our skin burned so fast -- preston

[BRYONY CATE MOONBERRY]

Bryony had no intention of seeking out a date for the Eve of Lights ball. In fact she had planned to spend most of the night keeping an eye on her cousin and doing her best to enjoy the over the top night. That was until she received an owl from Preston Sherwood, a seventh year slytherin. Bryony had a been a little more than surprised to find herself being asked to the dance by him, but knew better than to turn him down. After all her mother had told her that when a pureblood boy showed interested she would do well do try and keep it.

She'd left slytherin house to meet with Silvia before the dance as she had promised to help her cousin get ready. She tried to conceal her nerves from the other girl but Silvia knew her too well for the truth to remain hidden. Instead she listened to the other girl as she went on about what fun the night would be as she laced her fingers through her soft hair. After Syliva was ready Bryony slipped into her red dress that fell just above her knees. It hardly was stunning, not like some of the other girls she had seen walking in and out of the bathrooms. She almost wished she had gone with something more extravagant. What was Preston going to think? Well, maybe he would find some prettier girl to dance with, that wouldn't bother her right? He's letters had been sweet but that didn't mean she had to hold him to them.

Soon it was time to part ways with Silvia,of course there was a promise of meeting up later. She smoother her hands over her dress a final time before heading back towards slytherin house. It was hard not to feel nervous, Preston had wanted to walk with her to the ball so they could have some time alone, some time to talk. She inhaled sharply at the thought as she found herself closer to the house portal. Did she really have any reason to be nervous? Yes, she really did. For so long she had heard the talk of her name, how she wasn't as good as the other purebloods. Could this be a chance to move up? Was that horrible to think of Preston as someone who could help her have a better standing with her peers? Possibly. In fact most likely.

She made her way into the dimly lit common room. It seemed most everyone had left for the ball already Well, this was it then, wasn't it? She held her breath as she caught sight of him. School uniforms did not do him justice, not like what he dawned now. She smiled in his direction and approached him. She stood taller tonight, not just because of the heels. She held herself with false confidence, maybe if she faked it long enough it would become real confidence. Unsure of what to say Bryony just let the first words that came to mind slip from her mouth. "Hey now, Preston, I should have said you weren't allowed to look prettier than me." It took a moment for her words to fully sink in, and sh quickly followed with an after thought, "I'm joking of course, you hardly look pretty, though you do look rather handsome all dressed up." Maybe she could do this. She did her best to relax, he didn't have to be intimidating, this night didn't have to be intimidating.

outfit: dress
tag:PRESTON JANDON SHERWOOD

[PRESTON JANDON SHERWOOD]

Preston was getting ready, well watching Drew get ready, he didn't have to meet up with Bryony until a little while later and Drew was a bit wound-up. He sighed when the boy in question left and started to ready himself, he really did hate ties, he always draped his over his neck to show that he at least somewhat respected the school uniform. Still this was a dance and he had a date, and needed to be the Pureblood gentleman his mother and father raised. Sighing he picked up the corsage he had brought, it was an american tradition he wasn't sure if it applied here, though. Still it was a dance, she was pretty and the red and black would go awesomely with her dress...hopefully.

PJ wasn't usually this untogether when he was on a date, mostly because the girls he dated were flings during his travels, or hunters who knew the boy wasn't all sunshine and daisies. He wanted to prove he wasnt a terribe person, well not as terrible as he thought. Which confused him to know end, he was a pureblood from a prominent family in America, it didn't just go away when you moved to Britain.

Walking into the common room he waited leaning against the fireplace and talking to the other guys who were waiting for their date or simply not going. Usually it was him not going, or simply at the dance not caring for a date, he would always find someone to dance with. He looked up at the door when she walked in, she was beautiful and completely uncomfortable in her skin, he thought that was cute. Her adorableness that boreder nerdy and the way she said whatever came to mind. After awhile of stuffy dances, one got tired of girls who only said what they thought you would like, or made them seem good.

"Hey ony, and pretties a new one but I highly doubt I look better than you, you look beautiful." He smiled softly and offered her he corsage, with a sheepish look "Its sort of a tradition in America when going to dances, I haven't seen alot of girls corsages, so I didn't know if they did that here" his explaination was a bit rushed.After he helped her put it on he shoved his hands in his pants pocket. "you ready to go?

BRYONY CATE MOONBERRY

corsage
outfit but with a red tie, yes ik its supposed to not match well

[BRYONY CATE MOONBERRY]

Try as she might Bryony could not help or hide the way her cheeks reddened at his compliment. It was one thing to have read the words when he wrote them it was another to hear them in person. It wasn't that she found herself to be bad looking, no she'd seen girls who were unattractive and she did not count herself as one. But beautiful? "You're too kind, but, thank you." While her words were modest the smile on her lips and the gleam in her eyes showed her true appreciation of his compliment. After all, what girl doesn't like to hear that they look beautify?

Bryony was a little caught off guard when he presented her with the corsage. She had no idea if it was a tradition for dances here as this was the first time she had gone with a date. Still she grazed her finger tips over the silk like red petals and smiled with wonderment. "Its beautiful, thank you." She breathed the words as if this was the greatest gesture in the world her gaze drifting from the wrist piece to him. Most of what she knew of Preston was rumors and the few observations she had made from time spent in the same room, overall the boy was an enigma to her. The few letters had given her a glimpse of who he was, or at least who he was trying to be perceived as but it was hardly enough to say she knew exactly who she was attending this dance with.

When he asked if she was ready to go she nodded. "Yes, very much so." Or at least as ready as she would ever be. She found herself jealous of his pockets, why didn't they make dresses with pockets? Instead she folded her hands together and tried not to fidget with them too much. "Lead away my dear dams- my good sir." She smirked ever so slightly when she almost called him a damsel knowing he would have caught the near slip up. It was their own joke though, so maybe he would have a laugh. Or if anything maybe it would break the ice a bit.

tag:PRESTON JANDON SHERWOOD

[PRESTON JANDON SHERWOOD]

Preston was smiled, before waving it off "you dont need thank someone for saying something that's true" He decided that his favorite thing about Bryony at the moment was tied between her modesty and her innocence. He knew he couldn't corrupt it, or let anything else corrupt it but he pushed that to the side, she was a pureblood she had nothing to worry about. Her eyes were probably the most expressive thing about her and coming from him that meant alot.

He was all about reading posture, when you couldnt see the eyes, someone's posture told you everything. Preston made a mental note to Check her eyes constantly, to see signs of doubt or discomfort. Tonight would be something that could never be matched for her, he would do his best to make it so.

"Your welcome" he said as he helped her slip it on her wrist, it fit well with her dress. He was glad he hadnt completely screwed up the colors, Porter was the more fashionable one out of the two. He snorted at her slip up and smiled. "If im the damsel, shouldn't you be the one leading to safety?" He said before taking one of his hands out his pocket and gently grabbing hers. He lead her out the common room, with a a smirk. He may have been a bit unsure how this would end but Preston always had Confidence even if it was a forced calmness.

"So Ony, tell me about yourself." He said letting their joined hands hang between them. He started walking slow, the dance wasn't important now, she was. Drew could fend for himself and Dahlia could keep him in line somewhat, and he was no hurry to see langbee with the redhead he was trying to forget. He wouldn't make Bryony feel like the second choice, even if she wasn't his first. Even if Preston was a horrible person, he never played on a girls insecurities or self-esteem. He was always honest about what he wanted and he wantes to make sure this dance was special for her, on ly he should've know or at least been wary of the fact things never went the way you wanted them to in life.

BRYONY CATE MOONBERRY

[BRYONY CATE MOONBERRY]

Her smile parted into a small grin knowing he had picked up on what she was going to say. There was something about this little joke that made her feel more at ease with Preston. Not that she felt uneasy for any reason, more just, unsure. While there were no expectations that almost made her feel as if she would have to put in a bit more effort - but for what she was not sure. "Well if you seem too distressed tonight I promise I'll come to your rescue - be pretty rubbish savior if I just left you to the wolves." By wolves, she meant the other students - not actual wolves. The irony was in her ignorance.

It was funny how easily she let him take her hand. She was accustom to holding hands with Sylvia, but Preston's hand was far from the soft and dainty hand of her twin's cousin's hand. Never the less she held to his hand, she moved her fingers to slip in between his. She walked in pace with him, they had wrote about taking the walk to the dance as time to get to know one another and she would be lying if she said in no way she felt intimidated by this. Was there anything all that interesting to know about her?

But just as she was starting try and think of what to say he spoke, she turned her head slightly to look at him. With someone else she might have started by listing her parents and what they did in life, then she might have gone on about the clubs she was in and the silly hobbies her mother had tried to get her interested in. But some how the idea of going on like that seemed mundane. Well no it didn't just seem as if it was, it really was. "My favorite color is turquoise, but not the bright turquoise. More like, a lake after it rains, where its that deep dark blue-green....Everyone thinks its green, but its not, its turquoise and its beautiful." As a painter colors were important to Bryony, she still felt a little silly for picking her favorite color as the fist thing to tell Preston about herself.

"They say you can judge a lot about a person based off their favorite color. Then again they say you can learn a lot about someone based on the sky they were born under. I guess its really all about perception..." She trailed off a bit sticking her tongue in her cheek as she thought about what she had said a bit. "So, I guess in that sense knowing my favorite color might not tell you all that much about me, perhaps there is something specific you'd like to know? Personally, I know that I'm rather curious about your family - or well, your siblings, is it just you and your brother?" Bryony didn't know what having a real sibling was like, Sylvia was the closest thing she had to one and for years her mother had tried to keep them apart. In some ways she found herself envious of those who had true bothers and sisters.

tag:PRESTON JANDON SHERWOOD

[PRESTON JANDON SHERWOOD]

It was different walking hand in hand with somone who wasn't aware of his family and PJ couldn't say he didnt like it. He was still unsure about everything, most things but he knew he wanted to have a good time, wanted her to have a good time. As he listened to her joke he was made painfully aware of her innocence and that cemented the belief that PJ needed to keep it that way "True, ill be sure to signal you if I need saving, you can be my super hero" He said smiling cheekily, doing anything he could to get the subject away from wolves. He wouldn't let his past or future ruin this night for Bryony. Ignorance was indeeed bliss and he had no idea his attempts would be invain.

Listening to her silence, he wondered if she was as guarded as he was, though she didnt stay quiet for long Pj was good at reading the silence. He forgotten how pureblood centric England was, the value of having a good name, even if it was a dark one. He recalled her letters and how she was distressed over her last name and figured her parents must have talked...or rather ingrained into her the same name stereotype or name power thing...(whatever it was called) that most people had. However PJ didn't think she was the type to dislike muggle-borns or half-bloods.

He listened as she told him her favorite color, in very vivid details and he smiled "You're and artist" it came out as a question but he really wasn't asking one, more likr making an observation. Unless she was an aura reader, then well that was something else. He figured it was the former, she was an artist.

"Of course you're favorite color says alot about you, im not entirely sure i have a favorite...I only wear dark colors and leather jackets...white t-shirts. I lack a color palette as my brother likes to say. I have a brother named Parker in your year and a sister Named Penny in fifth year. They're blonde like my father" For some reason, he skipped over the subject of his twin and he wondered for a breif second why before he focused solely one Bryony.

BRYONY CATE MOONBERRY

[BRYONY CATE MOONBERRY]

Was it possible to look down on those of lesser blood but still love one so dearly? It was a question that Bryony struggled with daily. Duty before desire. Blood before heart. But what about when the heart is blood as well? Her mother always said loving Sylvia would be her downfall, that no good would come of her continuation of socialization with the half-breed filth. Harsh words and harsh thoughts that Bryony just could not bear. After all Sylvia was not just another person of lesser blood, she would never be comparable to the others. Not to Bryony at least.

She might have blushed at his assumption, that was if being an artist was blush worthy. Instead it merely brought out her smile again as she glanced at him. "That obvious?" While his words had the hint of a question in them the way he spoke made it sound more like a statement. "A painter, if you want to get specific. Like my father. Though I dabble, I just find paint to have a purity to it. Maybe its the way it blends. Or maybe its just the way everything works when the piece is complete and enchanted." There was something she had loved about being able to capture a moment for all of time in a way that a photograph could not.

"Dark colors can often be thought of as the most beautiful you know, and mysterious. Think about the night sky, deep blues and purples that hold the cosmos. Or-Or, the dark greens and browns of the forest as it fades into the distance. I think your brother needs to realize that every color palette has its own tints and hues, some just favor tints." Why was she still on about colors? Well there was no taking back her little color rant so she just tried not to think of it as something to be embarrassed about. "Oh, Parker, I should have guessed you were brothers." She said feeling a little absentminded for not connecting the names.

"I just have Sylvia my tw- my cousin. She's the ravenclaw champion." She bit at her tongue after speaking. Her mother might have scolded her for bringing Sylvia up. But what good was it to lie? "Its funny you see, because we were born under the twin stars - on the same day, not even an hour apart. She is the closest thing I have to a sister." She got a bit quiet at the end, yes her mother could not be pleased if she knew she carried on about Sylvia like this. "Which I guess is nothing like having a real sibling." She gave a small laugh at herself and pushed some lose hairs out of her eyes before looking to Preston hoping to find a face that lacked judgement on her foolish words.

What did it matter though, wasn't this just going to be one night? "I hope you know, I'm really happy you asked me. Not just because you're, well you know-" She said giving him a look up and down with a coy smile lingering on her lips, "gorgeous- more because, well I don't really know. Its just really thoughtful and, you're really sweet Preston - so, thank you."

tag:PRESTON JANDON SHERWOOD