"I know it isn't a date. I couldn't think of a better term for our meeting," Dylan smiled. "I didn't mean date date." Oh man he had screwed that up. "Yes a friendly meeting. Now where would you like to go for our friendly meeting? I am paying of course." He didn't want to go anywhere. Just to stay here with her in his arms.

Gold smiled, glad that he hadn't thought of it the wrong way. "Let's call it *the* meeting," she laughed, still pulling at his sleeve. "... and we'll say who pays." Hehe.

"Three broomsticks, please?"

Dylan smiled, "You said, you were going to refuse to pay. I have enough money to cover us both. I got my allowance yesterday." Why was she pulling at his sleeve? Was it too much? He would have to consider less of a smart look next time. Or maybe he should roll it back down.

"Broomsticks? Ok. We can go to the Hogs Head if you want. I have a coupon thingy for it. Lupa gave it to me as a bribe."

"I remember," Gold chuckled. "I just want to tease you, Dylan." It was nice not to have to call him Denver, anymore. It felt so ... pretty. Gold pulled at his sleeve again. Because she liked that.

"Bribe?" She didn't like bribes, of any sort. "Oh well, if you want to." She would go pretty much anywhere, with him.

No, she was NOT in love.

There he stood. His usual somewhat lumpy appearance was visibly more tidy as he stuffed his hands into his pockets for warmth wondering how on earth it was that he forgot his grey gloves. Maybe he'd knit a new pair. He'd have Professor Pilliwickle with him to help him trade new patterns with and he was hoping it would make it a bit more exciting. That is, not to say that knitting was not one of Kapoors all time favourite pastimes. It was, but having a hobby bud was always a desirable thing.

He stood there, waiting for her. Hoping she'd emerge from the crowd soon.

Dylan smiled, "Well tease away. Just as long as you don't start tickling me, I am fine with it." She was pulling at his sleeve again. He rolled it back down. Thinking he took the hint. Even if it wasn't a hint.

"She wants me to get on Duskurk's good side," he shrugged. "I am easy. You want to go to the broomsticks. So lets go there. I'll buy you a cake or something."

'I want to tickle youu," Gold pouted. She pulled at his sleeve again, and then he had rolled it down. She narrowed her green eyes a bit, then began to roll his sleeve back up.

"I don't like Professor Duskurk," she said, matter-of-factly. "Let's get going, then." She pulled at his sleeve, yet again.

What?

She'd put on her best mauve pleated skirt and lilac cardigan. She'd EVEN treated herself to a dab of red lipstick! Oh yes, Mildred was all ready for her DATE with that dashing librarian!

Giant handbag swinging as she waddled down the busy street, Professor Pilliwickle kept her beady eyes peeled. What if she couldn't remember what he looked like!? The feast had been quite a while away.. and she didn't have the best of memories.. Ahem.

OH! But there he was!

"Mister Pakoor!!" Mildred exclaimed excitedly, bustling straight for him with a dangerous flail. EEEEEE!!

Lorelai giggled a bit more, and shook her head. "Nooooope. You'll find out sooner or later Adammmm." Hehe. She grinned up at him, before beginning to swing their arms forwards and backwards. Totally, because she was bored. And arm swinging was nice, and refreshing. And it could air his armpits incase he decided to sniff them again, and she could walk off. So all in all; to keep him from smelling.

Wasn't she a kind person, ey?

"Noooooo. I meant you're pretty normal. It's nice that you're normal AddiePants. It's nice to have normal people to be around for once. You're not pretty. Your face is all weeeeird. And your fringe is annoying, and you have split ends alot of the time." PAUSE. Grin. Giggle. "You had your hair cut did you? Thats cute." SNORT.

"Apparating? ER./ NO. I've heard about it. I'll stick to having them flown in in packages. You shall NOT see my closet." Hehe. " ..." Hehe more. "Closets."

Yep, she was correcting herself. What a loving nice, self-critical vain person she was.

"I was asking you stupid. A boootahbeer? Something like that..."

'What? He apologized?' Why would he do that? 'It was probably one of their tricks.' Surely Kay would be upset if their plans failed. 'That's why Kay got mad, because you ruined their plans.' It sounded good to Destiny, but she wasn't sure if Kay and company were really the planning type. Better safe than sorry.

'Ehh, baking..' Kay totally ruined her love for pie, and for that, Destiny would have her revenge. Because spilling butterbeer on someone was not revenge enough. 'Lawson doesn't seem like the cooking type. He probably uses Iliana for that.' It was still hard to believe they were married. She shivered at the thought.

Hearing Evelyn ask for somewhere quiet, Destiny stopped. 'There's the Hog's Head, that shouldn't be too crowded.' Because it looked scary on the outside and was probably more scary on the inside. 'Orrr, there is that,' dark, creepy, dark, creepy, 'alley we can go in.' Maybe Destiny could find a spider in there..but she wouldn't tell Evelyn that.

Sighing, Adam began to walk in time to the moving of their arms together. "So you won't even give me a hint?" he asked, because although he didn't mind guessing he needed something to get him started. "Not evern a teeny-weeny clue?" he added. Luckily, however, she seemed to have forgotten the 'Butterfly Incident' as he had dubed it.

"I'll sing again, get you more flowers?" It was Random!Guess time.

"Yeah, it was getting kinda annoying," Adam said, looking down at the floor to hide the fact he was blushing and running a hand through his hair. There was no way he was admitting he'd got it cut or rather, cut it himself, as there where no barbers at Hogwarts because she'd suggested it. That would be awkward.

Squeezing Lori's hand again, Adam didn't want to admit he didn't really want to see inside her closet - correction, closets - anyway. That was far too much of a girly thing to be doing.

"Oh, a butterbeer?" Adam asked with a laugh, now pretty sure he knew what Lori was on about. If she wanted one, he wouldn't admit to how much he hated disliked them, and buy her one anyways. "Erm... there's the Hog's Head, or the Three Broomsticks. If you want one of those."

A trick? She never thought it could have been a trick. Why didn't she think of that!? And she almost fell for it too! Ugh...She really needed to watch her back around those two now.

"Does Iliana cook?" she asked, wondering if the Care of Magical Creatures professor really did cook. Maybe she was too busy with all the animals to do that? Or maybe she did cook and Lawsguini eats all of it...That's why he looks all, different, and such. And then of course the image of them feeding each other like Kay and Rex did entered her mind. Ewww, will she ever have a moment when that image wouldn't enter her mind?! She would never eat again if it did.

Evelyn wouldn't have even noticed the alley if Destiny hadn't pointed it out. Either that, or the Hog's Head like her friend suggested. Hmm, looking around to see if she could spot the other place, her eyes landed on someone she'd rather not be anywhere near. Professor Pickle. And she was, running where? Toooo...Professor Kapoor. Ew. Old people hanging out. So unnatural...

"Let's go to the alley." she mumbled, pushing her friend quickly so she didn't have to witness anything disgusting. She didn't know where the Hog's Head was anyway.

Giggling a bit more, Lori shook her head insistently. And boy, did she mean it. "No! I already tolddd youuu, you'll have to wait to find out. And by waiting, I mean I'll tell you on your death bed." Atleast, if she knew him till then. Which she was planning on happening anyways. Noone got rid of her that quick. Hehe.

OOOH. Bribery. "Adammmmm. No bribery. Thats meand, you know. I never expected you to even THINK of suggesting that. Im disPLEASED with you. PSHH." She overdramatically shook her head in shock and looked away from him. "Utterly displeased."

Hehe.

"BUT, you can sing for me if you want. You really can. I'll be fine with that." Of course she would.

"I dont want oneee. I was just asking WHAT they were. You reckon they got a shoe shop heeeere?"

"D-death be-bed?" Adam asked, his eyes widening. He wasn't going to die anytime soon, was he? That he could NOT live with. The irony in his mind made him laugh a little bit, and he shook the thoughts away. He was not going to die anytime soon. He hoped.

"That's not bribery. You won't tell me what it takes to make you keepp the secret, so I'ma guessing," he said, shrugging. As she turned away from him, he tugged on her arm so that she turned back. "You don't want me to though, do you?" Adam pondered, pretending to let his face fall again.

"Well, it's a.. drink. At least, it's supposed to be. I don't like it very much," he said by way of explanation, shrugging a little bit. Everyone raved over how nice it was, but he couldn't see, or rather, taste it. B]"Erm, I know that's a clothes shop..."[/B] Adam said, pointing to Gladrags uncertainly. "But I don't know if they do shoes..."

"Lori, can I ask you something?" he said as they where walking along, randomly out of the blue. "My friend -" hopefully she wouldn't realise it was actually him "- knows this girl, right. And she's his best friend. But he really likes her, and the other day some other girl kissed him. He's not sure if he likes this girl or not, but knows it couldn't ever be as much as he likes his friend. But he doesn't know what to do now...." Okay, so it wasn't a question, really. But he hoped he'd give hi- , Jim some advice.

Chuckling to herself, Lorelai shrugged a bit. And shook off the death bed comment and the one about the singing to her. Because she had became more interested with Adam's FRIENDS problem. And she was totally an agony aunt.

But this friend, sounded like a right twit.

"Well, we'll go in that shop in a minute," She commented as she pulled him to a stop, and gave his hand a little squeeze. "Right, so your friend, likes his best friend, and this other girl kissed him right? Okay, so... He should tell his best friend, that it happened... And then maybe tell her also, that he likes her. Kinda soften the blow, because she might like him like that too. Maybe, so maybe it'll make her feel better.."

She chuckled softly, at the lameness of her advice, and continued. "He shouldn't have let the other girl kiss him though, but if he does like her, he's gotta weigh up how many people he would lose if he chose her over his best friend..."

Stoping suddenly, Adam had to let go of Lori's hand. He couldn't bring himself to hold it as she squeezed it, because it just made him feel guiltier. Putting it into his back pocket, the fact that it brushed his wand was almost comforting. But he didn't know why.

Lori's advice was good, he had to admit. If he'd really had a 'friend' he would've relayed it to him But what Lori didn't know was that she was part of this equation. And he wasn't sure if she'd like her own advice - used by him on her.

Sighing, Adam looked down, not able to look at her. He was so confused, he didn't know what to do. "I'm sorry Lori. I'm-" he muttered, almost without realising it, his gaze still on the floor.

Okay. Hand drop. Lori didn't like that. She did go to reach for his hand though, but it was already behind him and she sighed then. "Ad?" She asked quickly, turning full on to face him; looking up at his face. But she couldn't see it properly anyways.

"Why're you sorry? Adam? You only asked advice for your friend.. Whats up? Adam?" Great... Obviously, he didnt want to be friends no more. Which was sad, and stupid.

GAH. She needed her Goldie.

Oh god. He didn't want to to happen like this. He knew he needed to tell her, in some respects, he wanted to tell her. But now... well, now the words wouldn't come. Not the right words anyway. Lifting his head, he looked directly into Loris eyes and saw that she looked just as confused as he felt.

Which, if anything, made him feel even worse. Even more guilty. Even angrier at himself.

Greeeeeat. Not.

"Because I ain't got no friend, ok Lori?" Adam gasped through clenched teeth. It was if the words were forced out of him, and the wrong ones at that. "Because I feel so bloody stupid, and angry, and confused. That's why I'm sorry. Ok?"

Okay, now he was scaring her. Seriously scaring her, and making her mind fizz a bit. Because it made no sense. "You have me.. I'm your friend Ad, you do have friends... I dont get it Adam...."

As much as she sounded stupid saying she didnt get it, she really didnt. "Why're you sorry about feeling stupid and angry and confused? I feel like that all the time..."

No friend? What had this got to do with his friends problem? Unless..
It couldnt be...


"Is your friend.... the one you needed advice for.... is he.. you?"

Shaking his head to get hos fringe out of his eyes, Adam smiled softly down at Lori when she said she was his friend. Of course he hadn't meant it like that, but it was sweet anyway.
The smiled fell from his lips a moment later though, because she guessed about the whole "Friend" thing. And alhtough he wanted her to know, he didn't know how she'd take it. And the last thing he needed was no one.

"Yeah... I'm sorry Lor," he mnaged to mumble, stuttering a little and swallowing at the end. It hadn't meant to end up this way. Did life hate him or something? Did fate hold something against him? Adam didn't believe in any of that stuff but still.

Lorelai looked immediately away from Adam as he confirmed her fears, and bit at her lip. "Oh..." The first thing she wanted to do was to demand who the cow was that had kissed him, and whether he had kissed her back. But that wasn't what a friend would do.

But she did ask.

"Who was she? And who's the best friend?" Because both girls needed a right slap.

Looking back up at Lori as she asked her questions, Adam was surprised, to say the least. He'd've thought she'd clocked on to it. But apparently no. "Well, it was Raven Athlon. She's a Slytherin..." he began, but he choaked before he could say the next pat of his sentance. This wasn't what he'd hoped it'd.

Swallowing again, Adam contemplated turning around and sprinting away. Going back to the castle and hiding himself away from any female contact. But that would have been stupid, and this whole thing needed sorting out. "Erm.. well, it's... erm...." This was hard, and the sentance finally came out in a rush --

"Thebestfriend'syouLori."

"What years she in?" Because if she was younger, a total slanging match was on. If she was older, then Lori was TOTALLY getting Goldie. Just for light backup. Maybe to do most of the arguing. Because she failed at that

Rubbing at her forehead Lori kissed at her teeth, and bit hard on her lip. HER?

HER?

But hadn't he said he LIKED the best friend? "M...me? Look, Ad. I'm honoured to be thought of as a best friend, and you're one of mine aswell.. But you said you LIKED the best friend..." Here it came..

"W...What i..if that best friend... --liked you too?"

"Sixth..." Adam said when she asked what year Raven was in. He had no clue what Lori was going to do, but if either of the girls got hurt... well, then he knew who to blame.

Himself.
And that wasn't a nice thought. He didn't want to be the culprit of all this, but he soon realised he was. And he couldn't change that. Not now. "And I do," he insisted, when Lori questioned if he really did like her. Pulling his hand out of his pockets, he picked up hers again and squeezed it.

Her next statement startled him. Did she like him? "Erm... I dunno. Does she?" he asked softly.

"Sixth? So she's your age then..." So out went the slanging match idea, and in came the Goldie back up one. This Raven had seriously better not be thinking about stealing Lori's Adam now. He was hers. Her best friend. Hers. And noone elses.

As he took her hand, she softened and actually looked at him, the grip on her bunch of flowers loosening a bit. "Thats nice to know. It really is."

Lori nodded once, and spoke no more as she had pulled her arms round him; nice hugs. "Promise me you won't stop being my best friend though.."