Night By The Lake

[Riley O'Connor]

Riley O'Connor sat on the far edge of the lake away from the castle. The moon shone faintly above her, reflecting of the still glass surface of the lake. She wasn't generally one to break the rules, but there were often nights when she would sneak from the castle and sit by the edge of the lake, staring at the reflection of the stars. Just to think. She loved the night; the light breeze; the still, quiet, dark. It was peaceful. And solitary. It was her perfect place. A place she fit in completely. She let her thoughts come and go as they pleased. Mulling over each one individually and very carefully. Tonight her thoughts were rambling. Going back and forth between random things and Mike.

Oh, Mike. You are the one thing that has ever made my life complicated. And I HATE it. But absolutely LOVE it at the same time.

Confusion was a thing Riley wasn't used to in the least. She wasn't sure how to handle it. She was used to being able to solve everything easily. Even the most complicated of problems. Problem solving just came easy to her. But not in this particular situtation.

Maybe the fact that this was a relationship issue made this hard. She had never really dealt with relationships before. Relationships were better dealt with by not having them. At least that was how Riley saw it.

Riley pulled her blanket closer around her. She could tell winter was coming closer. The nights weren't nice and warm as often. They slowly got chillier. The breeze chilled her, even through her blanket and light sweater and jeans. She wished she would have warn robes. But she didn't and there was no point in wishing. Although there was something she was wishing for...Mike, of course.

Riley sighed.

[Mike Blaze]

Mike, for the first time in the new school year was at the Quidditch pitch, well second time, the first being the afternoon he had finally asked Audrey out. However, this night was the first he had flown. He had been thinking about letting the Bludgers out and take and his bat and bat them around a bit but he didn't bother. Up in the air, he hovered near one set of goal posts, looking over the lake where the moon was, if only Audrey was up here with me to see this, he thought to himself. He noticed a dark figure sitting near the edge, he didn't think much of them, could be just a random student enjoying the night.

He flew down towards the ground and let himself lightly hit the ground, he fell of the broom, rolling onto the hard ground below. Rolling over onto his back, he looked up into the sky, then pushed himself up and grabbed his broom off the ground and exited the pitch.

Walking down the path towards the Castle, he figured maybe it wasn't after hours if one student was sitting out here, so he may as well take a moment to enjoy the night himself. Leaning his broom against the wall, he walked down to the edge of the water directly down the lawn from the castle. He wanted to have some fun and use some magic for no reason, he lazily took the wand out of his back pocket and flicked it muttering, "Expecto Patronum", just to enjoy the bright figure out of his Patronus. A ghostly wolf erupted from his wand and galloped across the water's edge. He watched it, maybe being a distant relative of wolves or werewolves or whatever you wish to think of them as, isn't so bad.

He turned his attention to the figure a good ways away from his position, he had almost completely forgotten them since his walk back to the castle, curiosity overtook him, but then a weird sense overtook him and he realised who it could be, Riley?

[Riley O'Connor]

The silence was broken. Riley looked around carefully to see where the soft shuffling of feet in grass had come from. She didn't see anybody. She wasn't scared though. It didn't matter to her who was walking around tonight. If it was staff, she would quietly sneak off. If it was another student, then it didn't really make any difference to Riley. They would come and go without even noticing her, most likely, and she could enjoy her night in peace.

She looked out across the lake again. And then the ghostly white, glowing figure of a wolf gracefully ran across the edge of the clear lake.

A potronous...not just any patronus...Mike's wolf.

"You've got to be freaken kidding me," Riley said aloud. "This is ridiculous!"

Riley jumped up from her comfortable spot on the soft grass. She wadded the blanket up into a ball and pulled her wand out of her jeans pocket.

"Lumos!" Riley commanded of her wand, and a smal light erupted from the tip. Riley stood there for a moment. Frozen. He had most likely seen the light from her wand, but he would doubtfully investigate. She could go speak to him...or she could go back to the castle. She didn't really like either choice very much. She hated when wishes came true. Deeply hated. So Riley stood for what seemed like forever.

[Mike Blaze]

"Lumos!" Riley commanded of her wand, and a smal light erupted from the tip.

Mike had turned his attention to the lake, again, putting aside the thought the figure was probably Riley. When the figure's wand lit, Mike's head spun to stare at the figure. A teacher maybe, who else would use magic outside if it wasn't a teacher, well Mike of course. Being out possibly late, after hours, and having just done possible magic. "Damn," Mike cursed under his breath, the figure seemed to be just standing there. Maybe it wasn't a teacher or student afterall? It was a teacher, he'd guess it would be halfway to him, maybe to investigate who he was and why he was outside so late, or a student, who would be more than likely on their way to castle nervous Mike himself may be a teacher that would scold them for being out so late. Whoever it was, whatever it was he kept his hand clenced on his wand, just for safety, watching the figure. It seemed to be carrying something, he had no idea what it was though. He took a few steps along the edge towards the figure who was yards away.

[Riley O'Connor]

He took a few steps along the edge towards the figure who was yards away.

Mike took a few steps toward Riley. She was pretty sure he didn't know who she was, but she was positive the figure was him. Who else would have a wolf patronus? If he was curious enough to come towards her, she might as well play along. She decided to go towards him, slowly, as not to make him think she was a teacher.

She took small steps around the lake. Very slowly. A strolling sort of walk. She stopped to see if he would take a few more steps towards her. She looked out at the lake during her pause, wondering where this was going to go. Surprisingly, she wasn't nervous. She was actually enjoying this. She chuckled to herself.

[Mike Blaze]

As the figure came closer, the moonlight shone a little bit on the figure, Mike could faintly just make out the girl, as he knew could tell, had red hair. He thought to himself, Audrey? Mike continued towards the figure, they looked shorter than he so he knew it couldn't necessarily be a teacher, "Lumos" he muttered quietly holding his wand up hopng to finally see who the figure was, still couldn't well. "Having fun out here, after hours?" he said quietly, although loud enough for the figure to hear him. Damn, too bad he wasn't a prefect, this would be a great oppertunity to bust a student.

[Riley O'Connor]

"Having fun out here, after hours?"

Riley giggled slightly. It was Mike. His voice was unmistakable. "Might I remind you, you're out after hours just as much as I am," Riley informed him. Just like me to sound like a know-it-all. She scolded herself. She needed to work on that fault. "What are you doing out here anyway?" Riley asked him out of pure curiousity. There was no way he was out here to see her. But she could always hope....

[Mike Blaze]

His question, finally answered, it was Riley. He was a little bit dissapointed believing for the moment it was Audrey. "Might I remind you, you're out after hours just as much as I am," "I actually have permission to be out here," he said, forgetting until this point he had a piece of parchment from Professor Middleton saying Mike could get some flying in. "You however do not, Ms. O'Connor." he said smirking. "What are you doing out here anyway?" Riley asked him out of pure curiousity. There was no way he was out here to see her. But she could always hope.... "I decided to get a little flying in before the practices start up." he answered her. "Night is always been a favorite time of mine to be out at the Qudditich Pitch flying." he said shrugging. Turning the question on her, he said, "Now, what are you doing out here?" he said. He extinguished the light of his wand and pocketed it while waiting for his answer.

[Riley O'Connor]

"Now, what are you doing out here?" He said. He extinguished the light of his wand and pocketed it while waiting for her answer.

Following Mike's lead, Riley extinguished her light as well. "I like night. It's quiet and peaceful. A time to think without and interruptions," Riley laughed at the irony. She came outside to sort her thoughts of Mike without Mike, and look who was here. Mike. She laughed again. A little louder and bigger this time. She felt free. She let the breaze blow through her red curls. She felt the cool on her pink cheeks. It was wonderful.

Riley turned to Mike, she had almost forgotten his presence. She felt silly for acting so free in front of him. "Wanna walk? Or sit?" Riley asked him, refering to the wadded up blanket in her hand.

[Mike Blaze]

"Yeah... night is rather quiet. Good time to practice flying a bit. I never prefer daytime flying, wish the teachers would considering making the Quidditch Matches at night." he said shrugging. "Uh... I guess a walk would be ok." Mike knew in his opinion sitting on the same blanket with her would be out of the question, besides if Audrey had seen them, she'd get the wrong idea and practically kill Mike. Anyways, friends take walks all the time, so this was fine.

OOC: Sorry it's so short, but I'm tired. We'll continue tommorow

[Riley O'Connor]

OOC: I'm too out of sorts to be in character. BLAH!!

[Riley O'Connor]

There was silence as they walked. Riley tried to think of something to say. She could feel the extreme akwardness betweeen them, and she hated it. This wasn't how she wanted it. AT ALL. She mustered up all the courage she had and spoke, "You think I like you..." She wasn't exactly sure if it was a question or a statement. But either way, it got the point across and opened up the subject for discussion.

[Mike Blaze]

"You think I like you..."

Mike's throat went dry, walking with Riley was fine, but now came the scene earlier that day back to his thoughts. "I don't exactly think you like me, well I mean as a friend, of course, but the way Audrey likes me, I can't say that for you." he said. "Just, the way you froze up around Audrey, saying you didn't know about us, I figured, you did?" If she brought this whole thing up, maybe she really didn't like him, maybe she was trying to make a point to show she didn't.

[Riley O'Connor]

Riley was done beating around the bush. She wasn't sure where the honesty or the courage was coming from, but it was there. She was changing, she could tell. But maybe a change for the better was in order.

"Maybe I do. Or maybe it's the fact that I've never had anyone want to be my friend. I'm not used to socializing, and I didn't want Audrey to get the wrond idea, but I think she did after all. I just need someone. I've been so alone all my life, and it's beginning to get very old. I'm not asking for or expecting anything other than friendship, and even that seems to much to ask."

Riley breathed a sigh of relief. That wasn't as hard as she figured. She closed her eyes and held her breath waiting for her answer. She didn't expect this to be easy at all. She always prepared herself for the very worse.

[Mike Blaze]

Mike knew exactly what she was saying, he knew her to be quiet from the point he met her, she needed a friend, and he was that friend. "It's not at all too much to ask, I'm your friend, there's a ton of people here in Hogwarts who don't know you, but if they got to know you, they'd be more than happy to be your friend. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to like me, that is, if you do. But there are other guys. But you could start with friendship first. Don't worry about Audrey, she did get the wrong idea it seems, but she understands everything now." he said. Riley was the quiet type, he knew this. Mike, being the good guy he was, wanted to let Riley know everything was ok. He gestured to her if she wanted a hug, he was more than ok with this.