Long day...

Emilia stumbled into an empty classroom, horribly exhausted from her long day. She sat down in a chair and looked around. How odd... she thought. This is where I...whoa, how long has it been? She counted the days since she'd last seen her friend, Lavender Parkinson, and she cursed at herself for having stayed away for so long. She peeked out the door to see if anyone was coming.

Leighton walked into the empty classroom, feeling quite tired from the day she had. Alyxander had been pestering her all day with his insistent noise. It didn't help that Drea had been deciding to ask Leighton to pay attention to her all day. Leighton just wanted some time to think and relax. She didn't think that she was asking too much.

Noticing another figure in the classroom, Leighton raised a questioning eyebrow. She could see it was a girl with dark and curly. It reminded Leighton of her dark and curly hair that she got rid of when her family died. Then, it dawned on her who the girl was. It was one of the girls, besides Lavender, that she tormented with Aurora.

"You're Emilia, right?" Leighton wondered, crossing her arms over her chest, staring blankly at the girl. She might not recognize her, considering Leighton was a blonde now.

Emilia noticed someone come in. It looked like a friend of Aurora's - Leighton something-or-other, she thought the girl was called. But Leighton hadn't been blond... Oh well. She decided to take the chance. "Hi, Leighton," Emilia said. "I like your hair. It looks good blond." She gave a tentative smile. Perhaps Leighton was a little more friendly than Aurora. Then again, Emilia wouldn't know, because Aurora wouldn't speak to her. She thought of asking Leighton to tell Aurora that she was still around, but that could wait. "How have you been, Leighton?"

Leighton was pleasantly surprised when Emilia recognized her. She still didn't seem like a traditional Slytherin, yet Leighton wasn't one either. Neither was her friend Lavender. Leighton supposed that she was in between. She could be in either crowd. "Thanks, I thought a change would be good." Leighton didn't explain why a change would be good. She wanted to observe the girl and see if she could trust her.

Hearing the girl's question, Leighton shrugged nonchalantly. "I've been fine. Dealing with life." Leigh replied calmly. "How about you Emilia? I didn't see you around that much last year."

Emilia was quite surprised. Leighton (it was indeed Leighton) was actually polite. Maybe I will fit in in Slytherin now, Emilia thought contentedly. "I'm sort of the type of person to keep to myself," she said, answering Leighton's query about her rare appearances of the previous year. "You would probably know, seeing as you're a friend of Aurora's. We didn't exactly get on well. I wonder how she is." Shut up about Aurora now, Emilia scolded herself. She's not here. Leighton is. "Next time you see her, I'd appreciate it if you could pass on my greeting. Perhaps, if she's willing, we could meet here. But enough about that. I've asked around to see which spell is easiest to learn at my semi-unexperienced level. What spell would you recommend?"

Leighton nodded in response. "I know what you mean." Leigh replied quickly, her American accent becoming more prominent. When Emilia said that Leighton was friends with Aurora, she couldn't help but smirk. Leigh wouldn't really consider herself friends with the girl. They got along and respected each other. They knew that they were powerful allies. Friends were almost useless unless you knew for certain that you could trust them. Leighton was well aware that not many people could be friends with Aurora. Leigh knew that she couldn't trust her. "I remember that. I also remember insulting you along with her." Leighton stated, not apologizing, since there wouldn't really be a point if Leigh knew that her words were true at the time. "I'd be sure to pass on your greeting though." She said, inclining her head down before looking back up. Leighton arched a perfectly trimmed eyebrow. "I would go with Expelliarmus. It's handy and easy to learn." Leighton replied, her dark green eyes scanning the classroom.

Emilia noticed a slight difference in Leighton's tone, confusing her slightly. Perhaps American, she concluded. Leighton had agreed to pass on her greeting to Aurora; for that, she was grateful. But it seemed that she and Aurora weren't exactly friends... Oh well. It would work out, seeing as Leighton was more like Aurora than Emilia was.
'Thanks for passing on my greeting,' she told Leighton. 'And the tip. I'll try Expelliarmus; it does seem easy enough.'

Lavender walked along the corridor grinning from ear to ear, having just spent a lovely few hours with Hester in the library. These were the days she'd treasure. Cuddling up with the red head in deserted corners behind bookcases really was a favourite pass-time of hers now. Stealing a sneaky kiss every now and then, causing Hester's cheeks to redden. There really was nothing that could ruin this time. Hester was- she stopped in her tracks. There were voices, somewhere along this corridor. Lavender made her way towards a familiar door, the voices growing louder. She wondered who it could be. Without hesitation she pushed the door open and jumped inside energetically. Two people occupied the room, luckily they were a fair distance from each other so she hadn't interrupted anything awkward. Unlike the first year Ravenclaw who'd walked in on her and Hester that time, they'd only been snogging but boy was it embarrassing.

"Oh, afternoon ladies," Lavender beamed, looking from one to the other. Wondering if maybe she had interrupted something. The two girls made quite a cute couple. Oh goodness, Lavender shouldered herself. Ever since she'd discovered her sexuality she'd began to question everyone elses too. Though the thought of the two girls in front of her being that way inclined made her feel all tingly down south.

Emilia jumped as the door opened. Hey, it's Lavender! she thought wildly. She began to smile, and then noticed a look on Lavender's face that she'd seen only a very few times before. Her smile slowly faded into a slight frown. 'Er...hi, Lavender!' Emilia said with somewhat false happiness. 'Long time no see.' She looked over at Leighton to give a sort of silent apology and slowly edged toward the door.
Suddenly, Emilia stopped. That look shouldn't matter, she chided herself. Besides, it might not even mean that. She made her way back into the centre of the room and said, with more boldness, 'How have you been, Lavender? Have you met Leighton?'

Lavender noted Emily edge towards the door after shooting Leighton a strange look. Though she returned back to the centre of the room after a minute.

"I'm great thank you, just been in the library with Hester. Yeah I've met Leighton," She gave Leighton a grin. "How are you two on this fine day? And what are you doing in here?" Lavender furrowed her brow slightly, stepping further into the room. The door closed behind her and she proceeded to lean against it.

'I'm great, Lavender, thanks for asking.' Emilia noticed happily that the awkward moment had passed quickly. 'I was just passing by this room earlier and decided to come in - for old time's sake, you know?' She flashed Lavender a sly grin. 'And then Leighton entered, so we chatted a bit. And now you're here.' Emilia wanted very much to ask Lavender about her friend Hester (she had many odd suspicions about the pair of them), but she decided to let her bring it up.

Lavender caught the sly grin Emily sent her and returned it.

"Sounds...interesting," There was silence for a second as she tried to think of what to say in order to keep conversation afloat. I just walked Hester to her dorm, she's exhausted bless her, she works so much. Homework all over the shop, I barely get mine done," Lavender grinned at the thought of the red head. "Mind you, I'd prefer to spend time with her than do school work," She couldn't remember if Emily knew about her and Hester, though it really wasn't her problem.

Emilia bristled uncomfortably when Lavender expressed her desire to 'spend time' with the Gryffindor Hester. Relax, Em, she told herself. It's probably not that kind of relationship. Nevertheless, Emilia had to ask, 'You and Hester must be...er, very good friends if you feel so... compelled to spend so much time with her.' She paused. 'Even if Hester is a Gryffindor.'

Lavender regarded Emily closely, she was acting strange after the mention of Hester. When the girl spoke it only confirmed her fears.

"Very good friends..." Lavender nodded slowly, chuckling in her amusement. "You could say that," Though her amusement died down when Emily mentioned Hester being in Gryffindor. "I don't give a damn which house she's in, I'll spend time with whomever I want," Lavender crossed her arms over her chest. She thought Emily would understand, or at least support her, after everything Lavender did for her in their first year.

Lavender's answering tone was surprisingly sharp. 'I don't give a damn either, Lavender,' Emilia said quickly. 'I only meant that...other people might.' Of course, she meant Aurora, but there was no way she was going to acknowledge that in front of Leighton. 'So you guys are...okay.' She was a bit taken aback, but after all, Emilia wasn't a normal Slytherin, and therefore accepted the unusual trait of her friend. 'You should bring Hester here, Lavender,' she said, suddenly having a brilliant idea. 'I'd love to meet her.'

Lavender could feel her temper calming, though she hadn't even noticed it surface. That was more like the Emily she knew, for second she'd worried being in Slytherin had finally gotten to the girl. Luckily it hadn't, altough she still didn't know the whole truth about her and Hester.

"Yeah, I'd like that, I'm sure she would too. You'll like her I can tell," Lavender grinned. "The two of you are quite similar in some respects. Though of course there are some things I know about Hester that I definitely don't know about you," She suppressed a laugh at how cheeky she was being. Maybe Emily would guess. Because Lavender knew what Hester liked, what got her sweating. But she'd never know stuff like that about Emily, not unless there were some strange turn of events. Oh dear, there she goes again, questioning others sexuality. Though Lavender would have liked another girl to be the same way inclined that she was, because then the three of them could experiment. Pushing these thoughts aside quickly, she glanced at Leighton, winking briefly.

Emilia smiled at Lavender. She was glad that Lavender was...the way she was. Uncomfortable discussing it, mind, but it was still there. And apparently this Hester girl was too. Emilia was elated.
Finally, someone who understood. No wonder Aurora had thought her annoying - her beauty was more affective than her words. She still couldn't get over it.
But that owl had flown. No more of that first-year crap.
Emilia shot another apologetic look at Leighton as she sauntered up to Lavender and whispered in her ear: 'If you know what I mean - I know how you feel.'

Lavender smiled, and watched as Emily stood close to her and whispered in her ear. A shiver ran up her spine. And another. Lavender stepped back from the girl slightly, unsure as to why her body was reacting in such a way their closeness.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Lavender asked Emily, not at all sure of what Emily meant. Unless it was what she thought it was, but that was unlikely right? "Sorry, Leighton. I hope you don't mind if I take this one away?" Lavender took Emily's hand gently and led her towards the door, waiting to see if she's agree to leave.

'Sure,' Emilia answered happily. Her plan had worked. She just wanted to talk. Good. 'Sorry to leave you like this, Leighton,' she added, turning back to the girl as she and Lavender exited the empty classroom, hand-in-hand, 'but we've got some catching up to do.' Emilia chuckled at the triumphant ring of her voice as she left with Lavender.

When Lavender entered the room, Leighton gave a half smile at her friend. The conversation between her and Emily was a bit lagging and perhaps Lavender could make it a bit more interesting.

"Hello Lavender." Leighton stated, leaning against a wall. Then, Leighton waited until either of them addressed her. Though, that didn't happen.

The girls interacted with each other oddly. It made Leighton a little curious. Their fighting was entertaining, that was simple though. When Lavender spoke of Hester, Leigh would smirk knowingly. Emily seemed to be hostile about the thought of Hester. If Leighton didn't know any better, she would say Emilia was jealous. This whole situation just seemed a bit odd. Leighton didn't mind if Lavender was homosexual or if Emilia was... whatever she was. It was just a bit... for lack of better word, odd.

When Lavender asked if her and Emily could talk privately, Leighton raised a warning eyebrow. She didn't want Lavender doing anything that could possibly ruin hers and Hester's relationship. They seemed like they were a good couple. "I don't mind. Besides, I have to write an owl anyways." Leighton said, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulders, her green eyes innocently widened as if she didn't notice anything. Emily, while nice, seemed like too much of a troublemaker for her own good. "I'll catch up with both of you later." Leighton in a cheerful tone, even though it was forceful. And with that, Leighton walked past them and toward the common rooms.