Jay walked down the corridor with no real direction in mind. He had a scroll out, notes from his most recent Defense Against the Dark Arts class and was rereading them. Before he knew it he'd be sitting his NEWTs. It was a nerve wracking notion and it often had him wandering the castle reading class notes. The library had become unbearable lately. Too many students were huddled in there studying and most were so wound up that they'd scold you just for breathing loudly and Merlin forbid if you sneezed. Jay liked the solitude of being on his own, with his own writing committing it to memory.

Before he knew it he had reached a dead end, or rather what looked like a dead end. To those that weren't familiar with the end of this particular corridor they would simply see a pile of barreled crates and an ornate oil painting of still life bowl of fruit. Jay however was one of those that knew better. The painting led to the castle kitchens and the barrels, well they opened into the Hufflepuff common room. More than he liked to admit his aimless wanderings brought him here. Between classes and studying he had barely had any time to spend with Katy. He had no idea if she was still interested in him. The Yule Ball had been a magical night for the two of them but before he knew it, she had been off on Christmas holidays and when they had come back to school for the next term class loads had intensified and Jay had fallen back on all of his social interactions.

He rolled up the scroll and tucked it into his book bag. He stepped in front of barrels and took a deep breath. He had gotten as far as lifting his fist to knock out the rhythm that would grant him entrance to the hidden room before hesitating. What if Katy didn't want to see him? What if she had moved on or worse what if she thought he wasn't interested anymore? The slivers of doubt were fasting becoming clouds and he lowered his fist. Perhaps it was best if he just started walking again, he was sure to end up in the east tower before sun down if he started now.

Katy shot to her feet and shoved her book into her bag viciously.  The corner of the book got caught on an inner pocket and tangled up in the scarf she'd left in the bag yesterday so it wouldn't go in all the way.  Her face turned bright red with embarrassment and frustration that her hasty retreat was ruined.  She glared at her house mates and spun on her heel, still wrestling with her book and her bag.  The weeks were stretching out.  She hated this.  People's wariness of her, given the things that had happened, we beginning to wane.  Their confidence was growing as the season got warmer.  She wished they would all go back to ignoring her now.  It felt to her that it would be easier, no matter what she might have told Alvis a couple of weeks ago.

She had to escape, get out of the common room before she snapped and said something she might regret.  She could yell and scream at them but ultimately she'd start to cry again.  She didn't need to be the strange weepy girl on top of everything else.  Katy finally got her book securely into her bag.  Her now empty hand was instead filled with her wand.  She'd go out onto the grounds and practice her spells.  That could be satisfying... especially if she practiced some of her dueling spells.  Yes, she'd go blast a couple of dead tree branches sky high.

The entrance to the common room opened and put her out into the dark dungeon hallway.  She walked quickly and furiously, her school shoes tapping out the rhythm of her walk.  She became aware of another person in the hallway just moments before she collided with them.  She stopped on a dime and prepared herself to glare at them for just standing in the middle of the hallway like a numbskull.  All words she might have formed vanished in an instant.  She could only stand there and gape like a fish.

Jay.  What in the name of all things holy was he doing down here? Perhaps he'd been going to the kitchens.  She glanced down and saw his papers in his hand.  Perhaps he was studying.  Or going to study.  But really, did it matter?  He stopped talking  to her weeks ago.  He probably didn't want to talk to her now.  The emotional pain she felt at being rejected like that was a little too much for her.  She was too embarrassed to stand here.  Her face turned red again.  She ducked her head and murmured,  "I'm sorry... Jay.  I'll just... go now."

Jay had decided it was best to just start walking again. He removed his scroll from his bag and turned back towards the front of the corridor. He had only walked a few steps when someone plowed right into him. He could only imagine how strange that would have been to someone that didn't know about the two secret entrances hidden at the dead end there. He had assumed it was a younger year running off to do something fun. The last thing he expected was for it to be Katy.

Jay seemed to be as dumbstruck as she was. By the time he had gathered his senses again he was able to look at her properly. Her cheeks were red and she looked hurried but worst of all she looked like she wanted to be no where near him. He supposed he couldn't blame her. He had been unintentionally neglecting her for weeks now. Unfortunately it'd be another year, when she was prepping for her OWLs that she would understand what he was going through and why he had been acting like he was. For now though, he had very little to offer her.

She seemed to be thinking the same and made to get out of his way and off to . . . wherever it was that she was heading. He struck his hand out to touch her shoulder trying to slow her, "Hey wait . . . umm how are you?" He screamed at himself internally. He couldn't have thought of something else to say to her, seriously?!

Don't stop! she yelled at herself when her feet automatically stopped moving.  She desperately wanted to believe that he was still interested in her but the possibility that he was just being polite was terrifying.  What if she misread things and got embarrassed?  Jay would probably let her down gently but that was just as bad, his kindness about it.  Katy stared at the stones under her feet for a moment and then steeled her courage to turn around and reply.

"I'm fine," she said flatly, feeling anything but at the moment.  Her hand tightened reflexively on the strap of her bag.  "How are you?"

She winced at the lame response.  They might as well be strangers passing on the sidewalk.  It'd be easier.  Her expression softened and she managed to look him in the face without surprise or judgement.  She couldn't help but remember being kissed by this beautiful boy.  It had been a wonderful, if frighteningly new, experience.  She wanted that again.  She wanted to feel normal and valued all at the same time.  How strange.

"Been busy with classes?" she finally asked.  She would never have the courage to act on what she felt.

Her responses were just as lame and short as his question had been. He couldn't help but feel like she was just placating him, being as polite as necessary before running off and hoping not to bump into him again. He was increasingly regretting coming down here even if it hadn't been entirely intentional. This exchange was painful enough not seeing her smile, he couldn't imagine what it would be like if she flat out rejected him.

"Yeah actually. I've been meaning to -" He ran his fingers through his hair, causing it to stand on end. He was having a hard time organizing his thoughts. At the same time he wanted to kiss her and walk away. Both had him paralyzed though, torn between the two, not being able to decide which he wanted to do, which would be the hardest, which would be the best received. If he walked away and she had actually wanted him there he would lose his chance to be with her. Although if he kissed her and she wanted nothing to do with him he'd be in an even worse mess.

"I'm an idiot." He finally said flatly, "I'm due to graduate in four months, be done with school for good and I've been so focused on making the most out of it, to pass all my classes that I've been missing out on the most incredible experience Hogwarts has to offer me - you." His heart began to race as he awaited her reaction. Why was everything so hard with her? Why did he feel like he was walking a tight rope every time he opened his mouth? He had never been so unsure about a girl before.