River Ruins

[Zach Fischer]

Just a short apparation from Diagon Alley, the River Ruins are located in a large park. The river flows dramatically through the ruins of a large building, creating areas where children like to play.

There are also areas of parkland, with trees and wild areas, a favourite of lovers looking for a little privacy...

[Zach Fischer]

As they walked beside the tumbling water, Zach felt himself relaxing. He and Belle had picked up some baguettes, cheese and tomatoes, so they could picnic beside the river. He was feeling so smothered by everything these days that he wanted to be outside in the fresh air as much as possible.

He glanced at Belle, smiling when he caught her eye. This was how it used to be with Nat - just the two of them, just happy to be together. That was before her biological clock went off, and she became obsessed with having a kid. He wanted it too - yes, he had a daughter already, but he wanted to have a child with Nat - but not so that it was the only thing he thought about.

He felt a sudden irrational desire to grab Belle's hand. What the hell was he thinking? She was the mother of his daughter - and he still hadn't broken the news to Nat yet, that he had a teenage daughter who was in Nat's classes at school! But there was nothing between him and Belle any more - he'd put an end to that all those years ago, when all he wanted was to be an ordinary student.

They were just friends now; he'd be an idiot to try to make it into anything more than that. Not to mention that it would be a horrible betrayal of Nathalie. He truly loved Nat - they were going through a bad patch but he'd never want to do anything to hurt her. It was just... sometimes he wondered what might have happened if he hadn't broken it off with Belle...

[Belle Rochford]

As they walked, Belle couldn't help but smile. This was nice. She hardly ever got out anymore, even to just enjoy nature like this, and certainly not to have a picnic lunch witha friend. Looking up at Zach, she returned his smile and then looked back out at the area.

He was right. It was quiet. They were two of the only people here. "How about we sit there," she suggested, pointing out a nice looking bit of grass under a tree.

[Zach Fischer]

Zach nodded. "Yeah, looks like a good spot." He took off his cloak and spread it on the ground, and then when they were both seated, with the food in front of them, he felt in a pocket and pulled out a flask. "Spot of firewhiskey?" he suggested. Though the weather was still good, considering the time of year, there was a crispness in the air that suggested autumn was coming.

[Belle Rochford]

Belle smiled and watched him spread his cloak down on the ground, then they sat. Then he pulled out a flask. She chuckled and shook her headd. "No, not for me thanks," she replied. She'd still have to go back to work after this, and although it wasn't going to get her drunk, she wouldn't want to go back to work. Then she'd be in trouble.

[Zach Fischer]

Zach shrugged, and took a swig before putting the flask back in his pocket. After taking a few bites of bread and cheese, he leaned back against the tree, letting out a long breath. "It's nice to get away from work for a couple of hours," he commented. "We're really busy these days - almost as if something big is building up..." He stopped. He really wasn't supposed to talk about that, and besides, he didn't want to spoil the peaceful atmosphere.

"Have you heard from Jezabel lately?" he asked. "I've been hearing mixed reports about the new headmaster. Hogwarts seems to be running normally, but Nat's just about beside herself because Malfoy's taken up with her sister..." Dammit, that was something else he really wasn't supposed to talk about.

[Belle Rochford]

Belle took a few bites of her food, and looked around for a moment, taking in her surroundings. It was peaceful, with the nice stillness about the place, despite the water moving over the ruins in the middle of the river. Zach spoke, and Belle returned her attention back to him. She shrugged.

"She hasn't really said much about anything. She;s met this boy, and he sounds nice enough, from what she's said. But she hasn't really spoken much about the Headmaster." At the revelation about Malfoy being with Nathalie's sister, Belle chuckled. "From what I've heard from customers, the old man's with a lot of women at the school.. so really it's not surprising."

[Zach Fischer]

"Jezebel has a boyfriend? Who is it? Is he a Ravenclaw?" Zach suddenly felt very protective; no boy could be good enough for his daughter, of course, but at the very least, he'd better treat Jezabel right!

Belle's reaction to hearing that Nat's sister was involved with Malfoy was actually a relief. Zach had no more liking for the man than Nathalie, but having spent the weekend listening to Nathalie rail against the headmaster, it was a relief to have someone dismiss the affair so calmly. He grinned, nodding. "Sara's a little idiot of course, but after all, she's old enough to make her own decisions. Poor kid must get lonely, stuck in that gamekeeper's hut. It's natural she'd look for a bit of company. And she'll have Nat there to help pick up the pieces once Malfoy moves on to his next victim."

Still grinning, he picked up a tomato and bit into it. The tomato promptly exploded out the other side, splattering Belle's blouse with juice and seeds. "Dammit! Sorry, Belle - here, let me get that..." He picked up a napkin and tried to wipe the mess off her blouse.

[Belle Rochford]

Belle chuckled as Zach got all fatherly protective over Jezabel having a boyfriend. "I don't think they're actually boyfriend and girlfriend, but it sounds like they like each other. Jezabel's kind of ... what's the word... well she's kind of like I was at school, and didn't realise this kid, whose apparently massively smart, has had a crush on her since like first year. It's kind of cute. And yes, he's a Ravenclaw."

She listened to Zach talk about Nathalie's sister, and took another bite of her food. She watched him pick up a tomato and take a bite. She gasped as she was suddely sprayed with tomato juice. "Zach it - it's okay - I - I'l get it..." she stammered, but he'd already picked up a napkin and was dabbing her blouse.

"Uhhh.... Zach..." She reached to take his hand so he would realise exactly where he was trying to wipe tomato juice from. "Really... It's fine... I can charm the stain out..."

[Zach Fischer]

When Belle caught hold of his hand, Zach looked up, meeting her gaze. He suddenly knew that this was one of those moments when his next actions could change everything. If he apologised and pulled his hand away, nothing would have happened. If he didn't - if he followed the impulse he was suddenly feeling, there was no knowing where it could lead.

His rational, sensible side was telling him he was insane. He was risking everything. He loved Nat - he honestly did - but he'd been feeling trapped for months. He needed something to happen, a different dynamic in his life... and the side of him that wanted to just shrug everything off, to act spontaneously and to hell with the consequences, gained control.

Instead of pulling his hand away, he moved it, so that he could hold Belle's hand. For a moment that seemed to stretch out forever, he just looked at her. Then he leaned towards her, and kissed her, very gently. He didn't know how Belle would react. He just knew he had to do it.

[Belle Rochford]

For what felt like forever, they just sat there looking at each other. He seemed to be warring with himself, and she didn't want to interrupt, so she stayed silent. Then, he moved his hand, so that it clasped hers. She didn't know what to do, say, how to react.

Another long silent moment passed. Belle's breathing was starting to deepen, as she tried to focus on it, instead of him. Then he kissed her. Her breathing stopped altogether. Again, she was confused, unable to react, then after a short moment she responded. She let it continue for a little while, before she pulled away to merely murmur his name, before she kissed him again.

[Zach Fischer]

Belle seemed as uncertain as he was. She hesitated for a moment before responding to Zach's kiss, then he felt her pull away a little. But instead of drawing back, she murmured his name, before returning to his kiss. The effect it had on Zach was startling. Vivid memories came flooding back of their time together, when he was seventeen, and his body responded violently.

Zach put his arm around Belle's shoulders, and pulled her closer as he kissed her hard. His other hand moved to her waist, and he groaned softly, deep in his throat, as the feeling of the taut curve beneath his hand ingnited still more memories.

[Belle Rochford]

Fifteen years. It had been fifteen years since they were together, and to be entirely honest, Belle had relived those months in her mind many a time, never thinking it might actually happen again. She had almost not wanted it to, because of their daughter, but now they knew about each other, well it didn't matter. And just being with him had made her feel good... now this... it bought back memories she was too afraid to admit.

His arm went around her shoulder, the other went to her waist. She sighed softly into the kiss, sliding her arms around him, and running them over his back.

[Zach Fischer]

Zach couldn't think of anything else but how it felt to have Belle in his arms again after all these years. Back then, he'd been with other girls before Belle, but she had been the first woman that he'd really cared about. How could he have been such an idiot to throw it all away?

As her arms went around him, Zach lowered Belle back until she was lying on his cloak. His kisses became wilder, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, shaking with desire as the feeling of their tongues intertwining sent sensual jolts coursing through his body.

He slid his hand down her leg, and was intoxicated by the feeling of her smooth skin beneath his hand. Slowly he ran his hand back up the inside of her thigh. He wanted her so much that the urge was almost painful.

[Belle Rochford]

This was wrong. But why couldn't Belle bring herself to stop? She was too old to be doing things like this. She had a child... A child with this man. But that attraction... that (dare she say it) love was so long ago. Or was it?

As Zach pushed her back, so she was lying on the cloak, and his kisses became deeper, more passionate, Belle moaned, her hands clasping his back when she felt his hand on her leg. It felt so good. Emotions and memories simultaneously came back to her, making muscles tighten in her thighs.

Feeling his hand now running back up her leg, on the inside of her thigh, Belle gasped intot he kiss. The already tight muscles clenched further. She wanted this... but why did she want it to stop. She pulled her mouth from his for a moment, mostly to breathe, and to let out a pitiful "Zach... I..." before she deleved back into the kiss. Her hands unclenched themselves from his back, and she ran her nails over the back of his shirt.