Attracting Attention {Sive&Archer}

[ϟ ADMIN ADRIENNE]

Continued from the Welcome Back Ball

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[archer]

Her name fell off of Archer’s lips like honey and for some reason - he felt as if it was sickly sweet, as if he had put too much emotion into that one syllable that he had spoken to her. It was like a drug to him and once he had said it, though; he felt like he wanted to say it again. And perhaps even again. Sive was such a pretty name in comparison to her last name...that was so...stark and bland. Immediately, he ceased all his thoughts and then drew back into the shell that he had so desperately built up around himself. The shell that was full of anger and resentment toward her and everything that she stood for. He was not going to play her little games. He was not going to get himself actually involved with Sive Parry. That was dangerous and perhaps detrimental to the entire plan that he had been concocting.

He had to admit that he didn’t expect her to follow his directions. He was sure that there would be some sort of fight, some sort of power struggle like there always seemed to be between them. And yet, she seemed so willing. She placed her hand where he instructed her and then spoke, her voice cutting through the silence that had only momentarily settled between them.

”I take it you’re leading, then.”

[/i]

Archer groaned as she looked up at him like a lost little lion. Sive obviously had no idea what she was doing. He suddenly found himself imagining her at a ball function with him. If she had been with him, she would have learned to dance ages ago. Then again, he supposed that she had no occasion to learn to dance for. Thankfully, Archer had enough experience for the both of them. He reached up and adjusted her arm on his shoulder, moving it slightly downwards so that she would be more comfortable. Then he grabbed her other hand, clasping his fingers around her tiny fingers, ”Your other hand goes here.” He breathed into the space between them, ”Of course I’m leading. I like to be in control.” He said and raised both of his eyebrows, ”And you, little lion. I hope that you’re good at following directions.” His eyes glistened for just a moment, the rare smile still on the corners of his lips.

”Attention?” Archer craned his head slightly to the side, looking around the room. Of course, he had been aware that everyone was staring at him, but he had chosen to ignore it until now. But as his eyes scanned the crowd, he could see the dangerous glares of his fellow Slytherins and the contemptuous glares from the other women in the room. It was amusing to say the least. As long as no one said anything, he wasn’t about to explain himself. Perhaps he would offer his explanation to Elliot later...the pair of them did have a lot to talk about.

”I thought you liked the attention, Si-” He stopped himself, ”Parry. After all, that would explain your wild-lioness streak.” He muttered, keeping his voice low so that she was the only one who could hear him. This was one conversation that he didn’t want the rest of Hogwarts to be a part of. He wasn’t sure that anyone would understand what he was doing and he wasn’t ready to reveal the entity of his plan, ”Are you complaining? Because we can stop-” He froze himself mid-dance step and then looked at her expectantly.[/blockquote]

notes;; I had no idea that was the way that ‘Sive’ was pronounced...I always thought it was like ‘Seeve’ or something. I feel rather like Viktor Krum XD

[SIVE BRANNAGH PARRY]

Sive couldn't help smiling slightly when Archer said that he liked to be in control. It was so like him to try and constantly reaffirm the fact that he was the one with the power. Sive wondered if he did it because he felt out of control; right now she knew she did.

His hand all but swallowed hers, it was so much bigger. Not for the first time (and Sive didn't think it would be for the last) she was reminded of how much stronger than her he was, and of how much more powerful he was physically. At least she knew that in a duel she would win... not that it was very good form to be thinking about duelling the person you were dancing with.

She raised an eyebrow slightly as he called her a wild-lioness, or said something to that effect. Sive didn't consider herself particularly wild, but then again she wasn't exactly tame.

”Are you complaining? Because we can stop-”

Archer stopped, and Sive was forced to stop with him (it wasn't as though she knew the next step).

"Why do you do that?" she asked, thinking of the other times Archer Grayson had asked if she was 'complaining', and said that he would stop, or leave, basically reaffirming that she wanted to be there. "Like you're testing me." He didn't strike her as the insecure type.

But his words made her wonder if she was 'complaining'... and when she thought about it, she found she wasn't. Not one bit. She didn't care what other people said, or if they were looking. She enjoyed dancing with him, his hand on her waist, his fingers gently brushing over where her dress gave way to bear skin. She liked his conversation, and was interested to know more, to push him and test him and see what he would say next. And she liked the intoxicating way he smelled, something she had never noticed before, but now couldn't believe she had missed.

"I'm not complaining," she said, concluding her thoughts. "Are you? Because I can stop too, you know." Their closeness made her think of their kiss on the Quidditch pitch. She thought maybe she should be fighting him a little harder, rather than falling into all of this like a foolish first year... maybe she would, but after this dance. Right now, she was enjoying herself.

notes ;; haha, nobody seems to know how its pronounced XD that's why I put that in there, exactly like Krum and Hermione at the Yule Ball!

[archer]

Archer wasn’t entirely sure why he always asked if she wanted to stop. Was it an insecurity? Was it the fact that he had never actually allowed himself to care about what he was doing until now? It seemed a little strange to him that this relationship - or faux relationship, for that matter - was the one that was making him think the hardest and consider every action that he made; consider every step that he took. Sive Parry was doing something weird to Archer, something that had never happened to him before. She was making him second guess himself.

As soon as the realization struck him, he vowed to himself that he would care less about what she thought about him. He couldn’t have himself getting emotionally mixed up in all of this anyways. It was strictly a business move, he reminded himself with a small, up-turned smile. In the end, it was Sive that would be destroyed by this oddity that was their relationship. Not him, ”Perhaps this is a test.” Archer answered and then looked down at her. He removed his hand from her waist and brushed a piece of brown hair out of her eyes. It was a tender gesture, one that had taken a lot of thought on Archer’s part. Normally, at this point during a dance, he would have been making out with his date in hopes of getting them to the corridor in the East Wing for a little relaxation. But things with Sive were different. Much different. They had to be played in a very specific manner, lest he ruin everything. Manners were key, and if he was going to win her over, he was at least going to have to try to be a civil gentleman.

”Are you? Because I can stop too, you know.”

[/i]

Her statement made Archer laugh. Very hard. Then he proceeded to roll his eyes at her, ”Honestly, Parry?” His voice was far more whimsical than it had ever been around her. But the sheer fact that she thought that she was holding the power in this pairing was humorous to him. She had no idea what the next steps of the dance were. So there was no way that she could continue even if she wanted to. That being said, she was also light as a feather, Archer assume. He could easily pick her up and move her to the music if he so desired. He raised both of his eyebrows at her, surveying her face. She looked like she was happy - or at least happier than she had been before they started dancing. Perhaps she was already starting to fall into the perilous trap that he had been fighting to ensnare her in.

”So you think that you get to just stop?” He laughed again and then pulled her close, his hands on her lower back, feeling the skin-to-skin contact and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at her. So much for playing it cool, Grayson, His subconscious chided him, ”Unfortunately, that’s not your choice, little lion. There are things that are a lot stronger and a lot more dangerous than you in this world.” He moved to the music slightly, forcing Sive to move with him to show her that he, indeed, was the one who was holding the power here and it would do her well not to forget it.[/blockquote]

[SIVE BRANNAGH PARRY]

Sive was definitely confused as Archer said that maybe it was a test. What was that supposed to mean, exactly? What was he testing her for? Archer Grayson was an enigma, that was certain. But Sive could hardly complain. She knew what she was getting herself in to, and she had let it happen anyway.

Sive didn't have some delusion that deep down Archer Grayson was a good, kind person. That he just needed someone to see that. That she could save him. She didn't believe in any of those things, and thought that girls who did were stupid. Archer was a Slytherin to the nth degree, he was a mystery to her and his motives remained unknown, and while they did he was dangerous. And, of course, she had serious concerns about where his loyalties lay. Sive was very aware that she could be dancing with a Death Eater right now (or at least, someone Death Eater aligned. She was pretty sure he didn't have the Dark Mark). But she had made the decision to stay. If Sive could fully understand her own motives, maybe she wouldn't be. But no one could truly know and understand themselves.

And then he brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, and Sive felt something that reminded her of why she stayed with him now, in the midst of a hundred other students she could be talking to. Because of the electricity between them. Because of the way he had made her feel when he kissed her. That had been completely unexpected, and she felt like since that kiss her world had, at least partially, been turned upside down. Because here she was, dancing with a possible Death Eater. Sive had fought against Death Eaters. She had killed Death Eaters. She was still trying to reconcile with that, and seeing one of them like this now, seeing the world all in shades of grey rather than black and white, was not helping the matter. If anything it was just twisting her up inside even more. And that only made her want to fall even deeper into this risky, dangerous situation.

He laughed- outright laughed- as Sive said that she could stop. She raised an eyebrow. Okay, maybe she couldn't stop this dance. His arms were wrapped around her, and he was much stronger. But she hadn't meant the dance specifically. She had meant this, whatever there was between them. She could stop it. That's what she had been trying to say, even if she didn't completely believe it. But she didn't want to think she was quite so lost as that.

”Unfortunately, that’s not your choice, little lion. There are things that are a lot stronger and a lot more dangerous than you in this world.”

"Put a wand in my hand," she said, in a low voice, "and we'll see about that." Sive knew that Archer could never completely control her, because on a level playing field, with wands in hand, she would win. And for that she was grateful, because she wasn't suicidal. His hand was on her back again, touching her bare skin, and he waggled his eyebrows at her. She couldn't help but smile slightly, but more because he looked ridiculous. "You think you could just whisk me away right now, if you wanted?" she said, raising an eyebrow herself. Part of her didn't know if it was a question or a challenge. She sincerely hoped it was the former.

note ;; this is the song in my head for this post XD

[archer]

Archer smiled incredulously at her; Sive Parry, the little lion cub. His little lion cub? Archer questioned himself. Perhaps she was, he, himself, was not even entirely sure. His body instinctively pulled her slightly closer, in an effort to show her his strength and how helpless she was at this point. Archer lowered his mouth to her ear, “You would have to be able to reach your wand little lion?” He whispered softly against her ear. The comments surprised even Archer, why had he felt the need to challenge her like that? Why did he need to show her that it was Him who was in control and not her?

Trust.

The answer dawned on Archer like a brick wall. He needed Sive Parry to trust him. He needed this Gryffindor, that he knew had killed his fellow Death Eaters, killed his companions… he needed her trust. He required for her to trust him; he needed her trust like he needed oxygen. He tried to understand this new feeling. Archer Grayson needed Sive Parry. He needed her to trust him… and maybe on some level… Archer needed to trust her. It was suddenly vital to him, that they trust one another; he knew that without trust this would never survive. “Oh boy Archer… what have you gotten yourself into now?” He chided himself. Of all the girls in Hogwarts, he picked the former order member that had fought, and killed, Death Eaters.

“She would have killed you had you been involved.” his subconscious once again felt the need to chime in. He tried to shake it off, trying to ignore the fact that, if they had crossed on the battlefield last year, her wand would have been pointed at him, and she would not have been the little lion cub he held in his arms. Sive Parry was dangerous… Is Dangerous? Archer asked himself.

The sound of her voice broke him from his internal debate; coming out of his daze he looked down at her. She was quirking a brow at him, she had asked him something, but he wasn’t quite sure what she had asked, his mind was taking a moment to catch up with his ears. “You think you could just whisk me away right now if you wanted?” Archer felt a wicked grin cross his lips as he looked down at her, “Why actually, Yes, I do think I could.” Archer reached up and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, as he leaned down and whispered softly in her ear, “And I think you would enjoy it.” He let his mouth hover over her ear, his breath brushing against the edge, letting himself linger in the moment, trying to contemplate his next move.

Archer quickly dropped his hand from her ear, reaching down and securing it under her knee as he tighten his grip on her back; and with one fluid motion, he scooped Sive Parry up into his arms. Before anyone could notice, or before she could make a scene he spotted the nearest exit and was quickly on his way out of the great hall. Archer laughed slightly, as he looked down, trying to gauge her reaction; she couldn’t have expected this, because he himself, had not expected himself to do it. “Oh boy Archer… What has gotten into you?

[/color] His subconscious once again chided at him. But this time he chose to ignore it, he was going to enjoy this moment…this night… this relationship… He was going to enjoy Sive Parry.

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[SIVE BRANNAGH PARRY]

“Why actually, Yes, I do think I could.”

Sive found it irritating but strangely alluring that Archer Grayson thought that he could control her. She wasn't used to being controlled. Sive was a strong personality, and wasn't easily influenced by others. She always held her own, and after the battle at Hogwarts she had more than shown that she could handle herself. After that battle, no one treated her like a little girl any more. She had faced witches and wizards much older and more experienced than her, and proved herself their equal. She was taken seriously.

Most students knew what Sive had done in the battle. Some of them had been there, and the others had heard rumours. Rumours could travel faster than an owl in this school. But even without all that, even if no one knew that she was a powerful witch, they would have known that Sive didn't take rubbish from anyone. But neither did Archer. In some ways, she felt like she had met her match. And that was interesting. That was... more than interesting.

Most boys would never point out (never mind repeatedly point out) that they were physically stronger than her, and could therefore make her do what they wanted. Archer had been right; she'd have to reach her wand first. Sive wasn't going to pretend that she was just as strong as he was, or try to fight him off physically. And nor was she going to make a fuss about him 'man-handling a girl', like she was some delicate little flower. She knew that, as a man, he was stronger. She also knew that that didn't make him better. Some part of her liked that he wasn't afraid to be rough with her, grabbing her and holding her where he wanted, instead of acting like she might break, or dissolve into tears if she was 'mean'.

Just another thing that attracted her to Archer Grayson. The longer that list grew, the more of a danger he was to her. Sive knew that he could talk about having physical control over her all he wanted, but in the end that meant nothing. The kind of control he was in danger of gaining over her now, that was the kind she needed to worry about.

“And I think you would enjoy it.”

His voice was close to a whisper, and he allowed his lips (deliberately, Sive was sure) to brush against her ear. She felt a pleasant shiver go down her spine, and she wasn't sure if it was his words or the brush of his lips that caused it.

And then, before Sive had a moment to contemplate her own reaction, Archer had moved suddenly, and scooped her up into his arms. She instinctively put her arms around his neck to stop from falling. She was shocked, and she knew it would show on her face. 'This', she thought 'will cause a scene,' but almost before anyone around them could notice what had happened, Archer had strode out of the nearest exit, leaving the Great Hall, and the many students, behind them.

Still, Sive was sure that at least one person had to have seen, and that this would provide some very interesting gossip for the student body. She was annoyed, and slightly embarrassed, that anyone had seen her being picked up and carried away, like a helpless doll.

"I didn't mean literally!" She said, in an annoyed tone, "why do you take everything literally... put me down!" She had no idea where Archer intended to take her, but being carried around like this, with no control over where she went, made her jumpy.

"Where are you planning on taking me, anyway?" she said, turning to look at him and finding her face only inches from his. "Back to your cave?" Their lips were only inches apart, and she thought again of that kiss on the Quidditch pitch. She couldn't help it; it seemed like over the past few days her mind had gone to that kiss whenever she'd had a quiet moment, with nothing else to occupy her thoughts. It was always waiting in the back of her mind, ready to ambush her when she least expected it. And now being with him, so close to him, it was inevitable that she think about that kiss.

[archer]

Archer laughed as he carried her out into the courtyard, and continued to walk with her, the cool air felt refreshing against his skin. He hadn’t realized how warm the great hall had gotten until just now. He kept Sive in his arms despite her protests as attempts to get free. If she really wanted down she wouldn’t have her arms around your neck, he reasoned with himself, and he continued to stride further away from the castle.

He laughed as she accused him of taking her back to his cave, “First of all, I believe it is Lions who live in caves, not snakes.” He smiled down at her, getting use to the feeling of her in his arms, the warmth of her body against his. Even though he was still a little warm from the ball, the feeling of her warmth against him was…calming. He had a hard time thinking of her as a ruthless and dangerous warrior, especially as she lay in his arms so delicately. She looked almost…fragile. Archer knew she was far from fragile, but he couldn’t help but admire her beauty as she laid in his arms, pretending to fight. Archer knew that if she really wanted down, she would have been able to free herself.

Archer walked down the small hill that lead up to the edge of the black lake, and delicately let Sive down, keeping his arm around her waist so that when she was stood her body was pressed lightly against his own. Archer looked out to the lake, it’s darkness becoming the perfect canvass to reflect the moon’s light, casting a soft glow upon the scene. Archer wasn’t one for romance, he’d never been the whole “hearts and flowers” type of guy, but he figured that this would be his best shot at attempting romance. Often times he came here to think, late at night when most people were too afraid to roam around by themselves, it gave him a chance to be alone and think about the past and present… and the future. Archer would venture to say this was his safe-haven. This was where he could relax and just be himself. Now, here he was, bringing Sive Parry, a Gryffindor, to his safe haven. What was he thinking? Was he even thinking?

“If you would prefer, I can take you back to the ball. I just thought you might want some fresh air…” Archer looked over at Sive, he was uncertain of her, she was so complex. He couldn’t figure out where he stood with her, was she happy alone with him or would she prefer to keep him at wand’s length? Archer adjusted his arm slightly, trying to give her a little more freedom just in case she wanted a little more separation between the two of them. Archer looked down at her, his eyes studying her features, learning every curve and dip in her face, his eyes lingered on her lips, his own lips aching to feel them once again as his mind brings him back to the pitch when he felt the softness of her lips against his own, he felt his body ache to return back the that moment. ”Does she even think about it?” he wondered silently to himself, Archer couldn’t stop thinking about it, but since they hadn’t talked about it, he wondered how she felt about it. Does she regret it? Could she even fall for a Slytherin like me? Fall? The word hung in Archer’s brain. Was he falling for Sive Parry?” Could Archer even fall for anyone? He felt the night getting more and more confusing by the second.

A streak of light broke his concentration as his head snapped towards the sky as a shooting star streaked across the sky. Archer’s lips curled into a half smile, “ Make a wish…” he whispered softly.

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[SIVE BRANNAGH PARRY]

Archer laughed at Sive's comment, and that sound was so unusual that it caught her off guard. He never laughed, or at least rarely. But, now that Sive thought about it, he had laughed and smiled more tonight then she'd ever seen him do before. Granted, most of her experience of seeing Archer Grayson was during a Quidditch match, or in the corridors (or that time on the Quidditch pitch...) but still, she got the distinct impression that he didn't laugh much. Sive found herself liking when she made him laugh, and his smile was infectious. He carried her outside, and some part of her brain, the part that was being pushed further and further down, told her she should worry. He had her out here alone. All the other students and the staff were at the ball. Anything could happen, and she couldn't be sure someone had seen him leaving with her. She knew she had reason to worry, but she couldn't find it in herself to do so. Worried was the last thing she felt.

As strong as he was, Sive knew that if she wanted to get down, she could have done. Letting him carry her out to the lake felt like an admission of sorts, to herself and to him. She wanted to be there. She knew that, even if she didn't know what that meant. Was she really so torn up and twisted inside about the war, and that battle, that she was planning to self destruct and use Archer Grayson as the weapon? Was he even a danger to her at all, or was it just her preconceived notions about Slytherins and the rumours she had heard about him and his family that made her think that?

When they reached the lake, Archer put her down. There was a slight chill in the air, and a gentle breeze which Sive felt all the more thanks to her exposed back. But Archer was warm, and even after he put her down he kept an arm around her, keeping her close. But not too close, she noticed. He wasn't holding her tightly, preventing her from getting away. He was being gentle, and she knew that if she wanted do she could back away from him. She didn't think he would stop her.

That, more than anything else that night, made her feel safe. And with that feeling came another thrill, and another warning of danger from the sensible part of her mind; because feeling safe with Archer Grayson was like feeling safe around a rattle-snake. And yet, at the same time, that feeling of safety lowered her guard, and a whole wealth of feeling flooded over her. Sive didn't step away. She stayed close to him.

With it just being the two of them, away from the rest of the school, the divide between them felt less. They were no longer Sive Parry the Gryffindor, and Archer Grayson the Slytherin. Sive barely noticed the moonlight, or the scenery around them. She was too focused on him. It felt like the two of them were in their own world... it felt like it did on the Quidditch pitch, the two of them locked in their own, private war. Now it felt like the two of them had surrendered... or surrendered the battle, at least.

“If you would prefer, I can take you back to the ball. I just thought you might want some fresh air…”

"No you didn't." Sive said, in reply. They both knew why he had brought her out here; to be alone. Or maybe there was something else, a reason why he had brought her here specifically. She wanted to ask. She wanted to ask a lot of questions about him, learn more about him, get to know him. But a part of her was afraid of what she might find out. What if there came a point where she learned something about him she couldn't overlook. Something she couldn't justify, or reason with.

"If I wanted to go back, I could take myself..." She knew that in saying that she was admitting to wanting to be with him, but she thought they were past that now. They were both here, and it was obvious that was where they wanted to be. Her mind flashed back to the beginning of the ball, when he had offered her a drink and she had decided to take it, rather than be stubborn and refuse. At the time she had thought "I think we're past that now...". She had told herself that this was a slippery slope, but she hadn't reckoned on just how slippery. She hadn't expected to find herself here so fast.

She looked up at Archer (even in her heels, he towered over her) and found her looking back at him. His eyes traced her face, and she watched as they lingered on her lips. She wondered if he was thinking about that kiss. Then he looked away suddenly, and Sive's eyes followed his gaze in time to see a star streak across the sky. A shooting star... or a falling star. Falling seemed more appropriate. Sive felt as though she was falling in the same way, with unsettling speed into whatever this was between herself and Archer Grayson.

“ Make a wish…”

Sive smiled at his words. She hadn't pegged him for the romantic type, not one bit. What would she wish for, if she believed in wishes? Understanding? Answers to all her burning questions, questions about herself, questions about what she had done? Because those questions were growing more and more complicated by the day. Sive had killed people. She knew that had personal consequences. But the people she had killed had been Death Eaters, Death Eaters who had been attacking the castle, her home, her friends. They were even attacking children. At the time, there had been no doubt in Sive's mind that she had done the right thing. But the more time passed, the less certain she became. And now here she was, with Archer Grayson, rumoured Death Eater supporter. Again she thought, how could she claim that killing a Death Eater was the right thing to do, and then stand here in Archer's arms?

But Sive didn't wish for answers, or understanding. Because she didn't believe in wishes, and because she might not like the answers she got. She didn't want more reasons to stay away from Archer.

"What do you have to wish for?" she asked, speaking just as softly as he had. Her curiosity, her desire to know more about him, was stronger than her fear of what she might hear. Maybe that was because she knew that there were almost no answers that would be enough to make her leave now.

[archer]

“No you didn’t”

[/color]

Archer should have known that Sive would call him out on his lie, it was obvious that he had just wanted to get away from the crowd, he had wanted to get away from the standards and expectations. Archer had wanted an opportunity to just be them, without a thousand pairs of eyes watching and judging their every movement. He stood there watching while she stayed where she was, not trying to escape from his grasp… there was no excuse, they weren’t dancing, they were simply standing.

Sive Parry was allowing him to hold her.

Archer felt the joy bubbling up inside of him, the feeling itself confused him. Archer Grayson didn’t feel joy, he didn’t feel happy or romantic… but Sive Parry brought out those feelings in him. Sive Parry made Archer lighten up and be…well, happy. He wasn’t exactly sure that it was a good thing, but her presence was like a drug at this point. The more he was with her the more he needed her, and he felt her invaded his mind every time he was apart from her.

“If I wanted to go back, I could take myself…”[/i]

The words at first were cold and harsh and Archer felt as if she was implying that she didn’t want him to escort her but then… “Oh.”[/color] it dawned on Archer. She was saying she didn’t want to go back; she wanted to stay here, at the lake…with him. Archer smiled down at Sive as he felt a breeze of cold air brush across her skin. He pursed his lips, he hadn’t realized how little she was wearing compared to him. He pulled his hand from her waist and shrugged his jacket off, and then held it open for her, offering to put it on her. “Here… the wind is cold, it will help keep you warm.” Archer said softly, he didn’t want her to get sick, and he realized that he was trying to help take care of her. He was caring for her.

Stop this Archer. Stop this now. While you still can. His sub-conscious chided himself. She would kill you if she knew what you were. “Shut up.”[/i] he growled back mentally at his sub-conscious. “Oh great! Now we’re talking to ourselves are we? She’s SOOO great for our well-being. You sure know how to pick ‘em.” his sub-conscious once again snapped at him.

Archer was reeling mentally, trying to figure out what was the right thing to do, his brain was telling him to run; run hard and fast, preferably in a serpentine fashion. Sive could out-duel him, there was no question of that. But did Archer really believe she was capable of killing him? Could she cast the spell on him and mean it? Archer gazed longingly into her eyes, he had so many questions but he wasn’t sure he wanted the answers to them.

“What do you have to wish for?”

Archer looked down at her, once again cradling her with his arm; he smiled and playfully shook his head before his eyes found hers. He got lost in them for what felt like an eternity but was probably only a minute or so before his brain finally kicked back in. “She asked you a question idiot!” Archer smiled softly, his train of thought finally coming back to him. “Silly little lion, I can’t tell you. Then my wish wouldn’t come true…” he whispered to her softly , “And I don’t want to lose you.” his mind finished for him.
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[SIVE BRANNAGH PARRY]

Sive felt another cold breeze, and was glad again that Archer was holding her. 'Yeah', said that irritating, clear minded part of her brain, 'that's why you're glad'. She wondered how late it was, since it was getting colder, and realised that she had no idea. She had a rough idea of what time she had arrived at the ball, but once Archer had arrived she hadn't looked at a clock. She didn't know how long they had been dancing for, how long they had spoken for. She wasn't sure how long they had been standing here by the lake. Time seemed to simultaneously stop and race by when she was with him.

She wasn't particularly cold, and she wouldn't have complained if she was, but Archer took off his jacket, offering it to her. The gesture was so caring that she couldn't help but smile slightly. "Thank you," she said, letting him drape it over her shoulders. The jacket swamped her, and she was glad she hadn't put her hands in them, because she would probably have lost the use of them unless she rolled up the sleeves. And the jacket was clearly expensive, and impeccably tailored. She didn't want to crease it.

Sive wondered what kind of life Archer and his family lead. They were pure blooded, she knew that, and a lot of the old, pure blood families were very rich. He had a tailored suit, he knew how to ballroom dance... she was sure his family life would be very different from hers. Sive's family were comfortable, but far from wealthy. They were just your average, muggle, four person family, with one distinctly un-average witch thrown in. Sive was the black sheep in her family. She wondered if Archer fit in with his. She wondered what his parents did... but she stopped wondering almost instantly. She didn't want to wonder, because that would probably lead to answers she didn't want to hear.

Archer's jacket smelled just like he did, and with him standing so close and his jacket wrapped around her, his scent enveloped her. It was intoxicating, and it made her want to get closer to him... too close. Closer than she should ever have wanted to.

Sive knew she was letting herself fall deeper and deeper into this. She told herself she was just testing the waters... one drink, one dance, one walk, one kiss... She kept telling herself that she hadn't yet made the decision to go all in or not, but she was deluding herself. She didn't know if the decision was hers to make, any more.

She remembered that day on the Quidditch pitch. She had seen hate in his eyes, hate and anger and fire. It had scared and intrigued her. That had been part of what drew her to him. That hate. He had hated her, she knew it. And part of her had felt like she deserved that hate.

But there was no hate in his eyes now. There was something else there entirely. Something equally intriguing, and possibly even more dangerous.

“Silly little lion, I can’t tell you. Then my wish wouldn’t come true…”

Sive smiled; he was still a mystery, then. She supposed that if he had asked her, she wouldn't have told him what she would wish for, either. Maybe his reasons were similar. Maybe he didn't want to examine this too carefully, in case it all fell apart.

The thought of this fading away made Sive feel like she was trying to hold onto sand with her bare hands, grains trickling away through her fingers. She didn't want this to slip away. She didn't want to waste time questioning and being cautious, and wake up one day to find it gone. She reached up a hand and wrapped it around his neck, pulling his face closer to hers and standing up on her tip-toes, finally closing the space between them, her lips finally meeting his.

[archer]

Archer’s hands smoothed out the jacket, making sure it was secure on her shoulders, and as casual as possible slid his arm back around her waist, pulling her slightly closer this time than the previous. The wind blew through her hair, allowing him to smell her, he closed his eyes softly as he inhaled her scent. She was intoxicating. He felt his self-control slipping further and further away from himself the more contact he had with her. His subconscious was on the verge of having a stroke as it screamed at him, telling him to run away, and run away now.

He felt her hand wrap around his neck and pull his face down towards hers. He heart lurched and stopped with anticipation as she pressed her lips against his. Archer didn’t hesitate as he pressed his lips firmly back against hers, his arms wrapping instinctively around her waist, pulling her tightly against his body, holding on to her as if she were about to run away from him. All his concern and worry evaporating into this kiss, all of his doubts vanishing. This was what he needed, this was his confirmation.

Sive Parry wanted Archer Grayson too.

Archer’s sub conscious threw up its hands and walked away muttering profanities at him as he let himself fall deeper and deeper into the kiss with Sive. The world around him slowly fading out, the only thing he could compare it to was the tunnel vision he got on the quidditch pitch when a chaser was trying to make a move on him. His focus was intense, and deliberate, every molecule of his being was focused on Sive’s lips, on her touch, her scent. In this moment, everything in Archer’s world revolved around Sive Parry. He delicately pulled a hand up and brushed his fingertips across her face and then ran his fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head softly, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss even further. Letting his need and desire for her show through his lips, his body communicating everything his mouth was too afraid to tell her.

As he slowly pulled away, he let out a slow breath, not letting his lips get very far from hers as they still hovered over hers. “Wow. That was one powerful star.” He whispered softly into the night, his body still recovering from the kiss between the two of them.

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[SIVE BRANNAGH PARRY]

Sive hadn't been able to help but feel slightly scared as she had kissed Archer. She had been pretty confident that he would kiss her back... but what if he hadn't? What if he had pushed her away?

But he didn't. He didn't even seem to hesitate before kissing her back, and she felt her stomach do a back flip; he had wanted this too, possibly just as much as she did. Maybe he too had been thinking about that kiss on the Quidditch pitch, and longing to revisit the experience.

She felt him wrap his arms around her more firmly, and pull her tightly to him. The way he kissed her made her melt, and her heart was beating faster in her chest. She felt more alive than she had ever thought possible. The feeling of euphoria was unparalleled. She had never felt anything like this before. Nothing else mattered, except Archer, and the way he tasted, the way he smelt, the way he moved his lips against hers. The world could have ended around them, and she probably wouldn't have noticed.

That little voice in the back of her head, which had been growing fainter and fainter, telling that this was a bad idea, was gone. Sive was glad; there was nothing it could have said that would have made her listen. Because this, she thought, was what life was about. Life and death and everything in between, what was it all worth if not for moments like this? What had she been fighting for, what had it all meant, if she walked away from this now? She could be safe, but never feel this way again.

He moved his hand up to her face, running it through her hair, and everywhere he touched felt like it was on fire. He deepened the kiss further, and coherent thought abandoned her. She could feel his desire in the way he kissed her, and it mirrored her own, fuelling it until it was something outside of her control.

Slowly he pulled away, leaving her breathless, and reluctantly she let him. He didn't go far; they stayed entwined in each others arms, their faces still close. He let out a slow breath, and she felt it brush her lips like the ghost of a kiss.

“Wow. That was one powerful star.”

Sive laughed slightly, her hand playing gently with the hair at the nape of Archer's neck. Powerful indeed, if that was what he had wished for.

She looked back into his eyes, and knew that she had made her choice. She wasn't going to walk away from this now. What they had was too powerful; it felt like something completely outside of her control had decided this for her. Had planned this and put them together to watch the fireworks. She knew she had made her choice, because she wanted to stay here with him for as long as possible. She wanted to see him the next day. And because she knew that she wanted him to be hers; she knew she would kill any other girl who kissed him like she just had.

Sive had so many questions, so much she wanted to say, but she didn't seem to be able to form a sentence. She didn't know how to put her thoughts into words, or which questions to ask. Finally, she said, "So, what happens now?" Where did the two of them go from here?

[archer]

Archer felt her hand at the nape of his neck, it was such a light touch, barely noticeable but still he could feel it radiate throughout his entire body. His eyes stayed locked with hers, and he could tell she was thinking about something; he longed to find out what it was that she was thinking. Was she regretting their kiss? After all, it had been her that had kissed him, so that wasn’t it was it? Was she thinking about the kiss? Oh shit. Was she thinking about his breath? Archer suddenly regretted the chili-fries that Eli had talked him into trying.

“So, what happens now?”

That’s what she was thinking. She was wondering about the two of them. But, what did happen after this? Did they go hand-in-hand marching through the school declaring their love for one another? And if they did, what would his family say if they found out? Archer figured that he didn’t need to worry about that one quite yet. After all, his sister was in London working for the ministry and his Mother was on the run from the Order Members.

Order Members like Sive Parry…

Would she chase his Mother? Could she accept his Mother? Could she accept him? Would she accept him?

So many questions raced through his head, spinning around and around, fighting to get out. Archer closed his eyes, trying to regain some sense of balance. He had to ask her, he had to let her know and find out what she thought.

“That depends Sive…Can you accept me?” his voice was barely a whisper as he slowly opened his eyes, looking deeply into hers. His eyes filled with the pain and torment of a scared child; “You know about my family… My mother… she’s on the run as a Death Eater; running from the Order. Can you accept someone that comes from a family of Death Eaters? Will you accept me?” As the words escaped Archer’s lips he felt himself tremble, and he realized… He needed her acceptance. He needed her to be willing to try to make this work. His decision was final, and he found himself hoping that the shooting star had just enough magic in it for one last wish.

[/font]

[SIVE BRANNAGH PARRY]

Sive felt Archer tense in her arms as she asked the question, and she waited in trepidation for his answer. She hadn't meant for it to be such a serious question, but she supposed that had been stupid of her. Of course it was a serious question.

He looked into her eyes and she saw how scared he was. His fear seemed to catch on inside of her, until she was afraid of what he was going to say next. But when he spoke it was about his mother, and his family. Not about himself.
"I'd heard the rumours," she said. The Underground in particular had been peddling those rumours non-stop. "I didn't know for sure."

"Will you accept me?"

Sive removed her hands from his neck, reaching around and getting hold of Archer's left arm. She pulled it from around her waist, and pushed up the sleeve. No Dark Mark. And no scar where the Dark Mark would have been, before Voldemort was defeated. Relief flooded through her, and she dropped his arm, looking back up to his face.
"I don't care what your family's done," she said, placing her hand back on his shoulder, still standing close. "I care what you do."

Sive had so many questions. What about his dad? Was he on the run, too? Archer said that he came from a 'family of Death Eaters', so surely his dad had been one too. Had Archer's parents been in the battle? They must have been; Voldemort wouldn't let a Death Eater sit that one out. Where had Archer been? And now that she knew for certain that Archer had a Death Eater background, it shone new light on what had happened at the Quidditch Pitch.

"What about my family," she said, "my family are muggles. You know that, right? You know I fought for the Order, last May." He knew that she had killed Death Eaters. She refused to ask for acceptance, as he had. Her family weren't something to be ashamed of. The side she had chosen wasn't something to be ashamed of.

They were such a cliché, she thought to herself. She, an Order affiliated Gryffindor, he a Slytherin with a Death Eater heritage. Just like the stories. A regular Romeo and Juliet.
'Romeo and Juliet died,' her subconscious reminded her. Was that the road she and Archer were walking down? For a moment she had a flash of a future, a future where the clash of Order and old Death Eater took them both down with it. A future where this moment now was just a memory... not even a memory, with no one left to remember it. Just a moment in time... a moment where people would say it had all started.

She sincerely hoped she was just being over dramatic. It wouldn't come to that. Archer wasn't a Death Eater.

"On the Quidditch Pitch..." she said, quietly, "you hated me. I saw it; you hated me." she didn't need to say it; he would know what she was getting at. 'You hated me, because I was muggleborn. You hated me, because I was loyal to the Order. You hated me, because I had fought and killed Death Eaters.'
And why would that hate have been so strong, if he hadn't been involved with Death Eaters himself... if he hadn't supported them? Was it just family loyalty?
"Why did you kiss me?" she asked, staring straight into his eyes as though trying to pluck the answer from his brain.