Running, or Exploring? (Naomi)

Finally Humphrey had worked up the motivation to get out and go running like he'd kept meaning to do. However, he had usually ended up sleeping too late so he didn't have time. But, over the summer his dad had given him his old watch from when he was a student that had an alarm clock and was a wizard's watch so would be able to work on the grounds. This morning when it had gone off he'd gotten dressed in a pair of running shoes, sweatpants, and a t-shirt before going to run out on the grounds. It was a little cool, but tolerable as he stretched out and then took off. He wasn't in the best shape he'd ever been in, but was still fairly quick and did two circles around the lake before running near the forest. Still a good two hundred yards or so from it, but close enough to get a good view of the trees.

As he kept running he spotted somebody ahead of him, and he found himself curious as to who else would be running closer to the forest instead of in the main part of the grounds. Humphrey picked up the pace a little and soon began drawing closer, his longer legs helping him close the gap. Now he could tell it was a girl, a shorter girl, and then he spotted hair that looked familiar. Grinning, he had a hunch he knew who this was and when he finally drew level he was smiling while trying to catch his breath and keep pace. "Didn't expect to find you here, I see you like to run too." he managed, having to pause a little between words to get them out before he got more comfortable. "How's your morning going, Naomi." he asked.

The frightened reaction had been the last thing he'd expected, because Humphrey had been running towards her. Not exactly the most quiet when occasionally leaves or a loose stick would crunch under his shoes. But, she'd obviously been caught completely off guard and was mad at him because of it. Seeing the Slytherin scared like that or at least frustrated and angry made him feel kind of guilty, but he really hadn't done anything wrong. Humphrey had been running on his own and happened to see her, so he really thought it was kind of unfair she blamed him for the situation. Running in the morning left the possibility of other runners saying hi, that was just part of what you should expect in his opinion.

Putting on a frown as he kept pace beside her, he shook his head in annoyance. "It's not my fault, I didn't plan to run into you I was just going for a run and happened to see you. Figured you would have heard me, so I'm sorry for startling you but I didn't intend to scare you or anything. Just thought I would say hi since we were both out here." Humphrey said, a little of the hurt at her reaction to him creeping into his voice. He had really tried to hide it, but he'd never been the best at masking what he was feeling like some other people were. To be honest he didn't really feel like he should have to, but that was another matter altogether about how people weren't accepting of each other.

Humphrey's eyes teared up a little when she kept yelling, nearly telling him flat out she didn't like him though she had worded it differently. This was such a bad situation, and he felt sad that something so stupid as this might ruin the possibility of a friendship with somebody. "For the record, I was not following you. I had no idea you'd be out here. But, if you want me gone, I'll leave." he said, lengthening his strides consciously and pushing himself so he passed the shorter girl. She was probably quicker in a flat out sprint than he was, but his longer legs gave him quite an advantage so he passed her before too long and kept going. Obviously Naomi had already come to her own conclusions about what had happened this morning, so he thought it was rather futile to keep pressing to make a friend of her when she clearly didn't want him to be one. It made him sad, and he wiped the tears away that had mixed with the light sweat on his face, not looking back as he ran further.

Shrugging nonchalantly, he shot her a look after the question. "I'm not going to promise not to say hi to somebody I know or try and talk to them, but I might try to give you more warning. If you're lucky." Humphrey added, not wanting to cave in quite so easily on the matter. She always criticized him for not taking a joke or something else, but she was pretty touchy herself when it came to certain things. For example the way she blew up about the cute comment the other day. "Best I can do." he told her with a slight chuckle.

Although she was a good bit shorter than him she had a lower center of gravity with some muscle on her, and Humphrey nearly lost his footing when her hands slammed into his chest. Instead, he pushed her forwards a little before they both stopped and he looked down at her in confusion, wondering what she thought she was doing. Not that it was the biggest deal, but he knew he was going to have some bruises where her hands had slammed against him. It was more the fact that she was still so moody and confusing that was upsetting him. Maybe she thought this was normal behavior, but to him it was perplexing and starting to give him a headache. Maybe Slytherins and Hufflepuffs just aren't supposed to mix. That thought hurt, because he didn't want to believe that mere houses should be able to divide people so much.

"If you just came over to insult me, I'd rather be left alone." Humphrey said, hurt by the insult about his intelligence. Most things he could take, but he'd always worked hard in classes and to understand other people. He still had a lot to learn, but hearing her call him stupid reminded him of the days in Muggle school when they'd call him the same. They only did it because he had preferred the company of books over the company of his classmates after he'd tried to make friends and been rebuffed, but some even tried to say the books were just a front and he couldn't even read. At first he'd fought back, but after a while he'd just ignored them, and only talked to the teachers. He gave her a glare when she told him he needed to grow up. "Your tone didn't exactly make it seem like a joke or teasing, Naomi. Maybe I'm just too stupid to understand the difference, though." he said, a bite to his voice. The comment about his sense of humor had him shaking his head. "My sense of humor is just fine, I just don't get yours. As for the legs comment, I can use them however I wish just like you can do with yours. Apparently, you can catch me if you really want to, so don't whine about it shortstop." he said, using a term he'd heard was a position in baseball to give it a new meaning as she'd stopped him in his tracks. The extra nickname had caused just the hint of a smile to show up on his face. That was when he'd realized she'd bolted off and the last sentence had been said to himself.

Moving along to where he'd last caught sight of her, he began searching for her. "Really, you tell me I need to grow up and now we're playing hide and seek. I suppose there are worse ways to spend a morning, though." Humphrey said with a heavy sigh, and kept searching for any signs of her. Eventually, he spotted some undergrowth that looked like it had been disturbed and walked towards it. "Come out, come out wherever you are! Surely my snake friend isn't one who hides from confrontation." he said, hoping to draw her out. If not, he would go search the area that looked like it had been disturbed.

Just as Humphrey thought he was staring to get closer to finding where Naomi had gone he lost the trail on her, and he sighed before putting his fingers to his temples and rubbing lightly. There were moments where he simply didn't know what to think about the Slytherin girl, and this was definitely one of them. If she really didn't have a problem with him hanging around why would she come hide in the forest like she had? It was a question he had no answer to, and not even an idea as to why. He was a pretty creative person, but eh really couldn't follow the train of thought that she'd used to think this would be fun or a good idea.

Whirling around at the sound of her voice, he saw her leaning casually against a tree and knew he'd been tricked at some point along the trail. He'd definitely have to work on that so she wouldn't be able to avoid him so easily next time. Casey and Humphrey used to play it as kids but they hadn't recently, perhaps next time at home it was time they played some more. "Don't go confusing Hufflepuffs with cowards, there are many who are a lot braver than I am." he said, wondering why she would think that about him in particular to begin with. After all, he'd talked alone with a Slytherin in their own territory, not many kids did that Hufflepuff or not. Humphrey shook his head at that question, wondering how to voice his thoughts. "If I thought you were in danger yes I would come to help, but that's not why I followed you. I suppose, that if having long legs doesn't give me the right to run away you being of smaller stature shouldn't give you the right to hide. Wasn't done with our conversation, so I followed. Simple as that." he said bluntly.

Humphrey shook his head in the obvious no at that rhetorical question. "Of course I don't think that, I just wondered why you thought I wouldn't be is all. After all, I went searching for Slytherins to ask about another. That's not something a coward does, because let's face it some of your peers can be bullies." he said, not wanting to call out the stereotypes but the fact was there were a slightly higher percentage of bullies in Slytherin house than the rest. Among them, the nastiest like that Dakota girl he had met in Diagon. Sighing in frustration, he ran his hands through his hair. "Sorry, that was uncalled for. It's just...other people always assume Hufflepuffs are weak, it's not your fault. You haven't judged me at all and it was unfair to think you would." he said quietly.

Blinking in surprise when she explained what she had done to take his mind off of things, his eyes narrowed slightly. That was awfully close to manipulating him at her whim, even if it was so he wouldn't be mad at her. Humphrey was starting to realize she was just as tricky as Slytherins were rumored to be, and that even if she meant no harm he'd have to watch himself around her. "You already have me figured out, then, don't you? Was hoping I'd have a little more mystery about me, because I have no clue what to make of you yet, miss inquisitive." he said with a small smile, before taking a seat on the ground and getting comfortable.

"Well, when we are at home my sister and I run all the time. Sometimes I go with her and our red husky named Alice, other times I go by myself. Haven't been as regular about it at Hogwarts, but trying to get back in the habit. Will try to run at least five days a week, maybe six." Humphrey explained, before looking over at her. "Not sure if you'd want to go that often, but maybe we can be running partners if you want. Would you like that?" he asked, looking over at her curiously as he waited for her response.