MY SKIES ARE TURNING GREY

Catalina stepped through the streets of Diagon Alley, dressed in a loose short-sleeved shirt with ruffles along the front and around the collar. She wore a poofy black skirt that fell just below her knees, revealing a fraction of her long porcelain legs. Her shoes were formal heels, but they were easy to walk in along a cobblestone street. Her hair had been pulled back, the wavy strands entangled into a perfect ponytail. Had she been able to feel it, she would have immediately moved the stray hair that fell softly across her forehead. But, she was not paying attention to anything at the moment. Her sapphires were out of focus as her mind strayed to many things such as what classes she should take for her last year, her parents, what book she was going to read next, and many other items of interest.

Finding herself at the entrance of Florean's, she gave a brief little smirk that could hardly constitute as a smile and stepped inside. Immediately heading towards the counter, she ordered herself a plain scoop of vanilla ice cream and asked for sprinkles. If she had been with her mother, she would never have even gotten to go into an ice cream parlour, but it was one of her favorite treats. She wasn't too fond of eating, but this delicacy didn't really count, did it? Handing the clerk a few sickles for the ice cream, she took it and headed outside to find a table with an umbrella. Seating herself in the shadiest one available, she placed her ice cream and bag down on the table before her. Instead of eating her ice cream first, she took out her sketchbook and a few drawing pencils before looking around. It was a habit she had gotten used to for her parents hated that she sketched. She found herself to be quite good at it, so she didn't give it up.

She was born of a pureblood state of mind, but she didn't think that such a thing as drawing would lead to any trouble. After all, her parents were proud of her enough because of her perfect grades and perfect behavior. She deserved time to be herself for a change. Sighing as her pencil made contact with the parchment, she smirked again, a sad bit of happiness rupturing through her prettily porcelain face. This was what she loved. She was drawing, eating her favorite treat, and was out of the sunlight. Heat was not her favorite thing in the world, but if it got her a few moments away from her parents, whom she had ditched at the bookstore, then she was happily able to oblige.

Sterling walked into the Florean Ice Cream Shop. It was his second favorite place in London to loiter, studying spells he'd probably never use. "Skoteros" he said. A blanket of darkness encircled him briefly, before lifting. That was a useful spell for dark corners--he could avoid attention even more, if he wished. Especially with his newly master Eminence Charm.

A witch was already sitting in his favorite corner, an abnormally large bit of parchment sprawled out about his table. He was paying more attention to the corner than the girl, and rolled his eyes. [[OUT OF CHARACTER: This post is going on the assumption they don't know each other ^_^]]

Sterling ordered a custard scoop with raspberries before scanning the area for empty seats. Unfortunately, the place was packed. Scrunching his face in disgust, he searched for an empty table. There was only one, right next to his favorite corner. He reluctantly plodded toward it, flanked on both sides by wretched.... people

He glanced toward his corner, and looked back at his book. Senses suddenly alert, he looked back, laying eyes on the most gorgeous person he had ever seen before in his life. He cleared his throat awkwardly and tried to divert his attention back to the book. Somehow, he couldn't get her out of the corner of his vision, regardless of how much he twisted in his chair. He'd have to find another seat, soon... he wasn't going to learn a THING with that girl's sapphire eyes forcing him to look at her....

Catalina was barely aware of anything going on around her save for the people at a table across from her that she had chosen for her focal point. Curving the lines of one of the womens' faces, she gave a light to the drawn visage so as to portray the real one's happiness. For a moment, she was jealous of such an emotion for she had no way to be so blissfully unaware of everything that was weighing her down every second of every day. The fact that she had to be perfect for everything in her life was grueling for sometimes, she lost the will and energy to go on and merely had to stop for a moment. Although she was determined, when she took the time to sketch, it helped her mind feel at ease. It was welcomed very much, especially through the times of her unsettling business.

Suddenly feeling eyes on her, she looked up, suddenly met with the most intriguing set of grey puddles set inside a rather handsome face. Struck by the young man's attractive qualities, Catalina suddenly had the urge to capture such a gorgeous facial structure and its attributes upon her parchment, but she would wait until he wasn't around anymore. She could draw him based on her memory. Besides, she didn't know of his status in life, so was it alright for her to even talk to him? Maybe if she found out his name, she could base her choice on that, but how was she supposed to get his name if she couldn't speak to him first?

When he cleared his throat with a rather interesting noise, Catalina couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Her sapphires flitted to the book he held in his hands, but she couldn't see the cover for he was blocking the title. When her eyes swiveled back up to meet his glowing silver puddles, she gave him a brief smirk that could hardly constitute as much of anything, and then murmured in her velvety voice, "Do you have something in particular that you need to say or is there an item of food on my face that is troubling you?" She had never really noticed people watching her before for it had always been the other way around. After all, she had never been skilled with conversation so when she did meet eyes with someone, she usually tried to avoid talking with them. But, this boy was at her table, begging to be seen by her. There was something about his expression that suggested he was in awe of her, but she didn't want to be conceited. She probably just had something on her face.

Sterling valiantly attempted to keep his eyes on the page. He succeeded at reading the words in the spell's description, but they all blurred together. He didn't absorb a single concept, it was all for naught. He should have left, just then, found his corner in the Leaky Cauldron instead where there wouldn't be such gorgeous eyes surveying him, begging for his attention.

A chill of excited uncertainty washed over him, originating from the direction of the girl at the table next to him. It suddenly dawned on him that though their tables were separate, they were seated on the same booth. A shudder of an unidentified emotion waved through his body. Was it expectation? He, nevertheless, stared intently at the pages of the book.

Sterling started at the sound of her voice. Smooth, sleek as silk and rich as velvet, it washed over him. Suddenly conscientious of his appearance, he shifted slightly in his seat; lifting his head to meet her full gaze.

The result was equivalent to being knocked by the impact of a bus. In utter awe of what he saw, he stayed still for a moment, surveying every aspect of the face before him. Starting, and lingering, at her eyes, he slowly made his way over her flawless nose, across her cheeks... just before he made his way to her mouth, however, he spotted half a sprinkle on the corner of her lips. Relieved at the excuse, he pointed it out. "Actually, there's a sprinkle on the corner of your lips," he said, staring at them in their fullness. He made a motion as though to brush it off, but halted his arm halfway. He was wearing a white T-shirt that was a size too small, revealing the tan line halfway across his bicep that was significantly larger than it had been the previous year. He stopped his arm halfway to her mouth, suddenly realizing that touching the face of somebody you just met may be interpreted as... well, intensely awkward.

With a half smile and a gust of breath that constituted as a laugh for Sterling, he placed his hand back in his lap. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but stare." he finished. He clenched his teeth with the effect of flexing his jaw and stared at the table where his book was, hoping against hope that the situation wasn't quite as awkward as it felt.

Catalina continued to draw the three Witches at the table in front of her, having finished the one that was smiling so joyfully. It looked to be an exact replica of the woman before her, the resemblance quite uncanny. To add the last touch to her, Catalina turned the corners of her lips up into a smile. Then, she moved on to the table, sketching the outline of it as well as the chairs so as to be able to fit the three of them in it without making them look awkward. Moving her sapphires along the face of the woman in the middle, she began to memorize the contours of her attractive face, the high cheekbones and pointed nose embedding itself into her memory. Tracing what she had just seen onto the parchment, she found that she could not quite get the emotion the middle witch was portraying in her picture. It was a mixture of sadness and betrayal, something that Catalina knew naught of how to draw.

Blinking rapidly when the young man next to her jumped at her voice, a trace of concern etched through her sapphire eyes. What was it that was making him so nervous? She had tried to make her rather stoic face alight with happiness, but had probably ended up showing him that she was a rather sorrowful being. Nevertheless, she continued to watch him, eager for him to say something to her. She wanted to hear his own voice, to see what it sounded like. At his silence and constant surveying of her, she blushed brightly, unable to hide her embarrassment. Why was he staring at her so? It made her rather uncomfortable, to say the least. If he simply said something, it would be better, but he was staying quiet. It was rather unnerving for the porcelain woman. When he finally spoke, his voice filtered into her ears like a sweet husky song. It was deep and masculine but there was a hint of gentleness to it that sent Catalina's heart into a spiraling frenzy. Calming herself, she blinked, trying to remember what he had said. She watched his arm move towards her and was not going to back away, but then it fell. Her sapphires ran along his the muscles of his arm and she could feel her heart quickening as she met his eyes once more. Softly, she reached a pencil stained finger up to her lips and removed the sprinkle, unaware that she had just smeared lead along the skin of her cheek.

Blushing brightly when he smiled at her, Catalina blinked rapidly as she heard his rather breathy laughter. He was an odd one, to say the least. When he spoke once more, she looked away from him, wondering what he could have meant. Was he pleased by what he saw or too disgusted to look away? Having never had the skill to talk with people of the opposite gender from herself, she felt her face heat up once more, staining her porcelain skin with a tinge of pink. When her sapphires zapped back over to his face, she noticed his clenched jaw. She wasn't sure if it meant that he was annoyed at what he'd just said or he was simply angry. But what could he be angry about? Eager to change the subject, she murmured, "May I ask what it is you are reading so intently? I am quite a lover of books, myself." She flashed him that small little smirk, her pristine face devoid of anything happy as she attempted to convey to him her interest.

Sterling sat over the book and allowed his gaze to draw back to the witch as he so deeply desired. His neck muscles pulled his head toward her a little too fast, as his eyes were eager to draw hers in. Hanging breathlessly onto every word, he smiled and said: "It's called Opticharms. I picked it up in Greece... it has several useful weather spells," he said, reflecting on his experiences with the spells. As he thought about it, he realized that every time he had used one of the spells, he'd accidentally hit somebody with it, or disturbed the area, or caused a whirlwind in the Leaky Cauldron... there hadn't been a particular instance in which he had been glad to know the spells, now that he thought about it, but learning them was a joy of its own nonetheless.

He racked his brains for common conversation. He wasn't particularly experienced with it, because he generally avoided talking to people if he could help it. At this particular moment, however, Sterling would have opted the Cruciatus Curse above halting the conversation he was currently having with the gorgeous specimen before him. "So... what's your name?" He asked the witch, as he slid slightly toward her on the booth, handing her the book.

The fact that she had admitted to enjoying reading at all surprised Sterling, but only just. Generally, girls attempted to disseminate a demeanor of airy stupidity, as though ignorance was universally thought to be an attractive feature. Sterling didn't share this belief, but had no doubt that it was widely accepted. This girl, though, seemed to be upfront and frank.

As the book made transferrance out of his hands, he chanced another minuscule movement in her direction. There was about a foot of space between them, at that point.

Catalina looked up occasionally from her drawing to see if the boy next to her was eying her as well. She couldn't help but smirk every time she caught his eye. She blinked rapidly when his face became rather close to hers. Blushing brightly, she looked back down at her sketch, adding a few touches to it as he spoke. Weather spells. Gazing back over at him, her sapphires sparkling with interest, she said, "I have only studied French spells. My mother taught me all of the ones that she knows. I have never had the pleasure of learning the Weather spells, however." A slight frown graced her elegant features and she placed a mental note to ask her mother about it the next time she saw her. Catalina always found it victorious and strengthening to learn and practice new spells. It was always a plus when she mastered them, which only took a matter of time. Considering the fact that she had no friends, she had all the time in the world to practice them. With a soft whisper, she murmured, "Have you had any luck in perfecting them? I would think that weather spells would be quite difficult. Do you mind if I take a look at it?" She knew that it was rather forward of her, but she had a feeling that he wouldn't deny her this desire.

When they both were silent, Catalina looked away, going back to her sketching. She had finished the middle witch now and was moving to the spastic and plumper one on the left. Smirking as she carefully transferred the woman's energy to the paper, keeping the penciled face alight with a smile full of enjoyment. When she heard that husky velvet voice again, her heart pumped wildly in its cage, threatening to explode as she turned to meet his silvery puddles once more. Swallowing at his question, her face suddenly twisted in embarrassment in shame. Hadn't she been taught to properly introduce herself? How barbaric he must consider her to be. With widened eyes, she flashed that small smirk before murmuring, "I apologize. I should have introduced myself appropriately. Catalina Jameson." She moved her right hand so that it was extended towards him, but it was a rather awkward thing, considering the fact that they were seated right beside one another.

When he handed her the book, she eagerly accepted, pushing her sketched-on parchment over, probably so that he would be able to see it better. She hadn't planned or hoped for that, but she just wanted to see his book. Placing it on the table and flipping through the Table of Contents, she found herself smirking once more in excitement. She would have to ask him if she could borrow it. She couldn't read it all right here. But, did he even go to Hogwarts? How would she find him again to give it to him? She knew that she would want to see him again, so maybe she should ask. Catalina had watched many girls tell males that they hated anything to do with being intelligent or refused to have an opinion opposite to the specific boy. But, her opinion was the fact that if the boy didn't like her for who she really was, then they were not the right one for her. It was as simple as that. But, was love so logical? She doubted it.

Her sugar plum heart beat wildly in its cage as she noticed a foot of space between them, her sapphires shooting over to meet his eyes, her lips parted just slightly. He was so perfect and she didn't even know his name.

Sterling cocked his head curiously. He had no idea that French spells differentiated in any way from English spells, he had thought that they all had a common Latin root. The Weather Spells, of course, would only effect air and humidity within a short radius of the caster--not the weather as a whole. "French spells? I've never even heard of them... can you show me sometime?" he asked innocently. A moment later he blushed very slightly, but stifled the embarrassed emotion immediately. His heart pounded furiously as he deciphered the connotations of what he had just asked. Had Sterling just asked Catalina on a date?? He tried to push that thought out of his mind, not wanting to come on too strong. Of course, there was nothing he would want more than to spend more time with the girl he beheld before him, having identified herself as Catalina, but she was probably thronged by hordes of boys daily. Sterling would never interest her in the slightest, so he tried to give up hope before his hope hurt him.

He cleared his throat again awkwardly, then peered down at the sketch that was now much closer to him. The sketch lines on the paper depicted a familiar image... the one just in front of him. He touched it and came a little closer to the table he had found it on, heart beating furiously as he realized--as an afterthought--that he was significantly closer to her. "My name is Sterling, by the way." he said absently, much more absorbed with the work of art before him than his uninteresting name. The lines were care-free, appearing to be the only outlet for the otherwise adorably uptight girl he had just met. They expressed well the emotion without being excessively nor strictly realistic. He loved it.

Sterling used her looking at the book as an excuse to look at her, pretending to read her expression. His eyes were on hers again, though. He never wanted to leave.

They weren't very well-known spells. Maybe she should have clarified that. Her mother was a bit of a creator of spells, so most of them were only between she and Catalina. The latter had always taken that highly, considering it a secret between the two. It was rather sad, really. The only thing she had that made her close to her parents was the fact that they taught her different forms of spells. Their relationships didn't go much past that. Blushing as she heard the hidden meaning behind his words, she stared at him with her deep blue eyes. Watching him for a long moment, as if she were deciding on whether or not she should accept, she softly nodded. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad thing. Maybe he wouldn't hurt her. She couldn't help but smirk at his blush, thinking it to be very cute. He was very attractive and he seemed incredibly sweet. But, if this were to get anywhere, her parents would have to approve of him. He would have to be pureblood, or she would lose him. She was too cowardly to go against her parents' wishes. To make her sentiments known, she murmured, "I would love that." She tried to muster up a reassuring smile, but all that came across was an uptight smirk running across her full lips.

Raising an elegant eyebrow at his throat clearing before continuing to move her eyes along the pages of the book. After a moment, she noticed that he was significantly closer to her, peering at---Oh! He was examining her drawings. She had never shown them to anyone. Suddenly anxious, she watched him fearfully, unable to see his expression from the angle his head was turned. Nodding when he spoke his name, she said rather breathlessly, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sterling." Biting her lip as she continued to watch him, she waited for him to make a comment on her sketches. She had a mind to grab the drawing away and simply stuff it into her bag, but she was too afraid of doing anything. When she saw him moving back up to sit straight, her eyes had already flown back to the book. So, what did that mean? Did he like her sketches or did he not want to interrupt her reading?

Catalina could feel his eyes on her. Sapphires shot up to meet those silvery puddles, the blue sparkling with interest. With another slight smirk, she whispered, "Do you think that I might be able to borrow this?" Such a request would require for them to meet again. She didn't want to mention anything about her drawings for fear of him disapproving of them. She couldn't take rejection on the only thing that gave her relief from the stresses of life. But, would he dare say a word about them as she so hoped he would?

[[Oops sorry, I forgot to have Sterling comment on them >.<]]

Sterling handed her her drawing back, not wanting to come across as rude. "Your sketch is brilliant, Catalina." he said sincerely. "You could make a career of that. Not many artists I've seen can capture emotion more vividly than that which they base it on." Sterling was well aware that the general male being was insidious and deceiving. There was no deceit in his compliment, however. It was heartfelt and true. He would have said the same about the same drawing, regardless of who had drawn it. However, he probably wouldn't have said it with the extent of fondness and gentleness as he did; had it not been Catalina.

A sudden, great idea occurred to Sterling, the moment just after she expressed her appreciation to have met him. He thrust forth his hand, for a simple handshake. Of course it was customary, and it would also offer an excellent excuse to finally feel her skin, which looked smoother than glass. He held his hand out with a gentle smile, counting the seconds until she took it.

His whole body shuddered with pleasure as she said sweetly the simple words, I would love that. His veins were flooded with appreciation as he smiled. "Are they from Beauxbatons?" he queried in regard to the French Spells. A look of reluctant secrecy stole over Catalina's gorgeous features. He didn't want to pry, so he dropped it there.

"Yes, of course you can borrow it!" he said, with a touch of excessive zeal. He, of course, loved that book and would be lonely in its absence.... but he would give up the entire Hogwarts library for just another day with her.