Lilith finds him at one of the back tables near the forbidden section, his head down, rubbing the back of neck and he writes. The entire walk there she had tried to convince herself what a bad idea it was, but when she sets the books down on the table and Fred finally lifts his head with a smile every doubt she had suddenly vanished.

"Hello trouble."

"You need to stop saying that." She sighs as she takes a seat.

"Never." He smirks. "Although today you did almost land us in another detention."

"Which was your fault I might add."

"I can't help being hilarious." He chuckles. "You have a really great laugh by the way."

She can feel the warmth rush to her face as she opens her potions book, then she tries desperately to change the subject.

"So, what did you need help with?"

"Me? Nothing." He shrugs. "I'm actually remarkably good at potions."

"But the other day - you almost blew up the classroom."

"Oh that?" He smiles and rubs his chin. "That was boredom more than anything. This on the other hand was just a clever ruse to get you to spend time with me."

Lilith can't help but smile then. "Using deception to get what you want? No one else you can hang out with?"

"No one else I want to with." He beams again and she can't help but think about nice his smile is.

"So, is it true?"

"What?" She asks suddenly terrified that he can read her thoughts.

"That you had the hots for Lupin?"

She smirks slightly. "Didn't everyone?"

"Was it the scars? I've heard girls are very into that. The whole rugged, manly, I'm a werewolf aren't I sexy thing."

She bites her lip to hold back the laugh. "He was just very... I don't know." She shrugs.

"Bit scrawny." He remarks again.

"Not all boys can be Victor Krum."

"Hey, I have muscles too, from all the - " He swings his arm around, and Lilith raises an eyebrow. "Beating." He finishes.

She gives him a curious stare. "Like to beat off a lot, do you?" It was risky, and she tries not to laugh as she's saying it, but his reaction is more than pleasing.

He laughs out loud and starts to fumble a bit with his words, she's never seen him like that. "Oh, shut up, I didn't mean -. He's flustered and she tries not to laugh at his embarrassment. "Quidditch! I'm a beater aren't I, so you know, using the arms a lot."

"Of course."

He's still laughing, and she's certain his cheeks are starting warm up. "The jumper doesn't help show off the physic very well" He adds on.

"Plus, you're tall so it gets all stretched out."

"Exactly!"

She laughs again but then her mind starts to wander, wondering for a moment what he did look like under that jumper.

"Oliver Wood was very nice too." She adds, wanting to see his reaction.

"Oh, bloody hell." He chuckles. "Everyone fancied him, hell even the boys did."

"It's the accent." She says with a chuckle. "He also looked very good on a broom."

"I look outstanding on a broom." He smirks.

Lilith was certain he probably did.

"I miss quidditch." He sighs. "I miss flying around and hitting people so hard with a bludger they fall off their broom."

"Including Draco?"

"Oh I was always aiming for that little git."

Lilith tries not to laugh, that was her cousin after all.

"I don't suppose you've thought more about my offer?"

In fact, she had, a lot, but she wasn't going to let him know that. It was a terrible idea at best and she already knew what the reaction would be from her friends, and Draco…merlin she didn't even want to think about that.

"I thought you were joking."

"Never about something as serious as waltzing. How about this, I'll give you a week to think about it. and whatever you answer is I will a hundred percent accept."

"Fred - "

"It's not a completely unreasonable request is it?"

She crosses her arms against her chest. "Two weeks."

"But that's a week before the ball! Nine days."

"Two weeks." She repeats.

"Eleven - "

"Two. Weeks." She insists again and he finally gives in.

"Fine. Two weeks." He agrees with a smile.

The two-week mark was slowly ticking down and she still hadn't decided whether to say yes. Her first instinct, of course, was to say no. How could he ever possibly think it would have been an option, but as the deadline moved closer, she started to wonder, it wouldn't be so bad would it?

In that time, he had asked her to the library almost every night to study and she had said yes, a handful of times, mainly as she didn't know how to explain to Cordelia who she was sneaking off with every night. They never did get any work done, instead he rambled on about Quidditch while she listened wholeheartedly, caring about every word that came out of his mouth. He showed her some of his joke products and even showed up to the library one night proudly sporting a jumper with a giant F on it that his mum had knitted him, then explaining to her how he received one every Christmas without fail.

As each day passed, she could feel herself starting to warm more and more to him. In fact, she was thinking about him a lot. It was in the middle of Charms when she was thinking about him, the way his hand worked through his hair and she pictured that it was hers for a moment, moving down to her neck. She freezes for a moment as the realisation washes over her and the gaze her had locked onto him falls. That was the exact moment she realised she fancied Weasley.

Ok, so she liked him, that was a given, but she hadn't thought about him like that up until that point, so why was it all of a sudden all she could do was picture him pressing her up against a stack of books in the forbidden section.

As she sat in potions she didn't know if she could look at him. Since Charms she was trying her best not to picture him or think about him. Stupid bloody Weasley. Then she hears the familiar thud of books next to her.

"Hello trouble." That had become his greeting now, every-time he saw her without fail. "So, decided yet?" That was also been the second thing he said.

"I still have three days." She reminds him, not daring to look at him, or risk imagine him in a compromising position again, or worse her.

"You sure like cutting it close, don't you?"

As they worked on their wolfsbane potion she was trying to think of a gentle way to let him down. 'he's not my type' she thought to herself. 'not really into gingers?'. Except she now was much to her annoyance. Fred leans over her as he grabs some ingredients, shooting a smile at her as he does, and she's suddenly very aware of the fact he smelt like sweets and... was that gun powder?

Oh god, why was she smelling him.

"You heading to Hogsmeade this weekend?" He finally speaks, she was starting to notice he really hated the silence. If she didn't say anything he would know something is up.

"I am actually, I'm meeting my aunt, she's bringing my dress for the ball."

"No red?"

"No." She says with a straight face and she sees his tongue play with his lower lip.

"It did look good." She's trying not to let the looks he's giving her influence her thoughts in the slightest. "But personally, I like green better. Although, I suppose if you showed up in a rubbish bag it would look good."

Lilith tries not to smile but it's hard not to. "So, what are you going to be wearing?"

"Just Bills hand me downs, I did buy a new tie when I was in Gladrags though."

She stares at him for a moment, noting that he had a good smile.

"You alright Lil?" Fred asks, he had started calling her that as of last week, and she still wasn't sure how she felt about it.

"Yeah, thought I forgot an ingredient."

George suddenly pops up besides Fred, leaning over and looking into his cauldron. "So, I have some interesting news for you." He says quietly.

"You know if Snape sees us together, he's going to break our necks."

George looks over his shoulder to the professor who was staring into Lee Jordan's cauldron.

"This is important. I heard Alicia and Angelina whispering about us. Apparently, they are very interested in being our dates for the ball."

Lilith notices his eyes look to her, but she forces them down to her potion.

"So? I might ask Alicia after class?"

"And?"

"You can ask Angelina."

Again, he looks at her, but she continues to mix.

"I'll think about it."

"Fred she's - "

"I said I'd think about it. Now piss off before we get into anymore bloody trouble."

George rolls his eyes as he makes his way back to his table and Fred clears his throat. "I'm not - "

"Why would I care if you did." She remarks in a bored tone.

"Oh, I don't know." He shrugs. "Thought maybe you might be a bit jealous?"

Lilith looks up at him and smirks. "You wish Weasley." She hoped it sounded at least convincing.

"Besides, I already have a date, right?"

She smiles slightly, deciding in that moment he did, but she was going to let him suffer a bit longer.

Narcissa had insisted on them getting tea while she was in Hogsmeade. They sat in the tearoom with some other elderly witches and Lilith picked at her cake slowly. Her aunt looked immaculate as always, asking questions about the tri wizard tournament and school which she was more than happy to talk about, but when the conversation turns to the ball Lilith suddenly goes quiet.

"Cornelius was at the manor this week, with Ambrose."" Her aunt sips gracefully from her saucer. But Lilith isn't really concentrating, she's thinking about Fred in potions the day before, leaning up against her...she wondered why he smelt like smoke?

"Lilith?"

Her aunts voice snaps her out of it.

"Sorry - What were you saying?"

"Ambrose was at the manor this week."

Lilith scoffs. "So that's why you wanted to meet and go for tea."

"No." She says with such insistence it almost sounds real. "I just thought I would mention it. He was asking about you."

"Of course, he was." Lilith remarks as she plays with the slice of cake on her plate.

"He also mentioned you keep saying no to him."

Lilith uses her fork to cut a wedge of cake and shoves it into her mouth, taking the longest time to chew while her aunt watches.

"Lilith honestly, you have better manners than that."

"I'm sorry, I'm hungry." She says between chews.

"Well?"

"Well what?" She asks as she finishes her food.

"Why do you keep telling him no?"

Lilith clears her throat and takes a sip of tea to wash the cake down before she answers. "Because I don't want to go with him. I'd rather go with Dobby. Who is working at the castle by the way, did you know that?" It's a pathetic attempt to change the conversation.

"Honestly." Her aunt says with a sigh.

As she continues to stab the cake, she finally decides she has enough courage. "Actually, I... I've been asked by someone else."

"Oh." Her aunt doesn't hide the disappointment in her tone. "Who?"

"He's nice, lovely actually." She admits for the first time. "Bit persistent - but, more in a cocky way than anything."

Her aunt is staring at her.

"His name's Fred." Lilith says in a low voice.

"Fred?"

"...Weasley." Lilith finishes.

There's a deafening silence and her aunt looks shocked, mortified really. "You're going to the yule ball with a Weasley?"

"I haven't said yes yet. I was going to tonight. "

Narcissa purses her lips, clearly not wanting to make a scene. "No." She quietly. "Absolutely not, have you gone mad?"

"Why not?"

"Why? Lilith you can't be serious? Do you really think your uncle would be ok with you going to the ball with - "

The urge to interrupt was too overpowering. "Well if Lucius wants to go and dance with Ambrose, he is more than welcome too. I'm sure he would lovely in my dress."

"Oh, for goodness...Are you really being this childish right now?"

"Childish? I'm childish for wanting to make my own decisions about who I go to the ball with?"

"You know you Uncle and Fudge have been discussing the possibility of yourself and Ambrose - "

"Without my consent!" She interrupts. "Do you really think I want to go out with Ambrose, I'd rather dig my eyes out with a spoon."

"You can be so dramatic do you know that."

"Besides, I know what Ambrose is after anyway, he never keeps his bloody hands to himself." That was a polite way of putting it. Mildly rapey were the words that came to mind, but she wouldn't say that to her Aunt. All she can think about is the last time they were at the manor together, his hands on her...it still made her feel sick. And if Draco hadn't of knocked on the door...

"You need to think of you family as well Lilith."

"Well I'm going with Fred ok? I'm done discussing it."

She folds her arm against her chest in defiance, but she can see her aunt is less than happy.

"Do you remember that little boy from the village...Thomas..."

"Toby." Lilith corrects her.

"Toby. What your uncle did after he found out you..."

"I was eight!" Lilith can't help but raise her voice a little and several people look over, so she forces herself to quieten down. "He was a muggle, Fred's..." She hated what she was about to say and the fact she was using it to try and win an argument. "He's Pure blood. How could that possibly be an issue?"

"Your uncle despises Arthur Weasley. If he found out you were...Do you honestly think he wouldn't put a stop to it?"

"I'm almost seventeen, he can't stop me." She says adamant. "It's just a dance. Not marriage."

"So, I suppose you've told your friends? Has he told his?"

Lilith doesn't say anything.

"Will he be telling his mother that he's going to the Yule ball with a Lestrange?"

"Why does that matter?"

Her aunt purses her lips and leans in slightly. "Molly Weasley, she had two brothers, did you know that?"

"No?"

Her aunts voice grows quieter. "Well, they fought in the first war. Both didn't make it."

She doesn't want to hear it, even though it's very clear what the next words out of Aunts mouth would be.

"Fabien, I think it was, five death eaters... your mother - "

"Yeah. I get it." Lilith says with a shaky voice. Of course, it would be that.

"Do you think this boy would understand that?"

Lilith wasn't sure but for a moment she hoped so.

"Well, he knows about Longbottom, and he doesn't - "

"The Longbottom's aren't his family." She interrupts. "I'm sorry but you're being delusional if you think he'll be that forgiving. Now finish your tea."

Neither said another word until they both finished and left the tearoom. Lilith stood in snow, her stomach aching slightly at the thought of having to go back to school and say no to Fred.

"So, I'll tell your uncle to let Fudge know. I suppose Ambrose will write to you to discuss details."

"Fantastic. I can't wait." She can't hide the anger in her voice as she speaks.

Her aunt places a hand on her shoulder and gently strokes her hair. "You will understand when you're older, I promise. He's just some boy."

As Lilith walked to the great hall, she was trying to think of a way to tell Fred. Somehow, she knew a simple no wouldn't suffice. The worst part was she knew she was going to have to be horrid to him. He would accept that. Maybe she could play the I'm a bitch whose been playing him card, that might work?

She had been purposely avoiding him because she couldn't bring herself to do it. But suddenly he was there in the hallway in front of her, and when he spots her, he smiles brightly and heads straight over. Already she can feel the anxiety building in her chest.

"Hello Trouble." He says with a grin. "You're late."

"Late?"

"You had two weeks; deadline was yesterday."

"Oh, sorry." She says quietly. "I've been busy."

"No matter." He says with a shrug. "So, I was thinking for the Yule Ball - "

She doesn't want to do it, not here, not in the corridors in front of everyone, but with how he's prattling on it's not like she had a choice.

"I can't go with you." She blurts out, unable to force herself to look at him as she says it.

"Yeah right." He chuckles but the silence grows and the realisation seems to hit him. 'Seriously? Why?"

"Because...I just can't. I'm sorry."

"But why?" He asks again.

Lilith hates this, she can't stand the way he's looking at her with those sad eyes.

"You said whatever answer I gave you would a hundred percent accept."

"I did, but - "

"Then please just accept it?"

He breathes out slightly and she can see him regretting his own words.

"I mean, I will, but - is it me?"

She gives him a sad smile. "Not at all, actually." She hates this more than anything else she can think of. She can see the hurt on his face but he's trying to play it off.

"Well, I guess have fun with whoever... I mean are you going with someone else?"

She wants to lie and say no, but it's not fair to him. "I'm going with Ambrose Fudge." The words made her feel sick.

Fred looks shocked more than anything. "No hand me downs for him I suppose." He laughs slightly but she can see he's still incredibly hurt. "I get it, I guess. Wizarding royalty, who could say no him, huh? I mean you're so...and he's - "

She can tell he's stopped himself before he says anything more. He rubs the back of his neck as he stands there and she couldn't feel more wretched. She wants to tell him that the furthest thing from the truth but decides it's easier to let him think that.

"LILITH!" The sound shoots through her as Cordelia runs down the hall and Lilith wants to scream at her to go away as she comes running up beside her.

"I need your help with Charms. I swear I'm going to stuff Flitwick into a trunk next lesson. A twenty-page essay, seriously?" She sighs and then her attention turns to Fred, slight disgust on her face. "Are you lost?"

"We're talking about potions homework." Lilith lies and Cordelia makes another face.

"Well, Gryffindor, Go find someone of your own species to play with."

He looks at Lilith with miserable eyes. "Fine, I will" He says and walks off down to the great hall.

"What's his problem?"

"Not a clue." Lilith says quietly as she watches him go.

"Well, dress? Hello? Lilith?"

"What? Yes - yes I have my dress."

"The black shoulder one?"

"I think so. I didn't check."

"And... Charms?"

"I'll help you." She says quietly and they make their way to the hall.

As they enter, she forces herself not to look at the Gryffindor table as she takes a seat next to Pansy, she even sits with her back to it in case of any sad looks from him.

"Oh, and did I tell you, Atticus asked me to the Yule ball."

"Took his time, didn't he?"

"Well it doesn't matter. Now we just need to find you a date."

"Actually - "

"Oh, bloody hell, look at him."

Lilith doesn't want to, but she knows if she doesn't Cordelia will question it. As she does Fred is gesturing to Angelina Johnson, asking her to the ball and she quickly turns back around.

"That poor girl." Cordelia says with genuine concern. "She must have been desperate to agree to go with a Weasley.".