Closed Small Beginnings

[Violette Holland]

Even though it was October and definitely getting colder, Violette was happy to spend the day outside. She put on a cardigan and a scarf and headed out of the castle, taking a small walk before sitting down on the edge of a fountain. She grabbed a book out of her bag, starting to read it quietly. She vaguely noticed the Beauxbatons Quidditch team passed her as they returned from practice, but she didn't look up. She didn't really know any of them, nor did she care much about Quidditch. Maybe if she had grown up a bit closer with her sister, she would have, but Violette had never shared her love for flying. She turned the page, forcing herself not to think about Grace more, as she hadn't seen her sister more than a handful of times since she transferred to France. It was never fun to be reminded of how little her sister cared about her.

 

[Eren Beste]

Eren didn't think he ever really 'settled' in at school, though he had to begrudgingly admit Quidditch was at least making things marginally more interesting. Still, once practice was over, he was left at a loose end, the urge to find anything to occupy his time growing stronger the longer he was on the ground.

Broom still over his shoulder as they headed back from the pitch, Eren strayed when he spotted a vaguely familiar face, lingering as the rest of the team carried on before making up his mind and dropping down next to Violette Holland, tugging the cover her book up so he could read the title. "So do you really find this that interesting or do you just like sitting around and hope someone will come ask you about it?" Eren had never gotten the appeal of reading, he couldn't imagine sitting around quietly for that long, but he was half convinced half the girls did it in public just to look smart.

 

[Violette Holland]

Violette turned the page of her book, glad the story had managed to distract her from her worries again. She was caught up in it, eager to see what would happen next. But right as she started reading the next page, she was jolted out of her concentration by someone sitting down next to her. Startled, Violette looked up to see a vaguely familiar boy next to her. She stared at him as he tugged up the book so he could see what she was reading. His name escaped her for a bit, but then she remembered. Eren. She wasn't too familiar with him, but she knew his reputation as a troublemaker. A few years ago, Violette would have completely clamped shut, unable to even speak around someone being so rude to her. But thankfully, she was no longer twelve. "Excuse me." She said, her voice quiet but not timid. "I was reading that." She glanced at him with a slight frown, blinking a few times. "Are you really asking if I sit here with a book in front of me in the hopes someone asks me about it?" She asked him, disbelief clear in her voice. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I'm actually hoping no one will bother me." She added with a frown.

 

[Eren Beste]

Eren smirked, making himself comfortable next Violette, making a show of settling in. "If that were true, you wouldn't have gone somewhere where anyone could walk by," he pointed out, wiping an errant bit of sweat leftover from practice from his forehead. "C'mon, be honest, you're just waiting for someone to come talk to you and save you from sitting here with your own thoughts," he assessed smugly, leaning into Violette's space to squint at whatever she was reading on the page.

"You know, you're a lot different than I would expect actually," Eren said after a moment, setting his broom down and leaning back. He didn't know much about Violette outside her reputation for being quiet and of course, who her family was. Namely her older sister. Eren didn't care about Quidditch players or politics, but it was interesting to compare Violette to her family and see the contrast.

 

[Violette Holland]

Violette had hoped that pointing out she had hoped no one would bother her might make Eren leave her alone, but she should have known better. She sighed, looking away pointedly as he settled in next to her. She scoffed quietly at his words, leaning away from him a bit. "I just enjoy this spot." She said, glancing at him with a frown. "And most people know to leave people alone if they ask for it." She added under her breath. She tensed a bit as he said she was different than what he would expect. She guessed he had made the connection with her sister, but couldn't be entirely sure that was what he meant. She sighed and lowered her book, finally looking at him again. "What do you mean?"