[Courtyard] Long time no see

[Prof. Hannah Edgecombe]

Dusk settled upon the castle casting a nice golden glow around everything. This was the time Hanna enjoyed going outside she loved to watch the first stars of the night appear, though she wasn't an astronomer she did know quite a bit about the subject probably because she loved divination and stars could tell one so much most people had no idea. The centaurs knew this, they knew it well and were privy to all sorts of secrets humans were not.

The last few students were going back inside trying to make curfew or simply trying to catch a few minutes alone with their honeys. Hannah found herself smiling at that. Maybe it was the air outside, or the fact that she was feeling good at least for the moment whatever it was Hannah was herself for the first time in weeks.

There was a new bench that had recently been placed by the front doors. Hannah didn't like the idea much at first until she had actually sat on it and got the view of a lifetime. The first stars were out and she actually let out an audible awe. Hoping no one else was around to hear that she looked and then she saw him. The awe turned into a gasp because she had been caught red handed.

Something about his sudden appearance made her feel anxious. They hadn't run across each other for a while Hannah had avoided him and he might have been avoiding her as well. Breakfast, lunch and dinner had usually been an in room affair. Seeing him now she had no idea what she was thinking she enjoyed looking at him had since she first gotten to know him that day, and that night. Paris seemed like a lifetime ago.

A small smile appeared "Hi there stranger long time no see" hopefully her voice sounded light and airy, she meant it to.

[Professor William Vaid]

As the sun was setting, the students were dotted around in the most random places around the school. As Will made his rounds around the school, a precise lap of it, he was now on the ground floor once again after catching various loved up couples kissing in remote corners, or blantantly infront of other students. Will just laughed at them and told them to get in the hall for dinner or go back to their common rooms and not to be lurking in dark corners.

Changing job prospects was a good idea for Will, and althought in school he only ever did well in Potions and Occlumency, he decided to go on the Occlumency route because it was a rare skill to have. After years of trying to make it in Occlumency, and moving back to Hogwarts after being stuck out in France for years, he finally got it, but it wasn't much of a challenged for him. There was barely any work to do minus thinking, and concentration for so long wore him out mentally. It did with anyone who taught Occlumency, and it was a miracle that at the end of every day he didn't walk around the school babbling to himself like he'd just escaped from a nuthouse. Potions was great, an interesting subject, and not the old professor was gone, Will had been drafted in and given the position. He couldn't be happier. Change was dominant at the minute, especially at Hogwarts with it's staff.

So here he was, wand in hand, lighting up every darkened corner to get the kids up to bed. Being drawn outside for some fresh air, he opened the doors and saw Hannah. Smiling, he felt a little strange. Ever since they last spoke, she had obviously been avoiding him, and Will eventually after a week or so just decided she was like every other woman before. He had the curse of 'Nice guys finish last'.

Hopping off the step, he wasn't about to make himself foolish by turning round and ignoring her, nor did he want to. It wasn't even in his nature to ignore someone, no matter what they did, or didn't do.
Pipping up, he felt a small lump form in the back of his throat, and mumbling a "hi" he gulped it back before attempting to speak once again. Sitting on the edge of the bench, he looked up to the stars.
"Beautiful night"

[Prof. Hannah Edgecombe]

Hannah thought he might just turn from her and walk back inside, not that she could blame him really she hadn't been very good to him. She never meant to and she felt terrible about it because he was such a good man. She never stopped watching him hoping that maybe he would stay and perhaps she could explain herself if she could find the right words. When he spoke Hannah let her breath out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

He remarked on what a beautiful night it was "Yes beautiful" but she wasn't looking at the sky she was looking at him. Hannah had been foolish to avoid him, she liked him there was no denying that but now he saw her as a typical woman the kind who treats men badly just because. The issue here was making him see she wasn't. She just hadn't been herself lately and it had nothing to do with him.

"Would you like to have a seat, there's plenty of room here and I certainly wouldn't mind the company" it was a start, it was something. Now it was up to him if he would sit near her if he did then Hannah could try to repair what she damaged by acting so stupidly. She looked at him hope in her eyes.

Patting the seat next to her Vicky was glad that of all the people who could have come out there it was Will. Now if only Will would grant her the pleasure of his company at least for a few brief moments.

[Professor William Vaid]

It was no lie that Will was fighting with himself on whether to just leave the brunette alone and go back inside, in the warmth and be content with a cup of tea instead of some fresh air, or to actually face up to her and why she had so obviously hiding from him. The last few weeks he had been doubting everything, and if it wasn’t for Dan, he would surely have slipped into slight depression. Will was used to getting dumped and never been called again by others, but he truly thought Hannah was different. After a few weeks of no contact, even though the pair both worked and lived in the same place, he had placed himself in her rejects box and got over it. He was sick to death of being cast off by women, and hell, he was better than that, and good looking too. He deserved someone good.

As his eyes lay upon her, he couldn’t help but feel slight resentment towards her, but another part of him dismissed this emotion. His mind was pulling away yet he was staying put.
Coughing slightly, he sat down at the very edge of the seat next to Hannah, not anywhere near to where she had patted. He figured if he kept his distance physically then he would keep his distance mentally too. Raising an eyebrow slightly, he looked out onto the courtyard in silence for a moment as he leant his elbows onto his thighs, and gave a deep breath it.

“What did I do so wrong Hannah? Was taking you to Paris really that bad?” he sighed out, not wanting to await her answer with baited breath, for he already thought he knew it. Girls always went for the bad boys, and Will wasn’t one. He was a nice guy, too nice for his own good. Frowning at the thought, he leant back slightly, and stood up, unsure whether he wanted to hear the real answer or not, or whether to just give up entirely. Walking forward a few steps, a stone flicked from under his foot, causing him to look down. He brought his hand up to his chin and began to stroke his stubble in thought and frustration, keeping his back facing her.

[Prof. Hannah Edgecombe]

Hannah was so unsure of what to say, she usually didn't apologize to anyone, even if it was her fault but Will well he was different. Hannah truly liked him more than she had anyone else and she could see how her actions had upset him. He couldn't even look at her. Then when he asked her what he did wrong it was as if someone had stabbed at her heart. This was a real mess and it was her own doing.

Her problems were her own and she ended up retreating, distancing herself from everyone simply because she had trouble trusting others. She took on the burden of her father's lie alone and for that she risked loosing something she truly wanted.

It wouldn't happen, it couldn't happen, this man wasn't going to walk away resenting her not if she could help it. She stood up and went to stand next to him, close but not too close in-case he didn't want her there. "Will I'm sorry I was wrong. That night in Paris is honestly the last time I was actually happy, the last time I smiled, the last time I felt anything really.

I never meant to distance myself from you, please believe me look into my mind if you must. I've thought about you every day but..." she didn't want to tell anyone the truth so fearful of betraying her father who had betrayed her so egregiously. No more! Not from Will finally after so long the words came tumbling out, "My father has an illegitimate daughter, I recently found out, my mother knows nothing, I've been asked to keep it secret and the girl who is my half sister attends this school and I can't find it in me to like her. That's what's had me so depressed all this secrecy and lies. It was never you Will, I want you more than you will ever know."