"What do you want Lucius?"
"I saw you running out here; you looked upset, I was worried. Also, you dropped your book."
She felt him sit down beside her, his hand still rubbing small circles along the middle of her back. He placed the book by her feet.
"Thank you."
He hesitated a moment, seeming unsure of himself, but then regained composure, "You know, I'm always here to listen if you ever need someone to talk to."
Christine let out a laugh, this was certainly a first. "Yes, until you get into my pants right? Then what, you will simply move on to someone else?"
"Christine, what are you talking about? You know I care about you."
His voice sounded sincere but she knew better than to fall for his tricks. Lucius was always the most devious boy in the year, its how he had managed to bed all of the other girls. She lifted her head and looked into his eyes, searching for proof that he was indeed lying. There was something there, something that intrigued her, but she quickly quelled her interest and spoke, her voice harsh, "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You have bedded all of the girls in out year practically, with the exception of Gryffendors and of course me. I know exactly why you "care about me" as you say, because I am the only one in the house you can't touch. I see past your sly demeanor. All you want from me, all you ever wanted, was to get into my pants, just to say you had. But Lucius, I am not sorry in the least bit to say that will not happen. So, with that said, will you please, just leave me alone?"
Neither of them had blinked, Lucius, to smart to look shocked, just stared at her; his icy eyes boring into hers. Christine could tell, he was thinking of a proper response, the wheels were turning in his head.
"You would do well not to speak to me in such a manor. Think about it Christine, if I really had wanted nothing more than to, as you say, get into your pants, then I could have at any moment, with no effort or problem." He glared at her a moment longer and with a grace surpassed by few, stood up and walked away, leaving Christine alone to her thoughts.
'Maybe Lucius is right, maybe he does care for me. I mean, he could take me at any moment, lord knows I wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight. Maybe I should give him a chance' She felt a strange pang in her gut and mentally berated herself for thinking such things. 'Lucius is a bastard through and through. Besides, if he wanted to marry me, he would have made his intentions known.'
Christine stayed by the lake till past nightfall, not caring what the consequences might be. She could not go back into that house, she did not want to face Jordan or Lucius, and besides, it was a beautiful night outside; absolutely perfect for a late night swim. She decided that a swim was exactly what she needed at the moment. She looked around to make sure that no one was around; she then peeled off her clothes and dove into the water. Christine loved swimming more than anything else in the world, even more than potions. Many respectable wizards did not know how to swim, it was said that swimming was an absurd muggle sport, and so refused to learn or provide lessons for their children. Christine, however, was different. When she was 5 Jordan decided it would be funny to push her into the lake, this lake to be precise, hoping to watch her drown. However, she just swam over to the edge, the motions coming to her as naturally as breathing. To say the least she was beaten and punished for taking lessons behind her families back, and was forbidden for ever swimming again. But then again, what her family didn't know, wouldn't kill them, would it? She allowed the water to consume her as she floated along; washing all of her cares and worries away. She felt as though the water was becoming a part of her, fusing with her very soul. She closed her eyes, allowing more water to wash over her.
She opened her eyes once again; she noticed it was no longer night, but by the positioning of the sun, about 9 in the morning. She said a silent thank you, glad that no one in her family woke up before 10. She swam over to the edge of the lake, looked around to make sure that there was, once again, no one around, and pulled herself out. She dashed towards her clothes and, after muttering a quick drying spell, pulled them on as fast as humanly possible. However, in pulling them on, she noticed that she had acquired a slight tan, though her darker skin could possible be due, in part, to the numerous bruises covering her body. Christine did not allow herself to dwell too much on that, for she needed to get up to the manor, and quickly before she was noticed. She made her way inside and crept up the stairs with a momentary grace rivaled only by Lucius and prayed that the boys on her floor were also late sleepers. She tip toed by Lucius' room, only to hear him making his way to his door, then looking ahead she saw Severus just closing his door. Christine forgot all about her momentary grace and her attempt at being silent and bolted into her room just in time for Lucius to leave his own room.
Severus just stared at the blur where, he suspected; Christine had been, dashing into her room. "Lucius, did you just see Christine running into her room?"
"No, Severus, I did not. Perhaps you are loosing your mind, or, perhaps, someone is stealing it."
Severus was furious, the stupid prat, he knew exactly how to push his buttons, and took special joy in doing so. He watch the git gracefully walk down the stairs, his entire person, exuding arrogance.
"How is it he has gotten practically every girl in our year into bed?"
Severus was not aware of the fact that his last comment had been made aloud until it was answered. "It's the hair and the eyes, though mostly the hair. His eyes are as cold as ice, while his hair is enchanting. Platinum blond, always nicely combed, straight, sometimes neatly tied at the base of his neck with an elegant black silk ribbon. What can I say, some girls just go mad."
She stood in the doorway of her room, staring at him, smiling as she spoke, a real genuine smile that positively lit up her face. Severus had begun to unconsciously touch his hair while she had been talking. She walked over to him and grabbed his hand, pulling it away from his hair.
"Severus, if you ever pull your hair back into a ponytail, I will kill you. Your hair is absolutely perfect just the way it is. Now, if you will please excuse me, I believe that I have a shower waiting for me."
Severus stood there moments after, still shocked as she strode back into her room with a strange new elegance and closed the doors. He fought his hardest to contain a smile. 'She, she likes my hair. She said so! No one has ever said that to me before. And she smiled, she actually smiled. I have never seen a smile like that before, so pure, so joyful. What has gotten into her? What happened to her last night?'
Severus came back to his senses when he remembered that he was still standing outside her door, just standing. He quickly regained his composure and made his way to the dining hall, eager to get some breakfast. He did not remember when he had ever been so hungry.
