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Swords and masks
Topic Started: Oct 1 2010, 08:49 PM (313 Views)
Sebastian Bancroft
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Standing around the base of the stairs with every other male of the school, Sebastian was bored. Utterly and completely bored. How could it take the girls this long to get ready? He’d thrown on his charcoal grey robes, run a hand through his hair and taken a leisurely stroll down the stairs to stand here and wait.

And wait. Apparently he’d had time for a nap, a few shots of firewhiskey and probably even a couple hands of poker with Si and Jude, but instead he was stuck standing around with the male half of the student body. Every last one of them was wearing a bloody penguin suit of some sort.

They looked ridiculous.

Sighing, Seb leaned back against the wall behind him while he contemplated if it would be possible to have a nap standing up. With his luck he’d like tumble over and crack his skull open. Well, at least he wouldn’t be bored any longer... he’d be unconscious. Was it possible to be bored while being unconscious?

This bizarre train of thought was quickly derailed when a flash of orange and black leapt in front of him with a pair of swords drawn. One glance at the tall lean figure with a dimply grin and Sebastian knew that it could be no one other than Silas. Wearing an unusual set of black dress robes, with every move of his arms, a flash of the vibrant orange lining could be seen. It matched perfectly with the bright orange mask and top hat that was perched upon his dark hair.

Ah... Halloween. Right.

Without hesitation, Seb snatched a plastic sword from his friend’s hand, he lifted it up as Silas brought his down. The collision of plastic on plastic resulted in a very lacklustre thudding sound. It was rather disappointing. Though nothing that could be made up for with a fair bit of jumping about and theatrics on their part. If they couldn’t have the loud clanking of metal on metal, they could over compensate with a battle of epic proportions.

There was no clear winner in their fight, in fact, it was almost as though they were attacking most of the other males in the school. Their wildly swinging swords were making contact with other lads more than with each other.

As Seb leapt up to the base of the statue of Boris the Baffled, he spotted McFayden standing nearby with his back to them. A cheeky grin lit his face as he pointed Jude out to Silas. The pair of the moved in unison toward their mate . Silas held a sword up to the bloke’s neck as he circled around to face him. Sebastian smacked the flat side of the sword against Jude’s backside before stepping around him on the other side.

One look at ‘Jude’s’ face proved to them that they had just assaulted a complete stranger.

“Ahem.” Seb looked up to see Shaw glaring down at him and Silas. Her hand was outstretched toward them. Perhaps it was the newfound good mood that was found with the wild flailing of swinging of plastic weaponry but Seb reached out to take hold of the Professor’s hand and began to shake it in a very polite handshake. The teacher looked less than impressed. Her eyes glared down at him from beneath the leopard print mask she wore. Her lips narrowed into a thin line before she pulled her hand free and demanded. “The swords.”

With a bit of a grin, he handed over his wand with a gallant bow. When he straightened, the professor had already collected Silas’ sword as well and was stalking off in the other direction.

The blokes around him quieted as all attention focused on the grand staircase. The girls had begun their descent. Seb spun around to enjoy the show. As each girl moved gracefully down the stairs, Sebastian finally remembered why this ball was such a good idea. Each bird was primped and painted and each gown highlighted every delectable curve as well as showing a fair amount of skin.

When Jane Jackson stepped onto the top step, Sebastian thanked the heavens above for those very talented individuals who could design a gown that could show off that much of a girl’s body in such a enticing manner.

Calleigh began to make her way down the stairs and Sebastian’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her dress, however, was a bit too revealing. His gaze moved over the crowd of over eager lads and he began to contemplate whether it would be easier to toss a tapestry over her nearly naked form or to take on every bloke who was drooling over her. She’d probably do more damage than all the other blokes combined.

His attention was diverted however when Lucy arrived at the top of the stairs. Her short blonde hair was in an alluring pile of curls atop her head. A delicate wispy pink dress wrapped around her in a soft flow of material leaving her shoulder bare. Sebastian let out a low puff of air as he stepped toward the bottom step. As she made her way down to him, he flashed a broad grin and took her hand in his own.

His lips brushed the back of her hand as he bowed before her before escorting her the rest of the way down.

“You are gorgeous, Lucy.”
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Lucy Morgan
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Lucy’s dress wasn’t as fancy as some of the others she had watched the girls don. Nor did she have extravagant jewels or an intricately designed mask. Her dress was wispy and pale pink, made from silk and chiffon, and full length to cover her comfortable flat slippers. She fought with herself for an hour, at least, about wearing her shawl draped over her shoulders. In the end, she decided on bare shoulders.

She waited until a half an hour before the girls were set to descend the staircase to slip into her dress and throw some product into her hair to keep it from frizzing throughout the evening. Her make up was light, neutral and she paid particular attention to her lips, lining them with a blush pink and filling them in with strawberry flavored lip gloss.

As she was staring into the mirror trying to fix a goop issue at the corner of her eye, she heard someone banging on the adjacent loo door. The sound of “Oi” and a string of curses and arguing made it evident that Saoirse Matthews was not very thrilled about the dress that she was going to wear for the evening.

Lucy considered pressing her ear to the door to listen, but thought better of it. It was because of Saoirse that she had run off to find Sebastian. She’d asked him to the ball in the most humiliating of ways - in front of all of his mates. When he said yes, it didn’t alleviate the sorrow of Sam taking Saoirse, but it certainly made her more excited to attend the ball.

Sebastian Bancroft, after all, was a very handsome slice of man.

With one last, wistful glance back into the mirror, Lucy smiled at her masked reflection and left the bathroom feeling elated. She joined the rest of the girls of Hogwarts at the grand staircase and glanced down to the sea of tuxes and dress robes below. Everyone was dressed to impress, in expensive garb that put Lucy’s homemade dress to shame. The one piece of her wardrobe that was bought and not made was her mask. A dark pink, gem lined mask that had roses to match her dress along her left eye.

It wasn’t difficult to spot Sebastian. He was the one that was following Calleigh’s every move with narrowed eyes and the threat of castrating anyone that even dared to glance at her. Lucy’s lips parted over her teeth, a smile to put anyone else’s to shame. She’s always wanted an older, protective brother. Instead, she had learned to protect herself with books and keeping her nose down.

When it was her turn to walk down the stairs, her gaze caught hers and she couldn’t help the deep blush that stained her cheeks. She glanced down at her feet, hoping that they wouldn’t lead her on a tumbling rush toward the ground. And then her hand was in Sebastian’s, and his lips were on her hand, and his words echoed around her in the most romantic of ways.

“You are gorgeous, Lucy.”

She let her eyes rake over his charcoal grey robes and the metallic, black mask that covered his face. His blue eyes shined out from behind it, causing a light fluttering to course through her body.

“In this old thing?” Lucy rolled her eyes dramatically, with a cheeky grin on her face.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Saoirse booking it down the stairs and not in the direction of her date. It looked like she was seeking solitude. She was very, very happy that the smile on her face had been there before she’d seen her fellow Ravenclaw’s reaction to her date with Sebastian, otherwise she would have to explain her delight at taking a stab at the girl’s heart.

An eye for an eye, when it came to Sam.

Sebastian led her, hand in hand, out of the front doors into the chilly night. As they approached the carriages, Lucy stopped and turned to face Sebastian again. She spared a glance at the horseless carriages but let her eyes rest in his.

“I have to be honest with you,” she said as she sucked a tiny bit of her strawberry flavored lip between her teeth. “I asked you to the Masquerade because I was jealous.”

Her hand left his and she pressed it to his chest, wanting to convey the sincerity of her next words. “But, I’m really, really glad that you said yes. I’m the luckiest girl here tonight, Sebastian. Thank you.”
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Sebastian Bancroft
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As Sebastian straightened up to look at Lucy again, her eyes were looking another direction. She was looking at Sam. Seb couldn’t fault her for it. It was another figure caught his eye, however. The chestnut curls and flash of pain the espresso coloured eyes that looked their way for only a second was all he needed to realize it was Saoirse. She was beautiful. Her dress was sexy as hell, but her mask did little to hide the discomfort and heartache from her face. And it was that pain that caused a small wave of sadness to wash over him.

They were only friends now - he reminded himself of this for the thousandth time today. That meant he should want to see her happy. He should want her to find joy in someone new and move on. Maybe it was selfish and maybe it was heartless, but there was a tiny part of him was relieved to see that it hurt her to see him with Lucy. Not because he wanted her to suffer, but because it meant that somewhere inside her, she might still love him. And to Sebastian, that provided him with a tiny glimmer of hope for their future that he could cling to. As cruel as it might be, her sadness lent way to the possibility of a future between them.

Their story wasn’t over. In fact, if Sebastian had any say in things, this separation was only a small speed bump in their relationship.

He forced his attention from the brunette to take in the gorgeous blond whose hand he was still holding. He let their fingers intertwine and he led her out of the front doors to wait for the carriages. Lucy came to a stop and Seb turned to face her. Her warm brown eyes looked up at him from behind her dark pink mask. Her gaze was lined with an obvious concern.

“I have to be honest with you,” she said as she sucked a tiny bit of her strawberry flavored lip between her teeth. “I asked you to the Masquerade because I was jealous.”

Her hand released his and she pressed it against his chest as she stepped a tiny bit closer, the urgent sincerity lingered in her eyes.

“But, I’m really, really glad that you said yes. I’m the luckiest girl here tonight, Sebastian. Thank you.”

Sebastian smiled warmly as he lifted a hand to cover hers. A small reassuring gesture but one that he’d hoped would let her know that he believed her.

“I’m really, really glad you asked, Luce.” He leaned forward and let a feather soft kiss brush her cheek.

“I am the lucky one. I’ve got the most beautiful girl in school accompanying me to the ball tonight.” His smile was genuine as he lifted his free hand up to rest at the side of her neck. His thumb moved absently in a soft brushing gesture over her smooth cheek. “You’ve nothing to thank me for, love. I’d like to believe our date tonight was destined to be.”

In a way it was. Unfortunately, there was a great deal of pain that led to it. Sam and Saoirse were going together. Which left Lucy and himself alone and suffering, so going together would hopefully have a healing effect on them both. A date between friends who could completely understand what the other was going through. They’d see each other through this.

Lucy and Seb had grown closer over the past few weeks. All the rumours of Saoirse and Sam filtered through the castle with remarkable speed. And in that pain, Seb had found a friend in Lucy that he could rely on and someone that he truly enjoyed being with.

The emotions with her were different than they had been (and still were) with Saoirse, but he felt something for Lucy that he couldn’t quite explain. A kinship, a trust, and an affection that was more than friendship, but wasn’t the same love that he felt for Saoirse. It was confusing and strange, but at the same time there was a comfort in that emotion as well.

“Tonight is about us, Lucy.” His smile reached his eyes which crinkled slightly at the corners. “Us and no one else. It’s our night to forget about the troubles that led us here. I aim to make sure that you are the belle of the ball, love.” And he meant every word. He wanted nothing more than to make her feel like a princess tonight. Every pretty girl deserved to go to a ball.

He lifted her hand gallantly to help her into the now waiting carriage and then climbing in after her. The thin dress she wore was not designed with the cool autumn air in mind so Seb removed his outer cloak and draped it carefully over her shoulders, providing her with a tiny bit of warmth. Sitting beside her, Sebastian moved without hesitation as he slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. The soft rocking motion of the carriage was oddly soothing as it began to move.


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Lucy Morgan
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“I’m really, really glad you asked, Luce.”

Lucy knew that she had to forget about Sam long before this night. She knew the minute they returned to school after break and he had all but refused to look at her. It broke her heart, but she had time to heal from it. More time than Sebastian had to heal from his devastating blow from Saoirse. She felt grateful to Sebastian for being able to pull himself together enough to make it to the ball with her. Even further, she was amazed at how gallant he was.

The kiss to her cheek was sweet, bringing an instant smile to her face.

“I am the lucky one. I’ve got the most beautiful girl in the school accompanying me to the ball tonight.” Lucy couldn’t help the flush of heat that traveled up her chest and neck to color her cheeks. And as his hand touched her face, she only lost a second of eye contact. “You’ve nothing to thank me for, love. I’d like to believe our date tonight was destined to be.”

The thing was, Lucy didn’t believe in destiny anymore. No fate, either. When she had met Sam and subsequently found an indescribable amount of happiness with him, she called it fate. But the twisted old hag had other plans in mind. Her broken heart. Lucy forced herself to continue smiling. The last thing Sebastian needed was her pining for Sam while on a date with him. She’d have to leave her big girl pants on for the night.

“Tonight is about us, Lucy. Us and no one else. It’s our night to forget about the troubles that led us here. I aim to make sure that you are the belle of the ball, love.” If that was the case, then Lucy had no problem pretending that Sebastian was her prince charming.

“No wonder you have your choice of women at Hogwarts,” she said with a hint of laughter in her voice. “Something tells me that having all those sisters has revealed the secret desires of females across the world.”

She took his hand and climbed into the carriage, shivering slightly as the fall breeze grazed her bare shoulders. Sebastian fixed that quickly, covering her with his cloak and his arm wrapped snugly around her, too. Lucy leaned against him, taking a deep breath of his earthy cologne. It reminded her faintly of something familiar. The same scent that Sam wore. The smell that reminded her of home. She snuggled closer to him, pressing her face into his side as the carriage carried them with a swift pace to the pub.

It wasn’t long before they were at the Ball, walking in with a mass of other people, hands clasped together. If for no other reason than to avoid losing each other in the sea of poufy dresses and dress robes. The music was already playing, couples already tentatively taking to the dance floor. Lucy stared on, wondering if Sam would dance with Saoirse… she’d never gotten to dance with him.

Probably for the best, as she’d never had a proper dance before. Her mother believed that dancing led to actions that a girl so young shouldn’t be engaged in. Little did her mother know, of course…

Shaking her head, she felt Sebastian wrap his arm around her waist and glanced at him with a compulsory smile. “I’ve never danced,” Lucy blurted out rather abruptly. “Though, to be fair, I’m spectacular at twirling in circles. You’ll really have to keep up with me there.”
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Sebastian Bancroft
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“No wonder you have your choice of women at Hogwarts. Something tells me that having all those sisters has revealed the secret desires of females across the world.” Lucy’s eyes sparkled in amusement

The laughter in her tone was echoed by Sebastian at her words. “Not in the way you’re implying. More in the ‘scream at the kid brother until he smartens the hell up’ kind of way.” Even as he spoke the love he had for his sisters was evident in the simple upward turn of his lips. He adored each of his sisters but it was true that he learned a lot about women from them. “I had to learn quick.” He stated with a wink.

As they settled into the carriage for the trip to Hogsmeade, Sebastian enjoyed the easy way that Lucy snuggled against him. It left a warmth that filled his chest. They may have agreed to attend the ball together simply in an effort to exorcize the relationship demons that still haunted them but he was truly grateful to have her at his side for this.

Lucy was a beautiful, intelligent witch with a kind spirit that he was drawn to. She was the kind of girl his mum would adore. With everything that had happened to him in the past few months, this bond that he held with her over their shared heartache seemed so much more powerful. It was something that he needed.

Seb tilted his head slightly so that his cheek rest against the top of her head. The soft flowery scent of her perfume was as sweet and lovely as the girl who wore it. He closed his eyes and just savoured the tenderness of this shared moment. His hand moved absently over her cloak covered shoulder until the carriage finally came to a stop.

He helped her out of the carriage and then let his fingers intertwine with hers as they made their way into the large ballroom. Everyone was decked out in their finest and the atmosphere was one of light hearted fun with the added twist of mystery that the masks added.

The crowd was beginning to get more dense as they got closer to the dance floor, so Sebastian slid an arm around Lucy and drew her closer to him. He wasn’t sure if it was to avoid being jostled apart by the crowd or just to have her in his embrace. And he realized that a large part of him just wanted to hold her close.

“I’ve never danced,” Lucy blurted out rather abruptly. “Though, to be fair, I’m spectacular at twirling in circles. You’ll really have to keep up with me there.”

A warm grin slid over his features as he moved instantly to stand in front of her. The song was a soft ballad with a haunting melody that he’d never heard before. He offered her his hand.

“Then I hope you’ll do me the honour of dancing with me.” The words sounded cheesy, even to him, but that didn’t matter. “And later you can teach me the fine art of twirling.” His grin widened.

She slid her tiny hand into his and he guided her out to the sparsely populated dance floor. He turned to her and brought her back into his arms. His hands rest on the small of her back as hers found his shoulders. He could feel the tension in her frame Glancing down at her apprehensive gaze, Seb sent her a reassuring look as he spoke.

“Just follow my lead, you’ll be fine.”

And with those words of encouragement, he began to lead her in a slow and gentle movement around the dance floor. After a few halting movements, Lucy’s eyes remained on the floor between them as she attempted to watch her feet. Seb lifted one hand up to her chin to steer her gaze back to his eyes. “Forget about your feet, Luce. Just look at me. You are doing great.”

The song filled the air as his eyes locked with hers. The golden flecks in her warm brown eyes were dazzling. A lad could get lost in them easily. Without missing a step, Seb pulled her a little closer until her body was flush against his. His arms wound around her and her head rest on his chest. He, once again, rest his cheek against her soft curls.

“I knew you’d be a natural.” He spoke softly.

As he spoke, her foot crushed the big toe on his left foot. Seb winced slightly but kept moving, even as her body tensed. “Don’t worry, love. We’re bound to have the occasional stomped toe. It’s all a part of learning. You can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.” Then he chuckled. “Great, you have me rattled, Lucy. I’m starting to sound like my cornball father.”
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Lucy Morgan
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Lucy’s stomach rolled as Sebastian offered his hand to her. She knew what was coming next.

“Then I hope you’ll do me the honor of dancing with me. And later you can teach me the fine art of twirling.” She wanted to die. Right there. Just so she wouldn’t have to embarrass herself. But, whether it was his grin or the way he asked so properly, Lucy still accepted his offer.

The first turn alone almost twisted her ankle and she came about a foot away from crashing into an erratically dancing fellow who looked like he had less experience than Lucy. It wasn’t very reassuring. At all. But, as her body was pulled back toward Sebastian, she felt better. Slightly. Where did she put her hands? Did they dance traditionally, or like the could-be-shagging-on-the-dance-floor couple? She settled for resting her hands on his shoulders, fingers twirling in the hair at the nape of his neck.

She looked at him, seeking some form of reassurance, and he offered it graciously. “Just follow my lead, you’ll be fine.”

The very little she knew about dancing was helpful. She moved when he did and tried very hard not to step on his toes. For a while, and after a few very stiff motions, she started to feel a bit more relaxed. Confident. A smile rose on her face as she watched her feet. She could do this. No problem.

But then terror struck. Sebastian moved her face so that she was looking at him again. Not at her feet. But how was she supposed to not step on them if she couldn’t watch what they were doing down there. “Forget about your feet, Luce. Just look at me. You are doing great.”

“That’s because I’m looking at my feet,” she whispered, dropping her eyes for a split second down to her feet. She couldn’t… make them move right… if she wasn’t… looking at them. Sebastian was holding her closer, blocking her view and so she raised her eyes again to his. And she was blown away. He was gorgeous. And amazing. And warm.

“I knew you’d be a natural,” he spoke softly.

And, she totally lost her train of thought and her concentration and stamped right on his foot. Lucy froze completely, her fingers tightening in his hair. Shit.

“Don’t worry, love. We’re bound to have the occasional stomped toe. It’s all a part of learning.” Lucy rolled her eyes against his chest. “You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.”

As he chuckled, Lucy pulled her head back and stared him in the eyes. She thought that was just a Muggle saying.

“Great, you have me rattled, Lucy. I’m starting to sound like my cornball father.”

Lucy moved one of her hands away from the back of Sebastian’s neck and brought it to a rogue piece of hair that was dangling on his forehead. She moved it away gingerly with a smile on her face, sincerity in her eyes. “I quite like this side of you, Seb.”

Her hand ran down the side of his face and before she knew what she was doing and had time to stop herself, she pressed her lips into his. A closed mouth, sweet, chaste kiss. Only, she didn’t want to pull away. She’d missed feeling the butterflies, the pure elation when having someone’s lips against hers.

She hadn’t realized that Sebastian had stopped moving… but her body for whatever reason was still swaying offbeat to the rhythm. Her foot stomped onto his again. And when she tried to rectify the mistake with a few “sorrys”, she stepped on his other foot with her other foot. It was a disaster.

“I’m a menace!” She hissed at herself, pulling away from him slightly to stare down at their feet. “Maybe we should… not dance. You know, unless you aren’t going to need your feet for the rest of your life.”
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The moment Lucy’s hand came up to brush back a stray lock of hair that had fallen onto his forhead, Sebastian found himself staring back into her warm brown eyes. There was smile that lingered on her pretty features but it was the emotions that brewed beneath the surface of her gaze. It was tentative and halting but it was there, trying to rise to the surface. An emotion that he couldn’t name, but one that he could feel in the pit of his own stomach.

It wasn’t like the emotions that had swept him away when he’d been with Saoirse, but he couldn’t compare the differences. It was like comparing apples and oranges. With Lucy, the feelings she stirred in him came from a different place. Sweet and tender and while he was with Saoirse, there had been fire and passion. He couldn’t begin to sort through things when she spoke in a quiet sincere tone.

“I quite like this side of you, Seb.”

Her hand moved gently over his cheek and before he knew what was happening, her lips pressed against his. He stopped dancing and he moved one hand up to cup the side of her neck, but he made no further movements. He let Lucy control this moment, these few precious moments of tenderness between them. The kiss itself was short and almost innocent, but she held her place close to him for several seconds. Her face only centimetres from his. Her warm breath brushing against his lips.

Before he could sort through the feeling that were soaring through him, he was distracted by a sharp pain in his foot and then in the other as Lucy pulled back muttering apologies. A fleeting wince flickered through his eyes and was quickly replaced with a slightly amused grin as she pulled away.

“I’m a menace!” She hissed at herself, pulling away from him slightly to stare down at their feet. “Maybe we should… not dance. You know, unless you aren’t going to need your feet for the rest of your life.”

A low chuckle spilled from his lips as he stepped forward to catch her chin between his thumb and index finger. “But you are most definitely the most beautiful menace I’ve ever laid eyes on.” He assured her with his own sincere words.

Without another word and with one steady hand at her waist, he reached down to catch her lower shin and with a little prompting, he managed to lift her foot and place it securely on his own. Lucy made several noises of protest, but Seb simply looked up at her with a mischievous grin and proceeded to do the same thing with her other foot so that she was standing on his feet as he straightened up.

He slid his hands around to the small of her back and pulled her back in close to him. As her hands found their resting place at the back of his neck, Seb leaned his head down a few inches and whispered quietly into her ear. “Told you that you were a natural, love.”

He began to move them around the dance floor in a soft swaying manner. Their bodies held close and the only interruption was a smaller figure brushing past them in a rush of dark hair and a revealing black dress. His attention wavered for only an instant. His thoughts were focused on the gorgeous blond in his arms.

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It was highly embarrassing to be at a formal, Wizarding ball, and have absolutely no idea what to do with yourself. It was a ball. Dancing was expected. Lucy felt vastly insecure with herself as she trotted all over Sebastian's shiny black shoes. Though, he didn't let her linger on the potential damage to his toes for too long. He took her chin in a gentle grip and made her focus once again on his dangerously blue eyes.

"But you are most definitely the most beautiful menace I've ever laid eyes on." Her entire face flashed hot with a flush that hadn't taken more than half a second to appear. She couldn't quite form the words "thank you." They slid past the moment gracefully and she hoped to convey her self esteem's gratitude to him through her bright smile. Until his hand was on her leg.

At first, she thought that Sebastian was trying to get frisky with her on the dance floor. Sure, add that to the endless list of things that could possibly cause her to stain her skin permanently red. But, those thoughts quickly flew from her mind when she noticed he'd let her leg go... and was reaching for the other. And the floor was a lot less... solid. It was.. She glanced down to her feet and balked at the sight that awaited her. Sebastian had lifted her onto his feet. Like she was a five year old.

Instead of feeling mortified, she laughed. What seventeen year old girl was so horrible at dancing that they had to stand on their date's feet to avoid actually crushing their feet? It could only really happen to her. Like the time her mother had shown her how to sow seeds for the winter, and by the end of it, she was tangled in the hose she wasn't supposed to be using in the first place. She was uncoordinated for intricate things. That's why she used her brain a lot. Brain over brawn and all that.

"Told you that you were a natural, love," his voice whispered in her ear.

And that's when all of the thoughts about her lack of grace stopped completely. That's when she realized that maybe it was possible that she asked Sebastian to the ball as more than just a friend helping a friend. The proximity at which they were standing. The low, adoring tones. The flirting. The... Oh God - she was on a date with him. An actual date.

As his arms wound around her tighter and they began moving at a more rhythmic pace, Lucy rested her cheek against his shoulder and closed her eyes, attempting to breathe through whatever anxiety attack she was beginning to have. She didn't really recognize the signs before; she'd only asked him because they were the two deserted people left from two broken relationships. Sure, they'd gotten on well and even kissed once before... but this was different. This was a date. She knew because of the way her heart was hammering and her stomach was fluttering and the way she got dizzy when she smelled his cologne and the bubbling thoughts about doing this again. And soon.

She opened her eyes slowly and wrapped her arms around his neck a little more firmly. The evening, so far, she'd be behaving as a friend... but she was wrong. She should have been behaving like a date. For some reason, that word would never get old. Date. Date.

Smiling in a new, ridiculously large way, she pulled her head back to look at him in the eyes. But as she did so, she caught the sight of a familiar, figure. A friend of Sebastian's. Catching the elbow of another familiar figure. Sebastian's sister. Her eyes grew wide. She remembered the rumors that had circled around the school when Sebastian found out that Silas had been sleeping with Calleigh... and she didn't want to see a repeat. He had a good heart... but boys were generally stupidly protective.

Sebastian was about to spin them around... and his friend and his sister were ... heading toward a door together... laughing... looking entirely too suspicious. She knew what that meant. So, before Sebastian could get them to the full circle, she jumped off of his feet, planted both of her hands at the sides of his face and smashed her lips into his. After a few seconds of closed eye-smashed-lip snogging, Lucy popped open one eye and was relieved to see that neither Gryffindor was anywhere in sight. She felt accomplished.

He was looking at her all... funny. Lucy's blush had returned as her hands dropped down to his chest. "You, uh... had something... on your face."
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Lucy’s reaction to his dancing idea had been better than he’d hoped. She laughed. A light but merry giggle that caused his heart to thump a little erratically in his chest. An emotion that he was sure he’d never feel again began to swell within him. A feeling that he’d only ever felt once before.

Was it love? He had no clue. But there was something very real between them, something unexpected but welcome.

It wasn’t the same as with Saoirse. It was different. Not a good different or a bad different, just different. Saoirse had been his first – his first real love, his first real girlfriend, and his first real heartache. At the time, he’d thought that he’d never feel this again. And one glance into those soft brown eyes of Lucy’s he knew that Saoirse may have been his first, but she was not the last.

There was something between him and Lucy that he couldn’t put into words. They shared a traumatic and painful moment together and that led to a bond between them. Yet the bond couldn’t explain the feeling that were bubbling up within him now. There was a tenderness and caring that he felt filling him for the pretty girl in his arms.

Yet as the warm grin slid over his features, he lifted his eyes to hers for just a moment before she rest her head against his chest. She fit perfectly in his embrace. He tilted his head slightly to rest his cheek against her silky blonde hair. He was fairly sure that she could hear his heart hammering madly but he couldn’t help but grin like a fool.

When she lifted her head again, he lifted his to glance down at her. Her smile seemed to light up the room, he couldn’t help but to mirror it.

It was that moment that things changed. Her bright brown eyes widened in alarm for a split second before she stepped off his feet. Her hands found the sides of his face and her lips crashed into his. Despite his surprise, his eyes closed instinctively and all thoughts and doubts flew from his mind. The only thing he could think of was this beautiful woman kissing him.

Her lips pressed against his in a kiss that was almost urgent in nature but the kiss only lasted a few short seconds before she pulled back from him. He held his eyes closed for a few more seconds while he tried to rein in the emotions twisting inside him at the moment. One thing raced through his mind over and over again with certainty.

He was in love with her.

His eyes opened and he gazed down at her with stunned expression on his face. It wasn’t the kiss that had stunned him. It was the realization. He loved Lucy, but he still loved Saoirse. How could he love them both? His feelings for the two girls were completely unique but the only thing that was certain was that he did love them. His heart that had been racing already felt as though it was going to burst from his chest. His hands trembled slightly as he tried to work things out in his mind.

Lucy’s face had flushed a deep red and she stammered. "You, uh... had something... on your face."

Seb lifted his eyes from hers in an effort to get a handle on his emotions. He just needed a few seconds to gather some semblance of calm before trying to say anything. His eyes moved aimlessly over the crowd but his attention was drawn by a young couple dashing across the dance floor, leaving a very annoyed looking Shaw in their wake.

The sway of chestnut locks of the girl drew his stare. He felt as though he had been punched in the stomach as they leaned against the far wall together and melded together in an intimate manner.

Saoirse Matthews and Sam Davis.

Seb wanted more than anything to pull his eyes from the passionate kiss the two were sharing but it was an impossible task. Instead he stood very still for several long moments before Lucy moved in his arms. The movement pulled his attention back to her.

“Lucy, no…” He looked down to her in alarm, not wanting her to see Davis and Saoirse. He couldn’t bear to see her hurt by Davis again. One glance at her face told him that he was too late. He bent at the knees and caught her chin in his hand. He turned her head so she was facing him. “I’m sorry, Luce.”


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Lucy Morgan
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There was absolutely no reaction from Sebastian at all. Apart from distant staring at her for a moment before losing his attention completely, Sebastian seemed shell-shocked. Lucy stood still, waiting for him to come back to her; she couldn’t blame him for things going through his mind. It really wasn’t in the plan to haul off and kiss him. Hell, she wasn’t over Davis as much as he wasn’t over Saoirse. The nervous bubbling in her stomach fizzled away as the seconds passed.

His eyebrows moved just a tiny bit, but it was enough for her to know that he was trying to make heads or tails of something. Something distressing, judging by the frown pulling down his lips. She followed his line of vision and felt all the air leave her lungs.

Her immediate reaction was to take a step toward them, to stop them, or to rip Saoirse’s hair out.

“Lucy, no…” She barely heard him. Her eyes stayed transfixed on the brunette in Sam’s arms being snogged in a way that she… Her face was turned back to Sebastian, but she barely saw his handsome face through her welling tears. “I’m sorry, Luce.”

Right at that moment she knew that she was fooling no one. She loved Sam. She loved Sebastian in a way that was more friendly than romantic, and perhaps given time she could love him more than that, but never the way that she loved Sam. Seeing him with Matthews was more than she could handle for the evening. She didn’t want Sebastian to see her cry. Not over Sam. Not again.

“I’m sorry, Seb,” she said hoarsely, dropping her gaze from him to the floor. “I just… can’t.”

Lucy did the only thing that she could think of that would save them both pain and embarrassment. She stepped away from Sebastian, offered him a halfhearted, water smile and spun on her heel. As she made her way toward the door of the ballroom to catch a carriage back to school, she turned her head one last time to see Sebastian watching helplessly as she fled.

The image of Sam and Saoirse embracing against a wall was burned into her mind as she stepped into the first available carriage. Tears spilled freely when she was alone and heading back to Hogwarts. She knew that she would have to apologize to Sebastian for leaving him like that at some point, but first she had to pull herself together.

She sniffled as she cried into hands, ignoring the water stains on her makeshift dress. Her heart was almost mended. Nearly. And in one evening, an evening that had started out so wonderfully, it was pulled apart at the seams again.
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