Quote:
Originally Posted by
Edward Penguin 
He slid just a bit closer to her, as she was comforting him. The closeness was nice and comfortable. He felt like it was something he should do and he felt like it was something she might like. They hadn't really talked about them in a long time, and granted, this wasn't the best time for that chat, it was still their time.
As he told his story, he watched for any hint of revulsion or recoiling. She didn't do any of that, even when he looked down, he didn't feel like she looked poorly at him, he was just embarrassed none the less.
He nodded in response to her question. "I do. Each year, Dad became more and more angry as I would visit and mum would ask about Hogwarts, and lessons and magic in general. He even forbad me speak of it last holiday. He said he would have no such rubbish in his house. He spoke of being fearful of the neighbors and their reaction. We live in a really traditional village, very religious, very superstitious. He was afraid he would be in danger."
She felt him move that little bit closer. Not much, but enough to notice. Enough to make a few butterflies flutter in her stomach like they'd done last year. That nervous energy that she didn't understand, but had sometimes when she thought of Elan. She couldn't have placed why it happened now, but it did, and she knew immediately she'd been doing something right with her comforting.
It was now too, that Nia sensed the embarrassment. Only a few small hints, but as a close friend it was enough to notice. She wondered why Elan felt that way - he had nothing to worry about with her afterall. She squeezed his hand once more.
It was as he nodded Nia had to try and hide a frown. Something had struck her as slightly strange about the whole thing, but for some reason she'd expected, well...a less definite response, she supposed. As he spoke, Nia felt a guilt inside - how had she not managed to understand quite so fully Elan's background? She knew his father was muggle, and about his life in Italy, but she had no idea it could get...so extreme.
She moistened her dry lips slowly with her tongue. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to comment on what her friend had said. Would it help or hinder the healing process? Their friendship? At the same time, she wanted to know more, to understnad herself. She felt some of Elan's pain, and Nia was the type of person that always wanted to find the root of a problem beofre solving it. Mainly in her classwork, but it could be applied to other areas too.
"It seems, well, so drastic," she said slowly after a moment's thought. "I mean, I guess I can see it from both perspectives...but still..." And she leaving that hanging there, hoping she'd not over stepped the mark.