Irises and Icecicles ( Luna/ Aito )

[Aito Satoshi]

With a quickened step, the tall boy made his way through the snow and let his black eyes settle upon the colorful lights now blazing within the shop windows of Hogsmeade Village. This time of year and the spring were his two favorite times of year, the winter for the glow it seemed to bring out in everyone both young and old, and the spring for its symbolism of new life and rebirth. It was all something so beautiful to him and the profound beauty of the lights was always something that he looked forward to.

The end of his blue and silver scarf hung over his black coat as he stopped over at a flower shop and picked up an order that he had sent Kimmiko with earlier that day (much to her dismay, it took a lot of persuading and a lot of treats from the kitchens for that voyage in the snow) and headed quickly to Madame Puddifoot's tea shop. The shop was mostly empty and Madame Puddifoot was seated cheerfully behind the counter. He introduced himself and explained kindly what he had planned in her establishment before she gave him the okay to use the facilities.

His plan was simple and he'd been practicing a great deal of charms and transfigurations to make it work. He had started it all with a note. All it read was, "Meet me at Madame Puddifoot's." He had not signed his name, and left it with her name upon it inside the pocket of her coat. That was done, but now there was work to do. In the bundles he got at the flower shop, he found one bouquet of purple and white irises that he put in a clear vase in the center of one of the quaint tables in the shop.

The next thing he did was open the box inside the bundle to find individual purple and white iris blossoms which he placed in a trail from the door of the establishment (with a sticky charm) and lead them to the table. The irises in the vase were not open yet and were sealed with a charm to not open without his wand to coax them to. Tiny candles were lit around the table, and he'd acquired some help from a local man for the charm he had to do for what he wished to do with the flames. He was ready for her arrival. All that was left to do was hide.

Hiding a very tall boy was hard to do, so he opted to duck behind the counter and wait. Why would he go through all this trouble for someone? It was simple. Ever since he had seen how this girl protected her sibling, how she protected those downtrodden and bullied, how loyal and kind, how caring she was, he had been a touch in awe of the girl, watching her admirably from a far distance. He wanted to truly get her attention. Lately, there were a couple of boys that were around her and he nearly didn't have the nerve to ask, but he finally got up the courage and decided that it was time to go big, or go home. This girl deserved so much more, her brother deserved so much more than they had ever received from people here.

He wanted her to see that not all Hogwarts students were out to hurt her. Especially not him. He would give anything to see her smile at him like she did her brother, but was content in the knowledge that she probably wouldn't and the only reason that anyone would know him is because he was the strange one that never slept at night. Or, the fact that he was the one that broke down hardest with Maiko died two years ago.

Still. All he wanted to do was use the charms and ask her to the Ball...at least get her attention...somehow! If this didn't, he wasn't sure what would.

[Deleted]

She had been up in the Ravenclaw common room tending to her younger brother when a note had fallen from out of her coat pocket onto the soft carpet of her brother's dorm room. Reaching down to grab the note, her eyes scanned it with a very mild curiosity before opening the piece of paper, and scanning the words that were written very neatly across it. The note had been written with a very neat handwriting and told her to meet the person at Madame Puddifoots. There was no name signed, and if Luna had not had seen her name written at the very top of the note she would have thought that she had recieved it as an accident.

Ready to brush it off, and ignore the sender of the note, she was surprised when Artemis of all people had told her that she should go meet the person. After arguing about it for a moment, Artemis had managed to talk her into a corner, saying that she had no reason not to go. If it was something important, then she would be letting someone who needed her down, and if it was some sort of trap she could easily protect herself, hex whoever set her up and leave without getting into any sort of trouble because of her friendship with the owner of the shop.

Stunned by Artemis' persistance, she had eventually agreed which had lead to the current moment with her wearing a very loose, and open jacket and her hands shoved into the pockets as she made her way across the snow covered ground. An icy breeze blew as she walked, making her long brown waves move as if they were dancing in the icy wind. Her calm blue eyes were wearily scanning her surroundings,and her hand was gripping her wand ready to pull it out and protect herself if need be. It was getting dark, and the last thing that she needed was to be caught off guard at a time when most people were either inside of the castle, or out at the Three Broomsticks getting too drunk to be of any help should she need it.

She kept up her tense walk until she reached the slightly crowded streets of Hogsmeade. People were either windowshopping, or simply talking outside while nursing a warm drink that the shop owners were kind enough to place in a to-go container for them. Each and every person that was outside were given a soft sort of glow by the lights that the shops were decorated with, giving them a sort of beautiful, warm glow that they seemed to lack throughout the rest of the year.Indeed, they appeared far more beautiful to Luna in this season then they did in any other, because it was this time of year that tended to bring out the best characteristics in both a person's personality, and their heart.

Something that Luna found to be more and more beautiful each and every time she saw it, and it was that very reason that Luna favored winter above all other seasons.

Luna continued to walk in a sort of thoughtful daze until she reached the entrance of Madame Puddifoots. Her eyes read over the familiar sign and for a moment she hesitated. This place had become a sort of haven for her over the years. Every time that someone or something had upset her, she would come to this shop and have a cup of tea while being comforted by the woman that had become a sort of grandmother to her. This place symbolized familiarity, and comfort. It had become a part of her life, and she did not want that to be corrupted by any dark, painful memories. Her doubt was nearly enough to make her turn away and head back to the castle, however her curiosity was stronger. Her hand moved of it's own accord, and pushed open the door, the sweet smell of tea hitting her immediately.

Without any further hesitation, she stepped forward into the shop and was stunned as she saw the sight that was in front of her. The shop was mostly empty, something that she found surprising as it was a cold night, and she figured that it would be crowded by people and couples that wanted a cup of her delicious tea. The next thing that she saw was a trail of iris blossoms that led from the door, to a table in the very center of the room that held a clear vase that held a bouquet of purple and white irises, and tiny candles were lit and flickering around the flowers.

She had to admit that beneath the surprise, she was a bit impressed. Whoever had asked her to meet them here had clearly done their research about her. She held a strong love for the flower, finding their beauty and scent to far surpass that of the widely popular rose. She glanced cautiously at Madame Puddifoot, smiling weakly when she got her approval to move forward. She was a bit scared, but she trusted the older woman completely, and did as she was told. Making her way to the very center of the room, she walked until she was a short distance away from the vase and the candles.

A small smile made it's way on her face as she admired the beauty, and scent of the flowers, and how they looked in the candlelight.

"They're beautiful..."

[Aito Satoshi]

There she was, time to move.

He slipped to a small space and whispered softly, "Flamarus choruls." Just then the flames on the tiny candles lowered and statred raising in a variety of patterns with a soft song playing from the enchanted holders. He had learned a musical charm and found ways to make them play music in the pattern of the notes. It only worked with piano though...nothing else so far. That might take some practice on his end. Each holder was enchanted to play only one note, to the flickering now held a pattern and flow.

About half way through the song, he whispered again, "Inflamare corsas." A thin ribbon of flame from the furthest candles stretched up and wrapped around elegantly before stopping above the tops of the flowers and taking form of her name in the same scrawling writing as the note had held, when suddenly...("Floras alohamora." ) The flowers burst open with a shower of silver glitter and scent and upon each of the pedals the silvery letters caught by the lights of the candles read, "Would you..."

The song ended just then, and he had made his way to her side, just behind her enough to stay out of sight. But, he finally spoke loud enough to be heard. "Go with me to the Yule Ball?" Black bangs hung in his eyes and his stance was soft and low, showing he was neither going to attack and also the depth of sincerity in his question. He was beyond contrite in that moment, then again, he always was. "With all that you do for your brother...you deserve so much more than kindness."

[Deleted]

Her eyes widened in shock as the candles started performing a small light show for her, all the while playing a very soft and sweet song in the background. Each candle would play a single note, the flickering pf the flames matching perfect with the notes of the music creating a kind of synchronized rhythm that left the girl surprised and almost speechless.

When the song had reached a certain point, the flame from the candle that was furthest away from both her and the flower reached up, forming her name in the same neat handwriting that had been written on the note that she had been given. It was only seconds later that the flowers opened, showering her with a small wave of silver glitter, and the beautiful scent of the flowers. Her eyes caught the words that were spread out across the petals of the irises, spelling out the words "Would you."

When the song ended, and the question was asked she quickly turned around to face the person who had spoken. It was a boy that she had recognized after a moment of observation as Aito Thresh. He was both in her house, and year. Luna recognized him from some of the classes that they had shared together, and from occasionally bumping into him in the halls and in the common room.

Though they had spoken a few times in the past,she had never really gotten close to the boy, had never had an in depth conversation with him. She had never really paid much mind to the boy, being far too occupied with Artemis, and Xayden to pay much attention to any one else, something that made her feel guilty as it was slightly obvious that the boy paid attention to her. He had gone through so much trouble, for her. She wondered just what it was that the boy wanted from her.

When he asked her to go to the Yule ball with him, she did not know how to react, or what to say to the boy for she had not been expecting that particular question from anybody, much less the boy in front of her. She stood there staring at him in confusion, her cheeks coloring in the slightest when he spoke of seeing the things that she had done for her brother, saying that she deserved more then just simple kindness. He had taken her by complete surprise, something that made the girl feel flustered. She turned her face away from the boy in order to collect her thoughts and regain her compsure, hating the fact that she had been caught off guard.

" I do not know why you would choose to ask me of all people to the ball. The only kindness that I hold in my heart is for my brother. It is very limited, I will be the first to tell you that I am not as kind as you might think."

Here her eyes moved from where they were currently situated on the wall, to glance into Aito's eyes with a calmness that she had somehow managed to regain.

" Whereas you are an attractive boy that seems to have a kind, and gentle heart. You seem to have much to gain from bonds with others, so why would someone like you wish to be seen with someone like myself? It does not make sense to me."

Here she paused for a moment, her eyes staring into the boy's for a moment longer, searching for answers as if she could find them just by staring into his eyes. She continued to stare for a moment before glancing away again for a few moments to finish her sentence.

" However, if you are absolutely sure that you would not mind being seen with me on that night, then I will go to the ball with you."

[Aito Satoshi]

Something akin to confusion made its way over his features, and black eyes blinked slightly. "Why would I not? And from what I have witnessed, you're far kinder than you wish to let on. It may be difficult to see, but many can see it." So many were so cold in this school this year. Warmth was a difficult quality to maintain, obviously. He'd been caught in the tugs of coldness himself, trying to slip away from the kind boy that was often passed by as if he were a shadow. Nothing in the world would make him remarkable, accept for his ability to smile through anything.

As if remembering this, a smile slipped over his lips. "I'm not a rascal, so you've nothing to worry about. Plus, I'm sure you could thump me a good one if I were. I thought that perhaps...you could do with a night of fun." Boy, he could too. His nights were normally spent awake in the Common Room, either working far ahead in his lessons or gazing out the windows with the same lost smile on his face.

Black eyes crinkled slightly with the introduction of a soft chuckle. A sound that held a vague wistfulness, as if there was a deep pain that he hid well. "Artemis can't have all the fun, Luna. You deserve some too."