Disclaimer: I am not JKR.
Author's Note: I think it's safe to say to the very regular, every other day schedule I has established is not something I'll be able to stick to now that I'm super busy again. BUT I'll do my very best to figure out a new schedule for regular updates. Perhaps Wednesday, Friday and then Sunday or Monday... I'm not sure yet on that one, so I'll let you know when I've decided. Now, I should be getting back to my Easter baking. Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate! To those who don't, have a wonderful regular weekend! Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter Fourteen
Thursday, June 16th 2022
Black Lake, Hogwarts, Scotland
Grace leaves the castle and crosses the grounds slowly, but with a definite goal in mind. She is headed for the lake, the little note in Lorcan's handwriting carefully folded in her pocket. She had been surprised to find it in her hand after charms, but not unpleasantly so. And as the day grew older she has found herself getting more and more impatient. Grace knows herself to be a curious person, but most of the time not an impatient one. But, she reasons, this is not most of the time.
She doesn't see him at first, when she reaches the lake. Perhaps, she is too enamored with the way the golden light of the sun filters through the trees and paints spots of green and gold onto the ground. Perhaps, she was simply not looking closely enough. But when she hears his voice behind her, she jumps in surprise.
"Good evening," he says and she turns around fast enough to make her skirt sway around her legs.
She smiles widely. "Good evening." He is leaning against a tree, dressed in a blue shirt that makes his eyes look like storm clouds. There is something in them that she can't quite place, but then he gives her that crooked smile and he looks just like he always does, so she puts it aside.
"You know," he pushes off the tree and walks towards her, "it occurred to me that I didn't get a chance to dance with you last week."
"I didn't dance with anyone," she says softly, looking up at him.
His smile widens slightly. "All the more reason to rectify that." He holds out a hand to her. "Will you dance with me, Gracie?"
She puts her hand in his in a very slow, very deliberate movement, wondering what he thinks of the ink stains on her fingers. "I would love to," she says.
He draws her closer to him and she lets him, comes willingly even. "How do you feel about a waltz?"
"With or without music?" she looks up at him, her eyes sparkling amusedly.
"With music," he chuckles quietly.
"What did you have in mind?"
He smiles at her. "Kans… Kunstlerleben," he frowns at himself. "Sorry, I tried. Artist's Life by Johann Strauss Jr."
She touches his cheek lightly. "That sounded pretty good, actually."
Lorcan smiles disbelievingly and takes a step back to draw his wand. He waves it once. The opening bars of Artist's Life sound around them. "Milady," he bows to her.
Grace laughs delightedly and curtsies. She never had dancing lessons as a child, but Eva, Lorcan and Lysander have taught her quite a lot over the course of almost five years now. "Milord," she replies.
The kiss he places on the back of her hand is feather light, but the butterflies in her stomach really don't care about that as he draws her close once again and they begin to waltz in the light of the setting sun.
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(Also I'm sorry if I haven't gotten back to you yet! I will, I promise. I just need to find a point in time where I have more than a moment on here)