| Details for Valentine's Picnic |
| Summary: | Ripley makes it official with Gabby |
| Date: | Feb 14, 1938 |
| Location: | Grounds, Hogwarts |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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The Hogwarts Campus grounds are expansive and just how much so becomes very clear in this area where grassy knolls spread out for over a square mile. Just vibrant green groomed grass densely covers the small hillocks and spans of flat areas. When the weather is right many a picnic blanket - often sporting House Colors - can be found spread out here and there for picnics, studying, socializing or simply rest and relaxation watching the sky above.
What is shown to the eye as one comes close to this area is what looks like the shell of a snow globe but within is not the usual snow but a nice sunny day. On the ground, raised just enough to stay off the snowy ground, is an oriental rug with a picnic basket laying off to one side. Near the basket is a small pink box with a white ribbon.
Gabrielle , bundled up in several layers, comes into view and stops. after a moment of looking to see what's in front of her , a small smile starts on her face. She'll try to smooth out her skirt some as she stumbles over the snow to get to Rip. "Hi!..this is amazing!" She'll turn to Rip with a huge smile, "How's you do all this?"
Ripley reaches out to take her hand. "It's warmer inside. Just a lot of charms and the like. I found them in a book." He winks to her, "I figured a small picnic would be nice for Valentines."
Gabrielle laughs softly, "Awh…you read a book for me?" and then will take his hand while giggling. She'll walk with him, bumping his shoulder slightly. She's in a muchbetter mood than last time they talked.
Ripley gives a wide smile at this. "I did read a book for you. Did quite a bit for you." As he ushers her into the bubble of sun and it warms the skin. He steps inside and moves to help her with her coat, "Just a bit to make you feel special. Happy Valentine's."
Gabrielle , blushes slightly, as it's really her first/ actually valentines day wish that wasn't from her aunts. "Happy Valentines Day, Ripley." As he helps with the coat, it's clear Gabby has on several layers. Her Jackets the same one she used for fall, she's just got on sweaters underneath. When her hat comes off, it's clear she's curled, or charmed or done some kind of voo-doo magic to make her hair fall in big curls around her face. She has on some light make up as well, which is very not Gabby. Gabby's final layer is her normal school outfit, except , she's wearing a green tie, not quite a Slytherin one, but one that matches.
Ripley looks to the curls and the make-up and the tie. He points to the tie and smiles, "You look nice." He says, "The hair brings out your eyes." As he gestures for her to sit, "Please…" And places the coats and all off to the side.
Gabrielle smiling, rolls her eyes,teasing "I could be strung up for treason, you know." She'll glance to the curls, "I kept accidentally doing too much wrist twist on the charm…it was terrifying." she'll sit down, legs folded to the side, and look up at him.
Ripley gives a chuckle and moves over to the basket. He pulls out a few little boxes and sets them down to take off the lids. Fresh fruit, chocolates, and a small one of sandwiches. "Here we are." He says to her and then reaches to take the small pink box and set it in front of here. "And there you are…" He winks.
Gabrielle 's eyes shine as the food is brought out, and she'll bite her lower lip slightly at the chocolate, cause, it's chocolate. Her face drops slightly at the little box being placed in front of her, "I didn't know we were doing gifts…" She'll glance up, slightly worried at Rip.
"No need." Ripley smiles to her, "I have told you before that I want no worried looks if I wish to give you something." As he pushes the little box closer.
There's a small internal struggle, and finally Gabby will slowly reach for the box. She picks it up and inspects in slightly. She doesn't get gifts, not like this. A small smile is tugging at the corner of her lips, which she's trying to fight. She'll slowly pull the ribbon and open the box.
Gabrielle freezes for a few seconds, almost not comprehending what's in her hands. And then she'll gasp, "Oh!" , her right hand goes up to her mouth. She'll blink a few times, before looking back to Ripley, "I…it's beautiful!..Oh!Ripley!" and she'll finish the sentence by throwing her arms around him, giving him a rather tight hug.
Ripley holds her close and rests his head on her shoulder for a bit, "I'm glad you like it." He says quietly and leans to kiss her shoulder. "Just figured it would be nice for you."
Gabrielle sits back down, "Oh! It's so beautiful! I've never had anything like this before!" She'll cradle the box in her left hand, while pushing slightly at the pendant with her index finger. She's got a bit of a goofy grin on her face. "Can..Can I wear it now?" She'll look up to him with excited eyes.
Ripley gives a little bit of a laugh to this, "Of course." As he reaches for a bottle of juice to pour two glasses which he offers one to her. "Here. To the future." He lifts his glass in a toast.
Gabrielle is messing up with the chain a bit, she's too excited to have real jewelry to get the clasp to work right at first. She'll sigh, but is still smiling, and lay the necklace in her lap before reaching over to take the juice.She'll giggle lightly, "The future." and clink glasses with him.
Ripley grins back and clinks his glass to her's. "I will help you put it on if you wish." He takes a sip and drinks as he looks to her. "Am I overwhelming you?" He asks and takes a piece of chocolate to offer to her.
Gabby will nod, "Please, I'd like to wear it." she'll take a drink as well,No.Yes.Maybe? and shake her head, "No..I mean, it's..a lot, but…no. It's really nice." She'll look down at the necklace in her lap and smile, blushing some, before looking and taking the chocolate, "Thank you." She'll take a bite immediately.
Ripley smiles and then leans forward to take the necklace from her lap, leaving the little piece of chocolate there. He leans forward, draping the necklace with the charm around her neck. "So I guess this is you and me officially dating and all." He says, clasping it and then moving back to look at her and brush a quick kiss across her lips.
Gabrielle blinks, happily surprised, but doesn't complain. In fact she'll blush more and kiss him back lightly and just say, "ok, " Very softly. She'll bring her hand up to touch the necklace.
Ripley smiles back to her, "So let Jackson put that into his pipe and smoke it." He winks to her and quickly plucks up a sandwich to offer her. "Come on now, eat."
Gabrielle frowns a bit, blinking. "Don't even mention him…I want this to be perfect." She'll smile, taking the sandwich, "House elves?" Holding it up. Her hand hasn't come down from touching the pendant.
Ripley shakes his head, "Little place in Hogsmeade." He speaks and pops a bit into his mouth. He relaxes back on the rug and looks to her. "Help yourself. Enjoy yourself." He grins to her, happy in the moment.
Gabrielle nods, smiling. "Hogsmeade has all kinds of places."she'll smile, relaxing some as well. she'll lean back on her left arm, finally dropping her hand from the necklace. "How long have you had this planned for?"
"A few weeks. Since you and I have been snagging about." Ripley speaks and pops a strawberry into his mouth, followed by a plump blueberry.
Gabrielle 's eyes go to her lap, a little embarrassed. she'll clear her throat, "so. I can tell people we're dating without any retaliation? No group of Slytherin underclassmen are going to come jump me in the girls lav?" She's teasing, but there's a small undercut of truth to her question.
Ripley chuckles, "Lucian knows. And even in his grumpy way sort of approved." He reaches and pops another berry into his mouth before he picks on up to offer and toss it at Gabby to catch in her mouth.
Gabrielle blinks, "Really? But Lucian doesn't like anyone!" She'll laugh, clearly happy. Gabby will fumble and not catch the berry in her mouth. It'll roll behind her on the blanket. She'll wrinkle her nose, "I'd be horrible at Quidditch…" She'll twist around to try to grab the berry, so she doesn't squish it later.
Ripley gives a little laugh as it bounces off. "Yes. You would." He smiles warmly to her. "What are your thoughts?"
Gabrielle snorts, picking up the berry and popping it into her mouth. She'll shake her head, "Yeah..I can barely stay on a broom….Having to do things while on a broom? No thank you!…Besids with my luck, all the Blunpers would come hit me." Gabby knows very little of the sport apparently. Laughing, Gabby blushes some, "I was actually thinking that I can't wait to write my aunts…I told them I was going on a date with you, but it will be nice to tell them how wonderful it was."
Ripley laughs at her description of Quidditch. "You told them about me?" He says and grins more, "I do hope it's good enough for you. All of it." He looks at her for a long moment, "Gabby… I want to make you happy. Are you happy?"
Gabrielle shrugs, "Well…yeah.they're worried, and wanted to know I was ok. So, I told them about you…well..all the nice parts, anyway!" She'll reach over and steal a strawberry,but pauses when raising it to her mouth, "Ripley…" she'll sigh softly, "I'm as happy as I can be , considering the Universe has decided to confirm my freakiness and that I can't have a normal life." She'll look down to the strawberry, "I feel like the past two weeks have flown by…and I so desperately want everything to slow down, but…as long as you're there, it's ok. Even if it's not…does that even make sense?" She'll look up, worried that it didn't, hoping it did.
Ripley smiles softly to her and reaches over to touch her cheek, "What is a normal life, Gabby? It's when you are happy with what you have." He nods a bit, "It's when you know that a day will be good and that someone cares for you. Normal is what you make of it."
Gabrielle leans into his hand some, closing her eyes. She'll nod softly, "I know…"
Ripley moves to close that distance and brush his lips across her's once more.
Gabrielle gasps at the light touch on her lips, and smiles.She'll move her lips softly against his sighing, just enjoying the tenderness of the kiss.
Ripley runs a hand up to her cheek and holds her there in that embrace for a few more moments before he breaks it and smiles, "You are very special."
Gabrielle opens her eyes and smiles back, but then giggles, "Do you say that to all your romantic seer interests?" There's still a small bit of nervousness when Gabby mentions the Seer ability, but she's definitely tying to play through.
"All of them." Ripley says, "All one that I know." He winks to her.
Gabrielle raises an eyebrow and then will laugh, "well, at least your consistent." And then the idea of either Gareth or Ria having visions hits her and she'll place a hand over her mouth, trying to not laugh.
Ripley gives a wry smile, "What has you laughing like that?"
Gabrielle shakes her head, "I was being mean…ignore me." There's a twinkle in her eye, as she's not quite gotten the images out of her head, "Is there more chocolate?"
Ripley reaches out and takes a piece to reach and feed it to her. "Of course…"
Gabrielle goes to take it, then stops when she realizes his intent. Her lips go up in a smile before opening to take the chocolate. She'll close her eyes and let her lips brush against his fingers.
Ripley breathes in a little more and smiles as her lips brush his fingertips. He looks to her and winks, "More?"
Gabrielle makes chewing face, but laughs with her mouth closed. She'll nod, eyes big.She thinks this is some of what Rip was talking about…and if so, she's ok with this…it's nice, intimate.
Ripley pulls a bit of fruit out and offers it to Gabby, "Feel normal yet?"
Gabrielle laughs, "Is this normal? I could get used to this…" She'll nod to the fruit.
Ripley reaches out further with the food for her to take it from his hand, "Could be."
Gabrielle 'll grin a bit and will lean forward to try to take the fruit in her mouth. She'll keep her eyes open, as she's waiting for him to do something, more watching his face than the fruit.
Ripley just smiles as he puts the berry in her mouth without doing anything impish about it.
Again, Gabby will let his fingers brush against her lips. She'll bite her lower lip a moment and then blushing slightly, "Do you want any?"
Ripley pulls his fingers back to lick at them. "No. Im fine." He smiles, "I like feeding you."
Gabrielle blushes more, him licking his fingers should be gross not…sexy…woah. She'll smile and look down to her necklace momentarily, and will glance up, "Well, I can't eat it all…"
Ripley chuckles, "I have been eating." As he reaches out to take another sandwich and takes a bite of it. "I'm just fine."
Gabrielle rolls her eyes and will reach for her juice, "I'm pleasantly surprised…I was half expecting smuggled in butter beer or firewhiskey." She'll take a peek at him from over her glass, smiling.
Ripley lifts a brow a bit, "No. Not for this. I didn't want to invite any trouble for this. I wanted to do it right."
Gabrielle stops , glass half to her lips, and will give him a sweet smile. He's saying all the right things.
Ripley returns the smile to her and reaches for his own glass to sip from it.
Gabrielle tilts her head, watching him, "What are you thinking?" she'll sip as well.
Ripley give a wry grin, "That you glow when you smile."
Gabrielle shakes her head, making the curls bounce slightly, "I think it's just because no one is use to seeing me smile, is all. It's nothing special."
"Oh no. It's quite special." Ripley shakes his head and disagreement. "Quite."
Gabrielle huffs, but it's that embarrassed, actually really pleased huff. She'll pick at her skirt for a moment, smoothing it out some, "Did you even imagine this could happen?" She'll chuckle, "Even I didn't….back in the fall."
Ripley smiles wide, "That's the past… We drank to the future, remember?"
Gabrielle rolls her eyes and will wiggle some where she's sitting, "Ok, fine…what's in the future?" She'll smirk a bit and lean over to grab another piece of chocolate, if he'll let her.
Ripley doesn't move to stop her. "Oh, I think that would make you blush all too much." He winks to her.
Having snagged the chocolate, Gabby seems pleased, but her eyes go big at his answer, "Ripley! ..Fine…Near Future!" She'll lean back, eyeing him as she places the chocolate piece in her mouth. Her blush is pretty much permanent at this point, but she's smiling slightly. She can handle talk of that stuff….
Ripley gives a smirk, "I see you and me, intimate. I see us holding hands and kissing. I see us relaxing together. Studying together." Then he grins, "I see us doing a great deal of things… When you feel ready."
Gabrielle will reach over and take Rip's hand, and very seriously say, "Thank you…I"m sorry about the other night…Thank you for not hating me…I will get over it, and be ready…It's just this is all so new, and everything that happen last Hogsmeades…." she'll squeeze his hand lightly, "I want all of that too. I want to sit with you in the library, and watch you play Quidditch…and go on dates and everything that comes with that. I really do."
Ripley holds her hand as he lays there and looks to her. "I can't hate you, Gabby." He smiles wider, "I think you are a wonderful girl and I'm lucky that you opened your eyes to me a second time."
Gabrielle will take her other hand and run it through his hair, she has yet to get to play with it. she'll smile again, "I never closed them, you big lug."
Ripley looks to her and smiles and a blush rises to his cheeks. "Really?"
Gabrielle rolls her eyes, "Not that I should tell you, I have a feeling your ego's going to be inflated enough…" She'll look down at him, twirling a lock of his hair, and then she'll nod, "How could I stop liking you?"
Ripley chuckles a little bit and his eyes close to her touch. "Mmmm. That's good, then."
Gabrielle will shift a little, maneuvering behind his head some so she can use both hands, and will start playing with his hair, enjoying the noises he's making, and being able to watch him without feeling like she's staring.
Ripley smiles more at the familiar touch. He leans into it, giving a low purr in his throat.
Gabrielle giggles, "Foxs aren't suppose to purr…" She'll brush her thumb over his ear and lean down to softly kiss his forehead.
Ripley moves and gets closer to Gabby, laying down on the rug and pulling her over and on top of him for a tumble.
Gabrielle , not expecting to be flipped, yelps, and the suddenly is laying on top of Ripley. She blinks, clearly not expecting this.
Ripley grins up to her and leans up to give her a peck. His hands rest on her hips and hold her there before they move and wrap around her.
Gabrielle recovers enough to kiss Rip back, and she relaxes when his arms go around her. She'll lay her head on his shoulder and she'll sigh, bringing her arms in to lay on his chest.
Ripley holds her there and chuckles lightly with happiness, "Happy Valentine's."
Gabrielle giggle back, "Yes…very Happy Valentine's!"
Ripley runs his hands up into those curls and plays with them just enough to enjoy but not muss. He knows how girls are.
Gabrielle clearly doesn't. she'll sigh again and close her eyes. She's smiling softly, face partially pressed Rip's neck. As he plays with her hair, she'll sigh again into his neck, very content.
Ripley holds her there. He doesn't try anything other than the gentle caress of her hair and her back.
Gabrielle let him hold her for several minutes, her breathing becoming more steady, eventually she'll groan softly and push up a bit so she can look at Rip, "You're going to put me to sleep, doing that…"She doesn't sound like that's really such a horrible thing…
Ripley lays there and just keeps doing what he is doing. His eyes close and he enjoys the sensation of having her close.
Gabrielle , ravenclaw mind a workin' even under such duress, will roll to the side so she 's still against him, but on the ground as well. If they fall asleep, she doesn't need it look look worse than it is.She has enough rumors about her floating around. She'll lay her head back down and mumble, "I like this normal."
Ripley smiles and speaks softly, "So do I…" He says and leans over to kiss her cheek.