Jace shrugged. "No," he said. "Not rebellious. I just don't like the guy because of what he said about you is all." His blood still boiled over that comment.

He gave her a half smile. "I'm pretty sure you'll always be on my list of people I care about. Right now, I think you and my sister are the only two on the list." He sighed then shook his head. "Nah, it'll be fine."

Jace glanced at his watch. He'd only just thought to put it on this morning, and he was glad he did. It was getting late, or rather early. He glanced sideways at Kayla as they continued walking up to the castle. "How about we watch the sunrise after we're done with our detention? I'll bring a basket that I can probably nick from the kitchens and we'll have a moonlit picnic until the sun comes up. What do you say to that, querida?"

Kayla chuckled lightly. "And some say chivalry is dead, well they obviously haven't met you" she gave his hand a squeeze as they continued their walk back to the castle.

She smiled to herself when he called her 'querida'. "Sounds perfect and he's romantic as well. Seems I got really lucky the day I got bored and found myself in the second floor corridor and met you" Kayla was almost skipping her way to the castle. "I'm the luckiest girl in the world."

Jace watched as she skipped up to the castle. He couldn't agree with her more, and he told her so. "I agree with you," he said. "I'm glad I was bored that day in the hall. It was fun, and now I've gone and landed myself, and you, in detention." He chuckled.

His heart clenched when he heard the words 'luckiest girl in the world.' He smiled to himself as he continued to watch her. He'd have a thousand detentions just to make her happy, he thought. He sighed. This girl was slowly, but surely, worming her way into his heart. And he knew that she'd stay there forever.

When they reached the castle, he turned and looked. "I think we should say good night here," he said. "We both need our sleep for tomorrow. I can't wait to see what the git has planned for us," he joked. He yawned once; he could practically hear his bed calling for him up in the Gryffindor tower. "So, I'll see you tomorrow in detention?" he asked, kissing her lightly on the cheek.

She laughed. "I'd happily go to detention every week, knowing that I'll always have you there for me."

"Okay yeah that might be a good idea" she stood on tiptoe to receive his kiss. "See you tomorrow Jace...and try to be on your best behaviour" she grinned and she walked off towards her own common room. She didn't care what happened in detention as long as Jace was with her she could face anything.

Jace smirked at her when she mentioned behavior. "I will if he is!" he called to her, and entered the castle to go to his own common room and into bed. He was so tired, but it didn't matter. It was worth it. He could feel himself caring for Kayla more and more, and that care deepening with every passing second. She was definitely his first love, and he was glad she was. He could think of no one else better to fill that role.

And so with those thoughts in his head, and his heart filled with happiness for the first time in a very long while, Jace Collins headed to his warm, comfortable waiting bed.

A lone penguin feather lies beside Hermy's plot. Occasionally the wind will kick it up, but mostly it stays close to the flowers that are planted there.

Cassandra made her way to the student gardens and sat on a bench by the flowers. She pulled her legs up at her side, curling up in the corner of the bench waiting patiently for Alex to catch up to her.

Alex walked into the gardens, straightening up and walking confindly seeing Cassandra. I am such a fake. "What's up?" He tried to sound casual.

Cassandra looked at a plot... "Is... that a penguin? I thought I was the only one with a penguin at the school?" She shook her head.

"I just wanted to make sure you were... alright..." she said to him. I miss you, she thought and fought as hard as she could to cover her thoughts...

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO I'm in frellin hell right now, come back to me!!!!!!!!!! I messed up and i'm sorry. Stop punishing me. He looked down, "As good as can be expected. You?"

"I'm ok..." Liar... she thought to herself.

Silence...

"Professor Erikson's back..." she said trying to say something... anything. "He brought me a present... it's in my room.... very pretty." She said.

Jack's eyes widened. She had just said that she could love him. And possibly marry him.

Woah ... Crazy stuff.

"But...what ..." He paused, maybe it wasn't a good idea to ask that. He stared at his feet for a while and looked back up at her. "Never mind."

He shuffled his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets. He'd just killed the conversation. Awesome.

Alex looked up, "I know. I over heard in the Common room. Cassandra...You need to stay away from him. He's not right."

Bella knew that he wanted to ask her something. She half wished that he would just come out with it already, she figured it was going to be about Zero anyway.

She raised an eyebrow and decided to try getting it out of him anyway, "Are you sure?" she asked, crossing her arms, which she could now do since it was no longer broken. Then she pulled her arms down quickly, thinking that he might think she was upset if her arms were crossed.

Boys were silly things afterall.

"I'm sorry? What?" What was he on about now... is this still his jealousy talking? "I can't he's my Herbology Professor, and... and a friend. A good friend." And then it hit her... he heard it in the common room... Xana!

"Whatever Xana told you is a lie!" She stood and looked at him... why couldn't they just talk... "I saw her run out of his gardens, I was there! I would have heard, I was there..."

Jack stared blankly at her trying to decide to ask her or not. But he knew the answer already so what was the point?

"Mhm. Never mind." He repeated. He stood, unsure of what to say, arms hanging limply.

He tried to think of something to do or talk about that might be fun or interesting. He had already managed to break her arm and argue with her in the few times they had talked. He had an idea.

"Would you like to dance?"

Bella nodded, all right, she guessed he really had nothing to say, so she shrugged it off.

She wrinkled her nose and smiled, under other circumstances, another time, another day, she would have agreed to dance with him, but now wasn't exactly good.

"I don't know Jack." she said, tucking her hair behind her ear, "There's just a lot that-" People would think.

Jack's smile dropped and he sighed.

Eurgh. Why did girls always have to think about stuff? Why couldn't they just dance.

"Come on." He said, reaching out his hand for her to take hold of so they could dance. "Besides, I love this song."

He dropped her hand and started humming a song. It wasn't any song in particular, just a song. He started to dance by himself and then held out his hand for her to join him, still humming.

Alex smirked, "Always so fast to blame Xana. So then Erickson is not back? Cause if what Xana told me is a lie then he hasn't returned. Because that's all she told me." Alex frowned, "I don't what you saw but if it scared Xana and had to do with Erickson then I am sure there is more too it.

Bella sighed but couldn't help but laugh when he started humming. Fine. She would dance with him. What was a dance between friends anyway? Nothing really.

Nothing to worry about.

"All right." she agreed, taking his hand with a laugh, they probably looked quite silly, but she really didn't care.

Jack grinned when she finally agreed to dance and took his hand.

"Now, dahling." He said in a mock posh English accent. "You will not have to worry about falling over or anything of the sort."

He carried on humming. Dancing with her aimlessly around the grass. They probably looked foolish but that didn't matter. It was fun.

"Because I am such a fabulous dancer." He added sarcastically.

"And you're always so quick in defending her, aren't you..." there was vemon behind her voice. She looked down and then whispered, "I don't want to talk about Xana... nor do I want to talk about Erikson... He's a wonderful professor... and I won't stay away from him. That's all..." She sat back down, her eyes fixed on a flower in the opposite direction as he was sitting.

Alex knealed down next to her and very quietly said, "My mother and twin sisters were murdered for his entertainment. you would do well to stay away from him."

Bella laughed as he started talking to her in a really bad accent. Was there anything he wouldn't do to make her laugh?

Wait.

Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero.

She tripped over her own feet right when he mentioned not falling. "Oh God." she said, shaking her head, "It seems I'm cursed to fall down."

"LIAR!" she stood and began walking to the castle but the walked back.

"You missunderstood! You must have! Who told you she was killed? Who said he was there?!" She shook her head as she paced. "It's not him... YOU know he wasn't there!"