He is guilty of the oldest crime: Putting too much faith in human beings.

She was running, trying to escape, but there was no way to escape.
Death Eaters were each moment closer, ready to kill her with deadly curse.
"You betrayed us Aneta" words continued ringing in her head for a long time after being heard, and in the next moment, when she saw a flash of green light, everything was gone...

Audrey stand up in bed with a loud sigh.
In the last few months, she constantly has that nightmare. The images are so vivid, laugh of her pursuers so clear... Simply, everything seemed so really. And sometimes she was afraid that this nightmare is actually her future.
She glanced at the clock on a small chest of drawers next to her bed and then frowned.
10 am.
She never sleeps so long.
She got up out of bed and went to the bathroom and after she brushed her teeth and washed her face, in her nightgown went to the ground floor to find Adrian if he is at home.

Audrey lives with Adrian almost from the moment she came to the UK from Switzerland.
Elizabeth Blackburn offered her accommodation but her house was filled with children that made Audrey always felt like she had a panic attack.
Therefore, after a little persuasion, Adrian agreed to live together.
Meanwhile, Audrey goes to her new job at St. Mungos and goes out with Ben, her 'boyfriend'.
Ben is very sweet guy, but of course, he has a child. This is a big drawback.
However, Audrey felt comfortable with him, and also he was a great addition to her new identity.

"Adrian? Are you there?" she entered in the living room looking for her roommate and former friend with benefits.

Physical wounds hurt, but betrayal? Betrayal hurts far worse. It had become the only thing Adrian Blanchard could think about. Wondering if he's the one responsible for all the drama. If he triggered everything with his behaviour, maybe if he was little less demanding she wouldn't…

NO.

How could he think that this is his doing?

"I'm here, Meine Liebe, right, here." Although his choice of words showed affection, histone was void of any emotions. If he needed to describe it he'd use the word hopeless but not even that one described it, but it was the most similar one.

"It's so good you stopped by" he ignored the fact that she actually moved in his family house some time ago since he was more than eager to offer a room to her after she couldn't stay with Elizabeth Blackburn anymore.

Adrian patiently waited until she was in his eyesight before swallowing. His eyes travelled up her legs, following curves of her body before settling down on her eyes. „I was wondering if we could talk about something….someone, in specifics.“ He smiled with his signature half smile, this time, it was a bit sadder than usually but he doubted she'll notice. Even if she notice, he doubted she would care.

It was always the other way around.

"Would you join me for a drink?" He lifted his glass where bronze liquid danced around three cubes of ice that don't melt down. One of the best things he learned at Hogwarts. A perfect way to keep his whiskey cold, although his professors didn't have that specific thing in mind when they taught them that spell.

"I was wondering if you could tell me who's Benjamin Morgan."

His words were somehow empty, so Audrey looked at him and pursed her lips as if she is sad.

"Ooh, someone is moody today?"

She wasn't really sad, just annoyed because when he is acting like this, it almost always means he would act like a child and some pathetic woman.

Audrey looked at his half smile for which she is sure he patented that, but it was somehow different now. But, she didn't care enough to ask if there is any problem or what that smile means.

"Sure, we can talk sweetie. What's on your mind?" Audrey sighed because she isn't really a person for this morning conversations, but she lives with him. She needs to be a good girl, sometimes.

She went to the commode where he kept drinks and poured the bronze liquid in her glass. She made identical cubes of ice and then looked at him and almost spill her drink.
Benjamin Morgan?
How for the sake of God Adrian knows about Benjamin?
Of course, even if she was upset about that, her face expression stayed calm.

"What about him?" Audrey came to him and sat in his lap pulling her knees near to his hips.
"Don't you think we can talk later? I had an awful nightmare, and I want to be with you now." Some things are better than others, and when we talk about Adrian Blanchard, be with him physically is always better than conversation.

She took the drink from him and put both glasses on the table. Then, she looked at him, and without waiting for his answer, put down her palms on his cheeks and kissed his lips gently.

Moody? No. His usual behaviour could be described as moody, this was worse, worse enough that not even Adrian Blanchard could describe what he felt. "Moody? Do I have a reason to be moody, Carmen?" he tilted his head while watching her. An arched eyebrow was the only indicator that his sentence was a question since his tone kept the very same uninterested note it had since the first word he spoke to her this evening.

Although the Sun had come out not long ago, plenty of alcohol was running through his organism since he spend most of the night drinking as he couldn't fall asleep, not after the scene he witnessed that sent him running to his home driven by his own anger and jealousy until he dropped down on the doorstep of his room, completely out of breath, lungs burning. "I was wondering… what could he give to you that I couldn't?" He emptied his glass, warm liquid warming his body, but although warm, not warm enough to melt the ice in his chest.

He tried, hell he spend the whole night thinking about it, trying to find something, anything that would make Benjamin a better option than him, but he couldn't find it. In truth, he knew nothing about te guy besides he was involved with Aneta and that only information was enough to make Adrian hate him with the power of thousands of fiery Suns. "Does he love you?" like I do?-he waited for her reaction, doubting she would ever give him an answer, even if she knew one.

"Carmen, stop." He swallowed when she sat on his lap, her weight, the feel of her, was natural for him. It reminded him of that pathetic phrase he once heard: 'home is not a place, it's a person'; although he hated to admit that, Carmen felt like home. Thus, ignoring the reaction she invoked in his body was hard, but he tried his best although he unconsciously placed his arms on her thighs to rest. "Stop trying to change the topic, it's not working." His eyes slid down from her face focusing on her round breasts that were at his eye level. "I want to talk with you."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Aneta Markova looked at Adrian Blanchard as if he lost his mind, and probably he did because he acts totally insane at the moment.
"What he can give to me and you can't?" she asked him and started to laughing.
"Oh my God, you are insane! You are completely insane!" she shook her head in disbelief before she answered to him.
She paused before answering because she needed to think about her answer.
"Nothing. Nothing at all. But God knows I would never ruin this what we have just to pretend that we are in a relationship. That's silly!"

She ignored his next question and just started kissing him.
But for the first time in her life, she saw this guy saying stop to her. She felt like if someone removed ground under her feets.
This cannot happen. Adrian.. no, this can not be happening.
Did she lose her power to affect on him?
No, that's not true. Only proof for that was his hands on her thighs.
But now that touch was like fire, but not in a good way. It was more like fire from hell that would kill her. Something that she doesn't want to feel.

"Fine" she said frustrated and then frowned.
"What you want to know? Does he love me?" she looked at him questionably.
"I don't care? Okay? I don't care if he loves me or not, I'm not looking for love and happiness. Is that answer you want to hear?" she said angrily and in this moment, she was able to kill him. The only reason why she didn't, is because she has a new identity and it would be bad if she already kills someone.

"What is your problem? You're acting like if you are my jealous boyfriend" she put her hand under his chin to force him to look at her because he was obviously determined to look at her boobs.
"But you are not my boyfriend. You know that, right'" she whispered and looked at him smiling at the same time.
"When we start with our relationship, or whichever word you want to use for it, we made some rules. Do you remember them?" she paused but not enough to give him time to answer.
"No obligation. Just fun, great sex and friend who would always look for your back. Did you forget that Adrian? Because I don't."

"Now, would you kiss me or you want to ruin this lovely morning with irrelevant conversations?"

"I already told you, I'm talking about that Benny boy of yours." Adrian's voice was dripping with sarcasm, the only thing he ran to when trying to hide his feelings and sound uninterested in the certian topic. However, he doubted he's fooling anyone, let alone Carmen, today. Although he felt like she could see right through him, he tried to pull his best I-don't-care mask and relaxed his stance.

"I think I have the right to know. You know, in case there's any possibility of getting some STDs that clown might have." His lips curved into a smile, as he knew he's playing with fire and that he's approaching the very fine line he shouldn't overstep unless he wants to make Carmen angry. Yet, he's not there, yet; he likes to think he learned to dance on the very same border of the line, during the years he spent with her. Indeed it was a very delicate dance on the edge of the cliff, but he believed he was a proper dancer.

He skipped the opportunity of reminding her of all her jealous episodes whenever he brought someone home for some private time, that often ended even before they started since the majority of people often chose not to deal with her rather than going with their original plan.

"What if I told you I'm not interested in this little game of ours, anymore?" Even while he was saying those words, he knew that won't happen. Ever. That would be a purely selfish decision. His fingers trailed little circles on her tights getting closer and closer to their goal, slipping beneath her buttoned shirt.

He bit his lips and looked at her full ones that called to him. "What if I told you we can't do this anymore?"

The comment about STD was something that was enough for Carmen to realize that Adrian succeeds to cross the line.
"I..." she started raising her hand in the air but even Carmen herself wasn't sure what she want to do.
To kill him, hurt him, chase him to hell... The list was endless but instead, she just stood up.

"Go to the hell, " she said almost through clenched teeth before she sat on the other chair far away from him.
"I know what you are trying to do" she smiled and shook her head looking at him icily.
"You want to annoy me just to make yourself feel better. You think that someone like you can actually affect on me? No one can, my dear" she use her wand and her glass came back to her.

"You want to end this?" she looked at him wit a face expression that didn't say anything about her emotions or thoughts.
"Fine" she shrugged.
"I won't lie and tell I am glad to hear that, but you are not my slave Adrian. We are adults and in past, we agreed to have kind of relationship that will work well for both of us. You can leave whenever you want if this is not what you want anymore, I won't try to stop you" she looked at him again trying to see under his calm mask.

Yes. Maybe he slightly stepped over the line with that comment of his.

Frown formed on his face as he watched Audrey walk away from him. Although he enjoyed fighting her, he was never ready for her to fight back, it was silly since he thought she was the only woman who would never take any huss from anyone without a fight. "You know, my dear, you look hella rilled up for someone who claims he doesn't give a damn."

"Do you mind if I..", he lit a cigarette, not waiting for her answer, and blew a smoke in her direction. It could never reach her but he felt surprisingly satisfied watching the smoke reaching for her but without managing to touch her. Like him. He laughed at that thought, although his laugh was humourless, dull. She was probably wondering why was he laughing all of sudden, was she? Or she didn’t care at all?

Blanchard closed his eyes and counted to ten. An old habit he always did before making an important decision, before starting an important game. Before doing anything that had any value to him. "Yes... No..." He put the cigarette between his lips and inhaled. "I don’t know" Adrian admitted quietly. "I need some time."

To think.

Or to postpone the inevitable?

This was one of those situations when Aneta Markova couldn't win no matter what she does.
Now there were only two options; to escape or kill Adrian - but unfortunately none of those options wasn't acceptable.
She couldn't escape. If she does that, she will seem weak and kill Adrian... She can't do that, yet.

Aneta smiled sarcastically before looking at him once again.
"Oh, Adrian. My dear..." she was looking at him almost feeling sorry for him.
The fact that he looked like if he actually feels hope to see some kind of reaction from her was naive. He was obviously looking for anything, any proof that will tell him this relationship is important to her.
But thing Adrian doesn't know is the fact that nothing and no one can't force heart made of ice to feel something.

"Don't flatter yourself my love. This restlessness has nothing with your childish ideas of me actually caring about this relationship. I'm just annoyed because of your behavior." She shook her head pretending to be sad.
"You're acting so naive and childish, Adrian. And I hate children. And while looking at you, so pitiable, I can't and not wonder where your parents made mistake."

She waved her hand in front of her face like if we want to remove smoke in front of her even if smoke wasn't actually in front of her.
This was an interesting sight.
Aneta always finds fascinate in looking, people, while they kill themselves slowly with cigarettes, such small will for self-preservation.
Adrian smiled, but once again, Aneta didn't care enough to ask what is the reason for that sudden transformation on his face.

Adrian Blanchard succeeded to surprise Aneta once again.
He is... thinking about idea to leave her? He doesn't want her anymore?
This knowledge shocked Russian woman more than she even believed is possible.
She felt like if all air suddenly disappeared from the room, she was choking and she couldn't do anything to change that.
Then she realized; that odd feeling... That was fear.
Fear she will finally be alone.
And more than anything, fear she will lose something valuable. Because Adrian was valuable subject in her little collection. She can always count on him. Or she could.
She realized she is losing him and she must do something about that.
She allowed herself to groan, a fake one, but during the years so perfected so now, it looked honest.

"You... You don't want me anymore?" she started crying. She was thinking about father's death.
It was the only memory which could cause that unnatural outflow of liquid from her eyes.
"I... You... I can't... I need to go" she stood up and looked at him once again.
She needed to say something that will force him to follow her.
"You succeeded to hurt me like no-one before. You promised me that you will never leave me. You promised Adrian! How can you do this to me?" she started groaning again, hating herself in her mind because of this humiliation.

He was an arse.

Guilt overwhelmed him with when he saw Carmen's tears. He was rude. And selfish. Never thought about what he was going to say before saying it. Whether his words would offend or hurt someone, and it led him right where he was now. Alone in a house full of people because he succeeded to hurt the only person he cared about (besides his family). Again. Adrian reminded himself that this wasn't the first time he did this, the first time his words or acts hurt her feelings. It was a miracle she hasn't left him years ago.

He doesn't deserve her.

He doesn't. Yet he stood up after he helplessly watched her storm out of the room and went after her, leaving everything, including his wand, in the living room. "Aneta! Aneta, please. Wait." He only used her real name in times like these. Blanchard wasn't sure why he did that, maybe because he thought she'll wait if he calls her by her real name, that she'll let him explain his acts. That she'll…. That she'll forgive him for his behaviour.

Adrian run up the stairs, thick dark blue carpet silenced his steps, guessing she ran towards her room which was on the opposite side of hall of his room. Adrian would usually stop admiring the artwork on the walls but he didn't cast a glance in that direction, thiis time. Talking with Carmen, fixing this was more important than any other thing.

"Aneta?" He knocked at her door, leaning his forehead against the door. "I'm sorry. I wasn't… I wasn't thinking when I said all those things. You know I'd never do it. Do you?... Please, let me come in. I need to explain everything. Will you let me?"