This mightâvebeen the third or fourth time he was alonewith her, even if there were people around, he didnât heed them much attention tothose around him. At the notion of her secret keeping abilities, as he held herto his chest, as they swayed to the music, his sights settled on hers. âIâm notgoing to tell you my secrets.â Wasnât that saving her the headache, the need tocare? It shouldâve been seen as ablessing in disguise, something that gave off the ideal of freedom. She neednâthear the woes of someone she didnât know, wouldnât see when school was done,and wouldnât have to deal with. They werenât even in the same yearâwhy bother?
There was no point. People didnât need to understand aside they didnât see, and he didnât need to disperse an emotional recoil fromthose who would stare at him sympathetically. If he heard anything along thelines of âPoor LudoâŠâ with some sadexpression, he mightâve set the bloody castle on fire out of retribution. Hedidnât want it from themâand certainlynot her. He shook his head. âIâm average heightââ He looked down to her. âBloodylearn to walk in those shoes and Iâd be a bit more sympathetic. No one told youto wear things you couldnât move in. Was that a plot so you wouldnât have todance with Amos? Poor soul, thatâs cruel, Burbage, even for you. I thought you were nicer than that.â
Dancing was oneof the things he was both good at, and made no concessions to make that known. Mostthings fell under that, but this, as he moved her along to the music, he didnâtwant her to fall. Perhaps it mightâve been one of the few rare moments that were his to steal without telling anyone,enjoying it for the sake of enjoying it. Hand settled on the middle of her backpulled her close enough to make it look like he was making an effort, her handheld in his, as he snorted under his breath. âJust follow my lead. Last thing Ineed is you taking a tumble and bringing me down with you.â But he did chuckleto the thought, that small smile appeared for a moment as he caught her starewith his and tried not to linger. She looked goodâeyes raked down her frame ina way he passed solely as making sure she didnât step on his feet, watching hermovements. But he wasnât some moron who couldnât see what was before him. Orthat he sniped someoneâs date. Tongue perched between his teeth, he didnât sayanything as they moved.
âSo what, ifhe didnât, you didnât plan on coming?â Ludo couldâve askedâthere were a few fitbirds in school he wouldâve easily gone for without a second thought. The onlyone he did ask was for a laugh, and Ludo got quite the one, aside from her sisterâs glare. He couldâve askedMcKinnon if she hadnât been snatched, and Stebbins was the same. âNo one reallyleft to ask once everyone started pairing off.â He suggested, shrugging hisshoulders. Considerable his words were, they couldâve looped her into the frayof such, or left her thinking. Could he have asked her? It lingered on hermind, in a way he was thankful his thought process wasnât an obvious expressionon his features, as he looked around, before catching her fumble once more. âNexttime thereâs a party, please wear shoes you can stand in without risking twistingan ankle.â His usual demeanor, that growl that lingered behind words was gone.Almost like he was smiling, shaking his head. âIâm almost worried to give youback to Diggory, you might fall and break a hip on the way.â
Not that hewanted to pass her off in the first place. No, if he thought about it, hewanted her to stay with him, because he wanted to unravel her mind andunderstand why she heeded to be all the things she wanted to be. Unapologeticâthatwas how he saw her, in every way. It almost made him curious, want to questionher without actually allowing the words to rise up and be spoke. âJust let meknow when youâre done with me.â He murmured. âIâll pass you back off to your date. Donât want to be accused ofsnatching up someoneâs date.â Amos was a good ladâand certainly a grade aboveLudo in the manner of being a decent person. It made sense, he considered,looking down at her, making no move to push her away. Ludo was selfishâall heneeded was her to see that.
Iâm not going to tell you my secrets. Charity merely shrugged at the words, indicating that she understood that Ludo felt that way. âSuit yourself--but at least now you know if you did tell me one, I wouldnât tell a soul.â Why did it always seem like she was goading him? Why couldnât she just accept anything he told her, and why was she insistent that he was different than he let on?Â
Average height, that was a laugh. Charity was average-- âYou should be sympathetic now since I donât know how to âbloody walk in these shoesâ.â Her mouth opened to protest that while no one had told her to wear the heels, sheâd been like a sheep and followed the flock--and the plot that sheâd worn them to not dance with Amos caused her to turn scarlet. âThatâs not true! I wore them to feel beautiful for once in my life, and it was what all the other girls were doing so...I...I didnât want to not fit in...â She felt tongue-tied, wondering if sheâd hurt Amosâ feelings somehow. Charity stood out anyway with her love for Muggles, her willingness to not follow the pureblood code and desire to keep their bloodlines pure. âIâm dancing with you, arenât I? Clearly I can go off and dance with Amos after all.âÂ
As she said that, Charity was practically clinging to the taller man in front of her, hoping she wouldnât stumble and take Ludo down with her. âThat would just be icing on the cake, wouldnât it?â But he made it easy to keep up with him, strides slow and steady, strong arms holding her upright and keeping her in place--all she had to do was move her feet and follow. It was hard relinquishing control, to give in to another and allow them to lead. To trust in someone else that sheâd only been arguing with instead of speaking civilly. Yet here she was, slowly allowing herself to relax, like a warmed cup of tea flowing through each limb.Â
âI wouldâve gone with friends.â She answered quickly, immediately defensive and perhaps snarking back just a bit. Did he think so little of her that if someone hadnât asked, she wouldnât have bothered showing up? Charity wasnât shallow or embarrassed to show up without a date. She remained silent with his answer, wondering briefly who he wouldâve asked had others not been paired off. âWas there someone you wanted to ask that got paired off?â She really had a bad habit of asking the questions that floated into her noggin, didnât she? Chuckling, Charity nodded her head in agreement to wear shoes that were comfortable. âTrust me, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and these things are going to be tossed off the Astronomy Tower after tonight.â She found herself smiling at the words, eyes meeting his then rolling. âGive me a break, youâre teaching me how to use them right now and Iâm doing just fine.âÂ
But Charity didnât necessarily want to go back to Amos, and she felt guilty for feeling that way. Amos had been kind in asking her to the Ball, and here she was spending time with another. How long was too long? And as though Ludo read her mind, he spoke, and Charity found herself answering earnestly. âI wouldnât be done with you...I like dancing with you--â But he was right, she had a date, she was neglecting someone by spending time with another. That wasnât fair. â...are you done with me?âÂ