He sat back and watched the other people in the pub fingers drumming on the table. Taking his eyes away the young archer picked up his butterbeer and took a long drink from it. He liked it but it wasn't his favorite by far, not that he cared for butterscotch anyway. He'd gotten here before her as she had asked to go into a shop. He was nervous enough as is so he said he'd go on and find a table in the Three Broomsticks. Tapping his foot now he looked around and smiled as she walked in, motioning her over to the table.

When she sat down he smiled again at her. She was even cuter out of uniform than she was wearing it. He slipped off the quiver on his back as he nestled it beside his bow, it made him feel more comfortable when he had them with him. He took a deep breath in as he nudged her buttterbeer across the table to her.

"I got you one just in case. Wasn't sure if you wanted one," he said with a smile.

He sat back and adjusted the brown vambraces over his forearms. Today he was relaxed dressed in his brown pants, leather boots, green shirt with hood and the belt that ran from over one should to under his other arm that helped to hold his bow. He kept his hood down and ran a hand through his hair. He stayed quiet not sure what to say next. He wanted in a way for this not to be tutoring but if that's what it ended up being he'd be alright with that.

It has been awhile since Winona had been to Hogsmeade. She felt bad for being drawn into one of the book shops when Elian wanted to head on over to the Three Broomsticks. She agreed to meet up with him, but she didn't take long. Winona was quickly in and out and she walked into the Three Broomsticks. It was good to be out of uniform for once. Winona enjoyed the weekends.. Even nerds needed to have days off. Capri jeans hugged her curves and white, knit flats adorned her dainty feet. She wore a navy blue V-neck shirt, that wasn't loose, but not too tight either. Her blue eyes looked around and saw Elian sitting there, quiver and bow on the ground. She had suspected he was athletic, seeing as Archery might be the sport of his choice.

With a wide smile, she took a seat, tucking her hair behind her ear, and over one shoulder. Biting her lip, she took the butter beer, sipping it. It was one of her favorites drinks to say and she liked it on hot days. "Thanks," she said, looking up at him. "Butterbeers are my favorite.. or at least one of them." She giggled softly and set down the mug down. With her elbows on the table, chin cradled in her hands, she nodded towards the bow and quiver. "You didn't really strike me as an archer, Elian. You have to show me your skills someday," she said with a soft muse in her voice. "How was your Saturday so far?"

She was doing it again, it must be a girl thing. His sisters were always doing that too, tucking their hair behind their ears, biting their lips, but them it was annoying. When Winona did it however, it was cute, attractive. He had guessed right and smiled when she accepted the butter bear and remarked that it was one of her favorite drinks, he would remember that for later. He took a moment to glance over her outfit while she was talking. It was pretty and it all suited her well.

When she mentioned the bow and arrow his hand immediately went to it, grasping the binding around the middle as he lifted it. Setting it on the table in front of him so she could see it, his hands caressed the wood like it was a part of him, which it indeed had become since it was crafted.

"I love archery. My mother used to tell me stories of Robin Hood when I was little. I made this one myself last year. I've had others before but none as good as this," he said with a small smile as he looked up at her. "My arrows are all hand crafted too and enchanted to return to me when called."

His face lit up and he relaxed the more he got talking about archery. After a little bit he stopped realizing that he had been rambling on about it for a good few minutes. He shook his head and moved them off the table once she had time to inspect them if she wanted.

"I'm sorry, I'm rambling. You don't really want to know about the difference the feathers can make on the velocity and flight patterns. My Saturday is going well. First time I've taken off in a bit. What about you?"

The beauty of the bow made Winona look surprised. Archery was never really an interest of hers, though her father adored the sport. He found it much more enjoyable to watch then Quidditch. Winona loved to watch Quidditch. It was a game of strategy and you had to be fast. But with archery, you needed patience and self control-- Not to mention the accuracy and precision skills you have to have. The way his hand slid over the smooth wood and the way he held it showed that he cared about it a lot.

"May I?"

Her small hand reached over slowly and she stroked the wood, feeling it's smooth surface beneath her palm. The design was amazing... and the aerodynamics had to be remarkably amazing on it.

"I love archery. My mother used to tell me stories of Robin Hood when I was little. I made this one myself last year. I've had others before but none as good as this. My arrows are all hand crafted too and enchanted to return to me when called."

As he smiled and looked up at her, she smiled back. In his eyes, Winnie could tell this meant a lot to him. "You made this? Yourself?" Her voice was full of awe and wonder. "Elian, that's amazing.. It's gorgeous," she breathed. Her hand came back and she took a sip of her butter beer. All Winona could see was the way his face would radiate with such an adoration for the sport and he seemed so proud of himself.

"I'm sorry, I'm rambling. You don't really want to know about the difference the feathers can make on the velocity and flight patterns. My Saturday is going well. First time I've taken off in a bit. What about you?"

That got her attention more then the beauty of the archery. Physics? Her eyes sparkled at the word velocity.

"But I do," she said, with a giggle. Winona adjusted her seat, and scooted closer to the table. With her elbows back up, chin in hand, she waved her other one. "Simple Saturday for me. Tell me about the velocity and stuff.. How do you know all that?" The fact he was interested in all that made her blue eyes sparkle with curiosity.

Elian felt his body relaxing the more he talked about the archery. Her smile made his all the brighter and when she complemented his bow his smiled widened even more. He couldn't believe that he could be so relaxed around a girl. He did take pride in his work and in his craft. It had taken him so long to figure out how to make the bow just the way he wanted and he had the many failed attempts to prove it.

"I can't tell you how long it took, but it was worth it," he said as he pulled out a couple arrows and set them down on the table.

He talked for a long while on his arrows and the physics behind it all. He didn't know how long he talked but he was spurred on by the light in her eyes. Her fascination just made his even more tangible and vibrant. He wanted to keep talking, to see her eyes light up and sparkle. He wanted her to keep smiling like that. Reaching of one of his arrows to hand it to her he paused feeling not wood but skin beneath his hand.

Looking down he saw her hand under his. He stayed like that a moment before blushing and pulling his hand back. Her hands were small and fit easily under his. He gave her an awkward smile as his blush deepened, moving to take a drink of his butterbeer.

"I"m sorry...."

Physics... What a beautiful thing. Now there was something Winnie would love to master one day. Everything and anything she studied was based off physics. Nothing in this world would be possible without the aid and help of the laws of physics. As he bent to show her an arrow, she bit her lip in excitement. Her blue eyes watched him and as he handed over the arrow, she had reached for it at the same time. What she had felt was the smooth wood, but that wasn't the only thing. On top of her hand, was his hand. Her teeth let her lower lip go, as she looked down in awe. Red rushed to her cheeks and she bit her lip, giggling sort of.

The minute he recoiled his hand, she let the arrow on the table and reached into her bag for hand sanitizer. "No.. no," she said, rummaging. "Don't worry about it," she said. Her stomach was flipping, her face was hot and her arms had goosebumps. Finding her sanitizer, she sat up, rubbing her hands together with the germ killing liquid. "It-- I don't,... I didn't really.." She swallowed some, before brushing her bangs out of her view. "I didn't mind," she whispered.

Reaching for the arrow, she gently caressed it, admiring it's handy work. Her blue eyes yearned to look up at him, but she kept them glued on the arrow. "You really have a gift.. You've definitely have to take me to the archery range some day.. If you want.. after that... thing? I mean, I didn't mind.. and all, but maybe you minded and I understand, why hold hands with a weird girl.." Winona muttered on and on, her eyes finally looking up at him. Finally, she stopped. "Sorry.. I'm just not used to this," she whispered, looking away, her mind calling her an idiot.

Elian saw the red rush up to her cheeks as they both pulled back from the touch. He saw her go for the sanitizer but didn't say a word, still to embarrassed to even let himself speak. She spoke for them though. The more she did the more he smiled and relaxed again. It was good to know that he wasn't the only nervous one in this situation. He ran a hand through his hair as he put the arrows back in the quiver. Anything to have something to do.

He smiled and finished of his drink as he listened to her ramble. He wasn't trying to be distant but he just needed something to do with his hands. He needed to quell the want to have her hand under his, in his again. What was he thinking, he needed to stop rambling in his own head for once. People were going to think he was crazy. He did nod when she said he should take her to the range.

"We won't have to. I'm allowed to practice on the school grounds so long as I'm not shooting or aiming when other students are near. We can set up my targets there and I can show you," he said after she had finished all her rambles.

Shaking his head he smiled saying," I didn't mind. I'd hold your hand anytime...all the time...I mean..." he stopped himself with a blush after that.

"We won't have to. I'm allowed to practice on the school grounds so long as I'm not shooting or aiming when other students are near. We can set up my targets there and I can show you."
 
Her small hands were wrapped around her butter beer mug and her eyes staring at the butterscotch colored liquid. A smile remained on her lips, still from when their hands touched. The thought of him teaching her how to shoot an arrow made her blush. They would have to be in a pretty close proximity for that, and oddly, she didn't mind. Winona wasn't too obsessed with people touching her, it was the fact that if she could feel the germs or not.

"I'd like that.. a lot," she said, finally looking up and meeting his eyes. "Just don't laugh at me," she said, giggling some.

" I didn't mind. I'd hold your hand anytime...all the time...I mean..."

Her eyes sparkled some, with the glint of happiness. It was kind of cute how he stumbled over his words and whatnot. "Now, why would you want to do a thing like that," she asked, giving a one shouldered shrug. Raising her cup, she sipped her butter beer and set it down again. "I'm the dorkiest, nerdiest girl most likely in Hogwarts, and you want to hold my hand all the time?" The question came out incredulous, but it was an honest question. "You'll be teased," she whispered, winking at him.

Smiling at her Elian set his mug aside and watched her. He couldn't help but smile at her. He didn't know what in the world was wrong with him but he didn't much care at the moment. Nodding he settled his quiver back down beside him and turned back to her. Laugh at her? He wouldn't dare laugh. Well he would but under the right circumstances. Every started somewhere.

"I won't laugh. Unless it's just really funny and I might because I've been there. You can't be as bad as me. When I first started I strung my bow wrong and it popped me in the face. I cried like a baby, then again I was six," he said with a small chuckle.

Why would he want to hold her hand all the time? That was a good question and one his mouth seemed more eager to answer than his brain wanted. It brought a deep blush to his face and he turned away immediately after saying it but it came out anyway.

"You're beautiful, you're funny. You don't look at me like I'm weird when I talk about archery. No girls I've ever managed to get this far talking to, that aren't old friends,have ever taken an interest and truly seemed like they wanted to know more. I might have looks but I still get the 'You are strange' and other type looks."

"When I first started I strung my bow wrong and it popped me in the face. I cried like a baby, then again I was six."

Winona almost choked on air as she burst into a fit of giggles. All she could picture going through her head was a little boy, with a big head, trying to shoot an arrow and getting hit in the face. "S--sorry," she said, trying to breathe through her giggles. Brushing her hair out of her face, her hand covered her wide smile as she finished up her laughing fit. "I'm... hehe, I'm sorry. It's not funny-- but, it is at the same time." Her hands went to her mug as she finished off her drink, soothing her almost sore-from-laughing throat. "You were probably a cute little thing," she commented.

"You're beautiful, you're funny. You don't look at me like I'm weird when I talk about archery. No girls I've ever managed to get this far talking to, that aren't old friends,have ever taken an interest and truly seemed like they wanted to know more. I might have looks but I still get the 'You are strange' and other type looks."

The compliments were like a small paintbrush, gently brushing the blush of blushes across her cheeks. She looked down in her lap, a humbled smile written across her lips. "I'm different," she said, looking at him through her bangs, Brushing them aside, she shoved her hands between her legs and shrugged, looking at him. "And I'm sure that's the biggest thing we have in common: we're different." Winona didn't mind being different, but she had enough heart not to hang around someone to have them get bullied around too. "And, you ARE strange, especially to me. I don't hang around boys much. I have a really good guy friend named Atticus.. and well, he was a tad skeptical of me coming, if you would say. But, you two are about the only two guy friends I have. I'm not around boys like girls around here who know every male in the school."

Elian smiled when she laughed and shook his head. It was funny now, but to a six year old it was devastating. He couldn't help but eventually join in with her laughing as he cleared his throat. He didn't have any butterbeer left to drink so he settled for that. She was cute and he was starting to like her...well starting happened when he had seen her in the library a few times before they had actually spoken. His sister, knowing his crush had teased him about her.

He felt something subside when she mentioned that they were friends. Of course they were, they had only just met, how could they be anything more. Still it didn't sit well with him. He wanted more, for once he wanted to see if he could have a relationship that spanned more than a week or two.  Licking his lips he looked at her and moved like he was going to reach for her but just set his hand down on the table.

"Winny...Winona...I was thinking...maybe we could be more than friends? I like you. I'd like to go on a date with you," he said quietly as if he was terrified she'd run away and take offense to his confession.

Winnie could remember sitting in front of the mirror as her mother brushed her hair. Her mother had sleek, golden blonde hair; as most Veela do. Winona had her father's chestnut brown hair with some occasional golden tint in the sun. Her hair was super straight, it had a wave to it: volume if you will. Her mother would tell her all the time how her Veela charm would have boys flock to her and she would be the center of attention. Deep down, Winnie never really wanted any of that. She would keep quiet, letting her mother brush her hair and talk about the dreams she had for her daughter. Attention was never her thing, and neither was boys.... and here she was..

"Winny...Winona...I was thinking...maybe we could be more than friends? I like you. I'd like to go on a date with you."

She looked up quickly, her breath caught in her throat. This is what her mother was trying to prepare her for. Now, Elian is not the first boy to ask her out... and there was a good chance he could be the first to have a chance. But, Winona-- she wasn't sure she was... ready.. Her mind was telling her over and over again that she was ready for something like this.. that she could handle it. Her mind flashed to Atticus and trying to think of what he would tell her. That thought didn't help much either.

Her lips parted as she looked at him, the color somewhat draining from her cheeks. It felt like her stomach had stopped fluttering and was gone. She stood, putting her knapsack over her shoulder. "I-- I.. I gotta go.. Elian, I thought we were here for.. Herbology... not... this.. It's not me you want okay? It's this stupid Veela in me, okay?" Her eyes held a sadness.. Winona would never know who truly liked her for her and not the Veela charm. Pushing her chair in, she locked eyes with him. "I'm sorry," she whispered and began to walk towards the exit of Three Broomsticks.

When Elian saw the color drain from her face he knew he had failed. His heart sank into his stomach as he watched her quickly stand up, pull her bag up and tell him she was sorry. What had he done wrong? Was it too soon? He sighed when she told him it wasn't her he wanted but the Veela in her. Of course that wasn't true, but he could see it in her eyes that it's what she truly believed. Licking his lips he let her make it out the door before he stood.

Grabbing his bow and quiver he swung them on and hurried after her. Catching her by the arm in a gentle grasp he stopped her from moving though made his touch light enough that she could break it if she really wanted to. He wasn't attracted to her just because she was part or all Veela, that wasn't it at all. He had been around Veela before and as hard as it had been he had begun to learn the difference and how to say no, though he was human like the rest and when the charms were turned up it was still difficult.

"Winona, I didn't mean to offend you. I'm sorry, but I do like you. How can I like someone for only being a Veela when all I know is that they're human to me? Merlin's beard I sound stupid, and I know it's hard for you to believe. My mother has told me I'm practically worthless all my life. I know what it's like to grow up hearing something and trying not to believe it.

"I'm not asking for pity, I just want you to know I understand. If you don't want this, then I won't ask again. I don't want to ruin a friendship because I got stupid and ahead of myself. But please, if I have a chance at all, I want to know. Please."

He looked down at her with a knowing look and a want in his eyes. He did like her but he didn't want to hurt her or ruin a friendship because he let his emotions get in the way. He'd rather see her happy than hurt her or lose her as a friend.

Winona could hear the footsteps behind her and she wanted to stop... She wanted to go back and tell him that she liked him too, but something held her back... No, literally. She felt his hand gently take her arm. For a while, she didn't turn her head or look at him, she just kind of stopped. With a soft exhale, she looked over at him, blue eyes slightly teared up from the thoughts attacking her. All she could think is that Elian only wanted her because she was half Veela..

Feelings like these were so unorthodox to Winnie and she felt overwhelmed. It felt as if she was being confined in a tiny box, only being allowed to breathe through a straw. Her free hand wiped her eyes and she looked down at their feet. Crying was never a big thing of hers because she rarely cried. Only a couple people in her lifetime had seen her leak tears and they have known her for a while by now.

When she heard his voice, the cerulean eyes looked up, locking onto his. Listening, she knew that there was more to their qualities in common then just being plain old strangers. "My mother made it very clear to me that all I am... is beauty. Elian, I don't want that. I don't want you to want me because of that--" She spoke softly. "You.." Winona bit her lip, eyes looking into his. These sort of decisions were all so new to her.. She had to go with her heart, and listen to it. It was the only sane thing giving her advice. "Elian.. You do.. You do have a chance... Why-- why wouldn't you? I mean," she felt herself giggle with the comedic relief she was thinking. "Look at you.. You're.. You're.. pretty wow," she said, giggling softly, wiping her eyes more.