Something More

[Ezra Shaffer]

Ezra Shaffer had just returned from the Christmas holidays. Despite the fact that it had been Christmas, he had spent nearly every day with his sister, Arielle. The past summer had been her last Olympic chance. Arielle had won gold in two events, silver in another two, and bronze in the third event. With her age, it was her last Olympic competition. Arielle was still going to compete but it was likely she could maintain that level of competition for the next four years. Being such, Arielle had much more time to spend with her younger brother. They had gone to the movies, hiking, surfing, and horseback riding during the whole break. Ezra had loved getting to spend all that time with his sister who had never had much time to spare him before. Ezra's muggle family did things very differently from Hogwarts New Zealand. Though Ezra loved his family, he was happy to be back among witches and wizards.

Ezra had quickly unpacked his trunk. He wanted to meet Karah before dinner, just like he had told her on the train yesterday. They had much to catch up on. It was hard to believe that they had spent much of their first year despising each other. It was all due to a really horrific first impression. The pair had long overcome that and moved on towards a deeper friendship. Ezra admitted that Karah was probably his best friend at Hogwarts, not that he would mention that to her. Karah...well, she was nice and beautiful. Like really beautiful. Probably the most beautiful girl in their year. Of course, Ezra knew she was part-veela. She had confided about her family history long ago. Even with her veela blood, Ezra felt like she was much more than that. He couldn't put his finger on it but there was something else there. Why else would Ezra find her so appealing? The Slytherin boy smiled as he sat down on a stone bench in the corridor. He ran a hand through his too long blonde hair. Checking his watch, Ezra grinned. Karah would be here any minute.

 

[Karah Love]

Karah found herself to be exceptionally lucky to have such wonderful friends in her life despite starting off in such rocky spots she and Michael were the best of friends and the same went for she and Ezra. Normally she would spend the first day back unpacking her things and reuniting with the girls in her dorm but that would be put off for now because her presence was requested of by one of her two best friends. She wasn't sure why but when she told one of the girl's this she started clucking like a hen before she put her in a dress that felt a little too inappropriate, a cardigan that wasn't the smartest idea considering the heat, a pair of shoes that hurt and then started to do her hair. Karah didn't understand why they were spending so much time, if any, on how she looked. She wouldn't even have tried this hard around Michael and she had kissed him. And despite hating her own veela blood she knew that it really didn't matter how she looked, she could have bed hair, smudged make up and be wearing the most unflattering thing and still attract people. But she sat through it because she knew that if she fought it would only be harder and that her friend would still win because she was freakishly strong. Once she was released Karah grumbled something under her breath and began walking down to the courtyard, trying not to flinch at the pain but it was proving to be difficult as she walked down the flights of stairs to the Entrance Hall. It was no secret that Karah avoided crowds of people because of her charm that was, at times, uncontrollable so she genuinely hoped that it was just Ezra there because god bless him, he was impenetrable. She knew this only because she had lost control once when Michael was around her and he had to fight her and Ezra gave her the same look he always did. One that she didn't quite understand but thought that perhaps that was just his face.

When Karah saw this face a smile touched her glossed lips before she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Ezra," she breathed into his shoulder as they hugged before looking up into his eyes and smiling. "I missed you over break," she said with a brighter smile. It was so good to be back at Hogwarts with her best friend.​

 

[Ezra Shaffer]

Ezra stood up when he saw Karah Love making her way towards him. A crooked grin spread across his face. God, she looked good. He couldn't help but notice the way the white dress flattered her fit figure. Her red locks bounced around her shoulders as she walked. Then again, Ezra always thought she looked better than anyone in the school, and not because of her ancestry. Ezra felt her arms wrap around his waist as he got a strong waft her sweet, fruity smelling shampoo. His arms wrapped around her, hugging Karah tightly to him, before quickly letting go. Her breathy whisper of his name sent a tingle up Ezra's spine. A small blush crept to his face. What was that tight feeling in his chest? Every touch from Karah lately had his stomach in knots. What was with that?! Ezra was not sure he wanted to dwell on those feelings. Shesh...Karah was his best friend! That's all.

Ezra looked down at Karah. His growth spurt this past year had him towering over her about a foot. "Hey K." he said, using a nickname he had adopted for her during the later part of first year. His heart did another little lurch at her words. One he wrote off as a pang of flattery. "I missed you too." Ezra said honestly, a smile on his face. Running a hand through his blonde hair, he motioned for her to sit down with his other hand. Ezra sat back down on the bench he had been waiting on. "So how was your break? Enjoy seeing your family?" he asked, wanting to know more about what she did during their separation.

 

[Karah Love]

As Ezra told her that he missed her, Karah couldn't help that the corners of her lips lurched up into a smile. She wasn't sure why the fact that he had returned those feelings made her smile but they did anyway and Karah didn't feel like figuring out every smile. She just wanted to live in the moment which currently meant sitting down beside her Slytherin friend and clasping her slender hands together and putting them between her thighs as he spoke.

Karah shrugged her shoulders lazily. "It was okay," she admitted. To her holidays weren't anything too special because she didn't feel like she fit in with either side of her family. She was mad at the Green's for lying to her and the she was skeptical of the Love's but that was her secret. "It still feels weird that I have another family," she said softly with a shrug of her shoulders but she wondered if it was ever going to feel normal that the person who was her mother had not been there to help raise her and that now she was living with her sisters. Often times she felt like she was intruding because her eldest sister had a baby and a boyfriend... They were like their own family and she just sat at the table with her flaming red hair in silence. As close as she was to Ezra he didn't know that she felt lonely within her family... or perhaps he did but she had never spoken it aloud. Only Michael because she knew that whatever she told him he would understand and listen to her free of judgement. It was the way their relationship worked because they accepted everything between each other and they got to have a little bit of fun between all the seriousness of their young lives. Karah felt like she could have a lot more fun with Ezra than with Michael. Bless his cotton socks but he was scared and shy and for someone as reckless as she was it was good to have someone around that she could do that with. "How about you? Did you have fun with your sister? It sounded like you were so excited to see her," she asked with a smile. It was very sweet how much Ezra seemed to enjoy being around his sister. It brought her to think of her own brothers who usually teased her or had made snide comments about her mother that she had not known. Except at times when she would start to cry, they would become proper big brother's to her then and only then. It got annoying quickly.​

 

[Ezra Shaffer]

Ezra listened intently for any details Karah wanted to share about her vacation. His own thoughts had drifted often to the auburn haired over the break, wondering what she was doing and how she was feeling. Though Karah had never admitted it, Ezra knew her well enough to see that she felt like an intruder into her new family's life but that she wasn't as comfortable with her old family as she had been before she learned of her true identity. Ezra could tell even now by the shrug of her slender shoulders and the inflections in her tone that Karah had once again felt lonely in a crowd of family. "I'm sorry. They were at least nice to you right?" Ezra asked, sounding protective without intending to. "I told you, you should have come to visit me. As long as you don't mind no magic, it's always a good time. Arie would love you." he said, flashing her a crooked grin. In truth, Ezra had been disappointed when Karah had refused his offer. He knew it was just because she was still trying to get to know the Love side of her family but it had been unpleasant when he heard Karah turn him down.

Ezra's blonde head nodded as he heard her questions. He had greatly enjoyed the time he had spent with all of his family. Ezra's parents had taken a whole two weeks off of work just to spend with him, as a whole family. "Yeah, I enjoyed hanging out with her. I think this is the first Christmas that has actually been fun. Usually, Arielle is too busy training to spend any time with us." he said with a shrug. "Now that she is getting closer to retiring from gymnastics, she has more free time." Ezra explained. He had told Karah about Arielle and her gymnastics training in the past. "Mom and Dad surprised us on Christmas with a vacation. We went up to Colorodo to a resort up there. We spend several days skiing and snowboarding before we went back to California. It was awesome. You would have loved it." Ezra told her, giving her a playful nudge with the crook of his arm. He wasn't sure what made him say that to her, but it had been every other thought on his mind when they were in Colorado.

 

[Karah Love]

Karah raised her eyebrow at the tone of Ezra's voice, patting his hand to assure him that they were perfectly lovely. "Oh yes. They couldn't be nicer," she said as her hand rested on his for a moment that was a bit too long for just friends but she hadn't noticed or cared and only took it off when she felt his hand move under her's. She put her hand on her thigh as she listened to him and smiled weakly. She wasn't quite sure what to say but she knew now that she would have preferred to spend time with Ezra or Michael during the summer holidays. "Maybe next year," she said, offering her friend a kind smile before she fell into silence once more.

As Ezra spoke about his family and their vacation she smiled but not only because she was happy for him but because she was doting on happier Christmas' when she didn't know that she was a freak and that what had brought her to life was what caused all her problems now. Thoughts of her playing with her big brothers and giving the woman who had raised her a kiss and not noticing the flinch that she had noticed during her first Hogwarts Christmases. Before she realized the nostalgic smile had changed to a slight frown before she felt Ezra nudge her. "I bet you were having so much fun you didn't have time to think of me," she replied playfully but believing it because she knew that when she was having loads of fun she thought of only that experience and not of who would have enjoyed it as well. Perhaps after but not during. Besides, Karah thought, what would the difference be between spending the holidays with a family who you felt a stranger to and a family you were actually a stranger to? "Did you ski or snowboard?" Karah asked, in attempts to distract herself so Ezra wouldn't notice the thoughts that seeped into her mind without her control. It was always like this after the holidays but she adjusted back to her happy self soon. For now she just had to fake it until she made it and she thought she was getting quite good at it. As the red head waited for Ezra's response she shifted in her seat before taking her cardigan off, it was far too hot to wear one and she didn't quite understand what the thought process for that had been but she was glad it was off now. Her freckled skin seemed to look even more pale with the dress she was wearing so for another thing wrong with this outfit she thought to mention to her friend to never make her change clothes. Shorts and a t-hirt would have been fine for just going to dinner, it wasn't as if she was trying to impress anyone.​

 

[Ezra Shaffer]

Ezra couldn't help but notice the warmth that spread throughout his hand as Karah's fingertips patted his hand closest to her. The warmth flooded through his veins, tingling as it went. He didn't understand the sensation. It was just a friendly touch. There had been plenty of those in their two year friendship. So why did Ezra just start getting these funny feelings now? Ezra smiled with relief as his redheaded friend said that the Loves were indeed nice to her. Ezra could stand to think that they mistreated her. Karah's hand lingered on his own for a moment and Ezra had the strangest urge to take her by the hand and hold that had. But, all too soon, that moment was gone as she moved her hand away.

Ezra laughed with a deep chuckle. His voice had changed during the previous summer, when he had been at his home, something for which he had been very grateful for. No one from Hogwarts New Zealand had been there to witness his squeaky humiliation. Ezra threw an arm around Karah's shoulder impulsively, not thinking a thing about it. "Well I'm going to hold you to that." Ezra threatened. "I insist that you come and spend at least part of the summer with me. It will be fun. California is great. Ever been there?" Ezra asked her with a grin. The idea of spending the summer, even only part of the summer, with Karah was enough to have him grinning like a fool.

The blonde Slytherin ran a hand through his shaggy hair as he shook his head. "Nah. I thought of you at least every other minute and how much you were missing out on." he said, teasing her with partial honesty, not that Karah needed to know that. Ezra didn't plan to ever clue her into how often she crossed his thoughts. "A little of both." he said with a casual shrug. "I think I prefer snowboarding though." Ezra answered. He noticed as Karah shrugged off her cardigan. He also noticed how pretty she looked today.

 

[Karah Love]

As Ezra put his arm around her, Karah looked at his hand as it hung over her chest comfortably. She smiled as she thought back to first year when she wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him (to ring his neck) and how far they had come since then. But that was not the only thing that had changed in Karah over the past several years, she became a bit more interested in her education, she started to think about other people's feelings and accept differences more and had traveled outside of Clovelly. For so long she had thought the only time she would get out of there would be when she died, it had happened to so many before. Hogwarts made her a better person, even if she had known about magic before. Being a squib would have been something she would've had to live with but now, sitting with her Slytherin friend in the courtyard of a magical school in New Zealand made her certain that she would have been miserable at best. Karah took the hand that was over her shoulders and slid her fingers through his before looking back at Ezra with a smile before she shook her head. "No. I'd only ever been to Clovelly before Hogwarts," she answered truthfully before asking in a voice that made it seem like she was showing off, "Have you ever been there?" She chuckled lightly because aside from the Green's and a really nice landscape there was nothing. Nothing anywhere close to Hollywood and whatever else they had in California.

Karah rolled her green orbs as Ezra teased her before nodding her head lightly and as he told her that he preferred snowboarding she shuffled out of his arm and took her cardigan off and was about to ask him a question when she saw him staring at her and she quirked an eyebrow up. She looked down at her dress to see if something was wrong when she remembered that she had let her guard down. Immediately she rose to her feet. "Oh god I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to," she said in a rapid pace as she looked away from Ezra to clear her mind and block everything out the way her sister's had taught her.

 

[Ezra Shaffer]

Ezra smiled as Karah took his hand draped over her shoulder. It was a friendly, comfortable gesture. It felt natural and Ezra didn't even consider than someone watching them might see them, at this moment, as something more than just friends. Though, if you had told Ezra he would be able to sit here, like this with Karah, during his first year, he would have had them sent to St. Mungo's for delusions. Ezra had hated this beautiful red head for the first semester of his first year. Bad first impression and all. They certainly had come a long way from then. "Well, I think we might have to go backpacking across Europe or something when we graduate. Loads of muggle kids do that sort of thing, or at least they do in movies." he said, half teasing, half serious. The Slytherin certainly wouldn't mind taking an extended trip with this Gryffindor. Ezra grinned at Karah as she asked him if he had ever been to Clovelly. He shook his head. "You know I've been more places than I can count but never to Clovelly." he said honestly. His family had traveled with Arielle to all of her competitions, nationally and internationally. Ezra's sister was good which meant they went to even more gymnastics meets out of the country, at least twice a year.

Ezra jumped up as Karah jumped up, acting alarmed. What the hell was she apologizing for? What had she done? Confusion flickered across his face as he tried to figure out what Karah was talking about, because honestly, he had no idea. "Sorry for what?" he asked, still not comprehending. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?" Ezra asked, suddenly concerned that she was hurt in some manner, though he knew that couldn't really be. "Will you please tell me what's going on?" he asked, starting to worry more. Had Ezra done or said something to upset her? She looked like she had just seen a vampire or something.

 

[Karah Love]

As Ezra suggested that after graduation they go backpacking she chuckled lightly at the thought of planning so far ahead. "I barely know what I want for dinner tonight. One step at a time, Ez," she said with a grin. Although the thought of travelling with Ezra would be a fun one she thought of Michael and how she didn't want to be apart from him for so long but time passed, the fact that she and the Slytherin were sitting peacefully was testament to that. As her friend said he had never been to Clovelly she rolled her eyes playfully before saying in the worst accent from her little town, "What? Never been to Clov'lly? You need to get cultured, boy." She laughed as she thought of the townsfolk that she had grown up with and how her 'mother' had insisted she would marry the son of the man who spoke like the person she had just mocked when they were at each other's throats nearly every second word.

When her laughter had subsided it was replaced with frustration at herself, at Ezra and from Ezra. He seemed so confused. Karah knew that she could inflict these feelings in men and boys but dementia was not something that she had been told about so she tried to get rid of his words. While Karah focused on blocking herself out she heard Ezra's voice and raised a hand to stop him but he kept going and she couldn't focus on blocking her charm out while he was doing this. "You were staring at me!" she exclaimed in frustration. "It's the bloody charm, if I wasn't a stupid beast we could have a conversation without you looking like something hit you over the head when I take off a sweater," she said doing the last thing she wanted, attracting attention to her. All she wanted to do was just live but everyday it was harder to be normal and she was beginning to resent everything her mother had made her to be even more than she already had. Her family went through so much because of what she was and she couldn't control it, how much longer until she became her mother and ruined a family beyond repair? "I am sorry," she said softer than before, trying to control her rage at herself because the last thing she wanted was to turn into some disgusting bird that seemed to mock her self-loathing even more.​

 

[Ezra Shaffer]

Ezra was standing up, looking at his best friend like Karah was a crazy person, which with the way she was acting, might be true. One minute the pair had been sitting there, having a pleasant, enjoyable conversation and then bam! Before Ezra had time to process it, Karah Love was shouting, about what he had no idea, and apologizing to him. For what? That was the big question. He grabbed her by the arm, forcing Karah's green eyes to stare up into his own blue eyes. His hand was gentle on her arm, as Ezra only wanted to force Karah to focus on him for just a second. Just long enough for him to understand. Her first words were no explanation. So what if he was staring at her? Ezra stared at Karah all the time, especially when he was talking to the girl.

Comprehension flooded Ezra's mind as he listened to her frustrated words that she seemed so obviously upset by his staring at her. So he had been caught admiring her, only he wasn't all that sure that it was her veela charm that was attracting his attention. Ezra considered that thought for a moment, analyzing if he really did feel charmed...No. Not at all. There were no unusual feelings of unnatural magic like he had gotten when he had met Karah's half sister. He might have been having questionable thoughts about his best friend, but it wasn't because of her nature. Was it possible that he was having real feelings for her? Ezra shrugged off that possibility as a laugh escaped through his lips, a crooked smile forming on his face. "Well, is that all?" he asked, chuckling out loud. "Karah, there is not any charm on me. I don't feel any different than I usually do." Ezra said, grinning at her. He looked at his hand that still rested on her arm, dropping it, feeling slightly self conscious about holding her for such a long period of time. "Trust me, I know veela charm. I could feel it when I met your sister. But never have I felt that around you." he answered honestly, staring straight down into her enchanting green eyes. "And just for the record...You are not a stupid beast." Ezra reminded her, as he had said so many times before.

 

[Karah Love]

Karah's stomach twittered as Ezra took hold of her and their eyes caught, her own burning into his begging for her to look away so she could let him free. As she looked into his she noticed for the first time just how blue they actually were and if she weren't so angry at herself and him for not realizing this was what was going on she would have thought something on their beauty. She tore her gaze from his and looked at his hand on her pale skin and briefly thought of Michael when he had awkwardly, more awkwardly than Ezra, held her close to him when she had been crying. It was quite the different situation but the tingle of skin on skin reminded her of it.

The laughter that sprouted from the Slytherin's lips granted a glare from Karah because she knew that laugh. It was a condescending one that people used when she was not understanding something but what was there to misinterpret? He had been staring at herin the most peculiar of ways when she had taken her cardigan off and lost her guard for only a second. When he finally spoke she thought for sure he had lost it. "Bullocks!" she answered when Ezra insisted that he felt no charm. "Why else would you look at me like you loved me?" she asked naively before cringing as she thought of how he had acted like a fool in front of her sister, Audrey. She didn't like the look that had been on his face when he looked at her like she was the most perfect thing to have ever walked the Earth. Karah didn't know why but her sister had teased her later that night about being jealous which confused her because she knew that her feelings were with Michael Alexandra and all his gawkiness. The memory of the night in the Forbidden Forest with Michael was shaken from her mind when her green eyes met Ezra's blue orbs and listened to him again. She smiled softly as he told her that she wasn't a stupid beast, it was kind of him to do so even if she knew the truth.​

 

[Ezra Shaffer]

Ezra grinned at the fiery redhead as she glared up at him for laughing, making him laugh a little bit more. Her reaction was hilarious. The Slytherin loved how easy it was to read the emotions on Karah's face. It always made it so much easier for him to tell what she was thinking about. Now, Ezra could see her face going from anger to disbelief back to anger. Ezra rolled his eyes as Karah asked him why he was looking at her like he loved her. There was a simple answer to this question and a much more complex answer that Ezra really didn't want to give himself time to consider. The more complex answer led to the underlying truth. Ezra had feelings for his best friend, but he didn't let his thoughts go down that trail. There would be no going back if he admitted his real affectionate feelings for Karah.

Instead, Ezra went with the easy, truthful answer. He shook his head at her, smiling like she was the greatest thing since sliced bread. "Because K, I do love you." Ezra said, as if that fact was obvious. "You're my best friend. How could I not love you?" he said, meaning this love as a platonic one, not a romantic one. The fourteen year old was certain that Karah's veela charm was not working on him. It was nothing, nothing, compared to how he felt when he had seen Audrey. While Ezra was aware of the veela's affect on a guy, he had been unprepared to encounter the real thing. It had been strong, pure adoration for Karah's perfect blonde sister, but it was only her nature that made him feel that way. The Slytherin had acted like a damn fool in front of Karah's half sister, one that didn't seem to please the Gryffindor girl at all. Karah had never affected him that way. Ever. What Ezra felt for Karah was real. Not some fake feelings of love and euphoria like he had felt for Audrey.

 

[Karah Love]

Ezra laughing at her harder made her glare even more at him, she knew that if he continued this way she was at a danger of turning into a bird and would show him just how much of beast she really was and would let him judge her on that instead of her human form. Karah hated the thought of it and had to calm herself down so she glanced around the pair to see that there were many sets of eyes on them. She closed her fists tight and sighed uneasily.

Karah's stomach found it's way into her throat when Ezra said that he loved her, she felt like she wanted to throw up at the thought of it. Not that it was a bad thing that he loved her but the idea of loosing him because of the feelings she didn't reciprocate was terrifying to her. As he clarified she put her hand over her heart in relief but she didn't quite understand. "I've turned it off now, I think you're just confused, Ez," she said because she still didn't like the way he had been looking at her. It wasn't just the way friends look at each other, she had friends like that and Ezra's look was not one of that variety. "It only doesn't work on gay males and straight females," she said before looking at him with an arched brow as if she was asking him if he was in this category even if she sincerely doubted that he was. If that wasn't the case she couldn't understand why it wouldn't work.​

 

[Ezra Shaffer]

Ezra heard Karah say that he was confused. She had turned off the charm. He just didn't think that it affected him like most males. It just wasn't the same as when he had met Audrey. Now she didn't have to try and charm him. In those few minutes, Ezra would have done anything for that blonde, perfect, enchanting girl. Anything and he didn't even know her. A dazed look had been plastered on his face, along with a goofy smile. No, Ezra had never felt that about Karah. In fact, the two had been at each others throats for nearly a whole year. Ezra had loathed and despised the beautiful redheaded Gryffindor. How do you explain that?

Of course when Ezra heard Karah's theories, he looked at her, dumbfounded. Really? That accusion and those challenging green eyes made him want to laugh again. Ezra rolled his eyes. "Yeah, K. Sorry forgot to tell you, I'm gay." he said, in a commical voice. Looking down at her clinched fists, Ezra took her hands in his own. "Look, I don't know why, maybe because I used to hate you, or maybe because you are my best friend, but I don't get that veela charm feeling." he said shaking his head at her with a smile. "I'm clearly not a female, nor am I gay. I can prove it." he said, before placing one hand on her face, pulling her in, and kissing her, right there on the mouth. It was a spontaneous, impulsive moment that he knew he would probably soon regret but at that moment, all he felt was electricity.

 

[Karah Love]

Karah rolled her green eyes as he said that he was gay but relaxed herself when he took her hands. She slipped her fingers in with his and listened to him try to explain why it wouldn't work. Maybe she was broken, maybe it wouldn't work for anyone else. Maybe she missed the veela gene? Wouldn't that be wonderful. A smile found it's way onto her lips at the thought of being a normal human being but was distracted when Ezra's lips were on her's. She put her hands on his shoulders to push him away from her but her lips moved with his despite how much she thought she loved Michael. It was strange but it felt good but when she realized how wrong this was, for no other reason than the fact that this was her best friend and she wanted to be with Michael. When the kiss was over she looked at him in silence, her eyes wide and apologetic before she ran off grabbing her sweater on the way.

The Gryffindor wasn't sure where she was going but she couldn't talk to Ezra about what just happened. She didn't want to hurt him because she did love Michael Alexandra. Why did I kiss him back? she thought before trying to convince herself that it was just the initial reaction you had when someone kissed you and not because she felt anything for him. As she ran she found that she was finding her way to the Ravenclaw towers and before she knew it she was in front of Michael, trying to get rid of the thought of Ezra on her lips.​

 

[Ezra Shaffer]

Ezra was surprised to feel Karah kissing him back, but he wasn't about to turn that down. It was odd, tingling. and exciting, like nothing he had ever experienced before. He couldn't believe that this was happening....and then...suddenly it wasn't happening. Karah didn't speak as she looked at him through those green irises. She turned and bolted back up into the castle. Ezra Shaffer just stood there, staring after her. What was that? Why did it feel so right? Ezra didn't think he had an answer to either question.