There You Were (Anna/Chase - Dungeons)

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase would have blown the question off, but he held out hope that if he answered Anna's questions, she wouldn't bother hunting down a copy of the paper to read herself. "It was about your ex," he said. "You don't want to read it." Chase didn't know if Anna knew about Michael; she'd told him that Michael had left her for someone else, but hadn't mentioned who. If she didn't know, hopefully that statement would be enough and she wouldn't want to hear. If she did know...perhaps she'd be too disturbed to want to read it.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna's hand stopped it's movement, her face turning pale in a combination of shock and fear. Which of Michael's secrets had become the most important gossip at school? She didn't think him having once been fighting for the Death Eaters would suddenly emerge as a hot topic of conversation, so she could only assume the worst. Did the whole school now know Michael had left her for a guy? Is that why Chase didn't mention specifics? Did the article hold her responsible somehow and that was the reason he didn't want her to read it? She stared ahead, unseeing anything as she wondered just what this news meant. She had only briefly considered others finding out, she thought Michael and Dare were keeping it to themselves.

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase looked back at Anna when she froze. She knew, he could tell. She knew who Michael was with, or she'd suspected, at least. He couldn't guess what she was thinking now, but obviously the news disturbed her. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Just take my word for it." Somehow he didn't think she would, but he couldn't think of how to stop her. Chase mentally kicked himself for having brought up the Prophet at all.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

She hadn't heard Chase; not more than his voice in the background and she hadn't even tried to make out any of his words. Anna closed her eyes to try and push away all her unwelcome thoughts. After a few slow breaths however, it was obvious that she couldn't accomplish the impossible. "Chase, I can't do this right now. Please, just show me how to get out of here? I...I just can't. I don't want to deal with it right now." Anna needed to get back to her dorm, and fast. She just wanted to be alone, not standing in the middle of a corridor where anyone could walk by and witness her. She opened her eyes, dropping her hand from Chase and staring at his chest, waiting for his help.

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase nodded and stepped back further, slipping his hand against the back of Anna's waist. He walked her down to the the end of the corridor, then gestured up a narrow flight of stairs hidden behind a tapestry. "That'll take you up near Professor Seyrrou's office," he said. "From there, you can get to a main corridor." Chase paused, debating, then shook his head at himself. "You'll be fine," he said.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna followed Chase silently, her worries building in her head the whole way. When Chase stopped at a tapestry, she was able to pull herself together enough to spare him some attention. "Thanks." She found his hand and gave it a light squeeze as she leaned up on tiptoes and kissed him swiftly on the cheek. She turned away, calling an apology as she quickly disappeared up the stairs and made a beeline to the Ravenclaw Tower.

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[Chase Firebrand]

Chase watched Anna until her form was no longer visible. Then he turned back toward the Slytherin Common Room. He'd stop trying to avoid Anna, but that didn't mean he wanted to see anyone else.