Authors Note: I like this chapter, Strange.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling.

Cordelia paused just before the sixth year boys' dormitories, wondering whether this could just wait until the morning. But, she was never going to sleep otherwise and ... stuff it, she was going in.

"Bode?"

'Oh, no,' thought Cordelia, 'not him.'

"Why are you here, it's passed midnight."

Cordelia whipped around, swallowing her dread. "Hi, Michael."

The tall boy in front of her grinned, "Long time no see. How's sixth year going?"

"Great," said Cordelia with a fake smile, "Brilliant."

"Now," said Michael leering forward at her, "you weren't here to see me were you?"

Cordelia's smile turned into a grimace, "Not if you were the last man in the universe."

Michael's grin faded from his face at the mood change, Cordelia didn't know what he was expecting. What he had done was inexcusable and her attitude towards him was never going to change, no matter how many courts decided he was innocent. That was for certain.

Thankfully the door swung open behind her and she was graced by the presence of Henry.

"Hello Michael, why are you up so late?"

Michael looked at Henry, then at Cordelia, then back at Henry again; he began to roar with laughter.

"You and him!" he forced out. "You were here to see him."

Cordelia's mood was beyond fed up at this point, "Not everything has a direct correlation to sex, Michael. And anyway, it's not ridiculous, I'd rather Henry then you any day."

Cordelia grabbed Henry's arm and dragged him through the door; she also slammed it in Michaels' face.

They both collapsed with silent laughter at the thought of what the idiot was doing on the other side of the door.

"Okay," said Henry. "I'm guessing you're here to see James, date go that well then?"

Cordelia took a moment to realise what he was talking about, "Oh ... OH, no, no, no, no, no, merlin. I need to ask him a question."

"At midnight?" Henry raised his eyebrows. Cordelia scowled, "Fine, but I'm going to bed. I just finished my Transfiguration essay so I'm all set."

"Good. Get some rest."

"I will. Be good."

"I hate you."

"But it's just so much fun."

Cordelia shook her head playfully. She waited for several minutes until she heard his heavy breathing fill up the room, then she made her move.

The floor was disgusting. Cordelia hated clichés, but this was what you'd typically imagine being on a boys' bedroom floor. If they were raised by animals that is.

It was a great source of amusement at that late hour to notice the increasing ratio of messiness as you turned to the right. Jasper, Henry, James, Fred. Fred's space was just atrocious.

Cordelia opened the hangings around James' bed, being careful not to dislodge any of the dirty laundries that seemed crucial to the layout of the curtains.

So this was what Fred was talking about. James did talk in his sleep. Cordelia leant closer to hear but it didn't sound much like words. She wondered if she could really freak him out.

"James," whispered Cordelia with her face directly in front of his. "James!"

James rolled over away from her. Cordelia leant over his body and repeated the same steps.

Finally, James opened his eyes and appeared to be having a hard time recognising where he was, until, "Aaaaaaargh!" he shouted, pulling his sheets over his head. Cordelia collapsed onto the bed, not breathing from trying to keep her laughter quiet.

After a few minutes, James poked his head out of the top of his blankets and looked at her with distaste. "That was cruel."

Cordelia gasped for air, "No, that ... was ... brilliant." She continued to roll around on the bed trying to calm down. James simply watched her then suddenly he seemed to come to a realisation.

"You're in my bed!"

Cordelia sat up, still smiling, "You are so observing, James."

"Thank you," he replied with dignity. "So why are you in my bed?"

"Well," said Cordelia, she lay down next to him and folded her legs. "I need to ask a question."

If James was surprised by this, one would never notice. He looked right at home lying next to a girl in his bed at midnight. Cordelia wondered if this had actually occurred before but then quickly shook it out of her mind, he could do whatever he wanted to do.

"Continue."

"You get a lot of detentions, right?" started Cordelia tentatively.

James smiled, "From you, yes."

"Oh, ha ha."

"It's true, you can't deny it."

Cordelia chuckled, "Fine, it's probably me quite a bit of the time but that's not the point!"

"Then what is the point?"

"When you have done detentions in the hospital wing this year, did you notice anything different about Madam Eliot?"

James stared down at her, "Don't get me wrong, this is a lovely surprise, but, you woke me up in the middle of the night to ask about a teacher's behaviours?"

"Yes." Cordelia dared him to say something with her eyes.

"Okay," said James who had decided (smartly) not to poke fun. "Well, er ... she was never watching over me this year, I mean, last year she would be like your shadow, but ... maybe she trusts me more now."

Cordelia looked sceptical, "I'm sure that's not the reason."

"Well, anyway, er ... she had a lot more books, she was always writing letters because her owl was only ever there for at most a minute, and that's about it."

"Are you sure?"

James shrugged, "There is a limit to my powers."

Cordelia smiled grudgingly, "Thank you. Sorry for waking you up."

James put his arm around her shoulders and leant in close, "I like you waking me up."

She took a deep breath to tell him off but then decided that it was okay, he was just giving her a compliment as creepy as it was. At some point she had to push herself otherwise she would never move forward.

Cordelia leant up and impulsively kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you for today. It wasn't normal but you succeeded in making me less of a low mood dwelling human being, so that's always good."

They were so close that Cordelia could see the small patch of freckles under his left ear. She found it entrancing. Cordelia reached out her hand and lightly touched her fingers against the spot, eyes meeting his.

James looked at her intensely and for the first time, Cordelia wasn't afraid of what was about to happen. Happy butterflies erupted in her stomach as he leant forward and very gently brushed his lips against hers. Cordelia didn't like that and pressed her lips harder onto his, her mouth opening slightly.

He moved his hand, more urgent now, and cupped her head in his hands, and the kiss became stronger. Cordelia decided it was her turn again. She placed her hands on his chest and turned on her side so that their bodies pressed together. James seemed to take that as encouragement. He pushed himself on top of her and, without breaking the kiss, moved his hands lower to her waist and held them there. Cordelia's heart was racing and she felt full completely invigorated.

Quite soon later they were full out snogging on James' bed. James was on top of Cordelia who was running her fingers through his hair while James ran his hands down the side of her body. Her mind was completely blank, this was amazing. She had snogged before but never with James Potter. Cordelia did realise, however, somewhere in the downer part of her mind that what they were doing was completely impulsive and irresponsible but she didn't care.

The spell was broken, however, when James slipped a hand under her shirt and Cordelia jumped so badly she bit his tongue.

James rolled off her, his face a vibrant red colour, "Sorry ... I- I was just ... a little ... carried away."

Cordelia nodded. They both lay next to each other, trying to catch up on their breathing, each not knowing what to say or do.

After a while, the sound of the slower breathing of the other boys in the room sent Cordelia into a restful sleep.

"What the-! Oh my-! Am I-!"

This exclamation woke Cordelia on the morning after Hogsmeade. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times to adjust herself to the brightness.

"Holy shit!" she cried, jumping from the bed and running past an astounded Fred who was gaping, completely astonished, at the scene before him. Cordelia ran to Henry's bed whom she knew would have a clock. She was 30 minutes late for breakfast.

Cordelia gasped and she rounded on James who was sitting up in his bed, bleary-eyed, "You let me sleep in! Now I am officially late!"

"Relax," said James with annoying calm. "You're late for everything."

Her eyes narrowed and she stepped forward, "That is not a good reason, I-" Cordelia stopped talking, finally remembering exactly why she had taken up residence in his bed for the night. Cordelia's eyes widened, she was completely overcome with anxiety, what had she done?

She stumbled backwards towards the door, fumbling the handle and fled out of the room. The last thing she heard as the door swung closed was Fred and James speaking simultaneously.

"Cordelia wait, damn it!"

"You do know that forcing people to take drugs is illegal, James."

Cordelia had changed, showered and collected her book for the day in the space of five minutes, she needed to see her friends. She rushed down the corridors, hitting walls and suits of armour alike with different consequences. The walls hurt, the suits of armour were likely to hit back.

By the entrance hall, Cordelia had successfully shaken off the two metal figures clanking around after her and she slowed to a quick walk.

Tables flashed by as she marched determinedly towards the Gryffindor table, eyes staying front so as to not be cowed by the people staring at her less than perfect appearance.

Cordelia finally flung herself down onto a bench and announced herself to her gaping friends.

"I snogged James."

Hazel jumped up, pointing at the others in triumph, "I win! That's ten sickles from both of you."

"What's this?" questioned Cordelia wearily.

Ella sighed and spoke without meeting Cordelia's eyes, "It's this bet Hazel forced us to make." She turned to Hazel, "You only said she was doing something to kill her naivety that's not specific enough."

Hazel smirked, "But it's a good definition. You are not getting out of this Butterdown.

Cordelia immediately realised that Beatrice, although present was talking to Jasper and Henry across the table, only showing them the back of her head. She had a funny feeling that Beatrice had been talking to Hazel before she came in.

"So, what was this about snogging?" said Ella curiously. "You and James finally got it out of your system, then?"

Cordelia put her head on the table and groaned. She wanted to run and hide for a thousand years. She had ruined everything.

When James and Fred entered they sat opposite her. Cordelia could feel James' eyes on the back of her neck and kept her head rested upon the cool table.

She looked at her hands and thought about the fact that as much as she was humiliated and worried about that kiss with James, she really wanted to do it again.

Professor Slughorn paused in the middle of chastising Hazel's potion-making skills on Monday morning.

"Are you alright, Miss Bode?"

Cordelia opened her eyes and flinched at the brightness, "I'm fine, absolutely fine, Professor."

"Are you sure?" he continued, walking around the desk towards her. "You are very pale."

"I'm fine, really." Cordelia hated all of the eyes on her, couldn't they mind their own business?

Slughorn looked sceptical, I don't know, Miss Bode, I think you should take a trip to the hospital wing."

Cordelia panicked, she stood up, her chair crashing down behind her, "NO! Sorry, Professor, I'm really okay."

Slughorn appeared unconvinced but he turned his attention back to Hazel and continued to explain how not to turn the potion into something with a conscious.

Cordelia placed her palms over her eyes, welcoming the coolness of the dark. She was not fine, not at all. And it wasn't just because she had snogged James, she just felt like something inside her head was rebelling against her. But, she would NOT go to the hospital wing.

She picked up a silver knife and began to chop her roots, ignoring the pounding in her head. Cordelia scooped them up when they were ready and leant over the cauldron to add them in; as she did it, her collar loosened and her pendant fell out, glistening with the flames reflections. Cordelia almost screamed and shoved it back into her top but that had been enough. Just that little glance at the time-turner had sent pain ricocheting around her head and it was too much. She let out a terrible scream and collapsed to the floor, clutching her head to try a stop the pain. She heard faint shouting in the background but there was only the white-hot agony, it felt like her mind was burning up.

Cordelia felt a pair of strong arms go under her and she was lifted off the ground, screaming the entire time, losing all sense of the reality around her.

Her eyes opened slightly and she spotted a nose and some messy black hair; her head lolled back and she gave into unconsciousness.

"Cordelia."

"Cordelia."

"Cordelia."

Cordelia responded to the sound of her name and sat up quickly, looking around for the source of the voice. She was face to face with James Potter whose face broke into a grin at the sight of her.

"Oh, good."

There was a throbbing in her head and she fell back onto the pillows.

"What happened?"

James seemed taken aback, "You can't remember?"

"A little," said Cordelia deep in thought. "Was I screaming a lot?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

They continued to look at each other, James appeared to be trying legilimancy.

"What are you hiding?" he said with a shake of his head.

"Oh, James," said Cordelia. "Give it a rest I can handle it."

James raised his eyebrows, "Can you? Didn't look like it when you collapsed in the middle of class!"

Cordelia swallowed her retort, she didn't want to argue.

"Where are the others?"

"Eliot told them you had to leave."

"Good."

James swivelled around at the sound of clicking heels, "Speak of the devil."

Cordelia sat up again, preparing herself for seeing the nurse.

"Miss Bode, you are free to go."

"What?" said James incredulously. "She looked as if she was dying."

Madam Eliot smiled, "'Looked' being the operative word, Mr Potter."

As she stepped closer to the bed Cordelia's eyes narrowed, "What was wrong with me?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with now," said Eliot, using her wand to make the bed opposite her.

"I want to know."

"It's over and done with."

"No, it's not my head still hurts!"

"Everything is under control."

"I'm not scared."

"I don't think you are." She turned back around and placed her hands on the foot of the bed, "I think you're not scared enough."

"Excuse me?"

James' head was going back and forth between the two, a confused expression spreading over his face.

"Miss Bode, what I say is what will keep you healthy so I suggest you follow my guidelines."

She stalked off to attend to the other patients.

Inspiration struck Cordelia and she grabbed James' arm, "Follow my lead." They marched briskly to the exit. At the door, she whispered, "Distract her," and ran back past her bed to the nurses office at the back of the room.

"Alohamora." The door gave a satisfying click and let her in.

The tiny office was full of filing cabinets on every wall except one which had a desk, these were the records of all the injured or sick children ever to come to the hospital wing. 'You'd think,' thought Cordelia, 'that wizards would have learned how to manage such a mundane thing as filing but, obviously not.'

She stepped quickly over to the desk and ruffled through the papers, her eyes caught one labelled, 'Cordelia Anne Bode' and pulled it out of the stack, eyes raking the scribbled lines.

'Patient appears to have absorbed something extremely powerful that took over her mind and body, rendering her in complete physical and mental pain; stopping all functions for a short time.'

What powerful thing? This was strange. Cordelia placed the file back where she had found it and looked around the room, aware that she only had a short amount of time. She tried the first drawer, locked. Second and third drawers were the same. Cordelia sat in the chair, looking angrily at the stacks of files in the room, she would be there until her twentieth birthday.

But, it looked like fate was on her side today as she saw a small gap in the corner of the desk, big enough for a piece of paper to fit in.

"Accio."

The yellowing parchment came zipping out and Cordelia hissed as it gave her a paper cut. Sucking her thumb, she began to read.

It was hard to understand, filled with star charts and diagrams and strange languages. Some of it seemed like simple annotations, however.

And there it was, at the bottom.

'Cordelia Bode - great niece of Broderick Bode, Unspeakable, killed by undercover death eater activities - possesses necklace.'

Followed by a hastily written note in fresh ink:

'From my findings, I believe the girl must have been exposed to time and space at a very close range - all evidence suggests she was overcome with what her subconscious was seeing and is now directly connected to time itself - the girl is a danger to everyone - she is-'

Cordelia stared at the parchment, feeling like she wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it. Absorbing time? That wasn't possible.

But, it could be confirmation that Madam Eliot was after the time-turner so she whispered, 'Gemino,' and popped the replica into her robes.

Outside was absolute chaos. Madam Eliot was running around trying to stop the beds, medicine, and, of course, students flying through the air. Cordelia laughed out of disbelief and she made it to the exit without anyone spotting her.

"What did you do?" she asked James later while they were sprinting down the corridor.

James looked very proud of himself, "Anti-gravity mist. Got it for my birthday and I have never had a good enough chance to use it."

"You carry it around with you?"

"Well, you never know what might happen, see?"

"Oh."

"Don't' pretend you didn't appreciate it."

Cordelia smiled, "It was very helpful, thank you."

They heard someone around the next corner and James, who was far more practised at running away from teachers, dragged her into an empty classroom.

Once the door was shut Cordelia sank down the wall, breathing hard. That had been stressful.

James sat down next to her and Cordelia purposely stared off in another direction, ignoring his pleading eyes.

"Cordelia." He lay a hand on her arm. Cordelia inhaled sharply and he removed it. "Please ... please, tell me what's wrong."

Cordelia let out a sob, "I can't."

"Yes, you can," this time he took her hand and held on, not giving into the glare she was giving him.

"Trust me, James. I can't."

"How can I trust you if you don't trust me?" said James with a hurt expression.

"I-," started Cordelia. She didn't know how to continue without sounding massively self-involved.

James stood up, his dynamic changing in two seconds, "You know what? Keep your secrets to yourself, I don't need you anyway."

"James," said Cordelia sharply, she felt cold, "Don't be stupid."

But James was already at the door, "Cordelia, I really like you, but I don't want to keep going around in circles. Tell me now so I can help you or I'm finding out myself, because, I can't keep watching you destroy yourself."

Cordelia opened her mouth but no words came out. That was enough for James, the door slammed and Cordelia was left with guilt, fear, and a piece of parchment that held the answers to everything.

Authors Note: So everything isn't working out for James and Cordelia, how sad. The next chapter should be shorter (I think), and the chapter after that will be about Cordelia's Chrissie!