I bite my thumb, sir. (lottiewood) wrote in reduxpitch, @ 2016-03-12 16:49:00 |
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WHO: Charlotte Wood & Draco Malfoy, later Fleur Delacour
WHAT: A private moment in a cloak closet
WHEN: Saturday 12 March 2002, evening
WHERE: somewhere fancy for the St. Mungo's Charity Gala
RATING: TBD
STATUS: Completed in GDocs
Lottie loved a good cause. She had to choose which causes she would support each year, which ones she could fit into her budget, but St. Mungo's was always on her list. Every year since she started making a steady paycheck, she'd been going to the galas or the breakfasts or buying raffles for the hospital. After being injured on the job, the staff at St. Mungo's had saved her life, and she felt she owed them in some small way. The galas were her favourite. They gave her an excuse to make herself pretty and dance and drink and be merry.
She loved that it was a good cause, but she might have loved the clothes more. Her dress showed her legs and bared her shoulders, but it was still classy and beautiful. No matter how much she loved the galas, there came a point in the night when she needed to slip away from the crowds and take a deep breath. The only place she could think of was the cloak closet.
Sneaking into the back, Lottie found her coat and hung her clutch with it, then she moved to the to stand under the window that let light in from the outside in. She didn't want to turn on the overhead and let others know she was in there. Stepping out of her shoes, losing four inches to her height, Lottie leaned against the wall and sighed, contented albeit tired.
---
Draco didn't mind the fact that it was more or less complusory for him to attend any gala that St Mungo's put on. He didn't even mind the dressing up part of the night, besides he knew he looked damned good in a suit. It was a night where he could actually have fun and not have to worry as much about holding his tongue... well, a little less than he usually did. Well, it was usually a fun night right up until he would inevitably run into his mother (who usually went to any event hosted by a charity that she supported). Unfortunately, the night would then become a round of being showed off to mothers and either meeting or having to hear about their lovely suitable daughters.
So he'd made the excuse of having to go to the men's room but instead made a beeline for the cloakroom, and snuck in, knowing his mother wouldn't think to look for him there. Draco instantly relaxed at the peace and quiet of the room, the sounds of the gala were only a faint buzz now. There wasn't really anywhere to sit so he found a space near the back and eased himself down on the floor and leant back against the wall.
He'd only had his eyes closed a moment before he heard someone else walking about the room. Upon opening his eyes he saw a young woman wearing a red dress - although he couldn't yet make out their face yet.
“So escaping someone in particular or just the crowds?” He asked, deciding to speak up.
---
Part of Charlotte's job was being aware of her surroundings. She had to be prepared for anything to jump out at her, and to react accordingly. She, however, was not expecting to run into anyone else in the cloak room, but she prided herself on the fact that she did not scream. Squeaked, yes, and jumped about a foot in the air while spinning, sure, but she did not scream.
Eyes wide and with a hand over her heart like in those old films where women are overcome with nerves, she sought the spot where the man's voice had sounded. Her eyes had to adjust a little to the shadows, but she was finally able to make out a finely sculpted face. Once she was sure he wasn't going to attack her, she started to laugh quietly. "You scared me," she said, her Scottish accent thicker than she normally allowed it to be (blame the champagne).
Lottie took a deep breath and leaned against the wall. "Just the crowds," she finally answered. "And my shoes. I love them and what they do for my legs, but they're not properly broken in yet, and it was probably a mistake to wear them tonight." She tried to meet his eyes, but it was difficult to do in the near darkness and with him sitting. "Aren't you afraid of wrinkling or collecting dust?"
---
Thanks to careful instruction from his mother growing up Draco tended to treat all women respectfully, even if they were strangers or one of the few women he absolutely couldn’t stand. However, in that moment he couldn’t help the smirk that played on his lips or the chuckle that escaped them.
“Sorry about that,” he apologised, having honestly not meant to scare her.
“The closest I’ve gotten to wearing heels is when a girl tried to stomp on my foot for some reason - so I know they hurt,” he said in a deadpanned voice. To this day he still wasn’t sure what he’d done to warrant that reaction. Draco gave a shrug, although in this light it was likely the young woman wouldn’t be able to see the movement anyway. “Nothing a charm or two won’t fix. Failing that, I’m sure the house elves would manage to get rid of the wrinkles.”
Although he was starting feel warm in the enclosed area, being surround by people’s coats either side of him didn’t help none, and so decided to remove his jacket. “You ought to sit down and rest your feet if your shoes were that bad,” Draco said, patting the spot on the floor next to him. “I’ll even do the gentlemanly thing and let you sit on my jacket so you don’t ruin that pretty dress of yours.”
---
"It's okay," she replied, feeling her heart rate slow back to normal as the small amount of adrenaline dissipated. "Normally, I'm more aware of my surroundings. I wasn't expecting anyone else to be hiding."
Lottie cringed in sympathy. She'd never had her foot stomped on by someone wearing heels, but she could imagine how bad that must feel, especially if the girl in question aimed with the heel. She raised her brow at the mention of house elves, but she decided not to pull out that soap box. In the grand scheme of things, the way house elves worked was innate to them. It was instinct and not slavery like she sometimes argued. And now wasn't the time.
She watched as the man peeled off his jacket and spread it on the floor for her. She almost refused. She didn't know this person, and sitting was probably a worse decision than removing her shoes. Putting them back on would not be fun later. But he was being galant, and she liked that. After going up on her toes and slowly lowering her heels to stretch her calves and Achilles tendons, Lottie lowered herself to the ground next to him.
"Thank you," she said, arranging her skirt over her thighs. Crossing her ankles, she pointed and relaxed her toes to keep the muscles from bunching. "I'm Lottie," she said, holding her right hand out to him. "I'm sorry I interrupted your respite."
---
“Well, I don’t normally take to hiding in dark places,” he admitted. “But I had to escape my well-meaning mother before she tried setting me up for what I believe would’ve been the tenth time this evening.”
Draco was pretty certain that at least part of the reason she did it was because she knew and was somewhat amused by how uncomfortable it made him feel, but he knew she meant well - even if it was mostly so he’d start giving her grandbabies to fuss over. Though unfortunately for his mother he wasn’t at that point in his life just yet. It was full enough looking after children at St Mungo’s without having to worry about any of his own.
“You’re welcome,” he said, before taking her hand in his left and giving a firm but gentle shake. “I’m Draco, and it’s all right I don’t mind the company and it’s still quiet.”
Draco took a moment to casually look over his new ‘friend’, she was certainly pretty but she didn’t seem at all familiar to him. Though her name certainly was and it took him a moment to think of why it was. Then he remembered the chat he had with someone with that name over the journal network about that day he’d come across an art mural.
“Lottie, huh?” He asked curiously. “I don’t suppose you’d know anything about the merits of chalk as an art medium would you?”
---
Lottie laughed. Yes, it was at him, but it wasn't mean. "Luckily for me, my mother hasn't begun doing that to me. She's more concerned about my job than she is about whether i'm dating anyone." She did not, to her credit, add the most unsubtle hint that she was not.
It was a bit awkward, shaking hands like that. Their arms, linked at their hands, made a semi-circle around their bodies. It was a very encompassing image, and the four glasses of champagne made it amusing to her. She didn't laugh again, merely smiled at what she imagined they looked like from above. The Circle of Life started playing in her head for absolutely no reason.
Her smile turned to one of real joy when he said his name. He was the healer she'd spoken with about the children's ward.
"I've been thinking about that, actually," she said, releasing his fingers and folding her hands on her lap. "And I've been testing a few charms at home. I think I may have a solution that's better than the blackboard paint and chalk." She shifted a little, lifting one knee slightly and tucking the other foot under her, so she could look at his face. It was a good face, which was completely off topic. "It's a bit of a variation on a cleaning charm that you can set on the wall. I've only done it on small spots, but it's worked so far." She waved her hand at her small digression, her Scottish accent a little thicker still in her excitement. "Anyway, you set the charm to to work after the kids go to bed, kind of like it's on a timer. That way, they can draw on the ward's walls to their heart's content, and it starts over in the night."
She smiled at Draco. "I would be happy to personally provide cameras and film for the children to take photos of their art so they don't lose what they create."
---
Draco snorted. “Lucky. I just happen get all the perks of being an only child and since I already have a stable job, my mother’s moved onto focusing on my love life or lack thereof.”
He hadn’t had as much champagne having stopped at two glasses, as he didn’t particularly fancy starting his shift tomorrow with a hangover. Though it certainly didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate a pretty face when sitting next to one. Draco listened attentively as Lottie explained the idea she’d come up with. He couldn’t help smiling at the way her accent got thicker the more enthused she got.
“You’ve really been putting a lot of thought into this haven’t you?” he asked amazedly. It really did amaze him that someone would go to the trouble of thinking about it when it had little to do with them really. Though he certainly appreciated the effort. “It’s a brilliant idea though, and one I think the hospital would be more ready to agree to.”
“You don’t have to do that,” he said. “I mean, the offer is certainly appreciated but I wouldn’t want you to be out of pocket.”
---
Lottie smiled at Draco. "I have an older sister-who is married-two older brothers, a younger brother, and a younger sister." She ticked them off on her fingers to make sure she hadn't forgotten anyone. "They're all professional Quidditch players, except for my sisters, who are both part of the medi-witch field." She shrugged and only just managed to stop herself from unloading her fears on this man she'd just met in person.
She nodded and leaned her head against the wall, still facing him. She smiled, pleased to hear that they may be more willing to do that for the children than closing the ward to paint it. Lottie leaned in, putting her hand on his arm. "I want to," she said with feeling. "The staff of this hospital saved my life a couple years ago when I found myself at the business end of a werewolf's claws. And they're kids. It's bad enough being stuck here, being sick. They should have something to keep them occupied."
She forgot her hand was on his arm, so she left it there, her thumb moving over the muscle in his forearm. "There's something forbidden about drawing on the walls. Even if you know it's going to be magically cleaned off, you feel like you're breaking the rules a little, and there's something in that makes you feel good." She paused and thought for a moment. "Which could simply be the Gryffindor in me, but if I got such a kick out of drawing on my bedroom walls, the kids will, too."
---
"That's a... large family," he commented. Instantly regretting how stupid it sounded, because obviously Lottie would be well aware how large her family was or wasn't. Though compared to his it certainly was large, at least up until you started counting the more immediately related aunts, uncles and cousins. "Sorry, that sounded a lot less stupid in my head. The only experience I have with a large family is my extended one, and unfortunately it's as being the youngest."
He didn't know what to say about the mention of the werewolf attack or whether he should say anything, and in the end decided to not comment on it. It didn't necessarily bother him but he knew that it could be a sensitive topic. "Well, maybe you... or we could organise a time to speak to the person in charge to tell them the idea and your offer?" he suggested.
Draco tried not to react to the tingle that shot up his arm, or watch, as Lottie ran her thumb over his forearm. It was only a very simple action and yet somehow more than that. Or maybe it was a combination of that and the lack of having been with anyone for a while. Whatever the reason, he certainly didn't mind it even if he was trying not to show that. "I can imagine. There was a moment when I found the kids where I wanted to join in, although I may well have lost any authority had I done that." It wouldn't really have bothered him but with some of the children that came through it was already hard enough getting them to obey - not that he blamed them, particularly the more long term patients. Nothing worse than having to stare at the same four walls day in day out. "Considering the other week I don't think they'll find it too difficult to have fun drawing on the walls."
---
Lottie laughed, though not unkindly, at Draco. "It's okay. I say a lot of things that sound cleverer in my head. And it is a big family. My two oldest siblings are from Da's first marriage, though, and don't get me started on the age difference between myself and my nearest older brother. That's convoluted and questionable."
She tilted her head, thinking. She would like to be the one to pitch this to the hospital, but she couldn't think of why they would listen to her. "Do you think they'd take that suggestion from someone who isn't really affiliated with the hospital? It would probably be better coming from a healer who works there--who works with the children."
She grinned, happy to imagine him drawing on the walls. "I don't think it would have lost you any authority points," she told him, leaning closer. "I think they would have loved you for it. They would have seen that you understand them on that level. I could be wrong, but I would have loved it if I had an adult who drew on the walls with me when I was wee."
"What made you go into pediatrics? And how many mothers do you have falling in love with you?"
---
Draco chuckled. "So probably a bit too long to get into right now?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see why they wouldn't. I might only be in the last few months of it but I'm still only an apprentice Healer, besides it wouldn't be fair if I went to them with your idea. What if we went together though?"
"Maybe you're right," he conceded. It's not as if he was lacking in creativity, even if no one aside from himself was aware of just how true that was. "Well, provided the hospital approves the idea then I might join the children in their artistic endeavours." Draco gave Lottie a charming smile. "Do you think you might be enticed to visit? I'm sure the children, and myself, wouldn't mind the extra company."
There were a number of answers to that particular question and he was certain of which one he'd avoid giving. Lottie didn't need to hear him grumbling about patients not wanting him to treat them or allowing him to but still complaining about things that his father did. "I just kind of fell into it really. During the apprenticeship we have to tour all the departments, and when I got to Paediatrics I... well, I don't know it just seemed to work. Didn't have much choice after that when the more senior Healer noticed how I managed to calm a toddler down after it's tantrum." Draco chuckled. "Thankfully not to the point of propositioning at least."
---
"It's a conversation to have on the third date at least." Her smile was coy, and her hint was not subtle.
Lottie looked him up and down, trying to figure out his age based on his looks and the fact that he was still an apprentice. He looked older, but he could be as young as 22. That made her feel daring. It wasn't a huge age difference, but she was watching his mouth as he spoke, and she was hoping for something to happen. Or it was the champagne and the fact that he was attractive. "I could be enticed. Or you could ask me nicely, and I'll take off work early and come by."
Imagining him comforting a toddler did something funny to Lottie's insides. "Working with kids is noble. It takes a special kind of person, Draco, to have the patience and warmth and caring to do so." She leaned closer to him as she spoke. "I'm going to do something, that should probably wait till an actual first date," hint hint, "but my heart won't shatter if you don't want me to do this."
She closed the space between them and kissed Draco. He was attractive and sweet and very fit, and the bubbles made her Gryffindor roar.
---
"Well then," he paused momentarily. "If we get to that point I hope I'm not so distracted that I forget to ask."
With the way Lottie was looking at him it felt as though she would suddenly discover some dark secret of his... Then again it did not seem like that kind of study, indeed it seemed far more appraising and... did it suddenly get a lot warmer in the cloakroom or was he imagining things? "I'm sure I could make it worth your while," he said smiling beguilingly. "Though I suppose I can ask nicely, if I must."
"They're far easier to work with than adults at times," he added. Before Draco had a chance of replying further his mouth became otherwise occupied. Not that he minded one bit. Besides who in their right mind (unless they were interested in men) would turn down a kiss from a particularly attractive girl?
As he kissed her back Draco reached up to cup her jaw with his hand, his thumb lightly brushing against her cheek whilst his fingers entangled themselves in her loose hair.
---
"Three is an easy number to reach. If we felt daring, we could say this is one. It was unplanned and a bit of a blind one, but I'm sure we're clever enough to figure out the how."
Lottie smiled sweetly. "I'm sure you could, but we probably shouldn't make cloak rooms and supply closets a habit." She winked at Draco. It really wouldn't take much to get her to visit the pediatric ward, but if he wanted to make it worth her while in a way other than how it felt to pay it forward, she wasn't going to stop him.
She grinned against his mouth briefly when he responded, and, without breaking the kiss, she carefully shifted, turning so she could sit on his lap and wrap her arms around his shoulders. Her skirt inched up her thighs as she moved, and she curled her legs against his right side to keep the chill off them. Lottie stroked the back of his neck, pressing as close as she could in their not-quite-but-almost awkward position.
---
“At least we know each other's names - which is a start.”
Draco chuckled. “I should hope so. Far too many things that can poke into your back in a supply closet and completely ruin the mood.” Not that he had much experience with supply closets; disused classrooms, on the other hand, were a completely different story altogether. Though he'd only go through with that sort of plan if he knew Lottie were actually interested. He wasn't the sort to pressure any woman into anything she didn't want to do.
He couldn't help but grin against her mouth when Lottie shifted to sit herself on his lap. Draco shifted his hands to rest on either side just above her hips - though he wanted to let them roam, but decided to hold off for just the moment. However, he gently nudged at her lower lip with his tongue figuring that she wouldn't be adverse to him deepening the kiss. Anything to distract him from the growing sensation down there, which wasn't particularly helped by the fact he had a very pretty girl sitting on his lap.
---
As he deepened the kiss, Lottie slipped one hand into the hair on the back of his head. She pressed him close, encouraging him with small hums in the back of her throat. She slid her other hand down his arm until she founds his fingers. She had a thing for hands, and she measured his against hers even as they kissed. They were bigger, and they had strength, but she knew they also had a gentleness. He worked with children; he had to be gently but strong.
She put his hand high on her thigh. She could tell he was being respectful, and someone had to make the move if he wasn't going to. She wasn't going to have sex with him in a cloak room, but he didn't have to be all chaste when she'd kissed him and climbed into his lap. After several moments, her lungs demanded more air than they were getting, and she moved her mouth from his, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she traced kisses along his jaw while her heart thudded to a pace that was more normal.
"If we eat something, I think this could definitely constitute a first date," she said, smiling into Draco's eyes.
---
Draco couldn't help being respectful, after years of having it drilled into him by his mother it had become habit and just seemed to happen naturally, whether he wanted it to or not. Though it didn't take much for him to get the hint that Lottie wouldn't mind more. Not that he had had any plans for them to do anything more than what they'd already been doing. Besides it might be just the two of them at the moment but the cloak room was hardly private enough as it was.
With his thumb lightly rubbing circles on her thigh, his other hand reached up to cradle the back of her head as she trailed kisses along his jaw. "Mmm, I think that that would require one of us to get up to find food for the two of us to share," he murmured, smiling back at her and brushing stray locks of her hair behind her ear.
---
Even if Fleur wasn’t required to attend in an official capacity as aide to her boss, she would have come, as she was never, ever one to pass up the opportunity to put on a pretty dress and dazzle the crowd. There was something about the way eyes followed her through a crowded room that was thrilling. Yes, it was vain, but does vanity ever really hurt anyone if no one is taken advantage of?
Well. That was her reasoning, anyway.
She had been greatly enjoying this evening, both by mingling of her own accord, and as go-between between her boss and those that wanted a moment of his precious time. It was, apparently, a very big deal that a newly-arrived foreign dignitary had decided to come along to the function.
Still, she was wearing down. The wine was flowing and it had made her slightly unsteady on her feet, and she was quickly overheating. Her shawl, which had been lovely and glimmering in all the right ways, was now a sweaty burden and she needed rid of it. So, glass of merlot in hand, she made a line straight for the coat room to hang it up for the remainder of the evening.
She was humming a nonsense tune to herself as she pushed aside a thick fur coat in search of a hanger and revealed two people locked in something quite personal. Fleur gasped and stepped back. “Pardon!” She exclaimed, hastily backpedaling. Though she managed to hang onto her drink, she did knock several hangers off the racks as she tried desperately to get out of there.
--
Charlotte jumped. It was the second time that night she'd lost track of her surroundings and had been surprised by someone. She didn't clamber off of Draco's lap, though. She didn't behave as if she'd been caught snogging a lad on the couch in her parents' sitting room. Rather, she let her head fall to her partner in crime's shoulder and she started to giggle. She couldn't help it. The sounds of retreat--of hangers falling to the floor--it was all so comical.
So she didn't jump away from Draco, but she did slip off his thighs as her giggles became more insistent. "It's okay!" She called between chortles. It wasn't the woman's fault, whoever she was. Lottie was a little disappointed that the moment had been interrupted, but she couldn't help but find it funny. "Please don't hurt yourself!"
---
Distracted as he was Draco hadn't heard any one else entering the cloak room and nearly hit his head against the wall in jumping when he heard the exclamation. He didn't have long to feel embarrassed or guilty at being caught, it was kind of hard not to when Lottie started giggling into his shoulder. It was enough to bring a grin to his face and have him start to chuckle.
"Are you alright?" He asked concernedly, which probably didn't come across to well in between the laughter. Admittedly, if he was being honest, he was disappointed the moment had ended but it was maybe just as well, before things had possibly gotten further without meaning to. Plus on the bright side? At least it wasn’t his mother that had interrupted them. That was gladly a conversation and lecture he was happy to miss out on.
---
Fleur’s distress had come not from seeing something she might not have been allowed to, but from knowing that she might have done terrible damage to a lovely moment and evening shared between two innocent people. Oh how horrible she would feel if these poor people felt they needed to stop just because of her blunder.
She stopped just outside the coat room, took a hearty gulp of her wine, and caught her breath. “I’m fine!” She called back when she had brought her heart-rate back down again. “I am very sorry that I interrupted you, please do continue!”
Once the surprise wore off, Fleur was certain she’d find this entire thing hilarious, but for the moment she was quite wrapped up in worry. But there was nothing for it but to leave them to whatever they were going to do. She had a party to get back to.
--
When the door closed, Lottie collapsed against Draco and held her breath to try to keep from giggling. It took her a couple of tries until they were completely gone. "That could have been a lot worse," she said, grinning broadly at Draco.
She studied his face, her lower lip caught between her teeth, and felt herself sober, though not completely. She didn't want to make this awkward, but she wasn't sure what to say or if she should pick up where they'd been interrupted. "I know an all night diner in London. It's kind of a greasy hole in the wall, but the food's good. If you're interested."
--
“I'm already grateful it didn't turn out to be my mother,” he commented, managing to not make a face at that thought.
Draco smiled as he watched Lottie in thought, it was kind of cute the way she sort of chewed on her lower lip. He smiled at Lottie’s suggestion of heading to a diner. “It would make this constitute a first date, and I am feeling kind of hungry.”
Easing himself up off the floor, being mindful not to step on Lottie, he bent down offering his hand to her. “You don't mind if we stop at Gringott's first do you? I want to buy, my treat, only I don't exactly carry Muggle money around with me.”
---
Lottie took his hand, though she could stand on her own. He had good hands. She thought less-than-pure things about his hands. She was so much shorter than he was, now that they were standing. Even if she went up on her toes, he would have to bend to reach her.
She let go of his hand and went to where she'd left her shoes. Using the wall for balance, she stepped into them, adding four inches to her height. "The bank is closed, and I do have Muggle money." She moved to stand in front of him again and pulled him down a little so she could kiss his cheek. "So this will be my treat, and you can get the next one."
She found her coat and clutch on the rack and turned to Draco. Holding her hand out to him, she smiled invitingly.
---
Though he didn’t show it Draco was a little surprised to finally notice how much shorter Lottie was than he. Not that he minded one bit and thought it suited her, inasmuch as what he knew of her so far. Bending down he picked up his jacket before slinging it over his arm. Draco smiled at Lottie. “I suppose I can forgo the sense of chivalry this once.”
Draco happily took hold of her hand as they walked out. The night had turned out far better than he thought, and he was glad that it wasn’t over just yet; not even thought of work tomorrow or his mother having tried to set him up was enough to dampen his mood now.