Hi guys! I hope you enjoy this next adventure in the story. Just a reminder that my story is smut heavy. I like reading stories and writing stories that focus primary on that, so if you get sick of that type of thing...well sorry! My stories tend to be smut/sex/romance/ focused with some story around it! Just the type of thing I like to read and write.
Enjoy! And please review if you can!
Aria was fast asleep and dreaming. At least she thought she was. She couldn't quite focus on what she saw but it was a blurry mix of a calming, misty light, something sparkling and some bits of black. Her body felt like it was buzzing with the most divine feeling and she felt so blissful and at peace. She couldn't help but moan out in content pleasure at the feeling of seemingly floating through time and space.
However, she then felt something warm and wet touch her body in the most intimate area and she woke up with a half startled, half orgasmic moan. Once her eyes adjusted she realized she hadn't been dreaming but had been in the realm between sleep and awake as Lucius had been touching her body, slowly awaking her to the most delightful feelings. She also realized what she had been seeing were the slightly drawn black curtains that partially blocked out the very, early morning sun, and it seeped through causing the room to glow in a deep, silvery-grey light. The sparkling that she had thought she had seen was actually that mystical light glinting off of the large chandelier that hung over their bed.
Lucius must have thought she was awake when she moaned in her in-between state of sleep and awake and he must have been hungry for her, since she now focused her eyes on where his blonde head was nestled between her legs as he feasted upon her body in the best of ways, his tongue drawing slow, seductive lines up and down her slit, teasing the little bundle of nerves, applying just the right amount of pressure with his warm tongue.
"Lucius…" she sighed out dreamily as her hands found their way to the top of his head and pushed him in closer.
"Mmmmm," he groaned out in pleasure, as his mouth was otherwise preoccupied and couldn't respond with words.
Aria still felt as if she was in some sort of dream-like state as Lucius ate her out for what seemed like ages. She still felt that hazy feeling one gets when trying to wake up in the morning, and with Lucius' incredible skill with his lips and tongue, she hadn't really left her dreamland yet. As he continued to pleasure her, he brought his arms and hands up to cup both of her breasts in his hands, as he began to give them pleasure as well.
Aria groaned in bliss and dug her hands and nails even more strongly within his blonde locks as she ground her hips and pussy against his mouth. She looked down with hooded eyes as she saw him cup and squeeze her breasts and she adored the way his shoulders and upper back flexed in this position, which caused his muscles to ripple and move with the movements of his mouth and neck.
She could tell Lucius was getting incredibly aroused as well as she saw his own hips gyrating to the same rhythm as hers, his backside muscles also flexing as he moved his hips against the bed where he lay, most likely trying to pleasure his cock as he pleasured Aria's sweet pussy with his mouth.
Aria was coming more and more out of her sleepy state as she felt herself reaching her climax; but she was jolted like a bolt of lighting to full awareness as she felt him remove his right hand from her breast and drive his index and middle finger into her pussy as he continued eating her out, so that now he was working her with his mouth and his two, long fingers.
"Ahhh! Lucius, Lucius Lucius…!" She moaned loudly, as she repeated his name like a mantra; he was making her feel beyond amazing, stimulating her body in such a way.
His mouth and fingers were moving fast now, it felt like her clit was nearly on fire with the pleasurable friction his tongue was providing for her and his long fingers were easily able to reach up inside of her to rub against her G-spot with perfect dexterity.
Aria's moaning was becoming more and more loud and erratic and Lucius could feel her insides beginning to tighten, preparing to climax all over his mouth and fingers.
"Lucius!" She cried out one last time before he raised his head to command her to come for him.
"Come for me…now my love," he said raising his head and grey eyes to look at his lover's flushed face as her mouth opened into an orgasmic "O" shape as she came hard for him and only him.
His hips kept moving as he watched Aria come for him; the sight was everything to him and it turned him on more than anything else on the face of the Earth. As his cock rubbed against the bed from where he gyrated his hips, he couldn't take it any longer….her beauty and her pleasure were too much and he had to have her now. He slowly removed his fingers from Aria's pulsating pussy and gave her clit one last brief kiss before he raised himself up so that he could move over her to whisper in her ear as she came down from her orgasm.
"On all fours…now…" he demanded.
Aria shuddered at his domineering command. She still felt as if she was dreaming, the intense orgasm she just had did her no favors in trying to awaken her body, if anything it had made her even more spent and comforted, however she would of course obey her powerful wizard. He had just made her feel so incredibly good and now she wanted him to feel the same way.
With a sigh of contentment, she smirked up at Lucius who was now up on his knees as he waited for her to assume the position he desired. His cock was so hard and ready and she could see his precum, as he glistened with need for her. The smirk he gave back to her, could make her come again right then and there, as his grey eyes sparked with molten hot desire. She got on all fours and arched her back a bit, so that her luscious bum was on full display for him. She turned her neck around so she could take in Lucius' gaze upon her body, and she blushed a bit when she saw the look he was giving her backside. He stared at her bum with a look of pure desire, his eyes hooded and the silver of his eyes on fire. She saw his lips open a bit as he slightly licked his lips and she saw him silently mutter the words "fuck" and "beautiful" to himself, as he realized what he was about to have.
Aria wiggled her behind a bit, urging him to take her, and without hesitation and a slight animalistic growl of carnal desire, he plunged into her warm, wet heat swiftly and urgently. As he had entered her, Aria had backed her bum up a bit to meet his initial thrust, and that little move of hers drove Lucius wild. However, he wanted to be the dominant one in that moment, especially in the current position and so he grabbed her firmly by the hips and pulled out slowly and then plunged back in hard.
Aria gasped at how thick and hard Lucius felt inside of her as he drove himself in rather forcefully. Sometimes she couldn't believe how big he actually was and how he was able to fit inside of her and she submitted herself to his power, body and soul, as she leaned down on her forearms, arching her back even more, giving him all the access to her he needed and craved.
As she moved her body down at that angle, Lucius' arousal increased tenfold, seeing her bend her upper half to submit her lower half to him at such a vulnerable angle. "Ohh good girl…" he drawled out in bliss, his voice deep and quivering slightly from the pleasure he was taking from her in this angle. "Good girls get rewarded…" he continued, as his pace started picking up even faster.
Aria practically screamed out as she buried her face into the soft down comforter as her hands gripped the soft fabric as she held on for dear life, as it felt like her lover was going to split her in two, in the best way possible. She adored when he lost himself when he was inside of her and she met his thrusts equally as urgent as she backed up into him every time he thrust into her to get even closer, if that was possible. She felt Lucius put his left hand on the small of her back, and then felt his right hand reach around to first grab her right breast, as he squeezed it hard, and then felt his hand float lower over her stomach, and then right to where her clit was to circle it with his fingers. Aria moaned again into the comforter at the added sensation and then her whole body tensed with the newest and most surprising sensation she had ever felt; as he continued rubbing her clit with his right hand, his left had gone farther down her back until it reached her back entrance, which was in easy reach for Lucius in this naughty angle. She felt just the tip of his thumb slightly enter the place she had never felt him ever before.
What made Aria tense up was not the sudden intrusion into parts of her body that were untouched, but that it made the sensations she was feeling with his cock inside of her and his other hand on her clit so much more intense and pleasurable. She flushed hotly, and brought her head back up around to look at her Lucius. He had stopped thrusting briefly, feeling her tense up, and his cock throbbed in want to continue its movement….but when he saw her pretty little face stare back at him with the most appealing of blushes, he knew it felt good for her, and his classic smirk appeared on his face and he slowly regained his movement of his cock and fingers. He didn't go farther into her other space he was currently touching, but when he saw her flush even more and silently mouth his name, he quietly whispered "shhhh my love…" he said calming her down. "Does it feel good to you?" He asked gently, as he drove in slow stokes into her with his cock, knowing what her answer would be.
She nodded, her blush turning even more rosy at how depraved she felt, but she couldn't help it. That tiny touch of his thumb on that area as he continued to fuck her and please her just added so much more intensity and sexuality.
His smirk widened and his eyes glinted proudly. "Good….good girl," he praised her. What a naughty little witch he had; he adored her even more in that moment. He picked his pace back up as he removed both of his hands from what they were doing to grip her hips again. He felt his release coming soon, and now he simply craved to pound into her wildly unbridled.
Aria had moved her head back down into the comfortable bed and was practically screaming with her own unbridled bliss as Lucius fucked her like it was his last day on Earth. With one last look down at her glorious bum, the sight of it made Lucius shudder, clench up and then finally release. His seed came in long waves of absolute nirvana as he filled her up, some of it leaking out of her and dripping down her thighs. Dear god it was a very erotic sight, and it made him throb and come a bit more as the image burned into his memory. He was truly the luckiest man on the planet.
After a minute or so of catching his breath, he slowly pulled out of Aria's body, sighing at the loss of their connection. He heard Aria sigh out too, her moan a bit muffled by her face being buried amongst the comforter and pillows but she lowered her bottom half so that she lay flat on her stomach. Lucius grabbed his wand on his bedside table and muttered a cleansing charm over her, to clean up the mess he had made. After she was clean, Aria rolled over to her back to look up at her Lucius who leaned over her, a satisfied look upon his face, but also a look of love and adoration.
She was still slightly flushed from being so vulnerable and shy, and she remembered how innocent she truly was. She had only ever made love with the gorgeous man next to her, and so she knew that whenever she discovered something new sexually it would be with him, and there would be times she might be shy.
Lucius absolutely adored her innocence. It made him feel all the more powerful and dominant, something he would always have within him as parts of his personality. He put one of his hands to cup her cheek and looked at her straight in the eyes. "You are absolutely divine, my Goddess," he said romantically, making her feel instantly at ease as her blush faded.
Lucius hated seeing her blush disappear but he leaned in to kiss her as he held her close to his warm and satisfied body.
"I wanted you to have something to remember, as you go off to your next job assignment in Oxford…I will miss you terribly…even if you do come home to me every night. I truly hate it when you are gone…whether its five minutes, a few hours or a few days…"he sighed as he traced delicious lines up and down her back with his fingertips as he held her.
She moaned a bit into his chest, reveling in his words and his comforting touch.
"Mmmm, I certainly will take this morning's pleasure with me to Oxford…and I'll probably be aroused the entire time just thinking about it…how will I be able to do my work?" She laughed a bit as she kissed his smooth chest.
Aria full heartedly agreed with Lucius on the fact that being away from him was exceedingly difficult. Some people would say that they were too close…too dependent…that it wasn't healthy to rely one someone's presence that much….but for Aria and Lucius and their soulmate connection, it was vital to their very core that they were always near each other. Perhaps it was what they were, the fated Veelas in Wizarding History that started true love for all beings, but the farther apart they were, and for longer periods of time, it truly did feel like each of their bodies would begin to wilt up and die like a delicate flower. Their souls depended on the other to live.
Later that morning, after finally coming out of her dream like state Lucius had induced within her, Aria came down the grand staircase dressed cute yet professional, in her nice quality Burberry coat and form-fitting black slacks. Her hair was pulled back in a fashionable ponytail and she looked absolutely ready for a job such as the one she was headed to in Oxford. Lucius waited for her at the end of the stairs, looking at her as she walked down thinking how gorgeous she looked (as usual). She had packed an overnight bag just incase she ended up working late and staying over at her provided accommodations at the school, but she also of course made sure to pack her Floo powder just incase her room came with a fireplace she would be able to easily access and use to come back home.
"Must I send you off?" Lucius said as his lips turned down in genuine sadness.
"You must my love…it'll be my last big project before the big day," she said as she stood up on tiptoes to better look him in the eye and lean her forehead against his.
Lucius briefly didn't understand what she meant, but realized that of course she meant the wedding! It was indeed March 1st today…almost Spring…their wedding was soon. His heart beat a bit faster and his stomach turned over in anticipation and he finally smiled for her. The thought instantly cheered him up, as she knew it would.
She felt Lucius put one of his large hands behind her neck and bring her in for an intense kiss that left her breathless, as he grabbed her ponytail in his hand. The grip on her hair was tight and her core ached at his little shows of possessiveness he displayed. "Come back to me soon…" he crooned lowly into her ear, his grip on her still tight.
"Yes sir," she chuckled a bit breathlessly as she felt him release her finally at her promise.
Aria reached down to pick up her bags and stepped into the huge fireplace that was situated to the left of the grand entry way. She reached into her pocket to grab the Floo powder she had placed there and then looked over at Lucius, one more time before she transported herself.
"Good luck my love," he said tenderly as he put one of his arms against the top of the fireplace as he leaned towards her, the pose making him look like some male model of fireplaces.
Aria smiled at the gorgeous sight of him and said, "Thank you Lucius. I will be back home to you soon," before she loudly stated "Jericho Tavern" as she threw the Floo powder around her. In a flash of green, she was off!
She landed in the Wizarding pub, The Jericho Tavern. Her contacts at the Ministry, who she had been liaising with, had told her that the Tavern was a safe Floo location; that wizards and witches often used the place as a means of transport from London to Oxford and back, and was the closest well-known, hidden magical location to the Bodleian Library.
A few colorful wizards eyed her upon her arrival, as she looked around the place. It wasn't what she expected a typical Oxford style pub to be, this place looked more like it was a bohemian hide-out, with wondrous colors and an eclectic sort of clientele. Aria gave the workers and customers an awkward smile before making her way out the door and into the bright streets of Oxford.
The sun shined down upon the cobbled streets and made the yellow-ish tan stone buildings of the city even more pronounced. Aria smiled, giddy with excitement. This was always a destination she had wanted to go to…this town of so much history and so much academic excellence; Oxford truly was one of her dream places to visit and she couldn't believe she not only had a chance to visit, but a chance to work there…to make a difference. She knew a bit where she was going actually, surprising herself. She had done so much research on the city and had seen it in so many photos of dream trips she had planned when she was younger that the second she turned onto Broad Street, Aria's face broke out into the biggest grin. She was almost there, she knew immediately, when she saw the iconic circular building, The Radcliffe Camera, just across the way from the South Entrance of the library.
Aria couldn't help it. She pulled her phone out of the pocket of her coat and snapped a few photos. She felt slight shame in acting so touristy, but she had always dreamed of this moment and she wanted to send a few photos to her parents, who did in fact use cellphones. In America, Los Angeles especially, muggle cellphones were an accepted form of communication a lot more than it was here in England. While Aria had of course gotten used to primarily only using owl during her time in the UK, muggle cellphones were still a great way to take a few quick photos, as opposed to the giant, clunky magical cameras that developed the moving photos one would see in Wizard newspapers or homes.
She went into the south facing courtyard of the library and snapped a few more photos discretely and then made her way around the massive, centuries-old building as she looked for the front entrance. At last she came upon the impressive main doors of the library, which looked like they were straight out of a medieval castle, as they were two giant wooden doors with the various Oxford colleges coat of arms engraved into it. Aria traced the door lightly with her fingertips, feeling the history buzz through her. She smiled and shuddered at the thrill of it and opened the doors to step into one of the world's most impressive libraries.
The instant she stepped in, it was like taking a step back in history…without the use of a Time Turner! Aria smiled and breathed in the scent of old books and centuries of history. 'If history had a smell…this would be it…." mused Aria to herself as she laughed at the funny thought. Despite being rather distracted, Aria realized she wasn't too sure what to do next…she saw the large information area, with some helpful looking people working, but she wasn't too sure who knew about the magically hidden Wizarding section of this library and who didn't. Well there was no harm in asking if they knew the names of her contacts she was supposed to meet. She could ask the people working at information if they knew her contacts, and if not, no worries…she would figure something else out. Worth a try.
She approached a kind looking older woman who stood behind the desk, filing away little information cards.
"Excuse me?" Aria said politely, smiling down at the woman.
"Hello dear. Do you need any help?" Replied the old woman, giving Aria a brief smile; most likely thinking she was a student. Aria definitely looked the proper age to be a new Oxford college attendee.
"Yes please," Aria said as she pulled out a piece of paper from her coat pocket which had the names of her contacts she would be working with on this project; representatives from the Wizarding part of Oxford College, and more specifically this library. "I am looking to meet with my colleagues, Sebastian Hadriana and Valeria Amesley. Do you know them? Where I might find them?"
"Seb and Val?! Oh yes of course, just spoke with them this morning. They are expecting you!" The woman replied enthusiastically. Aria breathed out a sigh of relief that she was able to receive such quick help and didn't have to worry about how she would find her meeting place.
"Oh excellent!" Aria said genuinely.
"Wait here for me dear," said the stout woman as she walked quickly away towards the left and into the depths of the library.
Aria waited a few minutes, simply taking it all in. The endless amounts of books, the incredible architecture. It reminded her a lot of the Hogwarts library in fact, and she truly felt at home in such a predominantly muggle type place. Aria was simply entranced.
Breaking her trance, Aria heard the clacking heels of the stout woman coming back, and Aria turned around to greet her new colleagues. The first thing she noticed was that the two people were younger than she thought they would be, although still older than her…most people were…, and that they seemed just as interested in her as she was in them.
The woman, Valeria, was a friendly looking woman with curly brown hair, pretty olive skin and kind eyes. The man was rather striking, as he had bright and large blue eyes, and hair as black as the night. There was something about him that intrigued Aria, but slightly intimidated her; almost like how she felt when she met Lucius that very first day in the Ministry all those months ago.
Like most people did when they saw her, they looked her up and down, clearly noticing her beauty, but at least they were friendly in their demeanor. Aria often got the vibe that people she just met tended to be wary or even intimidated themselves by her looks. Now knowing that she was part Veela, it made more sense to her than it did before she realized she had that type of magical blood within her. She also had to remember that she was often in the Wizarding papers and press nowadays because of her connection and relationship to Lucius, as well as her now-famed battle with Narcissa.
"It's the witch of the hour!" Laughed Valeria, as she reached her hand out to shake Aria's.
Aria flushed a bit. So they had heard of her…of course. Hopefully they thought of her as a smart, capable witch and not basing their opinions of her on some of the stories they had most likely read about her in the rag magazines of the Wizarding World.
"Indeed it is," said Sebastian as he reached his hand out as well and shook hers. His grasp was tight and lingered a bit, as his large blue eyes seemed to take her all in at once.
"Hi…" Aria flushed a bit as she shook their hands and smiled timidly. "I'm really excited to be here. It is a dream come true…honestly," she said as her blush faded.
"We heard you were the best of the best," Sebastian said as he ran his fingers through his hair, unconsciously.
"Well that's a relief," Aria laughed breathlessly yet relieved. The other two laughed along with her.
"Come," said Sebastian, as he cocked his head to the left, indicating he wanted them to move to a quieter space. "Thank you Mrs. Liara," Sebastian said politely to the kind, muggle library worker who had helped Aria find them.
"Oh, you're welcome Seb!" Replied Mrs. Liara giddily. It seemed Sebastian was rather the charmer, and Aria could certainly tell why. He greatly reminded her of Lucius, and she wasn't sure how that made her feel yet. She could immediately tell though, that despite the similarities she instantly noticed between Sebastian and Lucius, she somehow instantly knew Lucius had a refined romanticism that Sebastian did not, regardless of his charming looks and personality.
After the pleasantries ended, Aria followed Seb and Val to the left and down a long hall of endless books, shelves and smaller alcoves. Several doors, The Lower Reading Rooms, lined the downstairs area where students could read, study and research in. Aria smiled to herself, loving the academia vibe and the young, and old, scholars all researching about their passions. At the end of the hall, Seb made an abrupt left, and the three of them faced an alcove which contained one smaller green bookshelf. Compared to the other grand bookshelves of the library this one seemed definitely out of place, and Aria wondered why she had been led here.
"This is the entrance to the Wizarding section of the library," Seb said as he indicated to the small green bookshelf. "We have to be very discrete of course…the muggles obviously don't know there is a whole other realm within their own reality here at the Bodleian. Mrs. Liara doesn't even know!" Seb laughed. "She thinks Val and I are assistant professors here at one of the colleges." Val chuckled to herself as Seb described the situation.
"I was wondering that," Aria replied with a smirk on her face. "How does one enter?" She asked, staring at the bookshelf, still confused on how it all worked.
"All you have to do is walk confidently straight through the bookshelf, and you're in!" Val said, as if it was obvious. Val took in Aria's shocked look and seemed confused herself. "You know…just like at Platform 9 3/4!"
Aria still looked at the slightly older witch confused. "Platform what?"
"Oh! I forgot you didn't go to Hogwarts! I'm so sorry Aria!" Val said slightly embarrassed she had assumed.
"Val…do you not have ears? She is clearly American…" Seb said while rolling his eyes.
"Sorry Seb! Guess I'm just excited to get this project started…and over with!"
"Oh no, that doesn't sound good?" Aria said tentatively, as she heard Val's exasperated tone regarding the project.
"Well for us at least! It's why we called in a professional. We couldn't quite handle this large scale of a job without the proper historical expertise. It's why the Ministry sent you! We are sure someone who actually is passionate about history and artifacts will actually enjoy it!" Said Val reassuringly.
"Oh okay, thank goodness. I was beginning to get a bit worried," flushed Aria again, her nerves waxing and waning with each passing moment.
"We can explain more to you once we are inside," said Seb a bit impatiently. "Shall we?"
"Of course. After you…" Aria suggested, wanting to see how Seb and Val entered the magical barrier.
Without saying another word Seb walked confidently into the bookcase. Aria flinched waiting for him to crash into it, but instead he vanished, almost as if the wall absorbed him. Aria stared with wide eyes. She truly had never seen this type of magic, even in her own Wizarding America. Even with her newfound wandless magic powers, that most witches could only dream to possess, she had still never seen magic like this.
"The barrier senses your magic…it knows you are a magical person and so it knows to let you pass through," Val said as she looked at Aria's wide eyes. "It's painless. You don't need to worry love," she said with a kind smile. Val then turned around and walked through the bookcase as well.
Aria was the only one left now, and she breathed in deeply before she shook her body a bit, shaking out the nerves, and walked straight through. She felt a brief moment of what felt like cold air, and she was through. She blinked a few times getting used to her new surroundings and she smiled with wonder as she looked around.
Seb and Val smiled at the new-comer, loving her reaction to the Wizarding realm of the Bodleian. It looked much the same as the muggle side, however everything seemed to be bathed in a mystical blue aura, as the ceiling above was charmed to be the color of a deep blue night sky with thousands of tiny silver stars and constellations scattered about. It was incredibly stunning. Books whizzed around them, either being summoned or rearranging themselves, Aria knew not which, but suspected both could be possible reasons. The people sitting at desks and wandering about were definitely all witches and wizards as they wore their traditional cloaks and openly carried their wands and other magical instruments for various purposes.
"It's incredible…"Aria said breathlessly.
Val and Seb smiled at Aria, enjoying her being in awe of their special library. After a few more seconds of allowing her to marvel in silence, they began to lead her down the main hall for a few feet and turned left into an alcove that had a small winding staircase heading up to the second floor.
"What we need your help with, is up here, in the ancient wizarding historical text and manuscript area," said Val as she began leading them up the winding staircase.
Aria came up to the second floor landing where she was in a decent sized room that had a low ceiling and seemed to have the air of a place of ancient magic. Three of the walls were literally nothing but bookshelves, while the east facing wall was where three giant windows were, as they shined the brilliant afternoon sun into the room, causing dust motes and light flares to reflect all around the room in brilliant rainbow shades. Aria saw why Val and Seb needed her help immediately. The bookshelves were horribly unorganized and books lay on desks, and even all over the floor in hectic stacks.
Seb scratched behind his neck a bit, almost as if he was embarrassed to have shown Aria their mess they had on their hands. "You see…Val and I tried to reorganize these texts and manuscripts but we aren't historical minded Wizards, we tend to focus more on the present…and well a lot of these are in other languages, most being French and Latin…"
Aria nodded her head. She understood….history wasn't for everyone and she could see that if it wasn't someone's passion how it could get rather tedious and difficult, but she still had a few questions for the duo.
"What are your jobs here at the library exactly?" Aria asked, trying not to make the question sound rude.
"Technically the little white lie we tell to the muggles here at the Bodleian, that we are assistant professors, isn't actually a lie, we really are!" Seb began. "We do teach various courses here at the library for the academically-inclined witches and wizards…magical folks from all over the world come here to the Bodleian to continue their education after their normal school years. We also act as ambassadors to the library, making sure the library has the most modern magical needs and accessibilities. As much as you focus on the past, we focus on the present and future for this library…how we can make it the most modern and functional for the hundreds of magical folk who come visit us daily."
"I see," said Aria as she smiled at the two. "Well I would certainly be happy to help you guys with the 'past' part of this library," she said as she looked at the piles of things waiting for her attention.
"Thanks Aria…really…this collaboration with the Ministry and yourself really is a life-saver," Val sighed."Seb and I tried to organize the piles of mess into….well…less unorganized before you arrived," she laughed.
Seb laughed with Val and pointed at the various piles on the floor and the desks. "Those over there are the manuscripts and texts in Latin," he said pointing to the right. "The ones over there are English and French…" he said running his fingers through his hair. "The rest…well…the rest is how you feel is best to organize them. Unfortunately we hadn't organized the history timelines yet or the subject matter…we will leave that in your capable hands," Seb smirked.
To be honest, although they had tried to help, separating them into languages was the absolute easiest part. The parts they left for her were the most difficult. However, the good part was, that it would be completely up to her on how she wanted to archive all of these historical texts. That was a good thing; she could make he decisions and wouldn't have to follow any certain rules or instructions it seemed. They really just wanted this place organized and usable for people to be able to find the texts that they needed.
"Sounds good!" Aria said as she set her bags down on one of the tables. She didn't realize until now how sore her shoulders were from carrying her two bags the entire time.
"Well Aria…we will let you get settled in and leave you to it! Thank you so much again for coming to help us…you are saving us big time!" Said Val genuinely
Aria smiled at the two, and took off her heavy coat as well, ready to tuck in and get to work.
She caught Seb lingering, while Val had already began making her way towards the spiral staircase to head out. Not seeming to realize he was staring, Seb ran his fingers through his hair as Aria took her coat off; she wore a black knit shirt and paired with her form fitting black slacks, she really did look rather sleek, her body highlighted nicely, and she realized Seb must have liked what he saw. She immediately felt self-conscious and cleared her throat a bit. Seb seemed to snap out of his trance of her and cleared his throat as well. "Oh um, Val and I will be headed to the pub at around 5:30 this evening if you want to join us. The Jericho Tavern…" he said as he cleared his throat once more and began making his way out as well.
"Oh ya..I know the place…ummm sure…count me in," smiled Aria politely. She still didn't know what to make of Seb. He seemed charming and nice enough but he definitely wasn't as subtle and refined as Lucius was personality-wise, and she had felt a bit awkward when he stared at her so hungrily just moments before. Val was a kind soul though, and she would be there so she felt more comfortable with that.
It took Aria literally all afternoon and into the early evening to really get things properly organized into legible stacks. She had decided to of course organize all of the texts by language, but within each language they would also be organized by date and type of history. This would make archiving them into the shelves easier, and it would make the future academics who needed such books to be able to find things incredibly easy. She had organized most of the stacks today, but still had a bit more to go. It had been rather warm in the room, as she was higher up and the brilliant sun continued to pour into the room all day from the huge glass windows. A sheen of sweat shown on her forehead and while she was grateful to have worn her hair up, she would definitely need to not wear a heavy knit outfit the next day. Perhaps it was the heat, the lack of water, or the fact that she had been breathing in dusty, ancient texts all day, but Aria had been aware that she had been feeling an odd buzzing sensation all day, and felt like she heard a low-level whispering all day as well. She had ignored it at first…but the more the day went on the more noticeable it was to her.
Aria shook her head, trying to clear her mind, and decided she had done enough work for her first day, and that she would begin making her way back to the pub to join Seb and Val. She already felt 5 degrees cooler the second she made her way down into the main floor of the library and felt even more relief when she made her way outside, into the cool evening air. She breathed in a big gulp of breath, and her mind felt instantly more clear; the buzzing and whispering gone.
She enjoyed a few pints of local beer with Seb and Val. She told them of her progress in the organization and they agreed that her method of archiving seemed the best for not only her sanity but for the future of the library as well. She was glad they were all on the same page. She chose not to tell them of the weird buzzing feeling she had all day, she still wasn't sure herself if that was from dehydration or if it was something magical calling out to her; and if it was…was it a warning or something good?
Aria was beginning to feel more relaxed with the beer flowing through her system, and apparently so did her colleagues as they began asking her more about her personal life and about all the tabloids they had read about her.
"So Aria…I gotta admit…I have read and seen so much about you from all of the papers and magazines," smiled Val. "You are the talk of the entire British Wizarding World."
"Ugh I know…" sighed out Aria as she put down her pint of beer and buried her face in her hands. After a few seconds she gave a tentative look at the pair. "Please don't tell me you believe half of the stuff they write about me?"
"Well why don't you tell us?" Seb chimed in as he leaned forward with a curious and provoking expression on his face.
Aria flushed a bit, being put on the spot. "Well there is really nothing that outlandish to tell…I haven't turned into a Phoenix or put my fiancé under a love spell if that is what you are wondering," said Aria defensively. This was the first time she had really ever talked to anyone about the tabloids about herself. Her and Lucius tended to ignore this subject.
"So he is still your fiancé then?" Seb asked as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. Aria realized this was a very regular nervous tick he had, despite his exuded air of self-confidence.
"Oh yes of course he is," Aria said dreamily as she thought of her Lucius.
"When is the big day?" Asked Val excitedly as Seb took another sip of his drink, uninterested.
"This first of May," Aria said dreamily again, as she thought of her upcoming wedding. They wanted it to be on a significantly magical day so that their powers and their connection would be at its greatest, so they chose Beltane, a magically important day in Spring, in which their soul mate bond would flourish.
"Aren't you a bit young to get married?" Seb asked bluntly.
"Seb!" Val said shocked at his rudeness.
Aria's eyes opened wide at his question, but she wasn't ashamed. Nothing concerning Lucius, and her love with him was anything to be ashamed about.
"No," she said firmly. "We are soul mates….it can't come soon enough, actually."
"So that part of your story is true then? The story from Malfoy's trial at the Ministry when you two claimed you were the Veela soulmates from our history?" Seb asked.
"It isn't a claim. It's the truth," Aria said piercing Seb with her brilliant green eyes.
Seb looked deeply into her gaze, and then blinked a few times fast and looked away down into his beer, as he ran his hand through his hair again. "Hmmph," was all he said.
Aria drank the last bits of her drink awkwardly and then looked over into the fireplace where she had Floo powdered in this morning. Her heart instantly yearned for Lucius and she knew there was no way she wasn't going to go back home to the Manor tonight. Oh Lucius would be so happy. She smiled to herself and got up from her seat. "I think I am going to head home guys," Aria said as she put her coat on and grabbed her bags.
Aria was surprised when Seb spoke first, sounding slightly surprised himself. "Are you sure? We have a room for you to stay here. We can walk you there now, if you'd like."
"No thanks," Aria said firmly. "Perhaps another night, but for now I just want my Lucius."
Seb didn't say anymore, but Val followed Aria over to the fireplace. "Hey Aria, hope Seb didn't offend you….he's a nice guy, but I think sometimes he gets unconsciously jealous if he can't get a chance at a girl he fancies."
"Fancies?" Laughed Aria at what Val had just said. "But he doesn't even know me! We just met today!"
"Well you are clearly stunningly beautiful…anyone can see that," said Val, making Aria blush and look down in humbleness. "But we can both also clearly see you are extremely intelligent. A rare combination. I don't blame him for being interested," she laughed.
Aria laughed it a bit off as well. "Umm…well I am flattered, really. I am used to men acting all sorts of things around me though….so it's nothing new I suppose," Aria admitted. It was true. Men always admired her beauty and she always experienced so many men acting differently towards her whether it was aggressive, flirtatious or intimidated. She supposed Seb's behavior was normal. The only other man who had been different, had of course been Lucius, and she needed to be with him now.
"Well goodnight Val. See you tomorrow perhaps?" Aria said politely as she stepped into the fireplace.
"Goodnight Aria," Val smiled kindly.
Aria reached into her pocket for the remaining Floo powder and said "Malfoy Manor" before she was off in a flash of green.
Aria landed herself firmly back in the huge fireplace in the entry way of her home and felt instantly better as she could feel the Manor welcoming her back. She saw a light on upstairs, coming from Lucius' office. She dropped her bags next to the fireplace as she stepped out and ran upstairs excited to see her love. As she entered the doorway of Lucius' small yet cozy office, she saw his broad back turned to her, as he looked out the window clearly in deep thought as he sipped a glass of Firewhisky.
Lucius must have seen her in the window's reflection, and he quickly turned around and sighed out a breath of relief, as if he hadn't seen her in months.
"Aria! You came home tonight! I was just thinking of you," He said as he put his glass down on his desk and walked over to her with wide, long strides. He engulfed her in his strong and warm embrace and buried his face into her neck and breathed her in with delight.
"I missed you," she said as she returned his tender embrace.
"Come, tell me about your day my love," he said as he took her by the hand and walked them to the library the next room over. With a snap of his fingers, he had a roaring fire started and he sat them down on their favorite red velvet couch.
Aria held his hand and told him about her day, and even showed him some of the photos on her phone that she took. She told her about the wondrous Bodleian as well as her two colleagues Val and Seb.
"Val is really kind and nice. She reminds me a lot of Pepper; very genuine and fun. Seb on the other hand was interesting…he reminded me a lot of you actually…well, in some aspects," Aria said.
Lucius raised his brow in question. "How so?" He drawled.
"He is very confident…and intense…he is sure of himself…but he is not as refined and elegant as you. No one is though, so that's to be expected."
"What about his looks? Is he as dazzling as me?" Lucius said with a smirk.
"I suppose some witches would find him attractive…but I don't think of anyone else in that way except for you," she admitted truthfully. "Like you once told me…the thought of being with anyone else is slightly nauseating."
Lucius didn't say anything but pulled her gently by the arm so that she moved to be cuddled up into him, her back resting on his firm chest as he held her from behind like a big spoon.
"Val told me before I left that he fancies me…" Aria admitted, then instantly regretting blurting that out as she felt Lucius tense and then tighten his grip around her. A sure-tell sign his possessive side was about to come out in full force.
"Do I need to escort you to work every day?" Lucius asked seriously, his voice low and gravely in her ear. The sound of it made her shudder. "I will escort you if I must. I will not tolerate someone lusting after what is mine," he warned.
Aria should have been slightly offended that he claimed her as his own, like property, but she really and truly did love it, and it made her skin prickle with delight and arousal for her possessive wizard.
"I think I should be okay. Don't worry my love," she said breathily.
"It isn't you I am worried about," he said deeply.
"Well you trained me in wandless magic. I am more powerful than either of them, I am sure of it. I won't let anyone touch me or do anything to me. I am yours…body, mind and soul," Lucius lessened his tight grip on her, and kissed the top of her head. She could have sworn she heard a very slight growl in his chest of anger, but couldn't be sure.
"There's something else," she said, wanting to tell him about the buzzing feel and noise she had felt earlier. He tightened his grip on her again, thinking Seb might have done something.
"It's nothing bad…at least I don't think so," she said tentatively.
"What is it Aria?" He said, his voice urgent and concerned.
"Well when I was working today, I kept feeling this magical buzzing sensation…and I thought that I heard this weird whispering noise….it was really hot in the room however and I was really thirsty. Maybe I was hallucinating? It almost reminded me of how I feel whenever we make love in the stone circles, which is why I wasn't scared of it instantly…" She wondered aloud.
"Hmmm…"Lucius said as he thought about what Aria had just told him. "It doesn't seem overly nefarious…but see if you feel and hear it tomorrow."
Aria nodded her head a bit and then the two of them sat in silence, listening to the crackling of the fire and delighting in each other's presence and warmth. Soon Aria was yawning, and really felt the laborious work she had done throughout the day, as her body began to ache as it relaxed more and more.
Almost as if knowing exactly what she was feeling, she felt Lucius begin to stir underneath her and he had somehow managed to simultaneously stand and pick her up in his arms at the same time. "It's time for bed…but before that, how about I give your tired and spent body a rub-down?" He drawled seductively into her ear.
"Mmmm," was all she said as she wrapped her hands around his neck and shoulders and leaned into him, as he carried her off to their bedroom for a night of bliss.