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9/27
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Harry Potter:"Do you really think there's going to be a war, Sirius?"
Sirius Black: "It… feels like it did before."
TURN ON THE LIGHT is a Post- Potter roleplay that takes place twenty-five years after the Second Wizarding War.
We welcome canon and original characters in this (currently) sandbox style roleplay.
Free drink. He wasn't wrong - as much as she hated to admit it, even to just herself silently.Leaning against one of the lockers she crossed her arms over her chest watching him set down the chest. For a fleeting moment she found herself not minding the view: how he carried it with ease and yet with difficulty (because it was heavy), how he set it down with a bit of a grunt, how he had grown from a seventh year in clothes that were rarely clean or matched into wearing something somewhat presentable... WAIT A MINUTE. She forced herself to blink several times and return to planet earth. That was enough of that.
"So for these drinks does Nat just hand you the cash or does he have to go with you?" But why did she care? Holy crap, was she angling to go with him? No, Silvias! No way. Nah uh. "Cause normally, with me, he tags along." She tagged on quickly as a remedy.
"Guess I know you." Feeling the depth and awkwardness in her own words she found herself quickly looking away. She needed to get her wits about her and fast. What the heck was going on here? Allergies maybe? Sure. Blame it on that. Totally logical.
"Yeah. Right. Let me get right on that. Oh no, sorry. Very busy. " At his joke offer for her to come watch him she forced a laugh that came out more as a scoff after pretending to check an invisible calendar. "Besides, if you haven't gathered... I'm stuck here." She admitted, her smile fading as she looked back at him from across the room. "Ministry's orders." After all, if she wasn't held here would she have been here to greet him? Well, that was one positive that had happened because of the arrangement. No! Negative! Negative! Damnit.
"I bet." She couldn't help but roll her eyes. Even if he was kidding she didn't doubt the validity of the number of women. He saw himself a charmer and now, as a famous athlete who also wasn't too bad on the eyes, his bedpost tally was probably ridiculous. Another reason to stay away. She made a note and was both glad and sad because of it.
He called her annoying and she smiled a little, actually quite proud. "See? Some things really are reliable in this crazy world." Except for his next remark about her looks. Instantly she was scowling with a wrinkled up nose, fists clenching slightly. "Different how?" It was like he pulled the rug out from under her pretending to be all nice just so he could squash her when she was down. "I'll have you know I-" She caught herself seeing the look on his face. "Oh... You weren't calling me ugly?" Like usual?
"You're not." At his words about being the same seventh year she found herself uttering the quiet admission subconsciously which even caught her off guard. "I mean... You are the same in a lot of ways clearly... But you're also uh..." She was in damage control now. All of a sudden she knew how her publicist felt. "Taller, and uh your clothes match, and uh..." Attractive. "And at least pretending to be nicer to me which I am making increasingly difficult so..." Shutting up now. WOOF.
As he stepped beside her looking at her list she actually found herself holding her breath. A small lightness in her chest. Allergies. Must be. "The actual Flying Professor wrote it. Santiago. You might remember him. Used to play for the Falcons. Equally interesting choice in shirts." She smirked, actually teasing her old classmate beside her she reached out to tug his coat. Rawiri was correct. There was a blush in her cheeks and it didn't seem to want to go away. They both looked at each other for a moment too long and soon she separated herself clearing her throat and walking to the other side of the room.
"Actually, I don't really know any of 'em. I probably know more of their owls than them." Reaching up with her right, fingerless gloved hand she tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear still looking down at the tiles. "I don't think I'm really the one to give advice here but... since you asked... you always seemed to be good with kids. You're essentially one big one." Looking over at him she gave a half shrug. "Be yourself?" Ew. That was so cliche. "Sorry..."
"Ha, he does that to you too?" he wasn't surprised that Nate tagged along with Leah, and he knew his friend was still protective of them after all these years. "Guess, the guy has a big old soft spot for both of us, and it makes me feel bad that I drive him crazy sometimes, haha!" He laughed, thinking of poor Nate dealing with himself and Leah.
"Oh, you do now? After all these years, I thought you forgot about the thorn in your side." A smirk came on his face. He never left Leah alone in school for some reason and always liked picking on her. Maybe he because she won't take any of his nonsense.
Leah was bringing out some good laughs, Rawiri thought. When he saw her earlier, he felt the day would go south, but now, she was bringing out some fun. "You still following the rules. I thought Leah was a rule breaker?" He teased her about being stuck here at Hogwarts by Ministry orders. "You know I could help you break out for the day? Not that a day with me and you would be fun since we were always at each other throats, according to Natie." The idea of him spending the day with her surprised him. After all, he thought he never wanted to see her again after this quite exciting day so far, but Leah was working some kind of weird magic on him.
"oh ya, I heard he works here now. Sad to see him leave the Falcons, though. I could have used him on the Arrows." Rawiri was talking about the game even off the field, and he couldn't help himself. He laughed when she mentioned Santiago shirts. "Oh ya, I forgot that he had quite a fashion sense." He looked over at Leah, who had a cute smirk on her face and a felt a tug on him. It almost felt like he was blushing now from her pull on him. When she pulled herself away, he grabbed the back of his head, acting as if he had scratched it because he did not know what to do with himself. Silvias had never made him feel bubbly inside.
"You think I am good with kids, ha?" He was known to be good with kids. Just like Leah said, he was a big kid. He was surprised he didn't have his own by now, but he wasn't ready to settle down, or mostly he just had not found the right person.
He held back some of his laughter at her comment on being himself. "Are you sure you want that, Silvais? As I recalled, you can't stand me well being me. " He smirked and leaned on one of the lockers. "As don't be sorry it what must people say. I would tell my team to do the opposite." He was joking with her, of course.
"Forget about you? Never." And it was very true. Rawiri had been a lot of things to her in school, many of them negative, but forgettable was certainly not on the list. "How can I forget about the guy who made fun of me every day, who pulled my pigtails my first few years, who tripped me in the halls a fair number of times thinking it was so very funny, and most importantly - who tried to best me on a broom but never could. Still can." At this she gave a triumphant, sly smirk knowing all too well that it would push his buttons even many years later. While they had both been little monster to each other they had also been fiercely competitive - even on the same team!
"I really don't normally, but you know, don't want to make dad mad." She joked in a soft voice, referring to their former teacher and current protector. "You would do that?" She implored, eyes widening some in both surprise and eagerness at his offer. No, he was playing with her again and her shoulders slumped as she made the assumption. "Like you would ever do that..." She didn't mean to be so contrarian but it wasn't exactly a reach into thin air, him trying to get her hopes up then smack them down. It was like a game once upon a time for the two of them.
Was he blushing? She swore she could feel the warmth on his tanned cheeks even though she wasn't touching him... Not that she ever wanted to touch him. Ew gross! Not his face, his neck, his stubble, his cute curls atop his head that never obeyed. EW. Definitely not!
"I do because you are." She noted as if it was common sense. "Kids always went nuts for you after games and you'd always sign stuff for them and talk to them. Heck, moms were practically giving you their babies." Or trying to have them with him. "I on the other hand, am not very good with kids, or adults, or anyone for that matter." One or the other. She shifted about where she stood, smile completely gone. "Shocked that you're not a dad now to be honest... Less shocked about the not being married thing." Another joke and hopefully one that he would take in good humor.
"I can't stand you. Other people adore you." They were both leaning on the lockers on opposite sides of the room now acting as if the air between them was some invisible wall. "But you never did need my approval really, did you?"
"You make it sound like it was all bad, Silvias." He remembered their school days with Leah. He was pretty hard on her something about her was different, maybe because she was the only one who didn't fawn all over him like the rest. "I should say sorry for everything I did in the past, but I feel like I would be lying." Rawiri was still cocky as ever. "Oh, so you think your better on a broom than I am. Well, I will have to sneak you off-campus to test your theory that you're better than me." He was taking Silvia's comment as a challenge, and if there was something Rawiri was known for, it never backed down from a challenge.
"Hey, I'm not that bad of a guy. Plus, I always wanted to break out a jailbird, and it's on my bucket list." Of course, he joked with her, but he was willing to break the rules for her. Maybe she would lighten up to him if he did break her out for the day. Wait-what was he thinking? He had never thought about spending the day with Leah before. What was going on with him? Something must be broken in his brain, Rawiri thought.
Leah was going to give him an even bigger ego when she confirmed that she felt like he was good with children. "Well, I'm a big kid, and what can I say." He below some air out to slightly move the curls in his hair. He let out a chuckle at Leah's comment about the moms. "Oh, they were also trying to throw themselves at me, and I had to beat them off." It seems like Leah and Rawiri could play off each other. "I think you could be good with the kids. You...have to be yourself." He smirked at her delivering the line she said earlier to him.
Rawiri shrugged. "I haven't found someone to have kids with, and it's hard to live up to the Rawiri standard." Rawiri probably could have anyone he wanted, but he knew deep down he wanted to have a meaningful relationship. He wasn't looking for a trophy like some others did.
"Well, you were always a bit different from the others. Might have been why I like to tour you so much." He winked at Leah, teasing her. "I don't need any approvals. I think that's why I am where I am today. Plus, it's getting approvals is easy. You're the popular guy. Anyone will cheer you on. Now an approval from you, I probably actually take it more seriously. I know how hard it is to impress the great Leah." He was half playing around and half not. Many people just let Rawiri do what he wanted, but Leah challenged him. It made him think about things instead of doing the big jump that could be a bad idea. This was why he probably bullied her so much in the past. Uh, was he thinking he respected her thoughts? Rawiri was weeding himself out more.
"You keep threatening to sneak me off campus, Tibble. You better stop or else I'll think that you actually mean it." She told him with a knowing smile. As much as she hated it, deep down, really deep down, a small part of her did. Why? She didn't have the slightest. Had it really been that easy for Nathaniel to tell them to play nice and they could actually manage to do it? No. He had said those very words numerous times before. What had changed over the years?
"No. Not all bad I reckon. I mean, other than you it was pretty okay." She couldn't resist. Hopefully he would forgive her. But she had never needed his forgiveness before. What the heck was going on?! She wasn't one of his fan girls. She didn't want his autograph, or a photo, or a kiss on the cheek... Well, actually... NO! WHAT GIVES?! Luckily Rawiri's cocky side kicked in and gave her something else to focus on not to mention provided a metaphorical bucket of cold water too cool of whatever the hell was going on with her mind so far today.
"I guess there's no accounting for taste is there?" She absentmindedly watched the way that his unruly curls blew up from the air from his pursed lips then fell back onto his face landing right back where they had started. Smiling in spite of herself at the sight his next words had her catching 0nto the fact that she had been staring like some sort of dope and immediately looked away. "I bet you do." That humbled her a bit. Brought her back to planet earth. He was a player, he was cocky, he was all show and no substance... At least that's what she would tell herself to get herself functioning properly again.
"What? Impatient? Loud? Bossy? Overbearing?" If his remark about the moms was cold water him turning the kids compliment on her was the cold ice that followed. "Not really mom material I'm afraid." Again, something she told herself. She couldn't be loved, didn't deserve nice things. She existed for Quidditch and nothing else. And in times like now, when she couldn't play, she was as useless as a broken toy - but how could she express that to people? She wasn't great with words as is. Let alone now. Besides, Rawiri wouldn't want to hear it. He was only being cordial at Nathaniel's request.
"And what standard would that be?" She found herself asking aloud. That was really a question she should have kept in her head and now that it was out she was embarrassed about how sincere it sounded so she tried to water it down with sarcasm. "Tall, blonde, with boobs out to here?" She gestured comedically far away then waved her hand. He didn't have to answer that. Probably best that he didn't.
He wanted her approval. At this she looked back at him stunned, back still against the locker. She almost felt like she had stopped breathing. What to say to that? What could she say? Was he even serious? "Maybe someday..." Ok, maybe it wasn't allergies. Maybe it was the locker room. They would have to get out of there and fast... But her feet didn't move. They didn't want to.
"You're just here for today then?" Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. "I mean, you're just doing the one pep talk and going or does the Headmistress have you situated with like a multi-day thing. You know... food... dorm..." Staying for longer than a few hours of work? "Wait. I should know the answer to that, right?" Her cheeks flushed and she tucked her red hair behind her ear again shaking her head. "Told you I'm shit at this job."
"Oh, I mean it." Rawiri wasn't playing around about stealing her off-campus."I am a mischief man, and when I see an opportunity to cause it, I take. it." Rawiri was the king of mischief in school, and he still was. He still loved playing pranks and didn't like following the rules. Even though it was Leah, he thought maybe it could be fun.
"Ow, right in my heart Silvias." He joked with her about her comment about him. He could snap back, but he decided to let her have this one. He had those free drinks to think about; also, Leah wasn't as bad as he remembered and he wouldn't mind maybe spending some time with her outside of this? What was he thinking? He remembered the hated her, and now he was acting as if nothing had happened. This was all Nate's fault. If he hadn't told him to play nice, he wouldn't have this strange feeling about her.
"You hard on yourself, aren't you, Slivias?" It wasn't something Rawiri was just too, and he wasn't used to people being so hard on themselves. "well, I don't think so. You be a good mom, I think. You got that mama bear energy." He joked with her trying to lighten her mood, not that he cared. Oh, who was kidding? He cared a bit...
Rawiri let out an enormous burst of laughter. "Good one, but change it to short redheads." He joked but realized she was a short redhead. "You're the exception, though," Rawiri added quickly. He didn't want her to think he was attracted to her...or was he starting to be. He had to stop himself.
"ya, just for today, and then I'll be out of your hair for the rest of your life. Sure, you'll be happy about that." He was sure Leah was ready for him to be gone, but Rawiri would miss his fiery red-head banter. "I'm sure you'll get better at it with time. You just got to give it a chance," he told her about the job. "Hey, maybe if I do so well, I will be back, and then I can bother you some more." He winked at her and liked the idea of seeing her once more after this. Maybe next time, it won't be such an explosive beginning. "Oh but I do remember promising you I would come to steal you one day. so maybe you'll see me sooner."
When he asked her so pointedly and so sincerely if she was hard on yourself she actually felt her whole body still. How was a simple question so earth shattering? Mainly because nobody had ever asked her that before. It was just an accepted thing that after every game, every social interaction, every meeting she kicked herself inwardly for every way that she mucked up. For every way that she could have done better. But to hear it stated so simply, the observation had her a little jarred.
"I mean... Isn't everybody?" The words somehow came even though she felt stuck. She wasn't sure if she hated or liked the way that he was looking at her right now. All she knew was that it made her chest tight in a both pleasant and unpleasant way so much so that she had to look away from him for the dozenth time - as if that would help. "I have to be." She confessed as if it was the truest thing she had ever said. She had to be the best and the only way to do that was constant pressure. Was it healthy? Of course not. But she got results.. Just not ones of the personal nature.
He thought she would be a good mom? "You do?" She could barely make words and the ones that came were ripe with disbelief and a neediness that desperately needed to believe it was true. But then he laughed and she checked herself. It was a joke. Like everything. Why were you so willing to fall into a puddle of hope even though people just want to have fun? Stop doing that! "Well, there's that I guess but there's also the whole picking up thing, cleaning up, cuddling... All of which are things I am probably the lousiest at." She tried to play it off laughing despite how she felt inside. "Sorry to disappoint you Tibble, but if they don't involve a broomstick and a Quaffle I think you're shit out of luck."
She returned the laugh until he mentioned short redheads which had her brow furrowing and two fingers playing with a strand. He covered though and her nose wrinkled cutely waving a finger at him. "Ok. Ok. You got me." And so he had. Same old Rawiri. Loved spinning her up and watching her run. Her smile slowly disappeared when he said it was just for the morning. She knew the answer but was, for some odd reason, hoping for it to change. Strange...
"You better do well then." She was quick to return the sentiment walking over to him to elbow him all in good fun. "Because you don't want the Headmistress or Nat on your case. Or me." Or maybe he did. She did. WAIT... WHAT?! Thank Merlin that the first few students started filing in to prevent her for putting her foot in her mouth even more.
The locker room was abuzz with excitement. Not only because Rawiri a famous Quidditch player turned coach was there but because Leah had actually shown up - a first. She was careful to stand in the back as away from prying eyes next to SALLY BRYNE watching how Rawiri excitedly spoke to all of the kids, kept them engaged, and really was just typical Rawiri in his element but seeing him in a light like she never had before. It was, well, damn refreshing.
"He's good." She noted to the Divination Professor before swallowing the praise down. "When he's not being annoying and a total ass." Looking to Sally she frowned, arguing with her in a whisper. "What? Nathaniel told us to be cordial." Like that had ever worked before. Something had definitely changed even Nathaniel noticed as he caught the two stealing glimpses occasionally and then looking away. The auror looked to Sally, equally confused, and then back to Rawiri. Something was up. No. It couldn't be.
After the talkback and Rawiri was properly surrounded by excited students signing autographs Nathaniel approached him leading him away gently. "Well that went well." He mentioned casually and gently but to which was he referring? The talkback or the girl. "Seems you have a knack for educating the youth. They seem to be fans." And they didn't look to be the only ones. Nathaniel noticed Leah looking their way, avoiding the crowd in the bleachers next to Sally.
"Oh. Uh..." Leah turned her attention quickly back onto Sally when she saw the two men catch her looking. "I'm telling you, Byrne. It's a miracle we didn't rip each other's heads off like we were back in fifth year."
'I mean... Isn't everybody?' Rawiri let out a little laugh, not in laughing at her but at the statement itself. "I think you forgot that you know me." He joked with her. Rawiri knew when to be hard on himself and when just to let it go. Life was too short for him to always be hard on himself. "I see. I'll have to teach you how to cill when I steal you from her for the day." He turned his back to the locker, adjusting himself, placing his behind.
"No, you make yourself hard on yourself. You don't have to be. Don't worry, and I'll fix that." He winked at her. Why was he being so flirty with her, he thought. He had to stop himself before he couldn't shake the feeling that was surging in him.
When she doubted herself more, he felt pretty concerned for her, something he thought he would never believe about Silvias. "Well, try to think this way.." He stood up, letting go of his arms. "Ok, So the kid's are the Quaffle, right, and you, the mom, and of course, the dad are the players who have to protect them from going into the goal area, which would be like them getting hurt/death. You know." Rawiri was trying to compare life to quidditch. He thought maybe that would help her with the idea, but he wasn't so sure if his example was the best.
How cute she was when she wrinkled her nose and waved at him. Oh, stop, Rawrir, you can not be attracted to Silvias of all the people! "I just can't help myself." He placed his arms on his hips and laughed.
"Oh well, I'm scared now that you might be on my case." He joked with her again, flirty, and he couldn't help himself. What was she doing to him?!
Before he could continue his flirtatious way with Leah, the kids came storming in, overtaking Rawrir. It was now his time to shine with the kids.
As Rawiri talked, Sally came in and stood with Leah. She wondered how the two had made it through alone for that long, and it wasn't like them two. She guessed the drinks were very motivational.
"Oh really?" She quizzed her friend with a smile and a teasing tone. There seemed to be something different in the air between her and Rawiri. Sally lifted her hands. "Ok, ok, sure, because Nate told you so." She looked at her friend. Sally was going to find out the truth about Rawiri.
"Remember, do not be on your best behavior." He said to the kids and waved as Nathaniel led him off because we knew Rawiri would have stayed all day to play with the kids and maybe... just spend some more pleasant time with Leah.
"Oh ya, piece of cake once you get to know them more" He was referring to Leah but quickly turned to Nathaniel. "It was nice to talk to the younglings, I mean." He wasn't going to admit anything to Nathaniel; after all, he never let him live it down!
"I know I'm surprised you guys made it out alive," Sally said to her friend. "Maybe something changed, eh?" she nudged her with a wink teasing her once again.
"Wouldn't have been nice if you perhaps mentioned staying on top of their schooling and responsibilities, but the line about not doing those things at least touched on the subjects." Nathaniel noted. He had long ago learned that his ex student could not be tamed and though he was a wily one, he also had good intention and even a better heart. He meant well and, n the end, that was what was important. That's why he stayed in touch, that's why he came back to the school to give this talk, and wait a second... Was that why he caught the thirty-something year old looking over at Leah in the bleachers chatting with Sally. My oh my, perhaps Rawiri Tibble had a bigger heart than they all had anticipated. What on earth both magical and wizarding had occurred in the locker room?!
"Speaking of cake..." Nathaniel's gears were working now. "Perhaps we ought to stay a little longer. Dinner is only a few hours away and I am certain there's a few spots available at the Dining Hall. Not your usual seat, mind you, but it'll do." His hazel eyes studied Rawiri closely while not trying to look like he was concocting something. As an auror and quiet man, he succeeded. "If you're up for it of course."
From across the way Leah caught Nathaniel and specifically Rawiri looking her way and gave a little wave accompanied by a small smile that pulled at the corner of her mouth. At Sally's playful accusation Leah's head snapped around, eyes narrowing. She was on the defense now. "No. Of course not. Don't be stupid." The American left very little wiggle room in her words. Whether or not Sally was right... that was a huge problem. She did not like Rawiri. Not even a little bit. She couldn't. She wouldn't!
"And don't think I have forgotten about your new little boyfriend." Leah was quick to turn the tables on Sally. Was it an act of self preservation? Sure. But it'd work and that's what mattered. "Are you two going to go to dinner at least or do I have to put up with another twelve dinners with the two of you discussing horribly boring things when all you want to do is... muah." The Keeper took her own hand kissing the top of it pretending to make out with it like some immature high schooler. "Oh what's your name. I pine for you." She announced dramatically in her best English accent trying to sound like Sally - and really not sounding like her at all. Dropping the act she lowered her head, peering at her. "You seem like the sort that would say pine."
"You know me, Nathaniel. I can't help myself." He smirked as he continued to walk away. It was in Rawiri's nature to be playful and encourage the kids to be kids, and they only had this time to be free and to have fun.
"Oh... I don't know. Silvias over there might not make it." he was unsure if he wanted to stay for dinner. It wasn't that he did not want to, but he was scared of the feelings he started to develop for Leah. He looked at Leah with Sally eyeing her from afar as she waved at them. He awkwardly waved back at her. "Well, maybe a little dinner won't hurt before I leave. After all, I missed my Hogwarts food." He joked with Nathaniel that he genuinely wanted to stay for other reasons.
Sally smirked at Leah, knowing something odd was up. After all, she was now waving at them, and it felt like something Leah won't do towards Rawiri. "Hmm, now you're waving at him; I must know what happened behind the scenes." Sally looked at her teasing her about their time alone.
Leah knew where the right way to hit Sally. "Boyfriend?" Sally blushed; he was just an old friend that she happend to had/had a big crush on from school. "No, I don't think he thinks of me that way in the first place. The only dinner date is in the great hall with you." She had to play it off somehow. Sally shook her head at her friend. "That is gross, and I do not sound like that!" Was She so apparent about her old feeling for him? Surely not? "Ha, no pinning over her" she brushed her lap nervously, trying not to think of her old crush.
At Rawiri's comment as he walked away Nathaniel stood his ground, quirking a brow his interested peaked. "I don't believe that I mentioned that Miss Silvias would be joining us." The plot thickens! Now he took a few long strides until he was beside his once student. "Are you feeling alright Mister Tibble?" Nathaniel wasn't an doctor but he doubted it. It was then Nathaniel caught the awkward wave and lopsided smile. OH. MY. MERLIN. WHAT?! Suddenly he felt like a teenaged girl at a sleepover. No. Had to keep these emotions under control. Play it cool. You're an auror. You're trained for this.
"What is this?!" He pointed a long index finger between the two of them excitedly behind Leah's back, speaking a hushed but very jazzed whisper. "What was that?!" Ok. Maybe a little less cool and collected and more O-M-G or whatever the kids were saying nowadays. "Rawiri." He took the man by the arm turning to face him, he towered over him. Using the boy (now man)'s first name was a rarity for Nathaniel and a hard habit to break but there was an exception for everything.
"There's nothing to tell." Leah informed her pal in a low, unamused voice. She was a stone wall now. There would be no getting through her. She'd take it to her grave. Thank Merlin, she turned the subject onto Sally and her crush on their old classmate. This was a welcome distraction. "Come off it, Byrne. I don't remember his name, I barely remember his face, but I do remember your puppy dog eyes whenever he was around. They're the same eyes you had at the welcome back feast. Those are your 'please be my boyfriend eyes'. I know 'em!" She would not have the wool pulled over her eyes. She wasn't crazy. She knew what she knew. The plot was thickening over here too.
"Well, have you asked?" She sighed heavily. "He doesn't even go here, Sally." Realizing her own slipup she spun on her heel and began to walk down the bleachers and away. "And I would never have dinner with Rawiri Tibble. Not ever. Never ever." She called over her shoulder not realizing how truly wrong she was. Leah's eyes caught Rawiri closing in on distance and immediately blushed. Slapping on a brave face she called over to her once classmate. "Quickly Tibble. Do me a favor and please remind Sal over here that you repulse me!" Her words echoed, hanging in the air.
Nathaniel blinked. "I don't think I've ever heard her apologize before."
"Oh, I thought I heard." Rawiri quickly tried to fix his mistake of mentioning Leah. "I'm fine, just exhausting. You know how talking to kids is."Play it cool. Rawiri doesn't get caught by Nathaniel; he'll never let you live it down.
"Oh, you know it was a be on our best behavior... After all, you guys promised us drinks, so we got to play it off like we like each other now." Rawiri lied to him. It was a genuine wave to each other, at least Rawiri thought, but he needed to play cool with Nathaniel and for his shake.
"Hmm, are you sure because the waving tells me something different?" Sally wasn't going to be fooled. Something must have changed between the two because her friend didn't come out cursing him by the end. Something was up, and Sally was going to find out. "Oh, don't be silly. I could say the same thing to you now." She smirked at Leah. "Your little wave and smile at your arch enemies or ex Enemies?" She was sure that the two had made some amends in the locker room, but Sally could have been wrong.
"Of course not. You know I would never ask." Sally was nervous about the whole thing of dating, and she never really had been on dates. "Are you sure you wouldn't have dinner with him?" She teased Leah. "Might be fun." She winked at her.
Before Rawiri could continue with Nathaniel, he heard Leah's voice call them. That was life-saving thought, Rawiri. "Oh ya, I'm so disgusting to her, and I can't stand the look at her."Of course, he joked with her trying to play it cool again. Of course, he could look and wanted to look longer but stopped. After all, she was Leah Silvias, his biggest rival in life.
"I suppose..." But Nathaniel didn't believe an ounce of it. Rawiri was of the fortunate and unfortunate luck of knowing Nathaniel a good long time. With this came a protector, a confidant, but also someone who knew that the Quidditch player wasn't that good of an actor. Something was definitely off here... or was it on? Still, Nathaniel decided to proceed with caution. Didn't want to scare him off and flick the off switch for whatever was going on here.
"Never." Leah said adamantly though deep down, and only to herself, she found herself wishing that it wasn't the case. Dinner would have been nice and company would have been even better. If that was Rawiri then... EW. Nope. "The man would never buy dinner for anyone but himself. He's so full of himself he probably would order two dinners and make whoever else went with watch." She said loud enough for everyone to hear. Inwardly she kicked herself. Why was she like this? They had been doing so well and she, like she was likely to do, had to ruin it out of self preservation and pride.
"Nothing to see here, Byrne." Leah once again warned as she walked toward the group. "And stop changing the subject from your new blast from the past boy toy." Darn her for letting that woman get close to her. In a lot of ways she was her closest, non Quidditch related friend. One of her only ones nowadays.
"I'll have you know Byrne over there thinks you would take me out to dinner." Standing in front of the two men she crossed her arms over her chest, looking up at Rawiri. "Don't worry. I let her know what's what. I think it's fairly obvious you wouldn't even know where to start. Dinner requires arrangements, showering, paying..." Hopefully he would take the jab in good stride.
For good measure she gave a knowing little smirk and cocked her head. "Ya can't stand the look of me huh?"
That was a close one, thought, Rawiri. He was doing everything in his power to avoid talking about what just happened/developed with Leah. Rawiri was avoiding quite a lecture from Nathaniel if he could.
Sally laughed at Leah. She was probably right. "Ya, you're probably right. That would be quite a scene to watch as well." Sally clapped her hand together. "But.." Sally wasn't going to let Leah get off so quickly. "you are pretty defensive about him, makes me think.." while she was joking, she was pretty serious at the same time.
"Ok, ok! I will leave it alone," Sally said as they walked to the group. "I can't help it. Your story seems far more fun." She was trying her best to avoid the topic.
Rawiri snorted out of nervousness and the idea of taking Leah out to dinner. "That's funny, and we won't last 1 minute in a restaurant, I assure you." He looked at both women. "Oh good, I just can verity Leah on that then." He gave them a wink.
As she cocked her head and smiled, he paused to look at her. Wow, why was she so good-looking. Rawiri closed his eyes for a moment and reopened them. "See, it hurts my eyes to look at you. They feel like they're melting. I'm only joking." He wanted to ensure that he was only joking in front of Nate. Rawiri was going to need this drink after this day badly.
"Yes, well, I'm not made to look at am I?" Leah never cared much for her appearance. She just always naturally assumed that she was a hideous, gremlin looking thing. Luckily she was good at a sport of her would have been living under a bridge somewhere. Still a part of her, even if they were teasing one another, wished that she wasn't... at least in Rawiri's eyes. But that was another odd thing - she had never cared before, let alone about how he saw her.
Taking a hair tie from her pants pocket she pulled her hair back in a ponytail, looking momentarily toward Sally as if to say 'I told you so'. "See?" Hopefully that would allay any sneaking suspicions that Sally or Nathaniel had about the pair. "And he's right. We would kill each other - which, isn't the whole point of me being stuck here to not have that happen?"
It was then her fellow Quidditch player and ex-classmate was quick to point out he was only joking. He had never done that before. It wasn't an apology but a negation of the usual burn he had thrown her way. This was new and it caught her off guard though she tried not to let it show. "Then uh... Don't look at me." Came the awkward, half hearted threat. "Look at him, or her, or that, or over there... I dunno." Just anywhere but at her so she didn't blush her way into oblivion.
A bit dazed she shook her head, thus shaking herself out of it and looked to Sally. "You want to head back to the castle? You've got a class, yeah?" Since when did she care about classes let alone somebody else's? Starting now. She just needed to get out there before she continued feeling this weird sort of thing about her old rival... and fast! "I need to head back to the castle." This was way less of a question and far more insistent. Like they were standing on a ticking time bomb that could explode at any second.
"Good to see you again, Nat." The lanky man brought her into a hug that showed how much time they had spent together over the years. When it came to Rawiri Leah froze, standing before him before offering a hand in a handshake. "See... ya?" Yeah. That was stupid as all hell.
