ch-ch-ch-ch-ch cherry bomb!

[Did she really just…make a joke? He became vulnerable, very briefly, with her..and she was making a joke? Immediately some of the things his clone said rushed through his head. “She knows that you’re down here somewhere..so why hasn’t she come looking for you?” “I guess she just sees you as that bloke she songs and gives her the answers on her homework.” “She obviously doesn’t care for you like she says she does.”

Actually, you'd probably sound like more of a freak if you were all nonchalant and certain. You're a person, not like an android or a robot or something, which means it's normal for things to be weird, confusing, and yeah, freaky. 

I mean, there's also this thing with Michael but that's not it. I had to deal with that whole Snake-Sally-Smith thing, and it was just...the worst bit isn't even that. You remember me telling you about when the same thing happened earlier in the year with Anthony Goldstein's clone? Except that time I killed it and it's all I can think about anymore.

You were? [In typical Michael fashion of choosing what he hears, he is referring to her saying that she was worried about him. He voice sounds almost childlike, and it’s probably the most vulnerable he’s ever let himself get with anyone. It catches him off guard.]

[feels more than a little insulted and upset by his question. what kind of semi/quasi/unofficia girlfriendl/whatever-they-were did he take her for?]  

[Nods and continues walking along with her]

Me? Oh, I’m always sociable. [grins slightly]

Oh yeah, always. Must just be me then today. 

[Stands up] Yeah. Yeah, that sounds better than this. [waves his hand at the table, indicating sitting there in silence] 

Seems like neither of us are at our most sociable today.[throws him a half-smile] Er, the weather's moderately nice today, surprisingly. We could head outside?

I erm- [Michael hates stuttering around with words, so he basically says the first thing to come out of his mouth]

Actually, yes. Anything is better than sitting here staring off into space.

I kind of feel sorry for your parents, cavorting off to France with a bunch of crazy clones. But I'm really glad you'll be sticking around; I really don't know what I'd do without you. 

[Decides to ignore her comment about her humor] Yeah, he’s probably still down in the dungeons or something.

Probably...doing what, I don't want to know. 

[Keeps her voice low] Well I got this letter from my parents a few weeks ago and they’d gone all mental. They said they were taking me, Rose, and all our clones to France and we were going to go to Beauxbatons next year. But Ron and I have come up with a plan to keep me here. We’re going to get a cheap flat somewhere this summer and it’s going to be awesome. You can visit anytime you need a break from your parents.

They want to take you all to France?! [tries to keep her voice down but the initial shock makes gets the better of her] Sorry. That sounds aces, I'm glad you figured out a way around it. What about Rose, though? 

[He hadn’t got around to saying hello, had he? Wasn’t it implied by just sitting down with her? Had she not learned yet that he wasn’t good with words? Even ones as simple as “Hello”? Okay, maybe he should have said something, but she didn’t have to be a smart arse about it.]

Maybe, but somehow I don't see him coming down here and sitting with me. Guessing by the look on your face, this is not one of the times where my sense of humor was endearing.

[Lavender gives a heavy sigh] Shit, I’m sorry Parv, I know just how you feel. That’s how a was only a few days ago. This year has been hell, but summer is right around the corner and you know both our parents aren’t going to let them keep us here. [She lowers her voice] Plus I have sort of exciting news that might make you feel better.

Hell doesn't even begin to cover it sometimes. I don't even...ugh. I'll honestly take my mum's insanity over this, anyday. 

[Sits down in front of her wordlessly. This is the first time he’s seen her in weeks, but he can’t figure out what to say. He wants to be angry with her, mostly just because he wants to be angry with someone. She couldn’t have known that he was gone or where he was, though. That isn’t her fault. Maybe she had been duped by his clone like Terry had. Or maybe she had been running around with the perky one, he was probably more pleasant anyway, right?]

[vaguely notices Michael sit across from her, and at first doesn't really act like it because she is not in the mood to deal with any of his clones -- she hasn't seen the "right" him in a while, after all. But when he doesn't say anything, she looks up, thinking it might actually be him] 

My new look isn’t Patil-approved?

Mm, 'fraid not. Treacle tart isn't "in" these days, unfortunately for you.