The Hospital Wing:
Continuation from the Prefect's Room (Day 4):

"Just wondering, you'd make a good older brother." Eddy opened the door to the hospital wing. "Providing you don't corrupt your sibling into becoming a Slytherin." Eddy grinned mischievously. Eddy the opened the door for JJ, who was carrying Emma. He was now starting to ache.

"What? I don't merit the enough of your breath for a scathing retort?" Eddy grinned and watched as JJ placed Emma on the bed. She turned and found a chair and pulled it near Emma and sat down, waiting for JJ to leave. Eddy silently prayed thanks that Madame Pomfrey wasn't here right now. A fake unconscious Emma would be had to explain, especially in front of JJ.

JJ watched as Eddy sat down. He was worried and so he also pulled up a chair and sat down. He watched Emma intently, but he was looking through her, not at her. He was thinking...

"Thanks for your help and all, but you can go. I'll wait with her until Madame Pomfrey comes, it's okay." Eddy looked at JJ. Why isn't he leaving! He didn't hear her. He was too consumed by his own thoughts.

"JJ. Look I know you're worried, but I'm sure she'll be fine." Eddy looked at the spaced out JJ curiously. JJ half heard her.

"Huh?" he said, only half sure of what she said. He had been greatly distracted.

"Earth to JJ." Eddy smiled. "Go away. Your services are no longer required. Unless of course you intend to amuse me until she wakes up or Pomfrey comes back." Eddy batted her eyelashes at him.

"I wouldn't stay here for you," he replied. "But, I..." he stopped himself before saying too much. "She," he said, trying to complete his sentence. He sighed. "I'm staying."

"If you don't have a thing for her, then what? Why are you so adamant about staying?" Eddy quirked an eyebrow at JJ.

JJ ignored her. He couldn't explain so there was no use trying. He just had to stay, no matter how much Eddy wanted him to leave. He needed to stay for Emma's sake. He didn't like her, he was absolutely sure about that. He knew why he had to stay but Eddy wouldn't understand and there was no way he could put it into words anyway.

"Does she remind you of someone? Is that why you're so protective?" Forget Emma's fake faint, Eddy was curious now. JJ thought before he answered. He didn't know how much to tell her. He sighed.

"Yes." He kept it simple.

"What is she to you, the person Emma reminds you of, I mean?" Eddy turned in her chair to face JJ.

JJ didn't know if he would answer this question. He wasn't too inclined to. That's not something he talks about much, especially not to someone he's only known for less than a week. He looked out the window. It was too personal.

"None of your business," he stated.

"I know. But I just wanted to know. You obviously are strongly attached to whoever it is, I was just wondering who." Eddy looked at her hands.

"Just somebody I knew... a while ago," he replied, keeping his eyes focused on the sky outside. He remembered. He tried not to. Why was it that she was already picking at his personal life? When did she meet him? A few days ago?

"That's cool." Eddy nodded and went back to looking at Emma. An uneasy silence passed. "Do you know why I sat next to you in the Great Hall that first day?" Eddy didn't look at him. JJ looked towards her. Did he care?

"Why?" he asked her, actually trying to kill time and keep the silence broken.

"If you squint your eyes, you kind look like one of my oldest friends." Eddy turned to look at him with a nostalgic smile on her face.

"Right..." JJ said, turning away from her again. And the point to that was? He looked down at Emma. Was she going to be alright? Ever since that night (during the storm) he had been worried about her. He exhaled deeply. Why did these two have to be interested in him? One was obnoxious and the other made him worry way too much than necessary. Gosh, he wished it didn't have to be so hard.

"Do you really hate me?" Eddy glanced at JJ, completely expressionless.

JJ didn't answer. He didn't think he hated anyone. She was just so darn obnoxious. I guess he could consider her a friend, after all, she was around him 24/7 (whether she meant to or not) and they interacted.

"No..." he said, drifting slightly off.

Eddy laughed a little bit. "Good, you're not too bad either." Eddy saw the look he was giving her. "Don't worry, I'll shut up ... for now." Eddy grinned and leaned back in her chair, eyes settling on Emma.

Emma... CRAP! Emma was still faking it! Eddy prayed JJ would just get bored and leave.

JJ sighed. What was he doing here? Why was he so worried about her? Why would he stay in the presence of Eddy? She just annoyed the living daylights out of him. Still, he didn't move. Emma gulped, not letting emotion into her face. She hoped they weren't watching her so closely so they might noticed.

Long ago, she was about to stop this facade, but then... she had to hear what he had to stay. And now, if he knew she had been listening, he might be angry at her. And even if he was a Slytherin who could never love anyone - especially not a Ravenclaw- she didn't want him to be mad at her. Eddy saw Emma's face twitch, flashing a glance at JJ, she saw he was looking in the other direction. Then, Eddy had an idea.

"Look! She's starting to come to!" Eddy jumped out of her chair and leaned over Emma, carefully blocking Emma's face from JJ's view. JJ looked out the window again. He had missed Eddy's exclamation. His thoughts landed on her again. Gods, he had to move on. He stared out the window and his eyes glazed over. He wished she hadn't left him. Emma opened her eyes to see Eddy hovering over her. The look on her face made Emma sure that Eddy had known all along instead of just having a snaking suspicion.

Tired of being still for all that time, she sat up slowly, to make it look realistic. Her heart dropped as she saw JJ daydreaming out the window.

"Hello, JJ."

"You feeling okay?" Eddy feigned worry. She winked at Emma. JJ woke from his reverie and turned towards Emma. A bit of a smile came across his mouth.

"Hi, feeling okay?" he asked her. Emma slowly nodded, taking in the sight of him worried about her. It wasn't love... but apparently he did care about her. "Thanks for taking care of me... It means a lot..."

She glanced at Eddy, who looked ready to burst. She half-smiled in return to her oh-so-obvious wink. "Thanks to you especially," she whispered to her friend sarcastically.

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you in your time of need?" Eddy questioned dramatically. "You seem fine now, come on. Let's get you to your dorm."

JJ watched as Emma got up and Eddy took her by the arm. Arm and arm they started walking toward the door. He stood up.

"Emma," he said, making her stop. He didn't know what he was going to say, he had just said her name. "Never mind," he added.

"Good night, JJ." Eddy smiled calmly at him. He'd opened up a bit that was all she could ask for. Turning back to the door, she pulled Emma along down the corridor. JJ watched them and went to the door of the hospital wing, still watching them. Man, it had been a long day. But, for some reason, he felt the need to talk to Emma. Without Eddy. Was that possible? What did he need to talk to her for? He groaned. He wondered how it was possible for someone to confuse themselves.