Dark Corner of the Common Room

Narcissa would like for Eowyn to know that REG NEEDS TO STOP BEING A DRUGGIE BECAUSE IT MAKES CISSY SAD KTHXBAI.

"Ciggies too? Those are bad for your lungs, you know... Why are you doing this to yourself, anyway?"

Lame, I know.

"I'm not doing the cigarettes anymore. I was forced to quit by... you know. And I gave up on the pills. They weren't enough. I have something better now," he said, looking around to make sure nobody could see before flashing the small baggie at her, then shoved it away again.

"Right, right." Her eyes follow the small bag, her eyebrows raising as he stashes it away. "I hope you have a nice life with a dead brain... that stuff is intense." She looks back at him, repeating her past question. "Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Because it feels damn good, Dee, that's why," he replied rather snappishly. "And I don't think I could stop even if I wanted to, at this point," he said very quietly, looking at her with a slightly scared expression in his eyes.

"I know what it feels like," she growls. "You don't have to remind me. But you can stop. I did! It just takes a lot of strength. Strength I know you have." She pats his arm, showing that she was there to help.

"There's a difference between gillyweed and blow, Demetria, as you very well know. But that doesn't matter, strength enough or not. I can't make it any clearer than this- I don't want to quit." Regulus looked at her with a stubborn glare, and clenched his hand protectively around the cocaine.

"I know that, I do. But I didn't only do gillyweed. It's just what I tell people who care so I don't feel like as much of a failure." She narrows her eyes. "Then I can't help you. Helping you would be a waste of my time."

[Just thought of that plotline now. *shrugs*]

"Yea, it would. Dee, I know you're only trying to help. But that's just it. I don't need help or want help. The only help I need right now is in my hand. It gets me by and I'm happy that way," he said firmly.

"Then I don't think we can be friends... It's not easy to stand by and watch someone go through the same things I did, and not being able to help." She stands up and starts walking towards the door.

Regulus stared as she left, a lump forming in his throat. Yet another person he'd lost because of all this. It didn't matter, though. He had Viktor, still. Inside he knew that if he ever found out, he would hate Reg forever, but he wouldn't let that happen. Standing up and brushing past Dee, he headed out the door without a backwards glance.

Annie sits down in the corner because she has a headache and needs to get rid of it.

Annie gets up and runs out of the common room to find a darker place where her throbbing headache will cease.

Pansy snuck into the common room from her dormitory, slipping around the perimeter to avoid the obnoxious third years who'd crowded the room. She slouched into a chair in one of the shadowy corners, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

Severus walks downstairs, and sees Pansy. "Hey, flower! Good morning!" he says brightly, sitting down nearby.

"Hey Sev! How're you?" She stops rubbing her eyes, but can't help blinking a few times trying to get rid of the dryness.

"Alright, how're you, sleepyhead?"

Pansy laughed. "Better now that I've talked to Draco. We're at least working on being friends again." She tried for a smile, attempting to ignore the fact that last time they'd talked, she'd punched him and stormed off.

Severus' face lit up. "That's wonderful, Pansy! I'm so happy for you!"

"Yeah, I just hope he's actually serious this time. Sometimes I wonder if he really is capable of changing for good. A few days, sure, but, anyone could change for a few days. I just..." She sighed. She didn't want to get her hopes up and have them crushed again. All the same, she'd finally accepted that she couldn't bring herself to stop loving him. Ever.

Severus leaned forward and touched her lightly on the face, looking into her eyes. "He is. I know it. When he lost you, he changed, Pansy, before he even got you back. He's not the same person anymore."

Blaise walked in ready to settle down on the sofa and work. Yes he said work, but he stopped suddenly at seeing Snape... and Pansy. He froze unable to move. It hadn't been that long ago he would have been able to approach her and kiss her. But not now.

Pansy smiled at him. "Thanks, Sev. I sure hope you're right." She glanced over Sev's shoulder to see Blaise sitting on the couch, looking at her. Her breath caught in her throat, remembering their last encounter that hadn't ended so well.

Severus followed Pansy's gaze and saw Blaise, his expression growing irritated. He was determined to keep Pansy distracted from him. "So, uh, are you guys going to prom together?"

Blaise wanted to drop his gaze but he couldn't. She was too beautiful.