Disclaimer: Not JK…
A/n: Written for the 'Well this is strange' challenge. The pairing was Dominique/OC and the situation was 'playing a prank on the headmistress'. Hope you enjoy!
"Creek!"
"Oh damn!" I swore reflexively and glared at the offending door that had screeched when I had tried to open it. Granted, that door was probably centuries old and wouldn't have been much cared for, what with it being in an insignificant corner of the castle and all. But this was the quickest and the most out-of-the-way path to the headmistress' office and I, Dominique Weasley, had decided that I'd much rather face dust motes and scurrying rats than run into Head Boys who thought they were the kings of the world and had the right to confuse their lowly subjects as they wished and disappear in a puff of smoke.
"Stupid git" was the complementary greeting I gave the portrait of a pretty mermaid who looked down at me disapprovingly. Ignoring it, or should I say her? I walked step by silent step through the deserted corridors of the castle. I kept looking this way and that, making sure no one was about, though I knew none of the students dared to step in these lonely parts of the castle at this time of the night. Except silly girls who were hell bent on pranking the headmistress without getting caught, of course, which was what I was trying to do.
Seeing a ray of light, I hurried to it, taking care to step around the random bits of suits of armor which were lying about. How Professor McGonagall walked through these rubbles without having a panic attack is beyond me. When I reached the source of the light, I saw that it was a window. Curious to know which part of the grounds this part of the castle overlooked, I was shocked to see that it was directly facing my secret hideout. I knew that he paced these corridors sometimes. Was that how he had spotted me? Oh, why did he have to have nagging me as the one motive of his life? Why couldn't he have passed the windows and let me be, like everyone else had? Of course, he had told me why. But surely, Vic wouldn't have told him to snog her sister?
I stood beside the windowsill, leaning on the wall staring at the tranquil scenery outside, remembering the incident the evening before. I honestly didn't want to, but the memories have been plaguing me for the entire evening and even now, I could remember them with alacrity, though I tried as hard as I could to stop them.
I had been lying under the cool shadow of the derelict birch tree at the far side of the grounds, enjoying the mild rays of the sun that bathed my face through the leaves. This part of the castle was always deserted since it was too near the forbidden forest. Students never came near these parts but it was my regular haunt, a place I escaped to when I needed to get away from the general mob of my family. It would have been quite easy to get lost in the crowd that was the Weasley family and retaining my individuality when I had the most beautiful person on the planet for a sister and a nerd for a brother was pretty difficult. But here, I felt at ease; I felt like myself. I sighed contently and I could feel a slow, unconscious smile spread across my face. Life couldn't get any better for me.
"You uncannily resemble a Cheshire cat with that expression, Min, and it's not at all flattering" my sunrays were blocked and I opened my eyes which I knew would be clouded with irritation. I didn't need to open my eyes to know who was so rudely disrupting my peace. Jonathan McCormick stood there smirking in all his six foot raven haired green eyed glory, looking at me as if I was an undiscovered plant species he had stumbled upon by chance. I would add that he was the most unsightly thing my eyes ever fell upon but of course I'd have his fan bimbos and the rest of the female population behind me so I refrain.
But make no mistake; under all that I-am-too-gorgeous-to-walk-on-the-earth expression lay an even more disgusting persona. Disgusting to me, at least. He was, simply speaking, the vilest person I had ever had the misfortune of knowing unfortunately well.
And know him I did, since he happened to get along quite well with the rest of my ginormous family. It was just me and him that didn't mix. Some what.
"If you have nothing more to tell me, you may disappear, Nathan" I hadn't meant to be so snappy, but what can I say, the guy brings out the worst in me by just being.
Now, I know what you are thinking. I claim to hate him and yet, I call him by his given name? Yes, I do because, one, we have known each other for quite a long time and it would be rude not to acknowledge that and two, since my entire family called him that, I could see no reason why I shouldn't.
"Oh, I have a lot to tell you but I'm not very sure you'll appreciate them at all" he commented grumpily and sat beside me.
"What, like the comment before?" I asked, basking in the sun's rays once again. Seeing that he wasn't answering, I opened one eye to find him staring at me steadily, seriously. That right there should have alerted me. Nathan was never anything other than his happy-go-lucky self. If he was ever sober, it would be because he was going to do something life changing. I sat up, feeling self conscious.
"What is it, Nathan? Quit staring at me like that"
"Oh, sorry. I wasn't looking at you. I was just staring at the forest" he replied off handedly, but I knew he was lying. He never apologized unless he was lying.
"Whatever" I let the subject slip, settling myself on the stem of the tree beside Nathan. No matter the controversies we had, I could honestly enjoy his presence.
"Are the freaky creatures what draw you here?" did I add 'as long as he kept his mouth shut'? I turned to look at him and found him, surprise, surprise, smirking annoyingly at me.
"Atleast I am courageous enough to venture out of the normal route" I snapped back without regret. If there was someone who could take every single one of my insults and still remain unruffled, it'd have to be Nathan.
"You call a lack of self preservation courage? Hardly" he snapped back, leaning against the tree.
"What's gotten into you today?" I wonder, why is he acting all…mature?
"I was uh,…um…worried" he admitted and I swear I saw a blush on his cheeks before he turned his head the other way and spoke to the forest, "You had disappeared and I tried searching for you all over the castle. What was I to think?"
"You were worried?" if he hadn't had that somber expression on his face I'd have thought he was jesting.
"What? You thought I'd be abducted by a ten feet long spider and held hostage at the forest with the spider threatening to marry me?"
"That's one way of putting it, but in that case, it'd be the spider I'd pity and try to dissuade. It seriously wouldn't have any idea what it was getting itself into" Oh great! He has so far mocked my looks, my acumen and my character. What next?
"Actually, there was a reason I was searching for you" he admitted shamefully, and I grinned. I knew him far too much to believe that he had been 'worried' about me!
"If this is about the detention, I spoke with my Quidditch captain and cleared up the schedule. I'll be there"
"As if any amount of practice could bring you within five meters of the snitch when I'm on the ground"
"Who, may I ask, caught the snitch from right under your nose last month? My impersonator?" Ah! Finally, something I could boast about.
"It was just one time" he grumbled, and I could plainly see that he was still sulking. Nathan was seeker on the Ravenclaw team and I'd admit that he was the best at Hogwarts if it wasn't for moi, the Gryffindor seeker. And I'll let you in on a secret, Nathan is a sore loser. Really. And it wouldn't have been that much of a bother if I didn't flaunt it in his face every time.
"Sure it was. So, what did you want to talk to me about? The dare? It'll be done by tomorrow, so you needn't feel so smug about giving me a dare I can't do" The thing was, we had been playing truth or dare yesterday and I was dared to play a prank on the headmistress, which was pretty difficult since she was never seen much. I, though, have thought of a fool proof method to prank her!
"No, it wasn't that either"
"What is it then? Surely can't be tutoring lessons?" I mean, honestly, what was with all this secrecy?
"No, not unless I want to be tutored to fail" that goddamned smirk again!
"Hey!"
"No, wait. I have something serious to tell you and I don't want you frolicking around the topic" he said in a stern voice which I had dubbed the 'Head Boy' tone.
"Aye, aye, captain! So, who shall walk the plank?" I mock saluted him and he chuckled.
"You have a horrible accent" he replied and before I could retort, said, "It's actually about Vicky"
"Wonderful. Do go on" I could almost hear the odium in her voice as she told me to continue. Dominique had had a little spat with her sister Victoire. Nothing new, the two sisters were well known for the heated rows. I could swear the Gryffindor commonroom rumbles when they go at it. Both of them were stubborn, opinionated and loved the dramatics. But this time, I had to admit, it wasn't Nik's fault. I mean, who wouldn't be angry about hearing of a sister's marriage from a stranger. Granted, I wasn't a total stranger, but still…
This had been going on for a while and no matter how many apology letters Vic sent, they all went unopened to fuel the fireplace in the commonroom, or so she thought. I should know, I had seen her try to burn them and had placed a protective spell over each of the letters to save them. Because I knew Nik, and she'd feel bad about burning them one day and she'd be less guilty if I could give them to her.
But there had been one letter I had shown her. I'd told her that it had been received recently. I had lied, yes, but it had been the right thing to do, since she hadn't burnt that letter yet. Vic had asked her to be the maid of honor and I knew Nik was oscillating. That was precisely why I believed the sisters would reconcile. Which brings us to the purpose of my visit here.
"Don't be so shut off, Nik…"
"Shut off? Who, me? Who was it that forgot to tell her own sister that she was getting married? Who didn't even bother to send an owl to her own sister? What am I worth to her then, Nathan? Tell me, what does she think I am? Someone she could hold close when he wants and throw away when she feels like it? Pardon me if I'm not thrilled by her attitude"
"I'm not…condoning what she did, Nik but…what's the difference between you and her if you act the same way? Haven't you always wanted to be the better sister? How does ignoring her suit that description?"
As I spoke, I could see her resolve sway, weaken, falter and altogether die away. I knew I had won the fight by the way she remained silent, looking thoughtful. She was having a dilemma she always did, act mature or act impulsively? She was clearly broken and I instinctively circled my arms around her shoulder to keep her close. It seemed to help, for a defeated sigh escaped her lips and she relaxed.
"Do you really think it's the right thing to do?" she asked after a few minutes, her voice soft and uncertain. I turned my gaze away from the scenery and sure enough, her eyes were full of doubts and vulnerability. How such a steadfast person could suddenly go all indecisive was beyond me but that only made her more appealing.
Appealing? What in Merlin's name was I thinking?
"Yes, yes I think it is the 'good' thing to do. And you can always take revenge by asking for the most ostentatious maid of honor dress"
"Does that mean I'll have to wear heels?" her voice was panic stricken and I chuckled. Ten foot spiders that abducted her, sure. Heels, though…"I'm afraid so. Lord save those poor pair of footwear" she didn't even retort back.
I leaned into his embrace, feeling like I was somehow protected. This wasn't the only time Nathan had helped me decide things, but I have never regretted listening to him. Of course, he and I both knew that once my indecision phase was over, the topic would become taboo. Neither of us was very keen on discussing either his help or my inclination to trust him. It was one of the things that just was. But there was one thing I didn't understand.
"Why did you come and try to convince me? I mean, she could as well have sent Jamie or Fred who'd both have made me laugh into agreeing to patch things up with her"
When no answer came after a few minutes, I looked up to find him looking embarrassedly at me. Why was his face flushed? Was he actually blushing? I couldn't help the giggle that escaped.
"You're reddening" I declared and he ran a hand through his hair, a habit he had no doubt picked from spending a lot of time with my Uncle Harry.
"Well, Vic thinks that you…listen to me. Like, she thinks I have some kind of influence over you, or something. I dunno what she meant exactly but, whatever." He tried to shrug the topic off but I was piqued.
"Do you think you could influence me?" I was clearly smirking when I asked that. I mean, Nathan could influence me? That was the stupidest assumption my sister ever made in her life!
"No, I have no illusions as to that" he replied curtly.
We were both silent for a while after that, which was a rarity in itself.
"Do you think I could influence you?" I asked after a few minutes and looked up to him for an answer. He never gave me a straight answer, ever. Why did I expect this time to be any different?
"May be…" he looked at me strangely, his eyes clouding with an emotion I had sometimes seen in them but had never been able to place. I looked on, unable to move my eyes off his.
May be it was because I had poured out my anguish to him, or may be because we just had too many pent up emotions between us to ignore it any longer, may be…
Whatever it was, I didn't even make an attempt when he leaned in and…
XXXXX
A cold draft blew suddenly in the corridor and Dominique bristled. She let out a sigh. So, she had kissed him. Why was that such a big deal? He had simply walked away, anyhow. Clearly, it had been nothing out of the ordinary for him.
Another cold breeze blew through the corridors and a few strands of her crimson hair blew around her face, tickling her cheeks. Dominique pushed them behind her ear, but one of the rebellious strands kept escaping the hold. She absently curled her finger around it. Dominique knew her hair was her one redeeming quality. It wasn't stick straight and blonde like her sister's, it wasn't a carrot red like Fred's, neither was it the brownish red untamable curls that Rose had. Her hair was simply,…red and curly at the end, falling in ringlets down her back.
Dominique thought she heard a whoosh but just then a sharp blast of wind blew and she shivered.
"Are you stupid?" her head snapped back to the shadows behind her and she could spot a figure standing there, leaning on the opposite wall. He stood straight when he saw that she had noticed him, and came towards the window.
"Didn't you know that it would be freezing out here?" he chided her as he took off his cloak and gave it to her. She did not object, since she was a bit frozen from the cold.
"I didn't think that it would take so long" she had wanted to be angry with him, she had wanted to shout and yell at him, why couldn't she now?
"So this was the plan you had had all along?"
"Getting caught by the Head Boy wasn't a part of it. Where's the Head girl, by the way? Aren't you two supposed to be patrolling together?"
"Well, she said, and I quote, 'You're just too silent and reflective today for me to bear'"
"Anne doesn't screech like that"
"I think she just wanted to patrol with her boyfriend" he replied smirking.
"Why didn't you just return to your commonroom then?" she hadn't moved her eyes from the window and he sighed.
"I wanted to see you. About th…"
"If you want to forget all about it and move on, don't worry. It's all good" her voice chocked minutely but he seemed to pick up on it just as well.
"Did I hurt you, Nik?" he lifted her face to look into his and found that they were defiant yet shockingly close to tears.
"I did, didn't I?" he whispered and the defiance in her eyes grew.
"You are incapable of affecting me, Nathan. I was just worried about executing the prank and making up to my sister" she moved away from him, opting to face the frosty gust rather than stay near the warmth he seemed to radiate.
"What are you waiting for then?" he asked woodenly, all the previous sensitivity draining out of his voice and eyes.
"The Head Boy to leave me in peace so that I could escape an instant detention" she replied, indicating subtly that he should leave her alone. He ignored it.
"I'll come with you" he said simply and began walking in the direction of the headmistress' office with her.
"I have to admit, barricading the headmistress inside her own office was a terrific idea. I just wish I could see her face when she comes down today and finds that her own guards have 'turned against her'" Nathan smiled widely at her and she just shook her head. His moods were as changeable as the weather.
"Yes, it is." She replied tonelessly.
"Do you hear yourself, Nik? 'Yes, it is'. What's gotten into you now? I thought you were okay with…" he never got to finish the sentence since she rounded on him in the middle of the corridor.
"I'm not bloody okay with it! Are you happy now? Oh, why did you have to go and…and…confuse me that way? What were you aiming for? Why do you have to be so damn stubborn! Ugh!" she turned away from him, gasping from the outburst. Nathan stood stock still, letting her words sink in.
"I'm stubborn? It was you who point blank refused to let me explain that…."
"That it was all a huge mistake and that we should never let it happen again? And you wonder why I didn't want to listen to you!" she yelled, her face tinged crimson from the effort.
"You never let me finish my sentences, how do you know what I'd say?"
"Alright then, let's hear it" she folded her hands and tapped her foot impatiently, her eyebrow rising in question.
"You don't have to act so defensive around me" he replied softly as he took her hands from the folded position. She tried to pull her hands back but he used them to draw her near till she was close enough to notice the light flecks of hazel in his otherwise unblemished eyes.
"So, I was thinking after I returned to the castle…" here he was interrupted by her voice.
"You mean ran away screaming?"
"I did not scream"
"But you did run away?"
"I suppose" he sighed and she smiled triumphantly.
"As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me…"
"I didn't…" he placed a finger over her lips to silence her.
"Just listen to me, alright? No interruptions. I was thinking about…why I sorta, kissed you out of the blue"
"Oh, it wasn't random at all" she replied sarcastically and he chuckled.
"And then I realized, that it wasn't a sudden, spur of the moment thing at all. And I had wanted to for sometime now and that I, kind of…wanted to stay with you"
"Like, let's go snog in a broom closet kind of thing?" she asked mischievously, knowing that wasn't the answer. His very hesitation had told her all she needed to know but that wasn't going to stop her from enjoying seeing him stumble through his words.
"Uh! I knew I messed that up! No, I mean like, hold your hand and go on a date with you to Hogsmeade kind of together"
"Are you asking me out?" her tone was positively gloating but he seemed relieved. Probably that she hadn't shot a tarantula at him, or something.
"I, guess I am." He ran a hand through his hair, looking oddly nervous. Dominique only laughed in response.
"I think you've had enough embarrassment for a day, don't you think?"
"You aren't going to hex me to the other side of the world?" he appeared surprised and pleasantly shocked and Dominique laughed again.
"No, I'm not. Of course I'm irked that it took you so long but…" the rest of her reply was muffled as he leaned down to kiss her.
And, contrary to popular belief, it was the Head Girl who found the Head Boy breaking the rules that night.
A/n: Review!