Studying with a chance of friend-making.

[Daryl Webster]

The library was a heaven for Daryl, who wasn't a bookwork when he cam to Hogwarts, but after seing the library? Well, the story changed. Daryl smiled as he inhaled the smell of old books and leather hardback books, all legends waiting to be discovered by an unsuspecting pupil. It was a dream. He sat on a huge sofa at the side of the library with a pile of astronomy books, and began to revise. Studying wasn't his favourite hobby, but he was getting over it. He wanted to do well, and would die if he couldn't get a job when he was older.

The library was usually pretty quiet, but today bad luck seemed to be following him, and a bunch of giggling first years entered the room. He rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. They were having fun, which is what first years needed to do. Without the fun parts in life, you wouldn't be able to get through the bad.

Suddenly, a girl began to approach the sofa with her own books. Daryl quickly moved his out of the way and onto the floor so she could sit down, and glanced a friendly smile her way. She didn't look like one of the first years, but Daryl could not be sure. So he just smiled.
'Hey.' He said in a friendly way, just as you would to somebody who came and sat next to you. Daryl glanced at her books. 'Do you like -Author's name-'s books? I do. Good writer isn't she?' Daryl smiled, hoping she wasn't intimidated by him.

 

[Sapphire Bookchild]

Sapphire had taken to reading today, putting up her sketchbook for the time being. There would come a time when she would want to pick it up again when she saw something she wanted to capture in a picture but for she read. A graphic novel set in fact. 'The Adventures of Balinda Bliss and Alicia Dracul' was one of her favorite books by a magic author. As she sat down on one of the couches that littered the Library Sapphire heard someone say that Willamina Warbeak, no relation to the singer, was a good author. Yes and her team of artists are spectacular. Sapphire signed without thinking. Sapphire had been wanting so badly to see what was going to happen next because Alicia was going up against the Vampire Council for charges that where not her fault.

The way she was acting reminded her a bit of 'Spider-Dork' so Sapphire put her graphic novel down only to put it up against her face again. It was an older student. A handsome older student at that. Sapphire was innocent to the world at times so most boys didn't even register in her mind as anything more than friends but there were those special few that slipped passes Sapphire's filter. This was was exceptionally beautiful which made Sapphire exceptionally shy. Her gem like eyes peaked over the edge of her book to see if the boy was still there.

 

[Daryl Webster]

Daryl was taking by a little surprise when the girl automatically used sign language to reply to her. Unfortunately for Daryl, he lacked knowledge on sign language. And so, whilst he could make out the girl signing 'yes' and 'team', he struggled to keep up with what she was trying to tell him. She guessed she meant that yes, she liked the author, but ignored the bit he couldn't work out. Daryl did not once wonder why she used sign language. She couldn't be deaf - becaue she had replied. He just accepted that was how she had answered him and smiled. 'Cool.. I don't really know much about sign language, but I think you said yes.. yes?' He said with a small chuckle, slightly annoyed that he hadn't paid more attention to it when he had had the chance to, and also hating how formal he sounded.

Daryl couldn't help but smile when the girl put her book down, only to cover her face with it straight away. She knew how she felt, and tried not to embarass her any more than she already was. Daryl peeked to the side of her book, so that he could see one of her eyes, and then chuckled again. He liked shy people. He didn't have to make much conversation. That often wasn't a problem for Daryl, but he was always cautious of talking too much and intimidating anyone he spoke to. He moved back to the middle of his seat so the girl was hidden by her book, then slowly moved forwards, and popped his head up right in front of her. He looked down at her book in a very serious way, as if reading it, trying to hold in his giggles.

 

[Sapphire Bookchild]

Sapphire saw that the handsome older by was looking at her book. She had completely for gotten that she had just confused him with sign language even though it was more than evident now. Sapphire let her book down a little bit so he could see the panels with puffy haired Alicia arguing her case against the wicked Vampire Conner Dracul, her adoptive brother. Though the book was in black and white there was something about the pictures that made it clear that Alicia's eyes where now red instead of a deep brown. Sapphire didn't know if he liked this kind of drama but it was fun to her. She thought for a moment then thought of something more fun to show him.

Sapphire flipped through the pages and showed him a picture of one of her favorite characters other than Alicia, Fantasma. The strip depicted Fantasma pulling a prank on the swamp ghouls that had taken residence in the school that Alicia went to. The prank was funny and even though Sapphire had read that part many times it never failed to make her laugh. Sapphire took out a piece of parchment and the pencil from behind her ear. Fantasma never fails to be funny. Sapphire wrote with a soft smile on her face and a large blush on her cheeks.

 

[Daryl Webster]

Daryl's siblings loved graphic novels, and whilst he had never gotten into it himself, he gladly looked at what she was reading. His face turned into a smile as he realised what she saw in this type of book. It genuinally was fun to read.
The girl flicked through the pages and showed him a particular strip, which he looked at with a grin across his face. He was definately going to get one of those books himself. As he read what she wrote, he noticed the blush across her cheeks and smiled back at her softly. He was certainly curious now as to why she hadn't just told him, but she obviously had her reasons, and Daryl wasn't about to poke into them.

'Do you have any more of these books?' Daryl asked, wondering if they would have them in the Hogwarts library, or whether they were from home. 'My brothers have big collections of this sort of book at home.' He added, smiling and scanning the library. 'Do you think they might have them here?' Daryl was trying not to ask complicated questions, but was failing miserably. He just hoped she wouldn't mind.

 

[Sapphire Bookchild]

Sapphire nodded. Willamina Warbeak is a well known wizarding author. That's why the cover moves. Sapphire wrote as she showed the older boy the cover which had Alicia the vampire roundhousing a monster that was coming after. Balinda Bliss was in the background making sparks go across the cover every once in a while. It was clear that Balinda Bliss was a witch but not a witch like them. Sapphire looked up and then took down the collar to turtle neck. There was a large bite like scar on her neck that looked like something had taken a chunk out it. Below that would be Dympna's mark but she wasn't showing anyone that just yet. When I was very little a dog attacked me. My mother was able to keep the dog away but not before it took out my voice box. She said then looked up at him. This was not true of course but the truth would kill him. Her mother would make sure that she was never able to tell anyone ever again what went on in the Bella-Donna household. Especially to those that don't meet her standards of perfection. She knew that her 'sisters' met them. They met them very well.

 

[Daryl Webster]

Daryl was shocked at what the young girl told him, and did not for one second doubt what she said. He had no reason to, she was a helpless girl who needed support from everybody, and friends to help her along. He couldn't believe how well she was coping with what had happened, but respected her for the fact she wasn't curled up in the corner, unhappy and depressed. She was just carrying on as if everything was normal. 'I'm so sorry..' Daryl said, automatically putting his hand on hers, and then realising what he had done. He didn't pull his hand away though, instead he squeezed hers gently in a friendly way. He did feel sorry for her, but it was not his fault and he knew there was nothing he could do except make her feel better.

Daryl had forgotten all about the books they were talking about, and even the cool moving cover of her books. He looked down at his hand, which was still on hers, and gently pulled it away. He had a question which he wasn't sure whether to ask at this moment, or whether it would ruin her moment of sympathy. He decided to ask, quietly, 'What's your name?' He looked back at her, now not sure where to put his hand. It was an awkward moment, but he was glad he no longer had to wonder why she wasn't speaking.