Just when he thought things could not get worse, it seemed like the week was never going to end.  All he wanted to do was forget his surroundings and just live in peace for just one day and he had tried and failed miserably.  Three days prior he had tried skipping classes and getting his head on straight only to be ripped apart both physically and mentally.  

Gage had managed to make him feel like the lowest person on earth, carved him up and then laughed it all off like it was the most natural thing to do.  Then the unspeakable had happened and though he had taken care of the boy he felt like he was still walking in a never ending nightmare.  Those actions could come back on him sooner or later and he would be sent to Azkaban just like his retch of a  father.  Also, he had never felt more embarrassed, he wanted to fix things with Draco and then he went and let another boy do unspeakable acts to him.  

The night before he had gone for a walk hoping to clear his head and trying to avoid everyone only to run into Luca down in the boathouse and what his brother had told him had broken his heart even though it had no reason to.  Leyton knew that things were off between Draco and himself for some time now but some where deep down he hoped that they could work through it.  Then Luca had dropped the bomb that he had seen Riddle and the other boy sneaking around the castle on more than one occasion.  All the signs had been there if one chose to actually see them and accept them for the truth.  

His feet could not carry him away quick enough from that boathouse that night, the pounding of feet against the ground all that could be heard in his ears even as Luca called out to him trying to get him to come back, but he heard none of that.  He headed straight back to the dorms ignoring anyone who spoke to him.  All he wanted to do was get rip roaring drunk but Snape had found his secret stash in one of the empty classrooms and vanished it to places unknown.  The ROR was also out as now as well, it was too soon and held too many unpleasant memories to go up there. So he had returned to his room, only to have Draco come in moments later.

Needless to say the conversation that followed did not go well, ending with Draco storming off and Leyton crawling back into bed in tears where he had spent all of the next day refusing to leave, curtains drawn to keep out all sound and light. He only got up long enough to sneak to the kitchen for something to eat and take it back to the common room. There he only lasted five minutes before talk of Gage's demise drove him back to the dorm.

Stripping down to his boxers, he pulled on a pair of black cotton pj pants and crawled onto his bed not even bothering with a shirt.  It would be hours before his brother joined him in the room and by that time he would have drawn his curtains and put up a silencing spell to drown out any sounds the other boy might make. Pulling his pants back down low on his hips he hissed after the contact they made with the still healing mark just above his arse.  Nothing he did would heal it and he was too embarrassed to go to the nurse who would only ask questions. He just kept trying to keep it clean in hopes it would heal before anyone saw it.

Finally he moved to his bed pulling his pillows down under his head and laying with his back to the door not really thinking anyone would disturb him.  After all, it wasn't too late, and most would not retire for another few hours and hopefully with any  luck he would be fast asleep before that happened.  Maybe, just maybe he would actually be able to sleep through the night without having any nightmares to plague him through the night.

It had been quite the whirlwind around the castle, with the Headmaster announced dead, the attack on the Halloween Ball, which Reyna had escaped, thankfully, unscathed. A lot of things the girl was, and stupid was not one of them. The moment the giant spiders of horror had made their appearance, the blonde had made her escape quickly. It was unfortunate that so many had met their deaths at that Ball, and it was a swift blow, the fallout of which was virtually endless.

It had almost been easy to forget that they were in dark times, with a war raging on in the outside world. At times, it had seemed almost as if none of that existed. As if it were only some fable people talked of. It had been almost easy to think that the problems of a teenage girl were the only ones in the world. It had been easy to think that within the walls of Hogwarts, they were protected.

It was a lie that now mocked them by way of death and horror.

In the days that past since that fateful night, the mood in the castle had changed. Somber. Dark. Tension was high. People were on edge. Feuds had broken out. Theories had been drawn. But many of the questions still went unanswered. The professors didn't speak about it, which led Reyna to believe even they knew very little in regards to what had happened, how, and why. And if they did, they certainly weren't sharing.

The papers, of course, were running with the story that it was the Dark Lord's doing, and Potter, Gryffindor's Golden Boy, was taking hits as well, given his involvement in the Headmaster's death. Or, as they said, his guilt in doing it himself. There were many theories floating around the castle, and none of them made a shred of sense to the blonde. And anyone who knew anything about any of it was being tight lipped. Those closest to it all gave nothing away. With good reason, Reyna was sure.

But with the papers blaming the Dark Lord for the attack on Hogwarts, the castle had become doubly unsafe for those of Slytherin house. They had always travelled in pairs generally, but in the days following the attack, the effort doubled, with snakes traveling in groups, and only to classes and the Great Hall. They went only where they needed, and always with company. It was the ruling sent down the chain of command within the house. No doubt coming from Malfoy, and no one dared to disobey it.

As such, the common room was awfully packed in the evenings, with the Slytherins sticking to their territory and main domain. It was packed, and it was quiet. But still, the whispers could be heard as clear as if shouted, and it was the whispers regarding one Gage Hughes that had her hands shaking despite her efforts to control herself, her stomach churning as memories of the time spent in the potions storeroom flashed before her eyes.

Reyna had to close her eyes against the onslaught, trying to focus on breathing and regaining herself instead of succumbing to the sickness as the bile built up in her throat from just the mention of the horror who haunted her nights. She could still feel the grip in her hair. Still feel the panic and terror. She could still feel the tongue that had forced it's way into her virgin mouth...

Blue eyes snapped open when she felt someone brush by her, where she sat in an armchair trying to force herself to remain that epitome of pureblood she was, only to see the retreating form of Leyton Lestrange as he hurried off to the boy's dorms. The blonde had not seen much of the boy since that night, and hadn't dared to meet his eyes. Afraid of what she might find if she did. But it was as she watched his retreating form that she realized that that night marked the last time she had also seen tail or hair of Hughes. Which might not mean anything, as she had rarely seen the...demon..before anyways. But something told her it was not coincidence.

After several long moments of considering whether or not to do what her mind was telling her to do, the Slytherin witch finally found herself rising from her seat, and following the boy who had passed her some minutes before. As per usual, she didn't so much as bother with giving anyone in the room so much as a look, and though she knew what her action now could do to her pristine reputation, she didn't allow it to stop her. For once, her reputable standing and rank took a back seat.

But when she got to the door marked for the seventh year boys, she hesitated, not entirely sure what she hoped to accomplish, or what she was even doing. What she would even say. She wasn't entirely sure the boy would even speak with her, given their past and the way they clashed. None of which truly mattered at that point in time, considering that, whatever horrors she had suffered at the hands of Hughes, was nothing compared to what she could have suffered had Leyton not come to her rescue. For that, she owed it to the boy to at least...express her thanks and gratefulness. The teen took a breath, pulled herself to her full height, lifting her head proudly, and knocked daintily on the door.

Somehow, feeding sharks seemed like a better option at the moment.

Laying in bed he curled around his pillows trying to relax. But the moment his head had hit his mind begin to race from one thing to the next. What he needed more than anything was a vile of dreamless sleep but that would have meant having to face others about the castle and that was the last thing that he wanted to be a part of. So he remained in bed trying to shut down his mind.

It was too soon interrupted though as he heard a knocking at the door. He had hoped that they would go away but when he did not hear any retreating footsteps he turned over and pushed up out of bed and marched over towards the door. He had no idea who he was expecting to be there because surely no one would be foolish enough to come looking for him. Obviously it had to be someone looking for Luca.

"I'll set them straight thats for bloody sure," he muttered darkly. Pulling open the door he stared down at the girl wide-eyed for a moment just taking her in. What in the bloody hell was she doing here. She had to know what people would say should they see here there. Leyton had no idea what she was up to and he wasn't sure that he wanted to find out.

Crossing his arms over his chest he leaned against his door continuing to stare down at her curiously. "Can I help you with something Faulkner or are you lost?" She was standing there in all her perfected glory looking as out of place he had ever seen. Beautiful, but out of place. Shaking the thought from his head he raised a brow waiting for an answer.

The moment the door opened, Reyna froze. Going there had been a terrible idea, especially when she hadn't even figured out what exactly she was going to say to the male who was practically the bane of her existence. In hindsight, knocking on the door before she could lose he nerve had seemed like a good idea. But now that the door was open and she were faced with the boy, she found she had lost her nerve anyways.

For a moment, all she could do was stand there and look back at him with eyes wider than usual. Part of her had hoped he wouldn't answer her knock. Or at least yell at her to go away. Of course, it would be just like the boy to not let her off the book that easy, whether knowingly or not. Why couldn't he have just done what was expected for once? Which was to be normally anti-social self and tell off whoever had knocked on the door. At least then she could have walked away knowing she had least tried without having to actually face him.

It was only a moment later that her eyes wandered from his, taking in the bare and naked upper torso that was on display, causing her face to flush lightly as she immediately looked away, trying to avoid looking at him while also trying to force away the urge to drink in the sight. Why did he have to be half naked? It was completely improper! The blonde conveniently forgot that it was improper for her to have gone there in the first place. But it was hardly her fault! He didn't leave her a choice, since he avoided other people like the plague.

Now he was simply testing her ability to keep her feelings locked away and buried deep, and though being anywhere in the same area as him was test enough, him shirtless...well, it was that much more difficult, to say the least. Fortunately, the challenge to do so made her all the more determined to simply say what she had come to say and that be the end of it. His question snapped her back to attention, and Reyna's gaze snapped back to his before she adopted that haughty manner of hers, sticking her nose in the air as she brushed past him with a graceful stride and into the room.

"You should know better Lestrange. I do not go anywhere without a purpose. I came to talk with you, obviously, though as per usual, your brain hardly seems able to grasp that clear concept." The teen replied haughtily, picking up the shirt off his bed and holding it with the tips of two fingers as if it were some dirty rag. "Now put this on. I have no desire to see any part of you without clothes on." Her tone had that demanding aspect that made it clear she completely expected him to do as she said, and that superior lilt that always clearly put across the fact that the blonde considered herself better than everyone else was there as well.

Her lips curled with disdain as she looked around the room to avoid looking at him. One look had been all it took to already have her feeling a thrill she had never before experienced, and the teen did not want to push her luck with keeping her control around Leyton. It was already shaky at best. She couldn't afford to lose it completely.

Crossing his arms over his chest he stared down at her trying to determine just what was going through her head. He was having little luck with it though. Leyton had no idea why she had come here and he was none to pleased to see her. His temper was already out of control these days and if he had to listen to her usual spurt of insults he could not guarantee that he wouldn't unleash on her like never before.

As her eyes raked over his body he couldn't help but chuckle. He was built well but not overly muscular and apparently she had enjoyed the sight if only for a moment , apparent by the blush that crept across her cheeks. Still waiting for an answer he stood there with a scowl as she breezed past him and into his room like she owned the place. Closing his eyes for a brief moment he let out a deep breath trying to calm the anger that immediately came bubbling up.

Pulling his pants up higher and making they were tied tightly he finally rounded on her shutting the door behind him as he did. Rolling his eyes he brushed off her smart tone with a shrug of his shoulders. "I do not even pretend to comprehend what goes on in that head of yours Faulkner I have better things to do." Snatching the shirt away from her he pulled it on over his head with a snarl. "If you do not wish to see such things I suggest not coming to my room. As it is my room and I shall do as I please in it."

Sitting down on the trunk at the end of his bed he glanced back up at her. "Now say what it is you came to say or turn around and march your snotty attitude back out that door."

"Yes. Clearly, you have such important things to do Lestrange. I daresay it is a lot of work to have such intolerable manners and such a hostile personality." Reyna didn't miss a beat, and her comeback was delivered in a tone that made it clear that his words didn't fool her and that she didn't care one bit what it was he got up to anyway. It was, of course, a lie, as much of her interaction with the male was. If he knew just how much she did care, he would likely die of shock.

The idea was an entertaining thought. If only it were truly possible for him to do so, it would solve so many problems for her. Of course, the blonde could never really and truly want him dead. Pretending to was one thing. She had years of experience with pretending as much, and years of shielding her true feelings towards him with a false hatred. But really wanting it was quite another. After all, how could anyone want someone they cared about dead?

But that was neither here nor there at the moment, and the teen quirked one perfect blonde brow on her face at the boy's snarl as he snatched the shirt from her in an obviously less than happy manner. But he pulled it on over his head all the same, and the whole scenario amused her to the point that a small laugh passed through her lips in spite of herself. "If that is so, then why do you do as I demand?" Her blue eyes seemed to glitter as she baited him, knowing she was pushing her luck, and feeling a thrill for it.

Reyna knew it wasn't smart. It was likely the worst situation for her, and she had put herself in it. Everything she had worked to keep bottled up was so close to exploding, and now she had deliberately put herself in a confined room with the one person who could very well tip her over the edge. And not only that, but they were quite alone as well. One wrong move from either of them and the teen knew she could very likely take the plunge onto a path there would be no turning from.

Of course, his tendency to try and boss her around and order her to do things got under her skin much like it always did, and the blonde snapped back with a narrowed gaze. "Do not tell me what to do. Do not presume to think you have such a right, Lestrange." Her words were harsh, almost cruelly delivered, as if to say that he would never have such a right. Reyna knew she was tempting that vile temper of his, but she didn't care. That, at least, would be normal. That would be familiar territory.

With a cold look at him where he sat on his trunk at the foot of his bed, the Slytherin witch began to pace before him, half furious and half frantic, trying to force herself to have the words she had come to speak, while also trying to force herself not to lash out further at the man who was so intolerable to her if only because of how she secretly felt towards him. Finally, after several moments, Reyna halted in her pacing, facing him and taking a breath as she pulled herself to her full height, head held high proudly. "I merely came to express my gratitude to you Lestrange."

She started off, her tone becoming less icy and more earnest and honest as she continued on. "I wanted to thank you, for stepping in with Hughes. You could have let him.." Reyna paused, unable to finish that sentence, and closed her eyes to fight the tears the terrible memories of that evening brought. "Well in any case, you didn't have to interfere, and because you did I am not worse off. I cannot begin to understand why you would come to my rescue when you hate me so, but I will forever be thankful that you did."

Reyna waited a moment to let her genuine thanks sink in before reverting back to her haughty self. "Now that I have thanked you however, we can go back to hating each other as per usual. That should make you happy." The blonde gave him that dismissive look that she knew he hated with a passion, and again had to wonder why she was so keen on tempting that temper of his. Of course, she didn't have to ask herself. She already knew the answer. She just didn't want to admit it to herself. Or to anyone else.

As she began to spout off more insults he had to wonder why he had ever thought that he was in love with her. In truth, he knew why and it was why he still held a soft spot for her. It was because she challenged him like no other dared and he found it honest and refreshing. It was the same thing that scared him though, and he was afraid of showing her who he really was deep down inside. Rolling his eyes at her latest burst he tried to remind himself that she was a lady and not someone he should hex into the middle of next week.

Unfortunately, that was a feat that was easier said than done. "Yes well when dealing with one such as yourself the only thing you can he is hostile." he muttered more to himself than her. Of course he had nothing better to do. He was hiding out from a majority of the castle, his own family included and he rarely did his homework which meant he often had more time on his hands than he knew what to do with. That led to his recent bouts of drinking in whatever empty room or quite spot that he could sneak into. Currently though he was quite sober though with every passing moment he wished he was not.

The scowl never left his face though and as she laughed at him it grew even larger, his mood turning darker and darker. "Because I have a headache among other things and listening to you is only making it worse Faulkner. So it was better to put it on than to listen to your snark for the next ten minutes." he retorted back with ease. She really was a priss, as him without a shirt was not what she made it out to be.

Letting her next barb sit for a moment he watched as she started to pace back and forth in front of him. He was really beginning to think she had truly lost her mind especially when she finally paused to give her thanks. He hadn't done it for her gratitude. He had done it because no one deserved to go through what he had gone through. No matter their differences she did not deserve that, she deserved things much better. But of course when he thought maybe there was a redeeming bone in her body she turned back into the person he could not stand. The one that treated him like he was nothing and he could not take it anymore.

Pushing up off of the trunk he stared down at her with an ice cold glare. "You have no idea what would make me happy Faulkner, no idea at all. Hating you is at the very bottom of a very long list." As his anger bubbled he curled his fingers into a fist beside him. He would never strike her, but he hated that she saw him like this. Moving closer towards her he stared down at her backing her towards the wall his voice raising to a yell as he did.

"Do not talk down to me like I am some inferior creature Faulkner. I have had about all I can take from you and the rest of the people in this school. I am a Lestrange and you will treat me with some respect or I will take it from you. I have never treated you like I treat others and damn it I refuse to be treated like dirt."

He knew that he should back down though before he did something that he could not take back. Leyton wanted nothing more than to pin her to the wall and kiss the smart look right off of her face but he rather liked his balls being attached to his body.

It was only mere seconds between her last words and him rising to his feet, and Reyna could already feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Whether in fear or anticipation, she wasn't quite sure, but she were leaning towards the latter. Mostly because the blonde had no reason to fear the man who stood before her with one the coldest glares she had ever been on the receiving end of. And that were saying something. Leyton may be a lot of things, but he had never crossed that line into woman beater, so even as his hands clenched at his sides in fists, the Slytherin witch didn't fear any physical retaliation from him.

Of course, that didn't mean she were stupid enough to stay within reach if it could be helped. Not because she were afraid of him, but because she were enjoying the closeness to him too much, and she had already pressed her luck enough. Any more and something were likely to happen that would change things for them both. Something Reyna had been working for years to keep from happening. As such, the teen backed up as he moved forward, which worked well enough. Until her back hit the wall and there was no where else to go and the male snake was the only thing filling her vision.

On top of it all, his horrid and disgraceful yelling had made her flinch. Reyna didn't flinch! Not even with Hughes had she flinched! Not that she had really had any time to react to that monster anyway, but still....Lestrange never yelled at her! And how dare he raise his voice to her anyway!? The boy was clearly out of his mind, and she met his look with her head raised proudly, nose arrogantly in the air as she glared heatedly at him both indignantly and reproachfully. "Give me a reason to look at you differently and perhaps I would."

Her words were deliberately cutting, as she clearly didn't appreciate him yelling at her. Such horrid behavior for a young man. And he called himself a pureblood. "You get respect when it is earned, Lestrange. You will take nothing nor will you receive it freely. You want respect, then try being the man you are instead of the boy who only pretends to be and hides in various places around this castle sucking on his bottle like a baby!" In the heat of the moment, Reyna had forgone all decorum and social etiquette, standing at her full height and matching his determined look with one of her own, challenging him in a way she had never before, and not backing down an inch despite being forced up against the wall.

Of course, the blonde were so caught up in the moment with him that she clearly didn't realize she had probably said too much, given away too much. Mentioning his drinking and hiding only meant she watched him more closely than most people. Close enough to know what he was up to and when. Which also meant she cared to some extent. One didn't watch someone that closely for no reason. She gave this all away, but was completely unconcerned by it because she wasn't calm enough to think twice about what she said at the moment. It was just him and her, and the electrical current that seemed to suddenly exist in the small space there was between them.

As Leyton stared her down he could not remember the last time he had been so furious. Of course he was not mad at her but the way every thing had piled up she was the unfortunate one that happened to be around when he finally snapped. His temper was always the one thing that he had the worst control on, and given his family he came by it honestly. Granted Luca never seemed to have the same problem but he was the odd one out.

He wanted nothing more than to put the witch before him in her place. To show her just how strong and powerful he really was. But it would all just be an act if it did not match how he truly felt inside. That week had broken him down on every level and being at his lowest only made him more angry. He was sick of feeling weak and beat down but he was the only person who could change that and right now he was stuck.

Fingers clenching at his side he moved another step closer to her he was ready to pin her to wall and kiss her until he saw her flinch. It was all it took to break him from his anger. He had seen the same thing happen to his mother one of the few times his father had gotten angry in their presence and it was enough to break his rising temper. The one person he had always sworn he would never become was his father, and now here he was following in his footsteps exactly. Backing away from her with a shake of his head he scowled, "No matter the reason, you still wouldn't. I know you."

Crossing his arms over his chest he moved backwards a few more steps wanting to put some space between them. His eyes flashed however, revealing much more than he would ever speak. He wanted her acceptance, much more so than he had ever wanted from anyone else. "How in Merlin's name would you know what I spend my time doing unless you are following me around spying on me. Or are you having someone else do it." It was the only way someone would know exactly what he was up to because he was extremely careful about what he was up to, except for when he was drunk, and then it was hard to tell who had seen him.

"Why are you following me about Reyna? And for once in your bloody life I want an honest answer and you are not going to leave this room until I get it." Stepping forward he closed the distance between them once more trapping her against the wall.