The Second Meeting PV Cleo Cabello Finished

Ruby blinked when she saw Cleo properly, and she looked at the map in the girl's hands. The Gryffindor was lost, then. Either that or trying to learn her way around some of the school, but that wasn't extremely likely since Cleo was only looking at the map.

Ruby was more surprised when Cleo started to ask her a question without looking up, but then she broke off as she realized who Ruby was. Ruby relaxed again when Cleo apologized, and what had become her emotionless expression when Cleo arrived changed to a smile. “Apology accepted, I know I overreacted a bit too, and it probably wasn't the best thing to say but I was just a bit annoyed. I'm sorry too.”

Maybe they could still be friends. Maybe there was a chance after all. If they could just figure out to communicate how they were feeling, then their relationship might go relatively smoothly. Ruby wouldn't mind being friends with this girl, she realized, as long as the girl would stop misinterpreting her and coming to conclusions so quickly. Ruby was a little excited now that she had apologized, and she waited for Cleo's reply, shuffling her feet slightly. She was now staring at the Gryffindor expectantly.

Ruby agreed, “Yep. Moving forward! Maybe if we voice some of our thoughts next time, we can work it out before it gets to that point, even if the thoughts sound bad.”

She smiled. “I got lost twice because I zoned out, if that makes you feel any better. I have a mental map of the school that can be easily accessed in my memory, and I drew a couple that are now in my dormitory.”

“Slytherins are decent about the noise most nights, so it doesn't bother me too much, although I don't know what it's like in Gryffindor. I agree about the paintings. I didn't realize they'd be all over Hogwarts, but it turns out that if you ask them, many are willing to help you get somewhere or just have a conversation with you. I bet it was a shock for you to see paintings move. They're a bit like videos in the Muggle world, but living.” Ruby frowned as she tried to describe the paintings, and then grinned again. “Most pictures here in the magical world don't talk, they just move, but the paintings here in Hogwarts obviously seem to be people with their own personalities.”

Ruby laughed. “A moving cat landscape would be quite interesting. And yes, most first years don't seem to know their way around.” She smiled knowingly when Cleo talked about the staircases moving. “Your map is certainly not broken, it's actually quite a good map if it's including that. The staircases move around a lot, if you haven't noticed, which makes it more confusing and easier to get lost. I don't really see the point in them.”

Ruby nodded when Cleo agreed to what she had said about talking. “I'm not saying we have to tell each other everything, but when we start to get into a misunderstanding or if we impact one another, then we should talk about it, especially if one of us starts to get angry. Explaining and talking can save a relationship.” Ruby was certainly not an open person either, and she didn't trust easily, but she was prepared to talk to Cleo about her feelings when need be. I think we both just need a friend.

“In my free time I read, draw, create, build, observe, write, imagine, get into mischief or prank people, go adventuring, hang out with friends, meet new people, and more! How about you? I don't really have a favorite sport, but I definitely like Quidditch a lot and several Muggle sports. Do you have a favorite sport? What's your favorite color?”

“Yes, I'd love to go somewhere other than this corridor. Any ideas?”

“I think that would be good, I’ll have to get a hard leash on my temper.” Cleo sighed, knowing it would be hard, but promising herself she would try her hardest because she really did want to be friends with Ruby and she didn’t like her temper getting the better of her anyway. 
“I don’t really know enough about quidditch for it to be my favourite sport but I have a funny feeling I’m going to grow to like it a lot. I swim and run.” Cleo smiled, she was very proud that she had won all the running races at her last sports day. “I played badminton for a little while as a clubs at school aswell. My favourite colour is probbaly green. It can be soothing or vibrant, it makes me happy. I’ve told some people here that and they’ve said perhaps I should be a Slytherin. I get how you reacted the other day, some jokes can be too personal. It’s not that I don’t like Slytherin or anything, I just don’t think your favourite colour should define your house, there are more important things. What’s your favourite colour?” Cleo asked Ruby. Some of Cleo’s views were quite empathetic for an eleven year old, but she didn’t always stick to them, especially when she got angry.
 “If you want we could go to the library? There aren’t many places for people from separate houses to interact when the weather’s bad.” Cleo frowned

“Oh, yeah! I run too, and occasionally swim, but I like climbing as well.” Ruby grinned. “I've had lots of practice climbing trees and… other stuff.”

She frowned at the bit about colors. “I agree, I've never understood why people think that if your favorite color is one of the house colors, then you belong there, even if they're joking. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever. I don't really have a favorite color, because I appreciate most colors and all the beautiful shades of them.”

Ruby's mind wandered to colors and she instantly absorbed all the colors near them in the corridor, from the color of Cleo's hair and eyes to the specific shade of the walls. What a pretty world they were in, surrounded by colors, simple beauties, and many, many different shades of any given color, changing with every minute of the day.

“I'd love to go to the library. They really need special rooms for people of any house to interact in… if you were a Slytherin or I was a Gryffindor, I'd say we should go to the common room, but the library will do.” Maybe I can get one of the books Elena recommended while we're there, or just any book. I need something to read.