Lavy walked into the Gyrffindor common roomand looked around. It was just like the last time she had seen at and she smiled, happy to see that little had changed. She moved towards the fireplace and sat down in one of the chairs in front of it. She didn't know how long she was sitting there but somehow she was woken up by the door opening. She looked up to see who had come in.
Rheese had just walked through the common room door from a nice walk out in the forest. As he walked near the fireplace to sit down was when he finnaly noticed he wasn't alone. He turned his head and saw Lavy "Oh hello Lavy I didn't notice you there. What are you doing up?"Rheese aked curiously.
"Oh, nothing really. Just thinking. What about you? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"
*Shouldn't you?* Leah said, from a chair near the fireplace. They couldn't see her one, because she wasn't moving and could pretty much make herself invisible that way, and two, because the chair wasn't facing them. She turned the chair so that she could see them better.
Stacey slowly opened the door to the girls` sleeping quarters. She hurried down the stairs and only when she reached the floor did she realize there where other people in the room. "Oh." She said surprised. She was wearring a silver cloak that shimmered with the glow of the fire and there was a chain aroind her neck. When she saw the people her hand went to the chain and she shoved the charm that was on it inside of her cloak. "Hi." She said, looking around at the faces looking at her.
"Sneaking out?" Lavy ased, looking over to Stacey, "Who are you going to go see?"
Leah saw Stacey stuff a necklace inside the cloak, but didn't mention it. She wanted to know who Stacey was going to see.
Stacey was lecturing herself for not checking the commonroom first. She had been to anxious to go. "Um, no one." Stacey said, not remembering if any of them could read minds or anything.
Leah wasn't a great mind reader, but she knew that Stacey was lying. *Come on Stacey who is it?*
Stacey tilted her head and looked Leah in the eye. "No one." Stacey said again, she was a great lire.
"You knwo I can hear you're thoughts, right? So there is no use lying to me. Yoy might as well just spit it out and get it off your chest."
Stacey smiled to herself, she never really thought directly about anything important, so people couldn`t tell what she was thinking, just get a general idea. She walked towards the couch. "I have nothing to hide. I just don`t feel like telling a long story."
"I've got nothing but time to spare. So, for my peace of mind, please just tell me. Even if it's nothing I would feel better knowing. Just in case I need to come bail you out of jail," She ment the last part as a joke.
Leah nodded and said, *Yeah, what she said. And plus you're outnumbered 2 to 1 so you might as well. Besides, then we can let you leave*
Stacey smiled. "Don`t worry, you won`t have to come and get me out of jail. I`m just going to meet someone." Her smile grew.
Lavy smirked, "A boy?"
*Clearly, look at her face!* Leah said, noting the obvious love she held for the mystery man. *So who is he? Gryffindor? Hufflepuff? Ravenclaw?*
The smile faded from Stacey`s face and she looked at the ground. "Slytherin." She said quietly. She started to blush.
"Hey there's no shame in that. If you like him it shouldn't realy matter. So what's him name?"
Stacey looked up and smiled at Lavy. She apreciated that she didn`t freak out. "Well, um, he`s a seventh year."
"And you're a fifth year?"
Stacey looked back to the ground, but she was smiling this time. She was full aware of the age difference. "Third." She said.
"Oh..."Lavy didn't say anything for a while, "I can't help but wonder about his intentions."
"Oh no, he`s not like that at all, I`ve known him for a long time, I know a lot about him." She said, trying to defend the person she knew best. "I know what you`re thinking, and why you`re thinking that, but, it`s just not true."
Lavy put her hand up, trying to calm her down, "Well it is true that he's thinking about it. It's weather or not he wants to follow through. And I trust your judgement. If you say he wont try anything then I believe he wont..."
"But Stacey. He is much older and he can't help himself. If he ever tries to pressure you into anything that your not ready for...and I don't just mean... well you know what I mean, please come talk to me. Or anyone. Promise me that."
"I promise Lavy. And I thank you for your understanding. But I tell yo he is not the type of person to do that. He has never done anything to hurt me. And he`s saved my life more than once." Stacey said in a calm voice. She took her necklace out of her cloak and held the ring that was on it in her hand. She looked at it a held it in her palm.
"Well let me tell you something. And you can take it for whatever it's worth. Just cause someones never hurt you before doesn't mean they aren't capable of doing it."
"And I know I'm generalizing here but it's the truth. If you knew my enitre history you know I would and can say that with 100% confidence in that statement." Lavy sat down in a huge armchair and criss-crossed her legs.
"I know that Lavy." Stacey said, quietly. Stacey knew what had happened to Lavy, so she understood her concern. "And I can tell you with my own confidence that he would never, ever do anything to harm me." She paused for a moment. "Lord Voldemort was seconds from killing me. And he saved me. And that may not sound so special, but he used to be a Death Eater." Stacey stopped, recalling the times she had been close to death.
Leah smiled when Stacey said that he was from Slytherin. She actually was a fan of Slytherin/Gryffindor friendships. She said simply, the smile still showing on her face, *Well I'm glad that some Slytherins and Gryffindors can get along!*
*And if you're running late, feel free to go, I won't stop you. Just know that I'll be waiting so don't come back totally stoned.* She said, matter-of-factly with a hint of good humor.
Lavy nodded, "Alright. Just be careful please. Now go before he starts wondering where you are. We'll both be up if you want to talk when you get back."
*Or if you don't* Leah added, agreeing with Lavy.
Stacey looked at the two girls. Lavy had made her think some things she hadn`t wanted to think. But she gave good advice. "Thank you." She said, giving a weak smile. She turned and quickly walked out of the room......
"You're welcome..." She said long after Stacey had left. She sighed, "I hope she's right about him. Who ever he is. I couldn't bare it if she got hurt. She's so young and...well just a little naive. Maybe not about him but just in general. I don't know if she knows how quickly this all could turn bad.
"Do you think I'm overreacting?" She asked, turning to Leah.
*Well it depends on how well you know her... if you were her mother, you're good, sister, you're good, best friend, you're good... other than that it just means that you're a very caring person.* Leah said, her eyes like the green depths of a forest, a secret behind every leaf. She blinked and they were normal, bright shining green. *I know I couldn't bare it if anyone got hurt, no matter who it is...*
Lavy shrugged, "I have this instinct to protect others."
*I believe that everyone does, but some either choose to ignore it, or hide it. And some may have it stronger than others, but it's there... somewhere.* Leah said, her eyes becoming distant.
***Two Hours Later***
Stacey slipped in the commonroom door. The commonroom was darker than it had been, she had also forgotten that Lavy and Leah would be waiting for her. She sat in one of the big armchairs and gasped as she saw the two older girls.
"How did it go.....pretty good? Seeings how you forgot we were even here." She winked at her.
Stacey smiled and blushed. "We just sat on the roof and talked. I love to look at the stars, and he knows me well." She said, blushing even more at the last part.
"Did he....kiss you? Is that why you're blushing?"
Leah listened, interested. She was glad that the dark could hide her emotions, and she watched the others intently.
Stacey smiled as her cheeks turned scarlet. "Well, no. We didn`t. We just talked. If you really want to know, which... I know you do, I was the one that held his hand. His life at home isn`t going to good." She crossed her legs and folded her hands.
Leah had mentally formed a list of the guys in Hogwarts. She crossed off all of the ones that weren't Slytherins, diminishing the numbers substantially.
*What year did you say he was?* She asked, trying to get Stacey to spill, and gush about her night. It happened to Leah all the time, and her friends knew exactly what to say to get her going.
Stacey tilted her head at Leah. "Seventh, why?"
"Just wondering." Leah said, continuing to cross off the boys in her mind. "What does he look like?" Leah said, leaning forward, her eyes getting big.