Sing, Swing, Sing (Morgan)

[Ashley Lovegood]

Sing, swing, sing.

It finally felt like fall. The harsh rays of the sun were finally fading away to make room for the cool fall breeze. Thank goodness. She was unsure how much longer she could last under the baking heat. The fifth year inclined her head back as a nice, cool breeze blew past her, brushing her hair past her face and behind her. Her eyes were closed as she continued to swing slowly back and forth, absorbing the nice afternoon.

She took in a few lung-fulls of breath before letting her eyes slide open and fall to the ground. Wandering had become something she did often now-a-days and today was one of those days. After classes had finished for the day she had suddenly found herself at the lake. A smile flickered across her face at the remembrance of her last little visit there. It had been one of the best random walks of her life.

The warmth that filled her a the though of Morgan filled her as she proceeded on, walking down the path that led to the Hangout Park. And here she was now. Ashley softly began to sing a tune that suddenly came to her as her eyes wandered from the dirty beneath her feet up to the puffy clouds in the deep blue sky.

I’m a straight up kind of girl, I am
I've been telling it like it is, I am
And it’s just the kind of girl I am
Head up, hands up
Tell me
You’re a honey kind of boy, you are
You’re a talented kind of boy, you are
And it’s just the kind of boy, you are
Head up, hands up

These are
Headstrong
Crazy days
When your mind’s made up
And the music plays
Headstrong can you feel the beat?
Melt down can you feel the heat?
Melt down
It's not a crush
In a Hot, hot room
We're in a rush
Headstrong can you feel the beat?
Melt down can you feel the heat?

Gonna feel alive tonight, I am
I’m a positive kind of girl, I am
Leave my troubles behind tonight, I am
Stand up, get up
Tell me
Are you going to be down with me, you are
Yeah, You’re coming along with me, you are
This is just the kind of guy you are
Stand up, get up

The hum morphed into a full song as she continued to sing, bobbing her head along a bit as she continued on.

[morgan]

The cool and crisp autumn wind whisked his hair to and fro as he hurried down the park. Ashleigh's friend Ryan Owl had said he last saw her there, and Morgan was eager to see her. Though eager, nerves had become an issue again. Their last meeting had been somewhat awkward towards the end, and their conversation had been put to a quick stop... all down to Morgan and the question of his past.

Still, that was then, and this was now. A few days had past and he felt the need and want to see her again, and he felt sure that it wouldn't be a huge deal to worry about after a couple of days had passed.

The wind carried her voice through the air, and as it filled his ears, the nerves inside of him relaxed into a comfortable nothingness. A mischevious grin spread across his face as he saw her, and, instead of walking over to her, he skuttled off in a crouched position behind a bush, ready to jump out at her as she passed.

The grin turned into a smile as he listened to her approach. She had a lovely voice, and he recognised the song from somewhere back home. Ashleigh grew nearer and nearer...

"ASHLEIGH!!!" roared Morgan, as he lept out of his hiding place, almost completely onto her.

[Ashley Lovegood]

Heart attack. That's about what she had when her name suddenly filled her ears and echoed around the Park. She squealed and nearly fell off her seat on the swing set. Who in the.... Her unasked question was soon answered as she spun around where she sat to see Morgan nearly on top of her. Well, that was a... interesting surprise.

"Hi to you too," She said, a little breathless after his little scheme. It took her a few moments but she was soon able to smile, her heart slowing down from a run back down to a walk. Geez, why did people find it so fun to torture this poor little girl? It was so mean! She was tempted to just ignore him but he was too cute to ignore. Plus she had not seen him in forever. Well, more like a few days but it had seemed longer to the Hufflepuff. As her breathing returned to it's normal pace she smiled up at him before standing up and giving him a quick kiss on the lips. She wrapped her arms around him in a big hug as she asked, "How have you been?"

There last meeting had left off on a rather odd note. Her curiosity had ended there lovely evening together in awkwardness. She shook the thought from her mind as a new one crept up on her. If he had been hiding in the bushes then he must have..... She suddenly flushed pink as she looked up at him. "You didn't.... um... hear me.... singing did you?" She managed to say all this without turning a brighter red. Amazing. She was shy about her singing, even if she had promised to start singing in front of others.

((You spelled my name wrong. *Sniff sniff* ))

[morgan]

Not wanting to be the death of her... he instinctively rushed forward and grabbed her hands just in case she fell right off.

Fully expecting a huff from her... the hug was an unexpected surprise, and the kiss was the icing on the cake. He smiled gently. "I've been okay," he replied softly in the middle of their hug, kissing her cheek. 'Okay' was a good word to describe it actually. Part of him had needed a time out to gather himself... but part of him had missed her like crazy. What on earth was he going to be like when she left for her brother?! "You okay?"

Morgan smiled from ear to ear, "I heard an angel singing! I had no idea you had such a good voice Ash! You've got nothing to blush about!"



((sorry about the shortyness )))

[Ashley Lovegood]

Her answering smile was happy and yet soft. "Thats good." She was glad the he had been okay lately. She had missed him while they were apart but knew he had needed some time to collect himself. No wonder, after her questions the other night anyone would need a break. She shrugged in reply to his question. "Yeah, I guess so." Many things had begun to pile up in her mind. Neglected after so much time. Lately she had taken to sorting through these unwanted thoughts so her time had been much consumed. "I'm better now that I'm with you though," She added, her smile reappearing.

Apparently she did. She turned scarlet at his compliment and lowered her gaze to the ground. Stupid cheeks. "I'm not that good," She nearly mumbled, trying to get some amount of control of herself. She felt like an idiot for more than one reason. You would have thought she would have gotten over the compliment thing by now.

Ash sat back down after parting from the hug and patted the seat beside her, motioning for him to join her. "Anything exciting happen?" She asked, trying to turn the conversation away from it's previous topic, her.

[morgan]

Morgan could see the thoughts pacing through her mind as if she were an open book. He had hated to leave her all alone without any answers these last few days, and made a promise to himself there and then that he would never do anything like that again. Not to her. Not to someone that meant so much to him.
The return of her smile brought on his own, naturally. "I love you too Ashley," he replied, softening his eyes to her.

Although he knew she was interested, he felt she was asking a quick question just to avoid a silence, just to avoid a repeat of what happened the other night. He took a deep breath, and decided to solve the problem.
"Ashley, I know I didn't give you a proper answer the other day when you asked me the question. And there's a big part of me that still wants to keep it locked up. So can I ask you to do something for me?" he asked her with a genuine look on his face. "Ask me again. when you really need to know. Ask me when a time comes that you have to know, for whatever reason."

"No, not really, you? Actually... I don't think I've ever actually been on a swing before in my life, how sad is that?!"

[Ashley Lovegood]

Well, apparently she was easier to read than she thought. For the last few days she had been pondering what he had not wanted to tell her, but nothing had come to mind. She had finally decided to place it in the back of her mind till she called upon it once again.

Her warm smile blended into a slightly confused expression. What did he want her to do? There previous meeting's events came flooding back to her. She had decided to trust him, what ever he needed her trust for, and wait for him to tell her when he was ready. It was proving to be a harder task than she had first thought. Her attention was fully on him now as her eyes stared into his, wondering.

His request caught her by surprise but she smiled softly nevertheless. "Ok," she agreed, taking his hand in hers, "When ever I have to know." She wondered when she would need to ask him that question again, or if she even would need to ask.

She shook her head, "Nope, just getting mad at some Ally girl who decided to attack my best friend but besides that nope." She smiled slightly. Ally had been getting on her nerves and now she was hurting her friends. Ashley would have to talk to her sooner or later. "You haven't?!?" Ashley asked, surprised. She laughed a bit before grinning at him. "Poor little Morgan."

[morgan]

Morgan's mind - which was a mix of dread and worry - suddenly eased at her reply. He didn't know how she could be so understanding about it... she was a very selfless person.

"Ooo, big mistake to pick on Ashley's friends... she's pretty accurate with a pile of mud in her hand," he said with a wink, still tasting it after their day at the lake.

He pulled a jokingly sarcastic face at her, she knew he hated to be called 'little'. "Oh yeah?" he said, returning the grin. His hands, quick as a flash, moved to her waist and started tickling her, though supporting her back so she wouldn't fall off. Or at least, she wouldn't fall off painfully.

[Ashley Lovegood]

She could be so understanding because she had been in the position before where she could not tell others about her problems. Whether it was because she was afraid or she could not trust anyone didn't matter. The feeling was about the same. She just wanted Morgan to know that she would be there when he wanted to talk.

Ashley began to crack up at the remembrance of her throwing mud at him. "Sorry about that," She apologized with a grin. It had seemed like a good idea at he time... and it still was, just as long as she was not aiming at Morgan. With a sigh, her eyes looked back up at the sky as she spoke, "I don't know what I'm going to do with her...."

Oh, that's right. He doesn't like being called little. Oops. She regretted calling him that as a grin appeared across his face. She started to giggle loudly as he began to tickle her. Bam! The next thing she knew she was on her back, laying in the dirt. She hated being ticklish. "Thanks," She said sarcastically before laughing once more.

[morgan]

Morgan wanted to be there when she wanted to talk... to be the person she could always turn to about anything. But the hesitation in answering her on the 'subject-that-must-not-be-named' made him feel bad a little, and almost gave him the impression that he couldn't always be there for her. If someone wrote a book about his mind, it would cover at least a thousand pages at the moment.

"It's all you deserve, mud thrower," he said, laughing himself, taking a big sigh and laying down beside her on his back.

It was a beautiful day, slightly different from their last visit to the lake area. He stared up at the sky in thought.
One thing was clear to him now. It would be an interesting road with Ashley. As much as he loved her, Morgan felt that getting to know more and more about each other would be full of surprises. His eyes shifted from the sky to Ashley, as he took one of her hands in his own, playing with her fingers.

[Ashley Lovegood]

She waited to retort till he was laying on the ground beside her. "Oh and what about you? Your just completely innocent of tossing me into a freezing cold lake." Her tone was joking as she said this. She did deserve it, and mud throwing was probably worse than getting thrown into a lake. Darn.

She scooted closer to him as her eyes, settled on his face, pulled upward toward the clear sky. At least this time a storm was not raging about. She was unsure of the next time she would be caught wandering around in the pouring rain. She could still feel the cold of that day raising goosebumps on her arms.

She was soon lost in thought, pondering the future. Surprises around every turn. She wondered when they would be able to tell each other everything. She knew that she had kept some things from him and him from her. Time was probably the answer, but she would have to learn to be much more patient. She was pulled back from her thoughts as she felt Morgan beginning to play with her fingers. Her eyes shifted back to him with a light smile on her face.

[morgan]

"Yeah well," he said, trying to hide a grin, trying desperately to find a decent excuse for chucking her into icy water... "you look good wet," he finished.

Unlike Ashley, Morgan was sure that the time would come. It was just a question of when and why. Part of him wanted to tell her everything there and there, but he knew he couldn't. To be honest, he was more confused than anything else... it was, in some ways, a ridiculous thought, but one he couldn't help being afraid of. Perhaps it was partly down to the fact that he had bottled up lots of emotion as a child, particularly when his parents had died.

She was so beautiful. He gave her a blazing look as he stared into her eyes. "I love you Ashley," said Morgan, in probably one of the most serious tones he'd ever used with her. "So, so much."

[Ashley Lovegood]

She raised her eye brows at his excuse. "Ok then..." she said lightly with a smile. The comment, 'not as good as you with mud on your face,' was not going to work here. For one, it was not true and another... well it sounded stupid. "Thanks, I guess..." She grinned over at him.

The art of bottling emotions. She knew it well. She was surprised that night in the tower, that she was able to tell Morgan anything about her past. She was so used to helping others that opening up to someone seemed like an impossible task. Yet, she had accomplished it. The reason behind her speaking to Morgan still eluded her to this day, but for what ever the reason she was glad.

Her expression changed in response to the look in his eyes. All doubt, worry, confusion, everything melted away with his words. She didn't even know he could be so serious. "I love you too," She replied in a soft yet still serious manor.

[morgan]

He smiled in a sort of 'jokingly guilty' way.
"What do you do for Christmas here, Ashley?" he asked her, suddenly aware that he may have to lose her twice now. Once for her brother, and once over the holidays.

Morgan knew all too well the feeling of being the shoulder to cry on, rather than the person crying. He'd always been there for his friends whenever they had needed him, always the advice giver. But now the tables had turned... and the thoughts pushed to the back of his mind questioned his ability to give advice and comfort people (Ashley in particular) now that he was in need of support himself.

He smiled back his reply, turned onto his side and moved to her, sliding an arm round her in a hug, still staring her out. Morgan could easily lose himself and stare at those eyes all day long.

[Ashley Lovegood]

The question was a bit random, catching her off guard. It took her a moment to reply, "Well... I usually hang around the castle. It's better than running off to the mountains by myself. Kinda lonely up there." She added, remembering her last visit to the cold and isolated mountains. "What about you?" She asked, but a moment later wondered if he left the castle for the Christmas holidays. She would miss him if he did leave, but would be very happy to see him when he returned.

Morgan was a very good advise giver person. Even the strongest fall sometimes. He couldn't always be the one who gave advice or was the shoulder to cry on. He needed to take a break sometimes. That's what Ashley was for, well wanted to be for him. Whenever he needed her she would be right there. She was a very good listener due to her years of practice.

Ashley's smile brightened as he drew closer to her. Her eyes locked on his as he wrapped an arm around her in a hug. She copied the movement and pulled herself a bit closer to him as she did so.

[morgan]

"I'm not sure," he replied, quite monotously, his lip curling slightly at the thought of his godfather. "Usually he wants me home for Christmas, but this year... I dunno, I guess I could beg him," he said with a little smile. "Christmas is easily my favourite time of year, I wouldn't feel right spending it without you now."

Morgan himself, had never been in any real need of a shoulder to cry on for years now, and it was probably down to that, that the idea of having someone act in his position was a little scary and unknown.

His smile grew bigger and brighter as she moved closer, and he held her tighter in his arms. Leaning in with a grin, he brushed his nose against hers a few times over before giving her lips a quick kiss.

[Ashley Lovegood]

"If your godfather wants you home then you should go," She said hurriedly, not wanting him to stay just because of her. "I'll be fine." She didn't want him and his godfather getting on bad terms or anything of that sort just so that he could stay with her for the holidays. She was used to spending them alone, she would be fine.

Even Ashley herself didn't know what she was going to do about the holidays. If she ever spoke to her brother again she was unsure of what he would want her to do. Not like it mattered. She was still not at he point of forgiving him and probably would not be by Christmas. She could not wait for Winter to arrive. Skating always eased her mind when it was troubled and her brother seemed to be causing her a lot of trouble lately.

All these thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind for a later time as he leaned in. She smiled in response before his lips touched hers. Her heart beat began to skip around at the feel of his lips against her own. What would she do without him?

[morgan]

He shifted slightly. "See, that's what I love about Christmas... being with people. If you spend Christmas alone then what's the point? I'm with my muggle friends every Christmas... no way would I spend it cooped up with him, 'he-who-does-not-cook'."

Morgan knew he wouldn't be able to leave her behind... not for Christmas, not for his favourite day of the year.

As for skating, Morgan had never tried it. She had mentioned it once to him before, and he'd passed it over quite quickly. The idea of it made him nervous a little, he wasn't into sports that much. Except quidditch of course.

Somehow, he could sense what she was feeling, and leaned in again. Morgan took his time, and slowly planted his lips on her own, evolving it into their longest kiss yet, wrapping both his arms tightly round her and holding her close to him. Ashley meant the world to him, and there was now no happier moment to him than one like this. His hand ran gently down her side, and came to rest on her hip.

[Ashley Lovegood]

"Being with people huh?" she repeated softly, turning her gaze to the sky once more. She would not know if that's what the holiday was about or not. Seeing as she had spent it alone for the last few years. Her parents fought so much that she usually ran away for the holidays, seeking safety elsewhere.

A smile lit her face at the thought of being around people for the first Christmas of her life. Not just surrounded by people she knew but by someone who really cared about her, someone who actually wanted to be with her on Christmas. "Well, if it won't kill you to stay away from he-who-does-not-cook then I guess I won't stop you from begging." The truth was she really did want him here, only if he wanted to be here of course.

As he leaned in for a second time, her eyes slid shut slowly as his arms tightened around her. The kiss was longer that she had been expecting which suited her just fine, but soon her breathing became uneven. Her lips parted slightly under his and she pulled herself closer, if that was even possible. One of her hands had found it's way to his hair and she had begun to brush her hand through it. Her other was still wrapped around him.

[morgan]

"Yeah," he said happily, "maybe we could set up a party in the Quality Quater sor something for people that are staying over the holidays!" He was probably getting a little over-excited for something that had may well not be able to do, but the idea of staying with Ashley over Christmas was more than a good one. "And we could go to Hogsmeade... I've heard it's even better at Christmas."

"Sure," he said with an even happier tone of voice when he heard her, instantly recognising what she was feeling. Christmas spirit, wooo! He'd never seen snow at the castle, it must look beautiful. Hey, he'd even learn to skate just to stay over during the holidays!

The hand on her hip moved to her face as he gently held the side of her cheek, slipping his hand underneath her hair. As his tongue slowly found its way into the hufflepuff's mouth, his lips parted slightly more, and he moved his hand round, holding the back of her head delicately as he kissed her.