Serra Knew Appearances Mattered And That Her Reputation Was At Stake Right Now, But For Someone Who Normally

"I am enjoying my free time right now. Summer is always my favorite time of the year. And I got a lot of new dresses recently so I am excited to wear them." In her mind the it was definitely worth mentioning. "You make a good point." She nods with a polite smile, lightly resting her hand in his, letting him take her to the dance floor.

"I know I could, Rita lives and dies by her adoring public, can't have a paper without readers after all, but enough about her, I'm sure you'll get to ask her anything you like, what's happening with you, anything worth mentioning?" He waved his hand at the mention of her escort's whereabouts. "I'm sure he'll find you when he's finished with your cousin, why not enjoy yourself in the meantime?" He smirked and held a hand out as if offering to take her from the drudgery of her lonely table.

Serra swallowed, not wanting him to notice that she was more nervous than she was letting on. She had a carefully crafted reputation and appearance, she didn't want him to think she was some foolish girl with no experience. "I live with my parents. I do not want to live alone just yet, it seems like too much work and I do not like to work." Her words albeit honest, were meant to stall. "I do not think my parents would approve of that." They were traditionalists through and through. They would not allow her to stay out all night at a man's house either. If he had been her husband they would not interfere, but if he was her fiancé they might take less offense with it, but she doubted that even then they would approve.

Serra kissed him back, letting herself get distracted, relaxing into his touch if only for a moment before she pulled away. She did not want to give this up. She liked spending time with him but he was asking a lot of her. Perhaps more than she was capable of giving him. At least at this point.

Hearing the confirmation that there were indeed others bothered her and the glint of annoyance and jealousy was obvious when he spoke about it. While he had been seeing her he had been with others. It wasn't something she had ever had to deal with, the guys she'd been with had been interested in her and only her, basically worshipping the ground she walked on, begging for her attention. "The entire time you've been seeing me there were others?" Serra shook her head. It was incomprehensible to her. It bothered her more than his focus on the physical part of a relationship. "I do think this is where our journey ends."

He looked at her trying to get a read on her so undaunted.  She must have a goal even if it was him. This wasn’t a thing she could bluff though not really, at least for long did she realize that? He would make sure.  He grasped her tightly there was no space between them.  He held her squeezed her.  She was supple he held her close speaking slowly.  “Facts can still be asserted boldly.  To promise this so freely I would have you know what you’re getting yourself into.  Do you live at home?  I would have access to you, stay with you most nights if not all, there or here I don’t care, but your parents certainly might.” He moved grabbing her bottom a simple if signifying gesture.  If she shrunk from that he would know she was all talk. “I don’t care if I am your first or just your last until one or both of us are done, but if we are to be each other’s everything we must be at each other’s call.  I promised you romance, pampering, training, none of that will stop but there will be more.”  He kissed her again biting her lip, a small thing but something signifying the new eyes he saw her with. Was she truly his equal or just playing at it. “If you are making me choose and choose now. I want us both to be happy with the choice.  No regrets.  I’ll need time to break it to the others, some will be simpler than others.  You can always leave, but hot and heavy or not at all.  This is what I’m asking of you.  I will devour you and you will enjoy every moment of it.  See to it that you enjoy your prime and are enjoyed in turn.  If I’m to be satisfied with just you, you will see how insatiable I truly am.  Are you sure this is something you agree to Serra Borgin?” He teased at the small of her back and the slit of her dress as if he was just realizing how well she filled out her dress. “You are a delightful morsel Serra Borgin, and I would sample you, deeply, carnally.”  He traced his hand on her bare leg. “I would like a physical relationship. To consummate ours regularly, so there is no confusion in what I am asking you.”

"I was just wondering if the rumors are true. It looks like they are." Serra looked Cressida up and down, shaking her head. It was a shame that she had left a family as influential as the Malfoy's to marry someone beneath her. She'd never understand something like that.

Open starter for: Cressida McLaggen Max 4 replies please (0/4)

In the new situation Cress was living in, she found out that her patience had grown rather thin as well. And maybe she had grown a little more paranoid as well. It felt like people were pointing her out more, it made her conscious of walking down the street. And she knew that perhaps it was all inside her head but it made her snap. “What can I do for you on this beautiful day?” She asked the person behind her as she quickly turned around to face them.

"Agreed. I've missed you too." While she was a few years younger than Willa, the other never made her feel listened to, both of them understanding that their value was far superior to other girls at Hogwarts so they bonded quickly.

"Oh absolutely. London would certainly be a bore without you." She was glad to have her friend around as she desperately needed someone to talk to about recent developments. "Malcolm came to see me." It wasn't exactly an answer to the question asked, but in a round about way, it was. "Said he wanted to come by the manor and talk to me."

"It's been far too long, I've missed you." Willa gushed. The woman had no problem leaving her station a little early for her lunch break, with a few other welcome witches on shift, Willa was sure that nobody would even notice her being gone. It was hardly like she was an attentive worker.

Besides, when she heard that Serra was back in London, Willa knew that exceptions could be made. "It would've been a dream to visit you in Paris, but London seemed intent on keeping me around. Things would have gotten dreadfully boring with the two of us gone. How are you?"

"Well then try it and tell me what you think of it." She knew Mira had good taste, certainly better than that younger sister of hers had ever displayed. Then again, few could be as excellent as she could, competing would be hard for anyone. Especially someone that inferior. "Thank you. So do you. I like your dress, the color suits your complexion."

While Mira wouldn't openly admit it, she hadn't really wanted to attend the party. There was too much going on, too much turmoil for her to truly enjoy herself. Still it would have been unacceptable not to make an appearance, and so she'd arrived with a smile on her lips and a small wrapped present in hand, adding it to the already growing pile that had been left for the birthday girl. She snagged a glass of champagne from a passing tray, taking a drink as she watched her cousin make her way over to her. "I just grabbed a glass actually. Happy Birthday Serra, you look gorgeous tonight."

"I do not like dancing with someone who does not how to do so. A man is expected to lead during the dance, but I will not be dancing with someone that has no rhythm or two left feet. It makes me look bad." Serra explained, figuring he would understand as he was a capable dancer himself. "Perhaps another time when I am wearing a shorter dress where I can move my legs more freely." The prospect of dancing with him again was exciting, she always enjoyed dancing with someone skilled. It was the only way it was fun.

"I love talking about myself. I'm amazing." Serra grinned. "I do not trust people who act demure and shy. If you do not recognise your qualities how do you expect someone else to do so? I think insecurity is quite embarrassing." She didn't realise how harsh her words sounded, her tone matter of fact. She'd never been insecure. "I am sure Leta will have no problem creating matching outfits for us."

At his question she paused, thinking for a moment. "I like transfiguration. And potions, depending on the ingredients. What about you?"

"Thank you. dancing with you proves my taste beyond a doubt already, but I’m glad you approve. I like to surround myself with capable people, yourself included. Knowing your background I almost want to try for a lift, but I’m not sure if your dress was made with that in mind and I don’t want to scandalize you when everything seems to be going so well.” He squeezed her hand trying to make up for it by keeping her as the center of attention, it wasn’t a hard thing she was bubbly, but in a fun way.  “I’m glad that you can keep a secret, and don’t mind talking about yourself.  False modesty and insecurity are unbecoming.  Yes it’s a date, we’ll have to arrange the shopping.  I’m curious what kind of dress you will help me pick out, perhaps I’ll let you pick out a matching outfit for me, could be fun.” It was easy to just float there discussing wardrobe and possible encounters listening, it felt easy, the nicer side of these kinds of things when everything fell into place. “What about magic, do you have any specialties, I’m sure a woman of your many talents must have a favorite?”

Serra had been minding her business until she heard her boyfriends name from the other side of the bathroom, storming over in a flash of anger. Scoffing when she noticed that it was Charity Burbage. Even though she was older, Serra believed herself to be the better person, certainly the better looking one. There was no way Malcolm would even look in her direction. He was her boyfriend. And she was talking about their meet up spot. There was no way this was true. "Stop lying, Charity. This is embarrassing."

where: girl's bathroom, hogwarts - flashback who: @serraborgin & @themalcolmparkinson

Charity was in a better mood than usual, not as annoyed with people approaching her as she most generally did, so when the Hufflepuff girl joined her in the bathroom and asked about her day, she didn't exactly tell her off. The conversation flowed easily and just for this one time, the witch allowed herself to engage in this sort of girl's talk, bringing up boys and what not. Perhaps because she did have something to share, having had quite a fun night with Malcolm not long ago. "Me? I'm not going to say I'm innocent, I did meet with up with Parkinson this week." She offered with a shrug of her shoulders when the other witch asked if she'd been seeing any wizards. "He took me to a secret party hall in the dungeons and Merlin, he had to cover my mouth so my moans wouldn't get us caught." Oversharing maybe, but Charity wasn'tone to hold back her tongue in any case.

"I would be less disappointed if she got anything." Serra grimaced, a pitying expression on her face and not bothering to hide it. Of course she thought she was better than that one, she thought she was better than most people in attendance. "Feathers were more of a 60s thing. And even then you can be tasteful about it. Oh you're absolutely right, they reek of cheap imitation, least she could have done was charm them to lay flat."

Sipping on her Gin Astra took a careful glance to the women that Serra had eyes over, her eyebrows raised in utter dismay before tutting her lips.

"Well, not everyone can have it all I'm afraid. I guess whoever she got the dress isn't a very knowledgeable in the world of fashion, if so they would have told her the feather tread died a long time ago."

She glance over once more before finishing her statement. "Then again, from this angle those feathers look awfully cheap. No doubt fake. At least, in my opinion."

status: for @thelionshrt location: Malfoy wedding

Finding Regulus in the masses of this wedding didn't provide to be as easy of a task as she had thought in the beginning. Of course it only made sense that the wedding of two prominent pureblood families would be a big celebration, it would be embarrassing if no one showed up. After about ten minutes of searching she'd been just about ready to abandon her task, when she finally spotted him, walking over to greet her friend. "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"I am very beautiful, that's true, but you should not sell yourself short. Of course I am the better looking one out of the two of us as I am a woman and naturally more beautiful but you are handsome as well. I would not show interest in you if I found you undeserving of my attention." Serra was very particular with who she paid attention to and who she didn't. She liked to pick and choose who she believed was worthy of her time. "Why not?" What reason would he be giving her, she wondered.

"I would never settle. If I choose the person I want to be with it is because I decide that is who I want. I deserve to have the best of the best, one that will shower me in gifts and in compliments. Just me. Not anyone else." Her voice turned sugary sweet as she focused her attention back on him. "If you want to continue seeing me, you will not be seeing other women. The choice is yours. If you are unsure and are interested in others, then your answer is made and this is where we say goodbye. I deserve undivided attention and focus. I am the best, but I will not compete with other women for your affection. While I do not want to get betrothed or married yet, I know my worth."

“Hmm.”  He moved a hand to stroke her cheek. “You are beautiful, effortless, beyond reproach, but I am, not.  I feel undeserving when I’m around you, you say you’re inexperienced, and I enjoy experiencing you, but I feel that as I am I can’t give you what you deserve even if I would like to.”  He stopped as if struggling with the words or how they might land.  “I worry that you will be done with me as you grow, become the perfect thing that I know you are, and regret settling. You shouldn’t be forced to settle, and I’m not in a position to be as serious with you as I would like to.”  He looked at her, deciding he should be as straightforward as she had been.  “I’m seeing other women.  I’m worried you might have heard something or gossip, or will and this is something you should hear from me.  I feel like it’s something I need to do before I get serious about anyone.  At least to the level everyone is rushing into betrothals and bringing other people into them.” He moved closer looking into her eyes and squeezing her shoulders.  “Breaking a betrothal or getting into a marriage that was a failure is not something I will do.  I couldn’t leave someone I cared about that much or betray them after making that kind of promise.”