hanging out, down the street... [Celeste]

[VINCENT VALOR HARRISON]

High in the Ravenclaw Tower, Vince was pacing in front of his trunk in his seventh year boy dormitory. He was pondering what to wear to his outing with Celeste to Hogsmeade. One of Vince's dorm mates who was on his own bed was no help with picking out clothes for Vince. Vince stopped and looked at his room mate and asked "Are you sure you don't know what I could wear?"

The room mate shrugged and shook his head and pointed at Vince. What you're wearing is fine, mate. I mean, this is just a casual thing between best friend. There won't be much romance going on.

Vince looked down to what he was wearing and cringed. "Nice. Dress robes? You are right about the casual part, but seriously?Celeste and I see each other every single day. She sees me in my robes all of the time. I should just wear jeans and a random shirt."

Vince opened his trunk and shuffled through the dress robes and books that he had in the trunk and grabbed a pair of jeans. He leaned the jeans on the edge of the trunk and pulled down the dress pants he had on and tossed them on his bed. He heard his dorm mate scoff and close his bed curtains in the background as he pulled in the jeans he had picked out. He smirked and took off the top half of his dress robes. That section was thrown on his bed on top of the pants. He sent his right arm to the inside of the trunk to search for a shirt as his left hand went to his back to scratch an itch on his lower back.

Vince. Is this Hogsmeade weekend? asked his dorm mate from his curtained bed.

"Yes. It is. That is the reason why I am meeting Celeste in Hogsmeade instead of any random part of the castle, like usual," Vince explained as he pulled out a random shirt and stopped scratching his back. He tossed the shirt over his shoulder an went over to his dorm rooms bed and opened the blue curtains. "I reckon you are wanting to go down and get loads of looking-time at that Hufflepuff who is usually chasing after you!" he laughed to key his dorm mate he was just teasing him and walked to the side of his own bed. He tossed his shirt on top of his bed and bent down to the floor to pick up his shoes. He sat on his bed and lifted his right foot up and slipped on the already-tied shoe. He put his right foot down and mirrored his last action with his left foot.

He stood up, stretched out his body, looked in the mirror and thought girl look at that body, go. Wiggle, wiggle,wiggle, wiggle, wiggle... He shook his head at his reflection, realizing he has been neglecting his work out. He then turned to his bed and grabbed the shirt, pulling it over his head. He walked to the dorm room as his let his arms exit the arms of the shirt and said "I will be down in Hogsmeade. If we meet up, cool." he opened the door and walked through it. He closed the door behind himself and swiftly walked quickly through Ravenclaw Tower, pushing his way through the exit.

He stopped to take a deep breath and realized he had no idea what time it was. He started to panic a little, thinking maybe he was late in meeting her in the Great Hall and thinking she may be thinking he stood her up. That was not going to a good scenario to him, showing up later than what he had suggested, so he rushed towards the nearest staircase and made it down to the first floor as fast as he could and how fast the stairs could move. As he eventually made it to the ground floor, he stopped to take a quick breather. He looked around to see what time it was. He looked above him to the clock above the doors and realized he had five minutes to spare.

He smiled as he caught his breath and though to himself that he can actually do that everyday and have that as his new work out routine. Though, he would like to slow his roll down by merely walking into the Great Hall to the Ravenclaw Table, which he did, and sat down. As he sat down, he looked at the plate in front of him and noticed two bagels and a small saucer full of creame cheese appearing for him. He took the butter knife that was sitting next to his plate and split the crease of the bagel apart, keeping one half of the starchy goodness in his left hand. He scoop a little cream cheese out of the saucer with his knife and spread it on the half that was in his hand.

"Ah, sweet gluttony. Eating you almost every morning is the reason why I gained five pounds in the past three months." He put the knife on top of his plate and started eating the creamed half of bagel.

[celeste rockelle dream]

Celeste was slightly panicking. Sure, it was just Vince, but she had always liked him a little more than just best friends. Luckily, she was really good at masking her stronger emotions. Unfortunately, she didn't really have a friend to help her pick out something cute to wear. So, as always, she went to make her own decisions.

Celeste looked at her other four dorm mates who were whispering some rumour about her. She shot one a dirty glance and flicked back to her leather trunk. She sighed and pulled out a flowing, light blue top to bring out her eyes, and dark flare jeans. She quickly threw on some black flats and head for the Great Hall.

Celeste peeked around the hall and saw Vincent Valor Harrison, her best friend, her only friend, waiting for her expectantly. She pulled her head back and took a deep breath. Then, with her emotions behind her smiling face and cheerful eyes, walked in.

She saw Vincent look at her kindly. She smiled at him and waved, her blonde hair behind her shoulders. Celeste walked over to him and sat next to him. "Hey." she greeted, spreading some cream cheese on her bagel. She was cautious about what to say, because he might think that she was a freak if she said someting stupid.

Celeste finished spreading the creamy spread on her bagel and took a bite. Satisfying. Bagels had always been of her favorite breakfast foods. The half-veela flicked her hair back.

[VINCENT VALOR HARRISON]

He finished the bit of bagel he was eating and picked up his cup of pumpkin juice. He drank a few swigs of juice to help the bagel go down easier. He always thought pumpkin juice and bagels tastes great together, but to all their own opinions. He had a room mate who liked pumpkin juice but hated bagels and thought they were tasteless donuts.

But Vince liked tasteless donuts, especially with creme cheese, so he picked up the other half of creme cheesed bagel and took one bite of it. He ate the one bite as he set the bagel back down on his plate. He swallowed what he ate and looked up. He saw Celeste walk in and he smiled, turning a little pink. She sat next to him and started to make herself a bagel.

"Hey. Good choice in breakfast. That is what I am eating." he pointed to his own plate holding a cream cheesed half of bagel and an untouched bagel. He doubts he will not eat the second bagel, but kept it there just in case he was still hungry. He could not say too early if he will still be hungry if he does not finish his first bagel. He picked the bagel half back up and took another bite.

As he ate the bite he had, he looked at Celeste. Something about her made him go pink on occasion, but he could not put his finger on it, but he did admit to her "You look good today, like usual. Your hair is flawless."

Though, he does not know how often he told her that in the last seven years, since they have met in their first year, but it does not hurt telling the truth.

[celeste rockelle dream]

((OOC: Awwww!))
Celeste blushed a little, but, to control herself, the pink faded almost instantly. Hiding her emotions was getting a bit harder. "Bagels...well, only the best breakfast ever...especially with pumpkin juice." she said with a grin. "There's something about bread, creme cheese and pumpkin juice that makes such an odd combination tasteful." Celeste looked at him cheerfully. Vince was pretty animated, and funny...and good-looking. But no way would Celeste Rockelle Dream admit such a thing.

When Vincent Harrison complimented her hair, Celeste shifted but still slightly chuckled. He told her that everyday since the first day they had met. Celeste remembered the first time vividly:

(FLASHBACK)
A little girl, soon to be eleven, stepped up onto a scarlet train. The Hogwarts Express it read clearly. Everything about her day that day had seemed like a fuzzy dream. Magic, walking through the columns, it was amazing. She patrolled the rooms in it for a bit then found a seat. There were three other eleven-year-olds in the compartment. There was a short girl with light brown hair and soft green eyes, a boy with dark brown hair and brown eyes, then another young boy with sandy blonde hair and icy blue eyes. The boy with dark hair looked at her happily. When the girl came up to the door he smiled at her "Hey, you can sit here." he said. The girl responded, pointing to herself. She didn't really want to talk, she was shy. He nodded and beckoned her in. He first introduced Ice-Eyes and Tall-Girl then introduced himself "Vincent Harrison." he said, offering his hand to shake it. Celeste took it wearily. "I-I'm Celeste, Celeste Dream." she said quietly. He offered her a smile. He was kind of cute, around her height. Someone she could possibly be friends with.

The rest of the train ride was laughs. When they reached Hogwarts, Celeste was amazed by the Great Hall. After the first new student was "Sorted", Vince whispered something in her ear "Your hair looks nice today...flawless at that."
(END OF FLASHBACK)

The words echoed in her mind. She looked at Vince "Thanks." she said "So, when are we going into Hogsmeade?"

[VINCENT VALOR HARRISON]

"Our trip to Hogsmeade will start shortly. Let me take a few morre bites of my bagel and finish down with some pumpkin juice. The tastefully odd combination will need to fill my stomach before we fill up on Butterbeer." He did what he said; he ate a few more bites of his bagel, swallowed, and drank the rest of his pumpkin juice. "Is there anything else you'd like to do while we are down in Hogsmeade? We need more of an excuse to be down there. I mean, me being with a pretty lady is alright and everything, but to do a lot with a pretty lady is better."

Sometimes, the truth comes out more than once in a day, but no one is complaining about the truth. And he had a feeling he was going to say a lot of truth that day, whether it be the way she looked or the way she looked or how badly he likes butterbeer or her hair.

In order for him to tell the truth and go to Hogsmeade, he had to stand up. "Shall we go now, madam? Butterbeer does not drink itself." He got around the stool he was sitting on and held his hand out for her to grab if she needed help getting up. What a gentleman, just like his parents raised him and his brother. Which made him think; he hasn't owled his parents in a while and might need to catch up with them.

"You've met my parents, correct? Every year on September first, at least? They said they have seen you a couple of times each year at the train station. They say they like you. I believe that is a good thing" He chuckled lightheartedly and smiled. "Speaking of the train ride, do you remember our first year? We rode the train together. I remember you came into the compartment that I was in. We were in the same compartment with two other people, I forget their names. The first thing I noticed about you was your hair."

You could say he liked her hair the most about her general appearance, but he does like it all, on top of her personality.

[celeste rockelle dream]

((He is SUCH a charmer...I'm loving this thread))
Celeste let him consume the rest of the food, while she did the same, and then he stood up.

"Is there anything else you'd like to do while we are down in Hogsmeade? We need more of an excuse to be down there. I mean, me being with a pretty lady is alright and everything, but to do a lot with a pretty lady is better."
Celeste's blushed. Not light pink this time, but more of a medium red. Like the shade of red on a rainbow. "We could go to Zonkos'." offered Celeste shyly "When the First Years hunger for pranks I'll feed them exactly what they want." she said humourously, making the odd simile of hunger and pranking. Zonkos' was an epic joke shop. It had been around for...a long time at that.

"Shall we go now, madam? Butterbeer does not drink itself."
Celeste willingly took his hand and let him help her up. She saw one of her dorm mates shoot her a jealous glance, clearly picturing herself being helped out of her seat by a hot guy. "Indeed it doesn't." she said, winking at her jealous dorm mate. She saw a Sixth Year Ravenclaw whisper something that sounded a lot like Luckyyyyyy. Because most of them would probably think Vince had a crush on her or something--which in her opinion would be kind of nice. When Vincent touched her hand, Celeste could almost feel the warm butterbeer sliding down her throat. His hands were warm. Not hot, but warm.


"You've met my parents, correct? Every year on September first, at least? They said they have seen you a couple of times each year at the train station. They say they like you. I believe that is a good thing."
Celeste nodded "I'm sure it wouldn't be good if they didn't like me because then we probably wouldn't be having this conversation at the moment." she said, sort of commenting on the situation. Vince was easy to talk to. He was a simple guy. Celeste had always hated those complex weirdo guys who act all like rockstars and try to look cool. If Celeste ever dated a guy like that she would kill herself. Vince was different, he knew how to talk to you so you wouldn't be embarrassed, so you wouldn't feel awkward or uncomfortable. He knew how to add to the conversation. It was good to have a friend like that.

"Speaking of the train ride, do you remember our first year? We rode the train together. I remember you came into the compartment that I was in. We were in the same compartment with two other people, I forget their names. The first thing I noticed about you was your hair."
Celeste nodded slowly. She had never realized how much Vincent liked her hair and butterbeer. Butterbeer was great, and, according to Vince, so was Celeste's hair. It was kind of funny, how much Vincent talked about her hair. Because, strangely enough, Celeste had never liked her hair. She had always been jealous of gingers for no apparant reason. Her hair always got in her face, even when she clipped it back, it finds a way to get into her face. "Yeah..." she said distantly "I do remember that."

[VINCENT VALOR HARRISON]

((ooc: ^.^ I love this topic, too.))

As she took his hand and rose to her feet, they were off towards the exit. As they were walking along, he had noticed another female counterpart - a female seventh year Ravenclaw who dorms with Celeste - watch them as they went by. He had waved towards her and the sixth year near her and went on his merry way. "Zonkos it is. And I can buy you a few things, including the butterbeer, while we are down there. I do believe it is fun doing first years, but it can also be fun doing things to other people."

He looked back to her dorm mate and smiled, winking towards her. By this time, they were near the door and out of her dorm mates ear shot. He looked back at Celeste, opened one of the big, oak doors, and held it open for her."Your dorm mate easy to prank? I mean, I've known her since first year, but I haven't spent as much time with her as you have, so you'd know this information better than I would. Or will we just let her wallow in whatever problems she is having at the current moment?"

He had not known her dorm mate all that well, which was the truth, which is the reason why he did not know what the dorm mates problem was. He figured she might be a bit envious of Celeste because of the fact that Celeste was around him. "Oh well, she is the least of our worries right now. We are off to Hogsmeade."

He had closed the door behind them, leaving the dorm mate in their dust. As they casually walked out of the school and through the grounds, he kept his arm out for her to hold onto as long as she wanted. He could be up for letting it down if she wanted to hold hands or if she wanted a piggy-back ride. Who wouldn't want to Head Boy to carry they down to Hogsmeade?

"Eh, my parents. I gotta love them, and they mean well. If you want, you can always come down after we graduate. Whenever you get a chance, I mean. Visiting the family and seeing Dartford, in Kent. Nothing too important, but it is liveable and the town has places to go." He shrugged, trying to make it seem convinceable. He knew she did not get to go around often due to being in Hogwarts or the orphanage she was in, so the offer itself seemed a bit of a good idea to him. Plus, since his parents liked her, they would probably let her stay around for a while if and when she visited. "I went there for Christmas Break. Should've asked you if you wanted to come.

He shuffled her hair a little bit and then straightened back out to where it was before he shuffled. He was tempted to do it for a few minutes or so and could not help himself. Even though he liked her hair, he knew she was more sensitive about her said so he apologized. "Sorry about that. I shouldn't have shuffled your hair."

[celeste rockelle dream]

"Your dorm mate easy to prank? I mean, I've known her since first year, but I haven't spent as much time with her as you have, so you'd know this information better than I would. Or will we just let her wallow in whatever problems she is having at the current moment?"
Celeste agreed. The shallow moron had her own problems. It would be rude to annoy such a skin-deep jerk...right...Celeste would get her a little "surprise" from Zonkos'. "You're probably right." Celeste responded. Though she sounded convincing, she didn't really mean it.

"Eh, my parents. I gotta love them, and they mean well. If you want, you can always come down after we graduate. Whenever you get a chance, I mean. Visiting the family and seeing Dartford, in Kent. Nothing too important, but it is liveable and the town has places to go."
Well, Celeste hadn't told Vince her little surprise yet. The orphanage losers said that when she graduated she could go live wherever she wanted. Celeste was thinking of living somewhere in the wizarding world. Infact, she had been eyeing out a comfortable home in Ottery St. Catchpole, a little village. She knew that a fair amount of witches and wizards lived there. If she traveled by broom, she might be able to visit people every once in awhile. And maybe she would reveal that to him a littel later.

"I went there for Christmas Break. Should've asked you if you wanted to come."
Celeste wasn't offended "It's fine." she said "I've had a life of my own to live and lights of my own to light." she didn't mean that she lit lights all break, but she liked to use confusing similes like that.

When Vince ruffled her hair and put it back into place she almost laughed, but just cracked a smile. She shrugged when he apoligized. "I'm cool with it." she said. They had just entered a crowded Hogsmeade. It was full of bustling students and regulars and shopkeepers, classic Hogsmeade.

[VINCENT VALOR HARRISON]

"Your room mate probably thinks you're up to something as of now, probably, so if you do prank her, wait a while until she is a little less suspicious." He shrugged at the idea. He had noticed it is easier to do certain things to people when they least expect it.

"Lights? We had lights you could have lite at my place. Then again, my mum recently bought lights that have explosive blubs. Touch a bulb, it explodes. It smells like fruit though. Red smells like strawberries..." he explained as he looked at his pointer finger of his free hand. "They have their flaws, but good smelling flaws. Speaking of strawberries..."

He had pointed to the sweets shop. "Candy first or Butterbeer first? Zonkos or... any other place?" He left the plan of what to do first up to here and figured they could go from there.

He had heard people chatter and gigge rather close to them and he turned to face them. A few fellow students from Hogwarts were behind them, making it obvious they were talking about the pair. "May I help you with something? We can answer any questions or concerns that you may have. Just for the record, yes, we are on a date and no we aren't dating. If I had the chance, I would be thrilled to date her. Your Head Boy would freely answer any question you have now, but if you don't have any more questions or concerns, have a nice day."

[celeste rockelle dream]

"Lights? We had lights you could have lite at my place. Then again, my mum recently bought lights that have explosive blubs. Touch a bulb, it explodes. It smells like fruit though. Red smells like strawberries..."
Celeste almost cracked up at his inability to detect her strange metaphors. "Sounds interesting." she said. Then she realized how stupid the two must sound, as they were speaking of strawberries and lights.

"Candy first or Butterbeer first? Zonkos or... any other place?"
"Butterbeer." she decided almost immediately "Because I've got something to tell you and I don't think you like waiting such a long time to have butterbeer." she said. She planned to tell him that she was being let go from the orphanage.

"May I help you with something? We can answer any questions or concerns that you may have. Just for the record, yes, we are on a date and no we aren't dating. If I had the chance, I would be thrilled to date her. Your Head Boy would freely answer any question you have now, but if you don't have any more questions or concerns, have a nice day."
Celeste was almost so happy it hurt. So Vince did like her back! She wished she could kiss him but since that would be totally awkward and bizarre, she restrained.

[VINCENT VALOR HARRISON]

"Very interesting, those lights. I burnt my finger on one twenty minutes before my mum casually told the family they blew up on touch." He had chuckled at the story since his family tends to have random incidents. "My mum is a bit off, though, so I forgave her. Plus, she is my mum. I think she would like having you around if you came to visit. I promise you wont get your fingers burnt or anything at my house. Or anywhere if we are together, for that matter."

It was a true fact he let linger as they walked towards and into The Three Broomsticks. "As you suggested, we shall get our Butterbeers first." He had let go of Celestes arm and opened the door, gesturing for her to enter first. "Ladies first, ma'am. Let us see which seat we can be seated. It is a bit busy since it is Saturday, but hopefully we can hopefully get a comfortable table in a decent spot on our first little date."

He looked over Celestes shoulder as they entered and tried to look for a decent spot until he had overheard more people near them chatter on about them. He shook his head in disbelief and told Celeste "I can't believe these people. They can't stand two people being seen together." He looked down to the people who were near them, the chatters. "Hello. Can we help you with something? I mean, other than bothering you with the fact we are together, enjoying ourselves on our date? Don't think we're going to let your opinions bother us."

He looked back over her shoulder as the tabled hissed at him. He had found a Radom table as soon as he looked back an pointed at it. "There is a table."

[celeste rockelle dream]

"My mum is a bit off, though, so I forgave her. Plus, she is my mum. I think she would like having you around if you came to visit. I promise you wont get your fingers burnt or anything at my house. Or anywhere if we are together, for that matter."

Celeste laughed and flicked her hair back. It fell perfectly without her really trying "I'm not worried." she said with a twinge of a giggle. Celeste loved the way Vincent always joked about stupid things like burning fingers. She huffed at the giggling Fifth Years "D'you have a problem?" she asked them. They quickly shoved their heads together and continued with more neutral, hushed subjects.

"Ladies first, ma'am. Let us see which seat we can be seated. It is a bit busy since it is Saturday, but hopefully we can hopefully get a comfortable table in a decent spot on our first little date."

Celeste grinned at his manners and went in before him. The Three Broomsticks was jumbled with a variety of people. Regulars, students, professors, all bundled into the Three Broomsticks for a decent butterbeer and a chat with their old cronies. It was a magnificent sight. Celeste had always loved how the Three Broomsticks was crowded and warm. Nice and cozy.

"I can't believe these people. They can't stand two people being seen together. Hello. Can we help you with something? I mean, other than bothering you with the fact we are together, enjoying ourselves on our date? Don't think we're going to let your opinions bother us."

Celeste shot the people a "back-off-because-I-really-like-this-guy-and-don't-wanna-lose-him" look. "No kidding." she said, her voice reaching weird pitches.

"There is a table."

Celeste sat down at the table. It was in the far corner. A booth. A round table was in the middle of the cushioned seating.

((Sorry I didn't really give you much to work off of...my muse is blah.))

[VINCENT VALOR HARRISON]

Vince had helped Celeste into one side of the corner booth and smiled. He had slid on the side across from her and placed his arms across each othe on the table. "Should I stay here or do you want me to sit next to you?" He wanted to ask her to see what she wanted. Some girls don't mind either way, but some girls like having a guy sit next to them.

As shifted a little on his side of the booth, the waitress approached their table, placing menus infront of them. "I'm Grace. Anything I can get you two to drink? We have butterbeer half off today."

Vince had looked down at the menu in front of him and picked it up. He had notice the price of butterbeer and divided it by two. He had nodded and looked back up to the waitress. "I'd like one, please. A butterbeer. And Celeste, you still want one to? Or you want something else? I can pay for it."

He looked back down at his menu and looked at the options of food they had offered, even though he had a bagel about an hour before. If he were to eat, he'd get something light to eat because he did not want to feel too full. He couldn't find anything light enough to eat so he placed the menu down and looked at Celeste. "I may not eat here. Still a little full from my bagel. And we are also getting sweets, later?"

[celeste rockelle dream]

"Should I stay here or do you want me to sit next to you?"

Celeste saw where he was coming from. Some girls were all picky and HAD to have their boyfriends sit next to them on dates or whatever. Celeste wasn't like that "You can choose." she said. She sort of hoped he wouldn't sit REALLY close to her because
1. She admired her personal space
2. Closer meant being closer to kissing
Whenever Celeste liked a guy she always wanted to save the kiss until AFTER the first date. If Vince kissed her, that would be awesome(and she would probably spend a few minutes trying to remember what her name was), and she would love that. But sometimes relationships went WAY TOO FAST. This one Sixth Year Girl had dated her boyfriend for three days and before their break up they had already gone on seven dates and had five snogging sessions. But Celeste wasn't too worried because she knew that Vince wasn't like that.

"I'd like one, please. A butterbeer. And Celeste, you still want one to? Or you want something else? I can pay for it."

"Butterbeer is good." she said. She remembered her father. One time(Celeste had been at home with mother)he had flown to the Three Broomsticks from France and had gotten a whole ton drunk from Fire Whiskey. When he had come home Mum had been kind of weirded-out. Celeste had awoken(but had stayed in bed giggling)as her father stumbled around the hallway in front of her bedroom door.

"I may not eat here. Still a little full from my bagel. And we are also getting sweets, later?"

"I might not either." she said. She and Vincent both knew why. Celeste had about the world's smallest appetite. One bagel at eight AM and she was full until two PM. She didn't really eat anything. That was probably why she was skinnier than a twig(and since she was tall she had really long, bangly limbs). "And we probably will get sweets later...I can't pass Honeydukes like that."

[VINCENT VALOR HARRISON]

He had watched the waitress nod towards them as she picked up the menus and walked off. He had waited until the waitress left to get into more of a deep chat. He did not mind if people were apart of his conversations if they weren't strangers or not directly apart of the conversation, so he merely made small talk while the waitress was there.

"So you said you had something to say when we got our Butterbeers?" He stayed in the spot he was in as he conversed with her. He figured since they are merely just being casual enough, he could stay casual enough. Plus, they would be walking next to each other close enough later on after their sit down and butterbeer.

"You want to go to the dance with me?" he asked her, taking a random shot at what she might want to ask. Though, it was a long shot because he knew she wasn't much of a 'let go to the ball' type of person. But he just wanted to guess nonetheless. "No one has asked me yet. I am unsure if I even want to go. But people are assuming I will go since I'm Head Boy and it's my seventh year, blah blah. But I will always have excuses in the future to dance."

The waitress had come back with their butterbeers and told them how much it was costing them. Vince didn't complain at all and pulled out a handful of Wizard money from his front pocket. He dug out what he owed the waitress and gave it to her, resulting in her second departure. He had put the rest back to the pocket it was originally in. He had picked up his butterbeer and took a few gulps if it before placing it down on the table.

"We can go to Honeydukes after this. We can get some candy today. Whatever we don't eat now, we can save for later." He had kissed the tip of his finger and poked Celeste lighty on her nose playfully and he smiled.