meet me at my window

[immoderation]

[ In the wizarding community, the name Salvatore is practically synonymous with Slytherin. So it comes as no surprise when the youngest son and heir apparent of one of Britain's oldest and most celebrated pureblood families is promptly sorted and joins his brother at a table decked in green and silver to the sound of thunderous applause. It's only Damon that casts furtive, worried glances his way throughout the night. Neither boy shares their father's prejudiced ideology but as the elder son, Damon had already tried stepping up to the plate long ago, pledging himself to a cause he doesn't believe in, in order to spare his brother the atrocities of the coming war. But when that leathery old hat first settles to rest on Stefan's head, its obvious desire to put him into Ravenclaw (like his mother before him) is outmatched by Stefan's own staunch determination to follow in Damon's footsteps. And Giuseppe, who has always clearly favored Stefan, couldn't be more proud. ]

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[ His mouth curves up a bit at the corner. ]

Alright, then you hold onto this. [ Stefan gently presses the rock into her hand and moves to stand behind her. He's close enough to catch a whiff of her shampoo. ] First we have to work on your stance.

[interpersonal]

[ it's a helpless thing, but elena grows impossibly still as she becomes aware of their growing proximity. her head turns sideways to catch a glimpse of his face, inevitably paying more attention to it than the rock in her hand. it's only until stefan mentions her stance that elena looks forward at last, positioning herself in front of him.

her back nearly brushes his chest, but not quite. ]

Is it really that bad?

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Not at all. [ He assures her, nothing but kindness apparent in his tone. ] It isn't really about "bad" or "good" but knowing what works best for what you're trying to do. May I...? [ She can probably sense his hand where it hovers above her hip, not wanting to touch or maneuver her in any way like this without her express permission. ]

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Yes! [ okay, maybe that was answered too quickly.

note to self: when asked by a genteel and cute boy if something is okay, keep enthusiasm at a moderate level.

let's try this again. elena clears her throat, a dignified reply: ] You may.

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[ Again, he can't help but to chuckle, warm and throaty, at her response as the weight of his hand finally allows itself to settle on her hip. His other hand does similarly on the opposite side. ]

Alright... So... You're actually going to want to stand sideways, with your shoulder to the water like this. [ Gently, he uses his grip on her waist to help direct her movement. ] Now... Plant your feet about shoulder-width apart.

the sad thing is i rolled for this

[interpersonal]

[ elena mentally prepared herself for this. two point five seconds is totally enough time to prepare, right? but she isn't anticipating how it will feel. so the moment stefan's hands begin to steer her in a certain direction, elena startles: the pebble springs free from her hand, sinking into the lake with nary a ripple. ]

... Oh.

I think this means I'm a hopeless case and you should probably save yourself the headache.

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Too bad we didn't go for the summoning charm. [ Stefan teases.

There's a few more moments that pass before it occurs to him that he's still holding onto her and he rather abruptly lets go, although he doesn't really move all that far away. Reaching into the pocket of his robes, he pulls out a small handful of Honeydukes' salt water toffee. ]

Consolation prize? [ He offers. ]

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[ elena's embarrassment doesn't last long. stefan carries them away from it with enviable ease, and elena's face brightens with an amused grin. her own hand rummages inside the pockets of her robes, and it's only a moment later that she lifts up a sugared butterfly wing. ]

Better yet, I'll trade you. Now you can't say I never gave you anything.

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[ Stefan graciously accepts the sugary confection as it's handed over to him, carefully liberating the wing from its clear wrapper and eagerly popping it into his waiting mouth. ]

No take-backsies.

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That's true with almost anything, isn't it? [ her smile falters a bit, though she doesn't mean to turn this into a serious conversation. but once you let something go, or once it lets go of you, it's gone. ]

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[ His own expression sobers into one that's much more thoughtful. ] I suppose you're right. [ He traces his bottom lip with the pad of his thumb, removing any evidence of sugar that was left behind. ]

Should we keep walking or did you want to hide out here for a bit longer?

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[ elena pops the toffee into her mouth, allowing the honey to melt on her tongue. ]

Let's keep walking. [ she gives him a smile that's almost self-deprecating, but not quite. ] It'll help with the cold and we should probably answer at least some of these questions. I don't know about you, but I like to avoid Professor McGonagall's disapproval face.

[ you know the one. ]

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[ Oh yes, he most certainly does if his own slight grimace is anything to go by. ]

Alright. What's the first question?