'Mione darling,' Mrs. Granger said, looking at her daughter. Mione was
sprawled on the couch, immersed in Magical methods of Uprooting Begonias.
She wasn't wearing anything but a blue bathrobe, and her hair was a mess.
She was biting her lip in concentration.
'Yes mum?' she asked, looking up. 'You need something?'
'Mione, I don't like the way you've been reading all summer,' Mrs. Granger said, coming an sitting down beside her daughter. 'Look at you!' she pointed a finger at Mione.
'You're all pale from being cooped up, no color left in your cheeks! And you've got bags under your eyes, dear.I suggest you put that book away, and go for a nice walk.It's such a lovely day outside.'
To emphasize her point, she pulled open the blinds, and let the fresh afternoon, honey-tinted sunlight flow in. Mione caught a whiff of aster fragrance, before laying her book on the coffee table, and saying.
'You're right, mum.I have been cooped up this summer. Tell you what, I'll go for a nice long walk this afternoon, and forget reading this book, ok?'
'Fine with me, darling,' Mrs. Granger said, and kissed Mione on the cheek.
Mione climbed up the stars of the Grangers' house, and entered her room. It was large and spacious. The walls were painted lilac in two shades, and the curtains were white with purple swirls. Her sheets were dark purple. She sat down at her dressing table that was made of lightwood, and peered at her reflection.
'Mum's right,' she murmured to herself, noticing for the first time, the bags under her eyelids, and the paleness of her cheeks. 'I; m looking drab. Well, I can't go for a walk, looking like this.'
She changed from her bathrobe into a pair of tight black leather flares, and a tightly fitting, lightly sequined blue top, that showed her pierced navel. She admired her newly acquired curves in the mirror, before using a spell to change the color of her chestnut hair to pitch black. She straightened it with a tricky, but useful charm, and finished it off by applying a bright blue streak with her washable hair spray, and pulling it into a high ponytail.
She used some blush and blue eye shadow to mask her pale cheeks and dark circles. Then, she fastened a pair of chunky silver earrings onto her ears, and stepped into a pair of slender boots, with pencil heels. Then, she stepped back and admired the effect. 'I look hot,' she declared, admiring her gorgeous curves.
This statement was proved very true, for after she said good-bye to her mom, and went outside, she was met with catcalls and whistles. She rolled her eyes.it was the regular eve teasers. They winked and whistled at her from across the road, until she began to feel frustrated. They were such jerks! It irritated her, the way they stared at her chest, and smirked. There was something very annoying in their behavior.
Anxious to put some distance between them, she hurried down the lane, towards the park, as she turned a corner, she suddenly bumped straight into someone, who was very tall. She had enough time to register that he smelt nice.before she was on her bottom on the pavement, with her hands behind her. She sat, dazzled and bewildered, for a few moments, before.
'I'm so sorry,' a deep, male voice said, apologetically. There was something eerily familiar about the boy, but Mione could not place it. She felt strong arms life her up, and set her onto her feet. She blinked twice, and then rubbed her stinging palms together.
'That's okay,' she said, with a warm smile, 'It was partly my fault,'
She looked up, and suddenly found herself staring into silver-gray eyes. Enthralled she gazed into them, and they stared right back into her deep, chestnut ones. It was only when he put out his hand, did she shake out of her trance.
'Robbie Callon,' he said, with a bit of a smile, 'charm'd.'
'OK, Mione,' she thought to herself, 'you're a muggle, get it? You're not Mione Granger, you're- you're- Loxy! Yes, that's it Loxy Turner!'
'He-uh, Loxy!' she said, quickly, 'Loxy Turner. And nice to meet you too.'
She paused for a minute, and took him in.
The boy was tall, above six feet. He had a well-toned body, and silver blonde hair, that was messed a little with gel. The sun striking his hair made it shine, silkily. His eyes were silvery, but still warm and friendly. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a black polo neck. Around his pale wrist was a charm of some kind-a thin, silver wire twisted into a pattern of a dragon, attached to another wire. One of his ears was pierced, with a barely noticeable silver ring.
She then noticed two people behind him- a medium heighted boy, with auburn hair and green eyes, who was dressed in baggy clothing, and was seemingly engrossed in a sheaf of notes covered with complicated diagrams, and a tall, thin girl, with blonde curls, who was dribbling a basketball. Mione smiled at the two.
'Hey,' she said, in a friendly voice. The trio looked fairly decent and friendly, and Robbie specially enthralled her. It would be fun, perhaps, to hang around with them in the summer.
'Hi,' the girl said, putting out her hand. She was dressed in denim shorts, and a red t-shirt. Mione shook her hand.
'Dina Roberts,' she said, 'and this is Colin, the Science Freak,'
She rolled her eyes, and pointed to Colin, who was still immersed in the notes in his hands. Dina gave him a sharp poke, and he jerked out of his reverie.
'Huh? What? Yea?" he said, in a confused voice, looking around.
'Company, Col,' Dina said, with a laugh. She gestured towards Mione. 'This is Loxy Turner, you freak. Say hello.'
'Um- hello,' Colin said, obviously awkward.
Dina rolled her eyes. 'I swear, sometimes, I feel like his mother. Put those notes away, Colin. You can read them tomorrow,'
Colin obligingly heaved his backpack to his front, unzipped it, took out a folder, slipped the notes inside, and carefully put it back. Dina looked exasperated.
'I s'pose It would break your heart to just crumple it up and stuff it in for once!' she demanded.
'That's extremely disorganized, you know, and as the great mathematician, Lombardi, said-.'
'Oh, shut up about your great matha-whatevers!' Dina said. She turned to Mione.
'So,' she said, friendlily, 'what were you planning on doing?'
'Oh, nothing much,' Mione replied, 'Just going for a walk,'
She stole a sideways glance at Robbie, who had remained silent all the while. He was carefully scrutinizing her, with his lovely eyes. She felt a faint blush stain her cheeks.
'We were planning on going ice-skating,' Dina said to her, 'Why don't you come along?'
'Sure, I'd like to,' she responded. 'There's a rink right around the corner.'
'Yeah, we know,' Colin said, 'I went their last summer.' He winced. 'It was a terrifying experience. I am yet to fathom why I concurred to return to the vile place of death with my two comrades.. It does make you wonder.'
'Um- okay, if you say so,' Mione said, a little bewildered. Dina laughed.
'For once in your life, Col, speak plain English! Come on, Loxy, let's go ice-skate!!"
Fifteen minutes later, Mione was beginning to repent the fact that she had come with them to ice-skate. She got her skates on, and walked awkwardly over the wooden floor towards the rink. She sat down on a chair, and began to tighten the straps on her skates.
At that minute, Robbie came and sat down beside her.
'Hey,' he said, in a somewhat friendly voice. Mione looked up and smiled at him. She found herself staring into his intense gray eyes, and froze, midsmile.
'H-hey,' she muttered, quickly looking down.
Robbie leant down, and tapped her fingers, that were awkwardly fumbling with the straps. The minute he did that, she felt a sudden flash of electricity pass through her. She repressed a shudder.
'You're doing it all wrong,' Robbie told her, 'look, you do it like this.'
He knelt down, and began to tighten her skating straps. After tightening the first foot, he took her hand, and guided her while she put on the second. After she had finished, she looked up.
'Now, that wasn't very difficult, was it?" Robbie asked, smiling. Mione felt her breath catch in her throat.
She held Robbie's kindly offered arm as she stood up, and walked awkwardly towards the rink. The minute she stepped onto the ice, she murmured, 'I'm fine, you can leave me now,'
Obligingly, he withdrew his arm. Mione took a few uncertain steps, and then found herself in a heap on the ground. She winced.
In a minute, Robbie was by her side, yet again heaving her up. He set her right, and then gripped bother her arms from behind.
'Guidance,' he sad, 'Just come with me.'
Holding her in the fashion, he began to skate around the rink, while she took hesitant steps. He was good at it, much, much better than her. AS they skated around the rink together, he asked,
'So, Loxy, do you live around here?'
'Well, yes,' she replied, 'But I'm away at school for most of the year.In fact, I'm going back in about a week.school opens on September the first.'
'Really?" he asked, 'so does mine. But we can have fun till then.'
Mione's pulse quickened at his words. She felt his arm grip her a little tighter.
'Hey, you too!' Dina's voice came suddenly, 'Seem's you're having some problems, Loxy?'
'Seems you seem right.' Mione answered with a laughed. Robbie chuckled.
'Well, Robs and I have something in common then,' Dina said, 'Me, I'm practically propping Col up on the ice.'
She pointed to Colin, who was panting and holding on to the railing.
'I can't get him to let go off it,' she explained.
After another half an hour of skating, they left the rink, and began walking home. The sun was slowly sinking, and the sky was a mixture of blood red, gold and orange. They past a street where Dina and Colin took a turn-off.
'They're neighbors,' Robbie explained, as he and Mione walked towards her house.
'Where do you live?" she asked him, suddenly. 'Me?" he asked. 'No. 22.'
'Oh, cool,' she said, 'I live in No.20. But.'
She stopped suddenly, and frowned. An image of the street popped up in front of her. No. 2o, No. 21, then- no.23! She remembered, as a small child asking her mom where No.22 was.she could not remember what her mom had replied. \
'Yes, I know,' Robbie said with a chuckle. 'No.22 isn't on the main street. It's just this shabby little house in the corner.'
'I- oh, I'm sorry,' Mione said, softly.
'Don't be,' Robbie said, 'It was for the best. I left my home. Ran away, a few months back. That's all I could afford.'
'You ran away? Whatever for?'
'My parents. They both.well, they drove me mad. Pushing me to limits that u couldn't reach.. i got sick of it after a bit, and hit the road.'
'I think you could reach any limit you want,' Mione said, warmly. 'You seem quite capable to me.'
Robbie blushed at the statement. By that time, they had reached Mione's house.
'Here's your place,' he muttered. 'Well.bye, Loxy. I'll see you later, I guess.'
'By, Robbie,' she whispered. For a brief minute, his hand touched hers, and again he she felt a jolt of electricity pass through her. And then, he was gone, sinking away into the dark shadows, towards No.22.
'Yes mum?' she asked, looking up. 'You need something?'
'Mione, I don't like the way you've been reading all summer,' Mrs. Granger said, coming an sitting down beside her daughter. 'Look at you!' she pointed a finger at Mione.
'You're all pale from being cooped up, no color left in your cheeks! And you've got bags under your eyes, dear.I suggest you put that book away, and go for a nice walk.It's such a lovely day outside.'
To emphasize her point, she pulled open the blinds, and let the fresh afternoon, honey-tinted sunlight flow in. Mione caught a whiff of aster fragrance, before laying her book on the coffee table, and saying.
'You're right, mum.I have been cooped up this summer. Tell you what, I'll go for a nice long walk this afternoon, and forget reading this book, ok?'
'Fine with me, darling,' Mrs. Granger said, and kissed Mione on the cheek.
Mione climbed up the stars of the Grangers' house, and entered her room. It was large and spacious. The walls were painted lilac in two shades, and the curtains were white with purple swirls. Her sheets were dark purple. She sat down at her dressing table that was made of lightwood, and peered at her reflection.
'Mum's right,' she murmured to herself, noticing for the first time, the bags under her eyelids, and the paleness of her cheeks. 'I; m looking drab. Well, I can't go for a walk, looking like this.'
She changed from her bathrobe into a pair of tight black leather flares, and a tightly fitting, lightly sequined blue top, that showed her pierced navel. She admired her newly acquired curves in the mirror, before using a spell to change the color of her chestnut hair to pitch black. She straightened it with a tricky, but useful charm, and finished it off by applying a bright blue streak with her washable hair spray, and pulling it into a high ponytail.
She used some blush and blue eye shadow to mask her pale cheeks and dark circles. Then, she fastened a pair of chunky silver earrings onto her ears, and stepped into a pair of slender boots, with pencil heels. Then, she stepped back and admired the effect. 'I look hot,' she declared, admiring her gorgeous curves.
This statement was proved very true, for after she said good-bye to her mom, and went outside, she was met with catcalls and whistles. She rolled her eyes.it was the regular eve teasers. They winked and whistled at her from across the road, until she began to feel frustrated. They were such jerks! It irritated her, the way they stared at her chest, and smirked. There was something very annoying in their behavior.
Anxious to put some distance between them, she hurried down the lane, towards the park, as she turned a corner, she suddenly bumped straight into someone, who was very tall. She had enough time to register that he smelt nice.before she was on her bottom on the pavement, with her hands behind her. She sat, dazzled and bewildered, for a few moments, before.
'I'm so sorry,' a deep, male voice said, apologetically. There was something eerily familiar about the boy, but Mione could not place it. She felt strong arms life her up, and set her onto her feet. She blinked twice, and then rubbed her stinging palms together.
'That's okay,' she said, with a warm smile, 'It was partly my fault,'
She looked up, and suddenly found herself staring into silver-gray eyes. Enthralled she gazed into them, and they stared right back into her deep, chestnut ones. It was only when he put out his hand, did she shake out of her trance.
'Robbie Callon,' he said, with a bit of a smile, 'charm'd.'
'OK, Mione,' she thought to herself, 'you're a muggle, get it? You're not Mione Granger, you're- you're- Loxy! Yes, that's it Loxy Turner!'
'He-uh, Loxy!' she said, quickly, 'Loxy Turner. And nice to meet you too.'
She paused for a minute, and took him in.
The boy was tall, above six feet. He had a well-toned body, and silver blonde hair, that was messed a little with gel. The sun striking his hair made it shine, silkily. His eyes were silvery, but still warm and friendly. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a black polo neck. Around his pale wrist was a charm of some kind-a thin, silver wire twisted into a pattern of a dragon, attached to another wire. One of his ears was pierced, with a barely noticeable silver ring.
She then noticed two people behind him- a medium heighted boy, with auburn hair and green eyes, who was dressed in baggy clothing, and was seemingly engrossed in a sheaf of notes covered with complicated diagrams, and a tall, thin girl, with blonde curls, who was dribbling a basketball. Mione smiled at the two.
'Hey,' she said, in a friendly voice. The trio looked fairly decent and friendly, and Robbie specially enthralled her. It would be fun, perhaps, to hang around with them in the summer.
'Hi,' the girl said, putting out her hand. She was dressed in denim shorts, and a red t-shirt. Mione shook her hand.
'Dina Roberts,' she said, 'and this is Colin, the Science Freak,'
She rolled her eyes, and pointed to Colin, who was still immersed in the notes in his hands. Dina gave him a sharp poke, and he jerked out of his reverie.
'Huh? What? Yea?" he said, in a confused voice, looking around.
'Company, Col,' Dina said, with a laugh. She gestured towards Mione. 'This is Loxy Turner, you freak. Say hello.'
'Um- hello,' Colin said, obviously awkward.
Dina rolled her eyes. 'I swear, sometimes, I feel like his mother. Put those notes away, Colin. You can read them tomorrow,'
Colin obligingly heaved his backpack to his front, unzipped it, took out a folder, slipped the notes inside, and carefully put it back. Dina looked exasperated.
'I s'pose It would break your heart to just crumple it up and stuff it in for once!' she demanded.
'That's extremely disorganized, you know, and as the great mathematician, Lombardi, said-.'
'Oh, shut up about your great matha-whatevers!' Dina said. She turned to Mione.
'So,' she said, friendlily, 'what were you planning on doing?'
'Oh, nothing much,' Mione replied, 'Just going for a walk,'
She stole a sideways glance at Robbie, who had remained silent all the while. He was carefully scrutinizing her, with his lovely eyes. She felt a faint blush stain her cheeks.
'We were planning on going ice-skating,' Dina said to her, 'Why don't you come along?'
'Sure, I'd like to,' she responded. 'There's a rink right around the corner.'
'Yeah, we know,' Colin said, 'I went their last summer.' He winced. 'It was a terrifying experience. I am yet to fathom why I concurred to return to the vile place of death with my two comrades.. It does make you wonder.'
'Um- okay, if you say so,' Mione said, a little bewildered. Dina laughed.
'For once in your life, Col, speak plain English! Come on, Loxy, let's go ice-skate!!"
Fifteen minutes later, Mione was beginning to repent the fact that she had come with them to ice-skate. She got her skates on, and walked awkwardly over the wooden floor towards the rink. She sat down on a chair, and began to tighten the straps on her skates.
At that minute, Robbie came and sat down beside her.
'Hey,' he said, in a somewhat friendly voice. Mione looked up and smiled at him. She found herself staring into his intense gray eyes, and froze, midsmile.
'H-hey,' she muttered, quickly looking down.
Robbie leant down, and tapped her fingers, that were awkwardly fumbling with the straps. The minute he did that, she felt a sudden flash of electricity pass through her. She repressed a shudder.
'You're doing it all wrong,' Robbie told her, 'look, you do it like this.'
He knelt down, and began to tighten her skating straps. After tightening the first foot, he took her hand, and guided her while she put on the second. After she had finished, she looked up.
'Now, that wasn't very difficult, was it?" Robbie asked, smiling. Mione felt her breath catch in her throat.
She held Robbie's kindly offered arm as she stood up, and walked awkwardly towards the rink. The minute she stepped onto the ice, she murmured, 'I'm fine, you can leave me now,'
Obligingly, he withdrew his arm. Mione took a few uncertain steps, and then found herself in a heap on the ground. She winced.
In a minute, Robbie was by her side, yet again heaving her up. He set her right, and then gripped bother her arms from behind.
'Guidance,' he sad, 'Just come with me.'
Holding her in the fashion, he began to skate around the rink, while she took hesitant steps. He was good at it, much, much better than her. AS they skated around the rink together, he asked,
'So, Loxy, do you live around here?'
'Well, yes,' she replied, 'But I'm away at school for most of the year.In fact, I'm going back in about a week.school opens on September the first.'
'Really?" he asked, 'so does mine. But we can have fun till then.'
Mione's pulse quickened at his words. She felt his arm grip her a little tighter.
'Hey, you too!' Dina's voice came suddenly, 'Seem's you're having some problems, Loxy?'
'Seems you seem right.' Mione answered with a laughed. Robbie chuckled.
'Well, Robs and I have something in common then,' Dina said, 'Me, I'm practically propping Col up on the ice.'
She pointed to Colin, who was panting and holding on to the railing.
'I can't get him to let go off it,' she explained.
After another half an hour of skating, they left the rink, and began walking home. The sun was slowly sinking, and the sky was a mixture of blood red, gold and orange. They past a street where Dina and Colin took a turn-off.
'They're neighbors,' Robbie explained, as he and Mione walked towards her house.
'Where do you live?" she asked him, suddenly. 'Me?" he asked. 'No. 22.'
'Oh, cool,' she said, 'I live in No.20. But.'
She stopped suddenly, and frowned. An image of the street popped up in front of her. No. 2o, No. 21, then- no.23! She remembered, as a small child asking her mom where No.22 was.she could not remember what her mom had replied. \
'Yes, I know,' Robbie said with a chuckle. 'No.22 isn't on the main street. It's just this shabby little house in the corner.'
'I- oh, I'm sorry,' Mione said, softly.
'Don't be,' Robbie said, 'It was for the best. I left my home. Ran away, a few months back. That's all I could afford.'
'You ran away? Whatever for?'
'My parents. They both.well, they drove me mad. Pushing me to limits that u couldn't reach.. i got sick of it after a bit, and hit the road.'
'I think you could reach any limit you want,' Mione said, warmly. 'You seem quite capable to me.'
Robbie blushed at the statement. By that time, they had reached Mione's house.
'Here's your place,' he muttered. 'Well.bye, Loxy. I'll see you later, I guess.'
'By, Robbie,' she whispered. For a brief minute, his hand touched hers, and again he she felt a jolt of electricity pass through her. And then, he was gone, sinking away into the dark shadows, towards No.22.