I always love a good explanation, don't you?

Maria ran to her dorm where Ananda and Maleah were fixing their bags for class. "We have to talk," she said urgently.

"I have nothing to say to you," Maleah assured her.

"Please," Maria pleaded.

Maleah stopped and stared at her friend. "After class," she said finally.

Ananda squeaked in anger. "Uh, Leah?"

"After class," Maleah said firmly.

Maleah then walked out of the room.

Ananda walked up to Maria. "I don't know what you're playing at, but let me tell you something: I've been friends with that girl for ten years, and I'll be damned if I let you break her spirit like so many others have." She bumped Maria. "Understood?"

Maria nodded. "I'm sorry," she called out to Ananda as the other girl was walking out.

"I don't need your apologies," Ananda promised. "Neither does Maleah."

Maleah tried to concentrate in her classes but found it increasingly hard to. Even Ancient Runes, one of her favorite classes, couldn't bring her to pay attention, or at least stop obsessing over her current dilemma.

The night just kept repeating in her head like a broken record and it was starting to give her a headache. Add Ananda trying to instigate more trouble, Maleah was just about ready to Avada Kedavra herself.

Finally the day was over. She had successfully avoided Maria and Michaelson and now all she wanted to do was climb into her bed and never ever leave. Of course, karma wasn't very happy with her because both Ananda and Maria were waiting for her when she got to the dorm room.

Maleah closed her eyes for a moment before reopening them and dropping her bag on the ground.

"Let's get this over with," she muttered.

"Maleah," Maria began.

"How could you?" Ananda burst. "She's supposed to be your friend!"

"Why are you always talking for her anyway?" Maria shot back. "She's her own person, she doesn't need you to make the decisions in her life."

"She is right here," Maleah snapped. "I appreciate what you're doing for me, Ananda. But, please leave."

Ananda wanted to argue. She would have argued, had she not seen the look of pleading on Maleah's face. "Fine," Ananda shot. "But, I don't like it. I don't trust the little whore, either."

Maria only sneered at Ananda.

Maleah sat on her bed when Ananda left. And waited.

Maria flushed. "Oh, yeah. Er-."

"If you have nothing to say," Maleah said without feeling.

"No! I do! Maleah, I'm so sorry. I never ever meant to hurt you."

"Then why did you?"

Maria shook her head. "I-."

"No dung," Maleah requested. "Spare me."

"He's Michaelson," Maria wailed as though that'd explain everything.

"Yes," Maleah agreed. "My Michaelson. Where do you get off trying to seduce him when you knew I still cared for him?"

Maria shook her head helplessly. "I don't know what to tell you, Maleah. It was an accident. We were talking and all he could talk about was you. I told him I'd sneak him up so you two could talk and then the next thing I knew we were…not coming to talk to you."

"Did you sleep with him?" Maleah asked bluntly.

Maria looked away and flushed.

"Merlin and Agrippa," Maleah breathed. "How could you?"

"It was only twice!" Maria exclaimed.

"Twice? Once is a mistake, twice is stupidity!" Maleah cried. "I don't-. What the bloody hell do you want from me? Why not go live happily ever after with Michaelson?"

"He wants to live happily ever after with you," Maria said, wiping her eyes. She flipped her brown hair over her shoulders. "I could try to pretend he wanted me but we both know that he doesn't."

Maleah considered the person she though of as a friend. "Am I supposed to fall over myself and forgive you? Am I supposed to act like you didn't betray me and be all best-friend-y again? Because if that's what you expect, it won't happen."

"I don't," Maria assured her. "I was just hoping-."

"What?"

"-that'd you'd forgive me eventually. That'd we get passed this," Maria said timidly.

Maleah stood and grabbed her cloak. "I can't look at you right now, let alone consider ever trusting you again."

She ran out her room and out of the portrait hole, ignoring Jake's call for her. She didn't stop until she reached the top of the quidditch stands, looking over the pitch. No one was practicing then so she was alone with her thoughts and wondered if that was safe. Nothing bugged Maleah more than silence. It drove her to think and usually the thoughts weren't pretty.

"You hate me," Michaelson deduced, walking toward her.

Composing herself quickly, Maleah flipped her thick black hair back. "Hating you means I felt some sort of emotion for you before," Maleah shot back.

"I deserve that," he nodded, sitting down in front of her.

"You slept with my best friend," it wasn't a question.

Michaelson nodded.

"Why?"

Michaelson shrugged. "I'm a bloke. She's was willing. I wasn't exactly thinking with the correct head, if you know what I mean."

Maleah blushed but acted as if she wasn't embarrassed by his words. "Horny bastard," she muttered.

"Never denied that."

"You're an ass," Maleah told him.

"Never denied that either," Michaelson pointed out.

"And you're right," Maleah nodded. "I do hate you. I hate you for breaking up with me. I hate you for actually sleeping with my friend. But over all else, I hate you because I actually care."

Michaelson took her hand, glad she didn't pull away even if she did stiffen. "You know I like you."

"Funny way of showing it," Maleah spat.

"It's hard!" Michaelson exclaimed, dropping her hand. "I mean, you're just so…needy."

Maleah stared at him incredulously. "Needy? Now I'm needy?"

"You have such low self-esteem. You don't trust anybody. Its like-," Michaelson ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "What the bloody hell am I supposed to do with you, Potter?"

"You were supposed to care," Maleah answered. She didn't want to cry. She refused to cry in front of him.

Michaelson leaned forward and kissed her. Maleah knew that if she stepped back he would drop it but she couldn't bring herself to. He leaned back a moment later.

Maleah shook her head. "No."

Michaelson nodded. "Maybe, we should take this slowly."

"Excuse me?" Maleah lifted her eyebrow.

Michaelson shrugged. "Who knows, we may even become friends."

"Why should I?" Maleah crossed her arms over her chest.

"You shouldn't," Michaelson advised her. "I blame you for your issues, but chances are, mine are 10 times worse."

"Then why say this?" Maleah asked.

Michaelson dropped the mask. "Because it's something we both need."

"I don't need you," Maleah said.

"Maybe," Michaelson conceded. "But maybe I need you."

That weakened her resolve. Maleah didn't know why, but she couldn't help but want to hide him from the world. "Damn you," she muttered, dropping her arms and turning away to wipe at her tears.

Michaelson took her hand and kissed her wrist tenderly. "I fancy you, Potter."

Maleah snatched her hand back. "This changes nothing," Maleah snapped. "A few pretty words aren't going to make me forget anything that happened."

"I know," Michaelson said.

Maleah took a deep breath. "Maybe," she said hesitantly. "Maybe, we can hang out this weekend. Maybe."

"I'm fine with maybe," Michaelson grinned.

"No lies," Maleah insisted. "No holding anything back. No secrets. No expectations."

"I don't have any," Michaelson answered honestly.

And that was enough for Maleah.

I didn't plan on it, but I could totally end this story right here. I won't though because there are a few of Maleah's issues that need to be addressed and taken cared of. So I'm thinking five more chapters maybe. Maleah and Micaelson ARE NOT TOGETHER before you start yelling at me for allowing her to forgive him to quickly. They're working on it. It's been a couple. It's been a week? Two? since I updated. Sorry. I've been trying to update once a week, but school kinda sucks. So yeah.