"Oh."You'd warned her about this. You shared the house with 3 people, two boys and a girl. One of the boys, Cameron, was something of a player, bringi...g back girls most every night and shagging them, annoyingly enough, in the room directly above yours, the sounds of frenzied coupling providing an almost nightly lullaby. The scene currently playing out of one of his conquests leaving was one you had been witness to many times.It seemed that Cameron simply could not stop himself from acting this. "It's time," he said, "for the music to become a little quieter, for the lovers in the house." The music changed, and I held out my hand to Lou as I stood up. She took my hand and followed me back out onto the dance floor.I took her to the middle of the floor, which was, mercifully, clear at the moment. Anne Murray's "Can I Have This Dance" was playing, and I placed Lou's left hand on my shoulder, while I put my right hand on her hip and held her right hand in my left. When I said I was no Fred. “Anyone else there?” she asked in that careless kind of way that you just know they’re dying for the answer. I looked at her sharply. “A few people practicing for House tryouts,” I said. “No one interesting though.” She was quiet for a bit. “Jus’ new ones, though, nae one who’s already on th’ team? Nae, they wouldna be there,” she went on, answering her own question, “they prob’ly dinna need t’ practice, dae they?” Mary was obviously interested in someone on one of the Quidditch teams. . Simon peeped in. She was lying motionless on her bed, as could be expected of comatose patient. Her face was pale, drawn, but beautiful nonetheless, her brow scarred. The white sheet, draped over her midsection, was just partially covering a hideous metal frame the purpose of which was unknown to Simon. But he was sure that some of those shiny rods were inserted in her pelvis and lower back. A month ago he had heard a doctor mentioning that her spinal cord was damaged and she was paralyzed from.