.

"Pleasure to meet you, call me Cornelius."

She nods politely and he starts talking about his old Hogwarts years, when a familiar face climbs up the stairs.

Brittany's father. And her mother!

.. and Brittany.

The girl of her dreams was wearing dark, yellow robes and a light cloak that was gray. Around her neck she wore a necklace with a bright blue unicorn.

Cornelius, who had noticed that her attention was elsewhere, turned around and smiled when he get to see Brittany's father.

"Oh, how nice to see you, Henry! I see you brought Mary and Brittany along!"

He embraces the man, as Brittany's eyes finds her and immediately lights up. She can feel Quinn's presence beside her, before the now blonde girl speaks up.

"She's pretty. I can see what you see in her,"

Santana just nods dumbly, because Brittany is smiling at her so big and looks her up and down.

"And I like what she can do to you."

Santana watches as Cornelius kisses Brittany's knuckles, and then turns her head to Quinn.

"She's not doing anything to me." she growls, and quickly turns her scowl into a smile when someone walks past them and gives them a polite greeting.

Her scowl replaces within seconds when the person is gone.

"Sip it, Satan. You're whipped." Before she can wipe that smirk of her best friend's face, Brittany is in front of her again.

"San!" she says happily, but she doesn't hug her as she expected the tall blonde to do.

"Hi again, Britt." she says back and smiles back at her with a sappy expression.

Next to her, Quinn greets Santana's love interest as well, and compliments her choice of clothing.

Santana can't thank Quinn enough for really trying to be Brittany's friend, or at least be friendly with her. She can't really say the same about Artie. Not that she gives a crap about him, but she would be kind of sad if Quinn or Draco had that relation with Brittany.

But maybe that was a little different. Quinn and Draco knew that Brittany was a crush of hers. Maybe Brittany didn't like her after all, because then maybe Artie had been nice to her?

Or maybe he just wants her all to himself.

No, if he really was her friend, then he would accept Brittany's feelings. But of course.. if she didn't have any, what was there to accept?

She took a nervous sip of her champagne and crossed her arms lightly as she tried to catch up with what her friends were talking about. Brittany looked at her from the corner of her eye, but didn't say anything about her posture. That's when she heard her dad, a couple of feet away, greet someone.

"Henry, what a surprise." she can clearly make out the bitterness in his voice, so she turns her head towards the voices and finds her father, and Brittany's father greeting each other.

"Álvaro, it's a pleasure." Mr. Pierce greets, and shakes her father's gloved hand.

If she is not mistaken, Mr. Pierce looks a little worried, or even nervous. His wife, who is next to him, is talking to her mother, who seems to enjoy Mrs. Pierce company.

Mr. Lopez meets her gaze and motions for her to come over. Not wanting to make a scene of some kind, she excuses herself from Quinn and Brittany, and totally misses the sad look upon Brittany's face.

"There you are Santana, I want you to meet someone," Álvaro puts a hand at her shoulder and smiles wickedly at the man in front of them. "This is Henry, we went to school together, and now he works at a different part of the ministry than me."

"We've met already, haven't we, miss Lopez?" Mr. Pierce smiles at her and shakes her hand.

"Yes," she answers politely, and truly enjoy that the power has turned. She turns her head and looks up at her father, "he is Brittany's father."

Her father nods, and she looks at Quinn and Brittany, who has stopped talking and is just observing the sight in front of them.

"My, my! Is Santana here as well? How are you dear?" Mrs. Pierce quickly shakes her hand, and smiles admiringly at her.

"I'm great, Mrs. Pierce, how are you?" She can feel her mother's eyes on her, and she tries to be extra polite.

"Just fine dear, now, didn't I tell you to call me Mary?"

"I'm sorry, I must have forgotten," she says back, and she can feel that her mother is pleased. "If you excuse me." she smiles, and Mary nods. She makes her way back to Quinn and Brittany, who are still watching with big eyes.

Quinn is giving her the "What-the-fuck" look, while Brittany just looks really confused.

"What was that?" Quinn hisses in her ear, with Brittany carefully observing them.

"Nothing," she shrugs. "Father just wanted me to meet Mr. Pierce, but I've already met him and Mrs. Pierce."

But Quinn knows better, so she gives her a skeptical look, and is about to say something when the whole arena starts yelling. A flash of green flies across the field, and they know that the game has begun.

Brittany seems to have forgotten about the strange encounter between Santana and her father, because she takes her hand and drags her to the front so that they get the best seats to watch.

---

The game ended about an hour ago, and the party is at full blast. The music is beating, and there are many people in the tent. Brittany and her friends are there as well, even some Gryffindor people is there.

Santana is taking shots with Quinn and some other of the people there. It's some game called "I have never,"

They're getting pretty tipsy and giggly, and Jesse is kind of being all over her. She keeps pushing him away, but he keeps coming back.

Brittany is in the other sofa, sitting between Artie and some other Ravenclaw. She is watching her closely, and every time Jesse gets a little to close to her, Brittany glares daggers at him.

It makes Santana feel pretty fucking good. Because there is a possibility that Brittany is jealous.

"Okay, okay, okay.." Quinn hushes them, and they all grow quiet. "I have never kissed someone,"

Draco drank, and so did almost all of the boys except for Artie, who kept looking at Brittany at the corner of his eye. But she never returned the gaze, because hers was locked at Santana.

Neither did Santana or Brittany drink.

"I have never been in love."

Santana followed the voice, who came from Artie. He drank, and watched as Brittany drank with a pleased expression. She met Brittany's eyes, and drank slowly with their eyes locked.

It was like everybody else just disappeared around them, and suddenly everything just became too much.

Her feelings for Brittany, her destroyed relationship with her parents and the status of her family killed her. The alcohol wasn't exactly helping at all, only making it way worse than before.

She stands up, gives Brittany one more look before rushing into the bathroom. She closes the door and lean up against it for a second, before heading to the sink to splash some water on her face. Then she just stands there for a minute, seeing her face stare back at her through the mirror.

She sighs and is about to reach for a towel when something just feels wrong. As quickly as she can, she puts a towel to her face and heads back into the living room where no one has moved while she was gone. She scowls, and then there is someone coming through the door, and she notice that it's her dad.

He doesn't speak, just nods at her and she moves across the room and he pulls her closer until they are super-close.

"You need to get out of here, right now, Santana," he whispers in a hurry, "you will know why soon, but I need you to just listen to me. Get all of your friends out of here."

And then he is gone in a flash of black.

Santana blinks a couple of times, and tried to sober up as much as possible as she turns to the group behind her. Brittany is laughing at something, with her head thrown back again, and it almost makes her cry how truly beautiful she is.

"Quinn!" she hisses and her best friend comes to her side at once, giggling a little. Her father seemed really worried, and it is not like him."This is important, you need to sober the fuck up. Something is happening, we need to leave."

"Leave?" Quinn asks with her eyebrows knitted together. "Why?"

"Because my father was just here. Something is going on with him, we need to leave. Now."

Quinn's eyes widen, and seems to get the seriousness of it all. They both know that if Santana's father was worried about something, then they really had to listen.

While Quinn explains to Draco, Santana heads over to Brittany, who is currently talking to Artie about something. She is not really sorry for breaking up their conversation, considering her personal hate for the guy.

"Hey, Britt?" she calls when she is about five feet away, and Brittany turns her whole body against her voice with a giddy expression.

"Saaaan!" the blonde whines, and as soon as she gets into reach, Brittany pulls the latina into her lap. One of her arms wraps around her waist, and the other hand lands high on her thigh. "Where have you been? I missed you."

"Brittany," she says sternly, making the blonde look up to meet her eyes. "I need you to find your parents and make them travel home."

The blonde scowls, and she hears Artie huff next to her in annoyance.

"And why should she?" he asks and raises an eyebrow at her behind his thick glasses. "I have the responsibility of her tonight."

Santana turns her head towards him at this, and blushes deeply as Brittany's hand travel even higher on her thigh. Artie gives her a confused look, but she just continue like nothing has happened.

"Artie, I know we're not on the best terms," she pleads quietly and he looks even more confused. "Please, that her away from here right now."

They look into each other eyes, and they can both see the love the other have for the blonde Ravenclaw girl. And the last thing they want to happen is that she gets hurt.

"Please," she whispers again, and feels Brittany's lips trace the shell of her ear. It makes her breath hitch, and she gulps, to make sure that she doesn't make any weird sounds.

The party is still at full blast, and when she turns her head to look for Quinn and Draco, they are nowhere to be found.

Shit.

"Artie, right now." she growls before giving Brittany a loving kiss on her head and untangles herself from her protective arms.

"Britt, I'll see you at school. Okay?"

Then something happens that totally throws her off a cliff.

Brittany looks at her with these adoring eyes, and maybe a little displeased expression. She grabs the back of Santana's neck and pulls her close.

And kisses her.

At first the can't register what just happened, but then Brittany puts more pressure into it. Then her heads starts to spin. It's like cloud nine. It's like she has the world in the palm of her hand. It's like everything she has ever dreamed of seems so much smaller right now, when her biggest desire is being fulfilled. Her eyes flicker closed after watching every little freckle across Brittany's nose.

The kiss is not tongue or anything, just closed lips against closed lips, but it the best kiss she thinks she'll ever receive. Because it's so simple, but yet holds so much emotion and longing that it's almost too much for her. The scent of Brittany just seems to be controlling her, and the hand that is at the back of her neck, entwines into the little hairs there.

"Santana!"

The music turns off, and suddenly the pressure on her lips is gone. Brittany still has her eyes closed, and she just stares until they're open again. And it's the most beautiful sight she has ever seen. The blue eyes are shining with something she has never seen before, she can't really put a name to it.

Santana opens her mouth to say something, anything, but nothing comes out. The blue eyes just watches her in silence, and she stops trying and just let herself fall into those eyes.

"SANTANA!"

Draco's voice cuts through their little world, and she is just about to snap when she remembers where she is. With one quick look to the side, she sees Artie looking back at her with a defeated expression across his features, and she can only give him a "I'm so sorry" look, before she hisses out a "now."

Artie grabs a hold of Brittany around the waist, and stands up. He murmurs something to her, and Brittany just nods. Their eyes meet again. Santana really doesn't want her to leave. But she wants her to be safe if something happens. Her dad isn't one to really care.

"I'll see you later," she mouths to the blonde, who is being escorted out. And gets a nod in response.

She can hear Draco and Quinn telling people to leave behind her, and after about five minutes they're all gone. They just look at each other, and then they all leave for their rooms to pack everything they brought.

The trio meets in the living room not long after, they are just ready to leave when there is a loud 'boom' coming from outside, followed by the sound of someone running, and a scream.

They hurry to the door, and the sight in front of them makes them stop for a minute.

Fire. Everywhere.

There is people running around everywhere, calling out for someone or just running for their lives. Draco gets them into action by pulling them along to the opposite direction.

"We can't lose each other, so stick together!" he calls out behind them, and they do as he says. He looks scared out of his mind, and maybe Santana does too. There are so many people running around, sometimes it's hard to run. Her throat burns like fire, but she keeps going.

She really fucking hopes that Artie and Brittany has left as soon as they could. If something happens to her, she will fucking kill Abrams. And then she wouldn't have a reason to act good anymore. She probably would get lost in the dark and end up like a fucking maniac.

Brittany is her light. And if something took that away she would be lost.

Her lungs begin to hurt, but she doesn't have a care in the world anymore, because she need to run to live. And she needs to live to meet her light.

---

The rest of the summer in a blur. Brittany sends her a letter, asking her if she was okay and not hurt. Santana was so relived to her from her that she started to cry. (Not that she would ever tell anyone)

She replied as soon as she could, asking if Brittany wasn't hurt or something. And she even asked about Artie. She could never thank her enough for helping her getting Brittany away from there.

The trio knows that the people in the black robes and masks are their parents. It's like a "don't ask, don't tell" thing. Santana's parents just seemed very glad to see her again when the trio got home.

The wizard world could be described as "chaos". There were so many hurt people, and some that got lost in the fire. There was also hundreds at Sankt Mungos that got burns or other damages.

The Daily Prophet was like vomit, they wrote about the incident non-stop and on the radios it was all they talked about. But no one in the Lopez mansion where even worked up about it, like the rest of the world seemed.

Because every one of them was okay. Even the Fabray family and Malfoy family.

The big, dark mark that hung over the crime-scene, the one that looked like a skull with a snake floating around it, was in magazines everywhere. As heavy it hung over the Wizard world, just as heavy it hung over their family.

It's not like her, Quinn and Draco talks about it They all acted like none of them knows anything of this, tiptoeing around each other, like they also do with the rest of their families.

All of them know, but no one dares to open their mouth to talk about it.

---

When they board the train they find an empty carriage as soon as possible, and they don't speak to each other for a long time. Everyone seems to be minding their own business, even when the rest of their gang joins them, there are just greetings exchanged.

Their almost halfway to Hogwarts when Brittany comes up outside the window, and Santana quickly comes out to say hi.

"Hi San," she gets as a reply, and Santana can see that Brittany seems a little nervous. Well, maybe she is too. Santana haven't been able to stop thinking about that kiss, and every time she would just tell herself that Brittany was drunk. Because, well, she was.

And if Brittany isn't going to bring it up, neither is she.

Strong arms are wrapped around her, and she can feel that Brittany relaxes against her as she puts her arms around the taller girl.

"Thank you, for telling Artie to get me out of there."

Santana clench her eyes close and stops breathing.

Brittany knows.

She can feel herself tense up, and Brittany seems to notice, because she just holds her tighter. Like Santana would snap, or pull away from her. She pulls her closer into her body, and takes a huge breath while burying her face into blonde hair.

They stand there for a while. Santana doesn't know what to say, everything is just so complicated. All she knows is that she is in love with the girl that is holding her. Her stomach is doing backflips, and she almost becomes drunk of just the scent of her. The way Brittany's fingers is playing with her shirt, and the way her whole body just seems to respond at her touch.

It's all to much that Brittany knows, and that she isn't scared or disgusted of her.

"Does he get it?" she murmurs, and Brittany sighs.

"No.. I don't know. I think that he thinks you went out and saw everything when you went to the toilet,"

She is kind of relived by this, but she knows that Artie is smart. But what proof does he have? Nothing. He has got nothing on her.

"Can we just.. sit down?" Brittany asks with a small voice, and she nods against her shoulder as a reply. Brittany pulls away, and then wraps an arm around her waist to hold Santana close to her, and then starts walking down the corridor.

They say nothing to each other, but Santana knows she wants to say everything to the blonde beside her. That she loves her, that she wants to kiss her, she wants to tell her about her brother and her parents. All of it. But it kind of feels like Brittany knows it all already, which makes her a little scared.

Brittany opens a carriage door, and they are face-to-face with Tina, Mercedes and Artie.

Santana greets them with a shy smile, and then looks up at Brittany, who is looking at her like she is the most adorable thing she has ever seen. The blonde squeezes her tighter against her for a moment before she sits down next to Tina, and pulls Santana down with her.

She has to admit that Brittany's friends are kind of nice. Not that she spends time with them as much as with Brittany, but in this moment she wishes she did. They immediately make her a little happy, with their carefree ways and non-dark pasts. Not that Santana was "damaged goods", but she was way more grown up than all of them.

Mercedes is Hogwarts ears and eyes, it seems like she knows everything, because she rambles up all the new couples, and tells them all the drama and details of it all. Something is supposed to happen this year, something different than all of the other years on Hogwarts, she tells them. But she can't exactly tell them what, because that is something she doesn't know.

She catches Brittany looking at her a couple of times when she is listening to Mercedes stories, and every time Brittany blushes and looks away. She can't help but smile at her cuteness.

Artie ignores them as best as he can, but Santana can clearly see him struggling with seeing them together. Not that they are a couple, but she must say that it feels like it. Brittany can't keep her hands away from her, even if it's just hand-holding or a pinky on her thigh, she's always touching her.

They should really talk about that kiss.

Or maybe Brittany doesn't even remember it? That would be so awkward if she brought it up, and she can't even recall it happening.

She looks over at Brittany again, who is hanging on to every word Mercedes is saying.

God, she is so cute.

Brittany is biting her lip, tugging on it as one hand is playing with one of Santana's fingers, and her other hand is resting on her own thigh. She looks like Mercedes is telling her about the fountain of youth or something that amazing. But then again, she always looks like that when you tell her something.

Brittany seems to notice her looking at her, because soon Santana is staring into those blue eyes again. They take her breath away, truly. Every time, she drowns in them and she doesn't even mind dying like that. She can only imagine the dreamy face she must be sporting.

The blonde giggles, and raises a hand to put some of her bangs behind her ear. She smiles big at this, she loves Brittany's laugh.

Turns out that Mercedes was right about something when Professor Dumbledore explains that Hogwarts is the host of The Triwizard Tournament, Quinn gasps next to her, and tells Santana that she has read all about it in some book.

Santana just rolls her eyes at her friend, because she isn't really surprised by this. Quinn may be irritating sometimes, but Santana can't call her dumb.

Draco, who is after all.. a male.. goes crazy with all of the other boys around the tables. All of them want to prove themselves, making the girls to raise their eyebrows at them.

Santana gives him a glare, and at once he grows quiet again.

---

Dumbledore talks about something about 'faint hearted', she isn't really listening, but then, the doors open and a group of girls, they are definitely older than her. They wear some kind of school outfit she guess, she isn't really paying attention, because behind them is the tallest fucking woman she has ever seen in her life.

Quinn is staring at her as well, but she suspects that Draco hasn't even noticed her, because it looks like he's trying to watch the girls' asses.

There is one girl though, that she can't really look away from. She is blonde, very.. very french looking and seems to have beautiful blue eyes just like Brittany.

After these girls have their little show, all the boys goes crazy. Almost everyone stands up, and wolf-whistles and clap their hands so hard that she begins to think they're all possessed.

Dumbledore, of course, quiets them all down, and she sends some telepathic thank you his way. Then he welcomes some Durmstrang sons, or something, and this time there are older boys that walks in with some kind of sticks that they hit against the floor, and starts humming some kind of melody.

That is soooo cool. No.

Is she the only one that is not impressed? Because their headmaster just looks like a pedophile, and all of the boys is muttering something under their breath.

Wow, isn't that Victor Krum? The seeker in the Bulgarian team?

That is pretty awesome though.

She quickly wonders if Brittany is having some huge crush on some of the people that just arrived? The other girls, except Quinn who looks as bored as always, is giggling like little schoolgirls.

Jesse and Draco is talking about how they want to be Hogwarts champion, because apparently there can only be one from each school. That is probably what all of the boys in this room is talking about.

Dumbledore puts a table next to the Slytherins' and one next to the Ravenclaws', making the long table a little longer so the new students for this year can sit down and eat with them. The Durmstrang school sits down at their table, but doesn't seem to really care about the Slytherins' who sit there.

The ones from the other school, Beauxbatons Academy, of course she was right about that they're from France.

She briefly wonders about the Tournament again, and is a little curious about it.

Maybe she could try-out? How do they even try-out for the Triwizard Tournament?

She bet Brittany would be so proud of her, if she were the champion of Hogwarts. And she can't even imagine the looks her parents would give her. Maybe even Caleb was going to be proud.

Santana finish up her food, and tried to look over at the Ravenclaw table across the huge room. She didn't expect to see a glimpse of her, but she'll always give it a chance.

More and more students finish up, everybody is talking excited about this year at Hogwarts, but her and Quinn doesn't say a word. Not even to each other. Their peers tries to get them to talk, but they are just far too "off" to almost reply. Santana can bet her left hand that Quinn has the same thoughts as her.

Their parents would be so pleased.

The doors open again, but it seems like nobody notices. There are four men who comes in, carrying something that looks like a small castle-top of gold or something. They put it down, in front of where Dumbledore stands in front of the large amount of teenagers.

He calls for their attention.

"I'd like to say a few words, he begins when everyone has grown quiet. Her ears peak up, in hope of getting all her answers to her questions about the try outs. Their headmaster puts a hand on the golden "tower" and continues.

"Eternal glory," he says, and Santana's heartbeat picks up. He has the entire student body in the palm of his hand. "That is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three, extremely dangerous tasks. For this reason, the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule."

He tells them that Mr. Bartemius Crouch, the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, will explain a few this.

She scowls at hearing his name. She's sure she have heard it before, but is not quite sure when or from who.

Just as Mr. Crouch is walking over to the front, the open ceiling in the Great Hall doesn't seem so great anymore, there is lightning flashing above them, then it starts raining terribly. This gets the attention of them all, and there is some girl who even yells out.

It's just fucking water for God's sake.

Not even seconds later, the sky has cleared. All heads turn towards the source of where the spell comes from, and they all get to see a scary-looking man standing next to the teachers tables at the front.

Santana has never in her life seen that man, but Quinn hisses a little next to her. She guesses Quinn knows, but doesn't speak up.

The only thing she can say about him, except that he is an absolute creeper, it that he seems to have lost an eye in some point of his life, because he has a big glass eye where his left eye is supposed to be. It is held there by a strap around his head so it doesn't fall off.

Dumbledore is quickly there to greet him, and they talk about something a few moments before the beast and him part, like nothing has happened.

Mr. Crouch is now at the front and looks out at them. He seems a little uptight and nervous, and they all let go of the weird man who just walked in and remembers the Triwizard Tournament.

"After due consideration," he stars. He has gray hair and a small mustache on his upper lip, making him look funny. "The Ministry has concluded that, for their own safety, no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the Triwizard Tournament," he takes a breath when the Great Hall erupt in groans and complains. "This decision is final."

Santana groans a little under her breath in disappointment, and in the corner of her eye she watches as Quinn sighs a little, but still looks bored as always.

"Silence!"

They all give the headmaster attention he's asking for at once, and he seems to waste no time in raising his wand, points at the golden tower, which makes it melt. Then, they all get to she the huge goblet that was hiding inside of it.

At first, it's just an ordinary, gray and boring goblet. She sees nothing interesting with it, until a large blue flame lights up, burning from the brim of the statue.

"The Goblet of Fire," Dumbledore states, "anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament, need only write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flames before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly, if chosen.. there is no turning back.

"As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has begun."

When they go to bed that night, Santana knows she should be excited about this whole tournament. Except she isn't at all. Maybe it's because of her hormones that is all over the place, wanting to kiss the shit out of Brittany all the time.

The first thought she has on her mind after they are excused from the feast, is that if she's lucky enough, maybe she can even get to say goodnight to Brittany.

She wasn't lucky.

So now she lies in bed, her head on her pillow and wishes that Brittany could be here holding her.

She can hear that Quinn is still up, because now and then there is a page from a book that is being turned. Quinn probably knows that Santana is awake as well, because Quinn has this weird way of almost knowing everything.

She probably even knows that Santana is thinking about Brittany right now. But then another thought hits her, and she needs to ask her best friend.

"Who was he, that weird looking man?" she asks when she turns to where Quinn's bed is.

Someone turns in their bed, and she hears the closing of a book not long after.

"His name is Alastor Moody. He's an Auror."

The first she thinks about is Draco's aunt, Bellatrix.

"Auror, in like.. imprisoning Draco's aunt?"

"Yes." she gets as an answer.

They grow quiet, and a couple of minutes of thinking, she tells Quinn goodnight and falls into dreamworld, where Brittany is holding her all night long.

---

Quinn wakes her up the next morning, and she's still kind of sleeping when she puts on her clothes to go down for breakfast.

Draco is waiting for them in the common room, so the three of them leave together without the rest of the group. First thing she does is turning her head towards the Ravenclaw table to check if Brittany is there. And she is.

The blonde is sitting next to Artie, and across from Tina and Mercedes.

Santana still doesn't get how Artie can sit at the Ravenclaw table when he's an Hufflepuff. It makes her a little jealous, if she would sit down at the Ravenclaw table there would be a riot.

Brittany doesn't notice that the trio enter the Great Hall, not that she minds. It's not like she looks over at the doors all the time when she arrives to breakfast everyday just to look for Brittany.

Well, she tries to tell herself that to make her feel better.

First class is Defense of the Dark Arts. That they change with all the other houses from their year with. Which means that she get to have a class with Brittany.

"Hey," Quinn kicks her lightly under the table to get her attention.

"What?" she snaps, angry because she interrupted her thoughts.

"Brittany hasn't been able to take her eyes off your back since we sat down." Quinn whispers, and then smiles. Teeth and all. Santana begins to think that Quinn is more happy about it then she is.

Draco, who is sitting beside her, turns around to see if what Quinn says is true, and the girls groan.

"Draco, you can't just turn around! Now she knows that we were talking about her!" Quinn hiss at him, and scowls.

"What," he turns his head to Quinn and looks confused, "is there a rule for that?"

"Well, yeah! She saw that I was whispering something to Santana after we locked eyes!"

Draco still seems confused, but let's out a quiet "sorry."

Those two were always like that, Quinn lecturing him up over nothing.

"She is looking this way though." he mutters, and Santana smiles.

"Really? She can't help but ask. She can hear her shy and hopeful tone.

"Yes." he smirks at her, and takes a bite of his toast.

Quinn nods and take a sip of her pumpkin juice, then looks down at the magazine in her left hand with a smirk playing at the corner of her lips.

Slowly, Santana turns around and is met with blue eyes that still has the same effect even across a large room. They seem to burn into her soul, through all of her clothes and walls.

She's longing to see them up close.

Brittany smiles shyly when she realize that Santana is looking back at her. Which in turn makes the latina crack a smile as well.

"Satan, just ask her the fuck out soon, will you?" Quinn mutters pretty loudly, and Santana whips her head around to glare at her friend.

She takes a bite of her own toast and mutter between bites.

"I will."

---

Alastor Moody is exactly what she thought he would be. He is straightforward and a hard man. She can't help that she's a little intimidated by his odd behavior.

She really gets suspicious of him when he starts talking about the unforgivable curses, and how he disagrees with the Ministry. They should "see it for themselves" he states and uses some kind of crab to show them.

She knows all of this. What they do, and what they are capable to do. She is after all fascinated of these kind of things, and can't help but get a little excited when he demonstrates right in front of the whole class.

Santana is sitting next to Draco, and Quinn sits in the desk in front of them next to a Gryffindor brunette that was speaking loudly with her friends, before class started.

Quinn keeps sending gazes at her in annoyance, because she is singing under her breath all the time.

Brittany is sitting across the room next to Tina. And well, the blonde doesn't stop looking across the room all the time to meet Santana's eyes.

Moody asks Ron Weasely, Harry Potter's friend, to name one of the curses and the red-haired boy mention Imperio-curse.

She already knows what it does, and she is a little irritated that seventy procent of the class doesn't. She doesn't laugh like the other when Moody makes that poor animal jump around from person to person, like it would be funny?

He can actually make that thing do whatever he wants to do.

Draco is laughing though, and gets his lesson when Moody places that crab in his face. Then she cracks up.

She looks over at Brittany, but she isn't laughing at all. In fact, she is just wearing a fake smile, but Santana can see in her eyes that this really pains her. So she immediately stops laughing, just before Moody asks if he should make the crab drown herself, and everybody turns quiet.

"Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only did You-Know-Who's bidding under the influence of the Imperios curse. But here's the rub,"

She listens carefully to this, and Moody catches her eyes for a second before looking at the rest of the Slytherins. There was no damn Imperio-curse that had made her parents do what they did. They are powerful, and should follow their Lord because he is powerful, too.

They speak highly of him, Lord Voldemort, because he was a great wizard.

"How do we sort out the liars?" Moody asks the class. A few of her classmates raise their hands, but none of the Slytherins does.

Neville Longbottom, another one that hangs out with Potter raises his hand, and they all pay rapid attention to everything that is happening.

She knows who he is. Because Draco's aunt Bellatrix was one of those who made his parents end up at Sankt Mungos, they went mad, she had heard. It was under the order of Lord Voldemort, and she believes that it must have been a good reason why it happened.

"There is the.. the Cruciatus-curse." he says when he stands up, and she nods at the answer.

She looks over at Brittany again, but the blonde isn't looking back at her. She's looking down at the table.

Santana doesn't keep attention to what they're doing at the front, but she can see Brittany scowl down at the table, and her hands has turned into fists.

"Crucio!"

There is a pained sound coming from the creature that Moody has placed at the table for them all to see. She can see how it struggles, and whimpers out in pain again and again. She actually has to stop herself from saying or do anything to stop it, it makes her sick to just watch this, so she takes Brittany's example and looks down to the table.

"Stop it! Can't you see that it's bothering him?!"

Hermione Granger yells, and Santana never thought she would actually thank a mudblood, but she does when Moody stops doing what he is doing. Well, at least she thanks her in her mind.

There is a moment when every student in the room takes a breath. The air around them is heavy and feels like some kind of burden. None of them say anything when Moody puts down the creature on Hermione's book and asks her for the last unforgivable curse.

She just shakes her head in response. Santana feels with her, not that she would ever admit that. The look on Longbottom's face, and it bothered her even more that she even cared.

She didn't want to, because if you did, you'll only get hurt in the end. She had to be strong, and stick to what she knows.

"No?" Moody asks Hermione. But get no response. He points his wand at the creature at her book and utters the last unforgivable curses.

"Avada Kedavra!"

There is a green light, and then the creature just dies. Just like that.

"The Killing Curse. Only one person is known to have survived it,"

Moody directs his fake, and real eye to Potter, and she scowls. He is always getting attention in one way, or another, she thinks and huffs in irritation under her breath.

"And he's sitting in this room."

When the lesson ends, she hurries out the door after Brittany. The blonde was first out of the classroom, so she runs down the stairs to maybe catch up.

"Britt! Wait up!" she calls when she sees a flash of blonde hair down the stairs, but Brittany wastes no time in stopping.

When Santana finally is at the bottom, Brittany is nowhere to be found.

---

They don't have the same class until after lunch, so she just struggles through history class and waits for lunch. Maybe she can find her then and talk to the blonde about what happened. Brittany actually looked pretty teared up, but Santana isn't that surprised. The blonde loves animals of all kinds, and even Santana, who doesn't even care about that stuff sometimes.

Brittany must be really upset, she figures, and tries to find a way to make the blonde on a better mood.

So when lunch comes, she hurries down all the stairs. Quinn and Draco doesn't even ask her where she's going, she thinks that they already know.

She gets into the Great Hall, who is overfull with students by the way, and spots her favorite blonde right away...

With Artie.

And she's giggling at something he's saying.

Maybe she was wrong about Brittany being upset, she probably just forgot that she had to be somewhere. Or ran out of ink or something like that.

Yeah..

The blonde looks up though, and meets her eyes. She stops laughing, and Artie looks up, too, to see what Brittany got her attention at and gives her an irritated look.

Santana raises a hand quickly, motioning for Brittany to come over and soon they are face-to-face.

"Hey," she breathes, and Brittany gives her a tiny smile. "how are you?"

When she asks this, Brittany lets out a huge, adoring smile while one of her hands finds her tie that hangs loosely over her chest.

"Why are you asking?" the blonde murmurs, and takes a step closer.

Santana's heart is beating so fast, and the intimate actions that Brittany is doing is making her blush. And ethnic people doesn't even blush!

"Uhm.." she trails off, and notice that some other students is staring right at them with big eyes. She looks back at Brittany, and watches as a huge smirk forms on her lips. "You just disappeared right after the lesson, I just.. I know you love animals. What he did wasn't right, B."

At this, Brittany's smirk just grows, and steps closer to her.

"That is so cute. That you thought of me.."

Santana can feel her throat closing up, she can almost feel Brittany's breath on her cheek. She looks over at Artie for a second, only to find him giving her a look that could kill.

"Actually, I thought it was awful,"

Santana looks up into Brittany's blue eyes again, and can see the pain behind them. "I don't understand why he even did that, San."

"Oh, Britt," she sighs and smiles weakly. "I don't know, I thought it was a stupid idea.. I mean, did you see Longbottom's face?"

Brittany smiles down at her and hooks her arm around Santana's, to drag her towards the Ravenclaw table. "I didn't know you cared."

Santana blushes again, and tries to come up with some good response, but doesn't really find one. "I do not."

"You so do." Brittany says as they sit down, so that Brittany is in the middle of Santana and Artie. "I like it."

Santana ducks this time to hide her embarrassed face. She hates it when Brittany can see right through her rough act. Brittany is burning holes into her side, and she can actually feel the smile that adores those lips.

And of course Artie just has to interrupt their little moment by clearing his throat, to get Brittany's attention.

---

Their group is sitting in the Great Hall that Sunday. The whole room is filled with the light coming from the blue flame of the goblet, that is placed in the middle of the room. There is an age-line around it, making it impossible for people under seventeen to attend.

There is benches around the room, where people can sit. The room is filled. A couple of benches away from them, Harry Potter and his Gryffindor friends is sitting. Brittany is across the room with her own friends, and their little group is taking up one.

Jesse is sitting next to Santana, trying to get her attention every now and then. All he says is pretty many odd things to talk about. He's asking about her summer and what she thinks of the tournament. Like he actually cared.

On her other side, Quinn has a book in her lap, studying. Santana can never understand how Quinn can even think when the whole room is buzzing with excited energy. Every time someone throws their name into the flame, everyone starts clapping and cheering.

Draco is sitting behind her with Crabbe and Goyle on either side of him, talking about how they will think that the Hogwarts champion will be. Sebastian is on the other side of Jesse, staring out over the room like the fox he is.

Jesse is leaning into her from the side, clearly in her personal space, but she has grown tired of telling him so, so she just let him. He's talking about some curse when she meets Brittany's eyes across the room filled with people.

She becomes a little surprised when Brittany is looking right back at her, and she can't help but smile.

But then Jesse grabs her arm to get her attention, and she quickly turns her head to him, but her eyes doesn't really follow. She is still looking at Brittany, and she can clearly make out the glare she is giving the boy next to her.

"San!"

Santana turns around at once, hearing Brittany's voice. They are all going to the Great Hall to watch the champion selection.

"Hey, Britt." she smiles meekly and takes the hand that Brittany offers her.

"I'm so excited, aren't you?" the blonde squeals, making Santana's smile grow in size.

"Yeah, I am."

They sit down together, with Quinn and Draco that finds them shortly after. Draco is going on and on about how he is a hundred procent sure that Krum is going to be selected. Sometimes, she can't understand how Quinn puts up with him. Her best friend is pretty quiet and calm most of the time, Draco is the opposite.

Their hands is still clasped tightly together when Dumbledore calls out the first name, or what's written on the parchment that the blue flames of the Goblet of Fire spits out.

"The Durmstrang champion is... Victor Krum!"

Draco, who is behind her, actually makes her deaf for a couple of seconds with his callings. She briefly wonders if he has a crush on the Bulgarian.

The clapping and yelling disappears and once again, the goblet spits up a new parchment.

"The Beauxbatons champion is... Fleur Delacour!"

Even she claps her hands this time, which makes her drop Brittany's hand. That girl is hot, what can she say? Brittany looks a little mad, so she quickly stops and takes her hand again.

The next piece of parchment lands in Dumbledore's hand.

"The Hogwarts champion.. Cedric Diggory!"

A tall Hufflepuff boy stands up among the sea of the Hufflepuff table, and even if Santana wished for a Slytherin champion, she is quite happy for him. She knows who he is, and she must admit that he's a great wizard. Cedric, as the other two champions, shakes their headmaster's hand and disappears down to the room trophy room behind the techer-tables.

They drop their hands to clap for their champion, when Dumbledore interrupts them and starts talking again and goes on about how the winning champion will have eternal glory and such, shows them the Triwizard Cup, that looks like a blue, shiny trophy, when the Goblet once again starts to glow like just before it spit out a parchment.

And there is a parchment, that their headmaster catch and frowns at.

Isn't it just three champions? She thinks briefly, before he reads in out loud, and the whole Great Hall falls into silence.

"Harry Potter."

---

"It's impossible," Quinn starts when they were released and on their way out of the Hall. "I can't come up with ONE thing that could have made it possible for him to put his name in there."

Brittany is quiet beside her, as they both listen to Quinn, who looks a little all over the place. The tall blonde beside her squeezes her hand, making her smile a little.

Draco is next to Quinn, who is in front of them. He mostly looks angry and confused. She knows that he is a little jealous probably, but he's just as confused as her too.

"Well, except that it IS possible," Brittany says, and Quinn turn around briefly but starts walking again just as quickly. "I mean, he figured it out."

"He isn't even close too be such a great wizard, and be able to do it behind Dumbledore's back." Quinn concludes. Draco is still quiet.

"Q, don't dwell on it. I hardly believe they will let him compete anyway," she says, trying to calm her best friend down. "He's under age."

Quinn takes a deep breath, but Santana can see how she can't let it go. Her friend is one of those people that needs to know everything about things that shouldn't be possible or just the things that interest her. Which kind of make her really smart.

The four of them stops as they reach the stairs down to the dungeon.

"Goodnight Brittany, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Quinn says and receive a nod in response. Draco says goodnight as well, and they leave Brittany and Santana alone.

"He cheated, didn't he?" Brittany mumbles under her breath and looks at her through her eyelashes. Santana knows that Brittany thought really high of that boy.

"Yeah Britt, he did," she sighs and look down at their joined hands. "It doesn't matter. I assume that they will give him a punishment."

Brittany nods and looks at her with that expression, that she never can place. Some students pass them, and watch them with curious looks.

She takes a step closer to the blonde to give her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. She doesn't even know how she dared to do that.

"Goodnight, Brittany." she whispers as she takes a tiny step back, watching as Brittany's eyes flutter open again, and that her mouth isn't entirely closed.

Brittany's lips pulls up into a breathtaking smile, her eyes twinkling in the candle lit room.

"Goodnight." she breathes out, before taking a step back, never breaking their stare. After the third step back, she slowly turns around and walks up the stairs. Minutes after Brittany has disappeared, Santana is still standing there, smiling like a fool.

---

A few days later, when Quinn wake her up for breakfast, Santana tells her that she's not hungry. Even if Quinn knows about her animagus training, she doesn't want to talk to her about it. So when Quinn walk out the door, leaving her alone in the girls dormitory, she locks the door and quickly gets out of her clothes to proceed with her daily training.

She isn't really sure what her form is, yet. But it has paws. And fur. And is huge. She hasn't dared to look in the mirror either, because what if she goes crazy? What if she can't cope with it, and it makes her mad?

She hates the feeling of her bones breaking, and the pain and discomfort that comes with it. It exhaust her body, and it takes a few hours before she feel completely good again, it makes her sore and her skin to bruise. She also thinks that Brittany suspects something. It has been too many times that her leg or arm hasn't healed yet or adjusted to the different bodies that she can barely move.

When she has pushed herself to her limit, (maybe too much) she transform back to her human body and lay on the floor panting for a few minutes before she stands on shaky legs to put her clothes on again, and she slowly moves up to the Great Hall to have her breakfast.

Quinn gives her a worried look when she sits down next to her, and Draco just stuff his mouth with food.

"Are you okay?" Quinn asks and takes a bite of her toast. The bulgarians that is guests at their table is throwing them curious looks, and maybe a little "I'm-Interested-In-You" looks.

"I'm fine." she replies as she reaches for the pumpkin juice. Quinn doesn't say anything, neither does Draco.

"So, what's on the schedule?" she asks, her eyes finding Brittany's back at the Ravenclaw table.

She wishes that she could sit next to her.

Her friends starts talking about the day and the lessons, but she doesn't really pay attention anymore. Because Brittany just turned around and her eyes are now staring back at her. Like Brittany could sense Santana watching her.

---

It's their free period, and Santana and the rest of the gang is hanging out in the courtyard when Harry Potter rush past them, yells at his friend, and then heads in their direction. He doesn't seem to notice them before it's too late though.

"There's Potter. Cheat." Jesse says and crosses his arms across his chest. He's standing next to Santana, and glance at her quickly, before returning to Potter.

Boys.

"Why so tense, Potter?" Draco asks with a grin. He is currently sitting in the tree that they all stand next to. Harry seems troubled and really not in the mood for this, she notices.

"My father and I have a bet, you see," Draco spits out, "I don't think you're going to last ten minutes into this tournament," the blonde haired boy continues from his position in the tree, and then jump down from it. "He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five."

The boys, Jesse, Sebastian, Crabbe, Goyle and Draco meets Harry halfway, as the latter starts walking towards them. She and Quinn is still leaning against the tree, bored with what's going on.

" I don't give a damn about what your father thinks, Malfoy," Harry spits right back at him and pushes him backwards. "He's vile and cruel. And you're just pathetic."

Santana can actually hear Draco become furious as Harry walks away from him, not leaving him with the last say, she pushes off the tree and take a few steps towards him but he's already looking for his wand.

"Pathetic?" he mutters bitterly, but before he can actually make any harm, there is a new voice in the conversation, that interrupts them.

"Oh, no, you don't sonny!"

They can not even register everything, but suddenly Professor Moody appears and turns Draco into a ferret.

Then the Professor goes on about how he's going to teach Draco a lesson, making him fly up and down in the air. Quinn is rushing away from there, with Jesse and Sebastian in her heels, leaving her, Goyle and Crabbe there.

She is in so much shock that she can't even get it into her head, that a Professor, their teacher, has turned Draco into a ferret as a punishment and is calling him names. She looks over at Harry, that is behind Moody and she can see that he's just as surprised. (And maybe a little amused.)

In the corner of her eye, she sees Quinn and the rest of the gang come sprinting back with Professor McGonagall in lead, who for the matter, seems very bemused when she sees what is going on.

"Professor Moody!" she screeches. "What are you doing?"

Moody stops saying all the mean pet names he has for Draco, but keeps darting him up and down in the air. "Teaching."

Harry is laughing behind the big Professor, making her boil on the inside. Santana can also see that Quinn is really pissed, and clearly see red when she watch Harry laugh. Her hair turns into red again and her hands clench into fists.

"Is that a-? Is that a student?" McGonagall asks, and furrow her eyebrows together.

"Technically, it's a ferret." Professor Moody replies.

"It's Draco, Professor! Is he even allowed to be doing this?!" Quinn yells, just as Moody put the ferret into Crabbe's pants.

There are people that's watching the scene now, some Hufflepuff students are laughing along with Potter, and she feels a little bad. Poor Draco.

When they leave a minute after that, Professor Moody is yelling things about Draco's father, and how he can tell stories about him that "would curl your greasy hair, Malfoy."

She has a feeling that she knows what their Professor is talking about.

---

She figures that if Brittany isn't going to show some feelings for her, (if she has any...) then she better find someone else, that can make her forget about the blonde girl.

Jesse.

He's nice, handsome, and a real gentleman. They're currently at the Slytherin table, his arm is around her shoulders while they're eating breakfast. Quinn and Draco is nagging about something as usual, Sebastian is just quietly enjoying his toast.

(She begins to think that he doesn't like to be talked to, or to talk.)

She and Jesse is sitting so that they can look out over the Hall, so Santana can clearly see Brittany from here, laughing with her friends. The blonde haven't seen her and Jesse yet.

She isn't sure if she's nervous in a good way, or nervous in a bad way.

Jesse starts asking her about the tournament, what she think will be the first task, (that will take place in a like two hours.) who she thinks will win, blah blah blah.

Boys are boring. He smells musky and manly, and not at all like Brittany's sweet scent of flowers and honey. He's also one of those guys who tries to impress the girl he's interested in all the time. How fast he can drink his pumpkin juice, how many toasts he can eat in a minute, how many times he can piss off Quinn in a minute. The list goes on.

He just feel wrong, on so many levels. So she decides to tell him the truth. He is a nice guy, after all. Jesse needs to find someone that likes him back.

Santana whispers her biggest secret in the world, into his ear. When she is finished, he looks at her for a few seconds, and smiles at her.

"Really?" he asks, but doesn't drop the arm. "But you want to know if she'll be jealous, right? I can help you, it's no problem."

She smiles gratefully at him, and looks up briefly in the direction of the Ravenclaw table. Where she is met by blue eyes that pierce through her skin, and makes her shudder. And not in a good way.

Brittany's face is unreadable, but still so open. Her eyebrows are slightly furrowed, like she's trying to work something out, just like when she doesn't understand something in class. Her eyes are accusing, staring right at her. There is a toast on her left hand, and the other is clenched around a glass on the table. Tina and Mercedes is sitting on both sides of her. Tina is talking to her in what seems as a sweet and calming tone, but Mercedes is glaring daggers at her across the room.

She can feel Jesse stiffen next to her, like he's watching what she's looking at. He pushes her a little closer into his side, making her lose balance and the staring contest with her best friend. (or what they are,)

"And you are afraid of her not liking you?" he laughed nervously in her ear. "she's going to kill me."

---

They're on their way to the area where the first task is held. They have no clue whatsoever where it is, or what it is that is going to happen. Santana is next to Jesse, wearing black pants and a large brown coat with boots. She feels oddly comfortable next to him, the weird tension is gone and she actually laughs and jokes back when he's talking to her.

He's also very interested in Brittany, and apologizes for being a tool the other years about Santana's and the Ravenclaws relationship to each other.

Then he excuses himself to go find Sebastian, and then run up to the tall boy who is about five meters away in front of them.

Quinn and Draco is in front of her, and she's just about to call out for them to wait up, when a hand catches her wrist with the purpose of making her stop walking.

She is turned around and met with electric blue eyes. She starts smiling.

"Hey Bri-"

"What's up with you and him?" Brittany interrupts harshly, her voice breaking.

"Nothi-" she starts to say, all she wants is to take that back. Her smile falls. Just for a minute she wanted to try and make Brittany jealous, or fuck things up between them, and what they have. (Which, she is not sure what it is.)

"Clearly," Brittany spits out, "something is up. He's all over you!"

Santana have never in her life seen Brittany so tense and so short in tone. Suddenly something snaps inside of her, and with the same tone, she spits out;

"So what if something is up, Brittany! Why does it matter? Shouldn't you me happy for me, you're my best friend after all?!"

They stare at each other. Both of them knows that Santana is right. Santana knows she's right. Brittany's behavior can just explain one thing: jealousy.

Brittany's mouth opens, and then closes again. It's in one tight line. Her eyes never leaves Santana's. They're demanding and furious and hurt and all of that stuff she shouldn't be feeling for her friend.

Santana's insides are boiling, and the grip around her wrist is burning into her skin so she jerk it away from Brittany's slender fingers, and cocks an eyebrow at Brittany when the blonde open her mouth again. But just as last time, nothing comes out.

"Thought so." she mutters angrily, loud enough for Brittany to hear, and with one more look at Brittany, she turns around again and walks away as fast as she can.

Jesse is giving her a concerned look when she sit down next to him at dinner that night. Quinn asked her what was wrong earlier, but she couldn't bear to talk to her right know. She would lecture Santana about trying to make Brittany jealous and how dumb she can be sometimes. (All the time.)

---

The first task. She's nothing going to lie, it was all kinds of awesome. A dragon nearly killed Harry Potter. The part that wasn't awesome was that Brittany and her got into a fight, so the first task also contained not making eye contact with her blonde friend.

Friend.

Santana knew there was something more than that. But what if it wasn't? What if Brittany were just looking out for her, because she thought Jesse wasn't a good enough guy for her? But hat wouldn't explain the looks that Mercedes and Tina kept giving her whenever they were in the same room.

Maybe they were mad at her because Brittany was mad at her. Girls tend to do that sometimes. (All the time.)

"Hey, what's up with you?" the boy next to her asked. She shrugged in response.

Maybe she should just... date him or something. Not that it would make any difference, Brittany already thought that they did.

"I saw the way she was looking at you, before," Jesse begins as he takes a scoop of soup and a slice of bread. "I know that look very well."

He puts the soup and the bread in front of her, and as he fills a glass with water, he adds,

"It's the same way I look at Rachel."

Santana's brows knit together, as she puts all the pieces together. The loud Gryffindor girl from their last years Study of Ancient Runes class.

"Berry?" she hisses, and looks over the heads of Quinn and Draco towards the Gryffindor table, where all the Gryffindor students are fawning over Harry. Rachel is small compared to the other girls, and she isn't like them either. She's sitting far away from the crowd around Harry, with her friend Blaine.

"Yeah," he looks down at the table. "I kind of wanted a reaction from her.. that's why I.. yeah."

She smirks at him. "Because I'm the hottest girl around, right?"

He chokes on his juice and looks at her with big eyes. "N-no! I mean- I didn't mean that you aren't, b-but-"

She laughs at him then, and wraps her arm around his broad shoulders. "I'm messing with you."

"Right." he smiles nervously at her, and then his eyes dart away from her. She follows his gaze, and lock eyes with Brittany, who is watching them with rapt attention. Her eyes widen when brown orbs lock with blue ones, and she quickly looks down to her food in front of her.

"Whatever happened Santana," Jesse says genuinely, "you should try to fix it."

She sighs at this. "I didn't do anything, she stopped me on the way to the task and were like... really pissed off about 'that something was up with us'"

He took a bite of his toast. "She's jealous." he said.

"Or just really protective." she pointed out, not wanting to get her hopes up.

"True," he trailed off, and dipped the bread into his soup. "but if that was the case, I don't think that she would have reacted that way."

"That's... true," she admitted and glanced over at him. "You're a boy. How are you so smart?"

He just laughed as a response.

---

The weather changed over a few days, and it turned colder and colder every day. It had been four days without talking to Brittany, and watching her interact with Artie all the time. Classes went just great when she had to watch them together almost all the time. She and Jesse had concluded that they would just stop trying to make their "loved ones" jealous and promised to just talk to them.

At least Jesse kept his promise and is now dating that Berry girl, which by the way, is the most irritating girl she has ever met.

Rita Skeeter wrote weird things about triangle-drama between Harry, his friend Hermione and that bulgarian champion, Victor Krum.

They're in the Great Hall to eat breakfast, and Quinn is as usual reading that crap, The Daily Prophet, with a hurt expression that soon disappears as Santana ask what's wrong.

"Nothing," Quinn mutters and folds the newspaper together and takes a sip of her juice while her eyes flutter over to the Gryffindor table for a second. "it's just that Rita Skeeter is such a liar."

"Nothing's new there." Santana sighs and sparks up a conversation with Draco about how boring it is without Quidditch this year.

She keeps a close eye on Quinn, how she can't keep her eyes away from the Gryffindor table and how she has this dreamy look all over her face. Santana figures that if Quinn wants to tell her about some kind of crush, she will do it eventually when she wants to.

No need to pressure her.

Rachel is with their gang this morning. She watches Jesse's lovesick expression as he looks at Rachel and tries to like her, even for just a minute.

Suddenly, everyone goes quiet and looks up behind Santana with confused, and maybe a little defending looks. She turns around to find her blonde standing there with a nervous face, as she looks around at Santana's friends as they're going to attack her.

"Hi," Brittany begins, licks her lips quickly as her eyes dart around them to settle on Santana's brown ones. "Can I maybe... talk to you?" she asks then, with a hopeful tone.

For a moment, Santana isn't sure if she really wants to. Brittany was kind of an ass, and then didn't even explain why she was being an ass for four whole days. She turns her head to Jesse, who is giving her an encouraged look that says, "go on you fucking moron."

She stands up and leaves her breakfast to follow Brittany outside to the courtyard, where the green leaves is beginning to shift color and drop to the ground

Santana can tell that Brittany is nervous, by the way she's not walking with the same grace she always seem to have, and the way she fidget with her Ravenclaw robe. She sits down at a stone bench and looks up at her with unsure eyes.

"Aren't you going to sit?" the blonde asks with a shaky and uncertain voice.

She ponders this for a second. Her heart is bursting with joy that Brittany is talking to her, wanting to talk to her, wants her to sit down next to her. Her head is doubtful- saying that she should continue acting hard-to-catch. But maybe that will send Brittany running?

Then she looks down at the girl she loves, and her heart melts at the broken look in Brittany's eyes. She just want to wrap the girl into her arms and never let go. They stare at each other, Santana looking at beautiful blue eyes, her high ponytail and her bangs that is all over the place. Her blue and bronze scarf is tightly wrapped around her neck because of the cold weather and the tip of her nose is slightly red.

She's the picture of perfection, so Santana doesn't even try to stop the smile that starts tugging at the corner of her lips.

Brittany looks at her with a shocked expression now, and she would too if their roles were reversed. But she can't help that Brittany is so sincere and caring and just absolutely adorable.

Without saying anything, she sit down beside the blonde who looks at her like she is the most important person in the world.

"I'm sorry, San," she starts but trails off, not finding her words. "I don't even know why I reacted that way... No, I know why," she breathes, and Santana's heart stops.

Is she going to-

"I'm in love with you,"

Brittany's shaking hands takes both of hers and rests them in her lap. Her eyes meet Santana, and the latter can see the determination in her blue orbs. They're fierce and passionate and so honest that it makes her throat clench painfully and her eyes prick with soon-to-be-tears.

"I have loved you since that time in the library, when me and Tina were studying. When you were sitting there all alone. Sometimes you would look up at me," she gulps and Santana can hear her voice shake and see that her hands are shaking even more.

Brittany is scared. Santana can see it in her eyes, so she untangles her left hand from Brittany's, only to watch the blonde panic for a second, before turning calm when she puts her hand on her chin.

"And I kept looking at you all the time just to see your pretty eyes,"

Santana feels her face scrunch up and the first tear fall from her eye. She tries to swallow that lump in her throat to tell Brittany that she loves her too. So much, that it hurts. The pad of her thumb stroke over Brittany's cheek, the skin under her touch is vibrating and warm. Alive. She sobs then, and a face-splitting smile grows on her face as she cries.

"I-I thought that I lost you, I mean... when you were with Jesse. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who feels this thing between us? Plea-"

If she doesn't have the power to speak, then she will show Brittany how she feels. And how much she feels for her. She presses their lips together hard, and she hear Brittany whimper, and feel her hands cradle the back of her head, pushing her lips more firmly onto her own.

Santana leans into the blonde with her whole body, both of her hands grip at Brittany's thighs, her nails digging into her fabric of her black skirt.

Her head is spinning, her emotions are all over the place and her hormones is on fire. Her whole body tingles in appreciation. Brittany's lips are so hot, but so cold at the same time because of the cold air. The tips of their noses are brushing together, and she shivers noticeably.

They pull away slightly, their breaths mingling together through their open mouths. The girl in front of her has her eyes closed, and she starts counting the freckles over her nose just as they open again.

This time it's Brittany who leans forward to kiss her. Her cold nose bumps against her upper lip slowly, and her lips part a little as they kiss again. Their lips mold together perfectly and warmly. Again. And again. Every time they move their lips against one another, it sends sparks through her whole body and makes the hairs on her arms to stand up straight.

Santana's hands are clutching at Brittany's white button-up shirt, and Brittany's hands has trailed down to her neck and chin. She's not sure when their kisses became needy and fast, but soon the blonde pokes out her tongue and runs it along her bottom lip. It makes a low growl escape deep down her throat.

She can actually see stars behind her eyelids the first time their tongues meet. She flicks her to meet Brittany's, it's warm and wet and everything that she thought it would be. Magical. She can feel Brittany sigh into the kiss. She puts her left hand on Brittany's thigh and the other one squeeze the side of the blondes hip.

They're both panting when they pull away minutes later, once again their warm breaths hitting each other, the cold air around them making their breaths visible. Brittany pulls her closer, pecks her on the lips affectionately and slow, which makes her smile against the taller girl's lips.

"I've waited so long for that," she admits in a whisper, blushing a little as Brittany smiles at her and traces her thumb over her bottom lip and down to her jaw.

"I'm in love with you too, Brittany." reveals and smiles back at the blonde, who is trying to not cry.

"I kind of figured." Brittany breathes out in a laugh, and pulls her into another kiss.

---

Later that night when she slips into the girls dormitory, Quinn is on her bed waiting for her. The blonde cocks an eyebrow at her, and she blushes deeply.

"Oh my God," Quinn gasps. "Santana Lopez, blushing? Is that even possible?" she teases and fakes a surprised gasp.

"Shut up, Q," she mutters but can't keep the smile away. She can tell that Quinn is happy for her.

"What happened?" she then asks, as Santana starts unbuttoning her robes and shirt.

"She- uhm..." Santana starts, her smile grows. "she took me out to the courtyard and we sat down on a bench. Then she told me that she's in love with me and then we kissed." she squeals happily in the end and Quinn jumps up from the bed to hug her.

They jump around in circles and giggles like little girls, but Santana doesn't care. They have never gotten the chance to jump around like this before. By the time they've stopped and sat down on her bed again, Quinn is back with all the questions.

"You told her you love her back, right? Was she a good kisser? Could you tell if she was nervous?"

"Yes, I did," she laughs. "Not that I have anything to compare with... but it was the best thing ever. So slow and... loving," she trails off and blush at the memory. "And she was shaking when she told me."

Quinn smiles smugly at this. "I will tease the shit out of her."

"Quinn! No!" the brunette slaps her arm. "don't be mean. She's already worried about how everyone will react."

"Okay, fine." Quinn fake pouts and then smiles genuinely at her. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Q."

---

"The Yule Ball..." Professor McGonagall begins, as they all are seated in a large room with the boys on one side, and the girls on one side. "Has been a tradition of the Triwizard tournament since its inception."

Brittany is sitting beside her in the front row of benches, slender fingers are playing with the inside of her knee as their leg brush against each other. When the blondes fingers start to trail higher, she abruptly laces their fingers together and gives Brittany a stern look. The blonde pouts back at her.

"On Christmas Eve night, we and out guests gather in the Great Hall..." the Professor continues as she walks through the quiet room filled with confused students.

"For a night of well-mannered frivolity."

She stops then, and look around at the students. Brittany is playing with her fingers, her hand warm and cozy. God, she just wants to kiss her right now.

"As representatives of the host school I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward. And I mean this literally, because..."

The Professor's gaze trails down to their joined hands, and Santana can swear that she saw a smile ghost across her lips.

"The Yule Ball is, first and foremost... a dance."

The room erupt in different kind of sounds depending on which side of the room you're on. The girls gasp in excitement, (she gasps happily because that means that she can go with Brittany) and on the boys side, there's gasps in annoyance and groans in displeasure.

She looks at Brittany, who is smiling fondly down at her, and is leaning in for a kiss as the Professor startle the whole room by clapping her hands together to get their attention.

"Silence!"

The room grows quiet.

And so... the practice begins.

---

She doesn't ask Brittany to the Ball. And Brittany doesn't ask her either. It's like a quiet game going on between them, to see who breaks first. After classes they're making about behind statues and in the girls bathroom. Every time Brittany has her pinned up against a wall or something like that, with her leg in-between hers and has her whining and gasping, she almost asks her.

To be her girlfriend, and

To go with her to the Ball.

They're currently in the Great Hall, studying, and watching nervous boys ask girls to go with them to the Ball.

"Has someone asked you yet, Quinn?" Brittany asks. Her hand is resting on Santana's thigh, like it belongs there. The brunette loves it.

"Yes, plenty," she replies with a bored tone. "None of them are good enough." she sighs and looks out over the sea of students.

Santana turns to the girl beside her, just as a boy from Hufflepuff with gigantic lips comes up to them and clears his throat to get Brittany's attention, which the blonde beside her gives him.

"Uhm- H-hi Brittany." the blonde smiles and Brittany smiles back at him.

"I was wondering... if you, you know- wanted to go to the Ball with me?"

"Actually, Sam," she starts, and Santana can see the boys smile fade, as well his hope. "I'm already taken."

"Oh." Is all he says, but he doesn't go away. She's just about to snap when he opens his mouth again.

"Can I ask you who you're going with?" he asks kindly, and maybe a little pissed off.

"Actually... this person hasn't asked me yet." she replies, and her fingers squeeze Santana's thigh, probably in an attempt to calm her down.

"Are you sure he's going to ask you? I mean... I really want to go with you, Brittany." he asks, his confident noticeably growing as he flashes her a smile. Is that his attempt to ask a girl out?

She snorts, and cover her mouth with her hand as she turn back to Quinn, who's in front of her. Her friend is looking just as amused as she is.

"I'm a hundred procent sure, Sam." Brittany says confidently, and is just about to turn back to face the table when he grasps her shoulder to keep her turned to him.

"Listen guppy-lips," Santana stands up and walks up to him, "she's clearly trying to let you down easy, so just walk away while you still have your pride." she sneers and his eyes widen. He knows exactly who she is, and how she run things.

She's actually little shocked when he doesn't walk away with his tail between his legs.

"Why don't you just let me have a conversation, alone, with her? You've been all over her lately." he replies, loud enough to turn heads.

"Open your eyes, Trouty Mouth, and you will realize that she doesn't want to go with you." she cross her arms and lifts an eyebrow at him, challenging him.

He hesitates, and then looks over her shoulder at Brittany. "I'll find you later, when you're alone, alright?"

Then he walks away before none of them can reply, or before Santana can hit him in the face.

When she sit down next to Brittany, the blonde is smirking at her and taking a bite of her toast.

"Green is a great color on you."

"Shut it." she mutters, and Brittany just laughs at her.

---

She doesn't know how she got pinned up again a wall in the owelry, the floor is covered in owl shit and it's freezing cold. It has started snowing, a lot, making it almost impossible to spend time on the grounds. But Brittany being... well Brittany, she dragged Santana up here to send an owl to her mother about a dress. And Santana she should do the same.

They sent the owls about thirty minutes ago.

Their tongues are wrestling and their hands are everywhere all over each other. She feels Brittany's strong hand circle around her waist to push her closer, (like it's possible) and mash their breasts together more firmly as her fingertips finds their way under her shirt and to ghost over her naked back.

It makes her gasp into Brittany's hot mouth and her toes curl in her shoes. She drapes her right arm over her back to keep her close and her left one fists in blonde hair.

Unfortunately, they are interrupted by footsteps climbing up the stairs to the tower. Not that they're a secret, but it's not entirety pleasant for other people to see them make out, so Brittany parts with her slightly and slowly, eyeing her up and down hungrily.

Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker steps into the room and seem to understand what they have been doing, because she quietly greets Brittany and quickly disappears up another floor.

They start to giggle, and Brittany takes her hand to drag her towards herself and kisses her gently. She loves this feeling she has with Brittany. When Brittany kisses and touches her, tells her she's pretty and beautiful. When she holds her in her strong arms.

That makes her forget about the world for a while. Away from all of her problems with her family, which, she hasn't heard from for a while. Caleb just once sent her a letter, asking how it all went with her thing. Her mother is probably sending her a dress, which she took all her measurements so it could fit her perfectly.

She's pulled back into reality when Brittany rub their noses together slowly.

"Where did you go?"

The blonde asks and smiles down at her, while she pulls her closer into her body.

"I was thinking about you and how happy I am," she whispers, and peck her lips. "How happy you make me." Santana pecks her again and feels that Brittany smiles into the kiss.

"You make me so happy, Santana. You can't even imagine."

Okay, so, Santana knows that she needs to ask Brittany to the Ball. Because she can feel that the blonde has no intention of asking her, maybe because she took the first step and told Santana that she's in love with her.

Which makes it kind of "Santana's turn."

---

Quinn and her is sitting across from each other on Santana's bed doing homework. But the brunette can't really focus on that. All she can thing of is blonde hair, the body that comes with that blonde hair, and the lips that comes with that body.

She's tapping her fingers on the parchment in front of her, until Quinn hisses that she'll kill her if she isn't going to stop.

"S, just stop thinking about her, will you? I can practically hear your head spin."

Santana looks up at Quinn to find her glaring at her from across the bed.

"I'm sorry," she says, "I just need a way to ask Brittany to the Ball."

Quinn looks back at her for a second, then sighs heavily as she puts her things away.

"Just ask her."

"I want it so be special."

Quinn's eyes narrows.

"You don't have to wait for the moment, just make the moment special. I mean-" the blonde sighs again and inches closer to her as Santana shuts her books shut. "Take her to your special place or whatever, and just ask her. It doesn't have to be perfect."

The Lake. Of course, why didn't Santana think of that before? Should she get Brittany a present?

"Should I.. you know, give her something?" the brunette hesitantly ask as she frowns.

"Like what, a flower?" Quinn lets out a laugh, and smirks at her. "You can give her something on the night of the Ball, that would be super romantic."

Santana just nods, taking Quinn's opinion in as they study each other. The blonde has really matured, Santana notices. Her hair is longer, her face is less chubby and more woman-like. She can't help but note that her best friend is beautiful in many ways.

"Who are you going with?"

It slips out before she can even stop it. Quinn's eyes widen for a second, her bottom lip trembling for a second.

"With Blaise."

Santana gasped. "Zabini?"

Blaise Zabini was probably the most arrogant boy that Santana ever had the pleasure to meet. Arrogant, egoistic and wickedly smart. Tall, cheekbones to die for, black- he was a real catch. Or, so she thinks. She has never got information about his love life from anyone. If he even had any, that is. Which she would find odd, because of his weird way. Always keeping to himself instead of hanging out with his fellow Slytherins.

"Yes." Quinn confirms, not even a tiny, excited smile on her lips that a girl should have when they talk about their date to a Ball.

"When did he ask you?" Santana asks with a smile, that soon fades. "And why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't remember.. maybe three days ago." the blonde says, "It's not like I'm thinking about it all the time."

Santana frowns. "but aren't you happy?"

"I guess."

Quinn opens her book again and leans back.

---

It's only two days left to the Ball. The guys are swarming around both her, and Brittany. She can tell that the blonde is tired of waiting. Maybe she's tired of not knowing if they're even going together. She is, too, actually.

Brittany seems distant lately. But the brunette knows that it must be disappointment, disbelief.

So, she has a plan to ask Brittany to the Ball with her. Which will take place tonight.

They're in Ancient Runes class. Hermione Granger is the only one focusing on that their teacher is saying, as usual. Brittany's is in her own world, next to Santana. Their joined hands is on Brittany's thigh.

"Hey, Britt." she whispers to get her attention.

Brittany turns to her a little to quickly, with a small smile on her lips, her eyes raking around her face. "yeah?"

"Can we go for a walk, later during lunch?"

Brittany's smile fades a little.

"Oh. Sure."

Santana leans in to kiss her on the cheek, at the corner of her mouth. She watches as Brittany's porcelain skin blush under the move, and how the blonde takes a shaky breath while staring at her lips.

Oh, how she wants to kiss them.

Her heart is all warm and fuzzy, clouding her mind. She knows for a fact that she will do anything to protect Brittany, no matter what. It makes her weak, vulnerable. A fool. She thinks that maybe Brittany is her world. She lives to see her in the mornings, kiss her and be wrapped into strong and toned arms. It's her weakness, her feelings for Brittany.

She knows that she should stop while she can. Or, could she ever leave the blonde? The touch of her hand on her thigh, she way she smiles at her when she's up to mischief. Right before dragging her into an empty corridor to tell her that she loves her. Could she leave the way Brittany's nose scrunch up adorably when she doesn't understand something, or when she laughs?

Santana thinks that Brittany's laugh is the most beautiful thing on the planet, along with her soft pants in her ear when she kisses the blondes neck and lets her hands wanderover her body. Or when she groans when she bits down on the skin she has just kissed.

Brittany is the best thing that has ever belonged to her.

"Will you go to the Ball with me?"

Her whisper cut through the silence between them by the lake. It wasn't uncomfortable or anything, they were just enjoying the peacefulness.

Brittany looks over at her with a big smile on her face. Her eyes and hair is shining in the sunlight enclosing them, the light falling of snow is in the air.

"Yes." Brittany whispers back, meeting her halfway into a kiss. Santana wraps her arms around her neck, smiling goofily into the next kiss, the blonde wraps her own arms around Santana's waist and pulls her closer.

The blonde must have felt her smile, because soon they're just smiling against each other's lips and looking into each other's eyes.

---

She's standing by the mirror, watching as Quinn puts her hair into an elegant, low, bun. The gray, slim dress she is wearing is hugging her in all the right places. It's a dress that has a high neck, covers her shoulders, but leaves her back open. Her lips are deep red, so is her nails, her eyes is smoky with a mysterious feeling to her make-up.

It's perfect for her.

Santana must say, that Quinn is extra beautiful tonight. Her pale skin goes perfectly with her red dress, the shapes on the front of the dress is rather odd, but really interesting and it will catch a lot of eyes. She also wears red lipstick, but a lighter one. The blonde looks really natural, as always.

She follows Quinn's movements through the mirror. How her hands touches her hair like it's made of glass. Suddenly, the blonde stops her ministrations and their eyes lock in the mirror.

A heavy silence falls over them. It's almost like Santana is afraid of being happy, terrified of the idea of hitting the bottom again. She knows that something is bothering her best friend. There's something in her eyes and smile that's not entirely true. If she looks closer, she can see the make-up that has covered up Quinn's dark spots under her eyes.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" she asks.

At first she is not sure if Quinn heard her, because she doesn't seem to react in any way when she speaks up, not even blink.

"I know."

There's silence again as they watch each other. Why does she feel like they're far away from each other, like Quinn is hiding something?

Draco and the others is waiting for them, (and Pansy Parkinson, Draco's date, who she personally hates.) when they come up from the dungeons. Pansy and Quinn was chatting all the way up the stairs, but she isn't really "chatty" when there is people around that she hates.

All of the boys is literally wearing the same thing. Black dress robes. This is why she likes girls.

Jesse has his arm around Rachel, who is wearing a light blue dress. Even she looks pretty nice.

"Looking good," Jesse smiles at her, and she raises an eyebrow at him with a small smile on her lips. "Brittany is going to go crazy."

"I whole heartily agree with Jesse, you look really great, Santana. The lipstick really goes well with your skin." Rachel compliments her.

"Yeah, you look good too, Berry." she says sincerely, making the other girl smile really big at her. She notices that Quinn is really tense.

She decides not to be a bitch tonight. She is far too happy and excited to even try. Brittany is her date tonight. Brittany. Not even two months ago, she thought that was not possible in a million years. Knowing that the blonde loves her back, it waiting for her outside the Great Hall, and is probably just as excited as her.

Almost.

When they arrive, there is too many people to see if Brittany is even there yet. But Santana can feel her already. Her heart picks up even more, as she sees a tall blonde figure come towards them in the sea of people.

Santana's breathing actually stops for a moment. Her breath hitches, and she is sure that even her heart stopped beating. For a moment, everything seems to slow down into slow motion as this beautiful creature makes her way towards her.

Brittany's hair is straightened out, resting on her bare shoulders. She looks so breathtakingly beautiful that she can feel her body turn numb, as Brittany smiles at her through her light make-up that seems to pop her eyes, making them even bluer that before. Her dress light pink, also making her look tanner and natural and just absolutely perfect. It drapes over her legs in layers, almost as a wedding dress.

(Great, now she's thinking about weddings.)

She is so hung up on Brittany, that she doesn't even notice that she's right in front of her, Brittany's eyes scanning her up and down while she's shaking her head in disbelief.

"You're so beautiful," the blonde breathes and sighs peacefully, while their eyes find each other. Brittany smiles down at her, stepping closer. "Santana."

Next thing she knows is that Brittany is leaning in, pressing her lips against her own, making her whole body tingle and vibrate. She can feel safe hands on her hips, while her own hands takes a hold of Brittany's elbows, holding her arms in place as they kiss gently.

When they pull away, Santana opens her eyes to look at the blonde, and can't help but bark out a laugh as she sees the state of Brittany's lips. Smeared with her own, red, lipstick.

The blonde pouts at her, and doesn't even ask her what she's laughing about as she fiddles with her dress and pulls out her wand to remove the make-up that doesn't belong to her.

A minute later, they're talking with Santana's friends. Quinn and Brittany seems to get along fine, like always. Blaise Zabini, who is standing with his arm around Quinn's waist, seems to be really trying to be included into the conversation. He's interesting, she must admit, with his mysterious way and calm voice. But there's something off about Quinn, even if a handsome boy has his arm around her, she isn't really into it. Santana can tell.

Brittany on the other way, is totally into her. Her arm is draped really low around her waist, pulling her body into her side. Santana finds herself leaning into the blondes side, resting her head on the nape of her neck.

She hears Draco snickering behind her, and turns away from Brittany's embrace as Jesse, Sebastian and Draco starts openly laughing at something, or someone. She notices the source of their amusement, when she get to see the hideous clothes that Ron Weasely is sporting, next to Harry Potter. The rest of their friends quickly turns around along with her, only to start laughing as well.

The Weasely boy just hangs his head as they're about to pass them, Harry just glares at them.

Something slaps her arm, hard, and she turns to Brittany with a scowl. "What?" she asks, "I mean look at him, what's up with that?"

Brittany's eyes turns a shade darker, her lips in a thin line. "stop being like that, San!" she hisses, and cross her arms over her chest. "have some respect."

Santana suddenly feels guilty and ashamed, and crosses her arms too, as she pouts and looks down.

"Don't do that," the blonde whines as the others finally stops laughing. (Well, Jesse got a much more dramatic scolding session than did.) "You know I can't resist your pout, honey."

A hand cups her chin and tilts her head up so their eyes can lock.

"I won't say I'm sorry for yelling. Just," she takes a step closer "don't be like that."

Santana just nods in response, still a little ashamed. But Brittany lay a hand on the small of her back, and gently escorts her towards the Great Hall, after their friends. They stand with the other students, waiting for the champions to walk inside.

But Santana can't seem to find Quinn anywhere. Blaise is among them, talking to Sebastian and his date.

She finds her by the doors to the Great Hall. Watching the people that's still arriving. Santana follows her best friend's gaze, which is locked on a certain brunette, who is walking down the stairs in a light purple dress.

Hermione Granger. The mudblood that hangs out with Harry Potter.

She watched as Quinn's eyes followed the Gryffindor girl, down the stairs and into the waiting arms of Victor Krum. She studied Quinn's expression, how a pained look appears and how her brows furrows together.

Then how Hermione was looking back at the blonde across the room, and over Victor's shoulder. That face.. it was full of regret and guilt. A small smile, that said "I'm so sorry."

Quinn is the queen of not showing any emotion. But Santana can see through it, the struggle she's going through to not show how much it pains her.

Is this the thing that Quinn won't talk to her about? Hermione Granger? How did this even happen! When, how, and why?

She shivers at the thought of Quinn's parents finding out. Santana's family finding out. Their fellow Slytherins. This is absolutely forbidden.

Then, Hermione's eyes is on her. They widen comically, and Santana just glares back at her. A mudblood is not destroying their future, or their families, or their reputation.

In the corner of her eye, she watches how Quinn seeks out what Hermione is looking at. Her best friend's gaze burns into the side of her head, after a couple of seconds she turns to Quinn so she can meet her eyes.

The blonde is actually looking scared of her. For the first time, she looks like she's going to break. Santana briefly wonders, if Quinn had told her. Would she be more comfortable with the whole thing? She thinks so.

With one last look, she turns around and into the Great Hall again to find Brittany.

---

The traditional dance began five minutes ago. Brittany is standing behind her, with her arms around her, swaying them back and forth. Santana has her hands over Brittany's, leaning back into her body. This makes her calm, just standing here and enjoying their time together.

Most of the students is dancing with each other now, even Quinn and Blaise. (And Hermione and Victor.) but she hasn't noticed any longing looks or something. But she has clearly seen the looks that Quinn kept giving her.

"Come one, we're going to dance." Brittany whispers and smiles against her ear. She shudders, and Brittany takes her hand and drags her out on the dance floor to waltz. The blonde leads her, keeping her close to her body as she twirls her around and lifts her.

Brittany.

She's so perfect tonight, treating her like a real lady. She feels so taken care of, special and pretty that she can't keep the smile off her face.

"You're breathtaking tonight, Brittany." she whispers into her ear later, when the waltz has toned down into slow dancing. They have their arms around each other, their fronts brushing. Santana cups her face with both of her hands and stands on her toes to kiss her. "So damn beautiful."

This time it's Brittany who kisses her, and Santana snakes her arms around her neck. When they pull away, Brittany rests her forehead on hers. The brunette smiles at the blush on her cheeks.

"Awwh," she coos teasingly, "did I make you blush?"

"Shut up." Brittany whispers and pecks her lips and runs her hands up and down her naked back.

Santana gasps into her mouth, staring into Brittany's eyes, until the blonde kisses her again.

The music and everything fades away as Brittany stops swaying them and pulls her flush against her as their tongues finds each other. The only thing she can focus on is Brittany's warmth and smell, how her hands wander down dangerously close to her behind, pressing her against herself.

It's Brittany who pulls away, stroking her back. "Let's find some place private."

---

"Britt." she gasps out as the blonde starts sucking on her neck. This time it's Santana who has Brittany pressed up against a wall. They found a secluded spot on the second floor, where it's completely deserted from people.

Her own hands runs up Brittany's sides, stopping next to her breasts. They haven't gone there yet, to second base. Sex is out of the question, as long as it's at Hogwarts.

She doesn't want to lose her virginity in a classroom or in her bed here, at her school. She wants to go home with Brittany, wake up with her and go to bed with her. Go to the beach when it's sunny outside, and stay in doing nothing when it's raining.

Brittany looks up at her then, like if she knows what she's thinking. "It's okay." she tells her quietly, stroking her hand over her cheek, before it disappears down to her own hand, and guides her left hand to Brittany's breast. She barely cups it at first, taking a shaky breath. Then she holds in more firmly as Brittany leans down to kiss her deeply, her hands grabbing her head.

She squeezes it gently, testing it's weight and is really fascinated by the softness of it, and she grabs it more firmly.

It makes Brittany growl into her mouth, and lean into her touch as she increased the pressure, feeling Brittany's nipple harden under her touch. She breaks away from their kiss, and starts trailing her tongue down Brittany's neck and collarbone. Then she pinches the blondes nipple through the fabric of her breast.

Brittany moans.

Her center clench painfully at the sound.

"That feels so good." Brittany whispers. Santana can feel her raising heartbeat under her lips, and Brittany's heavy breath in her ear. Santana does it again, making Brittany squirm against her.

They're interrupted by quick footsteps coming their way, lucky enough they're hidden behind a big statue, which make their line of sight over the corridor very wide. They part slightly, breathing hard as they hear to people argue.

"Hermione!" a desperate voice calls, as they watch as Hermione Granger rushes past them, but stopping in the middle of the corridor. That voice...

Then Quinn appears, her dress held up by her hands as she moves quickly over the floor in her high heels.

"I told you to not follow me, Quinn." the brunette hisses, making Santana want to slap her because of her tone she's talking to Quinn with. Brittany, who is behind her, silences her and hold her by her waist.

"I'm sorry, I just can't stay away from you." Quinn breathes and hesitantly walks up to the Gryffindor.

Hermione stays quiet, but from their hideout, Santana can see how a small smile plays at her lips.

"It hurt, seeing you with him."

Santana has never heard Quinn this genuine and careful before. It makes her sad, but also really proud.

"Well, you know the solution then, don't you?" Hermione raises her voice, it seems like she's mad again. Quinn fiddles with the red purse in her hand, looking right into Hermione's eyes as they speak. "Next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does,"

Santana haven't realized that Hermione is crying until this point, "and not be so stuck on your reputation and what your friends think."

It's quiet, as the brunette and the blonde is watching each other. Quinn isn't good with words exactly, Santana knows this. And she can't help but feel a little offended by the Gryffindor. She doesn't know her, how she is. Santana loves Quinn, and if this is what she wants, she will help her as much as she can.

"You don't know them, Hermione. You can't say that."

"I thought you talked to them?"

Quinn opens her mouth, like a fish without water, and Hermione starts shaking her head to the sides in some sort of disbelief.

"Are you telling me that you... lied to me? I thought you said that you would tell Santana, at least!" Hermione's voice is shaking with rage at this point, her tears running down her cheeks.

Quinn takes a step towards her, her hands reaching for the brunette. "I was going to tell her about us, I just... I was afraid that she would hate me." Quinn explains as she grabs both of Hermione's hands.

But the brunette seems to have none of it, and jerks her hands away.

"What a great friend she must be." Hermione mocks Santana's best friend.

"She's got better now that she has Brittany," Quinn murmurs, "She's not what you think she is."

"Really Quinn, she isn't? Muttering mudblood every time I walk past her, bullying me with the rest of your friends every time she gets the chance?"

Quinn stays quiet.

"Laughing at Ron, just because his family can't afford new dress robes?"

"This isn't about her, it's about us," Quinn yells loudly, making Hermione shocked. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry that I'm a coward, a liar and not good enough for you," Quinn continues in frustration. "But I do love you, I do. But I'm not ready to let my family disown me and throw me out. Where would I go? I have nothing without my family."

"Quinn I-"

"If you don't get that, then I can't do this. I can't have you pressuring me, when we don't know how our future looks. We're fifteen, we're not getting married. And I won't give up my family or my friends for you, if I don't know if we're even going to be together." Quinn says, crossing her arms.

They're staring at each other for a few moments, before Hermione looks down at her feet, sighing.

"I get what your point, Quinn, and I love you too. But at least I want it to be a little bit real before it's gone. My friends hate you," she laughs a little, making Quinn smile shyly. "and your friends will probably hate me, as well. But if they really care for you, they will be happy for us."

Santana turns around in Brittany's arms as her best friend in the whole world, kisses Hermione Granger.

---

She wakes up surrounded with a familiar smell, her back pressed against something warm and comforting, and an arm around her waist, quiet breaths at the back of her neck.

Santana lies still, sinking further into Brittany's body and taking a deep breath.

"You're awake." Is breathed into her ear, making her smile.

"I am."

They are silent for a moment, enjoying their almost naked bodies molded together.

"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday, Santana."

The brunette turns around in Brittany's arms, and they tangle their bare legs together and pulls each other close.

"I saw it you know, when I went looking for her before the Ball even started. I just knew it when I saw them across the room, looking at each other," she tells the blonde, who leans in to kiss her gently for a second before she pulls away, looking deep into Santana's eyes.

"My first thought was about our families, asking myself how Quinn could even consider a mudblood," she takes a breath. "but I came to the conclusion that if she's happy, I will support her through it all."

She doesn't realize then she's crying until Brittany brings her thumb up to stroke the tears away.

"And she didn't even trust me enough, B. She didn't want to tell me, because she was afraid of me. Am I really that horrible?"

Brittany is quick to shake her head, "no, no, no" she coos as her fingertips dance across her forehead to brush away her bangs. "your heart is pure. But your mind is bad sometimes, failing you,"

The blonde kisses her then, sweetly and lovingly. "I love you, all of you. I always have." she whispers against her lips.

Santana pulls her closer, kissing her back with everything she has. Her mind racing in time with her heartbeat.

"But Santana, you should talk to her." Brittany tells her minutes later, panting against her lips.

"I want her to come to me." she admits and Brittany smiles gently at her and runs her hand at the side of her waist while nodding her head.

"I love you too, Santana."

They kiss again, not deeply, but it feels like they bare their souls to each other, sharing themselves almost entirely.

---

They lay in bed as long as they can, Santana resting her head on Brittany's chest while watching the blue drapes shine around them on Brittany's bed. Until the girls that Brittany share her dormitory with came through the door around nine. So they headed to breakfast, not wanting to part some one another.

Quinn sit down in front of them, ten minutes later.

Santana can feel the awkward tension, but quickly realizes that it's all in her head. Because Quinn doesn't know, that Santana knows. The blonde Slytherin is just talking to her about the things they always talk about during breakfast.

Quinn needs to have the courage to tell her herself, not by being forced.

Santana is ready to take a sip of her juice when there's a voice calling Brittany's name. They all snap their heads up to see Artie Abrams standing there.

"Why don't you come sit with us?" he smiles at the Ravenclaw, ignoring both Quinn and Santana. He points towards the Hufflepuff table, where Tina and Mercedes is sitting.

"I'm sorry, I want to spend time with Santana. I can come and find you guys later?"

Santana can't even begin to explain how stupid she thinks he is. He's just trying to not get Brittany to spend time with her, making her really pissed off. Even Quinn scoffs at him, mostly she just ignored people that she didn't think deserved her attention.

"It's true, isn't it? What everyone is saying?" he asks then, making the two Slytherins frown even deeper. "About you and her?"

He's mad. And he says it like it's the most disgusting thing that he could ever think about.

"What about us?" Brittany asks him, turning her body towards him threateningly.

"Are you involved with her? Everyone is talking about it, how you can be with her," he mutters back, his eyes flicking to Santana for a second. "Why didn't you tell us, Brittany?"

Brittany snorts. "I told Tina and Mercedes about it. They're the only ones I care for, when it comes to sharing things."

"I thoug-"

"Artie, I can't have you running after me as a lovesick puppy anymore. I don't like you, and how you talk about Santana."

He just stands there, a broken expression on his face, his hands twitching and eyes full of disbelief. Santana almost feel bad for him. Almost.

"Now run along, four-eyes, I'm losing my appetite by just looking at you." Santana scowls at him. He opens his mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. He looks back and forth between them, and then turns on his heels and walks out of the Great Hall.

"That was mean, Santana." Brittany scolds her, but the brunette only shrugs with a smirk on her lips.

"Oh, c'mon Britt, he kind of deserved it."

Brittany just scowls at her.

---

The trees begin to bloom again, and the grass slowly turns greener every day. Santana and Brittany only grows closer to each other, even if some of the students doesn't approve of them at all.

Things between Quinn and Santana though, is still the same before the incident that Santana wasn't meant to see. But the brunette can't believe that she's been so blind all this time. The looks that Hermione and Quinn gives each other. The way Quinn hurries out of a classroom and doesn't explain where she's going. The way the blonde seems to just disappear some nights.

Quinn has yet to talk to her, and to open up about what is going on with her and Hermione.

She and Brittany is currently on their daily outside walk, their robes on and their house scarfs wrapped tightly around their necks. They're sharing a bag of candy, that Santana is carrying while Brittany talks about how good the blue in the sky goes with the trees.

It reminds her about how much she loves this girl. Just by the way she talks about the nature, how she is so open with everything and doesn't feel like she must hide any weird thoughts from Santana, not believing that Santana will get freaked out or think that she's stupid.

Like the rest of Brittany's peers. Like Artie has started doing.

Don't get it wrong, Brittany is a very loved girl, popular and beautiful. But Santana can clearly notice that her social status became worse when she got official with Santana. But she doesn't worry too much, Brittany is the star of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. When this whole thing has been forgotten, and their relationship is being more accepted, Artie and his gang will just cool down.

Artie, Sam Evans, and that irritating guy called Matt. They're always making fun of Brittany at their lessons. Santana thinks it's just luck that she's doesn't share the same classes as Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, because then she would've beat the living crap out of them. She keeps it low, just waiting for the right moment to revenge her girlfriend.

Her thoughts are interrupted by a familiar pair of lips smashing into her own, and a hand at the back of her head. She can feel Brittany smile into the kiss, making her smile as well. Their mouths open, Santana sucking on Brittany's bottom lip and her hands find their way to the blonde's waist, the bag of candy falling to the ground with a thud.

Brittany pulls away first, an adorable blush across her face. "What were you thinking about?" she murmurs and kisses the corner of the brunette's lips softly.

"You." Santana answers truthfully, a grin spreading across her face.

She believes that no-one but Brittany will make her feel this way. The way her heart is almost pounding out of her ribcage. She believes that no-one but Brittany will ever make her smile like this. No-one will ever make her fall in love this much, ever again. But a future without Brittany at this point doesn't exist.

Brittany seems to be able to read her thoughts, because she gives Santana another breathtaking kiss, slipping her tongue into her mouth to massage the brunette is with her own. Santana moans into the kiss, holding Brittany tighter around her waist, and Brittany's arms finds their way around her clothed neck. They suck on each other's tongues and lips, biting and humming.

She believes that kissing Brittany, will never get old.

---

The second task is taken place in the middle of the Black Lake. They have to take boats out to the platforms that they've built for this event.

Santana holds out her hand for Brittany to take, and helps her up safely on the platform. Her girlfriend winks at her, making her smile at the blonde like a lovesick teenager. (She is a teenager.)

She insists that Brittany climbs the stairs first, up to the highest level where they can literally see everything that is going on later.

They stand so they can lean onto the reeling at the front, making them have the perfect view. Quinn climbs up right after them, and then Draco. The four of them watch as more boats bring more people out to the three platforms.

She smiles as Brittany slides up behind her, with both of her hands on either side of her, holding on to the reeling. Santana leans back against her, feeling her girlfriends breasts through her clothes, making it hard to concentrate. She snuggles into Brittany's neck, turning her head a little to kiss her jaw as Brittany presses her against the fence, and snuggles back by placing a kiss on her head.

Dumbledore starts talking about how each of the Champion is missing something dear to them, and that they have one hour only to collect these items at the bottom of the lake.

Santana barely catches the way Quinn tense up for a second.

The cannon goes off a second after that, and all of the Champions jumps into the water.

(Well, except for Harry Potter that kind of falls into the water.)

Time passes. Fifty minutes later, Cedric Diggory appears out of the water with Cho Chang by his side. And that's when it finally clicks. The treasures they were going to retrieve, where people. But that means.. Hermione? Is Hermione Krum's treasure? As an applause erupt around them Santana looks over at Quinn, who's hair is slowly turning white, and her skin is getting paler and her eyebrows is slowly turning white. Quinn is scared out of her mind.

If Brittany was down there, at the bottom of the lake, surrounded by mermaids and other horrible things, she wouldn't be able to cope with it.

Brittany also seems to realize it seconds after Santana and turns her head straight forward to not show that she's seen what she's not meant to see.

She looks just as pained as Santana feels.

Another applause and callings erupt, the three of them whips their heads around and get to see Victor Krum in the water, and next to him is Hermione.

She can practically feel Quinn's anxiety next to her. The blonde girl's body is tense as they watch how Victor helps Hermione up onto the platform. But the Gryffindor doesn't have eyes for him at all as she's surrounded by people that gives her robes and towels to stay warm. Her eyes are searching around her, maybe for a special person.

Santana's heart actually clenches as Hermione and Quinn seems to spot each other through the crowd and share a longing and painful look. She closes her eyes for a second, breathing Brittany's scent in to calm her mind.

---

Santana. I want you to burn this paper as soon as you've read it.

Something is happening, and soon. I want you to be prepared for what is coming, but I cannot tell you in a letter.

Mother and father, they're prepared, and so am I. But you're my little sister, and I will not leave you in the dark.

Our Lord will be returned. Do not panic, and do not send an answer. It's risky enough for me to do this.

I found a way, Santana. I found a way to bring him back, along with my dear friend.

Blood will probably be spilled, but not our honor. We will get rewarded big time. It's time for the Lopez clan to step forward into this war that's coming.

---

"He's back. He's back. Voldemort is back"

She blinks once, twice. Then scrunch her eyes together, just as Brittany's hand grabs her painfully in her bicep.

There is a man screaming somewhere in front of where they're sitting. But she can't see him because of the large crowd that is covering her sight.

"That's my son"

Echoes in her head, and then the man let's out another scream, pain evident in his voice.

"That's my boy"

Her girlfriend, who is beside her seems just as frozen as she does. Is this the price they had to pay to bring their Lord back. To get honor and power. Then so be it.

But it's just that Brittany is crying.

Santana was prepared.

But the most beautiful creature in the world is burying her face into the nape of her neck and let's out a heartbroken sob. Santana swallows and averts her eyes to Quinn and Draco, who is sitting at the other side of her.

To her surprise, Quinn's hair hasn't changed. And Draco doesn't look that bothered that she thought he would. And she understands that both of them knew.

She placed an arm around Brittany and pulls her closer into her body. A soft kiss is placed on top of long golden hair. Her girlfriend curls into her side like a baby, and her hands drop into Santana's lap.

Quinn and Draco is watching them when she turns her head towards them and they both look her straight in the eye. Like they're asking her if she knew.

She just stares back at them, her eyes darting between the both of her best friends in the whole world as they share a secret moment.

---

Cedric Diggory is dead. She's surprised that she's not as sad as she feels like she should be. She just feels empty. Nothing.

She feels nothing.

Brittany has been quiet a lot these last days of school. The blonde looks tired and she always falls asleep crying next to Santana.

That makes her feel like she's about to die.

Their hands is entwined as they listen to Dumbledore telling the student body, along with their guests, that Cedric Diggory was murdered.

By Lord Voldemort.

She wishes that someone so innocent wouldn't have died. She spoke to him once before all this, briefly in the hallway as she asked him if he had a parchment she could have. He gave it to her with a smile, that left her own mouth into a small smile as he wished her a good day.

Quinn and Draco is on a bench in front of them, listening to Dumbledore with their heads down as they were praying.

"Now the pain... we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me, and reminds us, that while we may come from different places and speak with different tongues... our hearts beat as one.

In light of resent events... the bonds of friendship that we've made this year will be more important than ever."

She swallows audibly at these words and closing her eyes as she feels Brittany's hand in hers. And presence and the warmth of her. What is Brittany was the one who was gone. What if Santana was the one who sat and cried quietly instead of Cho Chang.

Santana squeezes the hand in hers and Brittany turns to her, watching her with a sad face. But her eyes are burning with affection.

"I love you." she whispers. Her eyes starts to water as she utter the words.

"I love you too."

---

This time, by the lake, they're quiet.

They listen to the water as it meets land and the wind that blows through the trees by them.

Brittany has her arm around the brunette, and she feels like nothing in this world can get near enough to harm her is the company of the blonde.

She rests her head onto Brittany's shoulder and Brittany leans her head against hers after a gentle kiss has been placed in her hair.

Santana wants to remember this moment forever. When they are together, and none of them is hurt. Both of them is alive and well, and they love each other. She never wants this to change.

She is sure that her heart isn't ice because of Brittany.

And she will do anything to keep this girl that has her wrapped up in her arms, safe. Anything.

---

AN2:

So there you go. Hope you enjoyed it!

By the way, I know that Proffessor McGonagall doesn't teach "the dance" to the whole student body, but I just figured that I could write it like that and adding a little extra scene.

Thanks for reading!