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This was a bad idea.
She knew it as she arrived at Abbott Manor. She knew it as she walked up the stairs, past the host who gave her a fake smile. She knew it as she recognised faces in the crowd, faces from her childhood.
This wasn't just any party. This was a party hosted by purebloods who welcomed other purebloods and invited respectable members of respectable families. Merlin, what was she doing here? She swore that she would never step foot in another decorated manor like this and yet she fitted in perfectly. A smile on her face as she walked past people who knew her reputation. She knew half the people here wanted to jump on her for her status and the other half because she helped put the one wizard they look up to behind bars.
Discreetly playing with a ring on her finger, one that would transfigure back into a sealed letter once the clock struck midnight, Ariadne searched for the man who brought her here as she awkwardly weaved through crowds of conversation. With eyes glossing around the party, she saw the one person she wished not to see here. And he spotted her for the first time tonight as he marched towards her, eyes running up and down her figure.
"Ariadne."
"Theseus. What on earth are you doing here?" she let out, more displeasure in her voice than she realised.
"I received an anonymous tip telling the ministry that we should send an auror here. Which begs the question, what are you doing here?" He left out the part where Travers thought the message was utter rubbish. He left out the part that he had received an invite weeks ago but decided against going until he received the message. He also left out that he thought she looked absolutely divine tonight.
"Decided I needed to broaden my social circle," she hid the truth from him as she used humour to cover up her tracks. Why did he have to learn to become her human lie detector? And anonymous? Really? She could only think of one person who would do such a thing and he was the same one who told her she should attend this party with someone else.
He gestured around, "With them?"
He was right. There was no way Ariadne could weasel her way out. She had talked crap about almost everyone here, with their self righteous complexion and their pureblooded morals. Sighing to herself, she glanced around, eyes finally catching her target. Franklin Selwyn and his older brother Alexander made their way down the stairs. It was easy to see who was the party lover and who wasn't. Alexander shone brightly with the attention, smiling flirtatious at other women while Franklin seemed to stick close to the shadow, eyes darting around like he was being hunted.
Theseus followed her peering eyes and made a face, "You're not serious."
"Excuse me," she left him and his surprised expression. Stalking towards her prey, she grabbed a drink from a floating tray. She watched as he awkwardly stood to the side, his eyes straying to his brother. A beat passed before Ariadne deliberately bumped into Franklin. Gasping loudly, the drink spilled all over his blue blazer.
"I am so sorry," Ariadne let out, false guilt covering her face. With the crowd too busy fawning over his brother, no one paid heed to Ariadne as she grabbed the jacket, slipping her ring into his breast pocket. "Here let me help," moving her hand from the pocket to the edge of the jacket, Ariadne muttered an incantation, watching as the stain slowly disappeared.
Franklin lifted his lips up, "Thank you."
"Oh, you're Franklin Selwyn," she gave him a charming smile, noticing how his eyes darted from her face to the ground.
"And you're Ariadne Nott," he stuttered out. Merlin, what did Dumbledore want with this poor man? He raked his hand through his blonde hair and cleared his throat.
"That I am," she mused, doe eyes peering into his soul, "I also apparently can't see where I'm going."
"It's quite alright. There's not even a stain," he lifted his jacket up, showing her that no trace of her drink was on his jacket. As if she couldn't already see it herself.
"Then I'm glad I bumped into you and not one of them," she joked, head pointing at the young girls who looked like they were holding back from throwing themselves at Alexander.
Franklin chuckled, "They would throw a fit."
"Exactly," she grinned, biting her lip as a laugh threatened to escape. She sounded so stupid. Ariadne felt the ghost of someone's hand on her waist, watching as Franklin tensed at the new presence.
"Scamander," all traces of coyness disappeared from his voice as the taller man loomed over Franklin.
And another good moment ruined by Theseus Scamander.
"Selwyn," Theseus' lips were pressed together thinly as Ariadne suppressed an eyeroll. The two men stared at each other before Franklin cleared his throat.
"I'll leave you be," Franklin nodded, his eyes focusing on the hand on Ariadne's waist. As he left, Ariadne turned on her heel sharply to face Theseus.
"Really him?" He denounced, glaring harshly at the back of Franklin's head.
"What?" She asked innocently, half curious to why he was irritated and half annoyed because he was.
"He's just like them."
"Him?" To her, he was the least like them. Shying away from the spotlight, not flaunting his wealth and talking to her even though she was an auror was the least like them thing he could do. Alas, she didn't know him like Theseus knew him, but even the small conversation seemed like enough to reject all Theseus' claims.
"He's presumptuous and defiant," Theseus clenched his jaw and Ariadne recognised the look behind his eyes. It's the same one she wore when staring at Theseus and Leta. Jealousy was a witless emotion, so why was he jealous?
"Sounds like me," she shot back, no malice in her voice. She moved closer to him, fixing the tie that was already placed perfectly but still it had the intended effect. Instead of scowling at Franklin, Theseus' eyes were trained on her.
"You're messing it up," he basically sang, grinning from ear to ear as he watched her fiddle with his tie.
"No I'm not."
"You are."
"It looks better this way," she finished, realising her mistake as she looked up at him. Their faces were too close together. Ariadne couldn't help but stare into his eyes, too afraid to look anywhere else. His eyes flickered from her lips to her eyes. One tug on his tie and he would be close enough to kiss. She wanted this, she knew that but did he? Actually, backtrack, did she want this? Ariadne had never thought her feelings would have the chance to attach themselves freely. What if she risked it all now?
Returning back to reality, Ariadne swallowed, pulling away slightly. Not here. Not now. Not when she hadn't thought this through. Not when there were too many complications standing in her way.
"Dance with me?" She requested, her voice soft, careful even as she watched disappointment consume his features for a second.
"My pleasure," he wrapped his hands around her's, leading her away from the crowd. Soft music played as the instruments floated above. A simple tune followed a simple dance, granted that they were probably the most ungraceful pair out on the floor. Ariadne had too much on her mind to worry about the way her body moved in the waltz and Theseus just didn't have the practice that the other pureblooded couples had.
"Your thoughts are loud," he whispered, delicately, "What are you thinking about?"
You.
But as she opened her mouth to say something, anything her eyes caught sight of a figure, standing past Theseus' ear. Someone who she hoped never to see again. However instead of anger, there was something in his eyes, a sense of urgency that he only carried in his younger years that piqued her interest. He stared at her like he wanted to say something to her, tempting her to follow.
With her mouth slightly agape, Theseus followed her eyes over his shoulder. No faces stood out as he examined the crowd. Who was it that caught her attention? Then as he turned back, she was gone. He panicked as he stared down at the space she once stood in. Hastily turning around, she was gone. Vanished into thin air. She couldn't have gotten that far. Theseus almost bumped into a couple as he scanned the room, half shocked and half impressed at how easily she slipped away.
[1450 words]
a/n
do you trust me? nothing bad is gonna happen i swear. lol. anyways im thinking franklin selwyn is gonna be based of taron egerton. can you tell i recently watched the kingsman? men in suits are just automatically more finee.
also almost kiss anybody? yeah we still have a long way to go before the scheduled kiss, soz.
now this is the last chapter before school so if i dont come back until march, just know im going through it :|
kjlyds