Closed starter for: @lydiailimitada
Chivalry was something that came easily to Declan Hollingsworth; women, on the other hand, were a bit more confusing to him. One woman in particular seemed to cause the most perplexity was none other than Lydia Frye. When she first came to Hogwarts, Declan was assigned as an older year student to show her around. It was an easy enough job and he had done it plenty of times before, but what he had never expected was the way this new student from across the pond would make him feel. They had a lot in common–but given that they were both studying World Politics & International Law, it wasn’t very surprising–and she seemed to get him in a way that not everyone at Hogwarts did. She was muggleborn, and that didn’t bother him in the slightest. In fact, maybe it was one of the reasons it was so easy for them to connect. As far as anyone around school knew, Declan was a pureblood, but underneath his charade he hid the fact that his mother was a muggle. He never discriminated against anyone, but he felt safe knowing that if he confided in Lydia about his family tree, that she wouldn’t turn away from him as some of the other students might.
They had grown closer over her year at school and Declan knew he was in too deep when he invited her over to Tremblay Manor, kicking everyone else out for the evening to have the kitchen and common room alone. He chalked such authority to Head Boy privileges and was perfectly fine using his status for such an evening. After all, if anyone deserved a night of pampering, it was Lydia. Hogwarts was a top school for academia and the students were often stressed, so if Declan could help her unwind after a long day, everything would have been all worth it. He had went into town over the weekend to grab a few records he thought she would like–cheesy disco music was one of her favourites–and had the catchy tunes playing over his record player as he put the finishing touches on dinner. He was making his favourite food, spaghetti, from scratch with favourite dish for dessert: Creme de Papaya. It was something he had never heard about before she introduced it to him, much less something he had ever thought about cooking. But she was worth the extra effort.
Upon hearing the knock at the door, Declan ran his fingers through his hair for good measure and grabbed the two wine glasses on the counter. He carelessly threw the rag into the sink after wiping off his hands to ensure no leftover flour was on them. When he reached the front door, he felt his heart skip several beats as he balanced both cups in one hand, swinging the door open for her. “Well hello there; aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” He greeted cheerfully, offering Lydia the glass he had poured for her. “For you.” Declan mused, stepping aside and allowing her to slip into the foyer.
Lydia had thought nothing of accepting an invitation to spend the evening with Declan. He’d been one of the first people to make her feel welcome when she arrived at Hogwarts, though at first she’d thought it may have just been a show of hospitality that had been expected as he showed her the grounds. However, she’d long since come to the conclusion that was simply who he was as a person. Welcoming. Charming. There were simply nothing negative that came to mind when she tried to describe him. He was calming, with the sort of aura that gave a radiation of safety, she believed.
As she neared Tremblay Manor, her steps slowed. Her fingers quickly smoothing over her dress, making sure there were no creases in sight. Catching her reflection in a window, giving herself a small nod of approval as she looked herself over. Climbing the few steps to the front door, Lydia knocked on the door eager to see what he’d planned.
“Oh, hello indeed!” She replied as she gently took the glass of Cabernet, pausing momentarily to place a kiss on his cheek as she moved inside. “Thank you for having me tonight.”