Percy Dervish had retreated from the public eye, save for classes and such scholastic pursuits.  He'd been humiliated unintentionally by Abigail Reid at Sophie Flickwick's New Year's party.  Just when Percy had begun to believe that a beautiful, friendly, funny girl like Abigail could be interested in him...his hopes were dashed.  Of course, it never took much to make Percy doubt himself and surrender.

But now Percy had his nose back in the books, studying a Herbology textbook idly.  It wasn't an intent study session, but more of something to half do out of boredom.  Percy was sitting up straight, even in his lounging time...keeping his posture aligned even without thinking of it.  He sighed as he turned a page and spoke to his little green and orange, fire bellied toad which was perched on his shoulder.

"Would you look at this, Grammar?  You'd think a wizard could proofread a bit better than "gerantium."  And we're supposed to learn from this.  Sad really."

Percy looked down to the little toad and chuckled, gesturing to the illustration on the next page.

"And the illustrations are ridiculously off scale.  This looks like the geranium could swallow someone whole!  Maybe we should send the good people at...Wizardry Knowledge Inc. a little letter of future revisions?"

Percy closed the book and then stared out a window...quiet for a few moments, though he'd already been speaking more fluidly and freely than anyone at Hogwart's had probably ever heard.  It was true that Percy was a fountain of knowledge...which helped him feel rather comfortable in Ravenclaw house.  However...Percy tried not to come off as a know-it-all.  It was a very difficult thing for him to attempt to appear confident, cool, and collected though.  Shedding the bookworm image had been quite trying for him...but Percy at least had the "looks" of a cool guy, whether he felt like one or not.  But...talking to his pet toad probably wouldn't help his image.

"So Grammar...what shall we talk about, my fine, fire bellied friend?  The professors of Hogwarts...the lovely ladies...or all these ridiculous parties for this silly muggle Valentine's...silliness?"

Little did Percy know  that a fellow Ravenclaw was nearby.

Ivory had been outside looking for some inspiration for a new series of paintings and sketches she wanted to do. It was a hobby true but she loved planning out what she hoped to get done next. Of course back home she had a room that was set aside for her unfinished projects. The sad thing was had a stranger looked at them they would have said they were wonderful and yet to Ivory they just weren't good enough to keep working on. She had taken a small camera to take reference shots of her subjects, students, Professors, the building structure and statues of the school. It had been a gift for Christmas the year before so she was excited to see what kind of images it could take. Of course it was a Muggle camera but she didn't care.

Having returned back to the Raven Tower as she sometimes called it inside her mind, she was still slightly out of breath as she walked through the entrance. No matter how many years or how good of shape she was, the Ravenclaw was sure that she would always be out of breath after climbing to the common room. She had been sure that she would be alone, the way she liked it lately but was surprised to hear the voice of a male in the room. Looking up since she had been looking down at her feet while trying to calm her rapid breathing, and was a bit shocked to see Percy a fellow Raven talking to what looked like himself. But when she heard the name Grammer she became curious.

“Who are you talking to?” She asked as she had never learned the name of his pet, though she had seen him with a toad a few times. Moving to a table that was by a rather comfortable looking chair, Ivie placed her camera down, so she might talk to the fellow claw without the weight of the device in her hand. “Are you okay Percy?” Yes trust Ivory to know the name of her house mate even if she had never spoken to him personally. It was her classic trait of being a people watcher as her brother and parents called her.

Percy jumped with a startled shock as Ivory spoke.  It wasn't that the girl was unusually frightening nor sneaky, it was simply the fact that Percy was rather nervous in the company of others most of the time.  This was also a strong reason that Percy struggled in social situations.  He constantly battled self doubt.

Percy had only had brief and rather impersonal interactions with Ivory up to this point, though that was the case with the majority of people in Percy's life.  He cleared his throat and attempted to compose himself with a somewhat awkward smile.  He was embarrassed at someone having caught him speaking to his pet toad.

"Oh, I...I was musing a bit.  Grammar is my toad though."

It was a curious name for a pet, but Percy wasn't exactly the standard Hogwart's student.  The bookish Ravenclaw scratched the back of his neck and nodded sheepishly.  There was a new tactic that Percy hoped to try out...diverting the topic from himself to...anything else!

"Are you taking photographs?"

And in fact...that was a Muggle camera...no moving frames?  How strange, silent, and at times haunting those photos looked.

Ivie tilted her head in confusion when Percy jumped. She had been noticing that he was rather like her in the fact that he was quiet. It was a rather nice trait to see in a male and though she was only a third year she was sure he would make a nice guy to some lucky girl. Something about his shyness made him even cuter then just his looks.

Waving to the toad she smiled as she spoke to it. “Hello Grammar.” Now Ivory didn't think that Percy was silly for talking to his pet since she often did it to her eagle owl, Gizmo. The bird was a Bengal Eagle owl and was her one true friend since she had started at Hogwarts.

“Hmm? Oh yes. For my drawings. I use the muggle kind of camera so the images don't move. It helps if the pictures of the buildings or people I'm taking don't move on me. Not much help if they do.” She was quick to grab the camera back up and took a picture of Percy and Grammar. She smiled at him and then put the camera down again.

“So what were you musing about? Forgive me if I was interrupting your musing. I can go if you like.” Ivory wasn't the kind of girl that would interrupt someone if they were doing something important. Waiting for his answer, her hand rose up to tuck some of her holly wood blonde hair back behind her ear. She was trying to flirt and yet her self doubt was starting to pick up. 'That's not how you flirt. Besides he probably would laugh at you if you were doing it right anyway. Come one he's a fifth year and you're just a plain jane third year. What would he want with you?'

Percy suffered from one trait that afflicted many teenagers.  He believed that he was the only one who could possibly feel the way that he felt.  The bookish Ravenclaw had no idea that anyone else could possible as insecure as he.  Could anyone truly be doubting themselves and constantly scolding themselves for not being "good enough?"

Percy tried not to be oblivious, but it seemed only the most obvious interest from the opposite sex gained his recognition.  This was quite probably linked to his severe lack of self confidence.  Similarly, never would he have imagined Ivory to have had any romantic interest in him.

When Ivory said hello to Grammar, he couldn't help but smile.  That was certainly rare.

"Oh, you draw?  I wasn't aware that you did.  What do you draw exactly?  People, animals, places...?"

Percy bashfully cleared his throat after Ivory snapped the photo of he and Grammar.  He then paused thoughtfully as she asked him a question in return.

"Well...a book actually.  But it really wasn't the most brilliant I've ever seen.  Just a bad text book on Herbology."

Percy shook his head in a negative response.

"No no, I wouldn't think of it!  But if you were hoping for some alone time, I could let you have the room to yourself?"

Percy began to stand...assuming that she surely wouldn't want him burdening her and bringing down her "cool points."  Of course...never in a million years would he have imagined the girl was flirting with him, but that was his shortcoming and not hers.

Ivory nodded when asked if she drew. “Yes it's a bit of a hobby of mine. I'm surprised I don't get distracted by it in classes. Though I get away with drawing since I draw what's related to the lesson in my notes.” She smiled brightly at this. It was her way of giving into her drawing need and also still keep her mind in the class itself. “Oh anything really. I'm better at animals, buildings and landscapes. Still need work on people. Reason for the photographs, it helps me make sure I get the anatomy right.”

Why was she rambling on about her artwork? Surely he didn't want to hear about that. “Oh? Can I see? I'm sure Professor Bombay wouldn't like knowing we are learning from bad books.” She looked around wondering what passage or part of the book was bad. This had the bookworm in her curious now, and it seemed to show on her face even if Ivie didn't realize it.

“You don't have to leave. I just returned to try and get the film developed. Of course I would have to find a dark room for that.” And that would have meant going to the room of requirement. “I also mainly came back to get my sketch book and pencils. Besides you sort of had the room first. Please stay.” She began to chew on her bottom lip, a bad habit she had when she was really nervous. Looking down she began to pick at a piece of dust he was sure was on her sweater vest, and though it was her imagination she was hoping he wouldn't notice the blush she felt at her cheeks.

Ivory certainly didn't mind to share when asked a question.  This was good...because the more she elaborated, the less Percy had to think of to talk about! 

"Do you have any of your artwork with you?"

This was a certain way to take the focus off of himself and learn more about Ivory.  Of course, he was also intrigued to see the things she was drawing and just how they looked.

"I've never been all that good at such artistic...creative pursuits."

As Ivory inquired about the book in question, Percy began to flip through the pages.  Now he was under pressure and would likely be entirely unable to locate the very things he'd just been mocking.  In fact...why wasn't he able to find any errors at all now?!?  Pressure!

"Err...well...some of the drawings looked...off?  You know...mismatched for scale...too big in some places?  Too small in others?"

Now Percy was officially nervous.  The spotlight felt to be shining entirely on him and he thought he felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.  If only he'd been able to look at Ivory enough to see her own fidgeting, he might have been...mildly reassured himself.  But the lip chewing almost froze Percy entirely, before he began stammering and more rapidly flipping through pages.

“Upstairs in my dorm room. I can go get them if you want to look at them.” She didn't mind showing off her pictures. She rather liked when people admired her work.

She was curious as to what he was good at but then she remembered his toad's name. So she was willing to guess more educational pursuits were of his line. She smiled at him and then he explained about the drawings and nodded. “I hate when textbooks are like that. I mean how hard would it be to hire an artist to do the images? Or take photos of the plants.”

While he was looking through the pages, Ivory ran up to her room and grabbed two of her more filled up books and brought them back down to show off to Percy. “Care to sit by me?” She asked as she moved toward a couch to sit down. Some times sitting side by side was a better way to show off her drawings.

She opened the cover to show an drawing that was of Professor Storm in potions class. “I did this one from memory.” She told him as she looked at the drawing.

"I would like to see them, if you're up to it?"

Percy did genuinely want to see, if Ivory was willing to retrieve and showcase her work.  The guided tour would make Percy more comfortable as well hopefully.  He nodded as she agreed with him about the textbooks.

"Yes!  It's rather uncanny and misleading.  How is a student supposed to learn if the very material they're presented with as truth and fact is inaccurate?"

Percy quickly realized just how nerdy he sounded and had to do something about it!  He had to go to the other side of the spectrum to reaffirm his "cool factor." 

"I mean...if you care about that sort of thing."

When Ivory sat and invited him to sit beside her however, he felt heat rising up his neck as if he were choking with awkward tension.  Though his face flushed with red, he moved to sit down by her.  He kept very upright and professional, as if sitting in an interview chair...though he was sitting on a couch next to a rather lovely Ravenclaw photogue!  Percy craned his head somewhat as he peered down at the drawing Ivory was showing off first.

Ivory smiled and then looked at Percy when he tried to make himself appear cool. She smirked and briefly gave her head a small shake. She didn't understand why he seemed to be trying to seem cool. He was more cool to her for being smart and cute. “Well maybe we should let Professor Bombay know. Maybe we can get some more accurate books. Would be nice to have honest books to learn from.”

Ivory felt her heart rate quicken as she realized how close Percy was to her. She hadn't clearly thought the whole sit by me through when she told him to. Well really asked but it had sounded like an order now that she thought about it. Reaching over to the corner of the page she turned it, revealing an image of the ceiling in the great hall and it stretched over two pages. “I did this one morning while watching the ceiling and well I just loved how the rafters came through the sun and clouds that were on the ceiling that day.”

Looking over at Percy she noticed that he was looking all stiff. Worried about him, Ivory reached a hand over placing it on his back. “Are you okay Percy? Is something wrong?”

Maybe Ivory hadn't noticed...or maybe he'd covered himself well enough with the lack of concern he feigned regarding the textbook's accuracy.  Little did he think he would be admired or at least appreciated just the way he truly was. 

As for heartbeats, Percy felt his was about to leap out of his chest.  Ivory was so close...and...female...and an attractive one at that!  He tried to focus and stare down at the pages she was telling him about.  It was difficult to concentrate though.

"Oh wow...This really is beautiful!  How long have you been drawing like this?"

And if Ivory thought Percy had been rigid before, now he was practically petrified.  The physical contact had been like bolts of lightning searing through him.  He chuckled awkwardly and nodded.

"Mhm.  Oh I'm good!  Great!  Brilliant.  Yes.  All is well in the world."

Ivory blushed and yet beamed at the compliment Percy gave her about her drawing. She looked down at it and realized that a few things could be redone or get a touch up but it was still as majestic as how the ceiling at looked to her that day. “Since I was eight though my drawings from then aren't as good as these are. This book is from last year.”

The way Percy reacted had Ivie removing her hand from his back. She then wondered had she done something wrong. Placing the hand that had just been on his back down Ivory turned the page and started to talk about the next image but then blanched whiter then newly fallen snow when there looking back at her was a sketch she had actually done of Percy last year. He had been laughing it seemed and some how she managed to capture the joy in his eyes very well.

Gasping she quickly turned the page to where she had drawn a cute looking baby unicorn. Oh how she prayed he hadn't seen the previous page's focus. Talk about embarrassing! “This is um an baby unicorn that I did from a photograph my Dad gave me. It was a newborn colt that he saw while working with a friend that takes care of unicorns. Harvests the horns and tails for wand makers.” Oh she began to chew that bottom lip again.

Now THIS was different.  Percy wasn't alone in his blushing.  HE was making a girl blush for a change!

"Well it shows that you've really taken time and care with these..."

Percy seemed to remember to breathe again after Ivory moved her hand.  He exhaled...perhaps a bit too deeply, but he had subconsciously been holding his breath since her touch.  She flipped a page, paused...and then flipped another one just as Percy looked to it.  She then began with a unicorn picture, but Percy quirked a brow.

"Oh, sorry!  I missed the one before the unicorn."

Then Percy realized how awkward that sounded since...he was staring right at the book the whole time, sitting right beside her, yet somehow he "missed" a page?  As if it were a runaway centaur! 

"The unicorn is very nice though.  And so was the ceiling.  You're quite talented, Ivory."

Percy nodded, offering a faint smile to her.

“Thank you, Percy. I hope to be so good one day that people would be amazed to learn that the images they are looking at aren't photographs but actual drawings or paintings. If I could learn a charm to make them move I would even cast that on them after I painted them.” Ivory explained her dream to Percy.

After explaining that she felt her chest tighten around her heart and lungs. Why had she told him her dream? Surely he would find it silly and make fun of her for wanting something like that. After all what good to the world was a witch that made moving paintings? Oh never mind the fact that Hogwarts had like millions of such paintings hanging on the walls everywhere.

When Percy said he missed the one before the unicorn she was glad and actually let out a breath of relief. She was glad he hadn't noticed or seen it. So she was able to relax more beside him before turning the page to reveal a scene from one of the school's Quidditch matches between Slytherin and Ravenclaw.

“Tha... thank you.” She was sure she was more red then a Gryffindor's banner. She moved her head to look to her left causing her hair to fall over her face, shielding her from Percy's gaze. Why had she thought this would be a good idea to try and have a normal conversation with him. Oh damn her nerves and damn her crush.

Percy Dervish listened to Ivory's words, even through all his rattling nerves...and his expression perked after she talked about a charm to make her pictures move.  Percy got so excited at being able to help Ivory out and do so competently (hopefully), that he couldn't help himself.  Percy withdrew his 10" phoenix feather core wand with the simple wooden exterior...It was smooth and swishy.  There was but a moment of hesitation with a hopeful enthusiasm twinkling his dark brown eyes as he looked to Ivory...before he cast a certain spell on the page depicting a Quidditch match.

"Inanimatus Conjurus."

Hopefully this would cause the Slytherin/Ravenclaw match to come to life, yet remain in its fixed manner of existence...upon the page.  Percy was surprised that after he'd mentioned missing a page that Ivory seemed relieved and went on to the next drawing.

"You're quite welcome, Ms.Ivory." 

He tilted his head somewhat as her face seemed hidden away from his view.  Uh oh...had he done something wrong?