I walk alongside Traci to the green houses just outside the castle. This morning, I kept going back and forth in my mind, wondering if I should tell Traci about last night. I eventually ended up deciding that I shouldn't, since Traci would probably spread it around school anyway. As we walk to the green houses for herbology class, Traci gives me the run down on the morning gossip. “Word is, Hannah Farri got caught snogging Hunter Clark in the Quidditch field. She's totally cheating on Harold Jenkins! Rumor has it that Harold was the one who found them when he went to the field for Quidditch practice. No one has seen Hannah since then!” Traci giggles at her re-telling of the gossip. “How do you know all of this?” One of my eyebrows lifts up higher than the other as I stare at her. “Apparently, a second year heard the shouting in the Quidditch field. They went to tell their friends, which got around school, and then to me.” She points at herself and I laugh.

We walk through the green house door to see some students that were already setting up for the lesson. Today, Slytherin and Gryffindor had herbology together, which only means one thing to me; Ace is going to be here. Traci and I find a spot together by the plant box in the middle of the room, just as the professor greets us. “Good morning girls! Please have some Dragonhide gloves at the ready and a pair of googles if you will. They are both in the cupboard.” The professor then turns around to help some students with last week's homework. Without a thought, Traci goes to the cupboard to collect the gloves and googles for the both of us, while I dig into my book bag and flip the herbology textbook to today's page; Fanged Geranium. Oh no! Not fangs, I hate learning about plants that can bite. I look up and I nearly jump. “You look white as a ghost.” Ace chuckles at me, standing across from where I'm standing. “I am now.” I reply back to him, sarcastically while I roll my eyes. Traci comes back with our equipment and looks at both of us. “I obviously just stepped into something between you two.” Perfect! She knows something's up. If I tell her about the kiss last night, I'll never hear the end of it. Plus, half the school would know by lunch. Luckily, the professor starts to talk before Ace could say anything else. “Alright, time to learn class! This here is a Fanged Geranium.” The professor takes a potted plant and places it on the table. “This plant can be dangerous, as it will bite if it feels that it's in harm's way. You all will be planting one today, which is why you all have Dragonhide gloves and googles, as it will protect you from it's bite. If at any reason, you are bitten, come and see me to receive some ointment.” The professor drags on and on about the plant, and at the same time, all Ace is doing is staring at me. Can he not make it that obvious?

After the lecture, the professor left it up to us to plant them. As I am reading the instructions in the textbook, a Slytherin student gets bitten. Being curious, I and as well as the rest of the class, looked up. Okay, now I'm as white as a ghost. I feel such an uneasiness in my stomach, and I breathe slow breaths, trying to stabilize myself. Traci and the others crowd around the bitten student to observe what the bite looks like and how the ointment works. Everyone except Ace and I. All of a sudden, Ace is by my side. “Are you okay Anastasia?” I look at him and his face looks like he's concerned. I blow him off with, “I'm fine.” No, I'm not fine. I feel like the room is spinning. He walks away without a word. A few seconds pass and I'm holding onto the table to try to stay standing. Ace comes back into view, pulls me away from the table, and lets me lean into him for support. He whispers into my ear, “It's alright Anastasia. The professor said that I am to take you to the hospital wing.” No way. No way is he going to do this. Traci would definitely know that something was up, not to mention the rest of the class too. “No, I'm fine. I can handle-” I almost trip on my own two feet trying to go back to the table, but Ace catches me. “Please, just come with me. The whole class is watching us.” He whispers back. This is so embarrassing! “Fine.” I give in, close my eyes, and let him assist me out of the green house.

When I open my eyes, I see the castle from afar and notice that my feet are not on the ground. Before I can say a word, Ace chimes in, “You looked like you wouldn't make it to the door, so I helped you.” You mean the entire class saw him pick me up in his arms? I blush bright red, embarrassed at the thought. I didn't answer him, so he continues, “I know the professor told me to take you to the hospital wing, but we'll take a little detour first. Just a little farther.” I look ahead and see a big rock nearing the edge of the Forbidden Forest. “That rock over there? Seems vacant enough.” He half smiles and carries me the rest of the way in silence. I didn't bother to try to walk on my own, since I was still a little drowsy. Once we arrive at the big rock, he set me down and I lean against the big stone, trying to balance myself. Ace suddenly pushes me up against the hard piece of rock, puts his arms on both sides of me which touches the wall, and leans in close; trapping me in all directions. What is he doing? He starts to speak in a soft whisper, “Anastasia, I can't stop thinking about everything that happened between us last night. This morning was like a living hell not being able to see you. I ran through the castle to the places I'd thought you would be, just to see if I could get you alone before class.” I stare at him, speechless.

After a few moments, I finally regain my voice, “Why did you leave me in the Room of Requirement after? That was a stupid move.” I roll my eyes, saying that last part. Ace stared at me, leaning in closer. “I-I was shocked that you kissed me back. I thought that I was the only one having those feelings. So when you kissed me back, I left without thinking straight. I'm sorry for that.” As I look at him, I see a hint of green glowing from my chest. I look down just as he does and we both stare at the amulet glowing a green ember. As if in a trance, Ace takes the amulet in his hand and looks at me. His hand caresses my face and I know what is going to happen next. Ace kisses me passionately, and I don't dare stop him. Don't stop. Ever. Am I in a romance novel? If I am, this is exactly the happy ever after I want. I'm in love with him. I hear someone coming from a distance, probably a professor telling us to go to class. Ace stops kissing me abruptly and I look at him. Why did he stop? Am I that bad of a kisser? “Anastasia, get behind me!” I don't ask why, I just fling myself behind him. I look up and I see a few guys running towards us. They look like the guys that were following me down the alley in Hogsmeade. “Protego!” Ace pulls out his wand and casts the Shield Charm, just as one of the men casts a Stunning Spell. One of them yells out the spell, “Stupefy!” Ace pulls me closer to him and as he holds the protection charm around us, he looks at me. “Run, Anastasia! I'm right behind you!” I don't have time to think of a way to the castle, so I turn and run. The wind is swirling around me as I make my way into the Forbidden Forest.

I hear Ace in the distance, yelling for me to keep running, so I do. To my left, I see him trying to make his way to me, but the amount of spells that are being thrown at us keep us apart. Flashes of green, red, yellow, and white sparks fill the forest like a strobe light. “Ace!” I yell to him to find my way towards him. I hear him yell back, though a bit farther away, “Anastasia!” I keep running, the flashes of magic going this way and that. I am running out of breath, so I have no choice but to stop. I catch my breath and I realize the forest surrounding me is quiet. No flashes of magic, no yelling, nothing. Complete silence. Where did everyone go? “Ace!” I half yell, half whisper. No one answers. I decide to keep going, though now only walking to save my energy if I need to run again. Trees big and tall, and bushes galore make my pathway deeper into the forest. Luckily, I have my wand at the ready in case I need to fight off something or someone. As I make my way through the forest, I see a clearing up ahead. Instead of running towards it, I duck down and quietly make my way to the edge of the clearing and hide behind a tree trunk and some bushes. I peak out towards the clearing and I gasp to what I find.

Ace! Ace is on his knees with his hands held back behind him, tied up no doubt. Two men that were trying to catch us are standing on either side of him. A middle-aged woman with golden blonde hair, apparates in front of Ace. She laughs and starts talking, though I can't hear a word she is saying. “Anastasia, there you are!” I jump and see Traci right behind me. I immediately tell her to keep quiet and to lay low. What is Traci doing here? I quietly whisper to Traci, “How did you find me?” Traci looks at the clearing and then to me. “After class, I was walking back to the castle when I saw you and Ace run into the forest. I decided to follow since I also saw two guys running towards you. When I got to the edge of the forest, you were gone but I heard the blasts of magic coming from the forest so I followed it until I found you.” Thank goodness she wasn't in the middle of the fight, who knows what could have happened. “Just stay here and find help if something goes wrong.” I take a deep breath and walk out in the open, where two men have their wands pointed at me.