Relaxation at last ((Cherokee))

[Rayne Hamilton R3]

Rayne sung a Christmas tune under her breath as she made her way to the Three Broomsticks. She was in an especially good mood today even though it was Christmas. This year was a good year instead of the string of bad Christmas's she'd been having for the past 5 years. This year her parents had gotten her the usual books but they'd thrown in some extra presents for good measure. As a result she'd gotten a book on magical plants, a book on the very dark arts, new robes (which she desperately needed) some jewlery and a ton of money from different family members. Not to mention she was going to see Vlad and Rose tomorrow to give them their gifts. All in all it had been a very good day for Rayne.

Rayne stopped singing softly as she entered the room. She wasn't bad at singing in fact she was pretty good at it she just didn't want everyone staring at her like she belonged in St. Mungos mental ward. Smiling she ordered a butterbeer from the man working the counter she even gave him a tip since he had the misfortune of having to work on Christmas. Rayne took her butterbeer and scanned for a place to sit. None of her friends were around so Rayne had to sit by herself.

[cherokee]

"I can't believe you're so behind on your Christmas shopping that you are doing it on Christmas." Cherokee rolled her mysterious blue eyes at her older brother. He smiled, a flash of white teeth lighting up the overcast day, and opened the door to a shop. They entered and Kee rubbed her arms briskly. She hated the cold. Jay picked up a glass ball with a feather inside it and tossed it in the air. Kee watched it as it flew up and then fell down. It was going to crash to the floor. Sure enough, Jay missed it and it fell on the hard stone flooring. It didn't shatter, but it cracked and then rolled toward a table. Kee raised an eyebrow as her brother nearly lunged at the rolling ball. When he had retrieved it, he placed it back on the table and then continued to look around. Kee loved the bond she had with her brother, sure they often argued but she knew without him there to guide her she wouldn't be half of the girl she was today.

"Hey, Kee, this might take awhile. Why don't I meet you at the Three Broomsticks?" Jay was fiddling with another item now, and silently Kee nodded and slipped out before she got in trouble for his problem. She made her way toward the Three Broomsticks, weaving through the few people that were there. She finally reached the restaurant and opened the door. When she stepped inside, she was surprised at the amount of people who were actually there. There seemed to be a family at one table. Perhaps spending Christmas at Hogsmeade wasn't too bad of an idea. She knew that her family would never go for it. Although it might make life for Jay more easy, that way he could spend time with his family and do his Christmas shopping. Kee ran her fingers through her long brown hair and then went to the counter where she ordered a Butterbeer.

When she turned around to find a table, she noticed a girl sitting by herself. Normally, Kee wouldn't join her. She wasn't much for making friends. But no one deserved to be alone on Christmas. Kee made her way over, set her butterbeer down first, and then sat down across from the girl, "Happy Christmas." She greeted.

[Rayne Hamilton R3]

"Merry Christmas to you as well." Rayne said when a girl around her age came up and took a seat next to her. Rayne was delightfully surprised when this happened. Not only did she not get out much but making friends was not something she did well. Of course having someone sitting down and wish you a merry christmas did not merrit becoming friends with someone. All it meant was that this girl was bored and Rayne happened to be sitting alone.

Rayne pushed those thoughts as she focused on the newcomer. She obviously went to her school and by the looks of it was her age give or take a year. Rayne raised her butterbeer to toast the girl. "Cheers love." She said clinking bottles with her. "My name is Rayne by the way what's yours?"

[cherokee]

Kee ran her fingers through her hair before lacing them through the handle and pulling the mug to her lips. She sipped at it as the girl returned her Christmas greeting. When she set the butterbeer down, she had to lift it up again when the girl toasted. Kee smiled weakly and then crossed her arms across her chest. Rayne. What an interesting name. Then again, Kee knew interesting names when she came to one. "Well, hell. If I had a name like Rayne I wouldn't mind my name so much. It's rather pretty." Kee smiled kindly and took another drink of her butterbeer. "I'm Cherokee, my friends call me Kee, but only my friends." She said pointedly. She didn't want some girl she just met to call her Kee, even if she did seem nice enough. It just wasn't in Kee's nature to befriend someone not in her house, or someone in general.

"I hope you didn't mind me joining you. 'Tis the season and you looked rather alone. My brother should be coming soon and we can leave if you want. He doesn't bite, though, and could add some spark to this rather lively conversation." Kee smirked and looked over her shoulders at the door, wondering if her brother would be walking through the door anytime soon.

[Rayne Hamilton R3]

"Thanks. Your name is very pretty to Cherokee." Rayne said making sure she didn't call her Kee. It was made obvious to Rayne by Cherokee's statement that only her friends were allowed to call her Kee that she was in no way shape size or form interested in becoming Rayne's friend. Rayne didn't mind at all after all she had not expected to instantly befriend someone and if they didn't want to give her the time of day that was perfectly fine with her. She was used to it anyway.

Rayne started messing with the label on the bottle she wasn't very good at making conversation after all. She stuck to herself for a reason. It appeared that Cherokee was the same way since she wasn't talking much either. Rayne choked back a laugh when Cherokee said something about hoping she didn't mind that she joined her. She also mentioned her brother would be coming and could add some spark to the conversation.

"If I minded I would have said something. And yeah I was pretty alone thanks for coming along. As for your brother if you guys want to leave be my guest I'm used to being alone." She wasn't trying to guilt Cherokee into staying nor was she feeling sorry for herself she was merely stating a fact. "Yeah sorry I'm not much of a conversationalist." Rayne said managing to tear off the remainder of the label on her bottle.

[cherokee]

Kee smirked, "Good. You're outspoken. That's something I admire, then. Too many people these days are allowing others to walk all over them." She rolled her eyes upward as if to ask God why that was so. She put her butterbeer to her lips and took a long drink. She set the drink down again and then focused back in on Rayne, "Well... it's not that you aren't a good conversationlist, it's that I'm not either. I suppose two quiet people will never have a wild and spectacular conversation. My brother, however, has no problem talking his head off." Kee grinned slightly and looked over her shoulder again. This time the door opened and in walked Jay.

She didn't raise her hand to flag him over, she knew he would find her. And sure enough, he did. He made his way over and pulled up a chair, flipping it around so he could lean on the back of it. His deep brown hair was pulled back into a small pony tail and he wore his large sunglasses on top of his head. Why he had them on such an overcast day, Kee wasn't sure. "Jay this is Rayne, Rayne this is my brother Jay." Jay nodded as he chewed on a piece of his cheek, "I got my gifts." He told his younger sister. Kee smirked, "Without breaking them." He smiled and leaned over, taking her butterbeer.

After taking a swig he looked at Rayne, "You know Kee from school?" He asked.

[Rayne Hamilton R3]

Rayne laughed when Cherokee mentioned that too many people allowed others to walk all over them. It wasn't a particularly funny statement in fact it was a very true statement. It was the fact that she acknowledged that being outspoken was a good thing. If Rayne had a knut for every time she'd gotten in trouble for speaking her mind she'd be a very rich person in deed. "At least someone appreciates another that can speak their mind." She said swallowing the last of her butterbeer and flagging the guy on duty for another.

Rayne opened her mouth to agree with Cherokee about two quiet people not having a wild conversation when another person joined them. Rayne had to assume this was the brother Cherokee had mentioned and sure enough after she thought it Cherokee introduced them to each other. Realizing she probably looked stupid with her mouth hanging open Rayne stuck the newly arrived Butterbeer in her mouth and took a swig.

Setting down her drink Rayne turned to look at Jay. "She goes to my school if that's what you are asking but I just met her five minutes ago. Oh and before I forget Merry Christmas and it's nice to meet you."

[cherokee]

Jay grinned lopsidedly, "Well, you just dashed my hopes. My sister needs to speak to more people. I suppose I should be at least a little bit happy that she's speaking to you." Kee's jaw dropped and she shook her head, "Shut it, Jason." Jay smiled innocently, "Would this be my Christmas gift, Sis? You becoming more social? I'm sure it's a practical gift, because Mum and Pap would like it, too." Kee glared at him as her foot began to tap against the floor. It was a habit, something she did when she was angry. Jay quickly looked away and back at Rayne, "Happy Christmas to you, too and it's a pleasure to meet you." He smiled and took another drink of the butterbeer.

"You have to excuse my brother," Kee stated coldly, "you see, he was raised by apes. So he has no sense of passion or human...anything, really." Jay smiled innocently again and winked at Rayne. "Neither does she. She was raised by the same apes." "Unfortunately." Kee growled. Only Jay knew how to aggravate Kee the way he was at the moment. She raised an eyebrow at Rayne, "See? He never shuts up. I thought I'd be free of him since he graduated last year, but no. He has to continue to live at home...." She casted a sideways look at Jay who shrugged. "No place better."

Kee rolled her eyes, "Anyway, what house are you in? Obviously not Slytherin, or else I would know you. You seem to be my age."

[Rayne Hamilton R3]

Rayne followed the friendly banter between Cherokee and her brother like a spectator following a ping pong match. She bit her lip to keep from laughing as they hurled insults at one another. It was kind of cute in a way how well they got along with each other. It was a bond only siblings could have and one Rayne wished she could have but no her parents had decided Rayne was enough. Listening to them made Rayne wish she had a sibling and at the same time she was thankful she was an only child. She sincerely doubted she'd be able to tolerate the critisisms Jay was giving Cherokee even though they were minor at best. Still she was sort of happy Jay had come along at least there was talking going on and not the uneasy silence that had been present only moments before. Cherokee was definately right about the two of them not being able to make lively conversations on their own.

"I think he's funny." Rayne said when Cherokee said she'd have to excuse him and that he didn't shut up. "At least he's got spirit. It's more then I can say about most people." She said shrugging.

Rayne took a big swig of her butterbeer and sort of wished she could away drinking something with alcohol. Being in situations like this unnerved her. It wasn't that Cherokee or Jay were bad people she was just horrible at socializing. It didn't make things better when she almost chocked on her drink after Cherokee asked what house she was in and revealed that she was in Slytherin. Rayne never would have guessed that Cherokee was in Slytherin. Every Slytherin she had met so far had been extremely horrible to her. 'Guess they couldn't all be bad.' She thought then stopped herself she was stereotyping and she hated when people did that.

Rayne set her bottle down after she could breath again. "Sorry swallowed the wrong way." She muttered eyes downcast. She felt like such a dork. Rayne realized she hadn't answered Cherokees question "I'm in Ravenclaw and a third year so we probably are the same age."

[cherokee]

Kee smiled at Rayne as she said at least Jay had spirit. Casting a look at Jay he pressed his palms together and smiled cheesily, "I've got spirit, yes I do, I've got spirit how 'bout you?" Kee laughed and shook her head, "I think it's time for you to go." Jay gave her a false look of hurt and then put his head down like a wounded dog. Kee rolled her eyes and looked back at Rayne who was choking on her butterbeer. She knew that it was because she was being too nice for a Slytherin. Kee felt mellow. She didn't want her claws to come out. She smiled softly and looked down at her hands as Rayne said she was a third year so they probably were the same age.

There was a silence and Kee could almost feel Jay's tension, "I'm sort of hungry." He muttered as he waved over a waiter. He ordered something to eat and then turned back to the two girls. "Well... someone talk. I'm through with talking. There are some people," he eyed Kee, "who don't appreciate my beauty with words." "Only some?" Kee smirked.

[Rayne Hamilton R3]

Rayne resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Jay said some chant she'd once heard a muggle cheerleader do when her mother had insisted it would be good for her to go to a muggle event. She half expected him to get up and do the movements to it. She'd bet a galleon that if she knew anyone with the guts to do something like that it would be him. At least that's what she gathered of his personality from the brief time she'd been with him and his sister.

The chatter died down and there was some serious tension as no one seemed to know what to say or do. Jay told them to say something and Rayne laughed at that. "You obviously missed our brief conversation on our lack of conversation we had earlier. In case you can't tell I'm no better at making conversation or friends then your sister." Rayne looked startled afraid she may have offended the two. "No offence meant to either of you." She muttered looking down at her butterbeer. She really needed to work on the whole thinking things through before saying something thing.