Lilith's friends kept asking about what exactly had happened in the detentions, and she had been honest, up to a point. But how was she meant to tell them that she had a conversation with a Gryffindor, a Weasley no less, and it hadn't been the worst thing that had ever happened to her.

She couldn't stop thinking about it, what she had said to him, admitted to him, and she convinced herself if he told anyone she would bloody strangle him. After that he had started to talk to her for the rest of the detentions, asking her questions and not trying to annoy her like he normally would. It was like her was trying to get to know her, but she wasn't giving anything anyway.

As she sat in the great hall on that Friday morning listening to Pansy and Cordelia making plans for Hogsmeade the following day Cordelia also discussed with Pansy about how they had to start looking for dresses, otherwise her mother was going to ship her one from home and she couldn't possible have that. Lilith had her eyes down on her toast, nodding in agreement whenever Pansy ask for approval regarding a colour choice.

"You do know the dance isn't for two months" Lilith finally sighs. "They haven't even announced when they are going to open the cup yet so people can place their name in."

"Well it's important," Patsy insists. "Besides, I need to try and persuade Draco to take me before he decides on someone else. Lilith you couldn't talk to him, could you?"

"My little cousin doesn't exactly listen to me regarding anything." She chuckles.

Cordelia scoffs, interrupting the pair. "Merlin, look whose staring at you again."

Lilith look over to the Gryffindor table and sure enough Fred is gazing in her general direction, although when her eyes meet his they cast down to his breakfast. What the hell was he playing at?

"That's every morning this week, I feel like there's something you're not telling us?"

"He's repugnant." She lies. "and I told you, nothing."

"They're so pathetic." Cordelia laughs. "Anyway, I know there's going to be some very attractive Dumstrung boys to take us to the Yule Ball. Also, I've decided I'm wearing Green, so you better decide on something else."

Pansy rolls her eyes slightly before answering. "You can't just claim a colour."

"Of course, I can." Cordelia smirks.

Lilith pushes the last of the toast around her plate before finally deciding she wasn't hungry anymore. "I need to go see Madame Pomfrey."

"About your wrist? You should tell your uncle; he could probably get that George expelled if you wanted."

"It's Fred, and it was an accident." She notes the look of confusion from her friend for slightly defending him. "Besides, Lucius couldn't get rid of Mad eye after what he did to Draco it's not as if he could do anything."

"Poor Draco." Pansy murmurs and Lilith huffs.

"He was a ferret for less than a minute. He'll live."

As Lilith leaves the great hall, she breathes a sigh. She needed someone to talk about anything other than the Yule ball for five minutes.

"Lestrange!"

She stops and rolls her eyes as she hears Fred's voice call her from down the corridor, a few other students look at the pair as Fred jogs up next to her, brushing the hair from his face and smiling at her. Lilith's more than aware there's a few Slytherins there as she looks up at him.

"We're in public Weasley."

He bits his bottom lip as he tries to supress the smile. "Oh, so it's only detention I can talk to you?"

She sees a pair of Slytherin girls stare at her and she starts to walk away.

"So, we're walking and talking then?"

"Well I'm walking."

As they turn a corner to an empty corridor, she realises he's still following her, so she finally turns. "Yes?"

"oh, now you'll talk."

"Because I'm sure you would have liked all of your friends to see us talking, right?"

He doesn't respond to that as he leans against the wall, hands in pockets.

"What do you want?" She asks and he clears his throat.

"Well, I was wondering, if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?"

She freezes for a moment as she considers what he just said. "Why?" She says with disgust which forces him to laugh.

"Well I don't know. I was thinking, I wanted to talk to you some more, outside of a detention setting that is." He smiles gently and she can see him swallow hard. "Crazy as the notion may seem."

"It's been a week since then…why are you suddenly so keen?"

He shrugs as he gazes down at his feet. "Just been thinking about y -," He seems to force himself to stop and his heads finally faces hers. "Just…thinking."

"And if anyone says anything?"

He shrugged. "I won't tell you if you won't."

Lilith must have been losing it because for a moment she considered it. "I can't." She finally responds.

"Courtyard. twelve o'clock?"

"Are you deaf?"

With a smile he pushes himself off the wall "Well, how about I wait at the courtyard for you at twelve, and if you don't show up, I know it's a firm no."

"It is a firm no."

"Courtyard, 12!" He insists as he shoots her a final smile and heads back in the direction they came.

That Saturday Lilith sat in the common room, staring at the clock above the fireplace, it was five to twelve, and she knew Fred was probably already waiting in the courtyard for her, but she had no intention of showing up.

It was ridiculous, he was ridiculous. She flicked through her potions book even though she wasn't paying attention to any of the words, her eyes occasionally wavering up to the clock which was slowly ticking towards twelve.

Good. He'll wait five minutes, get bored and then head on his way. No big deal.

The others had already left for Hogsmeade, she had been planning on finishing her Dark Arts essay, maybe finally finish that letter to Nessie.

Ten past. He would have given up by now, right?

Well, she needed to go to the Library anyway, and she needed to cut through the courtyard to get there...

Lilith feels the nerves bubble in her stomach as she make her way up the stairs from the Dungeons and start the walk towards the courtyard, trying to convince herself the only reason she's going this way is because it's the quickest to the library, not because she just wants to make sure.

But it's empty. She feels slight relief as starts to head across the courtyard, then she hears his voice.

"Hello trouble."

It scared her more than she cared to admit. She turns to see him sat in one of the archways, smile on his face. She tries to act cool, like he didn't just give her the fright of her life.

"Oh, I'm trouble?"

Fred flashes a wicked smile. "Oh you are most definitely the definition of trouble. Besides, you did land us in detention, pun intended."

"That wasn't - "

He cuts her off and she assumes it's because he doesn't want an argument. "Ready? Considering you are fifteen minutes late." He stands up from his spot and takes a few steps over to her.

"Well you didn't have to wait around."

He shrugged. "I had a feeling."

As she stares at him, she can feel that feeling in her stomach from earlier. Merlin what was she doing, a week ago she wouldn't have even looked at Weasley, but now he was looking at her with such warmth it was starting to hurt her chest.

"Fred - "

A group of Hufflepuffs walk through and she remind silent until they've gone past.

"Look I don't know what you think this is, but, it's not...what you think it is."

"oh? because I thought it was a walk down to Hogsmeade."

"Well what would your friends say if we did...go for a walk."

"Probably exactly the same as what yours would, I'm guessing."

"It's just...not very smart. Is it?"

"If everything I did was smart, I wouldn't have half as much fun."

Lilith wants to smile but hold it back. "Fine." She finally agrees. "One hour."

"All I need." He smirks.

As they walk it's Fred who does most of the talking, in all honesty she didn't really know what to say or what they could even talk about, but he just seemed to ramble on and on about school, his friends. She was starting to think she probably seemed extremely boring in comparison.

"So, are you going to enter the tournament." He asks. "Just think, the fame of being the Triwizard Champion and a thousand gallons to boot."

"The potential death or dismemberment makes it much less appealing. Besides I'm too young anyway."

"Me too, but I'm not letting that stop me."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll see. So, did you know you don't really talk unless you're having a moan?"

Fred takes a seat on the wall outside the shrieking Shack. It felt like it was probably the only place in Hogsmeade that was safe from prying eyes.

"Sorry, I don't have much to say."

"Well, I told you about my family."

"All eight hundred of them."

He rolls his eyes. "What about yours? What's it like with the Malfoy's?"

"It's...interesting."

Fred raises an eyebrow. "Go on."

"Well, I don't talk to my uncle. But my aunt, she's ok. They put a roof over my head, so." Lilith laughs and shakes her head.

"I always wondered what the Malfoy's get up to for fun. Do they even know of the concept?"

She smirks. "Not really. When I'm home I keep to myself, or there's this village I go to sometimes that's a few miles from the Manor. But, doesn't really feel like home."

She can feel him staring at her as she looks out towards the crumbling house, and finally she turns her face to meet his.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Lilith mimics his smile and wets her lips. "What is it?"

"I was just wondering," He pauses for a moment, as if he's re-thinking what he was going to say and then he cracks a smile. "If it's true Malfoy Manor has a sex dungeon in their cellar?"

She can't help the laugh that comes out as soon as hears the words and his grin grows bigger.

The next morning at breakfast Lilith sat there, playing with the bowl of pumpkin porridge she had served for herself. She could see Fred sat at the Gryffindor table with George, but she tried her best not to watch.

Cordelia takes a seat opposite brushing the face from her face as she leans over and grabs some toast. "What's wrong with you?" She asks reaching for the jam next.

"Nothing. Just tired."

"Well, I think I found a date for the Yule Ball." Cordelia says with a smirk and looks up the head of the table to Head Boy Atticus Phlegm.

"Oh, so that's where you were last night."

"Maybe. You never told me how nice the prefect's bathroom is."

Lilith raises an eyebrow. "Must have slipped my mind."

The letter drops on the table in front of them and Cordelia grabs it. "oh, it's for you." She says as she passes it over.

"One of my many admirers." Lilith jokes, but furrows her eyebrow in confusion, not recognising the scribble on the front and tears the letter open.

Seeing as we can't be seen together in public for fear of scolding from our friends, meet me at the astronomy tower tomorrow night at 8.

F.

She looks past Cordelia's shoulder to Fred who is trying to cover up the smile with his hand.

"Who is it?"

"Just my aunt." She says as she folds the letter up and shoves it into her pocket. "Asking if she needs to send a dress."

"Remember, not green."