When Stella McKenzie first sees Xeno Lovegood, she drops her wand into the Otter river.
She's shocked when she sees him releasing Plimpies back into the river. Before she can speak, to say much she admires him, her grip on her wand has loosened. She doesn't even scream, but the slight splash as all her power flounders in the water makes him look up.
After locking eyes once with her, he dives into the raging icy water and captures it for her.
That single gaze, his icy blue eyes the same colour as her own were all she could see. If eyes are windows to the soul, they are one soul together, she decides. But scared at this prospect her legs run without her heart's consent.
When he comes dripping and cold, having caught pneumonia and Merlin knows what else on the course of his quest -which failed, the wand is snapped in half- and sees her gone, in true Lovegood fashion he never gives up hope.
The second time Stella McKenzie sees Xeno Lovegood she slips on the wet cobblestones of Diagon Alley and breaks the potion bottle she was carrying. She sees in his hands the same potion, the one for giving Wrackspurts a peaceful death. She looks at the bottle and doesn't see the silvery pavement beneath her feet.
She doesn't cry out but the smash awakens him to her presence. He helps her up. Just then though, as is London's habit, the heavens open. They are separated from each other by the stampede heading for cover.
The skin on his hand is rough and hard and his fingers are stubby from work. She looks down at her pale, slender hands and realises that two so different tools are put to the same uses every day.
On the opposite side of the road, he's wondering who the nervous girl who has now stolen his heart twice is.
When Stella McKenzie sees Xeno Lovegood for the third time, she accidentally pushes her mug of Butterbeer off of the table in the Hog's Head in her eagerness to reach out and grab the magazine he's holding. She lives off the words of the Quibbler and she hasn't gotten the latest edition.
Seeing her shock, he places it on the table and wanders to the bar. For the first time, when she reads the editor's note, she realises just who he is.
She decides to go to speak to her idol, but he's left already. She holds the magazine in both hands.
Nearby, the barman grumbles that now he has one less mug.
With three glances she's completely under his spell and intends to tell him so.
Meanwhile, as he wanders back up to the town, he's making the same decision.
When Stella McKenzie and Xeno Lovegood meet for a fourth time, words fail them both however.
Instead they both just stare at the bag in the other one's hands.
She feels like throwing her arms around him when she sees that he shops in her family's alternative quill shop.
And when he sees the badge on the sleeve of her work robes from the same shop, sticking out slightly from the holdall, he realises who she is.
She steps forward and opens her mouth to speak to him.
A child on a toy broom crashes into her, she falls into him and winces when she hears the fine glass nibs breaking.
He goes to help her up but she picks herself up off the ground of Godric's Hollow and runs as fast as she can, unable to show her face to him, and show just how embarrassed she is.
He's feeling oddly downtrodden by the girl he's never spoken to. But he decides that he's give all the glass nib quills in the world to pluck up the courage to speak to the girl who now has a name.
When Stella McKenzie sees Xeno Lovegood for the fifth time, he's so sure this is the time that they'll speak that he has a present for her. He eagerly takes it out of his bag at the sight of her.
But seeing the beautiful snow-globe with a model Hogwarts Castle in it, just like the one that was smashed when it rolled off her bedside table, brings a sob to her body. How can this stranger know so much about her?
Standing in Upper Flagley with the thing in his hands, he's confused. Is he upsetting her? If there's anything he doesn't want from her, it's tears. He doesn't want to see the girl who he is now convinced is the love of his life upset.
With trembling hands, she attempts to take the pretty object from him, but when she looks into his caring face, she drops it.
Filled with shame at her rejection, this time, it's him that runs this time.
She looks after him, wishing the snow-globe hadn't dropped.
But both their minds are telling them, they can't run from love forever.
When Stella McKenzie sees Xeno Lovegood a sixth time, it's across a crowded room at the Save the Plimpies Foundation annual meeting. She is determined to go and speak to him, so much so she begins to barge her way over the soft carpet, amidst the curious and honoured guests. He sees her as well, and persuaded so much that she is the one, he begins making his way towards her.
They both struggle through the horde to the other.
But just then Amelia Bones lets out her great booming laugh at a joke made by Elphias Doge. The whole group, unable to resist joining in, shuts their eyes and lets out chuckles and giggles. Amelia throws her head back.
Oblivious to these goings on, Stella continues through the crowd, her eyes still connected as if on a wire to Xeno's. She crashes into Amelia who, with a resounding crash, loses her footing. Luckily the monocle flies a good foot before smashing and the flute glass bounces a little way. Nothing is injured but both women's pride.
Stella picks her up with a thousand apologies, which the kind judge brushes off like flies. Though she hurries, when Stella looks up, Xeno is gone again.
She curses herself over and over that evening as she searches for him. When Hogsmeade Town Hall closes its reception room after the night of revelries, they both wait for the other to come out the door.
Neither of them, naturally, realise there is a door on both the east and west side, and leave disappointed and unsure if this is, after all, love.
Though ignorant of the other's thoughts, they make the same decision, because love like this won't allow them not to. If they see the other once more, they will never look at another person of the opposite gender again. If they don't, well, the only reason they'll look at others is to check that it's not the one person they crave most in the world.
The seventh time that Stella McKenzie and Xeno Lovegood meet, fate has given up toying with them.
When he sees her pale blonde head bowed over the sheet on the counter of the Three Broomsticks, he's so excited that this is finally it, he strides over and kisses her full on the mouth. She smiles as they break apart, to a smattering of applause.
"At last," are the first words she speaks to him, ever.
"We had to get round to it sometime I suppose," he answers, holding two stubby fingers to Rosmerta, who hurries off to find him some mulled mead.
She begins to roll up her parchment, and glances at him, eyes full of love.
"So," she says conversationally. "Do you have it?"
"Oh yes," he said, taking the little velvet box out of his pocket. He puts it on the counter. She opens it and nods her head once at the glittering blue diamond.
"I thought you'd like it," he says, slipping it on her slender third finger. She holds it up to admire it in the light.
"It's gorgeous," she whispers. "Thank you."
She leans forward and the newly engaged couple enjoy their second kiss.
It was as unlikely as a fairytale, she thinks happily, as he suggests a June wedding. But after all, fairytales always have a happy ending.
Just a random bit of fluff, sorry. Any thoughts on a title? I live for reviews.