And It All Falls Apart
I wake up slowly, my eyes tentatively opening and adjusting to the faint light of morning. Taking a deep breath, I inhale the spicy scent of her, and a smile tugs at my lips. As I gradually become more aware of my surroundings, I raise my head a little and place a tiny kiss on the creamy skin of her neck. She is still asleep; her breaths slow, rhythmic, and deep. I carefully remove my hand from her grasp, allowing it to glide across her skin, stroking her stomach, caressing her arm. It is remarkable the way my hand seems to fit every plane of her body almost as if it was made for me.
Smiling softly, I set out to explore and memorize every bit of her. She never lets me take my time; she never lets me shower her with affection. I understand her hesitations, but it does not change the fact that I want to know her. Gently, I roll her to her back, and she sighs, not waking. She should not wake for another hour at least. I finally talked her into taking a sleeping draught last night so I should have plenty of time. After all, Lucy said, "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."
Her eyes are closed, and her red lips barely parted. I lightly caress her cheek, tracing her lips with my thumb, and watch her eyes flicker beneath her lids. I wonder if she is dreaming about me. I slip the sheet off her, dropping it beside me as if I am revealing a sculpture. Trailing a path of feather light kisses down the smooth skin of her throat, across her collarbone, and between the valley of her breasts, I breathe in her scent. She hums in pleasure as I suck heartily at a nipple, drawing in farther into my mouth and relishing in her unconscious reactions. I let my fingers run down her sides to her hips, trying to prevent myself from noticing I can feel every one of her ribs even with the softest of caresses.
I place one knee between her legs, rather draping my body across hers as I return to trailing light kisses across her pale flesh. "Black," she moans, and I smirk, she is dreaming about me. As she says it again, I lift my head to find her fighting to keep her eyes open. "What are you doing?" she asks sleepily, losing the battle.
Brushing my lips across hers, I murmur, "Sleep."
She shakes her head. "No, if you are going to tease me, I want to at least register it," she mumbles, trying to force her eyes open again.
Kissing her eyes closed, I say, "You are if I woke you up."
With a sigh, she stops resisting and lets her eyes remain shut, languidly raising a hand and caressing my cheek. "But I want to play, too," she whines drowsily.
I smile and whisper lightly in her ear, "But you can't keep your eyes open."
"Bastard," she curses tiredly, her eyes still firmly closed. I smile down at her for a moment. Now where was I?
O
The light of early morning creeps through the windows and cracks of the Hogwarts castle as I slowly and sleepily make my way toward Gryffindor Tower. This morning was absolutely perfect. An entire hour to do exactly as I pleased, mapping out every millimeter of her body, placing it in the files of my mind for later use, followed by glorious, passionate sex. Yes, it was the perfect way to start the day. Well, it probably would have been better if we could have showered together, but Hunter woke, and I do not even want to think about explaining that to him.
"Prongs is a sexy beast," I whisper quietly to the Fat Lady. James, obviously, picked the password this month.
"Late night, Mr. Black?" she asks, yawning slightly and opening her eyes.
I grin. "A great night, my lady."
"Yes, well, I am glad someone in Gryffindor had a good time," she says moodily. "You might want to tone down that beam a bit before you go in."
"What do you mean?" I ask, my smile already fading a bit.
She shakes her head, and a tiny tear trails down her plump rosy cheek. "There's been another attack. I'm not sure who, they never tell me anything, you know." My heart sinks to rest somewhere below my stomach, and I nod sadly to her before continuing into the common room.
When I walk in, Lucy is the only one in the common room, staring blankly at the fire, her knees pulled up tightly to her chest and her hair hanging limply around her face. "Luce?" She pulls up the edge of her stocking before dropping her feet off the couch and looking up at me.
"Hey, babe. How was your night?" she asks in a falsely cheery voice, smoothing down the pleats in her skirt.
Sighing heavily, I sit down beside her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. She snuggles against me, a tiny frown furrowing her brows. "Come on, Lucy love, what's happened?"
She sniffs, running her hand through her hair. "Darla's family. All of them. Her aunt from the States came to pick her up around three," she says simply, knowing I will be able to fill in the blanks.
"Is she all right?" I ask, and Lucy just shrugs. I guess there really isn't an answer to that question. Not knowing what to say, I pull her closer to me, and we sit there silently for a long time.
"What are you doing down here alone?" I ask softly.
"Carmen went upstairs to help Darla pack some things and didn't come back down. I sent all the younger students back to bed before Darla left. I didn't think it would be a good idea for everyone to be staring at her when she came down. We were all just sitting here talking… then Moony went to take a shower, he just needed some space I guess. Lily and James were here, but she kinda just broke down, and he took to her room. And Pete… He just– he just left. I went and got dressed, and then I came here," she answers tonelessly, staring into the fire again.
After a moment, she looks up at me with a fake smile. "We all have class in a bit. You should go get dressed. I'll be fine."
"Luce, you don't need to be alone," I whisper, and she sighs heavily.
"No, it's alright. I am fine. Really."
"You sure? I don't mind waiting 'til Moony comes back." I wrap her in a tight hug, and she shakes her head.
"No, it's all right. Go. People are going to start filing down in a little while anyway." She smiles at me again and gives me a little shove.
"All right, but if you need something, I'm just upstairs, okay?" She nods slowly and turns back to the fire, unable to maintain her smile. I just wish she would talk to me instead of pretending everything is fine. I can see that something is bothering her. Well, I suppose Moony will get it out of her. He rather took that job from me.
O
Lily's pale hand trembles every time she brings her spoon to her mouth, spilling little drops of milk on the table. Tossing her spoon forcefully into her bowl of cereal, she exhales bitterly and locks her fingers together in her lap. I glance over to James, who just despondently closes his hollow, hazel eyes and slowly slips his hand under the table to hold hers. Peter is eating as if nothing has happened. Lucy's peaceful, copper eyes flick up to meet mine every so often, her fingers tightly entangled with Moony's atop the table. The heavy feeling of despair pressing down on the entirety of the Great Hall is slowly killing us. We only seem to be functioning on the minutest levels.
A group of fifth year Ravenclaw girls slowly stumbles into the Great Hall, the small brunette in the middle barely containing her tears. Moony clears his throat, and I glance over to him. He raises his eyebrows almost unnoticeably and waits for Lily to turn her attention back to her cereal. Silently, he mouths, I don't think Darla's family was the only one attacked last night. I frown and look around the Hall. He is right. There are at least four different groups at the Hufflepuff table weeping and clinging to each other, two at the Ravenclaw table, not including the girl who just came in, and three more amongst the Slytherins.
I wonder if Dumbledore is going to make some kind of announcement or if we are just going to have to wait for the Daily Prophet. Either way, we need to get Lily out of here.
"Hey, James?" I ask. He looks up at me, his eyes still hollow. "Did you grab your Charms book? I thought I saw it in our dorm this morning." I nudge my head toward the door, my eyes begging him to get my message. Get Lily out of here. He nods slowly in understanding.
"I don't think I did. Damn. Hey, Lily, I am going to run up to the Tower. Do you want to finish breakfast or come with?" he asks, forcing his voice to be somewhat light.
Lily stares at him as he stands. Her green eyes flash slightly with fear at the thought of staying without him, and she slides out of her seat. "I'll come. Wouldn't want you to have to walk alone." God, she had finally come back, and the bastard just destroyed her again.
As they step out of the hall Lucy looks up at me, the corners her eyes crinkled in worry. "What was that about?"
I watch Remus' fingers twitch a little as he tightens his grasp on her hand. "Lily doesn't need to be here when the Prophet arrives."
Comprehension washes over her like rain. "Darla wasn't the only one," she whispers, swallowing hard. "You can't keep it from her. She'll find out anyway," she says, struggling to keep her voice steady.
"We know," Remus answers softly, "but this way, James can prepare her for it first so it's not so much of a shock." Lucy nods, and he kisses her forehead. "It's alright, you're fine," he whispers, and she swallows again.
With a flutter of wings and loud screeching squawks, a hundred different owls swoop down into the hall. Lucy bites her lip as a small tawny owl lands in front of her, holding out its scaly leg so she can untie the purple envelope tied to it. Remus releases her hand and smoothes down her hair, allowing her to read her mail in peace as another owl lands in front of me. Quickly depositing a few coins in a pouch secured to the bird, I remove the Prophet from its grasp.
Remus' pale brown eyes meet mine as I unroll the paper. A vivid black and white photograph of a foggy outline of a skull with a large snake crawling out from its mouth hovering above a small neighborhood of demolished houses covers the top half of the page. The thick, black letters below it spell out the horrifying title:
You-Know-Who Strikes Nettlebed and Tutshill, No Survivors Found.
"How bad is it?" Moony asks solemnly as my eyes scan the article.
I don't look up. "Nettlebed. Tutshill. Forty-two murdered, but they are still 'cleaning' the sites so that will probably go up. No one has been found alive yet," I mutter tonelessly before looking up at him and handing over the paper. Lucy squeezes under his arm to read along with him.
"Nettlebed? That's just a little town. No one prominent even lives there. It's just a family town," Lucy says, looking up at me for some sort of an explanation, but I don't have one to give. She closes her eyes and frowns deeply. "There are more children than adults there." Her voice cracks a little, and Remus folds the paper and wraps his arms around her. She shakes a little bit as if she wants to cry, but she doesn't.
"Shush," Moony whispers, pretending that the heartbreak she is feeling is actually visible. "It's okay, love. This is going to end soon, I promise." He closes his eyes as he lies to her and presses his lips to her hair.
O
It has been a week since the attack. Dumbledore insisted that we continue our daily lives, but I cannot seem to get out of this fog of guilt and despair. I stare out into the trees of the Forbidden Forest from my perch on the railing of the balcony in the North Tower as rain threatens to fall from the gloomy clouds hanging low in the sky. I have spent more time in this location in the past few days than I have anywhere else, just thinking. The entire castle is drenched in grief, and I cannot seem to stand gazing out into the crowds of sullen faces.
"Hey," someone whispers behind me, wrapping her arms around my middle. "You disappeared after Potions. Skiving off the rest of your classes today?" Cole breathes her words into my ear, her lips brushing against my skin.
I sigh and slump back against her. She holds my weight and rests her chin on my shoulder. "I guess. I'm not there. You?"
"Passed Dumbledore in the hall, told him I wasn't going to the rest of my classes today. I wasn't 'feeling well.'" I nod slowly and tilt my head to the side, letting it lie against hers. "I haven't seen you in a while. Is everything okay?"
A tiny smile graces my lips for the first time since Friday morning. She is worried about me. "Yeah, I've just been…" My voice trails off.
She kisses my cheek before patting my chest to tell me she can't hold me any longer, and I sit up. "I know what you mean," she sighs as her fingers knead the muscles of my shoulders. "You're rather tense," she murmurs, and I nod still staring out into the trees, enjoying her touch but unable to show it.
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I push them down. "I keep thinking…" I whisper, closing my eyes. "Last month my brother said something that made me realize that, ah…" My words fade as I struggle to find the words. I swallow hard before continuing. "That he is a Death Eater. I keep seeing him, murdering some little girl, every time I close my eyes." I work hard to keep my voice calm and steady, but it cracks several times.
"It gets easier, I promise," she whispers into my hair.
I nod, swallowing down tears. "It's my fault. I left him with her. I drove him to joining."
Her fingers stop moving, and her hands come to rest on my arms. "Come here," she whispers softly, asking me to face her. Closing my eyes and forcing the forlorn expression from my face, I turn around. She stands between my knees and presses her lips to my forehead. She is barely as tall as I am sitting down. When she pulls back, she stares directly into my eyes. "It's not your fault." Looking away from her, I close my eyes to keep the tears that so desperately want to fall from escaping. I feel a trickle of wetness trail down my cheek, and I pray that it is rain.
"Hey," she whispers softly, brushing away the tear and asking me to look at her again. I shake my head and squeeze my eyelids tighter together. "You aren't supposed to be the emotional one, Black. That's my job," she says lightly, gently running her fingers through my hair. I attempt to laugh, but it comes out as a sob. "Oh, darling," she says quietly, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around me. Another sob breaks through my lips, and I let my head fall forward onto her shoulder. "Shush, it's okay," she murmurs, running her fingers up into my hair, holding me closely, and I cry, silently sobbing, as she whispers words I do not understand.
When I lift my head, my eyes red-rimmed and swollen, she takes a small step back and holds my face in her tiny hands. She smiles sadly and kisses away my tears. Her lips are cool against my hot cheeks and eyelids, and I relish the feel of it. Finally, she finds my mouth, and her lips are salty and wet. I do not think I have ever loved the taste of her more.
After a moment, she pulls back and stares directly into my soul. "It's not your fault." I shake my head, again. It is my fault; if I had stayed or taken him with me, he never would have done it. "Black." She exhales harshly as she speaks, and the name sounds like a demand. I hate that she calls me that. I hate that I am one of them. I hate being a Black.
"Why the fuck do you have to call me that?" I growl at her, standing up abruptly and causing her to stumble back. She stares at me confusedly, and I forcefully brush my hair out of my face. "I am not one of them! Don't you see that? I am not one of them! I am not a bloody prejudice murderer. Fuck toujours pur! Fuck them! I wish they would just die! I wish this would all just stop!" Wretched tears stream down my cheeks as I scream, and she just stands there, her dark eyes gazing unwaveringly at me.
The heavens finally open up, and large, round raindrops fall from the sky, mixing with my tears and soaking through my clothes. I stand, breathing heavily, my white shirt sticking to my chest and tiny water droplets falling from my hair as I glare at her. Her shoulders are squared, her head tilted up in defiance, she looks so strong. If it weren't for her lip quivering in cold, you would think her impervious. "You may not be like them, but you are a Black."
"No, I'm not!" I scream, clenching my fists.
"You can't change who you are, and you shouldn't want to," she screams back at me before lowering her voice and staring openly at me, allowing me to read every expression on her face. "My God, Black, look at you. You're loyal to a fault, more caring than anyone I have ever met, a fierce friend," her eyes flick to the left, and a tiny grin tugs at her lips, "a magnificent lover. You are noble and determined with just enough disregard for the rules to be fun."
She takes a small step forward, begging me to understand her. "You're beautiful, Black, and your name makes it all so much better." She steps toward me again. I don't move. Tentatively reaching out her small hand, she brushes my rain-soaked hair from my face, leaving her fingers entangled in it, staring into my soul. "You're kind, loving, brave, and lighthearted, and you have no right to be. You should have been cruel and calculating, heartless and vile, but you rose above your upbringing and have become this… amazing person, this beautiful person. You should carry your name with pride, Black, because it proves that good can come from a world full of hate." I stare into her eyes, so full of sincerity, and suddenly everything seems a lot clearer.
"Don't blame yourself for what you can't control. It's pointless, and it just makes everything hurt so much more," she murmurs quietly, smiling sadly as the rain washes over her. "Please," she whispers, moving her other hand to cup my face. "You're good, Sirius, so good. Don't blacken your heart with hatred even if it's for yourself."
More tears cascade down my cheeks, mingling with the rain already pouring over me. "I'm sorry," I sob out, and she stands on her toes, wrapping her arms around me.
"No, love, don't be," she whispers softly into my ear, holding me as closely as her height will allow. I want her to be closer. I need her to be closer.
I wrap my arms around her and nip a bit roughly at her neck. She grasps at the sharp pain but quickly pulls back giving me enough room to crash my lips down on hers. She kisses me passionately, matching my every move like always. Yet for some reason, this kiss feels different, better. Maybe it is the icy rain hammering down on us or the sorrow that is threatening to destroy the castle walls, but whatever it is, I don't want it to leave. The desire that floods though my blood mixes with something else, something stronger, and I can only think of how much I want her.
I back her up against the wall, ripping apart her shirt and tugging down her bra before viciously kissing her skin as it breaks out into gooseflesh as the cold rain washes over us. She fists my hair in her hands. "Black," she pants fearfully, "not too close to the edge, okay?"
Nodding, I glance up at her, her eyes begging, shining with fear. Not fear of me, but of something completely different. The way that the panic flashes in her eyes amazes me, and I wonder how she managed to stand behind me so close to the railing if the height frightens her this badly. "Yeah, we'll stay away from the edge," I say, my voice husky with desire, before returning to my furious worshipping of her body. Soon her legs are wrapped around me, and her nails dig into my skin as we fuck against the stone wall of the tower. I feel her entire body start to tremble as she screams in ecstasy, the sound of thunder drowning out the sound as the angry sky flashes with lighting in the background. I send her over again and again until I finally come, filling her with me.
Spent, I rest my head against the wall, still pinning her between the stone and me. She lets her legs slip from around me and find the floor, laying her head on my chest and holding me tightly as she starts to shiver with cold. She will get sick if I do not take her in soon. Shoving myself off the wall, I stroke her hair when she does not release me. "Come on, we'll catch our death out here."
She nods slowly, her cheek pressed against my chest, and takes a deep breath before stepping away. I slip my hand under her chin and tilt her head up to me; her lashes are heavy with rain, her cheeks red and her lip quivering. I didn't hurt her, did I? "You okay?" I ask softly.
"You're fucking brilliant, you know," she says through trembling lips, and I smile.
"Only when I have a brilliant partner." I give her a cheeky grin, watching her smooth down her skirt and pull her bra back into place, before I search for her knickers and shirt. When I find her drenched, torn shirt, I pick it up, holding it out to her guiltily. "Oops."
Rolling her eyes, she picks her wand up off the ground and magically repairs the shirt. She tugs it over her head and hugs me closely again, inhaling the scent of my rain-washed skin. "Don't blame yourself, Sirius. It isn't your fault," she whispers, and I nod, trying to make myself believe her.
O
I step out of the shower, running a black towel through my hair, to find Cole leaning over the counter, in nothing more than her knickers and an unbuttoned shirt as she applies thick black eyeliner around her eyes. "Enjoy you shower?" she asks without looking up.
Wrapping my towel around my waist, I watch her a moment longer before answering, "It could have been better."
She smirks at me. "Yes, I suppose it could have," she answers casually before turning her attention back to the mirror.
Stepping up behind her, I encircle her waist, stroking her skin with my fingertips. I bury my nose in her hair, breathing deeply; I love the way she smells. She places her hand over mine, tilting her head and kissing my cheek. "Stop, we can't. I have to go pick up Hunter."
Pouting slightly, I back away from her. She cocks her head to the side as she goes back to painting her eyes, and suddenly grin widely, I trace a small red-purple mark on the side of her neck. "I've given you a hickey," I say cheekily.
She turns to look at the mark and coolly says, "So, you have," as she laces her fingers with mine and I gently stroke the bruised flesh. Placing the eyeliner on the counter, she faces me, brushing her lips across mine, running her fingers up into my hair before turning her attention to my neck. She nibbles and sucks across the skin until she finds a precise location and her affections become more ardent and enthusiastic, nipping at the flesh until it is almost painful, but it causes the blood in my veins to rush and a slight groan of pleasure to leave my lips. When she pulls back, she smiles devilishly. "Now we're even."
I smirk at her, gripping her hips and sitting her on the countertop. "I thought you said we didn't have time to play."
"We don't," she murmurs, wrapping her legs around my waist, and pulling my head down for another kiss. I kiss her gently as she weaves her fingers through my hair, our tongues softly dancing alongside each other.
She gazes up at me, biting her lip to keep from smiling as we part and I smooth down her hair, kissing her forehead. "As delightful as you look, I think you should get dressed. If Hunter has issues with your clothes, he will definitely not like this look. Though, I am rather fond of it." I run my fingers up her sides lightly, and she almost giggles before I help her off the counter.
Watching her hips sway as she leaves the room, I smile. As she moves to close the door, I say softly, "Hey, Rebecca?" Her eyes flick to me, and she pauses, holding the door open. "Thanks."
Shrugging, she flashes me a smile. "No worries, Black. Honestly, despite the fact that this can't last, I am rather fond of it. And, you being depressed, well, that takes away from our 'fun time.'" Laughing a little, I shake my head, gazing at her until she disappears behind the door.
When I am finally dressed, I stride out into her bedroom; she is sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling on her boots. "Hey," I say, grinning. "Do you think Howards would watch Hunter for a few hours tonight?"
Her dark eyes gaze confusedly at me. "Why?"
I shrug. "Well, we never really celebrated Moony and Lucy's… engagement. I thought it would be a good excuse to go out. Lily needs to get out. We all do really."
"I suppose I could ask," she answers softly, not holding my gaze.
"If you don't want to, that's fine. I just thought…" My voice fades off.
She shakes her head, glancing up at me. "No, it's just… I don't really like to leave him." Shrugging, she clicks the last clasp closed and stands. "I'll talk to Luke and see if he wouldn't mind hanging out here for a few hours."
As she notices my nervous expression, she strides over to me and wraps her arms around my neck. "Listen, when it comes to leaving Hunter, I will always hesitate. It is not that I do not want to go out with you. I just don't want to be without him."
"I know," I say softly, kissing her briefly. "My ego is just easily damaged."
She grins mischievously. "Well, I suppose I will just have to do some ego stroking tonight then."
"I like the sound of that," I smile and kiss her again, "but we should really go. I have to go talk to the guys, and you have to pick up your little one and talk to Howards. We have a rather busy schedule." I don't really want to leave.
"I suppose," she sighs, letting her arms fall to her sides. "I'll see you later then?"
"Yeah, we'll meet you down here about eight-ish?" I question.
"Perfect," she says with a smile before we head out in opposite directions.
O
I quickly knock my knuckles against the hard wood of Cole's door for what seems like the hundredth time today. I have been bouncing back and forth between Gryffindor and here all afternoon, keeping her updated on what Lucy and Moony have decided we are doing. (Note to self: Never allow Moony and Lucy be in charge of any decision-making ever again.)
When she opens the door, I find myself having to swallow very hard and clench my teeth together to keep my jaw from dropping. "Hey," she greets us softly, her hand on the doorknob. She is wearing a knee length black dress that scoops low in the front and even lower in the black and these little red pumps that make her delicious legs suddenly even more delicious. "Do you mind waiting for a moment? We're having a bit of a temper tantrum."
"Not at all," I breathe, staring at her. "You look lovely."
She smiles and shrugs. "You don't look half bad yourself. We are still going dancing, right?"
I nod slowly as I step inside, encircling her waist and splaying my hand across her bare back before kissing her briefly. "Yeah, still dancing."
Pulling away from me, she smiles hello to James, Lily, Lucy, Moony, Pete and, fuck it, the Ravenclaw with the thick glasses. "You guys can have a seat. It shouldn't take more than five minutes." She gestures to the couch and chairs before pecking my cheek and heading off to Hunter's room.
Lucy straddles the arm of Moony's chair, her leg swinging back and forth as he idly toys with yellow ribbon at the back of her dress. James flops down onto the couch, pulling Lily down beside him, kissing her red hair and humming in boredom while Peter and the Ravenclaw chat quietly, leaning up against the wall near the fireplace.
"Hey, Beck," Howards says, strolling out of her room, carrying a teal, satiny-looking piece of material. He glances up and notices us. "Beck?"
I try not to chuckle at his confused expression. "She's with Hunter."
"Ah, I see." Shrugging, he tosses the fabric over his shoulder. "I guess she decided to stay with the black then."
He crosses his arms and sighs heavily before fixing Lily with an odd look. "What the hell are you wearing, Evans?"
Lily glances down at her green frock and flats. "Clothes?"
"Really?" he asks. "I don't think I would have placed it in that category. Come on, Evans. You are going out dancing, not to visit your elderly grandmother." She opens her mouth to make a retort, but he stops her by grabbing her arm, pulling her up of the couch, and dropping her wand in James' lap. "Let's go. I am going to do you and your friends a favor."
"How–" she starts, but he cuts her off.
"No 'buts' Evans. You look like my great aunt Ethel," he tells her, dragging her off toward Cole's room. James and I exchange amused looks, and as soon as the door clicks closed, everyone bursts out into laughter.
The door to Hunter's room opens slowly as Cole lets Hunter out. There are tearstains down his little cheeks, and he is still sniffing slightly from crying, his little teddy bear clutched to his chest. "Hiya, kiddo," I say grinningly, and his brown eyes flick up to me.
"Hello," he mumbles, walking past the sitting room and into the kitchen. Cole gives us a weak smile before helping him up into a chair, kneeling beside him and whispering to him softly. After a moment, he hugs her tightly, and she kisses his cheek. She stands and ruffles his hair before joining us in the sitting room.
She opens her mouth to say something but stops abruptly, changing her subject mid-word, "H–Where's Evans?"
"Luke kidnapped her." Lucy shrugs, moving Moony's hand down from her under the skirt of her dress to her knee. He pouts pitifully and goes back to toying with her ribbon.
"Shit," Cole curses, whipping around and heading for her room. "Luke! You had better release her this moment. You cannot go around grabbing random women and accusing them of having no fashion sense. Even if it is true," she says loudly, pounding on the door. Lily gives an annoyed yelp of hatred that sounds an awful lot like, "I have fashion sense you underdressed whore!" Chuckling, Cole pulls the door open, and Lily tumbles out in a heap at her feet. "Sorry," Cole murmurs unapologetically before looking up at Howards' grinning expression. "Luke, how many times have I told you–"
"Beck," he cuts her off, "did you see that God awful frock she was wearing? Besides, someone needed to wear the teal dress. It's my favorite, and you wouldn't even try it on." By the time he finishes, Lily has managed to get to her feet and is fuming, her green eyes sparkling in rage.
"How dare you!" she bellows, poking Howards fiercely in the chest. "You have no right t–" Her voice vanishes, and she whips around, looking for the idiot who silenced her. Her narrowed, green eyes land on James, and he gulps, quickly stowing his wand in his pocket.
He gives her an anxious grin. "Lily, I realize what just happened was not only uncalled for but unfair and extremely rude," he says calmly. "However…" Lily starts to storm toward him, and he takes a step back, raising his hands in defense. "Now, hear me out, Lils. I am on your side here. I just think that you should at least look in the mirror before you start hexing people into oblivion because, while it was a very prick-like thing to do, you look rather smashing in that color," he blurts out in a rush, still backing away from her.
Peter decides to come to his rescue and transfigures a book into a full-length mirror in front of James, blocking him from Lily's view with her own reflection. She stops abruptly and glares at the image for a moment before huffing loudly as James removes the Silencing Charm. Whipping around to Howards, she jabs a finger at him. "You arrogant prick! I swear to you if you ever pull something like that again I will kill you." She crosses her arms angrily and continues to glower at him before turning back to the mirror. "I do look pretty damn sexy in this though," she says, shrugging, taking in the way the soft, flowing material hugs her upper body before hanging loosely around her thighs, a deep slit in the side almost reaching her hip. Lucy and I burst out into laughter at her quiet appraisal of herself, soon followed by everyone else including Lils.
"Alright," James says as our laughter dies down, "we had better get going. McGonagall starts her rounds pretty soon, and it'll be hell trying to get past her."
I turn to watch Cole glance nervously at Hunter before looking up at Howards. "His bedtime is nine. Make sure he brushes his teeth. He will lie and tell you he did. And, um, just listen for nightmares."
He smoothes down her hair. "I know, Beck. We'll be fine. You've already locked down the fireplace, warded the windows, and given me instructions on what to do if the world suddenly drops out of orbit," he says, rolling his eyes. "Now, off with you," he demands and shoves her toward me. "Stop worrying and have fun."
She only glances back every five seconds until we are out on the castle grounds.
O
"They're good together," Cole says lightly, leaning against the edge of the table, nodding toward Moony and Lucy as he twirls her around a few meters away.
I slide my hand around her to her hip and tug her to me, guiding her into my lap. She lies back against me, sighing and tilting her head back to rest it on my shoulder. "Yeah," I agree, wrapping my arms around her waist.
"So, what's with the new girl?" she asks, running her fingers up into my hair.
Shrugging, I take her hand, brushing my lips across her knuckles. "No idea. Pete needed a partner, and they have been studying together lately. She agreed to come." She gives a noise of acknowledgement, and we both go back to watching the dancing couples. Moony and Lucy are dancing a rather complicated, little swing dance in the middle of the floor, his skill and guidance making her appear to be much better at it than she really is. I am not sure I would call what Lily and James are doing dancing; it looks more like laughing hysterically as James tramples all over Lily's toes. Peter and Cindy (I asked James for her name) are sitting at a round table across the room, chatting idly.
Cole raises both arms over her head, wrapping them around my neck and glancing at me. "Dance with me," she asks when the music switches from the fast pace song Moony and Lucy had been jitterbugging to to something much slower.
"Of course." I grin, standing up and spinning her around. "But I must warn you, I am not nearly as good as Moony. His Gran is a dance instructor. I cannot compete with a lifetime of lessons."
Winding her arms around my neck and pressing herself up against me, she smiles. "As long as you don't step on my toes, I don't mind. His moves intimidate me anyway."
"Oh, really?" I say teasingly, leading her out toward the dance floor.
"Mmhmm," she murmurs against my neck, laying her head on my shoulder. "He is much too good. I would feel incompetent."
"Trust me, you are anything but incompetent."
I gently draw circles with my thumb on the small of her back, breathing in the scent of her, listening to the soft sounds of her humming along with the melody as we sway across the floor, enjoying the feel of her against me. Lily may be right, I might not love her, but I sure as hell don't want to lose her.
O
thank you for reading