winter's taking wing (open)

[grace]

This really was going a lot better than what Grace had initially expected. Perhaps there was some truth in her siblings' insistence that not everyone in the world was nasty or out to get her. Perhaps it was just her own paranoia. Though Grace could not help but maintain some distance, she just couldn't be entirely sure just yet. In fact it might take her a long time to even be halfway sure. Grace didn't really know how to go about these things, even now in this pleasant interaction she was pushing her comfort zone to dangerous limits. At least she didn't have to speak, no, she could keep her voice to herself like always.

Though really it was nice to see someone genuinely interested in her person when most people would either tease her, avoid her, or ignore her entirely. She laid the paper on her knee so she could write a reply. Since third year, wrote Grace, so that would make it two seasons at the end of this term. She handed it back to Nat, now finally for the first time really thinking that she was going to be a fifth year come that September. It was both exciting and frightening at the same time.

[natalia]

Nat nodded, smiling. She wasn't too much older, but there was still the age difference. Grace, who must know so much more than her, be so much more experienced. She envied that. She couldn't wait for each new year, each chance to learn things she couldn't get in books. Of course, she had learned so many extra things, but there was something about others complimenting her, encouraging her, that made her realize how much she really loved classes. Even the books beside her called for magic far beyond hers. She could only learn about the strategy, about the technique. Even her salves were limited to natural magic, much slower working without the aid of magic.

"That's really cool," she admitted. "So, are you going to go play professionally?" She asked. She knew many of the older girls on the team in her dorm were already planning try out dates for different teams she vaguely knew of.

[grace]

Grace returned Nat's nod, glad to see how kindhearted she really was, this girl wasn't like the others that she was so desperately afraid of. She seemed like she actually cared, like she wasn't going to take the information she was being given to use it against her. Grace ran her hand through her hair again. She really did hate how stubbornly straight it was, though she supposed there wasn't much about her appearance she was satisfied with. Grace had next to no confidence, her father had been sure to beat it out of her when she was a child. She was still trying to pick up the pieces, like a glass that had been completely shattered.

Grace smiled slightly, it was always nice to hear encouragement. She shrugged in response to the question if she was going to play professionally. Truthfully, Grace wasn't sure what she wanted to do outside of Hogwarts, something which her Head of House hadn't exactly been approving of, though had agreed with her decision to continue with all her subjects (OWL scores permitting) to keep her options open. Though the spotlight of playing professional Quidditch seemed to be a bit extreme for her, though players had been known to lead private lives off the playing field...

[natalia]

Nat nodded in understanding as she shrugged. "I understand completely," she said. Understatement of the century. Of course, she was only twelve, almost thirteen, but everyone in her family had known what they were going to do the moment they entered Hogwarts. Even her grandmother, who had been her idol, had known she would be an Auror. Her idiot of a brother came home after his first year gushing about Quidditch. Both concepts seemed foreign and terrifying to her. Even though she was no longer a part of that family, it was still a rooted tradition she had already broken, being so far without the slightest clue.

Of course, Grace probably found herself in a worse predicament, being without a voice. Nat had decided that if Erik could coast through life so happily and was still deciding, she had some time herself. It wasn't a judgment of character as people had led her to believe. As long as she decided by the time the professors began breathing down their necks to pick a direction. There was little Nat could do with Herbology, other than teach, and only God knew how she resented that idea.

[grace]

Really, Grace wasn't sure what she wanted to do with herself after school. She did still have three terms left to decide, though she knew they would likely pass even faster than the first four. She struggled to find a profession that would not depend too heavily on her interacting with people. She had helped Tain in the shop before, though Grace had never interacted with the customers- she had taken inventory, did a little bookkeeping and tidying up, but nothing anyone might be able to make a career out of. Her true passion was dance, though Grace had no idea what she would be able to do with that. She had read about muggle ballerinas and other performers, though wasn't sure how well she'd do.

Besides, she didn't want so much attention focused on her- with Quidditch it was divided between six other players, Grace was never the main focus. If she weren't so awkward Grace might fancy herself a dance instructor, though if she couldn't speak how would she be able to teach a class? Grace nodded and smiled slightly, glad that Nat understood her predicament. At times it seemed that nobody did, not even Nix who always seemed to understand Grace so well.

[natalia]

Nat laid back on the grass, resting on her elbows. The damp grass began to soak through her robe sleeves, but she didn't mind. Today was her no worries day. For once she was pleased to be sharing it with someone rather than herself. It was odd to think that she found comfort in another person's presence. It seemed as if the shy Grace understood why Nat struggled with social manners the way she did. The awkward long pauses didn't seem to bug her or annoy her the way they did others who took the time to talk to Nat.

"When I was really young, I wanted to be a witch. I wanted to brew potions to heal people," she laughed at the thought. "Or at least write about them," she admitted. "Before any of us knew we were wizards, that is," she added. She wondered how Grace might react to the new information of Nat being muggleborn. That had often broken the deal with the few that braved attempts at friendship with Nat--If the term friend was used lightly.

[grace]

Grace also allowed her posture to relax slightly when Nat did, though made sure that her arms and legs remained completely covered, Nat was not going to be allowed to see her scars, nobody was- just like they weren't allowed to hear her voice. She began absently twirling a strand of hair around a pale finger. She had used to do it when she was little, as if under the impression that it would make her stubbornly straight tresses curl. Grace nodded along as Nat spoke, glad that the younger girl wasn't having much difficulty shouldering the conversation on her own. It wasn't like she could be of much help with that.

She smiled lightly as the girl shared her childhood fantasies, she took it that she was a muggleborn, as Grace was herself. Until she was nine she had had no idea what magic was, why she could do the strange things that she could that the others couldn't. Of course it was all explained to her when she had accidentally driven her father insane. Grace wasn't sure how she should respond so she didn't reach for the paper again- but rather continued to nod along as Nat spoke so the girl knew she understood.

[natalia]

Nat bit her lip. Grace wasn't answering, but she wasn't giving her skeptic or bored vibes. She seemed genuinely interested in what Nat was saying, no matter how off topic and stupid it sounded. She smiled again. Grace was proving to be the nicest person yet. She noticed as she relaxed, and for the first time it registered with Nat. Maybe she was just as cautious as Nat was being. Maybe she was just as worried, just as scarred by her past, which obviously couldn't have been the best sans voice.

"So I take it Quidditch wasn't your childhood dream," she added with a little chuckle. "Normally when people ask me what I want to be, I tell them the most ridiculous thing I can think of, just to see their reaction," she wasn't expecting an answer of what Grace wanted to be. She was simply saying things that seemed to relate to the topic, which wasn't intrusively demanding information. If her suspicions were true, she appreciated the same from people whom she didn't feel comfortable hearing her own voice.

[grace]

Grace was faintly surprised by how easy this was becoming, normally in social situations she was so guarded that all she could do was stand in a corner, examining her feet, and praying that nobody would notice her. Though Nat seemed like a genuinely nice person- the kind of person that Grace had been convinced did not exist. Of course, she was no closer to using her voice than she had been when she first laid eyes on the young Ravenclaw, though this was still astronomical progress compared to how she usually behaved around strangers. Normally Grace wouldn't even attempt to communicate, but she had written several things already.

Grace lightly shook her head, she hadn't even known what Quidditch was until she was nine or ten years old, it was quite the popular topic within the Forest family, and probably why she had pursued it in the first place. She gave forth a smile that connected to her eyes when Nat said that sometimes she said the wildest things she could think of to surprise people. Were she able to speak it might be the kind of thing that she would do. She poised her quill again to put down a reply. I can imagine that would be fun. Grace wrote, then skipped a little space before adding, I didn't know what Quidditch was as a child, a lot of this stuff is still new to me.

[natalia]

Nat grinned as Grace wrote. Her grin widened as Grace had evidently been raised as a muggle. Something few people knew, something that seemed to be like a big secret to her. She had certainly been treating it like one. It wasn't something she was normally proud of. Many people, specifically Slytherins, frequently saw to it. But it was as if Grace shared that secret. She nodded as she read.

"Quidditch was fascinating to read about," she nodded. "But it terrified me to be off of the ground," she paused. "You've got to be really brave," she added with a sincere smile. It took a lot for her to get her feet off of the ground. Even climbing into the towers was stomach churning for her. What was worse was being beneath the ground. Not in a basement. In the dungeons. Stone. Barrier. Trapping her. She hated it. "What else is new to you?" She asked. Maybe Grace knew far more than Nat knew, being two years her superior.

[grace]

Grace took the smile Nat gave her to be encouraging, it seemed the girl was glad to have met someone else who was muggleborn. Really, she wasn't ashamed that neither of her parents had been magical- more so of what her father had done. He had been so viciously abusive, it had gotten even worse when she began experiencing accidental magic. He had been afraid of it, and like she always applied to those who avoided her because of her muteness, people feared that which they did not understand. Grace of course was nowhere near forgiving him about it, it had been unnecessary, but it hadn't been without reason.

It took a while to get used to, Grace wrote, though now it feels like the most natural thing in the world. I wouldn't call it bravery, more like being free. She let Nat see her response to that, her heart fluttering a bit, she hadn't ever told anyone what she really felt about flying before. She took back the paper at Nat's question, pondered a moment, and then wrote her reply. It seems everything is new, hardly a day goes by where I'm not surprised by things magic can do.

[natalia]

Nat smiled as Grace wrote that. In a way, she was jealous she couldn't feel the same way, but no matter how free one might find it, Nat would stay on the ground. But maybe she had overlooked the sport too quickly. Of course, she was certain she would go and watch Grace in the next match, not only to show her that Nat meant no harm, but to also prove to herself. Nat wanted to prove there wasn't anything wrong with her. She could be like everyone else. Have friends like everyone else.

"That's amazing," she said as she read what she said about flying. It was a personal thing to share, and she appreciated it. She wished she was better at conveying that she understood it, but she was still struggling, even with someone like her, to properly convey things. She went on to write about Magic, basically the perfect match to what she thought everyday. "Exactly," she smiled brightly. "Certain courses just blow my mind, like Potions and Transfiguration...and Herbology," she loved Herbology. Her Herbology professor had suggested thinking about Herbology seriously. She had then asked can Herbologists make a difference, and he had admitted that very few did.

[grace]

Grace returned to twirling a strand of hair around her finger in an absent sort of way. Really, she didn't know why she had been so afraid before, Nat seemed like such a nice girl. But she couldn't shake the wariness she felt of strangers, or even acquaintances. She could never see their true intentions until they had already done them, Grace didn't know who did and who did not aspire to hurt her. And it was frightening to not be able to tell the difference at first glance. She supposed that was the root of her social anxiety, up to the point of not being able to speak to anyone who was not family.

Grace smiled when Nat described her love of flying as "amazing." She might not have thought about it that way before, she just knew she must feel the same way birds did when she was up in the air- alive, free. She nodded along as Nat spoke, to show that she was taking in what the girl was saying. She didn't miss the way the girl paused before mentioning herbology, the light that shone in her eyes... Is Herbology your favourite? Grace wrote, she was getting that impression.

[natalia]

Nat watched as the girl silently twirled a strand of blonde hair on her finger. Secretly, Nat had always wondered what it would be like to look like many of the other girls here. Raug had moved back to Italy, leaving her the only Italian in the school. At first she had figured staying out of the sun could keep her skin somewhat equal to the other girls, the same milky complexion that seemed so flawless, but she couldn't stay inside. Then the eyes, which she had yet to master the small little charm she had seen. She had come out with one red eye and one yellow. That was the last time she had attempted the high level magic rather than simply read about it. Now her hair. Her hair was getting curlier and thicker day by day, and she realized she would die for the ideal hair of Grace.

"Absolutely," she read the message, grinning. "It's beyond amazing. The best thing Hogwarts had yet," she paused, still distracted by how she twirled her hair, as if looking to curl her hair. "I really like your hair," she admitted wishfully. If Grace was anything like her, like she had thought, the compliment wouldn't be wasted. Nat had begun something back home, her mirror covered in smilies for every compliment she had gotten. So many girls in her dorm were already depressed about their looks, Nat didn't want to be like them.

[grace]

Grace's pale blue gaze meandered up to the sky a moment, today was one of the few spring days that wasn't entirely overcast. Granted, there were quite a few clouds, though patches of gentle blue could be seen in the masses of pale grey. Really, it was quite pretty, as if a massive hand had painted it there. Grace looked back at Nat as she spoke, though did not maintain complete eye contact. A sign of her shyness and insecurity, she supposed, one of the many things that drew her deeper into her shell. Though Grace was finding it fairly easy to open up to Nat, normally she wouldn't be making this kind of effort. It was simpler to avoid people altogether.

It's good that you've found something you're passionate about. Grace wrote, smiling in approval at Nat's gushing about how much she loved herbology. It, along with astronomy, was the only subject that gave her trouble. She could do the theory just fine, but when it actually came to growing things her talent stopped with petunias. The flowers muggles grew in their gardens were simple, but magical plants required much more care. Grace blushed a deep pink when Nat complimented her hair, though she beamed all the same. It meant a lot to her, and her smile showed it, she almost never got compliments.