| Details for Other Girls |
| Summary: | A talk with Ria about vacation plans leads to a discussion about Lucian's former female companions. |
| Date: | November 21, 1937 |
| Location: | Astronomy Tower |
| Related: | You're Worth It |
| Characters |
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Astronomy Tower, Hogwarts Castle
The desks in this room are arrange in two staggered circles, one within the other, all of them facing outwards towards the four large windows that take up almost the entire wallspace of this room. The tall conical roof is held up by four thick doric columns which serve as frames for the windows, which face North, South, East, and West. Small tripod mounts sit at each desk so that the students are able to attach their telescopes when they come to class and to the southwest a door sits in the middle of the column on that side of the room, allowing access to the parapet that goes completely around the tower. The views from this tower are magnificent and uninterrupted as the only way to get any higher than this would be to unwisely climb the steeply peaked roof of the tower itself.
And because Lucian is probably one of the saddest and most pitiful Astronomy students in the whole world, Ria has taken it upon herself to be his personal tutor this evening. She herself is sitting on top of a desk, with her legs crossed as she flips through the pages of the Prophet while Lucian himself peaks through a telescope spotting a constellation they're supposed to write the coordinates down for, for a class assignment. "So Mr. Malfoy's consolidating his movement to unite both wizarding and muggle words," she scrunches her nose distastefully. "Heard he's been looking for an assistant too. I considered it, but this changes things." She pauses to look inspect her boyfriend's work and comments, "You've pointed too far west. Move it back a bit."
Lucian sighs, adjusting the telescope. "He's a Malfoy. You can't take him at his word. It's just a ploy to take over the Muggles." He glances back at her, arching an eyebrow. "Besides, how would you have time to be his assistant? You've got school." He puts his eye back to the telescope, beginning another fruitless search for some stupid scattering of stars.
Those polished fingers of Ria's flip through another page of the newspaper as she scans through another article. "Oh wouldn't it be a dream if that were the truth. If that's really what's happened he's certainly taking a lukewarm approach isn't he?" she shrugs, her shaking one of her feet around out of boredom. Though she might not be as bored at Lucian is at this moment. "I don't know. I was hoping he was perhaps looking for a summer assistant. And perhaps a year later it could earn me a more permanent position somewhere. I think it'd be a good opportunity to meet important people and perhaps even find some direction in what I want to do." She looks up again and frowns, lightly prodding the telescope in the other direction again, "A little too far east. But you should be good now. Do you see it?"
Lucian grumbles at the telescope. Clearly, its inability to show him the proper constellation is all its fault. "So, do it anyhow. If I'm right, maybe you'll find out. If I'm wrong, you'll still get to meet all of those people and get some experience doing…whatever he does." He starts writing down some coordinates. Maybe they're even the right ones.
Ria puts her paper down to roll her eyes and Luc and smirk at him while she prods his leg lightly with the tip of her shoe. "He's a barrister Luc. An attorney that stands before the Wizengamot and brings up cases that could change turn wizarding law up over it's head. It's a very grueling job that requires someone immensely skilled and intelligent. And because Malfoy's one of the best that means he's really good at it." Though reverent at first, Ria's tone shifts slightly to be just a tad critical, "I'm considering Wizarding law. Only I don't like dealing with the ministry and I feel like legislation is just way too slow to make any difference." There she goes again being annoyingly wordy and patronizing, but suddenly she frowns at the numbers he writes down. "No…no that's not right at all," she looks up at the sky and rolls up her newspaper and hits him lightly on the head with it, "Luc, are you even trying?"
Lucian growls, "I'm trying to write down the coordinates for this dog constellation. It looks just like the chart!" He points to his open Astronomy book…which is open to the wrong page. "Why do you care so much about all of that Muggle stuff anyhow? I mean, I get it, they're backward and can't do magic. But it gets you so worked up."
Ria peers down at the page and frowns once more, before turning a couple pages forward and planting her pointer finger to the Ethiopian princess herself. "Andromeda. You can hardly even see Canis Major or Minor until February and March. It said so on the page you were on. Read!" she scolds him, and squeezes her way in between Lucian and the telescope to peer through it and find the thing herself. "It gets me so worked up because…I mean look at us Luc! Magical folk as a whole. Our medicine is better. Our technology is more efficient. We travel at greater speeds. Our values make more sense. We're superior to muggles in so many way, and yet we have to hide. It's not fair." Pulling her head away from the telescope she looks to her boyfriend, resting a hand on his shoulder, "If you or I have kids someday, I don't want them to live a life where they feel they must keep themselves a secret from the world. We're gifted. We should be using it for larger purposes." And then she gestures to telescope before smirking proudly, "I found it for you. You're welcome." She'll take a peck on his cheek as a thank you.
Lucian grins proudly at Ria for how brilliantly she did his work for him. "You or I? What if we have kids someday?" He gives her a teasing grin, knowing full well she avoided that phrasing on purpose. He bends over to peer into the device, getting the right coordinates this time. "I see your point. But isn't that what Malfoy is trying to do? Make it so we don't have to hide anymore?"
Ria flushes red with almost instantly as if Lucian simply commanded her and it happened. "N-no that's not what I meant," she quickly defends herself as she steps out of the way so that he could look for himself. One of her hands rises to nervously push some hair back that wasn't in the way in the first place. Ria just needed to do something with her hands. But clearing her throat she regains her composure and asserts, "I'm sure that's part of his intentions, but he's taking a rather soft approach. Push hard. Seize the opportunity now while there's a lot of good support. That's what I say." She waves her hand in the air dismissively and says, "Anyhow that's beside the point. Working with him would still be useful, and I don't know. I'm not really doing anything better with my talents right now." When she's sure he's finished hiss assignment, she'll reach around from behind and lazily slump her head against his back while she hugs him. Affection is something that she's getting used to, almost to a fault for sometimes she uses Luc as a lounging object as she's doing now.
Lucian shrugs. Politics just aren't his thing. "So tell him that. Actually, nevermind. If you're his assistant, I'll never see you in the summer." He lays his arms over hers, smiling to himself at the hug. He's worked hard to get her to accept affection. When she actually initiates it, his heart skips a beat. After catching his breath, her turns about so she's resting against his chest, and he can hug her properly, rubbing his hands up and down her back.
Ria snickers and lets him turn about, settling her cheek against his chest while she replies, "Don't be dramatic. You know that's not true, it's not like I'll disappear completely. I'll always make time for you." She rocks back and forth while still embracing him, arms resting at the small of his back. It's almost like they're doing a slow dance to no music or set rhythm whatsoever. Her ear is pressed against him so she can hear his heart beat and between the easy pace and the warm back rub she closes her eyes, pacified from the fiery passionate Ria of earlier into a cuddly kitten. "We could even take a trip somewhere. That might be fun," she says on a quieter note, more relaxed and at ease.
Lucian eases into the rocking gladly. This is nice. No pressure. No argument. No rivals. Just the two of them. "That would be fantastic. But…" Damn, there had to be a but. "You know my father doesn't let me go anywhere in the summer. But," another but, "There's a possibility that things might be…um…changing. When Camilla heard how the hippogriffs are treated when I'm not around, she got in an uproar. I think she's going to try to take them away…and she's offered to try to arrange for me to stay in Hogsmeade over winter break, and maybe summer too."
"I figure that but…I mean, you're of age now, right? It shouldn't matter where you go now. You're no longer bound to his tutelage," Ria says continuing the rocking to and fro while she quietly continues to listen to his heartbeat. But she pauses suddenly upon hearing his alternative, and she peers up at him with her chin resting on his collarbone. "Camilla? So does that mean you'd be … living at the Fawley farm?" She lips he lips unsurely and asks with caution, "Is that your only option?"
Lucian sighs, "That's exactly it. Where else would I go? I have no other option. But it's not like it would be all that bad. I'd get to be around the beasts, and probably even my hippogriffs if she gets them away from my father. Plus, I'd get to really focus on my Animagus training. Which, of course, I'd be teaching you." He tilts his head at her. "Would me staying there be a problem for you?"
"That's true…," Ria's voice strays, lowering her gaze again to simply settle her cheek on his chest once more. She's having a hard time denying that a life at the Fawley farm would be paradise for Lucian. So to help on her thinking she continues to rock back and forth again. "I think it sounds like a wonderful option for you Luc it's just that…you know. You'd be so far from London, that's all … I'd miss you I suppose…" Among other things. Of course, but it sounds like she's even trying to talk herself out of the thought that lingers in the back of her head.
Lucian dips to kiss the top of her head, then rests his cheek there. "I suppose…but maybe the farm is on the Floo network. I'll bet we could work something out. I mean…if it even happens. I could just as easily Floo in to help out at the farm and train if I had another option."
Ria closes her eyes and leans into the kiss, inhaling deeply. Even if the boy likes running around with hippogriffs, when he cleans up he smells rather heavenly. "Floo would definitely help. But the point is getting you out of that hell hole of situation you live in…" Still something in her tone seems uneasy at al the plans for it and she lets them stand there quietly as she guilt trips herself over their promise to not keep things secret. "Just don't laugh at me when I tell you this okay," she buries her face in his chest, like a ostrich hiding its head in the sand, "I don't now. The thought of Ms. Fawley getting to spend all that time with you sort of … unsettles me. I'm so used to seeing you everyday, and then you'd be spending most of your time with her." The admission is filled with embarrassment rather than any venom.
Lucian lifts his head, suddenly understanding. Well, he did let Ria's jealousy raise its head a few times over Camilla. So it's sort of his fault. "Ahh. Hey," he tips a finger to her chin to coax her to look up at him. "It isn't like that. Honestly…she's more like the big sister or aunt I should have had. She understands how it is with animals." He inhales deeply, so she can feel his chest rise under her. "But there are still things about me she'll never understand. Not like you do."
At first, Ria seems rather resistant to peering upward at him, mostly because she doesn't like admitting any of her insecurities. Not even to Lucian. But she gives in eventually and allows her chin to be led upward so that she can look at him in the eye. "Are you sure?" she gives him a half-frown filled with concern. "It just seems like all this animagus training … well it all seemed like a rather emotional affair. I'm worried I'd miss out on a couple things that she'd catch on to while we'd be apart." She grimaces again, scratching her temple sheepishly and admitting, "Ignore me, Luc. This is silly. I should be happy for you. It would be a great opportunity and you'd be much happier."
Lucian smiles in appreciation for her words. "Thank you, but…I understand what you mean. I don't want you to feel like there's some side of me you don't see. Ask me anything. Seriously. I'm an open book to you, Ria. Anything you want to know. No matter how personal or trivial or whatever."
Ria smiles with a little warmth at that, even if it is tinged with slight uneasiness. Open books are good. She likes books. But is she really willing to know what exactly is in them?
Ria smiles with a little warmth at that, even if it is tinged with slight uneasiness. Open books are good. She likes books. But is she really willing to know what exactly is in them? "It's not so much you more than it is me. I don't like admitting that I'm insecure about something." It's the truth. Ria Sykes is always good at everything!!!! "But I spent so many years watching you run around with other girls. Pretty ones for sure - even if there were a bit dumb. And after hearing about you and … Crocker…" She scratches the back of her head nervously and somewhat avoids his gaze, "I uhm…don't know what you expect out of all this."
Yeah, that's about where he expected this might go. So he was braced for it. He gives her a soft smile, petting hand through her hair. "I don't expect anything from you that you're not ready to give. Look…yeah…I've fooled around with other girls. But I didn't love any of them. Things would always end up getting awkward, and usually ended badly. I didn't ask you to be my girlfriend just so I could…be with you like that." He tilts his head, lifting his brow questioningly. "I hope you haven't felt like I've been pressuring you into that."
"No, no, you've been very patient with me thus far, which I'm grateful for," Ria says, enjoying his hand in her hair, looking very much like the spoiled little kitten she resembled before. "I suppose it's just because I'm rather competitive and I like being able to keep up or be better than all those other girls." In reality, Ria already believes she is better than everyone else except for… "But it's just in that…department, I don't know what I'm doing. I mean I just got used to holding your hand for pete's sake," she snickers softly, but there's a light rosy hue on her cheeks due to the nature of the topic after all.
Lucian laughs, completely endeared by her arrogance. "Ria, you are better than all of them. That's why I want to be with you. Look, when it comes to…physical things…" he clears his throat, and just bloody well says is, "…and sex…I mean, sure, that would be amazing." His cheeks colour a little as he admits desire. "But I'm flying on a cloud just holding your hand, Ria. Do you get how incredible it is for me that you're willing to be with me? The bastard? That you accept me as worthy to be your equal? It blows my mind every time I see you."
And the 's' word will do the trick of making Ria flush a full unmistakable red. Naturally, she bites her lip and continues to try and avoid looking him in the eye. Okay so then he does wanna do those things. But her brows furrow into a slight frown and she goes to reach for his hand. "Hey now, enough of that. That 'bastard' stuff. I know I'm not exactly the champion of defending you from my family, but it doesn't help when you just…view yourself that way," she insists. "I didn't become your friend because I pitied you situation. I didn't even know you were one, and even after I found out I didn't leave you in the dust. So please…don't talk down about yourself like that." Then sheepishly she scratches her neck and smiles, "It's not attractive."
Lucian grins, squeezing her hand. "I get that. I really do. I know you've never pitied me. You pushed me. It's what I love about you. It's why we we've always been friends. I don't buy into the bastard stuff. Screw my father and screw everyone else. I know I'm better than that, because I made myself better. You helped make me better. I'm just saying how amazing it is to me how none of that matters to you."
Ria presses her lips together as if trying to hold in a bit of a snicker while she admits, "Well…if you sucked and were terribly embarrassing at everything it may have given me some ammunition." Squeezing her way up his arm and pulls him into a hug and grins, "But you don't. You're smart and talented, and worthy of me." She purposely annunciates the 'me' in a grandiose sort of manner. But looking up she smiles softly and says, "Thanks for understanding my erm…unreasonably competitive habits. I know I'm rather odd about it sometimes. And of course thanks for…not rushing me and stuff…" Yes, she's awkwardly running out of ways to refer innocently to the risque things teenagers indulge in. But in appreciation, she goes up on her tippy toes and with a slight flush on her cheeks, plants a soft kiss on Lucian's lips.
Lucian's head swims at the touch of her lips, having already been floating during this tender moment of closeness and sharing. He retains just enough cognition not to let his return kiss become too hungry, given the topic just at hand. It is simply eager, but gentle. "Hey, I don't want to ruin this. You're the best thing in my life. I can't lose you." He takes a heavy breath, daring to dive back into the deep end. "So…is there anything else you want to know? This issue…other girls…it's come up before, and you were upset at how you found out. So…I don't want that to happen again. Do you want to know??
Ria innocently responds to the kiss unaware of any such deeper hunger, because you know…girls don't usually have that same sort of reaction at that age. At least, Ria doesn't, the silly prude she is. Still, she's just as eager in to the kiss, and is caught a bit off guard when it's broken. Blinking, she looks to Lucian when he regains their conversational bearings and hmms at the question. It's certainly a big open window of opportunity for her that makes her uneasy. So with some hesitancy she says, "I…want to know about all of them. All the girls you've messed around with and when and …how far…it's gotten," she clears her throat. Being Luc's friend, she's got a good idea of a few them already, but she doesn't know them all. "I don't want to be surprised again."
Lucian nods, taking another deep breath. Maybe he wasn't as ready for this as he thought. "Well…there probably haven't been as many as you think. I've even heard about a few that were news to me." He chuckles, shaking his head. "But…alright…I don't think First Year counts. But there was a kiss on the cheek from Kelly Colburn." He smirks, trying to keep things light. "Medusa was really my first crush, Third Year. But still…kid stuff. She taught me to dance. That was the big thing. Almost got back together with her Fourth Year, but then she started with another bloke. Fourth Year…um…I guess is when I first really snogged. First there was Faye, then Grace…you remember that, I'm sure. Bit of a mess." He pauses briefly, watching her reactions to gauge whether to go on.
Ria nods understandably at Kelly Colburn, but only because she was rumored to have kissed everyone in their first year. Medusa comes as less of a surprise since she's been brought up before, and she's pinky toe-less! There's no way Ria would be jealous of that. Faye and Grace though, they make her grimace like she has a bad taste in her mouth. "Oh Merlin do I remember. They were crazy," she frowns, clearly not amused with the memory, "They nearly went after me when they weren't trying to kill each other." And that's what happens when you are places in the best girl-friend position. But she hmms and nods in understanding saying, "Is that it then? Well I guess you were right…there really weren't as much as I thought." Huzzah! The worst is over. Or so she thinks.
Lucian sighs, grimacing. "Well…no. You must have seen more than that…didn't you?" Damn, he shouldn't have paused. Better to just get it all out, then. "Okay, so…Fourth Year there was…Madelyne Moss, and Sandra Eldridge. Fifth year…I kept on with Sandra a bit. She let me…um…touch her bottom. Then, toward the end of the year, Lorraine Nott and I were a bit off and on, even once in September this year. Of course, you know about Polly Parkinson, which happened only once, no matter what she claims." Another breath, but he wants to get this out. "But I've only ever…had sex with two girls. Crocker was the second. The first, you don't know. I met her over last summer."
Ria grimaces too. She does remember more than that, but she was hoping she was mistaken and that it really all ended there. She was wrong. This was definitely the harder part. "Oh…," she simply says about Sandra and her … bottom. Though she's back to being unabashedly red again as the rest of the information isn't any less PG. "T-two girls Lucian, really? Where do you even find the time to-uhm…actually forget that question. I don't need to know that…" She bites her lip and fidgets with her fingers uneasily. "And Lorraine Nott? Our Lorraine Nott? In September? That wasn't too long before…you know… you asked me out." The fidgeting and blushing bumps up a notch.
Lucian winces, "It was right at the beginning of the school year. We ran into each other in the Transfiguration room, got to talking about last year, and…yeah. It was only ever snogging with her. But…I dunno…she's a little barmy. I always felt a bit like she was trying to eat me." He looks genuinely uncomfortable for a moment.
Ria quirks a brow at his discomfort, unsure of what to make of it herself. In their limited interaction, she and Lorraine have gotten along swimmingly. "That doesn't sound too enjoyable…," she comments idly, but with her thumbs still twiddling about, she half frowns before asking, "But you had feelings for me then, you said. So then…I mean… why did you…? Or did you not really…?" The dear girl doesn't understand too much about the division between physical and emotional just yet.
Lucian sighs, giving her back a rub, trying to keep this an open, emotional time of sharing between them. "I…don't have a great answer for that. I did have feelings for you. They've only gotten stronger, believe me. But…I guess I was afraid you'd laugh at me, or that I'd ruin our friendship. So I tried to…I don't know…distract myself?" He dips his head shamefully. "It never worked, of course. I was always thinking of you."
Ria makes that thoughtful half-frown again, the one that makes one of the corners of her mouth wrinkle. "Well … I won't say you wouldn't be wrong about my reaction. I certainly don't have a way of making things easier," she admits quietly, but at least she's stopped fiddling around nervously. "Alright…that's all then? That all of them? No more surprises?" She lowers her gaze to meet his downcast eyes with her wide green ones.
Lucian breathes more easily, a slow smile forming. She didn't kill him! Score for Team Lucian! "That's it. I swear. The only other girls in my life have four legs and wings." He gives her a teasing grin.
It's rather easy to laugh at that. Ria breaks into a bright grin and she chuckles heartily at that and quips, "Well if I ever meet them I hope they don't have any shocking information for me about you either." Throwing her arms around Lucian's neck, she drags her boyfriend back down to her level to plant an deeply affectionate but rather cute beck on his cheek.