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When Lilith arrived back at the castle it was dinner time, and therefor safe to disappear to the girl dormitories. She sat on her bed, eating the sugar mice she had stowed in her bottom draw in lieu of dinner.

What a brilliant birthday this was turning out to be.

She feels the slight throb in her arm where Lucius had grabbed her earlier and she pulls her sleeve up, noticing the bruise starting to form. Great. Another one to add to the collection.

It wasn't the first time he had hurt her, the scar on her palm was proof of that. The only lasting mark he had ever left on her.

Lilith and Draco had been playing hide and seek, and after grabbing him from behind the curtain he had screamed in a fit of giggles, and Lucius had stormed out of his study.

She remembers his voice ice cold as he scolded them for the noise when he had been in an important meeting. It wasn't until after the wizard had left that her uncle had punished them for it. She still remembers how much it had hurt when Lucius's cane hit her across her palm, but it was the first time he ever broke skin.

He was angry at her for dripping blood onto the carpet.

Draco had cried for hours after, then again, he had only been six at the time. Lilith was more used to it.

And Lucius didn't hit his son as hard.

Her eyes shoot up when she hears the taps at the door, subtle and quiet at first. Then they start to get louder. She makes her way over and opens it, just in time to see the walnut whizz straight passed her head.

Her cousin is at the end of the corridor, lowering the next one.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?"

"Well, I can't come down there can I? I'll end in the lower dungeons with Merlin knows what."

"What do you want?"

He seems surprised by the question. "It's your birthday. I thought…we always do it." He says like it most obvious thing in the world.

She lets out a huff. In all honesty she had forgotten about it. "Don't you think we've outgrown it, Draco?"

"Oh – Maybe." The disappointment in his voice forces her to let out a groan as she makes her way down the corridor and towards Draco, looking down at him, but only just. When had he become so bloody big. "Go on then. But I'm seventeen so this is the last one. I am an adult after all."

He smiles slightly, raising his hand.

"Ready?"

"Yes." She says with a roll of her eyes, suddenly wishing she had never started it all those years ago.

"One – two - three - "

He starts to hit her arm in rhythm with the numbers and she can't help but smirk as he does it lightly.

"Five – six – Seven – "

It was tradition. Every year on each of their birthday's without fail. On his ninth birthday he had declared he was too old for it, but she had managed to pin him down and had given him two extra for luck. Extra hard.

"Fifteen – Sixteen – Seventeen."

"and?"

He punches again, slightly harder, and she does the fake wince she does every year.

"One for luck." He says quietly.

"Thanks." She rubs her arm, eyeing her cousin who is staring at the floor.

"Don't suppose you want your present?" He mumbles.

"You would suppose correct."

He pulls the small present from his pocket, holding it out for her. Lilith takes the delicately wrapped gift pulling the ribbon from it and gathering it in her hand as she pulls the lid off.

The locket has the Lestrange family crest beautiful engraved on it. It makes her stomach plummet. "Mother helped me. She said it should be something meaningful. Considering how important this birthday is." She rubs her thumb over the engraving, appreciating the sentiment behind it, even if it is misguided.

"Thank you." She says quietly. "You didn't have to get me anything."

"Of course I did." He says. "How was it? With Father and Mother?"

She shrugs as she leans against the wall. "Delightful. As always. They're still pushing that moron Ambrose on me."

"Even after – " He stops himself and tightens his jaw and lowers his gaze. He already knew what the answer was going to be.

This was the longest conversation they had in weeks. After the incident in the Slytherin common room he had been avoiding her, probably from the utter shame of it. She knew then it hadn't been him speaking, the words had been so reflective of his father.

She knew Draco, and despite his mean and cruel exterior she knew he wasn't always like that. Not really.

Lilith missed her soft little cousin who couldn't pronounce his t's and called her Lil-lil. Who used to sneak into her room at night so she could help him read the wizard and the hoping pot.

She had noticed the change when she first arrived back from Hogwarts after her first year. Lucius had started to sink his claws in and Draco had become crueller, stop playing with her, started sniping off to her and torturing Dobby every chance he got.

It broke her heart.

"I should go to Supper. You don't want to come?"

She hears the eagerness in his tone, but she doesn't want to go sit in the great hall with Cordelia glaring daggers at her. "Not hungry. Might just have an early night."

"Well, Happy Birthday."

She forces a soft smile at Draco as she watches him ascend the stairs before heading back to the dormitory.

Lilith had decided to hide out in the prefect's bathroom before she had to meet with Fred. It was easier than having to explain why she was sneaking out if Cordelia caught her, and it was closer to the seventh floor with less chance of getting caught.

She sits on the tile floor, trying to read the book she stole from Mad-eye but she can't force her mind to concentrate. She felt utterly ridiculous. Sneaking around behind everyone's backs. Not telling anyone. After her conversation with George, she wondered what exactly Fred had told him, who else he had been talking to. She wasn't even sure Lucius could even imagine the full extent of it, only that Fred had stuck up for at the yule ball, certainly not about the kisses or anything else.

If he had he probably would have murdered her in the middle of the three broomsticks. She was still shocked he had grabbed her in front of everyone, he usually kept his affairs private.

At five to eleven she stows the book away in the cabinets before starting her walk towards the seventh floor, already deciding what a horrendous idea this was. She was trying to convince herself to turn around and head back to bed when she finds herself in the seventh-floor corridor, with absolutely no idea where she was meant to be going.

She stares down the dark hallway, the only light illuminating her from her wand. "Fred?" She whispers so she doesn't disrupt the sleeping portraits, despite how quiet she is her voice seems to echo down the hall, but there's no sound back.

Maybe George had decided after he left that he despised her and had gotten to Fred first. Told him to stay away.

Maybe that would be for the best.

So why was she standing there like a complete moron.

Oh right, cause she liked him. Idiot.

"Weasley I swear if you're – "

Just as she's about to curse his name she feels the form behind her, his hand comes up to her mouth and the other wraps itself around her waist.

"Don't. Scream." She recognizes his voice instantly. He murmurs into her ear and she can hear the slight giggle in his tone. "You wouldn't want to wake up the portraits and get us in trouble, would you?" He says it in a whisper against her ear and she feels the chill down her spine.

Fucking Weasley.

He lowers his hand and spins her around, smirk on his face as he does. "Are you ready for your present?"

"Fred – "

He brings a finger to her lips just as she's about to tell him off, like he already knew. She tries to keep the look on irritation on her face but it's difficult. It's always difficult around him.

"I'm going to need you to wear this."

He holds up his Gryffindor tie and she raises an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"It's for the surprise." His says with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

She holds the look of annoyance despite the fact she wants to smile. "You can't be serious?"

"I'm always deadly serious. You should know that." He grins wildly as he whispers it. "Now come on, pop it on. Here – I'll help you."

He spins her back around and she doesn't protest as the tie covers her eyes. She couldn't believe she was trusting Fred Weasley of all people with a bloody blind fold. For all she knows he was about to push her into Snape's bedroom as a practical joke.

"Ready love?" He murmurs softly into her ear and as she nods he places his hands on shoulders and starts guiding her forward.

"Where are we – "

He shushes her and she hears a door open and she's gently being shoved inside, as she hears it close, she brings her hands up but he's suddenly there again, grabbing her wrists.

"Not quite yet. Two secs."

She sighs as he's suddenly gone and entwins her hands to stop herself from reaching up and tearing off the tie. Then music starts playing that she doesn't recognize. She had no possible idea what could be happening.

"Ok – so – you can take it off, but I would like to point out if you completely hate it you can just keep it to yourself because I spent a lot of time on this."

Her hands are trembling slightly as she pulls the tie down so it hangs around her neck but she keeps her eyes tightly shut for a moment as she lets out a breath before she forces them open.

She had no idea what room she's in but it looks –

"It looks like the yule ball." She says with a slight gasp. There's a sodding Christmas tree. There's even a bloody ice sculpture sat on the table although she can't make out quite what it is. She's completely stunned.

"I was thinking about what you said the other week by the lake. That you would have said yes to me and I thought, since we both ended up having a shit night maybe I could….fix it. I guess. I even went to the muggle studies classroom and snuck their record player."

He rubs his neck nervously as he stares at her. It's the first time she ever seen him truly nervous and it causes her stomach to flutter a little. But she doesn't say anything, she doesn't know what to say. She's too stunned.

Fred shakes his head and groans. "Urgh. It's so stupid, right? Like it's completely and utterly pathetic. Sorry – I don't know what I was thinking – George said it was a good idea, romantic. Godric what does he bloody know. What do I bloody know? You hate it, right?"

Lilith's biting her lip as she watches him ramble, trying to hold back the smile. She had every intention of coming here and telling him it was over but looking at him now she couldn't do it. She bloody liked him too much.

"What's the music?" She asks as she takes a step towards him.

He looks over at her, the look of nervousness melting away as a smile tugging at the edge of his mouth. "I'm not sure. I just grabbed one of them from Burbage's classroom."

"You take Muggle studies?"

"Yeah." He says softly. "My dad loves all that stuff. And it's an easy O."

"I remember my uncle asking why I would want to learn about filthy muggles and I couldn't think of a reason that he wouldn't be mad about."

The memory slips out of her mouth, and she sees Fred's eyes darken slightly. His jaw twitches. "George said he saw you with you Aunt and Uncle today." It's his turn to take a step towards her.

"Did he say anything else?"

He smirks slightly. "No. He was very hush about the whole thing. But did say the whole thing looked rather rough."

She feels the bruise tingle.

"Nothing new. I suppose it's gotten worst as I've become older. When I learnt to talk back." She stats with a small chuckle. "I don't think he ever expected that from me to tell you the truth, today I kind of surprised myself when he – " She looks over at Fred who's expectantly watching her and she sucks in a breath. "Lucius may have made a thinly veiled threat against you today."

Then he does something she doesn't expect, he breaks out in a grin.

"Why on earth are you smiling?"

"Because – If he threatened me…it must mean you really like me."

She bites her lip, supressing the smile. "I like how that's what you take from what I just told you."

"Well, it's true right. I mean, Lord Malfoy wouldn't be kicking up such a fuss if he didn't think I was – well – " Fred doesn't finish his sentence as he turns to her, and she stares up at him, admiring his soft face and warm eyes.

Fred takes a hand in hers, smiling sweetly at her. "How about a dance? This is a yule ball after all?"

She can't help but laugh as he tugs her towards the centre of the room, placing her hand in his and pulling her close as they sway to the music.

"You know, you never did tell me how you became so good at dancing?"

He dips her, forcing a giggle to emit from her before he slowly pulls her up.

"My mum. She always use to dance with us, said it was important we knew how to. Use to spend whole Sundays just twirling us about the living room."

She hates that she's slightly envious of that.

Fred pulls her closer then, his hand that had a hold of hers travelling down her arm as their bodies press together. Then he seems to freeze, as his eyes fall to her arm. "What happened?"

She realises the bruise is on shown, and as she tries to drop her arm Fred is suddenly taking a hold of her wrist, just nudging up the sleeve and running his thumb over the flaw on her skin. "George said he thought he saw your uncle grab you – but he wasn't sure."

Lilith doesn't know what to say to him. Fred is staring at the bruise and she can see the anger fill his eyes. It's almost burning.

His thumb continues to rub against her skin. She starts to feel her breath catch in her chest when he brings her arm up, placing a caring kiss against the bruise.

"Can I kiss you?"

The questions catches her off guard. Especially since he's leaning in slightly, his hand still gently caressing her arm. She tries not to grip onto him despite the fact she can feel herself shake slightly.

"Why are you asking?"

"Because I have a horrible feeling you may say no, after what your uncle said…what he did."

He's right. She should say no then and there and end this before it can properly start. It's not like Fred Weasley was the great love of her life. He was just a boy. A cute boy that seemed to dance his way through life without a single care or worry regarding anything. She didn't want to drag him down into the cesspool that was her life.

"And if I did?"

"Then I would be completely heartbroken love. You know that."

She would be too.

"You can't tell anyone."

Fred smiles gently as he leans in placing a soft kiss against her lips. Her mind is telling her to protest, that they shouldn't be doing something so stupid and dangerous.

It's far too invigorating, but she forces herself to pull back, catching her breath as she stares up at him. "I mean it Fred. If we're going to do…whatever we're doing, then it can't get out. No one can find out. If it gets back to my uncle – "

"George won't say anything." He reassures her, stroking her cheek affectionately. "I don't care who knows or who doesn't, as long as I get to be with you."

He says it so whole-heartedly it makes her stomach ache a little.

"You didn't have to do all of this for me."

"Well, since it's our first date as well. Had to go all out."

He kisses her forehead, then her cheek. She can't seem to get over how tender he is with her. She's not use to it.

"So, do you do this for all your first dates?"

"Only the ones I really like."

"The ones that light a fire in you?" She teases.

His eyes widen slightly, and she sees him swallow hard. "I'll bloody kill him."

Lilith laughs as she reaches up to brush her lips against his again, feeling completely lost in the moment.

His hands caressed her face, and his fingers tangle in her hair. She feels herself melt into it as his lips move against hers and she brings her hands up to tug at his shirt. Lilith even hears a slight moan escape his lips as he presses his body into hers.

Why of all people did she have to fall for a Weasley.