It wasn't much of a hard choice when the Potter Twins were chosen to be apart of the Hogwarts Quidditch team. Nor was it hard for them to chose Elyse Wood as the keeper and Freddie as a beater.

Unfortunately, it was decided that Lily Minerva would not be playing as the seeker. She was determined to be "too young." Aside from Lily, the youngest player on any of the teams was a fifth year. It was determined by the headmasters no one young than the age of fourteen was allowed to play. Meaning Lily, who was only twelve, couldn't play.

She was furious to say the least.

"That's bullshit!" she swore, kicking over a plant.

"Easy there, tiger," James whistled from the side as he watched his sister's anger get the best of her.

"Don't you dare!" she hissed. "You get to play!"

"Lils," Ruby said calmly despite her growing irritation. "You can still play-"

"But I want to play in the tournament!" she exclaimed, her red pony-tail whipping around her face as she turned to face her sister. "This was my chance to get recognized by scouts-"

"Merlin, Lily!" Jade exclaimed. "You're twelve. There's always next year-"

Lily kicked the wall.

A fact known only to the Potters and close family friends was that Lily Potter struggled with her rage. It wasn't often that her rage got the best of her, she was normally able to call the storm before it came. But not all of the time.

All it takes is one incident and it all comes back to the surface.

"But this was my chance to prove myself!"

"Prove what?" Ruby asked, remaining calm. It always angered Lily how her sister could be so calm. It angered her how her sister could control her emotions and she couldn't. "Lily, you're already an amazing player-"

"I wanted to prove that I'm just as good as dad!"

Everything fell silent.

Marco, who had come to find Jade, observed the situation before slowly walking out.

"Lils," James said softly.

"What?" she shouted.

"You're an amazing seeker," he said calmly, kneeling down in front of her. "If you want to make mum and dad proud . . . Lily, they already are. You don't even have to play Quidditch to make them proud. Look at Ruby, they're proud of her. She doesn't play."

"But Ruby-" Lily's words died in her throat.

She believed her parents were proud of Ruby because she had enough courage to come out as transgender. That was something brave. Their parents were brave.

Lily believed that her parents were proud of all of their kids because they've done impressive things. She believed they were proud of Teddy because he is top of his class in Auror training. She believes they are proud of James because he is Quidditch captain along with Jade. She believes they are proud of James because he excels in school. She believes they are proud of Jade because she stands up for what she believes in.

She didn't believe that Nova and Harry Potter were proud of their children because they loved them.

"Lily," Ruby said calmly. "You don't have to prove anything."

"But dad is a hero, so is mum," she said slowly. "I want to prove that I am worthy of them as parents-"

"Lily," Jade said quickly. "You are worthy. Even if you weren't, it doesn't matter. Mum and Dad are both proud of you. They both love you."

Lily said nothing, but nodded.

***

"A party?" Roxanne asked in complete shock. "Are you insane?"

"Come on, dear sweet cousin!" Freddie exclaimed with a trouble-maker smile as he slung his pale arm over her shoulder. "Its just what we need! We can kick off this Quidditch season with one big arse party!"

"That's always your solution," Elyse rolled her eyes, pulling her mousy brown hair into a messy bun. "Throw a big arse party."

"It makes sense!" Freddie reasoned, turning to James. "Jamie, come one. You've got to agree."

"It could be just what we need to get the school into the team spirit," Jade spoke for her brother.

"Jazz has a point," Marco nodded.

"Of course you agree with her," Elyse rolled her crystal blue eyes.

"Why keep it limited to just fourth year Hogwarts students?" James asked the Golden Marauders. "We could invite the visitors."

Jade was not impressed. If they invited everyone, Skylyn would come. That's not something she particularly wanted.

Nova and Harry had always taught their children to not judge a book by its cover. They had always taught their children to be accepting of all people. To allow people that might not seem friendly a chance, not to judge someone by their appearence. They had always taught their children to allow the first impression of someone to change.

But with Skylyn . . . Jade didn't trust her at all. In part, it had to do with the scathing glances that she would send in Elyse's direction. At first thought, one would believe she was jealous. Perhaps because Elyse was actually a wonderful person or perhaps because James held feelings for Elyse. But that wasn't everything . . .

Then, Skylyn would make comments that were underlying homophobic and misogynistic.

Then, Jade noticed the glance Skylyn would send in the direction of Marco and Roxanne.

Then, Skylyn didn't take any hint when it came to James. He would ask her to leave him alone, in a nice way, of course, but she wouldn't back off. His body language radiated uncomfort.

This means, Skylyn, in a sense, as attacked several members of her family.

Much like her mother, Jade didn't let anyone hurt her family without consequence.

For now, she waited for her to royally mess up so she can prove to her friends and family that she's an asshole.

"I agree with Jamie," Elyse nodded. "We shouldn't exclude the visitors."

"I was thinking we could exclude one-"

"What do you have against her?" Roxanne asked. It's been an ongoing arguement between the friends for the past couple of weeks. "She hasn't done anything."

"The bad vibe excuse doesn't explain why you don't like her," Marco said calmly, refusing to meet Jade's eyes. If he did, his heart might just break. Everyone has been against Jade's suspicions. Everyone but Marco.

Jade flinched back in shock, almost as if she'd been slapped. Her emerald green eyes were wide, and, for once, the pain was clear.

"I mean . . . it's just that . . . well . . . she seems . . . very nice . . ." as he spoke, Marco's words became quieter and quieter. " . . .her smile . . . is . . . nice . . . "

Everyone's eyes flickered between the two in shock. It was strange to say the least for Jade and Marco to be on opposing sides of something more serious than which bag Doritos to get.

"Having a pretty face and a pretty body doesn't make you nice," Jade said hotly.

"You'd ought to know all about that," Marco fired at her, his anger growing.

The group's eyes grew wide. James moved to intervene, but Elyse grabbed his wrist and shook her head.

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Jade shot.

"N-Nothing," Marco stammered.

"No. I want to know what you mean by that Marco Zabini-Nott," Jade said coldly.

Marco stayed silent.

"Unbelievable," Jade scoffed, making her way to the doors of the abandoned classroom. She threw the door open, where it smacked the wall with a loud crash.

***

That Friday night the Golden Marauders had thrown their biggest party yet. Everyone over the age of fourteen had been invited. The party seemed like any other party thrown by the group. Except it wasn't.

For the first time in all of their history, Jade hadn't help plan the party.

Jade had decided to sit on the roof of Hogwarts, watching the grounds below her. She couldn't explain it, but her heart was in pain.

She wasn't upset with Marco for having a different opinion, she was more so in shock. He then justified it for her having a nice smile. That's what really set her off.

Why should it matter to Marco whether or not she had a nice smile?

Why should that determine the type of person they are?

It truly pissed her off.

When the party began, Jade had arrived. She dressed in black ripped jean shorts and an emerald green crop top. Several golden rings decorated her fingers. Her thin gold-chained necklace with her jade green gem as the charm around her neck. It was perhaps her favorite piece of jewlery. It was something gifted by her uncles Blaise and Theo six years ago. It was something a young Marco had appearently picked out. Her golden caramel hair had been straightened, despite not needing it to be. She wore black hightop converses.

The moment she had entered, many heads snapped towards her. It was short lived, because everyone had turne their attention back to what they were doing.

The music was roaring and the colorful lights flashing. There was laughter coarsing through the room.

Jade saw her friends off in the corner, and began to make her way over towards them. That was until she was stopped.

"You're Jade, right?" someone asked. The voice was strictly American.

She spun around to look up at who started speaking to her. He was tall, with a strong build. A beater's build. His hair is straight, short, and blonde. His eyes were a light, cold blue. Hit cheek bones were pronounced.

"I am," she nodded with a small smile. She tried placing a name to him, but came up empty. "I'm sorry, but I don't know your name."

"You wouldn't. We've never spoken before," he said nervously. "I'm Chris."

"Nice to meet you, Chris," she nodded with an easy-going grin. "You're from Ilvermorny, right?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Really?" Jade smiled. "What's it like there?"

***

Marco was left alone after a while. Elyse and Roxanne were playing with darts. James and Freddie were off being idiots. Jade was . . . well she as talking to some buff American.

Marco was talking with Jade and the American earlier. He was happy Jade hadn't appeared to be too upset anymore. He didn't think he could handle her being upset with him. Yet, he had excused himself from them. He felt . . . small in comparison to the American, who he never got the name of. The American was extremely built. He was impressive. He was charming.

He made Marco feel insecure. While Marco wasn't buff, he had a swimmer's build. He was lean, but muscular. Yet, when he looked at himself, he saw nothing but skin and bones.

Marco watched as the American tried to flirt with Jade. For the first time in a long time, Jade hadn't flirted back.

But Marco still felt horrible compared to the American, so he left.

"On a scale of one to ten," one of the Hufflepuffs asked his friend with a grin. They were sitting near Marco, and he listened into their conversation. "How good of a shag do you think Elyse Wood would be?"

Marco's fist clenched.

"That's the one with the brown hair and blue eyes?" one of transfer students asked. "The one with big thighs?"

Marco's irritation grew.

Had they no respect?

"At least a six," one of the boys laughed. "The real question is about Jade Potter."

The empty red cup that Marco was holding, bent and snapped.

"Which on is that?"

"You don't know who Jade Potter is?"

"I know who she is, but not what she looks like."

"The one leaning against the wall," the boy nodded. "Big ass. Big tits. Green eyes-"

That's all they could get out before Marco had enough.

"What'd you say?" he demanded, approaching the group angrily.

It wasn't often Marco's anger got the best of him. He and Roxanne were considered the most level headed out of the group.

But now, glaring down at the assholes who had no regard for anyone, he'd lost it.

"Oh come on, Zabini-Nott," one of the boys with light skin and hair. He was the shortest out of them all, and his eyes were dark. "You're close to them. You've got to admit they're both beautiful."

"You weren't saying they're beautiful," Marco growled.

"Oh come on, Marco!" the tallest of the group strung his arm around Marco's shoulders. This was his own housemate, a Hufflepuff. His skin was dark, as was his hair and eyes. "You can't tell me you haven't thought of Potter that way! You hang out with her everyday. She has that Quidditch body-"

Marco's elbow jammed into Nathan's, the fellow Hufflepuff, rib cage. Nathan stumbled back only to be struck in the face by Marco.

The other two boys jumped in. They grabbed both of Marco's arms holding him steady. Nathan's fist made contact with Marco's face once. Twice. Three times.

"Get off of him!" Jade shouted, grabbing a hold of Nathan's fist.

He shoved her back.

"Oi!" James shouted, jumping in. He tackled Nathan to the ground. "You don't touch my sister!"

Jade launched herself off of the floor, and threw herself at one of the boys holding Marco.

James was wrestling Nathan.

Freddie and Elyse caught sight of the situation, and moved to help. Freddie moved the other boy holding Marco, and Elyse to calm James down.

Marco was free his holders. Freddie was beating one to the ground and Jade was managing the other.

That was when she was pushed to the side.

"James!" Elyse shouted. "James! Stop!"

Marco's fist struck the nose of the boy who pushed Jade. Before he could make another hit, he was suspended in the air, much like the others.

"That's enough!" Roxanne shouted. "You know the rules. You fight, you're out."

Whispers broke out amoungst the crowd.

Roxanne had lowered the fighters to the ground.

"You're disgusting," Marco growled at Nathan. "It's not right to talk about someone the way you had. Learn some respect!"

More whispered broke out in the crowd. Nathan was considered a rather likeable student. He was easy on the eyes and had a charming air about him.

Yet, most of the crowd knew that it took a lot to make Marco mad. It took a lot for Marco to lash out. They knew that Marco was a huge feminist. They knew the few things that made him made ran along the lines of homophobia, misogynies, sexism, and sexualization. They also knew that something else could set him over the edge . . . something involving Jade Potter. Everytime Marco became physical was anytime it pertained to his friends. More specifically Jade.

"Come on," Jade said calmly, grabbing Marco's hand. "Let's get you cleaned up."

James was lead back to the Gryffindor Common Room by Elyse. Roxanne had given Freddie one of the longest and boring lectures he has ever been given.

Marco held onto Jade's hand as she lead him through the dark corridors of Hogwarts. It wasn't nearly as cold as he had thought it would be. It seemed almost as if heat was radiating from Jade's soft hand.

Jade entered one of the several bathrooms in all of Hogwarts. She snapped her fingers, and fires lit along the torches. She jumped onto one of the counters, and sat down.

"Come here, Buzz Buzz," she said calmly, letting the water run from the fucet onto a paper towel. "Take off your shirt. You've gotten blood all over it."

Marco moved to stand in between her legs and removed his shirt, displaying his abdominal muscles. He winced as she dabbed the towel onto his split eyebrow.

"Maybe if you didn't pick a fight with three guys, it wouldn't hurt," Jade sassed.

"No need to throw salt in the wound," Marco grumbled.

"Why?" she asked. "Why get in a fight Marco?"

He didn't say anything. He just studied her eyes, but they weren't focused on his. They were focused on all of his injuries substained. He could see the worry in her eyes and his heart started to beat faster.

"You've got such a big heart," she rambled. "You rarely get into fights, let alone start them. Why? Why start getting into fights now? I know it's not the alcohol, Marco. You barely drank anything, and you can manage yourself under the influence. I know that's not something to brag about - Merlin, Marco! Why? You're all busted up! You're lip is bleeding, you've gotten a black eyes, your nose might be broken-"

"You," he whispered quietly.

"What?"

"You," he repeated again as she stopped trying to clean his wounds. "He was saying things about you . . . and I got mad."

"You don't have to defend me."

"I know that."

"I don't need you to stand up for me," Jade had gone back to trying to clean Marco's face. "I can do that myself."

"Jade-"

"It's stupid how most women grow up believing that we need to wait for a man to come along and save the day. That we can't do things for ourselves."

"Jade-"

"I don't need a man to defend me. I don't need anyone to defend me."

"Jade-"

"I appreciate the insentive, but I don't need it."

"Jade-"

"I'm perfectly-"

"Jade. Stop," Marco gently grabbed Jade's hand that was trying to clean his face. "I didn't do it because I knew you couldn't do it yourself. Believe me, I know that you can defend yourself. I did it because I wanted to, and because the things they were saying weren't - they shouldn't get away with what they said."

"What'd they say?"

"You don't want to know."

"Clearly I do, or I wouldn't be asking."

"I don't want you to see yourself differently," Marco shook his head. "Their words aren't worth your time."

Jade's emerald green eyes bore in Marco's brown ones.

She found it almost idiotic how people were made to fit into the basic catergories of eye color; blue, green, brown, hazel. Marco was always classified as a 'brown eyed boy', but his eyes were a lot more than that. His eyes consisted of all the different hues of brown. It wasn't just brown. His eyes held the hues of dark chocolate to the color of coconuts.

But the irises of his eyes weren't as visable as they typically were. His pupils were wide and dialated.

Jade had gone back to cleaning Marco's face. Marco always found it odd how no one would ever mention the golden flakes that sparkled in her eyes. He thought it odd how no one ever acknowledged how the light would reflect off of them.

A muscle in Marco's jaw jumped.

He reached up to grab Jade's hand again. He brought it down from his face. He slowly took the towel out of his hand and set it aside.

"Let me clean your face," she said softly.

"Jade," he said slowly. "I can clean my own face."

"That's unfortunate," she shrugged. "I'm going to help anyway."

"Jade," he said in a voice that sounded slightly pained.

"Just let me help-"

Her words were cut off by his lips on hers. It was soft and delicate. It sent a small electric shock through her body. His lips were softer than she imagine. They were . . . well she couldn't describe it.

Marco pulled away.

Their eyes met.

Jade smashed her lips into his. It was completely different then before. Before it was slow and unsure. It was soft and delicate. It held deep emotion. Now, it held something else than emotion. It held lust.

His hands wrapped around her waist as he pulled her closer to him. His sense went into overdrive as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, as her hands were looped around his neck.

There were often moments within the past couple of years when Jade and Marco would almost kiss. The tention would be high. Their heads would be becoming closer and closer. Then at the last moment, they were interrupted. Both disregarded the incidents as a figment of their imagination.

Jade's hands tangled in his hair. His lips trailed a path of fire down his skin as his lips kissed down her jaw.

Jade had kissed quite a few people. All of them were . . . well they were boring compared to this. They seemed to lack the spark she felt now. They lacked the . . .

It was what Nova had described as something that made you feel loved, and respected all at once. It was what she said to be the moment sparks flew.

A soft moan escaped Jade's lips as Marco found the place just below the jaw.

Her hands trailed down Marco's toned chest and to the belt loops of his jeans. She pulled him closer, their chests touching. A small groan fell from Marco's lips.

Marco's lips met hers again.

He groaned as she tugged at his bottom lip.

He lifted her from the counter. His hands grasped the back of her thighs as he moved. He lowered them to the floor, his body over hers.

His tongue fought hers as she pulled him closer to her once again. His hand trailed up her side. His fingers delicate ran along her rib cage.

Jade's lips moved down his jaw . . .

Her phone began to ring.

The two teenagers jumped apart like the other was covered in acid.

"Hullo?" Jade asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"Jade?" Elyse's voice came from the other side. "Where are you? You aren't in our dorms."

"I'll be there soon."

"Your brother almost turned me into his own personal teddy bear," Elyse said quickly. "Freddie had damn near fell asleep on the way back. Roxanne gave us all a lecture."

"Well, I don't think you'd particularly hate being in James's arms," Jade teased.

"Like you don't want to be in Marco's."

Jade's eyes shot towards Marco. She blushed slightly, but flashed him a smile.

"Have you seen Marco?" Elyse asked. "I haven't seen his since the party."

"Yeah . . ." Jade said calmly, trying to fight the blush off of her cheeks. "I've seen him. I last saw him outside the Hufflepuff Common Room."

"Thank Merlin!" Elyse exclaimed. "DO you know whats gotten into him?"

"I'm not sure, El. I'll see in a few."

Once the call ended, Jade turned to Marco, who had put his shirt back on.

"Jade, I-"

"Don't. Don't apologize."

"But I-"

"I wasn't telling you to stop."

"I don't want to mess up our friendship," Marco said hurridly.

Jade's heart shattered.

Then she finally understood why her heart has been faster in his prescence. She understood why she always wanted to be around him. She understood why she was so hurt by his comment about Skylyn's smile.

She didn't like him as just a friend.

It was more than that.

"I don't want anything to change either," Jade nodded, despite her pain. "It'll change everything."

Marco's heart sunk.

"Right."

"Exactly."

"We should just forget this whole thing happened."

"Periodt."

"100%"

"Perfect conclusion."

"I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast."

Neither teenager wanted them to remain friends. Both found that they wanted . . . more out of their relationship. Both wanted to be more than friends.

But neither was willing to risk losing their friendship over it.