evening at the black lake

"Ah, I'm simply waiting till the time is right." Jessica laughed and shook her head, closing her eyes again to rest. "I guess I probably won't say anything, I don't know what sort of amazing deal can be made where I have to hand over all friends with talent on the violin. Was that why you came out here, anyway? To practise?"

he laughed. "well, that makes sense. don't count your chickens till they hatch and all that rubbish. and yea, partly. but then...I just decided I'd rather just sit and think for a bit, and maybe practice later" he shrugged. "but I'm kind of glad you interrupted me, Jess. my thoughts were getting a little depressing" he laughed again, a little more softly.

That made Jessica wake up quickly. She opened her eyes and turned her head towards Fionn. He barely had a depressing bone in his body, certainly never to the level of distraction.

"What do you have to be depressed about?"

he winced. oops. him and his big mouth. she didn't know about him being bullied himself and he wasn't about to tell her. "...nothing. things at home, it's nothing. and jeez do I need more friends. I've got you, Molly and the triplets. that's it" he sighed. "not that there's anything wrong with having you for a friend, and I'm more comfortable with girls. eight sisters and all, but..." he shrugged.

"Is that how it works for you? Honestly, after a few weeks of hanging out with the girls in the orphanage I'm quite ready for some male company. Maybe it's a blood thing. You seemed to be getting along fairly well with Jim on the train. However short term a deal that was," she added, sure that he was going to pass it off as something trivial

“Ahg, don’t mention him, please. There’s something unnatural about him, and I can’t spend three minutes near him without wanting to punch him out or play my violin” Fionn shook his head, a grimace on his face. “If it had been us, alone in the cabin, I would have taken him out” he sighed. “Anyone else come to mind? Because I’m just about ready to go say ‘hi’ to some Slytherins” he was joking, of course. Partly.

"He's shy, that's not so unnatural." She shook her head and sighed irritably. "I'm more antisocial than you are, as if I can pick you out friends. I don't even know many people's names outside our house. And don't you bloody well start talking to those Slytherins, they'll rot your brains out. They're a bad influence. For the most part."

"it's more than him being shy. but I don't know what it is" he argued back and groaned. "yea, I know that. but you did ask me what I'd been thinking about, and that's it" he grinned at her cheekily. "what, afraid I'll be worse than I already am? the hat actually debated putting me in Slytherin, and then decided I cared to much for others and too little for myself to fit it there"

Jessica grinned slightly, remembering her own sorting.

"The hat didn't have a clue where to put me for a while. I was a little too much and too little of everything. Finally I just got bored in my own head and threatened quite politely to bring out a sewing kit and pull out his stitches. I'm amazed I didn't get Slytherin after that but I guess he thought it was more courageous than snide. I can't really imagine you in Slytherin though..." She trailed off and shook her head. It would be silly to say he was too kind, he was still a bit of a bully, but there was something so innately un-Slytherin about him that the idea was preposterous. "You don't suit green."

he laughed. "I honestly would peg you into Ravenclaw if I didn't know you, you do have the trademark Gryffindor courage" he snickered at the threat. "I should have used that, honestly. it's an awesome threat" Fionn smirked, moving the collar of his robes down a bit so she could see his red and yellow shirt underneath. "Gryffindor's colors also happen to be my favorite, so..." he laughed. "and I guess I could say you don't suit purple, Jess. you've always looked better in red" by this time it was too dark for her to see the light blush.

"Hmmm. I suppose the Sorting Hat took colour co-ordination into consideration while he was sorting us."

It was getting dark now, Jessica noticed, but she didn't mind. There was something relaxing about this time of evening, especially by the lake. She shifted slightly and looked towards Fionn.

"Play another song?"

Fionn laughed. “well, he did take a good look at our brains, so I guess that was part of his decision. He sighed contentedly and looked out at the lake, then smiled slightly. “well, alright. What do you want to hear?” he stood and took his violin out of its case again and began preparing, looking expectantly at her.

"Oh, I don't know, I'm not much of a music whizz, that's your lot in life. I guess I need to be educated more in Muggle matters," she said, suddenly quite aware that she was beside a wizard who due to his upbringing was far more knowledged than her in Muggles. It was not a field she had ever thought of studying but Jessica could not help but find it strange to remember that someone could know such vast amounts more than her

“yea, I only take Muggle Studies for the easy A. it’s like a muggle school history class, although from time to time the teacher does get it wrong” he shrugged, and looked at her a little anxiously. “hey, I know you like being the one getting the best grades and everything. I can teach you about the world I grew up in, you know. If you want. And…” he paused, thinking about what he should play for her. “I’ll do the violin version of Brothers by Vic Montonya. It’s actually one of my favorites, anyway” chuckling, he picked up his violin and began to play the tune, concentrating on making it perfect. It wasn’t as easy with his gloves, but he’d never play with them off in front of other people.

((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhn3Z6erqMA))

"Fine, be better at Muggle Studies if you must, but I'm still gonna kick your butt this year in Defense Against the Dark Arts," Jessica smirked, listening as Fionn began to play. He really had improved over the years and it was almost oddly pleasant to listen to. She'd grown rather tired of Wizarding bands as of late. They all seemed to play the same thing. Just some violin melody was a relief to hear.

While Fionn played, a look of concentration on her face, she noticed it was slightly more strained than usual. Every so often his fingers would flicker as he straightened out his gloves. Why play with them on then? she asked herself, but didn't say anything. When he finished, she clapped politely and looked up, unable to suppress a smile as she saw the concentration ebb away

“you wish you could kick my butt this year, I’ve been practicing” he smirked and concentrated, focusing on keeping the melody as he straightened out his gloves from tome to time when they got bunched around the strings. He gave a silent sigh of relief as he finished the piece, quite proud he’d finished well, and rather happy that it sounded better than the last time he’d practiced. Fionn grinned at Jessica as she clapped and bowed low again. “you’re too kind” he put his violin away again and rubbed his forehead. A wizard playing the violin…there really weren’t that many…he could almost just go into that, be a concert violinist for the wizarding world, that was some food for thought…he grinned at her grin and picked up the case. “should we go inside before we miss dinner? I mean, talking to you and playing my violin is great, but I’m not missing a meal if I can help it” he chuckled and offered her a hand up.

"Food! How could I have forgotten?" Jessica asked dramatically, shaking her head. She paused for a moment when Fionn offered his hand to her but shook her head. She liked to avoid physical contact when she could, and so instead she grabbed for her scarf and pulled herself away from a comfortable bed of grass.

"I'm still holding you to that whole concert idea," she said, her smile disappearing behind the scarf as she wrapped it again around her. "Whether you like it or not"

Fionn sighed and held up his gloved hands. “Jess, I can’t feel the fur you know. You don’t have to avoid physical contact with me” he frowned at the scarf, wishing she didn’t feel she needed to hide her face all the time. He rolled his eyes and grinned. “yea, I know. You never let me get away with anything” laughing, Fionn led the way back to the castle. “don’t make me invite the Hawkins kid though, please!”

Jessica could not help but squeak childishly when the fur was mentioned. Her initial shock subsided though, and she narrowed her eyes.

"I'll have you know that I'm not one for contact in any case, even with your accessories." She sighed and rolled her eyes at the mention of Jim. "You're so mean to the poor boy. But fine. He will be exempt from the list, but really that just leaves me with the chance to invite whomever I so wish."

Fionn snorted. “don’t see why” he muttered, and shrugged again. “you’re free to invite anyone you want as long as it’s not the entire school. And please can we have them promise not to spread the word that I play an instrument? I’ve got enough problems with not being taken seriously as is” he flexed his hands in thought. “I’m writing a piece. I’ll show you when it’s done”

"You write music now as well? Honestly, how do you ever get any school work done?" Jessica asked, honestly quite aghast that he had found so much free time on his hands. She supposed that it was unfair to compare someone else's schedule to hers which more often than not substituted sleep for reading, but for someone to find the time and effort to composen was a completely foreign idea

he raised an eyebrow and looked at her. “why do you think I take Muggle Studies? I don’t even need to study for that class and devote the studying time to composing or other things. Honestly, haven’t you ever taken easy classes so you could have some free time?” not doing something like that was an unknown concept to Fionn. If he spent all day every day studying all his classes he’d go nuts. “and besides, composing is challenging and relaxing. I like composing, but I’ve never actually finished writing a piece before I get bored or frustrated with how it’s coming or how it sounds, but I have a good feeling on this one” he had a good feeling because it was being written for a certain girl’s birthday and he wasn’t giving up on it. “stop looking at me like I grew two heads! I’m not that bad at potions…anyway, yea. I compose”

"Well, it's a little different for me. You're not allowed to really practise magic before school. You, on the other hand, kind of got to practise being a Muggle. Still, each to their own I guess." She smirked at his comment. "Maybe not two heads, but if you're too confident in that violin of yours it might just grow to twice its size. I can't wait to hear it."

he snorted, slightly offended. “hey! I know that, but each is a lifestyle in a way. You grew up knowing what all this was, I woke up one morning to find an owl with a letter in it’s beak staring at me from the baseboard of my bed!” he sniffed, then unable to hold it back, began to laugh. “is that a threat? If someone made it twice it’s size, it would be a viola. Maybe I’ve never played one, but it can’t be much different” he shrugged and grinned. “I can’t wait to show you. But since we’re almost to the school doors, I’ll see you later. I’ve got to put this away. See ya, Jess” he gave her a salute and grinned before jogging ahead and into the school.

"Don't get so cocky, I've been practising that hex!" Jessica shouted as Fionn jogged onwards and out of sight. She shook her head, walking forward as she suddenly realised just how hungry she was....