Regency in Diagon Alley [Theodore Nott | Harry Potter AU]

Chapter Twenty-Five

"A truth for a truth." Theodore murmured against her chest. Nearing noon, rain still poured endlessly, and Theodore and Carina decided to remain in her room, letting Rose take Viktor back to the Den, and apologizing to him for their absence. Though her maid has shown a slight discomfort with the knowledge that she slept beside Theodore and has chosen to spend her day with him in such a manner, especially when she has a man waiting for her in London, Rose did not express any of those. And Carina was thankful for it.

Waking that morning, Carina was greeted by the sight of Theodore bringing in breakfast on a tray, since then they remained in her bed, listening to the rain, and finding warmth with each other. She did not bother to dress. She enjoyed the freedom her nightdress gave, and she very much enjoyed the sight of Theodore's bare chest as they ate breakfast. Every once in a while, she would glance at him, and if Theodore would catch her, he never teased her about it.

Now, laying in the bed with Carina acting as the bigger spoon, and Theodore finding comfort in her warmth, they have been enjoying the silence and simple talks. Much like when they were in Hogwarts.

Carina breathed in. "When you said let us live in our desires, I thought you meant it literally."

He chuckled, he looked up to her and said, "Trust me, Carina, I would want nothing more than to have you sprawled on this bed – right now – like a feast," that earned him a flick on the forehead. "But, considering how we ended things last night, I did not thing it was the right time... and besides, considering things." She hummed as a response. He noticed how she pressed her legs together and smirked, "Does it bother you to know that I have such thoughts?"

"I would be a hypocrite if I did."

"Oh!" His dark-abyss eyes twinkled with mischief. "Now, I am curious. What kind of thoughts that Lady Carina Black have when she is alone?"

Seeing his gaze, Carina tugged on his hair to make him stop. It had them laughing. "It's... hard to explain." When he kept quiet, she thought hard on how to put her thoughts into words. "First, whatever it is I'll say must stay a secret – even from Roman."

"There are things that I prefer is kept between us. I promise, no one will know."

She sat up with her legs crossed. Theodore mimicked her and waited, his fingers playing with hers, acting like webs, tangling with one another. Her silence had him tell her that she did not have to tell him, but Carina said that she would. After taking a breath, she finally spoke, "The year I turned sixteen, my uncle took me to see Florence again. He knows how I love the city so; we went there. One night, when he has fallen asleep drunk in his chambers, I slipped out of the inn we stayed at and wandered the city – and before you lecture me how dangerous that was. I know, and I was ready."

"I wasn't going to lecture you. Carina, I've known you for more than seven years, I've seen you send a Bombarda spell at Crabbe and Goyle's balls... but, still, let me at least have this reaction –" he knocked on her head lightly. "—you arrogant and reckless twat."

Carina laughed and then continued her story. "So, I went around Florence – Muggle Florence – and I saw the life in the city... and I met an artist – well, he was still learning to be an artist, but he was good. I went with him to the studio he and his fellow artists would study, it was the first time I saw a naked woman that was not in a painting, and a naked man... then behind a curtain, I saw a man." She was fidgeting. "He was kneeling, and his face was between the woman's legs, and they both looked like they were enjoying it... the woman, especially. I wasn't sure what was happening then, but it made me feel something..." his brows shot up. "It was there that I also learned about certain things... so, whenever I would be alone, and whenever I thought of you... I would always imagine those things I saw but it would be..."