Falling

[Karah Love]

Although Karah did have to spend some of the night taking pictures she was glad that the majority of it would be spent with Michael at the Yule Ball. While she was curious about Ezra and if he had a date. For some reason when she imagined him dancing with another girl she found herself feeling upset so she hoped that he didn't and was going stag if he went at all. She would hae to remember to dance with him at least once before the night was over because during Lindsay's wedding it had been nice to sway to the music and speak with him. Of course she had wanted Michael to come to the wedding with her but things had gotten in the way and despite feeling anxious about being in such close proximity to Ezra after he had kissed her, she had wanted company to the wedding.

Karah pushed that out of her mind as she scooped her hair into a clip and brushed her fingers through her red curls as she looked into the mirror as she wondered where in Clovelly her step-mother had gotten it because she would never have thought you would be able to get such a pretty gown there but perhaps she had gone into the city. As Karah thought over the origin of her dress she looked over to the clock and realized that she had to meet Michael outside of the Gryffindor house in just a few moments. Not being able to locate someone at the Yule Ball was a frequent problem so they had decided this would be easier for the pair of them.

Karah walked over to her bed and grabbed the shoes that were unceremoniously laying atop her messy covers. As she sat down she slid her foot in them and was glad that she had already broken them in because they could be awfully uncomfortable. With her outfit ready she stood up and straightened the blue gown before she grabbed her clutch that had been enchanted so she could fit her camera and wand comfortably inside of it when the time came to be dragged out of her boyfriends arms to take photos for the year book. She only hoped that Michael and Ezra didn't leave before she had a chance to return to them because she had one of the later shifts. But Karah didn't want to miss out on spending the evening with either of them so she walked until she was outside of the Gryffindor common room, chatting politely with the portrait as she waited for Michael.


Sorry I have zero muse for Karah atm so this is what you are getting Britt.​

 

[Michael Harper]

The time for the Yule Ball had come around again, and Michael wouldn't be the first to be surprised he had a date this time around, to be frank he was surprised he was going at all. Since the wheelbarrow race he and Karah had been dating, but it still didn't feel completely real to him. It seemed like only yesterday that he had found her weeping in the forbidden forest where they had first kissed and completely embarrassed themselves by rushing to the nurse with a case of the cooties. Now the pair were fourteen, and had kissed enough times to know that cooties were just a playground myth that parents played along with to keep their children out of trouble. After the wheelbarrow race that had brought the girlfriend and boyfriend together Michael had dropped his 'wheelbarrow' Azolla and quickly rushed after Karah, he hadn't wanted to fight with her or be apart from her, she was his best and almost only friend at Hogwarts and luckily they had been able to work things out between them. But the fourteen year old felt that he had left Azolla in the lurch just a little, he hoped dearly he would find her tonight for he had not properly apologised to her as of yet, he hadn't been sure exactly what he was apologising for in the first place. Azolla was a pretty young girl, prettier even than her older sister Amaryllis who had graduated the previous year, and she interested Michael a great deal. Though he wasn't sure where these feelings could go, or whether they could even be friends whilst he was dating Karah. Of course these musings were trivial, for what he needed to focus on that moment was attempting to tie the bow tie his father had sent him to go with his tuxedo. Michael expected his father had had help, being a single male parent did not exactly lend itself to helping with these sorts of events, but the tux fitted, so Michael had no complaints.

Playing with his hair in his fingers, Michael stood in front of the small mirror that had somehow ended up in his Ravenclaw dorm room, he made an angry face and smirked at his reflection before throwing a few swift play punches followed by some finger guns. He couldn't help but think he looked like that muggle fellow, James Bond, in his outfit and that pleased the boy greatly. But before he got completely caught up in such a thing he reminded himself that he was to meet Karah outside the Gryffindor house, so he slipped his wand into his pants pocket and made his way there. Upon turning the corner he heard the voice of his girlfriend, speaking to the portraits as she awaited him, he smiled, proud he had remembered to leave his pet rat behind, Karah wasn't as fond of him as Azolla was and he wanted this night to go well with his girlfriend, for he still felt more than a little nervous when he was around her. Stepping behind her Michael lent in and whispered in Karah's ear "You look rather lovely tonight" it really was the best compliment he could think of, after all he was only fourteen, he was sure if his mother was still around she would have told him to tell her she was beautiful, or comment on her dress, but he was not well versed in such topics, or dancing for that matter, which brought on a whole new wave of nerves. He turned Karah to face him and gave her a big bear hug, squeezing her as tightly as he could, at this point nobody could be certain whether he was hugging her tightly or suffocating her lightly, but rest assured his intentions were only good. "Shall we go?" he asked his red headed girlfriend. ​

 

[Karah Love]

Upon feeling a cool breath on skin and shuffle her curled red hair Karah involuntarily stiffened until she heard the voice of her boyfriend. She smiled and turned around to face him and before she could return the compliment she was embraced with a tautness one would not expect Michael Harper would be able to give at first glance and Karah had certainly not expected it so her muscles were tight but they quickly loosened and she returned the hug with as much fervor although she could feel her cheeks flush as she remembered the portraits and kissed his cheek briefly before they pulled away. Karah exhaled deeply and quipped cheekily, "I have to breath, remember?" But she of course was fine and thought it was sweet that Michael hugged her so tightly as if they hadn't seen each other a few hours before. While she would have liked to have Michael join in the conversation she had been having with the polite portrait that guarded the entrance to the common room she had to admit that she was itching to get down to the ball so when her black haired boyfriend asked her if they should go she nodded and said, "Sure." She glanced over her shoulder and waved back to the portrait before she started walking with her boyfriend down to the Great Hall.

"You look dashing, Michael," Karah said lamely, wondering if that was what she ought to respond to the compliment her boyfriend had given her. Despite thinking it the truth and much more the young veela had learnt that sometimes you had to be discreet with your compliments or perhaps lie about certain things like your affections when it came to boys or that was what her sister's had told her in letters when she had originally inquired about affections and how they might be placed because they both had more confidence and more experience than she did. With this said, a lot of the time she would ignore it because even before she and Michael had even kissed (and subsequently feared for their health and safety) they could be open with each other. Often times now her head spun with all these "helpful tips" her two blonde sisters had given her although they sounded a lot more annoying than what they were worth but once again she pushed that out of her mind. Tonight, for at least a good portion of it, was about she and Michael not about Ezra or dumb rules and she should feel foolish for thinking about either of them because she knew that there was no way that Michael was thinking about another girl. A lot of people would have joked that he didn't know another one but Michael did and the little Slytherin girl seemed like she was sweet although she didn't seem too pleased. Karah had chalked it down to her loss at the Wheelbarrow Race but had never formally introduced herself to the girl. Partly because they could have separate friends and if her boyfriend wanted to introduce the pair of them he would. "I'm glad to be going with you," Karah suddenly said as she stretched out her hand that was closest to Michael's own, offering it to him discreetly.​

 

[Michael Harper]

Michael quickly released Karah from his grip when she reminded him that she needed to be able to breathe, he knew she was only joking but they hadn't been dating for very long and he was still very cautious around her and was very pleased to take hints from her of what she wanted him to do. So when she agreed that they should be on their way to the Great Hall, Michael immediately obliged and took her arm in his, wanting to walk the halls with her as though they were a true lady and gentleman, and dressed up the way they were they certainly did look the part. After the redhead bid the portraits adieu the pair set off to the Great Hall, his hands growing clammy with nerves, as he wasn't the best dancer, and he didn't want to crush Karah's delicate feet. Then more words seemed to tumble from his girlfriend's lips, and the Ravenclaw made sure he took them in correctly, the other boys in his dorm had informed him that boyfriend's were supposed to listen, he hoped they were right because he was new to this whole thing. A nod and a slight flushing of the cheeks was the only response Michael could muster up to the compliment he received from Karah. He turned to her and smiled as she reached for his hand, he took it and hoped she didn't mind that his was damp with sweat. The next words he heard were ones that he hadn't been expecting at all, the shy boy had always told himself he was out of Karah's league, she was gorgeous and funny and smart and had friends, but to hear that she was glad to be going with him brought a smile to his face, made him feel safer with her.

"As am I." he replied as he squeezed her hand gently, they had arrived at their destination, and it looked stunning. The decorations, the dresses, the dancing and the music all added to the perfect atmosphere, this really was an event Michael could see himself enjoying in later years, especially with such great company as he had with Karah. Michael knew that his best friend and girlfriend would be taking photographs tonight, so to help her out, the fourteen year old turned to her and looked into her green eyes for just a moment before pulling a goofy smile. "Take a picture of me?" he asked her jokingly, posing in the most goofy and hilarious position he could think of. He was beginning to feel more comfortable around her, and hopefully she felt the same way too. ​