Screaming at the rain

[James Dalton]

James had been watching her for some time now.
They had only met once before but he had been mad for her. She was so beautiful and she seemed to understand him.
Yet now, James knelt on a large rock of a cliff, his white shirt torn, soaked and clinging to his body, his belt was next to him with pieces missing. He had ripped off pieces with his teeth and eaten them. The belt was leather and so James, having been in too much of a state to do magic and get food, had ripped off pieces of his belt with his teeth and eaten them.
He was still knelt there, piece of belt in hand, no shoes or socks upon his feet, his trousers with holes in his knees.
James let out and enormous scream of frustration, the rain smashing onto his face and hammering into his soul, the wind freezing his tender skin.
He was so cold, so hungry, so tired and so desperate for her hand.. he wanted her to be close to him, to love him.
But he was a freak. He had no idea how to love. He had never felt love. He did not know love.
It was incredibly sad but it was a fact James had lived with for many years.

 

[Antoinette Greenwood]

On a rainy day like today, Antoinette was usually found inside, curled up with a book, reading over her study notes, or simply gazing thoughtfully in to the fire. But not today. After throwing a large tantrum and screaming her lungs out - yes, she was seventeen, but she was also quite volatile and vulnerable. It did not take too much to set her off - Antoinette had run out in to the rain, a single tear streaking down her cheek. She wasn't allowed to cry. Then again she wasn't allowed to be upset, she had to be an image of perfection if she wanted to be The Minister For Magic's Daughter. Which was not something she wanted. All she wanted was a normal family, and a nice status. She didn't want to be the illegitimate, half-breed offspring of a man suffering a mid-life crisis.
Stumbling about, Antoinette paid no attention to where she was going, before she sank to her knees on one of the rocks and heaved a great sigh. All she wanted, all she had ever wanted, was a little affection. And she didn't trust her family enough to let them give her that.

 

[James Dalton]

James could hear someone else nearby, though the rain masked most of the sound.
He turned his head and then he saw her.
Pulling himself together, he managed to struggle through the heavy downpour towards her.
James stood behind her, looking down.
"Do I frighten you?" he asked, having to shout over the rain.
His eyes were fixed on her. Nothing could shift his attention.

 

[Antoinette Greenwood]

Looking up, slowly, at the sound of a voice, Antoinette found herself facing James. She had only met him once, but it had certainly left an impression upon her. She found herself quite unable to forget him. So much so that a couple of times since, she had sworn she had seen him. Then again, emotionally, she was a bit of a mess. Hallucinations, she had told herself. You're going mad. Seeing things.
Yet, he was here now, in the flesh, and Antoinette was going to pretend that he hadn't been in the back of her mind since that night at the Hog's Head.
"You can not frighten me," she stated, loudly and evenly. "I do not scare easily." It was true, she did not. She had not, perhaps, been exposed to as much as some people, but he was just a man. What could he do to her? Trample on her heart? What would that matter to her, anyway? She probably deserved it, she reasoned.

 

[James Dalton]

James could see a certain sadness in Antoinette's eyes.
He had seen all her problems slowly building up.
"You're very beautiful," he said honestly, "and you're very understanding."
He said all this so normally that it seemed for a moment he was sane.
"Perhaps that is why I have been watching you.." He moved closer to her, kneeling down before her.
"I've seen you look at me.. I've been in the grounds of Beauxbatons. I saw the way you looked at me."
James didn't think he had the wrong end of the stick and he didn't care.
He liked this girl. He loved her.

 

[Antoinette Greenwood]

Antoinette was lost for words. Of course, she knew she was beautiful. There was Veela blood running through her veins, after all. But to hear it from James...that was something different. And to call her understanding? Maybe she was too soft-hearted. Though she was icy to most. It was only certain people who could get under her skin, break that layer of ice. It just happened that James was one of those people, and Antoinette wasn't even sure why.
"I...um..." she began, before trailing off, dumbfounded. "You...you..." Colour rose in her cheeks, as she looked at James, embarassed - as though she had been caught doing something bad. "You were watching me?" she managed to splutter out. "I...I had a feeling. But I thought I was wrong, I was seeing things, I was breaking down...I..." she trailed off again, sinking further down towards the ground.

 

[James Dalton]

"Hey.. hey.." He cooed softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.
James moved closer to her. Right in front of her.
"I admire you. You've struggled through and kept your sanity.." He was pushing his own troubles aside.
"And now I want you to answer me this question.."
He was smiling. It was a twisted smile which clearly said his mind was not quite right.
James took one of Antoinette's hands.
He had wanted to do this for months.. And if she refused? Well, James was not one to give up easily and magic was on his side.
"Will you marry me?" he whispered through the rain, looking to her beautiful face.

 

[Antoinette Greenwood]

Antoinette wasn't scared. Intimidated, maybe, but not scared. She'd had enough experience with men to know how to deal with them. But of course, none of them were anything like James. Something about him, something drew her to him - an attraction? No, it had to be more than that. She'd had plenty of attractions, but they'd fizzled out, they hadn't gotten under her skin, hadn't plagued and tormented her every day. This wasn't like anything else she'd ever experienced.
But the question...Antoinette wasn't sure that she could answer it. There was something off about James, and while that wasn't going to drive her away, she wanted to know more before she could answer. Besides, she liked him well enough, she was very much attracted to him - but she couldn't say she knew him well enough to love him. Not yet.
So, she simply leaned in to him, pressing her lips to his almost madly, full of a mixture of desire and, oddly enough, curiosity. Only when she broke apart did she answer. "Not yet," she whispered. It was not a rejection, not completely. It was more of a postponement.

 

[James Dalton]

James felt the kiss and it filled him with a warmth.
He suddenly whipped out his wand and pointed it at her.
Don't, James, don't do it. A voice echoed in his head. "But I love her!" He shouted at it angrily.
Now he moved his wand close to Antoinette's throat, then down to her heart.
"You will be mine!" He said firmly.
His hand was shaking. He was shaking.
A conflict of morals were exploding inside him like bombs.
He wanted her so badly. James would do anything for her love.. But then would it truly be love if he forced her to? She could not love someone like him, surely.
"Love me!" he shouted, pressing his wand hard against her chest, "Say you love me!"
His head was all over the place.
What should he do?
Hurt her? Take control of her? Back down?
Still holding his wand, James grabbed at his hair, tugging at it, his eyes shut as thoughts raced through his head.
He turned and began walking backwards, his face screwed up with pain.
He couldn't see that he was almost at the edge of the cliff top.

 

[Antoinette Greenwood]

Antoinette swallowed, closing her eyes and clenching her fists as James pointed his wand at her chest. This wasn't something she had expected to happen. Not in a million years. Still, she tried to keep her breathing normal and stayed as still as possible. If I move, try to run, or anything - he'll kill me for sure. And I don't want to run. I have nobody to run to. Slowly, she opened one eye, seeing what was happening. You gave the wrong answer, you stupid b!tch, she told herself. Now look what's going to happen. One of you will end up seriously hurt. As she thought this, she noticed that James was moving closer to the edge of the cliff. His face was contorted in such pain that Antoinette could almost feel her heart breaking. "Stop!" she screamed. "James, come back, oh God, don't take any more steps backwards" she added, her voice trembling as violently as her hands were. Trying to take control of her shaking hands, she held them out to him. She was only seventeen, and although she was an adult, she felt like she was too young.
Then there was the issue of love. There was attraction, no doubt about that, more attraction than she had ever felt before. Something told her that she would be able to learn to love him. Her feelings would grow, that was for sure.

 

[James Dalton]

James froze as he heard Antoinette's voice, his feet right at the edge of the cliff.
His mind cleared, the voices stopped and he opened his eyes.
He was staring at her for a moment, noticing her hands were held out.
The rain poured and the edge James stood on was becoming slippery.
He tilted his head almost child-like, curious as to her intentions.
Did she really love him? James thought she must and he allowed his own hands to reach out and meet hers.
He walked from the edge and to her, almost smiling.
As he reached her, James threw out his arms and hugged her.
"I love you so much." He whispered into her ear, holding her close and perhaps a little tightly.

 

[Antoinette Greenwood]

Maybe this was it? What she'd been searching for all along, somebody to tell her that they loved her. Someone to hold her close and whisper in her ear. That's all she'd ever wanted, really. The rest had been a bonus.
But the fact that he had been inhabiting her mind since she first saw him, the fact that he could threaten her and she would still wrap her arms around him and hold close to him - even if she was being squeezed...maybe, just maybe...
Sure, James wasn't perfect. Neither was she. And maybe he wasn't the Prince Charming every girl was waiting for. There was something a little...off about him. But he had a tight grip on her mind, and - if she'd care to realise - her heart, as well.
"I..." she began, a little nervous about what she would say next. "I think I love you, too," she breathed.