The next few days passed rather slowly, what with Umbridge's absurd new decrees and her ponderously horrid classes. Lia was performing in Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons adequately, completing all the necessary work and getting decent grades, but hating every minute of the class. Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms were more rewarding, and Lia found herself getting excellent grades in the latter two. But her favorite class by far was Ancient Runes, which also happened to be the most challenging, but the most enjoyable.

When the long, cold days ended, Lia would have dinner in the Great Hall, freshen up in her dormitory, and head down to the greenhouse to work on her picture of Griselda, and, more importantly, Dumbledore's painting, on which she'd already completed the preliminary charcoal outline and shading. The greenhouse drawing sessions were Lia's favorite time of the day, because Nott's company was becoming more and more pleasant with each evening in the greenhouse. They would spend the three hours working on their respective projects diligently, but not without often lively conversation, on topics which ranged from Quidditch (which Lia knew very little about and did not enjoy discussing) to Ancient Runes class to their favorite topic, art. But Lia and Nott never once broached the subject of wizarding heritage or blood prejudice, and although Lia was grateful for the lack of tension brought on by this fact, for some reason she wished that they would talk about it.

Another thing that was rather strange was Nott's hesitation to talk about certain topics relating to Professor Umbridge, as Lia had found out on a particularly rainy Monday evening in the greenhouse.

"Did you hear about the look on Professor McGonagall's face when Umbridge sat in on our Transfiguration lesson last week?" said Lia, perched on the edge of Professor Sprout's desk at the head of the room, taking a break from Griselda's lake. "She looked like she was going to go over to Umbridge and breath fire in her face any minute!"

"Wouldn't it be nice if McGonagall had decided to?" yawned Nott. He was stretched out on his back on the tabletop, his hands behind his head. "I would've enjoyed the fat toad's expression after that."

Lia chuckled. "I hate that woman so much - she's ruining Hogwarts."

"For some reason, Father says she's good for this school...but he doesn't actually have to deal with her everyday of the school year."

"I know what you mean. I write to my parents complaining about Umbridge, and they just say 'oh, Lianna, always listen to your teachers!' - they just don't understand...of course, this was before Umbridge started scanning our letters...now I can't complain about her anymore!" Lia said desperately. "Her stupid decrees are horrible - I wonder what she's going to do next, start some sort of decree-enforcement group?"

Nott suddenly sat up and leapt off the tabletop. "We need to get on with our paintings," he said shortly.

Lia raised an eyebrow jokingly. "This, coming from someone who was sprawled out on the tabletop a second ago?" she said.

"We only have half an hour left," said Nott moodily, sitting down at the bench and returning to his painting.

Then there was the matter of the strange insistence of secrecy regarding Lia's association with Nott. On Wednesday during lunch, Lia had found out most unpleasantly that Nott seemed to have no idea who she was unless they were alone in the greenhouse at six in the evening. She'd been sitting at the Hufflepuff table and looking over her Potions notes, when she'd chanced to look towards the Slytherin table and saw Nott looking in her direction as well. She'd grinned and given him a little wave, but to her surprise, he'd quickly turned away and resumed his conversation with the blonde girl from the library incident, Daphne Greengrass, who was sitting very close to him and talking to him intently.

At the greenhouse that evening, Lia had brought the subject up as soon as he'd arrived, albeit ten minutes late.

"Sorry I'm late - Snape wanted to talk to our House," he said, setting his things down at the bench and sitting down heavily. "Finally, some time to draw..."

"Oh, I saw you during lunch today," said Lia, busily mixing oil pastels on a scrap piece of paper and not looking up. "But you didn't seem to notice I waved."

She saw out of the corner of her eye that he looked decidedly uneasy. "Er - no - okay, I did notice, but listen," he said, leaning forward in his seat, "we can't very well go gallivanting around the school together - everyone would know, and my House would ridicule me. Hell, they'd skip that, and just toss me out."

"So, basically, we don't know each other unless we're in the greenhouse, right?" said Lia, still mixing colors.

"Yes - I mean, we have no choice, you know?" said Nott somewhat nervously.

"Of course," said Lia tersely. "Have you started painting the clouds yet?"

Later that night, Lia was sitting at her small bedside desk in her dormitory, working on Dumbledore's painting. She had now finished shading the preliminary sketch of Caradoc Dearborne and was desperately thinking of more shading details to put into each lock of his wavy hair. For some reason, she was dreading the very thought of starting on the actual painting of the wizard, even though she knew that it had been over two weeks since Dumbledore had approached her with his request.

"Lianna?" said a voice right behind her, causing her to jump. She hastily shoved the sketch under Practical Defensive Theory and turned around to see Hannah standing there, looking uncharacteristically smug - about as smug as Ernie usually looked.

"Er, hi Hannah - what's up?" said Lia uncertainly.

"Oh, nothing...Lianna, you know about the Hogsmeade trip this Saturday - Valentine's Day - right?" said Hannah.

Lia nodded.

"Cool. Are you planning on going?"

"Well, I wanted to drop in at Scrivenshaft's to get some new paintbrushes, so yes," said Lia slowly.

"Are you going with anyone?" asked Hannah rather impatiently.

"No...I don't think so," said Lia, utterly confused as to why Hannah was asking these strange questions.

Hannah smiled triumphantly. "Excellent - would you perhaps be interested in going with Justin Finch-Fletchley then?"

Lia stared at her, stunned. Did she hear Hannah correctly? Why in the world did Justin Finch-Fletchley want to go to Hogsmeade with her?

"I knew it!" cried Hannah, dashing towards the dormitory door. "I'll go tell Justin!"

"WAIT! I didn't say yes! Are you sure - I mean, why would he - Justin wants to go to Hogsmeade with me?"

Hannah turned around and grinned excitedly at Lia. "He couldn't pluck up the nerve to ask you directly, so I offered to." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Lianna, I think he fancies you!"

Lia stared blankly at Hannah. Justin Finch-Fletchley, whom Lia had been pining over for all of fourth year, but who had never even noticed her existence, was now asking her to go to Hogsmeade with him, and on Valentine's Day of all days! In essence...this was a date.

Hannah was looking at her intently. "Don't tell me you're thinking of saying no - any girl would love to go out with Justin!"

Hannah was right - Justin was fairly handsome, popular, and smart. Nowhere near as handsome or smart as Nott, but still. Lia had never been able to pin down what exactly about him had appealed to her last year, but she had a feeling it was a combination of all these things. Besides, what would be the harm of going into Hogsmeade with him? She would have someone to talk to and go into the village with - something very rare indeed. Lia considered other students she could have gone with if she had wanted any company to begin with. Luna had mentioned in Care of Magical Creatures that she would be meeting some people at the Three Broomsticks...Eloise always skipped Hogsmeade visits and preferred to stay in the dormitory...and then there was Nott - Lia dismissed this idea from her head at once, as it was completely ridiculous. He clearly did not want to be seen with her in public, and besides, he was probably going to the village with that blonde Daphne girl.

Hannah was still staring at her expectantly. "Well?"

Lia sighed. "I suppose so - yes, I'll go with him," she said, shrugging and with a resigned sort of smile.