Ana Rojas

Before Ana, Rosa was afraid of spending the holidays alone. After her mother’s passing and being disowned by her stepfather and siblings, she knew Christmas was going to be different; no big parties and fancy dinners and expensive gifts, but at least she had beautiful, smart Ana. She felt like a schoolgirl again, having a silly crush on an upperclassmen who may or may not even like girls, but she couldn’t help but be wooed by the older woman – so much so she brought her a gift. She didn’t expect her to return the favor, but she couldn’t show up empty handed either, not after how good she had been to her. Ana could have easily told her to piss off, but instead she took her in on her secret heists and now they were at a bloody Christmas party together. Rosa couldn’t help but blush at the thought. 

She had spent the days after their last meeting looking through her shop’s items meticulously, trying to find something perfect for Ana. It was a lot harder than she imagined, which was saying something as she almost always knew what to gift someone, but Ana was important to her. Her gloved hands held the velvet box tightly, she was starting to wonder if she should just shove it in her pocket and forget about it, but as she fought herself she found that she was already face to face with the brunette, her cheeks red. She smiled at Ana’s words, she was reminded of the fairs and carnivals she had went to as a kid. “If there are quidditch hoops I’m sure there will be something like that around.” 

Rosa bit her lip, not sure how to start this interaction or if she was going to make things awkward by doing so, but before she could think about it further she stopped walking, putting her hand on Ana’s shoulder lightly. “Hey, I… I got you something – you know, for the holidays.” She put out her other hand, offering her the velvet box she had been holding. Inside was a necklace, a double pointed obsidian charm hanging from a silver chain. The muggles say obsidian shields the wearer from negativity and help with psychic abilities, but Rosa picked it out because she believed it was the most Ana crystal she had in the shop. She looked up at the older woman through her eyelashes, trying to decide if she liked it or not – or if she completely fucked everything up.

Ana had not been expecting a gift. That was the last thing on her mind so when Rosa offered the velvet box to her she was a little taken aback. She picked it up suspiciously looking at Rosa and her explanation that is was ‘for the holidays’. A present. Ana wasn’t sure the last time she had received a present. Maybe last year when a bartender gave her a drink ‘on the house’.

She opened the box to see the necklace, a black stone hanging from silver. Ana never normally wore jewellery. Before now she had never seen the need for such luxury, preferring to spend her money on other things. But now that she had money, her first thought wasn’t how much she could sell the necklace for. 

“Oh. Thanks.” She wasn’t really sure what to say looking at the little box for a moment and glancing up at Rosa. Was this a come on? Ana had basically invited Rosa on a date and with this gift it seemed to solidify that there was something between them but Ana was wary. It was a crush. Rosa was ten years her junior and although perfectly competent, perhaps flighty and fickle. Ana couldn’t help but see Rosa as kid. A smart one, who managed to strong arm Ana into working with her but still young and naive.

The last time she saw him had been at that weird party at that quidditch player’s house where they had both been eager to do the same thing - get with one of the girls there. Only thing was Ana was pretty sure Danny had his eyes set on bedding her sometime in the future.

Now that wasn’t happening but that supply of drinks he’d managed to score her had been well worth his flirting so when she spotted him again she clapped him on the shoulder.  “What’s up? Didn’t think I’d see you here.”

She’d headed over to the bar to grab her and Rosa some drinks not expecting to bump into Danny but now that she was here she may as well see if she could get two drinks out of him. 

The Christmas period had begun and shops had started putting up their decorations, the air had got significantly chillier and the pubs had started serving mulled wine. Ana had always usually been a beer drinker but somehow this Christmas felt a little different and she allowed herself to indulge in the sweeter drink occasionally. 

She slumped into one of the seats at the Three Broomsticks and gestured at Victor, who she recognised from her frequent visits. “Hey, how’s it going?” She asked leaning on the bar and offering him a smile, “no beer today - do you still have that mulled wine stuff from last week?”

Rosa couldn’t believe she had offered to practically stalk this man, but it was happening now all because she couldn’t control her hormones and wanted to please Ana. She could feel her cheeks burning at the older woman’s request. She was sure it was just a friendly offer, one of business partners, but she might as well take her up on it. The worst that could happen is she would few drinks and not have her feelings recuperated, but she was already expecting that so why not? She smiled at the her, trying her best not to show how fucking desperate she was for her already. “I’d like that a lot.”

-- Several Days Later --

They had arranged to meet at the entrance so, wrapped up in her winter coat and scarf, Ana waited leaning against the wooden fence which surrounded the burrow and rest of the party. She could hear the laughter and shouting from where she was stood and smell the distinctively Christmas-y cinnamon cookies. It was far too wholesome for her liking. From what she knew of the Weasleys that’s what they were like - wholesome. And blood traitors. A word she had learnt from her parents specifically describing the Weasleys. 

It might be fun though. Rosa was intriguing and although lame, Ana was sure that they could find something fun to do. Plus there would be a lot of wix here tonight, some of which would probably be pretty important people. It was always a wise move to rub shoulders with powerful people. 

Like this for a starter from Ana who is (probably) drunk on mulled wine

The woman bit her lip in thought. Ana didn’t seem to know the man she was speaking of, but luckily for her Rosa had a lot of free time and was good at sneaking around and acting shady. “I could… I mean I could always… watch him.” God what are you doing? Are you really offering to stalk a strange, foreign man for a hot lady? …Yes. Yes she was. “Business has been slow – not a lot of people coming in late at night – I could always try to speak to him.”

“Good,” Ana confirmed. It felt like everything was falling into place with the two of them working together on this project. For once Ana felt like she was doing something right with her life and she didn’t want it to end. She clutched the Lestrange ring tighter in her pocket. It had brought her so much already, her whole life turned around since it’s arrival - it was time to take chances. 

The younger woman racked her brain, she thought she heard of a few artists in the area, but she couldn’t put her finger on their names or location. She could have sworn there were a few, she had customers who spoke about them – wasn’t there that author guy, too? Yes, she was sure that there was a young author in the area, maybe Ana had heard of him. If they could get something from him they could surely get a good price, right?

Rosa was concerned about the other woman Ana spoke about, and she couldn’t help but be jealous. The two were anything but a couple, but she felt annoyed that there was another woman the older female could be interested in or leave her for. She pressed her painted lips in a thin line for a moment, thinking through what she was going to say next. “That sounds… great. Perfect. Yes.” Pathetic. Maybe she should bring up the other man? Maybe that would make her stay? “I’ve heard there’s another artist around – a young male. I believe he’s a foreigner? We could always look around for him?”

Ana wasn’t sure what she had said wrong or even if she had said anything wrong but she got the impression that Rosa was pissed off. it was only for a moment, her lips pressing into a thin line which somehow reminded her of the many strict professors that Ana had somehow managed to irritate in her school years. It seemed disapproving? She wasn’t sure. Rosa didn’t voice whatever opinion she had and she didn’t linger on the any issue long enough for Ana to work out what she had said that had displeased her. Maybe it was nothing.

[ x ] consumed alcohol [ x ] slept in the same bed with someone of the opposite sex [ x ] slept in the same bed with someone of the same sex [ x ] kissed someone of the same sex [ x ] had sex [ x ] had someone in your room other than family [ x ] seen porn [ x ] bought porn [ x ] tried drugs

Rosa felt like she had no one. She didn’t have Marius, nor did she have Beatrice – she was even afraid to speak to Avery and Vivienne. She may have met her half-brother, Dave, but she didn’t want to bother him, not to mention he wasn’t the kind of companion that she wanted. Even if Dave wasn’t her relative, he would never be her type, he was exactly that – a he. Ana was, in every regard, her type. She was beautiful, intelligent, crafty, and independent: everything Rosa sought for, maybe even more. She smiled up at her, she was stunning. 

“That’s brilliant, it really is, but where are we going to get such artwork? Do you know someone?” Rosa thought hard about it – did she know any artists? She was sure she heard of a few in the area, but not specifics. There had to be someone, though, and she knew that they would find them and their plan would be put into action.

Ana didn’t want to admit that she had thought briefly of the artist she’d met recently - the one she’s swapped her buttons for a painting. Perhaps she could make it up to her though. She had enough money to pay her for a painting, something good and convincing. Ana knew she could paint well. 

“Glamorous? I guess it is. I never thought about it that way.” the fancy hotels, the delectable food, a wardrobe to fit any weather; there wasn’t a lot she could complain about the state of her travels.  “Isn’t that their usual state? A bunch of useless old man who make their decisions up from their ivory tower.” a travel ban was in a way effective – it allowed them to say they were doing something, even if the thing proved to be ineffective. 

Looking down at her cup, Colette was sad to notice it was empty, “Another round?” 

How she didn’t think of her life as glamorous was beyond Ana. She was say here with her husbands card buying her rounds without a care for money, getting to travel the world. She couldn’t think of anything more glamorous. “Another drink would be great.” Ana was going to have to keep this girl as a friend.

“I hear that!” She said raising her glass to bump with Colette’s when she spoke of useless old men. “They need to find out what it’s really like to live before they go make our decisions for us.”