On Patrol

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle was in her office grading papers. She decided it really was too nice of a day to be inside, so she put aside her students essays, and grabbed her wand and cloak and headed out. She figured it was a good time to go and patrol the lawn. It not only got her outside, but accomplished something else too. She wandered around, noting there were a few others out and about as well. Some were playing games, there were a few groups just sitting and talking. No one really payed too much attention to her as she walked about quietly.

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

Gabriel had spent enough time cramped inside his office, deciding that he was going to enjoy the oncoming spring as he made his way to the lawn, taking the opportunity to stretch his legs and fulfill his patrol duties on the lakefront. Upon strolling across the lawn, however, observing the students as they played about the lawn. Seeing one of his fellow Professors and deciding that he was going to start up at least a cordial conversation, he strolled up to her, his motions fluid. "Good afternoon, Belladonna. Beautiful weather, isn't it?" His American accent was thick as he looked to her, that being one of the things he could relate to with her.

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle looked up as she heard her name spoken. "Hi Gabriel. It is beautiful out here today, isn't it? I love the early days of spring, even though it isn't quite spring yet." She smiled at him. "So, what brings you out on the lawn?" Belle really hadn't spoken too much with him since she had first arrived, but enough to know just a bit about him.

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

"Indeed, it is," Gabriel replied, looking to his colleague with interest. "I've actually been looking to get out of that stuffy office and stretch my legs, and between you and me," he grinned a bit, "I've kind of been slacking on patrol duties. Busy busy with classes, you know?"

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle gave Gabriel a knowing smile. "I understand. I have been focusing more of my patrol energy on locations within the castle walls. Much nicer to walk around in there when the snow was still on the ground. She walked along, not quite sure what to say, so she decided that she would ask more about where he was from.

"So what part of the States are you from again? I can't seem to remember," she giggled just a bit, blushing a touch with the embarrassment of her forgetful brain.

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

Gabriel gave Belladonna a small smile, looking about his surroundings as he walked with her, his hands behind his back. "It's nice that the snow is gone," he agreed, breathing in the cold spring air, letting it filter through his nostrils and fill his lungs, a quite refreshing exercise.

"I'm from New York," Gabriel replied, grinning, "You're from the West Coast, aren't you?"

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle looked over at Gabriel. "Yeah, kinda. I was most recently living in San Francisco. I have lived all over though. New York was alright, but I wasn't there too long. And I was really young, like 6 or 7." She watched where they were heading, sidestepping quickly over a stick on the ground. "So, if I am remembering right, you were in Ravenclaw too? What year did you graduate?"

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

"Yeah, New York's alright," Gabriel agreed, nodding and walking, "I prefer the suburbs though; the City itself is absolutely suffocating." He smiled a bit, and replied, "Yes, I was in Ravenclaw, although I always wondered why my mother sent me to Britain instead of an American school; let's see," he counted back on his fingers, and then said, "I graduated in 2003. And yourself?"

((Some of this is subject to change; I was thinking he might have gone to a school in the Americas instead of Hogwarts, but I'm not exactly sure yet.))

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle gave him a questioning look. "That is odd that you ended up at Hogwarts then. My Dad was stationed in Germany at the time when I got my letter. My Mom said she could have transfered me back to the States, but she is from England and attended there. She wanted me to have the same experience," she laughed just a bit before continuing, "The only thing is I was a totally different kind of student. But those 7 years were the most I lived in one spot." Realizing that she forgot to answer Gabriel's question, she added, "Oh, and I graduated in 2010. So I would have been an annoying first year when you were graduating." She gave him a silly grin, then giggled. She wasn't an annoying student at all, rather the shy, super studious Ravenclaw. Well, at least her first year.

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

Gabriel smiled. "Yeah, I never understood exactly why I would have gone to Scotland for school; although my mother always has had a fondness for Europe. I think she wanted me to travel."

Thinking about the obvious age difference for a moment, he added, "Not all first years are annoying. Just some of them. So, what made you want to go into Muggle Studies?" Gabriel had never been good at conversing, so decided to start up a discussion that he could participate in.

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

"I never really had decided to teach Muggle Studies until the job opening came my way to be honest," Belle replied. "I have lots of obvious experience with muggles and I have taught in muggle schools too since graduation. I have a Bachelors of Science in Education from Washington University in St. Louis. I have always loved teaching, especially older children. What made you decide to teach Charms?"

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

Gabe was silent as he pondered the inevitable question of polite conversation that was coming, listening to Belladonna intently with a nod. "Actually, I've always just loved to learn, and I suppose a job helping others do the same was just ideal. And Charms was my favorite subject in school of course." He thrust his hands into his pockets, feeling a bit embarrassed by his lack of conversation, although he was hard pressed to show it. He found his dark eyes trained on a group of students who were veering towards the edge of the forest, and decided to watch them out of the corner of his eye; either, they were just being playful, or were actually intending to go into the forest. He grinned, turning to Belle. "Look- We just might have to exercise some real patrol duties today." He nodded towards the group of kids, although he really wasn't hoping that they were up to no good.

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle listened to Gabriel talk, relaxing a bit as they walked. She looked over to where he was pointing, watching as the students looked like they were trying to dare each other to enter the forest. "I hope they know what they are in for if they decide to go in there. I don't know just how lenient I would be if they do. Plus, you never know if Nick will be hanging around near his patrol area. I don't think I would want to cross him if I was a student," she said with a giggle. She glanced over at Gabriel, realizing that she was really enjoying talking with him. And he was rather good looking too.

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

Gabriel gave Belladonna a small grin as his eyes trailed from the mischievous students to her; she was quite cute, he had to say. But he had always been incredibly shy as a boy and into manhood, and of course did not bring his opinions to light. His smirk broadened as he replied, "I don't think I'd know enough about him to suppose that- Although, I really don't know enough of any of the Professors." Indeed, he had been stowed away in his classroom, constantly preparing for each and every lesson and not really having much of a social life with the faculty. Or his students outside of class, for that matter.

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle looked at Gabriel again. "Well, I think we need to change that. I never see you at mealtimes. Maybe we should meet for breakfast sometime. Or dinner." She spoke a bit tentatively, not sure how Gabriel would react. She looked away, checking on the kids by the border of the forest, not really paying attention to where her feet were placed as they walked. Not realizing there was a dent in the ground, she stepped into it and stumbled, losing her balance a bit.

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

Gabriel was a bit stunned by Belladonna's words- Someone was asking him to dinner? A nervous sweat breaking out on his forehead, he attempted to calm himself, his voice a bit higher pitched than usual as he said hurriedly, trying to cover up his own embarrassment, "Dinner would be-"

His words were cut off as his colleague began to fall, and before he knew it he had moved forward, catching her in his arms. A light pink tint rising to his cheeks, he intoned, "Are you alright, Belladonna?"

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle realized as she braced herself for impact, she was held by a pair of strong arms. "Oh, my. I am such a clutz," she said, her face turning a brilliant shade of red. She realized suddenly how close she was to Gabriel, and how delicious he smelled at that moment. Her heart started to flutter wildly in her chest. She slowly stood up, noting her ankle was no worse for wear. "Yeah, I think I am okay," she said softly, very slowly moving away from Gabriel, not wanting to move away at all. "Thanks," she said barely above a whisper, still having her arms on Gabriel.

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

Gabriel, a bit surprised by his quick reaction, flushed a deep shade of read. His heart began to pound in his ears as he moved slowly away, Belladonna having also done so. My, she must think I'm an idiot.

Shifting a bit uncomfortably where he stood, he replied a bit nervously, "N-no p-problem." He wanted to hit himself in the head with a rock he was so mad at himself; Gabriel Lloyd, who never let his emotions show, was broadcasting them to the whole of Hogwarts Lawn over a woman he found cute.

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle felt a bit like an idiot for being so clumsy, but noticed that Gabriel was blushing almost as much as she was herself, which then made her blush even more. She started to feel like she was no more than one of the students she was out watching. As they walked along silently, she moved closer to him, jumping just a bit as her hand accidentally brushed against Gabriel's.

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

"Sorry," Gabriel intoned with a cough as his hand brushed against Belladonna's, embarrassment and nervousness more than a hint in his voice. If he wasn't careful, he would be coughing and hacking in his nerves in no time. However, he found himself chattering away, speaking so fast that he wasn't sure if the other Professor could understand him, "If you'd like to go to dinner some time-" His dark eyes were full of embarrassment, thinking, I look like such an idiot right now. He was pretty sure his hair was messy too.

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle's stomach felt like it dropped out from her stomach when Gabriel apologized for brushing her hand. I thought he liked me. Boy was I wrong. she thought with a bit of sadness. Then Gabriel asked her to dinner. She smiled and looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. "I would love to."

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

Gabriel felt like absolute crud as he saw the expression that hit her face, but when it brightened up he flushed an even deeper red, stating a bit too hastily for his liking, "That's- that's great. Brightstone Village sometime, maybe? It's- it's on me." He took a deep breath, not believing what he had just gone through with.

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle stopped walking and looked up at Gabriel. "I think that I would enjoy that very much," she said with a smile. She touched his arm as she noticed that most of the students were heading to the castle. "Do you want to come with me to grab a bite in the castle? I think it is time for dinner by the way the students are running back inside in mass." She chuckled just a bit, then looked at him wondering what he would say.

 

[Gabriel Lloyd]

Gabriel felt the butterflies pounding against the walls of his stomach; he felt as if he were going to throw up he was so nervous. "That- that'd be lovely," he said with a small grin, another wave of embarrassment flushing over his face as Belladonna touched his arm.

 

[Belladonna Weiss]

Belle felt her stomach turn somersaults when Gabriel agreed to eat in the castle. She took a breath and then spoke. "I think the students are behaving, wanna head up now?" She was nervous, but tried not to show it.