Through The Veins - Tony

[FIONA GAYLE WITHERSPOON]

Everything was shrouded in a pale silver haze as fog began to lift to the sky from the grounds of Hogwarts. A faint glow on the horizon told of the approaching dawn, and Fiona's step turned lighter with anticipation. "C'mon, Tony! I want to stretch before the dawn breaks!" She glanced back at him with a playful grin. It was almost always like this whenever they got together. She was just a step ahead of him, eager to begin their next practice while he pretended to drag his feet. They complimented each other in this way, and it appealed to Fiona’s need to get people involved in her schemes and plans. Fiona spent much of her time with Tony, always enjoying herself in his company. She was pretty certain, though he’d never said as much, that he enjoyed his time with her, as well.

She started to skip as they got closer to the Quidditch pitch, her energy climbing just like the sun on the horizon. They had been doing this for over a year now, nearly every Saturday morning since he‘d first suggested it. She'd sneak to his dorm and thump him out of his bed an hour before dawn, and after a quick high carb breakfast in the Great Hall, they'd be on their way to practice. Like clockwork, they'd be just starting to play right as the sunshine hit over the tops of the trees. Fiona loved how the world looked during this hour, like it was waiting to blossom open like a flower does to the sunshine or the rain. It was inspiring, invigorating, and it made her want to learn how to paint or write songs about daylight.

The hem of her pant legs soaked up the dew on the grass, leaving a trail behind them. Fiona tugged the cuff of her fingerless gloves up her forearms, determined to keep both gloves this time. She'd lost one the last time she wore them. The lack of material on the ends of her fingers helped her maintain a good grip on the quaffle, and when she flew against Tony, she needed to be at her best. She'd never met a better player at this game than him. His abilities challenged her to do better, to anticipate what a greater player might do in certain circumstances. She glanced at him again and tugged her baseball cap down over her messy ponytail.

"What's it gonna be today?" She asked him, pausing for a moment to fall into stride next to him. "Are we both chasing, or are you going to play keeper?" She bumped her elbow to his, shooting him another playful smirk. "Loser buys butterbeer at Hogsmeade next trip." The quidditch pitch didn’t seem to be getting any closer to them, and a fun idea struck Fiona. Her grin turned devilish, and she gave Tony a daring look.“Look, this leisurely pace isn’t working for me. Either you put a hitch in your giddy up, or I’m jumping on your back like a monkey.” Her grin grew and she studied his eyes, waiting for any indication of what he was going to choose to do. She’d ridden piggyback with him before, and she knew he was strong enough to carry her the rest of the way to the pitch. All he had to do was give the signal.

[anthony michael todd]

Sometimes when he looked in a mirror, he saw her face looking back at him. She was different, almost his exact opposite; yet they were the same in many ways. She was his secret enigma, the problem he could never solve. Delicate as a snowflake, immaculate as a sunset, and a dream he never wished to wake from in the dead of the night. She was his friend, above and beyond anyone else he had ever called a friend. Always there, even when she is a year younger, he couldn't remember a time when he shoulder wasn't readily available when he might need one on which to rest. She was his sunshine, his rain, his thoughts of love when there was pain. She was an angel, and sometimes his devil always bringing him into the midst of trouble when he least expected. Yet, through all the years he had know Fiona, he couldn't think of a single thing he would trade all those precious moments in exchange. No, he was rather fond of the odd girl; even more so than he might know. He blinked himself back into the present. He was lagging behind once again, always so he could look after her. When in her company he always felt much more protective than with many others. It was practice today, not a team organization, but just a little time spent together doing one of the things he loved the most. Life was good, much like it always was for Tony. He had very little to complain about. He watched her skip and smiled after her small form.

This was their Saturday, much like every Saturday since he desired to combine his favorite person and his favorite sport. She doubted him at first, but soon it was her knocking him out of bed and making sure he was ready to go earlier than anyone else. Most the time they wandered the grounds toward the pitch before the sun had even greeted the day. Tony didn't mind, even when it had snowed and he had to wear the god-awful scarf she had got him as a joke for one of his past birthdays. It was dark purple with light blue polka dots. Her way of fancying him up, while poking a little fun at his rigid way of dressing himself. She laughed the first time he wore it, but the ugly thing grew on him. Anytime it was cold, or even rainy, he wore the thing proudly without comment. It had got to the point where she would make fun of him for wearing it. Much like the other little games they played that had become habit between the two. The scarf was just another of those things that drew him closer to the smaller girl. He blinked realizing she had spoke to him, and his eyes landed on her soft lips to form the words she spoke. He answered with a shrug, being someone of few words was something that drove her bananas. She was much more outgoing than Tony, and even though he was more than comfortable talking to her for hours, he liked to keep her on her toes. His eyes lifted to the pitch in the distance, and he grinned. He didn't answer her question but he did move past her now standing with his back to her. "Well? Come on then." Even though he didn't have to, Tony braced himself for her small form to attack his back. He could carry her like that forever, the girl weighed less than nothing. The first time she surprised him with this method he blushed, but soon become used to feeling her on his back as they moved through the air.

He once talked her into trying it while he flew his broom. She had bulked at first, but Tony could be persuasive when the need arose. He had to promise her anything she wanted in Hogsmead in order to get her on the back of the broom. He small form had clung to his back as he raced through the clouds, and dove toward the ground. They spent the whole Saturday alternating between flying together and stopping for small breaks and snacks. It had been one of the most memorable times they had spent a Saturday together. Her body pressed close to his had not escaped his thoughts, as it was almost a feeling like they were made to be close together. Even to this day his heart would pick up an extra beat when he carried her around, or rode with her on a broom, or when he had to pay her back in Hogsmead. Tony had meant for Fiona to pick anything she wanted within the shops, but the little devil had something else in mind. She had asked Tony to sing her a song. At first he had no idea what he was going to do, or how to respond. She hadn't been joking though, and with a deep red blush heating up his face he pulled her through the streets to the old shake on the edge of the small woods. Outside the Shrieking Shack, and out of earshot of anyone else around the area, he had song her a song. The only one he knew, and had been forced to make up a few of his own lyrics as he improvised forgotten words. She never answered, nor said a word. All Fiona had done was stretch on her toes and kiss him on the cheek.

He could feel that small kiss to this day.

[FIONA GAYLE WITHERSPOON]

She’d never realized the effect that she had on him, how her radiance filled his shadows and her voice filled his silences. They were always so comfortable and at ease with one another, that the underlying attraction was easily brushed off to the side or disguised as playful banter. Oh yes, Fiona flirted with Tony, more than other boys that she’d spent any amount of time with, and she did so without a second thought on what it did to him. She knew that she wanted more from him, though it confused and scared her, but was certain he tolerated her flirtations because they were such good friends. She’d convinced herself long ago that there was no future in the long run with him, and that she would get severely burned if she put her hand too close to that stove. Would it be worth it, to push her luck and pursue him romantically? Was that a wheel that she wanted to get turning?

Another quick glance at him had her thinking that she wanted it more than anything, even more than she wanted to work with animals and spread the joy of those creatures to others. But he didn’t want the same things that she wanted. She was greedy and liked to push the limits of other people, and Tony was no exception. She’d nearly kissed him once, after beating him at Quidditch. His payment as the loser had been to sing a song to her, and she didn’t let him weasel his way out of it. On the edge of Hogsmeade, away from everyone else, Tony had sung a song to her that she hardly even heard. The tones of his voice had struck notes deep inside of her soul, drowning out his words while her spirit soared with the essence of the song. She’d never felt nearer to him than in that moment, when he’d trusted her enough to let her hear his voice and, she believes, a part of his soul. When he had finished, the look in his eyes was cautious and uncertain, and she thought for sure he’d see the love that was brewing up inside of her. She’d launched up onto her toes, her lips puckered and aiming for his, but fear made her alter direction and plant a soft kiss on his cheek, just to the side of the corner of his mouth. She’d thought herself stupid for being careless enough to come that close. He’d put up with a lot from her through the years, but could he forgive a stolen kiss if she’d done it? She didn’t want to chance finding out.

Fiona wasn’t normally sentimental, feeling like holding on to things in the past made you forget to grasp the present. But she had her own little trophies, things that reminded her of times they spent together. He’d given her a hat to wear during one particularly chilly snow day during her second year and his third, and that cap was still tucked away in the bottom of her trunk. It had started her obsession with wearing the things, because he had told her then that it was cute. The thought had her self consciously reaching up to tug on the brim of the cap she wore now. She didn’t even realize that she wore them because of him, pretty much for him.

Shaken out of her brief reverie by his response, Fiona shot him a broad grin before hopping up to his proffered back. She pressed her knees tightly against his hips and leaned forward to loop an arm loosely around his neck. Taking advantage of being mostly out of his line of sight, she took a quick moment to inhale deeply, breathing in the scent of his hair and skin. He felt warm against her, and a sense of belonging flitted through her. She bobbed quietly with his steps, raising her head up to see how close they were to the Pitch now. She could see the sun through the trees, and knew it wouldn’t be long before it cascaded over the top of the tree line. “Tony, I won’t choke you if you run,” she said, leaning down again to speak just beside his ear.