by Amy DeMeritt
Layla laughed into the phone. “You do know we only have an hour before the party, right? How are you going to get home, wash all of those, and get ready before people start arriving?” Mel pouted and kicked at the concrete floor. Layla sighed, then said, “Let me look at the guest list.”
Mel’s mood perked up a bit, and she started inspecting and placing several of the cobalt glasses on the cart while she waited. Layla hummed into the phone, mumbling to herself while she thought and counted, then after a few minutes, she gave Mel her best guess on the numbers. By the time she finished loading the cobalt and emerald goblets on the cart, Blake returned with three golden yellow goblets for Mel to choose from to represent her own house – Hufflepuff.
“Okay, thanks, Layla. We’re almost done here. See you soon.”
After she hung up, Mel pointed to the glass she liked the most. “I like that one. Layla thinks we need eight of those.”
“Okay, get the scarlet glasses, then,” she pointed behind Mel, “meet me three rows that way.”
After they had twenty-eight glasses total, they carefully wheeled the cart to the front of the store to pay for their items.
“Hey, Jonnie.”
The older woman smiled at Blake as she walked out from behind the counter. “Interesting assortment you’ve got there.” She smacked her chewing gum as she leaned over the cart with a pricing gun to ring up the items. “Having a themed event?”
“Hogwarts.”
“Oh, nice.”
“Should be interesting. I also need five ten-pound bags of ice.”
“The big cooler up here is on the fritz.” She smacked her gum once and waved the price gun to her right side. “I’ll have someone meet you around the side door for the ice.”
After the cashier wrapped and packed the glasses in boxes for them, she paged someone to meet them at the side entrance with the ice.
While they were loading the boxes of glasses and toilet paper in Blake’s Jeep Wrangler, Blake asked, “How well do you trust your friends?”
“Why?”
“I’m willing to bet you money that at least half of these glasses will be unaccounted for by the end of the party.”
“Yeah, I was already thinking the same thing. I don’t think my friends would ever steal anything else from us. But these glasses are pretty awesome. I might just have to make them party favors so I don’t have to end up feeling disappointed in my friends.”
“Expensive party favors.” They closed the back doors, and as they climbed in the front seats, Blake added, “You threw down a pretty penny on those glasses. And that’s after the load of money you spent on food and drinks.”
“It’s your fault for bringing me here instead of a gas station.”
“Sure.” Blake snickered. “Whatever you have to tell yourself to feel better about your impulse shopping.” She parked outside of a door along the side of the building. “Wait here.”
While Blake helped a man load the ice in the back of the Jeep, Mel sent a text to Layla to let her know they were on their way back.
Layla: Okay. We just finished everything. Alice went home to get ready. I’m taking a beer break, then I’m going to jump in the shower. Send Blake in when you get home.
Mel: Only if you promise not to use all of the hot water having shower sex.
Layla: I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try to leave enough for you and Katie to get a shower. You’ll probably have to save your sex for the bed though.
Mel: Brat.
“Alright, all loaded.” As Blake put the Jeep in gear, she nodded towards Mel’s cellphone. “Any last-minute items we need to get?”
“No, they finished with everything. Layla’s about to get in the shower.”
With a grin, Blake pressed on the gas a bit more aggressively than necessary to merge into traffic. “Great. Tell her we’ll be home in no time.”
“Gag me.”
“Sure, if that’s your kink.”
Mel rolled her eyes as she slipped her cellphone in her pocket.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Okay, you can look.”
Mel quickly stood up from the bed, and as she spun around to look at Katie, her jaw dropped, her stomach fluttered, and her clit started throbbing. She tried to say something, anything, but her throat tightened and only a croak burst from her lips, making Katie blush with pride.
Katie was wearing a perfect fandom-approved Hogwarts school uniform. She was wearing a black pleated skirt that reached just above her knees, black flat dress shoes with gray socks pulled up to just a few inches below her knees, a gray button-up school cardigan sweater, and a white button-up on underneath with a blue and silver striped tie in the collar. And to top it all off, she had a hooded black robe with the Ravenclaw emblem on the left breast.
“I… You look… Damn.”
With a grin, Katie pulled a wand from an inside pocket in her robe and flourished it in front of herself.
“Damn.”
Mel stumbled as she slammed her thighs into the corner of the bed in her clumsy effort to walk to Katie. When she reached her, looking her up and down, Katie wrapped her arms around the back of her neck and kissed her forehead.
“Glad you approve of my costume.”
“You look amazing.” Mel looked her up and down once more before meeting her eyes. “I think I just fell in love with you again.” Katie laughed as she leaned in to give her a peck on the lips. “Did you already own this or did you buy all of it for the party?”
“I already owned the robe, wand, and tie. I had to buy the sweater, socks, shoes, and skirt, but it was worth seeing you drool over me.”
“I would have been super gay for you if we were at Hogwarts for real.” She released a groan as she looked Katie up and down. “Hermione Granger can’t hold a candle to you.”
“Really?” Katie laughed as she raised her eyebrows. “You have a thing for Hermione, huh?”
“I think most girls who are into girls have a thing for Hermione. You can’t tell me you don’t. I mean, you can, but I won’t believe you.” Mel inhaled deeply as she scanned Katie again. “I really love you in this uniform. I can’t believe you kept this a secret.”
“You are really turned on right now, aren’t you?”
Still looking down at Katie’s costume, Mel breathily confirmed, “So fucking turned on.”
“Yeah? Are you thinking about shagging me in a broom closet or the potions classroom while Snape is off scolding Harry?”
Mel released a burring moan as she leaned in and latched onto Katie’s neck, sucking and nibbling the entire curve while her hands slid back over Katie’s ass.
“Or would you like to sneak under the bleachers during a Quidditch match?”
“Fuck, you’re driving me crazy.”
As Mel was sliding a hand up under Katie’s skirt, there was a quick knock on her bedroom door, then Layla walked in. She quickly dropped her hand, unseen by Layla.
“Nice! Katie, you look awesome.” She grinned as she met Mel’s eyes, and teased, “I’m surprised Mel hasn’t pinned you down on the bed yet.”
Mel stuck her tongue out at her, then countered, “You interrupted.”
“People are arriving, so you’ll have to save your role playing for later.”
As Mel started to retort with a snarky remark, Katie laughed and placed two fingers over her lips. “Come on. Layla, I love your Gryffindor costume, by the way. You look great.”
“Thank you very much. Come check out my sexy girlfriend.”
As Katie took Mel’s hand to follow Layla out of the bedroom, she asked, “What house is she?”
“Gryffindor. She thought she was going to be a Slytherin, but the Sorting Hat doesn’t make mistakes.”
They walked out to the living area of the apartment, and when Mel saw Blake, she had to admit, mentally only, that she actually did look good. She was wearing a full school uniform with pants, not a skirt, of course – just like Mel. Blake’s eyes met Mel’s as she was openi
ng the front door, and she smirked and winked at her, as if she could tell what Mel was thinking, which made her cheeks blush.
But she didn’t have time to feel or think too much about it because six of their friends loudly burst into the apartment, all wearing an assortment of costumes or Hogwarts screen-printed tee shirts. Layla jumped into hostess mode and spoke above everyone to introduce their friends to Katie and Blake, then instructed them on where they could put their contributions for the buffet. And for those of them spending the night, she instructed them to give their overnight bags to Mel to take to her bedroom till they needed them.
Katie helped Mel carry three bags to her bedroom, and as they were setting the bags down under Mel’s desk, Katie quietly asked, “Are we going to have to share your bedroom later?”
“Hell no.”
Mel grabbed her hips, turning her towards the bed with a hungry look in her eyes. Katie’s thighs hit the mattress, and as she stumbled back onto her ass, she laughed and pulled Mel down on top of herself. Katie grabbed Mel’s ass and their mouths met in a deep, passionate kiss.
But before they could really give into their desires, a couple of their friends walked into the room to drop off bags. One of them whistled, and Mel quickly jerked away from the kiss to look over her shoulder. She laughed and swatted a hand at them.
“Get the hell out of here. I’m busy.”
Gene chuckled as he leaned against the doorframe, and teased, “We see that.” He waved at Katie. “Nice to see you again. We haven’t officially met. I’m Gene. I was with Mel and Layla at the club the night you guys met.” He cleared his throat with a look of pride and buffed his fingernails on his sweater. “And I just so happen to be the person who bumped into Mel, making her grab your ass, which led to you making out on the dancefloor and then leaving the club to hook up. So, really, I’m the cupid in your amazing love story.” He bowed at the hips, concluding, “You’re welcome.”
Katie patted Mel’s ass, saying, “Get up.” Mel groaned as she climbed off of her and pulled her off of the bed. When they were standing, Katie said, “It’s nice to meet you. And that little trick was nice.” Katie glanced at Mel, then added, “But if truth be told, I was getting ready to kiss her anyway.”
“Oh, come on, you can’t let me just relish in my delusions?”
Katie laughed as she shook her head, and answered, “Sorry, I can’t let a guy think he’s the reason I got the girl I wanted,” making Mel’s face split in half with a huge smile.
While holding his hands up, Gene conceded, “Alright, I won’t steal your thunder.”
A couple more people poked their heads in to drop off their overnight bags, so while Mel took the bags, she introduced Katie, then she herded everyone back to the party.
She hung back a few paces to be alone with Katie, then leaned in to whisper, “I’m really happy you’re here.”
“Me too.”
The living area was crowded with more than two dozen of Mel and Layla’s friends standing in clusters talking and laughing. Some were goofing off with wand duels. Some were showing off new additions to their costumes that they didn’t have at last year’s party. And some had already hit the buffet for drinks and snacks.
The candelabras were lit and bathing the walls and table-tops with a warm yellow-orange glow. The TV was displaying a video of a stone fireplace with a real log fire burning. And just behind the chatter of their friends, an orchestra was playing Hogwarts themed music.
Katie looped her arm with Mel’s, and leaned in to whisper, “Okay, this is really cool. Everyone looks great.”
“Come on, let me get you a drink. Have you tried the butter beer?”
“No.” Katie practically skipped in excitement as she followed Mel’s lead. “I wanted to wait till the party to try it. While you were out with Blake, Layla told me about your many tasting sessions and experiments to find the perfect recipe.”
“Yeah, we’ve tried dozens of recipes over the past few years and this is our favorite.”
Mel grabbed a Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff goblet and squeezed between a few people to get to the large two-gallon butter beer jug. With one arm wrapped around Mel’s waist, Katie pulled the dispensing lever up on the jug so Mel could fill the glasses.
“Okay, give it a try.”
Katie accepted the glass of golden liquid that was slightly frothy on top. She took a small tentative sip, then licked a bit of foam off of her top lip.
“That’s delicious. I thought it was going to be sickly sweet, but it’s pretty well balanced.” She took a larger drink from the beautiful goblet, and nodded. “Yeah, I really like this. It really brings those Hogsmeade scenes to life.”
“Too bad we don’t have any shrunken heads hanging by the door to yell at people for leaving the door open for too long.”
Katie glanced towards the door, which was indeed wide open with people just standing in the doorway chatting.
“How do your neighbors feel about these big parties?”
“They’re usually pretty cool about it. We’re not super loud nerds.”
Katie released a small chuckle as she leaned in to kiss her. After a quick peck on the lips, she started to pull away to drink more of her butter beer, but Mel gripped her robe and pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss.
The nearby shutter of a camera lens drew them apart, and Mel introduced Katie to her friend. “This is Raven. She’s a professional photographer and always takes loads of great pictures and videos of the parties.”
In character, Raven held her camera to the side and offered her right hand to Katie, saying, “Raven Cottingham with the Daily Prophet. The boss, Rita Skeeter is off somewhere stirring up trouble as always. Can I get you to confirm, for the photo’s caption of course, are you the infamous new girlfriend to the lovely Hufflepuff you were just snogging?”
With a laugh and a nod, Katie confirmed, “The one and only. I’m Katie. It’s a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. How does one get a copy of the pictures you’re taking tonight?”
Raven winked as she tapped the right side of her nose. “After a bit of magic, I send a telegram to all of the guests for them to instantly receive them to a viewing device, or by Muggle post for a small processing and handling fee.”
Something caught Raven’s attention, and after quickly and politely excusing herself, she was swallowed up by the party to snap more pictures.
Katie leaned into Mel to whisper, “That was fun. I like your friends so far.”
“More fun than snogging? Because I would totally be up for more of that.”
She gave Mel a quick peck on the lips, whispered, “Later,” then looked back at the party.
“I guess we’ll mingle a bit before we have everyone get a plate of food so we can start the first movie.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Those of the over two-dozen party guests that missed their chance to snag a seat on the couch, armchairs, or folding chairs were sitting elbow to elbow on throw pillows with plates of food in their hands and drinks precariously sitting on the floor in front of them. Only the soft glow of the candelabras and the TV offered them enough light to see what they were doing. And as if they were all seeing the movie for the first time, all of them cheered and whistled when the introduction began for the first movie.
Katie giggled as she lifted her goblet to take a sip of spiked hot apple cider, and Mel flashed her a super cheesy grin.
They were sitting on the floor next to Layla and Blake with friends filling out in front of them and to their other side. The seating was very intimate, more intimate than Katie had ever experienced as an adult with a large group. The last time she could remember sitting around watching a movie like that with so many friends was when she was a teenager. But even those memories were not as spectacular as this one.
Katie was in love with the evening and every single precious detail that every single person had put into making the party so perfect. The food was delicious, the drinks were addictive, the conversations
had been fun and engaging, and the mood and atmosphere were like being with more than two dozen best friends, even though she only met most of them tonight. Every tangible and intangible aspect of the party made Katie feel infinitely closer to Mel.
When their relationship was in its infancy and Mel had invited her to the party a month in advance, Mel had been worried their relationship wouldn’t last long enough for Katie to actually attend. She was worried Katie would dump her again. But they made it. And Katie had not a single doubt that she wanted to be there – always.
She wanted to kiss Mel, but she didn’t want to draw attention away from the movie, so she slipped a hand over her knee and caressed her kneecap with her thumb for a moment. The simple touch caused Mel to look up from her plate with so much love and happiness glistening in her eyes and her smile that it caused a burst of heat to spread across Katie’s chest and out to her extremities. Mel leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips, and mouthed, “I love you,” making her feel even more like she was really in the magical world of witches and wizards and Mel had just cast a very powerful love spell on her.
Sitting there amongst all of Mel’s closest friends and participating in the most elaborate and enjoyable party she had ever been invited to meant more to Katie than she could possibly convey to Mel, especially right then. Mel was everything she didn’t know she wanted, and Mel exposed her to so many wonderful new ways of enjoying life – especially the simple things, like watching a movie they’ve both seen at least a dozen times. Everything with Mel was like a first, yet comforting and familiar at the same time.
While they watched the movie, people occasionally carefully climbed over each other to get more food or drinks or use the bathroom. After some couples had finished eating, such as Mel and Katie, and Layla and Blake, they stacked their plates and snuggled up together. When the first movie ended, everyone clapped and cheered, again acting as if it was the first time that they had seen the movie.
Layla, who had been sitting between Blake’s legs wrapped in her embrace for more than half the movie, hopped up to turn the movie off and turn some lights on.