A picnic for two

[Thomas Smith]

Thomas didn't sleep the night before. He had tried too, but he and Scorpius had quite the night, sleep was the farest thing on his mind. Sitting on his dorm bed her looked at the time. Suddenly he remembered his and Autumns study session and picnic. Quickly changing out of his dirty clothes he quickly put on a clean shirt and jeans. Once he was finished he grabbed the picnic basket the house elves had kindly left up for him a few hours previous, grabbing a blanket and his school bag he made his way down to the lawn.

He and Autumn had decided to the big oak on the lawn, the one where they had practiced for the wheelbarrow race, would be the perfect place for the picnic. He made his way down to their location, hoping he hadn't left Autumn waiting. When the tree cam into few he saw Autumn wasn't there yet, breathing a sigh of relieve he slowed his pace and continued to the big oak.

When she arrived he set down all he was carrying, which due to his hand still been sorre, was hard to do. He laid out the blanket and started to place the food out. He sat down and leaned against the tree. Checking his watch he saw that he was still a few minutes early so Autumn should be arriving soon. Putting his head against the tree he tried, but failed misserably, to forget about last night.

 

[Autumn Gwin]

Autumn sauntered from the entrance hall and darted away as soon as she knew Joceline couldn't see her running for the willow tree where she'd agreed to meet Thomas this morning after breakfast. Her stomach was rumbling and she was glad she'd suggested they picnic. She saw him fixing everything further off down the lawn and she ducked behind a stone column to adjust her appearance.

She fingercombed her hair, and when that didn't work she frowned and brought her brush from her satchel, running it through her growing locks of deep brown. It ahd become quite mussed in the slight scuffle with Joceline a few moments ago. The scene replayed in her head, as did the biting words the girl had delivered ruefully.

I hate you! she had said. Autumn flinched instantly at remembering it and shook off the feeling, attempting to be happy with Thomas, and put the foolishness out of her head. She fixed her skirt and turned the corner, now strolling casually to the willow. She smiled down at him, seated comfortably on the blanket spread on the soft emerald grass; daffodils in bloom all about the lawn.

She knelt beside of him on the blanket and slipped her shoes off, along with ehr socks, and curled her toes in the dewey blades of grass on the edge of the blanket. The food permeated the still air, and she breathed in the wonderfully warm scent, her stomach rumbling once more.

Autumn rested beside of him and placed a hand in his,"Hello, darling." she murmered, kissing his cheek gently in greeting. The fight from just a few moments before left her mind immediately, and she relaxed, curling her fingers against his palm.

As always, her Ravenclaw brian kicked in and her very next sentence ould make anyone but a braniac laugh at her,"So, are you ready for exams? I've been studying like a madwoman, but I haven't gone overboard. Are you about ready to crack and have me win the bet we made in your dorm room?" she chided, giggling and pulling out a few notes and a potions text book,"By the way, everythign smells wonderful. Have you been paying attention in cooking club or did our lovely friends the house-elves whip some thigns up for us?"

 

[Thomas Smith]

As the thoughts of the night before continued to engulfed him he felt someone sitting beside him. Smiling to himself, he shoved the ideas out of his head and entangled his fingers around Autumn's hand. "Hi pet." He said smiling down at her, kidding her gently on her forehead.

In a much better mood he sat up more straight and looked at Autumn, taking in every aspect of her perfect face. Especially her eyes, he loved how he could always get lost in her deep brown eyes. Thomas laughed to himself at the topic Autumn chose to start off with, he looked away from her face and watched their two hands, perfectly entwined.

"Yeah I think I'm ready. And you better not be going overboard, I would hate to have to carry you to the Hospital Wing, not that I minded." He said flashing a broad grin at her, he enjoyed the time they spent together in the hospital wing, even under the circumstances. Thomas shook his head, "Nope." He said laughing, "I'm afraid you're going to have to loose that bet." He said, stroking his chin he continued, "Now what will your forfit be when I win?" He asked playfully.

When Autumn mentioned the food, his smile faded slightly, "I had the house elves prepare it for me. I was," He paused, trying to think how to word it, "Pre-occupied last night, or even the early hours of this morning." He said, preparing himself for Autumn to question him.

 

[Autumn Gwin]

Autumn grinned at his pet name of 'pet' and nuzzled against his side like a sleepy kitten; his pet indeed. She gladly recieved his kiss of greeting before listening to his reply to her questions.

She felt aslight blush creep to her cheeks as he stared at her for a long moment before chucklign at her question and answering. She laughed too, knowing what his reaction would be.

"Well, love, I don't really know. Perhaps a fresh bottle of blue ink or a copy of my notes for Potions?" she teased,"And for you? What will you give me when you do snap? Because you most certainly will!"

She frowned when he turned a bit quiet, a shileded look in his eyes as he said he'd been pre-occupied. The tone of voice he was using let her know he hadn't been up late studying so she prodded him for more ifnormation, placing her free hand on his chest and looking up at him,"Pre-occupied with what, Thomas?" she asked softly, her mind drifting back to her fight wiht Joceline earlier.

 

[Thomas Smith]

Thomas considered her offers, "Mmm sounds good. And on the highly unlikely occassion where I lose," he said jokingly, "I have to," He thought for a moment but came up blank, "Do whatever you want me to do." He finished.

Thomas felt Autumn's free hand come up to his chest, he took his own free hand, with a fresh bandage on it, from behind his back and placed it on Autumn's hand. "Now don't get alarmed." He said quickly before she could react to the bandage, "It's not as bad as it looks, Nurse Kanti took care of it, this is just to cover the scars." He babbled.

"Pre - occupied with been chased by centaurs and spending a fair part of the night in the Hospital wing." He answered shortly. He knew it wasn't enough for her, but he didn't want her to freak out with all the information at once, so decided it would be better to give it bit by bit.

 

[Autumn Gwin]

Autumn gasped as she saw his battered hand and kissed his bandaged knuckles lightly,"What on Earth happened?" she whispered, rather concerned as their food grew cool.

When he answered her brows knitted together in confusion, and she pursed her lips tightly,"You were chased by centaurs?" she asked, a corner of her mouth turning up to a smile,"What on Earth were you doing being chased by centaurs?" she asked, trying to make light of the situation.

"Were you being bad, love?" she asked,"Because Centaurs live in the forets..and it's forbidden..hence the name Forbidden Forest. A future Head Girl's future Head Boyfriend shouldn't be doing such naughty thigns." she joked, only of the situation, as she truly did want to become a Prefect and then advance to be Head Girl as Estrella, the girl she'd met in the bookshop so long ago was now.

 

[Thomas Smith]

Thomas rolled his eyes, "I got this by bashing it off the wall in the dungeons when I had a little chat with our friend Joceline." He said. angry dripping from his mouth at the words our friend he wanted to remain friends, but she had been so determined against it, he wasn't sure what to think now.

Thomas smiled at Autumn with great admiration, that she was able to make light of the subject, he had been dreading telling her, for fear of how she would react. "Well Miss soon to be Head Girl," he joked along, "Actually eat some of this food before it gets cold, it's a long story." He said with a sigh, reaching a sandwich.

Taking a bit out of his sandwich he leaned back and against the tree and held his arm up a bit, invited Autumn to lie beside him. "After I left the dungeons I was on my way back up to the common room, but my hand was hurting a lot, so I went to the Hospital Wing." He said quickly. "When I got there I got talking to Scorpius, you know, my dorm mate," He explained, "Well after the nurse fixed my hand, we were heading back to the common room but Scorpius mentioned that the Forest is a good place to go and let of some steam, which I had a lot off." He said with a roll of his eyes.

"Anyway," He continued, "I gave in and we went to the forest. I let out one all mighty scream and disturbed a few centaurs." He said meekly. "They weren't the friendliest of creatures, do you know they carry bows and arrows?" He asked before continuing, deciding it was best to let Autumn take what he had said so far all in.