I wish I were invisible (Ronan)

[Deleted]

Attending classes were pretty much the only moments in Leonore's life when she didn't end up doing something embarrassing--well, at least most of the time.  There was always room for her to mess up on anything in anywhere at anytime, but she was proud to say that doing work in the classroom gave the Ravenclaw most of her confidence.  Schoolwork was what she excelled at, at least, if she couldn't perfect her elegance and cool image.  Because Hogwarts did not have a house reserved for social failures, the Sorting Hat most likely clung onto the only good trait that she had and tossed her into the house that closely resembled that trait.  And it was pretty apt, because Ravenclaws were smart, and she was a smart girl.  Or more like academically competent, but that still did constitute as smart.

So after classes were finished for the morning and the afternoon break started, Leonore knew that she faced two options: hang around the group of friends she managed to make, which were mainly nice, good-heart people who had stronger wills than she did and did not judge her for her mishaps, or do something by herself.  She was not one for socializing with people who she barely knew.  No, that was quite a scary thought.  It was too bad if none of her buddies were around, but if that were so she was quite content to play it safe and go rolling solo, lest she make her day worse by embarrassing herself in some inevitable manner.

It was unfortunate to say that, her fears had come to pass, and she couldn't seem to find any of her friends anywhere.  Well then, it was off to safely spending the time of the day by herself! That was boring, but again, it was better than making a fool of herself in front of strangers. 

To her surprise, no one seemed to be outside.  How did she know this? Well, Leonore observed that almost every student appeared to be hanging around inside.  Once she took a peek out from the entrance, Leonore saw that it was deserted.  She could understand; it was rather chilly outside.  But that was what she liked about autumn.  That and the fact that no one was outside encouraged her to venture out into the open.

The sky was cloudy with barely any hint of sunshine.  A gray, dull day.  With no eyes on her--or so she assumed, for there could be ninja wizards lurking about the grounds--Leonore made her way toward the lake with a slightly more confident gait than usual.  Oddly enough, she felt more like a human being when she was not amongst other human beings, but surrounded by grass and trees, or whatever nonspeaking organisms existed in this world.

If things were to go her way, she would make it safely and harmlessly to the edge of the lake, sit down with her legs crossed on the grass, and do nothing but stare at the large body of water and think about whatever came into her mind.  A meditation of sorts.  Drab, yes. 

But fate just had to be mean to her again.  There happened to be a fairly large stick in front of her that she conveniently didn't see.  When Leonore was about to walk past it, she ended up tripping over it instead.  She only realized that there had been something in front of her when she felt her foot bump into something but it was too late to do anything about it now, because she was already falling forward, about to land face-first on the ground.

What she could do, though, was prevent herself from falling face-first.  She quickly held out her hands so that they would steady her.  And luckily, they did.  She landed on her knees with her palms hitting the ground.  She looked like she was pretending to crawl like a toddler mimicking a dog.

Leonore wasted no time in springing back to her feet, though.  The unfortunate Ravenclaw quickly got up, and with wide eyes and a face burning red with embarrassment, she looked around to see if anyone had seen her blunder.  If that proved to be true, then she would do all she could to bury her head in the ground like an ostrich.           

@ronan

template by eliza @ tb

[Deleted]

Ronan had no classes whatsoever today which was kind of nice. But that left him with a lot of time for himself. And it was never a good thing for Ronan to be left to his own devices or was it? He had woken up rather early and had decided to go exploring, if you could call it that, since he knew that any secret passageways that could get him off of the school grounds were completely blocked off, or they had sensors placed on them, and he preferred not to be caught by one of the teachers. So exploring wasn’t a good idea right now, and plus he knew why there were extra wards and protection spells in place all because of what was happening with the murders and what not. So currently Ronan was out on the grounds just enjoying a nice walk, or rather wandering around with nothing to do. He wasn’t sure what time it was but he had been out here since just after the breakfast that he had gotten from the house elves down in the kitchens at five this morning. He had passed one of the men whom he was sure he was an auror that went by the name of Rob, or something like that. Rob had given him a smirk before walking off, he had a feeling that Rob and the other aurors here were fellow pranksters which made him quite sure that he could get away with many things so long as he wasn’t caught by the professors.

When he finally looked up Ronan found that he was near the Black Lake when he saw another student one that upon first sight took his breath away and yet he was sure that she hadn’t seen him at all. He kind of stopped in his tracks and just watched the girl walk towards the lake, but at that moment it looked like she was just going to walk around the large stick or branch, or whatever it was that was in her path, she tripped and fell down on her hands and knees rather roughly. Normally he would have laughed at something like that but this was different, there was this deep feeling of concern for the girl and he quickly walked over to where she was at.

He could tell that the girl was embarrassed by what had happened due to her face being as red as a tomato, when she had gotten up. He slowed down his pace as he got closer. “Hey, are you alright?” Ronan asked in a concerned voice as he stopped and was now standing next to the girl, hoping that she was alright, and at the same time he wondered if by asking that question would embarrass the girl any further, for that was not his intention. Ronan watched the girl and wondered just what it was that made him want to get to know this person, and why seeing her the first time took his breath away. Which had thankfully returned, and now that he was closer to her, he felt this immediate peace and it just felt right to be near her and with her. This was something new to him and he was determined to figure it out, and that would require getting to know the girl that he was now standing by.

@leonore

[Deleted]

What Leonore wouldn't do to actually take someone's breath away.  If only she could pull of a pose or graceful gesture, such as flip her hair or gaze at a boy flirtatiously from the corner of her eye.  By now she should've been an elegant and coquettish young lady--it wasn't just a natural process for a growing girl to go through, but her status did require that of her as well.  But no, it seemed that whenever she took anyone's breath away, it was out of hilarious laughter from her clumsy antics (this was quite an exaggeration, but to poor Leonore, it was very much a reality).  God forbid if she tried to flirt.  She'd inevitably be mistaken as a first-rate comedian.

She could feel her heart leap to her throat when noticed that someone had approached her.  When she saw who it was that was standing at her side, her face went even more red, if that was possible.  She stared at the blonde Gryffindor with blue eyes as wide as the full moon (again, if that were possible), gaping.  Oh no, it was a boy? Of all the people who could've witnessed her gaffe, it had to be a good-looking boy.  Right now, it felt as if she would rather suffer the contempt of a sassy queen bee instead of have a handsome lad know that she carelessly tripped.  It wasn't that she wanted to appear charming and comely to boys for the purpose of impressing them.  No, flirting with and attracting guys was a lost cause to her.  It was just that, she did get there was an invisible rule somewhere in the universe that stated that girls weren't supposed to look or act silly in front of males.  Don't know what for, though.  Courtship? Desirability? For whatever reason, it was there, and Leonore tried to honor it to the best of her ability, even if the best of her ability didn't seem like the best.

The boy might not know who she was, but Leonore actually knew him.  She didn't know him on a personal level, but she did know his name, year, and house.  He was Ronan Finnigan, a Gryffindor, only a year above her.  He was also a Chaser, so that gave him a level of popularity among the student body.  He sounded sincerely worried about her, and she wondered how he didn't burst out laughing.  Her klutzy move was comical at most.  Leonore wouldn't blame anyone if they couldn't stifle a snicker.  Yet Ronan looked genuinely concerned for her, there was no mistaking it.  If he had thought what she did had been funny, he hid it well.

Leonore felt oddly guilty for his exercise of self-control.  She thought that he deserved to unleash his emotions and guffaw in her face.  Yet here he was, acting as if she had hurt herself in a more dignified way.  Of course he could be naturally gallant and inclined to be concerned for a girl's well-being rather than take pleasure in ridiculing her.  But this insecure Ravenclaw felt that people had the right to sneer at her silliness, no matter how cruel that sounded.  They had the right to because they were poised and perfect, while she was not.

"O-oh, um, I'm fine," she said hastily.  "I'm totally fine. That didn't hurt at all, I swear."    She summoned up a weakly nervous smile.  "That was so stupid of me.  It was all my fault.  There's this big twig laying right in front of me and I didn't bother to notice it.  Pretty stupid of me, huh?" She was rambling on so nervously that she only just realized she said the word "stupid" twice.

The Ravenclaw laughed unevenly.  "Seriously, the next time you see me do that, you don't have to worry about me.  I always do that.  I'm hopelessly clumsy...there's no helping it." She scratched the back of her head and averted her gaze downward at the grass.  Half of what she spouted out were words that hadn’t been formed in her mind. They just found their way out of her mouth. That was embarrassing as well, but she couldn’t take them back now. She thought she was a complete idiot. She was about to say that aloud but decided to just keep her mouth shut, since she usually end up regretting speaking her mind without a second thought.

“But, um…I really do appreciate your concern, Ronan.” Just when she said it, she was afraid that she had his name wrong. What if it was Conan, or Rory, or Ronnie, or Reagan? No, please, not another mistake! It was second nature of her to second guess herself every time she did or said something, it seemed.  Leonore gulped and looked back up at him.   “Did I get your name right? It’s Ronan, isn’t it?”
 
               

@ronan

template by eliza @ tb

[Deleted]

"O-oh, um, I'm fine… I'm totally fine. That didn't hurt at all, I swear…That was so stupid of me. It was all my fault. There's this big twig laying right in front of me and I didn't bother to notice it. Pretty stupid of me, huh?" Ronan could instantly tell that the girl was nervous due to her rambling. “I wouldn’t say stupid since that has happened to me before as well, you know the whole thinking about things while walking and then you trip or stumble on something the is in your path.” It had happened to him not three days ago when he had been out walking near the quidditch pitch. He had laughed at himself along with the people who had seen him trip. He hadn’t even seen the root that was there that had tripped him until after his foot had made contact with it and he had fallen flat on his face. Apparently someone had half the mind to use a disillusionment charm on it, and he was sure that it had been on of his friends.

First things first, he was going to have to help her get over being embarrassed and nervous from these types of things happening. “Seriously, the next time you see me do that, you don't have to worry about me. I always do that. I'm hopelessly clumsy...there's no helping it." Well he was going to worry no matter what since he felt drawn to this girl for some reason. “You see I do not think that I will be able to do that.” Ronan paused for a few seconds, and then with a smile “You see I am going to worry, and if you want I can help you to overcome your clumsiness. And I will always be avalibe to help you no matter what time it is, and no matter what it is that I am doing, I will be there for you.” Wow, okay where did that come from the whole offer of always being there for this girl that he had just met and he didn’t even know her name yet, it must be something that was drawing him to her, but he wasn’t certain at all. All he knew was that he just needed to let it all play out and not to worry about it.

“But, um…I really do appreciate your concern, Ronan…Did I get your name right? It’s Ronan, isn’t it?” He could tell that the girl was afraid that she had gotten his name wrong and it seemed that she was beginning to panic at the possibility of having gotten something wrong. Well he was sure that there was a reason behind all of this nervousness, and he was determined to find out more. He turned and took a step so that he was now standing directly in front of the girl. Placing his hands upon her shoulders he looked into her eyes, which he noted were very beautiful. “Calm down and breath. And yes my name is Ronan.” He gave her a very comforting and caring smile, as he said that. “But you do have me at a disadvantage, for you know my name and I do not know yours. So might I have the pleasure of learning your name?”

As he looked into those eyes, of the girl, whom he currently had his rested on her shoulders, trying to help her calm down. It was a light touch and that was just fine, because that is what he felt that she needed, but he could tell that there was something else, about her that he was probably going to find out today if his instincts were any indication of what was to come.

@leonore

[Deleted]

Ronan, or so his name was, was being a very gallant young man.  A very sweet, gentle, nonjudgmental young man.  Very considerate and courteous.   Teens were evil, so Leonore hadn't exactly encountered anyone like him very often besides the friends she had.  Most students at school put a lot of emphasis on their appearances, and whoever failed to do so became an outcast.  Leonore didn't know whether she should wrap her arms around Ronan in a tearful hug of utter appreciation for not ridiculing her, or be bewildered by his uncommon kindness.  Perhaps it was a mixture of both--although for the hugging, simple feelings of trust would have to take its place for now.    

She had been listening to him speak with silence.  Her eyes were still wide and her face was still red from blushing, but that was because those facial expressions were hadn't been wiped off her face in time yet.  And besides, she did almost always had that expression on her anyway.  Old habits die hard, really.  Right now she was marveling that she could've stumbled upon such an angel at the same time that she was very happy about it.  Yet, she was cautious too.  Leonore learned the hard way that some things were too good to be true.  No, she wasn't going to say that Ronan would turn against her sooner or later.  It was just that...it was quite hard to believe.

However, her face turned even more red when he told her that he'd always be available to help her get past her clumsiness in a most poetic way.  It really made her feel ticklish inside.  That was niceness overload for her.  No, that was an understatement.  It was random and out of the blue, and as sweet as it was, it was probably a bit too soon to be proposed, as the two of them were just getting acquainted with each other.  And now he was acting as if she mattered the most of him.  That made her very bashful and confused.  Why was he treating her so nicely? Did he do that to other people?

"Ah...well...um..." She panicked for a moment, totally not knowing what to say.  What could she say that wouldn't spoil the moment? The moment was really sudden, but it involved someone else nonetheless, and she hated disappointing others.  And she felt as if one slightly silly word or statement might drive Ronan away, even if Ronan just told her that he would try to help her out of her clumsiness.  "T-thank you.  That...that's very kind of you.  I don't think that I deserve it, but t-thank you."  That was the most she could say.  All she could do was say the basic polite statements.  If she tried to go beyond that and say something abstract and different, she knew that it wouldn't work.  She'd just end up confusing people.     

But the next thing that truly startled her was when he placed his hands on her shoulders and coaxed her to take it easy.  She gasped and was about to take a step backward, but stopped herself.  Ronan was being very soft and comforting, as if he were taming a scared, skittish animal.  By now she should know that he was not like other guys.  He wasn't a bad boy or a jerk.  She could tell by that smile that he wasn't.  He was one of those people who were really patient and tolerant.  He was like...an uncle in a young man's body.  Therefore, she forced herself to do what he bade her to do.  Calm down.  She took a deep breath and allowed some of the tension in her body to dissipate.  She was still overwhelmed by his sheer kindness, but it really did help her calm her nerves.  Although his hand were a bit like heavy weights on her shoulders.  She was not used to being touched by a guy yet, but she forced herself to be still.

When he politely asked her for her name after confirming that she hadn't mistaken his own name, she gave him a sheepish smile.  "My name is Leonore Wolfe," she replied demurely.  Okay, so she had introduced herself to him. Now what? What could she say that wouldn't mess up things? She fumbled in her mind for pleasantries that she had learned in the past before saying, "N-nice to meet you, Ronan."  She hadn't meant to stammer, but the shy affect was still on her and hadn't rubbed off yet.

She was looking into his face intently.  He was sincere beyond doubt.  But why? She had been wondering that.  And again, she guessed that he was a gentle soul with all people.  The curiosity of it all nagged at her brain, and she blurted out without stopping herself in time, "A-are you always this nice to everyone?" Leonore realized that she had posed an awkward question, though, and immediately flushed with embarrassment once more.  "S-sorry! I-I didn't mean to ask that! I just...um...well..." She bit her lower lip and tugged on her long brown hair, not knowing how to explain it without sounding weird.                         

@ronan

template by eliza @ tb

[Deleted]

"T-thank you. That...that's very kind of you. I don't think that I deserve it, but t-thank you." As he heard that he smiled, well that was until Leonore said that she didn’t think that she deserved his help. A very small frown appeared on his face, before he smiled at her “You are most welcome. And do not think that you don’t deserve my help, because you do.” He said in a serious and kind tone. Ronan could tell that when he had placed his hands on Leonore’s shoulders, that she was a little startled and uncomfortable at the gesture. However once she had calmed down Ronan removed his hands “It is nice to meet you as well Leonore.” Ronan said once he had learned her name.

Ronan had dealt with shy people before and he could tell that Leonore was a shy person, which was completely fine with him. "A-are you always this nice to everyone?... S-sorry! I-I didn't mean to ask that! I just...um...well..." He noticed the look of embarrassment on Leonore’s face as she asked him that question, and then she apologized for it. The sight of Leonore bitting her lower lip and tugging on her hair made the girl look cute to Ronan. “It’s okay Leonore.” He said in a soft tone. He wasn’t bothered by the question one bit. “You don’t have to explain why you asked the question, because I understand. It just sort of came out without you meaning for it to. Am I right in that assumption?” Ronan asked her, it was a simple question. For he really did understand why she was asking the question. “And I think that the reason why you asked me that question is because you, Leonore, are wondering if I am this nice to everyone. To be honest I am nice to everyone that I meet. But there is something about you that is different. I am not sure how to explain what it is exactly.” Ronan said in a very honest tone. It was weird but there were feelings for this girl that he had never had before when he had dated or even talked to girls before. No this was different, there really was only one explanation and that was because he was already falling for this girl and he was falling for her hard. “To be honest when you tripped earlier I would have laughed had it been anyone else, but when I saw you trip my first instinct and thought were to see if you were alright, or in other words, concern over your well being.” He said as he looked into Leonore’s eyes once more.

Ronan wasn’t sure where the urge to be completely honest with Leonore had come from but deep down he knew that it was the right thing to do. “You are in Ravenclaw right?” He asked even though he knew the answer to that question already. “So Leonore, tell me more about yourself.” Ronan said as he wondered more about this beautiful girl. There was something about her that he was still trying to figure out. “Would you care to go for a walk around the lake?” He asked offering her his arm and hoping that she would, and plus if she tripped and or stumbled he would be there to help her up, which was something that he noticed she probably wasn’t used to having someone there for her like he would be from now on.

@leonore

[Deleted]

By now Leonore was one-hundred percent sure that Ronan was a very sweet and well-meaning boy.  There was no doubting that, unless he was a very sly and sneaky actor. But she doubted that he was.  She could tell by the expression of his face and his reputation that he was a good, honest guy.  Plus, he was also a Gryffindor, and Gryffindors were not sneaky like Slytherins. Gryffindors were chivalrous and courteous, which was what Ronan was being to her now.  He really did remind her of a knight in shining armor, coming to her rescue and saying nice things to her as any courtly and gallant gentleman would.  Even if the sky above them was gray and it was a drab autumn day, she could all of a sudden visualize Ronan standing in a background where the sun shone brightly, the trees were lush and green, and birds chirped happily.  Oh, and she could also imagine a harp playing in the background while a medieval woman sang a song with a sweet tune to it.   It was quite a silly thing to imagine, but that was how it appeared to her nonetheless.

She was strangely afraid of losing this utter and heartfelt kindness from him, as if one little move from her might turn him into a mean person.  She wasn't sure why, but it was probably her typical insecure feelings kicking in, as usual.  He told her that she did deserve help, and he was quite serious about that. Leonore lowered her gaze and smiled gently. "Thank you..." When he told her that he thought it was nice to meet her, she returned the pleasantry.  "It's very nice to meet you too, Ronan."  And she really did mean it.  He had earned her trust, or at least most of it. She thought that she had discovered a new friend to add to her select number of friends that she had.  Leonore thought that she really could use some more, but it was hard for her to find others when she was so fearful of being more social.

Leonore was relieved that she hadn't spoiled the nice mood with her sudden question.  He took it in good stride and even understood why she asked it.  He understood her mindset and thought, and she wished that more people could be was perceptive and tolerant as him.  She quickly nodded when he made a guess at why that question had popped out of her mouth.  It was just so, it seemed.  "Y-yes, you're right..."  But the next thing she heard kind of put her off track.  There was...something different about her to him than how he viewed other people? She blinked at him and gulped, not knowing whether that was a good or bad thing, but being herself, she was inclined to think that it was bad.  Perhaps...she was different because she was much more pathetic than others and he felt the need to be extra sensitive around her for that purpose.  It was, she knew, the truth.  No one was going to feel confident, spunky, and themselves when they were around her, for she was just too awkward. 

But he seemed to paint her in a better light when he told her that while he normally would've laughed at others, but when he saw her he was more concerned about her well-being than finding the hilarity in it.  She let her hopes raise that perhaps that could mean she meant something good to him, but then realized quickly that it was just the same as taking extra pity on her for being so hopeless.  But regardless, she did feel somewhat thankful that he was more sentimental than rough.  "Thanks...that's kind of what I need," she said with a chuckle.  "A person who will be worried, because most of the time I worry people if I don't make them laugh."

She nodded when he asked her if she was a Ravenclaw.  "I am."  He then asked her to tell him more about himself, and she bit her lip and scratched the back of her head, not exactly knowing what to say.  What did she know about herself, other than the very basic things about he identity and behavior? "Um...well...let's see..." She wanted to say something unique, but gave up.  She just couldn't fish for something special about her that probably wasn't already known to most.  "I'm a sixth year...really clumsy and shy...I...I like dogs..." Leonore sighed and shook her head.  "Sadly, I'm not the best at reading myself...I can't think of anything beyond that."  But when she looked at the Gryffindor boy, she realized that she was curious about him as well.  Tilting her head to the side, she asked, "What about you, Ronan? Would you mind telling me more about yourself?" Smiling faintly, she explained why she had asked that.  "I think...I think you'll be more interesting to hear about..."

Ronan asked if she wanted to take a walk around the lake and even offered her his arm.  Leonore hesitated for a moment.  She'd never dared go close to a boy, let alone touch one...but at the same time she didn't want to reject him and sound rude and hurtful.  "S-sure," she said as she carefully slipped her arm under his, careful not to do anything stupid like twist it or drag it down or something.  But she actually did hook her arm around his arm from under correctly.  No harm done, thank goodness.
 

((Sorry for taking awhile!))

[Deleted]

Ronan could tell that Leonore was not used to receiving compliments, help, or really anything for that matter. No matter what she did or thought Ronan would be her friend for as long as she wanted him to be her friend. And even if something happened and she didn’t want to be his friend he would still go out of his way to be there for her whenever she needed help. Just like now, Ronan had already made a silent promise to himself that he would do whatever it took to see her happy, and he also knew that somewhere in the back of his mind that this is what she needed. Someone that she could be herself around. And he was determined to be that person, and Ronan also knew that in time Leonore would overcome her shyness/clumsiness…at least around him, and plus he could care less about what other people thought, about her or him.

"Thanks...that's kind of what I need…A person who will be worried, because most of the time I worry people if I don't make them laugh." Ronan had listened to what she had to say. And that chuckle was like music to his ears. A simple chuckle. “You’re welcome. Well if people are only worried about you when you don’t make them laugh then in reality they don’t really care for you at all. And by that I mean I know exactly how it is, most people I know only try and get to know me just because I enjoy making people laugh. So I only have a select group of friends that truly understand and accept me for who I am. And correct me if I am wrong you are much the same way when it comes to friends.” Ronan said. As he thought about what he had said, he came to the conclusion that without even trying he was being honest with Leonore, whereas it would take people many hours of prying to get him to say even or two things about himself that pertained to manners such as that.

As he listened to Leonore answer his question about being in Ravenclaw and also what she said about herself. Well what she had said was a start, he would just have to ask more questions that would probably have to be specific. "What about you, Ronan? Would you mind telling me more about yourself? I think...I think you'll be more interesting to hear about..." He knew that those questions would come sooner or later and here they were. But that extra bit of an explanation wasn’t really necessary. “Sure I can tell you more about myself if you want. However I think that you will be just as interesting to hear about if not more so than myself.”

As they walked he took a few moments to gather his thoughts about what he wanted to tell Leonore about himself. “Where to begin, I am a seventh year Gryffindor, which I am sure you already knew. I love learning new things, and getting to know new people. I enjoy pulling pranks on my friends and also on other people.” Ronan paused just for effect on the last part about pranks. “Don’t worry you won’t be the recipient of any of the pranks I pull. I have even gained the respect of Peeves who knows not to mess with me.” He looked around before continuing. “I am rather skilled with in charms, defense against the dark arts, and also transfiguration. Oh and I can do wandless magic as well. For example.” Ronan waved his hand and almost instantly a reddish/orange rose appeared that smelled like crisp fall air. He grabbed it and then Ronan grabbed it and handed it to Leonore. “This is for you, I hope you like it. Also I enjoy animals, such as dogs. I even have a snowy owl named Nieve. I also enjoy pyrotechnics such as fireworks.” Ronan paused to figure out what he wanted to say next. “My parents always said that I should be in Ravenclaw just because I love to learn, and also because of this.” Ronan whipped out his wand and cast the patronus charm wordlessly, Out of the end of his wand soared an eagle that was his patronus. “Any who they only jest, granted my dad is the worst he likes his pranks just as much as I do if not more. I can’t recall how many times we got yelled at by my mum.”

He had said all of this in just a few minutes and decided to give Leonore some time to process it all. “So what else can you tell me about yourself, besides that you are a sixth year Ravenclaw, clumsy, shy, and that you like dogs. Take your time and think about what you like, what things do you enjoy doing, hobbies; anything?” Ronan asked since this was the time for them to get to know one another, and plus they were completely alone.

@leonore

[Deleted]

Leonore realized that she had probably worded her statement oddly to make him misunderstand the meaning. She had meant that people usually were laughing at her folly and not many of them were worried about her. However, as she recalled how she had worded it, she understood completely just how he could've mistaken the meaning. Why did she have to talk so awkwardly all of the time?

"Oh, erm...what I meant was that people laugh at me first before they ever are worried about me..." she frowned.   "You see? I'm bad at saying things clearly...sorry about that." However, she did agree with what he said and she hoped that she didn't sound like she was disregarding it. "But you're right, of course!" she said quickly. "I...I agree, we should only make friends with people who understand us...and yes, I actually do have a few friends who honestly accept me for who I am, no matter how weird and disappointing I come off as.” She pursed her lips and added, “But it’s probably a lot easier to like you for who you are. There's nothing wrong with you. I doubt it’s as easy to like me...because, you know, I'm such a failure." She spoke about herself being a failure as if it were the most normal thing to say about her own self, for that was what she really did see herself as. She accepted that fact as naturally as she breathed air.

She blinked, not really knowing how to respond to his remark that she would be just as interesting to learn about as he was. She, again, appreciated him for being very nice to her, but she disagreed with that. What was so interesting about her other than that she was utterly insecure and prone to clumsiness? There were her likes and dislikes, but right now she just couldn't really think about them. Leonore wasn't a person who truly knew herself from A-Z.

But, anyway, they were walking along the side of the lake. She had her arm slipped under his, and because of that she was careful to not trip on anything in front of her, or else she was sure to make a repeat of her embarrassing blunder. The Ravenclaw occasionally cast wary glances at the ground to make sure that, if there was something lying on the ground, she would know beforehand so she could step over it or sidestep it. Obviously, she did not have faith in herself to be naturally graceful.

Leonore kept true to her initial belief that Ronan was more interesting to learn about.  He had a lot to say about himself and definitely knew what kind of a person he was, which was something that Leonore could ever wish for.  She thought that he sounded like a fun and admirable person.  It was too bad that all the things she had to say about herself were things that we wasn't exactly proud of, especially when it came to making others like her.  Not many people were kind and patient enough to get to know her like Rose, Mia, Philip, and Ronan; she most likely made them few awkward because of her shyness or disdainful over her lack of strength and clumsiness.  If they were as extreme as Raoul, they would pick on her for it.  Her only merit was her academic skill, and being smart in school didn't mean that you were a fun person to be around.

Although, her eyes did widen when he told her that he liked pranking people.  Did...did that mean he was telling her in advance that she was going to end up being pranked by him? Maybe he wasn't as flawlessly saint-like as she had thought he was...it wasn't his fault, of course, and she would understand if he gave in to mischievous urges, but she was just too afraid of having something done to her that would cause her to do something embarrassing, especially if other people were around.  But he reassured her that she wasn't going to be a victim to any of his pranks, and she breathed easier.  "Oh! Okay," she said with a chuckle.  "Thank you...for a moment there I thought that--" She stopped herself, though, wondering if she should actually confess that she had thought that he was going to pull a prank on her.  What if she offended him? Leonore quickly shook her head.  "I mean, um, never mind! What I really mean to say is that...I would really help you prank people but I'm just too clumsy and not agile enough...I think I'd be caught the moment I take a breath!" She couldn't help but giggle when he said that he gained Peeves' respect.  Peeves scared Leonore in a way--not because he was a ghost, but because he overwhelmed her with his crude humor and jokes.  "That's...that's incredible.  He's really stubborn...I wouldn't have imagined that someone could outwit him."  Again, she envied Ronan's toughness.

Leonore wasn't sure if she could say that she was skilled in most of her classes.  Well, she was good at her spells and lessons and got good grades, but did that mean she was really good in those subjects? She'd never had the ambition to push herself to be the best of the best.  Ronan must be someone who actually had the drive to be better than the average.  She thought that it was fascinating that he was good at wandless magic, too.  A delighted expression played on her face.  "Really? Could you--" She was about to ask him to demonstrate for her when he went ahead and did it.  And surprise, he produced a rose that was her one of her favorite auburn colors of autumn; she could even smell the fresh, crisp scent of autumn on it.  She gasped, smiling brightly.  "It's lovely," she said.  When he told her that it was for her, a small blush crept on her face.  "T-thank you, Ronan.  I love it."  She took the rose from him and held it in her hand, lifting it to her nose so she could inhale the fragrant smell.  She had been wrong to doubt his gallantry if she had before.

She was glad to learn that he liked dogs, too.  He also said that he had an owl named Nieve, and she wondered what that name meant.  It was one that she'd never heard before.  "What does Nieve mean?" she asked.  She was warming up to him rather quickly now, as he had proven himself to be a very gentle, understanding, and insightful person.  She normally trusted people easily when they got through her barriers, which was not a good thing.  Luckily, Ronan was no manipulator.

Ronan had already struck her as a smart and intelligent young man and a skilled wizard, yet she couldn't help but feel surprised when he told her that his parents had thought that he should be a Ravenclaw.  She kind of imagined him more as the dashing and daring Gryffindor...she wondered how Ronan Finnigan would look like as an owl.  And if he had been her housemate...she would've known him better.  They would've been able to talk often in the Common Room.  She wondered how it would have felt like to know Ronan before now.

But she was genuinely astounded to see that he could summon a patronus...and wordlessly, too.  That was a huge achievement if ever there was one.  She stared, almost stunned, at the transparent eagle that shot out of the wand and soared off.  "You...you can already summon a patronus!" She turned to stare at him with the same dumbfounded expression.  "Ronan, you didn't even say the incantation either! That's amazing! How...how is that possible?" Casting a patronus was already difficult, but if that wasn't enough, nonverbal incantations were hard too.  That was...incredible.

She smiled fondly when he told her that he and his father loved to pull pranks, not to mention the two of them getting yelled at by his mother.  His father sounded like a very fun and open person, and Leonore liked adults who kept some of their childish spirit in them.  She also thought that Mr. Finnigan sounded like an amazing father, too.  Leonore's father had hardly been amazing.  He loved her, but he had brought their family to ruin with his gambling.  That had showed that he was selfish and didn't think of the best for his now dead wife, who was Leonore's mother,  Leonore herself, and her sister.  Now she and her sister lived under the wardship of their grandparents as their father was just getting his life back together by opening an apothecary of his own.  While he was much better now, he had already inflicted the wounds on the people he loved and who loved him in return. 

"Your father sounds like a really fun person," she said softly.  "I wish I had a dad like him."  He seemed just about done telling her about himself.  After a moment of silence, he prompted her to tell him about herself in return.  She was happy to say that she had some inspiration about what to say about herself after listening to him speak.  Leonore was someone who usually followed the lead of others.  "Um...let's see..." She thought for a moment before saying, "Sadly, I don't think I have any hobbies...I'm too afraid to try something new...and on my own, because I know I'll mess up and become laughingstock.  I actually do have a dog--well, he belongs to my grandparents.  His name is Bruno, and he's a German Shepherd mix.  We don't know what other breed he is mixed with, though, but we're guessing a Labrador Retriever, because he has a similar build and floppy ears."  Talking about Bruno made her grin, but for a fleeting moment.  "Before I lived with my grandparents, my mother was too afraid of dogs and wouldn't allow either me or my sister to have one.  But I still loved them."  That sounded pretty normal to her, but then it hit her that he would probably be curious why she no longer lived with her mother--and father, for that matter, and instead lived with her grandparents.  Perhaps she should tell him? After all, Leonore had told her friends the story, and she was beginning to view Ronan as a true friend.

"Oh! Erm...in...in the case that you were wondering why my sister and I live with our grandparents...and not our parents...t-there's...um..." She frowned, searching for the right words in her brain.  She wasn't really used to introducing the beginning of stories in her own words, and her past history was a bit like a tale in her opinion.  "There...is...a...a story to it, if you don't mind listening to me tell it."  She honestly had no idea what else to put it, but hopefully he would get the gist of what she was trying to say.               

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"Oh, erm...what I meant was that people laugh at me first before they ever are worried about me... You see? I'm bad at saying things clearly...sorry about that." Ronan listened and realized that he had kind of misunderstood what Leonore had said. But the next sentence was what kind of caught him off guard. Just how long had Leonore dealt with people being demeaning to her and what not before any of them cared about her. “You are not bad at saying things Leonore. It is I who should be sorry for misunderstanding what you had said.” Ronan said in a kind tone as he turned to look at Leonore. “But it’s probably a lot easier to like you for who you are. There's nothing wrong with you. I doubt it’s as easy to like me...because, you know, I'm such a failure." The corners of his mouth twitched as if he was going to smirk a little at that statement but he held it in check. “Well for some people it is easy for them to like me. However I have made my fair share of enemies and to be completely honest I have more of them than I do friends. And I also have my fair share of faults.” Ronan simply stated. “However I find it very easy to like you. And no you are not a failure and please do not let anyone tell you different.” He said with a polite smile. Ronan was not about to go ahead and let Leonore continue talking about herself like this as if she were a failure at everything.

For he saw a beautiful and intelligent girl who had a lot of potential at being a very successful person and one who he cared about a lot, granted she didn’t know her true self yet, but as stated before he was going to go ahead and help her find her true self. Ronan chuckled a little bit as Leonore began to speak about what he assumed that she was worried that he might prank her. But there was no way he would ever do that. “Are you offering to help me prank people?” He asked with a hint of mischeviousness in his voice. “So according to you, you are not agile and are just clumsy. Well then we can work around that if you would like, and you could help plan and come up with ideas if you want. Your choice.” Ronan offered an alternative to what Leonore had said. For he wouldn’t mind the help of a brilliant Ravenclaw. That is only if she wanted to, for he wouldn’t force her to do anything that she didn’t want to do.

Ronan smiled at Leonore’s reaction to the flower that he had conjured for her. "It's lovely… T-thank you, Ronan. I love it." He was glad that Leonore liked the flower that he had conjured for her. The gesture had even brought out a smile which he could tell or at least guessed that it was the first true smile of happiness that Leonore had smiled in a long time. “I’m glad that you love it. And Nieve means Snow in Spanish.” He said.

"You...you can already summon a patronus! Ronan, you didn't even say the incantation either! That's amazing! How...how is that possible?" Ronan chuckled a little before answering Leonore’s question. “Yup. And your right I did not say the incantation. Learning the Patronus charm took me a little while to learn. My dad taught me the spell when I was younger. And as far as being able to wordlessly cast spells, I have always been able to do it since I was little. I even learned how to do wandless magic since I basically taught myself to control my magic so as not to perform accidental magic. And as I said before my dad taught me spells. A good portion of them were taught to me when I was young since wandless magic is not traceable. So I was able to learn what I know since I was a young kid.” Ronan stated and then an idea crossed his mind. “Would you like to learn wandless magic and how to wordlessly cast spells?” It was an offer and one that he only offered to a couple of people.

As he listened to Leonore talk, Ronan’s curiosity was peaked as she spoke. “Well if there is anything new that you would like to try just say the word and we will try it together. And you won’t mess up until you try. I know for a fact that I have messed up quite a few things so if we mess up we can mess up together and laugh about it later.” He offered with a smile. What better way to do something new than to do it with a friend. “I would love to hear your story, as long as you feel comfortable sharing it.” He said in a polite tone but it was also a tone that gave Leonore the option of sharing or not. It all just depended on whether she wanted to share or not and it also relayed the fact that he wouldn’t pressure her into it either.

@leonore