Can it be true? (Allison D.)

[Ashley Lovegood]

Was it true? Was she really here? Ashley had to find out.

She passed many people on her way to the lake, not taking notice to anyone. She didn't notice that she had run into a first year or that she was crumpling the paper that was held tightly in her left hand. She had previously been searching the Owlery for her little owl when she had arrived with a letter... a letter that now had Ash's hear pumping.

Breathing heavily, she came to a stop at the sandy shore of the lake. She looked around quickly, searching for that one person. The person she wanted to see the most right then. She was not there. Disappointment consumed her as her excited expression fell from her face. She sat down in the warm sand, staring out at the dark lake. She took a deep breath to calm herself. She wanted to know. No, she needed to know if her best friend was here, really here, at the castle. The place she now called home.

[icymorpher]

Allison ran to the lake, emotions high. She had finally come to Hogwarts and now all she had to do was find her friend. She finally made it there but not before the person whom she had sent the letter to. She watched for a moment as her best friend stared out at the lake, oblivious that she was only feet behind her. With a playful idea, Allison snuck up behind her friend and tapped her on the back. So many thoughts were whirling about in her head. She was unsure of what to say once Ashley turned but at the moment she too excited to think.She suppressed the urge to yell as the fact that she was now here washed over her.

[Ashley Lovegood]

Ashley felt someone tap her back, pulling her from her anxious thoughts. Her blue eyes fell upon a first year who's face she knew all too well. "Allison!" She nearly yelled the name in her relief. She was beginning to think that it had all been a joke. A horrible joke. Ashley had never been more happy to have been proven wrong. She leaped to her feet and threw her arms around the Mihael in a large hug. She had a million questions to ask, but she held her tongue. She released the girl and stepped back, examining her at arms length. She grinned at her best friend. It had been forever since she had had contact with anyone from outside the school, and only now did she realize what a stupid mistake that had been.

"How... when..." Ash stumbled over her words. She had too many questions that she was trying to ask at once. She picked one and settled with it after taking in a lung full of air to calm herself. "How have you been?" Allison had explained a lot in the letter that had just been delivered to her, but she still was curious. She had never thought that a friend from the horrid place she used to call home would end up at Hogwarts like herself.

[icymorpher]

Allison smiled at Ashley's reaction. It had been a long time since she had seen Ash smile, a long time. She hugged her best friend back before looking her up and down. "You've gotten thinner," she accused with a disapproving look. The smile returned however as Ash asked how she was. Ally should be the one asking her not the other way around.

"I've been good. Everyone misses you back home. Oh, my little brother said hi." she added with a grin. Allison's brother was annoying but he could still be cute at times. Ally was careful to leave out Ashley's parents, not wanting to ruin her friends good mood. It was rare back home to see Ashley smiling so much and Allison was glad that her ways had changed.

[Ashley Lovegood]

"You've gotten thinner,"

Ash rolled her eyes, Allison had always been protective of her but she could take care of herself. She always had. Ashley inspected Ally as she had done to herself. She could find nothing wrong, which pleased the fifth year. "You look like the last time I saw you.... When was that?" she asked aloud, pondering the last time she had laid eyes on her friend.

"I've been good. Everyone misses you back home. Oh, my little brother said hi."

"Oh..." She felt quiet. She mind flashed to everyone who had been there for her. Ally, Ryan, Jake, Josh.... She shook her head and smiled once more. "Also been a while since I have seen them huh? Too bad my home was burned." She left that dark topic and took up a lighter one. "Ha, tell him I said hi. Being annoying as usual?" she teased with a smile.

[icymorpher]

"Hmm, not sure.... You left and then... That reminds me I'm supposed to be very mad at you." She said glaring at her friend suddenly. Ash had left without a word, the last time she had seen her was from far in the distance as Ashley stood paralyzed with a fire blazing around her. Ally shook the horrid memory off before looking back at her.

Worry consumed her features. Fearing that she had said something wrong, she glanced around for another topic. "Yeah..." She agreed unwillingly. She sighed in relief as Ashley took up another topic to discuss. "Yup, even more since your not there to keep him in line." She said with a grin.

[Ashley Lovegood]

"Hmm, not sure.... You left and then... That reminds me I'm supposed to be very mad at you."

Now confused by her friends sudden glare, she began to think of why in the world she would be mad at the fifth year. She had done nothing wrong that she could think of off the top of her head, but she was sure she must have done something to get this reaction. "Uh..." Still puzzled, she stared out at the lake, contemplating what she had done so horribly wrong.

It hit her and when it did, it hit her with a blinding force. Her disappearance. She winced as she finally remembered and slowly turned back to Ally. Worried she would release her full Vamp. power on her. =] "Oh... that..." She mumbled with a guilty expression. She knew a explanation was in order, but was unsure of where to start.

"Yup, even more since your not there to keep him in line."

Ash laughed at her remark. She could see it now and it was a very funny thing to see. "I'll kill him next time I see him, kay?" She joked, mirroring her grin.

[icymorpher]

Allison was in shock that it had not dawned on Ashley earlier as to what she was referring to. She was sure the image would have popped out at her but she had seemed to be mistaken. She rolled her eyes slightly, before continuing the glare. She was never really mad at Ash, but her sudden disappearing act had hurt her. "Yes that!" She said, sharper than she had intended. Her eyes softened at the look of guilt on the Hufflepuffs face.

"Sorry.... I didn't mean to be that hard on you." She mumbled, looking down at her shoes, ashamed of her behavior. This had not been the conversation she had been planning on having with Ash after such a long time apart. "You don't have to explain yourself. I know you had your reasons. It's just that... well.... you scared me." She admitted. "I was worried about you then I felt kind of abandoned." She knew her emotions were a bit irrational, but she knew Ash would not laugh at her.

"I'll hold you to that," She stated with a laugh. She had really missed Ash and was glad that they could how they used to be. "So, whats there to do around here?" She asked, interested in what the fifth year had discovered.

[Ashley Lovegood]

"Yes that!"

Ashley flinched away from her reaction. She did deserve this, well much worse than this. Ally had never really been able to stay mad at her for too long so for her to keep a grudge was a surprise. "I'm sorry," She said pitifully, not able to meet her eyes.

"Sorry.... I didn't mean to be that hard on you."

Ash took a deep breath before replying. "No, It's my fault. You should be screaming your head off at me if you would like. I'm sure it would make you feel better." She joked, looking up with a smile. She did not want Ally to be sorry. Ashley was the one who should be saying sorry. Still contemplating how to explain what had happened, she looked out at the smooth water of the lake.

"You don't have to explain yourself. I know you had your reasons. It's just that... well.... you scared me."

Ashley eyes widened at her words, and her gaze swiftly found Ally's again. She had no idea she had effected anyone that much when she left. Ashley guessed that it also had to do with the lack of news, but still...

"I was worried about you then I felt kind of abandoned."

Tears sprang up in Ashley's eyes and she quickly threw her arms around Allison in a hug. "I'm sorry, I'm sooo sorry. I had no idea. It... it was so hard for me to stay after what... what happened." Well, at least she was taking Morgans advice. Letting her feelings be known. The only down side was that now she felt like a complete idiot.

"So, whats there to do around here?"

Ashley laughed along with her before replying. "Hm... well depends on what your in the mood for..." She said with a smile in her direction.

[icymorpher]

Crash.

The sound of thunder could be heard off in the distance, but the second year was not paying much attention to the weather. She was more focused on her friends apologies. She could have quite literally, smacked herself in the head, but restrained herself. She felt horrible now. Ash was her only friend and Ally had succeeded in ruining a happy moment.

Her eyes widened, amazed at her reply. "No... I... It's not.... Why would I yell at you?" Her confused and tripped over words soon became stern. She was not so mad that she was going to yell at her. Anger sprang into Ally's eyes. She was not mad at her for leaving, just angry that she would think that Allison would do such a thing.

Her fury melted instantly as Ashley broke into tears. Ally had no clue what to do now. She was frozen to the spot as Ash began to cry while hugging her. Her words were scrambled but she got the message. Ally closed her eyes for a moment, trying to think of what to say. Her gaze opened to be looking at a dark sky. "It's going to rain..." She muttered before looking at Ashley. She hugged her back, she could do nothing else till she calmed down. Ashley had never let anyone see any side of her that was weak. She was the strong one of the two. The one who kept Ally running all these years. What are you supposed to do when the strong one falls?

[Ashley Lovegood]

"No... I... It's not.... Why would I yell at you?"

Ashley blinked, taken aback by her sudden tone. "Uh... aren't you mad at me for leaving?" She asked, uncomfortable under Ally's angry gaze. Ashley heard another clap of thunder that seemed to be closer than the first. Her eyes flew upward to look at the ever darkening sky. By the looks of it, it was going to be quite a storm.

"It's going to rain..."

Ash took in a deep gulp of air, ignoring her comment. The thought of the storm had been driven from her mind as soon as it had arrived. "Sorry..." she muttered once more to her friend. She had gained control of her little outburst and sat up straight, still not able to meet her eyes. "I'm ok.... Just overwhelmed." Ash was having a very stressful term and sometimes once you pile stuff so high it comes crashing down on top of you. "It was just too hard to stick around. Too many memories... I hated them Allison. There was no point in living in a place where you hate and are hated." The tears were almost gone from the corners of the fifth years eyes. She felt stupid about the sudden display of emotions but what was done was done.

[icymorpher]

Ally rolled her eyes at Ashley's obvious question. "Yes I'm hurt that you left, but no so much that I'm going to hold a grudge! You know I can't stay mad at people for too long... Well, with a few exceptions." She laughed at her little joke before smiling at her. "Your forgiven, and I'll even let you off the hook. You don't have to tell me why you left. I got the idea." She smiled a friendly smile before looking back up at the sky once more.

Rain had begun to fall down upon there heads. It hit the ground with a thud, then another and another, soon the rain was floating down in sheet from the crying clouds. Now that the storm was growing ever closer, Ally began to get anxious. She hated storms. Loved the sound of just the rain, but when the lightning and thunder came.... She shuddered, now almost soaked. "Can we go inside please?" She begged with wide hazel eyes. Ashley knew how much she feared large storms.

"I know you are... I heard about your brother." She said in a quiet tone. Ally had no clue why her brother would do this to her. He loved Ash more than anything else in the world and then he goes off and tears her apart. "I know.... and I understand. Your forgiven." She repeated for Ashley's benefit. "Let's head in and get something to eat. I'm starved!" She said with a grin. It took an effort since the thunder storm was looming nearer but she pulled it off. She got to her feet and held out a hand for Ash to help her up.

[Ashley Lovegood]

Ashley smiled at her little joke. Relief washed over her, covering up the tears so that none remained on her cheeks. "Thanks. And you seriously could never hold a grudge." She added with a laugh. Her next words made the smile that had just appeared fade away. "But... I owe you an explanation.... Well more than that, but still..." She shrugged. Even if she thought Ally needed to know what happened, Ash guessed that Allison already knew by now what had happened.

"Can we go inside please?"

Pulling farther away, Ashley looked up and received a face full of water. "Oh yeah. Forgot about you little issue with rain." she said with a smirk looking back at Ally. Ashley loved storms her friend on the other hand... "Sure. I bet I can still beat you at running." She challenged with a grin.

Her face fell at her words. Nothing was a secret around here. She stared at the ground for a moment, staying silent. Looking up her suggestion a smile flashed across her face once more. "Your always hungry," She stated with a laugh.

[icymorpher]

Ally laughed along with her, "Yeah, it's true... I could not even be mad at my brother!" She said as if she had failed at something of importance. "Oh well... I'll just be a failure at being mad at people." She concluded with a grin. Allison shook her head with a faint smile. "It's ok," She repeated, "I got it. Don't worry yourself with it."

Little was and understatement. A large flash of lightning illuminated the sky and the lake along with it. Ally flinched, her eyes growing wider as thunder boomed all around them. "Yeah... issue.... Let's go." She said still transfixed. Her gaze on the angry clouds broke at her words. "Ya right." She said with a 'you wish' expression set on her face. "First one there wins!" She said, all too glad to break into a sudden run toward the castle.

[Ashley Lovegood]

Ash frowned but gave in with a shrug. "Owl me if you want an explanation," She said, looking up at the ever darkening sky. Her eyes fell back on Ally with a grin. "Your on," Ash jumped up and took off toward the castle after Allison with a laugh as the rain began to fall down on their heads.