[mini plot] After you I don't know what I believe in [Thalia, open]

There was a loud crack that added to the hustle and bustle of daily life in the small wizarding village of Hogsmeade. Felix Abrams appeared right outside the large storefront window of Honeydukes sweet shop, he peered in, seeing the bobbing heads of many children who seemed to be both obnoxious and large all running away from their yelling parents. He stood in the doorway not much longer before he plucked a lollipop from a stand like a feather from a bird, tore off the wrappings, and stuck it in his mouth. A child who was much younger than school-aged looked up at him alarmed. Felix smiled, plucked another ollipop from it's place, and gave it to the child with a wink before leaving the shop. He continued through the broad street, peering in many shop windows to watch the people, most of whom seemed frazzled or occupied in some manner or another. It was a shame. Nobody stopping to look up at the clear sky to realize just how charming this little place was.

Felix had quite an appreciation for life and that which surrounds him since his very dangerous and life-threatening past couple of years. It felt good to be in Hogsmeade, it was so familiar to him. A part of him missed being school-aged when things were simpler. Of course, he did not miss his time at the castle. The most traumatizing event in his life (and that was saying something) had happened to him here. He tried not to think of his sweet mother and her untimely demise, so he instead focused on all of the friends he made here, and the antics they would find themselves in. He loved being in Slytherin house, he could almost feel the tattoo of it’s crest on his arm slither with pride.

Taking only a moment more to revel in the grand shadow that Hogwarts cast out among the village, Felix turned into a shop finally, The Three Broomsticks. He picked a barstool closest to the window, so he could still look out upon the beautiful castle in the midday sun. He eyed the barkeep, and when he approached, he ordered a pint of imported beer, and loosened the top button of his robes.

Felix wondered what Violet was getting up to, it had been nearly three weeks since he’d seen her, and two since he had gotten any word from her. Maybe after his drink, he would head up and pay her a visit. She was his favorite sister, and he felt a sense of responsibility and protectiveness wherever she was involved. Luckily, she was a smart girl, but Felix could tell she had the capacity to be just as wild as he was-well is. The bartender arrived with his beer, and Felix turned back around to face the inside of the bar which was rather crowded. He took a sip, and sighed, it was a great day to be alive.

Honeydukes was one of Thalia's favorite places on earth. The way the brightly colored candy surrounded her made her giddy. It was like being a child again--which was probably why it appealed to her so very much. It reminded her of the good old days, back at Hogwarts when she still had her other half with her everywhere she went. Now she had a different other half, and he was the reason she found herself in Honeydukes on this particular day. Jared had been having a tough time at work as of late, and she knew that some Fizzing Whizzbees were the perfect pick me up for him.

She felt like a bad fiancé because although she knew that he was extremely stressed out she was losing her patience with him. Knowing that she was being unfair, she felt she needed to go out of her way to do kind gestures for him--if only to make her rest easy. So selfish of me, she thought, and she grabbed some acid pops and exploding bonbons and threw them down on the counter too. After she'd paid for her candy, she made her way out the door, pausing to raise her eyebrow at a small child with an obviously stolen lollipop in his mouth.

Thalia didn't really want to go home just yet, so she made her way into the Three Broomsticks. She plopped down at the bar, smoothing out her bright coral robes as she did so. "Give me something with gin," she implored of the barman, giving him a very sweet smile. She looked to her right, and almost had a heart attack. Harry Potter!? But no, it wasn't him she realized after a second glance. Although, the man next to her did bear some resemblance to the Boy Who Lived. He was tall, with a messy mop of dark hair, and striking green eyes. Thalia thought she sensed some deviousness in the slight smile on his face as he watched the people of the bar. He was very attractive, although maybe a bit to young for her, though she wasn't sure. Not like she was looking for anyone--but the blonde witch sometimes simply couldn't help herself from pretending.

It was a always an interesting crowd in The Three Broomsticks. Some of the guests looked very rough around the edges, and those were the ones Thalia most liked to observe. She loved imagining them up some interesting lives--like hunting vampires, or raising an illegal litter of Kappa's, or being part troll. Once handed her drink, which was strong just the way she liked it, she swiveled her barstool around so that she could join the mysterious man in people watching. Upon noticing a rather large women in the back corner of the bar with muddy brown robes completely swaddling her with eyes that were bouncing all over the room as if waiting to fend off an attack, she nudged the dark haired man on the arm and asked "What do you think her deal is?"

People watching is a skill that Felix honed through much practice and experience. This was mostly because he also enjoyed being alone, it wasn't that he was antisocial or introverted, on the contrary he was charismatic and energized. Felix simply enjoyed spending time with himself because himself was a person whom he genuinely liked. He sat on the barstool, propping his feet on the rungs as his bright green eyes scanned the room. They bounced from shop owners to Hogwarts students to the very random, unidentifiable people; all of whom were minding their business, not noticing his eyes flitting from them to their neighbors. A bell tinkled and the door swung open letting a soft breeze in, a tall blonde witch stepped into the establishment and walked straight up to the bar. Felix watched her as she went, she was quite beautiful although Felix said that of many, many women. She sat on a stool not far from him, and as she adjusted herself, Felix averted his gaze so she would not feel in on her.

Felix thought for a moment about the other women in his life, as he often did, and he missed them. He thought particularly of Nessa, he missed having someone like that around. The craziest thing about their relationship was that amidst all the suggestive feelings he had for her, he also respected her a great deal. He saw her as a superior, and he wasn't as selfish with her. Felix shook the Regan girl from his mind, he was spacing out thinking about her while looking at all these social dynamics in the room. He turned back to the bar, to set his beer (which was now half gone) on the sturdy wooden countertop. He noticed the woman staring rather obviously at him, and he did his best nonchalance hotness look, which probably did not equate to exactly what he intended, but never failed to engage him in conversation with a pretty girl eventually. Felix was very used to the game, it was one of his favorites.

He would strike up conversation soon, being confident and charismatic, but not flirting too much. Just as he was thinking out his plan, the blonde spoke to him, at first, considering his train of thought, he looked puzzled, however he quickly gained his composure. He stared off to where she had glanced; a woman who was obviously on some sort of magical hallucinogen (that he probably had concocted with Rose) sat, shifting her eyes around. He smirked, and looked over at the blonde, "Oh, Doretta?" he said, his face concerned, "She spent five years as a prisoner of the first war on the dark side." He lied fluidly, it was almost second nature to him, however he was sure he made the blonde sufficiently concerned for the woman before he cracked a wide, white smile and said "I'm just bullshittin' ya, she's probably on something illegal". His smile dropped and he looked at her, fascinated, "Felix." He introduced himself with a nod, "What are you drinking, ma'am, I've got the next one." This smile was genuine and friendly, again careful not to lay on the flirting too hard yet- he didn't even know if she was single yet. He raised a finger at the bartender and waited for service before raising his glass and finishing off his drink.

Gin had been exactly what she'd needed. She could already feel it warming up her chest--had it really been so long since she'd drank that she was getting tipsy from one drink, or did this bartender just feel generous with his gin today? Either way, she felt great. She and Jared had been falling into a rut lately, and aside from a butterbeer with dinner (which totally doesn't even count) they'd been staying dry. She didn't know what was wrong between them, them should be at the peak point of their relationship, they were engaged to be married and everything planning-wise was going smoothly. Surprisingly, even to herself, she was not a bridezilla as many assumed she would be. Unsure whether the discontent was one-sided, she was left pondering where the source of her unhappiness was coming from. It certainly wasn't coming from her gin, and she took another swig of her drink.

When Thalia spoke to her attractive fellow bar-goer, he seemed confused at first, and Thalia hoped he wasn't off his rocker or something. It took him no time at all to regain himself though, and Thalia grinned for she could already tell that this was going to be fun. He looked to the corner where she not very subtly had pointed at the strange madwoman. He immediately told her some awful story and Thalia felt her grin melt off her face--had she offended him? She was being awful to some poor woman that he knew, but before she'd had time to rush an apology and shyly turn back to her drink, he grinned a stunning smile at her and wiped away all her worries.

A surprised gasp of laughter slipped from her lips as she appraised the somewhat smug looking man across from her. "I hate to admit it, you really had me going there... you're a very talented liar--I'll have to watch myself with you,' she said, giving him a little wink. She knew she shouldn't flirt with this man, but she just couldn't get herself to feel bad about it. She knew she wasn't going to do anything more than flirt, and she just wanted to see if she still had 'it'. She shook her head a little bit--allowing her big messy curls to fall around her face and for some perfume of her own invention to waft towards him.

"Thalia," she answered, "it's a gin and ginger." Hell, if she was going to get a free drink or two out of this encounter, surely Jared wouldn't begrudge her that. She knew that this wasn't likely to go far at all anyway, for certainly Felix would spot her engagement ring and back off, but then she remembered that her ring was getting polished after being discolored by one of the hair potions she had been making in her shop. Well, at least this way she could really play it up...assure herself that she still had game. Maybe that would help her feel better about her relationship with Jared. Scooting a little closer to him she inquired, "So, Felix, what brings you to the Three Broomsticks today? A usual hangout of yours?" Her second drink had arrived and she took another swallow.

Felix had to refrain from giving a very knowing look when the blonde said that he was a good liar, "If you only knew, sweetheart" he said with a mischievous look. If only she did know though, she certainly wouldn't be speaking to or associating with him. He had been through some shit for sure, especially in the last five years. He flashed back to the forrest with Greyback, how Fenrir terrified Felix, he had never remembered being so scared for his life. Well, except for when he was actually in a life or death situation-which incidentally he had gotten into with Fenrir also. When Bellatrix Lestrange had almost killed him, and she would have if it weren't for Nessa. Goddamn Nessa, she kept creeping into his thoughts. She truly saved his life though, if it weren't for their connection and her impeccable capability to heal magical wounds on her feet. Felix twisted his expensive-looking silver ring with it's large, dark green jane stone that sat on his right ring finger. The beckoning ring that Nessa had given him, he had never taken it off since his time at the Malfoy Manor that almost cost him his life.

Felix tried to take his mind from the very emotional events of his past; Thalia. What a strange name, however Felix thought it was extremely charming, like she was-or at least appeared to be. And a gin and ginger, felix smiled in a very respectful way, he could appreciate a girl who drank liquor. "I like a girl who knows what she wants," Felix said, though his words were suggestive, his tone was not, "Gin and ginger it is!" He said, and gestured the bartender. "And no, not typically. Although sometimes I come in with my younger sister, Violet, she's a student at Hogwarts" He said, glancing out the window again at the marvelous architecture of one of the grandest structures in the wizarding world. Felix turned back to Thalia. Her blonde curls bounced and Felix couldn't help but look admiringly at them, she was very beautiful, and her hair was voluminous and charming-like her. He caught a scent that he could only attribute to her, and it was magical. It was just the right amount of the very feminine flowery scent, but also a hint of something more musky and unique.

Felix laid his bright green eyes on his new friend, he was intrigued for sure. "So what about you Thalia, tell me something about yourself, something that you don't tell every guy you meet in a bar." He said, with a playful smirk on his face, he wanted to be different then the numerous guys he was sure hit on her. Felix needed this to work out, he needed to know this woman more, at least until she was back at his place. But Felix was feeling swarmed with emotions today: feelings for Nessa, all the tumultuous feelings his past held, and frankly his future as well. Felix ran his hair through his jet black hair to smooth it back, as he was sure it looked a mess as it usually did.

Thalia was pleased to see that her charms seemed to be working--at least a little. Although it was not as if the charming was only going one way. Felix had dazzling green eyes that Thalia could not help but stare into, and his smile was positively infectious. She felt as though she and her new friend were kindred spirits--and she was glad she had decided to make a stop in the bar today. "Thanks" she said to Felix, as she raised her drink to cheers with him. "The only way to get what you want is to know what you want" she said, very matter-of-factly. This wasn't even flirting, just a very true mantra that Thalia lived by. She liked things her way, and she wasn't afraid to say what that was. So why was she having so much trouble doing just that with Jared.

That would be her drinking game for this evening. Every time she felt angry with Jared she would take a drink. Although, it might be more wise to meet her drinking buddy drink for drink. She didn't want to get way more drunk than him way faster. Nothing is more of a turn off than a girl who is too drunk to be clever. Although, she didn't really know that Felix was the type to be looking for a clever girl-- he did have an impish air to him, hiding behind his sweet smile.

"Violet is a pretty name... What house is she in? Slytherin, like you were?" She hoped to Merlin she had guessed right so she didn't look like a fool. She had noticed his green ring and putting that together with his apparent aptitude for lying, she had simply assumed... "I have a younger sister too, although she's not quite Hogwarts age..." She should pay her father a visit, it had been a little while. Little Veronique probably missed her, although Thalia couldn't exactly say the same about the five year old. Kids weren't really her forte. Plus something about Veronique reminded her of Amatia lately, and that was just something that Thal didn't want to deal with. A thought about Amatia--that was even more worthy of a drink than one of Jared.

She focused her attention back on the handsome face in front of her. His green eyes were nicely set in his long face, and his dark hair really made them pop. Thalia imagined this man was probably quite a player, she might have picked the hardest possible target for playing the flirting game after being out of commission for so long. She took another sip of her gin just as he asked her about herself. "I have a tattoo of a thestral on my right ass cheek. Got a little too drunk seventh year." She tipped her glass at him, indicating her gin. This was not true even in the slightest, but the blonde simply wanted to test if she was any good at lying herself. "What about you, Felix, what's your secret?" He ran his hand through his mop of black hair and Thalia swore her heart skipped a beat. Maybe she should slow down on the liquor...or maybe not. She took another sip.

Felix pressed his tongue to the top of his mouth as he looked at the woman very coyly. He retort was very appropriate, and very inviting. Felix pushed his second empty pint onto the wood of the bar as he licked his lips and though for a moment how to take what she'd said. "You're very smart, aren't you?" he said, "you speak like a business woman with even more of an eye for human nature than anything. I like a little intuition, you know..." Felix pressed his new beer to his lips, he was starting to feel its effect on him. He continued, "But, you know, some things you don't know you want until they're right in front of you." Felix wasn't holding back very much anymore. He looked out at the castle again, the sun was starting to go down and the previously sun soaked village looked a little more comfortable and a little more homey than before. He turned back to Thalia, "That's what seems to keep happening to me, anyway". Felix's face was no longer as subtle, his eyes pierced her, and his interest in the blonde was no longer hidden.

Felix gave a very amused grin to Thalia between a gulp of beer, "Oh, look at you, I knew you were intuitive," Felix said with a chuckle. "No, though, she's a Ravenclaw. She's the smartest and most driven girl I've ever known." His tone got oddly heavier. It was hard to talk about Violet without swelling with pride, she had practically been like his own child since his mother died. Felix wished she could come meet Thalia, Felix felt that the two would get along...but he was also getting progressively more tipsy. Felix continued though, "But I was a Slytherin, I'm not quite sure how you knew that, but," he lifted his rolled up sleeve enough for her to see his tribute tattoo to his mother on his forearm. Thalia might not have been able to tell that it was a memorial to his mother's death, but probably focus on the slithering, inky serpent that was in the hand of the 'jack' card like a staph. The queen, however, wore a skull as a face instead, which was where the memorial part came in. The card suits were a deep emerald, and the whole tattoo looked like a Slytherin pride tattoo, which was sorely wrong. "I am a fan," Felix said as he rolled his sleeve back down over his tattoo.

"You have a sister...hmmm that's something, it's bland, but it's something. And not even school age, so one of you must have been a surprise," Felix inferred, starting to overstep a little, "But hey, she's in for a treat." Felix didn't care to hear more about the girls family, and she didn't seems to care to share more. Instead, she took a noticeably large sip from her glass. Felix caught the bartenders eye a third time, and hope in the back of his mind he had money for this-usually he would actually pay for his drinks, but on account of his sticky fingers, he usually didn't carry a lot of money with him.

Felix looked at her coyly as she thought for a moment about the secret she'd like to tell him. He wondered which other ones she was shifting through, discarding for various reasons. Finally she gave him a rather forward answer, and he broke out in genuine laughter. He wasn't sure he believed her, but he thought that it didn't really matter one way or another, "A thestral, huh?" he finished with a chuckle, "rather dark isn't it? I don't see why a beautiful girl like you would want a creature of death on her ass." As if Felix needed a reason to be thinking about Thalia's curves in the first place. "You know, you ought not steer someone's attention-nay, imagination in those directions," Felix said with a lower, more suggestive tone. He took another sip as she inquired about his secrets, boy did he have a lot.

He was an adept liar, so he could elect to make up a myriad of different, equally impressive feats. However, why not mix it up, it's not like she'd believe him anyway, and she didn't seem to care if she got the truth. "I've killed a man," Felix said with a look on his face that was purely based on he decision to believe him or not. Of course she wouldn't, and he wouldn't want her too, so he began to laugh. Inside though, he wished he hadn't said it... it was the thing he most regretted in all his life. Of course, he didn't do it on purpose, it wasn't deliberate and it was during a time of battle when curses were whizzing everywhere. But still, it haunted Felix in his nightmares to this day. Felix half grinned, he didn't want to ruin the night, he just wanted to add a little mystery, "But no, uhmmmm I've never been in love" Felix decided upon. He smiled up at her, this time more innocently, Merlin she was gorgeous. "You know, Thalia, it's getting a bit stuffy in here, would you like to leave, maybe take this on a walk?" He asked. The wizard could think of nothing more enchanting than a walk just before sunset in the wizarding village eclipsed by the towering, beautiful castle.

Felix absolutely knew how to make a woman feel good. Aside from keeping her fully liquored, he also was extremely complimentary. It was sad to say that Thalia was almost taken aback when he asked her if she was smart. After a lifetime with a genius twin sister, she didn't get questions like that very often. She was always the pretty one, or the social one, and even after she and Amatia parted ways, she kind of stuck to her superlatives, because they were easy and familiar. Was she smart? She certainly liked to think so, and the fact that this stranger saw that in her made her swell with pride and gratitude. She took another swig--one more and she'd be finished with her drink. Some things you don't know you want until they're right in front of you...Thalia felt her cheeks get very warm, and knew that she was blushing bright red. The fact that she had a decent amount of liquor in her did not help her coloring certainly.

Feeling extremely flattered, and more than a little tipsy, Thalia couldn't think of an appropriate thing to say back to that, so she simply met his intense green eyes with her own. She raised her eyebrow a bit. She tried to tell herself that he was just smooth talking her--just trying to take her home with him, but she couldn't help but feel a genuine connection to him.

A Ravenclaw, a smart and driven Ravenclaw. That brought back a wave of memories, countless hours sitting in the library with her sister, Al herself not really doing anything, but staying anyway because Amatia was still buried in her books. Smart and driven, those two words were exactly how people described Amatia back in the day and for all she knew it was how she was still described now. Thalia felt that she already knew Violet, as if she and Violet were best friends. Felix and Thalia has both seemed to be out of it for a moment, down their own private thoughts, but they came back at the same time, and Thalia caught his gaze again, desperate to look into his emerald eyes. She finished off her drink without breaking her gaze, and was a little too happy by the fact that he waved down another for her. She felt like a giddy seventh year again.

He showed her his tattoo, and Thalia thought she couldn't have been more right about him. A Slytherin pride tattoo seemed to fit him just right. Her eye was caught by the enchanted serpent and she couldn't help herself but to reach out and lightly touch it with the tips of her fingers. She pulled them back rather quickly--aware that alcohol was blurring social boundaries for her. But she did have time to notice that although he didn't exactly look buff, his arm felt very strong--and inviting. Before he folded his sleeve back down to its rightful place she noticed what she hadn't at first, the second card, a haunting queen with a skeleton body. She felt sad for some reason. "I'm sorry," she said, although her tone was rather unapologetic, "its a very enchanting tattoo."

Thalia beamed when he laughed. She might have gotten away with her lie! Or he may have just been humoring her. "It was a dare. To skinny dip and then swim the length of the lake. I was too drunk and knew I'd never make it across, so I took the tattoo of my friends choosing." She held her gaze as steady as she could. For a brief moment she had a panic attack, thinking that Felix would know that she lied if he saw her ass later, before she remembered that she was not planning on going home with him. She felt simply awful. For a moment it was as if she had forgotten all about Jared, she was simply so engrossed in conversation with the mysterious Felix. She felt as if she'd had triple the gin that she'd actually had, and for a moment she wondered if the bar man was Felix's wingman, and they were giving her extra. But no, she didn't think that Felix would do that to her. She took an extra long swig, to drown the guilt.

She let out a small, but hopefully inaudible gasp when Felix said that he'd killed someone. Immediately she disregarded it. She didn't believe it at all, and she already knew him to be tricky. She searched his eyes to find the joke, and it came with laughter. She sighed, relieved. For a moment there she thought he was serious, and after the war, he easily could have been. She thought for a moment she'd seen something in his eyes...Instead he back tracked, and admitted that he'd never been in love. And in that exact moment she'd decided that she never had been either. She definitely loved Jared, but she could not say that she was in love with him, not when she felt like this looking at Felix's smile.

"I would love to take a walk, Felix" she said, smiling invitingly at him. She stood up, in her pumps she was only an inch or so shorter than him. She brushed her hair off her shoulder and looked down at her glass. It was only half empty and she couldn't take it with her. So she took one last very large drink, almost entirely finishing it off, and smiled, slightly astonished at herself. She held out her arm in a way that clearly was inviting Felix to escort her, and she slid her arm through his. "Let's go"

Felix was glad to see that his comments made Thalia seem very flattered, he genuinely enjoyed complimenting women, even when he wasn't drunk. Felix smiled back at her, just content looking at her and the beauty that radiated out from behind those messy, bouncy curls. Felix could’t help but to stare right at her, she was gorgeous, and he wanted to continue seeing her confident and happy as she was now. The former Slytherin was not intimidated when Thalia met his gaze, and for a moment they were just staring at each other. Felix felt so intensely connected to this woman, and where that would usually be his cue to flee and to take a few steps back, he didn’t want that right now. He wanted nothing more than to continue this gaze, looking right at her, and her looking right at him. He didn’t want to run and he didn’t want to just sleep with her and never see her again. This was so new to him, but instead of being scared, he was calm. Not anxious, not afraid, not nervous, he was just calm and relaxed like this was the most serene feeling in the world.

Felix loved telling people about his tattoo, especially when they knew his mother had died. He didn’t want to bring that up to Thalia, but it seemed like she already knew. She said ‘I’m sorry’ though she seemed as if her mind was in a different place. Felix wondered if she knew what the whole thing meant, it was a very meaningful and sentimental tattoo. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that it practically said almost all you could say about the young wizard. A man with tricks up his sleeve, a snake who has suffered great tragedy but from it finds pride, not crippled grieving. She touched it, and his skin exploded with sensation. It was the first physical barrier they had crossed, and it made the hairs on the back of Felix’s neck stand up.

“Thank you,” he replied calmly, “A friend did it, he’s very talented.” Now that he came to think of it, Felix hadn’t seen Gregoire in quite a while, the man was one of Felix’s close friends, and he needed to pay a visit. Maybe get another tattoo. Felix grinned at Thalia and her tales of spontaneity She was feisty and she was spontaneous and she was incredible. Felix looked at her not as an attractive woman he’s like to take home, but instead like a very interesting specimen, someone he genuinely wanted to know. He wanted to know all about her, all about her life and all about her decisions. He didn’t even care really if she lied to him, he just wanted her to keep talk to him, spending time with him.

As the pair stood, Felix laid a handful of sickles on the bar for their drinks and even e generous tip. Woah, he must be drunk, he never tipped, and if he did it was a very low amount. Felix just didn’t mind today, he felt generous and he felt like nothing mattered, not even money, more than the girl standing next to him. Although at the moment she was chugging her drink, and it made Felix laugh. He appreciated that she got his moneys worth out of the glass, but it was even more enjoyable to watch her throw it back like she was fresh out of Hogwarts. “Impressive.” Felix noted with a sly grin.

Thalia slid her arm in his as they exited the bar with the tinkling of a bell. However, as soon as he felt her slender hand slide up his arm, he caught it with his hand instead, lacing his fingers in hers, and switching their casual arm-in-arm to a romantic holding of her hand. Felix felt the cold metal of his ring against his hot skin. She made him burn. The conman was so content as the streaks of orange started to run across the sky, chasing the tones of midday out with the onset of evening. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb affectionately and looked over at her,  her blonde curls touched by the waning sunlight “You are absolutely gorgeous,” he said suddenly. Normally, he never said things like this, rarer still did he say them with such genuine intentions. He no longer expected anything from this encounter, he just hoped that it wouldn’t end.

Felix had never been the type of man to want love or to aspire to it. All the women in his life were casual and sometimes even friendly. He didn’t even feel the need to change that, and he never wanted to feel the need to change it. felix was happy with his small, cozy house in Spinner’s End. He enjoyed his alone time, he enjoyed his secrets, he enjoyed his privacy and he was never before willing to share that with someone. But he imagine Thalia in his house, sitting on his large black leather chair, reading a book with the light from his emerald lamp illuminating the highlights in her hair. He imagined her in his kitchen, getting a midnight snack in her pajamas; Felix would catch her, and she would giggle a guilty, adorable giggle.

Hogwarts grew closer as the two continued their walk. They walked past a stand outside of a shop that had flowers for sale, as soon as the pair were parallel with it, Felix plucked a long-stemmed, orange Tulip from the bunch. He help it out to her, “Thalia, I want to get to know you more, and I know I’m a little drunk, but nothing has ever felt this easy.” He said, he really felt a connection with this girl and he wanted her to know that, he wanted her to know that she wasn’t just a random hookup. He wanted to make her feel special and beautiful because she was. He continued thinking and realized that he’d told her his fake secret and she hadn’t ever said anything about it. “Thalia,” He loved saying her name, “have you ever been in love?”

Thalia giggled like a school girl at Felix's grin. She felt like a different person, chugging her drink like that. And indeed, Thalia was not accustomed to drinking like that, and she felt her head spin a bit from the sudden rush of alcohol. The burning in her throat was a perfect match for the burning all over her body, Felix was setting her on fire. She took deep breaths as he laid a hefty amount of sickles on the bar so that she wouldn't stumble when they started walking.

For the few second that she was standing watching him as he stood up to go, she felt perfectly content. She could stare at Felix all day, and while there certainly was a very strong physical part of her desire to look at him, there was also something more. It felt as though, if she looked away her whole world would shatter, her heart would deflate and she would live the rest of her life in darkness. She never wanted this day to end , because she couldn't bear the thought of parting ways with man beside her.

A part of her, in the back of her mind, trying to fight off the effects of the alcohol was screaming at her. Remember, Jared? She did remember Jared... and while that part of her mind knew that what she was doing with Felix was wrong, and that she shouldn't leave the bar with him, she should just go home to Jared, the other part of her mind could not connect what was happening now to anything else in her life. Felix and Jared were in completely different worlds. She'd entered a different reality as soon as she'd opened her mouth to speak to Felix, and she wasn't sure she'd ever return. She just couldn't see how the two men were related at all. She wasn't doing anything wrong...

As Thalia went to grab Felix's arm, he made a tricky maneuver, slyly sliding his fingers through hers so that they were holding hands instead. For a fraction of a moment she started--this was wrong!-- but his hand fit so perfectly in hers and electricity was coursing through her arm and she'd relaxed. This was just right.

They exited the bar and began walking toward the looming castle. The sunset was beginning and it was the most beautiful shade of oranges and pinks. Thalia took in a deep breath of the fresh air, wanting to experience this moment with as many sense as she possibly could. She looked over at Felix as he took in the beautiful view...and she saw that the sky had nothing on Felix. His face was so strong and solid, and yet somehow soft at the same time. She could see little wrinkles by his eyes suggesting how much he laughed, and his eyes themselves, well they could make her melt. She could see them sparkling in the sunlight, showing genuine happiness. How had she ever lived without gazing at him?

Thalia beamed at his comment, flushing bright red. She looked down shyly. It wasn't as if she didn't get compliments on her appearance often, but something about the way Felix said it made her suddenly meek, something that she never was. The compliment meant so much more coming from him than it had the countless other times. "You're very handsome yourself, Felix. I could look at you all day." She instantly regretted saying the last part, that had definitely been drunk Thalia talking and she should have been working harder to keep her tucked away.

But it was true...Thalia had been aspiring to find the one for so long, that when she found Jared she'd assumed he was right for her. But now, looking at Felix, she thought it was impossible that she'd ever felt even a fraction of this way about anyone else. Felix made her felt whole. She could see herself walking next to him everyday for the rest of her life. They'd walk through the streets and he'd point out little things, making sly jokes, and pierce her with his mischievous eyes. That was all she really wanted. Anything else could happen in her life, so long as she could take a walk arm in arm with Felix. Especially if he kept caressing her hand with his thumb. That was making her feel faint.

They passed a little flower stand and Felix grabbed a beautiful orange tulip and handed it to her. She took it, bringing it up to her nose to see how it smelled. Thalia felt overflowing with joy at his admission. "I know exactly what you mean...nobody has ever felt as right as you do now. I'd love nothing more than to get to know you better." After a moment he brought the topic back to love, something that Thalia hadn't said anything about back in the bar. She had been afraid to admit it then, for that little part of her knew that she loved Jared. She shouldn't be here with Felix, talking about love. But the only reasonable part of her was drowning in gin, so she answered him, "You know, Felix, I really don't think I have been." She squeezed his hand with hers, moving her body ever so slightly closer to his, so that her body could say what she couldn't: until now.

They continued walking, getting ever closer to the beautiful castle. It was strange to her, how much this man whom she'd only know for a very brief amount of time could change everything for her. Typically whenever the former Gryffindor came to Hogsmeade, she tried to avoid the castle because it brought too many tainted memories to the surface--memories which she'd tried to lock away years ago. But now, even those memories didn't feel wrong. Nothing felt wrong. She let out a contented sigh. "The castle really is just breathtaking isn't it?" She said, bringing her eyes back to Felix--after not looking at him for the longest time since they met, it was like seeing him for the first time again, and Thalia felt a wave a warmth spread over her. Talk about breathtaking.

Nothing had ever felt so gratifying in Felix’s whole life that the past hour and a half had. He had never been so content and so willing to let things happen than he was right this moment. His whole life he had spent running away from commitment and love and intimacy that this not only felt fresh and new and exciting, but also necessary and familiar and warm. This feeling was like when you meet the person who ends up being your best friend for the first time. Only usually, you dont realize it, and he did. He realized the amazing things that were happening to him, and how much he adored these feelings of love and how much he adored Thalia. He never knew that love could actually make a person feel this good, he had always thought it was shallow feelings of attraction mixed with neediness and dependency. Felix was also a strong believer that love never ended well- but in this moment he knew that he had been wrong.

He knew that this feeling would last because it was so strong and so vibrant that even if it were to fade it would still be the most passionate he has ever felt in his life. Felix sighed a very content sigh, he felt at peace knowing he had found what everyone else was hopelessly searching for. He had a beautiful woman to love right next to his side. She told him she could look at him forever and Felix couldn’t help but grin as he looked down at the cobblestone street beneath their feet. Felix had found love in the knick of time.

Thalia’s face lit up as Felix extended the tulip towards her, and it filled him. It filled him to the brim with every good feeling to know that she was happy and that he had made her so. He wanted to celebrate these feelings with her. Although he wasn’t certain she was as excited by them as he was. She had probably dated many men and been in love plenty of times, a girl as petty as she was with her beaming personality. Felix was very pleased when she reciprocated his feelings of depth and of not wanting this to end. He wondered for a moment where this would take them. He wondered if they would end up at his place tonight, or if they would take it slow and part ways at the end of the night. He didn’t want to do that, and not only for the obvious reasons. He wanted to be in her presence, even if all they did was actually sleep next to one another. Felix needed to feel her presence, he was certain he’d just sit and think about her until he saw her again. He couldn’t lose this, this feeling, this girl, this image of the future.

Thalia went on to tell him this was all new for her as well, and Felix felt relieved and also flattered that she could possibly feel a fraction of the way about him as he did about her. She squeezed his hand with her petite one, and it sent a rush of overwhelming warmth all over Felix’s body. Thalia muttered something about the castle, and Felix was filled with a nervous feeling leftover from the rush of her touch. This love was starting to bubble over in Felix’s mind, he couldn’t let her leave here without him, and he couldn’t lose her. Imagining never seeing Thalia again made him ache, and he knew what he had to do. The beautiful castle was throwing a perfect shade of the couple who would otherwise be flooded with the oranges and pinks from the sun which was now setting. He couldn't think of a better time.

Felix turned to Thalia, locked his green eyes with hers before dropping to his knee, “Thalia, you are the most beautiful and enchanting woman I have ever met, and I cannot bear the idea of not being with you for the rest of my life. I want to wake up with you and go to sleep with you, I want to see you succeed and I want to see you bundled up in a blanket on a lazy Sunday.” Felix was staring right into her eyes, “Thalia, will you marry me?” His forehead started to bead with sweat and his pulse quickened, he was really doing this. It occurred to him that he didn’t have anything to offer her. He pulled off his beckoning ring for the first time in years and held it out to her, vulnerable and hopeful.

This day was hands down the best day of her life. She felt more happiness and love in the past hour and a half with Felix than she had in her entire life combined. Being a witch, she knew how to cast spells and make potions, but this was real magic. It was astonishing to her that she had lived twenty seven years without feeling this strong of feelings. It almost made her want to cry, sad that this was the first time that she'd experienced this and oh so extremely happy that she found Felix and was living it now.

Love was an area of her life that Thalia had assumed that she had figured out. She knew now that she'd had nothing figured out, because how could her life be together when it was missing the most important piece? Felix would fill in every hole in her life, making her complete. Love, it turned out, was something that Thal hadn't understood at all. It was so much more than caring about someone and enjoying their company. It was so much more than wanting them all for yourself, and wanting to hear every mundane part of their day. It was needing them as much as you needed oxygen, and Thalia was certain that if Felix left now, she wouldn't be able to breathe.

Thank Merlin she had decided to go into The Three Broomsticks today. Thank goodness she hadn't kept to herself. And most thankful of all that Felix had met her eyes with his and that everything else in her life had melted away. This was what love was supposed to be like, easy and freeing. She felt so full of emotion that she didn't even know what to do with it all. If she were lucky, she would have forever with Felix to figure it out. It startled her a bit as she realized that this was it. This was what she had been looking for all along and now that she had it she didn't intend to ever let go. She would live every moment of the rest of her life right by Felix's side if she could.

Her heart started beating faster. Coming to the realization that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Felix was an amazing one, but she was terrified that he might not feel the same way... she didn't know if she would be able to take it. Her heart would break into a million pieces if Felix didn't want her as much as she wanted him. Now that she'd known what his hand felt like in hers and how his eyes could stir her soul, she was certain that there was no point in living if she couldn't have him. This was what she was made for.

She desperately looked into his eyes, searching them to see if she could recognize her emotions mirrored in his. And when he met her eyes, all of her fears and nervousness melted away. He dropped to one knee, and Thalia's heart skipped a beat. She held her breath as he said the most beautiful things she had ever heard. Her eyes began to well up a little, but she refused to cry. No tear should be shed when she felt this extremely happy. "Felix, I want all of that too." She tried to keep her voice steady, although the tears were interfering a bit, "Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you!" He took his ring and held it out to her, and Thalia allowed him to slide it onto her fourth finger of her left hand.

None of this was how she'd imagined getting married--and she had imagined getting married many many times. But everything about this moment was perfect. She grabbed his hand and pulled him up off his knee so that she could pull him into the tightest embrace. "Let's do it right now," she implored of him, "I don't want to spend another minute of my life not in your arms" Without even waiting to see if that was okay with him, she turned away, toward the bustling street of Hogsmeade and called out "Can anyone here, officiate a wedding?"

NPC--- ELYMAS VARTANIAN/FLOWER CART PURVEYOR/REGISTERED OFFICIANT

Elymas's day had started horrifically. Technically nothing had gone wrong, but he had really been feeling the tension lately between himself and his wife. No matter how hard he tried to figure out what was wrong, he simply couldn't. And it didn't help that whenever he'd try to prompt her into talking about whatever was bothering her she would just get angry and push him away. Needless to say things this morning had been too falsely polite, with no real emotion between the two of them. So he'd eaten his porridge sullenly and then slumped off to work at the flower stand.

His wife grew all the flowers that he sold--she had quite a green thumb. He was in charge of the selling. He had often been described as a jolly and charming man, his personableness a trait that his wife simply did not have, which was why he had to do the selling. It wasn't a great job, this was true, but he was a simple man and he enjoyed it. He enjoyed seeing young lovers or old couples enjoying the delicious smelling bouquets. It was nice to inspire love, although lately it just made him sad thinking of how his own love was going stale. Despite her somewhat off-putting traits, Elymas loved his wife with all of his heart. She had stolen it from him at a very young age, and since then it had never swayed. He just wanted her to open up to him. They needed a fresh start.

Business had been slow, and because of this he allowed his mind to drift, he was startled when a hand reached out and plucked an orange tulip. He got ready to demand that the young man pay for that, when he started talking to the woman beside him. They made a very lovely couple, both were very attractive, and as he watched their little display he felt positively infected with the adoration emanating from the both of them. The dark haired man made a declaration of love and got down on one knee, and Elymas beamed as the blonde's eyes brimmed with tears of joy. This was his favorite part of this job.

The young couple decided they wanted to get married on the spot, and the woman asked if anyone could officiate for them. Elymas's excitement was uncontainable, he started bouncing up and down like an oaf as he said "I can, I can!! I would be honored to. I have never once in all my years of running this stand see any two people more in love than the both of you. I will gladly marry you!" He looked at his cart and got an idea. "Miss, you can't be married without a bouquet!", he enthused and he quickly gathered up some more orange tulips along with some pink lillies and some white lily of the valley and shoved them into her hands. Then he grabbed one last tulip and fastened it to the mans shirt.

"I'll need to know your names for the ceremony!"

Felix, drunk off of the ambrosia-like alcohol, had never been happier in his life. As his wife-to-be stood, gazing down into his eyes, he knew this was how he wanted to spend his life. He wanted to spend his life looking into those beautiful eyes, and nothing else. He didn't even care if he had to give up his line of work. For a moment, Felix panicked, he hadn't thought about what Thalia might think of his line of work, and when she became his wife, she would eventually have to know about it. Felix realized though, this was unlike any relationship, she would understand and she would love him anyway, and he would love her so much that he would change for her, and certainly she for him. Felix could think of nothing that could tear them apart.

A wave of pure ecstasy washed over him as Thalia accepted his proposal, as her face lit up with a very familiar type of love. He was so beyond happy that his face cracked into a huge smile, as he slid his own oversized ring on her finger, and stood to embrace her. Felix held Thalia tight, he didn't want to ever let her go. For the first time, he allowed his lips to brush the top of her head as he held her tight. Feeling her arms holding him back with the same ferocity made him feel warm and emotional. He wanted this forever. Felix pulled back from the romantic embrace, fully ready to plant a kiss right on her lips, but he stopped himself. He wanted their first kiss to be their wedding kiss. And as Thalia pulled away and yelled out for an officiant, he knew she wanted the same.

"That's a marvelous idea, baby," Felix said, swooning, he was so happy that she would be his. Almost immediately the couple gleaned a response, and it was not until then that Felix realized what a scene they had been making. He didn't much care, he was excited to show off and boast his love for the beautiful woman in front of him. He wanted everyone to know, and soon they would. Felix felt the burn in his chest from the alcohol, and as the old flower vendor spoke words of compliment to their love, Felix smiled over at Thalia. "She's the most beautiful woman you've ever seen, don't you think?" he asked the vendor, smiling warmly at Thalia all the while.

Graciously, the vendor fixed Thalia a gorgeous bouquet, featuring the orange tulip he stole. He also attached a makeshift boutonniere to Felix's robes, and Felix put a strong hand on the older man's shoulder in thanks. He promptly answered the man's request, "I'm Felix, and this gorgeous bride is Thalia", he turned back to the vendor, "So this is real, we can really be married right now?" It seemed too good to be true, he had always thought there would be more to it, and in this moment he was so happy that this would work. It was perfect, and though he had never imagined his own wedding, it made sense to him that it would go like this. He liked it, it was passionate and spontaneous and fiery, and that's all he had ever wanted in a relationship.

Wanting to speed things along, Felix took both of Thalia's delicate hands in his. They were soft and slender, and he kissed them each before holding them in front of him. He looked over at the officiant expectantly before returning his loving gaze into sweet Thalia's eyes once again.