First Day of Fourth Year
Quote:
He arrived at the room of requirement with still four minutes to spare.
I need a place where me and Hayley can meet without anyone knowing or finding out, he repeated in his head three times pacing in front of the wall. The door appeared and he went in.
He was on the hillside again with the wooden house on top. The sea rushed in the back, out of sight, and the trees looked as peaceful as they always did. Things had been added over the years, small things. There was now a pink bench in front of the house and there was a patch of flowers on the sloping grass that hadn't been there before.
He walked up the path to the house. Just for a bit, he stopped to look at the waves hitting the beach below and the sun glistening on the water. Then he crossed the little garden and entered the front door.
Hayley jumped off the couch, book falling to the floor as she rushed to hug him. "Robert, you made it. I was getting worried." Which was silly, since he was still early.*
He hugged her back. It felt ... different.
"Sorry I'm late," he said, feeling bad. "I'll make up for it in some way. Not sure how yet."
Her hair smelled so nice. That was one thing his memory never did justice to, the smell of her hair.
He let go of her after extending the hug for as long as possible, but still held onto her hands.
Only now he had time to appreciate the changes in her. He now understood why hugging her had felt different. And she had also shaped up differently ... nicer, his mind filled in.
"You look great."*
Hayley blushed, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. She had changed a bit over the summer, more than she had the year before anyway and while she wasn't quite comfortable in her own skin yet, she did like the change. "You look good too. I've missed you."*
"Me too. Very much. My sister says hi ... and so does my mother."
It felt weird saying that and gave him a shiver, remembering the talk with Seamus tonight.
"So the sign next to the door, reading 'no griffins'," he said to lighten the mood again. It was too precious. "Was that you or me?"
He meant the door of this house they were in. hayley would have noticed it too.*
"Your mother, really?" That was different. "And I think that was mostly me, since I got in first. Then again, it was probably a combined effort." She smiled, "I like the sign, it makes and excellent point."*
"Yes it does. Great minds think alike. Want to sit down?"
"Yes, my mother. She knows you, remember? I think she's still worried you think we can be anything more than friends."
He beamed at her and then kissed her on the mouth briefly.
"I don't know where she gets that idea."*
"Hmm, I have no idea what gave her that idea..." she kissed him again, not quite so briefly. "Sure, let's sit." She kept his hand in hers as she resumed her place on the couch, curling up comfortably.*
"So what were you reading?" he sat down next to her and started stroking (OOC: maybe even patting, who knows
) her hair.*
(ooc:
)
"What?" She'd forgotten the book for a moment. Hayley leaned forward off the couch to pick it up. It was an old book, leather bound with crinkly pages. "Elementary Human Transformation," she read off the cover.*
"Sounds interesting. Did you learn anything so far?"
He was happy not to change to the subject of Sophie yet.*
"Well, I'm only on the first chapter, but it's fascinating. Did you know, a person's animagus form is often the same as their patronous? I mean, it makes sense, but I'd never thought about it before." She smiled up at him and laced her fingers through his free hand again.*
"I didn't, but now you mention it ... I never had thought about that."
I sprang to mind that Maze, being a multi-animagus, probably the only one, would not apply to this rule. He decided not to speak that thought right now.
"I've never conjured a patronus, I think. I wonder what it would turn out to be. Have you?"*
She had once, last year when she'd been in her secret room. But it hadn't worked. She'd been having a bad day, and every time she tried for a happy memory, her mind supplied only fear and pain. She hadn't tried since.
"I tried once, couldn't focus. I could probably cast one now if I wanted to."*
He stroked her hair once more. "You outdo me every time. I'd love to see it. Do you want me to dim the light?"
Without him doing anything, the curtains closed, making the room a bit darker.*
"Alright," she laughed when the curtains closed, even after a year the room still surprised her. She stood, freeing her hand, and reached for her wand. Hayley closed her eyes, concentrating on the that moment a few minutes ago when he'd kissed her.
"Expecto Patronum" She opened her eyes, grinning as a silvery shape sprang from the tip of her wand. She shook her head, she should have known.
The silver dragonfly flew around the room, landing on Robert's head before fading.*
(OOC - Hayley and me did the rest of this RP in a Gdoc, which I will now copy the content of to here. There is a bit that, in our opinion, deserves being put under a spoiler tag. The story can be followed without reading it, so it's for everyone to choose for themselves.)
Robert:
"You're amazing," he said, in genuine awe. "With our magical skill, I sometimes wonder how Seamus could chase us into here."
He knew the answer of course. It had nothing to do with magical skills. Seamus just played his cards well.
"Not that I complain about the ambience." The house was great. "Just I keep thinking there must be a way of changing the tide."
Hayley:
Hayley beamed at him, blushing. "Well, it's not too hard to create one in here, it's so safe. You should give it a go." she twirled her wand, surprised that she'd actually managed to do it.
"We'll figure it out, he won't be around forever"
Robert:
He closed his eyes, thinking of a very happy memory and settling on just then, seeing Hayley get up and run towards him as he entered.
"Expecto Patronum."
For a brief moment, a silvery creature came from his wand, something four-legged and lean. Then it disappeared, gone too soon to see exactly what it was.
"I suppose that could have gone better," he said. "I'll get there."
His face turned more nervous. Now that his subtle attempt of changing the subject closer to what he wanted had failed, he'd just have to tell her.
"The reason why I mentioned doing something against Seamus is that me ... and Sophie ... have sort of a plan that might make our lives a bit easier. And by that I mean the three of us. It's just ... I wouldn't want to do it without your consent, because well ..." He broke off that sentence. "You know these hours in here are the reason why I hold out against everything else, right?"
Hayley:
Hayley nodded, worry lines appearing on her forehead. "Sure, I mean, I feel the same way. I don't know what I'd do if we couldn't come here..." She sat on the arm of the armchair behind her,"so...um, what's this plan?"
Robert:
"Well ... You know how Sophie's family are pushing her around about whom to marry?"
Hayley:
Hayley nodded, it was one of the most unfortunate systems she'd ever heard of. In the muggle world it would have been seen as and atrocity by most, here it was unsettlingly normal."Yes, I know. She was going to marry--" she broke off, "anyway, what's that got to do with anything?" She could see a plan forming, couldn't help but see it. But she didn't want to hear it.
Robert:
"Yes. So now they are looking for someone else."
He knew how she felt about Otto, so he tried to skim over the topic.
"I doubt that she is actually going to be directly forced to marry anyone. They're hardly going to drag her down the aisle with brute force."
Or him.
"But there's a lot of pressure on her. Her life would be easier if her grandmother thought she was with someone they could approve of. Merlin, I sound so mature now," he added as an afterthought. "I don't feel mature at all."
Hayley:
"Maturity's overrated." She shrugged her shoulders, heart thumping painfully. He was dragging his feet, which made her nervous and very afraid. "Robert, what's the plan?"
Robert:
"Sophie and me are going to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend."
It came out rather suddenly. And a bit too harshly.
"... if you are okay with it too," he added to soften it a bit.
Hayley:
Hayley blinked, her heart nearly stopping. She bit her lip, nodding. "T-t-that makes sense." And it did. That was the worst part. "I mean, it's a g-good idea. Whose...umm. whose idea was it?"
Robert:
"I don't actually remember. I think it was hers, but we brainstormed over it in the carriage. Hey come now."
He moved to embrace her against his shoulder, meaning to put in there what he had a hard time phrasing..
"It's pretend. Me and Sophie is a passed thing. You know Sophie and me are just friends right?"
He looked down, trying to catch her eyes, such beautiful eyes.
Hayley:
"I know, I know." She tried to smile, leaning into him. Hayley caught his eyes, "It is a good plan, and it would get everyone off your backs." And she'd have to watch. She'd have to sit back and watch as her friend 'dated' the boy she was rapidly falling crazy in love with, if she wasn't there already. She hated this plan. "If you want to, you can pretend. It will make life easier."
Robert:
Why was she agreeing so easily. He hadn't expected this.
"It will not get easier for you." Pretending he didn't know this was only worse. "Your life is bad enough as it is."
He wrapped his arms around her a bit tighter.
Hayley:
She shook her head, no it wouldn't be easier for her. "But it will help you, and Soph." She felt sick, why was she letting him do this. He said the past was the past, that he and Sophie were over in that sense. But it worried her. And to have to see them, together, as she surely would, doing all the things she longed for, she wasn't sure she could take it. "Sophie deserves a break from her parents, and so do you." She kissed him on the cheek,snuggling against him.
Robert:
The kiss made him go warm. At least she wasn't angry.
"Well, it's meant to give us both a break from Seamus actually. Not my parents per se."
Now was not the time to share his other concern.
"Sophie does deserve a break. She used to be a very cheerful person."
Hayley:
"I know, I remember." Then I stole you. She pushed the thought away, true as it was. Sophie had really like Robert, but Hayley had fallen for him, and for some reason he had fallen back. "And if Seamus thinks you have moved on to someone else..." the idea hurt, but she continued, "he may leave us alone..." Or he'd taunt her with it whenever he got the chance.
Robert:
"That is what I hope will happen. Long enough to sort things out. We will."
He put his head on hers. There wasn't really more he could say to comfort her that it would be okay. Just making the best of these moments would help.
Hayley:
She nodded, quiet. "Its not forever. I mean, one day, Seamus will be gone and Sophie will be okay and then..." she wrapped her arm around him, "then it'll all be alright."
Robert:
He bent down and kissed her again, still with his arms around her. It brought them a bit off-balance, at risk of toppling over, something he hadn't foreseen.
(OOC - This is where I'm going to cut it off.)
Spoiler :: Hide this spoiler
Hayley:
Her knees went rubbery and she leaned towards him, tipping them onto the floor. "Oops." she laughed, sitting up one hand on either side of him. She leaned down, kissing him again, "sorry, about that."
Robert:
"It's okay," he said, breathless. He had never been so aware of her touch now she was basically on top of him. It made the kiss she gave him very intense. The feelings confused him and he was sure his face showed it for a moment.
"Quite a bit okay actually." He kissed her back, to hide that face, but at the same time feeling a strange desire to do so. And not wanting to stop.
Hayley:
Hayley certainly felt no desire to stop. They didn't get moments like this often, and she had a feeling there would be even less time now that she'd okayed the plan. She let her mind disengage and let go, just for a little while.
Robert:
Hayley was making no move to stop the kissing either, like she had lost control of it too.
He felt like they should stop soon. He wondered briefly what would happen if they didn't. It was an interesting image. A WRONG image.
"How did you get so much more pretty over the hols?" he asked between kisses.
Hayley:
She blushed, she was pretty? Hayley shook her head, "you're sweet." This was new, rather wonderful actually. They'd never really done anything like this before and it was exhilarating. Her fingers twined in his hair, pulling him closer...
Robert:
"I mean it," he said, on top of her now. Her hair was fanned out on the floor.
Some other image passed his mind, just for a moment. If he and Sophie were pretending for any length of time, would they have to ...
Not like this. Never like this. He couldn't. Couldn't he?
He started going wilder in his kisses, not only kissing her mouth but also around it, to shake off that image of ... Sophie. This was a stupid plan, like really stupid.
Hayley:
She grinned as his lips found the ticklish spot at the top of her neck. Her breath caught in her throat. Too fast. But god it felt good. Too good. Amazingly good. "Robert" she managed to breathe, "Robert..." It was impossible, if it stopped, who knew when they'd have a chance to come back here?
End of spoiler.
(OOC - They are on the floor now, having accidentally fallen off the couch.)
Robert:
Directly above the house, dark clouds swiftly appeared and expanded around the scene, obscuring the sun. A rattling rumble tore through the air.
Heavy rain started to come down, pounding on the roof and washing down the hill.
~~
The house was only small and wooden and the sounds of rain and thunder penetrated it easily, and even managed to rattle some of the books on the shelves.
Hayley:
Hayley caught his hand and sat up, gently nudging him so he'd sit too. The rain poured down, making little paths on the windows, a sight she would have found pretty at any other time. She leaned he face to his chest, wrapping her arms around him. They would have to leave soon, it had been almost an hour. She could feel tears pricking at her eyes and tried to stop them, but failed. "Robert, please, the plan...please don't forget me." She didn't know what she'd do if he fell for Sophie, stopped wanting to meet with her, left her behind. He'd be safer, for sure, but it felt like he was all she had sometimes.
Robert:
He sat up, following her lead and looked at the rain pouring on the window. The curtains had opened again at some point.
At first he wondered what had caused the weather change. Then he saw a tear slipping down Hayley's nose. A little drop of rain from big mental clouds. Oh no, she was crying now. He felt so horrible already. When she spoke, he felt positively draconian.
"Forget you?" he said, genuinely aghast. "How would I ever forget you?"
He stroked her hair with one hand, holding her gently against his chest with the other.
"There's this line from a play," he said softly, soothing like how one would sing a lullaby. "A thousand suns could not blind the way I feel / A thousand moons could not obscure you in my heart."
He smiled, which she couldn't see if she had her face in his chest.
"It doesn't cut it. Forget you ... seriously"
Hayley:
She really hated this plan. "That's..."she wiped her eyes, stemming the tears,"lovely." She smiled, reassured. It was Robert, she could trust Robert. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..." she wiped her eyes again, "get all weepy"
Robert:
"It's okay. I do hope we don't have to walk back through the rain now. It would be tough to explain why we both come back wet."
He was in no hurry to go and kept sitting on the floor with her, just enjoying the rest of what would soon be over.
Hayley:
"No, I think it's clearing." It was, the rain was softer now, the thunder non-existent."We could always say we fell into the bath. Both of us, separately, in our clothes. Just a coincidence. " She laughed quietly. A clock appeared on the wall she was facing. She frowned at it. It was 5 till.
Robert:
He laughed with her, glad she could still laugh a bit.
"We could do that," he said, smiling with a bit of sadness in. "But we also need to go."
He rose, meaning for her to pull herself up by his shoulder. "Before the weather gets bad again."
He opened the front door and looked out over the hill. It smelled of wet grass, a rather nice smell he thought.
Hayley:
She stood, using him as support. "Yeah, it's time..." She wished it wasn't. "You should leave first, I'll follow in about 5 minutes. Don't wait up though, that'll look suspicious." He knew that, she knew he did, but she felt better saying it. She stepped out onto the path, finding his hand. This was it for a while. She felt the tears coming back and forced them away.
Robert:
"I'll see you tomorrow then," he said, giving her one last hug. "Don't cry now. The sky only just cleared."
He kissed her quickly and then set off downhill at a jog, closing the door in the lone frame behind him when he left.
Hayley:
Hayley waited till the door was closed behind him, then went back into the house to get her book, tears falling down her cheeks again. She tucked into the pocket of her robes and left the house, making sure the door was shut against the rain before walking down the path, rain slowly soaking into her clothes.*