short period of a few days, both Deanna and Arabella had found themselves enjoying Luna Lovegood's company more and more. So much, in fact, that the three of them had begun to sit in the Ravenclaw Common Room and read books together - whether it be Astronomy textbooks to use for studying, or classic novels from literature - they thrived in the comfort of words on a page.

Because Bella no longer had Fred and George to turn to for consolidation, she swiftly found that Luna was beginning to fill the void that the absence of the twins had unfortunately left inside her. While she still had Deanna, the brunette was not the most sympathetic, so Bella often preferred to take advice from someone more understanding (and Luna just so happened to be that someone).

But when their peacefully quiet reading session was interrupted by a violent slam of the Common Room door, Arabella looked up from her book with a scowl, and her displeasure intensified when she saw that Erin Martell was subject of the noise.

Erin stormed into the room of blue and copper hues, grabbing Arabella by the wrist before the girl could protest. As a result, she was abruptly pulled from her armchair and stumbled onto her feet. "I need to tell you something. Now." Erin demanded, exiting through the arched door with a reluctant Arabella following behind.

Bella found herself being backed against the stone wall (this, rather unfortunately, reminded her of the night that Zoe's act of aggression landed them both in Snape's office). When she felt Erin's frosted breaths nearing closer to her own, she began to panic; as if the brunette resembled Zoe's werewolf stature, and her icy words were sharp like the cutting claws of such a beast.

But words cut deeper.

"W-What is it?" Bella whispered, her breaths hitched and her throat sore as she choked out the question.

Erin looked around, checking for signs of other students, or for the sound of approaching footsteps. When nothing but silence filled her ears, she turned back to look at Arabella with a frown. "Remember when I told you that it wasn't me who knocked you out in the Forbidden Forest? I was telling the truth," she sighed. "It certainly was not me."

Bella felt confident enough to take a step forward. "What are you saying here, Erin? If it wasn't you, then--"

"But I did have a small part in what happened to you. It was Zoe-- uh, she was the one who knocked you out because she was attempting to seriously injure, or possibly kill you that night. But she told me we were playing an innocent prank on you, so I said I would help her, a-and I did."

Arabella suddenly felt faint; her skin was becoming even paler than her usual snow-like complexion, and her cerulean eyes adopted a foreign dullness in them. "Why was she trying to do that to me?"

"I didn't know it at the time - her intentions, I mean. I had no idea she wanted to, nor why. Not long ago she told me the reasoning behind it." Erin's gaze faltered to the floor. "When Viktor burned Zoe, you were there. It is of her belief that, if you weren't there, she wouldn't have been attacked - or at least, not badly scarred - because he was only doing it to protect you. Zoe is angry that her face is ruined, because she thinks you caused it. She wants to do the same - she wants your face to look like hers - as revenge."

Arabella's whole body began to shiver. Shaking out of terror was something she had never experienced before. Sadness and grief, she greeted like an old friend. But fear? That was different. Fear was an enemy.

"So she still wants to, you know, hurt me?"

Erin nodded hesitantly. "Yes, and she's very determined to do so. You're in danger, Bella. And she'll probably be super angry with me for telling you this. I wasn't supposed to."

"I-I have to go. I can't stay in this castle. I have to--have to go." She mumbled hysterically, sniffing through her nose when she felt a sudden tingle surge through her flushed cheeks.

The redhead found herself breaking into a quick run, where she continued to dart through the corridors until she found the Gryffindor Common Room. Knocking on the door with a loud echo, Ron Weasley answered, and with an awkward grin she was ushered inside.

The room was adorned with comforting statues of gold, and plush red sofas standing by a roaring fire. Gryffindors sat in their robes, talking and laughing with one another, and the sound of chatter filled the air like a unique harmony. When Arabella saw Harry, she stiffened her posture upon approaching him as her body was still heavily quaking. When he caught sight of her fiery red hair, he looked up from his copy of the Daily Prophet, and smiled sympathetically when he noticed her solemn expression. "Hi, Bella."

"Can I borrow your invisibility cloak? J-- Just for a day or two. I promise I'll give it back but I really need it."

"Why d'you want it?" Harry quizzed, his brows furrowed.

Bella sighed. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. It's really urgent, though. I'll

explain when I have the time." When she noticed the reluctance on the bespectacled boy's face, she sighed again. "Please."

After what seemed like a very long moment of in-depth thought, Harry nodded. "Fine, yeah." He handed the invisibility cloak to her (though it took her a brief second to figure out where it was). "But if anything happens to it--"

"Thank you, Harry." She breathed, walking out of the Common Room with an expression slightly less ghastly; though she still looked a little death-like, with the bright blue hues of her robes contrasting against the lustreless colour of her skin.

She held the cloak tightly when she stuffed it into her robe pocket, her heeled shoes clanging against the castle floor as she walked. Her pace was swift and of great urgency, but she didn't dare run since that would attract attention when students and Professors passed by.

Within a matter of minutes, Bella found Viktor exactly where she thought he would be - the Astronomy Tower. The Seeker had prior mentioned that he thought the view was beautiful from there (and since it was the tallest tower in the castle, it was often cold, which accordingly reminded him of home).

Much to Arabella's dismay, the Bulgarian was surrounded by a crowd of teenage witches. She rolled her eyes. "C'mon, ladies, poor Viktor hasn't got all day to sign your newspapers."

The girls all turned to Bella with a frown. One of them she recognised: Pansy Parkinson. And, soon enough, her blood ran cold with disgust at the Slytherin girl. Pansy had allegedly been taunting the redhead's sister, Eleanor, and Bella refused to tolerate negativity towards her younger sibling. Above anything else, if Ellie could not retaliate, Arabella would certainly do it for her. "Pansy," she spat, striding up to the girl with an utmost confidence. "If you ever so much as look at my sister - and my Viktor - again, I won't hesitate to kick you out of Hogwarts myself."

Pansy said nothing.

Arabella gave Viktor a swift glance, and immediately taking each other by the hand, they were fleeing down the many flights of stairs that the Astronomy Tower acquired. "What is it?" He asked as they ran down the steps of stone. "Why are we going so fast?"

"We'll get to somewhere quiet and I'll tell you." The Ravenclaw replied.

Bella led Viktor by the hand into a broom cupboard and, rather unsurprisingly, it was occupied by Quidditch brooms. It was a tight squeeze, but it was private; exactly what the girl wanted.

"Erin told me that-- that Zoe wants to kill, or, or hurt me - I can't remember; got too much going on in my head." She sighed. "We can't stay in Hogwarts, Vik. We have to a leave, even if it's just for a night or two. I'm in danger. For all we know, she could attempt to do it tonight."

He grasped her shoulders lovingly, although forceful enough to stabilise her shaking body. "Let's go to the village, then. The one not far from the castle."

Bella half-smiled. "Oh, Hogsmeade?" She pulled the cloak from her pocket. "I have Harry's invisibility cloak. We can sneak out tonight and we won't be seen."

"Meet me by the greenhouses at midnight and we'll go from there to . . . Hogsmeade. Bring your wand, too."

Arabella exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Merlin, thank you. You've saved my life." She giggled. "Quite literally."

Viktor grinned. "Bella, I have to ask; why are we in a cupboard?"

"Because it's the most private place I could think of, so nobody could eavesdrop on our conversation." Her eyebrows furrowed, sceptical of the Bulgarian's question.

"Are you sure it's not because you wanted to kiss me?"

She laughed. "That too."

Their mouths entangled, and Bella winced when Viktor's teeth grazed the flesh of her lip. He ran his fingers through her tangled fiery ginger hair, grasping her waist tighter than he previously gripped, with Bella's uniform shirt riding up gently as Viktor's thumb grazed her skin. They both chuckled through the kiss when his fingers caught a knot in her hair, his large hands travelling back to her waist instead.

A familiar scent filled Arabella's nose; one that reminded her of comfort, of saltwater and pine wood, of him.

With an abruptness that made the two lovers instantly break from each other, the broom cupboard door swung open to reveal Luna Lovegood. She wore a pair of Spectrespecs, ones that glowed with fuchsia pink and kaleidoscopes. "Sorry, it's the Wrackspurts. Your head is full of them."

Luna my love <333

I wrote the kissing scene listening to Harry Styles' entire album, while I'm home alone sitting by my dog, and I'm liviNGG

Also I've just #yolo'd this and not read the whole chapter through before publishing it, so it's probably full of mistakes :)))