With his new wand in hand, the Gryffindor went to work on getting acquainted with it. Gideon didn't remember feeling this awkward around his first wand though, the magic and spells that he worked on happening correctly but something seeming off. The incoming seventh year sighed as he took a break, sitting out on a bench in the yard. How was he supposed to start working full strength on his animangus skills now that he was legal with a wand that he wasn't sure of completely trusting with the complex magic?

Another sigh.

Not for the first time was he sorry for what had transpired at the end of the school term. One seemingly harmless reaction to a mysterious woman and trying to take charge of the situation at hand as the eldest student there and BAM he had his wand taken right from his hand. And his plans for the summer had to be modified a little. Gideon had to strengthen his connection to the new wand before anything else.

It was the first holiday break in a few years Gideon had actually gone home rather than stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. Ever since he had opened up and gotten closer to those who were his friends and then his girlfriend, he had wanted to spend his birthday with them But this year as he turned eighteen and was now legal as a muggle as well as a wizard, something made him feel like he should spend time with his family. Especially given the double significance of the day. However that didn't mean he was gonna spend the entire time with them, the seventh year finding himself alone in one of the downstairs rooms with his guitar.

His hand was struming in a rhythm along the strings while the other moved randonly along the frets of the neck. Playing an unknown melody on the guitar. After a while his voice hesitantly joined the music of the instrument, first humming and then actually singing. "...It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe...Caught up in this moment...Caught up in your smile..."

His eyes slowly closed at one point, though it wasn't as if his vision was needed. He wasn't reading the music, he was making it up as he went along or in this case, remembering something he had already been working on and mulling over.

The redhead walked around on her tip toes in her boyfriend's house. She had just arrived a few minutes ago to surprise her boyfriend on his birthday. Earlier in the week she had sent a post to Mrs. Gert about perhaps spending the day with the Gerts because of Gideon's eighteenth birthday. It was, for them she supposed, a rather important day as well because of Christmas and all, so she did not want to intrude. However, when she had gotten the letter back saying that they would love to have her spend the holiday with them even if she were Jewish Selina was thrilled. Mrs. Gert was the nicest lady Selina knew... her own mother just always seemed cross with her.

Entering through the back door, she was told by Mrs. Gert where Gideon had gotten off to and she followed the sound of his guitar all the way to the room. Opening the door softly she stood in the doorway as silent as a mouse and listened to his song. The curly haired seventh year was not always so open with his music. He rarely shared it with anyone because, she supposed, it was rather personal. The redhead felt the same way about her flute, which she did not play as much anymore. Music was personal, but he played so well... and he sang as well. THAT was something she did not know. Who said that there were no more surprises in an older relationship. He surprised her everyday.

But as his voice traveled off, she took a step forward, "No, don't stop playing. Its beautiful... " Also, happy birthday. But she was too entranced by his singing and his music to even get those words out.

Gideon hadn't been aware of any owls passing from his girlfriend to his mum and back again or anything strange going on around the house behind his back. Perhaps his sister had been distracting him too much from anything else that was happening. Kacie always did have that way about her...getting her brothers, and father to pay attention to her even when they were trying to pay attention to something else. Gotta love younger sisters.

No matter what the cause, the seventh year was in his element, lost in the music and unaware of being watched. His words and chords would surely not have sounded quite as well for he was nervous when playing around others. However as he had let one refrain linger as he gathered himself to begin the next, the quiet was interupted by a familiar voice. A voice he surely didn't expect here and now and willing him to continue on.

Gideon swallowed, glad his back was to Selina to hide his ackwardness as he pushed himself on with his playing. "I've never opened up to anyone...So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms...We don't need to rush this...Let's just take it slow..."

This time he trailed off on purpose, not to take a breath but unsure if he could continue. The song was still in the works and Gideon didn't exactly want to reveal the rest of what he had to Selina just yet. He coughed as he tried to regain his composure, having been caught by surprise and singing to boot.

"Um...what a surprise."

Selina did find it a tad odd that her boyfriend did not even turn around to sing the next part to her. She knew that he had heard her speak because he began to play again, but he was sort of ignoring her, which made her raise her eyebrows curiously. Was he embarrassed? Why? He was singing so beautifully and the song was simply gorgeous. There was nothing for him to be ashamed about. He really was just full of surprises and she looked forward to every single one that she had uncovered. It was like getting to learn something new every day with him. He was as bountiless as the sea... which she was sure she had heard that phrase somewhere before, but alas, she could not remember where.

So as he played, she walked over to him and took a seat beside him to watch him play. A small smile played at her lips the entire time he played his guitar. If she had known he could sing she would have had him singing to her everything that he said. The redhead was always envious and enamoured by those who could sing. Her own voice was lack luster and she had been told in the past she sounded like a dying cat. The quick response after was usually that the other person should not insult the cat, which Selina resented. She COULD sing.. not really... but at least she tried.

That was why she was so interested in watching Gideon play. He was really multi-talented. And she adored him for it. Her eyes closed as he began to play into what seemed like a transitional part, but suddenly the music stopped. Her blue eyes flickered open to see why he had stopped but he was just sitting there. Before she could even ask why he stopped he posed another question. The redhead quickly waved him off, "Yeah, yeah.. I'm here for your birthday. Happy birthday and stuff." She leaned over and gave him a quick, distracted kiss, "Why did you stop? It was really pretty... is there anything else?" Because if that was it... it was a shame.

Embarished...just a little. But more like he was shy was the truth in why he remained facing away as he went back to playing and even as he spoke to her. If there was one part of Gideon that was still the quiet, reserved boy that had been him up until his fourth year it was the curly-haired musician side of him. So occasionally he had been pulled out of his shell by Selina, once more hiting a successful note in finding out he could sing. That fact he had been hiding well...until now.

He smiled as she mentioned being here for his birthday, the newly-made eighteen-year old, finally turning towards Selina who was now beside him. Just in time for her quick, yet distracted kiss. Too quick for his liking but before he could remedy that, his redheaded girlfriend was back on the topic of his music.

Why did he stop? The words to explain couldn't come but thankfully Selina's further questioning gave him an out so he took it. "Aye...but I'm still figuring it out so its not much of anything at the moment." Like nothing she would want to hear or so she needed to think until he was satisfied with how it was to him. Surely she didn't need to hear his awkward creative phase. "But definantly a nice surprise for my birthday," Gideon mused turning the topic once again, leaning in himself this time and kissing Selina.

If her boyfriend was hinting at all that she wanted her to drop the subject of the song, she was not picking up on it at all. Or if she was the redhead was choosing to ignore his hints because of her own selfish request. She wanted to hear him sing again, even if it wasn't this particular song. They had been dating for almost three years and she was surprised that this was something that she DID NOT know about him. Of course, she knew that he played the guitar. That passion of his did not go unnoticed, but the other passion of singing did. Merlin, how had she missed this?

So, in the least subtle way possible, she started to prod him about the whole singing and song writing thing. "Not much of anything? BUT its beautiful. Is that the first thing you've written. Wait, how long have you been writing music and why didn't you tell me and how did I miss this and where did you write music back at school and where did you- mpmh." Her boyfriend silenced her with a real kiss this time. Apparently the distracted, formality kiss did not count on his end. Ugh, but she had SO many questions. But it was his birthday, so she decided against fighting him on it and gave him a kiss back.

When she pulled away she rolled her blue eyes and sighed, "Come on, Gideon. Tell me." Because she was a busy body.

The slew of questions came out of his girlfriend's mouth and Gideon had cut her off with the kiss. The seventh year hoping it would stem the curiousity even a small bit for he was still a little embarished about his newly-revealed ability. He had a so-so voice, nothing more, surely nothing to be so eager about. At least to him anyway. Like most of his abilities he was rather humble to say the least about them and it took pressure from the outside to make him see it for how it really was. However once the kiss broke, Selina renewed her question and Gideon was hardpressed to refuse to answer.

"I meant there wasn't much more to the song just yet. I haven't really had the time to work out the rest. Ye know how busy we've been." Between classes and leadership duties and quidditch and studying for NEWTS. Sometimes it was lucky just to get enough time to breath let along sleep and have time to oneself. And his music had been placed on the back burner in lieu of his training to be an animangus which had sparked his interest far more then anything else other then Selina herself to him for his free time.

"As for writing...um..." Hand reached up to play at his neckline beneath his curls. "...fiddling around for a little over a year and a half. Not really good at it." Lots of random-noted works that wound up crumpled like useless bits of parchment. What he had sung had take a while for him to get the way he wanted it.

The redhead really liked kissing her boyfriend, but right now it was not serving her mission at all. She had decided several minutes ago that she wanted to know as much as she humanly could about this whole singing and song writing thing that Gideon had been doing that she did not know about. However, he was pretty dead set on silencing her. Honestly, if she was going to be silenced, kissing was NOT a bad way to be silenced. But it was just not what she wanted to be doing right now.. she wanted answers. And the redhead was a pushy enough person to get the answers that she wanted. So as soon as he pulled away, which a part of her was really sad about, she went right into interrogating him again.

This time, though, she had actually gotten through to him because he gave in and answered her.. sort of. She had been hoping there would have been more of a song then what he had written, but the fact that he answered her was awesome. She did not think he would have answered her at all. One of her favorite things about Gideon was how private he was about the things he loved. It always made her feel like their relationship was special, like it was not something to display. So she had thought that the song writing would have been harder to pry out of him.

"That's amazing," she smiled warmly. Her hand reached out to grasp his hand that was sitting on the guitar, "You're amazing... you know that right?" He really was. And she was so glad that she had found him. It was true that they were not perfect. That had their fair share of bumps and problems, but he was always there for her when she needed him. And she liked to think that she was there for him as well. So, out of respect for him, she would drop the questioning about his playing. Because he looked very uncomfortable about it.

Gideon knew then by the look Selina was giving him that she would likely check up on his progress of the song. And he in turn would do his best to finish it in a timely manner so as to not prolong her badgering as well as make sure it was just right when completed. It had to be just right...perfect...for it was in fact an expression of their relationship and the seventh year very much wanted that to be well.

"Only when ye say so," he said, a touch sheepishly letting Selina take his hand from the instrument still resting on his lap. Other times he'd deny it right and left for Gideon hardly saw himself that way. He was just a simple guy doing his best to get whatever result. Even if certain things brought out the perfectionist in him such as his potions. He was his father's son after all and there had to be something to counterbalance the many traits he gained through his mother.

"So I have to admit I'm loving my birthday slash Christmas present," he mused trying to change the subject once more. The young man intertwining their fingers until they were almost as one, a smile gracing his face. " One surprise Selina on my doorstep is worth a hundred gifts." Not to mention home was much more private despite his parents and Kacie still being in the house. They could be themselves far better then around so many others and not in fear of her father catching them as he had when he visited over the summer at her own home.