Dating Habits of Wizarding College Students
Chapter 05 - Coffee
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I own no portion of the Harry
Potter world, including Severus Snape.
All characters and characterizations from the world are propertyJK
JK
Rowling. Dianthus
and other original characters are solely of my imagination, however.
I welcome comments and reviews,
including harsh criticisms and flames. I
may delete them after a time, to reduce my personal embarrent,ent, but rest
assured that I will read them and take any appropriate statements to heart.
I cannot emphasize enough that you
must read Dianthus Stories in order
for this tale to make any sense at all.
In fact, you’ll note that this is actually part III – parts I and II are
both contained in Dianthus Stories,
so go read that one first.
Also, smut begins in Chapter Seven,
if that’s what you’re looking for.
That’s perfectly fine. But I say
again you may be a bit confused when you get there if you don’t slog through
the chapters leading up to it.
ter ter Five –
Coffee
Dianthus woke the
next morning to find Melanie passed out on her bed, along with two girls
Dianthus was sure she’d met but whose names she couldn’t remember, and to her
utter horror, Jeremy, who was curled up at the foot of the bed.
had on the night before. She had a
splitting headache and her mouth felt like someone had stuffed it with filthy
cotton. She was glad she’d thought to
close the curtains, but even the sunlight peeking through the cracks hurt her
eyes. Her feet ached from dancing too
much with too many people. She felt like
she’d died sometime in the night, and she was beginning to wish she had.
In fact, Dianthus
thought she might not have woken until the afternoon, if not for the owl
sitting on her head pecking her relentlessly.
She grabbed the parchment from its beak and it flew grumpily out of the
open window. Dianthus leaned over
Melanie to look at the time. It was
She groaned and
focused her unwilling eyes on the parchment in her hand.
She put his letter on the nightstand and rolled back over.
several hours from now.
She’d just gotten
back to sleep when another owl landed on her head.
beakd itd it took off as quickly as its fellow had.
What was he on about, sending her two owls so early in the morning?
over again – but when the third owl landed, she sat up, completely livid.
uttered a string of swear words, and it flew out the window same as the other
ones when she took the parchment from it.
And then her bladder kicked in, reminding her that she’d had quite a lot
of wine earlier.
Throwing the third
parchment onto her nightstand, she pulled herself unsteadily to her feet and
dragged herself into the bathroom, where a long pee and a quick shower at least
made her feel like she was alive, however unwillingly.
“Mel,” she
grunted, shaking Melanie by the shoulder.
“Mel! Come help me get some
coffee together.” Melanie turned over
and buried herself in the blankets.
“Thanks, mate,” Dianthus snarled.
She picked up
Snape’s letters and meandered out of the bedroom.
gone off: there were cups and glasses
and plates in varying states of emptiness on every available surface, several
candles had gotten knocked over on the mantle, and wax had dripped
everywhere. The bar was littered with
shot glasses, empty bottles, and even more plates.
couch, his arm wrapped around Martine, whose lipstick was smeared from what
must have been a heavy make out session.
The dining room
table was no better – most of the food was gone, but what was left had turned
into a disgusting mess of congealed dips, soggy crisps, and wilted
vegetables. The chicken curry had
attracted a couple of curious flies.
Dianthus felt queasy just glancing at it.
of her pocket.
Coffee finally in
hand, Dianthus sat at the kitchen taand and opened Snape’s first letter.
Good morning.
Dianthus stared at
it for a moment, then put the letter on the table and warily picked up the
next. It was a little longer:
Not up yet?
She bit her lip,
not sure if she wanted to open the third parchment.
scalding coffee from her mug before picking the final letter up.
Even
if this onesn’esn’t get you out of that bed, I’m sure your tiny and insistent
bladder will finish the job for me.
I
am so pleased to be able to return the favor you have so often bestowed upon
me, the gift of an owl flying in your open window at the crack of dawn, landing
delicately on your head, to gently awaken you after a restful night’s sleep.
How
was your little get together? Did you sit
in front of the fire, drinking tea and eating biscuits, as you led me to
believe would happen with your casual description of the coming event?
Or
did you, as I strongly suspect, have fifty people over, drink too much wine and
pass out fully clothed, with several of your friends in the bed with you?
whiskey? Do you have a ferocious
hangover? Should I send you a potion,
cara mia, to help you deal with the pain?
I
cannot wait to hear the details, or least those details you can remember.
me enough to share the planning of such festivities with me.
Have
a lovely and productive morning.
Dianthus stared in
disbelief at the letter for a few seconds, and then she folded it back up and
put it in her pocket with a smile. He
was an arrogant motherfucker, but he was hurt that she hadn’t shared this with
him, as she shared everything else with him.
Well, almost everything. She
wasn’t ever planning on telling him Toady’s name, if she could help it.
because he would be in no mood to accommodate her.
wanted to go on a date, a real date, with dinner and everything?
Martine stumbled
around the corner, drawn no doubt by the smell of the coffee.
making a beeline for the pot.
“Martine,” said
Dianthus, with a pointed look over her shoulder at Jon, who was still lying
prone and unconscious on the couch, “what is that about?”
Martine giggled,
then clutched her forehead with her hand.
“He>“He is a fantastic kisser.”
“What about
Kevin?”
“Oh, Kevin’s a
good kisser, too,” said Martine immediately.
She poured coffee and added three teaspoons of sugar.
Dianthus
snorted. “You’re awful,” she muttered.
“I thought we
already had this conversation,” said Martine over a huge yawn.
poured it into her half-filled cup. “I
don’t want to get tied down. Kevin knows
that. I like to spend time with him, and
he is a great kisser, but you know…” She
trailed off as she brought her cup to the table.
“I know, I know,”
Dianthus sighed. “We’re young, we’re
having fun.”
“Exactly,” said
Martine, grinning. “And last night was a
blast. I never knew you had it in you.”
“I don’t,” said
Dianthus, rubbing her head. “I’ve got a
massive headache.”
“Mind if I take a
quick shower before I disapparate?” said Martine.
“Be my guest.
warm up otherwise.”
Martine ambled out
of the kitchen, carrying her coffee with her.
Dianthus got another cup of coffee and was halfway through it when the
two girls from the bed came around the corner, Jeremy trailing them.
“Hi,” said one of
them.
“Hi,” said
Dianthus. There was an awkward
silence. Jeremy hovered anxiously in the
background. “Want some coffee?”
“No, no,” said the
second girl quickly. “We just thought
we’d say thanks for a great party before we left.”
“No problem,” said
Dianthus.
The second girl
turned to Jeremy. “See you later?” she
said, a bit uncertainly.
Jeremy
reddened. “Yeah,” he mumbled.
have some coffee?”
“Help yourself,”
replied Dianthus, a little surprised see him looking so uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry I
passed out on your bed,” he said, his face reddening even more.
and I don’t know, I just–”
“You passed out,”
said Dianthus. “Like we all did.”
before saying casually, “Jennifer?Jeremy wouldn’t
look at her. “The shorter one.
“Oh.”
something, and then said, “Well, come on.
Tell Dianthus everything.”
“We’re – we’re
going out tonight,” he said into his coffee.
“That is fucking fantastic,”
came Jon’s voice. Dianthus turned.
his hands over his face. “Looks like we
accomplished both missions. Reese left
early, I saw. I almost wish I had.
“Come and get some
coffee, you’ll feel better,” urged Dianthus.
“You’ll need to
make another pot,” said Jeremy. He
brought his cup closer to him, as if to guard it from predators.
“Great.
grunted Jon.
“I think you let
the bar get overrun,” said Dianthus mildly.
“I seem to remember there being a stampede on the fire whiskey at about
two.”
“Oh, don’t mention
fire whiskey.” It was Melanie, holding
her head as she rounded the corner. “Why
does Martine have to sing in the shower anyway?”
was fumbling with the coffee pot. “Out
of my way,” she snarled.
“I think I’ll just
go sit down,” Jon said, with a look of mock fright at Melanie, who ignored him
completely.
“I’d better go
make sure Martine doesn’t run out all the hot water,” said Dianthus lightly.
“I’ll do it,” said
Jon casually. “Drink your coffee, Di –
how nice that you have some to drink.”
“Never you mind,”
said Dianthus, rising from her seat. “I
want her out of the shower, not
prolonging the experience.”
Martine was still
in the shower, singing horribly off-key but with great enthusiasm.
“Hold your
knickers,” said Martine. “I’m getting
out right now.” Martine toweled off and
then dressed, and she and Dianthus walked together back to the kitchen.
and Jeremy were engaged in a quiet discussion regarding dating behavior.
deepest disgust.
“You are so full
of shit,” she said.
“What?
feelings were really hurt. “Girls do
take forever to get dressed. I’ve never
had one ready when I showed up.”
“That’s because
you’ve dated twits,” said Melanie.
cla class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%'>“Come on, now,
children,” said Dianthus. “Don’t fight,
or I’ll have to separate you.”
Martine looked
unblushingly at Jon. “I had a good time
last night,” she said.
“Me too,” he
grinned. “Maybe we can do it again, when
Dianthus has another party like that one.”
“Never, then,”
said Dianthus shortly.
“But I’ve got to
get going,” Martine said over her. “I’ve
got duty this afternoon, and if I don’t get some sleep, I’m going to be a
bloody wreck.”
“So, no regrets,
no worries,” said Jon good-naturedly.
“Cheers,” said
Martine. She hugged Dianthus and
Melanie, neither of whom was willing to rise from their coffee, and
disapparated.
“Didn’t you have a
good time last night?” said Jeremy, lookit Dit Dianthus.
“I did, but it may
be my last party,” she said tiredly. “Or
maybe I just didn’t get enough sleep.”
“Or maybe you wish
your boyfriend had passed out in the bed with you, instead of everybody else,”
said Jon with a sly smile. “If you have
one, that is,” he added.
“Oh, she has one,”
said Melanie in an undertone. Then she
put her hand over her mouth.
Jeremy and Jon
turned to her. “You’ve met him?” they
said together.
“Once,” said
Melanie, through fin fingers, avoiding Dianthus’ furious glare.
“Tell us,”
demanded Jon.
“Shut it, Mel,”
growled Dianthus.
“What’s the deal
with this guy? Is he an Unspeakable or
something?” complained Jeremy. “You
won’t even use his name.”
“He’s just a guy,”
said Dianthus.
“He’s very nice,”
said Melanie loyally. Dianthus
snorted. “Well, not nice, exactly.
continued with a dreamy sigh. “I’d give
a lot to have somebody look at me that way.”
“Would you like to
go out with me, Melanie?” said Jon suddenly.
“You can tell me straight away when I start looking at you that
way. I won’t mind.”
“You spent most of
the evening chasing Martine,” said Melanie with a sniff.
couch.”
“Yeah, but that
was a one time thing,” said Jon earnestly.
“It just happened, but I don’t think it’ll happen again.
“Let me think
about it. You’d have to apparate to
Donegal.”
“Oh, sure,” Jon
said eagerly. He leaned on his
elbows. “You could owl me
coordinates. Or I could floo to your
place first.”
“That won’t be
necessary,” said Melanie. “I’ll owl you
coordinates.”
“Friday, then?”
Jon said.
Melanie thought
about it for a minute. “Saturday,” she
finally countered.
“Done,” said Jon,
slapping his hand on the table. “We can
work out the details by owl. I have to
get back and finish my Poisons for Poets homework.”
and after another round of goodbyes, he disapparated, leaving Dianthus with a
grinning Melanie and a stunned-looking Jeremy for company.
“See?” said
Dianthus, poking Jeremy. “That’s how
easy it is to ask somebody out.”