Chance Meeting (Ariadne)

[blake]

It was beyond Blake how he had ended up in the dank corridors of the dungeons, but he was here. He pondered in silence as he wandered the dark passageways, most everyone outside on the beautiful day. He was in no mood to go skirt chasing, and that always meant trouble. He ran a hand anxiously through his hair, as he struggled to understand the reason for entering these drafty halls. He hated it down here. And yet...

He blinked, a flash of blonde hair momentarily appearing in his thoughts. He blinked again, as if incapable of believing it. He had allowed a second thought of a girl to slip through. That Malfoy girl, he reminisced with a smalls mile as he rubbed his nose. Of course, most would have run with their tail between their legs after the last incident, but Blake never knew when to quit. And he wasn't going to quit when a girl had an arm like that.

He had of course, bought chocolates, as most American saps did. She had burnt his last offering of wild flowers, but he wouldn't allow himself to give in. What poor fools had given that girl a stony heart was beyond him. Of course, Blake would never outwardly admit it, but he had a soft spot for romance. It was often covered up by the rush of hormones and adrenaline he got when skirt chasing, but in times like this, left alone to his thoughts, he realized he was a softie. He didn't know weather to be proud or disgusted.

He glanced around the dungeons, figuring one of the Slytherins strutting through the corridors could offer him a heading as to where the gorgeous girl was. He glanced up as footsteps resounded in the icy corridors, someone rounding the corner...

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne was coming back to the common room from dinner, smiling to herself. It made her incredibly happy, being able to see Stefan. She just hoped he'd still love her when she told him about her becoming a Death Eater in the coming months. Surely, it'd be a shock to him. Stefan wasn't exactly a good boy, and neither was she, but that's what had made them such famous friends in the first place, and now a pair of dedicated lovers. Ariadne wondered how different her life would have been, had Stefan not forgiven her.

However, her pleasant mood came crashing down around her as she practically plowed over none other than the sleaze Blake Walker. With a box of chocolates in his hands, the blonde boy was grinning ear-to-ear, like he'd just won some sort of prize. Ariadne would have made a snide comment, if her literal run-in hadn't knocked her off her feet. She fell to the ground, landing on her back. Her robes, already hanging loosely around her frame, fell open even more, revealing her black tank top aand white, flowy short skirt. She'd lost a shoe in the process, the black heel at Blake's feet.

[blake]

Blake was shocked to stumble across the venomous beauty herself, before he quickly reached out a hand to help her, scooping up her shoe. "My apologies," he said, serious for the first time in a long time. His gaze traveled over her briefly, but despite her body of a goddess, it was always her eyes he couldn't help but think about. They were full to the brim with life and emotion, which Blake found fascinating. Holding her shoe and his hand, he realized that the chocolates had fallen unceremoniously to the cold floor, as he mentally kicked himself for the stupid mistake.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne was slightly taken aback by his tone and compassionate, genuinely concerned look on his face. Ignoring his hand, she picked up the box of chocolates from the ground and stood, pulling her robes closed and hiding her outfit. She'd seen him look over her body, even if just for a moment, and wasn't about to give him the pleasure of oogling her once more. Still, Blake did look rather concerned that she'd fallen over, so she held out the chocolates to him, rather than shoving them back and ripping her heel out of his hand.

"Sure," Ariadne replied, only half accepting the apology. She was still confused as to why his demeanor had changed from the flirtatious womanizer she'd met a while ago to this kind and caring voy she was speaking to at that moment in time. "What are you doing down here?" she asked, tone mirroring her confusion. It wasn't an easy emotion to mask, but it was even more apparent because she was letting her confusion show outwardly, not even attempting to hide it. This new Blake was puzzling her to no end. Still, Ariadne refused to believe that he'd changed at all in the short time since their previous run-in.

[blake]

Blake offered her her shoe, not taking the chocolates. Of course, he realized she wouldn't believe that the gesture was sincere, and he didn't blame her. He felt oddly insecure, offering his romantic side to someone, especially one so cold. He silently wondered if he should simply continue as he did with every girl, but he knew she was different.

"Those are for you," he nodded to the chocolates, running the ignored hand through his hair. Had it really been this long since he genuinely spoke to a girl? He had no idea what to say, for once in his long charming life. He hoped that wasn't a sign of weakness, as he shifted his weight. "I was actually here to give you those," they had been muggle chocolates, which he thought would have been considered exotic to many witches and wizards. "If you'll take them, that is," he thought back to the flowers. Of course, he had achieved his goal. He stuck out in her mind. That was enough hope for him. He offered one of his smiles, although he didn't let it fade as he most often did, it staid there, hoping she'd take the chocolates, or at least try one before burning them.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne took her shoe back and slipped the heel back onto her foot, not hearing Blake for a moment. It wasn't until he told her that he'd been down there for her that she even realized the box of chocolates in her hand were, indeed, for her. She studied his face for a moment, incredibly confused, yet slightly flattered by the gesture. Truthfully, she thought about setting fire to the chocolates, as she had done with the elegantly wild bouquet, but she decided against it. "I..." she started, mouth hanging open for a moment as she pondered what to say next.

"Thank you," Ariadne finally said, sighing in defeat. The gesture was kind, and wasn't full of arrogance like his last gift had been, and it would be rude to deny them. After all, Ariadne, while cold and unfeeling towards womanizers, could respect a change in heart. He seemed genuine in this, and even slightly awkward and embarassed as he smiled at her. Ignoring the fact that the giving of chocolates and flowers was awfully cliche, she opened the box and picked one out, popping it into her mouth and smiling softly. It was absolutely delicious, and she suddenly felt bad about wanting to burn the box.

[blake]

A genuine smile broke across Blake's face as she ate the chocolate, her wand remaining unused. He couldn't think of the last time he felt as if he was the one waiting to be accepted. He stumbled across the thought, perhaps maybe now that the tables were turned, girls had felt this way about him. Of course not. That thought was silly.

"You're welcome," his grin almost hurt his cheeks. Perhaps he had hope. Perhaps not. But it seemed like it may have been well worth the risk. In that moment the sudden realization hit him, that he had let himself fall. Something he had sworn never to do. But when one falls, you can't stop until you land. He swallowed, watching her.

"I never caught your name," he realized. That girl, had always been her name in his thoughts. That wasn't enough for him.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne looked up, watching him aprehensively. The look that was crossing his face... she'd recognize it anywhere. Puppy-love. Shit, she thought, munching on the chocolate. There was no way she could let this boy fall for her, in any sense of the phrase. She had Stefan, he was her perfect thing, maybe her forever thing. She loved him, was in love with him, and wasn't about to jepordize the absolutely best thing that she had. Still, perhaps the pair could be friends, as long as Blake didn't pull any of his womanizer tactics around her...

"Ariadne," she said after a while, smiling a rather small, and hopefully a smile that did nothing but radiate friendship, kinship. Ariadne's mind was busily working, trying to find a way to come up with a way to divert the boy's attention away from her and to some other girl. Perhaps she could play matchmaker. At the idea, her smile grew just a little bit and her eyes glowed with a touch of mischief, enjoying the prospect of turning the womanizer into a true, wonderful gentleman.

[blake]

The sudden warmth startled Blake. He wondered briefly if had just placed himself dangerously into the labyrinth of the friend zone. That would have been a first. His mates had told him of it, but he had never known it. He smiled back, running a hand once more through his hair, this time in relief that the box remained, for the time being, unburnt.

"That's a beautiful name," the line slipped out, before he realized it sounded terribly rehearsed. He swallowed, aware that the warmth may turn into a roaring flame in seconds. Was he actually...afraid? Afraid of what? He couldn't believe anything. It seemed surreal to him. Part of him ensured him these feelings were a part of a particularly nasty nightmare, while the other part...never wanted to wake up.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne's smile faltered a moment, turning into a small smirk. Biting back a cruel remark, her smile returned. "Thank you," she replied simply, holding back every snide remark she could possibly think of. And there were plenty, her mind was seemingly hardwired to come up with only the most rude and awful remarks possible, especially when it came to people like Blake. Still, he wasn't the worst person she'd come across... He had a charisma that was rather enjoyable. If he ever decided to use that charismatic personality to being romantic and kind to women, he'd be loved.

Ariadne ate another one of the chocolates, not being able to help herself. Like most girls, chocolate was akin to a form of weakness. However, she'd never admit that. There were plenty of things she would never admit to anyone, except maybe Stefan. Chocolate was like a drug to her, and she was probably forever turned off alcohol because of what had happened a few months prior with her secret stash of alcohol underneath the Shrieking Shack and Stefan, getting drunk out of her mind and sleeping with Stefan... A memory that should have been wonderful, forever tainted by alcohol.

[blake]

Blake knew he had just put one foot in his mouth, and he another slip up might have been the end. It was a game of Russian Roulette. Not knowing. It was a strange, foreign thrill for him. He smiled again, watching her taking another chocolate, still relieved she obviously enjoyed them. Her tone said differently as she answered. It was almost as if Blake had nothing to say. Of course, he was content just watching her, but girls didn't quite enjoy being oggled the way boys enjoyed it.

"I was wondering," the words scared him. Never had this come in the form of a question for him. "If we could go to Hogsmeade sometime..." There it was. The trigger pulled. Russian Roulette.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne savored the chocolates. They were delicious, and she needed to put them down before Blake got the wrong idea. It was a dangerous game the pair were playing. Ariadne was taken, and she was faithful. There was no way she was going to cheat on him, in any sense of the world. However, the boy brought on the next round of questions, and she nearly choked on her chocolate. Clearing her throat, she looked at him rather apologetically, not sure how she'd be able to turn him down. "I... Blake, I'm taken," she replied quiet. "But... maybe we should start as friends," she added, not believing the words coming out of her mouth. Friends?

[blake]

Of course, Blake had assumed she would be taken. He had mentally imagined every reaction he could have received, from violent to stuck up. Least of all, he expected the apologetic one. He stared at her, unsure how to react. She had a kind side. At it was even more amazing. He cleared his throat, aware any further actions could lead him to further humiliation. That had perhaps been the first time he'd received a no. His usual charming lines, so cleverly rehearsed, were second nature to him, and it took all his strength not to let one fly.

"I'd like that," he said, running his hand through his hair again. So this was the labyrinth of the friend zone.

"He's a very lucky guy," he stated, not out of jealousy, but out of respect. He had to respect whomever this was, to tame such a girl. He smiled, although inside, he swore he'd be the first male to navigate free of the friend zone.

[malfoygirl]

Ariadne smiled. Now, all she had to do was set him up with someone and divert him away from her. She was slightly disappointed the pair had to be stuck in the friend-zone, but she had Stefan and loved him with all her heart. If she'd never met Stefan, perhaps she would have given Blake a shot, but it wasn't going to ever happen. Still, she could see the pair being good friends, so long as Blake never tried to pull anything. "It's more of the other way around, I'm the lucky one," she said, smiling at the thought of her beloved Stefan.

[blake]

Whoa. That had landed a blow. Blake hid his wince with another grin. Of course, the blow hadn't been intentional, and that only caused more pain. Blake didn't like this guy. He swallowed, running his hand awkwardly through his hair as he tried to avoid looking at the dreamy state on her face.

"Well, see you around..." the farewell was an awkward one. He didn't want to show that he cared, but he was too far in. He had shown himself, and he had watched it get blown apart. He began walking backward, smiling crookedly, not sure if he could manage a full smile. The dungeons were suddenly very icy indeed.