A Party of One... Maybe Two?

Demi sneaked into the Room of Requirement, her school bag in one hand as her robe began to fall off her shoulders. It was late and she knew that, but she decided to take the change and go practice her singing in the Room of Requirement. Her dormmates hated how Demi slept at weird times and practiced her singing at even weirder times. But, Demetria didn't really care. Well, not that much.

Throwing her bag in one of the corners of the room, Demi shrugged off her robe. Underneath were a pair of duck pajamas that she got back in her fourth year from her parents that still fit. Demetria didn't really give a damn about what she wore. Well, as long as that one person wasn't around.

And, low and behold, that one person walked into the Room of Requirement the minute she turned around.

Van was doing his rounds. He had a responsibility and reputation to upkeep. As Head Boy, it was his job to search the corridors for rule breakers and such.

He was patrolling the seventh floor when he saw a vivid red hair bouncing up and down. Demetria Rose, of course. He wasn't surprised. He walked after her, quiet as a mouse. Right after Demetria entered the Room of Requirement, he heard singing.

Weird.

He nearly laughed at her pajamas. "A bit late to be out, isn't it?" he asked, keeping his cool demeanor.

Demetria's cheeks turned bright red- matching her hair almost perfectly. "Yeah, but, I mean- yeah." Demetria stuttered, looking down at her ducky pajamas in shame. God, she loved these pajamas, but not when Van was there to witness it. Goddamn her life. Why wasn't she wearing cute pajamas are something?

"What are you doing out so late?" Stupid question Demi. He's flipping Head Boy. Yeah, Demi wanted to kill herself at the moment.

Van had to let out a chuckle as Demetria blushed deeply. It was too cute. Wait what?

"At a loss for words?" he teased lightly. He took in her ducky pajamas fully. Light blue with yellow ducks all over. Buttoned up. They looked good on her, albeit childish. But that was his housemate for you.

Van quirked an eyebrow. "I'm Head Boy, remember?" he asked, pointing to the shiny badge on his robes. As cute or pretty as Demetria was, she could be a real airhead.

Demetria glared slightly, regaining her usual demeanor. Van could only catch her off guard for a short while before the normal Demetria came back. "Hardly. You just scared me. I came here to practice singing. People usually don't follow me when I do so." Demetria shot back, running a hand through hair.

"How could I forget? You love abusing your power." Demi said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Here's a better question. Why did you follow me? I know it's your duty to catch kids after hours, but if you caught me, you would have to take house points away from Slytherin. And, though your a git who like Head Boy power, you would never do that."

Ah, that was more like it. Feisty Demi was back.

Van rolled his eyes at Demetria. "Well sorry then. It's not like I meant to see you. You were just there. Not my fault you're in the corridors so late." He rolled his eyes at her again. "And you couldn't do that during a free period or something?" He straightened his robes, something he always did when he was annoyed.

Van's eyes narrowed at Demetria's statement. "No I don't. Otherwise I wouldn't be Head Boy. I followed you exactly because of that reason." He glared at her. "So you don't think I would take away points from my own House? Watch me. Fifteen points from Slytherin. There."

Never mind the airhead comment. Bitchy was more like it.

Demetria scowled slightly. "Whoa, my bad. Didn't know someone was so sensitive." God, he almost sounded like her boyfriend Ian. That Gryffindor git has been so arsehole-y to her that she decided to date him just so she could break up with him in an embarrassing way in front of the whole school. "You sound like my boyfriend." She said, deciding to see if that would get him angry or not. "No, because my free period is filled with me helping out in the infirmary. I want to become a Healer."

Seeing him take away point, Demetria made an "ooohing" noise. "Wow, good job Van. You took house points away from your own house. Better Averie won't be too happy about that. You know how she hates when that happens."

Sighing, Demi massaged her temples. "Sorry, I'm tired. I'm not usually like this."

"Sensitive? Me? I don't think so." Van wondered why the hell she was being so bitchy. She wasn't really like this during the day. Maybe she was bipolar or something? No, that option seemed like something someone else would have.

Van's eyes nearly widened. Nearly being the key word. "Boyfriend, huh?" He shrugged. He didn't expect her to have a boyfriend, but what did he care? He didn't. Did he? No.

"Well then, sing to the patients or something. You don't have to go wandering the halls past curfew."

He glared at her. Again. "Big deal. Maybe someone can make them up. Probably you when you're in detention." He didn't really think he was going too far. He was angry and annoyed.

That is, until Demetria apologized. "I know. Sorry, but you still have to serve detention. I'll talk to Professor Malfoy about it." This time he felt bad.

Oh well. It was her own fault.

Demetria nodded with conviction. "Yes, you sensitive." Demi replied in a high-pitched voice, playing with a loose strand that was on her pajama top. She felt hyper and annoyed and excited and pissed and happy all at the same time. She felt like singing. Which, wasn't too surprising.

"Yep, boyfriend. Well, kind of. You were there when he told me in front of the whole school that he didn't want to date me and I was a stalker? Yeah, that's my boyfriend. But, I'm only dating him so I can break up with him. No one grabs my ass and gets away with it."

Demi frowned, "Other kids break the rules. Why am I the only one getting in trouble?" Yeah, she's heard about Van letting his friends do whatever the hell they wanted.

Trying not to let Van's callous attitude hurt her, Demi held her head high. Damn him. No one else managed to get under her skin like he did. God, why did she care so much? Sure, she ahd a crush on him. But, it was tiny. Right?

Van laughed. "I really think you have me confused with some other ginger." He knew she was lying. Her voice only really got high like that when she was. How he even knew that, he had no fucking clue. There could always be the fact that they'd been in the same House and classes for the past seven years.

They would be over in four months.

It seemed so short, yet so far away. Ugh.

"Ah. Yeah, I remember." He didn't dare mention that he nearly hexed that Gryffindor bugger both times; when he called her a stalker and grabbed her arse. He would have if her damn brother wasn't around. "You're an evil one, aren't you?"

He shook his head. "No. Other kids get in trouble sooner or later. A lot of them were before you. This is probably the first time I've ever caught you, right?" he asked, figuring that she'd done this before.

Demi smiled softly. "Yeah, because there's so many other gingers around." Demetria shot back with a goofy grin. God, he knew her so well it was depressing. She really did not like the idea that they probably would never see each other after school got out. They would probably go on to do completely different things. That was not a pleasant thought.

She shuddered at the thought of him, "And he's not even that attractive!" Demi exclaimed, though that was a lie. Ian was probably one of the most attractive boys in school. Demi didn't have her eyes on him though...

Alright, brain, stop it.

"Just a little," She said with a wink.

Demetria nodded, "Yep first time." Demi felt bad that she was accusing him of so many things, but she couldn't help it. She didn't know how to handle this situation. Yes, it was true, Demi didn't know how to handle herself around Van. The flirtatious and confident Demetria Rose was a mess.

God.

This caught him. "Well, there's Marietta. And there was Cassiopeia a few years back... And there's Professor Weasley... Okay, fine, you've got me. I, Van Orson, have been caught and am sensitive sometimes," Van said, raising his right hand, his left hand on his chest.

He would be going on to become an Auror as soon as school let out. It had been his plan ever since he first got to Hogwarts. From the looks of it, Demetria would be going on to become a Healer. Not surprising, really.

Van quirked an eyebrow. "I'm not even going to say anything about that because it'll sound awkward. Just say what you will." He could understand why she was going out with Ian. He could. But it just seemed so uncharacteristic of her.

"A little?" he repeated with a chuckle. "Little my arse."

He had to admit that he was a bit confused at Demetria's behavior. Oh well. Maybe it was just a phase or something.

It wasn't like he was important to her or anything.

So why should he care?

Demetria listened to everything Van said with interest, before finally sighing. "I feel like I'm bipolar." She admitted, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know if it's because I haven't eaten all day or because it's late at night or what. But, I'm bipolar right now and I apologize. So, let's start over, shall we?"

Sticking out her hand, Demetria smiled. "Hi Van! Fancy seeing you out so late! How is the Head Boy patrol going? Catch any hooligans yet?" Demi wondered with a grin.

Yes, that was much better.

"Well, maybe you kind of are...?" Van replied uncertainly, not knowing if she would blow up on him or not. "You should eat. And sleep. And all that. Seriously. No food and no sleep has got to be unhealthy. Okay. I accept your apology, I suppose."

He took Demetria's hand and shook it with a small smile. "Hello Demetria. Head Boy patrol is going well. Oh, just one. Fancy a midnight stroll?"

Overkill, Van. Overkill.

Demi nodded in agreement. "If you don't get pissed at me, I was hoping I could make my way to the kitchens to get something to eat. Or, I'm afraid I might attack you." And I don't know what kind of attack it would be. If you're lucky, it would be a hex. If you're unlucky, it would be snogs. Demetria finished in her head whilst her cheeks warmed up slightly. Bad brain, bad.

She smirked slightly, "Who might this hooligan be? Is it a female with firetruck red hair? I think I saw her around, if it was." Demetria joked, before sobering up at Van's request. "Oh, but of course." She said in a mock breathy tone.

Van nodded. "Alright. I'll escort you. Oh, attack me huh? I'd like to see you try, Miss Rose," he teased. He scrunched his eyebrows at Demetria's apparent embarrassment. Her cheeks were all red, practically matching her hair. Since when did Demetria freaking Rose blush like that?

He grinned at her. "Yes. She's also short enough to count as a dwarf or something. Kind of pretty too, in a crazed kind of way. You probably did see her around. She's been known to wander around at night, but never get caught. Yeah, I know things."

He offered his arm to her. "Let's go."

Demetria curtsied as if she were a Pureblood heiress and not some Muggleborn scum-- as some of her fellow housemates so eloquently put it. "How gentlemanly of you." Demi replied, fanning herself with her hand, almost as if she would swoon. "Oh, you would be frightened if I attacked you." Demi promised, with a shake of her index finger and a click of her tongue.

Smacking his arm slightly, Demi glowered at Van. "I'm hardly a midget! I'm over five feet! That means I'm not legally a midget!" She stuck her tongue out at him in a childish way. "Was that an almost compliment from Van Orson? Oh my god, I think I might faint." Demetria smirked, "She sounds positively amazing. Someone I would look up to as a mentor."

Demi laced her arm through his, feeling her cheeks refuse to cool down. "Allons-y!" Demetria repeated, pulling Van out the Room of Requirement and into the corridor.

Van bowed as Demetria curtsied. It was only proper, as his parents would put it.

"When a lady curtsies to you, you bow to her. It's the gentlemanly thing to do, Van Elliott," his mum always said. He assumed it applied to this situation. "I don't think I would be very afraid. I think I could take you." He smirked down at her. Being tall had some advantages.

"You are compared to me and half the student body," he replied. "Don't stick your tongue out at me!" he said laughing. "Overwhelming, isn't it? The fact that I almost sort of maybe complimented you, I mean. Maybe I should get a cushion or something. But of course. I bet she could mentor you to make you become even worse than usual."

Van chuckled as Demetria took his arm and kept blushing. "Allons-y Alonzo," he said quietly in reply.

Never had he revealed anything that could have linked him to Doctor Who, that one Muggle show.

But it was so good.

Demetria raised an eyebrow, "Would you like to put that theory to the test?" She challenged, grinning wildly. It was still crazy that she had gotten the serious Van Orson to act sarcastic and funny for once. She felt extremely accomplished.

Hearing his order, Demi stuck her tongue out again with a smug expression on her face. "I can do whatever I want to, thank you very much." She retorted. "Extremely overwhelming. I never thought you would ever be remotely nice to someone!" Demetria grinned, "I don't believe that is possible."

Stopping in her tracks, Demetria stared at Van for a long time. "Y-you just quoted Doctor Who." She stuttered, her brown eyes wide. "I think I'm in love with you."

"I bet you would like that, wouldn't you Demetria? No no no Miss Rose, not before the first date." Van gave her a large grin, teasing her. It was fun.

Innocent, teasing fun.

"Now you're just being annoying." He decided right then to just tickle her for no reason. He wondered what compelled him to do so, but didn't really care. She had a nice laugh, that Demetria girl. "You wound me. Don't get used to it."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "And?" Van asked. "Alright then. As that may be, you still have detention after this."

Her breathe was caught in her throat when he said first date. He meant nothing by it, by Demetria still felt her heart flutter. Her crush was really getting out of control. She needed to figure out a way for Van to not affect her so. "How sexual Van. So, what about the second and third date?" Demi wondered in an innocent voice.

Demi let out a shriek of laughter when Van started tickling her. Suddenly, it was a mess of limbs and loud laughter. Somehow, they both ended up on the floor with Demetria straddling him. That wasn't awkward at all.

Van almost sputtered at Demetria's statement about his innuendo, which wasn't even there in the first place. He turned light pink, however. "Maybe. Probably after the twentieth," he teased. "Well, not probably. Maybe. Depends on how this one goes." He winked at her.

All of a sudden there was a tangle of limbs and a flash of red right before his eyes.

Then Demetria was on top of him.

Straddling him, in fact.

Van just stared at her for a minute before he realized what was really going on. "So, uh, what're you doing on me exactly?" he asked.

Demetria fluttered her eyelashes at him. "I'm sure this date will go exceedingly well. Considering I know what my boyfriend stashes the firewhiskey in the kitchens and how drunk we're going to get." Oh yes, Demetria had this all planned out. It'd been far too long since she played a game of "I Never Have..."

Staring at Van with burning cheeks and her heart caught in her throat, Demi coughed out a laugh. "I'm in a wildly inappropriate position on top of you that you caused by tickling me. One should know never to tickle a redhead like moi." Demi said in a shaky voice.

Whoever said it was a date any-? Oh. Van was being stupid. Very, very, very stupid. He had to admit that he liked Demetria's idea except for the boyfriend part.

That he could live without.

"I like that idea, I guess. Maybe getting drunk won't be the best idea though." Even though it was a Friday, he couldn't risk it. He still had Head Boy tasks that had to be completed over the weekend.

Oh fuck it.

"I did not cause it. You're the one who landed on top of me. Foul play." He laughed. "You are not a redhead. But whatever." He didn't really get why her voice was so shaky as she spoke.

Was he really that intimidating?

"Oh, don't be such a keener Van. Live a little." Demetria exclaimed, wrinkling her nose. "We should pull an all nighter. Just stay in the kitchens all night and sleep all day. Because, I'm not tired anymore and it's probably almost one." Demi like the idea of hanging out with Van for an extended period of time. Yes, she liked the idea a lot.

Demi scowled, "You did too cause it! You tickled me and I have a legal obligation to freak out when someone does that. Hardly foul play." Demetria laughed along with him. "Okay, you're right, my hair is naturally brunette. But, I love my firetruck hair so much more."

Standing up, Demi grabbed his hand. "C'mon! THe night is wasting away!" She exclaimed, pulling him toward the kitchens. Once they arrived, Demi tickled the pear and smiled when she saw the kitchens were empty.

Grabbing the bottle of firewhiskey, Demi sat at the small table across from Van. "We're gonna play I never have. You know how to play that, right?" Demetria grinned, "So, I'll go first. I never have kissed a girl." Demi said, knowing that Van probably had.