Cass walked into the great hall and looked around blearily. It was too early for anything...well, actually she just slept late, but still. Sleep sounds so tempting at the moment...and she would have slept in too if Allie hadn't started jumping on her bed - effectively waking her up.

"I still don't get how you got from the basket to the bed though." Cass told her metal egg as she carried it to the great hall to get breakfast before classes began.

She took a seat on the Slytherin table, setting her bag beside her while she placed the egg in front of her plate as she reached for a piece of toast and jar of strawberry jam. Then, she spread the jam over her toast and was about to take a bite, her egg had started shaking violently.

"What is going on?" The blonde said as she dropped her toast on the plate and reached for her silver egg, only to release it mere seconds later as it burned her skin. "Aliie!" She cried out in panic as she fumbled around for her wand, finally pulling it out of her sleeve as she hurriedly swished and tapped while casting "Argentum Frigidus" , cooling it down instantly.

Cass rolled her eyes as she sighed in relief, setting the egg back down on the table and replacing her wand back into her sleeve. "Alright. You don't like toast." The blonde said with a frown as she pushed aside her uneaten toast and reached for a bowl of oatmeal instead while glaring at her egg, muttering "You don't even eat, I don't get why you hate toast." as she scooped a spoonful of oatmeal into her mouth, still thinking about her toast....

She really wanted to eat that.

Kennedy made his way to the all to familiar table decorated in green and silver. He sat down and places his bag next to him. Thinking about all the homework he had made him sleepy. Right about now he wished he was in a sea of warm covers in his bed.

But, nooo.

He had to do his homework.

Right.

Fee felt a feeling of happiness flood over her as she approached the Slytherin table.She hadnt been here for ages and it felt really good to be able to go out and have some fun again.The only thing missing were her friends,it seemed that the girl had missed out on a lot during her illness.What was really a pitty. Hopefully the fourth year would find some of her lovelies here.She couldnt wait to hang out again.

Looking around the blonde sighed a little as she noticed no familiar face.Shaking up her hair a bit she set her face on a boy with brown hair,who was sat not to far away from her.Waiiit a second,he did look kinda familiar.Hehe.Finally someone she could talk to. Grinning from ear to ear Fee tipped her friend on the shoulder as she approached before plopping down on the free seat next to him."Well hello there",she winked.

Really, who was bothering him, now?

OMYGOOOSSSH!

It's FEE!

Kennedy's eyes widened. Feenella was here, after he thought she had left Hogwarts. "Fee!" he said, smiling broadly. He had so many questions for her, but he contained them. He gave her a brief hug, a smile still plastered on his face. They had so much to talk about, but first he would allow her to speak. "How are you?" he asked.

“So...do you play Quidditch?”

Surprisingly, this was Braeden's first time at the Slytherin table. Despite the fact that his girlfriend was part of this House, he'd never really been here before. Huh.

Slowing his pace as he entered the Great Hall, the clumsy Lion boy made his way over to the Slytherin table, trying not to make any eye contact with the others already there. He knew the 'Slytherin Stereotype' wasn't one to take seriously, he'd met plenty of amiable Slytherins, however he couldn't help but feel a little out of his element here, amongst so many green-and-silver striped ties.

After finding an empty spot, Brae gently released the girl on his back, letting her go once her feet had met the floor. He looked around for a moment for any signs of Emma, before flashing Caroline a smile and plopping down on the bench.

Mmmmmmm, and now for some warm butterbeer.

Angelina smiled and said, "No not that much. I tried out for the Quidditch team, but other then that I would only play with my family somewhat during the summer. Do you play?"

Caroline felt pretty much like a princess on her white steed as Braeden carried her into the great hall. Yeah, she wasn't much of a playing princess girl she was already one, well according to her dad

As they entered the great hall and headed over to the Slytherin table, Braeden stopped to let her down. She hopped down and walked over to the bench returning Brae's smile. Then she plopped down beside him. It was a strange feeling it felt like they were being all sneaky and stuff.

She poured them both a glass of the warm butterbeer. She smiled and slid his glass over to him. Holding her glass up to made a toast. "To the goofy little gryffindor." she giggled and smiled brightly.

Ahhhhh! The warm butterbeer felt good as it went down. She was already starting to get warmed back up. Mmmmm now all she neded was a big slice of the pumpkin pie that was in front of her.

Braeden beamed as Caroline did the kindest thing you could ever do for a guy who'd just carried a girl through the snow - pour him some butterbeer. Oh, yeah. Mmmmmmmmm!

In a flash, the Gryffindork took the goblet filled with butterbeer that Caroline had slid in his direction, and gulped down a good half of it in less than 2.3 seconds. But then Caroline was making a toast, and Brae realized he'd been a little too hasty. Oops. With an embarrassed smile, the lion boy pulled down the goblet from his lips and joined Caroline on her toast, a butterbeer mustache now adorning his upper lip.

"And to her highness, the Slytherin royalty," the boy added with a dorky chuckle before chugging down the rest of the butterbeer. Man, he'd needed that. He could feel his insides beginning to warm up as the warm liquid traveled through.

"So," started Brae suddenly as he poured himself and Caroline some more butterbeer, "Are you ready to graduate?" he asked the girl, an eyebrow raising. He was curious... was he the only one completely freaked out about graduating? Not because of the exams or all the requirements, but... because it meant saying good-bye to the last seven years he'd spent at the castle. Was he the only one who wasn't looking forward to getting out of there forever?

"Not for the school. I missed the tryouts but i play with my brother and sister all the time at home."

Caroline turned to make the toast, and Braeden was gulping down his drink and had half way drunk it all. She giggled, silly Brae. He was such a boy when it came to food. Or maybe that was just all gryffindor boys thinking with their stomaches and not with their head. Yeah, that sound about right.

With a smirk after what Braeden had added. She couldn't help to grin at his slight embarrassment, he was just so cute no matter what he did. But the butterbeer mustache that was now on his lip was totally aborable. She caught herself staring and quickly turned away to the pumpkin pie and cut a huge slice.

She blinked a few times at his question, "Yes, and .... no. I've gotten a job offer." So it was like all she had to do was graduate, and then she'd be all grown up. She sighed. "What about you. are you ready?"

"A job offer?" Braeden repeated, brown eyes wide and bushy eyebrows high by his hairline. "That's great, Caroline!" he congratulated the girl, one of his trademark lopsided grins adorning his face. Wow. Looks like the girl was all set, all she had left to do really was just graduate. Things were changing so quickly, it wouldn't be long until the two of them were full-grown adults, functioning parts of the wizarding community.

As the blonde asked if he was ready, Braeden shrugged.

"I'm ready to take my exams and get my diploma, but… I don't think I'm ready to leave this castle for good." He chuckled a bit, a slight hint of sadness in his voice. "It's been seven years, y'know… it's going to be hard to get used to something different," he explained.

Caroline smiled, but the mean she needed to do a lot of studying she had a lot of it ahead of her. "Yeah, thanks. A quidditch team wants me to be their new healer." Now all she needed was the NEWTs scores that had to be met, to become a healer, which shouldnt be that terrible, all of them but herbology of course she sucked at it.

Caroline nodded, "That's exactly like me." She told him.

She sigh. What kind of life would there be after Hogwarts? No more hanging out because everyone will be doing there own thing? What if she never sees any of her friends again? Things left unsaid. Now she knew that she had to do this she had planned on saying in after the match two years ago. And then Carter came along, and charged everything. But now she'd been spending time with Braeden and those old feelings stuck up on her.

She knows that Brae loves Emma, and a part of her still loves Carter, but she needed to know and get her feeling out in the open, because maybe deep down inside she always had a thing for him too. It was just that she met Carter and he made her feel the same way, too. "Braeden I need to tell you something."

She bit her lip. She just needed to know.

Braeden gave Caroline a small smile as the girl confessed that she felt the same way he did. Well, at least he wasn't alone in feeling completely unenthusiastic about leaving the castle for good.

As a silence settled between the Gryffindork and his Slytherin friend, Brae poured himself another goblet-full of butterbeer. He was distracted in thoughts of life after Hogwarts, and didn't notice that the girl beside him had grown rather thoughtful as well. He only snapped out of it when she finally spoke, announcing that she needed to tell him something.

With eyebrows raised, the dorky boy turned his attention back to Caroline. Oh?

"What is it, Caro?"

Caroline sighed and rubbed her her face with both of her hands. She was a bit nervous. She turned her whole body around to face him. She took his hand that was closest to her and placed in hers. "Braeden, I like you, like like you, since I've met you, but after I met Carter it when away but now spending time with you again makes me wonder if it ever went away at all."

She looked right at him hoping he understood what she was trying to say. She wanted to say more but she wanted to make sure he was following her and understanding her fully.

Braeden was a bit worried. He had no idea what to expect, and usually 'I need to tell you something' is almost as bad as 'we need to talk'. But what could Caroline possibly have to tell him that would be so awful…? Did she think his breath smelled? Did she not like his hair? What was it?!
Of course, Braeden would be worried it would be something absurd like that.

He did not expect what came next, though.
Just a few seconds after the girl first spoke, she had taken his right hand in hers. At this, Braeden's expression turned puzzled. Uh… what?! He said nothing, though, listening as Caroline began to speak again.

And then she confessed she liked him.
And no, not as a friend. She liked him liked him.
The Gryffindork's brown eyes widened to the size of saucers before his jaw dropped to the table.

… WHAT?!
Wha--wha--wha--wha--wha… WHAT?!
Caroline liked… HIM?! Not only that, but apparently she'd liked the goofball since she'd met him. Meaning… she'd liked him since about three years ago?

Holy cow.
Braeden stared at the girl disbelievingly - what was going on?! First Ruby, now Caroline… this was… bizarre. And why was it that girls only said these things after he was already taken!? Just his luck.

"Wow…" the boy muttered in amazement, his eyebrows still high on his forehead. "I… Wow. Heh… I-- I mean-- really?" He simply couldn't believe it! Caroline? Caroline?! She liked him?! It had been clear as day all along, but of course Braeden Stonem would be too blind and dull to realize it. Heck, he hadn't even known that Emma had liked him until the girl herself had to say it aloud and spell it out for him. "Caroline, I… I had no idea," the boy muttered. He really didn't. Thoughtful, Braeden went quiet for a moment before asking, "Are you sure this… doesn't have anything to do with your last relationship ending? I mean… are you sure I'm not just… a rebound, or something?" he asked.

"Oh thats sad you missed the tryouts," said Angelina.

Caroline turned her head away after she made her confession. He was going to hate her for messing up his relationship with Emma. And Emma was going to hate her for the same thing. Just adding the one that she likes to the list of ones that she don't like now and don't like her. She nodded. "I'm sorry, so sorry I don't want to mess up what you have with Emma." She paused and looked up at him, [b]"I just needed to get it off my chest

She just sat there looking down at the floor. Braeden could never be a rebound. She cared about him so much. Was what she had with Carter always going to mess up her other relationships with the ones who know about him? "Yes, I'm sure I want to be with you. No, never. How I feel for you isn't a rebound. I will never forget Carter. Its time for me to move on. And Yes, you make me so happy when I'm with you. I just want to see where it could go."

Attentively, Braeden listened as Caroline quickly began to apologize, mentioning that she didn't want to ruin things between the Gryffindork and her cousin. The boy gave her a small sympathetic smile. What Caroline had just done… it took guts. And he couldn't possibly get upset with her for sharing her feelings. "Don't worry about it," he muttered, giving her hand a squeeze.

But the girl wasn't done. There was more, and as Brae continued to listen, his dark eyebrows raised higher and higher.
She wanted to be with him? And to see where it could go?!
Eyes widened, Braeden's jaw dropped again.
Wha--wha--what-- Was Caroline asking him to… get in a relationship with her, or something? That would've been an appropriate question if it wasn't for the fact that he was dating her cousin!

Still.
Staring at the blonde sitting beside him, Braeden remembered the first time he'd met her. The snowball fights, the talks by the fountain, the visits to the Hospital Wing, the snack times at the kitchen and the movies in the room of requirement… He remembered she'd even trusted him enough to tell him some very personal family issues. Now that he looked back on it, he and Caroline had quite a history. They hadn't just been two people who said hi to each other in class, they'd had great times together and… Oh God, I'm an idiot!

It wasn't until THAT moment, after looking back on everything, that Braeden realized - Caroline had really liked me all along! During those lunch dates, during the movie dates, during the piggyback rides and everything else - she had liked him all along.
And it had taken Braeden two years to realize it.

"I… I can't believe it," the boy muttered incredulously. "All this time-- I'm an idiot! I can't believe I never…" And the award for most oblivious Hogwarts lion goes to… "Caroline, I'm so sorry," he continued, beginning to feel horrendous at that moment. All this time, it was like… it was like he'd been leading the girl on or something. And then he went and started dating her cousin! And another girl before that! How many girlfriends did Caroline see him go through, when she had been the first one of all girls to like him? Oh sheesh, Stonem.

"I'm so sorry," he muttered again. "I feel awful… I had no idea, I thought... Well, I don't know what I thought. It never occurred to me that you could like me of all people." He chuckled softly. "I mean... look at you, Caroline. You're pretty, you're smart... one of the kindest people I've ever met." And him? Well, he was just a big dork with clumsy feet and big hair.

Fee giggled a bit as she heard the excitment int Kenny's voice.Awww,he was such a cutie pie.Hugging him back she rested her chin on her hand as they let go.Studying her friends face the blonde couldnt help but notice how happy he seemed.Maybe Kennedy was finally getting used to magic and Hogwarts.

"I am fine",the fourth year smiled happily,"its good to see you."If felt as if the girl hadnt seen him for ages. And that certainly wasnt a nice feeling."How are you doing?",the Slytherin wiggled her eyebrows,"how is Hogwarts treating you?"The blonde was more than sure that he had made awesome friends already.

The thing was she was worried about it. That's all she needed was another mess. It wasn't like she was going to make him break up with Emma to be with her. It was just her feelings and she needed to get them out in the open. He did at least have the right to know how she felt about him, espeically it being in more than a friendly way. She nodded though.

She watched as his face had a shocked look. Boys could be so clueless some times. So cluesless. Caroline continued to look down at the floor untill Braeden spoke again, "You're not the idiot. I am I should have told you sooner." She looked up at him, there were so so many times that she could have told him. She had never told him, so it was kind of hard for for him to tell weather she did or not.

She shallowed hard when he had said one of the sweetest things she had ever heard a guy say. Well in her at least. She leaned in and smiled. "Well I do!" She leaned in more and gave him a kiss.

O__o

Yeah that may or may not have been the best time to do that. She pulled away. She wanted to get up and run but something told her to stay. She stayed she was done running way from the things that scared her, she was a Slytherin for Merlins sake, cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends. And running from love had always gotten her no where.

Braeden could only shake his head in disagreement as Caroline contradicted him, trying to blame his obliviousness on herself. She was silly. None of this was her fault.

Her last words did leave him wondering, though. "I should have told you sooner."
What would have happened then? What would things be like if she had really told him sooner? Would they have… dated? And then he would've never met Charlie, or dated Emma… Huh.
Thoughtfully, the lion boy's bushy eyebrows furrowed.

And then, next thing the gryffindork knew, Caroline was kissing him.
O______________O
Caroline. Kissing. HIM.
OHMYGOSH.

Poor Braeden was completely startled - GAH! Had that really happened?! Or had he imagined it? His first reaction was to look around for any signs of Emma - surely the whole scenario from the feast last term wasn't about to repeat itself, was it?!

Cheeks pink now, Brae cleared his throat awkwardly and looked down at the floor for a moment. His ears had gone bright red now. Caroline had just kissed him. He looked back up at the girl and was surprised to find she was still sitting there, as if daring him to say something. But what could he possibly say?! Nice kiss, love.

"Uh… I--I--Wha'… that…" He cleared his throat once more, just to buy himself a couple extra seconds. "That was… unexpected." He chuckled a bit in embarrassment, brown eyes now fixed on his empty goblet. Absentmindedly, the boy rotated the goblet around in his hands, thinking about what had just happened - what Caroline had just said, the kiss they'd just shared. This was all so... well, confusing. But Brae couldn't keep leading her on. He was completely willing to be her friend, to be there for her always, to hear her out when she needed to vent. He'd do anything for the girl. She was his first real friend at the school, and even though they grew apart during the past couple terms, she'd always held a very special place in his heart. It sounded corny, but it was true. He could never forget Caroline or the friend she'd been to him, the smiles and laughs she was responsible for, the many many good times.

But he had to be honest.
"Caroline, I... despite the fact that your cousin hates me right now..." he started slowly, choosing his words carefully, "I still love her."

Faina pulled Nate down to sit next her on the bench. She knew Nate probably didn't want to be around more Ravenclaws, probably more angry Ravenclaws. And he could probably use some food in his stomach after that... traumatizing event. She loaded up a plate of food for him and plopped it down on the table in front of him. "Eat." Faina said forcefully, scooping some food onto her own plate.

Ronnie was eating at the Gryffindor table when she noticed a familiar face eating at the Slytherin table.

She walked up to her and smiled. "Hello, Malfoy!" she said.

Nate flopped down next to Fai and watched her dish out a lot of food ontio his plate. At her command to eat, he said, "Thanks," and began slowly. He was famished, but felt a little sick from the drama.