Rose for the pretty lady ((Cathy))

[darien]

Ray smiled, winked and then waved at the girl at the other side of the classroom to who he had been sending notes all through the less. Binns didn’t notice anyway and who else but Ravenclaws stayed up in class? Throwing his things together Ray bounded to his feet and slipped through the benches before racing towards the Gryffindor common room. Classes were over for today anyway and Ray was sure to quickly slip out of the uniform pants and into his trademark stonewash jeans. He always wore either those jeans or a pair of khaki pants. One of his many trademarks. Ray smiled pulling the knot on his Gryffindor tie loose but leaving it hanging around his neck Ray pulled on a jeans jacket that had fur on the inside but didn’t bother closing it as he raced out of the common room as quickly as he had entered. Ray slowed up only once to whistle after a rather dashing looking girl before he rushed out of the castle.

For a moment Ray stood still s he stretched and took a deep breath before taking off towards the Greenhouses. It was the middle of January after all. Flowers didn’t grow outside the greenhouses. Slipping into the first greenhouse Ray wondered around it before finally selecting a clear white rose with a bit of pink at the tips of the blooms petals. Inspecting the flower critically Ray finally decided it was as perfect as a rose could be and quickly cleaned off the stems of the rose. Holding the flower in his hand Ray was sure to close the greenhouse door securely behind him as he might want to find some other flower there during the course of winter. His theme song, even if it was originally made up by Jimi Hendrix who was an absolutely stunningly smart muggle, sounding from Ray’s lips once again he made his way to the side of the lake. Why water was one of the main elements of nature and that gave it charm. Girls always seemed to like the Hogwarts lake so Ray had came to like too.

Smiling brilliantly Ray inspected the back of the girl before him for a few moments. Gryffindor and a 5th year. Pretty girl. Had a twin who was equally pretty. Ray smiled and taking to a light jog approached the girl from behind. Reaching his arm over the girls shoulder Ray offered the rose for her. “A rose for the pretty lady?” Ray smiled and leaving one of his arms easily on the back of the girl stepped to her side with a bright smile. Only to conclude with his smile growing wider that he had been right. It was the pretty Gryffindor twin he had seen around. Ray took pride of never forgetting a pretty face. Or as it might be more accurate to say he took pride of never forgetting a girls face even if she did never know the face. Though that wasn’t entierly true. Ray knew the names of his 2 sisters.
“For old pal Dare here, take the flower even if it can’t compare with your beaut. Can dear Ray here bring a smile onto that pretty face of yours? ‘You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray.’” Ray asked with a smile easily gliding into a song as he smiled widely at the girl before her.

[sammy]

Cathy sauntered down the hallway with sweat-pants and a sweater that didn't quite match. It was her lounging clothes, and it looked good on her, so she didn't care if people thought she looked a little odd. Cathy moved her way around the castle, not going to any particular destination except to pass every window possible. The outdoors always beckoned to Cathy; especially the lake. She always loved the water, even when it was frozen over like it was now. Cathy smiled dreamily and put her hands in the pockets of her pants to warm up her chilly fingers. It was January, thus marking only the beginning of winter, and Cathy didn't want winter to come. Winter meant being locked inside, being cold all the time, and not eating good stuff like ice-cream without getting a chill. That sucked pretty bad, but like they always say, good things come after the bad.

With a loose grin, Cathy made her way back to the Gryffindor common room to change her high heels into boots that went knee high. With a random smile Cathy inspected herself in the mirror. She didn't match, especially with those high boots, but she looked rather stunning all the same. Cathy pulled her hair back into a loose bun on the way out, just to keep it out of her face. As she went down the halls, Cathy couldn't help but look at the Great Hall. Food wafted toward her, where kids could just stop by and have a snack or two. Cathy was on a diet although she only weighed about one-hundred eleven pounds. A prima ballerina always had to be thin, no matter what. As she opened the door to the grounds, Cathy pulled the jean jacket she had grabbed before leaving closer to her, shivering as she did so. The lake was her destination today.

Cathy meandered her way to it, not really making a bee-line toward it or anything. It wasn't any fun to do that, and on her strange way to the lake, she saw many people she knew. Cathy smiled randomly at them all, giving a word or two in greeting before going on. When she reached the lake, she found that barely anyone was out here. It was cold, and Cathy sniffled rather loudly as she wriggled her cold toes. Suddenly, a voice behind her sounded and someone touched her, making Cathy jump. "Oh," Cathy barely had time to catch her breath when a rose was thrust at her and someone started talking, saying many things that made Cathy's face blush, but with confusion or from being flattered, she couldn't tell.

"I... well..." She sputtered, feeling very strange as the boy was still holding on to her back. With a squirming motion, Cathy managed to loosen herself from him and turn to face him. She couldn't see him any other way. "Oh, Darien." Cathy said, realizing who he was. His reputation proceeded him. "Should I feel flattered, or would you come up behind any other girl and offer them a rose?" Cathy asked, staring suspiciously at him. "It's a beautiful rose, but should I take it if you only randomly decided it was for me, and not the girl across the way?" Cathy motioned toward the girls across the lake that were all huddled in a group, gossiping no doubt. She bit her lip as she turned back to Darien, a fellow Gryffindor fifth year, and raised an eyebrow, trying to maintain her cool and stop herself from reaching out to the pretty rose.

[darien]

Dare felt his grin widen a little as the girl before him blushed even as she did squirm so Dare let his hand drop from her back. Still holding onto the rose Dare frowned at the girl shaking the rose admonishingly at her. “Darien? You make me feel old. Only my old grandfather who has already dried crisp calls me Darien. Always Dare for my friends who hold a very special spot in my heart. And I do carry the mental picture of your lovely face deep within me. “ Dare kept his steady gaze on Cathy’s eyes not bothering at all to look over at the group of girls she was talking about. He had seen the girls as well but he knew the rules of the game. His eyes never wavering Dare smiled charmingly bringing the rose to his face as he inhaled deeply. “Had I wanted to give the rose to any of those girls I would have gone to them, don’t you think my precious?”

Dare looked at the rose erasing the smile from his face as he plucked one petal from the flower gently as to not harm the others. The rose wasn’t perfect anymore perhaps it never had been. But it had been beautiful before and now it still was. Tender small bud that hadn’t completely opened yet which gave it all the charm it needed. Raising the petal he had pulled off to his lips Dare kissed it without never moving his eyes from Cathy’s. “Do you not wish the bloom? I’m sorry to hear that. It’s a shame to waste beauty. And cruel to rob the world of the joy beauty can bring.” Slipping the petal into a jacket of his cloak Dare raised the bloom towards Cathy once again before slowly starting to step backwards towards the lake. “Do you not wish it? Do you not want to touch the soft petals and enjoy the aroma of the rose. A rose with any other name might smell just as sweetly, but yet it would not be the same. If you do not wish the rose I brought you, then should I do with it, precious? Should I bury it? Should I burn it? Should I transfigure it into a teacup? Should I leave it to swim the lake? What do you wish me to do with the rose, if you do not wish to have it?”

[sammy]

Cathy raised an eyebrow at Darien. "Fine... Dare." The nick-name sounded strange to Cathy. She didn't know this boy very well, and most certainly had no right to call him 'Dare.' Since he wanted her to, she would, at least out loud. "You flatter me." Cathy mumbled as Darien continued to talk about her beautiful face. Cathy had always gotten this from friends and boyfriends, but she was never good at handling it. With a small smile pressed on her lips, Cathy pushed a strand of fuzzy blond hair out of her eyes. Why had she put her hair in such a loose demeanor? With a sigh, Cathy nodded. "Yes, I suppose. Although had I not been here, the rose would go to someone else. Without even thinking of 'the beautiful Cathy,' you would claim the girl you were offering the rose to just as beautiful as I." Cathy found herself giggling. "I'll give it a rest, but am I right in saying that is true about you? Or are the rumors only based on a tall-tale?"

She found herself relaxing, since he was not holding on to her nor was he talking about her looks anymore. But as he went on and on about the rose, Cathy rolled her eyes. "Oh stop!" She said when he finished, giving him a playful little shove. "I'll take the rose, so you won't put it to death. You've given me sympathy for the cause." She plucked the rose from his fingers and held it to her lips, inhaling the wonderful smell. "I always liked flowers." Cathy suddenly found herself saying. "They smell so sweet, and they're even better at winter, when none bloom." She lowered the rose from her face, and looked at him quizzically. "You got it from the Greenhouse, right? Clever." She tucked the rose in her pocket carefully, but as she went to close the snap, she thought of a better idea. She tenderly took the rose out of her pocket, and placed it in her hair, making sure it was under the pony-tail that held up her bun.

"There." Cathy spun around once in the snow, feeling rather glad that Darien had decided to give her a rose, whether he meant it or not. "Thank you very much for the rose," said Cathy once more, reaching up to touch it to make sure it was still in place. "Have you ever gone ice-skating on the lake before?" She turned to the barren ice-water, which had been the first reason for Cathy coming out, and then turned back to Darien. "I go on it all the time. It's great practice for..." She paused, not sure if she really wanted to say what her greatest life ambition was. Some people made fun of her for it, while others admired her. She wasn't sure if Darien would laugh or not, and if he didn't, he might just start a rant on how wonderful she was again. "I want to be a prima ballerina. And skating is great practice. I actually came out her for a small spin. Care to join me? I don't suppose I can shake you off any time soon, so..." She grinned and rubbed her gloved hands together to create some warmth.

[darien]

“I can’t name you the fairest of them all because my mother who gave me life upholds that title. My two sisters are the two fairies of my life who make sure I never tire of life. Had one of them been there, then the rose I would have given to them. Had there been a small child crying for having scraped her knee I would have given the rose to her and told her a fairy-tale of small angels living inside the rose-bloom who will be sad when they see her cry. I would have given the rose without any hesitation. Yet that was not the case. You were here. YOU! And seeing you my heart gave a louder beat as I knew the rose I picked was meant for you my precious.” Dare replied smoothly never denying the truth never saying it out loud either. The rose was meant to go to the person who caught his eye and Cathy had done it. That alone made her the rightful receiver of the tender bloom. Even if it had been pure coincidence that Cathy had been out but Dare didn’t have to share that bit of inspiration. Smiling tenderly at Cathy Dare smoothly dropped his long answer that in reality if you though about it longer hadn’t said anything. So he wouldn’t give Cathy a possibility to ponder about his answer any longer. Tricks of trade. These were all tricks of trade.

“Rumors of me? I know naught of any rumors. Yet don’t you wish to grant me the pleasure of your company while you see with your own eyes if such ‘rumors’ are true or not, precious?” Dare smiled and bowed watching as Cathy placed the rose into her hair. Clapping his hands Dare touched his fingers to his lips before placing them over his heart and the pocket where he had placed the rose petal he had removed from the flower. “It looks breathtaking. And I shall always carry a picture of the way you look right now just here in a very special corner. Don’t you ever wonder why I choose seats in the back? Just so that I could gaze at you and marvel at your beauty as you sit somewhere before me. And at the same time no professor will accuse me of not paying attention because my eyes are always turned to the front of the classroom.”

Dare smiled widely as Cathy seemed to be rather pleased with the flower causing before sharing her dream of becoming a ballerina. Dare didn’t say anything for a moment before he smiled adding a bit of sadness to his tone and smile when he finally replied. “I will be glad to see you on the floorboards of the most famous stages over the world as gorgeous and graceful as ever. But I must admit I’ll be sad. Sad cause you forget me. Forget the simple rose brought by a simple boy when you are famous and dancing through life. But I will keep the memory for ever.”
Half closing his eyes Dare quoted softly an excerpt from Shakespeare without commentating anymore.
“Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.
And summer’s lease hath all to short a date
Sometimes to hot the eye of heaven shines.
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d.
And every fair from fair sometimes declines
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimmed.
But thy eternal summer shall not fade.
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest.
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade.
When in eternal lines to time thou growest.
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know how to skate though. Teach me.” Dare smiled and held out his hand to Cathy waiting to hear what he would have to do in order to start skating.

[sammy]

"Oh." Cathy tried to follow where Darien was going with his very elongated answer. First talking about his fair mother, then his fairy sisters, then a girl with a scraped knee and sad angels. Incredible stories he could make up. Cathy didn't have such an imagination, but she knew that Darien was only using his to impress the ladies. What was an imagination like that worth anyway? Cathy gave him a smile and just shook her head, still amazed he could keep up with his own stories. She reached up to touch the rose continually, just to make sure it was there and had not fallen. "That's the plan, I'm afraid," Cathy said as he asked about the rumors in his own unique way. The way he twisted words like that made her ponder if he had taught himself how to do that, or if he had grown up with someone who spoke in riddles.

"Rumors are always best up close. Personally meeting the rumor is even more exciting," she smiled at Darien as she twirled the zipper of her coat as Darien again spoke of her looks. She blushed through the first part of it, but at the end she looked daringly straight into her eyes, the zipper forgotten. "Why do you keep on saying things like that? I mean, they're flattering, but why do you give people false hope?" Her voice was loud and strong as she continued to look at his eyes. "Why do you go for every girl in the whole school, when really only one probably wants your attention? It makes people feel special at first, sure, but afterward, they wonder why they can't have that attention all the time. Why can't you just sit down for a while, stop making a fool of yourself. I'm not trying to be mean, Darien, just.... brutally honest. I don't want to change you because of my own thoughts, but most girls don't like being... I guess you can call it used."

Cathy grimaced at him as she looked away. The way she had told him off like that after making her feel like a princess surprised even herself. But Cathy was always acting strange. Today must not be any different. "I'm sorry. Do you still want to skate or..." She licked her dry lips together, and touched the rose in her hair, only this time, it burned her fingers like something forbidden. She took back her hand so quickly, it hit her side. "Um..." Cathy looked down at the ground, then the lake, then the sky, not sure where she should be putting her attention. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean.... I'm.... uh..."

[darien]

Dare laughed cheerily at Cathys words and nodded. “I’m flattered that you think me that interesting. Yet I’m just old Dare without nothing new to tell or say. But I’ll try my best to live up to whatever rumors you might have had heard about me. Even if it might be a bit difficult as I still no naught of this rumors.”
Dare blinked with a bit of surprise as Cathy suddenly started questioning him about his actions and behavior. Dare blinked and listened attentively to Cathy’s words. Did he give people false hope? Did he really appear cruel almost like Cathy made it seem? Dare simply wanted to make people feel warm and special like they were. Like everyone deserved to be. He refused to believe that anyone might not have a bit of goodness within themselves.

“Do you really seem me being that heartless? Or fickle? I don’t go after all the girls in the school. I go after no one. My family loves me and that’s enough. I don’t ask for anything more. I don’t have the right to ask for anything more.” Dare smiled his eyes flickering with a faraway look for a moment. Sure he flirted and toyed and was hardly ever serious. But he wasn’t an idiot. He knew the threats out there and maybe even more than others because he was a pureblood from a family that Death Eaters considered traitors and muggle lovers. But someone had to be able to laugh. “I’, just a poor young boy who admires beauty. Here at school I have my chance to offer a small rose where I would never bother a world-wide known ballerina which such small signs of affection. And perhaps just maybe I will get a small smile that will light up the world even on the dreariest day in thank you.”

Dare turned and giving Cathy a chance to choose herself how much privacy and room she wanted Dare wandered closer to the lake stopping short of stepping onto the ice. “And I’m not really up to skating as I don’t know how. But with someone as precious as you wishing to teach me? I would love learning.” Dare turned and smiled at Cathy over his shoulder.

[sammy]

"They aren't really rumors, I guess." Cathy said softly, beginning to fiddle with her zipper again. The fact it was there just bothered her, and anyway, it was something to do besides looking at Damien. "It's just your reputation, I suppose. A flirt, always doing things that get back to the girls at large in the school." Cathy murmured, feeling soft-hearted at the moment Darien started talking about what she had voiced earlier. Inside, she instantly berated herself for saying that. She was too truthful, too talkatively honest. Pulling back a strand of hair, Cathy measured what she had to say to Darien against what she should say before speaking.

"No, it's just..." Cathy paused, unsure how to go about saying what she meant. Her own mind was muddled with every thought any normal girl would think, and things more then that, things that no one should be thinking or experience. Cathy just shrugged hopelessly. "I'm not sure what I meant by it. I'm sorry for saying it. Really, I am. It just slipped out because... I'm not sure how to take you, so...." Cathy shivered and crossed her arms over her chest. She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow when Darien said he was just a poor young boy. "Hardly." Cathy said before she could stop herself. "You're almost a man, and I doubt that you're poor." She didn't know that for a fact though, and if he was, that would prove her the fool. Cathy herself was comfortably rich and had no worries at all in her life - or so she wished. She watched as Darien walked toward the lake and sighed.

"Okay, I'll teach you then." Cathy said after pulling herself roughly together. She smiled at Darien. "First, since we have no ice-skates, I hope you won't mind being flat-footed. But you have to stick one foot out first - doesn't matter which - and lean forward with your body weight. You should begin to slide forward. With momentum, you switch feet and do the same thing. Just don't fall over. After doing that, it's rather simple. You just continue, but if you want to go left, you lean more left. To stop with sneakers on is rather hard. I prefer just letting myself glide, but sometimes you can just lean back and you'll slow down. Here, watch." She walked over to the ice and slipped on it, going forward easily with her right foot and then switching to her left. She had done this so many times it was routine. After twirling around to face Darien again, she smiled, her spirits lifting toward the skies. "Come on! You might fall down a few times, but that's okay. Try it."

[darien]

Dare chuckled easily shaking his head: “Don’t. Don’t think, don’t try to figure me out, just don’t. Just feel. Trust your instincts. There things that aren’t supposed to be understood, but things you simply have to experience or believe in order for it to be real. You can’t hold the sun on your finger-tips either. But feeling the warmth and seeing light – it’s enough for you to believe the sun is there, isn’t it?” Dare smiled a little. True, he wasn’t poor. Not overly well off, but his family could afford a very comfortable life for itself. Dare didn’t have all his whims fulfilled, but if he sincerely wanted something, then his wish was granted as a general rule. Being a man? Perhaps. He was 15. Not really a man yet. Not really a boy anymore either. He was somewhere in between those things.

“Ice-skates isn’t a problem. While we don’t have skates we have our wands.” In order to prove his point Dare pulled out his own wand pointing it first to his very own sneakers then to Cathy’s shoes transfiguring them both into white boots with sharp blades under them. Spreading his arms to keep his balance once again as the shoes seemed wobbly under him Dare securely tucked his wand back into his pocket. For a few moments Dare didn’t step forward onto the ice instead opting to keep an eye on Cathy. She seemed to be in her own element. Graceful and free and happy. Like all her worries had stayed here while she rushed over to float across ice without anything troublesome shadowing her mind.

“I’m coming.” Dare replied to Cathy and spreading out his arms once again carefully took a few awkward steps forward onto the ice. Pushing off with his right foot Dare tried gliding forward on his left leg. Note the word tried. He stumbled forward slowly without a quarter of the freedom of movements Cathy had. Dare’s upper body swaying back and forth he tried to stumble across the ice only to have one of his ankles twist under him sending Dare falling onto the ice. Laughing out dare shifted from laying on his stomach on the ice to sitting on it. Not really bothered at all by the fall (you never learned anything without practice) Dare chuckled. “Is harder than it looks. Give me hand to help me up precious?” dare reached out his hand towards Cathy his eyes a bit squinted because of the sun shining into his face.

[sammy]

"Wow. That's... that's a great way to put it." Cathy exclaimed, hardly believing the same flirty boy was saying what he was saying. Apparently he was smarter then he let on. The way he put it just... blew Cathy away. The example with the sun and... wow! Cathy couldn't have put it any better then that. She wasn't good at that stuff. Explaining things, herself, another. It just wasn't her thing, as some things seemed to have no reasoning behind it at all. Some things just happened because they were meant to happen. Perhaps that was what Dare was trying to get Cathy to understand. She liked that. A wide smile spread across her face until it could go no farther and her cheeks began to hurt. "I like it." She finally said. "Perfect way to put it. I mean - you make it seem so simple and I.... I like that."

After her words, Cathy was surprised to feel her feet change underneath her. Well, not her feet, but what she was wearing on her feet. Ice-skates - or something like them - were replaced by Cathy's sneakers. Her grin would get much wider, if possible. But it couldn't, and her muscles were beginning to hurt. So she let it fade into a genuine soft smile. "Lovely." She commented, doing a little move she always loved. It was like walking forward and kicking your heels back, but not moving at all. What was that called? Agh, Cathy couldn't remember, but no matter. She did it anyway. "Just a test." She informed Dare, in case he was wondering if she had been knocked silly or something. "You must be an expert on Transfiguration. These are really nice. Much better then the pair I used to have. But they weren't made by magic, eh?" Cathy stopped with the move she had been doing and looked at Dare. True, the ice-skates were wonderful. He just surprised her by doing such a thing. Her hand traveled upward until it felt the rose, making sure it was secure before she let her hand fall back down to her side. Everything was in order. Now, Dare just had to get on the ice.

"Ooooh." Cathy moaned as Dare fell over. Although she knew it would happen - it was common with all beginners - it still made her feel guilty. Maybe this was a bad idea? But when he burst out laughing, Cathy knew he was enjoying himself, whether gliding on the ice or colliding with it. She laughed a little too, finally letting herself, well, be herself. "Of course." Cathy skated over to him skidding to a halt in front of him, making the little ice chips that came up after skating land on Dare. "Oops." She muttered, although she had meant to do it on purpose. She gave Dare a smile. "Okay. I don't know how I'm going to do this, but I'll try. After all, you look much better on your feet then on your bottom." Cathy said, with what looked like a shadow of a wink. Grabbing Dare's hand, she began to skate backward while trying to pull Dare upward. The movement didn't go well with the blades, however, or her balance. As she was pulling upward, her feet slipped beneath her, and she fell hard on her butt.

After a few moments, Cathy didn't know what to make of this. She never fell. Never. What happened? But as she looked at Dare, and then at her feet, her hurting hands, and her cold pants, she suddenly burst out laughing. Laughing hard. Sliding her feet around, Cathy sat up and grabbed her stomach. Laughing cramps. "That... was .... good." Cathy managed to say through her giggles. "Funny, I mean." After a few moments she finally controlled her laughter, and it died away. Leaving behind hiccups. "Oh, shoot." Cathy put her hand over her mouth as another hiccup came out. "I hate these." She muttered crossly. She then shot a smile at Dare. "Now that we're both on the ground, how do you expect to get up? I can't exactly help you... and I myself can't get up that well. I can try, but chances are, I might just fall again. Only next time, I might hit you..." Cathy said, starting to laugh again. This whole thing was so silly, she just couldn't believe it. It had been a long time since she had laughed this hard, or had really laughed for that matter. She took three deep breaths in, relaxing, and then chanced a look at Darien.

[darien]

Dare smiled easily and waved Cathy’s comments aside. “I try my best to please, precious. And life is simple. It’s just us who create the decorations and therefore make life more complex than a human-mind can grasp in the end. Love, friendship, flowers, beauty. At it’s basics life itself is simple. And I’m glad these are fine. I wasn’t entirely sure if this would work or not. But I like Transfiguration.”
Dare’s laughter had already retreated to a simple smile as he glanced at Cathy as she stopped before him and showered him with chips of ice. Dare scowled at her playfully as she seemed to have done this on purpose, yet didn’t comment instead taking Cathy’s hand as she reached out to help him back onto his feet. A task that didn’t really go the way it had been intended to as this time they both ended up sitting down hard onto the ice.

“Was that I wink I saw? At good ole’ me? And have you been checking me out to make you already know how I look my best?” Dare asked teasingly from Cathy as he smiled at her. Cathy had tensed and retreated for a moment. Evidently that small moment of hesitation had passed by now though and she felt at east in his company again. Dare smiled at Cathy being sure to keep hi hand visible, demonstrating that Cathy had the lead. She would be the one to dictate the pace of their friendship or whatever more would start between them. She was a pretty lady so Dare wouldn’t mind spending time with her and admiring her. Especially since her face was once again glowing with the inner joy and beauty so natural to her.

“The will pass. Thank you for being a hero and coming to help me up. I will be sure to hide behind you skirt when I ever get into trouble,” Dare murmured comfortingly as Cathy complained about the hiccups reaching over his lips barely brushing Cathy’s forehead for a moment. So brief and so light that it might be almost taken as if the kiss had never happened at all. Dare pulled his sleeves downwards and gloves upwards and smiled resolutely at Cathy. “Graceful and classical approach didn’t work. So we will just have to get up the old way.” Smiling Dare turned around and as he wasn’t that far from the shore dragged himself over the ice in a sitting position whistling the tune of “Foxy lady” yet again as he moved on his behind like this. Reaching the shore Dare climbed to his feet there as it wasn’t this slippery. Slowly and carefully stepping back onto the ice and inching his way back to Cathy. Proudly offering Cathy his hand Dare smiled happily. “My I help you up, precious? Even though I can’t do much more than just stand to help you get back to your feet, even though you look equally charming while standing and sitting.”

[sammy]

"Okay." Cathy said. Since Dare said that life was simple and that some people just made it hard, she thought okay was a reasonable response to stick with. Although Cathy loved to talk and loved to make her opinions clear and what not, okay seemed like the perfect response to him. He would understand. Putting her hands on the ice that was now under her, she winced as the sharp edges cut into her hand. She decided that she would have to practice helping people up after this so a predicament like this one wouldn't even be considered to happen again. "Don't make me regret it," Cathy replied without any seriousness. Dare was fun! She was having fun, and it was all because of him. She wished she had gotten to know him better before this, so maybe they would have already been friends. She gave Darien a grin. "No!" She gave him a glare even if he was teasing her. Even if the glare was only half-meant.

Shock receded after a few moments when Dare had reached over and given her a light kiss on the forehead. She had barely felt it, and if she hadn't had her eyes open she probably wouldn't have noticed it. But when she was returning from shock and surprise, she just laughed as Dare slid his way across the ice in the most ungraceful way. That was fine with her, although Cathy wasn't sure if she could have gone that far to get up. She grabbed Dare's hand when he finally reached her, and managed to stand on her feet again, trying hard not to pull on him so that he would fall down too. "Thank you, good sir." She told him with a smile. That's what he got for calling her precious, even if she didn't mind it anymore. "I shall remember your great deed for future reference and perhaps I will call on you again." Cathy should have been a princess. She was already rich, and she knew herself that she was quite pretty and vain, and acting like one made her feel even better about it.

"Will I have to hold you hand skating around?" Cathy asked with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Or can you be on your own?"

[darien]

Dare laughed and shook his head. “You are sending out conflicting messages, precious. First you wink and check me out then deny that you did such a thing? Don’t play with the heart and head of a confused guy this way. It’s not nice of you at all. How am I supposed to know this way from which distance I’m allowed to admire your inner beauty as well as your outer glory?”
Dare was glad to be back at his feet though. Sliding across the ice hadn’t been very hard but the ice was cold. And no matter how comfortable pants usually were in such a situation they didn’t offer much warmth for his behind. And the ice was most definitely cold. Which was actually a very good thing. After all if the ice wasn’t cold then the ice would most likely already be melting and Dare wasn’t particularly interested in finding out exactly how cold the water under the layer of ice might be. It was much better to stay above ice and leave water with everything that inhabited the Hogwarts lake to it’s own devices.

“Not sir. Far from being a noble. Far from being that chivalrous as well. It’s hard nowadays. With cars and wands and muggle guns being don Quijote’s reincarnation and fighting factories with a sword while riding on a horse might prove to be not very practical as the results of such a thing might be rather now what could be expected. And unless you take as back to the times of Avalon and king Arthur, I must bury all dreams of becoming a worthy knight deep inside me. But I would be honored if you’d remember my humble services. Day or night, summer or winter – when you need, just call and I’ll do my best to be there and help.”
And actually Dare meant it. Not only because Cathy was a pretty girl and Dare’s heart would never allow him to leave her into trouble. But he would become an auror when he was old and able enough. And well, helping his best even if it was just listening and letting others pour out their emotions was something Dare didn’t mind doing.

Dare grinned and even while wobbling a lot and looking most likely just as awkward on skates as he felt he still waved at Cathy. “No, I wouldn’t want to hold you down while you limp along at my side. It would be just as unfair as caging a bird who would be much more happier singing over wheat-fields flying free. Just don’t forget me.” Dare inched forward and yelped as his foot slipped away from under him yet again. This time he managed to catch himself on his knees and hands though so he was able to crouch and slowly stand up on his own again. Smiling victoriously Dare waved at Cathy and called over. “Now that I have handled standing still, mind sharing the secret on how I’m supposed to move?”

[sammy]

"Oh, stop!" She cried, going a little red as Dare continued to tease her about the wink. "You can only go too far with that!" She couldn't bear it if he simply went on about it in the manner he was. Checking him out?! Please! Cathy gave him a glare that didn't exactly fit with the smile. Dare did give her lots to ponder about. Was she as beautiful as he mentioned? It surely made her feel good, but maybe a little too manipulative. She hoped Dare wasn't just saying it but that he really meant it. Cathy hated false hope, only because she had too much of it in her life, and more could possibly be disastrous. She didn't tell Dare that, since he would surely become more fluently talkative and much more believable. Was that a good word to describe it?

"Sir can be anyone with a noble cause." She corrected him. "Or so I think. And right now what I think goes, kay?" She grinned. "What shall happen if I need your help and am in the girl's dorm? How could you possibly get up there?" She asked, wondering how Dare could come up with an interesting response that accurately told a tale of how he would manage such a venture. She smiled, somehow surprised how much she anticipated hearing what he had to say anymore. He was so... different. In a good way. He never seemed to fail her on that part; his response to her 'limping at his side,' was just as intriguing and amusing.

"I'm glad you're thinking about me, but if you think about yourself, you may have quite a sore bottom for a while. It never hurts to be on the safe side." Although she doubted he would listen, Cathy held out her hand toward him. "Moving? Didn't I already tell you that? You have to learn how to balance first, which I think you've got down pat. But for moving, you just lean forward a little on one leg and let the other merely slide along with the motion you create. But whatever you do, don't think about falling. Then you will start to tremble and will fall apart." She moved closer to Dare with her hand still outdrawn. "Just hold on to my hand and we'll do it together at first. It's always easier that way." She prompted.

[darien]

Darien laughed. A deep rumble starting deep in his chest and touching his whole face as his eyes were lighted with an inner shine that one only had when they sincerely meant their laughter. Dare was himself. He tried to be polite to ladies, played with children and tried to keep everyone’s spirits up. He knew too well as to which horrors could be hidden in the world to not know the value of true laughter. But he wasn’t dumb either. And he had found his role-models in the novels of King Arthur. Gawain and the regular knights there. Those were the people Dare looked up to.
“Actually you can only be a sir if you are of noble blood. And while my family is amazing and I wouldn’t trade any of them for anything in the world I still know that there isn’t any drop of noble blood in us. We just try to get by with the way we are. So, precious, I must still argue with you, however much I would wish to take your word as law. And am I even worthy enough to pick up a noble cause? And the never-ceasing questions as to how far may I go before I stop being noble?”

Trying to follow Cathy’s instructions Dare shifted himself and almost lost his balance. Throwing his arms wide and wobbling rather doubtfully he managed to stay on his feet still as he inched closer to Cathy and accept the hand she held out towards him. “I would hold your hand even if it would make skating harder for me. And not to worry. I’m mentally fully prepared to succeed and fly over the ice as gracefully as a ballerina flies over a stage. Just because I couldn’t possibly humiliate myself before you. You have the same strength of attraction as the most gorgeous veela might have.” Dare shifted forward slowly raising Cathy’s hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles for a moment before letting their hands fall downwards again as Dare tried to move along with Cathy.

One more quiet chuckle escaped Dare as he shook his head in mock disappointment towards Cathy. “I would be prepared to go through water and fire and storm and earthquakes to reach you and help. And already you doubt my abilities to overcome the difficulties of a staircase. If you call me, I will come. I will build a broom if there is no other way and fly up to your dormitory window. Or use spells to float myself over the staircase to your door. Descend from the rooftop with a rope. I do not know the way, but if you call I will come. Never doubt that, precious.”

[sammy]

Cathy watched as Dare laughed. It was a good sound, something she found pleasant to her ears. With a smile, she shrugged. Sirs were not only people of noble blood. She wasn't going to argue over something that silly, however, so she let it pass. Dare probably would just let her win anyway, so what was the point? "So - what shall I call you that will match up with precious?" Cathy wasn't good at nicknames. Thinking up a suitable one for Dare would be quite an exercise. She was more interested in what he would like himself to be called. Everyone had an opinion on the matter, so why not? Precious wasn't one that Cathy was familiar with, so she couldn't speak. Yet she did like princess and the like, although sometimes it made her wonder if the people talking to her that way were actually aware of her wealth.

"Oh, come now." Cathy sighed as Dare said she was just as attractive as a veela. "As far as I'm aware, I have no veela in my family line. Flattery is good, Dare, just don't go too far." She advised, giving him a smile as he took her hand. Now they just had to skate together. Cathy was used to being with a partner; that was how she did training in ballet. She had yet to do it with skates on her feet and ice below her. This was as good a time as ever. "I never doubted you." She corrected, slightly surprised Dare could think up of all the possible ways standing right there. She would have to sit down and ponder over it while getting annoyed by specific sounds that she only imagined. So yes, she was surprised. "I was just... making sure." She added, grinning.

"Okay, so first we lean forward with our right foot." She did so and waited for Dare to imitate her. This was easy as long as he wasn't afraid of falling. "Put all your weight on it, like this. Then quickly shift to your left foot and lean forward with your weight. Not too quickly, mind, or you're bound to fall. All the while, keep your upper body slightly forward. If you lean back to much you lose balance. Right, that's pretty much it. Once we get moving, I'll go into more detail about how to turn. We'll take this one thing at a time." Cathy hadn't done the exercises as she told Dare; that would be too rough for him to follow. Keeping a steady eye on him, Cathy said, "ready to try it out? I'll try not to let you fall, but I'm not one to make guaranties."

[darien]

Dare smiled and squinted a little as he looked towards the sky. What would he like to be called? He would like to be called after who and what he was. There were so many qualities to his personality, both good and bad, that he could be called after. And there were many things that defined a person like one’s body, soul, mind, opinions. Yet usually it was the person’s name he used to define himself. At least in some ways. “I don’t have a need for nicknames, precious. Just call me who I am. Girls who want empty flattery and to use me and play and flirt with me to pass their time usually call me Ray. Of sunshine,” Dare added with a slight wink towards Cathy, “But my friends and family call me Dare. Every time you say my name it reminds you of me. It reminds you of yourself, it’s a challenge for you to enjoy my companion no matter what the rest of the world might think. So will you call me Dare? Will you be my friend, precious?” Dare grinned at Cathy knowing fully well that he had put her in a bit of tight spot, but he liked playing around with words. And he didn’t really know what counted as friendship to Cathy.

Dare laughed again: “And do I meet your approval then, precious? And I never told you that you had the attraction of a veela for anyone or everyone. I just merely said that you draw me with your personality much like a veela draws men of all ages. And do no even try to read out from that words that you aren’t pretty on the outside either, precious.” And in reality Dare always watched his words. He didn’t exactly practice them in front of a mirror but he did sometimes play them through in his mind a couple of times to make sure he had a way out of them later on and that they didn’t sound overdone. Giving Cathy’s hand a light squeeze Dare tried to follow her words actually managing to slowly stumble forward. He was moving wobbly, hesitatingly and very slowly, but he was moving. “You’ll catch me when I fall? I’m glad to hear that. I just hope you won’t strain yourself while trying to carry me back to the school then.”