Moonspell (Harry Potter/Twilight Crossover)

Chapter Eight:

"You're very tricky, you know." He states.

"There's a bit of Slytherin in everyone." I reply. Before he can ask what that means, the nasal sound of the bell seems to cue the arrival of the rest of the class, including Mr. Banner who dives straight into his lecture.

It's not until the end of the class that Edward pushes something into my hand, before standing up and gliding out of the classroom. I look down at the piece of notepaper, folded neatly in half, and smile.

Meet me after school in the library~ E

-

-

When I arrived at the library, after Gym, I was exhausted. We'd finished volleyball, and moved on to cricket, which required far too much running. I'd had to take a shower after because I was so sweaty, and I didn't want to be sitting in close-quarters with Edward smelling like B.O.- especially not with his highly sensitive sense of smell.

He was waiting for me near the back of the room, with several books neatly set up around him. He smiled when he saw me, and I ignored the flip-flops in my stomach as I hurried over to him.

"How was Gym?" he asked, politely. I groaned as I flopped down on the chair next to him.

"Horrible. I wish we were doing something fun, like... fencing."

"Fencing?" he raises his eyebrows, "I didn't really see you as the fencing type." I smile.

"What can I say? I'm just mysterious like that." I was surprised by how flirty my tone was, and I think he was a bit too, but at the same time his mouth curved into a smile.

"Yes. You are very mysterious." He agrees.

"So... we should probably get started on the tutoring." I say, after a short pause, in which we both just stare at each other.

"Yes," he nods, his eyes not leaving mine, "we should." I'm the one who looks away first, reaching out across him, to point to one of the diagrams on the open page in his book.

"Mr. Banner was talking about all this Kreb's Cycle stuff, and I haven't the faintest idea what he's blabbering on about." I say, before going to pull back my hand. Instead, Edward catches it, and I freeze slightly as his cool fingers turn it so my palm's up.

"How did you do this?" he asked, in his musical voice, as he trailed his fingers along the crescent shaped cuts along my palm. I'd reopened them, for about the hundredth time, the night before, after waking up screaming, having dreamed of Death Eaters finding me.

My reply to Edward is short, as my cheeks heat up. "How do you think, genius?" I snap, pulling my hand away.

"I'm sorry." He apologizes, looking honest. "I'm a touch too curious for my own good."

"You know what they say, curiosity killed the bat." I say, innocently. Edward stiffens.

"Bat?"

"Oh, did I say bat?" I ask, widening my eyes innocently, "Whoops, I meant cat. I always get that saying confused." Good. Now Edward looks as uncomfortable as I did a few moments ago. "So, Kreb's Cycle?"

Edward's a surprisingly good tutor, and extremely patient. In an hour and a half I learned more then I did all of Saturday. And once Edward relaxed, he was quite good company.

When five o'clock approached, I reluctantly started packing up my things. "Thanks for this, Edward. Really." I tell him, as I stand up. He gives me a crooked smile that makes my stomach flip.

"Anytime Bella." He says, his voice soft.

-

-

The next morning, after I parked next to the only available space left- next to Edward's silver Volvo- I managed to drop my keys in a puddle of water. "Stupid nargles." I muttered, remembering with some degree of fondness, how Luna always blamed my inherent clumsiness on them.

I should remember to wear my dirigible plum-shaped earrings tomorrow. Luna bought them for me in our first year after witnessing me drop my books down a flight of stairs- four times. She claims they keep the nargles away.

As I bent down to get it, a white hand flashed out and grabbed it before I could. My magic warning me a second too late, I jerk upright to see that Edward Cullen was right next to me, leaning casually against my truck. "What's a nargle?" he says as a greeting, holding out my key. As I reach for it, he drops it into my palm.

"Stop doing that." I grumble to him, instead of answering.

"Doing what?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Appearing out of thin air." He smiled again.

"Bella, it's not my fault if you are exceptionally unobservant." I splutter.

"My fault? You..." I shake my head, not sure what to say, "you aquavirius maggot!" I settle for. Edward blinks.

"Um... I'm not sure what to say."

"Good. I win." I tell him, hitching my satchel over my shoulder, and starting to head towards class. Edward easily keeps pace beside me. I narrow my eyes slightly when he follows me towards my English class. "Why are you heading in this direction?"

"I decided to swap classes." He says, with a smile. I roll my eyes.

"You realize this means you'll have to spend more time with me."

"I did realize that." He nods, managing to keep his face serious.

"Have you forgotten the whole, 'it would be better if we weren't friends' spiel already?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"I said it would be better if we weren't friends, not that I don't want to be."

"Oh, thanks, now that's all cleared up." I say, my voice sarcastic, even as I feel my cheeks warm slightly.

"After last night at tutoring I realized that there was no point in trying to stay away from you, even if it would be more... prudent for you not to be my friend. I'm finding that I enjoy your company." His eyes were gloriously intense as he uttered that last sentence, his voice smoldering. For a second I forgot how to breathe.

"We're going to be late for class." I finally manage, and he smiles.

"Then we better hurry up."

-

-

That night was the first night I dreamt of Edward Cullen.

In my dream he was smiling at me, those dark golden eyes shining like twin suns. We were somewhere with lush green grass, a blue sky and white spun clouds like cotton candy. Edward was holding my hand and his skin was sparkling like I'd seen in the pictures of my DADA course book. First we were talking, and then he started leaning in, and in, until his mouth was a whisper away from mine.

And that's when I woke up, gasping. Oh fuck. I was dreaming of kissing a vampire. This was not good.