The Reading Lounge
 

Mary had read ahead in the textbooks for nearly every subject, but there was no textbook for Astronomy. Considering it was her best and favorite subject, she wished she could read into it more. She had read a few books from the library, but someone told her there were more interesting and special ones in this small astronomy library.

Entering the room, she ran her fingers over the volumes, looking for something more to read, something unique to know about her favorite subject. She pulled a random book about Astrophysics of the shelf and flipped through it, quickly deciding it was a little too complicated for her. "Later" she murmured quietly to herself. Continuing to walk around the room, Mary flipped through a few other books with interest and gazed at the evening sky through the ceiling.

Astronomy wasn't one of Chloe's favorites or even one she was good at, but that being said she wanted to get better so she made her way to the reading area. Maybe she could learn a few things by reading a little more. That was her hope at least and she entered the room without noticing anyone at first. Looking at all the books she tried to decide where to begin.

As she continued to look something caught her eye and she turned seeing someone else there. The girl looked familiar and it was only a few seconds before she realized why, "Hello, anything good here?" She wasn't going to say hey you ran away from me this summer, but Chloe knew it was her. She still wondered what was said that made the girl run away, but now they were both here at school and maybe she could get to know her.

As you can probably tell, I have gotten a lot better at Rping since then
 

As Mary continued looking around the shelves, she suddenly became aware that there was someone else in the room. Looking over towards the girl, she felt as if she had seen her before, but was sure it was just from passing her in the corridors. Nothing alarmed her about the polite greeting, so she responded, in her very quiet, awkward way, "Hi..... there are a few good books in here. I had this Astrophysics book a few minutes ago that was pretty good, but it was a little advanced for me." Still trying to figure out were she knew the girl from, Mary suddenly remembered the accident in Diagon Alley. Completely frozen in her social anxiety, she just stood there, staring straight at the girl, unable to move.

Aww, you were good then too <3
 

Chloe was getting zoned into the books again and looked at all the titles, she almost forgot other people were in the room until the girl spoke and her green eyes turned on the first year, "Got any good titles I could start with. There are so many I'm just not sure what I want to read first." Maybe if she went with what they were learning about or maybe just about stars in general. Though she was curious if Astronomy and Divinations went together at all.

Turning back to the girl she waited to see if she had any recommendations, "You are that girl from this summer, right? Why did you run off? We were going to help her and maybe have some fun together." She wanted the girl to know she was nice and that she could be her friend.

Mary was freaking out!! Had she just asked about the accident? She just asked about the accident!! She silently scolded herself for letting the social anxiety get to her. During those days in Diagon Alley, she had been very, very shy and was still on edge from it being her first few days away from home. She had opened up a little bit in the days since, possibly a part of being forced to sleep in the same room as others, but was still essentially the same girl that ran away from Chloe.

"Well..." She was cracking. "I guess I... felt kind of uncomfortable. I don't really know." She stammered in her quiet speech, not knowing what to say. "I'm a... a little... shy." She just wanted to dive behind a chair and just hide behind it forever. It really was hopeless.

Patrick walked into the Astronomy reading room he loved coming up here taking a glance at the stars and occasionally actually studying. Most of the time he just read for fun in his free time but that was few and far between. Today he would actually have to study. He had given up his sunday to relax and read for fun and he was paying for it today.

He noticed that a few other students were in the room but didn’t think they would notice him walk in. He picked a chair on the far side of the room and got out his potions notebook to rewrite the notes he had taken during the class that afternoon. He really needed to crack down.

Hi Slytherin Captain!
 

Shy, well Chloe could understand that and gave her a huge smile. She looked back at the books and noticed someone else joining them. She raised her eyebrows to the first year and grinned. "It's alright, no biggie, and look we are talking now. I'm Chloe if you didn't know or remember my name." She stuck her hand out so the girl could officially be introduced to her.

Giving the captain a wave she leaned closer, "Have you met him? He is super nice and really cute." She couldn't help but giggle, but look at him he was super cute.

Now back to the books, she turned to look at them again. "There are so many, I just don't know where to start. Do you like Astronomy so far?" She wasn't sure if she was fully into the subject but it was interesting enough that she was trying.

Mary had originally enjoyed the silence and solitude of this room, surrounded by books and knowledge, but now she was surrounded by people as well. Didn't they realize that this room was TINY? Chloe formally introduced herself, though this was not really necessary as Mary remembered every little detail of the most awkward situation she has been in thus far. She didn't respond, instead hoping Chloe would say something more.

Did she just introduce the other guy in the room as cute? Mary remembered why she didn't like to associate with people this talkative. "Nice to meet you" she said, giving a tiny awkward wave.

Now astronomy was a topic Mary could talk about. "Astronomy is my favorite subject this far. A good book for starters would probably be A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking." She pulled it off the shelf and handed it to her. "He was a revered Physicist and Cosmologist in both the Muggle and Wizarding world."

Notices you Chloe...
 

After finishing his notes of potions he whipped out his DADA book hoping that something might make sense to him. He needed a back up plan in case he couldn't go pro in a sport. He was fairly good at tuning people out but he heard Chloe McCarthy whispering something. Asking about a him. That could only mean she was asking about him.

Not making any sound he just kept his nose in his books trying to avoid the awkward gawking of the younger girls. How did this happen? Is this what Skylar felt about him following her around and wanting a cool older student to show him the ropes? Oh gosh it was. He was going to have to write her an owl apologizing.

*giggling* You both!
 

Why was this girl so quiet? Chloe never understood why some didn't want to talk much. It was crazy interesting and only made her want to know more about them, "I'm sorry, I hate to say this, but I do not remember your name." She hoped the girl would give her a name so she wouldn't have to say puff girl or anything like that forever. "You know my mum was a puff, the puff prefect in her time. Dad was claw prefect. I got a lot to live up to." Which was always a stress she, though she wasn't sure she could ever live up to any of that. Quidditch took priority over classes any day in her eyes.

WHAT WAS SHE DOING?

Chloe had whispered to her and now she was saying nice to meet you to him. If she could have an invisibility cloak, she wished she had one at this moment to hide in. Her cheeks went bright red and she hoped he just didn't hear them. "I have so much to teach you." Not that she knew anything about boys or anything else, but as the older one here she had to pretend to know things. She would ask older Chloe later how to deal with this.

So this was her favorite subject, that was interesting and Chloe nodded as she spoke, "Are those books in here? Maybe I could start with those." She loved to read so anything she got her hands on would do.

Ok, Chloe was still talking. She just needed to clarify her name. "Mary" She continued to remind herself that not everyone was as quiet or as awkward as herself, so she should not judge, but it was getting harder. She was supposed to be a Hufflepuff for God's sake, so what was with all these rude thoughts she was having?

So what was this that she had to teach her? She certainly did not help with astronomy and if she was going to try and teach her to be sociable in any way, that was a hopeless mission. "Ok," she said, trying and failing to hide the confused tone behind it.

She turned her eyes back to the shelves, looking for something else to read. One of the titles read Way Far Out. She pulled it off the shelf and started flipping through it.

Mary, yes that was it! Chloe remembered now that she said it. "Mary, that is a lovely name." She gave the girl a smile as she glanced back at Slyther Cap, "Do you like any boys yet?" Chloe didn't remember liking any her first year, but everyone was different.

Clapping a bit excited, she thought about things the older girls have taught her; makeup, fashion, it was just going to be so fun. "I've not really gotten into the entire liking other people thing, but I'm learning. It seems like crushes are the first to happen." Kind of like her being super aware of the captain over there, yes.

"Oh is that a good book, have you read it?"

Mary flipped through the book in her hand, not wanting anything to do with this girl. She stopped after hearing a question about boys. So was that what she wanted to teach her? How to like boys? "No," she responded, wanting nothing to do with any of that. Honestly, she didn't think she was capable of having crushes. "I don't know if I want to get into that," she said, as honestly as she possibly could. "Yet," she added, trying to stay out of more awkwardness.

"I haven't read it." She sat down on one of the chairs and opened it up. "It looked interesting to me"