Magic or not she was pretty, even as a little old lady. She was a pretty old lady. "Magic or not, you're still pretty i hope you know that." She was too, Jeremiah found that girls liked to be told the truth about their looks and so he liked reminding them of their true beauty. She was pretty though, Jeremiah found himself very slowly and inconspicuously giving her a look over. Pretty. He smiled at her a bit sadly as she went on about not making it to see the cure. "But thats crazy, you cant lose hope alredy Beverly you cant, thats when you really lose hope and stuff." .......


That sounded good right? He hoped so he didnt want her thinking she was going to croak anytime soon. She was really the only person he knew who he could kinda talk to and she liked to read and she was awesome! Therefore, she couldnt die.





O____________O











BEVERLY SAID WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!? Jeremiah found himself blinking, with his mouth slightly open trying to find words, trying not to blush. Though itw as too late for that as he felt heat rise up to his face and he finally managed.to.close his mouth a bit....

"you want me to....... he just let that hang there as he realized just moments ago as he was admiring her he wouldnt of minded kissing her.


The. Pressure. Was. On. Now.

Girls like to hear they were pretty, that was true, but Beverly would rather receive compliments for her accomplishments. BUT...it felt REALLY nice being called that. She shot him a shy smile when he did THAT. His eyes wandered about and she'd CAUGHT IT.

Don't mention it, she told herself, DON'T MENTION IT. Boys do that sort of stuff, right? Then HER eyes started to wander. Okay. He was a good looking lad, so what of it? If he was going to be first kiss then she'd done a great job at choosing him.

She wasn't going to argue with him. Beverly had a hunch he'd counter all her arguments, hopeful they'd find a cure. But that wasn't what she came here for, now did she? And he'd come here sooo...he agreed to the favor, no?

Maybe it was the old lady in her or the impending doomsday or her resolve that was ready to crack, but Beverly decided to wait no longer.

NOW OR NEVER.

Gathering all the bravery she could muster, Beverly launched herself at him, gripped his face and planted a BIG-O KISS on his lips.

She was smiling, it was a shy smile but it was a amile none the less and that meant she had taken his pretty compliment as a compliment and she wasnt offended by any of it which was great fot him. He gave her a crooked grin as he eyes met hers again after giving her what he thought was an inconspicuous look over.

Then his hands started doing that fidgety thing they did when he got anxious and nervous and he tried to stuff them in his pockets but then suddenly she quickly closed the space between them and his hands were on her waist as he was going to stop her, or push her away but her lips were on his and..

WHY DID THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO HIM!?!?!?!?


This wasnt the first time a girl stuck her lips to his though the last time it lasted a second, half a second even and it was over quicker then he could blink and it was also the Ministers daughter which he was still avoiding to this day cause she made everything awkward for him for a bit.

He blinked and realized he had a Beverly practically in his arms and after taking a mental deep breath, adjusted his hands so that they werent in a position to push her away but they more just sat on her waist a bit more awkwardly as he kissed her back some.



HeWasGonnaDieNow. KThanksBye

This could have gone wrong on so many levels. She could have slipped on owl droppings, fell and bumped her head. Or startled the owls and start a riot. OR the worst; Jeremiah could have pushed her away and be all, "ew! no way!" It'd be so embarrassing she'd be forced into hiding. Fortunately none of those things happen, but...

O_____________________O

He kissed her back. Right. That's how kisses work. Both recipients move their lips and whatnot. That meant...HER FIRST KISS. INNER MENTAL FLAIL.

Pulling away she gazed up at Jeremiah to check it he was still alive. She knew she wasn't. Her legs were trembling a bit, but it was probably because of the adrenaline rush. Old people still get them, huh? She took a step back and let out a breath of relief. She wasn't going to die like a total loser now.

That's when it hit her. She practically attacked a boy with her lips, and not just any boy, but a shy boy (though he could be cocky sometimes, but still).

"Sorry I attacked your face," she said, not feeling quite so apologetic, but ready to go take a tumble down the stairs because...OH MY MERLIN SHE KISSED JEREMIAH. Feeling her face flush, she added, "I hope this doesn't make anything awkward between us. I think you're a really cool guy, not like most jerks around that's why I chose you."

It's about that time fear kicked in. Beverly was suddenly imagining instances where he'd ignore or avoid her. Had she messed up?

"Promise nothing will change?" she said, looking up at him with wide green-grey eyes.

So, this was happening and he wasnt falling out faint or losing his balance or shoving her off and everything was kinda okay. Kinda, till she pulled away and they made eye contact and his face flushed a deep red and he pulled his hands off her and shoved one in his pocket and another went to rubbing the back of his neck as he looked down at the ground.


DID HE DO IT WRONG!?

"I... no it was.... you didnt... i mean you did but... i didnt..." oh crap what was he doing!? "mind" he didnt, it wasnt like he was completely one thousand percent against the idea of ever kissing her he just....


He didnt know what he thought.... maybe he just pictured it differently..... like him kissing her and not being attacked like he usually was by girls. Why was he always attacked and why couldnt he ever just kiss someone nicely. He let out a breath as he looked to her as she started going about not wanting anything to change and how he was cool and all but why would she think anything would? Did kissing change people?! Were things suppose to change?! He didnt want things to change even if should of, Beverly was a sweet girl and was still going on and on about not wanting things to be different and before he could even stop himself he had leaned back down and kissed her again.... properly this time, one hand on her cheek and it wasnt an attack. It was short and to the point and he didnt let it linger too long or too short and when he pulled away he just grinned...


"nothing will change, ok? I promise." now that she had been PROPERLY kissed and all and thats obviously what she wanted though he couldnt help but feel kind of awesome that she had wanted to kiss him off all people.

Heh, Way to go, Jeremiah..

He didn't mind? That was good, although, his rambling set her nerves. Was he just saying that to say it? He probably was just to spare her feelings, but at least he didn't say it aloud.

Beverly watched him as he considered what she said. Once again she wondered what he was thinking. According to Teen Witch Weekly kissing someone can lead to awkwardness and she didn't want that because Jeremiah was so down to earth. And this was her first kiss sooo...she didn't know how all of that worked. Not yet, at least.

She was about to launch into another ramble when... O_____________O

Merlin was good to her. Yes, yes he was because Jeremiah planted a kiss on HER. Totally not expecting that Beverly just stood there, eyes wide. She almost pouted when he pulled away because she didn't get to kiss back because...SHOCK. That and her lungs had forgotten how to breath and legs thought they were putty.

Returning his grin, she nodded. Beverly was going to hold him to his word. "So...we're cool? No awkwardness or any of that..? Because apparently that's what happens when people kiss -I read it somewhere - but I don't want it to be awkward..." And she was repeating herself and rambling...again. She just wanted to make sure.

Bravery gone, jitters back.

Hey, but at least she got her kiss. Correction: two kisses.

HOLY FREAKING KNEAZLES WHAT DID HE DO!?

Jeremiah was totally read to just melt into the floor and not exist, at all, ever nope, just not be existing anymore. He had just kissed her and took her by surprise he could tell by her shocked look. His grin turned into a nervous chuckle and he chewed his lip as he waited for her to say something, anything, anytime it would be okay, he hoped so. She wouldn't slap him for kissing her again would she!? Was it ok to just kiss someone after that when they clearly only wanted to one.. or did she wasn't more then one, was two good!? Two was good and he just needed to calm down and take a breath and, was his heart rate picking up? why was it doing that?

Jeremiah took slower breathes trying to calm his heart rate as she finally spoke and said something after she grinned. #Winning "we're fine." totally fine, he could be fine, he just needed to go face plant the concrete first then he'd be fine you know."whatever you read was crazy." there wasn't any awkwardness in the air, at least none he was acknowledging anyway. "It's fine, Beverly." he liked her name, has he told her that before? he looked at her and tilted his head just slightly "i really like your name, have i told you that before?" he did, and it was fun to say too.

Beverly, Beverly, Beverly.

At his expression Beverly couldn't hide an amused grin that graced her lips. And she thought she was the shyest of them all; the one that freaks out at things people normally wouldn't. It was a relief to know she wasn't the only one, and that someone like Jeremiah was her buddy in that.

Initial shock passing, Beverly clasped her hand over her mouth and laughed softly. Did she look like that when she'd kissed him at first?

"Don't freak, it was okay," she said so he wouldn't be AS embarrassed, and then thumped him on the arm. See? She could be normal...whatever that was.

It was even better when he said they were fine. THANK MERLIN. She owed him a dozen batches of cookies. SHE DID SHE DID. Beverly didn't comment on the 'crazy' bit. Sure Teen Witch Weekly wasn't an encyclopedia or anything close, but...it had stuff from people who'd experienced situations like that, no? LUCKILY she wasn't one. HAHAHA. In your face!

Oh. He likes her name?

"No, you haven't told me," she said, her arms swinging at her sides. She didn't know what to do with them and it was a first someone liked her name, OKAY. "I like that you like my name. My cousin says it reminds her of some hills in America." She shrugged. It could have been worse, like being reminded of a troll or something.

There wasnt a palm, or a fist, racing towards his face and if the day were to end at this moment it'd be a pretty darn good one for the fourth year, yup. He let out a big breath and nodded moving his shoulders and chest long with the nod. " okay, okay." it was Okay, he was pretty darn good at this thing. the thing being girls, you know the pretty ones, yeah those.

He smirked as she thumped him on the arm and noticed his heart rate had finally slowed back down to a somewhat normal pace and he was feeling alright at the moment. And her name was pretty, it was unique, and he didn't think he'd ever met another Beverly in his life. "American hills?" he wasn't sure why though he had never been to america and knew hardly anything about the continent other than things taught by his mother and reading and stuff. " it reminds me of this pretty girl." the name did, the girl was her, did she know that, she should get that, it was cheesy but she was literally the only person he knew with that name and she was pretty, so it worked!

Who would have known she'd be the one comforting a timid person some day? It was beyond her, but she was extremely proud of herself. Wait until she told Kennedy--no. He wasn't allowed to know about this. He'd totally flip and change her schools - or worse. He'd send her to an ALL girls' institution. NOPE NOPE. Couldn't have that...not when she's discovered THIS.

Jeremiah seemed better after that thump. Hmm. She'd remember that; when Jeremiah freaks, just thump him. Problem solved. Beverly almost laughed at American Hills. Right. He probably wasn't familiar with the States. "They're called Beverly Hills located in California." And it wasn't fair that her cousin got to travel and she didn't.

Wait...so he knew another Beverly? Well. PFFFT. SHE was supposed to be the ONLY Beverly in the entire country. It was unique and so was she. Darn it, pretty-girl-with-her-name!

"Oh, it does?" she said, attempting to shrug it off. "Does she come to Hogwarts, too?" SHRUG SHRUG.

He was TOTALLY writing his best mate Mike about this, totally. this was share worthy and though it was just friends and just cause she though she was going to die it was still kind of awesome and he needed to tell just someone about it so he was going sure to write Mike as soon as he got back to his room and to send it off to him in the morning, that's what he was going to do, yup.

"Beverly Hills in California..?" the Beverly Hills part didnt ring a bell but CALI!!! "I've always wanted to go surfing off of California." he told her he liked to surf, yeah? he was sure he did. It was something he enjoyed doing and reminded him of Australia so much but to surf in Cali was a dream, he heard they had the perfect waves there.

Then she was being silly, or so he though. He chuckled a bit at her 'Does she come to Hogwarts, too?' comment and he poked at her shoulder "i meant you." the only Beverly he knew.

Another thing to be proud of, she managed to remember Jeremiah really likes surfing. She was getting good at this interacting with people thing. "I hear it's great. I've only been to Massachusetts in America 'cause my dad has business there, but I hear the waves are great to surf in." And she was still to learn how to surf and beat him...if, y'know...she made it to summer.

INSTANT FACE FLUSH.

He meant HER. Like, Beverly Wayne-her. Oh gods, this was embarrassing. She laughed a little at his poke and shuffled her weight onto a different foot. Couldn't be that she was already feeling tired. UGH UGH.

"Riiiight, me," she said, poking him back. Hehe. "Who else would it be?" What a STUPID question. But it was out there. "Thanks...for the compliment." REMEDIED.

" yeah? i really wanna go surf over there, at the states." AT the states!? now he didnt know to grammar and he wasn't sure what was happening. " do you travel over there a lot?" he was curious now, and nothing stopped him once he got curious over something.

yes, he meant her, who else? he smiled at her and pushed some hair out of his face, maybe he needed a haircut..... maybe. "are you ok?" was she comfortable, did he feet hurt? did she want to sit somewhere? "but yes, i meant you." he said rubbing at the stop where she poked him back. "you're welcome, and its true." pretty name pretty girl, pretty pretty.. he had pretty friends.

At the States. Smooth, Jeremiah, smooth. Bev didn't point it out, though. "Maybe that could be our match arena," she said with the tiniest smirk. He did remember that, didn't he? The match where she would totally kick butt. As for traveling, she shook her head. "Not really, just when my dad has business conventions, but it isn't that many." Which SUCKED because she wanted to travel the world.

Huh. Jeremiah had nice hair now that she noticed. She could already hear her uncle saying, "Cut that hair, boy!" but it didn't look bad on the Gryffindor.

Oh, what? Was she okay?

She placed a hand on her back and stretched...well, tried to. "Yeah, just a bit tired." From the stairs earlier, but it had been TOTALLY WORTH IT. Tucking hair behind her ear, she grinned up at him. "Well...you're not so bad yourself. I like your hair." She did. It was comb-able. :3

"For when i kick your butt, Surfing? yeah maybe." he'd have to go and practice there a bit first and get use to the land and the way the waves fell and there was a whole science behind it really. " oh, i dont travel like at all either.. ive been here and Australia really" you know cause he was born there and all but he would like to travel someday and all.

"Oh, Did you want to go back to the castle.. i could walk you?" to where ever she wanted to go.. "or we can go sit in the courtyard." cause he didnt want to set here too much owl business around. she also liked his hair, his HAIR! Take that Ana! his sister always told him the girls would hate it but HA! this proved her wrong. could he get this in writing.. or recorded even!?

He didn't go THERE.

Beverly coughed to disguise a chuckle. "What? Sorry, I didn't hear you very well," she said with a solemn expression, then grinned a grin that turned into a smirk. "But yeah, that's where I'll take the title as best surfer." AFTER lessons that is. Rapid aging was having her talk smack. Whatever.

"I don't feel so left out then." From the traveling thing, that is, because she always felt like that when her cousins gushed over Paris, the Canaries, wherever they went to. Talking about Australia, "Did you know there might be dragons in Australia? My cousin Alfred mentioned something about that." Did Jeremiah know THAT? Because it sounded really cool and she wanted to GO. For the dragons.

She wasn't ready for a nap. Beverly had made sure to take a two hour nap before coming here so she wouldn't fall asleep mid-kiss. She'd prepared herself, 'kay. So the courtyard sounded like a nice idea.

"Courtyard sounds good, my back is killing me." There were benches there, yeah?

"I said when i kick your butt surfing." cause he was the best, he had trophies and some medals to back up his story as well, he WAS good, he knew it too. He was totally smirking cause he always got all macho when he talked went on about surfing, he was simply the best. Where you'll try anyway, ill make sure there's a plaque for you for trying." give her something to take home any to let her know she tried but wasn't good enough to beat HIM, no one was really, no one from here anyway.

She didnt feel left out, he didnt feel left out, all was good, yeah.. "Dragons in Australia!?" he actually didnt know that their might be dragons in Australia.. were her cousins facts, right? "Are his facts right? ive never seen or heard of dragons anywhere near there." though maybe that was a good thing.

She was down for the courtyard, awesome. She could sit down and rest he knew she was tired cause his feet were starting to bother him as well and he wasn't the one under the old curse. "come on then." he said offering his arm to her, to help her down the steps you know... he was a gentleman and all that even to his friends.

Beverly's cheeks puffed out a bit. He was saying it like he'd already won. Granted, Jeremiah says he's surfed for years and that might pose a challenge, but Beverly liked challenges. And even though experience won over cockiness, she didn't want to admit he had the upper hand. Pride, y'know. "Why thank you, sir, that's so comforting." Not. But they'll see.

How much would a professional suffer cost to hire? Hmm.

So he didn't know about dragons in Australia. "Yes!" she exclaimed in pure excitement. Dragons, dragons! "According to him it's fact. He's a dragon tamer, so he knows. And you wouldn't guess what breed lives there." Ready for it? Because she hadn't been and had totally spazzed out. "The Antipodean Opaleye," she said slowly. "My favorite dragon breed." NO LIE DUDE.

Beverly's eyes had gotten a bit hazy with the thought of Antipodean Opaleye dragons. Shaking her head, she realized Jeremiah was holding out his arm for her. Welp. She had not expected that. Shyly linking arms, she grinned. "Thanks, those stairs can be a right pain in the butt." Especially when one's body felt that of an eighty-something-year-old.

Down the steps they went...UGH.