I lay upon my bed with my eyes staring up at the ceiling and sigh in restlessness. It had been three days since the whole Hogsmeade incident and I couldn't shake the feeling that it was only the beginning of my troubles this year. I turn to my left and see Traci sound asleep, curled up into a ball. What Ace did that day in Hogsmeade was both charming and dangerous at the same time, and that scared me. It scared me because he was willing to divert the attention of those strange men onto himself, taking my place so I could escape their path. Protection. Protection for a girl he barely knew. On the other hand, he never came back to see if I was alright. He never even bothered to talk to me in class about it, just ignoring me completely. I soundlessly kick off the bed sheets, get up, and sneak downstairs to the Common Room. The fireplace roars to life on its own, as if it can sense me coming down the stairs. I sit down near the fireplace, my book bag in sight. I might as well do some homework while I'm here. As I take out my transfiguration textbook, a piece of paper slips out of my bag and onto the floor. Where did that come from? I pick the little piece of parchment up from the floor and unroll it. I kneel towards the fireplace for more light and read the handwritten note:

I lay upon my bed with my eyes staring up at the ceiling and sigh in restlessness. It had been three days since the whole Hogsmeade incident and I couldn't shake the feeling that it was only the beginning of my troubles this year. I turn to my left and see Traci sound asleep, curled up into a ball. What Ace did that day in Hogsmeade was both charming and dangerous at the same time, and that scared me. It scared me because he was willing to divert the attention of those strange men onto himself, taking my place so I could escape their path. Protection. Protection for a girl he barely knew. On the other hand, he never came back to see if I was alright. He never even bothered to talk to me in class about it, just ignoring me completely. I soundlessly kick off the bed sheets, get up, and sneak downstairs to the Common Room. The fireplace roars to life on its own, as if it can sense me coming down the stairs. I sit down near the fireplace, my book bag in sight. I might as well do some homework while I'm here. As I take out my transfiguration textbook, a piece of paper slips out of my bag and onto the floor. Where did that come from? I pick the little piece of parchment up from the floor and unroll it. I kneel towards the fireplace for more light and read the handwritten note:

Ace? How did he put this note in my book bag? More importantly, why did he want to see me? The last time we spoke was Hogsmeade, and that was a silent type of conversation. No words were exchanged, only hand gestures and eye movements. No part of me wanted to leave the Common Room tonight. I look at the note once more. Where does he mean by “the place where things can be hidden”? I search the entire castle in my head, almost like a mental map of the place. I've been here for five years now, I know almost every corridor and classroom you could find. I see the corridor in my head, the one where students who want a place to get away from the professors, the place where Dumbledore's Army once took place to practice their defensive spells; the Room of Requirement!

I shove the textbook back into my bag and I make my way out into the hallway. The castle seems so quiet and spooky when students aren't filling the air. I quietly sprint down hallways, staircases, and corridors to get to the seventh floor. As I walk down the seventh floor corridor, I hear two professors and their footsteps. I quickly hide behind a statue, careful to not be seen. The herbology professor speaks out, “Professor, how lovely to see you. Patrolling the castle tonight?” Another professor replies back, though I can only make out half of their conversation before they both head down the opposite direction of where I'm hiding. “Oh yes, you'd be surprised how many students like sneaking off on Wednesdays. It's quite amusing to-” Phew, close one! I get to the corridor where the Room of Requirement usually is. I pace back and forth of the length of the wall three times, whispering to it softly just in case the professors decide to re-trace their steps. “I wish to find the Room of Requirement.” Right after the third pace, a door appears. It's an ancient brown door with curved designs made out of steel. Through the cracks of the entire door, a silhouette of light glows, indicating there is something on the other side of it. My hand touches the door, tracing my fingers along one of its designed curves, and push it open.

I walk through the door and see piles of books and things all over the place. I walk through it, making a pathway from the door as I go. In the distance, I see Ace sitting in what looks like a comfortable chair. What could he possibly want from me at this hour? “Anastasia, you came. I was beginning to think you weren't gonna show up.” Ace smirks at me as he gets up from the chair. I walk over to him, my arms crossed in a relaxed position. “Why here? Why now? How did you-” I start asking him questions, but he interrupts me. “Look, I know it's selfish to ask you to come here. Ever since the beginning of school, I come here every night for some peace and quiet. To get away from life, if you will. Is it wrong to want another to come and join in on the fun?” He steps closer to me, a playful smile spreads across his face.

I stare at him with my arms still crossed, my eyebrows lift up slightly, and my feet firmly on the floor. “Fun? Do you recall what happened in Hogsmeade? You left me there, alone. You left me there and you never spoke to me until now. You call that fun?” My eyes roll as I turn away from him to leave. “Anastasia wait,” He grasps onto my wrist, just as he had in the corridor on the first day of school. I turn to him and wait for a response. He takes a deep breath and continues, “I saw those guys eyeing you through the shop you were in, and when you came out of that quill shop, I saw them following you down that alley. Luckily I know a different path to that same alley and that's when I bumped into you. I felt like I needed to rescue you, and so I did. I lead them down another path towards a forest, you'd be surprised how stupid they were to fall for it.” He chuckles slightly, steps towards me, holds both of my hands in his, and his eyes stare into mine. Both tension and calmness swirl around us, like the wind howling through the air.

After what seemed like forever, he took another step closer towards me, now only inches from my face. Ace shakes his head in frustration, “I tried so hard to keep this gap between us. I tried so hard to pull you away, giving the cold shoulder, but you just somehow keep coming back into view. I'm done trying, Anastasia. I can't resist you anymore.” Ace gives me a moment to process what just happened, and I freeze. He leans in closer and kisses me, surprise hits me like a bolt of lightening. He's kissing me! Is this real? Do I like Ace? I mean sure, he's charming and all, but he's also the boy that pissed me off on the train ride to Hogwarts. The same boy who left me in that alley a few days ago, but also the boy who save me from those creepy men. The boy who teased me in potions class, but also ran after me to set things right. Maybe I do like him. It only takes me a second to realize what I should do; what I have to do. I kissed him back. After awhile, we had to stop to catch our breath. Ace's forehead leans against mine, his warm breath warms my face. He whispers softly to me, “I fall in love with you every time you're near me. Everything, even time itself, stops when I see you.” I freeze once more, not being able to move. The kiss was everything I never knew I wanted. Why didn't I see the feelings I have for Ace before? He takes a deep breath and continues, “Close your eyes, love.” I close my eyes, doing the very thing he asked me to do. I feel a quick peck of a kiss on my forehead and his hands leave mine. I hear soft footsteps, but only three. When I open my eyes again, he was gone.