Into comforting arms (Ivy)

[Mia]

Mia turned on her bed as she pulled the covers more over her body. It was a cold morning and she didn’t feel like getting up at the time. Yawning she turned towards the watch that was on her wrist, 8:00am she read. It was a Saturday and Mia was used to sleeping in but she wonted to head to Hogsmeade to look at some Quidditch supplies. Pulling the covers off of her she stood up from the bed and stretched into the air and yawned. After her stretching was done she looked around the dorm and it was empty. "Everyone must of have gone down for lunch" Mia thought in her mind as she picked up a long skirt and pulled it on. Taking a long red turtle neck she pulled it on as well and combed her long brown hair out. Looking at herself in the mirror she started to think. Had she gone taller from the day before? Was she any different? Those kind of question rushed into her mind. But Mia looked nice and the clothes fit her body perfectly. Feeling pleased with herself she swung a shoulder bag on her shoulder and walked out of the common room carrying a long bone color in her arms.

As she exited the common room Mia continued on down to the Great Hall. Many people passed her and said there well mornings and continued on there way. Mia would always smile and say hello back. It was always like Mia to think of others than her. She would do anything to protect her friends and make sure they were happy. Maybe that’s why some people loved her so much. But Mia didn’t have very many friends here at Hogwarts. An expiation of two was okay but she wonted more. Was there something wrong with her? Was she different? The questions were endless for Mia and didn’t know who could answer them. A smile spread across her face as she opened the doors to the great hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. Eying the food she picked up a piece of toast and some eggs and plumbed it down on her plate. Taking a bite of her toast she started to chew quietly.

As she was almost done some people had started to sit next to her and talked. Mia wondered who they were and why they would won’t to sit next to her. Shrugging off that question she stood up from her sit and looked at the other tables. They were full of people eating and talking. Mia's heart ached as she saw the people. She wished that D.J was there so she could to talk her but she wasn’t. Sighing Mia walked out of the great hall with an apple in her shoulder bag. Pushing the apple on her chest she made it looked shinny and took a bite. The sweet juice filled her mouth as she crunched. Mia loved apples and remembered home. Feeding apples to horses every day and carrots. She could smell the sweet barley and the smell of fresh horses.

Walking outside into the cold the cold air she smiled. Mia loved winter and didn’t know why people hated it. Maybe because you had to wear too much clothes. Or if you were out side to long your hands started to get numb. Mia didn’t mind her hands turning read as she was on a trail ride. Continuing to walk she closed her eyes a she tired to imagine home at the very second. Lou would be inside working on bills while Grand pa was cooking. Ty would be outside pushing will borrows along and Scout would be next to Lou helping her out. Scout Davis was Heartland's vet and her sister new fiancé. Mia really liked Scout and thought he was just right for his sister. Well he was better than Carl. Oh how Mia hated Carl. He would talk to her in a bored kind of voice and that always got to her.

Taking in a deep breath she entered the small village of Hogsmeade. The snow was covered on the small stores and kids were running around and laughing. The sight put a really big smile on Mia's face as she felt something cold hit her. Turning around she saw a young Gryffindor smiling and laughing. Taking out her wand she pointed it towards the snow and than the boy and two snow balls hit him. Mia giggled as she got hit again by another young child. Picking up the snow this time she compact it into a small tight snow ball and threw it at her target. It landed in the young child face and he just grinned. Mia continued to laugh as she continued on her journey through the village.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy shivered as she walked along the streets of Hogsmeade, drawing her robes closer around her. It was cold and the wind was icy. Ivy had no idea where she was going, or why. She had set off to clear her thoughts, and for a bit of fresh air, and had walked so far that she had wandered into Hogsmeade. Younger students played in the streets, lugging snowballs at each other. Ivy veered away sharply as one of them threw one at her, but it hit her in the face. She continued on her way, without looking round. The skin where it had hit was red, and the snow was starting to melt and slide down now. Ivy was not in the mood.

She sat down on a bench in the main square. It was not as busy as it had been during the Christmas period, although today was a Hogsmeade trip, Ivy recalled vaguely, so it made sense that there were more people than perhaps was usual. The street-sellers were trying to sell Valentine's Day franchise now. Ivy would have none of it. She shook her head at anyone who tried to offer her anything. She wasn't in the mood.

Ivy went into Honeydukes, and bought herself a piece of candy. It was a rare treat. The last pieces she had bought had been for two of her friends - and they had been taken by one of the Slytherins. Not that that had been the most of her worries at that time. It never had been. Ivy returned to the bench, and started to suck her candy. It was just normal candy - nothing special, no prank stuff either. She enjoyed the sweet taste, looking across to Zonko's. Not her favourite shop. Ivy wasn't into all the pranking. Jordan was, but not Ivy. She didn't really like it, because whenever she was the subject of one, it was always at the wrong time. Always in the wrong mood. As the wind howled again, Ivy wondered if she was ever in the right mood nowadays.

[Mia]

Mia smiled as the younger kids gave up and walked away from her. She wasn’t proud but felt bored now because she had nothing to do. Sighing she walked off into the busy streets. Many people were running around and talking very loudly. It was almost like Christmas but Valentines Day was around the corner. Mia didn’t have that some one special to sure it with, and just hanged around with her friends. But Mia always wonted to meet that some one, but her time had to wait. Tucking some hair behind her ears she continued on dogging any body who came her way. As she continued she noticed that she knocked some one down. Her face turned red with embarrassment as she helped the younger student up. "Sorry about that." Mia said but the person ignored her and went on. Starring after the person she wondered what she did wrong. 'I was only trying to help' Mia thought in her mind as she entered Honeyduckes Sweet shop.

Warm air greeted Mia as she walked over towards the jelly beans. Picking up a bag she scooped some color beans into the bag. A smiled spread across her face as she looked inside. It was so colorful with the reds, oranges, and even yellows. Mia's lit up as she shacked the bag in her hands. A huge smile lay on her face as she picked up some of Honeyduckes chocolates. Putting the bar into her bag as well she also took some Bertie Bots of every bean and put the box in her bag as well. Making sure she got what she wonted Mia searched her pockets for some money. Taking out some wearing money she counted it all up. Felling slightly confused she walked up to the counter and set her bag down. The clerk looked at her with a smile on his face, "That will be seven krunts." He said and Mia felt confused. "Umm is this enough?" She asked handing him some money. The man counted it up and nodded his head. "Yes this is enough have a nice day." He said and handed Mia her bag.

Her face turned even more red as she walked out of Honeyduckes. Man was she that low and couldn’t count wizarding money that well. It was hard for her to remember what was what. She only grew around muggle money and understood it more than wizarding. Sighing Mia chewed on some jelly beans and continued on down the street. She wanted to head into Zonked but stopped as she saw a young girl sitting on a bench looking some what sad. Mia felt sad and walked over towards the girl and sat down next to her. Puting more Jelly beans into her mouth she continued to chew lightly. Swallowing she looked at the girl with a smile on her face. "Hello my names Mia Fleming Gryffindor seventh year. What’s wrong? If you don’t mind me asking"

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy looked up in surprise as an older Gryffindor came to sit down by her. There were other benches in the square, so presumably she wanted some company, although Ivy didn't know her. At least she was a Gryffindor, and not a Slytherin. Ivy gave the girl a faint smile and returned to her candy, shivering in the cold wind. She watched her companion inquisitively out of the corner of her eye, wondering if she was going to say anything.

At length, the girl did introduce herself. She seemed to have a confidence that Ivy lacked at the moment - to introduce herself and be so abrupt and to the point. Ivy sucked her candy again as a delaying tactic, wondering what she should say to this complete stranger. Were her thoughts that obvious? If they were, then Ivy had a problem. She relied on being able to just sink into the background. Of course, some people never allowed you to do that. Some people hated to see even one other person left out. They were good, those people, but they were usually the ones who had a lot of friends already and who were more interested in seeing you happy for one day than for a whole week. Such was Ivy's experience. She didn't speak to older people very often, though. Maybe they were better at including people.
"I'm Ivy," she introduced herself with a shy smile, unwilling to say much more. This was someone who Ivy did not know at all. She wasn't even in the same house as her, and she was much older as well. Ivy looked at the candy, the taste suddenly gone sour in her mouth. She wanted to get away, she wanted to be little again, to have her mother look after her again. But all that was gone. One of the Slytherins had said that it wasn't true that what was done was done. Was it true then, that Ivy could go back? Could she repair her relationship with her mother?

No, was the answer that resounded throughout her head. She couldn't. Things weren't the same. The years had torn them apart, and there were other children now, not to mention the fact that her father was no longer there. She couldn't go back. She could only go forward. And if she kept going forward the way she was going, she was leading herself to ruin and despair. Ivy couldn't see the way out. But she smiled faintly at the girl, only her eyes giving much hint of her thoughts.
"I'm fine," she assured the older girl, her eyes stinging with tears as she said the words. She rubbed them away angrily. "Well, maybe not exactly fine," Ivy admitted, "but I'll get by. I always have done." Even she didn't believe her own words. At the moment, she couldn't see which way she should go, or whether indeed she had any choice.

[Mia]

Mia looked at the younger girl with a worried look on her face. She could see her cry almost and she felt sad for Ivy. Her mind wondered what could of happen to the girl who was sitting next to her. It must be family problems and Mia could tell. She was exactly like the girl after the car crash that killed her mother and almost herself. Seeing a tear escaped from the girls eyes Mia sat up and knelled in front of her. Wiping the tear away with her hand she smiled up at Ivy and saw that she also went into Honeyduckes as well but didn’t seem interested in her candy. Searching her shoulder bag she took out Honeyduckes famous chocolate a spread out the palm of the girls hand and set the chocolate inside and closed her hand. "You know what it’s alright to cry and not be brave all the time. Crying can be the key to feeling better but holding it inside can really hurt you mental." Mia said in a soothing voice and brushed the girl’s hair away from her face. Mia felt some what like a mother at that moment and felt happy that she could help a girl who looked so down. It was always like Mia to think of others than herself.

Still on her knees Mia took out her wand and whispered a couple of words, "Volucris Equinus" she said and a yellow winged horse was dancing in the air. Its head was up and it flapped it wings and flew around the girl. Mia's brown eyes sparkled more than ever she unfolded Ivy's palm and the horse started to spin in a circle and neigh loudly. Mia never used magic to solve her problems but Ivy needed some cheering up and Mia could probably be that person to help her. Mia always loved to help people in need. Most people call her an angel from above but Mia was only doing what her heart asked her to do. A large smile spread across her face as it continued to sing its song.

"When you get caught in the rain with no where to run
When you're distraught and in pain without anyone
When you keep crying out to be saved
But nobody comes and you feel so far away
That you just can't find your way home you can get there alone
It's okay, what you say is
I can make it through the rain
I can stand up once again on my own
And I know that I'm strong enough to mend
And every time I feel afraid I hold tighter to my faith
And I live one more day and I make it through the rain
And if you keep falling down don't you dare give in
You will arise safe and sound, so keep pressing on steadfastly
And you'll find what you need to prevail
What you say is

I can make it through the rain
I can stand up once again on my own
And I know that I'm strong enough to mend
And every time I feel afraid I hold tighter to my faith
And I live one more day and I make it through the rain" The musical horse sang and than disappeared from the girls palm.

As the horse diapered along with its music Mia smiled and stood up from the ground. Tucking some of her brown hair behind her ears she looked at Ivy and held out her hand for the younger girl to take. "Here let’s go to The Three Broomsticks and I will buy you some warm butter bear and a banana spilt. Ice cream always helps me through when I need it and it might help you. Come on I don’t bite." Mia said with a warm smile and waited for the girl to take her hand.