The inside of the Great Hall was empty.
Though the sun (behind barricades of thick black cloud, and unseen except for flashes of light now and then) had risen hours ago, and the long dining tables were brimmed to overload with random assortments of morning fruits, eggs, breads, and drinks of juices and milk, and patches of candies even, no students or staff resided within the hall.
They were smart.
It was the coldest day recorded in Hogwarts history (and there were some really cold days recorded), and it was a weekend. No school, no studying. Most students were probably snug in their beds, with the covers tucked and high over their faces; asleep, and warm.
Xaver stepped into the hall with a sigh, jamming his hands into his pockets. He was used to the cold, but every body had its limits. He was the only one stupid enough to try to find out what his were, this morning. He dropped unceremoniously at the empty Gryffindor table at random, and scowled without taste over the frozen drinks.
"I like the cold, but this is too much," he muttered.
His breath frosted in front of him, in a soft cloud, evaporating slowly, rising where he didn't care to follow with his eyes. He picked up a glass of juice, rose and turned, and chucked it (with an inhuman amount of strength), scowling after it, watching shattered pieces of glass and frozen liquid scatter across the ground. Xaver sighed and shook his head.
"Geeze, your gonna hurt someone if your not careful." Ginny said, comming into the hall. She had a cover over her, and was fully dressed as well.
"What are you doing up anyway? It's freezing!"
Josh came in behind Ginny with double covers.Josh had been getting cold easly lately.
Pig walked in it the great hall shivering she had a wooly jumper onand a blanket rapeted round her but she was still cold, she had decided long ago that even tho it was cold she could not let her hungry belly grow and knew it would make her fill a little wammer.
she sat down at the griffindoor table " hey guys its freezing" she said her teeth chattering.
Pig took her hand out of her blanket and rapped her numb hand around her wand as she tred to warm up the frozen milk.
Xaver watched them all enter, glanced at each of them, then focused on Ginny. He was dressed in usual attire. Dark shoes, jeans, a faded gold shirt, and the usual black cloak of his. The only difference, was a thick leather duster, ankle length, that he had put on earlier. He was cold, but he wasn't so much that he even needed to invest in gloves. Or a sweatshirt. Or a brain.
"I haven't been able to sleep," he said softly, shrugging.
He scowled down at the frozen food, shook his head, and leaned against the wall, folding his arms. He yawned, then glanced at them, noting the many covers and blankets. He shook his head.
"If I'm freezing, I'm either sick, or dying," he said. He pondered for a moment, then, "Or both."
"I know im sick."Josh sneezed and turned invisable.
pig had finished warming her milk " here josh you need it more then i do" she said smilling even tho she could not see him
He turned visable again."Thanks."He said grabbing it and taking a sip.
" no problem what are friands for" she said eat some fruit that had a thin layer of ice covering it
"Friends are for having fun and giving things to other so each other can benifit from one another?"
"Lucky you." She said to Xaver, shaking her head. She got cold easily, and hated the shivering it did to her.
pig laughed " yes but it was a hypothetical question you didn't need to answer it " she said smiling
"I know." He said grinning.
Xaver picked up a piece of frozen fruit, and chewed on it absently, pondering as he watched Ginny's eyes.
"Yeah, lucky me," he muttered softly, turning away to pick up a handful of the fruit. Strawberries and raspberries. Or something.
He popped them into his mouth absently, and settled his eyes on her again, frowning slightly.
"Are you cold?" he asked seriously, finishing the fruit.
Pig luaged agian but this time she had friut in her mouth which slid down her throat as she lughed cuasing her to cough
"Is that a trick question?" He said trying not to laugh.
Pig stopped choking and swollowed hard.
She nodded.
"It's okay. It'll get warm sometime. I'm just wondering why it's so cold."
I'M HERE TO SAID MAMABISCUIT LOOKING SAD :'(
"It wasn't a trick question," he said quietly.
Xaver focused his eyes on Ginny, then rolled his shoulders and slipped out of his thick leather-looking coat.
He walked over to her, and smoothly set it over her shoulders.
The coat was warm, from both his body heat, and the complex substance the coat was made of. It wasn't leather, though it looked like it. It was a substance that couldn't be found on earth. And it could keep the coldest warm.
Xaver wasn't cold. His skin was paler than usual, but that was for different reasons.
He smiled down at her, though it dissolved quickly.
"I don't know," he said quietly. "But the cold doesn't feel natural. Feel it all out slightly. I know you would feel it.."
Xaver squeezed her shoulder, and went quiet for a moment, walking over to one of the windows. He stared out the frozen-sealed glass, leaning his forehead on the pane.
"The atmosphere here is usually smooth. Like polished glass. Hard. But breakable. It's now rough. Not smooth."
Xaver frowned against the glass.
"The reasonable man hath adapted himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself," he quoted with a growl, frowning deeper.
He turned slightly, looking out one of the other windows.
"I'm hoping..." She let that hang in the air for a moment.
"Anyway. Who could it be?"
"I have ideas," he said quietly, his words and expressions a mix of anger and a little sadness, but with the gentility that only appeared when he spoke to her, or Kylie, his little sister.
"I just hope I'm wrong."
"Who?" She asked, blinking.
"Deatheaters couldn't do this. They are idiots."
Pig looked at Ginny " you mean some one did this made it this cold~ she said her through cold breaths
"It gets cold in Britan, but not this cold. Not naturally." Ginny said, turning to look at Pig.
He was starting to shiver and his body felt like ice. Josh tightened the blanket around him to try and keep warmer.
"I don't know," he said softly.
Xaver frowned deeper, reaching out with a small tap of mental power, surprising himself as he felt the presence of another force immediately. It surprised him, and before he could even gather his thoughts, the preternatural power swung back at him, breaking through his shields, and literally hitting him as a kick or pure force in the stomach, throwing him completely to the other side of the hall, into the stone wall, searing through him and raging like a raw saw on every nerve and tap of power.
Xaver dropped down from the wall and doubled over, crumpling foreword with a quiet groan. He coughed, and clenched his teeth, only whispering the surprise that would have any other person writhing in pain. Xaver wasn't like that. He didn't like to let other people see his pain. He coughed a colorful curse, and growled.
Pig looked at Xaver " are you alll right ??"
Harry walked in hearing Pig's question. Instead of his normal robes on he had on a mugle snow coat jinxed to keep him warm.
"What do you think, he's doubled over in pain."
As he talked they could see his breath.
Josh tried to make the covers tighter but he was still cold, to cold. He took another sip and feeling his body temperature rise and then decrease as a few seconds pass.
Pig gave Harry a sarcastic look and said " i can see that i was just asking you no just to check"
Harry frowned and sighed.
"Sorry, I'm not in a good mood since I woke up today with frost on the inside of the windows."
Pig smile " it ok" she siad warmly
"Shut up you two." Ginny snapped at them, kneeling down beside Xaver.
"What's up?"
Xaver crumpled slightly, collapsing foreword. He growled, and panted a bit, but after a minute or so, he regained his breath.
"A problem," he whispered, his voice hoarse.
It hurt to talk; it hurt a lot. So, he abandoned speaking, and switched to mentality.
-I should have known. What with the cold, and the black ice. Unbelievable.-
Xaver clenched his teeth, and slowly, painfully, sat up, every nerve and thought like a sore beating to every part of his body. Xaver ignored this, and hauled himself to his feet, though the explosion of the motion erupted throughout him, numbing his mind for a moment, causing him to waver and wobble on his feet. It was unusual for Xaver to be injured physically. Even rarer, for he to have lingering pain.
Rare, and painful.
Pig stoped talking and contuned to drink her drink but it was no good it was fozen again.
Ginny's hands went out automaticly when he looked like he was about to fall. Her face was full of worry, as she looked him up and down.
Xaver steadied himself forcefully before he could fall, casting a gentle, thankful glance toward Ginny. His next steps he had planned in his head already, before he even thought about carrying them out. He was glad she was there; it was as simple as that.
Xaver jerked slightly when he was alerted of that same preternatural force again, though this time he was ready for it. He closed his eyes and fixed his entire power to reverse. Reverse, in the meaning that he focused every thing to work backward and opposite the way he had been trained to use his power. The curse spilt over the castle he had recognized immediately. It wasn't of this world, but his homeland. Fixing it was opposing himself. It was really complicated. And it could kill him.
Xaver winced, and for a second or three, his form erupted into millions of millions of tiny black particles of black shadow liquid-stuff. There was a loud, solid crack, and his form returned to normal, and the atmosphere of the castle immediately changed, from deathly icy, to hell-like hot, then to a soft, normal cold for that time of year. The black sky evaporated, with the lingering presence of Xaver's foe (which had come back to be his brother).
Xaver wobbled on his feet, went limp, and crashed foreword to the floor, not unconscious, though he probably should have been. He groaned softly; it hurt to even think.
"Xaver!" Ginny knelt down, turning him on his back and checking his forhead and his pulse.
"You idiot. Why did you do that?!" She asked, half angry at him, half proud of him.
Xaver allowed himself to be checked over by Ginny, as he blinked up at her, smiling tiredly.
"Because," he said softly. "I had to."
He coughed a chuckle, and sighed.
"Idiot." She murmured, shaking her head and tapping his forhead. She stayed next to him, but turned her head.
"Okay guys, let's get to work. We have to make sure all students are experiencing any lasting effects from the cold. If so, we gotta get them down to the Hospital Wing and get a cold medicine for 'em"
"Snot."
Xaver smirked at her, then turned sightly on his side, resting his forehead into the bend of his elbow. He sighed and relaxed slightly, but then flinched away from a gold fork the bottom side of his wrist had been resting on. He had been too out of it to notice that he had been resting on the fork, but now he felt it. Scorched into his flesh was the imprint of the fork, in a hot, bleeding wound. Xaver was strangely allergic to pure gold. Long handling of it, or a small piercing of it to his skin could result in any random problem. He mumbled a low curse and flicked the fork away.
Ginny ignored him, as she continued speaking to the others.
"Any students experiancing cold symptoms have to go down there. They'll stay overnight,, and make sure you get everyone. Sometimes if someone is sick, their powers go nuts." She turned back to Xaver.
"Your going down there too." She told him.
Xaver had been randomly scratching his chin when she spoke to him. He shrugged, and accidentally transferred some thick, dark blood from his wrist to his cheek. He scowled and rubbed at it, but only managed to sink it in deeper to his pale skin tone, and smear it up from his jaw to his ear.
"Nuh uh," he said hoarsely.
With a great effort, he forced himself to sit. He took a moment to gain back his breath, then shook his head.
"I don't want to go there..."
"It wasn't a question." Ginny said, raising an eyebrow at him. She seemed surprised that he thought he had a choice.
"And no worries, Madame Pomfrey's not treating you." She said.
Xaver stared at her for a long moment, and then grinned a little. Xaver didn't like being told what to do, but ever since he had met Ginny, he hadn't really minded being pushed around by her. Unusual.
His grin faded into a confused expression as he watched her.
"Who will be then?" he asked quietly.
"A friend of mine. Pomfrey won't know how to take care of you." She said, grinning at him and standing.
"You are one of the very few. Hopefully your friend is gentle."
Xaver smirked and chuckled absently, then by securely holding the table for support, he hauled his carcas to his feet, groaning slightly as he did. He wobbled, but found his footing eventually. The wound on his wrist began to burn, but he ignored it, absently hiding it by folding his arms.
She gave him a slightly suspiciouse look then nodded.
"I don't trust you to go there by yourself. I'm going with you." She said, nodding to the rest and leading him from the room.
Xaver slowly followed her, dragging his feet slightly, his shoulders slumped tiredly. He mopped his face with his uninjured hand, and scowled a glance at the wound on his other.
"Where are we going?" he questioned airily.
"I told you, the Hospital wing." She said, glancing back at him.
(oh yeah, forgot to tell yinz (Pittsburgh speak! Lolz) I'm allowed on for an hour evry day or so.)
(cool ;D lol. sorry I've been taking so long to reply; no time for anything, lol)
"Oh," he said dully.
Xaver tripped over himself slightly, but he regained his balance quickly. He sighed, watching her tiredly.
"And... why?"
He watched her, his expression blank, his thought pattern irregular.
Ginny turned and stopped, giving him a puzzled look.
"What's up with you. I told you why before." She stared at him, an eyebrow raised.
Xaver almost walked into her, the correlation between his brain and his body slow and irregular, his eyes dulled to an unusual shade of blue. As he watched her then, the aftermath of the power he had been hit with began to take a rougher toll on his body, finally showing, though he had hidden it before.
"Did I ever tell you that you have red hair? I like red hair. Red hair is different. I'd never seen red hair before I saw you. Did you know that?"
Xaver laughed nervously, his eyes finally dulling to a blank grey. He blinked, and wobbled slightly, his eyelids drooping tiredly. Then, he shivered.
"It's cold in here," he stated.
Xaver never got cold.
"Xaver?" Ginny asked, worridly. She put a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay? Your talking wierd."
"I am?"
Xaver gently placed his hand over hers, bowing his head over the both of them. He closed his eyes, wavering on his feet, the blood from his wrist trickling over his hand, and onto hers as well.
"Headmy."
He blinked and glanced up at her.
"Oh..."Ginny made a small noise, looking at the blood then shacking her head.
"Your bleeding, Xaver." SHe said, pulling his hand out and turning it so she could see the cut.
The wound was deep, looking like a mix between a severe burn and a laceration. Varying in colors from red to blues, Xaver stared at it, watching his own blood fall to the floor in a thick stream. He was too out of it to really understand what she was getting at. He could barely focus. The wound wasn't close to the worst he'd ever had, but it didn't look good, either.
"I am," he agreed blankly.
Ginny held onto his hand and pulled a hankercheif from her pocket, wrapping it around his bleeding wound, silently. She raised his hand above his heart, elevating it.
"Keep it above there,Xaver." She said.
"Alright," he said.
Xaver clutched his wrist to near his shoulder. He stared at her.
"Nobody's ever helped me with this kind of thing before," he commented airily, his words a little slurred, and heavily accented. His focus was going in and out, and odds were, he wouldn't remember anything of what he said later. "Except for Kylie when she found me hurt once or three times or something like that. But she's just a kid. 'Couldn't let her see this kind of stuff. 'Nuff already done... Wouldn't be fair to her..."
Xaver blinked tiredly, and gently leaned against Ginny. He was kind of out of it, and he couldn't think straight.
"Shh, Xaver..."Ginny said, allowing him to lean against her for a moment before she began to walk with him.
Xaver mumbled something, shrugged, and followed her, absently nudging the hospital wing door open with his foot. He closed his eyes, but kept walking.
Ginny lead him to a bed and pushed him backwards so he was forced to sit on the bed.
"Stay here." She said, before pulling the curtain shut and leaving the wing.
Xaver sighed and looked around him, falling back onto the bed and tucking his head into the curve of his elbow. He stared blankly as the blood from his wrist began to slowly drip through the cloth Ginny had wrapped around it, and seep into the unfortunately white bed. He twitched absently once or thrice, then, as sudden as his eyes closed, everything in the room froze, blanketed with an inhuman coat of ice. Xaver sighed hoarsely, his wings suddenly opened, and tucked his head closer to his arm, his wing moving slightly, so the one hid him nearly completely underneath it.
Ginny scowled when she came back into the room. She hated cold, but didn't know if she'd be able to melt this ice. She dragged an old lady to Xavers bed and pulled back the curtain.
"Xaver! Hey!" She said, making sure he heard her. She made a face and the old woman went to Xaver.
"She says you cut yourself. Let me see."
Xaver mumbled something beneath the protection of one of his great black satin feathered wings, and suddenly sprung upward, with one motion springing to sit on one of the rafters above, cradling his injured arm against his chest, just the way Ginny had directed, though blood now freely seeped through the bandage, and dripped down, to the floor below. The bed he had left, for instance, was a mess. Xaver shook his head, watching the two like a wounded beast.
"I didn't do it on purpose," he said softly, wings twitching nervously. "And I didn't cut myself."
"She didn't mean it like that, Xaver. Come down here." Ginny said, cranning her neck to look up at him. "She's wierd, and she ment that you got hurt." She explained.
The old lady scowled, "That what I said!"
Xaver almost fell off before he intentionally did so, slowly descending to stand behind Ginny, glancing at her with a quiet care, then looking at the woman with a blank mistrust. Even so, he sighed and extended his arm, palm up, untying the band and letting fall to the ground with a wet splat, thoroughly soaked with his own blood. He glanced at the wound then the woman, then stared at Ginny uncertainly.
Ginny moved over and held his extened arm steady as the woman began to work her magic with it.
"It's not going to compleatly heal, Xaver, because her magic isn't strong, but it will stop the bleeding and tell us whats wrong with it." Ginny told him, smiling softly at him.
The old woman looked up.
"This is a strange cut, how'd it happen?"
When Ginny touched his arm he fell still, comforted for the moment. He shivered once or twice as the woman worked, but by any means, he did stay standing after all. He noticed Ginny's smile and he nodded, and returned it thankfully.
He looked back to the woman.
"Pure gold has a tendency to hurt me," he said absently. "Childhood accident. I became very allergic to it."
"That explains the way it is..." The lady muttered. Ginny frowned.
"So...where did the gold come from?" She asked, a bit puzzled.
Xaver flinched and clenched his teeth for a moment, turning his head away. It was uncommon for him to feel true pain from mortal wounds, but he was not immune. It hurt like hell.
"A fork," he said shortly.
"Oh..."Ginny said, nodding. She watched him turn his head away and frowned. She realized it must hurt.
The lady finished working her magic.
"As she said, it won't be compleatly healed, but it's not bleeding, so it should heal soon."
Xaver withdrew his arm and protectively clutched it to his chest, swallowing any emotion he might have expressed. Pain. Frustration. Who knew?
He gave a formal, appreciative bow of the courts to the woman, then straightened.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
He looked to Ginny and expressed the same thing in his eyes to her, and more, but he couldn't muster the will to say anything. Not without making a fool out of himself.
Ginny smiled at the woman.
"Thanks, Naomi."
Naomi nodded and walked out, muttering to herself. Ginny tunred to Xaver. "You feeling a bit better?"
"Yes, thank you," he said truthfully.
Xaver pulled Ginny into a warm hug, and, taking a risk, he turned his head and gently kissed her temple.
"I am in debt."
"No, your not." She said, putting her amrs around him as well.
"And your welcome." She said, smiling as he kissed her temple.
"Well, I'll just think I am. You're not getting off the hook for helping me that easily."
Xaver pulled back slightly, gently, so he could see her, and he watched her eyes with a soft grin.
"I'm sorry to tell you that my brother doesn't like you. He doesn't like much of anybody, especially myself, these days, so I'm hoping that's not too devistating for you."
Xaver winked down at her, and softly kissed her forehead.
"I'm sorry for the trouble he caused today."
"It's not your fault. And it's okay, you fixed it, so everythings good. And he dosn't even know me, why should he hate me?" She asked, smiling at him. She liked it when he kissed her.
Xaver smiled down at her, warmth from her smile spreading through his veins, and soothing the itch of his painfully pounding wound. She almost made him forget about it.
"My twin inherited my father's genes. He's irrational. Not to say that I am rational... But whatever doesn't hate me, or more particularly, anyone I like, he does not."
Xaver smiled again. He liked the closeness of her, even if the very scent of her shampoo made him lightheaded. She was.. just right.
"He likes to make a scene."
"He sounds spoiled." She said, rolling her eyes.
"He wouldn't try to hurt you or Kyllie directly, would he?" She asked, suddenly worried.
"He is," Xaver said, taking some delight in her expression.
His face fell after a moment, and he nodded grimly.
"Yes, he would. I have the scars to prove it. He has enough from me. I don't like fighting him, Ginny, he is my brother. He knows most of my secrets, down to the way I learned to fight, when we were younger. But I have changed, as he has. I don't know my brother anymore. But I have no association other than violence toward anyone who tries to hurt Kylie. Or you..."
Xaver cleared his throat uncertainly, and smiled slightly.
"Kylie is asleep in the room you provided for her a while ago. I hope you don't mind. I had a hint Xences might have a tantrum today. I seemed to cause some trouble with a few of his.. thugs? Yeah, that's the word."
She smiled softly as he put her into that catagory.
"It's okay, she can sleep there whenever she wants to, or you want her to. She can even just hang out there if she wants." She paused, "Just as long as she stays outta my trunk, but she knows that."
"Thank you," he said again.
Xaver leaned in and softly kissed her forehead, then he nodded.
"She won't get into your stuff. She knows better. Besides, she likes you too much to disobey."
Xaver winked down at her, then flinched slightly as a nasty throb of pain scorched through his arm.
She saw his pain and sighed.
"Any way I can help stop the pain?" She asked.
With a deep sigh, Xaver touched his forehead to hers, then rested his head in the curve of her shoulder and neck.
"No," he said softly, shaking his head slowly against her shoulder. "You've done more than I deserve. I'll get over it."
Xaver reluctantly pulled away, and watched her eyes, constantly aware of her arms around him, and liking the feeling. He glanced at the clock on the wall, then looked back down at her.
"Maybe we should get back to the common room though."
(assuming it's getting late, lol. I forgot the time in this rpp lol)
It was mroning, i think, lolz.)
"Yeah, good idea." She said, stepping back and smiling.
(oh. yeah ;D lol)
Xaver nodded, leaned in and kissed her cheek, then with his good hand, his other still clutched over his heart as directed, he opened the door of the hospital wing, waiting for her to pass through first. Maybe he was injured and was seeing two of everything off and on. Sleep would fix that. Time with her was precious to him.
"Course it is."
He grinned at her. She was the brightside to his situations.
"Uh-oh, now your gonna think every idea you have is good, arn't you?" She asked, teasingly, going through the door. She glanced back at him, masking her worry.
"Oh yeah," he said, grinning.
He almost flattened himself walking around the door, but once he got around it and was standing next to her again, he grinned.
"Well, maybe not all of them."
She laughed.
"Your nuts." She said, shaking her head as she kept walking.
"Yeah. But you knew that already."
Xaver grinned sleepily down at her, and continued walking, starting up the staircase toward the common room.
"Did I?" She questioned, smiling back and walking beside him. She hoped that the hallway wouldn't be crowded.
It was. Students stared openly at both of them. Xaver had forgotten entirely about what had just happened. He was tired. He had forgotten his arm (until a jolt of pain woke him up from that) and that before it had been healed slightly, it had sloshed blood all over his front. And he had hugged Ginny.
"Yeah," he said quietly, glancing at her. "I think you did."
She glarred at a student who was gapping at them.
"What, you want to be this bloody too?" She snapped, before turning back to Xaver.
"Guess so."
Xaver chuckled slightly as the student ran off, and tiredly, he smiled down at her.
"I guess he doesn't prefer our style," he said, opening the common room portriat for her. "Our pizazz is too much for him."
"Yeah, think we can make this a new fad?" She joked, stepping inside and waiting for him. There was hardly anyone in here, luckily, though there were some, whom she ignored.
"Course we can, hot stuff."
Xaver grinned widely, following her into the common room. He flexed his fingers and shrugged.
"Hmmm, hot stuff?" She asked, laughing at his choice of names. The students watched them, a bit puzzled why the two kids covered in blood were laughing. She stopped laughing and grinned, taking a step closer to him. She leaned forward and stage whispered, "I think we're freaking them out...."
Xaver grinned broadly as she laughed, and nodded.
"Yes, hot stuff," he said. "Do you like it?"
He chuckled softly, easily sensing the stares. They amused him slightly.
"I think we are. Best put on a show then, Milady," he whispered.
He glanced at her lips, and suddenly noticed how close she was. And how long her eyelashes were.
-Can I kiss you?-
She laughed again, enjoing the surprised stares. Normaly, such stares came when she was angry, but for once, they came cause she was happy.
"Sure, it's not a bad name."
-Okay-
Xaver grinned.
"Not for you."
His grin softened as she answered, and with his uninjured hand, he gently touched her cheek, and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. Slowly, he leaned in and kissed her on the lips, savoring the buzz he found there, enjoying it.
-Okay.-
Xaver held her close, chuckling softly.
She smiled, and glanced around. By now, most of the kids were snickering or turning back to their work. Ginny put her arms around his shoulders and looked at him.
"I liked that." She said, happily.
Xaver grinned down at her, wrapped his uninjured arm around her back, touched his forehead to hers, and softly kissed the bridge of her nose. He could care less about the other kids. Her opinion was the only one that mattered to him then.
"I'm glad you did."
Slowly, he enveloped her lips into another passionate kiss, though he broke away after a moment, very reluctantly, bowing his head into her shoulder as he clenched his teeth, fighting off the pain in his arm.
"Sorry," he said, flexing his hand.
He softly kissed the side of her neck, then tiredly closed his eyes.
"No, I'm sorry. I forgot you were hurt." She said, letting him rest where he was. She closed her eyes as well, smiling. The stood there for a few minutes before she opened her eyes.
"Do you want to sit down or something?" She asked, a bit worried about him.
"Don't be, I forgot too," he said with a low, quiet chuckle.
He opened his eyes and slowly straightened, watching her eyes with a gentle, but bleary smile.
"I don't really want to, but it would probably be for the best. I'll hit the shower, change my clothes and this bandage, then see if I can't catch an hour of sleep before dinner.."
Xaver softly kissed her, then straightened with a slow grin.
She nodded.
"Okay, but don't be surprised if I check on you every once in awhile." She told him, poking his chest softly, but smiling.
"Ok."
Xaver nodded, and with a smile he swiftly kissed her on the lips, turned and headed up the staircase. He grinned at her, then disappeared into the dorm.
Xaver emerged from the showers cold, sleepy, and hungry. He had changed into a fresh pair of jeans and a black shirt, and he had fixed up a new black and white bandage around his injured forearm. His damp dark hair stuck messily about his head, but he didn't pay mind to it.
Avoiding the littler kids in the dorm, he went out, and went out of the common room as well, seeking a quieter peace, than with so many voices and thoughts in one room. He found a deserted corridor, and walked it for a while, then found solace on one of the huge windowsills. He yawned and sat on it, watching the outside with a half-alert mind. Making up his mind, he slowly slid off the sill, and walked the rest of the way out of the castle.
Ginny was now outside as well, only she didn't realize Xaver was as well. She stood, talking to some younger students. They smiled at her as she explained something and then laughed and nodded. She patted one on the head and they left.
She watched them before she walked to a tree and reached up, pulling herself into it. She leaned against the tree and closed her eyes.
Xaver had heard footsteps, and on first instinct, he had lept up into the high boughs of the tree closest to him, crouching in the shadows up there like a wary predator. After they had passed, he violently shook his head, ragaining control of his senses, and powers. Xaver almost fell out of the tree.
Leaping from tree to tree, Xaver had lost himself in thought, though he was startled out of it when he saw Ginny. He did fall then, tripping over a stray branch. He did an odd sort of flip and plummetted halfway down from the vary top of the tree, where he had been, but he reached out with his uninjured arm and caught a branch, jerking himself to a stop. He winced, but the pain in his shoulder died quickly. He swung and flipped himself up to sit on the branch, slouching tiredly, though he grinned over at her.
"How you hangin'?"
He chuckled, though it was bit off by a yawn.
"Idiot, why are ypu bouncing around in trees when your hurt?" She asked, shaking her head, slightly annoyed.
"I bounce around all the time, hurt, and when I'm just..." he yawned "..peachy..."
Xaver passed an inane grin over to her, playfully poking a tired fun at her annoyance.
"C'mon, the idiot has to live up to snot, now doesn't he?"
She shook her head.
"Just be careful, okay?" She asked, deciding not to pick a fight.
"I'll be alright," Xaver yawned out.
He moved closer to the trunk of the tree, turned and leaned his back against it, then tipped his head back, closing his eyes. He set his arm on a branch at his shoulder height, and yawned again. He stuck out his tongue at her, then grinned.
"Lucky I don't push you out of that tree..."She muttered, turning so he was at her side now. She looked past the trees and towards the mountains.
Xaver flashed a wild grin and stood, quickly stepping over a few branches, so he was suddenly seated on the same branch as she, just a little farther down.
"I'd pull you down right with me."
Xaver chuckled over at her.
"Oh really?" She asked, facing him for a moment and sticking out her tounge then turning to face the same way again.
She thought about how sick he had seemed earlier, and worried slightly. She cared about him too much to let him overexert himself. She didn't want him to be hurt too much, and she didn't want him to get hurt again. She also wondered about his brother. Why would someone hate their siblings so badley? So much hate seemed to come from this guy she'd never met, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to. What kind of person would try to hurt a sweet kid like Kyllie?
Xaver watched her for a long while, a small grin forming once again on his lips as she spoke.
"Yeah, pretty and fiery may be you," Xaver said softly, after a moment. "Really."
He smiled slightly, his own mind curiously following her thought pattern as he leaned back against a branch and dozed sightly, though he didn't follow what she was thinking about. He may have been curious, but intruding upon her mind was something he would never do. It was unlikely he would be able to do it, either. He respected her power.
He slumped slightly and set his injured arm comfortably across his chest, and let his eyes droop, absently yawning.
" 'Aver? Ginny?"
Kylie came up to the bottom of the tree, dressed in pink pants and shoes, an orange coat, and a black and brown cap with floppy sides that covered her ears, her solid black hair trailing down her back in long waves and ending it big, thick curls. Seated on the base of the neck of a unicorn, her arms were wrapped tightly about her small frame, her thick bronze mittens bulging with the effort to keep herself warm. Small scratches grazed her face, her bottom lip was split in the corner slightly, and a dark bruise was beginning to form on the edge of her fair cheek. Her eyes were red and silvery, her entire form trembled, and her aura was a mess.
"I gots up this morning and Xences hit my head with his mind. I fall down t' stairs.." she forced out, her words heavily accented and frightened.
She shifted slightly and peered up at her brother and Ginny, tears streaming down her face, shivering. Then, she fell still, an odd look on her little face.
" 'Aver, you're hurt!"
"So are you, girlie." Ginny said softly, slipping out of the tree and landing beside Kyllie. She knelt to the little girl, putting her arms around her. Ginny hugged Kyllie tightly. She hated it when little kids got hurt. Now, even though she had never met Xences, she was angry at him. He had hurt an innocent child, and it made her very angry.
"Don't you mind me. I am fine. Kylie.."
The unicorn stepped away from the three and left, as Xaver dropped immediately after Ginny, falling to one knee, wrapping one arm across his sister's back, gently running a hand through her hair, and the other arm, his injured arm, across Ginny's shoulders. He winced slightly at it, but quickly ignored it.
"Kylie, what happened?"
Kylie had buried her face in Ginny's shoulder and hugged her back just as tightly, so she had to shift to face her brother. She sighed slightly, and one of her mittens fell off, along with it, four or so empty candy wrappers. She shook her head and buried her face in Ginny's shoulder again, now, beginning to cry.
Xaver petted her hair for a moment, and then stiffened, fixing his calculating gaze on Ginny's eyes. He was silent for a moment, before he finally spoke again.
"Would you stay with Kylie for a little while? I must have a short word with my brother," he said quietly, a cold pulse of energy seeping from his words into the very forest floor.
Xaver stood.
Ginny looked up at him and opened her mouth. She almost said she wanted to meet his brother, but she remembered Kyllie, and held the little girl tighter. She nodded at Xaver.
"Just, give him hell for me, ok?" She asked, quietly, closing her eyes and hugging Kyllie tighter.
Xaver nodded gravely, pausing for a moment. He focused upon something, then opened his eyes again, his concentration never lost. He kneeled down and lovingly kissed Kylie on the forehead, and Ginny on the lips, then stood again. He watched the two people he most deeply cared for, then simply disappeared with a sharp, low crack.
Kylie turned her head slightly and looked up at Ginny.
"What does that mean?" she asked.
"What does what mean, Kyllie?" She asked, looking at her softly. She was worried about Xaver, but kept it from her eyes, and smiled at Kyllie.
(gotta go. BBL)
" 'Aver looks so angry.. but he thinks so sad.." She sighed. "Brother is a very confusing boy-person."
Kylie leaned down and picked up her fallen mitten, slipping it back on, touching her sore lip. Momentarily forgetting it, she looked up at her.
"You have any candy, Lady Ginny?"
"I think, Kyllie, it means he's worried." She said, and then smiled as the little girl asked for candy.
"I think so..." She said, pulling a pouch off her waist and opening it. She held it out towards Kyllie.
(My internet shut off again. Don't know when I'll be able to get on at home.)
"I don't know... he worries me lots... and when he and Xences fight.. Lady Ginny, they fight really bad..."
Kylie's forlorn expression lit up when she saw the bag and though her movements were timid, she put a mittened hand in the bag. Searching for candy, she glanced up at Ginny, raising one of her small eyebrows.
"Brother really likes you. I can tell. Do yous like my brother?"
Kylie stuck out her tongue slightly in concenteation, as she finally found a peice of candy.
"Yes, Kyllie. I really like your brother. And, I'm worried too. But, all we can do is wait, okay?" She said, smiling at Kyllie.
"Okay."
She nodded.
"I'm glad you likes him. Why do you?"
She sat, stuffing her mouth with the peculiar candy, gazing up at Ginny with innocent eyes, and a gentle smile.
"He's such a silly boy."
She grinned playfully, and a little protectively. Xaver had been the only one she'd ever had all her life, and it was only natural for her to be protective. She was still distressed, and worried, just as well.
Suddenly she squirmed, fishing out two necklaces from beneath her puffy coat, taking them off and letting them rest at the palm of her hand.
The necklaces were identical. Black, pure gold wings encased a sphere of a diamond, as big as the end of one's thumb. In the center of the spheres, two orbs danced in each, one with an X, the other with a K, identical in both necklaces, swimming around small, minute black satin feathers.
"Xaver used to wear this one, and I always this one. Whenever his mood would change, I could know because it showed in the diamond, even though we were so far apart a lot of the time. He then couldn't wear his anymore, because of the gold. After he and Xences had a fight a long time ago, he never touches gold. I don't know why.."
The one with the X, glowed a deep, hot red. The one with the K, glowed blue.
"It shows both our emotions. Anyways, Xaver made them, and I always thought they were pretty. Here, you have this one."
She slipped one into Ginny's hand, then put hers back on.
" 'Aver would want you to have it. I want you to have it."
She gazed at the stone, in thought.."
Ginny looked at the necklace, then looked up at Kyllie. Still holding the necklace in her hand, she hugged Kyllie again.
"You ask why I like him. To tell you the truth, I can't settle on one good answer to that. It's a hard question." She said, softly.
Kylie hugged Ginny back, tightly, the warmly pulsating pendant of her necklace clutched in her small hand. When she and Ginny finally broke apart, she glanced at it again, and the orb within, with an X over it, had suddenly become an icy turquoise, and that emotion being the strongest, both necklaces became cold. Kylie frowned slightly at it, then smiled up at Ginny.
"How come?" she asked innocently.
She opened the wrapper of another candy and popped into her mouth, then offered one to Ginny with a sticky hand.. or mitten, anyway.
"How come it's a hard question?" She said. She thought about it, opening her hand and starring at the now cold necklace. She was silent for a moment.
"Because...over time, reasons for loving someone, or hating them, or having any emotion for another can and will change. Sometimes, you can hate someone for many reasons, but someday, you might find something you like about that person. Then a few days later, you find something else, until one day, the reasons for hating them seem so small." She looked up and laughed, slightly.
She looked at the candy, "No you have it."
Kylie followed Ginny's words with interested ears. Her mind might have been young, but she understood every word, and could to relate. When Ginny finished and laughed, Kyle nodded and giggled softly, finishing the candy in her mouth.
"Oh, okay. Thanks!" she said, grinning.
She plopped the candy into her mouth with a delighted smile, then raised the necklace again and looked into it. While her, Kylie's orb within the two necklaces, remained a quiet and steady baby blue, Xaver's continued to change rapidly from blues, to reds, then finally, it settled on a bright yellowish red, unchanging from that moment. Kylie's eyes grew wide and he chewed her bottom lip.
"Kyllie...."Ginny said, looking from Kylie to the necklace then back to Kyllie, "What does yellow mean?" She asked, noticing how Kylie was reacting.
Kylie let out a small cry and buried her face again into Ginny's shoulder.
"I don't know! I've never seen yellows before. Xaver's usual colors are greens and blues.. sometimes golds, but never yellows.. I don't like that.. my necklace is cold-"
Suddenly the necklaces warmed up to a comfortable heat, and the colors of the orb shifted to a soothed gold, just as there was a soft snap behind them. Xaver appeared, his expressions remote and his emotions concealed. He didn't move, just stared at them both with a relieved, loving lopsided smile.
Ginny held Kylie and turned her head slightly to look at him. She was so relieved, she almost lost her breath. She looked at him, then hugged Kylie tighter, putting her chin ontop of Kylie's head.
Kylie giggled a happy chatter and hugged Ginny back, grinning at her brother over her shoulder.
Xaver let out a breath and simply collapsed to his knees, watching the two with a bleary smile.
"So much goin' on.." he mumbled breathlessly. "Xences threatened... I thought... I couldn't lose you two... so much happening.. tricked me into going away to save his own skin.."
Xaver chuckled, and the gold in his orb in the two necklaces became even bolder. He rolled over, flat onto his back, his tortured physical and magical being exhausted, and spookily giddy. His low tone became aloud a fit of laughter that didn't cease, but merely quieted, as he turned his head to the side and gazed over at them, the grass tickling his face.
He sighed sleepily and fell still, other that the occasional rise and fall of his chest, his eyes watching them.
Ginny kept her back to him and wiped her eyes. She turned, now facing him. She couldn't stand though. Being so releived, she'd lost the energy in her legs. Her hands were shaking but she put them on her knees so Kylie wouldn't notice. She smiled at him.
"I'm...so happy you okay."
Xaver chuckled heartily and slowly rose. He was in superb physical shape, but there was a sheer exhaustion that emanated throughout his entire form that took away the usual grace and flow of his usually agile being. He seemed not to notice though, other than his slower pace, as he went to them, and dropped onto his knees beside the two of them. He chuckled once again, softly, and drew them both into a tight hug.
"I am too," he admitted huskily, winking at Ginny as he slowly released them both a bit, though a hand remained on each of their shoulders. "It's kind of weird. Like arguing against myself, it used to be, before. Different, now.."
The wound on his arm was forgotten. Obviously, that would only be when other injuries equalled or surpassed the pain of it. But he didn't seem to care.
Ginny's shaking slowed, slightly as she made herself calm down. She smiled for him.
"Things change, Xaver."
Kylie hugged Xaver, then hugged Ginny again, before sitting upon her bottom, feasting on the candy, content now, and silent, nonetheless.
Xaver nodded, and stood, though it slightly hurt to do so. It hurt him to move, but he became figety again. He turned slightly and ran a hand through his hair, pacing, his expression pained, though his thoughts were too high to be reached.
"I know they do," he answered softly.
He glanced at Ginny and slowed, watching her smile. Her smile warmed him, and he even smiled a little in return.
She smiled back, mostlyfor him. She was happy he was okay, estatic, even. But something was gnawing at her, and she didn't want to think about it now.
Xaver returned the smile again, though it faltered slightly as he watched her. He often watched her, and he could tell when her smile wasn't completely true. He could tell she wasn't to fond of her own thoughts, but he wanted to know.
"What is it?" he asked softly, still pacing, but slowly.
He watched her intently.
"Wha?" She said, blinking and looking at him, surprised.
"I mean...er..."
Xaver slowly stopped pacing, tipping his head slightly.
"What's bugging you?" he asked gently.
"Oh nothing. We should get back to the castle. It's warmere there and we can get something to eat." She said, hurridly, standing up.
Xaver glanced around, and found Kylie still airily chewing on her candy and fumbling with a necklace he had though she'd lost years ago. She was completely tuned out. Looking back to Ginny, his expression fell slightly, and his hoarse voice quieted.
"Really, what is it?" he questioned slowly, focusing his tired eyes upon hers, concerned now.
Ginny also looked at Kylie. Seeing as how she had understood Ginny earlier, she wasn't sure if she should speak outlound now. She looked back at Xaver, her false smile fading, now she looked unsure.
"No, really. Can we just go back to the castle?"
Xaver glanced at his little sister once more, knowing she posessed more strength with abilities than she put off.
-Mentally, then? Kylie's powers are not trained enough to hack yet.- he said quietly, while going over and scooping Kylie up into his pain-wracked arms.
He winced, but forgot his own pain, allowing Kylie to tuck her head into his shoulder and doze, her fingers sticky with candy. He looked torn, though finally, with a defeated air, he nodded.
"To the castle then," he agreed.
She nodded, slightly.
"Do you want me to carry her?" She asked, softly.
"I'm alright, don't worry. I'm just tired, is all. Thank you, though."
He shifted Kylie slightly, and chuckled quietly, as she began to snore.
"Thanks, too, for watching her. She looked more happy than I've ever seen her."
-But really, what's up?-
-It's stupid...-
She looked down as they walked, picking her way around tree roots and such.
-I don't care,- he returned, sincerity in his tone.
Xaver glanced at her, then clambered over a fallen tree. His movements felt somewhat strangled to him, and though the fluidness and agility was not gone from his thoroughly muscle-clad form, the usual grace and alertness seemed to be temporarily. He was exhausted, and as usual, was happy with Ginny's decision, this time being to return to the castle.
_It's...just. I was so worried...and I..._ She stopped, suddenly tierd as well. They were now out of the forest and on school grounds.
Xaver stopped near her, curiousity flickering at a higher degree in his eyes. He said something aloud, though it was heavily accented and incomprehensible. He had said it, just to create noise, and keep Kylie asleep.
-And you...what?- he asked.
-I thought...I might never...see you again...- These words rang in his mind softly, for she thought them softly and hesitently.
Xaver watched her for a moment, his eyes softening. With his free hand, he reached out and softly touched her cheek.
-Nothing and no one could ever keep me from coming back to you, except your own will, Ginny. I-..-
His pale cheeks colored slightly.
"You what?" She asked, outloud, softly. She shook her head then, blushing slightly.
"Ummm, come on."
He really didn't mind, anymore. Kylie was asleep, he doubted she would awaken any time soon. He gave Ginny a sidelong glance, his eyes soft, though slightly nervous.
"I love you.... Did you know that?.." he said softly, hesitantly..
"Xaver, I know...alot of things. But I didn't know that. I guessed that, but I didn't want to go and have your mind think it before you were ready to say it." She said, she looked at him.
"One of the things I know, is that I love you."
"I've never said it before," he admitted honestly.
He watched her with a surprised, but comforted look, his eyes calculating like mad.
"But I don't think any other time before now could have been more truthful.."
He leaned close to her, and smiled.
"I think, we should put Kylie to bed." Ginny whispered, blushing like mad now.
"Right as usual," Xaver agreed. He winked at her.
With an inane grin, he swooped down and tenderly kissed her lips, savoring the moment, before he fell away, with his free hand, reaching out and taking hers. He smiled slightly, and started again, toward the castle.
She walked beside him, blushing still. As they reached the steps, Ginny pushed the doors open with her free hand.
"Thanks," he said softly, passing through.
He led the way up the staircase to the blissfully empty commonroom, and to Ginny's room without collapsing. He brought Ginny's hand up and gently kissed it, before slowly letting go, turning, and slowly setting Kylie onto the bed. He removed her shoes and socks, coat, mittens and cap, then found that enough, knowing Kylie would sleep comfortably, anyway. He tucked her beneath the covers and set her head onto a pillow, then kissed her forehead, before turning once again to Ginny, soundlessly padding back over to her, resting his tired head against her shoulder.
She put her arms around him, holding him close. She loved being close to him.
Xaver sighed pleasantly, resting against her for a moment, before slowly raising his aching head. Lovingly, he kised her lips, and took her hand again, walking out slowly.
"You should lie down." She said softly as they walked to the common room.
Xaver nodded. Once they reached the clear floor past the chairs and couch and such of the little furniture cove around the fire, he slowly dropped, tugging her along with him with a grin.
He yawned tiredly and closed his eyes, his mind following his own heartbeat, and the enchanting one next to him. He smiled a little, and relaxed.
She put her arms around him, pulling him so he leaned against her.
"Go to sleep, Xaver." She said softly.
Xaver looked over at her, pleasantly surprised that she didn't mind the floor. He smiled warmly as her arms went around him, and he wrapped his arm around her as well, so that her head could rest on his arm, his hand at her side. He placed his other hand upon the arm across his chest, moving his thumb slightly across her skin, matching the pace of her heartbeat. He turned his head and leaned it against his own arm, watching her eyes, holding her close; close enough, that his forehead softly touched hers.
He smiled sleepily at her, and nodded, his eyes clowly closing. He was't aware of it, but as he lay there on his back, comforted with her at his side, his wings had materialized. He was too used to them, and too out of it to notice them. They fluttered slightly beneath him, and then the one on her side slid beneath her, and folded, like a blanket, around her, over her shoulder and extending past her feet, the tips of the satin feathers just barely reaching Xaver's chest, in its folded shape.
She smiled, softly as his eyes closed. She looked at the lights, using her mind to dim them slightly so they would not bother Xaver. He needed his sleep. He looked so tierd, and she felt a soft pang.
"Poor....poor Xaver." She murmmered.
Xaver uttered some low whisper, only hearing her voice. Softly, he kissed her, his eyes remaining closed, then slowly, he relaxed completely, falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.
She closed her eyes, though not compleatly sleeping. She was resting, more then sleeping. Considering how the day had gone, she thought it best someone stay half-awake.
After a half-hour though, she too feel asleep, being tierd herself.
Xaver awoke in the morning, far past sunrise, but note too late in the morning. The common room was icily cold, even with the fire still dancing in the pit, though it didn't compare to the previous morning. It was still colf, though, and Xaver held Ginny a little closer, making sure she was warm. She was still asleep, he noticed, so he made sure that every move was slow and subtle and barely noticable. He noted his wings, as well, und tucked the one wrapped around her close, like a warm, satin blanket.
Xaver yawned and tucked his head close to hers, smiling over at her. He watched her sleeping form for a moment, before letting his eyes close again, not really sleeping, just enjoying the calm.