It was quite funny how time always went so fast when Mia was having fun. For once in her life, she was able to forget about her family, forget about her arranged marriage to Orion and just let herself go.

Pulling pranks and causing mischief around the castle soon became a rather common pastime for Euphemia and she was starting to enjoy it more and more, though the endless supply of detentions did start to wear her out a little.

The Head Boy, Elphinstone Urquart seemed to find Mia's antics rather amusing, however, and he often looked the other way whenever Minerva and Euphemia were setting up pranks or making trouble in the corridors.

However, if the girls were with Alastor and Charlus, they usually ended up getting punished or at least scolded which, Mia remarked playfully one day, was entirely their fault.

"You're just not as charming as Minnie and I," Euphemia teased Alastor with a laugh as the four of them headed into their fourth detention that week, the reason behind their punishment being that they managed to have an entire corridor closed off due to them filling the entire space with slime.

"I'll have you know that many girls would disagree," Alastor responded with a smirk and Mia pulled a disgusted face, not wanting to know about both Alastor's and Charlus' playboy reputations.

But, time really was going fast because Euphemia was actually enjoying her time at Hogwarts for once (she always had done, her experience had just been marred by the likes of her family more often than not).

It was great that Mia was enjoying the start of her fifth year and that she was finally relaxing more than she had done in her past four years at the school but time really was flying past faster than the speediest snitch and Christmas was soon upon them.

Most students would've been delighted at the prospect of Christmas approaching but Mia's good mood, that had been in large supply since she had started pranking with her friends, was soon dampened.

Christmas last year, in 1950, had been extremely eventful because Euphemia had found herself victim to one of the worst torture sessions that she had ever experienced at the hands of her very own father, Arcturus.

It had simply been because she had cheeked her parents during the Christmas Eve dinner when they had told her something important was going to happen that would affect her deeply (which Mia soon found out was, of course, the attack in Hogsmeade).

Because of that, however, Euphemia wasn't really looking forward to Christmas this year at the Black Manor and she almost wished that she had the nerve to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays for once.

But her parents would never allow it. No matter how much they hated her and how much they didn't care about her, Cassiopeia and Arcturus always made sure that Mia was home for the holidays.

It would just be way too suspicious, you see. If extremely respected members of the Sacred 28, like Euphemia's parents were, didn't have their daughter in attendance to all of the family events and balls then something would be amiss and it would appear suspicious.

'Where's that daughter of yours?' would be asked and 'Where is Euphemia?' would be the questions thrown at Cassiopeia and Arcturus, as they had experienced that previous Christmas when Mia had been holed up in her room, too injured and beaten up to attend the festivities.

Euphemia's parents did not want all of that pestering again (which, Mia thought with a bitter chuckle, wouldn't have occurred in the first place if they hadn't tortured her on Christmas Eve) and so they had written to their daughter and demanded that she return home for Christmas, no matter what.

Due to the option at staying at Hogwarts for Christmas being banned, Euphemia found that, whilst everyone else was getting hyped up for Christmas, she was moping around a little, feeling rather downhearted.

This rather miserable behaviour did not go unnoticed by Mia's friends because, ever since Euphemia had begun to embrace the more mischievous side of her personality, she had been a much happier, much more bubbly person and it was obvious when she was feeling disheartened.

"What's wrong with you then?" Charlus asked her quite casually one evening when it was just Mia and him in the tapestry room (Florean had left the two of them to their own devices to go and pursue an issue with Slughorn, much to Charlus' delight).

Euphemia and Charlus had certainly become friends at least since she had started pranking people and causing mischief with him, Alastor and Minnie.

Charlus was more than happy with the fact that he could be classed as Mia's friend again and he enjoyed talking to her without an argument being started.

However, he didn't usually inquire about her moods or behaviour as that was way too personal for him and he didn't want to overstep her boundaries, especially as their friendship stood on shaky grounds.

Euphemia shrugged in reply to Charlus' question, sitting herself down on the nearest armchair, her eyes scanning over the pictures and artwork littering the billboard on the wall that the group had decorated it with.

"I just don't want to go home for Christmas, I'd rather stay here," she told him and Charlus' brow furrowed a little in concern at her melancholy tone, sitting himself down beside her and not noticing her small intake of breath at his proximity.

"Then stay here, it's that simple," Charlus told her, wondering what was stopping her from doing what she wanted to do for a change.

Mia sighed - Charlus just didn't understand what it was like to be scared of one's family, to be intimidated into going home for Christmas.

Charlus had a loving family, he had a wonderful home to go back to and Euphemia almost became wistful at the thought of the Potter's household that Christmas - from Charlus' stories to the group, she knew the day would be full of happiness, laughter and joy.

"It's really not that simple," Mia answered with a wry smile, biting her lip slightly and Charlus' heart slammed in his chest at the sight, forcing himself to look away.

There was a moment of comfortable silence for a few seconds before Charlus replied, "What's really so bad about Christmas at your house?" he asked.

Charlus wasn't stupid - he knew that Euphemia was treated badly at home and he knew that she was being forced into a marriage and that her family treated her like scum on the bottom of their shoes.

He could easily remember back in third year when Mia had been sent a howler from his mother and he had ended up comforting her in Dumbledore's office. He had known then that Euphemia's home life couldn't be easy and he knew that now.

But it didn't stop him from questioning. Charlus just wanted to hear the words from Mia herself, he didn't want to be told about her horrendous life from someone else like Florean and Minerva.

"There are countless balls, countless opportunities to doll me up into someone that I'm not. Not to mention the company of my unbearable family who are extremely prejudiced against everything I love and disregard my opinions with disdain," Euphemia found herself telling him quietly, a slightly melancholy glint in her eye.

This was nothing new to Charlus - he knew that the Black Family hated the likes of blood traitors, such as himself, and that Mia probably didn't agree with such opinions (though he had once thought otherwise, much to his regret).

However, to hear it from Euphemia's mouth was quite a stab to the heart and the saddened expression on Mia's face made Charlus concerned and worried, causing him to lean forward slightly.

"Do you ever voice your opinions?" he asked carefully, treading in a circumspect fashion so as to not affect her feelings or make her feel startled.

Euphemia gave quite a bitter laugh, thinking of all of the times that she had tried to voice her thoughts on the purity supremacy and prejudice that surrounded her daily life and she had simply gotten punished as a result.

Memories of the occasions when she had been tortured into oblivion by either her mother, father or fiancée (though she detested to think of Orion as such) or beaten up mercilessly simply because of her beliefs flooded Mia's mind.

"Occasionally, not that I manage to succeed," Euphemia replied rather cryptically and she bit her lip slightly, trying to stop herself from revealing any more about her home life.

She trusted Charlus, she really did, and she knew that she liked him as more than a friend which was what scared her into not telling him the truth about her family.

Why should she burden him? They were friends now, yes, even after all of the drama surrounding the Hogsmeade attack and when she had been Imperiused into cursing him.

Mia was quite surprised that she was even considering telling Charlus about her family, especially because they had done nothing but argue up until third year, when they had started to establish a friendship which was soon abolished by the attack in Hogsmeade.

Charlus wasn't stupid. He knew that by the wry smile that twisted Euphemia's features when she had commented on her voiced opinions not being heard, that Mia wasn't telling him something, that she was withholding some information as to why she didn't want to return to Black Manor for Christmas.

But what wasn't she telling him? Was there a possibility that she got hurt whenever she talked about her beliefs, that were profoundly different from the rest of his family?

Charlus knew that the Black Family were cruel and didn't hold people such as him in very high regard. He knew that they often acted with violence and created a lot of fear in the hearts of others.

Charlus had been witness to and had often saved Euphemia from unpleasant fates at the hands of her cousins, Walburga and Druella, which had been what had stemmed his feelings for her.

But surely her parents wouldn't harm her in such a way as Druella and Walburga had done in the past? No mother should treat a daughter in such a way, not if she truly loved her...

No matter how cold hearted Mia's parents were (and Charlus certainly knew how horrible Cassiopeia could be - he had been witness, along with the rest of the school, of her scathing Howler to Euphemia), surely they couldn't hurt their own daughter? He knew she was subjected to verbal abuse but physical? Surely not.

"Do they hurt you?" Charlus suddenly inquired rather quietly, in such a hoarse whisper that he feared that Mia might not have heard him but her stance froze and her eyes widened so he was sure that she did hear him.

A terrified strike shot through Euphemia's body quicker than a bolt of lightning would hit a tree. How did he know? How had he guessed? Had she let something slip that she wasn't aware of?

Mia was aware of her increasing anxiety at that moment as she began to panic, her breathing becoming rather uneven and short as her heart thumped furiously in her chest, thoughts running through her whirring head.

"N-no," Euphemia stammered, aware that her tone didn't sound convincing at all and her startled expression on her face must've given her away long before she even uttered any words.

Charlus raised a single eyebrow and he moved forward a little more, grabbing at her shaking hand before he even knew what had come over him, "Seriously, Mia. If they hurt you, you need to tell someone. You can tell me," he practically pleaded with her.

Euphemia blinked. Twice. Once, because she was aware of tears building behind her eyelids at Charlus' unexpected kindness and didn't want to betray her emotions through crying. Twice, because Charlus Potter was holding her hand and she was internally freaking out.

He had held her hand before, of course. When they had gone on that Hogsmeade date, which had soon ended in ruin, they had held hands but at the time, Mia hadn't even liked Charlus and she had assumed that he was still into his playboy ways.

Now, however, it was quite a delicate moment for the two of them and the fact that Charlus was holding her hand actually ceased her speechless for a few moments, a lump building in her throat.

Charlus didn't even consider that Euphemia was struggling with her emotions and feelings for him though and simply took her silence as a stubborn streak, causing him to become rather irritated.

"Mia," he said intently, rather seriously as his hazel eyes caught her grey blue ones and saw the conflicting emotions swimming there in the irises.

The temptation to kiss her was building but Charlus wanted to know, he needed to know whether Euphemia was abused at home, needed her to admit it because then he could aid her, he could help banish those shadows from her eyes forevermore.

His grip on her tightened and Mia felt her heart lurch in her chest, her stubbornness and resolution not to tell him of her family situation giving way to her feelings for him.

"Yes," Euphemia finally whispered, the sound appearing so broken and defeated to Charlus, making his heart break in half as she crumbled before him, "Yes, they do. Whenever... whenever I-" she cut herself off with a slightly breathy sob.

"Shushh, it's going to be okay. I'll help you," Charlus said soothingly, rubbing his thumb and forefinger over her hand that was still in his hold in a comforting manner that drove Mia crazy, a blush forming on her cheeks.

Euphemia bowed her head, hiding her tears from him with an unbridled amount of shame engulfing her but his free hand soon found her chin, gently tilting it upwards so that she was looking into his eyes.

"It's going to be okay," Charlus repeated, his concerned eyes gazing into hers with such an intensity that Mia was rendered speechless.

For a moment, it seemed like he was going to kiss her because he leant in with that particular intention, such genuine concern and possibly even love, not desire, on his face that Euphemia found herself breathless at.

But then there was a sudden bang that ruined the moment, that broke the two of them apart as Florean strode rather dramatically into the tapestry room, not realising that he had just stopped two of his closest friends from kissing.

"I swear to God, that Professor Slughorn is going to be the death of me!" Florean exclaimed, walking in as he had recently finished his conversation with the Potions Professor and the boy didn't seem to notice that both Charlus and Mia had turned red.

"Why would I want to write a five foot essay on the Draught of Living Death? Seriously, does he think I have nothing. better to do with my life?" Florean ranted before turning to the two of them with a frustrated look.

"I don't know, mate," Charlus answered, seeing as Florean appeared to be seeking an answer because he glanced at them expectantly, like he was waiting for a reaction.

"It was a rhetorical question, Potter!" Florean shouted, rolling his eyes and Charlus held up his hands in surrender, leading Euphemia to giggle which caused Florean to notice his best girl friend.

"Oh, hello Mia. Are you warm or something?" Florean asked Mia casually, sitting down on the sofa opposite Charlus and Euphemia, the drama about his Potions homework long forgotten.

"What? No..." Mia appeared confused and Florean sighed, gesturing to her flustered state and Euphemia realised that she must've still been blushing which only made her turn even more red.

"You're incredibly flustered," Florean pointed out, one eyebrow raising suggestively and Mia felt something akin to panic shoot through her body as she sent an alarmed glance in Charlus' direction, who was thoroughly enjoying himself.

"It's a little hot in here, don't you think?" Euphemia said defensively, fanning herself with one hand as she wiped the other one on the side of the sofa, seeing as it had become rather clammy in Charlus' grip before.

"No?" Florean looked at her strangely, furrowing his eyebrows suspiciously and it was at that point that Charlus jumped in, "Yeah, I'm feeling rather warm myself, actually."

Mia shot him a thankful smile that didn't go unnoticed by Florean, who simply stroked his chin thoughtfully and observed the two of them with a building sense of suspicion.

"Flo, may I have a word with you outside?" Charlus suddenly asked through rather clenched teeth as he hadn't forgotten that his friend had in fact interrupted his potential kiss with the girl he fancied.

"Okay..." Florean replied rather slowly as he started standing up, sending a curious look in Euphemia's direction who prayed that she wasn't still blushing because that would just give it all away.

She didn't even know why she was blushing - her and Charlus hadn't even kissed, for Merlin's sake. Maybe it was just because they were going to and she knew that she certainly wouldn't have pushed him away had he gone through with it and kissed her.

"Now, Florean," Charlus practically snapped and Mia looked at him in surprise but he had already turned into the tapestry tunnel that led to the room that they had been in, Florean following quickly behind him.

Euphemia left in the tapestry room, Charlus practically dragged Florean through the tunnel and out of the tapestry, pulling him by the collar into the corridor outside (which was in fact the one that led to the Trophy Room).

"Woah! Hasty! What's up with you?" Florean asked as he staggered a little upon Charlus' yanking of him out of the  tunnel which had been rather rough for the usually gentle boy.

"Why did you have to come in then?" Charlus asked him frustratedly, taking his hands off Florean and placing them over his face instead.

"What? It wasn't like you and Mia were- Oh!" Florean's eyes widened and he grabbed Charlus' hands, forcing his best mate to look him in the eyes as his mouth parted in shock.

"Were you about to kiss?" he asked in a breathy gasp and when Charlus nodded with a slight grimace, Florean squealed like a little girl and clapped his hands together in excitement.

"But," Charlus interrupted Florean's spurt of happiness with a pointed look of warning, "We didn't. Because you burst in on us, yelling about your bloody essay!" he crossed his arms with a scowl.

Florean laughed for a moment before sobering up and apologising, still immensely happy that they had at least been near kissing, even if they hadn't managed the deed in the end because of him.

"At least it will be special next time," Florean told him with a grin and Charlus rolled his eyes but couldn't stay mad at his friend and so allowed himself a smile.

"I guess, yeah," he sighed. The thing was, he didn't know whether it was the heat and high emotion of the moment that had made Euphemia consider kissing him or whether she actually liked him as more than a friend.

Charlus was still incredibly concerned about what Mia had admitted to him though and an ache settled in his chest at the thought of her suffering for so long and not telling anyone. Unless...

"Flo, did you know about how Mia's parents treat her at home?" Charlus suddenly asked his mate, as he was probably one of the closest to Euphemia, with the exception of Minnie.

Florean instantly stopped smiling and he actually looked rather solemn (an emotion rare for the lad) at Charlus' question and he simply nodded, a lump rising in his throat.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Charlus asked him quietly in a rather betrayed tone and Florean met his gaze with quite an incredulous expression gracing his face.

"It wasn't my issue to tell, Charlus. If Mia wanted to tell you, she would've done but it wasn't down to me to spill one of her secrets," Florean told him softly and Charlus felt himself smiling at the reminder of how fiercely loyal Florean was.

"Well, she's told me now," Charlus found himself saying rather hoarsely and Florean nodded, leaning against the wall, "That means she trusts you - that's good," he told Charlus with a warm smile.

Charlus smiled back, something unspoken being shared between the two friends through the simple power of a gaze.

Alastor may have been a close friend of Charlus' and his partner in crime but Florean was Charlus' best friend and he always knew what he was feeling or thinking.

"It's going to be okay," Florean said quietly, patting Charlus on the shoulder gently, "We'll help her, I promise," he told Charlus, who nodded slowly with a thoughtful expression on his face.

He was realising how lucky he was to have Everleigh and Henry Potter as his parents, who had always loved him and his sisters unconditionally without a doubt or a single cruel word thrown at him throughout his childhood.

Charlus had been raised with love and Euphemia had been raised with hate but they had both managed to turn out as kind, respectful and caring individuals and that was good enough for Charlus.

Mia deserved better, she deserved someone who loved her without a doubt. She didn't deserve to be trapped in a loveless marriage to Orion, she deserved to be treasured and treated like a queen because she was, she was truly amazing.

It was probably in that moment that Charlus realised that he loved her, he loved Euphemia Black with all of his heart and he wanted to make sure that the beautiful smiles, that he saw whenever they were causing trouble with Minerva and Alastor, stayed on her face forevermore.

It was going to be okay. Because Charlus loved Mia and, even if she didn't return his feelings, he was going to make sure that she was happy and that she didn't have to deal with her family anymore.

When do you guys break up for summer? I don't finish school until the 19th of July :(