He shook his head, "Not well..." He wasn't going to lie to her, "Seems the only two people I've ever cared for at this school can't stand me now." He sighed remembering the way Taylor had scolded him, and now seemed to be avoiding him... and the other one was now sitting right in front of him. His ex-girlfriend that he felt horrible for hurting still. He hadn't talked to her since that day.

Minerva couldn't help but smile in her head at those words. She knew it was mean, but at least he wasn't getting off to easy. "I'm sorry you are not doing well." Minerva wasn't even sure if he was speaking about her or not. She wasn't sure how his feelings truly were for her. "Well if your talking about me, it's not that I can't stand you. I was just upset, I'm getting over it. Like I said to you, I just needed time that's all. It hurt, I really like you Damon and wanted to be with you." She knew she didn't say liked, but rather like, as much as she wanted to deny it looking into those eyes she knew she still liked him. There was no way around how she felt about him. She played with her brown hair in a nervous way. "Why would Taylor hate you, I figured by now you two would be together since she dumped Maxwell." she probably said that a bit harsher then she should have, but at that moment she didn't seem to mind. "Nice look by the way, what made you change, Taylor like it better?" Yeah she was still upset it was becoming more and more obvious with her words. She needed to control herself and stop being mean.

He looked at her, rather surprised by her words, "I'm sorry what? You think that's the reason I..." He shook his head, "Taylor and I aren't dating, far from it, both of us feel awful about what we've done, and are no where near dating. I'm lucky to even get a hello anymore from her, and as much as I hate to say it, it's the same vice-versa." He sighed ruffling his hair, "And I had to get away from being Ash for a little while." He sighed.

Minerva sighed she knew she was being to harsh, but it had only been a week, she was still allowed to be upset, right? She knew they hadn't been together long, but that didn't change her feelings for him. She looked at him and could tell he was uncomfortable standing there. This upset her even more knowing this is how it was going to be, but it didn't have to be like this now did it. She knew if she was going to have him in her life she would just have to suck it up and be done with it. She leaned back on the couch and put her hands on her face trying to get her nerves to go away. She finally looked at him "Damon I'm sorry, I didn't mean to question you like that. It's your own business if you were dating her and honestly I would be happy for you if you were, that is what you wanted all along. Why is she avoiding you?" Minerva couldn't believe she was going to listen to his Taylor problems once more, but that's what friends did.. She patted the chair next to her for him to come and sit moving the book she had thrown across the room thinking of the songs and placed it back in her bag.

He shook his head, "Even if I knew I don't think I could tell you..." He sighed. "I've been such a fool... I had everything. A dear friend, a happy family..." He paused hesitating before saying the rest, "An amazing girlfriend." He looked at her, taking the seat next to her, "And why do I give it up? Because I stopped trying to make myself do what I wanted so badly to do. To forget Taylor, and love you... and I couldn't make it happen." He blinked away his tears away, he wasn't going to start crying now.

Minerva listened as he talked and frowned when he said he didn't know why Taylor was avoiding him. She felt like she might know the reason, but wasn't going to say anything. She reached up and put her arm around him, darn it she thought, she couldn't stay mad. "Damon your not a fool. You should not be making everyone else happy, you need to do what makes you happy and I was not doing that. Don't think for a minute that you were better being miserable and everyone else happy." She couldn't help but blush a bit when he called her amazing. "Don't say that, I wasn't amazing, far from it actually." She looked into his eyes, no don't look there it will make your thoughts and strength go.

Damon looked at her and shook her head, "I was happier then... Now look, I've lost you and Taylor... Maxwell and Arianna are out to get me, and I've found out the agonizing truth about my mother, which is very painful to have a true memory being placed where it should be." Almost on cue his head started pounding. He put a hand to it flinching from the pain, "And... it last for about five minutes..." Damon managed to get out between painful gasps. He kept his head down and his eyes closed.

Minerva pulled him into a hug pushing his head onto her shoulder. She rocked a bit rubbing his back like she was comforting an infant. "Damon you haven't lost me. We are still friends and I am here for you just like always. You still have my mirror and can use it whenever you need. I'm not sure why Arianna would be after you, but I will handle Maxwell him and I have been hanging a lot lately. It's been helping both of us I think." She wasn't surprised about Maxwell, but Arianna she had only met the girl twice and didn't know much about her. Last she knew she wasn't even talking to Maxwell. She still hugged him trying to comfort him the best she could. Weird how she was comforting him.. "Damon I was not kidding that night when I said I am not afraid of anything that is going on in your life. I am here for you to help you through this mother thing. Let me help you some how." She hoped the pain would go away soon for him, she hated seeing him like this.

Damon flinched, not from her but once again, that stabbing pain in his head. This one was with a Sage... Their trip to Egypt. The 'mummy' was an angry boss, the beetles his so called goons... As it finally passed he shook, feeling numb as he always did, "Why is this happening?" He sighed, not pulling away from Minnie, "I know I can always count on you Min... I just don't want it to be for the wrong reasons. You don't have to help me if you don't want to." He shook his head, "I've been many things... I won't let myself be a burden for you."

Minerva quickly moved her hair that had been being pulled by his head, she didn't want him to know it was though. She frowned at his words, "Damon, your not a burden. I still care deeply for you and I am your friend, so I want to help in anyway that I can. It is a lot to take in your entire life a lie and memory after memory is coming back. It would be enough to make anyone crazy, but then on top of that you have social drama going on. It's no wonder your head is hurting so bad. Please don't think you are a burden, Damon I want to help, let me help. I'm sorry I have been avoiding you, but I just.. needed the time, but I'm okay now. " She knew part of that was a lie, but he didn't need to know that she was not completely fine yet. She still felt her heart skip to see him and she knew that was wrong. She knew she wasn't over them yet, but she would push it aside to help him.

He looked at her, and sighed. He hated showing when he was weak, "I just..." He was trying to find the words but couldn't, "I wish I knew a song to help to explain this..." He sighed again.

Minerva watched as he struggled for his words. "Damon just breath. It's okay if you don't want to or can't tell me what your trying to. But I'm not going to judge you for your thoughts and feelings so if you want to say something you don't need a song, you can just tell me." She thought about the times he did sing to her and felt herself frown. She was so amazed by the songs and by his voice, but that was over now and it was a different time for them. She looked back up and forced the frown away waiting to see if he could tell her what was on his mind or not.

"They say folks is trying to get here... Me? I'm trying to get away..." He sighed, they were lyrics to a song he heard once. He couldn't remember the name though, "People try to get here where I am. And not just Hogwarts... but a large house, a great father, a loving family, a few close friends... Everyone says these are the things that are supposed to make somebody happy... Well, if that's the case, why am I so miserable?"

Minerva sat listening to Damon try to explain himself. He was confusing her a bit, but then she thought maybe she understood. "Damon, I don't really know to be completely honest. You have had many changes recently with family, you are learning the truths about that and you might still hold a bit of a grudge with your dad remarrying so quickly. Your in love with a girl that can't decide if she wants you or not. So all those things come together which make you feel miserable"she wasn't sure if she was making sense or helping at all. This was harder then she thought trying to help him. Knowing the big reason for his pain was the girl part. It had put a void between her and Taylor as well, whether he knew that or not was a question she wasn't going to ask.

Damon sighed, he knew he wasn't making his sense. He looked at her then down... Try again. He sighed making his guitar appear. He started playing. He fought back tears as he played.

Minerva was a bit surprised when the guitar appeared, but not really that surprised at the same time. She felt her heart race a bit knowing how she liked to hear him sing and now he was going to, but it was about being upset and lost. How could she help him, she didn't know what to do. She wanted to just wrap him up in her arms hugging him and comforting him, but new better of it. It was not what he wanted anymore she might have went to far doing it earlier. She put her hand on his arm when he had finished with the song, she felt so much emotion at that moment, but her anger was no where to be found anymore. "Damon, everything will turn out alright. You just have to give it time." She looked up at him giving him a weak smile. "With your family, I really think you need to send Sage an owl explaining your self to him. He will understand, he loves you and just wanted to protect you. The same with Puck you need to talk with both of them and work through this. If the money doesn't work then you are going to need your family and they will need you just as much." she looked at him with a very intent look "My offer is still there as well, Leelee and Edward could be a great help if needed and after two summers ago, they owe me big."

She had to look away from his green eyes before she did something dumb that would not only ruin the small friendship they had back, but embarrass her as well. "As for Taylor, like I said before if my guesses are right and I think they are. Give her time, she is confused and upset. Alot has changed in the month we have been here. She found out her best friend was in love with her, denied her own feelings, and now I'm certain she isn't able to deny them anymore, hence why she ended things with Maxwell, but she is still fighting them and confused. Give it time and things will work out whether just friends or not I can't say, but it will be one or the other." Now for the hardest part for her to explain she took a deep breath and looked back into those eyes "As for me, yeah I was upset, you knew that as hard as I tried to hold back the tears I couldn't. Damon I like you a lot, and I did want this to work out between us, but deep down I always knew where your heart was, but you have not completely lost me. I'm here if you need me, I'm still your friend and will help you anyway I can. I want nothing more then to see all my friends happy and that means you." There she hoped she explained all of that in a way it could help a little. She sighed and took a few deep breaths just making sure her emotions and feelings stayed in check.

He listened as she spoke. He sighed, at least he'd gotten what he trying to say across. Making the guitar disappear he sighed, giving her a hug, "I'm sorry for everything Minerva..." He shook his head not really sure what else he could really say except that she was hopefully right and everything would work out in the long run. He was just tired of it all. He wanted things to go back to how they were, when nobody worried about him because he was always happy, never negative. Now some of his true side had come out and it didn't want to disappear again unfortunately.

Minerva hugged Damon back a little tighter then she probably should have. "Stop saying your sorry, it's okay, I'm getting over it. I can't talk for anything else, just give hopeful advice, but I can tell you this we will be fine it will work out. We are friends and there is not changing that. As long as that's okay with you." she pulled from the hug and smiled at him taking his face in her hand "Damon, your a great guy and you need to learn that. You have so much going for you." she sighed and let go of his face knowing she was pushing it. "You can always come to me to talk. You have my other mirror still, right? Just use it when you need no matter the time."

"Of course I do." Damon nodded looking at her. He sighed, "You're right... I just..." And he was back to not being able to explain it.

Minerva sighed and leaned back in the chair, "It's okay you don't have to explain anything. Just if you need me I'm here, that's all that is needed to be known." She looked at him and smiled so he knew she was serious. She did want to be his friend, if nothing else could happen she would be his friend. They were great friends over the summer and she wanted to at least have that back if possible. She thought about everything that had happened in such a short time between all of them and wondered how things could change so much that quick.

Damon sighed, his newest letter for home needed to be sent... But after this, it would need revisions. He stood up, "I need to do something... I'll see you around?" He didn't really mean for it to come out as a question, but he still looked at her hoping she'd say yes.

Minerva looked at him as he got up. She didn't say something wrong did she.. She wondered if it was just to awkward for him, maybe it was to soon to talk. She wasn't sure then he asked her a question. "Sure Damon.. I will see you around. Maybe we can hang out sometime." She gave him a smile, but wasn't sure if they would get to hangout. Would it be to awkward to hangout this soon. She gave one last look into those green eyes and then turned her head retrieving the forgotten book off the table. "Have a great day Damon, please try to see some good in today."

"I've got to revise a letter that's being sent home later today," He took the first copy out, "I want to make sure I let Puck know I'm probably coming home this weekend, forgot to add that in there." He gave her a reassuring smile, "And you've already helped me see some good for today." He gave a kind nod before turning back up into the boys dormitory.

Minerva came into the common room and found her usual seat. She wasn't in the mood to study so she just sat and looked around placing her bag next to her on the floor. She knew what she wanted to do, but she was terrified to do it. Wondering where Laura had been lately, she knew if she told her, then Laura might do it and she could maybe just watch or something. Either way it would still be pretty fun and it wouldn't hurt anyone, so was there any real harm in it...

Laura walked into the common room smiling, she hadn't been told off by a Professor for the wall, saying that she hadn't actually seen a Professor go near the Kitchen Level Corridor maybe she would have to think of something else to do, she was getting a bit bored at the minute. "Minerva." Laura smiled as she ran over to her. "What you doing?"