"I'm going to ask Cho to the Valentine's Dance."

Harry looked at us all expectantly upon making this announcement. Hermione, Ron, Ginny and I all glanced up from our homework that we were attempting to get done by the common room fire.

My heart sank. As much as I loved dancing, the thought of this dating thing made me feel uneasy.

"Congratulations," Ron muttered. "What do you want? A medal?"

"Some moral support wouldn't go amiss," Harry said sulkily.

"Haven't you already kissed her?" Hermione said, shaking her head. "I take it you two haven't spoken about it since."

"I've been busy!" Harry bellowed, flexing his right hand so we could all see exactly what he meant, "it's not easy coming up with pick-up lines when you're being tortured by TWO school teachers!"

"Two?" I asked, wondering with dread which other teacher was taking Umbridge's lead.

"Snape," Harry said, grinding his teeth. "He's making me take Remedial Potions."

I gulped. If Snape was making students take extra lessons, then surely it was only a matter of time before he picked on me too.

"Don't worry, Neve," Hermione whispered, clocking the fear on my face, "it was a special request from Dumbledore, you should be safe."

I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Anyway," Harry continued. "I was thinking everyone in Gryffindor could wear red to the dance to show their support for me in these troubled times."

"But I don't have a red dress!" I cried. I also didn't want to have to ask Gran to buy one for me when she was sat at home upset about the Azkaban breakout.

I thought desperately about how I could get out of this stupid dance.

"It doesn't have to be all red, Neve," Harry sighed exasperatedly as if my dilemma bored him, "just mostly."

I felt immensely stressed. Not only did I carry around this sick feeling about the Azkaban breakout, but we were studying for our OWLs, as well as attending Harry's vigorous DA lessons.

And - to top it off - I had to deal with the mortification I felt every time I recalled how I had thrown myself at Draco.

I was not having a good year.

*****

"I thought I said red, Neve!" Harry bellowed as I entered the Great Hall late, which, although did not look as magnificent as when we had the Yule Ball, was still looking very pretty in all its pink and white. "And where have you been?" Harry continued. "So much for the support, Neve!"

I looked down at my white dress and shrugged. "As I said, Harry, I don't have anything red and I've got bigger things to worry about than going clothes shopping right now."

I was late because I had been crying on my bed after hearing that Draco was taking Pansy to the dance. I felt like a fool, having mistaken his kindness for something more.

"Well, if you ask me, we all look like prats in our red suits!" Ron snarled. "Leave the poor girl alone, and just be thankful she's not wearing green."

At this, my eyes drifted to the other end of the Hall where the Slytherins were gathered, including - much to my heartache - Draco and Pansy; who were both stood side by side.

I also couldn't help but notice that all the Slytherins were wearing green except for Draco, who was - as usual - dressed determinedly in black.

Silver grey eyes met mine, and I found myself quickly looking away, my heart beating furiously at being caught staring.

"Are you okay, Neve?" Ginny asked me kindly.

No, I wasn't. I wanted to go back to my dormitory and snuggle up with Trevor to carry on with my crying.

Before I could answer though, Harry stood up, his face full of rage as he eyes bulged out towards the dance floor.

"What the hell is my date doing dancing with that bastard?!"

We all looked over to see Cho, dressed in blue, in Blaise Zabini's arms, giggling at something he was whispering in her ear.

"Well, you have been refusing to dance with her all night," Hermione retorted, her arms crossed huffily over her chest and, for some reason, glaring at Ron.

"WE ARE TRYING TO FINSH OUR CHESS GAME!" Ron roared as he angrily moved the bishop on the chequered board in front of him. "Your move, Harry."

But Harry was too busy glaring furiously at the dance floor. Without saying anything, he grabbed my arm and dragged me with him.

"Come on, Neve," he said pulling me towards the dance floor where, to my horror, Professor McGonagall was announcing the start of a dancing competition. "We'll show them what Gryffindors are made of!"

And without another word, he pulled me into his embrace and started twirling me around alongside other couples.

I couldn't help it, I loved dancing so much that I conceded. I quickly fell into the steps and even started to lose myself in the euphoria of the music, becoming oblivious to the other dancers around us.

Harry had a fierce look of determination on his face as he guided us further into the centre of the floor.

I knew he was just trying to show off in front of Cho, but I didn't care. My heart was soaring in my chest as sweat started to bead on my skin.

I couldn't help but notice the dance floor had started to swarm with more Slytherin couples, as well as Gryffindors; even Ron and Hermione joining at one point along with Ginny and Dean: the dance floor had turned into a sea of red versus green.

It started off harmless enough at first, but when Harry 'accidentally' barged into Marcus Flint and his date, things started to turn very ugly.

Marcus grabbed the front of Harry's lapels, snarling down into his face.

"Watch it, Potter," he snarled dangerously. "Unless you want to find yourself in a graveyard again."

"Oi!" Ron cried, pushing his way towards us to help Harry out.

This only caused more green cladded Slytherins to stop dancing and bare threateningly down upon Harry and Ron, who were now joined by other furious Gryffindors.

I could feel a fight coming on.

I started to panic - I didn't have my wand on me and things were getting out of hand as I was jostled violently about by swarming angry bodies. I could just about hear Professor McGonagall shouting for order somewhere in the distance but there were so many bodies, and so much heated emotion, that I felt trapped and I didn't see how I could survive without being crushed to death.

And I'd left Trevor all alone.

Then, all of a sudden - just as I'd lost all hope of survival - a hand clasped in mine.

"Neve,"

My heart stilled as I looked up into the silver grey eyes of my saviour.

"Draco," I breathed.

He didn't reply, but tugged at my hand as he turned and started to pull me through the crowd.

I wordlessly allowed the white-blond haired Slytherin to continue to guide me through the mass of the two warring houses; his fingers clasped tightly around mine; never letting go.

We eventually reached the edge of the dance floor and we kept going until we found ourselves in the cool air of the Entrance Hall. Alone.

We both stood looking at one another, our chests simultaneously rising and falling heavily as we gazed into each other's eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft yet husky as his silver eyes pierced down into mine.

"I think so," I breathed, my heart fluttering maddeningly in my chest as the air seemed to still between us.

The music was still pulsing furiously out from the Great Hall amidst the muffled cries and angry shouts of the fight.

But all I could see, all I could hear, was him.

Our breathing grew shallower and shallower as the gap somehow closed between us.

"Neve," he whispered, and his hand was suddenly on my cheek, tenderly cupping it beneath his long calloused fingers as his face slowly lowered towards mine.

The giddiness overwhelmed me so much that I had to close my eyes.

And that's when I felt his lips connect with mine.

I let out a soft sigh as they brushed heavenly against my own. He tasted exquisite; like biting into a sweet succulent apple for the first time.

He moved gently at first; his lips leading mine in a gentle dance as his other hand delicately caressed the small of my back.

And then things took on an urgency as he pulled me closer into his body; his lips applying more pressure, causing brand new thrills to zip throughout my entire trembling body as I breathlessly responded. A small groan of longing emitted from the back of his throat.

The noise made my eyes fly open in shock, and I stepped back ever so slightly, breaking the kiss; my heart beating furiously in my chest as I looked up at him breathlessly.

"Neve?" he asked, frowning down at me in winded confusion.

"What is this?" I asked, my whole body shaking in an overwhelming emotion I'd never felt before.

He looked at me, his eyes searching mine wordlessly, but then, just as he opened his mouth to respond, we were buffeted apart by a mass exodus of a mixture of both roaring red and seething green students piling out from the Entrance Hall.

The next thing I know, I'm getting dragged up the marble staircase towards the Gryffindor common room and, as I look back, I see a flash of white-blond hair disappearing down the stairs to the dungeons amongst a sea of green.

I would have thought I'd imagined the whole thing if it wasn't for that fact that my lips were still tingling when I crawled into bed that night.

"Sorry, Trevor," I said apologetically as I closed my eyes.

Because from now on my lips belonged to one prince, and one prince only.

*****