A Leap of Faith pv Ileen Knight 𝙲𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍

Ileen had been awake for a while already. As usual her nightmares had woken her up around 5am in the morning and since then she had spent most time reading and waiting for the curfew to pass by so she could leave the common room and have breakfast already. Today she wore her favorite wine-red sweater and her blue washed out jeans. Her long brown hair fell open on her shoulders onto her back and she twirled a strand between her fingers as she dug thoughtfully into her cereal.
Dee had not shown up yet and so she was eating on her own. Ileen didn’t mind being lonely in the morning. In fact she enjoyed the peace and silence. Her own calm bubble in the chattering students around her. She was used to it. If none of her friends were around this early she was eating on her own all the time.

The more surprised she was when her thoughts, which were wandering from Liv to her homework, were interrupted by someone.
She cringed, looked up and let go of her strand, feeling kind of caught - as if she were doing something indecent.
All the tension fell away from her when she spotted Percival and a smile curled her lips as she looked up at the blonde boy. Yes, they had shared some strange moments and he had almost killed her, but they had put that behind them. Ileen liked Percival and was glad for his company. She felt comfortable around him. It was strange how their strange relationship had grown from their tension to a pleasant friendship.
She had already half pointed to the empty seat next to her on the bench to invite him to sit with her, but he didn't seem to have the intention to sit down or even have breakfast with her. He looked strangely tense and Ileen frowned. Wasn't he feeling well? Her lips parted to ask him the question when he began to speak.
The young girl heard the words. The words she had not expected from anyone after Erik had stepped back. And to her surprise, her heart gave a little jump and the blood rushed to her cheeks. That had been unexpected and she was… well, what was that feeling? Was she flattered? She was really happy that Percival had invited her. She had not intended to go to the stupid ball - especially not after Shimada was the organizer. She had wanted to boycott it on principle. It was a mass event and that meant bad news. And if that Hufflepuff was in charge, it could only escalate.
But she had felt for some time that a friendship had developed between her and Percival and this was a clear confirmation that he felt the same way. And that... well, that was just a nice feeling and she didn't want to reject him. They should try it. It might be quite fun to watch the ball sinking into chaos, and that way she could watch out for her friends. And a new, confusing feeling rose inside her. She wanted to go to the ball with Percival. Ileen realized that she had been staring open-mouthed at the Slytherin the whole time.
She shook her head slightly, trying to bring herself back to reality and get a few words out. "M-Me? Why?"

She automatically reached out and took the note. When she saw the boxes to check, a smile spread across her face, painting little dimples in her cheeks, and the embarrassment fell away. Her brown eyes sparkled as she looked up at the blonde boy who had been by her side in so many dangers. "Uhm, sure. Sure. I'd love to go with you as friends. Hold on." She bent down to her bag and her dark brown hair fell in front of her face like a curtain, hiding her wide grin. A moment later, she reappeared from under the table, her pretty blue quill in hand.
With a mischievous smile, she sweepingly put a cross next to the word 'yes' and handed it to Percival. "Is this some kind of contract now?" She tapped the bench next to her to invite him to sit down. "What do you want to go as? I didn’t really plan to go, so I should make sure to get a costume. And more importantly - what will Hanako say about this? I think he is not my biggest fan."

Percival stood in front of the girl as she sat there in stunned silence. He wasn't too sure what he should do. His arm was stretched off away from him, and it felt like he had lit himself on fire. Heat crawled from his chest up along his neck. Burning and itching as it went. The boy inwardly hoped his face wasn't as red as it felt, but it wasn't like he could check a mirror. Percival's heart felt like it had almost launched out of his chest as she shook her head. Though, it calmed as he realized she was just trying to find her words. "I mean I was thinking it would be fun to go with you." he said giving her a faint smile.

The boy was glad and relieved when she finally took the note, letting his hand fall down by his side. Percival grinned at her answer. "I mean if you want it to be?" he said a smirk growing on his face. "We don't have terms and conditions though." he huffed out a laugh. The boy quickly sat down next to her, making a mental note to grab his school bag before he left the Great Hall."Well, I've been thinking a lot about it. The theme is Greek so we do have quite the freedom of choice. I was thinking I would go as Icarus. He is the one who flew too close to the sun." he stated out a simple description. "Though, I am sure you already knew that." he added on giving the girl a smile. He was sure she probably knew quite a bit about mythologies. Probably already had a few ideas planned for an outfit. The thought added to his smile causing it to grow across his facial features. "What about you? Any ideas yet? he asked her giving her a cheery grin.

Interacting with: @Ileen Knight
Mentioning: @Hanako Tone

Ileen laughed and shook her head, then she squinted her eyes and tilted her head in a playful manner. “Hm. Maybe we should make a contract that makes sure you won’t tackle me down any stairs. Or can you guarantee that without a paper? If not, I might have to withdraw my answer.” She gave him a warm smile and looked at her almost untouched breakfast. Hm. She actually was a little bit excited about this. It could be fun to go there and watch it go down in flames. And maybe, she could give the poor people a hand if they managed to get hurt again.
Her brown eyes returned to Percival’s face. They had been through a lot together and she didn’t even know what was there to come. They would save each other countless times. It was a relationship that was about to get stronger and more intense. But the young Slytherin didn’t know it at that time.

However, she listened to his costume idea and answered with a thoughtful nodd. “Sure, it will be fun. Very ambitious and tragic person, poor Icarus. I hope you don’t plan to end that way. What could be your sun that would burn you if you did come too close?”
Greek mythology was a great topic. But she would never admit that since her sworn enemy, Shimada, was planning this ball, so it only could be awful anway.
As he asked her about her plans and by the way dodged her question about Hanako. “I don’t know yet. Artemis is kind of cool. I like that she has such a connection to animals. Most of them are better than people anyway.” She paused and took her glass of orange juice, lifting it for a sip.
Annoyingly, she felt herself blushing under his gaze. She pretended to be much more relaxed than she felt. That Percival had invited her had surprised her and even more so how she felt about it. It had not always been uncomplicated between them.
Were they on a date? No. He had mentioned he wanted to go as friends. So no date. She bit her lower lip and thought about the promise she had given Hanako. Not willing to let the topic drop, she looked back up at the young boy. “So, do I have to be worried now to get killed by a certain friend of yours?"

Percival felt an awkward blush slowly grow across his cheeks as the girl brought up the stairs incident. The accident was still fresh within his mind and he could not help but feel bad for how things had ended that Halloween night. Though, judging from the girl's smile it appeared as she more than likely has forgiven him for his blunder. "Yes I promise I will not throw you or anyone else down the stairs." he said the faint beginnings of a smirk crossing his face.

The boy grabbed a biscuit that sat on a platter in the middle of the table he sat at with Ileen. There was no point in not eating while he talked to the girl across him, and besides, he had not been able to eat too much before asking Ileen to the ball. His nerves had twisted his stomach into knots. Making it practically impossible to even get a small bit of food down. Though, now with his worries at rest, the boy found his hunger coming back at full force.

As Percival buttered his biscuit he nodded as he listened to her opinion on his costume. "Yes well I highly doubt things could go horribly wrong in just one night." he joked before he bit into his biscuit. The boy felt a small frown cross his face as he mulled over her question. It was difficult to think about what could make him crumble and fall to a million pieces. To think what could ruin him so beautifully and tragically. Percival gave a small shrug uncertainty pulling at his features. "I am not too sure." he said honestly.

The boy nodded as Ileen threw out an idea about her costume. Though, it seemed as if she had already put some thought into her costume. It was possible Ileen had already planned on going to the ball before he had even asked. Though a part of him had hoped not and that Ileen had decided to go because he had asked. "Are you saying a worm is better than your fellow man?" he asked in a joking tone. A smirking smile crossed features before it evened out at her last question. "Hana? Why would Hana kill you?" he asked a confused smile crossing his features.

Interacting with: @Ileen Knight
Mentions: @Hanako Tone

She wiped imaginary sweat from her forehead and gave him a broad grin. “Phew. Okay, then it’s set! We will go together and no one will fall down the stairs. What could possibly go wrong now?” Dumb question. Everything of course. Ileen really questioned why balls or any events were still allowed at this school of chaos. Everyone knew that those gatherings were doomed. Either the shadows attacked or the students managed to burn everything down themselves. With a sigh, a mocking smile crossed her lips. Yes, what could go wrong...?

While she was lost in thought the brave Icarus-boy started to eat. Ileen followed his example and reached for a biscuit herself and took a bite. She would regret that in a second as he completely disagreed with her thoughts. A mixture of laughter and snorting made her choke on her bite and she coughed unamenably, convulsively trying to clear her throat. Covering her mouth with her hand, she struggled to breathe so as not to spatter the table with crumbs.
When she was finally able to breathe again, she looked at Percival with watery eyes and managed a mild smile with some effort. "Well, I wouldn't count my chickens before they hatch." They would know soon enough. But she was with him and oddly that thought gave her some comfort and made her blush again. Damn it!
Her embarrassment made her miss his answer to her more philosophical question. They were way too young anyway to think about what would possibly bring them down sooner or later.

When he mentioned the worms, she giggled and her eyes turned in the rare half moon shape. “Well, I took care of a worm once. They were pretty greedy, so I’d give you a chance to show that you are better company than Paul.” Her tone was teasing and the broad smile stayed on her face until their conversation touched the sensitive topic of Hanako.
Ileen cleared her throat and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Uhm… I am under the impression that he doesn’t take it so well if your attention is with someone else. And not that I expect you to entertain me or anything I’d appreciate if you didn’t abandon me on the ball. I had enough of that.” Her expression was grim as she thought about the Fall Ball. Everyone had left her there and she had ended up bantering with Hanako. No thanks, not again.

Percival could not help but squirm a bit awkwardly at the mention of what happened that aforementioned Halloween night. The boy swallowed thickly before nodding his head in agreement. "Yeah I highly doubt anything bad could happen. It should be safer this time around. " he said giving her a sure grin. It was no secret that some of the balls here had been less than pleasant. His first-ever ball had been quite disastrous. The fire and those damned wasp things.

He could not help but snicker to himself before divulging into a fit of giggles as Ileen sprayed her biscuit everywhere. It seemed luck would be on his side as the biscuit pieces thankfully missed him. Percival gripped his sides as he practically bent in half as he laughed. After a few seconds, the boy would be nothing more than a few loose giggles here and there. "I guess you're right Ileen." he said as he shook his head. Percival could not help but he ever so slightly surprised as she mentioned that she had actually taken care of a worm before. "Was Paul a human or was he just a worm? he asked unsure of how good his competition truly was.

Percival blinked a bit in confusion before his brows furrowed ever so slightly. "Oh well I hardly doubt that would be the case. I didn't promise to go with him to the ball. Besides it isn't like we are dating or anything." he said his tone turning from serious to more of a joke towards the end. The boy gave her a reassuring smile before he continued to speak, "Look I am sure he has a date already."

Interacting with: @Ileen Knight
Mentions: @Hanako Tone

Ileen grinned and her eyes sparkled as she glanced at the blonde boy. “Paul was actually a worm. I took part in this errand where you had to take care of them.” She frowned, noticing she was kind of going off topic. Why would she sit here and talk to Percival about worms?
Clearing her throat she moved on. Anywho. Hanako. "Oooookay." Yeah, sure he wouldn’t come after her… Silently she wondered if those two actually ever talked about anything and knew each other at all. But maybe the lack of love for Ileen showed Hanako’s real side that he concealed from Percival? Again, anywho! Their marriage troubles were not her issue since she wasn’t their therapist.

Standing up she patted bread crumbs from her robe and gave the boy another grin. So, she made up her mind. She would go to that doomed ball that Shimada was in charge of and gladly watch it go down in flames. She would be there and witness any mistake and error, sipping her juice and smiling at the chaos. And if anything really dangerous went wrong she would save the day and try to be the healer she was aiming for. At least, hopefully.
Her whole attitude with the boy gave her a cocky feeling about all the stuff she would normally be humble about.

“Okay, Percival. It’s a date. I am flattered and can’t wait to go with you. We will have a whole lot of fun trying not to die. I'm excited” She smirked at him and would leave unless stopped.
She would need a good costume now. She would not give Shimada any material to criticize her. But not too fancy since she didn’t want him she gave a damn about his stupid ball.
Poor Percival. Ileen really was obsessed with another boy at the moment. But not in the best way.