Entwined

I'm Stuck in a Limbo

Chapter Five

I'm Stuck in a Limbo

            “BOO!” Neville jumped, his books falling to the floor. A bunch of his first year students giggled and he smiled.

“Good one boys, and nice costumes.” The kids were dressed as aliens with fake antennas and masks. He also saw several witches, vampires, devils, angels etc. He stopped three seventh years and smiled “I’m sorry girls, but you’ll have to either change or fix your costumes.”

“Aw, Professor!”

He smiled again “I know Jessica, but if you go to class like this the boys won’t be able to concentrate.”

Jessica’s friend, Della fluttered her eyelashes “Will you be able to concentrate professor?”

“Hands of girls,” Jazzmyn rounded the corner and laid her hand on Neville’s shoulder “This ones mine.” She winked “Nice costumes by the way,” flipping her wand, the girls white skirts lengthened a little and their tops tucked in and didn’t show any cleavage.

“Thanks Professor Divine!” the girls chorused and rushed off before Neville could persist.

He raised his brow “So I’m yours, huh?”

Jazzmyn blushed “Oh-um, no, I just said that to-”

He laughed “I know, Jazzmyn.” But he secretly wished she had meant it.

“Save a dance for me tonight, okay?” she motioned to the posters that lined the schools walls informing students the annual Halloween party was that night.

He bowed “Of course,” she gave him one last smile and slipped down the hallway.

~*~*~*~

            The hall was draped in black shimmering cloth and candles hovered everywhere, hiding in their pumpkin shells. Treats were piled high and scary music drifted from unseen musicians.

Neville stood at the side, fiddling with his shirt and tie. He was going as a Muggle, and the suit he wore was very hot. Students ran around, danced and chatted in the great hall, eating the treats laid out on the tables pushed to the side. There was bobbing for apples, limbo and a haunted house. Jazzmyn hadn’t shown yet.

“Nice costume,”

He jumped as a hand trailed down his arm; Jazzmyn stood beside him, dressed as a Muggle teacher. “Thanks, you’re a Muggle teacher, right?”

She nodded “Yup and you’re a Muggle slave?”

He laughed “That’s one way to put it; I’m an office worker.”

She laughed along with him, and the sound made his body heat rise considerably. Why did she have this affect on him? Couldn’t she just be a normal, pretty teacher that had normal, boring conversation with him in the staff room? No, she had to a completely gorgeous teacher who made him feel like he never had before.

“Come on professors! We’re having a limbo competition!” a student ran past, his fake sword glinting in the candle light.

Jazzmyn shrugged “Why not?”

Neville put his hand on her back and led her over to the limbo “I’m just warning you, I’m a very good limbo-er.”

~*~*~*~

            It was nearly midnight by the time Neville and Jazzmyn found their way through the dimly lit halls of Hogwarts. All the paintings were sleeping in their frames and every single student was tucked away in their dorms. But sleep was the last thing on Neville and Jazzmyn’s mind.

“Come on,” Jazzmyn tugged on his hand, into her rooms.

Neville smiled “Alright,” he hoped he wasn’t dreaming. In fact, he was ready to get down on his knees and beg whatever God that would listen for this not to be a dream, for it to work.

He had never been in Jazzmyn’s rooms before, and its interior didn’t surprise him; everything was black, white and blue and candles were everywhere. There were several potted plants and books piled high on every available surface.

They hardly made it past the threshold before their lips met, crashing against each other like ocean waves. Her lilac smell was just as sweet as he remembered, and made him slightly dizzy.

Her hands flew across his chest, undoing the buttons of my shirt. He started to do the same on hers, revealing a lacy royal blue camisole that accented her silvery-blue eyes. He brushed her dark curls away from her face and stroked her cheek with his fingers, trailing along her jaw, then her neck and along her breast bones.

“You know,” Jazzmyn whispered, her lips brushing his ear “This isn’t what I expected when I accepted this job.”

Neville smiled “Me neither,” Their kiss began to deepen, and they grew more bold with each other; Neville let his hands roam a little more, and Jazzmyn…well, she was a bit bolder than Neville.

All of a sudden, she jumped away, pressing her back to the door. She once again had that scared look on her face, as if a ghost had just passed straight through her. “Oh no, no no no…” she put her fingers to her lips and her body started to shake.

“I’m sorry Neville, but-but you have to go,” tears filled her beautiful eyes and Neville felt something tug at his heart, like a small string were attached, and someone was pulling at it.

“Jazzmyn, what’s wrong?” he put a hand on her shoulder, but she shook it off. That hurt, even more than when he learned Hanna had run off to Africa. He had only known Jazzmyn for two months, and already knew how he felt about her. Not that he dared even think the word.

“You have to go Neville, you have to-you have to stay away.” Jazzmyn’s body shook and she wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to give herself a hug. Neville wished he could hug her, but she would probably shake him off again.

“Why Jazz,” he asked, stepping closer “Why do I have to stay away?”

She looked out the window, across the grounds and the lake. “I-I’m dangerous, Neville. All the-all the people I lov-care about get hurt.” She turned around again to face him, face shadowed in moonlight that poured through all the windows “I can’t let anything happen to you, Neville. It-it would hurt too much…I would never be able to forgive myself.”

“But Jazz-”

“Please Neville,” Jazzmyn opened the door “Please just leave me alone.”

Neville could feel his heart breaking as she talked, and he knew he was going to cry. “I’ll go,” he whispered “But I’m coming back. I can never leave you alone, Jazzmyn, not ever.”