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Post by Zach Fischer on Feb 22, 2010 22:12:42 GMT -5
Zach nodded, and watched as Belle closed up the shop. He glanced around, reflecting that the place hadn't changed all that much since the first time he'd walked in here. He'd come in to buy his uniform for Hogwarts - he and Aidan had transferred from Durmstrang, and started Hogwarts in sixth year - and it hadn't taken very long for him and Belle to become 'acquainted'. He grinned to himself, reflecting that he and Aidan had been fast workers; within a couple of days of arriving at Diagon Alley, they'd found a girl each, and actually shared a third! Then Belle was ready, and they walked out of the shop together. When they got to the Leaky Cauldron, Zach opened the door for Belle. As she passed, he caught a hint of her perfume, and caught his breath, startled at how vividly it brought back the memories of all those years ago. Glad Belle hadn't seen his face at that moment - it would have felt awkward explaining - Zach followed her in, and nodded at a table in the far corner. "There?" It seemed like a nice quiet corner, and he could do with a little peace and quiet today.
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Belle Rochford
graduated
Shopkeeper: Madame Malkins
The secret's out.
Posts: 49
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Post by Belle Rochford on Feb 22, 2010 22:51:36 GMT -5
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Post by Zach Fischer on Feb 23, 2010 0:52:14 GMT -5
Zach sat down opposite Belle, and said, "Would you like some wine? I could do with a drink after today." He looked up at the waitress, and ordered two glasses of wine, then sighed. "It's total chaos at the ministry today. The minister is beside himself, but he's always been so outspoken about the ministry not interfering at Hogwarts that his hands are tied. He's trying to find out why the governers made the appointment - but it definitely explains why they've been so reluctant over the past few weeks to talk about who they'd chosen."
He smiled at Belle. "Sorry, you didn't come here to listen to me talk about work. You must have already heard, anyway, it was all over Diagon Alley within an hour of the announcement."
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Belle Rochford
graduated
Shopkeeper: Madame Malkins
The secret's out.
Posts: 49
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Post by Belle Rochford on Feb 23, 2010 4:12:05 GMT -5
my head is saying "fool, forget him"MY HEART IS SAYING "DON'T LET GO." At the mention of wine, Belle nodded her head a little too enthusiastically. Catching hersel out, she sighed. "Yes, wine sounds good," she replied. He ordered the drink and then started going on about the Ministry. She chuckled when he tried to apologise for his little rant.
"Yeah, I heard. I also have a daughter at Hogwarts remember... she owled me first chance she got about it. She said to say hi, if I saw you," Belle chuckled. The wine came to the table then and she smiled at the waitress. It was Chris' wife. She ahdn't been working much, spending more time looking after their baby.
"Anyway," she said at Kyla walked off. "How's everything?"
----- Lyrics: Hopelessly Devoted To You - Olivia Newton-John
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Post by Zach Fischer on Feb 23, 2010 20:16:37 GMT -5
Everything? Zach mentally winced. Well, work she already knew about. But his private life was pretty much a wreck. The day before Nathalie went back to Hogwarts, Zach had had a major fight with her. He'd made some flippant comment about her being miserable about going back to school, and she had taken it badly, and it had escalated into an argument about her most recent failure to become pregnant, with Nathalie telling him that she was starting to think that he was the one with the problem. He'd had to bite his tongue to stop himself telling her that his fertility wasn't in doubt any more.
They'd made up later, and the reconcilliation had been passionate to say the least. But frankly Zach was starting to feel trapped. With the exception of that last encounter, he was starting to see their lovemaking as a chore, one doomed to failure. But he couldn't really tell Belle all that. Could he? No, it wasn't her problem.
He sighed. "Meh, okay. We're all pretty tense these days. Spills over into home life a bit - but you wouldn't be interested in that. You've got enough to worry about with your daughter going to a school that has Lucius Malfoy in charge..."
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Belle Rochford
graduated
Shopkeeper: Madame Malkins
The secret's out.
Posts: 49
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Post by Belle Rochford on Feb 23, 2010 21:18:23 GMT -5
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Post by Zach Fischer on Feb 23, 2010 21:43:13 GMT -5
"Yeah - I can imagine Scorpius was horrified when he found out. Poor kid, first he gets disowned, then he has his grandfather breathing down his neck. I've asked Nat to keep an eye on him and Rose - just in case."
When Belle invited him to talk, Zach hesitated. Would it be disloyal to talk about his problems? But he really was trying to understand Nathalie's reactions lately, so maybe talking to a woman would help.
"It's just - well, Nathalie and me have been trying to have a baby, but... well, so far no luck. I'm disappointed, of course, but for Nathalie it's just becoming an obsession. It seems to be all we talk about. I guess I just don't understand why it's become such a... an issue between us." He knew he wasn't explaining very well. "I'm trying to see her side but it's difficult."
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Belle Rochford
graduated
Shopkeeper: Madame Malkins
The secret's out.
Posts: 49
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Post by Belle Rochford on Feb 23, 2010 21:55:22 GMT -5
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Post by Zach Fischer on Feb 23, 2010 22:26:16 GMT -5
Zach sighed. "Yeah, I guess it's different for a man - well, for me anyway. I mean, I'd love to have a kid with Nat, but if it doesn't happen, well, I'll still have her. I guess it kind of makes me feel like I'm not... enough for her any more." He shrugged at Belle's suggestion.
"I did suggest to her that we take a couple of months off, just relax, have fun. She completely lost it." He shuddered slightly, remembering that fight. He'd thought for a while that she was going to walk out on him. "All I want is for her to be happy, and to just be together like we used to be. Sometimes it feels like I don't even know her any more."
He managed a wry smile, as he met Belle's gaze, and at that moment, the door of the pub opened, and the sudden gust of air from it carried a subtle hint Belle's perfume to his nose again. As before, he was reminded of their time as a couple, and his smile became reminiscent. Impulsively, he said, "It was all so simple when it was you and me! But I guess being 17 had a lot to do with that."
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Belle Rochford
graduated
Shopkeeper: Madame Malkins
The secret's out.
Posts: 49
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Post by Belle Rochford on Feb 23, 2010 22:56:27 GMT -5
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Post by Zach Fischer on Feb 24, 2010 0:25:07 GMT -5
Zach shook his head. "Somehow I don't see Nat taking the idea of adoption well - not at the moment, anyway. I... I haven't told her about Jezabel yet. It just didn't seem like the right time yet," he admitted.
He thought he detected a definite nostalgic note in Belle's voice as she spoke about their past relationship. He held her gaze for a moment, and suddenly saw something in her expression. Almost as if she wished they could have that time back. Their look stretched beyond what was entirely comfortable, and he found himself thinking wildly that maybe they could...
He looked away, shocked by his thoughts. He felt his face burn. No, he loved Nat. He wanted to spend his life with her. But for a moment he really wanted something simple, a relationship without all the pressures that life with Nat had involved this past year.
The waitress finally brought the wine, and Zach picked his up and took a gulp, trying to shake off the tantalizing memories of Belle that insisted on creeping into his head.
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Belle Rochford
graduated
Shopkeeper: Madame Malkins
The secret's out.
Posts: 49
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Post by Belle Rochford on Feb 24, 2010 1:04:28 GMT -5
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Post by Zach Fischer on Feb 24, 2010 1:14:23 GMT -5
Zach looked up as Belle spoke. He was relieved by the change of subject - but at the same time he was aware of the tiniest flicker of regret. He nodded. "Yeah."
He picked up one of the menus that the waitress had left, and flicked through it. Hungry as he was, it all looked good, but his attention was caught by the rib special. It came with vegetables, a baked potato, and cornbread. His stomach growled loudly, and he grinned at Belle. "I haven't eaten all day," he explained. Maybe the food would distract him from the unaccountable thoughts he was having about Belle.
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Belle Rochford
graduated
Shopkeeper: Madame Malkins
The secret's out.
Posts: 49
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Post by Belle Rochford on Feb 24, 2010 1:49:36 GMT -5
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Post by Zach Fischer on Feb 24, 2010 1:56:41 GMT -5
Zach waited as Belle gave her order. He knew the barman vaguely by sight, but Belle seemed to know him quite well. How well? he wondered, feeling a sudden twinge of... jealousy? This was getting ridiculous. It was none of his business, and totally irrational to feel like that.
"Uhm, yeah. I'll have the rib special. Extra spicy." He handed over his menu.
"So, uh - sound like you come here a lot," he commented, trying to find something to talk about.
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