Celebration
Celebration
A little Hufflepuff student hurried along an empty corridor, looking both sides every time he reached an intersection. His hat looked too big on him and covered half of his head. The bottles of Butterbeer he was carrying in his tiny hands nearly fell when he jumped as he heard a noise.
“C’mon, Tony, you can do it. The others trust you”, he whispered to encourage himself as he kept walking.
After reaching the seventh floor, he approached what seemed like a cupboard door. Closing his eyes, he thought about what he wanted and walked past three times. When he opened the door and walked in, the atmosphere around him changed completely. The Room of Requirement was busy and very noisy. Groups of people were celebrating and singing loudly. Gryffindor colors were everywhere and a huge flag with a lion carrying a straw hat was hanging in the center of the room.
“CHOPPEEEEEEER”, greeted the Gryffindor captain when he saw the Hufflepuff entering the room. A huge smile on his face, he approached him. “Do you have it? Do you? Do you?”
“Yes”, said Chopper, leaving the bottles on the floor and taking off his hat. Introducing his hand in it he began pulling out meat, sweets and drinks. “Food and drinks from the kitchen”.
“FOOOOOOD!! YOU DID GREAT, CHOPPER!!”, shouted the excited captain as he grabbed the closest piece of meat. “Now… KEEP PARTYING!”
“You asshole, it was nothing, don’t try to compliment me”, said an embarrassed Chopper covering his face with his hands. However, Luffy was no longer listening. Chewing the piece of meat, he joined Usopp and started dancing.
Chopper looked around the room. People from all the houses were enjoying their time. Ace was eating with Sabo as if there were no tomorrow. Johnny and Yosaku were crying as they retold the game to a group of students. Sanji felt in heaven as he saw himself surrounded by a group of chatty girls. Even Franky, the gamekeeper, has joined the party and was showing some of his super poses.
Suddenly, Chopper noticed some green-haired guy sitting in a corner. A bottle in his hand, he looked relaxed and enjoying the party in his own way. The little boy approached him.
“What’s up?”, said Zoro nonchalantly, taking a sip from the bottle.
His eyes shining because of the excitement, Chopper looked at the guy in front of him. Zoro was so cool!
“You were so fast today!”, said Chopper. “I was so scared when Nami fell…”
“Hm”, answered the green-haired, as if he didn’t give it any importance. He didn’t want the boy to worry. Chopper started fanboying. Zoro was so cool! However, a scowl appeared on Zoro’s face. He had been thinking about the reasons for that fall, and he was growing more and more frustrated as he couldn’t find the answers he wanted.
“CHOPPER!! JOIN US”, Luffy shouted. Franky, Usopp and he were choreographing a new set of flamboyant moves. Chopper looked at Zoro, who smiled encouraging the little boy to join the noisy group. When Chopper left, Zoro focused on his drink again, closing his eyes.
“You know, I was scared too…”, said a female voice next to him. Recognising it, Zoro didn’t bother to open his eyes. “… But somehow I trusted my hero would be there”. Zoro distinguished the mischievous hint in her voice. Danger.
“I’m not a hero”, he said, grabbing his bottle more tightly.
Suddenly, he felt someone sitting by his side. Too close to feel comfortable.
“What are you drinking?”, Nami asked. Zoro opened his eyes and looked at the girl next to him. She had changed her clothes and was wearing a light green robe which was a bit too tight in some areas. Zoro moved his drink away from her.
“Firewhiskey. But it’s mine”, he said.
“C’mon, share a bit”, Nami pouted. “The drinks here are too soft”.
“We’re in a school”, said the guy. “And I told you, I’m no hero. The booze is mine”.
Nami narrowed her eyes. She had to try something different. She was considering her options when Zoro talked with a serious tone.
“Are you going to tell me what happened today?”
Nami looked at him surprised.
“What do you mean?”
“You know more than you say, I can feel it. And it’s not the first time something weird has happened. Sanji thought they were Slytherin pranks, but attacking you… Dammit, Nami, we are your friends. If Luffy finds out you are in danger and you don’t tell us, he won’t be happy”.
Although he was trying to hide it with an annoyed expression, Nami could feel he was worried. Zoro was not the type of guy who showed his feelings, but with the years she had learnt how to interpret them. With her hand, she reached the three earrings in his left ear and touched them lightly.
“It’s nothing”, she said softly. “I also thought there was something weird, so I tried to find out what it was, but could find nothing”.
Zoro took her hand. The people were too focused on the party to notice their interaction.
“Next time, tell us. You are not alone”, he said.
“You’re the one to talk”, she said as she came closer and kissed his cheek. It was light, but Zoro’s hand grabbed Nami’s harder. She was so close that she could have sat on his lap. However, Nami took her opportunity and with her free hand grabbed the bottle of Firewhiskey.
“Now, it’s mine”, she said, sticking out her tongue playfully.
“Witch! Give it back!”, barked Zoro, trying to grab the stolen bottle. Nami got up and took a generous sip.
“Niiice”, she smiled. “Well, well, Zoro, next time we’ll discuss about the bet and your debt”.
“WHAT?!! Stop with the nonsense, woman, we won!”. Zoro’s face was all flushed.
“Exactly”, Nami said, winking an eye. “Thanks for the drink, my hero”. And with that, she left the angry beater and joined the others.
Zoro huffed and grabbed a bottle of Butterbeer. Hopefully, he would pass the rest of the night in peace.
ゾロ と ナミ
When the party finished, Usopp and Sanji were carrying Luffy, who was too full to move, back to the tower. Nami, Zoro and Chopper were walking by their side, the little boy with sleepy eyes.
“What a party!”. Sanji was saying. “And my Nami-swan looked as glorious as always!”
Nami smiled at him, earning a scowl from the boy next to her. Suddenly, she stopped walking.
“What?”, Zoro asked.
“I forgot something in the Room of Requirement. Don’t mind me, keep going”, said the orange-haired.
“Nami-swan, let me be your knight, I’ll accompany you”, Sanji said, looking forward to get rid of Luffy.
“Shut it, pervert. Take Luffy to the tower. I’ll go with her”. Zoro stepped next to Nami.
“You?” Sanji retorted. Nami, sensing the potential argument, decided to cut it. Waving her eyelashes, she said:
“It’s OK, Sanji-kun. Help Luffy, will you?”.
Sanji forgot everything and with hearts in his eyes, proceeded to obey the girl. Zoro rolled his eyes as the rest of the group left and Nami and he headed to the Room.
---
A long shadow appeared at the end of the corridor. Usopp hid behind Luffy, his legs shaking. The shadow became bigger and bigger until its owner appeared.
“We’re so grounded!” cried Usopp.
“Oi! It’s just Brook. He’s cool”, Luffy said, greeting the skeleton ghost of the north tower and the director of the school chorus. “YO!”
Brook approached them. “What are you doing awake, living souls?”
“Partying”. Luffy answered. Brook’s body writhed comically.
“There was a party… and you didn’t invite me?!”. Brook exclaimed, hurt, his mouth wide open. Luffy sniggered covering his mouth. “My heart is broken… If I still had it, hohoho. You better go off to your beds if you don’t want to be caught, though. And next time… no party without Brook!”
The group departed. When Luffy and Sanji reached Gryffindor’s tower the pair realized someone was missing.
“Where’s Zoro? Should have returned already”, Luffy asked.
“That stupid moss-head probably got lost”, Sanji said as they climbed the portrait. “It serves him right”.
“He’ll be alright”, replied the captain.
---
Zoro and Nami were walking in silence when they heard some whispers coming from the closer corridor. With a quick movement, Zoro took Nami and hid both of them behind a tapestry. Peeking over the boy’s shoulder and the edge of the tapestry, she could see some shadows entering a secret corridor.
“Some people are leaving the castle”, she whispered. “Should we follow?”
From her position she couldn’t see his face, but she knew he was considering her idea.
“Do you think they have something to do with today’s incident?”, Zoro asked, his muscles tensing.
“I don’t know…”
“Nami, is this related to what you were…” He didn’t finish the sentence. He did not need it. He could feel Nami grabbing her left shoulder with her right hand. “It’s over now. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Slytherin, you are in our team. But if one of those bastards is after you again I’m going to…”
His words faded away as he felt her soft lips over his. Her kiss was slow and sweet. When he kissed back, he could taste the soft hint of tangerines and Firewhiskey.
“That’s a way of shutting my mouth”, Zoro said when she pulled away. Nami didn’t like to talk about her past. “But we are going to talk about this sooner or later”.
“It’s a way to thank you”, Nami replied with a smile. Noticing their position she said: “Anyway, Zoro, if you wanted to touch me there are nicer corners to hide in…”
Zoro was thankful for the darkness, as he was sure he had blushed. Pulling away from her he tried to attack back.
“I remember worse ones… and you’ve never complained”, he said with a sexy voice. Leaning closer, he whispered in her ear. His breath was warm and Nami felt goosebumps on her skin. “And… Do I need an excuse to touch you?”
Nami laughed, pushing him playfully. “How much have you drunk?”
“Less than what I wanted. A witch took my booze”.
“Moron”, she said, but her eyes were smiling. “Let’s keep moving”.
“Oh, so you actually forgot something?” Zoro smiled cockily. “I thought you wanted to discuss our… debt?”
“There’s time for everything, baka”. Nami replied, taking his hand. “And the Room of Requirements has some… interesting settings”.