Wandering Thoughts.

[Derek Heart]

It was dinner time here at Hogwarts. All of the students were busy with conversations of their own so that hall was completely filled with the buzz of students chatting about their days and what not. Derek was sitting with somewhat of a large group of friends, laughing and horsing around. Boys will be boys. The group of boys were telling each other jokes, flinging food at one another, and playing little pranks on people around them. They had all finished their meals and waited for dessert, so that's where the food flinging came in. A boy opposite from where Derek had been sitting flung a small but of potato at him, luckily Derek managed to dodge it and hit a student sitting at the next table over. Exploding into laughter, the Gryffindor boy sitting next to Derek laughed so hard that pumpkin juice came spilling out of his nose.

Playfully punching the kid on the shoulder, Derek blurted out, "That's bloody wicked!" while laughing and thumped the boy on the back. In what seemed like perfect timing, the food had disappeared which saved another student on the other side from getting a face full of a chicken wing. After devouring many sweets and pastries the boys had settled down. Moments later, but not before Derek relaxed to give his stomach a chance to rest after dinner, he got up to walk some of the food off. "Oy mate! Where you off to?" His friends asked, sort of disappointed that he was leaving. With a grin Derek replied, "None of your business you nancy-boy." His grin grew larger but continued. "Nah I'm just playin', I'm goin' for a walk." With a chuckle, Derek swung his leg out from underneath the table and turned to walk away. "That seems a little dodgy ey?" His classmate teased. "Oh bugger off." Derek called out after him.

Looking around, the Gryffindor noticed that a lot more people that just him were getting up to leave the Great Hall. He suddenly found himself caught in a small crowd of people, he casually looked from side to side to see if anyone caught his eye. No one did. At least he didn't spot anyone of interest. He followed slowly as the chattered followed the group he was engulfed in. He heard plans of going to the library to study, he heard plans of going to the common room to read or play exploding snaps. He even heard a plan about going into an old broom closet to..well he didn't particularly care to find out what exactly was planned from that suggestion. Soon Derek found himself rounding the corner and seeing that the corridors were now littered with a few kids here and there talking to each other or arguing.

Walking over to a bench, Derek slid all the way to the wall and leaned against it with his feet up on it as well. Heaving a satisfied sigh, he grinned to himself as he thought about his antics that him and his friends displayed through out the feast. Oh how his friends knew how to have a good time, they were a riot to be around. He slowly closed his eyes to fully enjoy his relaxation. Reaching up, Derek scratched behind his ears. His shaggy, yet fantastically styled jet black hair felt very soft when he scratched his head. Placing his arms behind his head, Derek sat there on the bench enjoying himself. Although his mind started to wander.

Thoughts about his brother started to swirl around his thoughts, as well as the nightmares he's been having. Pushing the thoughts of his brother and the nightmares out of his head seemed difficult. So they still clouded his mind. His expression twisted into a mixture of concern and frustration. He wanted answers about all that, it keeps growing more and more frustrating to not know anything about his brother or about what those dreams are supposed to mean. He just wanted an explanation or even something that would make sense. Derek heaved a sigh and continued to let his thoughts swirl around his mind.

(haha i started to ramblee)

[Lyland Rosier]

Lyland had been tempted to skip dinner. She wasn't overly hungry and there was no other point to her going to the Great Hall than to eat, but in the end she went because honestly... she didn't want to be alone in her common room or dormitory. She should have felt safe there, but since the attack at the dance she hadn't felt safe anywhere. It was perfectly silly since she could take care of herself... yet... still she feared being left alone somewhere and attacked.

Not just that, but if she skipped dinner what would she do? Most likely she would sleep... and if she slept she would certainly have a nightmare because she had had one almost every night for the past few months. They had increased after the dance steadily and then about three months ago they became common occurrences. The worst part was the ominous feelings they gave her, the dread, didn't dissipate after she woke up. It stayed with her and caused her more than one sleepless night. It was evident to everyone around her too. She had dark circles under her eyes, she was jumpy, almost always had her wand in hand like she was going to be attacked at any moment. The other day she even caught herself peeking around corners before taking them like Doom waited for her about the turn.

Lyland was a pathetic mess to say the least.

In the Great Hall she sat at her house table, surrounded by people - none of whom she called friends. And they didn't exactly sit with her, just near her. They were there, but acted as if she was not. She didn't mind, it was fine. She didn't mind being 'alone' with a thousand people around her. It was being solitary, it was being the only person within earshot, that bothered her.

As she picked at her food her eyes scanned the room, falling on a familiar black-haired Gryffindor boy. He seemed to be having fun laughing with his friends, joking and making a mess. To say she was jealous was a bit of an understatement. Lyland only wished she could be so carefree... but between her nightmares and the fact that she hated everyone - it left little room for play. She shook her head and sneered in Derek's direction, despite the fact that his back was to her and he wasn't paying attention anyway.

When he got up and left she found herself moving to follow him without a second thought. She was half way to the doors when she noticed and cursed herself. Unfortunately, it was too late to sit back down now so she continued after him. She could always make a detour and head for her common room once she was out of the Great Hall... but she didn't. She continued to follow a safe distance behind him until she found him seated on a bench, seemingly daydreaming or something.

'Merlin, he is so good looking...' Lyland felt ill at the very thought. No matter how hard she tried she could not deny the fact that she was very much attracted to the stupid boy. It was wrong on so many levels. They bickered constantly, she thought he was the most annoying boy in the whole school, he was a Gryffindor, and her family would positively disown her if they knew how she thought of him and that she associated with him at all. Still, despite all that she couldn't stay away... so she did her best to make him miserable and act as if she hated him in every way, as if she didn't find him handsome and somewhat charming at all.

She walked over and lifted her foot up to kick his leg quickly before moving to the other side of him and sitting down on the bench. "Well if it isn't Gryffinbore in the flesh. And look at that... being extra boring as usual sitting in the hallway all alone. Did your other reject Gryffindor friends not want to humor you tonight, Heart?" She asked, arrogance lacing her tone. How she loved to annoy him... try as she might to pretend otherwise she knew deep down it was her way of flirting.

She couldn't flirt like normal people because of her upbringing... it wouldn't allow her to treat the Gryffindor boy as a real person... despite how sick she was of her family's treatment of her, she still tried her hardest to make them proud and be like them... so she made fun of the boy and reverted to that very primal, instinctual, and childish form of flirting where you pick on the one you like. She hoped beyond hope it wasn't obvious that that was what she was doing. She didn't think it was since she was abnormally thorough and cruel in her teasing, but still some times she worried needlessly.

Then again, so long as Derek was oblivious she couldn't really care less if anyone else knew. Her siblings were both out of Hogwarts now so it wasn't like they would find out. She just had to keep it from Derek and she was good to go. Because honestly, it wasn't like he'd like her after all her ill treatment of him anyway... so it would just be humiliating for him to find out. Lyland certainly didn't need to be rejected by a Gryffindor - let alone Derek.

[Derek Heart]

Through all the sounds of footsteps, Derek thought he heard footsteps that sounded like they were approaching him. But then he rethought his accusation. There's a lot of students running around the corridors so it could just be someone walking past him or something. Tossing the idea out of his head, he continued to enjoy himself. Derek's thoughts seemed to have cleared up since his brother was no longer lingering through his thoughts, for now that is. He was relieved that the thought had been pushed away.

The Gryffindor started to hum softly to himself until the sound of the footsteps near him stopped then felt his leg being kicked. The sudden action sort of shocked him, his eyes darted open. With a barely inaudible 'ah!', Derek had shifted to the wrong side and fell of the bench. "Umph.." was all that was heard as he landed on his back. Propping himself up onto his elbows, he bared his small fangs. It was a reaction that came instantly when Derek felt threatened or wanted to scare anyone that was bothering him. Derek was about to growl at whoever had kicked him and made him fall off the bench until he had realized who it was.

"Well if it isn't Gryffinbore in the flesh. And look at that... being extra boring as usual sitting in the hallway all alone. Did your other reject Gryffindor friends not want to humor you tonight, Heart?" Standing there in front of none other than Lyland. His expression turned into a black stare. She had pretty much thrown him off, he was definitely not expecting her to come up to him and ever sit down near him. Derek's eyes wondered over her face for a moment. There was something in him that took a fancy to her. Her perfect blonde curls, her sparkling eyes. It all attracted him toward her. After what seemed like forever, Derek was able to regain his composure. He stood up with ease and took his place back onto to bench and turned to face Lyland, arching an eyebrow.

"What's your deal, Rosier? Coming up here and pestering me. What's the matter, no one wants to play with you?" He said with a tone of cockiness and made sure to put emphasis on her last name. "And I wouldn't be calling Gryffindor's rejects hun, I got another house in mind for that title." Derek smirked. "And I've got loads of friends, sometimes I like being alone, you must know exactly how that feels." He cooed tauntingly. The Gryffindor had a hard time controlling his tongue. But he didn't feel that guilty, she had deserved it for running up to him and kicking him. He would of expected just a load of tasteless jokes about either his appearance, Gryffindor, or something else she could come up with. He stared at her, with his bright blue eyes twinkling maliciously.

(ahh i think Derek was too mean.. >< )

[Lyland Rosier]

{nahhh I think it was good!}

Lyland watched as Derek fell off the bench. She barely held off a snicker. As he sat up and bared his fangs she was taken aback momentarily. She remembered him once saying he was a demon, but she had never seen his fangs or anything. It was a frightful sight.. and yet it just made him sexier. In fact she leaned forward just the tiniest bit and had a sudden urge to kiss him fiercely. He looked dangerous, but adorable. It was confusing.

Thankfully he stood up, sat back down on the bench, and started talking before she could make any stupid moves. She silently sighed with relief. Until his words actually registered. Lyland huffed and rolled her eyes. "And I wouldn't be calling Gryffindor's rejects hun, I got another house in mind for that title." She turned, getting up on her knees and looming over him, and pushed him backwards, pressing his back to the wall. Bloody hell, his smirk was dreamy. "Listen up, Heart, you don't go talking badly about my house or I swear I will find a way to rip your heart out of your chest and feed it back to you. I'm so sick of everyone making fun of Hufflepuff." She pushed away her thoughts of his smirk and gave him a stern, dare she say deadly, glare.

His taunting about friends turned her glare icy cold. She straightened up and turned around, sitting down properly again and shifting ever so slightly so her back was basically to him. "I know about wanting to be alone very well, yes. I prefer to always be alone if I can't have the company of a Slytherin. No one else is worth my time." She tried to sound arrogant, but she feared her tone fell flat.

Standing, the young Hufflepuff dusted herself off needlessly and gave him a curt nod. "Well, I just came to be a nuisance to you for a moment. I haven't seen you in a few days, I needed my 'pick on a gryffindork' fix, I got it, so I'm gone now." With those words she headed down the hall, back the way she came to make a visit to her common room. Why had she followed him anyway? Why had she talked to him? Sure, ok... she thought he was hot. She was attracted to him, but it was only physical and she knew what she risked by associating with him so she should have just stayed away. Besides all they did was fight anyway - why choose to put herself in a situation like that?

So she was taking herself out of the situation. She was walking away... slowly... but she was doing it.

[Derek Heart]

Derek could tell that Lyland was trying not to laugh as he had fallen off the bench, but as soon as his instinctual defense kicked in it had probably scared her a little. Derek wanted to burst out laughing so bad but bit his tongue to watch how Lyland reacted instead. She stared at him, as if in a trance. To Derek it was both somewhat embarrassing and flattering. Did she just lean forward a little? Is that girl crazy or what. Why would someone lean forward to something that's snarling and baring it's fangs. Derek sighed internally as he got back onto the bench.

When Lyland said something about Gryffindor he fired back a couple of smug comments. Derek defended his house with pride and honor. Over the years at Hogwarts he came to love Gryffindor and everyone in it. It because his second home and somewhat of an escape from his father, although he did love his father. Lyland reaction to his comments surprised Derek, he never thought she'd have it in her to actually threaten someone.
She had turned to face him and got on her knees and tried to dominate over him. She had pushed him back so his back was now pressed against the wall. "Listen up, Heart, you don't go talking badly about my house or I swear I will find a way to rip your heart out of your chest and feed it back to you. I'm so sick of everyone making fun of Hufflepuff." She finished with a very hard almost menacing stare.

Although Derek's anger started to boil. He would normally brush off anything that happened and wore a happy-go-lucky smile and went on with life. But there was something about Lyland that provoked him, that wakes something deep within him that he tries so hard not to release. Ever been outside right before a big thunderstorm and you could taste all the elections and what not? Well Derek wasn't doing a great job of controlling his powers at the moment. Soon her stare turned into an icy glare. Lyland straightened up and stopped pressing Derek to the wall. She sat back down and turned so that her back was basically to Derek. He was about to apologize and take back control over his powers, but Lyland spoke again.

"I know about wanting to be alone very well, yes. I prefer to always be alone if I can't have the company of a Slytherin. No one else is worth my time." Lyland tried to sound arrogant, he could tell she was trying. Again Derek was about to speak, give Lyland a piece of his mind for her close-minded opinions on Slytherins, but she stood and interrupted him for the second time now. "Well, I just came to be a nuisance to you for a moment. I haven't seen you in a few days, I needed my 'pick on a gryffindork' fix, I got it, so I'm gone now." With that she turned and went down the same way they both had come previously. Derek snarled maliciously and ground his teeth. His attitude was definitely taken the best of his at the moment. Before he could think straight he stood up and with a blink of an eye, appeared in front of Lyland with a menacing sneer.

The air around them had started to gather with static electricity. Derek could feel the hairs on the back of his neck, his arms, pretty much every hair on his body was starting to rise. If either of them reached out to touch one another, that would result to a very big nasty shock. Derek was well aware of it so he kept his distance from Lyland. "What in Merlin's beard is your problem." Derek's tone had dropped to a very dark tone since the last time he had spoke. A few things change when Derek's powers are tapped into. His attitude and voice are just the start of it. "Why must you always carry such a horrible attitude with you? All you do is talk about how great Slytherins are, how great their company is, how bloody fantastic they are! Well their not!"

Derek's temper was slowly rising now, his voice had become louder but still with the very dark tone. Ever since he met Lyland she had always carried such an attitude that Derek would rather baby sit the most horrid and foulest creatures from Care of Magical Creatures class. Well he was going to get answer right now. "Slytherins are the lowest of the lows. I can't understand why someone would want to try to act like one of them or surround themselves with them. Their just ruddy cockroaches that get in the way and need a good stomp. They think their the highest and mightiest, but they'll be the first to fall. Their a bunch of bloody cowards!" He growled menacingly again. Deep down Derek wasn't sure where this was coming from but at the same time he did.

-FLASHBACK-
Derek's father was sorted in Slytherin when he attended Hogwarts. He even raised Derek to believe that he was destined to be in Slytherin and that any other house is shameful. So all his life Derek was thinking of just Slytherin. There was no way he would be sorted into any other house except that one. But when the day came of his first year to Hogwarts and he was sitting on the old stool with the dusty sorting hat on his head, it all came crashing down. The hat sifted through his mind, told him he would be great in Gryffindor. He would succeed. He would rise to the top in Gryffindor. As the hat shouted Gryffindor, Derek's world had shattered. The same night he got a letter from his father asking if anything changed in the common room, who was Head of House, and if he had liked it there. But Derek wasn't in the Slytherin common room. He was sitting in the boys dormitory laying on his four poster bed in the Gryffindor tower.

Derek felt like he had brought his father great shame. All those times where they discussed his years at Hogwarts as a Slytherin were not gone. He knew his father would be angered and disappointed. Taking a new piece of parchment and a quill, he scribbled back a letter. 'Sorry Dad, looks like the Sorting Hat placed me in Gryffindor. I can't believe it right? Placing me in Gryffindor was a big mistake on their a part. I wish I could be in Slytherin right now. Gryffindor so far has been terrible.' Derek tied the letter to his owl and watched it fly off. He was nervous to find out what his father said. not too long later, two owls appeared at the window. He recognized them both as his mother's and his father's owls. Deciding to open his mother's first, he took the letter and let the bird go. Scribbled on a small piece of parchment, it said: 'Don't worry son, I'll always love you no matter what. I always knew you'd get sorted into Gryffindor, it was always so like you.'

Smiling half-heartily, Derek put the letter in a safe spot in his trunk. Now it was his father's letter. Taking it from the owl and letting the bird go, he slowly opened it, as if afraid it was going to turn into a howler. Slowly opening it up, all he saw was two words written on the whole parchment. Just two words. 'Very well.' was all that was written in the center. The letter slipped out of Derek's hands as he stood there, staring out the window, eyes glistening with tears.

((sorry for the lateness! i was taking care of stressful college things.. >.>;; and then i got a new laptop and i was starting that up and couldn't use my old computer cuz i gave it to my brother ahah.. but pheww i went pretty all out for this one. i thought id heat things up between lyland and derek and get a little personal stuff out there for derek. :] ))

[Lyland Rosier]

{No problem. Sorry this post was crappy. No muse lately.}

Could Derek just never leave well enough alone? Clearly he couldn't. As much as Lyland wanted to pretend that she was annoyed though a part of her was gleeful that he had chased after her, even if it was just to yell at her. Of course once he got yelling she wasn't nearly so happy. At all.

Lyland rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, trying hard to resist the urge to slap him. She allowed him to rant, but she wanted to interrupt him so badly. When he finished she straightened up and got into his face, just barely not touching and growled, "And what makes you think they're so lowly and cowardly? Just because you're in their rival house doesn't mean you have the right to speak badly of them or that you know them all!"

"And if you really must know why I praise them all the time..." She stopped and bit her bottom lip, moving backwards away from him and giving him a look somewhere between fury and sadness. Turning her head away she mutter, "Well you're out of luck. As if I'd tell someone like you!" He'd probably laugh if she said anything - laugh right in her face. If she said she wanted to be in Slytherin he would definitely laugh. Or maybe he'd tell her it would be a perfect fit for her which would hurt just as badly knowing how he felt about them. If she told him why... because of her family and the way they treated her now... he'd probably pity her. She didn't want pity.

Glowering at the boy again, she moved around him, trying once again to leave. Unfortunately it really never was that easy for her with Derek. She turned around, "I mean honestly what business is it of yours anyway? What do you care if I'm always praising Slytherins? I'm allowed to like whichever house I please! And dislike just the same, Gryffindork. Though I admit I most dislike Gryffindor because you're in it now." They were harsh words that she didn't really mean. After all Lyland was quite well aware of the fact by now that she was attracted to Derek in numerous ways - and there was the reason she was so mean to him and saying cruel things.

She didn't want to like Derek. She didn't want to like a Gryffindor! There would be no greater sin to her family now that she'd already been sorted into Hufflepuff. They would surly disown her and kick her out of the house if they knew. Sighing, the young Hufflepuff shook her head of the thoughts. It didn't matter anyway. Her family would never find out and nothing would ever happen with Derek and her - ever. It just couldn't. For one thing he despised her and for another, she'd just never allow herself. Not while she still wanted to be a part of her family at least and she didn't see her having a change of heart there.

[Derek Heart]

Standing in front of him, Lyland stood there rolling her eyes with her arms crossed. Must she always seem stubborn. That was one thing that got on Derek's nerves. When he wanted to get a point across, someone would just simply roll their eyes at him. A low grumble emitted from his throat as he felt even more annoyed. Just than, an idea popped into his head. Crossing his arms, Derek starred at the blonde with a very unhappy expression as to mock her.

"And what makes you think they're so lowly and cowardly? Just because you're in their rival house doesn't mean you have the right to speak badly of them or that you know them all!" Derek's brow had shot up at her statement. Rival house had nothing to do with his feelings toward Slytheirn. Sure it might have made him not like them any less as he has through the years, but it wasn't the soul reason. Taking a breath to calm himself, Derek had almost opened his mouth to speak but Lyland had fired away another response. "And if you really must know why I praise them all the time..." The Gryffindor paused, holding his breath for an answer that might reveal some of her behavior and ridiculous thoughts.

He noticed she bit her bottom lip as she paused. A flicker of curiosity swirled around him as he waited for her to answer. The distance between then had started to grow as Lyland had started to back up. Her expression had fury and sadness all over it as she started at him. the Hufflepuff's face turned away as she said, "Well you're out of luck. As if I'd tell someone like you!" Derek sighed and shook his head as if he expected her to say that.

Meeting his now mixed gaze of swirling emotion with Lyand's gave of fury and sadness, the Gryffindor laughed softly. "Why would you care about why I think their so low. Does it even matter? The chances of you laughing your big old head off at me are pretty high I'd say." His expression shifted to an unhappy gaze. "What could possibly interest you enough that you would actually care? My distaste for Slytherins has nothing to deal with being rivals. That's just child's play." Grunting angrily, he rolled his eyes. What's the use of trying to explain anything to this girl. There's some kind of force that pulls Derek to her, but what good has to brought so far? Just an annoying blonde that just follows him like a shadow causing unneeded headaches.

As much as Derek would like to think of the negatives qualities of the girl in front of him, but his mind couldn't help but compare the better qualities. First her lovely blonde hair that seemed to frame her face quite well. Then her face. Her sweet face that made butterflies erupt from his stomach whenever his eyes laid upon them. How cute she looked when she tried to act like a tough girl and pick on Derek. Starting to get confused, the urge of screaming no very loudly came racing through his head. These feelings about Lyland, the disgruntled blonde girl in front of him that always seemed like ruining whatever day Derek was having, always left Derek a mess in not knowing what to do. One minute he'd like to turn her into a tea kettle and giving her away to his Great-Great-Grandmother so he wouldn't have to see her ever again. The next minute he has sudden urges to scoop her off her little feet into a soft embraces and plant sweet kisses on her forehead. Has he gone mad?

Thank Merlin she had spoken to rip Derek out of his ever confounding thoughts. "I mean honestly what business is it of yours anyway? What do you care if I'm always praising Slytherins? I'm allowed to like whichever house I please! And dislike just the same, Gryffindork. Though I admit I most dislike Gryffindor because you're in it now." Heaving one last sigh, Derek's face turned into a somewhat serious expression. " Honestly? I've just never met anyone that wasn't happy with their house. What I mean is that I've never met someone that is in one house but tries so hard to be apart of another. I was expecting to end up somewhere else, but I just embraced whatever was given to me and made the best of it. Sure I've lost lots of things that were important to me, but I've gained a lot more in some ways." The black haired boy's tone softened as he finished talking. The feelings of anger and hatred from before had melted away due to his emotional side. He was left feeling mostly confused and somewhat saddened.

"Never mind." He mumbled, ruffling up his hair on the back of his head as he scratched. A sense of realization had come over Derek. Lylands nasty behavior had finally clicked into his head. When a girl is this bitter toward you, there's obviously zero feelings for you from her. Her words rang throughout his head "...I dislike Gryffindor because you're in it now." Her words had an affect on him. Positive made him happy as a bee. Negative made him feel either angry to sad as can be. This time he felt like an idiot. Turning his head he gazed up at Lyland blankly. "Sorry to have caused you any anger." The Gryffindor replied with a sigh as he turned to walk away. Derek was never the one to be as affected by girls as other boys are. But he felt different with this one. It made everything difficult.

[sorry for the lateness. my computer loves to attract viruses...iwasn't sure where to go with this, so i winged it lol]

[Lyland Rosier]

{S'okay, I did a lot of rambling too. <.< >.> It's difficult to be Lyland again after such a long hiatus, heh.}

Lyland felt sick to her stomach as she stood there trying to remain stoic, cold. Nothing about this fight felt right. She shouldn't be fighting with Derek about something so serious. There were some very significant reasons for her love of Slytherins and... clearly there were some significant reasons for his hatred of them. When Derek asked why she'd care about his reasons for hating Slytherins she averted her gaze and did her best to refrain from shrugging.

Why did she care? Why did it bother her that Derek hated Slytherins so much? Was it because she was attracted to him? Physical attraction to a person shouldn't cause someone to care about their opinion, right? Was she more deeply attracted to him than she wanted to admit? Merlin, she hoped not. She couldn't fall for him, she just couldn't. She was having a hard enough time keeping her interactions with him few and far between. She could barely keep her distance... in fact, in all honesty she couldn't keep her distance from him at all and this was just because of a physical attraction... so if there was anything more...

'Lyland, you're going to bring shame on yourself and your whole family! You're going to be discarded by them and you'll be lucky to not get sold off to some creep in Knockturn Alley at this rate.' Lyland grumbled to herself and ran a hand through her hair in frustration.

Derek broke into her thoughts with his comment about never meeting someone who was unhappy with their house. He proceeded to explain that he had expected to be elsewhere, but he learned to deal with Gryffindor. In many ways Lyland had also come to accept being in Hufflepuff, but... deep down she was still too disappointed, too ashamed. While it hurt her to hear people speak ill of her house, it didn't change the fact that she desperately wanted to be somewhere else. She wanted to be in Slytherin. She wanted the love and affection of her parents again. She wanted a family. She wanted someone to care about her and ask her how her day was or make sure she wasn't overworking herself, that she was keeping up with her health.

When Derek turned to leave and mumbled an apology the blond girl could swear her heart broke. He sounded so... dejected. Without thinking it through she blurted out, "My family hates me because I'm not a Slytherin." She realized a split second later that she had admitted what she swore she wouldn't tell him, but something in her preferred him knowing. Something in her needed him to know whether it was so he'd understand her or so she could explain her harsh behavior just now. She knew she couldn't just leave it at that, but she felt awkward standing in the middle of the corridor and telling him her biggest secret, her biggest weakness. Still, she continued though it was forced, "My mother, father, older sister and older brother, as well as my paternal grandparents - all of them were Slytherins. In fact, on my father's side for as far back as the family tree goes and Hogwarts has been around, everyone was in Slytherin. They take being a Slytherin very seriously."

She cleared her throat of the forming lump and pressed on, determined now to get it out in the open, "I grew up loved and cared for; however, I also grew up molded to be a Slytherin. There was no doubt in my mind or my parents that I would ever end up anywhere else, it was unfathomable. Then I came to school and the sorting hat said Hufflepuff and my world completely shattered. My parents stopped talking to me, my brother and sister being to play hateful pranks on me or treat me as if I was a servant, or on the better days as if I was invisible. All the love and caring I received before vanished in one day, because of one word. When I went home for Christmas no one would speak to me or look at me, I wasn't even told about dinner being served and come Christmas morning there wasn't a single present under the tree for me."

Lyland's voice was strained as if she wanted to cry, but no tears came to her eyes and she would be damned if she appeared that weak in front of Derek. Even if he had seen her cry for her mother once before, she'd be damned if he saw her so weak again. "Are you happy now? Now you know why I want to be a Slytherin so damn much. Go ahead and laugh if you want to, I won't mind." That was a blatant lie. If he laughed she'd hex him so his tongue disappeared or perhaps something even more horrible. "Don't feel bad for me, I don't cry about it or anything, I just do my best to be like my family regardless of my house, but I still can't fully accept that I'm really a Hufflepuff, alright? I hate being a Hufflepuff because it ruined my life, but hopefully once I'm out of school and successful things will turn around and my family will acknowledge me again. I'll work to make sure they don't have a choice but to do so. Until then, I can only try to be them so I feel less distant from them."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, lifting her gaze from the ground where it had rested through her little tirade. She raised her head with as much dignity as she could muster though there were shadows of vulnerability and pain still flickering in her eyes. "I didn't share with you because I like you or anything. Don't think we're suddenly friends now or something. I still can't stand you. I just... well, you looked and sounded so pathetic just now and I thought since you were so pathetic I couldn't possibly be more so, right? Of course, because I'm not pathetic at all, but I mean... you couldn't find me pathetic when you were being so pathetic." She wasn't making much sense, but she couldn't just come out and say 'I wanted to distract you from your dejected mood and actually I really did just want to share something with you because I totally have the hots for you', no, that would never do.