Loving the lake.

Lola sat at the lake, dipping her toes in and drawing the beautiful landscape that surrounded the lake. She wished she knew more people, then she wouldn't be out there alone, it was quite lonely out there. She loved the lake because it was so beautiful and mysterious.
'Note to self, learn more about the lake and the creatures in it.' She thought to herself.
She saw some birds flying low over the lake, and she quickly drew them into the drawing.
'Note to self, learn more about birds.' She thought again. She loved nature, because it was so beautiful and always need to learn more about it.
Lola finished the drawing and looked at it.
'Perfect!' She thought to herself, it was a very beautiful drawing and was worth her time. She finally wrote her name at the bottom.
She sighed and looked over the lake.
'I don't want to go back to the castle, it is too loud, and it's so beautiful out here!.' She thought to herself and lay down in the grass.

Jace walked down towards the lake, the weather was beautiful and he was beyond bored.
He noticed a red head laying on the edge of the lake, a drawing laying next to her.

"Thats nice." he commented as he walked closer to girl and eyed the picture "Sorry If I was not supposed to look." he added.

Lola opened her eyes, seeing a figure standing near her.
"Oh thank you, I don't like to hide my talents, or what ever talent I have." She said and half smiled.
She rolled over to her stomach and rested her chin in her palms.
"Hi, I'm Lola Peppermint, call me whatever you want, I'm cool with anything." she said looking at the boy, she did not know his name but she had seen her around the Puffle's common room. She smiled again, while waiting for the boy's name.

"Mind if I sit here?" he gestured to the ground. "I am Jace Renaldi." he said and smiled at her. "You're in Hufflepuff right? I think I've seen you around."

He smiled again and then gestured towards her drawing. "You have a big talent, it looks very ... professional. Have you been drawing for long?"

"Sure, I don't mind, please sit down" Lola said and patted the ground next to her.
"So you're a Puffle right?" Lola asked, and looked at him, she was trying to figure this Jace out.
'Jace, that is a really strange name' Lola thought to herself.
"I've been drawing since I remember myself, mum says I was practically born with a pencil in my hand. So.. Jace... That is a very odd name, isn't it?" Lola asked "But I was going to ask you to tell me something about you, because, I like knowing stuff about people." Lola smiled and hoped that he would let her know who he was.

"It is." he agreed. "I have no idea why I was named it... But ... I like it. It's different you know?" he laughed.

"Well I am Jace.. I am muggle born... and I have a twin brother and a best friend... but other than that I know no one." he smiled. "What about you? Who are you Lola Peppermint - I've got to say, Peppermint isn't the most common last name there is...?"

Joshua smiled as her walked towards the lake. It was a nice day, the sky was a clear blue. He spotted his brother and a red haired girl sitting out by the lake. He decided to join them, if they didn't mind. He walked over and stood next to Jace.

"Hey, Jace! Mind if I join you two?" he asked, looking over to the girl. She is very pretty, he thought. "And who is this?"

"Oh Hi, I'm Lola, Lola Peppermint that is." Lola said and patted the ground next to her. "Here, sit down. And who are you if you don't mind me asking?" Lola asked the boy who had joined him.
'He's very very cute She thought to herself remembering about Jace's question.
"Oh yeah Jace, I'm Lola, I'm half-blood.. my mother is muggled and my father is a wizard, I have no siblings and Melanie McKinnon is my best friend. Hmm, I love drawing, painting, writing etc. I love Unicorns and I saw one on my first day here. I love herbology and dueling but I hate history of magic, hmm, I have no idea what else to tell you." Lola smiled.

"Hello, Lola Peppermint," he said, sitting down next to her. "I'm Joshua Renaldi, Jace's twin brother."

Wow, we have stuff in common. We both love Herbology and hate History of Magic, he thought, smiling.

"Oh Hey Josh!" Jace greeted his brother and watched as he sat down "What have you been up to today?"

"Wait - you said Melanie McKinnon was your best friend?" he stared at Lola and then nudged his brother. "Bro, this girl is friends with MellyBelly!" he laughed.

Lola laughed.
"Yes "MellyBelly"" Lola air quoted "happens to be my best friend."
"Twins eh? I've always wanted to have siblings but mum and dad couldn't have more kids so I just had to fight with my cousins. Mragh. How's life treating you?" She asked the boys.

"Nothing really, just wandering about the castle. This place is amazing!" he replied.

"Woah, you're friends with WaterMelly?!" he laughed with his brother.

"Yep, twins! I couldn't imagine life without this little bugger," he said, ruffling Jace's hair. "Life's treating me pretty good. What about you?"

"WaterMelly? Whoa you must be really good friends since she let's you call her that.." Lola Laughed.
'He's so cute, so so cute!' Lola thought.
"My life? MY life is pretty good." Lola said and picked up her drawing book and her pencil.
"Uhm guys do you mind if I draw you? I always want to draw everyone I meet... Is it okay?" Lola asked the boys.

"Lets?" Jace laughed "Who said anything about her letting us call her things?" he shook his head. "Oh no.. we are only allowed to call her Mel .. I called her Lanie once.. I almost died."

He smiled at Lola and shook his head "I don't mind.. as longs as I don't turn up as some strange person in a duck suit on the picture."

"She would kill us if she heard us call her that!" Joshua said, nodding in agreement with his brother. "It was pretty funny when she did that!"

Her laugh is so sweet, he thought.

"I don't mind either," he replied. "As long as you make me look good," he added, winking at her.

"thank you." Lola said and moved herself so she could see the boys properly. She started drawing.
'I must look very weird, always looking up like that. Lola thought and smiled.
When she was almost done she looked up and looked clearly at every detail in the faces before her.
'Almost done' She thought. she lifted the drawing up to see it clearly.
"perfect!" She almost squealed and showed the drawing to the boys. "Hope you like it." She said and smiled.

Joshua watched as she drew the two of them.

She is a very good drawer, he thought, looking at the paper as she drew them.

"Wow, that's very good!" he said when she finished and held the picture up. "You're very good at detailing, much better then I ever was in primary school."

"Very good." Jace agreed with his brother. "Do you know a lot of people here Lola?" he then asked.

"Do you guys want?" he added as he drew up three chocolate frogs from his bag and threw at them.

"Oh thank you." Lola said and blushed slightly
"Naw, I know Mel, and Allie, and Aurelie, and Ariadne." so, no I don't know a lot of people.
"Oh thanks." Lola said as she took the chocolate frog.
"Where are you guys from? I'm From Ireland." Lola smiled.

"No problem," he said, laughing at her blush. "That's more people than we know. We know Melanie and her cousin, Elettika, but that's pretty much it!"

"Thanks, bro," he said, catching the chocolate frog. He opened it and took a bite, chewing slowly.

"That's cool, I've always wanted to go to Ireland. We were born in Rome, Italy, but we moved Manchester when we were younger with our aunt," he replied, a sad smile on his face.

Jace bit the head off his frog. "So Lola..." he says, wondering a bit what he should say. "Do you take many classes?" he took another bite from his frog.

Jace's face paled a little when Josh mentioned that they lived with their aunt. He still wasn't over the fact their parents were gone, even though it had been eight long years. "Yeah Manchester.. its a cool city." He mumbled out.

"You don't live with your parents?" Lola asked.
"I take 6 classes Jace. What about you?" Lola asked, she felt like the boys were getting quiet.

Joshua patted his brother on the back, smile vanishing. It was hard for both of them, even if it had been so long.

"No, our parents died when we were 3," he said, face pale and devoid of all emotion. He looked up at Lola with sad eyes. "Our aunt took us in. We lived with her until we got out letters."

He could feel the tears building in his eyes and tryed to force them not to fall, but it was too late. A few trickled down his face, but he wiped them away quickly.

Lola Saw the tears running down Josh's face, and she couldn't help herself, she threw her self at him and hugged him.
"I'm so so so SO sorry, I should've known it was a sensitive subject. I'm sorry." Lola said and realized she was hugging Josh and removed herself from him and blushed slightly.
"Sorry."

Joshua was taken aback when she jumped and hugged him. He hugged her back as she apologized for bringing the subject up.

"No, no. It's okay, you didn't know," he said comfortingly as she let go of him, blushing slightly. He didn't mind her hugging him, in fact, he really liked it. He felt his cheeks getting a bit warm at the thought, and quickly turned back to Jace so Lola wouldn't see.

"You okay, Jacey?" he asked.