A/N: I wasn't sure if England is 5 or 6 hrs ahead of us in April, with our time change. So, I will keep it 5 b/c the computer is telling me that…does anyone know for sure? EST and GMT (Eastern Standard Time in the USA and Greenwich Mountain Time in London).
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Day 3/ Night 4
Malfoy Estate
4:20pm GMT; 11:20am EST
"DRACO!" Ginny yelled in a slightly panicked and excited voice that Draco had only heard once in his life, and that was when she went into labor with the triplets. He jumped out of his office chair and tore out of the room, practically running up the hall, seeing the children doing the same, coming from all the corners of the house. She held a note in her hand looking very pale, and was leaning up against the doorway to the kitchen. Holding her gaze as he walked over he saw her eyes brimming with tears. Gently he took it knowing who it was from.
Standing next to her, with all the children quietly watching him he read down through it, blinking back tears that threatened to spill over. Marissa and Brian were alright, at least as of early that morning Eastern Standard Time in America. Draco glanced at his watch and saw it would be almost 11:30 in the morning across the ocean. Wordlessly, he handed the note to Devon who read it aloud to the rest of the room.
"I'll go get the Potter's," Draco said hoarsely and immediately disapparated. Sixty seconds later he and Harry were in the living room as the rest of the Potters stumbled out of the fireplace.
"Let me see it, Gin." Hermione held out her hand and sat down on the sofa, Harry taking the spot next to her.
Devon sat on the floor with Amy and Erin next to him. Kirstin, Laura and Taryn were standing behind Hermione, reading the note over her shoulder. Derek and Dixon shuffled in the corner near the fireplace trying to contain their excitement. Ginny just watched Hermione and Harry and the range of emotions that passed over their faces.
"How did you…," Harry cleared his throat and when he spoke again it was a tad lower, "get this?"
The Potter's and Narcissa Malfoy had been over for lunch as the girls scoured the library, looking up information on trees and habitats and comparing longitude and latitude to the meeting place in Ireland, thinking maybe Nott was somewhere along the same degree as the Irish town, Kerry. Harry and Draco had left to hear Dumbledore regretfully tell them that the owner to the Toy Store was out of town and it would take a bit of time to track him down. Draco and Harry had come back to the Malfoys and, after a brief stay, all the Potters had left twenty minutes ago, not wanting to intrude on the Malfoy's Easter dinner that was happening at five that afternoon.
"Owl Post about five minutes ago, if that," Ginny answered Harry, her voice wavering between excitement and emotions she couldn't name.
"A normal owl?" Harry asked and he saw Ginny look out the window and nod towards it. Turning around, Harry spied the owl eating a snack on the windowsill.
It was a large barn owl with a purple streak down its back.
"Overseas," Hermione said. "It came overseas…so it sounds like they are in America."
All the kids started talking at once and Draco held up his hand.
"First, Harry can you make copies of this and send one to McGonagall and Dumbledore? I'll take this one to the Ministry," Draco stood up and began pacing as Hermione joined Harry in the corner, where he made duplicate copies. Draco counted off on his fingers things that needed to be done.
"Second, Devon, I need you to go find some bags for your mother and me…."
"I want to go," Devon demanded, resulting in a chorus of other voices saying the same thing.
"No, all you kids need to stay here, SAFE with your grandparents. Please don't fight me on this, Devon." Draco leveled his gaze on his oldest son and saw the hazel eyes like his mothers flash with anger, yet he didn't say a word, just turned and went upstairs.
"Next, Derek and Dixon, please compose a note to your grandparents Weasley and tell them what is going on, copy the letter if you have to. Erin and Amy please do the same for Grandmother Malfoy."
"And girls…." Hermione turned and handed a copy of the note to Ginny who wordlessly took it and gave it to the children who were scrambling for parchment and quills, glad that they had a job. "I need you to come back with me so we can pack for you to go to grandma and grandpa's. NOW!" she commanded as they tried to dissuade her and with in minutes Ginny was upstairs helping Devon get bags, Draco apparated to the Ministry, Harry to Hogwarts and Hermione and her girls back home.
And within a half hour, two bags for Ginny and Draco were packed. Harry and Hermione shared one, the kids packed their own bags and word was sent to every family member about what was happening. Ron floo'd in, expressing a desire to go with them and after a heated discussion with his sister he backed down and agreed to stay at the Malfoy Estate in case anything else came to the house. Harry got in touch with Fred and George who said that they would come and stay at his house for the same reason.
By six that evening, Hermione had floo'd the girls over to her parents; Draco had floo'd his children plus Amy to his mother's house. Draco left her to watch over them with a "good luck" and a long hug for his mother. He hugged each and every one of his younger children; even Devon gave him a manly hug. Amy gave Draco a quick, embarrassed one, still upset at what her father had done and not being able to look at her professor, and now guardian, face to face. She briefly wondered what her mother was hiding from now, as it seemed her father was busy elsewhere.
By six thirty all the children were at the appropriate homes, the Potter and Malfoy's had their bags and made the decision to apparate into New York, which had the largest Apparation Center and from there they could exchange galleons for American Dollars.
Hermione already informed them that Brian was right about the trees and said that from her and Harry's honeymoon they had seen numerous ones on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia when they visited the beaches.
As they apparated themselves to New York and quietly they quickly went through the motions of obtaining money and establishing a meeting spot at the nearest magical school, Salem Institute. Minutes later the foursome set off knowing that the East Coast magical school had the means to send an over-sea's owl.
Draco and Harry only hoped that the President of the school would be willing to see them on Sunday. Hermione said she
would blow down his door if she had too and for one of the rare times that they had known each other, Draco agreed as
he gripped Ginny's hand tightly. They walked down the hall of the Apparation center to the next room, where they
were able to apparate anywhere with in the United States.
Draco hoped Dumbledore had been able to get in touch with the President of Salem Institute. He really wasn't in the mood to track anyone else down for questioning.
First stop, Salem Institute, Salem, Massachusetts.
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Spare Room
Easter Sunday
Earlier that day…11:15am GMT ; 6: 15am EST
The rain pounded against the window with help from the wind that swirled and moaned around the house. It was the first outside sound that Marissa had heard since being locked up in this sparse room. She had been lying awake listening to it for the past few minutes, trying to ignore the hunger pangs that were now a constant reminder of the one meal they received during the day.
As usual, Brian was pressed up behind her, and arm draped over her; Marissa was now used to this position and enjoyed it. They never usually feel asleep like that and Merlin only knows how they moved around at night but she always awoke, for the past three mornings, like this. She wondered about the number of people who wouldn't believe her when she told them that she hadn't had sex with THE Brian Potter. That was going to take a lot of explaining…but then again, it really wasn't anyone's business was it?
`Merlin, what am I thinking? What in the world is wrong with me for thinking about doing THAT with HIM, here?'
Forcing her thoughts from that idea, which scared, terrified and excited her all at once, she thought about their rescue. She had a good feeling that they were going to be rescued. Maybe not today, nor tomorrow, but within the week she was certain. Chalk it up to another feeling…but now back to Brian…she couldn't not think about him with his chest against her back, and his jeans rough against her bare legs.
Marissa thought about explaining to her parents how they slept…would they believe her? They better…they didn't raise her to lie or to just go and sleep with someone under a guys roof that had molested her mother at a young age. But, would they even ask what happened and what they talked about being locked up here for however many days it was going to be? Inevitably, her thoughts turned towards Nott and she felt that ball of anger well up inside her.
She shifted slightly, bending her arm under her head for a pillow.
Legilimency.
The thought popped into her head. She could try it on Nott. Hold his gaze for a bit at the bathroom; see what he was thinking…this constituted an emergency.
`Why didn't I think of that earlier?' Marissa chided herself, biting her lip.
`Because you couldn't stand to look at him…that's why,' a voice in the back of her head said.
`Well, that'll change today, dammit,' Marissa said angrily to herself.
"You awake?"
Marissa turned onto her stomach and laid her cheek on her arms which were her pillow.
"How'd you know?" Marissa asked watching him rub sleep out of his eyes. For the first time she saw he needed to shave, combine that with sleepy eyes and wild hair and she would have to describe him as sexy. Never did she think she would be one to label a man that, let alone someone she knew…but she found one. Right next to her.
"You didn't seem very relaxed, like you do when you're sleeping," he yawned covering his mouth then gazed at her with hooded eyes.
`He's awake when I'm sleeping?' Marissa thought to herself watching him turn onto his stomach and mimic her posture.
For a moment she closed her eyes, listening to the storm outside, actually glad to hear something other than their own voices. Sighing heavily she opened them again and saw he was now staring at the wall, his chin resting on the backs of his hands.
"What're you thinking?" Marissa asked hesitantly.
"Just listening to the storm…I love storms actually."
"Really?"
"Yep. When I was little I'd lay on my bed and listen to it, crack the window open a bit and listen to the rain hitting the roof, the thunder and wind."
"I guess it can be very relaxing as long as you aren't hit by lightning," Marissa offered, turning onto her back and tucking the sheet in around her legs…still self conscious even after last night of being half clothed in front of him.
"It'll be a nice day just to lay around…not that we have much else to do anyway."
"My grand plan was to read my Muggle Studies book."
"And hope Millie will deliver that note," Brian said back to her watching her nod in agreement. She had her hands straight up in the air, fiddling with her ring then let them drop back to the bed with a resounding thud. Flipping over on to his back he reached over and took her hand, loving the now familiar feel of her fingers threaded through his. For a moment they lay there, both trying to wake up fully and listening to the rain lash against the window.
"Let's say Millie does come through for us…how long do you think until our parents would get our letter?" Brian asked softly, staring up at the ceiling in the grayness.
"Well, it's an overseas owl, if she chooses that way…don't you have to go to a post office or school to get one of them, and sign papers?" Marissa asked, never having sent anything overseas before.
"I think so."
"Then, lets say she goes to the nearest magical school, which IF we are on the East Coast would be Salem Institute in New England right? Well…the owl would take a bit to fly overseas."
"And they are faster than normal domestic owls," Brian interjected.
"I believe so. So, let's say it takes two to three hours to fly there? Then another bit to get to the house…probably a total of four hours from the time the Owl leaves the States until it gets to our house."
"So our parents find out late this afternoon…England time… and knowing my dad and yours they'll want to apparate to the U.S. right away. Where do you apparate into? Aren't there centers around, like Muggle Airports for that?" Brian scratched his chest, then turned on his side, bringing their hands up to shoulder level. Marissa was looking all over the ceiling and he recognized she was thinking. Visual thinker she was it took her a bit to draw up all the information and place it in the correct order until she spoke it aloud.
"I think there is one in New York and one in California…and one in Texas for people coming in from the Southern Hemisphere. So, after finding places for all our brothers and sisters and Amy to stay, they apparate into New York and do what they need to do. That would put it after dinner I would think. If I were them, I'd go straight to Salem I."
"Yeah, and see if they can track down any info on the owl, talk to any house elves…do they have house elves in America? Minnie has a British accent," Brian asked, interrupting himself and Marissa shrugged, still staring at the ceiling. "Okay… so if there are any house elves, they talk to them…I'm pretty sure there have to be some around here somewhere. Then, depending on what they find out at Salem they make their way south…I think, based on the weather, the trees in bloom, and that we are in the warmer rather than cooler climate…and near water. UGH…my brain hurts," Brian mumbled.
"Mine too…and my stomach," Marissa said hearing it rumble.
"Me too…hell of a way to lose weight…which neither of us need to do."
"I think Nott will be here soon for a bathroom break. We should probably get up and get dressed," Marissa turned her head for the first time since their conversation and looked at him.
"Think he'll let us have a shower?" Brian asked and Marissa was quiet for a beat, wondering if he was kidding.
"Ummm…how would we manage that?" she asked cocking an eyebrow. For a minute Brian looked confused and to reinforce her point she gestured to the foot of space between them.
"Ohhh," Brian smiled as he realized what he had said, "Well, I'd turn my back being a gentleman."
Marissa rolled her eyes.
"You can ask…see what he says. I would love one…," Marissa said wistfully. "And I would love clean clothes."
"Maybe we can get him to do at least a scourgifying charm. Tell him our parents wouldn't like to come back and find us all battered looking."
"That's worth a try. I think on our trip to the loo, I'm going to legilimens him," Marissa said smoothly and he stared at her.
"You can do that?"
She nodded.
"Huh…well, that might not be such a bad idea, though you've me scared. What've you been seeing in my head?"
Marissa shook her head.
"Haven't even tried…do I need to?" she narrowed her eyes at him and he laughed.
"No, I think you pretty much know how I feel," he said finally letting go of her hand and pushing himself up, forcing her to do the same so the sheet stayed around her stomach.
The next few minutes were filled with putting Brian's shirt back on which had landed on Marissa's side on top of her jeans…causing her to flush remembering what they had done the night before. She slipped on her jeans under the sheets, but stood up to zip and button them. They had just finished making themselves presentable when they heard Nott.
Silently, he opened the door to Marissa and Brian standing hand in hand near the door, watching him.
"Come on. I got places to be," Nott growled at them leading them down. Marissa had asked Brian to go first so she could try to legilimens him, so Brian ducked in ahead of her.
"Hey," Marissa said, obviously startling him that she addressed him. He turned and looked at her. Making sure she was looking right at his eyes she asked if there was a way he could scourgify them seeing that it had been three days since they had showered or changed clothes.
"I suppose so," Nott said narrowing his eyes at her. She just gave him a small pained smile and tore her eyes from his with relief as Brian came out of the bathroom.
Five minutes and two scourgifying spells later they were locked back in their room, going through their schoolbags. Marissa found her sweater and put it on, feeling chilly.
"Well, not as good a shower but feels better doesn't it?" Brian asked, leaning against the wall, straightening out his now clean white shirt.
"Sure does. Well, I legilimensed him and all I could get was he is supposed to meet my Aunt Samantha, not our parents to give us back and get Amy but I didn't recognize the place. Looked like a marina. Also, he is gone most of the day today…but the only image I could get was an old house that was in really bad shape and a picture of his brother."
"Wow…well, that's interesting." Brian held the note to their parents in his hand, tapping it against his hand.
POP!
Both kids jumped as Millie appeared with a tray of food.
"Master will be gone until later and asked me to bring your food earlier," she bent down and set the tray down.
"Umm, Millie…do you remember what we asked you last night?" Brian asked and he watched Millie's eyes travel from Marissa to him, to the parchment in his hand. Wordlessly, she held out her hand and Brian walked forward a step and handed it to her. "Thanks so much," he whispered. She shoved it down the front of her shirt, gave a little bow and disapparated.
Marissa stared at Brian who stared at her…and both began smiling. Closing the small distance between them he picked her up and swung her around laughing.
"I can't believe that! Awesome," Brian laughed his arms around her waist.
"No doubt that she will deliver it?"
"I think she will. She doesn't seem to be too in love with her master," Brian answered, setting down Marissa whose hands were gripping his shoulders. Without even thinking twice about it, he bent down and kissed her just enough so Marissa could feel her toes beginning to curl. When he pulled away he smiled and tugged her hair.
"Let's eat!"
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10:55am EST; 4:55 pm GMT
"Brian listen to this!" Marissa sat up straighter in bed, munching on the last of the crackers. Brian was eating some of the candy they still had and turned to her.
" `Muggles love to play a wide variety of games ranging from board games to card games to games you play just by talking. [See sidebar to the left for lists of the most popular board games and how to play them.] This chapter will be dedicated to the most popular games played by teenage Muggles, ones that are probably your age. One of these is called "Truth or Dare". In this game there can be as little as two people playing on up to any number. The object is to extract the truth out of someone, trusting them that they will tell you the truth, or challenging them to a Dare. If the player chooses a Dare and becomes unwilling to do it, he is banned for the rest of the game. Half the fun of this particular game is just learning new and exciting facts about your friends; not to mention seeing them do things they wouldn't normally do.
Some common "truths" that are asked from one player to another:
One: If you could kiss one person in this room/in this school who would it be?' "
"Oh my, that's rich!" Marissa giggled, almost choking on her cracker.
"What are some of the others?" Brian sat up straighter and read over her shoulder.
" `Two: Have you ever done something illegal? If so what was it? Did you get caught? Three: If you had a choice between being rich for the rest of your life or finding your true love which one would you pick?' "
"Okay…those are stupid questions. What're some of the Dares Muggles do?" Brian asked offering her a piece of crystallized pineapple. Marissa turned towards him as he held it out for her, leaned forward and took it with her teeth, smiling at his expression as she chewed it. He looked as if he couldn't believe she just took the candy out of his hand with her mouth. Swallowing, she turned back to her book.
"Dares…hmmm…here we go. `…Dare someone to run around with knickers on their head; or Dare someone to kiss the person next to them. Or the players can Dare another player to tell the rest of the group something about themselves that no one else knows.'"
"Huh," Brian sat up and put the top on the box, shoved it back in his bag and dropped both of their bags on his side of the bag, covering it up with the cloak.
"I think we could come up with better Truths and Dares than that book," he said a challenge in his voice. Marissa's heart skipped a beat, wondering exactly what he meant. Oh, it wouldn't be a Dare to lean over and kiss him…she had been wanting to do that since he first kissed her that morning, but felt to self conscious to do that during daylight…knowing that was a stupid reason but not being able to over come it.
Slamming the book shut she sat up and turned to face him, crossing her legs while watching him.
"Ok…go for it. Ask me something," Marissa challenged back. He smiled at her mischievously and tapped a finger against his mouth thinking.
"Ok, Truth or Dare, Miss Malfoy?"
"I'll take Truth first."
"Wimp."
"You want to go first?" Marissa raised an eyebrow at him and he laughed shaking his head.
"Ok…Truth…If your parents gave you a thousand galleons would you take a trip or buy something extravagant?"
"Neither. I'd put it towards research into finding a cure for the Wizard Flu," Marissa answered quickly and seriously.
His mouth dropped open and then he quickly shut it.
"Really? You wouldn't go buy jewelry or take a trip to---I don't know…Japan or something?"
Marissa shook her head, drawing up her knees and wrapping her arms around them.
"That flu I had earlier this year was the worst I have ever felt in my whole life. I told mum when I got older, I wanted to research and find a way to cure it, or find an immunization in potion form for it."
"Well…that's admirable," Brian looked at her strangely then let his dark eyes slide away and stare at the
blank wall in front of him.
"My turn now," Marissa said smugly.
"Ok, I'll pick "Truth" since you did too…wimp…," he winked at her, then drew up his knees and sat similar to Marissa. She noticed that within the last day they had been mimicking each other's posture or movements. Not on purpose but it seemed subconsciously; for some reason they chose to sit or stand the same way. She wondered if it was because they were forced to remain so close or if it was just being with each other for the past 72 plus hours.
"Alright, Mister Potter, is it true that you and Melissa Wainwright disappeared up to your room in Gryffindor Tower during the end of the year feast last year?"
Brian stared at her and she gave him an innocent smile. This had been one of those rumors that spread fast and furious the last day of school and was even talked about over the summer. Both of them were absent from the end of the year feast and rumor had it that Melissa had a huge crush on him, but he wasn't reciprocating the feeling.
"Well…yeah if you put it like that," Brian said defensively and held up a hand as Marissa opened her mouth, "But, it's not what you and half the other students think."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. She said she had found a rare plant, the Calamas Weed, and it was in our Common Room…her cousin or someone had sent it to her. Melissa wanted to show it to me while it was still alive. If you take this plant out of its natural habitat, which is the swamp, it only lives for a few hours which give you only a certain amount of time to grind it up and use it in whatever potion needs it. Anyway, I went up with her…not thinking that we were going to miss the feast. Well, come to find out she had other things on her mind and was trying to get me to commit to coming to visit her in Oxford this summer. Next thing I knew she was kissing me…."
"And you let her? You honestly didn't think it was strange for her to invite you up there with everyone in the Great Hall?" Marissa questioned.
"I'm a guy; I didn't read between the lines I guess. I was interested… I have never seen Calamas Weed before so honestly that was more exciting than Melissa at the time. Anyway, I had to push her off and tell her I wasn't interested. It took a lot of talking and repeating for her to understand that. Apparently, she thought because I talked to her and studied Herbology with her and a few other people that I was interested. So, YES I was in the tower alone with her but NOT for the reasons everyone was thinking."
Marissa didn't know why, but her heart felt a lot lighter when he confirmed the rumor wasn't true, or at least the last half. She knew he didn't ever have a girlfriend; he had taken a mutual friend to the Yule Ball this past year, but she had a boyfriend who was out of the country at the time so it worked perfectly for Brian and Vanessa, the Hufflepuff that went with him.
"Why didn't you tell people the truth? You knew about the rumor."
Brian shrugged and set his chin on his knees.
"I knew it wasn't true and so did she and it was the last day of school, I didn't see any problem with it. Rumors don't really bother me. There have been so many in my life, as long as I know the truth as do my close friends and family, it doesn't really matter to me."
"Well…that's a great way to think about them," Marissa said, impressed that those kinds of things didn't really seem to bother him. `Probably growing up as Harry Potter's son made him immune to that,' she thought to herself.
"Shall we keep going?" he cut his gaze over to her and she nodded. The game was getting interesting.
"I'll take a Dare…I think," Marissa said hesitantly and Brian nodded clearly in thought about what to challenge her to do or say.
"Ok!" He straightened up, "I dare you to tell me something that NO ONE else knows. Only you," Brian managed to hold on to her gaze but could see her struggling with his idea. Marissa pressed her lips together trying to think of something that was even worth saying aloud.
"I'm not that complicated…there isn't much residing in secret inside me you know," Marissa hesitated, then remembered what Janet had said…about how some people thought she was hard to get to know.
"There's something…there's always those few things we keep to ourselves," he said quietly and Marissa wondered what his "secrets" were.
"Well…there really isn't one word or phrase that's just for my ears only. A few thoughts maybe." Marissa sorted through her very organized brain, pulling up some thoughts she had about herself. Girls didn't like to voice their fears about themselves and she had a few of them.
"Those are fine. I won't go around telling anyone. I think it goes without saying that what's here, stays here," Brian expounded on the rules and nudged her leg with his. Glancing sideways, she smiled thankfully at him.
"Well…I sometimes wonder if the reason that people say it's hard to get to know me is the fact that I'm a Malfoy. They know my father's…history…and my mother's and maybe they think I have some dark side or a high and mighty streak in me that thinks that I'm to good for them. Which I don't have…I just don't open up right away that's all. Shy maybe?"
"Shy? No way Marissa," Brian said seriously. "Maybe people are a bit intimidated about befriending the Potions Professor's daughter. Maybe they think you'll think they are doing it just to try…well, that being your friend is just to kiss up to your dad "the Professor" and stuff."
"Maybe. Never thought of that line before."
"I don't think you're hard to get to know," he offered and she gave a small smile.
"You've known me since birth and took baths with me when we were little. I'd say you know me best next to my own family…and maybe Janet," Marissa added, then quickly changed the subject.
"My turn now…are you picking "Dare"?"
Brian nodded and Marissa repeated the same question she was asked.
"I knew it. As soon as it was out of my mouth."
"You could've picked "Truth" then."
"That's wimpy," Brian said again and screwed up his face, then laid back against the wall, the pillow behind him. He was quiet for a moment and Marissa examined her nails waiting patiently. Feeling a cramp in her leg, she stretched them out flexing her stockinged feet and placing them against the wall. For a moment all she could hear was the never ending rain hitting the window, then a deep breath as Brian began to talk.
"I sometimes wish I had an older brother…don't get me wrong, I love my sisters but if there was an older brother I think life, school, girls would be easier."
"In what way?" Marissa asked softly, turning so she was sitting next to him, shoulder to shoulder.
"I would have someone else to bear the burden of being Harry Potter's son; I could ask advice about school, classes, girls…typical guy things."
"You think having an older brother would help you understand girls better? I can see school and definitely sharing the burden of who your father is…."
"I think so…girls just don't realize how hard it is for a guy to ask her out for the first time, or the pressure to initiate that first kiss. I think having a brother would've helped in that department as to what the right thing to say is, what worked or didn't work for him and so on." Brian didn't look at her as he talked; instead he looked down at his jeans, poking at a small hole that had developed over the past two days on his knee.
"I think that having three younger sisters you have learned way more than you know. And, if you want to know about girls just ask the ones that are your friends about what they expect. With the first kiss thing…I think it's just tradition that the guy initiate it…unless you're Melissa Wainwright." Brian made a noise like a laugh and a snort mixed together. "And I think if the guy and girl are in a situation where a kiss might happen, you aren't going to get slapped or anything because if she didn't truly want to be kissed then she would've left way before it got to that." Marissa turned to him, on a roll now.
"Do you know why we don't tell you upfront "hey kiss me" or "hey, ask me out, I'll say yes?" I think it's because we are insecure as a population; that if you say "No" we KNOW that we'll go running back to our rooms and cry or get mad and have a good talk with a girlfriend, analyze what we said or didn't say or what we SHOULD have said and doing that is so emotional and tiring that we just deal with the tension and hope you guys can figure it out for yourselves."
Now Brian looked over at her, seeing her cheeks tinged with pink as she continued to have a one-sided discussion on her theory.
"So, we think we're being smart with hiding our feelings and hoping that if we look in your general direction or always manage to walk behind you on the way to a certain class that you will take notice that those are clues about us having an interest in you…, "you" being the male population. But, what we refuse to realize is that it's hard, if not impossible, for men to read between the lines all the time or to even know that we are dropping hints. I think as a society it would be so much easier if we just went up to each other and said "I fancy you…want to go to dinner?" But then…if we did that then there wouldn't be anything for us girls to talk about or for you boys to complain or talk about…so in the end, it doesn't really matter does it?"
Brian stared at her, not used to hearing her deliberate something so deeply and with a sense of passion.
"You…should write a book," he said firmly seeing a genuine smile cross her face. He noticed whenever she was praised or complimented, she seemed to be become embarrassed.
"Nah, those are just a few more of my thoughts I never mentioned…sorry, I didn't mean to go off like that." Brian watched her as she examined her hands then let them drop into her lap. "Guess no more Dares for you then, huh?" he saw her still smiling before she bowed her head, her long hair hiding her face.
Leaning over he lightly touched her hair, then pushed it back so he could see her face, gently placing it behind her
shoulder. But he didn't move his hand. He let it rest there until she looked over at him, wondering what he was
doing.
"Truth or Dare?" he whispered to her and for a minute Marissa forgot the question. There he went with that deep look that felt like he was looking right into the center of her mind.
"Um, Truth?" Marissa said the first word that popped into her mind, feeling him rub her hair between his fingers.
"Can you honestly tell me that you don't realize that there are guys at school who really want to date you? That they would give just about anything to be sitting here, where I am, having this conversation with you?"
"I-they-you're kidding right? I don't believe it…," Marissa blinked in confusion, her very being rejecting what he had said. But as she tried to negate the idea, she saw the seriousness in his eyes. Her world was slowly being turned upside down and she wanted no part of it. She liked her own little secure world with her few close friends, the potential to skip her 5th year and to pretend to be oblivious about what guys fourth year and above were thinking.
"You know," Marissa cleared her throat trying to dislodge what felt like her heart stuck there, "half the girls in Hogwarts would give anything to be where I am right now. You do know that don't you?"
Brian gave a nod and shrug, as if that idea wasn't important to him.
"Yeah, I do know that but pretend not too. But what matters is…."
"Is who would each of us want to be with and what would we give for that to happen?" Marissa finished for him still holding his gaze, but knowing the answer already. Hesitantly, she raised her hand and touched his cheek, feeling the scratchiness of three days without shaving tickling her palm. Feeling his hand slide back to her head, cupping it over where she had knocked it against the floor she knew it meant he was going to kiss her. And kiss her he did, slowly and lightly almost as if she was delicate and he expected her to break apart any minute.
Without warning a voice barged into her head.
`We're coming; we got your letter and we're coming for you both.'
Marissa froze and Brian pulled away only to feel her hands against his chest pushing him back.
"I…I just heard my father's voice in my head. Clear as day," her voice shook as her hands went to her mouth and she stared at him. If it was anyone else, he would have wondered if the voice of her father was telling her to not be kissing him, but he could tell by the expression on her face that that wasn't the meaning behind whatever she heard.
"What did you hear?" he kept his hand on her, now touching her shoulder reassuring her.
"He said that they got our letter and are coming. That's it. Nothing else but it was like he was right next to my ear telling me that."
"Maybe you should try to talk back to him you think?" Brian gently pulled her hands down that were covering her face and held them. He saw the tears in her eyes and squeezing her hands he managed to get her to look at him. "Can you do that?"
"I-I have no idea. We've Legilimensed before and I can tell how he is feeling by just looking at him sometimes, but I've never consciously tried to read his mind or give him a message…it sounds…unbelievable…nutters even."
"Well, maybe you can try in your dream or something. I'm not familiar at all with Diviniation or Seeing…I can't even do Legilimens. Do what you think will work."
Marissa nodded, holding tight to his hands, relieved that he actually believed her. Suddenly she felt drained; as if that bit of communication from her father had taken up all of her energy.
"I'm tired…I woke up way to early," Marissa admitted, her father's voice ringing in her ears, momentarily stealing the tingling feeling of Brian's kiss.
"Lay down for a bit. We aren't going anywhere…just our last bathroom break in a bit, that's all," Brian let go of her shoulder and stretched, yawning and running his hands through his thick dark hair. "In fact I'll join you. Come here." Brian shifted and laid down lifting up his arm indicating that she should lay down and rest her head on his shoulder.
Without thinking twice, Marissa positioned herself on her side and slid over to him, winding an arm around his chest and tucking her leg between his as if she had done this all her life.
But she hadn't been. Just being with him was becoming second nature to her; she was learning his body language and
he was learning hers and as if to prove that point he pulled her closer feeling her settle her head under his jaw and
within a few minutes she was breathing evenly….and Brian soon followed hoping that maybe in her nap she could find a
way to communicate on some level he had never known, nor did he feel he would ever know, with her father.
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