I was genuinely shocked when the Sonorus spell struck me, my voice carrying through the *entire* great hall. Listening to the laughter around me, and he”cute” remark, I had to chuckle a bit at myself too. [b]“Well played, Bridget, very well played--just like a true Ravenclaw!”[/b] I was just about to cast a spell that would turn her entire body into a rubber, not removing her bones but making them almost liquid in nature--but the damn professor had to step in. I took his “thank you for the demonstration” as “You two have put more than a toe over the line today” and saluted with my wand, before it vanished beneath my billowing sleeves. 

I was about to say “fantastic, the most fun I’ve had in awhile” but for some reason Bridget stormed out. I was slightly taken aback, thinking that she would have gotten absorbed in the sheer [i]fun[/i] of the challenge to not be upset about the whole “voluntelling” thing. Apparently not. Frowning, I gave the professor a curt nod, then without a word vanished through the giant double doors leading towards the Ravenclaw tower. 

The funny thing is, I couldn’t even say why I cared whether or not she was upset. I just did. Frowning even more, irritated at myself to some extent, I strode on, pushing my way into the common room, easily answering the door’s riddle of the day. Seriously, does anyone really expect these poor riddles to keep someone out? Shrugging, I moved on, noticing Bridget as she began to make her way to the female dormitories.

[b]“Oi! Wait a second!!”[/b] I called to her, reaching out. [b]“You um. Surprised me there. You know? I...um…”[/b] I cursed myself for sounding like a blubbering idiot right now. [b]“I know I sorta kinda forced you to go first without your permission. Just a bit. I um. Well I don’t regret that per se, but I do wish you wouldn’t be so upset about it. It was FUN yeah? Besides, we ended in a draw. It’s more than I can say for most in our class. Wouldn’t you say? You’re a fantastic witch, and...with more of these coming up, maybe we should...you know. Study together or something. Hell I don’t know.”[/b] 

I wanted to strangle myself. Again, I was sounding like a total idiot. [i]What the holy hell is wrong with you Alex? What has gotten into you?[/i] I internally glared at myself--or would be, if I had internal eyeballs with which to do so. I sighed slowly, shrugging my shoulders, an apologetic look at Bridget.