Saturday November 19th, 1994
The panic of the night before returned in a flash come morning. Melissa found herself pacing and jittery in her dorm room, unable to even dress without freaking out further.
"Question," Amy asked with full amusement, "if you're so sure you don't like him, then what was that whole sexy fire-lady dance about?"
Her face pinched as the obvious argument hit her like a train. "I wanted to show off what I can do with that balalaika. Lev wants to buy it and I figured a big show would help to up the price."
Stuttered laughter went about the room. "And what about all the flirting?" Rusalka asked.
"What flirting?!"
Rusalka's chin dropped with a look of amusement and disbelief, "The flirting you two have been doing for a while now."
"I have? No I haven't! …Have I?"
The laughter returned, and Amy gave her a grin. "Sounds to me like you've been flirting subconsciously. You really do like him, but part of you just hasn't noticed yet."
Melissa's mind was screaming. How can she have been- If she's been flirting subconsciously, enough for other people to think she's been flirting, then that means- "Fucking teenage hormones!" she muttered under her breath. Louder, she addressed them, "What do I do?! I don't even know for sure if this is a date?"
"Plan for the worst, hope for the best?" Jacqueline suggested.
"The worst being that this is a date," Rusalka unhelpfully teased. "Wear something cute and, if it's not a date, you just play it off like you like to dress nice for outings."
Melissa whined, "But if it is a date, he might try… dating things." Jesus Christ, did she really just refer to intimacy as 'dating things'?
Amy rolled her eyes. "No one's asking you to shag a wizard on the first date." The comment made Melissa squeak, to her continued embarrassment. "If anything, being all shy and nervous is to your benefit. He'll think it's adorable."
Melissa went red as her face fell into her hand. "Kill me now!"
Though her face was obscured, she could hear the 'helpfully suggestive' tone in Jacqueline's voice, "I think a makeover and dressing up would kill her."
"Perfect. We'll grant her wish, then."
Oh god, what am I getting myself into?!
Oh god, what am I getting myself into?!
Harry is going on a date! An actual date! With Cho Chang! An actual date with Cho Chang!
He'd be elated if he weren't panicking. "This is all your fault!" He shouted as he rummaged through the dresser.
"My fault?" Wayne asked with amusement. "Zabini's the one who told Chang you wanted to dance with her."
"But you're the one who mentioned going on a date in Hogsmeade today!"
"Technically I only said that I'm taking Mandy out on a date."
"Yeah, but you said it right in front of Cho; and the way she looked at me, I just-" He went red.
"Realized what a great idea it would be to ask the bird you fancy on a date?" Oliver said with a snicker. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Harry groaned loudly, unable to argue with the logic and still flustered with panic over what to wear. "It's not. It's just- ugh! I have no idea what to do on a date! It's not like either of us are going to Hogsmeade for the first time."
"True," Wayne said, "but odds are Chang knows some places you haven't been to before."
"Yeahhh," Oliver gave an evil grin, "she's older. Bet there's lots she can show you." He gave Harry a wink to emphasize the point.
Harry really didn't like that wink. "Shut it, Oliver!"
Justin, having just walked out of the loo, looked at the ensuing argument with confusion. "Is there a problem with Chang being older than you?"
"Is it a problem that Poliakoff's older than you?" Jacqueline asked as she added mascara to Melissa's lashes.
A slow breath went through Melissa's nostrils. "To be perfectly honest… that's actually a point in his favour."
"Mhmm," Jacqueline gave a got-cha smile, "as long as he's not as old as Myron Wagtail."
"Frankly I'd be more disturbed if someone as old as Myron were interested in me, rather than me interested in them," she corrected. "No level of school-girl crush is worth fraternising with paedophiles."
Immediately the other girls had to back off before laughter risked ruining her makeup.
"MOTHER OF MAGIC, HAVE MERCY, MEL!" Amy shouted between snorts. "Never- in my life- have I thought of something like that!"
"Well, consider yourself forewarned, Ames. If any grown-ass adult shows interest in you, no matter if they claim you're 'mature for your age' or whatever, a pedo's still a pedo."
Amy snorted again. "Yeah, but give it a couple of months until you're seventeen, and then…" she winked, "you'll be of age to start dating adults."
Melissa looked at her flatly. "Any adult, in their mid-twenties or older, who actively seeks out a seventeen year old to date, is either so awful in bed that they want to date someone too young to know better that they suck at it, or is only dating a barely-legal teen because they know they legally can't get anyone younger."
Awkward and shocked silence followed that statement. …For a good three seconds. Then the laughter returned.
"I'll keep that in mind!" Amy said with a laughing grin. "Thanks for the tip!"
"You're surprisingly adamant about this subject, aren't you?" Rusalka commented.
Obviously. It's why this whole endeavour is so goddamn confusing!
"I just think teens should do what they can to stay safe."
"-or I just think we should do something safe," Harry said as he rolled his eyes, "A picnic in the Forbidden Forest is the opposite of a good date."
"But if something comes out and you fight it, it'll be daring and dashing!" Oliver insisted. "You're a Triwizard Champion, you've gotta do something to impress her!"
"He's already Harry Potter," Justin pointed out.
"Plus I'm probably facing a dragon next weekend," Harry added. "That's risky enough to impress anyone."
"That said, a picnic might still be a good idea," Justin said, "but somewhere nice, like on a hill with a view of the village, or under a tree in case it rains."
"Hmm… I suppose that's a good point."
Wayne looked thoughtful at the idea. "It's a bit cold for a picnic though, isn't it?"
"...Also a good point."
The boys laughed as Harry's nervousness returned. "Just relax, Harry. A first date is all about getting to know each other and having fun, so have fun with it!"
"If you say so."
"And if it's not a date, then you're just two mates playing tour guide."
"If you say so."
Melissa looked herself over in the mirror. After insisting on muggle clothes (in a futile attempt to make a negative statement), her friends had paired light jeans with a jumper that was a gentle shade of brownish-orange. Her butterscotch hair was redone to gentle waves, and her face was done in neutral makeup. One could consider the whole look casual and understated, if not fitting for an autumn vibe; yet Melissa couldn't help but look over herself in the mirror and think, I look ~adorable~!
Which, goddamnit, means that Lev will think so, too!
Amy looked at her expectantly. "So…?"
"You girls did a great job …and I hate you for it."
She was answered with snickers and three eager witches pulling her out of the dorms and out towards the entrance hall.
The entrance hall was packed compared to other years. Teens were weaving around each other, trying to find that one familiar face in a sea of chaos. At one point Melissa managed to spot Harry nervously smiling at Cho Chang, yet it was short lived as Amy stepped into her line of sight. "Let's wait outside. Brodny and Lev will be coming from the ship, anyways."
"Oh. Fair point." She looked out again as Amy stepped towards the doors, yet Harry and Cho had once again been swallowed by the crowd. She followed after Amy, secretly relieved for the fresh air. "Ru's going to kill you for dating her cousin, you know."
"Ha! If she was going to kill me, she'd have done it last night." As if to prove her point, she stretched her arms in a thoroughly relaxed state. "Besides, what's she have to worry about? That I'll somehow hurt her buff beater of a cousin?"
"Ppft! Buff beater?"
"Hey, have you seen his arms? Ugh!" She groaned happily. "And feeling them all wrapped around you is, mmmph, so nice!"
Melissa wasn't sure whether to laugh or blush, so she did both. "Gotta say, I have not paid attention to his arms, but you have fun with that."
"Oh, I will!"
The girls laughed and continued to tease and chat as they waited. Luckily it wasn't too long of a wait before a group of Durmstrang students arrived. Melissa managed to catch Lev's eyes, noting the way they lit up upon seeing her. A thrill warred against trepidation, and won by a slim margin as he approached. Her eyes subconsciously roved over him. His hair was brushed back for once, trailing past his shoulders; and he was wearing a nice yet casual set of blue robes that she found brought out his eyes.
Dude, are you checking him out or checking if he's dressed for a date?!
She immediately shook from both thoughts in time for his approach, "Good morning!"
"Good morning," Lev had a big smile on his face and moved to say something else.
Instead she spoke quickly with a panic, "The carriages are over this way! Ready to go?"
He didn't seem fazed in the slightest. In fact, he simply said, "Of course," and then linked elbows with her, "lead the vay!"
Fuuuuuuck! She was red in the face and far too conscious of the physical contact as they walked over to the carriages.
Lev then broke the quiet walk with a question. "Фестралы?"
"What?"
She turned to him, finding Lev seemed suddenly subdued. "Ze- ah, vot pulls ze carriages." It wasn't a question. He was remarking on the creatures pulling the carriages. What he said had sounded like 'festraly', which was obvious enough to understand.
"Yeah. The thestrals," Melissa nodded. "They can be pretty friendly, actually. There's nothing to worry about."
He met her eyes with shock. "You see zem?"
"Oh," right, that's a thing with thestrals. "Yeah, I can. You?"
"Yes." His nod was a mild sadness that was more like an acceptance than anything else. "My praded, my grandfazer's fazer. It vas long ago. He had a good life."
That was certainly understandable, …and Melissa found herself oddly envious of such a gentle explanation. "That's good. Not many do."
She dropped the subject, opting instead to ask Lev of what sorts of things he'd like to see in the village and offered some ideas as well. The ride over ended up being a pleasant one, with the casual and mundane conversation lulling her back into the ease of their friendship. Once the carriage stopped at Hogsmeade station, Lev hopped out and offered his hand to her. Something about the gesture, of putting her hand in his and being guided out, reignited her nervousness.
She pulled away from his hand almost the second she stood on the ground. "So, here we have Hogsmeade station, where all of us arrive to and from school. We all take a train from London called the Hogwarts Express-"
She babbled fast and nervously, trying to cram in lots of information as they walked through the station, and continued almost non-stop as they got into the village proper. After a long babble about the Shrieking Shack and the Three Broomsticks, she finally paused to take a long breath.
In that breath, Lev spoke up, "Are you okay?"
"Ah," she momentarily forgot to breathe. Taking another breath, she answered, "Yes?"
"Are you sure? You are being… not you."
Unlike the previous minutes, Melissa was at a loss for words. Her mouth opened and closed. Thoughts warred with speech, and arms tried to move with words that didn't didn't come.
The whole mime offered little to Lev but confusion and mild amusement. "If there is problem, we can go somevair else."
"No- it's not that. It's just-" she looked skyward, and her hands fidgeted together nervously, "Ah, fuck it, I should just ask." She looked back at him, "Are we on a date?!"
"A date?" It was another look of unknown translation on his face. Then recognition hit, "Oh, yes-" then his expression shifted to another confusion, then to amusement. "Vait, do you… do you vant us to be on a date?"
Her answer came in a panic, "Idontknow!"
WHAT?! What do you mean 'you don't know?'
I DON'T KNOW!
UGH!
AHHHHH!
MOTHERFUCKING TEENAGE HORMONES!
Her internal war aside, Lev seemed to find her answer and sudden blushing very entertaining. "Have you gone on a date before?"
Her head shook in lieu of speech. Her internal thoughts still freaking out over her answer.
"Ah," Lev stepped closer. Melissa squeaked and took a half step back. He paused, then raised his hands up. "How about zis. We see village, have fun, vot happens- happens or not. Zat good?"
"Uh… Right! See what happens," she grabbed onto the idea like a life preserver, "That's fine!"
"Good," he gave her an encouraging gesture. "We can talk about village again. Just remember breezing ven you talk."
Nervous laughter bubbling out of her. "Right. Breathing. Of course." Ahhh, why am I being so ridiculous?!
"You did not know?"
"Of course I didn't know! Like I said, volshebnaya pesnya isn't taught at Hogwarts." She looked forlornly at the small collection of magical instruments at Dominic Maestro's Music Shop. "Ah, if only I knew while I still had money!"
"You vood have spent all of it here?" He said teasingly.
"I would have spent all of it here," she agreed with a pained sigh. She waved her hand dejectedly at the veela-hair harp, "Well, maybe not on a harp that puts you in a lovey-dovey state. What about this, though? I do know how to play the harpsichord."
"Hmm," Lev looked around the emerald harpsichord thoughtfully. There was a sign forbidding people from fiddling with the magical instruments (she did so enjoy the music pun), but that didn't prevent Lev from giving it an outward examination. He gestured to the body and strings of the instrument, "Using, ah- izumrudy i mednyye provoda togezzer is for… making body better. Healing!" He shouted that last word, glad to have remembered the word in English. "Music from zis vill heal ze body ven not vell."
"Wicked!" Melissa said with an airy breath. Then her eyes went wide, "Hold on, what it heals depends on the song, right?"
"Of course. You must know vot to focus on for best feeling better." He must have seen something in her eyes as he then asked, "Vot are you zinking about?"
"It's just… There is genuine research out there looking into the power of music and healing. It's- uh- muggle research, sorry, shoulda clarified. Anyways- there is a bunch of research looking into how music literally heals you, like the Kenny Rogers Effect helping stroke victims, or all that stuff about listening to Mozart. I mean, it doesn't actually make you smarter, that's mostly a myth, but some of his songs do help fight against seizures. I remember hearing something," before I died, "that it has something to do with changing up the structure of the song. Now imagine playing those songs, or a song with that change-up style, on a magical harpsichord that's made for healing magic! Like, that would be revolutionary! I can't even- Can you imagine?!"
The wizard teen didn't answer for a moment, holding back a laugh behind a polite smile. Slowly, he answered, "I did not understand much of zat, but… to mix magic vit not-magic music study, it could be interesting. You can use it for your project."
Her eyes went round. "True!" Ideas flitted through her mind. "I'd have to reach out to muggle scientists to get their research," except, fuck, a lot of this doesn't exist yet, does it? "It'll be a pain to decipher, but if I can incorporate that, find what music helps with healing and shielding the brain- maybe the soul, even- and mix that with the right materials, man, that is ambitious!"
"It is, but you can do it," Lev said encouragingly, "You are a musical genius."
"Aww," she bumped into his side playfully, "and you're the sweetest!"
Lev leaned into it, "Yes, I am vonderful!"
Melissa laughed, "Of course, of course. And since you're so wonderful, you can tell me about all of these other instruments…?"
The pair eventually made it to the Three Broomsticks for lunch. It was a little later than rush hour, so they were able to find a table near the window. Soon into settling in, Rosmerta approached their table. "Well hello there Melissa," she eyed Lev with a gleam, "and Melissa's friend."
Melissa's eyes dropped to the table. Ugh, and here I thought I was done with blushing today.
"What can I get you two darlin's today?"
"A warm butterbeer and fish n' chips for me," Melissa answered quickly.
Lev's answer took a little longer. Melissa had to help him with the menu, but eventually opted for a steak and kidney pie. Rosmerta flashed Melissa a wink as she left, causing the girl to go red.
"Did I miss somezing?"
"Adults are just ridiculous," Melissa muttered, fighting against her blush.
"And ve young people are not?" he teased.
"Oh, we're ridiculous, too; but at least we have our age as an excuse for not being mature." The thought expanded in her mind, causing her to puff out her nose and mutter, "Just a teenaged brain working in a teenaged body."
"Hmm?"
Melissa shook her head nonchalantly. "It's just something I told a professor, once. Sometimes I forget that our brains act weird because of how old we are."
"It does? How? Oh- zis is zat biology you said before, right?"
"Right. But it's-" she is not going to talk about puberty, for fuck's sake! "Since we're getting older, different parts of our brain are… working more, or for the first time. So things we may not have thought about while we're kids have started to turn on because we're becoming adults."
Lev gave a slow blink. "Zat's just becoming older. Not anysing new about people."
"Yeah, I know, it's just-" Melissa floundered in thought.
"I zink you are worrying too much, again," Lev said pointedly. Something brightened in his expression. "Ah! Are you having new sots, like an adult vitch?"
"Wha- nuh- no!"
"No?" He grinned mischievously. "Yet you get red so very easy!"
She gave a swift kick under the table. "Oy, shut it!"
He kicked back in response, "Make me!"
The response prompted an all-out leg war between the two of them. It probably looked aggressive to the casual onlooker, yet snickers and laughter kept bubbling out of them over the sheer absurdity of it all.
"OW!" She yelped after getting a particularly sharp hit to the ankle. She retaliated in kind, "Jerk! You're not supposed to hit your date!"
"Ha! You hit me first!" He, in opposition, didn't retaliate. "I sot you English women say you vant treated ze same as a man?"
She held up a pointed finger to refute him, only for the words to catch up to her. "...Fuck, I can't even argue that."
At that moment, Rosmerta came over and dropped off their drinks. Melissa used the arrival as a chance to end the conversation through a long sip of her drink. Lev, on the other hand, took a shorter drinker and was the first to speak again.
"So… from vot you said, ve are on a date?"
It took a lot of willpower to not choke on her drink. She let her thoughts focus before giving a hard swallow and a breath. "I suppose we are."
"And are you having fun?"
A desire to grimace was defeated by a smile. Technically speaking, "I am," …yet was it because she's on a date, or because Lev is her friend?
The reasoning didn't seem to matter. Her simple answer was enough to make Lev happy and propose a toast to a fun first date. She clinked her glass with his, finding that- regardless of which reason is the most true, she was happy to go along with enjoying their day together.
The two glasses clinked to a 'fun first date'; and Rusalka turned from her vantage point to raise her own glass towards Jacqueline, Lucy, Astrid, and a few other Durmstrang witches. "And that, ladies, is how it's done!"
AC: Thus, brings the story into pairing territory even though I once was adamant that would never happen. In my defence, it's the year of the Yule Ball, and these kids are cute about it.
I'd love to hear your thoughts!