A Dementor's Kiss - Phan

Fanged Roses and Levitating Pansies

In which Dan and Phil share a friendly bubble bath

~

It seemed to Phil that Dan had been avoiding him ever since the incident in The Three Broomsticks. Whenever he spotted Dan in the corridors he appeared to suddenly forget something and perform an about turn, before speeding off in the opposite direction. In truth, Phil wasn’t completely unhappy about this – his face burned whenever he recognised that familiar head protruding awkwardly a good few inches above the crowd of third years. Chris, of course, still hadn’t shut up about it.

“Mock me all you like,” he’d said, after Phil had teased him for following PJ through the corridors for half an hour during break, “But you got excited over a thirteen year old.”

“He’s fourteen!” Phil had complained, but with a hint of doubt in his voice. Dan looked older - he could easily have passed for fifteen – but Chris was right, the numbers just didn’t add up.

~

“I saw your beaux,” Chris said one wintry morning over a glass of pumpkin juice. “He was sitting on his own in the corridor looking sad.”

Phil sighed. “Why didn’t you say hi?”

“I was in a hurry, PJ was walking too quickly for me to stop.”

“You know, you could get arrested for that. Stalking.” Phil waggled his finger at Chris.

“I call it ‘following adoringly’.” Chris replied with a grin.

Phil shook his head and laughed. “That’s incredibly creepy. How he hasn’t noticed yet is beyond me.”

“Anyway, stop changing the subject. Have you two had a lovers tiff? Why weren’t you in the library yesterday, helping him with transfiguration?” Chris asked.

Phil sighed again, his shoulders slumping. “It’s embarrassing isn’t it? After what happened at the weekend, neither of us wants to be the first person to have to talk to the other after that. I don’t know what I’d say without it being cripplingly awkward.”

Chris stroked an imaginary beard. “Hmm,” he mused. “Tricky situation. Have you considered prayer?”

Phil hit Chris on the arm with his gloves. “Thanks. Seriously though. I was going to write to him, like we do sometimes, but I figured that would highlight even more how weird things are now.”

“You two are so romantic and you don’t even realise it. I mean, come on. You were basically writing love letters to each other for months.”

“We’re just friends,” Phil said, exasperated. “We just talked about bands and school and stuff. Stop being so annoying, I’ll go ask Carrie.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll help – I promise. You need a premise for meeting up that gives you something to do so it’s not awkward and you can keep the subject away from foggy patches. You know, like your raging homosexual love for each other.” Chris winked.

“Chris.” Phil moaned.

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out. How about taking him somewhere romantic?”

“Chris.”

“A stroll in the forest under the moon?”

Phil’s face reddened a little, and he didn’t say anything.

“Teach him how to make a love potion and then, intoxicated by the fumes, fall on each other like animals?” Chris continued, clearly enjoying himself.

Phil’s cheeks glowed brilliant pink.

“You’ve already done the love letters and the trip to Picturesque Local Village, how about you show him some of your hobbies? Roll about in the mud a bit?”