If I Loved You (Bobby)

[Neil Prescott]

(The title has nothing to do with the thread, I just have the Delta Rae song stuck in my head, lol.)

Seventh Year was already an incredibly busy one for Neil. It seemed that all of his professors were intent on dumping enough homework on him to keep him busy until the NEWTs were scheduled in May. He literally spent every moment he wasn't in class in the library working on something. This, of course, was a fairly natural state to be in for a Ravenclaw, and Neil was barely even stressed about it. Studying came naturally to him and he didn't feel the need to freak out about it... that just wasted more time.

If he regretted anything, however, it was that he'd hardly seen Bobby since the term began. Maybe it didn't really matter, since it seemed she was still seeing Lestrange, who just happened to be the dueling professor's assistant. If he didn't see her much, then at least he wouldn't have to hear her talk about him. But he did miss her terribly.

So it was a pure stroke of luck that he happened to spot her on his way to the library, walking in the opposite direction. Mercifully, she was alone.

"Bobby!" he called out to her, waving.

[Roberta "Bobby" Sanders]

Bobby was lost in her own little world, two books and a sheet of parchment wrapped up in her arms. She didn't have class again for a couple of hours, but she figured it wouldn't hurt to get a jump on the assignments her other classes had already given. The professors were loading them up on work, and it was only the beginning of term. Bobby didn't know if she was even going to last to NEWTs. And she was still absolute sh*te at Potions.

Her gaze was unfocused in front of her, and after her name had been called, it took her a couple seconds to actually register and process it. She took four more steps before she stopped, glancing over her shoulder and letting her eyes come to rest on Neil.

A smile graced her lips, and she waved back, the movement smaller, before she glanced down the hall and crossed it, avoiding any student traffic. "Hey, sorry. I didn't even see you, Neil."

[Neil Prescott]

As sad as it was, Neil was rather used to not being noticed. In fact, he often tried to go out of his way not to be noticed. Because he was so self-conscious about his height, he tended to dress mostly in dull, neutral colors, and he usually stood hunched over with his head down.

So it didn't really bother him much that Bobby didn't see him. He was trying not to be noticed, and she hadn't been looking around while she walked. Clearly she was distracted about something, and he immediately wanted to help her in some way.

"It's OK," he replied. "It's good to see you, that's all. Did you have a nice summer?"

[Roberta "Bobby" Sanders]

When he asked about her summer, Bobby seemed to realize that she hadn't seen him since the end of last term. It wasnt that he was forgettable by any means, but she had a lot going on in her head. She still wasnt talking to her sisters, and tucked away in her robe was a letter to her father that tried to make it sound like she was having the time of her life. It was a lie, and she was pretty sure he would know it, too.

She paused, half wanting to be honest and tell him that it was miserable. That she still felt miserable, but that it was a point of pride that she didn't reach out to her sisters. She wanted to just sigh and tell him everything, but he wasnt some girl friend who even cared about that kind of stuff. Instead, she plastered on a smile and said her summer was great- a nice break from school, though she was glad to be back.

"It's really good to see you, too. I can't believe we don't have any classes together this year. Are the professors keeping you busy too?" Shifting the topic of conversation to him made it easier for her to fall into an upbeat rhythm.