"Thank you," Kurumi squeaked softly as she accepted the handkerchief and began to remove the dirt from her hands. It was just dirt, right? Kurumi took a seat next to time and was very careful when she did so so that the contents of her bag wouldn't be squished in the process.

Kurumi was just about to speak again when a whirlwind of red hair made an grand entrance and nearly knocked over one of the library's precious bookshelves in the process. At least Selina's quick reflexes had prevented her from making friends face-first with the wood - something Kurumi couldn't say was the same case for her and Professor Bishop's door.

"Hello Selina," Kurumi laughed softly as she leaned around Simon to greet her friend with a proper smile. Well, as proper a smile as she could muster right now anyway. While it was true that she was feel better since all that had happened, it still stung.

The captain nodded, glad when Selina confirmed she was infact ok. "You're welcome," he said turning to Kurumi as she thanked him for the hankerchief, his mind trying to think of the best way to do what he had come here to do as the two girls greeted each other. He didn't want to appear too forward when it was just a friendly gift and part an assignment.

Simon shrugged at Selina's question, only half sure of his choice. "Because it was a random option and likely to be quiet enough to not be interrupted. Not to mention it is part homework so it kinda made sense." With that being said , he reached to retrieve his school bag and gingerly lifting out one and then the other identical bouquet made of three particular flowers.

Kurumi's eyes lit up when she saw that Simon was presenting them with a small bouquet of flowers - not that she hadn't been expecting that since that had been the reason for them meeting here to begin with. "Thank you Simon," she chirped as she reached out and took a hold of the delicate bouquet. Her cheeks flushed when she saw the pink carnation. "I'll never forget you either."

And awkward pause.

Kurumi then reached over and opened her bag to pull out a modest bouquet to hand to Simon in return.

Selina hesitated for a moment as Simon took out two identical bouquets. He had made one for her. Out of all of the people in the world for him to make a bouquet for he had chosen her as one of those people. It wasn't as if Selina still had a crush on him, she thought... no, no she knew, but still the fact that her Captain and friend had thought of her in making an arrangement made her feel special. She always knew there was an unspoken bond between Kurumi and Simon. The two just understood one another, so her bouquet was not a surprise. But hers? Her own was a surprise. She wrapped her hand around the bouquet and whispered shocked, "Thank you, really it's beautiful."

Finally realizing her surroundings she fished around in her bag for his own bouquet. She had always intended to give it to him, but she didn't think that she would be doing it now... in front of Kurumi. "Um here you go..." She handed him an arrangement of a few choice flowers.

Simon smiled as he saw the reaction the flowers got out of Kurumi, a spark of her usual self returning, to him at least. "You're certainly welcome," he said, his expression turning somewhat bashful as she spoke aloud the meaning of the carnation figuring it out. The captain graciously accepted the bouquet he was given in return, slightly taken back by the appearance of roses even if they were the color to denote for innoscent leadings then romantic things. "Thank you, Kurumi," he said, relaxing into a more calm expression.

It seemed he had taken Selina by complete surprise with the bouquet meant for her, quite evident by her actions and the whispered words. Granted hers was the same as Kurumi's but the meanings that their own expression for both of them in their own way. "You're very welcome Selina," Simon replied with a bright smile, glad she liked his gift.

He took the bouquet from ger own hands, silently looking over the blooms the younger Gryffindor had chosen and stopped at the sight of the Cyclamen having almost chosen it himself for the meaning it had that applied the most to him...goodbye. "Oh man..." he said quietly swallowing to keep composure the best he could, his gaze lowering for a moment.

Kurumi noticed the ever so slight change in Selina's body language along with the delicate change of pink to her cheeks. Kurumi knew all to well what Selina was most likely feeling in this moment, especially when Kurumi took notice of a few of the flowers in the second year's bouquet. While she knew that the flower was more of a general farewell - one that usually had connotations of good luck in the receiver's next stage of life - Kurumi knew that it held a heavier meaning in her fellow lioness' mind.

Before things could get too awkward, Kurumi spoke again. "Selina! I made one for you as well," she chirped reaching into her bag once more and pulling out a very Gryffindor looking bouquet.

She then turned her attention back to Simon and noticed the pleasantly surprised shock on his face. Maybe it was due to there being so much pink in the bouquet? Kurumi knew she ought to have gone fore some more masculine tones, but she had found herself drawn to the pink flowers - pink roses were one of her favorite flowers actually. "S-S-Sorry for all the pink, but it really fits the bouquet. Pink roses convey gentle emotions such as admiration, joy and gratitude and these are deep pink roses which convey a deep gratitude and appreciation." She tugged on her hair a bit. She wasn't sure if Simon remembered the first time they had really talked to one another, but it had been in Potions at the beginning of her second term. Actually, it had been Josh who had kind of brought them together - at least Kurumi's flushing cheeks at Josh had been the main cause. After that, Simon had really become like a big brother to her - even squished leeches for her in Potions class. "Thank you for looking out for me these past three years," she said, perhaps sounding a bit more formal than she would have liked, and bowing deeply.

When her head popped back up, Kurumi had a slight shimmer to her violet eyes. "W-W-Walnut helped a little with the flower selection and insisted on the asparagus fern as opposed to any other fern." Had been VERY insistent on it to be honest. Kurumi wasn't sure why the cat had found a new passion in gardening to begin with, but he sure seemed to rub up against the asparagus fern when she mentioned she was making a bouquet for Simon.

Selina was silently thankful when Kurumi broke the silence that was starting to envelope their small corner of the library. Being alone with Simon always made Selina a little uneasy, her previous crush on him also did not help the situation. But with his flowers in hand a blush like the kind she used to get was still etched upon her face. The sound of Kurumi's voice had an awesome power to snap her out of her little trance for a moment and she cleared her voice, "Right, um good."

When Kurumi offered her a bouquet Selina giggled a bit, "Thank you, it's beautiful. And I, um, kind of made you one too. You know, being that your kind of my best friend and all..." Selina said that last bit quite low. She knew that Heather would always be Kurumi's best friend, but Kurumi was Selina's best friend through and through. "So here you go." She handed Kurumi a very colorful and spuratic bouquet that matched their friendship very much in the random and yet cohesive nature. Each flower was perfect for them.

Selina cast her eyes down as she responded to her thanks. She was praying that her blush was going down, she didn't like him anymore. She was a functional human being now. But still she did always like the way he made her feel comfortable. However, she banished all of those thoughts because they were gone now. He was leaving at the end of the year and going off to pursue his life and she would still be here.

Then she looked up when she heard him sigh. He had spotted the Cyclamen and she knew that those flowers had hit him hard. She reached out her hand and put it on his hand. "Hey, goodbye doesn't always have to be forever. It just means that your going on to the next phase of your life and I know you'll be brilliant at it. But the goodbye is valid, because, well, I'm still going to be here."

Lucy was all free for the time; there was nothing that she had to do, except her homework. She walked through the library finding some good place to sit where she could peacefully do some school work that she had to do, moving to the room she saw her friend sitting right n front of her. It wasn't a bad idea to go and greet her lovely friend Helena. Lucy found her really cute.

Walking towards her Lucy stood next to where she was sitting, "Hey, how's you, may i join you?" she asked the girl.

Helena was pretty much concentrated on her doodles, or runes, or whatever they were, that she didn't even notice a figure that was approaching her. But then she heard a voice, that was apparently talking to her. The girl looked up as this girl stood next to her, and then...

"Lucy!" She said cheerfully, but still trying to keep her voice down. They were still in the library, weren't they? "Of course you can."

She quickly turned over her piece of parchment, once Lucy sat down next to her. "I wanted to translate something," she said, holding up her Ancient Runes textbook. "How have you been?" It's been a looong time since they've last seen each other.

A talk. Eww. Nothing good ever came from a talk. She should know, she had given many a talk in her time.

Preparing herself for the worst, but hoping for the best, Lexi plopped down in front of the stained glass window that depicted Godric Gryffindor. Perhaps being able to see her house founder would give her some extra strength and courage.

Who knew.

As Lucy talked to Helena, she smiled, and then sat near to her as she saw Helena letting she sit there."Hope i didn't disturbed you, did i?" she asked giving a smile to the slytherin. Lucy then looked at what Helena was busy doing. "Okay, so you want to translate something" she asked her.

They had met after a long time. "I'm good, just a bit busy with classes." She said.

It was the most difficult climb up the stairs in his whole life, and this was just to the fourth floor. He felt like a man on death row walking that seeming long stretch towards his impending end. And he knew, no pardon call would come for him.

He rounded the corner into the Library, lost for a moment amongst the towering shelves. He didnt come around here much and was both relieved and terrified when he finally saw the light streaming from the stained glass windows.

And there she was, the woman that held his heart.

He crept by her quietly, then sat himself opposite her along the edge of the window. "Hi Lexi..." he greeted her feebly, trying to look into her face and failing, instead staring at the edge where the glass met the frame. "You feeling good today?" he had to ask, even now he still cared for her welfare.

Sighs. He wouldn't even look at her. It must really be bad...

"Hey?" she said... making it sound more of a question than anything else. "I have been better... What is it that you want to talk about, Salander?" She was in no mood to beat around the bush about anything at the moment.

She looked up at the stained glass window and let the little rays of sun fall on her face and sighed heavily.

Right, lets get down to business....

"I've been thinking about us, together...." a smile crosses his features unconsciously, their wonderful memories fleeting in his mind at that moment "... and also apart." and the smile vanishes, his lips pressing against each other in a tense line "We've been through a lot-- a lot of laughter, but also a lot of pain. But I want to be clear-- I want you to understand that I love you very, very much Lexi, but lately its been such a struggle, like I'd do something wrong and it would displease you or you'd do something and it would annoy me. Sometimes I'd do something for you that I thought you'd like and it would feel like it didnt matter to you at all. I know I cant please you all the time and I realize that I shouldnt expect a praise when you dont feel like giving it. I understand that. I know that relationships always needs to be worked on but.... I just... " he sighs deeply, it felt like the air was being squeezed out of his lungs "...I'm just tired Lexi. I'm not tired of you, I'm just tired of struggling. And if I feel this way... I can imagine what it could be like for you too.

"And I know we've talked about this before, I cannot and do not want to control you and what you do when I'm not around. I love you and respect you for being the independent, strong spirit that you are. And being you and what you do sometimes that hurts me. And I can feel that you are annoyed when I feel hurt about it, so I guess it would be best.... that we should just cool off. Get some perspective on things."

She closed her eyes as soon as she heard the word apart... It was all a joke. Wasn't it? It had to be. He was NOT doing this.

...

He was.

Lexi's hands started to shake a little bit, but she opened her eyes, filled with tears, and looked straight at him. "Say it straight. I want to hear you say it... Don't give me this cool off rubbish, Stradivarius. Don't you dare leave me in limbo here. I won't do it... I won't wait around for you to decide if you want me back or not. I refuse." By this point the tears had started to flow freely and glisten a bit in the light from the window behind him.

"I don't know how else I could say I love you other than the three damn words... the things I have changed to please you... and you still don't get it do you? If you don't understand now I reckon you never will," she said with a shaky breathe. "I have not been annoyed with you, Sal. I have been bored... and I am sorry that I didn't stroke your ruddy ego enough or whatever it is that you are saying right now... but you lied to me... you said you would not leave me and here we sit, with you saying these words... these words that make me want to break something."

She couldn't even speak anymore at the moment... she clamped her mouth shut, turned her head to hide the shameful tears and simply waited... She had to hear him say it was over... she had to or else she might wither up and die waiting for it to come.

"Its quite alright...not like I have anything against the color," Simon assured Kurumi with a smile. Not to mention he knew by his own research that sometimes it was hard to find the right flowers for the right meanings and the friendship ones tended to be more pink then anything else. The captain listening to each of her decriptions and nodding to show understanding as he looked over each flower in turn with her words. "And I'm touched by the meanings...you're very welcome."

"Well at least I know from experience he likes me better then Josh," he mused with a chuckle at the mention of the feline helping her. Simon felt safe enough to raise the flowers to his nose for a sniff at the pretty smell.


"Yes I know...and thank you...its just getting harder not to ignore it as it gets closer and closer to the end of term," he admitted with a weak smile. The seventh year taking a deep breath to work and push it to the back of his mind and keep the mood from getting too sad.

"Anyway I should probably tell you what the flowers mean just in case you didn't know," he offered with a somewhat brighter smile, removing the piece of paper from his pocket since anything he had made himself remember had flown out the window. "The chrysanthemums are for you both being such great friends and I felt their rather uniqueness fit as well," he started off. "The pink carnations are for, as Kurumi already said, the fact that I'll Never Forget You....which is the truth. And the white and purple heathers are for admiration and protection," the older lion added finally finishing up as he sat with the two bouquets on his lap.

He closed his eyes as she spat the angry words at him "This is what I mean...." he mumbled slowly, suddenly sounding like a tired old man "... its always just one or the other with you isnt it? Theres no in between, just full stop or pedal to the metal." He winced when she said she was bored with him "Look I did warn you that I couldnt be with you every waking minute, and even then I tried by darndest best to give you all my free time when I can. I hardly ever talk to any of my friends anymore because I want to make time for you. Its always been about you. I prioritized you!" he croaked, one of the many things he does for her that he felt she didnt appreciate. "And I said I will always be there for you-- when you're hurt, or even when you just need someone to talk to, I will be there for you-- whether or not we're a couple, whether or not your with somebody else, whether or not either of us are still living or one of us ended being a ghost or whatever. Thats what I mean Lexi."his face started to crumple, crossing his arms about himself. "And before you think I didnt notice how you changed for me -- I do, I loved that you made the effort-- I told you that, more than once in fact. But honestly, that change wasnt just a benefit to me, it was a benefit to everybody who dealt with you. And you know what? I'm so proud of the fact that you can improve from your own faults, that you made the effort. I wish I could take all the credit but I know I can only do so much-- a lot of that came from yourself."

He pressed his head against the glass staring off at the distant shelves "I didnt know it was a crime that I ask you to be considerate of my feelings in this discussion for once, theres two people in this relationship Lexi, it takes two people to tango, two people to make a duet." he sighed and saw her streaming face. Obviously they are both singing different tunes now. "All I'm asking is a break Lexi, mostly its for your own benefit-- a chance for you to go out and see other people in a way that I dont feel bad about it. A chance for me to maybe look around without feeling guilty or kicking myself in reminder that I shouldnt do something to hurt you, to be a bad boyfriend to you."

"But as you say-- its just one or the other... then I leave that decision to you."he gazed at her, tears flowing as freely as he could feel on his own face. "You know where I stand in this matter, I think I've stated it clearly enough. But if you really want to end this, then I will give you that prerogative."

"YOu have the uncanny ability to make me feel two feet tall, Salander. Did you know that?" she asked as she stood up and walked toward him slowly. "I never ONCE asked you to stop seeing or talking to your friends? I never once said that I was angry with you about that... or damn near anything for that matter, but here YOU sit not taking into account how much I love you, how much I gave up for you... And you basically just sat here and said I was a bad person before I met YOU and that I changed so that others could better deal with me. Well you know what I have to say about that? To hell with what others think of me... to hell with all of it. You want a break? You got one. Permanently." She took a ragged breath and held in the sob... barely.

"I deserve to be treated better than this, Stradivarius Salander... I never once said I wanted to see other people. Where you came up with THAT, I have no idea... whatever planted the seed of doubt in your head in sheer stupidity. I never wanted anyone but you... But forget it now... I hate you for this... I hate you for hurting me so badly... I hate you for making me love you and for making me believe that you would be different. I hate everything about you!" she spat the words with no remorse as she brought her hand back to swing open palmed at his right cheek.

Never make a Gryffindor angry. You should know better! Break a Gryffindor's heart and there is no hole deep enough to hide in.

But thats what happened didnt it? In so many hours out of the day that I'm free-- I chose to spend it with you. Yeah its pathetic if you compare it with anybody else but you dont seem to appreciate the fact that I choose to spend those precious free time with you, no one else! I'm not blaming you for it, I'm simply stating a fact!he was trying so hard to keep himself from yelling, not with them in the library.

He stared back at her in disbelief. It was incredible. It was like she had selective hearing and hurled back at him what hurt her the most just completely out of context "Didnt you hear anything I just said? How many times have I said that I love you, that I appreciated how you've improved? How PROUD I was that it came from you. I have never called you a bad person Lexi, only that your improvement was a benefit to everybody-- why do you take that as something so bad?"He spread his arm out, almost begging wondering where he'd gone wrong "I said it over and over how much I appreciate you, how much I love you. Do you still want that in writing?" He closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, starting to feel the throbing pain in his skull....

.... then she said it. She ended it.

It was like someone took a cold, invisible knife and stabbed him in the chest. Repeatedly, as Lexi kept hurling those words. His eyes finally slid towards her and uttered out in a dead even tone "You said you were bored with me, and like a fool I kept thinking about how it would fix your problem, always with your benefit in mind.... " he muttered bitterly as he looked away "Fine, you say you ought to be treated better, go ahead then, your free now to find someone else that would treat you better because I was such a lousy boyfriend wasnt I? Pretty sure the next "Mr Perfect" is just waiting around the corne--" and she hit him, full on his face.

Tightly gripping the edge of the ledge where he sat, bowing his head and squeezing his eyes shut, the only things that kept him from lashing out and grabbing her violently and breaking her. Finally though clenched teeth and grated breath he uttered "Anything else you want to hit me with? Plenty of chairs here, and I'm already leaning against the window, why dont you just finish the job?"

Because really, he felt dead to the world already anyway.

Lexi brought her stinging hand back and sobbed loudly. "In fact... yes there is something else I want to say. One last little thing to leave you with... I NEVER said I was bored with YOU. I was BORED in general, Salander. Bored of being here, bored of my house...bored with ME. Not you. I haven't got all of these friends to spend time with. I have very few, but I know the ones I have will NEVER betray me or hurt me. I just wanted attention, because wherever you have been lately, I have no idea... I haven't seen you since Valentine's Day and like a fool I thought things were fine. This is out of left field for me. But clearly all I do is make you miserable and I am just a self centered little brat. Well good for you being free of the wretched person I am, eh." She gave him a little round of applause at that. "Hope you enjoy your life much more now. I will be taking my things out of the vault. MY things, not the things you gave to me. I dun want them... I don't want Daisy even. I want nothing that will remind me of you. Nothing. I would remove my own memories of the last year if I could... because I told you the ONLY thing that could hurt me anymore was losing YOU. The one and only thing that mattered to me anymore, but apparently I need to speak another language to make you understand me."

"And I should hit you again for even thinking what you were about to say... about the next Mr. Perfect. I dun want anyone else. I hate men now, thanks for that." Flipping her wrist subtley her wand slid into her hand and she momentarily thought about setting the edge of his robes alight, but that would just give her a moment's satisfaction before she walked off...

"Reckon you know all about throwing chairs around, eh. I reckon breaking furniture is a specialty of yours now innit. Go ahead and have a go... I should have known better than to have trusted you... I should have known better than to have let you into my heart. Shame on me for being such a fool. I never want to see you again, Salander. I will see to it that your things are removed from my home and that all of your belongings are returned to you... Now you may leave. I was here first and I intend to stay put," she said with finality as she stepped back and waited for him to walk off. The closure she needed.

Tearful eyes flicker at hers as she added something else, shaking his head unconsciously "You made it sound like it was my fault-- and I know Lexi, that is one of my faults--I accept that, among a long string of faults, and I try to be aware of all of them Lexi and improve on them, for you." He stood up gingerly, the clogged nose starting to mess with his ears, and his balance "You may have ended this Lexi but i have never betrayed you. NEVER. Why did you think I just asked that we just cool off? Just get some breathing room, get some perspective on things..." why did it feel like he was repeating himself? "I am still here, if you need someone to talk to, you need help with anything-- even if you dont want to see me anymore I want you to know that I will always be here for you even if you hate me."

And more hurt. All the lovely things he gave her-- his expression of love for her-- she was just tossing it right back at his face. "Keep Daisy..." he whispered quietly "... you need an elf that you can trust, a creature that wouldnt even think or be forced to hurt her master. She owes us-- she owes you. I told her that. She will be loyal to you." It felt like it was a futile gesture but he had to insist. Even if she hates him now, he still wanted to make sure that she is left with someone that will always have her best interest at heart.

Her heart. His heart.

He stares back at her, so much hurt in his eyes "You know very well why I throw things around Lexi... you know darn well I will never lay a hand on you, no matter how much hurt you throw at me." And he neared her slowly "You think your the only one whose hurt? I have never let anyone else get this close to me Lexi, never in my heart of hearts, and you know why". He stares at the ground, his Chucks-- her gift-- a dark blur behind his tears. "So thats it then.... "he wanted to say more, but couldnt. He tried to reach out and caress her softness one last time, but he knew she wouldnt have him now. It felt like his heart did fall out of a hole in his chest and there was nothing else that was pumping the blood and the air in his body. He was dead.

He didnt know how he made his way out of the library, but he did, in a tearful daze as he subconsciously made his way back downstairs....

Lexi just shook her head over and over again... she was hurt so badly she couldn't speak. She couldn't muster the courage to say another word. The mascara she had been wearing was running down her face as was snot from her nose... she didn't care. Perhaps she looked as wretched as she felt.

He neared her and she backed up...if he touched her she would crumble. She just knew it. She felt like everything was caving in on her. Her whole world was crumbling. She had ended it, that she knew, but she felt that he was just too scared to say the words. Needed breathing room... getting perspective... to hell with that. That's a coward's way of saying I don't love you anymore. That's how she saw it anyway.

"I guess so..." is the last thing she was able to say as she turned and watched him walk away... out of her life... carrying her heart with him. Immediately she lifted her wand and after a single moment... finding a good memory wasn't hard at this point... she conjured her lynx patronus and sent it in search of Miss Bott with an emergency message...

Then she sat down hard in the floor and brought her knees up to her chest and just wept as she waited for Neptune.

Neptune was already in the vicinity of the library, as Ravenclaws tended to be, so it didn't take her too long to arrive. The messages was.... peculiar... Lexi-in-distress and nonsensical.

She just hoped the library wasn't on fire.

But once she reached the area her Gryffindor pal was sitting, the mangled message instantly made more sense. A REAL distress call.

O___O

Neptune sat her purse down on the table gently, then knelt down with her floor-friend. She didn't ASK what was wrong because she was SURE Lexi would spew it at her anyway - when she was ready. Neptune would just be quiet and there and ready to put out any fires.

For a moment Lexi was hopeful that Salander had walked back in to fight for her... to tell her it was all a joke...

She blinked back some of the tears and her bottom lip began to quiver and she croaked out, "We broke up... for real..." That was all she got out before the racking sobs began and she reached out to cling to Neptune.

Someone needed to hug her and tell her she was going to be alright. SOMEONE BEING NEPTUNE.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinky

For a moment Lexi was hopeful that Salander had walked back in to fight for her... to tell her it was all a joke...

She blinked back some of the tears and her bottom lip began to quiver and she croaked out, "We broke up... for real..." That was all she got out before the racking sobs began and she reached out to cling to Neptune.

Someone needed to hug her and tell her she was going to be alright. SOMEONE BEING NEPTUNE.

Neptune fell in for the clinging and hugging, but ....whaaaa...? "Wh-why? What happened?" She folded her knees under herself and squished in next to Lexi. It was probably just a bad, bad fight. Neptune was certain.

Otherwise, her mind was going to be BLOWN.

She made the little shhhh...shhhhhh.... soothing noises, like her mother sometimes did when she was little and upset. It hadn't ever really worked on Neptune, but it seemed like the thing to do.