It was the morning of Hogsmeade and Linda, Vidya, and Aludra were poring over Aindora's closet while Aindora stared blankley at the clothes in question.
"But I don't care what I'm wearing," she'd made the mistake of saying early out of exhaustion, and so all of her closest friends but Orsolya were going through her things, making the 'important' decision for her.
Aindora vowed to be more careful about what she said when someone was waking her up. She just knew they were going to put her in something she didn't feel like wearing and she wasn't sure she had the energy to fight them on it.
It didn't turn out as bad as she thought it would, the nice gray skirt and blue sweater. Aindora decided that it wasn't so terrible to have her friends to the decision-making for her, that she actually got a bit of time to doze while they were doing all of the difficult struggling between outfits.
Then it was all about how she did her hair and Aludra carefully applying her rouge for her. That was a headache she wasn't allowed to sleep through, unfortunately. But somehow, Aindora made it through as Linda finished the hair and said, "There you go, Dora."
"Beautiful," Vidya gasped, and Aludra gave an approving smile and nod before putting a hand mirror in Aindora's hand to let her see what they'd finally done to her.
Her hair had been taken from its typical shoulder-length boring to a sleek-looking bun, and the rouge complimented perfectly both Aindora's natural coloring and the shade of blue of her sweater. Despite how painful it had been, handing over her appearance to the hands of her friends, Aindora had to admit that the end result was definitely worth the headache, and she would try to remember that in the future.
Breakfast was an endeavor, as Aindora found that she couldn't even smell food without feeling completely nauseous. Eoladra coming up to wish her luck only served as a painful reminder that the date was actually a date. Her second reminder of what was happening was when she followed the feel of someone's eyes on her from across the room and saw that Peter Cromwell was watching her with a strange expression. When he saw that she'd caught him looking at her he blushed attractively and looked down at his plate.
Attractive... But Alphard was attractive, too.
Aindora nearly blushed, realizing that she was sitting there thinking about Alphard versus Peter. Instead she poured some pumpkin juice and tried to put them both out of her mind for the moment. She wasn't going to get sucked into their silly game of fighting over her by giving credence to it. Her father had told her that the worst way to stop boys from fighting over her was to in some way acknowledge that either of them had any right to be doing so.
She gasped.
Was her date with Alphard just such an acknowledgement? Was she only making them worse?
But she decided that it was too late to back out, even if that was the case. If she decided that the date only worsened their behavior, there simply wouldn't be a second date with Alphard, and she'd already sworn there wouldn't be any first date with Peter. She would date other boys or not at all. The two of them couldn't have scared off the entire population of eligible boys at Hogwarts. There had to be boys as stubborn and brave as them who might be interested in her.
So Aindora met Alphard where she said she would in the entrance hall, her stomach twisting anxiously as he smiled at her.
He held out his arm like a perfect gentleman and she couldn't help but smile back as she took it.
He'd certainly been well-trained, she mused, and could even behave it, when he wanted to.
Alphard Black had undeniable charm. That much just about every girl in Hogwarts would attest to. But Aindora realized as they walked that she knew more about him than any of those other girls did. She knew his favorite sweets, the way he laughed when he was happy, the way he laughed when he was thinking about something else, the way he laughed when it was his fault. She knew so much about Alphard Black that she'd always taken for granted because he was an annoyance in her life, wasn't he? He bothered her, didn't he? He was a pest, following her around, constantly trying to claim her as his own...
But as she walked with him down to Hogsmeade, she had a hard time thinking of him as any of those things. He was being sweet, being a gentleman, treating her like a lady. Hadn't that been what her father told her was the best thing to look for in a man?
Alphard was still a boy, obviously, but Aindora couldn't help but think in terms of men. After all, Aludra was right. She was going to have to get married someday, and she wouldn't be marrying a boy. She would be marrying a man. So didn't it make sense to think of Alphard as a man, or as the man he would grow to be?
Peter was closer to being a man, she thought briefly, but she pushed that thought aside promptly. Peter still behaved very much as a child, obviously. Otherwise he wouldn't have treated her as he'd done.
Without even realizing she'd done it, Aindora clung a bit more closely to Alphard. Her first clue that she'd done so was the bit of smugness that snuck into Alphard's demeanor.
Well, why shouldn't he be a bit smug? He'd been trying to get her favor for two years. He'd succeeded to a point. That had to count for something, in the mind of a boy. Maybe it did count for something. Aindora didn't know. She was having a hard enough time thinking of how she felt on any matter to do with her date.
Because on the other hand, she didn't particularly like the idea of being someone's arm candy, especially when she got little out of it other than the smug look on Alphard's face.
"Could you try to be a little less pleased with yourself?" she muttered. "If you're going to be insufferable the whole time I might as well go my own way now-"
"Aindora, please," he sighed, frowning a little. "You can't really blame me for being a bit pleased; I mean I've been trying to get you to even look twice at me for ages. But I'll try to calm down, I promise."
She sighed, shrugged, and looked out toward the village as they continued down the path.
"How...how are you feeling today?" he asked, obviously more than a bit uncomfortable with how the date was starting.
How was she feeling?
Confused, anxious, a bit sick.
"Fine," she said softly, watching some seventh year boys run past, chasing each other rowdily. Would that be what Alphard would be doing with his friends, if he wasn't holding her arm and leading her off to their date? It wasn't what Peter was doing.
She needed to stop thinking about Peter. She was on a date with Alphard, and it wouldn't bode well for her to be thinking about someone else, especially her date's least favorite someone else. It was a surefire way for something to go wrong on the date.
"What about you?" she said softly, feeling somehow very out of place and exposed. He shrugged.
"I have to admit," he said a bit sheepishly, "I'm feeling pretty fantastic. I'm really excited about this date and I hope it's as good as I've imagined it will be."
Aindora couldn't help but smile at the look on his face. He really was a bit like a puppy, getting excited beyond all reason by every little scratch behind the ears.
"You know, you really are quite silly," she laughed. "I'm sure it will be perfectly lovely."
"Yeah, well, let's hope this doesn't put an irreparable damper on it," he muttered, nodding to his approaching sister, Walburga. Aindora bit her lip, holding in a groan.
"Alphard, Aindora," Walburga said in her snooty, I'm-better-than-you voice. "I had to see if the rumors were true. You're really going together?"
"It's just a single date, Walburga," Aindora said sweetly. "He helped me out of a tight spot recently and I'm expressing my gratitude."
Walburga raised her eyebrows skeptically, but she nodded as though she understood somehow. Aindora wanted her to go away, but she continued to walk with them toward the village.
"Does Mother know about this, Alphard?" she hissed, as though Aindora wouldn't be able to hear her. Aindora rolled her eyes, although if Walburga saw she chose to say nothing.
"Leave me alone, sister," Alphard snapped. "I'm with Aindora and I don't wish you to join us today. Surely you have friends to spend the time with."
Walburga stomped away indignantly, glaring at her brother as she left, but Aindora and Alphard breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"Sorry about that," Alphard said softly. "You know how she is."
"I do," Aindora said with a nod, watching Walburga's back. "Sometimes I think she'll never leave me alone."
Alphard stiffened at this, and Aindora wondered what was bothering him, but then she remembered his reasons behind pursuing her: marriage to the richest witch in wizarding Britain. If Aindora were to marry him, Walburga would be her sister-in-law and she truly would never be rid of the girl.
Had the date truly gone so sour before it had even begun? Aindora frowned slightly, turning away from Alphard as they walked, but he grabbed her arm gently and pulled her to a stop.
"Look, Baby Bird, I know my family is a bit...well, terrible," he said with an amused snort at the end. "But I'm not them. You can't say you and your sister always agree either, can you?"
"No," Aindra admitted with a small nod. "But my sister's got nothing on yours and you know it."
Alphard sighed, frustration absolutely seeping off him.
"I want this date to be nice," he said finally. "Please don't let my stupid sister ruin it. I like you, Aindora Rovigatti. I like you a lot. Can we just focus on that for now?"
Aindora didn't know what to say. She looked down at the pathway for a moment as other students passed them, older students who knew where they were going and who with. Their days would likely be simple, likely be nothing but fun with friends or their significant other. How had her day suddenly become so complicated?
"Will it really do any good?" she finally whispered. "You don't like me, Alphard, you like my Gringotts vault."
He blinked at her, horrified.
"Is that what you think?" he said, his voice a higher pitch than she had ever heard from him. "Aindora, maybe that's what my family likes about you, I'll give you that, but I don't need more money. I've got enough to live more than comfortably for the rest of any reasonable natural life and never have to work a day. What would I possibly do with more money?" She blinked. It was a good point. "Look, I know that's what you're used to, and I hate to admit it, but Cromwell and I, that's not even on our minds when we look at you, you know that?"
She didn't know what to say to him so she just nodded numbly, hoping that he was telling her the truth. She couldn't think of a time when Alphard had ever lied to her to her knowledge, so that had to count for something.
"All right," she said softly.
Alphard nodded sharply and then held out his arm again, leading her away to follow the others to Hogsmeade. She held her head up high and walked along to the high street.
It did turn out to be a surprisingly pleasant date. Alphard bought her all her favorite sweets, he patiently let her shop for clothes, and even had shockingly good taste, and then they went to the Three Broomsticks for lunch.
Sitting at a table for two in that crowded pub was the strangest part for Aindora, so close to Alphard, no one else to pick up the conversation and carry it in a different direction should she feel uncomfortable.
True to his word, also, Alphard was a perfect gentleman.
"So," he finally said as they enjoyed lunch, "I hope you've had a good day."
"Yes," Aindora said slowly. "Yes, it has been quite good. I suppose you've definitely kept your end of the bargain."
Alphard grinned.
"And you've more than kept yours," he said, letting his fingertips brush hers. Aindora raised her eyebrows, but didn't move her fingers away.
"And what was my end?" she teased, not entirely sure what he meant.
"Being beautiful, charming company, of course," he said, his fingers remaining on hers, his eyes watching her as her cheeks flushed without her permission.
Had it suddenly gotten hotter in the Three Broomsticks, or was that just the heat in his gray eyes?
They walked around the high street for a while, but eventually they ran out of things to do and Alphard offered to walk her back to Ravenclaw Tower, presenting his arm graciously.
"Please, don't," she said, looking at his arm. "I really don't..."
"Oh," Alphard said, frowning as he realized what she meant. "I'm sorry, it's more a habit than... Would you rather I held your hand?"
It was an interesting question. To say yes implied that she would want to hold his hand, and Aindora knew what that implication could lead to. To say no would be to enforce the stiff ceremony that came with being on his arm, and all the horrors that came with that.
Finally, she nodded and said, "I suppose that would be all right."
And he smiled at her.
Not a smirk, but a proper smile. Aindora couldn't help but think as he took her hand how beautiful Alphard Black's smile was. The thought sent heat pooling to her cheeks, and he only seemed to smile brighter. It was turning into a terribly powerful cycle.
They walked back to the grounds of the school, away from the village that was being overrun by young students eager for sweets and shopping. It was starting to get colder and Alphard took off his cloak, wrapping it around Aindora despite her uncharacteristically meek protestations. In truth, she was glad of the added warmth, but such chivalry always made her nervous, especially coming from Alphard. Peter, he was a Gryffindor, chivalrous by nature. Alphard, he was taught chivalry from birth as a way to advance himself in getting what he wanted. How could she ever trust such gestures from him? How could she ever feel comfortable with his subtleties?
Still, she pulled the cloak tighter around her to stave off the chill of the breeze.
They reached the castle and she handed back his cloak once they were in the warmth of the stone walls, and he took it back a bit reluctantly. Perhaps he had hoped that she would accidentally keep it, or maybe even purposefully keep it. Aindora sighed inwardly. Always with the subtleties, whether he realized or not. Perhaps he didn't want her money, but he did seem to be playing a sort of game. Did he want her for the challenge? She had certainly proved herself to be a challenge.
Or worse, did he want her because Peter wanted her?
"What's wrong, Baby Bird?" Alphard asked as they stood outside Ravenclaw Tower and the door that would let her go back to her own dormitory and mull everything over.
So he had noticed that her wheels had begun to turn again. She looked up at him nervously, wondering what he would say to try to assuage her nerves if he could see into her head. She could see into his.
It was a gift she had always really had, smelling the emotions of others, occasionally seeing their thoughts, and even occasionally she could speak to someone who wasn't even with her and they would hear her words as if they were speaking right into their ear. Her father had assured her that these gifts were nothing to be frightened of and had urged her to use them sparingly and wisely. He had also promised to one day tell his daughter what they meant, but had insisted for years that she was too young to know.
"I'm fine," Aindora lied, not meeting his gray eyes. His eyes, she had learned long ago, were hard to lie to, much like Peter's were.
Alphard put his fingers under her chin and lifted her head to look him in the eye, his gray eyes swirling with concern and even a bit of fear. She could smell his anxiety.
"Don't lie to me, Baby Bird," he whispered. "What's wrong?"
Aindora, knowing that she could not lie, just shook her head and looked at him. If he couldn't understand what a terrifying position she was in, she didn't know how to explain. He watched her for a moment, and she could not decipher the process of his thoughts. She did not even try.
She could smell affection mixed with his confusion and anxiety and her eyes met his again, confused.
Before Aindora had a chance to try to think of what had caused the change in his emotions his lips were pressed softly to hers, and the same strange rush she had felt when Peter had kissed her filled her. No, he didn't stick their lips together, but she found her heart rate speeding up dangerously and giddiness overcame her as his hand cupped her cheek, lips still touching hers lingeringly.
Aindora did not pull away, still dazed as he pulled out of the kiss, smiled at her, and said, "See you around, Baby Bird."
She stood alone in the hallway, touching her lips and wondering what on earth was going on.