Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter- JK Rowling does.
A/N: Thanks for my first review. Sorry this chapter is so short.
I couldn't look at Stan the next day as bedtime approached. We were reasonably normal with each other; his family was all so talkative, always wanting to trade stories. I headed up to bed early, before anyone else. That way I could pretend to be asleep if Stan slipped in beside me again or when he slipped into the couch he slept on I would be able to get over myself. I cleaned up that night after dinner, hurrying through and using magic.
"Well, I'm going to bed!" I said to everyone in the living room. I caught a glance at the clock; it was only 7:30. I looked at everyone but Stan.
"Ok, I'll go to sleep too." I heard him say, "G'night everyone. Don't disturb us!" Stan said smiling and standing up near me. I heard Mum cluck her tongue and Maddie give a faint 'oooooo' while Tyler laughed. I could barely acknowledge anyone. How was I supposed to go threw with my plan if Stan was there? I climbed the stairs numbly as Stan followed close behind and changed my pajamas in the bathroom still in a daze. I brushed my teeth wondering if I would find Stan asleep on the couch already when I got there or if I would find him on my bed again. I opened the bathroom room door and I turned towards my bed. Stan was sitting there looking at the ground. YES! My inner voice screamed. No one even retaliated this time.
"I didn't know if it was a routine thing now… or…" He trailed off and looked at me hopefully.
"Well, I guess. It is rather warm when you sleep next to me," I said trying to shrug it off but I could hear the excitement rising in my own voice. I crept over to him and he pushed over so his back was to the wall. His arms wrapped around me almost instinctively and I snuggled a little closer to his chest unintentionally. "I like it when you wear my shirt to bed," He said. The words were muffled as he spoke into my hair. I nodded.
"I like wearing your shirt to bed. It's very comfortable." I said and it was my voice that was muffled this time as I spoke directly into his chest.
"Goodnight Brooke," He whispered and kissed the top of my head. My body involuntary shuddered.
"Sweet dreams," I said to him and closed my eyes.
I stayed awake for a long time and I'm sure Stan did too. I didn't end up feeling tired until 9 and even then I was too wired to be in Stan's arms to do much. When I heard Stan's breathing slow I began to whisper things to him. Maybe I could control him if I whispered to him while he was sleeping. I giggled at my own foolish ideas.
"I want to wake up in your arms tomorrow. Don't go to work until later." I whispered into his chest and giggled again. "I like when you hold me like this though I'll never admit it." I kissed his collarbone and before I knew it I had drifted off to sleep. I woke up the next day afraid to open my eyes. Stan wasn't going to be here and I would be lonely but a part of me wanted to believe he was still laying next to me. I sighed and rolled over against the wall. My eyes flew open. Stan was still there; his arms were wrapped around my waist, taking in deep breaths. Now way! Had my hypnotism worked? What if he just was late to work? I sighed to myself for getting my hopes up. Aw well… I thought as I pressed my face deeper into Stan's chest.
"Well good morning to you too." A voice said suddenly. I flew away from the source and fell on the floor with a thud. I let out a cry of pain. Stan sat up and smiled at me as I blushed a deep red.
"I didn't know you were awake," I said panicking. I stood up quickly trying to ignore the bruise that was most likely forming on my butt.
"I noticed." He chuckled again. He slid off the bed and headed to the closet to pick out the clothes.
"Why aren't you at work?" I said. I had drifted over to where he stood and crossed my arms. I wanted him to hold me again. I wanted to go back to sleep and relive the night before.
"I'm taking the late shift today. I just had this feeling last night that somebody wanted to… what was it? 'Wake up in my arms' today." He smiled and my blush deepened.
"Jerk!" I yelled in mock anger. I couldn't help but feel my grin slip and my façade was broken quickly. "Do you always pretend to be asleep to spy on me?" I asked him when he had stopped laughing. Stan paused and put a finger on his chin as if in deep thought.
"Yeah pretty much," He answered and went back to picking out clothes. I slapped his shoulder playfully.
Time past quickly, in between Christmas preparations and falling asleep in Stan's arms my mind was always busy. Tyler wanted to play qudditch every second of everyday. Abby wanted me to help her make snowmen. Though Maddie and Nick seemed quite happy snogging in dark corners of the house, the rest of us were content pretending we didn't hear the moans and sighs. Mum was baking enough to feed Dumbledore's Army. In fact I think the only thing she had baked was sweets, I didn't see a turkey or ham anywhere. It was supposedly a quiet Christmas, just the people already at the house celebrating as well as Mum's brother and his wife and kids. I was getting Christmas fever. I so wanted time to quicken and for the 25th to be here and I wanted to see everyone's faces when I handed them their presents but then again I wanted time to stop so I could capture each moment. I wanted to capture Abby's red face and blonde hair covered in snow. I wanted to capture the look on Stan's face when he found Maddie and Nick in the pantry. I wanted to capture Mum's serious look as she unrolled a roll of dough as Tyler stood by and tried to inconspicuously eat some of the cookie dough. So that's how I became official picture taker for the holidays. Stan gave me his old camera and each time I would see something I thought was memorable I would take a picture of it. Then later hang it on the wall by my bed. I had about 20 or so pictures covering the side of the bed where Stan slept when Christmas Eve arrived. Everyone was so merry. Nick, Stan and Tyler returned around noon levitating a huge Christmas tree and we manually put on the ornaments and hang the tinsels on any solid object, including a very annoyed Abby. Mum even let us have some of her cookies, which we all accepted graciously.
"Brooke! C'mon!" Abby said calling me towards the backyard where her snowmen lay. They were in a circle, each with a stolen article of clothing from the person they were modeled after. Mum's had a red hat I'd seen her wear on occasion. Maddie's had a Ravenclaw scarf wrapped around its head; Tyler's had a Slytherin one. Nick had another hat and Stan's had two identical gloves. They were tall, almost as tall as Abby. I could see the work she put into each of them, giving them personalities. Stan with his devilish grin, Maddie with big red lips fashioned from an apple. I suddenly felt like crying when I saw mine. I was next to Stan where my scarf was wrapped around the neck and tied twice. I could see the small pebbles on my doppelganger's face to represent my freckles. The tears poured down my face as I took the picture, my hand wobbled so much on each one that the snow people looked as if they were jumping up and down. Abby came over to me afterward when I had taken the last picture and wiped my tears away with unspoken words of sympathy.
"They'll freeze on your face you know," Abby said simply. I gave her a shaky smile and embraced her into a large hug, which she graciously accepted.
"Love you," Abby said and the tears came harder. I had to take in shuddering breaths to stop myself.
"Love you too," I told her and we walked back into the house where our hot chocolates awaited us.
Christmas eve evening was uneventful. Since the stove was occupied we ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for supper. We all went to sleep earlier so "Santa" could come and deliver presents. I don't think I've ever seen Abby so excited to go to bed. I went up to the room with Stan trailing after me.
"We're not actually going to sleep?" I asked him checking my watch. It was only 8.
"Not unless you want to. I thought I'd give you my present now. So hurry and put on your pj's" He said and laughed. I did as he ordered and returned to the room in 5 minutes from the bathroom where I had nearly poked my eye out with the toothbrush from rushing. I sprinted to the room eager to see my present. Stan was sitting on our bed. No longer was it 'my' bed or 'his' bed, only ours. The couch he used to sleep on now held finished books and some laundry. I took a running and leapt towards him, we both fell backwards on the bed. My forehead clanked against his as our bodies collided. Immediate pain surged to the middle of my head. We untangled ourselves and I rubbed my hurt forehead.
"Not my best idea." I muttered as I looked to the mirror where both Stan and I had twin red marks on our forehead. Stan laughed seemingly unfazed by this.
"It was cute." He said earnestly. You're cute, I thought before I could stop myself. We settled into silence at the unsaid words.
"Let me get your present." I said as I climbed down from the bed and laid flat down on the wood floor to retrieve the present at the back. I came back up and noticed for the first time the small package that lay on the bed next to Stan. I felt excitement rise up in me. It was going to be the best present ever; I just knew it. "Ready?" I asked him. He nodded and slipped me the package. He motioned for me to open it.
"No way, I want to see your reaction first." I said excitedly though I felt as if the package in my hands was on fire. Stan looked at my delicate wrapping and undid the bow carefully. He ripped open the packaging and I was glad he did that. I hated people who opened the wrapping carefully. His expression of excitement changed immediately to one of complete and utter joy. I couldn't help but pat myself on my back. He looked at its flat brown cover.
"It's beautiful, Brooke. I can't wait to write in it," He turned it over in his hands and examined the papers inside. "I just can't help thinking that ten years from now our kids will read it and know what I was thinking right now," He suddenly stilled as his words sank in. I blushed and he turned even redder. "I would take it back but I would be lying if I said I hadn't thought of the possibility." We stared at each other for a few moments both of us too embarrassed to say anything. My embarrassment quickly turned to elation. I turned over his package in my hands. Hand wrapped with a horrible tape job and a small bow identical to mine. I quickly dug into it and was surprised by what I had in my hand.
"It's… what is it?" I asked him and I couldn't hide my disappointment. In my hand lay a box, which was painted white, it was peeling but at least it was shiny. A key stuck out from the side. Stan however seemed like he was expecting this reaction.
"A jewelry box, but it's what's inside that counts," He smiled big and I opened the top of the lid and peered inside. And there it was the present I was waiting for. Inside the jewelry box laid a small silver chain and at the end was a butterfly with what seemed to be opal in the middle but suddenly the stone in the middle switched to a light pink.
"It changes with the owners mood." Stan said and his eyes showed even excitement. I was speechless so all I could do was throw my arms over Stan's neck. He jumped a little but then smoothed my hair as I felt tears prick in the corner of my eyes. Finally I pulled away but all I wanted to do was go right back into his arms.
"I love it. I really do. I'll wear it everyday until I die." I told him truthfully. I handed him the necklace and motioned for him to put in on for me. I pulled my hair away from my neck and I felt Stan put the closing the clasp on the necklace. I was about to move away again as I felt Stan press his lips to the nape of my neck. My skin rose up in goose bumps and my mind went blank for a few seconds. Stan was hovering over the back of my neck; I could feel his breath on my neck. I set the jewelry box on the side table surprised by my sudden movement.
"It was my grandmother's you know," Stan said simply as he slid into the covers and I followed suite.
"Yeah?" I said dreamily.
"Yeah, my grandpa gave it to her as an engagement present. It was really sweet you know?' He said again and pulled me closer. I nodded again in a daze. Just when Stan's breathing started to slow I realized the meaning of his words. I gasped and nudged his shoulder. Stan awoke with a grunt and looked over at me confused.
"Morning already?" He asked and rubbed his eyes. I just stared.
"I can't take this," I said reaching up to take off the necklace. I pawed at my hair trying to get it out of the way. Stan looked at me for a few moments and then placed his hands on mine and slowly lowered it down until out intertwined fingers lay in a jumbled mess in my lap.
"Why, Brooke?" He asked me in a whisper. I just shook my head. I couldn't take something so precious. This was probably the last thing Mum had of her own mother and I could never take that away.
"You shouldn't give it to me. You shouldn't really," I said instead and then as if an epiphany I knew the real reason that I couldn't keep the necklace, they mirrored his feelings for me. It hit right afterward like a ton of bricks. I loved Stan.
"Why not Brooke?" He asked me. I felt his hands tighten against mine and then he moved slowly closer to me. I felt myself being pulled into his arms. I wanted to pull away but at the same time I pushed myself against his chest.
"You shouldn't give it to me." I started again. "You should give it to the girl you l-l-love." I whispered, my voice cracking into a sob at the last word. Stan didn't say anything for a long while but instead pulled me closer. My tears cleared almost immediately.
"Maybe someday," He said as if this solved all our problems. He shook his head and pulled away from me. My arms felt his absence but I resisted the urge to move closer to him again. He tilted my chin up and looked into my eyes. I hated when he did that. "Listen Brooke…" He started but trailed off remaining silent. I could only hear our heartbeats accelerating. "Listen," He ran his hands through his hair. "I really really like you." He paused and stared at the comforter. "I want to be serious. I want you and me to be together. Will you be my-" But before he could answer me I had thrown my arms over his next and kissed his lips hungrily. I had missed that. Our kiss didn't hold the usual greed that it held when we were teenagers instead it only murmured words of promises. I slowly backed away taking a big gulp of air and then before Stan could say anything I had crushed my lips to his again. His hands rested around my waist and I took the liberty of running my hands through his hair. Suddenly he pulled away. "No, you don't understand Brooke. I want it to be different than last time. I want to date you, not shove my tongue down your throat whenever someone's not looking and to do that I need you to answer me. I need you to tell me." I stared at him for a while, fiddling with the necklace that I had no intention on taking off every again. Why was he talking so much? I just wanted to jump his bones and snog until the morning light. I stayed silent. Maybe he was waiting for me to say something. I looked up and saw his staring at me expectantly. My throat was suddenly dry when I realized what I needed to say. I felt suddenly felt euphoric. How could one girl be so lucky?
"Yes. I'll be your girlfriend." My smile was radiant and I leaned in to kiss him once again.