"You're not FRIGHTENING at all to me, Daphne Hopton. But sometimes - I can tell - you are quite ... bothered by me. And that's okay. No biggy.It's just the reaction... that is scary. Your reaction to me sometimes is...," Plymouth shook his crazy hair at her, " but it's okay." Plymouth took a breath in and then let it out before reaching up to touch his fingertips to her cheek. "Like this. Is this okay? It's just so hard to tell what will and won't be okay with you. And I ... I dont want to ask all the time. That's annoying. I'm probably annoying enough without 893 questions, huh?"

Oh, yes, that certainly could be annoying. Flushing underneath his touch, she cleared her throat, light eyes on Plymouth's nose. That little point--it was enough to distract her. "Maybe you just need to not think so much," she replied in a mumble. "Less Ravenclaw and more Gryffindor."

"Right. Right. More Gryffindor." WHAT would DADDY NEWELL DO??? ... was Plymouth's first thoughts. Naturally, Plymouth reached up with his other hand and felt his hair. Gryffindor. Anna? Well... Anna had sent Plymouth that love letter AND kissed him... good. So...

"Okay." Plymouth leaned forward, eyes closed, and...


.... kissed the little flower on top of her head. Maybe Plymouth was thinking too much or maybe he just wasn't ready or maybe both or maybe neither. Maybe Plymouth was a little too HUFFLEPUFF. He moved his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her to him for hugs. Plymouth wanted her close enough to him so she couldn't see the faces he was making at himself for chickening out.

For an unnaturally long second, Daphne's heart stopped in that way they tended to in unpredictable and scary situations. Holding her breath, Miss Hopton simply blinked when Morgan's lips landed on the top of her head.

Well, that was....

"Okay," repeated Daphne stiffly, her fingers splayed out as if she the one thing she wanted was to touch nothing.

Nothing.

Her face, and her incoherent babbling was somehow muffled by Plymouth's shoulder so she just stood there, awkwardly for several seconds before a sigh of defeat left her body. Slumping slightly, Daphne's arms found themselves around Morgan's torso.

The least she could do was hug him back.

"I'll... I'm sorry, Daphadil. I can't do it. I mean, I can, but what if you don't want me to? DO you want me to? I'd like to. I really would. But, it's a first date and then you're Cela's best friend, and I RUINED her first kiss. It's probably yours too and I'll ruin it by being all fast and stupid and I dont want to. I mean, I DO want to... I do want to." Plymouth gently held Daphne out from him so he could look down at her. "Does that make sense?"

Plymouth had ruined it one way or another.

There was a lot of rambling and Daphne, instinctively, began to block it all out; focusing instead on the crinkles of the corners of Plymouth's eyes. "No, not really," she answered honestly. "Probably because I didn't catch it all."

Hopton did catch the bit about ruined first kisses and the mention of Celandine. Blushing, a finger wound itself around a lock of her hair. "You talk a lot," pointed out the Gryffindor poking the mouth of his stomach with a finger of her free hand. "Sometimes, you just need to go with what you feel in here."

Daphne was one to talk. But she was learning. Plus, it didn't matter how much she thought things through anymore. Daphne was over with pleasing her Mother. Betrayal! She didn't deserve it. HMPH.

"That doesn't work, Daphadil," because if Plymouth went with what he FELT in his heart....


Well that didn't matter. "It just doesn't work like that. You have to be okay with it too or... I'll just end up being wrong again. And boy was I wroooooong last time." Plymouth caught her finger at his stomach and held it up near his chin. "I'll figure it out, though. If you want me to."

Oh, it was so hard not to roll her eyes but she managed well enough. Wiggling the finger in Plymouth's possession she smiled sardonically. "Ravenclaws," she muttered slightly exasperated before pulling her finger free.

Taking a few steps ahead of him, she looked for him over her shoulder. "Well, figure it out while you walk. I think I'm done skipping stones for today."