SAFE HAVEN

Gemini

Nikki Haven

Assumingly alone in the Hufflepuff common room, Nikki sat on the gold covered couch, curled up against the arm rest. Her eyes were fixed on her book, as she turned the last page of the chapter. She had always been a Jane Austen fan. Growing up with muggle parents, she had access to a wonderful library of authors most pureblood wizards wouldn't even bother looking at. Pride and Prejudice was her absolute favorite. Even reading it then for the seventh time, it never lost its emotional effect on her; she cried through the end every time.

What an unrealistic expectation for love. Of course Mr. Darcy is perfect. His character was written by a woman.

Seeing that it was far past 11 o'clock, she placed her bookmark between the pages and finally looked up from the novel.

The place really was rather abandoned with most students sound asleep by then. A few fifth years sat across the room finishing the last few inches on their parchment, A History of Magic open on the small table between them. Not far away was a scrawny boy and a redhead playing a late night game of wizard chess.

That has to be Hannah.

Unlike she had been a few days before, Nikki found herself quite calm about the subject. There was enough to worry about with her friend group and the band and classes that there was really no need to get hung up on a couple that really had nothing to do with her anymore.

She placed her book back in her bag before standing up and slinging it over her shoulder. With one last glance as the remaining students, she made her way through the passageway. With the Astronomy Tower being so high up in comparison to Hufflepuff basement, Nikki left the common room at quarter to midnight. The halls were still rather barren, as not many sixth years opted to keep up with Astronomy.

Fascinated with muggle astrology and the stars, Nikki knew she would want to stick with the elective. She had never been as keen on it as Beth or Luna, so she thought she ought to catch up.

Climbing the last set of stairs up to the top of the tower, she found herself rather out of breath.

Godric, why are there so many goddamn stairs? Thank goodness I'm not a Gryfindor or Ravenclaw.

Since Astrology was optional after fifth year, and most students dropped it, the class was mixed between multiple houses. Alone without the girls, Ethan or Blaise or even Theo, Nikki felt a bit out of place among the other Slytherins and Ravenclaws. The only people she really knew were Andy, a scrawny, pale faced boy, and Annie, a pretty blonde girl with crystal blue eyes; they were best friends, a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw.

Nikki smiled at both of them before making her way around the center orb to the emptier side of the tower. It was rather dark outside, and no lighter where the students gathered in the "classroom". Pulling a telescope from her bag looked almost comical as it only fit due to the bottomless charm she placed on it in first year.

Everyone was rather groggy for it being the middle of the night, and Nikki herself was a bit out of it. It wasn't until she heard a light, "ahem" behind her that she realized she wasn't alone on her side of the tower.

Whipping her head around, Nikki was met with another familiar face, but not a smiling one like before.

"Merlin's beard, Malfoy. You startled me"

Her hand reached her chest, trying to settle herself after the sudden fright.

"It's not my fault you started setting your things up in front of me" he derided.

"Obviously, I didn't see you" she said, returning quite annoyed to unclasping the legs of her telescope, "I simply don't have the energy for our usual banter"