His Damsel In Distress:
Everytime Coop Burtonburger meets Ashley Ketchum, the new girl in the neighborhood, she has to be in trouble. As he helps her, he realizes he has fallen for her and invites her to his friend!
Stepping into the new relationship, Ashley feels like a free bird… but she knows dreams don't come true. She's just a friend and cannot fall for a friend!!!!!
Of course, Harry and others witness the changing facades of the relationship.
A/N: 1)This was supposed to be an one-shot story, but the ideas kept on running....
2) (i)Italics means the thoughts of the characters.
(ii) Bold are the song lyrics.
(iii) Normal script are the incidents happening at the present.
3) Contains little bit of kissing and stripping. So, it can be rated U/A or rather 13+
4) I DON'T own anything except the plot.
5) COUPLES:
(i) Harry Potter and Isabelle Delacour
(ii) Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger
(iii) Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley
(iv) Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang
CHAPTER 1:
"Too bad, Ketchum." Ashley chided herself as she retched and more vomit fell in the basin. "You didn't have to drink booze with the boozy brigands." She said putting the taps on. Ashley Ketchum (18) was new neighbour of the Burtonburgers. Not an immediate one, but living a few blocks away. She had become friends with Millie Burtonburger and had got an honour of attending Millie's slumber parties.
"Suckers!" Ashley swore under her breath as she settled down on the rim of a nearby tub. She was regretting coming here. "Stupid Ketchum." She chided herself. "Idiotic party." She sank back sighing.
Coop walked carefully towards the noise of retching. He knew it was that stupid Kat who would be messing up things for him. Actually he was debating walking up there in case he got framed for nothing. But, he had to check. Creeping slowly, he peeped and his jaw dropped to the floor. It wasn't Kat but, the beautiful girl he had escorted to Millie's party. She looked pale and her hair were spilling from the small ponytail. She was gasping for breath. And swearing. He chuckled as she rushed to the basin and threw up again.
"Oh no!" Ashley thought. "Alcohol! Millie!! You're dead." She said as she looked up at her reflection.
"Are you alright?" Ashley squealed and turned around.
"Sorry to scare you. But, are you feeling ill or something?" Coop asked.
Ashley smiled weakly. "Aren't you Coop?" she asked.
"At your service madam." Coop said giving a little "gentlemanly" bow.
Ashley giggled. "Thanks, and yes I'm ill." She said.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Well, I'm not the only one whose not getting sleep then." Ashley teased and he laughed and sat beside her.
"You can say that." He sighed. "What's up with you?" he asked suddenly turning around to face her.
"An allergy." Ashley shrugged. "Of alcohol."
"Oh," Coop smirked, but his smile slid off when she swayed. "Steady," he said, his hands around her shoulders, letting her lean against him, her head on his shoulder. "I think you should be treated." He said and steadied her before leaving the bathroom and leaving her shoulders burning from his touch. Ashley watched as he disappeared thru the door. Coop Burtonburger was the sexiest man alive, with brown hair and blue eyes. The way his large, skilled and manly arms had wrapped around her shoulders making Ashley seem tiny and conscious of her revealing pyjamas. What would it feel like to have them around her while his hands, beautifully slender roamed over every inch of her body, explored her intimate places, along with his mouth and tongue? To relish and taste.....
"I hope this will do?" Coop had returned to her side and was wrapping a huge blanket around her.
"Sorry?" Too late, she realised he'd spoken, but she had been deep in horrifyingly erotic fantasy. Blushing scarlet—an unfortunate attribute which went with the hair and her pale skin—she lied, "I was thinking of a way to thank you."
"No need." He said, pulling her to her feet and holding her as she swayed. "You're exhausted, and you're much too tired to deal with this illness. Lets get you back and make you drink and get you into bed."
He wanted her to get her into bed? An Ill and tear-streaked stranger. She gave a slightly hysterical giggle, and he laughed softly. "I didn't mean that, you know." He said and Ashley smiled. "Of course. So where are we off to?" she asked to change the subject.
"My room." Coop answered. His room!!!!!!!! Panic struck her and something told her to move away from him. But, she followed him as he led her through to his bedroom and pushed her gently towards the bathroom door. "Get ready for bed. I'll be back with a hot drink."
And he left her there, standing staring at the mirror at this pale-faced idiot who had agreed to attend a good-for-nothing party. She washed her face, went to the loo, and when she walked back into the bedroom Coop was sitting there on the bed, a thoughtful look on his face.
"You ok?" he asked and she nodded.
"Good." He said reaching over to the bedside table for a cup of steaming hot chocolate.
"Here you go, beautiful," he said handing her the cup.
Beautiful???
"Thanks." Ashley said accepting the cup and sitting back, taking a sip. "Oh boy." She moaned making his blood boil.
"I'm glad you liked it." Coop said smiling. "That'll help with the nausea." He smiled. Ashley smiled back.
"Won't you be having some?" she asked raising her cup.
"No, you're more important here."
"Thanks."
"So, er.." Coop fumbled with his words.
"Ashley," Ashley offered her hand. "Ashley Ketchum." She introduced herself.
"Coop...you know me." Coop said taking her hand and shaking it.
"Yeah, Phoebe was hinting how you'll finally ask her out." Ashley smiled.
Coop winced. "Please, don't remind me of that...."
Ashley giggled. "Okay, so what do you do?"
"I've finished my graduation and now doing a diploma in Astronomy. And you?"
An Astronaut? Not bad. "I'm doing a diploma in Medical Sciences." Ashley answered. "So, which year are you in?"
"Second. And you?"
"First." Ashley answered. "So you want to be an astronaut, eh?"
"Hmm... I want to be part of the NASA." Coop answered.
"Amazing." Ashley said in awe.
"Thanx. And you want to get into...."
"WHO." Ashley answered smiling. She finished her hot chocolate and smacked her lips. "I guess I should be leaving." She said standing up but, staggering.
"You can't go like this..." Coop said pulling her down to sit beside him. "You're sick and I can't leave you like this."
"But..." Ashley argued, but was cut short when Coop put his hands up.
"Time up, beautiful. Its decided. You sleep on my bed while I sleep on the floor." He said as he started collecting his things.
"No, its fine." Ashley debated. He stopped to look at her.
"It's not." He said. "You're not okay." He sat beside her, his hand on her shoulder. "I'll be fine, don't worry."
"It's not it." Ashley mumbled, suddenly becoming interested in her nails. "I don't want you to leave my side. I trust you completely!"
Huh?? Where did that come from?
"Oh, Ashley." His sigh was gentle, his hand against her cheek tender. "Okay." He stood up and peeled of his shirt. He was bare foot and he left his pants on—to protect himself, or her? While Ashley pulled back the quilt and climbed in, watching Coop flip off the light and slide into the bed beside her, drawing her into his arms.
"Sleep now," he said. "Goodnight."
Sleep? Was he nuts?
But the warmth of his body and the steady, even rhythm of his heart soothed her, and with his arms around her, she drifted peacefully to sleep, feeling safer than she's ever felt.....
Ashley dreamed that she was out in the garden with Coop. They were kissing. She was wearing a pale orange sundress and he was wearing khakis with a blue and green button down shirt. Her hair was beautifully curled and gracefully flowing in the wind. Ashley woke up with a start. She sat up and looked around. The sun was rising and there were rain drops glistening on the window. It must have rained all night long, she thought. Coop, who was to her right, was facing her. Ashley settled close to him and watched his face as he slept.
"I wonder what that dream meant? It was very strange," she thought and sighed. Her breath hit Coop in the face and he stirred. She quickly pretended to sleep. She felt him put his arm around her and pull her closer to him. She smiled mentally and fell back to sleep.
When Ashley woke up next, she was being gently moved by Coop. Ashley opened her eyes to see Coop moving her aside so he could get up. He smiled down at her. She lifted the corners of her mouth in a lazy smile.
"Go back to sleep," he whispered as he stood up and went into the bathroom. She rolled over and stared out the window. The sun was out but there were grey clouds in the sky. There were no bird songs to be heard. It was very still besides the slight breeze. She felt amazing. She felt magnificent like a beached whale. She smiled as she remembered the way Coop pulled her closer when she shivered.
Oh bliss!!!! She crossed her arms behind her head and stared at the ceiling. She was here? In the most handsome man's arms... She shouldn't forget to thank Millie...
"Guten Morgan, Frauline." His deep, smoky voice got her out of her dreaming. She turned to see Coop looking at her standing there--leaning against the door frame, towel around his waist, hair in disarray--she found herself unable to look away.
The flush on his cheeks from the shower, the beads of moisture on his shoulders, his toned body, and the way the towel showed just enough to tease her all appealed to her. She took a deep breath and smiled. "You can speak German?" she asked.
"Yes. I have German as my second language."
"Oh ok.." Trembling, she stood up. She saw his eyes widen as he took her in. She stood for a moment, allowing him to see her, all of her, before she stepped forward. She stopped and stood before him. She could feel the faint heat of his body near hers, but she didn't press against him. She looked up.
"Guten Morgen, Herr. Coop."
Coop stood in the doorway of the bathroom and stared at Ashley. She hadn't bothered to cover herself when she sat up, and the sight of her was enough to tempt any man. Then she stood up. Coop's eyes widened as he tried to catch his breath. She held her back by her lacy negligee straps, which pulled the silky fabric tight across her…err…front. She was the image of absolute perfection. Her curves, the look in her eyes, and the way her orange hair spilled over her shoulders brought back the desires of the previous night.
~Great Merlin! ~ Coop gasped in his mind. He had barely been able to hold himself back from jumping her bones as she stood there. Now she was walking towards him. His head spun.
~Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God~
She stopped. She was close enough for Coop to catch faint traces of her perfume. It was intoxicating. He saw her look up at him.
"Guten Morgen, Herr. Coop." Not knowing what to do, Coop smiled and cupped her cheek.
Before Coop react, Ashley stood on her tiptoes and lightly brushed her lips against his.
"This is a small Thank You gift for you." She said against his lips. He smiled and put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Their foreheads touched.
"And this one says, You're Welcome." He said before pulling her into another kiss. Ashley smiled and leaned into him, draping her arms around his neck and pushing her fingers into his hair. She opened her mouth and flicked her tongue against his, and Coop took her cue, deepening their kiss. She was weighting him down, and so he went, leaning with her until his back hit the cold wall. Coop's arms wrapped around her, pulling their bodies flush against each other. Ashley moaned as Coop's naked chest came into contact with her own. His skin was hot and firm. It felt magnificent and Ashley's fingers dropped to caress his back and shoulders as he kissed her neck and she titled her head for him to get better access.
"Cooooooooop…." Ashley's breathless moan registered and he broke off.
"Sorry…" he sighed as she looked questioningly at him. "I can't do this.."
"I…."
"Don't…" Coop turned away. Ashley gently placed her hand on his back.
"Don't be sorry." Ashley said and he turned to face her. "I was who started it, didn't I?"
"No… I should have stopped you.." Coop said. "But.. whatever it was," he paused to watch Ashley raised an eyebrow. "…was amazing.."
"Okay, lets not blame each other and…." Ashley put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. "…..continue our work…"
"Right away…." Coop said smiling down at her and kissing her. She ran one hand through his still wet hair. They deepened the kiss, ignoring the fact that Millie and Phoebe were standing, witnessing the scene with wide eyes.
Cho looked up from her diary and smiled at the pacing gentleman before her. He stopped and looked at her, sighed running his hand thru his brown hair and winked at her. Cho laughed. This is life. It was her seventh (unfinished) year in Hogwarts. Harry Potter had defeated lord Voldemort and was back to finish his seventh year too along with his friends, Hermione and Ron. Ginny was back too along with Draco who had asked for forgiveness and joined the group. The happiest part was they had discovered that Cedric and Dumbledore were back too. They had gone underground and stayed here for a while until Voldemort was dead. Harry had hugged Cedric so tightly that Cho doubted whether he had broken a few of Cedric's ribs. Cho laughed the memory away and stared at her love. It was an unusually warm fall day. The sun shone brightly and a warm breeze blew rustling the remaining leaves that hung on the trees as thick white clouds rolled lazily about the clear blue sky. It was the kind of day that begged to be enjoyed to the fullest and as it was probably the last day like this the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where likely to see for quite some time they happily obliged by leaving essays unwritten and chapters unread as they whiled away the hours sitting by the lake or for those made of stronger stuff going for a dip in it. Here and there students lazed about the grounds chatting to one another or playing games of exploding snap, Gobstones, and wizard's chess, others read or just laid out sunning themselves. They were sitting in the Hufflepuff common room, which was filling and emptying. Cho sat up and sighed again looking outside the window.
"Cho.." The silkiness of his voice yanked Cho out of her thoughts.
"Yes love." Cho said.
"Could we go out and meet others?" Cho looked at him and cupped his cheek. "Of course, love." She whispered before kissing him.
