take my breath away

[Emmeline Vance]

Emme walked down from the Hufflepuff girls' dorms, through the tunnel that led out into the common room and stood near the entrance, looking around. She spotted Gabby over to a side, but she was talking to Jayden, and she hadn't really been that good friends with Jayden anyway, especially since him and Gabby had just broken up, so she figured they had something to talk about. Instead, she looked over to the right to where she could see a familiar head of floppy blonde hair peeking out from the back of a couch, and smiled to herself. Walking over, Emme rounded the couch and leaned against the back of the one beside it, standing next to where Luke was sitting, his nose buried in a book of sorts, and waited for him to look up expectantly.

...but he didn't.

Pursing her lips, Emme looked behind her to where Mica had a notebook open and dipped in to ask for a piece of parchment, ripping a piece and grabbing one of Mica's spare quills before scribbling on it and tossing it at Luke's notebook.

Look up.

[Luke Neeson]

Luke was in serious-study-time-mode. You see, there had been a bit of an... incident at his last Herbology lesson. Things had happened. Children traumatized. And a perfectly nice pair of glasses eaten. Anyways, the point was, the whole thing had been a disaster and Luke and Jayden had gotten into a LOT of trouble and assigned extra homework. So, against his own will, Jayden had dragged him into the common room, sat him down on the couch, dropped the Herbology text into his lap and told him he wasn't going anywhere until he knew the chapter by heart. Luke grumbled and had gotten to work, of course. He did get distracted by one point by staring blankly into the fireplace, but then he got hit in the side of his head with a balled up piece of parchment. He turned to see Jayden glaring at him. OH FINE. So, Luke went back to studying.

Which was why he didn't notice standing right in front of him until the piece of parchment dropped onto his notebook. Luke huffed, thinking that is was Jayden again. "I'm studying!" he said in exasperation, calling across the room to Jayden while he unfolded the note. But the lettering definitely wasn't Jayden's. Luke's head jerked up to see Emme, a surprised look on his face before it was quickly replaced with a wide smile. "Hi," he said, beaming. He then cast a wary eye towards Jayden who was now talking to Gabby, but giving him a stern look over her shoulder. Luke's smile faltered for a moment and he cleared his throat, a more seriously look coming on his face. "I'm studying," he said, hand scrawling on the note she had given him before pushing it to the end of his book for her to see.

HELP ME. JAYDEN'S HOLDING ME PRISONER. AND MAKING ME READ THINGS. IT'S HORRIBLE.

[Emmeline Vance]

Emme's eyebrows shot up into her hairline at Luke's outburst of 'I'm studying!' and she opened her mouth to wonder what in the world he was studying for, since as far as she was aware, Luke didn't have a test coming up, but then Luke was looking around almost like a rabbit with a fox on its tails, and looking up at her with a smile. She immediately smiled back, almost automatic, really. "Hi," she returned with a soft laugh, watching with a raised eyebrow as he looked around again; she followed his gaze to settle on Jayden and Gabby and frowned. What on earth was going on? She had half a mind to take the book away from his lap when she noticed he was writing on the slip of parchment again, and tilted her head to look at it. The following laugh out loud was probably too obvious for Luke's attempted conspicuity, and Emme clamped a hand over her mouth as she giggled, and slid into the seat in front of him, folding a leg over the other and smiling at him.

Then she grabbed another piece of parchment and scrawled on it, bracing herself on her thighs before sliding it across the table to him.

[/color]

Technically you're reading things right now, so he can't complain! Why exactly is he holding you prisoner? And why aren't you allowed to talk?

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Luke Neeson]

Luke felt bad for practically shouting at Emme at first. Really, he never yelled and wasn't entirely capable of even being angry, so it was very out of character for him, especially to do to in front of poor Emme. He gave her a very apologetic look, but then she smiled which, of course, brought on the big dopey grin always associated with Emme and he felt better. Luke cast a quick glance at Jayden as Emme sat down, automatically leaning forward on the table as she wrote him back. He looked at the note and smiled.

That is a very good point. Just promise to start talking about herbology if he walks over here? And we'll need to throw the note into the fire to, you know, get rid of the evidence.

Well there was a bit of a "situation" in herbology class. Me and Jayden may or may not have been paired up and his glasses may or may not have been eaten. And it may or may not have been pretty heavily impacted by the fact that I didn't do the homework... Bottom line -- we almost got eaten and Jayden needs me to studying and NOT get us almost killed again.

So how's your day going?

[Emmeline Vance]

As silly as this seemed, Emme couldn't help but hold an amused smile at the corners of her lips while she watched Luke read over her note and start a reply of his own. It was silly in a flirty way, and she loved it. Loved this. Glancing over at Jayden, who was still talking to Gabby rather enthusiastically, she figured he wasn't going to be checking up on Luke anytime soon, and it might be worth a risk talking to him. It was hard to believe, really, that she was the one wanting to tear away someone from studying. She knew Herbology wasn't Luke's strongest suit, but whatever. Picking up the note once Luke was done with it, she read it over and chuckled again, glancing up at him with an arched eyebrow, smiling, and rolled her eyes before writing down a reply.

I'll distract him while you jump over the... five couches and about twenty people separating us from the fireplace in order to get rid of the evidence.

...what exactly were you attempting to look at in Herbology? A flesh-eating plant? And I'm sorry about Jayden's glasses, is that why he's got a new pair now? Do tell, how was it your fault?

I also want to add that I feel a little responsible for you not having studied, too. Am I taking away too much of your time? (:

My day's splendid so far. Aside from Professor Slughorn giving me a hard time over an essay I was supposed to write on this Strenghtening Solution that I have no idea how it's supposed to go. And aside from the fact that I've barely spoken to you at all.

[Luke Neeson]

Luke twisted his lips and crinkled his nose, staring at the paper and trying to figure out how to explain what had happened without sounding like a complete idiot.

We were dissecting these plants. In Herbology. Snarffsomethings. Or maybe snuffalugs.

So much for that idea.

I can't remember but they were huge and freaky and had teeth and tentacle THINGS and it tried to eat us. But in all fariness, Professor Sprout was trying to make us take it heart out which seems SUPER cruel. I don't think that should be allowed.

And it was my fault because Jayden said I angered. I'm not sure how. But, I mean, I'm not up to date on my flesh eating plant etiquette... So yeah.

Slughorn is a blubbery old git, don't mind him! At least he talks to you. He just looks at me, heaves a big sigh that shakes his belly, and walks away muttering to himself under his breath during class.

You could never take up too much of my time. And I'm definitely Emme deprived. And I had a near death experience, so I'm even more in need of it.

[Emmeline Vance]

Snargaluffs, Emme thought to herself, smiling a little as she read over his note. As far as she'd read, they were plants with vines. As far as she knew, they weren't exactly dangerous, but she chuckled to herself at the thought of Jayden and Luke being 'almost killed' by a plant.

Oh my! Maybe you should've talked to Professor Sprout about it, you know, make sure that she's not putting the student's lives in danger. I'm sure you two weren't the only ones who were flailing around while the plant tried to eat you. Aw, I'm sure you didn't anger it on purpose. The plant's silly if it can't see that you're a sweetheart.

Slughorn's sighs are the worst. It's like you feel the disappointment weighing you down. Potions is awful. I hate it.

Well, I'm here now, if you think Jayden could excuse you from what I'm sure is a very focused Herbology studying session to pay attention to your girlfriend for a while?

Emme slid the note over and sat up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she moved across the table again, perching on the couch next to him and reaching up to run her fingers through his hair, pushing it back over his forehead. "You're getting floppy," she teased lightly, smirking at him.

[/color][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Luke Neeson]

Reading the note, Luke was about to agree that, yes, he probably should bring up this matter with Professor Sprout or even Dumbledore. Merlin only knew what could've happened if they hadn't satiated the demon plant's hunger with Jayden's glasses. His new pair were quite nice looking though. Emme, however, moved into the seat next to him and Luke suddenly forgot to be worried about Jayden scolding him again. A pleased sigh filled his chest as an easy smile came onto his face. "Hi,"

[/b] he said, again. He crinkled his nose and let out a quiet laugh as she ruffled his hair. Luke was a rare breed of guy who actually didn't flip out if a girl -- especially a pretty one named Emme -- messed with his hair. So he just sat there, blonde hair a mess. Is it?"[/b] he asked, eyes going a bit cross-eyed as he tried to get a glimpse of it. He HAD been slacking in the haircut department. Mostly because he hated sitting still for that long. "Should I get it cut? I guess I could try asking Jayden to do it... How do you like my hair cut?"[/b] he asked earnestly. That seemed like a boyfriend-ly type responsibility, to make sure his girl friend -- Emme Vance -- liked the way he looked.[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Emmeline Vance]

Emme loved Luke's laugh. It was one of the things that she'd always liked about him. That, and that he made her laugh. And it wasn't something she'd thought about much until now, but she really liked a guy that made her laugh. Her fingers threaded through his hair until they fell back to rest at the nape of his neck, stroking it lightly with her fingernails and leaning further into him, watching as he tried to look at his own hair and laughed. "Just a little," she said, smiling at him, tilting her head to the side to consider it before he asked whether he should cut it--and how she liked it. It made her smile wider and she shrugged. "I like it however you like it,

[/color]" she said. Though she always preferred longish hair, obviously not so much that he'd look like a girl, but definitely not cropped, she didn't want him thinking he had to change his appearance for her.

The thought still counted though, and, note forgotten, she used her hand at the back of his neck to turn his face towards her a little, leaning in with a smile to kiss him softly before pulling back. "But I do like touching it...[/color]" she admitted in a whisper, glancing up at him with twinkling eyes.[/color][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Luke Neeson]

Could there really be any place better than sitting in the Gryffindor common room at night, next to your girlfriend -- Emme Vance -- while she runs her fingers through your hair and sits next to you and smiles at you and smells amazing? Luke's answer was a resounding no. Another pleased sigh rolled through his body. "Yah?" he asked as she continued to stroke her fingers through his hair and down the nape of his neck. He leaned into the touch, his eyelids drooping a bit lazily. A new thing he learned while being Emme's boyfriend was that her playing with his hair always made him sleepy in the most pleasant of ways. "Maybe just enough to not look like I've got a mop in my head," he mumbled in suggestion. Then Emme was leaning into him and turning his head and he met her lips with his own in a lingering kiss. Each one was certainly better than the last. The goofy grin returned when she pulled back. "Then I promise to do everything in my power not to go bald,"

[/b] he said with a solemn nod. "and forever live in the shadow of your blonde haired glory,"[/b] he added, lightly bumping her forehead with his own and a small life before leaning in and initiating his own kiss this time.[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Emmeline Vance]

Licking her lips a little, Emme smiled in amusement as Luke promised to try not to go bald. She was about to rattle off a list of how he should use natural shampoo, don't stress--although admittedly she didn't think Luke knew how to stress, to comb his hair every day and eat properly, but Luke had moved on to living in the shadow of her 'blonde haired glory' and she let out another laugh at it. "Blonde haired glory?" she giggled a little, feeling a blush on her cheeks at the subtle compliment while Luke leaned in to bump their foreheads, and she flitted her eyes back up to him just in time to catch a second kiss.

Their lips pressed together gently and she smiled a little before forcing herself not to because it made the kiss awkward, and moved her hand up to the top of his head to stroke her fingers through Luke's hair again, shifting for a better angle into the kiss and dropped her other hand to his thigh, running it over the material of his trousers a little, leaning on it as she tilted her face up to his, sucking on his upper lip a little.

[/color][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Luke Neeson]

Luke nodded slightly and laughed at his own -- joke? It wasn't even a joke, really. Just an. Odd statement. He didn't have much time for his mind to linger on it because he was kissing her and she was kissing him. He was very aware of each part of her that was touching him. The most demanding being the hand that came to rest on his leg. He exhaled slightly as she ran her hands through his hair again. He was about to say he liked it when she did that, but he'd just said that, so it didn't make sense to repeat himself. And then she was sucking on his lip, anyways, and her hand was still on his leg. And they were in the middle of the common room. The crowded common room. Luke wasn't used to public displays fo affection, or, you know. Affection period. He felt shy suddenly, being in a room full of people that could see them plan as day. So he kissed her again and leaned back a bit. He could feel his cheeks getting red but he also couldn't bring himself to completely move away, and, really, he didn't want to, so he settled on slinging his arm over the back of the couch against her arm. "So, did you want to do something on the next Hogsmeade trip?" he asked, eyes momentarily shifting to rest of the common room before going backt to her.

[Emmeline Vance]

Kissing Luke was... new. It was different. Of course everybody kissed differently. She didn't understand people who kissed anyone and everyone for fun, and it didn't matter whose lips were whose. Luke's were soft, and warm, and thick--as a matter of fact, they were the only reason she'd ever thought about him like that in previous years was because of his mouth. It was just so kissable. And it had more than lived up to the hype. Emme hummed a little against his mouth until she felt Luke draw back a little, kissing her once more before pulling away but staying close. She pressed her lips together, mind racing with a hundred thoughts before blinking and following Luke's eyes around the common room. Where they were. With other people. Right.

Blinking up at him again, smiling a little and shifting back on the couch to lean further against his chest, snuggling closer and leaning her head back into the crook of his neck and shoulder. She raised her eyebrows and smiled at the idea. "Yeah! Would you want—oh," she suddenly cut herself off, remembering something. "Crap, I'm sorry, I totally forgot, I can't,

[/color]" she shifted so she could look up at him with a slight wince. "I told Gabby we could go hang out. Me and her and Gideon. Since we haven't in so long.[/color]" Emme ran her hand up and down his thigh, attempting to be soothing and pouted up at him. "I'm sorry, baby. Maybe we can do something after we get back?[/color]"
[/color][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Luke Neeson]

Luke sat back as Emme leaned against him. Stray pieces of her hair kept tickling his cheek, causing him to keep wiggling his nose around, but he didn't want to move so instead he opted for making strange faces. He got some relief when she leaned back to look at him, explaining she had forgotten to mention that she had made other plans. "AH, okay," he said, nodding along. That wasn't a big deal, there were plenty of other things he could do to amuse himself while she was busy. Maybe buy Jayden a new scarf. An apology scarf. But Luke's train of thought was abruptly cut short by the mention of Gideon. Luke froze for a moment, staring at her with a blank expression. Okay... That was weird, right? A slight, and rare, crease formed between his eyebrows. "Oh..." he said slowly, trying to process the information. He didn't know how he felt about Emme going into Hogsmeade to hang out with her exboyfriend. Luke didn't have the propper genetic makeup to make him jealous, but he was, however, worried. But he didn't know what to say so he turned suddenly very quiet and frowned slightly at the back of the armrest,

[Emmeline Vance]

Emme looked up at Luke hopefully, waiting for him to readily agree that they could do something at night on the next Hogsmeade trip, but he wasn't saying anything yet. Quite the contrary, he'd sort of frozen and frowned a little and given her a mostly blank look for a while, like something didn't make sense, or he was poker-facing for some reason. At his 'oh', Emme bit down on her lower lip. He hadn't seemed this put off as soon as she'd mentioned it, so it must be because of him, right? Emme wasn't stupid. She knew Luke probably wouldn't like her spending time with Gideon, since he was her ex... but he had been her best friend before he became her boyfriend, so it shouldn't really matter, right?

Something told her it did, anyway. Flicking her eyes back to him, roving them over his face and judging his slightly frowny expression--it struck her that she didn't think she'd ever seen him actually frown, and it made her stomach twist at the thought that it was her fault--and the way he was looking at the couch. "It's... Gabby's been sort of lonely lately," she whispered, running her hand over Luke's thigh again. "You know, because I've been with you, and Gideon has been with Jezebel. And apparently... Jayden and her were only pretend-dating,

[/color]" she said quietly, looking over Luke's shoulder to where Jayden and Gabby were still talking in a couch, and licked her lips before turning back to face him. "I offered to maybe go out just the three of us one day, like it used to be.[/color]"

She kept watching him for a while before shifting back towards the edge of the couch and lifting her hand back up to his hair, curling it around the back of his neck again. "You know I'd much rather spend the day with you, right?[/color]"
[/color][/blockquote][/blockquote]