Hihihi. My muse has been running away from me like a madman on a Firebolt in a Quidditch match. And he rivals the speed of Harry! Sooo you get the idea… But I stunned the little dimwit although he hasn't come around yet. Better use Enervate…..

Chapter 11

The wind was blowing slightly, clearly displaying the presence of fall.

'It would be winter soon'. She shuddered at the thought. Thicker clothing, quieter streets and the world- the world would seem dead.

'Well, it's going to be spring soon enough.' She consoled herself with the idea and rubbed her gloved hands together. A leaf descended on a boy's head and he was completely unaware of it. She snickered. He continued playing with his friends, tagging a lad who had turned around hastily. She raised her eyebrows. He was fast.

More leaves fell.

The world was dying and along it…something she couldn't place. But it was nagging at the back of her head and she blinked. A sense of melancholy dawned on her.

Graduation. She was leaving her friends, her old self, and she's going to have another life pursuing another career at a reputable university, gaining new friends and… making money! Oh she loved that. She smirked at the thought. She was going to be rich! While studying she's going to be someone she has dreamed of—popular, the beautiful genius… and most of all, she will be desirable! Desirable to men that has never noticed her. 'Oh they're gonna pay!' she mused.

The tinge of sadness she felt before vanished at the prospect of money. She laughed loudly. Money, money, money…

The boys ran away from the park when they noticed an average-looking teenage girl laughing evilly to herself at the corner bench.

"Boo."

She jumped that some leaves fell. And next came a light laugh behind her. Koko leaned forward to her ear.

"Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the muggle world." He mused and stared at the girl who was frozen on her seat.

"Well, you weren't hearing voices… you were talking to yourself. Are you sure you're feeling fine?" Koko teased and she turned her head sidewards to face Koko who was leaning on the bench.

"Says the one who used to hear thoughts and unraveled memories." She retorted sarcastically. She blinked. He averted his gaze and coughed.

"Oops. Forget what I said." She waved her hand. 'Idiot Kira, you're an idiot!' Suddenly their close proximity seemed to dawn on both of them. They froze.

Kira felt his hot breath on her face and smelled mint.

Koko was just as frozen as he stared at her, seeing the light freckles on her cheeks and the scar on her forehead. He blushed, but immediately covered it up when he flicked her forehead, breaking the tension.

"You're getting too close!" he teased in a girly voice and she snorted. It was a good thing that he decided to do that, if he didn't, she angrily scolded yourself, 'you're gonna fool yourself again!'

Koko remained at his place, perched behind Kira and propped himself on his arm lazily. Taking a great risk, and on impulse, he blurted,

"Do you like me?"

Kira sat up straighter and looked ahead, surprised at his sudden question. Unknowingly, Koko bit his lip. After what seemed like an eternity but in fact was only approximately five seconds, she snorted and calculated her words, betraying no truth or hesitance.

"Me? Like you?" she turned her head again and distanced herself properly. "Mister, I may have seemed shy around you at first but that doesn't mean," She neared her face towards his and he unconsciously leaned in, "that I like you." Then she flicked his forehead and he recoiled while she laughed out loud.

Koko didn't know why but there was a tinge of disappointment, like someone he had known for a brief moment died. He quickly recovered and turned to where Kira was seated, still laughing from her triumph.

"Aha." He said, as Kira will say when you ask her, before tickling her to death.

More leaves fell.

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"Miss, have you seen my father? Is he awake?" Mikan called out to the almost empty hallway towards the dining room. The maid bowed before shaking her head, graciously accepting the kind smile that was sent her way. She lifted the basket of pastries and bowed again, and then continued on her way.

Mikan sighed and walked silently, afraid that if her father really was in the house she would wake him with her thunderous footsteps.

The door was ajar and she couldn't help but peek in. She is her father's daughter isn't she? Maybe not enough reason to sneak inside, but a reasonable excuse when she gets caught. Her hand grasped the doorknob, shaking badly she almost let go. But sheer curiosity and hunger for the same familiar room enveloped her being. Her hand was back on her side quickly, and then on the wooden panel of the door. She pushed and stepped in.

Mikan's breath was caught on her throat as she took in the same old smell, the same old scent of the room that was once her safe abode. But there was something different—the pictures of her mother, canvasses and frames of it, were missing and instead a painting of a slender woman wearing a dress replaced it. There was an air of familiarity lingering and she looked closer, having to sigh in disappointment. A stylish headdress covered half of the face of the beautiful woman, making her unrecognizable. There was no signature whatsoever. She reached to touch the painting when with a slight contact of glass—the vase beside her toppled to the floor.

Almost.

She cursed and scolded herself mentally. Mikan held the antique delicately as if it were to break any moment. What could have happened if he knew she broke the vase? That she was inside his private study?

All those worries vanished as soon as she caught sight of a piece of paper lying where the vase was sitting upon. The writing was all too familiar—it was her father's. She carefully settled the vase and snatched the note with shaking hands.

O! let me suffer, being at your beck,
The imprison'd absence of your liberty;
And patience, tame to sufferance, bide each check,
Without accusing you of injury.

I am to wait, though waiting so be hell,
Not blame your pleasure be it ill or well.

Her hands shook uncontrollably that she was afraid that she had crumpled the note. Tears sprang from her eyes blinding her vision for a moment. Everything was a blur of colors, the surroundings spinning and spinning faster and faster. There was a sharp pang of ache in her chest.

"Mom…" she sobbed. She could almost feel her…

"Mom! He still loves you! Do you hear me? He does!" It was her scent filling the room…Enveloping her being into an embrace.

"Mom…" she whispered and clutched the note as if letting go would make all these disappear. Then her hand loosened and the illusion disappeared. Mikan didn't know what to do, she just ran. She ran until her lungs burned and she cried until she felt no tears would come.

"I'm still here, Mom. I'll take care of him, I promise." She whispered.

'I am always here, hun. I'll wait for you—be it forever. I love you.

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"Yuki come on here give me a hug." A sweet voice reached his ears and almost automatically she was in his arms.

"Not too—tight!" She laughed before hugging him back with the same intensity. Her eyes sparkled with pride and revelation, before melting into concern at her lover's somewhat grave look.

"Is something the matter?" she asked worriedly and cupped his face into her hands. He shook his head with a smile tiredly, and immediately, her eyes narrowed.

"Has this something to do with your…kid?" she tried to find words but something kept her from mentioning cusses.

He sighed tiredly and captured her hands in his. Immediately, she relaxed in his warmth.

"She's graduating, and I'm supposed to come with her." He sighed again and let his hands drop. The effect was immediate.

"Then why don't you just ditch her? I'm sure if she wants freedom she won't mind." She tried to reason and she could almost see the gears working in his head. She coughed.

"And Natsume's going to graduate too! Top 4 of the batch!" she raised her fist proudly and he felt a smile tugging at his lips. She grinned back.

"Oh that's good. But I can't come to his graduation…I..I have a business meeting with some partners that time… Lunch, you say? Then I promise I shall treat all of you to dinner. All of us." He quickly excused when her grin vanished. She pouted.

"And you'll be coming to the kid's graduation." She grumbled and he chuckled.

"Would it please you if I say I also have an appointment that day?"

Then they laughed.

Oh my jealous, jealous mistress.

"Pray tell why you are doing this to me." Mikan grumbled and struggled against the straitjacket Hotaru provided for her. The latter grinned.

"Oh I'm doing your hair so you won't outshine mine." She replied cheerfully and quite uncharacteristically. Truly, a few months in the company of the kind and intelligent people has changed her.

Mikan snorted.

"Outshine you? How could I with this kind of hair." She raised an eyebrow and her companion pulled a strand of her hair forcefully.

"Ow!"

"For your information your hair has grown long and is doing nicely." Hotaru said in mock politeness and she burst into laughter.

"Why the hell are we arguing about hair?"

"It's because I'm doing your hair and you have no say about it."

"Well I can always have a say to Natsume my dear old best—mmphf..." She was cut off when a silver flash blocked her mouth. She raised an eyebrow as Hotaru gave her a triumphant look.

"Mmmphh..muuucphhh…thhmphh…Nutmuuphh." She continued what she was saying and rolled her eyes at her pissed expression.

"Would you just shut up for a moment?" Hotaru hissed and Mikan's incoherent speech ceased. She looked expectant and kept wriggling her eyebrows and tugging at her jacket.

Hotaru sighed and smacked the side of her head.

"He doesn't know that I like him so don't say anything to that numb bastard." She muttered and resumed doing her hair. Mikan quieted down and stopped moving strangely.

"And he's not supposed to know… At least not now." Hotaru continued and sighed.

There was suffocating silence, but the look in Mikan's eyes said that she understood.

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"Sir what can I help you with?" a female voice interrupted him and he turned. The saleslady approached. He wiped sweat on his brow. The lady smiled understandingly.

"Is it for your girlfriend sir?" she asked politely and a startled look in his eyes confirmed her suspicions.

"No! It's for my bestfriend… For graduation." He said hurriedly and returned to his browsing awkwardly. She smiled.

"If you do not mind me asking sir, do you like her?"

Natsume almost dropped what he was holding. His head snapped in her direction, panic evident in his eyes.

"No… Just a bestfriend." He replied lamely. The lady chuckled and walked ahead gesturing to a set of anklets.

"These are for typical girls." She explained.

"She's not." He replied rudely. Her smile was irritating him, it was as if she knew something…

"Well, for an extraordinary girl like her, I think only you could know what to give her. If it really is true that you're her… bestfriend." She winked and Natsume almost walked out of the shop if he hadn't caught sight of something.

"What's that?" he nodded at the other direction and she whipped around.

"That's a large broom. I don't really know about it but I think it's not something you would give to someone as a gift… I tried using it to sweep but—" she continued but he was already striding forward. He took the large broomstick by his hand and examined the markings. Then he found it.

Firebolt

'How could they not…?' he wondered and shook his head at his luck. The saleslady peered behind him curiously.

"How much for this broomstick?" he asked.

"Actually, it's not for sale." A deep masculine voice sounded from behind the counter and he turned to find an old man of about his fifties gazing at him.

He raised an eyebrow and a smirk made its way onto his lips. The man smirked back.

I'm going to get it.

Huh? Try me boy.

I will.

And it was a battle of wills.

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Sorry sorry! I know most of you would very much like to butter my head and slide me into the freezer so I apologize for the very late update. Come on, please don't lose faith on me please!

The lines in the note was from Shakespeare's Sonnet 58. The last line is mine. And also the Firebolt. Hurray Potterheads!

Special thanks to

jennifer8-Mikan Hyuuga

AnimeMango

Guest

love crimson red ray88

MjaoCait

Thanks for reading and revieeew if you're still there!

Y.M.H.O

6/17/13