Up and Down

Hero and Champion

"Ah... so you've heard about that."

"Only after I first met you. It did pique my interest even more."

"Even more?" She smiles, raising an eyebrow at him.

Alexandre laughs, looking away for just a moment, a little bashful blush dusting his cheekbones.

"Ah, you caught me. Guilty as charged, I suppose," his fingers clasp together in front of him as if he is trying to stop them from fidgeting, "yes, indeed. You caught my eye the moment I entered the Hall, but then more and more interesting things kept being said about you. I was curious."

Anna sighs.

"Let me guess. Goblins, bandits, poachers? What else?"

"That you are a champion of an unsanctioned duelling ring, explorer of ancient ruins, vanquisher of undead... and it seems that you also have cured a girl of a curse or something."

"It wasn't a curse, but that is beside the point..."

"Your reputation precedes you, Ms Anna. I had hoped you would be chosen as my rival in the Tournament... but let's not talk about that today."

"Yes... let's not."

Sirona brings over a tray with the breakfast foods, which Anna gratefully accepts. They eat, filling the mildly uncomfortable silence as other patrons begin filing in through the doors.

"How are you finding Hogwarts?" She asks after some time. Alexandre shrugs with a smile.

"It's a strange place. Not at all what I expected."

"I can relate. I only came to Hogwarts last year, and to say I was overwhelmed is a bit of an understatement."

"And yet you are in the 6th year. I sense a story."

"There isn't much," she lies, smiling politely, "more than you've already heard anyway."

The young man tilts his head to the side a bit, studying her face. Anna keeps her expression carefully neutral but...

"Do you know that when you lie, the left corner of your lips rises just a bit?" His fingers come up to lightly brush the said corner of her mouth. Anna's eyes widen at the sudden touch and she twitches in surprise, a small gasp escaping her.

Alexandre snickers quietly, clearly amused by her reaction.

Anna takes a steadying breath. She barely spoke to the Beauxbatons boy, and yet he is able to pick up on her tells already. He is either frighteningly perceptive or... he's bluffing.

"That's impressive," she touches the corner of her lips, looking down demurely, "ask me something else. I'm curious if you can tell every time."

"Very well, we can play this game..." Alexandre stipples his fingers and looks at her, waiting for her to meet his eyes. She does, and his smile grows wider, "do you find me attractive, Ms Anna?"

Not the question she expected. She would have guessed it would have been a question about Sebastian or why she is here. Not that.

"Yes," she breathes out a chuckle, feeling the warm blush creeping over her cheeks, "very much so."

"That was true," he smirks, "good to know. How about this... did your paramour ask you to spy on me?"

Ah, there it is.

"He didn't."

His stormy eyes sweep over her face as he studies her. His eyebrows rise just a little bit.