Madness til Midnight

Though Kerry knew he should have been pissed off at Ellen's outburst, he couldn't feel anything but a sort of pity for her. "Damn, that's twice she's screwed up a Madness," he said, feeling as if some kind of energy was suddenly drained from the room.

Suddenly Kerry shrugged and said in a loud voice, "Naw!!" before raising his cocoa and exclaiming, "And just like that--" He used his free hand to make a "blowing away" motion with his fingers, "--she's gone!"

Then he turned to Annie and gave her a nose nuzzle. "I'm afraid to kiss you now because--" He lowered his voice to a whisper, "I haven't kissed any instructor butt tonight!"

Annie blinked as Ellen continued her tirade. She sounded ridiculous, and her yelling was attracting quite a few laughs and snickers from the kids around them.

When she'd stormed away, Annie was shocked to see Professor Arrakis grab her and guide her out. When did she get here? It was only then that Annie realized exactly how many faculty members there were at tonight's Madness.

She laughed as Kerry nuzzled her nose. "That was a close call, Kerry," she whispered as the kids around them slowly went back to whatever they were doing before Ellen's outburst. "I don't think I could have taken much more of her and there are so many professors...and the headmistress here tonight."

She kissed his lips gently and licked her lips. "Nope, I taste nothing but cocoa."

"That's because you spent all your time kissing butt and can't taste anything else." Kerry slid down on the sofa, pulling Annie after him. "Come here, Farin. Let get comfortable." As soon as Annie was snuggled up against him he pulled the covers over them, whispering, "You need to act like . . . 12!"

Lina walked rather slowly compared to how fast she usually walks. This was the first time she had gone to a large party...ever, and she was feeling way out of place. She opted out of wearing her panda suit pajamas because she didn't want to stand out, even though Emma tried to convince her, but instead wore black, flannel pajama bottoms with a black base, green panda top that had Japanese writing on it. Even though she tried to fit in more, she still didn't think she was ready for something this big. Lina was NOT a social butterfly, nor was she completely comfortable going. I know I told her that I'll go, but now... Looking beside her, she noticed that Emma was a bit off than usual, Now I feel bad for asking her to come. Lina was about to tell Emma that they didn't have to go and to go back to the room, but Emma pretty much grabbed her hand and pulled her into the Great Hall.

Once inside, Lina did a quick look around, "Um, so, um, what now?"

The night was really turning strange. First, Lina--who had said maybe 50 words to her since they'd first been sorted--ask if she wanted to go to the Madness. That wasn't as hard one to say no to: Emma loved going there 'cause it was so relaxing after a week of school!

Emma had so wanted to see Lina in her pandajamas--sure, it was nice to hang out in her flannels, but Lina had something really different about her, and Emma thought it was great. She understood Lina was not used to being around people; Emma had been like that for a while, but since coming to school it seemed like she wanted to be around people more and more.

And the moment they entered the Dinning Hall, Emma saw Lina get cold feet. When she said, "What now?" Emma knew that answer. "We go and mingle, silly!" she told Lina, literally dragging her in by the hand. "Come on, it's fun to sit and talk and...."

Emma found herself standing before a sofa--and there, sort of half-lying under a blanket, were Kerry and Annie. "Hi," she said, noticing the locket around Annie's neck. "How you guys doing?"

Annie saw Lina enter the room and was tickled she actually showed up—though she was positive her roommate had a lot to do with her appearance tonight, as Emma was literally dragging her through the room toward them.

Before she had a chance to say anything to Kerry, Lina and Emma were standing in front of both of them and saying hello. Emma’s glance at her new locket didn’t go unnoticed...

“Hello, Emma…Lina,” Annie sat upright on the couch, eager to host both girls and desperate to make Emma comfortable. “Have a seat.” She requested another round of hot cocoa and passed around the cookies that were now room temperature.

As the four of them settled in, Annie noticed a few stares coming their way from the other students surrounding them. She was positive a few of them heard how she behaved in the triage when Emma arrived. They’re probably wondering when the curses will start flying. She smiled to herself.

Annie glanced at Kerry, worried that he might be tense. This will work, she thought as she folded her arms across her stomach and said, “How are you feeling, Emma?

Kerry was a little surprised to see Lina show up--with Emma in tow. Kerry remembered what Emma said: "You don't know much about girls, do you?" He knew Annie had invited both girls to join them, but he really didn't think Emma would show . . ..

Oh, man, he thought. I don't think Annie will turn ugly here . . . that's not her. He put on his best face, thinking everything would be okay. "Hey, Emma, Lina," he said. "How you feeling, Emma? I haven't seen you since the hospital."

Emma settled in. She ordered lemonade, and once it appeared she took a small sip and said, "I'm good, Kerry." She smiled. "I'm sleeping well. The first couple of nights I was really..." She remembered he nightmare she had the first evening.

"Lina's been helping a lot." She patted her on the arm. "She's not be reading all night, which helps." She smiled broadly, then changed the subject. "Annie, that's really pretty," she said, indicating the locket.

“Thanks, “Annie said, glancing down at the silver locket. “It was a gift...from Kerry.” She smiled back at Emma. “He surprised me with it this evening.”

Annie felt her face flush as she remembered the hollow and hoped the dim light hid it from Emma. She stuffed a cookie in her mouth to keep from having to say more.

Emma looked at the locket, then back to Kerry, and finally to Annie. "You are lucky," she said. "I told you that, remember." She smiled, the looked away for a moment. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude, Annie. I wasn't thinking when I ordered my drink. It's just..." She put the glass down. "I'm just so used to drinking it, 'cause it's like the best...."

Picking up the cocoa, she sipped it and instantly her eyes went wide. "Wow, I mean... I've never tasted that before." She held it in her lap and suddenly felt more relaxed. "I should ask--how are you feeling, Annie? Monday wasn't easy for you, either."

This is really difficult, Annie thought while chewing her cookie. How am I supposed to explain how amazing it was spending the night snuggled next to Kerry in the hospital that night…or how the taste of him in the hollow stopped my entire world…

Annie blinked at Emma, wondering if anything she said would make sense at all. “I’m much better. Monday was a very difficult day. Actually, you both just missed Ellen… I think I might have permanently damaged her voice when I attacked her at close range for saying something rather insulting—about Kerry.”

She stared down at her hands, which were lying in her lap. What am I saying??? Out of all the things that could come out of my mouth, I choose THAT? She sighed and wished the couch would silently swallow her up.

There was a moment of silence, then Emma giggled. "That was you did that?" She leaned over and patted Annie on the leg. "OMG, that girl is nuts! All she does is yap, yap, yap, talkin' crap like she's some hot-shot witch."

Emma nibbled on her cookie and explained, "We have Herbology on Thursday morning when you have charms, and she started giving Professor Semplen a bunch a crud about these Fire Seeds, saying she couldn't see how any students could have found them--she's so annoying!"

On a roll, Emma added, "I was watching quidditch tryouts today and she totally fell of her broom, then started screaming that Professor Semplen cursed her." She rolled her eyes as she sipped her cocoa. "He didn't say anything, but Professor Salomon went nuts. Told her she was banned from trying out again until 3rd Year." Emma shook her head. "She sounds like a freakin' cartoon character, and she deserves it." She gave Annie a warm smile. "I mean, if she was being insulting, then you can't really help it, right?"

"That's just the thing," Annie said quietly. "She told me that I didn't look much like a dark witch after...my boyfriend," she glanced over at Kerry, "got hit with the killing curse."

She felt her heart accelerate as she thought of that particular Dark Arts class. "I lost it, told her to take it back and before she could say anything at all I stormed up to her and hit her with Silencio--almost point blank."

Annie knew this wasn't exactly the relaxing Madness conversation she wanted to be having, but she'd opened her mouth and now she was stuck reliving her worst moments....again.

"She didn't deserve that, even if she is a horrible toad of a girl. I just have a hard time controlling myself." Annie took a sip of cocoa wondering why Kerry had gone so silent all of a sudden. She guessed the entire topic was making him uncomfortable and decided that tonight would end without the drama of Ellen or this awkward exchange with Emma tainting it.

"Did you manage to find your Fire Seeds yet?"

Almost choking on her cocoa, Emma said, "Hummm! Oh, yeah! Professor Semplen took me and another boy up into the foothills Friday afternoon and we found one in a cave." She held onto the cocoa tightly. "It was really fun, crawling around like that."

She looked Annie and Kerry over again, then said, "I saw you had Fire Seeds already. When did you guys get yours?"

Annie grinned. "We used magic. Professor Semplen said we'd have to find the rest of our plants on the grounds, but I'm glad we were able to finish those."

She started to relax a bit now the focus of the conversation had shifted. "I can't wait to start growing things. I really miss gardening and the warm days of summer. The greenhouse is a nice substitute for both."

Kerry felt it was a good time to jump in. "Yeah, we headed over to the Charms House and made the Fire Bushes, then froze them and gathered the Fire Seeds . . .."

He stopped when he saw Emma staring at them in opened-mouthed amazement. "I . . . well." He hugged Annie. "What can I say? We've been good."

Annie sort of forgot their audience as Kerry hugged her. She turned her head, smiled, and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "Kerry is too modest. He was incredible with the Glacius charm."

She looked at Emma. "Actually, he was pretty incredible with all the charms we used that day to produce those seeds, but the Glacius showed his skill. I'm sure you've noticed...he doesn't give up."

It wasn't that Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing, but suddenly she was getting that spooky feeling again. A Glacius charm? Emma was amazed. But when we were practicing up at the Tower, Kerry was doing things....

Nodding, Emma said, "Yeah, he doesn't give up." She sighed softly, then smiled, her eyes flicking between them both. "If he had ever given up when we were together, well..." Emma rested her head on the sofa and thought, How do you ever thank someone for saving your life? She knew she never could, not fully, and figured it best to let it lay.

"I am puzzled, though." Emma set down her cocoa. "Why weren't you there today, Kerry? For tryouts. I mean--" She rolled her eyes, her smile beaming. "It's not like you can't fly!"

Kerry shook his head. "Flying's one thing," he said. "But playing sports? I'm not all that cut out for it." He sank his nose into Annie's hair and when he came up for air he told Emma, "Maybe one of these days, but right now . . . I don't think I can be physical enough."

He snorted, then laughed. "It's not like I wanna fall off my broom and not have someone to blame for it afterwards!"

Annie shook her head, disagreeing with Kerry. "I wouldn't say that, at all. I may be able to run up a flight of stairs faster than you," she giggled remembering both times she had beat him; the Hogwarts owlery and the Astronomy tower here at Salem.

"I'm sure you've noticed how fast Kerry is on a broom," she said, looking at Emma. "I'm willing to bet he's built for racing more than quidditch."

Kerry shrugged, saying, "Right now I'm small and light. And I have a great broom." But he'd been thinking about something. "I thought about when we ran along the wall, Emma. I was wondering if anyone's ever raced around it."

He started munching on a cookie. "On the inside, that is," he said between mouthfuls. "That would be kinda cool." Instantly he starting imaging the wall angles as he remembered them from the 40 or 50 times Emma and he circled it while on patrol.

"Kerry, you should totally try that." Emma backed up, catching the part about the broom. "I though that 4500 you were on got trashed. Did the school give you a broom, or did you buy one...."

"Oh, yeah, you weren't there at breakfast." Kerry ran his finger along Annie's jawline as he said, "Annie bought me a brand new Nimbus 4500. I got it by . . . owl." I'm still getting used to that, he thought.

"She had my name engraved on it." Kerry wasn't even attempting to hid his pride in his present. "I had it out on the pitch today and it's totally sweet." He looked over the top of his glasses at Emma. "What are you thinking of buying?"

Emma had been thinking about a broom, as a matter of fact. "Well, I have a Cleansweep at home, but it's a Five." She reached for one of the cookie and nibbled it. "These are really good, Annie!" she said before continuing with the broom discussion. "I rode a Nine on Monday, but after watching quidditch tryouts today, I think I might want to go with an Eleven." Emma knew she was coming off a little broom geeky, but it was something she liked talking about. Hey, a witch needs her broom! she thought.

"That's a pretty solid broom, Emma." Annie couldn't help but notice that Lina was awfully quiet. "What about you, Lina. Will you buy a broom this year, or keep experimenting with the school ones?"