Wicked Games

Chapter 6

It had been almost four days since Louise kissed Niall and he never talked to her about it, sure she was busy hanging out with her friends on Saturday, and on Sundays she'd be busy doing homework and such, but she thought he'd make an effort into making time in his schedule to talk. She wasn't angry, she knew Niall didn't like talking about personal problems in public settings, and they had been able to only see each other in the Great Hall lately. Today was Thomson's special potions class, but mostly everyone in her class, except Niall and her, had failed an Animations exam and the retake was at the same time, so it was very much likely that the two of them were going to spend some quality time after all. She didn't know what was going to be more excruciating, to spend time alone with Thomson, or with Niall, she just knew the day was going to be long and a sea of endless awkward sensations. Breakfast was cut very short because Rebecca had to go back to the Common Room to continue reviewing so Louise decided to get doing the next best thing, she started roaming the palace halls until she found herself a few meters away from the Potions classroom in the dungeons. Since the Animations retake was taking place at the same time as this, Louise decided to go wait inside the classroom for Thomson's arrival. 

She was become more concerned by the minute when Niall hadn't arrived yet and the hour was coming near, she wasn't one to get involved too much in people's business but seeing as the two left things hanging, it was natural she got worried. What if he didn't come because he doesn't want to see me? Had I freaked him out so much he stayed in his room all day pretending to be sick? What if he doesn't like me at all and he wanted to try something with someone else and didn't want me to see him? All these kinds of questions roamed in Louise's mind for the few minutes left of the hour until she saw Niall barge through the semi-closed door and sat next to her, she didn't realise she was holding her breath when she saw him come in, until she exhaled all of it once he sat down. As if it had become perfectly choreographed, Professor Thomson left the adjointed study and into the classroom, once he saw only the two friends were in the room, he sat on a chair right in front of them.

"Good morning you two, do you know what's happened to the rest of your classmates? Why has no one come?" He greeted the two with a barely noticeable hint of sadness in his voice, Louise had noticed it almost immediately. 

"Good morning Professor, the rest of the class is having a retake for an Animations' exam right now, Professor Montelli gave us our grades and the retake date barely four days ago, we didn't have time to notify you of this. " Niall won against Louise by talking first.

"Now, now, don't you all worry, I set up this meeting at this time so it didn't interfere with any of your school activities, this is merely extracurricular, so it's fine. Now, given it's only the two of you, we can postpone the activity some other time this week that's convenient for everybody, how about an hour after your Herbology class?" Once the professor finished talking, Niall was shifting in his seat, ready to leave and set up the short exchange to an end.

"That sounds good, Professor, now forgive me, but I have to go help Alvaro, his Transformations retake is in two hours and he asked to help me, he really is hopeless." He spoke as he gathered his things and left the room, which left Louise in a situation she much dreaded, but also hoped for for a very long time. 

"I guess I got lucky for not having to retake the exam, right? Everyone is all over the walls trying to pass that class. It's kind of sad that we couldn't start your lectures today, sir, I've been really looking forward to them." Louise started talking, she was standing up but suddenly found herself sitting on the same desk she put her things on, her right leg crossed over her left one. 

"Well, Miss Corcoran, I am glad that my subject interests you so much, given your natural abilities in potion-making, but I couldn't start an extracurricular activity with the vast majority of the students absent now, could I?"Professor Thomson propped himself against his desk, one meter away from Louise's. That motion made Louise tingly, it scared her, she never felt this way about anyone, she had hoped it would have been Niall, she felt that way towards him, but not with the same intensity, but Thomson was as good as any. She knew Rebecca was going to reprimand her whenever she told her about it, she knew the game they were playing was defying ethical and moral standards, but she started acting without thinking at that moment, which was something that didn't happen with Niall, she overthought everything. This felt good.

"Still Professor, could you show me what you had planned for today, I'd hate to think you wasted time into planning this lesson and didn't come through. I mean, I know I'm going to see it on Friday, but only if you want to show me, of course." She found herself straightening her back while she was talking, it's not like she cared much about her posture, but now she suddenly did. 

Thomson noticed how the girl was shifting her position, he knew he was walking on thin ice, the game she seemed to be playing was more like borderline illegal, but he felt drawn to her, not just because she was a good student, she was one of the best, but her personality. He wasn't trying to do anything, but he didn't want to stop talking to her, this was an all too new feeling for him, sure, he was older and had experienced plenty, but not the comfort she gave him. They were dancing the most intricate dance, it takes two to tango, he wasn't sure he wanted to keep going since it wouldn't be long until they both tripped and get injured. "I'd love to show you and I'm very excited that you're so enthusiastic about this course, but I would not like to be seen playing favorites this early on the course, Miss Corcoran, and I'd hate to see if curiosity killed the cat." He found himself talking so confidently that his eyes started traveling from the ground up until he found her eyes. 

The professor's last motion sent shivers down Louise's spine, she found his eyes dangerous but endearing, they could pierce into her soul but they were kind deep down. Her heart skipped a beat but she had to keep her cool, she needed to stay in control. "Well, Professor, you are already playing favorites by talking to me this very moment, it's a little too late to decide on neutrality. I think I'll just have to wait until Thursday and now that I remember, I have to finish writing some papers so I should get going." Louise got off the desk and started gathering her belongings when she noticed a hand laying on her left shoulder, the sudden touch made her feel goosebumps all over her body, it was a good thing she wore her robe over the uniform.

"Please call me Marcus, Miss Corcoran," feeling his breath so close to her made her heart beat a thousand kilometers per second, like the professor said, her curiosity could bring her to dangerous positions, much like this one, but she decided to turn around. 

"I wouldn't want to put you or me in a compromising position, Professor, and I believe this is very much one." Louise decided best she talked to fill in the silence, Marcus was just standing in front of her, looking at her with a smile on his face, seeing him so calm made Louise the more nervous.

"You look adorable when you're nervous Miss Corcoran, but if we're in this position is because both you and I want to be here." Marcus was talking in a soft voice, not breaking the eye contact and erasing the little distance they had between the two of them, and laid his lips on hers. It started off softly and when he started to move his lips Louise reciprocated, Marcus' lips were soft but rough, and her dried lips made her find herself craving them more and more, she didn't know what she was doing but hoped that by imitating his movements it would be alright. The more it went on Louise felt she was running out of air, she parted her lips as to break apart which Marcus took as an invitation to enter his tongue, but the sensuous moment ended when their teeth crashed and had to separate. Both Louise and Marcus had shaky breaths and they couldn't stop thinking about the other as they were breathing in their musk, still wanting more. Louise took initiative as she turned around once more, finally gathered her things and walked out of the classroom still not believing she just had her first kiss.