maDAMNmoiselle

Cavendish Manor (Public Access) || Location: Hampshire, England

The manor itself tends to host and rotate through quite a few guests throughout the year. Extended family and anyone from friends to business partners to mere acquaintances are welcome to spend a few days on the property at any given time. There’s almost always an event being planned or taking place within its walls, but it’s not all open to whoever happens to walk in. There are private halls and rooms that are closed off to all guests, but anyone who visits or stays on the property are welcome to use any of the following amenities: 

Ground Floor:

Grand Foyer

Informal Living Room

Parlour

Kitchen

Formal Dining Area

Sunroom

Basement/Cellar:

Parlor

Library

Home Theater

Fiona’s Apartment || Location: Paris, France

Chad’s Apartment || Location: Hogsmeade

“Oh of course! But this dusty little shop? It’s not a place I ever imagined I’d find Fiona Babette.” James responded with a handsome smirk, eyeing the girl and trying to read her body language. Something was definitely going on here and James had a strong feeling he wasn’t going to find the girl’s husband anywhere close to there. He even wondered if her husband knew where she was at all. “It has! I meant to talk to you at the wedding but..you were the woman of the hour and had so many other people to talk to. I’ve been good myself. You know..the usual. Another year at Hogwarts. Cannot complain. Don’t tell me you’re missing your old alma mater..”

Fiona looked around for a moment, her lips pulling up in a smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. She didn’t even really know where she’d walked into, so she didn’t have a good excuse ready. “It’s Cavendish, now, remember? I just thought I’d expand my horizons,” she responded weakly, turning her attention back to him. “What brought you in?” She hoped that it wouldn’t be so obvious that she was alone in Hogsmeade, but her husband wouldn’t even come to visit if she wanted him to be there with her. It wasn’t his “scene.” Fiona shook her head and waved off his excuse. “It was a long and busy night for everyone, and we’re talking now, so no harm, no foul, right?” She gave him a smile, this one bringing more life to her face. “I wouldn’t say I miss it...it’s nice to finally be out. But I do miss my fellow ‘Puffs. When you get along with family, you miss them when you’re gone,” she joked. “So as much as I love being in the English countryside, I miss the hills of Scotland,” she continued as politely as she could, hoping not too much sarcasm leaked into her voice at the mention of Ethelbert’s home.

James made the trip to the sleepy village in the cold November weather because he had to get his hand on the time turner he’d been looking for for ages. Sure he was skipping class and wasn’t supposed to leave school grounds, but he couldn’t pass up this opportunity. It wasn’t exactly like the shopkeeper was going to keep an illegal time turner around waiting for him to have an opportunity to come in.

Pushing into the shop crowded with dusty nick-knacks, James smiled at the wave of warmth that welcomed him. Not hesitating for long, James made his way to the back of the shop, nodding at the shopkeeper. The elderly man’s eyes grew wide at the sight of him and he immediately went into the back room only to return a second later with a black velvet box. He placed it on the table with a visible tremor in his hand and James couldn’t help but smile. Clearly his outburst last time they talked still had him a little rattled. But it had gotten him results, so he wasn’t the least bit sorry. “Pleasure doing business.” James responded with a cheeky smile, placing a envelope of money on the counter and taking the velvet box without another word. Making his way back through the store, James had every intention of heading straight back to Hogwarts. But as he made his way past a stranger, excusing himself, he couldn’t help but stop at the sound of her familiar voice. “Do my eye’s deceive me? What is Fiona Babette doing here in this sleepy village?” He hadn’t seen the young woman since her wedding and even then he didn’t get the opportunity to talk to her.

Recognition slowly spread across her face as she noticed who it was that was before her. “James, hello,” she responded with a small smile. “Can’t a girl come to visit the town near her alma mater?” she continued with ease. She couldn’t very well tell him that she was hiding from her husband or here to visit a friend who just so happened to be a man, even though there was nothing going on between the two of them. It would still look bad. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? We haven’t spoken since...before the wedding, if I’m not mistaken.” Good thing, too, because she’d been burnt out by the end of the night from all the socialising and drama and probably wouldn’t have been great company. “How have you been?”

“Something like that,” James responded with a smirk. He liked seeing some of the brightness come back into her eyes. It was clear her new husband was a damper on her life and he filed that information away for later. As she began speaking again, he focused on her words. It was good advice and he knew it came from a place of understanding. She was pureblood herself after all. “Mmm good advice Fiona. That certainly puts it into perspective. I do have this whole year to figure it out after all.” He paused a moment and looked her up and down with a smile. “I’m glad I ran into you today.”

“Just...don’t stretch yourself too thin, it’s not worth bending over backwards just to make people happy. Trust me, it’s really not.” She spoke with a smile, but her voice held a bitterness and sadness that she couldn’t ever quite get rid of. Fiona would forever preach doing whatever made a person happy, rather than playing by the rules. Rules were meant to trap people. She almost didn’t notice him looking her up and down, but weirdly, it didn’t make her feel uncomfortable. Perhaps it was just because it wasn’t Ethelbert who was doing the looking. She always hated the way he looked at her, like she was nothing more than a piece of meat. “I’m glad I ran into you as well,” she said with a shake of her head, trying to physically shake the thought away. “If you ever need someone to talk to or whatever, you can owl me text me, and we can get coffee?” Part of her just wanted a reason to get out of the house.

Thad shrugged at her response with a wicked grin. He had a little practice with teasing both girls and boys alike. But when an older, gorgeous girl like Fiona took notice of him, he didn’t waste the opportunity. “Neither do I,” He added about the candy, meaning it as a challenge as he sucked on the stolen sweet. “I have a spot or two we can sneak of to. We should get out of public though…You are a married woman after all and between the candy and that outfit there’s no chance I can keep my hands off you for much longer.” He leaned into her for a short moment and pressed a sticky kiss against her lips before stepping back. “Hogs Head. Room 207.” He added before backing away with a grin and making his way out of the store.

Fiona fixed him with a mock glare, her smile still on her lips, as she watched him still sucking on the rock candy. At least he had somewhere they could go. It could have been a broom closet, and she really wouldn’t have questioned it in this moment. He did have a point, after all, she was a married woman, and she did appreciate the small amount of discretion. “I’m not complaining,” she responded quietly. And then his lips were on hers with a brief kiss, gone far too soon for her liking. Her eyes had fluttered shut and opened again at the sound of his voice, licking the sugar from her lips with a nod. 

“Perfect.” Thad responded, immediately pushing all thoughts of her husband out of his head. He wasn’t here and with the way Fiona was looking at him, he was the last thing on her mind as well. “I think you know, Fiona.” He responded with a laugh as he took a moment to look her up and down, his eyes lingering on her short skirt and tight shirt. “I could think of a few more things…” He teased before leaning in closer to her, his hand lightly resting on her waist. At the last minute, he shifted to the side to take the rock candy in his mouth and step back with a mischievous smirk.

Fiona did know, but she still liked to hear it. It was nice to feel this way again, wanted, desired, lusted after, easily in control of the person in front of her. As soon as she felt his hand on her waist and his fingers graze the bit of skin between her top and her skirt, she felt the shiver down her spine. For a moment, she forgot they were still in public and anyone could see them. Fiona expected him to lean in for a kiss, and was surprised when he stole the candy from her instead. “You sure know how to give a girl a rush,” she said with a soft laugh. “I don’t usually share my candy,” she added, stepping closer again and resting  a hand on his chest and lowering her voice, “though, I wouldn’t mind sharing if you can find us a place to sneak away to. I’m not sure everyone would appreciate our show.”

“Something like that. I just figured married life brought some..limitations. Please tell me your husband isn’t around.” Thad glanced around the store for a moment before refocusing on Fiona. “I was going to buy some candy but..I might have found something more sweet.” He chuckled and grinned as she stepped closer. His grin faded to a look of lust though as she pulled the candy out of her mouth. Reaching out, he ran his thumb along her bottom lip before bringing it back to his own mouth. “Tastes pretty good to me.”

“My husband doesn’t even know I’m here,” she responded with a wink. Which was mostly true. He knew she was seeing friends, but he didn’t know where or for how long. And he was so busy with his own nonsense that he didn’t usually bother checking up on her too much. “Oh really? And what’s that?” she asked with a smirk as she looked over his face, her gaze setting on his lips for a moment before flicking back up to his eyes. Her lips parted under his touch, and a vaguely familiar sensation started to pull deep in her stomach. “Is that all you’d like to taste?” she asked before sinking her teeth into her bottom lip.

“Of course. I’m a little surprised to see you in here.” He responded, his smile growing wider. As she moved, he watched her closely, his eyes growing wide as she pressed against him and slipped the candy into her mouth. In fact, he could barely look away as she sucked on the rock candy and barely noticed as she paid the employee and pushed him away. “I don’t usually beat around the bush myself. There is more than one way to satisfy a sweet tooth and I’m not one to be picky. Were you…on your way somewhere?” Thad asked, eyeing her lips and desperately wanting to pull the lollipop from her mouth for a taste of his own.

“Really, and why’s that? Because I’m supposed to be tucked away in my castle somewhere?” she challenged, her brow quirking up a little more. Fiona didn’t even bother hiding the glee in her expression as she realised she had him in the palm of her hand. “And in what way were you thinking about satisfying this sweet tooth of yours?” she asked, softly, stepping a little closer to him. Fiona shook her head at his question, pulling the candy from her mouth and licking her lips. “I’ve always loved strawberry.”

Thad was in Honeydukes like usual, trying to make a decision what to spend his money on. He had a good stockpile of candy back in his room, but more was always welcome. As he walked down the aisles, taking in shelf upon shelf of bright candy, the only thing that could have distracted him was exactly what he found in front of him. “Damn..” He exclaimed, spotting Fiona in front of him, managing to look glamorous despite the gloomy weather.

“I mean…hey Fiona. How are you?”

Fiona focused in on the person before her and smiled at the warm face. “Hi, Thad,” she responded with a smile. She recognised him from school, but it was mostly the pureblood circuit. That was generally how she knew everyone. “I’m good, how are you? Trying to satisfy that sweet tooth?” she asked with a slight arch of her brow, moving closer to where he was and reaching for a stick of rock candy that was sticking out of a display. As she grabbed the candy, the top half of her body brushed against him just enough that it could be considered an accident but could have also been entirely on purpose. She pulled the wrapper off and placed the candy in her mouth like a lollipop. As an employee passed them, she gave him a smile and a wink as she pressed the wrapper and enough money to pay for it into his pocket before pushing him off and turning her attention back to Thad. “If I’m going to satisfy a sweet tooth, I prefer to go for something a bit more obvious and to the point, rather than beat around the bush. What about you?”

It was the end of Fiona’s sixth year of Hogwarts, she was ready for the summer, and she was ready to finally be free of her father’s outrageous demands that she marry someone as soon as she graduated. She’d been hearing the shpiel since she was a child. “Mija, you need to marry if you’re going to continue on our family’s bloodline. I will find you a suitable man, and you will marry him, and you will give him children. Preferably boys.” The conversation always made her sick. Lately, they hadn’t had the conversation often, but when they did, it was with a little more intensity than before. Over the years, she’d learned that he only called her Mija when it was important to him, when he wanted something from her, when he was masking his urgency or anger with overly affectionate words, and every time it made her resent him just that much more.

As she pulled away Felicity kept the warm glow to her face. Though it didn’t take long to find a familiar expression. One she herself had sported a few times, holding back tears that is. Frowning a little she wished she had hugged her a little longer. It seemed as though she needed it. “Well, I’ve missed yours as well.” She laughed softly shaking her head a bit. Pulling her focus back her eyes went wide hearing her. “W-What, you’re married now? I mean that’s great! Is it… great? “she asked carefully looking at her. Something was off, and she wanted to ask, but she felt she stood no ground to poke around anymore. “Oh… well my father fell ill.. it’s why I had to leave, but he’s back to normal now, and here I am. Catching up on everything before I can start my internship back up again.” 

Fiona nodded and looked at the ring again before dropping her hand. “Yeah, we went on a month and a half honeymoon, it was only supposed to be two weeks and then I convinced him that another month would be worth it, especially since it was just a trip around the mediterranean, and I wanted to see a hundred different places. You can’t really squeeze in all that shopping and sightseeing in two weeks.” The main portion of her honeymoon had been the travelling adventure of a lifetime, really. She got to see a lot of the coastal towns and islands she hadn’t really had a chance to see before. That part, she wouldn’t give back. Not for anything. The rest, however, she could do without. “I’ll have to tell you all the details one day, we should get together for lunch or something.” The idea of going into more detail now terrified her. She wasn’t ready for that yet. Instead, she honed in on Felicity’s story and found herself frowning a little. “He’s really okay? I’m sure that was scary, having to deal with all that. Are you able to go see him being here? Like do you have permission or something in case he needs you?”

James nodded his understanding as he took in her body language. She became tense at the mention of her husband and he took note of that subtle change. “That sounds wonderful. More time in paradise together must have been impossible to give up.” He smirked before considering her question. “I’m doing well. School is good of course. I’ve settled into my final year without any trouble. The pressure to figure out my future has begun to settle on my shoulders though. Any advice for me? As an alumni yourself?”

Fiona nodded absently with a small, mostly polite smile. There was no emotion behind it, no real connection to the words he said about her honeymoon. The beginning had been wonderful, sure, amazing really. She loved all the places they went and things they saw, but she still had to share it with him, and that put a damper on things. She looked back up at him as he talked about going into his last year of school and chuckled dryly at his question. “Advice? Stay in school kid and don’t do drugs. That kind of advice?” Fiona gave him a bit of an amused smirk, a little life coming back into her features. “Really, though, keep your head down and get through it, and when you graduate, that’s when you can make something of yourself. Try to forget the pressures that your family and society put on you, you’re still in school, you don’t need to have anything figured out yet, okay?” 

Nodding softly she smiled towards her. “Yeah, the one and only.” she laughed a bit knowing it would probably be a bit of a surprise seeing her. Even more so given how she just vanished without  much of a word to anyone. Tilting her head she picked up on the different sound of Fiona’s voice, comment to herself of course. “I’m great, thank you. I mean.. things are good I would suppose one could say. Nothing to complain about. How are you th-” She stopped talking feeling arms around her. Tensing up almost instantly at the touch. After a few moments her arms came up to lightly hug her back. “It’s good to see you, Fi.” 

After a few more lingering moments of a hug, Fiona pulled back, keeping the surging emotions in check, though if Felicity was looking close enough, she could see the glaze in her eyes that could only mean tears. “It’s just so good to see you, Fel. I have missed your happy little face, okay. There has been so much you’ve missed. I’m married now!” She tried to sound excited about it, but her voice fell a little flat as she held up her hand to show the ring that weighed her down so much. “What’s gone on with you? What have I missed in the life of Felicity Darnell? Tell me everything.” Please, she added silently at the end. The more she could focus on the other girl the better.