=ALCHEMY LAB=

"So like, why is it taking so long?". Hannah asked as she looked at the boiling cauldron in front of her.

"Brewing potions takes time". An annoyed Sucy responded flatly.

"I mean… Barbara's team finished, like, hours ago. It's just a simple awkward potion". Hannah stated rather impatient.

"Brewing potions, correctly, takes time". Sucy corrected, rolling her eye. "And this is an advanced recipe".

They currently were at professor's Lukic's class, preparing their projects for the upcoming tests. Due to the advanced course, most of the teams were incomplete, being an optional subject, not all of the students were eager to be part of the older witch program, some in fact, were a little scare of her, but that was not the case for two thirds of the blue team and one mushroom enthusiast.

"What do you mean by 'advanced' recipe?".

"You know, when something is more complex, it's considered superior than the rest". A smirk appeared in Sucy's face.

"Ha… Ha…" Hannah scoffed unamused, with a brow raised and her arms crossed. She was starting to have second thoughts about her decision to be Sucy's teammate.

"It's not the same to made fun of you as is of Akko". She sighed and shrugged. "This is an advanced teleportation potion".

"Oh?". That caught Hannah's attention. Being Sucy's teammate definitely has its perks.

"Yes, HEHEHE". Her creepy laugh filled the room, startling the other students. "If done correctly it won't have the restrictions of other teleportation methods. Just one drop and you could go anywhere you want".

"Wow, like, really?". Hannah looked at her with an excited expression.

"Well… Theoretically yes, if not, maybe you'll end up in some weird place or your body will just disintegrate, who knows". Sucy finished, lifting her arms with a bored face.

"Oh…". Her excitement quickly hit bottom. "Well… At least we could try to finish it properly and like, we can always test it on Akko first".

"HEHE, now we are talking". Her smirk was filled with her shark-looking teeth.

"I knew that being your teammate will bring some sacrifices and I'm willing to take that one, like, for the sake of magic of course". She said it with a smug smile, although she hope Sucy had got the joke. She could never do something like that, she actually liked to hang out with the red and green team, in fact, more so with a certain member of the green team.

"If you say so. Now, we need to-".

"Miss Manbavaran, come here for a second". Professor Lukic requested from across the lab.

"Coming. Here, take these". Sucy handed Hannah a couple of green stones.

"Oh! These are beautiful, what are they?". Hannah cupped the stones in her palm.

"Those are Ender Pearls, quite troublesome to get, so be careful. Once the potion turns deep blue, throw them inside and stir it clockwise for one full minute. No more, no less. Understood?".

"Hey! I'm a reliable teammate". She pouted. Potions weren't her favorite part of magic, but it was something she was good at.

"Of course you are". Sucy teased and then leave.

Now alone, Hannah turned her attention to the cauldron on the table, little bubbles were forming in its surface and a faint steam was pouring into the air. Its color still a reddish tone, almost orange. She stood there for a few seconds, contemplating their work, until she glanced at the stones in her hand. Two perfectly rounded pearls with an emerald-like green tone. A color that lately had been invading her mind again and again. For the entirely second year to be precise. 'It is something temporary', she would frequently told herself that, but no matter how much she tried to evade those feelings, they always would find their way to creep back at her mind, every time with more strength than the last.

She slowly aligned her hand with the cauldron, for it to be slightly up top her hand, were the pearls rested. Then, immediately, an image formed in her mind, one that she was eager to see in person since she woke up this morning. A small smile formed in her lips.

C'mon Hannah… It's only ten in the morning and you already are losing it…

She shook her head and closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind from those 'confusing' thoughts. Big mistake. She only gave more liberty to her mind to wander around the source of her inner conflict. Happy memories flashed one by one, with each one, her smile grew bigger, her hands now resting against her chest. She was no longer in the lab, she was now in the practice field, late in the afternoon, almost night, watching from the ground a witch in the air practicing broom dancing, unaware of the eyes following her every move. She stood there, focused in that witch, one that only meant trouble, one that must had been expelled months ago, one that slowly but surely was winning her over, one that now was staring right back at her.

"Did you stir the potion yet?". Sucy shook her off of her trance.

"W-WHAT?". Hannah almost jumped.

"The potion… Did you stir it yet?". She pointed to the now brownish liquid.

"O-oh… Uh… No…". She hesitating showed her the two pearls still in her hand.

"And here I thought you were a reliable teammate". She sighed and took the pearls from Hannah's hand, she put them safely in her satchel and then she grabbed a mushroom which quickly turned into a shield to protect her.

"Wait… What's that for?".

"The explosion".

"THE WHA-?!".

*BOOM*

=COURTYARD=

"Yo! Akko! What's up?".

"He-Hey… Amanda…".

"Did you hear the explosion? I was taking a nap in the other side of building when it woke me up". Amanda said as she approached the shorter girl with her arms folded behind her head.

"Oh yeah, I think there was an incident in the alchemy lab, Diana is already on it".

"Ha, of course she is". Amanda scoffed. "Wouldn't be none other than- Hey, what's on the letter?". Her instinctive curiosity kicking in.

"Eh?! N-nothing! It's nothing". Akko quickly tried to hide the envelope.

"Uh? C'mon Akko! Now I'm more curious". Amanda complained as she tried to reach for the letter.

"Sorry not sorry". She stuck out her tongue at Amanda. "There is no way I'm telling you".

"It's that a challenge?". A smug grin appeared in her face.

"Wh-? No! Don't you have classes? What are you even doing outside?".

"I could ask you the same thing".

"Well, I'm on an assignment from the Headmistress". She lifted her chin proudly and crossed her arms. "What about you?".

"I overslept and missed my first period. Ya know, the usual".

"Classic Amanda". Akko rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't do that, you know?".

"Meh, it's just a boring class, but I tell ya what". She slid her arm across Akko's shoulder. "What is not boring, is a challenge and I bet you I'll find out what's on the letter by dinner time".

"A bet you say... Mmmh…". She pondered for a second. "Okay! I'm in".

"That's the spirit!". She snapped her fingers. "So, if I win-".

"You won't". Akko interrupted her.

"If, I win". Amanda continued, rolling her eyes. "You'll have to do my homework for a week".

"Yeah, yeah, when I win, you'll have to get me two plates of tonight's special menu dinner, ya know, the one with beef cover in spicy sauce".

"Oh? Someone is getting cocky". She raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You know that it doesn't matter how much you eat, you'll still be a shorty, right?".

"Very funny… It's a deal?".

"Deal". They shook their hands.

"So? What now? Are you going to hide in the shadows and try to catch me off guard or something?".

"Nah, I'll just follow you and pester you all day".

"WHAT?".

"Like I said, I have till dinner and I can spare some classes". She grinned at her friend.

"Man… This is going to be a long day… At least I'm not going to be alone". Her head and shoulders slumped. "Let's go…". She proceeded to move on to her next destination.

"There, there, it's not going to be that bad". Amanda patted the shorter girl's back as she followed behind her.

She made a few steps and then stopped, glancing at the smoking window of the alchemy lab across the courtyard. The image of an auburn ponytail popped in her mind.

She… She is in that class… I wonder if…

"Ya coming?". Akko yelled from the end of the hall.

"S-sure! Wait for me!". She ran behind Akko.

Of course she is you dummy, she is tough.

=LUNA NOVA TOWER, SPIRAL STAIRS=

"Are you telling me now?": Amanda asked from a few stairs above Akko.

"No". She replied dryly as she removed the bows and arrows from the statues gathered around the main column of the Luna Nova Tower.

"What about now?". She repeated merely a minute after.

"…No".

"That's okay, there are at least a dozen more statues here, so I could ask a few more times".

Akko just groaned.

=AUDITORIUM=

"I didn't know there were statues in here". Amanda said, leaning in one of the benches.

"I think they are new. Professor Finnelan did say something about Headmistress' online shopping tendencies". Akko replied, without losing focus on her spell.

"I see… Ya know what else they say about the Headmistress?".

"Oh? I dunno. What they say?". She turned to the girl on the bench.

"Come". She got up and motioned Akko to get closer. "No one can hear us". She whispered.

"Yes?". Akko leaned her ear closer to Amanda with a goofy smile in her face.

"They say…". She mumbled, looking to both sides before continuing. "She would like to know what's on the letter".

"...". Akko just facepalmed. "I can't believe I felt for that...".

"Hahaha, don't be so hard on yourself, hahaha, your face was priceless, tho". The taller girl laughed leaning against the wall.

"Right…". Akko took her place back in her duty.

"So… Are you going to tell me now?". She whipped a few tears from her face.

"No".

=NINE WITCHES' HALL=

"Do you want some cookies, dear?". Holbrooke asked Amanda.

"Sure! Thanks Headmistress!". Amanda rushed to the elder witch desk, reaching eagerly for the sweets. "Mmh! They look delicious".

"Oh my, hehe, enjoy as many as you want, dear". She said as she handed over the plate.

"Fhan- fhou-!". The younger witch replied with her mouth full.

"Hey! What about me?!". Akko reproached.

"Now, now, miss Kagari, you are fulfilling an assignment, we wouldn't want to hinder your progress". Holbrooke told her, waving her hand dismissively.

"Fheah". She shallowed. "Yeah, miss Kagari, we wouldn't want that".

"Ugh!". Akko pouted and got back to her work.

"So, Headmistress, I was talking to Akko early today about something you may wanna know". Amanda said and took another cookie. "Fhind- fhe- Fhakko-?".

"Is that so, miss O'Neill? And what issue would I be interested in?". She rested her elbows on her desk and laid her chin over the back of her hands.

"Amanda!". Akko scolded her.

"That's the thing, Akko won't let us know. You see, she has this-".

"Amanda! Shouldn't you have to be in class or something?!". Akko yelled back at her.

"Mmh? That's true miss O'Neill. If I recall correctly, miss Cavendish was the one who volunteered to accompany miss Kagari in her assignment. Where is she, dear?".

"Oh! Yeah, she went to assist in an incident inside the alchemy lab. There was an explosion".

"Yes, yes, professor Lukic told me about it, fortunately there were no students injured". She said with a reassuring smile. "I'm glad miss Cavendish was there to assist".

Amanda took notice of it. Silently she let out a sigh and then a proud grin appeared in her face.

I knew you would be okay…

"So, miss O'Neill, what were we talking about?". Holbrooke snapped her out of her thoughts.

"U-uh… Yes! Akko has this-".

"I'm done!". Akko chimed in, she quickly grabbed Amanda's wrist and dragged her and the plate of cookies out of the hall. "Goodbye Headmistress! Have a nice day!".

"Y-yes, you too, dear". She waved them goodbye and resumed her online shopping.

=HALLWAY, FIRST FLOOR=

"Why did you leave the Roundabout statue for last?" Amanda asked her, not really caring, as she followed behind.

"It's the bigger one, so I thought to leave it till the end". She responded while she stretched her arms above her head.

"Sure, sure… Ya know Akko, this has been fun and all, but we both know that this can't continue forever, so, why don't you just tell me already?".

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Not happening Amanda". She said, keeping her track towards the dining hall. "I'm about to win and I'm planning to enjoy my meal".

Amanda just scoffed, it was almost time for dinner and Akko wasn't going to yield, but she still had a trick under her sleeve.

"Geez Akko, when did you start to be so lame? I'm really considering making Hannah my new partner in crime".

"I'm not lame! And why Hannah of all people?". She asked confused.

"She is cool ya know! It's pretty fun to hang out with her". She said with a proud smile, leaning her head back at her folded hands behind it. "We even have nicknames for each other, I'm Capt. Obvious. Do you want to know her nickname?".

"Eh? Hannah's nickname?". Akko stopped and turned to face Amanda who also stopped walking.

Amanda peeked with one glimmering eye. Her prey took the bait. She placed her hands down on her hip and grinned at her friend.

"Yeah, I called her, miss…". She started as she turned her head to her right waiting for Akko to follow her line of sight.

"Miss…?". Akko also turned her head, wondering what Amanda was looking at.

Once Amanda saw Akko move, she slowly grabbed her wand with her left hand and with a flick of her wrist she cast a spell that stealthily draw the letter from Akko's vest.

"Direction…" She finished just as the letter was fully out of her owner's vest. With one last flick of her wand she propel it to herself. Akko still unaware of the trick.

"Capt. Obvious and… Miss… Direction…?". She slowly turned to Amanda with a frown when suddenly a lightbulb of realization turned on above her. "Wait?! What?!".

"Gotcha!" Amanda was now holding the letter and with a swift twirl of her body she moved pass Akko and started to run towards the dining hall.

"Amanda O'Neill! Get back here!" She ran after her.

=DINING HALL=

Amanda threw the door open and with a sweep she landed several steps into the dining hall. She quickly got up and rested her body over her knees to recover her breath.

"Told ya I was gonna get it". She said between breaths. "Uh… Akko?". She looked up and the shorter witch was no longer behind her. "Wha- Wasn't she behind me…?"

"GAAAAAH!". Akko suddenly appeared in the second floor. She dashed to the railing and jumped off of the floor, then she rolled in midair and with one final adjustment of her body she yelled. "INOKUMA!"

"WHAT THE…?!". Amanda froze in place.

"KICK!". She fell down hitting heel-first right into Amanda's forehead, knocking the girl to the ground. The rest of the students unperturbed by the events happening in front of them.

"Oooouuuuuch…". Amanda groaned to the piece of ceramic floor she was facing. "I think something broke…".

"Don't be a crybaby". Akko bent down and took the letter from Amanda's hand. "I applied a levitation spell on myself, so the fall wasn't that hard".

"Still hurts…" Amanda mumbled to the floor.

"I may be shorter than you Amanda, but I have the strength and determination of Shiny Chariot herself in my body and that's all I need to take you down". Akko declared as she leaped off of Amanda's back. "Now, you gotta get me that meal you promised". She helped her rose to her feet and patted the girl's back a couple of times.

"Man… I miss ol' clumsy Akko". She said mostly to herself as she headed towards the counter line. Once there she took two trays and waited for her turn.

"Did you have fun?".

"Eh? Oh… Hey Hannah". Amanda rotated her head to the side to face one stern look from Hannah.

"I waited for you, you know". Hannah stated rather coldly as she took a tray for Barbara and herself. "At professor Babcock's class, you never came".

"Shoot! I totally forgot about it". She facepalmed. "Oooouch!".

"Why are you always hurt?". She sighed. "Like, what were you even doing all day?".

"Long story short, I hanged out with Akko all day, trying to win a bet over a letter, which I lost epically". She rubbed her red forehead.

"That's why your forehead has a bruise?". She looked at Amanda's head and felt a little itch forming in her heart.

"Ha… Yeah… That was the epic part… I-".

"Geez Amanda!". Hannah blustered out. "Every time I see you, there is a new injury in your body!".

"Wha-?": Amanda was taken aback by the sudden outburst.

"If it's not a burn in your hand, then it's a cut in your forearm, or a scratch in your calf, or a bruise in your thigh, or-".

"Woah, woah, slow down, I'm not- Wait, why were you looking at my thigh?". Amanda asked, raising an eyebrow with a sly smile.

"Geh… I-I… I wasn't looking on purpose!". A blush started to appear in her cheeks. "I… I just happen to saw it by accident the other day during flying practice". She turned her gaze away from the green eyes that prowled her mind.

She looks… cute. Amanda thought. "If you said so-".

"What will it be, young lady?". A kitchen goblin asked her from across the counter.

"Oh! Right, could you get me two of those and another two of that, please". She pointed to the different food scattered on the counter. "Ah! And two of the… special menu… please".

"Woah! Someone is going to celebrate big". The goblin exclaimed. "Let me go get those for you". He stepped into the kitchen.

"Yeah… wish would be me…". Amanda muttered to herself.

"You know… I worry about you…". Hannah whispered, still not meeting her eyes.

"U-uh?". Amanda turned to the other girl, surprised. "Y-you do…? You don't have to, ya know, I-I'm fine". She then looked up and rubbed the back of her neck. A moment of stillness descended upon them.

Of course I will you idiot… I like-

"Speaking of which". Amanda ended the silence. "I'm… Glad you are okay, I heard about the explosion in the alchemy lab. It's good to see your cute face in one piece".

Hannah's eyebrows almost reached her hairline.

She thinks I'm cute?!

Crap! What the hell was THAT, O'Neill?! You can't just said that to her... It doesn't matter that she is cute. Damnit! Stop saying that!

"T-thank you…". Her lips curved upward and she pressed the trays hard against her chest. "It wasn't a big deal you know… It was like, this stupid potion that went wrong and it just barfed right in my face… It was mostly disgusting actually, my hair got all sticky and smelly".

She thinks I'm cute… She thinks I'm cute…

"Oh… Smelly, huh?". She stopped scolding herself internally and leaned over Hannah's hair and sniffed. "You don't smell that bad".

"What?!". She rolled violently and met with Amanda's face just an inch apart of hers. Her brain ceased working in that instant and with it the hold on the trays went loose, causing them to almost hit the floor, if not for Amanda's quick reflexes.

"Uff, that was a close one. Are you sure you are alright?". Amanda handed her back the trays.

"Y-yes I am! You just startled me O'Neill, that's all!". Hannah stammered and then turned to face the counter.

Remember how to breathe Hannah!

"Fair enough… I didn't know I had that effect on you, England". She grinned slyly. "One minute you worry about me and then you are all flustered, one would think that you-".

"Hush, O'Neill!". She smacked the taller girl's forehead with her finger.

"Ouch! Okay, okay, I get it". Amanda rubbed her bruise.

You really are tough, woman.

Do you, Amanda?

"Here it is young lady, two special menu dishes, enjoy!". The kitchen goblin came back.

"Thanks…". Amanda took the trays and handed over twenty spelltomes to the goblin to pay for the special dishes. "I'll wait for you, stinky".

Hannah glared at the mocking girl for a moment and then let out a sigh.

Baby steps…

She quickly made her order to the goblin, it was the same of the night before after all, some veggies and fruit. She and Barbara were on a strict diet, due to certain bad eating habits the two of them had gotten for spend so much time with the russian witch. Once with her dinner on hand, she returned her attention to Amanda and they started walk to their table.

"I could, like, help you with your forehead". She adjusted the trays on her right hand and with the other she drew her wand and pointed it to Amanda's head.

"Huh? You mean the bruise? Nah, I'm okay". She shrugged.

Remember your place, O'Neill.

"But it clearly hurts". Hannah said annoyed. "Just let me-".

"Akko! I dema-".

"Let her be". Amanda advised Barbara as they reached the table, which was in some kind of debate. After Barbara calmed down and Amanda finally let her heal her wound, they settle for a peaceful dinner. Although, there were still some matters that needed to be addressed.

Baby steps Hannah… At least I know… she thinks I'm cute.

=GREEN TEAM'S DORM=

"This is booooooring…". Amanda yawned from uptop her bed, where she was resting with her arms folded behind her head and her right leg resting over her bended left knee.

"And whose fault is that?". Hannah retorted. She was sitting on the floor, her back leaned against her partner's bed, with a book resting on her crossed thighs.

"Ugh, I skipped one class. One". She groaned.

"And it happened to be the most important session of the week". She shook her head in disapproval. "Lucky for you, I took notes, that's why we need to finish this assignment for next week and that's why I'm in this cubby".

Almost nothing in her statement was accurate, she knew it. That wasn't, by far, the most important sesion of professor Babcock's class, there weren't even new topics to study, all they did was review past classes and ask for any doubts they may had.

They didn't have to finish the assignment for the next week, either, it was due to the end of the semester and it was almost completed, she just needed to get the meaning of some runes to resolve the problem laid in the final chapter.

That wasn't a cubby at all, in fact, it was very cozy and home-like, she felt comfortable in that dorm and she like it. There was always food in Jasminka's desk, which she always loved to shared, not that she could grab any of it with her current diet. Constanze always maintained it clean with the help of her stanbots and Amanda had plenty of magazines for her to read.

She however, did take a few notes which quickly turned into littles "A+H" drabbles, surrounded by green hearts, which were briskly crossed out. Only for them to return in the next few notes.

No, this situation was nothing as she stated before, this was in fact, a ruse, only for her to have some alone time with Amanda. And with lucky and a lot of courage, she would sort out her inner conflicts once and for all. At least that was plan A.

You can do this Hannah!

Amanda rolled her eyes and let out a huff. She lifted her head a little bit to be able to glare at her teammate, who was laying on the floor at the edge of her bed. She was going to say something clever back, but she got distracted by the auburn ponytail waving beside her foot. Hannah was humming some random song and her head was following her rhythm, causing her hair to move accordingly. A goofy smile appeared in her face.

I can't stay mad at her, damn it…

"So! What's next, miss England?". She twirled her body and now she was laying on her belly, resting her elbows at the edge of her bed with her feet now facing the wall.

"Well… Here, this problems are solved but we need to explain the solving process, could you do that, please?".

"Sure! Leave it to me". She took the papers and glanced at them for a second then a frown formed in her face.

"Are you, like, sure you can handle them…?".

"Y-yeah… I'm a little rusty… that's all". She stretched her palms and then started to write down the process.

After that, the room got silent, quill against paper been the only sound present. Amanda would peek from time to time at her partner, who was absent in her writing, and take note of the little twitches of her profile. How her hazel eyes followed her beautiful cursive handwriting, how her perky nose wrinkled every so often and how a soft smile never left her face. How she found enjoyment in a bunch of weird symbols, was beyond her. Then she trailed off to her ponytail and glimpsed at the yellow ribbon adorning her head, a memory popped in her mind, so, she turned to her right arm and observed the matching yellow strip wrapped around her forearm. She contemplated it as a warm smile grew in her face, but as fast as it formed, her grin disappeared and then she pulled up her sleeve to hide the strip.

Stop it, O'Neill! You know better…

Just as she was going to return to the paper a hum from Hannah distracted her.

"... Shake, shake, shake, shake…". Hannah chanted, almost whispering. "Shake it off, shake it off, hmm~ hmm~".

And just like that, here previous thought vanished in the back of her mind. Her grin finding her way back to her face.

"I didn't know you like that song". Amanda said casually. Eyes on her work, pretending to keep writing.

"Uh?!". She quickly covered her mouth with her hand, a faint blush emerging in her face. "W-what song…? I don't know what you are t-talking about".

Was I singing too loud?!

"'Shake it off'. You were singing it, didn't you?". She turned her sight towards her friend. "I like it too, ya know".

"Like, really?!". Her eyes shone. "I-I thought you were going to made fun of me…".

"Hey, the players gonna play and the haters gonna hate, right? So, shake it off~ shake it off~". She bounced her head from side to side as she sung.

Hannah's grin grew so much that it burst into a giggle, then she placed her book and papers to her side and jumped up and started to 'shake it off' across the room, quickly followed by an excited Amanda who did a somersault from her bed and landed in front of the other girl. Both of them moving and bouncing randomly while chanting the song, now louder, without restrictions. At first, Amanda was the only one singing but then she cheerily motioned Hannah to follow after her, she finished one verse and then pointed to her friend, who immediately started were she left, complementing each other. Hannah was bold enough to even shake her shoulders while leaning in front of Amanda, who did the same but instead leaned backwards and rapidly bend upward in the same way in front of Hannah, without losing the rhythm of the song. They were enjoying so much they little 'break', that they extended the last verse a few more minutes, chanting and giggling, jumping and dancing, eyes locked in one another. Until their lungs couldn't sustain anymore bouncing, they made one last leap and landed on their backs in Amanda's bed, both breathing heavily.

"Woah! England! That's the stuff! Hahaha". Amanda yelled, still trying to catch her breath.

"What can I said?... Sometimes I can shake it…Hehe...". She said, having more difficult to recover.

That was awesome!

They rested for a few minutes there, letting their muscles to cool down. Then Amanda, being the one in better shape, spoke first.

"I thought that your tragic British sensibility didn't allow you to enjoy some good American pop hit". She said, now resting her upper body in her elbows and looking at her still tired friend.

"Like… I'm open to any kind of music, you know… that includes a catchy song from the other side of the pond… And what do you mean by 'tragic'?". She said, still between breaths, nudging the other girl with her elbow and giggling.

"Hehe, just kidding". She smiled at her. "Ya know… You should come to practice with me sometime, it's a good exercise".

"I'll… Think about it…". She took one last long breathe and then slowly scooted back to her spot beside the bed. "Uuuff, now, where were we?".

"I'm done with my part". She grabbed her papers and followed Hannah, sitting beside her on the floor, she handed her the documents, then she stretched her arms and rested them across the edge of the bed then she closed her eyes and leaned her head backwards. "Hmm~ What about you?".

"I'm stuck with this question, it's driving me crazy". She groaned as she furiously crossed another fail answer.

"Hmm?". Amanda opened one eye and tilted her head a little. "Oh? That's an easy one".

"What…?". She looked at her with a frown.

"Here". Moving a little closer to Hannah, she slid her left arm across the shoulders of her partner to point at a diagram in the book resting on Hannah's left thigh. "You use the Netzach variant to convert the rest of the equation into binary digits and that's it".

*Tu-Tum*

Is she…?! Goosebumps ran down her body.

"Easy peasy, right?". Amanda finished, now fully resting her arm on Hannah's shoulders.

"...".

*Tu-Tum* *Tu-Tum*

Is she hugging me?!

"Uh… Did you heard me?".

"Y-YES!". Hannah replied in a high pitch tone as she wildly wrote what she thought was the answer and rapidly closed the book. "D-DONE".

*Tu-Tum* *Tu-Tum* *Tu-Tum*

Don't faint! Don't faint!

"O-okay...". Amanda winced a little after the loud answer and suddenly she realized where her left arm was.

Oh shoot! W-what do I do now?!

Just as Amanda was about to lift her arm from its place, Hannah spoke.

"Y-you can... Leave it, if… You want". She said, averting her eyes from the taller girl. A notorious blush adorning her face. "I-I don't mind".

*Tu-Tum* *Tu-Tum* *Tu-Tum*

Stay cool, Hannah!

"Oh… S-sure, this is… Nice". A blush also adorned her face as she was trying hard to relax her tense up body.

"Yes… It is". She nuzzled closer to the other girl with a dorky smile. She rested her left hand on her lap and with the other she cautiously held Amanda's hand. When the taller girl squeezed her back she shut her eyes close and bit her lower lip.

Oh. My. Gosh! We're cuddling!

Amanda finally loosened her body and decided to let herself go in the moment. She slowly tilted her head and rested her cheek on Hannah's hair. That auburn hair that she secretly always looked for on the hallways.

Maybe… You could try to change, O'Neill… Damnit! Why does she smell so freaking good?!

The seconds turned into minutes as the time pass by, neither one seemed to want to separate from the other. Both girls just enjoying the moment. Until Hannah gathered enough courage to speak.

"Wh-... What do you think about the... 'Thing' that Barbs said a couple of days ago?".

"Huh? What 'thing'?". Amanda responded lifting her head from her resting place.

"You know… About Diana and Akko… Being… A couple". She said that last word almost whispering.

"Oh! You mean the 'Dianakko debate'". She chuckled. "That day we sure had a good laugh".

"Hehe… We did, like, the former dunce of Luna Nova dating the star student, unbelievable". She snorted.

"Right! Hahaha. But, what about it?".

"Eh… Well… I wanted to know, what do you think about… two girls… dating…?". Hannah asked, losing her previous confidence.

"Two girls… dating…?". Amanda's eyes widened at the question. "I-I… I believe that… is alright, ya know… As a long as they like each other… Gender doesn't matter. I know it sounds cliche but, love conquers all". She looked up and scratched her cheek as she finished.

"I see…". Hannah's eyes beamed with emotion. "Would it be oka-". She turned her head to face Amanda, but as soon as she did it, her gaze was met with two bright green eyes looking directly at her hazel ones.

*TU-TUM* *TU-TUM* *TU-TUM*

Do it!

"Y-yes?". Amanda barely could articulate a sentence.

Hannah was baffled, she knew what she wanted to do, what she needed to do, but she simply couldn't conceive anything beyond those green eyes. Her brain was yelling at her. Her heart was pounding against her chest. She didn't even care of her heated face anymore. All her attention fixed on those alluring green eyes. And by pure instinct she slowly started to move up, moistening her lips without notice it.

Amanda's state was no different, her mind stopped working when the question she asked to the girl beside her, the one she was cuddling with, the one staring at her, left her mouth. She had never felt like this before. She was supposed to do something, but she could only admire the cute face in front of her. When said face suddenly started to get closer, the answer was now obvious. She slowly tilted her head down, never losing eye contact.

Such was their trance, which neither of them noticed that a chubby witch made her way casually past the door and silently took a seat on her desk, then grabbed a bag of chips and carefully took one and lead it to her mouth.

*Crack*

The sudden noise finally snapped the two girls from their absorption. They blinked a couple of times and slowly turned their heads towards the sound origin.

"GAAAH!". Both witches cried in shock. Hannah frantically shoving Amanda away from her, throwing herself to her back in the process.

"Hmm?". Jasminka made a little jolt for the sudden scream. Still with her mouth full, she rolled her head to see if there was anything behind her that could cause such a reaction.

"J-Jasminka! How long had you been there?!". Amanda asked with a hand pressed against her chest, breathing heavily.

"Oh? Just a few minutes I think". She said in her passive cheerily voice. "Did I interrupted something?".

"N-no! You didn't!". Hannah almost yelled as she stood up.

"Y-yeah, we just…". Amanda followed her.

"Finish the assignment".

"Y-yes! That! And then…"

"We… Took a break!".

"Sure! T-that's all!".

"HAHAHA". They both laugh awkwardly.

Jasminka watched amused from one to the other, her trademark soft smile growing in her face.

"Okay". The russian girl replied simply and continue to eat her chips.

"I-I should go back to my dorm, now". Hannah said as she started to gather her belongings rather fast.

"R-right…". She bent down and help her with her stuff.

Once all the papers were safety in Hannah's hands, they headed towards the door. Amanda turned the doorknob and let the other girl go outside. Hannah made a few steps into the hallway and then stopped.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me next weekend?". She asked suddenly, not with enough courage to turn and see the other witch in her eyes.

"Dinner?". Amanda stepped outside and left the door ajar behind her.

"Y-yeah, you know, to celebrate that we finished our assignment". She said sheepishly. "And… Maybe… To continue where we left…?".

"Oh… T-that sounds fun, sure!". She folded her arms behind her head with a side smile in her face. "Do you know a place?".

"Yes!". She twirled happily to face her. "Is a french restaurant downtown Blytonbury! It's like, super fancy! Do you have anything to wear?".

"Hohoho, I have just the thing". She replied with a smug smile and a wink.

"It's a date then!". Her smile couldn't be wider. "See you tomorrow at class?".

"Yes and yes, goodnight, England". She lifted her right hand and made a salute-like wave with it, only her index and middle finger extended.

"Hehe, goodnight, Amanda".

Yes, yes, YES. We have a date!

Amanda remained there watching the joyful girl hop down the hall. When she was out of sight she entered her room and leaned her back against the door after she close it, with her eyes closed.

A date, huh…?

She couldn't avoid to keep the smile present in her face since her partner left. With a new incentive, she needed to get some things prepare for the next weekend.

"Hey Jasminka, could you help with some stit- Wait, why are you looking me like that?".

"Do you have a date?". She said between giggles.

"Wh-?! Well… I-I… Maybe…". Before she could continue with her babble, Constanze appeared from the entrance to her secret workshop under the school, writing something in her clipboard. "J-Jasminka! Not a word of what you saw!". She pleaded.

Before said girl could replied, Constanze rose a piece of paper to Amanda.

'No need, I have it ALL on tape'. Was written on it.

"WHAT?!".

=NORTH HALLWAY, FIRST FLOOR=

"Hi Hannah! How are you?".

Ugh… Rosie…

"Fine… You?". She halted her pace to the courtyard and glared with a bore expression towards the other girl. She was supposed to meet with Barbara for lunch, before her, oh so, anticipated date and a chat with Rosie was the last thing she wanted right now.

"I'm great! Thank you! Say, did you think about our offer? We'll be super happy if you join the club! I mean, you and your team spend so much time together with the green team, I'm SO jealous! But I could never do that! I'll die of embarrassment! She is soooo cool!".

Couldn't she just shut up?! Like, I have better thing to do, geez!

"Huhmm". She hummed looking at her nails and tapping her foot, she was getting impatient.

"And did you hear? She's going to Blytonbury tonight! Alone! The other girls and I believe she is on a date, could you imagine? Who could be the lucky one? Gosh! I wish I knew where she is going".

She is going with me, loser.

"Oh yes, I hear about it". Hannah said with a smug smile still looking at her nails. "And I also heard that she is meeting with a beautiful girl, but that's all I know".

"Oh my gosh! Really?! I have to tell the others! See you later, bye!". She spun in her feet and ran towards the dining hall.

"Yeah… Sure… Whatever…". She looked up from her nails with a conceited smile and then stuck out her tongue at the running girl.

Stay away from her, minger.

She resumed her way towards the courtyard in a better mood that she would expected after a talk with Rosie. After all, she was that beautiful girl that was on a date with Amanda and a little boost in her confidence was always welcomed. She spotted Barbara sitting on the ground at the center of the field, with a thoughtful look.

"Hey Barbs, is something wrong? You look troubled".

"Hi Hannah, I was just wondering…" She hesitated. "Have you ever felt like an extra in your story?".

"Hmm? I don't think so, no". She replied dumbfounded. "Where did that come from?".

"I don't know… Maybe I have been reading too much Nightfall…"

"Right… Anyway, you won't believe what happened earlier".

=BLUE TEAM'S DORM=

"Where is it?! I can't find it anywhere!". Hannah roamed her dorm from side to side looking for her missing jewelry piece.

"Calm down, Hannah, it's going to appear sooner or later". Barbara tried to calm her from the bathroom where she was in front of the body size mirror, fixing her coat.

"But I had it with me just a minute ago!". She was now rampaging through her drawers, tossing pieces of clothes everywhere.

"Okay, let me- Woah… Someone is nervous". Barbara came out of the bathroom but stopped immediately in front of the mess that was now her room.

Hannah didn't even hear her, she was too much preoccupied trying to look under her bed, when she didn't find anything, she quickly dashed to the other one, with the same luck as result, then she went back to inspect in her drawers one more time. Barbara just followed her with her eyes, afraid to be run over by her anxious friend. She sighed and then proceed to sit on the sofa, it was probably best to get out of her friend's way. When she reach the furniture, she saw two bright golden earrings, adorned with little diamonds, laying on the center table.

"Is this what you're looking for?". She said as she rolled her eyes and held the offending article for her friend to see.

"Uh? Yes!". She strode fastly towards her friend, took the earrings and quickly set them on her ears. "Thank you, Barbs!".

"You are welcome, hehe, you know, you should like, take it easy, it's a family reunion after all, right?".

"S-sure… But I really want to impress them. How do I look?". She made a little spin.

"You look gorgeous, Hannah, as you were five minutes ago". Barbara rolled her eyes for the umpteen time that afternoon. "It's going to be fine".

Hannah was wearing a watermelon tone halter dress, which reached at her middle thighs. Tight-fitting around her upper body and loosened past her hip. It hung from her neck with two strips that converged in the center of her chest, which was gripped by a wavy skirt with a darker tone. The rim of her dress was cut in a diagonal, with her left side a little down than her right. She chose a pair of golden high-heel shoes that matched with a bracelet in her right wrist, her pair of earrings and a necklace that was wrapped tightly around her neck.

Her hair was still in her usual ponytail and ribbon, but this time it was fixed lower, so now it reached her back and it ended in a curly. One lock of hair descending her forehead to almost reach her eyes. Contrary to her stunning outfit, she decided to not overdo with the makeup, instead she only put a soft red lipstick and a subtle green shadow in her eyes. And lastly she applied a jasmine perfume, which she discovered Amanda liked very much.

"Okay, okay, this is it, let's go". She let out a sigh and turned towards a hooded coat resting in her bed, to avoid nosy eyes.

"Finally". Barbara reached for her beret and sunglasses and followed her friend.

"Wait… Where is my purse?".

"Ugh! By the nine, Hannah!".

=BLYTONBURY=

You can do this Hannah, just follow plan B. You. Can. Do. This.

After the third attempt to leave their room, the two witches finally set out to town, through the Leyline. Once there, they wished each other good luck with their respective quests and parted ways, at least that was what Hannah intended, but as soon as she was going to proceed, Barbara walked in the same direction she was about to take, which left her with two options, continue behind her, hoping that she won't notice the sound of her high heels, or, take the long path. And judging by the 'totally not suspicious' way Barbara was acting, looking everywhere for who-knows-what, the answer was obvious.

The long path it is…

It didn't take her that much time to get near the restaurant, it would've been otherwise in any other circumstance, if not for fact that she was almost running. Making her way gracefully across town, evading shopkeepers and passer-by, with only one goal in mind. Soon enough, it was just around the corner, she hastened her pace and just as she turned, she saw her.

You can't do this.

Amanda was standing outside the front door of the restaurant, with her arms crossed and leaning over her right leg and her left foot resting over its tip. But what made Hannah almost faint, was her outfit. She was wearing a stunning black tuxedo. Its lapel had a dark grey tone that made it stand out from the rest of the coat, which was unbuttoned and had a handkerchief neatly fixed in her front pocket. Inside she wore a light grey tone vest, which made its way up from her hip to just below her breast, where it outline her curves. Underneath it, she had an indigo blue blouse with its first two buttons free and from her collar hung a yellow strip to both sides. Her black pants were squeezing her legs just in the right places, highlighting her toned up muscles. Her shiny black shoes were polished perfectly, although they were almost flat, she still was an inch taller than Hannah wearing her heels. And last but not least, her hair was combed back, with just a little lock of orange hair sticking out from the center of her hairline.

She looked stupidly astonishing and Hannah just couldn't handle it. She froze right there in the corner, with wide eyes, gaping and almost drooling, her brain trying to process the other girl sexyness. Luckily for her, said girl was looking the opposite direction, from where she was supposed to have arrived. Having enough of it, her right hand lifted on its own. When it was at her face height, it made a couple of twirls and then.

*SLAP*

"Hmm? Hey Hannah! I thought you bailed on me". Amanda waved at her.

"W-what? O-of course not, don't be silly. HAHAHA". Hannah said in a kind of mixed pitch, between a high and an extra high tone, still grounded in her corner.

Put yourself together woman!

"A-alright…?". She uncrossed her arms and then put them on her hip. "So… Are you coming?".

"A-ah, yes, yes!". She dashed between stumbles towards the waiting girl. Once in front of her she extended her arm, in a rather robotic manner, for a hand shake, not sure how to actually greet her. "H-hi Amanda, sorry for being late".

"I believe…". She held her hand and then placed a kiss in the back of her palm. "This is how you greet someone in this side of the pond, isn't it?". She lifted her head a winked at her. "And don't worry about it".

What are you trying to do O'Neill?! You know better!

"I-I…". Hannah's face was deep red after the greeting and she stayed there frozen, yet again. Just when her left hand was about to snapped her this time, Amanda spoke.

"So… What do you think? Did I nailed it? or… Did I nailed it?". She said gesturing to her outfit with a not so modest smile.

"Wh- Oh! Yes! Amanda you look astounding!". She proceed to circle the girl, now in full control of her body, not losing any detail of her clothes. "I mean… You look handsome, but not handsome-handsome, more like handsome-pretty, you know what I mean?".

"Hehe… Sure, I been told that before". A faint blush creeped to her cheeks.

"And, it's that my ribbon? Did you keep it all this time?". She pointed at the yellow strip in her collar.

"Of course I did, it's a precious memento, and I wasn't going to threw it away". She held it with pride.

"Is it?". Hannah's eyes shone with devotion.

"Yeah! And I wanted to make a bowtie with it, but neither Jasminka nor Cons could help me with it, so… I left it that way, it doesn't looks bad, right?".

"You silly, here…". She reached for the piece of cloth and after button up her blouse, she skillfully made a perfect bowtie. "There, all done".

"Really?! Just like that? I was in front of the mirror for half an hour and all I could get was a knot". She rubbed her forehead and chuckled at herself.

"I'm full of surprises". She smiled slyly and winked at her. "But you know what…?". She reached for it again and with a gentle pull she undone it. "I think you look better this way, it's more… like you".

"If you say so…". She chuckled and lifted her arm for Hannah to take. "…Shall we?".

"Absolutely". She took her arm and started to walk towards the door. Feeling more comfortable now.

"By the way, you smell very nice".

"T-thank you…". She bit her lower lip.

Once inside, Amanda observed the place, it was fancy indeed, the floor was made of polished wood, probably imported. The inside walls were decorated with paintings of landscapes of wine fields and still life, with some vines adorning some of the columns. All the front of the place had windows so it made it look spacious. The light was dimmed and in the background you could hear a soft bossa nova song. They were greeted by the hostess that asked them something in french, and quickly got replied by Hannah, who also spoke in french, to Amanda's surprise. They exchanged a few words and then she guide them to a secluded table at the back of the restaurant, it was surrounded by fence covered in vines, so it was pretty private, just for the fact that it face the window, they were going to be by themselves.

"I didn't know you speak french". Amanda whispered to her friend as the hostess gestured to some waiter to come.

"And italian and a little spanish, one of the obligations to be part of a noble house". She sighed. "At least that's what father told me".

"Woah… It sounds awesome and boring at the same time". She chuckled.

"Hey, at least it has its perks". She said as she gestured to the place they were in.

"Hehe… Fair enough". She rubbed the back of her neck.

A waiter arrived and the hostess dismissed herself with a bow. He presented himself, in french obviously, and motioned to Hannah's coat, probably to help her take it off. Something that Amanda was expecting since she saw her on the street, but was hiding it very good.

She nodded at the waiter and then he proceed to remove it, when it was completely off, Amanda swallowed hard and then gaped.

Damn…

Hannah looked amazing in that dress, that damn dress, it accentuated Hannah's slim waist and chest in a criminal way, and it showed too much skin for Amanda's own good, from her bare shoulders, that her gorgeous hair only made more alluring, to her long legs. Amanda was starting to feel her body burn. But what she liked the most, and she'll never admitted it, was her eyes, those hazel orbs adorned with a subtle green shadow. Her dress was yelling 'Look at me!' but her eyes were whispering 'I'm right here'. So it wasn't a surprise she didn't notice that, after helping Hannah to her seat, the waiter came to her side and set the chair aside for her to sit, only when the man put a hand on her shoulder, she barely got a sense of what she was supposed to do and without losing eye contact from an amused Hannah, she let herself go down, only to end on the floor.

"Amanda!".

"Monsieur!".

"I'm fine! I'm fine!". Amanda almost instantly got up, with her face now red from embarrassment. She took her sit and quickly hide her face from Hannah.

"Geez, 'I didn't know I had that effect on you, O'Neill'". Hannah said in a mocking tone and then chuckled.

"Ha… I see what you did there". She snorted.

"Je suis désolé, monsieur".

"Wh-?".

"He says he is very sorry"

"Oh… It's alright, don't worry…". She waved her hand apologetically.

"Très bien, je serai de retour dans un moment. Mademoiselle, monsieur". The waiter bowed at them and then he was gone.

"Why is he referring to me as 'monsieur'?". She asked puzzled. "And to you as 'mademoiselle'?". She said that last word with an exaggerated accent.

"He refers to you as if you were a man". She giggled. "And obviously I'm a miss".

"Oh… Can't blame him". She just shrugged. "Y-you… You look awesome… By the way".

"R-really?". She blushed as she played with her lock of hair.

"Yeah… I mean… You look beautiful…".

That caught Hannah off guard for a moment, but a warming feeling from her chest quickly filled her mind with the determination that she needed in that moment.

"Thank you". She bit her lower lip. "I was hoping you would like it".

They both shared a silent smile, still admiring both of their outfits under the dim light of a single candle set at the center of their table. Then Hannah placed her right hand on the table, slowly moving it a little closer to her date, Amanda followed her and also put her right hand over the table, almost reaching the other girl's hand, the tips of their fingers barely touching. Their eyes locked on each other. Hannah again, was the first one to made a move, she delicately started to brush her finger tips against Amanda's hand, tracing little circles in the back of her palm, noticing the rough skin, probably due to her constant use of a broom. That sent little jolts to Amanda's body, little spasms that made her heart flutter, a feeling that she was trying to fight, but losing miserably. So she let go. She turned the palm of her hand upwards and she started to caress Hannah's hand, she was met with silky and warm skin, she knew that her date loved to take care of it, and surely the effort was worth it. She didn't want to stop touching her. She extended her other arm and offered her hand to Hannah, to what she complied immediately.

The waiter came back soon after, with a bottle of wine and some baguettes, but instantly noticing the couple's trance, he silently opened the bottle and poured the liquid into two cups, which he quietly set on the table, without being notice. He lastly put the little basket of bread at the edge of the table and then he left.

"You know…". After what it appeared to be only seconds but were in fact several minutes, Amanda broke the pleasant silence. "I-I... I was never going to say this aloud but… I find your eyes… Really beautiful".

"My… Eyes…?". She stiffened her hold on Amanda's hands. "B-but… Your eyes are like, so much prettier… I could watch them all day… I-I want to watch them all day". She said the last part with more confidence.

"You want to…?". Amanda replied with widened eyes.

"Y-yes!". She got closer to Amanda. "I know I invited you here to celebrate our finished assignment, but the real reason was…". She pursed her lips, still gathering some courage to continue. "I-I wanted to spend more time with you… A-and I wanted to tell you that…".

"T-tell me…?". She also scooted closer.

"I like you! I-I really like you!". She finally said it and a pressing feeling in her chest disappeared. "I wake up everyday waiting to see you and when I'm finally with you, I don't want to leave. You made me laugh and then you made me angry, but then you made me laugh again, like, who does that?". She chuckled. "Only you can make me feel that way and when the night arrives, I laid in my bed and I can only think of you, I close my eyes and there you are, with that stupid smug smile of yours that I like so much…".

"I…".

"And when you get hurt… It hurts me, you know, that's why I'm learning healing spells, to be able to be there for you, to be with you… Only if you want to, of course…". She finished and looked down sheepishly.

"Hannah… I…". Amanda held Hannah's chin with her hand, lifting her to meet her eyes.

I like you too…

"Yes…?". She looked at her with longing eyes and slowly move forward. This was it, the moment she was waiting the whole weekend, no, the entire year. She finally was going to be with her.

"I… Can't…". She whispered.

But you deserve someone better than me…

"What…?". Her voice could barely be heard.

"I'm… Sorry…". She frowned and averted her face from her. She was about to stand up but Hannah hardened her grip on her hands.

"W-wait! D-did… Did I do something wrong?". She asked with tears threatening to fill her eyes.

"I don- You…".

"Mademoiselle, s'il vous plait arrêter!".

"MOVE!"

Out of nowhere, Barbara stormed in the restaurant, knocking down whoever stood in her way, striding hastily to her roommate's table.

"Hannah! Did I…?! Did I just?!". She asked vigorously, but as soon as she notice her friend's watering eyes, concern filled her. "Wait… What is happening?".

"I… Was just leaving". Amanda took advantage of the moment and let go of Hannah's hands. She quickly stood up and moved straight to the exit.

"A-Amanda! Wait!". She ran after her, throwing her chair in the process. She caught up to her almost at the door and grabbed her by her wrist. "Please! Talk to me!". She pleaded with tears running down her cheeks.

Please…

Amanda stayed there tensed, clenching her fists, not looking back at her, not wanting to look at her and show her own tears.

"This… This was a mistake". She said bluntly.

"…". Hannah let go of her wrist and with that, Amanda just left.

The world around her became mute, a buzzling sound was overwhelming her ears and an oppressing sensation started to invade her chest. A pain that only meant one thing.

Her heart was broken.

A/N

Hi guys…So… Thanks to all the readers, reviewers, followers and favs for your support, it really means a lot to me.

As for the end… I- Wel- *Ahem* You kno- I mea- *CofCof*

Oh! Look! Over there! A fun fact! Best regards!

*SMOKE BOMB*

Fun Fact – The Aven- I mean, Hannah and Amanda will return in "Phase Two".