In the week since the warding incident everything had changed, and nothing. They had come every day this week, even though two days were shorter and it seemed by consensus that they were ready to talk about the challenge. That's what the little witch called it and it had stuck. Apparently it was called the Rites in Russia but neither of them cared about what they called it.
"I've got some questions before any plans I've considered." Since the three men were all looking at her expectantly she understood that they wanted her to begin this discussion. In a way they had been giving her time to feel comfortable again. They hadn't made her deliberately uncomfortable but her embarrassment took some time to get over and more feelings had been expressed than any of them were comfortable with.
"How much of a chance should I give them?" She asked. Yaxley tilted his head in question and Dolohov looked at her in such a way that said explain. Always explain.
"Am I just walking around and waiting for them before taking any precautions outside of our homes? Should I implement escape plans? How prepared should I be? What can I cast at them? Should I show all of what I can do?" She reeled off questions and then waited.
"Have these people been the predator or the prey before, you mean?" Rowle asked. She nodded and then he clearly understood exactly what she meant.
"How serious is this? You'll have to explain what you want from her. She could disappear for the duration, never allow herself to be captured at all, outside of death, what can she fight back with? The little witch has been hunted and caught. Doesn't want to get caught up. Wants some rules." Her smile was small but appreciative. Her experiences were a bit easier for him to imagine, closer to her in age and temperament. Both were more emotional than the older wizards. Dolohov understood and nodded.
"No war recently. Have hunted and been hunted by each other. Also you are a witch." These were points to consider. The last surprised her.
"Should I expect chivalry?" The disbelief was clear In her voice. Other than that Dolohov hadn't actually killed her, she had experienced almost no allowance for her gender in duels or any other way. Only recently had she thought that she was right in fifth year. That he had pulled back the magic, at least partially. It had whipped her but not hit her squarely. The damage it did would have certainly killed her without the nearly glancing form of the impact. He looked a bit like that when she mentioned feelings or something he considered sentimental, which she didn't do without cause. Interesting.
This would be one of those moments where Yaxley was more likely to provide an actual verbal response.
"Not chivalry by definition. Underestimation perhaps. Even with what news of your exploits will have reached them, you are still a witch. Unlike what they have encountered." His smile was a bit devious and she suddenly thought maybe this was what he had been excited about. Why he had thought this a positive prospect. She looked at him with speculation.
"You want to put on a bit of a show then?" He was a performer at heart and didn't dim his glittering eyes. One of his subtle concessions she was correct. She let herself think that over.
"Maybe make it fun. Just a bit." She tentatively offered and then looked to her mentor who showed nothing for at least twenty seconds and then gave her leave with a nod. A small grin began to form on her lips and she thought, this will be much more enjoyable. Don't get caught. Have fun.
"A little bit of a preemptive go fuck yourselves?" That was the way it had coalesced in her mind and she murmured it to Rowle as the other two stood. Now that she didn't seem to need guidelines they had agreed to do the first one without any but the most drastic backup plans and see what happened. There was no way of knowing which of them would come, a senior or junior and one or two. All thought a less experienced one first. Better than the last but not the best. Wouldn't want to end the fun too early.
As he lay on the couch in their cabin, Thorfinn was listening to Rabastan talk about Luna. He did often and in a variety of ways. It was never disrespectful and usually thoughtful or funny. He didn't like the tense though. Never a future thought of his own. Occasionally the blond suggested something in another season or that would take time to complete and his friend spoke those with a tone of disbelief. The two of them seemed to each feel alone, yet together. Which was difficult to understand. Since he didn't have any insight to offer he listened and put in what he could.
"Have you any idea what you will say?" For a minute he wasn't sure and then the look on Rabastan's face made it clear. To Hermione. He had been trying to use her name in his mind, occasionally anyway. It suited her and it didn't. That wasn't important at the moment though.
"No." That was the first time that he had admitted that he had decided to talk to her. Offer something. Ask for something. He would just blurt something out at a bad time if he didn't do it on purpose. He was pretty sure that the three wizards he saw most often all knew he had come to this decision. He had seen each of them watch him watch her with a new expression on their faces.
It wasn't the most comfortable thing, to have everyone know your damned business but it couldn't be avoided with these people.
'Bas only nodded in understanding.
"What changed?" He really wanted to know what had pushed him over. He had been waiting for it to go one way or another and seemed quite invested in the outcome. Either way. Worried for his friends, individually. He kept a close ear to the ground about the little witch and what she was doing. In and out of her apprenticeship. That was mostly done outside of his time with her. He seemed to be becoming a bit of a haven for her. When he wasn't here to make her less comfortable. He didn't make her uncomfortable at the other cabin and not always here but he could tell that her awareness bothered her. She didn't have as many distractions at hand here.
"Nothing. Well some things. It wasn't really that, just giving in." That was true. There were some things he didn't want to share. Like the way she looked at him and how much he wanted her to do it without feeling self conscious. He wanted to be able to seek her out and not need an excuse. Sometimes when he went by her house for the twigs, that were still ongoing, she didn't moderate her reaction to him. Bouncing off her seat or dropping whatever task she was doing and her smile was fucking gorgeous. It felt like it was all for him and he wanted it that way. She loved people, he knew that. It felt private though, the way she would meet his eyes. In those unguarded moments.
What she felt for him or what she wanted from him, he didn't know. It was something though and that made not trying nearly impossible. She tried to avoid it sometimes and that bothered him. Like she was trying to ignore her responses to him. That didn't bode well for the long run. He had tried to picture them without the pull. Attraction or awareness or whatever and it didn't sit well. In fact he had forced himself to imagine for ten minutes, what would happen if they waited this out. If the two of them ignored it until something else came along. Or they each just took something else and tried to bury it. He had lit two trees on fire and then knowing that would piss her off, doused them and built a bonfire with deadfall in a clearing and poured his magic into it until it was a pyre. It was just what he had imagined but the feeling of having no choice.
He might be able to salvage it later, when some time had gone by. Had considered just giving himself a year to fuck around and then if she hadn't found something better, offering. He might have, if he didn't see her so often. Seeing her less wasn't something he wanted to do and he had decided not to try, so that meant basically doing that in front of her. Not actually but it would end up that way. He hadn't had a witch since Yaxley sat him down the first time and it wasn't as attractive to think about fucking willing witches by the dozen as it was to think about even his fingers in her mouth, just once. His fantasies had decidedly confirmed that. Salvaging it would be the only chance in that scenario. Her trust would be less and her commitment to him less as well. Basically he would be less to her. Less of a wizard and a man. Those were separate to her, he had learned.
So the only conclusion he could come to was to try. Not fight or resist. Now that he had made this decision he was at as much of a loss as before. Accept she was his, his mind had decided. Of course she didn't know this and he didn't know how to approach the issue. He was also well aware that despite what he thought, the little witch had not consented and that mattered more than his decision, in the long run.
"Are you going with her next time for the unicorn count?" He decided to shift the conversation away from his little witch. Hearing about the first time 'Bas had gone with her was mind blowing. Hermione made it seem cool but normal, what her friend could do. Rabastan told them how amazing it was and revelled in describing the unusual journey.