Disclaimer to JK Rowling

Chapter Seven: Society's True Ornament

Dear, had the world in its caprice
Deigned to proclaim "I know you both,
"Have recognized your plighted troth,
Am sponsor for you: live in peace!''

Robert Browning from Respectability

After a long week of lessons, the attack of her brother by a Hippogriff, and the vendetta that her father had announced on Hagrid, the last thing that Lacie wanted to do was have a piano lesson with this Diggory boy. She had already started her day with a strenuous ballet lesson with Miss Belle-Faire and did not particularly want to entertain her mother's whims. Her mother had sent a reminder letter that morning, too, as if Lacie would risk having Professor Snape escort her personally to this ridiculous charade.

Sighing as she pushed open door, the sounds of a sad melody swirled around her. The pianist was facing away from her, lost completely in the song he was playing and Lacie could only stand and listen. Her heart swelled as the notes he played reached a crescendo, before dropping into a something quieter and more delicate. As the song drew to a close, Lacie found herself clapping.

He turned around, and Lacie was surprised by how good-looking he was and when he stood, Lacie had to crane her neck in order to speak to him face-to-face.

"Sorry, I just got carried away," he said and held out his hand, "I'm Cedric."

"Lacie Malfoy," Lacie said, taking his hand. His grip was gentle, just like the hand she had in hers. She felt her cheeks heat up at the thought of it.

Stop it! I will not think about him that way.

"I know, you fell on me after your dance in the Great Hall last year," he said as his mouth fell into an easy grin, "My friend, Cynthia, couldn't stop talking about it for days."

Lacie was humbled for a moment that he remembered her name, but being as notorious as she was: starting food fights, an extended amount of time in Beauxbatons, the dance display and her infamous trip to the Chamber of Secrets; she was not so surprised that he did.

So much for humility.

Lacie took a deep breath, and opened her mouth to start telling him exactly how she felt about these lessons.

"If you're here to tell me that you've decided to not take piano lessons from me, you're wasting that deep breath you just took."

"No offence, Cedric - …"

"None taken."

"Look, I do not know where my mother gets these ridiculous notions from but -…"

"Well, at least do it to spite your own mother, do you know how much she is paying me?" A mischievous glint appeared in his grey eyes. Lacie was slightly taken aback.

"Are you sure you are a Hufflepuff?" she asked whilst raising an eyebrow.

He laughed, and it seemed genuine. Lacie stood slightly open-mouthed. Once he was done, his mouth was pulled in a crooked smile. He cocked his head at her, and offered her the piano seat. She took it, despite herself, out of confusion.

"Did you really think that Hufflepuffs are simply kind creatures that you could underestimate? Typical Gryffindor," he said, conjuring some sheet music. "I want to establish how well you can play, so I will ask you to play several melodies all increasing in difficulty."

Lacie gave him a sour look, but looked at the manuscript in front of her. This one was simple enough; she managed to play it through once without any major hiccoughs. He asked her to play it again. By the third time, she had perfected the whole melody, and she looked at him cockily.

"Again."

"Again?"

He looked at her without answering. Lacie gave an insolent sigh before saying again, this time taking more care with the dynamics littered above the notes. When she was done, and he asked her to do it again, she slammed her hand on the keys, flooding with room with a discordant tune.

"I can already play this perfectly," she complained as she crossed her arms. "Give me something else to play."

He pulled a chair next to her with a frown on his face, "Whilst I admit last time you paid more attention to the dynamics and finally ended it piano, you still play it as if you don't want to."

"You are correct," Lacie countered, "I do not want to play."

"…Because you don't see the point of even being here," he finished for her.

Lacie glared at him and wanted to see disapproval in his grey eyes but she saw none. He only looked at her kindly, and there was warmth in his eyes that Lacie did not normally see in people she disobeyed.

"Yes."

"Look," he said leaning on the edge of the piano, "As much as you may think that this is a waste of time, when you could be learning about duels or magical creatures, I assure you it is not. When I hear a piece of classical music, this funny sort of feeling in my chest, and I can almost feel all the emotions that the composer tried to convey when he wrote a particular song.

"Our magic is tied with our emotions, and playing the piano helps me, at least, to be in tune with different emotions and that in turn has made me in tune with my magic. The more I am in tune with my magic, the better I am as a wizard. It all connects, you see."

"So, to you it is not a pretty parlour trick?" Lacie inquired.

Cedric flicked a lock of hair out of his face before grinning, "Well…"

Lacie rolled her eyes, and he continued looking at her. She suddenly felt uncomfortable in her seat, being so on display to the boy, and Lacie could not deny any longer that he was good-looking, and although he was being sarcastic about it, he did not seem to think his looks were important. She turned back to sheet in front of her.

"So, how is this piece supposed to make me feel?"

He raised an eyebrow at her tone but did not say anything. Cedric stood up and motioned for her to move across the piano seat. When she obliged, he sat next to her and started to play. She thought she was imagining it, and although it was a simple song, she felt happy in the pit of her stomach. Cedric seemed to play with gusto and flew past the silly mistakes she had made, whilst caring to every crescendo and diminuendo. When he finished, Lacie felt a small lump in her throat.

"What did it make you feel?"

"Happy, I guess, like I can make it through the rest of this lesson without frowning."

"Is that a promise?"

Lacie glowered at him and he laughed again before resuming his own seat beside her. He gestured at her and invited her to play. Lacie looked down, trying to conceal her smile. She brushed her fingers against the keys and before she started playing again, she glanced up at him. Some small part of her was giddy with the fact he was staring at her.

That giddiness dissipated when he made her play it again five more times.

x-x-x-x-x

Draco made a dramatic return to class the next Thursday morning. He swaggered into the Potions classroom, his bandaged arm in tow to the surprise of his classmates who were brewing Shrinking Solutions. His friends had visited him on-and-off for the past week, but he was beginning to tire of the Hospital Wing and its disgusting salves. He had almost ran to Potions after the school matron signed him fit for classes again, with the warning to keep away from Hippogriffs.

I think I have learned my lesson this time, Draco thought to himself. Theo made to move some of his things to his half of the bench in anticipation of Draco's return. Pansy looked concerned and was about to speak to him but he gave her no such opportunity. He spotted an empty space next to Hermione and walked to it, eliciting gasps from his friends. The girl paused in chopping her daisy roots to gape at him.

"Settle down," Professor Snape said with a slight tilt to the side of his pursed mouth, "Would you care to explain why you have decided to mess up my meticulous seating plan, Mister Malfoy?"

Well, Professor," Draco replied, "As much I deign to admit it, Granger is the most competent person in the class… after myself, of course, and as my arm is so indisposed…"

"I am more than competent than you are," Hermione hissed as she turned red.

"One point from Gryffindor, for speaking out of turn, Miss Granger. Mister Malfoy, continue."

"Well, as I was saying, as my arm is rather indisposed and I would require help in this class, and I think it better to receive it from someone comparable to my own grades so they reflect my performance accurately."

"Very well, until Mister Malfoy's arm is completely healed, you are instructed to aid him in whatever he wishes, Miss Granger."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the Potions Master before giving a curt nod.

"But, Professor - …"

"Two points from Gryffindor, what did I say about speaking out of turn, Miss Malfoy?"

Lacie opened her mouth to retaliate but the Professor challenged her, "Do you want to make it an extra three?"

Hermione elbowed Lacie in the arm, and she shut her mouth. Lacie gave Draco a dirty look before returning to her own ingredients, although approaching them with a lot more ferocity. Draco snickered as he struggled to set his cauldron on the bench with one hand. Hermione watched him for a moment before resigning herself and coming to his aid. She even helped him set it alight, before returning to her own potion. She did not speak to him, and he knew why. She feared losing even more points for speaking out of turn, and whilst the Slytherins chattered away, the Gryffindors were forced to work in a sullen silence.

Draco went to the storeroom to gather the ingredients for the class, and hoped that he would be able to complete the potion in the allocated time. He could not afford any more time off, and if his grades suffered, he would get a Howler from both of his parents and be ineligible for the Quidditch Team. Flint had guaranteed his position as Seeker for third-year despite missing the try-outs over the weekend, but even Draco could not pay off policy.

He returned to the bench, and placed his roots on the bench and held the roots with his injured arm and picked up the knife. He struggled for a moment before Hermione hissed over at him.

"You're going to chop a finger off, here let me," she said taking the knife gently from him. She started chopping the roots quickly and evenly.

"I can manage."

"Clearly not," she muttered, "Also, seeing as you made your grandiose speech about asking the second-most competent person in this classroom to aid you, and since I have been further instructed to do so, let me at least help you."

She chopped his roots as well as skinning his Shrivelfig. She returned to her own potion, and scanned the blackboard for further instruction. Draco read the instructions in Snape's neat scrawl and started on his potion. The girl had finished her stirring and was sitting as she waited for her potion to brew. Draco threw his ingredients into his cauldron, and occasionally peeked at her in silence. Whilst he waited for his to simmer, he knocked his knife to the floor purposefully.

Draco bent over to pick it up but let out a fake groan. The girl could not resist as she let out a frustrated noise and went to pick up his knife for him.

"Same time, same place tonight?" he whispered. Her eyes widened before they narrowed again. She slammed his knife onto the bench.

"Why?"

"Why ever not?"

"I thought you were too busy playing the victim to ever consider it," she said acidly. She noted the time and went to stir her potion, occasionally adding other ingredients before stirring vigorously.

"I did not know I had imagined a Hippogriff attacking me," Draco said sarcastically, "I must be wearing these bandages for fun."

"I -…"

"I know what you meant, your half-giant friend is now in trouble because I thought I would use my witty mouth against a Hippogriff and ended up almost being its dinner," Draco sighed. He started dropping more ingredients into his cauldron and stirred with his right arm as he did so. "If I had thought properly about the consequences, instead of trying to get one over on Potter, I would not have acted so rashly."

"You're sorry about getting Hagrid in trouble?" the witch whispered incredulously, almost dropping her metal rod in shock.

"No," Draco said, rolling his eyes, "Have you not seen the Prophet?"

"Of course I have, amongst Sirius Black sightings and the attempted ministrations from the Ministry, I may have seen a thing or two regarding your father."

"Yes, he seems rather adamant in fighting for your friend's resignation."

"Because of you," Hermione said, adding more things into her cauldron.

"No."

"No?"

"Father believes that if he succeeds in the trial, it shows that he truly cares for his children and would never do anything to harm them. Professor Hagrid and that Hippogriff are purely collateral damage in his scheme."

Hermione's mouth pressed into a thin line as she continued stirring. He waited patiently for her to deduce what he was hinting at. He looked over at Lacie who was stubbornly stirring her potion and determinedly ignoring his presence. If she could hear what he was saying, she made no indication or commented on it. Out the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Hermione pause, but he continued focusing on his own potion.

"If your father shows that he truly cares for you, your mother will go back to him, because that's why she left, isn't it? Because he put Lacie in danger last year."

"Correct, any other inferences?" Draco asked quietly.

"If your mother returns to your father, the family unit would be restored along with the Malfoy political standing, your family's status would also return."

"Precisely, Father has always relied on Mother to curry favour with high-ranking officials."

There was a pregnant pause.

"I suppose it is all my fault," Draco said, with a small sigh.

"How do you deal with it all?" she asked tentatively, as Professor Snape started making his rounds. He peered at the witch's cauldron before turning his attention to Draco's one. He barely gave Draco an upturned lip before moving on. Draco continued after the Professor was inspecting another cauldron.

"Being a pureblood is not all rainbows and unicorns, especially a pureblood from a family like mine," Draco explained. "I envy the naïveté that comes with being a Muggleborn."

"Yes, such naïveté is pleasant amongst the insults and dressing-downs, but I suppose it is a relief not to analyse and second-guess every action in case it affects my family's political standing."

"Yes, now you see why I wish I had thought more before pissing off a Hippogriff."

"Language."

"Yes, Mother."

"But, in all seriousness, surely it cannot be bad that your mother goes back to your father, and your family's political standing returns?" she questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

Draco added his leeches before stirring carefully. He thought about how much he should give away in a classroom. If anyone could hear him, it was not as easy as burning a piece of parchment.

"The pressure is not so great to be a perfect example of a respected pureblood when we are out of favour," he said quietly, staring at his potion. He did not want to look at her as he spoke. "Even Lacie knows when to act properly, she may have that streak of Gryfindor recklessness, but she would not intentionally do anything to disgrace the family."

"Aside from being Sorted into Gryffindor."

Draco snorted quietly, "The ultimate betrayal, of course."

"And all of your friends do this? Act in due accordance because of your blood status?" Hermione asked.

She glanced behind him and at the sour expression that was no doubt on Pansy's face. Draco could almost guarantee that she was watching them like a hawk, but Draco hated to disappoint her of scandal. All Hermione was doing was brewing her own potion and helping out Draco when he needed her to. In fact, their interactions were so limited that Draco could no doubt guffaw about it in the Common Room, and describe in lavish detail how he made the class mutt into his personal house-elf. Draco nodded when she turned back around to face him.

"Why?"

"Read up on the Sacred Twenty-Eight," Draco replied shortly, not wishing to elaborate further in the classroom.

"Giving me reading assignments was not part of the deal," the witch complained as she waved her wand in the shape as directed on the board.

"You would still enjoy them."

She turned to face him, and rolled her eyes. She peered in her cauldron before casting a spell to put the fire underneath her cauldron out. She opened her mouth to reply but the Professor warned the class that there was only fifteen minutes before the class ended and that they should be starting to bottle up their brews for grading. Draco knew that he was at least half an hour from completion and groaned internally.

His first day back in lessons, and he was already spending extra time in the Potions classroom over his lunch hour.

Ten minutes before the bell went for lunchtime, Professor Snape swept around the class, handing out their summer homework, and making scathing comments at everyone as he did so. He stopped in front of Draco, and as he handed Draco back the several pieces of parchment that he had used for 'his' essay, it was clear that the man was trying to resist a smirk.

"Mister Malfoy, over four rolls of parchment was wholly unnecessary for the work I set over the summer, please refrain from overtaxing yourself in the future, especially given your current state," the Potions Master drawled. He handed Hermione her single parchment without commentary before heading towards the rest of the Gryffindors.

Lacie, who was over her frustration with Professor Snape and Draco, peered across at them.

"So, what did you get?"

Hermione's mouth had fallen a little as she read through her essay.

"I got nine out of ten, but lots of commentary about how short it was," she whispered, before turning to Draco and questioning him on what marks he had received for his essay.

He winced as he glanced at the angry red number at the top of his sheet, and when Hermione saw his face. Her mouth closed as she smiled widely at him.

"I got an eight out of ten."

Lacie snorted behind Hermione so loudly that people turned to look at her. Hermione's eyes were so round, as her mouth open for a second time. She opened and closed it, as if she was a fish. Draco bit his lip to stop himself from bursting out in laughter at the sight of her.

"I don't believe you," Hermione said, and reached over to Draco's side and grabbed the homework that she had originally written. However, unmistakeable as it was, her original essay had scored lower than Draco's. Lacie was feverishly whispering to Potter, and the boy seemed to be unable to conceal his gormless grin behind his hands quick enough.

"You cannot be serious," she muttered.

"You cannot be serious, Lord Malfoy," Draco corrected, and he could swear he heard her hair crackle in annoyance.

"No."

"A bet is a bet."

Draco watched as Hermione turned to Lacie, probably to find if there was some wizarding loophole around the terms of the bet that meant that she did not have to fulfil her side of the bet, but she seemed to compose herself before looking darkly at him.

"Fine, but it doesn't mean I like it," Hermione finally said before adding as scathingly as she could, "Lord Malfoy."

Draco grinned as he returned to his potion. This was going to be an interesting three days.

x-x-x-x-x

Given the chance to face the Boggart, the class pushed into a neat but excited line to face it. Harry watched with amazement as it changed from seemingly scary creatures or objects to something remotely amusing as Lupin called out his Housemates to approach the Boggart. Personally, Harry didn't know what he would find particularly frightening… it didn't come to him as easily as Ron, whose Boggart was an alarmingly accurate replica of Aragog, which had caused all of the girls aside from Hermione to scream at the sight of it. When Harry thought about it, he was probably quite scared of Dementors, more than anything. He wasn't alone in his quest to find what scared him, as even Hermione wondered aloud what she would be afraid of. To his right, Harry noticed that Lacie was moving slowly to the back of the queue, she had originally been behind Ron, but let Seamus go ahead of her, and then Lavender and Parvati. She wordlessly let people pass her, and his Housemates' eagerness to tackle the Boggart meant they were more than happy to oblige. Harry did wonder how long it would go unnoticed, as it wouldn't take long for all ten students in the staff room to all try and defeat the Boggart.

"Miss Malfoy, you next!"

Harry watched as the girl took a breath and then calmly stating, "Professor, I do not want to face the Boggart."

"Pardon my saying so, but ridiculous, come up to the front," Lupin said kindly.

"Other people have not had a go yet, surely I can wait my turn," Lacie countered.

"Nonsense," Lupin said, "Come now. All you have to do is imagine your fear, and how you can make it seem less scary and then say Riddikulus."

Harry didn't know why Lacie was being so reluctant, or why Lupin was pushing the issue. Harry wanted to go against the Boggart, but instead Lupin was focusing on Lacie. Lacie shook her head, but Seamus found it fit to shove her to the front. She uncharacteristically tripped over her feet and stumbled in front of the Boggart. Harry watched as her eyes widened but she held out her wand, ready to defend herself against the Boggart. There was a crack, and as the Boggart focused on her fear, and Harry jumped back at what he saw.

In the classroom was the tall, handsome figure that was Tom Riddle. He was pale and intimidating in his Slytherin robes, with Harry's wand in his hand. There were whispers of confusion, but Harry knew. He could not move, in case he attracted the Riddle's attention. That was a silly thought, considering that it was Lacie's Boggart. He didn't want to tell the class that Lacie's fear was a young Voldemort, especially as everyone would run away screaming.

Lacie was frozen to the spot, and Harry noticed that she was shaking violently.

"Do you know what the Dark Lord does to the families of traitors?" Tom Riddle announced to the class. "Lacerta, I will kill your family, your friends, even that Mudblood pet you keep, and make you dance in front of them as I do so. No one will be spared by me, for this is what it means to defy Lord Voldemort."

Gasps echoed around the class and Harry could feel people backing away. He could tell by Lupin's face that things had quickly gone very wrong, and his attempt to be a good teacher and coax a weaker student had backfired horribly.

"Lacie, do something," Harry called out to her.

The blonde girl stood, transfixed at the Boggart but she was shaking so badly that her wand slipped out of her hand and clattered onto the floor. Riddle laughed menacingly. It was clear that Lacie couldn't do anything, as this fear was so deeply rooted in her. Harry made to move her out of the way of the Boggart, as the class jeered at her incompetence. It was a refreshing change for the rest of the Gryffindors to see something that Lacie couldn't do, as the only person more adept than her was Hermione. Of course, the class didn't know that it was only a few months ago that Riddle had almost killed Lacie in the Chamber of Secrets. As Harry neared Lacie, Lupin finally did something and stepped in front of her. The Boggart changed into an orb, before Lupin lazily cast the counter-charm.

Lacie stepped back, almost stumbling again and ran from the room, and Harry thought he could see tears billowing down her reddened cheeks. The class parted to let her go, and Harry saw Hermione try and reach out to stop her friend but decided against it. Neville was called to the front for a second time and his counter-curse finished off the Boggart. When the wisps it had exploded into had dissipated, Harry went to the front of the classroom to pick up Lacie's wand. As he looked at it, he knew that something was wrong. He remembered when she had stood up to Lockhart, and she hadn't been afraid at all.

I can take it.

The memory burned in his mind. Lacie, held by the neck by a sadistic memory and telling Harry that she could take it. Harry stood up and turned to leave the staff room, determined to find Lacie. He was distracted as a timid Cheryl spoke up.

"Who was that?"

Harry turned to her with a kind smile and debated for a moment whether or not to openly tell everyone. He took a deep breath before answering, "The Heir of Slytherin."

"So, it's true?" she asked, "About what happened?"

Harry didn't want rumours to fly about again about what had happened in the Chamber. He had heard enough the first time around. Harry had been possessed and Lacie had drove whatever it was possessing him out. It was Ginny Weasley, and she had lured them to the Chamber to kill them. It was Lacie. No one had been close to the truth before, and Harry had ever been bothered to correct anyone.

"He said he would kill her family and her friends," Parvati said in a stage whisper before looking at Hermione and blushing. Harry knew why, the Boggart had referred to his friend as a Mudblood pet. Hermione stared defiantly back, as if to dare the non-entity to try and kill her. From knowing Hermione for two years, the girl was virtually indestructible, and Harry was grateful that no attempt on her life had stuck. His eyes roved over to Ron, who nodded at him and pulled Hermione out of the classroom. Harry went to follow them but was stopped by someone.

"Look, I'm sorry for shoving her," Seamus said, red-faced and fidgeting with the sleeve of his robe, "I didn't know."

"I'm not the person you should be apologising to," Harry replied curtly before composing himself and adding, "Look, mate, I didn't even know that she was still scared of him."

Seamus smiled weakly at him, and Harry continued out of the classroom. In the background, he could hear in the background Lupin call the class to order and he handed out points for those combating the Boggart. He didn't know which direction Hermione and Ron had taken but carried on walking. He wandered down the corridor and looked for signs of Lacie. As he passed a room, he thought he could hear sniffling. He pushed open the door to an unused classroom, and could hear soft crying. Harry stepped in, following the sound of the crying.

x-x-x-x-x

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Lacie had not spent all of those hours in front of those animated dummies, honing her combat skills during her childhood, or practising against several threats, to break down in front of the entire class. She had faced a Boggart before. She knew what to do, but she had inched away from it, knowing what it would reveal. Do not let them break you. She had forgotten the first rule of her training, and she was utterly broken. If only she had been stronger, or had hid herself better from Lupin she may not have had to face the creature. If only she had made a convincing argument why she could not face the Boggart, but fear had crept into her throat and she could not manage more than a pathetic excuse. Lupin would have understood if he had known the truth.

She knew what that screaming was now. She finally understood the screaming that had confused her when the Dementors had approached her. That was her screaming. She did not remember screaming so loud as Riddle burned into her temple, and was surprised she had not deafened him. She pulled her knees tighter to her body. Her throat was closing up on her as she cried, and she could not stop shaking or rocking herself as she hid under an unused teacher's desk.

Breathe, Lacie!

She could not. Her heart was racing as she struggled to breathe, and the tears stung her eyes as they fell down her cheeks. She clutched at her knees, her nails digging painfully as she tried to breathe. Her breaths only came out as haggard gasps as she did so. Her throat was tight and she sobbed as she gasped for air.

She was back in the Chamber of Secrets, and was being thrown into the pool, over and over again, as if she was rubbish. Riddle only saw her as disposable compared to Harry.

"Lacie?"

Lacie could only manage to respond with a squeak. She still could not breathe, and as the figure appeared in front of her and dropped to their knees, tears were so firmly glazed in her eyes she did not recognise who it was.

"Lacie."

The person pulled her forward into their arms. When Lacie felt the softness of their jumper along with their comforting scent, she descended into more sobs, the reverberations spasming through her body. The person only clutched her tighter, rubbing her back. She shook terribly as she breathed, loud gasps that only made her cry even more. The person holding her rocked gently, trying to soothe her.

"Please, please calm down, Lacie."

"I am s-s-sorry, I am just-just being p-pathetic!"

"You are annoying, and intolerable sometimes, but you are far from pathetic."

Lacie wiped her wet eyes with her robes, and looked at the person who was holding her. Her eyes met with green ones, and she continued crying.

Of course Harry would come and find you. Only he knows what happened down in the Chamber of Secrets. Only he understands. He was different though, because when he had seen Riddle, he had not run away or anything.

"Why am I so scared?" Lacie whispered, burying her face into Harry's jumper.

"Riddle tried to kill you, and your family. He did some horrible things to you in the Chamber of Secrets, if you weren't afraid that would be a surprise."

"Riddle tried to kill you too, and you are not scared," Lacie said.

"Riddle tried to use a basilisk to kill me, and he's already killed my family if you think about it," Harry replied, "He didn't hold a wand to my head and burn me, he didn't animate mybody to spin around until I was sick and weak. He did some horrible things to you in the Chamber, so I don't expect anyone to understand for a moment how frightening it really was."

Lacie clutched at his jumper and nuzzled into him further. He froze for a moment, not knowing what to do, and Lacie felt his heartbeat quicken for a moment but it was so minimal that she was sure she may have imagined it. Her own heart, was beating furiously against her ribcage. Lacie tried to pull away, but he only held her closer to him.

"I know you, Lace, you like to fight your own battles, but I'm here for you. So the next time you face a Boggart and it's Riddle, just imagine his face when you stabbed his diary and defeated him."

She could feel his words in her hair, and she nodded in response. They sat in silence for a while, until Lacie's heart had calmed and she started to feel normal again.

Lacie pulled herself away from Harry. She blinked repeatedly at him for a moment, and realised with a start that the last time that they had sat so close to each other was when she had inadvertently kissed him. Lacie felt her cheeks heat up a little, but Harry seemed nonplussed as ever, with concern still etched on his face. He smiled, and the warmth of it extended across his face, and reached his green eyes behind his circular glasses. He patted her on the head, and stood up. He offered her a hand.

"Let's go, I bet Hermione is worried sick about you," Harry said as she took his head and allowed herself to be pulled up by him. "But just in case I'm wrong, please don't made me call you Princess Malfoy or something."

Lacie remembered the bet that Hermione had lost and laughed.

"So long as I do not have to refer to you as Lord Potter," she replied jokingly.

A/N: Updates shall be every Thursday again, provided that I keep writing - or every week at least.

Happy reading,

CSxo.