Contemplation {Lizzie}

[Lizzie Weasley]

Lizzie was glad to see that he was looking forward to their evening also. After all, he was the one who suggested it as well. She decided to keep this a secret, from her friends and her older brother. Cooper would probably want to have a "little chat" with Blair before hand. So, she was just going to not show up for the silly dance. It was really sweet that Cooper only wanted her to have a good time but, she just simply did not want to go. A walk with her new acquaintance, who she was growing to like even more even though they hadn't really spoken much, seemed like a much better alternative.

Lizzie kept a bright smile on her face. Her mind dwelling on the future evening. She realized that she was still standing in a corridor, half staring out of a window and at Blair. There were many things she wanted to say to him, however; if they starting talking now, they might not stop and that could leave them with nothing to say on their evening. At this revelation, Lizzie decided to go back to her own common room and leave this mysterious character. She of course would probably think about him until they met again. "I should probably get back to my common room." She felt a bit awkward instigating a departure, since she didn't want to. "Goodbye Mr. Blair Snape - until we meet again."

ooc; sorry for the delay, and shortness. i suppose we could just do a time jump in your next post?

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[Blair Snape]

ooc: It's fine and a time skip it is =D

The Date ~ 13th November
Tick. Tick. Tick. The sound of a small face clock on the nightstand caused the dark haired boy to fidget even more. Most of his dorm mates were laughing loudly and shoving each other around as they bragged about who they were each taking to the dance or else making bets about who was going to get lucky. None of that mattered to Blair Snape though. On any normal day, he'd have been irritated with them for being such womanizing prats but his mind was far too preoccupied to even listen to the senseless banter. His mind raced and his stomach turned. Nerves. It was as awkward as hell for him to be so incredibly nervous or uncomfortable over something so small as a thought but he still couldn't stop his hands from mindlessly fumbling with the corners of his book pages as he tried to read.

One by one, the other Gryffindor boys disappeared from the dorm and the sounds of their voices faded away. Not yet. Flipping the page and readjusting on the soft, pillow-topped bed, Snape reminded himself of the time and place. Sixth floor. Start of the dance. Sixth floor...to meet Miss Elizabeth Weasley. Once he was sure the common room was starting to clear out, he checked the time again and gave a short nod of approval. As if things weren't nerve-wrecking enough, he closed the book and set it on the oak nightstand so that he could look through his trunk for something more suitable to wear. His tattered jeans didn't seem appropriate for the occasion. And, for the first time that night, luck seemed to be entirely in his favour. A neatly pressed pair of black slacks with his school shoes and a dark gray, button down collared shirt was just what the event required. It wasn't terribly formal but it wasn't the sort of attire he usually adorned when not in class.

With his outfit on, a light-weight cloak, just in case the weather turned, in hand and his hair fixed as neatly as it would set for the evening, Blair slowly started down the staircase from the Gryffindor boys' dorm. Just as he'd expected, the common room was entirely vacant. As luck would have it, so was the corridor just outside. He only had one floor and one set of stairs to pass through. If all went well, he would go unnoticed as he made his way toward their special meeting place. The place where he would meet with his lovely Ravenclaw company for the evening. As these things came to mind, he noticed just how hot his palms felt. Relax. To add to it, his throat felt incredibly dry. It's just a walk. He'd rarely gotten like this and it was uncomfortable to say the very least.

As his shoes tapped very softly against the flagstone of the sixth floor corridor, the boy found himself fumbling nervously with the cloak he'd brought along. Pausing at the very same window that he'd first met her, the beautiful and clever Elizabeth Weasley, Blair leaned himself back against the wall. The frigid stones against his body seemed to bring Snape out of his thoughts and to a sense of higher alertness. He could hear something that sounded like a very light orchestral arrangement as it wafted up through the staircases. It, of course, meant that the dance would be starting very soon. If he recalled correctly, one of his friends had mentioned something about speeches and then a formal waltz signaling the beginning of the event. This also meant that Lizzie would be here very shortly...

[Lizzie Weasley]

Lizzie sat upright on her four-poster bed, reading away at her favourite book. All the girls were huddled around each other, helping each other with their hair, make-up, and those sorts of things. They had inquired why Lizzie wasn't going. She merely told them she wasn't feeling very well, and wanted to get some rest. The girls' fussing over things and chit chat about who was going with who and possible events of the night bored Lizzie. In fact, she barely even paid any attention to them. She completely absorbed herself in her book, for a solid two hours. Two long, long hours - that's how long it took those girls to get ready and leave.

The minute they were gone, Lizzie closed her book and set it aside. She scrambled off her bed and searched through her trunk, looking for something to wear. Liz had worn her pajamas throughout the day, playing it off that she wasn't feeling well. It was only now that she realized she hadn't picked out her clothes for the meeting with Blair Snape. It was meeting she thought about the entire week. She thought of nothing else, aside from her school work.

Lizzie went through her trunk, settling on black skirt that came just past her knees, a red blouse, and a black wool sweater her grandmum knitted her last Christmas. She was sure it would be chilly out and thought it best to be prepared for it. She slipped into a pair of black flats, ones she wore often for walking. It wasn't anything fancy in her mind, it something she wore often. To make herself look a little more on the casual side, she left her golden brown hair down. She brushed it of course, but she didn't have the time to do anything with it. She liked this way best, it made her feel more comfortable.

With a small contented sigh, Lizzie took hold of her sweater, and made her way down to the common room. Thank Merlin it was empty. She had just missed the crowd heading to the dance. Their chatter echoed through the empty common room. Lizzie waited, checking the time every few moments, until they sounded far away enough for her to be on her way. While waiting, she felt suddenly nervous. She wondered what if they like each other, or one doesn't like the other. That could lead to terrible evening. Lizzie reasoned her doubts with the fact that they did have things in common. There were probably more things they had in common as well. That reasoning calmed her down enough, for now. It's not a date after all, she reminded herself.

When the coast was clear, Lizzie headed down to the sixth floor. She took her time walking down the hall, taking even steps. Liz could faintly hear the echo of music filtering through the halls. That meant that the dance would starting, and speeches, and all that nonsense. She was glad she wasn't there, having a horrible time. She was sure she would have a wonderful time with Mr. Blair Snape. Who would have thought that a Weasely and a Snape were meeting each other while the res of the school was at a dance? Of course, those were merely their names and a name is only a name. What really counted was the person behind it, as Lizzie thought.

Elizabeth Weasley rounded the corner, turning into the sixth floor corridor. She looked up, having been looking to the floor during she short walk there. Lizzie smiled seeing Blair's figure head. The hall seemed to be dimly lit. Actually, it was almost always like that. Lizzie lifted her hand, smoothing down her hair, which was unnecessary but, a nervous habit. Her ears picked up the music coming from below again, signaling the beginning of the dance - her cue to continue forward toward Blair. She slipped on a soft smile as she approached him, her light footsteps echoing through the empty hall.

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[Blair Snape]

A very thin layer of condensation had begun to form on the window but that had little to do with the weather. The castle tended to do odd things all of the time; simply for the sake of ambiance. No, the castle did not have a mind of its own but that did not mean it wasn't charmed by the professors and headmaster to do these usually useless tricks. In the overly logical mind of Blair Snape, these sorts of things hardly meant that the atmosphere was any different. Did that make him a cynic? Perhaps, but there was much more to it. He wasn't a hopeless romantic or a dreamer but Snape believed strongly in mind over matter. Lifting his index finger, Snape pressed the tip of it to the chilled glass and allowed it to trace a straight line down from its starting point.

Finally, the light waltz began to play downstairs. He could distinctly make out the sounds of each instrument as it gave forth its music from the ball room below. The acoustics in the empty corridor didn't seem nearly what they could be in comparison to what the ball room had but it was not worth the trouble to attend a dreadful school social simply for the solitary song that started off the dance. Instead, Blair's ever alert ears took to devoutly focusing on each delightful note of the waltz from whence he stood. He was so enraptured with the music that the sound of shoes, tapping gently to a feminine gait, along the flagstone floor of the sixth floor corridor had gone entirely unnoticed. It wasn't until a half pause in the arrangement that the lightly echoing footsteps reached him.

In an instant, Snape turned himself around to see the exact person for whom he'd been waiting. As his dark, mysterious orbs took in her sheer perfection and beauty, Blair was filled with the same sincere elation that he'd felt during their very first meeting in this same corridor. The black skirt she'd chosen and the woolen sweater in her hand could not have matched his apparel so flawlessly even had they agreed upon a dress code for the evening. The thing that set her apart, the thing that gave her a more delicate and feminine touch, was her red top. Letting his eyes absorb each and every infinitesimal detail of this lovely Ravenclaw girl whom he'd found himself so enthralled with since first he'd formally met her, Blair noted the way her neatly brushed hair still framed her delicate facial features.

It was not so much that Blair was at a loss for words but more that his mind was flooded with accolades and praise that he desperately wanted to shower her with. He wanted, first, to tell her that she was absolutely stunning and compliment how she always seemed to brighten even the darkest of places. Next, Snape yearned to admit that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about this very moment since they'd agreed upon it. All of those things sounded sincere enough in the back of his mind but they would surely come out as nothing more than silly, meaningless flattery. No, he refused to allow such things to ruin this evening before it even had a chance to get started. Hence, Snape kept his thin lips shut and let the words fade away into nothingness. Her radiance mixed with his atypical thought processes at present left Snape practically speechless.

Second after painful second ticked slowly by before he was capable of composing his thoughts well enough to actually speak. Giving a slight bow of greeting, his smooth, careful voice addressed her, "Miss Elizabeth Weasley, a true delight to be in your presence once more." The smile, a sincere and welcoming smile, formed upon his lips and a light glimmer arose behind his otherwise dark eyes. This single evening was one that hadn't come soon enough and, now that it was here, Blair almost could not believe that he was standing in the presence of such pretty Ravenclaw girl and that she had given him an entire evening to bask in her complete perfection. Hesitantly, he offered his right arm and cautiously inquired, "Shall we, Miss Weasley?"


ooc: I really am very sorry it's taken me this long to get you a response. I haven't had much muse lately but I'm hoping that my post might make up for it.

[Lizzie Weasley]

Elizabeth felt shy and nervous as she approached him. She tried to shake those feelings off the best she could. It wasn't like it was an actual date yet, Lizzie found herself thinking about this day over the past week. The week seemed to have just crept by so slowly, and Lizzie had grown more and more anxious. She avoided her brother the entire week. If she had run into her brother, she was sure she would end up telling him about her meeting with this certain Snape. That in turn, would cause her brother to cause trouble. It was a sort of trouble Lizzie didn't need to deal with on top of everything else.

Cooper was the over-protective big brother type. When it came to Lizzie, he was extremely protective. It had always been that way, even before they started at Hogwarts. Lizzie adored her older brother, and he was one of the most important people to her but, this protection business was getting old. Lizzie was extremely tired of it, even though she did appreciate it at times. She knew she couldn't possibly tell Cooper about this night. There was no way he would ever let her. The Weasley and Snape family didn't seem to get along, Elizabeth Weasley here, knew that old feud would all end with her.

She couldn't find anything she disliked in Blair, so far. Lizzie was hoping that she wouldn't find anything either. He had been the text book definition of a gentleman when they first met. She somehow knew that he would be just the same now. The few seconds of silence before Mr. Blair Snape said a word to her, was somehow reassuring to Lizzie. She couldn't explain to herself why, it just was. Lizzie noticed that they seemed to have dressed quite alike. It was casual yet, still on the formal side. Nothing like what they would have had to wear if they had gone to that silly ball. Lizzie was even relieved that she was here instead of there.

Elizabeth gave Blair a graceful bow of her head. "Thank you, and I am as pleased to be with you again," she said in a soft, warm tone. It was the tone she normally spoke with but, it seemed much softer and warmer than normal. Elizabeth mentally sighed, glad to have gotten rid of all her nerves and anxieties in a matter of seconds. Lizzie stepped forward and took his arm gently, and said, "Yes, Mr. Snape." She smiled at him, feeling ten times better than she had in the past month.

ooc: It's okay, I know how it goes.

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[Blair Snape]

The sense of sight and sound were ones that Blair used all too often. Now, though, the overwhelming sensation of touch was one that flooded his mind. Touch. Miss Elizabeth Weasley, the beautiful and clever Ravenclaw, was actually touching his arm. Blair Snape was much less a physical being than he was more a mental entity. Everything he ever did, said or tried was only after careful contemplation. Nothing went without being thought over well first. Even this very meeting had been weighed out with each detail meticulously planned. This, though...this sensation that seemed to take over his every thought, had not been planned out. Perhaps he was making entirely too much of it but Blair could not keep the corners of his lips from arching higher upwards.

There were several flights of stairs that the two would have to descend and corridors that needed passed through before they could be free from the castle and its inhabitants. Being that the dance had barely begun, the chances of being seen were far less than they might have been if the two left any earlier or later. Taking this into consideration, Blair slowly led his companion away from their meeting spot. Companion. Not date, he reminded himself sternly. The notion of this being a proper date with such an exquisite young woman did cross his mind several times over the passed week and still it lingered at the back of his thoughts but it would be far to hasty for him to assume that it was anything more than a chance to get to know Lizzie.

Footsteps echoed lightly off of the walls of each vacant corridor but there was little that could be done to prevent the soft sounds. Besides that, Blair hadn't many worries about being caught by curious students. They would all be in the Great Hall by now or else hiding themselves away from the stresses of social events. Hence, the grounds would be entirely left to himself and his lovely Ravenclaw for the time being. Still carefully leading her down the final set of stairs, he chanced a slight glance at the perfect brunette who held onto his arm. Absolutely radiant. I'd daresay there is no creature who embodies perfection quite the same. Almost as quickly as he'd looked at her, his eyes darted away to watch where they were headed.

As the main entrance and exit to the castle came into view, Blair could hear the music much louder. It was no longer the delightful waltz that started each Hogwarts dance but now an upbeat song that he would hardly call 'music'. Leaving the sounds and those thoughts behind, he reached out with his free hand and pushed the solid wooden door open. Holding it ajar, he kindly noted, "Ladies first." Again, though, he found himself watching Elizabeth. His dark eyes observed her every fluid movement and each tiny detail of her person, particularly her stunning facial features.

[Lizzie Weasley]

As the two descended the stairs, Elizabeth's mind was working. She was reminding herself not to trip down the stairs. For one, that would be highly embarrassing, it would attract attention to them if anyone happened to be around, and Lizzie would end up taking Blair down with her. Liz wasn't normally clumsy but, she had taken she share of spills down there stairs. Most of that credit went to her dear brother Cooper.

Lizzie had to constantly remind herself this wasn't a date, not matter how Mr. Snape acted. It seemed that he was just always so...nice? No, nice wasn't the proper word. Well, either way, Lizzie hoped that it wouldn't change. It was a nice change from all the other students and they way they acted. Sometimes they were completely idiotic. Blair Snape seemed to use his brain, which Lizzie like very much. At least now, she didn't have to wonder if anyone else used logic most of the time like herself. Instead of acting on pure emotion, she liked to think things out. There are certain times though, when a girl just has to act on emotion, although Lizzie strives to not do so.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Lizzie hoped her brother wouldn't pop out from somewhere. She had momentarily forgotten all about her promise to him. Normally, she keeps her promises but, she had promised to go to the dance. That wasn't going to happened, and she hoped he knew that. Her mind briefly went to the event if her brother did happen to appear. For Blair's sake, she hoped he didn't. It wouldn't be a pretty scene. There was no sign of him at all, leaving Lizzie quite content. The two were far enough away from the Great Hall that no one would notice and the doors were right in front of them. "Thank you," Elizabeth said to Blair, as she stepped through the door into the cool night.

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[Blair Snape]

How he hadn't noticed Elizabeth before, Blair had no idea. She embodied, in his mind, everything a female should be. Elizabeth Weasley was strikingly beautiful to start off with and she carried herself with all the feminine grace that a proper young lady should. Her charm and manners were not lacking and she, as her house clearly proved, had a ready and able mind. Aside from that, she was kind and accepting. In short, Elizabeth was perfection and he had never met anyone quite like her. In fact, Blair found that he was silently reprimanding himself for not getting to know her sooner. If only I hadn't been so blind! No one and nothing had ever caught his attention nor kept him so rapt quite the way that Lizzie had.

"You are quite welcome Miss Weasley," he answered, his tone so much softer than he'd ever recalled. It was not simply the volume and intonation he used when responding but the way the words gently slid through his lips. There was the slightest hint of affection in the way that he said her name. Even Blair could not explain it but he expected that she wouldn't pick up on such a small thing. As much as he tried to assure himself it was insignificant, Snape believed there could be a chance he was becoming so enthralled with Lizzie that the apprehensions he'd previously had might possibly be melting away and giving way to silly, unnecessary feelings that surely were not reciprocated. How could they be? We've only just met!

Forcing himself to focus on something other than each intricate detail that he found so alluring about his companion, Blair cast a backward glance at the castle as the door shut. The cool evening air settled on his skin but it wasn't nearly frigid enough to use the cloak. Allowing his dark orbs to glance upward, toward the night sky, he took in the shape of the primary light source. It wasn't quite half yet but it illuminated the Hogwarts grounds more than enough for this peaceful evening walk.

Blair had never really been the dominant sort of person but much more a follower. Now, though, he had to coerce himself into making a decision as to which way they should walk. It would be improper for him to start interrogating her as to where she wanted to go. After all, it was Elizabeth who had come up with such a delightful idea as this stroll in the first place. Hence, weighing out each option as rapidly as his mind would allow, Blair narrowed it down to the most beneficial choice. If they headed East, it would lead them away from the lake. The only thing they needed to watch out for was the ever dangerous Whomping Willow. As long as the two kept a safe distance from it, the direction was perfect for a starlit stroll around the castle.

[Lizzie Weasley]

Elizabeth was content with how the weather turned out. She had earlier in the week poured over her Astronomy books and notes in any small attempt to sort out what the weather might be like on this night. Unfortunately, Lizzie never drew a solid conclusion on the subject - she didn't want to wrong about it. Course, she couldn't keep her thoughts off the evening for the entire week either. It was practically all she had thought about.

Lizzie hadn't been paying much attention to the direction they were going. She was very relieved to notice that Blair was. Her mind was on him. Liz was filled with so many questions but, couldn't think what was best to ask first. She thought it would be better if he spoke first, as it was most proper, however; he seemed to be swimming in thoughts as well. Lizzie ventured to wander what it was he seemed to be thinking on. There was a small leap of hope that it was her, after all they were together at the moment.

She managed to take quick side glances at Blair as they walked down the path he had chosen for them. Lizzie was surprised to find herself quite comfortable. She had originally thought that she would be too nervous and not do anything right. For some reason, she felt comfortable around Blair, like it didn't matter what she did or said, he would still like her. At this conclusion, Elizabeth decided to be the first to speak, as much as she enjoyed their silence, it was time to at least say something. "Lucky for us, the weather turned out to be perfect for a walk," she said. She turned her head toward him, not shy to be looking at him now. It felt a little too cliche to be saying something about the weather. In fact, that's not what she wanted to say at all, it just came out that way. Still, before babbling off like a fool, she waited calmly for any sort of response. She hoped he did think it silly of her to say such a thing either, so she thought to add, "Earlier this week I attempted to see what the weather might be like, just in case we had to alter our plans for the evening. I'm glad we didn't have to, I'm very fond of walking."

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[Blair Snape]

His ever observant eyes kept a careful watch on the route before them as the two Hogwarts students started on their evening walk. Briefly, Blair allowed his attention to fall on Elizabeth but only for short seconds at a time simply because he knew, from previous experience, that he would ultimately find himself so entranced by her that he'd more than likely stare. The mere notion of ruining things so soon with such an injudicious mistake as that was more than enough to keep Snape from letting his gaze linger on her for too long. Instead, he kept a vigilant lookout on where they were going such that neither tripped nor was caught off guard by anything that might get into their pathway. Alas, there was absolutely nothing and the potentially deadly willow was well out of the way.

Though his concentration seemed to be strictly upon where they were headed, Blair's mind was beyond focused on Lizzie. This was an evening that he'd waited for and thought about constantly since they'd agreed on it and he couldn't fathom exactly why. Yes. It was true that she was unlike anyone he'd ever met. Even more, she was the epitome of perfection. Still, though, he was struggling to wrap his mind around what it was about her that had him so deeply besotted. Perhaps that wasn't the proper way to describe what he felt whenever her image or voice drifted through his thoughts but Blair was sure that this was something far different to anything else he'd ever known in his entire life. Something so perfect and delicate as Elizabeth Weasley had always seemed impossible, or unreachable at the least, but here she was...and with him of all people.

A cool breeze picked up and caused chills to run down the sixth year Gryffindor's spine but he remained steadfast as they strolled along at an easy pace. Blair wanted this to last. There was no reason to rush the evening and no need to push things faster than they should go. If nothing else, they would have plenty of chance to learn each other and make a lasting friendship. Yes. Friendship, he told himself again sternly. As noted before, there was little use in trying to make more of the situation than necessary. Blair reminded himself that he was, in face, very fortunate that she had even decided to show up tonight. Surely there were other things she could be doing with her time than spending it with him.

Her heavenly voice shattered through his thoughts and caused the Snape boy to shift his dark eyes toward Lizzie. With as much of a smile as he could force, Blair responded, "Quite fortunate indeed." He'd thought about so many things to converse about and how best to initiate discourse but it was so much more difficult now that his mind was swamped with unnecessary ideas. At least, thought he, she is making an effort. Forcing himself to come up with something witty to add to her exposé, Snape kept his hazy orbs intently locked upon her angelic face. Finally, he rejoined, "Very clever of you, Miss Weasley, to research and study to ensure that the weather would be suitable. Can I safely assume that you are fairly skilled in either meteorology or astronomy?"

[Lizzie Weasley]

Elizabeth's eyes flew between the ground ahead of them, and her companion. She was astounded at how Blair Snape carried himself. In all her time here, she had never met anyone anything like him. It almost seemed like he was straight out of a book she had read before. But, that she knew was complete nonsense. Lizzie had never known that a person with such intelligence and manner would ever exist. She was quite happy that the pair found each other. It seemed that so far they were a great match.

She scolded herself for letting her mind wander so. There were so many possibilities of what could happen on this night, it was hard to think of what could happen in the future. Lizzie had to admit to herself, that his appearance was very agreeable to her. She already had picked out her favourite feature about Blair - his eyes. They were such a dark colour, unlike any she had ever seen. When Lizzie had her eyes fixed on the path ahead of them, she could swear she could just feel his eyes on her. She wondered if this sort of thing would continue on, or if their eyes would meet ever.

Lizzie resolved to keep her eyes on Blair, now that they were conversing. The hard part was over. The first subject to be brought in conversation. She hoped the rest would just calmly flow out in the open. One hoped for the awkward silence to never show it's unpleasant face. Lizzie couldn't see and instance with Blair that they would experience such a thing. That boosted Lizzie's confidence. It swiped away any fear of her saying anything that may sound foolish or unintelligent.

"Thank you Mr. Snape," Lizzie began. "I know a fair amount in astronomy and only a little of meteorology. I thought it best to try to combine my knowledge of the two. I don't to it often, as the weather is one of things that can be unpredictable. Even the experts get it wrong at times." The time she spend speaking, she kept her eyes locked on Blair. It was common for her to keep a gaze on the person she was talking to. Plus, if she wanted to even look away, she didn't think she could. Lizzie felt her cheeks grow warm and she was sure they were tinted pink by now.

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[Blair Snape]

Blushing? No. It's an illusion caused by the moonlight and her red top. Focus! Blair's eyes never once left Elizabeth's face as she gave her answer. Naturally, he assumed that she was the sort of person who always kept eye contact with whomever she was conversing. Why else, thought he, would she be so focused otherwise? Yes, he assured himself, she was merely being polite and proper. His mind had to be off tonight. There was no other explanation for why he was being filled with all of these thoughts and why he was finding himself susceptible to illusions of light reflecting off of objects.

It was becoming far too much of an obstacle for Blair to keep such silly things out of his mind. No matter how he tried to remain calm and collected, he was becoming more and more entranced by the Ravenclaw girl with each second that passed. once more, Snape reminded himself that they had only just met. Still, he could not keep himself from watching the neat lines of her face as each tiny muscle moved every time she spoke or smiled or even blinked. Blair noted the way her eyelashes elegantly came together before parting in less than a second each time she let her eyes blink. Perhaps this was what he'd meant?

Seconds seemed to tick by as though an eternity as he took in her beauty and perfection. Even time was playing its silly little game with his mind now. Forcing himself to think of something other than Lizzie, Blair finally managed to answer, "Meteorology requires much more mathematics and atmospheric chemistry than anything else, whereas Astronomy tends to be much more a guessing game unless you can read the stars flawlessly. It really is no surprise that so many give up before fully grasping either subject." As the words left his mouth, he wondered whether his father would have called him an insufferable know-it-all for showing off what knowledge he did have. That minor thought did make him smile a little more than he had been previously.

As the two reached the first corner of the castle, a scent of moisture wafted through the air on a light breeze. Casting his dark eyes upward, Blair noted that the sky was still clear and filled with hundreds of glittering stars. Again, his mind drifted toward things it aught not to. Out of the corner of his eye, he stole a quick glance at his Ravenclaw companion. No. This can't be the same thing. This is unparalleled by anything else ever. Pushing the awkward feeling in his stomach to the back of his mind, Blair allowed his gaze to return full to the pathway before them for a brief moment before he looked back to Elizabeth. "They may not be the most personable but the centaurs are quite knowledgeable on the subject of astronomy," he added as casually as he was able, "If you've ever heard one of them speak about the stars, it really is quite intriguing."

[Lizzie Weasley]

Lizzie could feel her cheeks getting warmer. A sure sign that she was indeed blushing. She couldn't quite pinpoint the exact reason for it either. It could have been because she was liking Blair Snape more and more as each second passed. Or, it was because she was just feeling completely comfortable with him. A third option was just the fact that she could keep eye contact with him and he was looking back. Most people at least glance away, where as Blair almost didn't ever seem to blink, or at least by what Elizabeth noticed.

Her thoughts flew back and forth between the conversation that had started and where things might go on this night. The thoughts of the night, continued on much farther than she wanted to. Lizzie couldn't help herself though. She felt a sort of connection with Blair. It could of been because he seemed to be one of the most polite persons she had ever met, using manners as she did. It even could be that they both thought logically. Maybe we are - no, it's early for that, too early Yes, even that thought that they were suppose to "be" together floated in her mind. She cursed herself for reading too many romantic novels - pushing the idea away.

"That it does. Seeing as I have only had five years of study into Astronomy and not much in Meteorology, I'm not exactly able to adequately determine something like the weather. It would be nice to have a Meteorology course here at Hogwarts though," she replied. Lizzie thought that Meteorology actually would seem fun to learn. Of course, she would have to go to a Muggle university to study it. She was sure they wouldn't accept a Hogwarts diploma as adequate secondary education. Hm, there were spells that could work around that little glitch thought. Lizzie saved those thoughts for later, reverting her attention back to the conversation.

As the bit of silence passed between them, Lizzie casted a gaze to the horizon. It was an awfully clear night. Thousands of tiny stars dotted the sky. She picked out several constellations, as she knew them all by heart. There were plenty of times where she spent hours outside picking out all the constellations and just watching the night sky. It was always exciting to spot a shooting star or too. Lizzie knew that shooting stars were just small meteoroids burning in the Earth's atmosphere but, she still couldn't help reciting a wish every time she saw one. Liz looked back at Blair as he spoke. "Really? I never have heard a centaur speak about it. Actually, I don't think I've even ever met one. I do know that they are extremely knowledgeable of astronomy, though. I could only imagine how much you could learn in one hours time talking with one." As she spoke, her eyes seemed to light up about the subject. She wondered if Blair knew this fact out of personal experience or just out of a text book.

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[Blair Snape]

"If you'd like, I have a few books and periodicals on Meteorology," offered the dark haired boy kindly. Blair had more books, magazines and articles than he really knew what to do with. Though his mother highly detested anything to do with muggles and muggleborns, his father allowed him to keep a fair few muggle books hidden away in the vast Snape library. It was here that he had first come across the subject of guessing the weather with chemistry and mathematics. As intriguing as he'd found it, the subject wasn't something he really felt adept in nor was it something he wanted to pursue further. Hence, he naturally figured that if the books would help Lizzie further her knowledge of the subject, or at least give them something to mull over together on another day, then he'd gladly have his father send them along for her. Not that he'd exactly tell his father why he needed the books though. Lizzie was going to be his little secret.

Snape really couldn't help thinking that there were hardly any lengths he wouldn't go to simply to ensure that his beautiful Ravenclaw companion was content. The glee that he felt each time she smiled while with him was unparalleled by anything he'd ever experienced before. Just the mere notion that he could make such a radiant and perfect young woman happy did more for him than Blair could explain. The worst part of it was that he couldn't grasp why he'd felt so devoted to her joy and making sure that she was content when they'd only just met. First, he attempted to rationalize that it was only to replace the void that his darling sister had left when she told him about her date for the dance. Now, though, he could tell it was much more. He wanted to make Lizzie smile more than he'd desired his own happiness. This was different. Very different.

His dark eyes glittered with something that hadn't been there much earlier as he watched Elizabeth looking into the clear night sky. Blair carefully took in each intricate detail of her face and the way that the starlight reflected in her eyes. This was the sort of moment that happened in books and, yet, the Snape boy kept himself from doing anything to ruin the silence. Books were fictional. This, on the other hand, was very real. He could still feel the sensation of her hand on his arm as they walked. It would have to suffice for now.

The way her face seemed to glow with excitement when he mentioned the centaurs forced a slight grin to form at the right corner of his thin lips. Blair wasn't the sort that boasted but he would not pass up an opportunity to gain favour in the eyes of Elizabeth Weasley. Proudly, he retorted, "Chiron and Thetis are, perhaps, the most agreeable centaurs within distance from Hogwarts. Though it is rather disheartening that they've been made to leave their herd, I must say that the two are rather delightful and brilliant for intellectual conversation; particularly Chiron." As he spoke, Blair recalled the first time he'd stumbled upon the male centaur. It was a nerve wrecking scenario to start with but he did nothing but gain from the encounter.

For a brief moment, Blair was tempted to ask Lizzie if she wanted to go into the forbidden forest to have a look for Chiron or his partner but he thought better of the question. It would be rude to disturb the centaurs at this time of night and it wouldn't be safe to take his Ravenclaw beauty into such a horrifying place with wicked creatures lurking everywhere. He, of course, would do anything to protect her but this was not the time for such an adventure...even if he did want to show off a little for her. She meant far too much for him to ruin this night before he even had a chance.

[Lizzie Weasley]

"Really? Well, thank you. I'm not entirely sure if I'll study the subject any deeper. I suppose if I have any extra time after my other studies, I could take a deeper look." Lizzie was talking a bit more like her normal self. She ignored her nervous, flighty, feelings. They were making her a bit confused, and Liz never much liked that. She felt that she had a strong connection with the Snape boy. It didn't seem logical, as they really didn't know each other all that well just yet. Lizzie momentarily wondered if anything would turn out like some of her favourite novels. That idea was just silly, it was all just fiction but, a girl nearly almost always thought about those things. Lizzie hadn't thought about that sort of thing for so long, she thought it had been just a stage. It was quite apparent now, that it wasn't.

As Lizzie continued to gaze at the sky, she couldn't help but wonder what was happening at the dance. She wondered how upset Cooper would be when he realized she wasn't showing up. He'll probably hunt me down tomorrow. Hopefully, he won't tonight. I don't think that would go too well, she sighed outwardly, without realizing it. She did love her elder brother. He, however; liked to show up at the worst times. Well, for Lizzie it was a great time, until he showed up. She was thankful he had been around a few of those times. This time, Lizzie didn't even want to think about it. She would feel complete devastated if he happened to cross their path a ruin the evening. Here Lizzie was, with a completely nice - no, a complete gentleman in her eyes, and the idea that it might be ruined had Lizzie feeling crushed. Lizzie hastily pushed all those thoughts out of her head. She didn't want to think about it, it would have her looking around every tree. Besides, Cooper didn't have a clue about her plans tonight, so as long as they steered clear of his usual spots, she'd be OK.

Lizzie was quite impressed with Blair. She had never met anyone who was acquainted with such a creature. She had read that centaurs were extremely intelligent creatures, despite what some people thought. "Why were they made to leave their herd?" Lizzie questioned, hoping Blair would know. It was sad, that was like being removed from or family, or even expelled from Hogwarts. Lizzie knew she would feel completely lost without either. It must be horrible to be alone, especially in a place like the Forbidden Forest. "I could only imagine how much you could learn from just one hours time with one. How ever did you come across them?"

The subject has sparked Lizzie's curiosity side. It didn't hurt to be curious most of the time. Her curiosity lead her to love books and learning so much. It sparked questions and the need to get answers for those questions. Lizzie remembered how she drove Cooper mad when he came back home after his first year at Hogwarts. Lizzie had wasted no time asking him every question she could possibly think of. The memory brought a warm smile to her face. There were times when she still did that, like now for instance. Maybe his answers would also allow Lizzie to learn more about Blair even.

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