Its A Small World After All

[Taylor Mercer]

The day had been absolutely mental. First Quidditch which involved almost falling out of the sky, Andy and Hoshi tumbling to unconsciousness, catching the snitch, being death glared by multiple Slytherins and finally threatened by Henric. It wasnt over though, after that Taylor went to see her if her friends were okay and got abused by another wave of Slytherins. Today was just too much. Taylor decided the only cure was to chill out in one of her favourite places in the school. The Lakefront. Letting out a sigh she wandered over to her favourite tree and slumped down on the ground underneath it. Letting her head fall back on the rough bark behind her she put all other thoughts out of her mind. Maybe some time alone could allow her to breath normally again.

 

[Raffael Fox]

Raffael had seen her, so now he knew it wasn't a coincidence at all, but fact. He had decided on a spur of the moment to attend the Quidditch match between Slytherin and Gryffindor and there she was, Gryffindor seeker in the flesh. When Knight had told him, Raffael still couldn't find it in himself to believe it completely, he had needed to see it and now he had. The Taylor Mercer he had got to know in France was in New Zealand when he was. It was completely bizarre and a total coincidence. He wondered how she would react when she saw him. Would she be happy or indifferent? Would he even matter now that she had a boyfriend? Raffael shook his head, that was neither here nor there.

As he walked across the grounds there was a part of him that hoped it would rain, although the sun that was hanging low in the sky without a cloud blocking its soothing rays told him he was wasting his hope. Raff was slowly approaching a large tree, figuring it would be nice to sit and relax by the lake for a while. He got closer, only to notice the tree was already taken. He blinked a few times as he got closer still and discovered who the person was. The object of his previous thoughts sat with her eyes shut, leaving Raffael unnoticed. Biting his lip he contemplated his next move. Walk away? Say hi? It was all too difficult, instead he stood, staring blankly and wondering when he got so pathetic at trying to talk to people.

 

[Taylor Mercer]

Taylor was starting to feel a little better. The warm sun streaming through the slight gaps in the tree branches was soothing her aching muscles and the sound of the ripples of the lake and the rustle of the trees in the Forbidden Forest seemed to wash away all the craziness that had taken place that day. Her eyes shut, she focused on all those things, letting Henric's threats fall out of her head and everything fade with the soothing sounds of nature around her.

Shortly after she felt completely peaceful she sensed a presence looming over her. Great. She thought distastefully. She kept her eyes closed, hoping that if she ignored them long enough, they would take the hint and go away. She knew if it were Scorpius or her Dad or anyone else she was close to standing there, they would have said something by now, so whoever was there didn't have a good excuse for bothering her. After her attempt at ignoring the person didn't work, Taylor snapped open her eyes and rolled them in a frustrated manner. "What do you wa-" Taylor stopped abruptly as she turned her head and spoke. She narrowed her eyes and then blinked a few times. No. It couldn't be.

 

[Raffael Fox]

Raff bit his lip as Taylor rolled her eyes as she looked up at him. When she stopped her sentence though Raff spent some time trying to work out if it were a good or a bad thing. They stared at each other for long moments, feeling that the silence was necessary. Taylor looked different that was for sure, but it was still the same person he knew in France. Seriously, could it get any weirder that she was here?! "Long time no see?" He said, lifting his shoulders innocently and grinning in a way that was asking Taylor if it was the right thing to say. She was still staring at him blankly, as though he were the strangest thing in the world standing in front of her. And to be honest he felt the same way about her, but he had had plenty of time to think it through. Taylor had literally been thrown a person and had to make of it what she would. Raffael hoped she would make up her mind soon, before the silence got awkward.

 

[Taylor Mercer]

Taylor continued to blink stupidly. Even as words spilled from his mouth, Taylor barely registered them. Why was Raffael Fox in New Zealand? Taylor's mind flicked through all the memories of him. Meeting up at the front of Taylor's holiday home to walk to the bakery down the road each morning. Talking for hours about their parents and their lives in general. Raffael knew more about Taylor than anyone else did. She was sad to say not even Scorpius knew as much as Raff did. Finally it all came together. Raffael Fox was standing in front of her! "Raff!!" She exclaimed, jumping up from her seat under the tree and launching herself at the older boy, wrapping all four limbs around him in a bone crushing hug. "Why are you here?! What?! Why?! Ah!" She said completely speechless, but overly excited to see him. There was a huge grin on her face as she squeezed Raffael tight.