(Forest) A Forest? Whats that about?

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty felt Mark drop down beside her and mumble something. She managed to give a small smile but it soon vanished as Girty concentrated on not throwing up and fainting where she knelt. Her head was so light that the sound around became muffled and her vision blurred. But yet the words of Mark rattled around in her swirling head, she could see his sense and what he was getting at but she did not care. It was a defenceless creature and they had just attacked it, they were not provoked or even forced to do it. That was the only reason they attacked was because the stupid students who wonder into the forest provoke them.

With a tired look at Mark Girty took a deep breath and with the energy she had left managed to push her self back onto her feet. She stumbled backwards at first and spreading out her arms to gain her balance took yet another calm and composing breath before pointing her wand at the tree again. The chances where with her lack of energy she would most likely do more damage to the werewolf then helping it but she knew she would not be able to live with herself if she did not try.

“Stuff it.”

She mumbled and she placed her wand back into her robe and slowly walked over towards the tree. It was still breathing, she could see the thick black fur on its body moving up and down with the rhythm of its breathing, a part of her only wished that her breathing could be as calm as that. Reaching out she pushed against the tree trunk and began to push. Nothing append apart from her feet slowly sliding backwards in the mud and she soon found herself laying on the stomach. Rolling over Girty sat up and looked over at Mark who seemed to just be standing there enjoying watching Girty make a fool of herself. She had been fighting to hide her anger all night long but this was now the final straw. Girty was tired, hungry and covered in mud.

“Well really a flobber worm would be more help then you. I think the only thing Gryffindor’s are good is getting other in trouble and destruction. Now you can either continue to stand there like a troll working out if it going to sneeze or do something useful and undo the damage you have done and move this bloody tree!”

Girty’s voice echoed around the forest around them as it slowly got louder as her anger built up. But she knew she had no right letting it all out on Mark, it was not just him she was angry at. It was this forest. Everything had to happen in the forest and it never turned out the way Girty wanted. All she wanted tonight was to sit in her own in the dark and cry over the loss of Thom but no she had to be all sociable and talk to someone, and now look at them. A werewolf was hurt and she was once again lying in the mud. Thumping the ground Girty dropt her head and closed her eyes hoping she would wake up back in the common room before any of this happened.

[Mark Alméida]

Mark didnt have a clue as to what was happening, not really. All he was making out was that there was a werewolf down, that the girl seemed attatched to, and this girl seemed to be having serious energy drains. Of all the things, hair brained ideas, stupid schemes and dangerous deeds, this one had to be rival for at least fourth place. Mark couldnt remember the last time he had encountered a werewolf, though they were considerably smaller than the ones that lived up in the mountains back up north that was almost definate, and their fur up there was white, not black.

Mark felt Girty push herself off him and sighed, knowing full well she was going to try and help that damned wolf again. He nearly darted forward to catch her when she stumbled back, but she caught herself on her own. Mark folded his arms, if she wanted to tire herself out by helping something nasty like a werewolf then let her. It was her dillemma not his. After all, that wolfie would have probably had Mark for dinner and Girty for pudding if he hadnt blasted that tree.

So, she was going to try this the old fashioned way? The muggle way? Not even an adult man could life the tree physically at full stregth, let alone a teenage girl with hardly any energy at all. Mark wondered what was going on inside that crazy head of hers but thought best not to ask

And so it happened, she exploded at him. For reasons that werent even his fault, not entirely. He would prefer to stay alive than get chomped on by a werewolf, and he was sure if she even had an ounce of sense in what seemed to be such a tiny mind, she too would agree, but he wasnt about to argue with her, so silently he took out his wand and pointed it at the tree trunk, not looking at Girty, "Windardium Leviosa" he said and lifted the tree with a little difficulty before thrusting it away from the now freed wolf.

He could still hear her voice echoing through the trees, Mark still was refusing to look at her. How was it his fault exactly if he panicked and reacted on impulse? His natural instinct was to survive, and those beasts were definatly a threat to his survival. It was one of the things he had been taught at Durmstrang, he and Maxi. Survival with the Wild. He spoke in a little bit of a bite, "Your wolf is free, happy now?" he still wouldnt look at her and instead leant against a tree, his back facing both her and the beast. He had tried, he had really tried to make sure she was okay, damn he even made sure a wolf didnt take a bite out of her! And what for? To be yelled at? Glared at? Viciously commented on? Maybe he shouldnt have bothered, maybe he should have turned and left her to it.

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty slowly turned around and watched in awe as the tree began to slowly lift off the wolf and move away. It took her a while to realise that it was in fact Mark that was doing it, it was clear once she realised and she condemned herself for thinking otherwise. As she saw the wolf was no longer trapped she raised her head to thank Mark but noticed he had his back turned. Girty could not believe it, he finally does a good deed, most likely the first one he has done in a long time and now was having a mood about it. All the thanks and appreciation seemed to seep out of her and she decided that if he was going to act in such a child like manor then she would do the same.

Crawling over to the wolf, wincing in pain as the pressure on her hand pushed the splinters in further she reached the creatures head and with a shaking hand reached out and stroked it just behind the ears. The breathing of the wolf was deep and it would occasionally give a low growl. She noticed that its eyes were fixed upon her and although at first she pulled her hand away she soon began stroking the creature once more, enjoying feelings its soft thick mane running through her figures. All she could do was hope that no internal damage had been done, but she knew just as well as many that werewolf were strong and powerful and a tree would do very little damage in the long term.

With one last look in the beasts eyes Girty gave a deep sigh and pushed herself up and walked over towards Mark. She did not know what to say, she had to thank him there was no other way about it he had saved the creatures life no matter how much his pride got in the way. Reaching out Girty put her hand on his shoulder simply so he knew that she was there, the pressure send stabs of pain into her hand and she knew she should really do something about that, but at present the most important thing was at least getting back on the eye contact terms with Mark.

“Mark. Thank you for doing that. You must think that I am a crazed loon but to be honest I have my reason, like you did for not doing it. But thank you, if I can repay you in anyway I will do it. Even if it is to shut up now I can mange that.”

Girty gave him a small smile and looked at his dirt covered robes. She could not help but feel slightly guilty about that. He would not have had them for long and already he has Merlin know what all over them and she would bet that some of it will not come out. She had many robes that were stained with things that had got on her robes when in the forest. Her favourite was the nice silver stain from where she had once fell head first into a puddle of unicorn blood.

[Mark Alméida]

As the tree landed safely away from the wolf, Mark had taken one last very discusted look at the beast before turning away. Yeah, he had caused the tree to fall on that beast, and now he had undone the damage by taking the tree off it. Though it didnt make him feel any better about the whole situation that they seemed to be in, he was stood here, filthy, cold and shaking with what seemed to be a crazed lover of werewolves and one of the damn things itself. He just didnt understand why she would show so much compassion towards something so horrendous, though at that thought, he wasnt entirely sure he wanted to know.

Mark, because of having his back turned, probably for the better as Girty stroked the wolf. This would have probably been a turning point for him, or it would have been if he had known it wasnt petrified and couldnt move its jaw muscle to actually bite her. Though he knew werewolves were savage beasts not caring for anything or anyone they come across and this angered Mark. His usually carefree, loveable, joking and fun personality was dashed by his anger, his hate towards the creature and even mixed within that was discust. Sometimes even Mark couldnt handle the mixed feelings he got, he hated them sometimes.

Mark stood with his back leant against the tree, no longer caring about what Girty did, or the wolf. She could stay here with it for all he cared. He sighed, he hated feeling angry and resentful, it didnt suit him at all, but even he had mood swings. He felt a hand clasp his shoulder and he knew Girty was stood there. Though Mark being stubborn still refused to look at her, even though she was clearly saying thankyou. Mark stood there silent for a few minutes keeping his eyes fixed firmly infront of him and trying to keep his breathing steady rather than showing he was infact annoyed.

"Yeah" Mark answered, though it sounded flat, he did have his own reasons for wanting to let the beast die, "Your reasons are your reasons, Girty. They are none of my business" Which was true, whatever reasons Girty held for wanting to save that beast was her own and did have nothing to do with him. "You dont need to repay me, forget about it"

He looked down at the muddy forest floor, things had taken what seemed to be quite the turn in both their attitudes since being here. He examined his robes, they were ruined, but right now that didnt bother him. The thing that was bothering him was lying just feet away from them still alive when he wished it dead with all his might. Mark couldnt learn to like these things, or tolerate them. Even if he wanted one.

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty could not believe what she was hearing. She did not expect Mark to leap at her apology and embrace it with open arms, she had worked out he was not that type of character already but this, this was different. He was still being stubborn and it was that what she did not like. Maybe it as her being insecure with herself and wanting everyone to be her friend, some could read that much into it but all she wanted was to get a smile out of this bloody Gryffindor.

Slapping her hand against her head Girty pulled out her wand and soon the beam of light was shinning out of it again and she started to walk forwards once more into the darkness. If he was going to act like a four year old then she will treat him like one. Her strides where not as long as they had been before and her wand shook more in her hand but it still gave them enough light to see where they were walking. The silence among them was almost deafening with every other sound in the forest being intensified. Girty did not pay attention whether Mark had walked with her, he may have or stayed in the clearing but he did not seem to want to spend any time near the werewolf then he had. All she could be thankful for was that it was not a full moon or he would have had hell.

The silence was soon getting to much for her, there was one thing Girty hated was long periods of silence when people where there to talk to each other. Running her tongue over her dry lips girt began to talk unsure if Mark was there or not, but even if he was not it meant she kept herself sane by talking to herself.

“So it seemed you wanted to leave that poor creature there to die. Do you really have no sensitivity? Sorry to sound like a bore and try and talk to you about it but to be honest only a Slytherin would leave it under the tree. Now for me I had to let him go as it was like seeing another human trapped, I had to help otherwise I would not be able to live with myself.”

She just hoped that eh had enough brains in his head to work out what she was saying, she hated just shouting it out in front of everyone that she had been bitten but ever since Professor Starsmore had public revealed her as a werewolf in front of the whole Defence against the dark arts class the whole school now seemed to know.

[Mark Alméida]

Mark felt as though he wanted to say something but he knew if he opened his mouth right now he would probably regret what would come flowing out of it. In a way, he felt a little sorry for the beast, he had figured out due to the moonscale the werewolves in here were always fully transformed so they were just doing what nature intended them to do, but even so, Mark could never learn to like them. He couldnt. Humans that transformed were a different matter for they were human 27 nights out of the month. He didnt know if the moon scale here afflicted them differently back north but they were werewolves three nights out of the month. Though even those humans that were werewolves, he could never learn to properly like. He hated the animal.

For a second, Mark watched her walk away, half thinking whether or not to turn back, go back to the castle and get himself out of this mess he had been pulled into. Get away from the forest, away from that animal. He stole a glance back at it, he knew it would be alright unfortunatly though it was still lay down and Mark could see its chest rising and falling steadily. Sighing he glanced back over to where Girty was walking, her strides clearly not as long as they were before, and her hand not as steady. He began to walk behind her eventually falling so he was just about two metres or so behind, he couldnt leave her in here alone, no matter how much he wanted to right now.

A long and eerie silence had crept over them both and Mark, usually not one for liking such silences actually found it rather nice, it just meant that she was no longer having a go at him or making him try and feel bad about some idiotic creature. Though he seemed to think to soon as Girty began to speak.

"Yeah I would have" Mark said truthfully with hardly any feeling at all. In his own mind werewolves deserved to die, but his more sensitive side said Who gets to decide who lives and who dies? You are not God Mark, dont start trying to deal out death when you cant deal out life "I guess I musnt have any sensitivity then" His voice was cold, Mark was a sensitive person he just couldnt be sensitive to something so brutal as a werewolf. "Well then i guess i was placed in the wrong house then wasnt i? A werewolf is nothing like a human, they dont have thefeelings of one, they dont care for them. In fact they would probably happily munch you right up as a tasty snack without even glancing to a second thought!" Mark stopped and fell backwards into a tree, sliding down it. He had himself figured that the ones residing in this forest were fully turned all the time, and yes he got what she was trying to tell him and believe me, he tried to ignore it.

"If you had to save the creature, then you had to do it." He finally made eye contact with her, "That was your own choice, but everyone has the right to their own opinions on them, on anything. You? You like them why? Well i think its now pretty much obvious." Mark shook his head, he was sticking to his mind, he didnt want to know why she had wanted to save the creature so badly, he wished she hadnt told him. Mark wasnt a nasty person, but when it came to werewolves he couldnt help his revulsion, hate and anger well up inside him. He had no control over it simple as. Sometimes he wished he could look upon the face of one of them and understand, learn to like them like so many did. Learn to respect them, but it was out of the question. He couldnt allow himself to.

"Look" Mark said, rasing his head to look at her, "I admire your heart, truly i do. Only one with such love and whatnot inside them could ever do what you did, what you made me do." Mark sighed, "And yeah im sorry about what i did in the first place, my intention wasnt to harm the creature or make it angry. That blast usually scares them away at durmstrang and that was what i was aiming for. Though i wont pretend i like them, and i wont pretend that i dont want them all dead, because i do. I dont value myself hurting animals, whether vicious or not. When it comes to werewolves though it just happens, i go to hurt them. Its instinct now. Though i tried not to today, i tried not to make my blast connect with it like i have done so many times before. I just wanted to scare it away. Only because of my mixed feelings of being scared of this place, and my hateful and angry feelings towards the creature itself, i missed and hit that tree, which trapped it." Mark decided to shut up and instead sat on the muddy floor twisting his wand in his hand.

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty listened to him rant on behind her, she took in everything Mark said and would snort at some tings he said or even gasp at others but it was not until his rather long winded describing of why he truly dislikes werewolves toed the line for her. Girty had heard about people like Mark, those who saw werewolves as different and thought that the mutation almost of the blood should be whipped out. But rather stupidly Girty never thought she would met someone like it.

She did not know how to feel, although he was placing everything upon her it felt like it and when he mentioned that he wanted them all to be dead Girty felt physically sick. Her stomach turned as the pure horror came across her that she had her back turned on a guy who wanted to kill her kind. Although Girty knew that he would not have the ability to strike her down where she stood, least not when she was human but also the part of her that actually liked Mark clung onto the fact that he would not dare to act so irrationally.

Straightening her back and taking a deep breath Girty turned around to face Mark, her mind was swarming with confusion. If it was his instinct then why did he not take her down now, she was weak and an easy target but yet there he was sitting in the mud playing with his wand. She wanted to feel compassion for him, to have such a burning hatred for a creature must cause torment and past memories had to haunt his dreams, unless it was his upbringing. The latter would not have surprised her after all he did go to Durmstrang.

“Fine then. If that is how you feel then so be it there are many others who have your same medieval attitude to werewolves. The same naïve, proud and obnoxious belief that we must be evil. But I have now had this mutation for almost three years and not once have I killed or harmed any other humans, so do not get the idea that you can do a mass genocide at Hogwarts as simply that will not happen. I am the only one left, the original was killed and my friend who bite me has left.”

Girty looked down upon the Gryffindor with accusing eyes unsure of how he would react to her over reaction. All she knew that a part of her wanted to run, run away from him and avoid talking to him ever again but that would not work. You eventually bump into someone again and next time she may not catch Mark on such an agreeable day. Despite his declaration of hatred to the species he still helped, most likely because at the time he did not know what was going on.

[Mark Alméida]

Mark didnt bother to listen to her snorts. She had her opinion and he had his. He knew there was no changing her opinion anyway, it was the impossible. Though he could be stubborn and he wasnt about to change his mind on them either. A lot of people had their thoughts about werewolves but not many had a strong opinion about them, and Mark did. Mark had a vendetta against their kind for personal reasons which he was not about to declare to anyone. Not even Maxi knew, and Maxi was his best mate.

Mark knew what Girty was and right now, he didnt care about her feelings towards his opinion of werewolves. He asked her why he hated them, he was telling her. Though it wasnt exactly the whole truth. He had told her what he thought of them but not why. The reason behind it all, but even if he did tell her, she still wouldnt understand. He knew Girty was one of them, a halfbreed. Though for some strange reason to him, he didnt feel like he wanted to hurt her in any way. Though it sickened him about what she was, he could tell she was a decent person and he could admire that. Mark knew, because of his hatred towards the things and Girtys love for them, they would probably never be friends. How could they be? They both had different opinions about something so big that they both had a part of. Part of Mark liked Girty, but part of him hated her in the same way he hated every other werewolf. The question was, could he overcome his hatred side towards her? Or would it just play at him.

Somewhere inside Marks mind was telling him to just get rid of her. He could take her, she was weak. Though Mark put his head in his hands and rested his elbows on his knees, shaking his head as though trying to shake those thoughts out of his mind. He had come with her just incase she needed him, incase she needed him to help or protect her, and he knew if she needed him at all ever, it would be now, while she was weak and vunerable. Mark had come to help her, and despite his feelings, he was going to do that.

"You just dont get it, do you?" He spoke softly through his hands, laughing as he said it but not in a comical way. "It is not me being proud, or obnoxious" He shook his head in his hands. He didnt like being in this position, but he was in it and he was going to deal with it. "Yes there may be others, but they probably have this attitude for stories theyve heard and believe me" He lifted his head up and looked at her directly in the eyes, water stinging his eyes as tears threatened to well up, but he blinked them back and kept his voice calm, "My reasons are not because of old stories, and i dont see them as evil. Not really. I just cant look at them and like them." He shook his head, "I dont care how long you have been one, and i dont care who bit you or who the original was, i also never said anything about you harming nor killing did i?" Mark looked away from her to the left, "Truth be told, I used to like them. They fascinated me. Though things happen that you cant control, feelings change" he was speaking slowly, "I do not think of doing anything. I wouldnt go out of my way either to harm one. Yes, I injured one tonight, purely acidental though and yeah, im not their greatest fan anymore and yeah, maybe i do want them all dead but..." he looked down at the floor, "They're just feelings. I wouldnt ever do anything about it" He kept his eyes fixed to the floor, "But like i said, things happen you cant control and though it may be past events, the feelings are still there. Feelings are fickle, you cant control those either... Slightly annoying actually"

He finally looked up at her and saw her looking at him with accusing eyes. He gave a discusted laugh and shook his head, pushing himself off the floor, "Know what?" He began looking at her with a face mixed of confusion and dislike, "Believe what you want, think what you want of me, to be honest ive never been one for caring as to what people think of me. Your going to do that anyway so whats the point in me even explaining anything? You and I both know, were probably never going to be on equal ground so theres not much point in even trying" Mark took a step towards her and let out a long sigh, "After tonight, we never met" He took a step away from her, "It'll probably be best we forget ever conversing" Mark liked Girty he thought she was a nice person, or would be underneath the cold exterior she portrayed, but he thought he was doing the right thing, the best thing. For both of them.

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty was angry, she never thought she would ever come across someone with these opinions although she knew they existed. But the thing she was angry about was not only how she was handling the matter but also how it was being put across. In her opinion first impressions were everything. What you see that person as is the opinion that will stick with you while that relationship grows, and it was simple that her first impression on Mark was not one that would create possibilities of a friendly relationship. Although still after hearing that he hated people like her she still could not help but feel sorry for her. This confused emotion was aided when her wand light glinted in his eyes and the distinct look of them filling with water was present. She had seen it in her own reflection recently and had a distinct feeling that like her his pride may stand in the way and prevent the tears from rolling down his cheeks.

Over come by what may have been pity or a want to learn more about the somewhat complex personality of this new Gryffindor Girty found herself slowly setting herself down in the dirt, crossed legged and gently placed her wand in her lap. With a glazed look she stared over Mark’s shoulders as he continued his attempt to describe his reasons. And though it may have seemed she was blanking him she was evaluating his every single word and in vain trying to work everything out. It was then she noticed that he was standing up. Quickly fumbling around with her wand Girty shot up and watched him carefully as he took a few steps closer, but from the look on his face and what he had just sad she knew he was not going to do anything.

Although as soon as he got closer he seemed to move back just as quick, almost as if it took him a lot to simply say that they should pretend to have never met. That same idea had passed over Girty’s mind but she knew it would never work, you could not avoid what had been said and although the actions that had been done were minimal it was still something, she had seen a side to him that worried her deep inside. But yet there was something about him, something that Girty respected and it was that part of him she wanted to learn to respect more.

“You can try and forget this meeting, forget that I even exist.” As soon as she said that one line a sharp pain spread throughout her heart and she looked to the floor in hope to regain herself before continuing. “But what you have said tonight I will not be able to forget meaning that sadly I will be unable to forget you. So this idea will sound just as lame as yours did but I think we should start over again. You learn the real Girty Hubbles and I lean the real you.”

With a steady gaze she refused to look away from Mark. It was not that she did not trust him, she did trust him against her better judgment but she wanted to see his reaction. The occasional smile that passed over his face and the glint in his eye.

[Mark Alméida]

He had never come across someone like Girty, someone he thought of as, trying to see the best in everyone, even if it seemed there was nothing good about the person to begin with. He had figured bits out about her, he knew what she was, he knew she was strong minded, sometimes possibly arrogant, but she had a soft center to certain things, and it seemed to Mark as though she was willing to listen to other people, despite what they said, or how the words they would speak could make her feel. Mark had never been able to grasp a concept like that. To Mark, he couldnt see the best in anyone if they were constantly arrogant like he was being now. He couldnt look over the fence to see what it was hiding, she could.

He knew she was probably angry, even resentful towards him for what he was saying. Though the words just kept on coming and they wouldnt stop. His tongue seemed to have a mind of its own and no matter how much he tried to stop, he couldnt stop his tongue from forming words he knew she found insulting. In a way, he knew he could have worded his feelings better, made them seem less insulting but while having the same meaning. That was one gift Mark had. He could word things so people wouldnt miss the point, but also so he wouldnt find himself insulting others. Though that seemed to have left him now, and all he could do was spill out hateful words. Mark found himself wondering if it was even worth his time explaining all this to her, would it make a difference? He couldnt see how it could. He hadnt even realised the light from the tip of her wand had gone over his face, showing his screwed up face, furrowed brows and the speckles of dirt and grime that had collected on his face from the nights antics. He also did not realise the water had welled up and threatened to escape before he blinked them back.

He couldnt think straight, his thoughts were a jumbled mess. His mind swimming with all kinds of things. He found himself, for the first time in a long time, confused. He was feeling the old feelings he once had, feelings he had thought he had gotten rid of, but those that clearly stayed with him. He understood now, he would never be rid of them, hurt, anger, pain, loss, confusion, hatred and revulsion. He had often joked if anyone felt more than two emotions at once their heads would explode, this had often been directed at Maxi, and yes, he was feeling quite a lot more than two emotions right now. And it was giving him a major headache.

"It would be a lot more easier, and probably much more comfortable if we did" Mark interjected as she seemed to stop and hesistate, although she cut him off too. "It would seem as though between the two of us, we are pretty good at coming up with lame ideas" he gave a nervous laugh. Running a hand through his hair and looking down at the ground. Mark had never had a second chance of anyone before and it was strange getting one. Where he came from and how he was raised was, you had one chance, blow it and your over. Though this girl, even after everything he had said was still willing to give him another chance. Mark looked at her, face clear of confusion at this unusual nice gesture, did she have a patience level of something real big or something? He slowly gave a nod of his head, "Alright... Since we have gotten over our disputes with eachother, got past them and were both still standing somehow. I guess it makes sense to try" Mark had to force these words out. He didnt really want to get to friendly with a werewolf. He knew she was one and knew nothing he could do could change that, though from then on, he made a promise. Though not a voiced one, to not think of her as a werewolf, or an animal or creature. But as a person, as who she was twenty-seven nights of the month.

He turned his gaze to her and kept his eyes firm and fixed on hers. He had just shoved away all his pride doing that, but he had done it and for some reason felt better for it. He tried to smile, but it was forced and weak.

[Girty Hubbles]

A wide smile spread across Girty’s face as something had happened she never expected, she seemed to have broken down Marks defences and had some how persuade him to push his pride and all his other beliefs aside. Which by the look of his face was a rather hard thing for him to come by. Yet Girty could not help but feel lifted by this, although she was sure he would only ever see her as a werewolf.

With a deep breath and an attempt not to laugh at Mark’s attempt of a smile Girty took a small step forward and she could feel his gaze on her, scrutinising her every move and it was something about that which still made her uneasy. If he was simply going to lower his defences and drop his pride so quickly then it was the only thing she could do, which was relativity difficult due to the pride that had been built into her from a young age by her brother.

“I am glad you agree then. It is very rare I get good ideas so I think I will savour the moment.” Girty reminded silent for a couple of seconds and took a deep breath before turning around and walking into the forest. She gave a small glance over her shoulder to look at Mark and then rounded behind a rather large tree and leaned against it. Closing her eyes she knew what she had to do.

‘Ok Girt take 2. You are going to walk back over to Mark and be yourself. What is done is done you can not change it, Thom will never come back and you need to face facts that he never thought of you the same way as you did him.’ she could feel her lower lip tremble and the stinging sensation of tears threatened once again. ‘Come on Girty now is the time.’

Opening her eyes Girty pushed herself away from the tree and turned back towards Mark, striding forwards with purpose, her face supporting a small grin, her hair and robes billowing around in the light breeze. Her confidence was slowly building her smile growing slightly wider when a sudden pain filled her left foot. She looked down only to see it stuck under a root and she was soon flying forwards, the muddy ground getting closer and closer. She braced herself for impact, hands out stretched she hit the ground with a bump and a laugh. Raising her head Girty looked up at Mark, mud was smeared on her face and her hands were now coated in several layers of grime as she waved them around in the air to signal she was ok.

“Its fine I am used to it. Happens all the time, teachers have now got used to me falling into there lessons instead of walking in and I have lost count of the times I have fallen off my broom.” She chuckled happily to herself as she looked to her feet and tried to untangle the mess of root, shoe lace and undergrowth that somehow was consuming her foot. After finally freeing herself Girty pushed herself off the ground and looked down at her robes and shrugged her shoulders before turning her attention back to Mark.
“So what brings you to the forest at this time of night?”

[Mark Alméida]

Mark noticed her smile spread, was she happy about their new truce? It wasnt exactly what Mark would have classed as a friendship but you never know what time could do. Mark gave a long, hard sigh. For some reason he still felt a little tense and thought maybe he should voice one last feeling, "Before we start i need to say this one thing" he took another deep breath, "I know your a.. Werewolf and... its going to be..." Mark took another breath and looked at her with a smile, "I dont even know how to explain this... But i owe it to you to try" He put his face in his hands and took a couple of breaths, "Its going to be hard at first for me, with you being a werewolf and my dislike for them. Though for some reason i get this feeling that yeah you may be one of them but your not like them if that makes sense." He shook his head, it made absolutley no sense to him, why would it to her, "Though i can get past that. And my point here really is not coming across and its very frustrating because i cant say what i mean because i dont know what i mean and im so confused but im not and ARGH!" he yelled pretty loud for a little while then looked at her, "I feel better now"

Mark decided one last shot at his explanation and then if it didnt work he'd drop it and hoped she got his point, "I think, what im trying to say is, god i hate male pride sometimes it totally gets in peoples way!" he gave another agitated sigh and looked at her, "Just tell me you understand what im trying to say because i cant seem to say it" Mark was trying to say that despite the fact she was a werewolf and it stood against everything he believed in to befriend one, he was willing to give it a shot because she seemed like a nice kind of person. Mark was beginning to realise, though he would never openly admit it, It doesnt matter what you are, only who you are.

Mark nodded. Decided also to savour the moment of her good idea and a possibly new friendship. Though he was crossing no fingers just yet, after all, anything could happen. He was taken aback when she walked away, though the look she gave him for some reason, made him not follow. He had a sense she needed just a little bit of a girltime. Which was fine, Mark could use some Mark time.

Mark you may not like it but you have to swallow your pride here mate. You know she is a werewolf and you know you have a deep dislike for them. I know you dont trust her enough yet to let her know why either, but give the girl a chance, you never know, she may surprise you.

Mark was pulled out of his thoughts when he saw Girty striding back to him. With a new kind of spring in her step and a new sense of... Somethingness. He saw the small grin and couldnt help but wonder what she was upto, especially when that grin widened. Though he didnt have much time to contemplate this as he saw Girty fall over a tree root and he couldnt help it. He doubled over laughing. A sharp pain in his side because he found it that hilarious. Mark met her gaze, though still chuckling. Trying to hold it back.

"Now... That was funny" Mark laughed again "Well the teachers wont have a dull moment with you around will they? Falling into their classes, i thought werewolves were more intune with their surroundings" he laughed again, and gave a confused expression when he realised he'd made a joke about werewolves and hadnt even noticed. Ignoring it instantly he walked over to her giving her a hand up, "Well i didnt have a reason, though now it seems i came here to get real muddy" he looked down at his robes then over to hers. "What about you?"

[Girty Hubbles]

How could she tell him that she understood what he was saying and dearly wanted to agree but she could not, it would be on the tip of her tongue a simple yes was all that it needed but she could not mange it. Girty knew that by saying yes she would be helping their potential friendship along but by saying that she is agreeing to the fact that Mark would forever have something against her.
However there were aspects of his character that she liked, parts of him that reminded her of Thom. He was arrogant, proud but yet was also to put those feeling aside for the shake of others even against there own wishes. The one thing Girty was sure was that was confused. With a deep breath Girty was going to agree she was going to tell him that she understood what he was saying even if he lacked the ability to articulate his thoughts, but the she felt him reach out to help her up.

Gripping tightly on to Marks hand as he pulled her up Girty could not help but look deep into his eyes. His emotions were not as easy to read as some peoples, he was hiding behind something, it may have been the laughter that was now ringing out around the trees around them. He had defiantly found something funny about Girty falling over and when he made his jokes about having heightened senses Girty could not help but forget all the mixed up thoughts that were swirling around and laugh with him.

“Well I have stopped walking into things now, I just trip up, knock things over and lose my balance really easily. I think the only thing that keeps me steady on my broom is the pure fear of falling to my death.”

With a soft chuckle she moved slightly away from Mark suddenly realising that she was still clinging onto his arm. With a small smile she instinctively tried to make it seem like she was doing something else and became to try and clean the mud off her robes and it seemed that Mark too seemed to be concerned about the sate of his robes. Glancing up at him Girty frowned at his robes and then looked up at his relatively clean face, he clearly had not been rubbing his eyes like Girty had.

“Me? Well I could not sleep and thought I might run into the forest and laugh at silly people like you who came to roll around in the dirt. But clearly as you can tell from the state I am in it was very hard just to stand and watch and I had to join in.”

Sticking out her arms Girty spun around in a circle almost to brag the amount of mud she had somehow collected on her robes. Her Hufflepuff badge had been full covered and her shirt now seemed to be brown more then white. After completing her small circle she gave a small curtsey accompanied with a soft laugh. This was not as bad as she had first thought, maybe giving Mark another chance was defiantly one of her clever ideas.

[Mark Alméida]

After Mark's little outburst, a last attempt to try and explain and helping her off the ground, not to mention laughing at her for falling over, things seemed to be finally turning the corner and moving on. However, a thought nagged him, would she think that because of what she was, Mark would never truly like her? Or trust her? Or think of her any other way than a werewolf? And in all honesty, if she put these questions forward to him, he wouldnt be able to answer them, he didnt know just yet himself, but he knew he would know after getting to know her a bit.

He felt her grip tightly onto his hand and with a heave he pulled her to her feet. He was about to make another wise-ass crack at her when he saw her staring into his eyes, what was she trying to do? He didnt understand, though he seemed to forget it almost instantly when she began to laugh, and found himself laughing not at her, but with her this time. Maybe this trip hadnt been wasted afterall.

"Well walking into things isnt really such a good idea, neithers knocking things over, tripping or losing balance" he laughed, "Sounds like your a right 'ol clutz missy" he said with a laugh.

He too, hadnt realised until she moved away that she was still clinging onto his arm. He smirked slightly as he noticed she was clearly trying to make herself look like she was doing something, but instead of taunting, he left her too it, pretending he hadnt even noticed.

"I do not make a habit of rolling around in mud!" he said with a grin, "Though it is fun" he smiled and looked at her as she spun around showing all the mud and grime she had collected. "Very good Madame!" He said in a feigned frech accent "Have you ever considered a career in fashion?" he laughed and added, "Of course your clothes will have to be of the muddy variety"

He gave a clap at the end of her performance and in answer to her curtsey he gave a slow boy, "Madame has perfect etiquet or whatever that damned word is" he laughed again and realised he had absolutley no idea what on earth he was jibbering about.

[Girty Hubbles]

With a glint in her eye Girty tried to hide a slight blush that was spreading across her mud smeared cheeks and she quickly lowered her gaze off Mark to the forest floor, focusing mainly on a twig that was sticking into the ground. He had defiantly worked something out, she was a right clumsy muppet, but it was one of the only things she liked about herself. Other girls were able to strut around or glide across the corridors and boys turn there heads and stare. Girty was able to mould in to the crowd to some extent, that was until she missed a step and would tumble down the stairs, but at least she was able to laugh at herself and in turn make others laugh.
That was why she could not help but feel slightly self conscious about his comment, no one had told her she had ‘perfect etiquette’ and although Girty knew he was joking most likely due his rather dodgy French accent.

Looking up at Mark with a small smile and slowly walked over to him. She reached out and took hold of his arm lifting it up into the air and turned him around slightly to face away from her. A small laugh escaped from her and in a French accent that was a strong competitor to Marks in the lame category seemed to sprout out from her.

“Now Monsieur I think if we trim the lower of the robe and add a few more dollops of mud to your middle then we might actually be able to make you look respectable. Oh no I have worked out what is missing. The war paint.”

Bending down Girty scoped up a handful of mud and slowly dipped her figure in to it and then carefully ran her mud covered figure along the cheeks of Mark. After a few lines on each cheek and a swirls on his forehead Girty rubbed her hand on her robes and took a step back to admire her work. After a few seconds of taking it in she burst out laughing.

“Perfect. I think you will be the hit of the school. You look so….so…manly.”