Knight In Shining Armor ((Jake))

[dana]

Dan had been raised in a wizarding world all her life but as her grand-parents owned one book-store in the muggle world as well, Dana knew rather much about muggles.
Dana let out a loud yelp to warn some innocent first years to keep out of her way as she rolled down the hallways on roller-blades.
‘Teaches me not to whine about not getting anywhere quickly enough to my friends,’ Dana thought with a smirk managing to avoid slamming into the wall nearly as she pulled herself around the corner while grabbing hold of a suit of armor in order to turn.

Dana let out a yelp as she was suddenly faced with a stair-case towards which she was heading rather quickly. Almost automatically Dana grabbed hold of the armrest and pulled herself to sit on it. Gliding gracefully down the armrest Dana thanked her aerobics and dancing practices which were how she had managed to stay in balance for so long and avoid breaking her neck while rolling down this staircase on the roller-blades.

The armrest ended far too quickly for Dana’s liking as it meant she was speeding forward the hallways once again without really knowing how to stop herself as Dana didn’t really like the idea of slamming into a wall at full speed either. Besides it would probably ruin her short jean-skirt that was Dana’s favorite. Never mind the fact that it didn’t really suit skating, as it only showed Dana’s long and tanned legs nicely, without revealing too much still. Noticing a familiar chestnut hair talking to someone or leaving the company of a bunch of guys Dana didn’t know Dana grinned, getting a sudden idea.
Dana grinned and shouted: “Jake!” At Dana’s speed the fifth year Ravenclaw boy barely had time to turn around when Dana was already there. Grabbing hold of Jake’s shoulder Dana broke her speed doing a half-turn around Jake while it but managing her balance somehow.

“Hi,” Dana grinned up at Jake from between her hair and straightened out once again, keeping herself steady with one hand on Jake’s shoulder, “Sorry, hope I didn’t scare you. I really have to learn to keep my mouth shut around my friends. As talented as I am, riding roller-blades isn’t one of the things I’m good at.” Dana grinned and breathed deeply finally feeling steady enough to try standing on her own. Which ended with Dana almost falling. Somehow staying upright, Dana grinned once again: “Hope you don’t mind me using you as something to stop myself with. Didn’t really feel like slamming into a wall. Now I just have to find a place to sit down and get out of these murderous roller-blades.”<br>Looking around Dana searched for a bench. Naturally none were near-by though so Dana tried moving towards a window-sill while keeping herself steady with leaning on the wall with one hand. It was a worthy try even though Dana didn’t really move forward.

[jake]

“See you later,” Jake called towards the retreating backs of his friends. They turned round and gave jovial waves to him then rounded the corner and were out of sight, leaving Jake standing alone at the bottom of the steps. It’s the price you pay, Jake decided, when you finish your homework on time for once. His friends were heading off towards the library to complete assignments due in the next day and Jake wasn’t in the mood to sit silently in the library as he waited for them to finish. He moodily kicked at the stone floors, scuffing up his leather shoes slightly and murmured to himself under his breath, searching his brain for something to do.

His thoughts were cut pretty short as he heard his name being shouted to his left and he turned round to see fellow Ravenclaw fifth year and friend, Dana Coran hurtling towards him on roller-skates of all things. Within a second of him turning round Dana had closed the space between them and grabbed his shoulder to steady herself.

“Terrified me more like,” Jake laughed, “And I’m very surprised you didn’t feel like slamming into a wall, I’ve always enjoyed it myself, great for waking you up in the morning.”<br>
He watched Dana’ attempt to move forwards with a grin and put out a hand to help.

“Not meaning to be meddlesome, but why roller-skates of all things? And in a castle with so many steps?”<br>

[dana]

Dana poked her tongue out towards Jake but gratefully accepted his hand: “Wasn’t my choice. I just whined to some of my friends about how often I have to trek around the castle and how long it always takes and how I wish I could move quicker. They took me by a word and the next I know I’m speeding down the hallways on roller-skates.”<br>
Dana yelped as she almost fell once again before the reached the window-sill and Dana pulled herself to sit on it. Swinging her legs, Dana tilted her head and laughed not really bothered by it: “Then again I have to admit I might have reacted with something rather similar, so I can’t really stay angry, right? Besides I was moving a whole lot quicker. Just wish I knew how to move properly on these things.”<br>
“As for that wake up call? Glad you told me. I’ll wake you with a bucket of cold water the next morning then,” Dana added with a wink, knowing Jake wouldn’t mind the humor. For some reason or the other they always ended up with an easy conversation with just a little teasing and pranking with each other. Dana rather appreciated it though. It was almost a relief to find someone else in her own house who just relaxed that way besides Dana herself.
“And since I’m already there I might as well wake up the whole 5th year Gryfifndor boys dormitory that way. As you so nicely ordered it already,” Dana said with a sweet and innocent smile towards Jake, “Think they would mind? Trust me – I’m more than able to get you all up and going in the mornings.”<br>

[jake]

Jake laughed listening as Dana gave her reasons for the roller-skates, it sounded very simular to something Jake might do to his friends to stop them complaining.

"I don't doubt that for a second," Jake said in response to Dana telling him about her plans for a wake-up call, "I'm sure they'd all abslolutley love you for it, in a, er, murderous, homicidal sort of way."

He hoisted himself up onto the huge windowsill and sat down on the edge next to Dana, glancing down towards her roller-skates with a grin on his face.

"I've got to admit, they do add a little something to your outfit," He said, his eyes sparkling, "Tres chic. And there's no denying they get you around faster. Plus they're very handy for knocking into people and doing them considerably bodily damage and then making it look like an accident, aren't they? I'm not complaining though, it's a blessing I bumped into you, I was facing an afternoon of solitude," He sighed, "What you get for being a good student and finishing homework for once, hey?"

[dana]

Dana fluttered her eye-lashed towards Jake in an angelically innocent way: “Love me? Of course? But they’d love you even more as I would certainly not keep it a secret that the enchanting wake-up call would be your idea.”<br>Dana laughed out loudly as Jake said that the roller-skates added a little something other outfit: “I’m sure they do. I think I would have picked something else to wear if I’d know what I’ll be doing today though. But you have no idea how glad I am to hear that there is one more Ravenclaw not preparing for the O.W.L.s. I was starting to feel guilty.”<br>Dana smiled at Jake, knowing that the boy would understand. Maybe it was like that only in Ravenclaw common room, but absolutely every fifth and seventh year seemed to be studying through huge books or notes for the exams coming in the end of year.

“As for solitude? Now you can have my company, but I know what you mean. Most of my friends seem rather busy today as well, so guess it’s a lucky chance,” Dana looked at her roller-blades and moved them a bit. She had actually rather enjoyed the feeling of speeding with them, “Now how to roller-skate by any chance? In a way it was a rather interesting experience.” Dana looked up and grinned pulling her hair into a pony-tail: “I could use some pointers about how to move around on these things. Someone to steady me as well.”<br>

[jake]

Jake shrugged when Dana mentioned the OWL's.

"There's more to life than studying, right?" He said, "Like shooting round the castle on roller-skates for instance."

He grinned, though truthfully Dana had woken up a slight worry inside him. OWL's. Jake was un-characteristically troubled by them, dreading exam week. However, he had a slightly stupid way of dealing with it. He figured that the longer he could put revision off, the longer he actually had to face up to the fact that he had to sit them at the end of the year. He hadn't opened a revision book yet, and wasn't planning to until atleast after Easter.

"I know how to do it well enough not to fall over," Jake replied with a grin, when Dana asked him if he knew how to skate, "But I'm no way near an expert. I do quite nicely as a support though, to stop you falling over."

[dana]

Dana looked at Jake ponderingly for a moment: “Not fall over? Good enough for me.” Grinning Dana whipped out her wand and a moment later Jake was wearing a pair of roller-blades as well, as Dana grinned and hopped off the windowsill. Yelping loudly once again as she had forgotten about her roller-blades and gracefully landing on her behind.
“Ow,” Dana muttered moodily, climbing ot er feet once again and scowling towards Ajek for a moment, before a chuckle escaped her lips, “Oh go ahead and laugh as you are obviously dieing to do so.

Chuckling a little Dana created knee and elbow defences for herself and grinned at Jake: “Come on, it’s much more fun when I ca pull someone down with me. Or use you to stay on my feet. Anyways it’s much more fun to try this thing together.”<br>

[jake]

Jake opened his mouth to protest as Dana reached for her wand but, nonetheless, found his leather shoes swapped for roller-blades. He looked down at them dubiously and then back at Dana, who was leaping off the windowsill. Within a split second, she was on the floor again and Jake stifled a laugh at the sight of her but, one hand over his mouth to stop himself, put out his other to help her up. Dana, however, was way ahead off him already on her feet again, wobbling dangerously on her blades. She told him to go ahead and laugh but this time it was Jake who was ahead of her, sniggering un-controllably into his hand. At Dana's words he made a desperate attempt to straighten his face, managing to do so vaguely well.

"I'm not laughing," He assured her, getting down from the windowsill and steadying himself on his roller-blades, "Would I honestly, ever laugh at you?"

One look at Dana's face and Jake waved his hand, "Ok, don't answer that," He chuckled, trying out his new footwear and rolling forward quite smoothly on the beaten stone, "I don't know what you're complaining about Dana, it's easy as anything."

He promptly lost balance and fell onto the wall.

"Woahhhh!" He said,grabbing another window ledge for support, "Well, Ok, maybe you've got a fair arugument, there."

[dana]

Dana rolled her eyes towards Jake watching as he rolled a bit. Letting out a chuckle as he fell Dana moved awkwardly closer.
“No offence, but you have better self-control than I do,” Dana told Jake with a smile, grabbing safe hold on a near-by window sill and helping Jake to his feet.
“Just try not to run into McgGonagall when you want to stop,” Dana told Jake with a sly wink as she started moving rather awkwardly keeping within hands’ reach from the wall.

Having moved a couple of feet, Dna looked back over her shoulder with a grin, knowing Jake won’t mind the humor or otherwise he wouldn’t have joked around in the common room that freely: “Come on, Jakey-boy, wipe the drool off your face and catch up.”<br>

[jake]

“Ha-ha,” Jake said in a deeply sarcastic voice, looking at Dana through lowered lids though a grin still remained

He brushed down his shirt and jeans and sped off to catch up with Dana. Thankfully she was moving pretty slowly and he was at her side in no time attall.

“Lucky for you I’ve always liked the name Jakey-boy or I’m afraid you would have been doing all this delight falling over on your own,” He informed her smiling, “Anyway I forgot to ask. You know why I’m on my own, but where’s all your usual suspects? I would have thought they’d be delighted to see you trying out the contraptions they so kindly provided. I know I am. Highly amusing, if I may say so.”<br>
Jake gave her a cheesy grin but as he did felt with horror, the front wheel of a roller blade catch on a chipped stone flag. He managed to stop himself falling only by grabbing Dana's shoulder.

"Yeesh, sorry," He apoligised, regaining balance and looking at Dana apologetically, one hand still on her shoulder as he rolled to a standstill, "They're suicide, these things! Maybe your friends were trying to get rid of you rather than just shutting you up."

[dana]

Dana was about to answer to Jake’s question, when he fell and grabbed her shoulder, almost pulling Dana herself out of balance as well. Dana managed to grab a hold of some tapestry that luckily didn’t rip, so they both managed to stay on their feet.
“No worries, Jakey-boy. I’ll use that nick-name for you, since you like it,” Dana told Jake with a smile as he apologized for grabbing her shoulder for balance, “That’s what we agreed to right? That we help each other stay in balance or at least fall together. But I know what you mean. Even heels weren’t this murderous the first time I wore them.”<br>
Listening to Jake’s comment about her friends trying to get rid of her rather than just shut her up, Dana punched Jake playfully in the shoulder. Something she shouldn’t have done, as the movement pushed Dana off balance. Wailing her arms frantically in the air for a moment before falling on her behind once again. Dana scowled back upwards towards Jake through strands of hair, that had came loose: “Oh shove it. The floor doesn’t get any softer you know.”<br>Pushing her hair back, Dana couldn’t help but to grin though as she climbed to her feet with small problems, while holding onto a near-by coat of arms: “I can’t believe muggles have fun with these things! As for my friends – some still had class, some where off to study and two had detention. And some had other plans.”<br>
Dana balanced herself on the roller-blades and grinned for Jake: “What do you think? Should we give it an other go?”<br>

[jake]

Jake gave Dana a sceptical raise of teh eyebrows as she stated her intention to call her Jakey-boy from now on but ignored it apart from that, more intent to regain his balance.

"Heels are murderous, though," Jake said, as he, leaning against his wall, took up a foot and readjusted a wheel or two, "They kill when you get kicked by them and last time I tried to walk in them I nearl broke my ankle...." Jake stopped, looking at the floor and realised how strange and, well, worrying, that last sentance would've sounded to someone he had basically just met.

"It was my sister's eighteenth birthday party and all her friend's shoes were by the door," He explained to Dana, balancing again on his wheels and trying to make it sound as if 'walking' around in women's shoes was a completley normal thing to do, "What would you have done?"

Jake smiled and took a deep breath.

"Alright, I'm prepared for our next attempt if you are," He announced grinning at her encouragingly.

[dana]

Dana raised a skeptical eye-brow towards Jake as he agreed that heels were killing. And it looked as if he knew what he was talking about. His story about the shoes was amusing though.
“Well, considering that I wear heels every day, then I could have resisted the temptation on wearing the shoes of your sisters friends,” Dana stated slowly but with a grin playing on her lips, “But remind me to hide all of my shoes so you won’t get the temptation to wear them.”<br>Dana’s eyes twinkled as she pulled herself off again and slowly inched forward on the roller-blades be rather grateful for her good balance: “Stubmled upon any skirt or dresses as well? I’m sure a Ravenclaw’s curious mind just had to see what it was about. But honey – you haven’t seen nothing about what it’s like to be a girl, if you haven’t worn a mini-skirt and high heels.”<br>
Dana grinned over her shoulder: “Not that I’m willing to share my clothes to let you try it.”<br>Dana yelped as her leg got caught onto something sending her flying forward. Then again Dana always had been a lucky girl and she was lucky this time as well as some seventh year boy. Slytherin as Dana noticed.
Knowing there would be hell to pay once the boy had gotten over her surprise, Dana smiled dazzlingly: “Thanks for catching me. Wouldn’t look pretty if I had crashed into the floor. Nice reflexes by the way. I’ll be sure to send you a box of Honeydukes best as a ‘thank you’Dana grinned, patted the boy’s cheek before he could utter a word and skated farther, turning around the corner a bit awkwardly, but staying on her feet as the boy was left in the middle of the hallway staring after her dumb-struck at such behavior.

“Alright, that’s two person’s I’ve rolled into today, if not to count the mad dash through Nearly-Headless Nick earlier,” Dana shook her head towards Jake with a small ironic grin at her mouth-corner, “Looks like I’m more dangerous on these things than you. Anyway – you want to head at some specific direction?”<br>

[jake]

Jake narrowed his eyes and surveyed Dana in a disbelieving way as she mentioned skirts and dresses.

"We should stop this conservation, you know," He said clearly, "I don't think my masculinity could really take much more abuse."

At this point Dana sent him a smile over her shoulder (he was lagging behind a bit). The whole effect was spoiled somewhat though as she went flying forward, knocking into an older boy. Jake stopped in his tracks, eyes wide as he spotted the strip of green that trimmed his robes. Jake had, thankfully, not had too many run-ins with Slytherins but he knew well enough that smacking into them on roller-skates was not a good idea. They might not enjoy it quite as well as he himself did.

It seemed, though, that Dana had everything under control. She flashed he boy a dazzling smile and quickly managed to get herself out of trouble. Jake was slightly shocked but, he had to admit, impressed too. Jake quickly caught up with her. She talked on for a minute but Jake quickly changed the subject from the question she had asked.

"That has to be the best method of self-defense I've ever seen," Jake proclaimed, grinning in awe, "You're quite the decieving charmer, you, aren't you? I bet he would've beat anyone else's face in."

[dana]

Dana grinned as Jake said he couldn’t take much more on the topic of skirts and dresses but Dana couldn’t help but to tease a bit more: “Oh, really? And I just about to get to make-up and getting your hair done and getting your nails done and tons of other little details.” Batting her eye-lashes towards Jake, Dana cooed: “Don’t you want to know the deep secrets of being a girl then?”<br>Not being able to suppress her mirth anymore Dana continued slowly down the hallway, keeping most of her concentration on staying upright and moving forward.

“The SLytherin? Slytherins aren’t half that bad. They just take some getting used to. The boy was too shocked by my behavior and want to bet that he doesn’t raise the topic again? His pride wouldn’t allow him to admit that he lost to a small girl like me, who is a half-blood on top of everything else? He may sulk, but there is nothing he’ll do now that I’ve gotten away once already,” Dana shrugged and sent a pout grimace towards Jake, pulling the tops of her ears down with both of her hands, “Besides, who would believe a nice little girlie like me could cause any trouble?”<br>
Dana wrinkled her nose: “Actually most professors would believe that I can cause trouble. Never have had to beat a SLytherin physically though. No wait, I slapped that fourth year bully. And the duel with Goyle. Oh, and that guy who tried to pinch my butt some weeks ago at Hogsmeade. Verbal manipulation is one of my strongest points.”<br>Dana waved the topic off carelessly and smiled at Jake: “Why so prejudiced? Have you had some bad run-ins with SLytherins then?”<br>

[jake]

"Deep secrets?" Jake said cynically as they rolled along, "You're counting make-up and hair-styles as deep secrets? And no, I really wouldn't like to know. My sister calls me a girl often enough, I don't want to give her more material, do I?"

Jake smirked and listened to Dana talking. She immediately brought up the subject of Slytherins, deeming them as 'not half that bad'. Jake pondered while she spoke, an unusual frown upon his face. He didn't really know whether to speak his mind or not, after all he knew that Dana had a cousin and best friend in Slytherin, but he did find the anti-anything-but-the-purest-of-blood attitude inexcusable and, basically, evil.

“Then again,” He mulled, half-taking in what Dana was saying, “How many Slytherins have you actually met? Kori Williams, the girl by the lake. That’s it, really. And she wasn’t exactly bad was she, she seemed pleasant enough, she was a bit short with that Kelsey person, but apart from that she was nice.”<br>
As he finished his moment of thought he noticed that Dana, for some reason or another, was pulling a face at Jake and pulling her ears down with both hands. He caught what she said and laughed out loud.

“Er, I would!” He claimed, quite truthfully. He doubted that Dana had ever been innocent in her life and wouldn’t put any amount of trouble-making past her. He let her go on though and sniggered again at the mention of the antics of a person in Hogsmeade.

“So I can’t get away with trying to pinch your butt then?” Jake said, looking mock-disappointed, “Well that just takes all the fun out of life,” He grinned toothily at her but lowered his eyebrows slightly when she asked what he had against Slytherins. Casting his mid back to his previous train of thought, he shrugged, “Nothing I suppose but you hear stories you know. And I’ve only met one, Kori Williams, so I guess they haven’t had chance to prove me wrong. You’re going to biased though aren’t you, having relatives and friends in Slytherin, and nearly being sorted there?”<br>

[dana]

Dana placed her hand over her heart and feigned mock-hurt: “What? You don’t believe in my blue-eyed naivity and childish innocence? I’m hurt!”<br>Dana grinned – she had had her fair share of detentions and punishments during the 5 years she spent at Hogwarts. Most of them were earned as well.
“Well, you can certainly try,” Dana grimaced towards Jake, as he asked whether or not he would get away with pinching her but, “I can’t stop you from that, but I can guarantee that the punishment will be quick and I doubt that you’ll like it. That particular Slytherin was left on the ground by me with a broken nose I think. He has avoided ever since. It’s rather fun actually. I think I really have a mean streak in me as well.”<br>
Dana listened as Jake thought about her relations with SLytherins and thought about it quietly. Well, the SLytherins might seem mean to some people. Then again – Dana had a rather unique position in the wizarding world – she was accepted by the muggle-borns and half-bloods but even fanatic pure-bloods didn’t seem to mind her very much as they didn’t count her mother running off with a muggle and rather took Dana’s grand-parents as her real parents.
“I don’t know this Kori Williams, so I can’t comment, but why should I go biased? Just because I’m accepted by Slytherins and rather enjoy verbal spars with them from time to time doesn’t mean that I don’t see their mistakes and how they sometimes treat other houses and people. I just make it very clear to everyone that at my place or around me everybody have to stay neutral,” Dana explained slowly and thoughtfully. She didn’t really think much about her friendships with other houses – Dana just accepted the friendships happily and enjoyed them, not wasting time on thinking how ironic they were sometimes.

Reaching into the small bag on her back, Dana pulled out an apple and offered one for Jake as well, while she bit into one herself: “Hungry?”<br>

[jake]

"I'm ]always hungry," Jake told Dana, grinning and taking the apple from her gratefully. He threw it in the air and caught it in his right hand then took a large bite out of it. "Cheers Dana," He thanked rather thickly due to the amount of apple in his mouth. He swallowed and went back to thinking about the Slytherins of the school. Dana seemed to have a pretty good deal, he could bet that there wasn't many half-bloods that were so accepted by Slytherins. Jake himself, having witch and wizard parents (though one was muggleborn) himself, would bet his bottom dollar that they wouldn't take so kindly to his own heritage.

"Neutral seems like a good position to be in," He agreed, stopping in his tracks as he spotted something in close proximity. Another flight of stairs loomed infront of them and Jake wasn't really keen on the idea of having a repeat prformance from Dana, "Right - how're we going to do this? We could always turn back I guess, but this is the way to the Common Room, right? I could do with getting back there."

[dana]

Dana grinned as Jake said that he is always hungry. Dana knew the feeling – she herself ate surprisingly much. Luckily it never showed on her figure. Dana was forever grateful for that detail as she could never tolerate a diet. Dana loved food to much to never cease eating.
As her mouth was full Dana just raised her apple for a moment as an answer to Jake’s ‘cheers’.
“Well, an old family-line and wealth aren’t necessities for living, but they certainly do make some thing easier. My mother ran away from a muggle, so that’s why I’m a half-blood. But before that I had centuries of pure-blooded family behind me,” Dana explained with a careless shrug why Slytherins accepted her.

Dana looked at the stairs coming up and sighed: “What makes you think I know how to get up them? We cling to the railing, pray to whatever is listening that the stair-case doesn’t turn and heave ourselves up with our hands?” Dana suggested with a groan as she rolled to the staircase and started doing as she had said.
She had climbed up about three steps, when the thoughts in Dana’s mind flashed. Not being able to control her laughter, Dana collapsed on the stair-case and laughed with real mirth, until tears were rolling down her cheeks from laughing that much.
“We… are complete morons,” Dana gasped out between barks of laughter as she tried to calm herself. Pulling out her wand Dana waved it towards Jake. Because of the laugther still bubbling out of Dana Jake’s roller-blades turned to bunny-slippers, so Dna corrected the mistake quickly, so Jake was standing again, wearing the same shoes she had started with.

Dana grinned and changed her shoes back as well, before standing up again: “Well, that was… amusing if not anything else. I’ll see you around probably.” Dana grinned at Jake and waving at her, took off again in a trot with a broad grin still visible on her face.


((I figured the post has prett much ended already. Even though it was fun ))

[jake]

Jake shook with laughter as he watched Dana's attempt to climb the stairs. It wasn't the msot co-ordinated display in the world to say the least and Jake wasn't much looking forward to having a go himself.

"You can say that again," Jake agreed, as Dana called them both morons, "I don't know how I'm going to manage to get up there in these things -"

Apparently he didn't have to and Jake stared down at his feet in utter horror as a pair of fluffy, pink bunny slippers appeared in place of his roller-blades. He opened his mouth to protest, and reached for his wand but Dana, although still laughing managed to get him his old, suede trainers back. Dana swapped her roller-skates for her shoes and, still with a strong tint of laughter in her voice, said goodbye and continued up the staircase.

"Yeah see you around," Jake called after her, grinning and shaking his head slightly at her retreating back. It had most definitley been an experience, though he wasn't honestly sure if it was one he would be keen to go through again. Chuckling to himself, Jake dug his hands into his pockets and started up the staircase.

((Amazing. My first formally-finished post. )