Chapter Twelve – Promises
At last, the skies above are blue.
My heart was wrapped up in clover,
The night I looked at you.
From the song At Last performed by Etta James
December 25th, 1969 - Christmas Day
Zabini Winter Residence, Pozzalo, Italy
Lucius
He woke up with a groan, running his tongue over dry, chapped lips, bending stiffness out of the joints of his fingers and neck. Eldred let out a matching noise in the bed a few feet away, and the blond blearily looked over at his friend, grinning at the disheveled state of his hair and twisted clothes of the night before.
"Morning, Worple," he croaked out, his voice incredibly hoarse. "Janey," he commanded, and the house elf appeared instantly at the foot of his bed. "Water."
The elf nodded and returned a few seconds later with goblets of water, as well as some hangover potion, for both wizards. Lucius smirked over at his friend. "Mrs. Zabini keeps her home well stocked."
Eldred snorted between long gulps from his goblet. "It's not for her. You should've seen her husband the night before you got here. That man can hold a ridiculous amount of firewhiskey."
Lucius shook his head, mouth tight. "I hope my children never look at me the same way that we look at our parents."
Eldred contemplated his water for a moment, and spoke into his goblet. "But surely our parents know best, when it comes down to it? Not mine...my father is a useless drunk...but your father is so widely respected…"
Lucius raised an eyebrow, shooting his friend a curious glance. "I didn't realize you held my father in such high esteem."
"I don't," Eldred mumbled. "I just think that he probably knows what's best for you."
Lucius's brow furrowed as he stared at the other wizard. "I suppose."
"Cheers to that, then," Eldred said brightly, obviously attempting to change the subject. Lucius shrugged and raised his goblet when Eldred walked over to his bed.
As their goblets clinked, the bedroom door creaked open, and two heads, one covered in tousled dark curls, the other sporting a long red braid, poked around the doorway.
"You two back at it again already?" Fiorenza asked disbelievingly, eyes wide.
Eldred laughed. "Water, Fiorenza."
"Ah. Good boys," she said, grinning as she and the werewolf fully stepped into the room. "Rionach and I feel simply marvelous this morning, don't we, dear?"
Rionach smiled mischievously, throwing an arm around Fiorenza's shoulders. "Better than ever!" she declared, and the two collapsed into giggles.
Lucius felt a twinge of annoyance at the girls' shared joke, as well as the way Rionach was holding onto Fiorenza. He shook his head to clear it, taking another sip of water. This is ridiculous, he thought to himself. You don't own the girl. That thought alone was enough to make him check his jealousy, and he cleared his throat loudly, causing the room's occupants to look over at him expectantly. "If you two are quite finished acting like a couple of twittering pixies, perhaps we could move on to breakfast?"
Fiorenza rolled her eyes at his grumpy tone and turned to the door. "Come on. There's coffee and pastries downstairs." She and Rionach quickly left. Lucius and Eldred changed out of their rumpled clothes of the night before and into more comfortable loungewear, then headed down to join the girls.
Two hours, four coffees, and countless Torrone alle mandorle and Biscotti di Pasta di Mandorle later - Eldred exclaiming, "I could eat these all day, every day!" whilst wiping almond nougat from the corners of his mouth - the four sat around a table outside in the unseasonably warm weather, morning sun chasing the chill of the night away and an outdoor fireplace keeping their fingers and toes toasty.
Fiorenza pulled her burgundy wool sweater tighter around her shoulders and tilted her face up to the warmth, sighing happily. "It's not quite as warm as I'd like, but it's much lovelier than Scotland, isn't it?" she said dreamily, and her friends made content sounds of agreement. "Presents, then?" she said brightly, and called for the house elf.
"Won't your parents mind you opening these before they're awake?" Eldred asked, eyeing the massive pile that materialized on the table.
Fiorenza snorted. "They didn't even come home last night."
Rionach looked startled. "They aren't going to spend Christmas with their only daughter?"
Lucius and Fiorenza exchanged a knowing look. "Parents in Pureblood society tend to take a more...relaxed approach to parenting," Fiorenza answered, selecting a package wrapped in green and silver. "We might see them once more before we leave."
"That seems so strange," Rionach said with a frown, seeming lost in thought.
"How would you know?" Lucius asked, a little more sharply than he meant for it to sound.
Rionach looked down, tracing the design painted into her ceramic mug with her finger. "I suppose it sounds silly to you. But I remember...comforting smells, like cinnamon and apples, and a mother, I think, serving me something warm...and a father, laughing at...at..." Her eyes closed tightly, her face scrunched up, and she shook her head vehemently. "It's gone. I don't remember," she said sadly.
Lucius instantly felt guilty for bringing up the subject, and felt worse when Fiorenza shot him a furious glare. He awkwardly picked up a small package wrapped in blue paper and handed it to the red-haired girl, his serpent ring glinting in the sun as he did so.
Rionach looked up at him, the full force of her blue gaze focused on him. He swallowed nervously, trying to keep the images of the old woman buried. "It's just something small," he muttered, turning away.
She opened the present carefully, taking care not to rip the paper too forcefully. Fiorenza and Eldred looked over curiously, their own presents still in their hands. Beneath the paper was a small black box, and when Rionach opened the box, a small gasp escaped her lips.
"Lucius…" she breathed, that one word filled with such emotion that he closed his eyes, willing the moment to last forever. When he opened them, she was holding a delicate gold comb, the edge carved with flowers and leaves.
"Do you like it?" he asked hoarsely, clearing his throat quickly. He wasn't sure why his voice wasn't working properly. Fiorenza was giving him a hard look, and he took a long drink of coffee.
"It's the most beautiful thing I own," she said truthfully. "How do I…?"
"Here…" Lucius stood up and stepped behind her, and picked up her braid with one hand. "May I?"
Rionach nodded, and he swiftly unraveled the braid and swept her hair to one side. He was glad her head was between him and his friends; they couldn't see his trembling fingers. He gathered the hair on the left side and deftly twisted it up, sliding the comb into the twist and securing the hair firmly.
"It's enchanted to stay in place until you remove it," he said as he stepped back.
Rionach twisted her face around to him, and she placed a hand on his, squeezing it lightly. "Thank you."
He nodded, and went back to his seat. Fiorenza had an amused expression on her face. "I didn't know you were so skilled with hair accessories, Lucius."
Lucius shrugged, leaning back and casually crossing his ankles. His mind drifted to hazy memories of being a young boy, perched on his mother's bed, watching her slowly run a brush through her long, dark hair, counting the strokes softly as she gave him a small smile in her vanity mirror. When he turned eleven, Abraxas had decided that he was too old for such frivolous activities, and forbade him from entering his mother's quarters.
All he said, with a small smile, was, "It's a good day, then, when I can surprise even the illustrious Fiorenza Zabini."
Fiorenza snorted, reaching over to cheekily flick Lucius's chin. "Savour the moment while you can."
Rionach watched the exchange quietly, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the arms of her chair. Fiorenza turned to her, missing the tension in her body, eyes travelling up to her hair. "The comb suits you wonderfully. It highlights the gold strands in the red."
Rionach blushed, her hands relaxing as she looked down at her coffee, and quickly pulled out three brown packages from under the table, each rectangular and thin. "I couldn't buy anything, obviously, but...well, I hope you like them," she mumbled.
Fiorenza opened hers first, letting out a light, tinkling laugh as the paper fell away. "Oh, Rionach!" she exclaimed, swooping out of her chair and planting a kiss on the other girl's cheek. "I love it!" She held up the framed drawing for everyone to see. It was of a laughing Fiorenza, looking very similar to how she looked now, hair whipping around her face as she looked towards the lake. Her right hand was touching her neck, the butterfly ring she always wore caught in her hair.
"I'm glad you like it," Rionach said, pleased, touching her cheek where Fiorenza had kissed her. Lucius frowned at the affectionate gesture, and turned his attention to his own present. His was a drawing, also, and he looked down at it, face still, his voice caught in his throat.
In the drawing, he slept, a sheet curled in his hand and his face half concealed by his forearm. It was a perfect rendition, yet he hardly recognized himself. He'd never seen his expression so relaxed and unguarded, and it unsettled him. Fiorenza stood up and went to stand behind him, looking down at the drawing. "Stunning...and so intimate," she murmured, reaching out to trace a finger along the lines defining his jaw. "You have remarkable talent, Rionach."
"Thank you," she replied, though she was staring intently at Lucius, gauging his reaction.
"It's…" Lucius leaned back, cleared his throat, and tried again. "I look...like me. But different."
Fiorenza rolled her eyes. "How very eloquent of you, dear."
Ignoring her, Lucius finally looked up from his drawing, meeting Rionach's patient stare. "It's the most beautiful thing I own," he said quietly, echoing her earlier words. He carefully put down his present and leaned over to her chair, his lips brushing across her cheek. Wisps of red hair tickled his face, and he hovered a moment longer, breathing her in, his eyes lowering to the smooth cleft above her mouth, the full, flushed pink of her lower lip. His eyelashes swept across her temple, and her breath halted in response, patches of scarlet blooming along her cheeks. Her eyes glittered as he pulled away, and he left his hand on the arm of her chair as he pulled back, unnoticed by the other two.
"What's wrong, Eldred?" Fiorenza asked, causing Rionach and Lucius to glance over curiously.
Eldred was staring down at his gift, a strange look in his eyes that Lucius had never seen before. His mouth was a tight line, moving slightly as he chewed at the inside of his cheek. His glasses were so low on his nose they were nearly slipping off, his eyes downcast and seeming suddenly very, very tired, darker and heavier than Lucius had ever seen.
"It's nothing," he mumbled, turning the drawing around for everyone to see. A second later, a smile cracked across his face, and he pushed his glasses further up his nose. "It's very well done, Rionach," he said, not quite looking the red-haired girl in the eye.
It was the only drawing where she'd used charcoal instead of pencil. The lines were thick and dark, smudged shadows falling across his face, his glasses darkened and slicing his eyes in half. One eye was emanating a faint glimmer, which may have seemed whimsical elsewhere, but in this particular piece, instead gave Eldred's expression a distinctly ominous feel. He was looking to the side, and the part of his mouth not obscured with shadow was firmly closed, small lines of tension around the corner of his lips.
"I don't think I've ever seen you so dark and brooding, Eldred," Fiorenza said thoughtfully, leaning into the drawing closely. "I like it," she declared, grinning at the others.
Lucius tilted his head to the side. "It's well done, but I don't think I've ever seen that expression on Eldred's face before either, Rionach," he said, sipping his coffee. "When did you do it?"
Rionach shrugged, looking at her hands. "I did that one from memory. Probably why it's not as accurate as the others."
"Oh it's still wonderful," Fiorenza assured her, smiling warmly. "Now, you three open your presents from me. I can't wait to see your faces."
As was her style, Fiorenza gave each of them an accessory of some kind; cuff-links for Lucius, earrings for Rionach, and a dragon's tooth pendant for Eldred. The dark-haired wizard had given them all books, and then Fiorenza opened the rest of her rather large pile of presents, revealing mostly jewelry, clothes, and the odd beauty product.
Just as they were starting on a third coffee, a few light rain drops spattered on cheeks and shoulders, and with a squeal Fiorenza quickly ushered everyone inside, summoning Janey so she could quickly bring the presents in from the rain. The second the door closed behind them, the sky opened wide with a crack, and fat raindrops shot down from above, hitting the windows with a loud smack.
Fiorenza let out a long sigh, blowing wisps of hair out of her face. "There goes our good weather," she muttered, staring out at the dark clouds mutinously. "I suppose we could read?"
"Anyone want to play chess?" Eldred asked brightly, seeming unfazed by the pouring rain.
"I'm game," Fiorenza replied, perking up a little when Eldred smiled at her gratefully. They wandered off to the drawing room, saying something about hot chocolate and extra blankets.
Rionach
She walked over to the glass doors that separated her from the verandah, peering out at the colourful landscape, dulled by the sheets of rain coming down. A flutter of movement caught her eye, and she realized with a start that Eldred's drawing was left outside.
Without thinking, she quickly wrenched open the door and ran outside in bare feet, the rain instantly soaking through her clothes. When she arrived at the table, though, she paused, looking down at her gift to Eldred. The rain had already seeped into the edges of the frame, running down the paper and ruining the portrait. She sighed, running a finger down the glass, tracing the outline of one of the charcoal drips, remembering the expression on the boy's face when he looked at it. Perhaps it was for the best.
"What a shame," Lucius said behind her. She flinched, surprised at how close he was. Her heart leapt into her throat. The wolf inside her was growling warningly, but for the first time, she ignored her, carefully locking her away. She brought her hand back to her side and turned to face him.
White-blond hair was wetly sticking to his face, a thick strand falling across his right eye. Her hand moved of its own volition, reaching up to gently sweep the hair to the side. His cheek burned beneath her cold touch, a muscle in his jaw twitching as her fingers lingered.
"You're getting all wet," she commented, a small smile playing on her lips. He looked less dignified in the rain, less godly, but still held that same aura of dark beauty, his gray eyes flicking down to her mouth, the muscles along his collarbone protruding through his soaked shirt.
Something changed in his face. His eyes lost the tinge of self-loathing and arrogance that they usually carried, and for a brief second, she saw pure longing, voracious and intense, and she knew instantly that her own eyes reflected the same, the rain peeling the last of their defenses away.
He took a step forward, determination etched into his features. She froze, terrified at how much the yearning in her chest ached. His hands reached up to cup her face, his thumbs rubbing against her jaw. She leaned into his grasp, her arms moving up his sides to hold his shoulders, her head so light she was afraid that she'd fall if she didn't cling to him. He was her rock, her centre, her everything. His skin was so, so pale, but scorching hot, and his breath, tinged with coffee, cigarettes and sweets, warmly trickled over her cheeks. He is so close.
Time came to a halt. Her senses sharpened so that she became aware of every tiny, delicate detail. The water leaking down the sides of her face. Her shirt sticking to her stomach. The smell of damp earth and rain from the outside, vanilla and smoke wafting out from the house. She trembled, clenching her teeth to stop, nostrils flaring, eyes wide. His face was so close to hers. Their foreheads touched, and her eyes closed.
The rain hit the stones with a distinct pitter-pattering noise. Vanilla and rain and cigarettes engulfed her senses. Hot hot skin. Long wet hair brushed across her collarbone. Lips, so soft, brushed against hers, so warm, yet strong, demanding, pressing harder. Her head tilted back and her mouth opened slightly in response, one of her hands moving from his shoulder to his hair, her fingers tangling the blond locks.
The wolf within snarled from behind its bars, startling her into leaning back, breaking the kiss, her eyes opening. "We shouldn't," she whispered, but even as the words left her mouth, her eyes were travelling back down to his lips, her fingers tangling further into his hair.
"I don't care," Lucius replied fiercely, shaking his head once, twice. He kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheeks. Her eyes closed again. She was melting in the rain.
His mouth pressed against hers delicately as he murmured against her lips, "I'll keep you safe. Forever."
She knew it was a promise he couldn't keep, but it didn't matter, because there was nothing gentle about him now, his lips crushing against hers, one hand straying to her waist while the other wrapped behind her neck, pulling her so close, his heat enveloping her completely. His fingers dug harshly into her back; she was dimly aware of a snippet of a poem drifting through her mind; To lose thee, sweeter than to gain...
The words washed away with the rain as quickly as they appeared, and though she was sure her lips were bruised and her body would never stop shaking, she held tightly to Lucius and kissed him back roughly, the wolf howling deep within her.
Fiorenza
She watched her friend and the werewolf girl embrace in the rain, a frown playing at the corners of her mouth, her hand tightening on the bag of chess pieces she'd come back to collect. When the two separated and came back inside, she quickly ducked into the hall, listening to Rionach tell Lucius that she was going to change her clothes and him muttering something she couldn't hear before kissing her again, his forehead resting on hers when their lips parted.
Rionach smiled up at him, and Fiorenza's breath caught in her throat at the expression, so full of naked desire and hope. The girl stepped away from him, their fingers still entwined, until he finally let her go, standing perfectly still and watching as she padded away down the other hall.
When she was gone, Fiorenza stepped back into the room with Lucius, who jumped at her appearance, his eyes narrowing. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off with a wave of her hand, and his mouth clamped closed, a defiant expression on his face.
She paused, chastising words dying on her lips as she appraised his demeanour. "I hope you know what you're doing, Lucius," she said simply.
He turned to stand squarely in front of her, straightening his shoulders. He's so tall now, she thought with a start, noting how his nose turned up so he could look down its length at her, eyes glinting dangerously. He looks like Abraxas.
"I want her," Lucius replied, equally as frank.
She took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. "I've loved you as a friend for a long time, and I know that lately things have been...difficult." Lucius opened his mouth to protest, but she quickly talked over him. "Don't try to deny it. You won't let me in, and Eldred is oblivious as ever. But over these past few days, I've grown to know Rionach as well. She's strong, and creative, and one day, this isn't going to be enough for her. She needs to move on and find her family. Will you be able to let her go, when that day comes?"
Lucius's face darkened, and he looked away, shrugging. "It was just a kiss, Fee."
"Don't treat me like I have the intelligence of a mountain troll," she snapped. "You two have been dancing around each other for months, and when you look at each other...gods, it's like time is stopping for the two of you. I keep expecting sparks to fly up whenever you touch."
Lucius's face turned impassive, and he reached up to wring water out of his hair. "Are you done?"
She looked like she'd been slapped, and she blinked a few times rapidly. "Yes. I suppose I am."
"Great. I'll go get changed then. See you in the drawing room." And with that, Lucius turned on his heel and walked briskly away from her, leaving his friend gaping at his retreating back.
December 31st, 1969 - New Year's Eve
In the Streets of Pozzalo, Italy
Rionach leaned into Lucius's side, his arm sturdily tucked around her waist, as they navigated through the busy streets. It was nearly midnight, and hundreds of people were dancing and drinking around them. Fiorenza and Eldred walked ahead, searching for an ideal spot to settle in so they could watch the fireworks and share a bottle of Muggle champagne.
Rionach had noted the cool attitude between Lucius and Fee ever since their kiss on the verandah, but her new friend said nothing to her, and so she kept quiet. Eldred had raised his eyebrows the first time Lucius kissed her in front of his friends, but if he said anything to his best friend about it, Lucius did not share it with her.
"Oi! Over here!" Eldred yelled over the noise of the crowd. He and Fiorenza claimed a long bench perched near the top of a hill, and Lucius and Rionach joined them after some pushing through the crowd, Lucius with his nose upturned, expression haughty, Rionach grinning widely and standing on her toes to give him a peck on the cheek, promptly clearing his face of any traces of discontent.
"This spot is excellent," Fiorenza said excitedly as she pulled champagne flutes out of her purse, and passed the bottle over to Eldred. "If you would do the honours, Sir?" she asked, batting her eyelashes shamelessly.
Eldred grinned, pushing his glasses onto his head and taking off his coat in order to roll up his shirt sleeves, looking very business-like. "Here goes nothing," he muttered, face screwed up in concentration, and with a loud pop! the cork erupted from the bottle, foam spilling over the edges and onto his hands and pants.
The other three cheered, and the people in the streets took up the cheer with gusto, someone further down the street turning up their music in response. Fiorenza laughed, handing Eldred her scarf to mop up the excess liquid.
"Every year," she grinned, shaking her head.
"He'll learn one day," Lucius agreed, and they smiled warmly at each other before remembering they were in the middle of a fight, each turning away awkwardly.
While Fiorenza and Eldred busied themselves portioning out the champagne, Rionach sighed, tucking her heels up on the bench and leaning back to look at the sky. "I don't want this night to ever end," she said dreamily.
Lucius nodded, resting his chin on her head. "It's going to be hard, back at school. Back to being...discreet."
"I know," she said softly, her hand covering his. One finger rubbed against his serpent ring. "I don't mind, though, as long as I get to see you."
"Here you are," Eldred interrupted, handing over two full glasses. "Now pay attention! The countdown is nearly on."
"It's such a funny thing to celebrate, don't you think?" Rionach mused, watching people excitedly prepare for the countdown to the new year. "I mean, what's the significance, really? It's just another year. It comes whether we celebrate it or not."
"But people love an excuse to celebrate," Fiorenza replied, shrugging. "And it's a time to re-assess, I suppose...make new goals, promises, start anew…"
Eldred nodded, and solemnly put a hand over his heart. "I promise to read something other than my Care of Magical Creatures textbooks this term."
Lucius rolled his eyes. "Sure you will, Worple."
Fiorenza put a hand over her own heart, her expression growing serious. "I promise not to be so judgemental. I think that maybe I could...get to know people, a little better, and maybe be surprised with the results," she said, almost shyly looking over at Rionach, who smiled back at her.
The red-haired girl stood, facing the other three, a hand on her heart. "I promise to be more open. With myself, and with my friends." Eldred looked down at her words, Fiorenza smiled, and Lucius nodded slightly, understanding on his face.
"What about you, Lucius?" Fiorenza asked as Rionach sat down again.
Lucius shrugged, a small smirk threatening to spread across his face. "Well, when you're already perfect…"
Fiorenza laughed out loud and reached over to smack his arm. Rionach grinned, happy that the tension between them seemed to be completely dissolved.
"Oh all right," Lucius grumbled, making a show of rubbing his arm. "I promise to always humour Fee when she tells me what to do…though I may not necessarily do exactly as she says," he said, winking at the dark-haired beauty.
"Don't I know it," Fiorenza mumbled, though her words were drowned out by the deafening shouts of people yelling out Ten...Nine...Eight...Seven…
Lucius stood, pulling Rionach up with him and setting their glasses down on the bench. Six...Five...Four…
"I promise to keep you safe," he said into her ear. Rionach looked back up at him, her eyes shining. Three...Two...One…
Among the exclamations of Happy New Year! around them, Lucius kissed Rionach tenderly, and her mouth smiled against his lips. Beside them, Fiorenza swooped up to meet Eldred's lips with hers, causing the bespectacled wizard to blush to the roots of his dark hair.
The four friends broke apart and stared up at the sky as fireworks exploded into the night, leaving glittering trails of colour across the black canvas. Lucius pulled Rionach close, smiling into her hair. He pushed aside thoughts of his father, of death, of Ophelia. He felt like he was in a dream, the happiest dream he'd ever had, and he intended to stay asleep for as long as possible.
