Justin Finch-Fletchley (condign) wrote in riddikulus,
@ 2008-01-29 12:38:00

October 21, 1997 | Tuesday. After Dinner
Characters: Justin Finch-Fletchley & Susan Bones
Settings: Hufflepuff Common room. Tuesday, October 21, 1997. After dinner.
Summary: Justin asks Susan to the Halloween Ball. What ever will she say!?
Rating: PG?
Status: Complete

Tuesday had gone well for the most part. Double Defense had been lived through with success. He was on top of his homework and he'd successfully managed to finish the last book on curse-breaking that had been on his list. Aside from still being annoyed with Melanie whenever he saw her there was a relatively good mood in the air. Justin Finch-Fletchley had been trying to be optimistic for the next few weeks and this helped force the boy to be content for the most part.

While changing out of his school robes for dinner, Justin's optimism was lifted with a male to male conversation he'd had with some of the boy's in the dorms. With the Halloween Ball rounding quickly it seemed that the lot of them were either boasting about who they'd already snagged as dates or which of the girl's would be prime options for consideration. Course, as the event neared closer it seemed the "prime list" was slowly but surely dwindling. Everyday there was new news of who was no longer available.

Naturally, with these sorts of conversation Justin had more or less kept his mouth shut. He was more often than not the one revealing who was no longer available instead of sharing his option or his final decision. The situation with Susan Bones had been a questionable one. And though they'd been on good terms for the last few weeks he was still putting off the topic. With the encouragement of some of his dorm mates, however, the Hufflepuff finally decided tonight was good as night as any.

He'd given himself some time and hadn't bothered to think about it during the meal. Instead he waited a few minutes after everyone was settled in the common room that evening with full tummies. Finally he joined the masses from the dorms and approached Susan as she sat comfortably on one of the sofas. "Hey," he greeted as he plopped down next to Susan. "I've a question for you."

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gotabonetopick
2008-02-01 11:20 pm UTC (link)

Susan just looked at Justin unsure if he really cared about the book or had just making small talk. Ever since this whole thing happened she always felt like everything was strained between them. This just made her feel uncomfortable in the situation no matter how hard she tried to make things seem like she was fine. It was always in the back of her mind if he really wanted anything. When he asked about her leg she just looked at him lifting her head from his shoulder. “It is better. Pomfrey said things were healing well with the potion. So I should be off crutches next week. She told me the process would be slow even with the potion. Just cause I had really screwed up my muscle. And she finds this is best remedy even if it is the slowest.” Susan rambled on as she looked at her bandaged knee. She was sure Justin only wanted a yes or no answer.

Susan looked back up at Justin and smiled awkwardly. “So the ball we are just going as friends?” Susan wanted to know because she didn’t want to have the entire night be awkward because she didn’t know what the purpose of the night was. She would be really okay if it was just friends. Justin seemed so distant lately and Susan really hadn’t asked why.

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condign
2008-02-01 11:45 pm UTC (link)

Justin hadn't exactly paid attention to Susan's explanation after she announced that her leg was 'better.' That's all he needed in reply really. So as she talked he stared across the room and watched a portrait of two old men playing a game of wizard's chess. It was then that he realized how very bored he'd been with their entire situation. Whether it were his fault, her fault, or no one's fault in particular he wasn't entirely sure.

The question she asked next, however, had hardly been anticipated. He'd been under the impression that his asking her without the stipulation of 'going as friends' was enough to clarify the 'status' of it being a date. But now that Susan asked - Justin suddenly wondered if she were having second thoughts on the matter. A slightly uncomfortable and sick feeling knotted in his stomach. The immediate sign of guilt.

"Er..." he looked over at her obviously baffled by the question. Hhe shrugged and shook his head, "I-Yeah, if you'd rather go as friends. It wasn't what I had in mind, but if it'd make you more comfortable... we can do that." He smiled and nodded as enthusiastically as he could manage - which was forced through and through. Absently he wondered where this left them now.

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gotabonetopick
2008-02-01 11:55 pm UTC (link)

Susan was sort of wondering if asking if they were just going as friends was the right thing to do or not. She didn’t like the feeling she got when she asked either. It was like her stomach was ready to drop with disappointment at the answer, yet she still asked it. Susan looked at him and brushed hair from her face as if to keep her occupied or something as she had not reason to do so.

I-Yeah, if you'd rather go as friends. It wasn't what I had in mind, but if it'd make you more comfortable... we can do that." Susan listened to him as he spoke and turned back to him and shook her head. “I dunno, I just wondered. I don’t know how you sit on the whole going slow thing or yeah. I do want to go with you I really really do.” Susan sat there wondering what to say next. It was a strange feeling to think she honestly didn’t know how to answer the question. “If this is a date thing then I am fine with that, I’m comfortable with that.” Susan felt like an idiot right now and just wanted to stop talking but of course she wasn’t letting herself. “I just want to know you are comfortable with it.” Susan looked at him and she felt sort of nervous again. She was just confused on how Justin sat with everything and if he really did want to move forward even if it was slowly.

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condign
2008-02-02 12:14 am UTC (link)

"If I wasn't comfortable with it, I wouldn't have asked you to go with me," Justin offered casually. He was fine with calling it a date. It wasn't like this would be his first, ever. Unlike, Susan the young man hadn't been waiting on baited breath or letting nerves get the best of him where asking her to the ball was concerned. If anything asking her wasn't an issue - it was the easiest part.

What he had reservations about was whether or not forcing this ... whatever it was with Susan along was the right thing to do. He'd never exactly been in a situation like the one he'd managed with Susan. The way everything had happened was so...out of sequence from his usual dating habits that it threw him off - and not in a good way either. With Laura Madley things had been off the pattern but in a surprisingly pleasant manner of physical gratification. With Susan, well, it was more dramatic and awkward. Most of the time he felt as if he were walking on egg shells rather than just doing it to have fun.

He was worried about hurting her feelings. And because of that, Justin had found it better to try and give Susan the benefit of the doubt. Course, because he didn't automatically realize his massive lust for the girl when she revealed her 'crush,' Justin absently wondered if he were just leading her on. Not that he'd ever mean to do so. But for the sake of getting his own feelings in order, Justin was agreed with the other chaps in his dorm. Going on this date would most likely make or break his final decision of whether the 'going slow' bit was going to benefit anyone.

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gotabonetopick
2008-02-02 12:26 am UTC (link)

“Okay,” Susan said looked at the book in her lap before looking back up at him with a smile that was noticeably forced. She bit her lip as she watched him under of what to do or say. She just kept getting this vibe that everything was just awkward, but perhaps that was just her. Susan had never gone on a date before or had to experience any of this so she didn’t know if this was suppose to be how it was to be. “So a date then?” Susan wasn’t sure what to do right now.

Why did she feel like this was so forced and awkward? Why couldn’t she just ask him how he truly felt and just get it out in the open? Perhaps this was supposed to be a way for them to see if this would work. Of course Susan wasn’t really sure of this and felt like she should probably talk to a friend about this, but who? It was just this nagging feeling that was bugging her and perhaps it just came from how this situation had turned slightly awkward.

“Are you wanting to dress up in costumes or just go in dress robes?” Susan was pretty easy either way. She just hoped that things wouldn’t get screwed up even more.

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condign
2008-02-08 12:36 am UTC (link)

Justin was relieved that she'd...decided otherwise. It was important to them that they at least try this date thing again. He was hopeful to the idea that it'd make up for the horrible attempt ~~she'd~~ they'd managed during Hogsmeade. Even if he too sensed the tension and awkwardness in the air - he was determined to give it a chance.

That's what mattered right? His willingness to give it another chance. His openness to letting things happen without the ridiculous dramatics of vomit, tears, or general unnecessary uncomfortable-ness. Granted that's not to say he was going to let himself get trapped - oh no - he'd already decided that if this Ball business didn't go over well he'd stop trying. There wouldn't be a point. But for now, for now he'd make the extra effort....it was important.

With a shrug he replied to Susan's inquiry about the costumes. "I thought it was a masquerade ball?" he asked rhetorically, "Costumes are usually the woman's choice isn't it? I can...get away with dress robes?" He grinned at her, "Or is it different for wizarding world masquerades?"

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gotabonetopick
2008-02-08 07:26 am UTC (link)

Susan was going to work past this; she was going to stop acting like this. She was just going to have fun and just enjoy the time she had with Justin. A date was a date, and if it didn’t work it obviously wasn’t going to later. Just have fun was all she could really tell herself to do. She just wanted to enjoy herself at the ball with Justin and stop worrying about what he wanted and if something would happen. It was just making her upset, and causing her to over think things. It was a lot easier when they were just friends.

“Well we could wear dress robes and mask, or full out costume and mask.” Susan added this as if she was thinking it out as she said it. She wasn’t really to sure about the ‘rules’ of dress. “I dunno did you want to go matching or, what?” Susan didn’t really like the idea of matching it seemed strange. A nice combo outfit would be suitable, kind of like a King Arthur and Guinevere type of thing. Of course if he just wanted to do his own thing she was fine with that. Susan was really starting to think about what to wear, and it was making her sort of giddy about the ball.

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