A/N I just thought this chorus was fitting. And just thought I'd say that since I've started updating this story again I've been receiving more support, so thank you to everyone that has followed/favourited/reviewed this and thank you to those who have stuck around and waited patiently.

Between love, between hate
Shake the silence back but it's too late
And it haunts you, and it haunts you
It's a love hate heartbreak
-Halestorm

Chapter 30

The morning autumn sun was barely up, but Reece was awake and making his way to the hall to meet Fleur before his first class of the day. When he sat down, there were only a couple of students scattered across the four tables. A tired looking sandy haired prefect handed him his new timetable as he sat down. Reece helped himself to a goblet of pumpkin juice as Fleur appeared in the entrance. She spotted Reece easily, strutting in in her school attire and sitting beside him cheerfully.

"Good morning." Reece smiled curtly as the two helped themselves to fresh croissants that were placed near them on the table.

"It is indeed." Fleur agreed as she buttered her croissant and accepted the jam that Reece passed over to her. "Your school 'as an old ambiance." (Vibe) She said as the two carefully ate their food, both appearing polite in the way that they ate their breakfast. "It is a lot colder 'ere as well."

"Just wait until December." Reece chuckled. "You'll be freezing if you think this is cold now." He took another drink from his goblet, reaching for a slice of brown toast as Fleur cringed at the fact she didn't have many warm winter coats with her. "So do you like it here? Or is the weather too much for your French silks to handle?" It was teasing, and Fleur didn't appear offended by his insinuation.

"Je survivrai." (I'll survive) Fleur said light-heartedly. "But if you think 'zis place is amazing, you should zee Beauxbatons. It iz truly beautiful in zee autumn time."

"Well." Reece said as more students began filtering into the hall. "If you're finished, I can show you around now before my potions lesson."

"Zat would be wonderful." She said as the two rose from the bench, allowing a few first years to take the empty space on the now crowding table. "I 'ave a burning question Reece." Fleur piped up as they made their way outside into the crisp morning air.

"Ask away." He replied cautiously as he led her round some of the open courtyards.

"The girl we talked about." Reece tensed up immediately at her question, and although she could see he was slightly uncomfortable she continued. "Do you still like 'er?" The two walked in silence for at least a minute while he worked up the courage to give the French witch an answer.

"Even more so." Reece muttered as they passed Professor Flitwick. "It's so much worse Fleur, so, so much worse." He blurted out. "When we were talking at the competition it was just a massive crush but bloody hell now I look for her in rooms, and I just feel the need to protect her from those idiot friends of hers and god this is terrible." She put an arm over his shoulders, pulling him in for a comforting side hug as they continued to walk.

"It will be okay petit frère." (Little brother) Fleur said softly. "You told me she makes you 'appy, and even if you think 'eets a bad thing, it's not. It iz not terrible to 'ave feelings for a girl."

"It is when you can never be with her." Reece sighed as he placed his hands in the pockets of his robes. "She's perfect Fleur. But we're on opposite sides, and that's how it's always going to be."

"And what are these opposite sides you 'zpeak of?" Fleur questioned.

"Well we're in rival houses for a start. She's a Gryffindor and I'm a Slytherin. Our houses have been rivals since the start, there's nothing I can do about that. And then she's a mud- muggleborn and I'm a pureblood and there's nothing I can do about that either. Our friends are enemies. Fucking hell she's one of Harry Potter's best friends for crying out loud. I can never go there Fleur, as much as it tempts me and I want to, I can't."

"Really?" She asked, shocked. "The 'arry Potter?"

"Yes that one." Reece replied dismissively. "The one and only Harry Potter that everyone either worships or hates. She's literally one of his two best mates, like seriously of all people to fall for I pick the smartest muggleborn in the school, that is incidentally the best female friend of the chosen one."

"You said fall for." Fleur teased in a knowing tone as the two made their way back towards the hall. Reece stopped for a second, but Fleur pushed him forward and carried on walking. He was shocked. It wasn't meant to slip out, but it did and she was going to tease him mercilessly. "Don't worry petit frère your secret iz safe with me."

"I hope it is Fleur. I really hope it is." Reece said thoughtfully as the two parted ways. She returned to Madam Maxime and he made his way to his first lesson of the fourth year.

Moody was tough. Reece would give him that. But the showing of the three unforgivable curses in the first DADA class made Reece feel the upmost amount of anxiety. It was the Cruciatus Curse of course, that made his legs bounce up and down and made him scratch the skin round his nails red raw. He had watched the animal squirm though, not taking his eyes off of it in fact. It was terrifying to see. But the worst part was that he had been brought to a weak point such as that through nothing but a curse. It was embarrassing in all honesty, and the fact that Granger knew and now she'd seen what exactly he'd been through. Humiliating. But then Reece's mind strayed in a different direction. He thought of his father, inflicting the curse on countless amounts of muggles and wizards. Using it to drive the Longbottoms to a state of insanity.

"Lestrange." Not right now. Of all things to hear when he was walking away it was his surname, yelled by Malfoy of all people. He continued walking beside Blaise, Daphne and Tracey, ignoring the call of his name. "Lestrange." Malfoy called again in his arrogant tone, following the four onto the stairs. "I'm surprised you didn't ask to give it a go." He voiced loudly to Reece, involving all on the stairs in their conversation. Those on the staircase included Crabbe and Goyle as well as the golden trio, the Patil twins, Terry Boot and Ernest Macmillan. "I mean, Longbottom was right there. You could've hit him and sent him to live with his parents." Many on the stairs were confused about the comment, but Reece heard the message loud and clear.

"Shut the fuck up Malfoy, you're making an idiot out of yourself as per usual." Reece snapped, pushing past Terry Boot to stand a stair in front of Draco.

"Well it looks like someone's got their wand in a knot." Draco said with a laugh, making both Crabbe and Goyle snigger stupidly. Reece instinctively made a lunge for the blonde but was cut off by the chubby grapple of Crabbe and Goyle. The two shoved him roughly against the banister, and Reece inwardly cringed upon impact.

"Get off me you dumb pricks." Reece spat, shoving the two off him with force as all on the stairs watched on. The two boys blunderingly tripped backwards, falling into the opposite banister while glaring at Reece. As soon as he could no longer feel their hands on him, Reece made another dive for Malfoy and this time managed to grab the green on the blonde's Slytherin robes. He looked Draco in the eye, pushing him round so that he was leaning backwards over the edge of the stairs, just like Reece had been on the bridge. In truth he expected Crabbe and Goyle to be back on his case, but when Reece snapped his head round for a split second he noticed them at the end of Potter's and Weasley's wands. It was surprising to say the least; that they actually chose to help him. But as he was fighting Malfoy, it wasn't the most shocking thing that could occur. "I put up with you Malfoy. I tolerate you. But you just keep trying to get on my nerves. I'm trying to change, and you're making it really hard for me." The stairs had now stopped, but no one had moved. Draco was continuing to wriggle and writhe against the banister, but other than that there was simply no movement.

"You sound like a girl." Malfoy seethed, attempting to insult Reece and get under his skin.

"No." Reece said as he shoved him further over the edge, holding on tightly to his robes to prevent him from falling over. "I sound like someone who is growing up. Maybe you should try it, because I want us to get along Malfoy, but I can't put up with you when you're acting like a spoilt first year."

"Mister Lestrange."

"For fuck sake." Reece muttered under his breath as he heard the voice of the staff member that disliked him the most.

"Move along." Professor McGonagall snapped shrewdly to those who were on the stairs. "Wands away Potter, Weasley, and move along unless you want to be punished." The golden trio began making their way off of the stairs, and only Hermione stopped at the bottom to watch the next events. "Mister Lestrange pull Mister Malfoy back up this instant." Reece did so without argument, pulling Draco up and leaving him to breathe heavily now he was back on his feet. "What is going on here?" She snapped once again. "I will not have you two embarrassing the school like that when we have visitors here."

"I didn't do anything." Malfoy argued innocently, sorting out his robes and fixing his collar while glaring at Reece. "He just attacked me and then when Crabbe and Goyle tried to help Potter and Weasley drew their wands."

"Very well." Professor McGonagall said with a slight nod. "You may go Mister Malfoy." Draco smirked smugly as he made his way off of the stairs, and Reece simply frowned at the unjust reasoning of the transfiguration professor. "I honestly hoped this had stopped Mister Lestrange, this is your fourth year here at Hogwarts." She began. Reece knew a speech was coming, but what he didn't know was that his golden girl was ready to step in.

"Excuse me, Professor McGonagall." Hermione said politely from the bottom of that specific staircase. Minerva pivoted and looked down at one of her favourite Gryffindor students. "Malfoy lied Professor. Reece was provoked, it wasn't his fault." Reece gave her the tiniest of smiles as the deputy headmistress silently debated the information from a trusted student.

"I see." McGonagall said shortly, clearing her throat. "It seems you have a student with an impeccable record ready to vouch for you, Mister Lestrange. Consider this your lucky day." And with that Professor McGonagall swept away, heading up the stairs without another word leaving a stunned Reece and a relieved Hermione in her wake.

"Thank you." He said quietly, taking a deep breath to calm himself and process his thoughts while he rubbed his face tiredly. "You didn't have to do that, I shouldn't have snapped it was my fault."

"We all heard what Malfoy was saying." Hermione said as the two left the staircase area and made their way down a quite corridor away from prying, judgemental eyes. "Even Harry and Ron were ready to back you up. He was just trying to get under your skin Reece, and what you said to him was quite mature if you ask me."

"I still shouldn't have said anything, he'll use what I said against me. I should've just knocked his teeth out then at least he would cry again like he did when you punched him." Reece said cockily as Hermione blushed at the thought of smacking the arrogant Slytherin in the face. "I saw the impact of your hit Granger, it was a good punch, right in the nose as well." Her face turned to an even darker shade of red as they approached a busy corridor. "I love talking to you and all Granger, but this is where I'm gonna leave you to walking."

"I understand." Hermione muttered, a small tinge of rejection in her tone. "We can't be seen together, it would cause a lot of drama."

"You'd get a lot of shit Granger, and I don't want you to have to put up with that." Reece said as he set off one way and she set off the other.

"What on earth was that?" Reece rolled his eyes as he entered the Slytherin common room. Draco's enraged voice could be heard from outside the portrait, and Reece was certainly not looking forward to passing the blonde. "I'll tell you what that was, Crabbe, Goyle; embarrassing! Ridiculous. You two are bloody ridiculous." The beyond angered Malfoy heir scowled loudly as Reece made his presence known, walking into view while ignoring the warning glare of Pansy. He looked over his raging housemate, noting that although Malfoy had pale skin it had soon changed to a fine shade of beetroot. He had a vein protruding from his forehead also, and Reece had to hold in a dark laugh as he examined the frustration of his former best friend. "What you did was out of order!" Draco shouted as Reece attempted to pass him without confrontation. "You embarrassed me in front of Potter of all people." He spat.

"You decided to mouth off when they were around, it's not my problem you made a prat out of yourself." Reece replied with a careless shrug.

"I didn't make a prat out of myself." Malfoy snapped viciously. "You made me look like a prat intentionally, and now Weasley and Potter will be laughing about how they had us at wand point with your help."

"Stop acting like an overdramatic first year Malfoy. I've grown out of the childish idealist phase, so should you." Reece snarled as the two got in each other's faces. "Instead of regaining face in the hall you're in here, ranting and raging about how you are angry and how you want sympathy. It's honestly pathetic Malfoy, and it's as if your father taught you nothing about politics."

"Don't bring up my father Lestrange." Draco retorted. "It isn't like your father is a model parent, being hauled up in Azkaban and all."

"Stop it! Both of you just stop it!" Both boys flinched under the pressure of the high feminine screech. Sometime during their argument Daphne Greengrass had appeared and had been watching alongside Pansy until enough was enough. "Everyone else in this school is already against this house, and once we start fighting amongst ourselves we will be torn apart from the inside within seconds. Has it ever occurred to you that your spats affect the rest of us as well? Or are you both too blind to realise that your alpha male battle is not the most important thing in this school?" Reece and Draco glared at one another, both silenced by the speech from their fellow pureblood. Her rant had clearly been bottled up, and now the poor girl had exploded.

"Daphne's right." Reece mumbled after a few seconds of stone cold silence. "Us arguing all the time isn't doing either of us any favours Malfoy. We've tried to resolve things before but everything just kicks off again, and I know it'll be hard for both of us but I honestly think we need to call a truce."

"I agree Lestrange." Draco said tensely, his posture high and his nose even higher. "Salazar Slytherin brought the best of the best together by creating this house, he brought those of the same beliefs together, and it would be an insult to him to be anything less than model Slytherins." Reece simply nodded and once again the two shook hands, this time more firmly than they had previously. Malfoy was truly an idiot in Reece's opinion. Same beliefs? What a load of bollocks.