p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Rule number one: Grace Waterrose does emnot/em do girls night. Ever. Period. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Of course, Amanda decided that she was just going to walk right through those rules and plan the biggest party of the century, stamping both of our names on the invitation, despite the fact that I had been away from Hogwarts, so I obviously couldn't have had any part in its planning. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"But here I was, decorating the Joint Common Room with Amanda, who was deciding between two shades of pink to be the theme. When I told her that they were identical in color, she huffed off and went to bother Tommy, who was nodding his head at whatever she was saying. I couldn't exactly tell what was happening with them, but I got the feeling that Amanda and Tommy were having a bit of trouble. I guess that's what girls night is for, though. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Hugo came over to me, a pink streamer wrapped around his shoulders like a scarf. When I came back to Hogwarts today, Hugo was waiting for me with his arms outstretched. I nearly cried when I collapsed into his arms, and I couldn't control my eyes. I knew that they were a startling green color, but I was so grateful to be surrounded by magic again... and having Hugo's arms around me wasn't the worst way to be welcomed back./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Your hair," Hugo had said softly, twisting his fingers through it. My eyes were flickering between dark purple with nerves and yellow-green with apprehension. My guard was already down, and when Hugo had noticed the shifting colors of my eyes, he grinned. "I missed you." /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I missed you too," I had whispered. Which was right about the time that Lorcan and Tommy had tackled me and Amanda had started bombarding me with information about our girls sleepover party thing. Honestly, I was so overwhelmed, I was surprised my friends didn't notice my eyes. But they didn't, and thank Merlin for that. I had gotten too attached to them; if they left me now, I don't know what I would do. But then again, maybe they would take it like Hugo did: without any issues and only a few questions./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I was thinking about the consequence of revealing my secret when Hugo wrapped a silver streamer around my face. "Damn, you look emgood/em, Grace. I think you look better with your face covered."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Ha ha," I said, pulling the streamers off of my face. "Although, it would make it easier to hide my eyes." /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Why do you need to hide your eyes? You never really told me the story. Especially since you're not friends with Genie anymore. And I doubt Tommy, Lorcan, or Amanda would care. I mean, I didn't."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I rubbed my eyes. "You don't get it. You don't have to hide who you are because you're so scared that someone is going to find out and you'll be completely isolated from everyone. I don't even know emwhy/em I'm like this. And even if Lorcan, Tommy, and Amanda don't care, other people do. I mean, Genie did." emMy mommy warned me about your kind! You monster!/em Genie's words constantly echoed in my thoughts. A hand grasped mine and squeezed lightly. I didn't look up, but shifted my gaze to Hugo's hand covering mine. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Guys, you're supposed to help! If you're not going to help, LEAVE!" Amanda's voice caused me to jerk my hand out of Hugo's. I looked around the Joint Common Room and at the decorations that Amanda had started putting up. Everything that Amanda herself had put up was perfectly pristine - she had set up a snack area and the walls and ceiling were carefully decorated in varying shades of pink and silver. Lorcan, on the other hand, had more decorations covering himself than the walls, and Tommy was sitting on the couch and watching Amanda. And Hugo was just talking to me, and neither of us had been of much help, so I could understand her frustration. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I was hoping that some hot girls would show up and I could show them all how much of a gentleman I was," Lorcan said, flexing his muscles mockingly. "Where is everyone anyway?" he asked, dropping the act. "I really was here to see cute girls in their PJs."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""If you ever want to date Lily," I said, glaring at Lorcan, "you might want to stop being such a jackass about girls. And in general."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Who said I wanted to date Lily?" Lorcan asked, running a hand through his hair./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Hugo snorted. "Dude, the entire world knows you're into Lily. Not that I'm advocating for you to get with my cousin," he hastened to add. "Actually, forget this entire conversation." /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Hello?" Amanda waved her hand in front of my face. "I know that you just got back and everything, but do you think you could at least pretend to care?"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Woah, chill," I exclaimed, my eyes wide with alarm. Amanda was usually really sweet, and this whole if-you-don't-do-what-I-say-I-will-kill-you attitude didn't really seem like her style, which meant she must've been really stressed. "It's not a big deal, we still have hours before everyone's supposed to come."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""But this is an experimental trial!" she screeched, latching onto my wrists, gripping them until my fingers lost circulation. "Nobody has ever rented out the Joint Common Room before; I had to clear this whole thing with Headmistress Clearwater and get permission for all the girls in the school to stay out past curfew and ensure that no boys would be able to come in. I even had to find supervision, which meant convincing all the prefects and the Head Girl to come and send reports to each Head of House! It took a lot of work to get this sleepover to happen, and none of you are taking this seriously!"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Tommy hesitantly reached out to touch her shoulder, but she brushed him off. "Hey," he said softly. "It's going to be amazing."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Why, though?" Lorcan asked. I doubted that he worked that hard for anything, especially not something as stupid as a school wide sleepover... but it wasn't stupid to Amanda, for whatever reason./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"For a moment, I thought that she would just tell Lorcan to piss off, but she sighed, and answered, "It's been a divisive year for a lot of the girls, and I know none of you have noticed, but there are a lot more girls walking single-file than in groups, and none of the Houses are intermingling. Ever since your sister and her friends graduated-" she nodded her head at Hugo, "-students have been more reluctant to form inter-house friend groups. I don't know, I just wanted to fix it."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""That's really nice of you, Mandy," I said. "We'll help."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"And even the boys got to work./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard; text-align: center;"***/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I was in the corner with Tabitha watching the festivities. As much as Hugo and Lorcan teased us about braiding each other's hair, there was an entire section of the floor completely devoted to makeovers, with hair being a large part of it. I watched as Amanda ushered a First Year Ravenclaw to the area of floor in front of her and start braiding her hair. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Plushy sleeping bags were laid out on every square inch of the floor, except for a section in the middle of the room that was the designated dance floor and along the sides, where the snacks had been set out. The entire room was cast in an orangey-pink glow, so it could either be a dance party or a warm sunset for those who wanted to go to sleep early. There were girls from all different Houses and of all different ages; I was honestly surprised at how many girls showed up: It seemed that at least half the girls in the school were all squished into the magically expanding Joint Common Room./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I had tried to enjoy the party, briefly joining in with the girls who were telling ghost stories around the mock-fireplace, but when a girl I didn't know tried to dye my hair, I decided to sneak away to the edge of the room, where I met Tabitha. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Not one for sleepovers?" I asked, sitting cross-legged beneath the table with her. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun and she was wearing ratty pajamas, just a blue cotton sweatshirt over baggy sweatpants. Needless to say, I was impressed and surprised at her attire; I figured that she would try to keep up her image at a sleepover with the entire school, but she wasn't wearing an ounce of makeup, even though she could totally be running the makeover booth and make all the younger students worship her./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I'm here, aren't I?" she said. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You look..." I tried to find the words./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Normal?" She laughed, and I was surprised again that we weren't enemies any longer. Unless being nice to me was part of her plot. I glanced sideways at her, and she rolled her eyes and said, with some of her usual bite, "I'm not trying to trick you by being nice to you. I would be a bit more discreet if I wanted to do that."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Thank you," I said. She tilted an eyebrow. "For telling me to open the letter with Hugo. It helped."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She shrugged. "He needs you just as much as you need him, trust me." /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"And I did, for some reason. But I also desperately needed to change the subject, so I asked, "What are you doing hiding over here? Why aren't you out there making more mini Tabithas?"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She lay her face on her knees and watched the party. "I like observing people, especially when they can't see me." She shook her head. "That came out really stalkerish, but that wasn't what I meant." She paused for a moment. "My parents have always expected me to be in the spotlight, but it's hard to see people in that glare. I prefer to step back and watch people; I don't want to be the person in the spotlight, I want to see the people in the spotlight, if that makes sense. I like watching people and figuring them out. I've learned that you can learn a lot more by observing than by constantly trying to make yourself the center of attention. And nobody wants a friend who wants to be the center of attention, because then they'll never make time for you; they just see you as competition."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You like watching people," I clarified, "because it makes you feel less lonely, like everyone is just a person?"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""And everyone has a personal story that they try not to reveal to the outer world, but it's always there, impossible to hide, beneath the surface. I like trying to figure that out."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""It must help to have the Sight," I half-joked./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Yeah," she said. "But don't tell anyone."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I would never."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"We sat in silence for a while longer, and I watched Amanda flit between the different groups of people. She really seemed to be in her element, which was something I didn't expect. Although, I shouldn't be surprised; Amanda was one of the nicest people I had ever met, and she enjoyed making people feel included and accepted. "How are things with you and Hugo?" Tabitha asked./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Non-existent."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Are you waiting for my permission or something?" she laughed, nudging me with her shoulder. "Because I couldn't care less. Actually, I do care if you don't go after him. I have a feeling that you guys are supposed to be together."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""A feeling, huh?" I raised an eyebrow. She nodded, her eyes serious. "This prophetic stuff you do is starting to get creepy."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Yeah," she sighed. "That's why I don't tell anyone about it. Nobody understands this branch of magic; most people pass it off as unreliable. Even my parents told me that Divination was a waste of time. And maybe I don't understand this magic, but it's as if these feelings come through me and I can see what's meant to happen."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""So why did you tell me?"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I figured you would understand what it's like to be different." She shrugged. "Even in a room full of magic, we're both the odd ones out."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You know what?" I told her, offering her my hand. "I might just like you Tabitha Finch-Fletchly."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She laughed, taking it. "Maybe I like you a bit too, Grace Waterrose. And maybe that's the real reason I told you about myself."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Do you like me enough to tell me who you have a crush on?" I batted my big blue eyes at her, giving her the puppy-dog face. No one could resist my puppy-dog face; I was too adorable. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She shoved my arm, and glared at me, but I didn't take it too seriously. "Why are you so obsessed with people's love lives? It's weird. And not everyone needs to be in a relationship."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Obviously. I'm not in one."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Tabitha smirked. "Yes, you are."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I shoved her arm. "Now who's obsessed? What's with your obsession with me and Hugo, huh? If I didn't know any better, I would say you still liked him."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She wrinkled her nose. "Ew. No. I told you, I have a feeling, that's all." She sighed, and looked around at the party for another moment, training her eyes on one of the girls who was dancing in the middle of the floor. She was a truly horrific dancer, her limbs flying everywhere, her long black hair getting tangled in her fingers, but she looked so free and content. It made me want to dance up there with her. "I don't think," Tabitha started slowly. I didn't say anything. I got the feeling that she was trying to find the words. She shook her head, as though trying to clear it. "My parents have a path planned out for me," she rerouted. "They want me to finish school with top marks and become a Healer. And they want me to marry a nice boy of high status, to make sure that I'm taken care of." She sighed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "It's nice in theory, I suppose. But I'm rubbish at school. And... and I don't want to marry a boy." She stared at me, but she must've seen that I didn't understand, so she quickly looked back at the girl on the dance floor, who was now helping someone up whom she had slapped in the midst of her flailing limbs. "I like girls."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I was silent for a beat. And then: "Oh my gosh, you totally told me because you're in love with me!" She laughed and shook her head. "No, this totally makes sense. I mean, who wouldn't want to get with this?" I wiggled my eyebrows at her, and she started laughing again. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Trust me, Grace, I don't want to 'get with this.' So you don't care?" She was studying me, and I could tell she was really bothered by this. Maybe she couldn't foresee her own futures, and I wondered if that made her scared. She really had no idea what her parents were going to think once they found out she liked girls or wanted to be a fortune-teller or something of the sort. I can't imagine being under the pressure of having my entire life mapped out for me. I barely knew how I was going to take my OWLs, much less had a plan for the rest of my life. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""It doesn't really change anything, Tabby." I shrugged. She smiled, and we both looked at the dance floor. I offered her my hand. She took it./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard; text-align: center;"***/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"It was past four in the morning when the Joint Common Room had finally settled down enough for everyone to take up residence in a sleeping bag. I was stuffed in a corner between Amanda and Tabitha, who was already asleep. Amanda was the last one to fall into her sleeping bag, wanting to make sure everyone was comfortable. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You did a good job tonight," I whispered. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She sighed happily. "Thank you for being here. I know this isn't really your scene."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""What makes you say that?" It's a lot harder to convey sarcasm when you're trying not to wake anyone up, but Amanda still breathed a laugh./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I'm really glad we're friends, Gray. I've never had a girl friend before."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Me neither," I said quietly, staring at the ceiling. "Not really." I thought about Genie, and how she called me a monster when she found out about my eyes, and how she didn't hesitate to try to make my life miserable the second I found new friends. Even before we were friends, Amanda was trying to protect me from Genie, helping me fix the pranks that had gotten out of hand. And I thought of Hugo, who told me to trust my friends - my emreal/em friends. "Amanda?" She hummed. "Can I tell you a secret?" She looked over at me, and I could just make our her dark features in the faint firelight. I sat up, and she did the same, and I scooted closer to her until I reached her ear. Then I whispered, so quietly it would have been impossible to hear if my mouth wasn't right against her ear, "My eyes change colors according to what I feel."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I pulled back and stared at her, my eyebrows drawn close. My hands were ripping at my sleeping bag. She didn't speak for a moment, just letting her eyes study my face. Then, she grinned. "That's so cool." I let out a sigh of relief, and a smile slowly slid onto my face. I allowed my eyes to change to green to signify my happiness at her acceptance. She laughed when she noticed. "Okay, we have a lot to discuss." A yawn overtook her. "Tomorrow?"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Tomorrow," I agreed, and we both snuggled back into our sleeping bags. And I couldn't stop smiling. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I shoved my face into my pillow. Tomorrow, I would still have Hugo, Tabitha, and now Amanda looking out for me. And if I was lucky, I would add Lorcan and Tommy to that list. The list of people I trusted with my life. It felt good./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"And I decided that maybe slumber parties weren't so bad./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Of course, Amanda decided that she was just going to walk right through those rules and plan the biggest party of the century, stamping both of our names on the invitation, despite the fact that I had been away from Hogwarts, so I obviously couldn't have had any part in its planning. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"But here I was, decorating the Joint Common Room with Amanda, who was deciding between two shades of pink to be the theme. When I told her that they were identical in color, she huffed off and went to bother Tommy, who was nodding his head at whatever she was saying. I couldn't exactly tell what was happening with them, but I got the feeling that Amanda and Tommy were having a bit of trouble. I guess that's what girls night is for, though. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Hugo came over to me, a pink streamer wrapped around his shoulders like a scarf. When I came back to Hogwarts today, Hugo was waiting for me with his arms outstretched. I nearly cried when I collapsed into his arms, and I couldn't control my eyes. I knew that they were a startling green color, but I was so grateful to be surrounded by magic again... and having Hugo's arms around me wasn't the worst way to be welcomed back./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Your hair," Hugo had said softly, twisting his fingers through it. My eyes were flickering between dark purple with nerves and yellow-green with apprehension. My guard was already down, and when Hugo had noticed the shifting colors of my eyes, he grinned. "I missed you." /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I missed you too," I had whispered. Which was right about the time that Lorcan and Tommy had tackled me and Amanda had started bombarding me with information about our girls sleepover party thing. Honestly, I was so overwhelmed, I was surprised my friends didn't notice my eyes. But they didn't, and thank Merlin for that. I had gotten too attached to them; if they left me now, I don't know what I would do. But then again, maybe they would take it like Hugo did: without any issues and only a few questions./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I was thinking about the consequence of revealing my secret when Hugo wrapped a silver streamer around my face. "Damn, you look emgood/em, Grace. I think you look better with your face covered."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Ha ha," I said, pulling the streamers off of my face. "Although, it would make it easier to hide my eyes." /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Why do you need to hide your eyes? You never really told me the story. Especially since you're not friends with Genie anymore. And I doubt Tommy, Lorcan, or Amanda would care. I mean, I didn't."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I rubbed my eyes. "You don't get it. You don't have to hide who you are because you're so scared that someone is going to find out and you'll be completely isolated from everyone. I don't even know emwhy/em I'm like this. And even if Lorcan, Tommy, and Amanda don't care, other people do. I mean, Genie did." emMy mommy warned me about your kind! You monster!/em Genie's words constantly echoed in my thoughts. A hand grasped mine and squeezed lightly. I didn't look up, but shifted my gaze to Hugo's hand covering mine. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Guys, you're supposed to help! If you're not going to help, LEAVE!" Amanda's voice caused me to jerk my hand out of Hugo's. I looked around the Joint Common Room and at the decorations that Amanda had started putting up. Everything that Amanda herself had put up was perfectly pristine - she had set up a snack area and the walls and ceiling were carefully decorated in varying shades of pink and silver. Lorcan, on the other hand, had more decorations covering himself than the walls, and Tommy was sitting on the couch and watching Amanda. And Hugo was just talking to me, and neither of us had been of much help, so I could understand her frustration. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I was hoping that some hot girls would show up and I could show them all how much of a gentleman I was," Lorcan said, flexing his muscles mockingly. "Where is everyone anyway?" he asked, dropping the act. "I really was here to see cute girls in their PJs."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""If you ever want to date Lily," I said, glaring at Lorcan, "you might want to stop being such a jackass about girls. And in general."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Who said I wanted to date Lily?" Lorcan asked, running a hand through his hair./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Hugo snorted. "Dude, the entire world knows you're into Lily. Not that I'm advocating for you to get with my cousin," he hastened to add. "Actually, forget this entire conversation." /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Hello?" Amanda waved her hand in front of my face. "I know that you just got back and everything, but do you think you could at least pretend to care?"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Woah, chill," I exclaimed, my eyes wide with alarm. Amanda was usually really sweet, and this whole if-you-don't-do-what-I-say-I-will-kill-you attitude didn't really seem like her style, which meant she must've been really stressed. "It's not a big deal, we still have hours before everyone's supposed to come."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""But this is an experimental trial!" she screeched, latching onto my wrists, gripping them until my fingers lost circulation. "Nobody has ever rented out the Joint Common Room before; I had to clear this whole thing with Headmistress Clearwater and get permission for all the girls in the school to stay out past curfew and ensure that no boys would be able to come in. I even had to find supervision, which meant convincing all the prefects and the Head Girl to come and send reports to each Head of House! It took a lot of work to get this sleepover to happen, and none of you are taking this seriously!"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Tommy hesitantly reached out to touch her shoulder, but she brushed him off. "Hey," he said softly. "It's going to be amazing."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Why, though?" Lorcan asked. I doubted that he worked that hard for anything, especially not something as stupid as a school wide sleepover... but it wasn't stupid to Amanda, for whatever reason./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"For a moment, I thought that she would just tell Lorcan to piss off, but she sighed, and answered, "It's been a divisive year for a lot of the girls, and I know none of you have noticed, but there are a lot more girls walking single-file than in groups, and none of the Houses are intermingling. Ever since your sister and her friends graduated-" she nodded her head at Hugo, "-students have been more reluctant to form inter-house friend groups. I don't know, I just wanted to fix it."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""That's really nice of you, Mandy," I said. "We'll help."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"And even the boys got to work./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard; text-align: center;"***/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I was in the corner with Tabitha watching the festivities. As much as Hugo and Lorcan teased us about braiding each other's hair, there was an entire section of the floor completely devoted to makeovers, with hair being a large part of it. I watched as Amanda ushered a First Year Ravenclaw to the area of floor in front of her and start braiding her hair. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Plushy sleeping bags were laid out on every square inch of the floor, except for a section in the middle of the room that was the designated dance floor and along the sides, where the snacks had been set out. The entire room was cast in an orangey-pink glow, so it could either be a dance party or a warm sunset for those who wanted to go to sleep early. There were girls from all different Houses and of all different ages; I was honestly surprised at how many girls showed up: It seemed that at least half the girls in the school were all squished into the magically expanding Joint Common Room./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I had tried to enjoy the party, briefly joining in with the girls who were telling ghost stories around the mock-fireplace, but when a girl I didn't know tried to dye my hair, I decided to sneak away to the edge of the room, where I met Tabitha. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Not one for sleepovers?" I asked, sitting cross-legged beneath the table with her. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun and she was wearing ratty pajamas, just a blue cotton sweatshirt over baggy sweatpants. Needless to say, I was impressed and surprised at her attire; I figured that she would try to keep up her image at a sleepover with the entire school, but she wasn't wearing an ounce of makeup, even though she could totally be running the makeover booth and make all the younger students worship her./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I'm here, aren't I?" she said. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You look..." I tried to find the words./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Normal?" She laughed, and I was surprised again that we weren't enemies any longer. Unless being nice to me was part of her plot. I glanced sideways at her, and she rolled her eyes and said, with some of her usual bite, "I'm not trying to trick you by being nice to you. I would be a bit more discreet if I wanted to do that."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Thank you," I said. She tilted an eyebrow. "For telling me to open the letter with Hugo. It helped."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She shrugged. "He needs you just as much as you need him, trust me." /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"And I did, for some reason. But I also desperately needed to change the subject, so I asked, "What are you doing hiding over here? Why aren't you out there making more mini Tabithas?"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She lay her face on her knees and watched the party. "I like observing people, especially when they can't see me." She shook her head. "That came out really stalkerish, but that wasn't what I meant." She paused for a moment. "My parents have always expected me to be in the spotlight, but it's hard to see people in that glare. I prefer to step back and watch people; I don't want to be the person in the spotlight, I want to see the people in the spotlight, if that makes sense. I like watching people and figuring them out. I've learned that you can learn a lot more by observing than by constantly trying to make yourself the center of attention. And nobody wants a friend who wants to be the center of attention, because then they'll never make time for you; they just see you as competition."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You like watching people," I clarified, "because it makes you feel less lonely, like everyone is just a person?"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""And everyone has a personal story that they try not to reveal to the outer world, but it's always there, impossible to hide, beneath the surface. I like trying to figure that out."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""It must help to have the Sight," I half-joked./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Yeah," she said. "But don't tell anyone."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I would never."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"We sat in silence for a while longer, and I watched Amanda flit between the different groups of people. She really seemed to be in her element, which was something I didn't expect. Although, I shouldn't be surprised; Amanda was one of the nicest people I had ever met, and she enjoyed making people feel included and accepted. "How are things with you and Hugo?" Tabitha asked./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Non-existent."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Are you waiting for my permission or something?" she laughed, nudging me with her shoulder. "Because I couldn't care less. Actually, I do care if you don't go after him. I have a feeling that you guys are supposed to be together."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""A feeling, huh?" I raised an eyebrow. She nodded, her eyes serious. "This prophetic stuff you do is starting to get creepy."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Yeah," she sighed. "That's why I don't tell anyone about it. Nobody understands this branch of magic; most people pass it off as unreliable. Even my parents told me that Divination was a waste of time. And maybe I don't understand this magic, but it's as if these feelings come through me and I can see what's meant to happen."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""So why did you tell me?"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I figured you would understand what it's like to be different." She shrugged. "Even in a room full of magic, we're both the odd ones out."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You know what?" I told her, offering her my hand. "I might just like you Tabitha Finch-Fletchly."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She laughed, taking it. "Maybe I like you a bit too, Grace Waterrose. And maybe that's the real reason I told you about myself."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Do you like me enough to tell me who you have a crush on?" I batted my big blue eyes at her, giving her the puppy-dog face. No one could resist my puppy-dog face; I was too adorable. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She shoved my arm, and glared at me, but I didn't take it too seriously. "Why are you so obsessed with people's love lives? It's weird. And not everyone needs to be in a relationship."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Obviously. I'm not in one."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Tabitha smirked. "Yes, you are."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I shoved her arm. "Now who's obsessed? What's with your obsession with me and Hugo, huh? If I didn't know any better, I would say you still liked him."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She wrinkled her nose. "Ew. No. I told you, I have a feeling, that's all." She sighed, and looked around at the party for another moment, training her eyes on one of the girls who was dancing in the middle of the floor. She was a truly horrific dancer, her limbs flying everywhere, her long black hair getting tangled in her fingers, but she looked so free and content. It made me want to dance up there with her. "I don't think," Tabitha started slowly. I didn't say anything. I got the feeling that she was trying to find the words. She shook her head, as though trying to clear it. "My parents have a path planned out for me," she rerouted. "They want me to finish school with top marks and become a Healer. And they want me to marry a nice boy of high status, to make sure that I'm taken care of." She sighed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "It's nice in theory, I suppose. But I'm rubbish at school. And... and I don't want to marry a boy." She stared at me, but she must've seen that I didn't understand, so she quickly looked back at the girl on the dance floor, who was now helping someone up whom she had slapped in the midst of her flailing limbs. "I like girls."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I was silent for a beat. And then: "Oh my gosh, you totally told me because you're in love with me!" She laughed and shook her head. "No, this totally makes sense. I mean, who wouldn't want to get with this?" I wiggled my eyebrows at her, and she started laughing again. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Trust me, Grace, I don't want to 'get with this.' So you don't care?" She was studying me, and I could tell she was really bothered by this. Maybe she couldn't foresee her own futures, and I wondered if that made her scared. She really had no idea what her parents were going to think once they found out she liked girls or wanted to be a fortune-teller or something of the sort. I can't imagine being under the pressure of having my entire life mapped out for me. I barely knew how I was going to take my OWLs, much less had a plan for the rest of my life. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""It doesn't really change anything, Tabby." I shrugged. She smiled, and we both looked at the dance floor. I offered her my hand. She took it./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard; text-align: center;"***/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"It was past four in the morning when the Joint Common Room had finally settled down enough for everyone to take up residence in a sleeping bag. I was stuffed in a corner between Amanda and Tabitha, who was already asleep. Amanda was the last one to fall into her sleeping bag, wanting to make sure everyone was comfortable. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You did a good job tonight," I whispered. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She sighed happily. "Thank you for being here. I know this isn't really your scene."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""What makes you say that?" It's a lot harder to convey sarcasm when you're trying not to wake anyone up, but Amanda still breathed a laugh./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I'm really glad we're friends, Gray. I've never had a girl friend before."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Me neither," I said quietly, staring at the ceiling. "Not really." I thought about Genie, and how she called me a monster when she found out about my eyes, and how she didn't hesitate to try to make my life miserable the second I found new friends. Even before we were friends, Amanda was trying to protect me from Genie, helping me fix the pranks that had gotten out of hand. And I thought of Hugo, who told me to trust my friends - my emreal/em friends. "Amanda?" She hummed. "Can I tell you a secret?" She looked over at me, and I could just make our her dark features in the faint firelight. I sat up, and she did the same, and I scooted closer to her until I reached her ear. Then I whispered, so quietly it would have been impossible to hear if my mouth wasn't right against her ear, "My eyes change colors according to what I feel."/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I pulled back and stared at her, my eyebrows drawn close. My hands were ripping at my sleeping bag. She didn't speak for a moment, just letting her eyes study my face. Then, she grinned. "That's so cool." I let out a sigh of relief, and a smile slowly slid onto my face. I allowed my eyes to change to green to signify my happiness at her acceptance. She laughed when she noticed. "Okay, we have a lot to discuss." A yawn overtook her. "Tomorrow?"/p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Tomorrow," I agreed, and we both snuggled back into our sleeping bags. And I couldn't stop smiling. /p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"I shoved my face into my pillow. Tomorrow, I would still have Hugo, Tabitha, and now Amanda looking out for me. And if I was lucky, I would add Lorcan and Tommy to that list. The list of people I trusted with my life. It felt good./p
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"And I decided that maybe slumber parties weren't so bad./p