Chapter 28: Scars

After dinner, she followed Viola in the direction of the Slytherin dorm. Senna put herself under the disillusionment charm.

She was worried about running into people who didn't know she was there, but her worry was unnecessary. People avoided Viola the same way they avoided her. There was always a wide margin around Viola. "Why do we need to be in the dorms?" Viola whispered.

"Because we don't have bathtubs in my dorm."

"What?" She hissed. She saw a blush starting to form on Viola's face. Senna took pleasure in embarrassing her. She was determined to make this experience as uncomfortable for her as possible. When Senna didn't answer, Viola pinched her on the elbow.

"Ouch!" Senna gasped.

Students in the corridor looked around, trying to figure out where the sound came from.

"What's the bathtub for?" She whispered.

"You'll find out." Senna whispered back.

Senna's smile grew when Viola gulped nervously. Her own heart began to beat faster. She had to admit, she was kind of excited.

Viola stopped walking, then she started heading in a different direction. Before Senna could question her, she spoke. "Well, if you need a bathtub, then I know a better place."

Viola took them to a strange statue of a lost looking witch.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"Shh." Viola ordered. She leaned towards the statue and said "Cedar fresh."

The stone next to the statue opened up. Senna stared in wonder as decorative green tiles came into view. A large golden candle-lit chandelier illuminated the room. A white marble swimming pool with shiny golden taps sat square in the middle of the bathhouse. Next to it, was a tall shelf with fluffy white towels, and an assortment of fancy soaps.

It was a good thing that Senna was under the disillusionment charm, because she stood there with her mouth open. "Woah..."

"This is the girl's Prefect bathroom."

"Holy. Shit." Her eyes continued to wander the room in amazement. The Brownwell Academy had nothing like this.

Viola chuckled. This broke her trance. She wasn't used to hearing Viola's laugh.

"No one's here," Viola took out her wand and tapped Senna with it, breaking the charm, "But let's not take chances." Viola took her by the wrist and led her across the glimmering tile floor.

Viola swung open a sliding door, leading to a private room with a marble tub.

"Oh my god." Senna exclaimed. "This is amazing… but how do they keep students from snogging in here?"

Senna stared at her curiously. "The entrance to the bath wont open if there is a male student standing anywhere near it." Viola informed her. "And it will immediately close if a boy tries to enter."

"I see.."

After a moment of awkward silence, Senna spoke. "Well, let's get started!" She clapped her hands together, "Get in the tub."

"What?" Viola looked horrified.

Senna smiled sweetly when Viola's face turned beet-red.

"You heard me."

"What about you? I am not going by myself."

"Of course you are, I'm not the one who is sore."

"But—"

"C'mon, I've seen you naked before, and you were not at all shy then. So why are you shy now?"

"I'm not shy!" Viola huffed, then she reluctantly took off her outer robe, and then threw it onto the clothes rack.

Senna walked over to the spout and turned the handle. The water that came out was bubbly and pink, and it smelled like roses. It was the perfect temperature. Senna wanted so badly to soak in this luxurious bath, but she didn't want to lose the position of power while dealing with Viola.

When Senna turned back around, Viola was just wearing her underwear. She could feel the heat stirring within her. Even though her personality was intolerable, she couldn't deny that she was a lovely sight. She wore emerald green panties and a matching bra, which made her eyes look even greener. Her skin was a creamy white, dusted with endearing freckles over her shoulders. She was much bustier than Senna, and it fit her frame very well. Senna's mouth watered.

When She looked up, Viola was watching her take her in.

"Well," Senna gestured to the pink, fragrant water.

Viola crossed her arms in defiance. "I told you, I am not going in by myself."

"And I told you, I'm not the one who's sore."

"You're just trying to get back at me for something." Viola moved into a power pose Senna was familiar with, with her arms crossed, hip to one side, and a condescending glare on her face. Senna called it the 'bitchy wife' pose.

"No, I'm trying to help you, remember?"

Viola glared and stood her ground. Senna glared back. She could stay here all night if she had to. The view was nice, she didn't mind. But a part of herself wanted to take a luxurious bath, something she's never had the chance to do.

"Fine." Senna agreed.

She was aware of Viola watching her, it made her fingers feel numb. "Turn around." Senna ordered.

Viola rolled her eyes. "Seriously? What are you? Five years old?"

"Turn around." She repeated.

Viola let out a dramatic sigh and then spun around to look at the door. Senna had to admire her backside too—it was a nice one.

She unbuttoned her shirt, and then her pants, though it took longer than it was supposed to. Then she stepped out of her undergarments and got in the tub. She had to hold back a moan when she entered the hot, soothing water.

"Okay." Senna said, "C'mon in."

Viola turned around, and stripped her undergarments without pausing. Senna stared off to the right wall, afraid of losing her composure if she saw Viola naked again. If she recalled correctly, she may have been rendered useless last time, like a deer caught in headlights. But her glorious body appeared in her peripheral vision, and Senna's mouth watered.

Senna felt her disturb the water as she stepped into the tub, then she felt her legs slide next to her. Senna gulped.

Composure, Senna! Stay focused. You're in charge. Senna told herself.

"Are you seriously afraid to look at me right now?" Viola said with her condescending and bitchy tone.

Senna sighed, ignoring her. She reached over the side of her tub, into the front pocket of her bag, feeling around for a little glass vial. When she found it, she held it up between them, pretending not to notice how close their physical bodies were.

"It's a potion of my own invention, Boom Berry and Peppermint. You would think there would already be a potion for muscle fatigue… but wizards don't focus on muggle dilemmas. I couldn't find anything in the books especially for this." Senna tilted the glass bottle, letting some drip into their bath water, "Just seven drops into your bath water, and soak for five minutes." Senna stated proudly. Senna was surprised when she did not hear a response. She expected Viola to at least reprimand her for mixing muggle essential oils and magical ingredients to create a hybrid potion, but Viola was silent.

She looked up to see Viola staring at her. Really staring. Viola seemed completely frozen. The weird part was, there was no lust in Viola's eyes, just alarm. Senna would've normally made a joke like 'My eyes are up here', but something in her expression kept her from saying it.

"Umm," Senna put down the vial and waved a hand in her face, "What's up with you?"

Viola looked up to meet her gaze, the same look of alarm in her eyes. "What the bloody hell happened to you?" Viola's eyes went back down to Senna's torso. Senna followed her gaze to see what she was looking at. A criss-cross pattern of scars covered her skin from beneath her breasts, down her abdomen.

"Oh, that?" Senna waved a hand dismissively. "That came from a fence, when I was young." Viola looked at her quizzically. Senna sighed, and took a deep breath to explain, "Like usual, there wasn't enough food at the orphanage. I snuck into town and managed to steal some from a bakery, but I got caught." Senna paused, letting the old memories flash to the forefront of her mind, "I slipped under the fence, but they managed to grab my leg, and I tried to kick them off me, but the more I struggled, the more the metal cut into my stomach. They eventually dragged me off."

Viola's face was stuck with horror. "What did they do once you were caught?"

"Not much," Senna shrugged, "Just sent someone from the orphanage to pick me up…" Senna winced then, remembering what came after.

"Then what?" Viola leaned in closer.

"Err…" Senna paused. "The nuns did this—" Senna took Viola's hand and placed it on her back.

Viola gasped when she felt the scars on what should've been perfectly smooth skin.

"Are those…" To Senna's surprise, Viola's voice was trembling. She had never heard her voice sound so frail. It made Senna's heart squeeze in an uncomfortable way. "From a whip or something?"

"Yeah," Senna shrugged again, "The whip was for the cattle and bulls, but they never used it on the animals."

Viola leaned into Senna's shoulder, resting her head there. Senna involuntarily held her breath. Senna thought things were taking a strange direction. It was not unpleasant. She smelled nice, like cinnamon mixed with the rose water. Her red hair tickled her shoulders and back. There was something rather pleasant about the way Viola's cheek rested on her shoulder. Her heartbeat picked up, but not really in an erotic way. There was something else going on, though she did not have the words for it.

Viola's soft hand traveled down her shoulder, down her bicep, leaving a trail of fire on her skin. Her hand stopped at a scar on her forearm. Her fingers traced the ragged edges of the star-shaped scar. "And this one?" Viola's voice was quiet.

Senna took a moment to answer. "I was jumping across rooftops in the village at night. I fell and broke my arm. This is where the bone punctured through the skin." Her voice was matter-of-fact.

Viola's hand flinched back, as if the scar suddenly zapped her. She rested her hand on top of Senna's instead. "You're insane." She whispered. But her voice was shaking again, as if she were going to cry.

Senna was not sure what to think. She had never seen this side of Viola before. Was she trying to insult her? Or sympathize with her? If so, she was absolutely terrible at it.

"Gee thanks." Senna whispered back in an undignified tone.

Viola chuckled once, it was a strained sound, like she was holding back tears.

Senna looked down at their legs. Their knees were both bent, in a sort-of fetal position so they could both fit in the tub. She observed her own scarred legs next to Viola's perfectly smooth ones.

"What with you?" Senna chastised her, "Do you pity me now?"

Viola snorted, not moving from Senna's shoulder. "As if."

A long moment of awkward silence followed. They just sat there, in the warm rosewater. Senna took deep breaths, aware of Viola's head resting on her shoulder, of their legs touching, and of Viola's rapid heartbeat pulsing beneath her skin.

Senna wanted to touch her, for some reason. But her hands felt like lead weights.

Senna had kissed Viola before, and wasn't afraid then. But something was different now.

Senna had jumped from great heights, dove into deep waters, fought people many times her size, and that seemed less frightening to her now...

But what did she have to lose?

Before she chickened out, Senna reached for the back of Viola's head, then let her fingers weave through her red hair. The locks were surprisingly soft. Viola stiffened with the touch, but did not move away.

Senna shifted and pulled her closer, so that their chests were pressed against each other, and was surprised that Viola did not fight her. She was also surprised by the pleasure she felt, as Viola's soft skin came into contact with her own. The feeling of Viola's breast pressing against her own was both sweet and erotic.

A gasp left Viola's lips. She could feel the quickened pace of her breathing against her chest.

With her hand still tangled in the back of Viola's hair, Senna pulled her back, only to press their lips together. Viola's lips were so warm and soft under her mouth. Senna could still smell her scent through the rosewater. The scent that used to mean they were far too close for comfort, suddenly made it feel like they weren't close enough.

The kiss started out soft, tentative, as if they were still trying to figure out the other. Senna felt Viola's hands settle at her hips, hands pulling her closer. A groan slipped through Senna's lips.

The kiss escalated quickly, they were battling for the upper hand. Viola pushed her tongue into her mouth, Senna groaned, and then retaliated by taking one of Viola's full breasts into her hands and using her thumb to run across her nipple. Senna was rewarded by a gasp that broke the kiss, and she wasted no time in recapturing her lips. Viola shuddered every time Senna's finger went over her hard nipple, her hands gripped Senna tighter, becoming more and more insistent.

Senna pulled back only when the lack of oxygen became unbearable. Viola gasped for air. she obviously neglected her need for oxygen as well.

Viola's green eyes captured hers, and she could not look away. They were sharp, and piercing. It seemed as though she saw through Senna, through the awful rumors, through the pity orphans often get, through her skin and bones. Senna shivered, feeling suddenly exposed. Like her soul was spilling out of her skin.

Viola caught on to her sudden change of demeanor.

"Is something wrong with you?"

Senna deliberated this for a moment. "There's a lot wrong with me, but I think you already knew that."

Viola laughed. It was hard not to notice how perfect her cheekbones were, when she smiled. She was a very beautiful girl. "Yes, I did know that."

And then Viola leaned in to kiss her, none too gently.

To be continued…

Thanks for reading the latest chapter! If you have any thoughts or comments, please leave a review, and I will do my best to get back to you.