No Country For Old Wizards

[Sabrina Emmerich]

Looking aside in embarassment, Sabrina still managed to laugh. It helped that Calcifur was rather amused by her occupation, and he looked so happy and comfortable that Sabrina had to suppress a blush as she realised how attracted she was to the mysterious wizard. This won't do. Not at all. You don't invite anyone in, Sabrina, and you don't become attracted to people. It just winds up with heartbreak and plenty of unnecessary stress, and it's not like you'll ever see this man again, so stop it.
Her mind was her harshest critic, but she always fell victim to its harsh words. She withdrew her hand from beneath the table and set it down, unsure as to whether to touch his hand or not. Luckily (or perhaps unluckily), Cal removed his hand, so Sabrina wasn't tormented by indecisiveness. She simply left her hand on the table, the other one joining it, thankful that she was wearing long sleeves. "And the tarot cards, don't forget the tarot cards." She grinned at Calcifur, hiding her awkwardness fairly well, she hoped.
Giving a small shrug at Cal's suspicion - it was true, after all - she listened to what he had to say, genuinely curious about his occupation. "No point in calling the Aurors," she protested. "They're either paper pushers or should be worrying about other things. Don't really care for them." Admittedly, her life had been saved by an Auror, in more ways than one, but in general she didn't pay much attention to the ministry, nor worry about them much. Life went on the same as always. People survived. People used questionable means to survive, that was a fact. No point in trying to mess with that.
Sabrina almost gave a start when Cal took her hand - this time he had no real reason to do such a thing, and she was a little confused. Her mind continuously bombarded her with negative messages, but she put on an impassive smile, trying to ignore the cacophony in her mind.
Tilting her head, Sabrina gave a small frown. She didn't frown very often, nor was it particuarly scary or menacing, but now she was genuinely confused and almost insulted. "Are you trying to scare me, Mr Giordano, because I'll have you know that it takes a lot to frighten me." Her tone and her face softened a little, turning in to a seeming of...almost sadness, that Sabrina simply couldn't control. "If you want me to go, Cal, just say so." She didn't really want to leave him, but she had the feeling he'd probably had enough of her, probably forever. She doubted he'd ever want to see her again, even though she would love to get to know him better and befriend him. This is why you're better off alone.

 

[Calcifur Giordano]

Calcifur was floored by the expression on Sabrina's face. She looked almost disappointed with him. Rejection and indignance warred on her face and he was struck with the most unwelcome feeling of guilt that he had intentionally caused this. He should have known better, to be honest. After all that had happened in the past hour, he'd learnt enough about her to know that she wouldn't be cowed by the thought of danger or, it seemed, of Calcifur. The dark-eyed trader swallowed and grasped her hand more gently, feeling another unwelcome but familiar emotion: self-disgust. How far was he willing to go to push people away from him? He could lie to himself all night about how she was better off not knowing him, but it was warring with the more selfish urge to draw her closer. She knew him already. It was dangerous, but it was sweet.
"Should have known I couldn't pull the wool over your eyes," mumbled Cal to Sabrina. Today was a day of sick feelings, both physical and emotional. Drawing nearer was that point of no return, where he could gain and lose in the same roll of the dice.
"If I wanted you to go, I would have said it. But it seems I can't." Calcifur bowed his head in wordless apology till his nose and lips connected with her palm, the tiniest touch like a throbbing barb. Abruptly he couldn't take it anymore and let her hands drop to the table again. He stood, rubbed the bridge of his nose and poured the last of the wine into their glasses.
"Look, I should probably take you home. You'll need a good night's sleep to work off the effects of that fungus." He found that he couldn't look at her again, and turned his attention instead to the patter of tiny paws as Howard reentered the room sheepishly. The terrier sniffed his feet then returned to Sabrina's, where he placed his shaggy black head and stared up with adoring eyes. Cal bit his lip then looked back at the poor victim of his foolishness.
"I don't know, but it might be too far to apparate with me in this state, and my fire's not connected to the floo, so ..." Ah sh*t, here we go. She could very well leave after this bit, anyway. Probably for the best. "You could ... stay here for the night, or something. One room only, I'm afraid, but I'd take the couch, and ... well. Sorry for giving you the wrong impression." Cal's looked turned melancholy. "I'm not used to company, so I thought you'd be better off ... not hanging around."​

 

[Sabrina Emmerich]

Her expression instantly softened at Cal's reaction. She had an idea, now, of what he was doing. She had the feeling he didn't exactly want to push her away, for some bizarre reason, but he was forcing himself to do it anyway. Sabrina knew that all too well. She pushed people away, too. Although she simply didn't want to do that to Cal, for whatever reason, which was dangerous. She just couldn't help it. Maybe, maybe it was better to be close to people. Even though, it seemed, Calcifur didn't want her to be close. Sabrina wanted to, which, frankly, terrified her. But perhaps, she reasoned, it was fate. As a fortune teller, she couldn't exactly argue with fate. Fate that she brought about, perhaps, but fate nonetheless.
She found herself blushing a little at the touch of his lips to her palm, but decided not to make a big deal of it, instead grabbing her glass with her free hand and having a drink. Her head was a little clouded by this point, perhaps due to the nausea and headaches that the noxious package had caused.
Hearing a patter of paws, Sabrina looked around abruptly and saw Howard looking at her, which brought her beaming smile back in full force. Reaching out, she patted the terrier on the head.
"I...would apparate myself, but I don't think I'm up to it." Biting her lip, she looked back at Calcifur. "I may have to impose on you...I'm sorry." At his next statement, however, Sabrina's mood eased a little more. "I'm not used to company either. I guess we can always learn? I don't mind sleeping on the couch, either...I really don't want to cause you too much difficulty." Sabrina gave him a reassuring smile. She knew he was fighting her, internally, but she wasn't going to pry too much in to his life if he didn't want it. She just wanted to be closer to somebody. Particuarly Cal. Not that she would admit it.

 

[Calcifur Giordano]

Calcifur was silently pleased that it didn't take much to make her smile again. The look she gave Howard did funny things to his insides, and it wasn't even directed at him. He cursed himself inwardly and drained his glass, letting it rest on the table as he enjoyed the brief serenity of her company for the moment. It wouldn't be there in the morning, he was sure.
"No, on the contrary." he said gently, as if trying to apologise for his behaviour earlier. "It is at least my responsibility to do this much, since you are feeling unwell because of me. I daresay I'm not adverse to recovering with company." Cal offered her that tiny, hesitant smile again before gathering the empty glasses and directing them to the sink. "I'll show you where you can sleep now, if you'd like. It's probably a bit early, but- " said Cal, but stopped halfway as he looked at the chipped clock about the kitchen fire. 6pm? Rubbish! Surely this misadventure of their hadn't taken two hours of his time away? "-I figured you might be feeling as tired as I am." he finished, thoroughly surprised. He noticed that Sabrina was looking particularly dazed, and thought nothing of gathering an arm around her waist and lifting her to her feet. The arm stayed there as he showed her into a tiny sitting room, more for his own peace of mind than hers. If she keeled over before he could catch her, he'd never forgive himself. Calcifur looked down at his moth-eaten sofa and quickly decided that not even he would sleep on that pile of rubbish. He'd wanted to replace it for years, but never had the inclination nor the funds, and anyway, who did he ever bring home? No one for a good three years or so, and then they'd only used ... oh. Cal firmly seperated that thought from his next, which was 'The bed is perfectly suitable for both of us.' It was probably the only respectable piece of furniture in the house as it had been a gift from his late aunt, who'd always spared the expense in favour of comfort. A bed was a bed, as far as Cal was concerned, but even he had to admit that his was a work of art. He frowned down at his sofa, then indicated to a door to the left of the room almost in the same motion. From there, he supported his new charge to his rabbit hole of a room, which was entirely taken up by a collosal four poster. The bed was so large that it could no longer be classified as a king sized ('Goliath', his aunt had told him primly). The covers were a rich chocolate brown and the pillows were so plush that even Cal melted a little every time he came home to it at night. It was his one most treasured luxury.
"If you don't mind sharing," he began as Howard bounced in after them. The scotty terrier had a convenient dining chair placed next to the bed for him to climb up (which was the last thing the room could squeeze in before the bed exploded it with its bulk), and he made swift use of it as if to invite them in. It took five long bounds for the dog to reach the other side, where he curled up on the second of one of four pillows laid horizontally next to each other. "Er. I think it will be big enough, if you like your space." Cal's eyes were heavy lidded with the wine and his exhaustion, but his tired brain saw fit to alert him to the smell of Sabrina's hair. Oh Merlin, the whole bed will smell like her. He swallowed and tried not to shiver.​

 

[Sabrina Emmerich]

Sabrina looked back at Cal with a knowing smile. "You have a good heart, Calcifur Giordano." That was plain to see to Sabrina, so good at reading people, yet somehow, completely blind to their intentions and feelings towards her. Nevertheless, she could tell that Cal was a good person. Ran in less favourable circles, and keen to push people away so as not to get distracted...maybe hurt? But he had a good heart, and Sabrina was grateful for that. She was so used to people who weren't so kind. "That would be wonderful, thank you," she replied to his offer, stifling a yawn. Exhaustion, sickness and alcohol completely clouded her brain, and left her feeling completely worn out, even though it was only early. 6pm, she noted, seeing the clock through her slightly blurry vision. She'd never gone to bed this early, at least not since she was a baby, but tonight she definately needed her sleep.
It was a little odd to have Calcifur's arm around her waist, and she couldn't help but give a small start (both her heart and her body) as she felt the slight pressure of his muscular arm, but she couldn't think much of it. He was keeping her stable, and for that, she was incredibly thankful. She owed him a lot, she figured. Not only had he had to suffer her tagging along and possibly screwing up his assignment, she'd imposed on him all evening, and been a general nuisance. He'd had to deal with her company for a good couple of hours, and that was saying something. Having such a negative self-view as Sabrina did, she couldn't imagine being in her own company for more than two minutes, let alone two hours.
And then the bed - she momentarily raised an eyebrow at the prospect of sharing a bed with him, but let it slide when she saw the size of the thing - was bound to be ridiculously comfortable. Her eyes widened at the piece of furniture. Her bed wasn't bad...well, if you could call it a bed. She'd splurged on a nice mattress, at least, big enough for two people (except she'd never actually shared it), but there was no frame, and the sheets were a little worn. Internally, she sighed at her perpetual poverty, though decided not to say anything of it.
"You could fit an entire Quidditch team in here," Sabrina joked, sleepily, as she crawled over to the edge of the bed. She wouldn't take up too much of Cal's space, she reasoned. "Oh, this is lovely," she sighed, laying her head down on the far pillow. "Thank you," she murmured, feeling her eyelids droop and her body give up on trying to stay awake. Instantly, she fell in to a deep slumber.

---

Even the deepest of sleep couldn't keep Sabrina's dreams away, however. Her dreams were always particuarly vivid and realistic. She'd learnt the art of lucid dreaming while in her sixth year, in fact, and often wandered around her dream worlds, knowingly taking everything in. It because almost second nature to the young woman, and that was something she wasn't so happy about. Because her dreams always were the same, these days. They'd start off happily and peacefully enough, but end up entirely consumed by darkness.
She awoke with a start, still in complete darkness, shivering slightly. Tonight's dream was worse than usual, and Sabrina really didn't want to think about it. All she knew was that she had to go. She couldn't impose on Calcifur any longer, especially since when he woke up, she knew it would be that much harder to leave.
Leaning over, Sabrina placed a delicate kiss on Cal's cheek, before moving from the bed. Tiptoeing out of the room, Sabrina drew out a scrap piece of parchment and a muggle pen from her purse, and wrote a brief note in a loopy, yet still legible, scrawl.

Dear Calcifur,
Thank you for everything.
I can not say for sure whether or not we'll meet again, but I hope we will.
- Sabrina

Gathering up her belongings, and slipping in to her sandals, Sabrina took a deep breath and disapparated with a 'crack'. The tears she could no longer hold were falling in full force by the time she landed at her own doorstep.