Paint the Sky with Stars
--by Egon Starcollector
Disclaimer: And I look like J.K. Rowling...how?
Wednesday following the trip to Hogsmeade, Stacy received yet another note in the sparkly blue ink.
"Your laugh is like silver bells, and your eyes shimmer like diamonds. --Your Secret Admirer"
*How nauseatingly sweet,* she thought, tucking it away. She wondered if Ron and Neville were right. True, Justin had asked her out for a butterbeer--but they were friends. It didn't necessarily mean anything else. Try as she might, though, she couldn't help hoping it did.
"It's a pity you weren't in Care of Magical Creatures last night, Stacy," Hermione said, interrupting her train of thought.
"Hm?" Stacy couldn't take that particular class because the Gryffindor session conflicted with Double Astronomy.
` "Hagrid told us about a touring show of Endangered Magical Creatures. They're animals unfit for breeding programs, and they're touring the wizarding world so students can see them up close."
"Neat."
"It sounds so fascinating! They have rare dragons, and even a roc!"
"A roc. Those building-sized crows that eat elephants for lunch?"
"Well, yes...."
"Ah. Thought so."
"Hagrid and Dumbledore are going to see if they can get the show to come to Hogwarts!" That was Hermione. The girl was a positive sponge for knowledge.
"That'd be cool," Stacy conceded, not wanting to hurt her cousin's feelings by retorting that a crow the size of Hogwarts was not high on her list of "Must-See" items.
The rest of the day was rather dull. They were studying gorgons in DADA--"Not that you are likely to meet one, mind you, as they are very reclusive," said Professor Lupin--and tomb protections in Ancient Runes. Lunch, Transfiguration, and Charms were so dull she thought her brain would seize up. Definitely not an exciting day.
Before supper, she tried to work on her song a bit more. She hadn't really had a chance to tackle it for about a week--not since that horrific day when she'd slugged Draco Malfoy.
She studied the parchment carefully, trying to keep the melody in her head without humming it out loud (she WAS in the library, after all). Hm...what would a shallow, ditzy "doll" do that a sensible, down-to-earth girl wouldn't? Stare at herself in the mirror all the time...read fashion magazine...hmmm....
I'm not just the girl in the picture,
I won't be just a knock on your door.
I'm much more than a Barbie doll can give you,
But you don't know what a heart is for.
I'm not just a reflection in a mirror,
I'm not just a face in a crowd.
I don't waste my time with fashion ads in magazines,
I spend my time living out loud.
You don't know (what a girl is)
You don't know (what I can do)
You don't know (what real love is)
I know that I'm over you
*Not a bad start,* she smiled to herself as she went down to supper. *Not bad at all.*
The next day brought a reply--and fudge!--from Jessie.
Dear Stacy,
He looks like Elijah Wood and you haven't snagged him? What's wrong with you?!?!?!?
Seriously, I'm glad you like it there and that you're making friends. I was really worried about you after what went down last spring. Get this: Randy saw me writing to you and asked me to ask you if you'd reconsider. The nerve!
I'm glad your cousin turned out to be cool, too. You're so lucky getting to go to Scotland. You'd better send me pictures!
Love and jelly beans,
Jessie
P.S. Enjoy the fudge! I got your favorite kind, the plain chocolate.
Stacy chuckled. "Love and jelly beans," indeed! So Randy wanted her back, eh? *Fugeddaboudit,* she said to herself. That was NOT happening. Stacy made a point of stopping back at the dorm to hide the fudge before she went to Potions.
Herbology wasn't too taxing: they had to grind the crystal fern extract into useable salts. Yippee. She noticed that Justin was having another clumsy day: he was standing awfully close, so he kept brushing up against her and bumping into her. *Klutz.* Neville said nothing, but merely gave a little smile that made Stacy wonder if she'd missed something.
Neville stopped her after class, though. "I knew it! That was Justin's ink and handwriting on your note." Seeing that Stacy looked skeptical, he continued. "Stacy, ever since the semester started he's been falling all over you. I've seen how you look at him, too. What's stopping the two of you?"
"Why would he want someone like me, though? He could probably have his pick of girls!"
"You're clever, funny, down-to-earth--and from what I hear, you like stars as much as he does!"
Stacy grinned and hugged Neville around the neck. "You tell your Ginny she's got herself a good man."
After Muggle Studies, Professor Dimity said, "Miss McIvers, could I speak to you for just a moment before you go to lunch?"
"Certainly, Professor."
"Miss McIvers, according to your old school, you were one of the best Muggle Studies students. Your grades here certainly bear that out."
"Thank you. It's probably because I'm Muggle-born."
"As am I," the elderly witch smiled. "I was wondering...one of your classmates is struggling. He is a pureblood, as you might have guessed. Frankly, he only took the class because it was the only thing open, but he can't afford to fail it. I wondered if you would be willing to tutor him?"
Stacy was mildly taken aback, but she still felt proud. "Um...sure. I'll just need to know when and where to meet him...."
"He says he has a free period before supper on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. You could meet in the library."
"Okay! I'm free then too, so I can certainly work with him."
"Very good, Miss McIvers; I was hoping you would agree. I will let Mr. Malfoy know, then."
Stacy froze. She wasn't sure, but she thought her face went pale. "DRACO Malfoy?"
"Yes, the same."
"Right..." she managed as she staggered out of the room. *I'm jinxed. It's official. I'm jinxed.*
--by Egon Starcollector
Disclaimer: And I look like J.K. Rowling...how?
Wednesday following the trip to Hogsmeade, Stacy received yet another note in the sparkly blue ink.
"Your laugh is like silver bells, and your eyes shimmer like diamonds. --Your Secret Admirer"
*How nauseatingly sweet,* she thought, tucking it away. She wondered if Ron and Neville were right. True, Justin had asked her out for a butterbeer--but they were friends. It didn't necessarily mean anything else. Try as she might, though, she couldn't help hoping it did.
"It's a pity you weren't in Care of Magical Creatures last night, Stacy," Hermione said, interrupting her train of thought.
"Hm?" Stacy couldn't take that particular class because the Gryffindor session conflicted with Double Astronomy.
` "Hagrid told us about a touring show of Endangered Magical Creatures. They're animals unfit for breeding programs, and they're touring the wizarding world so students can see them up close."
"Neat."
"It sounds so fascinating! They have rare dragons, and even a roc!"
"A roc. Those building-sized crows that eat elephants for lunch?"
"Well, yes...."
"Ah. Thought so."
"Hagrid and Dumbledore are going to see if they can get the show to come to Hogwarts!" That was Hermione. The girl was a positive sponge for knowledge.
"That'd be cool," Stacy conceded, not wanting to hurt her cousin's feelings by retorting that a crow the size of Hogwarts was not high on her list of "Must-See" items.
The rest of the day was rather dull. They were studying gorgons in DADA--"Not that you are likely to meet one, mind you, as they are very reclusive," said Professor Lupin--and tomb protections in Ancient Runes. Lunch, Transfiguration, and Charms were so dull she thought her brain would seize up. Definitely not an exciting day.
Before supper, she tried to work on her song a bit more. She hadn't really had a chance to tackle it for about a week--not since that horrific day when she'd slugged Draco Malfoy.
She studied the parchment carefully, trying to keep the melody in her head without humming it out loud (she WAS in the library, after all). Hm...what would a shallow, ditzy "doll" do that a sensible, down-to-earth girl wouldn't? Stare at herself in the mirror all the time...read fashion magazine...hmmm....
I'm not just the girl in the picture,
I won't be just a knock on your door.
I'm much more than a Barbie doll can give you,
But you don't know what a heart is for.
I'm not just a reflection in a mirror,
I'm not just a face in a crowd.
I don't waste my time with fashion ads in magazines,
I spend my time living out loud.
You don't know (what a girl is)
You don't know (what I can do)
You don't know (what real love is)
I know that I'm over you
*Not a bad start,* she smiled to herself as she went down to supper. *Not bad at all.*
The next day brought a reply--and fudge!--from Jessie.
Dear Stacy,
He looks like Elijah Wood and you haven't snagged him? What's wrong with you?!?!?!?
Seriously, I'm glad you like it there and that you're making friends. I was really worried about you after what went down last spring. Get this: Randy saw me writing to you and asked me to ask you if you'd reconsider. The nerve!
I'm glad your cousin turned out to be cool, too. You're so lucky getting to go to Scotland. You'd better send me pictures!
Love and jelly beans,
Jessie
P.S. Enjoy the fudge! I got your favorite kind, the plain chocolate.
Stacy chuckled. "Love and jelly beans," indeed! So Randy wanted her back, eh? *Fugeddaboudit,* she said to herself. That was NOT happening. Stacy made a point of stopping back at the dorm to hide the fudge before she went to Potions.
Herbology wasn't too taxing: they had to grind the crystal fern extract into useable salts. Yippee. She noticed that Justin was having another clumsy day: he was standing awfully close, so he kept brushing up against her and bumping into her. *Klutz.* Neville said nothing, but merely gave a little smile that made Stacy wonder if she'd missed something.
Neville stopped her after class, though. "I knew it! That was Justin's ink and handwriting on your note." Seeing that Stacy looked skeptical, he continued. "Stacy, ever since the semester started he's been falling all over you. I've seen how you look at him, too. What's stopping the two of you?"
"Why would he want someone like me, though? He could probably have his pick of girls!"
"You're clever, funny, down-to-earth--and from what I hear, you like stars as much as he does!"
Stacy grinned and hugged Neville around the neck. "You tell your Ginny she's got herself a good man."
After Muggle Studies, Professor Dimity said, "Miss McIvers, could I speak to you for just a moment before you go to lunch?"
"Certainly, Professor."
"Miss McIvers, according to your old school, you were one of the best Muggle Studies students. Your grades here certainly bear that out."
"Thank you. It's probably because I'm Muggle-born."
"As am I," the elderly witch smiled. "I was wondering...one of your classmates is struggling. He is a pureblood, as you might have guessed. Frankly, he only took the class because it was the only thing open, but he can't afford to fail it. I wondered if you would be willing to tutor him?"
Stacy was mildly taken aback, but she still felt proud. "Um...sure. I'll just need to know when and where to meet him...."
"He says he has a free period before supper on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. You could meet in the library."
"Okay! I'm free then too, so I can certainly work with him."
"Very good, Miss McIvers; I was hoping you would agree. I will let Mr. Malfoy know, then."
Stacy froze. She wasn't sure, but she thought her face went pale. "DRACO Malfoy?"
"Yes, the same."
"Right..." she managed as she staggered out of the room. *I'm jinxed. It's official. I'm jinxed.*