Alya shifted from foot to foot, both excited and anxious to finally see Blaise again. Blaise, who had been her boyfriend for nearly a year. The last time they had seen each other they were still only friends, mind you friends already attracted to and dancing around each other, but only friends.

How was she supposed to act? Should she run into his arms? No, that would be too much, she was not one of those stupid girls who lost the few brain cells thy had over a boy. Maybe she should be composed and polite. Yes, ideal for a business meeting. What was she going to do?

And what if he kissed her? She had never been kissed before. What if she was terrible at that? Was there a manual on how to kiss?

'No. Alya, stop' she told herself 'you're bordering on pathetic now'.

Taking a deep breath she tried to relax. She'll just leave it up to Blaise, he was the man in the relationship, he would make the first move. She'll just stand quietly and freak out in the confines of her mind.

The portkey glowed warning her of the impending departure. Alya widened her eyes, suppressing a squeak of panic, but it was too late.


Blaise rose from the armchair the instant he felt the telltale sign of magic gathering in a place, knowing that Alya would be there in seconds.

He drunk in the sight of her the moment she appeared in front of him. Her skin had lost the hard earned tan of the summer and was back to her alabaster tone; her hair were longer now, almost reaching her butt; but she was still the same girl he left ten months ago.

She was blushing lightly, her cobalt blue eyes shifting from his person to her feet in a rare show of shyness.

She couldn't be more beautiful in his eyes.

He closed the gap between them with two long strides, making her gasp in surprise when she raised her eyes again, finding him so close. Raising his hand he caressed her cheek gently, almost reverently. He took pleasure in the way her blush intensified at his touch.

She wet her lips, as a nervous gesture, his eyes immediately zeroing on them, alight with fire and need. He slowly cupped her face with his palms, always softly, treating her like the finest china. Her eyelids fluttered shut as he moved nearer and nearer and then his lips were on hers.

Was it too cliché saying that she saw fireworks? Most certainly, but she didn't care as his warm and slightly rough lips moved over her soft and cold ones. Her first kiss. Her perfect first kiss.

Kissing her one last time, he leaned his forehead against hers, breathing heavily even though they had been only sharing soft chaste kissing and not snogging madly.

Opening her eyes, she looked into his whiskey ones and smiled. Tightening her arms, that unknown to her had wound themselves around his neck sometime during their moment, she placed her head on the crook of his neck, inhaling his distinctive smell. Moving to adjust to her position he nuzzled her hair, dropping a kiss on top of her head. Had had grown so tall again that he could do that comfortably, while she had to rise on her tiptoes to reach his neck only. It was quite unfair. But it made her feel small and protected. It was nice to feel like she didn't need to be strong all the time, that she could count on someone else to care for her and keep her safe.

That day was spent cuddling together and sharing sweet kisses. Neither of them felt the need to interrupt with idle chatter, content in their intimate silence.


The tall man shrouded in black stalked through the halls, silent as a ghost. His yellow hawk eyes gleaming in the darkness.

He kept going forward, looking for his prey. His irritation growing with each empty room he found. Where was he? Where?

Finally, he came upon the right place. There he was, laying on the couch witouth a care in the world, basking in the presence of a woman. The fool was in love then, the look in his eyes was unmistakable. Poor lass didn't know what she had gotten herself into. They were speaking softly in English, so she was foreign, even worse.

Smirking maliciously he stepped forward.

"Ragazzo! Che significa tutto ciò?" 'Boy! What's the meaning of this?' he bellowed "Questa puttanella è la ragione per cui verrai ucciso in missione?" 'Is this little whore the reason you're going to be killed on mission?'

Both Blaise and Alya had jumped apart at the loud screaming and were now looking at the imposing man with a mixture of surprise and caution.

Hearing this man insult her, Alya rose to her feet as fast as lightning drawing her wand before the man could realize.

"Look here, I don't give a shit who the fuck you are. No one insults me and gets away with it! Now apologize before I decide to eviscerate you and feed your remains to my familiar" she threatened, her voice gone to a silky steel cold, sending shivers down the men spines. Hearing that she was talking about him the now 5 feet something snake slithered over, coiling protectively around his Mistress waist and hissing angrily at the unknown man.

Blaise let out a laugh that slowly became loud and uncontrolled "Careful Gramps" he said trying to breath "Now you've gone and woken the Dark Princess. I would apologize" calming down slightly he leaned back on the couch, determined on enjoy the show.

"Gramps?" "Dark Princess?" they said looking at him and then the other.

"Yup" Blaise quipped smirking, arms crossed over his chest.

"Well" the man said, carefully studying the girl in front of him "It seems that you are not one of those useless vapid girls that infest the planet these days"

Alya grimaced at being compared to one of those "I still didn't hear my apology" she deadpanned. She was not going to let him pass only because he was her boyfriend's grandfather. Of course she would not eviscerate him, Blaise loved him, but the old man didn't need to know that.

"Seems you found a girl with balls of steel, ragazzo" 'boy'

"That's her being nice, believe me. I heard worse threats coming from that pretty red lips"

Ignoring the wand pointed at him, the man sat down on the armchair near the fireplace "oh, put down that stick girl. I'm too old and I've played the field for too long not to recognize a bluff" he waved at her, making her pout and huff "For what it's worth I apologize though."

Alya nodded, going back to sit next to Blaise. He wouldn't hear of it though and pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders so she was nicely snuggled against him

"What brings you here, Gramps?" he asked "You visited a mere week ago"

"Yes. And it seems that you failed to inform me of a certain thing too"

"That's because I knew that you would go all crazy hawk on her, I wanted to warn her beforehand but you beat me to it"

"How long has this been going on?"

"Eight months?"

"Are you asking me or telling me, boy?" he asked irritated

"Telling" Blaise said coughing

"I should bend you over my knee and spank you for your cheek. Why did you not see fit to inform me that you entered a courtship? As the Head of our family it is my right and duty to know of such things and make sure that it is a good match. Don't even try to deny the courtship, I've seen the pendant on her neck. That is a Ombra heirloom, as we both know"

"I didn't know" Alya muttered

"Oh, he failed to tell you?" the man leant forward "That is called the Bloody Rose. It was commissioned by one of my ancestors to gift the woman he was going to marry. Do you know the reason behind that name? It is because of that woman. Rosa Bianchi had been promised to Augustus Ombra at birth, when the time came for them to marry she was overjoyed, or so it seemed. He was ready to give her the world and love her with all his being BUT she was not so easily pleased. She wanted more. She had accepted this pendant swearing her faithfulness and love to him, but at the first chance she got she laid with another man. That same night she died in a pool her own blood, the once pale red ruby turning bloody. Ever since then men in our family have gifted this cursed necklace to their promised wives. They would either be scared into being faithful with horror stories about the curse or killed when cheating on them unaware of it. Others would gift the pendant in a show of trust instead. Believing that even without knowing of the curse, their women would never betray them"

Alya blinked before narrowing her eyes at her boyfriend "I hope for you sake that you gave me this for the last reason"

"Of course. Plus, since I trust you I added a protection spell to the wolf charm I gave you that counteracts the curse. Instead of killing you, it would just turn the silver wolf to red." Blaise explained

"You did such thing?" the man asked surprised "I'm impressed son, centuries of wizards tried to get rid of it or circumvent it, not wishing for their spouses to be killed if they fell victim of an act of violence against their wishes"

"I think the whole killing thing is a bit exaggerated, though since it was Rosa who unknowingly created the curse it's no one's fault. To be honest, I wanted to give her the pendant simply because it's beautiful and suits her."

"That and the fact that you wanted to stake your claim on the lass" the man snorted "Everyone knows that it's a family heirloom and many knows it's fame. Though, it's usually saved as an engagement gift. No one ever used it during a courting yet"

Alya blushed, her heart fluttering madly at the knowledge that Blaise was being so serious about their relationship. She smiled shyly looking at the young man by her side and was amused to see he had a light dusting of red on his cheeks too. Probably because his intentions to propose someday had been so blatantly outed by his grandfather.

"The question is if this girl is good enough to become part of our family" the man said quietly

"Grandfather!"

"Silence" he ordered "Now girl, why makes you think that you're good enough for my grandson?"

"I don't" Alya admitted "He's entirely too good for me and I did nothing in my life to deserve such devotion and love from a good man like Blaise."

Blaise looked at her surprised, not believeing that she thought so lowly of herself. He was the one who didn't deserve such an incredible creature. The man was surprised too, it was rare to see such honesty.

"I'm a selfish creature, though. I craved acceptance and love for all my life, something that Blaise is giving me wholly and witouth reservation. I would be an idiot to reject such a chance. In my defence I can only say that I really love your grandson, sir. As long as he'll have me, I'll stay at his side to support him and love him with all I am"

Alya had been blushing the whole time but never once she broke eye contact with the older wizard. She stood proud and tall, never showing her doubts and the fear that he would take Blaise away from her. She wanted so much to be deemed worthy by this man, to be accepted as the woman Blaise chose for himself.

The man kept staring at her though, never speaking, not even moving a muscle.

"Blaise" he said slowly and sternly "I warn you boy"

Blaise was now getting worried himself, he had been so sure that he would have liked his girlfriend, what went wrong?

"Get a move on and put a ring on this girl's finger or I'll disown you if you let her slip through your fingers!"

The couple blinked before relieved smiles graced their features. Blaise turned, hooking a finger under her chin and kissing her chastely, smiling when she blushed so cutely.

"Aww, you're going to get me diabetes" the man commented.

"Thank you for ruining the moment" Blaise deadpanned

"Yes, yes. You can smooch later. You still haven't properly introduced the lass to me, shame on you! I didn't raise you to be such an uncouth barbarian"

"Says the man who likes to stalk other's people places and scare them to death" Blaise muttered, making Alya elbow him.

"You are right, sir. I'm Alya Mira Black Riddle Slytherin, it's a pleasure to meet you. Blaise speaks very fondly of you"

"Slyth.. bloody hell. Now I understand the Dark Princess comment of earlier." He commented with a laugh "you certainly have good taste boy along with keeping up with the tradition" he said slapping his tight

"Tradition?" Alya asked confused

"All the men in the family seem to fall for dangerous women" Blaise answered shrugging his shoulders, like it was the most normal thing.

"I see.."

"By the way, my name is Caius Ombra. Pleasure to meet you, young lady." He smiled "Antonio would be proud of you, son" he said to his grandson. Oh, he missed his son terribly, but Blaise was growing up to look more and more like his Antonio.


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