~Chapter Six~
On Saturday, Oliphia and Ron met by the Great Hall after breakfast.
"Hey," said Ron. Oliphia nodded, giving him a small smile and tucking her white-blonde hair behind her ear--a timid, reticent gesture quite uncharacteristic for her and it some-what surprised the redhead beside her.
They started walking towards the village.
"You look nice…" said Ron hesitantly.
"Thanks…"
They were silent for a while.
"So…"
"So." She felt silly being so uncomfortable. "Are you a virgin?" she asked blankly.
He flushed. "What?"
She grinned slightly. "Well? Are you?"
He flushed deeper and shrugged.
"Com on… yes or no…" she cajoled, nudging him playfully."
"Why should I tell you?" he teased.
"Because…" she drew out the word, leaning into him slightly and looking up at him in a way she knew always got her what she wanted.
"If I tell you, will you tell me?"
Her brow furrowed slightly in puzzlement. "Sure," she said, laughing.
"Well… yeah, I am…" His cheeks were bright red and he smiled sheepishly.
She nodded.
He raised his eyebrows expectantly.
"What? Oh… you really…?" she laughed. "No Ron, I'm not a virgin…"
He nodded. "Oh…"
"Surprised?"
He shrugged.
She laughed. "Ron, I think you are the only teenager in the entire wizarding world who would be."
He blushed and kept his eyes on the ground.
She stopped walking and touched his arm, causing him to stop and turn towards her. "And it's really… very sweet, Ron…" She leaned up and kissed his cheek softly. "Thanks, I guess…"
He grinned slightly. "I'll try to surprise you more often…" he mumbled.
She giggled and swatted playfully at him. "Oh, you liked that?"
He laughed and swatted back at her. "Oh yes, I quite liked that…"
"Well, there's more where that came from…!" Without thinking she leaned up and pressed her lips to his swiftly, then grinned impishly up at him.
He stared at her for a moment, starting to blush, then leaned down and brought his lips to hers similarly--and they were soft and timid and everything that Blaise's weren't and they sought permission from hers instead of forced their way in and she savored the feeling until they both broke away for air.
She laughed and tucked her arm around his. "Come on, at this rate we'll be lucky to get to Hogsmeade by tomorrow!"
He laughed and they walked the rest of the way in pleasant conversation.
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Oliphia stepped through the entrance to the Slytherin common room that evening after dinner.
"Hey 'Liph," drawled Blaise, coming close to her. "Haven't seen you all day…"
She shrugged. "I went to Hogsmeade."
"By yourself?"
"No."
"With who?"
"Ron…"
He snorted. "Ron Weasley? Why on earth would you go with him?"
She huffed. "He asked me."
Blaise rolled his eyes. "So?"
"Well why shouldn't I have gone?"
"Oli, he's a Weasley! No self-respecting Slytherin would ever go out with a Weasley." He smirked as Draco glared at him.
"Knock it off Zabini!" he called.
Oliphia nodded. "Since when is it any of your business who I go to Hogsmeade with?"
Blaise shrugged. "Never said it was my business… just commenting."
Oliphia rolled her eyes. "Whatever Blaise…" She started to walk past him, but he reached out a clasped her wrist, pulling her back towards him.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, smirking, his other arm closing around her waist.
"My dormitory. Or is there somewhere else you had in mind?"
His smirk deepened and he leaned down, his breath just reaching her ear. "Wrong dormitory, my sweet shaggable…" his lips nipped at her ear lobe, "you most shaggable Malofy…"
She sighed, grinning slightly and followed him up the stairs.