I've Been Branded...or is it Stamped? Tramp Stamped?

[Katalina Harker]

Kat knew what she wanted to do and there was only one person that she knew could help her find the right place to do it. After sending an owl to her friend to meet her, the brunette apparated to the edge of Obsidian Harbour so that she could wait patiently. She was praying that she wouldn't lose her nerve as soon as she got there, but she was already getting antsy.

 

[Lily Drage]

Leaving her husband asleep in bed, Lily headed off to get ready for her day out with Kat. She was excited, knowing already what was happening and how fun it was going to be. Just before she left the house, she thought better of it and turned around, moving quickly back to her room. Finding a quill and parchment, she left a quick note for Sumner reminding him what she was doing and informing him where the apointments were made at. She placed the note on the end table next to the bed, then walked to the bathroom. Picking up an old lipstick, she wrote a quick little note on the mirror. Satisfied that he could not possibly miss either note, she headed out to meet up with her friend.

Apparating to Obsidian Harbour, she wandered about, looking for her friend. She was dressed casually for the summer weather, ready for their day. Finally spotting who she was looking for, she moved behind her and yelled "Boo!"

 

[Katalina Harker]

Kat jumped about a foot in the air and yelled, "Dammit Lily! What the hell are you trying to do to me?" She held her hand to her chest, feeling her heart pounding away. Laughing she said, "We better get to this or else I'm either going to puke or chicken poop out of it." This was something that Kat had considered for a few months, but had finally decided that she would do it when she had gotten her letter from Lila, the captain of the Wasps. Lily of course didn't know why the Gryffindor had decided to do this, but Kat figured today would be the perfect day to explain everything.

Linking her arm with her besties she smiled and said, "So I suppose you're curious as to what exactly brought this about," she paused taking a deep breath in and then continued, "Well, the short sweet version is that you are looking at the newest chaser for the Wimbourne Wasps...or well at least I will be as soon as I walk across that stage as a graduate." The brunette waited to see exactly what Lily's response would be.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily couldn't help but laugh at her friend's reaction. "Geeze you really are still as jumpy as ever," she managed to say between laughs. As soon as Kat had linked her arm into hers, the former Ravenclaw lead the way down the street, listening as they went. Then Kat dropped her news and Lily stopped dead in her tracks. "No WAY!" she exclaimed happily, giving her friend a hug. "That is amazing! Congratulations!" Linking their arms once more, they started to walk again, she slyly said to her friend, "So we are back to being opposition on the pitch. I like it!" She snapped her teeth at the Gryffindor, then again busted out in laughter. "Really, that is amazingly awesome, sweetie. How is Chace with the move to England?"

 

[Katalina Harker]

Katalina hugged Lily back tightly and laughed as she said that they would once again be rivals on the pitch. When her friend asked about how Chace felt about the whole situation she broke into a sad pout on her face as she looked at the ground and said, "Well...about that," she paused and took a deep breath, "He told me...do you know what he told me? He looked right at me and..." Kat couldn't keep up the dramatic effects anymore. A giant cheesy grin broke out on her face as she looked at her best friend and said, "He told me he'd go with me!"

 

[Lily Drage]

"He did? Wonderful!!!" Lily exclaimed to her friend, stopping again and giving her a huge hug. "I'm so happy for you!" She couldn't help but be excited for her friend. Pulling back, she linked her arm a third time through the other's, then said, "Ok, we need to scoot. Hold on, we are apparating." With a wink, she grabbed her friends other arm and spun on the spot, throwning them into the constricting darkness. They landed in an alley next to a restaurant. The smell of Chinese food filled the air.

Pulling her friend by the hand toward the street, she spoke. "Ok, its over this way. You are getting this done before you chicken out. Oh, and I didn't tell you this. I'm doing one right along side of you." She grinned at Kat, then pulled her along. "Come on!"

 

[Katalina Harker]

Before Kat even had a second to rethink anything she was sucked into darkness. When they arrived at their destination she glared at Lily and said half-jokingly, "I think I'm going to throw up. You play dirty." She felt her stomach jump into her throat and was pretty sure she was going to toss her cookies on the spot. Looking at her best friend she said, "Oh good...I, urm, I think I'll just watch you get yours...I don't think I want one afterall." Nerves had officially gotten the best of her and all the Gryffindor bravery bullshit was the last thing on her mind.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily couldn't help but giggle and then mockingly pretend to lick her friends cheek. "You know I love to play dirrrrr-ty," she drawled out seductively, then busted up laughing again. "Come on. The appointment is for two and you are NOT backing out of this. Not a chance." Taking her friend and dragging her down the street, she pulled her into the shop where just a year ago, Lily and Sumner got their own tattoos. Three burly, inked up men worked in the place and she smiled at them as she entered. "Hello boys. I have an appointment for two under the name Drage."

---

---

Lily was straddling the tattoo bench, ready to go under the needle again. Kat was still reluctant, but was in the chair next to her. "Stop worrying. It doesn't hurt that bad. Should I make a bet with you too? This is why Sumner had to wear a certain pair of blue lacies during a certain quidditch game," she said with a wink.

 

[Katalina Harker]

Kat was straddling the chair next to Lily with a large man who was wielding a loud, scary sounding piece of metal in his hand and immediately tears welled up in her eyes. "Lily, you're the older more responsible one...you're supposed to talk me out of things like..." A loud yelp escaped from the seventh years throat as the loud machine made contact with her soft flesh and she knew now that there was no turning back now. Kat's fingers dug hard into the back of the chair until her knuckles shown white. "Holy poop...my parents are going to kill me. First I have to tell them that Chace is coming to live with me and then they'll see this. I'm dead," she said as she rested her head against her arms, trying to breathe through the pain of the needle that was permanently marking her skin. Popping her head up she looked at her best friend and said, "Meh, whole damn schools already seen my undergarments...you'll have to think of something better than that."

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily grimaced at the tenderness of her lower back. The needle dragging along the skin there was causing more pain that her shoulder mark had caused. She inhaled sharply as the needle began to create the dragon tail at the top of her left buttock. "Ok. This hurts more than the first one did. And why would I talk you out of these things! I have one already, sillay goose!" She tried to relax, breathing through the glorious pain. It was funny how people told her that one was never enough. They were so right. Now Lily had other ideas in mind for her next few pieces of art.

"Well, just think, at least you don't have to tell your parents that their disowned daughter ran off and eloped to the most hot-headed guy in school. They can be grateful for that at least. Oh, and that you only have one piece of ink and no piercings ..... unless you want your tongue done too," she added with a wink. It really didn't bother her that she was cut off from her family anymore. She was happy without them. Once in a while though, she wanted to just show up on their doorstep and see what would happen. Maybe when she and Sumner had their first child. "I am sure that we can arrange for a piercing or two if you were game."

 

[Katalina Harker]

Kat frowned at what Lily said to her. She hadn't realized that her family had disowned her and it made her sad, but she knew that her best friend had Sumner now and that the two were blissfully happy together and that was probably all the family that Lily needed. Thinking on the piercing suggestion the seventh year knew that she didn't want to get her tongue pierced, but she did think that maybe there was one piercing she'd like to have done. "How do you think my belly button would look pierced? Am I too fat for that," she asked furrowing her brow, wondering if maybe it would have been too much.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily heard Kat's question and frowned. "Excuse me, Miss Thang. You are NOT FAT! And you are so getting your belly pierced. Today. No discussion." She winked, then winced again as the needle hit a sensitive spot. "And know what? I am going to get mine done too." She smiled, thinking about what Sumner's reaction would be. To be honest, she half expected him to show up and demand a new piece of art of his own. "So, what color stone are you getting?"

 

[Katalina Harker]

"Maybe not fat exactly...perhaps just a little thick around the middle," Kat said half jokingly as she stuck her tongue out at Lily. She breathed a sigh of relief when the man said that he was finished with her. Standing up the seventh year stood with her back to the mirror and looked at the small tattoo. Pondering on Lily's question for a moment Kat decided and replied simply and obviously with, "Green." It wasn't really hard to know why she'd pick green. While her best friend finished up with her ink she looked around at the other selection of stone colors. She figured she get a green one and then purchase another one in yellow since that would be her team colors from now on.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily smirked, then watched her friend's reaction to her tattoo. "Looks good. I like that. A lot! And green? Hmm. Could that be a Slytherin color?" she said, sticking her own tongue out at the Gryffindor. Lily was going to be getting Ravenclaw blue herself, not that house pride was a large matter any longer, but the fact that her husband was still in the house, well, she would do everything she can to support it. The tattoo artist smacked her on the butt and informed her that she was finished. Lily turned and glared at him, then started laughing as the big, burly guy looked like he was actually a bit scared that she would flip out on him. Looking at the dragon in the mirror, Lily smiled. It was perfect. "So, whatcha think?" she asked Kat before she dropped the back of her shirt down again to cover the artwork and move to the counter where the belly jewlery was displayed.

 

[Katalina Harker]

"I just love that silly snake for some reason," Kat said laughing as she turned to get a good look at her best friend's tattoo. "That is awesome. Looks like it hurt like hell, but it's definitely impressive," she said as Lily came over to look at the same selection of belly button rings that she was browsing. "Is this gonna hurt too," Kat asked, her voice cracking slightly.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily couldn't help but laugh. "Nah, didn't hurt all that much. There were a few spots that I wanted to scream, but otherwise it wasn't horrible. And yes, this is going to hurt like crazy I think. Never had it done but if its anything like this," she stuck her tongue out and waggled the gem that was there from last time, "then I would expect some pain. Suck it up. Where is that Gryffindor courage you are supposed to have?" Picking up a pretty sapphire blue stone, she handed it to the guy and then nudged Kat. "Maybe you should go first so I don't decided to scream my head off just to freak you out."

 

[Katalina Harker]

"Gryffindor courage is a bunch of mumbo jumbo...it's all hype," Kat said laughing nervously as Lily showed her the tongue ring. The seventh year shuddered, knowing full and well that one had probably hurt like hell. Picking up the emerald green gem she handed it to the same guy that Lily had and then when it was time she stood and watched as he marked the area. The Gryffindor turned white as a sheet when he pulled out the needle and screamed loudly as the needle pierced the skin of her stomach. "Ow, ow, ow, mother fuc...OW!!" She glared at her best friend and seethed, "I blame you for this. You are a bad idea friend."

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily practically doubled over in laughter watching Kat getting her piercing. "I...so...am...NOT! You started this wanting to get tattooed!" she managed to squeek out between laughs. The screams made her laugh even harder. Then it was her turn. She stood before the man, her pants unbuttoned a bit so that he had full access to her navel. He marked the spot, then as she stood watching, he pinched the skin in the forceps and drove the needle through. It hurt just as bad as Kat had made it out to be, but, the competitor in her stood out. She was not going to scream. No. Not one squeek. Her face showed the pain, but she clamped down her jaw tight. Its not as bad as a bludger. Its not as bad as a bludger. Then it was done and she had a cute little blue gem hanging from her belly button. She turned with a grin to Kat, then stuck her tongue out. "That wasn't so bad," she lied.

 

[Katalina Harker]

"Sure it wasn't...that's why your face looked like you were going to puke," Kat said, gingerly touching the small silver and and green belly ring. It amazed her that something so tiny could cause so much pain. "I can't believe that I did this today, but this was fun. Though I'm pretty sure this little thing hurt worse than getting the tattoo done," she said as she turned and lifted her shirt up once more to look at the small piece of art on the small of her back. She wondered what Chace would think when he saw it. After they had paid for everything that they had done the two girls walked out of the parlor and Kat turned and looked at Lily. "Thanks for doing this with me today. I can't imagine having this done with anyone else."

 

[Lily Drage]

As they left, Lily linked her arm through Kat's. "This was so fun! Shall we go grab a bite to eat?" Her stomach was grumbling and she knew there was a great Chinese place near by that she could easily grab take out from to bring back to Sumner. She knew her husband would be hungry by the time she got home, that is if he was even awake yet.

 

[Katalina Harker]

"Sure. Food sounds good," she said as she let Lily lead the way. To those that knew the two it still shocked some that the girls were as close as they were, but for Kat and Lily it was just something that had happened in their life and made them stronger, better women in the end. The Gryffindor was thankful for such a great friend and knew that she was going to miss her when she moved to England, but wasn't going to look at it as something that was ending...it was just simply a new beginning and a new life that she was excited for.