Mad World Mods (madworldmods) wrote in madworldrp, @ 2007-10-05 11:16:00 |
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Entry tags: | florence anweller, roland williamson |
Florence & Roland
LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY closetoinnocent)
Who: Roland and Florence
Where: A window ledge in a corridor, not extremely far from the Entrance Hall
When: 4 October, immediately after dinner
What: Costume discussions... and other things ;)
Status: AIM Log, complete
Rating: Very light PG
Daring Marly to transfigure objects into house mascots during class was the best idea that Roland had yesterday. It was hysterical to see the room filled with stuffed badgers, eagles, lions, and snakes, all making their respective noises. It was a stuffed animal zoo. Not wanting it to disapear completely from existence, Roland had swiped the lion closest to him and decided to give it to Flora. He was acting in Marly's advice, and trying not to be a jerk to her.
As dinner ended, Roland made his way to the Entrance Hall for his rendez-vous with Flora. The lion was purring silently in his bag, which caused him to chuckle as he waited.
Flora was still a little uneasy with herself; she'd poured a few truths into her journal entry and was still trying to assimilate it all. But, she'd promised Ro that she'd meet him. Smoothing out the sleeves to her jumper, she primped a bit without fully realising it, making sure that her hair was laying flat and smooth and that there weren't too many wrinkles in her skirt. Why she was nervous about her appearance was beyond her, but there it was. Stepping down a final step, she rounded the corner and saw him. Her smiled; he really was adorable.
Stepping forward a bit more quickly, she made her way to him. "Hullo." She paused a moment, and grew a bit confused. Something was...purring. "Do I hear purring?"
"Agh. Well that surprised ruined," Roland commented. He reached into his sack and produced the lion that was purring. Smiling, he held it out to her. "Here. It's for you. I managed to swipe this guy so that Marly couldn't transfigure him back. I think he was a lamp. Not sure though."
Flora laughed when the lion roared a bit when she took it. It was cute and already she started thinking of a name for it. "Thank you," she said, looking up at him, her smile only growing. "He's adorable." One arm holding the lion to her chest, she grasped Ro's arm with the other, halfway looping them. "Did you have a good day?"
"You're very welcome." Roland's smile broadened. He was glad that Flora liked the little lion, and her looping her arm in his didn't seem to make the smile disapear. "It was brill," he continued as they started walking. "I think McGonagall went soft on Marly, it being her birthday and all. McGonagall's that is, not Marly's. How was Transfiguration today?"
"Oh, yes! I'd heard that it was. I thought I heard a rumour that we were going to sing Happy Birthday to her at dinner, too... but obviously we didn't." Easily they fell into step, the lion's purring a soft backdrop to their conversation. "It was nice. Nowhere near as exciting as your class, though." He hadn't pulled away; a good sign. "Did you bring the dress robes?"
"I'm still waitin on them," he explained. "I just sent an owl home askin' for it." Roland shrugged. "They're nothin' fancy. Just plain dress robes." He let the conversation pause and listened to the sounds of the lions purring along with the sound of their steps on the floor. "So. What ideas do you have? Oberon and Titania still, aye? I liked that idea. Midsummer's a fun show."
"Ohh," Flora said, shaking her head at her misunderstanding. It didn't matter. "Well, those are probably better,then, since we can add and take away things to make them perfect." She instinctively drew closer to him in the quiet. "Mmm, yes. I had a few others, but I really sort of like the idea of going as those two. Or," she said as an idea hit her, "we could go as chess pieces, but only this time dressed as such, and not just a tiara." Biting her lower lip, she glanced up at him.
Roland laughed. He liked chess, but going as chess pieces seemed to be a little too much, even for him. But it was sweet for her to think of his interests. "Oberon and Titania are fine," he assured her with a smile. "Would you really want to spend your night as a stiff chess piece Flora?"
"Well, the costuming would be spectacular," she admitted. But she shook her head. She'd become rather attached to her idea. "But Oberon and Titania it is. Thank you." She sort of liked the fact that now they didn't really have to work with his costume, and that it was just them. "Would you go around quoting all evening, the night of the ball?"
"Quoting what?"
"A Midsummer Night's Dream," she answered, raising her eyebrows questioningly.
"Well if you want me to, I can," he replied. "Could add to the experience."
Flora's hand, as it gripped his arm, tightened a bit, playfully. "It's not necessary," she told him. Slowing them as they came upon one of the many spots that she liked to use for study, she perched herself on the window ledge. Turning the lion in her hands, she considered it. "He needs a name. Something bold and brave, I think."
"Richard," Roland said as he looked at the lion. It was the first name that came to his mind. "After Richard the Lionhearted."
"Richard," Flora repeated. She brought the stuffed animal up to eye level, looking at one of his glass eyes. "Are you a Richard?" The lion continued to purr. "I think he is," she laughed. Sighing, she hugged it again, grinning into its fur.
Roland beamed as he watched Flora converse with and hug the stuffed lion. It was endearing. An uncategorizable feeling stirred in his stomach as he watched and smiled. There was something that was different about her, but he was unable to say precisely what. "Well then. Maybe we should ask Richard what he thinks we should wear to the ball."
"Oh, he's already told me," she assured him, turning her head so that her cheek was resting on the mane and she was looking at Roland. "He thinks that Titania and Oberon are a splendid idea. He does seem to think, as well, that we should use Gryffindor colours. But we can't do that because it wouldn't be fair to Hufflepuff."
Roland sighed and leaned against the wall. "Maybe we should stay away from House colors. What with all the problems that have been goin' on. Go neutral. What's your favourite color," he asked.
"Yeah, you're right," she agreed. She hadn't really wanted to use House colours, anyway. They tended to be too bright, and she wanted more soft colours. Probably unfortunately for him. "Oh, well, pink's a favourite. But I'm actually rather partial to lavender." She paused a moment, shifting a bit. "What's yours?"
Roland thought for a moment. "I'd say either blue or green," he concluded finally. The colors reminded him of the perfect day with a clear blue sky and a lush green field to lie in. Choosing between them was like choosing a favorite child. It was just impossible. "Do you have a dress yet? Or should we look at the costume books?"
She could definitely see that. They were both calm colours, too, very much an attribute of you. "They suit you, I think," she smiled. "No, I haven't got the dress yet. Paigey only sent me the catalogues today. I looked at them a bit earlier, and I found one or two that I like a lot. Mummy had included a note saying to let her know which one I wanted and she'd have it sent to me as quickly as she could." She paused a moment, gnawing her lip in thought. "I think that I liked dusky pink one I saw the best. It was so pretty and floaty." Flora gave a little sigh; she wasn't sure that she'd ever outgrow her penchant for fluff.
"Can you show me?"
She grinned. "I'll have to go to Gryffindor Tower to get it. I left my bag in my dorm." Pressing her lips together, she sat up straight, then thrust Richard the Lion at him. "Here. Hold him while I'm gone. I'll be back in fifteen minutes." She walked as quickly as she ever would through the corridors to her dormitory and back again, arriving with her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes sparkling. Settling beside him, she reached into the bag she carried with her and pulled out a brightly-coloured catalogue and a tin of biscuits. "Mummy sent these to me today, too." Handing the tin to him, she then flipped through the catalogue until she found the dress that she especially adored.
Roland watched her leave then turned to the animal in his arms. "Hello Richard," he said. "Roar if anyone tries to hurt her. Scare them away. Can you do that?" He looked up at the ceiling. "Oi," he said to no one in particular. "I'm talkin to a stuffed animal." Richard gave a roar in his arms, startling Roland. "Ack! I'm sorry." He petted the lion and counted the stones on the wall while waiting for Florence to return. When she came back, her face was flushed an attractive shade of pink, and Roland smiled as she sat down beside him. "Oooh biscuits," he exclaimed. "Too bad I just ate supper." Still he reached into the tin to pull one out then offered it back to Flora as he looked at the dress. "Wow." He thought she would look stunning in that dress; it really suited her. "I bet it'd look amazin' on you."
She put the tin on the other side of her, not hungry in the least. His reaction, so simple, made her blush even more deeply. "You really think so?" She looked down at it again, running her finger lightly over the glossy page. "If you think it's too girly a colour or something... I mean. We are colour-coordinating? Unless you just want to look handsome and regal in black dress robes and a crown and mask... Or whatever colour..."
"Aye," Roland agreed, happily munching on the biscuit. "It suits you." He looked up from the page to focus on her. "I don't have to wear pink. Maybe just a flower. Da does that whenever he and Ma go out for their anniversary or sumthin'. She wears her dress, and Da's flower always matches. Maybe I can have a pink flower? And we both have complementary black and pink masks?"
"Thank you," she said softly, folding down the corner of the page to mark it. "We can do that, yeah. Maybe Professor Sprout will have a nice flower that we can snip for you to wear. We can even charm it so that it doesn't wilt or fade all evening." She leaned back until she was touching the window, crossing her arms over her stomach. "I'm excited about the ball. I don't care what anyone else says. I think it'll be loads of fun."
"You're welcome," he whispered. Roland leaned back against the window as well, his eyes glued to Flora. "It will be fun," he continued matter-of-factly. "Well at least I'll have fun." He smiled and pushed against her gently. "Will you?"
She met his gaze, and had to wait a moment before she could speak. "Yeah, I will," she said as she pushed gently back. "I'm glad you asked me... not someone else."
"No one else I could think of askin'," he said with a shrug.
Flora waited a moment before looking away. "I would have said no, if any other boy asked me," she said slowly. She fell quiet, unwilling to say anything further for fear of embarrassing herself.
Something had happened, and Roland wasn't quite sure what, or what to do. He gingerly reached out and placed a hand on her arm. "Are you all right," he asked, his voice full of concern. Is this what Marly was talking about? He hoped he hadn't hurt her. He wouldn't know what to do if he did.
Flora frowned slightly. "I'm fine," she answered. "I just... I guess I don't want to mess anything up." She shrugged a bit, sitting up straight and moving her hand so that she caught his. At the moment she didn't really care that her mother would have gasped in horror at her boldness (or that she would have gasped any of Flora's earlier snogging escapades). It was the right thing to do, at this moment. "I'm fine, Ro."
One thing that he had learned in his sixteen years of existence was that when a woman says they're "fine" they're really not. He would probably never master the fine art of figuring out what females really mean though, no matter how hard he tried. Roland wished he knew what was bothering her. Was it him? Was it something he said? As her fingers weaved with his, he brought his other hand up to push Flora's hair off of her face. "Look at me," he implored gently. "Nothin's messed up. The ball's not for a fair bit o time. No need to fret over it. We will go, and dance, and have a right good time. And you will look beautiful. All right?"
Flora closed her eyes as his fingertips brushed her face, then opened them obediently when he asked. She shook her head; he didn't get it. He really, truly didn't and yet he was being so absolutely perfect that she could only smile. "Why are you so sweet? Merlin, Ro, you..." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes again for a moment and telling herself that she was a Gryffindor for a reason. Letting her breath out slowly, she opened her eyes again, hitched her breath once more, and spoke. "I like you. So much."
He stared at her, speechless. She liked him. There it was. That same strange feeling in the pit of Roland's stomach was back. He held her gaze, but said nothing. He didn't know what to say. His talk with Marly had made him think. But Flora liked him. And he? Well... "I like you too," he heard himself say. He didn't know where the words had come from, but he knew that they were true.
The longer he didn't speak the wider her eyes became and the more she felt like a fool. She'd told him and he wasn't talking and she'd embarrassed herself and then... then he was talking and Flora could breathe again. So she did, drawing in one huge breath and letting it out on a laugh. "Oh, God, I thought you were going to tell me that you thought I was an idiot." But she was smiling, ridiculously large, and there wasn't much that could stop it.
"I would never think that," Roland assured her, a wide smile on his face. He assumed that this was what had been bothering her, judging by the smile on his face. So he hadn't done anything wrong. Women, he decided, were confusing, But that was fine by him. "We fine now Flora?"
Pushing that same strand of hair that he had pushed out of her face behind her ear, she turned the slightest bit and leaned against him, nodding. "We're fine, yes. Brilliant, even." She didn't know how this evening could get any better -- and to be honest, she didn't think it could. At this moment, life was pretty brilliant.
As she leaned against him, Roland ran his fingers through Flora's hair. "Good," he said softly. "Good." He would have hated to lose her and whatever they had. He sat there, smiling, and playing with her long brown hair. "Hey Flora," he said a while later, a questioning tone in his voice.
It was so comfortable there, against him and the rhythmic motion of his hand through her hair. It was a surprise when he spoke, so it it was a moment before she answered. "Hm?"
He looked down at her, his heart racing. He said nothing, but his hand slightly shook as it ran over her hair one final time before he brought it back down beside him to keep him propped up. His mouth was dry. He swallowed, but that did nothing to calm him. So instead he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Face falling into concern, Flora studied his face for a moment. "Ro?" she asked, her voice lifting uncertainly. Hesitantly, her hand came up to touch his cheek gently before falling back to her lap.
Merlin, what had come over him? He took a deep breath as her hand touched his cheek and smiled. He caught her hand as it traveled down to her lap. Silently, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
Their noses bumped slightly; Flora giggled a bit and tilted her head, then fell into silence as the kiss went on for several moments until it came to its natural end. It left her smiling again, and a bit breathless. "That was pretty fantastic, Roland Williamson."
As the kiss ended, he breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't have as much experience as she did, but all the same he wanted to kiss her. And he was glad he did. He was a bit breathless himself, but couldn't bring himself to speak. Instead, Roland's face broke out in a silly happy smile as he peered down at Flora.
Looking down, she saw that their hands were still joined together on her lap. She hadn't really noticed when he'd taken it, but it certainly felt right. All of her experience (kissing only; she did have morals, thank you) flew out the window. Roland was different and so everything was new. That first kiss had been sweet and perfect, and only made her want another. Or a dozen more. And so, smiling slightly, she leaned up and kissed him briefly before her head came down to rest again on his shoulder. It was moment too good to rend by further talk.
The second kiss, though catching him slightly off-guard, was just as good as the first. Roland couldn't help but not smile as Flora's head fell onto his shoulder, and he soflty kissed the top of her head. His arm slipped around her, pulling her closer to him. He sat there silently watching their fingers twined together in her lap.