"I Do Hope Your Wife Is Enjoying It As Well." While She Had Messed With Witches Older Than Her Before,

"I do not like dancing with someone who does not how to do so. A man is expected to lead during the dance, but I will not be dancing with someone that has no rhythm or two left feet. It makes me look bad." Serra explained, figuring he would understand as he was a capable dancer himself. "Perhaps another time when I am wearing a shorter dress where I can move my legs more freely." The prospect of dancing with him again was exciting, she always enjoyed dancing with someone skilled. It was the only way it was fun.

"I love talking about myself. I'm amazing." Serra grinned. "I do not trust people who act demure and shy. If you do not recognise your qualities how do you expect someone else to do so? I think insecurity is quite embarrassing." She didn't realise how harsh her words sounded, her tone matter of fact. She'd never been insecure. "I am sure Leta will have no problem creating matching outfits for us."

At his question she paused, thinking for a moment. "I like transfiguration. And potions, depending on the ingredients. What about you?"

"Thank you. dancing with you proves my taste beyond a doubt already, but I’m glad you approve. I like to surround myself with capable people, yourself included. Knowing your background I almost want to try for a lift, but I’m not sure if your dress was made with that in mind and I don’t want to scandalize you when everything seems to be going so well.” He squeezed her hand trying to make up for it by keeping her as the center of attention, it wasn’t a hard thing she was bubbly, but in a fun way.  “I’m glad that you can keep a secret, and don’t mind talking about yourself.  False modesty and insecurity are unbecoming.  Yes it’s a date, we’ll have to arrange the shopping.  I’m curious what kind of dress you will help me pick out, perhaps I’ll let you pick out a matching outfit for me, could be fun.” It was easy to just float there discussing wardrobe and possible encounters listening, it felt easy, the nicer side of these kinds of things when everything fell into place. “What about magic, do you have any specialties, I’m sure a woman of your many talents must have a favorite?”

Serra loved all kinds of parties, any excuse to put on a pretty dress and have a few drinks was her idea of a good time. The Malfoy wedding was said to be the event of the season, she pitied anyone else having to follow that wedding. Luckily for her, her cousins were both betrothed now which meant they were getting married before her and she was still free to do whatever she wanted. Serra liked the life of having no responsibilities. It was easy and convenient. Smiling as she thanked the handsome wizard she took the glass of champagne from him.

"Thank you very much. I do agree with that sentiment. Weddings are much more enjoyable with a drink in hand."

where: the garden kew, london who: @serraborgin

Thorfinn showed for appearances, and that one of his closest friends was part of the wedding party and married to the sister of the other, and he was not going to turn down free alcohol. A petite witch caugt his attention, attractive, that he found his way over to where she was standing, grabbing two glasses of champagne.

"You are without a drink. That is not allowed at a wedding. Here you go." He holds it out for her.

Alara pouted, crossing her arms, her eyes flashing with anger before she schooled her face into a mask of indifference. Getting angry and upset wasn't a good look. Alara was just trying to rile her up. "My parents aren't your parents. They care about what I want."

Alara knew better that her parents did not listen to her and this was bound to happen. They didn't care if she married for love or not. It was all status. "You think you matter because you are the heir?" She can't hold back a laugh. "You are a woman, the family name dies with you. They'd have cared if you were a male. Don't play stupid, unless you are that delusional." Which she was betting on the latter.

"How long were you seeing her?" She didn't miss that he only said when he claimed to have stopped talking to her. How long had that been going on, she wondered. Still it did make a difference that he had stopped seeing her when he found out they were engaged, she supposed. The timeline in her head warred with what Evan had told her, unsure of who to believe. "I don't like not knowing things. Especially if they pertain to me." Her parents wanted to surprise her with a birthday party and then it turned into a surprise engagement after all, she was still upset with them for tricking her so. He had spent more time imagining and planning their future wedding it seemed. Serra didn't pull her hand away, letting it rest in his. It has been a while since she had touched him and yet the same sparks ran up her arms. "Obviously no blue. We are not Ravenclaws. Either white or pink florals."

"Of course not," he said with the same tone, thought softened around the edges of his words. There was a different spark in her eyes, one that he hadn't seen in many years, and it filled his chest with lightness, hope. "He knows nothing then. I hadn't been with her at least a week before your party-our announcement to society." At least he hoped he had the timing right, but the couple of days set preceding her party had stretched out before him in a blur. He remembered the lawyers, his dinner with Agatha, and nowhere in that could he recall meeting with Charity. He hoped she could be a problem that fixed itself without his attention pinned to it. "You did. I mean, you do deserve to know. I should've been the one to tell you, but I'm telling you now: there is nothing going on with her anymore. It felt like he was a limp rose that was finally blooming by her words, a grin appearing on his lips. These kind of moments with Serra were ones he had held onto for many years and now he was fortunate to find it here again. "Darling, I am here at this wedding with you, but I may as well be at ours because I cannot stop thinking about our planning," he said, reaching for her hand like a test. "We must do something different with the florals. And definitely not blue."

i agree with my opinion and thats all that matters

"I know what I want and what I am worth. I do not see it as boldness if it is factually accurate, which I believe it to be." Serra informed him with a matter of fact tone, keeping eye contact with him and not shying away from it. "It is something I would promise because I know I am capable of being everything." Growing up with a silver spoon and being told that she was perfect day in and day out left its mark on her. "You do not scare me, if I make demands I suppose you making some would be fair as well. As long as there is no one else." Serra did not know what she was talking about, acting like she had more experience than she actually did. She'd been with all but two guys before.

Kissing him back she was infatuated, it made her feel important and powerful knowing that he wanted her. "I have not asked you to apologise. Your experience is something that is far preferable to someone my age that is inexperienced. I do know that I am beautiful."

"You should know that I will not be waiting around forever. If you choose to go for someone else and satisfy your curiosity elsewhere I will make my choice as well. I am in my prime and you are not my only option." She was not willing to wait around like a fool waiting for him to choose her. "You either choose me or you don't. But you don't get to come back if you don't choose me in the first place. I am no second choice nor am I a consolation prize."

He brushed his hand against her cheek. “You are even more bold than I thought.  Are you saying you will be all they are and more is that something you would promise?  It’s a lot for one so young and inexperienced.”  He held her face so she couldn’t look away. “You have been bold so I will too. I am a crass thing with certain appetites, I didn’t want to subject you to anything you might not be ready for make demands of you that were too physical.  A kiss, an embrace are pleasant but I’m talking about more than that, not eventually now.  It isn’t much time and it is an unfair demand, but I feel an equal one to severing ties that I have developed, turning all focus to you. It’s only fair I tell you what I would that focus would entail unless you discover yourself repulsed by my desires. We are both people of certain tastes, and I feel once I have tasted you I will want more..” He kissed her, the reason might be colored by her response, but for now he used the gesture to speak to his point. It was a thing of lust rather than love, something to entice as well as sample.  “One may only be around pretty things for so long without sampling or spoiling them, and though I pride myself on many things, chastity is not one of them, but I don’t apologize for that.  From the beginning I have told you that I am dark and cruel, but you are smart enough to know that you are physically desirable.  Attractive as well as beautiful.”  Her rubbed his thumb across her lips, more a gesture of desire than intimacy. “” “I won’t make you promises I have no intent to keep, but if I can’t have you now, fully and without reservation, or a way to expel desires that would make me present an indecorous image. I will come to you when I’m more available, ready to endure the triteness of a chaste courtship assuming we are both still interested and available of course.  Maybe by then you will know the duality required to maintain a perfect appearance.”

"It would have been rather embarrassing for you." Serra giggled, her superiority complex obvious. Annoyed that Alara didn't ask she provided the information herself. "I'm here with Antonin."

Alara rolled her eyes at her cousin and glanced around for Evan to come save her from this monster. "Do you think I would have attended if he wasn't with me?" She wouldn't have. This was the world they grew up in, didn't mean she had to be here. Emir and Mira would have been enough for the family appearance.

The Great Gatsby (2013) dir. Baz Luhrmann | Promising Young Woman (2020) dir. Emerald Fennell

"I would not host a ball for you, I would host a ball for the pleasure of hosting one. I am an excellent hostess. My mother has trained me well." Her parents cared about a good education and making sure she would one day make a good pureblood wife, that she knew the importance of proper etiquette. Of course she preferred not do any work and simply sit back and relax, but she did enjoy party planning, dressing nice and telling people what to do. "I would look wonderful in a gown, you are correct with that assumption." She smiled, pleased at the compliment, blushing at the intensity of his stare as he went on. Guys her age were nothing like this, she didn't have much experience with older men. "It is a much more interesting topic. Truthfully, I do not care much for boys my age." She held his gaze, challenging him.

He dismissed the thought of mudbloods with a wave. “Interesting anomalies, but ultimately nothing more than something to be foisted off on squibs or the reason for them, but I don’t want to bore you with magical theories, and speculation. Are you offering to host a ball for me, Miss Borgin? If I didn’t know better I might think you are trying to snare me, not that I mind. I am sure you would look wonderful in a gown. I can see it, a splendid thing, for you paired with a simple domino mask, not that you would choose something simple, but your face hardly needs any hiding or accent, and it would be a crime to cover those lips.” He looked at her lips smiling a bit hungirly. “Yes, nothing that would impede you talking, drinking or kissing. When was the last time you had a good kiss? A much more interesting subject than dirty mudbloods don’t you think?”

"I would be less disappointed if she got anything." Serra grimaced, a pitying expression on her face and not bothering to hide it. Of course she thought she was better than that one, she thought she was better than most people in attendance. "Feathers were more of a 60s thing. And even then you can be tasteful about it. Oh you're absolutely right, they reek of cheap imitation, least she could have done was charm them to lay flat."

Sipping on her Gin Astra took a careful glance to the women that Serra had eyes over, her eyebrows raised in utter dismay before tutting her lips.

"Well, not everyone can have it all I'm afraid. I guess whoever she got the dress isn't a very knowledgeable in the world of fashion, if so they would have told her the feather tread died a long time ago."

She glance over once more before finishing her statement. "Then again, from this angle those feathers look awfully cheap. No doubt fake. At least, in my opinion."