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[color=mediumorchid]“[i]There[/i] you are! I was looking everywhere for you!”[/color]

Demi, whose mind was still back on Kalder’s injured figure all alone in the hospital wing, jumped in surprise at being addressed. She turned around so fast that she thought her neck must have snapped. In that instant, the Gryffindor silently prayed that Jomana wouldn’t put two and two together. If she did, Dem was sure she wouldn’t hear the end of it. The young woman knew her best friend had the best of intentions at heart, but Jo was much too strict on her! Kalder and Demi had been head over heels in love with each other for a long seven months (eight and a half if you counted the time they spent flirting). And he'd been Demi's first love, for crying out loud! It was obvious that it would take a while before the feelings went away... If they ever did at all. Why couldn't Jomana understand that?

[color=darkred]“Oh, hi Jo!”[/color] Demi had greeted her best friend, putting up the bravest face she could. But, to her dismay, the tiniest bit of nervousness in her voice betrayed her. And ever the clever one, Jomana’s look instantly went from relieved at finally finding her best friend to the utmost suspicion.

[color=mediumorchid]“What exactly were you doing in the first floor, Demetria? There is nothing to see or do in said place at this time of day… That is, unless you were visiting Siggy...”[/color] Jo piped up, arched eyebrow raised questioningly, brown eyes not leaving her friend’s face.

Demi snorted. [color=darkred]“Pffffft, [i]no[/i].”[/color] she replied coolly, blue eyes looking straight ahead as they crossed the double doors of the Great Hall. The brunette knew that if Jo looked her directly in the eyes, she would see through her bullshit. [color=darkred]“Why would I do that?”[/color]

Jomana’s scowl only intensified, gaze still set on Demi. [color=mediumorchid]“[i]You[/i] are lying, and I am going to find out right now. “[/color]

The girls had now reached the Gryffindor table, where Caleb and Beatrice sat nearly done with their dinner. In typical Jo fashion, the blunt Indian girl didn’t waste any time in getting their friends’ input on the situation at hand.

[color=mediumorchid]“Caleb, darling, would you be ever so kind as to use your prodigal Seer abilities to confirm that this little lady-”[/color] she pointed at Demi, who rolled her eyes in exasperation as she took a seat next to the boy. Meanwhile, Jomana had decided to sit right across her, next to Beatrice. [color=mediumorchid]“Was indeed visiting The Snake Who Must Not Be Named just now?”[/color]

Beatrice would immediately stuff some mashed potatoes into her mouth to keep from talking. “[color=dodgerblue]Jo, I’m a Seer, not a mind reader,[/color]” Caleb would cheerfully remind her, smiling innocently. “[color=dodgerblue]If Demi went, I’m sure we would have heard about it, I hear Nathan’s sisters have been doing rotations.[/color]”

“[color=crimson]Y-Yeah,[/color]” Beatrice’s muffled agreement came, although after a second of thinking, she looked at Jomana. “[color=crimson]What makes you think she went to see him?[/color]”

Jo, still thoroughly unconvinced, proceded to angrily shove some mashed potatoes and chicken onto the empty plate that had magically appeared in front of her. [color=mediumorchid]“What else is there to do in the right wing of the first floor at this time of night?”[/color] 

Demi, now visibly disgruntled, did the same, but said not a single word.

Caleb gave Beatrice a look, slightly motioning towards Demi. The blonde was confused for a moment, before she realized that he probably wanted her to inform her that what happened to Kalder had been her fault. She shook her head at him, trying to ignore his stare. Unsatisfied, he would kick her under the table, causing her to grunt. How the hell was he expecting her to drop the news on Demi like this?! Glaring at him, Beatrice took a swig from her goblet, practically slamming it down as she finished. She wasn’t going to say anything, damn it!

Too bad for her that Caleb wasn’t having any of it. “[color=dodgerblue]Beatrice wants to say something,[/color]” He announced to the pair.

“[color=crimson]Beatrice wants to say nothing,[/color]” She scowled.

“[color=dodgerblue]I’m sure she does.[/color]”

“[color=crimson][i]No[/i], she [i]doesn’t[/i].[/color]”

As dumb as it was, that little incident was enough for Demi to reach her boiling point. [color=darkred]“Jesus, what the flying fuck crawled up everyone’s asses tonight?!”[/color] the girl snapped, the foul-mouthed American in her now in full display as she would begin the liberal use of the word ‘fuck’. She got all kinds of looks from those nearby, but the death glare they received in response was enough to quickly send them back to their own devices. Her eyes were blazing with anger now. [color=darkred]“Jomana doesn’t know when the fuck to back off. Bea, honey, I don’t know what the hell is up with you, but it’s fucking getting to me already. Caleb seems to be the only chill one here. And while we’re here acting like fucking kindergarteners, Kalder’s knocked the fuck out in the hospital wing all by himself looking like an extra for The Walking Dead and I don’t know why and it’s driving me nuts...[/color] 

She suddenly trailed off, eyes wide as the realization of what she’d just said hit her. From the seat opposite her, Jomana -although slightly stunned- was looking smug at her suspicions being confirmed.

Once again, Caleb and Beatrice would look at one another following Demi’s outburst. Letting out a groan, Beatrice conceded, leading Caleb to throw his arms up in the air in victory. The blonde haired girl bit her lip as she looked at Demi, nervously breathing until she couldn’t take it anymore. “[color=crimson]I’m sorry![/color]” She blurted out, covering her face with her hands.

Demi gave Bea a questioning scowl, still upset at this whole inexistant issue. [color=darkred]“What the fuck are you on about?”[/color]

“[color=dodgerblue]You’re going to want to try explaining what you’re sorry for,[/color]” Caleb said, earning himself another glare.

“[color=crimson]I was getting to that![/color]” She yelled, though she managed to calm herself, wide brown eyes meekly looking at her friend. “[color=crimson]Okay, fine, I--It’s my fault, okay?[/color]” She blabbed. “[color=crimson]I...I wasn’t paying attention in class, so I kept messing up our potion. At one point the ladle fell in, and we both grabbed it. Kalder managed to salvage the potion, but in the process it...it burned us both and--and he took me to the hospital wing but he didn’t get his burn checked and--and I’m sorry! I’m so sorry![/color]” At the end of her rant her anger subsided, guilt overtaking her. “[color=crimson]It’s all my fault…[/color]”

[color=darkred]“Ah [i]fuck[/i].”[/color] Demi muttered. At the sight of how distraught and guilty one of her best friends looked, the young woman’s anger boiled away as quickly as it had come. She quickly slid under the table and came up on the opposite side, quickly wrapping her arms around Beatrice in a comforting embrace. [color=darkred]“It’s okay, Bea,”[/color] she said soothingly. [color=darkred]“You didn’t know that was gonna happen.”[/color]

Demi was too good to her. Beatrice hugged her back tightly, though admittedly speaking the truth did make her feel better. 

“[color=dodgerblue]Personally, I thought she was retaliating in the name of vengeance,[/color]” Caleb chirped gleefully, watching the pair. “[color=dodgerblue]Though rumor has it he’s gay for Noel Jameson, he fainted after Noel put his arm around him.[/color]”

Beatrice rolled her eyes. “[color=crimson]Really, Caleb?[/color]”

“[color=dodgerblue]I’m not the one that started it, but I love it.[/color]”

Jomana, who had been quietly watching the series of events unfolding in front of her, spit out her pumpkin juice before succumbing to a fit of laughter. It took her some time to get her breath back, but once she did,  she gave Caleb a glowing grin. [color=mediumorchid]“It is certainly the best one around.”[/color] she replied happily, taking a bite of her food. [color=mediumorchid]“Although I am all for never trusting a snake, Jameson certainly does not have an ugly face to stare at…”[/color] Jo turned around just enough to give Demi a suggestive look. [color=mediumorchid]“At least your new partner is attractive, even if he is not up to par with your intelligence.”[/color]

Demi, who had let go of Beatrice after making sure she was feeling better, had been busy munching on her food when she heard Jo’s comment. [color=darkred]“Yeah, well, I don’t really care about that. I’m done with men at the moment. Gonna focus on school and Quidditch instead.”[/color] she replied, not bothering to look up from her plate.

Caleb smirked to himself, though it fell as Beatrice would speak, “[color=crimson]Nothing wrong with browsing the selection, doesn’t mean you have to have anything,[/color]” She couldn’t help but tease. “[color=crimson]You can enjoy the view without doing anything.[/color]”

Demi snorted again, looking up at Bea with a smirk. [color=darkred]“‘Browsing the selection’ is what got me into the whole KNS fiasco,”[/color] she replied goodnaturedly, taking the last bite of her food. [color=darkred]“So I would rather make myself blind to any further temptations. I certainly don’t need any more drama in my life at the moment.”[/color]

Raising an interested eyebrow, Beatrice watched Caleb, who had a thoughtful expression on his face. Before she could ask, he instead grinned, bidding the girls farewell with an excuse about needing to do some homework. It was odd, but it did remind her she had her own things to do, as it did with Jo and Demi. And thus, the two brunettes followed suit, saying goodbye to Caleb and Bea before making their way to their common room arm in arm. The childish argument had been forgotten, replaced instead with playful teasing about boys. 

At that point the group would split, with Caleb leaving for the Ravenclaw dormitories, Demi presumably going to get ready for the night, Jo being Jo, and Beatrice...stayed where she was for the moment. Her heart was still racing somewhat, and she needed a minute to collect her thoughts. Caleb was so intent on exposing her that it made her nervous. It’s not like he didn’t have a point, but maybe she was secretly hoping that maybe things would go well with Demi and Noel.

It would certainly make her wanting Kalder for herself a lot easier.