(Lake) Cloudburst

[Narcissus Drachen]

The lake’s black water was choppy today, grey clouds churning low overhead and snow capped mountains thundering on the horizon. Moments ago the sun had been shining and gangs of students sat in circles along the shore, relaxed and laughing boredly, but as a chilly wind had begun to press against their faces the groups had disbanded, and Narcissus watched, spread out on his side, as small figures made their way carefully up the rocky cliff and back toward the school, hurrying to avoid the coming rain.

Sinking his teeth into a hard green apple and slurping up the surprise juice, Narcissus settled down on his back, book resting on his stomach. What those retreating didn’t know was that the clouds would pass over Hogwarts before they broke and paled, and he closed his eyes contently, lost seagulls crying overhead.

[Veata Bane]

The soft grass of the Hogwarts grounds slipped under her tiny pawpads as she slipped toward the form by the lake. If she wasn't mistaken, it was that Slytherin boy from Dragonology. The one who was obsessed with himself? Yes, that was him. Fairly handsome, she had thought, but then again vanity was never a strong point in people. Fluffing up her white and tabby fur against the cold, she tried to ignore the fact that rain was about to pour all over them. She skittered to a stop as a silvery drop landed on her pink nose, then licking it off continued, onward to her destination.

His form was becoming bigger and- my the boy seemed a lot bigger when she was in her animagus form. Shaking off her sudden loss of confidence, she hopped up onto his chest, whiskers twitching. "Mrroooww." Well, since he didn't know it was her yet, there was no point in not getting a few well-deserved pats. Settling her bum down comfortably, she set a rumbling purr in her throat, and curled her tail around her paws contentedly.

[Narcissus Drachen]

A bushy tail whipped his cheek. Something stood on Narcissus’s chest and he jolted, startled by the intrusion. ‘Erys!’ He berated at a proud looking feline sat down carefully on his chest, claws kneading the material of his shirt gently. Her narrow eyes closed contently as she purred, the feeling vibrating down through Narcissus, and he struggle to sit up on his elbows so that it slipped down onto his stomach slightly. ‘You’re not Erys, are you?’ He sighed, almost in relief, to see the Bengal markings were not present. ‘Has someone already made her into a purse? I hope she went for a good price! Come now, off…’ Narcissus rubbed her soft cheek with his thumb before encouraging her to slide off, but the English tabby cat stayed, blinking defiantly as cats do.

It mewed innocently and he glowered, looking around to see if the owner was in tow. ‘You’re beautiful, really, but I prefer girls with fewer whiskers.’ He retorted, wondering if one hard, nasty shove would do the trick. 'I should turn you into a mouse and give you to Erys. Does anybody love you, Tabitha?'

[Veata Bane]

Veata's purring came to an abrupt stop as he mentioned Erys. Oh yes very accurate, she spat in her mind. Get your facts straight. The purring came again as he mentioned Erys as a purse. Well, that would be amusing, yes, but then Veata would be left rather best friendless. And that would never do. V pressed her cheek lovingly against his thumb as it stroked her, her tail flicking from one side to the other. A very catlike urge for attention had overcome her, and she shook her head a blinked a few times to remove it. Gotta stay human in my mind, she commanded herself, a very human tingle of fear in her stomach.

Pushing away melancholy thoughts of losing her mind to her cat state, and pulled her fuzzy lips apart in a cat-smile. Which must look more of a snarl than a smile, but it was fun none the less. Her purr rumbling like a laugh, she transformed back into her human state, ending up straddling Narcissus with her fore arms propping her up on his chest.

"How's this for fewer whiskers?" V teased, her lips curled back in a playful smile. Well, today was turning out to be very fun indeed.[/font]

[Narcissus Drachen]

‘Ow!’ Narcissus kicked the shore as the furry face expanded, ears sprouting into long scarlet hair and body gaining in mass. He was breathless for a moment as the new weight on his torso, although light, confined his lungs like a bad dream, and disgraced by being so easily pinned he convulsed beneath her, hands pushing against her knees. ‘Veata – that was so mean!’ He protested, sitting up properly. She grinned riotously. ‘Am I the only person in Slytherin who isn’t a cat in their spare time? You’re such a sneak, you deserve fleas.’ He snapped repellently, embarrassed.

The wind ran, a black robin swinging around Veata’s neck. Narcissus watched it, distracted, before glancing up at her eyes. Astonishingly they had not changed during the transformation, the colour of grey oceans at dawn. He could see the clouds in them. ‘What are you doing here, Veata?’

[Veata Bane]

Veata cackled and rolled off him, to the side, drawing her fingers through her hair and crossing her legs as she sat down. She eyed him suspiciously as he watched the ornament dangle at her neck, and her smile dissapeared. She grabbed it one hand to keep him from looking at it any longer, as if his eyes would soil the sanctity of the only memory of her father.

"It wasn't mean," V protested, her smile returning. "It was fun. You're just jealous because you can't be a kitty cat in your spare time." She laughed at his flea remark, leaning in closer. She glanced over his facial features, studying him. Well, at least he had a right to be obsessed with himself, he was really quite handsome. "I'm here to scare the crap out of you, obviously." She snickered. "In case you hadn't noticed."[/font]

[Narcissus Drachen]

Narcissus arched his eyebrows as Veata made no secret of gripping the fragile charm in her fist, puzzling him to wear something she was not proud of. Why wear your heart on your sleeve if you were going to hide your hands behind your back? He wanted to break the chain and steal it. ‘I’ll be a nasty tom cat with a fat tail, and I’ll bite your little ears off,’ He narrowed his eyes playfully, drawing up his knees to rest his elbows on them. The hairs on his forearms stood on end in the mountain chill, shrubs quivering all around in union. ‘I could hardly breathe – I was more afraid of suffocating than you, Veata Bane.’ He huffed, grinning without her seeing. She’d settled at his side and the two of them minded the landscape for a few peaceful moments, poppies the colour of Veata’s hair swaying in the long brown grass. He lay down too now, hands behind his head. ‘I could’ve been born a wolf.' But you weren't. 'What a coincidence you and Erys are both Animagi.’

[Veata Bane]

Veata snickered, tilting and flicking her head so her long, red hair rested on the back of her shoulder, then tucked it behind her hear on the same side, a compulsive habit. "Don't be so sure, Narcissus," she said coyly. "I'm much fiestier than you think." Stretching out her long legs, she lay down on her side on the soft grass and soil, resting her head on her arm. V watched him with open interest, not afraid to show that she was looking at him, or that she liked to look at him. It took quite a lot to embarrass V, and when you did, it didn't last long.

"I'm not that heavy!" She cried, pulling at her robes and staring at her body. Was she fat? Oh dear, what if she was actually fat and didn't know it? But as she ran her hand over her stomach, she shook her head. "I'm not fat," she said aloud, confirming it to herself.

"Yeah, Erys." She stated dumbly. That girl was nice, V was glad that they were friends. "She's great... Wait, how were you almost a wolf?" V's face contracted with confusion. How in the hell does someone almost give birth to a wolf.. unless... well maybe. V wouldn't put it past possibility. But instead of suspecting it she glanced at him, waiting for his response.[/font]

[Narcissus Drachen]

Narcissus pretended to watch the sky, Veata posing at the edge of his vision and fretting over her anatomy. Kindred. ‘Don’t mope, Veata,’ He sighed a laugh, patting the cold ground for her to lie down and keep still, wanting her to block the wind on his right side. ‘I’m so slight, don’t feel imperfect.’ He explained, the hand on his stomach pressing against his ribs. He pretended he could feel them wane and he grimaced. ‘Besides, I wouldn’t talk to a fat cat.’

She lay down and he mimicked her, rolling onto his side and resting his head in the crook of his elbow, wet pebbles pressing into his hips painfully. They watched each, absorbed in their own train of though before Narcissus gave up. ‘It was just a metaphor.’ He replied seamlessly, disappointed with his own avoidance. She would’ve found the truth so interesting. ‘I like to hope I’ve got a little of my mother in me is all… are you like your parents, Veata? Only, if I may say so, you don't look like you belong to anyone.’

Narcissus once again looked into Veata's strange eyes, this time flushing with ill temper. How riddiculous it was that she should be as special as him.

[Veata Bane]

Veata watched him with an amused expression, smiling lopsidedly, showing off fanglike teeth. Their faces were inches apart, watching, as if daring each other to move, a staring contest that tested your will more than your ability to keep from blinking for a longer period of time. "No," she said softly, "I suppose you wouldn't talk to fat cats, you could have the slimmest and prettiest one you wanted." And that wasn't a flirtcious overstatement, it was true. He was horribly handsome, V was sure he could have any girl he wished.

"I'm like my father and all the fathers before him," she said, fixing her cat eyes into his. "We all bear these feline qualities, it's in our blood. It's legend that we decended from sabretooth cats long ago, when a wizard transformed a cat into a human. The traits are dominant, they pass on to every offspring of the bearer, no matter what."

She leaned closer to him, her eyes still painfully locked on his, her mouth slightly opened. "And for the record," she said, her voice no more than a playful whisper. "I belong to no one." Smiling at her banter, she leaned back, her eyes lingering on his for a second longer, before pulling away and looking out across the water of the lake.[/font]

[Narcissus Drachen]

Narcissus swallowed as she whispered, ripe with suggestion and fearless, pale lips curled into a smile. ‘I suppose I could.’ He answered back, his face dreary. He thought to mention he was heartless, but it was sent away on the wind as Veata moved on, turning the page onto the next topic. He listened to her, frowning and huming at the appropriate moments, trying to feign disinterest. ‘Family myths are so entertaining. I used to live near a boy who said his fourth cousins were descendents of Dracula.’ He said cynically, picking up a flat stone and winging it toward the lake, the water collapsing around it. He wasn’t prepared to believe fantastical stories that were better than his own. In a way, if she were truthful – she wasn’t, of course, couldn’t be – both Veata and Narcissus were half-breeds. That tiny blood trait, so distant and weak, made him hateful.

Veata finally stopped looking at him and he let his sneer surface at last, the brat prince drumming his fingers on the ground menacingly. Erys had been suffice but Veata was too wilful. She was as bold as Narcissus and he wanted to quell it, to be the daredevil, the magician and his assistant.

Defeat her. 'To ruin the moment, Veata, I'm going to show you how much you shouldn't want to kiss me.' He placed his hand on her throat, his lips to her cheek, eyes open.

[Veata Bane]

Veata knew what he was doing wasn't out of affection, that was clear. Maybe he was threatened by her, like she was of him, but his threat was much more real. All the same, she couldn't help but feel a strange and exotic twinge of excitment race down her spine. But no, he wasn't about to win this. They had been competing since she had jumped on his chest, from the first time she looked from his human eyes to her own. They were battling for the upper hand, for dominance.

And he wouldn't win.

As his lips brushed against her cheek, she lifted her hand, sliding it around behind his neck, mimicking his movement. Then, twisting her head, she pressed her lips against his, feeling a a flicker of glee spark in the back of her mind. But not because she cared for him, no, no that wasn't it. Well maybe a little. But this wasn't for a romantic feel, and to make that perfectly clear to him, she kept her slitted eyes open as she ran her fingers through his hair.[/font]

[Narcissus Drachen]

If she had had struck him, Narcissus would have won.

In an instant she understood his trick and fought back, applying herself. They did this because they could, and without emotion or butterflies or heartbeats or the other ridiculous notions of being afraid of beauty. There was none here, and Narcissus suspected being selfish and dispassionate felt just as satisfying to Veata as it did to him. He slid his hand from her throat to her stomach, hard wind tangling their hair together, rain drops falling between their lips to try and draw them apart. Narcissus pushed his mouth harder against hers, trying to frighten her, his jaw opening wider. She swept his fringe out of the way and he reached up and took hold of her wrist, pressing it to the earth and brown grass and keeping it there, insects between the stones fleeing like the students up the cliff. Narcissus watched her open eyes, seeing that she understood, and appreciated it.

Thunder rumbled behind the mountains, the gods of attraction furious at the both of them.

Pretty Veata, perhaps almost as pretty as him, was a new charm around his neck.

[Veata Bane]

Lightning struck, instantly followed by a sharp bang of thunder that shook the ground, pebbles dancing around them as the rain began to pour, like the Gods trying to wrench the pair apart. But Veata, no matter how catlike, wasn't afraid of rain, and knew by all things the Gods had no control in this. Her hair was soaked, sticking in disarray to her face and neck as she tightened her grip on his hair, pulling him close with her one free arm.

The rain was mingling with their saliva, soaking through her robes, chilling her, despite how hot the circumstances were. She blinked to keep the rain from falling in her eyes, but otherwise kept her slit-pupiled eyes open, watching his. The corners of her mouth curled into a sly smile, but she didn't pull away from him, not quite satisfied. She was doing this for herself, not for him.[/font]

[Narcissus Drachen]

The slopes of his hair crumpled and flicked in the torrent, Veata’s hands having led the rain right to his skin. It trickled down his nose and the back of his neck like cold sweat and Narcissus withdrew, diplomatic and conclusive. Veata looked so accomplished. ‘And without a drop of demure.’ He realised, gratified. He fell back on his elbows, her arm slipping from under him like a stolen sheet, taken by lover wrapped up next to him. ‘You’re a revelation, Veata Bane.’ He paused, blinking at the water everywhere, a flash of silent lightening like a pulse between. ‘Even if I don’t think you’re as special as me.’ The thunder resounded.

Their robes were slick, the castle veiled by steely sheets of rain, and Narcissus felt wronged, sure that the clouds would have held their fathoms for another mile. ‘And now we go.’ The earth where he had lay began to fleck with raindrops as he rose, heels crushing the little stones. Like a business partner Narcissus held out his hand to hers, offering to pull her up. It all felt very complete.