April 20th
9:00pm

It was evening on Sunday the 20th. Nicola was not alone in the common room as there was a buzz of light chatter from varying ages. The chatter or the conversations she overheard did not particularly bother Nicola or distract her from what she was doing. Nicola had gotten pretty good at drowning out the sounds of ideal chatter, and stupid conversations. The closest conversation was of no interest to her but the high-pitched giggles that sprouted from the gaggling group of girls were a bit harder to drown out. Unfortunately she kept catching a bit of their mindless conversation and Nicola honestly thought she was losing IQ points because of it. Fourteen-year-old girls were the worst when they discovered boys. Nicola tried to just focus on the quidditch article she was reading. It was about the development of a new broom and Nicola was genuinely interested in it but that ear-piercing giggle and shriek kept drawing her from it. “Bollocks,” she grumbled as she looked at up at the girls and rolled her eyes. Nicola didn’t understand the appeal of giggling like that.

With a heavy sigh she went back to reading the article. Nicola had very little belief that she could actually get anything from the article and was pretty sure that the girls would interrupt her again. She was pleasantly surprised as she finished the article without another giggle; it appeared the topic had moved from boys or the boy that had kissed one of the girls. Nicola could have cared less about the particulars and was just happy that the topic of their conversation had moved on.

Nicola curled some hair behind her ear as she flipped the page of the magazine, seeing a picture of the Wasps waving at her. She got that smile on her face that always appeared when she found a new picture of the Wasps. Nicola ripped the page from the magazine, she would put that with her other clippings. Nicola was then set on seeing if there was an article to go along with the picture.

Surprisingly, Gavin had no homework for the weekend. It was odd though since the school year was coming to an end but he didn’t complain. After several nights staying up finishing essays upon essays, Gavin needed a break. When he left the library he decided to go back to the common room. He settled himself on a big leather chair when he entered and found a group of girls giggling for no reason at all. It was probably Gavin, he gave girls butterflies. Girls, if only there was a way to keep their mouths shut he would find them much more attractive. Looking around the room he spotted Nicola reading some sort of magazine. He examined her for a couple of minutes. She seemed to be as agitated as he was with the group of fourth years.

Gavin was close to yelling at the girls, they had no right to be so rude, but he decided to not even bother. He was curious to see what Nicola would do. Why doesn't she just yell at them! Thought Gavin. She is probably too far into her article to even notice them.

“Bollocks,”

Gavin let out a quiet snicker. So she was annoyed. When the girls stopped laughing, clearly the subject changed, Gavin got up and sat next to Nicola.  “Ahh – quidditch.” Gavin trailed off staring at the article. “I don’t know why people consider it such a wonderful hobby but you seem to. Did you eat the page by the way?” Of course he wasn’t serious about her eating the page but he was trying to flirt with her or at least make a joke. Gavin never really enjoyed quidditch like everyone else at Hogwarts. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn’t a great flier when it came down to it. He knew the basics, it was just hard trying to catch the ball. He spent countless times playing with his family members but he never got it down packed. He preferred watching it rather than joining in on the fun. 

As Nicola kept herself busy with the article she felt the wait change where she was sitting and caused her to look up. Ah Gavin Snark. Nicola raised her eyebrow as she looked at him with a look of annoyance on her features. “Yes quidditch,” she understood that not everyone liked the sport or was as fascinated with it as she was but did he need to interrupt her? She closed the magazine, placing the page she had ripped out of it on top of her lap with the magazine. “I enjoy the sport, I cannot play it of course but I can see the talent it takes to play it.” Nicola left it at that feeling she didn’t need to explain herself anymore than she already had.

“Eat the page?” Nicola looked at him with a worried look on her face. “Do you honestly think I would eat the page?” She gave a weak laugh before turning to face him a bit more. “Now what do I owe the pleasure of Gavin Snark’s company for?” Nicola ran her fingers behind her ear to make sure the hair was still in place, it was more out of habit than necessity.

Just as she had settled into the giggle free zone a giggle called out into the room again. She looked over her shoulder seeing the culprits to be the fourth year girls yet again. This time it appeared they were watching Gavin and herself. “Take a picture it last longer,” Nicola gruffly spoke before turning her focus back to Gavin. “Fourth year girls really have no class.” Nicola grumbled, “I was never a gaggling girl giggling over the latest heartthrob in Witch Weekly.” Nicola was rather disgusted with the thought of herself drooling over anyone.

Talent? If only Gavin had some talent with the sport. It was odd the way Nicola was acting around Gavin. He kind of liked it though. She seemed calm, not breathless -- okay he was getting ahead of himself. He laughed at the quiet joke to himself and went on. "Ohh, I see. We'll I'm as good at quidditch as a wizard dueling with no wand." he said with a smirk. He was serious though, he wasn't good at flying but he was amazing at dueling.

"Well I was of course joking, you know ha ha?" she didn't seem like the funny type. "Pleasure? I feel high now. I thought it would be fun talking to someone before I went to sleep. I defiantly don't want to go back to classes." That was a fact. Gavin shifted in his seat and took his jacket off and placed in next to him. It was hot in the common room compared to the library.

When he heard the girls giggling he gave them a wink. It was only to make Nicola more agitated. "How about you girls go to bed okay? Isn't it your bedtime?" He laughed and looked back at Nicola. So far their conversation was a bit boring; he had no energy in him at all. Sundays always seemed to do that to him.

"Girls love to drool over guys, I should know. They are probably jealous of how beautiful you are." Which was partly true, Nicola was a pretty girl indeed. There was a weird feeling Gavin was getting. It felt like friendship which never really happened all the time. Nicola seemed like the type who wouldn't care about a guy like the fourth years did, she had brains.  "You want to go somewhere interesting?"

"Ohh, I see. We'll I'm as good at quidditch as a wizard dueling with no wand."

Nicola wasn’t sure why she found that as amusing as she did, but the comment just brought a smile to her face. “I think I am about the same, I would never play it I might hurt someone.” Nicola was actually quite serious about that statement. The amusement vanished from her face though at his next comment, “I know what a joke is, and laugh when they are funny.” Nicola spoke bluntly with no intention of being cruel or testy in her comments.

Nicola caught the wink and had a nauseous look on her face. “You have got to be kidding me,” she grumbled, “you are just fueling their giggles.” It was boys like Gavin that got the girls giggling. “But I do think it is their bedtime.” If Nicola was at all Head Girl material she have had more of a leadership persona and made that statement seem more like a command than an opinion.

“How beautiful I am?” Nicola was rather unnerved by that statement, as it wasn’t one she often heard directed at her, even in jest. “Yeah right. I am not one to be charmed so easily Gavin.” In truth it was actual quite nice to hear but she was sure it was for the benefit of the fourth years who were no doubt eavesdropping.

“Sure I will go some where interesting,” Nicola rubbed the back of her neck as she moved to get off the couch. “Where is this place of interest?”

Gavin couldn't help but laugh at Nicola. She seemed to have a sense of humor after all. This theory was dropped as soon as she was serious again. "I promise you that you will have a sense of humor after you’re done with me. And I do love getting girls going. Especially girls who are airheads..." He trailed off after the group of fourth years went up to their dormitory rather loudly. He guessed they didn't enjoy his side remark as much as he had hoped. He wanted to have at least two of the girls yell back a rude remark.

“Yeah right. I am not one to be charmed so easily Gavin.”

He smiled, "Well that's what I like about you. If you were, I would've been gone already." He didn’t mean it as a compliment he was actually serious with the whole statement he just presented. She was probably one of the girls that actually had some self respect in this school. So she did think there conversation was boring. Snickering, Gavin got up and pulled Nicola’s hand. He had no idea where he wanted to go.

“Well… wherever your heart desires.” Gavin said standing up facing Nicola. Being in the common room was actually boring, which was why Gavin never spent his time wasting it in there. He usually was in the library catching up on some reading. It was probably a good idea not trail off too far or they would get in trouble by one of those snot nose prefects. He hated them, they always ruined his fun.

“You could pick if you want but…” He thought about the one place where we wanted to see most. One of the secrets of Hogwarts he never ventured in yet. It was his goal to reach before he graduated. Probably half of the school knew where it was by now, since Harry Potter’s rumored club used it so much, but Gavin never listened to the stories. For one he didn’t care and two he wasn’t sure what they were talking about. He wanted to visit the Room of Requirement.

Nicola looked at him a tad offended, before letting out a heavy sigh, “Fine.” She wasn’t going to argue that she had a sense of humour it was a pointless battle. She just was pleased to hear the girls trudging up the stairs to their dorm room. That was one place Nicola never went willingly to the dorms, she hated the female gossip she heard as she lay with the attempt to sleep.

“I definitely get the feeling that you were truthful about not staying around so long,” Nicola respected him more so because of it too but she would leave that to her own thoughts. Gavin was at least showing a little sense, but she was sure that somewhere in him there was that hormonal teenage boy that would stick around if he could charm the right girl. “So you like a challenge then?”

Being pulled up to her feet she looked at Gavin curiously. “I can pick but what?” Nicola had this sneaky suspicion he had a specific place in mind. “Where would you like to go?” Nicola might as well ask rather than being manipulated to choose a specific location.

“Where would you like to go?”

Without another word Gavin took Nicola's hand and ran out the common room. Luckily there was no one outside -- for now. Their steps on the dungeon floor echoed and filled the halls. He didn't even say anything to her; he was too excited to even think of words. His expression was like taking a kid to a candy shop. There was no excuse for the way he was acting, usually Gavin was calm and quiet but Nicola seemed like the type to not brag to the world. They passed many students, probably on their way back to their common rooms, but that didn't stop Gavin. Both of them seemed a bit out of breath but he didn't stop to see if Nicola's hand was detached from the rest of her body.

When he reached the fourth floor he took a rest. He turned to see Nicola, who didn't seem too happy that she was being rushed around, and gave a smile. They took off again but this time Gavin decided it was best to tell her where they were going. "Well... Umm I'm sorry for dragging you like this." He said breathlessly. "I just am so excited; I've never been to the Room of Requirement. I hope you have. It's just..." Gavin came to an erupt hault. There they were, on the seventh floor. But now where to go?

"I hope you know where to go..." He let go of Nicolas hand and sat on the floor gasping for breath. He wasn't sure how Nicola was going to feel after he just dragged her across the school. He expected that she would slap him across the face. He deserved it if she did and would fully understand.

"I'm sorry," He finally told her. "It's just I've never been here... and"

[This thread is continued Here.]

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