Counting Stars

Harmonie's dark eyes shone with both admiration and greed as she watched the clothes on display through the windows of shops. Merlin, she loved France sometimes. The fashion was brilliant. Central Paris was her heaven.

She walked through the street among the herd of other young fashion-lovers, desperate to get to the new season range. Harm looked at her watch impatiently. Forty minutes until the shops would open at midnight.

It was night fall and Athena was causally wandering the streets waiting for the stores to open at midnight. She stared at the people walking by, listened to ther conversations and looked for someone she might would know. Easier said than done, she thought. Due the fact that she only had been a few weeks on Beaux she hadn't made any friends. And talking with someone she only had seen before seemed very unlikely.

Harmonie's impatience was eating her alive. She checked her watch again.

Only 2 minutes had passed?! A loud, dramatic sigh escaped her lips and she started tapping her shoe on the cobbled pavement. Some entertaining company would be of good use, right now. Merlin knew where Lodie was.

She caught sight of another girl around her age, and mentally shrugging, approached her.

"Here for the grand opening?" she smirked, throwing a glance towards the shops.

A girl approached her, she looked familiar. Athena tried to place her but couldn't.
''Yes, yes I am. Exciting isn't it? I love midnight openings.'' She chirped with a smile. It was going to be grand.

People were coming from all around the world for this one night. And in only a few minutes it would start. She had been waiting for this day, counting down and finally, finally it was time.

The stars shone and the moon was only a shard. More people were gathering around. The atmosphere thickened. ''Soon.'' She said happily to the girl.

"Midnight openings are the best type." she said with a small grin. She breathed in deeply and her eyes fluttered close for just a second.

"You can almost taste the tension." she smiled, watching the doors to the closest shop eagerly.

Frowning slightly, Harm rested her hand lightly on the girl's arm. "Sorry, I'm sure I know you from somewhere. Where do you go to school? If you don't mind me asking."

''They are. Half of the fun is the atmosphere and knowing that everyone is here for the same thing. This is how shopping should be like you know?'' In this large amount of people she didn't have to feel lonely and could easily blend in with all the people without glances.

''You can.'' Smiling she looked at the girl. Where had she seen her before?

''Beauxbatons, i'm a forth grader in Prideux. Though I have only been there a few weeks now.''

Harm hummed in agreement. "I completely agree. The fashion and the experience- that's why I'm here." she nodded.

"Oh! New student?" she tilted her head to the side. The girl could now recall her face in the corridors occasionally. "Fourth Year Prideux, Harmonie de Venin, pleasure to meet you." she extended her small hand, studying the girl closely.

She shook the girls hand lightly. ''I knew i recognized you from some where. And now here we are.'' Athena said sounding rather surprised that she had met a girl from her own House, and the same age as well.

"Enjoying Beauxbatons then?" she asked politely- small talk was an area that Harmonie particularly excelled in.

"I beg your pardon dear, but what did you say your name was?" It was, after all, in her requirements as the Queen of Prideux (or at least, that was what the girl enjoyed to think of herself as,) to know everyone in her house. It was strange that Harm had not met the other girl before.

"How long have you been here?" she frowned. Harm hated not being on top of things.

''Ah yes, it's very beautiful. Though I think people can be a bit.. Snobby.'' But this girl did not seem to be, surely she was sure of her great outer looks. But except from that she seemed genuinely kind.

''Athena, Athena Capulet. The almost youngest heir of the Capulet family. You have might heard about us.'' She said with a slight smile. ''Or maybe my sister, Rhea. She went here only a few years ago.'' Her tone changed and she frowned.

Harmonie nodded knowingly.

"Of course we are- only way to stay on top, Athena." She shrugged, brushing the topic away. "You'll get used to it soon enough."

"Ah, a Capulet, you say? You must be proud of your heritage." Harmonie said, impressed. A good family. The de Venins had several crooks and con artists down the line.

"Yes, Rhea Capulet. I remember seeing her in the corridors occasionally."