9. Moonlit Beauty

Lukas shook Rochelle's body. He put her hand on his. He shut his eyes and tried to enter the. . . world. He didn't know If it had worked, but he hoped so.

Lukas slowly leaned in closer to Rochelle's motionless body and gently kissed her on the cheek. He stepped back.

"I won't leave." Rochelle gasped, sweat pouring down her forehead. She clutched her cheek and her eyes darted to Lukas, but he didn't look at her at all. It was so cold to Rochelle. She wanted to say "Lukas, I still need you," but she didn't let herself. She wanted to say "Lukas you hurt me, I can't crawl back to you," but she couldn't. She wanted just the sound of his name to come out of her mouth.

Minutes went by, Rochelle's wide eyes staring at Lukas hadn't blinked. Lukas hadn't shifted his eyes from staring at the wall.

Rochelle parted her lips about an inch. She said, in less than a whisper, less than a fragment of a whisper, "Lukas."

He either didn't hear her or chose not to acknowledge her. He continued staring mesmerized at the wall, in a trance.

Rochelle wondered if she had imagined saying it, if her voice tube even had any supply of voice, but the word was there, whether it flowed in Rochelle's breath or screamed in her mind, it was there, and she knew it and Lukas knew it.

Why can't he just talk to me? Why can't he just walk up and kiss me again?

"See the kid next to him, the brown-haired one? That's Ryan," said Emily, who had noticed Rochelle staring at Lukas.

"Oh, okay," said Rochelle. Why won't I go talk to him?

"Isn't he hot?"

"Sure."

Lily D and Emily started arguing.

Why did he wake me from the world if he wasn't going to talk to me? If he doesn't care about me why did he save me? I'd rather still be there.

Rochelle blinked and looked around her. She had zoned out quite a bit.

"What's wrong, Lil?" she asked, noticing Lily D being highly annoyed.

"My cousin Lana's coming here for a week starting tomorrow. I hate Lana!" said Lily in disgust.

"Why?" asked Emily.

"She's a slut!" said Lily, crossing her arms.

"Sounds fun to me," said Rochelle. Emily started laughing.

Emily waited in the empty The Three Broomsticks.

"Sorry I'm late," said Ryan.

"It's fine," said Emily. He started to play with her hair. Her cheeks became a reddening pink.

She rested her head on her shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. She

lifted her head and their lips met.

He sucked on her lower lip and she giggled. They started to make out like raging lust children.

Ryan and Emily spent the rest of the night sauntering across Hogsmeade.

The morning sunlight shined through the window panes.

"Where's Lily?" asked Cassie.

"Right here," replied Lily, entering the common room Behind her followed a girl with shiny-black, perfectly straight hair, reaching halfway between her shoulder and her elbows. Her eyes were a sparkling blue. She seemed timid.

"You have pretty eyes," said Rochelle. "They're gorgeous."

"Thanks," said Lana softly. Lily scowled.

"They're really brown. It's a spell," she growled. Rochelle shrugged.

"Who are you?" asked Cassie.

"My cousin Lana. She's visiting. Nothing to gawk at," replied Lily. She led Lana into the dormitory.

All day people gaped at Lana. It seemed to make Lily madder and madder.

Lana shimmered in the dim, candle-lit common room.

"I have an idea," said Lana, quietly. "L-Lets play the make-out game." She blushed. Lust seemed to be raging through the teenage witches and wizards, for Rochelle, Emily, Cassie, Remus, and Mundungus all said "OKAY" instantly. Sirius opened his mouth to speak, but Lily D cut in.

"Count me- us, out," said Lily coldly, and her and Sirius left the common room.

The game went like this: The first round- Rochelle was making out with Emily, Cassie making out with Remus, and Mundungus making out with Lana. At this spot in time, nothing about love mattered to any of them. They all just wanted to release their hormonal cravings, even if they weren't attracted to the same sex.

Second round- Cassie was making out with Lana, Rochelle was making out with Mundungus, and Emily was making out with Remus.

Third round – Emily was making out with Lana, Rochelle was making out with Remus, and Cassie making out with Mundungus.

Everyone left. It was getting late, and they all seemed to be a bit ashamed of themselves for doing such a game.

Rochelle, who had not gotten to do anything with Lana, eyed her as she went up to the dormitory, and stopped her on her way. She looked confused at first, but then she smirked.

Cassie spied, and giggled. As Rochelle made her way up the stairs, Cassie blocked her.

"I'm not making out with you," said Rochelle.

"That's not what I wanted to ask," said Cassie seriously. "I have a question. In case you haven't noticed, Lana is a girl, and we both kissed her. Aren't we supposed to like men?"

"Oh, I do," said Rochelle. "But I like girls too. I don't know why. Girls or guys. It doesn't make much of a difference to me. But I don't think I'm supposed to. Nobody else does. So don't tell anyone, alright?"

"I won't," promised Cassie.

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Like girls?"

"Well, um, no. I don't think we were made to like girls, were we?" Cassie asked. "And I love my Remus." Rochelle shrugged.

"You skank," said Lily glowering.

"Don't be sour," replied Lana coldly.

"You whore," said Lily, shaking with rage.

"You missed out on the fun," said Lana politely.

"I made out with Sirius and slept with him," boasted Lily.

"Cool."

"But you're such a.. a.. tramp!" said Lily hatefully.

"I have hormones, just like everyone else-"

"Oh don't give me that rubbish! You strut around like you're the bloody queen of England, making people fall under your spell, making out with whoever you please, even GIRLS! That's just not right!"

"I just want to have as much fun I can in life before I die."

"Well you don't have to be a slut to have fun," replied Lily, cold as ever.

"Fine. You know what? I'll go!"

"Go ahead."

"No one will miss me!"

"They'll be out of your spell."

"GoodBYE, dearest cousin," said Lana with gritted teeth,

"NICE KNOWIN' YA!" Lily shot back, and with that, Lana was gone. This seemed to relieve Cassie. All that hectic girls kissing girls business would be gone, but still she couldn't help herself but to ask.

"Hey Emily," said Cassie. "You kissed a girl. Does that mean you like girls?"

"No!" replied Emily. "I kiss people when I'm bored. It's fun. Girls are not at all pleasing to me. I mean really, I like guys. Who ever heard of a girl and a girl being.. romantic?"

"I don't know," said Cassie. "That's what puzzled me."