Who: Seamus and Parvati When: January 1st (during the holidays) Where: Dueling Hall What: Mutual admiration and dance Rating: PG
The drumbeat was heard in reverberating rhythm along the empty corridors near the dueling room. Her movements focused, her breathing and posture fixated on the beat, Parvati moved her body slowly in time with the music. Her hands rotated in time and her feet found unsure footing as years of half hearted practice led her to this room. Her body found it's pace as the sitar added to the drum's beat, the heart of the song sending Parvati to memories of the dance she had cared so little for. It was necessary, the meditation and the focus gone so long from her life.
Seamus had woken up that morning to a variety of thoughtful gifts - some from his dorm mates, and others from students in other houses. But the most notable were from Parvati, the girl he was presently keen on. Intent on thanking her, he set out to scour the castle for her whereabouts. He was just about to give up when he heard the unusual ethnic music emanating from an empty corridor, piquing his curiosity and prompting him to venture down it. When he finally reached its end, he found the Indian girl performing an exotic dance in one of the rooms, her fluid movements capturing his attention and captivating him into silence.
Parvati was taken in by the music, enchanted by her to play for the Jatiswaram. This portion of the Bharatanatyam had always been hardest part for Parvati. Her grandmother had shown her infinite patience, explaining that its aim was pure aesthetic pleasure by creating beauty through poses and rhythmic movements. Her body flowed from one form to another, her hands and feet awkwardly working in delicate patterns as she invoked the rhythm of her body to move back and forth through the poses.
As a young lad in a small town in Ireland, Seamus's only exposure to different cultures had been limited to the people he'd met at school. Suffice it to say, he'd never seen anything like the majestic dance Parvati was performing, bright green eyes locked fast upon her peaceful form, hesitant to interrupt the enchanting display.
Her body continued, her hands attempting to strike delicate poses that Padma had years before mastered. Her memory of Ammamma's lessons slowly coming back to her. Her face was focused, but a knowing smile illuminated her brown eyes. Ammamma had always smiled when she danced. Remembrance and thought of the deliberate and intricate movements of her hands and feet led her to the end of this portion of the dance as the sitar and drums ceased and she entered her final pose, facing the far wall of the dueling room.
A light filled Seamus's eyes when he caught sight of her expression; it seemed like it had been ages since he's seen her smile that way. Her grandmother's death had taken a toll on her and he didn't imagine she'd move on so quickly, but it was comforting to see a hint of happiness upon her beautiful features. It took him a moment to realize that the dance was finished - and then another in contemplating whether to interrupt. In the end, he cleared his throat softly.
She started, clearly taken aback to have had company and she spun on her heels to see who had entered the room.
"I heard the music from the hallway," Seamus said by way of explanation, not bothering to conceal the admiration with which he set his gaze upon her. "You were smiling, weren't you?"
She nodded and stifled another grin, having not seen a boy look at her that way in some time. "I suppose I did...I'm sorry if the music bothered you."
"No, no," He hurried to protest, fondly recalling the music that had permeated through the room mere moments before. "It was pretty - different, but definitely pretty."
She smiled softly and moved with deliberate steps now she knew there was an audience. She took her wand and waved it at the phonograph as it packed itself away. She slid on the new pink slippers that Padma had given her that morning. She turned back to Seamus. "I am glad you liked it. my grandmother would be happy to know that."
"I'm sure she would," He said solemnly, but refused to dwell on the sorrow a moment longer. Not when Parvati was actually smiling a little. Clearing his throat to change the subject, he gestured to the shirt beneath his robes - unmistakably the one she'd given him for Christmas. "I got your presents."
She moved towards him to admire it. Again, the scent of Jasmine filled the space between them. "Oh Seamus I'm glad you got them. You look smashing!" she smiled happily.
"Thanks," He acknowledged with a grin, scratching his sandy hair a bit nervously as he considered whether to give her the gift he'd purchased for her or not. "I bought you something too - but it's probably not as expensive," A sheepish smile.
Parvati laughed, allowing the moment to overwhelm her recent burst of melancholy. "Expensive? Are you joking?" she leaned forward and ruffled his hair playfully. "I wished you hadn't spent a galleon."
The touch of her fingers brought a faint blush to his cheeks and the desire to reciprocate the touch, but he quelled the urge. "It's from Ireland," He said finally, reaching into his robes and withdrawing the long black box. "They're not real diamonds or anything." Inside the box was a long, glittering gold bracelet ornamented with crystal Irish charms; among them a sparkling white sheep, a shiny jade shamrock, a gilded harp, and a traditional claddagh.
"Oh Seamus!" her breath came out in patches. "This is so sweet!" she looks at all the charms and tries to identify them all. She threw her arms around him and kissed him right on the cheek. "You are such a dear boy!"
Real diamonds or not, it'd cost him a pretty penny, as his family wasn't nearly as well-off as hers. But the look on her face made every galleon worth it - and that was without the kiss to his cheek. Seamus flushed faintly red when her lips touched his skin, genuinely tempted to tuck his hands in his pockets and mumble in reply. But he realized that he'd never get anywhere with her if he played it safe, and so he wrapped his arms around her in reciprocation, daring to draw her a little nearer as he met her eyes sincerely. "You're welcome, Parvati."
She looked up at him, the gift still in her hands. Her heart, still pumping double time from the beat of the drums, seemed to her to stop for a moment. It had been some time in fact since she had been held this close. An eternity passed as she looked into his green eyes. She read anxiety and excitement within them, mirroring her own emotions. "I hoped you liked yours too." she responded to him awkwardly, her normal calm having fled from her.
"You asked that already," Seamus said softly, slightly awed that he had managed to render her awkward, though he was tempted to chalk it up to recent passing of her grandmother. Whatever the reason, she was soft and warm and so very near... His fingers lifted to brush gently over her cheek, unabashed in his admiration of her gentle features.
She chuckled softly and looked away from the directness in his eyes. "I suppose I had...I'm just a bit...concerned you may be lying to be polite." No sooner than the words had left her lips, she wished she had the power to pluck them back before they reached his ears. She hadn't felt this dumbstruck in some time, and it was unusual for her. Hoping to regain a bit of composure and control of the deteriorating conversation she pushed against him lightly, seeking to take a small step back, yet part of her reluctant to do so.
"Lying?" Seamus peered at her with some curiosity. Why in the world would he lie to a girl he liked so much? What struck him most, however, was her uncharacteristic uncertainty. He'd seen sides of this girl in the last month that he hadn't known existed, between her grandmother's death and now her slight awkwardness. "Parvati, no," He shook his head suddenly, a bit awkward in his own attempts to reassure her, hands lightly holding her shoulders. "Even if I didn't like it - I do - it'd mean something since it was from you."
She looked up at him and smiled unabashedly. "Well I'm glad then." She again pulled against him feebly, not exactly sure of what it was she was running from. "So...um....did you enjoy the dance?"
"You're beautiful," He admitted bluntly. "Not just the way you look - the way you dance, move." Boys were known to exaggerate, but that wasn't the case with Seamus. Like Dean, he considered Parvati to one of the most beautiful girls in the school - and it didn't stop at her superficial appearance. "I'd watch you dance all day."
She smiles softly, turning a few shades of crimson. "You should see Padma." she blurted out without thinking. "She's really good at this." She started to pull away in earnest, feeling more embarassed than anything. "We should get back to the Common Room." The empty room reverberated her words and she suddenly felt very open. She became keenly aware that in such a vacant space, anyone could come upon them.
But she's not you, he replied silently. Padma definitely shared Parvati's beauty, but not her radiance and vivacity - two key attributes that had drawn him to her in the first place. He wasn't about to lay it on too thickly and scare her away, however. "Yeah, I guess you're right." To be honest, he wanted nothing more than to remain alone in that room with her, but he realized it wouldn't be very proper so soon. Tucking his hands in his pockets, he followed her lead and moved to the doorway, but his eyes never left her face.
She gathered her things and cast a locomotor charm on them, allowing them to move themselves towards the door. Hating this awkwardness yet again, Parvati couldn't take it. She spun on her heel and leaned up and laid a peck on his cheek.
The brush of her mouth against his cheek was enough to spur him into the action he'd been considering since the moment he'd met her. He turned his face just slightly enough to the side to let his lips brush against hers in a faint, gentle kiss.
Parvati, not entirely shocked by his action, was still a bit taken aback. Her breath caught up for a moment, as their lips pressed timidly against one another's. Her hands found his shoulders and rested there for a long moment until all her things clattered noisily to the floor.
The clattering of Parvati's things startled Seamus, tempting him to release her and murmur a hasty apology for his presumptuous action. But the softness of her lips drove him to resist the urge to be gentlemanly, fingers sliding to gently cup her cheek as he leaned closer still, fueling the embrace with a hint of genuine emotion.
The faint scent of mint and jasmine mingled in her nostrils as she leaned into his kiss. Overwhelmed, she allowed a long moment to pass before she begrudgingly pulled away from him. Her limbs tingled and she felt alternately awkward and giddy.
The boldness that had overtaken him in the heat of the moment was tempered by her withdrawal, hands immediately falling to his sides as he regarded the girl he had boldly taken liberties with. "Sorry," He mumbled beneath his breath, kneeling to quickly retrieve the items she had dropped in the midst of their embrace.
Her face, flushed told a story of her conflicted thoughts. "Don't be Seamus." she struggled to force a calm smile to her harried visage. "You're a right good kisser." Parvati crouched down next to him and assisted him in the gathering of her books, pictures and enchanted drum.
"Yeah?" His eyes brightened momentarily, before his cheeks flushed red, convinced her conflicted expression meant she hadn't entirely enjoyed it. Plagued by these thoughts, he finished gathering her things together. "Yeah, uh - I've gotta go, Parvati," He mumbled quickly, cursing himself for his presumption and stupidity as he hurried down the corridor.
She shouted after him as he ran. "Seamus it...it was wonderful!"
Immediately, she felt ridiculous for just blurting it out, echoing into the empty corridors. Nice work, Patil. she chided herself as he sped towards the end of the hallway.