Disclaimer: Anything that rings a bell is JK Rowling's

Chapter 49: Lesson 4: Sometimes the winner doesn't win

"This is by far the silliest, most ridiculous thing you have ever done!" Mi muttered into my ear for the thousandth time today.

I ignored her and continued staring at my target; he was leaning against the wall of the drawing room at Grimauld Place, his blonde hair hanging in his eyes. He was skinny, girlishly so, and his face was prettier than Nessie's... those lips can't be natural.

Sirius and Remus were talking to him, or should I say at him, he was barely paying attention. He looked up and right at me, his black eyes like an endless vortex. I smiled my prettiest smile at him and moved my shoulder forward in a way I saw Nessie do a few times. He smiled back, but not in a flirty way, more in derision. I swallowed the urge to walk up to him and smack the smirk off his pretty face. Just then laughter floated over to us.

"Excuse us."

I turned to the voice and glared into the deep brown eyes; the hue may be a change from his usual emerald, but it glowed just the same. Harry ran a hand across his untidy red hair, and I watched as his partner, who the laugh belonged to, observed the movement. Her black eyes roamed across his chest and her pale cheeks flushed red as she tucked a blonde strand of hair behind her ears. That was horribly unnecessary considering she had a pixie cut. I stepped aside, letting them through, turning away from the familiar scent as he flounced passed me, his admirer trailing behind him. I felt his familiar touch ghost across my back, and I growled.

"This is immensely ridiculous. Immature. This is your brother's engagement party and you're missing it!"

"Well, I'll show up in-"I grabbed Mi's hand and pulled her watch to my face, "in seventeen minutes and 22 seconds."

I turned back to my target and my eyes lit up as he smiled at me seductively, his left cheek slanted by a dimple, he nodded his head slightly to the left, beckoning me to the door.

"You know in seventeen minutes and 22 seconds; I am going to take him up on that offer."

I turned and glared at Ginny, realising that he was actually gesturing to her. I watched as she smiled flirtatiously back at Silvain Sabre. She then turned her brown-eyed gaze on me, and the seductiveness seeped away instantaneously, "Can you at least make a proper effort, my money is on you. The Founders know why though, so much for doing it for the girls!"

"Oh, don't be silly Ginny, Ky isn't doing this for anybody but herself." And with one last look of admonishment, Mi stormed off.

"Mione' not too impressed on your progress, is she? Got to up your game though Ky, did you see my boy Harry? Selina Sabre is practically attached to his hip."

I turned to Ron, who was looking over my head. "So much for not taking sides Ronald, and would you please just look at me, I'm getting tired of boys looking away."

He laughed but lowered his eyes to my face and grimaced, "Do you blame me though…I mean…you're-"

"Where the hell is Ky?" Len growled at Ginny.

"She'll be here in fifteen minutes…there was a problem with her… dress."

"Don't think I haven't noticed that Harry isn't here either, if those two are off-"Len stopped and took a deep breath, "I apologise for that Anna. You must think me so rude. Has Dora introduced you to everyone?"

Ron nudged me and then I remembered that to the adults I'm supposed to be Tonk's muggle cousin, Anna who is visiting her on her Christmas break. I smiled and nodded coyly, and Len left. Raving Rowena, I was getting confused with the web of lies we spindled for this…competition.

Harry entered the room, or should I say the Weasley's cousin Barry entered the room with his attached to the hip ulcer laughing at another one of his jokes. I rolled my eyes; Harry isn'tthatfunny. Ron laughed at my expression and walked off with Ginny.

I grabbed a cupcake from the buffet table behind me and bit into it viciously. Silvain Sabre walked away from Sirius and Remus, probably off to wherever Ginny had gone to.

"I'm in a dilemma."

I turned to the tall man who was leaning against the buffet table. He had honey coloured hair which was almost as untidy as Harry's. He wasn't looking at me as he stared straight ahead, but it could only be me he was talking to as nobody was near for feet.

"And that's got what to do with me?"

He laughed and it was a rich sound, "Everything actually."

"You must have me confused with someone else. I don't know you."

"Oh, I do have you confused with someone else. Very confused. What's even more confusing is why Order members would be so accommodating to a stranger abusing Polyjuice."

"Pol…Polyjuice? I have no idea-"

"Don't play dumb…Anna. You're not very good at it. Now I'm going to give you ten seconds to explain why you have infiltrated these headquarters and then I'm going to-"

"How do you know? I brewed it to perfection."

He laughed at that, "I don't doubt that Miss Imposter. It's your scent."

"What of it?"

"The scent of your clothes does not match the scent on your skin. And no, it isn't perfume." He turned and his amber eyes smiled down at me hypnotically. He leaned down and my breath hitched as he approached my neck…his nose hovering at the base… "Your natural scent…it's something you can get drunk off…plus I can smell the bicorn horn. I believe your ten seconds are up…"

He turned away but I stopped him, "Wait, I'm not an imposter. I'm not here to harm anybody, if you listen to my reason, you'll see that I'm harmless…well no, I'm a fucking beast, but my intentions are harmless…well you'll think I'm certifiable-"

"I believe you." He smiled down at me, the gesture not reaching his eyes, "I do believe your attention is needed elsewhere. Excuse me."

"What-"He walked away, taking his strange conversation with him.

"Anna?"

I turned around and took a step back. It was Silvain! He had been ignoring me for the past forty minutes and now suddenly he was seeking a conversation? I recovered and took a step forward,

"Sabre."

"Please call me Silvain. Champagne?"

"No thanks."

He smirked and his left dimple made an appearance, "Frightened of getting drunk?"

I grabbed the flute that he was sipping on and put it to my lips and tipped it back, enjoying the tingling as it ran down my throat. "Oh Mr Sabre, the only person who should fear a drunk me…is you." I placed the flute back in his hand and waltzed out of the room. I smirked at Harry, and he glowered at me. Well, he shouldn't be annoyed, this was all his fault.

"How does she keep finding me?" George sighed and tossed the unopened envelope he just received into the trash.

"Who?" Ginny nibbled on her toast and swatted my hand away from her other slice. I turned and pouted at Mi, she sighed and gave me her other piece with a glare that said, 'your laziness knows no bounds.'

"Hairy Mary."

Mi turned her glare onto Fred who had the decency to stop guffawing into his plate.

"The sixth year Claw with the 'stache. That's disgusting."

"Ronald!" Mi gasped,

"Yeah Ron, not while I'm eating." Ginny hit George on the head. I turned to Harry who was laughing quietly into his cereal at the unkind joke.

"You think that's funny?"

Harry looked up at me, faux innocence on his face, "It is a little…I mean…you can braid it. Oh, come on, I saw you laughing when Hannah enlarged Goldstein's ears."

"Yeah, I did…because it wasn't his natural ears; he can easily have it shrunk back."

"You know I don't get you; you laugh at everything else-"

"But not at some poor girl's feelings. I mean she must really like George. It's really hard to put yourself out there and get rejected." Maybe dating Harry changed my romantic perspective, but I now understood how scary it is to put yourself out there considering it took me ages to pluck up the courage to do so myself. Harry just laughed harder,

"I'm sorry." He ducked as I flung a spoon at his head, "It's just ridiculous thatyouare saying something like that. You haven't felt rejection in your life. Well, not romantically."

"Well, I haven't really flung myself at boys to see, but evidently I should start… considering my boyfriend is such a prat."

The smirk fell off his face, "Was that really necessary. OK, let's just drop it."

"No, no. Let's not drop it. Why do you think I have never felt rejection before? Why do you think life is ever so easy for me!"

Ron and Harry exchanged high eye-browed looks, "Don't answer it mate."

"Well, it's because you're hot. You just have to bat your eyelashes at any boy, like Theodore Nott, and they will gallop to your side."

Oh, I knew he had a problem with my friendship with Teddy! He never said it outright but there was this undertone whenever he mentioned him. "Teddy is my friend."

The boys all laughed at that, and I glared at them, "Ky, Snakes and lions can't be friends. Especially lionesses that look like you."

George nodded and agreed with his brother. I didn't expect the Twins to side with Harry.

"What do you mean by 'look like me'?"

Harry rolled his eyes, "Attractive Ky. Hot. Beautiful."

"So, what you're trying to say is that the only thing going for me is my looks."

"What? No. Of course not, don't be silly. I'm just saying that's your trump card. Why are you getting so angry, I just called you beau- "

"Oh, and I suppose your trump card is your stellar personality Harry. That's why half the student body asked you to the ball last year, not because you were a champion. Not because you were The Boy who Lived!"

"Woah, what the hell? You think girls could only like me because I'm famous."

"What? No! Of course not, don't be silly. I'm just saying that's your trump card." My voice dripped with sarcasm.

"OK, maybe you should stop- "

"No, Hermione. Ky obviously thinks the most important thing about me is the fact that I'm famous."

"And Harry obviously thinks that the most important thing about me is that I'm pretty."

"I didn't call you pretty, I called you beautiful." He shouted.

I stood up, "And I didn't say I think your fame is the most important thing about you. I said that's why other girls like Chang fawn over you-"

"OK OK. Before you guys draw wands, which I am sure will be fun, but my mother would have a royal fit. I have an idea how you two can work this out."

Of course, it would be Fred and George that would come up with this wager. My apparent beauty versus Harry's fame – which of us was able to get a date sans these factors.

The Sabres were Nonno's liaisons from France. Baron Sabre had just agreed to join the Order after months of persuasion by Nonno, and his eighteen-year-old twins, Silvain and Selina, were invited to Nessie and Linus' Engagement party.

Our Twins had picked those Twins as our targets to 'seduce'. Plus, like all good wagers there was a side bet between the Twins themselves. A side bet that made me think George was definitely voting for Harry.

The winner was to be picked by vote.

The panel of judges consisted of the Weasley brood, even Mrs Weasley, who very reluctantly agreed to say that Harry is her nephew after the Twins promised they would reconsider working for the Ministry after they finish school. Mi and Ron were of course also involved, as well as our favourite man child Mr Black, and Tonks as we needed her for my cover.

Harry changed his hair, eye colour and height, and used some of that foundation I made for him to hide his scar and I…well I had to prove that I had more than just my looks going for me. So, I fished out Harry's quidditch jersey that I wore for the match where I got into that catfight and perused it for hair follicles…and…that's why Cynthia Bullstrode was staring back at me in the bathroom mirror.

I added the lip gloss and puckered into the mirror and smiled. I can't wait till Harry eats his words when he finds out that Silvain asked me out. Or at least he will…soon. I could tell by his eyes that he was interested. I just have to reel him in a little more. I sighed, it would help if Bullstrode wasn't an A cup, and if her legs were not so scrawny. And her nose so large. And her brown hair so drab and brown eyes so dull. Pull yourself together Ky! You're here to prove that your personality matters! Not your looks. No matter how god awfully ugly you look right now. I left the restroom, spotted the shock of black hair that stood a feet away and quickly turned around to hide.

"Anna-"

I grabbed his hand and pulled Silvain into the other room. I looked back and watched Sev walk into the drawing room and sighed.

"Are you hiding from that man, has he done something to you?"

"What? No. Well I am hiding from him." I couldn't explain how Bullstrode was at the party with any adults from Hogwarts. Minnie, Mona, Fil and Sev were only supposed to arrive at eight, after the competition was over. Silvain frowned down at me, and I realised I had just said that I was hiding from Sev.

"He is my dad."

"I thought Sirius Black was your dad. At least that's what Hermione Granger said when I had asked."

"She did?" We really should stick to one story, but the very fact that Mi attempted to help me out made me smile. I knew she would come through for me in the end. Wait…he asked about me! Oh, he is definitely interested… I smiled widely at that. His brows furrowed in confusion, "Oh… they're both my dads. They're gay. Together. With each other."

His eyebrows rose and he schooled his features, "Still doesn't explain why you're hiding from your dad."

"Oh…we're fighting."

He rolled his eyes, "Believe me, I understand. My Old Man had to drag me to this thing." He gave me a small smile which hinted at his dimple, "I have to admit, I kind of don't regret it now."

I grinned…yes! Score! "Maybe you would like to kind of not regret it again someti-"

"Excuse me. Didn't see you there." Silvain was knocked a few feet back when Harry bumped into him. I hadn't realised that Silvain and I were still holding hands until Harry's movement knocked us apart. I smirked at Harry, and he glowered at me.

"Is there something going on between the two of you? You've been staring at her continuously."

For once his partner wasn't laughing as she questioned him. Silvain dusted his jacket and glared at Harry.

"Well actually Selina-"

"Nothing. There's absolutely nothing." I glared at Harry, now that I was winning, he wants to back out!

"Barry, your father is calling you."

"What!"

Selina took a step back at the edge in both our voices, and pointed timidly at Sirius,

"Wait, I thought that Sirius Black is your father, Anna."

"He is. And Barry's. That's why Barry was staring at me, Selina. He's just an overprotective brother."

"Oh... tell me about those. I'm actually happy Silvain is so preoccupied by you that he isn't plucking his feathers in my business."

"Ignore my sister, she seems to mistake my want for her not to be a total slag as some kind of form of protectiveness."

I bit back a laugh at the look on her face as Silvain dragged me away to the kitchen.

I caught Mi's frantic gesturing at her watch and stopped walking, "Silvain-"

"I see your father. Get in, quickly."

I followed him without thought into the pantry. Sev would flip if he found out I abused Polyjuice for a trivial matter like this. I heard the clink of metal and turned to Silvain, gasped, and averted my eyes quickly, "Don't be shy."

"What on earth do you think you're-"

"Oh, fucks sakes, you're not some virginal twit are. Just get on your knees and pretend we're at a romantic picnic and you're eating a hot dog."

I glared at him, my hands in fists, "You're only interested in me because you thought I would…I would-"

"Fuck no. This is low even for me. But the hot red number keeps ignoring me and for some reason others have taken some sort of interest in you, so you're going to pretend that I'm a hot dog and I'll pretend you're Cindy Crawford."

I cannot believe the complete gentleman from two minutes ago was now standing in front of me with his knickers on the floor!

"Glacius"

I could tell it worked because he grabbed his nads and swore immediately. I took a deep breath to calm myself down and walked forward, "I suggest you go roast your nuts because you know what happens when digits freeze over…they fall off."

"You bitch," his black eyes swirled with hatred, and I took a step forward, my new tall stature allowing me to look him dead in the eye,

"That's right. I'm a bitch. And bitches' bite. We do not suck, and we definitely do not bend the knee. You must really not like your nads."

As if he just remembered his bits were being frozen over, Silvain Sabre pulled his trousers up and growled his way out of the pantry.

Idiot.

I leaned against the wall, as stupid and immature as this was…it was eye opening. I always assumed that people liked me because I was a right laugh. I watched as my fingers shortened and the spot on the opposing wall that I was staring at got lower and lower. Harry was right… people didn't tolerate me because of my personality…it was just my looks…

"Even though this whole thing is ludicrous, and I have no idea why I even tallied the votes…Ky lost."

The pantry door was slightly ajar as Mi's voice floated through.

"I was actually kind of rooting for her. It is silly, I do agree, but I would like to think that some guys are not so shallow."

"Oh, please Ginny, you were hoping that Silvain Sabre is not so shallow, I saw you looking at him all night."

"Well thanks to my snog with Zabini, Michael finally let go of his death grip. So, I can do more than just look now. Ky will be pissed though, you sure it was right?"

"Yup, Fred, Tonks and the two of us voted for her. Ron George, Bill, Charlie and Sirius voted for Harry. Mrs Weasley refused to vote saying allowing you lot to pretend Harry is a cousin is enough of the nonsense she would partake in. So that's four for Ky and five for Harry. Just them left to vote, but they will obviously vote for themselves. This was just silly. They can be so hot headed…"

The voice faded and I sighed. I wonder what Harry noticed first…my face or my personality. What did he even like now…. I grabbed a jar of peanut butter and ate a spoonful…I hate losing.

I left the pantry, the red dress I was wearing considerably snugger and longer.

"Congratulations Princess." I looked at Fred as George glared at him. I returned his shout with a raised eyebrow.

"You did it. You stuck it to the boys! Now George has to go out on a date with Hairy Mary!" Tonks winked at me…she walked off with the twins and I leaned against the kitchen table…

I frowned; I thought Harry had beaten me…unless…

I felt a hand at my waist and followed it up to sparkling green eyes, "You…you voted for me?"

"How could I not Ky. Be it the last bet, or the first, my money is always on you." He kissed my temple, and I ducked my head into his shoulder, grinning, "I don't know why you're so conscious about your looks, it doesn't matter if other boys see you as just a pretty face. I don't." He laughed, "You've got a strong kick on you as well. You win."

I pulled him lower to my lips, "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure Mr Potter. You'll feel more like a winner when I'm done with you than Michael Phelps at the Olympics."

"There you are! Dinner has almost begun." Nessie stormed into the kitchen and grabbed my hand and pulled me away from Harry, "And the Sabres are about to leave. The kids are drunk! Can you believe it, they're talking about Sirius and Severus being lovers with two children that Sirius fathered, it's all so ridiculous, Severus nearly set the kid alight and strangely enough the boy wasn't displeased at the act. He kept egging him on to roast him…weird bunch. I am seriously reconsidering inviting-"

I zoned Nessie out and turned to the black-haired boy smiling at me…yup…I am definitely the winner.

A/N: A bit of a filler chapter, but I thought it would be fun to explore the way Harry and Ky feel about each other through an antic such as this. Also thought it would be a good way to introduce some new Order members! What do you think?

Kalina