Lemon Grass and Sleep

AFTER THE AFTER PARTY

The walk up to the seventh floor was surprisingly quiet, I had expected to see students all over the halls chatting late into the night. Not a soul was to be seen, and my footsteps echoed loudly as I rushed up to the room. Glinda had seen me off with a laugh and a wave when I told her Fred was expecting me.

"I'm sure I won't hear from you at all tomorrow when he's done with you."

"What do you mean? I just owe him a dance is all," I had replied.

"Thomas," she rolled her eyes, "Do you know what people do after balls like this?"

"Uh, after parties, right?"

"Yeah, but what do couples do?"

"...after parties...together?"

Glinda had just shaken her head and flipped her hand at me, "Away with you."

"Goodnight, Glinda," I rolled my eyes and smiled as I walked away.

Now I was sort of caught up in what she said. What do couples do after a ball? I hadn't really thought about it, I hadn't ever expected to go to a ball. My thoughts kept jumbling up in my mind, and my feet kept leading me onto the wrong shifting staircase.

"About time you showed up," Fred smiled at me as I walked in, a little out of breath.

"Sorry, Glinda and I got to talking outside the Ravenclaw dormitory."

"As expected," he crossed the room to stand in front of me, hands pulling gently at my overcoat.

He had already taken his off and hung it on the coatrack, so I assumed it was only right if I followed suit. The room had not given us the dance studio, and I wondered where were going to dance at all with the furniture in the tea parlor.

"Fred," I said quietly as he pulled my coat off my shoulders, "Glinda said that couples tend to do something special after balls."

"I guess that's one way of putting it," he answered.

"What is it? I thought we were going to waltz because I wasn't able to-" I stopped myself as Fred devolved into a fit of giggles, covering his mouth to stifle them down unsuccessfully.

"What? What's so funny?" I followed him as he backed away from me, shaking his head as he continued to laugh. "I'm not joking!"

"I-I know you aren't," he shakily breathed out, calming himself down. "I'd no idea you were so...sheltered? No, moreso detached."

"Detached from what?"

"I don't know, life?"

"I'll have you know I'm very attached to my life," I bristled, crossing my arms.

"Yes, perhaps your life, but not other people's."

"What do you mean? What do couples do then?"

"Thomas," he closed the distance between us and pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around him loosely, pressing my cheek to his shoulder. "They have sex."

I jumped away from him, startled at his answer. My cheeks immediately set themselves aflame and a horrible feeling of humiliation settled into me.

"What?" I sputtered, "After a ball?"

"Sometimes during," he shrugged, smirking at my reaction.

"Oh, Merlin," I muttered. "Wait, so when I said-"

"And pinky promised," Fred butted in, waggling his pinky in the air.

"...and pinky promised, that I would make it up to you later--You thought I meant, uh, that?"