Holly strolled the grounds under the silvery moonlight, her skirt ever so lightly blowing behind her. She glanced up at the stars, half hidden by the patches of dark clouds. She made her way to the banks of the lake and stood, looking over it's glassy, frigid surface. Her hands idly patted her coat pockets, where a small package of marijuana hid. She sighed as an internal battle raged on. She knew it was a bad habbit, and she wanted to stop, but somehow just couldn't get it off her mind. The smell, the taste, the feeling. Her anger flared, as it so often did these days, and she balled her fists in frusteration. If she only had something to do. If she only had something to distract her from this temptation.

<Abel couldn't sleep yet again. He had sneaked out of the castle for the third night in a row and now walked the grounds, trying to keep his mind from thinking, keep himself from remembering. Don't think about them, he told himself. It's not your fault. His eyes were tired from a day in the library, yet another day of reading and learning to keep his mind from reality.
When he reached the lake, Abel was surprised to see another figure by the shore. Looks like I'm not the only person who couldn't sleep..>

Holly suddenly heard the crunching of another's footsteps. She turned and watched them approach, her eyes adjusted to the darkness now, but didn't feel they posed a threat. She slipped her hands into her coat pocket, and let her hands play with the baggy.
"Who are you?" She asked, not recognizing the figure.

"Abel."

<He said simply. His brain was exhausted, needed rest.. He felt like he was living in a dream.>

"Who're you..?"

"Holly." She replied. "Now uh, what brings you out here at this hour?"

"I couldn't sleep too much. You know..been thinking a lot too much. Way too much."

<The words hardly registered. He was so tired, and yet every time he sat still his brain started remembering. And that was the last thing he wanted to do.>

"Why are you here? Don't seem tired...too much."

Holly's hand held the baggy now, and as he spoke couldn't help but think that this boy could use some to take his mind off things. She bit her lip, still debating on what to do.
"I guess I've just been thinking, too. Trying to find something to take my mind off things." Sighing, she gave. "Do you smoke?" She asked the boy casually.

"Do I smoke what..?"

<He glanced at the girl, his mind clearing a bit. What the hell am I doing here?>

"Weed." Holly said simply with a grin. Felling more like herself again, she took out the bag and glanced around.

"I can't say I ever have.."

<He was torn.. A part of him wanted to take the stuff with this girl, whoever she was, and just forget everything that bothered him. Another part tried to tell him not to.>

"Why do you take that stuff? I mean.. you must have something you like to forget.. or something."

"Probably" She shrugged. "I just like it. Want to try?" A grin remained on Holly's face as she watched Abel's reaction.

"No..look..sorry. I took a walk to clear my mind, but I know what happens to people who get on that stuff. I've got to sort my problems out for myself."

<Abel sighed deeply.>

Holly shrugged, hearing what she expected. She put her hands back into her pockets again, half disappointed, half relieved. "What, do I look messed up or something?" She joked.

<He turned to look at the girl next to him. She was pretty...even if she was a Slytherin, as he saw from her badge. Abel smiled.>

"Yeah, you look like you just arose from the dead, walked out of the lake, and decided to offer me weed" he joked back.

"Maybe I did." She reliped lightly, turning back to the lake. "What sort of problems?" She asked after a moment, turning back to face him.

"Oh..family stuff I guess."

<Abel tried to keep his tone light. She didn't need to hear his problems..and he doubted she really cared.>

"It's always the family problems." She sighed. "I hope things get better for you."
Holly took off her jacket and placed it on the ground so she could sit on it. She slipped off her shoes and dipped her feet into the freezing water.
"Well, this will definately wake you up a little." Holly muttered as she tossed a pebble into the water. "Want to sit?" She looked up at him with a smile.

<Abel also took off his cloak and laid it on the ground. He sat down and took his shoes and socks off and dipped his feet into the cold black water.>

"Wow that is cold."

<He leaned forward and splashed some water on his face, then sat back and flicked some droplets onto Holly, grinning.>

Holly gasped as the water hit her. "That wasn't very nice." She grinned, a mischevious gleam in her eye. She blinked and it was gone, deciding against pushing him into the water. She layed back, her dark hair splayed out around her, and watched the clouds drifting around the moon. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

<He said as he laid back too. The stars were twinkling above and he looked around to find the constellations his parents had showed him as a child.>

"What about you?"

"Sixteen" Holly glanced at Abel, thinking he didn't really look fifteen. She turned her attention back to the beautiful sky, now at a loss for words. Trying to avoid awkward silence, she thought fast. "So, what do you like to do, Abel?"

"I like being outside, I guess. And I read a lot.. I like meeting new people but I'm usually pretty shy and all."

<He paused, smiling.>

"And I like to take walks at night and find all sorts of interesting people about to do bad things. What about you?"

"I like taking walks at night and doing bad things." Holly smirked. "Reading, Drawing, Anything exciting basically." Like doing the dark lord's work She thought with a smile.

<Abel laughed and then realized..It had been ages since he last laughed.>

"What would be included in 'anything exciting'?"

"Whatever's not boring." She smirked. "Reading about arithmancy would count as boring. Things like.." Holly thought for a moment about some exciting things she's done in the past. "Getting into duels, Rock climbing without a harness, playing chicken with your friends and a speeding train would qualify as exciting. To me, at least." Holly smiled, hoping he didn't think she was some crazy adrenaline junkie with a death wish.