Pretty Girls PV Koko

Date: Friday, 30 May 2025
Time: 21:00
Location: Headliner Office
'Fit: x

« and i could be a pretty girl... »

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The upside of Koko's daily routine involving rising early and working hard was that often, she had the Headliner office to herself in the mornings when she didn't practise for Quidditch first. Often, she had a cup of tea next to her as she sorted through papers and mostly organised things for later in the day or even the week; it was a relaxing habit that helped wake her up and prepare her for the more difficult parts of the day by giving her time to herself.

Thus, the week before the beginning of NEWTs, she had added thirty extra minutes to her morning Headliner time. She had foregone caffeine in favour of a simple Invigoration Draught as to avoid the less-pleasant effects of the substance, such as an increase in nerves and jitters. She entered the room as she always did, the clicking of her heels providing a needed escape from the worries bouncing around in her skull. She took a slow inhale as she pulled out her chair, but upon sitting down, a note scratched in familiar handwriting on a scrap of parchment made her frown, then lift her eyebrows, then smile fondly.

Girls' decompression time, late at night when meddlesome youths would be forced to leave Koko and Aly alone to relax to their hearts' desires? She wouldn't have missed it for the world.

On the 30^th, Koko found herself full of energy, but strangely enough, not the nervous energy she'd expected would plague her right before an onslaught of NEWTs. That had been benched, so to speak, as the idea of actually meeting up with a friend brought her an excited flavour of energy that got her through the day. She did think a bit too much about what to wear, how to do her hair, what to bring—but that wasn't her fault! It had just been so long since she'd felt comfortable enough around someone to not have to look perfect. Usually, she would have agonised for hours over what selection of outfit, hairstyle and makeup would make her look the most perfectly put-together, but the knowledge that Aly had already seen her covered in snow, laughing like a particularly impish garden gnome, largely assuaged any worry she had of appearing dishevelled.

But she still wanted to make an effort. She left Jax a few treats and scratched his head when he curled up on her pillow, and after checking her characteristic red lipstick in her vanity mirror, she smiled to herself. Even her reflection looked kinder and more at ease than usual. She shrugged on one of her favourite jackets and headed out, but not before snatching a bag of her favourite sweets from her nightstand. As much as she wasn't aware if they were necessary, she thought it would be a nice gesture nonetheless.

It was odd walking into the office at night, even odder given that she was wearing a pair of lower heels rather than her usual mary janes. She opened the door and was greeted by a fresh breeze and the sight of her friend amidst some cushions. Her gaze caught at a fluffy cat curled up on one of them, and her gaze softened further as a small smile flitted across her mouth. 'Cute cat,' she murmured, letting the door click shut behind her.

As she adjusted her gaze to meet Aly's, she noticed the familiar, much-adored shape of a bottle of firewhisky alongside a less-familiar bottle of wine, and her smile widened to show teeth for just a moment. 'And good taste in liquor, too.'

She sat down next to her friend, tucking her legs underneath her, and poured herself a shot of firewhisky. Before lifting the glass to her lips, she would raise it playfully in Aly's direction, a hint of mirth glimmering in her amber eyes as she shot the other girl a smile. She tipped the liquid back, relishing in the burn it began to stake in her throat—her favourite.

She closed her eyes for a second before properly gazing at Aly again. 'Turns out I do like whisky. Guess you did your research.' She reclined a bit, stretched out her legs and took a deep breath. 'But really, thanks for this—I've been looking forward to having a chance to relax all week. I brought some snacks—even if you don't want them tonight, feel free to hold onto them for a boost the next couple of weeks.' She set the bag of sweets between them and moved to refill her glass.

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« ...won't ever make you blue. »

@Aly Salinger

♫ this conversation's classic ♫
✰✰✰

Aly had just settled into the comfortable cushions and made herself criminally cosy when the muffled click-clack of heels from outside alerted her to the approaching Slytherin. One could always tell when it was the sarcastic Secretary's steps closing in - her gait was easy to tell due to her distinctive footwear (and quickly learned by all Headliner writers who wanted to avoid an uncomfortable conversation as to why they were late turning in their articles). She bolted up just in time - a reflex despite the fact that she always turned her articles in on time, yessiree - to see Koko open the door with a vaguely uncharacteristic smile. Well, uncharacteristic for most people to see. Aly had gotten pretty good at coaxing those out of the older girl since they'd become friends in the wintertime.

The older girl noted Dauncey's presence, and Aly beamed in response; not many people called her fat fluffy boy cute, but she certainly thought he was. "Thanks! He's a menace," she said as cheerfully as if she'd been calling him the best boy in the world, propping herself up on one of her elbows and reaching forward to give Dauncey a scritch on the head. As usual, the silver Siberian had about enough energy to give her a lazy paw swipe before fluttering his eyes closed and going back to sleep. Koko took a seat beside her and poured herself a shot of firewhisky into one of the small glasses Aly had swiped from the kitchen in preparation, holding it up in a faux cheers to her with yet another smile; Aly scrambled to pour herself one, too, but Koko had already downed it by the time she managed to uncork the bottle.

"It's quite all right for something that burns like hellfire going down," she joked as the amber liquid splashed into her glass. "Honestly, I wasn't sure what you'd like, but figured this way we have a few options. And oh, sweets!" If Koko was paying attention, she'd notice Aly's pupils dilate at seeing the bag of candies pulled out of seemingly nowhere. "I meant to grab some snacks too - don't want to drink on an empty stomach, I've learned that lesson before - but it totally slipped my mind. You're the best." Aly dug into the bag and found several chocolates, popping the first into her mouth - Mmm, is that raspberry? - before lining the rest up on a nearby empty cushion. "And yes, welcome to the floor! I tried to make it as comfy as possible. Lear only knows we spend too much time in those chairs and not enough time down here. It's not quite the Ravenclaw dormitories' pillow pit, but I think it's as close as you're ever going to get!"

Koko too had poured herself another glass, and Aly held up her glass so that the surfaces could tink lightly together, offering the other girl her best brilliant, charming, lovely grin. "Here's to a bit of well-earned relaxation," she toasted, knocking back the shot without even coughing this time. Well, okay, perhaps there was a little tickle in her throat, but Aly would be damned if she'd embarrass herself in front of the older girl who had been way too suave and cool to cough. "Ooh! Okay, sorry, not to immediately get into work talk, but would you tell me how on Earth you managed to get past that Gryffindor Keeper's high-speed block last month? I mean, I was positively dazzled, it was such a keen bit of flying..."

They devolved into easy conversation quickly after that, chattering on like two songbirds on a wire about Quidditch and examinations and the Headliner. Though she'd only been truly friends with Koko for a few months, Aly was amazed at how well the two got on, able to talk about most anything even with some healthy bits of comfortable silence sprinkled in as they snacked and sipped away. If she'd have known that the queen of the snakes was so chill before, she likely would've befriended her sooner, and the idea that she'd lose a friend to the real world so soon after making the bond made her feel... nope, those particular sentiments needed to be chased away. Wine time! Can't feel bad emotions when there are so many flavours in your mouth. (Disclaimer: this is a very unhealthy coping habit. Do not try at home.)

Eventually, a question that had been lurking on her mind since their photoshoot bubbled its way to the surface, aided and emboldened by the cinnamon hot on Aly's tongue. After regaining her breath following the last funny thing Koko had said and the subsequent uproarious giggles, Aly turned to her friend, still propping herself up on her elbows, and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I've got one," she gasped, still trying to pant for air between interrupting, unplanned, leftover chuckles - one might've thought that they'd been drinking Gigglewater instead. "That article you did back for the February edition - the Amortentia one we did the photos for. How'd you get the idea for that?" Realising that her question may have come off as a bit interrogation-y at first, she hurriedly added, "It was just such an interesting take. I feel like I only ever hear people saying good things about love potions, but you're right, they're... sort of problematic, aren't they?"

Date: Friday, 30 May 2025
Time: 21:00
Location: Headliner Office
'Fit: x

« and i could be a pretty girl... »

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Even as she savoured the white-hot burn of the firewhisky, Koko levelled a lazy, comfortable glance at Aly, and she had to swallow quickly when she saw the other girl's eyes darken at the candies to make way for a complacent smirk. She, too, reached for a few sweets, delicately picking out some salted caramel chocolates and setting them next to her, all while listening to the soft cadence of her friend's voice float through the office's pleasant atmosphere. She quirked a sharp brow at the mention of Ravenclaw pillow pits—Slytherin had nothing of the sort!—but said nothing, fully content to listen and enjoy her alcohol, snacks and time with her friend.

Her gaze travelled around the room before catching on Aly's bright grin. Her eyes widened—the way Aly's smile lit up her face was something that was almost infectious, and Koko quickly topped off her glass, took a drink and swallowed, letting warmth flood her before she smiled back. She looked, really looked, at her friend, and she found it more difficult to swallow the next sip of her whisky. Had Aly's facial structure always been so... nice?

Well, Koko did have good taste in friends, she supposed. It made sense that her friends would also have rather lovely features.

She continued to listen to Aly talk without offering too many words of her own for a few minutes, but once she had finally gotten settled, conversation came more easily. That, or Aly's bedazzling compliments and effervescent chatter simply brought out a far more exuberant side of Koko than many got to see. She not only responded, but rather engaged with the conversation, her eyes bright and her expression animated. The longer they talked, and the more she drank, the more she found herself enthusiastically recounting some anecdote as a long-winded response to one of Aly's quips.

Eventually, Koko had reclined back against the wall, her legs stretched out in front of her and crossed at the ankles, her hands often assisting her whenever she began to speak. Her hard-won smiles came easily now, and Aly had even coaxed uproars of laughter instead of soft giggles out of her. It was with that lighthearted demeanour that she raised her eyebrows and offered a well-meaning smirk when Aly properly turned to face her.

Koko turned her glass in her hand as she listened to Aly's words, her smile fading minutely when she heard the name of the potion. She tipped back the rest of her current glass of whisky and found her gaze locked on Aly's. She pursed her currant-red lips in thought, her eyelashes casting shadows on her cheekbones as her eyes fluttered shut for a moment. 'Well, I...' Her cheeks warmed minutely as she thought about how honest she really wanted to be, but... It was Aly. If Aly had wanted to stop being her friend over her propensity to try new—and perhaps slightly dodgy—things, she would have unfriended her a long time ago and would certainly not have brought firewhisky tonight. Nonetheless, Koko averted her gaze for a moment, staring down at the glass in her hands.

Her voice was soft when she continued. 'A lot of people had mentioned it to me, so I brewed some. The thing was, I don't... I didn't believe in it.' With that, she glanced back up to Aly and felt her mouth curve upwards into a small but warm smile. 'Anyway, something like half the fucking recipe is just wine.' She chuckled gently. 'You could really just save the rest of your ingredients and acquire some nice wine for the object of your affections.' She let her line of sight drift to the bottle of wine, which she was now tempted to try, but forced her gaze back to Aly. 'Besides, they mainly cause infatuation. I'd say it's not too difficult to do that on your own.' Her tone took on a wry, quietly jovial edge towards the end of the phrase; her smirk sharpened just slightly.

She reached for the bottle of wine and took a sniff, the corner of her mouth only raising further upon recognising the all-too-familiar hints of pear and lemon. She poured a small amount of the liquid into the same glass she'd had the firewhisky in, and she took a sip. 'See? This is better than Amortentia any day.' She leaned back once again, all the tension from earlier in the day gone, a huge weight lifted from her shoulders. She lazily smiled at Aly before her expression turned somewhat serious once again. 'But you're right. Problematic. Even if it's just infatuation.' That was a cautionary tale she had recently learned all too well. 'Consent is hot. Anyway.'

She finished off her wine and popped a salty dark chocolate into her mouth. Raising an eyebrow at Aly, she rested her hands and glass on her thighs and sighed. 'I take it you've...' She raised one hand while holding onto her empty glass with another, gesturing vaguely in the air before laughing. 'I don't know. I was going to ask if you'd had any experience telling the difference between real infatuation and, well, Amortentia..' She sighed and gave a small flutter of laughter. 'But that's silly. I don't even know what I'm on about.'

She once again reached for the bottle of firewhisky—although she had a rather exceptionally high alcohol tolerance, if she did say so herself, she was definitely beginning to play with fire, and she found she was rather enjoying the slight heaviness to her movements as well as the ease with which she was talking. She poured herself some more and offered the bottle to Aly, once again gazing at her rather charming friend with a warm, if not now slightly-less-put-together, smile on her lips.

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« ...won't ever make you blue. »

@Aly Salinger

♫ so keep on pretending, pretty girl ♫
✰✰✰

There were few things like the easy conversation one falls into with someone you just, instinctively, like. Someone you get along with as if you've been friends for eons. Now, Koko was nowhere near Aly's best mate - that honor belonged to her royalty ride-or-dee, Dealla Prince herself, and would until the end of time - but there were some who were not quite immune to the Ravenclaw's charms, and who she found to be quite charming herself. The cocky snake was certainly one of those people. Conversation flowed between them as easily as the firewhisky and wine, and the normally reserved seventh-year even went on a few long rambles of storytelling, complete with the flair of rapidly gestured hands and uncontrollable cackles. Aly couldn't help but laugh with her friend whenever the latter occurred, as if Koko's giggles were more contagious than dragon pox; there was something oddly entrancing about her that made Aly feel like she was tumbling down a long, long, dark rabbit hole. She could've listened to her talk for ages.

Naturally, Aly talked too. She was a burbling fountain they couldn't quite turn off. But that was more normal.

The mention of Amortentia, however, seemed to shut Koko up momentarily, and a flush crept into Aly's freckled cheeks, though whether that was from embarrassment or the spirits she wasn't quite sure. She watched Koko's lips purse, that shade of red that was so specific to her, which matched so perfectly to her skin tone and brought out her eyes. She did have quite pretty eyes, shadowed in black with lengthy eyelashes and irises the exact shade of syrupy honey. Perhaps it was the eyes that paused Aly momentarily from apologising for bringing up the subject, but before she could open her mouth to say sorry and change the subject, Koko had already begun to speak. Aly was perhaps a bit of a lightweight and several glasses in, but she was still coherent enough to notice the Slytherin switch from don't to didn't - suggesting that something had changed. Her pulse quickened. Had Koko felt the potent effects of Amortentia herself? What a story that would have been.

The joke about half the recipe being wine made her chuckle; she had brewed it herself, too, back in March, and knew full well how much of an integral ingredient the fermented grapes were to the concoction of care. The infatuation comment, however, brought a smile that was more wry than genuine to her face. "Yeah, you'd think," she muttered, somewhat bitterly. Many had told her she was charming before, but it never seemed to follow through with her romantic life. Everyone she fancied tended to fall in love with someone else; it was like a curse that followed her around, a permanent rain cloud on her parade.

But the wine cheered her up, and after Koko had poured herself a glass, Aly followed suit and relieved her floormate of the bottle. "Consent is hot," she agreed with a grin. Maybe she'd never been the one asked if she could be kissed, for instance, like in the storybooks, but she had certainly read enough of the tales in the library to have dreamt about it. Several times.

"I was going to ask if you'd had any experience telling the difference between real infatuation and, well, Amortentia... but that's silly. I don't even know what I'm on about." A smile accompanied Koko's words, but Aly knew better than that. Koko was a journalist, just like she was, and this was the Slytherin's sly way of interviewing her on a subject about which she was curious.

I did bring it up, in fairness. I suppose that's my fault.

"No, it's not silly," she encouraged, setting the bottle down and taking a steeling sip from her burgundy-filled glass. After all, the story she was about to tell... well, not even Dee knew the full extent of it. But as long as Aly left out a few key details, like identities... well, the alcohol had loosened her lips enough to tell a tale that had been largely unspoken. "I mean, I've certainly fancied people before. And I did think I'd been dosed with Amortentia, once. Last summer, actually." A sardonic chuckle escaped her slightly dark-tinged lips, and Aly put the glass down for a moment to unbutton the top few buttons of her white uniform shirt to reveal the top of the pinkish camisole underneath - maybe it was the alcohol coursing through her veins, but it was getting warm in here. "I brewed the antidote and took it and everything, but my feelings for - for her," careful not to state any names, "didn't change. So long story short, no, I don't technically know the difference, but I'm definitely with you on the idea that it's too much." Aly shuddered. "If that's how strongly I liked people without the use of love potion, I hate to think of how emotional I'd get with it. Probably a good thing that it was all in my head."

She tilted her wine glass and her head towards Koko. Surely, with how beautiful the other girl was, she'd surely have plenty of fun romantic stories about trysts from her past. There was nothing like the combo of gorgeous and intimidating, after all.

"What about you, Ko?"

Date: Friday, 30 May 2025
Time: 21:00
Location: Headliner Office
'Fit: x

« and i could be a pretty girl... »

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Despite Koko's comment about infatuation portraying a deep-held belief, and still despite the healthy thrum of alcohol running through her system, she could still recognise that her comment, perhaps, had not landed as well as she had expected. She blinked, concerned, and her smirk faded for a second in favour of a far softer expression, but that, too, was wiped off her face to be replaced by a grin as giggles bubbled out of her. No shit, consent was hot.

Koko met Aly's gaze once again, and this time, as she lifted her glass to her lips, she found herself eyeing the rest of Aly's features—the way her curly hair framed her face and glowed in the room's low light was nearly ethereal, and Koko had to wonder how she hadn't noticed how well the pale jewel tone of her irises complemented her skin tone. She really did look like a character out of an old-fashioned storybook with those emerald eyes.

Koko gave her friend her full attention for better reasons than her aesthetically-pleasing eyes—she was glad Aly had opted to answer the question she'd beat around, and she raised an eyebrow to convey that she was willing to listen. She couldn't help but feel a small pang in her chest, though, when Aly mentioned having fancied someone. That was half of what she'd meant to ask, she supposed, although the real question was perhaps more indicative of her own predicament. Her brows drew together, and her smile faded, when Aly mentioned having thought she'd been dosed with Amortentia, and Koko had to clench her teeth to stop herself from chewing the inside of her cheek.

Her teeth did seem to have a mind of their own, though; her incisors grazed the surface of her lower lip before she could stop herself; her gaze, drawn by the sudden motion, had inadvertently travelled to Aly's neck. Her breath caught in her throat. She swallowed thickly and then tipped back about half of the firewhisky left in her glass all while feeling her cheeks burn. It was just the alcohol. Obviously.

Despite the distraction, Koko did her best to listen to the rest of what Aly was saying. As Aly spoke, Koko furrowed her brow once again and, this time ensuring she only looked at Aly's eyes, she offered what she hoped was a sympathetic glance. She shifted minutely on her cushion, lifting her back from the wall to slip off her jacket, revealing an uncharacteristically simple T-shirt underneath. It really was hot in the office.

'I guess, yeah,' Koko murmured all while not really believing in her words. Loving someone 'all in her head' was something she couldn't relate to—at all. Less bitterly, but still with an undertone of quiet concern, she added, 'I'm sorry you went through that, though. I'm glad you weren't dosed. Really glad.'

The warmth in her cheeks had returned—or perhaps it hadn't truly left. Whatever the case, Koko sighed and stretched before settling back in her half-recline against the wall, but not before smiling fondly at the nickname—no one else called her that. No one save for Ruby had ever really been close enough to Koko to give her a nickname based on her actual name. Usually it was just Quidditch-related. This was... different. Something she valued, even.

She took another drink of her firewhisky and gave Aly a small, likely not too noticeable, shrug. 'I dunno.'

The admission was quietly spoken, but with just the two of them in the office, with only the stray breeze coming through the window able to punctuate it, it sounded much louder to Koko. Her cheeks reddened further, and she looked away from Aly. 'I mean... I've wanted to kiss people, I guess.' She thought back to Simon Baird from a few weeks ago, and her gaze was once again lowered to her glass, which still had some amber liquid pooling at the bottom. 'The most recent time was hardly organic.' Her tone had hardened just slightly at the memory, and she sighed again. She lifted her head and stared through lowered lashes at Aly as she attempted to change the tone of her answer. 'But I dunno, really. Sure, I've got experience with Amortentia...' She trailed off, but she didn't look away from Aly's lovely eyes. '...But I... I don't think I've really, well, fancied someone like that.'

She took yet another drink of her firewhisky and swallowed, the liquid flame suddenly a bit more difficult to handle. She blinked and stifled a cough, and when she spoke this time, her voice lacked its earlier strength and was instead carried by a quiet breath. 'And, well, I dunno if anyone's ever fancied me, either, well, except for that one time, but, like—it's not like anyone would tell me. Although I guess it'd be nice to know, and...' She brushed her hair back from her face and gave a breathy laugh. 'I dunno, it's... stupid, I guess. But, I don't know, even if the feeling's unrequited, it just sounds nice to experience.'

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« ...shut up when you want me to. »

@Aly Salinger

♫ i like a straightjacket ♫
✰✰✰

Koko was so red. Aly had never seen anyone turn quite this shade except herself, though she supposed it was far more visible on their porcelain skin; it was clearly the alcohol, because Aly too was blushing, also because of the spirits that pooled in her cheeks like scarlet puddles. She'd never quite heard Koko giggle like the way she was tonight, and that warmed her, too, though more from the inside. It was so lovely to see her boss-turned-friend having a good time. All seventh-years deserved a bit of rest before N.E.W.T.s next week, but especially her.

Just as Aly finished speaking and asked Koko of her own answer to her self-posed question, the blonde made a small, strangled noise and immediately grabbed for her glass. Perhaps she'd choked on air, for some reason - Aly certainly did that quite often too, though usually because she'd realised something horrible or seen a very attractive person, not because of alcohol like it clearly was for Koko. She raised an eyebrow, but after having a sip the Slytherin seemed to be all right. Good. She'd have hated a trip to the Hospital Wing and the inevitable detentions that followed, because despite all the insane shit she'd gotten herself into in the last two years, Aly Salinger had still managed to avoid ever getting detention. Perhaps some of being a goody two-shoes never really left you. But she was also just simply glad that Koko was all right, of course. Still, she pulled one of the empty glasses towards her and whispered "Aguamenti" into it, waving her wandtip in a tilde shape over the glass, and before she knew it she had a cup of clean water in her hand successful WIS roll, see reducio; she pushed it wordlessly towards the older girl, just in case she needed something less alcoholic with which to clear her palate. Firewhisky did burn going down for everyone, after all.

The older girl pulled off her jacket before responding, putting it to the side, and Aly's eyes followed it, appreciating the way that the tweed and leather pulled and flowed together, how beautifully they'd been sewn as one, despite the fabrics being so vastly different - in make, in feel, in look. She'd grown a robust love for fashion over the last few years, though never one as strong as the Slytherin queen, who always showed up to Headliner meetings and dinners and even to Quidditch matches more put-together than the rest of the student body combined. Aly didn't think she'd ever even seen Koko with her lipstick smudged. Now that was an icon. If she looked this good in a t-shirt, Aly only dared to think of the vision of Koko at one of their school balls - she'd never actually seen the Slytherin at one, but she could only imagine how ethereal she must have looked there. As if having been bewitched by the thought of Koko's lips, Aly's eyes travelled up her arm (okay, Keeper muscle!) and neck to her face, watching as she concernedly expressed gratitude that Aly hadn't been dosed with Amortentia. "Mm-hmm, yeah, me too," the Ravenclaw murmured more absentmindedly than anything else, her green gaze dancing over the slope of her friend's nose and the sonorous way her dancing voice was made lilting by the tinge of firewhisky in the air. Firewhisky that was also the colour of Koko's eyes. Were so many things really that same shade and Aly had just never noticed?

However, the admissions of having wanted to kiss people yet never having really fancied someone found the Ravenclaw bolting upright. "Never? Like, never ever?" she whisper-gasped in awed shock, trying to grapple with the terms of what that meant. Aly, ever the romantic, couldn't imagine what it must be like to never have that rose blush when someone particular passes you in the halls, to never feel your eyes drifting in a certain direction during class, to never lie awake at night dreaming about what it must be like to be with that one object of your affections. Then, though - a lightbulb. Of course Koko Riddle - easily one of the most cosmopolitan, most exquisite, most impressive girls in the school - had never fancied anyone; everyone was beneath her, to be quite honest. There was no one in the whole of Hogwarts who was anywhere near as awe- (or fear-) inspiring except for CHARLIE and her UA!. The comment about no one fancying her, though - that was unexpected. "That can't be right," slipped out before she could so much as think about what she was saying. "Koko, you're absolutely stunning! I'm sure there have been people before and they were just too scared to fell - sorry, tell you." Now sitting upright, she scooted over to the wall so that they were sitting beside each other and grinned somewhat lazily. "You do have somewhat of a terrifying reputation, y'know. Lear's rear, I'd probably have fancied you if I didn't know how scary you get when the firsties misuse an em dash." Despite her teasing tone, she still ducked out of the way of whatever instinctive reaction Koko might throw at her. After all, she was only joking. Right? Right. And the moment after she’d said it, it occurred to her that just because Aly liked anyone regardless of their gender didn’t mean that Koko was the same way, and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin that friendship by insinuating that she fancied the elder girl, especially if Koko didn’t see women as Aly did them: beautiful, ethereal, terrifying in the best possible way. She ducked her head, face reddening further. “Sorry, not to, er, insinuate anything. I just meant to say that you could probably get just about anyone you wanted. Boy or girl. Or people that are neither. If you wanted.”

A second delayed realisation hit her like a bit of a Stunning Spell, blame the hindrance on the you-know-what, and she was desperate to get the conversation away from the awkward conversation of admitting you’re bi to a straight girl. Instead, she gaped for a moment before whirling to look at her friend, her light brown ringlets flying around her face with the force of the motion, somewhat golden in the low candlelight. "Wait," she exclaimed, "wait, wait, wai-wai-wait." She peered at the older girl - peered on equal footing, literally, because it was so wonderful to have a friend as short as she was (who wasn't six years younger than her) - and widened her eyes. "Does that mean you're about to graduate and you haven't had your first kiss yet?"

✰✰✰
♫ but it feels like it's a little tight... ♫
@Koko Riddle

Reducio

Aly WIS roll for Aguamenti, WDC 11, at disadvantage bc she tipsy:

Date: Friday, 30 May 2025
Time: 21:00
Location: Headliner Office
'Fit: x

« and i could be a pretty girl... »

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Almost as soon as Aly made a rather miraculous cast of Aguamenti into one of the empty glasses, Koko reached for it, only pulling her hand back at the last second so that their hands didn't collide. She glanced away and downed the glass's contents, glad to finally temper that ridiculous tickle in her throat, the one that made her wonder if it was the firewhisky or something else stoking the slight discomfort. The quickness—and relative sloppiness—with which she drank meant that once she set the glass down, she realised there was a small imprint of lipstick on the rim of the cup, and she stared at it, concerned, before feeling underneath her lower lip in a manner she hoped was mostly inconspicuous. A cursory glance of her finger revealed no smudging, to her relief.

She fiddled with one of the chocolate wrappers for a little bit, her lacquered nails catching on the material, all while she continued to eye Aly. If Aly's face was that red, then how red was Koko!? The thought made her eyelids flutter and her cheeks darken further, the red now spreading to her ears, but, as she stared at Aly's cheekbones, she couldn't help but think that at least that particular shade of red fit her. Like, it looked really good. Like, it was a lighter shade than the lipstick on the glass, but somehow it only brought out her eyes more. Like...

'Oh?' Fuck, Aly had said something. 'Er... oh, yeah. I mean, no. Never ever,' she echoed, tittering quietly with warm laughter. 'But!' She raised a finger to accentuate the conjunction. 'That doesn't mean I don't have eyes.'

And those eyes of hers were very much struggling to remain at eye-level with Aly's, despite the enchanting pull of luminous candlelight reflecting in those emerald greens. First it was her eyes and her gorgeously-long lashes, then it was once again that specific shade of red dusting Aly's cheeks, and then it was the intoxicating way her friend's wine-tinged lips curved when she spoke. Her mouth opened minutely, as if to say something, but then she turned to the dregs of the firewhisky in her glass, a lovely distractor from an even lovelier creature, even if she'd never paid proper attention before.

Her breath caught in her throat once again, and this time, instead of taking another drink, she smiled fondly, the skin around her eyes crinkling just slightly at the edges. Stunning. By Merlin, her cheeks were burning, and it was too hot, but her heartbeat had quickened just slightly, albeit noticeably, at the word. She turned her head to meet Aly's gaze, and once again, it was hard to breathe—Aly was so much closer than she had been before, and Koko's gaze hinged on the shadows cast by her eyelashes, the way the light illuminated her face and made her freckles pop. It was hardly fair—Aly made freckles pretty in a way that was impressive to Koko herself.

She ducked her head when Aly mentioned her 'terrifying' reputation. Okay, well, that was fair, even if it wasn't really what she'd wanted to hear. She couldn't even nix the smile that was bringing a mild ache to her cheeks despite the statement. But, then, Aly said something else that made her blink and glance back up.

Huh. So it really was her perfectionism—? Or—wait, no. Aly... might have fancied her!?

They were both well under the influence of alcohol, so Koko told herself she wouldn't think too hard about it. Nonetheless, she was still unable to rid herself of the fire in her cheeks that mirrored the firewhisky's leftover burn in the back of her throat, right above the spot where her heartbeat thudded in her veins. She was momentarily unable to even try to respond, only focusing on levelling out her breathing, which had become shallow without her even noticing. She tapped her fingers against the fabric of her skirt, now even more aware of Aly's presence next to her. She stared ahead of her, and then down at her hands, and then glanced back to her friend, her lazy half-smile still on her lips. She might have even looked grateful if she wasn't careful, but either way, she doubted Aly could truly see her face, what with the way she, too, was glancing downwards. Koko fought back the urge to brush her friend's hair out of her face and ask what was wrong, and she remained mostly still when Aly apologised.

'Hey, hey. Shh.' Koko bumped Aly's shoulder with her own and hoped that her appreciative smile would help, even if Aly's sudden change in posture was due to the alcohol or even her change in location. 'There's no need t'apol... to apol... to apologise.' Quiet, breathy laughter escaped her once again even though the situation was hardly laughable. 'Shit, now I'm sorry.' Her tone turned slightly more serious, but still held a light cadence, as she drew one of her knees to her chest and rested her arms on it. 'I mean, thanks, I guess. Hasn't really worked out, though. Boy or girl.'

Her contentment came back just as quickly as it had left when Aly whirled around to face her properly, and Koko found herself giggling just at the sight. She watched, slightly entranced, as Aly's hair whipped about, and then her gaze settled on her friend's eyes once again. 'M'kay, I'm waiting.' Her light, airy voice held a small tinge of cheekiness, and the smile playing on her lips would only emphasise how contented she was.

That wasn't to say she was prepared for Aly's question, though. She tilted her head, thinking, and ended up drawing her mouth into a half-pout because she couldn't properly remember. 'I... huh.' She pressed her lips together—yeah, nothing. 'You're right.' Laughter once again spilled out of her, and she had to momentarily prop herself up on her leg before the wave of giggles finally subsided. 'That's so weird! I mean, I hear about spin the bottle all the bloody time, always from, well, the littles.' The words 'spin the bottle' bled together to sound more like 'spinth'bottle'. She raised one hand in a pinching motion and snickered. 'Damn, that's crazy, that I've got less experience than them.' She returned her gaze to Aly, her eyes shining with bottled-up laughter, as her lopsided smile revealed a glimpse of teeth. 'Funny how that happened,' she murmured, unable to tear her gaze from her friend's.

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« ...shut up when you want me to. »

@Aly Salinger

♫ so now they wanna kiss all the pretty girls ♫
✰✰✰

The water went down so smoothly for Koko that Aly briefly considered casting it again for herself, but what fun would that have been? (Narrator's note: very fun. She will regret that.) By now it was clear that they were both fairly tipsy, and Aly found herself wondering if Koko had locked the door - wouldn't want to get caught this late drinking, of course - but then she remembered that the elder girl was a prefect, and caught herself before she could snort-laugh at the thought (though the idea of a drunk Koko facing off against a confused smaller prefect did make a single snort loudly escape her). Embarrassed, she clapped her hands over her mouth and tried not to wheeze-laugh further, her eyes darting sideways to her friend, who was talking about how she had eyes. Well, duh, she had eyes. Amber and glowing in the candlelight. Aly really did have to ask her about her makeup routine one of these days, though she wasn't sure if she could pull off the shaded look and vermilion lipstick nearly as well as Koko did.

She couldn't do most anything nearly as well as Koko did. Honestly, the elder girl was impressive in so many ways. Whether it was talent on the pitch, easy athleticism that seemed to come to her lithe form as simply as breathing... or talent in her writing, serving as the Editor-in-Chief's iron right hand and catching the smallest of typos with an eagle's gaze... or talent in her style, dressing in a fashion that seemed more mature and hot haute than anyone else in the school (including many of the professors)... well, the Slytherin just did it all, didn't she? Aly wasn't the only one that was simply awestruck by her, but perhaps she was one of the few who was both awestruck and also who got to spend time with Koko. One on one. Barely an inch apart, sitting on the cushions on the floor, backs against the wall, so close that Koko could reach out and nudge Aly's shoulder with her own - which she did.

Aly's breath caught in her throat, the smallest gasp slipping from her lips, when they made contact. Suddenly sweat pricked at her palms, her heart pounding a million miles an hour in her chest. This was a sensation that wasn't altogether familiar - something blooming in her chest as well as her mind, the thought that hey, maybe there was something here. As soon as it appeared, though, Aly tamped it down, stomping on it with her heavy black boots within her brain. Absolutely not. She's your friend, the Ravenclaw reminded herself. So what if you've never noticed how pretty she is before? You've touched her before and this didn't happen! Granted, the two girls' previous contacts had been pretty limited to attempted blatches and Quaffle blocks on the pitch, years before, and the occasional accidental brush when handing off parchments here in the Headliner office. This kind of friendly bump was... something different. Aly had to remind herself that it was just nice to see Koko let down her walls, and that she was only doing it for Aly because of her own charming demeanour. Nothing else.

What Koko said a moment later, though, caused the blush to fortify within Aly's face once more. Part of it was the laughter, lilting and breathy, like the tingles of bells in the quiet office air, but the last bit was more appealing, more important: boy or girl. Aly pulled her knees up, resting her arms atop them and then her head atop the soft flesh of her forearm as if she wasn't literally surrounded by pillows of all kinds, any of which would have made a much better headrest. This way, she could turn and look at Koko with a freshly renewed outlook. Her earlier fears and embarrassment gone, she raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything, trying to puzzle through it in her own mind. (Another perk to having put down her head... the room didn't swim as much, so she could focus better. Darn room. Always spinning.) Was that the elder girl's subtle way of telling Aly that she, too, didn't limit her amorous future to just men? That they were more alike than Aly could have ever dreamed?

Before Aly could open her mouth and ask in a less subtle manner, just be forthright with it all, Koko burst out laughing, an even more melodic sound than before; it seemed that the more alcohol went into her petite form, the more beautiful and musical her giggles became. Or maybe that was the spirits inside Aly talking instead. Either way, Aly became entranced, even quickly unfolding herself from her hunched form and instinctively reaching out a hand to catch Koko when she began to tip sideways, though the older girl propped herself up with her leg and Aly hurriedly retracted her hand, hopefully before Koko could see. "I think you have experience in the stuff that matters," she offered up, hopefully, with a bright smile that hopefully didn't come across too foppish. "Trust me when I say spin the bottle isn't all it's cracked up to be. Prob'ly best you missed it..."

She trailed off as Koko turned to her, smiling just as bright. Suddenly, the words died midair as their gazes met, emerald upon amber, and Aly was no different from a fly trapped within the latter, time itself slowing, as if she was surrounded by thick, saccharine honey, making it hard to even move, to even breathe, to even think. Perhaps it was this lack of thinking that made one heavy arm reach out, to gently tuck a lock of straight blonde hair that had escaped from Koko's perfectly put-together bob back behind its respective ear. Perhaps it was this lack of thinking that had words whispered from her lips, as if the spirits themselves had possessed her, as if she was not even really there, but floating above, watching, her heart still running a marathon in her chest.

"If you want to try it out, I could kiss you."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than did Aly snap back into reality. Oh fuck, oh fuck, what did I just say?! She instantly pulled back her hand, careful not to hurt Koko or pull on her ear, and wrapped her arms around her legs, face burning hot with fear and mortification all over again. The burbling river of her speech began to babble once more, as if she could fill the still, awkward air between them with a mess of words and make Koko forget that Aly had ever said anything of the sort: "I mean, not as a charity case or anything! I'm not trying to insinuate that you couldn't get a kiss by yourself if you wanted! And I wasn't trying to ask you out or anything either! Well, not to say you're not pretty or charming or... - you are, I promise - I just thought that maybe you might want to try it with a friend first, but now that I think about it, that's sort of ridiculous, so maybe just ignore me, and, er..."

With a hefty groan, having realised that her babbling wasn't particularly helping her case with being the Most Awkward Person On The Planet Right Now, Aly buried her face in her arms to try to hide the fact that she had turned Gryffindor scarlet. "Anyway," she muttered, well aware that this night was going to rank on at least her top three most embarrassing moments of her Hogwarts career, if it didn't take the top spot. "How's, er, the weather?"

Date: Friday, 30 May 2025
Time: 21:00
Location: Headliner Office
'Fit: x

« and i could be a pretty girl... »

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Even in her addled state of awareness, Koko couldn't help but be glad she was not alone in her reddened face, in the laughter that couldn't cease its bubbling, in the smile that didn't want to leave her lips. Even as Aly mentioned games of spin the bottle, even as Koko wondered what she was really missing out on, the brightness of Aly's emerald eyes and the width of her grin only made Koko smile warmly back, not even caring how doltish she came across. Some part of her did wonder why they'd never thought to do this sooner, why she'd never thought to spend a fun-filled evening of laughter and drinking and stolen glances with her fellow reporter and Quidditch captain. It was certainly shaping up to be something she'd enjoy doing again.

That sentiment firmly remained with her when Aly reached out to fix her hair. She almost tensed, surprised, and her eyes widened just slightly, all while her cheeks continued to burn and her heartbeat thudded soundly in her veins. She breathed slowly, cautiously, as if any sudden movement would break the moment. She couldn't keep her gaze focused on any one point—not on Aly's glimmering green eyes, no matter how hard she tried; not even on the freckles that dusted her rose-blush cheeks; not even on the wall all the way across the room. She was back to very consciously avoiding chewing the inside of her cheek; instead, she swallowed, forced her gaze back to Aly's face and blinked all while feeling herself lean closer.

It was just the heavy-headedness caused by the whisky. But despite that, she couldn't stop herself—not until Aly spoke, her voice like rich velvet, her words soft and ultimately nearly heart-stopping. Koko's breath once again caught in her throat, although it was hardly a feat this evening for that to happen, and her gaze finally locked onto Aly's lips, not too far from her own, until—

Abruptly, the contact was gone, and the hand Koko had previously rested against her leg came up to touch the spot on her ear where the ghost-print of fingertips still lingered. Her heartbeat continued to pound, not unlike after a rather nice morning jog, except this time, it wouldn't slow down. She quietly worried her lower lip with her teeth all while staring at Aly. She watched as her friend practically shrank away from her and into herself.

Koko scooted closer, tentatively at first, and then enough to place her hand on Aly's arm even as the younger girl continued to spill out jumbled phrases that Koko was struggling to understand. She caught a few things—'not as a charity case...', and 'insinuate... kiss by yourself...', and 'I wasn't trying to ask you out or anything either!'—but ultimately blinked in concern and confusion as the raging river of rambles carried on. Koko opened her mouth for just a second, ready to console and comfort if needed, before quickly clamping her jaw shut when Aly hid her face again.

And then... she asked about the weather?

Still confused, Koko glanced at the open window. She hesitated, wondered what on earth to respond to—the weather? the comment about kissing? Aly calling her 'charming'?— and ultimately shrugged. 'I dunno. Breezy?'

She sighed quietly and drummed her fingers against Aly's arm before returning her gaze to her friend's less-than-confident form. Her hand found Aly's shoulder and rested there, the goal being to provide some form of solace, anything, really. She scooted still closer so that their sides were nearly touching, and she leaned closer so, should Aly glance upwards, she would be able to see her properly. In the quiet, Koko had once again taken to grazing her lower lip with her teeth in thought, and her gaze darted from where her hand rested on Aly's arm to the crown of her friend's head. Tentatively, Koko used her other hand to gently move some of Aly's hair away from the crook of her arm, slowly adjusting the light brown curls to rest in a position that might have been more comfortable.

Finally, Koko raised an eyebrow, a gesture that likely went unseen. Her voice remained soft, practically words carried on a hint of breath, but laced with a hint of wryness and warmth. 'Why'd you change the subject?' Unsure if it would be prudent to lean closer, she simply kept her hand on Aly's arm and angled her head so that she was properly glancing down at her friend. 'I know I'm pretty, but...' She let herself trail off, let her words leave off on a slight uptick, let a rather chuffed smirk spread across her lips. 'I dunno. Have you seen your eyes?'

She laughed, once again a breathy jumble of sounds, but she didn't stop speaking. 'I mean... I'm not asking you out or anything.' She gave Aly a small, playful nudge with her hand. 'But... you've got exp'rien... fuck. You've kissed people before, is all. And you're pretty. And we're friends.' They were friends—so talking like this was safe, at least in Koko's mind. She carefully kept her gaze locked on Aly, hoping her friend felt the same way.

'But, I mean, if you're not... if you'd rather not, that—that's fine! Or if you rather would, that's fine, too! I mean. Up to you.' She laughed again, although this time, it came out slightly quicker, and she had to force herself to breathe. In, and out. In, a quiet half-laugh, then out.

If Aly were to glance upwards throughout that, she would notice Koko leaning towards her once again—in concern or for a different reason, the older girl didn't quite know. But she would keep her gaze on Aly, no matter if her friend remained with her head in her arms or if she shifted positions or sat up. Call it observation, call it intrigue, call it something else. If Aly did turn to face her, though, Koko's amber gaze would flit to stare at the Ravenclaw's lips before returning to her eyes, her slightly-playful smile remaining present on her own during it all.

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« ...i'll lose myself in you. »

@Aly Salinger