The second to last day of summer Clione came home from her last ballet practice almost shaking with excitement. She hopped off of Charlie's enchanted motorcycle and raced inside looking for Fred. But she paused a step past the door finding her trunks and Jamila's cage packed and ready. Mrs. Weasley met her at the door with a bright smile ushering her in.

"Dumbledore has requested the Head Boy and Girl come to school a day early. Dad will take you to Hogsmeade in the morning," she told Clione reaching a hand to her back. "Now, dear, we've been told you'll need a formal dress. You'll be wearing it at Christmas, so maybe something red."

Clione stopped in the living room, all spark of joy she'd come with leaving her. "Christmas? We're coming home for Christmas." Clione blinked like a deer caught in a bright light. She turned to Charlie coming in behind her like he had the answer for her, and when he didn't she turned back to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "But I'm the Sugar Plum Fairy," she told them, her eyes wide and pleading.

Molly gave her a placating smile rubbing her back soothingly. "I know you had your heart on auditioning."

But Clione shook her head. "They were this week, they told us today. I got it." She didn't tell them it was this week in case she wasn't chosen. And she'd wanted to tell Fred first.

Molly's brows rose in surprise while Arthur gave a soft yet proud, "Merlin, did you really?" But it was Ginny who scoffed and asked, "you, really?"

"I've practiced almost everyday the last two years. I've gotten better," Clione shot back.

Ginny made a face, enjoying teasing her. But in truth Clione hadn't been very good, she hadn't even been in the pointe shoes her first recital. And she'd been the oldest one. It'd been kind of pathetic really.

Charlie sidled up to Clione with a grin. "She's a lovely dancer," he added proudly. He'd taken her to every class that summer, she might've been his favorite part of summer.

Fred frowned looking at the arm his brother slung across Clione's shoulders. "She let you watch her dance?" So far Clione hadn't let anyone outside of her class see her progress. They hadn't even known she graduated to pointe shoes til Ginny found them in her bag last summer.

Clione elbowed Charlie. "No, he sits outside looking in the window like a weirdo." He reached a hand to the top of her covered head and pulled her into him like he was giving her a nugie, careful not to mess up her scarf. She smacked whatever parts of him she could trying to get away from him, hearing his bright laughter as he finally let her go.

She threw the ends of her scarf back over her shoulder, feeling Bill behind her fixing how it lay over the under cap. "Maybe if you show us what you auditioned with, mum and dad can talk to Dumbledore about letting you come back for the performance?"

She pressed her lips together as she considered that offer, and how they were gonna fawn all over her and attention still made her uncomfortable. But she glanced at Fred, standing back with his hands in his pockets, and he shrugged as if it to say why not. Taking a breath she turned to Bill and Charlie and negotiated, "if I do you have to come back to watch."

They shared a look and a grin before turning back to her. "Deal," they told her. With a little smile she went upstairs to change. Charlie and Bill chuckled faintly before going outside and conjuring a large square platform in the yard.

Mrs. Weasley told them firmly they were to be on their best behavior; no laughing, no teasing, and they would tell Clione how good she was even if she wasn't. Which is what she'd told them at Clione's first recital two years ago.

"She's gotten pretty good at the turns," Fred told them, the only move he'd seen when he found her earlier that year.

"Pirouettes," Hermione corrected.

But Ginny was rolling her eyes wearing an almost identical hellraising grin Fred often wore. She opened her mouth to tease that he had to support her if he wanted her to kiss him, but Ron was quick to butt in. "She's your loudest supporter," he reminded Ginny. "And you almost killed her." Ginny flushed a deep red at that painful reminder.

The nine Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione stood ready to plaster on fakesmiles and well wishes - except Charlie, who smiled knowingly as Clione came down. She worea white hijab that fit around her face and neck and tucked into her long-sleeved blue leotard, and a white skirt that hung past her knees. She handed Harry the CD player Mr. Weasley got and charmed for her, and sat on the platform the boys made her as she tied her pointe shoes over her pink tights.

Clione looked to Harry giving a small nod and he pressed play on the CD player. A violin suddenly sprang to life, slow at first and Clione's arms and hands moved so in sync it was as though the sound was coming from her movements. As the strings crescendoed to a frantic whirling melody, Clione planted her supporting foot firmly on the stage while her other leg lifted delicately. Her body transformed into a blur of controlled energy as she began a series of orchestrated pirouettes. The softness of her extended arms and the precise point of her lifted foot formed a silhouette that seemed both delicate and unyielding.

The music slowed and she fell out of her turns gracefully as she slowed and drifted to the edge of her stage where she rose on the point of one shoe with her other leg lifted behind her, her arms above her head and her hands poised - a picture of elegance. Then in a flutter of tiny steps she drifted backwards and around the stage, her arms bending and turning above her head like a bird in flight. The dance wasn't just movement but a story, like poetry in motion.

The strum of the violin slowed further in elongated romantic notes as Clione sank to the floor on one bended knee with her other leg held straight behind her. Her back arched as she turned her face to the sky, holding her arms stretched out behind her. And for a moment as music cut out and the world fell quiet, she looked like a swan.

The kids erupted in applause and Clione stood giving them a bow with a proud smile. Arthur cleared his throat blinking against the wetness in his eyes before he too clapped. Molly stood with a hand on her chest and her mouth slightly askew. Charlie clapped a stunned Bill on the shoulder and turned to his parents. "So we'll see you at Christmas then."

"You absolutely will," Arthur declared, his voice firm with pride.

Clione's smile sweetened as she played with her skirt. Without warning Fred had charged her and thrown her over her shoulder. She yelped holding onto him as he hooked an arm tight around the back of her knees. "Best Sugar Plum Fairy this town's ever seen!" Her bright laughter tinkled like bells as he ran her around the yard.

...

Clione was up and ready early the next morning. Sneaking into the twin's room she gave a still sleeping Fred a gentle kiss he'd think he dreamt when he woke an hour later. She came down already dressed in her uniform, something Percy noticed and nodded approvingly of. They had a quick breakfast before Mr. Weasley went to grab her trunks. Bill reached a hand to the top of Clione's head giving it a little shake in passing as a means of goodbye. Charlie squeezed her tight with an added, "see you soon."

"What does that mean?" she asked turning with him as he walked into the kitchen without answer. It was already strange enough for her and the Head Boy to be brought in early, now there he was giving annoyingly vague clues. She huffed rolling her eyes at him before she met Mrs. Weasley in a warm embrace.

"Be good dear, keep Fred and your brothers in line," Molly told her kissing her cheek.

Arthur came back with everything in tow and offered his elbow. She apparated them to Hogsmeade doing a poor job of not looking proud of herself. She rose on her tip toes hugging him tight around the shoulders. "Love you, darling," he told her, holding her a little longer.

She pulled away with a sweet grin giving a soft, "thanks." He reached a hand to her chin in parting before he left for work. A little ways down from where they'd come in were the Finchley's, who bid their son a warm goodbye before they too left. He might've had it in mind to think the Weasley's were a good look for Clione, if he weren't still mad at her sending him to the infirmary three years ago. She held Jamila's small cage and levitated her trunks to where a carriage waited. Her eyes found Kane and her expression soured as she turned up her chin walking past him. With a roll of his eyes he dragged his trunks after her.

"Morning," she said to the empty air in front of the carriage as she set her trunks inside.

Kane sat his on the ground and without question or concern she levitated his things in next to hers. "Not you going mad over the summer. What the bloody hell did you just say morning too?" he asked climbing in. Though he turned offering his hand to help her up.

He supported her weight and guided her in before they fell away from each other in abhorrence. She looked at the thestral trotting down the path to the castle. "I can't believe McGonagall stuck me with an idiot for Head Boy," she grumbled to herself.

His sharp eyes rose from the scenery behind her to where she sat poised and proper with her head turned to the castle. The end of her soft green scarf fluttered behind her in the wind. "I can't believe Snape stuck me with such a pisspot," he told her back. She turned on him in outraged surprise at his choice of words. "This year is gonna be a lot less fun with you around."

The rest of the way they sat in heavy silence. Kane was turned to the castle watching it steadily get closer, trying to ignore the way Clione sat across from him with her arms crossed glaring at him. He could feel the sharp edge of her gaze, even without looking he'd swear she wasn't blinking. Their frigid carriage pulled up to the front of the castle and Kane was quick to stand and climb down.

She'd been weighing whether or not to hex him for what he'd called her. There was a long list of reasons why she shouldn't, and the only reason she'd come up for why she should was that it would be fun. So she settled for making him squirm the last few minutes of their ride, finding minor enjoyment at catching how hard he swallowed.

She held the handle to Jamila's cage and stepped to the edge of the cart. Kane's hand was suddenly extended to her and she took it again as he bore her weight to help her down. Without looking back she summoned their trunks to follow them as they walked inside the castle.

Come evening the next day as the rest of the school arrived, Clione had a knowing sparkle in her eyes as she and Kane entered the Great Hall after everyone but the unsorted first years sat down. She slid onto a bench next to Cassius and her smile slowly wilted when he turned to her. Two summers ago his round cheeks had thinned as he grew into his family's sharp dark features, though he watched the world through narrowed dark eyes and it made him look perpetually bored. Under his mop of curly brown hair she could see a fading bruises around his left eye and a scabbed cut across the bridge of his nose.

His expression softened at the hand she reached to brush the hair off his forehead to see the shiner his father had given him after the Quidditch Cup. A crease had etched between her brows and the corners of her mouth turned down. He watched the emotions flicker on her pretty brown face; surprise turned to concern, then understanding, then an ocean of care that crashed into him, and lastly a slow festering fury.

Gently his hand wrapped around hers lowering it to the table. "Keep looking at me like that and people might think you left Weasley for me." His lips quirked in an arrogant smirk at the way her own mouth twitched as she pulled away.

His eyes were almost as dark as hers and they were heavy. He watched the world like he was waiting for it to let him down; somehow, she was the only one who never had. The black eye let her know she'd been right, the deatheaters were now after her the way they'd been after her mom. "Guess I'm supposed to thank you," she said casually, like he hadn't gone against his own family to save her.

"Guess you're welcome," he said back like choosing her over his own family hadn't ended in him being sent to live with a violent extended shared a muted but fond look before they turned to the first years being sorted. He leaned back against her with his head still facing the front. "What's with the carriage and ship?"

She leaned into him with her mouth by his ear, figuring he'd earned finding out first. "The Triwizard Tournament," she whispered.

His eyes widened and gleamed with excitement as he turned to her, having known her long enough he didn't balk at their noses brushing. "No way." There was no question, no seriously or you're kidding - she was nothing if not honest, especially not with shared a grin and he stayed with his back against her chest as they turned back to Dumbledore to listen to his first-dinner speech and meeting the two schools that'd be staying with them that year for the Tournament.

...

The Durmstrang boys and Beauxbaton girls were led back to the accommodations they'd brought, the Hogwarts students made their way to their common rooms, while Kane and Clione gathered the prefects in an empty classroom on the first floor.

"The Head Girl and I spent yesterday and today devising schedules for each of you," Kane started, making the noticeable decision not to address Clione by name. "Some have been slotted escorting first years, others the Durmstrang students, and lastly the Beauxbaton students."

"I call the Beauxbatons," a sixth year Gryffindor boy said earning a few laughs. His smile fell when he turned to the front seeing Clione's hard eyes and straight face.

"No," she told him very simply. She grabbed the list shemade while Kane had sprawled on a couch uselessly, and stepped forward. "The handful of you who speak French will be helping the Beauxbaton girls this year." Those in question took their schedules willingly, among them was Gail who beamed proudly making Clione bite back a grin. "All seventh years, minus Gail, and a few carefully selected sixth years, will be helping the Durmstrang boys." She'd been right thinking they were a rowdy bunch, especially given their shifty-eyed dark looking headmaster and the dark magic one of them had performed in their entrance, and she wanted people capable of keeping them in line. Of the sixth years she'd chosen both the Ravenclaw girl and boy prefects, Cedric who smiled up at her, and Cass who smirked taking his schedule. "The rest of you will help the first years in your houses and any other students who need it."

Apparently having enough of her taking charge, Kane shouldered his way in front of her and told them casually, "it's gonna be a great year, no need to worry about stuffy rules. Let's show them how Hogwarts does things!" While a few them clapped Clione rolled her eyes. "Halloween's just around the corner, so we're gonna go all out. You know Gryffindor's having a party, it's always wicked."

"We're gonna paint the walls with blood," Clione added very seriously.

Kane quickly corrected, "fake blood." A few of them, namely Cedric and Cass, snickered while Gail sighed slightly disappointed at how easily Clione's calm had dissolved.

"Someone will die," Clione said and then turned sharply to Kane.

He looked down at her with widened eyes. "Of fun," he corrected again. "Are you done?"

"No, but you are," she said waving him back having had her fun annoying him. She turned to address the rest of the prefects. "Back to tonight's topic; no leering at the girls, Jacobs. And let Victor Krum be a normal student. Be polite, make everyone feel comfortable. Now have a good night." She turned back to the table behind her and collected her things, when she turned back around everyone was still sitting waiting for something else. "Dismissed."

Her sharp voice had about half of them jumping up startled, the rest of them filed after, a few yawning as the night drew late and they had to be up early. With a wave Cedric and Gail left with the other Hufflepuffs, and slowly everyone filed out as Clione organized herself.

"You're so bossy," Kane said more to himself but with the intention of her hearing. She was a nightmare to deal with on a good day, it was gonna be a long year stuck with her.

Her dark eyes slid to his pinched face and she scowled. In a low dark voice she told him, "don't make me drown you again."

Fury filled his pale face and he stepped towards her. "Hands to yourself," came Warnington's calm cold voice.

Kane looked between their similarly black gleaming eyes, coupled with a spine-chilling lack of emotion from Cassius and a vicious curl to half of Clione's venomous mouth. "Damn snakes," Kane muttered as he stalked out.

Cass sat on the edge of the desk across from her waiting for her to be ready. "Think McGonagall picked him just for you?" He laughed at the face Clione made, because of course McGonagall had. It was probably the only way she'd agreed to Clione being made Head Girl when Snape recommended her, and the idea of a Gryffindor and Slytherin having to work together was probably amusing to Dumbledore.

"What do you think of the tournament?" she asked before moving to sit beside him. Where he was only leaning against it in a manner that made him look cool, she sat with her hands curled around the edge with her legs crossed at the ankle looking pretty.

He was quiet a moment as he thought, as he considered what he wanted her response to be. "I like the sound of glory," he admitted. "Prize money could get me my own place." Where his next birthday present wasn't a black eye.

Her mouth opened to tell him she had enough money from her mother to get them both a place when she graduated; with both the Weasley's and Sirius wanting her it might be easier to have a neutral place of her own where she could have them both visit and get Cass out of the situation helping her had put him in. But her mouth closed as her gazed strayed over his sharp angular face seeing the curve of his nose for the first time and realizing it'd been broken. He was too proud to let her take care of him, but she wondered if when Sirius finally settled somewhere she might convince both of them to let Cass stay with him."If you wanna try to die I won't stop you."

"You gonna cry at my funeral?"

"Oh, I'll cry the loudest," she answeredmaking him laugh. Light broke through his perpetually bored expression when he smiled, she liked his smile. "Who's gonna judge everyone to their faces with me if you die?"

It'd taken him four years to decide if he liked her, but they'd fit together easily. Like a glove. "Next year's gonna suck without you." He didn't know how he'd make it through next summer let alone an entire school year. She might've been the first person to believe in him.

"I noticed your class schedule fits the requirements for being an auror," she mused casually. Like she hadn't been the one to mention it to him last year, like it hadn't looked like it hurt him at realizing how much she cared about him. She hated how lonely he was, how unloved – but it helped her own wretched spirit having someone who understood what that felt like. "I mentioned you might be interested in the field to Bill. When Charlie and Cedric told him what you did for me he said he'd give you a recommendation."

Something close to pain flicked across his handsome features and he shook his head. "I haven't decided anything yet," he said closing himself to her asa means of needing to not be so completely dependent on her being the warmth on her face didn't change, she wouldn't be moved. He didn't know when it happened but at some point he'd started counting on her being there.

..

It was the kind of early the sun hadn't even woken up yet when a lone boy with curly brown hair entered the Slytherin common room looking put together and serious. The girl he found waiting for him was draped over one of the lounge chairs with heavy eyes and a sleepy grin. "What, did you sleep here?" Cass asked coming up beside Clione and kicking her foot lightly.

"I just know you," she said sounding brighter and kinder than his low emotionless tone. She fell in step beside him heading up onto the main floor.

"That mean I'm you're best friend now?"

She glanced at him seeing a faint pull at the corner of his mouth to mean he was teasing. He was normally so stone faced and unimpressed, coupled with the black eye and he looked dangerous. "Probably," she answered with a shrug. His response was a gentle nudge that she returned with a light elbow to his side.

She stood back with her arms crossed against the chilled morning air as he stepped past the age line and dropped a torn slip of parchment into the large goblet. His head fell to the side towards her and he smirked pulling out another piece of paper. "Guess you don't know me as well as you thought," he said looking devious as her eyes widened seeing this paper had his name on it.

"You didn't," Clione whined dropping her arms and stamping her foot. Since she was still in her slippers it barely made a sound.

He was still smirking as he fell back in line beside her. She was glaring at the goblet like it was it's fault and he pushed her forward laughing at the way her head fell back with a groan. "Don't want eternal glory?"

"I just want a normal school year," she said still whining. This time when she elbowed him there was nothing nice about it.

They walked back to their common room, her with her arms crossed and he with his hands in his pockets. "You'd kick ass if you got picked."

She turned sharply with a familiar spark in her eyes. "I'd kick the most ass." She was nothing if not predictably vain. To not just win but be the best champion that had ever competed. "Fred's gonna pout, I told him I wasn't putting my name in." He'd already pouted most of yesterday evening about the age restriction, her lack of interest had actually calmed him down a hair.

Not to mention she'd sent a letter yesterday promising Sirius she wouldn't. After she'd told him about the deatheater grabbing her at theQuidditch Cuphe'd wanted her to sit the school year out and go into hiding with him. Thankfully Remus sided with Mr. Weasley in Hogwarts being the safest place for her, though Sirius' eyes burned in the crackling fire they'd been talking through before he walked away without another word. The chances of her name being drawn were next to none, but the pit that opened up in her stomach two weeks ago was only growing larger. Deatheaters were after her like the Dark Lord was somewhere out there to care, Mr. Weasley had tasked Charlie with escorting her to town the rest of summer, and Charlie had taken that job very seriously constantly looking over his shoulder like someone might pop out and grab her any second. Now there was a renowned retired auror at the school like even here wasn't out of reach, and Clione couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming.

Cassius shouldered her pushing her half a step to the right jarring her out of her thoughts. "Weasley was an interesting choice," he said thinking that's what had stolen her shine.

"It's never boring," she told him with a shrug. Of all the uncertainties of her life that made her worry, Fred wasn't one of them.

Which is why it surprised her when she was called into the hospital wing a few days later to see Fred and George looking horribly guilty with white hair and thick scraggy white beards, with both Professors Snape and McGonagall standing by Madame Pomfrey.

"Fredrick Weasley," Clione said stamping her foot she was so irritated, "you're making me look bad. How can I expect anyone to listen to me when you," she aimed a sharp thin finger at him, "of all people won't?" There were so many students, not yet seventeen, who tried anyway they could think of to somehow get their name in; Clione had to task a few prefects to keep watch of the goblet the entire week.

"You look so nice today," he tried and reached a hand to fix how her flowery scarf laid over her shoulder. It always made her smile when she did that, sometimes it made her blush. But this time she raised her own hand catching his before he touched her, and he sighed relenting. "You're right, I told you I wouldn't and I did it anyways. I'm sorry."

She had her arms crossed and her brows drawn together, looking scarily enough like his mother. But she heaved an annoyed sigh and shook her head at them. "You both look stupid," she told them plain and unapologetic. "I can't believe that's what I have to grow old with." She made the mistake of meeting his perpetually twinkling eye and she had to press her lips together to keep from smiling.

"How did you know it's me?" He barely recognized himself let alone telling himself apart from George like this.

"I always know it's you," she told him, and she so far she had. He'd only ever been him with her. "Dummy," she added sharply but with a fond look in her eye. "Now why was I called here?" That she asked of the two professors behind the desk at the far end of the wall.

Minerva looked past Fred to where George stood looking pitiful and small. "I believe you have something to tell her," she offered looking amused.

George had a hard time holding Clione's gaze, having thought originally he was getting the better punishment. "Professor McGonagall told us about the Yule Ball," he started slowly, quietly.

"Yes, I was given charge of the decorations," she said sounding both honored and excited. She didn't see the way that made George shrink as she turned to Fred. "My dress is amazing, you're gonna love it. It's your fav – why are you looking at me like that?" she demanded as Fred turned a bit pink and looked sorrier than he ever had before. Probably in his whole life. She turned to George who wore an identical expression. "What's happening? Spit it out."

In the smallest voice, barely above a whisper, George told her, "he's not allowed to go with you," and then he drew further in and waited for her to combust.

She stood for several quiet moments blinking at them as she processed what he'd just said, her eyes growing darker and her face meaner each second. Her mouth opened and they flinched in preparation, but it snapped shut and an angry breath left her nose. She fixed her vest to give her hands something to do instead of wrapping around Fred's throat. Then she opened her mouth to try again and they both flinched even more, but still nothing came out.

"Yell at me, I know you want to," Fred told her. As soon as her eyes flicked to his he straightened and wished he hadn't said anything. She could hold a grudge like no one else, and quite frankly everyone was amazed she hadn't broken up with him yet. "I can take it. Start yelling."

She wasn't blinking anymore and somehow that was worse. George had all but disappeared into his shirt, and her rising fury was stifled by an overwhelming wave of disappointment. She turned to Snape and McGonagall and raised a finger at the older woman. "That was a good punishment," she said in a strained voice. Fred had to deal with knowing he was the reason she was upset while George had to look her in the eye and be the one to upset her. Another day she would appreciate how clever that was, but today she smoothed her hands over her skirt still wanting to strangle Fred. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to send a letter to Gladrags to have a few dresses available for me to try on whenever we go to Hogsmeade."

"It'll be about a month before the ball," McGonagall said watching her calmly walk out of the infirmary.

Just past the doorway, muffled behind the wall, they heard Clione call back in a high voice, "fantastic."

The boys sank onto the beds in low spirits. Against the far wall McGonagall turned with a hand held out that both Snape and Madame Pomfrey each placed a galleon in. "Told you she was too proud to make a scene." Then she turned to the moping boys. "I hope you two learned your lesson, that's a very disappointed young lady."

Something they both knew. She hadn't been that mad at Fred in years, and she'd looked so happy telling him about her dress, then they went and messed it up over something that hadn't even worked. "I'm gonna have to come up with something big to make it up to her," Fred said with a determined nod.

"Like what?" George asked. Flowers wouldn't fix this, neither would candies or a nice date or jewelry.

Fred turned to his brother and took a deep breath through his nose before opening his mouth. "No idea." He deflated.

George could see how upset Fred was by how upset Clione was, and he sighed having known from the start it'd come down to him fixing things for them eventually. "Well, she needs a new dress."

"What, and I'm gonna make her one? Be serious, George."

He fought the urge to hit him again, it was really difficult. "You know someone who can draw one," he elaborated while still trying to be vague enough for Fred to call it his idea. Fred's eyes brightened as he finally caught on. "There it is," said George flatly. Fred was out the door before the professors had finished turning, and they looked to the twin left behind as he sat with an innocent grin waiting for the antidote to de-age him.

It was no surprise at all that Fred found them in the library. Gail and Noemi were sitting on their own as Noemi studied and Gail blatantly gazed at the side of her serious face. At someone coming up to their table Gail turned with a grin that quickly fell as she gaped up at Fred. "Oh my god, what happened to you?"

"Doesn't matter," he said taking the chair across from them. "I screwed up and now I'm not allowed to take Clio to the ball."

Gail sucked in a devasted breath. "No! She was so excited."

"I know that," Fred replied a little harshly.

Noemi slammed her quill onto the table startling both of them and the table next to them. "Don't be rude to my girlfriend just because yours is mad at you," she told him sternly. Her eyes were heavy on his chastised face as she waited.

He turned to Gail and mumbled, "that was rude, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she told them both knowing he hadn't meant it. Clione was the same way. "But what do you want us to do about it?"

"Well," he started glancing Noemi's way, who looked highly unamused, "I was hoping you'd be willing to design her a dress." He gave his best smile and tried to look like someone she could get along with instead of being annoyed by.

It didn't work, she still didn't like him. "So we're clear, I'm doing this for Clione." She was stopped as Gail threw her arms around her shoulders with an excited squeal that earned them several shhings. Instead of her homework she pulled out a blank piece of parchment and set to work sketching Clione's curvy figure. She had narrow shoulders but wide hips and thick thighs that she liked to hide with oversized clothes. Noemi's eyes flicked to Fred's face as he watched her drawing the shape of his girlfriend. "You can go now," she told him very simply.

With an awkward smile he nodded and stood, but Gail grabbed his sleeve before he could get far. "It's sweet how much you wanna make it up to her. I'll talk her out of not being mad at you." She watched his face fill with surprise, having thought she was only Clione's friend. She laughed lightly at him bending to kiss her cheek before he left.