Destiny? Yes.
Curiosity? Also yes.
But above it all he wanted to analyse his new partner.
As she walked ahead with the two girls, his mind constantly worked, eyes falling on different parts of her body.
She had a light walk, back straight and head held high, confident as if she could face everything, yet graceful enough. At least compared to Tonks who walked as if she was marching to war, feet heavy and bending at the knees when they shouldn't have. Her partner Amy Whitmore on the other hand was a combination of both, not too light of a strut, not too forced either.
Looking over her shoulder, Talia offered him a small smile, checking to see if he was still there, including him in a way even if she was walking with the girls. Looking up at a random building, he made it certain she noticed he was bent on ignoring her, at least up front, she didn't need to know he was reading into every breath taken.
Once they reached the warmth inside the Leaky Cauldron and settled at a table, a round of butter beers were ordered. Looking around, Talia appeared out of her element, fact that peaked Talbott's interest more. Leaning closer to her ear as to avoid being heard by the girls across the table he spoke "I see you don't really like the place."
A side glance was all she provided as she waved at Tonks to catch her attention "Mind if we switch places?" the request in itself was simple and granted as her and Talbott got up, going around the table. That was when he noticed her relax, with calm eyes watching over the entire room. He tried to stay away from crowded placed and the bar was exactly what he did not like, especially on a Friday night.
In all honestly he was amazed they even found an unoccupied table, half of the people that remained at the camp were there, the other half of the crowd, a mix of young wizards and witches catching up after a long week at work.
Talia however appeared to not be too bothered by the constant loud music and chatter as long as she could see everything that moved. Smiling, she resumed a conversation about hair products with the girls until the drinks came, Amy being especially versed on the subject.
Sitting back with his arms crossed over his chest, he let out a small sigh ignoring the conversation happening in front of him, eyes scanning the room. Gossip, so much gossip about other people rose above the laughter, his name spoken as well. One nasty look was enough to silence that. He didn't understand why they couldn't just let him be, all he wanted was to be left alone, blend in the crowd, not stand out.
As the beers were placed on the table he noticed Talia wrinkling her nose as she pushed the pint further away from her. Might as well get something out of the night.
Glancing at Talbott for a moment, he pushed the pint back, a smirk playing on his lips "To us." Raising it he waited on her to mirror his actions, toasting to their partnership. If looks could kill, he would have dropped dead that very moment. The second she took a sip, it was as if her body rejected it in an instant, her face contorting in obvious disgust.
"Horrid." Getting up she made a beeline to the bar, Talbott holding in a smile. After a small chat with the bartender, she returned to the table with bottle of ginger ale and a glass of fire whiskey "The butter beer here is even sweeter than the Hogsmeade one." Seeing how alcohol hit the table, Tonks smiled urging Amy to go order a couple of more drinks from the bar, task she eventually ended up doing after losing a game of rock, paper, scissors.
"Are you done analysing me?" she didn't even turn to look at him, but Talbott tensed near her on the wooden bench "You are too obvious, you glare a lot too." This time she turned her attention to him as Amy also joined Tonks at the bar to help her make up her mind on what drinks to order.
"You also do it." Lowering his eyes to her right hand, he rose his brows indicating to her the fact that he noticed she carries her wand in the sleeve of her shirt "You just take time to act like you don't, however that does not erase the fact that you were nervous of sitting with your back against the crowd." Leaning a bit closer he whispered once more "Are you going to be trouble miss Hayes?" Tonks and Amy returning, both flashing large smiles.
Creating distance, Talbott frowned at the swirling liquid presented before him "Oh come on Winger, at least try it."
"No." he quickly cut Tonks off, pushing the glass further away from him "I don't drink alcohol." Taking the glass, Talia sniffed its content before taking a sip nodding to him that it was indeed good "Especially after someone else." Smiling, Talia kicked him under the table causing him to flinch.
"I see how this is going to be." Finishing the drink, she turned her attention back to the girls, determined to leave Talbott to his own thing. And she managed to do so until they left, heading back towards the Auror camp while the girls went to party on somewhere else.
Seeing how she was just walking besides him without saying a word, he eventually took the lead in the form of a confession "I can't offer you the type of friendship Tonks and her partner have, I do things better alone." Biting a piece of loose skin from her chapped lips, she turned away, looking through a shop window. Rolling his eyes, he stopped in his tracks.
"When have I used the word friend?" her reflection in the stained window stared back at him, wind wildly blowing her hair to the side "I don't want you to be my friend, I need you to be my partner." Turning to face him, she tucked her hands inside deep pockets "And no one is alone by choice."
"I am." Taking a step forward, her eyes took him in, looking over each change of expression gracing his face. Turning away from Talia's insistent gaze he continued "Believe me, it's better this way, both for you and for me." looking back at her, the rosy hint of her cheeks told him she wasn't handling the cold too well "Come, let's return."
"I'm sorry" his eyes widened slightly, breath heavy in his chest "for whatever you went through that forced you to take this path. But remember you can't always do things alone and for now, we are stuck with each other." He resisted the urge to shake his head at her. Out of all the people he could have been paired with, this audacious wide eyed girl was the one he got. She hit some points that he did not appreciated, however she was in an odd sense more than welcomed to try and push him. That way he could test himself more.
"You're right and it's my job to not hinder your career so I am granting you my support, by doing so I am also helping myself, just so we're clear." Puffing her cheeks she stuck out her tongue like a stubborn child that was being lectured "I do however have a condition." Shivering slightly she nodded her head "I need to know I can trust you, so I want to know why you truly jumped from one school to another." Seeing how her brows drew together and she more or less tried to make herself smaller he added "And don't lie."
"Alright, but under my terms." Motioning to a small muggle pub, he reluctantly agreed to follow her inside. The atmosphere was cosy, with the soft dim lights, fluffy pillows and blankets draped against wooden benches, tables separated by tall panels carved with intricate patterns. There weren't many people inside, the pub actually being a small tea house that apparently did not serve alcohol "I need you to play along." She hummed close to him, taking his hand into hers as they made their way to a far end table.
Not allowing him to sit across from her quickly brought the idea in his head that they were pretending to be a couple. However, despite her breaking the initial rules set out of not touching him, being in such close proximity would ensure the conversation wouldn't be overheard easily.
As their ordered tea came, he glanced at her, waiting for the information he has requested. Stirring in the cup, the tightness in her jaw told him her story might have a lot of resonating pain, so he allowed her that moment to take a sip and smile at a memory forming in the back of her head. Delicate hands kept a hold on the cup, warming cold kissed fingers.
Once she was ready, she placed a leg underneath her, turning to hug him. He tensed under the sudden proximity, glancing around to see if anyone noticed them "Relax and play along." Trying to pull away without creating too much fuss only made her tighten her grip for a second before placing a hand to his back, pushing him closer to her.
Left hand wrapped around her right wrist "Miss Hayes." grip tightening, pulse beating strong against his skin. For a moment his mind wondered if his calloused hands were too rough on her delicate skin.
"Talia, mister Winger." Her left hand travelled down his back making him straighten suddenly "When was the last time you hugged someone?" her cheek brushed his, voice ringing clear in his ear "When was the last time you abandoned all ration in favour of a touch?"
"Don't." she remained still and silent, pulse picking up, the smell of citrus invading his nostrils "I understand what you're doing however you games will be your undoing."
"Do you intend to hurt me?" the question was honest, he could tell by the tone of her voice, he could feel her tense while expecting a reply. Relaxing his grip, his thumb traced her wrist before letting her go.
"No, but I'll have you know this is not appropriate." Wrapping his hands awkwardly around her waist, he finally quieted down.
"So it's safe to assume you're single?" ignoring her giggling disposition he pinched her sides causing her to jump "Fine, fine. I promised you something." Relaxing against him, hot breaths whispered in his ear dimmed his concentration "It was safer for me to be away from England, until my parents were captured that is." No words followed from him, interest suddenly peaked "They are both in Azbakan for performing" her breath hitched, muscles tensing slightly. At the sound of her name she continued, ignoring the slightly worried tone that derived from Talbott "an inhumane ritual on a child, which of course resulted in death."
"Relative of yours?" unravelling her arms she created a bit of distance to look at him, head shaking slightly.
"No, not really." Turning away from him she searched two pockets, retrieving from one a lip balm "Apologies, this weather is not kind." glancing at her lips for a second, he quickly turned to his tea.
"Try honey, it will help." He missed her smile, but she offered it regardless "Are your parents" lowering his voice, the hate spilling from his mouth was evident, fury setting something off in his eyes "death eaters?"
"I don't know." The distrust shaping his brows, how his eyes searched for even the tiniest lie weren't even things he tried to hide "I was around five, so they are or aren't, but that's not information I possess. Still" tracing the balm over her lower lip, she tilted her head to the side "that's not why I travelled so much. My godfather was adamant that all my parent's sins would follow me, that they would try to convert me to some silly cult or dark gathering. I forgot how he phrased it." There it was again, that small smile forming off of old memories "So there I was, running, being moved if there was even a rumour that my parents were in that country or area." Tilting her head back she let out a deep sigh "By the time they were brought in I honestly didn't even know if I wanted to return. I was too drunk on learning new things, searching for a purpose." Taking the cup, she smelled the tea once more before drinking it "So what better purpose than that of an Auror, fighting to bring inhumane beings to an inhumane place?"
"You're not telling me everything." He ignored the offended look on her face, that small eyebrow rising to question him "Not lying, but not telling me everything either." Before she spoke he took the lead, hands coiling to fists on his lap "It's alright, for now." Looking over at her, he forced his body to relax "I did not expect for you to actually trust me."
Flipping her hair over her shoulder she scoffed in response to his statement "So, do I get any interesting facts? Or are you bent on being a pain?"
Bringing a hand up to his chin he thought about her question, what could he offer her that would not expose anything? "I'll think about it." Running a hand through his hair, he realised his fingers smelled like citrus "Phenomenal."
"Something tells me that's not a good phenomenal." This time he witnessed her smile, how she pursed her lips before they curved, the right side of her mouth rising a tad higher than her left. His eyes held her gaze, a simple head shake making her question the reasons behind it.
"I like to scribble down verses from time to time, small poems although they are not that good." That small statement wasn't pushed more, Talia just accepting it as it was. She did not ask to see any of his poems and he appreciated it.
So they started talking about mundane things, no more serious topics as they both wanted to keep those to themselves. She asked him to scribble his name on a napkin just so she could see his handwriting and he learned Talia was left handed. She learned he did not like simple green tea and she admitted tea was not really a thing for her, that she only drank it when she was feeling cold.
As they walked back to their camp she told him her forte were fire based spells and potions while he was gifted in charms, transfiguration and herbology so they agreed to profit off the quiet weekend and take refuge in the small library the Auror camp had. That way they could study, learn their weaknesses and strengths. If their partnership was to mean something, they needed to start somewhere and what better place for Talbott to unwind than between books?
As the morning rolled in, light making its way through thin curtains, Talbott squinted his eyes before sitting up. Looking to his right, Talia's bed was already made and for a moment he actually thought her image was just a dream he had. Running a hand through his messy bed hair, he finally pushed the covers off and stretched. He couldn't have dreamt her, the smell of a citrus perfume lingered in the room, faint, yet still there.
As he went about to making his bed, the door creaked open, Talia making her way in with two cups of coffee "Good morning mister Winger." Placing the cup on his desk her eyes lingered on his form "I didn't add any sugar, but I brought some from the kitchen. Is this place usually deserted in the weekends?" he only nodded, straightening the covers with his hands "Do you know you look good with bed hair?"
Turning, he frowned, retrieving the coffee after stirring two sugars in "Did you even sleep? You look too fresh for this hour." And what an hour it was, not even seven in the morning. Talia just shrug her shoulders, heading to her bed so enjoy the coffee, pulling from a drawer a book.
"Muggle book if you're wondering, they have the best romance novels." He didn't, yet his eyes did linger for a while on the covers of the thick book "And to answer your question, I did sleep, just that I usually don't for many hours." Pushing the cup against his lips he took a sip, after running a hand through his hair trying to tame it.
"Apart from the caretaker, no one is here during the weekends." Setting her book aside, Talia let out a sigh.
"Guess I have to make us breakfast as well, fair warning I don't know how to cook too many things." However that grin told him she knew fairly well what she had to do.
"I'll help, just give me time to shower and check the notice board." Her head tilt made him continue even if he wasn't truly up to having conversations so early "I check it daily for any updates from the Ministry."
There was something that dimmed in her eyes when he told her that, eyes lowering "They won't post anything. If you're good they will come and take you, provide the proper training." Perhaps she was right however he didn't see any reason for that sad look on her face "And another thing, off topic." Determination lit up her entire persona back up "I won't be following you rule of not touching you."
"Excuse me?" he didn't understand how he could sound both shocked and mad at the same time yet he did. Placing the cup back on his desk, he tensed as she approached him.
"I'm not going to make you uncomfortable." Reaching out, she grabbed the tray on his desk "I just" biting her lower lip, the confession took some time to be revealed "you felt warm, safe to have around even if I know I pushed it yesterday." Surprise washed over him as he blinked in confusion, Talia turning on her heals to go take care of breakfast.
Running a hand across his face he mumbled "She's going to be the death of me."