Vanessa forced her eyes to stay open, as the monotonous sound of the Hogwarts express clicking along the tracks echoed through the compartment she shared with Draco, Artemis, and Alex. She had never been in a train compartment so quiet in all of her years at Hogwarts. She knew this ride home was going to be more awkward than anything thanks to the party incident, but she didn't imagine it was going to be dead silent. At this point, she would rather have Draco and Artemis at each other's throats again than sit in perfect silence.

    Normally the train ride was full of laughter and ridiculous conversations, and today the only sound- other than those coming from the train- came from Alex crunching on popcorn on the bench opposite of her and Draco. Artemis was seated next to Alex, looking rather bored as he stared out the window. It wasn't unusual for him to be seemingly lost in thought, but the vacant expression on his face was. Vanessa was sure his mind was racing, but he wasn't going to let that show.

    Draco was no better. He sat beside her, one arm wrapped around her waist, a frown all too apparent on his face. While he had said he believed her last night, Vanessa could still tell he was on edge about all of it. He still hadn't said anything to Artemis- let alone anything even remotely close to an apology, and that alone spoke volumes to Vanessa. Words were only words after all, and his actions certainly weren't showing he had forgiven anyone for the "rumors" he had heard.

    Honestly, if nothing else, Vanessa was going to be happy to be away from the drama for a couple weeks. Or at least a good chunk of the drama, anyway. She'd still have to contend with Artemis, but at least he was the most predictable and calm of this group. She still needed to talk to him anyway and figure out what the hell they were going to do about what happened between them. The sooner they had that chat, the sooner Vanessa could figure out what she was going to do about Draco- both in terms of telling him the truth, and the secrets of his own he was keeping.

    Vanessa was more than grateful to have her thoughts interrupted when Alex broke the silence in the compartment. "Anyone want popcorn? It's got extra butter," she offered, a smile on her face.

    Vanessa shook her head. "No thanks. I'm not really hungry."

    Alex looked between Artemis and Draco. "Boys?" When neither of them said anything, Alex shrugged and popped another handful into her mouth. "Suit yourselves. More for me then."

    Vanessa didn't want to go back to silence, so she was going to keep Alex talking. No matter the cost. "So what are you going to do over break, Alex? You haven't said much about it."

    Alex shrugged. "Nothing really. I'll just be at home with my parents most of the time," she replied. She picked up another handful of popcorn as she added, "We'll probably go see grandma for Christmas, but that's about it. Nothing exciting."

    Vanessa nodded slowly. "Sounds like the average holiday for you then. Tell your gran hi for me."

    "I will, but you know she's going to be mad you're not with us," Alex retorted.

    "I know," Vanessa sighed, feeling bad momentarily. Alex's grandma was a sweet old lady who had always accepted Vanessa as one of her own. Vanessa honestly couldn't remember the last time she had seen her. "Maybe I'll visit for Easter, depending on what my dad ends up doing. Worst case scenario, I'll make sure to visit her this summer."

    "Hmm... I'll tell her, but she's just going to ask what you're doing instead," Alex replied, a smirk forming on her face. "So what exactly should I tell her you're up to?"

    Vanessa glared at her friend, who sat there with a huge grin on her face. Alex knew fully well what she was doing, and Vanessa was going to have to get creative with her answer so it wouldn't set Draco off. She wasn't sure reminding him she was going to be staying with Artemis for two weeks was a great idea right now. Vanessa certainly didn't plan on anything scandalous to happen over Christmas break, but with the tension between her and Artemis since the party, Vanessa wasn't sure what was going to happen at the manor over the next two weeks. Luckily for her, Artemis' home had plenty she could talk about without saying anything about him.

    "I'll probably be spending a lot of time in the library reading, or out riding the horses," Vanessa listed. "Or just spending time with Artemis' parents and brothers in general."

    Vanessa thought that was a safe enough answer. She certainly did those things enough while visiting the manor any other time that it wouldn't be out of the ordinary. Most of the time she would be with his family in some capacity, and that would be the breath of fresh air she so desperately needed.

    Alex tossed another handful of popcorn into her mouth, chewing it thoughtfully. "Hmm... riding horses, huh? Sounds like fun."

    Vanessa knew for a fact Alex was not talking about a horse at all. Her friend was definitely implying she was going to sleep with Artemis again. It wasn't something Vanessa planned on doing, but she wasn't exactly planning on it to not happen either. She'd worry about that later. For now, however, she was going to try to get this conversation back on track.

    "Yes, Alex. Horses," she repeated, hardly hiding her annoyance as she rolled her eyes.

    "What's this horse's name?" Alex persisted, smirking.

    Vanessa glared at her friend, hoping that was enough of a threat. "Haven't decided yet. The Fowls have a lot of horses, so take your pick."

    It wasn't. "Oh, I was under the impression that you had your eyes set on one in particular. Thought you had a favorite," Alex continued, taking another bite of her popcorn. "My apologies."

    Vanessa didn't get a chance to reply. Artemis whipped his head around to shoot Alex a glare even nastier than Vanessa's. Sometimes Vanessa forgot how scary he could be when he wanted to. She hadn't seen Artemis' bad side very often, but the few times she had made her know it was something she never wanted to see again. There was a reason people said "Fowl by name, foul by nature," and it certainly wasn't because he had a sunny disposition. He had come a long way in the last few years, but that dark side still reared its ugly head occasionally. Like now, apparently.

    "Just stop, Alex," he hissed. "You're being absolutely ridiculous."

    "Is she though?" Draco chimed in, breaking his silence. The annoyed tone in his voice made it all too clear where this conversation was going. "Sounds like she knows what she's talking about."

    Vanessa mentally groaned. Seemed as if Draco had picked up that Alex was definitely not talking about horses either, much to her dismay. This was why she couldn't have nice things, like awkwardly silent train rides with no drama. She wanted conversation, but not this. This hell couldn't end soon enough.

    Artemis rolled his eyes. "She is. A real shame Vanessa can't have a normal conversation without people thinking she has some sort of ulterior motive," he snapped. "This is a completely normal Christmas break, and for either of you to insinuate anything else is beyond delusional."

    "How the hell is it delusional when there were witnesses to you two snogging?" Draco countered. "If you'd do it at a party in front of people, why should I think that it wouldn't happen behind closed doors at your manor?"

    "Because it didn't happen? Because your friends are just as delusional as you are?" Artemis answered, obviously done playing nice. "Take your pick; either would be correct."

    Draco stood abruptly, his temper flaring as he glared down at Artemis. "You're one more smart remark away from being decked, so keep talking."

    Artemis was unphased, and looked entirely bored by the whole exchange. One day, Vanessa hoped she had his ability to remain ridiculously calm in sticky situations. Next to him, Alex shoveled popcorn into her mouth excitedly, ready for the bloodshed. Vanessa nearly rolled her eyes at the sight. At least someone was enjoying this scene.

    She sighed angrily, grabbing Draco's wrist. "We talked about this last night, Draco. You said you believed me. If that's the case, you need to drop it. Please sit down."

    "She is right, you know," Artemis added. "If you truly believed her, you'd stop acting like a prat."

    Much to Vanessa's surprise, Draco reluctantly sat back down. He was still far from done arguing though. "Keep it up, and my father will hear about this."

    Artemis was completely unbothered by Draco's favorite threat. "Go ahead. Tell your father. I have no reason to fear your family," he retorted, a smirk on his face. "You're not the only one with a powerful father, and it will do you well to remember that."

    Vanessa had never heard Artemis use his own father as a threat, but there was a first time for everything. Plus, it was a valid point. Artemis' father, Artemis Senior, certainly was not a man to be trifled with. He had a shady past, with a vast criminal empire in both the magical and Muggle worlds. Senior was a changed man now, having gone legitimate just before their second year. If Artemis hadn't told her about his father's notoriety, Vanessa would've never guessed. Senior was such a loving father now she found it hard to believe he was once a gruff, no-nonsense kind of man. That being said, Vanessa was sure he still had a dark side if given enough reason to channel it. His boys were probably a good enough reason.

    Draco never got a chance to reply before they felt the train start to slow down as it entered the King's Cross station. Vanessa was relieved, as it put an end to the fighting for now. She knew that this was only a temporary lull in what was sure to be a longer battle. It was her own fault things were like this, and she missed the brief time when the boys got along. One way or another, she was going to have to fix it. But that likely meant losing either Draco or Artemis. She was sure there was no way she was going to walk out of this with both of them still in her life. Not now.

    The train screeched to a stop, and it only took a moment before everyone started to file off. The narrow hallway between compartments filled almost immediately, and Vanessa was grateful for the commotion and noise. She stood, quickly grabbing her trunk from the overhead shelf. Vanessa waited as her friends and boyfriend grabbed their own trunks before the four of them filed into the hallway, getting caught up in the masses of other students as they stepped off the train.

    The four of them walked away from the train for a moment, coming to a stop several yards away. Vanessa was surprised the four of them had walked together this long, given the circumstances. She didn't have long to think about what had just transpired on the train, as Draco broke her thoughts by pulling her into a heated kiss. It was the first time he had kissed her since the allegations had been brought to light, the first time since the night before the party.

    Vanessa had nearly forgotten how his lips felt against hers. They were soft, warm, and inviting despite how cold he had been to her the last two days. After a few moments, she finally relaxed enough in his embrace to kiss him back. But just as quickly as it started, it ended.

    Draco pulled away from her, and he looked down into her eyes. "I hope you have a good Christmas break," he started. Vanessa was a little shocked to hear that considering how he had just acted on the train. "I'll be sending you an owl, so keep an eye out for it."

    Vanessa nodded. "I hope you have a good break too. Try to relax a little."

    Draco frowned. "I'll do my best. Goodbye, Vanessa. See you soon." He turned, and took a few steps away from them before he turned back around, glaring pointedly at Artemis. "Oh, and try to keep your hands off my girlfriend for the next two weeks, Fowl."

    Artemis rolled his eyes, and echoed Draco's response, "I'll do my best."

    Draco huffed, but said nothing more as he turned on his heel and resumed walking away. Vanessa frowned, but she would've been lying if she said she wasn't feeling a bit relieved to have him go off to find his parents without them. Vanessa watched him until he disappeared into the crowd. Now that it was just her, Artemis, and Alex, she felt quite a bit better. Nothing to hide from them. Which reminded her...

    Vanessa turned to Alex. "One of these days, I'm just going to deck you."

    Alex was unashamed, and smiled sweetly as the three of them started walking once again. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I was merely having some conversation."

    "You nearly blew the whole thing," Artemis snapped.

    "But I didn't, now did I?" Alex replied.

    "Debatable," Vanessa answered. "Anything more obvious, and there would've been a brawl in the compartment."

    The cute smile on Alex's face had shifted into a smirk. "What can I say? I live for drama."

    "You don't say," Artemis muttered.

    Alex didn't get a chance to reply before she spotted her mother standing in the crowd of other parents. Vanessa noticed her too, unsure how she was able to pick her out of the crowd like that, given her friend's mother's average height. Vanessa swore her friend's mother looked a bit greyer than the last time she had seen her too. Alex's mother normally had dark blonde hair, and now it was speckled with strands of grey. Her mother's face was nothing short of happy to see them; she had a huge smile on her face, and it made the lines around her dark eyes more pronounced.

    "Alright, there's my ride, so I'll see you two lovebirds later," Alex stated with a wink, before she left the two of them standing there alone as she joined her mother.

    Artemis huffed quietly beside her, but said nothing more as Alex's mother waved at them. Vanessa waved back enthusiastically while Artemis offered a single wave. Once they saw their friend and her mother start chatting and turn away, Artemis glanced over at her.

    "Shall we? I'm sure Butler is waiting for us," he said.

    So that was who was picking them up from the platform. Things had been so chaotic the last few days, Vanessa forgot to ask him who was picking them up. There had been times where both of his parents would show up, and there had been many times where they'd send their manservant, Butler. Either was fine by Vanessa, but she honestly preferred the latter. Butler was a massive and intimidating man, and his presence alone made people keep their distance.

    Vanessa could only imagine what people would do if they knew how deadly the man really was. She didn't remember the specifics, but she knew the man was trained in several forms of combat, and was trained in plenty of Muggle weaponry on top of being a skilled wizard. While their family had been protecting the Fowls for generations, he was the one chosen specifically to guard Artemis. He took pride in his work, and did a damn good job. It was only a shame Dumbledore wouldn't allow the man on school grounds. He was probably the last person Vanessa wanted to be on the bad side of; Butler didn't need weapons or magic to kill someone, and she knew it.

    Not that she thought he would. The man had a heart of gold and was truly a big softy once you got to know him.

    Vanessa nodded. "If we take too much longer, he might send out a search party," she replied.

    "Merlin knows we don't want that," Artemis said with a laugh. It was nice to see him smiling again. Vanessa didn't like the moody him that was present on the train, and was glad his mood was improving.

    The two of them continued walking a bit further down the platform before Vanessa finally spotted the bald man, towering over the other nearby guardians. Seeing Butler eased her mind a bit, and she could only imagine seeing Artemis' parents and brothers would help her even more. He started walking towards them, and was in front of them in only a few seconds.

    "Ah, hello, old friend," Artemis greeted. "Glad to see my absence hasn't caused you any distress."

    "Glad to see you too, Artemis," Butler replied. His gaze shifted to Vanessa. "Hello, Vanessa. I trust you've kept him out of trouble?"

    Vanessa smiled, but internally she was screaming. If anything, she had gotten Artemis into more trouble. The worst part was that she was sure the man could see right through her smile, and would likely know soon enough what happened. He and Artemis were super close, and she would be surprised if Artemis didn't tell Butler exactly what transpired days ago.

    But she lied anyway. "Oh yeah. I totally kept him in line."

    Artemis glanced over at her. "Of course you did," he agreed. "Shall we depart? I'm sure my parents are eagerly awaiting our arrival."

    "Of course, sir," Butler answered. He offered each of the teens his arms, and both of them linked their arms with his. Vanessa was momentarily grateful she didn't have to link arms with Artemis, if only because it would possibly reignite whatever it was between them. That was likely going to happen anyway over the next two weeks, and she wanted to delay it as much as possible.

    She didn't have much time to think about it though. Within a few seconds of their arms being linked, the three of them Disapparated with a small pop, off to start what Vanessa could only hope wasn't a disastrous Christmas break.