He really ought to be more responsible. It was a thought that had crossed his mind numerous times as he re-examined the letter she'd last sent him, dressed for the morning, and then a few times more while he took the stroll from Wellingtonshire to Padmore Park. He ought to be more responsible, but this was truly a terrible time to be figuring that out. Even with as much time he spent in his own head this morning he hadn't been able to convince himself not to go, and eventually the ominousness had become giddiness, because while standing in front of the rose bush it was all he could do to stop himself from picking a dozen of them to present to the girl upon her arrival.
If only she'd been of age—of proper age, because while she was certainly of legal age she wasn't yet a debutante, and it limited them to planned rendezvouses like this. If she had been a year older, he might have paid her a call. He might have been able to bring her flowers, might have been able to dazzle her own aunt with his charming smile until she was practically throwing Miss Lestrange in his direction. He could have decided to wait—it wasn't as though he had to worry much about her finding someone else in the meantime. While he knew boys found ways to do things with girls while at Hogwarts, such things were uncommon and he didn't think Miss Lestrange would involve herself in them knowing he was waiting for her.
And yet he couldn't stay away. He didn't want to, for all the logic and reason he'd considered. Finally he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye, and when he turned to look at her he found that a smile was already on his face. And hers... He didn't think he'd ever seen her smile so brightly, at least not in the light of day, and it was all he could do to stop himself from stepping close and tracing the curve of her lips with his fingertips (and then, maybe his own lips...)
"Hello," he replied, uncharacteristically tender in his tone. He glanced around—subtly, of course, because nothing drew a crowd's attention like looking to make sure there was no crowd—and then nodded in the direction of the little path that led further into the rose garden, motioning for her to follow him.
If only she'd been of age—of proper age, because while she was certainly of legal age she wasn't yet a debutante, and it limited them to planned rendezvouses like this. If she had been a year older, he might have paid her a call. He might have been able to bring her flowers, might have been able to dazzle her own aunt with his charming smile until she was practically throwing Miss Lestrange in his direction. He could have decided to wait—it wasn't as though he had to worry much about her finding someone else in the meantime. While he knew boys found ways to do things with girls while at Hogwarts, such things were uncommon and he didn't think Miss Lestrange would involve herself in them knowing he was waiting for her.
And yet he couldn't stay away. He didn't want to, for all the logic and reason he'd considered. Finally he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye, and when he turned to look at her he found that a smile was already on his face. And hers... He didn't think he'd ever seen her smile so brightly, at least not in the light of day, and it was all he could do to stop himself from stepping close and tracing the curve of her lips with his fingertips (and then, maybe his own lips...)
"Hello," he replied, uncharacteristically tender in his tone. He glanced around—subtly, of course, because nothing drew a crowd's attention like looking to make sure there was no crowd—and then nodded in the direction of the little path that led further into the rose garden, motioning for her to follow him.
— set by mj <3 —