Ana's small frame is curled into a chair at the back of Flourish and Blotts. She comes for the quiet, really, and for the fact that people rarely bother her here if she's quiet - they don't even notice her. She tucks her dark hair behind her ear and look down into the book on her lap.

Ethan scoots down one particularly narrow aisle awkwardly, his leg wedged under a stack of books that he accidentally knocked over as he brushed past. His eyes scan the room, hoping that no one heard the crash.

Ana looks up from her books and down the aisle to her left, hearing the sound of books falling. Her nose wrinkles in curiosity, and she unfolds herself, going to look.

Ethan blushes furiously as he leans over to pull the books off of his leg one at a time, stacking them back up neatly. He tries to move swiftly so that he can sneak out of the aisle before anyone notices him.

Ana watches for a moment as he stacks the books, smiling at the blush and then quickly making it fade. "That wasn't very graceful... for a Quidditch player." Her face now emotionless, blank.

Ethan gasps as you suddenly appear behind him. Knocking over another couple books. "W-well, you see, the aisle...it's so narrow, and all these books stacked up on the floor. I tried to step over, but I guess I wasn't meant to fit down here." His blush intensifies again and he looks away in embarrassment.

"Obviously." She looks at your for a moment, then bites her lip before leaning to pick up a few books at her feet - returning them to the stack they fell from. Without looking at you or speaking again she begins to help rearrange the mess you've made of the aisle.

Ethan works silently beside you until the books are all stacked neatly once again. "Thanks a lot." He mumbles shyly, his cheeks still tinged crimson.

Ana looks at you quickly - sharply - and then shrugs and wraps her arms around herself, as if in defense. "You... were loud. I assumed that if I helped, you would have no reason to be." Then she takes a step away from you, and turns to curl into the seat again.

"I was umm...actually going to find you today." Ethan continues, following you to your chair. "I really meant that bit about redeeming my house."

"Not interested in petty things like house colours...I remember." She pulls her legs further underneath her, looking for all the world as if she were trying to disappear into the chair. "I don't see why it matters."

"It just does...can't really explain it." Ethan shrugs, dropping down onto the floor in front of you. "But, do you really care if I try?"

"I... can't stop you." She tenses though, as you sit down, and looks at you curiously. He wants to talk to me? Her brain races and she knows, almost certainly, that this is just some ploy to hurt or humiliate her.

Ethan leans against the chair, undaunted by your detachment. "Reading anything good, then?" He asks with genuine curiosity. "I can never choose just one book when I come in here, myself."

She regards you for a moment, and then sighs softly, resigned to the fact that you're not going to go away. "It's nothing really..." Holding up the copy of Hexes in Poetry for you to see.

"Is my company all that bad, really?" He asks with a smile. "Tell me about the book, then? I've never read it."

Ana's eyebrow raises, then her face becomes passive again and she shrugs tightly. "I was reading. I don't usually... look for company when I'm reading." But she holds the book out for him to take and examine anyway.

Ethan blushes, feeling rather guilty for having intruded on your quiet time. "I...I'm sorry. Really didn't mean to bother you or anything."

Ana eyes him almost warily as he blushes. <i>No Slytherin would ever... </i> But he's a Hufflepuff and <i>at least he looks sincere...</i> Her voice softens just slightly. "I.. it's... you didn't mean to. I know."

Ethan nods. "Well...maybe I should let you get back to your reading then." He scoots back up, trying not to knock over another stack of books. "Maybe I'll see you again somewhere."

Ana lays the book on her lap and wraps her arms around herself defensively out of habit, shrinking back into the chair and looking up at him. She considers him for a moment and then nods, "Maybe."

Ethan looks away for a moment, contemplating whether he should say more. "I...I'll just be going then." He flashes you a small smile and picks up his sack of books. "See you around."

Ana nods again, but doesn't say anything, and then watches him leave - almost frowning - before she uncurls herself and begins to read again.