Amber and Roses.
Chapter 3.
Hogsmeade is beautiful, a rustic little place on Hogwarts's outskirts, not at all compared to London's huge buildings, with its narrow, crowded, and pestilential streets, and its indifferent, rude, and sometimes starving people, so much unlike the countryside atmosphere of the village, with its fresh air and warm sunshine, with its people just as warm and friendly, an atmosphere that is definitely much more welcoming to Danielle.
However, her first time in the village wasn't exactly what she would call a trip of dreams.
The troll was a terrifying experience, especially when Sebastian and herself were left alone fighting the second troll. She had definitely never expected to have so many opportunities to die in her whole lifetime, let alone several in less than a week.
But it's not the terrifying combat that now has the girl tossing and turning around in her bed. No. What makes her uneasy it's a pair of eyes that stare at her menacingly, and the image of a broad back that she found in one of those little alleys, and that emanated such evil, that it has left her paralyzed.
Theophilus Harlow.
When he confronted her, he didn't inspire her much fear at all, to Danielle he seemed just another dumb dark wizard, easy to defeat after having fought wolves and giant spiders; but as soon as Harlow turned to follow Rookwood, and cast a menacing glance at her over his shoulder… Danielle is sure that her mind has recognized such a memory, such an image, but her brain still refuses to give her the exact moment when she met him, while her body can quickly evoke the fear that this man provokes in her... even if she doesn´t know why. So, now, in her dream, Harlow keeps walking around her, not reaching out for her, just stalking her, making her feel like a little fawn being hunted by a tiger.
In the last part of her dream, Harlow walks down a dark cobblestone alley, away from her, making his heels clatter over the stone slabs, producing a gloomy echo on the walls, when suddenly he turns to look at her over his shoulder, causing Danielle to be so terrified that she jumps up on the bed, waking up suddenly, while a cold sweat beads her forehead and back. The girl stands upright for a few moments, breathing heavily, as she struggles to regain her composure and remember the dream, which as terrifying as it was, the details begin to blur and barely allow her to remember only the emotion.
'That dark alley... where...?'
"I'm glad you woke up! I was about to do it myself."
Her companion's voice startles her, snatching her from her musings.
"Oh, Imelda!" It takes Danielle a couple of seconds to figure out where she is, and yawns and rubs her eyes together to try to wake up. "Did I fall asleep? Is it time to go to class?"
The girl shakes her head as she puts on her Slytherin team captain's sweater.
"Not at all. It's Sunday, remember? Although to be honest, it's barely five in the morning."
She still feels a little sleepy, but when she hears the time, Danielle wakes up immediately.
"Is it that early?" That said, she slumps down on the bed in a rather dramatic way, while grunting a little, throwing a tantrum. "That's not fair! Why won't the universe let me sleep?" Imelda laughs quietly at her action.
"Yes it is, and for someone as sleepy as you, I´m guessing this must be a martyrdom." The young woman sits next to her companion, putting on her boots.
"What are you doing dressing at such an inappropriate hour?"
"Well..." Imelda sighs, while a smile is drawn on her lips, one of those strange smiles that are not presumptuous, disliked, or defiant. A real smile. "If you promise to keep a secret, I'll tell you one of mine." Danielle nods immediately. "Since I arrived at Hogwarts, I have loved flying, so even before joining the Quidditch team, I used to wake up in the early hours before dawn to watch the sunrise atop the castle tower, riding my broomstick. That has always given me the energy to keep going."
Danielle stares at her partner, surprised at the confession.
"That... That must be wonderful..."
"And it is."
Imelda widens her smile, now one of satisfaction, and Danielle marvels at being able to see this side of the tough and competitive Slytherin, which surely few know of. Or maybe no one. To her surprise, the black-haired girl extends her hand towards the blonde, formulating an invitation.
"Would you be interested in joining me? You have the face of someone who really needs to see the magic of creation."
Danielle hesitates a little, as her gaze travels to the half-fogged glass in the windows, proof of how cold it must be outside.
"Well..."
"Oh, come on, little princess!" Imelda insists. "It was a torment to see you frolicking in such anguish, as if an Unforgivable had been thrown at you, besides, you're awake now! What else do you have to lose? Unless, of course, you want to go back to being hugged by whoever was hugging you in that terrifying dream you were having."
Danielle can't help herself and feels a chill as she remembers the dream, but then smiles mischievously, determined to take revenge.
"I'm sure you're only jealous that I could have been dreaming about Everett." It´s not a secret for anyone that the eyeglassed and shy Ravenclaw has a soft spot for the tough Slytherin captain.
"Were you dreaming about Everett?"
And it would seem he´s not being completely ignored… Danielle laughs at the prospect.
"Of course not! Only you could do that!"
Imelda punches her playfully in the shoulder, but decides not to respond, and instead, reaches out again.
"So then, are you interested?"
Danielle's smile is bright and warm.
"I'm interested." Without wasting any more time, the girl takes Imelda´s hand to allow her to prop herself up.
Several minutes later, when the dawn is just beginning to break, two brooms with their respective riders break the stillness of the sky, while they spin one over the other in circles creating braids with the wakes of their trajectories, listening to each other laughing and shouting with excitement, sometimes following the birds that begin to migrate, others simply breaking the balloons they find in their path, as they scream excitedly when the confetti shower falls upon them until they finally return to Hogwarts to climb the tallest tower, the tower of Enchantments, and the two girls just hoover around, watching the sunrise, admiring the way the towers draw the longest shadows, marveling at the reflection of the light on the lake, which looks like thousands of tiny crystals, while the icy wind cuts their skins like blades, making them shiver.
"If it weren't for the fact that I'm witnessing how magical it actually is," Danielle tries to speak, fighting against her non-stop chattering teeth, "I'd tell you that you've gone crazy for coming up out here in the cold, just to see the sunrise."
Imelda laughs a little because she couldn't agree more. But she's never going to accept it out loud.
"I´ve noticed that you´re quite the whining baby, I suppose it's very useful to get Ominis or Sebastian to run and save you."
"Hey!"
Despite her mocking words, they both laugh animatedly.
"Well, tell me, princess, is it worth it?"
Danielle closes her eyes and takes a deep breath into the cool wind of dawn, feeling the lukewarm sun rays heat her chest and face.
"Definitely... Although I still can't believe there isn't an enchantment to take away the cold from my body."
Imelda glances at the blonde out of the corner of her eye but decides not to comment.
They linger a few more minutes admiring the landscape in silence, each one lost in their thoughts, when it's Imelda the first to break the magic, already feeling the sun's rays taking enough power.
"Do you want to come down now?"
"Do you mean, in case I can move my freezing fingers?"
"Ha! That´s it! You're indeed a whining baby!"
"Hey! You don´t complain just because you're already used to it!"
"Well, if I have to confess, I must admit that there is indeed an enchantment to keep away the cold."
"Does it exist? And what is it?"
Imelda gives her a mischievous smile.
"Obviously it exists, but—I'm not going to tell you, you'll have to study it on your own!"
"Imelda!"
Laughing openly, Imelda plummets, revving her broom to full throttle, and smiles as she turns back and sees Danielle following close behind, so she begins to run a vertical auger that causes her to create propellers in her trajectory. To her delight, Danielle plays along and matches her move almost to perfection.
Almost.
A true expert, Imelda notices the girl's small blunders, how her movement is shaky, and irregular, even though she compensates for it punctually. At least that keeps her from bumping into one another. Anyway, the captain of the Slytherin team can't help but admire the great effort the girl is putting in, as well as her impossible skill.
If she´s to be honest with herself, Imelda is happy to find a partner to compete with her in almost the same circumstances.
Almost.
As soon as the brooms are in a horizontal position, Danielle places herself at the same level as Imelda.
"That was awesome!"
"No, my friend, you were awesome, it's the first time anyone can follow in my footsteps."
The blonde widens her eyes.
"Wait a minute... Imelda Reyes, the tough and terrifying captain of the Slytherin team... paying a compliment? What happened to the 'receiving compliments makes you weak' thing?" When Imelda just shrugs her shoulders, Danielle covers her forehead with one hand in a dramatic gesture. "I think I'm going to die soon..."
The Slytherin captain points an accusing finger at her.
"And you'd better let no one know about this, princess, because then you'll indeed die all too soon."
Danielle laughs as she raises a hand to give a goofy military salute.
"Ay, ay, captain!" They both laugh again at the quip. "The truth is that I don't deserve that compliment, this is easy when you're the one teaching. I think you should be teaching at Hogwarts as soon as we graduate."
"And to get all crazy because a bunch of naughty and foul-mouthed kids don't listen to me? Never mind that!" By the end of her tirade, Imelda is almost screaming, almost shocked at the thought of it. "I plan to pursue my dream of playing a little more formally in a real team. Now that would be awesome."
Danielle smiles sincerely at her.
"I wish with all my heart that you succeed."
The dark-haired girl nods, grateful.
"Changing the subject, are you feeling better yet?"
The blonde is surprised by the words but nods, her smile well drawn upon her lips.
"In fact, yes, I already feel a thousand times better. I'm surprised you did this for me, though."
Her Slytherin partner snorts, amused.
"Don't get me wrong, little princess, I was going out anyway. As I said, I just thought you would do good on a getaway like this, you looked so distressed in that nightmare... Tell me something, was it about the Hogsmeade troll?"
Danielle averts her eyes, unable to hold her partner's gaze. She has never liked to lie, although it would seem it´s starting to feel like her destiny. To her good fortune, though, Imelda catches the mood right away.
"You don't need to tell me if you don't want to. Your secrets are yours, and you should only share them with someone you truly trust." The captain turns to look at her partner, winking at her. "Although, being a Slytherin, if I were you, I wouldn´t tell anyone about it."
Danielle laughs femininely.
"I see that everyone in this house is very sympathetic to secrets."
"Not necessarily. I think it's because almost everyone in Slytherin keeps dark secrets we don't want anyone else to know. Even if in some cases it's something as silly as stealing grandma's cookies."
Both girls share a moment of laughter as they approach the lawn at the entrance to the castle.
"Well, I think that's all for me for today." Danielle says, ending the trip as she dismounts from her broomstick.
"Are you sure? Sunday is just beginning!"
The blonde smiles a little sadly.
"Maybe for normal people, this would be a day off. But I have to catch up with all of you for five years, so..."
The ebony-haired girl raises her palms to stop her partner.
"Don't say anymore! I have a lot to enjoy and you a lot to study, so here we part."
"Thank you for sharing this ride with me."
"You're welcome, little princess. I hope we'll soon be able to share another flight like this."
Before Imelda can leave, though, Danielle takes her by the wrist.
"Hold on! First off, explain to me why the "little princess" moniker? I don't think the nickname suits me at all."
Imelda's smile is hugely enigmatic.
"That's what anyone would think, and that's definitely what you would think. But there's someone who doesn't think so."
"Oh, yeah? And who might that be?"
The team captain's smile is now one of smugness, and Danielle suddenly remembers why the other Quidditch teammates, especially those from other houses, aren't particularly fans of her.
"And what's in it for me if I divulge such sensitive information?"
"My eternal gratitude?"
The captain laughs, this time sarcastically.
"You're kidding, right? After this ride, you still don't think you owe me something?"
A delicate eyebrow is raised.
"Do I owe you something? Like what?"
"A broom race."
Danielle sighs, suddenly feeling tired.
"Okay, I owe you a race."
"But in additional payment for the information, it will have to be the hardest race you've ever done in your life. The 'sky's the limit' challenge! How does that sound?"
Danielle feels overwhelmed, but her curiosity is just too much, so she immediately agrees.
"All right, Imelda, whatever you want. Now spit it out, what's the information?"
The ebony-haired girl's smile is now wide... and playful.
"Well, the other day Mathias told me that he heard from Clarabell, that she heard it from Ignis, that he heard Ethelia saying, that she heard from Ominis..."
Danielle can't resist the anxiety and eventually explodes in front of her partner.
"What did they say, Imelda?! For God's sake, tell me what did Ominis say!
The girl laughs a little at her partner's obvious desperation.
"Ethelia said that Ominis thinks that, and I quote, 'from the softness of your voice, you must be as beautiful as a princess...' and Ethelia also said that Sebastian, though jealous when he heard him speak, offered himself as an eye witness that you, indeed, are as beautiful as he thinks you are."
Listening to her two friends´ supposedly confessions, Danielle's surprised face is laughable, but not as laughable as the tomato-red color that has permeated her cheeks, ears, and neck. Indeed, Imelda laughs out loud when she looks at her, but seeing that Danielle can't react and come out of her stupor on her own, she says goodbye with a wave of her hand and flies away, leaving a Slytherin girl with her heart beating a thousand times a minute.
And who´s flying in her personal happy-cloud.
oooooo
A/N: Too soon? Maybe, but I've written too many stories where the infatuation of one of the two parties, or both, blossoms little by little, sometimes without them realizing it. I wanted to tell a story where hormones act fast, and they make them realize that their heart is beating wildly because of that cute boy. Although, of course, it will surely not be easy for them to act on those feelings. What do you guys think? Who do you want Danielle to stay with?
On the other hand, we all don't like Imelda for being conceited, but here I wanted to try to make us see the other side of the page, the Imelda who can become a good friend, because I imagined that, with that attitude, she surely doesn't have many real friends. And I wanted to take advantage of her to take a broomstick ride because if there's one thing that relaxes me in the game, it's just flying around, popping balloons, or exploring areas. I hope it turned out well.
On another note, he´s a response to a fantastic review!:
Lindsey: thank you so much for your kind words! It really makes me happy to know you´re liking the story. I can´t actually make a Sebastian´s POV because this story is written in third person (I made it that way so that we don´t miss the other person´s feelings, especially for Ominis), but I get what you mean, and don't worry! In the next chapter, we´ll have a bit more of that cute Sebastian!