Nothing burns like the cold // Valerie and Grayson
Valerie really needed to build up resistance to water.
It wasn’t as though she was absolutely terrified of it, because she could still drink it and bathe, but it was the thought of floating or swimming in a large water body that haunted her. Ever since the day of the party, when she had to go skinny dipping in the Lake, her nightmares were returning. They weren’t there for a long time - almost 3 years - but they were coming back and causing her to wake up in the middle of the night every other day, completely soaked in sweat. And that’s why she was out at night today, wanting to get out of the castle that made her feel the same drowning sensation that she felt when her parents were slowly dropped to the bottom of the ocean, bubbles occasionally coming up and the 11 year old Valerie had had her mouth wide open with water circulating in and out, wordlessly screaming for her parents to come back up and wincing at the pains in her chest-
The Gryffindor closed her eyes tightly and continued walking into the Forest, her ears perking up at the sound of footsteps beside her own. She carefully leaned against a tree and took off her shoes, leaving her completely barefoot and her feet exposed to the cold. Carefully, she made her way towards the footsteps, letting out a small gasp at the sight of flames in front of her. Was this person planning on setting the Forest on fire? Maybe this was the fates’ cruel way of making sure that her death that was supposed to happen 7 years ago would happen now, except this time, she would be engulfed in flames instead of water. Two completely contradictory elements.
Valerie let out a small curse at seeing the figure stand up at the sound of her gasp, and quickly made her way to the dying embers as the figure walked in her direction. Her fingers were hesitantly making their way towards a pile of ashes just when she felt the slight pressure at the base of her neck and her eyes widened. She knew that voice. Her mind went into an overdrive and it took multiple deep breaths to calm herself down and to answer. She placed her sarcasm back in her voice and answered calmly, “I never pegged you to be one who sneaks out of Hogwarts in the middle of the night just to burn things up, Gray. Trying to get ahead of everyone, are you?”
He lowered his wand and turned the fire up without using any words. "Damn it Valerie..." he said with angry tone as if she stole the part of woods that belonged to him when she showed up. He was surprised, he never saw here here before. And this was his place, his special place that nobody else knew about. Place he ran to when he had too much of the 'normal world' "Why aren't you asleep?" was the first thing he asked once he found his words. Finding his way back to the seat he hid the book in hope she didn't see it. He offered a seat next to him.
"I come here to think. I don't really sleep much at night...nasty old habit." he smiled but the same smile vanished fast. He didn't feel like smiling, he didn't feel like pretending, not here. But he wouldn't let Valerie see the real him. He didn't want to push her away, not now when he actually grew fond of her. Gray was aware of the fact that girl had secrets. He felt them in every word she spoke, but he didn't care. He liked her company and pushing her away with his weirdness was not an option.
