Lovers Walk

[Crispin V. Cold]

The Gardens was the only appropriate place he could think to take Andy, the tree that hid the cavern that she had spent so much time in alone within eyes view. He led them to a stone bench and motioned for her to have a seat, not ever thinking his ways were autocratic. Crispin once had been raised with laughter and music and much affection in his young life. Then at his most formable years that had been snatched away, replaced by darkness and fear and too many rules. He spoke his mind, told only the truth, unless a lie suited him, and had very old world ways ingrained in his psyche.

He stood for a moment, the wind ruffling his hair that he wore slightly longer than convention would allow, withdrawing a thin rectangular black velvet box. Sinking to his knees in front of the fiery red head, he took her hand within his, raised it to his lips. "I've given you my heart Andy, professed that I wish to spend my life with you. I've made my promises to you yet I felt they were empty without something to show for them." Gently he let go of her hand and opened the box, turning it so she could see the ring and bracelet. "These were my mothers. Many years ago my father pledged himself to her, when they were as young as we." His dark eyes, foreign of color, watched the light play within her golden orbs. "Would you wear them Andy? As a promise, a pledge, to love one another? So that one day, when we're both ready, I can replace it with another ring."

(to clarify-it's a promise ring, not engagement)

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy walked hand in hand with Crispin down from the school and out into the gardens. It was a beautiful day and with so much racing around in her head she hoped she wouldn't ruin it for him. She had known the moment she saw him again of course that there was no way she could ever leave him or New Zealand. He was her heart and nothing else mattered. She watched him, how the wind played across his hair until he had walked them to the tree that hid the cavern. A stone bench nearby was indicated and smiling she sat down.
"You're all so serious" she smiled wondering if her absence from his life recently had made him doubt the sincerity of her feelings for him. Her amber eyes drank him in, he was so handsome. So unbelievably amazing in every aspect. A sudden movement as he withdrew something from his pocket did not cause any reaction but him falling to his knees did. Her mouth hung open and her eyes widened. Cripsin lifted one of her hands to his lips, she couldn't very well tear it away now.

Hadn't she already mentioned somewhere that she never wanted to get married, ever. What was he doing? Guys only got on their knee producing a jewellery box when they had engagement on their minds. His words did little at first to calm the terrifying claustrophobic feeling in her chest. He opened the box but she couldn't look, still too much in shock until he mentioned his mother. Her eyes slowly lowered to the most beautiful ring and bracelet she had ever seen. Her eyes filled with tears the sun reflecting over the strange hue shimmering against the droplets.

Looking up at him, her throat felt so constricted. She could only nod her head before she was practically diving from the bench to fling her arms about his neck. Smothering him in lots of buttefly kisses over his face until she finally came to his mouth. Her lips lingered as the salty taste of her tears mingled.
"I'd be honored to wear them. Crispin they're beautiful. Thank you".

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin caught her and held her to him, wrapping his strong arms around her and kissing her mouth until he was breathless. He'd known he was taking a gamble, knew her feelings on the subject of marriage but he hoped, prayed to Merlin or whomever was listening, that through time and patience, he could win her heart over to his way of thinking. He wanted to marry this girl, spend his life with her, give her everything that he had, that he was. It wasn't his intentions to put a noose around her neck, a ring through her nose with which to lead her, a chain with a weighted ball to keep her stationary. No, he wanted to love her, to watch her grow, to flourish, to be happy with him. To build a life with her, to help her achieve every dream she had ever had.

"I love you," he murmured against her mouth, pulling back to meet her eyes. His thumb came up to brush her tears away before he sat back on his heels and took the bracelet from the box. He clasped it around her thin wrist first, his rough fingers brushing her skin. His eyes met hers, intensity coursing through his, flowing to hers. The ring came next, slipping over her finger so easily, fitting perfectly. Crispin's shocked eyes met hers before he crushed her to him, his lips claiming hers. "A sign, it's a sign." He kissed her, his hands coming up to cup her cheeks.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Could she be any happier than this very moment. She had never needed any tokens from him to prove his love for her but somehow it helped. The fact that it wasn't any shop bought trinket but something that meant so much to him and that he was entrusting it to her as he did his heart made her so happy. She kissed him again before he told her that he loved her. Andy smiled at him running a hand through his hair.
"I love you too" he was taking her hand then and placing the delicate bracelet on it, she fervently hoped she didn't do something stupid like forget to take it off during a quidditch game. She would have to mark them of course with her own specific Infelius fur charm, allowing the red wolf to meld into the jewellery. She wondered though if his father or mother had placed their own mark on the pieces. Andy would simply have to ask him.

Then he was taking her hand and sliding the finger on to her finger. It looked as if he were practicing for another event, a different ring and she gulped back her absolute fear of that day. This to her was more than enough, why did they need a silly piece of paper saying they were married. They loved one another had already promised themselves to one another. What more was there? They both looked from the ring to one another in amazement as it fitted so perfectly. Any ring she had ever had before had always needed sizing. Her fingers being long and slender. She wasn't sure what type of sign he meant and hoped it was just proof of their love. If that was the case then it really was a sign.

She smiled again at him, her hands gently touching his face.
"I didn't need these but thank you" she kissed him again tenderly before leaning back slightly to look at the delicate intricate style of the ring. It was perfect, she could not have chosen any better herself.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin knew his Andy wasn't a materialistic person, knew that giving her such things wasn't anything she would ever require of him. "I know," he murmured, watching her with avid, happy eyes. He wouldn't push her, would give her as much space as she needed. "Andy, why have you been avoiding me? Have I done something to offend you?" Gaining his feet, he gently grabbed her hand and led them both to the stone bench, sitting beside her. The sunlight played with her hair and gave it a wild appearance.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

She should have been expecting it of course, it had only been a matter of time that he should ask. Standing up her took her hand and led them back to the bench. Looking out across the garden she sighed, not sure how to begin. It all seemed so stupid now. None of it seemed to matter when she was with him.

"You could never offend me" she looked at him smiling as her hand caressed his cheek, then placing it over their joined hands she watched how the light caught the diamonds in the bracelet and the ring. They were so beautiful.
"I know you told me that I had your heart and that you loved me, that you had made a space for me in your home but... whenever we were apart I guess I got to thinking about what happened last year. I know I shouldn't have made comparisons but he told me he loved me too and then broke up with me supposedly for my own good. I guess I just didn't want you to do something like that thinking I wanted to be free of you for 'my own good'. So I kept away, not wanting to give you the opportunity" she cast a glance his way, feeling utterly foolish now but knowing that she really did think she had good reason to believe it possible. History always repeated itself.

She looked back out across the garden once more, the breeze picking up wisps of her hair and blowing them gently about her face. Not caring really she continued to look away.
"Then I got some letters from my family and Essie. They're all moving back to Europe and wanted me to go too. They even sent on brochures for Hogwarts in England and Beauxbatons academy."

Her throat constricted painfully and she got no further in telling him that she had finally come to her decision on that because it had been a difficult one to make.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

"I'm not him Andy, I'm not Bruin."Winter wind picked up and tore around them. Crispin palmed his wand, casting a warming charm around them, letting it slide back into his jacket pocket. His hands, cold from the outside, appeared and ran through her long red hair. "I mean no offense to your house...but I'm a selfish Slytherin Andy. I want you too badly, love you too much, to just go away. Not on my own, not without you telling me that it's what you wish."
He would only be truthful with his love, never play her false as he had been most of his life. He respected her too much to hem and haw around any subject, no matter how painful to either of them. Sometimes, when it was just the two of them, he could forget how young they both were, forget the hurts that befallen both their hearts. At that moment, Crispin felt much older than his seventeen years. He was weary of life at the school and was more than ready to spread his wings among the wizarding society. There was much good he could do, to hopefully offset what lurked beneath his breast.

"What do you wish to do?"Unwilling to let his silence be misconstrued by her, he spoke."I will go where you go, Andromeda, if that is your wish." New Zealand or Europe, it mattered not to him. He could work and live anywhere; it was her wishes, her dreams, that mattered to him.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Her words had obviously hurt him, caused him pain. She had not meant to make the comparison but she really hadn't been able to stop herself. The entire timing and situation felt so deja' vu to her. Smiling at him as he cast a spell to keep them warm before his hands found her hair. Her first thought was admonishing herself for not brushing out all the curls and tangles from it. It so looked like a bed head or worse a nest on her crown. When he spoke again he sent quivers through her, didn't he realize that where he was concerned she was now equally as selfish. The rest of the world, time, space, matter could all go roll itself into a black hole as far as she was concerned. She needed him, wanted him, loved him too much to leave him.

She lifted a hand to his cheek caressing it softly before moving closer to him, guiding his face gently to hers as she kissed him. Her mouth felt tender and soft against his. Andy wanted so much to be closer but knew they were behaving themselves, knew they were taking things slowly. Intelligent teenagers that they were. Her lips left his for a moment, allowing her head to rest against his forehead.
"You're the one that is graduating. You're the one that has to find a job, get a career. So I am following you" she moved back to see his face, "Where you go, I follow. If you need to be anywhere else to do whatever it is you have planned for after graduation, then I will attend whatever school is closest to you. I can't leave you. I won't leave you. Maybe that Slytherin selfish gene is rubbing off on me too".

She smiled at him then hoping he took no offense with her for offending his house and only then realizing that she hadn't a clue what it was he wanted to do with his life, besides be with her. And though she was a full time job he would surely need more than her to keep him occupied.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin knew in that moment that he had chosen wisely, although his heart did not care for any logic. He wanted to leave the school now, not wanting to mingle or repeat goodbyes that he had already made. "Tonight's my last night here...and I don't want to stay. Is it too soon to ask you to come with me?" His hand brushed her cheek, not wanting to ask her to do anything yet that she didn't want to do. He knew one thing, his bags and trunk packed, his new bed waiting for him. He wanted to lay his head down on his own pillow, wander the halls of his own home. This adventure, his last year conquered at Hogwarts, had been more than worth it. He had earned his newts for his career, made friends and most important of all, he had found the love he had always wanted.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

If his intention was to give her goosebumps then he had succeeded, she wanted nothing more than to spend the night with him. She just wasn't sure if she could actually leave before the last day. It would mean of course not attending the end of year feast, not saying goodbye to the girls for the summer and even though she would be seeing Kiera at her wedding and hopefully Alexis too, she had always enjoyed the last night of the dorm 4 girls together. But this was different to every other year, she had never been in love before. Had never been with Crispin on the last night of anything so epic to him. He didn't want to stay and she would walk on coals for him. Leaning her cheek against his palm she smiled at him. She was all packed anyhow. So when she went to get her bags she'd say her goodbyes then.

"It's not too soon to ask me anything. Of course I'll come with you" again she smiled, certain that pleasing him was all that mattered to her.


[sorry for lamo post - trying to shake the slump ]

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin kissed her carefully, tenderly, the smile he gave her spreading to his eyes. She was the only one who could truly make him happy. "I'll help you with your things," he murmured, starting to stand then paused to claim her lips once more, unable to help himself. The sun shone down on his love, setting her hair aflame, her golden eyes alight with happiness and it made him want to leave the school all the more quickly. Gone were the days of rules, of living under another's thumbs. Crispin would leave Hogwarts, a man free of the horrors that had once plagued him. He had come to this school a young, frightened little boy, had endured years of uncertainty and neglect. He had returned to this place and now he knew that his home was where he made it, his life was his. Crispin belonged to himself...and to the woman beside him.