(Kitchen) That Hit The Spot

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia was feeling a tad thirsty and needing to be awake at such a late hour, decided to quickly nip down to the kitchen, owing also to her need to stretch her legs. She left her office and headed quickly towards the kitchen. She knew which pear to tickle, having done this many times in her time at Hogwarts and at a similar hour too. She entered the kitchen and was surprised to not see any students.

She shrugged and continued into the kitchen. Many house-elves rushed and offered to help her. She raised her arms and called above the chatter of the little creatures, "all I need is a drink. Some tea or something a little stronger, perhaps." And just like that, all the house-elves disappeared. A few came back, carrying trays of a different assortment of drinks. She spotted a pot of tea and took that thankfully. "Thank you very much," she said and sat down at the nearest table. She poured a cup of the hot liquid and sipped gratefully.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

‘The best way to make a pineapple dance across a table is to use the….’

Dan head slipped out of his hand and landed on the table with a bump. His eyes suddenly flashed open and he noticed that once again he had fallen asleep while trying to mark the practise exam papers. He looked over at his clock on the desk and saw that he had been sat at his desk for two hours and had only got through five papers. With a disheartened sigh Dan pushed his chair out form under his desk and made his way out his office, down the dark corridors and staircases towards the kitchen.

After standing tickling the pear for a while the door had finally opened and he made his way into the main area of the kitchen, quickly being surrounded by house-elves. Who where trusting plates of cakes and potatoes into his face. “No I need something to keep me awake, do you have any of those cookies left where you put in coffee beans instead of chocolate chips?”

When the house-elves shook their heads and some pretend not to know what he was going on about. After hopelessly looking over all their little blank faces Dan tried to fight off a yawn. “Fine then bring me some of that home made stuff you have stashed away…but not the blue one that made me ill last time I was kept up all….”

Dan broke off as he finally noticed he was not the only person in the kitchen. There sat Dia Owen, cup of tea in hand just like the last time they had met. With a small smile Dan pushed past the remaining House-elves and sat down opposite his fellow teacher.

“What is it with you and drinking tea? It is all I ever seem to see you do?”

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia was lost in thought when the door to the kitchen opened. She didn't look up but kept her eyes straight ahead of her. She didn't want to have to take points from any miscreants who had happened in wt of all from her own students. She didn't much care for taking points away from people but sometimes, this she understood, was necessary.

However when she hard a deep voice, one she recognised with a smile, she turned and saw Daniel Hubbles talking to the over-eager house-elves. She leaned on her palm and watched him, an amused look on her face. She lifted her tea cup to her lips and sipped meaningfully. He joined her at the table she had picked and she frowned a little, lowering her tea cup.

She glanced at her cup, the dark liquid shining at her, then looked back to Daniel. "Tea always seems to hit the spot," she said simply. Dia was not one of many word but she always said what she meant when she wasn't too nervous. They often got the better of her but she was fine, for now. "What brings you to the kitchens at this late hour?"

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Daniel smiled over at Dia and suddenly realised that one of the house-elves were trying to offer him a cup. Turning round he thanked the elf and took the cup and gingerly lifted it up to his lips. It was hot and smelled strangely like honey and tasted just as sweet. The hot liquid rolled down his throat, feeling like it left a trail of thick sticky substance as it went. With a wince Dan placed the cup down on the table and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“That definitely hit the spot. What the hell was in that? I wanted something to wake me up not kill me.”

His voice was weak and it sounded like he had a bad throat. That was worse then the blue stuff they gave him last time, he just hoped that he would not end up as ill. The one thing was that he was now awake. With a small cough to try and gain his voice back Dan looked around for a jug of anything. Finally seeing a glass of pumpkin juice he reached forward and threw it down his throat quicker then a fire whisky.

Raising his eyebrows over at his fellow teacher Dan let out a deep breath and looked deep into Dia’s eyes. They were a beautiful as the stars she studied and he knew he could get lost in them. Shifting his gaze to stop himself from seeming too ridicules Dan thought about moving the topic on.

“Do you have a night planned of star gazing or of marking students rubbish drawings?”

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia smiled at the house-elf who brought Daniel his drink. It didn't look like anything she had ever seen or, by his reaction after drinking a single sip, would ever want to task. She laughed quietly and sipped her tea. It luckily was bitter from the instant is touched her tongue. No broken promises. No poisoned milk and honey.

Dia would have patted Daniel on the back but she had a hard time reaching it from where she sat. Instead she frowned when he coughed and said softly, "are you alright?" She could think of little else to say besides that and it seemed a very peculiar thing to ask seeing as how the man was clearly not. Thankfully, he seemed to recover.

She had indeed marking to do but she knew she could leave it till tomorrow. She picked up her tea cup and sipped, thinking hard before saying anything. "I think a little star charting would be best. I've searched the castle over and never found a chronology of the skies from the tower or, indeed, anywhere in the castle. It's wonderful practise and the students seem to enjoy it when they work together."

She sipped her tea, eyeing Daniel over the edge of her cup. "And I noticed," she said, smiling, "that you evaded my question. I can only assume that it is because you are either hiding from someone or procrastinating." She sipped again, giving a cheeky smile.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan sat looking at Dia with an amused smile as she went on about her lessons. They actually sounded fun and that they actually found something out. He dreaded the start of term again when he would have to teach the first years once again how to use their wands properly. Rolling his eyes at the thought of having to do that he reached forward and took another sip of the drink in front of him. It was only when the liquid was in his mouth once again did he slam the goblet out and turned around to spit the liquid out. It was not as bad as when he first drank it but it still tasted nasty.

“Why did I do that? It is like a spiky plant. You can see that it will be painful, you touch it and it is painful. But then something in the back of your mind makes you carry on and you touch it again.”

Dan shuddered and pushed the goblet away again to try and stop himself from drinking anymore. Sticking out his tongue in disgust once more Dan finally decided to pay attention to what Dia was asking. With a deep breath Dan gave Dia a small cheeky grin.

“I got board of marking mock exams for first years. So I thought I would come for a drink of something to keep me awake for the next five hours. I can sleep during lessons.”

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia grinned at the bottom of her tea cup as he sipped his own drink again. He complained and Dia laughed a light girly laugh. "I can't believe you did that," she giggled, putting her cup down, "again!" She leaned back in her seat and smiled at Daniel.

A house elf rushed over with a flowery pot of tea and topped Dia's cup up. "Oh thank you," she said and grinned at him as he left again. She was silent for a long moment, unsure of how to continue and noticed that she didn't have anything to say. She pushed the handle of her tea cup away from her then back towards her, playing and watching the liquid move around the cup.

She realises she had been quiet for a while and quickly looked up to see Dan was still there. She smiled at him and lifted her tea cup. "I would rather," she said as a mere observation, "get my full rest and rise earlier. I function better on at least some sleep and I've never had a problem with waking."

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan smiled away at Dia as she played with her tea cup, it seemed that they had both run out things that they could say, which once again was a rare thing for Dan. Like his sister he could talk about anything and anything for hours but it seemed that Dia had a talent of making him silent, maybe it was because he was actually worried what he may say.

Stroking his beard he was finally relived to see that Dia was looking at him again and that she had finally thought of something to say. Nodding his head at what Dia had to say it did make sense. The lack of it simply meant that Dan became paranoid about his complexion and it did not improve his temper. Leaning back on his hair Dan put his hands behind his head and laughed.

“So are you suggesting Professor Owen that I ignore the exams papers and sleep. So instead of sleeping during the lesson I can mark the work instead?”

Dan raised his eyebrows at his idea, with a loud laugh Dan let the chair slam down on the floor, making a few house elves jump and drop what they were carrying. With an apologetic glance at the misfortunate house elves Dan turned back to Dia and grinned.

“I think that sound much better then staying up all night. They are only first years after all. I have another six years to stuff up their education.”

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia laughed with Daniel and rocked back and forth in her chair, her hair falling around her face and onto her shoulders. She flicked it off without thinking about it and sat still in her chair. She laughed and watched Daniel apologise to the house elves.

She picked up her tea cup again and sipped it. "You could say that's what I was hinting at," she said, setting her cup down, "but that would be reading into things a bit." She grinned at Daniel sheepishly, almost ashamed of her outburst. She looked away and down at her cup.

She could feel her cheeks going red. She swallowed hard and could feel Daniel looking at her. She avoided looking directly at Daniel for a few minutes, instead she watched house elves run by, a candle flicker, the way her tea swirled around her cup. Eventually she looked at Daniel and smiled. She sipped from her tea cup, and drained it. "Well," she said gingerly, "that's me. I think I'll head up to the Astronomy Tower now, spend a few hours there."

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

The silence that continually fell between the tow of them needed to be amended and that matter was only made worse when Dia stood up and tried to leave. That was something he really did not want to happen, he enjoyed Dia’s company and he really did not feel like going back to his office and marking the work. Sending the chair flying Dan shot up and stood in front of Dia blocking her way.

“Please do not leave, not yet anyway. We have so many more varieties of tea to talk about yet. What about Earl Grey or Assam? I think they are both one particularly designed for breakfast to be honest, a lot stronger and wakes you up more.”

Dan stood in front of her finally hoping to delay the moment Dia had to leave. He did not know what else to say. Well he could tell the truth but not only would it be rather embarrassing for the both of them it would also leave Dan in a very strange position when he was the first to make his feeling known. Not that the feelings he had were strong, just that he liked have Dia around and he thought perhaps with work they might get past the pleasantries and actually talk properly.

“I am sorry Dia, I really do not understand what has got into me. Please do not stay on my account.”

With a small smile Dan walked over the side board where a large bottle of red wine was sitting on the side board. Summoning himself a goblet Dan poured a large glass and took a large swig out of it. With a small glance over his shoulder towards Dia he half hoped he would have to summon over another goblet but he did not rest his best on it. She seemed a very sensible witch.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia had not expected Daniel to stop her leaving, in fact it rather startled her. She stepped back and stared at him, the pleasantness of the way his mouth moved when he spoke compelling her to pay attention. She smiled softly and tilted her head to the side, her hair falling on her shoulders again.

She watched him with much fascination as he went on about tea again. It seemed to be their strongest talking point, which suited Dia for she knew her teas. However she felt that there could be something more hiding under that strong facade that he seemed so fond of hiding behind. Or perhaps she was reading too much into the man she was watching fill a wine glass. It wouldn't be the first time she was seeing what she wanted to see.

She walked slowly to him and too summoned a goblet, filling it for herself. She leaned against the table and crossed an arm over her chest, holding the hand with the goblet aloft. She sipped is slowly before saying. "I tend to not drink sugar in my Earl Grey." She had been thinking on what he had said and this was her response. Dia looked at Daniel with a thoughtful smile on her face.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan tried to keep his composure when Dia came over towards him. He reframed from smiling or even laughing to himself that he had been able to convince her to stay. Instead he merely raised and eyebrow in curiosity as she summoned her own goblet and poured her own drink. She seemed to be a very independent women, willing to do her own thing. Dan allowed himself to smile at this thought, and it was perfectly timed for her small joke about Earl Grey.

“Well you see I do not have milk with Earl Grey. I find that the tea is already flavoured enough to make it a perfect drink. But I am pleased you do not have sugar, I find that sugar in tea runs it not matter what leaf it is, but I Earl Grey, that would be sacrilegious.”

Raising his goblet steadily to his lips Dan as taken a back for a moment when the taste of red wine filtered into his mouth, for some reason he had expected it to be a cup of tea. Belittling himself in his mind for being so stupid he turned his attention back to Dia, who seemed to be studying him. With a weak smile Dan remembered that he tables that lined the kitchen were indeed other versions of the tables in the great hall.

A wicked smile filled the mans face and he ran over to the closest one jumping up on top of it. Making sure he had his balance Dan looked around the kitchen and then he saw it. Pulling out his wand and pointing it t the radio it soon switched on filling the kitchen with music. Laughing happily to himself Dan sand jumped around to face Dia with a wide grin.

“It was always my dream as student to dance on the house tables. I always feared I would make a fool of myself, as I am not the best dancer around. And the problem is that if a start to dance the chances are I will make a fool of myself in front of you, however…” His grin grew even wider. “If you care to join me then we can make fools of ourselves together.”

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia sipped her wine, the liquid warming her whole body. She smiled and nodded, her blond hair bobbing along, and she said, "yes, indeed, no milk, for me not ever. You have seen it, the fact that I have no milk in my tea. And I agree, Earl Grey is very flavoured." She brushed a strained of hair out of her face and smiled sheepishly at Daniel.

She sipped the wine again, almost draining it. She felt unnerved around Daniel and liked the feeling of being unburdened. She put her goblet to her lips again, sipped the last of the wine and felt the warmth flow through her again. As she set her goblet onto the table she was leaning on, Daniel jumped onto the table. Dia spun her head to face him, her expression amused and confused.

Dia laughed as she walked to the table, gathering her skirt. She stepped on the bench and onto the table and lost her balance. She stumbled forward into Daniel. She looked up at him in surprise and brushed her hair out of her face again. She stood up straight, blushing, "I'm sorry." She avoided his eyes for a moment, then smiled at him. "You said something about dancing?"

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Watching Dia carefully Dan was half tempted to offer his hand to help her balance as she claimed up onto the table with him. However something stopped him, the thought that maybe reaching out and grapping hold of her hand may seem as a rather rash act, too forward which was a change as Dan would do anything to suggest to a female that he was interested in them. But it seemed that his subdued actions may have been needed as Dia came tumbling towards him.

“Careful.” He muttered softly as for belief moment he looked closely into her eyes. However Dia suddenly blushed and looked away, Dan did the same. It must have seen for the house elves looking on that these two professors were acting strangely a lot like the children they taught. The nervous glances they occasionally gave each other followed by the odd smile.

“Oh yes dancing. Well I hope you are a better dancer then me. I just wave my arms about and shuffle my feet from side to side. However I have been complimented once or twice on the fluid moments of my hips.”

He gave his hips a slight wiggle as emphasises on what he was saying, however he was totally out of time with the music that was blaring out from the radio. With a small laugh Dan took a step closer to Dia and held out his hand.

“However I am always more confident dancing with a partner.”

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia could feel her face was hot, standing in front of Daniel, on a minute version of the house tables above them, with a radio blaring and many house elves stopping their business to stare at the two crazy teachers. It was exhilarating to do something slightly rash and out of the ordinary. Everything Dia did, with some hind sight, was ordinary.

Daniel swayed his hips and Dia lifted a hand to hide her laugh. But she couldn't suppress it and her laugh bust merrily from her lips. She looked at Dan questioningly but didn't say anything. Daniel offered his hand. Dia curtsied and smiled jovially. She took his hand; an electricity seemed to surge through her and her sense of exhilaration increased. She smiled and put her other hand on his shoulder, stepping closer still.