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Post by Lyra Newbury on Feb 22, 2009 4:02:53 GMT -5
It had been a crazy few weeks since the attack on Hogsmeade. Sam had been in and out of St Mungo's Hospital and Lyra had been to see her many times. Since being released Sam had attended a meeting about Champion things, most of which Lyra didn't really listen to. The one thing that caught her attention was the fact that the Yule Ball was still on, though a little delayed. It was shocking and relieving. And it took a little while for her head to really wrap around it. But once she had, she knew she would still need to talk to Julian about her going with Ethan. She hadn't so much as hinted at it until today, though she was sure he wouldn't care.
Lyra waited at the entrance to the Slytherin dungeon for Julian to arrive. She had sent him an owl and he replied that he would be there shortly. For some reason she had butterflies in her stomach as she leaned against the open doorway.
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Post by Julian Faust on Feb 23, 2009 22:57:49 GMT -5
Julian had spent equal time being there for Samantha and her family, but he found he could really relax when he was around Lyra, she had a way about her that was infectious and he strangely wasn't as worried about things when she was around, which was odd since that was why he was called in, to prevent her from worrying and being hurt. He shook his head and continued down the hallways he was learning rather well. Lyra had summoned him and he was quick to come, he was developing a rapport with her a friendship, he didn't want to say anything was different from her and the other girls he helped, but perhaps something about Lyra was indeed different and he smiled when he saw her.
"Hello Beautiful."
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Feb 24, 2009 19:52:27 GMT -5
Lyra smiled in turn when she saw Julian. He had a way about him that scared off the butterflies momentarily and she able t be herself, comfortable and flirtatious around guys. He said hello and her smile brightened. "Hello yourself." She gave him a kiss on the cheek then turned to head into the common room, gesturing delicately for him to follow.
"I trust you've found something to occupy your time when you're away from me," she commented with a grin. With Samantha at St Mungo's, Lyra was having a hard time finding things to occupy her time when Julian was away. Or rather, when both Julian and Ethan were away. Lyra led Julian to an isolated corner with three overstuffed armchairs all facing each other. Instead of sitting, she leaned against the arm of one of the chairs, grinning at Julian. He was too cute not to grin at him.
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Post by Julian Faust on Feb 25, 2009 14:08:25 GMT -5
"I manage" he said with a small chuckle, choosing the seat she was sitting on the arm of and looked up at her fondly, " You have something you want to tell me." he said assuredly simply knowing that by the look in her eye. Well that and the letter. She intrigued him and if he had noticed it he might have stopped it, but for the time being he was content being intrigued.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Feb 25, 2009 19:08:31 GMT -5
She turned slightly to face him as he sat in the chair she leaned against. The butterflies were back. "Yes. I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to worry about going to the Yule Ball with me. I know spending a whole evening with a bunch of kids probably isn't your idea of fun." Lyra didn't include herself as one of the 'bunch of kids,' she was a seventh year after all. And if it weren't her last dance at Hogwarts, she wouldn't want to spend her evening with a bunch of first and second years either. She knew Julian probably wouldn't have had any fun and she was really just trying to spare him from the event.
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Post by Julian Faust on Feb 26, 2009 17:25:10 GMT -5
He eyed her speculatively. He knew what was obvious and that was what she had just gone over in her own head, it was her last dance at Hogwarts, surely she was different from other females but not so different that she wouldn't endure a night with unruly first years to attend her final dance, and strangely he wanted to take her.
Instead of protesting however he continued to peruse her face looking for the truth to the situation, not seeing it he dropped his eyes to his lap nonchalantly, " If you would rather do something else that night how can I be of service?"
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Feb 27, 2009 0:37:30 GMT -5
She hadn't made herself clear and now the butterflies were becoming more unruly. He seemed to still want to be with her even if it wasn't at the ball, and that complicated things. She moved from the arm of Julian's chair to one straight across from him. She sat perched at the edge of the seat and leaned forward to stay near him. "Well, actually I do want to go to the Ball. Seeing as its my last one while in school. I mean, who knows how many chances I'll get to dress up after I graduate, right?" She shrugged slightly, worry starting to show on her face. Was he going to be upset. She did not want to upset him in anyway, she cared deeply for him.
She looked at her lap, feeling that maybe she had made a mistake. This was why her stomach was doing flips ever since she asked him to meet her here tonight. "It's just...I know you're only here because Sam asked you to be," she said so quietly that only he would be able to hear her. "And I've loved it. Honestly! But I know you probably don't have any real interest in this...in me. So I don't want to make things more awkward for you." She kept on looking at the floor as she spoke, afraid of what his face might show. Sorrow. Happiness. Indifference. She didn't know what would be worse.
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Post by Julian Faust on Mar 2, 2009 22:46:52 GMT -5
He took a deep breath, the things she said had emotions roiling within him and it was a strange alien feeling in the pit of his gut, he didn't like it, but somehow he was feeling...cheated? He sighed, " Where do I begin...?" he asked more of himself, shaking his head he reached out for her and pulled her to his lap, " You mean much more to me than a favor to a friend." he told her, " And if I were only here for Samantha, then I'd be with Samantha right now instead of you. Perhaps Samantha neglected to mention, or you simply haven't noticed, but I wouldn't just do this sort of thing for anybody." he told her, " Most girls I decide to help get back on their feet, or just get back at the unlucky bastards who lost the girl in the first place, well usually I know the girl first. Usually I care about them and I hate to see them suffer." he sighed, " I didn't know you, so perhaps yes I came down here to help Samantha at first, but I never would have stuck around in the beginning and certainly not for as long as I have stuck around if it was just a favor for Sam. You are so intriguing in so many different ways."
He shook his head unsure of how to get his message across, but sincerely looking up at her he found only the truth would suffice, " You're one of a kind Lyra, and the past few weeks, getting to know you and spend time with you has been an experience I'll never forget. I'll never forget you either, you're not a passing acquaintance or a charity case, I've genuinely cared ever since you said "I do" to this masquerade of ours, and I'm yours to do with for as long as you wish to do it with." He smiled at her.
"Now that being said...is there someone else you're wanting to go to the dance with?" he in no way gave an indication as to how he felt about her having another date to the dance.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Mar 3, 2009 0:40:45 GMT -5
She looked up as he asked where to start, thinking he was talking to her and not himself. Next she knew, she was being pulled onto his lap and didn't mind it one bit. She moved around making herself comfortable. She listened carefully to every word he said, letting it all sink in. She had no idea what to expect from this arrangement Sam had come up with, she honestly thought this was how it was supposed to go. She didn't know to think anything of it. She had been under the impression, though she wouldn't admit it to anyone, that she was a dime a dozen. There was nothing special about her because if there was, Rystain would have seen it. He would have chosen her. But hearing Julian say she was one of a kind made her heart beat faster. She had to smile.
Of course his last question made that smile fade. She did want to go with Ethan and had already agreed to go, thinking that Julian was only in this for Sam. But now that she knew how he felt, she was conflicted. She wanted to go with him too. And if he really did want to stay around Lyra most definitely wanted him to stay. She could see herself with Julian. He was smart and sexy and caring, everything she wanted in a man. But she really liked Ethan. She had known Ethan since she was younger even though they only became closer more recently. She could be with him too. He was gorgeous and so sensitive, even if that got in the way of things sometimes. She knew he had her best interests in mind. This was so confusing.
"Well I thought you wouldn't care to go. So I made other plans. With Ethan." She looked up into his warm eyes, chewing her lower lip nervously.
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Post by Julian Faust on Mar 3, 2009 1:18:18 GMT -5
Despite the sweet things he had said to her, he wasn't alluding to actual romance between them, more he was hinting at his care for her. Well no he wasn't "hinting" at anything, he did care for her, genuinely, and he wanted nothing but her happiness where they were concerned. He wasn't selfish enough to consider a relationship with her, he had far too many issues of his own to work out.
Instead of getting angry or being hurt he smiled at her something reassuring in his gentle grin, "Is that frown on my behalf?" he asked, " Or do you really dislike this Ethan that is presumptuous enough to take another man's fiance to the ball?" he asked teasing her but his next words were to calm whatever worry she had, " That's not bad, makes him bold, you like bold hmm?" he asked still holding her gently in his arms.
He wanted what would make her happy if Ethan was the man to make her happy he wanted her with Ethan. Then a second worry nipped at the edge of his mouth, " Will he treat you right?"
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Mar 3, 2009 1:56:16 GMT -5
She laughed despite feeling like her stomach was doing gymnastics. "No, I do like Ethan. I think I might like him a lot. But..." She wanted to explain herself further but was afraid to. She let her words fall by the wayside and answered his other question eagerly. "I don't know how he'll treat me. I'm nervous there's some other reason that he's interested, but I wasn't nervous at all with Rystain so I'm taking that as a good sign. Shouldn't I?" Lyra traced the buttons on his shirt with her index finger while she thought through her logic. If she wasn't nervous about Rystain, and Rystain had hurt her, then when she was nervous with Ethan it meant he wouldn't hurt her, right? This could all be so much simpler if she just told Julian how she thought she was feeling, but she didn't have the courage.
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Post by Julian Faust on Mar 3, 2009 2:07:16 GMT -5
He gave her another reassuring grin, " If he hurts you I'll break his whole body." he smiled as if the thought gave him a measure of glee. He was then in a more teasing mood and speculative than anything else, " Do you trust him?" he asked.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Mar 5, 2009 0:00:39 GMT -5
"Does that matter?" she asked with a slight grin. The men she trusted didn't always do the right thing by her. She really found it hard to trust many people at all. She trusted her mother, Sam, Aubrielle. Even though the sisters didn't get on well, she could still trust Aubri. Who knew if Aubri could trust Lyra, but that was a different matter.
"Julian," she said hesitantly. "What if I said I fancied someone other than Ethan... Would you think poorly of me?" She continued to play with his shirt buttons as she spoke, perfectly content to sit in his lap all day and talk with him.
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Post by Julian Faust on Mar 7, 2009 18:38:54 GMT -5
He smiled up at her his hand absentmindedly playing with her hair, " My dear you could not disappoint me." that wasn't necessarily true but he had honestly believed that she couldn't disappoint him. His smile was reassuring as always, " Although I may have to issue a few threats to this gentleman if you're seriously interested.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Mar 9, 2009 23:23:35 GMT -5
Lyra had to laugh at that. He was protective of her, it was strange to her but she liked it. It was still funny though how he was threatening this guy that was in actuality himself. "I might be seriously interested. But I don't know how he feels about me." Her fingers ceased to play with his buttons and her hand rested lightly on his chest. She knew this was probably a foolish move on her part but at this moment she didn't care. She would deal with things as they came, and she couldn't deal with his reaction until she acted first. Lyra leaned in and closed the small gap between them and pressed her lips to his, kissing him tenderly.
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Post by Julian Faust on Mar 11, 2009 19:17:14 GMT -5
Julian's compliment about how any man would have to be insane not to be insane about her died on his lips when hers touched his. The tenderness in the kiss made a strange entry into his frame chipping at the deadened wall he kept hidden beneath the layers of old world nobility and charm, it was the wall he used to protect his agonized soul, his shattered heart. There was something electrifying in that momentary kiss, whether it was the tenderness or perhaps the heartfelt emotion behind it he wasn't sure but were he thinking toward the meaning it might have scared him to death. As it was those frightening feelings of his own were easy to control and dismiss.
He smiled up at her when the kiss was complete and the compliment he had intended earlier fell like a caress from his well adored mouth, " Any man would have to be crazy not to love you."
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Mar 11, 2009 22:26:45 GMT -5
His kiss made her melt, it was unlike any of their previous kisses that were more for show than passion. And the look in his eye was enough to appease her when he pulled back slightly. Lyra smiled at his words, overjoyed that he seemed to share the feelings she was trying to express. "So how are you going to go about those threats now?"
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Post by Julian Faust on Mar 19, 2009 14:30:50 GMT -5
He was unaware she was speaking about him, he was very off his game, this usually happened with the girls he helped, well girls rather he allowed to use him to make their exes jealous, or whatever it was they needed to move on, and there usually came a point where the girl began to feel more than theatrically inclined towards him and he had always put a stop to it in the most gentlemanly of ways, but now... it was totally passing him by, had he realized it it would have disturbed him mightily.
He didn't realize it however and was free to banter back, " The worst sorts of threats." he assured her.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Mar 21, 2009 1:39:43 GMT -5
She giggled at his words and pulled him back for another kiss. She thought he was teasing her, she had no clue he dense to any of this. But he played along so well it probably wouldn't have mattered at this point. "No threats," she said pulling away briefly but going straight back for more. Her kisses moved to his jaw and then his neck and her hands caressed his chest. If she weren't so self-conscious about herself, Ethan having declined her not long ago, she would have asked him to take her to his apartment.
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Post by Julian Faust on Mar 21, 2009 13:56:28 GMT -5
Julian however, wondered if Lyra would tell him who she was interested in, and he ignored the tugging of jealousy that he might have felt if he had allowed it. Now, smiling up into her impish face he loosened her hair and shoved his fingers in the luxuriant mass while bringing her closer to him for another kiss, it was an unthinking action on his part, almost instinctual. "Very well."
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