Books by the fire

Shelby sat in front of the fire inside the common room. She had a stack of books by her feet and another in her hand. She read through the book silently. She was slightly unaware of the people around her. She didn’t acknowledge those who wondered how she a Malfoy, could be like her instead of like her older siblings. She didn’t’ look up from the book or move from her spot till she read all the way through the book. She didn’t realized if another student tried to talk to her. After she read that book she looked at the fire for a minute then started on the next. About half way through it she lost interest in it and closed the book after marking her page. She seat the book down on the top of the stack then used her wand and a few muttered words to send them to her bed. Shelby pulled her feet up under her and watched the fire quietly. By this time most of the other slytherins had gone down to the dormitories, but she sat there and watched as the flames cast shadows all around her.

Edward walked through the doors to the common room, slightly stumbling as he did. He had spent most of his night at the Three Broomsticks, drinking and talking with his friends. He had had a great time, and caught up on some well needed conversation with his mates. He was never usually the one to go overboard with his drinking, but he was a bit tipsy tonight. He still knew exactly what was going on around him, but it seemed that he left his feet at the pub. His hair was dripping wet from the unexpected rain storm, and he was still shivering from the harsh wind. He felt a sigh of relief as he felt the radiating heat from the fireplace reach his skin. He didn't notice anyone in the room, and he was sure that it was well past two, but he wasn't in the mood for sleep.

Laying his brown messenger bag on the table by the entrance, Ed paced around the room, warming himself up for nothing. He pulled off his wet cardigan and set it on the floor by the fire, unaware that there was someone behind him. His tee shirt was also a bit damp, so he had decided to take that off, too; he had gotten goosebumps from the sudden rush of air that hit his bare chest, but warmth soon soothed him. He walked out of the common room, leaving his things behind, and went off to his dormitory to change. After a few quiet minutes, Edward returned, wearing gray flannel pajama pants, a jade coloured tee shirt, and slippers. He returned to the fire place, flipping his nearly dry shirt over.

He went and sat down on the couch, feeling something beneath him as he did. Quickly, Ed stood up and spun around, noticing that there was a girl sitting in the spot where he just sat. "Oh, my goodness, I'm so sorry-" Edward stopped short, studying the girl's face. He was sure he knew her from somewhere, but he wasn't sure where. She looked a lot like Suzannah Malfoy, but certainly not beautiful enough. Ed saw Suz to be the most beautiful girl on the planet, and he knew that she felt the same toward him. The two sneaked out together on multiple occasions, but what had happened on those nights was really nothing more than mere lust. But as Edward later thought about it, he knew that the feelings he had for her were much more than that. He saw her as a completely different girl than his sister, Julia, thought of her, and Ed knew that Julia would never approve of a relationship between the two. But, Julia was practically dating Suz's brother, Scorpius, anyways, so why couldn't it be the opposite as well?

Edward was getting off-track, and he didn't want to keep the girl waiting, that would be rude. "Er, I'm sorry about that, dear. I'm Edward Traverse" He said quickly, holding his hand out to the girl. "And you are...?"

Shelby hadn't noticed Edward come in then leave and return haven't been to interested in the books she was reading. though she had noticed when he sat on her. "try sitting over there," she murmured pointing to a spot on the other end of the sofa. "there is no one sitting there." she closed the book and got another one out of the stack by her feet. she glanced up at the older boy as he spoke again then back at her book. "I'm Shelby Malfoy," she said looking up once more and shaking his hand. she pulled her feet up onto the sofa with her and tucked them underneath her. "and maybe you should watch what your doing next time."

Edward was caught off guard with the girl's spiteful attitude. It was his fault for sitting on her, but he had apologized in the most benevolent way that he could. This girl- "Shelby" by what she had told him- was most certainly related to Suzannah. As lovely as he thought of Suz, she also had her malicious times whenever she wasn't in the best of moods. As he thought of it, Ed was sure that he saw Shelby around the manor once or twice when he went over with Suz. She must have been Suz's younger sister that she constantly complained about. Edward didn't mind the complaining, he knew that she had to get everything off of her chest; the poor girl's family was barely fond of her.

Shelby had a reason to be upset, but Ed was being kind enough for her to simply forget about it- it was a mistake, after all. Ed brushed off her snarky responses and took a seat at one of the armchairs next to the couch. "No need to get so upset, ma'am, it was only an accident- won't happen again." Ed coughed lowly to cover up a quiet snicker to himself; the girl already seemed so worked up over a simple thing. "Er... so," he began again, "what are you reading?" He wanted the common room to himself, and if he had to talk the girl's ear off to get what he wanted, then that was exactly what he would do. "I'm not so fond of reading, but perhaps you can tell me about it, get me the least bit interested, maybe?"

"Don't call me ma'am," Shelby said going back to her book trying to ignore the guy. she had seen him around before and thought he knew her sister in some way but wasn't to sure about it. "and its call a book." she flipped the page beginning to get lost in it again before he started to talk again. " i doubt your brain works well enough for you to read a book." she flipped the page again then looked for her quill and a piece of parchment that she had laying around some where. she picked it up and scribble some things down then went back to reading the book. "why don't you go to bed already?"

Unbelievable, Edward thought to himself, simply unbelievable. This girl... He was beginning to get a bit agitated at Shelby, she had her guard up for no reason, and it wasn't like he was trying to purposely annoy her. She definitely had the Malfoy blood running through her veins, and Ed thought that he might as well not even try with her. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, waiting to hear what she had to say next. "Well excuse me, your highness, for attempting to apologize in a nice way to you. And I do believe that I am a handful of years older than you, judging by your immature comebacks. Besides, I'm sure even you would know that a student who's 'brain didn't work well enough to read' would never be accepted into Hogwarts. Yet, here I am. " Edward laughed to himself again, then continued "Oh, that sounds lovely, will you tuck me in, too? And while you're at it, fetch me a glass of water, you know how I can't sleep without my liquids, mum."

Edward wasn't going to stop, he was clearly winning this battle already, so why stop to look at the clouds? He was usually known for his sharp tongue and quick comebacks, and it was like recreation for Ed to argue- it was his "thing". Julia was the same way as well, but it wasn't often that she had to use her gift. She was too soft sometimes, she would let things go too easily without putting up a fight. If you don't argue for what you want, then how are you supposed to get it? Julia didn't like hurting people's feelings, Edward, on the other land, could barely care less. He got what he wanted most of the time.

Ed sat up straight and stuck his nose in the air with a grin on his face. He was excited to hear what the girl had to say back to him, perhaps something so pathetic he just had to laugh, or maybe something so good that he didn't have anything else to say back. He doubted the last possibility, but maybe she would surprise him.

"Oh even better yet go pass out with your head in the toilet because its rather obvious that you've been drinking," Shelby said, "Maybe you'll almost drown while your in there and possibly learn that nothing good can come from drinking,” She glared at the guy over the top of her book. He was interrupting her study time. This was the only time she could study in the common room instead of hiding in an empty study room where no one will see her. "Really just leave," She said, "You've done nothing but sit on me and distracted me from what I’m doing since you've gotten in here. Now leave." She went back to her book hoping he'd just leave and leave her alone.

"Actually," Edward began, "I've been in this school for quite a few years before you came along, I'm also an adult. Therefore, you should leave if you really wanted to be alone. This is the common room, a meeting place for any Slytherin that wants to go here." He scowled beneath his breath, despite the humor of the situation. "And don't think that just because you are a God forsaken Malfoy, you are entitled to whatever you want. Because if that's what you think, then you need a serious reality check."

Edward stuck his nose in the air and laid back in his chair, his clasped hands behind his neck for a headrest. He was having a good time, but he was also beginning to get a bit irritated at the girl. The Malfoy's always thought that they are better than anyone else in the world, which was what made him so annoyed about them. Even with his strong liking toward Suzannah, he often found himself getting annoyed with her. She was quite possibly the worst of the Malfoy's, next to her mother, of course. She thought herself to be "God's gift to the world", she didn't realize how much she was like her mother. And Edward was just beginning to see a resemblance between Shelby and Suzannah.

Edward had grabbed a book that he hid beneath the seat in which he was sitting, and opened it's pages. He was secretly a quite good reader, but he didn't want some people to think him to be a nerd, which was why he usually only read to himself at nighttime or study time. He was quite intelligent, actually; though he didn't show it often, his potential shined brightly through his skin, but he refused to show it.

Watching Shelby, Edward clicked his tongue with every page he turned, hoping it would further annoy the girl.

"My point was most aren't up this late. At least if they are they're not here. " Shelby said flipping the page of her book. "Besides not every body thinks the way Suz dose." she closed the book and picked up another. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him pick up a book and open it. "oh look it can read," she said under her breath. she read her book silently and was getting annoyed with how every time he turned the page he'd click his tongue. "Could you stop?" she asked glaring at him.