Intertwined

Chapter Two

Carter was utterly confused by her. She shone to him. Maybe it was the way the sun glinted off her honey hair. Maybe it was the way her eyes sparkled playfully, yet sincerely. Sometimes in the courtyard when she was studying with her friends, he would be sitting in the tree above, reading.

He really didn't mean to overhear, and he was always get there before her. Only about four times out of sixty would she sit below it. He admired the fact that she was simply straightforward and sincere.

Once he almost jumped down and punched the person she was talking to. It was skinny, scraggly girl with slightly weathered hair. "I just think you shouldn't talk outright to him, as you so usually do."

"What do you mean?" asked Maggie.

"I mean, I kinda kissed him last night. It was just so charged. Of course, he rejected me, but he likes that. That kind of passion. That's all I'm saying." Maggie's eyebrows drew together in distress. Carter felt his fist clench in anger. How dare she. Maggie was pure and sweet and wonderful, and this girl was deceit.

A small voice whispered in the back of his head. 'Maybe you feel such an intense hatred of the girl, because she has qualities that reminds you of yourself. Qualities that make Maggie hate you, and will prevent you from ever being together.'

For it did seem as though Maggie hated him. He thought he had made his attraction clear. The silver knife? Helping her with her books? To any person he knew those would have been clear signs to throw themselves at each other. But then he realized, she was not a Slytherin. Not a person who made seduction a game. Not a person who charmed or flirted, but a sincere person. Which is why they could never work.

But it was more than the fact that she didn't 'flirt'. She had barely said three words to him and they had had at least two classes together every year of the five they had been at school.

She wouldn't even say something as 'sure' or 'no problem' when she lent him the silver knife. And she clearly knew that he had his own silver knife. He had seen her see the knife, purposely left at his station.

Obviously she didn't like mind games, and none of the things that Slytherins stood for, except for perhaps ambition. She certainly did very well in school, was always being given house points for correct answers. Blushing as she was being commended for being top of the class at her essays and tests.

As far as he knew, he hadn't done anything to her at all. And though she avoided all Slytherins, she particularly avoided him. Carter didn't date often. He had small flings, one month relationships. Every time he started getting more into it with a girl, he couldn't get her out of his head.

In his fantasy they were always dating and happy, sitting in a willow tree by the lake just after exams. The sun would be shining down on Hogwarts, making it shine. She was laughing as he groaned at the fact that he hadn't gotten the same answers as her. She would make him feel better by kissing him lightly on the lips, laughing slightly still, and then deepen the kiss. Suddenly it wouldn't be so funny.

He would tangle his fingers in his hair, which he knew would be soft, and would maybe smell like pomegranate or coconut. The other would go to the small of her back. Carter would press his lips to her neck, and feel her catch her breath.

Speaking of how she smelled made him happy. He could smell her perfume sometimes in class. It was citrusy, light, and fresh. If a breeze washed it across his face, his legs instantly went wobbly. One time when he was standing beside her in care of magical creatures, a breeze had blown the scent of it full in his face. It had overwhelmed him so much, he had to grip the rock beside him. So no one thought he was going crazy, he played it off as though he was feeling ill and went to the hospital wing.

When he was being walked out by a friend he glanced over at her. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking, but he thought he saw a flash of concern in her eyes. But before he could get a better look she looked away.

These little instances drove him crazy, because he could never be sure if she felt the same way, or if it was just him creating it all in his mind. But he had been dealing with it for years.

This attraction had been driving him crazy for far, far too long. If he continued like this, he was positive that he would go insane. It was only a matter of time. Constant day dreams in class were affecting his grades, and they had only been getting worse. He covered it all with a charming, humorous, and flirtatious bravado.

He knew that she had hooked up with a few boys this year. They were casual things, and although he felt a twinge of jealousy of them getting to kiss and hold her, it was nothing he couldn't handle. Simply because it was just lust.

Admittedly when he heard some Hufflepuff boys talking about how great she was at hooking up, he almost killed them, but really not such bad feeling. But then, the worst day of his life so far came around.

He was sitting with one of his good friends, Conrad, in the Slytherin common room, discussing girls when he said: "I know she's a Hufflepuff, but that Maggie is SO hot. I wish I could get with her."

Carter felt his throat constrict, and then he tried to act casual. "Well, why can't you?"

Conrad raised his eyebrows. "Haven't you heard? She's got a boyfriend. Some Hufflepuff named Elijah. Figures. He doesn't deserve her."

"Oh." He said and excused himself, agreeing with Conrad thoroughly. Carter didn't care if this new guy was the best man alive, he didn't deserve her. He felt a strange roaring in his ears, and a heat in his chest. Panic flooded through him.

That night he had a night mare. He was at Maggie's wedding, where she was marrying a faceless man, who he knew to be Elijah. When he stood up to protest. She laughed.

"Me a pure hearted golden goddess, why would I want to be with a snake like you?" He woke, panting. He knew he had to act then. But when?

The Winter Ball seemed the best option for it. He could ask her to dance easily enough, and then put himself on the line. If it all went wrong, so be it. He couldn't wonder forever.

So, he bought some new emerald green dress robes (to match her eyes), and prepared for the moment it seemed his school career had been leading up to.