Miss Quinn

136 ~ Endings

Emma said goodbye to her mum on the platform and climbed into the train in search of an empty compartment. It was rather easy, considering she was a bit early, and some students had stayed at Hogwarts over the break. She sat down and pulled out a book from her bag, spread out her legs on the seat, and began to read.

Only a few minutes later, someone entered the compartment and took the seat across from her. Emma looked up into a dark, handsome face, chocolate brown eyes, and a slight smile that belonged to Dean Thomas.

"Hullo, Emma," he said, leaning forward slightly.

Emma smiled and swung her legs around so she was facing him. "Hullo, Dean. Have a good Christmas?"

Dean shrugged. "It was fun, but it would have been better if I could have spent some of it with you."

Emma sensed a small bit of contempt in his voice, as though he was truly angry that they hadn't spent break together. She decided not to say something to make him further upset, and instead replied: "Me too. Did you get anything good?"

Dean's tense shoulders fell backward to lean against the seat. Emma hoped that meant he was more relaxed, less upset.

"Yeah," he said, "My mum bought me a whole new set of paints and brushes because my other ones were too old, apparently."

Emma grinned. "That's awesome! You can paint the castle when we get back."

Dean smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You say that like I'm skilled enough to do Hogwarts justice."

Emma frowned. "Are you kidding? Do you remember that painting you did of me? That was bloody amazing! Not to mention all those small ones you sent me for Christmas."

"Still, Hogwarts is so huge and detailed and impressive..."

"Dean, seriously, you could do it."

Dean shrugged again. "Anyway, how was your break? I heard you spent Christmas with Venus and her dad?"

Emma nodded. "Yeah, it was fun. How'd you hear about that?"

"Venus told me."

"You saw Venus?"

Dean shook his head. "No, we write. She said it went really well."

Emma didn't know what to think about that. Venus and Dean wrote to each other. Emma and Dean didn't write to each other. Was Dean upset about that too?

"Oh, well, yes, it did." Emma swallowed. "Er -- I saw my dad too."

"Right, you went to America."

"Just for a few days. To see my dad, my siblings."

"Who was that blonde guy at the train station you left with?"

Emma's throat was suddenly dry. She'd forgotten about Apollo's surprise visit to pick her up, and Dean's obvious jealousy that an attractive teenage guy was close with Emma.

"Er -- cousin," she lied quickly, hoping her hesitation wasn't noticeable.

"Dad's side?"

Emma nodded. "He was visiting. We went back to America together."

Dean shifted uncomfortably, as if there was something he really wanted to say but didn't know how to. Emma wondered what it was. She wondered if it was the same thing she wanted to say, but couldn't. He seemed more antsy than usual, more on edge. There was a prolonged moment of silence.

"Is your whole family attractive?" Dean asked suddenly.

Emma let out the breath she'd been holding as a laugh. "Well, it really depends on your opinion. I think some of my family are attractive and others... not so much."