Drawing (anyone)

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael set out to find a place to sit down, a crook of a tree or something of the like. A few minutes in, he found a tree with three trunks sprouting from a single set of roots, they made a sort of hollow in the center, names and hearts were carved in the smooth wood. He wasn't the only one to have found it. He settled down, a drawing pad in his hand. Waving his wand he took off the protective charm he had on it, and a small box flew out of his pocket. The box grew and he opened it, pulling out a piece of charcoal.

He flipped in his book to a sketch he had started, just at the stage where he needed to fill in the details. Running a finger along one line, he looked at the picture, the memory filling his head. He started to add in detailed lines of Dru's curly hair, smoothing them out to make it seem more natural, drawing a little there and a little on her glasses as the whim struck him.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle cautiously peered around a tree trunk. She'd been strolling the grounds thinking when she'd seen a boy wander in this way. She hadn't intended on following, had even told herself that it was too dangerous to go into the forbidden forest; yet here she was. The dry twigs cracked under her feet, echoing and giving her presence away to anyone or anything lurking about. Annabelle sighed, leaned up against a trunk, and glanced around for a hint of the person she'd come in after.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael heard a crack and glanced around. He didn't see anyone, so he pulled out his wand and stood, laying the drawing book and materials in his seat. He took a few steps and turned a trunk. Instinctively, his wand shot towards her chest before realizing she was a student, a Ravenclaw by her robes. He pulled the wand back, pointing it down at the ground, though not putting it up. "I'm sorry, I didn't expect to see anyone out here," he said appologetically.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle's hand leaped to her chest as she tried to steady her heartbeat. She'd known he was around, but hadn't expected him to jump out at her. Thinking back, she wasn't all too sure what she'd expected going into the woods. "Oh, no, it's my fault. I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that, sorry."

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"It's alright," Michael said, putting his wand back in his pocket, "Just be more careful. What are you doing out here?" Most people didn't come out into the forest, much less jumpy girls.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle looked around again, making sure there was nothing else that might jump out at them. "I was walking around and saw you enter the forest." She hoped that would be good enough reason for him. She still didn't know what had driven her to follow him, besides curiosity. But her curiosity had never landed her in the forbidden forest alone tailing a stranger before.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael smiled and turned, walking the few steps back to his tree and sitting down. "It really is a beautiful place," he said, looking down at his drawing and smudging in some shadows. "Especially at night when the moon's nearly full. Very mystical." He smiled slightly as he remembered Dru saying that the moon gave everything a mystical glow. "You should see it sometime. Just look out for Centaurs."

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle shivered at the thought. "I'll have to take your word for it. I don't think I'll be wandering here alone in the dark anytime soon." She had turned and followed him to the edge of the tree, watching him draw. "What are you drawing?' She asked with interest.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael looked down at the picture before turning it towards her, "An old friend," he said softly, remembering when he and Dru had went into the forest on their own before, spending long hours together, doing things that "just friends" wouldn't do.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle frowned when he showed her the picture. The girl resembled Dru an awful lot. "It's very good. She looks llike a girl I know." She wondered if it was Dru, and how they might know each other. She shrugged it off; they did all go to the same school after all. Perhaps they had been study partners or something. She tried to glace at his robes to see if he was in their house, but his position hid the crest.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's eyes widened, "Did Dru happen to mention an old boyfriend?" he asked, knowing inside that she had recognized the picture. He wasn't sure if he wanted her to say yes or no, but he needed to know the answer. He leaned up closer and his Slytherin green shown through slightly, barely visible in the light.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle's face lit with shock at his words. She took a step back, glancing quickly again at his robes and catching a hint of green before locking on his face again. "You're Michael?" She asked in an unsteady voice. He didn't look like a threatening Death Eater, but Dru had said he'd lied and deceived her.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's face dropped, a pained expression spreading over it. "Apparently she has..." He leaned back in the tree, rubbing his hands over his face, "Apparently she didn't mention that I've changed either, that I'm on the good side?" he asked once he finally brought his hands down. What had Dru told this girl to gain him such a reaction?

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle was torn. His reactions seemed so genuine; he didn't look like he was capable of what Dru had said. But if he'd fooled his own girlfriend, how hard would it be to fool someone who didn't know him? His words flew through her mind, were they the truth? "No, all she said was that you were a liar and on the 'wrong side.'"

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Well, at least she hadn't exaggerated like most the the stories were that were floating around. "Yes, I did lie, but I warned her...." he trailed off, "Before we ever got together I warned her...." He gave a heavy sigh and put his hands over his face again, to his surprise feeling his eyes burn slightly. He squeezed them shut, he hadn't cried that night, nor anytime since then, and he wasn't going to start now.