Who: Declan McLaggen and Cecilia Barbary What: A romantic day out Where: Hogsmeade When: Sunday, 6 December
Declan was determined to enjoy himself, no matter how guilty he felt about the way he had “earned” this trip to Hogsmeade, or how other people were trying to make him feel worse - as if that was possible. He doubted the memory of Parvati Patil sitting on her knees and bleeding would leave his mind for a single second, but he hoped he could overcome this by focusing on his number one goal for the day: to spend some quality time with Cece.
His relationship with the Slytherin girl was the only thing he could feel truly happy about nowadays. Joining the IS, becoming a prefect, falling in the good graces of the headmaster and the Carrows... all of those had been things that had made him feel happy and proud of himself, and which had allowed him to achieve one of his biggest goals: to receive praise from his family over something Cormac had never done. However, it didn’t take him long to realize that there was something very wrong about all of those things: he was being forced to bully and spy on his new dormmates (though, truth be told, they were both idiots and deserved the treatment he was giving them), his old friends all hated him now, and the Carrows were revealing themselves to be sadistic bastards who had no qualms about killing innocent animals and torture girls just for the fun of it.
He sighed and forced himself to focus on Cece. The lovely, wonderful Cecilia, who not only was smart and beautiful but was also the sort of girlfriend his parents were likely to approve, even if she was not a pureblood. She had the right connections, the right upbringing and the right political views. But, of course, what mattered the most for Declan was that she adored him.
It was with this thought that a much happier Declan met Cece at the Great Hall and gave her a genuine, delighted smile. “Hi,” he said. “You look beautiful.”
To say Cecilia was excited about the upcoming Hogsmeade outing with Declan was an understatement. She was practically giddy with glee and only some aid from a sleeping potion kept her from staying up all night in anticipation. So with a good solid sleep behind her, she was in her best looks with no unsightly dark smudges under the eyes.
With her glossy hair bouncing on her shoulders, her eyes wide and bright, Cece greeted Declan with her trademark broad smile before hugging him tightly. “And you look handsome!” she beamed as she pulled back to look up at him adoringly.
Her adoration was completely sincere. Although Cece had originally asked Declan out based purely on his lineage, politics and looks, she had fallen head over heels for him with all the passionate enthusiasm only a fifteen year old girl could possess. That he was a Gryffindor was slightly unfortunate, but she no longer cared as much as she did, especially as he had more than proved his worth as a member of the Inquisitional Squad. She knew the incident with Patil had been unpleasant, and certainly she would have felt bad twatching someone that she thought was nice and not part of that silly DA punished so severely. Although Cece still maintained that Parvati could have saved herself if she hadn’t been so ridiculously noble.
But all that was in the past and Cece’s focus was on having a wonderful time with her handsome boyfriend. “Let’s go!”
Beaming, Declan offered Cece his arm, and the two of them set off.
The road that linked Hogwarts to Hogsmeade looked absolutely beautiful that day - though perhaps, Declan thought, being with Cece was making him look at it in a different light. Whatever the reason, though, it was aiding his good spirits considerably. The sunlight, the cold (yet not unpleasantly so) winter breeze, everything around them seemed to be giving him their blessing to enjoy the day to the fullest.
Feeling as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, he looked at his girlfriend. “Where would you like to go first?” he asked.
She took the offered arm and snuggled up close, although not close enough to hinder his walking, although Cece always appreciated that Declan accommodated her smaller strides well. Like him, she was appreciative of the sunshine and feeling extremely happy with the world as a whole.
“Hmm, how about Honeydukes first?” she suggested after a moment’s thought. “Considering the new rules it’s probably prudent to stock up,” and she always believed it was best to visit the sweet store when she wasn’t hungry. “And then Scrivenshaft’s for some for new quills and parchment. Then it’s your choice,” she added generously, looking up at him with a warm smile. With the people she liked and loved, Cece was incredibly giving, moreso than some might expect from a Slytherin with her political views. She enjoyed bestowing gifts and seeing the smiles they brought, and if part of this enjoyment stemmed from her need to be liked, she didn’t realise it.
Declan returned her smile. “Well, I promised Andrew I’d meet him at the Three Broomsticks later on,” he said, “but that’s for much later. Before that,” he leaned closer, his voice lower and his smile wider, “I have planned a little surprise for you.”
Cece pouted just slightly, a little indication that there was some disappointment that he had made plans with someone else. Still, she saw his friendship with the other Gryffindor and new IS member as a very sensible thing. With the other Gryffindors acting as if the boys had committed some hideous crime, it was important for Andrew and Declan to stick together. “Well, I did want to browse Gladrags,” she said after a little quick thinking. “So perhaps I’ll do that while you meet Andrew and have your ‘mantalk’,” she teased, nudging him.
“Ooh, a surprise,” any disappointment was now banished by excitement. “I love surprises, especially yours!” Cece took the opportunity presented by him leaning closer to reach up to kiss his cheek.
It was no surprise for Declan to see Cece pout at the mention that he was going to meet Andrew - after all, he did promise this was to be their day. Truth be told, they hadn’t really made a promise of meeting each other, but merely made a comment that it would be nice to do so - and he couldn’t refuse the chance of having a chat with the only friend he had left in Gryffindor. Well, there was a chance that the truce of sorts with Yue was still standing, but Declan wasn’t feeling very optimistic about it. Ah well, at least she was being understanding in spite of her disappointment. And the mention of his surprise also helped, of course. He had been planning this for Christmas, but with the package arriving sooner than expected and with both the trip to Hogsmeade and the upcoming mandatory gala springing upon them, he felt that anticipating it was a good idea; he just had to find something else to offer Cece on Christmas, that was all.
Beaming at being kissed, he pat her arm tenderly as they continued walking.
Cece kept up the small talk during the walk, light conversation about the essay she was writing for Transfiguration and the interesting experiments being done in Potions, as well as inquiring about his studies. This easily passed the time and they were soon at Hogsmeade, and Honeydukes.
“It’s so strange not having to fight dozens of other people to get inside,” she observed as they walked into the shop. “I like it!” she grinned at him. “We should try to get more privileges like this, it’s nice having the village to ourselves - well, almost,” she giggled and selected some bars of Honeydukes’ finest chocolate. “I need to send some to Heathcote and the boys, he says Honeydukes is the best chocolate you know. Oh, that reminds me - he really wants to meet you! There’s probably going to be a little party over Christmas so you have to come to that, and then Heath can do the big brother thing,” she winked and then turned to select some more candy.
“It is so much better like this, isn’t it?” he said, though he thought to himself that these privileges, nice as they were, were not worth the price this one has cost Parvati. With some difficulty, he shrugged away this thought; it was Cece’s day, and he was meant to be focusing on her.
He smiled at his girlfriend’s words, trying to return to his good spirits. “It will be my pleasure to go,” he said, once she had made her selection. “And meet your brother, of course, though the big brother thing doesn’t sound very appealing, but hopefully I’ll survive.” He grinned to show it was a joke. “My family is going to organize a dinner party as well, nothing big, just a family gathering with the Burkes and the Saints, but you’ll be more than welcome as well. My parents will love to meet you.” He just hoped Cormac would find an excuse not to attend, or at least manage to behave himself. He didn’t want to give Cece the wrong impression about his family, after all.
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” she teasingly reassured him, putting her arm around his waist and leaning in for a moment. “Heath adores me so as soon as he’s sure you adore me too, then he’ll love you,” at least she hoped her brother still adored her. Cece hadn’t received a letter from him in a while,and she was sure Heathcote was still upset with her pooh-poohing his concerns about the laws against muggleborns.
She was delighted by the invitation to his family dinner, clapping her hands together and bouncing. “I’d love to come!” she enthused. Meeting Cormac’s parents would solidify their relationship even more, which was just what Cece wanted.
“Christmas is going to be great,” she said as they exited the shop. “Spending time with my handsome boyfriend - it’s the best present I could ask for. The perfect end to a perfect year. I mean, I know things at school haven’t been perfect,” she acknowledged, taking his arm again. “But sometimes things have to be tough to make them right, don’t you think?”
Declan was pleased Cece wanted to go to his family’s gathering. Those dinners could be awfully stuffy, and if it wasn’t for Nicholas and Cornelia being there he didn’t know what he’d do. It would be great to have his favourite girl with him, as her presence would be enough to make the evening a pleasure.
Her words as she took his arm left a bitter taste in his mouth. Yes, sometimes things had to be tough, but not to the extent they had been witnessing this year. Again, he forced himself to shake off those thought and channel a smile; luckily, looking at Cece’s beaming face made this possible. “Yeah, definitely,” he lied, his cheerful face successfully hiding his uneasiness.
Cece had no idea she was making Declan uneasy with her words, and would have been both surprised and disappointed if she did. While she didn’t blame him for being uncomfortable about turning in a housemate, she thought his outlook matched her own and admired him for standing him for his beliefs in the face of resentment from other Gryffindors.
However, thankfully for the continued harmony of their date, Cece was blissfully ignorant of Declan’s inner thoughts.
“Does Andrew have a girlfriend? If so, we should double date sometime. He’s your friend so it’s important I have a good relationship with him. Have you talked about me to him?” she asked coyly, eager to know if he boasted about her charm to his friends and yet not wanting to appear too keen.
“He doesn’t, no,” Declan replied, relieved with the change of subject. “In fact, I don’t even know who’s coming with him. I guess I’ll find out soon enough.” He had to admit he was curious. His former dormmate hadn’t said a thing on the subject, and since he was still at the castle when Declan and Cece took off he still hadn’t seen his mysterious date.
“As for my talking about you to my friends...” He enlaced his fingers with hers and gave her a grin. “‘Course I do. I have the most wonderful girlfriend in the world - that’s something to tell the whole world, surely?” Truth be told, he only actually boasted about it to his Slytherin friends like Emrys; with the others, it was like he had to justify himself for dating a Slytherin (Finnigan’s rude comments about his “wee snake girl” the other night still had him seething), and he refused to put Cece is such an unpleasant position. However, Andrew was one of the few people outside her house he knew he could talk about her without such problems, even if their conversation always focused on other matters.
“Hmm, he’s keeping it a mystery, now that’s interesting, Maybe I will have to accompany you to the Three Broomsticks just to satisfy my burning curiousity!” Cece tapped her lower lip with one finger in a speculative manner.
She blushed and squeezed his fingers, snuggling closer. Part of her guessed he probably didn’t talk about her much with most of the Gryffindors. They were such a prejudiced bunch! But she wanted to believe he talked about her, in the most flattering terms of course. “And I have the most wonderful boyfriend,” she smiled up at him once more. “We’re going to be the best looking couple at the gala too. Just wait until you see my dress! You’ll want to carry me off and snog me senseless.”
It probably wasn’t very ladylike to say such things, but since they’d already snogged and she’d not objected to his hands wandering, it seemed silly to be all demure. Cece liked rousing Declan’s passion, she enjoyed the way she felt when he kissed and held her, and she wasn’t ashamed of the feeling.
“I’m dying with curiosity already,” he said, getting closer still. Part of him was dying to snog her right now, but the knowledge that they were bound to attract people’s attention more than they would have in an ordinary Hogsmeade trip held him back. Perhaps when he showed her his surprise, hopefully in a spot with less prying eyes on them.
“Don’t expire on me just yet, I still have need of you,” she replied with promises in her eyes. But like Declan, Cece wasn’t prepared to go any further than holding hands and having his arm around her. She was too conscious of her halfblood status and the need to be sure that she at least came across as a lady in public in order to keep her reputation.
“Come on,” she moved back slightly and tugged on his arm. “Let’s get my quills and then you can meet Andrew.”
“All right,” he said, escourting her to Scrivenshaft's in the most perfect gentlemanly manner, while his mind worked in a way to lead her to somewhere a little more private before they were to head to the Three Broomsticks.
It didn’t take long for Cece to select her quills, although she did linger over a handsome notebook before adding it to her purchases. “Is there anything you want?” she asked, putting in her package in her bag.
Delcan had been admiring a beautiful stationery set while Cece made her purchase. “Yeah, I’m taking this,” he said, picking it up. As soon as he got back to the castle, he was going to write to his parents to announce there would be an extra seat in their dinner party, and he felt the occasion deserved the most perfect letter.
Paying for it, he turned to Cece and asked in a low voice, “Listen, before we go to the Three Broomsticks, do you think we could go somewhere quiet?” He smiled. If he was to do this, he might as well do it now.
“Ohh, lovely. You do have excellent taste - but of course I knew that,” she complimented his selection and herself with a small laugh, tucking some hair behind one ear.
One eyebrow went up at his question and Cece took his hand, giving it a squeeze. “I think that would be nice,” she nodded and let him lead her away.
They walked around for a couple of minutes, until finding themselves on a street where not only nobody was around, but the view of the lake and the castle were absolutely breathtaking. Perfect for what he wanted to do, Declan thought.
Taking both her hands and looking deep into her eyes, he said, “Listen, I got you something that represents just how much you mean to me..." As he spoke, he let go of her hands and reached for his pocket, where he produced a small rectangular box. “And nothing would give me more pleasure than seeing you wear this to the gala.”
He opened the box, revealing a silver chain with a heart-shaped glass pendant. He had found it on a catalog and, while inexpensive, he decided it was nevertheless perfect. “It’s been charmed to change colours depending on who touches it,” he said, awaiting expectantly for her reaction.
For a brief moment, when he brought out the box, Cece was wildly imagining an engagement ring and her hand went to her throat as her breath caught. Surely it was far too early and she was only fifteen!
However, then the truth was revealed and along with his words, the present was perfect and the vision of a diamond ring vanished as if it had never been. “Oh... Declan,” her fingers pressed against her lips and happy tears filled her eyes. “That’s just lovely...” she looked up at him and smiled sweetly. “Thank you, you’re so wonderful,” she lifted one hand and stroked his cheek. “ I’d love to wear it - for you,” she turned then and lifted up her hair, presenting her bare neck to him. “Put it on me?”
“It will be my pleasure.” Taking the chain from the box, he gently put around Cece’s neck. “There,” he said, looking at the now pink pendant with the clear delight of someone who knows he’s made the right choice. “You look even more beautiful now, as if that was ever possible.”
She looked down at the heart, touching it lightly with her fingertips before turning and reaching up to fling her arms around his neck. Cece’s face was practically glowing with happiness and her smile was almost splitting her face. “You’re wonderful!” she enthused and then tilted her head in a clear invitation for him to claim his reward. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world. She had a fabulous boyfriend and she was beautiful, rich and connected, even some purebloods didn’t have that much!
Taking full advantage of the situation, Declan wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned in, kissing her - first a playful peck that soon evolved into a deep, full kiss.
Cece pressed against him and responded with enthusiasm, she liked snogging anyway, but right now she wanted to give Declan the best kiss ever.
And the best kiss ever she managed to give him, at least in his perspective. Of course, he also threw himself into their kiss with equal passion, finding the perfect angles and positioning, matching her rhythm exactly.
Eventually, they broke up the kiss. Declan remained on the stop, trying to regain his breath but unwilling to let go of her. “I’m glad you liked it,” he said, smiling.
"I love it," she murmured, starry-eyed and her lips red from his kisses. Cece licked those lips once, and then met his gaze openly. "And I love you." She blushed as she said the words, her heart beating quickly. She knew some boys got scared by those three words but she felt confident in Declan.
She reached to kiss him gently once more. "Why don't we come back here after you've met Andrew?" Cece coyly traced a pattern on his chest. "And I can demonstrate the depth of my feelings at length?"
Part of him panicked a little when Cece said she loved him - they were still kids, after all. But hey, this was meant to be a match approved by their families and peers, right? The way their society worked and the way their relationship was evolving, there was a strong chance to result in a long future together, and if love was involved, then all the better. And besides, he had to admit that he did feel something for her. Whether it was love or not he wasn’t sure yet, but he hoped it was. It was this thought that managed to hide his initial shock and react to the declaration with a smile and another kiss.
“You know, I’d really love that,” he said. He kissed her hand and offered his arm again. “Shall we go meet him, then?”