Status: Active.
Thicker Than Blood
Chapter Six.
Lavinia had a date. A date with George Weasley. It was... surreal.
On one hand, she was... well, excited. This would be her first official date. Well, yes, she had gone to Hogsmeade with Johnathan a few times, but that had been different. Her mind couldn't wrap around the fact that George had noticed her, let alone that he'd thought enough of her to fancy her.
Her mind raced ahead and created all sorts of silly images to which she had to bite her lip against a smile. It filled her with a feeling she hadn't experienced in quite some time, that honestly terrified her: hope. Cringing, Lavinia waved away all her foolish notions until they wisped away like swirls of smoke. She had hoped before and it had nearly destroyed her. She couldn't allow herself to do so again.
She fluctuated between these thoughts for the remainder of her shift, finally deciding she was overthinking everything. If it was going to be, it would be, and her agonizing over it would probably ruin it before they even saw each other. Of course, she began to agonize over something entirely different after she had bathed. Lavinia flung open her closet door, examining the contents of her closet with a fervent and rather serious look on her face.
Her nicer dresses and skirts were shoved to the back; they were bought for her by her mother who couldn't stand for her only daughter to reflect anything but her refined and aristocratic teachings. Growing up, her most casual outfits looked like they came straight from a cotillion. Needless to say, she hadn't worn anything but blue jeans since she moved to London.
For once in her life, Lavinia felt grateful towards her mother's formal attire tendencies as she found a very nice tan crocheted shirt and a simple black skirt. It would be perfect. As she put them on, she sighed in another bit of gratefulness, although it was grudging, towards her potion. Her veins looked normal once more; she could even be mistaken for a healthy girl. She clasped her necklace in her hand, hoping it would look just like an accessory. It was really a potion vial in disguise; she needed to take a bit tonight at dinner to keep from shaking too noticably.
That thought stopped her cold as she was slipping on her heels. Her eyes closed and she sat there, head bowed. How can I be involved with George?, she wondered sadly. She didn't think so lowly of him that he would run in the opposite direction if he found out she was sick, but it was selfish of her. Letting someone get attatched to her when she wasn't going to live for very long. It was why she had stayed by herself at Hogwarts. She hadn't wanted to make friends, though the loneliness had crippled her in horrible ways. She was only hurting herself and she could deal with that. What Lavinia couldn't deal with was knowing she was hurting someone else because of her disease.
A knock on her door caused her to startle and open her eyes. Glancing at the clock she saw that it was eight o'clock sharp. She stood and smoothed her skirt before crossing her flat to open the door. The first thing Lavinia noticed about George was that he was dressed nicer than she had ever seen him. He wore black slacks and a cinnamon colored button down shirt. A careless smile graced his lips but his eyes were eager and brightened at the sight of her.
"I'm sorry-I'm almost ready. I just have to grab my wand and leave Dinah some food. I lost track of time," she said apologetically, speaking faster than she normally would have.
He shrugged, waving his hand dismissively and said, "It's fine. I'm not in any hurry."
Lavinia opened the door wider and as he passed her, she became oddly self conscious of her flat. She'd never had anyone in before. She noticed things now that she hadn't in a while: the deep hue of the blue green she had charmed one of the walls that contrasted with the white she had left, her gray couch and window seat, the small coffee table, her tall bookshelf that had more books on it than could really fit, and her bedroom in the back with the gray blanket on it. She watched his face but it never deviated from the easy smile.
A meow reminded her of the task at hand and she went into the kitchen with Dinah right at her heels. Pouring her some food Lavinia scratched her head, trying to find a sense of calm. She didn't know why she was so nervous. She ducked into the bedroom and picked her wand up off the dresser, tucking it into the pocket of her skirt. She had cast an unedectable stretching charm on it earlier so it fit nicely. Glancing in the mirror, she made sure her eye makeup hadn't smeared and that her hair was still held in place by the bun she had put up.
When she walked back in the living room, Lavinia noticed George held a picture of her parents that sat on the coffee table. He looked up and smiled at me ruefully, saying, "Lucky you. Only child."
She gave a small shrug and said quietly, "I'd much rather have another sibling to share the attention with. My mother is... overbearing at best."
George grimaced comically and shook his head. "I'd never thought of it that way. Mum is overbearing with seven children; Merlin help the unlucky child if she'd only had one." She laughed and he smiled wider. "Well, you hungry?"
Lavinia gave him a very genuine smile and replied, "Starved."
On one hand, she was... well, excited. This would be her first official date. Well, yes, she had gone to Hogsmeade with Johnathan a few times, but that had been different. Her mind couldn't wrap around the fact that George had noticed her, let alone that he'd thought enough of her to fancy her.
Her mind raced ahead and created all sorts of silly images to which she had to bite her lip against a smile. It filled her with a feeling she hadn't experienced in quite some time, that honestly terrified her: hope. Cringing, Lavinia waved away all her foolish notions until they wisped away like swirls of smoke. She had hoped before and it had nearly destroyed her. She couldn't allow herself to do so again.
She fluctuated between these thoughts for the remainder of her shift, finally deciding she was overthinking everything. If it was going to be, it would be, and her agonizing over it would probably ruin it before they even saw each other. Of course, she began to agonize over something entirely different after she had bathed. Lavinia flung open her closet door, examining the contents of her closet with a fervent and rather serious look on her face.
Her nicer dresses and skirts were shoved to the back; they were bought for her by her mother who couldn't stand for her only daughter to reflect anything but her refined and aristocratic teachings. Growing up, her most casual outfits looked like they came straight from a cotillion. Needless to say, she hadn't worn anything but blue jeans since she moved to London.
For once in her life, Lavinia felt grateful towards her mother's formal attire tendencies as she found a very nice tan crocheted shirt and a simple black skirt. It would be perfect. As she put them on, she sighed in another bit of gratefulness, although it was grudging, towards her potion. Her veins looked normal once more; she could even be mistaken for a healthy girl. She clasped her necklace in her hand, hoping it would look just like an accessory. It was really a potion vial in disguise; she needed to take a bit tonight at dinner to keep from shaking too noticably.
That thought stopped her cold as she was slipping on her heels. Her eyes closed and she sat there, head bowed. How can I be involved with George?, she wondered sadly. She didn't think so lowly of him that he would run in the opposite direction if he found out she was sick, but it was selfish of her. Letting someone get attatched to her when she wasn't going to live for very long. It was why she had stayed by herself at Hogwarts. She hadn't wanted to make friends, though the loneliness had crippled her in horrible ways. She was only hurting herself and she could deal with that. What Lavinia couldn't deal with was knowing she was hurting someone else because of her disease.
A knock on her door caused her to startle and open her eyes. Glancing at the clock she saw that it was eight o'clock sharp. She stood and smoothed her skirt before crossing her flat to open the door. The first thing Lavinia noticed about George was that he was dressed nicer than she had ever seen him. He wore black slacks and a cinnamon colored button down shirt. A careless smile graced his lips but his eyes were eager and brightened at the sight of her.
"I'm sorry-I'm almost ready. I just have to grab my wand and leave Dinah some food. I lost track of time," she said apologetically, speaking faster than she normally would have.
He shrugged, waving his hand dismissively and said, "It's fine. I'm not in any hurry."
Lavinia opened the door wider and as he passed her, she became oddly self conscious of her flat. She'd never had anyone in before. She noticed things now that she hadn't in a while: the deep hue of the blue green she had charmed one of the walls that contrasted with the white she had left, her gray couch and window seat, the small coffee table, her tall bookshelf that had more books on it than could really fit, and her bedroom in the back with the gray blanket on it. She watched his face but it never deviated from the easy smile.
A meow reminded her of the task at hand and she went into the kitchen with Dinah right at her heels. Pouring her some food Lavinia scratched her head, trying to find a sense of calm. She didn't know why she was so nervous. She ducked into the bedroom and picked her wand up off the dresser, tucking it into the pocket of her skirt. She had cast an unedectable stretching charm on it earlier so it fit nicely. Glancing in the mirror, she made sure her eye makeup hadn't smeared and that her hair was still held in place by the bun she had put up.
When she walked back in the living room, Lavinia noticed George held a picture of her parents that sat on the coffee table. He looked up and smiled at me ruefully, saying, "Lucky you. Only child."
She gave a small shrug and said quietly, "I'd much rather have another sibling to share the attention with. My mother is... overbearing at best."
George grimaced comically and shook his head. "I'd never thought of it that way. Mum is overbearing with seven children; Merlin help the unlucky child if she'd only had one." She laughed and he smiled wider. "Well, you hungry?"
Lavinia gave him a very genuine smile and replied, "Starved."
