A/N: second chapter today-pls. read #32 first. I will post again next Wednesday! Off to California!
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First Date
Marissa sat next to her grandfather somewhat feigning interest in the newest Muggle item he acquired…a roll of scotch tape. Thankfully, her grandmother announced dinner was ready and faster than usual Marissa was up and in the kitchen asking if she could help pour drinks.
Settling comfortably into her chair, she listened to her grandparents discussing their day…slowly tuning them out as she thought about her upcoming lunch date with Brian. She had no idea where he was taking her or what they were going to do afterwards. Just being with him was enough and she felt her stomach flip at the thought and smiled a bit when his face entered her thoughts. Glancing up at the clock, she saw she had a bit over fifteen hours to go until she got to see him.
The conversation flowed, usually one way when Molly was on a roll, but something about her mother's name paired with Harry's caught Marissa's attention.
"What did you just say?" Marissa asked cutting into her fish and savoring the spices and flavor of her grandmother's cooking.
"I just mentioned how you and Brian remind me of Ginny's crush on Harry."
"Crush?" Marissa lowered her fork obviously surprised by what her grandmother said. Molly looked at her granddaughter over her cup of tea, eyes wide not believing Marissa didn't know about Ginny and Harry.
"Ginny never told you?"
"No…but you can," Marissa coaxed smiling, wondering what was behind this story.
"Well, your mum had the biggest crush on Harry…derived mostly from what Ron would say about him when he got home after his first year. Everyone knew about him in the wizarding community…no one really knew WHERE he was, before he went to Hogwarts, but just that he was alive and the legend that went with him. Add that to Ron's stories and the crush began. Well, the summer before Ron's second year, he and your Uncle Fred and Uncle George took it upon themselves to bring Harry to The Burrow. That's when your mum first laid eyes on him."
Her grandfather laughed obviously knowing what was coming next, then began choking on his tea, receiving a slap in the back from Molly.
"So, she comes running down the stairs, probably asking where some item of clothing was and there he was at our table, eating breakfast. She was so surprised to see him there that she turned, ran back up and was embarrassed forever about him seeing her in her nightgown and robe…and the fact that he truly existed. I think her crush finally ended sometime at the end of third year…Harry's third year that is."
Marissa stared at the stairs behind her grandmother envisioning the scene her grandmother just described.
"Yeah, I bet she was embarrassed. I would've been. I never knew that!" Marissa shook her head smiling to herself.
Her mum had a crush on Harry. That thought entertained her to no end…and then she wondered what happened to make her stop liking him and voiced her question aloud.
"Well, honey, I'm not sure."
"I think the fact that Harry started liking someone else clued her into the fact that they were only going to be friends," her grandfather answered sending his finished plate to the sink.
"Who did he like?" Marissa asked curiously and saw her grandfather shrug.
"I'm not sure. We never found out…your mother recovered nicely and went on her way…became good friends with
him I'd say."
"I think I might have to tease her about that," Marissa laughed while she manually took her dishes to the sink.
"I find it cute that you and Brian are together…the cycle continues," Molly said to Marissa as they started to clean the table. Her grandfather excused himself to go do some office work and quickly left the room as relationship talks began.
"I think, no, I'm sure that Brian feels the same way I do…so no worry about secret crushes or whatever," Marissa clarified watching the sink fill with soapy water.
"Are you and Brian serious?"
Marissa stared at the dishes washing themselves in the sink trying not to feel too uncomfortable talking with her Grandma Weasley about relationships.
"I'd say so. I know I'm sure going to miss him during the next six weeks."
"Six weeks may seem like a long time, especially to a fifteen and sixteen year old…but your mother and Draco were separated for about six months…that's a long time."
"I know, I know," Marissa acquiesced looking at her grandmother who was smiling at her.
"I know you know, and young love isn't easy. Will you be staying in contact with him?"
Marissa nodded and explained her plan about talking to him over the next few weeks.
"I think when you come home, which I'm hoping you can a bit early to make it for your mother's birthday-."
"I'm going to talk to Professor Snape about finishing a few days early to be here on the eleventh," Marissa interrupted leaning against the counter.
"Good! Anyway, I think you'll find you have even stronger feelings for him. Absence does make the heart grow fonder; if you don't believe me now, you will come mid August," Molly said thoughtfully, reaching an arm around Marissa and hugging her.
"Thanks." Marissa hugged her grandmother back then dropped her arms as the dishes began to stack themselves
neatly on the counter.
"Will you be back here for dinner tomorrow?"
"Brian and I are having lunch and spending the day together-," Marissa started to explain but stopped when her grandmother held up her hand, her lips curving into a small smile.
"Take your time with him. If you aren't here, I'll floo dinner over. Or, if you want, bring him here. I know his parents are away too and he always seems to like to eat."
"Oh boy, that he does. I'll ask him. I'm walking over there tomorrow-."
"Not floo? Your mum always leaves the floo open between the two houses for emergencies and such."
"Oh…I didn't know that," Marissa answered surprised by the news. "Huh. Well, I need the exercise anyway."
"Alright but you two take your time…just don't tell your parents I said you could skip dinner here," Molly winked at her and Marissa gave her another hug.
"Thanks…your secret is safe with me!" Marissa said gratefully and planted a kiss on her grandmother's cheek.
"I should probably get going. I told dad I'd stop by grandma Malfoy's house and I still need to pack for the day after tomorrow."
"Alright dear. Have fun tomorrow and if you can, bring Brian by."
"I will."
Marissa found her grandfather in his study, kissed and hugged him goodbye; she took some leftovers from her grandmother, which she planned on taking home then floo into Narcissa's.
"Thanks for dinner!" Marissa called from the fireplace and a second later she was gone in a swirl of green flames.
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Marissa walked at a leisurely pace up the sidewalk away from her house. The morning was beautiful and she hoped the weatherman was right when he said it would be a gorgeous day, no rain in the forecast. She felt so relaxed and happy she almost wanted to skip! Her blue skirt swished around her legs and as she walked through some grass to avoid a bird pecking at something on the sidewalk even the grass seemed to caress her feet. She could only think of the day she was going to have…a whole day with Brian. She remembered telling Grandma Weasley she was going to out with Brian and a secretive little smile came across her grandmother's face. She didn't question it, not really wanting to hear a long story about true love…the one about her mother and Harry was enough to keep her occupied.
Fifteen minutes later she caught sight of Brian, perched on a wooden fence that surrounded the horse farm that separated their family's lands. He hopped down and walked towards her with a smile on his face.
"Hullo," he said taking her hand then giving her a quick kiss, not being able to disguise his cheery voice and his high spirits.
"Hi. We're you waiting long?" Marissa hugged him, pressing herself close to him and breathing in his freshly showered scent. She felt a glow settle in her as she held him for a moment, then forced herself to step back after a car honked as it passed by.
"Nope. Got here about five minutes ago…tried to get one of their horses to come over, but they're ignoring me," Brian explained nodding towards the scattering of horses grazing in the field. Looking down at Marissa he saw a bag slung over her shoulder.
"What's that?" he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tapped her purse strap. She slid one around his waist and hooked her free hand in the strap of the bag hanging from her shoulder.
"My purse. Has something for you in it, some money, candy…other girly crap…I guess you've never seen me with one." Marissa smiled as he shook his head. Being at school she kept everything in her school bag, now she could use a purse for the items she liked to carry.
"What do you have for me?" his hand tugged the strap of her off white leather bag and she smiled and shrugged. "Don't make me take it and look for it myself."
"What if I want to surprise you?" she asked jovially, enjoying their banter.
"What're you going to surprise me with?" He untangled their arms, turned and walked backwards, watching her swing her purse lazily from side to side now.
"If I tell, Brian, it wouldn't be a surprise."
"Okay, well, my house is around this corner so we're going there first and you're showing me, because I can't wait all day."
"My, you're impatient. You don't like surprises?" Marissa asked feeling like they were learning little things about each other that should've been discovered through the school year…but with being kidnapped, sick, exams…who had the time to discuss ALL the little things.
"Well, when you tell me you have one, no," Brian answered, steering her around the corner away from the bus stop. For the next quarter mile, he tried to guess what she had and she just shook her head, smiling the whole time at his childlike insistence for her to reveal the present.
Standing at the edge of his sidewalk, he grabbed the daily paper then motioned her to follow him inside the large modern looking home. Upon entering the foyer and hearing the door click shut, then paper thump onto the kitchen table Marissa realized it had been years since she had seen his bedroom.
"You know what I heard last night?" Marissa asked seeing him emerge out of the kitchen, the paper now on the kitchen table.
"You're trying to change the subject!"
"No…this is interesting news from my grandma," Marissa insisted. He nodded at her and she launched into the story about his father and her mother. Apparently he found it funnier than she had because he laughed aloud at the thought, then told her the name of the girl he liked. Cho Chang didn't mean anything to Marissa, but she filed the information away for later use…to tease her mother with.
"Alright…back to the present." Brian turned towards her and she hugged her purse to her chest, rocking back on her heels, shifting her attention from the foyer to his tall form in front of her.
"I didn't say I was going to show it to you once we got here. I kind of like seeing you act like a child on Christmas Day!"
Brian smiled and took a threatening step towards her; she scooted around him laughing her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You are not going to force it out of me you know," she taunted him backing slowly into the living room.
"I can if I can catch you," Brian laughed but she was one step ahead of him and went tearing through their living room and back out the other side. He was close behind her laughing as she skidded around the corner, grabbed the handrail and ran up the stairs.
"Get back here!" he yelled taking the stairs two at a time.
"Catch me first," Marissa yelled back feeling like she was playing tag. Skidding to a stop she saw his room at the end of the hall with the door open. Feeling and hearing Brian behind her she raced off down the hall trying to duck in and shut his door, but he stuck out his hand and foot prohibiting it from closing.
Squealing Marissa jumped back so it wouldn't hit her as he pushed it open and the next thing she knew he had tackled her on his bed and pinned her arms down…her purse on the floor.
"I believe you said I had to catch you…which I have…so what's in there?" Brian asked sitting on her thighs holding her arms at her side. Marissa stuck her tongue out at him and suddenly felt his mouth on hers.
"There are other more entertaining ways to use that you know," Brian whispered against her lips and she smiled, nibbling his bottom lip.
"Oh, I know…now if you get off me I'll show you what is in there."
But he didn't move, instead he settled himself on top of her, faces inches apart.
"Can you tell me? I'm awfully comfortable right now." He grinned down mischievously, running his fingers along her jaw. Leaning into his touch she wrapped her arms around his back and looked around a bit, her hands absently running up and down his spine.
Brian's room was a sage green with a darker green carpet. He probably had as many books as she did spilling out of his bookshelf, but his desk was clean and a small sofa in the corner sported his bag and a few books he was taking on his internship. A few pictures and posters adorned the wall at haphazard angles. She saw a family picture on the nightstand next to his bed before he touched her hair gently.
"What're you looking at?" Brian kissed her cheek and she turned her head smiling at him, running her hand
through his thick recently trimmed hair.
"Your room. I think I was about twelve the last time I was in here, borrowing some books or something."
"That long ago?" he brushed his lips across her neck and even in the light weight, short sleeve sweater Marissa chose to wore she felt goose bumps raise up on her arms.
"Yeah," Marissa whispered, her eyes closing as he kissed her forehead. His hand was rubbing small circles on her hip and she recognized his movements as the precursor to a nice, long, satisfying make out session.
"Are you hungry?" Brian whispered in her ear and she shivered slightly, grasping his shoulders, then shook her head no.
"Me neither," he answered seriously now, both realizing that the day was theirs with no disturbances. "You want to…?" he asked leaving his thought hanging while kissing her lightly and Marissa nodded, her purse forgotten as he rolled over moving her on top of him, lips connected.
Within the comfort of Brian's room and with out any time constraints such as curfews, class or fear of being
caught, they were able to take their time in discovering each other. In their three months of being together, this was
the first time that Marissa felt Brian totally relax. Their kisses interspersed with tickling, playful shoving (until
Marissa almost fell off the bed…again) and in turn it was only the second time she had to tell him to
"stop"-- contradicting what her body wanted but fully aware of her brain kicking into gear as somehow they
both ended up under his sheet naked…the first time that had ever happened.
"Brian," Marissa whispered, not sure if she was loud enough for him to hear over her heart which was thrumming loudly. "Stop for a minute." She felt his hand pause on her thigh as he looked up at her where he had been giving her chest quite a bit of attention and she got the feeling he wanted to move down even further.
"What's wrong?" he asked just as quietly and moved a bit so he was on his side, looking down at her. Taking a deep breath, then grasping his hand from her thigh she held it tightly. Taking a deep breath she forced the words to come out of her mouth.
"I think we're moving to fast."
`There I said it…I hope he doesn't hate me,' Marissa thought watching him carefully for any sign of a reaction. He blinked at her and before he could open his mouth she interrupted him.
"I want nothing more than to do…THAT…but not now; not when we're going away for six weeks and won't be seeing each other. Because then I will think about us doing THAT all the time…and-," she felt his lips touch hers, silencing her.
"Okay," he murmured his lips still touching hers.
"I'm sorry…I think way too much about things, hence being in Ravenclaw," Marissa whispered back gently running her fingers through his hair. Carefully he took his hand away and settled it on her hip and gave her a small shake.
"Stop…don't be sorry. We just…won't right now," he said simply and her heart swelled hearing him say that. He wasn't mad; he was still looking at her as if memorizing all her features, one hand tangled in her hair, the other rubbing the smooth skin of her hip.
"I love you…thanks for not being mad," the emotion in Marissa's voice gave away how she genuinely loved and cared for him.
"I would never be mad, not about that and-" he shifted so his lips were near her ear, his hand skimming down her thigh, "I love you too." His hand now trailed up the inside of her thigh watching her face for any reaction as to whether to continue or stop the path of his hand.
"Is this okay?" he whispered not being able to tell if her eyes fluttering closed was a good or bad sign.
"Yes," she whispered one hand clenching his shoulder as her body pushed against his hand, which was making a gentle motion between her legs. Nothing between the skin to skin contact brought out a sigh and a softer "yes".
This. This was a first.
Her body flowed towards him, her arms wrapping around his torso, one leg now pressed between his and her other one positioned just right for him. Her movements slowly took his finger inside, another first and the most pleasurable feeling ever known to her young mind and body spilled over her.
Involuntarily she pushed down gasping his name and for a minute he stopped, thinking she was going to tell him this was wrong. But she jerked her hips towards him feeling him now against her stomach and she couldn't stop. Her skin rubbed his and she felt an energy radiating from him enveloping her; she didn't want to stop, didn't want to let go.
Awkwardly she moved so she was half laying on him, lips hungrily seeking each others, hips circling against his hand and in moving she felt his hand change position wrenching out a moan and soft drawn out "ohhh". Moving her mouth from his to take deep gulps of air, her hands dug into his back. His free arm was gripping her shoulder with the same intensity and she couldn't move, nor did she want to. She felt …desire…that was the name that entered into her fogged brain. She wanted him, feeling something akin to a hot liquid coursing through her and from the sound of his breathing he felt it too.
"Brian…," she moaned twisting against him and he let out a sharp breath, his cheek pressed to hers. She wanted him to move his hand and his body faster, then slower and she was at a loss for the words to describe what she was feeling. Only his name came to her lips.
"I know," his voice is low and drawn out and suddenly he moved against her, faster, bringing her to the edge of something scary and something wonderful. The friction became a glorious movement and she fell into something that seemed like careening down a hill, not knowing when she would stop…not knowing if she wanted to stop. Her name fell from his lips forcing her to answer him, crying his name over and over with each shudder. Both his hands swiftly moved to her back pulling her to him and their bodies went still, faces buried in each others shoulders, unfamiliar sounds coming from each other. Parts of them slicked in sweat, other parts dry, other parts not. With her senses on overload Marissa collapsed on to her side, her grip going limp and he followed suit breathing heavily.
This time was so much different than the other times they fooled around, and the few times they managed to get to this point of sweet release. Side by side they rested, staring at the ceiling then each other, resting in each other's arms.
Intense. Intimate. Those were the words that Marissa could only think of for the moment.
Brian's stomach growling broke the silence. Marissa turned her head towards him, away from the window she was looking out and he smiled serenely at her.
"Hungry?" she whispered
"I am now," he admitted giving her a quick, one armed hug.
"Maybe we should clean up and go eat-," Marissa turned towards him rubbing her hand over his chest.
"Eating is underrated at the moment," Brian joked grinning down at her.
"Yeah, I agree," Marissa sighed feeling a sweet lethargy steal over her.
"So…what's my gift?"
Marissa laughed, slapping him lightly on his chest. "YOU are impossible!"
"Bet you didn't know that when you first started snogging me."
"I did…but, I figured I could deal with it," Marissa winked at him and jerked away from him poking her in the ribs.
"I guess we should get moving and go eat. We are supposed to be going on a real date you know."
"I suppose so…this was a nice diversion though," Marissa said, seeing a faint blush creep to his cheeks.
"It was," he said looking from the ceiling back to Marissa. "We can't use magic to…clean up you know."
"Just direct me to the bathroom," Marissa said running her fingers along his collarbone openly admiring his bare chest. He nodded in the direction of the door to his bedroom, Marissa having forgotten that he had his own bathroom.
A bit shyly she gathered up her clothes, with help from Brian. Graciously, he busied himself with finding his boxers as she walked quickly to the bathroom, her clothes clutched to her chest, not quite believing what they just did and not quite believing she was naked in his room.
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It was close to one by the time Marissa and Brian got off the bus near a restaurant that Marissa had never heard of, but one that Brian was familiar with.
"It's really good, trust me," he told her swinging their arms between them. "We all went here for my sisters tenth birthday. There's a lake out back and a bridge that spans it. Mum and dad told me this was here when they went on their first date."
"Really? That long ago?"
"Same owners and everything." Brian held the door for her and she stepped into the cool interior and looked around finding a specials board. This was her first Muggle restaurant and she was a bit nervous. Her eyes roamed around seeing numerous people sitting down, talking. Waiters and waitresses moved about gracefully, some carrying trays of food, others carrying glasses of soda or water. Three walls were completely glass, two of them over looking a nice pond where birds floated gracefully, occasionally taking off and flying somewhere. The other wall faced a parking lot where Muggles parked their cars, but a few well placed trees blocked them from view. The waiting area was furnished in dark wood, reminding her of the color of the tree trunks in the Forbidden Forest. There were plants and a few pictures of nature scenes scattered on the walls.
Brian was observing Marissa as she moved her gaze from the walls, to the ceiling back to the pond and felt her grip his hand a bit tighter than normal.
"You'll be fine," Brian whispered in her ear as they followed the hostess back to a corner table for two. "Just relax and let them take care of you."
After they settled into their table and Marissa ordered water to drink, she sat back breathing a bit more freely.
`Not too different than other restaurants,' she thought to herself catching Brian's gaze and smiling.
"Would you like your surprise now?"
"Is it like the one in my room?" He asked boldly then jumped as she kicked him under the table, narrowing her eyes at him.
"There are people here!" she hissed and he winked at her, muffling a laugh.
"Fine…yes please, Miss Malfoy. My surprise if you don't mind." He extended his hand and Marissa placed a flat box in his hand, not very big but perfectly square. Lifting an eyebrow at her he carefully took off the top and pulled out the first item. It was a gold colored quill and he turned it over in his hand looking for any identifying marks that would separate it from other quills he had seen. On the sheath he found the letters MQ.
"It's a Memory Quill!" he gasped running his fingers along the edge. "Where did you find this?"
"We went to Spain for a few days after school and I saw it in a shop near the house. It goes with the other item." Marissa pointed to a piece of paper folded neatly.
"I can't believe you got me a Memory Quill!" Brian tapped the back of her hand with it as if saying `you shouldn't have spent so much!' then set it next to the box. A Memory Quill was a very sought after item, especially among school aged witches and wizards. Once you had it in your possession, you tapped the quill to your head, thinking your name and then saying it aloud. From that point on it was yours. You could write letters without opening your mouth; just by thinking what you wanted to say it would act as a Quick Quill…writing by itself. You could be in the shower composing a note or doing your homework not speaking aloud…Marissa could see he was genuinely surprised by the gift.
"Parchment," Brian murmured unfolding it, then leaning back as the waitress set out two glasses of water.
"Another minute please?" Brian asked when prompted for their order. She nodded, smiled and went on to the
next table.
"It's something my dad made for my mom way back when. You write on it, I have a piece just like it and I can read what you write to me instantly…back and forth we go like that. Never running out of room. If there is something you want to keep, you can do a charm and it'll stay, or you can copy it to a normal piece of parchment. I figure since we are allowed to use magic on our internships-."
"Smashing," Brian breathed folding it back up and placing it in the box under the last item for him to open.
"Hey, it's you and me," he exclaimed pulling out a photo that Janet had taken their last day at school. Brian and Marissa had been standing on the steps waving to Janet as she took the picture, then he had leaned over and kissed her quickly but not before Janet could snap the picture.
"These are great…thanks," he told her, reaching across the table and squeezing her hand.
"You're welcome. Now, I think we should look at the menu…we did come here to eat you know," Marissa laughed and pulled her hand away, grabbing her menu and looking down through the meals available.
For the next hour they chatted about their internships, how they thought their OWLS went, how Amy's mother had found an apartment a few miles down the road and how Nott was in Azkaban for the rest of his life.
It wasn't until she heard Brian swear under his breath that Marissa looked up from her dessert.
"What?" her spoonful of pudding suspended in the air.
"Bosse is here with his mother I guess," he said quietly, his eyes hooded. "Don't turn around…he hasn't seen us yet. His back, and Claudia's, is to us."
"They're allowed too eat you know," Marissa said gently, still feeling a bit of anger radiate off of Brian.
"I know," he said, suddenly seeming grumpy. "I just can't get over what he said and now here he is on our first date."
"Well, I'm done and so are you. So let's just say he arrived while we were getting ready to leave," Marissa placated him while nodding to the waitress who appeared asking if they would like their check. The waitress placed it in front of Brian who snagged it before Marissa could even take her hand off her lap.
"It's a date. I'm taking YOU out so stop trying to pay," Brian scolded, knowing she would try something like this.
"Fine. Next one is on me."
"You already were," Brian said daringly a smug smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Brian James! Goodness…you turn sixteen and that is all you can think about?" Marissa hissed at him, trying to suppress a smile.
"It's what all sixteen and seventeen and fifteen year olds think about," Brian laid money in the holder and stood up, preparing to help Marissa up but she moved before he could walk around the table.
At that moment, Claudia happened to turn around and met Marissa's eyes. For a moment they looked at each other and Claudia raised a hand in greeting, causing Arnold to turn around.
"Let's go," Brian murmured, settling his hand on her elbow. Marissa waved half heartedly at Claudia, feeling Arnold's eyes following them.
"Potter," Arnold greeted as they walked by. Brian nodded and mumbled something like "Bosse" under his breath. Mrs. Bosse watched them with interest as they walked past the table.
"Wonder what their mom will say when Claudia tells her you are Harry's son."
"Who knows?" Brian pushed open the door and they squinted in the bright sunlight. Shifting his gift from one hand to the other, he took her hand and led her around the restaurant.
"Fancy a walk over that bridge, then visiting a book store?"
"Sure!" Marissa agreed readily. She just wanted to be with him and it didn't matter to her where that was. Every minute was going to count because six weeks apart seemed like a very long time.
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