[Forest] Snoring in the woods.

[Helena Martin]

It was night, and Helena couldn't sleep. She was a slight insomniac, due to her busy mind and hyper, ADD-esque tendencies. A pen, notebook, paper and charcoal in her hands, she pulled down her bright neon oversize t-shirt (she was wearing shorts under!) and hastily put on some dirty Wellingtons without socks.

She wasn't entirely sure why, but her feet led her into the forbidden forest. Well, why not? Helena thought, and walked in. It was so nice and calm on the edge of the forest. She turned around, looking back at the castle. It looks so comforting. Helena was supposed to be working on her new 5-minute sketch, but didn't feel like thinking. She wanted to draw. Helena was not an artist, in her opinion. She lacked fundamental skills and besides, she only drew for fun. Pulling out a piece of charcoal, she leaned against a tree and began to draw.

Helena tried to get in the comfort she saw in Hogwarts into her drawing, showing the view of the castle and its lights (why were the lights on, anyways? security?) from between the trees. She was almost finished now, just a few more details.

That was when she began to doze off...

[Helena Martin]

"Really, I'm not sure." Helena responded with a relieved and friendly smile, glad that it was Yorick who she bumped into.

She looked down at the "ruined" drawing... strangely, she didn't think it was that damaged. Just different. Looks sort of nice actually, Helena thought. the smudge makes it blurry, softer in just the right places. (Helena had a vague naughty thought after thinking that. Helena always thought dirty. Her mind was XXX rated.)

[blackdahlia]

Dahlia had been roaming the castle. It was late, but not late enough for her to go to bed. Dahlia enjoyed the dark. She wished is was always dark. Dahlia crept in and out of shadows, making sure that she wouldn't be seen by anyone passing by.

Rounding a corner in a rather large shadow, Dahlia stopped as she heard someone coming toward her. She hugged the wall as she saw Houndsoothe hat girl round the corner. Dahlia smiled inwardly. Where was she head so late at night?

Dahlia, dressed in all black as usual, snuck after the Hufflepuff. They exited the castle and head down toward the forest. Dahlia figured the girl would make a turn and head toward the lake or something. Who had ever heard of a Hufflepuff going to the forest on free will?

Dahlia stay far behind the girl, darting in and out of shadow cast by tree and bushes across the grounds. They crossed close to the lake and Dahlia heard a plunk of a rock falling in the water. From the shadow she could see a figure by the lake. Helena hadn't noticed them, but they had noticed Helena. They followed after her, now in front of Dahlia.

The reached the forest and Dahlia stood under a tree, well hidden. She watched as the clumsy boy fell, and stifled a laugh. She saw Helena holding a drawing pad, which now seemed ruined. She laughed a little giggle. nkowing the giggle gave her away, she stepped into the light of the moon over head. "Tsk Tsk Tsk." She sounded. "Whats this? A little Romantic meeting under the stars?" She smiled. "Ah, but there isn't anything as romantic as getting eaten by a werewolf in the forest. Oh, where is your lovely hat Helena?" Dahlia asked, smiling at her, her arms at her hips.

[Helena Martin]

Hey, it's that girl who hated that hat... Helena thought. That hat was probably the only thing that associated the two of them. "Well, it's not on my head tonight." Helena answered.

"And I suppose 'romantic' jumped out the window really, since you came in." Helena half-smiled at the irony. "No offense, though I doubt there'd be any taken to be honest."

Helena half hoped they would both leave her alone to keep drawing (and probably fall asleep again), but at the same time, she enjoyed their company. Yes, even Dahlia's. "Werewolves? It's not even the full moon." Helena looked up at the waning crescent, and realized how pretty it was for the first time.

Helena looked down at the mess she had made, and suddenly wished her wand wasn't broken. She hadn't hit any particular inconvenience yet, and now she realized that being wandless was incredibly annoying as well as rather risky.

[blackdahlia]

"Ah, what a pity. I needed a goo laugh." Dahlia said, acting sad. She sat on the log next to Helena, crossing her legs and leaning back comfortably.

Why she was sticking around the loser group, she didn't know. She guessed it was more interesting then anything in the castle, after all, she had been wandering around for about an hour before Helena had waltzed by, she doubted she would find anything or anyone else to go after. Beside, she was in the forest. Dahlia was very comfortable in the forest. Many people would say that they loved the thrill of the forest, but it was different to the Slytherin, it was calm and peaceful. The thrill had nothing to do with her liking.

She looked at the boy from her seat. "Ah, well, you could probably do better than that anyway." Dahlia said. However, the boy was rather good looking, but Dahlia wasn't in the flirting mood, especially not with a Gryffindor, when she really had to try. She looked at Helena again. "On second thought, you better go for it." She added, twirling her wand between her fingers.

"It was a manner of speaking. I don't think the werewolves even come this close to the grounds. Vampires...who knows." Dahlia said, not even looking up. She oped the two less housed students were looking back over their shoulder. Dahlia had heard of the horrible things that had happened in the woods lately with vampires. It made her smile.

Dahlia sat up and looked in Helena's lap. "Ugh." she said, wrinkling her nose. "I don't think you should continue with your art. It is bound to offend someone." She said, looking at the mess Helena held. "Then again...do continue." Dahlia reclined and became comfortable again.

[Helena Martin]

"Hurry, look away before you get permanent eye damage! Try a few drops of water if your eyes still sting." Helena was strangely non-sarcastic. Yes, she thought her art was that bad.

"Sorry, I'm going to continue with my sad excuse for art. I know it offends people, that's why I tried to draw alone where I'd harm no one's poor pupils." Helena didn't know why she said that, she didn't actually want them to leave, that much. Part of her wanted to draw, while another part wanted to converse with others and yet another wanted to sleep.

She looked down at the drawing again. "Actually, it looks better than before. Though that's not saying much." She smudged it a little more on the lines with her pinky as she thought, Vick would like this. Soft lines and rather luministic--- which was odd, she thought, because luminism usually needs sunlight.. or maybe it's just any sort of light. Maybe even metaphorically speaking. Like basking in the eternal light of Jesus, or something. Helena's mind was wandering, or maybe even fast-walking. Looking like it had a destination at first glance, but not really.