Just One [Open]

[ANNELIESE PORTIA VAISEY]

Hogsmeade trips were a highlight for most students at Hogwarts. Anneliese had always thought that her peers believed that it was license to act in utter frivolity because that sense of freedom was given to them to roam about the small village as they pleased and most found themselves in either The Three Broomsticks or The Hog’s Head drinking themselves silly with that ghastly Firewhiskey beverage or becoming hopped up on sugar from Honeyduke’s. But Anneliese wasn’t one of those people, yet she found herself venturing into the lesser patroned Hog’s Head.

The past hour had been spent wandering about taking in the scenery, as it were. It amazed Anneliese how very childish some could act. What was so intriguing about throwing those horrible dungbombs at people? As Anneliese had passed that particular scene she had shook her head in disapproval. She longed for more cultured, civilized company than she usually received while at Hogwarts. But she fancied herself a drink and with the Hog’s Head there was far less a chance that she would have Butterbeer sloshed on her perfectly pleated skirt making her sticky and gross than at The Three Broomsticks. Stepping inside the establishment Anneliese cringed internally at the poor shape in which the pub was kept. Cobwebs decorated the corners of the walls and the wood of the tables were lack luster, pitted with grooves. It would simply have to do though.

Making her way over to the long bar that took up most of the back wall, Anneliese delicately perched herself on one of the rickety stools. She smoothed out her skirt, keeping her posture ramrod straight and her head held high. When the bartender came over, slinging the rag he had been polishing mugs with over his shoulder, to receive her drink order Anneliese looked him over carefully, as was her usual. His bread was salt and pepper in colour, quite scraggly looking. In fact most of his appearance was unkempt, but most extraordinarily he had the kindest blue eyes that Anneliese had ever seen. It caused her to smile softly despite herself as she ordered a Red Currant Rum without a hitch. One drink wouldn’t hinder her composure.

[tristen]

Tristen Abercrombie and Demetrius Derrick were those guys. If they were muggles they would definitely be going to college only to play some sort of sport, get tons of girls, and participate in Greek life until their livers discouraged them or failed all together. In the magical world and at Hogwarts, the duo often spent their weekends at Hogsmeade scouting...girls. What else would they be doing? The good parties didn't start until late so they had to find something or rather, someone to occupy their time until them.

Of course, they were popular with the ladies to begin with but the same girl over and over again just got tiring. They were in their 7th year after all. Tristen didn't like familiar all the time. Her likes new things, a challenge, and spontaneity. It made the end result, which he was confident he could achieve, that much more satisfactory.

It was today, upon their walk to The Three Broomsticks to see what they could..get..to occupy their time that Tristen spotted his new goal. He didn't know her name, because Tristen didn't really need to know girls' names as they often knew his, but he wanted to. She had a very...I'm a virgin so come and conquer me thing going on in the way that she dressed. Yes, that was the way that Tristen, a testosterone drive male, though about things. Plus, there was something ballerina-esque in the way she carried herself and dancers were flexible. SCORE.

His eyes followed her subtly, broadly smirking to his best mate as the girl walked by. "Aaaand I think I've found my calling for the day mate," Tristen said after the girl was out of earshot, clapping his friend on the shoulder and turning around to follow the girl who would be his goal for the day. His eyes searched through the crowd in time to spot her going into the Hog's Head. Interesting, he thought. The girl he had seen didn't strike him as the type to frequent such an establishment. He gave a nod bye to Dem, and walked nonchalantly over to the more grimy pub.

It didn't take long for his eyes to find the lovely brunette amongst the less...fashionable?...patrons of the Hog's Head. It didn't matter that the war was over. Sketchy people were still bound to find their way into the unkempt pub. He hung his jacket on the coat rack by the door and walked over to the girl, just dressed in his normal jeans and a plain tee with trainers on his feet. He smirked in a confident yet respectful manner in the direction the bartender, catching his eye and saying "I'll have what she's having," as he slid onto the stool next to the girl. He turned his head so as to acquaint the girl with his most swoon-worthy, or so he had been told, slight grin.

[lavender]

Lavender had been staying at Hogsmeade for the last few days. Being the head of her department she was almost required to stay and watch the tournament. She still did her job via letters by her owl, but she was happy to be back in Hogsmeade. Lavender had many memories here when she was younger, but the best was when she and her friend Parvati joined the D.A. They had rebelled against Umbridge with the help of her friends Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She treasured these memories with all her heart and even as she grew older and had kids of her own she did her best to preserve these memories.

She walked along Hogmeade seeing many students out and about. They were smiling and laughing enjoying their time away from school and she felt nostalgic for her years at Hogwarts. She smiled as she saw Honeydukes packed with students and she remembered her favorite sweets from there, but then again even now she couldn’t say no to an acid pop. She walked past the sweet shop making her way to the Hog’s Head where she had signed the parchment that listed the members of the group. She still had the coin she was given to from Hermione that year and she carried it with her wherever she went. The messages stopped coming, but since they were in a time of peace this was expected.

Lavender entered her familiar bar and noticed like always the shadowy people who lurked this bar. She was a bit bright herself wearing interesting clothes that seemed to clash with the pub. She saw to her surprise the table in which Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat was empty so she gracefully walked over to the table. She sat down and gentle rubbed the table with her hand. A thin layer of dust seemed to stick to her hands, but she didn’t care the memories were the best. She sighed slightly and smiled as she dived herself into her memories.

She looked up towards the bar and saw a girl and boy sitting next to each other. They looked like they were in their upper years and Lavender was slightly remembered when she dated Ron in her sixth year. She loved him, but he broke her heart and she stopped talking to him for a long while. She eventually forgave him and now that she was an adult she didn’t think much of him anymore. She looked at those kids and started to wonder if they would go through troubles like she did or would they end up happier than she was. Without realizing it she started to lead on her arm staring at them with a starry gaze just thinking how lucky they were to be young and possibly in love.

[ANNELIESE PORTIA VAISEY]

The moment that the crimson beverage was placed in front of her Anneliese thanks that man and took a dainty sip. It was sweet without having that overpowering sugar rush that Butterbeer offered, and just the right touch of alcohol to make the syrupy drink smoother. Before the boy spoke to her, his presence could be felt. It was one of great confidence that came off of him in staggering waves. Her lower lip moistened with the Red Currant Rum she quickly blotted her lips before turning to see who he was. She recognized him as one of those boys that liked to rack up large amounts of notches on his bedpost. It was such a shame too because he was very handsome. The smile that he flashed her was striking, but something that Anneliese was sure had been used on many occasions to stun a female, always the first step in making them compliant sexually.

“Forgive me for making assumptions, but you don’t strike me as a Red Currant Rum drinker. It’s a rather fruity and weak drink. Perhaps you’d be better suited with a Rye or Bourbon?” Her suggestion was merely an opportunity for the boy to have something more… manly. Anneliese was a big believer that men should act as such, even with something as trivial as their drink choice. Rye had a slow burn, much like Firewhiskey but more distinguished and Bourbon had a hard kick, which, she felt, was more appropriate than she sweet drink.

Admittedly, Anneliese had been a little enticed by his smile. It was charming and she could see why so many others had fallen prey to it. Society ran on appearances, for those who claimed that it didn’t it was nothing more than wishful thinking on their part, the beautiful were more likely to be at higher levels in society. The young man next to her had the potential to be great in the near future. Never one to forget her manners Anneliese returned the gesture, smiling in her most beguiling manner. “I’m Anneliese.” She introduced setting her glass back down on the bar to offer him her hand.

She had felt eyes on her since coming into The Hog’s Head, but after her introduction, the pair of eyes that she felt on her now was different. Anneliese had half a mind to glance over her shoulder to seek out whom was so interested in her, she resisted though. It would have been rude to divert her attention away from the young man. It was precedence that males where given a lady’s full attention in one-on-one situations.

[tristen]

Tristen's eyebrows raised just slightly at the girl's words. She was very proper, seemingly beyond her years considering the manner in which she spoke. This girl gave off a distinct and mature air about her, which was what attracted Tristen to her when he saw her walk towards the run down pub. Of course, it also meant his chances with her were lowere than usual, if not much lower. "Assumptions forgiven if you tell me why exactly I qualify as a Rye or Bourbon type of guy," he said before lifting two fingers to the bartender and saying "Bourbon on the rocks, instead if you will. Please."

"Tristen," he said, reaching out and meeting her hand with his and giving it a polite, yet still firm shake before retracting. "Pleasure to meet you," he complimented smoothly, just as an old fashioned glass filled with both ice and bourbon was sat in front of him on the bar. He reached in his pocket, dropping the proper change and a small tip into the bartender's outstretched palm. Tristen rested his right hand on the glass, turning it lightly in a semi circle, before letting his hand rest flat on the counter so to avoid warming his drink.

"Annaliese, if I'm jumping into your alone time, let me know." He wasn't a complete idiot for being stigmatized as one. There were hardly any students in the Hogs Head at the moment. The people that frequented the pub were not the social type, often seeking solice at the bottom of their glass. Tristen's gaze remained gently on her face, her alluring smile not having escaped him for an instant. His hand slowly slid to his drink again, grasping the glass and bringing it to his lips to taste the potent American whiskey without flinching. He swallowed once and set it down, his eyes never leaving the brunette's face.

[ANNELIESE PORTIA VAISEY]

Anneliese didn’t mind the stipulation. It made sense that he would be curious, though it did strike her odd that he didn’t already know. She should have been born in a time gone past; it would have been far more conducive to her manner, but Anneliese had come to terms with her archaic nature a long time ago. Explaining her colloquies to people was something that she was quite accustom to. Once he had ordered, much to her surprise two, Bourbons only then did she answer him. It wasn’t too strong of a drink for her it was just that it did make her inhibitions a bit looser and she had already decided that she would only have one drink. Anneliese couldn’t very well be so rude as decline such a kindness though. “Rye and Bourbon are more masculine of beverages. If it isn’t too bold to say, you are the epitome of masculinity.” With his ruggedly good looks, large pectoral muscles, broad chest and shoulders, a fair six-foot in height… he was rather manly.

“Thank you for the drink by the way.” Anneliese expressed her gratitude sweetly. “And the pleasure, I assure you, is all mine.” She wasn’t being humble per say, just stating that his presence was more important than that of a woman’s. Her views, impressed upon her by her parents, were not only archaic but also chauvinistic. Anneliese believed that she was worthwhile of course, it was just that men were more important. They were to be revered and respected, obeyed and given every manner of pleasurable company that a lady could offer them. Anneliese was determined to show Tristen a good time in as chaste a way as possible.

If not for fear of coming across flippant she might have laughed. Tristen didn’t yet understand her upbringing she supposed otherwise such a comment never would have been asked of her. She couldn’t help but appreciate the gesture though. His concern of intrusion was quite sweet. “That’s very kind of you Tristen, but you’re more than welcome to jump in.” Men liked to feel needed and wanted so she added. “You do quite nicely in keeping shady characters at bay.” Anneliese noticed how Tristen hadn’t once looked away from her. It made her skin tingle feeling almost as though he was caressing her with a simple look. It was pulse quickening. She too took a sip of her beverage, which, much to her dismay caused her to clear her throat at the kick it gave. Smiling apologetically she sat the glass aside inclining her body so that it faced Tristen more directly. “You don’t come here often, do you?” She ventured. He seemed more the type to frequent The Three Broomsticks, using that handsome charm of his to pick up girls so Anneliese found it curious that he was here of all places. She was the only girl near his age even there.

[tristen]

Tristen eyebrows raised slightly at Anneliese's rather bold statement. He didn't figure that such a proper looking and well spoken girl would make such a bold statement. Of course, Tristen was well known for his upfront manner when it came to women. He was not one to spare a compliment, though he always tried to gear his compliments to the tone of the conversation in how blunt or forward he was. This girl has struck him as the demure type from the way she dressed, It seemed though that she might just dress the way she did and talk the way she did as Anneliese was a girl who was confident in herself and knew what she wanted? It was a guess, but Tristen's best one.

"Thank you, I do try," he said, smirking. She thanked him for a drink in a very sweet matter to which he replied, "Well I hope I didn't insult your femininity with such a masculine drink. You look like you could handle it though." He paused. "That was meant to be a compliment as in you are pretty assertive."

“And the pleasure, I assure you, is all mine.”

At that, he smirked, raising his eyebrows and lifting his glass in gesturing to her before taking a sip and setting his glass back down gently. Perhaps this girl was smooth like him? She certainly had an air about her that intrigued him. She was the right amount of confident whereas Tristen could just come off cocky at times, of which he was aware but didn't seem to mind as he could still get the ladies as he pleased.

"If you're not keen to drink it, I will," he said with a soft smile after Anneliese reacted to the potent drink. "No worries, really," he added, eyes parting from her features to scan the pub. Shady characters, indeed. He wondered why she was here if she didn't mind his company. Or, more importantly, why Anneliese was there if she didn't favor shady characters. It was easier to get a drink at the Hog's Head than the three broomsticks, but Tristen figured this girl wasn't the type to deal with grimy, shady men offering to buy her a drink. When she turned in her seat, Tristen did as well, the sociable thing to do.

"No, not at all," he divulged, pausing in clear thought as he wondered how he should "play" this situation. "I'll tell you what attracted me to the Hog's Head if you tell me what attracted you."

[ANNELIESE PORTIA VAISEY]

He tried and he succeeded. Anneliese was very observant of those around her. She supposed that it had a lot to do with her artistic eye as much as it did her upbringing. Looking Tristen over Anneliese viewed him scrutinizing. Tracing the contours of his features in her mind, setting to memory how the light hit him, giving Tristen a strong five o’clock shoulder, the definition of his biceps so seemingly chiseled. Tristen could have been depicted as a Greek God. He was an Adonis in every sense of the word from what Anneliese had heard. And what of herself? Was he wrong about her being assertive? Not in the least. Anneliese may have been the obedient type toward males, but that didn’t prohibit her from having opinions. Her opinions in fact had always been strong and voiced as often as was appropriate. Giving compliments to Tristen, which initially had only been a statement meant to inform him of how she saw him, was more than appropriate in the format that she had offered. She smiled her thanks at his compliment.

There was something very smug about the smile on his face. It could have been the fact that Tristen’s eyebrows were raised, coming across as his ego having just been stroked to his liking. This pleased Anneliese, it meant that she was doing her job. Her hands could not appear fidgety, and yet she noticed that one was coiled around the glass, fingers tapping against the surface restlessly. Anneliese pulled her hand away clasping both in her lap to avoid any more mishaps. It was a bit strong for her, and if not for his assurance that it wouldn’t be any hassle, Anneliese would have drank the Bourbon and repressed any discomfort that it brought her. “Yes, please. I’m afraid it is best that I stick with the fruity, lightweight drink. We females are, after all, very delicate creatures.” Anneliese was rather delicate truthfully, dainty, refined, and elegant. Traits that seemed to be lacking in other girls her age who preferred to play Quidditch or other frivolous things that were not meant for ladies to do.

Tristen’s proposition was acceptable, though Anneliese, if he had simply asked, would have obliged him with an answer. She wasn’t the type to demand compromise. “I wouldn’t so much call it an attraction as I would a… choice of a lesser evil.” She informed tactfully. “The Three Broomsticks is filled with careless ruffians.” Anneliese leaned forward slightly to put herself in a closer proximity to Tristen, letting her voice fall softly, tenderly, from her lips. “I’m the type of girl that favors finesse. I need to be treated gently. It seemed that here I might be better suited to find a quieter setting, more intimate, private.” Not once had she dared to look away from Tristen. He was aesthetically pleasing after all.

[tristen]

Tristen held back a laugh as to not seem insulting. His sister would have thought this girl was a riot. Ainsley was one of those girls who just did not fit the delicate and feminine stereotype. She was. in all sense of the phrase, "one of the guys". Well, except for the way she looked, not that Tristen would say she looked delicate in the slightest. Anneliese, on the other hand, fit the description well. "Noted and appreciated," he said, taking her glass in his hand and sliding it over towards him before taking another sip of his own and blinking once.

Tristen raised one eyebrow gently as she spoke of the Hog's Head being the lesser of the two evils. Careless ruffians? His other eyebrow raised in surprise, the faintest hint of amusement found upon his countenance. Tristen must have been a careless ruffian then as he frequented The Three Broomsticks more often than not. His expression changed as he put a hand to his heart, or rather his developed left pectoral muscle. He feigned a look of hurt at her words, implying he was a careless ruffian, before he smiled and rested his hand back upon the counter. He was curious about this girl, though. Anneliese was attractive, sophisticated, and had rather unique opinions. If she thought The Three Broomsticks were careless ruffians, then what were the patrons of this fine establishment?

His smirk broadened as Anneliese continued to speak, having leaned close to him and adjusted her volume to suggest a more intimate type of conversation. And slowly the broadened smirk curled up on one side just slightly more to form an actual smile that just barely broke to expose his teeth. Tristen was more than willing to treat Anneliese gently, if he were ever in a position to treat her. Of course, Tristen was always after the end goal. That had been why he followed her, hadn't he? He was her, her challenge for the day?

"Well, well Anneliese. What would you say if I admitted to abandoning my fellow careless ruffians just to enjoy a..more intimate setting with you?" He cocked one eyebrow up, his smile fading only slightly as he waited for some sort of well spoken reaction from the poised girl.

[ANNELIESE PORTIA VAISEY]

Anneliese almost apologized for having offended him, but noticed that the gesture was more patronizing than insulted. Tristen was a teenage boy though so it was only natural that he be a bit of a ruffian himself. He appeared to be athletically fit, and his reputation as a playboy did precede him- both traits leading Anneliese to believe that he did, under some circumstances, fit that description. It mattered little though. Her focus was averted to the lovely sight of Tristen’s shirtsleeve tightening against his muscles to show them off better. He was a gorgeous specimen and Anneliese was still giving his features the utmost attention having the intention to draw him later, perhaps not in exact likeness but as inspiration and basis. The way that Tristen moved even seemed to exude of confidence. This self-aware nature of his appealed to Anneliese. She liked strong, self-respecting young man.

Once the Bourbon had been whisked away by her companion Anneliese went back to the sugary beverage of Red Currant Rum, sipping at it gingerly to sooth the kick that still lingered in her mouth. The beverage stained her lips a deep red colour making them glisten with newfound moisture and this time she made no effort to blot it away. Her eyes did widen slightly in a deer caught in headlights sort of way when Tristen suggested that she was the reason he had come to The Hog’s Head. It wasn’t that Anneliese didn’t think she wasn’t worthy of being chased, because that was the objective of any young women. There was something immensely exciting about been sought after, at least there was for her. But his admittance did stun her causing Anneliese to bow her head slightly as her cheeks glowed rosy in a blush.

Looking up at Tristen under her thick eyelashes a coy smile formed on her currant stained lips. “I would say that I’m humbled.” Which she was, underneath that modesty however was a sense of accomplishment. Anneliese was curious as to how intimate Tristen was hoping to be indulged with. She was a virgin and most certainly not the type to go around hooking up with numerous boys around school. Anneliese preferred the courting processing to stealing away in an alcove snogging. However, the notion of doing something… improper did excite her. But she couldn’t, could she? She debated with herself a moment longer before giving up deciding to just see where the afternoon might take her. “Your fellows wont be too cross with me I hope.”

[tristen]

Tristen was confident how this girl would take his statement. Some would be offended that Tristen had turned around his plans to seek them out. This, of course, was due to Tristen's player reputation in that he usually only after one thing. Though, Tristen was not the kind of jerk not to seek out a girl just because he knew he wouldn't be able to get that one thing. Any sort of physical interaction would suit him. It was just that certain interactions were more preferable than others.

Then, certain girls would fall over themselves when he even looked at them. Some girls liked his reputation as they took it that he was satisfactory, and to a variety of types. He was gorgeous and more than a modest amount of girls would "die" at the chance to catch his eye or more than that. He was never a boy to be caught though, always single and never having a girlfriend. Strings made for a tangled mess and boredom so Tristen employed a no strings attached motto.

This was why some girls wanted nothing to do with him. They were the smart ones, weren't they? Tristen had found that most girls just couldn't turn the emotions off so he had accidentally become a heart breaker. The smart ones were aware of their tendency to become attached and avoided him all together. But, Anneliese was still here so certainly she wasn't one of them. That, or she was an exception like Sinead. Though, it was clear that this girl was much more mannerly than his go-to 5th year Slytherin who hated the existence of strings as much as he did.

Tristen wouldn't miss her reaction and the way color rose to her cheeks. This always made him feel accomplished for some reason and especially so with this girl as she had been so composed. Yes, she was still susceptible it seemed. Tristen was susceptible to any beautiful girl, although not in an emotional way. And it wasn't like he was a victim. His eyes found their way to her lips which just seemed so inviting. Tristen, patient, took a sip of his drink. He was in the mood for some suspense today or so it seemed.

"Cross with you?" he smirked, amused. Dem would be the one giving him the pat on the back. Their friendship was solid and when girls beckoned them away, they usually just went. Their outings to Hogsmeade did, in part, serve to find them entertainment in the female form. Their bro-time was usually spent with a quaffle on the Quidditch pitch. So, in short, his parting from Demetrius to seek out Anneliese was more than okay. He leaned toward her as if to let her in on something especially secret. "I don't think my friends could blame me for wanting to look at a gorgeous girl for an afternoon instead of them," he said, eyes flickering between her lips and her eyes before he leaned back away from her and tended to his drink. "But where are you girl friends this afternoon, anyhow?"

[ANNELIESE PORTIA VAISEY]

When it came to Anneliese’s interest in young men it was more a sense of duty that fueled her actions than an emotional connection. That wasn’t to say that Anneliese didn’t have feelings towards those that she interacted with. She was just like any girl she supposed, no that wasn’t accurate because most girls of her generation were motivated by superficial things, such as looks, whereas, on a personal level, Anneliese was attracted to personality over anything else. She formed her attractions based on simple logic; were they someone that she could genuine tolerate, not simply because of niceties but because she wanted to like them? Her parents however wished her to operate based on breeding. Was a particular individual or pureblood? Wealthy? Did they come from a prestigious family? And because Anneliese was such an obedient daughter, those superficial traits were what she was required to look for in a serious relationship. Tristen, being half-blood if she wasn’t mistaken, didn’t fit the bill.

However, his charm was amusing and Anneliese did quite enjoy the flattery that he was so consistent in giving her. Besides she wasn’t in the market for some long-term relationship with someone she met in a pub. The thought of that was ghastly. Being with someone that she met in a bar, those were the sorts of relationships that always ended badly. Indulging in timid flirtatious behaviour with a boy she met in the pub though was a completely different story. Even in the eyes of her parents it was… acceptable, given certain stipulations. Anneliese had to remember to remain respectable, which made insinuations a key part of her method.

She really hadn’t expected his friends to be upset with her. From what Anneliese knew of the guy code, which admittedly wasn’t much, was that chasing girls was a valid reason to bail. Anneliese was perfectly fine with the vulgarity of this notion. Boys, and it seemed that a lot of girls had the same ideas, had a one-track mind. She was a virgin, if that wasn’t plainly obvious to see just by the way that she spoke and acted around a boy. But Anneliese had been taught to give men something else that they desired, a sense of importance. If she acted swooned by Tristen, gave him that hope of scoring, then by the end of their time together, he would be leaving feeling ten feet tall. “Out shopping I would imagine. But I don’t know for sure, I came to Hogsmeade alone.” It didn’t escape her notice that Tristen’s gaze kept flickering to her lips. “Why Tristen, if I didn’t know better I might think that you wished to steal a kiss from me.” Her tone was light and playful, to show that she wasn’t upset over it, perhaps offer a subtle form of permission, which Anneliese wouldn’t know if the latter was true until it happened.

[tristen]

Tristen wondered why exactly Anneliese would come to Hogsmeade alone. Of course, her place in front of him suggested she came to Hogsmeade alone to procure a drink alone. Things, apparently, hadn't gone according to plan for her today as she was not alone and was with Tristen. And she had declared she didn't mind his company before in the least. So, he concluded that they were each doing one another a favor in conversing with each other. It seemed to be the type of conversation that wouldn't really go any place deep, which is what Tristen liked with a girl. Deep conversation made for some sort of attachment, which usually sent Tristen running or diving into certain things with a blatant disregard for a girl's heart.

“Why Tristen, if I didn’t know better I might think that you wished to steal a kiss from me.”

He noted her tone, which suggested she didn't mind him wanting to kiss her. Usually, this also implied that a girl was single and free for him to do so. Did Tristen actually care if a girl was single? No. Did that make him a jerk? From his perspective, no. If girl's actions were her own decision. If she was going against some moral code, that wasn't his problem. Though, over the years he found out that it was his problem. Guys who would happen to find out about his affair with their girlfriends, didn't take to kindly to it.

The last thing that Tristen wanted from anyone was trouble. He was a laid back guy and in everything for the fun of it. Parties were fun. Girls were fun. Hanging with the guys was fun. Girls getting hung up on him, feeling guilty over him, or divulging his existence to their jealous boyfriends was not fun. He was a lover, in the physical sense and not a fighter. It was a hassle to have to punch someone or defend himself.

And any bruises he received, Tristen preferred to receive from sports. Saying that he had a black eye from some guy with a cheap blow due to Tristen sleeping with said guy's girlfriend...that just made him look like a jerk. And it could serve to mess up his game, unless he found a girl who thought the black eye was tough or wanted to "make it better". So, the question was whether or not he would make sure Anneliese was single before he kissed her? No. If she had a noteworthy boyfriend that would be any hassle to him, he would have known. The summer months was the time that posed a jealous boyfriend threat. Rumors of relationships traveled fast at Hogwarts.

Tristen smirked once more, taking a polite sip from his drink before setting it down, his eyes looking directly into Anneliese's. "Stealing usually means taking something quickly..." he said as he shifted his weight forward, leaning towards her more so than he had yet. His arm moved across the bar, elbow resting on it as he placed two fingers under her chin, boldly. "I think a kiss from you would have to be savored." On the inside he was clapping himself on the back for that line. That was one suave *ss line, Tris!, he thought to himself. He leaned his head towards hers so his face was near, his eyes locked on hers as to catch her reaction, though not quite making a full move yet.

[ANNELIESE PORTIA VAISEY]

This certainly wasn’t how Anneliese had envisioned her evening, a simple drink had turned into slightly unbecoming mannerisms on her part. She didn’t hate it though. Tristen was courteous company. He exuded sex appeal like very few young men could, so seemingly innate and complimentary to his character. The arrogance that Tristen displayed, to Anneliese, keep pretty balanced on that thin line between being obnoxious and being charming. She knew his reputation, and although was under no delusion that she could change his wily ways, did think it a bit uncalled for. He wasn’t making promises to her or anything of the sort to warrant a heart breaker status. She believed that it was the fantasies of the girls that Tristen pursued misunderstanding his intentions. Just because someone sent pretty compliments your way and perhaps an exchange of intimacy, that wasn’t a promise of exclusiveness. Did that really make Tristen a heart breaker? Anneliese couldn’t properly judge.

He was quite smooth with the lines. Her high self-esteem had Anneliese agreeing with Tristen’s claim though. She wasn’t so cheap as to be used so quickly, she was to be relished and delighted in. That wasn’t an assessment of her kissing ability because frankly Anneliese didn’t know how well of a kisser she was, but rather a belief of her personal worth. As he leaned in closer to her guiding her face nearer his with his light yet commanding touch, Anneliese felt an excitement rise inside of her. That sex appeal of Tristen’s suddenly over whelming enough to make her swoon completely, her stomach fluttering with the distance so slim between them.

Anneliese could feel his breath caress her lips, so warm and inviting. The anticipation of Tristen finally meshing his silky, full lips to hers was nearly unbearable. Unconsciously Anneliese inched forward, her eyes heavily lidded with that lustful feeling that had been felt by her but a few times in her sixteen years. Kissing him, she thought, would be exhilarating. One of those guilty pleasures that she knew she shouldn’t indulge in but when she did was immeasurable pleasant and addicting. Now that he was teasing her with the prospect of kissing her Anneliese had no doubt that she actually did want him to. It was a craving that she needed satisfied.

[tristen]

Maybe this was why Tristen had become such a heartbreaker. Even though he had no intention of commitment, not at all a one girl type of guy, he still knew how to make a girl feel like she was the only person in the room or at least the only person he was interested in. It was a natural charm for him, no coaching from any girl friend or family member. Nobody had sat him down and told him what women wanted or what they desired. He started at a young age, natural with his lfirting that accompanied his good looks. But, Tristen learned by the guess and check method.

Over time, Tristen built his confidence. He knew what worked and what didn't work. And then, those times when he was unsure he compensated with confidence, assuring himself that he could pull the line or move off. He new he was good looking and desirable on more than just that level, but Tristen was never pompous about it. He did not think he was the best thing since sliced bread, appreciating the fairer sex just as much as they appreciated him. Yes, maybe that is why girls got so caught up with their emotions when they were around him. Despite his end game, he still appreciated them for women instead of just something to make him...happy.

Hedid not always rush things like most teenage boys might. He knew that slow and steady won the race and that women needed time to..well...get themselves acclaimated. And, in turn, Tristen learned how to appreciate a slow build in a physical relationship. The anticipation just made every single thing better. Plus, when he wasthe one holding back a bit, it made him feel good. He was making a woman want him and in turn felt like more of a man. All in all, Tristen just knew what he was doing. And enjoyed himself all the more for it.

As Anneliese leaned the tiniest bit forward, he took this as a green light set off by the slightly harder, but still even poudning in his chest. It was just a bodily reaction the the tension also known as lust that seemed to build between them in this moment. It had nothing to do with feeling. He glanced down at her red lips once more before tilting his head slightly to the right and closing the remaining distance bewtween their lips at a tantalizingly slow pace, his lips parted slightly as to properlyy taste her sweet and moist lips as they touched to his. Tristen kissed her with confidence, though in the most gentle way as a first kiss should be in this environment. When he did pull away, not too long into the kiss, he smirked and lingered so his face was still close to hers. He licked his bottom lip in a slight fashion, tasting her drink on his lips. "See, I was right. You are definitely a girl to be savored."

[ANNELIESE PORTIA VAISEY]

When you broke it down to the raw science of it there was nothing all that extraordinary about a kiss. It was just lips touching, a slight bit of pressure, but somehow sensations could still arise in a person that made a simple kiss rather explosive. In Anneliese’s case, here with Tristen, it was how sensual he was. He seemed to have been listening and actually put it to practice when she had said that females were delicate, as his kiss was tender and sweet. Anneliese’s lips tingled pleasurably with the pressure that Tristen applied to them. For the few moments that it lasted her eyes even slipped shut to thoroughly enjoy herself, trading one sense in to amplify another. And still it ended too soon.

Anneliese nodded a bit disoriented by the experience. Addicting had been an accurate description for the guilty pleasure that was Tristen Abercrombie. For all the bluster that went along with that name Anneliese now fully understood what all the hype was about. He more than earned that reputation of his. Those not as strong-willed as her didn’t stand a chance with him. The moment they had the honour of being kissed by him they were helpless, and hopeless. Luckily Anneliese knew the difference between enjoying yourself and being hooked. She held fast to the idea that this little tryst was nothing more than exactly that.

She needed to collect her wits about her though. A moment’s lapse was acceptable but to come across as dazed was unthinkable. “You flatter me far too much.” Anneliese informed slowly regaining her composure. Her Red Currant rum was suddenly appealing again, perhaps the appeal lay with a suitable distraction from Tristen’s lips but she didn’t allow herself to dwell on a reason why as she nursed the beverage gingerly. “I feel I should compliment on your skill though.” Back to normal, hearty in her approbation and lavish in her praise. “You’re quite enticing.” Anneliese offered a mesmeric smile. “Where ever did you learn it? I simply must know.”

[tristen]

Tristen was hoping that Anneliese's air of confidence translated into a kiss. Usually, if a girl was a bad kisser, he would be able to figure that out before diving in. Tristen figured that bad kissers usually knew they were bad kissers, because someone might have told them so or nobody ever came back to them for seconds. And usually, those experiences would affect one's self esteem. Girls with low self esteem weren't usually the kind to intrigue him and Anneliese intrigued him.

Tristen liked to play investigator when it came to things that intrigued him, but he didn't always beat around the bush. One could talk to a girl for hours and evaluate her as a person to decide whether he wanted to kiss her. Or, one could be initially intrigued and kiss her and then find he wanted to know more about her. Or, he could just kiss her and not ruin anything by actually getting to know her. Tristen was somewhere between the last and second option. He got to know girls, but only to a certain extent. There was no point in getting to know them on a deeper level. That only would bring up feelings for them or result in them asking him a bunch of questions. Getting to know a girl to a certain extent made her feel desirable and that was important. A girl getting to know him? Not important and not desired at all.

So, to avoid some general getting to know you type questions, Tristen leaned in toward Anneliese in his slow fashion and kissed her like he thought she deserved to be kissed. Her lips were plush against his and they tasted very sweet, not that the kiss itself was very sweet. Tristen wasn't quite that innocent, though he didn't like to overpower a girl. There was a certain finesse in leaving a girl wanting more. To show her a sensuality and plant possibilities in her head, was important, which is exactly what Tristen planned to do with this kiss.

"No, I really don't think I do, Anneliese," he said, smirking and looking from her lips back into her eyes, taking his hand from under her chin and gently running two fingers rather quickly down her arm to her hand, brushing his thumb over the back of her hand briefly. He tended to his drink, calmly as Anneliese suddenly regained interest in her own.

"Thanks, but it couldn't have been so enjoyable without your participation, you know." He smirked again, shrugging lightly like it was simply no big deal. He watched the way she smiled at her, still thinking Anneliese to be quite inviting which was a good sign. Tristen took the opportunity to look at her mouth for a moment before looking back into her eyes. What an...unusual question, so many slightly crude comments coming to mind that he would say if Anneliese was a guy...or his sister. "Learn? I think it's a constant process..because every girl has a different preference. I just have a knack for knowin' how you want to be kissed." He purposely accentuated the you in his sentence. "And I'm glad you wanted to kiss me."

[ANNELIESE PORTIA VAISEY]

Tristen truly was lethal. His actions were very affectionate. It would have been easy for any girl to swoon over him and let her mind wander to thoughts of more. What girl wouldn’t want to be treated so nicely all the time? But there was also something, far more subtle than anything else that he had shown her, that was hesitant. Tristen wasn’t the type to settle down with one girl when there were so many out there that he could have, and did have. Anneliese watched him carefully, a little amused by how weak minded some girls could be. Not that Tristen wasn’t very convincing, in fact everything he said was probably nothing but the truth, but how many times had he said the same thing to someone else and meant it? It wasn’t that he was insincere, at least she didn’t think so, it was that Tristen’s appreciation for females was too vast.

And he was right; you could only be so good without something to work with. “Yes, that is true.” Anneliese agreed smiling. She had never had much a problem when it came to kissing herself. It wasn’t a difficult process and although Anneliese didn’t go around snogging a lot of guys she was familiar with it. It didn’t escape her that Tristen had specified his know-how about kissing her, particularly. She found it curious. It was likely though that he had profiled her. Trying to be objective Anneliese contemplated what Tristen might have viewed her as. She was immaculately dressed, feminine in nature without being overly sexy, her skirt and blouse left something to the imagination without being completely conservative or homely. Her movements were lithe and delicate- pointing to further signs of girlishness. But Anneliese held herself with an air of importance, her posture perfect, manners unflinching, and when she spoke Anneliese did so rather eloquently never cutting corners of using slang like so many of her peers. All signs, she believed, pointed to respectability. If that was what Tristen saw too then Anneliese could see why he had gone for finesse rather than a more… brutish method.

She nodded pensively. ”So you adapt to the circumstances.” Anneliese summed up her thoughts for his benefit. If Tristen could figure out what a girl wanted just from watching them for a little bit then she wondered what else he could tell about a person from simple observation. Anneliese was observant herself but it was for artistic purposes rather than to get something physical out of vigilance. Sure, sometimes she would try to guess where a certain scar had come from on a subject or what there life might have been like based on the wear and tear of their features or the clothing they wore, but nothing of the caliber that she assumed Tristen could figure out. “What else can you tell about me?” She requested, a glint of intrigue shining in her big, brown eyes. Human behaviour was always a fascinating thing, but Anneliese had never had the luck to have someone profile, at least not that she was aware of. She was interested to see what Tristen could guess about her.