O.W.L. Lesson 2nd

Ruby didn't turn back from the window to look at Elijah. She stayed as she was, remembering the last few weeks before her mother's death. The way she hardly ate. The way she cried when she thought noone was looking. The way she would sit for hours without moving, eyes blank. Could she have really lost hope? Or had hope lost her?

Ruby's eyes turned blue as the events of that morning played through her mind. They said it was most likely a suicide, but nothing could be proved. The cause of her death was put down as unknown. Because 'giving up' wasn't a formal reason.

She sighed, and turned back to look at Elijah, pushing the images out of her mind. 'You are. Hope isn't lost, it leaves. Because when someone can't carry on, they can only stop when hope is gone. So, in a way, you're right. Hope is what keeps people going, the moment there's no hope left, there is nothing left to live for, no matter how perfect everything seems.'

Ruby couldn't help smiling. Being the kind of person she was, she couldn't stay solemn for long.

'Oh, the great Elijah Krum, philosopher extroadinaire is speechless for once!' She said jokingly, before grinning at him. 'So..... what's it like being Slytherin? Dorms any good?' She knew it was a random question, but she had wondered about it ever since arriving at Hogwarts. The Gryffindor dorms were very grand, but she wanted to know what the others were like too.

Ruby laughed and looked at the drawing interestedly. 'Oh, right. Well, they look okay. Bit different from the Gryffindor dorms but that's probably 'cos we're in the tower.' She smiled and drew a mini Elijah sitting on one of the beds. 'Can't imagine what it's like being surrounded by silver and green the whole time, though.' Ruby shuddered at the thought and instantly felt glad that she was in Gryffindor, where the only colours you could be surrounded by are red and gold.

Elijah chuckled and scribbled a mini Snoop into one of the open drawers. He smiled and thought back to the massive array of rooms back at the Mansion. A warm bed was available in nearly every room on the second floor but he never seemed to end up there. He usually just flaked out on the couch with as book on his head, only to be woken up by the house elves - telling him to get up because someone was in the 'tunnels'.

"I think I prefer the beds at the mansion. Then again, it is sometimes nice to have company of others." he mused. "But then again, at Hogwarts you cannot drink while you paint and become absolutely out of your tree while you do it.."

He smirked and remembered a time a few years prior when he was woken up by his maid and friend, Natasha who had usually never spoken a word to him. Boy, could she yell. He couldn't remember a time when he was shouted at in three different languages and he didn't want to experience it again. After she had seen the canvas, though, she had lightened up and seemed to have a glow about her.

Four hours and many sketches and half-finished paintings later, Elijah was finally pushed to bed by the elderly woman.

Ruby shook her head and smiled. 'No. I'd MUCH rather be at school. Home might be more comfortable but it has nothing on sleeping with your friends.' She paused for a second then added 'Actually, in America the magic school I went to was a day school. I slept at home but went to school everyday. It was different.'

The truth was, she much prefered Hogwarts, although she missed Florida. The location might not be as good- there were no beaches here (and when was the last time she had visited a beach, anyway? Not since Blake left ) and there were no malls or parks but Hogwarts was charming in its own way.

Ruby laughed. 'Really? You paint?' She wasn't surprised, though. Considering how many drawings he had done in the last 10 minutes, it was only normal that he would paint.

"I have always found America odd. They have some beautiful models there though.." Elijah said thoughtfully. "But they never have much to say. Now in Paris, that is when you are lucky to be a artist. I do paint quite a bit and I try to have someone to paint while I am home. If I don't, I usually travel to Paris and, well, shop around for a model. Needless to say, Paris is the place to be for an artist."

Elijah loved the hustle and bustle of Paris. He loved to woman in the great city, they were easily romanced and often scorned him for his age but he had a wide reputation in the city for being one of the most romantic painters there. He usually didn't have to go far for a model but when he wanted the best and especially when he wanted variety, he had to look around for a bit. When he did get a model they expected the best treatment from him and he never disappointed, ever.

Elijah remembered perusing the artists courtyard where many, young and old, would sit and draw the women gathered there. They were so natural and so beautiful and each time a woman was taken away for her own private painting, another would appear in her place like magic. It reminded Elijah of the endless game of poker that went on in one of the local pubs, no one could remember who started it but it would never, ever end.

"Painters and their women, all the same and are all cut from the same piece of cloth. They search for things and find the beauty in their paintings. I believe I was brought into the world of art the first time I went to Paris. I was young and niave to the world presented to me but I was not ignorant of it. No, I was taught how to capture the flush of a woman's cheeks in one stroke. I was taught how to make canvas out of clothing and I quickly became the best. However, when you are the best of the best... you cannot loose yourself.

I have not been to Paris in a while ... it is sad really. I have only met one person who I would not take to Paris without properly declaring that person as my muse and model. Many would like to paint her and do you wish to know whom that person is?"

Elijah raised an eyebrow with a smile and took in the delicate feature's of Ruby's face once more. She was a beauty untouched and one that was born to be painted. He had never met a woman that could be painted the way she could. The French girls were shamelessly beautiful and they knew it, which made them arrogant and that disappointed an artist. Bulgarians weren't much better but there were no artists to paint them the way the artists crawled the French streets.

Perhaps he would kidnap Ruby for the summer when the year was over and take her to France. He could show her the wonders of that country and paint her everywhere, at a beach or a cathedral -- anywhere. Elijah knew Ruby probably wouldn't go for it but he would and could dream.

Ruby nudged Elijah frowned. 'Oi. Watch what you say, there's an American sitting right here.' She said, half-jokingly. She may not have been especially patriotic but she didn't appreciate jabs at her homeland. Although, if he had only met dull people there *coughlikeSerenacough* then she didn't blame him for thinking they had nothing to say.

She listened to Elijah speaking in wonder. Having never been to Paris before, she could only imagine what it was like. Ruby smiled as pictures formed in her mind of bright streets littered with beautiful women, and had to stop herself from laughing. She knew her picture of Paris was probably very different from the real thing but having nothing to base her imagining on, it was only to be expected. If it was as perfect as Elijah made it out to be, then she really wanted to see it. Perhaps she could go there one day.

And models. Did he mean the models that sat and were painted by artists? Probably. You'd have to be stunning to have painters ask you to pose for them, she supposed. Though you wouldn't have much trouble finding them in France. Veelas were everywhere there. And even the lowest maid was probably charming enough. Ruby had only ever met one french woman and that had been her neighbour of two years in Florida. She was old, but still beautiful.

Ruby raised an eyebrow when she heard Elijah speak of a person he thought was good enough to be his muse and model. Who was this girl? She couldn't help but feel curious, and the question was out of her mouth before she could stop it. 'Who is it? Who are you talking about?'

Elijah smiled when she asked him who the girl was and he picked up his pencil again. He had drawn her a few times now so he was pretty used to drawing the way her face was shaped. Elijah made sure to add the look of wonder and curiosity on her face and ripped the page out of the book. He wrote some words down and handed Ruby the paper.

You, the jewel among the precious stones in a jewellers shop,
One that should always be painted,
By the only one who fully appreciates the beauty,