Making Friends in Unlikely Circumstances (Zander & Victoria)

He was glad to see the smile on her face. By the looks of it, his job of reassuring her had worked and she no longer felt bad about having been distressed. Zander returned her smile.

Her confirmation of being a first year made Zander nod. For being a first year, she seemed to have her life together pretty well. "Law?" he questioned, quite impressed with the girl's choice. "Impressive," he added, his head turning to look at her, his eyes lighting up. If she was studying Law, it meant she was smart and for some reason, intelligence on a woman was quite attractive. "Auror," he answered her question, tasting the word on his lips.

He chuckled at the sound of her chuckle, glad to see she didn't resist being there to keep him company. "Well I'm sure glad you can, or else I'd have to find someone who could," he chuckled towards her once more. "Actually, I was at work," he smiled shyly. He wasn't exactly the partying type, though occasionally he wouldn't mind being invited to some sort of social event, but he never was. "What about you?" He hands fumbled clumsily with the lock.

Hearing a click, he jiggled the knob, but it wouldn't budge.

He nodded his head in order to show her that he understand exactly what it was that she was saying.

He smiled, "I guess I'll be meeting him soon won't I?" The boy gave her another look and smiled, wondering what her brother looked like. From the girls looks, it seems like the family had some pretty good genes, or at least Victoria was lucky enough to get the good genes if not. At the mention of his parents, the boy stiffened. He never spoke about his parents much, but he felt the need to let her know. "I wish I knew," his arms dropped down beside him and he sat back on his heels, his body now facing hers, "I lost my parents when I was five, grew up in an orphanage in Berlin." He didn't tell her to make her feel bad, but merely because he felt the need to talk about them as it had been entirely too long without their mention.

"A small Muggle bookshop, out in the main streets of London," he said, answering her next question. Her curiosity didn't bother him, in fact, he appreciated it. For the first time during his years of university, he felt like he had someone who cared and it was nice. As he listened to her explain why she was up so late, he smiled, "It does sound pretty interesting."

The boy was quite glad that the door didn't budge, though he felt like he had let her down. "I'm sorry," he turned to her, a look of sadness in his eyes. At the sound of her sigh, he frowned a bit more, "No, no, I can stay, or" he paused, "I can even offer you my bed and I'll sleep on the floor or the couch." The boys dorm would be empty as he didn't have a dormmate, but he didn't exactly expect her to take his offer, especially since they just met.

He smiled, feeling a bit excited to meet the girl's brother. Maybe he'd be lucky enough to have him train him. "It's understandable that it would worry you," Zander said softly, taking in the girls features, her long hair and her soft, doe-like eyes. "It's a dangerous career."

"It's okay, really," he reassured her, "in fact, it feels like a relief to be able to talk about them." The boy gave her a sly smile. To most, his parents seemed to be forgotten, but to Zander they were his life. Everything he did, everything he said was to discover what exactly happened to them. The girl's hand reaching to to his was a sweet gesture, one that made him smile and want to hug her, but he didn't. Though he did smile as her next phrase. He too, was sure that wherever his parents were, whether dead or alive, they were extremely proud of him.

"It really is," the boy said, sharing Victoria's excitement. "I've read a majority of the books already," he admitted sheepishly. He knew she wouldn't think him a nerd as she just told him that she would do the same, but for some reason, he still found himself embarrassed. "That's really great," he smiled to her. He had been awarded scholarships to pay for school but he enjoyed having the extra money, especially since he'd have to have money to take his girlfriend out, if he ever got one.

At her suggestion, he found himself rolling his eyes and chuckling. "I could never let a lady sleep on the floor." He was far too much of a gentleman to allow Victoria to sleep on the floor just as he was far too much of a gentleman to push himself onto her like other guys would. While it would be nice to finally have a girl in that way and in any way really, the girl was far too nice for that, besides, Zander would like to actually keep her as a friend and not make her hate him. "At least take the couch," he replied, "or I camp out here with you."

"He is lucky," Zander agreed, "but he also sounds like a very, strong man, which makes you lucky." He thought about what it would be like to have an older sibling that worked a job like that. He also thought about what it would be like to have someone that was protective of him, someone that loved him and cherished him and would do anything for him. He knew his parents did, but he'd been raised without them so he didn't remember what those feelings felt like, especially since he was brought up in the orphanage. Looking at Victoria, he could see a girl that was loved and well cared for and he smiled, happy for her.

"Thank you," the boy replied, looking to the girl. Her eyes held such kindness and a hell of a lot of promise behind them. It was eyes that he could get lost in but he chose not to. He didn't really need to creep out his new found friend, not yet anyways. "It's really kind of you Victoria," the boys voice was soft, maybe too soft but he didn't care.

He nodded. "Well both sort of," he chuckled. "It depends on how exciting the book is," the boy shrugged. At her suggestion of stopping in, his smile grew and his eyes lit up. "You should," his exclamation made him blush, "I mean, I would love to help you." He could feel his face growing a bit red at being so excited to be around her.

"That's a very honest thing for you to do," Zander admitted. People who payed you back were the best kind of people, whether you wanted to to pay you back or not.

He smiled as he listened to her finally agree. "Just don't tell your boyfriend," he chuckled, "I wouldn't want to be beat into a pulp." Pretty girls like her had boyfriends right? If not, then he would surely be shocked and even more nervous to speak to her. "I'll see," he smiled, not feeling the need for her to give him anything in return. Finally, he led her towards his room already thinking about the breakfast he'd make for her in the morning.