Practice for Charms Class

[Lily Drage]

As they were given the basic instructions on the charm and sent off to practice, Lily decided to head down to the lake to get away from the others and work on it. Settling in on her favorite rock, the same rock where she and Blake allowed their relationship to evolve oh so many years ago. She hoped that in this place, she would be able to figure out what her happiest memory would be, the one that would be strong enough to conjure a corperal patronus.

Her mind tried out a few different thoughts as she practiced the words and the movements. Nothing really worked to produce more than a bit of a whisp from the end of her wand. The happy times with Blake, her family before she found out she was a witch, even her recent escapades with Sumner. Nothing was more than a bit of whisp of silver. Sumner did give her more than any other, but still, nothing was working for her. She then turned her mind to quidditch. She tried the first time she was on a broom, the first game with the Assault, being named captain for Ravenclaw. Lily realized she was on the right track. There was more than just a whisp, but still nothing taking shape. Then she landed on it. Winning the cup.

Concentrating on the joy from the victory, Lily let the thought warm through her, then tried the charm again. The first time, it didn't work more than just a silver shield coming out. Trying it again, she concentrated hard on the the victory and then made the wand movements. "Expecto Patronum!" Suddenly, there was a large silver mist before her that began to take shape. She smiled, moving the animal around, then she recognized what it was. "An otter! Wow!" It moved about the shore, bouncing along the rocks and atop the water. Lily smiled wide, the warmth from the glow of the charm filled her and gave her a security she only found one place lately. Sumner's arms. It was comforting to watch the animal playing around and she let it, for as long as she could handle it.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner stretched then braced himself as he flipped over, allowing his hands to take all of his weight, legs straight in the air. Muscles in his arms shifted and bunched, hands turning white from the effort. He'd skipped wearing anything other than a pair of worn jeans and a white sleeveless shirt. He loved the damned lake. Everything about it drew him to it; its tranquility and restlessness. Often he came here just to swim or to get in a decent work out in the fresh air. Today he'd skipped out on classes again, using the excuse he had to make up past assignment as justification. He'd neatly passed a large rock and kept going, perilously close to the waters edge. He'd just spotted Lily and being cocky he levered himself to one hand, using the other to wave. "Hey Lily!" Just then something silver and wriggly started running around him.

"Oh soddering f*&k!" Sumner overbalanced and went straight into the lake. Sitting up, drenched from head to toe, he sat there stunned for a moment. "Was that an otter?"

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily watched the otter bouncing and playing along the rocks when suddenly she heard her name. She turned her head to see Sumner on his hands walking along the shore. Not realizing that she had turned her wand with her head, she couldn't help but laugh as he tumbled over into the water. "Yeah, that was an otter actually," she replied, walking over to help him up. She held her hand out to him, then continued. "I was practicing for Charms. We are working on the patronus charm. Just found out mine is an otter."

She smiled at him, smoothing her skirt down out of habit. She was still in uniform, having come from the Charms classroom straight down to the lake. Her sweater and robe had been discarded on the rock next to her bag, leaving her in just her skirt and the white t-shirt she wore under her sweater, along with her grey tights and black boots. She liked the look of the combat boots she picked up in California, before the summer went sour, with her skirt. And they were black, so they didn't break regulations for class.

"What are you doing out here? Just showing off to everyone?"

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner grimaced and took the hand Lily offered him, using most of his force to pull himself to his feet. Once on shore he felt the water dripping uncomfortably from his body and then mentally shrugged. He'd set out to have a day where he didn't do or think about much. Seeing as her new little friend had gotten him soaked. Rubbing his jaw, he approached her, thinking what a pretty picture she made in her school uniform. Pity it was dry. Showing off? His grin was slow and full of wicked intent. "What no hug for your guy?" He wrapped his arms around her, laughingly burying his wet face in her neck.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily was actually shocked that Sumner didn't pull her into the water as retalliation. Smiling, she stepped back to give him a bit of space to walk back up on the shore. Watching his face, she saw the mischievious look on his face and started to back away a bit faster, a smile on her face. Suddenly he grabbed her and pulled her against him and buried his face in her neck, soaking the front of her uniform. "Sumner!" she protested, laughing loudly. His stubble tickled her skin and she squirmed against his wet form. "You are getting me soaked!"

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner laughed unrepentantly, letting her move back a few inches within the circle of his arms. His pale eyes flicked down the front of her shirt then up to meet hers. "Damn me if you don't own the prettiest bra collection in New Zealand." He stole a kiss and backed away so she couldn't take a swipe at him. His tongue poked at the inside of his bottom lip, eyes narrowed and hands came up to form nearly a square, as though he were preparing to shoot a scene. "I'd call this shot, 'Naughty Schoolgirl by the Lake'."

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily blushed as Sumner complemented her underwear collection, then sighed as he stole a kiss. As he backed away, faking a picture of her, she gave him a look of mock disbelief. "Oh, I will give you naughty schoolgirl," she said, walking towards her guy. Soon as she was close enough, she ran at him, jumping on him in order to tackle him to the ground. Once he was down, she pinned his hands above his head with hers. She sat across his waist and used her feet to pin his thighs down. "I call this, 'Sumner gets his arse kicked by his girl'," she said, a snotty look on her face. Lily then stuck her tongue out at him, her eyes betraying the laughter she was holding in.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner murmured the whole time she strong armed him to the ground. "No-stop-murder." All the while laughing his silly, off pitched laugh. He found himself in a predicament he wasn't altogether too concerned with overcoming. "Woe is me," he grinned, "to have fallen to a girl." Then he began laughing in earnest, his eyes closing and tears leaking down his temples. "And," he gasped, "they match!"

 

[Lily Drage]

"Of course they match you dork!" Lily said laughing. She released her grip on his hands and started to tickle Sumner in the sides and under his arms. "Did you really think that I would be wearing granny panties or something under my uniform?" She continued to poke him and tickle him, laughing hard at his reactions. Her shirt was still wet, clinging to her form. The uniform skirt just barely covered her bum in the position that she was sitting. Anyone else walking by would be almost able to get a show, but Lily didn't really care. Sumner would kick the ass of anyone who would say something anyway.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner bellowed with laughter. "I dunno," he gasped, wriggling from side to side from laughter, trying to avoid her fingers, "it could've been laundry day for all I knew!" The tickling was pure torture, evil in its purest form. He tried to get away several times but the laughter made him weak boned. "I give! I give!" He flopped over onto his stomach and tried to belly crawl away from her, still laughing.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily couldn't help but laugh as Sumner squirmed and wriggled under her, not wanting to admit the other reaction it was causing. "Even on laundry day I don't wear granny panties!" she exclaimed as she gave him one last attack of tickling before stopping. As he tried to get away, she moved so she was sitting on his arse. "Oh, no, you are not going anywhere, Mr. Reine. Who just won?" she asked with a laugh, leaning forward and placing her hands on the ground just past his shoulders so he was pinned again. Her face was right next to his left ear, and he was about to get a wet treat if he didn't answer in the way she wanted.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner had never been a quitter. Not once in his whole life had he admitted defeat; at least not with good graces. For the first time in history, he gave in, laughter rolling in weak chuckles from him. "You won." He sprawled limply on the ground, turning his head slightly to lock eyes with her, a grin on his face. "Spoils of war. Do with me what you will."

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily felt a devilish grin cross her face, then she leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "There is too many people around to do with you what I really want to do, so," she paused, then began to nibble just a bit on his ear, "I claim that I can cash this victory in at a future time." She kissed his earlobe lightly, then moved back just a bit to smirk at him.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner groaned, letting his head drop to the ground with a soft thunk. "Foul temptress, after my very soul," he muttered, though his tone was bordering on being loving. It was times like these that he was happiest, cavorting on the grass in the warm summer air with one of the prettiest girls he knew.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily smirked, then whispered back. "I doubt your soul is up for the taking, but I will be satisfied with something else." She then winked at him and sat up. Her hands began to rub on his back, not tickling, but simply covering every inch of his back with her hands. The wet material didn't make it easy, but she enjoyed the challenge.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner laid there, his face turned to the side and pressed into the soft grassy ground. His eyelids began to lower and lower until they closed. He couldn't remember ever having had his back rubbed before. Not since childhood at least, when he'd been ill and his grandmother had rubbed this awful smelling stuff on his back to clear his lungs. He pushed that unpleasant memory away. The sun, late nights, Lily's hands and the warm ground all mixed together to drowse him until moments later, Sumner slumbered.

 

[Lily Drage]

Suddenly, Lily realized that Sumner was asleep. She held back a laugh as she observed his sleeping form. He was so peaceful in slumber, his face softening from his usual hard expression. Pressing her lips to his cheek, she slowly moved off of his back, and settled herself next to him. She laid with her head on his back, her shoulders on the ground, legs stretched out before her. Pulling her wand back out, she sat up and dried off Sumner's clothes as well as her own before settling back down. She practiced a bit of non-verbal magic and cast 'accio' on her bookbag, watching it zoom over to her side.

As she laid there, she practiced the charm she was working on. Not speaking loudly, she cast her patronus again, and again, and again. The silvery otter cavorted on the lawn. She was so comfortable like this. It was easy to be like this with Sumner. They didn't even need to speak and they were comfortable. Watching the otter, Lily smiled. She was happy.