✧YES TO THE DRESS✧

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The shifting in Aria's side caused her to groan in retaliation. "Dove, it's getting late..." Rubbing her eyes did she turn to look at the clock before gesturing the little device to plant it face down.

"No." She deemed and the laughter off behind her really called to her aching muscles. While last night might've been a bit blurry, she knew it wasn't a mistake, no.

It was a moment of weakness added with too many glasses of wine and a very adoring Hufflepuff settled beside him laying on his stomach. She peeked an eye open and closed it shut once more.

"Aria—"
"It's goodbye then, right?" She swiped back and Randal remained silent for much too long that she just settled the covers further up her body and attempted to fall asleep.

"Dove, really I didn't want us to become like you and Proctor with the distance. You deserve someone who's close, who doesn't dive into work and forget to—"
"I'm the same Randal, and I really don't want to have this conversation when my head is spinning and I need to write a speech tonight. Forget about the conference, I'll go myself."
"Love. Please, it's better this way."
"Is it? What's the difference between us pen-paling before to when we're dating and away?" She leaned up from her position on her stomach and he climbed into bed, partly dressed as her caressed her cheek adoringly.

"Because you need someone who devotes their entire life to you, not to their work or craft. There isn't room for both of our careers right now and I could never ask you to put down your work to come with me, you wouldn't do it either."
"You already broke my heart Randal, please don't break it again with promises of a future together." He nodded to himself silently and gestured for the door.

"I can make breakfast?" He questioned and she shook her head. "I need more sleep, be safe?" There was a part of him that hoped that Aria would see reason to his approach, that being so far away had him realize that there wasn't a chance at a time like this.

And he had a lot more respect for her than a quick rekindle every once in a while.

"I'll be back after your potion is out...Could I possibly take you out to celebrate after?" She sniffled quietly and nodded at the offer, only for him to kiss her at the top of her head before she yanked him down by the shirt and kissed him fully on the lips

"You promise to be honest with one another, what does it mean that you're taking me out?"
"It's a surprise, dove. Get some more sleep." She hummed as her head fell back to the pillow, but the faint heaviness in her head and lips didn't leave.

Even if two hours had passed, she still didn't get a fulfilling sleep. And instead starting to throw on the bare minimal as Wyatt was off with the Jacob and his family and wouldn't be back until tonight.

Which Aria was thankful for, as the lad was starting to get the teenage angst that every parent seemingly feared. Or that's what the books she read on parenting said.

Making herself a steady breakfast for one, she was standing in front of the stove with one foot bent on the other as she focused on her balance and trying to remove the thoughts of this morning.

Only for the fireplace to call out behind her. Part of her hoped that it was Randal, but in seeing Rabastan she offered a smile all the same. "Goodmorning."

"Uh, it's afternoon Aria...Did you just get up?" She nodded and rubbed her eyes. The sleepless nights had been prompted by the impending court date and now the issue with Randal?

But now the idea of loving Rabastan was just screaming in her face, what's next? Aidan?

"Yeah, ten minutes ago or so....Do you want some lunch?" He shook his head, claiming that he already ate—Teasing her that he had both breakfast and lunch.

But he did take her offer of coffee, a potion mistress knew exactly how to make the perfect brew.

"Are you feeling alright?" He questioned and she nodded. "Yeah, my healer prescribed me with some sleeping tonics. Apparently spending too much time in a lab is fucking up with my head, who knew?" She said with a bit of aggravation in her voice.

"So I guess dinner with my parents is a no?"
"Oh, I meant to send you a letter—I have off tomorrow night if that's not too late of a notice. I think I should give your mum another chance, she was drunk after all." She beckoned and Rabastan chuckled.

"Drunk words are sober thoughts."
"Goddess well I'm screwed, but lucky for you I have to lean off on drinking for a while."
"Perhaps that's a blessing." He said with a smirk, though it earned his a slap with her dishtowel.

The laughter in the rest of the house echoed loud enough for Loki to come barreling in from the doggy door set up and properly greet his best mate.

"Are you free for today?"
"I'm working from home today going through some mail, but otherwise you can join me and Wyatt for dinner—Though he might be staying over his friend's one last time. I'm not sure." Rabastan agreed non the less which earned him another smile.

He had a few words on the theory of how much mail Aria truly receives, but once seeing her tackle the piles on the floor in a few separate piles. He realized that perhaps his personal mail would find itself underneath the more urgent bundles that needed her attention and formal response.

"Come on love, take a breather yeah? Let me get you some wine or—Juice. I'll get you some juice." She chuckled behind her thick frames that she just as easily placed up to the top of her head and grinned.

"Otto says that when a new potion comes out to this magnitude, that my blood will be quarter wine with all the celebrating."
"I don't doubt it, but I'll be tasking Wyatt to make sure you're eating enough. The last thing you need is a scandal." She snorted as she took his offered drink and smiled a thanks.

"Yeah a scandal right beside a stalker? I think I'll take a pass."
"A stalker? Merlin Ari, that's the type of shite you should be telling me." She rolled her eyes and produced a ghastly pink envelope.

"How many of these do you receive?"
"A dozen or so, thankfully they're colored and I know to just throw them into the fireplace or bin."
"You're not taking this seriously?"
"No, he's delusional Raba. He thinks I stole his idea in one parcel and then in the next he's begging me for a second chance on marriage? Merlin yeah, I'd take that as a sign of not needing to really bother on it." Whether it was in his protective nature or the fact that the flirting words were directed to his Aria, he knew very well that he'd need to find the rest and present this to his father.

"You need a restraining order Ari, before this gets out of hand."
"And throwing up a defense won't anger them? No thank you, let the bloke send his letters. It's not hurting anyone."
"Not yet it isn't, let me take a look at it."
"Rabastan you're—"
"Aria. Let me take a look at it, that wasn't a question." Her eyes widened and he cracked a smirk.

It was clear she was exhausted as his sudden change in voice caught her off guard, and her shock was instantly there. However another thought was in her mind.

That was the same voice he used in bed when she was a giggling and teasing mess.

"Fine. But I know my rights now Lestrange, you cannot take legal action without my sayso." "True, but since this first wave harassment and has more than one month of life then I can simply go to Mr.Hanson and clear it up." She silently placed down her glass onto the table and rose up to her feet and attempt to reach for the letter.

"Give me the damn letter Rabastan."
"Uh, no. I'm afraid I can't. I value your life a lot more than a petty bastard wanting to see you. Even I'm freaked." She had made another grab, but the sluggish movement only caused a bit of swiping back and forth before she had fallen onto him—Causing him to lose his balance and her to crash onto him.

Yet it was always a second nature for him to make sure that she safe—So his hands gripping her by the waist was instinctual. Yet when she picked up her head with a beautiful introduction of her laughter and smile caused him to enjoy the moment as well.

"I'll take that as a mention of evidence that you obviously need more protection if you're tripping over nothing."
"Okay haha Lestrange. But please don't make it a big deal, sometimes leaving things alone is better than mucking things up." He nodded and aided her back to settle back to balance on her own.

"So...How formal is a dinner with your parents?"
"Not formal at all, Merlin Ari we're not meeting the Minister."
"I think you're forgetting our difference in formal." His eyes shimmered in pure satisfaction.

"I can certainly pick you a dress love."
"That's setting me up for failure for sure, but one day I'll take the gamble. For tomorrow I think I have a dress." It hardly took five minutes for Aria's stress starting to sink in, meeting Rabastan's parents in a less tension-filled and secret reveal night might've ruined the first meeting but the second would be better.

Which prompted Aria to drag Rabastan shopping, but sure enough he brought her to the high end shops in the magical world. The first two seconds had she and him been bonbarded with a saleswoman with the intention to sell.

"We're in the market for a dress, slightly formal, bit conservative—Blue and no price limit." Aria gawked at Rabastan in his order of what type of dress she was looking for.

However the 'no price limit' really set her off. "I can hardly bare the fact I spent so much on my Yule ball dress Rabastan." "And how much was the dress?" She turned to him and whispered to the number that he simply smirked.

"Welcome to your new world love, now be a good model and humor me." She frowned at him but was suddenly pulled by the enthusiastic sales witch who rushed her into the dressing rooms.

Rabastan smirked in the wizard's chair in hearing the two witches talk, he certainly knew that the Black genes blessed Aria. But hearing that another person agreed with him hadn't made him sound all that crazy now.

"What is the occasion Mr.Lestrange?" The woman asked, and Rabastan ever so proudly smiled. "Dinner with my parents."
"Oh absolutely not! This won't do my dear, I'll be right back!" Aria peeked out the door and Rabastan certainly didn't know what happened in the dressing room and offered her a one over.

"And dress number one?"
"Raba the price tag says—"
"I don't want to hear it love. It's—"
"It's almost my bloody tuition!" She hissed, and Rabastan rolled his eyes in response.

"Aria, I don't know if you've taken notice. But once you release your potion you're expected to look the part. Now chin up, and walk to that mirror as though the photographer for the daily prophet wants an interview."
"I've done that before and I can promise you that witch weekly is much less demanding than—" He pushed the door to reveal the beauty that was Aria Crawford—Black.

Aurora Black. This was surely Aurora Black.

The saleswoman didn't disappoint in following the checklist and so he inched his finger to summon her and with a quick exhale she walked forward with her feet pretending to act as though she had heels on.

"Perfection."
"You've turning very brave with your comments Rabastam, eyes up love." She said as she turned to the mirror and tucked in her breasts a bit better. And Rabastan eyed the action as though he found the ultimate gold mine.

"Oh absolutely lovely! But we have parents to impress, back inside."
"Goddess give me strength." She grumpled before turning back into the dressing room to try the next dozen on.

"I want that first one boxed without her knowing."
"Of course, and I snuck in a silver one for you Mr.Lestrange. Just a change of color." It was clear that Rabastan wasn't the only one enjoying the dress up, the saleswoman had a new comment for parts of Aria's body that she hadn't really thought of.

A slender back?
Was that good?

By the end of it, Aria had to argue the way in getting the dress she wanted. And while Rabastan claimed she only liked it because it was the cheapest of the bunch—Which was still expensive to begin with, she held up her argument well enough that even the lawyer couldn't put up much more of a defense.

Though he still purchased five others behind her back, one had caught his eye and he couldn't stop himself. If anything his parents wouldn't care on the money spent on Aria's wardrobe, his mother already said as much.

And his father? Well he would simply throw some ownership on the fact that they were going to get married soon eventually, but Rabastan had doubts.

Many doubts in fact.

Part of Rabastan thought that this was the way to a woman's heart, to buy their way in and express how much money one has—However Aria was about to have her own funds and then some. So what started out as an educational lesson on fashion had suddenly turned into her second-guessing the dress she bought.

But also how she slept with Randal that very morning while Rabastan spent gods knows how much. Her heart was trying to be in the right place but it was causing her unbelievable stress she just wished she cursed off wizards forever.

The fact that she could still smell Randal's cologne on the pillow caused her to bite her lip, why couldn't she just push her heart to Rabastan?

Weighing out the options she realized quite quickly that the only way that she was going to be with Rabastan is if she retained her memories and reinstated her name.

Had today been a joke?

Slamming the door of her bathroom closed she decided on a very hearted bath and mulled over a book that her assistant recommended. It had a steamy enough love scene that the build up almost deflated Aria's own personal fuck fest, but once the water turned cold she was instantly reminded of how bitterly unfair life has been.

She wanted Randal because he was compatible and she was forcing herself not to like Rabastan because he wasn't compatible. Was the forbidden fruit making it exciting for them both?

Cursing herself into oblivion did she push herself down under the water and let out a purifying scream. Perhaps after the dinner with his parents they could talk about the future and she could be honest about Randal, that she was confused about her emotions that she'd need more than just the potion's release.

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Date Posted: 11-28-2020

Time: 10:05 

Words: 2629