Blue Moon

[Cecily Rambolt]

In the way that things often were for the headmistress of a busy school, it was late afternoon before Cecily could break away and actually begin to enjoy her supposed day off. They were never her days off, not truly. This morning she'd taken in a small load of herbs and plants to St. Mungo's, broke up two fights in the corridors, advised a watery young girl with boy troubles and nearly ran headlong into not only the headboy but the headgirl as well. It'd been an odd day and unfortunately Cecily had chosen the busiest route on her way back from the hospital.

Rude patrons, harried mothers and many others bustled about and jostled her. It was more than a woman of her rapidly fraying nerves could take. Finally she spun on the spot and disapparated to a solemn little bench with a nicely shaded tree and flowers around the base. Taking the worn, dogeared book from her satchel, she folded her legs under her and with a very heart felt sigh began to lose herself in the romantic world of Nora Roberts Mackade men.

 

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Things have been dreadfully quiet. Prodan hated it, but loved it as well. He had to get Aleyha a birthday gift for her twelfth birthday in May. Thinking on what the Parselmouth would want, he changed the topic to his uncle. Who was about to be a dad again. Prodan was shocked at the news, more so when he discovered that he moved in with the woman. Prodan did not take mind to who she was, but knew that Asparuh wasn't very happy about it. Thankfully, Nataliia calmed him down. Prodan chuckled silently, remembering his half sister. Such a bubbly girl.

Prodan closed his book, and stood up from the couch. Turning off the TV, he apparated to Obsidian Harbor. A walk wouldn't bring him any harm. He was humming a melody to himself, as his stormy eyes gazed from one area to the next. Then he spotted her. Cecily. Prodan did not want to stare, but he couldn't help himself. She was so beautiful. To talk to her or to pass her up and meet her elsewhere? Too much into his thoughts, he was not paying attention to where he was going. With a loud BONK, Prodan's head collided with a pole. Prodan fell on his back, his hand went to his head, and he muttered, "Ow..." I hope she didn't see me! he thought frantically.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily sighed and closed her eyes as the last lines floated through her head and into her heart. It had been a good book, one of her favorites she'd plucked off her dusty shelf that morning in a fit of nostalgia. She hadn't been disappointed. Just as she turned the pages to start the next in the anthology she happened to glance up at a sort of tingling awareness in the middle of her spine. There she watched as Prodan took a hard facedive straight into a pole.

Had he apparated into that spot? Oh dear. With reflexes honed from catching troublemakers, she was off running and by him in a flash. The slightly dazed look in his eyes warmed her heart and she sank to her knees beside his hip with a slight smile on her face. "You alright there ace?" She reached out to smooth back his hair from his forehead.

 

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Prodan blinked many times, and he stared up into the green eyes of the woman who caused him to be so distracted, he ran right into a pole. Prodan bit his lip, and he nodded, "Yeah, just...a bump on my head." He blinked a few more times. He hoped that she didn't see it. How many times had he made a fool of himself in the past meetings? Well, the meeting her part, and luckily nothing else happened the last meeting. That would have proved what a clumsy oaf Prodan was. But who was he kidding, he was clumsy. Well, he was now.

The man sat up a bit, and gave her a pitiful look, "You didn't see that by any chance, did you?" He gave her a grin as well. He was already blushing, full aware of the fact that she had seen. After all, Prodan was sure someone would have heard his hard head colliding with the metal pole to make such a loud sound. Why must I be such an idiot at times? he thought harshly about himself in his mind. Prodan sat up just a little more, feeling the impact now. The pain was uncomfortable, but he has been through worse.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily couldn't hold in the small chuckle that slipped from her throat. Her eyes connected with his silver ones and in that moment she knew she felt something a bit more than mere friendship. Oh. She was aware of him as a man as only a woman could be. Get a grip, girl. He's not interested in you like that. Something flashed across her face before it eased back into its familiar grin.

"See you run headlong into a pole and make a sound that people over in the village could hear?" She shook her head, blond curls bounced around her face. "Not a chance." She winked. She sat back on her heels and awkwardly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before settling her hands together in her lap. Fingers with unpainted nails began to twist together slowly. Her eyes fell from his and then came back again.

"Does it hurt?"

 

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Prodan put his hand upon his head. If he was ever someone who got clumsy around women, then well, he was. She has to think that I'm the biggest moron around. Why didn't I just play it cool and approach her like a real man? he thought, but soon enough, he answered it in his mind. Maybe you like her. Prodan could not like anyone after Dorothee but then again, she was the one who divorced Prodan, not the other way around. Prodan couldn't be more confused than he was now.

Prodan flushed again, but ended up laughing. He replied, "Well, as long as no one else saw, then I guess my reputation isn't ruined." It was obvious that he was joking, or else he wouldn't have that crooked smile on his face. He thought for a moment, as the pain started to ease. Prodan shook his head, "Not really. It pays to have a hard skull. Though I won't lie, if I was walking any faster, I probably would have given myself a mild concussion." Prodan shrugged lightly. Perhaps at times, he was too truthful for his own good.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily glanced around with exagerated movements. Then turned her mirthful green eyes on him. "Nope I'd say I was the only one, except we've already established I saw nothing." She grinned, glanced down then up. "Hard head indeed." She'd met many men with exceptionally thick skulls and Prodan didn't seem like one to her. She liked the kindness and humour she saw in his eyes. The sun was still high in the sky and its rays had heated the air until it was becoming a bit unbearable. Although she was used to it as her office didn't afford her anything like muggle air conditioning. Cooling charms only did so much.

She slowly stood and held out her hand to him. "What brings you here today?"

 

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Prodan smirked, "Then I'm in the clear then." Who are you kidding? She saw you, but then again, she didn't laugh or ignore you. That's a good sign. Prodan reassured himself, and he patted his head again. "I guess I need a hard skull for how clumsy I could get." He normally wasn't, but it hit him like Austin's little rebel streak. Perhaps it was only a phase. Prodan took her hand in his, and helped himself, up. It should have been the other way around, a man helping a lady up, but this backward event had him satisfied. Prodan released her hand, and dropped his arm to his side.

The heat of the day didn't bother him. He was wearing a cool outfit fit for this heat. Couldn't be any worse than Sunshine Coast, Australia, where he lived, could it? Prodan dusted some dirt off his clothes, and gave Cecily another smile. Prodan wondered for a moment, and said, "Just a walk, and to clear up my head. Which I think has been accomplished now, but the weather, I could not pass up either. What brings you out here?"

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

The skin of her palm tingled from where their hands met. It was a brief touch but Cecily was a bit jarred by it. What is wrong with you? Suddenly she felt like one of her students; awkward, crushing on a boy. Only Prodan wasnt a boy and she wasn't a girl. They were adults. Yes, she told herself. You're an adult. You can handle this. You can--you're talking to yourself. Stop that! With Bearse there had been an attraction but soon it was covered with self doubt. And fear. Too much fear. Then her relationship with Nicolas...it had been sweet, gentle. Certainly there had been an attraction between them. But it was tempered heavily by respect, trust and too many intervening events to make it steady.

But Prodan.... She glanced at him through golden tipped lashes. Prodan could be trouble. His good looks not withstanding, there was a definite chemical reaction when she was near him. She shook the thought from her, knowing it was best to offer her friendship and not screw things up like she always did. To clear her thoughts and buy some time, she tipped her head back and closed her eyes to let the sun shine on her face. "Mm, the weather is nice. If a bit stifling. Too used to being cramped inside my office, I think," she chuckled.

Opening her eyes she looked up at him. "The Gods have granted me my very own day off. I'm not sure what to do with the time honestly," she shrugged, grinning.

 

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Prodan folded his arms across his chest, and tried to ignore that odd feeling from physical contact. Prodan flexed his fingers just a tad, and kept that feeling he felt away from his thoughts. Sure, he was definitely attracted to her. Or else he wouldn't have run into the pole, clearly distracted by her beauty. But he had dangerous people in the family. Hell, he might be able to keep her safe. Especially with Asparuh and Arnost carrying on with their own business. Surely they would leave Prodan and let him live his own life.

Only issue was Kalif. Then again, he had Kailie to handle. And his kids. So, Prodan thought that maybe friendship would be better, though if she were to suggest anything, he would not refuse. Prodan nodded, and grinned, "Perhaps you should get out more. Maybe not journeying through Brightstone or Obsidian but just...out. Autumn is coming." Prodan loved autumn. His favorite season. Prodan thought for a moment, and he smiled warmly, "Do what you enjoy most. Something that relaxes you more than anything."

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily watched, fascinated and despite her earlier warnings to herself, star struck by the emotions that ranged across his handsome face. "Autumn," she murmured a bit sadly. It reminded her of burnt leaves, growing pumpkins and wheelbarrow races. She thought of what she most enjoyed and for a moment drew a blank. Was she that stuck in her new profession that she couldn't think of what would make her happy and not someone else?

"Teaching," Cecily blurted out. "I miss puttering around in the greenhouses and readying lessons." Feeling foolish for having spoken such regret she nevertheless shrugged the feeling away. "The feel of the lush dirt under my fingers, the soft slap of leaves against my face." Realizing she was speaking rather wistfully she grinned to cover it up and shrugged. "Seeing as I don't have that anymore I suppose I'll have to find something else to occupy my time."

Shifting weight from foot to foot, she was overcome by the one constant in her emotional arsenal; humour. Crossing her arms over her chest in a mimicry of his stance, she glanced up at him rather mischievously. "So, friend," she stressed the word with a playful grin, "would it be too forward of me to ask for your company?"

 

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Prodan stared at her in awe. She was the former Herbology Professor, which profession Kalif holds now? Prodan wondered for a moment, and he shrugged, "I'm sorry I cannot help with that at all. I really want you to do what you enjoy most. But maybe along the way, you can, I don't know... Maybe you can find something to substitute that you like just as much." Prodan's wording might have been off but maybe he still got his point out there. As long as she was happy with that she was doing.

Prodan smirked slightly, and hesitated to answer. "Depends, where to and what to do?" Prodan meant nothing bad by it, and someone could easily tell by the gentleness in his eyes rather than that desire or anything similar. "And no, it isn't forward, because I was about to ask whether or not you wanted some extra company."

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily studied him while her mind whirled. Sometimes it was though the wizarding community were like four walls closing in on her. It was time to get away, to grab a bit of happiness for her stolen time. She didn't want anything it had to offer. She wanted to taste her muggle roots and dove headfirst into a new and potentially dangerous area.

"Dinner. A movie. Maybe a walk afterward." A grin spread slowly on her face, slight dimple creasing her cheek.

 

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Prodan chuckled, and he liked that idea. The faintest hue of red touched his cheeks as he said, "That sounds great. As long as I pay for it all." He gave her a wink, and smiled. He then inquired, "Would that be tonight, or right now?" Prodan hoped that he wasn't being too awkward with this. After all, where was the harm? It was nice to take a risk every now and again.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Wisely deciding not the argue the fact over who paid that night, she chuckled. "Deal." She glanced over her shoulder as a small group of old women bustled by. She heard murmured comments; "Oh my Barsa, he is a handsome one." Her smile widened. He was indeed and she wondered if it stroked his ego to hear it.

"Why waste time?" Spoils only go to the bold. She was tired of playing it cautiously. It was summer, the day was beautiful, and she'd bravely, if a bit foolishly, asked out someone who made her breath catch. She smiled disarmingly. "I know of a little theatre. Trust me to apparate us there without splinching something vital?"

 

[Prodan Zhefarovich]

Prodan glanced at the group of women, and scratched his head in slight confusion. Prodan waited until they were out of earshot to say, "Well, that was a bit...strange." That slight hue of red deepened ever so slightly. He wasn't used to compliments anything about him. His family wasn't the warm type, and all Dorothee had for him was lust it seemed. And that made Prodan uncomfortable. With his slight disorder and his past, he was overly cautious about stuff when he received a bad feeling from it.

Strange enough, he got warm vibes from Cecily. That made him open up a bit more, and act foolish around her - like a teenager struck on a beautiful girl. Prodan laughed, and joked, "True. And I believe I trust you enough to apparate us there. I just hope I keep my eyebrows or hair." He could not picture himself without either of them, and the thought alone made his insides quiver.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily laughed and was overwhelmed with a compulsion to hug him. Just barely she restrained herself and instead stepped closer to wrap her fingers over his solid forearms. Fingertips tingling at the touch, she winked at him. "I'll try not to splinch you," then she disapparated them from the harbor.

Let's Go to the Movies