A winter wonderland, they called it. The way Diagon Ally was decorated, it felt like one too. Upon arrival, he had been bundled tightly in a coat to keep away the cold, but Leona had gotten a chill despite her heavy clothing, and he’d given her his coat. He was able to tolerate physical sensations, like cold, hot, or pain, more than many people he knew. He was accustomed to it by now, and it was simply mind over matter, right? He didn’t mind going cold if Leona was warm, and that was a sign that he was getting in over his head. As the times had progressed, he had grown closer and closer to his bride-to-be. He felt something for her he hadn’t felt in a long time, some kind of bond with her. He wasn’t sure it was the same as being in love, but he certainly loved her and feared the terrible things that were yet to come.
Up to this point, everything had gone according to plan. Luther loved his future son-in-law. He trusted Christoph, came to him for advice and good conversation. As charming as the man could sometimes be, Christoph’s feelings toward Luther had not changed. He loathed him, and the man deserved what was coming to him. He even didn’t mind ridding the word of the pathetic creature that was Leona’s brother, Leoline. A drug addict with borderline personality disorder—the world would be better off without him. Still, with Leona, he worried. She deserved more than being a prop in his game, and she was kind and gentle to him even when she didn’t have to be. They both knew that part of his proposal was getting close with the family, and she had taken that in stride, but it seemed she genuinely cared for and loved Christoph, and he owed it to her to be the man she thought he was.
As it was, he was not that man. She thought him to be steadfast in his restraint, but if she only knew how hard it was to keep hands off of her. She deserved better than to be taken advantage of, taken under false pretenses. He knew if things continued this way, he would eventually need to be intimate with her—their wedding night, perhaps?—but he felt guilty for wanting it. He felt guilty for a lot of things. His eyes wandered, now. It had been so long that it was difficult to look at a beautiful woman without imagining what it would be like, but she deserved better than a cheater, too. Especially since the target of his current lust was none-other than his very own student, who he knew Leona suspected was trying to steal him away. She wasn’t. She was married already, but he couldn’t stop thinking that he could have her, just once, get it out of his system, and reaffirm his dedication to the cause.
…but would it be that simple? Would one night end his affections for his wife-to-be? His desire for her, against his better judgement? He doubted that very much.
He mustered up a smile as he shivered lightly. “Where would you like to go next, Leona? Have you ever been on a ferris wheel?†He wondered. Olivia had taken him on the one in London, and it had been a beautiful sight. “Come, let’s do that? You’ll have to stick close to keep me warm.†He teased.
@Leona Layton 
