Music of the Night

“Maybe a bit too much,” Amelia admitted with a guilty smile when Landon asked about her last (and almost only) drinking experience. Not even a second later her subconscious mind was questioning her motivation for revealing such information to someone she barely knew. What she had said could be interpreted a whole host of ways, some of them painting her in a light she certainly didn’t want Landon, or anyone else, believing of her. The rum from Elijah had loosened her tongue and taken down her personal space barriers, but nothing had happened. At least…

Forget it, Amelia’s mind commanded, brushing aside all thoughts of the Krum boy who seemed to have quickly danced onto the stage of her life and then left just as fleetingly. She had never been able to explain Elijah, even to herself, so it would be useless to try to tackle that topic – again – tonight, in the presence of someone she found equally perplexing.

For someone who is supposed to be so observant of people and their motivations, you certainly have a weak spot, her subconscious commented, rolling its figurative eyes, And it is marked by a Y chromosome.

This was an unfair statement, Amelia though, but there was really no point in arguing with her subconscious. The internal banter that ran her internal self was unceasing, no matter how she tried to silence it at times. Sometimes she was thankful for it, because it kept her from saying things she ought not say or allowed her to see multiple sides of a decision to arrive at the best choice. But now… now she could have done without it.

Amelia was rather surprised when Landon’s blushing darkened, seemingly without prompting. Then again, hers fluctuated between crimson and pink based at times on her thoughts alone, so perhaps he was thwarted by that same internal embarrassment. Amelia couldn’t be sure, though, because as the moon moved away from the window the room was getting darker and darker, casting the both of them into partial relief.

The night shows both stars and women in a better light, Amelia thought to herself, the quote rising up from some faint recess of her mind in which she had stored it. Lord Byron was one of her favorite authors.

At Landon’s playful tone, Amelia blushed even more deeply, surprised by his ability to match wits with her, though she probably shouldn’t have been. She had already pegged Landon for being intelligent, and he had already proven himself more eloquent, or at least more conversational, than she was. She should have known he would be a better flirt than her as well, though that likely came with practice.

“I guess you’ll find out at the ball?” Amelia tried to banter back, but her awkwardness was showing again. That brief glimmer of effective flirtation had passed, and she was yet again stuck sounding robotic in her responses. Even if she had wanted to let her guard down – and that is not to say she did, want to, that is – Amelia knew it wouldn’t have been possible.

Embarrassed now both by her own inability to flirt – no surprise there – as well as Landon’s attention to her, Amelia’s flight response was beginning to return. Usually, the adrenaline in her body was enough to produce this reaction almost immediately upon meeting someone new, but, for obvious reasons, Amelia had suppressed the initial response. Although Landon still seemed utterly at ease, the tension which usually gripped Amelia’s being was returning, and she knew that her brief encounter with another human being was over.

“I think I better get going,” Amelia said after a pause, trying to make the statement into a transition but probably failing. Segue was not her specialty, “I’ve got class in the morning and… yeah,” she finished pathetically, failing at making an excuse, which she was usually quite good at. This boy is really throwing me off my game…

“But it was nice meeting you,” Amelia concluded, back to her rehearsed self fully now, her methodical mind taking over from the emotional mish-mosh that had been the commanding officer for the last hour or so. Collecting her things, Amelia snapped the clasps on her violin case and jumped off the table, trying not to linger as she headed for the door. Although there was a large part of her that would have liked to stay, that part was clearly not in control anymore. She paused only briefly at the door, wishing Landon a brief, though sincere, “Good night,” before leaving him with a small smile and heading back to Ravenclaw Tower.

Why do I have the feeling I still won’t be able to sleep? was the obvious question which ran through Amelia’s mind as she took the stairs, two at a time.

((Amelia exits. I will go start the thread in the ministerial ball.))