A/N: as per the reviewer "Red's" suggestion I am trying to layer my characters more…I realize it's one of my weaknesses. I'm learning as I am posting so any feedback is helpful. Thanks!
------
Question of Time
Marissa stood next to Brian, gazing up at the darkened stands that loomed above the pitch. Brian had stopped at the entrance and was now leaning against a support post, hands in his cloak not saying anything.
For the first time around Brian James Potter, Marissa felt uncomfortable. She had no idea what to say, had no idea what he was thinking and his body language combined with silence was leading her to believe that she should turn around and head back to the castle, where it was warmer. Then, she could talk with Janet and see if they could come to some conclusion as to why he took off.
`Alright, I'll count to sixty and if he doesn't say anything, I'll turn around and go. It's almost time for curfew and I don't need detention that's for sure…but I want to know what is going on with him too. I HATE being confused!' Marissa pulled her cloak hood up, hoping if she moved he would remember she was there. She was still feeling uncomfortable with his silence and she was having a very hard time trying to figure out what was racing through his head.
Her slight movement worked.
He turned his head and glanced at her; then turned so his back was against the post giving off the posture of someone overcome with emotion. She couldn't tell whether he was looking at her or somewhere else, but now at least she could feel him gathering his thoughts. He cleared his throat a few times then began talking quietly.
"You know how my mum has been ragging on me about my OWLs, constantly reminding me to study, like I'm not already, and giving me hints as to what I should concentrate on?"
Marissa was confused as to why the conversation was beginning this way but she played along, tucking her short hair behind her ears and tugging her hood a little closer to her face.
"I can totally see your mum doing that…but doesn't she know you are studying hard?"
Brian nodded and shrugged, then tilted his face up to the dark partly cloudy sky, seeing the occasional flurry fly by him. The moonlight illuminated his sharp features and made him look almost ghostlike. One side of his face was pale in the moonlight, highlighting his high cheekbones, and the other side was in the shadow almost obscured from sight.
"I knew this year was going to be hard, especially this term with OWLs and being a Prefect…and I swore to myself I would get O's on all my Owls…," he began and heard Marissa give a small laugh.
"That's so you…and your mum."
"Thanks, I think…but all my priorities changed when school started up again and we had Potions together." He slowly brought his head down and looked pointedly at her. Never having this kind of deep conversation with a male she was unsure how to continue. As much as she liked to think she could read people and was comfortable around them, Brian was surely keeping her on her toes and it unnerved her a bit.
"Why would that change your priorities?" Marissa asked hesitantly, bouncing up and down a bit to keep her body warm.
"I realized how smart you really are and I also saw how you're more mature than all the fourth years and many of the fifth years. It's like I was seeing a different you, one I hadn't seen before."
Marissa felt her heart pick up speed at his words and she now forced herself to stop bouncing, trying to think of a smart, non-embarrassing comment to make. She heard him shift so he was looking out at the pitch again, and he continued talking.
"I don't know how to say what I'm thinking without sounding stupid, or having you laugh at me…I'm rubbish at this," he added his voice so low Marissa had to take a step forward to hear everything he was saying. Now as she stood right next to him she resisted the urge to tuck her arm through his. Taking a deep breath she forced herself to speak without the tremor that threatened to announce itself.
"Just tell me. I'm not going to laugh or…anything."
Marissa stared up at the sky and watched a few bats dart back and forth over the pitch. It was deadly quiet; the snow muffled many noises and everyone was probably inside, warm and toasty while she stood out here trying to get Brian to explain himself.
"I guess, I never expected to add anything else to my schedule of OWLs, Quidditch, Prefect duties, but as I saw you and talked to you somehow you worked your way in there and I'm not quite sure how to handle it." Brian looked down at his boot and scuffed the sole back and forth in the snow. The words came out faster than Marissa could compute them so it took her a minute to realize what he had admitted.
Marissa watched his foot-back and forth, back and forth--as astonishment turned to happiness with what he just said to her. He was thinking about her as more than a friend which she pretty much figured out after the second kiss. Her happiness was short-lived as she realized if they wanted to pursue any relationship it would affect his studies and goodness knows, she didn't want to come between him and the important OWLs…they determined your classes for sixth year which then prepared you for NEWTS.
"Well," Marissa said slowly and couldn't help but keep a small note of disappointment out of her voice. "Let's just forget everything and-," she began.
"No, I don't think so. That wouldn't work…I don't think I want to forget everything." He said it with such force she felt a small sense of triumph that she finally had him admitting that he was interested in her. This was the first time she truly wanted someone, a boy, to like her as much as she liked him. She wasn't sure what she had been looking for in a possible boyfriend but from the way he actually talked about his thoughts and feelings aloud, not leaving her wondering what he was thinking was a huge plus in Marissa's book. She found herself being more honest with him than any other boy she had talked to in the four years at Hogwarts and she hoped it would continue.
Marissa's feet were cold and her cheeks felt frozen, so she spoke quickly.
"I have no idea what's happening between us, but I know that with me there are more than just friendly feelings for you and I have no idea what to do about them. And since you have such a busy schedule this year, maybe we should just put them aside and wait until this year is over. And if they are still there, great, if not…then…we weren't meant…," Marissa closed her eyes briefly, hating what she was about to say because her heart was screaming otherwise. "Maybe that means we're supposed to just be friends."
"Yeah, maybe…." Brian let his hands drop but didn't sound entirely convinced. "You aren't even going to be here during the summer are you?"
"We're leaving for America in mid July and come back the second week of August, so we'll be gone a month," Marissa clarified for him. She had talked with her mother when she was home and was told their vacation this year was a trip to America. She was genuinely excited, but now realized that she and Brian would probably never work if there wasn't anytime to try and work on the relationship.
"So, what do we do?" he asked in a whisper and Marissa felt a huge need to hug him so she gave into her feelings and walked over wrapping her arms around him, feeling him do the same and holding her tightly.
"I don't know. This is a first for me." She rested her cheek on his shoulder. "Stay friends and take it day by day I guess."
"Would be so much easier if we could control our emotions," Brian said leaning back against the support a bit but still holding her.
"Then life would be to predictable would it not?" Marissa wisely answered, reaching up and pushing her hood back so she could hear him a bit better. However, he remained quiet and she felt his grip relax as she wondered what was going through his head now. As if he heard her silent question he cleared his throat.
"Day by day," he whispered and Marissa lifted her head off his shoulder, pulling back to look up at him. She wasn't sure how she was going to handle this…every time she looked at him her heart did back flips and she could only wonder if it would ever stop.
She knew then as she caught a reflection off his eyes, that he was as confused as she was. This had both taken them by surprise and with both being young and having huge amounts of school work in front of them she realized that neither one of them had any idea how to proceed.
"Shouldn't we head back?" Marissa whispered, feeling his arms still around her.
"We should…but…." He looked down in to her eyes and she gripped the back of his cloak, knowing what was coming and wondering why they just couldn't pull back and walk away.
"One last thing?" she whispered, reading his mind and he smiled for the first time during their stay outside. She gasped as his cold lips touched hers and everything they had just said faded away as her body demanded what she thought might be their last kiss. Pulling herself closer she felt him deepen the kiss, in a way she hadn't experienced with the other ones and when his tongue touched her lip she flinched, then relaxed as she opened her own lips and gently touched her tongue to his, feeling a warmth spread throughout her then trying to burst out of her skin.
And that is when she felt it. Something deep inside her stirred, trying to wake up and it scared her; she had no idea what it was, what it meant and she forced herself to pull away, hearing their ragged breathing.
"We can't keep doing this if we are going to keep this on the back burner," Marissa took a deep breath, feeling her body begin to settle back down again.
"You're right…but…Merlin," Brian breathed, letting her go gently.
"Yeah…Merlin is right," Marissa agreed, lips still tingling from that last kiss.
Silently, companionably they turned and began walking up the hill to the castle, each lost in their own confused thoughts.
--------
February faded into March and true to their word, Marissa and Brian managed to act like "just friends" most of the time…at least in their minds. There were the thoughts of the kisses they had shared and Marissa knew that she would love to do it again, but she called up on her willpower to try and keep those thoughts at bay, to concentrate instead on remaining friends and enjoying the time she did get to spend with him.
But Janet could see the casual touches that had started happening. A pat on the arm, a hand on the back, a flirtatious shove. Janet found it amusing that her friends never noticed their change in behavior, so she never brought it up to Marissa.
Draco could sense a change in them too. As the class moved towards more difficult potions, many people partnered together outside of class going over potions and he would often see their heads bent as they sat next to each other in the Great Hall. Once or twice he would catch the casual touch but as they sat across the aisle from each other in class, they were few and far between.
The pick up game of Quidditch that Draco, Harry, Ron and a few other alumni from Hogwarts had played drew a crowd, even though they didn't announce they were doing it. And it was there that Harry even got the sense that his son had more than a friendly interest Marissa Malfoy. He watched them sit next to each other and when Brian's friend Mark came around instead of going off and hanging with Mark, he stayed with Marissa.
However hard they tried to be friends, there were little hints here and there that those feelings talked about that cold, late February day hadn't disappeared.
--------
It was the week before Easter when it happened.
The one event Marissa KNEW was bound to happen, but dreaded all the same.
Marissa and Devon were in Hogsmeade, Brian bowing out to study. Erin, Devon, Dixon and Amy were running around acting like the annoying first years they were. Careening down the main street, enjoying the early April breeze, they were the first to turn a corner taking them to Fred and George's store.
Marissa and Devon were in deep conversation about the latest scandal at the ministry (the head of the Wizengamot admitted to having fathered two illegitimate children) when Dixon came running back.
"Come on!" he tugged at Devon's sleeve. "Amy's talking to some guy and he keeps trying to get her alone." Devon took off with Dixon and Marissa grabbed her wand, running behind and as she turned the corner she saw him.
Thomas Nott was Amy's father and she was looking terrified.
Rage welled up inside Marissa and she wanted to stun him right then and there, but Devon grabbed her arm, knowing what she wanted to do and shook his head.
"Amy," Devon called and she turned around walking quickly towards him, a look of confusion and fear mixed on her face. Devon laid a hand on her thin shoulder and pushed her slightly behind him, his face unreadable as he faced Nott. Marissa stood next to Derek and Dixon while Erin ran to stand by her friend, who was almost cowering behind Devon.
"What are you doing here?" Marissa demanded and she saw his gaze swing over to her. He was roughly as tall as her father, and had slightly long brown hair and eyes so dark they looked black. The only thing that Amy seemed to have inherited from him was his height, seeing that Pansy was short and Amy was already taller than Erin was.
"It's a free town. I'm trying to talk to my daughter here if you don't mind," he snapped at her and Marissa ground her teeth, forcing back a multitude of swear words. She could hear the crowd behind her moving around them as they blocked part of the road. She felt anger radiating off him and her guard went up even higher. She was taught to protect her family and at the moment she viewed Amy as part of her family knowing she had to protect her, sad as it was, from Amy's own father.
Marissa heard Amy whisper something to Devon who leaned his ear down to hear her.
Marissa and Nott stared at each other and she could see he was trying to place her…where he had seen those icy gray blue eyes and that full mouth. He seemed to be having a hard time putting two and two together. He didn't seem to be particularly smart from the way he presented himself, slightly stooped with his hands shoved in his pockets. She was getting a pretty accurate read off of him by his stance and lack of communication…and in her mind he seemed to be feeling a bit intimidated.
Marissa realized that the Malfoy children must have made an interesting looking wall. Marissa standing tall, her wand at her side and eyes narrowed as she kept her unwavering gaze on him. Devon being the same height and adopting the same pose. Next was Erin with her long strawberry blond hair and dark eyes slightly tucked behind Devon's side. On Marissa's other side was Derek, just a miniature version of Draco standing next to Dixon who was the tallest of the triplets, maybe because his dark blond hair was spiked today. They stood shoulder to shoulder with Amy behind Devon and silently dared Nott to move.
"She doesn't want to talk to you; you can't force her too," Devon said firmly and Nott's gaze swung back to Devon who was now fourteen and beginning to fill out. He was going to be tall and broad like his Weasley uncles and Marissa could feel how tense he was just from the pressure of his shoulder against hers.
Derek tugged Marissa's arm and she bent down, never taking her eyes off Nott who was standing just a few feet away. He whispered something she barely caught in her ear and she nodded her consent. Quickly he grabbed Dixon's arm and dragged him down the street and around the next corner.
"Amy, we need to talk about this summer," Nott began and Amy shook her head, her lips pressed together. Then on second thought she said in a low voice that Devon, who was standing the closest to her, had to strain to hear, "Mum will not be happy you came here to find me, instead of going through her."
"Well, I wouldn't have to if your mother would return my messages."
Erin wisely squeezed Amy's shoulder indicating for her to close her mouth and not say anymore.
"You need to move and let us alone. And as you KNOW she's underage so you need to go through her mother to contact her," Devon said wisely and as soon as the words were out of his mouth Marissa heard Erin shift.
"Dad," she said quietly and Marissa saw Derek and Dixon walking along side of their father. He and Ginny were buying new robes and were in the area for the day; luckily Derek remembered that and had seemed to find him quickly.
Draco was dressed in his weekend clothes, jeans and a dark red sweater and he had a look on him that Marissa had never seen. His eyes were flashing hatred from a distance as he walked purposefully, not moving for anyone who was walking towards him. Amy looked up as Erin tugged her jacket and she looked behind her father seeing Draco. Taking off and startling her father she was a blur of green as she ran past him and smack into Draco. Not missing a step, Draco gently pushed Amy behind him, a hand on her arm, as Nott turned around, visibly stepping back as he saw Draco Malfoy walking towards him, wand visible.
Marissa, Devon and Erin flattened themselves against the brick wall. Dixon and Derek stood on either side of Draco with Amy behind them.
"What seems to be the problem, Nott?" Draco asked his voice short, clipped and very cold.
Nott seemed to take a few breaths before he answered, this time in a voice strained to be pleasant.
"Trying to talk to my daughter who is behind you."
"I'm well aware of who your daughter is." Marissa just realized then her father never came back to her with the information Blaise had procured from the ministry. She had been so wrapped up in her own existent/non existent love life and caught up in studying she totally forgot he said he would find out. She wondered how long he knew.
"If I am correct, as you know I am, you need permission from Pansy to talk to Amy and it seems you would not have
that from the way she is acting and from the fact that Pansy specifically told me that you aren't allowed
anywhere near her unless SHE is with Amy. So I strongly suggest," Draco flicked his wand a bit for
emphasis, "that you move along and take your problems elsewhere."
Marissa jerked back and her hand hit Devon's who looked at her, surprise on his face too. They had never witnessed their father falling back to the old Malfoy ways. Neither of them had ever heard him talk so cold to anyone else and it even sent a chill down Marissa's spine.
Nott stood his ground and Marissa saw Amy flinch behind Dixon who was standing the furthest from her father.
"Dad, should I take Amy up the street a bit?" Marissa asked and not taking his eyes off Nott he nodded.
"Take your brothers and sister too. I need to discuss some issues with Mr. Nott." Draco gave his youngest sons and Amy a little push towards Marissa. Nott's eyes had widened when Marissa had addressed Draco as "dad" which is the reaction that Marissa had wanted.
"Come on kids, let's go visit Uncle George and Uncle Fred," Marissa said loud enough for Nott to hear and for him to make the Weasley/Malfoy connection.
With a piercing look at Nott who now looked visibly shaken she grabbed Erin and Amy's hands and they walked quickly up the street. Devon turned around in time to see Draco grab Nott's arm and steer him into an alleyway.
It took all of fifteen minutes for the younger ones, now 12, to forget about the incident on the street as they played around in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Fred and George came over, hugging their niece and nephews and Fred took the younger ones, including Amy, in the back as George hung out up front, listening to Devon replay what had just happened.
"Arsehole," George muttered, cutting a glance towards the back where shrieks of laughter could be heard. "Is Amy ok?" he asked thinking of his own two children and thankful they never had to experience that.
"Seems so now, but she was pretty scared at first," Devon answered, picking up the new model of the fanged Frisbee and looked at it interestedly.
"After this, I think we should head back to school and wait for dad to get a hold of us there." Marissa took a deep breath and let it out, feeling her stomach still quivering from nerves. Her own life now seemed incredibly boring to what Amy must have been going through, having both parents living on different continents and obviously not liking each other.
"Alright, they picked out their late birthday present!" Fred announced as the triplets came out, laden with firecrackers and jokes.
"You wouldn't remember their birthday if it didn't fall on yours!" Devon kidded and he received a headlock for his comment. A short wrestling match ensued until the next set of customers came in. Marissa looked up from her spot near the counter and saw her father walking in behind three other Hogwarts students.
"Fred, George, I see you took care of them," he said, nodding towards his kids who had bags of items that were probably banned.
"Sure did; told them that they couldn't use them at school of course," Fred said handing a smaller bag to Amy who grinned up at him like he was the most famous person on earth.
Marissa ran her hands over her face and pushed herself away from the counter feeling the boiling anger at facing Nott having subsided, just a bit, but it still left her restless.
"I'm heading back…you all coming?" Marissa called to everyone and with a few hugs to their uncles and a wave from Draco they all piled out the door into the bright sunlight.
Marissa noticed Amy glancing down the street towards the corner but she quickly sped up and walked next to Erin with
Devon. Derek and Dixon trudged a few feet behind her while Draco fell in step with Marissa.
"I can get them back to school, dad," Marissa said a bit annoyed that he was walking with them.
"I know, but I'm walking with you anyway. Your mother will be awhile getting her new robes, so I have nothing better to do."
"What'd you do with…," and Marissa jerked her head towards Amy. Draco was silent for a moment as if weighing what to say.
"Talked; and got in touch with Pansy."
Marissa nodded and walked quickly up the hill, trying to release stress by walking fast until she felt her father grab her arm and pull her back.
"I know you're angry, but you need to realize that this isn't your battle. I know you want to protect Amy and don't fully understand what is going on. But, trying to protect her doesn't lie on your shoulders. If for one reason or another it involves any of us, that person is ME because Amy is in my house and because of your mother's unfortunate incident with Nott. You don't need to carry this around with you."
Marissa pulled her arm out of her father's grasp, a bit hurt by his words, but kept her slow place.
"You taught us honor within the family and you expect me to forget a Nott ever attacked my mother? Or seeing the fear on Pansy's face when he confronted her. It's not going to happen, dad," Marissa said angrily, her lips set in a determined line.
"I should've expected that answer from you. You are so much like a Malfoy it scares even me sometimes." Draco let himself smile a bit then turned serious again. "You're barely fifteen years old and have three more years of school, friends, sports, boys," he continued, emphasizing "boys" which caused Marissa to look up at him quickly. "This is not a battle you alone need to fight. If you want to help," he saw Marissa nod vehemently, "just… look out for Amy. She's the innocent one in all this. I can keep a close eye on her only so much since she is a Slytherin, but you see her on weekends and in the evenings. Just don't go looking for Nott or Pansy."
Draco now stopped and grabbed Marissa, pulling her off the path a bit. Glancing up at the others who were now stopped and looking inside the bags that Fred and George gave them, Draco lowered his voice.
"He is very persistent and will do what he can to try and talk to Amy. He can't get into Hogwarts though, so try not to worry about him…understand?" he let go of her arm and stared at her, trying to read her gaze. He found though, as she got older it was harder and harder to tell what she was thinking.
"I understand," Marissa mumbled, moving her eyes from her father and looking up towards the castle. She saw Amy laugh at something she was holding in her hand; Devon was bent over her bag, rifling through it.
"I bet her life wasn't very happy until she came here. I actually feel sorry for Pansy…a little…even though she didn't really strike me as the maternal friendly type that time I met her."
"She isn't the maternal type. Never was, though I expect she is trying to do the best she can," Draco admitted as they started walking up the hill again. "And all she ever wanted was a pureblood relationship and one way or another she continued that pureblood line."
Marissa and her father made the rest of the trip in silence and it was at the gate that he left them, bidding everyone
farewell. Marissa noticed he watched them from the gate until they were on the steps and just about to go inside the
door.
She wondered what exactly her father and Nott talked about because all of a sudden, (and she found it hard to believe that they only "talked") her father seemed very protective and made it apparent. He was never like that, not that anyone outside the family could distinguish.
Bidding her family and Amy a good afternoon, she headed up to get her books then to the library to study for her OWL Potions exam. The thought of Brian entered her head as she saw James move around the corner as she made the trip to her tower then the library. She hadn't seen him much except for classes and on the pitch during their game against each other. He had squeezed out a victory, finding the snitch just a few seconds before she did, and afterwards he had talked to her a bit before everyone changed and went inside for dinner.
She settled herself in a corner of the library while, unbeknownst to her, Brian, Mark and another fifth year Gryffindor, Henry, were sitting in the corner. Brian was facing the table that Marissa had settled herself at, her back to him.
For a moment he watched her unpack her notebook and Potions books, and he could tell by the way she sat straight up,
that she wasn't relaxed at all. A small frown tugged at his lips and he found that the past two hours of studying
had been enough. He had done pretty well not letting Marissa consume his thoughts over the past six weeks but once in
awhile, especially when she wasn't aware of him watching her, her face took over his thoughts. He felt a flush
creep up to his cheeks as he thought about kissing her and he quickly looked down, thankful that his friends were busy
copying each other's answers to their Arithmancy homework.
Glancing at the clock he saw it was only three…usually students stayed at Hogsmeade until five or so and that made him wonder all the more what had happened.
"I'm done here," Brian said suddenly, stretching and making himself yawn.
"I've been done since two hours ago," Mark grumbled, slamming shut his book.
"I think it's time for snack," Henry determined after looking around and seeing most of the students had left.
"You guys go ahead; I'm going to put my books back on the shelf." Brian stood up and grabbed the three books he had been making notes from and telling his friends he'd catch up with them later, he went through the motions of shelving the books. He also made sure he passed by Marissa's spot and he glanced down at her as he walked in front of her table. She was tapping her Quill against the table and it seemed as if her eyes were burning holes in the paper.
"Hey," he whispered and her head popped up, staring at him for a minute.
"Hey," she said and she kicked out a chair across from her, silently telling him to join her.
"I'm just on my way out and saw you're back from Hogsmeade pretty early," he hedged, placing his bag on the table and then resting his arms over it.
Marissa looked back down at her book and nodded silently. She couldn't tell him anything while in a public place and she was sure if she started talking it was all going to tumble out. And she was sure that she would either be shouting at him in anger over this Nott person or crying about what happened to her mum.
They were silent for a minute, Marissa staring at her paper again. She looked almost depressed, which worried Brian. He waved a hand in front of her face and she looked up at him again, noticing for the first time he needed to shave and then as her eyes slid up from his chin to his eyes, she saw the worried look on his face.
"Come on." He stood up and grabbed her bag, placing her unused notebook inside. She shoved her book in after it and quietly stood up, feeling very drained at the moment and not having the energy to question him. He led her out of the library and up to the hallway she hadn't been in since the last time he took her to the Room of Requirement. She waited quietly until the door appeared and she followed him in, noticing this time the walls were painted white and she briefly wondered what the limits of this room were.
Brian shut the door behind her and dropped his bag near the door, gently taking hers off her shoulder.
"You need to show me how to do that sometime," she said quietly as he guided her to a dark red sofa against the wall.
"It's a closely guarded secret," he joked and she gave him a genuine smile as she sat next to him.
"So…talk to me." He settled himself against the back of the sofa and watched her lean forward resting her face in her hands. For a moment she stayed like that and he got the feeling she was trying to control herself. Slowly she pushed her hands through her now longer hair and then let her hands rest on the back of her neck where she began rubbing it.
"Well, my trip to Hogsmeade was cut short, as you can see," Marissa began and she then told him the whole story about what happened earlier. She could feel herself getting angrier as she described how he stood there and how scared Amy seemed of him. By the time she was done talking, Brian had moved himself next to her his shoulder touching hers and, for a moment after she finished, they sat there in silence.
"Amy seems ok now?" he asked first and Marissa thought it was sweet that he thought of her first. She nodded then sat up rotating her neck, hearing it crack.
"I have never felt that angry…ever. But, the look on his face once he realized who I was… was worth holding back for. I could see him trying to place me, probably recognizing my eyes like everyone else but struggling at the same time…," she sank back against the pillowed sofa. "I promised my dad I wouldn't do this…worry… but I can't help it."
Brian patted her hand which was on her knee and she grabbed it, holding onto it tightly, feeling her self control starting to slip.
"You don't like to see anyone upset and you want to try and fix what's wrong…sometimes you can't. This is something that you can't fix," he said simply and she nodded, keeping her head bowed as she pressed her free hand to her eyes, not wanting to cry in front of him. She felt him put a strong arm around her and pull her to him; his gentle gesture causing the dam to break.
"I'm so pissed at him and I can't even do anything about it!" Marissa said angrily through her tears, feeling Brian nod against the top of her head. "I was there, I saw what he did and it felt like it was happening to me and I just want to scream at him and ask him why he would do that and how dare he do that, all at once." She squeezed her eyes shut trying to stop the tears-feeling like a fool in his arms crying as he rubbed her back.
This was her unguarded side, a side she rarely let anyone see. She felt the need to unload sometimes without anyone trying to tell her how to fix whatever she was upset about. Rarely though did she find someone she could just be upset in front of and not be told what to do. But, as Brian remained silent, just rubbing her back it came to her that he was letting her do what she NEEDED to do…unload. A new batch of tears overflowed as more words fell forth.
"Then! You should have seen my father; I've never seen him like that…so mean almost, cold and…I don't know. I just have never seen him like that."
Somehow he conjured up a tissue and handed it to her as she began to get herself under control. Thanking him, she wiped her eyes and nose then stuck it in her pocket keeping her head against his chest, enjoying the feel of his arms around her.
"Are you ok?" he asked his hand still rubbing her back and he felt her nod against his chest. "I think that's the first time I've ever seen you cry."
"Yeah, I don't do that very often…I'm sorry to fall apart," she began and he shushed her, letting his arm drop as she shifted herself off of him and he noticed for the first time their hands were still clasped together. He watched her run a hand over her face and then look up at him.
Her eyes were still shiny and red rimmed. He saw that a few tears were smudged on her cheeks and without thinking he unclasped their hands and wiped them away, cupping her face as he did so.
Marissa's breath hitched in her chest and she was sure he was aware that she stopped breathing for a moment. The memory of them kissing in the snow back in February flashed through her mind and as she sat there she wasn't sure if it would be the best idea to kiss. But, she found that she couldn't voice that concern, not with his hands now still on her face. And as she searched his eyes, waiting for him to say that what they were about to do wasn't a good idea, Marissa realized that he was probably waiting for her to say it.
A second later, right as she thought maybe they were going to kiss each other, they heard a horrendous crash out in the hall, causing them both to jump up. Marissa's heart leapt into her throat as Brian ran to the door and wrenched it open.
"Peeves! What the hell are you doing?" Brian yelled at the ghost who was laughing hysterically. Across from the door was a suit of armor that had fallen to the floor. Cackling, Peeves saluted Brian and sailed away.
Turning around, Brian saw Marissa behind him, her bag in her hand.
"I think that's our cue to leave," she said her eyes watching the suit of armor right itself again.
"I think so too," Brian sighed, and then reluctantly grabbed his bag. He held the door for her as they walked out both turning to watch the door disappear and for a moment neither of them moved.
"I need to go check up on Amy…thanks for…everything." Marissa hiked the bag on her shoulder, still feeling the shadow of his hands on her cheeks.
Brian nodded then without warning leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I'll see you at dinner," he said quietly and Marissa nodded, turning in the opposite direction towards her tower to find Erin so she could check up on Amy Parkinson.
-->