Just Dropping By (Riley, Dakota)

[Jack Reid]

Jack walked into The Three Broomsticks, looking for Riley. He assumed he would be there early, before her, and from a quick scan of the restaurant, his hunch was confirmed. This was perfect. They had planned tonight to be their date night, and Jack wanted to at least keep part of the date a bit of a surprise. The host came over to the desk and looked at the reservation book. “Do you have a reservation?” Jack found it odd that The Three Broomsticks took reservations, but he decided to answer anyway. “No, but I do need a table for two. And quickly.” The man took another look at the reservations, pulled two menus out and addressed him again. “Follow me.” They came to an empty table with not many people around. It seemed like it was pretty empty for a Friday night, but Jack wasn’t complaining. It would give he and Riley a chance to really talk and have a good time. “Thank you, and could you ask our waiter to bring two glasses of wine?” The man smiled. “Certainly.” Jack was happy he didn’t have any problems with getting what he needed. He pulled the chair out and sat down, waiting for Riley.

As he sat there, waiting for her, Jack went back over in his mind how this whole relationship had happened. He and Riley weren’t even close to the same circles, but something had clicked that day in the courtyard. It wasn’t something he thought about often, because when he actually did think about it, he questioned his judgement. His father wasn’t happy about the fact he was dating a Gryffindor, and a younger student at that. Mum was younger than Dad, but of course, that didn’t mean Jackson wanted his eldest son to do the same thing. Christmas had proved that Jackson didn’t want Jack having anything to do with this girl, but Jack couldn’t change what he felt. Riley was everything to him, and he wasn’t even close to letting her go, no matter what happened. He had it in his mind to ask her to marry him right then and there, but they were still young. Even if they got engaged right now, they would be waiting quite a while before they could actually get married. Two more years in Hogwarts for Riley. She could snap at any moment and leave Jack in the dust, like Juliet did. Jack couldn’t believe he was still thinking about her. Juliet had just disappeared out of his life without so much as a goodbye.

As Jack’s mind wandered, which he didn’t allow it to very often, he worried that Riley was having second thoughts. While they had thoroughly enjoyed themselves at home over the holidays, and had spent some time in New York for new years, Jack knew that Juliet had left him without any warning whatsoever. Riley could do the same. His attitude, his actions, they could just be rubbing her the wrong way. In fact, she could have been out there with the Daughters that night and plotting to come see him, just to break things off. It scared him, but at the same time, if she couldn’t stick with someone like Jack, she didn’t deserve him. Things would happen the way they were supposed to happen. The waiter forced Jack out of his mind games, as he sat two glasses down, pouring the wine. He hoped Riley would get here soon, so his worries and thoughts would be put to ease. “Thank you. We’ll order when my date gets here,” he said to the waiter. He sipped some of the wine, feeling it burn slightly on the back of his throat. He looked over to the door, not seeing anyone yet. He heard some music behind him and looked to see who was playing. Then he heard the door open, and turned back to see if it was Riley, finally. But this wasn’t Riley.

[Dakota Fox S6]

Tolerance, patience, silence - they were all virtues; virtues Dakota Padme Fox did not, unfortunately, possess. Not usually, anyway. Dakota was many things - scheming, manipulative, flirtatious - and barely any of them held any sense of purity or niceness. Dakota was a fox by name, fox by nature. She particularly enjoyed entertainment, for she was often bored by the norm - because where was the excitement there? Dakota strived to be exciting, sought out exhileration; they completed her, made her content. Dakota loved to either be the centre of attention or create attention that would amuse her. In short, Dakota Fox was a troublemaker, through and through.

And so, when she noticed a certain fellow Slytherin seated in The Three Broomsticks, looking lonely and evidently waiting for his date, Dakota smiled. This was a perfect opportunity. She was bored; single; alone. Perfect. She had been wandering Hogsmeade for a while actually, extremely, extremely bored, so this was a wonderful chance to relieve herself of such boredom. This boy was the perfect target. Dakota almost purred to herself in delight.

"Jack Reid," Dakota smirked flirtatiously as she walked up to his side and flashed her pearly-white teeth at him. "You're alone?" She sounded mockingly surprised and, before Jack could protest, she took the seat next to him. "Or maybe you're waiting for someone." Dakota's eyes twinkled with mischief as she hailed the bartender for a drink. She turned upon Jack again almost immediately after, not letting him get a word in edgeways. "I really must commend you, Jack," she started to say with a sly smile. "For Coxen, that is. To attract such a difficult catch..." She tutted to herself and batted her eyelids. "Must have been a nightmare," she exaggerated, dark humour evident in her voice. "Especially a Daughter." Her eyes flashed for but a moment, then disappeared.

"I'll be honest, though, Jack," Dakota continued obliviously. "I think you could do much, much better. Riley is very pretty, I'll give her that, and she has spunk - and spunk is great, I commend spunk. But she's a bit hot-headed, a little bit immature for you, don't you think?" Dakota had always thought the couple of Reid and Coxen rather ludicrous. Not only were they in opposing houses (not that Dakota had ever been concerned much about house, but she thought Jack was against any house beside his own, was he not? And Riley's rather large and extended family did not even have a single Slytherin individual), but they were in different years. They were not compatible whatsoever, in personality or in house or anything! Really, they made a wonderful Couple of the Year in Hogwarts. Oh, the destruction they had left in their wake and the rumours that followed them around... Pure entertainment, it was.

Dakota waited for Jack's angry reply. He would have to defend his girlfriend, right? Dakota wanted to see exactly how much he 'loved' Riley Coxen. She would test him and expose him, play with him and mess with his handsome head. That was Dakota's purpose in life, after all. "I've heard quite a few things about you and Riley. Maybe you can clarify them for me, Jack?" Dakota giggled and received her beverage with a grin. She didn't like Riley Coxen, in all honesty; she tolerated Jack, for he was quite a handsome man. Dakota now had a better reason to dislike Riley, despite the fact she was annoying and immature and enjoyed doing stupid pranks with her equally stupid twin brother; Riley was a new member of the Godric's Daughters and Dakota, as a new member of the Queens of Slytherins, was not going to be partial to her any longer if she ever was.

[Jack Reid]

This was certainly not his girlfriend who was strutting up to the table he sat calmly at, acting like she owned the place. The sly Dakota Fox, a fifth year from his same house, was approaching him and he had no idea what she wanted. Knowing her, she was after something she couldn’t have, namely him. Riley had become a bit more popular since she and Jack had started dating, and now that he was off the market again, it had seemed like he had been receiving some cold stares from his entire house, specifically the women. That was likely because he had picked out of his own house to date, but he didn’t care at the moment. If they wanted to judge him for his taste in women, they could. He didn’t have to listen. He knew Dakota was a troublemaker, and he silently swore to himself, knowing she would likely be about to make things interesting. There was only one reason he would be sitting there with two glasses of wine, and that was because he was waiting for Riley. Dakota knew this, it was evident.

She walked up to the small table, only enough room for two, and stopped at his side. She mockingly asked if he was alone or just waiting for someone. He turned his head away, knowing that if he didn’t talk to her, it might give her reason to leave. He could feel his face getting a slight bit flustered. How could it not, Dakota was one of the most attractive women in his house. And here she was, practically throwing herself at a taken man. She waved for a drink. Well that meant she intended on staying a bit longer than he wanted her to. He didn’t want to respond, even though he had everything in his right mind to just tell her to bugger off. It seemed like his anger was fueling Dakota’s fiery attitude. She commended him, for getting quite lucky at snagging such a “difficult catch”. “For your information,” he said with a calm voice, “no one ‘caught’ each other with our relationship. It basically just happened because of the challenge her friends gave her.” She was batting her eyes, trying to play hard to get with him. It nearly made him sick. His heart was true to Riley, and Dakota obviously knew that. She was just testing him and seeing how far she could get before he broke. That made it harder.

She was still talking? God, what didn’t she get about the situation? He didn’t want her there, and Riley would show up any second and wonder what the hell was going on between him and Dakota. She mentioned about Riley being hot-headed (as a few others had said to him) and that she was immature. “Immature?”, he questioned, his eyes wide. “Don’t you think you’re being a little immature, throwing yourself at an older and obviously not available man? Also, why does everyone seem to think Riley is hot-headed all of a sudden? She has passion, leave the girl alone.” It was just rude the way Dakota was acting, and Jack didn’t need her to stay any longer than she already had. She explained then how she had heard quite a few things about the couple, and she wanted clarification of them. Then she giggled as she took her drink from the bartender. “You want clarification? I’ll give you some clarification. Why don’t you leave me and my girlfriend alone and go find yourself a boy to drool over? You’re not getting any gossip out of me, I don’t lower my standards as much as you do to deal with gossip.” As he finished his retort, he looked at the door, fighting to see around Dakota’s figure, and see if Riley was there yet.

[Dakota Fox S6]

Dakota's eyes widened with curiosity and interest. "Oh? A challenge, you say? What challenge is this? Don't tell me - it was Little Miss Erica Maple's glorious idea?" Dakota clicked her tongue against her teeth and smirked. She really didn't like the leader and founder of Godric's Daughters; she was such a wannabe, trying to be cool with her supposedly God-like boyfriend and leading her lackeys into drink, drugs and the like. The Queens of Slytherin were much more refined than the Daughters; they were always composed in public, never putting themselves in undignified positions. Dakota did drink but she did not take drugs, nor did she sleep around despite her acting in such a way. She was much more sensible than she let people realise. Did Jack know the sorts of things Riley got up to as a Daughter? Because she had to be just like Erica and her lackeys; you could not be a Daughter without a bit of spunk and immaturity. They were all deluded girls who sought attention.

Dakota began to laugh at Jack's disbelief. He was a very naive young man; handsome but naive. She could see why Riley and him made such a good couple now - they truly suited each other. "Darling, I am barely throwing myself at you. You have never had a real woman throw themselves at you, have you?" Dakota's finger squeezed Jack's cheek and she grinned in amusement, quickly withdrawing her arm. "You're cute, Jack. In a dense sort of way. Do you want me to throw myself at you? I won't hesitate. All you have to do is ask." Dakota flashed him a flirtatious, confident smile. "Passion isn't always a good thing, Jack," she proceeded to tell him firmly. "It leads to problems. Sometimes, one has to be sensible and learn to compromise, don't you think?" Dakota knew passion was nothing but trouble; if she cared, she would have an issue controlling herself and controlling others.

Dakota smiled coolly when Jack began to order her to leave. "There are plenty of boys who will drool over me, thanks for caring. But they bore me, Jack. You're much more interesting to play with." With a wicked grin, she continued, "But you have already, darling. Don't you see? Just talking to me seals the deal. You try to accuse me of 'throwing myself at you', but trust me, darling, you're not worth that much. You're Coxen's boyfriend and I'd rather go chew a Gryffindor boy's face." Dakota gave a fake shudder and giggled. "But, in the name of goss and since you so want me to throw myself at you, I shan't resist." Before Jack could react, Dakota leaned towards him, grabbed the collar of his top and yanked his head forwards. Their lips came together and Dakota kissed him hard. It was just her lips, nothing more, but it was intense and when she broke away, she gave Jack a wide grin. "So how was it for you, babe?" she asked innocently. It was then she noticed the shocked-looking blonde standing by the door of the pub, and Dakota's grin grew even more evil. "Oh, and speaking of the Devil," she breathed mischievously. This was going to be good.