Driana walked into the Herbology classroom and quietly took a seat. She looked around in awe. Until this year she had been home-schooled and she hadn't really had access to many herbs and plants. This place was filled to the brim with so many interesting things that it made her hands itch just to explore. She hoped that the professor liked her and that this class went well. Herbology was one of her favorite subjects after all.

Kerrie walked into the herbology greenhouse and sat down she dropped her bag onto the floor with a thud, weighed down with all her makeup probably. She looked around her and noticed a girl sitting beside her who she hadnt noticed before for some reason.

"Oh hey! Whats up?" Kerrie asked in her canadian voice. "You like this class?" Kerrie turned sideways in her chair to face the girl whom she was talking to. "I always thought it was kinda boring. No offense if you like it." She said correcting herself quickly.

"I like potions and Care of magical creatures best. their the most interesting to me, oh yeah and Muggle studies." She blushed as she said muggle studies, it being a very boring class to most people.

Kerrie let her mouth drop open when she remembered she hadnt introdued herself to this girl.

"Oh, Im soo sorry. Im kerrie." She said

Driana jumped when she heard the girl speak and she loked over at her. "Hi, " she said shyly, "My name is Driana. I know that Herbology may not be the most interesting class but I've always loved it. I get teased by my sisters and brothers about being a nerd with a green thumb all the time." she said and laughed. "You like Muggle Studies huh. I am looking forward to that class too. I was homeschooled for the past several years in magic and went to a Muggle school for academics. I can't wait to see what they tell us about Muggles and see if I agree. I also love Potions." She smiled at Kerrie. "Oh, by the way, nice to meet you. I tend to ramble when I get nervous as if you couldn't tell." she said with a laugh and held out her hand. She knew she probably sounded like a hyper freak or something but she always got carried away like this when she met new people. She either couldn't talk at all or rambled. It was so a habit she wanted to break.

Kerrie laughed with Driana (not at her) and looked her up and down.

"Ots not nerdy to like Herbology, probably a LOT more nerdy to like Muggle studies and arithmancy. Heh" Kerrie assured Driana "Ooooh you were homeschooled? How did that work out for you? How exactly did you make friends?" Kerrie persisted hoping not to be too nosy and rude. "I hope youre not uncomfortable with this. i tend to be nosy with people in my point of view." Kerrie looked around the greenhouse and breathed in the familiar scent of plantes, she was used to this smell by now having grown up with tons of plants in her room, and caring for them like they were her own children.

"Actually this class isnt so bad, I mean unimmaginably easy but hey what you gonna do?" Kerrie said and then, "I grew up with lots of plants so I know about most of them."

"Drianas a pretty name whered your parents get it?" Kerrie asked Driana.

Driana smiled at Kerrie. She was so like her younger sister. "OK. To answer your first question, homeschooling was not that bad. I have 4 brothers and sisters and they were always around and mom let me practice transfiguration charms on them. As for the making friends part it was hard since the only ones I had were at the Muggle school and I couldn't tell them about my magic." she said. "For your second question, nope you don't make me uncomfortable. In fact you remind me of my sister and yes that is a good thing." She laughed and smiled at Kerrie.

She looked around the classroom for a second before answering the third question. She just loved the plants in here. She couldn't wait to get her hands in the soil.

"Sorry about zoning for a minute there," she said turning back to Kerrie, "My parents named me after one of my ancesters. At least that's what they tell me. I think they just grabbed a baby name book and picked the first one that it fell open too." she said and smiled.

"What about you? You know a little of my life history so tell me something about yours. Are you an only child? Have you been here long? C'mon I'm dying to know everything." She smiled at Kerrie and hoped she didn't sound too needy. She hadn't made any friends yet and was desperate to be liked and accepted.

Kerrie kept thinkin about how Driana mentioned her mom but not her dad, she didnt wanna intrude so she left it alone.

"Whoa that would be cool to be named after an ancestor." Kerrie commented, "And my parents just liked the name for me I think." She flicked her hair and wiggled in her seat, She longed to run out of this classroom and gp swimming in the lake but she couldnt, she had to wait until the end of the day for all her classes to be done.

"I actually have a twin sister who was born after me." Kerrie boasted playfully. "Sometimes she gets on my nerves but I deal with it......." Kerri elet her mouth drop open, she couldnt believe she had just said that. Not in all her life had she badmouthed her sister behind her back. Of course if they were in fights se would insult her but appologized for it later and that rarely happened.

"Ummmmm I take that back. Icant believe I just said that." Kerries lip trembled.

Driana started to laugh when Kerrie said that about her sister because she could sympathize, but stopped when Kerrie got that look on her face and stammered out about taking it back.

"Um, don't worry about it. I'm sure your sister is really nice and if I ever meet her I'll never tell her you said that since you seem so upset about saying it." Driana said and winked at her. "I guess I'm the same way about my family. I try never to say anything too bad about my siblings and I never do about my mom and dad. Especially my dad. He works so much that I hardly ever get to see him so I try to always be positive with him. He works in the Muggle world and gets enough crap from his so called friends that are wizards. It really makes me mad how narrow minded people can be about Muggles. Just because they have no magic doesn't mean they have nothing to share with us or teach us." she said. She realized she had been ranting and abruptly shut up. She just got so angry when she thought about her dad and how hard he had it.

She looked at Kerrie and sighed. "I wish classes would hurry up and be over. It's so nice outside and I love the sunshine. I love Herbology but being indoors drives me nuts. I think that's what I'll miss most about being homeschooled. Mom used to have classes outside so my sibs could play while she taught me and not get underfoot too much." She smiled at Kerrie. She was glad that they seemed to hav hit it off.

It was weird how comfortable Kerrie felt with Driana, she was usually cautious around new peoplebut with Driana it was different.

"Wow it must suck to have your dad working all the time. I dont know how you can live with that, I can barely get through the year without my parents. Its a good thing I have Cafi." Kerrie didnt mind saying all this stuff to Driana since she seemed so nice.

"So are you the oldest in your family? Or are you Middle or youngest?" She asked then added "Im older than Cafi.........except I think I already told you that. heh" She laughed and swung her head back looking at the ceiling of the greenhouse. She felt like screaming because she couldnt see the sky. It turns out Driana and herself werent that much different; They both loved the outdoors.

"Augh, me too." Kerrie agreed with Driana about classes. "Its driving me crazy we only have like 10 days left and We still have exams. Siigggggghhhhh" She sighed dramatically and smiled sincerely at Driana with a twinkle in her eye, knowing this was going to a long lasting friendship.....unless it wasnt of course, then it just wouldnt be I guess.

"I'm the oldest of us." she said in answer to Kerrie's question. "I have two brothers and two sisters. I used to have to babysit them all the time while I was at home so I was thrilled when I got to come here and get away for a while. I mean, I love them and everything but they always wanted or needed something from me and since mom and dad weren't around most of the time I got stuck with the job."

She glanced up at the top of the greenhouse and wished that more sunlight could get in. If she had to be stuck indoors then she at least wanted to feel the sunshine on her skin or something. She noticed that Kerrie had looked up as well and knew she had a fellow outdooorsman by her side.

"I'm really nervous about exams. I mean this is the first time I'll be here and taking them with someone other than my mom. It's just weird if ya know what I mean. I hope I can measure up." she said and smiled at Kerrie. She hoped that they could be friends. They seemed to have a lot in common and she genuinely liked her. She wasn't fake like people she had known in the past. This was a person that she instantly felt a connection with. That hadn't happened to her in a long time.

"Yeah, exams are pretty nerve racking, but you get used to them." Kerrie said, "I mean, my first year here was no picnic,but as I said, you get used to them." Kerrie took out her quill and started to doodle on her paper, she was no artist but she could make some pretty funky designs. She drew a very complex keltic knot around the name 'Driana'. Kerrie usually zoned out while drawing so it didnt register to her that she was writing Driana's name. When she was done she looked at the picture and was a little embarrassed. She turned around to look at Driana and ripped the piece of paper out of her note book and handed it to Driana.

"For you," Kerrie said "I didnt actually even realize what I was drawing until I was finished. Heh" Kerrie blushed and ran her fingers through her hair awaiting an answer from Driana.

Driana looked at the drawing and smiled. "This is beautiful Kerrie. You are a really good artist. I could never draw something like this. Everything I draw looks like something my little sister did and she's five." she said with a self-conscious laugh. Noone had ever drawn her a picture before and she wasn't quite sure how to respond. She was touched.

Looking down at her books she saw the poem that she had written tucked between the pages. "Um, Kerrie. I don't usually show people my poetry, but I feel that I can trust you. Here," she said and handed her the poem.

She watched Kerrie while she read it. Driana had read it so many times that she had it memorized and recited along with her:
A friend is someone we turn to
when our spirits need a lift.
A friend is someone we treasure
for our friendship is a gift.
A friend is someone who fills our lives
with beauty, joy, and grace.
And makes the whole world we live in
a better and happier place.

She waited to see what Kerrie would think.



((not an original poem. sorry))

Kerrie smiled when Driana sid her picture was beautiful.

"Really, You think so?" Kerrie said flattered. Driana handed her the poem and she read it, as she did a little candle flickered in her brain, she hadnt really ever had a best friend except her sister, I mean she had really good friends but no-one had ever given her any thing as deep as this before.

"Whoa.........that is so good. You could, like, write a book of poetry and sell it and get really rich and slightly famous......whoa. Amazing." Kerrie said feeling full of pride at having been one of the only ones Driana had shown her poetry to.

"Hey we should hang out sometime, like go to hogsmeade or something. That would be so cool. You like butterbeer right. Oh my gosh its my favorite ever." Kerrie said and smiled sweetly.

"I love butterbeer and I would love to hang out together. I haven't been to Hogsmeade yet. I've heard that there are a lot of cool places to go there and stuff to do though. Its definately one of places I have on my list to visit this year." she said with a chuckle.

Driana looked at Kerrie and was lost in thought for a minute. This girl is really nice. I know that we're gonna be close friends. It'll be nice to actually have a friend that is my own age and not one of my siblings.

Tuning back into Kerrie she smiled and said, "Why don't we go do something as soon as class is over. You can show me around the school. Its so big and I've already gotten lost about five times just trying to get to my common room and here." She laughed at her helplessness. She hoped Kerrie didn't think her too hopeless for admitting to something like that.