Gazing into the fire her heart felt like stone. Slowly with a numb pale hand she undid her ponytail sending the blonde streaks cascading down her back to rest at her waist. With a shake of her head the soft strands covered her face, hiding the tears staining her skin. It was early in the morning, only half 2 but she hadn't even hit the bed. The noise of laughing and shouting voices had slowly faded out around 11 and her freinds had long since stopped trying to get her frozen figure upstairs. Ferociously wiping the tears that had only just fallen Samantha blinked. Her grey eyes were red rimmed and the eyelids were heavy but every muscle in her body was fighting to keep them open. It was going to be a long day.

She was sitting in the year nine common room. Kept warm by the fire it was still comfortable even though it missed the bubble and noise from day. Dressed still in her jeans and top Sam shivered. The flames flickered seeming to reach into her soul but although the fire and the room were warm she herself felt like ice. As another tear fell Sam let her hands fall limp in her lap, giving up on brushing them away. She didn't hear the footsteps behind her.

"Sam?" The voice whispered,

Turning she registered the figure standing behind her for the first time.

"You been here all night?"

Nodding she turned back to the fire. Not caring that he sat next to her.

"It's hard I know,"

"What the hell do you know?" she whispered

"Come off it Sam, we were both there, not just you,"

"I could have done more,"

Shaking his head he removed his jacket and draped it around her.

"No you couldn't,"

"Phil, it was my fault, don't pretend otherwise,"

"You were the one trying to persuade us not to go. We pressured you into it."

She shook her head once more,

"Now she's..." Sam broke down into sobs.

"Come here," slipping his arms around her Phil held the sobbing girl.

Allthough he was a year older than Sam they had been close since her first day when he had first mocked her. They spent almost every day together, mutual friends haning on. At that moment though it felt like they were the only ones who existed. Silence was surrounding them except Sam's soft sobs and Phil felt wieghed down with guilt.He hadn't known Sam was there, he'd just been unable to sleep after the...

Her sobs died out as Sam drifted into a troubled sleep and gently Phil layed her down. He stared at her sleeping, tear stained face for a long time and was glad of one thing, it hadn't been her.