Wolves amongst the sheep

Darius' brown eyes scanned the room when he entered the dormitory. Although it was late, past midnight, he was still relieved when he saw that there was no one around. Something in his head told him that he'd regret that at the next morning. He had a habit of waking up early, at 5 AM. Why, even he did not know, it was almost like someone set it in his system and there was no way of getting rid of it.
Usually though he was a sleepy guy. Once his head touched the pillow, he'd fall asleep, but today Darius spent hours in his bed, turning side to side and trying to relax, but eventually end up annoyed of his unsuccessful attepmt of rest. He spent at least half an hour reading in his bed before one of the boys woke up and told him in a well known „Slytherin polite manner“ to get lost, Darius had no other options than to leave the bedroom and do something productive in the dorm.

He took an apple from the vial on the table. The house elves had already managed to clean this place up and fill the fireplace with wood. Sitting down on the armchair right beside it, he could feel how the warmth radiated from the flames. He took a small bite of his apple and closed his eyes, shivering all over his body. “Dear Merlin,“ he gasped quietly. This fruit was so sour! Darius gasped for air, trying to hold back his pretty alphabet of curses and when he calmed down, he threw the apple into the flames. If there was anything that he did not like, it was an experiencing something sudden and unexpected and in this case – something unpleasant from food.

There was nothing left to do. Of course he could go and wake up his younger brother, but the result would be equal to the Hogwart's war, so that was not an option. Sighing, he looked at his hands and pulled up the sleeves of his housecoat, revealing his tattoos to the beautiful nothingness. He did not brag about the art that decorated his body though he was proud of the pictures and words that were tattooed on his hands and chest. Maybe it was time to get new ones? His parents did not care and he had enough money to allow himself this sort of fun.

((Sorry, I suck at starters!))

Penny had fallen asleep at a table. The poor girl was absolutely exhausted from a loooong night of studying History of Magic. The last A she had received on her essay had been absolutely horrid. There was no reason she was not receiving at least an E on the homework in the class, and she was already getting chewed out by her parents for not having an O in what they considered the softest subject.

So, the poor girl had dragged down about fourteen ancient-looking tomes the size of small dogs down into the common room, and spread them out on one of the tables. She had been halfway through the seventh book, on a section depicting the one and only uprising of house elves ever recorded.

And now, she was lightly muttering facts as she slept. She didn't awake when someone entered the common room, but she began to speak more. "The rally was led... by Iggy... was forty seven... house of Lotis... battle of tears... Castle Lotiville."

Darius almost jumped up when he heard a quiet, whisper like, words echoing from the walls and reaching him. Ghosts? He looked around, expecting to see a silverish glowing figure floating in the air, but he saw no one. Young man frowned. He expected to be there in his royal loneliness, not with someone. Besides, he already felt weird. He was not wearing proper clothing. Only his pj pants and this silken house coat.
That did not matter, however.
He got up, slowly, as he felt that his body was actually tired, but mind was racing, and looked around.

What he saw was really... interesting. “Well if its not Penny Mcnair,“ he murmured quietly. He approached her, walking basically on his toes, and bent closer to hear what exactly she was murmuring. Her words made no sence to him, but the situation was really amusing.
He could pull a prank on her, but being as polite as he was, he thought that it would not just be mean. And impolite. His mother had taught him that being a gentleman to girls was always useful.

So now, instead of waking her up with a cold shower or an orchestra, he gently tapped her shoulder. “Hey, Aurora, if you want to sleep, then you should go to bed,“ he said as he gently pushed her.

Penny's fingers and toes twitched in erratic patterns as her lips quivered to allow words to slip out of her throat and into the frigid, night air. The common room was always a bit chilly, and, by this time of night, the air was so cold that only a small radius around the fire radiating any real warmth. Her table across the room was in a cool corner, and her skin shivered in the cold.

So, really, it was not the words of a stranger that roused her, but the warmth of his touch upon her shoulder. Her chin dipped, enjoying the warmth even in her slumber, as she slowly roused herself up. She opened her eyes and the situation finally registered in her brain, like a stone slowly sinking to the bottom of a pit of mud. She noticed the page pressed to her cheek, processed the words and voice, and recognized the familiar sensation of touch.

And with that, she jerked up in shock.

She turned in her seat, her neck creaking uncomfortably as she did. She let out a small "Ah!" of surprise and pain, as her hand flew up to the pack of her neck to gently fortify it. She found herself looking at Darius Dolohov. She relaxed a little, though not much. "Darius, you frightened me!"

She realized she must look terrible - her cheek red from pressing against her book, her hair frazzled, her eyes tired. She turned away briefly and brushed her hair down, and then wiped her eyes. Embarrassed by her situation, she rested her face in her cupped hands, pretending to shield her eyes from the light of the fire. "What time is it?"

Darius didn't expect such a reaction which is why, when Penelope arose so suddenly, he took few steps back with a fast temp, almost falling over himself. He didn't linger there for much longer however. Darius collected himself and pulled his housecoat closer to himself, covering his bare chest and tied it around his waist. He really did not expect anyone to be there besides him and the berooms were too heated for him to sleep with his shirt on.
He approached the table, this time carefully as if Penelope was some sort of a hunter. When she spoke, Darius frowned. “Frightened you? I almost had a heart attack!“ He hissed, remembering that they weren't the only ones in the dungeons. Normal people slept during this hour.

Carefully, trying to avoid making any sudden movements, he took a seat on the sofa. She looked hilarious, he had to admit that. Her cheek that had been pressed against the book, looked bright red on her pale face. He had to admit though that she looked better with her hair messy. It was just more natural.

“So, what were you... reading?“ If you could call it that. From what he got, she was mumbling words through her sleep and they didn't resemble to anything he knew.

Penny's cheeks burned with embarrassment as she realized she had reacted in such a foolish manner as to injure Darius' own state of mind and comfort of being. The way he hissed at her in response made her feel like a child being scolded, and she suddenly felt very small. She dropped her gaze to hide the inconsequential hurt that had welled there by his response, and nibbled her lip to try and steady her features. It would not do for a young pureblood female to express any sort of weakness of character or failing of fortitude. And yet, she felt so very small.

He moved away and she allowed her face to disappear into her cupped hands, hiding the mortification so clear on her face. Her inquiry to the time was lost in her hands and he asked after the content of her late night reading. She spread her fingers so she could speak clearly through the gaps. "I was reading up on the house elf uprising of Lotiville for History of Magic. I guess I was sleepier than I thought."