Spic and Span

[Cyndi Kingsley]

This RP is set a few days after this one.

Professor Kingsley leaned against the door to the dueling chamber, waiting for the two Gryffindors to arrive. She'd arranged for some muggle household cleaning items to be brought down to the large room which included some brooms, a mop, a bucket, a pan, and plenty of rags. The woman wasn't exactly sure if the two students were even familiar with the items. She never concerned herself with the blood status of her students. But, they would be receiving a crash course on muggle cleaning today. The woman glanced at the clock, noting the time. If they were late, she would not be happy.

 

[Professor James Cade]

Thanks to Maddie, James had two detentions to look forward to and to make matters worse, he would have to spend one of them with her. As instructed James made his way to the dueling for their evening of cleaning and polishing. With Maddie was not how he had wanted to spend his evening, despite popular opinion. The Gryffindor opted to not meet Maddie in the common as would make sense, the truth was he going to spending enough time with her during the detention, he didn't want to arrive there with her too. He was going to suffer enough after all. As expected he was the first to arrive and he was greeted with buckets, clothes and polish. Oh good, they were cleaning like muggles. That would be the actual punishment part he guessed. "Good evening Professor Kingsley," He grumbled.

 

[Madeline Walden]

After the whole debacle at the greenhouses and getting in trouble with not only one Professor, but effectively three Professors you could say that Madeline wasn't all that thrilled to be issued with a detention also. Especially not a joint one that she had to spend with James, that was her idea of actual hell. But thanks to their acting skills it seemed like Professor Kingsley believed the story about them having a little (mainly) harmless duelling match and didn't take as many points off them as Maddie was expecting. The detention was obvious, but what wasn't obvious was that Professor Kingsley would make them do detention together. Did she know nothing of the feud between her and James? Did she want the detention to end in tears? (and potentially someone else being stunned...?)

Maddie dragged her heels all the way from Gryffindor tower down to the duelling chamber, trying to delay the inevitable torture that waited for her there. She knocked on the door and then entered the room, her eyes scanned the room and she saw that James was already there and waiting... and so was Professor Kingsley. Maddie sighed and rolled her eyes as she shut the door, she hoped this would be over soon. "Professor" she said as she walked past her head of house and settled against a wall. Maddie noticed the cleaning things on the floor and realised what they would be doing in their detention.

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

"As you can see, you will be cleaning the chamber in preparation for the upcoming tournament" the professor launched right into an explanation as soon as they both arrived. She didn't care how grumpy they looked or how annoyed they might be at the task. They should have thought of that prior to getting in trouble. "I'll have your wands" Cyndi held out her hand, waiting for two wands to be placed in her palm. "You won't be using magic to complete this task; those are your magical tools" she nodded her head at the cleaning supplies. "You'll get these back when you're done. I'll be back in two hours. " The woman headed for the door, leaving them to it.

 

[Professor James Cade]

James couldn't believe that Professor Kingsley was just going to leave him with Maddie, and even worse she was taking their wands with her. James grumbled as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wand and handed it over to his head of house. When she had both wands the Professor left the room saying she would be back in to hours. James groaned loadly once she had disappeared and she turned to Maddie. "Well I guess we should start," He mumbled looking over at the muggle cleaning supplies that Professor Kingsley had provided for them. James reached down and grabbed a mop and soaked it in a bucket of water and got to work.

 

[Madeline Walden]

Maddie sighed as Professor Kingsley asked for their wands and she reluctantly handed hers over. She watched as Professor Kingsley exited the room and left her to clean with James, which was probably an unwise decision knowing their history. "I guess so" she muttered following James' lead and grabbed a mop to do the other end of the hall. It was such an awkward atmosphere in the duelling hall and Maddie fantasied about going head to head with James in a real and fair duelling battle. She was sure that James would love the chance to duel her too. She looked over at James and felt a little sorry that he was here as it was mostly her fault that they were both serving detention and having to clean the muggle way. She opened her mouth a couple of times trying to start a conversation but words failed her so she remained silent and continued to mop the floor.

 

[Professor James Cade]

James dragged the mop along the floor of the dueling chamber and for the most part he ignored Maddie. Of course that wasn't always possible, something about her drew his eyes up from the floor to look over at her. She captivated him in a way he just didn't understand, maybe he was too young or maybe it was because it made no earthly sense after everything that had happened between them. Finally, after what felt like hours in complete silence James asked the question that had been plaguing his mind since they were dragged in front of Professor Kingsley. "Why didn't you rat me out, I stunned Charlotte, you could have just blamed me and saved yourself the trouble, instead you're stuck here cleaning this place with me, so what gives?"

 

[Madeline Walden]

Maddie knew the question that James asked would come at some point. In truth, she didn't know why she didn't blame the whole thing on him. It certainly crossed her mind but when it actually came down to it she decided to share the blame. Which was probably the right thing to do because, after all, it was a little bit her fault. She sent the first spell that started the duel, however, James started the mandrake thing by calling his Maddie. She shrugged her shoulders and leaned on her broom looking at the Gryffindor boy "I don't know James... I know you didn't mean to hit Charlotte..." she said "and..." she paused, taking a deep breath "I guess it was a little bit my fault" she finished looking at the ground "and I thought there would be less of a punishment if I spread out the blame, but obviously I was wrong" she said pointing to the mop buckets.

 

[Professor James Cade]

James was shocked to hear Maddie say that she was wrong, those were words he never expected his fellow Gryffindor to say but he didn't let his face show just how surprised he was. "Needless to say we were both at fault, I think we both overreacted to what happened," James broke his gaze from the girl and continued to mop the floor around him. It was strange seeing Maddie like this, almost defeated. It was a rare moment where they had reached a stalemate in their constant war with each other. As he continued to mop he realised that this was the first time they had been alone together since the greenhouse incident and it made him think back to their heated exchange, when all he could think about was how different that situation would have been if they weren't surrounded by their friends. "I'm sorry, for getting all up in your face like I did,"

 

[Madeline Walden]

Maddie glanced over to James to watch his reaction as she revealed her guilt but she couldn't read him. Unlike Maddie, James' emotions didn't seem to take over his face. When Maddie was angry, you knew it. When she was annoyed, it was impossible not to tell. She wasn't very good at hiding her emotions, which probably would be a good skill to learn considering everything that had happened. Maddie shrugged her shoulders, he was definitely telling the truth, although Maddie hated to admit it they were both at fault. Maddie hated to admit to over reacting, in her own eyes everything that she did was perfectly acceptable considering what James did, but it did result in someone getting hurt and the pair serving detention. "Yeah we both over reacted" she said agreeing with James "although, I only sent you a leg locking spell and you sent the stunning spell back!" she said, raising her eyebrow. She softened when James apologised for getting confrontational "It's okay" Maddie replied "I'm sorry too, for... well for most of what happened" she said with an apologetic smile as she carried on mopping.

 

[Professor James Cade]

James found it strange that Maddie was accepting her share of the blame. It wasn't like her at all especially when it came to the two of them. James threw his mop around the chamber moving closer towards Maddie. He noticed her raise her eyebrow when she questioned his choice of spell given her own. "What can I say, I loved that mandrake, not my fault you assumed I named her after you as a way to mock you," James kept his head down and mopped the floor. This whole thing started because of the way Maddie had reacted to the naming of his mandrake. Which makes the whole thing sound petty and maybe it was but he had never meant to insult her. He was just trying to be funny. "Besides, I thought Maddie was cute, by mandrake standards, maybe that's how she got her name," James shrugged his shoulders and continued to mop not looking up to see Maddie's reaction. When he did loom up he saw what looked like an apologetic smile as she said she was sorry, mostly. James chuckled, that was the best he would get from her.

 

[Madeline Walden]

It was interesting to see James as something other than annoyance and Maddie didn't know what to make of him anymore. It was so much more simple when she didn't like him and Maddie hadn't planned what would happen and what she would do if they both actually liked each other. "Well we hadn't been on the best of terms so I just assumed you were mocking me" she mumbled as she gathered more water in her mop. "I suppose we'll look back and laugh at this one day" she said hopefully as she too moved closer to the centre of the room, nearer to James. Being nice to him was less effort than being mean at least, and she was pleased that he seemed to reciprocate the positivity. After all, this detention could have gone the completely opposite way where they could be fighting right now. In truth, Maddie didn't know what situation she preferred.

She smiled when James explained his reasoning for calling the mandrake Maddie, it didn't seem to be malicious after all. She did regret ruining his work now, but, at the time, it did seem like James wanted to annoy her and he obviously succeeded in that. She sighed and shook her head "what a mess we're in" she said quietly when she realised James called her cute. Or did he? Is that what he meant? Her eyes widened as she felt herself blushing a little. To get rid of the awkward atmosphere Maddie picked up a sponge and absorbed it with water and threw it in the way of James "Heads up!" she shouted playfully.

 

[Professor James Cade]

James laughed a little bit when she mentioned that they hadn't been on the best of terms. 'Have we ever?" He asked without looking at her. Since they met their relationship had been antagonistic. Whereas Amy had taken to him, Maddie had never quite liked him and he was never really sure why. "Yeah maybe we will, though that sounds like something two friends would do, you anticipate us being friends in the future?" He asked in response to her comment that they would look back and laugh, he was partly kidding but partly not, were they friends? He honestly didn't know. James noticed that the atmosphere had changed in the room and he could see a distinct blush on Maddie's cheeks and the sight made him grin to himself. Then all of a sudden a soaking wet sponge hit him in the face. "Oi!" He yelled trying to be serious but he couldn't help but burst out laughing. He picked up a sponge of his own and dunked it in the bucket, stepping closer he threw the sponge at Maddie.

 

[Madeline Walden]

Maddie shook her head and laughed "I guess not". She wondered how different things would have been so far if they had initially got along, for one, Amy wouldn't feel like she had to choose between the two all the time and she probably would have made a good friend in her own house. "But everything happens for a reason right?" she thought to herself. At least now there seemed to be some reconciliation but she didn't know how long it would last, the pair were explosive. They were not James and Maddie if they were not arguing all the time. "Erm I don't know" Maddie replied, he had just put her on the spot with that question and she didn't know how to answer. "Maybe, if you stop being so annoying then i'll think about it" she teased, sticking her tongue out at him as she got hit by the sponge that he threw back at her. "No!" she shouted laughing, moving the hair out of her eyes. "Right then" she said, filling the sponge up and aiming it at James' face.

 

[Professor James Cade]

James couldn't imagine what the last year and a half would have been like if he and Maddie had been friends since they met at the beginning of their first year, poor Amy wouldn't feel so in the middle and maybe James would be more in with Maddie's little gang which happened to be comprised of his friends too. Maddie got quite cheeky when she told him that maybe they would get along more if he wasn't so annoying. "Well that's easier said than done isn't it seeing as everything I do seems to annoy you," The sponge James threw at Maddie hit her just as she stuck her tongue out which amused James. A second wet sponge smacked him in the face and dripped down his face. "Right then," James grabbed his bucket and quickly closed the gap between them and tipped it over her head.

 

[Madeline Walden]

Maddie winked "maybe you should work on that then" she joked as she watched James walk closer towards her. She put her hands in front of her as she realised what he was about do "Don't do this!" she said laughing. "Seriously don't!" she squealed just as James picked up the bucket and tipped it over her head. She playfully pushed him away after she wiped the water away from her face. "I can't believe you did that!" she said giggling. She wrung her hair out a wiped the excess water on his face and through his hair, Maddie also released all of the water that was left in the sponge over James' head "I don't think you're quite wet enough yet" she said mischievously.

 

[Professor James Cade]

James laughed playfully as Maddie protested his advancement towards her. She knew what he was planning to do and although she was begging him not to do it he knew that she wouldn't really be angry if he did. It was all a game and he was surprised that he was having fun, with Maddie of all people. "You know that might be first time I've ever heard you giggle, it's cute," He smiled at her, Maddie's hair was stuck to her face, she looked like a drowned rat, at least that what his mother would always say after he came in from heavy rain. James reached out to her and brushed clumps of wet hair out of her eyes, he'd never been this close to her without antagonizing words being exchanged between them, it was different. James took a sharp intake of breath before he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers.

 

[Madeline Walden]

Maddie blushed a little, it was true, she very rarely laughed in front of James, and if she did it was at him and not with him. It was strange to be joking around and having fun with him. In fact, she actually did like being this way with him as oppose to fighting with him. It took so much less energy to be friendly with him, being angry and annoyed all the time was so tiring after a while. "Shut up!" she said, pushing him away playfully. What happened next completely took Maddie by surprise, the whole thing happened so quickly yet incredibly slowly too. James moved closer towards her and brushed the wet hair out of her eyes and then he leaned forward and touched her lips with his. Before Maddie knew what was happening she had kissed him back. After what seemed like a long time she pulled away from him, only just realising what they had done. She looked into James' eyes and tried to read what he thought about what had happened. Maddie tried to step back but she was frozen on the spot, everything in her body was telling her to run away and to leave the chamber but for some reason she couldn't, she couldn't move. Only then did she realise her hand was still on James' arm. She quickly withdrew it and looked to the floor, still dripping wet.

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

Two hours later, the professor headed for the dungeons once more. She opened the door to the chamber, the students wands in her hand. She was pleased to see that the two weren't arguing, but as she glanced at the floors, she saw huge puddles of water. "Good job for tonight. Come collect your wands" she stated, holding them out. Using her own, she quickly vanished the puddles. That they weren't arguing had helped them out. Professor Kingsley want going to be too cross at them seeing as they'd been able to do a fair job and get along while they did it. "See you again tomorrow for the walls" she added, her voice cheery.