Millie seemed to be having a rather curious debate within herself, so Keiran kept quiet until she had finished speaking. He didn't understand why she was so very hard on herself, but he did know that he couldn't help her. She wouldn't listen to someone who didn't know her at all. That idea seemed to be coming to him over and over. How he wished he did know her. That this wasn't forced and rather planned, along with months of poking his way into her life. It would have been far more sensible and appealing to both parties, he was sure. They just weren't given the time.
His eyebrow raised at her denial of lacking desire for marriage. Both, then, flew up at her question. To say his eyes were filled with mirth would be an understatement. He was practically grinning, though he lifted his glass to cover it as subtly as he could. Millie was tripping over her words before he brought himself to interrupt her.
“I wouldn't wager that I'm the Professor that many students would title that way.” He supplied by way of a stopper to her attempt at recovery. Self-deprecation wasn't foreign to him, and he certainly hadn't heard any students refer to him in such a way. If they did, he would get a good laugh out of it, at least. The idea of it did boost his ego a trifle, he would admit. He imagined informing Robin of all of this, wondering what the man would think.
Her words made him nod seriously, knowing how right she was. Just look at how detached he was because of such a lack of parental affection. “If you wish it.” He agreed. Keiran found himself glad they were both so – if not pleased or settled upon it – understanding of their fate. He had no intention of being his reserved, quiet self around her forever, but jumping into something like this would hardly seem right after he had been so – he hated to use the word shy, but it was the one that came to mind.
He allowed a lengthy smile to grace his features as she moved her hair and accepted his ridiculous secret. He wanted to ask, though he knew he shouldn't, if she had any particularly strange stories or information she wanted to give him. Keiran figured that would come in time.
As if she could hear his thoughts, Millie gave a secret of her own – or was it a secret only to the Hogwarts Staff? He figured it must be. He doubted a Friday was such a problem, in that case. Before he could voice this, however, she agreed upon a Saturday and Keiran smiled across the table at her. He wondered briefly if their mothers would get on – what they would think of the whole ordeal. Certainly Millie's mum would be slightly frightened of the thought of her daughter marrying someone perhaps ten years older.
“Your... Your cat is named Mr. Malfoy?” He asked, bemused. Though the Transfiguration Professor knew of the family, he certainly didn't understand why the girl had named her feline after it. “Either way, I should hope he likes me. Otherwise, we'll be in a right mess.”
With a bright chuckle he sat up straighter as he regarded the Gryffindor. “My dear, I assure you I'm quite brilliant at Quidditch. Incandescent, even. I was Captain, but I was also Keeper. My life was not so often risked by diving, even on my broom. And at least with a broom I knew I would have something to be a sort of rein on my fall.”
Tilting his head to the side to look at her, he gave a half-smile of curiosity. “I take it you are a fan? Or you play yourself, I hope. It's always been my favorite sport, Quidditch. Even among those I learned at home, around Muggles.”
by Lucien Holt Tue Oct 01, 2013 4:24 am