(Staff Room) Get Over It

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia had avoided Dan successfully for two days since he had brought Fitz into the conversation. In actual fact she had been the one to mention Fitz but that hardly mattered in Dia's eyes, her dull blue eyes. She had come to the Staff Room to think. Not the best place for peace and quiet but how Dia thought best was with a bit of sound around her, like the occasional cough or rustle of a newspaper or chink of a tea spoon against tea cup. Here Dia could think.

She took her usual position by the windows and simply sat in a chair and stared out the window. Outside the wind seemed to be kicking up a fuss, the lake was being windswept to Tokyo it seemed and the trees were determined to sweep the floor. The sky was darkened by ominous dark clouds that moved over quickly because of the wind. The weather mirrored Dia's dark mood and she hoped no one else in the Staff Room noticed. They'd ask questions and that was the last thing she needed right now.

Dia sighed heavily and lounged back in her seat. She lifted a hand to her face and leaned on it, sheltering her face from any onlookers. She closed her eyes and sighed again, nestling into her seat. She couldn't believe she was letting memories of old almost forgotten wounds come between her and ... Another sigh. She wasn't sure what she had with Dan for her memories to get between. She knew she liked ti, whatever it was, and that it made her happy. But there was always that nagging doubt of his intentions and what he wanted from her.

Is it just some arse that he's after? She had wondered this many time before and it had seemed like such a certainly but the subtle glances and soft smiles made it hard for Dia to looked at the situation with any kind of will power to resist Dan. Dia was the kind of person who liked to be in control but when she was around Dan she had this funny way of not caring any more. She just wanted to be with him. And that's all that should matter, right? She thought it did but old wounds wouldn't let that thought take in her mind.

There Dia sat, face hidden by her open hand, eyes closed and the low howling of the wind through the cracks of the castle slowly and stupidly assuring her that everything would work out for the best, even if it came to what she had been fearing it would, leaving Dan.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

It had been a few days since Dia had walked out on Dan at breakfast, and instead of chasing her down and demanding what was wrong he had decided to giver her space and time alone. If it had been something he had said wrong or done wrong then seeing him would not have made things easy. So slowly Dan made his way down the corridors looking at passing students with piercing gazes, he shouted at a number of Slytherins for being too noisy and took a box of indoor fireworks off a Gryffindor.
Eventually he reached his destination of the staff room, he had been sitting in here for a while recently in hope of bumping into Dia but he never could mange it. His mind would run wild and he would leave before anything could happen.

As he pushed open the staff room door and looked around and that was when his sullen eyes fell upon her. She was sitting in the corner of the room, head in hands and seemingly not wanting to make contact with any of the other people in the room. Dan’s mouth went dry and he rocked back and forth on his heels for a brief moment toying with the idea of exiting the room before he was noticed. But he could not leave Dia, not when she looked like this. It broke his heart to she her like this, and the fear that he may be the route of this was something Dan knew he could never live with.
Running his tongue over his lips Dan slowly began to move forward to the delicate creature of Dia, his heart slowly thumping in his chest and his hands were slowly starting to tremble. As he breathed in to calm his nerves he could smell her sweet smell, and it only made things worse. In almost a whisper Dan tried to push all his worry to one side and act normally.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

Dan waited for her head to rise, so he could see those eyes that haunt him every waking minute and the beautiful face they are set in that he dreams about all night.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia had not looked up when she heard the door of the Staff Room open, she did not flinch, or batter an eye lid. She could almost sense that it was him and didn't want to affirm her suspicious but seeing him. She wanted to hide for as long as she could behind her hand. It wasn't fair that she had to think of all this again after so long, it just was not fair.

Dia sighed again, whipped her face with her other hand, and when nothing happened for a long time she assumed that Dan had left, not wanting her company, not seeking it as he once had. She might have been hurt by that thought if a million other more hurtful things weren't spinning around her head to drown out that one. It was strange for her to know that one simple utterance of his name could affect her like this and that it could spiral off into the days after he had left her. Dia did not like the power this held over her and she wanted to throw it by the wayside but she just didn't have the strength any more.

He didn't leave. She was ignoring all the looks she was getting but the one thing she couldn't ignore was hearing Dan's voice. It was soft, that's was caught Dia's attention and why she looked up. Her face matched his, morose and leadened with heartache lining the bags under their eyes. He had asked to sit, to join her and she couldn't help but smile. This happily disproved one thing, he did want to be in her presence and around her. The mere sit of her didn't sicken him and it was with this thought in mind that Dia nodded readily. "Please do," she answered back quietly.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

The corners of Dan’s mouth moved up slightly as Dia looked up at him and agreed to let him sit down. It was as if she had agreed to go with him to London all over again, but yet seeing her like this, in such a state meant he could not show all his joy as it was soon crushed by the mere glance of her eyes that had lost their sparkle.
Sitting down on the chair near her he did not move it closer just to give Dia space but still be close enough to show her that he cared and wanted to be spending his time with her, no matter what mood she was in.

But now he was here, now he had sat down next to her and was looking upon her beautiful face he did not know what to do from their. He did not know how to comfort her, whether to laugh or joke, to reach out and hold her tightly or sit still waiting for her to be the one to make the first move. For a while he did the later, just sitting waiting in hope that some form of inspiration would hit him like the lightening from the storm outside.
After the seconds seemed to stretch out Dan lowered his gaze and studied the palms of his hands finding it easier to talk to Dia if he was not looking at her. He could not focus when she was like this, it broke his heart.

“Dia I would like to say sorry for what I said the other day at Breakfast. It was wrong of me and I did not know…I…I will stay out of your way so that you two can….”

He had to break off; he could not stand to say such words. He had been the other on many occasions, the one that got in the way of other peoples relationships and he did not want to do that to Dia. He would do anything for her, simply to see her smile once again and if that meant that he would have to step aside and let someone else make her happy then he would, just as long as he could see her smile and know that someone else was able to make her happy, something he clearly could not do.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dan sat close enough to Dia so that she could smell him. It was intoxicating, her head spun a little like she had had too much wine, but still she didn't move. She merely watched him, watched him watch his hands. It was clear to Dia now that even though she had been so curt with Dan previously he still wanted to spend time with her and that made the presence of another in her head diminish to the point of almost disappearing.

Dia frowned as he spoke; she thought she had misheard him. "What?" she asked, very puzzled. "You think that... that... Fitz and... and I?" She pointed to herself and bespit of herself, laughed. She stood up before she could stop herself and walked over to Dan. Gently she sat down on his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest. The beating of his heart echoed in her ear and she sighed. "Fitz and I were never anything more then a fling, where he did most of the flinging. He flung me aside like I was the most repulsive thing he had ever seen. That was years ago and it still hurts."

She had never told any before Dan about Fitz because it was too painful but speaking of it now to Dan made it feel better, like a weight had been lifted of her chest and she could breath more easily. "I'm... sorry I've been so distant from you," she whispered, eyes now closed, "I just needed time to figure something out." She looked up at Dan's face and a small smile filled hers, "and you gave that to me. Thank you!" She put her head back on Dan's chest and relaxed.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan looked on with mournful eyes fearing what maybe said next, he did not want to hear that her and Fitz were together, he did not want to know that the one person he felt comfortable with was about to leave him for someone else. Bracing himself as Dia started to talk, her voice full of surprise, his heart stopped, she then laughed and its was Dan now who wanted to question what she had just said, but he had no chance as she was walking over to him, she was sitting in his lap.

Wrapping his arms around her Dan pulled her close, letting a small smile fill his face but he was trying not to be overcome by the feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had never been this nervous in his entire life, he felt like he was going to be sick, but as he clung onto Dia and heard her tale he soon forgot about his own petit problems and focused all on her.
He could not believe what he was hearing; it was painful to hear that someone would treat his Dia in such way, that someone who was fortunate enough to have her would throw her away so easily. It was one mistake Dan would never purposely do.
After she had finished apologising over nothing Dan could not help himself but kiss her gently on the forehead before resting his head on top of hers.

“How could you ever repulse anyone, you are my guardian angel, my idea of beauty and I would never want to cause you or see you in this pain again. I make it my promise to you that you will always have my loyalty and…admiration.”

He had almost said the word that he knew would not be appropriate for this situation and moment in time. The problem was that Dan did not know when the best moment would be or if he should admit to these feelings he had been keeping locked up inside. So with a small smile Dan pushed these thoughts out of his mind and enjoyed the moment of being with Dia again.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia didn’t know if the others present in the Staff Room were watching or if they had left the room but at this moment, she didn’t care. The most important thing to her was under her and hugging her tightly. She smiled a little more when Dan planted a kiss on her forehead; she had often seen her parents do it to each other and she had always felt it was more romantic and more meaningful then anything else.

She wondered why she had ever doubted Dan and why she had ever thought that Dan could do what others had done to her. He assured her he couldn’t and she believed. Dia laid a hand on Dan’s chest next to her head and smiled. “I know you won’t,” she whispered, reassuring herself more then any other. She ran her index finer over Dan’s shirt thoughtfully, dreamily. She wanted to say what this comfort meant to her, she wanted to let Dan know that it meant the earth and stars to her but she couldn’t find the words.

After a moment’s comfortable silence, Dia lifted her head and looked at Dan’s deep eyes. “You have comforted me marvellous much, thank you,” she tipped her head towards Dan’s and kissed him gently on the lips. The hand on his chest moved up his neck and onto his cheek. When she pulled away, her eyes closed, she said, “I should have known you would have been so understanding about this and that you would have known exactly what to say to cheer my up.” She opened her sapphire blue eyes and smiled at Dan, wanting to say more but unable to.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan took in every second of being with Dia, the feel of her head on his chest, the soft sound of her breathing, the smell of her perfume and most importantly the spiritual feeling it gave him whenever she sat close to him. And when she spoke it gave him confidence that he would not break his promise to her as Dia had confirmed it, she had told him so and he believed every word she said.
Stroking her silky hair he was lost in thought, this was perfect just how he had imagined things would go. Him and Dia sitting together just enjoying being with each other, a warm fire burning in the background, the smell of tea drifting over towards them just as a reminder of their past as they look forward to the future together.

He was broken from his train of thought when Dia’s lips met his and he was able to taste her. It send a shiver down his spine as her hand slowly moved up him neck to his face. He could not help but respond, he put everything into that one kiss while running her hair through his figures. As they pulled away he looked into her eyes, stating to see a slight sparkle in them again.

“I do not know why you are thanking me I did very little. In fact I was agreeing to end it all, so to be honest it is you who has saved us.” He stroked the side of her face again staring dreamily into her eyes. “I did nothing.”

With a small sigh he pulled Dia closer to him, it had been a long time since he had been able to just hold her, like when they were back in Egypt and they would lie together looking at the stars. With a fond smile he kept his eyes fixed upon her in fear that she would run away again and leave him sitting all by himself with everyone staring at him once again.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

He held her tighter and Dia smiled all the more for it. Dan had no idea the kind of power he had over her, the way with a single simple question he could remove all doubt and fear from her and fill her up with warmth a desire to stay with Dan for as long as she could. She sighed and breathed him in. No matter what happened she didn't want to loose that connection she had with Dan, where they could sit, staring into each others eyes saying everything and nothing at the same time. But Dia had something to say and that was acceptable too.

"You did more then you're giving yourself credit for," she said, running her index finger along Dan's strong jaw, "by saying that you would let me go showed me that my happiness was what you wanted, even if it was with another man. It showed me that you, Daniel Hubbles, are the only one that can insure my happiness." Dan's stubble under her finger rustled lightly.

Dia wanted to say more but couldn't get anything else out of her dry throat. Everything was fine, and she had made a fuss over nothing. It was clear to her that Fitz was nothing to her anymore and was a thing of the past. Dan had helped her with that by his merely being with her, doing what she needed and not what he needed from her. It was the small things and the big selfless things that made Dan so important to Dia and that made her earlier mood so silly and simple-minded.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan gave a soft laugh, the way she was saying it made him seem so honourable, maybe he was and this was his true Hufflepuff sprit coming out. He was showing his loyalty to Dia by stepping to one side, something that he would not do for anyone, but Dia meant the world to him and for her he would do anything.
But all this was trivial thoughts floating around in the back of his mind, no at the moment the most important thing to him was that the lady he adored was sitting on his lap. What she had said gave him hope that maybe she to had the feelings that he was trying so hard and failing to hide. As Dia lazily ran her fingerer over his jaw Dan could only sit looking on at her in pure wonder. He had never felt this way about anyone and even the simplest of things that Dia seemed amazing.

“Well then seeing as I am the only man who can ensure your happiness are you still willing to come with away from this place for a weekend. We can do what ever you want, go were ever you want no matter the expense and the more hassle the better.”

A grin spread across his face as he waited for the answer. He knew tat Dia had agreed to come before and he was sure she would not turn him down now. Things seemed slightly different between them, almost as if they understood each other more, that they knew they would be there for each other no matter what.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia, with her eyes upon Dan and his on her, felt as though nothing in the world could go wrong. The castle could fall down around them and it would be fine because she was with Daniel Hubbles. A sudden thought came to her as she sat on his lap, his arms around her and it puzzled her. Is it possible? Could it be true? Am I falling in love with this man? she wondered as their eyes linked. There is so much there, so much adoration and care in his eyes I would almost say he loves me too but he hasn’t said anything. So it could be that I am just seeing what I want to see but I honestly can’t keep this from myself: I do love him.

She loved the feeling of the soft bristles that covered Dan’s unshaven face. Her long, slender finger still running up and down his jaw, she smiled jauntily at Dan. He gave her carte blanch as to what they could do on their weekend out and she found it odd that she didn’t feel any pressure about the decision. She knew that whatever she chose Dan would go with, even if he didn’t like it. That was how much he cared for her, she could see it in his eyes. So she rested her head on Dan’s chest again and thought for a moment about all the wonderful and reasonably inexpensive things they could do.

It had been a while since Dia had seen a good play or even been to the theatre and she thought she would like to go there but that was a very muggle thing to do. Would Dan laugh at me for suggesting such a thing? she wondered. She raised her head and smiled at Dan. “I was just thinking that … I don’t know how best to phrase this, but I’ve been dying to go to the theatre of late. I haven’t seen a good production, or any production for that matter, in ages and I thought that maybe we could do that.” As she spoke her voice got softer and softer, till the last was a mere whisper. She smiled sheepishly at Dan, unsure what to do now or how he would react.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan chuckled softly when Dia mentioned about going to the muggle theatre and watching a performance. He was not laughing at the idea of it all, he was laughing at what Girty will say when he told her what they would be doing, he could hear her response already in his head.
‘The theatre? Oh Dan your turning into Mum and Dad!”
But now Dia had suggested going it seemed like the perfect idea, it was something different from what normal happened in the wizarding world. They would be normal for an evening.

“If that is what you want to do my sweet Dia then we shall. It has been a while since I went to the theatre. Almost 7 years when I went with Offley just before I went to Austria, I was back in Britain for the weekend and we stayed in this lovely hotel that over looked the park. Its been turned into housing now.”

Planting a kiss gently on the top of her head Dan closed his eye thinking about the view from the window, the sun setting over the trees. Then his mind jumped to him and Dia walking hand in hand along the grass that was covered in a light frost, a light breeze making her long blond hair dance in the wind and the sound of ducks swimming on the river. And then they would sit on the park bench just talking, enjoying being together and the area around them.

This had become a new problem for Dan, he kept imaging life with Dia, doing everything he wanted and more. After a few years they would leave the castle, travel the world for a while seeing everything they talked about while they were in Egypt together. But then Dan had the nagging thought in his mind that he was not getting any younger. He would be 30 in three years, the time for his mid-life crisis to come in and it was always when he was drunk or in a bad mood he worried about saying or doing something that could risk his relationship with Dia. He loved her too much to risk anything.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

It must have been an odd sight, to see the elegant blond figure of Dia Owen cuddled on the sturdy Daniel Hubbles’s lap. Had Dia been in any other frame of mind she might have felt embarrassed to be seen sitting in such intermit proximity with a man but Dan was different and Dia didn’t mind that everyone knew that they were together. She might have gone as far as to say how deeply she felt for him but fear held her back so Dia rested her head and Dan’s chest and stared into the distance. Thoughts crossed her mind about their evening out and she couldn’t help but sigh. It was going to be a magical night, she just knew it.

Dia did not lift her head as Dan spoke; she didn’t need to. Still, she listened closely and smiled. “For a moment, I thought you’d laugh at me for suggesting such a thing,” Dia admitted quietly. She was not embarrassed to say what was going through her mind, the superficial nondescript stuff that had no real value unless shared. In a way, that was a small victory for Dia. Since she could remember she could never get comfortable enough with a man for her not to be embarrassed by everything that she though or heard. She knew that there was no reason for her embarrassment but her own insecurity but that never stopped her being embarrassed. With Dan, however, she rarely got embarrassed, except when he wanted her to, then he knew how to twist it so she was and she loved that about him.

He kissed the top of her head and during it, Dia closed her eyes. It was such a small thing but so intermit and personal. She smiled and relaxed even more. Thinking of it now, Dia did not remember ever being the comfortable with any person in her life. Quinn had been a good friend to her in that time but she always seemed to be else where. Bree still was a good friend but her excitable nature made it hard for her, Dia thought, to truly concentrate on the task at hand. There had been others, others that had comforted her in times of need, brought her back to health when it was called for, yet none, she thought, knew her half so well as Dan did.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

It really was interesting concept love. The thought that some people would change there own way of life simply because they felt that connection, that spark always baffled Dan. Why give up a way of life that has suited you all these years? If that ‘special’ person did not understand that then was their any point being with them. But now he was in that situation, he was holding the one witch that made him feel like nothing else mattered. He would do whatever Dia wished, even if it meant facing his biggest fears or putting aside his own happiness. He loved her.

Well that was step one out of the way. He had clearly admitted it to himself, the next and much harder step would be to admit it to Dia. He had a feeling she likes him, heck she was sitting on top of him, she was just holding him. This was the understanding they had , and Dan loved it, he loved everything about her.
Holding her closer Dan rested his head against hers and thought hard about what he was going to say, and more importantly when he was going to say the three little words out loud. But a strange sensation was filling him, the feeling of fear.

Clenching his jaw Dan’s mind was spinning as he thought about all the many places and moments he could tell Dia. But as the ideas came to him they all seemed to fake, it was not him. The whole part and parcel of the romance thing was not him. Dan never brought flowers or boxes of chocolates, as he felt no need. What do small gifts like that say that a gentle kiss on the lips or a long gaze in the eyes does not.
Letting out a small sigh Dan thought about maybe it was the way he said it. Originality was his type of thing, but when it came to love everyone felt the same and maybe the old ways where best. But it still did not stop him from trying to think out of the box, so as silence fell over the couple Dan’s mind whirled with possible ways to phrase such a simple sentence.

‘Dia out of everyone I know I love you the most…..I love you as much as I love alcohol…..You have captured my heart and I love you….If you were in Hufflepuff we would have been together years ago……My heart beats only for you…..I think you are bloody hot, marry me. Why do non of these work? I guess the only one that does is….

“I love you”

It only took Dan a few seconds to realise what he had done. Trying to hide his surprise he gave a small cough almost in hope that it would hide what he had just said. But how could those three words be mistaken as a cough. His cheeks were turning slightly red and he moved underneath Dia suddenly feeling uncomfortable. That was not how he wanted it to be said.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

The silence that followed was not uncomfortable; it felt natural, like everything that was said was unnecessary when in their silences they said so much more. At times like this, Dia had wanted to tell Dan even the smallest fraction of how she felt about him, how he consumed her every thought but always fear had held her back, as it did now. She laid her hand on Dan’s chest again, feeling his heart beat and she thought that was the way hers beat for him.

So many times had she thought that Dan was about to protest how he felt for her but the moments past and no such utterance came. In the smallest corner of her mind, Dia didn’t mind. It gave her freedom in a strange sort of way but she wanted to know how he felt, she want, craved that assurance that she wasn’t spinning her wheels for no good reason. She sighed again and could feel Dan’s jaw clench on the top of her head. She wondered what he was thinking. Was he thinking of his lessons? His family? His future? She could scarcely know or hazard a guess.

The silence was broken for a brief moment and Dia could have sworn she heard Dan say … Dia hesitated, then slowly she raised her head and looked at Dan, her eyes searching. His checks were red and he didn’t met her gaze. She lifted her hand and put it on his cheek; it was warm under her hand. She had heard right and smiled sweetly at Dan. It took a lot of courage for him, or anyone, to admit such a thing. She didn’t have his courage to do so herself but now that he had perhaps she did have it in her.

“I know you do,” she said softly. She craned her neck slightly and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I …” she faltered. It was harder then she had originally anticipated but she had to say it. “I love you too.” She had done it: she had said the over riding feeling that came to mind when she thought of Dan. She wanted to say more but couldn’t … she couldn’t find the words to describe her over whelming feelings for him. She didn’t look away and she didn’t, couldn’t stop smiling.