Standing Firm ((Caiya))

[Lavender Brown]

Lavender walked down the hallways holding her head high. She was in her final year at Hogwarts and she was proud. She knew that nothing could make this year bad. She wanted nothing more than to continue her good luck into the school year. She was safe here in Hogwarts. Much safer here than back in London with her family. They wouldn't and couldn't protect her. She was on her own. She was of age and that was the most important thing. She was 17, she could do magic wherever she pleased. Lavender smiled as she looked around the empty hallway. Most people were out on the grounds enjoying the wonderful weather before the snow would fall. She was going to go to the courtyard. There wouldn't be as many people there and that's what she liked. She was popular with people, but she didn't really want to be around a whole bunch of people at this time.

Lavender stepped out into the courtyard and sighed. It was so beautiful and the colors of fall were setting in fast. Summer was nearly over and the death of the plants and trees were setting in. Hopefully they would have another month of good weather before it began to get really cold. She looked around the empty courtyard. She was surprised that no one was out on such a beautiful day. She shrugged as she walked to a stone bench and sat down. The sun warmed her as it surrounded her. She smiled brightly as she closed her eyes. She let the warmth of the sun burn deep within her. She let the last few months melt away into darkness. The pain and horror was over. She was safe, for now.

Lavender thought about the attacks on the school last year. It had been horrible. So many students had been hurt and then the attacks on Diagon Alley. That had been horrible. She had been there. She had seen the pain and turmoil of the wizarding world. She had been so frightened, running from the Death Eaters and giants. Then there were the attacks on the muggle colleges in Britain. Resulting in many muggle injuries. And now there was the latest attack that had killed Laura Pennington. Lavender had only briefly talked to her, but still she was a nice girl that didn't deserve to be killed. Lavender knew that Dumbledore was doing everything in his power to keep them safe. She supported Dumbledore just like her parents.

Lavender shook her head to stop thinking about the bad times. She didn't need to dwell in the past. Sitting on the bench she took out a book and began to read. She liked to read books in the sunlight. It gave her something fun to do. She began to get so immersed in the book that she didn't hear the footsteps of the person befall her.

[caiyahuntington]

Caiya was practially skipping while she made her way to the courtyard. Everything was simply wonderful. The sun was shining it was warm and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. There wasn't a single thing to be sad about. So why people kept asking her how she could be so happy all the time she didn't know. Sure their world was at war with each other and sure there had been countless attacks but that didn't mean she should be upset about it all the time. She wasn't happy all the time. It distressed her to see how upset everyone was all the time and she felt horrible about the attacks on Diagon Alley and the train. She felt sad for the countless victims the death eaters where killing almost daily. But that didn't stop her from being happy at all either. She was happy, happy she was alive and her friends and family was alive. She was happy she was at Hogwarts. There was no place safer in thier world then Hogwarts and that's why she was skipping.

She walked out into the Courtyard and breathed in the fresh air. It was going to get cold soon the trees where bearing the tell tale signs of fall. She was glad the cold wouldn't reach them for a while. She didn't mind the cold but she preffered the summer. You just couldn't do as much outside when it was freezing cold and snowing.

Caiya looked around and was surprised to see only one other person out there. She would have thought there would've been several people out enjoying the sunlight. Perhaps they were all on the grounds or something. Never the less Caiya never tired of meeting new people so she walked over to the girl who was sitting on a bench reading. The girl seemed to be very into it as she didn't even look up as Caiya approached. Caiya didn't want to disturb her but at the same time she really wanted to know what book the girl was reading so she cleared her throat hoping the girl would look up and notice her.

[Lavender Brown]

Lavender sat immersed in her book on romance. She loved to read muggle romance novels as well as the wizarding romance novels. There was always so much to learn about love, since she had never experienced it. She thought that someday she would, but right now she was waiting for the right guy. Her eyes darted across the pages of the book. It was so cute to read about a grown man doing something romantic for a woman. She was getting to the best part of the book when someone cleared their throat. The sudden sound startled Lavender and she jumped, dropping her book in the grass. "Oh, sorry I didn't hear you approach," Lavender said as she bent down and picked up her book from the grass. Placing her bookmark back in the book; she sat it down beside her as she gave the girl her full attention. She didn't know her, but she had seen her around several times.

"I don't believe we've ever met. I'm Lavender Brown. 7th year Gryffindor. You are?" Lavender smiled as she introduced herself. She loved meeting new people, but sometimes it was hard for her to keep their names straight. It came with being quite popular in her year. She had met so many people over the last 7 years that sometimes she would get confused on their names, but she always recognized faces.

Lavender's attention turned from the girl as she looked up at a large bird that had landed in a tree near them. It was so magnificent. She didn't know what kind of bird it was, but it definitely seemed to be related to hawks or eagles. It was brown with white speckled over the inside breast. It's head darted around as it took in it's surroundings. She smiled as the bird continued to sit in the tree. The sun brightly shinning down upon it making it glow. It was quite a site, but it didn't last long. The glorious bird lifted off from the tree and flew off out of site. Lavender's attention then returned to the girl. She had always had problems paying attention. She wasn't that great at listening, but talking she did real well at. She looked up at the girl as she began to speak. Hopefully, Lavender hadn't missed anything.

[caiyahuntington]

Caiya felt kind of bad when the girl was so startled she dropped her book. Caiya started to help pick the book up but the girl already scooped it up and put a book mark on it. Caiya looked at the cover trying to figure out what kind of book it was. It wasn't a book she was familiar with but from the cover she assumed it must be a muggle romance novel. Caiya had never gotten into those kinds of books. They were too mushy and extremely fake in her opinion. She sincerely doubted there was any guy in the world gentelmanly enough to put his coat down for a girl if there was a puddle. No Romance Novels where not her thing but she was glad that there were people reading something other then text books around. She was begining to think she was the only one.

The girl introduced herself as Lavender Brown a 7th year Gryffindor. Caiya smiled at her. "I'm Caiya Huntington 5th year Ravenclaw. I don't think we've met before so nice to meet you." Caiya loved meeting new people and she was glad that Lavender was even giving her the time of day. She'd met some people this year that just ignored her everytime she even attempted to talk to them.

Caiya started to ask Lavender if she only read Romance Novels or if she like anything else as well but noticed that Lavender turned her attention to a bird sitting in a nearby tree. She looked at the bird as well trying to remember what kind of bird it was. After a little while the bird flew away and Lavender turned her attention back to Caiya. "So do you always read romance novels or do you read other things as well?" She asked.

[Lavender Brown]

((Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I've gotten so busy with school. I'm stage managing a show right now and that's got my full attention as well as my failed homework. ))

Lavender blushed as she realized she had been caught with her attention somewhere else. She hated it when she daydreamed while she was having a conversation. She knew it was rude and she had been scolded many times by her parents, but it wasn't like she could help it. Sometimes things just distracted her. Like the bird. She tried so hard to pay attention sometimes that she would just start to look past the person and not pay attention to what they were actually saying. She wished she was better at listening, but she needed the practice.

She was surprised by Caiya's question. She looked back at the book. Caiya must have realized what kind of book it was. Not that it was hard to hide. With the steamy romantic scene pictured on the cover of the book. Most people would probably realize what it was. "I love to read about romance. It gives me something to look forward to. Though, they aren't that realistic they still give me something to look forward to. Falling madly in love with a wizard or muggle, don't really care which, just as long as they hold me tight and tell me they love me," Lavender said as she began to lose focus on the conversation. She was picturing a guy sitting by her side and holding her. She shook her head and laughed as she brought herself out of the thought. "Sorry, but I really like to read about love. My parents are so madly in love that it's so much fun to watch them. The little things they do for each other. I guess that's why I really like it. It seems so normal."

Lavender shrugged as she looked up at Caiya. The girl didn't seem that interesting in romance novels, but Lavender didn't really care. Everyone had their own lives and opinions. She liked romance novels and some people hated them. It's normal for people to like different things. "You can have a seat if you want," Lavender said as she motioned to the rest of the bench. She didn't want Caiya to stand the entire time. Besides Lavender was a bit uncomfortable around people that constantly stood rather than sitting. "What's your opinion on romance novels and love? Do you look forward to falling in love?" Lavender asked. She was interested to know a little more about Caiya. She was always like that with people she didn't know. She crossed her legs as she waited for Caiya to answer.

[caiyahuntington]

Caiya listened as Lavender went on about how she loved to read Romance novels because she couldn't wait for a guy to come and sweep her off her feet. She went on about her parents where the same way always doing little things for each other and how she wanted a man to do the same thing for her. Caiya could tell she lost focus in the converstation for a while because Lavenders eyes looked like they were starting to loose focus. Caiya wondered if she was seeing her dream guy. Then Lavender sort of chuckled and asked her to sit down and her opinion on romance novels.

Caiya sat down gratefully. She really didn't like standing all that much not when she could be sitting. "Well." Caiya twirled a piece of her hair in her fingers. She was bright and upbeat sure but she was also very cynical especially when it came to love and romance. She tried to find the right words so that she wouldn't offend Lavender. "I'm not so sure I put much faith in romance novels. It seems like, for me at least, they're just fantasies girls dream up and if you do happen to get a guy like that it's usually fake and he's only doing it to get into the girls pants. But that's just my view on it and I'm just a little more cynical then most on this matter."

[Lavender Brown]

((Sorry it took awhile again. I'll try to get better. ))

Lavender smiled and giggled to herself at Caiya's response. She seemed to be just like she said she was cynical. She didn't seem to like to put stock into anything so magical and happy. Lavender didn't mind however, she used to be like that in some ways. That was until she met a guy a couple summers ago. He had been so sweet and romantic. Unfortunately he had been from America and had only been in London for vacation. She had a great time with him for the month that he was there. They had even kept in contact for a year before he got a girlfriend and stopped talking to her. Maybe someday he would owl her back. He had been a fun wizard from America. He had been so sweet.

Lavender had started daydreaming again. She shook her head as she woke up. "Sorry, my mind is gone again," Lavender apologized as she looked at Caiya. "Sometimes I do that. It's really hard to focus for me. I have kind of an overactive imagination. I tend to think about things so much. It's a bit of a fault. What about you? Are you like that at all? Or are you more of the kind of person that focuses on everything that's going on and can't understand why there are people who lose focus?" Lavender asked as she tried to make conversation with Caiya. She smiled brightly as she made herself pay attention to Caiya.

[caiyahuntington]

Caiya gave a small sigh of relief when Lavender didn't get angry with her views. She supposed it was rude of her to assume someone would get upset over something as trivial as what someone believed in a matter of love. Mentally she chastised herself for not having more faith in Lavender. She knew she'd hate it if Laveder thought that about her. Caiya made a mental promise to not worry so much about what others think about her.

Caiya laughed when Lavender apologized for being so spacey. Apparently she hadn't noticed that Caiya had also been lost in her own thoughts as well. "Me focus on details? Absolutely not. I'm hardly ever focused on one thing. My mind wanders and does the what if game or I imagine I'm in a book I'm reading. I'm always off in my own little world. " She said still chuckling slightly. "Looks like we're alike in that aspect huh."