Beautiful Day (Devin)

[Tessa Verity]

It was a gorgeous day, with the sun shining, and just warm enough that Tess left her scarf inside.

She had already caught up on her school work, and had nothing to do. It was such a beautiful day that she couldn't waste her time inside. So she grabbed a novel she was working on and headed down to the lake, settling into the grass.

She listened to the other students in the distance, and the sound of the lake , and let herself get wrapped up in the novel.

[Devin Sheppard]

Devin found himself outside, mainly out of boredom, and was walking towards the lake. It was a nice autumn day and he'd wanted to enjoy it before it got too cold. He really didn't have anything better to do today and you never knew who might be down by the lake to keep an afternoon interesting. He would have gone to the library for the same reason, but Madam Macrae would be there at this time of day anyways.

As walked down the edge of the lake, he saw a cute little blond with a book in her hand. Of course he wasn't going to miss a golden opportunity... so he walked over to her. "Enjoying the last of the autumn sun too?"

[Tessa Verity]

Naturally, Tess was smiling when she looked up, though she was squinting just a little to be able to see him. She didn't know the boy who stood in front of her, but she recognized him from Slytherin, she believed.

"Yes, I am. It was entirely impossible to pass up such a beautiful day." She was genuine when she said this.

[Devin Sheppard]

"A beautiful day for a beautiful girl to be out at the lake," he agreed, his compliment slid off his tongue without any effort. "I don't believe I've met you before, where ever have you been hiding yourself? My name is Devin Sheppard.... Slytherin." He added the last since he wasn't wearing any of his uniform clothing today to identify his house.

[Tessa Verity]

Her eyes studied him for a moment. Instead of blushing at the two or three compliments in there, she almost didn't trust them.

"It's very nice to meet you, Devin. I'm Contessa Verity... Hufflepuff," she good naturedly mimicked the way he had introduced himself. She loved that after 6 years, she could still be meeting new people.

[Devin Sheppard]

"I know you must be in classes with me but for some reason I don't think I've ever had the pleasure to actually meet you. Though I intend to rectify that situation now that I've realized my mistake." To be honest he did recognize her, but they were obviously in different crowds if she was Hufflepuff and that explained a lot. "Mind if I sit?"

[Tessa Verity]

So he was a charmer, that much was painfully obvious, though she did not yet assume he had less than admiral intent. It wasn't fair to assume the worst about people, and so Tess never did.

She motioned to the grass next to her. "Please do," she replied, indicating that she had no problems with him joining her at all.

[Devin Sheppard]

Devin folded his legs under himself as he sat so that one leg was on the ground in a v and the other was bent so that he could rest his arm on it. It was a casual but well thought out position so that he could look at her easily and still look casual about it. He set his head against his hand and smiled looking at her. "Thank you. Hufflepuff huh? Hard working and loyal, yes?" He was trying to get her to talk about herself without actually asking her outright. It was more fun when they did it on their own.

[Tessa Verity]

"That's the general consensus," she replied, leaning back on her hands and crossing her legs at the ankle. In fact, she was very hard working, and more loyal than was strictly necessary. She believed in loyalty.

She was quiet for a minute before she raised one eyebrow, wondering how he would respond to his own house's reputation.

"Cunning enough to use any means... isn't that right?"

[Devin Sheppard]

He debating answering that, the fact it was true wasn't going to help his cause with getting a sunny hufflepuff girl he could already tell. "Ambitious enough to go after what I want" He tried to correct her, it was also true but didn't sound as harsh or manipulative.

[Tessa Verity]

"Ah," Tess said, nodding, as if that made all the difference in the world. The truth was, she didn't see the difference at all. He had given away something about himself in that answer, at least.

"Well, it's good to have goals and the willingness to achieve them."

[Devin Sheppard]

"I am always willing to achieve my goals, aren't you? Surely you have goals too?" He wondered what things she liked in life, what goals he could use to reel her into his bed. She seemed friendly enough and he was sure she would be interesting once she gave in to him.

[Tessa Verity]

"Surely," Tess replied, using his word. "I do have goals, of course." She realized now that it was silly to think anyone wouldn't.

But she didn't know what to say to him. He was a Slytherin... was he really interested in idle chit chat? Why not?

"You're a 7th year, right?"

[Devin Sheppard]

"Yes, I am. And what are your goals?" he asked the question, he was if nothing else able to focus on a goal, and learning about her was his current goal. The more he knew the easier it would be to get her into his bed. His smile however was actually very genuine, she was very beautiful and a pleasure to look at.

[Tessa Verity]

He had changed the topic quickly, and back to their previous discussion so quickly that it took her a moment to figure out how to respond.

"Oh. Uhm... Well, doing well on my NEWTs and getting a good job once I graduate. That's short term. Long term, I suppose I'd like what anyone wants... success, stability, a family."

[Devin Sheppard]

"And what type of job do you see yourself in once you graduate? Success is something I can understand." Stability and family however ...had never left him with any desire to add them to his goals.. but he did understand wanting success. Of course his success had nothing to do with a job, he didn't need money he had that.. stability was an illusion.. and family was another illusion that his own father had shown him was nothing more than a waste of time.

[Tessa Verity]

Tess shrugged and laughed, feeling a little foolish for really not knowing what she wanted to do when she graduated. Specifically, anyway. She had ideas.

"I would really like to work with children." She could have been happy as a professional nanny, but she didn't voice this to him. She was pretty sure he would have laughed at that. "And you?" she asked. "Or are you even planning on working?"

[Devin Sheppard]

Devin's smile didn't waver, in fact it increased slightly. She really was a do gooder, it was quite cute on her too. He found himself attracted to her and interested in her, she would be a challenge, he thought. He always found a challenge interesting though. "I don't have to work, no... but I'm sure my family's work in public functions, charities and taking over the family business will keep me busy."

[Tessa Verity]

Tess smiled and her shoulders seemed to relax a little. There were a couple of things in there that she could talk about, though one stuck out.

"I'm sure it will," she said with a nod. "What sort of charities does your family support?" She was genuinely interested, but if that fell flat, she wanted to know what his family's business was too.

[Devin Sheppard]

"Some of the more high profile ones lately, Wizards for Creature Rights, Magical Support of Mystical Maladies, and of course those that deal with financed magical children or orphans." All charities his family were involved in and none of which he really cared a whit about but he was obligated to support them financially in his social position because his family did and it provided a good image.