tabby :: you have stolen my heart

[TABITHA JANE WINTERS]

Two weeks, Hogsmede. It was really doable, and the least she could do. She hadn't meant to make Piper so uncomfortable, it totally made sense that she hadn't wanted to be laughed at, it just seemed so sad that she hadn't gotten to be with anyone because she was scared and ashamed. It was sad that the world worked that way for gay people. Dating became even more of a game as you tried to figure out if the person you liked was straight or not.

At the mention of butterbeer, she perked up. Alcohol would be good right now. But she felt like she owed Piper for the hug that hadn't really been welcome. In any case, she smiled. "Lead the way." She motioned and they continued on their way to the three broomsticks. It was wonderfully warm inside, and people were chatting and it was just such a happy place, that Tabby couldn't help but grin a little bit as they found a table.

"Two butter beers please!" She said as the waiter came by, hoping that was in fact correct.

[PIPER OPHELIA KIRKE]

She was overthinking things. It was the only possible reason Piper could think of to justify the way that something so innocent as a hug had made her uncomfortable. Maybe it was because Tabby was now the only person outside of her family that knew of her sexuality. But now she couldn't help but wonder if things would be different. They shouldn't be, really. After all, heterosexual girls were just friends with guys all the time. But she'd never really been in this situation before, and it was more intimidating than she'd expected.

Butterbeer, on the other hand, was something Piper was quite familiar with, and she figured that equalizer would help her adjust to the situation. The moment the entered the Three Broomsticks, she knew she was right. The bustle was warm and inviting, and she eagerly led the way to a table, taking a seat on one side and leaving the other open for Tabitha. The waiter was prompt, and Piper held back a laugh as Tabby ordered their drinks for them, thinking it sounded a bit like something a man would do. Every guy her parents had set her up with had ordered for her. Of course, Tabby had actually had the good sense to order something Piper wanted.

The waiter scurried off to fill their order, and Piper grinned at Tabitha. "You're not gonna wonder if I'm checking you out all the time now, are you?" she asked. It was a real question, but her voice held the tone of a joke. She was making a substantial effort to keep things light, but she wasn't sure how to do so until she at least knew if her being gay was going to change everything. It wasn't as if Tabby was an extremely close friend, but Piper did enjoy being around her. Besides, knowing whether her admission would change things between them might help her figure out whether she ought to tell some of her other friends, as well.

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[TABITHA JANE WINTERS]

Tabby was glad that she had in fact been right about the order, she just didn't want to wait since the place was rather busy. Piper seemed fine though so Tabby didn't bother blabbering some apology about her good intentions and what not. Piper didn't linger on the order and went right for a question, which Tabby could tell was actually a serious one, under the guise of a joke. She realized she should have just said no and that it was fine and wouldn't change things, but honestly, they were both gay, friendly and Tabby thought Piper was pretty.

"No, but you're welcome to..." Tabby said with a little smirk, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. She blushed lightly only because Piper had just come out and all and she didn't mean to make it uncomfortable. However, Piper really was welcome to check her out. Tabby hoped it didn't insinuate that she was also checking her out all the time, no one had the energy for that.

[PIPER OPHELIA KIRKE]

She hadn't been sure how Tabitha would respond to the question. It wasn't hard to tell when she was being serious about something even if she tried to hide it in a joke, but doing so gave Tabby the option of offering either a serious or a playful response. As it was, Tabby's response was both playful and potentially flirtatious. Piper's cheeks tinged pink, but she offered her friend a smile. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable, really, but the realization that any flirtation on her side might actually be welcome was a new one, and she wasn't sure what to do about it just yet. "I'll keep that in mind," she replied with a smile that suggested she actually would.

The arrival of their drinks was quite welcome, and Piper took a large gulp of hers immediately. She was having a more difficult time making conversation than she had expected, and the drink's warm comfort was sure to make it easier. As expected, she was instantly enveloped in a cozy sensation, and she let out a small, contended sigh before returning her intention to Tabitha. "So you don't actually have a girlfriend that I'm going to have to contend with, do you?" she asked, not really sure of her word choice. She didn't quite mean to imply that she wanted to vie for Tabitha's affections, but the implication was there nonetheless. Besides, Tabitha was gorgeous and the only lesbian Piper actually knew of, so it was reasonable to assume she'd be interested in more than just a fake date.

[TABITHA JANE WINTERS]

So far so good, they hadn't closed the door on anything that could develop between them, and that way no choices had to be made about it. The drinks came and Tabitha thanked the waiter before taking a small gulp. It always tasted so good, and was so warm and comforting. Something was really fantastic about butterbeer. Muggles didn't know what they were missing out on. It was like a liquid example of what this place was like, warm, colorful, cozy...

She laughed lightly at Piper's question. She assumed she was talking about how her fake date might make Tabby's girlfriend jealous-- if Tabby had one of course. She had a recent make out session with a girl, but that wasn't anything. A moment of connection for two lonely girls was all. "No, I'm single." She said with a little nod. Tabby wasn't sure if this was purely for their fake date or if Piper wanted a real one. Tabitha would say yes, she had a thing for brunettes.

[PIPER OPHELIA KIRKE]

She wasn't sure if she'd expected an actual answer to her question, as it wasn't really her business. She and Tabby were friends, yes, but not the sort of friends who typically gushed about their love lives. Of course, the fact that Tabitha was now the only person outside of her family who knew about her sexuality would have to change that. She didn't have anyone else to gush about her love life with! At the moment, though, it was still rather surreal to be discussing girlfriends and dates, fake or otherwise, with an attractive and popular classmate.

While she had already come to terms with the fact that she found Tabitha attractive, Piper was somewhat surprised by the excitement she felt at hearing the other girl was single. She grinned and nodded in response. "Good to know," she said. And it was good to know. It occurred to her that if their fake date went well, she could potentially ask Tabitha out for a real date. But that all seemed very much in the future right now, and Piper was content to keep it that way.

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