I could tell it was morning because the wall across from me was bronzed from the sun peeking through the window. I stretched my neck out, letting out a small puff as pain coursed through the muscles. The events of last night came rushing back at me and I sat up quickly. I put my head in my hands at the sudden blood rush. I was in the Hufflepuff common room, where I had previously been stretched out on a cushy couch. Hadley was stirred. She rubbed her eyes and pulled her curly black hair out of her eyes.

"Hey. You're awake. How are you?" She had fallen asleep in a chair near the fire pit. She changed position to that of a cross-legged one, half-remembering to move her mug out of her lap before it fell.

How am I?

Hadley nudged a figure at her feet with a bare foot. "Glen. Get up. Ide's awake."

The figure appeared out of a mountain of blankets, muttering and wiping something from his cheek. His tired eyes met mine, and they seemed to be asking a question that I was ignoring.

"Do you want some butterbeer?" Hadley asked softly. "It might, I don't know. It might help." She was clutching the handle of her mug tightly.

I shook my head slightly, looking down at the knit blanket I was threading my fingers through. Someone had placed it on me during the night. My heart swelled at the thought. I was thankful to whoever had done it; but not surprised. Hufflepuff was the 'kind' house. We took care of one another.

Pull it together, I chastised myself. Your friends are concerned. Act like a human being.

"I'm okay." I answered the question late, and my voice was hoarse. I subconsciously put my hand to my throat, feeling where his fingers had been. I forced myself to look at them. For some reason it was hard.

"Do you need anything?" Hadley questioned, her eyes caring.

I swallowed painfully. I needed a lot of things right now. I needed the strength to stop the rising sob in my throat, I needed to eat, I needed people to stop bullying me, I needed my girlfriend, I needed my clothing fixed, I needed people to be held responsible, I needed to be held but at the same time distanced, I needed to just curl up on the couch and turn invisible.

But I couldn't say a damn one.

So I held out my arms and waited for Hadley to approach so I could fall into them.

I sobbed into her shirt, and she stroked my head. I cried for a while, long enough for people to awaken and pass us on their way to the Great Hall. I should have felt embarrassed, but I couldn't make myself.

Glen was on his knees in the sheets, studying me. Something dangerous glinted far back in his pupils. He looked away when I caught it, and he pushed himself to his feet. He gave us a brisk hug and left without a word.

I was hyperventilating, trying to make myself stop crying, when I heard the door open again. Two quick footsteps were heard, and I was hit by a force similar to a train. The person had their hands on my back, but I could feel their arms shaking at my side. When I could disentangle myself from their grip, I looked up and saw a Slytherin logo. Asa held me tightly against her, and over her shoulder I could see Glen closing the door. He caught my eyes and nodded once at me.

I held Asa's robes tightly in my fist, pressing my chin into her shoulder. When I finally pulled away, she crossed her arms over her chest. Her shoulders hunched up and she looked me head-on for the first time since the attack. Her lips were set in a hard line. "I came as soon as I heard. Glen told me what happened."

I nodded quietly, afraid to look into her eyes. I felt…dirty, somehow. She stood silently for a few minutes, waiting for me to say something. The silence stretched out, and I watched Asa's reaction.

My girlfriend's critical eyes raked over my body, stopping briefly at each injury. She took a deep breath, her face dangerously calm, and said, "I'm gonna kill him." She paused, almost unaware she was speaking out loud. "I'm gonna kill him," she repeated. Her arms hung limply at her side. She shook her head, realizing that she should comfort me instead of threaten another student's life.

She sat down on the brick edge of the fire pit, and held her arm out to grasp my hand. "Honey, how are you?"

"I hurt," I said tiredly. I heard shuffling and saw a few more students had gathered in the common room. "Asa, you can't be in here. Only Hufflepuffs are allowed. It's like, an age-old rule."

Asa's light eyebrows raised. "Screw the rules. I'm not leaving you." She looked at the three other students who were watching the exchange. No doubt in concern for Ide, but nonetheless. "Merlin himself will have to drag me out of here." She said it like a challenge to the younger students. One of the kids, a third-year, raised his hands in a surrendering motion.

"I think the rule's stupid," he claimed. "Besides, we all want what's best for Ide. I doubt anyone would report you."

Asa nodded in thanks and turned her head back to me. Her gaze softened. "I love you." She paused, waiting for it to sink in. "I won't let anything bad happen to you." She put her cool hand against my cheek, lightly tracing under my black eye. I reached my hands toward her, and she obliged, holding me comfortingly to her body. Her green cloak wrapped around me like a protective shield, and I let myself drop my defenses for this one moment.