This Doesn't Have To Change

[Sam Prince]

After almost seven whole years living in Hogwarts, it was only on this warm Summer's evening, that Sam finally decided on his favourite spot. Not necessarily the spot he spent most of his time in, just somewhere that he just truly enjoyed. The thought had been badgering him for months now. Everyone had a favourite spot by now, except Sam. But he was quite content now in saying that, his favorite place to be, in all of Hogwarts, was the lakefront. Up until today, he always just presummed - along with everyone else - it was the Quidditch Pitch. A place that of course he held so dear, but there was just something about the lakefront that made him feel so very much at home, a spot that was truly unique to Hogwarts New Zealand. His arm slung loosely over his upright knee, while his head lolled back onto the rough bark behind him. All the while, the eighteen year old, took in everything that surrounded him, everything that made this particular spot, what it was.

He had sent an owl to Indianna not so long ago, asking her to meet him here, moreso demanding it, but she had to see the sun set over the lake, he knew she would love it. The sight was more than just magical and it was something every student of Hogwarts should see at least once. Sam only hoped that Indianna wasn't rubbing shoulders with too many Ravenclaws recently, and was in fact currently buried too deep in her studies to join him. Still, Sam continued to wait on his love to arrive, he only sent the owl a few minutes ago? Surely she was still coming. Sam pulled up hs sleeve slightly and glanced down at his watch, reassuring himself that she was probably just making her way down from the North Tower now. Fixing the sleeve of his woolen sweater, he caught sight of something, that brought that smile to his face. It was a hair, not off his own head, a hair the length of Indianna's. In fact, the sweater still smelt strongly of her sweet perfume. He took the hair off his sleeve and wound it around his forefinger several times until his finger began to pulse.

This sweater was one of Indianna's favourites and so naturally enough, it became one of Sam's favourites. There wasn't much they didn't share now, the young couple. Indianna had become the person that Sam told everything too, his dreams, his worries and even the little things. She became his best friend and his first real love all in the space of about a year and now, Sam couldn't see his life without her in it. He rarely planned out his future and he hated the thought of things changing, of having to make a change but something was now definite in his life. Something that he never wanted to change. Something that never would change, the young man thought determinedly. Maybe this young love had him delusional, but as he waited for his girlfriend to arrive, he couldn't see things any other way. He unwound the strand of dark hair from around the tip of his finger and let it get carried away with the warm breeze. Sam knew change was inevitable and by the end of this year, he would have to let go of a lot of things. But he wasn't planning on letting go of Indianna Lee anytime soon.

 

[Indianna Lee]

There was a quill poised in Indianna’s hand, a piece of parchment in her lap and even a score of lines in ink across it, each one paraphrased from the last she had scribbled out. It was by no means her usual level of productivity. The girl, with her natural aptitude for words and her incredible ability to focus, could knock out a decent paper in an hour flat. Procrastination was not something she had struggled with as much as her classmates did, or so this was what she gathered from their complaints. But this afternoon had broken a perfect streak of concentration in her recent studies and instead she had reverted her thoughts to where they’d usually rather run off to. Sam. Now, Indi had already gone and surprised all of her professors when they had warned her how detrimental a boyfriend would be to her grades. She had retained her reputation among them as a straight O student effortlessly and without eating away at the time she spent with her boyfriend too. But she felt, and she had for a long time, that an all-outstanding NEWT result was not half as important for her future as Sam Prince was. Sinking further into the cushioned embrace of the arm chair and with a twinkling smile dancing across her latina features, Indianna dusted the feather of her quill over her cheek as she thought of her blue-eyed boy. They had come thousands of metaphorical miles since they’d first laid eyes on each other that day in Brightstone Village, past her irrational fears and his estranged relationship with Riley. They’d finally arrived here, in their seventh and final year of schooling still cradling that instant connection they’d felt to each other the day they had first met and Indianna knew for certain now that there was an endless amount of amazing miles still ahead of them yet.

Lost in the depths of her daydreams, Indianna hadn’t noticed the owl swoop in through the open window. It sat on the padded arm of her chair, staring impatiently at her with those beady black eyes as she twirled a raven curl around her index finger. Clearly it had better things to do than to wait on an eighteen year old to come back down to earth, so it snapped at her hand in frustration causing Indi to yelp as its sharp beak broke the skin on her finger. “Ow,” she mumbled to herself as she lifted her finger to her lips and sucked on it with an ungrateful glare in her hazel eyes to the owl. Yet she untied the note from around its leg anyway and instantly forgot all about the cut as she recognised the handwriting etched across the parchment. Eagerly she scanned her eyes across it and within the next instant she was up and out of the arm chair and shoving her petite feet into a pair of boots she had left by the entrance to the common room. A grin was flaunted on her rosy lips as she threw one last look over her shoulder at the neglected attempt to begin her potions paper before she skipped out of the Ravenclaw common room and down what felt like the millions of flights of stairs in the north tower. Even if she could have apparated to the lakefront, it wouldn’t have been quick enough.

Before the last stone step down into the grounds of Hogwarts was skipped, Indianna’s eyes had already begun to survey the edge of the lake for her love. And by the time she had cleared it, her boots landing in the springy grass, she had already picked him from between the scarcity of the trees. To occupy her mind as she made her eager way down to Sam, Indi rolled up further the sleeves on her denim dress until they’d reached her elbows and marvelled at the pleasant band of weather. There couldn’t have been a more perfect moment to spend outside with him than this one, nor a more perfect way to procrastinate an essay. She giggled at the thought, wondering how Sam would have reacted if she’d managed to convince him she was currently prioritising potions over him. She could almost imagine how she would liken him to a sad puppy, walking away with those big blue eyes. But as easily amused as she was, Indi would so much rather see that beaming face of his. As she finally reached Sam and dropped down onto her knees beside him, Indi hoped it wouldn’t take long for her to rouse it on his expression. “Hi baby boo.” Her voice was playfully teasing as she greeted Sam with an irrepressible grin stretching across her expression, and soon after pressed a sweet kiss to his warm cheek. “Y’know...” The girl mused as she climbed in between Sam’s legs and settled her back cosily against his chest, yet twisted her tiny body just enough so she could look back over into those entrancing eyes of his and speak so dangerously close to his lips. “You’re lucky my potions paper isn’t nearly half as cute as you are.” One hand patted her boyfriend’s knee to punctuate her oh-so true statement, while the other curled into the sleeve of his sweater, the one she had happily snuggled into so many times before. She had a funny feeling this evening wouldn’t be an exception.