Near the Dark Forest (Pyro)

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass shivered in her blue and silver cloak as she sat near the forest. She didn't want to be inside the castle tonight. No, not tonight. She knew it was past curfew, but she didn't care. It was a beautiful night. She sat at the rim of the Dark Forest. Her wand laid by her side. She was ready for anything. Let something come out of that forest. Just let it. She wasn't afraid. She stared into the trees. Just listening, waiting.

Her father was getting worst. When she was upset, she always got into a bit of a reckless mood. She didn't think anyone knew she was out here. She left word with her dorm mates that if she wasn't back by 1 in the morning to call out the search party. But, she didn't know what time it was, nor did she care. She was, upset, lonely, and depressed. She wanted to feel that way. It was better to feel that way then to feel what was left of your life fall apart.

Part of the world she belonged to would reject her if they knew she was a muggle born, the muggle world would reject her if they knew she was a witch. Not a good place to be in.

She continued to sit and stare at forest. Waiting for something.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

Pyro wandered the halls. he knew it was well after house but he did not feel like going back to the common room just yet. He hummed slightly to himself as he clicked his heels of the ground as he walked. He was having no worries when suddenly he heard something. he stoped and listened. There it was again. it was footsteps, followed by a voice he instantly recognized. Filch..

He cursed under his breath. he spun around and took off down the hall. After a short run he found a door, he quickly opened it and flung himself through the door. He shut the door and leaned against it. He listened and soon he could hear footsteps come closer. than receade away. He breathed a sigh of relief.. He tugged on the door. it was locked.

"Oh Great!!" pyro turned and noticed he was standing outside the building. He recognized the area, the only way to get back in was to walk around the building and find a open door. He took off to go find a door. He rounded a corner and the dark forest came into sight, He glanced at it, than looked again. Someone was standing there, not moving.

Curious pyro moved closer quietly. When he was 20 yards away he recognized it as Cassandra. A gryffindor girl he had met and talked to frequently. He grinned as he snuck up behind her. Her eyes were glued to the forest and she didnt notice him. He got right behind her "Boo!"

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass didn't jump. She didn't even blink. She just turned her head, and looked at him with stolid look.

" Hello Pyro. What are you doing here?" she shivered a little. She really didn't want to do this with him tonight. They had been catting around with each other for about a week now, and she was getting to the point were she needed some alone time.

It was getting really cold, but she refused to go back to the castle. Not now anyway. She hugged her arms around herself tighter, and felt the knot of fear in her stomack lessen a little since there was another soul around.

" Since you are here, you might as well join me."

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

*He was a bit surprised at her reaction. This wasnt like her."Wandering the corriders, got stranded outside, went looking for a way in, found you here." He sat down on the ground next to her. There was something different about her tone today. He looked at her. "Something wrong? Not used to seing you like this."

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

She didn't really want to answer him, but she was moved by his reaction. This evil, angry, horrible Slytherin was taking concern in her. She should tell him the poor, pathetic pitiful story of her life, or just let him sit here with her near the one place on the campus she probably wasn't suppose to be.

She decided to talk.

" I.....I don't really know what to do anymore."

Her voice cracked. She didn't want to cry, but knew the inevitable was coming. She could see him through the black curls of her hair. Waiting patiently to talk.

" My father's real sick. I...just....feel....kind of guilty being here when I could be home with my mother. I'm getting to do something I never thought I would do, and I feel so selfish."

She sniffled holding back the tears. She really didn't want him to see the weak part of her.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

*Oh, it was one of those situations. Pyro hated them, he wasnt very good at them, spending his life alone never really gave him much practice at comforting others. He looked at her*

"Hes sick? Whats he sick with. And besides, what do you think your dad wants more. You to be happy and have the ones in a lifetime chance of going to hogwarts? Or be home to take care of him and not have the chance to make something of yourself"

*He hoped that wasnt anything stupid to say, it was just the first thing that came to his mind.*

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cassandra looked at him. She could tell he wasn't good at this, but he was making an effort.

" My parents don't really understand about Hogwarts...." she trailed off. She chuckled.

" My father was diagnosed with Kidney failure a couple of years ago. Its progressively gotten worse since then. My family doesn't have a lot of money, so its been hard on them. My mother just thinks I'm off learning magic tricks and wants me home. My father isn't awake enough to notice that I'm not there."

She wiped her nose and face. She shivered, and the knot in her stomach clenched. She was trusting a Slytherin with her inermost thoughts and feelings. She was ready to be ridiculed.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

"Oh, I see.."

*Pyro brought up one foot so his knee was up in the air. he draped one arm over it and absently began to pick at some grass with the other. He looked at her*

"Well. Im not good at this, but I can tell you this. Do what you want to do, cause im sure your parents want that."

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

He was trying, I just have to remember that, Cass thought to herself.

" You probably think less of me now, know you now, I haven't told anyone here before...," Cass trailed off once again. So, he knew she was a muggle born. Great, there goes any chance of having anything with this guy. He doesn't like muggles, so he would probably definetly turn on her now. It was really upsetting. She was just now beginning to trust him. Hesitantly, but she was doing it all the same. She was crying a little. The tears were starting to come down her face. She wiped them away, and looked at him with her red rimmed eyes.

" I'd understand if you didn't want to be around me because of that. I wouldn't want to come between you and your house. "

She really didn't want him to go.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

*Pyro nearly laughed. he lay down on his back and folded his arms behind his head as he looked up at the stars*

"relax ya half muggle" He said with a grin. "Youve already grown on me and I like you so I wont be ditchin you now. and besides, Ive never like anyone from my house besides a select few so my house can just kiss my butt"

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass looed over at him for a few moment. Utterly stunned that he said that.

" Oh, well I guess thats good. You really don't have to stay out here. You know, I'm really glad yo did. Thank you." She sat there for a few more moment and wiped her eyes. He was probably right.

She stood up and wiped off herself off. " Do you want to head back to the castle?"

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

(( Sorry, that post was supposed to be longer. I hit the post button accidently))

She got up and stretched herself almost like a cat. She felt a little better now. Not only did she feel a little better about her parents, but she did feel more relieved about him finding out she was a muggle born He had made a remark to her earlier saying he hated muggles, and she had spent all this time worrying about it. She really wanted to let him know that she thought he was the most adorable creature she had ever met. Well, besides her cat. Not only was he confident, he was sweet, and he had helped her off the dance floor. Chivalry went a long way with her.

You know, she had gone this far with him, she might as well tell him the whole thing. She looked back at him and decided it was time to deal with this head on.

" Pyro, I know this sounds really strange, but what is going on between us. I know a week ago, I would have rather spit at a Slytherin than look at him. Now I'm sitting out here, in front of the dark forest, with one. I know you were the same way just in reverse. We were both loners, and once again as I said earlier, we're both here."

She looked at him once again. She could see him out of the side of her vision. She tried to look as innocent as she could. Her stomach lurched. She could feel sweat come down her neck. This nervousness was terrible.

" I guess what I'm saying is.....I think I'm really starting to care you," Cass said as fast as she could. It fell out of her mouth in a rush. She looked up at him hopefully to see his reaction, which she was probably sure would be one of horror.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

Pyro had shut his eyes and let the wind play through his hair. he was still listening to her though. "Nah, dont worry about it, its nice to be out here", With you he thought. He was a bit surprised at this thought. But the truth of the matter was, he did enjoy spending time with her, and he could feel it was on a greater level than a friend. He opened one eye and watched her stretch.

"Great" he thought. "Here I am have feelings for a gryffindor. even a muggle at that." He made a short laughing cough, it was funny how life threw stuff at you. "I know what you mean, I would rather of stuffed a gryffindor in a hole and let them rot, but now, Im actually spending time with one, and enjoying that time" He stood up and faced her. "yeah, I..I feel the same way about you.."

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

That was the wrong answer, Pyro, Cass thought to herself. She didn't need this right now. Life had a way of throwing rocks in your general direction, and Slytherin's too it looked like.

She put her hand to her face. Her stomach finally unclenched for the first time in the last few weeks.

" Crap," she said nonchalantley and in no one's general direction.

"So, what are we going to do about this? I'm not sure if either one of us are entirely thrilled about this because of the whole Slytherin-Gryffindor mess."

She shivered violently. " I'm getting cold. Let's head back to the castle and try to figure this out."

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

((Sorry my posting trigger finger got a little happy again!))

She stopped and thought about what she said.

" I mean, I'm not trying to sound callous, but this is really awkward. I'm glad you feel the same way, but its just wierd. And, not to be to truthful mind you, I'm just not really sure where we should go from this point. I mean, I don't want to pull anyone in my drama unless they want to be, but I wouldn't think you would be out here with me unless you cared about my drama. And, you know that whole house problem, unlike you, every Gryffindor will drag my name through the mud. Not to mention try to throw me off the Quidditch team. Oh no, I'm really starting to make to much of this aren't I?"

Cass couldn't believe she just said that all in one sentence. Unlike Pyro, she was worried about her house. Most Slytherins could just sneer at each other and get the others to back off, but for Gryffs it was different. Loyalty to the house above all.

She looked at the ground, and then back at him. Then back at the ground. She ran her hand through her black hair that was starting to look a little damp. There were dirt spots on her cloak, and white button up she was wearing was seriously wrinkled. Her jeans had a wet spot on them. She suddenly felt really awkward.

She reached for his and touched it lightly.

" But, I guess those things shouldn't matter."

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

*He looked at her and sighed*

"I dont know what we should do. its not like ive been in this position before. but lets get back to the castle"

*He turned and slowly began to walk back towards the castle. He looked over at her every now and than.*

"And to tell you the truth, I actually dont want this to go to far either, and I dont want to be involved in a big drama event at the moment. At this point in my life I really dont want to have to deal with this. I wouldnt mind staying close friends tho. "

*he looked away for a moment and thought to himself quietly, than he sighed and looked at her again*

"but than again, I do enjoy spending time with you and its always a lot of fun. Maybe after school, we can keep this as it is now, and than after school is over we can figure out if we want to go further"

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cassandra sighed to herself as well. That wasn't what she really wanted. She didn't want to wait to the summer. While her heart was telling her to take control of this now, her head was telling her to slow down.

" You know, I liked it better back home. If I actually liked a guy, I could just spend a couple of hours hitting him over the head with a Kendo stick and he did not want to spend another minute with me. But of course, you probably have no idea what Kendo is being a wizard and all." She knew she was preparing herself to explain that to him.

She saw the front steps of the castle come into view. She was never one to give up and let other people dictate her life. Why in the world was she going to let her house do it to her?

They reached the front steps of the castle. Determined to see what she was about to do through.

"I'm not going to let my house dictate to me who I am going to date," she looked at him," Pyro, Dana is having a party in the next few days, would you like to come with me?"

God, my grandmother would have a fit if she knew I just asked a guy out, she thought to herself.

She hoped to herself that he didn't mean that whole friends thing. She really hoped he didn't, but would accept whatever he said. Who wanted to settle for friends? she thought to herself.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

*He listened to her as he walked*

"Actualy, I do know what Kendo is. I may hate muggles, but I do find some of their stuff usefull, Kendo's roots started in the same place as martial arts that I use, i also dabble in kendo, good workout. its good to not lt your house decide things for you."

*He stoped at the steps and looked at her...after a short pause he nodded*

"yea, sure Ill go."

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

" See that was easy. I'm surprised you know what Kendo is. My cousin is an instructor in it back home. He opened his own studio last year. It was always a bit of a hope of mine to learn how to use a sword. I didn't acutally think I was ever going to get to. Martial arts, huh? I'm assuming you do more than dabble?"

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

*he grined and laughed*

"ok yea, I do a bit more than just dabble. I guess I will see you at the party than"