"Oh, I wouldn't know. I'm more partial to 'Bertie' myself."
Vivianna could do little but blink, hoping that the pain wasn't too visible in her eyes. She'd hardly even thought about Bertie through the entire meeting, Reid tended to have that effect upon her. It was difficult to think of much while around him. Being pulled back into reality so quickly and efficiently stung. No, not stung, the pain was far worse than that. It was more like the throbbing ache of an infected wound, the kind that only worsened with movement.
She'd deserved it though. The witch would have done the same, in Reid's place, if provoked. The male had only retaliated, and Vivianna couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for intentionally going straight for his weak spot. Aiming for where she could cause the most damage, the most pain. The redhead would have frowned if she wasn't trying to remain expressionless, there were very few people her conscience kicked in for. The list had been composed of only four, but it seemed that Reid had been able to sneak in without her noticing. She shouldn't have been surprised, considering her feelings for him. It was unfair, how the other teenager was starting to worm his way into every single aspect of her life.
Unable to look at Reid any longer, the female turned her head back towards the Ministry employee that she still didn't know the name of. Not that she particularly cared to. Taking deep even breaths in an attempt to regulate her heart rate, Vivianna heard the woman murmur a name to herself. Not just any name, her name. Except... not. Vivianna Dixon. In that moment, the Slytherin was extraordinarily glad for the potion coursing through her veins.
Her reaction was accompanied by a single blink, the events of the last hour properly skinning in. This was really happening, she was to be Reid's wife, and Reid would be hers. Not by choice, but the redhead couldn't help but be momentarily happy with the Ministry, as much as the loathed her government. After all, this way she'd have Reid. He may not love her, but he'd still be hers. There were worse situations.
But then Vivianna thought of her mother, trapped in a marriage with a man whom she could never be good enough for. Her undying love mattered little, and the deep depression she had fallen into was sure to be fatal sooner or later. The teenager liked to think that she would never be so weak, stoop so low, rely on the opinions of another person so much that she would waste away without their approval. Her mother hadn't been felled by addiction however, and the redhead certainly cared more about what Reid thought of her than she should. It seemed that when the females of her family fell, they fell hard. Vivianna wasn't exactly surprised by that, she'd never been the type to do things half-heartedly.
The sixth-year couldn't help but think that the name had something of a ring to it, and Vivianna found herself growing slightly fond, before the more reasonable part of her brain kicked in. She was hardly going to take Reid's last name, no matter how much a part of her longed for it. She was the last Varnes, after all, and while she might not be particularly attached to the man whom had passed on his surname to her, she was quite fond of it. It was hers, always had been, and until now had been something that no one could ever take away from her.
Vivianna wondered if Reid would be alright with her keeping her maiden name. On second thought, that didn't matter. She was hardly going to let Reid's opinion effect what her name would be. Something as important as that was for her to decide. The redhead had always held great stock in names. It had taken her ages to name her kitten, before finally settling upon Strike. It suited him, terror that he was.
Vivianna Dixon-Varnes wouldn't be bad, the girl supposed. It sounded far better than Varnes-Dixon, that was sure. Or perhaps she could just remove the hyphen and have two last names. Maybe she could even convince Reid to do the same. A completely equal relationship. The Slytherin could have laughed at herself, that was hardly going to happen. From the moment they'd met, everything either had said or done had been part of one giant power-play. Neither were used to bowing to anyone, and was hardly going to give in without a fight. Vivianna was all too aware that the other teenager was winning. No, not winning, in the lead. No matter what her feelings, she wouldn't let him win. He could have her heart and her thoughts, but he would not take her dignity.
Reid too, turned to the graduated witch, and simply asker her if that was all. Vivianna inhaled lightly in shock. She had been expecting him to hand over the vial that he'd slipped from her pocket. There was a Ministry official in the same room as them, it would be pathetically easy. Surely if he was going to he would now. After all, watching her damnation unfold before her very eyes and being unable to prevent it would surely be more horrific than any other method. It hurt, knowing that Reid chose not to destroy her when it would be only too easy. He'd get revenge for her terribly low comment, and get out of having to marry her in one fell swoop. Not to mention that she'd used, even after he'd told her not to.
But what truly cut into her heart, was the lack of reaction upon his face. If she'd previously seen indifference in his eyes, they were now even lacking that. He seemed to care so very little, that he wasn't even indifferent. To be indifferent requires a small amount of thought, after all, and he appeared to not even be affording her that.
An icy rage raced through her veins, almost covering the pain, but not quite managing. After everything, Reid was just going back to feeling nothing for her? They had been perfect, in a terribly cruel and twisted way. Reid had challenged her and pushed her to new heights like no other. Even without the adoration in her heart, the loss of that would be grievous.
No matter what was showing upon his face, the redhead knew that she had meant something to Reid. If not now, than at least previously. Vivianna had met her match in him, but Reid had met his in her. There had been respect between them, from one master of manipulation to another. She wasn't just another dumb sheep, she wasn't. And in that moment, the Slytherin wanted nothing more than to remind Reid of that.
Completely ignoring that they weren't alone in the room, Vivianna slinked towards her fellow student, oddly reminiscent of the way that Strike stalked his prey. Stopping only when there was less than an inch between them, the redhead looked up through her lashes at the transfer student. She slowly lifted her left hand, placing it flat against his chest, right over the scar that she had given him. Lips curling up into a smirk, she leaned in slightly, intending to kiss Reid's lips. Realizing that she wouldn't know what to do with herself if he didn't kiss back, Vivianna instead pressed her lips to his cheek. Fingers curling, the witch dug her nails into sensitive scar tissue, as her lips lingered against his skin. Finally taking a step back, the redhead trailed her nails from his chest over one shoulder and down one bicep, where she squeezed softly.
The Slytherin was tempted to make some comment about how they'd need practice with this sort of thing if they were going to be married. In the end, she decided against it, aware that the sensations would make more of an impact than any words she'd be able to string together could. With one last soft smirk at Reid, Vivianna turned on her heels and left the room. If the Ministry needed anything else from her, they could send an owl.
One thing was for certain, Vivianna thought as adrenalin and illegal potion flowed through her body, Reid wouldn't be forgetting about her anytime soon. She wasn't going to let him.