Garret is up early for someone who actually prefers to sleep in and make it to class just in time. There's a reason he's up earlier than usual this day; you're back from your trip to London and promised to bring him something unique for his self-designed butterbeer recipe as an ingredient.

But since he didn't know when you were coming and he didn't want you to come to his room (his roommates would only get the wrong idea. There is nothing going on between you two!), he got up very early to be one step ahead of you. The hardest part was getting off the soft pillows.

When he enters the common room, there is no one to be seen. Why should there be? Everyone still at Hogwarts is still asleep at this hour.

Garreth looks around to see if there is anything conspicuous and voilà; on the round table in the middle of the room is a handbag - your handbag.

Garreth knows this because he has seen you with the bag several times when you went to Hogsmeade with Natty.

Since it wasn't there last night, the Gryffindor boy suspects you must have just returned, but there's just no sign of you.

Quickly Garreth looks around in all directions. You are not to be seen, nor is any other Gryffindor, so he scurries over to the table. He briefly checks again to make sure no one is there and then opens your bag.

Inside your bag he comes across several objects, all women's stuff, he realises bitterly. Pressing his lips tightly together, he realises that you don't have anything for him in your handbag-

-there!

A small, palm-sized jar catches his eye.

He takes it out of your bag and inspects it. A sweet smell comes to him; oranges.

He is surprised. Normally, oranges are only available in winter. They are imported and extremely expensive.

He opens the jar, carefully pulls up the lid and puts it aside. Inside the jar is a sticky liquid, cream, or something like that, orange in colour. He sniffs it briefly. That smells extremely after oranges.

What he doesn't know is that you are watching him from the balcony, where only the girls have access to have tea parties.

You came up here to relax a bit and drink tea. But you forgot you put your bag down for a moment and then left it there standing.

So now you watch as Garreth sniffs curiously at your lip gloss and stares at the jar with eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

You chuckle softly, finish the rest of your tea in your cup and then lean over the railing of the balcony.

"You need to put that on your lips!" you call down from above. Loud enough for him to hear, but not too loud to wake the others.

Garreth winces so hard that he bumps his elbow on the table and hisses painfully. His head jerks in your direction.

You grin at him from the balcony.

Startled, he speaks your name, at the same time hiding the jar behind his back. "I didn't do anything!"

Again, you chuckle in amusement. "I can see that Garreth."

Embarrassed, he hangs his head.

"Wait," you call down, "I'll come to you." Quickly you hurry down the stairs to your housemate and friend. Grinning, you come to a halt in front of him.

Embarrassed, he holds the jar out for you, looking at anything but you. His cheeks are red with shame at having been caught.

You giggle, take the jar and tap the cream with your pinky.

"Here, look at me." Garreth raises his head, his eyes fixed firmly on you. "Open your mouth slightly."

"Why?"

"Just do as you're told."

He does as instructed, opening his mouth slightly so that you can better smear the lip gloss on his lips, which you promptly do.

After you are satisfied with your work you take a step back. "Well?"

Garreth rubs his lips together firmly, then licks his lower lip briefly and blinks a few times in surprise. "Tastes like oranges!"

You grin at him. "Plus, it makes your lips all soft! Great, isn't it?"

The Gryffindor boy nods in agreement.

Briefly, you stare at the jar in your hand. "You're the first to try the lip gloss, by the way. Even I haven't tried the flavour."

"Honestly? I feel honoured."

You think for a moment. "I want to try it too. Surely you don't mind?"

"What? No, it's yours, isn't it?"

You put the jar aside, grab Garreth by the collar and pull him down to you. You press your lips to his demandingly. Surprised, Garreth stiffens briefly, but recovers quickly and returns your kiss with the same fire as you. His hands literally fly to your hips to pull you tighter against him.

The Gryffindor boy is a surprisingly good kisser. The lip gloss makes his lips soft and fruity and his talented tongue, which seems to do a dance with yours, makes you not notice how long you've been making out with Garreth until someone clears their throat behind you.

Garreth is the first to react and detaches himself from you. He presses you tighter against him, turns his head in the direction of the troublemaker and notices that Natty is standing in the doorway to the dormitories with raised eyebrows and folded arms.

"I knew you had a crush on our friend here, but you getting her to kiss you in the common room is pretty surprising."

"She kissed me first!"

"Oh yeah?"

Now you too are waking up from the trance Garreth had put you in until a few seconds ago. "You didn't resist," you defend yourself with flushed cheeks, already wanting to break away from him to sink into the ground in shame.

"You're right," he agrees, pulling you back to him and kissing you again. More gently this time.

"Find a room please. It's way too early for PDA," Natty sighs, but turns back to the girls' rooms.

-

When you return to your room, Natty is already waiting for you. She has raised an eyebrow and grins smugly at you.

"...What?"

"Oh nothing!" she laughs.

You grumble and shake your head. "Ah! I have something for you." You rummage around in your handbag, a note falling into your hands that you definitely didn't have before.

You recognise Garreth's scrawly writing.

How about next weekend Hogsmeade? 8 pm.

Don't tell anyone!

G. W.