Contemplation {Lizzie}

[Blair Snape]

On Saturdays, the sixth floor corridors were usually vacant save for the students that passed through to get to or from the Gryffindor common room or one of the towers. It was one of the most quiet places in the entire Hogwarts castle so it was no surprise that a few people, one or two in particular, usually came here to get lost in their thoughts. The few students that passed through never paid those solitary thinkers any attention as they headed to and from wherever their business took them. It was the promise of complete quiet and peace that lured those very select students to this place.

Dark, mysterious eyes glanced out the foggy window as their very misunderstood owner sat in complete and utter silence. Clad in a long-sleeved, black shirt and a pair of slightly tattered jeans, the Gryffindor boy watched as a raindrops rolled carelessly down the window. A few students still faced the weather for whatever reason. The small, shadowy outlines of their bodies were just barely visible from the higher levels of the castle but the eyes of Blair Snape hadn't noticed them. He was so far lost in his own thoughts that the entire world around him had practically disappeared. He liked it that way. The sanctuary of his thoughts was, perhaps, the safest place for a boy that didn't fit in. The surname Snape didn't fit well with Gryffindor house but, alas, he was placed there. It was most likely that he had been sorted into Gryffindor simply because of his over-protective nature.

The sound of shoes clicking along the flagstone floor as a small group of Gryffindor girls walked through the corridor had gone unnoticed by the dark haired boy. Even their soft giggles, as they gossiped about some boy or another that had looked at them, didn't reach his observant ears. No. Blair was far too busy contemplating why the school staff would be so cruel as to have a social event that would merely make the popular more popular and lower the self-esteem of those who were outcast or social awkward. Aside from that, dances usually put people in the awkward position of asking someone only to face the potential for being rejected. As Blair thought about these things, he was reminded of the fact that his sister was going with an older boy. Just the mere idea of it caused him to clench his fist.

[Lizzie Weasley]

On a Saturday, Lizzie would normally spend her time about the castle with her friends. Since she hadn't been feeling herself lately, she spent most of it hiding out in places they wouldn't come to look for her. Unfortunately, the only time Lizzie wanted to just be alone, she wasn't. Of course her brother Cooper had managed to find her. She explained to him that all she wanted was to be left alone. She didn't want to discuss her feelings or anything. All she wanted was to have her own day of solidarity. Was that something too hard to get? For Lizzie it was.

She ended up getting into an argument with Cooper about it. He said some things, she said some things. He tried urging her to go to that dance and Lizzie refused. She loved dancing and going to such functions but, not this time. She didn't want to go, plain and simple. The only way to get rid of Cooper that afternoon was to agree to go. Lizzie didn't plan on going of course, even if she promised Cooper she'd meet him. Nope, she was going to hide out somewhere where he couldn't find her. Now, she had set out to find that place.

Lizzie was strolling down the halls. She wore a simple pair of worn jeans, purple t-shirt, with a white long sleeved shirt underneath that. Liz had worked her way about the castle since her run in with her brother. He had left her feeling angry and more confused then before. The whole time she wandered about she avoided crowds and people she knew. All she wanted was to be alone, that's it. No matter where she went there was a friend, or a brother's or sister's friend. All this had landed her on the sixth floor.

Upon reaching this floor, Lizzie was quite happy to see that not many were around it. It didn't make her smile, no. Instead her normal bright happy self was masked by the complete opposite. For the past week she had been quite and reserved, talking to very few people. Lizzie stuck her hands into her back pockets as she walked down the hall. She passed a group of Gryffindor girls, all giggling and such. She thought she could wind of her brother's name, which only made her roll her eyes. Lately, he was getting on her nerves. He was always there. Lizzie knew he was only trying to help but, all she wanted was to be alone. Apparently, that was a crime of some sort.

She went by the girls, and kept walking. "What's the big deal, can't a girl spend time alone. Ugh, it's just a silly dance, what's the point in going if all I get out of it is a lonely walk back to a common room full of snogging idiots...." she muttered aloud. Lizzie didn't realize that she was within earshot someone else when she said that. She wasn't paying much attention to where she was going. Lizzie stopped walking just short of the boy, her eyes at the windows. What a dreary day out, one that matched her mood. She wished that everyone would just do as she asked and leave her alone.

Lizzie's eyes fell from the window and landed on a dark-haired boy sitting next to it. She immediately realized that he probably heard what she had said. She also realized that maybe like her, this boy wanted to be alone. "Oh, sorry," she said quietly. "I was just blabbering to myself and didn't realize anyone was around. Sorry if I bothered you," she said, apologized for her possible intruding.

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[Blair Snape]

Just a silly dance. Those words echoed through Blair's very perceptive ears and rattled through his mind. Had someone actually agreed with him on the uselessness of the school event? He'd heard one person complain about the dance but it wasn't a sincere dislike for the dance in general. It was only because she was currently having boy troubles. Carefully and slowly, the Snape boy tore his hazy eyes away from the window to see a girl. Surely this girl couldn't have been the one to say that she would only get a lonely walk back to her common room as a result of the school dance! She looked vaguely familiar but not so much that he could recall her name. For the briefest of moments, his own thoughts had given way to a nagging voice at the back of his mind. Said voice was a chastising sound that scolded him for not remember this young lady better. He was positive he'd seen her about the school before but she wasn't in his year nor his house. Ravenclaw, perhaps?

While his mind tried to work out exactly who she was, Blair came to the sudden realization that she had actually noticed him and was addressing him. An apprehensive look, he allowed his dark eyes to silently observe her face. She was a pretty girl and she appeared to be younger, rather than older, than he. Coming to the final assumption that she had to be a fourth or fifth year Ravenclaw, Snape gave the young lady a nod to acknowledge that he'd seen her and heard everything she said. Words, however, seemed to elude him for a moment. Blair always liked to chose his words carefully before speaking so it hadn't come as much of a shock that he didn't know what to say straight away. Besides that, he considered the art of talking to females as seriously as trying to walk across a sheet of very thin ice. Living with and loving his younger sister had taught him that.

Seconds ticked by before his thin lips finally opened and his smooth voice softly uttered the words, "Quite alright Miss." Though the eldest Snape child rarely showed emotion sincere emotion, he gave this young lady a small sort of smile. If the things he'd surmised were correct, they had a fair bit in common at this particular moment but he wasn't one to jump to unsupported conclusions. Rather, he casually stated, "I suppose I'm in just as much need to apologize as yourself. I couldn't help but overhear your comment on that upcoming school event and, I must say, Miss, that I couldn't possibly agree with you more." If he'd been sure she might not be upset by it, he'd have offered her a place at this window such that they could share a bit of dialog. As it were, he hadn't been clear as to whether she had better things to do or whether she might care for the solitude that this corridor offered.

Once more, the dark, mysterious orbs belonging to Mister Blair Snape moved back to the window. The rain continued to fall outside and the low sound of light thunder rolled through the air but none of this really mattered much to him. If his assumption about this young lady's house and age was correct, perhaps his Lilith would know her and she his sister. Perhaps that was where he'd seen her before. Trying his best to come up with a name to put with her unforgettable face, Blair found himself frowning in irritation. He needed to know her name. Turning to face her again, he gathered up the audacity to inquire, "Please, forgive me, but if you don't mind, I would like to ask your name, Miss?"

[Lizzie Weasley]

In the few quick second that this boy had taken to answer, Lizzie had a very bad scenario in her mind. She did that often. She thought that maybe this boy was mean, and was thinking of the best hex to use on her for disturbing him. Her father always said it only takes one tiny thing to set of some loonies. She managed to pushed those silly thoughts of her mind. It just didn't make sense and she was just being silly. She tried instead to figure out who the boy was. He must have been older than her, he looked at. From what she could gather, her brother might know who he is but, she wasn't sure.

Lizzie smiled slightly, glad to see he wasn't mad of her interruption. She suddenly felt a little embarrassed for thinking aloud, she did that a little too often. She blushed slightly, she cheeks turning a soft rosy colour when the boy mentioned what he over heard. She didn't respond straight away. Lizzie wasn't really caught off guard by his words but, by his eyes. They were awfully dark and had a mysterious look to him. That made her want to know who he was even more. Her curiosity came over her. "You agree with? Well, that's a relief. I was beginning to think I was the only one," she replied. It seemed like everyone, everywhere, was talking about the thing, which made Lizzie feel like she was the only one not going. By the looks of this boy, he didn't seem the type to go to such things.

Elizabeth was about to ramble on about the subject, noticing the pause. She thought that maybe she could just talk this this boy. They seemed to share the same point of view about the dance, and it would be a comfort to Lizzie to find someone not wanting to go. Before she got to say anything, he inquired on her name. She gladly gave it, Elizabeth Weasley or Lizzie as most people call me." Of course, she had to ask the same question as well. She wanted to know who he was, "May I inquire as to what you name is?"

Lizzie tried to pinpoint what house the boy maybe in. Since dark and mysterious seemed to be all she had to go in, it was hard. He seemed like a Slytherin but, at the same time that description didn't seem to fit. She was certain he wasn't in Ravenclaw and definitely no Hufflepuff, from what she saw. All that was left was Gryffindor. But, he didn't seem like he fit there either. Lizzie knew however, that people are sorted because of how they look, it's all about what's in their mind and hearts. The only way she would find out is if he told her, or she asked, or she just got to know him.

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[Blair Snape]

"Of course I agree with you, Miss...and I assure you that you aren't, nor have been, the only one that feels that way. I can hardly see the use of a school dance," said Blair, still pondering how such an attractive young lady might feel that she could be condemned to attend the event alone or else lingering in the corridors in solitude. Surely she would have a boyfriend or escort. That was, unless, of course, this young lady had an older brother just as hell bent on keeping her away from the male population of Hogwarts as Blair was with his younger sister. As it was, Lilith had areadly established that she was going to the useless dance with a seventh year Gryffindor boy who he hadn't yet met and, he susupected, wasn't going to. Nonetheless, there was no guarantee that this was the scenario with the young lady.

The Gryffindor boy found himself contemplating a vast variety of things in the briefest moments of silence. He thought about everything from simple things like why this lovely young lady was standing alone in the corridor where people usually only went when they wanted to be alone to the more complex items such as why a pretty girl who came off as so independent and honest wasn't being trailed by groveling boys. His mind raced and swelled with these thoughts. Then, he thought, perhaps one answered the other. It would make sense if she was looking for the sanctuary of the sixth floor corridor to escape the boys who surely were infatuated with her. Naturally, he assumed, one might want to escape that sort of thing after a while. But there were also the type that thoroughly enjoyed the attention and took pride in stringing others along and using them until they weren't needed any longer. It was these type of people that Blair tried to keep his siter away from.

Brought back to reality by her soft voice, Blair thought a second on her name. It was a beautiful name and, he noted, she didn't have red hair or, like many Weasleys, freckles. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintence, Miss Weasley," stated the Snape boy in a sincere tone. Though he hadn't been raised to have proper manners nor to be a gentleman, Blair had always taken it upon himself to treat others respectfully unless they gave him a reason not to. Trying his best to ignore the fact that Lizzy might have heard about his father from hers, Blair went on to answer her question, "Blair Snape, sixth year Gryffindor, at your service." He wasn't sure why he'd added the last bit or even included his house but the words were already through his lips and there was no way to take the things back.

{ooc - Sorry that I kept this one a tad shorter than I'd have liked and didn't give you very much to work with but it's a little late and methinks my muse hath decided to go to bed early. I'll try to make up for it in the next post.}[/size]

[Lizzie Weasley]

Lizzie sighed at the relief that she really wasn't the only one who saw no real use for it. Sure, she loved the dancing part but, that was it. Sometimes, she didn't do well in large crowds. It was harder for her to see those she knew and often times her older brother would follow her around to the point where she like she was his date. As much as she loved the dance and socialization, she hated all the gossip that came after it. Not to mention she usually went back to her common room, alone only to find just about everyone snogging somewhere.

Lizzie smiled at the fact that this boy was so, well, nice and gentlemanly like. "Well, Mr. Snape, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintence as well," she replied. Now, why was that name so familiar. She ransacked memory until she found where Snape came in. It all went back to the stories her father had told her about the times around the war. Severus Snape, was the Potions professor when her father, mother, aunts, and uncles were at Hogwarts. Her father never said much of anything good about Severus Snape. Lizzie always thought there was more to him than just plain meaness. There was reason why he was so bitter, and Lizzie always wondered what it was.

A name was only a name, Lizzie always thought. The name doesn't define the person behind it. She wasn't going to judge Blair Snape, because his last name was Snape. That was just rude and people can surprise you. "Well, Blair Snape, sixth year of Gryffindor," she spoke after a few moments silence, "it seems we share a common veiw on the social gathering." Lizzie wondered why Blair found such a thing to be useless. In this day and age, she found it useless. All that came out of it was gossip and a few broken hearts. She dreamed of going a ball, like in the past. It was what they did quite alot. Although those type in the past seemed to be much more entertaining and functional. "I find that all that comes out of such a thing is gossip and broken hearts," she said.

Lizzie then realized why she didn't want to go to this one. At the last dance, her brother Cooper, was lurking about as always. He however had missed the time when Lizzie saw her date and pretty much left her for another. It was quite obvious when she had gone to search for the boy and found him snogging with the girl who was a very good friend of Lizzie's. She never told anyone about it. She merely slipped unnoticed away from the hall and had spent the rest of night alone, in her commone room. Since that day, she never spoke to that boy or girl again. Lizzie had felt a great sense of rejection and loss that night that she never wanted to feel it again. As much as she believed in true love and all that stuff, she believed it just wasn't going to be hers to have for her own.


ooc; tis quite alright with me.

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[Blair Snape]

There was a small glimmer behind the otherwise dark, placid surface of his hazy orbs; a look that very few could get out of the eldest Snape boy. This girl, this Weasley girl, seemed quite like him in many ways and yet so unique. Everyone has their flaws but, on the surface, this young lady gave the impression of perfection embodied. That, and that alone, led Blair to the conclusion that Miss Elizabeth Weasley was, in fact, a Ravenclaw. Which other house could compare to the wit, sincerity, independence and proper manners that Ravenclaw house had? Perhaps Blair was incredibly biased, simply because his sister was in the house of blue and bronze, but that would never keep him from thinking so highly of Ravenclaw, and, in essence, this particular Ravenclaw.

Unsure exactly what had come over him, Blair found himself saying, "I assure you, Miss Weasley, the pleasure and honour are all mine." Old fashioned, that's what it was. Blair had read entirely too many books and heard, far too frequently, about how proper, old fashioned gentlemen were to behave. It wasn't that he'd taken up the hobby of reading such things but he would frequently run across these little bits of information during his freelance reading. More oft than not, it was in books his mother had conveniently left lying around for him to read. She knew that he was prone to picking up virtually any book and actually reading it cover to cover when he was bored; which happened often when he condemned to the hell that he was to call 'home'. Though, of course, the books were nearly always about how proper pureblood gentlemen were to treat their proper pureblood counterparts, Blair took it further and applied the behaviours to all females, save his mother and those who gave him reason to act otherwise, of course.

"Yes, Miss Weasley, it certainly seems as such," he responded, his eyes still giving off a soft and friendly appearance, "Gossip and broken hearts. Indeed. Though that is merely the end result of social events such as this, Elizabeth." Blair was hardly the type of boy that voiced his opinions. Rather, he preferred to keep to himself and merely sulk or brood over things in the silence and solitude of places such as this corridor. Today, however, he'd found someone with whom he could share these common thoughts and opinions. Taking care to pick his words properly, he continued, "The sheer announcement of a social gathering merely makes the popular far more popular and lowers the self-esteem of those who are considered outcast or socially awkward. In essence, it leaves people open for feelings of rejection, bitterness, upset and, in some cases, vengefulness."

Blair felt a lot of these things on a regular basis so he saw no point in bothering himself with an event that would only further enhance such feelings. Besides that, if he attended, there was no guarantee that he would not commit murder. Despite his warnings and suggestions, his Lil had insisted upon attending with a seventh year boy. As such, Blair was certain that his presence would only result in horrible things happening. Being that he had no desire to be locked away in Azkaban, the Snape boy refused to attend such a detestable event.

Hit with a sudden realization, the dark haired Gryffindor boy found himself looking out the window once more. If he caught himself looking at the lovely young Ravenclaw very much longer he would surely fall victim to his thoughts of what could be; which was the very last thing he needed. Alas, as he chanced a very short glance at her out of the corner of his dark eyes, Blair was overtaken with the urge, an urge he could not control, to ask, "Forgive me for sounding impetuous, Miss Weasley, but might I inquire as to what you intend to involve yourself with while the rest of this school is falling victim to, as you so eloquently put it, gossip and broken hearts?"

[Lizzie Weasley]

"I assure you, Miss Weasley, the pleasure and honour are all mine" Now that to Lizzie, sounded like something straight of her books. Well, the ones she read. It was clearly and old fashioned statement, on of which Lizzie could not recall anyone ever saying to her. She absolutely loved it though. It brought her to wondering if Mr. Blair Snape ever read. She guess he didn't read the ones that she constantly read over and over again. Of course, she wouldn't really know until she asked. She fully intended on it, if the opportunity came across.

"The sheer announcement of a social gathering merely makes the popular far more popular and lowers the self-esteem of those who are considered outcast or socially awkward. In essence, it leaves people open for feelings of rejection, bitterness, upset and, in some cases, vengefulness." Lizzie nodded in agreement. She wasn't considered an outcast, or popular. No, she was more in the middle. Still, everyone was open to those feelings, rejection being number one. Lizzie couldn't take much rejection. Especially, after her last experience at a dance. It wasn't something she wanted to experience anytime soon. Her solution then was to avoid a situation that may expose her to those feelings altogether.

Lizzie also didn't want to go in part because of her brother, Cooper. He was just way too over protective of her. It was expected but, not to the extent he went. She really didn't feel like being followed around by him all evening, even if she had promised him she'd go. It wasn't a solid promise, she had just said it so she could be left alone. Hopefully, it wouldn't hurt her dear brother much. She didn't intend on hurting him. Liz figured out that he would probably give up waiting for her and trot of to find a girl to hang about with for the remainder of the night.

It amazed Lizzie how one simple experience, had changed her entire outlook on something she once loved. Now, she hated it and for such a stupid reason. Well, in her mind was a good enough reason but, others may think otherwise. Instead, Lizzie planned on never falling for another silly boy again, not if it only let to her heart being broken. Instead, she would just feel that space with her books and read about other people going through such things.

Lizzie found that her own gaze had not left Blair. In fact the entire time, short as it was, she spent thinking - she was staring at him. Immediately, she felt she was being rude and looked to the window but, not really looking out of it. Her mother always had taught her it was impolite to stare. However, Lizzie hadn't really been staring at Blair, her mind had clearly been elsewhere. She looked back down at him, when he spoke. "Oh," she paused. Elizabeth realized she hadn't thought about what she would do. "That is an extremely good inquiry. I had not really given it much thought," she confessed. "Although, I will probably just fall victim to one of my favourite books." More than likely, it is what she would do. She'd have the common all to herself, and she couldn't think of much else to do other than read. Lizzie was tempted to ask if he may want to join her but, that would be a bit impolite. Perhaps, Blair had plans for himself, perhaps not. Either way, she was not going to ask him, since they had only just met, it would be improper in a way.

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[Blair Snape]

A long moment passed in with no words exchanged between the two. The only sound in the corridor was a light pitter patter as the rain tapped softly against the windows. Some might have thought this silence uncomfortable or practically deafening but Blair was quite the opposite. He always found that there was far more use in absolute silence than there was in opening one's mouth to banter off like a fool. Some people, a particular girl who he'd met in specific, liked to ramble and pour out their every thought and opinion. It was people like that which made it far too simple to read them. They weren't of use as a challenge nor were they usually very clever if they merely opened their mouths to babble on like idiots without thinking first. Blair always thought before he spoke but there were still small occasions when his thoughts slipped out; just as they had only moments earlier.

Eyes focused on the droplets of water that had formed upon the cold glass, Snape watched them carefully as they danced along to the soft beat their fellow raindrops were playing. It was like a finely orchestrated ballet paired by the most exceptional musical accompaniment known to human-kind. Some might have thought him foolish for taking such an interest in the more aesthetic things in life but books, well written music and other outlets for the intellectual sort. It wasn't as though he made his preferences obvious, considering he mostly kept to himself, but nearly everyone knew that Blair Snape could almost always be found hiding himself in a dark corner with his nose in a book; whether it was for revision or just for his own purposes. Though he usually had a tendency to seek approval from those he deemed important, the dark haired Gryffindor would not change who he was in an attempt to make others like him.

His accute ears picked up the sound of her very feminine voice and caused Blair to turn his full attention to Lizzie once more. He had been expecting her to give him a well thought out answer with all the little pre-planned details neatly in order. As such, he was quite taken aback by her pauses and uncertainty. Perhaps he'd given her too much credit? It wasn't entirely unlike Blair to prejudge and make early assumptions but he had been sure that this girl, this Ravenclaw girl, was absolutely perfect in every possible way so to hear otherwise came as a shock. His dark eyes taking in every aspect of her face as she reasoned out her evening, he tried to come to terms with the notion that she might actually have flaws. Yes, everyone had their problems and defects but, from the very instant he'd laid eyes upon Elizabeth Weasley and heard her speak, he assumed her faultless. Perfect.

In a careful, yet still smooth, tone, Blair thoughtfully responded, "An avid reader. I cannot say that I blame you for preferring the company of a good book to that of the masses at school social events. I, myself, will likely do the same unless, of course, a more beneficial opportunity arises." Blair had already thought out the ideal scenario and each intricate detail involved with it but he had not expected that said opportunity would show itself. After all, he had only just met this near perfect girl and did not desire to make himself look imprudent. He was a tarnished and misunderstood soul, yes, but he was not pompous nor hasty. Nonetheless, his father's stories, though Blair rarely listened, did have a small effect upon the boy. In an almost hesitant tone, he questioned, "Miss Weasley, please do not think me brash or improvident, but I must ask whether you would care to keep this lowly and imperfect Gryffindor company on that particular evening." Blair could only hope that his choice of words might work to his advantage.

[Lizzie Weasley]

"An avid reader..." At this Lizzie smiled. It seemed they had a second thing in common. One of which she could probably discuss for hours on end, well the old Elizabeth Weasely would. In the past few weeks she had an almost total personality change. Instead of being talkative and more outgoing, she had turned shy. She was more quiet and reserved now then she ever was before. That's why a certain someone thought something was wrong with her. At first, Lizzie even thought that something was bothering her. As it turns out, there wasn't. She just felt the need to change; she wanted to see the other end of the spectrum, so to speak.

People change. That had been her argument earlier with her brother. She was still herself, just a little more quiet. This change came along because this Ravenclaw was tired of getting attention. Unfortunately, she was getting attention because of the change. She hoped that would wear off. Her intention was not to become a total loner, she did still want to keep all her friends. Lizzie just wanted to spend some time in solitude, to reflect. She did it often at home and here at Hogwarts, Lizzie never got the opportunity to do so. No one ever noticed it back home, since she was alway slipping out, "with friends".

When Blair, oh so very nicely, asked Lizzie to keep him company, she wanted to say straight away. However, she didn't She had to wander why he called himself lowly and imperfect. The imperfect part, she thought was maybe because no one can be perfect - she knew she wasn't. As for the lowly part, well that she hadn't a clue. However, it would have been rude for to ask him why, instead she just answer with a simple, "Yes, I would be delighted to."

Lizzie couldn't help herself but to imagine that this could be the beginning of a great relationship. As friends, of course. She tried to not to get too carried away with things but, if you've read all the silly romantic books she had - well, it was sometimes unavoidable. There was no harm in just thinking out the what could be's. She did it quite often, usually in her time of reflection. That was a time she didn't have much of, if any. So far this term, she hadn't got the chance. She was hoping to use the time that everyone is at that silly dance to do so, however; if a much different opportunity came across, she might just chose the latter option.

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[Blair Snape]

Overcome with an atypical sense of joy, Blair found that the corners of his lips had twitched slightly and curved upwards into a silly sort of smile. Very few people had the ability to make him smile but even fewer could do it with something so small as an affirmative answer to one of his requests. There was his sister and, perhaps, his friend Katherine but this was different still. This girl, who he'd only just met, had made him contemplate things he hadn't before, led him to believe that she was nearly perfect and filled him with a sincere elation that he hadn't felt in quite a long time. It was reminiscent of how he used to feel when he was much younger, eleven years or less, and his little Lilith would tell him how smart he was or would watch him practice magic with that proud expression upon her face. He wasn't comparing this Ravenclaw girl to his sister. No, not in the slightest. The feeling of her simple 'yes' answer, followed by the adjective 'delighted', was one that he had only known when he was much younger though.

"Miss Elizabeth Weasley, I must thank you sincerely for your acceptance," was Blair's honest riposte. His uncharacteristic smile in tact, he was also sure to note, "Is there a time and place that you find most convenient for you?" On the inside, he was practically jumping for joy that he wasn't to spend the entire evening of the dance cooped up in his common room, or else the library, in a dark corner. Were that his plan, surely the only things that would get accomplished were a bit of reading and revision followed by brooding and dwelling upon how he hated his sister growing up into an adventurous young lady. Those things could wait. He had something far more important and worthwhile to tend to that evening.

The more Snape thought on the subject, he tried to figure out what the two would do with the countless hours that everyone else would be spending involved in the social event. Reading was much more a solitary event, though he could guess they did have that hobby in common. Wandering the corridors of Hogwarts could prove interesting but the last thing he wanted to do was stumble upon a snogging couple or be interrogated as to why he and Miss Weasley weren't at the dance. His mind raced with various scenarios and options; all of which he seemed to dismiss as soon as he'd thought of them. For some unknown reason, he wanted their time spent together to be as perfect as he thought her. No interruptions. No time wasted. Nothing to ruin the evening that they were to spend together. It nothing else, he hoped to gain a beneficial, trustworthy friend, and someone he could speak with on an intellectual basis, out of it all.

It had seemed like an eternity of thoughtful silence but, in fact, the seconds had barely ticked by before he questioned, "Might I also inquire whether you have anything that you'd like to do specifically? I'd simply hate to be a bore or find our time not used for something to your liking." His dark eyes seemed to be focused on her beautiful face and the way her brunette hair framed it perfectly. Even in the poorer lighting of the school corridors, she seemed to glow almost angelically. A sort of light amid the cloudy and otherwise depressing day.

[Lizzie Weasley]

It looked as if her response had made the boy smile. At least, that's what she thought she saw. It was hard to tell but, Lizzie was awfully sure there was one there. That in turn caused Lizzie to smile. Many things made Lizzie smile, and laugh, laughing was one her favourite things to do, and smiling came second.

"You very welcome," Lizzie answered. Where and when to meet was a question she had to think out. The time the dance begun, was as good as any time to meet up. The question of where was a bit more trickier to answer. On one hand, they had nearly the entire castle to themselves. On the other hand, she wanted to pick someplace where they would be undisturbed by any snogging couples. She knew that they could very well find some by wander the corridors of the castle. No, it had to be somewhere a little more secluded, to slim down on any possible disturbances. Perhaps, outside the castle some where on the grounds would be a better place. The Black Lake would have to stricken off the list, it was a popular post-dance place for couples to go. Again, that was something Lizzie didn't want to be around.

Lizzie thought of what they could possibly do out of doors. They could walk about the grounds, until they found an area to settle themselves. If it was a clear night, maybe they could even do a little star gazing. That was something Lizzie liked to do quite often at night. A dark sky, full of stars, and the moon was always a beautiful sight to see. There were endless possibilities that the pair could do with such things available to them. It was hard for Lizzie to pick where, although the idea of being outside, weather permitting, was sounded extremely nice. There was less of a chance of running into a specific person, her brother Cooper, or any of her siblings.

Her eyes had wondered down to her shoes as she thought it out. She looked up at Blair the moment he spoke. He seemed like an old-fashioned gentleman - like out of a book. Lizzie never thought she'd meet a person with that sort of character upon meeting. It was a quality she liked, it was rare. "Shall we meet here when the dance is starting? If the weather permits, we could walk about the grounds. I believe it suppose to be a beautiful night, if I've done my astronomical calculations right, and there's the less of the possibility of stumbling up any snogging couples," she said, not speaking very loudly. There was not reason to speak loudly, their distance wasn't too long. Lizzie spoke loud enough so she could be heard, nothing more or less. She thought of coming up with an alternate place to go but, she could think of anywhere better other than the library.

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[Blair Snape]

The eldest Snape child, the misunderstood social outcast, actually felt as though he was entirely accepted by this lovely Ravenclaw girl. It was an exceptional sort of thing for him to happen upon someone, or, rather, have this extraordinary someone happen upon him, with whom he had things in common and found to be so close to perfection as this girl. Roxanne was a delightful friend but she had more faults than he ever cared to count. The biggest being her choice of friends even though she knew they were intentionally rude and unkind to others. Katherine was obsessive and, though she had her life planned out, he felt as though her priorities were a little mixed up. The Slytherin girl, Lucinda, talked far too much for her own good and was ignorant. Despite their flaws, however, he considered them good friends. This girl, this brilliant and beautiful Ravenclaw girl, was much closer to absolute perfection though; and, yet, she still talked to him and consented to spend her evening with him. It was more than he could ever ask for.

With his silly smile ever present upon his thin lips, Blair allowed his hazy orbs to linger on her stunning smile as she thought about the questions posed. The amount of time she used to reason out a logical answer only renewed his beliefs. It was almost as though her perfection had depended upon a little careful encouraging from him. This intriguing thought only urged the corners of his lips upward further. He hadn't meant to stare but, for some unknown reason, this young Weasley girl had captivated him to the point that he simply could not look away. Her wit, her candour, her enchanting smile and her enthralling beauty; he had every reason in the world to find himself enraptured by Elizabeth Weasley. Even the way her soft, sweet voice passed through her lips as she spoke made Blair pay even closer attention to this striking brunette Ravenclaw.

"This, Miss Weasley, is a perfect place to meet and I shall be here," answered Blair. He was tempted to tell her that he would not be late and that he would not miss their meeting for the world but he thought better of being so forthright. It would only make him seem foolish to say such things considering they'd only just met. These things could not be hurried along. No. He would wait and see how their evening developed before being so brazen. Though he was bluntly honest, Blair Snape was never so bold to make statements or give opinions that would ruin things; particularly his chances at a new opportunity that had only presented itself. This opportunity, in particular, was one that he refused to let slip through his slender fingertips.

Carefully contemplating her suggestion on where they would go and what they could do, his dark eyes still locked on her, the sixth year Gryffindor boy weighed the pros and cons of a stroll about the grounds on a perfect starlit night. If her assumptions on the weather were correct, he could see no excuse that could possibly prevent them from being together on the Hogwarts grounds. In fact, her suggestion was so characteristic of her stunning personality and appearance that he found himself just as eager for the evening as anyone who was fervently anticipating the school dance. Again, his smooth voice spoke. "Yes, a moonlit stroll about the grounds sounds like a perfect way to spend our evening, Elizabeth." Again, the overwhelming urge to tell her that he could not wait for the evening or for his chance to get to know her but the words obediently stuck there in the back of his throat.

Forcing his eyes away from her flawless face, he looked out the window again only to observe the soaked grounds as rain continued to pour down. In his mind, he was planning out the perfect path to take that would keep them away from spots such as the black lake or the Quidditch pitch. Both places were usually spots where love-struck couples or hormonal teenagers found themselves after escaping the dance. Blair had never been to either place on said events but he'd heard the loud bragging of others on the days following. It was enough to make one entirely disgusted but he'd never said anything nor did he bother himself with thinking about it. The only thing that mattered to him was that those sort didn't ruin his evening with Elizabeth Weasley. As he thought her name, his attention returned to her, and her alone.

[Lizzie Weasley]

Lizzie smiled as Blair had agreed to meeting her here, at this very spot, and his agreement to the stroll around the grounds. Although, she hadn't thought of it as a moonlit stroll, so to keep her mind from getting too far ahead of things. She didn't want to set herself up for another disappointment. From the present smile on Blair Snape's face and the amount of time he spent looking at her, she knew he wouldn't disappoint her. After all, he was the one to inquire if she would like to spend the evening with him, and in such a gentlemanly way. His manners seemed like they were straight out of a book. It caused her to wonder if maybe that was how he had learned to act as such.

She made a mental note to herself not to be late for their meeting. As long as she didn't start reading anything before the time, she'd be exactly on time. Lizzie was never late for anything at all. Only once had she been late and that was only back in her first year, when she didn't know her way around the castle just yet. Since then, she'd been on time or even early for every class, date, and meetings with her friends. This meeting in particular she did not want to be late for. There was something about this dark haired Gryffindor that caused Lizzie to feel extremely curious about it. It could be because he was a Snape, and she hadn't seen him around. She did recall seeing a boy, no, she was positive she had seen him in the library before. She had never bothered him because he looked as if he wanted to be alone there.

"I shall," she said after a few moments silence, "be looking forward to our meeting then." Lizzie didn't want to be so bold as to call it a "date". Technically, it was a "date", just not a romantic type date. Although, a stroll about the grounds with moonlit and a starry sky, sounded like it could be an extremely romantic date - she just didn't want to get ahead of herself again. She displayed a warm smile, her eyes looking upon Blair. He almost seemed like he was out of place in the Hogwarts student body but, there was something about him that told her that one day he would prove them all wrong and do something great or, he would stay exactly as his now. She couldn't understand why no one she knew ever mentioned Blair. They hadn't in any conversation she had. Maybe they just didn't know the same people, although she knew of a Lilith Snape in her house. The two girls never talking much, if at all from what Lizzie recalled.

Even as Blair had looked away from her, Lizzie kept her eyes on him. She didn't intend to but, she had begun to wonder how their planned evening might go. One could only hope it would go perfectly without any sort of interruption. Elizabeth hoped that it would start a most beautiful friendship, and if the fates allowed, it could blossom into something much more than that. She thought of what she might tell her older brother, and friends. She knew all too well that once the dance was over, her brother Cooper, would come looking for her. That was of course, he didn't find a girl to snog around with after the dance. Normally, he was one of those snogging couples you found in the common room, corridors, empty classrooms, and out of doors. Lizzie decided on just telling him the truth, the next day. There was no point in avoiding it. She did not want to avoid because of Blair, she wasn't ashamed of meeting him, or befriending someone who had unique qualities; Lizzie was just afraid of what Cooper might say to Blair. It was nice to have an over-protective brother but, for whatever reason she thought that he might not be so receptive about Blair. No matter, she would figure out a way make Cooper understand one way or another.

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[Blair Snape]

If there were two things that Blair Snape was NOT, they were a popular boy and the dreamer sort of hopeless romantic. Chivalry, however, was not dead when it came to the eldest Snape child. Between his mother's consistent nagging about the correct ways to treat a respectable pureblood lady and, more so, the things he'd read in countless books, he knew how to be a proper gentleman. There were other boys in Gryffindor that knew how to be a gentleman but most of them used it only to win a girl over before they got what they wanted and then moved on to a new girl. Blair, on the other hand, was quite the opposite of that. He always treated females with the utmost respect unless they gave him a reason not to. After all, men were give life solely to respect, cherish and protect women. Without the female of the species, there would be no world at all. That was Blair's honest opinion of it at least.

Once more the Snape boy noticed that he'd been so captivated by Elizabeth that he was staring once more. He hadn't been the only one but he wrote hers off to the amount of thought that she surely must be putting into their potential plans for the evening of their walk. She seemed more the dreamer type but not so much that it got in the way of pure logic. If that hadn't made him think she was so much closer to absolute perfection then nothing else could. It was uncanny just how fond of this Ravenclaw girl he'd become in only a matter of minutes. No matter how he tried to reason it out, Blair could not understand how or why he was left so susceptible to this young woman and her charm. Even the only girl whom he'd actually gone out with hadn't had him so enraptured in her beauty and wit. This young lady, this Miss Elizabeth Weasley, was different. She was special. When it all came down to it, the only apprehension that rose to mind was his desire to not ruin everything. Surely something would come up or happen to crush this magnificent thing.

Pushing every worry and apprehension back into the very depths of his mind, Blair found himself smiling still as he said, "I shall be looking forward to it as well, Miss Weasley." Again, he was tempted to add something foolish but the words 'more than you can possibly know' had remained nothing more than an afterthought. He could not be too brazen after barely meeting her. In due time, if all things went well, he would open his every thought and emotion to this girl but a trust and secure relationship would have to be built first. The foundations had been laid but there was still plenty of time to construct the rest of their sturdy structure. Time to trust and learn each other.

Unsure about what to say or do next, Blair averted his gaze toward the window once more. If their conversation hadn't continued and his eyes remained upon her, he was even more unsure about what would come of it. Thinking about apprehensions again, he was reminded of his thoughtful question about why such a perfect young lady could be without a boyfriend or, at the very least, a group of loyal admirers all vying for her attention and affections. There had to be a logical reason for it and the only thing he could come up with was that she surely had an older brother or over protective cousin that was sure to dissuade any boy who might take a fancy to Miss Elizabeth Weasley. It was the only reason that his very own sister Lilith had gone nearly her entire life without having a boy court her. All he could do was hope that whoever looked after Lizzie would allow him to spend time with this spectacular young woman.