will you walk with me, will you will you will you will you

[Clemence Pelletier]

Continued from: will you dance with me, will you will you will you will you

As Alexius’ hand tilted her chin up, a sharp need for air pressed through Clemence’s body. She was not sure what was going on but she was suddenly afraid and anxious in his arms. As their gaze met, she nearly let out a sigh of relief; his question was not aggressive and was not something that threatened her hatred for him. But not knowing how to answer his question, she closed her eyes and gently moved her head so he would put his hand back were it had been. Only as she opened her mouth to answer this question, she noticed that she was very close to being bumped into, so she curled her arms around his midriff.

Clemence pulled away carefully as Strauss looked down at her, before her hand was held in his and they made their way quickly through the crowd. As they went through the crowd she could have sworn she caught a glimpse of Sebastian’s blonde hair and she scoffed to herself angrily before she looked down at her hand as it was held by Alexius Strauss’. As they reached the doors, she nearly laughed at how strangely everyone was dancing. “And I thought I was bad,” she muttered quietly, before looking back to Strauss at his question.

The blonde girl pursed her lips before nodding her head slowly. “On one condition, can I have my hand back?” Clemence squeezed Strauss’ hand as a thank you of sorts for saving her twice, once from loneliness and then from the frantic crowd of students. Then, the prefect let his hand free, expecting him to do the same with her own.

 

[Alexius Strauss]

He was ready to agree to any condition until she mentioned the one he particularly didn't want. This wasn't fair in the slightest, Alex was tempted to turn her around and leave her smack bang in the middle of the idiots trying to dance but knew he wouldn't do that either. At least if she came for a walk with him they could talk ... preferably without her giving out to him or feeling threatened by him. Small steps he told himself as he turned to face her, gave her a small bow then holding her hand up to his mouth he gently kissed it. Giving her a playful wink before slowly releasing her hand completely.

"There is your hand madame" he began counting in his head how long it would take her to turn around and run in the opposite direction from him. As someone opened the door to step outside, he reached for it and held it open for her.
"Where would you like to go?"

 

[Clemence Pelletier]

Clemence grinned as Alexius bowed, she found it really sweet and as her hand had been kissed and let go she curtsied to him sweetly. “Thank you, monsieur,” she said with a giggly grin before standing up completely and allowing him to hold the door open for her. She really did like that he was acting like a gentleman and hopefully Strauss would not change much more because she could see herself liking this side of him.

Waiting for Alexius a few steps ahead of Le Grande Salle, Clemence smiled softly at him as she picked her shoes up off of her feet and held them in one hand and the other picking up a side of her dress carefully. “I do not know, take it by year?” she suggested as she skipped happily forward expecting Alexius to leave but she did not care, she simply was relieved to be away from the crowd.

 

[Alexius Strauss]

Alexius watched her attempt to remove her shoes and instinctively just stepped forward and held her elbow in case she needed propping. As soon as the foot wear items were in her hands he released her again and watched her begin to skip along. With a smile fixed on his face he walked along after her, his long legs able to keep up fairly well.

"You know you're really pretty when you smile, you should do it more often" he hoped she wouldn't take offense to that but it was true. Most times he had seen her she was angry with him or someone else or looked terrified of the world at large but now, she seemed so relaxed and calm and happy. He liked seeing her like this. He followed her where she led him, wondering just exactly she'd take them considering she was now bare foot it left their choices a bit slim, unless of course she didn't object to a piggy back ride or something.

 

[Clemence Pelletier]

Clemence scowled playfully at Alexius’ comment, just to spite him before responding with an equally playful tone of voice, “You know, you’re really pretty when you don’t make it impossible to smile.” She winked at Strauss, just the way he had to her, before slowing her pace to a natural stroll. She glanced down at his hand and smiled, deciding she would teach her more experienced friend something. Clemence held his hand gently in his and said, “See, now I want to hold your hand. Don’t make me have to.”

Offering him a smile as bright as day, Clemence walked beside him and answered his previous question, “The only thing that matters to me is the one thing that could end at any time.” Frowning at the thought, she imagined the pain that she would experience if she was unable to compete in her sport for the next Olympics or have to stop competing at all. “But aren’t all the things and people that are cared about the same way? Take… your brother; I assume you care about him, right? Well has it ever hit you that one day you could never see him again?” she asked, rather darkly but her intention was not for Alexius to think that Maximus would die because she actually really liked him and would be lost if one of the people she liked the company of had one day disappeared.

“My views are rather strange, but in my short life I’ve found that there is nothing truer and those that think not are fooling themselves,” Clemence said flatly before sheepishly grinning at Alexius.

 

[Alexius Strauss]

The girl was like a small enigma but he liked her that way and didn't think he wanted to change her at all. Which was novel for him, as he always found some niggling annoying trait belonging to any girl he ever liked. When she took his hand willingly he could actually feel a soft shiver run through him and glanced down at their hands, the cold night air had obviously a lot to answer for. He realized in that moment just how damn cold it was and removing his jacket placed it over her shoulders. He didn't press his luck by leaving his arm there though, no matter how tempted he was to do so.
"Yeah I guess. I know we argue alot but I sure wouldn't want anything to happen to him" he thought she was much too serious for someone of their age and for the night that was in it. A smile creased his face as they walked beneath a trellis of flowers that for the occasion had mistletoe inlaid as well. He stopped and turned her to face him slowly.
"When there's the chance of never seeing someone again then you should live your life one day at a time. As if each day was your last" his eyes moved to her mouth as a finger very gently tilted her chin upwards. His head lowered slowly and with his mouth hovering just over hers so that he could feel her soft warm breath against him, Alex smiled.
"I want to kiss you, not just because we're surrounded by a ton of mistletoe but because I like you and chances are always supposed to be taken. Take a chance on me Clemence" his voice was hushed but the intent and longing that was felt was sincere. He really liked her and restrained himself from kissing her just yet until she said it was ok to do so.

 

[Clemence Pelletier]

Clemence looked towards Alexius and curiously watched his every moment of his mouth as she listened to him, but as he tilted her chin up she looked up into his eyes and her own widened. She had seen this in movies before and suddenly she became tense in the close proximity she was of Alexius. She had never kissed someone and now it seemed unavoidable, she hadn’t even known that Strauss liked her. All of this was a bit too overwhelming to Clemence and as he said the words she had assumed, she softened her gaze. “I- I’ve never…” she stammered nervously. “Never… well you know,” she said as if it was a bad word but she was just embarrassed of what she had admitted.

While that was true, Clemence was not sure if she wanted to “take a chance on” Alexius or her emotions again. She had to focus on herself and she knew he did as well, he had NEWTs coming up and she had them the next year. “Strauss, I know of your reputation,” she said softly as she looked down after moving her chin away from his hand so she could look down at her feet. If she had never known shame before, she would know learn what it was like to be ashamed of herself, just because she stated the truth.

Had they not hated each other before this night, what had changed? Clemence did not understand why Alexius had this change of heart and why she should either. Sure he was not unbearable any longer but did that mean she wanted to date him? Or kiss him for that matter. Clemence was not even allowed to date! Why did all this have to happen when it was the most important time of her young life?

 

[Alexius Strauss]

Alexius drew his head back slowly, he had spent enough years masking his true emotions. Never allowing his brother to see just how angry or upset or frustrated he got over stuff, always putting on a smile as if everything was right with the world when it so wasn't. He did the same now as he moved his face from being so close to hers and fixed a pleasant enough smile on his face.
"Hey that's ok... there's no rush here" he reached down and took her shoes in his hand, so he could hold her hand with the other one, "my reputation proceeds me huh?" he tried to laugh it off but he couldn't.

He did have a reputation and it wasn't a bad one either, it just happened that the girls he dated were pretty much like himself not into anything serious just lots of fun. Yet Clemence he somehow knew was completely different to all of them.
"How about we take baby steps then ... look I know you think I'm a jerk and you have every right to think that. I should have been all sweet and gallant to you from the first day but that's not who I am. Instead I flirted badly and continued to every time I saw you. If anything you're bad for my reputation" he laughed properly now as he began to walk slowly once more, "I was well famous for my flirting techniques until you blew me ... them out of the water."The problem with really liking a girl for the first time was knowing that at some stage, you were going to make a fool of yourself in front of her. Of course, he had made a fool of himself a lot in front of Clemence.

 

[Clemence Pelletier]

Clemence had a strange feeling that Alexius was lying to her, it was an awful feeling, it was worse then her shame in herself. Now she felt a strange sense of loss as he distanced himself from her, it made absolutely no sense, she had never even had him! Could you even have a person? Her vulnerability, Clemence was sure, was what was making her act like a crazy person. “Thank you, Alexius,” she said softly, her thumb running along his knuckles gently before she frowned slowly at him.

As they walked together, Clemence fought the strangest temptation she had ever had to wrap her arms around him as they spoke to one another. “I only just thought that you had one smidgen of decency in you, it would be too fast,” she said looking over to him before kissing his cheek gently. “Maybe later,” she smiled at Alexius, before squeezing his hand with hers as if she were promising this although she was not sure if she was, it all depended on if she did end up liking him more then just enough to spend passing time with but for now she could not. “Can I just ask you one thing?” Clemence asked, “Why? I mean, I don’t understand.” Not particularly aware of her vagueness, she waited for Alexius to answer her question as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

 

[Alexius Strauss]

He liked simply walking along side of her and this was completely new to him, he began timing himself though wondering when the old Alex would appear to simply grab her and kiss her as she should be kissed but a part of him knew that, that would not happen. He had always gotten into fights with other guys over girls mainly for poaching someone who was already taken but he wanted to be the one to do the fighting for Clemence, to stand up for her and by her. The feeling was strange and totally bizarre to him and he couldn't fathom where it was all coming from. He liked how her thumb rubbed against his hand and gazed down at the her.
"Clemence you don't have to kiss me unless you want too" he chuckled and then she threw him a loop completely by asking him what she did.

He shuffled his feet a bit and then released her hand as his own was becoming much too sweaty in hers, he shoved them down into the pockets of his trousers and looked down at his feet. This was difficult, he looked at her for a minute and then shrugged as if that should answer everything. Finally he sighed and began to speak.
"What's not to like about you Clemence? You're different to every girl here and I like different. Always have" he didn't know if he was explaining any of this the right way, he'd never had to before.

 

[Clemence Pelletier]

Clemence smiled softly at Alexius as he told her that she did not have to kiss him unless she wanted to. While she had not wanted to kiss him the way he had originally intended, she had wanted to kiss his cheek so she said, “I wanted to, don’t worry.” She only did things she wanted to, with the exception of the few things her sisters made her but they were never like kissing someone when she did not want to or was not ready to.

As Alexius released her hand, she wiped her palm on the side of her dress and opened her mouth to tell him that he could just forget her question. Clemence was just curious and was taught that inquiry was the best way to understand things, perhaps in these situations it was not. But Clemence closed her mouth again, then opened it, fully aware that she looked like a fish before she chewed down on her bottom lip as a nervous habit she had always had. “I’m sorry, that question was vastly inappropriate on my part, was it not?” she asked, making it quite clear that she was new to all of this but for some reason she had spoken formally towards the Strauss brother she had done anything but before this. “But thank you?” she said softly, making it more of a question then an actual statement.

“Are you staying over the holidays?” Clemence asked, shyly smiling at Alexius as her cheeks were dusted with rushing blood. The sixth year was but even if she thought that he probably wasn’t, maybe they could spend time together over the holidays. With every passing second she wanted to spend more time with him and she had a strange feeling that if both of them did not see one another regularly they might not spend any time with one another again because their lives were so different, as were their priorities.