4th Floor Common Room - Sunday Morning

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

There wasn't enough facepalming in the world to cover what had gone on over the past few days. That was why Edmund was in complete denial. Instead of dying of embarrassment, he was sitting on the floor in the common room, occasionally eating from a bowl of increasingly soggy cereal and trying to reply to a letter he'd received.

Comments

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"It's been a fun and exciting week for a lot of people," Rose said. "That's what radio says anyway."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"Radio lies." He hadn't heard radio this week. Had he been mentioned? Yes, yes he had, but he was hoping he hadn't. "Or at the very least embellishes."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

Rose shook her head, laughing. "Course it does. That's what makes the good story. Don't worry so much, Edmund. I don't think anyone can throw stones on this one."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

Edmund picked up his pen and paper again. "Denial is a happy place, so I don't know what you're talking about."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Aww, so cute and British," Rose teased. "Who're you writing to?"

Lifetime at boarding school left her without all that much concept of personal privacy.

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

A sigh escaped Ed before he had a chance to stifle it as he looked down at the paper. "A friend who went home. I'm not very good at letters."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Me neither," Rose sympathized. "Can you call him?"

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"I don't have her phone number," Ed shrugged. "Only a return address."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Sucks," she said, leaning back. "Girlfriend? Or just a friend?"

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"Friend," he said all too quickly. He really needed to work on that. "She left between the semesters, but didn't get to say anything until yesterday because of her parents. I wondered what happened to her, but..." He trailed off. "Anyway, I should write back if I can think of what to say beyond 'glad you're alive, thanks for letting me know.'"

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Tell her you missed her," Rose said instantly, covering her grin with her hand. "And what's been going on around here. Unless there were extracurriculars last week. Don't tell her that."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"No, she definitely won't be hearing about that." He took a deep breath. Denial. "Just...keep it simple then?"

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "She's just going to be happy to hear from you. Doesn't really matter what you say."

Her early morning wake up was too close to her thoughts, and the same advice was true was Rose.

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"You would think that would make writing this a lot easier, but it doesn't. Thank you, though."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Anytime," Rose said with a shrug. She eyed Edmund then teased. "If you didn't like her, it wouldn't be so hard."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"You," Edmund said, letting out a quick sigh, "conversations with you are very...oh, nevermind."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"It's okay," Rose teased. "You can tell you. Probably've heard it before."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"Are you always this abrupt?"

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Rose said immediately. "Why? Does it bother you?"

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"Yes, but I wouldn't want you to stop. It's surprisingly refreshing."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

She laughed, way too amused. "Yep. Just call me Coke."

Really. Don't.

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"I'd rather not. Though now I could really use a drink. You're not a very good influence, you know."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"I haven't done anything but give you helpful advice since I got here," Rose protested. "But I know people who'd agree with you."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"I should write to them and let them know they're not alone in the world. Maybe I could start a support group."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Probably not," Rose smirked. "You can't even write that letter you're working on."