There was absolutely no reason why anyone should've been up at that hour of the night. Dani's own presence notwithstanding, it was far too late for any students to be wandering the halls, especially from Beauxbatons. The hallways were in nearly complete darkness, making navigating the school ten times more difficult than its usual labyrinth. Besides that, curfew had been hours ago.

All of these were valid logical reasons for everyone to be in bed, and consequently for now to be the perfect time for what Aimee had dubbed "Dani's secret snogging sessions". There shouldn't have been anyone in the halls except for Dani and Seamus, hidden away behind a tapestry on the fourth floor.

Nonetheless, as luck would have it, they were interrupted.

Dani heard it first, though she ignored it pointedly and continued kissing Seamus, who was far too preoccupied with her in his arms to notice anything. The second time, however, the high, reedy voice sounded too near to ignore. She drew back from Seamus with a reluctant groan.

"What is it?" he asked, running his hands up and down her arms.

Her face had quickly soured from contentment into the state of intense annoyance usually reserved for only Aimee's absolute worst days or Fleur's presence.

"I don't know yet," she said, squinting to see through the thin crack of light along the edge of the tapestry that hid them.

From behind the thick material, the click of a lady's heels on the stone floor was growing steadily louder, accompanied by the reedy voice. As it drew nearer, Dani recognized the obnoxious French accent that was prattling on in the darkness.

She groaned for a second time, truly extending her annoyance with the knowledge of who it was disturbing her extracurricular activities.

"What?" Seamus asked, pulled her back toward him impatiently.

"Jacqueline," Dani replied.

He chuckled softly and cast a glance toward the source of the voice beyond the tapestry.

"Jacqueline Michel? The French girl?"

Dani scoffed.

"Jacqueline Michel my arse. Her real name's Jackie Mitchell and her accent's as fake as Madame's fur coat," she said smirking.

Seamus laughed and pushed her softly toward him again with a hand on the small of her back. She smiled softly against his lips and kissed him back happily. When they pulled apart, the voices were even closer, and she drew away and walked toward the tapestry.

"What're you doing?"

She shrugged, smiling still, and leaned toward the crack, through which the voice was now coming much more clearly. There was a second person with Jacqueline, probably another Beauxbatons girl, but whoever it was obviously wasn't getting much of a chance to play a part in the conversation. Which could only mean one thing. Jacqueline had some gossip.

"Now I'm really not supposed to say anyzing about zis, so you must promise not to speak a word of it to anyone," Jacqueline was saying with her usual air of dramatic self-importance.

Dani rolled her eyes and glanced knowingly at Seamus, but leaned all the closer to the edge of the tapestry. Seamus crept closer behind her to get within better earshot of the conversation.

"Madame 'as been 'aving us watch Lynn Poesy all zee time to keep anyzing else from 'appening, you know?" Jacqueline continued to her companion. "But zis boy, you know the Wood boy, 'as been a problem and keeps trying to talk to 'er. I don't know why, 'e must be completely taken with 'er or an idiot."

Dani snorted, and then sharply clapped a hand to her mouth to muffle the sound, but Jacqueline apparently heard nothing.

"So Madame 'as arranged for a special viseetor."

"What?" Seamus whispered confusedly.

Dani looked puzzled but her eyebrows were drawn together anxiously. She had a feeling about where this was going.

"Pierre Simon is coming from zee Academy to be 'er escort. Madame says zat once it seems zat Lynn is seeing Pierre Simon, zee boy will think she 'as moved on and lose interest."

Dani's eyes widened, her fears confirmed.

"What a load of-" Seamus started angrily.

Dani cut him off by pushing him back against the wall, away from the tapestry. His face was the picture of rage, and his hands were curled tightly into fists, but he was shocked enough to remain silent.

"They can't know we heard them," Dani whispered urgently, keeping her voice carefully level.

"Who's Pierre Simon?"

"The biggest prat that ever walked the Earth," she answered with visible contempt for the name.

She was trying to think quickly of a way this new development could be handled, but was coming up with nothing for her efforts. Everyone would have to be notified as soon as possible of course, which meant in the morning as everyone else was in bed.

"What do we do?" Seamus asked.

She pursed her lips thoughtfully then looked up at him with a dismayed expression.

"We've got to tell him."