been out on a sunny day and finally feel a cool breeze, even if the sweat lingers? That feeling of cold water you as you drink it, even if you get hiccups after? Getting into bed after a long day and feeling your muscles relax, even if the stress remains?

Margaret's anger was much like that.

She had a tendency to get angry very easily; however, it would fade just as quickly. Even if she tended to hold grudges. She still wanted to get back at Fred and George, but she wasn't mad at them.

Margaret knew they just wanted to cheer her up. And despite their odd manners, it had worked. She was so tired that her mind didn't even have enough energy to make up another nightmare.

By next morning, Margaret had nearly forgotten about the events of the previous day. The consequences of which were yet to come, but alas it was no longer in her control. She had no time to ponder. She had a job to do, and she could not let her focus get diverted elsewhere.

That was possible until two identical spawns of devil walked into the common room with bright yellow hair that made them look nearly unrecognisable.

"AH- What in the world is that?!"

Ginny's shout gained the attention of the surrounding students, many of who burst out laughing.

"Wha-? Oh, you didn't..." Margaret says slowly, looking up from the textbook she and Hermione were reading. She could not tell them apart, weirdly enough. "Is it just me or do you both look identical?"

Fred and George paused, perplexed.

"More so than usual," she adds.

"What are you doing?!" Ginny exclaims, sounding way too much like her mother. "Why are you doing it? Do I want to know?"

They squeezed into seats next to Harry and Ron on the couch. The former looked quite amused over the happenings. Whatever they were doing, it was taking any and all attention completely off him. It was a great feeling and, albeit a little selfishly, he did not mind.

"We're making it up to you," they say in unison, looking at Margaret cheekily.

"By... being a Hufflepuff mascot," she deadpans.

"No," they say. "It'll change through the day."

They tapped their wands on each other's heads with silly grins on their faces and the colours turned a very bright purple.

Margaret blinked, pursing her lips to suppress her laugh and failing. This was going to be interesting...

When she next saw Fred, it was during lunch and he was a brunet. Sometime during the morning classes, the charm must have gone haywire because George was stuck with a Smurf blue.

"It's still on?" she asks as she and Hermione arrive, taking a seat in front of them. "I've forgiven you, in case you're still wondering."

"Appreciate it, Margie," utters George, slightly disgruntled. "But we can't get it off."

"What d'you mean?" asks Margaret.

While Hermione shot them a look of disapproval; "And just how many detentions have you received so far?"

"We've got to wait until it wears off," says Fred, serving himself some rice, apparently not as moody as his twin. "And to answer your question, Granger; no more than we haven't before."

"Well, at least I can tell you apart again," Margaret mutters to herself, glancing up as Ron and Harry arrive. "Where were you two?"

"McGonagall's office," answers Harry. "She's given Ron extended time to finish his homework, with the upcoming Quidditch match..."

Ron looked unwell at the mention of Quidditch, so Harry quickly changed the topic.

"What's with the ruckus?" he asks, looking around at the uproar of chatter. "Has Umbridge jumped off the Astronomy Tower?"

Margaret, Fred and George laughed. Ron smiled at the thought; whilst Hermione raised a brow and huffed.

"That's wishful thinking," says Ginny, smirking. She sat down with Parvati and Lavender on Margaret's left. "No, I think it's because of Valentine's Day."

"Oh, yeah, isn't there a Hogsmeade trip?" Margaret remembers.

"Yep. Although I won't be going," Ginny sighs. "Michael asked, but Angelina wants a whole day of practice. The game's only a few days after the fourteenth. Has anyone asked you out yet?"

"Who, me? No..." Margaret says, chuckling awkwardly, feeling Fred's eyes on her.

"That's not possible, I've heard quite a few boys were discussing you," Parvati speaks up with a teasing smile. "I think Theodore Nott wanted to ask you out too."

Fred straightened in his seat. "Nott? That Slytherin buffoon?" Seeing Margaret looking over her shoulder towards the Slytherin table, he chucked one of his french-fries at her. "Don't tell me you're considering it!"

Picking up the fry from her lap, she threw it back at him. He expertly caught it in his mouth.

"He hasn't even asked yet. And for the matter of fact, I wasn't considering it."

"Merlin's beard, it's like the Yule Ball all over again," Ron mutters, looking around at their peers. It was indeed getting chaotic, even if February had just begun.

"Oh, don't remind me," says Harry, wincing.

"At least you've got a date, haven't you?" Ron teases.

"Atta boy, Harry," says George proudly. "Who're you going with?"

"Cho Chang..." he tells them, cheeks growing visibly warmer as Fred and George woo-ed teasingly.

"I can't wait to see who asks me," Lavender giggles. As if on cue, a blond-haired Hufflepuff boy neared her, clearing his throat.

"H-Hey, Lavender," he says, a blush rising up his cheeks.

Lavender turned to Parvati and they both let out a little squeal before she turned to him, fluffing up her hair.

"Yes?"

"Um... Er, I wanted to... to say that... Erm, Hufflepuff- no, er, Professor-Sprout-wants-to-see-you-after-lunch," he blurts out as quickly as possible.

The smile melted from Lavender's face.

Ron snorted into his pumpkin juice, choking slightly; Harry thumped on his back helpfully, shoulders shaking. Fred and George had no qualms chuckling. Hermione was trying to hide her smile.

"Anything else?" she asks icily. The boy turned red as a tomato and shook his head, turning on his heel and bolting as though Lavender was going to hex him.

Margaret watched the scene play out with detached curiosity.

"Oh, come on, Lavender; you deserve better than him anyway," Ginny tells supportively, slightly exasperated.

"She's right. We can go together, y'know, as friends. Who needs a date anyway?" says Parvati, wrapping a comforting arm around her best friend's shoulder.

"True, you can go together, have fun," Seamus speaks up from next to Ron, having been paying attention to their conversation, though he pointedly ignored Harry. He nudged Dean, smirking, "As friends."

Dean rolled his eyes, turning to Lavender with a raised eyebrow. "It's not like you even knew him."

"Yes, but... he was cute," she mumbles. "And we could've gotten to know each other during the date."

"Fair point," shrugs Margaret, drawing the attention back to her. "You know if you like him so much, you can just ask him."

Lavender and Parvati gasped dramatically as though she had said something unholy.

"Oh, here we go again," Hermione sighs, flipping a page in her book.

"You know, she's got a point!" Seamus perks up before either of them could say anything. "Why can't girls ask boys?!"

"Because that'd make us look like a load of bumpkins, wouldn't it?" Fred shouts over the heads of George, Harry and Ron. Margaret narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Not really! That'd tell us a girl actually likes us!" Seamus yells back.

Dean shook his head at them.

"But it's gentlemanly of a boy to ask a girl out," Parvati argues. "Honestly, why are you so thick, Finnegan, it's not bloody impossible to ask a girl on a date."

Seamus gawked at her, offended. "If it's so easy then it shouldn't be a problem! Seeing as you don't have a date, clearly, it'd be too difficult for you to ask a boy."

"That's not appropriate," she snaps. "Just because you have the courage of a mouse-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, break the cat-fight!" Margaret speaks up. "It's not that big of a deal, it's just Valentine's."

"You ask a guy out then, Margie," Ginny says slyly, "since it isn't impossible."

Margaret understood exactly what she was insinuating, making her smirk.

"He'd consider himself a bumpkin if I did so."

"His loss then," she shrugs.

"Touché," she murmurs, turning her head to Fred. "Hey, Fred, what're you doing on Valentine's?"

He blinked then narrowed his eyes, leaning forward on his elbows. Meanwhile, his hair turned from brown to blond.

"Stuff," he answers. "I'm a busy man."

"Stuff, huh?" she says, smiling cheekily and looking up at a bemused George. "George, what're you doing on-"

"I'm free," Fred interrupts swiftly. "Why?"

He knew why. He glared sideways at George, who was turning red trying to suppress his laughter.

"Nothing, I was just wondering if you'd like to go to Hogsmeade with me," she offers, shrugging innocently. "You can say no, I don't mind."

Fred's eyes narrowed into slits. "And... if I say no?"

Margaret turned to Parvati, who looked mildly startled that she had actually asked someone. "You said Theo Nott wanted to ask me?"

"Why would I say no, Margie?" Fred drawls, now glaring at her a little. Was she trying to play the prankster?

"'Cause you're a busy man, Freddie," she sighs exasperated. Raising her brows at him, she asks, "So? The final answer is no?"

She bit her lip to stop it from quivering in mirth. His eyes flickered down to it briefly; then he exhaled through his nose, shaking his head.

"No," he says before his eyes widen. "No- I mean, not no. But yes. Just yes. As in yes I'd go with you... to Hogsmeade... on Valentine's..."

"Really?"

"...Yes."

"YES!" she cheers, high-fiving Ginny.

"See?! Was that so hard?" says Seamus, throwing his hands up exasperatedly.

"Maybe you should take notes!" Parvati shoots back.

"For the record...!" Fred exclaims over the teasing of George, Ron, Harry and Ginny. "I was going to ask you anyway!"

"When? Next year?" Margaret retorts, grinning as her friends laugh. She shrugs, "I mean... you're welcome."

Fred glared at her mischievously, something fluttering in his gut when she bit her lip and winked at him. He couldn't help but smile back, feeling lighter and happier to see her laughing.

Once again, Fred and George had cheered Margaret up, perhaps in ways that they did not even realise.

doing Umbridge's mountain of homework once, let alone twice. Alas, she was given no choice.

"You know, if you wanted help with your homework, you could've just said so."

"Pay attention, Xenakis," Draco grits out, flipping the page of his book. "And at least try to make your handwriting presentable; even Goyle writes better than that!"

"Yes, but Goyle's head is empty, isn't it?" she retorts.

"Yours isn't any different," he shoots back.

"Yet I'm still more intelligent than you," she mutters under her breath.

Draco shot her a look. "Heard that."

"Oh good, I thought you were deaf as well as dumb!" she counters.

He reached across the table to tap his long raven quill on her forehead, which really just tickled. She backed away, blinking in confusion.

"Pay attention; this is due tomorrow. Or you aren't having any dinner."

"Joke's on you, I already had dinner," she tells him, smiling cheekily at his blank expression before getting back to writing the essay on Slinkhard's unnecessary opinion on Jinxes.

How had they ended up in the library well after sunset? Right, of course:

Draco Malfoy wanted her to do his homework. When she asked him why, he told her it was either this or doing the dishes in the kitchen. When she told him she'd rather hang out with house-elves than with him, he got so pissed off that he dumped all his homework in front of her and told her that he would 'supervise' her, giving her no more choice.

That was six days ago, on the same day she asked Fred out; thankfully, today was the last day she would have to do his homework for him and listen to his constant complains about the way she wrote and drew diagrams.

"What're you reading?" she asks tiredly several minutes later, putting the quill down and massaging her hand.

"None of your business," he says.

"Nice; who wrote it?"

Draco closed his eyes as though begging high heavens for patience. Margaret, amused, quickly made her expression innocently blank when he opened his eyes to glare at her.

"Did I say you could stop?" he says slowly, attempting to be threatening.

"No, Sire," she jokes.

"Then get on with it!"

"Yes, Sire," she sighs, picking up the quill again. "You're boring..."

"What was that?!" Draco snaps, slamming his book shut.

"I said, you're boring," she speaks in a carrying voice, glaring back at him.

"What is going on here?"

Their heads snap to Madam Pince standing a few feet away from them with books in her arms. She glared at the two and their anger towards each other nearly vanished.

"This is a library," Madam Pince continues disapprovingly, "not your common rooms that you can have shouting matches all you like!"

"Madam Pince, I apologise on the behalf of Miss Xenakis here," Draco begins charmingly. "She has issues with understanding even the basics of curriculum, and she tends to take her stress out by yelling at others unnecessarily. O.W.L. year, Madam; I thought I could help her but it's quite hopeless..."

Margaret gaped at him, turning to Madam Pince and shaking her head. "No-!"

"Oh, dear boy," Madam Pince's expression softens as she looks at Draco, who sighed. Then, turning to Margaret sternly, she adds, "You really should be grateful that Mister Malfoy here is being kind enough to help, Miss Xenakis! I will not tolerate any disrespectful behaviour in my library. Now, I shall let you get back to studying, so long as you make no noise."

"I- I- but... I didn't-!"

"Shh!"

Margaret's face grew redder in anger and embarrassment as Madam Pince stalked away. As soon as the tapping of her footsteps faded, Draco burst out laughing.

"You- you complete imbecile!"

He shushed her, still wheezing. She threw her quill at him, the ink spotting his shirt with tiny blue dots which he didn't notice.

"I am the on doing your homework-!"

"Keep it... down!" he says in between laughter, looking positively delighted as she lost her mind.

"And you- you ass, Draco Malfoy!"

Margaret huffed, leaning back in her chair and glaring out of the window. Draco was still shaking in mirth, shaking his head to himself.

"All right... That's a long enough break. Get back to your work," he demands, smirking and picking up his book again.

"Oh, but I can't understand 'even the basics of the curriculum', right?" she air-quotes, making her voice high-pitched as she does. To hell with his homework, she was done!

"Honestly, Xenakis, I don't want to be here with you any longer than I have to-"

"Oh you didn't have to at all," she says irately, "I had detention with Umbridge, and you were the one who took it over."

"Well, would you rather prefer cutting up your hand and writing with your blood, or doing homework twice?" he retorts, raising his eyebrows.

"Rather write in my blood than breathe the same air as you!" she snaps, picking up another quill from the side and snatching the parchment towards her.

"That can be arranged next week if you're dying to be tortured," he utters.

"Perfect. Brilliant. At least it wouldn't be as boring as you."

"I am not boring!"

"Oh, really? What do you do in your free time?" she asks, looking up and folding her arms on the table. "Other than being a jeering bully, of course."

"Excuse me?" he pronounces, daring her to repeat it.

Margaret scoffed. Did he think she would forgive him and lick his boots after he insulted her?

"Really, you're Draco before you're Malfoy. Take away the last name, what are you?"

Draco looked simultaneously taken aback and disgusted like he couldn't believe her nerve.

"How dare you, you filthy little Mudblood-"

"See?! There it is again!" Margaret points at him victoriously, noticing that he had unpocketed his wand. "Honestly, Draco. What are you when you're not a sneering bully, a snake slithering away from bigger snakes? Where does blood-supremacy end and Draco begin? Is there even a line anymore?

She was mocking him, testing his thin-as-a-thread patience with every word. But she was done. She had barely even tried with him and she was already done. It was so much easier favouring someone from the pages of a book until you came face-to-face with them.

"Densau-!"

From their proximity, it took Margaret no less than a second to disarm him wandlessly before he could even finish saying the hex. As expected, Draco shot to his feet, alarmed.

"Do you have to whip your wand out for everything?" she asks exasperatedly.

"Give me back... my wand," he demands; his breathing ragged and his grey eyes slightly fearful but far angrier.

Margaret rolled her eyes in reply, getting to her feet casually and pocketing his wand before packing her things quickly. This was her chance to get away. Once she was done, she threw her bag over one shoulder and stepped closer to him. With only a few inches shorter than him, they were nearly eye-level as her eyes flashed a dark red. He flinched but did not back away.

"Don't tell anyone about this," she murmurs.

Draco's eye narrowed. "Are you threatening me?" he challenges in a low tone.

She reached forward and placed his wand in his robe pocket, keeping her hand hovering over it. His hand immediately darted towards it, brushing her hand, his skin colder against hers. Neither moved for half a moment; before Margaret tilted her head sideways.

"Merely asking for a... favour," she answers. Stepping back, she gave him a smile. He continued glaring at her but did not draw his wand again.

"I hope you're not under the misconception that I like you," he states.

Margaret's eyebrows twitched in amusement. "I said nothing about you liking me..."

Draco's patience, or what had remained of it, snapped like a twig.

"You think you're so smart and perfect ever since you showed up out of nowhere," he begins, positively livid. "Don't underestimate the things I can do... if you know what's good for you."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Is that a threat?"

"No. Consider it more of a..." he hums, pretending to be thoughtful, "warning."

"For what, exactly? Questioning your terrible ways?"

He took a step forward intimidatingly. "What I do is none of your business-"

"You make it my business when you insult me and my friends!" she argues with equal contempt.

"Do you really believe they care for you?!" he snaps. "Might I remind you that you landed in these detentions because of them?! It was on my request that Umbridge didn't-!"