Chapter Three:
"Oh!" Fauna automatically cooed as Rachel twirled in her black netted dress. Underneath was the finest silk in England. After all her friend could afford the most beautiful materials in the country because her vault in Gringotts was overflowing with gold galleons and silver sickles.
"You don't always have to act gooey when I have a new dress made," Rachel giggled at her friend's mild scowl. "I like your skirt," she commented placing the finishing touches to her makeup.
The indigo purple dragon hide skirt reflected the candlelight from the many that were lit in the girl's dormitory. The room offered all the Slytherin girls time to unravel away from the outside world. The emerald curtains draped from the wall. Long since had they removed the House's insignia from their sight; it was one of the pains of the path.
"You are always beautiful, and as always the eyes will be on you," Fauna lounged in the armchair beside her bed. Comfy, she did not want to move. Already her shoes were beginning to pinch her feet. By the end of the night they would be screaming in agony, unable to contain her joy as they were released.
Rachel threw down the brush frustrated, "I can never get the look of that Weasley woman!"
"Who?" Fauna was not remotely interested.
"Robbie's aunt, Hermione," the teenager recalled the happy summer she had spent the previous year at in the company of the Weasley family at the Burrow. Hermione had come across with Hugo and Rose often. Robbie was brilliant with his younger cousins. One night there had been a celebration for Robbie to come of age. Where the entire Weasley family gathered in merriment for this rite of passage; Hermione had worn a beautiful rouge cocktail dress with perfect 1920s makeup on. And never had she been able to do the look herself.
Awkwardly Fauna asked, suddenly, "I heard that you had an encounter with—"
"The Grey Lady walked in on me and Robbie making out," Rachel dismissed the query without details.
It would provoke Fauna, but it was not a boundary that she was going to cross. What had happened was between her and Robbie, not the two of them and the entire school. As if things were not difficult enough without a ghost spreading malicious gossip about her.
Fauna agreed, "Tonight we are two single women on the prowl!"
Rachel laughed to herself. The use of prowling was not the best choice of words given that two of their friends were werewolves. Never the less it amused her. "Come on," she liked arms with her best friend. The worries of the day placed on the top shelf in her mind—tonight she was going to have fun with her friends.
Slowly they began the hike up to the seventh floor from the dungeons- in those heels it was a monumental task. There were no passageways; also, hopefully by the time the pair had reached their destinations their thirst would be so great that it was impossible to slake. "I hope Marke is there," Fauna muttered excitedly at the prospect on the second floor.
"I think he said he may put in an appearance," Rachel pulled down her dress at the back as a group of sixth years wolf whistled at her. Maybe the length of her dress was disputable.
"You're hot!" Fauna exclaimed, "It's a compliment. Plus it's classical sexy! It covers everything but lets them imagine what could be."
Once more a rush of laughter over took them the rest of the way up to the celebration. Neither could contain themselves when they entered into the Room of Requirement. "OOOOOO!" Fauna marvelled. Pleasantly stunned Rachel could not believe what Victoire had done to the room they used to study in.
A shower of golden transparent curtains draped down from a grand 1920s chandelier. Classical- like what Fauna had said. The room seemed larger without all the tables in them. Private booths lined the outside of the room, with the option to close the curtains. Several couples were already embracing passionately behind the screens. It was grandeur in the highest degree. From the far corner a large gramophone played the Firebolts latest batch of songs. The old and the new.
Straight ahead of them was a table overflowing with drinks. Anything that they could dream of. Firewhiskey. Pumpkin juice. Gillyweed. Wine- red, white, rose. Mead. Butterbeer. Every time someone took a drink it was replaced by one of the same. "Come on!" Fauna beckoned her friend forward, "Before my feet kill me!"
Rachel reached for the Firewhiskey, pouring an ample measure into a clean glass. Glancing over at Fauna who was mixing a Fire Dragon's Cocktail, Rachel was forced to fill up her glass under the approving look of her friend. Teasing her, "Is that ok for her majesty?"
"Much better," she approved much more. It was her attention that the two of them would need escorting back to their dormitory by some young strong men. "We may die in this attempt but I am willing to do so," she toasted proudly.
"To a fiery night," their glasses clinked merrily, downing the contents of their glasses. The two helped themselves to more. After a few more drinks they were certain that it was safe to do a turn of the room. To interact with any totty that would take their fancy.
Working their way through the crowds of people they had known for seven long years was something they could easily do. Their first point of call was to congratulate the hostess on her impressive party, then they could move on and not return to her company. Arm in arm they used each other as a support, scanning for Victoire Weasley, who resembled more a veela than a witch.
"I found the Dragon," Fauna hissed lowly.
Sure enough the woman was surrounded by the most beautiful men. Three wizards enveloped into her grasp unable to escape, like fireflies to a candle. Her silver blonde hair glistened in the romantic candle light. Flirting over the top with men she would not normally mix with. Fauna's face fell when she realised one of them was Marke. All Rachel could do was speed up the inevitable.
"She's a pain in the neck but the niceties must be observed," Rachel shook her head. The sooner this was done the better. Victoire held it personal what Rachel's father had done to not only her family but her friend's relatives.
"She's a right pain in the ass," Fauna whispered in agreement as they came closer to her. Fauna waited to be noticed by her rival.
Rachel was not so patient. Deliberately putting herself between Victoire and her entertainment. "Marke!" she exclaimed, "I am glad you came to this spectacle."
"I would hardly disappoint the one woman I have hopes of seeing," he gleamed with triumph directing his flattery at her. He was tall and dark haired. The complete opposite to Robbie. He was the Slytherin Quidditch Keeper- strong and athletic. Completely sexy- Rachel could understand what Fauna could see in Marke.
Feigning embarrassment, Rachel toyed with him, "You know Fauna, don't you? Perhaps you would like to take a turn with her? She is in need of being taught the in-depth knowledge of Quidditch, that only a man like you possess. She has no mind for it when I myself explain it."
"One has to learn these things after all," he obliged his captain's wish. Bowing away from Victoire, he swept the joyous Fauna into his arms. When they were a safe distance, her best friend shot Rachel a look, acknowledging she was forever in her debt for this one opportunity.
Turning her attention to the other two, she fluttered her eyelashes, "Who wants to get me another drink?"
Eager to get away from the ensuing tension between the two young witches, they almost fell over each other trying to do so. One was Edmund Pensieve, a Ravenclaw, who she had Astronomy with. The other was a boisterous Gryffindor who was on the Quidditch team as a Beater, Rupert Bones. They did right. There was only a temporary ceasefire between the two of them.
"Rachel Lestrange," Victoire's nose shrivelled up in disgust. It was as if something dirty and dead had been shoved under her nose. Perhaps that is why she was no good at potions, Rachel thought quietly. Placing herself above Rachel made her morally flawed- most of all it made her a bloody hypocrite.
"Victoire Weasley," Rachel nodded curtly, demonstrating a similar resentment in her manner. The sooner this was over and done with the sooner both could go their separate ways.
"Robbie is here, I trust you will behave yourself tonight," she snidely remarked. Victoire never really respected them as a couple. She was the wicked witch who made it her mission that they would never make it.
Was it common gossip already? Juicy news really did travel fast. Reassuring her, Rachel agreed, "If you do the same with Marke."
The veela Dragon reared her head, "I only do the best for my House."
"I do not believe that," Rachel shook her head, swigging from her drink. In one way she and Victoire were the same. They both would do anything for Robbie. Victoire loved her cousin, like she did hers. Politely, she said, "I must leave you to your other guests. Thank you for the invite."
"It is my pleasure Lestrange," Victoire ignored the falseness, adding, "Remember my warning."
"As should you with mine," Rachel bowed her head. Taking her leave to watch Fauna and Marke in the corner of the room. The pair had retreated into a booth. A curtain separating their animated conversation from the world outside: there was only him and her. Rachel had known that feeling.
Where there was only you and another in the world. She had experienced it that day in the corridor. Maybe it would have gone all the way she was not sure. No one could read the future clearly. Fortune tellers could make prophecies but nothing was ever set in stone.
"You are beautiful tonight," a voice filled with angst whispered from behind her into her ear.
Rachel turned to face her admirer. This time her face flushed with rouge, embarrassed for not recognising the voice's owner. "You don't scrub up too badly either," she stuttered faintly.
"I forgive you," Robbie smiled at her softly. He knew that she had not known him. Induced in her own fantasy of the room. His black shirt was tucked into somewhat only could be described as black skinny jeans. The loveable rogue.
"I was admiring the beautiful couple that Marke and Fauna could make if they were given half a chance by your cousin," Rachel looked back at him hatefully.
"Vic has that kind of effect on people," he noted the disapproval in her voice. Robbie knew that there already had been some conflict between them already. It was impossible for Victoire to put aside the past. Many of his relations had done the same the first time he had brought Rachel home.
Rachel teased him slightly, looking over at Victoire, "I think her bark is worse than her bite!"
"Well don't shoot the messenger for telling the truth," both chortled at his admission. "I think she needs to be back with Teddy, he misses her," he said very seriously.
"I thought he was seeing my cousin Daphne?" Rachel was a little out of breath, "Or have things changed again? I don't know what he sees in her."
"That's what people said about me and you remember?" Robbie reminded her. He was like an older brother at times the way he would wisely chastised her comments and her behaviour.
"Ever the Prince Charming," she shook her head. He looked as if he had been carved by angels the way he looked tonight. There was no denying the attraction that Rachel felt to him. Every second which past in his company, she could feel herself gravitate towards him, being kept in orbit like the moon to the earth by his presence. "I never understood why I couldn't have you and all this," Rachel muttered before downing the rest of her drink.
"Fauna said you might need someone to talk to," Robbie reached for her cheek; his touch sent a tingling shock throughout her body. He appeared blissfully unaware of this, "I am here if you want to talk. I always am."
There was no pretending. Fauna had told him that she needed someone who was not her to talk to. An easy lie would not suffice with him. Robbie knew her a little too well to believe that she was merely ok.
"I keep having dreams—strange dreams over and over," Rachel confessed to him, taking his drink from his hand. Downing the full contents, she waited for him to speak.
"How real are these dreams?" he asked cautiously.
"As if they are really happening. The other day I woke up with a slash to my abdomen," she placed her hand in front of her stomach where she had managed to patch up the wound without alerting the teachers. Only the girls in her dorm knew about them, and loyally they kept them a secret. Rachel half-wept, "The other night it was close...I nearly woke up my entire dorm."
Robbie asked lowly, "Does Fauna know?"
It was obvious that she would, but Rachel answered anyway, "Yes."
"Have you taken a sleeping draft?" He enquired if she had looked for a magical response.
"Yes."
"Counted sheep?" he roared with laughter.
Rachel sarcastically threw her hands up in the air, as her goblet magically refilled itself, "Yes."
"Very well, our minds are both exhausted of things to do," Robbie opened his arm to her. Welcoming this kindness, she buried her face into his shoulder. No one else seemed concerned with this scene. "If you want some peace then I know the perfect spot where we shall not be disturbed," Robbie offered waiting patiently for her head to bob, and it did.
Calmly, he escorted her from the room. In blissful silence he escorted her into the abandoned Gryffindor Common Room up to the boys' dormitory, quickly drawing the curtains around his four poster bed. Immediately as the cloth connected it turned opaque for the outside world to be forgotten.
"They will think we are fucking," Rachel grimaced at the prospect, as she slipped her shoes on a self constructed shelf. Robbie had this installed using magic so he had more storage space. At the moment it was pretty empty. Though no doubt by the time he had next been to Hogsmeade it would be filled by books, Zonko's products, and a couple of bottles of Butterbeer or Gillyweed stashed at the back.
"You cannot always rescue me," she muttered breathlessly at the thought. There he was again to save her. Maybe she was such a mess that she did need a man to come to her aid.
Robbie offered her his shoulder once more, "You always slept peacefully in my arms. Muffilato." He made sure that they were incapable of being heard. Neither wanted any one to hear this conversation. They were being private together.
"Are you trying to relate to me?" she jeered at him, as he encased her. It was like it used to be again, for the second time today. Her golden hair fell over her shoulders like a shower of glittering yellow.
"You are like the muggle fairytale," he entwined it in his fingers.
"Rapunzel?" Rachel yawned lazily, hugging him close.
"That's the one," he rested his head on hers. Many nights they had slept like this in various places. Recently, Rachel had become different but still the same woman that he loved. This was the incontrovertible evidence that he needed to come to these conclusions.
The connection between the two was indescribable. Bound to each other, both could comprehend that their love ran deeper than the magic which ran through their veins. To all love was the greatest gift in the world, as well as the greatest weapon. Rachel struggled with being this close to the man who had broken her heart.
It almost killed her that she had watched him walk away from her. Deep inside, Rachel knew that Robbie was suffering for his weakness. Relaxing into him, she tried to breathe calmly. It was like old times. He was her harbour, maybe he could give her some comfort in all of this.
Listening carefully to her gentle breathing, Robbie allowed himself to believe what was happening. Permitting his body to comfortably sink into the array of cushions without thinking of the consequences which tonight could possibly reap, the rumours scandalous, the truth something completely different!
Steadily the two of them drifted peacefully into sleep, disregarding everyone else. If they were caught they were caught. Though tonight it did not matter.
N.B. So I bet you're even more confused now, but things should become clearer in this chapter. This is where things are going to be explained about what Rachel is dreaming about.