The Prefects Bathroom

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy's head was spinning, unable to shake the headache she had been carrying around now for nearly four hours she decided to go and have herself a long hot soak in the prefects bath tube. Still unused even after all these years of walking through the corridors in her towelling robe, slippers and wash bag, with her change of clothes neatly folded in a bag thrown over her arm Andromeda muttered the password to the portrait who pretended not to have heard her.
"Would you just open up please, I'm not in the mood today" she tried to be polite but old Vasselguth was simply in a foul mood as well. Finally she glared at the confounded painting and raising her voice said the password clear enough for the foolish oaf to hear her.

"I hear you, no need to shout you know" he barked at her, opening the passage way to let her in to the prefects room. Andy passed through glad it was empty for a change and went directly to the large bathroom off to the side of the lounge. The room was sumptious, a large elaborate turkish bath adorned the center of the room with intricate faucets in the shape of fishes, mermaids and other underwater life. Looking about her she smiled turning on a variety of the taps so that bubbles burst out of some, water out of others and scented bath oils poured from others. The room soon filled with her favorite smells, knowing exactly which ones by now to use for her own personal use. All were of some type of rose.

Slowly she let her feet slide from her slippers as she placed her bag of clothing and toiletries to the side, then undoing her robe let it fall from her body to the floor. Andy placed one foot then the other into the bath before finally submerging herself into the hot aromatic water. Surfacing slowly and wiping the hair back from her face as she did so. It was now mid October and there had been much on her mind since she had returned. Her behavior for one was alot to be desired, knowing her uncle and father would be so ashamed of her if they knew what she was up to. Still she told herself it was all in the name of fun but as she slid herself down so her shoulders were covered in the aromatic bubbles Andy knew that there was one particular encounter that had been more. Deny it as she would to herself, somethings simply couldn't be denied and that was how she had reacted body and mind to Crispin.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Long fingers silently turned the small, worn book over and over. Slowly the soft rasping of the calloused fingers along the filled pages released more and more of that dangerous scent; roses. Nostrils flared, eyes closed, mouth grimaced as he thought of the passionate red head he had held in his arms only to have disappear like a wisp of smoke. She had wormed her way into his head, his senses and now his heart with every entry he read in her journal.

Crispin snapped the book shut and sat up on the bed in the dormroom he shared with another seventh year. Ashton's bed was empty, where he was Crispin did not know nor did he care at that moment. Head in hands he bit back a disgusted groan. What was wrong with him? He told himself he would stop after the first three pages flew through his fingers. Then he read a little more. Then a little more. Until he'd finished the whole damned book like it was a bestselling novel. He had tried to return it. Merlin knew he had. But Andy had given him the slip every time.

Frustration filled him until it mixed with a healthy dose of anger. He was done playing her game. His eyes narrowed, moving across the room as he thought, then a slow smirk spread across his face. Grabbing the book, he stuffed it in his back jeans pocket and left. Stealthily he moved along corridors and staircases. She had to be doing some type of rounds being Prefect. He moved into the dimly lit corridor on the second floor, sticking close to the walls. Then he heard her talking. Halting, he pressed himself into a darkened niche. Grinning he heard her practically shout the password to the Prefects room. His Slytherin nature nearly purred at how well this was playing out for him. He hadn't expected to catch her tonight.

Within moments he was within the large room and spotted the line of light pouring from beneath the door she must have gone through and then he stood by the baths edge. He took out the journal and once again turned it over in his hands, looking down at it. Softly, he spoke.

"We need to talk."

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Lost in her own thoughts Andy daydreamed, enjoying the images of Bruin and herself laughing together, arm in arm - happy. The images clouded ever so slowly as Bruin had moved to kiss her and it was suddenly no longer his face but the eyes of a near stranger looking at her. In reality he was very much a stranger to her but as he invaded her thoughts and dreams more and more he was no longer alien there. At times she found him more welcoming than her thoughts of Bruin were. Guilt would often eat at her over this but was soon replaced for a simple longing to be held... by anyone and Andy would go in search of an unsuspecting boy. Her encounters were getting more bold and further she was finding herself down the road where she had never intended to be. She hated herself for what she was becoming and blamed the cursed soul, the evil creature that dwelt within her.

An anguished sigh escaped her as at the same time a voice low and soft spoke to her. Andy spun around sending water careening over the edge of the bath tub. Wet tendrils of hair fell about her face as she stared into the eyes she had only moments before dreamed of. She knew this was no dream though as her gaze fell to the book in his hands. Her journal. Anger rose quickly to the surface and forgetting where she was for the briefest of moments Andy all but rose from the water. Stopping herself as her shoulders emerged, thankful that the bubbles were en masse thick and rich and covered her nakedness. Too late she remembered she had not bothered and never did bother to glamor her shoulder when she took a bath, so that the vicious blackened werewolf bite was visible.

"What are you doing in here? You took it!" the words fell like an avalanche from her, trembling with frustrated anger to know he would have read it. She was a fool to believe otherwise.
"We don't need to talk. You need to leave here and leave that behind" her breathing rasped heavily within her, control fighting for supremacy as other feelings and basic needs seemed to clammer to want to be heard, touched, felt.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin's eyes flicked open wider, a twitch over his left eye his only outward show that he was affected as Andy began to rise from the water. Her abrupt halt left him with mixed emotions. He was honest with himself and knew disappointment far outweighed the relief. His face darkened at the sight of where that disgusting thing had taken away choice from her. To most it might be off putting, even disturbing to see the twisted black scar. To Crispin it was her testament to strength, to what she could take and keep going with life. How ironic that she would choose to let a boy's selfishness bring her down. He stared into her eyes, calmly, yet firmly, he said, "I'll leave after I get what I want."

Sitting down he crossed his legs and settled in, making good on his words. "I tried to return this," he held up her journal, "since that day in the library. But you ran from me Andy. So now here I am." Elbows perched on knees, he regarded her long wet red hair, her heaving shoulders, the wild glint of flight in her golden eyes. She was beautiful, inside and out, and the fool girl seemed to know it not.

"You and I both know I read it. Let's keep the hysterics to a minimum," he glared at her for a moment when it seemed she would speak. "And let me finish. I tried to resist it, tried to give it back to you. But I am a Slytherin, Andy," he shrugged, ignoring the fact he had bemoaned his house not last week but used it now to his advantage. Andy had awakened something in him, something he'd lost, something he thought he'd never had and he embraced it tight with both hands. It brought out his anger, his hope, his cunning thirst to be more than what he was. "So I have a deal for you. For every entry I read, you may ask me a question. Any question," he said firmly,"and I will answer it." It was a gamble that could lay him open, bare for her to see the ugliness inside him. But it was one he was willing to take.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy could only watch as he steadied himself like an anchor, sitting down as if he had every right to be in the bathroom with her. Her mouth opened to protest, to say anything but she floundered long enough for him to take control of the situation. Did he have to remind her that she had run from him? What would he want from her? His quip about hysterics made her hackles rise as she lowered herself down a bit more in the water moving slowly to the side of the bathtub. Lifting her arms out enough to rest them on the edge, Andromeda leaned her chin on them as she surveyed him.

Was it the beast within her reacting to the Slytherin in him? Had evil met evil? Andromeda hoped not, yet he stressed that he was a Slytherin but even then her heart felt as if it were reacting to him. To his voice, his face, those eyes. She measured every word he said carefully before putting her hand out for her journal.

"You seem to be laboring under the impression that I want to know things about you" of course she was, she had laid awake enough nights wondering all sorts about him and now here he was giving her the perfect opportunity. Too perfect.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin's mouth quirked as he shook his head slightly. Rising to his knees, he crouched by the side of the massive tub. "I harbor no such misconceptions," he shrugged, reaching forward until her journal dangled from his hand a foot from hers. When she would have reached for it, his eyes flickered lower then he snapped the book back to his side, sat back on his heels. "Although, it's only fair," ignoring her frustration, "I've read your inner most thoughts and feelings. Thought you wouldn't want things to be so one-sided." He got easily to his feet and set the journal on a stand. "But if you don't want to, that works for me." He shrugged and turned away as if to walk to the door.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy closed her eyes tight as he began to walk away, sanity told her to let him go. Her journal was here after all but something altogether completely different begged for him to stay.
"Wait" her eyes held every ounce of emotion that she refused to admit to her mercenary heart,
"Ok... it is only fair. How many pages did you read then?"

She figured at best four so her questions would have to be well thought out, never before had she wanted to know so much about a person. The thirst for even a glimpse into him was like a vicious greed, she wanted to drink him whole. Remaining rooted firmly where she was, Andy calculated she would probably have another ten minutes before the water began to get cold and she would have to get out. Would he be gone by then? She glanced away looking at her arms on the tiled edge and swept them below water quickly as she noticed the other silver scarring decorating her upper arms. A gift from Durmstrang. At least he hadn't been repulsed by her scarred shoulder which in itself intrigued her greatly.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin smirked, looking back over his shoulder before returning and crouching by the waters edge. Curiosity and the cat. Werewolf in this case. He had seen those odd scars on her arms. They tightened his gut and made him want to rip out the person's throat who had done that to her. Calming himself by breathing deeply of her scent, he let the novelty of their situation take hold. "All of them." Simply said, he shrugged, grin once again on his face. He trailed long fingers through the water before turning and meeting her eyes.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Watching as he walked back towards her, Andy's chest rose and fell with the deepness of her breathing. She had never felt so vulnerable and her nakedness had very little to do with it. He crouched before her and the impulse to reach up to him, touch his face, kiss him again was overwhelming, even more so when his words 'All of them' made her gasp.

The gasp fell from her as if she had won the lottery but at the same time lost her ticket. Her mind whirled with questions to ask him as he put his hand into the water. Allowing her gaze to watch his long fingers trailing along the water, she felt hypnotized. Why was he having this effect on her? As if she were afraid she may have asked this out loud she quickly looked at him as he now stared at her.

"Where are you from?" it was easy enough to begin with, though she so wanted to know if he had shown her journal to other Slytherins, if he had told anyone about her 'condition'. Her cheeks fused with tinges of red, as she looked now at his mouth and thoughts of kissing him flooded her. She strived to concentrate on whatever answer he gave, knowing that anything he told her she would commit to memory, would have no need of a journal for any of it.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin chuckled. "Come on Andy, you can do better than that." His eyes trailed over the soft skin peeking out from beneath the bubbles before lazily meeting her gaze. She looked very much like a girl who wanted to be kissed. How he knew this, he had no idea. It seemed with Andy he ran on mostly instinct. But he wanted to oblige her, slide into that water and press his mouth against hers. Damn the consequences. Setting his mind back on track with no little effort, he answered.

"I grew up in Cornwall, England until my parents died right after my eighth birthday." He could have simply told her a short answer, bare minimum. But that wasn't what either of them wanted. As much as he now knew of her, he wanted her to know everything about him, to open himsefl to her. "My grandfather took me in." He sat near the edge, close to her, long legs folded indian style. "He was a miserable, cruel old bastard, but he taught me all he knew about potions." He stopped there, looking at her expectantly.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy knew it wasn't what she had wanted to really ask him but she had not been prepared either for the answer he gave. As he spoke she relaxed and leaned once more on the side of the bath, not caring this time about the wisps of silvery scars as she crossed her arms and lay her cheek on top of them as she looked at him.

"Well that's about three of my questions answered right there" she smiled, "So you like potions or are just good at them?"
Her questions still seemed mild and unassuming but she wanted to prolong this now, who cared if the water got cold or she erupted in goosebumps. Andy wanted to know it all, every last detail. Then as she looked into his eyes she knew what she did want to know.
"What happened... to your eye?" a scar for a scar, he knew about hers she would know his too.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin paused, head cocked slightly to the side in thought. "I've never not known about potions, it seems. Arcturus got his claws into me early so it's all I really know. I barely got through three years of remedial magical education here before he took me away again to homeschool me. I had to study on my own at night to learn anything other than chopping, brewing, stirring." He shrugged a shoulder. "It's in my blood."

Nodding slowly his mouth quirked. "I was wondering when we would get to that." He scrubbed a hand over his face and sat there for several minutes silently, head lowered until tendrils of hair brushed across his forehead. Finally he spoke but he would not meet her eyes. "When I was about nine or ten, I snuck outside to play with some kids that lived nearby. Muggles. Arcturus found out and the old man waited for me to sneak back in. He may have been old but he was strong and the only way I could learn was if he taught me himself what rules were for. Who ruled that house. So he struck me, repeatedly, in my face. One blow caught my eye and it permanently dilated the pupil."

Crispin looked up, his odd eyes catching Andy's golden ones. He'd never told another living soul about that part of his past. "Next question."

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy inhaled deeply as he told her what had happened, instinctively a hand reached out and touched his knee before she realized what she had done.
"But... you were only a child" not much younger than she was when she'd been bitten, her hand moved hesitantly from him back to the cold tiles, "Do you still live with him, even after what he did? It's just that you said earlier that he was miserable and cruel, as in past tense."

She felt almost guilty now for delving in too deep but he had asked her too, hadn't he?
"I think your eyes suit you" the words were out before she could even stop them and she colored again with the embarrassment of her situation, how much he already knew about her and how much she was still revealing.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin drew comfort from her reactions. When was the last time anyone had shown concern or cared what had happened to him? "It was a long time ago. That was the worst of it." His statement was telling in of itself; Arcturus had never stopped his heavy hand with Crispin. "He's dead." No sadness, no regrets for his grandfather were in his voice, only a sense of relief, even pleasure. Someone, some higher power or being, must have been watching out for him that day. "He botched a potion and choked to death in front of me the day before the Hogwarts Express was due to board. I buried his body in the family cemetary on the back of his property and left before morning."

He remembered the ease and give of earth as he shoveled and shoveled, sweat pouring down his back and face. With every stroke, he felt more free until the end when he'd lowered in the casket by hand. It had been hard and he had strained muscles doing so. But he had wanted to bury Arcturus himself, not with magic or aide of any sort. Whether it was some shred of respect for what the old man taught him or just the need to close that chapter of his life, he had done it all by himself. Sweaty, dirt covered, he had wiped his brow with the back of his hand and stood over that grave before using his bare hands to push the dirt back in. Tears had mixed with the dirt on his face and before he was done, the dark clouds above him opened and poured down cool water.

Shaken, he almost missed her comment. No one commented on his eyes, mostly they thought he was freakish. Slowly a real smile spread across his face. It took a lot not to just cannon ball into that water and show her how much he appreciated her.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy's mouth fell open, his grandfather was dead as well as his parents. He had been beaten countless times by his grandfather and though he considered himself a Slytherin, Andy was almost certain that there was more to him than merely a house.
"Who do you go home too?" the thought that he returned to an empty house shook her, simply not wanting to think of him alone. Had she forgotten all about Bruin so quickly, how had this boy the ability to do that too her? And yet Andy felt almost a kinship with him, she hadn't been beaten by her parents but she had been tortured while at Durmstrang and while those pages had been in an older journal and he couldn't, wouldn't know; she wanted him to... no, she stopped right there in her thoughts. She wanted nothing of her past to be tied up with him, Andy felt a twinge in her chest and winced slightly. Was it really possible for a heart to heal?

The thought made her return to her senses, she had been allowing him to get to her with his own story, his own pain and she would willingly open up and take him in. Shelter him, comfort him, care for him but there was the crux of the problem. Andy didn't want to care, didn't want to feel anything. So she pulled herself back into the water a small bit more, realizing just how cool its temperature had gotten and shaking slightly at its discomfiture.

"Can we.. can we finish this another time? The water is getting cold and I need to get out" she didn't want to look at him though his eyes held her captive, it was too easy to stay here and lose herself in him but she wouldn't allow it. She had witnessed how her friends had treated those they had supposedly cared about and above all else did not want to end up doing that. Being cold and indifferent, moving from one boy to the next before they could even notice she was gone, was the only way for her to survive this.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Who do you go home to? The question shook him and for a minute he did not, could not reply. It hadn't occured to him that he with his grandfather dead and the reading of the will yet to take place, he could not go back there. Gathering his pride around him he stood and replied, "I have no home." He would study harder than before, take on a job to save money so he could get his own place once he graduated come summer time. There was no way he would stay on anyone's charity.

When she began shivering he nodded and grabbed a very large towel from the stack folded in the corner. Laying it on the edge in front of her, he felt her withdraw from him, from the situation. How could this girl, someone who was nearly a stranger to him, have the power to dig at his heart?

Crispin turned his back, keeping his head bowed as the water sloshed behind him. He closed his eyes, picturing her athletic arms straining as she vaulted up the side of the deep pool of water, liquid beading on her skin. The rasp of the towel sliding around her resounded in his ears. His hands clenched spasmodically at his sides. She was speaking, maybe asking him another question. His control, always hanging on a delicate hinge around the fiery red head, snapped. He spun and gathered her against him. "It's my turn," he murmured, eyes a bit wild as her scent wafted up to him. "Go to the Yule Ball with me?"

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

The words he spoke was stark and she wanted nothing more than to tell him that she was his home, that he had her but she had already begun to pull back. There was no way she would risk her heart again, she was turning out to be the most cowardly of all Gryffindors. Watching as he placed a towel down for her she waited until he turned away, smiling at his chivalry she climbed out smoothly. Her well toned arms flexing slightly as she pulled herself up. Picking up the towel and wrapping it about her, she had just enough time to fasten it securely when he turned and gathered her to him.

The water dripped from her body wetting his shirt through at first Andy could only look at the puddles of water spreading across his clothing, wet tendrils falling about her face before she finally had the nerve to look up at him. She was too close, surely he would feel the erratic beating of her heart and know it was because of him. He had just asked her to the Yule Ball and she should have been delirious but instead she was shaking her head. Mere inches from his mouth she was so tempted to kiss him but knew she couldn't do that either.

"No" the word was wrenched out of her as her amber eyes pierced his.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin had not meant to blurt out that question. Yet when he did and he felt her soften in his arms, felt her heart beat against his, the sweet and heady taste of victory was nearly too much. His head lowered slowly until he could breathe her into him. One word, one syllable and he could be happy knowing that was worthy of her. Worthy of having something good, something bright in his life besides the constant studying, self doubt and nightmarish past. Eyes flicked down, watched her mouth form the word.

No. No. No. How cold that one word was, how controlled. It was as though she had taken her fist and buried it within his gut. He started to push himself away from her, his first instinct to leave, to run. Then his eyes locked with hers and he saw. Oh how he saw. They were speaking to him, to his very soul, kindred spirits. Was this why they felt such a pull to each other? What was this? And why was she trying so hard to deny it existed? The answer hit him as surely as her answer had. She was scared, just as he was, just as he had been. The realization caused an eerie calm to settle over him, caused him to handle her gently.

"Alright." His lips brushed hers, drawing her into a kiss that was painfully sweet with a desperate ending that made him want to stay until she changed her mind. Instead he withdrew, turned and started to walk away. He didn't know what the future held but he knew one thing; this would not be the last for them.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

All she could do was stand there in his arms even after saying the fatal word, wishing she had been brave enough to have said another one instead but it was too late now. Watching every change on his face she waited for him to simply walk away to react someway other than the one he did. His own simple word seemed to tangle with her own, she could put them both out of their misery by changing her mind now but Andy was nothing if she wasn't stubborn. Crispin kissed her, another reaction she was not expecting. Closing her eyes she returned it, just as gently as if she was parting from him forever. It felt so melancholy, the promise of what could have been hung in the air around them, theirs for the taking but abandoned before it could have been nurtured.

She felt the coolness touch her skin as he moved from her, opened her eyes to see him walk away and knew she would let him walk. Let him leave her, she had to. A broken person deserved nothing, a creature marked as evil by every one deserved no happiness, a girl lost and alone by her own violation deserved the hermitage she had built for herself. Andy turned to pick up the journal that she had been so worried someone would read and now could care less about its contents, no entry had been about Crispin and none ever would be.