ttd {take your protein p i l l s and put your helmet on} win

He wasn't rightly sure how he'd ended up accompanying Win (and when did she suddenly become Win, bloody hell) to Hogsmeade but it didn't change the fact he was, in fact, doing so. It wasn't a date though, he was like 99.9% sure but that didn't stop him from trying to be a model ... escort ... friend ... person. Merlin he was rusty and pants at this whole thing, all of a sudden. He'd been mooning for Orlaith a lot longer than he'd like to admit, actually, if he was this rusty around a pretty bird. He consoled himself with the fact that his first experience with Win was enclosed in a potions room and resulted in tears.

He was not keen to repeat that rather wet and blubbery experience, thank you. Even if she had looked sort of pathetically adorable.

"Do you need anything in particular?" the tall Slytherin asked as they made their way through the familiar path down to Hogsmeade, inclining his head in inquiry, and shooting the girl beside him a sort of bemused smile. What if she decided this was some sort of date? Did she expect him to take her to, Mordred help him, Puddifoots? Because he'd rather fucking not, thank you, but he knew some girls were stupid sentimental about the place like some twisted right of passage.

He'd rather buy her candy and snog a little in the back of broomsticks, thank you. Not that this was a date. Because it wasn't. Just two newly acquainted pals getting... supplies?

@Winifred Gwartney

"Yeah, I have a list," Wini said at his question and then did a double take, stopping short for a moment as she had a moment of panic, wondering if she had forgotten said list. "I think it's in here somewhere," she said as she pulled her bag around from her side, her blonde hair falling in front of her for a moment before she swept it ouf of the way over her shoulder and rummaged through her bag. "Ah, here it is--" Wini said with a triumphant smile and then flipped it over, a tinge of pink color her cheeks as she realized that was her half-completed bucket list that her and Marin were working through for all the things they wanted to do before they left Hogwarts. Ben didn't need to see that. "--Wait no, that's not it," she shoved that further into her bag before she found a list with Marin's neat handwriting that he had made up for her. "Here we go," she said as she started walking again, looking it over.

"Just some standard stuff, but I need a few things for Dreamless Sleep. They'll have all of this right? They won't have run out would they? You know with everyone studying for NEWTs and OWLs and all that?" Wini glanced up at him, wondering if everyone else studying for big exams felt as anxious as she did. Still, it was nice to get out of the castle and it was even nicer that Ben had really been genuine about his offer to help with Potions. Maybe it wasn't the best strategy to ask someone who wasn't much better than she was at Potions to help her, but his note cards were helpful and it was nice not to feel like such a dolt around people who took to Potions so naturally. It was like they were on the same team somehow, as if it didn't matter if she made silly mistakes because he did too, and they would figure it out together.

Plus, he was cute and it was something she was actively trying not to notice, especially after everything that had happened with Ezra and she was still working through her feelings on that. But she wasn't blind and sometimes in the moments before she feel asleep at night, she did wonder.

"Do you have a list too?" Wini asked as they got to the apothecary and she pulled open the door, holding it open for him before blinking as she stepped inside, waiting for her eyes to adjust.

"Ah." was making sounds instead of words rude? He wasn't the type to fuel conversations with words he didn't mean, though, and Benjamin Danvers hadn't made a shopping list... ever, primarily because he was spoiled beyond reasonable comprehension. He could still admire the way her wispy blond hair fell all over her face, though, and find her swatting it away cute. (He was starting to feel less guilty about admiring other girls, though that didn't necessarily lessen the longing for Orlaith to fucking pay attention to him). "Wazzat?" he asked, curiosity peaked, at the slip of paper he'd caught a glimpse of before it was shoved down. Aggressively. It only peaked his curiosity more.

"Mm probably. If not I can always owl order the rest." he reassured. In a pinch he could probably get it house-elf delivered. The two options were nice and convenient and yet another reason why he didn't bother with lists. (The first being he was pretty well-stocked to begin with. Maybe it was a Slytherin thing. Regardless on if you were pants at potions or not.)

He felt a bit of a rueful smile as she asked him about his own shopping, feeling vaguely embarrassed about it. "I usually grab a bit of anything thats available when I got out, and get the rest via owl-order." he admitted, knowing it probably made him sound sort of like a wastrel. His kit kept his ingredients fresh, though, and in his defense he probably went through quite a bit more ingredients than your regular student. The only way to get better at something was to practice so he'd sort of just gotten into the habit of it. He didn't like going without, he supposed. "I do need to re-up my sweet supply, though." he added, teasingly, as he shot the girl a grin.

His chocolate supply had mysteriously dwindled as of late.

"Nothing, it's nothing," Wini said, making sure to shove the bucket list even further down into her bag. She knew it was silly, but she was terribly sentimental about her last and final year at Hogwarts and there were certainly some things on there (like kissing someone under the moonlight in the boathouse or making out in an unused classroom) that she would be very embarrassed to have him see for some reason. Marin was fine, best friend confidante and all that, but Ben? No, Wini would look like a tomato with all her blushing if he saw it.

As she looked down at the list, going over it with her index finger running down the page, she blinked as his word registered. "You what? Owl order them? You can do that?" Could she have really owled in this order for delivery instead of taking the trip down in person? Then again, it was an excuse to spend a little time with Ben and he was usually so nice to her that it made her feel better about life in general. Still how had she not known this? "Oh well, we're here now," she said with a smile and shrug as she sailed through the door to the apothecary. Then grinned at him some more as he mentioned sweets. "I hear Honeydukes has some great chocolate. I'll buy some for me. I mean, you," she added playfully.

Look, he had offered the chocolate first so honestly if he had any complaints, he should really think about his comforting-crying-girls strategy. Then again, she did feel a bit bad that she was stress-eating all of his chocolate. She made a mental note to visit Honeydukes on their way back to the castle, all jokes aside, and buy him more.

Wini shopped her whole list, adding things to the basket that he kindly agreed to hold for her and getting things for her on a top shelf that she couldn't reach. She was so glad she had so many tall people in her life, honestly, it was such an advantage. So as they stepped out, Wini grinning at another joke he made (how had she not realized how naturally funny he was?), she nodded towards Honeydukes. "Didn't forget about your chocolate," she said as she started in that direction. "How did you Potions exam go yesterday, by the way?" she asked as they walked, her apothecary bag swinging from her arm as she glanced over at him.

They passed by all the usual shops and stores, one newer café that had just opened caught her eye, mostly because of the sign that said 'Speed Dating Event Here' with little hearts that kissed on each side. With a little laugh, Wini slowed, curious about what went on at such things and what kinds of people showed up and how it worked. Except her curiosity was cut short because right there at the table in the front window was none other than her very single father William with a dark-skinned woman Wini had never seen before, both of them laughing harder than had ever seen her father laugh as she stared google eyed at them.

The woman was much more observant, saying something to her father, which made him glance out the window at them and then he was staring in shock at Winifred, giving her the same expression. When he started moving out of his seat, Wini did too. She grabbed Ben's arm and zoomed out of there, her short legs hurrying down the main lane in Hogsmeade until she dipped into a small alley between two of the shops, panting a little. "That was... my father.. on a date..."

It wasn't that she was upset about it per se. It was just really, really, really weird. And she definitely didn't want to talk to him about it. At least not yet. What would she even say? Running away from emotional conflict was apparently her thing now, first Ezra, now this so instead she glanced at Ben and gave him a look. "Maybe we can go around the back into Honeydukes?"

"Alright." he said with a bit of a disappointed sigh. He wasn't someone who tended to pry, despite his curiosity. He knew girls could be... strange, and he knew better than to poke usually. It was hard to gauge someones general volatility but he wasn't going to be taking those sort of risks when the reward was unknown. "For a fee. Most shops have catalogues." he'd pay whatever the amount if it meant he didn't have to actually go into a crowded shop, actually. He hated lines, for one, and he hated being stuffed into a tiny shop with people that didn't know the meaning of general hygiene.

He honestly wasn't sure how some wizards could stand being so unkept and... oily.

"I don't mind it so much when I have good company." he added with a shrug, lips curling in a small smile. And Wini smelled... quite lovely from when he'd gotten close enough as they walked. It wasn't exactly a secret he liked sweet things. "Sweet tooth." he added, sighing at the thought of all that chocolate. "You mean, you." he corrected again, poking her on the side playfully. He didn't mind so much she'd ended up carving a hole in his chocolate stash. It was sort of nice, actually, to share his addiction with someone else. To share something that pleased him, and watch it please someone else.

"Not too awful, so I'm optimistic." after an exhaustive round of studying. It was obnoxious, really, how much time he spent just to get a bloody passing grade. He was determined that class wouldn't affect his average, because he was stubbornly refusing to drop it. "How about yours?" he asked, curiously. She had to be feeling a lot more stressed about it than he was, actually, what with it being her last year and all. He couldn't quite wrap his head around the fact he was actually going to be a bloody 7th year...

The tall Slytherin had barely enough time to react as he was being pulled, quite effectively, by one determined Hufflepuff. "What?" he asked the blond, confused, as he tried to process the scene before. Crikey. That had been her father? Only his boy brain decided it was definitely interested in the close proximity all of a sudden. Her panting breaths did nothing to help what his brain was conjuring up., either. His fingers were digging at her waist and she was sort of tucked up against him in the minimal space between the shops. Flushed pink and looking, well, lovely. He cleared his throat, willing his body to behave, before blinking down at her. "Erm." wow great fucking start there, Ben. Fuck. "Right, yea. Honeydukes?" he asked, trying not to wince at the way his voice had lowered.

"Oh, that's right," Wini said with a nod. She remembered it from when Marin used to order via owl, but that was before she insisted on going shopping in person instead. It was nice getting out of the castle, getting a little sunshine (if the Scottish skies decided to grant any), and Wini knew she could convince Marin to go with her with just a little urging even if he was more of an indoors kind of person. She threw Ben a speculative look and wondered if he was the same.

Then again, he hadn't seemed to mind coming with her today too much. The thought made her insides warm.

His next comment confirmed as much and Wini pressed her lips together, fighting a smile and a blush before she let loose and smiled widely back at him. She desperately wished to be one of those witches who was good at flirting and snappy comebacks and she was sure she would think of something witty later, but for now, all she could do is smile at him and then squeak in surprise as he poked her side, pushing him lightly in defense. "No, I'll buy some for you, promise," she tried to argue as she laughed, her blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders as she danced out of his reach in case he wanted to poke her again, but she came back a few moments later like he was gravity. "Promise not to eat it all this time," she qualified.

She regretted asking him about his potions exam but only because he returned the question on her and she didn't have a good answer. She frowned and shook her head. "Might need some extra chocolate," she murmured and then shook her head. "But maybe I'll do better with this week's quiz, I've been practicing extra. Your notes have been really helpful."

All thoughts of Potions and chocolate and owl mail flew right out of her mind as her thoughts whirled about the fact that she had seen her father on a date. A date!! Wini pursed her lips as she tried to sort out what she was feeling on it - kind of happy for him, kind of weirded out, kind of curious. She glanced down at her hands where her fingers where twisting together, before she started to realize just how close they were. Wini swallowed as she tilted her head up to meet Ben's, acutely aware of where his hand rested on her hip and how she was tucked up against him. It made her confused and curious in a wholly different way, noticing the way his eyes looked perfectly cornflower blue.

Wini could only give him a nod and then took a step towards the back of the alley, before they disappeared into Honeydukes as she still felt the phantom touch of his hand on her hip.

/end

She had a really nice smile, he thought idly, as his eyes studied her face and laughed when she squeaked. "You really don't need to. I like being your candy supply man. Makes me feel like I've an important job." he teased, grinning, in an effort to hide how uncomfortable it made him feel. He always felt sort of awkward when people tried to spend money on him, especially when he felt it wasn't really needed. It was an odd sensation he couldn't really pinpoint, exactly, only it made him feel shy and bashful. He really didn't know what to do with the feeling, certainly not how to unpack it, so he did what any teenage boy would do when confronted by something they could not understand.

Pushed it back and ignored it till it went away and didn't seek out moments where the same formula could be repeated.

From one second to the next he was distracted again and what a relief that was to revel instead in even more thoughts he also did not wish to unpack. Stray thoughts like pretty blond curls bouncing along and leaving a trail of something sweet-smelling that got stuck in his nose in a really appealing sort of way. "I give you permission to eat as much of my chocolate as you want. Benjamin Danvers, chocolate purveyor at your service." he teased, grinning, as he gave the girl a mock salute. "My notes are brilliant." he agreed, smirking, as he shifted closer to dig his fingers onto her side again. He was really quite proud of his notes, actually, and he attributed his hopefully passing grade almost singularly to them.

The fun mood was replaced by ... something else quite quickly, he felt, rueful, as he tried his best to halt all movement. He took a deep breath, willing himself to stay still, even as she tilted her head up. At her nod he also willed his fingers to let go feeling both relief and disappointment warring inside his chest like the personification of a snitch being caught in firm grip. He gave himself a moment, as his blue eyes tracked her movement, to sort of collect the vestiges of his bloody composure. Girls really did not know what sort of inane crap tended to set guys off and it was both endearing and annoying when they were so... innocent about it all. He ran a rough hand over his face for a second before he sighed, his lips curling up into a stupid smile, as he shook his head in exasperation at himself.

Bloody girls, he thought, even as he followed the blond into Honeydukes.

{out}