|
"Nothing's going on..." he said, speeding up; he had the inclination that she might decide to run ahead of him at any minute. So, gently, he took her hand, tugged on it lightly and pleaded, "Please, just believe me when I say there's nothing wrong that should concern you." He lowered his eyes, giving a puppy dog expression and added, "And it'd so break my heart if you refused to eat lunch with me." "You're just blind..." she said, dropping the rest of the photographs and watching some of them flitter in the wind. " I know I am." |
Snape snatched one of the photographs from the air and held it close to Marcella's face. "Have you even looked at these?" he sneered. "Yes, there are three of us in this photograph, but did you happen to notice that half of it is missing?" He pointed to the very edge of the photograph where, just barely noticeable, there was a shoulder. Every so often, a hand would emerge, grabbing a fistful of Snape's robes and pull on them. Snape didn't want to explain about the photograph but, he knew Marcella was failing to see the point. "This photograph was taken the day I found out I had a daughter," he explained, swallowing his pride and revelaing to Marcella a part of his past he had vowed never to share with another, as he gazed down at the year old infant in his arms. Kristi looked down at her hand and back up into Nick's eyes. He was hiding something, she was sure of it but, she could also see that she wasn't going to get anything about of him by standing her in the hallway arguing about it. "Alright," she said, allowing him to lead her toward the Great Hall, her books still in his arms. Perhaps she'd be able to weasel out some information during lunch. |
"But, wait a minute. I don't understand. If the three of you are in the picture, then who is grabbing you?" she asked, her focus more on his eyes than the bit of paper placed in her front of her nose. Instead of moving, as she might have wished, he remained stood in her way, arms folded. He casually flicked his hand and said, "Well, if you're going to be that dismissive about it, maybe I wont want to go with you anymore. You know, I do have other girls who'd die to share even a minute in my company. |
"As I told you last year when you asked me what happened to Kristi's mother, her family would never allow me to marry her," he replied; she could draw her own conclusions as to whose hand it was. Snape watched as another hand appeared on the arm of the hand which grasped his robes. The attacker relented and released the robes, allowing the would-be family to pose for the photograph. He narrowed his eyes and frowned at the photograph and their fake smiles. She almost ran right into him as he unexpectedly stepped in front of her and stopped. Kristi threw her hands up in exasperation at his remarks. "Fine, whatever, go find Pansy and eat lunch with her; take her to the ball for all I care, if what you want is someone to fawn all over you. Just give me back my books and I'll be on my way," she said, holding out her arms for her books. |
Shocked, she rested a hand, intended to be supportive, on his upper arm. She scowled at little and said, "Nevertheless, as much as they tried to separate you, you eventually came together and despite the fact that she's dead, she's still very much alive in Kristi and in your memories. I don't want to feel like I'm intruding on that." "That's my point, I want you because you don't fawn over me. You're not scared to shout at me, put me in my place." Taking her chin between his thumb and index finger, he added, "Plus you look ever so cute when you get all angry and worked up like that." |
Snape looked up from the photgraph, to the hand upon his shoulder, and then, up to Marcella. "You aren't intruding," he insisted. "You can't intrude if you've been invited." He turned away from her and began picking up the scattered photographs on his hands and knees. She scowled and then, sighed. "Okay, so does that mean that little drama just now was to see me get angry?" she asked, her eyes narrowed. "Nevermind, I'm hungry. Can we just go get something to eat now?" |
"But I can still feel that way. And whatever I feel, I cannot help." Crawling on her hands and knees, she helped him pick the photos up as they blew about in the light breeze. When all but one was picked up, she went to pick it up, just as he did and their hands touched over the photograph that captured the moment that looked to be when he and Kristi's mother had first kissed. "Maybe....maybe not. Maybe I don't want to give you the satisfication of answering." Happy that he'd clearly run circles around her and taken the subject from the possibility of there being anything wrong, he took her by the elbow, slipped his arm through hers and added, "Why yes, m'lady..." leading her along. |
Snape looked down at their touching hands. He picked up the last photograph and tucked it underneath the others before placing them on the table beside him. Turning back to Marcella, he looked down at her. "No, you can't help what you feel. So, does this mean you won't be accompanying me to the ball?" he asked, genuinely disappointed. Kristi shook her head and allowed herself to be lead along. She felt as though she should be saying something but, could come up with nothing to say. Her life had been nothing but drama for the last year or two that being in relatively normal company seemed so foreign. "So..." she started but, not knowing where she was going, she merely shook her head and concentrated on avoiding any other students walking the corridors. |
"I don't know." she replied, in all honesty. "Who knows, by tonight you might decide you don't want me to go with you." "So....what?" he asked, taggling along beside her, studying her face. "Don't tell me you're getting all choked up over my romantic gesture. The Kristi I thought I knew didn't appear to be at all like that." |
"What do you mean?" he asked, pushing a straying hair behind her ear. "What would make me change my mind?" Kristi stopped. "Choked up?" she asked. "I just don't know what to say. I guess I still can't figure out why you as...." She looked up at Nick. "Marcella, she put you up to this, didn't she?" |
Annoyed, she responsed with a shrug and an indifferent, "I don't know everything, alright." "Not really." Seeing the frown on her face, he succumbed and said, "Okay, so she told me you didn't have a date to the ball, but that was it. She didn't tell me to take you out to lunch and she certainly didn't tell me to like you, alright?" |
She was taken aback at that last bit. She looked to the ground, feeling rather foolish. Kristi shook her her head. "This is stupid," she said, looking up, realizing just who she was acting like right now. "Let's just go get something to eat and pretend this conversation never happened. The last thing I want to do is follow in my father's footsteps when it comes to relationships with people. All he and Marcella do is bicker." She blushed and stopped for a moment, realizing she had just compared herself and Nick, who could barely be called friends to a couple who was much more than that. She sincerely hoped Nick hadn't taken that the wrong way or has having more meaning than she meant it to have. Kristi turned to walk toward the Great Hall, "Let's just go get lunch." |
Snape wanted to put his arms around her... But would she even let him? Standing up, he held out a helping a hand to Marcella. "I would very much like to go to this ball with you and I don't think Kristi has a problem with that anymore," he said, thoughtfully. "I suppose I should have told her about us when we first arrived back at the castle last year but, at that time, you were... Well, you had joined your father and I thought that was the end of our little relationship... It would have been better if I had told her." His voice faded away as he spoke his thoughts aloud. |
He took her by the upper arm, rather forcefully and made her stay in front of him. Without letting go of her, he said, "Look, I'm sorry for shouting at you, I didn't mean it. I do genuinely like you and I guess it just frustrates me when you try to prove otherwise. And so what if your father and his woman argue all the time, we're not them. And I'm not him.." he whispered, leaning toward her slowly, hand raised now to her chin, almost lifting it up so that her lips touched his. |
"But realistically, what would you have told her? That you'd fallen in love with a girl half your age, slept with her, formed an emotional attachment and then watched her walk into the arms of the dark side. That would've pushed her away further, it was better not to tell her. She would not have understood and that would not have been her fault. No-one could understand what we went through without being in our shoes. Don't feel guilty for that." |
Kristi felt herself being jerked back and was held in front of Nick in a tight grip on her upper arm. Her heart was racing in fear after what happened the last time she was in this position with a man. But, it wasn't the same and he didn't strike her. He held her chin gently and leaned close, so close... She suddenly realized she was holding her breath and forced herself to start breathing again. "I'm sorry," she whispered back... He was so close. |
"Perhaps," he said, looking down at her. "But, she shouldn't have found out the way she did. You or I should have been the one to tell her; she shouldn't have found out from student gossip." Snape sighed, put hand to his temple and walked over to his chair. But, instead of sitting, he merely stared into the empty fireplace. "She's fine with it now," he began to speak again, but seemed to lose the thread of his thought. |
"Don't be..." he told her, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face and gently pushing his lips on hers, for a few seconds before releasing them, along with her arms. "Now do you believe me?" |
Despite how close he had gotten to her, his kiss came as a surprise to Kristi. It was brief but, it seemed to prove his intentions. "Yes, I believe you," she said, her stomach growling. She laughed, "I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted to get some lunch." |
"So what's stopping you from being happy then?" she asked, knowing something was, stepping nearer to him and placing a delicately nervous hand on the small of his back. |
"Let's go then." he told her, chuckling, taking her by the hand, entwinning their fingers. "I just hope you're not one of those girls who starves themselves, I like a woman who has an apetite." |
He remained silent a moment longer before turning into her. "You," he said, placing a finger on her lips, knowing she would take this the wrong way without an explanation. "And myself. We won't let ourselves be happy. The only moments I have been truly happy since Kristi's mother are the moments I have been with you when we aren't bickering or moaning about our age difference, how our relationship affects others, or the potential for danger. I just want to be with you Marcella... be with you for just a little while before I have to give you up." "Not on purpose," she answered, honestly. "I sometimes forget to eat when I'm busy but, I could probably rival Crabbe or Goyle with my appetite right now." She laughed, looked down at their hands and smiled. This was actually quite nice, walking hand-in-hand with someone down the corridor and having a what could pass as a normal conversation. |
"I'm not stopping you from doing that....it's just..." she sighed and sat on the nearby chair, "It's just hard for me, trying to make sense of it all. Why this all happened, why Kristi has to be dragged through this mess, why everyone has to end up hurt over something that could've been prevented. I'm just trying to save a few hearts from getting bruised. Can you sincerely blame me for that?" "Well, that might not be good news. Those two are a pair of pigs, having to sit and eat next to them at lunch is a nightmare. I barely eat anything at all because their open-mouthed chewing makes my guts wretch." |
Kristi looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hmm... Well, maybe not quite like those two. I'd like to think I'm a polite eater. Let's just say that I have a healthy appetite, so long as I'm not wrapped up in something else," she said, thinking of the numerous meals she had missed over the course of this term. "No, I can't blame you for that," he said, looking down at her in the chair. "However, I believe the hearts have already been bruised. There isn't anything we can do about it now." Snape sat down in the chair across from her, not sure what else to say. He was tired of all this and, if it weren't for the dementors, he would have welcomed his stay in Azkaban. |
"I hate to admit it, but I have noticed over the term that you've started to wither away." Forcing a would-ve smile on his face, he took her by the arm and led her outside in silence. "You'll actually be surprised, as to what I'm about to say, but I think you're right. There's nothing left, there's no hope and I should stop moping around. As stubborn as I am, as often as I love being right, I'm not. I lived before we met, in dire circumstances yes and I wouldn't exactly call it living, but I did and therefore I can after. And it's not like I'm alone, there's Kristi too. Which reminds me, she doesn't seem sure what she wants to do after the year, what are your plans for us, I mean, what would you want?" |
Kristi allowed herself to be led as she thought about what Nick had said. He'd noticed that she'd started to wither away? Well, she wasn't sure about the withering part but, she was surprised that he'd noticed anything about her at all. Unsure as to what to say to his comment, she remained silent, waiting to hear what he'd say next. "I hadn't really thought about it," he admitted. "Aside from being safe, that is. But, I'm not sure where, other than right here, under Dumbledore's protection, you would be safe. Perhaps the cottage in Norway, though it is pretty far removed and could be relatively easy to penetrate." |
"That's what I'm afraid of, Dumbledore over-reacting. The last thing Kristi can handle is being suffocated further by having to stay here, being supervised and monitored as if she were a child. I couldn't handle it either. I know his intentions are well but if he's really that concerned he could have members of the Order go with us. After all, that is partly what they are for. We deserve to have a bit of freedom, some peace and quiet away from this place, away from the constraints of an old man who can make mistakes despite being good at heart." |
"I agree," Snape replied, thoughtfully. "For once, I think, we agree. I suppose I can speak with the Headmaster, though I'm not sure I will be able to influence him. But, Marcella... Please don't move against him should he want you to stay. It is true that he cannot keep you here against your will but, don't just disappear so that he doesn't know where you are." |
"You mean to say, don't do it because Dumbledore wont know where I am, which, in turn, means you wont know where I am either. I thought I had left that old part of me back in Norway, would I be so stupid?" she asked, a sort of laugh airising in her voice as she spoke. "Idle chatter, is all this is. And it's serving no purpose. Lunch is almost over; you have an afternoon class and I, I have things to be getting on with." |
"Yes, I suppose you're right," he replied in answer to everything she had said, getting up from his chair and walking over to Marcella's, extending his hand. "Will I still be seeing you this evening?" |
She allowed him to take her hand and stood up, "If I don't come I guess it'll cause a stir and regardless Kristi is counting on me to go. If I don't go, she wont either and I want her to have a good time." |
He managed a small smile. "I appreciate you looking out for her," he said. "I'm afraid I may not have done such a good job raising her when it comes to social skills." Snape laughed, shortly, feeling slightly better, knowing that Marcella and Kristi had each other and would look out for one another. |
"Well then, I guess I have a thing or two that I can teach her." Putting on her bravest smile, she stepped forward to leave the room. |
"Until later, then," Snape replied and moved to collect some items for his class. |
She relayed her earlier conversation with Snape, in her mind, as she prepared herself for the ball. She didn't want to go to the bother of buying anything new, but neither did she want to appear drab in the violet dress robe that she had worn a few nights previous. So, as she put to rest her thoughts of how gentlemanly he had behaved, in the most perverse circumstances possible, she charmed the dress robes so that they turned a violent shade of red. Then, slightly tired, she used magick to put the dress robe, sleeken and straighten her raven hair, using her hands only to apply a slither of red lipstick to her lips. Prepared, in the sense of dressing, she left the room and set to join Nick just outside the Slytherin Common Room. |
Kristi hadn't the slightest clue what she was supposed to do to prepare for this event. She would not normally have cared but, this time, she was actually going with someone. Shaking her head and laughing at herself, she looked up into the mirror in her father's bathroom, pointed her wand at her hair, and hoped it wouldn't turn out completely horrible. It didn't look half bad, actually, and so, she stepped out into the room. Her father was wearing the same dress robes from a few nights ago and Kristi frowned. "I think you should have made more of an effort," she said. Snape looked up in shock. He'd never really noticed how much Kristi did look like her mother; but, the resemblance to her mother now was absolutely shocking. Recovering from his shock, he sneered, "What do you mean?" Instead of answering, Kristi raised her wand and when he looked down, he saw his robes changed from the dark blue to a dark green, though not so dark that one could possibly mistake it for black. He wanted the blackrobes back, but had a feeling Kristi was right. He should make something of an effort and he felt certain she would refuse to let him change them back. "You go on. We don't want to be seen walking out together," he said and watched Kristi exit the room. Kristi walked down the corridor and found Marcella and Nick standing outside the Slytherin Common Room. She suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach and chastized herself for being so ridiculous before approaching. "He'll be along soon, I think," she smiled at Marcella before greeting Nick. "Hello, Nick." |
"You look gorgeous.." Nick choked, lifting a hand to take hers in. "Shall we go, I have a feeling they'll want to be alone and I'd rather not hold hands with you in front of your....you know..." |
Kristi laughed. "I see hasn't lost his touch. You're intimidated by him," she smiled, and began to walk with him down the corridor. "See you later, Marce," she called over her shoulder and saw her father looming closer. |
Snape left a few moments after Kristi. He quickened his pace after seeing her walk off with Lestrange. He frowned at the sight of them but, as he moved his gaze from them to Marcella, his frown faded and he stepped up to Marcella in her red robes. "You look stunning," he said, walking up behind her and placing a hand upon her shoulder. |
"Don't feel it." she frowned, tugging at the skirt element of the dress. "It keeps creeping up and I really don't like how tight it is. I must have put weight on these past few days, Lord knows how though." She realised she was blabbering, but, with her nerves the way they were, she really couldn't do much else. "You can't blame me for being scared of him. He's like, an ogre. Or, at least to me. But now we're alone, I can do this." he said, giving her another kiss, this time, staying on her lips a little longer. |
"I think it's lovely," he said, pulling her hands away from her skirt. "But, if you aren't comfortable. Why don't you change into something you will feel comfortable in?" She closed her eyes as he pressed his lips against hers. She liked this feeling, the feeling that someone other than her father cared about her, even if it was just a little. Kristi opened her eyes when he pulled away and looked around a bit uneasily. She had the distinct feeling that she had just become one of those people she always made fun of for kissing in the corridors. "He's not an ogre. He's just... I don't know. He's Snape," she said, smiling. She didn't mean to sound argumentative but, she felt a need to defend her father. |
"Because you like it. And because I'm too lazy to." she said, giggling before she could stop herself. "We should get going otherwise Dumbledore might worry, you know, if we're not where he can watch us." He laughed at her defense and kissed her lightly on the cheek, "Yes, he's Snape but he's also an ogre. He scares the living daylights out of students, he dresses like a vampire and well, he's just strange." |
Kristi smiled. "I suppose your right. He does get some sort of sick pleasure out of watching students squirm," she laughed. "Speaking of which, I think we'd better get moving before he and Marcella catch up to us." Snape held out his arm for her to take and the two set off down the corridor, heading for the Hall. "I believe this will be the second ball I've attended at Hogwarts with a date," he mused. "Funny... The motives behind them are rather similar." |
"Who was the first?" she asked, suddenly becoming very interested, moreso because she couldn't imagine him with anyone other than herself or Kristi's mother. Nick agreed and led them to a table in the great hall, with four seats, Draco and Sofia Malfoy were sat opposite. |
"F..." he stopped, catching himself before uttering the name. "There was only one other woman before you, Marcella." Kristi glanced nervously across the table; she was out of her element here. Not sure what to say or do, she looked to Nick, hoping he would take the lead. |
"Oh, I know." she said, knowingly, stood outside of the entrance to the hall. "You don't have to say anymore, I understand." "What's wrong?" he hissed to her. "You don't have to say anything to them if you don't want to, but all the same, they wont bite, not here, not now at least." Nick extended a hand to Draco and lightly kissed Sofia's. He ignored Draco's mumblings about Snape and took a sharp hold on Kristi's hand to prevent her from saying anything that might reveal to him what she really was. |
Snape grasped her hand with his own, entwining their fingers. "It was a long time ago and I was a student. Let's go inside," he said, dismissively and gestured toward the crowded hall. She had been about to speak up though she caught herself without Nick's tightening grasp on her hand. "Hello," she said to Draco and Sofia, with a small, forced, smile. |
"There's no need to seem so scared, Kristi, you're a Slytherin, remember. We only taunt the Gryffindors and perhaps Riddle because of that sick boyfriend she's just gotten herself, but we make exceptions for her." He watched as Sofia giggled and distinctly smirked in satisfaction. She agreed and they entered the hall. Unsure of where exactly to sit, she spotted Kristi sat with Malfoy and instantly felt sick. |
Kristi narrowed her eyes. Scared? She wasn't scared... Well, perhaps a little, but was she really seeming to be that scared? But, talking about Marcella like that was getting her very angry. "I happen to be friends with Marcella," she said, coldly. Snape followed Marcella's gaze to a table where Kristi was sat next to Lestrange and across from Malfoy. His grip on Marcella's hand tightened but, he turned away from the scene before he was tempted to threaten Kristi's identity. He led Marcella away from view of that table. |
"Then you happen to be friends with the wrong sort." he lowered his voice and whispered, "From what I've heard, daddy isn't too pleased with her behaviour, the both of them will get what they deserve eventually." She hoped Malfoy wouldn't give Kristi any more hassle, she had more than enough to deal with and anything he said might push her over the edge, not to mention expose the formerly secret connection between Kristi and Snape. Standing against a wall, she whispered, "We can't sit together. I'd be out of place with the teachers and you'd be the same with the students. Perhaps I should go sit with Kristi and we'll perhaps have sometime alone later." ooc- could you do Draco for me? That way I can try and do Sofia aswell as Nick. And maybe have Dumbledore talk to Snape...I dunno. |
Kristi clenched her fists beneath the table. It took every ounce of self control she possessed to keep her face from betraying her feelings. The desire to hex that smirk off Malfoy's face was so strong she had to look away. She spotted Marcella and her father talking then, they seemed to head off in different directions, Marcella towards them and her father towards the Staff table. "Yes, you are right. We can spend some time together once we've eaten," he replied, letting go of her hand and reluctantly turning toward the Staff table. He sat down in the chair Dumbledore indicated, right next to him. He had that look in his eye again which told Snape he was very disappointed. Snape knew he was in for an earful but, didn't really care. His eyes were focused on the table with Malfoy. |
"You alright there Kristi?" Marce asked as she approached the table, glaring at Malfoy and smiling at Nick, completely ignoring Sofia. "I hope Malfoy's not using his mouth to spread filthy lies again. You know, you really should get a hobby Malfoy, other than sleeping and fooling around with girls that is." Her eyes landed on Sofia. "Your cousin is your latest conquest? And I thought you could stoop no lower..." Shifting along, she urged Nick and Kristi to budge up and sat on the outside next to Kristi. |
"Yeah, I'm alright," Kristi said, a little worried and yet, thoroughly relieved, at the same time when Marcella sat down next to her. "You're one to talk," Draco sneered. "Have you ever actually looked at that old piece of filth you're sleeping with? You could have done better than that, you know." |
"Severus," Dumbledore addressed Snape as he sat down. "I thought we had agreed you were to stay away from her?" "With all due respect, Headmaster, but was it not yourself who arranged for our little outing?" Snape responded. "Besides, everyone knows and Marcella is determined to enjoy herself at the Ball and to do that, she wished to accompany me. I see nothing wrong in allowing her a few moments of happiness." |
She scowled at Draco, purposefully slid her chin into her hand and said, "Better than the person I love? Don't tell me, I'd do better to be with the likes of you, would I?" Nick kicked Draco under the table, that was uncalled for. Glad that his sister had managed to re-bound back but unsure of her feelings and how stable she was with them, he swore he would allow Draco to attempt to insult her like that again. "So, Draco.." he asked, casually, "Tell me exactly why you're here, at the ball, with your cousin of all people." |
He was about to respond to Riddle when he felt Nick kick him in the shins. "Have you not seen her? She's stunning. And aren't all purebloods related to each other one way or another. At the end of the day Nick, you and I both know, a good woman is nothing to quibble over." Kristi merely sat at the table, wondering why they couldn't have sat at some other table. Surely there were open seats somewhere else. |
She couldn't stand the way he talked, he appeared so masculine, he was full of himself and his diabolical morals. She sighed in a withdrawn manner and became delighted as the food appeared before their eyes. Grateful that Draco had settled for just an egotistical reponse, rather than a further insult toward his sister, he tucked into his food, entwinning his leg with Kristi's. Despite the fact that the food had arrived, she coughed and spoke, for the first time, "Draco came with me because he had no other choice. His father would simply beat him if he dared disobey one of his orders. Besides, I happen to think Draco here is a little cutey, when he's not trying to murder stuff that is." |
Kristi picked up her goblet and smiled as she drank and felt Nick's leg wrap around her own. She her eyes wandered to Draco at Sofia's remark and stiffled a laugh with her napkin. Draco didn't look like he particularly liked being called a cutey but, was remaining silent nonetheless. "I suppose I've never seen him when he isn't murderous, then. I don't find him to be a cutey at all," she said, now looking at Sofia. |
"But then you've never seen him when he's just woken up. He can be a cutey, at times. He can also be rather violent and aggressive but I guess that's what you would call the Malfoy charm." She took a swig from her own goblet and caught sight of Nick's hand under the table, obviously clasping at Kristi. "So, what attracted you two to one another?" |
She was surprised by this question and felt herself blush. Truth be told, aside from Darrin, Nick was the only boy who had ever shown the slightest interest in her. But, she wasn't about to give that kind of ammunition to Sofia and Draco. Kristi looked down at the table as she tried to formulate an answer but, none came. It had only been a few hours since Nick had asked her to the ball and she had been having doubts as to how genuine his interest had been ever since. |
Nick took the hint from Kristi's lack of response, that she did not want to, or could not answer. He didn't want to let her down, as her partner for the ball and so he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and said, "Well, Kristi's a feisty one and you both know how I love a woman that fights back. But, in all seriousness, she's beautiful, intelligent and she'd put me in my place if I stepped a toe out of line. What is there not to love?" With that, he tilted her head and kissed her slowly, but sweetly on the lips. |
Kristi's cheeks burned as Nick spoke and she thought she was going to die of embarrasssment as he kissed her in front of everyone. And she couldn't prevent herself from sneaking a quick glance at the Staff table to see that her father hadn't seen. Kristi didn't trust herself to look back at the Malfoys so, she merely leaned into Nick and took another sip from her goblet. |
Whilst the two lovebirds kissed, Sofia made a hacking noise, turned it into a cough and threw some red wine down her neck before she could be caught laughing. Kristi's glance toward her father made Marcella feel awkward. She did not want the topic going back to him. Neither did she care to be reminded of how much she wished that they could be sat, like Kristi and Nick, kissing away the time, their relationship care-free. |
Draco snorted. "Don't tell me you can't do better than that, Nick?" he smirked. "I thought once the girls were finished with me, they hounded you. If that's all you've got, I don't see why." |
"Actually I do get alot of your left overs Draco, mainly because they leave you, unsatisfied. And, quite frankly, it does my head in to have to hear Pansy's thunderous thighs clipping together as she bombards after me. Can't you at least try and control the girl?" She knew Nick would rise to Draco's bait but their fight and their nasty words could not satisfy her. She watched as some plates drifted away into thin air from the tables and students proceeded to stand and either dance, huddle in corners, take a walk outside, or stand conversing. |
Draco smirked. "If it bothers you so much, why don't you take care of it yourself?" he said, getting up and holding out a hand to Sofia. |
Kristi watched the proceedings as if they were fifth years, once again. She'd seen Nick and Draco bicker over girls countless times while keeping an eye on things for her father. She was just a little closer to the action this time and wasn't at all comfortable with the fact that one of the girls brought into their discussion was herself. Kristi glanced up at the staff table once more and saw that Snape was no longer sitting beside Dumbledore. She looked around the room and spotted him walking up to their table. Sitting up so that she was no longer leaning against Nick, she elbowed Marcella and tipped her head in Snape's direction. |
"I do deal with it Draco, it's you who doesn't. Carelessly, you leave them to chase after me, which I've told you, countless times, I shall never thank you for." he laughed and, taking Kristi by the elbow, led her away toward the dancefloor. |
Draco stood by Sofia and watched as Nick went off with Kristi and then turned to Riddle who was still sitting at the table. "Your defenders seem to have left you," he smirked. "Oh, but look who's here. It's your perverted lover. Did you know that he's old enough to be your father?" Snape past Kristi and Nick but managed to keep his face impassive. He walked on by without so much as a glance and approached Marcella who was now left alone at the table with the Malfoys. Ignoring them, he placed a hand on Marcella's shoulder. |
"I know that." she spat back at Draco. "But at least I don't have to stoop so low as to have relations with my cousin." Following that insult she turned to Snape, thoroughly pleased with herself and eager to get out of the hall that felt as if it were suffocating her. |
He sneered at Draco but, but didn't stoop to responding to his remarks. Instead, he offered his hand to Marcella and led her past the carefree, dancing, students and out of the hall. "Are you alright?" he asked. "What were you doing, sitting with them?" Kristi followed Nick out onto the dancefloor. "I don't think I could have sat there another minute," she said, relieved to be away from the irksome Malfoys. |
"I'm alright, really, I'm fine. I can cope with Draco's remarks. He's just a shallow idiot. His opinion means nothing to me. And besides that I had nowhere else to sit, if you didn't notice." She really did wonder as to why she was being so difficult and settled for sitting at the base of a tree. "Neither do I. Having to share you with their company, ugh, I couldn't stand it for another second." he told her, slipping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as the music slowed down into a sweet ballad. |
"Well, your plan succeeded. The Headmaster isn't very pleased with me showing up with you on my arm," he said, settling down beside her, he propped one knee up, his arm resting upon it, his hand dangling in front of him. She sighed and rested her head against Nick's chest as he pulled her closer, relaxing against him as they moved with the music. "And I always thought you were friends with them," she laughed, shortly. |
"I wasn't aware that I had a plan." she said, resting a hand on his bent neck, running and pressing her thumb and fingers against his skin. "Only because I have to be, because of my family. I've been brought up with them and so really I know Draco is relatively harmless, all talk no action sort of thing. I've seen him in nappies, I doubt he'll want to go threatening anyone I know because of that, because of the stuff I could bribe him with. And have done if my memory serves me rightly." He suddenly realised he'd been talking far too much about himself and Malfoy and so instead pulled her closer still and circled his fingers around the small of her back. |
"I thought you were planning to show Dumbledore that he couldn't order you about," he said, closing his eyes as she massaged his neck and he relaxed, slightly. She looked up at him when he stopped speaking. "Draco Malfoy in nappies... Now that's an amusing image to have in one's mind," she laughed before becoming thoughtful. "Families can cause such trouble." |
"That was the old me. The knew me doesn't care what Dumbledore says; I just want to be as happy as I can, for as long as I can." "Yes....but they can also serve to get you out of it. Shocking as it may seem, Malfoys do have their uses. You wouldn't believe how many detentions I've escaped thanks to Lucius." |
Snape sat up straight and looked at Marcella. "And what would make you happy?" "I find that keeping out of trouble helped me to escape from detentions," she laughed and then, looked over to where Draco and Sophie were dancing. "Well, at least his father proved good for something, though I can't see what use Draco has, other than being an obnoxious, egotistical, pain." |
"This..." she said, taking a deep breath, subconsciously making sure she could feel no-one's prescence around them. She used her fingers and thumbs to lift his head and tilted her head upward, so that her lips met his, as her hand met his left. "Draco has his uses. As smart as he'd like to think he is, he's rather gullible at times, which makes him a good puppet for distraction or else bribes. All I've had to do in the past is convince him that something's in it for him and bam, he does what I want. He's rather like his father that way; he's gold and that's all that spins around in his mind thereafter." |
Snape wrapped himself in the kiss. It was what he'd been longing for. He turned his left hand over to entwine their fingers and placed his right hand behind her head, deepening the kiss. "So, what kinds of things have you bribed Draco for?" she asked, curiously. |
Gladly she welcomed his movement toward her and lifted her hand to meet his, behind her neck, moving her face closer, wanting to be as close as she could possibly get. "Peace and quiet mainly. Sometimes to keept him quiet about my lack of enthusiasm when it comes to "dark dealings", if you catch my drift. Any pureblood caught slacking...well...I'll just say it's not a nice experience." |
Snape rested his head upon hers and closed his eyes, just breathing in the scent of her. "Yes," he whispered. Kristi placed a hand flat on Nick's chest and looked up at him. |
For moment she wondered what his reply was to and then smiled, contentedly. "What's wrong Kristi? You're being quiet, that's not like you." he said, slightly worried, a bit unnerved by the silence. |
He leaned into her, enfolding her in his arms and kissed her once again. "Sorry," she said, lowering her hand and her eyes. "I'm just... A little out of my element, I suppose." Kristi glanced around at the people surrounding her and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She felt as if everyone were looking at her. She looked back up at Nick. "I'm used to hiding in the corner," she said. |
"Then I'll have to fix that, wont I?" he smirked, taking her hand, spinning her around, laughing. |
Snape slowly pulled away from the kiss and got to his feet, dragging Marcella up with him. For a moment, he could not take his eyes off of hers but, he soon recovered himself and began to lead Marcella further away from the castle, towards the forest. He stopped on the edge of the forest, placed a hand behind Marcella's head and pressed his lips against hers. He parted her lips and deepened the kiss before pulling away once more to lead her into the forest. She nearly lost her balance when Nick suddenly took her hand and pushed her away from him, spinning her under his arm. Kristi gave him a murderous glare, worthy of her father before laughing and mock hitting him on the shoulder. "Warn me before you do that next time! I nearly fell over," she said, sounding angry, but there was a smile on her face. |
In the first instance, she allowed herself to be dragged away by him, but, as they seemed to be trawling deeper into the forest, she managed to peel her lips from his and stammered, "Where are we going?" seeming almost breathless. "Then maybe you should get more accustomed to wearing high heels. You look good in them and what is the point in me asking you here if you're not going to dance?" he said, spinning her again, laughing as he watched her squirm. |
"There is a place," he said, his eyes burning with passion. "We can be alone there, without interuptions." He caressed the side of her face, closed his eyes, and embraced her. He wanted so much to hold her there forever but, the castle had many eyes and to be truly alone, they had only to walk a little further into the forest. He spun her again and she leaned into him, her arm over his shoulder to regain her balance. "I reckon you're trying to kill me," she laughed. "But, it's a fun way to go." She was having more fun than she would have ever dreamed she could have at a Ball. For a few moments, it seemed she forgot about what was coming but, it all quickly came crashing back and she looked up at Nick with a sorrowful expression. "I think maybe you should try spinning me again," she whispered. |
The passion, the fire that burned in his normally dark eyes, it confused and overwhelmed her. The question he seemed to be ignoring was how far was he willing to go? Or, how far was she? Unable to just slip back and ignore these questions, she leant against one of the trees, kissed him once and then pushed him away lightly with the palms of her hands, indicating that she wanted to stop and talk. Turning the tables, she moved away from him, put him up against the tree and snuggled into his shoulder, preferring to be held up by him, than have to hold him up herself. Bewildered by the sudden sorrow in her eyes, Nick spun her once more and then held onto her tightly, pulling her closer as the spin concluded. Taking her hand gently, he led her away and out onto the steps of the castle, sitting her down on a step below him, holding her around the stomach. "There's something you're not telling me, I know it." |
She pushed him away and Snape suddenly found himself pushed against the tree with and Marccella snuggled onto his shoulder. She was pulling away from him again, despite how physically close she was. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and inclined his head, kissing the top of her head before resting his head upon hers. "What is wrong, Marcella?" he whispered. He spun her again. It wasn't quite the same but, it had prevented the tears she feared from falling. But, as he led her out of the hall and sat down on the steps with him holding her, she felt her eyes stinging again. She shook her head and pressed her fingers to her eyes. After a deep breath she tilted her head back to find him looking down at her, conerned. "Actually, I haven't relaly told you anything, yet," she smile, though it failed to reach her hazel eyes. |
"Why do you have to spoilt it?" she groaned, running a few fingers through the tips of her hair. "I just don't want to...but I don't want you acting all broody and rejected either. Can't we just be together?" "I'm here and I'm listening.." he told her, running a thumb over her hand. He whispered, "So, tell me." |
Kristi looked down at their hands, Nick's thumb, soothingly rubbing her hand. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He's going away again and I don't think we can get him out of it this time," she began, stubbornly refusing to allow the tears to fall, though her eyes was extremely teary. "I'm... I'm tired of all this." Snape ran his hands through her hair and, holding her head between his hands, gently kissed her before embracing her. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "Of course we can just be together. |
"Sounds to me as if, for the first time in your life, you're admitting that you need help." Taking a deep breath, he slipped down onto the step next to her and moved her head onto his shoulder. "You're way out of your depth and no-one can blame you for that. But, if you want me to, I'll be there. For you and my sister. From what I gather you two will have a tough enough time as it is, there's no reason for you to both be alone. At least not forever. And, I suppose, in time, she too will forget him and move on. She doesn't really have any other choice." he spoke, gently caressing her head, attempting to console her. "Maybe that's just one of the ways in which I'm just too young for you. You, you have other needs which I can fully understand but my mind, it's just not there right now, I've got too much to worry and stress over, too much going on. I suppose we're just...different." she spoke, ominously, not really understanding why she seemed to be talking herself out of close contact with him when, deep down, that's all she truly wanted. |
"I wish you would tell me what it is you want," Snape sighed. "You want to be together and yet, you pull away from me. I understand your confusion, Marcella. But, you have only a little time left with which to toy with me and I would appreciate it if you decided what it is that you want from me. If you don't want to be with me, if you'd rather sulk alone, I will go back and spend my remaining time with someone who does want to be with me." Tears dribbled down her cheeks as Nick held her. She shook her head. "We won't forget," she whispered, hoping her voice was free of the sound of tears. "There's a way. There has to be a way. He can't sit in that cell, he just can't, not again, not for the rest of his life. Not that cell." The images of her father when she had gone to visit him, as soon as they crept into the forefront of her mind, refused to leave. Her voice became softer and softer as she turned her face into Nick and grabbed hold of his robes when she spoke. |
"I think I know what you want." she said, in a would-be condescending tone, "But right now, as my feelings are being toyed with, I don't exactly feel like toying with anything in return." She sighed heavily, "I never said I didn't want you it's that I want you so bad, so much that I know I shouldn't." She huffed and groaned, "If it's that easy to get over me and find someone else to please you then you can't be all that much in love me with anyways." "People don't rot away in Azkaban, Kristi. They either go mad or do themselves in. But he will stay there and you can't keep torturing yourself by imagining that you can magically set him free, because it's not going to happen. As she grabbed a hold on him, he held her in return, feeling her body quiver, "I know it's the last thing you want to hear but it's kinder to be cruel now so that the pain fades quicker. You cant stop what's going to happen, from happening." |
"I was referring to the daughter who insisted that I spend time with you rather than with her," he replied, leaning his head back against the tree and closing his eyes in frustration. "You weren't there; you didn't see," she said. "And what are Marcella and I supposed to do? Hang around here, rotting away in the castle or go up to the cottage in Norway and rot away there? We're trapped." |
"So I jumped the gun, I'm sorry, but doesn't that show you that if you did ponce off with some half-dressed veela, that I would care, that it would hurt me?" She could see plain frustration in his face but just could not let go of her side of the argument. Both were too stubborn to give up. "No.." he said, sounding a fraction exasperated. "Go to Norway and make a new life for yourselves. Put Scotland behind you and look to the future. You can't continue living through your father, you have to have your own life." |
"I don't know how," she said, pulling away and looking up at him after wiping her face with the sleeve of her robe. "All the other students here have been living away from their parents for the past seven years. I've never been away from him, except for the few months he was away this term. But, I was so busy with the appeal, I didn't really have time to notice. Now that I have to think about what to do with my future... I just don't know what to do and I don't think Dumbledore will let Marcella and me out of his sight or protection anyway. I'm going to be trapped with nowhere to go." "Yes, and that is what confuses me. If you love me, why do you insist on pulling away from me. Can't I just hold you in my arms for a while before I have to leave you? Or, if it would be easier on you not to see me, why do you insist on seeking me out?" he asked. |
"So long as I'm here, I wont let you be trapped. Surely Dumbledore can see that this place would suffocate the pair of you? What kind of life would that be? No, that's what he has aurors for, if your situation doesn't call for the use of them, then I don't know what would. You can still have protection in Norway and then also have a life of your own. I wont pretend you'll forget about your father but you can put it behind you. He wouldn't want you to carry on mourning what has happened, he'd want you to move on." "Because I'm young, I'm stupid, I cant make up my mind. My brain tells me it's best not to be near you because it hurts so much to be so close and know that time is limited. But then my heart tells me that it's pointless hurting myself any further, that I should be as close as I can be for as long as I can be and make the most of it. But neither side has won and that is why I cant make up my mind." she choked, fighting back tears. She gave a small would-be laugh that sounded twisted and stuttered, "Maybe you would be better off with someone else, someone a bit more....stable." |
"Yeah," she said, half-heartedly. "I know all that. It doesn't make it any easier, though." Kristi pulled away and put her elobs on her knees, resting her head on the heels of her hands. She stopped the flow of tears before looking up again. "Thanks, Nick. I never knew you could be so sensitive," she laughed, attempting to get over her bout of self-pity. "A more stable person wouldn't be as exciting," he laughed. "They wouldn't be you." Snape moved from the tree and stood up straight. "I think I'll head back to the castle now. Would you care to join me for a dance before we go our separate ways? Just one dance, no romantic strings attached." |
"Me? Sensitive? No, I'd say I'm more realistic. In all seriousness, did you really think I'd leave you and marce alone? What kind of a man would I be if I did that?" "But didn't you complain; my not being stable is what prevents stuff happening between us which you want." She shook her head in exasperation, held her forehead and nodded curtly toward him. "No doubt we should be returning anyway otherwise Albus will send out a search party for you." she joked, having no idea what or who they would see as he took her hand and they emerged from the shadows of the trees. |
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