(LK)Just... There...

[Ashlee Van Dort]

Ashlee was walking on the shore of the lake, the sand on her feet and the soft breeze had a calming effect on her. She stopped and turned her body so she faced the lake and spread her arms out, closing her eyes. She let the wind take her away as she went over the past few weeks in her mind. She had gone home for a bit to visit with her parents, her mom seemed to not be doing to well. Turns out her grandmother is dying and Victoria, her mom, isn't taking it too well. A.J. sighed.

"Life," she said as she brought her arms to her side and stared at the sand. "It happens to the best of us." She wrapped her arms around herself and stared out to sea thinking.

[Draco Malfoy]

Draco was walking passed the grounds when he saw a lone figure standing near the lake. Standing still for a moment, he turned away from his original course and headed down to the water, the wind tangling his hair slightly. With a somewhat annoyed frown, he finally made it to the lake, and realized it was Van Dort with slight surprise.

"Well if it isn't Van Dort." He said as he shoved his hands in his pockets, away from the cold air. "I was beginning to think you walked off the edge of the earth. Wishful thinking I suppose." He smirked, his gaze flickering to the lake.

[Ashlee Van Dort]

A.J. smiled as she continued to stare out. "It's nice to know you missed me Draco." She said with some sarcasm in her voice. She turned to face him, her nose and cheeks slightly pink from the cold wind. "For the first time, I'm actually glad to see you." She looked at the sand and noticed she was still barefoot. She quickly slipped her sandles back on and returned her gaze to Malfoy. "So... what exactly are you doing out here?" She smiled. "Lemme guess, you were looking for someone to torment or just looking to cause some trouble." she gave a small giggle.

[Draco Malfoy]

"Actually..." Draco said, looking back at Van Dort with amusement, "I was just on my way back to my common room. Though, it's always nice having someone to torment, thanks for volunteering." He smirked at her before it turned into a scowl as the wind tossed his hair once more.

[Ashlee Van Dort]

AJ moved her weight to one leg and crossed her arms. "You're such a prat Malfoy. Don't you ever get tired of it?" Ashlee shook her head slightly. "Oh, that's right... you think you have to live up to your father's standards, his reputation. I don't understand your kind Draco, always trying to please someone and never being yourself. You gotta live your life kid... not someone elses." She turned back to the lake, flicking her hair in annoyance.

[Draco Malfoy]

Draco's smirk faded and he glared at Van Dort, turning to face her. "I don't think I have to live up to my father's standards and reputations, Van Dort," He started calmly, his eyes narrowing, "I want to. He's well respected in the Ministry and has everything he could possibly want. He sets standards for me because he knows that I want what he has. I'm sick of people thinking I'm some sort of puppet, I make my own decisions and have my own mind. I live with him, he teaches me and I learn."

He paused, his jaw clenching. Some of what he said, he knew, were lies, but at the same time he was fed up with people believing they understood him, that they could read him like an open book. Turning away, he unclenched his jaw, staring stonily at the lake.

[Lisa Turpin]

Lisa had been reading by the lake, enjoying the quiet and calm of the waters, when a loud, angry noise disrupted her. Recognising it as Malfoy, she swiftly turned around, noticing two people on the edge of the shore. Her eyes widened when she placed one of them as Ashlee Jade, and she quickly stood up, forgetting her manners with her books and ran up to the Hufflepuff, enveloping her in a big hug- Which was quite abnormal considering she was usually quite shy.

"AJ!" She said, grinning, almost tripping over Malfoy's foot in her haste. "Where did you disappear to!"

[Brian Chase]

"Hey! Look it's three people I haven't seen in almost forever! How are you two doing?" He asked Ashlee and Lisa. "and Malfoy are you still pestering people? You know you could make a lot more friends if you were nicer. Oh, wait, then you wouldn't be like the rest of your family."

[Draco Malfoy]

"Almost forever." Draco said with a smirk, looking over at Chase, "Too bad. I was hoping to get rid of you for good. And I have enough friends, thanks." He said, brushing off his robes arrogantly.

[Ashlee Van Dort]

Ashlee smiled as she returned Lisa's hug. "Family problems," she shrugged. "But I can't let it take me away from everything now can I Lisa?" she giggled.

When Brian walked up AJ jumped up and wrapped her arms around in, hoping she caught him off guard. She let go smiling and stepped back. "Now don't you two get into it Malfoy... Chase... Don't make me hurt you already." she said jokingly. Ashlee Jade looked down at the ground with sad eyes then put a smile on her face once more to hide something. "So..." She said sighing. "Why can't you kiddies just get along?" She turned to Draco. "I mean you." Then faced Brian. "It'd help if you played nice as well."

[Brian Chase]

"Yeah your right there, but I love fighting with Malf-loser. I'm not the one to make promises either." he said smiling.

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

"What a congregation...," Leigh said, appearing from the rear of the small group, then noticing the Slytherings he continued, "and of rival blood." He sighed, not wanting to get involved when two idiot slytherins got involved.

"Now... what is going on? Just a simple egotistical display of supposed Slytherin intelligence or Slytherin's pretending they're much better than they are?" Leigh said, closing his eyes and folding his arms. He smiled slightly and laughed silently.

[James McFinnigan]

darin said:

"Almost forever." Draco said with a smirk, looking over at Chase, "Too bad. I was hoping to get rid of you for good. And I have enough friends, thanks." He said, brushing off his robes arrogantly.

((OOC: Haha, nice BURN Darin...not that I think you're funny or anything...you suck.))

[Ashlee Van Dort]

Ashlee smiled brightly at the sight of Professor Addis. "Hey," she said walking over to him and giving him a hug. As AJ stepped back, her foot got caught on something and she fell backwards with a surprised scream. She looked around, her cheeks rosey pink and gave a nervous, embarassed laugh. "oops." She picked herself off of the ground and stared down at her feet, biting her lip.

[Prof Octavious Everritt]

Leigh shook his head while controlling a laugh. "Enough of this display of bitter house rivallry. Chase and Malfoy, both of you should know better, as well as you AJ and Turpin. Pains me to deduct points from my own house, but rules are rules. 10 Points from Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Anymore of this behaviour and you'll find yourselves with harsher punishments."