-1Four Years On: The Reason

Summary: Nodoka was scared of boys right? Well who knows why? The reason behind it turns up at Mahora the year before her graduation, whilst her and a certain red-headed boy were spending time together. Oneshot. NegixNodoka. Sorry if it seems a little ooc.

Disclaimer: I own nothing…please don't sue me

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"I think I've got the hang of that spell Sensei" Nodoka Miyazaki said as she chanted under her breath, a copy of her appeared. Negi Springfield clapped.

"Well done Nodoka-chan" It was four years since he'd come to the school as a teacher and now he was fourteen and was even now taller than her. Even she'd changed, at eighteen she'd matured in more ways than one. She wasn't as shy as she'd used to be and was even becoming more comfortable around other guys. Her crush on Negi hadn't disappeared, in fact with time it had grown. She looked at the copy and with another wave of the wand it disappeared. She looked back at Negi with a smile. Unable to get the hang of the spells as fast as Konoka and Yue had he'd been privately teaching her so she could keep up, now she hoped she was making progress. "You're getting better"

"Arigato Sensei" She looked at the sky through the trees, Negi followed her gaze

"It's late, we should get back" she nodded in agreement

"Yeah" He stood up and held out a hand for her, she took it and pulled herself up. "arigato"

"No problem Nodoka-chan" she smiled, although he'd been using the -chan honorific for just over a year it still sent a warm feeling up her spine. They walked out of the clump of trees that had been providing the cover for their magic practice. He'd dropped her hand. They walked back towards the school when a roaring noise was heard, they turned to see a motorbike driving towards them, they stepped backwards and it pulled up in front of them. The driver took his helmet off, Nodoka gasped as she recognised the man, she tugged at Negi's sleeve willing them to turn back.

"It's been a while Nodo-chan" she shook her head

"H-h-how did you find me?" Negi was stunned, what was going on?

"took me long enough" The newcomer surveyed her "scared are we?" Negi stepped in front of her

"Who are you?" he asked

"Ah, I am Kaito Miyazaki, Nodo-chan's cousin, and you are?"

"Negi Springfield, what are you doing here?"

"Taking Nodo-chan home" Nodoka shook her head

"n-no way, It's not my home anymore, I-it never was"

"I think differently Nodo-chan, it was and still is your home, you may have been hiding for seven years but that doesn't change the fact your father told my father to take care of you"

"I'm an adult now, you can't take me back"

"until graduation you're a child" he moved forward to grab her arm but Negi blocked it.

"leave her alone" he said fiercely

"oh a protector not bad Nodo-chan, you got over your fears then" Nodoka had her pactio card in her hand and used it to tell Negi exactly what was going on He's telling the truth but he's a lot more dangerous than he looks, I lived with him and his father for a year after my dad died, I was ten, he was already dangerous, he carried a knife although he was only twelve, he used to hit me, I came here when it got too much, after he stabbed me…

She saw Negi nod and she knew he understood. Sure enough Kaito pulled out a knife and attempted to stab Negi "Reflexio" Nodoka yelled on instinct wand in her hand, a shield appeared briefly sending Kaito flying backwards slightly. Negi took up a defensive position, Nodoka eyed the fallen knife, Kaito stood back up and reached inside his jacket, Nodoka dived forward and pushed Negi to the ground as a shot was fired, she grabbed the fallen knife and flung it without thinking, another shot was fired as knife collided with gun and both went flying, it skimmed Nodoka's hand "Ahh!" she grasped the cut

"Nodoka-chan" Negi ran over

"I'm okay, It's only a graze, I've had worse" Negi glared at Kaito as he nd Nodoka stood back up, now they were on even footing none of them had weapons, unless you counted Nodoka's wand but she wasn't about to use it considering Kaito didn't know about magic and exposing their secret was dangerous. Negi took up his defensive position again fists clenched, Kaito clenched his fists and ran towards them, Negi jumped backwards dodging the punches and placing a few of his own, he swung his fist and that was all Kaito needed, he threw his arm round and hit Negi in the chest. Negi was winded, he gasped for breath, Kaito followed through with another punch hitting Negi in the face

"SENSEI!" Nodoka yelled running forward, Kaito turned to her, she didn't stop, she ran over to Negi who was lying on dazed on the ground "are you alright?" Kaito grabbed her arm

"we're leaving Nodo-chan" she tried to pull her arm free and he gripped tighter

"no" she grasped her wand "Flans exarmatio" he was blasted backwards a little way "I said I wasn't coming"

"Sis mea pars Ministra Negi, Nodoka Miyazaki" Negi managed to say thickly knowing he couldn't continue to fight, Nodoka felt energised

"what did you do?"

"activated the contract" He'd returned to his senses but had a bruise on his head, Kaito ran at them again, Nodoka aimed a weak punch at him not really able to fight, she hit him in the stomach and he gasped winded she looked at her hand

"did I do that?" Negi nodded

"Yes, you did" Kaito was pushing himself back up again

"I don't know-how you-did that-Nodo-chan-but" he was still gasping for breath. Nodoka aimed what she hoped to be a powerful punch at his head and he fell unconscious, she cringed slightly but soon turned her thoughts back to Negi

"are you sure you're alright Sensei? that doesn't look good" His head was badly bruised and he still seemed a little out of it, she placed his arm around her neck We're going to see the nurse in any case" she helped him into the school and to the infirmary

"what happened?" Shizuna asked

"there was a fight and Negi-sensei got hit" Shizuna checked his injuries

"Well he's taken a nasty blow to the head but otherwise he should be just fine, are you okay miss Miyazaki? You didn't get hit did you?" Nodoka had forgotten about the near miss with the gun

"I just got a graze on my hand"

"Very well then, Negi-kun should get some rest, you can go back to your dorm"

"Is it okay if I stay?" Shizuna nodded and Nodoka sat down on a chair next to Negi's bed "Uh Shizuna-san, there's someone else outside, the person Negi was fighting with, he's unconscious but I'd prefer if he wasn't brought here, in fact I'd like if I never had to see him again" Shizuna nodded again

"I won't ask why but I'll send someone to get him and take him elsewhere"

Nodoka smiled "Arigato" Shizuna smiled back and walked into her office. Negi groaned a little

"Ow"

"shh, it's okay now" she said brushing hair from his eyes being careful to avoid his bruise "Shizuna-san says you should sleep" Negi nodded and lay his head on the pillow "I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble"

"It's no problem Nodoka-chan, I wanted to help you" Exhausted he closed his eyes and was soon asleep, she held his hand

"Thank you Negi-sensei" she whispered.

Morning came, Nodoka had her head on the bed that Negi was on and she was asleep, the door to the infirmary opened and she stirred a little, Ako had walked in since she was the nurse's assistant, she saw Negi and Nodoka and smiled, she went into the nurses office shutting the door with a faint click, Nodoka woke up. "huh?" she lifted her head and the memories of the night before flooded back to her "oh" she looked at Negi who was still sleeping, she smiled and squeezed his hand, he stirred "huh? Oh Nodoka-chan" he smiled at her

"How are you feeling?"

"well I have a splitting headache but otherwise fine" Shizuna and Ako came out of the office

"I'm glad you're feeling better Negi-kun"

"Are you alright Negi-sensei?"

"I'm fine thank you Ako-san"

"Well, you can go Negi-kun, just take it easy okay?"

"Okay" Negi got out of the bed and Nodoka stood up. They exited the infirmary.

"I really am sorry to have caused you such trouble Negi-sensei" Nodoka said again

"Nodoka-chan it's no problem, really, I'd give my life to save yours" he slipped his hand into hers

"Sensei-" she smiled

"Call me Negi-kun"

"okay, Negi-kun" He chuckled

"I won't be your Sensei for much longer anyhow"

"You're right" she hadn't really thought about it, but after graduation he'd no longer be her teacher

"but I don't think I can wait that long"

"for what?" she asked curiously

"this" he leant in and kissed her

Okay, it's over, there will be other four years on stories, and I know it was a little ooc, but they are much older now so would naturally behave differently…and uh, yeah I don't really have much else to say, so review please! Flames are thrown on a bonfire and used to toast marshmallows