For Sammy via GGE (LuciusAndromeda)
Days of the Month, Umbrella Day: Set your fic in a rainstorm
Liza's Loves, Dark N Stormy: storm
Serpent Day, Eyelash viper: "Come a little closer, darling."
Insane House Competition: petrichor
Word Count: 809
Andromeda smiles when Lucius joins her in the garden. She notices her mother peering out the window at them, but she doesn't stay and stare for long. Andromeda is the responsible one, after all; she needs much less supervision than her sisters. Besides, Lucius is her best friend. As much as Andromeda wishes he would look at her as more, it will never happen. As soon as her mother's face disappears behind the lace curtain once more, Andromeda holds out her hand. With a grin, Lucius accepts it.
"Don't you ever get bored of the garden?" he asks as they walk along the smooth stone path. "It seems that every time I visit, you're out here."
"Flowers don't ask stupid questions," she teases, poking her tongue out at him. "You do."
A dusty pink stains his cheeks. Andromeda bites back a laugh; it still amazes her that someone as high and mighty as Lucius Malfoy blushes at her words.
"I do not ask stupid questions," he grumbles, turning his attention to the sky. "Wouldn't you rather go in and have a cup of tea? Looks like a storm is coming."
"And there's a stupid question," she says as they approach the distant garden wall. She pauses, leaning in and inhaling the sweet scent of a cluster of small powder blue flowers. "A little rain is perfect. And the petrichor that follows a summer storm…"
Lucius rolls his eyes. "And the damage water can cause certain expensive fabrics," he counters, pulling his hand free from her grip and smoothing it over his shirt for emphasis.
"Not my fault you insist on dressing impractical."
Another eye roll. Andromeda grins. He really is adorable when he gets flustered. She wishes she could see him like this more often, but no one seems to be able to get to him the way she does. She wonders if that makes her special.
The first rain drops begin to fall. Andromeda grins as they bead Lucius' face. "Dance with me," she says.
"We really ought to get inside…"
Rolling her eyes, she takes his hand. "Stop being such a stick in the mud, you grouch," she laughs, securing his other hand in hers.
She doesn't dance; though her parents have always insisted it's an important skill for her and her sisters to have, she's never cared to learn properly. That doesn't stop her now. Her movements are awkward, and Lucius' reluctance doesn't make it any easier. Still, he humors her, at least swaying a bit as she tries to lead.
"You are a terrible dancer," he accuses, an amused smirk tugging at his lips.
"If you're so great, why don't you lead?" she asks.
"As you wish."
Lucius is a surprisingly good dancer. Andromeda assumes his parents must have also preached the importance of dance lessons while growing up. He guides her along, no longer seeming to care that the rain is now pouring down, even as they slip and slide in the mud. Andromeda giggles, and Lucius seems to relax; a small smile softens his expression.
"Getting better," he murmurs. "Come a little closer, darling."
He pulls her in until the small space between them becomes nonexistent. Andromeda wonders if they're close enough that he can feel the way her heart races. There's no doubt that he can feel how unsteady her breathing has become. Despite the cold rain that splashes against her skin, she can still feel the heat warming her cheeks.
"We really should go inside," he murmurs, leaning closer.
Before Andromeda can respond, his lips find hers. If he couldn't feel her heart pounding earlier, he has to now. It feels as though her heart might jump out of her chest. She's dreamt of this moment for so long, but she would never dare to think it was possible.
When they finally pull away, she is breathless. She watches him, her jaw slack. She waits for Lucius to laugh and say something sarcastic about the kiss. There's no way he could have meant it. It had just been a spur of the moment thing.
Instead, he offers her a grin. "You're right. Nothing quite like a garden in the rain," he says, wrapping a wet arm around her.
"You kissed me…"
He snorts. "Very observant, Andi. I've been wanting to die that for years now," he says. "I hope you don't mind."
"No. I've wanted to as well," she whispers.
Lucius leans in, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. "We really should get inside," he says as the wind picks up. "The weather is getting nasty."
For once, Andromeda doesn't protest. She's always loved the garden and has preferred it to anywhere else in the world, regardless of the weather. Now, knowing that Lucius feels the same, she thinks that maybe anywhere will be okay, as long he's with her.