Closed Falling for you

Attire: Usual weekend kit: Slytherin pride, neck ring, kilt, no shoes. Nothing fancy!

Reducio

Colin had gone out for a run. Even in the winter, it felt soooo good to just run! Especially just coming off of full Moon --- he still felt wolfy. Even more now than he did last year at these times. He'd had a lot to think about lately, too. What with the whole attack in the dorm last month, and things getting serious with Clair.

His mind came around to the whole letter thing. He hadn't really thought too much about it since last summer. He'd been meaning to to talk to AngelFyre about it. Things had just gotten in the way. He'd already mentioned it to Clair. Down here by the lake, as a matter of fact. Colin leaned back against the willow tree. He put his arms back behind his head and smiled. This would be a great place to bring Clair! They could read here or just talk!

He heard a splash! Did someone cry out? He wasn't sure, but right in front of him, something dark was tumbling into the water! Long blonde hair and a dark coloured jacket followed by boots and jeans slipped under. A girl, he thought. Ripples and a hat floating on the water's surface were all that remained. Colin stood up suddenly. He knew this part of the lake was pretty deep, even close to the edge. Clair's words came back to him. About the dangers of swimming in the lake. Colin looked around. He shrugged off his shirt. There was nothing for it. Someone out there would be asking what they would do if this girl died. He looked around again. No one was around.

Colin took a deep breath dove into the chilly water.

He was used to it. He'd swum in the lake several times, and regularly took a dip as part of his daily exercise. He saw a black shape against the dark and murk of the lake bottom. Oh God, he thought. I hope she's not dear! He crossed himself and plunged into the deep.

The girl wasn't moving. He prayed that he wouldn't be too late. He reached out and grabbed her arm and pulled. She wouldn't budge! A couple air bubbles escaped her lips. Drat! She must be stuck. Why do people have to go jumping into the lake with like five thousand layers of clothing! Colin only had his kilt on, and that was more than plenty!

He got down to her feet at last. Bloody hell. He was starting to feel the burn in his own chest. He'd have to go up for air soon --- but there was no way he could! Not leaving someone else down here to die! His heart pounded madly as he fought to get her untangled from whatever held her fast! Colin's chest felt like it wanted to burst! He tried to relax, and at last he got her untangled. He reached out to the girl. He had no idea what he grabbed! He just held on as tight as he could and swam with his last strength to the surface and the shelf of earth above.

At last Colin broke the surface of the water, and he took a huge deep breath! That felt soooo good! He hauled the poor girl up immediately after and rolled her onto her back. She was entirely limp. "Bloody hell," he said; "you must be wearing four hundred sweaters!" He'd read about what to do when someone drowns and they aren't breathing. Colin never thought he'd actually have to do it himself! She wasn't breathing, so Colin did the only thing he could --- he crouched down next to her. He pinched the girl's nose, locked his lips onto hers and gave her a couple strong puffs! If that didn't jolt her back, he'd have to think of something else!

@Opal Brinkman || Mentions: @AngelFyre McCubbin | @Clair Fernandez

Interacting with: @ Colin McCoire and mention: @Lucian Mornstern

Colin's eyes widened as the girl coughed and opened her eyes. She was awake! She'd be okay. She started crying. Aw, crap, Colin thought. His muggle healing knowledge kind of fizzled after the whole kiss of life thing. He had a good idea what to do if she didn't wake up, but really had no idea what to do for crying after drowning! Was she in pain or something? Or was she just overwhelmed?

She must be cold, he thought. She was shivering. He smiled at the girl and she blushed. That was weird. Why would she blush? Was she embarrassed or something? She'd almost died, there was no reason for her to be embarrassed! Colin panicked. She managed to thank him, though. "'Salright, lassie! Um." She was staring at him. Colin just realised. Colin looked down. Oh. He remembered that he'd shucked his shirt before diving into the water. And now she was staring at him. Staring at his scars. The wolf fang that hung around his neck. The raven feathers that dangled from the little braid on the left side of his head. "Oh! Er..."

She turned her eyes away. Colin wasn't used to being checked out like this. Of course, Clair had stared at him quite a lot! He liked it when she did that! Of course, he didn't have his shirt off then! His shook his mane of pale blond hair. But right now, he still had a job to do. "Um! Just --- hang on --- just stay here! Ye must be cold; I'm going to make a fire." He stood up quickly. Fetching his shirt and his cloak. "Er. Take yer clothes off, lass."

Colin blinked in surprise. That didn't come out right.

Colin immediately blushed, his face, his neck, his entire chest turned red as any tomato. He'd never said that to a girl before! He'd never even thought about saying that to anyone! Well. Er. Maybe in some dream deep in the night. He knew how it sounded though. "Um! I mean! Ye're soaking wet!" he practically yelled, more to try and convince himself that he hadn't said anything weird. "Ye'll shiver yerself to death! I---I'll make a fire. Get you warmed up again."

He turned away to gather up some wood. "Oh! You can put these on?" He handed the girl his cloak and shirt. They'd have to do. "I'll have you warmed up in jiffy!" He was feeling better now. He hoped she wouldn't tell her mates that this dorky boy told her to take her clothes off. That would be horrible! He was only trying to help her! Cold wet clothes after a drink in the lake will kill a body real quick!

Colin sprinted back with an armload of wood. He stacked that up in a nice neat heap and knelt down with his back to the girl. He still didn't even know who she was! "I'm Colin, by the way. Er. Slytherin." He drew his wand from its sheath on his right arm. He touched the end of it to the pile of wood and with a deft movement said: "Incendio!"

@Opal Brinkman

Colin sat back at last, once the fire was made. The strange girl was dressed in his shirt and cloak. Hopefully she'd warm up soon! "Opal," she said. Colin stared at her. It registered suddenly, just as she continued: "Opal Brinkman." Opal was her name! He'd never heard that as a name before.

"Oh! Slytherin too! Well, nice to meet you, Snakeling! Oo, I've got something here." Colin reached into the pocket of his kilt. He drew out a pair of silver rimmed dark lensed glasses. "Are these yours? I found them at the bottom where yer foot got caught." The heat of the fire felt most excellent on his skin and hair as he dried off. "Wh---What happened anyway, lass? I just saw a blur of dark clothes and blonde hair go tipping into the water! It's real deep right here --- I've swum in this part of the lake before. I've even seen someone get rescued before! Not right here, but further along. Two of my mates --- one swam out too far and the other rescued her." He smirked at the memory of that day. His first detention. "Only she didn't actually drown. Which reminds me! How are you feeling? Like inside? Ye're not going to die or anything are you? I don't know any healing spells yet!"

Opal looked a lot better anyway. Less like a fish and more like a girl now. The look of her still form just floating in the water flashed through his mind. Again he remembered Clair's admonition. He knew, of course, that Opal hadn't jumped in for a swim. Certainly not dressed like she had been!

Colin leaned back on his arms and looked at Opal. He smiled at her. It was kind of funny, he thought, to pull a housemate out of the lake one minute and say 'nice to meet you' the next!

@Opal Brinkman

Opal seemed to be really quite cold. Even with the fire and cloak and everything. Clair had mentioned hypothermia to him before, when she got after him for swimming in the lake. Naturally, whenever she said some word he'd never heard of before, he went straight to the library to look it up. He'd done everything he could find in the book! Got her out of the water, got her wet clothes off, got her in front of a fire. She must be good and warm by now!

Opal took off her glasses. She said said she was feeling better, too. Colin smiled at her when she said he'd saved her life. Colin sat up straighter and stuck out his chest proudly. He'd never actually saved anyone's life before. He felt quite proud!

She seemed to stutter a bit as she talked. Colin wondered if Opal always stuttered, or was still cold? She said: "My hands. They're cold." Colin blinked, not quite sure what to do. There wasn't anything in the healing books about what to do with a girl wearing your cloak in front of a fire who's got cold hands.

"Um." Colin scootched over closer towards Opal. He was feeling quite warm! He thought it rather odd that she was still so cold. "Er." He looked down at her hands. He blinked in confusion. Being cold was no fun, especially after almost dying. "Um." Colin sat right next to Opal and took her hands in his own. He wasn't quite sure how to do this. He put her right hand on his back and her left on his belly.

Colin shivered! Goodness she was right! "Oi! Your hands are cold!" He accidentally pulled her into him! Oh crap! He stuck his left arm around Opal's shoulders to steady her! He ended up with a face full of damp blonde hair!

@Opal Brinkman

@Colin McCoire

Opal looked up at Colin. He realised then how blue her eyes were. They caught his own green eyes for a long moment. He did love blue eyes on a girl! Colin blinked slowly. They weren't like Clair's of course! He smiled at Opal, and her arms were still around him. That felt really nice! He began to wonder if how it would feel when Clair would slip her own arms around him. He could feel his heart thumping against his chest wall.

Opal was so close. In his arms. Well, mostly he was in her arms! He wondered what she was thinking. She almost died, right? Colin thought about the fights he'd been in during the werewolf attacks. Those were the closest he'd ever come to dying. He'd felt rather exhilarated at the time! His heart had been pounding, kind of like it was now with this girl's hands on his body. How much would his heart slam against his chest when Clair did this! For some reason, Colin thought that it was unlikely her heart was pounding in such excitement!

"Um, Colin." Colin could smell the scent of the lake strongly in Opal's hair. "My lips are cold too."

"Lips," he said absently. "Cold." Colin blinked. Cold lips...

"Wait," he said. He heard something.

How do you warm cold lips? The thought of him kissing Clair in the cold rain came to mind. Colin smiled. His heart pounded! He'd love to kiss Clair in cold rain or warm rain or snow!

He heard the sound again. A rustling sound. His left arm was still around Opal's shoulder. He felt movement in her hair! A couple tendrils of blonde hair tickled his left hand. Colin smiled suddenly.

"Don't you move!" he cooed. Gently, he drew Opal in closer. He pressed her face against his chest. "There now!" he said softly. Her lips did feel cool against the warmth of his breast. Colin smiled. He ran his fingers through her golden hair. It was still damp --- that was good! It would make this so much easier!

"Just hold still, there, my dear!" Colin turned Opal's head slightly. Her lips didn't feel so cold anymore. Her hair was smooth. Like the horse hair of his fiddle bow. "Ah! There we are!"

Colin released Opal from his somewhat awkward embrace and sat back, crossing his legs. "Oh, look here Opal! The poor wee beastie!" Colin had something cupped in his hands. "A wee nevet, lass! Isn't she a bonny creature! Oo, what is that in English? Oh! A newt! She got all tangled in yer long hair! Poor little thing!"

His pond scum green eyes twinkled with merriment in the firelight as he held his hands before his chest with the tiny creature held there. "Ah, lassie, ye won't believe the wee creatures I've found stuck in me own hair after a swim in the lake! Of course, yours was accidental!" He carefully set the newt down on the damp grass. Colin leaned in close to Opal and touched her lips with his left finger. He smirked. "I reckon yer lips and good and warm now lass! Though I'd say you could do with a mug of hot choco!"

Colin was almost nose to nose with the girl. It crossed his mind that if, for some strange reason, she had wanted to give him a snog, she could very easily do so! He wondered if she dared. She was cute. And of course, her blue eyes! He reckoned she probably had a string of first year lads itching to sit nose to nose with her like this!

Colin gave her a smirk.

@Opal Brinkman