It was a wonder how I ever managed to get back to the dormitory that night, I was in such shock that I could've ended up walking off the astronomy tower and I wouldn't even realise it.

My whole body was numb, but I was on fire at the same time.

I was cold with the absence of Albus' arms wrapped around me, but I burned where his fingers had skimmed across my skin. The stench of fire whiskey mingled with the lingering smell of his cologne and my mind was still – as though it were processing the event.

I opened my eyes the next morning, surprised that I was somewhat awake on time, and found Lyra sat solemnly on the edge of her bed, as I removed myself from mine.

"You alright?" I asked mid yawn, stretching my limbs out.

"Mm." Was the reply I got.

"You sure? You look a little bit glum."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking." Her expression did not match her words at all.

"If you're sure." I said, not wanting to pry, as I made my way over to the bathroom.

"I kissed someone."

I stopped abruptly, one hand on the bathroom door and the other clutching my towel tightly. Turning around, I saw that her features were sad, yet confused – as though she hadn't understood what she'd just said.

"Okay? Why do you look concerned about that?" I questioned gently.

"I kissed a girl."

She sighed, running her hands across her face in despair, as I just looked at her, dumbfounded.

"Right, and that's a problem how?" I asked, before I could stop myself, only realising the bluntness of my question as I said it.

I knew why she thought it to be an issue.

She was Pureblood. And her parents were elitists that had brought Lyra up to believe that being anything but straight, Pureblood, pretty, and smart was a bad sign.

"I kissed Natalia!" She cried, flailing her arms about.

My surprise must've been evident as she huffed to herself.

"You hate me now, don't you."

That statement awoke me from my stupor and I looked around, just now noticing that Natalia was not present or giving me her usual morning greeting in the from her permanent scowl. I went and sat myself next to Lyra, she recoiled as though she thought that she could infect me.

"Hey, there's nothing to be ashamed of." I whispered, putting my arm around her shoulder.

She let the tears flow and cried quietly into my pyjama top – not that I cared, she obviously needed it. I sat, silently comforting her, and thinking upon what she had revealed to me and I couldn't help but remember my own predicament. I still had to face Albus today.

I still couldn't quite fathom the idea that I, Melissa Jones, had snogged Albus Potter, my sworn enemy. And it wasn't like I could forget it ever happened, or dismiss it as a lack of judgement – I hadn't even been that drunk last night. And forgetting it would be extremely challenging, considering I could clearly imagine him, his fingers, everywhere, on my arms, my thighs – his tongue on my neck.

I had to suppress a shiver at the thought.

Lyra sniffled, removing her head from my shoulder, apologising for the tear stain she'd created. Her eyes were pink and puffy, but she looked as though she'd relieved some of the pressure by telling somebody. I wanted to tell her that it was okay to be different, that she'd have so much more love and support than she realised, but I could tell by her eyes that she had built up a strong wall, every brick laced with denial.

"You should get ready." She sniffed. "I'll wake Charlotte up."

And so she straightened her skirt, dabbed her eyes and stood up determinedly.

"You can talk to me anytime, you know that right." I spoke reassuringly.

"You'll miss breakfast, if you don't hurry up."

And without a second glance, she made her way over to our sleeping dorm-mate.

I wished that her parents ideals hadn't made a home in her mind, but alas, that was how the world was – you believed what those before you had told you were true. But it gave me comfort to know that Lyra had not one ounce of hatred for people of muggle blood, so maybe one day she'd become accepting of who she was when it came to love.

Although, I did make a mental note to check on Natalia later, no matter how much she may not want to see me. She too, needed to know that she wasn't alone, even if she, like her counterpart, was in denial.

After I had readied myself for the day, shower completed and uniform on, I stared in the little round mirror on our dorm wall, mentally preparing myself for the day ahead, and who I have to face. I was in no state to see or talk to him, because I knew if I looked into those bright emerald orbs, I was going to jump his bones – and that's not good for anyone. Never the less, I got my act together and made my way down to the common room, starting my journey off with a heart thumping as loud and fast as a herd of elephants.

For some reason, reaching the Great Hall seemed to take twice as long than usually, but that may have been because I was walking particularly slowly.

"Melissa Jones."

I jumped and span around to see Dom and Rose waiting patiently by the entrance to breakfast. Well, Rose seemed pensive and patient, Dom was bouncing angrily on the balls of her heels as she stomped over to me, her small stature radiating wrath. She might be little, but Dom was fierce.

"Dom? Uh, good morning?" I faltered, unsure of her emotions.

"Don't you good morning me, young lady." She pointed at me, sounding scarily like my own Mum. "Where were you last night?"

I blanched. Did she know? She couldn't do, right?

But then again, it wasn't like Albus and were discreet, we were literally eating each others faces in the middle of the corridor for Salazar's sake. I had to suppress a wave of giddiness at the thought.

"Uh, at the party?" I attempted.

"No, you disappeared about an hour in, and you didn't come back until Midnight, and even then you buggered off again."

Shit, did we really spend that long together? We can't of done, because the prick left me stranded in the corridor after ten minutes. I must of gone on a wander to clear my head, huh, much good that did, considering I can't seemed to get the image of Albus attacking my neck with his tongue out of my mind.

"Oh, right, yeah, about that." I started sheepishly.

"No, I'm not finished." Dom cut me off, roughly. "So, who did you sleep with?"

Oh, thank Merlin.

"Uh, I didn't sleep with anyone, Dom."

"Oh, Yeah? Then why is there a hickey on the side of your neck, right below your ear?" She spoke smugly, a smirk following her words.

No, no, no. How did I fucking miss that?!

"Uh, that's because I didn't sleep with someone, just had a quick snog."

I looked to Rose, who had yet to input her opinion into this conversation, but she was looking at me with a peculiar, yet sceptical eye, an overall feeling of suspicion had settled across her dainty features. She was not going to help me.

"Nice. So...?" Dom squealed and dragged out her unspoken question. "Who's the lucking guy?"

I make it a life choice, usually, not to lie to my best friends, but in this case I don't think I can very well tell her the truth, so I opted for the oldest trick in the book.

"Well, I don't actually remember, I was that pissed, I can barely even remember the event."

Oh, how that was the biggest load of shit. And by looks of Rose's raised eyebrow, she knew that I was talking out of my arse. Dom, however, was relishing in the gossip, and the fact I now had an anonymous lover somewhere in Hogwarts was very appealing to her.

Dom was still waffling and getting overexcited over the news when she and Rose made their way to the Gryffindor table, and I was panicking as I trudged over to Scorpius, who looked dead on his feet.

"Morning."

He groaned and put his hands over his ears, banging his head on the table and yelping out in pain.

"I have something that you'll like." I stated, placing said thing on the table with a thud.

He poked his head up slightly, instantly alert as he saw the bottle of hangover potion positioned in front of him. Without hesitation, he snatched up the bottle, uncorked it, and downed it all. Immediately, you could see the change, his shoulders strengthened, his eyes awakened, and he was all around jovial.

"Aw, I love you so much, Lissa!" He exclaimed, engulfing me with his huge bear arms.

I chuckled and returned the gesture, he was really a great guy when he wanted to be.

Once released from Scorpius' vice grip, I filled a mug full of steaming coffee, the comforting smell calming my senses, which were turning haywire all of a sudden. As I reached for the box of cereal, I realised why my senses had gone off the chart – Albus was sauntering through the entrance to the Great Hall, the jerk smirk firmly in place across his full lips. His demeanour did not change at all as he sat himself opposite us, offering a cheery greeting and diving straight into the bacon. His nonchalance was infuriating.

How could he be sat there all happy and unbothered when he'd completely fried my brain, and permanently etched his stupidly handsome features into my memory.

"Why are you so positive?"

I hadn't meant to say it out loud, but he had this air of pleasant bliss that I wanted to stomp on and say 'its not fair', because how was he so unaffected by last night and I can barely go a minute without thinking about him, and his hands that were in places I never thought they would be.

"Just because you're a grumpy bitch, doesn't mean I have to wallow in anger." He said, without so much as sparing me a glance.

I huffed and ate my cereal in annoyance, because he was right.

"Is that a hickey?" Scorpius mumbled, his mouth full of porridge.

My eyes widened into saucers and I slapped my hand to my neck, a futile attempt, as Albus snapped his head up, and for the first time since he sat down, he glared at me. But it wasn't a nasty or malicious look, it was dominant, animalistic, and exactly how he'd looked at me last night.

I gathered my thoughts quickly and avoided eye contact with Albus, trying to think of an appropriate answer for Scorpius.

"So what, if it is?"

"Nothing, just wondering." He spoke quick, returning to his breakfast.

After that unexplainable breakfast, I had three lessons of boredom before it was lunch, in which Headmistress McGonagall had set us a foot long essay on the eleventh hour principle, Flitwick had expressed his disappointment in the results of our latest quiz, and Slughorn was most pompous. The only thing that was so far exciting, was that I now had my study session with Professor Gregory, which was currently the only thing that kept me remotely sane, as it made me realise the severity of being a Seer.

Not to mention, it took mind off things like Albus, or Melody, who still hasn't spoken to me since that fateful night when I learned the truth.

I still couldn't quite fathom it. I was adopted, from a Seer, which I suppose puts a lot into perspective really. Except it doesn't, because I'm just completely ignoring that fact all together, and pretending that when I go home for Christmas, my life isn't going to just implode.

But it will, and frankly, it won't be long either, seeing as it was now December 15th and we were going home on Sunday.

I was just turning the corner to the North Tower when I felt it, the same frenzied senses as this morning, as last night, as every time he's in the same room as me. I spun around and faced Albus head on – he looked frustrated, and cautious.

"What do you want, Potter?"

He was dazed and confused, like he didn't know why he was here.

He started towards me, not fast, but carefully, like he thought I'd bite. I didn't really know what to do except wait, eyes on his, the cold warmth travelling over my body in a wave of strange pleasure. He stopped just in front of me, head bent, and extended his arm, his hand brushing the yellowing bruise he'd created. My skin crackled where he touched me and my breaths became ragged as he leaned in.

"I did that."

His words graced my lips and I was lost in the swirling pool of his jade green eyes, but before I knew it, he was off, leaving me cold and confounded in the middle of the corridor.

By the time I actually got to the Divination classroom, I was no longer excited for my last session before Christmas, but I was now in a haze of lust, confusion and want. I didn't bother knocking and just walked in, finding Professor Gregory quietly sipping her Earl Grey tea by the large bay window, she looked perfectly picturesque, silhouetted by the rays of mid day sun.

"Hi, Professor."

She turned calmly, smiling sweetly at me.

"Hello, Melissa. How are you?"

"I'm good, thanks." I spoke low, taking a seat opposite her, a mug of coffee balanced on the sill.

"Are you sure?" She asked sceptically.

"Yep." And I hid my face in the mug as I took a sip.

We sat in silence for a little while, before moving on to the important stuff. She asked me all of the usual questions... Had I had any visions? No. Was I taking my dreamless sleep? Yes. Did I have any weird or different feelings and connections with anyone?

That was a new question. It was like she knew what I had with Albus, even though it wasn't like she herself was a Seer.

"Uh, sort of."

"Sort of?" Professor Gregory raised her eyebrow, and sipped what was now her third cup of tea.

"Yeah, I, uh, don't really know how to explain it." I sighed. "It's like this searing warmth, whenever we lock eyes."

She hummed and nodded as I proceeded to try and explain whatever this thing with Albus was, because I sure as hell didn't know.

"Have you ever... had a feeling that something is watching you?"

I thought back to the beginning of the year and remembered that funny shiver I got as I clambered onto the Hogwarts Express.

"Yeah, actually, I have." I nodded.

She seemed slightly alarmed and glanced at the antique cuckoo clock on the wall, relaxing slightly as she noticed the time.

"You better get something to eat before lessons." And she put down her mug and shuffled me towards the door.

"But-"

"No buts, you can't be learning on an empty stomach." She shoved me over the threshold and slammed the door shut.

And, once again today, I was left dumbfounded.

I did not do as she'd instructed though. I went down to the dungeons to look for Natalia, the idea of lunch was not particularly interesting at the minute.

I walked through the cold, darkened stone corridors, and all I could think of was last night, and the way Albus had seemed so proud and confused earlier, when he'd ever so smoothly managed to melt my brain to mush all over again.

I wandered around the Common Room, but was left at a dead end when I couldn't spot Natalia anywhere. The dorm room had been useless as well, the only thing I'd found was Lyra in her bed, sniffling quietly behind the drawn curtains. I then made my way to the library, in the hopes that she'd decided to be studious all of a sudden, but alas, no luck. I was determined to keep looking, but lunch was ending soon, and I had to go to DADA, because I think the teachers might freak out if I don't turn up to lessons. They had all been very weary and worried for me since the incident.

It was actually quite annoying.

Resigning to look for the evasive girl later, I made my way to the third floor, spotting Dom and Rose outside the classroom with the rest of our classmates. Except, Dom and Rose weren't talking to each other, Rose was stood with Scorpius, his arm slung over her shoulders, and Dom was in conversation with Alexander Wood, the mute of Hogwarts.

"Hey, Rosie." I announced myself. "Scorp."

"Hey, Lissa, where have you been?" Rose inquired.

"With Professor Greggory."

"Oh, is everything alright?"

There it was again, the worry. Ever since I collapsed all those months ago, everyone, anytime I do anything by myself, starts to get all agitated, like I'm going to die whenever I'm independent.

"Yeah, just a usual meeting, last one before Christmas." I explained.

"Lissa, you haven't seen Albus anywhere have you?" Scorpius asked, craning his neck, trying to spot his friend.

"Uh, no I haven't, not since Potions." In which we had both blatantly ignored each others presence.

I didn't think it would be a good idea to try and explain our spontaneous interaction in the corridor earlier. That would entice a great many questions that have extremely awkward answers.

"Never mind, I see him." And he gave Rose a quick squeeze before trudging off.

"So..." I sidled up to Rose, leaning on the wall. "What's that all about?"

I nodded my head towards Dom and her new friend, who actually looked as though he was contributing to the conversation. There was a lot of giggling on Dom's end and some nervous fidgeting from Alexander.

"Oh, that. I have absolutely no idea." Rose spoke lowly, and I had to bend down to her height. "But she disappeared at lunch, claiming that she 'forgot her textbook', and the next time I saw her was here, just before you turned up."

"And, we're going to ask her questions about it later aren't we?"

"Definitely." Rose stated.

"Great, I'll bring the Fire Whiskey."

We both laughed and in that moment, the door to the classroom swung open, Professor Tawny standing in the doorway, broad shoulders taking up the entire space.

He was a burly man, but in the way that made him look as though he'd played rugby since he was a boy. His beard and hair were a matching colour of brown with slithers of silver, and he was a kind man – very tolerant, but gruff and intimidating if you annoyed him. Lots of people fancied him.

I definitely did not though.

"Come in." He spoke, voice deep. "I can't teach you if you're all mingling out here, can I?"

We all collectively did as we were told, and shuffled into the classroom, but we were surprised to find that the desks and chairs had been pushed against the walls, the usually large room even bigger with the huge empty space.

Rose and I made our way over to the side of the room, Scorpius and Albus following behind. I ignored the latter of them, and purposefully avoided all eye contact.

"Today class, we are learning the Patronas Charm."

There was a gasp of awe and excitement settled over the room, everyone eager with anticipation to find out what their animal would be. We had been going over the theory for this spell for a few lessons now, but it was one thing to know how to cast it, let alone actually cast it.

"So, bags aside, and wands at the ready." Professor Tawny instructed.

I looked to Rose, who looked just as excited about this as I felt, though I was unsure whether I would actually be able to cast it. A Patronas Charm required a strong, powerful memory, and I wasn't sure I had many of those left.

"When you're ready class." He announced, and he muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, in front of us, was Professor Tawny's corporeal Patronas - it was a large, majestic tawny owl, that began to flap elegantly around the classroom, swooping high and low before landing gracefully on the giant professor's shoulder. It hooted, comfortably nuzzling his neck.

I looked around at the determined faces of all the students, Rose was muttering and wisps of blue mist were appearing, Dom was struggling, but she looked as though she wasn't going to give up. I racked my brain for a memory that might work, but I came up empty, ever since Melody had shattered everything I've ever known, my childhood doesn't really seem all that happy now.

"Miss Jones," Professor Tawny said lowly, stopping next to me. "If not a happy memory, then just a powerful memory."

As he said that, I could feel something stir inside me, the same thing that moved and jolted whenever I just know things. The same way it did when I was with Albus, and when I'd collapsed, falling into the grasp of that horrifying vision of falling debris and burning bodies.

I closed my eyes, breathing slowly, and focused on that feeling, the memories associated with it flashing in my mind like a slide show: Albus and I in the corridor earlier, yesterday's snog session, all those months ago with the hooded figure, and even at the start of the year, when I'd clambered onto the Hogwarts Express. They weren't all necessarily happy, but they were certainly powerful.

"Expecto Patronum."

I felt a thrum of power beneath my skin and I opened my eyes to see the same blue mist from Rose's wand, only it was in the shape of a Lynx. The little creature bounded around, falling into a cute little trot as it came towards me, circling me, sniffing the air. Then it came and nudged my leg affectionately, and to my surprise, when I bent down to stroke it, it was as though it was real; the fur that should've been there but wasn't was soft beneath my fingers, and I could feel it purring.

I looked up and noticed that everyone was staring at me in awe, I had been the first one to achieve it. Professor Tawny nodded his head at me in congratulations, Dom looked slightly miffed and went back to attempting the spell, Rose smiled gently, and I could feel Albus's eyes on me, but I didn't turn around.

Later on that day, I went back to my earlier mission of scoping out Natalia, because believe me, she was a slippery thing. Everywhere I looked, she ought to be, but, naturally, she wasn't. So, as much as I really didn't want to do it, I thought it would be best if I found a way to find her, and soon, because even though Lyra wouldn't admit it, but she was getting worried about her friend and lover.

"Hey, Potter." I said, sitting down on the plush leather sofa.

I'd found him in the Slytherin Common Room, silently reading his potions textbook, as if he even needs to, that boy probably knows the bloody book inside out by now.

"Hey..?" He asked suspiciously.

I mean I could understand why, we haven't really had what you could call a sensible, or normal, conversation since last night. But I was actually quite surprised that this didn't feel embarrassing or awkward.

"Have you still got that funny map?"

"What, the Marauder's Map?"

"Yeah, that one."

"Why? What are going to do with it?"

"Merlin's beard, Potter." I huffed, annoyed by his scrutiny. "I'm not going to kill anyone."

He raised an eyebrow and looked at me as if to say 'really, because you're quite capable of that'.

"Seriously, I'm not. I just need to find Natalia, she's wandered off." I explained.

"Mulciber?" He questioned and I nodded. "I didn't realise you two were friends."

"Well, we're not really, she kind of hates me. But I just think she's just a bit lost, at the minute."

"Right, okay, fine, but if you lose it Jones, I will kill you." He said, standing up.

"Hey, that's hardly fair. How come you can threaten death and then tell me that I'm the murderer?" I chastised, irritated by his hypocrisy.

"Because I'm not actually going to kill you." He said as I followed him up the stairs to the dorms.

"Oh, and I somehow portray murderous tendencies, then?"

"Precisely."

We'd reached his dorm by then, and I hadn't realised that until it was too late, as Albus was rifling through his trunk, in search of the map. The easy banter flowed into something more intense, and I suddenly felt slightly suffocated. I don't know if he felt it too, but that same searing warmth was sloshing around inside me, and when he turned back to me, map in hand, I started to panic. There was something about this room being his bedroom that made this scenario extremely stressful.

"Here." His hand was outstretched, the map firm in his grasp.

"Cheers, I'll, um, bring it back later." And I turned on my heel, ready to leg it out of there.

But Albus had other ideas.

"Wait," He grabbed my arm, turning me back around, his face inches from my own. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Why?" I spoke quickly, my heart beating erratically beneath my skin.

"I mean, after yesterday."

He didn't look away, which would've been a great help in my case, because I was slowly falling into his eyes again, and I didn't know how many more times I could do this, before I would never to be able to resurface.

"Yeah, fine, it was just a drunken mistake. Shit happens." I breathed.

He dropped my arm then, and I took this as my chance to get out of there, I muttered a quick goodbye, with the promise that I'd return the map later, and left Albus there looking slightly down trodden.

I rushed down the stairs, through the common room, ignoring the looks I got for coming from the boys dorms and out into the corridor, where the chilled breeze of the dungeons allowed me to breathe normally again. I looked down at the map, it was blank.

That arsehole.

"There you are, Lissa."

I snapped my head up to see Rose and Scorpius walking down the corridor, arm in arm, looking as sweet as ever. I huffed and cursed Albus under my breath, before greeting them.

"Hey, guys."

"What are you doing staring at a piece of blank parchment?" Scorpius inquired.

"Well, it was supposed to be that weird map that Albus has, because I'm looking for Natalia, but the bastard gave me a piece of blank parchment."

Scorpius chuckled and shook his head at me, tapping his wand on the parchment and saying:

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

That triggered something, and the entirety of Hogwarts appeared in front of me, the little footsteps floating about with each and everyone's names above them.

"Oh."

"And to hide it again, tap it and say 'mischief managed'."

"Um, thanks, Scorp." I said dejectedly.

"No worries, you idiot."

Rose scolded him for that and then turned to look up at me.

"You coming up to the tower tonight, we've still got to grill Dom on her new friend." She said, wiggling her eyebrows.

I instantly perked up at this, I had a bottle of Fire Whiskey stashed in my trunk that was just begging to be popped open.

"Definitely, I'll meet you there after dinner, with alcohol, of course." I smirked.

"Great, can't wait." She beamed. "But it is a school night, so you and Dom need to be careful."

"When are we not, dear Rosie."

She didn't dignify that comment with a response as she and Scorpius made their way into the common room, probably up to his room to do Merlin only knows what. I, however, continued on my way, having spotted, at last, that Natalia was in an empty classroom on the second floor.

I made my way there, but as I got closer, a strong sense of dread, and danger, grew in my mind, and I could feel that, in the air, something was wrong. I couldn't tell if was my abilities, or pure instinct, but I had to get there fast. I sped up my pace, and my brain began to show me snippets, flashes of something bigger, blood, lots of it, a pale hand, dark hair. Somehow, I managed to keep walking, even though my head felt as though it was splitting the closer I got, the flashes were fast and as I approached the door, I fell into a daze.

I wrenched the door handle, burst into the room, and found Natalia, led on the floor, bleeding out and on the wall, written in her blood, were the words:

"BLOOD TRAITOR."

AN:

Hey guys, I'm back. I don't really know how long I've left this story for, a good few months I think, but here's a longer chapter to make up for it. Do you think Natalia will make it? Let me know your predictions. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay safe and sane! Remember to R&R!

Until next time, happy reading!

Purpleslytherin xx