AN: Written for The 2012 Hogwarts Games: Women's Tennis: The Black Family. Round 1 and The Scenery Competition. Round 3. Scene #1.
The Black's always held a Christmas Ball in the Black Manor out in the moors in North Yorkshire every single year. Looking around, a red feathery fan on her hand Lycoris' blue eyes took in the gigantic Christmas tree decorated with silver frosted baubles, white fairy lights, a green ribbon wrapped around the tree and a grand star on the tip finished it off. It was the first ball Lycoris could attend, as she was now fifteen.
And seeing the extravagance that her family put in these balls made her never want to leave the Black family. She wanted this. Wanted every year to be in the elegant, pompous and frilly balls that the Black's were so known about. She wanted to keep the benefits the Black family could offer, Cory wanted it so much that she would stop at nothing.
A voice interrupted her thoughts. "I had the same look in my eyes when I had my first ball." Turning around she was met with the sight of an old but yet beautiful, her great-great aunt Misapinoa Blishwick née Black. Lycoris vaguely wondered when she would die, she was ninety-four and still alive. Looking at her, she guessed that all those beauty charms kept Aunt Missy still looking somewhat young. After all she was born a Black.
And everybody knew that a Black would never be caught with a wrinkle.
"But of course as all of who is birthed in the Black family, like ourselves, will have to learn sooner or later that this life will end. We'll have to say farewell and enjoy the life of a married witch." Misapinoa said as she wrapped together her hands and looked ahead.
Lycoris frowned, "Well, I won't have to say farewell." 'I'll be by Arcturus side.'
Misapinoa's dark eyes looked amusedly at her. "That's what I said too, when I was your age." Cory's head stared at her old aunt. "But then I met Jimbo and well the rest is history my dear." Her voice filed with reminiscent memories. Lycoris sighed knowing the rants of her aunt would start about her dead husband and dead children. Some grandchildren that did and didn't want her. Cory closed her eyes as she blocked her aunt and begged Merlin for a savior.
A warm hand touched her shoulder. And instead of making her shiver in want, it made her recoil in disgust. She already knew who her so-called savior was, without even turning around. "Lycoris." His tone was eager, making her think that he was a failure and a horrid boy.
Misapinoa who had been talking stopped and sneered at the intruder. "Mr. Macmillan, it's rude to interrupt your elders."
William Macmillan's baby blue eyes widened, bowing his head he apologized quickly and clearing his throat and asked Lycoris in a quivering voice and a red hue on his cheeks. "Would you like to dance?"
"Well in that case, then I guess your forgiven young man." Misapinoa said snarkily and turned and left as she caught sight of a pregnant Aunt Lysandra.
Her shoulders slumped as she cursed both Merlin for putting William here and being ditched by her old aunt. Her blue eyes looked for her Arcturus. If she found him, he would save her from William. But he was nowhere in sight! Feeling uneasy, Lycoris already knew with who he was.
She wanted to refuse. But then she remembered that she couldn't quite say no to her fiancée. With a defeated sigh, her small palm touched his hand, as they walked towards the ballroom of the Black Manor she could distantly hear that William was talking to her. "Cory?" She repressed the feeling of vomiting of hearing the nickname that Arc had given her coming from Will's lips.
"Hmm?"
"I said you look pretty." He blushed.
Looking down at herself she nodded, "Thank you." She did look pretty; Lycoris had dressed herself with one thought on her mind. To have Arcturus eyes on her and not on Melania. But it seemed that she had captured William's instead. She would have liked to been complimented by Arc but again, luck was not on her side.
Coming finally to the ballroom, she looked up eagerly as music flowed through the room, carrying the figurants in a graceful dance. The music almost appeared to be visible. When they spun around, it felt as though it was spinning with them. When the men tossed their lady partners into the air, it seemed it jumped up with them. Everyone in the room felt a deep seeded need to join the dance. Few were able to resist for long. A wicked thought entered Lycoris' mind.
Pulling William into the dance floor he eagerly held her close and mimicked the dancers movements. Her blue silk dress flew around her in a delicate almost ethereal manner. Lycoris Black was an exquisite sight. Pale skin, blue eyes and dressed as a princess with her diamond tiara her hands held on William's shoulders as he picked her up by her small waist.
It was only a second. But in that moment, Lycoris gave Will a look of coyness. As her feet met the floor she caught sight of an angered gaze from her brother.
Will twirled her around the dance floor as her blue eyes looked at Arcturus. He was dancing with Melania, their bodies touching and both were looking at each other with love. Looking straight at William he spun her causing a giggle to escape from her rouge lips. Instantly feeling the stare that she always longed for, Cory knew that she had achieved half of what she wanted.
Soon the song ended and William and Lycoris kept dancing. She had to admit, that the Hufflepuff was a good dancer and not once stepped on her small feet. But he was a bore, the few times he tried to make conversation, which really, why would you make conversation when one was dancing was irking Lycoris to no end. She passed the time by counting the head of the dancers; the ones her eyes could see.
And by the time she was at the head of forty-nine, the insipid of William had rationalized that she was tired which was half true, she was more bored than exhausted but Lycoris would prefer to eat liver then say she wasn't.
Fanning her face with her red feathery fan, they made their way out of the dance room and into the hallways filled with people. "So is that a yes?" William asked enthusiastically making her look at him with confusion contorting her aristocratic features. William bit his lip and stopped walking as both his hands held hers, "I said, if you would like to visit the manor while we're in the holidays…"
'Oh dear.'
Lycoris wanted to say no but she knew that her father would get even angrier with her. They still hadn't been on talking terms since she ran up to her room crying a week ago when it was announced that she would marry William. Before she could even answer a cold hand wrapped around her waist and made her shiver in want. Her face turned and was met by Arcturus. "Well we are going that's for certain. After all, I am marrying your sister." He smirked.
Biting her tongue in attempt to stop her from saying that she was against her brother's marriage she looked at the floor. Lycoris battled the tears, life was unfair. Why did Arc have to marry that sweet and disgustingly fake of Melania Macmillan? She wasn't even that pure as her! Melania wasn't even that beautiful! Not like her. She was skinny, too blonde and her eyes were grey, no color in Lycoris opinion. And someone couldn't be that nice as Melania. It had to be false, it just had to be, it was just a mask so Arcturus would fall at her feet, which unfortunately he already was.
Lycoris was so deep in her jealous thoughts that she didn't notice that Arcturus was pulling her to a secluded room in the Manor until the door banged closed did she blinked and looked up and was met by his furious glare. Gulping a taking a step back, everyone knew that it was a foolish idea to get Arcturus mad, and normally that anger was directed to Regulus and Pollux. Never at her, he was always attentive and loving to her, more so now, since that night he had consoled her when she had gotten engage to William.
"What is your problem, Lycoris?" He hissed taking a step forward, without waiting a reply from her he continued, "Why are you so bloody obvious?" Arc stepped closer, causing Lycoris' back to bump into the wall. "Your acting like a spoiled little girl."
Being obvious was something she was good at. Not a bit of remorse entered her. Lycoris didn't care what people thought. She only cared for what Arcturus thought. Seeing him now, it seemed that he was not pleased with her.
Her blue eyes squinted, "You know very well what is my problem. You are going to marry Melania!" She frowned as her hands slapped his chest.
Frowning he caught her wrists and shook her, "Stop it!" But she tried to push him away, suddenly feeling very angry and disgusted by him. He was going to sell himself off to a common witch!
"Don't you love me, Arc?" Lycoris started to cry her pushes weakening, "I'm so much better." She said in between sobs now. "Can't you see it? Can't you feel it?"
Arcturus hands went slowly to her cheeks and pulled her to his chest and immediately felt guilty and angry with himself for making his little sister cry. "I loved you first." She whispered against his chest. "I'll always love you, even after you ma-"
His fingers went to grip her wrists again and shook her. "I said stop it!" Arcturus eyes looked heated, he even felt hot against her. Pushing her hard against the door he hissed again, "I'm so sick of all this rubbish! I'm sick of you, Lycoris. Why are you trying to make me feel guilty?" With that his hold on her dropped as if she burned him, running his hand through his black hair he groaned. "I'm so confused. I love Melania…but I love you too. And I don't know what to do! I feel guilty for continuing what we're doing, but…I…can't stop now."
"Then don't stop it!" She exclaimed and took a step forward with a bit of trepidation. Her hand touched his shoulder but she took a step back as he lunged forward and pushed her against the wall. Lycoris was about to whine even more but was interrupted by him, "Don't you listen? Stop it." And his lips landed on hers.
The kiss definitely made Lycoris stop talking and to wrap her arms around his neck but he stopped her as he clutched her wrists again, impeding her to touch him. Impeding her from making him feel more tainted then he felt for even kissing his own sister. The kiss was fiery and passionate filled with love, confinement, desperation and resentment all at once. And it was beautiful. It may have not been beautiful to others but for Arcturus and Lycoris-especially for Lycoris it was beautiful. It made her skin tingle. Her lips to buzz against his as he kissed her roughly. Her face flushed, the fan quickly forgotten now as it fell on Arc's shoes. It felt like a sugar high from one got from eating twenty chocolate frogs, champagne and sugared butterfly wings all at the same time.
A small moan escaped her lips as he moved to get a better angle. Arc took that opportunity to plunge his tongue inside her mouth. And she couldn't comprehend why this was wrong, when it felt so right. Wishing to Merlin that Arcturs would never stop kissing her. She felt as his body pressed into hers intimately making Lycoris dizzy with want.
The kiss was still filled with raging emotions and both couldn't stop. It had been days since their first time together and both felt the lust that was dripping from their pores.
His lips parted from Cory's and nibbled her neck. Her head bumped into the wall, as she stretched to feel more of him. "Please..." She begged not even knowing why. And Arcturus would have continued, he would have had his under her silk blue dress and do exactly what she wanted. But their names being called by their father made them freeze their actions and sounds.
Arc's black eyes bulged and took a step back. Taking a deep breath, his hands tried to erase the wrinkles on his robes, but it was no use. Seeing Lycoris, her blue silk dress was wrinkled as well and her lips were smeared from her lipstick. Cory walked close and taking her handkerchief she cleaned the rogue lipstick stain on his face.
After some time, Both siblings were presentable. Opening her red feathery fan she fanned her blushed face, waiting for Arc to leave. His hand was on the door knob, "Tonight." He didn't even glance back, leaving her with an ache in her heart.
Closing her eyes, her palm went to her chest, feeling the deep longing she always felt when he left her. Lycoris would take whatever he offered. In the end, he would always come back and be hers. It would be their little secret. With that thought in mind she left the room and once again danced with her fiancée. But this time a secret smile was on her lips, filled of passion and love and no one was the wiser, not even William who smiled back just as passionately and in love.
AN: I just love Arcturus and Lycoris :) Please review!