It was awkward...and Chance wished it wasn't so.  He didn't want to make her feel bad.  That was the last thing he wished.  In fact...this seemed to be proving the point that he had just stated.

Chance still needed to climb out of himself somewhat, to see the world around him and to witness the suffering of others again.  He had succumbed to self doubt, self pity, and self loathing...It was all about himself.  He neglected to see the struggles that others were going through.  He hadn't seen much of anything clearly for awhile now.

Yet when Fauna cut off her descriptive statement, it piqued Chance's interest and he quirked a brow with curiosity...watching her face flush anew.

"What'zat now?"

Somehow he doubted he'd pry that juicy tidbit of secrecy from Fauna's lips, but he could hope to the contrary of course.  He watched as her big doe eyes finally lifted to meet his gaze.  Yet when she said that she looked up to him...he was taken aback a great deal.  He was visibly stunned and terribly at hiding such a reaction.  When complimented or forced into overly emotional displays...Chance was awkward and simply didn't know how to react.  He locked up.  It wasn't that he wanted to or disliked what was being said or done...he just didn't know the appropriate response and felt uncomfortable somehow.

"Ah..."

Chance lowered his eyes in a bashful manner...and picked up a Fauna-ism.  He bit his lip.

"Ya've always been good t'me, Fauna...Yer a real sweetie pie."

The shock on Chance's face caused Fauna to wonder if he was surprised because she complimented him (which meant she needed to speak out about positive things more often), or if he was surprised by the compliment itself. Either way, Fauna found it both endearing and worrisome.

His response - giving her a compliment in return, made her face flush for the thousandth time that evening and she lowered her gaze to the floor.

"Oh, I'm just.. saying what's true. You know."

Though she still felt worried about him, at least they had gotten somewhere and were talking to each other about more than cards and the weather. Fauna finished gathering up the tarot deck and put her things in her bag, then stood, offering a hand to help him up before she realised what she was doing.

Oh boy. Hands touching! Danger danger! Wait no - she was being ridiculous. But normal people's hearts didn't start beating faster just because of a simple, friendly gesture. A harmless, helpful move. Which was all this was.

She could barely meet his eyes, and racked her brain for something to say so she wouldn't look daft standing there.

"Uh... you wanna head to the library with me? I have some revision to do, so... this time, we won't have to watch out for a rebellious egg?" She gave him an amused glance and smile. "Though that was kinda fun."

Chance couldn't help but smile at the bashful turnabout that they'd taken turns with.  He realized it and smiled as he shook his head at himself.  Then he simply enjoyed watching Fauna.  The way she moved, interacted, and reacted was adorable and endearing to him.

"Keep it up, pup an' ah'll 'aveta cover that mouth o' yers."

While Chance hadn't intended anything beyond a playful hand over Fauna's mouth...an alternative did streak across his mind after he'd spoken.  This caused that faint, sideways smirk of his that seemed gone for so long.

The hand had meant more than a symbolic gesture of her support and aid...though it certainly did stand for that.  Chance took her hand and smiled, giving it a good squeeze...and lingering there with her hand in his for a moment.  Now he was trying to find where her eyes were hiding beneath those lashes of hers.

"What're y'revisin'?"

Chance chuckled under his breath, remembering their egg project as the beginning of his feelings toward Fauna becoming something more than friendship.

"Aye, that it was...Things seemed simpler then, didn't they?"

"Oh, well, Defense stuff, Herbology, writing up the Divination reading," she replied distractedly, mind anywhere but on her studies. Was it just her imagination, or had that lingering touch of the hands meant something? And what exactly had he been implying with his joke earlier? She put her hand over her mouth for a moment in a self-conscious gesture and shook her head, trying not to smile.

She led the way out of the classroom and glanced back at him when he remarked that things were simpler at the beginning of December.

"Yeah," she agreed, with a tinge of wistfulness. "I mean... you and I both seemed... happier."

Fauna paused. "Not that I'm not happy! It's just a lot has... changed since then." She shrugged. Could she get any more vague? Probably not.

Just where was the warmhearted Hufflepuff's mind, if not on her studies?  Chance loved seeing Fauna happy...or at the very least amused, and it seemed that she was now.

The Irish Gryffindor followed her out of the classroom and nodded as he listened to her words.  When Fauna quickly corrected herself, Chance shook his head.

"What's changed on yer end, exactly?  If y'don' mind me askin', lass...?"

Chance didn't want to pry, but he did want to know what was going on in Fauna's life.  He had been out of the loop for so long...and he rather appreciated the sound of her voice and her company.  It soothed him.

Chance was asking about her, and it had been forever since they'd had a real conversation. Still, Fauna hesitated, struggling to mention any problems out loud, and a bit embarrassed by them as well.

But Chance was a good friend, and she wanted to be close to him again.

"Hmm, well..." she began, shoving her hands in her pockets and hunching forward in her typical self-conscious manner.

"I guess it would be silly of me to ask how much you already know?" Fauna glanced at him, smiling a bit. "I mean, I can start with the good stuff. Sophie and I are talking again. Fig's... er, I found out why he was avoiding me earlier, but things are fine now. Addie and I are talking again. You are I are... talking," she nudged his arm and grinned.

Though Fauna might have sounded like a broken record, her friends were important to her, and she felt a lot better with that support back in her life.

"And I guess, well... other than that, I've been making a few new friends." Like Fir and Quinn. "Still trying to figure out what I want to do after I graduate. Um, and I've been talking to my Da through letters, which..." she looked at him again. "Well, that was why Addie and me weren't talking. I mean, him contacting me and everything, not the letters part. But you probably know about that." Fauna didn't think she was explaining it very well, but she assumed that Chance had at least heard rumors about she and Addie being half-sisters.

As for everything else, Fauna didn't think it would be fair to tell Chance (especially Chance) her doubts about her boyfriend, and what Fig had told her about Devlin.

It was good to get to catch up with Fauna again, even if it was mostly in summary form.  Poor Fauna seemed so nervous and unsure of herself so often.  Did Chance contribute anything to her uneasiness?

"Can't say ah've exactly been in th' 'loop' round 'ere fer quite some time.  Never did keep up with rumors an' th' like before anyway...."

And then Fauna began to reveal things that she'd been experiencing for the past several months...ending by nudging him.  The physical contact and playfulness being restored made Chance smile.  He couldn't help himself.

"Sounds like things are on th' way up, if y'ask me."

Chance wasn't certain about the specifics regarding a lot of what Fauna said, but he tried to humor her...and assumed she didn't want to delve into matters more deeply than she was.  Sadly...Chance had secretly hoped for some news regarding Devlin.  It was strange to realize that if the news was good or bad, it would still sadden Chance.  If things were going well with the two, of course that would hurt...but if Devlin was not treating Fauna right...then that too would hurt.  Ahhh, the joy of mixed feelings!

As Fauna headed up the stairs, she glanced at Chance, glad that she'd stopped and asked him to help with her Divination assignment. She hoped that they'd continue to spend more time with each other, and that Chance wouldn't avoid her so much (and that she wouldn't let him).

"I'd say so," she replied, smiling at him. "You do have to tell me one new thing going on in your life, though," she joked, though part of her wished he would. "You know, if the tarot reading wasn't embarrassing enough. I promise, it's not usually so... awkward?"

Fauna gave him a sheepish grin.

"But you have the whoooole evening, stuck in the library with me." She gestured, accidentally knocking her hand on the stair railing and narrowly avoiding knocking him with her other arm.

"So you know," Fauna shrugged, trying not to laugh at herself. "You have time."

It had been an unexpected reunion for Chance.  Sure, he'd missed Fauna...greatly.  But he'd tried to block out such feelings and just allowed himself to wallow in vague, clouded generalities of disappointment, angst, and conflict.  Still, those warm fuzzies came rushing back simply through the briefest contact with his favorite Hufflepuff.

"Somethin' new?  Heh...Ah dunno what there is t'tell.  Ah've jes' been comin' an' goin', mostly stayin' in...playin' m'guitar a lot...Been workin' around a few wee, lit'l tunes.  Nothin' newsworthy."

Chance had actually composed a few original pieces, based on various people and situations in his life.  The lyrics had been exceptionally difficult with Fauna's song though...of course, he couldn't tell her he'd written a song about her.  That made it easy to keep it without lyrics...He couldn't help but think of the song though since she'd asked.

The Gryffindor smiled at Fauna faintly at reference to the awkward tarot card reading and he waved her comment off dismissively.

"S'a pleasure as always, lass.  Ah've missed it an'...ah'm not lookin' t'go so long without m'daily dose o' Fauna again if I can 'elp it!"

More time with Fauna?  Sign Chance Ryker up!