The flame-haired angel

Chapter 5: Have you never gone to a Phalangers party? No?! Well, you are invited to one;)

A couple, both in their early twenty, went into "The Three Broomsticks": he was tall, wearing a depth midnight blue with silvery stars robe and coordinated hat and a broom in his hand; she, instead, wore a Muggle rusty blue dress. The two were oddly alike Labour and Weasley.

" ... But dear! How could I make the punch without Cointreau? And a Martini without olives /isn't/ a Martini!"

" Come on my fruit pastry, it's only a family party: nobody will care of olive less Martini."

" You don't understand, hon, aunt Mabelle is so fussy that she would criticize even Merlin! It will be a failure if I don't find all the thing I need!"

" The aunt is only a sour old maid, nobody will care of her soliloquies! Good afternoon, Miss. " the man said with a smile to the barkeeper," we need some things. My apple pie, give to the Miss your list. "

Puffing, the young woman gave a long list to the barkeeper, whom read it rather surprised: she looked at the couple, then the list and again the couple.

" All these alcoholic?!"

" Yes: you have them all, I hope."

" Ah-em... yes madam, just give me a couple of minutes."

The woman went in the store while the couple sat at the counter. The woman sighed.

" Do you think that the sandwiches will be enough? Your brother eats like a pig. And the cake? Will they appreciate uncle Simon's Sacher? Which wine should we use for the sangria? I hope that they won't turn the new carpet in a battleground! And what if the children pour blackberry juice on the couch? It will be impossible remove those stains!"

" Dear, calm down! Everything will go well: the living room will stay untouched and there won't be stains ruining your couches. "

" What if... what if... Oh! I don't dare to think it!"

She exclaimed hiding her face in the chest of the man, whom fondled her back trying to calm her. After about a quarter of hour, the barkeeper went back carrying two bottles filled cartons and glanced at the couple arching an eyebrow.

" Well, Sir, they are.... thirty gallons, eleven sickles and twenty-five knuts. It seem a very... er... crowded party."

" Oh, yes: it's ours first anniversary and we want to have a great party. Ah, toffee chocolate, what are you doing? You couldn't do spells, it would harm the baby."

The man said catching the woman with her wand half raised. She looked at him blinking, and then she whined:

" So you want me to do nothing! How... how... I will grow fat, I will become bigger than aunt Ann and you won't love me any more!"

" But pumpkin pie, I will love you always, even when you'll be bigger than a transatlantic and your feet will kill you!" Replied he hugging her and wiping her tears," C'mon, don't cry. Well, Miss," the barkeeper smiled comprehensive," Thank you so much."

The man reduced the cartons and put them in a leather bag and he got out trying to comfort the crying woman: once out, the two looked at each other grinning and with up thumps and, climbed on their broom, they flew away.

* * *

Tom, entirely taken by panic, read again the piece of parchment that Adrienne had given him before dinner. There was written: right hallway third floor, trap door "Slytherin Chihuahua," go down, always straight up to the fourth room "cruel intentions." Dress in a consistent way. But what they meant with "dress in a consistent way"? It was a birthday party, and thus in an informal way: Tom had something that could be good enough, but it was Evan's party, and he knew that for the quintet "consistent" had an other meaning. Sure, but which? It was common opinion that that grenade has done too many damages; and it was also thought that they were irreparable. But this popular opinion didn't resolve the poor, desperate prefect's problem: the more sensible thing was to ask Evan; but if he understood that his friends had organized a birthday party, Tom knew that Vy would have lynched him. At the very least. The prefect looked at the friend, undecided about what to do. Evan was playing his guitar, often writing something on a score; Tom took a deep breath and sat near him.

" Er... Evan, would you gi-give me an advice?" The guitarist arch an eyebrow and the prefect, blushing furiously, handed him the invitation," Er... A-Adrienne gave me this before dinner and... er... what does it mean?!"

Evan read the parchment, his wide-open eyes recognizing the handwriting; then with a smile from ear to ear he exclaimed elbowing him:

" Bravo, Tommy, bravo! We have a date with Vy tonight, eheh! Casanova..."

If from a side Tom was relieved that his friend had suspected nothing; from the other he was deeply embarrassed: he was so embarrassed, but so embarrassed, that the he had a worrying purplish hue.

" B-but no, what d-do you think! If.... if it is a date... she wo-wouldn't ha-have ask me to bring you too."

The boy arched an eyebrow watching the friend, and then shook his head to push away a thought; he then sighed.

" Ok, ok: now let me get dressed and I go with you. Knowing those two, they have something interesting in store: surely a double date! Ah, if you want to make a good impression on Vy, don't dress like a Bibles seller."

Tom watched his friend while he changed, feeling a great envy for him: often it happened that he wanted to be a bit like him, happy, witty and... why not? Even a little bit superficial and philanderer. But the prefect knew that the odd boy was deeper than it seems. But the thing that he envied more was his relationship with his friends: despite their differences, there was a harmony in that quintet that Tom hadn't seen even inside the Houses, Slytherin first. Evan threw him one of his sweaters, ruffled his hair and loosened his tie's knot grinning and winking.

" Ok pal: two charming damsels are waiting us."

Whistling a happy tune, Evan followed Tom through Hogwarts' hallways and stairs: it was very late and at that time of the night most of the castle's inhabitants slept in their own bed. At a certain points the two friends thought to be lost, but after have turned some corners and gone through a couple of hallways, they reached the trap door: from that point it was impossible make a mistake! Following the directions on the note, Tom and Evan reached the fourth room's door: the first cleared his throat and whispered:

" Co-could you give the password?"

Evan looked him for some minute and mumbled the password: the door opened, allowing them to come in, and then it shut, leaving them in the dark. Evan mentally kicked himself: he had forgotten his wand in the dormitory and thus he couldn't spell even a mere "Lumos". He stretched his arms to grab the friend, but he didn't find him.

" Ehy! Could I know what in the hell is happening?! Audrey? Vy? Tom!"

The lights were turned on, blinding him: in front of Evan there were most of the sixth years and his friends under a banner with written "Happy Birthday Evan!" The black-haired boy shook his head laughing: any squeezed him in a group hug that made him cyanotic; any slapped his shoulders and other gave him a gift. The boy watched the room smiling in approval: on the left was settled a stand with the console, Xavier was the dj; on the opposite side there was a table with the food and a counter, Audrey ready to prepare the different cocktail; the rest of the walls were occupied by soft looking couches and lights lit up the room. It seemed a club. The party began, but it was rather disappointing: the other students thought that there would have been waltz and tango, not disco and pop music; and thus they sat on the couches drinking a glass of punch. Xavier threw a desperate glance to Vy: nobody was having fun, and the party would have been a real failure if they did nothing. Vy took her friend's desperate help request, and decided to ask: but first she approached the table and poured some punch; she spit it disgusted. She went to the counter and took a couple of bottles; she then went back to the table, opened the bottles and poured the content in the cup whistling a melody.

" What are you doing, Weasley?!"

Asked shocked John Doe, the Head Boy; she arched her eyebrows and replied absent-mindedly:

" Nothing, I'm making this watered orange juice a bit tastier."

" That /isn't/ vodka, is it?"

" Yes it is. " she tasted a sip of it," Now it's better. Want to taste?"

" Weasley, are you nuts?! We are at school, and most of us are under age: what will I tell to the Headmaster when he'll know that almost all the sixth year has gotten drunk?!"

" He won't know it, JD: I have made enough HWVV for an army."

" You what?"

" Hyper Weasley Virgin Version, my family's famous anti hangover potion, version revised and correct by moi. Done: now they'll warm up."

In fact, soon the others began to run wild and Adrienne was very busy preparing the cocktails: the girl looked satisfied as the supplies reduce and the guests talk happily. She had made herself the Hogwarts' matchmaker in the '39- in her times the nomination was official: since the first day, she had examined her new schoolmates and she had draw a list with the best matching. Her list included 199 couples among students and teachers. The first two names of the list were Virginia Weasley and Tom M. Riddle. But since when she had compiled the list, her... er... activity was in stalemate: she didn't have enough confidence with everybody to act, but at least a quarter of them were at the party, and she knew that with a small push from her, sooner or later, she would have seen anybody snogging on the couches or sneaking in a broom closet. Her brother waved a hand at her from the stand and asked for something to drink; she nodded and asked to Robin Thoreau, a sixth year Ravenclaw, to bring Xavier a cold butterbeer. The Hufflepuff dj played a bit of dance, house and hip hop; then some American Latin dances and group dances to end with a couple of slow dances, favoring his twin's matchmaking; while the disco music filled the room at full volume, he had a note from Adrienne: after have it read, Xavier turned down the volume and, grinning, took the mike and said:

" All right guys, we have danced enough! Be ready: it's truth or dare time!!" Everybody cheered," Now I'll explain the rules for whom doesn't know them; at turn, the well-known question will be asked: if you'd choose truth, you have answer sincerely, /whatever/ the question will be; if you'd choose dare, instead, you have to accept the dare, if not, it'd turn in a double dare! We begin with our guest of honor: Evan, truth or dare?"

The questions were really indiscreet and personal, but the teenagers were so full of alcohol that they answered without restrain: a seven year Hufflepuff listed all the places in which she had been with her boyfriend; a fifth year Gryffindor that once he had been able to force the

Astrology Professor's office's door and copy the exams' papers; a sixth year Ravenclaw, instead, that he had catch Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey in a... er... compromising attitude; and so on. Adrienne targeted her "truths" and "dares" to love declarations, kisses and the infamous seven-minutes-in-heaven. But usually the dares were more embarrassing, weird and bizarre: who went in Professor Etul's chambers to hang garlic necklaces, crosses and ash stakes around his coffin; who slashed the Great Hall with obscene writings and drawings; who stole something from the Trophy room or the Headmaster's office and even worse. Attilius, for example, was dares to go in the Slytherin girl dorm, completely naked and yelled "Wake up girls: your sex idol is here!": sure, Evan followed him to let him slip in the snakes' lair -and to shoot everything with Xavier's video camera; once back at the party, the Ravenclaw scanned the teenagers: he noticed McGonagall's nervousness and, read in her mind, he asked grinning:

" Minnie McGonagall, truth or dare?"

The future Transfiguration Professor froze and, blushing furiously she said dare. Att's smile widened and he threw a glance to his friends.

" I dare you to... seven minutes in heaven with Evan."

Evan arched an eyebrow, then reached Minnie -who was redder than even-, helping her to get up, and said huskily:

" Don't worry, dear: I will be very delicate."

" Hey, won't you have all the fun for yourself?!"

Half angry and half upset Adrienne exclaimed. Evan grinned and winked.

" Why, Audrey? Are you jealous?" the girl nodded frowning, " Att, you mind if she join us?"

Attilius shook his head with a small smile; while the Hufflepuff reached the couple and, took the Gryffindor's hand, she said theatrically:

" Come with us, Minnie: we'll bring you in heaven."

They went in a broom closet and anybody glued the ear to hear what happened. OMISSIS (I don't feel enough perverse to describe a ménage à trois). When the seven minutes were up, John Doe knocked at the door, urging them to go out: a grunt was the reply. He knocked again and stronger, and only after a half dozen of attempts the door opened.

" Phew, you could give us some more minutes!"

Evan grumbled buttoning his shirt; behind him Adrienne adjusted her stockings and dusted her skirt; last to go out, it was McGonagall: her hair and clothes were messy and an ecstatic expression was on her face. Audrey hugged her and said wiping a tear:

" Poor girl, those bad guy barely let us to reach Eden! Don't worry, we'll make up one of these days."

They played for half an hour; and after Adrienne told how she had found out to be bisexual, she grinned to Tom and asked him truth or dare. Tom swallowed nervously, small sweat drops pearl his forehead and upper lip: if he chose truth, he ran the risk to admit that he liked Vy, and if dare that he could have kissed her. From a side the idea allured him, he wanted to do both; but from the other... he would have been the redhead's punch bag again.

" D-d-da-dare?"

" Well, eheheheheh... " She said with a unreassuringly smile," I dare you to french Vy."

" A /french/?!"

" What's a french?"

" Don't you know what's a french?!"

Exclaimed Audrey, Evan, Att and Xavier at the unison; Tom shook his head looking at them naively. The Hufflepuff girl sighed and waved her wand: now she was half stretched on an enormous red velvet, rose shaped couch with pink and red heart shaped pillows; wearing a super sexy red lace dress that left not much to the imagination; on her knees there was a pink book and behind the couch, Evan...

" Ehy! Why this stupid Cupid costume: diapers ruin my image!"

Ignoring his words, Audrey stroked the book with reverence. Vy looked at her with horror.

" That... that / isn't/ what I think, is it?"

" It is," said the chestnut haired girl with a malicious smile," it is." she raised the book so that everybody could read the title, The Fanfics K book- for Lovers Only, " Bow before the display of the perversion of hundreds and hundreds of fans! I, supreme matchmaker, to give an exhaustive explanation to this profane" pointed with disgust Tom," I will read a passage from this book!"

She opened it and skimmed through the pages in search of a proper passage while everybody waited with anxiety. Well, /almost/ everybody: Vy, desperate, was hitting her head against the wall repeating that they couldn't do this to her; Tom was so pale to seem a ghost, afraid to be -for the umpteenth time- hit by the redhead. Adrienne sigh disappointed and shook her head.

" I hoped to find something enough detailed about the two of you, but I will be satisfied with an other couple: to don't digress too much, however, I have chosen a passage from Mistaken Identity, whose protagonists are Hermione and Draco."

" What?" Vy whispered frozing," my... my brother's girlfriend AND that bouncing ferret?! I... I don't want to believe it: it is... it is perverse! Audrey you're a sadist!"

" Ehy hon, if I really am a sadist, I would have chosen the Hermione/Snape couple!" Vy took a /healthy/ greenish shade," and you two, if you refuse to exchange some saliva, I'd make you do the second part of the sixth chapter and the first part of the seventh chapter of Walking Higher!!"

" I have read that fanfic!" Exclaimed Evan happily," I would never have believed that you were so kinky and nymphomaniacs: do it three times in a row; the first time against a wall with her manacled; the second with her tied to the wheel and he cutting her thigh; and the third... luckily it wasn't described, I can't think about something kinkier than the previous times!"

The Slytherin prefect and the redhead looked at each other sickened; then Vy took deep breaths, got up and finally said firmly:

" As soon as I'll go back in the dorm, I will write a letter to JK Rowling asking her to put an end to these obscenity by legal way!"

" Er... Virginia," Attilius said with nonchalance," this /isn't/ the official series: five books compose that at the moment. Our author -who hides her identity with an absurd nickname, maybe she's ashamed by what she write- is rather perverse and sadistic, and I think that she has intention to insert a good number of explicit scenes, considering from what she is making us do today."

" T-then y-you know what... what happened in my... my first year!"

" Officially no. " Added Xavier," but being creatures of this perverse mind, we know some things. You know, the author has had interesting dialectical exchanges about what really happened in the Chamber of Secret: if it was true, if it was a farce, if you have been only spellbound, if Tom has raped you too... "

" Ehy, I have never touched a girl, especially Weasley!" Tom whined defending himself, " At worst she would rape me!"

" I would touch you only to hit you, thus take off this fantasy from your little brain!" Shouted the redhead in a dangerous attack of hysteria; she then thought a moment and added," Ehy, then the only to not know were Tom and I!"

" Yeah!"

Said with nonchalance everybody. Adrienne settled on the couch, tossed her hair behind her shoulders and opened the book.

" Well, we close this parenthesis and talk about more important things: before I will read this passage, and before your dare will be over. "

" No, right now that the topic is becoming interesting!"

A fifth year Ravenclaw complained. Adrienne looked sideways at him and began to read with increasing emphasis.

" (...) She looked into his face. His eyebrows cast his eyes into the shadows, but they still blazed like a blue topaz. She loved the shape of his nose and the way his nostrils flared slightly over that corporeal mouth. The firm determination of his jaw and chin had always appealed to her. It showed a man of character. The lines shining from his eyes confirmed he was a man full of wit and charm. She studied him for long moments, thinking only about how much his face appealed to her, how much she liked the roguish unkemptness of platinum blonde hair, how much she loved the man, even his arrogance and highhandedness. That made it easy for her to lean forward and press her mouth to his.

He lay pliable and motionless. His lips remained closed. At first she only pressed her mouth harder against his. But this wasn't the way he kissed her, not even at the first kiss. Audaciously she lightly touched his lips with her tongue, and then quickly withdrew it.

"Oh, yes, Hermione," he groaned, lifting one of his hands to her back and stretching his fingers wide over it.

When she pressed her tongue forward again, his lips were parted slightly and it slithered into the wet heat of his mouth. She let out a small moan when the tip of her tongue touched his. Without thinking twice about it, she inched up and over him, higher and closer, as her head bent over his. Her hair formed a curtain on either side of them. His free hand weaved itself through the silky strands. She raised her hands and dug her fingers into his hair, holding his head fast as her mouth let loose its hunger. Her tongue thrust against his and he responded. They plunged and parried with each other. The kiss became more passionate with each passing second until they turned in a whirlwind of passion.

Her thighs slid open to straddle him. When he sent his tongue delving into the depth of her mouth, she inertly rolled her hips forward.... "

" ... and I don't go further because many pueri are under age." Everybody grumbled unhappy, as they yet foretasted the scene," Well, Tom and Vy, hurry so we could play. Ah, one last thing: being a french, it must last a minute. Bro, time them."

Tom sighed and knelt in front of Vy, looking at her hesitant: his hesitation rose from various factors. The first was that, in his sixteen years of life, he have /never/ kissed a girl -apart Myrtle, but she was like a sister for him; besides it was on her forehead- and even if Adrienne had given him an... er... example, he didn't know how to do. Besides do a such thing made him a bit sick: I mean, nobody has a perfect mouth, who has bad breath, who has decayed tooth... to don't speak about herpes and glandular fever! It is absolutely anti-hygienic! And the danger of life was he in? If she hit him if only he told her "A", just imagine what she would have done if he kissed her! Evan, still in his Cupid costume, puffed and kicked the prefect's bottom, pushing him on the redhead: their lips pressed. Tom shut his eyes frozing and sweating cold, sentences like "nowshehitsmenowshehitsmenowshehitsme" crossed his mind: he wished to raw back and avoid a long stay in the hospital wing, but he wasn't able to move. The kiss seemed to never end; then, when time was over, Evan grabbed him by his nape and set him on a couch while Vy ran in the bathroom for mouthwash-and-disinfectant gargling.

" Puah! And would that be a french?!" Mumble Xavier," It was a simple pressure: it's so innocent, that I could do it with my sister if it wouldn't disgust me."

" Ah, so am I disgusting?!"

" No, it's just the idea to kiss you to upset my stomach."

Adrienne opened her mouth to reply, when Vy went back wiping her lips, on her face was painted an objective: revenge. She forced Tom to ask her a stupid question and she then addressed to the chestnut-haired girl a wicked look and smile. Adrienne stared in her eyes and swallowed: after all, she was a woman of honor, and she would have come out with honor. She chose dare.

" MWAHAHAHAHA! I dare you, Xavier, Att and Evan to sing and dance Lady Marmelade Moulin Rouge style at the Halloween contest!"

" Nooo! What do I have to do with your revenge, Virginia?!" Evan beg on his knee," What have I done to you to deserve this?! I couldn't show dressed like a Belle Époque whore! What will be of my image?!"

" I don't care a damn of your image! You all agree: you have plotted this!"

" That's not true!" Attilius said handing pop-corn and coke to the others, whom were enjoying the free show," our intentions are to make you befriend with Riddle."

" It's all my sis's fault: she's the one to have strange ideas in her underdeveloped brain!"

" Oh, thanks a lot bro! But remember that my brain isn't as underdeveloped as your! And sorry if I'm only trying to help. If you think that we must be punished, Vy, we accept your dare," Att and Xavier nodded, " I want Mya's part!"

" It's unfair!" Shouted Evan," Three VS one isn't fair! She too must do a shameful thing at the contest or you could say goodbye to my History of Magic's notes!"

" Ok," Adrienne puffed, " you and Tom will sing something stupid at the contest. Happy Evan?"

" Something Stupid?" Vy exclaim," but I have only Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman's version..."

" Noo! You do everything wrong Audrey! You must be more perverse! Something like... I don't know.... like a rain dance wearing nothing but a chicken on her head for example; not Something Stupid, which could be considered a normal song here!"

" Evan, you are so hard to please!"

Everybody exclaimed.

They continued to play still a little bit, then everybody ran wild again: by now the alcoholic rate in their blood was high, and yet anybody was in a comatose state on a couch or pukingin the bathroom; others, like John Doe and Julia O'Connor -a fifth year Gryffindor, were snogging for the joy of Adrienne, whom crossed names out her list. Around 3: 50 AM, Vy sat tiredly on a stool and ordered an other margarita: she had yet drank half glass when Adrienne told her that the food was almost run out and asked her to go to the kitchen -because she was the only to know where it was- to take some and to tell the house helves to bring the cake. The redhead was so drunk that she agreed to be accompanied by the Slytherin prefect. With a glance, Adrienne said to Tom to take advantage of the greedy opportunity that she had offered him. Soon, the two students were alone in Hogwarts' deserts hallway: the moonlight gave an eerie look to the hallways, where they heard their footsteps and Peeves's far voice sing an obscene song. Tom wasn't able to remove his eyes from Vy: her hair in tight curls, was held back by light brown mirrored sunglasses; she worn a cream cashmere wool half thigh length tunic with 3/4 sleeves and a fancy belt around her hips, and... stiletto heeled sandals. The belt, with its light jingle, drew his attention, also because it emphasized the sensual sway of her hips. Tom hadn't had more than three drinks, but he felt the alcohol knock the restraints of his shyness and education received at orphanage: how much he tried, he was unable to not wonder if she was wearing something under that short tunic, or about how would have been smooth her body beneath his hands... beneath....

" Have you read today's Daily Prophet?" Tom whisper trying to stop that train of throughs," There was an article about the war on the continent: it said that about fifty wizards have been captured by the Germans."

" Yes, I read it: it is a mere coincidence, the Muggle has never been able to recognize a wizard even if he lived at the next door."

" I don't think so: those wizards.... they all are Grindelwald's enemies. You know, I have heard that he is in collusion with Hitler."

" Really?" Vy arched an eyebrow," On what these suspicions rest?"

" Well, in these last times I have read the newspapers every day, and Grindelwald has been seen often with that man. Moreover it said that it was he to give the Holy Lance to Hitler and to urge him to search the Holy Grail. He's a fool."

" Who? Grindelwald?"

" No, Hitler: it is obvious that he's only Grindewald's tool! Puah, conquer the world: there are nobler aims to pursue."

Vy watched him amazed: was him the same boy that, in few months, would have open the Chamber of Secret freeing the basilisk? Who would have killed, tortured and fooled to conquer the Wizarding World? Was him the future Lord Voldemort, so feared that only few dare to say his name?! She laughed at this thought and asked boldly:

" Ah, really? If don't you want to conquer the world, then what in the hell do you want to do in your life?"

" Oh well I... " He blushed and scratched his nape," I want to deal with children: I love them! Before come to Hogwarts, I wanted to become a pediatrician or a teacher. I think about study medicine and realize my dream: create an institute for orphan wizards. You know, both Mimì and I haven't had an easy life at the Mount Calvary Institute: the children mocked us or used our powers, and Father Ralph said that we were demon's children. Till the last year there was an other boy grown in an orphanage, Edward Suckling, and he too has had an experience like mine; I have draw my conclusions and... it's not fair that other children suffer like Edward, Mimì and I. Ecate, I don't hate Muggles, but... well, if things keep going in this way, somebody could go mad and decide to kill all the Muggle because he is convinced that they are all wicked. " Vy looked at him in shock," Sure, almost all Muggles that I know hasn't behaved well with me, but others... like Mimì's adoptive parents or Mrs. Properbeam are comprehensive, even with those of our kind. And you, what do you want to do in your life?"

" I want to be the most known rock singer in the world, both Wizarding and Muggle; earn lots of money and make be green with envy all those that has mocked my family because our poverty! MWAHAHAHAHA!"

The redhead shouted in the desert hallway. Tom, scared, looked around to make sure that nobody had heard the girl's shouts: it seemed as if nobody had noticed, however he thought that it was better be more careful. They had just crossed the Great Hall, where they admired the illustrated story of the passionate love between Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey told in smallest details; when he pushed her in a dark hallway and hushed her placing two fingers on her lips: soon, they heard footsteps; the caretaker's limping steps. Mr. Magpie stopped leaning on his staff in front of the hallway, and sifted the shadows with his eyes, he then went away: if he had been Professor Etul, he would have surely caught them. Tom breathed out the breath he was holding, and only then he realized in which situation he was: one of his hand squeezed spasmodically Vy's shoulder, while the other was still on her lips; her curls tickled his nose and her back pressed against his chest. They were too close. Inhaling deeply, Vy's sensual vanilla and ginger smell mixed with sweat filled his nostrils making go off a delicate mechanism buried in the deeps of his mind; suddenly Tom felt constrained in his pants. When he opened the eyes, Tom melt in the azure of her eyes: Vy glanced at him unconsciously inviting, her lips slightly open under his fingers; he stroked her lower lip and grabbed her chin between two fingers gently pulling her toward him.

She didn't oppose.

" Ah, Virginia, I... "

He didn't say other, but pressed his own mouth on her: she was soft and warm, a warmth that he wanted to taste fully. He massaged her lips with increasing passion; and when she began to suck his lower lip, oh Ecate! He could do nothing but want more. This kiss wasn't like the first, it was more passionate, deeper... truer. Tom noticed a faint taste of margarita and cherry on her lips, and feeling bolder, he stroked them with the tip of his tongue to taste her better, and then slipped inside her mouth: beyond the cocktail's vague taste, he felt a sweet taste that belonged to her only; and something hard and metallic in the center of her tongue, something that made him shiver with pleasure. He tilted slightly his head and their mouths interpenetrated; his tongue caressed the inside of her cheeks, her teeth, her palate... everything. Their breaths became more panting with every passing second; their lips danced together. Soon Tom desired more: melt in her embrace, sink in her damp warmth; hear her whisper his name... Tom wanted Vy. His right hand stroked gently her check, while the left slipped on her side, her thigh; then it slipped beneath the tunic's edge; he grazed her stomach, stopping to toy with the piercing on her navel; he finally went back on her hip and slipped between the skin and the culottes' fabric going slowly toward her center.

" Ah... please Tom, no-not... "

Vy breathed in his mouth. At once Tom loosened the embrace and stood back; he then lowered his head and, blushing to the tip of his ears, he stammered:

" So-sorry, I.... di-didn't want t-to...."

He shut his eyes, sure to be -rightly- hit for the umpteenth time. Vy watched him for a long time, with an illegible expression painted on her features; she then sigh and went off from the boy.

" Hurry before a teacher catchs us: the kitchen isn't far."

They didn't speak, and for the rest of the evening, they avoided each other.

* * *

That Sunday morning, the students had breakfast in their Common Rooms: that night Peeves had done a mess and that he had turned the Great Hall in a pitiful state. Most sixth year, plus few fifth and seventh years, got up very late and with the best headache of their lives, which went away after have gulped down a sip of the infamous HWVV. Despite it was late autumn, it was a fine day, and with a cloak, it was nice stay outside: the courtyards of Hogwarts and the lakefront were filled with new couples. Adrienne, while she walked with her brother and her friends, looked proudly at the cooing sweethearts, whom greeted her with smiles and thanks. But the matchmaker wasn't entirely satisfied, she hoped that spark had been born between her friend and Tom, but she had the impression that her first attempt was a failure: the two avoided each other since when they had gone back from kitchen. Att must face the sixth year Slytherin girls, angry because he had gone in their dorm naked: the blond looked at them simulating amazement and he affirmed that they had a wrong idea about him and that if he has ever done such a thing, he would have done it in the boys dorm. He said goodbye them affirming to be proudly gay and going away with Xavier. After a little bit, McGonagall joined them asking to talk privately with Evan and Adrienne, leaving Tom and Vy alone: she surely wanted to talk about what had happened the previous night; in fact, straight after, Vy saw Adrienne hug the Gryffindor prefect and Evan smile malicious.

The wind rose between the redhead and the Slytherin prefect, catching the dead leaves in a whirl: Tom glanced at her silent and undecided, then sighed and said:

" Weasley, about what happened yesterday, I... well, I just wanted to tell you that for me it meant something."

She looked in his eyes for long instants, she then went back to stare the crinkled surface of the lake.

" Nonsense, Riddle: we were both drunk."

Vy ran a hand in her hair, turned and went back inside the castle, leaving behind her a whirlwind of dead leaves and Tom's broken heart.

TBC

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I have decided to suspend writing "The Transfiguration Professor and the Mediwitch": it is a story that deserves its independence and I will write it as soon as possible.

You could read the quoted fanfics on FF.net and their authors are respectively angel-eyes and Faith Accompli: they are very valid works and I suggest you to read them.

Historical note: I feel the need of this "show of knowledge" just to make you understand from where I got the idea for Grindelwald and Hitler's accord. Thanks to all the documentaries about Nazism and World War 2 that I have seen with my father, I learned about the insane passion of Hitler for Paganism and Magic: in fact, it is documented that he owned the Holy Lance and, after the landing in Normandy, a SS department -if I remember well, it was quite them- grazed to the ground a village near the Pyrenees because they thought that the Holy Grail was in that area. Besides how don't forget the archaeological consignment in Himalaya that has inspired the film "Seven years in Tibet"? For what concerns Grindewald, instead, in the first book is said that Dumbledore defeated him in 1945: thus, if Harry Potter's world were real, it would be founded an accord between these two characters. If there are errors in this note, is all due to my scarce memory and a painkiller clouded mind.

P-chan