| Details for People We Always Have Time For |
| Summary: | Esther and Musidora both seem some alone time - But it turns out there are people you'll always have time for. |
| Date: | 1939-01-13 |
| Location: | Castle Roof, Hogwarts |
| Related: | Follows How Fitting |
| Characters |
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Esther is still in her school uniform, leaning against one of the castle louvre's with a slender cigarette inbetween her lips. It's midday, a cool wind greeting castle rooftops, while the slender Lowe enjoys a moment to herself. The girl draws upon it slowly, and exhales with a soft little sigh, both of her hands gathered atop of her bookbag. She's been smiling so much since her fellow students were back. Sometimes for her benefit. Sometimes for theirs. Her face was starting to ache.
Rather than the scrape of shoes or the tell-tale scent of morning glory, Musidora's sheer physical presence might be sensed before the Ravenclaw announces her presence with a polite cough. She, too, is still clad in class hour trappings but dark hair has been left loose. "Sorry.. am I interrupting?" are the young woman's soft words. "I suppose I hadn't thought anyone would be up here."
"… I used to think the same thing." Esther turns around with a genuine look of appreciation. "Turns out I was wrong, though. I've been caught out a lot up here. Musidora;" The slender girl walks over to the Ravenclaw, and does something a little unusual. A hug that isn't given from sympathy, or pity - She genuinely missed the girl, despite how brief their encounters had been. Her cigarette is carefully held out to the side. "If I wanted to be alone, I'd be somewhere I can't be found. I just… There's certain people I'd rather not meet today. You're not one of them."
There is a momentary shock as the other girl embraces her but Muse only slips her arms around in a return attempt at comfort as a smile, fleeting, passes her lips. "To be perfectly honest, I never thought I would see the day when I would share the same sentiment," Musidora admits, drawing back after a moment to study Esther. Her gaze is serious. "Something still troubles you."
Esther sighs a little bit, parting so she can draw upon her cigarette. It's calming, weirdly, although it can still make her heart flutter a little bit. "… Everything worries me. I wonder why the hell I started caring about all of this in the first place. How about you, Musidora?" A pause. "What dwells on your mind today?"
"Oh," the Ravenclaw's expression seems to share, again, the sentiment, Musidora lifting a hand to fidget and twist a strand of hair around her finger. "I myself wondered when it was I started looking deeper." She moves away, then, gaze focusing then somewhere beyond the horizon, "My mind is a bag of cats on any normal day, but today… I dwell upon my lover, my friends. All of this nonsense about purity is troubling but…"
She sighs, and adopts a very Musidora like smile though there's a hint of disappointment in her eyes. "Knowing how to think empowers you far beyond those who know only what to think."
"I miss him." Esther's admission might be shocking to some. To hear her speak fondly of Julian is almost unheard of, her former tutor goes best unsaid. "Purity can go to hell. I don't want muggles anywhere near me or mine, but… Muggleborns? Half-bloods? If they're wizards and witches, then why the hell should I care?" A mild nerve touches, Esther smokes for a moment, and then sighs. "Yeah, well there's plenty of people who're telling others what they should believe. And for all it might sound wishful, I don't think you're any less sane than I am."
There's a tell-tale of tears that well up in her eyes just then but Musidora does her best to just will them away with a smile. If they fall, they'll fall silently and the young witch will be as stoic and mentally distant as ever. "Magic isn't bred without a reason," she says, her tone twisting cryptically, "but we shouldn't let them get in on us."
"No." Esther agrees, wrapping Musidora in another close hug. No hiding tears from Miss Lowe, it seems. Tiny Esther, supporting the older girl with gentle arms. "Sssh. Rhyme and reason's got nothing to do with what's going on here. S'evil people, and they're always gonna do evil things. And like all evil, s'gonna be vanquished by a good man with a heart of a lion and resolve of steel." Esther's tone sounds a little more common up close and quiet. Words slipping from one to another, still easy to understand but a little less… Controlled.
The sudden re-embrace takes her by surprise, especially given its origin but Musidora gently, firmly hugs in return. Sometimes emotional comfort does find itself in the strangest of places. "Hey. I just thought of this… what if those who can use magic out number those who want to gripe?"
Blue eyes lighten from sad, stormy dark to their usual friendly blue. There is always that hint of… sadness, where once it was purely blissful, ignorant happiness but at least she's relaxed. For a second.
"I should have seen the loopholes."
"Loopholes? Don't matter." Esther answers so very simply. "Only takes a few. Don't take much for'n apple to be gone with rot, even if most've it's hale and healthy." Pulling away, she collects herself, and her voice returns to normal. "Although, I've been thinking about a study group, that could be of interest. I wanted to see if people could put magic ahead of everything. Pride, person, blood, house… Like an anonymous group of students discussing and learning ourselves, without adult bias, without being told what can and can't be done. Where I can ask questions that might be entirely inappropriate for Esther Lowe. Would you… Like to come along?"
There's a long moment. Musidora does, seriously seem to consider this time as opposed to blindly agreeing. However, something about Esther's seeming eagerness, she's almost hesitant. A hand reaches up to fidget at her hair. "Maybe."
Esther nods. It's the most considered answer she's got so far, so she's not going to question it. She mimicks the action almost unconsciously, running a hand through her own beautiful mess. A final draw on her cigarette, before it's put out against the underside of her shoe. "I wouldn't force you to, after all's happened. But…" A pause. A bite upon her lower lip, now that her oral fixation has gone. "… Might be the closest I'll come to seeing Julian again, now."
Point to Esther for capitulating Muse's obvious to some but not most weakness. The other young woman's consideration for Julian alone, regardless of its origin draws out a sense of rightness, it's set a warmth in her heart.
Finally, with a resigned sigh she smiles.. and issues, softly, "Perhaps being a blood traitor is not such a bad thing." Then, leaning in she drops a friendly kiss against Esther's cheek. Even as she recognizes the other woman's machinations, it doesn't seem to bother.
"It might…" she doesn't echo the other girl's comment, merely nods and turns to go whilst stifling a yawn. "I am always open minded, for those who make a solid argument and you always seem to have a focus. Try me again when we've rested, aye? "
Musidora nods and then ducks out, touching her fingers to her lips before motioning at Esther and heading back to the dorms.
It's not her only reason for wanting the pair there, of course. A gentle blush spreads over her cheek i nthe wake of the kiss, friendly though it might have been. "You're one of the only people who thinks I'm not completely cracked, you know." Esther points out, both of her hands now held together, infront of her. "… But liasing with him directly cannot have a happy ending, I've realised… At least, not right now. I'll talk to you another time, Musidora; I'll always have time for you."