[Lake] Heres Tom with the weather.

[Dania Dahl]

The rain dripped sluggishly, crawling down the blades of grass like lifeblood and festering in murky pools of leafy filth. It was a day where Dania felt particularly drawn to, the crisp air strangely comforting against the pallid surface of her skin, of which an otherwise sunny day might have burned. She had nestled herself within the slight nook of a large tree, relaxing her limbs to the curves and bends as if she breathed and existed as part of the branched creature, too. The sound of the rain collapsing against itself, the beads of water coalescing and trickling into the lake.. It was a scene almost glamorized in the frail girl's mind, watched quietly with a love almost painful to her heart.

She tucked a vivid tendril behind her ear, toying idly with the loose braid of her hair as wound its way to the side of her throat. Her eyes, near-black, observed with an almost lucid clarity, as if everything seemed brighter and more crisp with the prospect of autumn and the imminence of winter. Her hands fell to her lap, briefly brushing against the wand in her jacket pocket and the thought of having to return to the pile of schoolwork waiting for her up in the common room. Dania near-frowned though the expression was halted as abruptly as it nearly started, and her eyes merely flickered with a touch of exasperation before quelling and softening again.

Piotr seemed to almost shiver in her hands as he made his way up her sleeve and on to her shoulder, flicking his forked tongue and cocking his head to one side as if to ask her why she was simply sitting there and not feeding him. "I already gave you something before we left." Dania noted quietly towards the little snake, briefly sticking her own tongue out at him before her mouth fell back into its small smile. The gesture, had it been witnessed by someone else, would appear incongruos yet strangely suiting, however short-lived it may have been.

[Adrian Malvalian]

Of course, he'd seen her around. Her pale, flawless skin was bound to draw the eye of many of the males that attended Hogwarts. She seemed to Adrian as pure and sinless as the newly created Eve, and not just because he could easily imagine her naked. Her body was natural, carved with the slow grace of time, and her skin as light and as smooth as stone carved about the Vatican. If there were a God, Adrian found himself hoping he was a good enough for a woman as profound as Dania to spring forth from his rib. Contrasts between the two urged that such a thing could not be possible; Dania, delicate and pale... and Adrian, dark and robust. Not for the first time, the fifth-year found himself wishing that he had someone to present these thoughts to. Not the pure physical attraction he felt. That he could joke around about with the boys. But the pure amazement he felt, and the inspiration that followed, when one witnessed a magnificent piece of art? No, the guys back at the dorm would surely not understand that.

Though he knew himself unworthy, Adrian felt his gaze trailing across her vivid hair as he drew near. Then, as though his daydream of her amongst the fair garden with nothing but leaves to cover her most private areas were coming to life, he spotted the small snake Piotr poke his head out of the neck of her sweater. Adrian couldn't help but break into a smile as he watched her speak softly to the reptile before sticking her tongue out at it. In his mind he could hear a sickly sweet serpent voice seeping forth, eagerly telling the virgin Eve to taste the forbidden fruit.

"That snakes not leading you to temptation, is it?" Adrian joked as he drew close, running his fingers back through the right side of his hair, conscious not to muddle up his faux-hawk. A lopsided grin inched across his face as he slid into his usual routine, never showing nervousness or insecurity. He fell easily into the act, having perfected it his first year at Hogwarts.

[Dania Dahl]

A small hiss rippled from her tiny companion as he swung his head to stare, and the gesture almost seemed to remain unnoticed for a moment before her dark eyes met his. Almost black, they unsettled anyone they fell upon, and many preferred to look away rather than directly at them. He ran his hand through his hair carefully, a manner that almost blatantly expressed the presence of nerves. What could he possibly be nervous for? Gathering the snake in her hands again to allow her thought before responding the Hufflepuff breathed slowly, blinking at him. "The only thing this one might lead me to would be food." Dania almost smiled, "Hes quite the eater. Careful, hes hungry." He had prompted a responce, which coming from her was quite an accomplishment.

The small girl had never seen him before, and if he was expecting her to be aware of his identity his ego would be sorely disappointed. There were other things more capable of holding her attention, and reputations certainly weren't one of them. "Ah well, I'll be fine. There isnt anything here I'd be tempted by." The gentle tease accompanied a small sparkle in her eye, which if caught would be processed as a joke and not an insult. Though she didn't give off an air of superiority so she was sure he wouldn't take it the wrong way.

"Who are you?'"

[Adrian Malvalian]

The lopsided grin that cracked his face didn't falter as the small serpent let out the warning hiss. In Hogwarts, you were bound to find something much more terrifying than the pet snake curled in Dania's sweater. Her dark gaze also did little to deter him. Though, Adrian was a stubborn little bugger, and once he got his eyes on something he tended to not give up easily. Right now, he had his eyes on the spot of grass near the fairskinned Hufflepuff girl. The last thing he wanted was to be in the dormroom, alone with his thoughts again. Where the fire cast shadows he couldn't hide from, and taunting memories seeped into the blank slate of his lonesome mind. So, instead of taking the hint and making himself scarce like most of the males in this school would, Adrian let himself shrug and say, "Hey, better to be wanted around as a potiential snack than not wanted around at all."

And with that, he lowered his bulk to the ground and crossed his legs partway above the ground, wrapping his thick arms around his knees. It wasn't the most flattering pose, but since he was a child Adrian had found it comfortable, and had never given it up. A rumble of a laugh slipped through his lips at her playful comment, and he was surprised he had gotten her to make such a remark at all. Dania was known to be quiet; proof was given nearly daily in the few classes they shared together.

What finally wiped the satisfied grin off of Adrian's face was when she asked who he was. This wasn't because he expected everyone to know who he was, far from it. The Slytherin snobs were better at making a name for themselves at this school, and keeping an active and collective eye on them at all times. No, it was more because Adrian had managed to notice her in the dormroom, the great hall and the classrooms... But Dania had apparently never noticed him. As quickly as he could, he recovered his smile, instead of looking disappointed like he wanted to.

"I'm not surprised you don't know me, I've had my head in my books all year so far," He gave another chuckle. "OWL's, you know. I'm definitely not excited for them. Anyway, I'm Adrian. Adrian Malvalian. And it is nice to meet you." Adrian stuck out his hand to shake, even though he feared that so much as taking her delicate fingers in his grasp make him sweat. What if he broke her hand or something?

[Dania Dahl]

Her question struck a chord, and a flash of disappointment crackled across his expression before he reconstructed his carefully composed smile once more. Somehow the excuse of studying, hastily taped and mended before tumbling nonchalantly from his mouth, didn't ring with quite the air of truth he wanted it to. Close, actually, and perhaps if she hadn't noticed it she too might have believed, as many others did, the guise he had wrought for himself. He was good at this, a skill acquired after long years of practise most likely, and was certain it would hold against her smouldering eyes. Dania granted him that feeling of security and calmed her inquisitive stare, trying as best she could to soften her eyes. They were so dark, so harsh.. No wonder many could not stand to see them.

The Hufflepuff stared down at his hand, blinking once slowly before taking his palm after a moment. What met his delicate and somewhat nervous attempt was not in fact the feeble, featherlight grasp he was expecting but a cool, dedicated shake, firm enough to be taken seriously yet the furthest distance from breaking him. "My name is Dania." She released his hand with a small smile that didn't quite touch her eyes. "I didn't interrupt your walk, did I?" At least she assumed thats what Adrian was outside for, what else could possibly be the reason?

"Do you.. Do you remember the last spell we learned in Charms?" She spoke haltingly, quiet at first as if unsure she should really ask this. Seemed rather silly, really, a witch who was all but handicapped in the art of magic. Dania was frankly quite terrible at it, she was able to master a few incantations but really she had the magical capabilities of a rice cracker. "Could you.. Show me how to do it?"

[Adrian Malvalian]

Dania's tender hand slid into his with the ease of a hand into a glove, and he closed his fingers around hers with care. He didn't hold her like a small, thin piece of glass. He returned her firm shake, appreciating that she didn't just shove her hand out there, limp like a dead fish. As he pulled away, he dearly hoped that his palms had not been sweaty, but he daren't rub his hands on his pants beforehand. He didn't want to give any inkling that she made him nervous.... even if he was reasonably sure that she already knew.

"Of course not, I was just heading back after my walk." Adrian didn't want to pull his gaze away from hers, but the pressure that came from her questioning eyes drove him to turn away ever so briefly. He let himself chuckle and say, "If anything, you interrupted me on my walk back from my walk. Which isn't much of an interruption at all. More like a welcome reason not to go back into the school."

There was a moment of uneasy silence before her melodic voice broke in again, and Adrian realized he had been staring. Her slight stutter at the start of her question eased his tension, and gave him the hint that maybe he wasn't the only one feeling uneasy. This time, the smile came naturally, and easily.

"Of course, not a problem," He told her as he pulled his wand out of his robes. "Although, I have to tell you, I'm not a master at it. And I've never been much of a tutor, but I'll give it my best shot. We were working on the severing charm, am I right? I remember because I nearly took off my friend's arm, even after Professor Potter warned us how dangerous it can be if not aimed properly." Adrian came to an abrupt halt, realizing he had been blathering on and on. He cleared his throat to keep the next words he had intended to say from slipping out, and instead waited quietly while she retrieved her wand.