Can you feel it too? ((Noko))

[crane]

Weekends were too rare sometimes. Too rare and too short and there were lots of things that could make them better. But thinking about it didn’t help anyone. It just ruined your mood and made you sulk so that you weren’t pleasant company for other people either. Instead of trying to point out all the bad points one should seize the moment and enjoy all the bonuses that a weekend brought. Gary smiled and finished reading the letter he had received from home. Letters from there always brightened his day. And he had been glad to know that all of his family had liked Noko too. Gary missed time spent with her actually. After new years they had seen each other and had managed to talk during breaks but Gary wished they could spend more time together. He liked talking to Noko and spending time with her. Noko was so real in some ways. She was exactly the person you saw when you looked at her. Young and beautiful and smart and graceful and dedicated to those things she liked. Gary sighed and told himself firmly to try to control himself.

The weather was pretty outside. Spring was most certainly coming already. Gary threw a doubting glance at his homework. He was all set for the classes beginning again tomorrow but he had wanted to take a look on his Potions essay. If he was to become a Healer he couldn’t afford any less than perfect grades in Potions, because that was one of the main subjects a healer had to be able to operate in. Especially remedies and cures for poison and antidotes. But it was nearing only 12 o’clock so Gary would have plenty of time to do that later on. Good weather and sunshine that had been so rare during the previous months had done their job so a few moments later Gary was already out of the school.

There were people here and there over the Grounds but Gary didn’t feel like playing ball or practicing charms today. Pushing his hands into his pockets Gary slowly made his way towards the Hogwarts lake stopping from time to time to observe others in whatever they were doing. Upon finally reaching the lake Gary received a very pleasant surprise seeing Nokomis there. He wouldn’t mistake her hair or figure even if he saw it from the behind right now for anyone else. Nokomisappeared to be skipping stones over water and Gary smiled picking up his speed as he snuck closer to Noko from behind as she seemed to be deep within her thoughts. Closing his hands over Noko’s eyes Gary laughed quietly before asking in his regular tone like the rules of the children’s tradition requested: “Guess who?” Gary felt good around Noko. Content and warm and like he was stronger or smarter. He couldn’t help but wonder if Noko could feel it too?

[Nokomis Astarra H5]

There were never enough weekends, or enough time in the day to make weekends really worth while. There was always too much to do and too much to think about. On this particular Saturday morning she decided that she needed to get out of the castle and into the fresh air. Her mind always seemed to work better when she felt the wind in her face, and the stuffy air of the common room and library seemed to cloud her thoughts even more than usual. Today she decided the lake was the perfect place to go. There the breeze was strongest, and she needed to carefully pull apart her thoughts so that at least one of them made sense.

The air was crisp and cold, and she wrapped her cloak around her as she stood on the banks of the water trying to sort things out in her mind. They had been back form their Holiday for a while now, but still nothing seemed like it was back to normal Hogwarts life. Her holiday had been wonderful, the best she could ever imagine, but then that was mainly because she got to spend at least a small bit of it with Gary. It was strange, but now that they were back at Hogwarts, living in the same building, she almost missed him more. She got to see him sometimes; In a few classes a week, and sometimes in the Great Hall, even a few times just walking down the hall. The strange thing was that all that didn't seem to add up to as much as she wanted to see him.

She tried to get her mind back to the rest of life by picking up a rock and skipping it across the water. She was never very good at it. No matter how hard she tried she could only get it to skip twice before it sunk into the lake. She was watching one of the rocks sink when she felt someone's hands over her eyes and them them said 'Guess Who.' She giggled, she couldn't help herself, and she bit her lip for a moment before answering "Aidan Lynch from the Irish National team?" She giggled again, unable to resist and turned around and threw her arms around Gary before she even realized. Maybe it was better that way though, if she had thought about it, she wouldn't have done it, and as she stood hugging Gary she was very glad she had.

[crane]

He had missed Noko. Gary had knew it before that he had missed her. But it was only know when he actually had her in his arm’s reach that he realized exactly how much he had missed her. At least he had all today and he would spend as much of it as possible with Noko. Gary smiled as Noko giggled a little wondering if she knew how carefree and contagious her laughter and joy were? And Gary would gladly let himself be carried along with her. Gary smiled as Noko whirled around and threw her arms around his shoulders. Gary felt the light scent of Noko’s shampoo when he leaned their foreheads together for a moment as he gave her a tight hug for a moment just enjoying the feeling of holding her.

“I’m afraid I must disappoint you as I’m far from being as important as Aidan Lynch. But I’m the lucky fellow who had your company right now not Lynch so even if your mind is elsewhere I’ll enjoy the little of politeness you’ll surely spare for me.” Gary smiled at Noko lightly releasing his hold on her a little bit finally as Gary bent down and picked up a loose rock from the ground. With one of his arms still around Noko Gary tossed it towards the lake turning to look at Noko not even following the stone bouncing on the water with his eyes.
“I have missed your company so I’m very glad I found you here today. You seemed almost pensive earlier. Did I bother you while you were figuring out some extra clever quidditch move?”

[Nokomis Astarra H5]

She giggled when he commented on Aidan Lynch and smiled at him. She was happier that it was him instead of Lynch anyway, not that she wouldn't have been happy to meet the Irish player, he was amazing after all, but with Gary it was a different type of happy. When he eased his hug she looked back up at him, happy that he was here. She came out to be alone to think a few things over, but Gary always made things seem a bit better, and she needed things to be a bit better right now.

She was happy that he left his arm around her, even when he threw his own rock to let it skip across the water, and she leaned against him. When he said something about how she looked when he came she smiled, mainly just because he asked if it was because she was thinking about quidditch. "I wish I was thinking of some new quidditch move. It would be much more fun. I was thinking about classes and what I'm going to do next year." After she said it she bit her lip, She didn't know if she wanted to say why exactly. She wasn't doing very well, and things kept getting worse the more time she put into quidditch.

[crane]

There was a bench a little bit further near the lake and even if the bench was covered with a bit of snow right now it was unoccupied. They could sit there and talk for a while or until they decided to do something else. One of his arms still around Noko Gary steered them over to the bench. Cleaning it off snow Gary seated himself on there and smiled to Noko thinking over her words.
“You wanted to go professional with quidditch. So doesn’t that mean that there aren’t any specific subjects you need to study or do OWLs in? I think you can pretty much choose to study whatever you like at that case.”

Gary fell silent and stared towards the lake for a few moment thinking of classes. “I have already picked all of mine. I have quite a number of lessons obligatory if I want to become a Healer. Herbology, Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures. My schedule was almost filled with mandatory subjects. But luckily I could talk to some older students to get their opinions about other subjects I would wish to take. In the direction as if they are worth taking or not. Divination seems to be one of the few subjects where pretty much no older Ravenclaws attend.”
Gary turned to look at Noko again turning himself on the bench so that even if he was sitting he would still be facing Nokomis. “May I ask if you got some special plans already? Or are you still in the completely confused state? I know I was confused for quite a while. But I’m sure you will be completely fine in the end. Don’t worry about classes too much. They and classes aren’t the most important things in life.”

[Nokomis Astarra H5]

Gary steered them in the direction of the benched and cleared the dusting of snow off before they settled down onto it. It elt nice to just sit there with him, and his arm felt warm around her. She leaned her head against his shoulder happy that he had interupted her thoughts. She smiled when he asked about quidditch and if ther ewere any classes that she had to take. She burried her head a bit loser to him. Quidditch didn't take anyhting special for classes, but she still needed to graduate from Hogwarts with some kind of magical education.

She didn't say anything until he asked if her there was anything special plans already. Until she was just happy to listen to him talk about his plans. Gary was so smart, and he always seemed to together. She always felt like she was barely hanging on. "I don't neen anything special for quidditch, The Irish probably don't even care if I graduate at all as long as I can handle a quaffle." She glkance dup at him and smiled, having said it as a joke, there was some truth in it, and it was something she had thought of before too. "I like charms and Care of Magical Creatures, so I Want to take thouse...but I guess my problem is more than...." She bit her lip, not really wanting to tell Gary this. He always said how wonderful she was, and here she was going to admit to him that she was having a hard time in her classes. Maybe he wouldn't htink she was so wonderful them. "I'm not doing too well I guess. I mean I did well at first, but I just...I don't know, with Quidditch, and everything was getting harder and I'm just...not doing so well."

[crane]

The view was beautiful. It always was at the Hogwarts lake no matter the season. But today Gary didn’t care of it. He didn’t even look around himself as he was much more content just observing Nokomis. Little grimaces she maybe didn’t even know she did or the way her eyes shone with an inner light as she spoke of something she was passionate about. Gary found himself attracted to it so he just gazed at Nokomis calmly as she spoke. Laughing at her words Gary smoothed her hair playfully.
“We all know you can handle a quaffle and fantastically. Better than me at least, I’m more than willing to admit that. The Irish will be lucky to have you.” Gary smiled back at Noko loving the way her whole being lit up when she smiled. He didn’t mind admitting that he wasn’t very good in quidditch either. He had never been nearly as passionate about the sport as Noko was.

Noko wasn’t the perfect student. Gary was perhaps a bit surprised at it cause Nokomis seemed to be able to handle everything. “Glad to hear you are only human too. Classes have gotten a lot harder. I think that they are going to get even worse though when we get older.” Gary smiled at Nokomis again as he tried to think of something that might help Noko. “I’m sure you will be fine. You’ll just need to take off time and get back on track with everything and you will be an awesome student. You are most certainly very diligent. Maybe some friends or I could help you with some subject. It’s easier to learn when someone quizzes you on the material you are supposed to know sometimes.” Gary offered not wanting to see Nokomis worried. Grades were important certainly but they didn’t determine everything in life.

[Nokomis Astarra H5]

Giggling as he told her she could handle a quaffle, and even fantastically at that, she buried her head against his shoulder a bit more to hide the color rushing to her cheeks. She like the feeling that she could just pull herself against him and it made everything feel just a bit better. “You handle a quaffle pretty well yourself you know” She said after a moment, glancing back up at him and smiling. “Even if you do plan on healing people instead of playing quidditch forever.” She giggled again, happy forgetting classes and school work for a moment. “You better not forget about me though, once you’re a big important healer. I think that if I ever do make it to professional quidditch I’m going to need lots of healing. I’m not very good at avoiding bludgers. I fell off my broom because of one when I tried out for the team even.” She giggled again and buried her face into his shoulder for a moment before singing and knowing she had to talk about school and classes again. Part of her wished she could just stop going all together and just play quidditch. She didn’t want to do anything else. She didn’t care about potions or transgifuration. She just wanted to play quidditch.

She bit her lit them he said that classes would only get worse as they got older. She knew it was true and she regretted every moment of it. She wanted to go back to first year things. She could do things them. Now everything was complicated, and involved all sorts of work outside of classes that she never quite put into it. She sat up a bit when he said she needed to take time off. The thought made her feel tense and jumpy and she had to force herself to stay seated on the bench beside him. There was nothing to take time off from other than quidditch, and she would rather do anything other than stop playing quidditch even for just a little bit. She took a breath again and looked over at him. “I can’t take time off. The team needs me, and I can’t stop practicing if I’m going to make it to pro some day. I just…I need to balance my time better.” She paused for a moment, knowing that meant less quidditch time, but less was better than none. “And your right…having someone help me would be good. Just to help….get my ready for O.W.L.S. Or at least help if I plan on getting any descent grades when I take them.” She smiled trying to lighten the mood. She didn’t want things to be this serious, but she was happy that she had talked about it with someone.

[crane]

Gary smiled as Noko buried her face in her shoulder. Lowering his won head Gary buried his nose among her hair as he chuckled lightly over her words once again. “It’s a deal, then. I won’t forget you and I will always make time to heal any of the injuries you might get with no charge, even if I am aiming to become a children’s doctor. And you won’t forget me and get me tickets to all of your games and give me autographs, so I could become your number one fan.”
Gary smiled as he let his fingers tangle themselves into Noko’s hair almost at their own accord as Gary enjoyed the silky texture slipping through his fingers as he enjoyed the moment.

Gary looked seriously at Noko as he thought over her words. Some of their priorities were a little bit different. Noko obviously cared so much about quidditch, while for Gary it was merely an amusement he paid time to, when he could on the side of classes. But Gary understood Noko’s passion. He was just as passionate about his own future career. It was just his luck or misfortune that his future career demanded that he’d learn properly.
“You are the team’s captain too. The team knows you a lot. But professors don’t allow people to play quidditch if their grades are too low. Except for Snape who let Crabbe get onto his house-team. But Snape has always favoured his own students. Even thought I doubt things are that serious for you yet.” Gary took a small break in his words hoping Noko wouldn’t take them in the wrong way. He would never purposefully do anything that would hurt Noko the least bit. “If you wish we can study together for quizzes and tests and exams in the subjects we both have. We don’t have OWLs until next year so you have plenty of time to get back on track with all the details that might be a bit more confusing.” Gary smiled softly at Noko. Studying together would also present him with an opportunity to spend more time with Noko.

[Nokomis Astarra H5]

She smiled when he said that she couldn't forget to get him tickets to her games and her autograph so that he could be her biggest fan. It seemed odd to think that she might actually one day have fans. It still seemed so strange to think that if she did things right, that could be her future. She glanced up at him, just thinking that if she ever did make it that he would be at every game made her stomach jump just a little bit. It was like she already had a fan and she hadn't even made a big team yet. "Its a deal."

When the topic changed back to her grades, she leaned forward, and rested her elbows on her knees. She knew it was serious. She knew that she needed to do better. It was hard because she knew that she could--it wasn't that she just didn't get magic or her book work, it was just so hard to do it when there were things about quidditch to be done. She smiled and looked back over at Gary. She knew it was trying to help. "Well, I'm lucky my house professor is Sprout. She would let me play no matter what as long as I told her I was trying to do better." She looked down again, still biting her lip. She hated things being like this, and serious and awkward. It made her nervous. After a moment she looked back over at Gary, who really was being wonderful and trying to help. "You would help me study?"

[crane]

Gary smiled as Noko agreed about their future plans to be each others biggest fans. He knew that he would make his life mostly in the magical world so it would only be natural for Gary to follow the quidditch matches going on too. If Noko was on the Irish team then he wouldn’t even had to being with the tedious job of finding a team to support for himself. He would support the Irish. After all Noko was a very good friend who Gary was very fond of. Gary felt a light blush fighting to climb onto his cheeks at the last thought and he shook his head quickly wondering what was wrong with him. Why would such a simple thought of a friend fluster him so?

Rubbing Noko’s back as she leaned forward Gary returned her smile as she spoke of professor Sprout. The plump Herbology teacher obviously loved her job. She was very kind, patient and generally good-natured. “I like professor Sprout as well. She’s a good professor.” Gary moved himself a little and shifted his hands to Noko’s shoulders. His fingers digging into her shoulders lightly Gar started to give her a light massage hoping to get rid of some of the tension in Noko’s shoulders. It saddened him to see the girl so down. “Of course I will help you study. Or at least I will do my very best to help, because I’m not that smart either. We might soon come to the point where you are going to be helping me with my studies.”

[Nokomis Astarra H5]

She could feel the tension draining out of her as Gary rubbed his shoulders. He was always perfect like that. He would always just start to rub her shoulders when something seemed wrong, or know just what to say when she was upset. She couldn't even believe that she had somehow managed to become friends with someone like him. It was almost too wonderful to really be true. She smiled when he talked about Sprout and she couldn't help but nod. "She so nice, and does such a good job with Hufflepuff. She has been so supporting of what I'm trying to do with the quidditch team." That was what she liked about Sprout the most. While students from other houses sometimes poked fun at the Professor, she always managed to see the good in everything and everyone and always did whatever she could to appeal to someone's strengths.

When Gary said that of course he would help her, she sat up up and hugged him, not really even thinking about what she was doing. Only after did she realize that she was doing that a lot around him now. She was just so happy and relieved that he would do that for her. "Thank you! Thank you so much! And you are very smart, no matter what your say. The only thing I could even be help you to study is the statistics of quidditch players."

[crane]

Gary just smiled a little but didn’t comment on Noko’s words about Sprout. Some people just were nice. They accepted and gave you a good mark if and when you did your best. Some others found that actually showing you that you had to try your best and improve your best even was the only thing that kept you properly studying. And then of course there was Snape whose logic and teaching motives Gary simply didn’t understand. But Potions in itself was an interesting subject so Gary didn’t really mind very much either.
“I’m glad professor Sprout is supportive of you. It helps a lot if you can turn to your Head of House with some problem if you have one. Not that I really talk to Flitwick much outside Charms classes and the work we do there I must admit. But the general point is what matters. And I won’t ask what you’re planning with Hufflepuff quiddtich team. War-plans and secret codes and all that. Who knows what I might discover.” Gary smiled and winked at Noko enjoying the company fully. “Not that I think anything could make me like you any less. You are perfect the way you are in my opinion. And what more could I ask for?”

Gary chuckled and returned the impulsive hug Noko gave him. Gary liked that about Noko. At one moment she could be so daring and sharp and bright. One moment she would show all her emotions to the world and the next she would suddenly become shy and modest again and withdraw back to herself. There were such a variety of emotions and they were all so honest and clear that you couldn’t help but love them. “I’ll be glad if I can help you in any way. We can just deal with the subject we feel is difficult at the times we meet for these little study dates. And I’m sure we will be able to work out a way so they wouldn’t interrupt with quidditch practice either.”

[Nokomis Astarra H5]

She giggled when he referred to her quidditch strategies as war plans. Maybe it was a bit fitting, or at least to someone who took quidditch as serious as she did. Gary was different though, he wasn’t an enemy. Sometimes it seemed that way when you were out at the pitch, that the other team was the enemy, but here at the late, Gary was anything but that. After she hugged him she leaned against him again. A cool breeze was coming up off the lake and it felt nice to have him their beside her. “Most of the time I think whatever class I had last must be my hardest, so we may need a lot of study dates. And probably at very odd times in order to work around quidditch.” She giggled again, now feeling happy. It was as if Gary saying that he would help somehow made everything better. She always felt that with him, like nothing could go wrong. She stayed against him for a moment, the breeze picking up again. She wasn’t exactly sure what time it was, but the air was definitely cooling off, which meant that dinner time was closing in on them and that soon they would have to go inside the castle again.

[crane]

Gary smiled as Noko giggled while leaning against him. Noko always knew what to say and her laughing over Gary’s words made Gary feel as if he was witty and smart and that he could actually make a difference in the world if he wanted to. Gary looked at the top of Noko’s head as he couldn’t see her face while Noko was leaning against him. It just felt so right to have her sitting there with her head leaning a little on his shoulders. Gary wrapped his arms around Noko’s waist for a moment before rubbing up and down Noko’s shoulders.

“I think I have a bit more flexible time-table than you are, so I’m sure we can work something out. We’ll just take some chocolate along to make sure our brains work properly and have energy and we’ll be just fine. In addition to actually being productive and learning something I can also spend some time with one of my best friends. I know we haven’t really known each other for overly long, but I just feel as if I could talk to you about anything and you would just accept me the way I am.” Gary admitted these words quietly but as the air had stilled and most people had already retreated back to the Hogwarts castle then his words could just be heard clearly. And Gary had been taught to tell the truth. So he had honestly admitted to Noko that she made him feel warm inside.

Gary reached out his legs and crossed them comfortably at his ankles leaning his cheek gently against Noko’s head as he looked out over the Hogwarts lake. It was getting chillier so Gary rubbed Noko’s arms with his palms once again. “It’s so nice and quiet and peaceful here that I almost don’t want to go back inside the school. But I don’t want you to catch a cold out here either so I think we do have to move soon, however much I’d hate to.”

[Nokomis Astarra H5]

When Gary wrapped his arm around her she let her eyes close and she tried to bury herself a little closer to him. Everything felt perfect right now. The air was chilly, but it was warm sitting snuggled up against him and his arm around her somehow made her feel like she was being pulled even further into some word other than reality, and that somehow in this world everything was wonderful. She stayed like that until Gary mentioned chocolate and she couldn't help but giggle. "If there is chocolate then I will make time to study. Chocolate makes everything better."
Somehow things got a bit more serious after that, and she glanced up at him. "I feel like that too." After she said it she rested her head back against this shoulder and he leaned his head against hers. When he said something about how it was cold and then would have to go inside soon. "I know she said." Answering both his comments. She knew they had to go in, but she didn't want to go in either.