A Bit of Light Reading (Sydney/Invite Only)

The sun was dim as it crept behind a crowd and the grounds of Hogwarts were quiet. Bill had managed to find himself a quiet place to read, near the edge of the forest on a patch of soft grass. He had a large book in his lap, and was about half way through. The title was written in Ancient Rune, and the book was about the involvements of runes in Cursebreaking. It was something that Bill had always been interested in, but to uphold his reputation he took to reading the larger books outside where none of his housemates, or more particularly brothers, could see him.

Sydney ran all the way down to the edge of the grounds, refusing to look back. "Just keep running. Keep running and nothing can hurt you." She kept telling herself. But that was all a lie. Ian had been able to hurt her. She had given him her heart and he crushed it. But that had mainly been her own fault. But then again, Artemis and David had hurt her too. She felt the tears coming. She could no longer hold them back. She sat beside a tree and let the sobs break free from her body.

Bill was really getting in to the book when he heard heavy footsteps on the grass nearby. It sounded like someone was running, and he glanced up in time to see a girl sitting down beside a tree and the sounds coming from her made it obvious that she was crying. He really didn't want to have to talk to a crying girl, but he also wasn't the type of person to just leave her in 'peace'. So he closed his book and stood, heading toward her slowly. "Hey," he called, "are you alright?"

Sydney looked up to see a Gryffindor boy approaching her. She wiped her eyes and shook her head, "Not really. But I'll be fine. Sorry to disturb you." SHe lied her head on her arms and sighed to herself.

Bill would have walked away if she hadn't looked so pitiful. He didn't know what had made her upset, and he wasn't planning on asking, but he would listen if she wanted to talk. He sat down near her and sighed, "You didn't disturb me." He didn't recognise the girl, and presumed that she was a new student that year.

"Ok thats good. I must seem totally pathetic, crying and all. Just... boy drama is all. My boyfriend broke up with me. I'm not good with rejection." She remembered her father coming home drunk and shivered with fear. "I'm Sydney by the way. Sydney Di Angelo." She recognized him from the hallways but could not think of a name.

"I'm sorry to hear that.." Bill had no idea what else to say or do to help her. He had never really been in the same position, nor the position of the boyfriend who hurt the girl. Although, he learned very young that there was more to it than one side of a story. "Well, I'm Bill," he said. That was all that he could think of to say to her.

Just her luck, getting back to school only days before christmas and now she had to play hide and evade with Malphas and his crew. She'd heard from a house mate he was still up to his tricks intimidating others and she touched the bandage on her neck and shivered slightly. She was the daughter of a vampire so this bullshit shouldnt scare her. Unfortunately it did, heading to the grounds she spotted a ginger head not to far. "Bill!" she called out waving to him, she walked up to him "Can you walk me to the common room? I..i..don't want to go alone" she confessed with a shrug, when she spotted the girl she went "Oh..am i bothering you?"

Sydney smiled, "Nice to meet you Bill." Bill was rather cute, but she loved Ian still. Just then, another girl came up asking for Bill to walk her to the common room. "You'd better go. Your girlfriend needs you." Sydney pulled her knees back to her chest and sighed to herself.

"Nice to meet you too," he said, smiling again. The girl seemed like she was upset, and he was about to continue talking to her when a voice called his name. He looked up and smiled at Chase, "Hi." He nodded slowly. He felt a little bad, but he would not make Chase walk to the common room alone. "No, you're not bothering me. I sure can walk you. Will you be alright, Sydney."

Bill shook his head and laughed, "She's not my girlfriend. I hope you feel better soon." He then walked over to Chase and grinned, "You ready?"

Sydney nodded rather dissapointedly, "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll see you around maybe." She looked up at him and hoped her sadness was not portrayed in her eyes. But she knew that it was of course. "Bye..." She looked back down and hid her face in her arms.