wonder.

alessandra rowle. mexican spanish. former ravenclaw. 23. devoted to mi corazón.

[ar-goddessofthunder]

lm-lusciousmalfoy‌:

Lucius knew that he shouldn’t feel awkward for wishing to look at Allie but he still didn’t know how she would feel about his attentions and so he was nervous. It was an uncomfortable and unfamiliar feeling for the young heir who had no memory of ever feeling that his advances would be unwelcome. He tended to assume that he would be welcomed wherever he went.

Alessandra was, and always had been, different. 

All the same, he hadn’t missed her dress or the way it clung and draped in all of the right places. 

He stepped to her side and looked out to the cityscape. It felt safer than looking directly at her.

“What is the best you have heard?” he asked, and wondered if it had been about him. He wouldn’t have put it past some of his associates to spread rumours about him, or to undermine him in front of a friend.

“You are,” he said with a smile. He could hear shuffling inside and knew that it was approaching midnight. They would be preparing for the fireworks display set to go off in the atrium - something that was to eclipse the muggle display set for outisde. “And selfish as it may be, there is no one else I should prefer to endure this evening with.”

Though they were at a party where formal attire was more often encouraged, Alessandra had left her hair down. She had always liked how it fell over her shoulders, how it caught the light, and she privately thought it looked perfect against the deep red of her dress. Now she pushed her hair behind one ear as she listened to Lucius, her gaze focused on him – on the cut of his jawline, on the carefully tailored clothing – before she followed it back out to the city below.

Allie allowed herself a laugh. “Nothing too shocking. One of the older men,” she began, her voice amused. “I believe he is a Delacour. He was telling me about his escapades when he was younger; apparently, he was quite good on a broom. And pointed out people I should avoid for fear of boredom. Asked me if I was certain I had no Veela heritage, though I think he meant it as a compliment.” She shook her head. “Entertaining, at any rate.”

“There was a young woman who I believe hoped to catch your eye. Did you notice her?” She wanted him to say no.

Her smile grew and Alessandra took another sip of her champagne. At Lucius’ comment, she ducked her head and after surreptitiously glancing behind them to see if they were being watched – they weren’t – she moved a bit closer and leaned her head on his arm. “But is it enduring it if we are together?” she asked him softly. “If it is, I believe I would endure nearly anything.”

[ar-goddessofthunder]

lm-lusciousmalfoy‌:

Inviting Alessandra to live with him had been a simple decision. At the time she had isolated herself in her marital home and Lucius had thought it unhealthy. He understood that she was grieving the loss of her husband - he was also - but life was living, not rotting away out of sight. 

Since then they had slipped into an easy routine. Alessandra had her own space, but was also welcome in his. As the year passed she seemed to spend more time downstairs than she did on the roof. 

On Christmas they had been to breakfast with his parents before returning home to a quiet evening of drinks together. Several times he thought about kissing her. If he was being honest, it was not an unfamiliar thought over the past few months. But there had always been a reason not to. It was too soon, it would change everything, he didn’t even know if she wanted to be kissed. But after he kissed her on the cheek on Christmas Eve he was sure he saw a little disappointment in her eyes. 

It wasn’t until he mentioned it to Antonin days later that he realised (because he was told directly) that he was an idiot. 

“It is,” he said as he stepped out on to the balcony to join Alessandra, though he was not talking about the view of the city. He held a glass of whiskey in one hand and champagne in the other. “Are you enjoying yourself? I am afraid it is not the most interesting of New Year’s parties.”

While Alessandra had spent a few holidays with Lucius in the past, she could not recall those holidays ever including Christmas. There was an intimacy in Yule celebrations, in spending time with one’s family and loved ones that did not include outsiders. She had not felt like one. His parents had not made her feel unwelcome and Alessandra had come back with Lucius rather content with the day. While she had long considered him family, she had begun to realize that he was also home. Their evening spent together had felt more intimate than many that had come before and Allie had been struck with the thought that she wanted him to kiss her.

It was not until the next day that Allie had realized she’d not thought of Thorfinn at all.

Her smile grew as she looked at him now, handsome, a look on his face that she liked to think was simply for her.

“It is not,” Allie agreed with a smile – genuine in its warmth – and an incline of her head. “But I have heard many interesting stories and am very much enjoying the champagne.” She took a sip of her own, longer than most, the liquid courage that Ravenclaws had always lacked. “And,” she paused. “I am with you.” She lifted the glass to her lips and took another swallow.

[ar-goddessofthunder]

December 31, 2018 @lm-lusciousmalfoy

It seemed strange, sometimes, that her husband had been gone nearly a year. And in other ways, Alessandra Rowle felt as if he’d been gone so much longer. She had slipped into life with Lucius rather seamlessly and though she still lived in the pied-à-terre he’d built for her, she had begun to spend more time in the main house, Gus always at her heels. Tonight, however, they were far from home, at a New Year’s event for one of Lucius’ business associates in Paris, and Allie had pulled out all of the stops.

Her midi dress was red, a scarlet silk that flared at her waist, shimmered against her skin, and complemented the diamond drop earrings she’d threaded through her ears. A glass of champagne had been present in her hand most of the evening. Currently, she was standing on a heated balcony, looking down at the city below her. The year was passing and though it had been difficult at times, Allie thought she had never been more content than she was at this very moment. She turned her head when she heard the door slide open and a smile rose on her lips.

“It’s beautiful out here, cariño,” her voice was soft and Allie took another sip of her champagne.

[ogprewett-blog]

Casual Engagements

[ar-goddessofthunder]

ogprewett:

@ar-goddessofthunder

There weren’t many occasions that could get Gideon Prewett to dress up. He was an adult, an entrepreneur, and a pureblood but the last time Gideon wore something aside from gym wear was beyond him. What was the point? He owned a gym and spent most days there anyway, and if not then he was off playing some sort of sport, so his personal style had become synonymous with trainers and t-shirts. Dressing up to him was wearing jeans and a nicer t-shirt, one that was not emblazoned with a logo or had the sleeves ripped off of it. If he was really trying to impress then the leather jacket came out to play. Today was not a normal occasion, though, as Gideon Prewett was actually dressed properly for the first time in months. 

A client of theirs was opening a new restaurant, some fancy French name that he couldn’t even pronounce, and had insisted that the Prewetts attended. Or at least one of them. It was a launch party and though Gideon always enjoyed a good party, one like this was not his first choice. However he had lost a game of rock, paper, scissors and here he was dressed in dress slacks and a button down blending him among the other uppity, rich friends of his client. 

One hour, that was what he had told himself and Gideon Prewett was counting down the minutes. Conversations passed easily with acquaintances and other clients of his but he could not wait until it was appropriate for him to make his exit. Away from this party, and out of these bloody awful clothes. 

While speaking about the restaurant with the owner, himself, Gideon could feel his attention diverting before it even happened. Something willing him to look up from the man he was speaking to, and when he did his eyes were met with something he had not been expecting. “Alessandra Rowle, you know her?” the man asked Gideon obviously noticing how Gideon’s eyes had traveled to the brunette who had entered the room. Taking a sip of his glass Gideon proceeded to shake his head, a comfortable smirk falling across his face, “Casually from various engagements. So what were you saying about the investors?” 

It wasn’t a lie, he did know Alessandra Rowle from various engagements. Just not the ones his friend might have been thinking of. No he did not know Allie from the societal engagements she attended, nor from her work at the orphanage. But he did know her from engagements of other sorts such as coffee on the patio, drinks by the fireplace, and shared evenings in his bedroom. All very casual engagements, so technically not a lie at all. 

As the man carried on about investments Gideon slid his phone from his pocket, his fingers tapping out a message while his eyes stayed trained on his conversational companion. 

GP►AR: You look positively ravishing in blue 

Alessandra Rowle was used to attending events, though she was just now starting to get into the swing of things. She had always enjoyed the garden party season, but was taking her time getting acclimated back into society. Too much too soon was always a concern and so she had been carefully picking and choosing what events she would attend, wading slowly back into the shark-infested waters that pureblood society could be.

A new restaurant opening invitation had come across in her post and after doing a bit of research, Allie realized that one of the investors was a [distant] cousin. Though she hadn’t spoken to said cousin in months [if not longer] didn’t matter – Allie knew that she would have to attend. And so she had found a beautiful blue gown, a meringue of taffeta and sequins that hit her in all of the right places, charmed her shoes to match, and after allowing an elf to fix her hair had gone out – alone.

The champagne was top shelf, though the other drinks did not appear to be and she wrinkled her nose at the thought. She took a long sip of her champagne as she felt her phone buzz in her minaudière. With a smile at the person she’d been speaking to, she pulled her phone out and saw a text from a number that she knew quite well. Her eyebrows rose and she took a moment before allowing her gaze to search the room. It wasn’t hard to find him, not with how he seemed to tower over several of the other attendees. Lips curved upwards at the sight of him in a suit and she finished her drink, setting the empty glass on a passing tray, before she typed back a response.

I thought you’d say I look ravishing out of blue.

With a click of send, Allie plucked another champagne glass off of a tray and took a sip, slowly making her way across the room.

[ar-goddessofthunder]

princessnarcissablack:

She hummed, nodding. It was a vapid conversation, she knew. And one that would likely earn her eye rolls from the so-called intellectuals of their generation that might overhear them. Of course, she paid them no mind. Allie was talking in safe territory, and Narcissa was happy to engage.

As she brought up garden parties, the younger woman nodded. “Indeed it is,” she answered in agreement. “And I hope this means we’ll be seeing you around more.” She wanted to study Allie, to understand how she flocked people to her and emulate. As it stood, she was well liked and well respected in pureblood society, but she could always be more so. And Allie had commanded eyes on her for ages before she had sequestered herself.

“Oh I liked the emerald and silver just fine—there’s a regal ness to it, after all—but when it’s all you wear for a while, it gets tiresome. The deep jewel tones complimented her white blonde colouring, but then so did the pastels. She was all too pleased that Allie agreed as she accepted the dress the other woman held. She might not have considered it, but shopping together offered normalcy, she thought. And Narcissa certainly wanted to offer that. “I’ll try it on,” she agreed, “but only if you put on that one.” Extending a thin arm, she pointed delicately at an exquisite cocktail dress in the corner before grinning.

“If you’re not busy, we should absolutely get tea after. There’s a new place down the street that does something amazing with the leaves that makes the tea almost irresistible.”

Truthfully, she’d had little intention of attending all of the season’s events but Allie knew that she could not simply act like a hermit for the rest of her days. And besides, she’d seen some of the photos of the new spring lines; even at her most depressed, Allie could appreciate a beautiful dress and the evolving fashion that the wizarding world had adopted. “I believe you will,” she said politely, pleased by Narcissa’s kind words. “Though of course I’m not sure which events I’ll attend. Attending them all is a bit much. People don’t…well, people take things for granted.”

She supposed that made sense and nodded. “Yes, that’s the only thing I didn’t love about Ravenclaw. Gold is so much prettier than bronze.” She smiled as Narcissa took the dress, her eyes widening as she looked over at the cocktail dress that was pointed out. She wasn’t precisely sure where she’d wear it, but when had that ever been a reason not to indulge?

“Very well,” she said, beckoning the shopgirl to bring her the dress. “I believe this will suit. Though you may have to help me find a new pair of shoes to go with it.”

Narcissa’s invitation took Alessandra by surprise, though it probably should not have. It had been awhile since she’d gone out for tea and she could admit that she was enjoying the younger woman’s company. “I have no plans,” she said softly, her lips curving upwards. “I would be pleased to join you this afternoon. What kind of place would you say it is?”

[ar-goddessofthunder]

alinamalfoyxx:

It was odd to hear Allie say the phrase ‘my properties’ and not hear Thor’s name tacked in there as well, but Alina didn’t let herself dwell on that for long. It wouldn’t help either of them to reminisce about Thorfinn, and with Allie currently seeming happy she didn’t want to take any chances at ruining that. Maybe one day it’d be okay to talk about him again without any sadness tinging the conversation, but they weren’t there yet. So instead she kept her smile in place and nodded along with Allie’s words. 

“Of course. It should be unique to you, and I’ve always liked your taste in furniture. Maybe it’ll even give me some ideas for when Evan and I move into a place of our own.” She replied with a shrug. Though the mention of brunch brought a brighter smile to her lips and she nodded. “Yeah, brunch would be great. It’d be nice to have the gang back together again.” She’d never realized how much she loved those Sunday mornings until they stopped happening, and she missed it dearly. That being said she also wasn’t about to rush Allie into it until she was ready. “Paris is almost becoming cliche honestly. Everyone goes and while it’ll always be nice, it’s better when you can go somewhere a little less crowded.” 

Alessandra tried to keep the focus on Alina, on the fact that they had many things they could do that day. It was good to have conversation, to move on, even if the thought still made her feel as though she was numb inside. She let out a breath as she took a sip of her drink. “That sounds lovely. Have you two decided on when you’ll be doing so?” she asked, well aware that she should have asked about Evan before now. Allie offered a smile. “Well, I’m not sure how long Lucius will want me afoot,” she said softly. “So I don’t want to fall in love with a place and…” she trailed off, knowing that the thought was ridiculous. But grief had a way of messing with one’s head and after her experiences, Allie often felt that she saw the worst in things.

Her lips quirked at the thought. She had missed brunch, of course, and though she might not be ready to prepare it for everyone, she wondered if perhaps she would be willing to host. “I’ll have to think of something,” she said agreeably with a shrug of her shoulder. “Even if it’s on a smaller level than we’re used to.” At Alina’s comment, her eyes widened. “Exactly! There are so many other places at the moment.” She let out a breath. “I’ve heard Italy’s leather is nearly unparalleled for furniture.”

[ogprewett-blog]

Normal | Gid & Allie

[ar-goddessofthunder]

ogprewett:

Seeing that smile was all that Gideon needed in this moment to know it was going to be okay. It wasn’t the fake, polite smile she had been wearing all morning. The smile he was sure her mother or someone else had taught her to wear in company. Gideon wasn’t stupid, he knew how things worked and with that came the knowledge that Allie had been trained to do everything but what he was asking of her. He wanted her to be honest with her, even if the emotions were not great ones, and Gideon wasn’t sure if that was something she could actually do. But that smile told him otherwise. It was genuine and though it would be work it gave Gideon hope that maybe someday she could truly be open to him.

As Allie mentioned the night previous Gideon couldn’t help but smile himself, “Well you can have that repeat whenever you’d like. We can take that slowly as well, I’d love to take my time on you”. Last night had been fast, a blur of clothes and skin, they’d been too caught up in the moment running on adrenaline and a shared attraction. Now that they knew where their feelings stood and it was agreed last night was not a one time thing Gideon knew the next time would be different. He wasn’t necessarily running on borrowed time. 

Listening as she accepted his conditions and added her own Gideon felt relieved in knowing she knew exactly where he stood. He was in this for the long haul, or well whatever haul this timeline would bring whether it was one more night or one more year. He cared about her feelings and overall well being and that meant knowing what she was going through. “I can handle that” he promised, giving her knee one last squeeze of confirmation. “I’m not a super needy person, I can handle you not wanting to see me every day. I get it, I’m kind of bulky and annoying” a goofy smirk overtook the gentle smile he had carefully placed while listening to her, “Though I can’t promise I’ll afford you the same luxury” he warned, giving her thigh a gentle pat, his tone taking that of someone teasing, as he leaned in closer to Allie. “Something tells me that if it were up to me, you’d never leave my sight” and with that he closed the distance allowing himself to kiss her once more.

Allie let out a soft breath after she discussed her conditions, her feelings, what she wanted to happen moving forward with Gideon. Things felt better, or at least she felt much less stressed than she had beforehand. She ran her hand through her hair, reminding herself that regardless of what had happened to her husband, she needed to move on, she could not continually lock herself up at home with little company. He would want her to live. That, at least, was quite obvious. She nodded at his comment, a very light blush tinging her cheeks; it was surprising for her, really, that she felt unsure about something she had done easily a thousand times beforehand.

“I’ll have to remember that,” she murmured, her voice soft. She wasn’t sure if she would take him up on the offer of a repeat immediately, knowing that she still had to completely make peace with herself and her decision to move on before doing so. But Gideon was here. He was alive. He was breathing. And he seemingly wanted to be with her, which was a thought that made Alessandra smile again.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with your…bulkiness,” she teased, lips curving up at the corners as her hand moved to his arm, playfully squeezing his bicep. She rather liked how fit he was, if she was being honest. Thorfinn had been a solid type of fit, but this was something else entirely and Allie was still not sure which she preferred. “The annoyance, well, I am sure I can find a way to shut you up.” Her eyes gleamed at the comment and when he leaned in again to kiss her, Allie’s fingers squeezed his bicep again and she sighed into the kiss.

When she pulled back, she kept her eyes closed, savoring the moment. If there was one thing life had taught her, it was that she needed to take the good moments when she could because one never knew when the entire world would change – or at least, her world.

“That works.”

[ar-goddessofthunder]

princessnarcissablack:

Perhaps it was a bit childish just how excited Narcissa was that Allie still recognized her. She had changed a lot, apparently, given people’s general reactions to seeing her. But it made her feel good that Allie still knew her on sight. She had been about to gush a little, but when Allie brought up just how long it had been and the turn of events that had caused her seclusion, Narcissa had the good grace to keep herself somber—she wasn’t socially inept, after all. Instead, she changed from gushing to gentle, her hand moving to rest on the top of Allie’s arm in a sweet and non-threatening gesture. “It has been a long time. Too long, surely.”

How had she been? Narcissa had about nine hundred question ranging from completely mundane to probably a little invasive. She would ask none of them, however, until she gauged where the other woman was mentally, emotionally, and socially. Honestly, she didn’t even know how long they would be talking, but she hoped she had enough time. Already, her large blue eyes subtly took in every cue—she was thinner for sure, and she looked much less concerned about things like fashion and gossip. It was like her eyes had changed. She looked beautiful still, of course, but older in a way that made Narcissa sad. Everyone knew about what had happened to Thorfinn. Her father had mentioned in a hushed voice what a tragic loss it was.

“It’s great to see you out and about,” she continued, keeping herself cheery, but not overly so in an effort not to seem completely irreverent. “And looking so pretty. Are you here for new clothes, too?”

At the compliment, Narcissa had to preen just a little. “Do you? I am developing a new love for pastel and softer colours now that I’m not completely banished to emerald and silver all the time anymore.”

Allie nodded. Though she had seen Narcissa at a few events, she had not really reached out to the other woman since her graduation. That was, of course, an oversight, for someone from such a family would certainly be a good ally in the spider web of pureblood politics. Her lips turned up at the corners as Narcissa’s hand moved to her arm and she spoke again. “Yes, but we should change that. The season of garden parties is arriving.” While Alessandra wasn’t sure if she would be the one who threw any parties this year, she expected that she would attend at least one or two – perhaps even drag Lucius along to escort her. 

“It’s rather good to be out and about,” she said, her voice sincere. It might not be something she wanted every day, but she felt better about it now than she had weeks before. “Thank you.” Her smile was genuine at the compliment. How long had it been since someone had told her she looked pretty? Such a strange thought, one that she took for granted rather often. “I realized it’s been some time since I went out and I did not want to be behind on the fashions.” The fact that her clothing didn’t fit nearly as well as before went unspoken. 

“I think that pastels suit you,” she said kindly, sincerely. She could sympathize with Narcissa’s pain at being relegated to house colors. “I was lucky, I suppose, in that I rather liked the color blue before I was sorted, but I’ll admit that the pastels certainly suit this time of year.” She looked around the store and saw another dress that she thought might suit the younger woman and gestured for the shopgirl to bring it to her. She held it up to Narcissa. 

“I think the way this is cut would suit your frame rather well,” she said with a smile, easily slipping back into the voice of a woman who was practiced in fashion even if she hadn’t acted upon in in weeks. “And the color would bring out your eyes.”

[ar-goddessofthunder]

princessnarcissablack:

Random Happenstance || Narcissa and Allie

@ar-goddessofthunder

Narcissa loved shopping. She loved trying on new clothes, buying new things, imagining what they would look like in practical application. It filled the hours and her closet. And yet, she was beginning to feel a tugging sense of ennui these past few weeks. She was out of school and wouldn’t be going back, her life was parties and social gatherings—which she loved, surely, but which could become tedious after a nonstop flow of being socially perfect. It was a strain she had felt at Hogwarts, surely, but it had been cut by her stress about her classes, her marks.

Perhaps she should think about getting a job. Was that so undignified? Lots of Purebloods had jobs. Upper echelon Purebloods. Look at the Malfoys, after all. And Augustus Rookwood has a job. Even her father had one. Her marks had been good, she was good with people. Why shouldn’t she have one? Though, of course she imagined it would have to the right job—she wouldn’t want something as banal as a shopgirl or something like that.

Her mind was lost in thought even as she let her hands run over the dusky rose of the dress she had one, her eyes paying no mind to the price tag as she took in the black velvet bow trim. Beside her, one of the managers watched her eagerly, hoping to add to the growing pile of purchases she would be making.

She hummed, considering it absently as her mind still strayed on her boredom. As she turned from the mirror, however, her eyes fell on a familiar face. Not so familiar, perhaps, that she would rush to call the woman friend, but she was certainly someone Narcissa knew. After all, Alessandra Rowle was one of the women after which Narcissa had modeled herself. An original high society darling. How rare to see her out and about.

“Is that Allie Rowle?” She said, voice soft but excited. “Merlin’s beard, how long has it been?”

Alessandra had kept close to the home since her husband had died and though she’d gone out with Alina, Penny, and Lucius occasionally, she had not really resumed much of her social life. An event here or there, furniture shopping for her new home, but nothing truly substantial. By the time she realized it might be good to be seen in public again, the young woman had also realized that none of her clothes fit nearly as well as they used to. She’d lost some weight and though she supposed she could have altered her clothing magically, what was the use in that? There was enough money that Alessandra could have funded a small principality for the rest of her life and then some.

The seasons were also changing and Allie supposed she ought to get a few new pieces of clothing that fit that. Besides, the fashions had likely changed in the past couple of months, though she had not really paid attention to that. After a light breakfast and some coffee, Allie bid goodbye to Gus, patting the dog on the head, before she made her way to one of her favorite boutiques. Based on the mannequins in the window, the designs had changed since she’d last gone shopping for clothing and Allie’s lips turned up at the corners.

She had been looking at a silk crepe dress, in a royal blue, when she heard a soft voice and Alessandra turned, a smile growing on her face from habit. She recognized Narcissa Black and her smile grew a bit more genuine. “Narcissa, hello,” she said kindly as she moved a bit closer to the younger woman. “It’s been awhile,” she said with a catlike shrug of her shoulder. “Since before…the attack at the Ministry.” She offered a tight smile, not wanting to think on such horrors at the moment, before she looked at the dress Narcissa had on.

“I like the color,” she said genuinely. “It suits you.”

[ogprewett-blog]

Normal | Gid & Allie

[ar-goddessofthunder]

ogprewett:

She didn’t slap him.

Not that someone like Allie Rowle would ever lay a finger on someone else but there was still relief flooding through Gideon’s body as she responded to his touch and allowed him to kiss her. It meant that his advances were not unwanted and that maybe he hadn’t been so crazy after all. Someone like her was hard to read but Gideon was glad that he had gone with his gut instinct. 

Moving from in front of her to sitting next to her on the couch Gideon placed a gentle hand on her knee, not too much contact but enough to remind her that he was there. He was present. As she spoke about how before him her husband was the only man she had ever been with Gideon could feel a pit begin to grow in his stomach. That was why she was so weird. It made sense why she left his house so quickly and why she refused to open up to him about her true feelings today. It was devastating to think of the turmoil she must have been going through and Gideon couldn’t help but give her knee a comforting squeeze. It was okay, he was there.

Allowing her to finish speaking Gideon sat on her words for a moment, taking a second to digest and make sure what he said next was not only concise but also sympathetic to how Allie might have been feeling. “Allie, it’s not wrong for this to be hard” he started, keeping his eyes trained on her, “It’s going to be difficult, that’s part of the process. I wouldn’t expect anything else and that’s okay. I’m not here because I think any of this would be easy. I’m here because I care about you”. 

It was true if he wanted the easy way out there were plenty of other girls he knew. He didn’t. There was something captivating about Allie that no other woman he had ever met encompassed. She was worth any trouble this would bring. “You don’t need to know how any of this works” Gideon promised, a small smile appearing on his face, “We’ll take it slow. See what happens. No pressure. Just take one day as it comes.” Gideon didn’t need Allie to be sure of what was happening between them as he wasn’t sure. All Gideon knew was that he enjoyed spending time with her and wanted to carry it on, everything else would come if it was supposed to. “There’s really nothing to know, we’ll just continue what we’ve been doing. Hang out, maybe do a little more of what we did last night-when you’re ready, and just relax. This shouldn’t be scary or daunting, this should just be fun” that was all they really needed. “But promise me one thing?” he asked, hesitating slightly, “That you won’t shut down on me? That’s all I’m going to ask of you, Allie, is that you don’t leave me in the dark with how you’re feeling. If it’s a bad day I want to know, if it’s a good day I want to know. I’m here for you, I just want you to give me the chance to show you that”. 

Alessandra said nothing as his hand moved to her knee, the warmth from it making her feel more at ease than she had originally expected. She offered him a small smile as he squeezed it and she let out a small breath. To be frank, Allie had been through the wringer of late and she knew that it would continue for now. Things often got worse before they got better. She took another sip of her coffee as she looked over at Gideon, her back straight, posture one of the first things she’d learned as a young girl.

It’s not wrong for this to be hard. That was a thought she had not had before, though when she thought on it, Allie supposed it made sense. It wasn’t as if she was able to simply forget the past several years of her life, but she could not wallow in it, could not live in memories. Even considering just living the way she had been was something she didn’t want to entertain. She shuddered to think of where she’d be now if Lucius had not asked that she move in – though she supposed he might have gotten rather insistent if she had not acquiesced so easily.

She smiled, a genuine one, though it was small. She nodded. “I think I can do that,” she said quietly. It seemed like she was taking a larger step into her future than she had originally anticipated and she counted back from 10 in her head before speaking again, wanting to ensure that she was calmer. “Take things slowly. I…” she bit her lip before continuing, trying to find the right words to convey what she was feeling without giving away too much. “I wouldn’t mind a repeat of what we did last night,” she said, her eye twinkling as she ran her hand through her hair and pushed it over one shoulder.  

When Gideon asked her to promise him something, Allie had to stop herself from tensing. She’d learned in the previous weeks that promises could be broken easier than one thought, with little warning or recourse. But she took the time to listen to him and she nodded, slowly. “I can promise not to shut down on you,” she said. “Though I can’t promise there won’t be times I’ll want to be by myself. The moods seem to…well, things tend to come and go.” Her lips turned up at the corners and she offered a shrug. She knew that she would still be grieving for awhile, that she would likely have days where she didn’t want to even so much as get out of bed. But that was her new normal.

And she was willing to try for more.

[ar-goddessofthunder]

alinamalfoyxx:

Alessandra looked impeccable as she always did in public, but that didn’t mean Alina didn’t notice the physical changes that most have happened over the past weeks. Her dress, one that Alina could recall seeing her in before, didn’t seem to be fitting quite the way it used to on her waist. While she was somewhat concerned, she held her tongue and tried not to show it. Allie deserved, and most likely needed, a day of relaxation and fun. She was smiling right now, and Alina was not going to be the one who ruined that for her. Besides, there was always time for Alina to be fussed and worried later. 

Returning to her seat, Alina smiled at Allie and nodded along with what she was saying. “Oh, of course! You know I’d never turn down a chance to shop with you, furniture or otherwise.” She paused her response when a waitress approached their table to take drink orders. After ordering a coffee for herself she waited for Allie to order her own drink before sending the waitress off with a polite smile. “Actually, now that I think of it, there’s a shop I was in a few days ago and they had some really nice couches. Neutral tone so they’d fit any room colour and easy to spruce up with the right throw pillows. We could always stop there if you’d like?”

Alessandra was pleased to not be fussed over – it seemed that she’d had such a great deal of that going on whenever she ventured out in public, which was perhaps why she had not gone out much. It was good for her to have time on her own, but she could appreciate that Severus and Lucius were around if she truly needed something. “That sounds lovely,” she said in response as she leaned back against the booth, her back straight. It took her only a moment to choose what to order – a double espresso – and she nodded.

“That sounds lovely,” she smiled. “I had a few pieces brought from one of my properties.” Oh, it was strange to refer to them as her properties now. Her lips quirked. “But I’d like to make it my own. I have some plans for the rooftop as well. It will be such a lovely terrace. Perhaps even brunch again.” She’d only really had brunch with Lucius and even that wasn’t something she did each week – it was still odd to get back into her routine. “I’d like to perhaps go to Paris next week. Or Marseille, perhaps? Paris is almost too passé, now that everyone can get there so easily.” She sniffed.

[iconicgirls]

[ogprewett-blog]

Normal | Gid & Allie

[ar-goddessofthunder]

ogprewett:

Gideon had every intention to leave. He was not the kind of man who pushed his luck, especially with women. If she felt it was a one night stand then it was a one night stand, regardless of his feelings on the matter. If Allie wanted nothing else from this, then so be it. He had to respect that. But as he crossed the room to leave something felt so unresolved about leaving. He had just as many questions, maybe even more, than when he came and there was something nagging in the back of his brain not to go.

Maybe he was overthinking things again, but the look on her face was not one happy with the outcome of the situation. Maybe it was the hopeless romantic in him but it was if she didn’t want him to leave. No. She had said that it was a one night stand and he needed to respect that. He needed to leave. But the wrinkle on her nose, the line on her forehead. Those were expressions of confusion, not of resolution. Was she just as unsure as he about the whole situation? 

Timing was never right but the truth was it would never be long enough since her husband had passed. There would never be a better opportunity and he was not a bad person for having feelings for her. Gideon didn’t see Allie as a Rowle, but instead as Alex Rodriguez the girl he met many years ago while at Hogwarts. There was always going to be some guilt associated with this but Gideon had to get over it, she was a person who deserved someone to care about her and he wasn’t a terrible person for wanting to be that person. Allie was worth it. 

Letting go of the door knob Gideon turned around and crossed the room, stopping only when he reached Allie. He had to do this. He couldn’t just leave. Not like this. Not with so many questions. Not without telling her. Either this was going to go well or she was going to smack him. Either way he was going to have his questions answered. Leaning down, his hand cupped her cheek and after hesitating for a moment Gideon Prewett leaned in and kissed her. 

After pulling away from the kiss Gideon could feel his heart threatening to jump into his throat. What had he done? “I’m sorry, Allie. I can’t just be your friend because I don’t want to just be your friend. I know there’s a lot going on right now and I’m sure this isn’t the best timing, but I can’t just walk through that door without telling you. I do care about you and last night wasn’t just a one night stand, not for me at least”.

Something similar to disappointment settled heavy in her stomach as he turned to leave. Alessandra bit her lip and closed her eyes for a moment, pushing down any misplaced emotion for the time being. Why was she getting so emotional about this anyway? It hardly made sense. She shook her head, opening her eyes as she heard him moving back closer to where she sat. Allie’s brow furrowed again as she wondered what exactly Gideon wanted.

Her lips parted slightly as his hand moved to cup her cheek and Allie found that her eyes were locked onto his as she leaned into his touch. She took a breath as he kissed her and when he pulled away, Allie’s hand had twisted in his shirt. She exhaled heavily as he apologized and she shook her head. “No, don’t. Please don’t. You don’t need to apologize.”

And he didn’t. If anything, Gideon’s kiss at least alleviated some of the confusion she’d been feeling, some of the apprehension that she’d been struggling to throw to the side. She inhaled again as she considered what to say.

“I’ve only slept with one other person in my entire life,” she told him carefully, quietly, her words precise and measured as her eyes averted from his. “It has been hard with him gone, for he was my entire life. My identity was greatly entrenched with his and...” Allie shook her head, aware she wasn’t getting to where she wanted to with this.

“I don’t want to be the person who spirals,” she finally said as she looked up. “I don’t want to go from being committed to one person to the person who has one night stands. Especially when I don’t want it to have been one either.” Alessandra let out a self-deprecating chuckle. “I don’t exactly know how this works, Gideon. It’s not as if I’ve had a plethora of experience or anyone to ask.” 

[ogprewett-blog]

Normal | Gid & Allie

[ar-goddessofthunder]

ogprewett:

I’m going to be just fine. Then why did she seem anything but fine? This situation was growing more awkward by the second and Gideon was starting to regret coming to see her at all. He should have just given her space. He should have just let her be. She would have come to him eventually, or never again. He should have let things remain how they were. They had sex, which to Gideon wasn’t a big deal, and showing up today only seemed to add insult to injury.

This was not the first time Gideon Prewett had a one night stand. Not that they were an often thing in his world, but he was not opposed to meeting a girl at a bar and taking them home. Sex could be sex without emotions. You did your thing, they left your place, you sent a text message the next morning making sure things were cool, and when you saw them the next time at at a bar you said hello as if nothing had ever happened between the two of you. He had no qualms about never speaking about his hook ups after the night they occurred, but that was also when it was clear to him what had happened. Most girls he knew were very clear about their feelings on the matter and there was none of this awkward air but with Allie, though she said it was a one night stand, everything between them just seemed off. As if sex could maybe be the end of their friendship.

He could count on two hands the number of girls he had slept with before Allie. Seven total. Out of those there were only two actual girlfriends in the bunch. And out of the remaining only one had been a long term hook up. So four out of seven were girls that he had sex with once and never again. Two of the four were even clients of his, girls he continued to see on a regular basis with no repercussion. It was something that had happened and never to be spoken of again. All of his past hook ups had been enjoyable experiences, and not that this one had not, but it was definitely the most confusing of the bunch. It felt as if they were speaking two different languages and with every passing second were growing more frustrated with their failed attempts to communicate.

“Alright” Gideon finally spoke, “As long as you’re fine that’s what matters to me” he told her with a shrug of his broad shoulders, deciding to stop reading into the situation entirely. All he could do was take her words at face value and stop thinking too much into the look on her face or the tone of her voice. Maybe this wasn’t about him and he needed to just let it be. Maybe he was overreacting because of his fear of losing their friendship. Maybe he just needed to go. 

“I better get back to the gym then. I just wanted to stop in and make sure you were okay, and if you’re fine then we’re all good” he told her rising from the couch, “Maybe we can get dinner next week?” Gideon asked, “As friends” he clarified quickly, not wanting to add to any confusion. Though it felt like he was just making plans that would never actually be fulfilled. “If you need anything you know where to find me”. 

The confusion continued to mount in Allie’s head. This was not a situation she had ever planned to be in and despite the fact that she was now technically a single woman, it was still strange to have these thoughts, to wonder if she should say something else, to wonder what was going on in another man’s head. She’d never needed to worry about what was going on in Thorfinn’s. But Gideon was not her [late] husband and she had no idea what was going on behind his eyes, what thoughts were whirring about in his head.

She took another sip of her coffee, needing something to do with her hands as she continued to think about what she should say. The quiet was off-putting and Allie found that it was not the type of silence she was used to with those that knew her well. It was not early as companionable as she might have liked and the young woman sucked in a shaky breath.

To be fair, Gideon didn’t know her well, at least not as well as her closest friends. While Lucius or Alina might have known something was wrong with her, she had not spent enough time with Gideon to expect him to know every single expression on her face, what her countenance meant at any given moment. She let out a soft breath as she considered that, as she realized that she was traversing through a conversation with someone who didn’t know her tells, who would not realize what a flick of her eyebrows or a twisting of her lips could mean.

As he spoke, she nodded, biting the inside of her cheek. “I’m going to be fine,” she repeated. That, at least, was true. Alessandra might be confused and she might feel unsure – both of him and of herself – but she would be fine, if not now then soon. Generally speaking, anyway. Her brow furrowed as he rose from the couch, her nose wrinkling slightly.

Allie was about to nod at his question about dinner when he continued and the line between her eyebrows deepened. What if she didn’t want it to be just as friends? Was she supposed to say that? Admit that? “Dinner sounds nice,” she finally eked out, her voice as poised as she could make it – which, admittedly, was nowhere near what it usually was. “The same goes for you.”

[melancoliedesames]

[danandphilcore]

send me "what's your favorite.." asks 💫

[ar-goddessofthunder]

and @ad-dolohov, @cr-notanapple, & @hb-helenaofwales

[ar-goddessofthunder]

alinamalfoyxx

@ar-goddessofthunder

In recent weeks Alina’s life had become less about leisure and more about creating a balancing act between working and her social life. It would have been so much easier if she hadn’t taken on the job at her family’s magazine, but despite the new struggle to maintain time for her friends Alina couldn’t say she regretted joining. Working in fashion was perfect for a girl like her. And there were much worse things she could have been doing than being surrounded by clothing and accessories all day. 

As much as she was enjoying it though, Alina still needed her breaks and after clearing her schedule for the rest of the afternoon she was quick to call Alessandra to see if she wanted to meet for lunch. It had been so long since Alina had last seen the older woman, and she was determined to remedy that as soon as possible. Sitting at a booth in the restaurant her and Allie had agreed upon, she sipped at her latte while she waited for her company to arrive. Looking up at the sound of the bell above the door chiming, Alina’s lips spread into a bright smile and she waved her hand to gain her friend’s attention. “Allie, over here!” Once Alessandra was closer to the table, Alina couldn’t help herself and got to her feet, pulling Allie into a quick hug. “Sorry about calling on such short notice. I just had to get out of the office for awhile and it’s been too long since I’ve had a chance to properly see you.”

It was good for Allie to get out of the house. Though she’d ventured out more than she had originally, she still mainly kept to herself. While she lived with Lucius – though with was a rather loose term, she supposed, and she wasn’t sure how long it would be the case – it was rare if she saw him more than the early mornings and late evenings. She’d seen Alina quite infrequently and even then, they’d barely had time to do more than exchange greetings and goodbyes. She’d left the house with enough time to walk to the restaurant, needing a good bit of exercise after the previous day spent inside with the dog.

Her hair was perfectly coiffed and her dress was tailored, though it was admittedly loose on her body, Alessandra having lost some weight in recent weeks. Her smile was genuine as she noticed Alina sitting already and she hugged the other woman before sitting down in the booth across from her friend. “Oh, it’s alright,” she said with a wave of her hand. “There’s not a great deal that keeps me busy right now, so I’m happy to get out for lunch and perhaps a little bit of shopping. There are so many furnishings I need to decide upon.” While Allie had had art pieces put into the loft space from her other properties, as well as some temporary furniture, she wanted something new and still wanted to choose new décor and furniture.