Once in a Lifetime

[Hadan Winters]

Hadan made her way out to the Gardens. It was a beautiful Autumn day, where some first years roamed about free of any cares and mind. How all of that seemed distant now. She could barely remember being a first year. Now, Hadan had grown into a fine adult, moved out of her parents' home, and she sighed to herself. It was stressing. She moved through the gardens, her boots barely making a clicking sound compared to the echoing some could hear in the Great Hall. Hadan's fingers glided across the edges of the roses, and she smiled faintly. If OWLs weren't bad enough, it was growing up. She only had two more years left of school, and her boyfriend was graduating this year. It was an awful lot to take in at once.

Her ruby eyes flooded with emotion as she bent down to the levels of the roses. Her family had helped a great deal with setting up the apartment and agreeing to pay the bills until she was old enough to get a job herself. No one pressured her to move out. Sure, she loved the twins now, and Avrille was all right from time to time, but it was getting a little crowded over in Chavdar's home. Hadan did look forward to the break, when she would go to her apartment with Miriah and Alyssa. Those two were incredibly close to Hadan, amazingly. After her past, and someone awakening her, she could have people close to her heart. Hadan vaguely wondered what her mom would think, if she were alive. Or even her dad. But it was impossible to show them physically how much she had grown up.

Hadan then thought of something else. She would have to tell Raffael that she no longer lived in Chavdar's house. She was not afraid of his opinion, but she felt that he had a right to know what has been stressing her out other than the OWLs. Of course, he had the NEWTs. Oh that was even worse. The seventeen-year-old smiled as she remembered all the happy memories. It was what helped her stay close to sane when she often walked alone.

 

[Raffael Fox]

Raffael snapped his Potions book shut and rubbed a hand over his face. He was so sick of studying. Especially potions. Oh how he hated potions. It was the one subject he just couldn't get completely right. Keith had been tutoring him over the holidays, but something about using his hands and not writing his answers down on parchment that made it difficult. He guessed reading about it wouldn't do him any good. Tossing the book aside, Raff stretched out his legs in front of him and yawned. After wiggling his toes for a bit. Raff jumped off his bed in the Ravenclaw dormitory and decided to get some fresh air before he pushed his nose back into a book again.

Stepping out onto the grounds, Raff took a deep breath. He couldn't believe how genuinely happy he was with his life. Even through the stress of NEWTs and trying to decide what to do with his life, Raffael couldn't find it in his heart to complain. He had the perfect people in his life. Melissa and Keith had been too kind to him, not only letting him live with them for two years, but genuinely treating him like a part of the family. Hadan was amazing. Raffael couldn't understand how he had been lucky enough to get a girl like her.

Raff looked around, realised he had been lost in his own sappy thoughts. His feet had taken him to the garden. He had never been given a chance to appreciate this place. The last time he had been here, he had unintentionally broken up a relationship between Taylor and Scorpius. However, it seemed like centuries ago that it had happened. Turning his head, someone caught his eye. Raff changed his direction, a smile creeping onto his face. Just before he reached the Slytherin girl, he stopped as a particular flower caught his eye. Plucking a blue rose from the bush, Raffael closed the distance between himself and Hadan. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders from behind, he held the flower in front of her. "Hey beautiful." He said into her ear, his voice laced with affection.

 

[Hadan Winters]

With the smallest of thoughts of passion in her mind, as Hadan was only thinking about what was truly stressing her out, she did not even notice anyone around her. It was like a painting, you could only focus on one thing at a time, the main subject of the picture. In Hadan's case, it was the whole moving out ordeal. It was just hard on her. She would have to just ease into the world, find her place and see what happens from there. Hadan already knew what she wanted to be when she was out of school. A Healer. That was her true calling. And she accepted it with open arms.

Speaking of arms, Hadan jumped slightly when she felt her boyfriend's arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind. The voice soothed her nerves as her body grew less tense from the stress and the shock of someone approaching her from behind. Her eyes rested upon the flower and she could not help but smile. Adoration filled her heart and smothered her ruby eyes as she murmured, "What brings you down to the gardens, handsome?" Hadan turned her head slowly to catch the eyes of the boy that amazingly took Hadan's breath away every time she saw him. She trusted him, she adored him, and honey, she was all his.

"I do have something to share with you, but I do hope your studies are going well." Hadan's hands felt the arms that were about her shoulders, and no matter who was watching, she could careless to show that she too was an affectionate being.

 

[Raffael Fox]

Raff couldn't help but smile as Hadan jumped but then visibly relaxed in his arms. He tilted his head to the side in order to catch Hadan's gaze as she turned her head. Her ruby eyes so uniquely Hadan that Raffael couldn't help but gently tighten his grip on the girl in his arms. "A break from studies and how lucky am I to catch you down here on my break?" Raffael said with delight. It was a little scary how quickly and how unexpectedly Raff had fallen for Hadan. He knew he thought about it all the time, but that one rainy day that he met had changed his life so dramatically. He didn't know what he might be doing now if he hadn't met Hadan.

"My studies are going fine. Although Potions is driving me nuts. What's up?" He asked tenderly, butterflies erupting in his stomach at Hadan's touch on his arms. But after a moment, he wondered how serious the news Hadan had to share with him was. Raffael reluctantly let go of Hadan and walked around to stand in front of her. Raffael marvelled at the beautiful face of his girlfriend. Deciding for the millionth time that he was the luckiest guy alive. Before he got too distracted, Raffael smiled encouragingly, utterly curious now about what Hadan had to say.

 

[Hadan Winters]

Indeed it was lucky that he caught Hadan down in the gardens. In fact, she was lucky just to have him. Without him, she would still be closed up. Without him, she would still hate the Ravenclaw males. Now, she adored being with one, in the presence and wrapped all up in one. It was possibly the most wonderful feeling she had ever received in her life. Never had she felt more alive. If Hadan wasn't so scared of broomsticks and Quidditch, she would be soaring in the sky, but she liked her feet planted on the ground. "I think it is 'how luck am I to have been caught'." Hadan released a soft laugh, and the stress was completely off her shoulders. How in the world could one single being have that affect on her? It was simply amazing.

Hadan slowly nodded, and once he stepped from her, Hadan could not help but want to just sink back into his arms and just cuddle the day away. They have been together for about a year now, if not that. And time seemed to be passing by rather quickly. "You know, if you need a private potions tutor, I could gladly help. It is my best subject," smiled Hadan as she thought about tutoring. But Merlin knew just how much they would get done. Deciding to share now, because it was now or never, Hadan sighed and she announced, her smile slowly faltering to a subtle one, "I am no longer living at my dad's house. Um, I have an apartment rather close to Brightstone. Alyssa Snow is one of my roommates, and Miriah is the other one." Would she receive a congratulations? Or a lecture? Hadan wasn't for sure, but she was prepared for anything.

 

[Raffael Fox]

Raff grinned like a fool at Hadan's comment, not caring in the slightest who saw him doing so. Raffael had been so guarded once. So proper and formal. He knew he still held some of those qualities, but he wanted to keep those. What harm could be done by having good manners? Since Hadan and the whole catastrophe that was his parents abandoning him, Raffael had learnt to let loose a bit. To stop caring so much about the trivial things in life and start focusing on things that mattered. Like Hadan.

Hadan's offer to be his tutor was almost too tempting to pass up when she announced it. But Raffael logically concluded that the potions part of the private potions tutor would be thrown out the window the second they began. "Unfortunately I live under the same roof as a Potions master and I'm still not seeing any results." Raff let out a small chuckle. "Although, any excuse to be with you is a good one, right?" He said with a dashing smile, but Raffael toned it down as Hadan did the same with her own smile.

The news came as a shock. It was the last thing Raffael had expected. "Wow Hadan, this is huge." He admitted, the smallest of smiles on his face, so Hadan wouldn't think he didn't approve. He didn't think it was a bad thing at all. She was 17 after all and free to do whatever she pleased. "What made you decide to move out?" Raff asked, a sudden concern washing over him. Had her and Chavdar had a disagreement? Raffael didn't let the concern get far, instead he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. How much they both had changed since they had become friends, all in the space of a year or two.

 

[Hadan Winters]

It took a moment for Hadan to remember that Raffael lived with the former Professor Keith Mercer. He was one of her favorites, well, favorite to stare at really. She had not seen much of Mercer but he was around for a while. Hadan vaguely wondered if the one that filled his spot would do half as good as Keith once did. "Maybe it is not your forte, like Transfiguration is not mine." Her mother was a Potions Mistress, before she passed, and there was no way that Hadan would not receive that gene. But she did not receive the talent for every subject, like Transfiguration and Astronomy. Both bored her to death.

"Any excuse is a good one. Imagine, after this year, you can do what you want in this world, be what you want to be. But I will stay behind. Lucky you, though," Hadan smirked a bit, as she gotten closer to him, and she put her arms around his shoulders. This was too perfect. She loved being this close to him. His scent was divine, and made every cell in her body as hyped up on the alluring smell like ecstasy. She was in heaven when she did not receive a lecture, but she might as well tell everything that has been in her mind lately. All the thoughts of moving out, why she had done so, just everything. Raffael could be trusted, unlike so many others.

Hadan began with a smile, "Dad and Rosaline are having another baby. The little boy is due in June. They need as much room as possible to raise their family." Hadan was not upset with Rosaline and Chavdar. Not in the least bit. Both were happy as clams in the sea. "I thought it would be best for me to give them another room for the twins as they are growing up as well. Plus, I don't want to have sleepless nights because of the baby. I think his name is Vulcan or something." Hadan shrugged lightly. "So, I am allowing them to have their own life, raising children, and I start off on my own, and not much later, do what they are doing after I get my job in place." Hadan just hoped that why she chose it to be this way was better for her, and better for them.

 

[Raffael Fox]

Raffael smiled knowing she was right. Potions was not his forte at all. No matter how hard he studied it, he could only do his best and if it wasn't brilliant, then the Ravenclaw supposed it couldn't be helped. Raffael let Hadan's next statement sink into his head. Once again, she was right, but Raffael found himself completely at a loss as to where he was going in his life after Hogwarts. He knew he would need to find his own place. As much as he knew he would be be welcome with the Mercer's and Melissa, he couldn't stay forever. He was seventeen years old, which classified him an adult in the wizarding world, but Raff hadn't a clue where to begin when it came to being an adult. "I'm going to miss you so much not being able to see you everyday." Raffael pointed out, pressing a kiss to Hadan's forehead when her arms curled around his shoulders.

Hadan's smile was contagious and Raffael found himself smiling back fondly. "I'll have to send them a letter of congratulations." Raffael said truthfully. "I think this is really mature of you." Raffael tried to say something intelligent and supportive, but having Hadan in his arms, so close to him was making his brain start to go fuzzy. When Hadan mentioned a family, Raffael thought back to his joint birthday party that Hadan had thrown for him. He remembered the way she had been with the twins and Raffael's smile widened, knowing Hadan would be an amazing Mum. Instead of stumbling over another sentence, Raffael leant forward and pressed his lips to Hadan's, hoping that she would understand that he was behind her on this the entire way.

 

[Hadan Winters]

Hadan smiled fondly at the kiss upon her forehead. It ran shivers down her spine, and she cursed the fact that they were at school and in a public area no less. Hadan did her best to keep her thoughts as pure as a child but that was working like a pig trying to fly without wings. She was failing miserably. Hadan did not find it strange that she had her own place before Raffael did. They were close to the same age, anyhow. Hadan was forced to grow up sooner than others, and maybe that was why she moved out the moment she turned into an adult. It was for the best for her, and for everyone else. Hadan felt rather distressed that Raffael would not be here next year. She would be alone, but on the breaks, she would adore seeing him. "I am going to miss you too, Raffael. But there will be breaks and maybe you could drop by my apartment during the Holidays and make up for lost time."

A soft laugh escaped her and she intoned, "You do that and see if you don't get a howler from dad. Or just an odd look. Whichever being the case. I am only mature because I have to be." Hadan could not be immature. There was no way possible. But she could easily make stupid - yet very pleasurable - decisions when she was with Raffael. He drove her body crazy. It was things like this that aggravated Hadan. Why could they not be alone? Hadan felt the pressure of Raffael's lips against hers, and she received the message. Happiness flooded through her, as she had gotten his support. Why was she cautious about it in the first place? Her fingers intertwined with his hair, and boy, she was not about to break this moment, this kiss as she deepened it to make the moment just for them.

 

[Raffael Fox]

"Definitely." Raffael agreed enthusiastically. There was no way he was going to waste a second of the holidays when he got to see Hadan. He would be around her all day, every day if he had that option, but unfortunately school and homework had to considered and a little time to oneself never hurt anyone. Either way, sitting around at home all day was going to be torture, knowing that Hadan was still busy with schooling in another country. "I can't wait to see it. What's it like?" Raffael asked, genuinely curious.

Raffael chuckled light-heartedly, knowing that Hadan was right about her Dad. Raff still wasn't sure whether the man liked him or not, but he supposed he hadn't been completely forbidden from dating Hadan and Raffael knew that was good enough for him. Regardless, a howler from Chavdar would be extremely scary. Raffael blanched at the very thought. "I still admire that about you-" Raffael managed just before his lips met Hadan's. His breath was completely stolen as Hadan deepened the kiss, her fingers in his hair making him weak at the knees. Pulling back far enough to speak, his lips still touching Hadan's Raffael added to his previous sentence. "-among other things." His breathing heavy, Raffael pulled Hadan closer to him and their lips met again. All of his thought processes shut down as his senses were filled with Hadan.

A cool breeze soon rushed past the couple and Raffael was forced to remember that they were still in the Gardens and before his teenage libido took control of him, Raff took a small step back and breathed in much needed air. He brought his hand up to cup Hadan's cheek. "Merlin," The Ravenclaw said to no one in particular.

 

[Hadan Winters]

"It is rather simple, but it is elegant as well. Sort of like me." Hadan couldn't really describe the apartment. A lot of it needed to be neatened when she could get there over the break. It would be just fabulous to have Raffael over, so long as Miriah and Alyssa were absent during the night. Hadan smiled inside at the thought of Chavdar sending a Howler. That would be so scary to think about. Hadan didn't even inform Raffael that Chavdar was a Death Eater. That would have be shared at a more private environment and when they were alone. Hadan deeply enjoyed the kiss that she received back from Raffael.

Her body melded to his, and her mind wanted nothing more than this Ravenclaw boy. The world, the OWLs, none of it existed. Hadan's mind was fuzzy, and she could it hard to stand up completely on her feet. The breeze made her realize just exactly where they were, because this was the gardens, and her skin was on fire. They had better stop before first years witnessed something that they shouldn't even know about yet. Hadan too took a tiny step back, and she brushed her hair behind her ear. She blushed heavily and she breathed, a little out of breathe, "Wow." Hadan would have to wait until they were alone to explore him once more. Hadan wondered what to do now, but she was utterly speechless. She didn't want to talk anymore, she wanted to do other...things. However, her morals kept her from pouncing on Raffael like a cougar.

 

[Raffael Fox]

Raffael shifted uncomfortably. Damn, why was Hadan so irresistible? Tentatively licking his lips, the taste of Hadan still there, Raffael dragged his thumb across the skin of Hadan's cheek. He was at a loss of what to say, his mind only just able to control the actions of his body. Just. Raff subtly cleared his throat and hoped to clear his head in the process, it was so completely in the gutter that Raffael wondered just when it had got there. He'd never felt this way before and it was unsettling in the best possible way.

Letting his hand fall away from Hadan's cheek, Raff grabbed her hand and gently lead her out of the garden, the cool air hitting his hot face was starting to clear his mind. It was such a shame that their wasn't really any place private in the school. No where comfortable and private at the very least, but some things would have to wait. As he walked hand in hand with the girl of his dreams, Raffael brought his hand up and kissed the back of Hadan's. His breath was still catching in his throat, but at least he could control himself. Letting out a semi shaky breath, Raff decided that he couldn't wait to explore Hadan's new house... among other things.

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Fin.​

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