Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K Rowling.

A/N: A chapter like this won't happen again.

Chapter 56: Red

-Draco-

I stared at the poster I had put up on the noticeboard a couple of days ago. This was it, this was the last chance.

This was the last attempt to start this study group. If it failed, I had to admit defeat and fully focus on the mission.

Most people would go home soon, there was a dance in a couple of days, after that, everyone would be gone.

I arrived in the same classroom as the last time, and started pacing, like I had done then.

My thoughts ran through my mind like cars on a highway. There were more files than I could even understand. And through it all, there was this constant fear that no one would show.

I paced back and forth in the room, my senses on high alert for the clapping of footsteps or chatter of voices. Neither came from the halls, and as more time went on, the speed of my pacing decreased, until I just sat down with my back against the wall.

I expected to feel disappointed. I thought I would be, but I was used to this, I realised. I was accustomed to it, just like an alcoholic was accustomed to a hangover.

Then I heard it, ever so faintly, but growing stronger.

Footsteps shuffling towards me, slowly but surely, perhaps a little nervously.

I stood up, wiping the dust off my clothes. Could it be?

Indeed, it was.

The Ravenclaw boy I saved a couple of weeks ago stood in the doorframe, frozen in his place.

"Hi," he said. "This the place?"

I shrugged. "It was supposed to be."

He walked in. "Do you remember me? You saved me from–"

"A couple of my housemates, I know," I interrupted. "Something Magnefield, right?"

He reached out his hand, it swayed a little. "Lucas Magnefield."

I smiles and shook his hand. "Well, it's nice to meet you under better circumstances, I suppose."

"Yes. . . I wanted to thank you for what you did."

I waved him away. "It's fine, anyone would have done the same."

He didn't look too sure about that. "Perhaps, but that wasn't why I thank you." He paused and frowned. "A couple of days ago, I remembered that I never did thank you, and I asked myself why. It came to me that I would have thanked anyone else the day after, but I didn't. . . not to you."

I remained silent.

"But then, I also realised that no one else came to my help, you did. The one person I never thought would help me, did." He shrugged. "I thought you just deserved a thanks, if nothing else."

"Well, you're welcome, I guess." I looked Lucas up and down. His hair was blonde and curly, his nose a little bit skewed. He looked normal, a regular student in a regular school.

"I read this was supposed to be some kind of study place," Lucas noted. "I guess I wasn't the only one guilty of prejudice."

"Perhaps," I said. "Though I think some of the prejudice is warranted."

Lucas sat down in a chair. "I don't know, if you say so." He paused for a moment. "I need to learn 'stupefy' for Snape, do you know it?"

I met his eyes. "Sure," I said. "I'll show you."

-Harry-

I was being followed.

Someone thought they were being clever when they were following me.

So when I came to the fourth floor corridor, I did not go into my master's room. It seemed that Rowena had seen the stalker too, since the door was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, I went to Greengrass' room and hoped she wasn't there yet. I could confront my follower there.

The room was, indeed, empty. The room felt lifeless and sterile with the chandelier unlit and mainly, lack of human life.

The door slid open behind me and I raised my eyebrows.

Greengrass did not look happy. "How did you know I was following you?" she asked, agitated.

I smiled thinly. "I didn't know you were following me, just that someone was following me."

Greengrass rolled her eyes. "So what, you bring everyone who stalks you in here?"

I shook my head and sat down in my armchair.

My armchair. Could the thing be called such? I had never seen anyone else sit in it.

"I assume you want something, since you took the risk of following me."

Greengrass smirked and sat down in her own, more comfortable armchair. "Obviously, I don't want to spend more time than I have to with someone like you."

"Obviously," I said dryly. "So?"

Greengrass was staring at her shoes, a nice pair of white sneakers. "I wanted to ask you something," she murmured.

Her eyes refused to look anywhere above the ground. I looked around, to make sure she wasn't speaking in front of a large crowd.

She exhaled a long breath. Her chin raised and her cool eyes settled inside mine. "Potter…" she said. Greengrass licked her lips and smiled shyly. "Do you want to go to the dance with me?" she said.

Greengrass was a girl. She had wavy, blonde hair and eyes bluer than the sky.

Greengrass was not someone who was supposed to ask me to the dance.

I blinked dumbly. Greengrass was blushing in front of me.

So I blushed too and stammered. "I…uhh…I… Sure!" I exclaimed.

Greengrass had narrowed her eyes on me. "'Sure'?" she said incredulously. "You could at least feign some enthusiasm."

I rolled my eyes, trying not to let the smile slip through, but I couldn't. My face was split like watermelon into a smile. "I don't need to feign anything," I said smoothly. "But I have to ask you: why?"

"I can assure you that it is not your blindingly handsome looks."

"Aha, you only care about personality.".

Greengrass shook her head. "If I did, then I would not have asked you," she said.

"Ouch."

"Indeed," she continued. "The reason I asked you was for your fame," she said bluntly. "Slughorn will have a lot of influential guests."

"Influential guests who will want to talk to me," I surmised quickly. "How cunning."

I smiled at Greengrass, trying not to let it falter. For just a couple of moments there, I had thought that she kind of liked me. I mean, she was blushing.

Did girls blush when speaking to someone they liked?

Or was it just because of the kind of question it was?

That must have been it. Most people would probably be a little embarrassed when asking someone to a dance.

"Yes, although…" Greengrass trailed off. "I guess it'll be amusing to see you dressed up."

"Amusing?" I said, incredulous. "Stunning, more like."

"You're right, stunned by your inaptitude at dressing yourself."

I rolled my eyes. "Appreciate the confidence boost." I observed Greengrass with her pink cheeks, finding my eyes drawn towards her blonde hair. "There is one issue we haven't quite addressed though," I said, distracting myself.

Greengrass nodded succinctly. "I know. Don't worry, I know how to take care of myself, and my family does too."

I inclined my head. "I'm not too sure about that, but let's say you're right. The problem I was referring to is your, uhh. . . shyness."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

I got the impression that she knew what I was talking about.

"Dating me will equal attention," I said. "More than you can imagine. Do you really want that?"

"It's worth it," Greengrass said. "I can make some real connections at that meeting –there is this transfiguration lecturer who is rumoured to be attending."

I shrugged. "And you get to date me, of course, the biggest win of them all."

She rolled her eyes.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to, Greengrass," I said, serious, this time.

"But I do," Greengrass insisted.

"I guess we can try and have some fun then, yeah?"

"Fun," Greengrass said. The word sounded alien on her tongue. "That sounds…fun."

I raised my eyebrows. "How intuitive of you, who could have guessed that having fun would be fun."

Greengrass smiled shyly. "Whatever…" She reached inside her pocket and took a piece of clothing out. "Do you know what this is?"

She showed it to me. It was red. Loud as an explosion and warm as a volcano, pretty as a phoenix.

I smirked. "I do, actually." I nodded in approval. "I like it –you finally showing your Gryffindor colours."

Greengrass failed to hide a smile. "It's fitting isn't it?"

"How so?" I asked.

"Well…" she blushed. "I'll be joining your side, won't I? Then it is only fitting that I wear your colours."

I chuckled. "Logical, I should have guessed." I took the offered piece from her hand. "I'll make sure that I match you," I promised with a bow.

Greengrass inclined her head. "Good." She paused for a second. "And thank you, for saying yes."

"Of course, Greengrass. I don't mind."

She scoffed. "I don't mind," she said in a horrible imitation. "'I'm positively thrilled' would be a better reaction."

"Are you?"

"As thrilled as a brobdingnagian blockhead."

-()-

I fell down into my armchair in my master's room like someone cut the strings holding me up. My muscles were sore, begging for rest. Simply lying in the chair felt like sleeping in the clouds.

My master sat down in her usual spot. "Good work today," she said kindly. "You're getting better, much better."

I groaned. "I damn well hope so, otherwise all this is for nothing."

"I can assure you that it is not. You've grown, loads."

I smiled thinly. "I know, I'm even taller than you now."

Rowena nodded. "That was not quite referred to, but yes, you've grown taller too." She smiled, her eyes reflecting fondness. "Just think about the day you crawled in here, can you recognise that person now?"

I smiled. The answer was that I could not. If that was a good thing, I did not know anymore. I decided that it was.

"That reminds me," I said and took the piece of fabric out of my pocket. "Greengrass asked me to the dance."

Rowena took the piece in her hand and felt the fabric. "And you said yes," she surmised with a small, proud smile. "I'll make you something to wear."

"I assumed that you would want to. You must have been heartbroken when you couldn't make the pair for my dance last year."

Rowena nodded seriously. "I was, truly, but I made up for it when I made the set for your competition, not that it got much proper use."

"Well, this is your third try at a set, you better make it special."

Rowena smiled mysteriously. "You're wrong, this is the fourth set. You just haven't seen one of them. . . yet."

I arched my brow. "Really? Have you already made my wedding suit or something?"

Rowena snorted. "Something like that, you'll see."

I shrugged. "Fair enough, I'm looking forward to it."

"So am I."

We fell into a comfortable silence.

For not the first time, I wondered how on earth my master could be evil. I contemplated confessing all of my doubts about her then and there. About my plot with Annabelle and the letters I had found.

Yet I didn't. How would she react? She could be furious, or worse, she could be sorrowful at my lack of trust.

There was also this feeling that she kept something from me. Something was amiss.

How the wonderful and thoughtful mentor in front of me fitted into that, I did not know. Yet something, somewhere, somehow told me that everything wasn't quite the way it should.

"It seems you always end up going to a dance around Christmas," Rowena remarked.

"First Fleur, then Alice, now Greengrass. I desperately hope the third time's the charm."

"So do I, Harry, and if it is any difference, I think it can be."

"It will be," I assured her. "I never thought that me and Greengrass would be friendly, Merlin knows that we hated each other, but here we are now, going to a dance together." I let out a long and satisfied breath. "It's not all the way there, but it is miles down that road."

-()-

-Hermione-

Neither Parvati nor Lavender had managed to get a date with an invitation for the dance, thus both of them had gone home for the holidays.

Which left me with the entirety of our dorm blissfully to myself. This also meant that my master had moved in, or well, she was staying in the room and gave me lessons in there. I had never seen her sleep though.

Did ghosts sleep?

The day of the dance was finally upon me. As such, I stared at the package resting on my bed.

"Open it," Helena urged gently. "The dance starts soon, you can't put it off forever."

I nodded. "I know… It's just… what if it doesn't fit or doesn't look well or if it is the wrong product?"

Helena rolled her eyes, exasperated. "I can assure you that it is the correct set. As for whether it will look good, there is only one way to find out."

She was right. My master was usually right, I realised long ago.

So I opened the box with the dress and began the journey towards being presentable.

Every single step on that journey, my master held my hand -metaphorically.

She explained how to apply make-up, how to make my hair and even how I should smile and behave in front of my date.

"He will be enthralled," Helena had said confidently. "He'll be yours."

Staring at myself in the mirror, I had no doubt that she was correct.

-()-

-Daphne-

I was frozen on the spot. Everything was ready. From the dress to my perfume to my hair.

Yet there was one item which remained untouched. It was laying on the bathroom sink, just beside the bottle of scent I had just sprayed over myself.

Tracey had put it there, I was certain of it.

I hadn't used my makeup in ages, there was no reason for it to be lying there.

My hand twitched and reached out, only to freeze and fall to the side numbly again.

I stared at my face. I'd been cursed with acne for ages, and that was as clear as any day.

I could hide it. But did I want to?

If I did, people would look at me and point at me and whisper about me and laugh at me. I was the girl who didn't wear makeup. What would happen if I started to do it?

I swallowed.

All those things, weren't those things that would happen either way, just because I went with Potter?

I closed my eyes. Potter, what would he do?

I chuckled to myself. He wouldn't wear makeup, of that I was pretty sure.

Potter was never afraid to stand out: he had seemingly gotten used to it. Could I do that too?

I felt myself crumbling. I doubted I could bear the weight of a thousand stares.

If I did apply it, I would walk around nervous as someone asking out their crush. All attention would be on me, more attention.

But why should I be nervous because of it?

Potter appeared in front of me like a ghost, he was smiling that frustratingly charming smile of his. "You're good enough to be the one to make other people nervous, not the other way around."

The memory echoed through me like someone rang a drum.

I would make people nervous. They would crumble like leaves in autumn before me.

Not the other way around.

-()-

-Harry-

I nodded to myself in the mirror.

My robes were black, with some details of red and white. I thought my master had done a splendid job, although I realised that I wasn't supposed to be the one to determine that.

I checked my watch again and descended the stairs from my dormitory.

I was meeting Greengrass in ten minutes for our first date.

The sentence felt like something plucked out of a Salvador Dali painting.

Impossible. Implausible. Inconceivable.

Yet my steps echoed against the walls, moving closer towards my first proper date with my future wife.

My hands were clammy and thoughts were running through my head like a river in a storm. I imagined a thousand different scenarios: good, great, exciting and amazing. And of course, the horrible ones.

The closer I got to the trophy room, the more people I encountered.

Couples were walking hand in hand, gazing into each other's eyes like those were telescopes.

I could feel my heartbeat slamming against my chest like a chained animal. I slowed my steps nervously, trying to delay the inevitable.

What if she thought I looked ugly?

What if I forgot how to dance?

What if I was asked to sing the national anthem of Greece?

I paused and took a deep breath.

Think rationally.

Everything would be fine, I assured myself. Greengrass and I always seemed to manage fine, this time, we would only have to do so in front of others.

I grinned as I entered the trophy room. I couldn't even imagine the faces of everyone when we walked in, hopefully hand in hand.

Hopefully.

I looked around; there was no trace of a red dress anywhere yet. I leaned against a wall and waited. We weren't the only ones who had decided that this would be a great spot to meet up.

I spotted Katie kissing some Ravenclaw boy and disappearing towards the Great Hall, where the party would be held.

Instead of standing on the spot, fidgeting awkwardly, I decided to read the small texts under all of the trophies. I was reading the inscription of a trophy from 1678 when I felt something.

My eyes paused its reading and I turned around.

Greengrass had entered the room, her eyes surveyed the room until they settled on me. Even from a distance, I could see her small smile.

It felt like someone had put a blanket over my senses. Everything disappeared except the girl walking towards me. Greengrass was as pretty as the moon.

No. She was more beautiful than the moon.

I wondered if I had always looked at her without my glasses before. How could I have missed that?

Greengrass' hair was flowing gold, her red dress emphasised her curves, her face was that of an angel's.

Greengrass blushed a little as she stopped in front of me. She pinched her nose. "You look awful," she said. Her lips curled into a playful smile.

I smiled widely and offered her the rose I had brought. "You look absolutely stunning, too."

Greengrass rolled her eyes and took the offered rose. "Thank you, Potter," she said shyly.

She offered me her hand. "Shall we get going?"

I stared at the body part for a couple of seconds before I took it and we walked towards the Great Hall.

The hand felt like a goddess' in mine. I spared quite a few more than one glance at her.

Greengrass was hot. I wasn't sure what kind of blindness I had been affected by before, but she was wow. . .

I suddenly felt myself grow a little taller, my chin rose a couple of centimetres.

My eyes roamed over the sea of heads and bodies around us. Yeah, I had gotten beyond lucky; as long as we would be able to get along, that is.

"Everyone's staring," Greengrass murmured. She was walking rigidly beside me, like she had to think through every step.

I bent my neck down. "They're jealous, I've got the best-looking girl at Hogwarts on my arm."

A little bit of red coloured Greengrass' cheeks. I would be able to run sixteen laps around Hogwarts at that moment.

"That's not why, you know it," Greengrass whispered. "You're famous, that's why."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive, you know."

"Whatever, it doesn't matter. They're staring, it doesn't really make a difference why."

I hummed in agreement. Greengrass' eyes were darting around like someone was going to sneak up on her, and plunge a knife in her back in any second. Her hand was sweaty in mine.

"Harry!" Slughorn exclaimed from where he stood, surrounded by two regal men dressed in matching blue suits.

We made our way over, neatly dodging absentminded couples and bracing stares like they were an onslaught of meteorites.

"Harry, it's good to see you!"

I forced a smile. "Likewise Professor, you've done a great job."

"Ah, yes, yes." He turned to Greengrass. "And Ms. Greengrass, it's nice to see you here today as well." Slughorn looked between us. "I must admit, I didn't know that the two of you knew each other."

Greengrass nodded jerkily. "You're not the only one, professor. We've kept our relationship hidden, until now."

Slughorn's eyebrows rose quickly, before he schooled his expression. "I see, I see. I suppose that is sensible, in times like this." He gestured to the two men in suits. "Allow me to introduce Mr. Dixon and Mr. Carragher, they're currently working with the ministry of magic with catching his followers."

Me and Greengrass exchanged handshakes with the two people.

"Mr. Potter, a pleasure to meet you," Mr. Carragher said evenly. "I attended one of your duels last year, I must say, it was mighty impressive."

I inclined my head. "Thank you, which one was it?"

"The quarterfinal, I believe. You beat some black girl?"

I nodded mutely.

"Tell me, Mr. Potter, what's your secret? Apart from the blatant talent, of course," the other one, Mr. Dixon, inquired.

"I've had help," I said vaguely. "And I've had to work hard."

Greengrass rolled her eyes. "Harry's being humble," she said. "He's amazing, simple as that."

I felt my cheeks grow a little hot, and looked at my feet. Hearing Greengrass call me amazing was, well, amazing.

The pair nodded appreciatively. "Based on what I've seen, that is very much the case," Mr. Carragher said.

"Anyways, you'll have to excuse us," Mr. Dixon said with a smile. "My nephew is over there, I'd like a word with him."

The pair disappeared, leaving the three of us standing. Slughorn glanced at Greengrass a little hesitantly. "You'd do well to remember them," he said gravely. "They're private investigators, the very best in the business."

"Are they on our side?"

Slughorn scoffed. "Our side? Is there such a side?" He tilted his head and gave me a knowing look. "I've got the impression that you and Dumbledore aren't exactly in the same frame of mind."

I hummed. "Perhaps not."

Slughorn took a sip of his champagne. "But if you want an answer about which side they're on. They're on the money's side."

"So Voldemort's, then?" My eyes drilled into the pair of heads on the other side of the room, Mr. Dixon was ruffling the hair of a younger Hufflepuff student.

Slughorn shrugged. "Possibly." He gave me a pointed look. "But they're not idiots, perhaps you can convince them to remain on our side."

I met his eyes suspiciously. "We'll see."

Greengrass tugged at my hand. "Excuse us, professor, but we'd like to go and talk to some of our friends."

Slughorn chuckled merrily, taking another large sip of his drink. "Feel free to! I shan't stand in the way!"

"Which friends are you referring to here?" I asked with an arched brow when we had left him.

Greengrass half led, half dragged me over to the table with drinks. "I lied," she said bluntly. "I hate your friends and you hate mine."

"I don't hate Davis, she's just. . . I don't know." I handed her a glass with some kind of beverage. "What do you want to do? Dance?"

She curled her lip into a cruel smile. "With you? I don't want to be seen dancing with a bumbling baboon."

"Well, I fear you're in a bit of a dilemma then. Everyone would look like a bumbling baboon next to you," I said with a wink.

Greengrass sipped her drink and nodded in appreciation. "Keep complimenting me, and perhaps you'll stand a chance."

I bowed deeply. "Of course, though I fear that no amount of compliments will be enough to do you justice."

Greengrass smiled into her glass. She looked at something over my shoulder and her smile dissipated. I sent a glance behind me and saw a group of boys. They were whispering among themselves, grins upon their faces. They weren't particularly discrete about the fact that they were looking at us.

It wasn't something I was unfamiliar with myself, but for Greengrass…

I downed the contents of my drink and offered my date my hand. My hand was heavy as a thousand rocks as it hovered in the air, waiting for acceptance.

Greengrass twirled her almost empty glass between her fingers.

She met my eyes for a brief second, glanced at the boys behind me, then downed the drink and grabbed my hand like it was her way to cling to sanity.

The music was smooth as silk, yet I never heard it. All I could feel was Greengrass' hands on my robes, her perfume intoxicating me in a cloud of daze. I tried to look her in the eyes, but she was looking elsewhere, so I found my gaze drifting downwards.

We moved slowly, yet inelegantly.

She missed a step once, took a step in the wrong direction shortly after. All the time, I saw only her blonde hair in front of me. Her neck was bent like a lamp pole, staring at her feet.

"Greengrass," I whispered softly.

Greengrass raised her head. Despite her makeup, she was pale as a ghost. There was a thin layer of perspiration by her hairline. She inhaled large breaths, released them shakily.

"Don't look at them," I said as I tried to capture her gaze which had wandered behind me. Her eyes dove to the ground like a shot dolphin again.

"I'm not." The reply came out muffled, muted and in but a whisper.

Thinking back, I wasn't sure if it was the music, the dance or time itself which slowed down.

All I know is that my hand left her hip and travelled through the air like a spaceship. My hand came to a rest below her chin, Greengrass froze as if enchanted. I could feel her breath on my hand, making it feel like lighting was shooting through my arm.

I raised her chin up, her eyes met mine. I held her gaze for a long time, trying to not think about the blueness of her irises or the intensity of her scrutiny.

"Daphne, it's okay to feel nervous when everyone is looking at you, but you need to understand that every single person will be ten times more nervous when you look at them," I said.

I gestured with my head to the group of boys behind me. "They may look at you now, Greengrass, but the second you look at them, they will run away like they were faced with a dragon."

Greengrass swallowed. "How do you know?" she whispered.

"Every boy gets nervous when pretty girls look at them, and well, there aren't any prettier than you."

A ghost of a smile graced Greengrass' lips. "Idiot," she said.

My hand fell from her chin, back to her hip. Greengrass' chin remained supported, high and mighty.

She closed her eyes and swayed to the music for a second. "Thank you," she said with a smile breaking through. "That was sweet of you." She gave me a pointed look. "You're an idiot though."

I nodded. "I can take that."

Greengrass shook her head.

Her eyelids flared open, revealing her eyes in an explosion of blue and beauty. Her gaze was a blue fire to my entire self, engulfing and challenging me to a duel I could never win.

My heart beat planets collided inside me, my cheeks were red as the dress she wore.

I averted my gaze, and grinned widely.

I heard Greengrass laugh, it flowed out, harmonious and idyllic.

Our eyes met again and we both blushed.

Greengrass took a step towards me and rested her head on my shoulder. We swayed as one for a perfect eternity that lasted nowhere near long enough.

Then one song ended. It could have been the first, it could have been the billionth, my mind was lost in her, feeling her body against mine, her scent and her warmth.

"Potter," Greegrass whispered, hot as fire, in my ear. "We should try to socialise a little."

Losing her warmth felt like someone tore a part of my heart out. It left a void I knew capable of only being filled by one thing. One person. One perfect person.

"I need something to drink," she said. "Do you want me to go and get one?"

"It's alright," I breathed out. "I can go and get them."

She rolled her eyes. "You've been acting like a gentleman all night, I'll have to put a stop to this before it gets out of hand."

I raised a brow with a smile. "Are you telling me you don't like it?"

Greengrass scoffed and turned around. She strided away on her red heels, head held high.

In contrast, my gaze wandered down her figure.

I shook my head, but I knew I would remember the Greengrass from that day for a long time.

I looked around quickly, hoping no one saw me staring. Instead, I followed her to the drink's table.

"Thank you," I said as she handed me a drink of sparkling water.

We sipped our drinks together. "That was fun, right?" I said.

"Surprisingly so, considering it was you who I danced with."

"My greatness must have been enough to compensate for everything else."

"Had you been someone else, there wouldn't have been anything to compensate for in the first place."

"Had you been someone else, I wouldn't even understand what greatness is in the first place."

Greengrass smiled into her drink. "You're not as smooth as you think, Potter."

In the corner of my eye, I saw a Hufflepuff pat his mate on the shoulder and point at Greengrass. The friend and the Hufflepuff exchanged the look which every guy knew.

Greengrass spotted them and her eyes dug into them like icy shards in a snowstorm.

Both of them blushed red as blood and stared at the ground.

Greengrass' mouth was half open, as if surprised at the effect she had on the two boys.

Then she closed it and a wicked smile emerged victorious.

-()-

The embers of the party were almost dead. The fire all but extinguished.

"Potter," Greengrass whispered. "Thank you, I know I'm always insulting you and everything, but you know I–"

"Find me irresistibly hot?" I finished. "Of course I do, how could not?"

I excepted a roll of eyes or a smirk followed by a remark.

"You hit the nail on the head."

My heart skipped a beat, I saw her cheeks, red as the dress she was wearing.

We both blushed. Every glance I felt her give me and every glance I sent at her were like electricity.

The December air slammed against me with all its might, but the fire which was the girl beside me shielded me from it and turned me into the sun.

Her hair was flying in the wind.

We looked out over the ground together.

Or well, I wasn't looking at the ground.

Her chest, her hair, her eyes, her lips. Everything. I wanted to press her against the wall and find out how they felt.

Greengrass shifted and we stood watching each other.

Mr breath caught as I saw her lust-filled eyes from behind her long, sharp eyelashes.

My smile was immortal. "Can I kiss you?"

Greengrass took a step forward, her shapely body pressing against mine.

"Why would I ever want to kiss an idiot like you?"

She leaned forwards, kissed me and I caught flames.