| Details for Dreams and Damsels |
| Summary: | Esther is dancing by herself in the Black Lake, when Zayn finds her. He agrees to walk her back to the castle, while they discuss life, love, and their feelings for eachother. The game is changed by a sketch. |
| Date: | 1939-01-14 |
| Location: | The Black Lake, Hogwarts |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
  |
Esther is wandering down by the lake. Well, to be specific, she's toes-in the lake, walking along the lakeshore with her shoes and socks laid out neatly beside her bookbag, along with her robes. Just her blouse, and skirt. The ripples from underneath her toes, in the water that's barely half a centimeter deep, dancing gently along the lakeshore. She's enjoying it - The sun has almost completely set, the air is only a little chill, and the wind has died to almost nothing.
Zayn doesn't have much of a social life, this is true, though he is a rather busy student and most do not know what he does with his free time, aside from the glimpses of him in the commons room, in which he always seems irritated when he is interrupted. He is coming from from the opposite direction of as Esther is going. In his hands, for those who pay attention is a old and worn, black leather bond sketchbook leather pencil wrap, his head tilts curiously as Esther comes into view, "Going to catch a cold." he says simply.
Esther's light step ends, her next is a little flatfooted, bringing up a splash that gets her skirt a little damp. She spins around, opening her eyes to behold… Zayn. Smiling upon noticing him, the girl takes a few slow steps out of the water and to the smooth pebbles that dot the shore. "I'll warm up by the fire. Hello, Zayn. This is neither late enough or closed in enough for us to meet." She teases. Wandering towards him.
Zayn nods slowly as she approaches, "You have managed to catch me on one of my rare escapes from the castle." he says with a small wave of his hand, "None the less about the fire, be sure not to get ill is all." he says his hand moving up to run across his forehead, "Though you look… adorable." he says with a small chuckle.
"And you look so full of promise." Esther counters smoothly. Douglas is useful for one thing - Teaching her how to deflect idle compliments. "I don't get away too much either, really. It's nice to have a break. Have you been drawing, Zayn?" She gestures to the leather sketchbook, her feet going from cold pebbles to nice, cool grass. She doesn't seem to mind being barefoot, although it robs her of almost a full inch. The lightness it gives her step is a fair trade-off though. Plus, it reveals her pretty little feet. "The castle? Or something else."
"Nonsense, I look as I always do." Zayn says with a wave of his hand, "Not the once dancing about in the water." he says with a smirk. He looks down at his sketchbook and back at Esther, "Always curious about my art." he says with a chuckle, "Perhaps or perhaps I have been sketching the chaos that is my mind." he says with a smirk, "Still you are going to catch a cold." he gestures to her feet and lack of robes.
"Perhaps you always look full of promise, Zayn. Which might explain my curiousity - Even about the chaos that you call a mind." Esther smiles kindly, walking until she's only a foot or so away from her. "A little bit of being cold isn't going to make me sick. And even if it did, I'm sure there are people I could trust to nurse me back to health. How are you, today?"
"Perhaps." Zayn says with a slow nod, "Can't not hold it against me that I care about you." he says slowly with a small nod, "Err.. your health." he says with a soft chuckle, "Myself? I am well enough, a little tired, but that is a daily occurrence. Glad that I managed to get a few moments peace to myself." he continues, his eyes now staring into hers.
"And neither you I. Or yours." Esther seems to find the wordplay delightful, that usually unreadably grey fill of amusement and interest right now. "Perhaps being everything to everyone is taking it's toll on you. If I'm ruining your peaceful moment, please… Tell me. It would be terribly cruel of me to interrupt anything you enjoy." Locking eyes with him. The two have a habit of this.
"You interrupted nothing." Zayn says slowly, "In fact I think all your presence could do is improve it." he says softly and once again Zayn seems to let himself become a bit to friendly, his hand moving up and stroking Esther's cheek softly with his thumb, "And perhaps it is taking it's toll on me, however to many are nothing to anyone, a few have to pick up the slack." he says softly with a smile.
Esther's mind might register that it's too friendly. Too kind. The hand upon her cheek, and how her cheek leans into it. "Zayn, you're too kind. I'm /trying/ to be more to people… I've spent far too long as nothing and no-one. Maybe I'm inspired by your fine example." Whether she realises, of if she just moves, she pulls away a little. "It's such a shame." What, precisely.
Zayn retracts his hand slowly, his gaze still on her watching her, "Good is possible inside anyone." he says slowly nodding, "Though I assure you have never been nothing or no-one to be since we have begun to speak." he says, he doesn't answer her statement, he simply nods for a brief moment, "It is." he says agreeing. "Though understandable." he continues, his hand moving up and rubbing his chin.
"I never said 'good.'" Esther replies, levelly. "I'll… Never be convinced that I'm good, Zayn. Don't stop me doing good though, right?" The girl takes a step back, "Will you walk me back to the castle?" She asks softly, "Who knows what might happen if I don't have someone to protect me, after all." Another step back, and a pause. "… And I truly enjoy your company." She admits.
"Good is a loose word with a loose meaning." Zayn says with a small nod, "Good enough, is simply to negative." he continues with a small shrug, watching her as she steps back, "Of course I would take you back, though you need to put your stuff back on." he says with a small wink, "I enjoy your company too." he says smiling.
"Of course. I'm not so befuddled that I'd forgot to put my clothing back on." The girl retreats to her clothing, taking a seat upon the grass while she pulls her socks on, and then her shoes, and then slides into her robe. When she pushes herself back up, she grasps her bookbag and smiles at Zayn. "Ready as I can get."
Zayn nods slowly and starts to walk, "How are you doing? You seem in higher spirits then last time I saw you." he says, flicking imaginary dust off his robes. "Are you studies progressing well?" he continues with his questions, "Do you think about kissing me?" he says turning and walking in front of her backwards, so he can see her, sticking his tongue out at her.
"I am." Esther answers simply. "I guess I've matured a little more. Or maybe I've done more good since then." She answers steadily, "So far, I'm doing far better in charms than I thought, not really struggling anywhere which is nice." His third question provokes a deep blush, and a strangely honest answer. "I have. Have you thought about me?" Perhaps they're going to have one of those awkward relationships.
Zayn taps his chin for a moment, still walking backwards, "Perhaps, I don't kiss and tell." he says as he spins on the balls of his feet, seeming to enjoy tormenting her slightly, "Well it is good that classes are going well." he continues as if he didn't just make her brush, "Also despite the fact that I am sure you will have an interesting, retort, you are beautiful when you blush." he says looking over his shoulder at her. His hand moving up and running through his hair slowly, as he looks up at the sky silently.
Esther doesn't disappoint. "So you say. I prefer to look you wear when the weight of the world lifts off your shoulders." She smiles kindly, "I suppose that's just the way life is though." Whatever she might mean is again, untellable. Her steps are slow, causing him to either slow down or pull too far ahead. Trying to draw out the moment maybe. "Has your way of life affected your study?"
Zayn of course slows down, "Always with the retorts, you are a witty one Miss Esther." he says looking at her and tapping his nose, "One of the many reasons I like you." he says warmly. "Hmmm." he says tapping his chin again, "Well as I am a Pacifist, practical's in Defense Against the Dark Arts, are troubling, but I take it more for information then the intention to ever use it." he says with a small shrug, "As far as being a busy bee, I make time." he says nodding slowly, "Though it seems two of us are doing that." he says turning and looking at Esther, "Do you want to kiss me?" he asks like one would ask if they want sugar with their tea.
"I can't leave a kind… Or a cruel, word unanswered." Esther speaks as if to her they're almost similar. In many ways, they are. "If you'd ever like a hand, I'm happy to help. Perhaps I can help you with your practical work? I'm… Handy with a wand, and I'm somehow devoid of that hesitation most of us feel when it comes to cast on another." She has a blush, to her credit, as she reveals that little secret. The turn only brightens it. "… Yes. I can't, though… We both know that." She can't believe she admitted that. Biting her lower lip, she looks away from him.
"I never said we would, just asked if you wanted too." Zayn says with a small nod, "I am just trying to make sure I know where you mind is, I do not want to take advantage of you." he says slowly, nodding, "You are afraid of that after all. It simply makes it easier if I know your thought processes." he says smiling offering her a small wink, "Though I am curious, were you reminding me or yourself that you can't kiss me?" he asks, arching a brow at her curiously.
"Both." Esther answers simply. "I never said I would either. If I did everything that I wanted, I'd be either dead or wanted by the MLE." The young woman smiles kindly towards Zayn, "I trust you, Zayn… Maybe I shouldn't, maybe I'm an idiot for trusting someone again…" Jenny's memory still burns within the mind of the young woman, "And that means trusting that you won't take advantage of me. Knowing that we can want to kiss… And still being able to talk, eye to eye."
Zayn listens to her quietly, not saying anything and waiting for her to finish, "If this was all some elaborate plot to kiss you, the wrong mastermind is behind it." he says slowly offering her a small nod, "If I wanted to kiss you with out regards for your other, I would simply kiss you." he says looking at her, "It has happened in the past, though not always the best course of action, I have admitted that I enjoy seeing females fell good about themselves, you are of course no different." he says nodding softly, "Though you are different, however." he explains with a wave of his hand, "I know you are attracted to me, that you desire to kiss me, that you desire to dance with me and have me hold you close." he says his gaze moving at her, "But at the same time you do not want that." he says with a shrug, "And from you, I don't want anything you will not freely give me." he says with a small sage nod.
"…" Esther pauses, waving a hand gently in return. "You know an awful lot, Zayn… And yet I feel like I know so little about you even after everything - At least, nothing I'd ever ask you to confront." The girl bites her lower lip once again, but resumes walking again. "… What I want you to know is that… I can't freely give you anything more than my company - Than a dance, a hug, a conversation. Maybe not ever." A sigh. Perhaps she regrets it. "You're breathtaking. And I'm not the only one who knows it. So perhaps I'm not so guilty… Which is why I feel so blessed." Convoluted.
Zayn nods and listens, "My name is Zayn Arshad Shafiq, I have a owl that bites, I would do anything to go to WADA, in fact if possible I would have gone this year, but instead I will take a small investment amount create a business plan and start business after business for the rest of my life, never taking more then I need." he says nodding, "I am busy because my family demands it, I am an artist because that is my love." he says nodding, "Now you know more about me then most." he says looking at her, "You want to know what I see in you and why I am still here?" he says slowly with a nod, "Because you are truly amazing, plain and simple and why am I still here, because I offered you my friendship, you accepted and that is what friends do." he says nodding.
"… Nothing that suprises me, strangely." Esther smiles kindly. "Nothing I say will ever make you follow your dreams. But… I want you to know, Zayn, that they still matter to me. And time comes, I'll mourn their passing with you." The castle has drawn upon them far too fast. It's unfortunate. "… And I'll probably not have the respect to not try and convince you. Because the life of a slave isn't a life at all. Even if you have some liberties… A set fate isn't life."
"Well you are not easy to surprise." Zayn says slowly with a small nod, he listens to her and smiles warmly at her before reaching over at tapping her nose, "You are too sweet, you know that Lowe?" he says with a small nod, before removing his sketch book, his hand moves slowly as he thumbs through the pages, before stopping his hand moving to remove the page, the book finally coming into view, revealing it was the last sketch he had done, he offers Esther to take it, with a faint smile. The sketch is a picture of the two of them, dancing close to each other, though in the sketch the two of them have their lips locked in a deep kiss, his hand on her face. Once it is in her hands, he opens his mouth to say something but shakes his head just tapping her one the nose, "Goodnight Lowe." he says as he heads inside.
Esther receives the nose tap with a mildly indignant look and a mock-pout. Of course, when she takes the sketch, her hand briefly quivers, and her eyes close. Drawing in a slow, deep, fortifying breath, before she can consider the picture again. The second tap draws her eyes up. "… And yet you seem to manage it anyway… Goodnight, Zayn. Goodnight." Her eyes dip back down to the picture. She's fallen silent. Lost for words, the girl eventually finds her way to the castle wall. Pressing her back against it, holding the picture in both hands.
She slides to the ground slowly. Sketch in both hands.