...First Kiss...
I roll around in front of the fire struggling with another transfigurations paper when Avery sits down. "I swear if you say one word, I'll punch you." I snap as he opens his mouth. He turns away and I go back to my studies. "I know a few reference books you can use Aniela." he whispers. I slowly cut my eyes at him and he flinches. "How long are you going to be mad at me?" he frowns.
I return to my book not bothering to answer. He groans and nudges me. I smack his hand away from my face. He lies down next to me and pouts. "Tom! Get your friend. Now!" I yell. Avery winces as I was right next to his ear when I yelled. Tom shakes his head at our behavior. "Would you two stop!" Tom smiles.
"I only want to help you with your paper." Avery pokes my arm. "I got help with my paper already." I lie. "If you got help with your paper you wouldn't have been staring at that blank paper for three hours." Avery points out. I look into the fire. "Why are you doing your homework by the fire?" Tom asks. "I had Herbology in the greenhouses today. Got a bit chilly." I shrug.
"Are you not feeling well?" Tom asks sounding a bit worried. "I'm fine. I just wanted to warm up a bit." I yawn. Avery starts to reach for my book and I slap his hand. "What the hell was that..." he doesn't finish. I've been shivering and trying to contain a sneeze but can't and sneeze right in his face. He freezes mouth still open as I apologize profusely. Tom is laughing so hard I think he'll fall off the couch.
Avery wipes his face as he sits up. "Ok, ok. I'll leave you alone." he chokes out as he stumbles out of the room. I clean my things up. "I think I'll take a small nap before dinner." I mumble excusing myself and hurrying to my dorm. Avery avoids me for the next week. Tom seems to think we're quite entertaining though.
"Do you two like each other and that's why you've been arguing more this year?" Tom asks at breakfast. Avery chokes on his juice but I don't respond in the slightest. "That's a ridiculous question." I scoff. "Aniela's right. I just got a bit to used to her asking me for help with her homework." Avery rolls his eyes. "Told you!" I mouth at Tom. "That's odd. You said..." Evan begins but Avery and Tom shoot him a look. "You guys are weird." I mutter.
"I think you're still too naïve." Alana scoffs. I pout and put my head on Macy's shoulder. "She's messing with me again." I mutter. "But she is right." Macy giggles and pats my head. Before I can respond, Mr. Wilson's owl comes swooping down. I read over my letter silently. "Are you finally signing up for work?" Alana gasps. "Are you going to bring your brother to your shoots again?" Keres smiles innocently. "Are you out of hot water yet from that date fiasco with Jesse?" I reply just as smoothly.
Keres blushes and turns back to her food without another word. "Thought so." I smile sassily. "What assignment is he talking about?" Macy wonders. "I got offered a part in a movie." I sigh sadly. Tom tilts his head curiously at me. "I have to get in shape and I only have a few months left." I groan already feeling tired. "What movie?" Alana smirks. "I'm not giving any spoilers or letting you read the script. You'll just have to wait like everyone else." I smile teasingly as I gather my things.
Whipping my body into shape takes more out of me than I thought it would. I often miss breakfast and dinner because I'm too tired to get up. When my friends finally get me out of bed for some fun it's early Saturday morning. They've already gotten food and drinks from the kitchens and we go down to the lake to enjoy the day. I stretch out and rest my head in Keres' lap. We watch the sunrise and relax.
"Your hair has gotten much longer." Macy notes sitting up. "For the movie I need long hair so Ms. Williams changed up my vitamins. I'll probably cut it before the start of next year." I smile playing with my hair. It's now slightly past my hips and it still needs to be longer. "Why don't you just wear a wig for the movie?" Macy asks. "Because, I already have to wear make-up. The better my health the less they have to add on. The less they add the less I have to take off. The more money they save the more money ends up in my bank account." I smirk.
"It's scary how smart you are sometimes." Alana shivers. I blink at her. "I thought that was common sense." I murmur. Keres smacks my leg. I brush my leg with my fingertips as is shooing a fly away. "Aniela!" Keres growls playfully. I laugh nervously and get to my feet. I shriek as she leaps up and begins to chase me. I run out of breath after several high-speed laps and she tackles me into the lake.
We wind up splashing each other until we're soaked through. "Would you two get out of the water!" Alana yells. Keres smirks and splashes out chasing Keres, Phoebe, and Macy into the water. I laugh and splash them until they're as soaked as me and Keres are. Unfortunately, as they begin to retaliate Tom and his friends are passing by and I dive under the water. Their efforts soak the boys' clothes instead of hitting me. I swim over to Keres and we watch as Theodore and Evan scold them.
"Out of the water. All of you." Tom smirks leaning against a tree. I dive under the water and swim around a bit. After a few minutes I feel something dragging me to shore. I look and find Tom twirling his wand on the shore. I pout as he drags me out of the water and dries me off. "You just got over that cold and you're back in the water. Up to the castle. All of you." Tom orders.
We go grumbling but stop once we're out sight. Instead, we play tag on the grounds with other girls. I opt out early and make flower crowns. A rabbit hopping across the grounds stops for a minute and I put a flower crown on it and watch it hop away. I lean back and let the sun warm my face. Suddenly a shadow passes over me and I squint looking up. Tom is frowning and I quickly get to my feet.
"Don't get upset. I'll go inside now. Just wanted to spend some time outside with my friends. You're so mean." I huff. I loop my arm through Phoebe's as we make our way inside. The boys watch until we're too far into the dungeons to see. "I wonder what happened for them to be policing us like this?" Macy pouts flopping on her bed. I sigh and start going through my clothes. Keres gasps and runs over. "Did Ms. Smith get you new clothes or are these from your last modeling job?" she stares in amazement.
"Both." I reply taking out shoes and jewelry boxes. "I'm donating old outfits for a good cause." I smile and continue sorting. "A good cause? I'm a good cause." Phoebe smiles sitting on my bed. We all laugh. "There's a charity benefit soon and the proceeds are going to orphanages around the country. As an orphan the cause is near and dear to my heart." I place a pair of ruby earrings from my first movie in the donation pile.
They gawk as I sort through the avalanche of material. I place the items I'm donating into a pre-marked box. I stretch and begin to sort the rest. I wind up holding a mini auction in which other Slytherin girls wander in and take part. I sell off most of my old things from first and second year. When I get to the bidding for the gold layered necklace encrusted with diamonds and pearls the bidding goes up.
I can feel Tom frowning at me during dinner. "I heard you had an auction today." he whispers. "I noticed you and your friends have been on edge lately." I reply. "Aniela." Tom grumbles with a note of warning. "The charity auction is coming up remember. Besides most of it I couldn't fit or no longer need. They all will find great homes." I nod to myself. "What exactly are you planning? You didn't even ask any of us to go with you to the movie shoot this summer." Tom mutters.
"Nothing much. I was just cleaning. Spring cleaning." I shrug. "Bullshit!" he mutters. I roll my eyes and get up. "Night." I wave to my roommates. I'm halfway to the common room when I hear someone behind me. "Your brother is very worried about you, you know." Avery pants. "And you're here why? As a representative?" I fold my arms. "No, not really." he hops from foot to foot looking uncomfortable.
"What is it then?" I demand. "That guy you said gave you the creeps or whatever. Evan saw him and his friends watching you guys earlier in the lake and not in a good way. Tom's pissed but he's trying to handle it without dragging you girls into it. Those guys just seem like trouble. So, if he tells you to stay in your dorm or the common room do it." Avery insists. I frown and start back the way we came but he throws me over his shoulder and carries me down to the common room.
When he sets me down on my feet, I smack his arm. "Don't look at me like that Aniela. Up to bed now." he gives me a gentle nudge. "You're so mean." I pout. "Aniela." there's a note of warning in his voice that he's never used on me before. "But what if Tom does something reckless and gets in trouble?" I sniffle on the verge of crying. Avery pulls me to him in a comforting hug. "Your brother's not stupid. Don't worry." he promises. I wrap my arms around him not yet ready to let go.
"Aniela? Are you ok?" he asks patting my back. "Don't let my brother do anything stupid." I whisper tears escaping and rolling down my cheeks. He leans back examining my face. He swears under his breath as he tries to stop my tears. I'm crying uncontrollably now and he looks frantic. "Forgive me Aniela." he whispers. He leans close cupping my face as he kisses me. I gasp and fist my hands in his shirt.
"Please stop crying." he whispers. I hiccup and look at the floor. He wipes my remaining tears and lifts my chin so I'm looking at him. "You need to get some rest. Go on now before Tom punishes me for you not being well rested." he smiles. I release my hold on him and turn to go to my dorm. I hiccup all the way to my bed and just lay there touching my lips in shock. I get up and walk back downstairs. Avery is sitting on the couch and I tap his shoulder.
He turns and frowns. I slap his face and return to my dorm. I'm brushing out my hair when my roommates walk in. Macy clears her throat "Did you guys see that red hand mark on Avery's face? I wonder how it got there." I roll my eyes as the others giggle. "Are you two still fighting?" Phoebe asks. "I have better things to do with my time than be in his presence." I huff. They burst out laughing and change for bed.
"Aniela, did you hit Avery?" Tom asks at breakfast. "Nope." I reply casually and keep eating. Avery scoffs and I blink at him innocently. "If you have something to say or confess by all means..." I wave my hand in a circle. He opens his mouth and looks but thinks better of it given present company and closes his mouth. "Thought so." I grumble. Tom frowns at me and I turn back to my food.
"Am I in trouble or something?" I ask as Tom leads me through the castle. He guides me through a door and waves me inside. Avery is inside sitting on a couch. I turn to leave and Tom drags me over. "You two are obviously fighting. I know you lied to me this morning Aniela." Tom sighs sitting me down next to Avery before sitting across from us. I fold my arms and look away.
"I sent Avery down to check on you 0and deliver a message and by the time I got there he had that red mark on his face. What happened you two? Don't lie to me this time." Tom orders. I refuse to look at either of them. "Aniela was worried you were going to do something stupid about the guys following her and her friends and she was crying." Avery explains. "So, how'd you get slapped?" Tom chuckles. Avery doesn't have a response but I sure do. "He stole my first kiss." I pout.
Avery stiffens as Tom raises an eyebrow and frowns. "Tell me you're joking." he growls. Avery gulps nervously "She was crying! I didn't know how to calm her down. Nothing was working. I apologized before I did it. Then she went to her dorm, came back down, slapped me, and went to bed." Avery scoots further down the couch. I finally look up completely and see Tom staring daggers at Avery. "You know at first I thought you two just liked each other and weren't ready to admit it, but now I think you two should be kept apart for a bit. Or at least until Aniela has calmed down. She just might try and kill you, Avery." Tom smirks.
"I apologized before I did it though!" Avery groans. "My first kiss. Stolen!" I glare at him. "In the movies and stuff, it seemed like you had... I didn't think it'd be that big a deal..." he stammers. "There's little thing called angling you dizzy dumbass!" I yell lunging at him but Tom grabs me round the middle and pulls me to him. "Sorry." Avery mumbles looking quite terrified. "You two are so cute." Tom chuckles.
Tom has to talk to a teacher and leaves us alone in the room. I fold my arms and glare at Avery. "Please don't be mad at me. I'm really sorry. Please don't be mad at me." Avery kneels next to me and nudges me. I look away not quite ready to forgive him. "I despise you." I mutter. Avery takes my hand and I groan. "Do you like me Aniela?" he asks.
"You were an ok person." I mumble. "Hunh. Past-tense? I apologized. I don't want you to stop talking to me. I quite enjoy your company." he murmurs. I slowly turn to look at him. "Fine but you're still mean." I whisper. "I can work with that." he smiles and ruffles my hair. "Stop touching me!" I whine knocking his hand away. "Are you two going to start dating anytime soon? I just want to be properly prepared." Tom chuckles from the doorway. Avery jumps. "I have no interest in dating anyone." I huff and run out of the room but not before blushing vividly.
I brush my hair thoroughly while humming the songs for the movie. Ms. Williams and Ms. Smith had met up with me in Hogsmeade to check my condition and are quite happy with result. Though they did seem worried about exams and the creeps, Tom told them since I didn't want to worry them. Phoebe bursts in with the girls behind her.
"YOU DIDN'T TELL US AVERY KISSED YOU THAT NIGHT!" she yells. "Oh, for Merlin's sake! Your actions just now are exactly why." I frown. "Our little baby has grown up!" Macy sniffles. "How was it?" Alana wonders. "Fuck that! Did you kiss him back?" Keres asks excitedly. "I'm not your baby, I don't know, and no I didn't kiss him back. I slapped him." I huff answering all their questions.
They frown and sit on my bed. "We just heard him in the common room talking to Evan about how Tom made you guys talk the other day." Macy sighs. "Yeah, I was crying and Avery thought it wouldn't be a big deal to kiss me to stop me from crying. He thought it wasn't my first kiss but once I explained movie angles to him, he apologized." I explain. "But you have to admit, you two are really good together." Phoebe smirks. I fight to control my blush and chase her around the dorm.
"You like him, don't you?" Phoebe asks turning and tackling me onto Macy's bed. "No, I do not." I answer calmly. "Have you thought about it since?" she asks. I shake my head fighting back the blush burning onto my cheeks. I run out of the dorm amidst their giggling and teasing. I run right to Tom. "Aww, are they teasing you again?" he smirks. I nod and he lets me lean on his shoulder and watch him do his homework.
I'm just beginning to doze off when Avery comes in. I hiss quietly and Tom smiles. "Behave Aniela." he hisses. I put my head down and he rubs my shoulder. "Hey Aniela." Avery waves but I ignore him and close my eyes. Tom taps his book and tsks. "Hello to you too I suppose." I mumble tiredly in Avery's direction. I feel Tom shake his head. They begin to talk about classes and I take a little nap. I wake to find myself in Avery's arms and not on Tom's shoulder.
I try to get comfortable but can't. I push him flat on the couch and lie on his chest so I can sleep. He rubs my back and keeps talking to Evan and Lestrange as if this is an everyday occurrence. He wakes me in time for dinner and I stumble tiredly behind him for a bit until he takes mercy on me and carries me up the stairs.
I sit on my bed listening to Phoebe and Macy talk about their summer plans. I've braided my long hair and put it in a bun. Keres and Alana are already in the courtyard waiting for us so I herd the two out of the dorm. Tom is waiting in the courtyard too which makes me pause. He nods for my friends to go on ahead and he walks with me at a much slower pace.
"I think I'm close to finding out where our mother used to live." he hisses quietly. "Maybe that will lead to learning more about our father too." I look at him scanning his face for some semblance of a satisfactory answer. "Maybe, but I don't see the point. I do have a question for you though." he replies smoothly dodging my earlier statement.
"How comfortably did you sleep on Avery?" he asks a note of teasing in his voice. "Oh, I slept terribly. I kept having to move him so I could get comfy. I think I got a crick in my neck." I groan pretending to be in more pain than I really am in. He frowns and pouts. "Give him a chance. Just treat him like those fancy pillows from the hotel we stayed at in New York." Tom pinches my cheek.
"Ah, good idea! Mold him to my specifications... Wait a minute... that's no different than dating!" I whine. Tom takes off laughing and shaking his head. "Nearly got you to agree though." he smiles over his shoulder. I chase after him and we play like that until we step aboard the train. Avery and Alana are waiting for us. I step around Avery and grab Alana's hand and drag her down the train.