STRANDED (IAIN)

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, background-color: #fff; width: 505px; border-top: 10px #95D9DE solid, bTable] ☼ sunshine YOU CAN BE MY HIDING. THAT WAS THE BEST THING TO DO IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS. DORCAS HAD JUST KISSED REMUS CUTIE-PIE LUPIN OUT BY THE LAKE. SHE'D DONE WHAT SHE LONGED TO FOR TWO YEARS, AND NOW SHE REGRETTED IT. WELL...THE KISS WAS PERFECT. NOW THE AFTERMATH COULD BEGIN. AND IT DID. DORCAS HURRIED TO THE HUFFLEPUFF COMMON ROOM AND LOOKED AROUND, SEEING NO ONE. SHE PLOPPED HERSELF ONTO THE SOFA AND TURNED ONTO HER STOMACH, BURYING HER FACE IN ONE OF THE BLACK AND YELLOW STITCHED PILLOWS THAT DECORATED THE ROOM. SHE WASN'T SO UPSET THAT SHE CRIED, BUT SHE CERTAINLY FELT ON THE VERGE OF TEARS. WHAT IF SHE RUINED THEIR FRIENDSHIP? WHAT IF HE WAS DISGUSTED BY HER? AND WORSE - WHAT IF HE DIDN'T LIKE HER BACK? ### WORDS GAH SHE'S FREAKING OUT! WHO CARES ABOUT CLOTHES, RIGHT? ---------------- CREDIT

[iainmurray]

It was no wonder the common room was empty - it was a perfectly excellent day, after all. Perhaps one of the last excellent days out there, because you never knew when the Scottish weather decided to switch from summer to autumn within a few hours (and just as easily back again a day or so later).
Iain had wanted to go and lounge outside and make the best of the weather - Cailean had insisted that even though it was a very nice day, that essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't going to be any easier the longer they waited. In the end, it was Cailean, always the diplomat, who came up with a compromise: they would enjoy the surprisingly good weather for an hour or so, and then go inside to both get to work. Iain had agreed, but only under the condition that they could study in the Hufflepuff common room rather than the library or Ravenclaw. People tended to get annoyed by Iain's manner of studying (as it involved a lot of tapping his fingers, shifting in this seat, sighing, or muttering under his breath), but his own common room wasn't so bad.

"..they really just expect me to deduce what a spell is from the wand-movement? Because I can't," Iain objected. The subject of the essay was countering non-verbal curses. "And what are the odds of me duelling in the first place - and then what are the odds of me duelling someone who can do nonverbal spells, right? I just don't see how it is relevant." This was basically Iain's way of trying to talk his way out of an assignment because he didn't think he could do it - and Cailean knew it.
"It's only an essay," he reassured his brother. It was strange because he looked in every way the same as Iain, but didn't seem to be drenched in static electricity. "There is only theory involved and with your gob you don't have to worry about length," Cailean gently joked. "Just make sure it's not too rambly. These-" he put the books he'd gotten in the library earlier "-are all we need, you just need to pick out the right bits of information and put them in the right order."
Iain plonked into a chair at the table which was now covered in books. "Fine," he groaned, running a hand through his hair and casting a last longing gaze outside. "Let's just get it over with." He rested one of his feet on Cailean's thigh when his brother sat down next to him and pulled the first book towards him - the biggest, because that would make it seem the worst was over when he'd gone through that one, right?

Neither of them had noticed Dorcas. The room had been so silent and still and they didn't expect anyone to be there, really, plus the boys could sometimes get a bit absorbed by each other's company (which, to link to an earlier conversation Iain and Dorcas had, is probably the real reason why neither of them has a girlfriend).
Once Dorcas had decided to come out of hiding, though? Iain would probably be very glad for the distraction.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, background-color: #fff; width: 505px; border-top: 10px #95D9DE solid, bTable] ☼ sunshine YOU CAN BE MY DORCAS' HEART RACED IN HER CHEST AND SHE FELT IT THROUGH HER CLOTHES, POUNDING ON THE CUSHIONS BENEATH HER BODY. HER HAIR WAS WILD AROUND HER FACE, BUT SHE DIDN'T CARE. SHE SOBBED FOR A MOMENT BEFORE DRYING HER TEARS AND TURNING OVER ONTO HER BACK, SHIFTING HER HEAD SO AS TO STARE AT THE FIRE. SHE IMAGINED REMUS' FACE BEFORE HER, AND THE WONDERFUL KISS THEY'D SHARED. HIS LIPS FELT SO NATURAL ON HERS, AND SHE YEARNED TO FEEL THAT MAGIC AGAIN. IT WAS THE GREATEST SPARK OF MAGIC INSIDE HER THAT SHE'D EVER FELT BEFORE. GREATER THAN A CHOCOLATE FROG, OR DISCOVERING A FAVORITE BERTIE'S EVERY-FLAVOURED BEAN. GREATER THAN PERFORMING A PATRONUS OR FINALLY APPROACHING A HIPPOGRIFF AFTER TAKING THE TIME TO GAIN ITS RESPECT. NO, THIS MAGIC WAS MUCH MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY OF THOSE THINGS, AND SHE COULD FEEL IT STUFFING HER WITH COMPLICATIONS. AT LAST SHE RAISED HER HEAD, CURIOUS AS THE SOUND OF SCRIBBLING QUILLS FILLED THE ROOM. GAZING OVER THE TOP OF THE COUCH, SHE SAW CAILEAN AND IAIN SITTING AT THE HUFFLEPUFF TABE, APPARENTLY WORKING ON SOME SORT OF ASSIGNMENT. SHE KNEW THIS WAS A REGULAR SIGHT FOR HER, BUT IT WAS JUST WHAT SHE NEEDED. ALTHOUGH SHE HATED TO INTERRUPT THEM - MAINLY BECAUSE SHE KNEW CAILEAN WOULD BE ANNOYED WITH HER DOING SO - DORCAS NEEDED IAIN'S ADVICE. OR EVEN JUST HIS SILENCE - BUT, LET'S FACE IT, WHEN WAS IAIN EVER SILENT ABOUT ANYTHING? ESPECIALLY -GULP- ROMANCE. SHE GOT UP OFF THE COUCH AND SAT BESIDE IAIN, LEANING HER HEAD ONTO HIS. DOE CLOSED HER EYES AND SAT THERE FOR A MOMENT, SURE THAT HE WAS INTERESTED IN WHY SHE SEEMED SO SOLEMN. SHE MIGHT HAVE APPEARED SAD, BUT REALLY DOE WAS FLOATING ON AIR. SHE WAS IN A COMPLEX RANGE OF EMOTIONS. SHE FELT MESMERIZED, AND YET TERRIFIED. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, SHE TITLED HER HEAD UP AND SOFTLY SAID, "I KISSED REMUS LUPIN." ### WORDS GAH SHE'S FREAKING OUT! WHO CARES ABOUT CLOTHES, RIGHT? ---------------- CREDIT

[iainmurray]

Love was something Iain was only familiar with by-proxy. He had read about it a couple of times (don't tell anyone, but he enjoys reading Jane Austen novels, actually - one of the few things he will sit still for) and heard about it (sometimes against his will - what was it with some students wanting to play out theyr dramatic lovelife in the great hall during dinner?). What Dorcas was experiencing now, it was foreign to him. He got passionate about things sometimes, but that was not the same, really.

Iain looked up when Dorcas sat down next to him so quietly. Of course it immediately shot his focus to bits, but that was okay. Why was Doe so quiet? He caught Cailean's gaze, who had about as much the ability to look into girls minds as his brother (i.e. none at all), and he shrugged a little, unsure of what was going on either.
With Dorcas' warm weight resting against him gently, he tried to keep concentrating on his task at hand. Surely Dorcas could sit there with them like this? Cailean, who was known to get a little annoyed with Iain's chaotic moods every once in a while, didn't seem to mind much either, just shot Dorcas a smile that balanced between 'welcome' and 'sympathy' (just to be on the safe side) and turned back to his scribbling. Dorcas wasn't disturbing them, she was quiet.
But then that was the problem, that she was so quiet. Iain found his thoughts drifting back to that every time no matter how hard he tried and no matter how stoically he kept rereading the paragraph he'd been analysing.

And then his friend spoke up, muttering just besides her ear. Iain dropped his quill, splotching ink over his notes - oh well, they were only notes.
Dorcas had kissed Remus Lupin!
"What! You did?" For a moment, he grinned widely - though it then rapidly died down and he frowned. "Is, uhm- is that good or bad?" he asked, trying to conform his mood to Doe's. Cailean looked up and rolled his eyes (though smiling) and turned back to his writing as though undisturbed. There was no way he was going to get Iain to focus until the story had been told, so he'd be patient and wait. The had the entire evening.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, background-color: #fff; width: 505px; border-top: 10px #95D9DE solid, bTable] ☼ sunshine YOU CAN BE MY DOE BLUSHED HARD, HER ENTIRE CHEEKS FLUSHING A SWEET PINK. "YES, I DID," SHE ANSWERED, THEN CHUCKLED A BIT. SHE KNEW IAIN WOULD REACT THIS WAY. MAYBE THAT WAS WHY SHE WANTED TO TALK TO HIM - FOR ASSURANCE THAT IT HAD, IN FACT, BEEN A GOOD IDEA TO KISS REMUS? SURELY, IT WAS. EVEN IF IT DID EFFECT THEIR FRIENDSHIP, AT LEAST HE'D KNOW SHE WAS INTERESTED IN SOMETHING MORE, RIGHT? SHE WOULDN'T HAVE KISSED SOMEONE SHE ONLY THOUGHT WAS A FRIEND. CLEARLY, SHE WAS DELUSIONAL. IF REMUS LUPIN LIKED HER, HE WOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING BY NOW, RIGHT? BESIDES, EVERYTHING WENT MUCH BETTER IN HER HEAD. WHENEVER SHE'D DREAMED OF THE FIRST KISS SHE AND REMUS SHARED, IT DIDN'T GO LIKE IT HAD IN REAL LIFE MINUTES AGO. INSTEAD, HE TOLD HER HOW SPECIAL SHE WAS, AND BEAUTIFUL. AND KISSED HER AGAIN. BUT INSTEAD, SHE RAN AWAY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SHE DID; SHE WAS A COWARD. OF WHAT, THOUGH? REJECTION? OR REMUS, HIMSELF? SHE REALLY JUST WASN'T SURE WHAT TO THINK. REMUS WAS A FRIEND, CERTAINLY, BUT WOULD HE MAKE FUN OF HER TO OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR KISS? TELL THEM SHE WAS BAD? UGLY? SO MANY QUESTIONS RAMBLED IN HER HEAD THAT SHE ALMOST WANTED TO SCREAM. BUT DOING SO RIGHT IN IAIN'S EAR WAS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST IDEA. SO INSTEAD SHE TURNED TO HIM AGAIN, AFTER GLANCING AT CAILEAN WHO CONTINUED HIS WORK, AND SHRUGGED. "I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW," DOE SIGHED, WRAPPING AN ARM AROUND IAIN'S WAIST IN A SIDEWARD HUG. "WE WERE LAYING BY THE LAKE AND I LEANED IN AND KISSED HIM...AND THEN I RAN AWAY HERE. I DUNNO...MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE JUST KEPT IT TO MYSELF," SHE SAID, LOOKING UP AT HIM. "BUT I'VE LIKED HIM FOR SO LONG. WHAT IF HE DOESN'T FEEL THE SAME?" ### WORDS GAH SHE'S FREAKING OUT! WHO CARES ABOUT CLOTHES, RIGHT? ---------------- CREDIT

[iainmurray]

Iain suppressed the urge to go 'aww!' at Dorcas' blushing. That wasn't what she needed, was it? He also relinquished the frown and traded it for a grin again. He definitely felt more like grinning than frowning. Kissing was good, right? The few times he'd tried had been pretty okay, anyway. Kissing was affection and affection was great. No one should ever feel bad about kissing.. right?
Cailean seemed to understand the delicacies of it all a little better, perhaps because he was more alike to Remus (more quiet and studious, for one thing) than Iain was.

Both brothers listened to Doe's summary of her afternoon with the Gryffindor Head Boy, Iain all ears and Cailean while multitasking and dotting a few forgotten i's.
"Well," the older twin said, finally putting his quill aside. "Just because he didn't say, doesn't mean he doesn't like you, right?" He kicked Iain's shin gently. "We're not all as outspoken as my baby brother is." Iain rolled his eyes at him and grinned, though didn't reply to Cailean, instead turning to Dorcas. "Plus you haven't really given him any time to reply, did you, running off like that?" He glanced at Cailean sideways while wrapping an arm around his friend. "If he is as hesitant and awkward around girls as 'Lean is, he would need at least a few minutes to calm down from the sheer awesomeness of you." Iain really didn't know Remus very well, but he figured boosting Dorcas' confidence was the best thing to do right now. Plus, really, Remus should be flattered that she was interested in him, if you asked Iain.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, background-color: #fff; width: 505px; border-top: 10px #95D9DE solid, bTable] ☼ sunshine YOU CAN BE MY SHE WATCHED CAILEAN AS HE SPOKE TO HER, THEN TURNED TO IAIN AS HE, TOO, CHIMED IN. SHE NODDED. "WELL, I GUESS I DIDN'T.." DORCAS SAID, THINKING. WHEN THEY PUT IT LIKE THAT, MAYBE SHE SHOULD HAVE STAYED. MAYBE HE JUST NEEDED A MINUTE OR TWO TO REALIZE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. YEA - THAT WAS IT. OR...HE DIDN'T LIKE HER. THAT COULD BE IT, TOO. GAH! WHY DID HER MIND HAVE TO THINK OF EVERY POSSIBLE IDEA WHY REMUS COULDN'T LIKE HER? THEY WERE FRIENDS, HE WAS HEAD BOY, SHE WAS GIGGLY...THE LIST WENT ON AND ON AS HER MIND RACED FOR ANSWERS. SHE KISSED HIM TO FIND OUT WHAT HIS FEELINGS WERE OF HER, AND NOW SHE WAS LEFT WITH EVEN MORE QUESTIONS. SHE SMILED AT IAIN AND SQUEEZED AROUND HIS WAIST. "THANKS," DOE ANSWERED WITH A GRIN. "BUT...HE'S MUCH MORE AMAZING THAN ME. I MEAN...THE WAY HIS EYES GAZE, AND HIS SOFT NATURE...I DUNNO," DORCAS SIGHED, BITING HER LIP. "I GUESS I'LL FIND OUT NEXT TIME I SEE HIM...OR I COULD JUST HIDE IN HERE FOREVER," SHE GRINNED, BARRING HER TEETH. SHE WAS SURE THAT IAIN WOULD PROTEST - MAKE HER SWEAR SHE'D FIND OUT THE TRUTH. AND YEA, DORCAS WANTED TO KNOW HOW REMUS FELT, BUT SHE REALLY WAS SCARED OF THE ANSWER. SHE'D BEEN QUESTIONING THEIR RELATIONSHIP FOR TWO YEARS. HOW COULD SHE NOT BE A LITTLE FREAKED OUT FOR FINALLY KISSING HIM? UPON REFLECTING AT HIS TOUCH, THOUGH, SHE REALLY JUST WANTED TO DO IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER. AND RELIVE THE MOMENT FOREVER. BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW TERRIFIED SHE WAS OF DISCOVERING REMUS MIGHT NOT LIKE HER, THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT SHE FELT A STRONG PULL TOWARD HIM. AND THERE WAS NO WAY IT WOULD GO AWAY. ### WORDS GAH SHE'S FREAKING OUT! WHO CARES ABOUT CLOTHES, RIGHT? ---------------- CREDIT

[iainmurray]

Cailean didn't know Dorcas as well as Iain did and he didn't think she liked him that much, so he tended not to bother her, but in this case he just wanted to offer some friendly advice. The Hufflepuff girl mostly responded to Iain, though, so he just turned back to what he had been doing and left the two friends to it. It was none of his business, right?
The other twin watched the emotions flying over Dorcas' face and nudged her gently. "Stop worrying, silly. Or at least tell me what you're thinking do I can totally disprove it," he offered.

"Doe!" He groaned slightly. "Don't say he's better than you, because he's not. You're different, that doesn't mean he is better." Interesting how quick Iain is quick to give advice he doesn't quite believe when applied to himself. Then again, Dorcas and Remus couldn't be compared because they were different - Iain and his brother were quite the same, and it was obvious who was the better one of the two. (Yes, the one still writing his essay.)
"You-" Iain countered, "-are fun and sweet and loving, not to mention gorgeous." He winked cheekily. "And don't you dare hide, I will drag you out to meet him if I have to - and you wouldn't want that." Iain teased her a little, trying to raise her spirits. "You really should go ask him - unless you want me to do it." Iain caught Cailean's eyes for a moment and his twin smiled at him - like anyone would want Iain, shouty, loud-mouthed Iain, to handle such a delicate matter.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, background-color: #fff; width: 505px; border-top: 10px #95D9DE solid, bTable] ☼ sunshine YOU CAN BE MY IAIN WAS QUICK TO SLAP HER WRIST, IF YOU WILL. HE INSTANTLY WENT ON ABOUT HOW GREAT SHE WAS, TO WHICH SHE COULDN'T HELP BUT BLUSH. HE WAS FAR TOO SWEET. AND SHE HIGHLY DOUBTED THAT MOST OF HIS WORDS WERE TRUE. SHE WAS JUST LITTLE OL' DOE. JUST ANOTHER FACE - SHE COULD ADMIT IT WAS PRETTY - BUT JUST ANOTHER FACE IN THE CROWD. STILL, SHE GIGGLED AT HIS WINKING AND CUDDLED INTO HIS SHOULDER. "THANK YOU, IAIN," SHE SAID SOFTLY, GAZING OVER AT CAILEAN. WHEN IAIN PROTESTED THAT HE WOULD DRAG HER OUT THERE, SHE IMMEDIATELY STOOD UP. HER EYES GREW WIDE. "NO!" SHE SHOUTED, THEN BIT HER LIP. SHE SLOWLY SAT BACK DOWN AND PUT HER HANDS IN HER LAP, TWIDDLING HER THUMBS. "I MEAN...THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY. I...I'LL FIND HIM," DORCAS SAID, NODDING IN CONFIRMATION AFTER HER WORDS. THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WOULD MAKE HER CONFRONTATION WITH REMUS WORSE THAN IT ALREADY WAS THAN IAIN EITHER DRAGGING HER SORRY BUTT OUT ONTO THE GROUNDS TO FIND HIM, OR IAIN SIMPLY APPROACHING REMUS HIMSELF. NEITHER OF THOSE TWO OPTIONS MADE ANYTHING BETTER. SHE STOOD UP AGAIN AND FACED THE DOOR. DOE LOOKED BACK TO IAIN AND SIGHED. "TOMORROW...I PROMISE. TOMORROW I'LL LOOK FOR HIM AND IF I FIND HIM...THEN I WON'T RUN AWAY," SHE EXPLAINED, MORESO FOR HERSELF THAN ANYTHING. WITH THAT DORCAS APPROACHED HIM BACK AT THE TABLE AND GAVE HIM A HUG. "THANK YOU, AGAIN." ### WORDS GAH SHE'S FREAKING OUT! WHO CARES ABOUT CLOTHES, RIGHT? ---------------- CREDIT

[iainmurray]

It really was a little ironic that Iain was so quick to list Doe's positive features and that he expected her to absolutely listen to him and believe him. He'd had conversations like this with Cailean often enough and both boys knew it, but neither commented - that was something between the two of them.
Iain held Dorcas close, kissing the top of her head. "You're welcome - so no more talking yourself down, okay?" he said smiling.
When Doe reacted quite strongly to his preposition of either making her talk to Remus or talking to him himself, Iain smirked slightly. That was exactly what he had expected her to do. He caught Cailean's eye again briefly and they didn't need words, they both knew Iain had done it on purpose. Cailean, faintly amused, smiled down on his essay and reached for another book.

The younger twin gently pulled Dorcas back in her seat. "Good, you should find him. If a girl kissed me and then just ran out I'd like a chance to talk to them again later, at the very least for an explanation," he said lightly. Iain had a good feeling about this, he thought Doe and Remus would fit well together, actually. Why not? They were both gentle, intelligent people. Even if it didn't work out, he expected them to be all completely amicably about it. "Don't worry so much," he insisted. "I'm sure everything will work out just fine."
"Tomorrow is fine," Iain said, hoping he sounded reassuring. "Give it some time to sink in, aye?" He wrapped an arm around Dorcas snugly, returning her hug. "You're welcome - although.. with what I did last time and now giving you relationship advice? I might be going girly after all," he joked. He really felt like joking about it this time, the shock had worn off and he had decided not to make a big deal out of it. Probably.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=algin,center]

[style=width:210px; background-color: #4c4143; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: justify; color: #000000;margin-left: -225px; margin-top: -20px; overflow:auto; height: 300px;] Doe grinned at him, nodding. She closed her eyes as he kissed the top of her head. She quickly hugged him again, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning her head against his. She glanced over at Cailean for a moment before Iain brought up his 'girly' discovery. She giggled. "Hmm, possibly," she winked, giving him a poke in the side in an attempt at a small tickle. She looked back at Cailean and then down to the parchment in front of them. "Do you need any help? I know I'm not as brilliant as 'Lean," she started, giving Iain's brother a sweet smile. "But I know a few things."

[/div][/td][/tr][/table]

He's everything you want

[/style]

TABLE BY AMETHYST @ DECIMATED DREAMS
PURPLESTRIPE93 @ CAUTION 2.0

[/center]

[iainmurray]

Iain smiled, reassured because she was, and leaned into the hug happily. It made him feel useful, being able to help his friends. Cailean knew about the whole 'omg, I'm a girl?!' episode in the kitchens - Iain had told him and they'd had a long conversation which had put his mind at ease a little. Cailean had to admit that of all the things they'd talking about in their lives, this had been one of the few instances he'd not been sure what to say about it. But Iain seemed not so bothered anymore, so at least the outcome was good.
Cailean blushed mildly when Dorcas called her brilliant but didn't react, so Iain chipped in. "It's this essay for DADA? About countering nonverbal curses? You're probably great at that, with your duelling and all," he said, smiling and gathering his notes to see where his thoughts had lead him so far. "I've just copied stuff from the books so far, I really can't quite think of a way to counter something if I don't know what it is." This was bugging Iain slightly, he used to be good at thinking outside the box.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=algin,center]

[style=width:210px; background-color: #4c4143; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: justify; color: #000000;margin-left: -225px; margin-top: -20px; overflow:auto; height: 300px;] "Countering non-verbal curses..." Doe repeated, mainly for herself and not actual clarification. She smirked a bit. "Yea, I know a bit on it - and yes," she turned to Iain, grinning, "- from dueling." She took a look over his page and then pointed at a sentence. "You see here how you say that a wizard's nonverbal actions can influence what they're going to curse you with? I'm guessing you got that from a book, but you can expand this," she said, nodding. "Mainly because it's not just their actions but reactions as well. For instance, where a wizard is looking can be an indication of the type of spell they might use - example, if they're looking at your legs, or even just glancing at them, they might be thinking about the locomotor mortis curse. So if you know that in advance, you could perform a similar spell to lock their own legs, which would throw them off guard. Loads of wizards with the ability for non-verbal magic like to think they have an advantage, but if you show them you know what they're thinking, it's gets them all twisted," Doe explained, taking breaths here and there and finally ending with a grin. She was so proud of the knowledge she'd acquired - but she didn't learn it all from one source. Dorcas combined her knowledge from several sources to maintain a very logical and productive sense for dueling. Mostly, DADA, dueling club, and books of all kinds helped her in knowing how to be prepared. Dorcas Elaine Meadowes was definitely prepared. For anything.

[/div][/td][/tr][/table]

He's everything you want

[/style]

TABLE BY AMETHYST @ DECIMATED DREAMS
PURPLESTRIPE93 @ CAUTION 2.0

[/center]

[iainmurray]

Iain nodded a bit, turning back to his notes and leafing through them. He hadn't gotten far yet, admittedly. Cailean was already structuring his essay - having gathered the information he needed, it was now a matter of putting it into words. He was better with words than Iain was. Sure, Iain could chat anyone's ears off, but Cailean talked sense. For Iain, words were often either a wall or a distraction.
He gratefully listened to Dorcas, jotting down a few messy notes about what she said, but still sighing a little when she was done speaking. "I just don't see the point, I'm rubbish at duelling anyway and if I've got someone who can do nonverbal opposite me, I'll be toast. I won't even have time to think about what they might be thinking or planning," he mumbled, though then smiled lopsidedly. "Thanks, though. Coming from someone as brilliant at this as you, it has to be worth something."

His other ideas had been simply disabling wandmovement and the casting of spells altogether (which surely was a good idea in any duel, wasn't it? why did people never mention that?) - but of course Iain was generalising too much here.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts essay wasn't foremost on his mind anymore, though. At least half Iain's mind was occupied by Dorcas' confession about having kissed Remus. He was glad for her, truly he was, because (being the optimist he was) he couldn't imagine anything but a good outcome. He also felt a stab of fierce protectiveness, though. If Remus were to let Doe down? He would not be amused, not at all.
Cailean gently kicked his shin, drawing his attention and mouthing 'Iain'. When he caught his brother's eyes he nodded at the books in front of them. "You can have this finished within the hour," he tried to encourage his twin.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=algin,center]

[style=width:210px; background-color: #4c4143; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: justify; color: #000000;margin-left: -225px; margin-top: -20px; overflow:auto; height: 300px;] Doe grinned as Iain complimented her on her knowledge. "Thanks," she replied sheepishly. It wasn't like she took too much pride in her intelligence. She wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw for a reason - she simply didn't hold that studious, brilliant mind that so many others did. But if there was one thing Dorcas knew and knew well it was dueling and all aspects of it. While she recognized she wasn't the brightest student, she certainly was able to allow herself the credit to knowing a lot of about defensive and offensive spells. It was just something that came easy to her. She gave Iain another proper hug before standing up and stretching. "I think I'll have a go at a nap," she said, then set her hand on Iain's shoulder, looking down at him with a raised brow. "You don't give yourself enough credit, bud," Doe said softly, then winked. "You could be a brilliant dueler if you tried," she said, leaning down and giving him a quick cheek kiss. "This weekend - you, me and the old unused classroom on the second floor. I'll show you a couple things on dueling just to prove you can do it properly," Dorcas said excitedly, before giving his hair a shake and heading to the girls' dormitory for a much-needed rest.

[/div][/td][/tr][/table]

He's everything you want

[/style]

TABLE BY AMETHYST @ DECIMATED DREAMS
PURPLESTRIPE93 @ CAUTION 2.0

[/center]