Ultimatums

Chapter 25 pt2

As Regulus swayed with Evanora to his and Nita's song, he wasn't thinking about Evanora at all. He was thinking about how it didn't feel like how he danced with Nita. It felt like when he was dancing with Narcissa, like it didn't mean anything. Dancing with Ninita felt like it was the last dance he'd ever have. Even thinking that made him cringe. It sounded sappy as hell. But the main distinction between the two, was that dancing with Hermione had him only able to focus on her, whereas Evanora was easily forgettable.

When the song was over, Regulus excused himself and went over to Avery, or rather ran away from Evanora to Avery. "Hey. You guys seen Nita?"

Rosier laughed "I don't think you want to be anywhere near her right now. I believe she said something like 'stupid Regulus with his stupid face'. She might punch your stupid face"

"Oi stop it with the stupid face, why don't you? What did I even do?"

"Well. That's not for us to say, is it? She's babysitting Sirius, so ask her when she comes over" Avery passed him a champagne flute. "I saw Parkinson try to snog you a few times. She's lucky Fawley stomped on her foot, Mia would've done so much worse"

"Done so much worse for what reason? Nites wouldn't mind" Regulus said, and Avery bit his lip so laughter wouldn't give his friend away. Though she didn't even realise she's jealous, let alone realise anything else.

"Uhuh. She definitely wouldn't... mind" Rosier nodded, not convincing the boy any further.

Before he could ask further, Walburga tapped a knife on a glass. "Hello, everyone. I hope you're having a delightful evening -"

Avery heard Hermione scoff from a few meters away, and he was about to tip over the edge of collapsing in laughter.

"- and you've worked up an appetite! Ha ha ha ha... Well. The tables have numbers on them that you've already been allocated to in the invitations, so follow me to the next room"

Walburga stepped off the podium and took Orion's arm, leading the crowd of people to the next room.

Avery and Rosier found themselves sitting at a table with Sirius and each of his potential arranged marriages. It also sat Hermione, Regulus, Evanora and a few other people they didn't know, but there was a rather large gap in between the two groups.

"So, Sirius mate. How're you finding my cousin?" Avery asked, eyes glinting mischievously.

Sirius answered rather bluntly "Bloody annoying"

However, Esme didn't feel the need to voice her contempt for the boy and instead engaged herself in conversation with Parkinson, mostly just to bitch about Sirius with her.

"And mine?" Rosier grinned.

"Underdetermined"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, tension was building.

Regulus was sat with Evanora and another bloke, a distant cousin of the Lestranges. He was blatantly flirting with Evanora, and she was returning it back naturally. Hermione however, was pushing her chicken around, frowning at the plate. Until.

"Hermione Potter, is it? Your name?"

The boy who had been trying to catch her eye for a while was talking. He was generally quite handsome, with gelled hair that stayed in place apart from one lock, flicked into his eye.