Can't Hide Forever

It had been a long week for Audrey.

All week she had been spending all of her time doing school work, dueling, or (in the few minutes she had as free time) trying to write. Writing has always been one of the only things that could calm her down, but lately, the stress was just getting out of hand. She whisked the thoughts away, It's the end of the week. I can de-stress for a whole, what, two days? Sounds absolutely rejuvenating. Audrey thought, and she rolled her eyes sarcastically.

She scurried up the stairs, her head swimming with thoughts, but she still took care to watch every step, as always. That was one of her more noticeable habits that she'd been working on breaking for years, but she was starting to doubt if it would ever happen. When she finally reached her dormitory, She opened the door with a long sigh. Finally happy to be away from everyone for a few minutes. Upon her entrance, she saw Penny Macnair on her bed, her nose behind a lovely book, and her eyes darted up upon her entrance. Audrey couldn't help but smile to her. If she wanted to see anyone right now, it'd be Penny.

She looked over the girl in relief. Penny and Audrey had been friends ever since either of them could remember. They had close families, and they were raised together; Doing classes and learning all the ways to behave in society and such. Penny was really the only person Audrey could trust with anything and everything. She noticed quickly that she hadn't seen Penny hardly at all in the last week. She gave her a meaningful look, "Girls night?"

Penny had decided to treat herself for the weekend. She had snuck a few extra muffins from the dinner table - this was the extent of her criminal behavior - and stopped by the library to pick up some lighter reading for her own enjoyment. She had been slaving away at her books all week, and had been obsessing over her homework. Sixth year and she was already concerned about her NEWTs the next year. She was not going to let herself slip now, not when she had done so well at actually pulling off the smart-daughter routine for her never-satisfied parents.

She had only been settled for about twenty minutes or so. She had already changed into matching fleece pajamas and had settled on her bed - her slippered feet were snug, the muffins were atop a silk handkerchief along with other sweets sent from home, and the book was rested atop her stomach. Her eyes just reached over the top of the book, and if she glanced up, her eyes met with the door. She liked this spot for that very reason - she was never surprised.

She had just been properly introduced the heroine of the story, and had just begun to suspect the potential hero, when the door creaked open. She felt a fearful anticipation rise within her as her eyes hesitantly flicked upwards, looking up the way someone might look under one's shoe after stepping on a bug - not really keen to see what was there, but driven by need to check anyway.

She was given a sweet relief, however. The person entering was one of the few to give her real relief. Audrey Montague looked as though her week had been equally grueling. The girls were not taking all the same classes, and had rarely seen each other with their busy schedules. Penny gave a small smile, barely noticeable behind the book, and Audrey made a beeline for her.

It only took two words for Penny to burst into a smile.

"Yes!" she responded, relief flooding from her voice. She snapped the book shut and stowed it away in her bedside dresser. "Get your pajamas on and head over here." The girls were used to their girl nights - they would get into their pajamas, pick one of their beds, close the hangings around them, cast a spell to ensure no one could overhear and then, the crème de la crème, rant.

Penny said, "It's my turn to host. Bring all of your snacks over." She moved her own muffins and treats to the center of her bed so that there was room for Audrey at the foot. She curled her legs up and the reached under her bed, pulling out some nail polish and cotton balls. Her toenails would love the attention.

Audrey burst into the only true smile she's had in days, and practically ran to change. She slipped into her fuzzy Hello Kitty pajama pants and a tank top, and quickly washed her face; Or, well, as quickly as she could. It was a hard pressed thing for Audrey to speed up her morning or nightly rituals, but she supposed, her sanity was more important than her routine. She needed to vent.

As she left the bathroom, she saw Penny already had cleared half of her bed, and was waiting with an excited grin. She smiled as well, remembering all the times this exact scene had played while they had been at Hogwarts together. She grabbed her stash of treats, always near by in case of girls night emergencies, and plopped down on her Penny's bed.

She drew the curtains around them firmly, and drew her wand to whisper a few silencing charms so the normal drunken ruckus that society calls "The Proper Young Pureblood Ladies" couldn't hear them, and their noise wouldn't interfere with Audrey and Penny's night as well. I swear, if I hear one shrill, drunk giggle tonight. I might actually send a few hexes. she thought, thinking about almost every other night that her fellow Slytherins lived up to their name. Sure, Audrey wasn't perfect. She wouldn't pretend that she had never taken a drink before, but what those girls were doing was just classless.

After that all was done with, she finally sighed and let her body relax. She reached down and grabbed her own nail polish, that was hidden in the pile of food that was mounting inbetween them. She smiled smuggly and waved it in the air in front of Penny, showing that she finally didn't forget the essentials. After all this time, she had learned to come prepared.

The minute she had come in, the look on Penny's face said enough. They both had a rough week. Tonight was exactly what they both needed. "So, spill. You're hosting, you go first." She said, and she popped a chocolate into her mouth, savoring the flavor of her favorite candy, and listening intently.

It was funny how the two girls had looked so exhausted until the motivation of a much-needed, well-deserved girl's night sent them into a frantic frenzy to get everything prepared as soon as humanly possible. Penny straightened out her bed comforter as well as she could, conjured some extra pillows for her friend, and settled back onto her own end of the bed.

Audrey finally arrived and, while she cast the appropriate spells, Penny reached up to tighten the hangings shut with a length of ribbon. Tied shut and sealed of noise, their hideaway was not complete. Audrey procured her own nail polish and Penny picked hers up, holding it out to clink the two small glass bottles together, saying, "Cheers!" as she did so.

She settled back, unscrewing the lid to the teal paint and swilling the contents under her nose, looking into it. She loved the way the color chased after itself when she shook the bottle. She blinked and then dipped the brush into it, shaking her slippers off of her feet and placing her left foot in front of her. She lowered the brush to her big toe and began the painting for the night.

Audrey wanted to hear about her week first. Penny rested her chin on her left knee and sighed. "Nothing really happened, that's the depressing bit. I just worked hard. I feel like I haven't stopped studying. Oh! And I got an Acceptable on my last History of Magic essay! I should be getting O's in that class, it's just memorizing. But I'm dreadful with goblin wars, I can't remember a thing."

She sighed, feeling better with that off of her chest. "Oh, and I don't think Tucker is very cute anymore. He's a Hufflepuff, so that's strike one, but I overheard him telling this nasty joke. I thought he was much classier than that but, that's what I get for thinking teenage boys have the capacity to be decent." She rolled her eyes. "Oh, and mum keeps going on about arranging a marriage. She keeps reminding me that both Malfoy girls are already engaged. It's ridiculous."

She let out one last might sigh, finishing her middle toe with a flourish. She looked up at Audrey. "Your turn!"

Audrey listened to her friend, while she unscrew her bright purple nail polish, and started on her left foot. She almost messed up when she heard Penny's comment about Tucker. "Oh, tsk tsk, I hate to say I told you so! He's just as crude as the worst of them, I'm afraid. I feel bad though, I really thought you liked him." She sighed, laughing, as her friend rolled her eyes and went on with her story.

As she was finishing her left foot, Penny really caught her by surprise. "Arranged marriages?! You're kidding. They can't be still caught up on that. That might be the worst thing you could do to any woman of propriety. Besides, half the pureblood boys around here are absolutely horrific." she ranted, almost as much for herself as for her friend.

She tried to continue on her right foot while she took her turn in ranting, but instead she paused, and rested her cheek against her knee in exasperation. "I know what you mean, with the arranged marriage bit. My parents are stooping low enough to suggest names! Oh, Penny. I don't want to get married right now. Especially not to one of those black magic loving monsters." She shook her head, lowering her voice when she used 'black magic' in anything but a complimenting sentence, though she knew no one could hear her anyways.

"Other than that," she said, her voice returning to normal, "I've been studying as well. I could help you in History of Magic, if you'd like. I've studied that on my own for sometime. I think it's fascinating." A spark lit in Audrey's eyes. She loved history.

"My dad is still wanting me to develop my legilimency. My empathy is growing stronger everyday.. Apparently he thinks if I can develop legilimency fast enough, with my 'advantage', I be more useful when I become a death eater." She laughed sadly, and rolled her eyes.

She hated when her gift was being used for anything but good. She touched the enchanted silver bracelet around her wrist. It was her Grandmother's, the person Audrey had inherited Empathy from. Her Grandmother wouldn't want it this way. She would never condone what her father was doing.

She looked up at Penny sadly, but then continued painting her nails. Audrey didn't like dwelling on sad subjects.

Penny really should have heeded Audrey's advice early about Tucker, as Audrey was typically right about the boys Penny was interested in. But, really, she should have followed the logic that had been so evident, so quick to make her doubtful. Even if he had been Mr Perfect, Penny had not the time nor the confidence to introduce a male into her tangled little life. She had other things to focus on, to think of. He was trivial and she should not even allow herself to entertain the thought of boys and the roles they could potentially play in her life.

But... still. Some were just so... delicious.

Penny nodded at the arranged marriages comment. "Of course, Aubrey. Consider yourself lucky your parents didn't have an arranged marriage, or they'd be looking too. If I don't watch out, I'll be hitched to a d'Eath. It's the only way to keep the bloodlines pure. With so many purebloods marrying halfbloods and even," she paused, a bit nervous, and hissed, "muggleborns and sometimes even muggles, the parents have to be certain bloodlines will continue. You remember Elijah Krum? He's engaged to Mira Anderson. That was all arranged." She nodded curtly, glad to have evidence for her claims. "It's just the way it's been and always has been and may always be."

She nodded as Audrey continued on. "My mother has a whole list. They're already in contact with the boys' parents. I'll have quite a few dates this summer it seems," she said, looking glum. She knew the boys on the list. Every pureblood knew every other pureblood. Hell! Half of them were second cousins!

Penny had finished one fit and had moved onto the other. Audrey offered to assist her in History of Magic. Penny was not overly proud, not when it came to the subjects she struggled in. "Please! I have to get an O in that class! I have to!"

Then came the touchy subject. Death Eaters. In these families, it was expected. You married a Death Eater, or you became one. Penny abhorred the idea of murdering and torturing innocent people in the obscure name of superiority, but every day confirmed that was the path chosen for her. A small awkward pause followed Audrey's words and Penny said, in her timid voice, "There's always plan b... Marry a Death Eater." She weakly smiled.

As though it were funny.

When it really... really... wasn't.

Audrey sighed and thought about all the people her parents had put on her list of potential suitors, all of which sounded absolutely dreadful to Audrey, of course.

She knew the arranged marriages were a very real and likely option, but she couldn't see herself going down that road. She was to...independent. She wanted to marry for love, not blood. It didn't seem right to her. But, She supposed that was just one of many things she disagreed on with her parents.

All of those things were common and well thought about topics for Audrey, but her friends next words caught her off guard. "You can't even joke about that, Penny. You know what happens when good women marry Death Eaters. It's hell.. I'm not saying every Death Eater is the same, but...." she was concerned for her friend. Penny had never been as strong headed as Audrey. Audrey wasn't afraid of marring a Death Eater, because she knew she could handle anything they could dish out, but her protective streaked refused to let Penny be in that situation.

"We'll double this summer, okay? Maybe there is someone really great, but don't give up hope, okay? You deserve to be happy more than anyone else I know."

Penny shrugged, looking down at her feet. She missed the days when their girl nights were full of laughter and taunts, rather than filled with the tension of tough subjects that she would rather leave unsaid. Penny didn't like confrontation, but Audrey was much more direct than her. If there was a problem, Audrey typically did not have a problem dirtying her hands right then and there. Penny's head drooped, and a curtain of her dark hair fell from her shoulder and shielded her face from her friend's prying eyes.

"I know," she said, rather faintly. "I know it's not good but... it's better than being a Death Eater. I mean... I have to do one of them. My parents would be ashamed of anything else and I... I-I want to." LIE. LIE. LIE. "It's important, you know. Preserving our lines and... and all of that," she finished lamely.

Penny just didn't believe it enough to make herself sound like it. However, this didn't seem strange out of her. Her voice had a natural timidity to it, so it didn't seem as though her conviction were lacking. She swallowed and then nodded vigorously as the topic lightened, just a tad. This was more along the lines of girl talk - double dates, bolstering self esteem. "It'll be much better if you're there. I'm terrible on first dates." She smiled.

She smiled sadly when her Penny shied away. Audrey knew her to well to think that she was actually serious. She knew that "preserving the lines" was important to many of the pureblood families, but that wasn't Penny. Penny wanted love. She deserved love. But more than that, she knew the one thing Penny needed in this moment more than anything was to have a stress free night.

She continued painting her nails, but gave her friend I knowing look. This conversation would be continued. But for now? Girl time. "Of course I'll be there! Any guy you date needs my approval, of course." she winked teasingly, and let a smile spread across her face.

She sighed, "And I could seriously use a guy. It's been to long." she rolled her eyes, and awaited her friends usual comments to her on the subject. Guys were Audrey's forte, and she never missed an opportunity to flirt. But lately, she'd been having a change of heart. "And I mean-" she took a deep breath, just for dramatic effect, "an actual relationship." She finished, laughing.

Familiar territory, steady waters! Blessed Merlin, thank goodness. Penny felt the small cloud of darkness begin to drift away as some of the pressure lifted from the places it had settled on her shoulders and neck. She felt herself straighten up, lift her chin, and relax a little. She felt her heart lighten a little and her spirits begin to lift. Her embarrassment subsided enough that she could continue on with her toe-painting, looking more and more cheerful as she did.

"Good," she breathed. "I just get so.... awkward. Well, you know. You've seen me... well... everywhere." She giggled, her usual nervous nature shining through in the shy laughter. "Around you, I'm not so pathetically hopeless." Again, she laughed.

The subject began to gravitate more towards Audrey, and Penny felt relieved. She was much more comfortable talking about Audrey and boys than her own dealings with the strange gender. "It has been awhile, hasn't it? That's out of character!" She winked, giggling, before blowing on her toes. Top coat was done! Penny sympathetically clicked at Audrey's words, smiling. "I told you. Flings might be fun, but they always ended badly. Didn't I tell you that?"