A/N: ONCE AGAIN, THE feedback is amazing! Y'all leave the BEST reviews! Also, MirrorTrouble, I don't mean to be overly America-bashy. I'm just trying to establish Gen and Leolin as foils, and that's easier when Gen is almost cartoonishly Southern and Leolin is obstinately British/French. I'm an American ex-pat myself, so I know what it means to love the stars and stripes. Alice, I think you are right about South Carolina, too. Gen is dumb as hell. Honestly, I don't know what she's thinking. She has a mind of her own… :)
Larissa Hyperion: I definitely love writing as much as you love reading. I really really do. And y'alls support is INTOXICATING. I mean seriously. To know that other people are as obsessed with these characters as much as I am is epic.
As for updating, I will try to shower as MUCH love as I can. However, you should know I'm on Spring Break right now, so I have more time then usual. Imagine I'm Batman right now. When school's back, I'll have to be Bruce Wayne again, and unfortunately the updates are going to slow a bit. Just a heads up. I will try and update once a week though, so I think that's still fair, right Anyways, keep up the excellent work I will try to, too.
Chapter Five: On Your Marks, Get Set…
Draco walked out the café in Florence, running a distressed hand through his hair. He'd be lucky at this point if he didn't start going bald soon. He stood staring at the large and absurdly naked male statue across the piazza, and as truly asinine as he found it, it still made his heart ache. Leolin probably loved it.
He ran another hand through his hair. He really thought Leolin was going to be here in Florence. It was the cradle of the Italian Renaissance, and Wizarding artists worked alongside their Muggle counterparts to create some of the greatest art to ever exist. Second to Paris, which had naturally been Draco's first stop, Draco had really believed he was going to find her here. In fact, he was still convinced he might. There had been something odd about the French girl at the café. His gut told him she knew more than she'd let on. A thought nagged him. Leolin wouldn't live here in disguise, would she? That hadn't been Leolin, had it? No, Draco decided, that was just his grief playing tricks on him. One of the things Draco loved most about Leolin was her vanity. She would never assume another face, any more than she would live with Muggles. That just wasn't Leolin. Besides, she would never lie to his face like that. Despite what her note said, he knew if he found her she'd go with him. She loved him too much not to.
On the other hand, that girl in the café was worth another shakedown. Perhaps she'd lied to Draco; perhaps she had seen Leolin. If she had, he would get the information from her one way or another. He wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. He was desperate, and desperate men weren't afraid to go to any length. He turned back to the café, determined to have the truth, even if he had to pry it out of the girl curse by curse.
Just as he started towards the door again, his floo buzzed.
"Z," he said. "I'm right in the middle of something. What is it?"
"They found her," echoed Blaise's reply. "She's in Geneva. You need to get back to London right now."
"Are you fucking mad? No! I'm going to Switzerland."
"No, Drake. You don't understand. Come back to England."
"Is—" Draco didn't want to say it, didn't even want to imply it. "Is she alright?"
"She's fine."
"Then I'm going to Switzerland to get her."
Just then a message came through, and he opened it. It was a picture Blaise had taken for that morning's Daily Prophet. The headline read: ONCE A CHEATER, ALWAYS A CHEATER. Below it was a picture of Leolin, smiling and snogging a lanky bloke. Inset was a smaller picture of her and the same man at a romantic dinner, their feet intertwined under the table.
Generally speaking, it was neither strictly legal nor entirely safe to apparate internationally. For concerns of National Security, The Liaison Office for International Travel mandated that Witches and Wizards had to produce a passport when traveling, and were permitted to pass either by Muggle transport or floo network to their destination.
That being said. the charm that disallowed International Apparation could be by-passed by what criminals called Leap-Frogging, which was essentially apparating through several countries in rapid succession via weak spots in the charm (namely unmanned borders) before arriving at one's destination country. Once there, a person need only apparate to a location where there was a high volume of Magical activity, and their trace would disappear.
However, this was only rarely a problem, mostly because long-distance apparition was horribly dangerous. It was difficult to maintain the proper amount of determination to arrive safely. Splicing was more likely at long distances, and Aurors had caught many famous criminals in long-distance apparations gone wrong. It took a very specific type of person to perform international apparation successfully, and the brutal truth was most people simply didn't have it in them.
Despite the 971 miles between Florence and London, Draco arrived in Blaise's flat five minutes later, making Blaise start. Draco had a nosebleed from the effort, but he seemed otherwise unharmed, and he snapped his fingers to stop the bleeding. Ginny, who was sitting on Blaise's counter cross-legged, bit her lip when she saw him.
"Draco—" she began.
"Let me see it."
Blaise handed the picture to him and Draco examined it. Leolin was wearing a slinky dress with no back, as she usually did, as well as the glittering Loubitons Draco had given her, her hands were pressed against the chest of a smarmy-looking Swiss bloke. They seemingly flirted for several seconds before he bent to kiss her. As she raised her left arm to twine her fingers in his hair, the dragon tattoo on her wrist was clearly visible.
Draco looked up, his face unreadable.
"Maybe it isn't her," Ginny said. "I'm still not convinced she wasn't set up."
"Who would do that?" Blaise. "We know it wasn't Lucius, and who beside him would want to destroy her like this?"
"It's her," Draco said in a deadly voice. "I know it's her."
"How do you know?" Blaise demanded softly.
Despite what he'd said to Ginny, it was obvious he too was desperate for this to be a mistake.
"Because," Draco said, pointing to the tattoo. "Polyjuice can't account for subtle cosmetic modifications."
"It doesn't replicate tattoos," Blaise interpreted, defeated as he hung his head.
Ginny bit her lip, fighting the urge to cry.
"Someone who knew she had that could've—"
"Occam's Razor," Draco interrupted, running his hands through his hair again as his rage simmered slowly towards a boiling point.
"What's that?" Ginny asked.
Blaise shook his head in utter disbelief.
"It theorizes that the most obvious explanation is most likely the right one," he said.
There was heightening tension in the room like the tightening of a metal wire. Finally, Blaise broke it, turning to Draco.
"Drake—"
However, Draco simply disappeared a second later. When he reappeared in the flat he'd shared with Leolin, he looked around, half-mad with grief. Not even needing his wand, he flung out an arm, casting a charm the shattered six lamps, two light fixtures and the thick plate of the glass tabletop. Not finished, he swept into the kitchen sending a violent tremor hex through the room that obliterated every dish, tumbler, cup, mug, decanter, bowl, glass, and flute to jagged dust. He curled his fingers to his palms, knarling all the silver that Leolin had arranged neatly in the utensil drawer. He urged every knife out from the block on the marble counter and into the far wall, puncturing more glass and stainless steel. He smashed every light, shards raining down on him and crunching under his feet as he banged back through the door.
When he was back in the soaring living room, he actually drew his wand, whirling it in circles and producing a powerful cyclone that tore through drapes and pictures, paintings and mirrors until the walls were tattered and bare. Somehow one lone picture frame had survived the storm. Draco glanced at Leolin smiling in his arms as they danced at their engagement party before grabbing the picture and casting it into the flames of the fireplace, watching with a cold pleasure as the glass tarnished and Leolin's image curled to a bubbling nothing.
It still wasn't enough, and he stormed upstairs to her closet, flinging open the door and wreaking havoc. He tore dresses and mangled shoes, pulverizing her jewelry cases to dust, sending loose rubies and sapphires flying. The room was an avalanche of tattered silk and satin by the time he was done, and at least he reached the last illuminated jewelry case, which had been cleared out save for one item. Leolin's key pendant. Draco raised his wand and prepared to obliterate it, but when he did, every memory of seeing it around her neck flooded back simultaneously, and he crumpled to the floor, sobbing bitterly.
"I still can't believe you!" Leolin seethed at Ginnythrough the floo, throwing clothes haphazardly into a large suitcase.
"Oh, you think I wanted to go?" Ginny said. "I didn't! You know I didn't! How was I supposed to know Draco was going to pull a stunt like that?"
"I told you that would happen," Ariadne called as she walked by Leolin's room, which was a mess of trunks Severina had sent consisting of the entirety of Leolin's Florentine wardrobe.
"Why didn't I listen to my mother for once!" Leolin demanded. "Or at the very least, why couldn't you have kept me out of it! Do you have any idea how nasty Draco and Gen are going to be to me? Draco hates me, and Gen is convinced I'm a threat. They are going to be pitiless together!"
"Well are you a threat?" Ginny said sternly.
Leolin frowned.
"Are you going to make me the villain, too? I didn't ask for this! You're the one who bloody dragged me into it!"
"You're right," Ginny said somewhat sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Blaise was bloody right; I shouldn't have let you wear that dress last night!"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Leolin demanded. "Please stop trying to push this back on me!"
"Sorry," Ginny said. "I don't mean to. I'm just saying that, as usual, Draco couldn't take his eyes off you. Didn't you see the way he was looking at you? It was like he wanted to swallow you whole. It's the same look that he used to give you when you were dating Harry. Wolfish. Hungry, even."
"First of all, you're wrong," Leolin snapped, dumping six pairs of heels into her trunk. "Draco hates me more than ever. How do I know, you ask? Because he told me again last night. Second, why did you tell me to wear the bloody thing if you knew it was going to cause problems?"
"I didn't think it was going to snap Draco's neck quite so hard. I just—I wanted you to be you."
"Well maybe that's the problem," Leolin said, her voice a touch said. "He hates 'me'. Better that I were someone else."
Ginny looked sympathetic.
Leolin's fire flamed blue, signaling she had another call.
"Gin, I have to go. I have someone on the other grate. I will just see you in a bit. You are taking me on the most OUTRAGEOUS shopping spree when we get there."
"Yeah," Ginny said. "Fair enough. See you in a bit."
Ginny disappeared, the fire crackling normally for a second before Severina's face appeared.
"Tesora!" Severina said brightly. "How are you?"
Leolin tore through the nearest trunk in frustration before growling.
"I've been better."
Severina laughed. "I got your note. How I long to be there! I would set this little bitch straight. I love crushing someone's spirit. I don't get to do it as much now that I'm a mother."
"Ri," Leolin groaned. " She's a walking nightmare. She came right out and told me to stay away from Draco, and when it was decided I was going to South Carolina she all but threatened me."
"Why is she even still there?" Severina asked. "Why haven't you told him the truth yet? I expected the two of you to be celebrating by now."
Leolin flopped frustrated on the bed.
"I can't tell him the truth. That's the problem."
Severina gave a gorgeous frown. She was born to pout.
"Perché il diavolo non?"
"Because," Leolin said hopelessly. "Lucius knew about La Genie. He forced me into another goddamn gag order."
"You will break it," Severina said confidently.
"I will? In the meantime I'm caught between Draco hating me and Gen trying to ruin me."
"You don't need the truth to win Draco back, cariña. He loves you like nothing I have ever seen."
"Then you might want to come to London and get a load of it yourself. He just—loathes me. I know he's trying not to, but I can see in his eyes how much I disgust him.
Severina gave another perfect pout.
"That's an exaggeration, I am sure."
"It isn't. But what's really frustrating is he openly admits that he still finds me very physically attractive, which just makes me feel sort of—cheap. I used to be so much more than that to him, and now the only time he's not snapping at me is when he's staring down my dress."
"Sex can be a gateway, Tesoro. When I met Xavier, it was only sex for months. The other things came later, and one day I woke up and realized I loved him. I didn't want to spend even one more day as anything short of his wife, and we got married two months later."
Leolin laughed in spite of herself.
"I still can't believe you married your third cousin."
Severina gave a lovely laugh.
"Only a Borgia can love a Borgia, it would seem."
"I suppose so."
"Speaking of the devil. Xavy, estoy hablando con Leolin. Venga y dile hola."
Xavier's handsome head appeared, and he smiled. Despite their somewhat distant relation, Xavy did resemble Severina in a lot of ways, and it might have violated the laws of man and nature, but Leolin had to admit their resemblance had made for two gorgeous daughters.
Xavier was holding their youngest Isidora, who was three and a half, and upon seeing Leolin, she wiggled out her father's hold.
"Zia," she cried. "It is you!"
"Sì," Leolin smiled. "Sono io. Are you practicing your Inglese?"
"Sì," she said proudly. "Zia, when are you to back to Firenze?" she said, sad now. "Mi manchi!"
"I miss you too, tesoro. And I hope soon. Will you tell Angelina I miss her too?"
"In Inglese?"
"O Italiano," Leolin smiled. "Whatever you want, amore mia."
"Venga, bambina," Xavier said. "Let us let Mama e zia talk."
"Ciao!" Isidora called as she was hoisted up by the waist.
"Ciao, tesoro," Leolin said, blowing her a kiss.
"Nos vemos, cariña," he told Leolin," Xavy said. "You and I will talk soon."
"Okay," Leolin said. "Ciao."
"Sorry," Severina said. "I know you're on a schedule."
"Not at all," Leolin said. Throwing more clothes to the side for South Carolina. "I absolutely don't mind making Gen wait. On the other hand, if Ginny gets there before me, she will go mental."
"So tell me more about this Genevieve," Severina said. "What is it that Draco finds so alluring?"
"She's charming," Leolin admitted. "She'd good at making you feel special. And she'd very pretty."
"Pretty was never really Draco's taste," Severina said arrogantly, batting thick lashes. "Look at you and me. So when did she start threatening you? What did she say?"
"Well, it starts with Draco's stupid bloody gorgeous rooftop deck. I'm up there with Ginny and Blaise as their regaling me with all the horrible things Lucius has done while I was away, then they leave and Draco comes up instead, and he's not exactly nice to me, but I can feel something flowing between us, and I don't know if it was just sexual tension or what, but I could feel it and I know he did too, and the last thing he asked me was if I really left because I thought it was what was best for him. I swear to Merlin I was a second away from telling him the truth. I really, really was. At the very least, I wanted to tell him I loved him."
"He wants to love you again, can't you see? When he is no longer blinded by his pride, he will accept that and you will be together again."
"But what if he doesn't?" Leolin said fretfully. "He is engaged to her, and she's smart; she'll either rush the wedding or get pregnant. Either way, I'll lose him forever."
"No," Severina smiled. "Draco is smarter than that. After all, that's how his mother trapped his father. He'll have her on the potion, and he will be taking something as well."
"I'm worried," Leolin admitted. "When we were together, he was really eager for kids. He was always talking about getting me pregnant."
Severina gave a feline smile.
"Ah, but she is not you, tesoro. I guarantee he is not quite so eager with her."
"How do you know? You've never even seen them together."
"Because," Severina said seriously. "You told me once that Draco said he would have proposed to you the day he started dating you if he thought you'd let him. He wanted you to be his wife from the beginning. It took him two years to propose to her. She is not you."
"It took him two years to propose to me, too."
"And let us talk about why that is, amore mia. First his father was threatening you, then your family hated him, then he almost died, then I interrupted, then you didn't speak for sixth months. All that in the first year. He spent the second convincing your father one week at a time that he loved you and was worthy of your love in return. He waited until he got your parents' blessing before proposing. If he was selfish with you the way he is selfish with everyone else, he wouldn't have waited. He waited for you. Because he loved you. Because you, tesoro, are his Leolin. Your love is legend among your friends. You were the gold standard for soulmates."
"Were, was, used to be! Things have changed, Ri! I'm not what I used to be. I don't wield any of the power I used to."
Severina shrugged, her dark eyes glittering as she watched her friend.
"Then take the power back. He isn't beyond your grasp. You just have to exert the right pressure."
"Honestly," Leolin said, tipping an armload of books about the magical principles of binding contracts into her bottomless South Carolina trunk. "My first priority is Genevieve. She thinks she can hold onto Draco by complimenting me and cornering me into saying things I don't mean while she pours poison about me into his ears."
"Then show her she's wrong," Severina said arrogantly. "She has no earthly idea who she's tangling with. You are without doubt the love of Draco's life, and no amount of misdirection or manipulation on her part will change that. She thinks Draco was distracted by you yesterday? That was just the tip of the iceberg. No one knows how to make Draco's knees weak like you do; not even me."
Leolin nodded, feeling emboldened.
"I was Slytherin royalty once; perhaps I ought to teach Gen what that really means."
Severina gave a sinful smile.
"Bury her, tesoro," Severina urged. "She thinks she can beat you with petty tricks? She has no idea she has a Borgia-trained vipress on her hands. As for Lucius, he's always underestimated you, and you still have two wins to your name. You're going to slip his noose, and when you do Draco will be yours again."
"I love you," Leolin said. "I love you more than I love a good old-fashioned take down."
"That's la genie I know," Severina smiled. I will let you go. Ti amo."
Leolin nodded. "I love you, ma belle. We'll speak soon."
"I can't wait," Severina said, smirking.
When she was gone Leolin turned back to her trunk; she knew immediately which outfit she would wear to Gen's. It was falsely casual, so no one could accuse her of dressing up unnecessarily, but it was alluring. Her scoopneck gray tank top was loose and thus "coincidentally" low-cut, and it allowed a generous view of the lacy bra underneath. The real beauty of the look was the bra itself, which was so far from ordinary. The top portion was lacy, but the lace was sheer, so the tops of her breast were still clearly visible, even though it wasn't a pushup or even low-cut. What was more, the bra wasn't black or red or pink, but rather nude, which made it feel as if it wasn't meant to show; as if it was letting the viewer in on the not-so-secret secret of Leolin's tantalizing breasts.
Draco was going to go mad, and so was Gen. Merlin. Leolin couldn't wait. She threw on simple jeans, riding boots, and a slouchy oversized sweater on as well, as if she was dressing to accommodate for the hassle of overseas travel and not to give Draco a hard-on. He had better be there when she got there.
It was a cheap play, but right now she didn't care. She slapped her trunk shut, levitating it down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she heard the floo crackle and she looked up.
"Ami!"
Her stepmother emerged, beaming as she dusted soot of her dress.
"Oh Leolin, thank Merlin you are still here! We were so worried you had have left already."
To Leolin's delight, Max bounded out of the floo next, beaming at Amelie.
"Maman! I flooed all by myself."
"I know, canard!" she smiled "You are so grown-up."
He looked at Leolin, studying her for a moment before coming over and smiling at her.
"You are my sister Leolin," he said.
He still had the sweet, small voice of a child. He wasn't quite a gangly, dirty, snarky little boy yet.
"Yes," Leolin said, smiling. "I am."
"You knew me when I was a baby," Max said knowledgeably. "But I didn't know you because I was a baby, and babies can't remember."
"Exactly," Leolin said. "You're really smart."
Pleased with this compliment, he ran over to her, throwing his arms around her. He was still small enough that his head only reached her stomach.
"Maman says you're going to America. Are we going to play when you get back?"
"Of course," Leolin said, smiling at Amelie and mouthing "Thank you."
Amelie nodded, tears in her eyes as she beamed.
"I bet you have the coolest toys," Leolin said.
"I do," Max admitted. "I don't let Henri play with them because he usually just chews on them, but you can come over and play with them whenever you want. Even if I'm not there."
"That's so nice of you," Leolin said. "I can't wait."
The floo flamed again, an Adrien stepped through with Henri on his hip. The minute Henri saw his older brother hugging Leolin, he began to squirm. He was the quintessential younger brother, always wanting to do whatever his brother did.
Adrien set him down, and he tottered over, his forefinger in his mouth and Lambie under his arm.
"Henri, this is our sister Leolin," Max said as Henri extended his arms to be held. "We have to share her, okay?"
Leolin winked conspiratorially at Max before scooping Henri up and pressing an absurd amount of kisses against his cheek, making him giggle. He looked in her eyes for a second, then, as if recognizing that they were family, he threw his arms around her neck. Leolin's heart melted as she pressed a hand to his small back to return the gesture. There were two feelings in the world that exceeded all the others. Receiving the love and approval of animals and the affection of small children.
"Puis-je avoir un baiser?" She asked him, and he nodded, extracting his slimy finger for his mouth a pressing a soft, wet kiss on her cheek.
"Merci beaucoup," She said, tickling his round belly.
"Okay," Leolin groaned. "I have to get going. I really wish I didn't."
"We do, too," Adrien said. "But we will see you soon enough."
"Hold me, too," Max said.
"Maximilien, you are too big," Amelie said. "You will break your poor sister's back. "
However, Leolin shifted Henri to her left hip, extending her right arm in response.
"Can you jump up?" She asked.
"Be careful, please," Adrien said.
Max jumped and quickly found purchase on her other hip. He was still light enough that the two of them were no real burden. They both cuddled her fiercely as she shuffled over to her laughing parents.
"Goodbye, frérots," Leolin said, kissing both on the cheek before easing Max down first, where he only proceeded to hug her small waist.
"Bye, Max," she said, ruffling his hair. "I can't wait to play when I get back."
"Me either!" he said eagerly, finally letting her go.
"Adieu, Henri," she told the toddler in her arms.
"Pouvons-nous dire au revoir, Henri?" Adrien asked.
Henri nodded.
"Au revoir," he murmured, and she kissed him again.
"Allons," Adrien said. "venir avec papa, mon petit prince."
Adrien came over, kissing Leolin on the head as he took the baby from her arms. When she was free, she hugged his open side.
"Love you, lapin. Have fun in America."
"Merlin help me," she said, and Adrien laughed, kissing her head again.
"Goodbye, Maman," Leolin said, turning to Amelie.
Amelie smiled, gesturing to Leolin's carefully-crafted cleavage and giving a thumbs-up. "Nice" she mouthed so Adrien didn't see.
Leolin winked.
"Miss you already, lapin," she said. "Hurry back, and try not to cause too much trouble."
Leolin smirked sinfully, kissing and hugging her pregnant stepmother.
"Moi? Trouble? Never!"
"Leolin Lefevre, you impossible little thing," Ariadne called, smiling and descending the steps.
"Am I still your favourite daughter?" Leolin asked, hugging her mother fiercely.
"And the most troublesome," Ariadne laughed. "But also the loveliest."
"Oh stop," Leolin laughed grabbing her trunk. "You're embarrassing me, darling. Alright, family, I'm off. I'm late, and if Ginny gets to Gen's before me she will most likely rip off my arm and beat with it."
"Cool!" Max piped
"Not quite," Leolin laughed, preparing to apparate.
"Love you all. Hopefully see you on the other side. If you don't hear from me by tonight, please floo the authorities and tell them about my suspicions about Gen."
"Get out of here!" Ariadne laughed, and Leolin blew a kiss and disappeared.
Ginny was standing leaning on her trunk when Leolin apparated in from of their flat, and she gave her friend a sympathetic look as they embraced.
"I'm so sorry, Gin. My brothers came to say goodbye."
"Don't be," Ginny said, kissing her cheek. "I just got here."
"Thank Merlin. Max was morbidly excited about the prospect of you ripping off my arm and using it as a club, but I wasn't."
Ginny laughed.
"I'm sorry I dragged you into this," Ginny said, touching her friend's arm affectionately. "I promise I won't let Draco or Gen bully you."
The band of her ring brushed Leolin's wrist, and she looked down and watched the canary diamond wink at her in the afternoon sun.
"C'mon," Ginny said. "The sooner we go inside, the sooner we can raid Draco's truly excellent booze cabinet."
Leolin nodded, and as she turned towards the door, Ginny scowled.
"Oh my days, woman!"
"What?" Leolin said innocently.
"Cleavage much?"
Leolin shrugged.
"Hey, you know how what they say. If you've got it—"
"—stop flaunting it in front of your ex and his new fiancée lest you touch off a World War. C'mon Lai, I know this Gen thing is uncomfortable, but you're giving a wrong impression. She's going to assume you're—"
"I'm what?" Leolin said.
"Are you wearing that for Draco?" Ginny said sternly. "Is this you trying to get his attention?"
"What do you mean?" Leolin said.
"Tell me once and for all; are you trying to win him back?"
Luckily the door swung in, and Leolin was spared from answering. Leolin tried not to blush as she took in Draco's bare chest, taut abdomen, and curving oblique muscles. He was already wearing low-slung khakis, though his feet were also bare.
He turned to look down at Ginny first, and Leolin noticed he still had the falcon tattoo on his side. Interesting. She was worried he'd get it removed.
"Ew, gross, why?" Ginny said in reference to his state of undress, putting a hand to his side and pushing under his left arm.
He turned his head back to watch her retreat.
"Hello to you, too," he called to her called, smiling.
"I need a drink please."
"You know where to find it, then."
Finally, his eyes dragged back to Leolin, hardening a little as her sweater casually fell a bit. He admired her gorgeous face for a moment before dipping to her tantalizing neckline, or lack thereof. He hadn't failed to notice the lock pendant, either.
"Merlin's beard, Lefevre," he growled, not budging.
"What?" she demanded, folding her arms over her chest, which only enhanced the view.
He rolled his eyes before looking at her intently, his diamond irises flicking to the bright red stain on her full lips for a millisecond.
"You know damn well what," he said in a low. "Stop it."
"I'm not doing anything," she said.
"What? They have free will, then?"
"As a matter of fact," she said in an innocent voice.
"If you are planning on torturing Gen with those all trip, I will seriously send you home."
"Do you promise?" she scoffed.
"Woman—" he began.
"Are you going to let me in or what?"
He stepped back and letting her pass, still glaring.
"Would you be happier if I changed?" She asked.
"Yes," he said, bluntly.
"Fine," she said in an even tone, tugging the tank off and making him hiss in displeasure.
"Lefevre," he growled as she turned her back to him and fished for a t-shirt.
Obviously she couldn't see him, but she knew he wouldn't be able to resist looking at the curve of her arse as she bent over. She watched him flex his right hand in her peripheral, and she smirked to herself. She knew he was fighting the urge to slap it soundly.
"Look," she said, still bent over as she dug. "You were the one who burst in on me like six times the other day. Stop acting so scandalized."
"Twice," he grit out. "It was twice, and belief me, I didn't enjoy either one."
She stood up again, putting her hands on her hips. He looked towards the ceiling and groaned again.
"You're not wearing a shirt," she pointed out.
That's what she'd said to him all those years ago on the Hogwarts quidditch pitch when she'd shown up in bra and knickers. She was teasing the memory out, and he didn't disappoint.
He leaned in until the tip of his nose was literally brushing hers.
"I don't have a rack," he seethed. "Let's start there."
She bent down, still looking at him as she retrieved a fade Slytherin Quidditch t-shirt.
She threw it on, holding out her arms.
"Happy?" she said, and he growled and rolled his eyes.
"Not even a little bit."
She skirted past him and into the kitchen, where Ginny was sitting on the counter drinking a vodka tonic with a lime.
"Can I have a sip of that?" Leolin asked, hopping up as well. She didn't even like vodka, but she liked being sober even less.
Ginny extended the glass.
"Where's Gen?" she asked Draco, who was heading for the staircase.
"Just finishing up packing. She'll be down in a second," he said, retreating.
"Are you coming with us?" She called louder.
"No," he shouted back, his voice muffled by the distance. "I'll be there around four."
Ginny nodded, taking a sip of vodka and handing the glass to Leolin again.
Gen's trunk gave floating down the stairs, but she was still in the loft. Ginny caught sight of her blonde hair and groaned quickly, accepting the glass back from Leolin and taking a healthy swallow.
Gen was leaning on the wall, looking around the corner and talking to Draco, who must have been in the bedroom.
"How long does he expect us to wait for her?" Ginny said in polite but obvious annoyance, throwing two more round ice cubes in the glass and dousing them with more expensive vodka.
"She's the bride, I guess," Leolin observed, the vodka already beginning to work its magic.
"No, she's been like this since birth, I imagine. At the very least, she'd been like this since she started seeing Drake. Seriously, we're always waiting on her. It drives Blaise mad."
"I can't imagine why," Leolin said dryly.
They watched as Draco emerged, finally wearing a shirt. He smiled wickedly and crushed Gen to the wall, kissing her neck heatedly as she let out little mews of pleasure.
"Okay now, see what you've started?" Ginny demanded scowling at Leolin. "You and your damn boobies, Leolin."
As heartsick as their display made her, it also gave Leolin a grim satisfaction that her little trick had had an effect on Draco.
His hands skimmed up Gen's side, pushing up her shirt as his mouth finally found hers. Her bell laugh echoed down into the kitchen below.
"Draco!" she purred delightedly. "I have to get going," she said in her sweet voice. "I can't keep the girls waiting any more. I'm already late!"
In reality Leolin sensed that Gen didn't really care if she was making them late, and this was simply part of her genteel veneer. Draco, for his part, must have been trying to convince her to stay, because a second later she was peeling off the wall and tugging Draco away from the stairs.
"Girls," she called in a breathy voice. "I am so sorry, but I just realized that I forgot to—"
Leolin could hear the deep rolling wave of Draco's laughter, but Ginny interrupted them.
"Nope," Ginny said solidly. "Sorry, but we are absolutely not waiting for you two to have a shag. Leolin and I are leaving. See you when you get back from South Carolina."
"Alright!" Draco called, laughing again. "Keep your knickers on, Gin."
Ginny growled in frustration.
"Only if you keep on yours! Merlin, Draco, you are such a conniving little twat."
More laughter.
"Go on, darling," he said in a husky voice to Gen. "We'll finish this later."
There was a loud noise as he slapped her on the arse. Leolin rolled her eyes and Ginny screwed hers shut in mounting annoyance.
"I'm sorry," Gen said apologetically as she came down the stairs. She was so good at feigning genuine concern. It really was jarring. "That was really rude of me. Anyways, I'm here. Y'all ready?"
"And waiting," Ginny said as politely as she could, and Gen gave her a warm smile.
Gen turned to Leolin, biting her swollen lip so Leolin couldn't forget how heatedly Draco'd just been kissing her.
"Leolin," she said, her voice kind but not sweet enough to feel fake. "That's an interesting shirt. Is that from boarding school? Merlin, it must be ancient."
"Thank you, I think," Leolin said.
Gen gave a bright smile.
"You're welcome. Drake?" Gen called to Draco, sliding a pair of tasteful sunglasses into her careful updo. "We're leaving. I love you."
Draco came to the railing of the balcony, looking over and watching them.
"You too," he said. "See you in a bit."
Now that Gen's back was turned, Draco's eyes followed Leolin, and she met his gaze. He raised his eyebrows as if to say, "checkmate."
She only shrugged nonchalantly in response, her pose suggesting, "what do I care?"
In reality, that had been torture for Leolin, and the vodka that had been so smooth going down threatened to bubble back up again. She felt the urge to hang her head.
Gen grabbed her hand softly, her dark eyes brimming with faux concern.
"You alright, sugar?"
Leolin nodded and smiled.
"Of course."
Ginny, who had watched to this point without comment, seemed annoyed for Leolin's sake.
"Draco?" she called in sweet voice.
"Ginevra?" he replied in a similar tone.
She spun, flashing hi the v-sign. "You are a twat."
He winked in response, blowing her a kiss.
"I love you too, sweetheart."
"Alright ladies," Gen said, clapping her hands excitedly as an attendant came through the front door to handle their bags.
How long had that poor bloke been waiting, Leolin wondered.
"Let's go."
The Transatlantic train—which, in typical Wizarding fashion, magically crossed the Atlantic like a bridge across a short revine—only took about three hours. Leolin sat with Gen and Ginny in their spacious compartment, brooding. They were both sleeping, but Leolin was too restless.
To begin, she'd sworn she'd seen Adrian getting onto the Charleston train. She thought about mentioning this to Ginny, but ultmiately she decided she was just being paranoid. Still, the thought nagged at her. What possible business could he have for going to The US, and how suspicious of a coincidence would it be if he was going the same time they were? The very thought mad the arm on her arms stand up. Unwilling to think about Adrian any more, she turned her thoughts back to Gen and Draco.
After last night, it was clear she needed a strategy. She hadn't forgotten the look in Gen's eyes when she'd walked Leolin to the floo; Leolin would be torn to pieces if she couldn't find a way to defend herself.
The best way, she decided, was to simply be herself and try and steer clear of Gen's games. Draco had fallen in love with the first time without her chasing him; she needed to give him room to come to her. Besides, the more Leolin stayed out of the fray, the less cause Gen would have to lash out at her.
The odd part was, Leolin had to think about what it really meant to be Leolin. She'd been Naomi for so long, and she was finding the five years away was making it hard to relax back into who she really was. She had to, though, for her own sake as much as Draco's.
The Leolin of old, the Leolin that Draco had fallen in love with all those years ago at Hogwarts, wasn't easily swayed by male attention, even Draco's. She stood her ground. She only awarded attention where it was due. She put herself first. It was an innate part of her personality, and three years of friendship with Severina had won back the power that Lucius and Cristian had stolen from her. That's how she needed to be now. No matter what Draco said or did out of misguided anger, she needed remain above it. She needed to remind him that she was still a prize to be won. Once some of the frustration and anger burned off, she knew Draco would see that. This trip was about being patient.
As for Ginny and Blaise, she decided it was best to keep them out of it for now. Neither seemed particularly keen on Leolin pursuing Draco, at least not until she told them the truth, and she didn't want to sow tension by pushing. If she pursued Draco, she was the villainess, breaking his heart then wooing him into falling in love again like a siren.
As for Gen, she simply had to avoid her as much as possible. Gen was a confidence player, and Leolin was ill matched to that style of aggression. Next to Gen's impeccably polite façade, Leolin was sure to come off as fiery, impulsive, and overly sexualized. She had to let Draco see her on her own terms, not in comparison.
By the time the antique-looking Steamer arrived at the bustling Charleston station, Leolin felt more confident, more herself. She loved Draco and she hadn't done anything wrong, and she deserved him and to be happy. She needed to remember that. She wasn't guilty of anything.
Gen led them them down the street and through a dreary old tavern that lead to a red-bricked street that Leolin assumed was Charleston's Diagon Alley. She stopped outside a small shop jammed with a odd assortment of flotsam and jetsam.
"I just have fetch our portkey," Genevieve said, looking at the familiar harbour before smiling at her companions. "I'll be right back."
When she was gone, Ginny scrutnized Leolin's easy smile. "Should I be worried that you're smiling?"
"Worried?" Leolin asked, laughing. "Why would me smiling be worrisome?"
"Because you have a bevy of different smiles, and right now you're wearing 'I've just hatched a dastardly plan'."
"That is not one of my smiles!"
"It is! It so is. Blaise and I have agreed it's one of the more unsettling looks in your repertoire."
"I'm happy I'm here with you," she said truthfully. "Obviously I wish it was under different circumstances, but I have missed you and Blaise so much."
Ginny nodded, squeezing her hand.
"We've missed you, too. You have no idea how much. I was worried I was never going to see you again."
Leolin nodded.
"I know, I'm sorry. But I'm here now; I'm never leaving again."
"How can we be sure of that?" Ginny said quietly.
Leolin looked at her.
"That was in the past," Leolin said. "I'm not the same person I was then."
"What about Draco?" Ginny pressed. "What does that mean for him?"
"He loves Gen," Leolin said, daggered by her forthcoming lie. "I need to let him, even if it hurts."
"I want so desperately to believe that," Ginny said more seriously.
"I can't change what happened with Draco," Leolin said, eyebrows synched in pain. "Now I have to face the consequences of my actions."
You're innocent, she reminded herself. Don't lose sight of that.
Leolin began to feign a pained look, but then she realized that a real one was always lurking just beneath the surface, and all she really had to do was let it show.
"I made a decision for both of us five years ago based on what I thought was best. Now I have to let Draco do the same, even if it kills me."
Ginny frowned sympathetically.
"Look," she sighed, "I know 'soulmates' are a tricky business, but I honestly think there is more than one person for everyone."
Leolin looked at her.
"Can I ask you a hard question?"
"Of course."
"If Blaise died unexpectedly tomorrow, do you think you could love someone else?"
Ginny considered this earnestly.
"It wouldn't be easy, of course, but yes, in time I think I could love again. I would always love Blaise, but I think I could make room for someone else too if the right one came along. Blaise would want that for me."
Leolin didn't have time to consider this, because Gen was approaching, a rusty lantern in one hand.
"All set. Let's get home."
She held the lantern aloft, and as soon as they were all three touching it, they were jerked away.
They arrived several seconds later outside a small but opulent beach house 100 yards from the shore.
"Come on," Gen said. "I will give y'all the tour."
She ushered them inside, and Leolin glanced around. There were high ceilings and tons of big windows and warm neutral colours on the walls, all of which gave off a Southern feel.
Gen led them through several parlors and such, explaining about the house's history and all her banal design choices.
"I want to sincerely apologize in advance," she said, giving a sympathetic frown. "But this house wasn't designed for five guests, so it's going to be a little tight.
"Ginny, this one is you and Blaise," Gen said, gesturing to a door. "And Draco's friend is in the smaller one next to y'all."
She turned a corner to another two doors. "This is me and Draco," Gen said, tapping her index finger on a door. "And Leolin, you're in here, and I'm so sorry; we didn't know you were coming, so we had to put you in the Master Suite spare."
"The what?" Leolin asked.
Gen bit her lip and gave an apologetic look.
"It's connected to ours," she said. "We usually have glass French doors between them, but I had my contractor switch them so you can have some privacy, and we'll keep it locked, of course. I promise, you wouldn't know we're here."
Leolin fought to keep her expression neutral, not wanting to fuel the fire by acting as if this bothered her. Still, she hoped the walls would be sound proof. She didn't think she could bear listening to Draco plough into Gen all night.
"Right," Gen said. "I feel like a terrible hostess dashing out on y'all, but I promised my cousin Ashley I would go see him when I got back. Do y'all mind?" She asked, smiling.
"Not at all," Leolin said, perhaps too quickly. "Go ahead, we'll see you later."
Gen gave her a carefully crafted smile.
"The boys should be here in an hour. We're going out later, so you two may want to take a nap. Nights out in Charleston usually end up being mornings out in Charleston. There are towels in the bathrooms if y'all want to lay by the pool. It's a gorgeous day out, especially after you've been in London for weeks. See you two later. Have a lovely afternoon."
"Thanks," Ginny said, seemingly a little uncomfortable now that they were firmly entrenched on American soil. "See you in a bit."
When she was gone, Leolin turned to Ginny.
"What do you think? Should we just hang by the pool?"
"I see a wet bar," Ginny said, smiling wryly. "So of course I'm in."
Leolin quickly changed into her suit and headed to the immaculately manicured pool deck, where Ginny was already waiting in an impossibly tiny black bikini.
"You want a caiparinha?" Ginny asked, already muddling a lime.
"I don't know," Leolin said dubiously. "What's in it?"
"Lime, sugar, and an ungodly amount of white rum."
"Swap out rum for gin and I'm there," Leolin said. "Thank you."
Leolin laid down on a lounger and closed her eyes, letting the rustling of the tall grass past the deck and the distant ocean lull her into a blissful half-sleep. She fell easily into a fantasy about Draco, and she indulged it by imagining him nestled between her thighs.
Draco had been brilliant at knowing when to use his fingers and when to use his tongue, an she had to remind herself not to buck her hips at the memory. It was always fingers first, and he could do things with them that she previously had not deemed possible. She'd never found that pleasurable with the other boys she'd dated, and she'd always seen it as a means to a greater end.
With Draco, though, he could actually get her off with just his fingers if he wanted. When she was feeling lazy or greedy, she would let him give her her first orgasm with just his fingers and tongue. Draco used to say that he loved fucking her every way imaginable: with his fingers, with his tongue, with his cock.
Draco was the conqueror of her body. He'd shown her things she'd never even known existed, and the pleasure of that had always been two-fold: the sensations he elicited were never anything short of ecstasy for her, and that's probably why she was always screaming all the time and waking the boys up; Draco was literally fucking her into euphoria. It was equally as pleasurable to know that Draco loved being her first anything, and that it somehow brought them closer together. Once or twice, Leolin caught herself wishing she'd been a virgin when she started dating him
She remembered the night before the quidditch cup her sixth year when she'd let Draco fuck her in a new way for the first time. Had he convinced Gen to do the same for him? Leolin could still feel him in the shower, gracefully sliding in and out between orifices, making her moan.
Does that kind of fuck make you sore? He'd asked her once.
yes, she'd admitted.
How badly?
only enough to remind me I'm yours.
"Hello?"
Leolin snapped out of her fantasy. She must have been out for awhile.
"The boys are here," Ginny said, standing at once as two figures approached.
Her face split into a dazzling smile as she watched Blaise approach, and he awarded her with the same.
"Hey baby," Blaise said, lifting Ginny easily into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders as he supported her torso. His hand slipped down Ginny's back to rest on her shapely bum as he kissed her. "How was your day?"
"You mean besides waiting an hour for Genevieve while she messed about then toyed with the idea of shagging Draco while we were in the flat?"
"Yeah," he said. "Besides that."
Ginny smiled
"It was good, and now it's even better."
She kissed him again before allowing Blaise to greet Leolin.
"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," he said, tapping her foot.
Leolin opened her eyes at last, trying not to look at Draco as he too approached. He was dressed more casually than usual in a pair of Nantucket red pants with a lightweight gray pullover, which he was wearing with the hood up. He was wearing boating shoes on his feet, and sunglasses. He was shirtless under the pullover, and she could see his tanned chest underneath.
"Quit staring," Draco laughed, and Leolin flushed. However she realized after a second he was talking to Ginny.
"What the hell are those trousers?" She laughed, hugging him. "I'm weirdly in love with them."
"Weasley, I'm gorgeous. I can make anything look good."
Leolin didn't say anything to Draco, but she could feel his eyes on her suit. It was a tantalizing peach, and like everything she owned, the emphasis was on her top half. She wore a slim gold body chain as well, which hung around her neck before looping around her small waist.
Leolin ignored Draco's gaze, squinting towards the beach.
"Where's your mystery guest?" She demanded.
Blaise smiled.
"He's coming."
"He's here," a tall figure amended, and the sun made it hard to distinguish him at first.
Finally, he was close enough that she could see him.
"Ieuan fucking Bird!" she squealed delightedly.
He was well-over six foot now, and he bent his knees a little so he could her catch as she leapt into his arms. However, she unsettled their balance with her exuberance, and they ended up falling into the pool.
"Ieuan!" She cried again when they emerged. "How are you? Is your fiancée here?"
Ieuan laughed. "He refused to come. He's sort of a party-pooper like that."
"Why does Luke get to stay home?" Ginny demanded.
"Because he's not in the bridal party," Blaise replied, taking a sip of his mojito.
"I'm just happy you're here!" Ieuan said to Leolin. "I like the new hair, by the way. It's nice."
Leolin smiled, dropping kisses all over his face.
"I can't believe how tall you are!" she said. "You were such a skinny little thing at Hogwarts!"
"I know," Ieuan said. "I was like a twig until I shot up at the ripe old age of 19. I grew eight inches in one year."
"Merlin," Leolin laughed.
"It was boy to man in 2.5," Ieuan joked. "Hey, do you know what I was thinking about the other day?" He laughed. "When I was crying about Dom Godfrey and you sat with me in your knickers while I cried!"
"Yeah," Draco bit out. "That was bloody hilarious."
Ieuan ignored him. "You don't know what that meant to me," he said to Leolin. "Thank you."
"And that's ancient history, Drake," Ginny said sternly. "Stop griping about it."
"I just don't understand why you were sitting under the water," Draco grumbled, and Leolin looked at Ieuan and shrugged.
"Shall we get out?" Ieuan suggested. "Since I'm not actually wearing a bathing suit?"
Leolin nodded, pushing her black hair out of her eyes as she emerged dripping from the pool. She didn't bother with a towel, just flopped back down on her lounger to air dry as she slung an arm over her eyes to shield them from the sun.
"Where's my fiancée?" Draco asked to no one in particular.
"With her cousin," Ginny said. "I think she'll be back soon."
"Surprise," a voice drawled from the house. "Hello, darling, welcome home."
"Hi," he replied, and Leolin was glad she could only hear them kiss.
Leolin cracked open an eye taking in Gen's modest white one-piece. It had straps and a flirty peplum, and despite the fact that it didn't really show any skin, it was very fetching on her, even against her pale skin.
"How was the trip?" Gen asked him, pulling his wayfarers off his head so she could run a hand through his pomaded hair.
"Boring," Draco replied, folding the glasses and tucking them in his pocket. "Yours?"
Gen shrugged.
"About the same. I mostly slept. I wanted to be well rested for tonight."
"Who all did you invite?" Draco asked.
"The usual group," Gen said. "Savannah and Ashley and some of his friends from college. And Max Brankovitch. He's in town for the tournament."
"Sounds like it might get rowdy," Draco said, smirking at her.
"Doesn't it always?" Gen said, making him laugh.
It would be interesting to go out with Gen, Leolin decided. She didn't really seem the type to cut loose, though Leolin supposed that you couldn't get engaged to Draco Malfoy if you didn't like to party.
"You two look well-rested," Gen said, sitting on the lounger next to Leolin and smiling at her. "Did you have a relaxing afternoon?"
"Very," Leolin said, getting up and flitting to the bar to put some distance between her and Gen.
"Leolin," Gen said conspiratorially, smiling as if they were close girlfriends. "You should wear something extra special tonight."
"I should?" Leolin asked, avoid Draco's scrutinizing gaze.
"Ashley already told Max we were bringing a pretty girl, and he's chomping at the bit. You're just his type; he loves brunettes."
"Oh," Leolin said, wildly uncomfortable. "I don't—"
"He's such a sweetheart," Gen said. "You're going to fall madly in love with him. Don't you think he would be perfect for Leolin, Drake?"
Draco clenched his jaw in unveiled annoyance. He might not have specifically wanted Leolin at that moment, but he certainly didn't seem eager to share her with Max Brankovitch.
"I think he might be too American for her," Draco said stiffly.
"Well we'll see what happens tonight," Gen said, giving Leolin a warm smile. "Let me know if you want help picking something out. Not that you need my help, of course. You're utterly gorgeous on your own."
Leolin gave an uncomfortable nod, her eyes flicking to Draco. He read her unease at once. He knew she was never one to chase male attention, and it likely agitated her to have it forced on her.
"Let her be, Genevieve," Draco ordered, giving Leolin a softer look. "Brank can be complete overkill. Don't make him her responsibility all evening."
This was the most diplomatic thing Draco had said to Leolin in a while, and it felt good to have him advocate for her, and against Gen, no less.
"I'm sorry, Leolin," she said in a tone that mimicked sincere remorse. "Of course I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable! I will make sure Max behaves, I promise."
Leolin nodded.
"Thanks, I guess."
"Of course," Gen continued "I just want you to have a good time. I'm not trying to force anything on you."
Draco, seemingly satisfied that Gen was playing nice, rewarded the comment with a soft kiss.
"Tonight will be fun," Draco affirmed. "Charleston nights always are."
"I'm looking forward to it," Blaise said, Ginny perched on his lap.
"So am I," Ieuan said. "Though I wish I could have convinced Luke to show."
"What about you, Ginny?" Gen pressed. "Everyone is over the moon about meeting you. I talk about you all the time."
"I guess," Ginny said, glancing at Blaise, who kissed her neck reassuringly.
"Excellent," Gen said, delighted that things were once again going her way.
After raising her glass to the group, she gave Leolin a little smile that said, this isn't over. I've only begun to make you suffer.
Leolin, still searching for her old courage, raised her glass to Gen boldly, unwilling to cower.
"Here's to tonight, then. Let's do some damage."
She raised her eyebrows at Gen, and Gen's smile slipped a little. She looked a bit threatened, and a nasty fight bloomed in her eyes in response.
"Yes," Gen said, giving Leolin a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'll drink to that."
a/n: You go Leolin! I know some of you were worried Lai was too fragile at first, but give her a break: it's been a tough five years. However, she's found her old fire, and the gloves are coming off.
So obviously this chapter was a big set-up for the next, which begs the question: What do y'all think is going to happen on their "wild night out"? Comment and let me know. Of course, the reality is HAHAHAHHAHAAHHAAHAH you have NO idea. I guarantee y'all are going to be surprised. I will probably keep posting a chapter a day all week, so I hope you enjoy! I know y'all are already AMAZING at this, but… KEEP REVIEWING PLEASE!
TRANSLATIONS
Puis-je avoir un baiser—Can you give me a kiss?
Pouvons-nous dire au revoir—Can we say goodbye?
venir avec papa—Come with Papa