And if you read between the lines, you'll find your first impression was mistook

Oralie Slughorn

Karel didn’t often do things for other people, only in special circumstances. Of course, he’d do anything for his mother but at school and with someone that wasn’t his immediate family, he very rarely cared. He’d started to care for Miranda, but that had ended in disaster, relationships definitely weren’t his forte and he was okay with that. When it came to Oralie though, things were different. He valued her friendship and they didn’t argue often but he also knew his fellow Slytherin would put him in his place if the need arose without causing a giant fight. Of course, they still bickered, but it wasn’t constant screaming matches or deliberately pissing each other off as it had been for Miranda. He’d relished in seeing her get so angry with him, the more she reacted, the more he had wanted to do it, it provided him with endless hours of entertainment. When they’d started dating though, he’d tried to fix that, to not have every conversation end in an argument and for the most part, he’d done well but Miranda just wasn’t interested and she’d gone one fight too far and he’d called it off there and then.

He'd just finished patrolling from the bottom of the school to the top with his fellow Slytherin and for the most part, it had been uneventful and all they’d done is discuss tactics and game plans for the team. He could tell it was stressing her out, the way she seemed to need frequent reassurance that she was doing the right thing, he didn’t mind providing it though. It was her team, but he was a team player and he wanted to win the cup just as much as everyone else and he wanted to help achieve that in any way possible and if that meant spending hours brainstorming with Oralie, he’d do it. Karel didn’t like losing, he never had and he was determined not to let it happen, not when it was possible to prevent. They were stood near the Ravenclaw common room, making sure a few seventh students weren’t lagging behind, a lot of them like to try their luck when it came to the fact that the two of them were younger, but Karel was stubborn and he knew how to get what he wanted, and that was simple; just give them hell until they thought it was a waste of time arguing with ‘stupid kids’. Of course, the threat of losing house points sometimes helped, but where was the fun in always threatening with that?

Karel glanced at his watch and saw that it was slowly creeping to midnight, things seemed quiet and he wasn’t overly tired yet and he wanted to give his friend a chance to relax. To try and get her mind off the Slytherin team. ”You know what, let’s have some fun. Let’s go.” Karel said, not paying attention to whether or not she was talking to him still and he gestured for Oralie to follow her towards where he knew the Twilight Turret was, honestly he was kind of hoping that the night would have been a little more excitable, but he wasn’t overly pained that it had been quiet, it had been the perfect opportunity to talk without worries of being overheard. ”And no, we’re not going to talk about Quidditch any more.” He said, predicting that Oralie might try and discuss it more, she needed to relax and if she didn’t give her brain a rest, she’d no doubt fry it. ”Let’s just… take it easy.” He said, leaning against the wall and adjusting his shirt cuffs. He glanced at his watch again and right on cue, the clock struck midnight and the wall behind them began to rumble. Karel pushed off the wall and moved to stand by Oralie’s side as a door appeared in front of them, ”Ladies first, Lie.” He said. What better place to relax and unwind than a place where time, quite literally stood still for an hour?

A Cover Is Not the Book

So open it up and take a look

You'll find your first impression was mistook

Oralie worried she had been taking advantage of Karel in venting her sharing her concerns about the Quidditch team...but it wasn't just her that was impacted. It was him, too. She had been selected as Captain, but they'd moved from reserve to starter at the same time. He had just as much right to lead the team as she did. Even if she was a year ahead of him in studies, they were equal in experience on the pitch.

But it was something to talk with him about...and really that was the point of it. She had a most unfortunate crush--one that had made her the tiniest bit pleased to hear that he had split up from his girlfriend. It was terrible to celebrate another's pain. She knew this, but be that as it was, she did. Not that she had any intention of actually saying anything to him about it. That was out of the question. They had not ever made a habit of discussing what when on with him and their fellow Slytherin. Oralie was happy to keep it that way.

Patrol had been incredibly uneventful. That said, she did not really want to deal with Gryffindor pranksters or sassy seventh years insisting on giving attitude. Flexing power to get other students in line was something she was willing to do, but the hassle of it rarely felt worth it. She had to balance the harsh thoughts in mind with the sweet words on her tongue. She really did believe she was better than most people--not because she was pure or rich, but she was both of those things, but because she was concerned with more than just silly gossip and backstabbing. Her vision was bigger than this place. Her time here was just a stepping stone on her path forward in life. The next step here for her was being Head Girl. So, it was important for her to keep the reputation of a leader and of being responsible if she was going to be selected for that next year. Lead by example and all that...Which when her patience was quite strained, she had to focus on her plan and her reputation to resist the urge to just hex someone. Not with a terrible violent curse, of course. Honestly, more often that not, she was most keen on just casting a silencing charm. People did prattle on so and it was just so annoying.

She had gotten annoyed with Karel from time to time, but she had not actually ever wanted to silence him. That was because even when he was wrong, he wasn't stupid. Too many people were stupid--led by emotion or blind trust in some kind of faith (be it the purists or those who claimed to be aligned with light). She was led by reason. She was led by self preservation. She was led by ambition.

That didn't mean she was incapable of having fun. She let herself truly drop all pretense and propriety when she was on the pitch. Letting herself be that version of herself off the pitch was easier around Karel. She didn't feel in danger of being judged for not always holding to the rituals of being pureblood lady with him. It wasn't rebellion so much as rest and relaxation.

Oralie was not sure at first where Karel was leading her. She had been to the Twilight Turret a few times, but more often than not, she had been content to do her revision in the common room. She was sure she would have used the room far more often if she had been a Ravenclaw, but really it was just very far to travel as a Slytherin unless it was a night like this when she had been patrolling. She had never been to the room with someone before, especially not a boy... but there was no reason to think anything of it--it was Karel. They'd been alone loads of place before. Still, she knew stories about what went on in the Turret. 

The boy declared no more quidditch talk and she laughed. "Okay, okay! Not one word about snitches or bludgers or strategy." Her voice was light and playful and she was grinning at him. Her eyes bright and expressive. What would they talk about she wonder? If they were taking it easy, that would mean no super serious explorations of the rather adult topics they discussed sometimes--not vulgar adult, of course...but mature in the sense that discussing the health crisis in a meaningful way required intelligence and social awareness, something both Slytherins possessed. 

The door appeared in front of them and her eyes flicked to him for a moment, before going back the entryway. A hint of blush flushed her cheeks at his shorting of her name. No one outside her brothers had ever called her that before. No one really got close enough to her for that sort of intimacy. She was amicable with the girls in her dorm, of course she was. But most of the relationships that existed in between the Slytherin ladies tended to be quite shallow at best and often hovered between catty and vitriolic. 

"Why thank you," she purred in response to his chivalry, letting herself into the room. It was warm and welcoming as it always was. The fire roared in the far wall, the bear skin rug stretched out in front of it. Books surrounded them, but she didn't expect they'd be reading any of them tonight. Term had just restarted really, so no one else had come to steal the extra hour of study or socializing. She liked immediately that they were separate from the rest of the school for an hour. Pulling her robes off as she walked forwards the fire, she draped them over one of the tables and set about undoing her tie. Karel had already removed his cufflinks out in the hallway, she could take off her tie. They were 'taking it easy'.

Settling herself against one arm of a plush leather sofa, she let her eyes rest on Karel in the firelight. She knew the details of his face, but still she found herself noticing new little nuances. A genuine smile rested easy on her fair face. "What shall we do then? Perhaps play a game?" The idea of playing twenty questions came to her mind--or perhaps truth or dare, but there were a very few dares they could manage in this room. Maybe they could just snog. She mentally chided herself for even thinking that. They were friends. That was it. Just because she found him interesting and handsome did not mean that he reciprocated her interest. He had just had a girlfriend that was decidedly not her. Maybe he had something in mind for them--or would suggest a game. She didn't have any cards or anything to play a game of that sort...and that sort of resource was not something that this room tended to provide. It was just copies of library books that lined the walls. 

_{uniform, sans robe & tie ♔ 1176}

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

Karel was usually very good at hiding his true feelings towards people. He never shot loathing or disapproving looks in the direction of people, (unless he could confidently say he wouldn’t be seen), he had to keep his walls up. He didn’t want people mistaking a single kind word towards them as him wanting to actually be their friend. Friendship, especially in school was a waste of time. The majority of the time as soon as one or both of the friendly parties graduated they never spoke again. It was truly a rarity to have a friendship last well into adulthood. That was why he was select in who he’d let close to him, people like him, people he trusted and potential business partners. It was very rare for him to not have an ulterior motive if he was somewhat conversational towards people. Only a handful of people got the genuine side of Karel, (or as genuine as he allowed), he still kept his walls up and people at a distance. Even Miranda had been kept at arm's length. Oralie though? They were surprisingly alike, she had self-respect, she had confidence and she had drive. All traits he greatly admired in a person, that wasn’t even mentioning that she was incredibly easy on the eyes. Karel didn’t often look at people that way, Miranda had been lust but when he looked at Oralie he saw beauty and he saw poise. She knew what she wanted and she wasn’t quiet about it. It was also enjoyable to have someone who looked past the pathetic teenage drama that seemed to surround the majority of the girls in this school. No, Oralie wasn’t a girl, she was a woman, in both looks and personality and Karel was rather fond of that about her.

It was reasons like that, that he didn’t mind calling her his friend. Even when it came to her confiding in him, usually he would encourage it, purely to use it to his advantage but he genuinely wanted to help Oralie, he didn’t like seeing her confidence wane when it came to her decision of their team. It wasn’t her fault that their teammates couldn’t manage to perform well in front of a crowd, he pitied any partners they may have; if they couldn’t perform well with Quidditch which was supposed to be one of their strengths? Well, he didn’t really want to think about it and waste time on it. He wanted their team to win, he wanted Oralie to have faith in herself and he wanted their Keeper and Chasers to pull their fingers out and actually do what they were supposed to do, of the chasers only Miranda was a good player, she carried the majority of it on her own and he respected her for that, but that was about it. The laugh that escaped Oralie’s lip brought a new smile to Karel’s lips and he nodded, ”Good answer.” He replied, playfulness seeping into his own tone of voice when she promised no more talk about Quidditch and there was a brief glint in his eyes that matched his grin.

Whilst Karel and Oralie spoke a lot, the wizard began to realise that as he did, she kept her cards close to her chest. He knew little to nothing about her, except the little tidbits of information about her life that she let slip whenever her guard dropped slightly. Of course, he also knew a few things about the Slughorn family from his own research but he didn’t know much about Oralie. The girl he called Lie and who had a somewhat kind heart towards her friends and family, (particularly her brothers, he noted). He knew there was more to her than the confident, defensive witch and for once in his life Karel found himself wanting to know more, he wanted to make the effort to get to know her. He’d even share a few things with him if she wanted. This level of intimacy was something new and unheard of for him, but as he’d quickly learnt the more that they’d spent time together, she was so much more and the idea of having a friend, of letting someone see the side to him that only his family saw was something that if you’d asked Karel back in September he would have scoffed at and threatened to hex you for even suggesting that idea, but Oralie… she was something special.

When the door appeared in front of them and Oralie entered the room first, his gaze darkened a little, a lump in his throat formed and there was a dangerous, almost animalistic glint in his eyes. She’d sounded seductive, all she’d said was three small words. How had she pulled that off? However it had happened though, it had caught him off guard and he found his interest piqued even further. He began to tug at his tie as he crossed the threshold into the room, the fire was roaring merrily and the room was hot very hot, way hotter than it should be. He cleared his throat when he pulled his tie off and unfastened the top couple of buttons on his shirt in a vain attempt to cool down. He allowed his gaze to roam over her when her back was to him, admiring the curve of her waist and shamelessly taking in just how short her skirt was. When she turned to face him, he snapped his gaze back to her face and threw his tie and robes on top of Oralie’s, noting how lovely she looked when she smiled – not smirked, it seemed to light up her whole face and her eyes twinkled adorably. ”A game?” He repeated thoughtfully, he had a few ideas of games they could play but they were inappropriate, to say the least. Sure, they were alone and the door had disappeared behind them, they were alone now and there was no risk of being seen by other students or teachers. The fun they could have here. Karel, focus.” He scolded himself in his mind and he shook his head – and those thoughts – from his mind as best as he could. ”I want to get to know you.” He told her easily, ”How about a game of truth or str-” He paused before he let the words spill out and cause potential awkwardness between them, they were locked in here together, they really couldn’t afford any unnecessary awkwardness between them. ”Truth or dare.” He corrected himself, moving to her side and leaning on the back of the sofa. ”What’s said in this room, stays in this room or just between you and I.” He added on, he wouldn’t spill any of her secrets, other people’s? Yes. Oralie’s? No.

A Cover Is Not the Book

So open it up and take a look

You'll find your first impression was mistook

Oralie had not expected it, but there was something of a palatable shift in the air between the corridor and this private chamber. Her thoughts were tinted with teenage hormones. She tried to blame it on the late hour and her lingering crush on the other Slytherin prefect. She was surely imagining all of this. The chemistry she felt with him had to be just her projecting her own attraction. He obviously did not think of her that way. Sure, they'd had a few moments when a kiss or more seemed to be the thing most on both of their minds--but they were just friends...teammates. There was no need to muck it up with romantic attachment. As if she could just stop having a crush on him...despite the fact that it was something that she had not been able to prevent or change for months now.  

Sharp eyes moved over Karel's person taking in his aura as much as she was taking in the wizard himself. There was something of a shift happening. He'd been steady in cool shades of normalcy during their patrol--little hints of boredom had been there, but now, he seemed to grow warmer, hints of something she wanted to believe was an undercurrent of passion. Was he thinking, like she was, of the more carnal types of fun that were had here from time to time?  The pessimistic side of her mind put forward the possibility that it could be some hint of embarrassment, because he was thinking she might think that and he wasn't interested in her that way. She liked her more optimistic interpretation much better.

He'd undone a few buttons of his shirt, she noticed...and she set about copying him. Oralie was slow about it though. Letting her fingertips momentarily dance over her throat before she loosed the first button, and then another. She paused, her hand there on the fabric of her shirt as she considered the possibility of undoing one more. Her eyes were on Karel the entire time, listening to his reaction to her suggestion of a game. He said he wanted to get to know her--and Oralie was accosted by butterflies again. She wasn't sure that anyone had actually said that to her before--and if they had, she'd certainly never been willing to allow it. But she wanted him to know her, because she wanted to know him. "I'd like that, too," she interjected softly. Oralie meant both about him knowing her and her coming to know more of him. 

He gave a suggestion of a game, or started too, just as he said 'trust or str...', she undid the third button, her hand sweeping back up her bare skin to flip her hair back over her shoulder. She was absolutely flirting with him, without having to actually audibly say anything. But he was a smart boy--he'd figure it out...and he could act on it, if he wanted. Or he could let the opportunity slip past. She had not done anything that was so perverse or blatant that it would lead to future awkwardness if he was not interested in that sort of 'letting loose' with her.

Sweeping her tongue over her lips, she let him finish, but Oralie was not about to let whatever suggestion that Karel had been going to make slip past. Her mind had gone to Truth or Strip Dare when he had started to some str-word. She was much more keen on that than just normal truth or dare. She was even quite supportive of just Truth or Strip. This really was the only place in the castle she would be absolutely comfortable playing a game like that, but they had an hour absolutely to themselves. Why not put it too good use? 

She trusted him when he promised that nothing said here would leave the room. Why? Why did she trust him? Just because she had a crush on him was not enough of a reason for her to open up. She  had been crushing on him for awhile, but that didn't mean she trusted him. Oralie's mind pushed the answer forward. She trusted him, because she thought he was like her. He wasn't burdened by the same bullshit as so many other people at Hogwarts. He cared about things that actually mattered. He was smart and interesting. He didn't let just anyone or everyone get close to him, because most people weren't worthy. He was worth getting close to, though--and letting close to her. 

"I am on board, but what were you going to suggest at first--it sounded like you were going to say something else?" Oralie was playing coy, but there was a hint of sinfulness in her question that was meant to open the door for the wizard, if he wanted to go for it.  She was smirking at him. Her hand that had flipped her blonde hair back off her neck, had lingered there--her elbow against the back of the couch as her fingernail idly drifted back and forth from her collarbone up her neck. Her legs crossed towards Karel, pushing her short skirt up just high enough that the lace at the top of her thigh high stockings peaked out. She'd normally quickly fix this if she was in class--or take care when sitting down to make sure it never happened...but this was a different sort of circumstance--one where she had made sure it would happen, just to see if he would steal a glance down at her legs. 

_{uniform, sans robe & tie ♔ 923}

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

It wasn’t often that Karel relaxed or let his mind wander, if anyone saw him with his defences down and just being himself they’d probably worry he was concocting some dark plan or ill but there was more to it than that. He liked to have control over his own feelings and appearances and he liked to have control over other peoples. Normally it would just talk a few well-chosen words and the person on the receiving end let themselves be moulded into what Karel wanted. More often than not, he’d encouraged people to break the school rules by selecting what to say very precisely and very carefully. He didn’t care if they got caught, he cared if he got caught but he was always careful about that. He managed to steer clear of that though and in doing so he also knew how to make sure that the other person didn’t get caught, or if they did that he wouldn’t rat him out. Empty threats were good for that, pointed wands and confidence intimidated people into doing his bidding and keeping their mouth shut. They didn’t need to know that as he uttered the warnings they were empty, because he often had a gut feeling that he knew he wouldn’t need to actually see the threats through. Being cautioned about being on the receiving end of the Cruciatus or even Imperius curse seemed to frighten people enough into not wanting to challenge his threats. That wasn’t to say he’d hesitate if the need arose, but he'd just not had to use it yet, yet.

This scenario was different though, he could feel himself crumbling under the piercing gaze of Oralie, not quite to the extreme that his father let his mother walk all over him, but enough that he’d lay out his vulnerabilities for the witch to see and honestly? He hated it. He hated being in control but he found himself fascinated by it. No one had ever had the same level of sway over him as Oralie had right now, if he didn’t know any better he’d assume that he was a victim of a spiked potion or even the Imperius curse himself, but he knew that wasn’t the case and it confused him. His stomach was in knots and he was almost certain that if he tried to speak without thinking his words through, he’d stumble and falter. Not to mention the lump in his throat wasn’t helping. His thoughts were going wild, to what he could do with Oralie in this room. A secret all of their own. Many students had their own lustful memories in this room, he had no doubt but never had he imagined that he’d want to join that list. But Merlin, he really did.

It was a battle, trying to keep his gaze from wandering over Oralie, he managed to steal a few furtive glances but all he wanted to do was just stare, to take in every minute detail. Her eyes stole his attention the most and that smile. It was so beautiful, so full of mischief yet confidence as well. Oralie was dangerous, but he liked to err on the side of danger. Something that was usually his strength, was now making him weak, making him just like all the other teenagers in this godforsaken school. He felt Oralie’s gaze burning into him and he took it as an advantage to take in what he could about her, but he could see her fingers, delicately skating over her shirt button and for a moment he wondered what she was doing. The minute she revealed that porcelain skin about her throat and neck, Karel’s gaze darkened and he had to bite on his lip before he gave away just where his mind was wandering. She was teasing him. The worst part of it though, he was enjoying it. He wanted more. He had a new idea for a game, one that could land them both in hot water if caught, but as he reminded himself, they were alone. There was nothing outside of these four walls right now and they were alone. Oralie unfastened another button and Karel’s wandering gaze betrayed him, he glanced down at her and took a few moments to admire what he could before he pulled himself from his thoughts and looked away. When she spoke, her voice was soft and it sent a shiver through him. He’d never heard her speak this way before, there was a hint of… something in the way she spoke, but he just couldn’t put his finger on it.

As he started to suggest truth or strip dare, he made the mistake of glancing back at her, only to see Oralie was unfastening the third button of her blouse, she was toying with him. Was she flirting with him? Merlin, it was driving him crazy, he wanted to tell her to unfasten the button quicker but he couldn’t, he’d no doubt earn his own hex if he said something like that. Instead, he cleared his throat, his voice cracked ever so slightly and he internally kicked himself, his hormones were betraying him right now. He was putty in her hands and she didn’t know it. Or did she? The way she moved, the little things she was doing to him, he could feel himself becoming far more lustful towards her than he cared to admit. He wanted to make a move, to pull her into his arms and show her exactly what she was doing to him right now, but that would be too easy. That was what she possibly wanted and if he acted now, he didn’t want it over quickly. He’d have to wrestle himself, restrain himself until he felt that he’d tormented her enough, there was no way he’d be able to equally wind her up the way she was doing to him. She’d had a head start and he was losing all control, his thoughts, his feelings, everything about him was directed at some aspect about Oralie.

She spoke to him, asking what he was going to say and he wondered if he should play her game. Karel’s lips curled up into a smile. ”What about truth. Every question we answer the other person has to unbutton one more shirt button.” He said, trying to sound calm as he matched her three unfastened buttons with his own. ”Who knows, maybe there’ll be a reward at the end.” He replied in a whisper, deliberately leaning closer to her with his lips close to her ear. He leaned back as she adjusted her skirt, he was going to lay his cards on the table, he may as well take advantage of it and he shamelessly dragged his gaze up from her ankle to her thigh. Merlin, this witch was good. ”A win, win all around. Five questions each and I think we could get to know each other really well.” He growled, his voice was hoarse but the meaning was clear as he matched Oralie’s sinfulness with his own.

A Cover Is Not the Book

So open it up and take a look

You'll find your first impression was mistook

It was incredibly warm in this room. The sparks between the pair of them made the blazing fire across the way utterly unnecessary. They could have been standing outside in the falling snow and she would have still been absolutely flushed. Her cheeks and the tops of her breasts showed hints of blush that betrayed her attraction and the hormone driven thoughts swirling in her mind. The little risks and flirtations she was indulging in felt irresistible--and glad she was that she took them, because Karel was responding very well. Oralie could see him enjoying the hints of teasing she undertook...and when he matched her own inferences of attraction with indications of reciprocation.

She would not think on it too much right now. The overthinking of whether the boy meant only to have a bit of fun with her tonight--or if he might actually fancy her--could be dealt with in the morning's light. Now, she had no space in her mind for such considerations. She was too flustered--and caught up in the swirl of hormones driving her to not think but act. When Karel spoke of a prize at the end of their game, the girl very nearly whimpered in desire. The warmth of his breath on her skin was unexpected and maddening. Her want for him was escalating quickly. The actions she had taken meant to fluster him had worked magic against her as well, the sensation of her nails against curve of her neck managed to send chills down her body, birthing little goosebumps over her smooth skin. 

"I'll go first," Oralie breathed out, her velvety voice husky as Karel's eyes drug up the length of her legs. She felt the weight of his gaze as real as a caress. Receiving such blatant attention from him was intoxicating--she was utterly pleased with the turn of events. It made her brazen and she suggested:  "But I think the person answering the question should get to do undo the button of the person who asked it."  He laid out the suggested parameters: five questions each. Ten questions in total. She was torn between wanting to rush through them to get to what she believed would come at the end of the little game--and wanting to savor them, to ask deeply thoughtful inquisitive questions so that she might truly come to know the very heart and soul of the wizard beside her. It was a complicated battle. Oralie did want to know Karel. She did deeply appreciate the fact he would ever think of letting her learn about him, about he truly was. She was an acutely aware person. She knew he was private. She knew he was not one to entertain foolish friendships. Something about them was special, was different. They were set apart and that was so much more powerful than just the incredible urge she had to straddle him right then.

Looking at him, hearing the way his voice dropped so deep made her own throat feel dry. Her lips, too. Sweeping her tongue over her shapely crimson pout, she tried to think of something to ask him. Something other than where do you want to kiss me right now--that was a presumptuous question anyway. But she was past the thought of wandering if her wanted to kiss her. She was certain he did. And that was not just her projecting her own desires on him. It was pretty clear that he was keen on the idea of them shagging or at least snogging up here tonight. She wasn't sure that had been his intention with suggesting they come here, but that had definitely been where her mind went as soon as they got inside the private space.

All the questions that came to her mind were in the same vein of thought: Do you want to shag me? That one was out, because it was a simple yes or no question. What do you find attractive about the opposite sex? That one was a possibility, but it was fairly indicative of where her mind was at not actually getting to know him. What's your secret fantasy? That one had real potential, but she was going to save it until she saw the sort of questions Karel asked her. 

"What are your best talents?" she asked--the idea of the question had come to her mind in reference to sexual things, but the question itself was actually quite innocent. Or it would have been, if she hadn't been looking at him through heavy lidded eyes, skin flushed with want and chest rising and falling with deep breaths. Her body and her tone gave her away, but he could still answer with a perfectly chaste response. Or maybe, he'd offer to demonstrate some sinful skill. But she was getting ahead of herself. 

_{uniform, sans robe & tie ♔ 802}

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

Normally so composed, Karel was finding it increasingly difficult not to let his mask slip; he wanted to fidget, to pace and to try and calm himself. His thoughts were going wild and it was finding it difficult not to just skip all of the questions and just show her how he was feeling right now. But he did want to know her and this was possibly one of the few chances he’d get to have her open up. They were alone, it was quiet and private, they were in their own little bubble and no one could interrupt. The door was locked so there was no risk of anyone walking in on them and getting them both on the defence again. No, this was perfect as an ice breaker. He would learn about her and she would learn about him and it would just solidify their friendship… although the sexual tension that undoubtedly hung between them may end up taking priority over getting to know each other as friends. He didn’t want to think too much into it, he would hate to let his facade drop. Oralie was smart, she would be able to tell that there was much more on his mind and the fact she seemed to be encouraging him to make a move just added to that.

When Oralie announced that she would go first he nodded, remaining silent, his tone of voice and wandering eye had already betrayed him, he didn’t trust himself to be able to speak and not have it slip how he was feeling and what he was thinking. Hearing how husky she sounded, sent a thrill through him and he scanned over her bare skin, taking in the noticeable goosebumps and his lips curled up into the tiniest hint of a smirk. But she wasn’t finished and as he continued to speak, he had to bite his lip to hold back from making any lewd remarks, he was okay with that, but he was worried. He had no doubt his hands would wander if he was given the chance to unbutton her blouse, he didn’t want to intimidate her or push her away, he’d have to get himself on a very tight leash so he didn’t cheat and skip all of the questions, but then again… if neither of them held out, they would have seen each other at their most vulnerable and conversations that involved getting to know each other would be surprisingly easy. You couldn’t really hide things when you’d seen it all. Karel shivered a little, he couldn’t even lie and say a chill had gone through him, he was flushed and it was blindingly obvious that he was far from cold. ”I like that idea.” He finally managed to utter, walking around the back of the sofa and standing in front of Oralie. He raked his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath before taking Oralie’s hand in his and turning her so that she was facing the cushions of the sofa before he took his place opposite her, his back resting against the opposite arm of the chair and the space between them and noticeably decreased on the two seater sofa.

Karel’s gaze glinted dangerously when she licked her lips again and he had to resist the urge to growl, not in frustration, quite the opposite in fact but keeping himself in check was coming much harder than he’d ever expected. Being Oralie was so different from being with Miranda and he wondered why he’d dated the other witch first when Lie was right in front of him. He was an idiot, but now… well, now he had a chance to have more with the witch. Not a relationship, he wasn’t sure if she wanted that and he didn’t want to pressure her into it. But he wanted… something he just had no idea what. As the first question was finally asked, Karel sat in silence for a few moments, he could answer in two ways. He could be honest with her which was the whole reason they were playing this game, or he could be deliberately suggestive in what he said. It was a decision he never thought he’d have to make, after all, he’d never been in this situation. Oralie had asked for his talents though, plural not singular. He could maybe give her a bit of both. ”I’m good at making people spill their secrets...” He replied honestly, it wasn’t a warning as such, he wasn’t going to spill Oralie’s secrets but he wanted her to know, not just from speculation. ”I like to use it against people, but only if they give me a reason to. I’m talented at getting secrets and keeping them.” He said, tilting his head before a smile crept across his lips, ”I’m also talented at learning peoples weaknesses.” He replied, it was an ambiguous comment, he learnt peoples normal weaknesses but he also quickly picked up on weaknesses in people that he slept with, it was the only time he didn’t do anything half-assed. He made sure that his partner was never left dissatisfied and should he meet up with them again? Well, he remembered.

Satisfied with his answer, Karel leaned forward, closing the gap between him and Oralie even more. He trailed his fingers over the bare skin of her throat, moving her hair over her shoulder and away from her blouse in a gentle, somewhat tender action. Her skin was as soft as he had thought but he could feel the goosebumps more prominently now. Karel moved his hand to her cheek and caressed her softly before he allowed his fingers to wander to the top button she had to unfasten. He tried to keep his composure, but his gaze flickered downwards as he fiddled with her button, clumsier than he’d ever done with a woman. Merlin, what was Oralie doing to him? After a few seconds he managed to unfasten the button but he didn’t remove his hand, instead, he moved to rest it on her waist and he looked her over. He could kiss her right now if he wanted to and he really wanted to but he tried to push it back. ”What is your favourite thing to do… other than Quidditch?” Karel asked softly, his breath was shaky and his throat dry as he spoke in barely a whisper, he was too close to her not to. He already wanted the game over, not because he wanted to keep his walls up, but because he couldn’t think straight and he found himself getting more and more distracted. Karel smirked a little to himself and bumped her nose with his before he sat back ever so slightly. His hand was still on her waist and they were still practically on top of each other, but he was curious to know what Lie liked to do, (and not to mention, he hoped that he was leaving it wide open for her in the hopes that she’d hint at the want to skip their game too, not that it was just him letting his wandering mind get the better of him). Focus Karel. He thought to himself, trying to zone in enough to make out what Lie was saying over his raging hormones screaming at him.

A Cover Is Not the Book

So open it up and take a look

You'll find your first impression was mistook

The reactions she was drawing from her fellow Slytherin delighted Oralie to no end. She knew Karel. He had seen him. He did not get flustered, but she, SHE was flustering him. It felt like a grand achievement...and truly, it exhilarated her. She was not unaffected by him, of course. He had always interested her in one way or another--though this last year, she had taken to seeing him for more as a wizard and not just as a fellow student. His intelligence and drive made him all the more appealing to her. And now, here they were--all alone. It was truly just the two of them for one precious hour. They could make the most of this escape from responsibility and obligation. He had told her no Quidditch talk--and she had been happy to leave the weight of that burden outside in the hallway. In here, she didn't want to think of that type of game. Not when they had new games to play just the two of them in here.

She fought to draw out all matter of reactions from the wizard. Everything she did was deliberate and meant to make him want her. Each time one of her ploys succeeded, she felt a rush of confidence. She was not unaffected, though, by the flirting and proximity to the boy. Her face was flushed with color--her irises widened with desire--her heart fluttering with anticipation. She was conflicted. She wanted each of these moments to draw on forever, but she also was desperate to move on to the next. To see how far they would take this. As he took her hand in his, she easily followed his guidance. Her eyes locked on him every moment. Electricity seemed to spark between them...or perhaps that was magic--drawn forth from them by the sheer desire for the other. Teenage hormones blinded all logic in these moments. She thought nothing of love and everything of lust. The urge to kiss the Higgs was maddening. It made it difficult to think straight. She was meant to be flustering him, but she was all twisted up herself.

They were so close to one another. Closer than they usually were, but she wanted to be much closer. She wanted no distance between them. But she would not rush to that. It was too wonderful to savor this. The first question she had posed to him had been open-ended. She had been coy and flirtatious with it, but still delving into him, letting him share what he would with her. He confirmed something she knew well, about his ability to draw the secrets out of others. She had always been an observant thing. "Yes," the witch breathed out after the first sentence of his answer. She had seen him masterfully manipulate others. But despite having born witness to that, she did not feel manipulated now---or if she was being, she welcomed it, because she was enjoying this experience quite a lot.

She was not prepared at all for the contact of his fingers to her throat. She had suggested this. She had wanted the contact between them, but now that he was touching her, she was sure her heart was going to escape the confines of her chest. It raced, beating against her ribs until she was sure he could feel the rush of it. Her eyes fluttered when his hand drifted to his cheek. On pure instinct, she leaned into his touch. Her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths as he moved to the fourth button on her shirt. The emerald and black lace she wore beneath the thick white shirt was coming into view now. Slytherin pride was strong with her. Her hips rolled slightly when Karel's hand came to rest against the curve of her. She could not deny the way her body reacted to him. Even if she had wanted to hide her desire, it made her wants obvious.

"Besides undress a certain handsome wizard?" she asked--smirking as her hands migrated to the front of his shirt. "I'm quite keen on all sorts of physical activities." She drew her lip under the assault of her pearly white canine, leaning towards him as if she was going to kiss him. Her hands tightened over the fabric of his shirt. "Ballet, polo, shagging. And of course, I live and breath potioneering. It's a family tradition, after all. I love the control and precision of it. To take something simple and make it into something masterful. There is a beauty to it." Her voice was so husky when she spoke about brewing it would have led a priest to think of carnal sins. Her lips brushed teasingly against Karel's as nimble fingers undid his next button. The urge to slip onto his lap pulled her to him, but the need to play a coy minx won out. The witch shifted back, letting her hands fall away from him and come to rest in her lap.

"Your turn," she challenged, giving a little flip of her hair over her shoulder as her heavy lidded eyes set on the wizard's face. 

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Karel couldn’t tear his gaze away from Oralie, as he enjoyed the contact between the pair he took in every minute detail. The small dimples that formed whenever she smiled and the way her nose wrinkled ever so slightly right down to the way her eyes twinkled in a perfect mix of mischief, lust and just pure contentment. Her beauty and how alluring she was stood out to the wizard more than ever right now and, once again, he questioned why he hadn’t seen her sooner. She was so different from Miranda but he liked that; the determination, the drive, the confidence. All of it fascinated Karel and he needed to see and know so much more of her. He wanted to know everything about Oralie. Her strengths, her weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Everything. He wanted and needed Oralie in his life right now, whether it was friendship or more; he didn’t care but there was a certain… lust there and he’d be damned if he was just going to ignore it. Really, the wizard should have seen this coming. Oralie had been the first person he’d openly accepted and called his friend. She wasn’t an acquaintance, a burden or a business partner. She was Oralie Slughorn, the woman who Karel found himself wanting to help and hating to see upset. And right now, in this moment she was his Lie. Karel didn’t miss the fact that many people stared and lusted over her when they passed her by and he also had no doubt in his mind that she’d had her own type of fun with but right now, he was ignoring that. Right now, she was all his and he was going to savour every second of it.

Karel knew that right now he was probably being played, but he didn’t care; he was enjoying it. He wanted to be someone new on Oralie’s list of lovers. He wanted to see and feel every part of her against him. Trailing his fingers along her skin, got the response he’d been aiming for, seeing her shiver and squirm beneath his touch just furthered his want for her. He smiled tenderly when she pressed her cheek against his hand and she began to stroke his thumb along her soft, skin and he felt himself losing even more control. Karel’s smile shifted to his trademark smirk at her comment about wanting to undress him, ”Well… I’m sure we can arrange that very soon.” He said hoarsely, his voice was a low, growling, whisper again and he was having to focus on what he said more because he could feel himself getting close to tripping over his words and he didn’t want that. He didn’t want Oralie to see how much of an effect she was having on him. He was faltering and he had no doubt the blonde knew that she was having some effect on him, but if he staggered and slipped too much; it would reveal far more than he’d intend. He never stumbled like this with his past lovers, he hadn’t even had this problem with Miranda, granted they’d never went this far in their relationship but Oralie. She was breaking him and he was enjoying it.

He looked a little too eager when Oralie made a move that looked like he was about to kiss her and his eyes narrowed and he started to bite on his lip.”Ballet and shagging go well together I can imagine.” He smirked before he listened to her talk about potioneering and he smiled again as she gushed about it, he was finding himself amused at the fact that she was still sound lustful as she spoke about potions, it was rather adorable, actually. ”There’s a beauty right here too.” He said before he realised what he’d said and he suddenly felt his cheeks burning; he was blushing? Oralie Slughorn had made him blush, he stared at her in dismay as he registered what was going on and he tried to regain his composure, ”I mean-” He was stammering again, tripping over his words more prominently and the burning in his cheeks grew as Oralie brushed her lips across his. He wanted to put the fire out now, it was far too warm in here and he was hoping to blame the blushing on the burning fire, but he had a feeling the witch across from him had already noticed and knew better. Disappointment flickered across Oralie’s features when she moved away from him. He wanted more than just a small kiss, so much more.

Oralie’s next words came at a perfect time, she hadn’t asked him a question in the traditional sense, she’d just told him it was his turn. No questions and being told that opened more doors and he had a feeling they weren’t playing their game of truth anymore, maybe they could pick it up as something to pass the time on their patrols. But right now, he was ready to play another game. Karel shifted forward on the sofa and moved closer to her. Once again, he ran his knuckles down her cheek and tucked the blonde curls that she’d missed when flipping her hair behind her ear, noticing how soft her hair was to touch. ”I’m bored now, let’s play another game.” He said huskily. His gaze flickered to the lace that until now he’d been far too distracted to notice and he began to bite his lip again. ”A much better game.” He said softly. There was a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he’d never felt before and it took him a few minutes to realise he was a victim to ‘butterflies’, he tried to ignore it though and continued to caress her skin as he leaned forward and caught her lips in his. She tasted so sweet, like strawberries and he ended up cupping her face with both his hands now before he pulled away and lingered. He’d made his move, he’d shown her what she wanted right now and he was hoping that Oralie would agree to move on from truth to much more enjoyable and intimate things. ”What do you think?” He asked softly, kissing the corner of her lips and lingering once more, he was hyper-aware of their proximity and Merlin, he needed more, his brain was no longer working. Now he was like all the other teenagers in the school, a hormonal mess for Oralie Slughorn.

A Cover Is Not the Book

So open it up and take a look

You'll find your first impression was mistook

Tonight had been a most unexpected, but welcome surprise. Oralie had been doing her best to ignore her crush on Karel for months now. This would be just what she needed to get it completely out of her system. She would rile him up, maybe shag him (okay, obviously shag him), and then move on. She would be done with these pesky feelings and all would be right in her world again. She could focus on Quidditch and ballet and mastering her aura reading. Thoughts of Karel would not keep popping up in her head. She was sure of it. This was just what she needed.

Thought maybe it would not be so terrible if they repeated this fun every now and again. It was really such a delight to rile him up. The way the wizard was reacting to her, Oralie was sure she had never seen him react to anyone. Certainly not their chaser teammate. Not that she had ever been jealous of his ex-girlfriend, because she would never be jealous of something so plain and uninteresting. And if that was the type of girl Karel wanted to waste his time on, more power to him. She was better than that. She was a Slughorn. She was a bloody ballerina. She had elegance and curves and a familiarity with certain sins that made her much more a woman than just girl. 

Flirtation and seduction were masteries Oralie was still working to achieve, but tonight she seemed to be doing quite well. The wizard was clearly driven to a hazy lustful state of mind--and she had done that. With husky purred comments and come hither looks, she had made him want her and emboldened him enough for them to have hands exploring one another. She had pulled a compliment from his lips and put a blush on his cheeks. The witch felt so accomplished. Riling up Karel Higgs was something she felt she was alone in having done. She liked it that way. Quite a lot. 

Her eyes were locked on his as he declared he wanted to play a new game. They fluttered closed when he closed the distance between them to kiss her. She lingered against in him, in the honest affection. Oralie was not able to speak for a moment, too afraid her voice would betray her desire for him and his effect on her--not just a physical one, but something much more that she did not want to acknowledge or think about just now.

"No," the witch countered, shaking her head. She stole another lingering kiss that ended with her playfully nipping his bottom lip with her pearly whites before continuing with: "I'm quite enjoying this game. You wanted to get to know me, remember?" There was a velvety taunt to her last word. She was enjoying this far too much to quit teasing him just yet. They'd get there, but the journey was half the fun. She delighted in the anticipation of the moment. The air was thick with it. As she began to ask him her next question, the Slytherin slipped her body closer, moving with a dancer's grace and agility to straddle him. She could claim it was not an incredibly indecent act--she got closer than this to male dancers at the ballet. Plus, she had her skirt on--knickers, too. He had his pants. There was loads of fabric between them. This was still just part of the game. The fun, the flirtation, driving him crazy. Maybe she wouldn't even shag him and this would be the end of it. It wouldn't be--and she well knew that.

"Tell me something that you don't want me to know," Oralie urged. She still was giving off all the signs of being hopelessly attracted to the boy. Her irises dominated her eyes, swelling as she looked at him. Her gaze kept drifting back to his mouth as she thought of kissing him again. She wanted to so badly, but she wasn't going to give up her chance to actually learn something about Karel. 

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