Stars, In Your Multitudes... (Dominic)

Pulling her cloak tight around her, Danika slipped from the Slytherin Common Room and headed silently out of the castle. The sky was clear for the first time in a week, and she wasn't about it let it pass without taking a little time to enjoy it. Walking gracefully across the grounds, she made her way towards the Black Lake where the sky was wide open. Reaching where she often sat to watch the twinkling stars of the night, she placed her cloak on the ground and sat. Putting her knees to her chest, Danika pulled out the necklace she wore and looked at the star pendant that hung on the purple ribbon from her grandfather. Closing her fingers around it, she looked up at the stars and smiled as she found the North Star shining brightly down at her.

Placing the cigarette to his lips, Dom stared at the sky. If he read the charts in Astronomy correctly in not to long a meteor shower would rain down and the sky would be alive with streaks of light. Hearing footsteps he looked out from behind the tree he leaned against and saw a beautiful blonde secreting herself down to the lake and curling up. He thought for a few moments before he shrugged, putting out his cigarette he walked around the tree behind her. "May i join you?" he said his deep voice breaking the still night air his ice blue eyes watching her from behind.

Danika's mind had been wandering over the little memories she had from when she was little to the point that she didn't hear the footsteps of someone approaching. Jumping as his cool voice split the quiet that had surrounded her, Danika looked over her shoulder at the boy. Taking a good look at him, she knew his face. They hadn't formally met, but she knew him from class and being in the same house. But, other than that, he might as well have been a stranger to her. "Uh.... Sure.... Okay," she answered him with a soft smile, her blue eyes picking up the light of the moon as it added it's light to the stars around it.

For a moment he was taken by the light in her eyes the way they were like his but they held fire while his held ice. Sitting next to her his hand brushed her arm as he sat down "My name is Dominic MacMillan" he said crossing his long legs at the ankle he leaned back on his palms. "And you star gazer? what is your name?"

As his hand brushed her arm, goosebumps prickled on her pale flesh. He was handsome, there was no doubt about that, and his eyes.... His eyes were enchanting in the starlight.... "Dominic... Yes, I know you... Well, of you," she mused. Hugging her knees tighter to her, a pink flush colored her cheeks at the nickname he called her by, a perfect fit... "I'm Danika, Danika Burke. It's....uh.....It's nice to meet you," Danika said suddenly shy as she took in the boy's features before dropping her eyes and then looking up and out at the sky. "Do you star gaze, too?" she asked lightly.

"Occasionally" he said looking up at the sky, rolling up his sleeve he checked his watch "we are due for a meteor shower in ten minutes or so according to the star charts." he glanced at her smiling a bit "Danika, thats a nice name. Unique and beautiful. Little morning star" he chuckled lightly. "Do you come out here alone all the time?"

Glancing at Dominic as he mentioned a meteor shower in the imminent future, she was surprised. "Really? I can't believe I missed that..." she said, her brow puckering slightly as she tried to remember if she did actually miss it or just didn't remember seeing it. Lifting her eyes to focus on him when he commented on her name, her blue eyes locked onto his for a moment, before she looked away, her cheeks heating even further. "Thanks... Dominic is nice, too. I have to say, you're the only one by your name I've ever heard of," Danika said with a soft smile, biting her bottom lip lightly. Nodding, she answered him, "Lots in our house tend to find this kind of silly. But....I don't...." The smile faded slightly as she brought her eyes up to him, before looking away quickly and rested her chin on her knees.

"I don't either" he said looking up at the sky "the stars are our most honest story tellers, they cannot lie or fabricate the things they speak of they simply hold the story in there hearts and wait for us to see it" touching the back of her neck gently he raised her face to look up "here we go" he whispered in her ear as the first star shot across the sky, then another and another. "make a wish" he grinned.

Raising her bright eyes to the sky as he spoke, Danika smiled. It was nice to finally share this with, someone that seemed to understand. Dominic got it! Looking back at the water that reflected the inky sky, she whispered, "I've never met another person that seems to share the same enjoyment in it as I do...." Feeling his soft touch on the back of her neck, Danika felt the same prickle as before from the first wave of goosebumps at his first touch. Glancing at him and then up as he raised her face to look as the first few stars streaked across the sky, a soft gasp sounded from her as the sky filled with hundreds of shooting stars. Make a wish... Closing her eyes, Dankia wished. Opening her eyes after her wish was complete, she tilted her head slightly towards Dominic. "Don't forget to make a wish, too..." she whispered not taking her eyes off the bright sky. Letting the pendant in her hand go, she rested her arms on her knees, content to share this moment with this boy she hardly knew.

The stairs rained down over head quicker and quicker "its like the gods are cutting the sky open with invisible knives" he said softly his hand rubbing circles between her shoulders absent mindedly. He glanced down at her then back to the shooting stars "tell me about yourself star gazer"

"Or sending the stars racing to give them a change of scene more than the changing constellations..." Danika mused quietly as she smiled, watching the sky continue to dance with all the motion of the falling stars. She was acutely aware of Dominic's touch between her shoulders and with anyone else she would have moved away, but not him. His touch was different, soothing, welcome... Glancing at him, she smiled before looking back at the sky. "There really isn't much to tell..." she said softly. "I live with my grandfather. Have since I was about 4. My parents died in a house fire, and he took me in," Danika told the boy as she looked down at the pendant around her neck. She didn't mention about the clans or her training as that was something not meant, in her eyes, for casual conversation between two people that sort of just met. "You already know my house and that I enjoy the stars.... What else do you want to know?" she asked with a light laugh, brushing a lock of blonde hair from her face as she turned her focus to him.

He frowned slightly and nodded as she spoke "My parents died in a fire as well, when I was eight years old" he said he shrugged out of his blazer and rolled up his white shirt. His left arm completed mottled with burn scars. "I almost didn't make it out" he looked away a bit, he didnt conceal his arm but he didnt really show it off either, he knew it was ugly and took away from his appearence.

Her smile faded and her bright eyes softened as she heard that they shared more than their love of the stars with one another. He was like her. Looking down at his scarred arm, Danika bit the corner of her lip lightly. Reaching out, she gently touched the damage the fire had done to him. Even in the cool of the night, her touch was warm against his flesh. It was a miracle that she had made it out of her home, on her own, without so much as a mark to show. Danika had been so much younger than him, and yet, he was the one marked by the fire. "But....you did... It's nothing to be ashamed of..." she said softly, meaning his scars, raising her eyes to him. Losing herself in his eyes, once again, she looked back to his arm. "These are beautiful, you know. In their own way... Do you live with your grandfather, too?" she asked lightly with a smile. A love of the stars, a fire taking our families... If he lives with his grandfather... So many parallels...

He loked at her hand on this scarred arm he smiled a bit and covered her hand with his own. Looking back up at the stars he nodded "yes i do though he is a very busy man and is never around"

Danika's breath caught as his hand covered hers. Her heart began to race the longer they were in contact with one another. "So, you really have....no one..." she reasoned as she looked up at him while he watched the sky. Her heart grew sad at hearing that there was their difference. She grew up surrounded by family, of sorts, while he seemed to be left to his own even while he lived with family. Danika didn't know what was coming over her. She was only just getting to know him, and already she was feeling butterflies by simply being near him. "Tell me about you, Dominic..." she requested as she raised her eyes to the falling stars above them and sighed softly, still keeping her hand here it was between his arm and hand.

"There is not much to tell" he said gruffly "I am a loner to say the least, i have friends but i prefer to be alone" he stroked her fingers gently feeling at ease with her.

"We have a lot in common..." Danika said softly, feeling her cheeks pinken as her rubbed her fingers. The gesture was simple, but it felt like so much more than a gentle touch. Looking down at their hands, she slowly raised her eyes to his, looking into them. "Why do you like to be alone?" Danika all but whispered, curiosity washing over her features. She had a tight circle of friends, even though so many were seen with her, and there were times she sought solitude, but she enjoyed company most of the time. Maybe be sought to be alone because that was what he was used to at home, just like how she was used to being around people.

"its easier" he said "less collaterl if there is trouble, less people to hurt you with there petty ways" slowly he laid down one arm behind his head "I prefer to read books, learn new things. I prefer to be alone but when you spend so much time around people you never seem to be. "

Pulling her hand free as he lay down, Danika leaned back on her palms. "But, if you're alone all the time...." she began to say before stopping and letting her words drift off. "Not everyone is petty," Danika said glancing up at the sky as the the last few stars streaked across the sky. With a small sigh, she asked, "What do you read about?"

"Dark magic" he said without reservation "I like to learn how to become powerful, history so i can learn not to repeat the past. and some fantasy, i'm not all work and no play" he said with a light laugh his hand touching hers.

Tilting her head towards him, Danika smiled at hearing the different things he like to read and learn about. "Power doesn't just come from dark magic," she mused. Glancing down at their touching hands, Danika shifted slightly so their hands weren't touching. "Fantasy is one of my favorites. It reminds me that anything is possible, no matter..." she said raising her bright eyes to him. "No matter....what it is..." Danika said slightly tripping over her words as she, once again, lost herself in his eyes.

"No its not" he chuckled softly at her nervousness, his hands reached out placing a blonde strand behind her ear. "but we dont learn it here, i like to travel into the unknown" his hand lingered on her jaw line gently as he distractedly ran a finger through her hair "yes..anything is possible" he said softly.

Danika held her breath and lightly bit her bottom lip as Dominic tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. His touch did something to her, and as it lingered on her jaw, the butterflies within her took flight, again. "You like adventure..." she whispered as she slowly, unknowingly closed the distance between them. When she was only a breath away, Danika seemed to realize what was happening, and stopped. Sitting up and crossing her legs, she turned so she was facing him, blushing furiously. "Are stars your only love outside? Or... Do you like other things, too?" she asked, wringing her fingers together as she looked out over the lake. Dominic was enchanting.... She'd not met another to match him.

"The forest is a place i love, and the water, but i'm finding something else is enchanting" he said as he stood up popping his back. "I think its time we head back to the common room star gazer" he said holding out his hand for her to accept.

Danika opened her mouth to tell him about how she loved everything outdoors, but then closed it and smiled, blushing bright pink as he stood up. His offer to head back to the Common Room, made her look to the skies and see that the meteor shower had stopped. Looking back up at him, Danika went to put her hand in his, but paused. Normally, she would go back on her own, opting to stay out just a little longer, but....she wanted to go with him. Slipping her hand into his, she smiled up at him and, picking up her cloak, took his help in getting up. "Thanks for watching the shower with me," she said happily.