Losing You

[Genevieve Albin]

The view was absolutely amazing.

The lake glittered brightly, and the squid's tentacles were reaching lazily into the air and then withdrawing back into the water, creating little waves that never reached the shore. A few students sat at the edge of the lake with their feet dipped in the water, and others lounging on picnic blankets they'd brought out themselves- it was, after all, still warm enough to sit by the water and not feel the chill of Winter. Other students were scattered on the Grounds' healthy green grass, reading or working on newly assigned homework; some were walking alone, others with friends, talking idly. A fight broke out once, but it was quickly extinguished. Off to the east, the Forbidden Forest began, at first with a few trees, then sprouting into countless numbers- into a forest that was tangled and wild- a forest that she'd entered only a few times before in her first years at the school. She'd never gotten lost, though, she had an innate instinct for direction, well, Genevieve liked to believe so, anyway. And it was true, sort of, she was not a great explorer who could wander into the abyss and return without so much as doubting her direction, but Genevieve knew her way around. Enough, anyway.

She raised a skin-dark hand to the stone and laid her hand upon it, still gazing down at the grounds. The robe fell away, slightly, revealing a few golden bracelets that jngled together in a tune that was familiar only to Genevieve herself. She wondered what it would be like to fall all that way, then regretted the thought and took a large step backwards, swallowing hard. Genevieve might have been courageous, but everyone had their own fears, and, for Genevieve, falling out of the Towers was definitely on that list. She felt herself pale considerably and leaned up against the sturdy not-fall-through-able wall and slid to a sitting position. It must have been five o'clock by now, maybe later. She'd missed dinner already, or maybe she was missing it now. Nonetheless, Genevieve didn't feel like descending eight to ten flights of steps for dinner, especially since she planned on returning to the South Tower, anyway. She raised a hand to her heart and felt the steady beating beneath it- she was better, now. 'Better' meaning that her pulse was not beating at an alarming rate and that the color of her skin had returned to its normal color. Couldn't be much more 'better' than that, anyway.

Genevieve stood up and walked in a slow circle in the Tower, glancing out the windows and becoming used to the height once again. Finally, Genevieve was able to stand being so high in the air and returned to the same window where she'd been before. The sun had lowered a little bit more, but not too noticeably, and some of the students were standing up and readying themselves to go to dinner. Perhaps she hadn't missed it. Genevieve ran a hand through her blonde hair and looked down at the khaki bag she'd brought with her in case an idea for a story hit her, but there had been no such luck. It was alright, though, with Genevieve- she had a million others up her sleeve. She bent down and dipped her hand into the bag and rummaged through it without really looking into the bag before pulling out her wand. Yes, Genevieve kept her wand in her bag rather than in her pocket, and there were times, of course, when she carried it rather than kept it in the bag, but the bag was its 'home' in a way. She twirled it between her fingers before catching it neatly in her palm and walking over to the doorway to peer down at the steps. Nothing. Not that Genevieve was particularly surprised; she turned away and walked back over to the opening- was it a window, really?- and looked down at the ground below her. She felt a little more secure, now, with her wand in hand.

With a self-soothing breath, Genevieve leaned up against the stone and slid to the ground. The South Tower was where Genevieve always went when she wanted to be alone, or she wanted to think, and there were times when she'd bring her work and work up in the Tower. No one ever came up there that she was aware of, rarely even the Prefects and Heads. Suddenly, there was a noise; Genevieve looked up with a feeling of shock bubbling in her stomach. She tilted her head to a side and waited, tapping the wand against her knee.

[Alexander Malfoy]

School, for many, was like a second home. It gave them a chance to safely explore their freedom; and to get away with murder on occasion. Students looked forward to Hogwarts not for it's classes, which were super long and super boring, but for the fact that they would be on their own with their friends. They simply couldn't wait to get back into the dormitories so they could stay up late and share their secrets, talk about the opposite sex, and dare each other to do idiotic things for a laugh. Yes, that was typically why students looked forward to going to Hogwarts.

But for Alexander, his intentions to coming to Hogwarts were a little different. Sure, he enjoyed the company of his fellow Slytherins, but that wasn't his main reason for liking the place so much. Aside from holding much power in the student body, it was the show that really drove Alexander to think of the place as anything else than school. The school was a mere stage for him; a place for him to flaunt around, make guys jealous, and make girls want him. For him, all the world was a stage, yet Hogwarts was the only place he could put on a personal performance.

Of course, that didn't mean that he didn't still have responsibilities. He still had to attend class, still had to do homework, and still had to follow the rules [ most of them, at least ]. He never complained about that part, though, for it was just a mere sacrifice to keep his presence a strong one at the school. To do so, he worked just as hard as the next student; putting some serious time and effort into his schoolwork. He was actually a very bright boy, though, so a lot of the time, things came to him naturally. But, for those occasions where things didn't work in his favor, he needed to take a small intermission from the show to actually get something done.

Apparently it was going to be one of those afternoons for Alexander. His teachers had felt the need to pile on as much work as possible, and Alexander needed to get all of it done before quidditch practices began. His schedule was soon filling up, and his time management had yet to kick in. It was a bit overwhelming for the seventeen year old, though outwardly one would never have guessed.

Deciding to take some time away from the public, Alexander had packed up his backpack and headed towards the only place in the school he knew would be abandoned - the south tower. He'd gone there a few times every year since his first year at Hogwarts. The tower offered solace from the pressure and stress that every day life put on a student. It was the perfect place to get things done; quiet and calm, with a beautiful view of the sprawling grounds that the castle offered to it's many students.

So, after lolling through the corridors and up the steps, Alexander finally reached his destination. It had been a bit of a long walk from the Slytherin common room, which was located near the dungeons, so he was feeling a little bit worn out. Rounding the last few stairs, Alexander's eyes instantly fell on a female body, blond hair blocking his view from the face. However, that problem was easily solved when the girl snapped her head up.

Alexander didn't bother to hide a groan as his blue eyes registered the female face. It was none other than Genevieve; a Ravenclaw girl that had been causing him problems since the first time she met. Being a bit of a man whore, Alexander had been used to girls falling at his feet, throwing themselves at him. Genevieve had been one of the select few that seemed to be able to resist him. It was positively infuriating to the boy. It made no sense; he was a perfect male specimen.

"What are you doing here?" He spat out, crossing his arms over his chest as he stood in the doorway, glaring at the girl sitting opposite him.

[Genevieve Albin]

It took Genevieve a moment to recognize who'd entered the circular room- it was a male shape, but that was all she could tell. A sillhouette was all her eyes registered, but, after a moment of staring straight at him, her eyes hardened; she realized it was none other than the self-proclaimed Slytherin Prince, Alexander Malfoy. The pair had never really gotten along- there'd never been a chance for them to actually associate, but Genevieve didn't regret it. He was arrogant, haughty, vain, and too aloof for Genevieve's taste; their actual meeting had been a fight. Of course, it was well-known that Genevieve was always standing up for others, and Malfoy should have known better than to call down a muggleborn in front of her, but he'd made the mistake, and, well... The rest was history.

Now, Alexander was, definitely, a good-looking guy, and Genevieve would never deny it, but she wouldn't admit it unless it was forced out of her, either. Herself? She was just as stunning as him, with the exception of their genders and, of course, how they decided to show themselves to the world- at the moment, Genevieve wore modest clothing of a black shirt, and a pair of baggie khaki shorts. It was simple attire, but Genevieve was simple in the way a child was simple, content with what she had, and always surprised to receive something new. Yes, Miss Albin was known for many other traits, too, aside from her overzealous, yet simple nature.

What are you doing here?

Genevieve rolled her eyes, "What are you doing here?" She asked, sounding much like a parrot. Really, she didn't have much of a reason to be up at the South Tower save for the fact that she had nothing better to do. Clopin was, for once, napping last she checked, and Quasimodo wouldn't leave the dormitory, anyway, not to mention, Genevieve had become bored with the world at large, mainly because almost everyone she ran into just had a mouth for the latest gossip rather than an intellectual conversation- those seemed so rare, of late. Sure, Genevieve was crazy and smiley, but she'd rather speak intelligently versus defining every other word. Oh, yes, Genevieve was intelligent for her age, even for a Ravenclaw.

Hogwarts was a wonderful place, and Genevieve loved it, but, sometimes, she just wished she could manage some alone time. It was rare for Genevieve to want to be alone for the simple fact that she was the kind of person that could cheer someone up no matter what, but when she wanted to be alone, it was almost impossible. People were always turning up when they were least expected and least wanted- like Alexander- and there were many times when Genevieve had sent people storming away because she didn't want to listen to their baseless chatter.

It was only fair to warn Alexander, "I don't want to listen to your idiotic chatter; if you have something important to say, I'll listen, but, other than that, keep your mouth shut," She slid herself into a standing position with her arms crossed; it was rare for her to be so blunt, even with people like Alexander, and she almost expected him to act as though she'd just slapped him. She shook her head at the thought, smirking wryly.

[Alexander Malfoy]

"What are you doing here?"

Alexander snorted in laughter as she merely replied with the same question he had asked her. She was obviously caught off gaurd by his presence; she had probably found her way to the tower for some peace and quiet, just like he had planned on doing. However, those plans didn't seem like they were going to happen, as long as Genevieve was standing in his way. He could ask her to leave, but that would just be boring. He was Alexander Malfoy, and confrontation was something he lived for. "Original," he muttered under his breath.

"I don't want to listen to your idiotic chatter; if you have something important to say, I'll listen, but, other than that, keep your mouth shut,"

Alexander raised a neat, blond eyebrow as the girl spoke rather emotionally and forcefully. He had to admit it was a bit of a surprise. Normally it took him a few minutes to bug the girl, but it seemed that his presence had already done that. It hadn't taken much, no scathing words, no insults thrown, for him to get her all riled up. His ice blue eyes watched as she stood up, her back resting gently against the wall near the window.

Genevieve was a pretty girl, even Alexander had to admit that. She had blond hair, a color almost matching his own. Her shape was womanly, something that didn't go unnoticed by the boy. Sure, she was a Ravenclaw, a bit of a bookish character; but hey, that's where dirty librarians came into place. A small smirk found it's way onto Alexander's lips as he thought of Genevieve as being that type of girl. He would have said something out loud, but he feared that he might get slapped clean across the face by the girl. He didn't really want to tempt fate at the moment.

So, instead he shrugged off his backpack, dropping it against the wall next to the doorway. He didn't move, though. Genevieve may have threatened him already, but that surely didn't mean he was actually going to obey her. Hell, he hardly obeyed the teachers. In his mind, he ruled the school. He was the Slytherin King; adored by many, hated by most, but fabulous nonetheless. Most students who didn't like him stayed out of his way, but there were that select few that decided to retaliate back; Genevieve being one of them.

"Idiotic chatter?" He said coolly, "Why would I even bother wasting that on you? I save that for people who matter" he finished, covering up a small yawn with a milky white hand. His eyes fixed on hers, waiting to see what she had to throw back at him.

[Genevieve Albin]

Genevieve made a face when he snorted- it just wasn't very charming. Sure, her question had been rather... Unprofessional, especially for her, but she had been caught off guard considering no one, no one ever came up to the South Tower- not as far as Genevieve knew, anyway. Maybe he was following her? She came close to snorting, herself- she highly doubted the self-proclaimed 'king' would follow a 'lowly peasent girl'; that probably came really close to how Alexander saw Hogwarts- Genevieve wouldn't doubt it- he was the king who had his 'court' of 'lords and ladies' and he ran the 'peasants' with an iron fist. And then there were the 'peasants' who rebelled against him: Genevieve and, of course, others. "Isn't it?" She muttered, upon hearing his own muttered remark.

Genevieve watched him raise an eyebrow, and her gaze hardened. It was frustrating that she hadn't had a chance to gnaw at him the way he had- annoying her by simply walking into the room must have been an all time high for the kid, but she, honestly, would have scolded anyone at that point- probably even a professor because she really did want to be alone for once.

For all that Genevieve was a Ravenclaw, she was not the stereotypical one. Yes, she did enjoy reading, but there were very few times someone could find her reading versus wandering pointlessly through the halls trying to uncover everything about Hogwarts. Technically, it was learning, but it was more creative, and, despite her good grades that always came naturally, Genevieve often put her work to the last minute and did a half-effort job on the writing, oftentimes making it up as she went along. It was probably the most idiotic thing Genevieve could do, but she managed. "What are you smiling for?" She asked, arching one of her own blonde eyebrows.

Mister Malfoy was an intelligent being, definitely, she wouldn't doubt him in that, but he, in a way, was like her: a procrastinator, everything came to him easily, and, when it didn't, he put in extra effort. At least, that's what it seemd, and, Genevieve found herself smirking at the thought that she'd deemed him, of all people, remotely intelligent. But it was fact, and Genevieve couldn't deny it- without lying- if she bothered to. Genevieve hated to think the he and she were alike in any way at all, but there were undeniable proofs that they should have gotten along at least once in a while, but, simply, did not.

She'd never been fond of Alexander, though, he was fun to argue with. Where a number of the people who disliked Alexander simply stayed out of his line of view, Genevieve made sure his day was a little harder because of her by simply hassling him, cutting in front of him, simple things, and then there were other times where he might have said something, and Genevieve wouldn't hesitate to call him down for it. Many of her friends found it idiotic to challenge Alexander Malfoy, of all people, but it was in Genevieve's blood, it seemed, to challenge authority, and, the way Alexander held the school, he was, in a way, authority whether he would believe it or not.

"Like I don't matter to you," Genevieve said, half-laughing, bitterly, of course, "You're wasting breath explaining it to me, now." She nodded, satisfied with her answer. It was true, though, but she wasn't necessarily saying she mattered in a way that he loved her, but she mattered enough that he'd make smart remarks when she spoke- like she to him- or just annoy each other to no end; either way, they both wasted breath on each other no matter how much they said the other didn't matter.

[Alexander Malfoy]

"What are you smiling for?"

Alexander rolled his eyes. For the sake of his sanity, and probably his well being, he decided not to say anything. He wasn't in the mood to get mauled by the girl, so he didn't want to take his annoyance too far. After all, his purpose for even being in the tower was to get some peace and quiet. He had some serious work to do, and he was on a mission to get it done. He didn't care if she stood in his way of achieving exactly what he wanted. For now, he would be generous enough to compromise.

"Like I don't matter to you. You're wasting breath explaining it to me, now."

It was Alexander's turn to laugh as she finished up her statement. He nodded in agreement, "Surprisingly, I must agree with you," he replied coldly as he walked over next to his where he had dropped his bag. Leaning against the wall he slid himself down into a sitting position, leaving his knees bent as he made himself comfortably. He glanced across the room at the blond, sighing melodramatically as she stood her there, "Look, sweatheart," he threw in a pet name, trying to piss her off even the tiniest bit, "I need to get this shit done. So, let's say we make a deal. I don't bother you, and you leave me the hell alone. Got it?" He asked, making it sound like more of a command than a question.

He was almost sure she wouldn't bother him if he promised not to bother her. When he had stepped into the room she had already seemed to be irritated enough, even without him insulting her. And, he wasn't going to even look at her once more if they agreed on his previous statement. He was dead set on getting his work done, and he'd do it whether she bothered him or not.