The First Kiss
"I'll tell you what. I'll go back to meeting you if you can remember our first kiss."
Graham Montague sauntered down the hallway on his way to a tutoring session, hands in his pockets and a smug smile on his face. It was only a few months into the school year and things were certainly looking up!
Only yesterday Slytherin had won the first game of the season against Hufflepuff –thanks almost entirely to him- with the final score 320 to 60. Possibly he should've toned it down, but he'd got on a high that morning, and nothing could stop him. Whilst Draco of course deserved praise for catching the snitch- plenty of which he was given- Montague was the real star of the game.
Everywhere he'd walked today girls swooned at the sight of him and fellow Quiditch players looked at him with a mixture of admiration and jealousy.
During the celebrations last night Marcus had toasted Montague, naming him as his successor as Quiditch captain for the following year. Cassius, whilst green with envy, had been suitably happy for his best mate, and everyone else cheered, whooped and drank till they all passed out in the common room.
It was a shame that this beautiful Sunday should be spent not outdoors with his friends, but instead shut away in a classroom for a transfiguration session with professor McGonagall of all people. He arrived at the room, and with a sigh pushed open the door.
"Sorry I'm late professor-" Montague began, but it was not professor McGonagall that he found waiting for him, but none other than Angelina Johnson.
"Montague." She greeted coolly.
"Johnson." He smirked. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm tutoring you, obviously." He looked at her stunned.
"You're my tutor." He clarified. She raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to go on. Montague really couldn't believe his luck. Instead of a tedious session with the old head of Gryffindor he was instead getting a one-on-one session with the young lioness herself.
Apart from flying, there was one other area that Montague excelled at: women. Whilst he certainly didn't intend to pursue Angelina publically, he was only a guy, and he couldn't disregard the fact that she was very attractive. And he had her all to himself for the next hour.
Indeed it seemed his good fortune would last.
"And to what do I owe the honour of your company?" Angelina continued to look at him unimpressed.
"McGonagall thought you might benefit more from the assistance of a fellow student."
"Oh I'm sure I will." He agreed slyly. Dropping his bag down on the floor, Montague slid into the seat beside her.
"So what are you going to teach me today, Miss Johnson?"
All business, Angelina pushed her open textbook towards him and tapped on the heading "Bringing objects to life".
"Ah." Montague said feigning interest in the book. Her hair was back in a bun as usual, showing off her high cheekbones and delicate curve of her neck. He realized he'd never seen her with her hair down. He wondered what she'd look like.
"It's really rather straightforward." She continued oblivious to his distracted thoughts. "We did turning creatures to objects in second year. It's only slightly more difficult."
"Uh huh." He could think of all sorts of ways one could bring things to life.
"So the spell is vivus factus"
"vivus factus" Montague repeated, shifting closer to her, pretending to be reading the book over her shoulder. She stiffened but continued.
"So if you look here at the wand pattern-"
"Are you feeling tense Johnson?" He interrupted.
"What?" She turned her head to look at him confused.
"Do I make you feel tense?" He continued placing his hands on her shoulders to massage them. She shrugged him off and moved a little away from him.
"No." She replied firmly. "Now when you cast the spell-"
"You must have been at the match yesterday." He stated ignoring her attempt at return to the spell. "Did you see me playing? Wasn't I brilliant?" Angelina sniffed indignantly.
"Yes I saw the game." He smirked at her bored tone.
"18 goals I scored. A record for this school"
"Clearly you're very impressed with yourself."
"Obviously, who wasn't impressed?"
"Well if you were more impressive with transfiguration I wouldn't have to be here, so if you don't mind." She slammed the book down in front of him. Montague sat back in his chair undeterred. If anything he found her resistance amusing. He enjoyed a challenge.
"Obviously you're feeling intimidated. Understandable given you're in the presence of the future captain of the Slytherin Quiditch team." Angelina sighed with frustration.
"If I tell you you're amazing will you please do this spell so I can leave?" Montague leaned in so his breath tickled her ear.
"Do go on." She gave him a cold look.
"You played absolutely brilliantly Montague, congratulations." Montague kept his face near hers for another moment.
"Why thank you Angelina, how thoughtful of you to say." She looked surprised hearing her first name on his lips but quickly recovered.
"The spell?" She requested sweetly, gesturing at the book. Montague sighed and flicked his wand in the pattern indicated.
"Vivus factus" he drawled pointing his wand at Angelina's feather quill on the table. The quill jumped and shook on the table before lying still once more. Angelina frowned.
"I would prefer it if you didn't use my quill." She took the quill and put it back in her bag. Montague rolled his eyes.
"Well what do you want me to use?" Angelina looked around the room.
"Use this." She said going to fetch an empty inkpot from the professor's desk. "You should imagine what you wish to turn the object into before attempting it." Montague did as he was bid and attempted the spell again. This time the pot morphed partially into a little bird, with feathers and claws sprouting from its sides.
"That was close." She said encouragingly quickly reversing the spell with her own wand.
"Maybe you should demonstrate the spell for me." Montague suggested.
"Alright" Angelina agreed. Montague kept his eyes trained on her face as a small frown appeared between her eyebrows. With a graceful swish of her wand the little inkpot became a small kitten. Pleased, Angelina looked up to find him once again staring at her.
"What?" She asked, self-conscious under his intense gaze.
"That was very impressive." He told her. She smiled in spite herself.
"I know." She teased. "Your turn."
Montague turned his attention back to the kitten only to find it leaping off the table.
"Our inkpot is escaping." He told her. She immediately jumped up from the table as the kitten ran across the room.
"Oh no, come back Kitty." She called running after it. Montague watched with amusement as Angelina dashed around the room, attempting to catch the little beast as it bounded from bookshelf to bookshelf leaving a trail of broken items in its wake. He enjoyed watching her slim figure, gracefully dart from one side of the room to the other. It was a very entertaining show.
"No bad kitty stop!" Angelina called. Montague was openly laughing now. She turned to him slightly breathless. "You could help!"
"I could also watch." He told her. A glass jar shattered as the kitten pounced onto yet another shelf. Angelina quickly raced after it. Montague not wanting to be left out of the fun followed her.
"Where did it go?" she asked frantically looking under chairs and tables.
"Perhaps it turned back into an inkpot." Montague suggested.
"No there it goes." Angelina pointed as it scurried across the back of the room. "Well come on, you're the expert chaser, chase it!"
"Oh so now I'm the expert." Montague laughed. "I think this is more a job for a seeker." Angelina laughed and continued to chase the kitten. Montague had a better idea. Quickly taking a jar from a nearby table he transfigured it into a fish.
"Ergh." He groaned holding it away from him. He quickly joined Angelina at one end of the room. "Here kitty kitty." He said holding up the fish. The kitten immediately appeared sniffing the air. Angelina turned to look at him as the kitten leapt straight into Montagues arms.
"Gotcha" He said smiling. Angelina looked impressed.
"That was clever." She said as Montague stroked the kitten.
"Slytherin." Angelina gently took the kitten from him.
"It seems a shame to turn him back into an inkpot." She said sadly as it purred in her arms. Montague smiled at her gently.
"I wont tell." He promised. She smiled at him.
"That was a good transfiguration with the fish. I think you've got the hang of it."
"Well I had a good teacher." He replied easily. Angelina took the kitten back to her bag as Montague cast a quick repair charm around the room.
"In you go kitty." She whispered tucking it into her bag. Montague came to stand beside her, picking up his own bag rather dejectedly.
He didn't want it to end yet.
Angelina turned to gather her books and as she did so a lock of her hair fell from the hairclip. Unable to resist, Montague ever so quietly whispered the spell once more, transforming her hairclip into a butterfly.
Angelina gasped as her hair tumbled about her shoulders. It was exactly as Montague imagined; long, sleek and glossy. Angelina's attention was focused on the butterfly, which fluttered delicately in front of her.
Without really knowing what he was doing, Montague leaned in, and with one hand turning her face towards him, gave her a soft kiss. They stayed still for a moment, looking at each other stunned.
Then smiling, Angelina dropped her books and Montague threaded his fingers through her hair, kissing her once more.
"That was one of the best days of my life." He told her.