"Thanks," she smiled weakly. Adam was more of an emotional wreck than she was. She probably needed to be more patient. She turned back to Ever-Lily. "You sure you don't want to get your hand looked at?" She wondered if they were going to have to chop it.

She had to give props to Noel, he had chosen a pretty good place to meet up. She was a bit starved. So after tickling the pear, she made her way down to the kitchen, quietly, as students weren't really allowed down there now were they? No.

She took a seat on the stool and watched as the house elves busied around. She couldn't see what they had to be so busy with but she supposed that was the nature of house elves on a whole. In any case, she got herself a green apple and sat nibbling on it as she swung her legs back and forth waiting for Noel. This was going to be quite an interesting discussion.

Noel was beginning to be a bit worried as he started his long walk down from the Ravenclaw tower and to the kitchens to meet Rhea. He swore she seemed fine, although they hadn’t been talking all that much lately. He thought it was due to the fact that he was mostly studying and such.

Aw well, whatever she needed, he was here to listen of course. Finally down on the level where he thought the kitchens was supposed to be (he had to ask one of the Ravenclaws of course), blue eyes searched for the pear painting. As he found it, the seventh year paused, and stared at the lifelike portrait of the fruit. What was he supposed to do again? Tickle it?

Glancing in either direction to see if anyone was coming, he raised his hand and ‘tickled’ the pear. It…it moved! And the portrait opened! A rather interesting way to hide the kitchens in his opinion. Walking into the place, he stood just at the entrance as he shut the door behind him, his gaze darting around the kitchen itself and the house elves who were bustling around the place before landing on Rhea.

"I hope I didn’t keep you waiting." He smiled, moving further into the kitchen.

Rhea hadn't been waiting long when she heard Noel's familiar voice float to her. She turned and smiled at him, then tossed him an apple, just so he had something to nibble on while she talked. Yep this was...weird. She swallowed the bit of apple she had basically chewed out to nothing and pulled up a stool next to her so he could sit.

Sigh. Where was she to start? At the beginning? She didn't know. She still didn't understand why exactly all she was about to ask him mattered to her. She had already sorta gotten into trouble for it but she really just had to know, once and for all, so she could get over whatever resentment had built itself up inside her towards him. She looked into her face, meeting his blue eyes and decided to just get right to the meat of the matter.

" what...er..um.. What's going on with you and Cosette?" yeah she said it and she could feel her ears burning from embarrassment but she didn't look away. She needed to deal with the whole crush business naaaao.

Oh! An apple.

Catching it in surprise, having not expected one to be tossed his way, he smiled and held it up as if a toast before taking a bite. Hmm, it was good. What apple wasn’t good though?

Seeing the stool being pulled out for him, the young man moved forward and sat down, swallowing the piece of apple and taking another bite as he watched Rhea. Now, what did she need to talk about? Oh erm…he, wasn’t expecting that. "What?" he asked as if he were caught taking the last cookie out of the cookie jar.

Uh oh. Gulping down the rather large piece of apple, having not really chewed it that much, he set the fruit on the table next to them, though kept his hand on it. "I umm…I don’t know. We’ve hung out a few times." Shrugging uncertainly just a bit, he chuckled a little nervously as he stared back at her.

Well it was a bit more than that to him, though he just, felt too caught.

If nothing else, the answer she got from him was expected. She looked down at the apple in her hand, only a small bite gone from it and set it down on the table. Clearly this was going to take longer than she expected but she was determined to find out. She shook her head. No she didn't believe him and she didn't want that answer either.

She chuckled, it was dry and mirthless." I'm not blind or oblivious to things around me Noel." she said quietly, eying the apply.

She took her eyes off the apple to look at him again, searching his blue eyes with her brown ones, for whatever truth she thought she could find in them. Why were guys so weird about relationships and feelings? She could never understand it. In any case this wasn't the end all of the conversation but the start of it and she braced herself." be honest with me"

Right. He thought as much.

His smile faltered just the slightest at her laugh, though there was still the hint of one on his lips. Though, what really confused him is why she wanted to know. She had that Jacob person right? Jack? Jeremy? However, he could not lie to her. He wasn’t one that usually lied in the first place, though sometimes it was rather hard. Rhea seemed, a bit upset about this.

Taking another bite of the apple, he chewed slowly, watching all the elves hustle and bustle around, doing things here and there. After swallowing, he ran a hand through his hair and rested it on the back of his neck, his blue eyes moving back to Rhea’s brown ones. "Well…" What was he supposed to say? She probably already knew. "I like her. I…I don’t know what elze you want me to zay."

Searching her face and eyes, a small crease in his forehead began to show, indicating that he was a little bit worried. "Should I not like her?" Was there something he didn't know?

Rhea shifted a little on her stool. Yeah things were getting a bit awkward but she had prepared herself for such a happening. She didn't take her eyes off him as she thought how best to reply to what he had said without sounding jealous or anything, after all she did have a boy friend and he was dating Cosette. Yes that was what he was doing and she needed him to say it. It was all so weird now, she was confused by how she was feeling. She wasn't even sure how exactly she was feeling but he has a bit to do with it." what I want you to do is tell me if you are dating her...I mean, are you too together?"

Rhea shook her head quickly. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing wrong with Cosette and she wasn't bad looking or anything but why her? It seemed that the girl some how always ended up sucking face with a guy she liked, Jack and now Noel. Well with Noel it was an innocent crush, one she developed before she even got in a relationship with Jack, which was why she was here now. Sav had already spilled the beans on her and her and Jack talked about it, but now she wanted to get over it with him too. Or maybe he didn't notice how withdrawn she had been with him after a while, which was probably not fair to him." no, there is nothing you need to know about her, nothing I know anyway. I just..I just want to know if I'm alone with this.." what the this was, she had no idea, but hopefully it would reveal itself soon.

That was a difficult question to tell the truth. Were they dating?

He supposed they were? That was a nice thought to think about. Dating Cosette. He let a small smile on his face for a moment as he stared at the apple in his hand before clearing his throat, and putting the concerned look back on. He really was. "And if we are?" he asked, searching her face once more.

He didn’t understand! Why did she want to know? Was…was Cosette making Rhea ask him? Was it she the one that wanted to know? But, no. What young woman said next had his eyebrows knitting together in thought.

Alone with this… alone with what? Did… "Rhea?" he asked softly, tilting his head to the side slightly and placing his hands on his knees, leaving the apple on the table. "Do you like me?"

She saw the smile. It hadn't escaped her. She was happy that he was happy, wasn't she? Yes she was. But he wasn't exactly making this whole getting everything off her chest thing easy for. She was prepared for answers, not questions from him, so him asking her that completely caught her off guard. She looked at him for a bit before replying, after all what could she say?" if you are..I'm happy...for you... And her" She looked away, now unable to hold his gaze.

His next question caused her eyes to flick back to his face. Her mouth opened and closed a few times but she said nothing. Finally she ran a hand through her hair and slipped off the stool turning her back to him. Yes that was best. Why did he ask that, why did he ask that? How could she possibly answer that? To lie would defeat the purpose of the talk and to tell the truth was just..embarrassing. She didn't know what to do." no! Yes...no..no..I don't know, I did, might, shouldn't..no it doesn't matter...yes it does." She paced, hands running through her hair every few seconds, a sign that she was extremely perplexed. She was just vaguely aware that her sentences were not coherent. Then again her thoughts weren't. She turned to look at him briefly then turned her back again. Best not to look.

It did not help him believe that she was alright if she had to look away. Leaning to the side slightly to try and catch her eye again, there was only a moments second that he did after he had asked his own question before she slid off the stool and turned away from him. Frowning, he blinked a few times, watching her for a moment before his hand found his apple again. This conversation, it was making him fidgety.

No? No, yes. Yes? No? She might have…shouldn’t… what? Perhaps it was a passing crush? He was feeling as much as she looked at the moment. Confused and at a loss as to what to say. Noel waited for a moment, watching her walk back and forth before she finally looked at him. He was going to speak up then, but, once more she had turned around so her back was to him. Tapping his apple on the table gently, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to think of what to say. He was a fool to have not really noticed before. He had liked her, still did in fact, but his eyes were on Cosette, and everyone else was…

Well this was just a hard situation. Standing up from the stool, he let the apple roll around on the table as he took the few steps towards Rhea. "Rhea?" he asked once more, his voice barely above a whisper. Perhaps he should have chosen a quieter place to meet? The house elves were rather loud and he wondered if she had heard him. "Rhea I…I’m, very glad you told me zat." He was. Really was. Even if it was a bit confusing, he got the gist of it. "It muzt not have been eazy after what I said." But, he was starting to feel rather guilty for still standing by his own decision. He wasn't going to change it, but it didn't help at the moment.

Not easy was an understatement. She felt like she had two gaping holes in her chest now, back and front for both Noel and Jack to stare through. This was the second time that she was having one of these'talks'. She had to come clean with Jack only a day ago about everything because Savannah didn't know what being a confidant meant, so she went blabbing, and now hear she was baring it all once again for Noel.

Like with Jack she had expected the reaction that she got. Had she not she was sure she wouldn't have been able to keep the tears at bay, but she was done crying about stuff. She was seventeen years old, and was getting ready to embark on life on her own, she had to learn to deal with situations like this. She had to accept the fact that life was like that, being emotionally wounded was a part of it. Big girls don't cry right? Right. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, trying to once again center herself. Mercifully her eyes were not cloudy anymore, but she still didn't want to look at him, scared that he would see right through her. Her grampy always told her that he could read her soul through her eyes. He said she wore her emotions in them, which was why she never held eye contact in certain situations." and why Noel?" she asked as if picking up from a conversation." why are you glad that I told you that? Because now I feel like I shouldn't have, but I needed to get it off my chest,though.." her voice fell." it didn't help me to feel better." maybe she was just being an overly emotional teenager, maybe not. Her mother would dismiss the latter.

She still was not looking at him. He didn’t know what to do about that. Waiting for an answer, feeling as though he was being way to light on the situation, he raised a hand as if to touch her shoulder but pulled back at the last second. Perhaps that wasn’t such a good idea.

Why? Why was he glad? Well he was going to say she’d feel better but apparently that didn’t work. Only time could help with that. A little smile appeared on his lips, not big enough to reach his eyes but still noticeable before it slowly disappeared as the seconds went by. Reaching up, he laid a hand on her shoulder, leaning to the side to try and see her face. "Rhea, pleaze look at me?" He felt like a monster that she couldn’t look at him.

"But zat iz just it. I know zat, it might take time, but you’ll feel better." Getting things off your chest always made one feel better in time. No 'what ifs' running through your mind and no feeling disappointed that you didn’t say anything when you could have. "I know zat I may not have said what you wanted to hear before…" He was rather sorry for that. "And I am very, truly sorry. It iz my fault. I should have…" Done something? What could he have done? Not be oblivious and had his face in books? Probably. "I just, I really, really hope you don't...hate me." He did not want to ruin their friendship, yet on the other hand, he was beginning to feel like he already did.

Emotional roller coaster. A wild one. That's how she felt. Look at him? He was asking a lot of her at the moment. If she looked at him she was almost positive the tears would fall and she was doing such a good job with holding them back. But she supposed that she ought to be polite and face him, at least that. She sighed and turned around to face him, a quick glance to his face to read his expression then her eyes fell to his shoes and stayed there. Briefly she was reminded of being caught sneaking candy when she was younger and standing infront of her grampy much like she was now, shame faced and eyes glued to his shoes, waiting to be scolded.

Finally she looked up at him and smiled, a small sad smile. Time..mortal man's chief enemy. That line was so cliché. He did have a point though, but she had experience."perhaps you are right Noel. But time...time makes a fool of many." what was that expression? Time heals all wounds..she chuckled, unintentionally and shook her head. What she wanted to hear? What she wanted to hear was that he had a time turner that he was willing to lend so she could go back in time and stuff a sock in Savannah's mouth or at least not tell her." you told me what I expected to hear and thankfully so, because at least I was prepared for it." she looked away again because tears were stinging her eyes and she didn't want him to see." don't apologize to me Noel, you have no reason to be sorry and it definitely isn't your fault." he didn't bewitch her into liking him or anything. And what should he have done? Her brows furrowed then her eyes went back to his, sad and ashamed." I could never hate you, really I couldn't." she could never hate anyone, even if she tried.

Hayley walked into the Kitchen, just wandering around again in her sorrow. Stupid feelings. She sat down on one of the chairs and looked around the kitchen. Man, was she hungry. She sighed and stared at the food along the tables.

Rae made sure everything was set up. Dozens of butterbeer's lined up neatly, along with a whole table full of snacks that the elves had made but Rae helped set up at the table. She had placed a banner hanging from the ceiling saying Congrat's Champion. Then there was a small table almost hidden from all of the balloons and banners and party decor. Atop the small table was a package, it didn't look fancy, just a brown paper package. Tucked underneath the string holding it together was a envelope with "Fletcher" written on it.

The excited Slytherin waited for her two best guy friends, one being champion, and any other's that decided they wanted to join.

Bonnie was H.U.N.G.R.Y!

She walked into the kitchens and bumped into the one person she was looking for. "Hayley! How are you?" She said sweetly. "How'd telling Jayce go?" A distance flutter formed in her stomach at the mere mention of him. She smiled at the elves and asked, "Can we get a two butterbeers aaaaannnnnnnnddddddd two packets of crisps, one sour cream and onion one plain, puleez?" And suddenly the two teens were surrounded by plates and plates of stuff. She handed Hayley a butterbeer and a packet of plain crisps and grabbed a packet of sourcream and onion and a butterbeer for herself.

"Hey," she said suddenly and pulled out two veils of the Haircolor-Changing Potion she made and handed a veil to her cousin. "It's a hair color changing potion I made. Got loads of veils. Just think a color while you gulp the whole thing down and you should get that color for your hair for either 24 hours or 48 hours." Bonnie grinned and gulped down the whole veil and for a second nothing happend then her hair faded from white-blonde to bright bubblegum

P.I.N.K!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by brelovesweasleys

Rae made sure everything was set up. Dozens of butterbeer's lined up neatly, along with a whole table full of snacks that the elves had made but Rae helped set up at the table. She had placed a banner hanging from the ceiling saying Congrat's Champion. Then there was a small table almost hidden from all of the balloons and banners and party decor. Atop the small table was a package, it didn't look fancy, just a brown paper package. Tucked underneath the string holding it together was a envelope with "Fletcher" written on it.

The excited Slytherin waited for her two best guy friends, one being champion, and any other's that decided they wanted to join.

Of course Fletcher was going to attend his own party, even if no one else did. It was in the kitchens and he had no reason not to attend. There was free food and hopefully some of his favorite people!

"Nice set-up, Rae," he grinned, strolling into the party and picking up a butterbeer right away. He popped off the little cap and took a nice big chug. Mmm. Not as good as firewhiskey but just as good in a different way. It warmed the heart and soul.

He wandered around the table, picking at the snacks and taking a good long look at all the decorations. After a few moments, he stumbled upon a small table and his eyes came to rest on a brown paper package with his name on it. OOOOH. Fletcher reached a hand out for it of course but hesitated at the sight of an envelope. Er. You were supposed to wait to open these present thingies, right? And the card came first?

"What's that?" he asked Rae quietly, as if the package would be disturbed by his speaking too loudly.

Seeing Fletcher be the first to attend his own party was actually kind of sad. Rae felt her party planning definitely needed work, get the word out right? Nonetheless she piped right up to greet her guest of honor... Yeah, not much of a turnout right now... Who cares right? "Hey, thanks. I just set out some of the normal stuff." Oh yes, she really had gotten her hands on some firewhiskey... But that wasn't for other people.. It was specifically for Fletcher and her... Sal too if he showed up.

Hm. Now her friend came across the package... He... He didn't pick it up... Why? Rae was a bit confused that he stopped his attempt to retrieve the package. "Its-.. It's just a small gift. Nothing special." So go on... Take it.

Now why was I in charge of bringing it? Wasnt I the one asking for it or is my memory messing with me again?

Salander rushed down the Kitchen corridors, slightly out of breath. He had actually just been to Hogsmeade, trying to rustle up some of that DRINK for Fletcher's party-- the same drink that the lad was promised he'd get if Fletcher won. And won he did. So why was Salander running helter skelter all over Hogsmeade trying to get that DRINK when that should be Fletcher's end of the bargain?

Spotting a vacant bench he plops himself down, raising his hand at his friends to give him a minute to catch his breath. Finally he spoke "I tried to get that DRINK Rae. That broomhilda at the Three Broomsticks wont sell me anything, not even a glass. I tried every excuse-- including the real one!" he said pointing at Fletcher's celebration "She said unless I can fast forward it three months to my birthday she isnt selling me a drop of firewhiskey."

Emmaleigh had hear rumors of a party in kitchens, so she headed that way. She cautiously poked her head in and then entered when she was the banner up. She felt a little awkward, since there wasn't really anyone there. She smiled at Fletcher, "Congratulations, again.'she said. she then looked between him and the girl she assumed had set up the party, and asked, "Is this t-thing open to anyone?" She hoped it was, after all, she had talked Brit into coming too, That is, if she doesn't chicken out.

Rae didn't even remember asking Sal to get the firewhiskey. It really wasn't even a problem for her, to get any. Though she was now reminded when Sal burst in all out of breath... Hehehehe... He actually tried ASKING?! Rae gave a grin which was almost on the brink of laughter, but she held that back. She picked up a cold butterbeer and handed it to him. "Heh.. No worries man... I already got it.." Yeah with no problem either. Poor guy. "Thanks for the effort though. Oh and uh, keep that part of the party quiet alright?" She gave him a wink then opened herself a butterbeer as well.

After a refreshing gulp of her drink she took another look at her Slytherin friend... Still out of breath. "Take it easy.. I think... You take things too seriously.... " Oh... Add one more thing... "For next time.... Don't ask the barkeep." Psh. Just take it..

After she finished talking she found a girl walking into the kitchens. What looked like a first year to her. "Of course it's open to EVERYONE!" Anyone who was for Fletcher that is... Grabbing yet another butterbeer she walked up to the girl to give it to her. "Here, there's food also, and.. If there's anything you want that isn't out here, let me know..." She will get the elves to make it. Hehe.

*Nervous smile* Brittany peaked around the the pear portrait nervously. She had heard about the party but she had also heard that they were mostly Older students so she didnt know how they react to two first years. Em had talk her into coming against her better judgement. But one of her House mates had one the Tournaent and she wanted to celebrate hufflepuff His win. She silently walked over and stood next to em waiting for the others answer.

joey walked in wow its crowded in here to bake cookies."Hello everyone"just so you know i'm baking cookies.i need flower, sugar ,egg,villina,milk,powred sugar and yellow and brown food coloring for the winner of the twt.

Brittany looked up to see a girl walking in annoucing she was baking cookie. Ummm... Okay. She felt awkward so maybe helping her would keep her busy enough till she felt more comfortable. She walked over to her picking up some of the stuff the girl called out on the way. It was a kitchen so the stuff wasnt really that hard to come by. "I have the milk and eggs if you have the flour and sugar." she said with a smile