"And we sat down in the grass
By the Eiffel Tower"

* * *

River held her trunk in her right hand, it swaying between her and Bill as they leisurely strolled through the buzzing park early that evening. The sun was setting gracefully over Paris, it's rays radiating gently onto the Eiffel Tower and baking River's skin with a warm glow.

Bill had one hand tucked into his pocket and the other hung beside him as he walked, slowly edging closer to the beautiful blonde beside him. His eyes kept sparing glances in her direction admiring how her face lit up upon seeing some marvellous sights.

The pair made little small talk, simply enjoying the company they had in one another until Bill broke it. "Do you mind holding your case in your other hand?" He asked her keeping his eyes ahead of him.

Quickly she swapped her hold on the case, "sorry, was it hitting you?"

Bill chuckled, "no." River, clearly confused, stayed quiet. He noticed this and edged even closer to her, "because now I have nothing stopping our hands from accidentally brushing past each other and then maybe connecting together."

"Or you could just ask to hold my hand? It doesn't have to be complicated." She shrugged holding out her hand which Bill looped his fingers with, a red hue coming over his face as he looked away.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologise, it's not that important." She said.

The pair sat down on the grass in front of the tower for a while, getting to know a little bit more. Such as the fact that Bill was there in work and River; she was searching for herself.

"So, how exactly do you plan to 'find yourself'?" Questioned Bill.

"That's it. I don't plan. I run with the wind. Go with the flow, y'know."

"Seriously? Like you don't have the slightest clue what you're going to do? Where you want to go? Like, nothing at all?"

"Nope, not at all." River told him. She laid back on the grass feeling the strands between her fingers, softly caressing her with their light touch. Her eyes fell on the sky which flowed a warm orange with a deep blue slowly settling in and some stars appearing.

Bill joined her and laid beside her. He turned to look at the young woman who didn't return his gaze. He watched as her chest slowly rose and fell as she breathed softly and her breath gradually became visible as the air grew colder but she never complained. Not even as goosebumps rose on her bare arms and the hairs began to stand up.

"Aren't you cold?" He asked her once the sky was fully dark and littered with flickering stars.  Suddenly all of the bright artificial lights from the street lamps and houses became more prominent but did not overshadow those of the stars.

River shook her head.

"Your body would say otherwise," Said Bill as he gently rested his hand upon her forearm which was indeed rather cold to the touch.

River chuckled, "I can't feel it."

"Merlin, you must be numb!" Bill exclaimed hurriedly sitting up and shrugging off his jacket which he laid over River.

River rose her eyebrows, "Merlin? As in that wizard? Merlin and King Arthur?"

"Sure," Bill nodded not really entirely sure what a 'tv show' was and it became clear to him that River might not be of his kind— a wizard. It would make sense because he hadn't seen her around Hogwarts and she did seem around his age and it's not like she could have gone to a different wizarding school when she was British.

River picked off his jacket and handed it back to him, "thank you for the offer but like is said, I'm fine."

"No I insist, you're cold so wear that or at least have it over you."

"And I insist that I am not cold. You on the other hand, you have rosey cheeks and nose. So take your jacket back and wear it, Bill." She literally laid it around his shoulders and Bill couldn't deny that it felt much better having his jacket in then having it off but he still felt bad that River was getting cold. "Also, what material is that?"

"Oh, it's, erm...Egyptian leather." He hesitated to tell her that it was dragon hide.

"Cool."

Bill looked down at the woman and then to her case, "why do you still have your case on you? Why didn't you just leave it in your hotel room? It would have been easier."

River blushed, "I may or may not have been kicked out of that hotel... "

Bill guffawed, "Merlin's beard! So where are you staying?"

River shrugged, "I go with the flow, sweetheart!" She exclaimed raising her arms into the air. "It's fun and exciting that way!"

"So is knowing you have a warm bed to go back to."

River shook her head, "where's the fun in that?"

"There is a lot of fun that can happen in bed..." the redhead smirked, standing up and holding his hand out for her to take. She gladly accepted and let herself be pulled up and just as she was in her feet she lost her balance and crashed into his chest. "But I think for now, you need some sleep you only arrived here this morning so come and stay with me."

"Whoa, considering you were beating around the bush at holding my hand earlier you're very forward now!" Exclaimed River, her hands still resting in Bill's chest, her nails rubbing against his top button.

Bill's eyes found hers, "can't have you on the streets, River, not in a foreign place, especially on the first night. Especially not one as bloody beautiful as you."

"You don't mean that."

"How do you know what I mean? You said it yourself earlier that we don't know each other. So let me know more." Said Bill, placing his hands on her waist, his head dipping close to hers.

River watched as her loomed closer. Her eyes trailed to his lips— light red, soft looking, his breath warm against her skin. He gently captured hers alluding to her closing her deep brown eyes, clutching his shirt tugging him closer.

To others it would look like a young couple who had taken a romantic trip to Paris where they would share their love with a passionate kiss in front of the Eiffel Tower. But no. This was two strangers who knew little about each other from the few hours they had spent together in a country native to neither of them.

So much for 'men would not be on my agenda', eh, River? She didn't even last twenty-four hours.