Hey guys, this is a test-out. it can be left as a one-shot, or I can continue, if you guys think i should. Please let me know what you think!
The blonde girl slipped silently up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower, holding her cloak tightly around her self. She held her breath nervously until she reached the top, and then let it all out in relief. Getting caught would not do at all.
She spread the satiny cloak on the floor of the Tower and lay back on it, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness.
A whisper caught her sharp ear and she felt, rather than saw or heard another presence in the Tower. She didn't move- only waited for the presence to make itself known. The sound of cloth on stone indicated a cloak being laid down, and then she could feel the warmth radiate off of the other person as she lay down on it.
Neither said anything, until the blonde girl broke the silence. "That's Sirius," she said softly, pointing upward with a slim finger. "The brightest star in the sky."
The brunette lying beside her laughed softly. "I can only recognise the Dippers."
A slight pause ensued, and then the blonde continued. "That's Orion...Draco...and of course Polaris, the North Star. The one is Bellatrix...a bit to the right is Andromeda...you can see most of Pegasus tonight..."
"Do you take Astronomy?"
"I do."
There was silence again, but it was a comfortable silence, a companionable silence. The blonde girl found herself relaxing almost to the point of sleep, when the brunette broke the still air.
"Do you come here often?"
"I do." The blonde was not raised to give information other than what was specifically asked in the question. Her companion seemed to have no such reservations.
"I come up here when I can't sleep," she said quietly. "The air up here is clearer, and I love watching the stars, though I never knew their names." A soft laugh. "I'm pants at Astronomy; I'll be giving it up after this year."
"You're a fifth year then," the blonde observed, never taking her eyes off the glittering stars.
"I am," the brunette said in surprise. "You?"
"Fifth year as well."
"I know you'll be taking Astronomy, then, but which other OWLs are you taking?"
There was a long silence, and the brunette wondered fleetingly if her companion had fallen asleep. And then, "I'm taking all twelve."
"I'm not taking Astronomy, and for sure not History of Magic," the brunette said. "Nor Muggle Studies-"
"That's not one of the twelve," the blonde broke in."I'm not taking Muggle Studies either."
"Isn't it? What are the twelve, then?"
"Astronomy, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defence, Divination, Herbology, History of Magic, Magical Theory, Potions, and Transfiguration," the other girl replied promptly.
"And you're taking them all?"
"I am."
"Even Divination?"
"Yes."
The brunette laughed. "But not Muggle Studies. You almost sound like a Ravenclaw, but I'm sure you're not. I'm in Ravenclaw. You?"
The blonde hesitated. The Ravenclaws tended to be more open minded than the other houses, but she didn't want to lose this new companion. "Slytherin."
They were both silent for a little bit, until the brunette spoke again. "It's interesting; I never thought I could lie on the floor of the Astronomy Tower and have a civil conversation with a Slytherin."
The blonde girl sighed deeply. "That's really the root of the problem," she said softly. "Anyone Sorted into Slytherin is labeled "evil", even though they're only eleven years old. The other Houses avoid us, so we stick together more, which only pushes them away...It's a vicious cycle, really."
The other made a soft noise of assent. "I suppose I never thought of it that way." Again a silence, and then she asked, "Do you have siblings?"
"One; a twin brother. You?"
"I'm the middle of three- an older brother and smaller sister."
They lay in silence once more and watched as the dark sky began to lighten around the edges, and streaks of pink shot through the midnight-blue.
Finally, they stood up, draping their cloaks over their shoulders. The blonde was at the door, about to exit, when a soft voice stopped her.
"I'm Nina Goldstein," the brunette told her. "Can you tell me your name?"
The blonde hesitated, and then twisted the knob sharply. "Malfoy. Celeste Malfoy."