Tring to prevent her from killing her nail, Fynn slipped his hands around hers, pulling her fingers away from Leane's mouth. "Don't promise that. I don't want you to hold back," he smiled as he lowered his head, kissing her gently before continuing with a soft voice, "Not with me, anyway."

---

Anna smiled openly, now, after realizing that Kalli had seen through her little scheme. With a temper like Josh's, the only way to get him to realize something would be to egg him on, and force him to see the truth.

It was impossible not to see how unfair he was being, and again, Anna let out a light sigh, before resuming her role as antagonist. "She's not your little sister. She's your age. She could say the same thing about you - about you not being ready for such a commitment. 'cause from where I'm sitting, she's loads more mature then you are."
Part of her wondered why she was doing this. As the young Belgian girl placed her hands on her hips, she looked over the group, a bit mindboggled at her own meddling ways. Just the other day she'd slapped Drew to stop him from panicking, and had helped Sai and Drew to hook up. Now, she was purposelly getting Josh mad at her in an attempt to get him to understand his sister better, while Leane had done almost nothing else but show contempt for Anna. Really now... what was she doing?

Leane smiled as she kissed his nose before giving his hand a gentle squeeze, "Mmm, don't tell me that, love. You may not be able to push me away again with my knowing that. Your shoves won't even register with my preoccupied mind," she added with a seductive grin before kissing his lips passionately. Stepping back a step at the end of their kiss, Leane couldn't help but smile adoringly at the man in front of her. With a soft sigh, she kissed the hand she held before slipping it around her waist, her own hands wrapping around Fynn's waist as she inquired, "Now, dearest, shouldn't we head for the library before it gets too late? I promise I'll be very studious and try my very best to suppress the urge to kiss you and get us off task, as long as you promise not to send me to bed right now. I'm not ready to leave you quite yet. So if staying with you longer means studying, I'll willingly and eagerly agree."

----------

Josh's face stayed scarlet as he glared at Anna, "Leane is younger than me, by quite a few months, therefore making her my little sister! And she is not ready for that in any way shape or form."

Still scowling, a small pout became apparent within the scowl as he looked away from Anna, "And I am too mature. Besides, I love Kal, and it's none of your business what we do, it's our own!"

Kalli sighed as she softly spoke to Josh, gently rubbing his back with her hand as she spoke, "You know, love, if you wish to make Leane's personal life our business, it's no different than making our personal life their business. Don't you see that?"

Hugging her lightly, Fynn smiled down at Leane. Unable to resist the temptation her upturned face offered, he craned his neck down to place a gentle kiss on the girls' lips. "I'll have to take your word for it, then. But you're right." In an instant, his hand was locked with Leane's again, waiting calmly for her to start moving. "Let's atleast attempt being good students."

---

"A couple of months, big whoop," Anna laughed, trusting that Kalli would be able to keep Josh in check, and with that trust came the need to push him even further. "I'm a year younger then you, and I have more maturity in my cute little pinky then you do." As she said this, she lifted her hand in front of his face and mockingly wiggled her pinky finger, egging him on even more.

"A MATURE person," the brunette continued, putting extra stress on the word 'mature' each time she said it with her accented English, "would know that you can't measure people's activities with different standards. A MATURE person would know that love needs no reason, and that Leane probably did everything she could to stop feeling the way she did. A MATURE person would be happy to know that there is someone who is wholly devoted to his sister. But no." A sharp intake of breath followed immediatly - Anna being afraid of Josh interrupting her little speech. "You're just a brat who thinks he's entitled to all the happiness in the world, but his little sister needs to be with someone he approves off."

Her hands were once again placed on her hips, and Anna's warm brown eyes glared at Josh from behind her orange framed glasses.Though her voice had risen to a somewhat higher pitch during her small speech, it fell to a lower-then-normal pitch as she challenged the boy sitting across the table with a flirty smile and a cocky shake of her head. "Isn't that right?"

Leane couldn't help but smile and place another kiss on his lips before beginning to walk down the hall, "So, dearest, apparently my class choices weren't good enough, so what shall we study instead?"

----

"Why you.." Josh stood up, his face scarlet, his fists clenched on the table, and nearly dove across the table at Anna. Kalli quickly grabbed his collar while Liam leaned over the table, grabbed Josh's shoulders, and shoved him back in his seat.

Scowling, Josh glared at the empty space on the bench beside him as Liam removed his hands while lecturing him, "That's abou' enough Josh. Ye know Anna's jus' tellin' ye how she sees the situation. Calm yer ass down now before I have t' knock ye one, ye hear?"

Kalli bit her lower lip and she grabbed Josh's arm, "I'm taking Josh out, he needs to cool down." Looking at Anna, she mouthed, "You really hit a nerve, I think he'll be fine by tomorrow," as she stood up, pulling Josh with her, and made her way out of the Great Hall.

Liam sighed as he watched them go as Drew chuckled, "Looks like Anna finally got through!"

"Yeah, no kiddin'. Ye got guts Anna, talkin' t' 'im like tha'! Gotta admit, I like it tho'. I think ye might've actually got Josh t' see reason in more 'an half th' time it would've taken me 'n' Drew! Now it's up t' Kal t' calm 'im down 'n' get 'im t' accept it."

"Charms, perhaps?" Walking next to Leane, he fell back into a contented, relaxed quiet mood, only speaking up calmly now and then. "Since we're both rather bad at those."

---

Slumping down against Liam a bit, Anna let out a tired sigh. "Ugh... that sure wore me out..." Still standing behind him, her arms had almost automatically moved to huge the older boy around his neck, and Anna now rested the side of her face against Liams' hair as she spoke softly to him and Drew.

"It's just because he's so hot-headed. I don't really think all of those things - I was just exaggerating to push his buttons." Letting out a small chuckle - somewhat recovered from her own emotions already - the brunette released Liam and sat down on the bench again, giving a friendly smile to Drew. "He just doesn't strike me as the type to think things through a lot unless forced to. So that's just what I did."

As she reached to the middle of the table to pour herself some time, she cast a side-way glance to Liam, adding, "You could have just let him attack me, though."

Leane turned her head slightly away from Fynn and made a gagging face before smiling up at him and nodding, "Sure! Sounds great. What year shall we start with?"

-----

Liam rolled his eyes as he ruffled her hair, "Not a chance, love." Grinning, he added with a teasing smile, "Unless ye really want 'im attackin' ye. Then by all means, go on after 'im 'n' tell 'im, don' let me stop ye. Just don' except me t' answer ye if ye start talkin' t' me."

Drew laughed, "Looks like someone's a bit jealous, eh?"

Liam rolled his eyes and chucked a roll at Drew before laughing and taking a drink from his goblet.

Knowing all too well that they shared their despise of Charms, Fynn gave a sad smile at her. "I don't know. I'm dreading it already."

----

"Jealous?" Anna's eyes went wide as she looked from Drew to Liam, and then back to Drew again. "Hoe?"

Leane giggled softly as she gently bumped her hip against his, "How about we refresh last years' charms? That'll get us going, then tomorrow we can move our way up to this years' charms."

---

Drew laughed as he ignored Liam, "It's a guy thing, Anna. One, a mate never attacks another mate's girlfriend. Two, if said girlfriend would rather said mate attack her, said boyfriend gets pissed at both said girlfriend and said mate and think there's something more to it simply because said boyfriend gets the interpretation that said girlfriend is feeling guilty and secretly likes said mate and so said girlfriend feels she deserves to get attacked so then she and said mate can make up behind said boyfriends' back. Three, if two occurs, said boyfriend stops associating with both girlfriend and mate and it's a big dramatic mess."

Liam rolled his eyes, "Alrigh' alrigh' already! Ye proved yer point. But that's not a' all wha' I was talkin' 'bout 'n' ye know it."

"Nah, but it sounded good eh?"

"Yeah, wonderful. Don' listen t' 'im Anna, that's not wha' I was thinkin' a' all. I was simply saying tha' I'd be pissed of ye let Josh hit ye fer nothin', 'n' I'd be pissed a' him fer doin' it. Besides, I was only jokin' 'bout followin' 'im, ye know tha'."

---------

Kalli sighed as she dragged Josh out of the Castle and sat down on the steps, "Sit.. please.."

Josh, still furious, sat down on the step below her, turning so he could lay on the step, his head in her lap.

"Look, I know you're furious, but you understand now, right?"

Josh simply grunted in reply as he looked up into the starry sky. The rain had cleared, the moon was large and bright, and the stars glittered in the heavens above. Just simply looking at the beautiful sight was enough to begin to calm Josh down.

Kalli, smiling as she followed his gaze, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Josh sighed, "Yeah, you could almost get lost in them."

Still smiling, she looked down at Josh's face as she lovingly ran her hand through his hair, "You do know what Anna did what she did, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know..but-"

"But nothing. It knocked sense into you, and cannot be angry with her for that. I admit, it was rather blunt, but it was to the point and made you understand. Leane and Fynn.. they're a match made in heaven; two people could not be more right for each other, you know this as well as I."

"I know but... I.. I just-"

"I know, darling, I know. 'Why him? Why now? What changed?'," Kalli began in a soothing tone, "But why not now? What does it matter what's changed? They're in love, Josh, they're happy! They deserve to be happy! They've gone so long loving one another in the dark, too afraid to speak for fear the other's outer feelings are embedded deep within them as well. Don't you think we should encourage them, be happy for them, and embrace their relationship with open minds and hearts? Aren't they entitled to the happiness we share? Surely you don't think that their relationship is a fluke and everything will be back to the way things were as quickly as they changed.."

"Hmhmm," Fynn agreed, glad to have Leane somewhat motivated. "That's a good idea."

---

Her smile was appropriatly cunning as she looked at Liam and spoke softly - too soft for anyone but Liam to hear - "You're a very poor liar, Mr. O'Reilly." The knowing look on her face dissapeared right away as she turned to look at Drew and burst out in a fit of giggles. "Guy code, huh? No wonder I didn't get it at all."

Part of Anna wanted to point out the fact that she and Liam weren't boyfriend and girlfriend yet, but, she knew it would hurt Liam if she stressed the matter, so the Belgian girl refrained from doing so. A warm glow of affection was starting to build up in her chest, however, whenever Liam did such a cute guy-like thing, that it was becoming quite hard to ignore.

"But," Leane began as she grinned up at Fynn, "you do realize, love, that you'll have to give me my wand back, right?"

-------

Liam laughed at her comment about him being a poor liar but pointedly ignored it as he turned to Drew and rolled his eyes, "Yer so dead when we get back t' the common room."

Drew chuckled as he teased, "Why? Because I degraded Anna by calling her your girlfriend." With a wink at Anna, he smiled and began his exagerated appology, "My deepest and most humblest appologies Anna. I know very well you'd never stoop so low as to degrade yourself by dating a creep like Liam here," taking her hand in his, he grinned as he tried his best not to laugh, "Please say you'll forgive me!"

Liam simply rolled his eyes at the theatrics and took another drink from his goblet.

Grinning lightly himself, Fynn shook his head, "I thought we'd stick to the theory of it all for today. Don't you agree?"

---

"I'm not sure if I can forgive such a horrid mistake so easily," Anna played along, mimicing a haughty, hurt look as simply rested her hand in Drews. It soon turned into a flirty smile as she leaned towards the other boy. "Unless you do something very excessive to make it up to me~"

Leane laughed as she looped her hands around his arm, resting her head on his shoulder as they ascended the staircase leading up to the main floor, "Mmm, sounds like someone is a little worried about my having a wand in my possession once more. Does this mean I have to wait until morning? Or will I be forced to go through classes more stupid than usual due to not having a wand to wield?"

----

Kissing Anna's hand more than briefly, he allowed his lips to linger as he spoke, bring his face closer to hers', "Anything. Your word is my command."

Liam, biting his tongue, pointedly ignored their theatrics, tension obviously showing on his face as he kept staring glances at them, not willing to budge and show how much it was killing him to see them laying it on so thick right in front of him. 'Th' least they could do is wait 'til I'm gone before they start their flirtin'...' he thought bitterly.

----------

"No, not exactly.. it's just.. it's harder for me to think of him as you all do.. it's hard for me to forget what he's done.."

"I know, Josh.. the things he said and did to you were wretched, and for that I cannot forgive him. However, I can tolerate him and learn to like him for Leane's sake. Leane is my dearest friend, your sister, we owe it to her, don't you think?"

"Maybe you and Anna are right.. maybe I should just.. move on and forget what he did.."

"No, dearest, not forget, forgive."

Josh smiled as he reached up and stroked her cheek gently, "How'd you get so smart?"

Smiling, Kalli bent down and kissed him. "Years of practice," she whispered against his lips before kissing him again.

Sitting upright in an instant, Kalli turned as she heard the door leading back into the castle creak open.

"You'll get it back when I drop you off at your common room tonight," Fynn grinned, reaching out to brush a stray strand of hair out of Leane's face. At least, he hoped that by that time both Josh and Leane would have had time enough to let their differences lie.

----

Her voice nothing but a husky whisper, Anna leaned in aswell, replying, "Oh really...?" Their faces where only inches apart before Anna spoke in a normal tone of voice, a huge and cheerful smile on her lips, "Then, will you say 'hi' to Saiyuri from me when you call her tonight?"

Leane smiled as she continued walking down the hallway, heading towards the library, "Hmm, you sure you trust me to have it on me tonight? You never know, I might hex somebody during the night! For example, a few Gryffies in need of an attitude adjustment, perhaps!" she added teasingly as her left hand slid down Fynn's arm to clasp his hand.

----

As he let go of Anna's hand, he winked as he tapped her nose with his finger and leaned back in his seat, "Sure thing!"

Liam simply rolled his eyes and threw another roll at Drew, who caught it and began eating it as he winked at Anna. Glancing over at Liam, Drew smiled, "What a shame, I was hoping she'd kiss me!"

"Yeah, wait 'til I tell Sai 'bout tha' comment tomorrow when I hear from 'er."

Drew smirked, "As if I'd give you the phone."

"As if I don't 'ave her number."

----

Professor Sprout popped around the door and gasped as she held her chest, "Dear me, you startled me! What are you two doing out here in this weather? Don't you know it could rain any minute! Get back inside quick before you catch a cold!"

Kalli and Josh both stood up and smiled at the little Professor standing in front of them, "Yes Professor, goodnight."

"Goodnight, dears," she said, still catching her breath with a shake of her head. Professor Sprout quickly walked passed them to go check on her plants in the Greenhouses.

Kalli smiled as she shut the door behind them after entering the castle, "So, do you feel better?"

Josh grinned as he snaked his hands around Kalli's waist, pulling her close to place a long, slow, seductive kiss on her lips, "Mmm, much better now."

Blushing, Kalli bit her lower lip as she looked up at him, "I'm glad."

"Me too," he whispered softly before kissing her once again.

Squeezing her hand lightly, the tone of his voice light and teasing, Fynn simply replied, "Then I'll be sure to return the favour."

---

"Alright you two," Anna laughed lightly, shaking her head at Liams' barely hidden jealousy - and, despite the obvious playfullness of her flirting with Drew, the brunette felt the need to explain to Liam that it was all just an act to annoy him. Still, she didn't feel at ease doing so just yet. "Enough with the macho behaviour."

Leane laughed, "But how will you know it's me! For all you know, Karen or Julia could have done it! They hate the Gryffies far more than I do, you know."

------

Drew smiled as he leaned over and ruffled Liam's hair, "Liam here's just jealous 'cause I said I want to kiss the girl he wishes he snagged!"

Liam rolled his eyes, "Not true, ye bloody liar!"

Drew grinned, "See? Told you! More jealous than a couple of Spaniards!"

"I could just jynx you all and be done with it," Fynn suggested, taking a step forward to hold the door to the library open for her. "Be safe and such."

---

A light pink hue had begun to colour Anna's cheeks, and she laughed lightly in an attempt to hide her own emberrasment. "I see, I see. Though I do think that Liam is further on his way to 'snagging me', as you so nicely put it, then you are, Drew."

Leane rolled her eyes as she walked into the library and headed for her usual corner in the back right of the main floor, walking slow enough for Fynn to catch up as she called back, "Meanie. No fun at all. But don't you think they deserve it? They were wretched this morning!"

----

Drew grinned as he leaned over the table and took Anna's hands again, "Are you sure about that? I thought we had quite a bit of chemistry just then. I could always ditch Sai and we could make our little rendezvous in the gardens the start of a beautiful relationship, what do you say?"

'Bloody bastard, I'll kill him the minute we get in the dormitory,' Liam thought as he bit his tongue, trying hard not to say anything, for it truly wasn't his place seeing as how he and Anna weren't official and she had every right to see other guys, even if they were his best mates.

"Why punish people for being jealous of our happiness?" Fynn shrugged lightly as he followed her, securely closing the door behind him to keep out the noises from the school. "It's not like that isn't punishment enough."

----

Anna looked from one boy to the other in agony - an agony coming forth from her own dilemma. It was so tempting to go along with Drews teasing, but hurting Liam in any way was not something she planned on doing. After another glance both ways, she decided to compromise.

With her hands still in Drews', she gave him a dazzling smile and a flirty wink as she agreed, "You do have a point there - we have had our interesting moments." Her smile widened as she pulled her hands away from Drews, winking again to indicate that she was up to something, before resting her now released hands around Liams' neck, and placing a loud, moist kiss on the older boys lips. "But I'm good."

With a light sigh, she looped her arms around Fynn's arm and rested her head on his shoulder, "I still say they deserve more of a punishment. But, for you dearest, I'll let it slide for now, I promise."

--------

Drew couldn't help but laugh as Liam's face turned a bright red and his eyes widened.

Liam, his mind at a complete loss, simply laughed as he put his arms around Anna's waist and pulled her in for a deep kiss. Looking down at her, his face still flushed, he grinned, "Was this yer plan all along, love? T' get me so bloody jealous that I'd actually think o' punchin' me best mate again?"

Drew laughed as he teased, "Anna sure did love it when you punched Josh over her! But nah, we were just messin', you know that, right Anna? I just wanted to see if you two would finally make a claim on each other instead of beating around the bush about it all year!"

Rolling his eyes in amusement, he replied dryly, "You're too kind. Though maybe a couple of moments of Charm-practice will make you change your mind." In the mostly empty library it wasn't too hard to find a practice spot - causing the pair to be lucky enough to find themselves alone in the whole Charms' section of the library.

"Last year, you said, huh?" Kissing her forehead lightly, Fynn moved away from her, his eyes pouring over the books in search of the textbook they used the year before.

---

"Claim?" Anna's voice rose lightly in other astonishment, tilting her head as she tried to look at Drew while still being in Liams' arms. "What do you mean? Also-" With a light jab of her finger in his shoulder, she turned back to Liam, pointing out, "I had absolutely no plan but to make sure you didn't think Drew and I were doing anything else but some innocent flirting. He was pointedly trying to make you jealous, and I was just going along for the heck of it. You should know better then to be so doubtful of me."

Her smile was warm as she bonked him on the head with the back of her fist, voice softly as she whispered, "Baka."

Leane sighed as she sat down in the nearby chair, placing her elbow on the arm of the chair as she propped her chin up with her palm, "Mmmhmm, unfortunately if you insist on forcing me to practice."

Sighing, Leane removed her cloak and draped it over the back of her chair, "Promise not to laugh, okay?"

----------

"I may be an idiot, love, but I have good reason t' get jealous," he whispered before placing a kiss on the side of her head.

Drew smirked, "Now that's what I'm talking about. Now all you have to do is say the magic words and Anna and I won't have to lower ourselves to shameless flirting that could possibly get us both cursed by Saiyuri if she ever found out."

Liam laughed, "T' be honest, I think Sai would 'ave gotten a kick out o' it 'n' went right along with ye."

Drew laughed, "Yeah, most likely. Now you two better get your asses in gear and stake your claims before another guy snatches Anna and Shiera snatches up Liam."

Liam rolled his eyes, "Alright alright already, knock it off Drew."

"I'd never," he promised, bushing his black bangs out of his face before picking the book they needed off of the shelf. "Besides, I'm sure you're better then you think. It's just because you hate the class that you're so bad at it. And probably also because you don't really like charms as a magic - and prefer offensive spells."

As he softly set the book down in front of Leane, Fynn admitted with a grin, "That's what McGonagall told me last year, anyway, when she noticed I was doing so badly at Charms."

----

Weighing her words against eachother, Anna remained quiet for a while longer, her forehead wrinkled as she was thinking. "To me...," though her voice was calm and quiet, it was loud enough to be heard by both men, and was nothing more but an indication on how seriously she felt on the subject. "Becoming a couple means that you're in love with eachother. That you want to make it work - that you feel like it would be nice to have a future together."

"And while I like Liam a lot," this with a glance at Liam and a small, sad smile, "- a whole lot-," her eyes travelled back to Drew, hoping that what she was saying now would get him off of their backs for a while, "and while I'd hate to lose him to anyone... I'm just not there yet. You can't forget that we've only known eachother a couple of days. I can't speak for Liam, but... my feelings need time to grow. The seed is there, but the flower still has to blossom."

Leane laughed, "I hate to admit it, but the Gryffie Professor's right on that point."

Sighing, she opened the book and flipped through the pages, "Where shall we begin, dearest? This is your idea after all. And since it is such, you've automatically become the teacher of this little study session, so teach away Professor Fynn! But first, I'll need my wand," Leane added with a grin.

------------

Drew sighed, "Oh alright, I hear you. Sai was right, as usual. She told me not to push it, but seeing as how Anna pushed me and Sai, I figured it was the least I could do."

Liam laughed, "Drew, ye do realize what Anna's said is true. Though my feelings for 'er are stronger than her's are fer me, it doesn't mean I've come t' love 'er completely yet. But since I do love 'er already, I'm not goin' t' push 'er int' somethin' she doesn't want yet. Therefore, if ye don't stop harassin' th' poor girl, I'll have t' force ye!"

Drew rolled his eyes as he grinned, "Like you could."

Liam grinned as he responded menacingly, "Shall we test it?"

With a light bow and an exaggerated hand gesture, Fynn placed Leane's wand into the girls' waiting hand. "Very well, then," he smiled lightly, noting down to himself that it might be a good idea to practice with eachothers' wands sometime. After doing so, the black-haired boy settled down next to Leane, opening "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4" and looking through it.

"Let's see," he muttered to himself, looking over the pages of the first chapter. "I take it you've mastered the Accio charm? And it's counter, Depulso?"

---

"If you two bullfrogs don't stop your croaking," Anna said, chuckling lightly at their foolish behaviour, "I'll stop you myself." Putting her threat into practice, the brunette easily swooped a cinnamon stick off of her dessert and deposited it neatly between Liams' lips.

"Also," she added, with a more serious look on her face, "Love can't be measured. You may feel like your feelings are stronger then mine, but maybe I just love differently then you do."