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As Dominic stepped towards her, seemingly out of nowhere, just as Ronyo started to inquire about her artwork, Eliora reached back to take Dominic's hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. His compliment had her beaming, and she had been eager for his approval. She dropped his hand, in case he didn't want it...

"Thank you, sir." Eliora said to Ronyo, unsure of his name. "i'll be sure to do that. But when she threatens one of my friends, i tend to be protective as well. i do hope you understand." As he left, Eliora turned to Dominic, one thin eyebrow raised. "Odd fit for a Slytherin, is he not?" She reached up and brushed her fingers through her raven hair, a bit unsure of what to make of the situation.

"Why does that girl hate you, Dominic? You're so nice... to me, anyway..." She blushed a little bit, looking down, and sighed, her arms snaking around her middle, her posture reflecting her feelings. She was glad, though, that she would, hopefully, have time to talk to Dominic about this. She did not have class, and no one was really awake yet, or so it seemed. "And anyways... The plan only would have needed to be tweaked a little, if you did it, for it to succeed... Whoever did it... it's not his fault tha' he didnae get the desired results. Just needed more... creative talent." She smirked ever-so-slightly, her onyx eyes glittering like stones.

Eliora shrugged. "So what if you are cruel. We are in Slytherin, aren't we?" She smiled at him sweetly. "Plus, you're nice to me and that boy from the Feast... your friend? Damien? So really i think that's what matters. A little cruelty? Well, i don't see that completely as a problem..." The girl giggled. When he asked her what she had in mind, she brushed a few locks of ebony hair behind her ear and looked up into Dom's sparkling globes with her own of shining obsidian, the reflection of the flames dancing in her eyes. "Well... The Sonorus charm? I think you can change it slightly... there has to be a charm or something tha' changes a person's voice. If whoever did concoct tha' bit of mischief with the Howler had used tha' to change into, perhaps, the girl's mum or da's voice, then it would've been believable..." She smirked, hoping his reaction to this would be good. At least he was playing along with her game, and this was a good sign.

"... Hey Dom? Want me to draw you something sometime?" She kind of blurted it out, and blushed, looking a bit shocked at herself. "I mean, if you want some kind of... repayment... for helping me learn to fly soon..." She coughed. Really, she didn't mind drawing for him anyway, but she was always so unsure of herself. Especially now that boys were part of the equation. Or rather, one boy. Dominic.

Eliora shivered as Dominic stood to his full height before her and slowly grinned, his oceanic eyes shining from the light of the fire. There were butterflies in her stomach now, and she knew she had no hope of catching them and forcing them to remain still. It felt like she had too much energy in her body and she couldn't release it. As his rich, dark voice flowed past his lips in agreence with her words, she blushed and looked down, only to glance up with shy eyes as he suggested flying tomorrow, in the gardens.

"I'd love to..." she said quietly, feeling very small next to him. But it was a good kind of small. A comforting, safe kind of small... with just a tiny hint of fear. But hey, what good is cruelty if it doesn't insight fear, hmmm? wink

Eliora shook her head. "i'm sorry, Dom... i cannae believe i forgot! It's a good thing she told it to you..." She, too, was having butterflies in her stomach. Would people want to know where they had been, or what they had been doing? Nervously, her left hand reached up to grab her sleeve and tug it down, holding it in her fist.

As they entered the common room, she smiled as she looked around, noticing the couch and fireplace here she and Dominic had spent so much time the previous year. The bookshelves and the chess table and the various comfortable chairs situated throughout the room, the windows that showed the light from the lake. She sighed, squeezing Dominic's hand. This was her home... sure, she missed her mum and Da when she was here. But here she had her aunt and Dominic and her studies. That was enough, right?..

"Well, we're back... wha' would you like to do on our first night back in the Slytherin common rooms, young Master Montague?" she turned to face him as she spoke, a teasing tone emanating from her tongue, her black eyes glittering in the light of the constant fire within the fireplace. Her free hand unclenched itself and found his right hand, gently taking it up in a careful embrace. She wanted him to know that it was ok. It was like the fight had never happened...

((I need to pay more attention. Sorry! My life has been hectic. o_o;;; ))


Eliora shook her head, moving closer to Dominic, her face burying in his side. She didn't know what she wanted to do. She wanted to not cry. That was a good option. No. He apologized. It never happened. She took a deep breath, pulling away slightly.

"We could... sit by the fire. Talk abou' wha' happened over the summer, since we dinnae see each other all the time... Or we could relax a bit... and then sneak to the kitchens?" She smiled slightly, still a bit tense and nervous around him. She worried her bottom lip, unsure of what to do. He said it was her choice, but for some reason she was worried she might make the wrong one. Again.

The end of the school year was come to a screeching halt, and, within a few days, the feast would commence along with the festivities of awards. He’d heard through the grape vine that Slytherin was rumored to have jumped in the lead, stealing both the House and Quidditch Cup. As much as Dominic wanted to double check, he honestly couldn’t muster the energy to hobble down to the corridor where the house points were displayed in hourglasses. Hell, even after all of the ointment and potions he used from his mums office while he was Gracie, every part of him still ached.

His lower back still harbored a nasty bruise from a bludger, and his right shoulder was still weak with the incision split into his flesh from the two bludgers that struck him there, one after the other. He’d almost fallen half asleep too with the textbook for Wizard Law loosely stowed in his hands—that is, until, Damien had burst into the room.

The entrance way charged to the side, sliding deftly against concrete stone for a screech before it made way for a stampede. Dominic expected the entire house of Slytherin to run through, but, it was only his friend. ”Damien?” Dom pushed himself upright as much as he could, resisting the urge to cringe in the process. ”Bloody hell mate, you alright?

“Almost look like you’ve just seen a ghost…?”

Dominic’s brows knitted together in dismay, bloody hell, just what had happened out there, he wondered? Hadn’t he whined and complained the last three days about these injuries? Hell, it makes him wonder just where Damien’s thoughts had lied during those hours, whatever it was, he was sure it had to do with this. ”Seven hells mate, you know it was quidditch, now stop blowing smoke up my arse and tell me what’s got you so buggered out?” Dominic was quick to cut to the chase, deciding to recline back in the leather armchair and tossed his textbook aside beside his scroll of parchment with half an essay scribbled sloppily upon it.

”Seriously mate, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this before,” and it was true. Dominic had friended Damien over everyone else not only because of their (mostly) similar ideals, but, because the boy was always so calm. It was nothing like he is now, panicked almost.

But Dominic couldn’t deny that he hadn’t been the same way, after all… He still didn’t know what to make of all of the events that had transpired in his mum’s office with Gracie….