wl_mods (wl_mods) wrote in wizard_love, @ 2010-02-09 00:13:00 |
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Entry tags: | *fic, 2010, bellatrix, rodolphus, rosmerta |
Special delivery for firstyearagain
Title: Last Year's Bitter Loving
Author:
Recipient's LJ name: firstyearagain
Pairing(s): Rodolphus/Rosmerta; Rodolphus/Bellatrix
Rating: R
Word Count: 3,173
Warnings/Content: A lot of humiliation and mental abuse.
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. All characters engaging in sexual activity are 16 years or older. All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. All characters engaging in sexual activity are 16 years or older.
Author's Notes: The title is from Edna St. Vincent Millay's Sonnet II.
Many thanks to my most wonderful beta.
Rosmerta's heart skipped a beat when she saw the good-looking, dark-haired wizard at the door of the Three Broomsticks. It was a little dark inside the pub, but she could feel his penetrating green eyes staring at her. She made a little movement, almost a hand wave, but then he averted his gaze. He held the door with his body and, gallantly, motioned for someone else to walk inside before him.
The pub, which was warm that early winter night, suddenly felt bitter cold. An aura of somberness enveloped the place, and Rosmerta wouldn't be surprised if some of her guests involuntarily huddled closer for warmth or physical comfort as the woman Rodolphus had brought with him walked haughtily through the pub.
Bellatrix Black, beautiful, rich, clever and, above all, evil. As she passed by the counter, she looked straight into Rosmerta's eyes and smirked as she chose a table right in front of where Rosmerta stood.
"This one, Rodolphus dear," she announced, and waited for him to pull the chair for her.
He was already moving over to an empty corner table. "The one on the corner is more private, Bella."
"I want this one," she repeated, again looking at Rosmerta. "Closer to the bar," she added with a fake sweet voice. "And there's nothing that we can say to each other that other people can't hear." She smiled at Rosmerta and continued, "Only sweet nothings between two people in love." With that, she pointed at the chair and Rodolphus pulled it for her, with an apologetic glance at Rosmerta.
Rosmerta wished she had a good, professional excuse to bar entrance to the couple in her pub. If only either one had engaged in a hexing contest, or maybe drank too much one day... But Bellatrix was a rare presence at the Three Broomsticks – Rosmerta could count on one hand the times she graced the place with her presence, and all of those had been very recently. And Rodolphus... well, his coming to the pub had always been pleasant. Until that year.
She turned her back to the couple, pretending that she was busy arranging the bottles in the bar. She knew that she would eventually have to serve the couple, but she wanted to ignore them a little bit longer. But Bellatrix wouldn't have any of that. In a loud voice, she said, "Rodolphus, darling, I'm thirsty. Can you ask the barmaid to come serve us?"
Barmaid! The word was not totally untrue: she was the pub owner, but she served the bar, too. It was an honest profession, and she liked it. Besides, the Three Broomsticks had belonged to her family for many generations.
But that barmaid in that aristocratic accent had been uttered with disdain, to put Rosmerta below the beautiful girl who'd said it. Rosmerta's first reaction was to bite her lips, lest she expelled the couple from the pub on the spot. But that would be bad for business, she knew.
She chose to ignore the comment, and waited until she heard his voice. "Erm... could you please bring us two Butterbeers?"
Strangely, his very polite request hurt more than Bellatrix's veiled insult. Rodolphus couldn't even bring himself to say her name. No "Rosmerta, could you please...?" And, of course, especially no-
Roz, oh Roz, you're so beautiful!
She squeezed her eyes shut and took two Butterbeers to the table. She placed one bottle in front of each of them and waited for her payment. Rodolphus, pointedly not looking at her, gave her a Galleon. She cursed mentally: surely he had something smaller, but she was not about to ask him anything. She counted the change and, as she was about to place it on the table, Bella said, in a mock-sweet voice, "She can keep the change, right, Rodolphus? As payment for a job well done – while it was needed?"
Rosmerta risked a look at Rodolphus; he was pale, but still looking down at the table. Bella prodded him, "Can't she, Rodolphus?"
"Yes," he mumbled, "please keep the change."
Rosmerta wanted to fling the coins at them. Instead, she put the coins on the table and turned around without another word.
Bella's shrill laughter followed her.