The Luckiest Man on Earth

The Luckiest Man on Earth



Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and no trademark infringement is intended or implied - not to say that I would not like to but please do not sue.



Chapter 16: Crying



Flint Manor:



Later that night, in her room, in the concealing darkness, Natalya thought about him - the smell of his musky cologne, the silky feel of his fine blonde hair, the sound of his passionate throaty moans, the sweet taste of his surprisingly gentle mouth. She could feel the tears gather underneath her eyelids.



When Natalya had made it home in the late afternoon, she had been pathetically grateful that Aurelius had not been there. She had looked a mess and she still felt tipsy from all the wine she had consumed. Her heart had been pounding with fear and guilt. She had run upstairs to her room and locked herself in with a strong charm.



While in the bath, she had relived her heated encounter with Aurelius’s cousin. It was like she could still feel the warmth of his smooth skin underneath her hands. Later when the house elf had come to ask if she was going to dress for the theater, she had sent him down with a message for her waiting husband. Even when Aurelius sent back the poor trembling creature, she had sent back the message that she was to ill to attend. She could not face him, not tonight. Aurelius would know just by looking at her.



Natalya could feel the tears slip slowly down her face. She wondered if Aurelius had ever thought about her with the same feelings of guilt and regret after he had slept with one of her friends. Perhaps he did not think of her at all. She had not given Aurelius or Narcissa a single thought when Lucius had been touching her.



Fueling Natalya’s guilt was the fact that Lucius had given her so much pleasure. Before this afternoon, she would have pegged him as a selfish, controlling lover. But he wasn’t. He had made her feel beautiful.



But she was crying because despite everything, she loved Aurelius. Their marriage had made her happy despite his unfaithfulness. Before she saw him with that red haired witch, she could pretend to herself that he loved her just as much as she loved him. She wondered if she didn’t unconsciously have her encounter with Lucius because she knew that it would absolutely gut Aurelius.



Natalya wondered if she was saying good-bye to her illusion of a happy marriage. From this point on, would she and Aurelius have their separate lives? Would her lovers one day outnumber his? Natalya buried her face in the pillows and shuddered.



Unbeknownst to Natalya, Aurelius had stayed home from the theater as well. He sent their regrets by owl to the Parkinsons and retreated to his study. He summoned the head house elf, Floris.



“Yes, master,” said the house elf as he bowed in front of the silent man.



“Is the mistress unwell,” asked Aurelius quietly. “Does she need to see a medi-witch?”



“Mistress is sleeping now,” said Floris carefully.



“When did she get sick?” asked Aurelius.



“She came home this afternoon in a right state master,” said Floris with a touch of concern. “She warded her rooms very tightly but Floris managed to break them in order to see if mistress was all right.”



“Thank-you,” said Aurelius with an inward shudder. He wondered if Natalya had found out his former mistress and her spreading of tales.



“Does master need dinner,” asked Floris. “I could bring something here to master’s study.”



“Yes,” said Aurelius. “Thank-you Floris.” He sat back heavily in his chair. He knhat hat he needed to talk to his wife. They needed to clear the air between them. This state of armed truce between them had to end. Aurelius realized with a sigh that he missed his wife, her chatter and her seemingly scatterbrained nature. He also missed her warmth and her bright smile when he came home. In fact his home was feeling empty and cold. Aurelius closed his eyes when he thought about how he had treated her during that dinner. He had been so wound up and jealous. All he could think about was her lover. He wondered bleakly if it was Gerard Greengrass. He had always made clear his admiration for Natalya. Aurelius gripped the edge of his chair tightly.



Gryffindor Tower: the Common Room:



“I don’t know what to say George,” said Alicia with a gasp as they sat together in the window seat.



“Say you like them,” said George cheekily.



“They are beautiful,” said Ally as she touched the stones in the earrings with a hesitant finger.



“Your birthday is on Saturday and I wanted to give them to you early as a surprise,” said George quietly.



“I love them,” said Alicia as her throat closed. She looked at the earnest and open expression on George’s kind face and gave an inward shudder of guilt.



“We can play a game of wizard’s chess,” said George as he looked at her flushed face with a smile. He held her hand while they were playing the game and Alicia could feel the warmth and affection flowing from him to her. He heart felt heavy but she couldn’t let him see.



Later that night, she tried to recall Terry’s face when she closed her eyes but George’s face kept intruding. She fought back tears as she remembered the look in his eyes tonight. How could she break his heart? How could she betray him like this with one of his worst enemies? Alicia cried as she felt her heart torn in two directions. She loved them both but in different ways.



The Slytherin Dungeons:



Mariah looked at the parchment with a sinking heart. She recognized the handwriting. Mariah looked around apprehensively in the quiet dorm room and opened the letter.



May 2nd

Durmstrang Castle





My dear Mariah,



Hello my closest and oldest friend. I must admit our leave taking was abrupt but surely you knew I would be in touch. I must admit that I was very very angry with you for quite some time but I realized that technically Marcus and I had broken up. So I have decided to forgive you. Naughty witch, you should have told me. I could have told you that Flint was only dating you because of your unfortunate resemblance to that Bell creature. If I had paid any attention I would have figured out those other harpies were shagging Flint. I mean he is not one to turn down a shag, is he?



I have met a few friends already here at Durmstrang. It is not as cold as I expected although it is not as warm and luxuriously appointed as Hogwarts.



Although, Victor Krum is not as exciting as I had imagined. He reminds me of a Ravenclaw, always in a library. The headmaster loves him though. Scores of girls are after his famous arse but he is simply not my type.



Wonders of wonders, I have met a girl in my dorm that says that she’s engaged to Alec MacIntyre. The poor girl, she doesn’t deserve him. She’s loads of fun and knows how to obtain the best naughty things a witch needs in this cold barren place. MacIntyre still the good upstanding prefect? Svetlana, his fiancée, wants to know everything about him. I have told her loads. The poor girl wants to find a way out of marriage with that dull boy. He should have been a Ravenclaw.



But back to happier memories. Did I tell you that I happened to have pictures of that wonderfully exciting evening you, me and Davies had after that prat Wood broke up with you? Silly me, you wouldn’t remember. After all, you had so much to drink, I don’t know how you even got all your clothes off. But I am sure the few photos I have enclosed will jog your mem



Tell me Mariah, is your father still that big old-fashioned stick in the mud you always complain about? It would be such a shame if he got a hold of one of these pictures. Do you really think he would lock you in one of your manor’s towers? If one of the gossip rags in Britain got a hold of this picture, you might want to be locked in the tower.



In shortsweesweet, I need your help. If Katie Bell thinks that I am going to watch meekly while she steals my future husband, she has another thing coming. I am going to find a way to break up that engagement come hell or high water. And Mariah, you are going to help me. If not then these pictures will find their way to your father and the biggest tabloids in wizarding Britain.



Don’t cry, Mariah. I just know you are starting to blubber as you read this letter. All you have to do is render a little help. You see I have a plan. I’ll owl later with what I need you to do. No use asking me what my plan is, I am keeping that a secret for now. Rest assured, your part is very important.



Write Soon,



Love Billy



P.S. Must I tell you that this little letter must remain between you and I? Flint can’t help you. Just do what I ask and everything will be all right.



Mariah picked up the pictures with a shaking hand. She looked at them with a sinking feeling of dread in her stomach. The pictures showed her and Davies only. The picture Davies winked at her as she paled. The pictures showed her and Davies together explicitly. Billy must have been behind the camera.



Mariah closed her eyes and sobbed when she thought of her father and what he would do to her if he saw them. Her father was old fashioned and had a fearsome temper. Even her termagant sister, Medea, was afraid of him. He had just sent her a letter telling her his expectations. She was to graduate with good NEWTS but not so many that it would brand her a know it all. She was expected to marry but marry well. He had said that since he had no sons, at least he would have grandsons. A scandal would make him ferociously angry. He might just lock her in a tower until she was fifty.



Mariah clutched the letter and photos to her chest and curled up in her bed and cried.



The Slytherin Quidditch Captain’s Room:



“Marcus,” said Katie as she wound her fingers through his big hands. “Who do you think will be captain when you are gone?”



“I haven’t given that much thought,” said Marcus as he buried his face in her hair. ‘Warrington.”



“Warrington?” asked Katie with surprise.



“Yes,” said Marcus firmly. “He’s smart and clever with strategies. Even though he’s got good grades, he won’t sacrifice the team for a Runes final. And he is popular with the bs. Hs. He’s a talented Quidditch player but not so talented that the others are jealous.”



“What if there are girls on the team,” said Katie with a snort. “Being one of the ‘lads’ won’t help him.”



“There will never be another girl on the Slytherin Quidditch team,” said Marcus with an eyeroll. “Billy was an experiment. We won’t make that mistake again.”



“You male chauvinist,” said Katie with an outraged tone. “Girls can play just as good Quidditch as boys.”



“I never said they couldn’t,” said Marcus with a frown. “Don’t put words in my mouth.”



“I didn’t put words in your mouth,” said Katie heatedly as tears sprang up in her eyes. She damned the tears toditidition as she tried to wipe them away discreetly. Merlin, she cried about everything lately.



“Are you crying,” said Marcus with a disgusted tone.



“No,” protested Katie as she sprang to her feet beside the sofa they had been sitting on.



“Yes, you are,” said Marcus with a frown.



“Even if I am,” shouted Katie. “It doesn’t change the fact that you don’t think girls belong on the Quidditch pitch.”



“I never said that,” shouted Marcus as he sprang to his feet.



“Yes,” said Katie angrily. “But you do think so.”



“Merlin,” said Marcus as he ran his hand through his hair. “I think that woman do have a place on the pitch but, and listen to my words you stubborn witch, they do not have the strength and stamina for a long career.”



“What?” said an outraged and angry Katie.



“A long career Katie,” said Marcus heatedly. “Art frt fast one but not a long one. There are exceptions, mind you.”



“You hate women,” said Katie as she burst into tears.



“What?” said Marcus with a confused look.



“You do,” said Katie as she sobbed.



“What are you on about, you daft witch,” said Marcus with a shout. “I love women. I love you, don’t I? Even though, you drive me mad. Besides, are we really having an argument about flipping Quidditch?”



“Quidditch is important,” said Katie as her sobs hitched and slowed.



“You daft woman,” said Marcus as he pulled a resisting Katie into his arms. He ignored her struggles and hauled her against his chest. His voice gentled and he asked, “Why were you crying, love?”



“I don’t know,” wailed Katie as she buried her face into his robes. “Marcus, I feel like I have no control over my emotions anymore.”



“Do you still love me,” asked Marcus.



“Of course,” said Katie with a shocked look up into his eyes.



“Then that’s the important emotion,” said Marcus with a smile. He reached down and covered her stomach with his palm. “Do you know that your stomach is changing Katie? Before it was flat and supple but now I can feel a little curve and it’s hard. Can you feel? It’s my baby making your body change and your emotions go haywire.”



Katie covered his hand with her own and blinked. Her eyes filled with tears again.



“I can feel,” said Katie tremulously. “And it’s our baby.”



“Our baby,” said Marcus seriously as he leaned down and kissed her tearstained face.



“I’m sorry,” whispered Katie against his mouth.



“I like fighting with you,” said Marcus hotly. “I also enjoy making up with you as well. Do you know what else I like about you, my pregnant witch?”



“What?” asked Katie as she blushed. Marcus had undone her school blouse while he had been talking.



“Your breasts have gotten bigger,” said Marcus throatily as he palmed her breasts through her bra.



“They have not,” said Katie as she was pulled down onto the sofa and Marcus’s lap.



“Trust me Katie,” said Marcus as he undid her bra with a twist of his fingers. He ran a finger over a tightening nipple. “I know. I have been an avid fan of your tits for years.”



“You vulgar man,” said Katie as she swatted his head. She gave a hitched moan when Marcus ran his tongue over her tight nipples a second later.



“Still sensitive,” asked Marcus hotly as his fingers caressed her breasts.



“Yes,” moaned Katie.



“Shall we continue this conversation in bed?” asked Marcus hotly.



“I have curfew in an hour,” panted Katie.



“You won’t miss curfew love,” panted Marcus as he stood up with Katie in his arms. He closed the curtains around them.









Author’s Note:



Sorry for the lack of quick updates lately. Real life has been hectic then I got sick. I have to say thank you for all the reviews. This story has not even got to the middle yet! This chapter marks the return of that demented witch, Billy. She is a lot of things but above all she’s a good villain. She has no redeeming qualities and she’s crazy.



For hints and updates, go to:



http://www.livejournal.com/users/aureliaflint/