Hecate Hardbroom lay perfectly content with her bewitching bedfellow. She hardly wanted the day to begin if it meant being away from Pippa for even a second. Still slumbering, Pippa nuzzled into Hecate's shoulder. Hecate was surprised at how at home she felt cuddling with the witch who, until a few weeks ago had been someone she had treated with the utmost contempt.
Expelling the thoughts of their previous feud, Hecate pulled Pippa closer. She kissed the beautiful witch's forehead, and smiled as her long eyelashes fluttered awake. "Good morning Pipsqueak," she murmured dreamily into the blonde witch's forehead.
Pippa smiled and propped herself up on her elbows. She looked at Hecate gazing adoringly at her. "Oh Hecate, look at you. You look like the cat that's got the cream." She giggled at Hecate's raised eyebrow. "I certainly felt like that last night, anyway." She added hastily. Pippa felt her heart leap with joy as she recalled the previous evening's events. She marvelled at how gentle Hecate had been, but also at how much the usually very wooden witch had surprised her. "I really am so pleased at how things are going between us." She said, and stroked her pinky finger down Hecate's cheek.
No response came from Hecate. In that moment, she found herself speechless.
Pippa twirled her hand gracefully and a tray containing a teapot, two teacups and a jug of milk appeared in the bedroom, floating on a wave of pink flower petals and butterflies.
Hecate laughed at the display, it was very Pippa. She poured tea into both cups and keeping one for herself, handed a steaming brew to Pippa. "Your magic is very beautiful Pippa," she admitted, "I could never produce something so… feminine." Hecate had meant this as a compliment, but as the words left her lips, she realised how much this sounded like a slight towards the girly witch. She mentally chastised herself for what felt like the thousandth time that month. "Ahem, I mean, your magic holds a kind of beauty that I could never hope to replicate. There is something almost songlike about the spells you cast."
Used to Hecate's less than eloquent way of wording things, Pippa beamed at the compliment. "I have always imagined my magic as an extension of my soul, I am a lover of beautiful things, and endeavour to include them in my magic." She explained, proudly. "But Hecate, my magic does have its limitations. I'm sure you have noticed that I prefer to fly between the two schools. I'm not sure I could manage a successful transference over such a distance. I'm not as powerful as you." She paused for a moment. "Perhaps we could teach each other some of our own signature magic today, if you have time in between lessons?" She suggested.
Hecate's lips turned upwards. "I would like that very much Pippa. I actually have no lessons today as the girls are all busy revising for their end of term exams. What would you suggest we do?"
Pippa scrunched her button nose, deep in thought. There were so many options "I know what we can do today!" She said triumphantly. "Do you remember when we were at school, we used to play a game called transference tag? Where one of us would transfer elsewhere in the castle and the other had to detect where they had gone and transfer to them?" She grinned, knowing that Hecate loved any excuse to flex her magical muscles. "I could use the practise, I would love to be able to transfer between our two schools one day." She added hopefully.
Hecate gave a brisk nod. "That sounds like a most acceptable idea, it will certainly help to build your magical stamina. As will a large breakfast. I believe the girls will be excited to see you this morning in the dining hall, Pippa" she said, checking the time, displeased that they were running out of time to enjoy together before breakfast.
Pippa nodded, and then remembering the secrecy of their relationship, placed her teacup back on the still floating tray. "Oh, Hecate! I suppose I should go back to my room before breakfast." She said, dismayed that their early morning cuddle had to come to an end so soon.
Pippa Pentangle floated elegantly into the dining hall, garnering whispers of admiration from students as she glided towards the teacher's table. She had timed it so that Hecate would already be at breakfast and would see her entrance. Later, she thought with a sly smile, she would tell Hecate it was a way to dispel suspicion. Really, she just wanted to see the conflict on Hecate's face as she tried (and failed) to uphold her formidable expression as Pippa came in.
"Well met, Miss Cackle." She bowed to the cardigan clad headmistress.
"Well met, my dear" Miss Cackle nodded her head back. "I must express my gratitude to you for giving up the first week of your summer holidays to visit our little school." She smiled. "Coffee?" Miss Cackle offered, holding a mug of dull brown liquid for the graceful witch to take. Pippa accepted it with a polite smile, trying to avoid catching Hecate's eye. Hecate knew that the prim and proper witch was too nice to tell Miss Cackle that she couldn't stand coffee.
Feeling pressured by the stares of the other teachers, Pippa took a sip. "I trust that Miss Hardbroom has made you feel welcome," Miss Cackle enquired, a look of concern crossed her face when Pippa spat out her coffee. She quickly summoned a stack of napkins, which Pippa accepted gratefully.
"Of course, Hecate is a wonderful host." Pippa reassured as she mopped up the spilt coffee. Hecate smiled.
"Did you just see Miss Hardbroom smile?" hissed Enid to Maud and Mildred across their bowls of porridge. "I didn't even know her face could do that!" she laughed. Mildred turned around to look at the teacher's table and stared at her potions teacher.
"You know, HB isn't all that bad. She's really helped with my potions recently." Mildred said, still looking at the teachers table. The teachers were all listening intently to Miss Pentangle as she told a story. Everyone except for Miss Hardbroom, who surveyed the room sternly. "I'm glad Miss Pentangle is here to visit, I think they're old friends."
Enid snorted. "HB has friends?" She couldn't imagine Miss Hardbroom being friends with anyone. "Besides Millie, she only helped you with potions because you were in detention. It was a punishment, remember?"
"Yeah Millie, think of all of the mornings she took away from you. Although I agree it has helped your grades." Maud said.
"I suppose so, but at least I'm not the worst witch in the year anymore." Mildred smiled. Even if they were detentions, they had been very helpful. "I think it will be good to have Miss Pentangle here this week," she said chirpily as she finished her porridge.
A knock at Pippa's door interrupted her unpacking. She hadn't had a chance to unpack her things when she arrived yesterday. "Come in," she sang as she made the room more homely.
Hecate appeared in the doorway and stared at the newly decorated room. "It's.. very you." She commented, gesturing at the vases of flowers and pink accessories that had been scattered around the room. "I do apologise for taking you away from your things last night." Hecate said. "It was inconsiderate of me."
"Hecate, I was never under any illusion that I was going to be spending the night alone while I was here." Pippa told the taller witch. "I'm simply making the room look used in case anyone decides to check in on me. I have everything I need in here." She waved her hand at a pink suitcase. "I was wondering if I could put it in your chambers before we began our game of transference tag?"
Hecate's face brightened. How was Pippa so cocksure? Hecate wanted constant reassurance that everything was okay. Not that she would admit to it. "Excellent. We can begin the game by transferring to my rooms." She said with a smile and she was gone.
Pippa hurried to transfer after the dark haired witch.
After placing her suitcase in Hecate's bedroom, the game began properly. Hecate would transfer to somewhere in the castle, and Pippa had to use her magic to detect when she had gone and transfer to her new location.
It took a few minutes for Pippa to locate the queen of transference at first. After a few false starts and accidentally transferring into the middle of a witch ball game, she found could tune into Hecate's magical energy and accurately find Hecate in much quicker times.
Hecate snapped her long fingers and vanished to the kitchens. She stood waiting, silently counting the seconds before Pippa arrived in front of her, panting. "Very good, only 21 seconds this time." She praised as she vanished again.
Hecate appeared in the staff room, nearly knocking Mr Rowan-Webb out of his chair in shock. "I wish you wouldn't do that, Miss Hardbroom." He muttered. Pippa followed shortly after, landing on top of Hecate. The two witches giggled joyfully and Hecate transferred away again, followed by an amused Pippa. "Well I'll be blown" Mr Rowan-Webb said to a still napping Miss Bats. He goggled at the purple sparkles that hung in the air where the two laughing witches had just been.
Both witches arrived on the roof in fits of laughter. "Got you! Did you see Algernon's face?" Pippa cried in mirth, trying to catch her breath. Collapsing onto Hecate in a fit of exhausted giggles, she wrapped her arms around her neck and placed a big sloppy wet kiss on her lips.
The two witches sat in the turrets, still giggling and looked out onto the view over the school. Hecate put her arm around a tired Pippa and gave her a squeeze. "I think that's quite enough fun for one day," she said sensibly. She knew that Pippa would be drained from the many transference spells she had performed. Giving Pippa one more squish for good measure, she kissed the blonde witch on the cheek.
Pippa's beauty was breathtaking. Oh how Hecate wanted to be hers and hers only. Not too quickly Hecate thought, she remembered Pippa's admission of inexperience the night before. However, Hecate couldn't take being in a state of limbo any longer. She steeled herself "I have been giving much thought to a conversation we had via mirror," she opened haltingly. She was embarrassed to find she was shaking lightly. "About what it is that we have between us…" she trailed off, hoping that Pippa would follow where she was leading the conversation.
Wide eyed, Pippa focused on Hecate. "I remember." She said softly. "It's very clear to me how much I care for you. You are the witchiest witch, the only person I want to be with." She continued. "What are your feelings, my darling?"
Hecate hated being put on the spot. Even though she had been the one to initiate the conversation. She shuddered at the embarrassment of sharing her emotions. "Pippa, all I want is… you." She said finally, her voice betraying her as it wobbled. Frustrated, she noticed that even her eyes had started to prick with tears. Pippa leaned forward and wiped them away with a conjured up pale pink handkerchief.
The two witches shared a tender kiss, relishing in their new found relationship. "Pippa Pentangle, my girlfriend." Hecate tried out, delighting at the way the word tasted in her mouth. Pippa grinned. It sounded perfect.