Because We're Important and You're Not

Kendall looked good. No, no, Kendall looked damn good. And he knew it. He purposely apparated outside the Leaky Cauldron so that more people would get the chance to look at him. He was really starting to grow up and look muscular. His outift seemed to be built for him. He was looking confident. His curls had been left- they were charming he was told. And he had on a smirk

Some lucky girl out there was going to keel over in shock when she saw just how fortunate she was going to be for the time being. And the luckier she felt and the hotter he looked, the more she would try to keep Kendall entertained. She would be desperate for his attention, just wanting him to like her.. And she would work hard to prove her worthiness.

Ah.. He loved society.

He strode through Diagon Alley, getting mingled stares and dirty looks. Usually he assumed the latter was because he was so good looking and people were jealous, but he had a feeling it had to do something with the battle and how most people were working hard to stay out of trouble and to mind their ow business, and here some cocky kid went around displaying his wealth.

In other words, they were jealous.

He reached Murray's and slipped inside. He walked up to the maître d' and stated. "Rookwood?" The man nodded stiffly, saying, "Table for two. Right this way, sir." He led him to a table in the back and Kendall sat, carefully flattening out his vest and tugging his sleeves. A waiter brought two glasses of water and Kendall made himself comfortable.

Reflections could be deceiving and no matter how many times Apolline told her step-daughter she looked ‘fine’, Athena insisted fiddling with her hair and shifting the way her dress hugged her curves. Apolline was anxious about the time. She didn’t want Athena to turn up any later than what was considered ‘fashionable’ but if she kept it up then Apolline was sure Athena wouldn’t even make it for the first course. In her own little way, she was anxious and desperate to impress. Her visage of nonchalance was cracking little by little and Apolline couldn’t help but smirk at the girl. Thankfully, Athena seemed to be finishing her inspection of her appearance as she’d turned around and began to inspect her backside – no doubt fearing the answer if she were to ask the cliché. Finally though, Athena turned and looked at her mother, a thunderous expression on her face.

“Ah,” Apolline said with a smile. “You’re ready then.” She handed Athena a little piece of folded parchment with the reservation name on it and the Slytherin snatched it out of her mother’s hand before huffing and Apparating out of the Goyle Manor. Apolline smirked and shook her head before turning to look at her husband who hadn’t even looked up from the Dark Arts spell book he’d been reading.

Athena appeared on the street corner outside of Murray’s Place. She knew this was the destination but she was playing ball – she wasn’t going to look at who her dinner-date was. Athena looked at herself one last time in her pocket mirror before gliding across the threshold into the restaurant.

The concierge was quick to come to her side thankfully and she handed him the parchment long before the smell of food and expensive wine hit her. She followed the concierge through the web of tables to one out of the way and more suited to her status. Her lips were already set in a disapproving pout and when the concierge stopped, Athena’s eyes darkened a little, in both anticipation and anxiety. Part of her wanted to make this a done deal but another, greater, part of her wanted to muck it up purposely so her father would leave her alone for a while. It was one of those times when Athena wished she hadn’t been an only child.

Her eyes fell to the person already sitting down and she groaned mentally. Of all the rotten sons of –

“Kendall, we meet again.” Athena said smoothly before arching her eyebrow and adding, “Still reading those horrid magazines?”

Kendall had been thinking about the important things in life- his hair, his abs, his arms, his face, his shoes, his suit, and a little more about his hair. His mom had ooh-ed and aww-ed when he had come into the drawing room to kiss her good bye and greet his father, which did not adequately satisfy his need for approval, since it was mostly irritating.. His dad had watched his wife fuss, his small, nervous eyes trained on his boy. Kendall knew he was like his father- misleading appearance that his a dark interior.

He heard the door open and his self-serving musings were interrupted. He did a quick once over of his outfit, reaching down to brush dirt off his shoes, not that she'd be looking there.. Not with his hair, his abs, his arms, his face.. etcetera. He glanced down and picked up a spoon, picking it up and checking to ensure that his hair was flipping perfectly. Check.

He set it down and a voice shook him from his inspection. He glanced up and tried to keep his mouth from tipping open. There was Athena, and she was looking stunning. Absolutely stunning. He thought for a moment that she was just there by coincidence, but there were no tables with one man, and most of the tables were full.. And she would not be dressed like that for an evening to herself.

He stood, grinning widely. "Fate doesn't want to keep us apart, love," he replied, smirking widely, taking her hand and kissing it. "And it is not gentlemanly to speak of such things. If you really want to know, you'll just have to come and find out." He smirked and the gestured at her seat. "Sit down, m'dear. You look stunning."

Already, Athena was coming up with the most painful way for her mother to meet her end. So far, she liked the idea of incorporating Muggle torture devices. They were barbaric animals so it was only fitting their mechanics were equally as savage. Athena couldn’t think of anything more degrading but if the history books were right then some wizards and witches displayed their magic so as to be burned alive – thankfully, they were smart enough to charm themselves to withstand it but it still wasn’t the most intelligent thing to do. Even so, the Muggle’s were creative – even if it pained Athena to admit it. She’d use the rack on her mother – and then maybe she’d part hanger before cutting her open and such. Well, the House Elves could cut her open; Athena wasn’t touching the innards of anyone, much less her mother.

In reality though, Kendall wasn’t nearly as bad as some of the people she’d dreaded the idea of seeing when she’d arrived. Obviously he was insufferable and overly cocky but she knew him rather intimately. There was nothing particularly terrifying about Kendall Rookwood. He looked awfully good; too good in fact. Had Athena been a weaker woman she would have been a puddle on the floor beside her chair. As it was, she was not completely immune to him but she knew how to exploit him. She most definitely hadn’t forgotten the experience in the boy’s dorms although she didn’t spend every waking moment fantasising about it like she’d heard a few people doing. Then there were her friends who had spent most of their trip to Hogsmeade contemplating just how ‘lucky’ he actually was. Athena had most definitely swallowed her words during that little exertion. She was just glad that no one had asked her. For once, her notorious pickiness actually paid off.

However, the idea that fate was involved did not amuse Athena in the slightest. Athena had read her Greek Mythology. If the Fates were in any way involved then it meant that Atropos was going to cut her thread of life sooner rather than later. Athena just hoped she survived the dinner. She could imagine her death – choking on a lentil. Still, the idea that their fate was entwined wasn’t nearly as awful as she’d originally thought. If this ended badly then Apolline would hopefully give up and Athena wouldn’t have to resort to desperate measures. However, by comparison to some of the other Pureblood men she’d met in her life...Kendall was much preferred – even if he was an arsehole.

“If fate is determined to keep us together then I hope something awful happens to you before it does to me,” Athena replied smoothly, unable to keep the smirk off of her face. She arched her eyebrow at him again as he lifted her hand to his lips and her smirk deepened as the chivalry continued to roll off of his tongue. Athena lowered herself into the seat and looked at Kendall curiously, thinly veiled amusement on her face. “So I take it that means ‘yes’ then?” She questioned idly, placing her wand on the table. “I’ll have to pay you a visit in that case then – just to see what I’ve been missing out on.” She continued to smirk before replying, “You don’t look too bad yourself.” What a classic.

“Sorry about this. You’d think my parents would have something better to do than meddle in people’s lives. I’ll get them a dog or two; or maybe four greyhounds and a poodle. That should keep them busy.”

Kendall was a Slytherin- to be a Slytherin, you just had to know how to banter. The Hufflepuffs knew how t walk away from a fight. Ravenclaws reasoned their way out. The Gryffindors just threw punches. No, Slytherins bantered, they toed that line that would either get someone so frustrated they would leave you be, or so frustrated they would attack. It was naturally bred into them. The strong Slytherins, the ones that were meant to survive,were the ones with the witty quips, the ones resourceful enough to use words rather than energy to get what they wanted. When someone wanted something, they worked hard for it. Slytherins knew the proper way to get things- buy someone out, sleep with the right person, or threaten appropriately.

So Kendall rather appreciated Athena's barbed tongue. Girls like Yumi were playthings, just because they were so eager and earnest, but they had no fight, no bite, no talk. Athena spiced things up and it entertained Kendall to no end. Even when she was insulting him, it was a threat, and threats from good-looking girls were sexy, rather than off-putting.

"You will regret those words one day," he said, smirking back, "when you're following me like a lost puppy. I see it already- you want me." He picked up his glass of water and drank. She asked if his response had meant a yes and as he set his glass back down, he said, "Well, of course. What do I look like- an animal?" He grinned a sly grin.

Ah, another visit would be spectacular and he was planning on holding that to her. Her compliment was quickly recorded and saved away in his brain, to be replayed in the myriad of compliments he received when his dark thoughts clouded through his mind and he needed a reminder f just how spectacular of a specimen he really was.

She apologized and he grinned. "Oh, please, Athena, we can be honest. I know that you're smitten and just could not live another day without me by your side. It's quite alright, I will not judge you for it." He smirked at her as a waiter walked by, asking for their drinks. Kendall knew they would not serve alcohol to underages- what a shame- so instead he said, "Perhaps some tea? Athena, what do you think?"

The term ‘Lost Puppy’ wasn’t something one used to describe Athena. Period. She wasn’t some little lost Hufflepuff that needed to find a home in the arms of a notorious playboy. No, Athena was more likely to find her entertainment and placate her need for mischief by rifling through his bottom drawer. Her interests didn’t lie in the Pureblood way of life. Of course she loved the prestige but that meant nothing when past examples were flaunted before her eyes, accompanied by a caption depicting their lack of happiness. She wasn’t her step-mother and she certainly wasn’t her mother. She was her own person and she was damn well going to make sure they got that. Perhaps she’d take the route of Araminta Meliflua and push for Muggle-Hunting to be legalised. Or perhaps she’d just do as was expected of her then live her life. She certainly hoped her ‘husband’ wouldn’t be foolish enough to think he’d be able to run her life. He’d lose his bollocks faster than he could mutter ‘Oops’.

Kendall didn’t strike Athena as particularly stupid. He was a teenage boy which meant he was not without his own level of stupidity but he wasn’t unintelligent. He seemed to get some sort of sadistic joy out of harassing her and Merlin knew the feeling was mutual. It was something every Slytherin adored. Getting a rise out of one another was something Slytherins did daily and those that couldn’t stand up for themselves were eaten alive. Athena had an acidic tongue. She had torn many arrogant Gryffindors down before and had certainly ‘eaten’ her fair share of Slytherins. The point though, was that even if she did end up stuck with Kendall, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to try and control her. He knew her fairly well by all counts and so unless he wanted his brain to be yanked out of his butt then he would be very careful about how he treated Athena.

The baiting though...that was much preferred and enjoyed.

“Will I?” She questioned without missing a beat. “I don’t think so. I’d certainly come to the funeral but I wouldn’t stay long. I’m sure the church would be packed with your conquests all crowding in to mourn the loss of someone who took them in whatever area of the Hogwarts castle he could find. Hmm...I could just imagine the tears falling onto their chubby, Hufflepuffian cheeks. Still finding solace in them or did you take my advice?” Athena’s hand went to the glass of water that had gone untouched and she lifted it off of the table. She brought the glass to her lips and sipped at the water before placing it back down and running her finger across the underside of her lip, just to check her makeup was still in place.

Athena smirked at Kendall and cocked her head to the side, inspecting him as if contemplating his question. “Well, you are rather dogged at times.” She considered after a moment, her smirk deepening. “But of course...I know you aren’t one to waste things.”

At Kendall’s next words, Athena could not suppress a snort of disbelief. She even laughed a little, but sobered herself before the laugh got out of control. Athena shook her head and picked up her glass again. He was an idiot. Athena weight up her words carefully before retorting,

“Are you sure that it isn’t you that’s smitten with me? I’m just here for entertainment and for dinner. I can’t be sure my company has ulterior motives though. Perhaps I should hex him. What do you reckon? He’s a shifty little bugger.” Athena looked up at the waiter before returning her gaze to Kendall. “Tea would be just fine.”

Kendall gave her a knowing grin. "How would you even know I had ever been Hufflepuff-prone? You must have been so frantic, reading the writing on the bathroom walls in earnest, wondering when it would be your turn, cursing the fates making you wait so long, your heart yearning and breaking, longing for the time that you would be mine." He shook his head knowingly.

"No, by the time you caught up to me, I was transitioning from Hufflepuffs to Ravenclaws. Huffles are willing, yes, but they're not as inventive as the Ravenclaws." He grinned a dogged grin, because if anyone had happened to stroll by, it might have sounded like an innocent description of respective House personalties, rather than what he was referring to.

She answered his question with a question and he grinned widely, leaning forward. "Ah half an answer- especially one framed another question- tells me more than I ever need to know." She spoke to the waiter, who didn't seem to care, but Kendall whispered behind his hand. "She wants me." He smirked widely at Athena, knowing he was pushing her buttons.

Athena intrigued him. She had been right; after having to pursue, it had been nice to be pursued. And it was a nice change, having someone who challenged him. She might have been in the date for entertainment, but so was he. In a strange way, Athena was a real friend, regardless of other factors. She was one of the few people who had given Kendall what he needed.

Athena laughed shrilly at Kendall at his next retort. Oh yes, she could imagine herself with her knickers around her ankles reading the writing on the back of the toilet door. The only thing that seemed to be on the back of her favoured cubical door was a lengthy discussion between three or more girls regarding Elijah Krum. Then there was the writing on the tiles above the sinks in varying colours of lipstick. That was where Kendall’s conquests argued it out. Athena had read most of it, yes, but that was out of pure curiosity and prior to their little encounter. Of course, after Myrtle had washed away the lippy (not Athena, honestly) the girls had moved to the walls and were now using various colours of ink. Athena had written there a few times, if only to provoke those already writing there, and she’d read some rather entertaining things afterwards. They were far too easy to wind up and Hufflepuffs were notoriously jealous creatures, Athena was finding. Unsurprisingly, the Hufflepuff girls all wrote in various shades of yellow. Smart.

“Reading the walls?” Athena repeated with a sly smile. “Most definitely. It beats going out to watch idiots on brooms try and play Quidditch. The fates can keep me waiting though, darling. You think too highly of yourself. Frantic? Me? Over you? Never! Not even if you were being dangled over the side of the Astronomy Tower by some little Potter’s Army brat. And besides, it’s written all over you. You are most definitely Hufflepuff prone. There are a lot of Half-blood’s in Hufflepuff. Not to mention those little Muggle monstrosities.” Athena shuddered. “Honestly...why sully yourself with that?”

The idea of the Ravenclaws being inventive in the bedroom horrified Athena more than she cared to admit. They had the naughty librarian thing going and she herself had indulged in a Ravenclaw bed partner before. He’d been...satisfying. Well, he’d been more than satisfying and more than a little bit creative. Athena could definitely understand where Kendall was coming from, though the idea of Ravenclaws going at it with anyone was cringe worthy – just as much as Hufflepuff sex.

“Wow,” was all she could say before adding, “Been through Gryffindor already then?”

Athena pursed her lips at Kendall when he began to talk to the waiter. She lifted her leg up and kept an innocent expression on her face as she brought her foot down onto the edge of Kendall’s chair. She pressed forward a little and lowered her foot, pushing the base of her heel against his crotch. Athena lowered her eyes to the table and fiddled idly with the embroidered napkin before looking up at the waiter and smiling brightly – scarily so.

“Of course I want you,” Athena purred, indulging Kendall for a moment. “I ache for you. Now, do you think you could bring us some menus?” Athena requested. “I am incredibly anxious to get Monsieur Rookwood home. It has been so long since I’ve had him in my bed. Or his, as would be more appropriate.” Athena smirked slyly and arched an eyebrow at Kendall before looking back at the waiter. “He’s incredibly needy. I don’t think he can last much longer so if you could hurry along...” Athena waved the waiter away and picked up her glass again, taking a sip of the fresh, cool liquid.

Kendall ticked his head and gave her a look that said 'trust me, I know what I'm doing.' "Do you really think I would have made the mistake of bedding a mudblood brat? I'm not Krum- I'm quite a bit pickier, my qualifications are not 'must be human, must be alive.' I'm a lot better at what I do- I thought you'd know that." He grinned devilishly. "Yes, a few halfsies might have gotten away with it. But I know where they all stand. Times are changing, we're starting to compromise, just a bit."

He shrugged. When it came down to it, all the halfbloods were just for fun. The purebloods were the only ones Kendall could- and would- consider to be more than just a one night stand. He reached out for some water and she asked about Gryffindors. He choked and swallowed the mouthful of water before he sprayed it. He stared at Athena.

"Are you crazy, woman?! Do you honestly think so low of me? Did I not just explain that I still have standards?" He sighed and looked up at the waiter, gesturing towards Athena. "Do you see what I have to put up with?" He smirked, making it clear he was just having his fun now. "Women. Can't live with them, can't live- AH!" He yelped as he suddenly felt something.. in the southern direction. She began to speak to the waiter while Kendall stared at Athena, eyes huge.

He glanced up at the waiter. "That'll be all," he said shortly. "Bring us our drinks.. And menus. Go!" The waiter hurried off and Kendall turned back to Athena, raising an eyebrow. "What're you playing at?"

Merlin, he was so easy to get a rise out of. Athena didn’t honestly believe Kendall was as stupid as that Krum...oddity. He would take anything that was breathing – no matter what it was; Mudblood or otherwise. There were plenty of Mudbloods to go around though; much to Athena’s chagrin. If she thought about it more positively though, it meant more to kill when the time came to it; more torture ergo, more fun. Still, no Pureblood in his or her right mind would wish to be bedded by one of those abominable creatures and Athena had decided a long time ago that Half-Bloods were just as bad. They were just all as bad as each other; and they’d all seen the green light in the near future.

“Times are changing,” Athena agreed. “So much so that perhaps in future years, Hufflepuff will possess more Wizards than those...magic thieves.” Athena gave a shudder and picked up her glass of water again. “We can only dream though,” she muttered before taking a sip.

Her next words had obviously shocked him because the mouthful of water Kendall had nearly went all over the table. Athena made a face but couldn’t help but smirk as he defended himself. Athena put her glass down and curved her nail absentmindedly around the rim. She raised an eyebrow at him when he cut off mid-sentence and her smirk instantly deepened as his eyes grew wide. Athena turned her eyes back to the waiter and leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table and her chin her palm as she watched the waiter wander away to fetch them what they’d requested. She turned her head when Kendall spoke again and looked at him blankly.

“Me?” She questioned, sitting back and putting her hand on her chest. “I was just observing the waiter. He’s got a lovely – oh you mean this.” She pressed her foot down a little and looked at him innocently. Athena leaned forward and continued to smirk at Kendall. “Well I’m just shutting you up sweetheart. I hate to be embarrassed you know. Besides, I’m sure you’ll survive. Cheer up, darling; you look like someone just cursed your puppy.”