꧁—— ❦ ——꧂
Sheer, chalk white drapes flowed in the airy morning breeze, the slight shiver rung through your bones, outward warmth gripped at your fingertips, petrichor slipping through the open window — droplets of dew sat, freshly placed, against the windowsill.
Sullen beams fused warm lights of dawn, overlapping an abundant haze and gloom of nautical twilight, birds chirping a sweet honey tune, a gentle thrum of underlining whispers; wake up, Lavinia, they sung, beady eyes watching her toss and turn.
A luminous blue pierced the air, blonde curls hanging in her view, softly grinning as the birds finished their song. Lavinia slowly sat up, stretching her limbs and glancing towards the clock, 6:15, it read. With a groan the girl got out of bed, rummaging through her closet for a jumper, humming a childhood tune.
Feet clad with fuzzy socks, green jumper hanging down to her knees, Lavinia crept her way throughout the house, wincing with every creak, subconsciously cupping her cheek. Grief hung in the air, suffocating the remaining Vinke's, the forever empty seat at the kitchen table in her peripherals. She swore under her breath when she walked into the living room to see Alida seated in her armchair, a mug of coffee in her hands.
"Goedemorgen, Lavinia." Alida greeted, lifting the mug towards her lips, peering at her over the drink.
Lavinia shoved her hands in her pocket, cautiously moving across the room to sit on the couch, legs crossed underneath her. "Good morning, Alida."
Alida's eye twitched, clutching the mug tighter in her hand. "We'll be going to the Dursley's for dinner." She said, "I expect you to be on your best behaviour."
"Brilliant." Lavinia replied, rolling her eyes. "I'm always on my best behaviour."
"It will do you well to remember not to lie." Alida narrowed her eyes, placing the mug down on the end table. "Try not to dwell, mijn lieve dochter, but I'll be leaving tomorrow for the summer."
Lavinia smiled a coy grin, tilting her head to the right. "Well, won't that be such a shame." She told her. "A whole summer without you. Truly heartbreaking."
"I'll be leaving in the morning with enough money to hold you over. It will be placed in the fourth drawer near the sink, if you run out that's your own problem." Alida said, ignoring the young girls snark.
"Where are you going?" Lavinia asked.
"Away." Alida replied.
Lavinia scowled, folding her arms over her chest and leaning further into the couch. She turned her head, peering out the window to view the empty street, the odd car passing by. She felt the neighbourhood was too quiet, had been too quiet the whole year they lived on Privet Drive, the normality itching at her skin, praying to look out her window and spot a miracle.
"Don't pout, it's unbecoming." Alida said, breaking the silence.
Lavinia turned her blue gaze to her mother, examining the perfectly placed curls, dressed and ready for the day. "I'm allowed to pout in my own home, no one's here."
"Be that as it may." Alida replied, narrowing her eyes. "We did not move to this neighbourhood to show our true colours, dear, we must be presentable at all times."
"Our true colours are shown in the fridge, not much hiding done there." Lavinia shrugged with an eye roll.
Alida curled her fingers, hands clenching into fists, nails printing half-moon crescents against her palm. "I would like to refrain from putting you in your place today but you make that very hard." She sneered. "We have much more than the fridge to show our true colours, you made sure of that."
Lavinia winced, curling further into herself. She was so incredibly guilty, the feeling weighing on her chest and puncturing her lungs, slowly expelling the oxygen from her body; she knew there was nothing she could do now, but the guilt would stay with her forever.
"You're to be ready for five o'clock sharp. Do not teeter on the line tonight, Lavinia." Alida continued, standing up to smooth her skirt, picking up her mug and walking out of the room.
Lavinia stayed seated for a while, watching the birds perched on the branches, her mother's movements in the background. With a sigh Lavinia got up, sulking back to her room, floorboards loudly creaking underneath her.
Closing the door behind her, her gaze floated throughout her room, scanning the large black bookshelf with every inch covered in various books and poems, her easel sat in the corner of her room, surrounding walls covered in paintings of the moon. She sat down on her bed, knees pulled up to her chest as she pulled various picture frames off her end table, blue eyes stinging.
Her index finger traced the people in the pictures, her friends, that had been left behind in the move to Privet Drive, abandoning them for they had no place in her new life, deceiving their neighbours with a life of luxury; the richest fabrics and expensive outings, depicting them the way she did her paintings.
Her palms smoothed over the lace bodice, silky cotton lay on her skin, flounce perfectly placed against her lower thighs; a merciless breeze blew, bringing no reprieve from the thick air, summer heat beating down a bright yellow, approaching in waves of scalding rays.
"Your best behaviour." Alida reminded her through gritted teeth, false toothy grin sitting on her face, knuckles hovering above the door.
Lavinia scoffed as she straightened her shoulders, blonde ringlets secured with pale lavender clips, the same shade as her dress. "I'm well aware, mother."
Her mother's eye twitched, smiling wider as she knocked on the door, both hands going back underneath the circle pan, Dudley's voice muffled behind the door.
The door swung open to reveal Petunia Dursley, a rather tall, bony, blonde woman, her horse like face matching her irritating voice. "Alida, Lavinia, hello."
"Hello, Petunia." Alida smiled, stretching her arms forward, "I made an apple crumble for dessert."
"Oh, Alida, you shouldn't have." Petunia smiled, pulling the dish out of her hands and placing it on a brown chest, opening the door wider. "Please, come in."
Lavinia followed her mother inside, grinning towards Petunia as she walked by. "Hello, Mrs Dursley."
"How are you, dear?" Petunia asked, closing the door and turning to Lavinia, hands clasped together in front of her.
"I'm doing well, thank you." Lavinia smiled, tilting her head slightly, hands laced behind her back, feigning innocence. "I have to say, you look absolutely wonderful, Mrs Dursley."
"Oh, aren't you a sweetheart." Petunia coo'd, lifting a hand to lightly pinch the younger girls cheeks.
Lavinia bit back a scowl, skin burning at the woman's touch, the perception of safeguarded affection, a soothing tone, eyes swirling with adoration; but she saw through it all — hot flames charred her skin, getting worse with each sin.
She gave Petunia a smile when she pulled back, fingers itching at her side to cool her burning skin but she kept them down, following the older woman through the house into the living room. Alida was seated on the couch, locked in a conversation with Vernon Dursley; a big beefy man, his large purple face making him look like a whale, and thick, bushy black hair with his colliding moustache, making it hard to look at him too long.
"Lavinia is an absolute delight, Alida." Petunia said, taking a seat in the armchair beside Vernon. "You've raised her so well."
Alida smiled, watching as Lavinia sat down beside her, reaching her hand up to readjust a blonde curl fallen out of place on the younger girls shoulder. "Thank you, Petunia." She said. "She's quite a dear."
"How was school for you this year, Lavinia?" Vernon asked with a smile, arms folded over his chest.
"It was absolutely lovely, Mr Dursley." Lavinia replied, forcing a light pink hue to settle on her face, portraying her act. "I had the highest grades in my year."
"Oh goodness!" Petunia gasped, hands hovering above her mouth. "That's truly wonderful! Congratulations, dear."
Lavinia blushed, fingers fidgeting with the ends of the flounce. "Thank you, Mrs Dursley."
Petunia smiled at her, receiving a false grin from Lavinia, playing her role as the perfect daughter while her mother conversed with the Dursley's, spilling the perfect amount of gossip to intrigue them, to hold them over until she finds blackmail of her own; a dirty game her mother played with various families, leaving burned fingerprints if she placed a hand on her daughter for too long.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed between their arrival and dinner, the sky swirling with an assortment of vibrant colours as the sun set. She bit the inside of her cheek, fighting a scowl when her mother suggests she spend time with Dudley, her hands twitching at the thought of the foul boy.
"C'mon, we can go to my room." Dudley grins, standing up from his chair at the kitchen table, hand outstretched towards her.
Lavinia's nose twitches, forcing a smile on her face as she attempts not to gag when his hand clasps hers. "Of course, let's go."
Dudley drags her out of the kitchen, walking ahead of her while she studies him; he's a very large boy like his father, with his mothers blonde hair, the same arrogant attitude as both of his parents. Dudley's the definition of a spoiled brat, seen as someone who could do no wrong, when in reality, he was a cold-hearted bully.
"Here we are." Dudley said, opening the door to his room and stepping inside, "Make yourself comfortable."
Lavinia grimaced, gazing around the room. It's not very big, smaller than her own room, fitting a single bed, desk with a small telly on top, and a chest, with clothes and garbage thrown everywhere. She can tell he attempted to clean, his chest door refusing to close properly because of various jumpers hanging in view.
"It's...nice." Lavinia tells him, slowly sitting down in the chair at his desk, touching as little as she can.
Dudley nods, plopping down on his bed and getting comfortable, a smug grin on his face. "Yeah it is, but look, I got my own telly in here." He said. "Bet you don't got one."
"That's brilliant, Dudley." Lavinia replies, desperately wanting to roll her eyes.
He uncomfortable stared at her for a few moments, sitting up with a grin. "You know, Lavinia, I've been thinking."
"That's dangerous." Lavinia mutters before she can stop herself, eyes widening as she realizes what she's said.
"What did you say? I didn't catch that." Dudley asked, then abruptly waved his hand. "Actually it doesn't matter, anyway I think you could use a man like me."
"Careful, Duddykins." Lavinia snorts, shaking her head, searching for a way out. An idea pops into her head and she clears her throat. "Listen, where would I find the loo?"
"Door at the end of the hall." Dudley said, pulling a magazine out from underneath his pillow.
She thanks him and gets up, nimbly leaving the room, exhaling the breath she was holding once the doors closed. Lavinia wanders down the hall, coming to a stop at the very end, a door on each side of her. The one on her left intrigues her, with multiple bolts and a padlock on the top, all locked but one.
Lavinia curiously turned towards the door, carefully pulling the padlock away from the door and unbolting the locks, checking over her shoulders to make sure the coast is clear as she twists the handle, pushing the door open.
She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she was certain she wouldn't find a boy on the other side of the door; he looked to be around her age, skinny with a thin face, and the brightest green eyes she had ever seen. She almost felt bad when he jumped, making it clear she startled him.
"I'm so sorry." Lavinia said, scolding her curiosity, "I was just looking for the loo."
The boy flushed, sheepishly adjusting his glasses. "It's okay." He said. "The other door."
"Thank you." Lavinia grins, her first real grin all night.
She moves to leave the room but pauses, watching as the boy turns his back to her, shoulders hunched. She glowers as a realization pops into her head. "I've never seen you around here before."
He whipped his head around, the pale red coating his face growing darker. "Oh, uh, I go to boarding school."
"Oh, really?" She asked, stepping into the room. "Where do you attend?"
He sheepishly smiled at her, embarrassment evident on his face. "St Brutus's."
"Oh." She said, rocking on her heels. "Well, I'm Lavinia Vinke."
"Harry Potter." He replied with a small smile.
Lavinia grinned, stretching her hand towards him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Harry."
"You too, Lavinia." Harry said, grabbing and shaking her hand.
Lavinia faltered for a moment, her skin ceasing to burn, wondering why his hands felt almost cold. Her blue gaze trails over him, waiting to catch a clue, evidence of his sins, but she see's none.
"Lavinia, time to go!"
Lavinia scowled, rolling her eyes as she stepped away from Harry. She walked out the door, closing it halfway when she popped her head back in, softly smiling at the boy. "I'll see you again, Harry Potter."
hello! how are you, my lovely's?
i'll be honest, the first little bit where i'm
building up their friendship will come out a little
slow. its hard to build an appropriate timeline
for how their friendship starts and how it is in the beginning.
i already have so many things planned and ideas written out for when their friendship expands, and i'm so excited but so impatient. i keep getting stuck on things i've written so far,
but updates will be coming! just slowly to start but then they will pick up.
don't forget to comment and vote. until next time, besties <3