Seeing more then the four walls

It was Hogsmeade weekend at last, and Maura was excited about getting out of the castle at last. She honestly needed some fresh air and a break from her studying. She been so busy studying and trying to get good grades, she forgotten about life outside.  Although, she thought about Ryo and how he was, she honestly missed him.

Walking down the sloping lawn of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardly she headed towards the carriages to take her to Hogsmeade. Getting into the carriage her chocolate brown eyes looked around enjoying the fresh air.   She was glad to look at something other then the four walls of the library.

Maura was snapped back into reality as the carriage came to a stop and her fellow classmates started getting out. Walking out, Maura straighten her dress out before she headed towards the three broomsticks. As she walked in, she smiled to herself heading over towards her favorite booth she sat down ordering a  butterbeer.

Hogsmeade weekend had always been a bittersweet thing for Ryo. He enjoyed getting out of the castle over the weekend, but there was never anything really fun to do. He’d usually just spend the day at The Three Broomsticks, where he’d eat and drink Butterbeers, but there usually wasn’t much that happened after that. He always felt like that was a sign of how his adulthood was going to go.

This weekend felt a little different, though. After recently getting to know Maura better, Ryo thought he might actually start enjoying those weekends. Especially after he graduated, since it might be the only way to see the other Hufflepuff since she was only a fifth year. It was ironic that he would get more enjoyment out of the village after graduation than before it.

He’d tried looking for the younger girl before the carriages to Hogsmeade left, but it turned out that she’d gotten on one of the ones that had already left by the time he’d even gotten out there. It was a bummer that he couldn’t arrive with her, but after the seemingly short ride there, he took the streets to try to find her. He happened to pass by his favorite pub when he noticed her sitting at a booth inside and he smiled.

He entered as quietly as he could, trying to make sure she couldn’t notice him entering. It didn’t seem that hard since she was angled slightly away from the door and he walked up to her quietly before putting his hands over her eyes. Hoping he wouldn’t startle her too much, he said, “Guess who?”

That was the thing with growing up,  you don't seem to enjoy the things that you did when you were a kid,  it was just all part of growing up.  Seeing third years in awe of the village made her smile,  oh what she'll do to have that innocence again. Although she always thought once you were a thrid year here, you were no longer considered lower class as most people say,  but hey it was just what she heard.  The joy of adulthood,  it was so fun why was she telling her parents she couldn't wait until she was older?  Now she missed being a kid now.

Although she was glad to have a nice break and worry about nothing but having fun, no books and long hours in the library studying.  Maura couldn't believe that her friends were graduating, she was sad to see them go but knew they couldn't stay here forever.  She was going to miss them,  she sure was going to miss Ryo who she gotten really close to lately.  Where they stood, she was a bit confused on it but she still liked him alot.

She was always on time when it came to Hogsmeade weekends, it was her escape from thd castle for awhile.   Don't get her wrong,  she loved Hogwarts and the castle, but she needed a break from it.  She was glad to see something but the four walls of the library, but she just wanted good and high marks on her OWLs.  

Feeling hands covering her eyes she laughed.  "Hm... well... warm hands and a familiar smell."  Although she knew it was him, she was just playing along.   "Hm... would you happen to be Ryo by any chance?"  She was happy that he was here, she really missed him.

Ryo himself didn’t know what exactly the relationship between he and Maura was. He didn’t want to assume anything but he wondered what she thought they were. Friends would be the more accurate term for them, but even the guys on the quidditch team were hounding him with questions about their relationship. Maura was on the team as well, so they made it a point to tease the two during practices.

One of his best mates had told him that he should just ask the fifth year out. She was younger, sure, but she was mature for her age and the cuteness was just a bonus. Ryo wasn’t sure though. He didn’t want to commit to a relationship when he was so close to graduating, and he didn’t want Maura to commit to a long distance relationship when she could easily find someone else at the castle, in her year.

Obviously, that wasn’t a decision for him to make alone, but he couldn’t help but feel like he had to. Anabelle was weary of the whole thing as well, but told him that he should give it a shot. She always had these gut feelings that turned out okay, but Ryo wasn’t sure if this was something he should trust gut feelings with. One thing that Anabelle said to him recently had definitely caught him off guard.

”You haven’t smiled this way over a girl in a long time, Ry.”

Maybe the Gryffindor has been right and he should take a chance on Maura. He still wasn’t sure about it.

“Good guess.” He smiled as he scooted himself into the seat across from the younger girl. “I tried looking for you for the carriage ride here, but everyone said you’d already gone ahead.” He laughed softly. “Guess you really like Hogsmeade, huh?”

She was a bit curious to know where they stood, but they both been so busy lately she wasn't sure what they were. Although they were friends and good ones, but something was telling her it was more then that, shaking her head at the thought of it she sighed. She was well aware of the teasing, the guys would always make kissy faces at them during practice, which was distracting bug also annoying. The bit of girls that were on the team asked her why she haven't asked him out. Although she hoped that he would, she just wasn't going to push it, if he wanted to be with her then he'll ask her.

Although her best friend and Soph told her that she needed to take a shot with him, this was the happiest she been in a long time. That was true, but she was also afraid of getting hurt though, although she was sure that wouldn't happen. One thing she noticed that he wasn't like most guys who liked her for her looks and shyness, he wasn't into taking a advantage of her. Although she proved that she could stand her own, she didn't want to be broken down again and she was scared of it happening again.

She liked him alot, there was no doubt about it how much she liked him, but she wasn't obsessive like they knew some girls around here were. She was scared of putting her heart on the line again, but for some reason something was telling her that it was the rignt thing to do. She had to take a chance with him or esle she'll never know, they were already assumed a couple at how close they were. She only hoped it'll stay like that if they take a chance with each other, she didn't want to be awkward between them.


She smiled and chuckled. "I guess I'm just good at guessing." She missed him alot lately, only time she really seen him was during quidditch practice lately. "Sorry... I just wanted to get out of the castle, I was going crazy!" She laughed. "And that as well, I just loved this small little village."

“Don’t worry, I totally get that.” He replied. Being quidditch captain and having to study for his NEWTs this year was tiring, and he was honestly amazed he could do it. Maybe he was just so used to it, considering he’d been captain since his sixth year, so he already knew how to manage the two things. He was always a good learner so that didn’t bother him too much, he supposed the only thing that was constantly on his mind right now was the idea of what he was supposed to do with his life after he actually graduated.

That, and Maura.

Maybe that was why Anabelle wanted him to take a shot with her so badly. He was always thinking about the fifth year and talked about her a lot. He was sure his Gryffindor friend would have already gotten sick of hearing about Maura, but she seemed to enjoy it more every time he said anything. Maybe that was just because she was a good friend and wanted him to be happy about something.

He’d asked for a butterbeer when he’d sat down from a waiter who had come around about the same time. It arrived at the booth and he’d almost completely forgotten that he’d even ordered it. Obviously, he took it from the server who brought it to him and took a nice long swing of it before setting it down on the table in front of him.

“How’s your studying going?” He asked Maura. “I know you’ve been holed up in the library most of time lately, figured it was for your OWLs. You can always ask me for help studying if you need it.” He told her as he too another drink.

She knew if anyone understood how she was feeling it was him, he was a seventh year after all. She couldn't imagine how much stress he had on himself, it had to be hard she knew Soph said it wasn't easy. She could only imagine the boatload of homework and stuff she was going to have, after all Soph and them said OWLs was a walk in the park compared to NEWTs. She was lucky she knew what she wanted to be after she graduated, that was why she worked so hard to gef high marks, she wanted to be a good healer.


She was also thinking about Ryo alot lately and talking to Soph about him, Soph obviously told her that she needed to ask him before it was too late, she was right she had to do something before he graduated and she may never see him again. She knew Soph didn't mind it, she was always there to help her friends in their time of need, one of the things she loved about Soph she was awesome. She knew that Soph just wanted her to be happy and obviously was shipping them, she also knew Ryo as well. Probably why Soph told her to go for it, cause she knew how Ryo was and knew that she wouldn't get hurt.

Snapping back into reality as the waiter set down Ryo's butterbeer she smiled and said a small 'thank you' before he left them be. Taking a drink of hers she sighed happily to herself, she missed just having fun and not worrying about things, it was nice. She almost forgot what it was like to just have fun and cut loose, but she enjoyed it very much.


"Going great, but honestly I'm so tired of doing it I needed a break from it." Biting her lip she nodded. "Yeah... just want ro make good grades, and I couldn't do that when you got so much already on your plate." Getting up she kissed his cheek. "Although that was sweet of you to ask, I might just take you up on that offer." Taking another drink of her butterbeer she settled back more in her seat relaxing.