Black Magic

Grey rivulets chased each other down the sheer pane of glass as Millie watched, entranced with the storm raging on outside the warmth of the North Wing. Wide grey eyes followed each rain drop as it slid downwards, two slim pale hands played with each other, fingers weaving in and out of other in sharp, jittery movements. Slumped against the wall she allowed her eyes to drift upwards towards the burning lamps hanging high above her head, allowing herself to become saturated the image of their fire, bright and orange, fierce.
Next to her Louisiana was singing softly to herself before she abruptly stopped, leaned over and asked, "Where's Will?" Millie shrugged and went back to staring out of the window, lips pursed. Louisiana, slight, blonde and relentless with her questions, asked, "Are you two...?"
Millie gave another shrug and pout of her lips before she said shortly, "I don't know," staring out of the window, thinking she saw a pair of amber eyes reflected in there. She sighed. "I don't know. Captain of the Quidditch team has more important things to be concentrating on than his girl--"
"Oh, get off it," the other girl snapped, eyebrow raised. "You're just looking for a way out, aren't you?"
"Shh!" Millie hissed, as a couple of people at nearby desks looked up, frowning. Gripping her friend's arm she went on, "You don't understand. It's complicated. He's so..."
Louisiana looked at her with eyebrows raised, anticipating the answer. "He's so what? Sweet, caring? Not to mention he adores you!"
"He's intense. He's so intense, don't you see that? You see how he is with me. He never lets up."
"And you'd prefer what? A guy who doesn't care? You're so bloody complicated, Camilla, I don't know why I bother." But there was a light smile on her face, and Millie knew any resentment or harshness came only from tension and fatigue. Touching her on the arm, Millie replied, "You bother because, well, what kind of friend would you be if you didn't?" Louisiana smiled briefly and rested her head on Millie's shoulder, twirling a piece of her long hair around her finger, half-heartedly flicking through a book in her lap.

The sudden explosion of noise made them both look up sharply, and a group of swaggering boys burst into the room, allowing the doors to slam back against the wall, laughing and chatting noisily, and Louisiana lifted her head, saying brightly,
"Look, there's Will! And he's with--"
"The prefects--" Millie stopped short and felt her heart contract and for one painful moment forgot how to breathe, forgot how the motion went, forgot everything about herself as her eyes met, met with shining brown ones, eyes which were still and quite emotionless on the approach, and she could hardly speak as the wave of blustering boys swept towards her.
"Bloody hell," Louisiana muttered beside her, "That looks like..."
"Yeah," Millie said, suddenly aware of herself, jumping to her feet. Will met her first, sweeping his floppy blonde hair from his face, smiling as he dipped his head close to her.
He said quietly, quickly, "Listen, before you say anything, he wanted to come and meet you, I couldn't say no, I hope you don't--"
"Mind? Why would I--"
"Camilla? Camilla, isn't it?" She stopped short and turned her head towards the smooth voice which seemed to be reaching out to her as if across a void.
"Yes," she said, and immediately wished her first words to him hadn't been that.
Face flickering with annoyance at her sudden disinterest Will pulled away, muttering sullenly, "I'll leave you to it, then," and went to sit beside Louisiana, although none of this reached Millie who was still feeling lost and searching for something worthwhile to say. After a moment of being silent, pink-cheeked and faltering, Tom let out a short laugh and said,
"Um, great," before he inclined his head a little and, his smirk ever-present, said, "So, I saw you on the Charms corridor yesterday. Were you coming from a lesson?"
"Yes," she said again, wary, unable to think of anything more complex to answer with, aware of his proximity to her more than she'd ever been aware of anyone else's presence before.
"Good," he said, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets, "Because I was thinking..." Glancing at Will he gave another brief grin before he turned, pressed the side of his body into hers to push her away a little and she went with him, ducking her head like if she did she would avoid the glares that might be sent her way.

"You enjoy Charms?" He asked, almost innocently, and she replied.
"Well, yes. I mean, I hadn't really thought about it. Yeah. Why?" He laughed again, that grating, sharp sound that seemed to make everyone in the room lift their heads to watch, running a hand through his hair almost self-consciously, leaning against the wall, eyes flicking down and then up.
"I don't know." And Millie thought, you know exactly. "I just thought, you know, I have the best grades in the school. And not just for Charms. If you wanted a hand..."
She faltered. His face was open steady, but there seemed to be intent in his gaze which was keen, seemed to catch every subtle movement she made. She tossed a glance towards Will who was ignoring her in preference of Louisiana.
"Of course." She said, and he tilted his head to one side, smirking, studying her closely. After a moment she turned her face away, to the window, and asked sheepishly, "What?"
"Oh, nothing," he replied, quickly, taking a step back. "I was just thinking. You seem rather uneasy around me. What's wrong?"
Her eyes widened. "I don't mean to. I was just, just thinking, and I...Yes. I'd like your help."
"Who wouldn't?" Another voice, this one low and rough, as if from someone with a perpetual cough. It belonged to a dark-haired boy who threw his arm around Tom's shoulder from behind and laughing raucously added, "Tom'll always sort you out, sweetheart."
"This is Rick," Tom said, licking his lips, suppressing a wide grin. But he was already being cajoled and pulled away and, sending a searching glance Millie's way, said nothing else, only watched, mouth lifted at the corners before he turned away, leaving Millie leaning, a little breathless, against the wall.

Louisiana bounded up to her, clearly interested, solemnly curious. "What did he say?" She asked, and Millie couldn't articulate it so she lifted her shoulders and little and said,
"Not an awful lot," before she turned back to the window to watch the rain.