Out and About (Reese)

[Kristen Simms]

"Oh don't worry, there are still plenty of secrets. I know you have quite a few. You stalk me almost every day, this I know. You think you can hide, but I have eyes in the back of my head." Teasing this much with him was her way of saying that she liked him but of course she wouldn't act out on those feelings. Rejection wasn't something she handled very well and she didn't want to lose what they had so far. The teasing and joking, it was all fun and rarely ever awkward.

"And I have to admit, it is very hard to attempt to resist you. Especially watching you fly around and playing quidditch." She was teasing him again, but there was a bit of truth to that in her mind.

His next words caused her to laugh and playfully hit her shoulder against his arm gently. "I remember our last trip to the kitchens. You were the one that threw the cool whip first." She grinned. "But you are a gentleman, sometimes."

[Reese Denton]

Reese smiled and laughed at her. "I always knew you were part alien. But darn it- you weren't supposed to find out about the stalking. I suppose I have to return some of the things of yours I stole, don't I?"

He was teasing her right back because it was what they did.

"You like seeing me all sweaty? That's... that's hot, Kristen. I'll remember that next time I see you in the stands."

They were inside now, close to the kitchens and thankfully warming up. He nudged her right back, but then made a show of opening the kitchen door for her, bowing in the process. "How's that for gentlemanly?"

[Kristen Simms]

"You can keep the things you stole from me. After all, they'll help you remember me whenever I have to go back to the home planet." She gave a laugh. Even if she wasn't in that great of a mood, their teasing would help bring her back into a better one. The saying was true, laughter is the best medicine.

Kristen gave him a teasing wink. "You definitely should remember that next time you see me in the stands. Seeing you sweaty always makes my day." After her comment, she removed her hands from her pockets and started to loosen the scarf that was around her neck.

"It's an improvement," she said with a smile and walking inside. By the time they made it inside, she had taken off her scarf and had it in hand as she made her way into the kitchen. One of the house elves walked up to them and asked them what they would like. "Could I please have a cup of cider and a piece of apple pie, please," Kristen politely asked.

[Reese Denton]

Reese was about to say something to her, but abruptly closed his lips at her comment about seeing him sweaty. He knew she was kidding, of course, but... but wow. There was something decidedly hot about that, and it gave him a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn't quite know how to respond to her without sounding like a total perv, so he kept his mouth shut.

After she ordered from the house elf, he smiled as well. "Cider and cherry pie, please." He and Kristen were so similar, yet so different sometimes.

"I can't help but notices that our choices in pie are almost patriotic," he commented. Apples were almost yellow, anyway. He winked at her. "Telling you, Gryffindor is way better. And we're going to win the house cup this year. Just like last year."

[Kristen Simms]

Hearing the comment about pies, Kristen smiled. "You would happen to recognize that," she said with a light teasing tone. "And you never know, Hufflepuff might happen to surprise you and win the house cup instead. I mean, after all we're a sneaky bunch." She gave a laugh and sat in one of the chairs. "You may think Gryffindor is better, but I'll let you in on a little secret. We're going to take over this school some how or another. We're a smart bunch and it's always the quiet ones you have to look out for."

She took off her jacket and let it hang on her chair along with her scarf. "So I'd watch out Mr. Denton, you might get surprised."

[Reese Denton]

"Yeah, except I can't ever get you to be quiet," Reese said, nudging her to let her know he was only kidding. Reese was always only kidding, after all. He wasn't exactly known for being very cued into girls, or for being romantic or anything like that, though he did find that he sort of regretted not asking her to the ball, or at least to dance more. But Jackie had needed him, and he was there for his friends.

When they were given their slices of pie and their drinks, Reese nodded towards a little table that the house elves kept in the corner. They must have been quite used to students coming in at odd hours.

"So, you still mad at me?" he ventured after a couple of bites.

[Kristen Simms]

As a response Kristen only rolled her eyes. She wasn't exactly known for picking up on things either but she did try sometimes. However, she never wanted to read to much into something and it turn out to be nothing at all, especially with the boy sitting in front of her. That would probably break her if she did attempt to read into something. After all, he was always joking. Plus it was just easier to go along with whatever was said.

Kristen's eyes drifted to the plate in front of her as she picked up her fork. She was brought out of any thoughts she had as he spoke up again and she looked up. "I wasn't mad at you," she said. This was true. She had been more frustrated than anything and there was a difference between being frustrated and being mad. "So, no, I'm not mad at you." She gave him a curious look. Kristen wondered why he would bring it up again but she wasn't going to ask.

[Reese Denton]

Reese frowned at this response, though not overly. He was pretty sure she was mad that night... and he was a guy. They didn't really get the subtle differences in anger and frustration. It was pretty much the same thing, right? He took another bite, and then decided a new approach.

Without looking at her (instead casually focusing on his food) he commented, "You looked very pretty that night, Cupcake. I don't know if I told you or not."

She had looked stunning, actually, and while he was pretty sure he must have mentioned something to her then, it couldn't hurt to repeat it now.

[Kristen Simms]

He wasn't looking at her. Maybe that fact was what caused her to make her feel hot from her ears to her toes when he mentioned how she looked again. Kristen was sure that her face held a tint to it. For a second, which actually seemed like a minute, she stared at him before looking down to the fork in her hand in attempts to cover any blushing. Her curiousity made her gaze move up again, however.

There was no more teasing for the moment. "Thank you," Kristen replied, not bothering to tell him that he did indeed mention it before. "You looked pretty handsome that night and you're quite a good dancer." Truth was evident in her voice, no teasing. Of course she thought that he was handsome all the time, but there was something extra at the ball. She placed a light smile on her face.

[Reese Denton]

Reese laughed when she returned the compliment. She really didn't have to, and she wouldn't have hurt his feelings or anything if she didn't.

"Now you're just being nice- it was actually kind of a miracle that I didn't step on your toes or anything. But thanks."

Dancing was never really his forte, and he didn't care. He was better at other things- and wasn't that the beauty of it? Everyone had their own talents to showcase.

"So... end of term is coming up pretty quickly. Who do you think is going to make Head Boy and Girl?"

[Kristen Simms]

Her eyebrows raised and she was going to ask him when had he known her to be just nice but she let the comment go. It was going to be a joking like comment but she wasn't just being nice, she was being honest. However, she wasn't going to dwell on that simple fact.

"I don't know really." Kristen gave a shrug. "I think it's probably going to be people from Gryffindor actually. All you do gooders make decent Head Boys and Girls." She gave a smile. "It might be you for all you know. It's hard to say who is actually going to have it though, but like I said I have a feeling that it's going to be Gryffindors. Or maybe it might be Ravenclaw, or one from each."

[Reese Denton]

Reese playfully narrowed his eyes.

"It probably will be me. But then, you're only saying that because you're secretly hoping you'll be head girl. I know how you work, Cupcake. And really, I'm flattered." Reese shrugged and nearly laughed. Here it was- they were back into a nice, easy back and forth. It's what they were good at, and it always worried Reese to some degree when they weren't able to do that.

"But work hard, kid. You might get that head girl position afterall."

[Kristen Simms]

Kristen put a hand over her heart. "I'm touched, really, that you have found out how I work. No one else has put the time and effort to attempt to do such a thing." She gave him a wink. To be honest, she didn't have that many other friends. If it wasn't for Reese, she probably would be one of the loner kids.

"And maybe I will. You never know. I could surprise you after all." Kristen gave him one of her teasing smiles. She doubted that she would have that position but it would be ironic if (by some extreme high chance) they both were given the positions.

"Speaking of term coming to an end so quickly, what do you plan on doing this summer?"

[Reese Denton]

Reese just winked at the blonde, smiling gently. "I pay attention enough to figure out the people that I like." Despite all of his teasing and what not, he did mean that. Hogwarts would have been an entirely different experience without her.

"Nah... you making Head Girl would not come as a surprise to me. Me, on the other hand...." he shrugged and laughed. He definitely was not the good, studious, head boy type. He'd just as soon help a kid break the rules before he punished them for it.

"Summer will be pretty relaxed. A lot of backyard quidditch, I think. What about you? Are you taking any exotic vacations I should be jealous of?"

[Kristen Simms]

Her cheeks turned a light rosey color and she was relieved that he went on to the next topic. "Nah, it wouldn't really surprise me if you got Head Boy. After all, you Gryffindors have a higher chance than any other house." She shrugged.

At the question of vacations, Kristen sighed. "I don't know," she replied honestly. "I think my dad's job has them moving again. I don't know where that is, guess I'll find out right before I leave." That was one thing that she didn't like about her father's job. It moved them around a lot so it was pretty much like they were somewhere different everytime she left Hogwarts for the holidays. The only place she went that remained constant in her life was Hogwarts. Sometimes she thought that was the only reason she didn't have that many friends because her parents never lived in one place for too long.

"I just wish sometimes that we could just stay in one place and that be it but that's highly unlikely. It would be different if we were just traveling for fun." Kristen rested her arms on the table. "Your summer sounds like its going to be far more entertaining."

[Reese Denton]

Reese honestly could not relate. He still lived in the same house he was born in. Curiosity got to him, and he wondered What it would be like to move so much. It almostd sounded fun.

"Well, you can be the judge of that yourself. Why don't you come by for a week or so over summer? Im sure my mum would love another turn in the house. I can teach you how to get sweaty.... playing quidditch, I mean. It'll be fun."

[Kristen Simms]

Kristen looked down at her plate when he asked about her coming over for a bit during the summer. She was pretty sure her parents wouldn't mind. After all, her father was usually busy with his work and her mother was usually being the social butterfly she was. That sort of left Kristen to do her own thing.

She felt her ears burn, and wasn't sure if there was any additional color to her face or not, but she looked up nevertheless. "I'll probably be able to do that. I'm sure that my parents will not have a problem with it. However, this whole quidditch thing, I'm not so sure about." Kristen raised her eyebrows. She wasn't too keen on flying. Ever since the accident she nearly had of almost falling off her broom during her first year, she hadn't touched a broom since. She liked her feet on the ground. "But we'll figure something out."

[Reese Denton]

Reese shook his head. "Nope. I'm getting you in the air. You Just need someone who wont push you too hard, and you'll like it. I promise."

He flashed a confident grin and went back to eating his pie. "I finally feel the warmth returning to my fingers."

[Kristen Simms]

She would be lying if she didn't admit to the fact that she was actually looking forward to the summer, even if that included her attempting to get on a broom.

"We'll see about that," she said before taking a drink from her mug. Even if he was going to try to get her in the air, she was still fairly nervous about it.

Kristen smiled behind her mug as he said he was finally feeling the warmth again in his fingers. "Are you still not warm yet," she asked with a raise of her eyebrows as she slipped off her jacket and pulled up the sleeves on her black sweater.

[Reese Denton]

"Oh, stop," Reese laughed, watching her make fun of him for how cold he was by taking off her jackt and pushing her sleeves up.

"You're freezing too, I can tell. Don't you lie." He laughed again, knowing fully well that she was probably quiet warm. He shook his head. "You're just not human, is that it? So much suddenly makes sense. But listen, we are getting you on a broom one way or another... you can't win that argument. You hear?"

He took another sip of his drink, shifting in his seat and running a hand over his head. Even that was cold... unbelievable. "I should have dropped you in the lake. You would have liked it."