Ensnared in Your Web

[Diana Hollis]

Diana was many things, but naive wasn't one of them. The girl had known the yule ball wouldn't be picture-perfect, but she was still happy to have gone with a guy. She knew Edmund wasn't the most popular of kids, nor was he very tall. But he was a year older, and very funny once you got to know him. The Slytherin was finding that she enjoyed spending time with him very much, and she was pleasantly surprised by how often he wanted to hang out. Edmund and his twin were pretty much known for being inseparable, so it felt good that she was the reason he was spending time without his brother. She hadn't really talked to the other twin, and she didn't need to. Siblings only complicated matters.

The two were sitting on a bench in one of the corners of the courtyard. They had a good view of the entire area, without being easily spotted themselves. Most of their time seemed to be dedicated to making fun of other people, but it really was rather enjoyable. Diana had never met anyone before who was more creative at insulting people than she was herself, and she was always interested to hear whatever sarcastic remark Edmund would come up with now. She glanced sideways at him, smiling as she spotted a certain Hufflepuff boy cross the courtyard. "Seems like he found his way out of the broom closet we locked him in." She said, gesturing to the first year Hufflepuff boy. He didn't seem to have noticed them, which was probably for the best. "He still looks stupid." She said with a shrug. "Like he might actually fall for the same trick again, if we really tried." The prank they had pulled on the younger boy had been what had first gotten them to talk, and Diana rather enjoyed having a memory to reminiscence over with Edmund.

 

[Edmund Westwick]

Edmund didn't quite know how he had wound up in this situation. He certainly liked spending time around Diana, and though the Yule Ball had come as a surprise, and caused some issues with Theodore, it had been unexpectedly agreeable. It raised questions in his mind though, which came to the forefront now every time he was alone with Diana. Were they a couple now? Did Diana want that? As with the Yule Ball, was this a situation where she was expecting him to ask and he was bumbling the expectation yet again? Uncertainty plagued him, but it was hard to dwell for long when he and Diana talked, her wicked sense of humour delightful and excitingly different from the brand of humour Edmund was used to sharing with his brother. He looked up, following her gaze, and chuckled in surprise as he recognised the unfortunate first year across the courtyard. "I expect he would." He smirked, watching the boy. "He clearly has no sense at all."

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana was glad Edmund went along with her. She rather liked the smirk on his face, and shifted just a little bit closer to him. She watched as the boy headed back inside, not really sure what else to say. Diana and Edmund had been hanging out as friends since the yule ball, but Diana was a little hopeful it could be more. She just wasn't entirely sure if Edmund saw things that way. She had really had to convince him to ask her to the ball at all. What if he had just done it because she had hinted at it so much? She bit her lip, thinking. "I had a lot of fun at the ball last semester." She said eventually, hoping he had enjoyed himself as well. "Did you?"

 

[Edmund Westwick]

Edmund noticed Diana moving a little closer, and to his embarrassment felt his heartbeat stutter slightly. Was it normal, to be so affected by being so near someone? He shifted nervously, trying to find the right words. Surely if there was a time to address whether he was supposed to be making the next move with Diana this was a signal. Before Edmund could sort through his mind to find the right words though, Diana had spoken, bringing the subject up far more elegantly than he was sure he ever could have managed. Nodding slowly, Edmund chose his words carefully, though they came out far less smooth than they had sounded in his mind. "I did." He said slowly, glancing at Diana. "Would... you like to do something like that again?" He asked, nerves clear in his voice despite his best efforts.