accidentsHAPPEN(open.)

[devin]

Footsteps echoed through the nearly empty hall like soft whispers of gossip. Just a few other students wandered them aimlessly, making slight eye contact each other. Perhaps a small smile if they knew eachother. But usually, it wasn't too much of a huge gathering. Maybe some were headed to the library as well, but most likely not. The smallest sigh escaped the vocals of the boy as he traveled on towards the library. Only Devin would put off homework until it was due a few days later. Not only was it homework, but it was an essay. A full, five-paged essay. For what class again? It was all written on the piece of paper...paper...paper...where was the paper? Oh well, it would basically write itself. Another sigh stifled its way out. Dev was definately not the most organized person in the world. But as long as he was coasting along at 'average' he was okay, right?

A hand snaked its way around the cold metal handle of the heavy library door and heaved it open. Quickly, he slipped inside before it slammed shut. The librarian hissed at him to be quiet. Ah...the farmiliar greeting... Mockingly, he nodded back a greeting with a beaming smile. It would seem like he could have just being kind, but perhaps it was right to doubt the gesture. Only he knew for sure. The slight aroma of dust floated through the air, as it always did. The shades on the windows on the far wall were half drawn, as if only a limited amount of light was neccissary. The library wasn't really the most pleasant place in the world. Actually, it gave Devin the creeps. It even had it's own personal witch. Literally.

Now...homework. Why he was actually doing the assignment before the last few hours before the due date was unknown. He was perfectly alright with his current grades. He never really liked teachers. He probably would've preferred to get on the bad side of his superiors. It made being rude to them all the more easier. Something he had excelled in back at his old school. Something almost everyone had excelled in back at his old school. Devin was in too good of a mood to think about the great changes that had taken place, though, five years later, he still hadn't gotten over the fact that he couldn't use electronics. Even the smallest twitch of a smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he strode down the rows of bookshelves that stretched towards the high ceiling like collassal trees. As long as he was in a good mood his mind was left open to actually read and do his assignment. But something made the library a bit better: There was no one else in the room noticable. Which meant no Slytherins who decided that Ravenclaws like himself were prey, no other Ravenclaws doing annoyingly well on their homework, no Gryffindors pulling pranks that he couldn't get in on, no one who could potentially distract him. Because honestly, he needed the focus. The grin seemed to inch a tad wider as the realization came to mind.

Dev stressed his memory to tha max as he tried to remember one of two things. 1. What class the report was for? 2. Where was the piece of paper he had written everything on? He didn't really know...but he could guess. If he was wrong, he could always check with someone. Oh, right. There's no one to check with. Why can't I remember anything? he thought bitterly as his deep brown eyes searched across a series of books. Devin hated homework. What were these books even about? Probably gonna write itself anyways... He reminded himself of the previous thought. Shrugging pesimistically, he grabbed a few random books off the shelves and began walking towards the tables. Even this slight change of mood was unusual for Devin. It proved that he really was annoyed. Then to top it all off the books took a tumble from his insecure grasp and went scattering to the floor.

One more exasperated sigh escaped from his throat. Kneeling down upon one knee he began to pick up the literary material. Devin kept a firm hold on them once he had them picked up. He turned around to, once more, continue his quest to the tables when he found himself nearly colliding with someone. He felt the books leave his hands once more as he avoided the crash. Though this time, frustrated with them, he left them on the floor like a spilled tower of blocks. "Sorry..." he muttered to the other person, the slight level of annoyance caught in his voice.

[Hallie Monroe]

Hallie was on the verge of a panic attack. As the result of a very unfortunate incident, she'd let all of her work pile up on her and now she was just about drowning in it.

It wasn't like her to leave her homework until the last minute, but it seemed like every little thing was stressing her out lately, and as a result, she'd tripped and fallen down the stairs. It had not been one of her finest moments, and that was really saying something, given her tendency at spectacular clumsiness. She had slipped and slid down the stairs like it was a child's sliding board, only much bumpier. Books had flown everywhere, and one flew up and struck her squarely in the head. As a result, she'd spent three days in the hospital wing, and was only just getting out now to find that she had massive amounts of homework to do, and only a day to do it.

So even though she was supposed to go up to her room and rest, she went straight to the library to study. She had two essays to write, a test to study for, and 8 chapters to read in 4 different subjects! She was sure she'd never finish, but she ran around the library like a chicken with its head cut off, searching for all the books she needed for the essays. She was so frantic that she wasn't really paying attention to what she was doing, so it was no surprise that she ran into someone, sending both of their handfuls of books to the floor, making it look like the books had exploded in front of them.

"Sorry..." the boy said, soounding annoyed.

Hallie frowned, expecting to be yelled at for being such a scatterbrained klutz. "Oh.... I'm really sorry... I wasn't paying attention... I swear, I should come with a warning sign or something. Caution: Clumsy girl crossing." She laughed nervously. "Um... Are you, like, OK? Do you need any help with this stuff?"

[devin]

What a klutz! Not only had he himself managed to drop his own books twice, but he had almost caused the other to send their belongings tumbling as well. Whether the librarian was upset with him or not, Devin was in no mood to pick them up again. It made him feel rather childish, more like a toddler having a stubborn tantrum than a frustrated fifteen-year-old. Reluctantly, he knelt down once more to gather the literature. Just because he was annoyed at his own stupidity didn't mean he should leave the other person, who he now recognized as another Ravenclaw girl, her name still unknown, to clean up the messes. Besides, leaving them where they were would result in deduction of house points. Devin took a firm hold on the books once they were in his hands again, dropping them again would push him to a new level of annoyance. At least the girl he had collided with didn't seem angry.

But Devin couldn't help but wonder, would the same have happened had he been wearing a Slytherin or a Gryffindor badge on the front of his robes? Was he off the hook because of the sole purpose of being a Ravenclaw? Students usually didn't, but sometimes they favored certain houses besides their own in aspects other than the house points race and Quidditch. They selected who to be friends with and who to avoid. The house boundries were an interesting matter, and they came to mind often. Though Devin didn't dwell on the subject much longer, he wasn't always so lucky when it came to being forgiven. A single nod symbolized his comprehension and thanks for the help, at least he was safe from punishment. The Ravenclaw girl went off on a ramble, speaking about how she wasn't watching out and how she needed a warning sign. At least she had a sense of humor.

"Niether was I," Devin replied warmly, standing again with a warm smile, "I've been told I should get better at that." He had already screwed up the first impression, acting welcoming and ignoring the sourness he felt was all he could do to fix his mistake. "Yeah, I'm fine, you?" Now that he saw the girl, he knew he had been aquainted with her before. Maybe just once or twice in the halls or common room, because he had never spoken to her. Or if he did her name was a mystery. That was no surprise, though. Devin had the memory of a rock when it came to matching names with faces. But he knew he had seen her, was it the fact that her hair was bushy? The glasses she wore? Many girls at Hogwarts had dark hair and dark eyes, but some remained more distinctive than others.

"Err, I'm Devin." Silence forced the boy to speak.

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[Hallie Monroe]

Hallie bent down to pick up the books that she had dropped, silently cursing her utter lack of coordination. Other girls were so graceful and confident in their movements, so why was she such a walking disaster? It seemed like every move she made was an accident. If she spent anymore time on the floor, she might as well just stay there and save herself the trouble of trying to get back up again.

Nervously, she stood up and faced the boy. She recognized him from the common room, and a few of her classes. But mercifully, he wasn't one of the boys who made fun of her and her erratic clumsiness. She wasn't sure she even knew his name. He seemed nice enough, though, after the initial annoyance at their collision. She was used to people being annoyed with her, so the friendlier response was a pleasant change of pace for her.

"Oh, I'm fine," she said, laughing nervously. "Nothing wounded but my pride, and nothing bruised but my ego." It was practically her motto. "Although, I think both of them are damaged beyond repair, after all the times I've fallen or run into someone. They might have to amputate."

Well, now she was just running off at the mouth again. Besides falling, babbling was the other thing she did well. She was sure the boy thought she was the most ridiculous loser he'd ever seen. Her jokes weren't even funny, were they?

The silence began to stretch out, and finally, he broke it by giving her his name. Devin... she thoguht the name sounded familiar. But it should, she reminded herself. "Oh, um... nice to meet you, Devin. I'm Hallie." She hesitated a second, then awkwardly held out her hand for him to shake.