Dari frowned at the page in front of her, her pen inches above the paper and her brow furrowed in concentration. Or at least she was trying to concentrate. Dari was lacking her usual focus today and it might have been because it was beautiful outside and she longed to be on her broom or perhaps having a picnic with either of her best friends under the shade of her favorite tree.
There was work to be done, though, despite it only being the first week of the school year and it wasn't going to get done out there. Still, she couldn't keep her thoughts from drifting to that perfectly shaded spot where she'd often picnicked with Jeremy or the way he made her favorite sandwiches, such a perfect memory that she could nearly taste them just thinking of it now. There would be Quodpot trials soon, too, and she found herself soon daydreaming about that, too. The exhilaration of being in the air with her long hair whipping around her.
"Focus," she muttered to herself, biting her lip determinedly as she looked from parchment to textbook, struggling to find the words to start her essay. Maybe she should take a break from Defensive Magic and move along to Potions for awhile. That was one bit of homework she'd find easy to get through and a moment later, her mind was made up. She shoved the book she'd been looking through back into her bag, pulling out the Potions text instead and smiling faintly as she read over the page once more. Minutes later, he pen was pressed to the paper once more, dashing over the page as she began to write.
Jeremy had known where to find Dari the second he'd realized she was missing. Why anyone would want to spend so much of their free time in the library was beyond him, but he'd always thought his best friend was a little weird in that respect.
"Heeey, gorgeous," he greeted as he snuck up behind her and poked her playfully in the ribs. "Whatcha up to?"
His question was rhetorical, of course. He knew what she was doing. She was working. That was about to come to a screeching halt, though. After all, they only had an hour before dinner, and he knew exactly how he wanted to work up his appetite.
"Ew," he commented when he saw her Potions book. "Here, let me save you from that."
Rather than giving her the change to protest, he snapped her book closed and took it away from her. Really, she should know by now that it was pointless to try to study while he was awake. She needed to start doing it before noon.
Dari should have known that she wasn't going to get any work done at this time of day. Jeremy was bound to be bored and looking for her and she knew full well that he wouldn't stand for her studying if he wanted to be entertained.
"Writing an essay," she answered unnecessarily. She tried to make her tone sound annoyed at the interruption, but her lips twitched into a smile and she was sure he would never believe that she was actually irritated with him.
"Hey! I was working on that!" she protested anyway. It really wasn't any fun if she immediately gave in to his "saving," even though they both knew that she was going to let him have his way in the end.
Jeremy was perfectly capable of entertaining himself. He enjoyed it when she entertained him, though. After all, she had this thing she did with her tongue... and this other thing with her lips. Really, who could blame him for wanting to spend time with her? She was awesome.
His brow lifted when she tried to sound irritated with him. There was no way he was buying that. How could she possibly be annoyed with him? He was perfect.
"Nah... you weren't. It was all a figment of your imagination. You should really stop fantasizing about potions. So... I was thinking we could find a cozy little alcove for two before dinner. What do you think? A little kissing... a little touching..." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as he spoke.
Dari didn't have the sort of confidence to believe she was awesome, but she certainly didn't hate that Jeremy thought so and that was a big part of why she was so willing to give in to what he wanted. Jeremy was one of the few people in this world who knew her, understood her and loved her. Maybe it wasn't the same kind of love you saw in fairytales or what have you, but in Dari's mind it was better. There were no conditions, no games, no need for anything complicated stupidity. They just were. There were few people she could be so comfortable or open with.
"Right, a figment of my imagination. That must be why my hand is cramped from writing," she teased in return. She was grinning fully now, the feigned annoyance dropped. It was pointless to pretend that she would rather study than spend time with Jeremy and she did think that his idea was a really nice one.
"Were you, then?" she feigned innocence, as though she hadn't just been fighting a daydream that featured some of that kissing and touching. "Interesting." She paused, trying to act indifferent to the idea, but that didn't last long. They both knew there was no other way she'd rather spend her time. Especially when his expression as he wiggled his eyebrows at her sent her into a small fit of giggles.
"Can we nick something from the kitchens and have a picnic for dinner?" she asked him as she started to gather up her things.
"Oh, yes. Your poor cramped hand. Well... that was a figment of your imagination, too." A very large, charming grin moved over his features as he teased her. "I can't help it that you get off on that sort of thing."
Jeremy loved Dari very much. He wasn't in love with her, but he didn't think that mattered. Their relationship was better... stronger... he wouldn't trade it for the world.
"I was," he answered with a smirk.
Since she didn't seem to be in a rush, he dropped into the chair beside her. His feet moved fluidly to the top of the table, and he clasped his hands behind his head.
"A picnic?" he repeated. "I don't know, pet. That sounds like an awful lot of work. How will you be repaying me?"
Once again, his eyebrows wiggled suggestively. He would gladly rob the kitchens and have a picnic with her. He knew that she wouldn't mind working it out in trade, though.
"I didn't know figments of my imagination could be sore," she whined playfully, making an exaggerated show of rubbing at her palm. She was smiling though, clearly enjoying this banter between them. It was a game that never got old and she was certain that it never would.
"Since when do I have to repay you for a picnic?" she asked him, brow lifted in amusement. Oh, she certainly wouldn't mind giving him a proper thank you and she knew he was teasing, but she couldn't help playing along. "I thought you did these things for me because you love me, not because you're getting something out of it."
She was teasing, too, but that didn't stop her from arranging her features into the pout she knew would generally earn her whatever it was she wanted. Jeremy had never been able to resist her pouting and she knew it. Maybe it was a little manipulative, but she didn't mind employing that knowledge now and again to get her way.
"Wellll... they can," he assured her with another charming smile.
Jeremy knew she was playing it up, but he took her hand into his. After pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles, he began to massage the muscles in her palm.
"Since now." If it was possible, his smirk widened. "I mean... I do love you, but it's this new thing. I get sexual favors for picnics." He shrugged. "Don't look at me. I don't make the rules, I just abide by them."
He full attention turned to her hand when she began to pout, but he was still smiling. It wasn't fair that she could manipulate him so easily. One day, he was going to learn to resist. For the moment, though, he was simply trying to ignore it.
"Mmmm, that feels nice."
Dari might have been exaggerating about her hand hurting - she hadn't been working for that long when he'd interrupted - but that didn't mean she didn't love the feel of his hands on her or the brush of his lips across the knuckles of that hand. Her eyes closed for a moment and she smiled as she took a few seconds to enjoy the attention he was giving her hand.
"I might be able to thank you," she murmured. "Maybe. There'll have to be sandwiches and cake and.. other good things, though. You know what a sweet tooth I have. You're going to have to satisfy my every craving if you expect to be rewarded."
They both knew full well that there had never been a time when he had left her unsatisfied, but she couldn't help it. It was a part of the game they played. It was just no fun if she gave in too easily.
Jeremy smirked when she hummed. As always, she responded to his slightest touch.
"Oh yeah?" he questioned as he continued to massage her hand. "Sandwiches and cake?"
One of his brows lifted when she told him that he would have to satisfy her every craving. As though he needed to be reminded of that fact. He could say without a shadow of a doubt that he'd never left her unsatisfied. It amused him that she was acting as though she needed to set that stipulation.
"I promise you," he murmured with a sparkle in his eyes, "I will satisfy your every craving. If I don't, you owe me nothing."
"Yes, sandwiches and cake and I think we should see if we can't find some wine, too."
No, those things didn't exactly go together, but Dari had always been a girl of some odd tastes. Luckily, Jeremy was always willing to cater to those whims of hers.
"You're so good to me," she murmured, feigning a slight surprise in her expression and even though she knew it wasn't a good idea right here in the library, she couldn't resist the urge to shift and brush her lips lightly over his.
"I predict that you'll definitely be earning that reward, Mr. Pitt," she murmured as she pulled away and got to her feet.
"Are you ready to go?" He looked awfully comfortable right there, but she was certain that if she started to leave the library, he would follow.
"Sandwiches and cake and wine?" he questioned with a chuckle. "You're high maintenance."
Jeremy would have absolutely no trouble getting those items, if that was really what she wanted, but he had to tease her. That was how they worked.
"I try, pet," he agreed softly. A bright smile moved over his face when she leaned in and brushed her lips over his. Though he wanted to pull her into a deeper embrace, he knew they couldn't do that.
It didn't seem possible, but his smile widened when she predicted that he would be earning a reward. Of course, he would. He was Jeremy Pitt. If she wanted her every craving satisfied, she'd come to the right place.
"Definitely," he agreed.
He had been comfortable, but he quickly moved to his feet and followed her out of the library.
"But you love me," she countered, as if that completely overruled the fact that she could be a little demanding when she wanted something. It totally did, though. She knew that Jeremy loved spoiling her almost as much as she loved being spoiled, no matter how much he might tease her.
It wouldn't have taken them very long to nip to the kitchens if Dari hadn't gotten distracted along the way.
"I believe you said something about an alcove," she smirked as she pulled him into just such a spot. That kiss in the library hadn't been nearly enough and she wasn't sure she had the patience to wait until after they'd gotten something to eat.
Smirking, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his, winding her arms around his neck as she gave him a proper kiss this time.
"I do," he conceded. "Unfortunately."
Truth be told, Jeremy didn't mind it when she got a little demanding. After all, he enjoyed spoiling her. Not to mention, she usually demanded things like cake. He couldn't begrudge her that.
Minutes later, they were making their way down the hall. They didn't get far before she pulled him into an alcove.
"I did," he answered with a smirk as she leaned up and pressed her lips to his.
Now that they'd found a little privacy, he was more than eager to return her kiss. His hands moved to her hips as his mouth worked gently over hers. A second later, though, he was deepening the embrace and sliding his tongue into her mouth.
This was how he'd wanted to spend the evening.
Dari smirked as Jeremy pulled her into his arms and deepened the kiss she'd initiated mere seconds before. It never ceased to amaze her how well they seemed to fit together. Her lips parted automatically for him as his tongue pushed into her mouth.
"Mmm, you taste better than cake," she murmured, breaking the kiss just long enough to say that and take a break before pressing another deep kiss to his lips. Her tongue brushed against his and she let out a soft moan. Jeremy always tasted and felt... perfect. From the first time he'd kissed her, she was addicted to this. She kissed other boys, too, sure, but no one had been able to curl her toes the way he did.
Dari smiled against his lips as her fingernails scraped lightly over the back of his neck. She knew he liked the feel of her nails on his skin. It was a shame this alcove wasn't private enough to do much more than kiss, but that didn't matter at the moment. She knew they'd find someplace more suitable to be eventually.
Jeremy merely smirked when she complimented him. Of course he tasted better than cake. He tasted better than almost everything.
There was a brief pause, but he quickly urged her into another deep kiss. One set of his fingers tangled themselves into her hair while the other pulled at her hip. He knew they couldn't go much further than a kiss, but it was obvious that he wanted her.
A groan built in the back of his throat when her fingernails scraped lightly down the back of her neck, and he deepened the kiss even further.
Jeremy had made out with his fair share of girls, but Dari was the only one who had ever affected him this way.
Dari followed him easily into the deeper kiss. She hummed against his lips as she felt his fingers tangle in her hair and shifted closer as he tugged at her hip. No, this couldn't go further than a simple kiss, but that didn't mean that she couldn't fully enjoy the opportunity to kiss him for awhile. Eventually, she'd be ready to grab some dinner and find someplace a little more private to be, but right now she was interested in little else but having his lips on her.
Maybe it should have told them something, how perfectly they did this together. Dari had never equated sex with love, though. She knew she and Jeremy loved one another, but it was a completely separate and different thing. They were just.. them. They were perfect just as they were.
"Mmmm, this was an excellent idea," she muttered against his lips before pulling him deeper into the kiss. Was there any question to why she'd pulled him in here? There was little in this world that was better than kissing Jeremy.
"An excellent idea," he echoed.
Jeremy leaned against her, his weight pinning her against the wall. Eventually, he would be ready to follow through with their dinner plans. At this rate, though, it would be a while. After all, he held the opinion that kissing was far more important than eating.
The hand on her hip slipped down the outside of her thigh, and once it reached her knee, he tugged her leg up over his hip. He continuously reminded himself that they could not go any further, but it was easy to forget that when they were wrapped up in one another.
"Mmm," he hummed against her lips.
Excellent didn't seem to cover just how good this idea had been, honestly, but Dari felt like there were much more important things she could be doing with her lips than trying to describe it. Like kissing. Had she mentioned that she loved kissing?
Dari's leg moved willingly as Jeremy tugged at it and she groaned softly as the motion brought them even closer. She was in a skirt, of course, and the material rode up a little more as they shifted into one another.
She echoed his humming as their lips worked together, smirking as she pulled his lower lip between her teeth. Really, she could easily skip dinner if it meant they could just keep doing this. It was only the second day and already she found herself thinking she was going to have to sneak into his room tonight. The idea of sleeping alone became even less appealing when she was being reminded of the alternative.
Jeremy groaned softly when her teeth raked over his bottom lip. After returning the favor, he trailed his lips down her chin and along the line of her jaw.
"Taste so good," he murmured. "Feel so good."
He rolled his hips forward and ground their bodies together. With the way her skirt had shifted, he could easily slip his hand under it, and he took complete advantage of this fact. His fingers slipped up the back of her leg until they were brushing lightly over her bottom.
"I want you," he growled as his mouth moved onto her neck.
"Mmmm, yes," she murmured distractedly as she tilted her head to give him better access to her jaw. "So good." It was amazing how his lips on her skin could feel so completely amazing. She didn't know how he did it, but her skin felt almost like fire when he touched her.
Dari moaned something of an agreement as their hips rolled together and she felt his hand sliding over her leg. "Guh, me too." Her fingernails scraped lightly over the back of his neck and she bit her lip to stifle another moan. She knew he liked to hear her, but this wasn't the most soundproof location they could have found and it wouldn't do to be caught. Especially before they were finished.
"Maybe we should..." she faltered as his lips grazed a particularly sensitive spot. "Maybe we should find somewhere.. Mmmm, Jer.." What had she been saying? Her focus left her as his lips and hands moved over her and suddenly she was pulling him into a hungry, desperate kiss, forgetting for a moment that she'd been trying to suggest the move this someplace else. In her defense, he was very distracting.
"We should," he confirmed.
Jeremy brought his lips to hers and kissed her for several minutes before he finally pulled back. The last thing he wanted was to stop kissing her, but it would ruin her reputation if they were caught. That meant more to him than getting off.
"I know just the place," he murmured with a smirk.
Unable to resist, he leaned in for one more kiss. He'd intended to lightly brush his lips over hers, but he ended up deepening the embrace.
"Let's go," he told her breathlessly as he pulled her from their alcove. |
