Lime-light (Merry)

[Rister Graas S6]

Lita had pointed out that Ashlyn felt uncomfortable with all the attention she was getting while next to Damon. Rister had responded with a relatively off-handed remark that it would be good practice fro a future Graas and had been promptly smacked. Lita seemed to have made smacking him almost a daily habit. Not that the smacks were hard enough to hurt. Lita could very well throw a mean punch, but she generally didn’t truly want to hurt him. The matter had been dropped then, but Rister had noticed the same thing. Ashlyn felt uncomfortable under all the spot-light and things hadn’t really improved after the Daily Prophet article about her parents, especially as it had gotten them into a spot of trouble in business and a fine from the Ministry for slander. Which was why Rister was at the doors leading to the Great Hall at dinner-time, when the entire school was bound to be present. He had taken care to dress for the occasion. A pair of tight black jeans that he knew did marvels to his behind and a sleeveless top that showed the healthy tan of his arms and his slender but well-muscled form. The outfit was so far from his usual silk trousers and shirts that it alone would catch eyes. And catch eyes it did as Rister shoved the heavy doors open and sauntered into the Great Hall.

Hooking one of his thumbs into his pocket, Rister sauntered into the Greta Hall and unlike his regular habits he headed for the Hufflepuff table today. Slytherin table and his siblings were all observing him as the rest of the students hadn’t noticed that much. Neither had noticed the guy currently in deep conversation with Merry. Rister knew him faintly. He probably had some class together with him. Not that he could recall the boys name for the life of him. Stopping next to Merry and the girl, Rister sent a cool glance at the boy, one of his lip-corners curving into a smirk. “Charming little meeting, isn’t it?” Rister drawled out lazily, his amusement only growing as the Hufflepuff boy seemed uncomfortable under his gaze. He stood by calmly as the boy muttered an apology to Merry and then beat a hasty retreat. Only then did he throw a leg over the bench and seated himself comfortably. Noticing the irritated look Merry gave him, Rister shrugged simply in response. “What? I’m a Slytherin. I’d get house points taken if I were any nicer,” he offered absently, even as he directed his most charming smile to the girls sitting across the table from them. He wasn’t as handsome as Gabriel or as adorable as Jared or as cuddly as Damon perhaps, but he could be very charming if he wanted to. And right now he wanted to be. “Absolutely charming ear-rings,” Rister purred as his smile took in both of the girls, leaving it up to them to decide just which of them he was talking to. And it had the effect he had been hoping for as both girls flushed lightly and murmured their thanks before hurriedly gathering their things and leaving as well.

Turning himself to face Merry now, Rister smiled at her, ignoring the suspicious look he was receiving. In stead his eyes fell to the book next to her table. “Peter Pan. That’s the fabled must-know book you and fait Rosalind were telling me about in the park?” Rister mused, not really needing an answer, as he reached a hand over and picked the book up, lazily flipping through a couple of pages. The book looked well-read, which didn’t bother him. A well-read book meant that it was worth the effort. “I suppose you won’t mind if I borrow it at that case?” Rister mused, placing the book next to his elbow and shifting his eyes back to Merry’s face. She was a prettier girl than she gave herself credit for, Rister mused absently. Tall, slim but in a godo shape, pretty face, large eyes. “You should wear your hair loose more,” Rister commented absently as he reached his hand out and pulled off the ribbon holding Merry’s hair in a ponytail, “It’ll make a man’s hand itch to run through it.” And while Merry was gaping at him, obviously not sure how to respond, Rister decided to carry on with his aim.

“I actually had more of a reason for coming here today than borrowing a book,” Rister purred, pitching his voice seductively low, “See, a friend of mine has had more lime-light on her than she cares for and I figured I would help her and my brother out as I’m partially responsible for that. And if a newspaper got her to be the centre of attention, one more article might get her to somewhat return to her peace, don’t you think?” And that was the moment when Rister hooked his finger under Merry’s chin, tilted her chin up and pressed his lips to hers. He was fully aware of the deadly silence that fell upon the Great Hall as well as the numerous eyes burning a hole into him as he gently coaxed Merry to return the kiss. By the time he finally lifted his head from Merry’s, whispered conversations, nearly all of them starring his and Merry’s name, had already broken out all over the Great Hall. A loud “RISTER GRAAS!” rang over the Hall as McGonagall came rushing their way and Rister smirked lightly at Merry: “Sorry, sweetheart, but it’s time for a detention now it seems.” Taking the book and standing, Rister turned and smirked coolly at the professor hurrying his way: “I already finished painting the walls yesterday. You need to come up with a different task for the detention.” Falling into step next to McGonagall with ease – they spent at least one night per week together in detention, they had grown accustomed to each other a long time ago – Rister followed her towards the Greta Hall door. Pausing fro a moment at the door as he held it open for McGonagall, Rister send a slight smile towards Ashlyn, before turning his head even more and winking at Merry, before the Great Hall door closed behind him.

[Merry Garwin H6]

“Of course the rumours aren’t true,” Merry insisted calmly, her smile sincere as she glanced at the boy without much interest. He was a Hufflepuff in the year above but that was all Merry knew about him. He was just interested in the rumours about her and Rister, which was actually quite odd because, typically, boys weren’t much concerned by gossip. She didn’t even know why people thought she and Rister were involved in any way. They had spoken three times – the park, the restaurant and the cinema – during the summer, he had ‘saved’ her from two Slytherins and then she had been dragged into their family business by a werewolf. “Are you sure? I would hate to think that you were lying to a Prefect,” the boy continued unrelentingly, not noticing the dangerous edge of her smile. “Yes, I’m quite sure. I rather think that I would notice if I was dating someone,” Merry snapped, her temper fraying. She was usually a reasonably calm person, but she hated it when people interfered or probed into her personal life. Especially people she barely knew. “So...maybe I could take you to...” the boy trailed off slowly, making Merry frown curiously. “Rister,” Merry greeted dryly, well aware of the irony of Rister turning up just as she was denying much association with him. The boy – Alec? Eric? – mumbled something that Merry guessed was an excuse and hurriedly left.

“Being a Slytherin is not an excuse for deliberately intimidating my housemates,” Merry reprimanded dutifully. Why were people determined to disturb her during this dinner? First the seventh year and now Rister. All she really wanted to do was finish her meal and then curl up in the common room with her book – Peter Pan, Merry thought gleefully – before going to bed early so that she could actually enjoy a whole night of sleep for once. Dianne and Alicia, the two fourth years sitting opposite them, blushed and stammered under the heat of Rister’s attention before scampering away as Merry eyed Rister suspiciously. “Is there a reason you’re trying to empty the table of people?” She questioned guardedly, her brown eyes wary. “And I notice that you stare at the boys to make them uncomfortable and get them to leave but you try to charm the girls into being flustered and hurrying away,” Merry noted with the slightest hint of a grin as she rolled her eyes. Males. Always the same. But, Merry had to admit as her eyes skimmed over Rister appreciatively, he did look absolutely stunning. And someone who looked that good was allowed to have a bit of arrogance. Rister, however, always seemed to have more arrogance than anyone should be allowed. He was nice to Rosa, though, and Rosa adored him so Merry offered a friendly smile, still tinged with apprehension. “Is this about the night you hurt your leg?” Merry asked hesitantly, deliberately pitching her voice quiet enough that only Rister would hear. She had, after all, offered to let him take her memories of that night once he became adept at the spell so it wasn’t unreasonable to believe that he would seek her out for that purpose. Yet, as much as she told herself that she understood and didn’t mind, Merry couldn’t help but to want her memories to remain in her mind. Having someone rooting around her head wasn’t a pleasant thought.

“Yes,” Merry nodded slowly, still suspicious. “That’s the book we were telling you about. I’m surprised Rosa hasn’t owled you her copy yet – she was extremely appalled that you hadn’t read it.” He was taking her copy of the book. Stricken by the change in her plans, Merry thought about protesting but then thought better of it. Not only was she sure that Rister wouldn’t particularly care but she had evidently read the book many times and he hadn’t read it at all. She could survive with Captain Hook, Smee, Tinkerbell and Peter for a while if it meant educating those who hadn’t been fortunate enough to read the book during childhood, Merry consoled herself determinedly. She almost knew it off by heart anyway; she had read it so many times. And if she really needed to skim through it before Rister gave back her copy then she would just demand that Reid apparate to Hogsmeade with Rosa’s version of it. He was always most lenient with her so he would do it, she was certain. Explaining to him why she didn’t have her book might present a few difficulties though because Reid would most certainly not be happy to learn that it was in the possession of Rister. Wide-eyed and bewildered, Merry stared at Rister and her ribbon, resting in his grasp. What on earth was she supposed to say in response to that? Was he actually flirting with her or just making an absent-minded comment? Despite her confusion, Merry could feel the heat in her cheeks that told her that she was already blushing.

“That’s a very noble thing to do, I’m sure,” Merry responded sarcastically, stubbornly ignoring his seductive tone. “But how does that involve me?” Just as her mind was trying to piece everything together – the brother involved was definitely Damon because the only other Graas’ in the gossip columns lately were Rister and Gabriel; Rister with her and Gabriel with his modelling work, so the girl was the Gryffindor girl hanging around with them lately, Ashlyn, but what did that have to do with Merry other than the fact that people thought that Rister was interested in her? – Rister kissed her and everything fell silent. Dazed, Merry watched as Rister, accompanied by Professor McGonagall, left the Hall and nearly jumped with surprise when she realised that a frustrated-looking Lita Hollows was hovering behind her chair with a reluctantly amused scowl. “I think this is the first time me and Minnie have ever agreed on anything,” the Ravenclaw muttered to herself darkly before shooting an almost apologetic smile to Merry. “I’m sorry if he embarrassed you; Rister rarely seems to have any shame and he’s certainly never been shy. I, ah,” her smile turned wicked as her eyes flicked to Merry’s hair and, in that instant, Merry started to understand the friendship between the two seemingly so different people, “I’ll get your ribbon back for you too. I don’t think he realised that he was still holding it.” The blush that had started to recede slightly instantly returned in full force but Merry merely nodded silently and returned to the remainder of her dinner, discreetly watching Lita stalk out of the Hall, presumably in pursuit of Rister. “So...the rumours aren’t true then?” One of her friends remarked sardonically, making Merry burst into laughter. She had no idea whether they had a ring of truth to them or not anymore. Did it really matter?