Among the Stacks

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase followed Annabelle, his eyes gleaming with the small victory even as he started mentally working his way through the library. He hadn't been in more than a few times, but they were all pretty much the same. "There's probably a potions book that'd tell you," he suggested.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"That's what originally started me on this hunt. Our advanced potion book doesn't go into any details on the harvesting of the scales. I originally was wondering if they used shed scales, or if they took them off the dragon. That question led to others, so I figured I should just pick up a book on how dragons are kept first, and see what questions still remained." She glanced sideways at him as she spoke, wondering if he thought she was blabbing on or if he'd be interested. This was the second time in their short conversation that he'd made a comment that hinted of some intelligence.

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase listened as he watched the girl, impressed but not thrown off by how quick she was. It made sense to him, not that he'd ever gone out of his way to find out about the things he wondered. The desire to actively seek knowledge had been trained out of him years ago, and he'd settled without much of a fight into boredom. He still wondered, though. "You'd think there'd be a book just on the use of dragons for potions..." Chase trailed off as he realized that probably wouldn't be enough for Annabelle. She was obviously starting at the beginning, letting her questions settle for the moment. Chase decided to keep his mouth shut until he had a better idea.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"True, I'm sure I'll be hunting for that next." She timidly smiled at him, realizing that she must sound like a complete nerd but that he hadn't teased her about it...yet. They reached a sitting area with some chairs along the wall and two small study tables. She took off her knapsack and put it on the nearest table. "I’m told I have a tendency to overdue it sometimes."

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase shrugged. "If it makes you happy," he said, setting the book down. He wouldn't mock someone for their choice of pasttimes, as long as it didn't involve tripping first-years. You are the worst Slytherin ever, Chase thought. Except for that bit about the ego. He couldn't help smiling at the thought. He also couldn't help thinking about picking up another Muggle book. His parents would have a conniption if they knew, which might have explained the draw.

((I'm going to abandon you for the comfort of bed, but it's been fun! Good night!))

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle reached across to the book, sliding it toward her and tracing the title before opening it. She scanned the Table of Contents quickly. Her whole face lit up as she went. "This is bloody brilliant! I couldn't have picked a better book - It even has a section on grooming dragons! Who would have thought?" She momentarily forgot that she had company. When she remembered the male presence beside her, she blushed again. She hoped that he wouldn't notice with her attention appearing focused on the book. She closed the cover, running her hand along the binding as if was a small child needing comfort and protection.

((Until next time then))

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase watched the path of Annabelle's finger moving along the spine of the book with open interest. Her outburst had intrigued him, but this...this appealed to the part of him that he wasn't afraid to show. Chase stepped up behind her and reached past her to open the cover again, the heat of her back nearly touching his chest a light tease. He ran his finger down the contents until he got to a chapter titled, Dragon Taming; A Brief Introduction. "Are you going to read this?" Chase asked, "or just skim the parts you want?" He meant the book of course, but if she took it to mean the chapter, all the better.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle froze, each muscle tensing with awareness of the heat surrounding her. Her lungs seized, all brain function left her. Only her heart, beating loudly and far too fast, distinguished her from that of a statue. The rumble of his voice broke through the fog that had engulfed her. She gasped in a large breath of air, filling her empty lungs and fought the flickering of her nerves. The wheels began to turn in her head as she struggled to piece together the words that barely registered as English in her befuddled state. What in Merlin’s had he said? Anna determinedly gathered her wits about her and fell to the old standby that always seemed to fit, "Indeed."

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase's lips curved at her vague statement. He'd guess she was more affected than she'd like to admit. He'd also guess that she hadn't heard a word she said, since she hadn't really answered his question. "So which is it?" he asked, turning his head slightly so that the words brushed against her in a warm breath.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

The warm caress against her nape made Annabelle quiver; her fingers flexed where they lay on the table. She inwardly cursed for letting herself be affected so easily by his suave mannerisms. "I'm afraid I must have missed your questions. I was engrossed. What did you wish to know?" She was glad that he couldn't read her eyes from where he stood, and hoped her voice didn't give her away. She didn't need to tell him that he was the cause of her distraction, not the book. If he hasn't already figured it out for himself.

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase's eyes gleamed as she confirmed what he'd been thinking. He shifted his weight, moving beside Annabelle, and gently pushed aside the soft curtain of her hair to look at her. "There's nothing to be afraid of," he murmured. "You're beautiful," he added, his voice little more than a whisper now. His gaze traced the smooth line of her jaw and her blooming petal lips.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle turned to face him with her whole body, taking a step back as she did. Her body bumped up against a chair that wasn't quite pushed into the table. Her hands reached out; she gripped the edge of the table with one and the back of the chair by her leg with the other for support. She studied his face, trying to figure him out. "Why?"

She knew she was the quiet bookish type, definitely not the type that would interest a handsome slytherin like him. She was the type that they'd dare each other to try and score with. He wouldn't be the sort of guy that would sweep her off her feet like in her stories. She didn't understand what he was doing, or why she'd gone along with it. She needed to know.

[Chase Firebrand]

"Why not?" Chase asked softly. "You really are beautiful, you know." Chase narrowed the space between them again. He paused, inclining his head a bit with thought. "Is it because I'm in Slytherin?" he asked with a pointed glance at his robes. "You can't judge us all because of a few." His voice was still soft, the words filled with far more than they might have been had he shown annoyance or offense. "You are beautiful. But maybe I can feel something besides what I see." Can you?

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"This is madness." She replied, not sounding nearly as forceful as she'd intended. She could hear her heart still echoing loudly; her knuckles whitening, displaying the tension that overwhelmed her. Her body refused to listen as her mind urged her to flee. She was a romantic to the bone, believed in love at first sight, and yearned daily to find her special love. But this wasn't how it happened was it? Surely what she was feeling was just lust, but could lust change into love? As for Chase, she didn't have a clue what was real. He treated her just how she wanted, but there were those instances where her instincts flared against him. She couldn’t stand to be heartbroken again. "We don't even know each other."

[Chase Firebrand]

Chase reached up a hand, slowly, to touch his fingers against the line of her jaw. "Stop thinking," he murmured. "Stop fighting it." His finger moved, sliding against her skin. "What will you really regret more? One kiss? Or always wondering what might have happened?" Chase only gave a moment for the words to penetrate. Then his lips were on hers, warm, soft, but unyielding, his hand light against her cheek.