1 CHAPTER NINE. A Day To Remember
Disclaimers etc, in Chapter One.
Genre for this chapter – Lurve. It's in the air. Hehe.
" Hey, guess what just happened!" exclaimed Deborah when Nat joined her and Oscar at lunchtime.
" What? "
" Darius asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him this weekend. " Nat grinned. Her friend was positively glowing with excitement.
" Isn't he the most handsome thing you ever saw? " continued Deborah dreamily, ignoring Oscar who was making retching noises behind her back.
" Er, he's very nice. " said Nat weakly. Darius McEvoy had been blessed with height, wavy blond hair and cornflower-blue eyes. Nat had always thought he was a bit of a twit, even though he was in Ravenclaw. Her ideal man would have something more than fresh air between his ears.
//Like Rainer? // said a smug internal voice. Nat ignored it.
" So I take it you're over Oliver then? " said Nat, grinning. Deborah grimaced.
" Hey, that was just a crush. This is real life. "
" So now would be a good time to tell you Oliver's moving in with my Uncle Percy. " said Nat delicately.
" As a roommate? "
" Kind of. They've been together since their last year here at Hogwarts. "
Deborah frowned and Nat could almost hear the cogs turning.
" I knew they were best friends and all that. " said Deborah. Nat sighed loudly. Deborah was great, but she could be really dense at times.
" No, they were //together//. They were lovers. Now that Oliver's retiring from the game and going to work with Dad at the Ministry, he and Uncle Percy can settle down together at last. "
Deborah looked exceedingly put out.
" I can't believe you didn't tell me. " she muttered, giving Nat a filthy look.
" So it'll be just me and you this weekend. " said Oscar brightly. Nat gulped. She'd been dreading this.
" Actually..."
She was interrupted by Robin.
" Hey, Nat. Have you heard about Marysia? " Marysia was one of the Gryffindor Chasers. " She's hurt her back and won't be fit for the match next weekend. Duncan says you're in. "
Nat gaped at him. She had been resigned to spending her Quidditch career on the sub's bench. Now her dream was coming true.
" So I'll see you at practice tonight, yeah? " said Robin as he hurried off.
Her friends were so delighted with the news that the subject of Hogsmeade was quickly forgotten.
As it happened, on the Friday morning Oscar looked terrible. His complexion was ashy grey and the sweat poured off him.
" You need to go to the hospital wing. " said Nat worriedly.
" I'b god a code. " said Oscar thickly, and sneezed.
He soldiered on until the sight of rotting Dragon's liver in Potions turned him green and sent him hurtling out of the door to throw up.
Nat helped him up to the hospital wing where Madame Pomfrey fussed over him.
" He's got stomach flu, poor thing. " she told Nat. " He'll have to stay here for a couple of days."
Nat was very sympathetic.
" That's too bad. You'll miss the visit. Don't worry though, I'll bring you back loads of sweets. " Oscar blanched and reached for his sickbowl. " Which I'll keep till you're better. " added Nat hastily. Madam Pomfrey shooed her out .
* * *
Saturday morning dawned bright and clear and, for the first time ever, Nat and Deborah fought over the mirror on the dressing table.
" Girls, girls! " it protested wheezily. " You both look divine!"
" Why are you getting all tarted up anyway? " asked Deborah crossly as Nat leaned in to help herself to mascara.
" I'm, er, going with someone as well. " Nat confessed. Deborah's eyes widened.
" Who? "
" Promise not to yell? Okay. Rainer Johnstone. He asked me in Muggle studies this week. "
" And you said //yes//! Are you nuts? "
" He's not that bad. " said Nat defensively, as Deborah shook her head in disgust.
There were a few Snitches loose in Deborah's stomach as she made her way to the entrance hall at midday. She could bet she'd wait for //hours// and he wouldn't turn up. She...
" Hello, Natasha. " There he was, smiling at her.
" Oh, hi. "
" You look very nice. " he said admiringly. Nat blushed, grateful for all that mirror time that morning.
" Thanks. Shall we go? "
* * * * * *
Nat couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun. Or laughed quite so much. Rainer was courteous and polite and was possessed of a very dry wit that made Nat laugh so much, her sides ached. Particularly when he did his impression of Professor Snape.
They explored the fascinating shops, dodging probing questions and embarrassing looks from her uncles in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and even Deborah's look of undisguised horror could dampen her mood as they sat drinking Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. Deborah was looking adoringly at the good-looking twit at her side. Nat smiled and turned away.
Their conversation turned to family when Rainer returned from the bar with two more foaming tankards.
" Mum was a Slytherin, dad was a Hufflepuff. " he said as he sat close to her in the warm intimacy of the pub. " He died in on of the last battles of the war, fighting the Death Eaters in Scotland. Mum never really got over it. "
" I'm sorry. " said Nat sympathetically, squeezing his hand.
" She runs an apothecary's shop in Dorset. I used to help her, even when I was tiny. I think that's where I got my love of potions from. "
The conversation continued in that vein until the pub began to empty of students and they realised it was time to go.
On the way home they puled their cloaks tight around them, the November wind was bitterly cold.
Cautiously, nervously, his hand slid into hers and she held it tight. It was a very pleasant sensation indeed.
" Can I see you again? " he asked once they reached the castle.
" You see me every day. " protested Nat laughingly.
" You know what I mean. " he said, grinning.
" I'd like to. " said Nat softly. " I really had fun today. "
" See? " he said. " We're not all bad, us Slytherins. Perhaps we could meet after the game on Saturday? "
" Are you playing? " she asked. Rainer was the Slytherin Seeker and was a first-class player. " Because I am. "
" Oh, that's great! " he exclaimed. " We'll meet on the field. "
" Where we'll beat you. And then you can be all miserable at me later on. "
" It's a date. " he said, grinning as he made his way towards the dungeons.
* * *
Oscar was feeling much better when Nat and Deborah went to see him that night.
" I've stopped throwing up. " he announced proudly.
Nat skilfully parried his questions about Hogsmeade. She'd tell him about Rainer when there was no chance of him being violently sick all over her.
TBC
Disclaimers etc, in Chapter One.
Genre for this chapter – Lurve. It's in the air. Hehe.
" Hey, guess what just happened!" exclaimed Deborah when Nat joined her and Oscar at lunchtime.
" What? "
" Darius asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him this weekend. " Nat grinned. Her friend was positively glowing with excitement.
" Isn't he the most handsome thing you ever saw? " continued Deborah dreamily, ignoring Oscar who was making retching noises behind her back.
" Er, he's very nice. " said Nat weakly. Darius McEvoy had been blessed with height, wavy blond hair and cornflower-blue eyes. Nat had always thought he was a bit of a twit, even though he was in Ravenclaw. Her ideal man would have something more than fresh air between his ears.
//Like Rainer? // said a smug internal voice. Nat ignored it.
" So I take it you're over Oliver then? " said Nat, grinning. Deborah grimaced.
" Hey, that was just a crush. This is real life. "
" So now would be a good time to tell you Oliver's moving in with my Uncle Percy. " said Nat delicately.
" As a roommate? "
" Kind of. They've been together since their last year here at Hogwarts. "
Deborah frowned and Nat could almost hear the cogs turning.
" I knew they were best friends and all that. " said Deborah. Nat sighed loudly. Deborah was great, but she could be really dense at times.
" No, they were //together//. They were lovers. Now that Oliver's retiring from the game and going to work with Dad at the Ministry, he and Uncle Percy can settle down together at last. "
Deborah looked exceedingly put out.
" I can't believe you didn't tell me. " she muttered, giving Nat a filthy look.
" So it'll be just me and you this weekend. " said Oscar brightly. Nat gulped. She'd been dreading this.
" Actually..."
She was interrupted by Robin.
" Hey, Nat. Have you heard about Marysia? " Marysia was one of the Gryffindor Chasers. " She's hurt her back and won't be fit for the match next weekend. Duncan says you're in. "
Nat gaped at him. She had been resigned to spending her Quidditch career on the sub's bench. Now her dream was coming true.
" So I'll see you at practice tonight, yeah? " said Robin as he hurried off.
Her friends were so delighted with the news that the subject of Hogsmeade was quickly forgotten.
As it happened, on the Friday morning Oscar looked terrible. His complexion was ashy grey and the sweat poured off him.
" You need to go to the hospital wing. " said Nat worriedly.
" I'b god a code. " said Oscar thickly, and sneezed.
He soldiered on until the sight of rotting Dragon's liver in Potions turned him green and sent him hurtling out of the door to throw up.
Nat helped him up to the hospital wing where Madame Pomfrey fussed over him.
" He's got stomach flu, poor thing. " she told Nat. " He'll have to stay here for a couple of days."
Nat was very sympathetic.
" That's too bad. You'll miss the visit. Don't worry though, I'll bring you back loads of sweets. " Oscar blanched and reached for his sickbowl. " Which I'll keep till you're better. " added Nat hastily. Madam Pomfrey shooed her out .
* * *
Saturday morning dawned bright and clear and, for the first time ever, Nat and Deborah fought over the mirror on the dressing table.
" Girls, girls! " it protested wheezily. " You both look divine!"
" Why are you getting all tarted up anyway? " asked Deborah crossly as Nat leaned in to help herself to mascara.
" I'm, er, going with someone as well. " Nat confessed. Deborah's eyes widened.
" Who? "
" Promise not to yell? Okay. Rainer Johnstone. He asked me in Muggle studies this week. "
" And you said //yes//! Are you nuts? "
" He's not that bad. " said Nat defensively, as Deborah shook her head in disgust.
There were a few Snitches loose in Deborah's stomach as she made her way to the entrance hall at midday. She could bet she'd wait for //hours// and he wouldn't turn up. She...
" Hello, Natasha. " There he was, smiling at her.
" Oh, hi. "
" You look very nice. " he said admiringly. Nat blushed, grateful for all that mirror time that morning.
" Thanks. Shall we go? "
* * * * * *
Nat couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun. Or laughed quite so much. Rainer was courteous and polite and was possessed of a very dry wit that made Nat laugh so much, her sides ached. Particularly when he did his impression of Professor Snape.
They explored the fascinating shops, dodging probing questions and embarrassing looks from her uncles in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and even Deborah's look of undisguised horror could dampen her mood as they sat drinking Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. Deborah was looking adoringly at the good-looking twit at her side. Nat smiled and turned away.
Their conversation turned to family when Rainer returned from the bar with two more foaming tankards.
" Mum was a Slytherin, dad was a Hufflepuff. " he said as he sat close to her in the warm intimacy of the pub. " He died in on of the last battles of the war, fighting the Death Eaters in Scotland. Mum never really got over it. "
" I'm sorry. " said Nat sympathetically, squeezing his hand.
" She runs an apothecary's shop in Dorset. I used to help her, even when I was tiny. I think that's where I got my love of potions from. "
The conversation continued in that vein until the pub began to empty of students and they realised it was time to go.
On the way home they puled their cloaks tight around them, the November wind was bitterly cold.
Cautiously, nervously, his hand slid into hers and she held it tight. It was a very pleasant sensation indeed.
" Can I see you again? " he asked once they reached the castle.
" You see me every day. " protested Nat laughingly.
" You know what I mean. " he said, grinning.
" I'd like to. " said Nat softly. " I really had fun today. "
" See? " he said. " We're not all bad, us Slytherins. Perhaps we could meet after the game on Saturday? "
" Are you playing? " she asked. Rainer was the Slytherin Seeker and was a first-class player. " Because I am. "
" Oh, that's great! " he exclaimed. " We'll meet on the field. "
" Where we'll beat you. And then you can be all miserable at me later on. "
" It's a date. " he said, grinning as he made his way towards the dungeons.
* * *
Oscar was feeling much better when Nat and Deborah went to see him that night.
" I've stopped throwing up. " he announced proudly.
Nat skilfully parried his questions about Hogsmeade. She'd tell him about Rainer when there was no chance of him being violently sick all over her.
TBC