"I haven't been fair to you."
Such were the first words Lizzy said to Darcy in their first private moment in a week. They were walking to Hogsmeade together, more to avoid gossip than for desire to be alone with each other.
"I could say the same," said Darcy.
"No, I don't think you could," Lizzy countered. She had been prepared to go on, but Darcy jumped in.
"I said I would not force or rush you, yet every time you resist me, I throw a marvelous fit," said Darcy agitatedly. "It is not fair for me to try to guilt you in such a fashion, and I am incredibly sorry for it. I am determined to better myself and not put you in such uncomfortable situations."
"And I am determined to have all the fault," Lizzy contradicted. She plowed on before Darcy could interrupt again. "I have demanded all I could from you. Whenever you tried to set a defense before me, I tore it down. I insisted you be completely open and honest. Yet all that time, I withheld myself from you. I have been using you as an emotional support all along, but not truly invested myself. It was abominably cruel of me to set you in such a lopsided relationship."
Darcy looked well and truly confused. "You have always been completely honest with me, Elizabeth."
Lizzy averted her gaze to study her shoes. "It has been pointed out to me that I have not been honest with myself. Therefore, it is impossible that I could have been honest with you." And Lizzy told him all about the lecture she had been given by Josephine and Phoebe.
"So you do fear me," Darcy said dismally.
"I suppose so," Lizzy confessed. She pulled the thoughts he had written down the week previous from her pocket and held them up. "I so badly want to believe all of this, William. I really do. But I'm afraid I won't be able to take it if it turns out to be lies."
Fury, disappointment, and despondence all flitted across Darcy's face. It took him several moments to gather his defenses and hide himself behind his apathetic mask. "What can I do to convince you otherwise?" he asked.
Lizzy felt as though someone had reached into her chest and clamped down on her heart. "I really am not sure," she admitted.
Darcy stopped and tightly shut his eyes for a significant period of time. Lizzy even began to wonder if she ought to leave him to his own thoughts and return to Hogwarts. Just as she was about to turn away, he opened his eyes and offered his arm to her, the smile on his face she had come to greatly enjoy.
"I thought you might prefer some time to yourself," Lizzy cautiously ventured.
"Nonsense," said Darcy with apparent ease. "I should much prefer taking the young woman that has agreed to court me out around town, so others might see my good fortune."
Skeptically, Lizzy took Darcy's arm and they resumed their journey.
"I cannot alleviate your fears by shutting you out, Elizabeth," was all Darcy said by way of explanation before determinedly engaging Lizzy in banal conversation.
Lizzy was relieved to entrust Darcy to Bingley's care when they came across him and Jane on the main street of Hogsmeade. She believed Darcy could be greatly benefitted by unburdening himself to a fellow man.
"I have decided I will only get myself five new sets of robes," said Jane as she wound her arm around her sister's and led her to the robemaker's, away from Bingley and Darcy.
"Five?" Lizzy asked, summoning her teasing nature as best she could. "No, surely you should have at least ten new sets! How could Bingley possibly marry a woman that only gets herself five new outfits? All the other men will say he cannot afford to keep a wife well styled!"
Jane laughed at Lizzy's jest. "I will wear my gowns, mostly, over the summer," she explained, "and my school robes most of the following term. Five new sets may be too many, indeed!"
Lizzy threw herself into helping Jane choose fabrics and designs enthusiastically, desperate to be distracted from her inner turmoil.
"You are not happy, Lizzy," Jane said suddenly once the sisters were left alone in a dressing room.
Lizzy was so surprised she fumbled and dropped the bolt of cloth she had been examining.
"Please do not insult me by pretending otherwise," Jane added.
"This is hardly the place, Jane," Lizzy said, glancing around.
Jane drew her wand and flicked it several times. "There. Now we shall not be bothered."
Jane's attitude of determined calm broke the little reserve Lizzy had left and she let completely loose, even to the point of telling Jane how very angry she was that she had been replaced by Bingley in Jane's hierarchy and admitting the hypocrisy of her ire at such. Unsurprisingly, Jane had tears in her eyes by the time Lizzy finished her rant.
It was a very long time before the sisters left the dressing room, though both were satisfied upon doing so.
"How was looking at cottages with Charles?" Lizzy asked Darcy as they sat down for lunch in The Three Broomsticks.
"We narrowed the pool down to three cottages that are structurally sound and updated recently enough as to not look ridiculous," Darcy answered. "Had we not taken so long, Charles might have shown them to Jane today. As it is, they'll have to wait until next week. Hopefully, they'll be able to sign the lease then."
Lizzy very much wanted to ask just what had taken Darcy and Bingley so much longer than Darcy seemed to have expected, but thought it would not be fair to do so. "You did not take too much longer than Jane and I did," she said instead. "We were in Honeyduke's less than ten minutes when you arrived."
"Jane must have chosen a great many new outfits," said Darcy. He greeted the young wizard that came to serve them by name and gave his and Lizzy's customary orders before turning back to her.
"Only five," Lizzy answered. She cleared her somewhat raw throat. "We had some weighty matters to discuss."
Darcy opened his mouth to reply, then thought better of it and closed it. After a moment of thinking, he asked, "Is Jane to get most of her new clothes with Mrs. Bennet, then?"
"I told her that I'm angry with her," Lizzy burst.
Darcy straightened in surprise.
"I told her how very upset I've been that she's been confiding in Bingley instead of me, that I've felt cut out by her, even though I know I've been doing the same with her and you," Lizzy continued. "She and I had a very good talk about where we stand and where our first loyalties lie."
Darcy cleared his throat before making a reply. "Dare I ask where yours are?"
"Shifting," Lizzy answered after a moment, "from the old to the new. It's a slow process with a lot of growing pains."
Darcy smiled lightly. "Bingley and I had an enlightening discussion on patience and understanding," he said. "He possesses a much more substantial amount of both things than I do and was quite willing to advise me."
Lizzy and Darcy were much more at ease on the way back to Hogwarts than they had been on their way away from it.
"I do not want to study for my exams!" Lydia whined.
"You'll be thankful in the long run," Lizzy said without sympathy.
"Sally said I could borrow her broom today so Levi could show me some Beater basics!" Lydia continued.
"Sally's broom will still exist after you've spent a couple hours revising."
"But I might not," Lydia said sullenly, flicking open one of her books with a look of disgust.
Lizzy exchanged an exasperated look with Darcy beside her before turning her attention to Potions. The end of the year was a mere three weeks away, and panic about all the big exams had started to hit students at varying levels. Darcy had told Lizzy that a fifth year in Ravenclaw had gone down in a fit of anxiety already the night previous.
"Did Slughorn hint that it was the potion on page sixty-eight or eighty-six that is a particular favorite of those that make the exams for sixth years?" Lizzy asked Darcy as she flipped between the two pages.
"Perhaps it's both," Darcy said offhandedly.
Lizzy gave Darcy an annoyed sideways glance. "I know you remember."
"Why do first years have to take Astronomy?" Lydia asked dismally as she examined the chart before her.
"It's important for Potions and certain advanced spells," Darcy answered pragmatically.
Lizzy, who knew her sister much better, provided and alternate answer. "You've no hope of doing well in Divination if you can't distinguish one constellation from another."
Lydia pouted, but complained a little less from that point forward as she began tracing charts and rewriting notes under the supervision of Lizzy and Darcy.
"There, it's been a full two hours!" Lydia said triumphantly, pointing at the large clock on the wall. "Will you let me go now?"
"How many stars are in Orion's Belt?" Lizzy asked without looking up from the Charms article before her.
"Three," Lydia answered immediately.
"Be sure to listen carefully to what Sally says to take care of her broom," Lizzy said, still without raising her eyes.
Lydia was already walking away before Lizzy had finished her instructions, though she called a promise to heed them over her shoulder.
"So Lydia plans to take Divination, does she?" Darcy asked, leaning back in his chair and running his hands through his hair.
Lizzy threw her quill down and rubbed her eyes. Normally, she and Darcy would take a break from studying approximately every fifteen minutes. They had learned that they could not do so when they took Lydia with them, as the young girl somehow managed to frequently double the length of each break so that more time was spent in idle chatter than in academic productivity. "She thinks that someone in the family must be a Seer. Mary and I know the subject to be utter nonsense, so never took it. Jane quit after a year."
Darcy shrugged. "True Seers do exist. Perhaps we will be surprised."
"If there are any Seers here at Hogwarts, they'll be driven away from acknowledging the fact when they see the spectacle Professor Trelawney makes of herself," said Lizzy scathingly.
"I thought you had never dealt with the woman?" Darcy asked a little too lightly.
"I went with Jane once to her office," said Lizzy. "Trelawney took it upon herself to read a crystal ball for me and said I would end up homeless, bitter, and ugly before ten years past."
"And how did you reply?" Darcy asked, very clearly trying to keep himself from laughing.
"Details are not important," said the familiar voice of Flitwick. "The fact that Miss Elizabeth spent the next week in detention is information enough."
Lizzy looked at Flitwick unamusedly while Darcy's eyes lit up with the pleasure of having been given ammunition with which to tease her.
"How can we help you today, Professor Flitwick?" Lizzy asked with decidedly forced politeness.
Flitwick was not fooled by Lizzy's attempt at anger, and so only smiled wider before providing an answer. "Please go back to your rooms and change. We have been asked to go to the Ministry."
"For what, Professor?" Lizzy asked, even as she started ordering all the books, papers, and quills around her.
"You leave to represent your country in twenty days," said Flitwick. "The Ministry wants to make sure you have everything you need to represent well."
"You mean they want to make sure we will not disgrace them while abroad," Lizzy said shrewdly.
"More or less," Flitwick conceded.
Twenty minutes later, Lizzy stood in Flitwick's office dressed in her best set of robes. Darcy had beaten her and looked very well draped in dark blue with accents of brilliant white. She noted the quality of his dress and began to feel self-conscious in the second-hand robes she had been wearing for two years.
Lizzy's feelings of inadequacy increased after coming out of the grate into the Ministry lobby. All around her were witches and wizards in sharp robes with clean, well-kept boots.
"You look very well, Elizabeth," said Darcy quietly after watching her nervously look over a passing witch.
"How can I expect people to believe I am one of England's champions when I look as though – "
"You earned your place due to your skill, Elizabeth, not because of your outfit," said Darcy firmly. "Besides, I already said you look very well, and I should hope my opinion means more to you than those of strangers that do not value you nearly so well as I do."
Lizzy smiled at Darcy's tease, and doing so relieved her of some tension.
Flitwick finally led them into a room. Lizzy and Darcy were unsurprised to see Josiah Ridgeway and Sophia Capulet. They all greeted each other pleasantly and chatted amicably for several minutes until the Minister himself walked in.
"What a pleasure to be able to send such a gifted group of young men and women to represent us," said Fudge boisterously after introducing himself personally to each champion.
"I don't think I overstep when I say it is an honor for us to be in such a position, sir," said Josiah with heavy sincerity.
Lizzy, Darcy, and Sophia nodded their agreement, drawing another pleased exclamation from Fudge.
"Well, you must be wondering why I've asked you all to be here," said Fudge. He gestured to a long rectangular table and waited for everyone else to be seated before taking his place at the head. "There's a lot of work to be done to prepare you for this competition, and not a lot of time in which to accomplish it." Fudge went on to list a great many things that needed to be seen to, including fitting the champions for proper attire, settling on traveling accommodations, coming up with and practicing an exhibition for the opening ceremonies, explanations of proper and expected behavior, and so many others.
Had Lizzy been at Hogwarts and seated in front of Flitwick instead of at the Ministry before Fudge, she would have started rubbing her temples in annoyance. She did not like all the pomp and circumstance Fudge was alluding to. She only wanted to display her own skill and observe, perhaps even learn, the practices of others.
"Miss Capulet, Miss Bennet, assuming you are amendable, I have secured Mrs. Felicia Daelyn as your coach," said Fudge.
Lizzy agreed immediately because she liked Felicia. Sophia agreed because she knew what a force to be reckoned with Felicia was.
"Excellent," said Fudge, rubbing his hands together. He flicked his wand at the door and, a moment later, someone Lizzy recognized as having been in their final year at Hogwarts her first year came through it.
"Yes, sir?" said the newcomer.
"Please escort Miss Capulet and Miss Bennet to Mrs. Daelyn," said Fudge.
"Minister, I hope you remember that Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy must be returning to Hogwarts by nine o'clock," Flitwick piped up. "They do still have classes tomorrow."
Fudge assured Flitwick that Lizzy would be returned to him in a timely fashion, then waved the girls off to follow his assistant.
Lizzy drew Sophia into simple conversation as they wound through the halls of the Ministry. Lizzy thought her fellow champion was a little reticent and more reserved than she, but decided they would get along well enough.
"There are my protégées!" Felicia exclaimed once Lizzy and Sophia were through the door. All three exchanged pleasantries with varying levels of excitement before Felicia launched into an explanation. "If you're anything like me, you could hardly care less what you wear into the ring so long as it covers you and stays out of the way," said Felicia. "Unfortunately, we have to deal with some pageantry."
Lizzy's appreciation for Felicia was only growing. Sophia shrugged in response to the speech as if she did not necessarily mind the pageantry.
"Come with me, girls," said Felicia, turning towards a door on the opposing wall. "I've worked with Madam Malkin extensively on some new designs. You two will be the first to wear them."
When Felicia opened what turned out to be a very large closet, Lizzy felt her jaw drop. Dozens of beautifully elaborate, yet not ostentatious, dueling robes were before her. True to Felicia's claim, they were of a different design than Lizzy had seen before. Each set consisted of what seemed almost to be a gown that was removeable for an outer layer, a long shirt cinched with a belt at the waist, and form-fitting pants. The robes Lizzy had been using still had a full skirt over pants, though the skirt had long slits along the sides to allow for more movement. She had gotten caught up in the skirts a time or two and was happy this new design would not hinder her so.
"Won't these rip as we move?" Sophia asked concernedly as she examined a pair of pants. "They are a very close-fitting cut, are they not?"
"Do you think that I, of all people, would recommend an outfit to you that would fall apart under a slight bit of pressure, Miss Capulet?" Felicia asked blandly.
Sophia's response was to blush and devote more of her attention to examining the robes.
"This outer layer you ought to keep on until you are about to enter the ring," said Felicia, taking one in her hands to better show some detail. "When it's all set correctly, it looks almost as a fashionable Muggle gown. Perhaps with some more tweaking of the design, we witches can wear a proper set of robes wherever we choose without offending the Muggles, eh?"
Lizzy laughed at the idea that she might wear robes into Longbourn and be complimented for her style by Mrs. Bennet.
"Well, Miss Bennet, I think you ought to try on that forest green there," said Felicia. "And Miss Capulet, the powder blue might do nicely."
Once Lizzy was fully dressed in the new design, she delighted in exploring its functionality. She was able to move with absolute freedom and felt certain she would be able to stash any number of things on her person without arousing suspicion thanks to the flowing outer layer.
"Yes, that'll do nicely," said Felicia after observing Lizzy in the first set of robes. "Hold still for a moment there, Bennet, let me mark up what adjustments need to be made for you."
With the flick of her wand, Felicia had set white marks where fabric needed to be taken in or loosened to better fit Lizzy, then instructed her charge to try another set.
As they tried set after set of robes, Lizzy and Sophia became more comfortable with each other, honestly letting each other know whether a particular color or cut was flattering or not, though both respected Felicia's authority as the final say.
"I don't particularly care if you think a deeper neckline would make Bennet look more 'ethereal,' Capulet," said Felicia after Sophia had made such a suggestion. "I'll not have men gawking over either of you for what you're wearing. Let them gawk for your skill in the ring. You're not out to find husbands at this competition!"
Felicia had a similar harsh response when Lizzy suggested what Sophia was wearing at the time might look better with long sleeves. "Long sleeves restrict," said Felicia. "Besides that, once you start getting closer to India, you'll be thankful to have as short of sleeves as possible."
By the time Lizzy had to leave, Felicia had declared seven sets appropriate for her and promised to get them altered, as well as have a few more made up in similar color schemes and designs.
"Will we get to keep these, Mrs. Daelyn?" Sophia asked excitedly.
"Of course," said Felicia. "You're launching the styles to the public, after all."
Lizzy felt a knot form in her stomach and contrived a way to speak to Felicia so Sophia would not hear. "Mrs. Daelyn, I do not think I can afford to pay Madam Malkin for – "
"This is all on the Ministry's galleon, Bennet," said Felicia with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Even if it wasn't expected of the Ministry to shell out some coin for this endeavor, Fudge is such a vain man he would provide the funds anyway, lest those under his power be seen as inferior. Enjoy the special treatment, Bennet, rather than fight it. Now be gone with you."
Lizzy followed a Ministry employee back to the room where she had first been. Josiah had already left. Flitwick and Darcy were waiting. They wasted little time before getting to a fireplace and returning to Flitwick's office.
"What were you subjected to, Elizabeth?" Darcy asked, rolling his neck as he escorted Lizzy back to Gryffindor Tower.
Lizzy enjoyed telling Darcy about the new robes. "I am not generally one to gush over fashions, but these were truly wonderful creations," Lizzy said as her explanation drew to a close. "I look forward to being able to call them mine."
"I look forward to seeing them," said Darcy.
"And what were you up to with Mr. Ridgeway and Professor Flitwick?" Lizzy asked.
"Much the same as you," Darcy sighed, "though I think you had the better bargain. Minister Fudge insisted on attending us for part of the time. I should not speak ill of the Minister, I know, but…."
"But?" Lizzy prodded after Darcy trailed off, delight dancing in her eyes.
"If it weren't for the position he holds, I am convinced Fudge would be quite the dandy," Darcy said quickly. "He certainly insisted Ridgeway and I be made to look like dandies, ourselves!"
Lizzy pressed her lips together and swallowed the laugh that threatened to burst forth. "Oh?" she asked lightly.
"Thankfully, Flitwick discarded all the selections Fudge made immediately after the Minister left," said Darcy.
"What a pity," Lizzy pouted. "I should have liked to see you in some bright colors or loud designs, I think."
Darcy looked down at Lizzy with wide eyes. Seeing the tease glittering in her eyes, he assembled his mask and said in retaliation, "If you make such a suggestion to Flitwick, or tell Fudge that his considerations were abandoned, I shall never forgive you, Miss Bennet."
"I remember you once saying you would never suspend any pleasure of mine," Lizzy challenged.
Darcy stopped in the middle of the hallway and held Lizzy's eyes with his own. "Your teasing will be my undoing, Elizabeth Bennet."
"The argument could be made that you could stand being loosened up a bit, Mr. Darcy," Lizzy quipped.
"Elizabeth, may I kiss you?"
Lizzy felt her breath hitch. She and Darcy had not done more than hold hands since their argument nearly two weeks prior. She searched her thoughts. Could she let herself indulge in a kiss if she was not ready to follow through on what such an action might mean? Could she do that to Darcy?
The answer came quite clearly and suddenly: yes, she was ready to kiss Darcy. And not just because she wanted to, but because she truly believed she was making progress toward being able to accept his full suit, though she knew she would still need time.
As Lizzy pondered, Darcy's face fell. He turned and made to begin moving forward again, but Lizzy quickly grabbed his arm and wheeled him around to face her before planting a kiss on his lips. It was not a long period of contact, but it was enough to reassure him. She had considered a deeper kiss, but was conscious of the mandrake leaf that had been her tongue's constant companion since their fight. In order to provide something else for her mind to focus on, she had started the required month of keeping the leaf in her mouth.
"If new dueling robes put you in such a state, I shall be sure to get you some every week, at least," Darcy contentedly sighed as he rested his forehead on Lizzy's.
"If we have to go to the Ministry again tonight, I will become excessively cross," Darcy growled as he and Lizzy made their way to Hogsmeade. They might as well have standing appointments at the Ministry, as they had been summoned there every night that week and no end was yet in sight.
"I would like a night in to study," Lizzy said by way of agreement.
Darcy muttered something to the effect of desiring a night away from Minister Fudge under his breath, and Lizzy did him the courtesy of ignoring the comment.
"Will you and Jane be able to be civil to each other, do you think?" Darcy asked concernedly as they reached Hogsmeade's main street.
Lizzy flattened her lips as she thought. "Jane will always be civil. It's me that must watch her mouth. I am determined not to cause Jane any further pain. I have expressed my concerns to her, she has addressed them, and we are working toward a new understanding."
Darcy nodded slowly. He and Lizzy spoke of less weighty matters as they waited near the robemaker's for Jane and Bingley.
Jane apologized profusely for being late when she and Bingley arrived. "Kitty felt ill this morning," she explained. "All is well now, however, and my friend Nora has agreed to check on Kitty while I am out."
Bingley and Darcy went off their own way while the Bennet sisters went inside the robemaker's shop for the final fitting of Jane's new outfits. Their conversation was not necessarily easy, but it was civil and became less rigid as time went on. Lizzy found herself suddenly grateful for all the time she had spent at the Ministry the week previous. It had given her and Jane time to think before spending another extended period of time together.
Jane had just given final approval on the last of her new robes when Permelia Abbot came into the shop.
"Kitty's lost what she managed to get down for breakfast, poor dear," Permelia told Jane. "She's asking for you."
Lizzy ordered Jane to leave and tend Kitty immediately, promising to see to the final details of the robes.
Lizzy had already settled accounts on Jane's robes and had just finished haggling over the price of a shawl she thought her sister might like when the shop's bell rang, indicating a new arrival.
"Do not presume to speak to me!" said disdainfully haughty voice. "Where is that fortune-hunting upstart?"
Lizzy had started to feel immense pity for the poor shopworker when her mind suddenly jarred for recognizing exactly who the voice belonged to and what its owner must be about.
Lady Catherine had found out about her and Darcy.
Lizzy hurriedly dug out the proper amount of money from her reticule, snatched up her packages, and had nearly sneaked around the back of a display before hearing an imperious boom demand she stop immediately. Refusing to back down from the challenge, now that the proverbial gauntlet had been thrown, Lizzy squared her shoulders as she faced Lady Catherine.
"Just who do you think you are?" Lady Catherine demanded to start off. The next several minutes saw Lizzy insulted for her parents, her sisters, the entail on her family estate, her genteel poverty, the fact that she had not been sent to Beauxbatons, her impertinent nature, and, most horrifying of all, her refusal of what was "a most sensible and appropriate" offer of marriage from Mr. Collins.
"I am sorry my existence offends you so very much, my lady," Lizzy said with a lightness she did not feel. "Had I any control over my circumstances, I assure you I would not rest until I met your expectations!"
"I will not be spoken to with such caprice, Miss Bennet!" Lady Catherine barked. "It is not your existence that is so offensive, but your shameless pursuit of a man that is above you in every way! If you had any sense, you would not quit the sphere in which you were raised up!"
"I am a gentlemen's daughter and a witch, Lady Catherine," Lizzy retorted, "and therefore equal to your nephew!"
"You will cease your association with him immediately!" Lady Catherine decided, thoroughly red in the face. "Your alliance would be a disgrace! What is more, it can never take place, for he is engaged to my daughter! What have you to say to that?"
"Only that, as your nephew is an honorable man, I cannot lend your statement any credence, for he surely would not enter a courtship with another woman if he were betrothed to Miss de Bourgh," Lizzy answered. She felt her fists shaking at her sides.
"You have made him forget himself!"
Lizzy bit her tongue so hard she was sure it would start bleeding. She could think of any number of things with which to reply to such an audacious statement, but figured she had said enough to upset Lady Catherine already. She did not want to be any more a source of contention between Darcy and his family than was necessary.
Lady Catherine started another tangent. At the end, she harshly asked Lizzy, "Are you engaged to him?"
"I am not," Lizzy answered reluctantly. She would have much preferred to simply walk away from the horrid woman, but held little doubt that Lady Catherine would follow her out into the street to continue her tirade.
"And will you promise me never to become so?" Lady Catherine asked after a moment of basking in Lizzy's denial.
Fury Lizzy had not anticipated seared her insides. How dare this woman attempt to bind her future with such a promise? It was the straw that broke the camel's back.
"I do not make a practice of allowing my future happiness to be dictated by persons so wholly unconnected to me," Lizzy snarled. "Whatever might happen with Mr. Darcy and me will be determined by us alone! You have given me your opinions quite freely, Lady Catherine, and must therefore consider your goal accomplished. I will leave you now and return to Hogwarts!"
Lizzy turned on her heel, determined to do just that. She would go directly to Professor McGonagall's office to seek shelter. Even if Lady Catherine managed to get on the grounds, she would certainly not be allowed into McGonagall's sanctuary after Lizzy told her professor what had happened.
"Not so hasty!" Lady Catherine said loudly, beginning to follow Lizzy's footsteps. "I am not finished with you yet, Miss Elizabeth Bennet!"
"Indeed, you are, Madam."
Lizzy collided with Darcy as he stepped out from behind a shelf. He righted her quickly, then pinned her protectively to his side with his arm.
"Nephew, thank Merlin!" cried Lady Catherine. "Now this can all be set to rights. You will leave this Mudblood immediately and come take your place at Anne's side."
Lizzy did not think it was possible, but she tensed further as she saw furious fire in Darcy's eyes. "It is nothing, William," she tried to say soothingly. Further attempts at quelling his anger were cut off when he looked at her with harsh resolution.
"I am not now, nor will I ever be, engaged to Anne," Darcy said coldly. "Were you to bother speaking with your daughter on the subject, you would know she shares such sentiments."
"Nonsense!" Lady Catherine burst.
Darcy completely ignored his aunt's objection. "You will leave now, Lady Catherine. I care not where you go, so long as you are removed from Miss Bennet's presence. You have made quite the spectacle of yourself today, and I am done speaking with you."
Darcy had turned with Elizabeth, but Lady Catherine was not through.
"I will not allow you to pollute the shades of Pemberley and the memory of my beloved sister by allying yourself to such a street urchin as her!" Lady Catherine shouted.
Darcy wheeled around and left Elizabeth's side so he could set himself mere inches from his aunt's face. "Do not insult my mother's memory by presuming to know what her opinions might have been," he said dangerously. "You do not care for her memory, only for yourself.
"If I ever hear you speak in such a manner of my beloved again," he continued in a barely audible voice after leaning menacingly close, "I will irrevocably cut you and happily let Rosings collapse under your over bearing and over spending. Good day, Lady Catherine."
Darcy did not pause in his progression toward the door, though he did grab Elizabeth's hand to make sure she came with him. He kept his mouth clamped shut as he moved without a destination in mind. He only wanted to get as far away from Lady Catherine as possible.
"William, you have to stop!"
At Elizabeth's insistence, Darcy ceased his furious progression. He had led them to a field outside Hogsmeade. His breathing was labored and his heart rammed painfully against his chest.
"How long were you there?" Elizabeth asked.
"Long enough," Darcy said shortly. Truth told, he had been there since the close of Lady Catherine's first rant. The woman had first tried to gain access to Hogwarts and been refused entry. Silas witnessed the fit Lady Catherine threw upon being turned away by Professor Sprout and, understanding better than most how difficult such a relation could be, hastened to Hogsmeade to find and warn Darcy.
Through the several agonizing minutes that passed between his arrival and his confrontation with Lady Catherine, Darcy had maintained a white-knuckled grip on some unfortunate shelving and bitten his tongue. Elizabeth had to face Lady Catherine and attempt to shut the woman down before he interfered. It was only right that Elizabeth be allowed to defend herself, first. Anyone with even a shred more sense than Lady Catherine would have taken Elizabeth's rebukes and retreated to lick their wounds, but Lady Catherine was not known for acting with prudence. He had only let himself intervene when Lady Catherine had made to interfere with Elizabeth's escape.
Gentle hands grabbed Darcy's face and turned it toward his beloved's.
"I am not unaffected by Lady Catherine," Elizabeth said softly, "but her actions are her own and I do not hold them against you in the slightest."
"You are too good," Darcy said, closing his eyes to avoid the raw emotion Elizabeth showed. "I did not handle the situation appropriately. I should have told Lady Catherine, myself. Such would have enabled me to bear the brunt of her rage and spare you this pain."
"Look at me."
Darcy shook his head. He did not want to see anymore hurt in his beloved's features.
"Look at me!" Elizabeth loudly insisted.
Slowly and with great anxiety, Darcy opened his eyes. He had little else to look at besides Elizabeth. Behind her was only open field, and she still held his head to prevent him turning away.
"I forbid you from feeling guilt in this matter," Elizabeth said resolutely. "Do you understand me, sir?"
Darcy broke and enveloped his beloved in his arms. As he held her, peace that had been evading him since their argument the day of the Quidditch Final settled. Here was his Elizabeth, comforting him when it was her that ought to be receiving sympathy. She had been cruelly attacked, and yet she was only worried for how he would respond. He dug his fingers into her back in attempts to draw her closer to himself.
Darcy's revelations continued. Elizabeth's emotions often ran ahead of her logic, causing the two to war with each other. Her most recent actions inspired great hope in him. She had referred to her future in the plural with Darcy. Refused to say she would not marry him, and Darcy knew all too well she would have no hesitations in stating her aversion to such, if she possessed any. Put his mental well-being above her own. Yes, Elizabeth said with her words that she was not sure she would be able to formally bind their lives together, but her actions, which often indicated the true state of her mind more accurately, said differently.
"Do you feel better now, William?" Elizabeth asked after several minutes.
"Very much so," Darcy said lowly. He proceeded to prove such to Elizabeth by kissing her quite tenderly and thoroughly.
"What was that?" Darcy asked sometime later, after regaining control of his pulse. "In your mouth?"
Elizabeth suddenly looked horrified and her face went red to the roots of her hair. "I have to see McGonagall."
"Well that's an odd thought to have after sharing such a moment," Darcy commented with a chuckle. He loved the way Elizabeth's mind worked, even if it sometimes frustrated him.
"It was my mandrake leaf," said Elizabeth. "Oh, I hope I don't have to start over!"
Darcy threw his head back as he laughed.
"I'm glad you are so amused," Elizabeth said petulantly.
"Well, the leaf did not leave your mouth, so I would think you would not have to start its month's long confinement again," Darcy supposed.
If possible, Elizabeth's blush deepened even more. "Yes, but now it has been exposed to – to – "
Darcy set his forehead to Elizabeth's as another chuckle rumbled through his chest. "Would you like me to go see McGonagall with you?"
"No!" Elizabeth answered emphatically.
Author's Note
Let's not lie - I really like the whole mandrake leaf dilemma that arose in that last little bit there. ;P
Time's just a concept. An illusion. It's not real. I totally updated exactly when I was supposed to. -scratches head and looks away uncomfortably-
Please share your thoughts!