Tease
Mid-January, 1995
6th year
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Leili had a new book. It was too noisy inside so she'd taken her book on a leisurely walk around the grounds. She wanted a place to sit, but that meant she actually had to look for a place. She was too busy reading.
An arm slid around her waist. She pulled out of the embrace not realizing who it was until she looked up at her sudden companion. "Oh, hello Oliver."
"Hiya Wench," he kissed her cheek.
She turned her attention back to the page in her fingers, "Don't call me that."
"Dinnae fash yerself."
Her attention was already back in the book, she didn't even hear him.
They walked peaceably together for a few minutes, Oliver chatting about something and Leili reading. She wasn't intentionally being rude, she honestly had no idea he was talking.
That is, until his fingers snatched the book out of hers.
"Hey!"
"Yer ignoring me."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, y'are."
"No I am not—I'm not doing this. If you wanted my attention, all you had to do was ask for it."
"I've been asking for it. Yeh've been ignoring me."
"I'm not ignoring you, I just didn't hear you. Honestly, you should know better than to bother me while I'm reading. I could tune out a small explosion without really trying. If you'll give me back my book, you can start over and I'll pay attention this time. I'll make all the right noises and everything."
"Ye want it? Come get it." He closed the book with a snap, and held it out to her.
She reached for the book but he yanked it away.
She grabbed, he yanked.
Higher.
And higher.
And higher.
"Give me back my book, Oliver!" Leili said as she jumped, reaching for the book he held now above his head. She felt like she was back in third grade, kids had done this to her at recess, she'd hated it then, she hated it now. At least Oliver was unlikely to drown her book in the nearest boy's toilet—they'd always thought that running into the boy's bathroom would stop her, it didn't.
He laughed, "Yer so cute when ye struggle!"
"Oooh!" she growled. "Accio!"
The book struggled in his hand before being yanked out of it by an invisible thread before being yanked back.
Oliver's wand was in his free hand; he'd used a non-verbal Accio to reclaim control of her book. Now he sent it floating high above her head before letting it dive at her, swooping back at the last second to avoid hitting her.
Again.
And again.
And again.
She fought the urge to duck when her book came at her, fought the urge to cover her head with arms. She was feeling so very attacked right now, but she was also mad as hell. How dare he! How dare he attack her? How dare he treat her things with such disrespect! Worse, how dare he treat one of her books with such disrespect! Books were precious, even divine sometimes. "If you don't give me that back right now, I will have to hurt you!"
"Ye look yer beist when yer at mah mercy, hen."
Leili threw up her hands and stomped away.
"What? Givin' up so easy, Wench?"
That was it! The last straw! She turned and brandished her wand, "Relashio!" the spell hit his arm with enough force to throw it back and knock the book out of his grip. "Accio book!" she called again and this time her book flew to her hand. She stomped up to him, wand brandished, "If you ever, EVER do that to me again, I will break both your arms," she threatened. She turned again and kept walking, leaving him gripping his wrist in pain.