A/N: A long one for you. I think I had originally split this into two chapters, but one was too short. So, here's 7,000+ words just for you!!
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Feeling Better and Better…
Marissa managed to reign in her emotions on Saturday because she was so busy: she was at home with her parents, getting laundry done, gathering her books and reassuring her parents she felt almost 100%.
Her parents had let the triplets floo over to visit and Erin had begun crying when she stepped out of the fireplace, seeing her older sister for the first time in over a week. She was convinced she was going to die with the rumors going around about the Wizard Flu. Feeling bad for Erin, Marissa tolerated having her follow her around like a puppy and listened to her describe what the older students were wearing to the Valentine's Day party.
Erin actually mentioned that people were asking where Brian Potter was and Marissa just shrugged, not wanting to tell Erin he was here when her parents weren't.
"Amy and I decided we don't need boys to take us to the dances," Erin said decisively. "So, when we're third years we're going to go alone."
Marissa resisted the urge to laugh. Devon had said something about girls having cooties at the age of ten and now four days before his 14th birthday he seemed to have taken a liking to a particular girl in Ravenclaw that Marissa only new slightly.
"What have you and Amy been up to? Anything interesting?" Marissa inquired as she packed up her clean laundry.
"Not really. Though, she did mention her father for the first time since I have known her."
"Really? What did she have to say?" Marissa folded the last of her school robes and tucked them into a corner of her trunk.
"Said he showed up at her mother's house over the holidays and wanted to take Amy to his house for a few days."
"How long has it been since she's seen him?"
"Years I think. She didn't want to go; she said she doesn't like him."
Marissa looked at Erin and wondered how you could hate your own father. Erin looked back at her.
"Who is her father, do you know?"
"Don't know. Only that he lives in Australia," Erin said lightly and Marissa's hand froze as that piece of information fit into a puzzle she had in her brain.
"Australia?" Marissa tried to keep her voice light and willed her hands to lock the trunk without shaking. "What's he doing there?"
"Something with his brother is all she told me." Erin hopped off her bed as she heard Dixon yelling her name.
Marissa sank down on the bed and banged her head lightly against the trunk.
`Damn, damn, damn, don't even tell me that her father is that arshole who hurt mum.' Marissa looked up as she felt someone standing next to her.
"You alright?" Draco asked tilting his head to the side watching his daughter bang her head on the trunk. Marissa stared at him for a minute.
"Erin just…," Marissa stopped while organizing her thoughts and Draco waited patiently, dropping some new parchment on top of her trunk.
"She just told me something that…shocked me, for lack of a better word." Marissa tucked the parchment into her school bag and her father sat down on the other side of the trunk.
"Erin likes to do that, though I don't think she does it intentionally. What did she say?"
"Well…she said that Amy mentioned her father for the first time. He apparently showed up at her mother's house and wanted to take Amy to his place for a few days."
"I'm guessing Pansy didn't let her go?" Draco said and saw his daughter shake her head.
"No, Amy actually didn't WANT to go, but…well, Erin said he lives in Australia…with his brother." Marissa saw something flash through her father's eyes; something she could not ever remember seeing before. Later on, when she analyzed that looks she realized that it was hatred.
"Erin didn't tell me a name, but...you know who I'm thinking, right?" Marissa had looked up this person with some help from Reggie and found that it was Thomas Nott.
Draco gave a curt nod, took a deep breath and let it out.
"Well, it wouldn't be hard to find out who is Amy's father. I'm sure Pansy would tell me if I asked, but I'm not one to ask those questions and I'm not sure if I really want to know. But, if he is back in the area, and your mother caught sight of either one of them, we might very well have to take her wand from her."
"I wouldn't want to come within a mile of mum's temper if she saw him." Marissa smiled a bit at that entertaining thought and then sobered as she caught the look on her father's face. "So, do we know which brother could be the father?"
"Theodore is my age and last I heard he was down there too. I might have to drop Blaise an owl and see if can dig up anything." Draco tapped his fingers on the trunk. This being the only sign of agitation that Draco showed.
Marissa sat quietly, remembering that Blaise Zabini had moved up within the Security department in the Ministry of Magic and was privy to all sorts of information.
"Well, don't mention this to your mother; not until I find out some more information. I'll tell her this evening after everyone is back at school."
"Sure…." Marissa made a zipping motion over her lips.
"Well, come down for dinner…I called you but you never answered." Draco stood up and motioned to the door.
"Yeah, I was…thinking about school." Marissa wasn't ready to tell him she was thinking about somebody at school. She wasn't sure how her father would react if he found out that she kissed Brian Potter. She wasn't even sure if it would happen again. Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, she followed her father down the stairs to the dining room where everyone was already seated.
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"Marissa!"
She turned around at the bottom of the stairs, having just placed all her belongings in her room in the Ravenclaw Tower. Now, she was making her way down to the Great Hall for dinner with Janet.
Taryn came running at her and her sisters weren't far behind. She suddenly found herself hugged about the waist by three pairs of arms and couldn't understand a thing they were saying.
"Hullo girls…thanks for the hugs!" Marissa smiled and patted their backs.
"Let her go eat dinner girls," she heard Brian's voice say as he lagged behind his sisters. The three Potter girls gave her one last hug and then chased each other down the hall.
"Hi," Marissa said a bit breathlessly and she felt Janet gently bump her arm with her shoulder, noticing the sudden change in Marissa's demeanor. The three of them fell in step towards the hall, with Marissa in the middle.
"How're you feeling?" Brian asked and when Marissa looked up at him to answer she immediately forgot what he had asked her. Janet covered Marissa.
"I'm sure she's happy to be back. Let's go eat." Janet held the door for them giving both of them a quizzical look.
"See you later." Brian smiled at both of them and walked straight down the aisle to his table. Janet grabbed Marissa's arm and started to ask her what was going on, but before she could get a word out James came up behind them and placed an arm around Marissa's shoulders.
"You sure know how to get out of class!" he gave her a quick hug then let her go.
"I thought I planned that pretty well. I hope you had a good birthday; I'm sorry I missed it." She smiled up at him as he said his 15th birthday was uneventful, and then made his way to his Gryffindor table. Marissa sat down in between Devon and Janet, who found a spot vacant near Calvin.
Marissa retold the story of her sickness for the third time that day (the first being to Janet and her dorm mates, the second to Professor Flitwick her head of house) and now to her cousins and other Ravenclaws who sat at the table.
The whole time she talked and laughed with her friends she remained conscious of Brian's presence behind her. Once in awhile she could hear his voice float back to her but couldn't make out anything he was saying.
As dessert appeared, Devon was deep in conversation with the girl, Alison, next to him and Janet leaned in to
Marissa.
"What was up back there?" she took a bite of pie and kept her eyes on her plate.
Marissa swallowed her ice cream and inclined her head towards her friend.
"He came over Friday night."
"That's why I didn't see him at the dance!" Janet kept her voice low so Calvin wouldn't hear. He was talking to a seventh year about NEWTs so there wasn't a worry that he was listening to girl talk.
"Yep." Marissa pushed her ice cream in her bowl, not really in the mood to eat as butterflies started moving around in her stomach.
"So? Tell me!" Janet pushed her plate to the side and a second later, the dishes cleared. Janet said she would see Calvin later and dragged Marissa out of the dining hall before she could even say goodbye to Devon.
They were alone as they walked back towards their common room and Marissa felt strange gossiping about what she and Brian had done. She trusted Janet to not broadcast it, but it was still very strange to talk about.
They sank down into the sofa in the furthest corner and Janet repeated her question from five minutes ago.
"Well…he just showed up, said he wasn't much of a dance person. We talked for a bit about class, the flu, looked at some Quidditch pictures. I had the wireless on and he asked me to dance."
"Right there in your room?"
Marissa nodded. She ran a hand through her hair and decided to not tell Janet that Brian was going to ask her to the Valentine's dance.
"So we were dancing and it started off like any other couple dancing…then we ended up closer…somehow," Marissa felt her face grow warm as she recounted that night.
"I knew it," Janet said softly to herself then urged Marissa to go on.
"Then when the song was over he kissed me," she said in a rush and Janet stifled a squeal.
"You're Potter's girlfriend-."
"No. Don't go spreading that rumor!"
"I'm not, you know I won't but people know he wasn't at the dance and all weekend people were asking where he was. He just shrugged and smiled at the people who asked…now I know why he looked so…secretive!"
"Yeah, well, don't go on and on about it. I haven't talked to him since it happened. I don't even know what I would say." Marissa's eyes followed Derek as he walked in and headed up to the boys dormitory.
"Just be yourself and when the moment is right, you'll talk. It's hard to get any time alone at school." Janet frowned at a first year who attempted to walk near them.
"So…you are all better then?" Janet's blue eyes met Marissa's and her friend nodded.
"I still feel a bit winded doing all those stairs and am very hungry, but other than that…fine. Now, don't we need to go study or something? I know I do!" Marissa jumped up, not feeling like talking about Brian anymore as she was still trying to figure out what happened herself.
She hadn't been studying for an hour when Devon came up to her, after just getting back from a chess match in the great hall.
"Reggie wants to see you; he's outside," Devon jerked his thumb behind him.
"Why?" Marissa stood up and stretched, then shut her book marking her place with a piece of paper.
Devon shrugged.
"Let me know when you find out," he said as he took her spot and pulled out a piece of candy.
Marissa walked down the hall and ducked out of the portrait and saw Reggie lounging against the wall, his curly red hair was always the first thing she saw.
"Hey." Marissa walked over to him and he pulled a book out of his robe.
"I found this, after looking through some boxes. Thought it might help in someway," he handed her a thin black book that said SLYTHERIN HOUSE/HOGWARTS. She flipped it open and found portraits of the students who have gone through the school during the last twenty years.
"Every twenty years they take out the older pictures and add new ones. Since Thomas was here five years, then expelled he's still in there. The older ones go to some archive in the library. But, your father is in there so I figured that guy you were talking about should be too." Reggie pointed to the page he had marked and Marissa ran her finger down the list of names.
NOTT, THEODORE
NOTT, THOMAS (expelled)
"There he is, that bastard," Marissa said under her breath and pointed out Thomas to Reggie. She noticed under his brother's name it said he lived in Australia. She would bet all the galleons she had that Thomas was there too.
"Him?" he glanced at it as Marissa looked for any signs of Amy in either of the boys on the page. She couldn't find anything save the hair color. But, Pansy had dark hair too, so that didn't help.
"Thanks Reggie. Now I can hex him next time I see him. Combine this with the clippings you showed me from the Daily Prophet about him being expelled, I can now say that this is the guy I dreamt about." Marissa closed the book with finality and Reggie wasn't too sure she was kidding about the hexing. She offered the book back to him and he took it.
"If I hear anything else I'll let you know," he said, sounding eager to please.
"Especially if either of them have children, magical or not," Marissa added knowing that there wasn't a NOTT in this school, but that didn't mean they didn't have any children. Or, they could be at Durmstrang or any other Wizarding School in the world.
"Alright…glad you're feeling better," he nodded at her, turned and walked away leaving Marissa standing against the wall thinking.
Running her finger along the bottom of her lip, she ignored the few students that walked by her as she filed away that picture Reggie showed her. Then tried to figure out how to ask Amy what her father's name was without being tactless.
"Penny for your thoughts," a voice said to her left and she jerked her head up, immediately seeing a pair of dark brown eyes, then noticed it was Brian lounging a few feet away, against the railing. She blinked a few times trying to shift gears.
"I was just talking to Reggie." She looked down the hall where he had left a few minutes ago.
"Must've been a pretty deep conversation," Brian said crossing his arms.
Marissa nodded and sighed, figuring she could tell him what she had found out, but not in a public hallway.
"I can't tell you here," she said pointedly and he nodded, waiting for her to say more. They looked at each other for a moment and Marissa felt those butterflies again.
"Do you want to talk now or later? I know a pretty…quiet place," he offered watching her now staring at her shoes.
"Now's fine…lead the way." She pushed herself off the wall and he turned to walk down the way Reggie had left. She followed him up a few flights, all the while talking about the latest Quidditch Match that happened between Slytherin and Ravenclaw…which Ravenclaw had won barely.
They paused in front of a wall and Marissa looked around for a door.
"Where are we going?" she didn't see anyone around, and she didn't see any doors.
"A place my father told me about," he explained then was silent as he paced up and down and before Marissa's eyes a door appeared in front of her.
"Well…that was impressive!" Marissa smiled and walked through the door as he pushed it open and she looked around as he shut the door behind her.
There were a few chairs, a sofa and a fireplace. That was it.
"What is this place?" she turned around in a circle looking at all four walls.
"The Room of Requirement. It becomes whatever you want if you know how to get in. Study hall, meeting room, forest…whatever you desire." Brian touched the small of her back and Marissa jumped, feeling the pressure of his hand causing her nerves to fire in every direction, and walked forward to the nearest sofa and sat down, still slightly in awe.
"My father never told me about this room. Wonder if he knows?"
"I'm sure he does…but many people, who do come here, do other things." He sat down next to her and Marissa's mouth made a silent "oh" as she nodded her head in understanding. Brian shifted in his seat so his arm stretched across the back of the sofa and Marissa turned towards him, tucking a leg under her and this time she met his steady gaze forcing herself to stay calm which took every trick she knew.
"Anyway…Reggie brought me the Slytherin class book to show me a picture of a guy that attacked my mum when she was a seventh year here," Marissa began, her eyes now moving to the fireplace.
"What happened to her?" his voice was full of concern. "I never got the full story."
Marissa recounted her dream and filled in here and there with facts her mother had told her. He had already heard most of it, but she pieced together the fact that Amy said her father lived in Australia and that the brother of the person who attacked her mother was living there now. She came full circle in the story when she repeated that Reggie was showing her a picture of this guy and his older brother.
"Sooo…Amy's father COULD be one of these Nott's or someone else entirely?"
"I'm banking on the Notts. Just a hunch." Marissa pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around them. Talking about this made her uncomfortable and brought up the feelings of helplessness she experienced in her dream.
"I bet she has a class with Kirstin; she can be pretty blunt and would probably ask right off the bat who her father was…is," Brian mused.
"I pity anyone who gets in the way of Kirstin's questioning. She's like a lawyer. Ruthless." Marissa smiled and rested her chin on her knees.
"She's a lot like mum, needing to know everything and getting everything right."
"That's true," Marissa agreed. She turned her head towards him and rested her cheek on her knee.
"Dad said he was going to ask Blaise Zabini and see if he knows anything. He wants to know if Nott is back in the area because mum will go ballistic if she sees him."
"Your mum with a wand is scary," Brian noted as he stretched out his long legs and rested his hands on his stomach.
"So's your father," Marissa countered.
"I've never really seen him use it for anything more than basic everyday magic, so I wouldn't know, except for what I have read and heard."
"That's a good thing though. I saw dad conjure up a patronus for Derek once when he didn't believe dad could."
"What was it?"
"A panther. It was pretty cool and scared the hell out of Derek. He never asked to see anything like that again."
Brian laughed. "My dad's is a stag, but I've never seen it."
"Ever hear him speak parseltongue?"
Brian shook his head. "Nor do I think I want to."
Marissa turned her head back towards the fire.
"That would be kind of strange," she sighed.
"Want to know what's strange? My dad, yours and Ron are playing Quidditch next weekend."
Marissa sat up straight and stared at him.
"Really? Where?"
"Probably here. Saturday…something they had planned awhile back. I think we should go watch."
"Most definitely." Marissa tried imagining the three of them playing at Hogwarts and she couldn't. They had played while she was growing up at home, but she never went to watch them; her mum had said it was for adults.
"I should probably head back. I'm sure it's close to curfew and I need to get up early," Marissa said regretfully then stretched and was never so thankful to be rid of the flu.
"How're you feeling?" Brian stood up with her and Marissa felt the need to stay. She was enjoying talking with him and it was much more fun than studying.
"Good. Bit tired, but that's it." Marissa stuck her hands in the back pocket of her jeans. "I'm glad Devon didn't get it."
"It sure didn't look fun; I think you had it the worst out of the people that got it before you."
"I did?"
Brian nodded wondering how much he should tell her.
"They went to St. Mungo's but their fever was never as high."
"And?" Marissa prompted and she saw Brian fidget then mimic her posture.
"Apparently you had some respiratory problems; I think it was Thursday and that night. Your father didn't even assign homework," Brian told her, knowing she would hound him if he didn't explain what he had meant.
"I did? I don't remember anything from Wednesday afternoon until I woke up Saturday morning." Marissa shivered despite the fireplace. "I bet everyone was freaked out."
"To say the least," Brian murmured and she looked at him and saw him watching the fire. He looked bothered and Marissa touched his arm to get his attention.
"You ok?"
He looked at her and nodded. "I'm just glad you're fine now."
"I am. I promise," she said quietly, not fully realizing until this moment how concerned everyone must have been for her. He didn't look totally convinced and she watched him run a hand through his dark, wavy hair.
"You don't believe me?" she kidded and took a step towards him. This time she reached out and laid her hand on his arm and before she could reassure him again, he gently pulled her to him and hugged her.
Slightly confused she placed her hands on his back and wondered what to say.
She had no idea how long she stood like that, her cheek resting on his shoulder, when he began talking.
"I don't think I have ever seen your father so concerned and when Devon missed some classes to be there with you, I knew you were pretty sick. Even Dixon, Derek and Erin were subdued and didn't say much, which in turn freaked out my sisters…combine that with dad telling us there was no way we could go visit because we could catch it…it was pretty tense around the Potter and Malfoy household."
"No one told me." Marissa closed her eyes, feeling tears hit her eyes for some reason. She hated the fact she was sick, let alone causing everyone stress.
"Yeah, I know. I also know how mad you would get if you found out on your own…so your family can blame me for telling you all that." Brian slid his hands down her back and rested them on her hips. Marissa took a deep breath, trying to quell the emotions pushing behind her eyes and in her stomach.
"I'm sorry," Marissa said clearing her throat of the lump that was sitting there.
"Hey, it's not your fault." He pushed her away a bit so he could look at her and saw her shadowed blue eyes were reflecting the firelight. "Are you ready to go back?"
Marissa removed her hands and pressed them to her eyes for a second, realizing she was pretty tired. She felt Brian's hand take hers and move it from her face.
"You look tired…I'm sorry to unload all that on you," he lowered her hand but didn't let go.
"No, it's not you…really…and I promise not to get sick again!" Marissa gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand, feeling him begin walking towards the door, still holding her hand.
"I'll walk you back to your tower…I insist!" Brian cut off her protest and with a gentle squeeze of her hand he opened the door and ushered her out to the hall and back to her tower.
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"He didn't even kiss you?" Janet hissed on their way to class the next day, Monday morning. Marissa has just finished recounting her talk with Brian in The Room of Requirement and Janet couldn't believe they didn't take advantage of being alone.
"Look, Janet." Marissa stood in Herbology, trying to warm up from their walk across the grounds.
"Both of our parents work here, we haven't talked about being anything more than friends and that kiss, I…well…I think it's something that just happened, you know?"
"Yeah, but…." Janet took off her hat and ran her fingers through her short blond hair, trying to smooth it down.
"Look, if he wanted to kiss me again, he could have but he didn't…so let's leave it at that for now," Marissa said firmly, looking warily at the harmless looking plant in front of her. Professor Sprout came out and began talking about the safety precautions needed to repot the plant in front of her.
By the end of the class, only three people were successfully able to repot the Macrophylla Infligo…the huge leaves of the plants would hit you relentlessly as you tried to grab it and by the time class was over Marissa and the rest, except for Janet and two others were covered in dirt and red marks where they had been slapped. Professor Sprout said it was up to them to come back during the week to repot it, before the next class on Friday.
Not liking to fail at anything, Marissa grumpily made her way back to the castle, intent on taking a shower before her next class after lunch.
As she stomped her feet at the entrance to the school she heard someone break out into laughter beside her.
There was Devon, in hysterics.
"You look…," he gasped, holding his Care of Magical Creatures book, "oh, Merlin, Marissa…you're filthy!" he held the door and bent over double laughing as he brushed some dirt off her hair.
"Stop it," Marissa said grumpily pushing his hand away.
"What happened?" Devon asked his voice shaking with suppressed laughter.
She explained her Herbology class and by the time she finished he was holding the rail on the stairwell, laughing hysterically again.
Marissa continued on, ignoring him, making a beeline for her tower.
"Awww…come on…when you see yourself in the mirror, you'll think it's funny too!" Devon said loudly, erupting into peals of laughter again and trotting after her.
"I'm going to get a shower." Marissa ducked into the Ravenclaw portrait and practically ran up to her room, ignoring her brother's laughter.
She had an hour to change and eat lunch so she made it quick and ran down to lunch without drying her hair; her next class was Charms so at least she didn't have to go outside. Running down the steps she turned the corner and skidded to a stop before she ran into her father and Devon who were talking near the Great Hall.
Devon looked at her and immediately started laughing again. Draco raised an eyebrow at his son and glanced at Marissa.
"Don't mind him; he's gone nutters apparently. He must have been hit in the head with the hippogriff they looked at in Creatures today." Marissa cut him a look and heard her father cover up a laugh.
"You should have seen her, dad…she was covered in dirt. I have never seen her so dirty…hey, you didn't do any mud wrestling did you…," Devon started and Draco clamped a hand over Devon's mouth.
"Both of you go eat before I give you detention for being too loud." Draco held open the door for them and
Marissa walked quickly to her table, not looking around for Brian, knowing that he was in Transfiguration or
something.
"Feeling better?" Molly asked as Marissa sat down. Molly was finishing up her lunch and preparing for her next class. She stopped by the Ravenclaw table quickly to check up on her cousin.
"I am. I just hope Devon doesn't get it…they said he should start showing signs by now though."
"I think he'll be in the clear then." Molly patted her shoulder and told her to take care. Marissa nodded, spooning some more soup into her bowl.
Marissa sure hoped that she was the last one to get the flu. So far, she was the last student to be admitted to St. Mungo's; not that being the last one was something she wanted to be known for, but at least no one else had come down with the flu.
She managed to make it through the rest of her day uneventfully and by the time she was done in the afternoon she was dragging, deciding to take a nap before dinner and before her second attempt at repotting the Macrophylla Infligo. She knew the plant was important in creating many different types of antidotes to certain poisons in the wizarding world, but it sure wasn't easy to work with.
After her class, she made her way upstairs, passing her two youngest brothers in the hall. She briefly talked to them, informing them of her plans to go repot the dreaded plant after dinner, but first was a nap. She wasn't one to nap, but she napped like a champion before dinner and it was Erin coming into her room at 7 to inform her dinner was almost over.
"Thanks, Erin. Guess I was more tired than I thought," Marissa yawned and stretched.
"Brian was asking me where you were, so you might run into him," Erin said a bit too nonchalantly and Marissa nodded, picking up her brush and running it through her hair. She grabbed a clip and twisted her hair back into a twist, knowing that she couldn't be bothered with her hair while fighting a plant.
"Thanks. I need to go repot the Infligo after dinner, so I'll see you later," Marissa said, grabbing her cloak and following her little sister down the stairs.
She tried not to be obvious that she was looking for Brian as she made her way to the Great Hall, but she found her
eyes scanning the now sparse dining hall. She didn't see him, so she sat down by herself and started eating,
pulling out the latest letter her Grandmother Malfoy wrote her, along with sending her a box of sweets.
Not having anyone to talk or listen to made dinner seem like a very quick affair. After eating a nice helping of Shepherd's Pie she shrugged on her winter cloak and made her way out of the castle, gasping as the cold air hit her in the face. Pulling up the hood to her cloak she walked quickly to the greenhouses walking down past the first three to the fourth, where the larger plants were.
It was eerily quiet and still as she stepped into the greenhouse and she was thankful for the warmth. Hanging up her cloak, she grabbed something that looked like a lab coat a Muggle would wear and put it one, walking to the back of the greenhouse where her plant was probably waiting for her, huge leaves and all. She stood in front of the wooden shelves and stared at this innocent looking plant.
"Ok, you pain in the arse, here we go." Marissa lifted the plant off the shelf and heard a noise behind her.
"That's not a way to get it on your good side."
Slamming the plant down on the wooden table next to the shelves, she spun around in surprise and saw Brian standing there, his winter cloak unbuttoned.
"What are you doing here?" Marissa hid her nervousness by pulling on her thick gloves.
"I followed you actually. I was out visiting Hagrid and saw you coming down this way."
He leaned a bit to his left and looked at her plant.
"Ah, now I know why you're here." Brian shrugged off his cloak and tugged off his Gryffindor tie. "It's easier when you have two people."
"We're supposed to do this by ourselves," Marissa said watching him roll up his white shirt sleeves.
"Did Professor Sprout actually say that?"
"Well…," Marissa racked her brain for those precise words.
"Thought so. The trick is to have someone fold the leaves UP and hold them with both hands while the second person yanks it out of the old pot and then we both walk it over to the new pot."
Marissa stared at him. When did he get so well versed in Herbology?
"Come on." Brian tugged on his protective gloves and gently pulled her closer to the table.
"I'll fold up the leaves and you pull it out."
"There's a pot behind us it needs to go in." Marissa jerked her thumb behind her and Brian nodded.
"The trick is, to start at the bottom and work your hands up. The smallest leaves are at the top and they won't be able to reach your hands or arms if you do it right." Brian secured his hands on either side of the base of the plant and slowly brought his hands up on either side of the stalk.
As he hit the first set of leaves he pushed them up, which then folded up to the second row. At this point the leaves began moving and quickly he slid his hands up to the fourth layer of leaves. He held them securely and Marissa grabbed the stalk with both hands and gave a tug.
She was stunned at how easily it came out and how shallow the root system was. Backing up they both carried the plant to the table and turned around to set it in the larger pot.
"It has a shallow root system because it thinks it's safe from us, by striking us with its leaves. Little does it know that we're smarter." Brian grinned at her and Marissa shook her head, patting dirt around the bottom then stood back.
"Alright. I'm going to let go and it's going to be pissed so watch out," Brian advised as he looked over his shoulder and Marissa stepped back a bit. "Ready?"
Marissa nodded and Brian quickly let go and jumped back as the leaves sprang to life, moving every which way, wildly seeking its attacker. As Brian jumped back he ran into Marissa who stumbled against the table, grabbing his arm for support.
"Sorry! You ok?" Brian spun around and saw Marissa smiling.
"Great…I just never thought you'd be afraid of a plant," she kidded and he narrowed his eyes at her, pulling off his gloves. Marissa tugged hers off and threw them down on the table.
"I'm not afraid of a plant. Would I have helped you if I was?" he asked and Marissa stood on her tip toes looking over his shoulder at the plant which had calmed down.
"Well," she shimmied back up onto the table behind her, very conscious of the fact that he was standing startlingly close to her.
"I guess not. Thanks for your help; always helps to have someone else be with you that has done this before." Marissa swung her legs slightly watching Brian turn and glance at the plant.
"Yeah, me and Seth from my dorm had dirt all over the place before we realized that two people worked better than one. Although," Brian bent in a bit and Marissa blinked in surprise at how close he was, "you do have dirt on your cheek."
Quickly Marissa brought up the back of her hand and swiped it across her cheek.
"You should've seen me this morning," she whispered. She dropped her hand then felt his thumb touch her cheek. Her breath hitched in her chest and for a moment they stared at each other.
Marissa stilled the swinging of her legs and was stunned to feel his hand slowly cup her face, his fingers resting under her ear.
She called on every ounce of willpower she had to keep her eyes locked with his and very slowly, very shyly she reached out and rested her fingers lightly on his cheek, her pulse racing, her face flushed with the loving gesture. Slowly, ever so slowly as if giving her the chance to pull away he leaned in and she tilted her face up to his, meeting his lips and this time she didn't hesitate in kissing him back.
She felt him take a step forward, his thigh pressing against her knees and she moved her legs feeling him step into her very personal space, his other hand reaching up to cup her face holding her so softly like she might break.
She felt a million feelings wash over her; the most intense one being his lips moving over hers. Never did she think this would happen, let alone twice and she was so enjoying the kiss she wasn't cognizant of her free hand moving to his waist and gripping his hip, feeling the hard bone beneath her hand.
Ever so slowly she felt him pull away and soon she was staring up at him, at a loss for words, her thoughts jumbled in
her head and her eyes memorizing every green fleck in his brown eyes.
"Brian…," she whispered feeling his hands rest on her shoulders then slide slowly down her arms.
He looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time and made no response to her saying his name. It seemed like the feelings that were coursing through her inexperienced body were moving through his also and she saw him take a deep breath and move backwards a step.
"Watch the plant…." Marissa pointed a shaky finger over his shoulder as the plant quivered its leaves menacingly.
"Right." Brian side stepped and Marissa slid off the table. He reached out a hand and steadied her, grabbing his cloak at the same time.
"Why did we just do that?" Marissa asked abruptly but quietly, slowly unzipping the lab coat and taking it off. He helped her with it and walked in front of her a bit towards the door.
Wordlessly he shook his head and as he turned around holding out her cloak she saw he looked upset.
"I value our friendship, Marissa," he began and she felt her heart plummet to her stomach. `He is going to apologize and say it'll never happen again,' she thought sadly and she fought to keep a straight face. She remained silent, something she learned from her father. If you are patient, the person will mostly likely talk more because they know you won't interrupt with words they don't really want to hear.
"What starts out as innocent intentions end up going awry and I didn't plan on that…," his voiced trailed off and he couldn't meet her eyes anymore. Silently she shrugged on her cloak and with shaking fingers she managed to button it.
"So, what do you want to do?" she questioned him, letting out the breath she had been holding.
Neither made a move to leave the warmth of the greenhouse and she watched him staring out beyond the fogged up windows.
He shook his head, clearly at a loss for words and it was Marissa who helped break the silence.
"You can't plan life Brian and I wasn't exactly telling you to…back off…so let's just see what happens?" Marissa ended it in a question and thought he looked relieved that she had said it and he didn't have too.
"Right, okay," he agreed and she smiled at him, then turned towards the door opening it and letting the cold air hit her face. It brought clarity to her fogged up mind and she walked out holding the door for Brian who fell in step beside her.
Slowly, as if neither of them wanted to get into the school anytime soon they walked out of the Herbology area and began the walk uphill.
`Tell him,' a voice nagged at her. `Trust me', the voice continued and she briefly wondered who was thinking inside her head.
"Just so you know, you were my first kiss," Marissa blurted out and she had gone a few more steps before she realized he wasn't next to her anymore. She turned and saw him a few feet behind her looking like he had been petrified.
Blinking the few swirling snowflakes off of her eyelashes she walked back to him.
"Brian?" she questioned and he shook is head for a minute, spraying snowflakes.
"Sorry, I…what you just said threw me that's all," he mumbled, seeming embarrassed he began walking-- but not towards the castle. He turned and headed down towards the Quidditch Pitch.
"Brian! Where're you going?" Marissa yelled not sure whether to follow him or not.
"The Pitch," he answered and Marissa stood there very confused, shoving her hands deep into her cloak. He turned around when he realized she wasn't with him and they looked at each other across the walkway that led from the castle to the Pitch.
"Do you want to be alone?" she asked loudly and hesitantly. He was still for a moment, the saw him shake his head. Telling her feet to move, she made her way towards him and for the rest of the way down to the Pitch she stayed quiet, making sure she was walking a bit behind him, wondering what in the world he was thinking.
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