Vlad Alone

[Vlademiere Astor]

((First Hogsmeade weekend; continuation of my RP sample.))

Well, here Vlad was. At Hogsmeade. Alone. Without Mirabelle, the love of his life and the girl he was probably going to marry once they got out of school. It didn't make sense. Vlad always came to Hogsmeade with Mirabelle. They'd been going together since they met in third year, first as friends and then as boyfriend and girlfriend. It was a tradition and Mirabelle never, ever stood Vlad up. They were in love, weren't they? Well, Mirabelle said she loved Vlad and Vlad knew he loved her a lot. So yes. They were in love.

So why hadn't she come? Mirabelle knew where they were meeting and she knew what time to get there. Yet here he was, wandering aimlessly around the streets trying to figure out why she never came. He had been sitting there for twenty minutes waiting on her and she never showed. Vlad was a little worried. Was she sick? Was she mad at him? Was she...seeing someone else?!

"She just forgot." Vlad told himself finally. "She forgot it was a Hogsmeade weekend." They could go again tomorrow. Hogsmeade weekends lasted two days, after all. Maybe this was a good thing. Vlad didn't want to be attached at the hip to his girlfriend. Some space might do the two of them some good. The two of them were very close and Mirabelle sometimes complained to him about not being able to talk to her other friends. Still, it was unlike her to just cancel like this. She would have told him she didn't want to go. Vlad was worried.

So, here Vlad was. At Hogsmeade. Alone.

[Jade Tawny]

Jade wandered around the streets of Hogsmeade, stopping every now and then to look in a shop window. "KARA!" She stopped abruptly at the sound of her middle name being yelled very loudly, her younger sister was running towards her, looking rather upset. "Oh, what is it now, Christi?" She sighed, turning her blue eyes on the younger girl. "Ricky was being mean to my friends again." Jade rolled her eyes slightly. "I'll deal with you guys later, alright. I don't much feel like playing mother right now." Christi nodded, gave Jade a brief hug, and ran off.

Can't they solve anything themselves? Just for once?[i/] She thought, starting to walk again. She waved at little at a rather sombre looking boy as she passed. She paused and stepped back a little. "Is there a problem?" She asked him, tilting her head a little to one side.

[Vlademiere Astor]

Vlad paused as the girl addressed him. The fifth year blinked a few times, wondering whether he should talk to her or just keep on walking. It looked as though she was speaking to him and not someone else. It would be rude not to reply to her and the last thing Vlad wanted was for someone to think him rude. Vlad fancied himself to be a selfless gentleman (even if that was a bit of an exaggerated title) and nothing could be worse for a gentleman than to be called rude or uncaring. So, despite the fact that he really wanted to keep to himself right now, Vlad would speak to the girl.

"My girlfriend and I were going to go on a date today. We always go to Hogsmeade together, you know? We've been going together since we met and we've never missed one weekend." He began, meeting the girls' eyes. Eye contact was key in any conversation. Vlad had always been taught that. You looked at people when you spoke to them. "She stood me up. I think she forgot. We made plans just yesterday, though." It was probably a little more information than the girl, whoever she was, wanted from him, but Vlad supposed it didn't matter. He'd told her what was wrong. She'd asked if there was a problem and Vlad told her about it.

((Shoort.))

[Jade Tawny]

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Jade said, her eyes softening slightly. "That was really horrible of her. How long have you been going out? If it's not long, then it would be a little more understandable, but if you've been dating for a while then I really would've thought that she would tell you if she couldn't make it." She gave him a small smile. "I'm Jade, by the way, Jade Tawny."

[Vlademiere Astor]

Her oxymoron of a name caused Vlad to crack a smile. "Great name. I love it." He replied. "It's nice to meet you, Jade. My name is Vlad Astor. As for my girlfriend, Mirabelle and I will have been dating for...let's see. Two years next month, I think. I'm not sure. My math's not that good." Vlad had always been terrible with numbers. That was why his grade was so poor in Arithmancy right now. He didn't know why he was so bad with numbers. He just was. Vlad got tutoring, medication to help him focus...the works. Nothing really seemed to work and the professor finally just came to terms with the fact that Vlad was not good when it came to numbers. It wasn't that he was stupid or he didn't study. Vlad studied as hard as he could in subjects where he was failing and he certainly wasn't stupid (his good marks in his other classes showed that). He just wasn't good at math.

But, grades aside, Jade was right. It wasn't like Mirabelle to spend hours making plans with him and then ditch him on the day of their date. If something came up, she told him promptly so that he wouldn't be left waiting for her while the rest of their year went off to have fun. There must be something wrong. He could've gotten the times mixed up or maybe she had mentioned she couldn't go on Saturday for some reason. She might have fallen ill or hurt herself playing Quidditch...Vlad normally didn't worry this much, but he loved Mirabelle and wanted her to be all right.

"I've been looking around to see if she decided to wait for me here instead." Vlad continued after a moment's pause. "But I haven't seen her at all."

[Jade Tawny]

Jade grinned and shrugged slightly. "I know, my name's a complete contradiction of my appearance." She giggled a little. "I had amazingly green eyes when I was born," She explained to him. "So my parents called me Jade. We're not exactly sure what happened to them, they just turned blue. Anyway, I'm sure there's a perfectly valid explanation for her not being here. Maybe she just got busy or something."

[Vlademiere Astor]

Vlad shrugged. "Well, peoples' appearances change as they get older. Sometimes naturally, sometimes not." He sighed a little. "Well, I officially have nothing to do now. Are you free? Want to go to the Three Broomsticks and get some butterbeer? You know, if you want to. I realize we just met and all. I'd just like some company if you have the time. If you don't want to, that's fine." Vlad didn't really like being all alone. He wasn't a very solitary person. Vlad liked having friends and liked having people to talk to. Silence and solitude were oppressive things. Vlad liked having company when he did things. Things were so much more fun when there was someone there to share it with you. He'd just met Jade, but what the heck. Vlad could always use another friend.

((Short.))

[Jade Tawny]

Jade grinned. "I'd be very happy accompany you." She said. "It sure beats sorting out my brother and sister's arguments." She added with a bright smile that made her blue eyes shine. Jade certainly didn't have anything else to do, and she'd love to have someone to talk to. That, and you can never have to many friends. Well, Jade couldn't. At least she didn't think.

[Vlademiere Astor]

Vlad grinned that charmingly stupid grin of his. "Great. Shall we go then?" Well, if Mirabelle wasn't going to show up, he could at least have some company on this dreadfully boring day. Jade seemed like a fairly nice girl. She cared enough to ask him what was wrong. Nobody else seemed to notice his foul mood over the fact that Mirabelle hadn't shown. "I'm so glad to have at least someone to talk to. I'll even buy for you, I'm so glad. I detest being alone. Come on, let's go." What was better than butterbeer and good conversation? It wasn't a bad way to spend the day. Not at all.

((Shortness. --;; Anyway, shall we continue in the Three Broomsticks?))

[Jade Tawny]

((Yes, do you want me to start it?))

[Vlademiere Astor]

((Sure.))