Sink or Swim (Open)

[Daphne Brady]

"I usually do names, well my name actually. I have put it on a few of my notebooks. There's also times when I'm just bored and draw the first word that pops into my head." Daphne's mind had drifted from whatever work was in front of her. Bennett was doing well at keeping her mind elsewhere. For the time she was talking to him, there was no stress or worry about getting something done.

"There are a few short stories and there's a longer story but it's put away like my other stories. Sometimes I'll pull them out and work on them." Not too many people knew that Daphne was a daydreamer and she would scribble down whatever story popped into her head while the professors would be in the middle of a lecture or if she was sitting somewhere else. "However, I just draw or scribble, which ever you prefer to call it most of the time in class."

She nodded her head to his response about croissants. "Yes, especially when they're freshly made. My mum makes them from time to time and the bakery in London has them. You should try one sometime."

[Bennett Marks]

"Did you know that it's a proven fact that a person's name is his or her favorite word, Daph? So the more you use someone's name, the happier they get?" Bennett was still scribbling furiously on the piece of paper in front of him. "Anyway, What kind of words? Do you look to your left and think, 'man, curtains is such a nice word, I should draw that'?"

"Stories, too? Jeez, you're a woman of multiple talents. I could never sit still long enough to write a long story, you must be focused. I would change the plot half way through. Although, I guess if no one else was allowed to read them, it'd be ohkay," Bennett laughed. Bennett couldn't keep his mind set on just one thing, it'd develop into a list of things he'd need to do or try before long. "Do curtains inspire those stories too?"

"Are you inviting me to taste your mother's croissants?" Bennett asked half seriously, half jokingly.

[Daphne Brady]

Daphne raised her eyebrows. Sometimes she didn't like her name at all, but then again that was when Brenda or someone else was calling her name so that she would do something for them.

She let out a more quiet laugh. "It's just different words. Maybe curtains was a word that I drew before." She gave a shrug. There was a very light pink on her cheeks. "Writing is a way to get away from things, so is scribbling. I've started many stories but I've never finished them." There were countless notebooks that had stories in them but none of them were ever finished. She was never sure how to finish them. "And no, curtains do not inspire stories, only my scribbles," she added with a smile.

Another light pink tint appeared on her face. "You can have a few if you like. She'll send me more probably tomorrow or the next day."

[Bennett Marks]

"I always thought that a story unfinished really created a way to figure out your own ending. You can learn so much just by thinking of how a character will go on. And it's an excellant way to really get out of your own life for a bit and become some one else, you know?" Bennett sighed, before smiling slightly and leaning forward. "Can you keep a secret, Daph? Or are you one of those gossiping girls that I'd really like to shove in a toilet?"

"I'd love to try a few," Bennett nodded firmly. "If someone who loves pumpkin pasties as much as I do recommends them, I'd be a fool not to try them out."

[Daphne Brady]

Leaving her world behind was what Daphne liked about the different stories. They didn't have nagging people begging, or rather demanding, to have their work done. She knew that her life could really change if she could just say that one word. However, she needed motivation for that and sadly, it was probably going to be something big that would cause her to set off.

"You can trust me," she found herself saying as she leaned on her arms on the table. Daphne was more comfortable than she had been before which was almost a foreign feeling around someone other than Heather. "I'm not one to go blab to someone else about some secret." If Daphne wanted to, she could probably destroy several students around the school with everything she observed and heard but it wasn't her to go off and tell someone else about someone's business. She was excellent at keeping secrets, besides, who was she really going to tell?

[Bennett Marks]

"Aright, Daph," Bennett took a deep breathe. "I'm definately not complaining about my life. I love it, I'm really fortunate to be where I am. I have a dad who loves me and a passion and talent for something that lets me get away from the Hogwarts life for a bit. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"But sometimes, I wish I could really just get away from everything. Find someone who understands what it means to pretend for a bit and just kinda live a different life with different ideals for a bit. You know, like act out being some rich snob who can afford the most expensive resteraunt to take a girl out to and buy stuff because I'm this awesome rock star with a fabulous life. You know?"

Bennett was still leaning forward before he started to smile. "I know it's ridiculous, and probably everyone wouldn't think it's a secret. But it's like this precious dream that I have when I'm sitting in class looking out the window."

[Daphne Brady]

Without her realizing it, there was a smile on her face. "It is nice to get away from the life here from time to time. There is no one nagging you to help them do something all the time, you're just living the life you want to." Daphne could relate strongly to getting away from everything.

"It's not ridiculous. It's a good dream. I will let you in on a little secret of mine." It was only fair. "I like to get away in some dream too. I don't worry about who is going to come up and asking for any sort of help or wanting me to do anything for them." Once her words came out she realized that she let it slip that she did things for people but she didn't go into too much detail. "I'm always free after I finish my own work in my dream and I can go do whatever I want rather than being stuck in the library all day doing stuff that I don't really want to."

Maybe it would be okay. "So no, it's not ridiculous tht you have some dream. It's always nice to have some sort of dream in your head," she said smiling again.

[Bennett Marks]

Bennett's head quirked at the mention of nagging before he realized that Daphne wasn't talking about him. She was talking about herself. He was still smiling, glad that she understood. Bennett didn't realize to what extent that Daph did help people.

"You help people with homework?" Bennett asked. "Wow, you really are a good person. I don't think I could ever do something like that, I'm sick of it after ten minutes. You must be one of those dedicated girls, I've heard about you. Being selfless even though you don't enjoy it." He joked, taking the quill he had been scribbling with a few seconds ago and flicking it gently across Daphne's nose and laughing lightly. "But if you ever do need a getaway, I'm always down. We could escape to the lake and pretend we're merpeople. Unless that's a little weird for you."

[Daphne Brady]

"Something like that," Daphne said with a solemn like tone but she let out a laugh as the end of the quill touched her nose. She twitched her nose afterword and looked back at him. Bennett's offer was the best idea she heard. It could be a good way of getting away and not having to worry about work. If she could finish up what was going on, she could just tell people she actually had something to do rather than just their homework.

"That sounds perfect," she said having something to look forward to. "It's not weird at all, by the way. Of course if we go into the actual lake, we need to make sure it gets a little warmer out." Daphne smiled. "After all we don't really want to freeze, do we?"

[Bennett Marks]

"I forgot about the weather," Bennett sighed. "Sometimes daydreams can let you down, too, I guess. But that means that we need a new plan. For the very near future. As in the next few days. Unless you're still being a tutor to those less fortunate."

Bennett couldn't believe that there was such an understanding person, and she was sitting right in front of him. Of course, he wasn't at all aware of how much she did for other people. Bennett was very good at being straight up, but he wasn't necessarily one to start telling people about little fantasies he had.

"It's almost like you're my partner in crime. If you say yes, that is."

[Daphne Brady]

Tutor? When he used words like that it made her feel worse but Daphne didn't make a face or anything. How would Bennett react if he ever found out the complete truth? Daphne didn't want him to find out but she had a feeling he would some how or another.

"That sounds like a good idea to me. I wouldn't mind getting away for awhile." There was a smile on her face. If he could get her away from the work then she wouldn't have to actually have to say no. Of course she was also looking forward to just getting away from everything. Fun hadn't really been a word in her vocabulary as of late.

"Being your partner in crime sounds like an intriguing job," she said with a smile. "I believe that I will accept that job."

[Bennett Marks]

"Well, partners in crime means that we need to maintain a certain level of anonymity. So I will bestow upon you a nickname fit for such a girl as Daph," Bennett put on a mock accent that didn't really belong anywhere. But it had the certain snobby tone that he had been going for. "Agent, well. Let me think there for a second."

Bennett wasn't sure what to fill in the blank with. Would it be acceptable to call her by a nickname that was slightly funny, or was it too early in their acquintanceship to do much with out offending her? Daphne seemed like the kind of girl who could handle it, but he could never be sure.

"Agent Scribs. ANd I'm going to come up with all sort of missions we will need to complete."

[Daphne Brady]

Daphne fiddled with the quill in front of her as she tried to hold back a laugh at Bennett's voice. She couldn't hide a smile, however. At the moment, Daphne didn't feel like the girl who sat off in the corner alone while everyone else was out enjoying themselves. For the time she out with those people. She didn't feel stressed or guilty that she wasn't finishing any work. She just felt like she was being treated like a normal person and not a door mat.

Once Bennett revealed her agent name, Daphne let out a small laugh. She was enjoying herself. "Agent Scribs, huh," she asked. This was what she needed a long time ago. Someone who she could joke around with. She did have Heather, but she was usually busy with Quidditch practice and so that did leave Daphne alone sometimes. "So, what will be our first mission that needs to be complete?"