He wasn’t sure how he should feel at the sight of her wandering around his bedroom. He didn’t regularly have women in here who weren’t employed as maids—and really, the thought of her there should have made him bristle, the more he thought of it. This was his space, his privacy she was invading, and yet he was almost… intrigued by her presence.

“I was waiting for you to offer your opinion. You always seem to have one,” he said, intending to come across as snarky but finding that his words had lost their bite. “I rarely have an impartial eye around to critique my bedroom decor.”

---

  

---

set by lady <3

Her wand hand dropped to her side as she looked at him. Even as he (sarcastically) offered to hear her opinion, she could see the bite was gone from his voice, and there was...something in his gaze that made her feel as if she was suddenly on a stage. She rolled her wand in between her thumb and forefinger as if getting rid of any nervous energy. "You should just ignore me, then," She heard herself say. She wanted to move, to get out from underneath his stare, but it wasn't possible. He was standing by the door, looking in. "Everyone usually does."

---

  

---

You should ignore me, then. Everyone usually does.

Quickly he realized how little he appreciated that sentiment, which led to second, much greater realization that sent his heartbeat thrumming uncomfortably in his chest. "Not everyone," he said at a volume just louder than a murmur, quiet enough that it would have hardly been audible if not for the complete silence in the bedroom. Almost immediately he fell out of whatever trance he'd been in at the sight of her wandering his bedroom, and the irritation directed towards her insecurities became irritation at himself for allowing his guard to slip, even just momentarily. What did he even mean by that? It was nothing he couldn't have kept to himself.

"Are you done, then?" he snapped irritably, his eyes narrowing at he held her gaze. He needed her out—out of his room, out of his mind.

---

  

---

set by lady <3

While she'd been confused as to why she'd said that - because in truth, she found that there were people that listened to her, but perhaps it was something else that she'd meant to say... And she was even more confused by his response, so much so that she nearly dropped her wand. Which wouldn't have been very good to leave a burn mark in the beautiful carpet. Her expression softened, her lips parting in slight surprise.

She was about to respond, to perhaps offer an olive branch, but then he went and snapped at her, and her expression hardened again. The scowl was back, etched into her expression as she regarded him with immediate disdain at his sudden switch. "With this floor." She bit out, her voice hard as she brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes and went to stalk past him. "You needn't escort me, I can find my way back downstairs."

---

  

---

His heartbeat picked up again as she walked towards him, and just as she moved to pass him he stepped in front of her and reached out to encircle her wrist with his hand. Not for the first time he realized how petite and delicate she was under the layers of pride and shapeless Ministry robes, but this time it prompted a different feeling—a thrill comparable to the thrill he felt when they bantered and traded petulant insults. His heart continued to race, even as he dropped her wrist, but instead of fear this time he felt the need to push her further.

"Don't touch anything on your way out," he warned, unable to contain his smirk as he stepped back to let her pass.

---

  

---

set by lady <3

Why did she know he was some how going to intercept her? But she hadn't expected him to grasp her wrist — her bare wrist. Despite how injured he'd been, she could still feel strength in his touch and she froze, watching as a smirk slid onto his face. Her face blanched at the warning, and she stared at him, caught between fury and indignation. Before she could respond, he stepped aside; let her go past him.

And fury won over; it was such a simple action, yet she knew he would have the last word if she stalked past him, knew that he would know he'd ruffled her feathers. So instead of walking past him, she approached him slowly, her eyes locked onto his. He was so much taller than her, but she was determined to make this argument hers. She reached him and leaned forward, steeling herself, praying that her rising heartbeat wouldn't give her away. "I told you before," She said quietly. "I'm not the one of us who needs to learn to be careful about what — or whom — they touch."

Gripping her wand, she stepped out of the door frame and began back down the hallway, forcing her gaze ahead instead of looking back at him.

---

The following 1 user Likes Rowan Yaxley's post:1 user Likes Rowan Yaxley's post
   Raphael Malfoy

---