Compleanno Felice (Open kinda)

[Dante Vroom]

It was like any other October day, except it was not. This one had some kind of air to it that, while he hated to admit, made it different. Only the second day in October, the beautiful fall air filled the Great Hall. Cool, almost hinting at cold for the time being. Crisp as the sunlight had begun to heat the air not an hour before. Excitement had kept Dante from sleeping. Excitement for the day ahead. Yes, it was a secret he kept to himself most of the time, and this year was no different. So he figured his foolish excitement was misplaced.

So he woke up early for breakfast just to see who would be awake at this hour. He climbed out of bed and put a dull blue sweatshirt over a gray t-shirt and some jeans. Barely conscious he made his way down the stairs, his own mug and the supplies for a cup of coffee in hand. All he needed was the hot water, some food and a place to sit. It was going to be a long day for sure, but an enjoyable one.

So he entered the hall and looked side to side, not seeing anyone he recognized he made his way to the usual table and sat down. Just one seat from the end of the empty table. He took a biscuit from the center and quickly opened it putting a large coating of butter on it before taking a bite. Mmmm pane fresco he thought to himself as he poured hot water into his mug. Watching the steam slowly turn into the welcoming aroma of a cup of coffee. The first sip was just moments away, and with that a smile came across Dante's face. He never expected anything from anyone, just to treat himself today to whatever he could, and so he began with a treat for breakfast. He raised his mug to almost salute the day, welcoming it as he had the past 18 years. 18? He'd have to get use to that one.

((Open AFTER Tallulah's first post))

[Tallulah Skeffington]

Today had come too soon. Much too soon if you asked Tallulah. Having spent the past few weeks trying to figure out the PERFECT thing for Dante she was stuck without any idea. The days slowly went by as if taunting the Slytherin until the night before. Like a wake up call she finally thought of the perfect present for him. Knowing cheesy gifts such as a photo of her or some other trinket were out of the question she decided on two things that were much better. First she was going to knit him a scarf of his favorite color, which coincidentally was blue. This present was going to be extra special because she was going to knit it by hand, a feat that would have made any of her friends wonder about her mental status. All she needed now was materials. She had the knitting needles and thread. After a few minutes of cursing and looking around she finally found everything under her bed. Pulling the box of materials out from under there she got to work. She looked at her clock and noted that it was 8 PM. She could do this right?

Almost right. Sitting in her room quietly she got halfway done when she heard someone yelling. The usually lenient prefect stormed out of her room and downstairs to the common room and gave out a detention for disruptive behavior. Grumbling as she walked back to her room she hoped this was the last thing to happen that night.

Settling back into her bed she went back to work, needles clicking away while the scarf grew longer and longer. At around 3 AM she was finally done. At least one half was finally done. The second part of her present still needed to be prepared. This part was much more thought out. She couldn't give it to him now but soon she could. Having been together for almost a year she wanted to make this a very special gift. Careful planning and whispers told her that her parents wouldn't be around for winter break and she would be alone in her Tuscan mansion for the whole break. If he wanted (and felt ok with it) could come there and spend a little time over break with her.

The idea wasn't crazy but it still was a step in their relationship. Spending time alone in a mansion without parents? She didn't know how exactly he'd take it but it seemed like a nice way to spend the holiday.

She couldn't wrap this present but she did figure out what to say. The clock was nearing 3:30 AM and she needed sleep before she would be seeing Dante. Finally lying back in her bed she pulled the covers up and drifted away.

Like a lightening bolt hit her Tallulah fell out of bed. Fearing she overslept she jumped back up and grabbed her clock. It was early, way early. Lying back down Tallulah tried to force herself back to sleep, but to no avail she was awake. Grumbling quietly she got out of bed and took a shower. Now clean and more awake she went back upstairs and got dressed. Green sweater with a grey skirt and tights. Fixing everything so it looked half decent she left her room without makeup and only her hair in a messy bun. She did however remember to grab Dante's present.

The walk to the Great Hall was quick and easy. No one to yell at for standing in her way. It was a good thing, but also a bad one as it meant she was the only one up at this point. Unable to go back to her dorm she walked into the Great Hall waiting to see the vast hall empty. Hazel eyes glanced around and settled on a familiar figure and a smile graced her lips. It was Dante.

Not wanting to startle him she walked over slowly. When she was behind him she bend over and quickly kissed him on the cheek. "Happy Birthday Dante." All the time she spent up making the scarf seemed irrelevant. Everything seemed quite irrelevant right now. She was here with him and that's all that mattered.

[Dante Vroom]

He had finished the biscuit and was half way through his coffee before he took a second glance around the room. There was still very little activity, was it really that early? Dante did not think so. Perhaps it was just the day, it was Friday after all. His attention went from the room around him to the food before him. So he brought his still warm mug to his nose and his world was surrounded with the smell of coffee. Strong coffee, a brew he had picked up while in South America over the summer. His supply had been limited, but it was a special occasion.

”Happy Birthday Dante” and a pair of lips on his cheek let Dante know he was not actually alone this morning. And a smirk came across his face. He turned to face the voice he recognized, Tallulah. As he turned and let eyes meet his smirk turned into a broad smile. “Thank you” he sad quietly to Tallulah. He always enjoyed seeing people early in the morning, before they had time to prepare. Even then she looked amazing, she always looked amazing to Dante. He stood up from his seat, wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers. It was a moments decision, one he had not planned, it just felt like the thing to do. Impromptu, spur of the moment, and it felt right.

He was not shocked that she remembered, even when he had downplayed it's approach. She always seemed to remember those kinds of things so well. His memory for such things was nothing compared to hers, he almost envied it. He had trouble remembering things like birthdays, his parents had always been the hardest to remember. He pulled his head back a bit, parting lips. He still held her in his arms though. Thinking to himself the whole while that he was glad few people were in the Great Hall. He still felt uncomfortable being affectionate in the open like that.

[Tallulah Skeffington]

His smile melted her heart quicker then ever before. Almost a year of being together, or being his and everything still made her squeal with excitement and joy. He moved quick, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her lightly on the lips. The unexpected-ness of it make her squeak quietly. He always seemed to make her feel so special. Besides, she didn't need to do much to be happy. This kiss was one of those things she loved that he did. Kissing him lightly back she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him.

When the kiss broke Tallulah has a stupid grin on her face. Stupid looks were only something she did since she started dating Dante. Not that she felt stupid, just sometimes her brain would stop when he was around. Tallulah couldn't believe someone so amazing could be alive and want to be around her. She loved every second she was around him and could spend time with him.

"So, how does it feel to be 18? Better then 17?" Was that all she could say to him right now? It must be the early time or the fact she stayed up most of the night knitting the scarf. Either or was seriously impeding her thought process. Letting that slide she reached over for his hand. It felt so warm and comforting and never felt wrong in hers.

[Dante Vroom]

Her hand was soft in his own. Though he still had to really get the hang of the entwining of their hands, sometimes it still felt a bit awkward to Dante. So he attempted to shifted his hand around hers. It did not work very well for his own comfort level, so he slowly, carefully shifted more. One finger at a time attempting to feel less foolish about it. Maybe it was just his own awkwardness incarnate, but he figured she kept wanting to hold his hand so maybe it was not as bad as he thought. She always seemed to speak her mind about it all, if he was bad at holding hands...she would probably let him know.

So, how does it feel to be 18? Better then 17?
His face became almost deadpan serious. “It feels much more” he paused as if to think, “mature.” Dante playfully tried to sound older than he was “I feel like I'm no longer a kid. That I should behave in a most dignified matter, that I should forgo silly pranking and horseplay.” The smirk could no longer hide behind his serious expression, “or maybe it feels the same mostly.” He shrugged.

No, he did not feel like he had ten years ago, but from yesterday to today was there a change? What did it mean to feel older? He had more rights today than yesterday. Today he could start casting some spells that were unavailable to him before. Some he would have to test into, but that was going to be fairly simple in Dante's mind.

He had nearly drifted off into his own mind. But he snapped back, squeezing her hand gently he looked at her, then at the table before them. “Care to join me for breakfast Ms. Skeffington?” he joked the same voice as before. With his free hand he made gestures to the various pieces of food before them. Including the special batch of coffee he had brought down himself.

[Tallulah Skeffington]

Tallulah snorted in jest when she listened to him try to sound older. She wasn't making fun of him not by a long shot. Just the fact that he sounded older when in reality he was only a year older then her. "Well that's good. Most boys mature slower then girls. Although I got lucky with you. You're already pretty mature." Her tone was wistful and somewhat thoughtful. She shook her head slowly and brought herself back to the present. "Oh! I have a present for you....er..well two but I can only give you one now."

Tallulah eagerly held out the perfectly wrapped box that contained her scarf. The wrapping paper was navy blue and silver. It was topped off with a small blue bow perfectly centered. A parchment card was (with magic) temporally make to stick to the present. "It's not much, but I made it especially for you." The fact that she made it and that her blood, sweat, and tears went into the making. Though, it was mostly her blood that went into the making, but ever the perfectionist, Tallulah made sure to get all sightly blood stains out.

“Care to join me for breakfast Ms. Skeffington?”

"Why yes, I'd love to join you for breakfast Mr. Vroom." Getting on her tippy toes she kissed his cheek and went to sit down next to the space he was sitting.

[Dante Vroom]

A present? Two even? He was about to say that she didn't have to get him anything at all. But when she handed him the blue box complete with bow his argument against it could not reach his tongue. Sometimes he thought she was to good for him, and this was one of those times. ”It's not much, but I made it especially for you “ Made it? She made him this present? Well that made it all the more special, and he still had no idea what was in this little blue box.

The desire to open the box was only calmed by Tallulah taking a seat. He followed suit and sat back down, setting the present before him. “Would you want some of my coffee?” He questioned offering her the mug he had brought from his room. “It's the newest batch Grandmother has grown” he said with a smile. The mug was no longer hot to the touch, but the contents still held a bit of steam that came off in a steady stream. He had drank about half of the mug before she had arrived, so he was perfectly content with her stealing it from him.

He looked over at her with a big grin on his face and turned back to the object before him. Two presents, one box? But a card as well. Was the second present in the card? Or was it even an object, maybe it was something else completely. There were to many things it could be for Dante to keep thinking about it, so instead he took the parchment card off the present and began to open it and read.

[Tallulah Skeffington]

“Would you want some of my coffee?”

All cheeriness aside she was dead tired. Slumping her shoulders and sighing tiredly she nodded. "Yes! I have gotten a few hours of sleep in the past few nights and some coffee would really make everything easier." Gratefully she picked up the mug and sipped some as Dante said that it was homegrown coffee. It tasted fantastic. Just the right amount of everything was in this cup. Putting the cup back down she turned to Dante and watched him with her present.

"I hope you like it and all." Tallulah sat straddled on the bench as he read the card she wrote. It was mushy and gushy but she was allowed to be that girly at least once a year. Any other time just seemed to be gross and somewhat annoying. She scooched over till she was right next to Dante. Feeling that she could squeeze a little more girly out of herself she rested her chin on his shoulder as he read.

"The first present is at least tangible," Tallulah mused happily. Her voice was clear and somewhat mischievous. "The second part...well that one will be coming soon...ish."

[Dante Vroom]

He grinned as he finished reading the card. Yes it was all that cutesy stuff that they both tried to avoid, but it was okay. For the moment, it seemed to fit well. He turned and kissed her on the forehead as she rested her head on his shoulder. “Thank you” he said lightly with a smile. He then started to open the blue box. Carefully he took the wrapping paper off the box and opened it. To his surprise a piece of cloth seemed to be inside. Pulling it out he realized it was more than a piece of cloth, it was a scarf. She had made this by hand?

“Meraviglioso” he said with a smile as he held it out in front of them, as if to show the rest of the room what he had received. The room was near completely empty, but that was not the point. “Just what I need for our next snowball fight,” he said with an excited tone. He wrapped his arm around her as they sat there close.

“The second part...well that one will be coming soon...ish.”
Soonish? Dante was not one for soonish, he wanted to know now! “What will it take to find out now?” He said with a playful grin to Tallulah. He would have been quiet content with the scarf, it was a great gift. And to have made it herself? She had really out done herself for today.