The Library

"I need a babysitter," Hermione murmurs, realising it's so hard for she and Remus to get alone time these days that she's even considering willingly leaving Kiora with Sirius. Unsupervised. For more than three minutes. Wow. Then she realises she's oversharing as much as Reg is and giggles awkwardly. "Um....... how's your gun practice going?" she says, trying to think of a nice, safe topic. Scary, when guns are the safe topic.

"Oh! Great! I've gotten lots better, we shot apples off trees the other day and they were delicious!" I can think of other things that are delicious, too... Regulus smiles happily. "I feel a lot safer now, since I can protect myself..." he said more quietly, looking at the table. "Still paranoid."

Hermione was back in a little daydream about cream cheese frosting and its many uses, so it takes her a minute to process everything Reg's said. She chews her lip, feeling a swell of revulsion towards the animal who had abused Reg. "I don't blame you. But I am glad you feel safer." Without thinking, she lifts Kiora and holds her close, as if she can protect her from the world better this way. She wants her daughter's world to be free of all the terrible things, and people, Hermione herself has seen in her lifetime. "If there's ever anything I can do..." she trails off lamely, because what can she do?

Regulus looked up at the mommy and her baby and smiled. "You won't be able to hold her forever. Teach her how to keep herself safe. That's what you can do. People aren't always people- some of them are- they're twisted. Evil. And they wouldn't think twice about hurting someone," he said, having learnt that lesson the hard way. "Don't hide that from her. I was sheltered. I didn't realize, what people could do- I trusted so easily."

Hermione grimaces and kisses the top of Kiora's head lightly. "I know what you're saying is right. But I hate it. I didn't really understand the world either, when I got here. First time someone called me 'Mudblood' cut pretty deep, actually. I like to think I've grown a slightly thicker skin since then, but who knows? I want her to be prepared, to be capable... I still don't want her on a broom just yet," she jokes feebly.

Regulus looks up at her abruptly at the word 'mudblood.' "You're a mudblood!? Viktor didn't tell me that," he said sharply, clapped a hand over his mouth, hoping his inability to think before speaking half the time hadn't deeply offended her. "Er- I mean- er, YEAH BROOMS. She should probably be at LEAST a year old, I mean, she needs to be able to sit up, after all. Yeah. A year old. That sounds good," he quickly rambled, though he was staring at the table in front of him looking sort of guilty. "Er- sorry. I didn't mean to- it's just a habit, I guess. Really- I didn't mean anything by it- one of my closest friends is a mudb- er, muggleborn. I just- sorry. Yeah. Sorry."

Hermione's head snaps up, her eyes widening with surprise and hurt at Reg's surprised exclamation. She glares, but manages to keep herself under control as he begins to ramble a distraction, then finally an apology. "That's quite all right, Regulus," she manages in a dignified voice, even though the sting is deeper than she lets on. She tries to remind herself that where Regulus comes from, what he'd said was perfectly acceptable and bites her lip. "Viktor's going to teach her to fly when she's a little older. I'll need all that time to get used to the idea," she says, making a stab at moving the conversation along.

Regulus felt terrible for what he'd said, knowing how it had hurt Faye when he'd said those things to her, the only mudblood in Slytherin, but he hadn't the slightest clue how to make what he'd said better, so he ignored it, though his regret was clear in his expression, and he was horribly embarrassed at having insulted one of Viktor's closest friends. "Yeah- time. Get used to it," he repeated, not really listening to what she was saying as he was busy turning red in the face and wishing he could take it back.

Hermione focuses her attention on Kiora for a moment, which always comforts her and helps her keep her head. The baby is awake now, her bright brown eyes fixed on Hermione attentively, and Hermione smiles down at her daughter, lightly running her finger along the miniature replica of Remus' nose. When she feels ready, she glances back up at Regulus. His face is bright red and he looks mortified. The Mama Bear instinct in her kicks in and she takes pity on the boy. "It's ok, Reg. Really. I know you didn't mean to hurt me. But in future I'd appreciate it if you kept in mind that it's not a term one usually hears in civilised conversation." She smiles then, to show him there's no bad blood between them. Er... awkward phrase right there, but whatever. "So how are you finding OWLs?"

Regulus nodded but still looks like he's not been so ashamed of himself since the hospital wing- he's done a great job of embarrassing himself in front of Mya, hasn't he? "Uh- O.W.L.s... OH GOD OWLS! I've been forgetting all about-- I think I was supposed to go study- oh great, I'm late! I'm sorry I gotta go or McGoogles might eat my brains out because I asked her for help and now I'm not there when I said I wou- BYE!" Regulus runs away flailing towards McGoogle's office, not entirely upset by the excuse to escape.

"Good luck," Hermione calls to his retreating back, sort of glad she no longer has to force the cheer. She looks down at Kiora again, holding her gaze and speaking softly, always wondering how much the baby is really taking in. "Mummy wishes she could make sure nobody ever calls you names, baby girl."
She kisses the tiny, perfect face softly, then gathers her things and leaves, no longer in the mood for study.

Molly is in the Library, sitting at one of the big desks and working on a Charms essay. She doesn't like the Library, because it's a quiet place, and she likes to talk. But it's hard to concentrate in the Common Room sometimes, so here she is, scribbling away on a roll of parchment.

Morag practically skipped into the library. She'd finally found it!! She looked around, loving the cozy, but expansive heaven of books and paper and and and... All that awesomeness.
She looked around and saw a girl sitting at a desk. Hoping she was right in thinking it was okay to go over, she walked to the girl. "Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here?"

Molly looks up and grins. Oooh, an excuse to talk. People give her funny looks when she talks to herself, and Fabian has threatened her with Silencing Charms to 'stop her from embarrassing the Prewett name'. "Sure, it's fine. Hi! I'm Molly. Who are you?"

Morag grinned and sat down, putting her bag in front of her. "Hey! Nice to meet you, I'm Morag." She tried not to sound like an idiot, and attempted to tone down her voice. "Pretty desolate in here, isn't it?"

Molly looks around and nods. "Yeah. I don't know why - you'd think so close to end of semester people would, like, be studying for exams, right? Maybe it has something to do with the decor? The lighting is a little soft for reading... They should, like, renovate over the summer or something."

Morag giggled a little. "I don't know, I kind of like it. Lighting might not be perfect, but it does give off a very... scholarly feeling. I suddenly feel like studying you know? Although, it is much more quiet than the Common Rooms, I hear... Not from Ravenclaws, of course, since there's never anyone in there... At least since I came... But the others are more lively I'm sure. What house are you?" She finished lamely, even though the girl was clearly a Gryffindor. It was her way of ending her rambling streak. She always said too much around new people... ugh.

Molly beams. This girl talks almost as much as she does. It's nice not to be alone. "Yeah, Gryff sometimes gets a little loud, not that I've been there very long. But you're right - it is nice and scholarly in here, even if it is too quiet for my tastes. I'm in Gryffindor. So what's Ravenclaw like, besides quiet? You're, like, the first I've met."

Morag had to pause... She hadn't actually met anyone from her house. "Well, to be honest, I haven't met anyone from Ravenclaw yet... I thought they'd be here, but they're not... Obviously. I've had to answer a riddle to get into the Common Room though, so I'm assuming people think a lot... There were some signs for parties, but no recent dates. I dunno..." Well that sucked. She had nothing interesting to say about it...

Molly giggles. "Ravenclaws partying? That sounds a bit funny. I'm glad we don't have to answer riddles to get into our Common Room though. What if I'm, like, tired and can't think of the answer? I just have to sleep outside? That can't be comfortable! Don't worry, I haven't met many people in my own house yet, but I do have my three siblings there so it's, like, always busy. Do you have any siblings?"

[I have to go next post SORRY! ]

"Nope!" Morag said happily. "Just me! I like it, never have to share anything with pesky siblings." She giggled. "I mean, I'm sure it's good so you're not always having to talk to your parents when your friends aren't around... But I still like it."

[S'oK! Talk to you later!!]

Molly screws up her nose a little, trying to imagine life without her siblings. "I would, like, die without my siblings. We're really close, the four of us, even if we are kind of loud. But it's always fun at home, always something happening like the time Gid and Fay knocked their bedroom wall down...." Molly looks down, giggling a little at the memory, and catches sight of her watch. "Oh no, I did it again! I'm, like, always always always late. Got to dash! Nice to meet you, Morag!"
She jumps up and grabs her stuff, running for the exit and repacking her bag at the same time.


[Molly's all excited that she's found a friend who likes to talk! Seeya! ~flails~]

[Yay!]

"BYE!" Morag called after Molly, grinning widely. Well, at least someone was as pleasant and talkative as she was. She sighed, deciding she'd probably better continue her reading now that she was all alone. She pulled out her books and started off.

Snape is here. Studying like the nerd he is. Alone. In a corner. Just waiting to be assaulted by an angry Mya.

Hermione wanders in from the lake, intending to get herself a book before she heads on back to the dorm with Kiora. She spots Snape, and, like the tactless bitch she is, the words slip out of her mouth before she can stop them.
"You're never happy, are you? So you're always trying to bring everyone else down to your level."