[spilling]::{secrets}::/keep/::comin'::[Lou]

[Lou McGooken]

Lou shook her head to clear her mind, trying her best to be sympathetic. At least what he said made sense, for once in her life. People had a tendency to speak in cryptic codes whenever she was around. Or maybe they just did it always and other people had found ways of interpretting them to make them make sense. But, for Lou, it was sometimes difficult to make any sense at all of what people were saying. Now wasn't one of those times.

"Not weird," she answered, giving him a grin before glancing down at Claire, who was still playing merrily with the Huffle's bangles. "Just not the same as other people."

That was, after all, how the Huffle saw things. Weird wasn't to be put aside and cast out of the group. It was simply different than everything else. Strangeness was to be embraced. For, in her opinion, we all had a spark of weird in us, no matter how hard we tried to hide it and cover it up with other things about us that would make us seem 'normal'. For if everyone was unique from each other, then how could any one of us be considered normal?

As he mentioned that it brought back bad memories to be slapped, Lou had a strange feeling that she was in the same boat as him. Sure, her caretakers at the orphanage were fair, but they tended to be a tad liberal with punishment. The only thing that made that place remotely bearable were the times when love radiated off of everything. When the troublesome kids were either feeling too good to cause mischief, or were simply enjoying the peace. Those were the times that made her stay.

"Thanks," she told him when he complimented her expertise with braiding the small blonde girl's hair. "It's about the only thing I'm actually good at, so it's nice to know there's someone to appreciate it." The little toddler began to take off the bangles and hand them back to the Hufflepuff girl. Lou, in turn, picked out two that the small girl had particulary liked and slid them back on the little girl's wrist, before whispering in her ear to keep them. Claire giggled happily and began to play with the two golden bracelets as Lou slid the rest back onto her own ivory-colored wrist.

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[Tucker Pierce]

Tucker laughed gently, continuing on to a different subject. "No... I'm sure you're good at other things Lou. Like making me smile for instance? Sure, I smile... but not many people can make me really smile. Does that make any sense? 'Cause I'm not so sure it does.... but oh well. I only really smile for a small group of people. One, Claire. Two, Corliss. Three, Kianthra. And four... you." He smiled gently at her, surprising himself with another real smile that was etched broadly on his strong face. "There's just something about you that... that... makes me feel... right. Like I can actually be myself around you. Just like I can around Claire, Corliss, and Kia. I guess you're the fourth one in my small group now. Even though I highly doubt anything will become of it." Again, he wasn't positive what he had just voiced many any sense, but he shrugged it off, looking up at the thick branches of the unmoving tree.

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[Lou McGooken]

She practically glowed when he told her that he was sure she was good at other things other than braiding hair. Sure, she knew she wasn't completely awful at most other things, but to have someone tell her that that wasn't the little conscience in her head was quite refreshing and rather boosting her to her ever-low self-esteem.

"Such the lady's man, Tuck," she teased him, leaning back on her hands and grinning at him. "Don't you have any buddies to have testosterone parties with?" she asked, genuinely concerned. It was bad for a guy to have only girl friends. Surely he had at least some people that he was friends with that weren't girls. Or maybe he simply enjoyed the company of girls better than that of guys.

In that moment, she remembered what he'd said about Corliss and Kianthra and began to wonder. She'd never really seen the two of them be genuinely nice to anyone other than each other and their little group of friends. She couldn't imagine someone as nice as Tucker being affiliated with them so closely. The only thing she could think of, as she'd voiced earlier, was that they were different around him. But, wasn't that a tad paper-thin? Being different depending on the person you were hanging out with? Or did everyone do that?

Lou didn't know. She didn't know a lot of things. As she thought this thought, a pang of sadness went through her. She wondered idly why she couldn't have been born with brains instead of her ridiculous empty head. Jesus, it was embarrassing sometimes. To take her mind off of this, she twirled her wand absently in her hand before flicking it at the ground, attempting at the spell she'd learned in Herbology the other day. They were probably the only ones she was any good at. Immediately, a silvery-blue flower sprouted from the ground, voicing her melancholy attitude at the moment.

At the sight of the flower, little Claire burst into laughter and began to clap her hands. Immediately, the feeling of sadness was gone, and the flower turned a bright orangish yellow. The Huffle plucked the flower from the ground and placed in behind the little toddler's ear, all the while thinking of how lucky she was.

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[Tucker Pierce]

Tucker smiled, a smile which was filled with nothing but happiness, and pure clarity. He loved the way Lou looked at things, or people, especially Claire. He loved the fact that she was so peaceful, and was smart in her own little way. He also loved the fact that she didn't totally freak whenever she found out about Claire. What was happening to him? Why did he love all these special qualities about this girl whom he had just now met? It was odd... even for him but he felt like he had been close to her for his whole life. Like she suddenly knew every single detail about him. About his childhood. Of course he didn't know that he felt this way. He just kept talking to her trying to figure out what it was about her that made him smile.

Tucker laughed gently, responding to Lou quietly. "Why, yes... I am a ladies man!" He chucked again his dark eyes twinkling with a little bit more than just delight. He sighed, continuing on slowly, "Oh, yeah I do... but I don't know. The girls know me a lot better than my guy friends do. They just know a lot more about Claire I suppose. They are closer to her, therefore it makes them a whole lot closer to me." He paused slowly, but continued quickly, "I have plenty of parties with them... but half of them don't end well. It's hard for me to be out partying while Claire is with a babysitter. It just feels wrong, you know?" He said, getting side tracked.

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[Lou McGooken]

While she listened to Tucker, she absentmindedly charmed more flowers into existence, bungling a few of them, as she had the tendency to do. A few only came up as rather large sprouts of grass. But there's always more tries to make, in Lou's opinion. She charmed the flowers silver and intertwined them into Claire's braids, only wanting something to do with her hands while she listened to Tucker.

His comment about being a lady's man hailed her bird-like laughter and her face lit up. She continued to wear the bright grin on her face as her finished talking up until he asked her if she knew what he meant. "I can imagine, I suppose," she told him, her voice rather wistful and airy, "I've never actually had a sibling. Or, not one that I know about. I could have twenty of them and not even know about it."

And that's what really got to her.

She'd long ago gotten over the fact that her mother hadn't wanted her. But it was all the other baggage that came along with that fact that made her want to cry sometimes. She'd learned over the years to keep herself from crying. There was no point to it. It only managed to make one more sad than they already were. So, she obstained from it. In fact, she simply pushed most bad thoughts aside, held her chin high, and continued with her day. So, that's exactly what she did the moment she thought about the siblings she may have or may not have had.

Brushing all those thoughts aside, she looked up at him, something that was sure to make her grin. And did. With that smile spreading across her face, she answered his question. "Poor dear," she sympathized the Slytherin boy. "You're old before your time, love. Something no one should have to go through. But, I suppose you've at least got Claire. And a gang of friends who can help you out."

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[Tucker Pierce]

Tucker smiled to himself gently, watching her charm more flowers. This made him smile. She seemed so good with nature... she seemed like she was just a good-natured person, whom he could rely on. His heart pounded against his chest, listening to her quietly. His eye brows furrowed as he responded to her, thinking very very hard. "I... I am so sorry Lou-Lou. I don't know what to say... but is it hard? You know... living like you lived back then, and not knowing about having siblings, if you even do?" He asked hisvoice cracking gently for Lou's hidden pain.

Tucker smiled at her, his heart aching for him to figure out that he wanted her. That he actually WANTED Lou. It was so weird... for him to want something so quickly, and with so much adrenaline. He just had to have her, although he still didn't know he wanted her, but his voice spoke up without his knowing, "You're so independent... did you know that? You totally got my attention, babe." He stopped as quickly as he could, but he was confused about why he had said it. It made no sense... well yet.

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[Lou McGooken]

His sympathy was rather strange to have. After all, he was a Slytherin. It wasn't as though he had a habit of being nice to people. Maybe he was simply putting on a mask to get her to like him. Perhaps he only wanted to bring her close to him so he could let her fall the next moment and get a good laugh out of it. He'd mentioned he knew Corliss and Kianthra, after all. But surely even the two of them couldn't stoop this low.

Lou shook those thoughts out of her head as she turned back to him, finishing intwining the flowers in the little girl's hair before clasping her hands together and placing them in her lap. Her creamy brown eyes found their way back to his face and she stared absent-mindedly at him as she began to speak, her voice having a rather out-of-focus quality the reinforced the notion that she was talking about something she'd long ago let go of. Something that no longer angered her or brought contempt into her heart. It was simply something that happened a long time ago and couldn't be changed.

"I suppose it was hard for a few years," she replied, glancing over at the Whomping Willow before looking back at the Slytherin boy, "Getting used to the notion of not being wanted. After a while, I got used to it, I guess. Everyone else in the orphanage had the same problem." She caught herself staring into space and shook herself back to reality, her voice releasing the airy tone. "But that was a long, long time ago. I've accepted it. Moved on. It's not as though there's a point to wishing you had parents like everyone else when you're sixteen."

No one had ever asked her such a question as Tucker had. At least, not here at school. She didn't really like talking about her situation at home, and most of her friend sknew that. Sure, she didn't feel much remorse about it anymore, but she still didn't like poking at the scar. Because, after a while, even scars start to hurt again.

When he called her babe, she had a sudden notion to slap herself in the face. Why hadn't she put two and two together before now? He was a seventh year. A Slytherin. A Death Eater. He shouldn't have had any interest in being friends with her. So why on earth would he be talking to her, unless it was to woo her to do something with him? Or maybe her earlier suspicions about Corliss and Kianthra were in some part vaild. Maybe he actually didn't have the class to keep away from such dangerous people as them.

Whatever the reason, she pushed a piece of hair sloppily behind her ear, completely and utterly flustered. "I'm not exactly what one would call independent, Tuck," she told him, that smile of hers on her face as usual. She'd gotten good at covering up the worst of her emotions with a bright grin.

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[Tucker Pierce]

Tucker moved closer to Lou, unnoticed. Finally it dinged on him. His thoughts carried him away along with her dark brown eyes. His heart stung, with the want. He wanted her, and finally he knew he did. He yearned for Lou. He tried hard to focus on what she was saying, although he failed miserably. "Yeah, I'm sure it was Lou. I'm very sorry by the way that you had to go through all that." His voice was low, and he could tell how much his tone had changed. It was soft, and low now, full with love. "Lou..." He began, his hand reaching hers. He placed his large hand on top of her small one, feeling at home.

A loving smile etched itself onto Tuck's face as he looked deeply into Lou's eyes. "I would say you're very independent, Lou-Lou. But... I... I..." He began, but was cut off when his face drifted ever-so-closer to hers. He could feel her uneasiness, but he had none. His gut was telling him what to do, step by step. He placed his other hand charismatically, upon her left cheek his heart pounding hard against his chest.

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[Lou McGooken]

The moment he voiced the fact that he thought she was independent, something deep inside her broke. For six long years, she'd been viewed as someone to avoid. Someone to point and whisper about. Just a girl who didn't know up from down who one could laugh at and it wouldn't hurt her. In fact, she'd pretended it didn't hurt her. Things just went easier that way. She kept a smile on her face even when it got hard.

But the fact that he was telling her she was independent was simply a joke. Did he listen to the stories his Slytherin friends told about her and the way they taunted her? He must have heard about the many times they'd threatened to throw her in the lake, and she'd cowered and begged them not to. She was anything but independent. The thought crossed her mind that he was simply joking. Teasing her in the meanest way that he knew how. Poking fun at the fact that she was tormented mercilessly by people who couldn't see that she was near breaking point.

The moment tears welled in her eyes, she knew she needed to get away from him, calm herself down. She never cried unless something was really wrong. She'd learned over the years that it only served to bait bullies into prodding her closer to the edge of breaking point. So, she rarely did if she could control it. But at the moment, she was far from in control.

Her voice cracked pitifully as she muttered to him, utterly defeated in admitting, "I'm a push-over and a coward. Everyone knows that. Why don't you just ask all your friends?"

She pushed his hand away and pushed herself off the ground, patting Claire on the head as she passed, sniffing rather loudly and wiping tears off her face, all the while cursing herself for believing that he would simply want to talk to her. No, he wanted something more from her than to just be friends. Everyone always wanted something more.

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[Tucker Pierce]

Tucker felt coldness wash through him as he felt Lou rip her hand away from his. He jumped up a second after she did, running after her. He grabbed Claire with one swing of the arm, whipping her off of the ground, carefully. She rested easily against his big bicep, and laying the rest of her body against his chest and arm. Catching up to Lou easily, he grabbed her arm spinning her around to look at him, rather quickly. He responded quickly to her, his voice rough, but nothing but serious. "Lou... you are NOT a push-over or a coward. This is something I would not lie about. Please, believe me." He spoke, rushing through the words automatically.

Finally without realizing what he was doing, Tuck leaned down to Lou's face, kissing her with passion. His hand found her back lifting her off of the ground to match his height. He lead the kiss on, not letting it go. He then laughed quietly, feeling Claire join the kiss. He laughed, pulling away to look at the little, giggling girl in braids. He rolled his eyes pleasantly at her, feeling quite loved by her. He was scared to see Lou's reaction though. It scared him to think of her running away again.

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[Lou McGooken]

The moment she pushed his hand away, she saw the pang of hurt in his eyes. That strong jaw of his clenched and she immediately felt so bad that she simply wanted to console him and get a smile back on his face. But she couldn't. She just couldn't. She had to get away from him and stop these wretched tears from coursing down her face any longer.

As she walked, she prayed to God that he'd let her go. Just leave the awkwardness where it was and save it to open up for another time. But she could already hear his heavy footsteps behind her. She couldn't do a thing as he wrenched her around roughly to face him. She had a strange thought that he was going to slug her in the face, simply because of the tough nature of the way he turned her. But instead, she got something much different.

The kiss stunned her, partially because it was unexpected and partially for another reason. Though she would rather she kept the secret with her to the grave, the Huffle had never been kissed before. She'd never had a significant other in her entire life. So the sensation of snogging him for those brief moments was altogether fascinating and exciting to her. Before she realized what she was doing and pushed him away from her as gently as she could. Which, if one knew Lou, was pretty gentle. Compared with Tucker, she hardly had the strength of a doe against a giant grizzly bear.

The tears had cleared considerably from her eyes, but even the smile she gave Tucker was anything but her usual happy one. It was laced with a melancholy so unlike any smiles she usually gave. "Look, I'm sorry. I just can't do this. I'm sorry." If one knew Lou, they'd know that she had a habit of apologizing multiple times for even things that she simply couldn't control. It was just her the way of her nature. With that, she turned on her heel and began to walk in her easy, springy step towards the castle.

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