A/N - Hi everyone, this is my first fic. I'm really enjoying writing it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. I'd love to know what you think, or if there is anything I can improve on.
As I'm sure you're aware, I don't own any of the characters, I just like writing about them.
Mildred left the two teachers with the news she would not be taking Miss Pentangle up on her offer of a scholarship. As she walked away to join her friends, Pippa and Hecate looked at each other and exchanged glances. "You've got yourself a great young witch there," Pippa said to her old friend. She was so pleased that only moments ago, she and her childhood friend had put aside their differences and made up.
Hecate nodded her agreement and turned to her friend. "I-I'm glad we've had this conversation… Pipsqueak." She managed to choke out.
Pippa leaned over and pecked her old friend on the cheek. She took her hand "I really must be leaving now Hiccup, it's such a long flight back to Pentangles." With that the pink witch transferred herself to join her students who were waiting in the courtyard.
Hecate was left with a rather unfamiliar pink tinge to her face, as she clutched her cheek where moments ago her friend's lips had been.
Hecate Hardbroom transferred into her chambers. She was greeted by the warmth of the fire she had magically ignited in the hearth moments ago. Despite the warmth, the usually stoic teacher was shaking.
Neat shelves of books decorated every wall, and her purple velvet armchair beckoned to her beside the fire. The draw to read one of her many familiar tomes on potions was strong, but the thoughts racing around her head were stronger. Hecate needed comfort. She also needed to calm down.
She walked slowly to the kettle. Tea, she needed tea. Still shaking, Hecate reached into her cupboards for a specific blend. Chamomile with lavender, to relieve her of stress and bring her calm. Once the water was boiled and added to the tea to brew, Hecate stirred in a teaspoon of honey. Watching the golden liquid dissolve into the drink as she stirred soothed her. She took a sip.
Hecate breathed out in a slow exhale, and relaxed her broomstick straight back. Of course, she was never truly relaxed. Her mind was racing a mile a minute. Pippa…The fuchsia clad witch was all she could think about. She touched her cheek again.
It wasn't just that the headmistress of a rival school was dominating her thoughts; every time Hecate thought about Pippa, her chest tightened and she felt breathless.
Hopefully lights out duty would distract her. Hecate had always enjoyed the solitary stroll around the castle before bed. It allowed her to decompress.
Hecate lit her lantern, gesturing to her familiar to join her on lights out duty. The sleek black cat meowed, sensing her mistress's uneasiness. She pushed herself against Hecate's ankles, and purred when her mistress pushed back affectionately.
The mistress and her cat transferred quickly out of her rooms to the first year's corridor. Over the years, Hecate had perfected the art of silently gliding past the rooms, listening intently for any sign of tomfoolery.
As Hecate paced slowly down the cold flagstone corridor, she seemed to see Pippa in every corner. Each shadow reminded the witch of her childhood friend, and it hurt. She felt a soft pang of longing as she recalled how the two young witches had once ran between bedrooms in the night to share sweets and spooky ghost stories. Hecate felt angered by these silly feelings. Where where they coming from? Hecate continued on, frustration building as she could not clear her mind.
As she rounded a bend, a yellow sliver of light reached lazily from under a door. A door that all too often had light coming from under it. Suddenly furious, the formidable witch threw open the door. "Mildred Hubble!" She bellowed. "It is long past lights out, and you still have your light on," the young girl jumped, and turned to face her form tutor. Hecate felt a touch of guilt as she noticed the young girl had been reading a textbook, but the rage fuelled her to reprimand the girl further. "I expect to see 600 lines on why an early bedtime is beneficial on my desk immediately after breakfast tomorrow, and you will be joining me in detention for a week" She said.
Mildred stared "Miss Hardbroom, I'm sorry, i-it's just that everything went so well today, with the spelling bee, I really enjoyed it… I can't sleep-" but she was interrupted by a cold stare from her teacher.
"I mean. Yes, Miss Hardbroom." Her teacher gave a curt nod and with that, she vanished.
Hecate finished the rest of her rounds without further incidents.
Back in her chambers, Hecate began to ready herself for bed. She used a soft navy flannel to wipe the dark red lipstick from her face and unwound her tight bun, removing hairpin after hairpin. One could never have too many hairpins. She placed them carefully in an ebony trinket box on her bedside table, ready to be used the next morning. As her loose curls began to frame her usually stony face, Pippa flashed into her mind again. Hecate smiled, then steeled herself. What was she thinking? She shook the remainder of her hair free, shaking her head once more to clear her head.
Not one to use magic for such activities, Hecate methodically changed from her long black teaching robes into her nightdress. Naturally, it was also black and floor length, but it was softer. As she slipped out of her teaching robes, Pippa's face again appeared in her thoughts. Enough. She chastised herself. Why could she not get this blonde haired witch out of her mind? She hadn't thought about her for years. Or at least, not with such intensity.
Hecate lay down on her wrought iron bed and sighed angrily. Pippa would not leave her thoughts. She tried to distract herself by mentally listing the ingredients in a complex protection potion she had discovered in an ancient book earlier that week. Rosemary for alertness, sage for healing… It was no use. She had to see Pippa's face.
Hecate sat up and swung her long legs gracefully over the side of her bed, landing her feet into her soft but sensible black slippers. She wrapped her black satin dressing gown around herself and walked over to her dressing table. Twirling her fingers elegantly, she transformed her long dark hair into an intricate updo. The deputy head teacher smiled slightly, Pippa had taught her this particular spell many years ago when they had still been friends.
A snap of her fingers and the candles on the dressing table lit with such intensity, Hecate found herself blinking to remove the sears of the bright flames from her eyes. A moment of doubt swept over her as she went to mirror her old friend. What if Pippa didn't want to speak to her? Hecate couldn't bear the thought of rejection. She groaned and leant forward using her fingers to support her temples, the mirror reflected the witch caught in her indecision.
The appearance of a face that was not her own in the mirror startled the witch out of her worries. She scrambled quickly to answer the mirror call, not used to being caught off guard.
Pippa's faced beamed back at her through the mirror. "Hiccup!" she exclaimed in delight. "You're still awake," The blonde witch continued to smile. Hecate gave a tight lipped smile and nodded. "I'm glad to see you made it back to Pentangle's safely," she said lamely. Now faced by the beautiful witch, she found herself rather spellbound.
Pippa laughed at her friend's rubbish attempt at conversation. "I was thinking, we have so much to catch up on - we really should meet again soon." She smiled again at her friend who suddenly looked quite pale in the candlelight. "That is… If you would like to?" She asked.