A Chance for Friendship PV Dan Palmer

Oswald looked slightly confused when Dan proclaimed that he is a gamer and talked about all the games he had played . He was never really allowed to play videogames or spend time infront of the TV or computer. His father wanted it this way , calling people that "waste their time like that" idiots or worse insults. It did bother Oswald a bit but he never really cared that much for the virtual world , except some cartoons he watched on his phone.

"Well , I really like to cook and bake literally everything - especially cookies. I also love to spend time in nature. I always hiked with my family or went camping with my friends. I don't know what it is , but I always thought that forests are magic places. Plants interest me in general , that's why I also helped my mom in our garden with planting flowers , herbs and vegetables....We used them to make our own tea , too.
I also like to play my guitar. I don't have a preference what kind of music I play with it though ; everything from simple accustic to folk...sometimes even rock , metal or punk but only when I am home alone. My dad and grandparents do not like it so I have to do it secretly."

Oh dear god he liked to cook.
Dan now HAD to make this boy his friend. At least. Dan LOVED cooking. The problem was, he couldn't bake for shite. He'd always wanted to learn how, but hadn't tried in a while, unable to deal with the shame he felt when he tried to make a custard pie for his parents while they were away, and wound up with a baking pan full of sweetened, oven roasted scrambled eggs.
But OH could he cook outside of baking. He seemed to almost instinctively know what went with what food and dish. He put plates together that were visually pleasing, honestly without realizing how he knew how to. This had come in handy during Potions class, as making potions was, essentially, like making really weird soup.

Then he mentioned music. Dan wasn't the biggest fan of music, but by the sound of things, Oswald could do some impressive things with a guitar. Also, it seemed like his father was a bit of a controlling, uptight prick. Dan could not understand how someone could live with parents like that. Dan and his mates knew them as 'anti-fun parents'.

"You like cooking too? Think you could maybe... teach me how to bake sometime?

He also liked cooking! Oswald began to like Dan even more. But he was not sure about the baking part. Oswald usually baked with his mom and his mom only , he did not know if it was okay for her that he baked with someone else. Would that not be some sort of betrayal? Did Oswald even have enough experience to teach him? He did bake many times , but never on his own , let allown with a person that apparently does not know how to do so. But Oswald knew that he can not deny this request. He already liked this irish boy very much and he will never know if he is able to teach cooking and baking , unless he gives it a try.

"Of course , that sounds like great fun. We just need a place to do so , I think we can get ingredients if we ask a house elf. I also have a recipe for cookies somewhere in my trunk...I mean unless you want to bake something else?" Oswald was already planning how the bake session would work and thought about what they needed when he felt something....he could not say what it was. Happyness? Enjoyment?

"Excuse me , I am getting ahead of myself , when I talk about things that I love to do." Oswald smiled and blushed slightly as he also felt a bit embarassed because of his over exitement.

He said yes! Finally, Dan could learn how to bake! He was sure Oswald would be the best baking instructor ever! Or, at the very least, the best one he'd ever had. Considering he had no previous baking instructor, this was to be certain.

"Yeah a house elf would help. Maybe one would even let us use the kitchens!"
Oswald then mentioned he had a recipe for cookies in his trunk.
"Cookies would be a great place to start. easy to understand, simple to make, and almost impossible for me to screw up. I like it!"

Dan was starting to like this boy. He was nice, honest, and liked to cook. He was clearly passionate about the things he liked, which Dan could respect. But, Dan detected a bit of a lack of self confidence coming from Oswald. That, fortunately, is something Dan knew how to remedy.

"So, when do ya wanna start? I'm good any time. Unless I have classes. Or a duel. Or Quidditch Practice or games, that is mega important, that one."

It was clear that Dan was excited. He couldn't wait to get started.

"I gotta warn ye though... The only thing I know how to bake is potatoes. So... ground up is a good way to start. Except fer like... Dont tell me how to crack an egg or measure stuff."
Dan stopped himself before he started rambling.

Yes , the kitchen would be most likely the best place to use. Oswald was not quite sure if students are allowed inside of it , especially ones that are as young as both of them. "Yeah , we could ask one and see if it is possible. If it does not....well we can prepare the dough everywhere clean and just need a place to bake them."

Oswald smiled slightly as Dan cracked his joke. "Oh don't worry , I have faith in your skills that you know enough to crack an egg."

He also thought for a good day to meet , but he could not think of one. "Huh...I don't know any exact date." "Date", that sounded weird..too weird! He turned slightly red and immediatly replied: "I-I mean a date for a day ; n-not a-a-a date-date!" Those words sounded weird and the fact that he corrected himself even more. He did not need to correct himself, no? Asking for a date to meet was grammaticly correct. Why did he think that Dan could misunderstand him? Or maybe he did understand him and now it would seem weird that he corrected himself. Oh god why does he always overthink so much!? "Just...tell me when you have time..." The words would leave his mouth fairly silent and he was not sure , if Dan even heared his last sentence.

It was done. Dan would be weirded out by him , call him names and leave the table , cracking jokes along the way. And it was all his own fault for overthinking even the most simple of thoughts. Atleast it went good for a bit...Maybe he should just stay silent and leave but this would also be akward.

Aw that was so nice of Oswald. He had confidence in Dan's baking skills. A confidence that was misplaced, but a confidence, nonetheless.
Then, Oswald started stumbling all over himself, belting out stuttering sentences with more rapid succession than a faulty text to speech. It was almost as if-

Wait... Was he...
Was Oswald actually crushing on him? Was he actually fond of Dan?
Does he actually fancy me?
This had never happened before. Well, it had never happened with him actually caring before. Normally, the Irish girls were attracted to his adorable face, but Dan had never cared for girls. At first, Dan had thought he only had eyes for Andrew Vance... But for some reason he didn't mind the idea of Oswald crushing on him. What's more he sort of felt like...
Dan began nervously rubbing his feet on top of each other, not really a habit, but something to exert the nervousness on where Oswald couldn't see it. The boy was a bag of nerves, and if he saw Dan having a mini freak out, he might devolve into an emotional train wreck. Best way to defuse the situation:

"Well, if ye want ta call it a date, yer welcome ta. I certainly wouldn't mind."

Wait no, that wasn't right! 'Certainly wouldn't mind', was Dan daft or something? God now it seemed like Dan was going to ask HIM and-
Dan stopped himself right there. That was how overthinking started, and that NEVER ended well.

Dan opend his mouth , he will be weirded out and make fun of Oswald. It will happen , any moment....But he did not...No joke about him acting like a dork , a baffoon , a social-akward retard. What followed was something probably as confusing as Oswald's comment , if not even more. He....was fine with calling it....A DATE? The thought seemed even more surreal ; the word crossed his mind over and over and over. He did not know how to react , how to feel , what to think or say. It was silent , just the two of them staring at each other. What had most likely been just a few seconds felt like hours.

A small grin formed on his face and a slight giggle would leave it. "Yeah....let us not call it that.... But , you know...simply owl me when you have time , o-okay?" Dan was apparently a bit nervous as well. They most likely shared other feelings too...but he decided not to confront him. Atleast not yet...

Oswald leaned back into his chair and waited for an answer of Dan , hoping that he did not get freaked out by his little giggle.

Surprisingly, things didn't spiral out of control due to Dan's slip. In fact, his plan to defuse the entire situation seemed to work.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, apparently neither knowing what to say to break the silence.
And then, Oswald giggled. It was so CUTE! Dan resolved to make Oswald laugh at every opportunity, if that was how he sounded like. Or... well, at least often enough. Every opportunity might get annoying. Both to hear and to do.
Oswald seemed to prefer not to call it a date. Maybe Dan was wrong. Maybe he wasn't crushing on him? But he was pretty sure he was. But, maybe it would be smart to think things slow. No need to rush into something like this, if this was even capable of happening in the first place.

"Yeah, okay. I'll let ye know. I'll also see about gettin' us into the kitchen. Maybe a professor'll let us in. If not.... Well, I'll TRY to find a place to bake stuff, but I dont know of any place that can, other than the kitchens....I doubt we could sneak in... And even if we did, I dont even know how to bake, I wont wanna try stealth baking."

Stealth baking? That did sound like a weird extreme sport..... probably invented in the United States. "Yeah , that sounds a bit risky , but we will surely find a place to do it! Well..." , he stood up and grabbed his book , "... I am sorry , but I have to go now. I would love to talk more , but I need to finish some homeworks. He hold out his hand and left the library , after Dan shook it.

Oswald felt really happy , despite the fact that he only read two pages of his book. The conversation with Dan was really funny and he was glad that he made a friend ; he was lonely in his first year , but he sweared that he would change that for his second and he managed to do it!