Another night of detention (Francis)

[Genevieve Stark]

*Her breath catches a little when he leans close, not only is he handsome but he smells so very good too. She shakes her head with a smile, not about to give in so easily (although she does find the idea dangerously thrilling), and replies with another question.*

Where do you keep that thing anyway? Is it somewhere near Hogwarts? Hogsmeade perhaps? I mean, you wouldn't offer a girl a ride that would require a trip into Muggle London....would you?

*She looks up at him, thinking that there's no way she could go on this ride if that was the case. Besides, she just found out last week that she would be spending the holidays here after all, so unless he has it parked in some cave outside the village this joy ride is out of the question.

She shakes the thoughts away inwardly and smirks, her fingers furtively edging closer to the ink bottle, hoping he might release his hold on it when distracted.*

[Francis Eric Thorne]

"It's back home," he said with a shrug, tightening his grip on the ink bottle as he saw her hand edging towards it. He wasn't going to give in that easily. "But I have a fireplace... We could floo there, go for a ride and be back by dinner time." They didn't even need to wait for the holidays. There was a Hogsmeade weekend coming up soon, meant for Christmas Shopping, but he was sure no one would notice two older students slipping away through the fire at the Hog's Head.

Grinning, Francis glanced between the ink in his hand and her. She really did have beautiful eyes. She was even more mesmerising up close. He had an insane urge to just reach out and touch her but he fought it. If he just managed to get her on the back of his bike, she'd be clinging onto him for dear life. For some reason, he really liked that image. "I guess it just depends how much you want to get another detention for handing your essay in late again," he said, making as if to walk away again.

[Genevieve Stark]

*Gen snickers. Alright, she's going to let him win this one. But only because her curiosity and adventurous nature has clouded her better judgment, not because he has exercised any power over her. Because this is not really about the ink or writing an essay any more. This is about agreeing to give a boy she hardly knows (a Hufflepuff boy!) a few hours of her time to do something crazy. And eventhough there is an infinite amount of things wrong with that picture, she has actually (and quite hastily) decided that...she doesn't care. Although it would be better for everyone, of course, if no one ever found out....

As he starts to walk away she reaches out and grabs the sleeve of his robes.*

Wait! Okay, fine. I'll go on this little ride of yours. But I promise you, I will not be as impressed as you think.

*She feigns nonchalance at the agreement, although she's actually quite excited. Not only about the ride on a strange muggle machine, and spending some time with a boy she just realised makes her heart race a little, but also because she just can't wait to see how much of this she can actually get away with. She's well aware of the hell her fellow Slytherins would be giving her if they were to find out, not to mention her parents. But hey! They want her to be a true Slytherin, right? What better way to prove herself than by breaking a few cardinal rules.

*Still holding on to him, she extends her other hand, palm up.*

Hand it over, then.

*Smiles.*

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis grinned, handing her the ink, letting his fingers brush hers as he passed it over, holding on a little longer than was totally necessary. "Help yourself. I have another pot in my bag." Grinning broadly, Francis walked back to his own seat and sat down, still stealing glances at her, even as he pulled the other ink bottle out. He couldn't help but feel completely excited at the prospect of spending more time with her. The way she'd grabbed his sleeve had definitely sent more of a thrill through him than he liked to admit.

[Genevieve Stark]

*Although the surreptitious finger brush did not escape her notice she had no time to really think about it due to the statement that followed, which sent her thoughts in a completely different direction. "He had another? He could've just....That's so....Ugh! But wait. Isn't it in my own nature to be just as devious and self-serving? And besides, I actually want to go on this ride with him, so being mad is just....pointless." She tells her brain to shut up and looks across at him with narrowed eyes.*

Well that was...deceitful of you. Yet another Slytherin quality you posess. How many does that make now?

*Snickers, placing the inkpot on the table and reaching for her quill, not really expecting an answer.

After writing a few sentences in silence, she looks back up at him, having just realised something. How is it that he can be so persistent about taking her out on this ride but not even ask her name? How could she have missed that? She didn't even learn his name until this week, it's not like she can expect him to know hers.

With a questioning look, she asks...*

So Francis? Do you even know my name?

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis smirked slighty. He knew it was probably only his slightly militant attitude about muggles that had prevented him from being sorted into Slytherin. That and his inability to actually do magic that well...

Unscrewing the ink pot lid, Francis dipped his quill into it and began to write. It was pretty hard to keep his mind on the subject at hand, but somehow he managed to squeeze out a few sentences.

He was a little taken aback when she spoke again. "Of course I know your name..." he said, a look of surprise on his face. "Genevieve Stark." You couldn't be in a class with a girl like her for six and a half years without having her name firmly ingrained in your mind. "Why do you ask that?"

[Genevieve Stark]

*She shrugs, but still can't help but smile.*

I don't know. You didn't ask, and I wasn't sure. I mean, it's not like we've ever spoken before or anything. We travel in completely different circles after all.

*Still smiling, she returns to her writing. And after reading her last paragraph she realises that she has reiterated herself twice already.*

Ugh! Major mess-up. I'm going to have to just scratch this part out. There's no way I'm going to rewrite the entire bloody thing. If Binns doesn't like it then...I guess I'll have another night of detention.

*Laughs, feeling entirely at ease with him now.*

So when are we going to do this thing then? The ride, I mean.

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis looked down, feeling a little awkward. She had to point out that they hadn't talked but he still knew her name. She made him sound like some kind of stalker or something. "You just pick these things up if you pay attention to anyone but yourself..." he said, looking down at his parchment.

Francis looked back up at her when she mentioned "doing this thing". For a moment he had some very different images in his head until she corrected his silent thoughts. Clearing his throat, hoping he hadn't flushed red, he shrugged. "There's a Hogsmeade weekend this Saturday," he said. "We could head down to the Hog's Head after breakfast and floo down to mine."

[Genevieve Stark]

*Gen looks up at him apprehensively.*

The Hog's Head? Why the Hog's Head? I hear that place is....filthy.

*Her protest is interrupted when something catches her eye by the foot of the open door as she looks past Francis. A furry, red-eyed something leaving the room.*

Mrs. Norris!

*Without missing a beat, as if she's been through this before, she stands up and starts cramming all her stuff in her bag, including Francis' inkpot.*

She's seen what we're up to. I'd say we have about 3 minutes before Filch comes in to check on us. Hurry! Or we'll be here tomorrow night as well!

*She leaves her bag on the table and heads over to the trophy case, where she pulls down the trophy currently being polished by her rag and starts doing the work herself, her eyes moving anxiously between the door and Francis when the sound of footsteps begin to echo down the hallway.*

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis had noticed the cat at about the same time as Genevieve had and simultaniously began putting his stuff away. Within a minute he was beside her at the trophy cabinet, taking his rag and the trophy it had been polishing and continuing manually, just a moment before Filtch opened the door. Trying to look as though he'd been there the whole time, Francis leaned casually - as casually as possible - against the wooden frame of the cabinet, trying to look bored and irritated as Filtch would be expecting.

[Genevieve Stark]

*She tries not to look at Filch, since he seems to really dislike being ignored. So she looks up at the clock and realises that two hours had already gone by. This amazes her because it certainly didn't feel like it, but she got next to nothing done as far as homework is concerned. Feeling a little bummed she turns and sets her gaze on Francis who stands next to her working that rag so vigorously she finds it comical. When she smiles at this Filch growls at them, accusing them of being up to no good because "Mrs. Norris said so." Gen sighs and finally turns to him, a look of utter boredom on her face.*

Doesn't she always?

*She rolls her eyes and drops her hands to her side, trophy in one and rag in the other.*

Look, we're being perfectly good little pawns here. We've polished so much our hands are sore. I think we should get out of here early for good behaviour. Don't you, Francis?

*She shoots Francis a smirky smile before turning back to Filch, who had a look of both distrust and confusion on his face.*

Besides, we've been through three whole cabinets already! Shouldn't we leave something for the next set of detention kids to do?

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis didn't look up until his name was said. "Oh yeah, definitely," he said with a nod, trying to look sincere. "We've been working really hard, and like she said, if we carry on much longer, there won't be anything left for anyone else to do." He finished polishing the trophy he was holding as he spoke, putting it back on the shelf it had come from before turning back to Filtch.

[Genevieve Stark]

*When Filch throws his hands up in the air and leaves the room, grumbling words that sound an awful lot like "Bah!" and "Good riddance!", Genevieve turns to Francis, laughing.*

I swear it's getting easier and easier. The man may finally be getting too old for this.

*Still snickering, she puts the trophy back on its shelf, closes the display case's door and returns to the table.*

I didn't get much done after all. Did you?

*She sifts through the contents of her bag, taking her time as she looks for his inkpot, not sure that she's ready for their time to end. She wonders how things will be once they are out that door and headed in their own directions. Will anything have changed tomorrow? Will they go back to pretending the other doesn't exist, or are they...friends now? She finally finds the inkpot and holds it out to him.*

Here you go. Thanks.

*Smiles.*

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis managed not to laugh until Filtch's footsteps had disappeared down the hallway. Grinning, he looked over at Genevieve. "No. About two sentences. And they're probably a load of bull," he said, putting the trophy back on the shelf and crossing over to the table as she did.

Slowly he began putting his things away. He never thought he'd find himself actually regretting having to leave detention, but he was. He'd actually really enjoyed spending this time with her. And he was definitely looking forward to te weekend.

"Yeah, thanks too," he said as he took the ink pot again. He hadn't got a lot of work done, but he wouldn't have done any if she hadn't helped with the spelled rag.

Tucking the ink away in his bag and pulling the strap over his shoulder, Francis turned to look at her. Their common rooms were in the same general direction, but he knew she probably wouldn't want to walk down with him in case anyone saw them. He was a Hufflepuff after all, and he was supposed to hate Slytherins and everything they stood for. So instead of an awkward walk down through the castle, Francis decided he'd go to the library for a bit.

"So, ten o clock on Saturday in the Hogs' Head?" he said as he backed towards the door. "I'll hold you to it, Slytherin."

[Genevieve Stark]

*She came really close to expressing her feelings about the Hog's Head again but decided against it. They were only going there to use the fireplace after all, not to hang out. Gen nodded, still in disbelief that she had actually agreed to go on this crazy escapade. She was going to have to come up with a very good excuse for going off on her own this Saturday, on which she had made plans to go shopping with her friends. She throws her bag strap over her shoulder and meets him at the door.*

Don't worry, I'll be there.

*She smirks and walks past him, brushing against him as she does so.*

Don't be late Hufflepuff!

*She calls out right before disappearing down the dimly lit corridor, a mischievous smile painted on her face all the way back to down to the dungeons.*