I"m Gunning Down Romance

[isabelle katherine wood]

This was a strange sight to see, Bella Wood inside on a nice day like today. but she simply couldn't go out to the quidditch pitch, not after the previous week's incident. She wouldn't exactly say she was avoiding DG but then again she really didn't want to get into a fight with him again. All week she had been only going to the pitch at night when she was sure he was sleeping, only going to meals when she knew he had a class to teach. It wasn't exactly that she didn't think she could control herself yelling at him if she saw him but then again she wasn't sure what reaction her mind or her body for that matter would have upon seeing him again.

He hadn't come to the quiddtich match later that day and all week she had been dreaming of meeting him again in that broom shed. It was wrong of her she knew, but then agian it wasn't dangerous to dream was it? After all, he was the one lying to himself, to her, saying that he didn't want it. Clearly they had both wanted it for at least that moment. Why lie about it? At least say he got carried away and needed to get ahold of himself again...But it seemed to Bella that he couldn't exactly decide why they couldn't do what they were doing and thats why he was having such trouble comng up with a legitimate reason why he didn't want it to happen again.

And so she would stay away from him so that he could figure it out, or something like that. She had work to do anyways. Just bcuase she was a year older than most people in sixth year didn't mean she was any smarter. Her birthday was late in the year so she had started school later than most of the seventeen year olds at school. currently she was working on a charms essay due tommorow and she wasn't even very sure what she was supposed to be writing about. She tapped her quill nervously against hte parchment in front of her, trying to recall what the professor had been trying to relay to her while she stared at the window but nothing came to her.

Sighing exasperatedly she leaned back in her chair putting her hands over her eyes and shaking her head tryign o clear her head. She needed to stop thinking about him

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[professor edward p. d'arcy]

Depression is what consumed Edward D'arcy. He was usually in his room or teaching gloomily. He wouldn't go near the broom shed unable to control his feelings, he tried to skip some meal times but even when he came she wasn't there. Not that he was looking out for her...well.....maybe he was. Everytime he didn't see her a pain grew deeper with in him. His only relief of his pain was drinking, he knew he shouldn't seeing as his father was an alcoholic and used to beat his mother and himself. But it was the only thing that took the pain away from everything. His leg and Bella.

He still had to clean the pitch during that week of their silence but he would sneak about and look around corners for her in fear of running into her. He knew how immature he was being but he couldn't help it. He had accepted his feelings for Bella but he wasn't going to act on them. Even if he did rethink everything there was no way she'd want anything to do with him after their incident. Everyonce in awhile when he'd glance over at the shed, he'd get blown away by memories of being with her.....no.....he wasn't going to dwell on it any longer. Professor and Student relationship thats it. --But how long could he go without seeing her? Would he be able to handle that relationship?

One evening he was sulking about the castle, sneering at the occasional first year that laughed at his cane. He walked about the castle, looking for a distraction hoping he wouldn't run into her, even though they'd be in public he wasn't sure what she'd do....or even himself. He needed a quiet place apart from his room......just as he was heading towards the teachers lounge he was stopped by a professor. She was a younger professor in her early 30's maybe late 20's. She was smiling at him as she approached. "There you are D'Arcy....i've missed your company....you haven't really been around the castle.....let alone meal times!" she exclaimed, way too bubbly, it annoyed Edward a bit. "I've been err...busy teaching...." he said simply, a cold edge to his tone. "Oh well i was wondering if sometime during your break we could um....get a drink in hogsmeade?" she asked him and he put on a fake smile, even though he wanted to run away. "Yea sure i'll let you know..." he said and with that he pushed past her and walked straight ahead for the closest escape place....the library.

He limped in, breathing heavily for the quickened pace he just did. He walked about the library, walking up and down the asiles. Just as he rounded the back corner he saw her.....She was sitting at the table in the back corner, concealed by the book shelves. He froze, not knowing what to do, his heart lifted and warmth returned to him as he saw her but he knew deep down it was wrong and that he should turn the complete opposite way. But the happiness was a magnet and he wanted to get closer to the thing causing him to feel this way. He took a deep breath looked about himself and he cleared his throat. "Umm....Hi....." he said quietly, but loud enough for her to hear.

[isabelle katherine wood]

Um…Hi…. Oh great now she was hearing voices too….This was just stupendous. How was she ever going to explain to her parents that she had to be checked into Saint Mungo’s on account of the fact that she was hearing her father’s old coach’s voice in her head….Bella legitimately believe she had imagined his voice because she wanted to see him so badly and so when she opened her eyes back up intending to continue with her work she nearly jumped out of her seat in shock to see him standing right there, cane and all. Bloody Hell! As it was she knocked the book that lay on the table in front of her onto the floor. Stooping to pick it up she took a moment longer than necessary to try and process the situation.

What was he doing here? He must be able to tell she was avoiding him. Unless he simply hadn’t noticed at all, but she refused to believe he had been able to recover so easily after their encounter. Taking a deep breath she shook her head and then sat back up in her chair giving him a cheery smile. If he was going to try and talk to her she might as well be friendly. No reason to give anyone any reason to suspect something was up. Hi.

And that was it. She looked down at her book trying to pretend he wasn’t there. Flipping open to a random page she started staring at the words. But they were just letters on a page and those letters were just ink blots to her because she couldn’t focus. Why wouldn’t he just leave? Why did he have to hover there looking so deliciously suave in his work clothes. She imagined him having just been out on the pitch raking, the autumn sun beating down on his neck. The neck that only a week previously she had been digging her nails into as she held his face to hers…The face that was now mere feet from hers yet again in a dimly lit library. Bella bit hard on her lower lip to stop her thoughts from going any further than that. People were here, she couldn’t afford to get carried away.

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[professor edward p. d'arcy]

Edward stared at her, unsure of what to do. "Bloody hell" were the first words out of her mouth as she knocked a book off the table and he lurched forward to retrieve it but she bent down and scooped it but as she did he admired her body but he soon directed his vision to the ground and the ground only. As she sat upright he looked at her once more. He knew she had been avoiding him this past week just as he had been doing to her. It was very obvious the way she couldn't even look at him and the cold mask that had taken over her features.

All she could say was 'Hi' great...what was he supposed to say now? He looked about him trying to think. He reached up and scratched the back of his neck. Then he took out his wand and waved it at the book shelves, throwing up a sound concealing around them before he turned towards her. His heart beating very fast as he was about to speak his mind to her....the truth was going to come out....

"Alright Bella i can't do it anymore....." he started quietly leaning against the book shelves, afraid to get near her right now. That seemed to catch her attention as she finally looked up from her book. "I can't see past you anymore.....i can not longer ignore what there is between us.......but Bella.....we still can't be! It's not right....and you- you'd get hurt..." he said to her pain coming back in his heart as he knew he would once again ruin his happiness. It was also very hard for him to get his feelings out in the open, he wasn't usually that type of guy to talk about his feelings, and with Bella the pressure was unbearable. "Damnit" he muttered and he looekd away from her and he began to twirl his cane around. "Alright you know what...forget i said anything.....move on with your life pretend i didn't said anything...." he said and with that he turned on his heel and began to walk down the aisle, furious at himself for making a fool out of himself.

She wouldn't want him anymore anyways.....perhaps he should find that woman professor....have a distraction for a night.......

[isabelle katherine wood]

Bella was practically shaking as he spoke to her. He was tlakingabout how she'd get hurt and how it was immoral what they were doing and for them to want to be with each other. He was just making excuses beucase he was afraid to take a chance and she knew it and it infuriated her. Putting her book down and glaring at him, her words were very cold and cordial. Are you implying that if we were to stop ignoring it and act on it again you would simply end up hurting me? becuase i'm not sure how exactly you plan on going about doing that other than shagging me and then refusing to talk to me agan.

With that she picked up her book and blocked him from her view again. Fine, he wanted ot be rude and ridiculous two could play that game. But then his tone changed and he seemed to be giving up, shutting down again. Now that she had finally got him talking he was going to stop again. Putting down her book she saw him almost at the end of the aisle. Wait! Sighing she shook her head and rubbed her temples. She was pathetic.

Come back and sit down...please...I'll be civil I promise... She sighed again and opened her eyes to look up and see if he'd stopped or not.

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[professor edward p. d'arcy]

D'Arcy imediately regretted having gone over and spoken to her. All she did was meet him with anger and hate. Of course she would want nothing to do with him. After the way he just suddenly dropped her and told her off. D'Arcy limped down the asile until he heard. "Wait" he stopped, his heart racing and he took a deep breath in. Not daring to make any noise. He slowly turned around and walked back towards his spot. Leaning against the shelves, he just stood there and looked at her.

"Come back and sit down...please...I'll be civil I promise..." As she looked up he met her eyes with his. And he slowly limped towards the chair opposite her and sat down. Good thing he put up the side barrier, so if people would see them, they were just talking. Could be about quidditch. No one would know. But anxiety filled him about what she was going to say or do. But he'd hold his ground for now, waiting for a rewarding relief or the conseqences for what happened a week ago. But he was having constant flash backs of her in his arms....which forced him to look away from her.

[isabelle katherine wood]

Maybe calling him back hadn't exaclty been the best plan. Perhaps she hadn't properly thought this through. Because when he was there and sitting so near to her it was all she could do to grip the sides of her book until her knuckles were white from the effort and keep herself from r eaching out and taking his weathered hand in her own. How had she gotten herself into this mess? After all he was a good thirty or so years her senior so why was this even an issue? But she couldn't help it, all she wanted to do when she looked at him was run her hnd over that rough weathered skin again and through that coarse greyed hair.

He wasn't even looking at her. he obviously didn't want to be here and was only staying here to be polite and humor her. So averting her own eyes lest he catch her looking at him she fiddled with the quill on the table next to her book and kept her eyes fixed on it. It's quite hard being mad at you all the time, I'll have you know. Much lonelier than when we're not fighting. It came out before she really had time to think a bout it and she instantly regretted it. She sounded so stupid, the words spilling out from between her lips so immature and juvinile. No wonder he wanted nothing to do with her.

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[professor edward p. d'arcy]

Edward sighed as he looked at the ground regretting once more that he walked into the library, though he couldn't help but feeling a brick lifted off his chest just by seeing her again. His hands played around with his cane feeling all sorts of emotions run through his body. Frankly aware that she was having a tough time trying to break the silence. She spoke finally and he looked up at her, noticing the serious look on her face, his eye brows knitted together slightly.

"It's quite hard being mad at you all the time, I'll have you know. Much lonelier than when we're not fighting" he froze and looked her straight in the eye....knowing exactly how she was feeling but she was scared about what she said and regretted it, he could tell how she pursed her lips. The sides of his mouth twitched slightly. "It's very lonely...." he murmured and he looked away from her once more, getting emotional wasn't really one of his better qualities. "And i know that when i don't see you for a day everything turns boring and cold....." he said quietly not knowing whether she heard him or not.

He couldn't hide anything anymore, not if he was going to feel like shit everyday because he wouldn't take a chance. And how many chances can he get? If there was a new dark lord in town Edward was sure to be recruited, and he could die in the process, so his happiness was going to be the big factor in his life for now. And that was with Bella...he just hoped he didn't screw things up......But how would they work? Was their love strong enough to make it work?

[isabelle katherine wood]

Why on earth had she just said that? Was she insane? First of all they were in the middle of the library, anyone could have heard her telling a professor, a bloody PROFESSOR, that she was lonely without him. What would people think? Swivelling her eyes she checked to see if anyone was around and furthermore if anyone seemed to have heard what she had just said moments before. Luckily the answer to both questions was no for now. She'd have to be more careful next time she spoke.

Bellas berating of her stupidity ceased when she heard Edward's gravely voice. Finally looking up at him, something she regretted instantly, she shifted her attention back to him. He looked so handsome even though she could tell he was disheveled and out of sorts . Was that because of her? was it possible that the absence of her in his life had caused such a rupture in his daily well being that he had let himself go appearance wise? Not that he could ever look bad to her. There was something suave and endearing about the weathered look that constantly wore on him.

Her suspicions that she had something to do with his disheveledness and the whispers she had been hearing in the hallway about how he'd been cranky in his classes lately were affirmed when he spoke. She couldn't help but smile again although her cheeks flushed and she looked down at the table again. This time she didn't even consider the fact that someone might be around to hear him. Did it really matter anymore? He had essentially just admitted to caring about her and missing her and thats all she had really cared about. Did this mean he would continue speaking to her, continue associating wither her? Or was he going to suddenly change his mind again and go running and leave her to have to chase him again? HOw long would she be willing to chase him for?

Once she regained her composure and her heartbeat slowed to a normal pace after his comment she looked back up to meet his eyes. "I'm very happy to hear that, DG.... What else was there to say? Really she couldn't say much that wouldn't sound insane or immature. And besides hadn't she come here to get work done? She couldn't rightly remember anymore...Not with him sitting across from her saying things like that to her.

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[professor edward p. d'arcy]

Edward smiled at her gently as she was blushing at what he said, good she should feel this way all the time. Someone should make her feel good about herself and make her want to be close to someone. If he was the one she wanted then he was going to let her have him. Granted, she's not his first love. Granted, she's not his great love. But she sure as hell his last love. Doesn't that count for something?

He nodded and looked down at the table, bashful now, that he had said those things and that she thought they were very kind. Sure he had charm and class, he had to get her to know exactly how he was feeling. Regardless of how uncomfortable they both might get, the lies end now. Edward was far too drained to argue anymore and battle against his heart. It was getting him no where, his years were limited especially if there was going to be another war over the potters he didn’t know what was going to happen to him in the future. So he was going to love who he wanted to love until then.

He slowly stood, leaning on his cane heavily; he forgot to drink his potion this morning so the pain was getting worse. He winced a little but tried not to show it. He smiled at her and walked away from the table towards the aisle he came in at. “Well I’ll let you think things over….I just wanted to come here and make peace. The choice is yours…” he said softly, sort of scholar like and with that he stole one last glance at her gorgeous features and he began to limp away down the aisle.

[isabelle katherine wood]

When would he quit doing this? She was getting quite tired of him running away each time they started to have a genuine moment together. She was getting so sick of it in fact taht she wasn't sure she was going to allow him to get away with it this time. No, no she certainly wasn't going to. So as he started to walk away Bella caught hold of his wrist to stop him. "Why do you always do that? Her voice was low despite the fact that she was almost positive he had cast some sort of muffling charm around the place to hide their conversation.

"You always try to run away right after saying something profound or meaningful or hurtful. She stood up, standing about a half head shorter than him, looking up at him. Why can't you just stay for once instead of running away from me? And she hoped he would. The fact that he was this close and not moving finally gave her a chance to catch a wiff of his cologne. It caught her off guard really as she'd never really though to try and smell him before this exact moment but now that she had she never wanted him to go far away enough that she could not.

Edward smelt of the wind in a way Bella hadn't known possible. He smelt of wood and sand and all of the smells she loved about the Quidditch Pitch and in that instant she knew that she was in love with him for just that. He'd been one of the people who ahd given quidditch to her, who had helped her through the years to appreciate the sport and the technique required. he'd given her life and she could never repay him for that.

Only when she caught site of someone passing by the end of the aisle they stood in did she release his wrist but upon inspection she was happy to find that no one was going to disturb them. Looking back at him she took a breath again trying to ignore the delicious aroma that met her along with the life giving air she needed to clear her head. "You know me well enough to know that my decision was already made a long time ago."

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[professor edward p. d'arcy]

Edward continued walking knowing that he was going to be on edge all day, worrying about what he was going to do and how he was going to handle himself next time he’d see her. Suddenly he felt a hand wrap around his wrist and he halted in his step, slowly turning to see the owner of the hand who he knew was Bella. He looked at her confused at first not knowing what she meant. But she repeated the question and he sighed at her, a weak smile displayed itself across his weathered face. “I run because I don’t know how to handle myself when I’m around you….” He said softly making eye contact with her.

She was so close, and he felt his body leaning towards hers more. She was so beautiful, perfect smooth skin, and her vibrant eyes that shone up at him. He swallowed a bit forgetting where he was. Her gaze abruptly tore away from his and he looked where her eyes had wandered someone had passed their aisle. But this time he didn’t flinch away from her or run off and explain they couldn’t be seen by anyone. Sure their relationship would have to be hidden from everyone but they were pretty concealed in the small aisle and he felt he had to prove to her right now that he wasn’t going to run.

He found her eyes again and he looked at her firmly, though his expression was gentle and soft his eyes were determined and they narrowed slightly watching the emotions cross over her angel face. Her words came out and his mind blew up in fireworks celebrating. A large smiled etched itself across his face and it transformed into a grin. He didn’t have the stomach to say anything to her right now in fear his voice would crack or he’d be too loud. Happiness swelled inside the older man. Speechless he remained.

[isabelle katherine wood]

The fact that he didn’t shy away from her as he normally would have when she touched him. The fact that he didn’t scold her for being so reckless, didn’t tell her she was being irrational. The fact he was still standing there staring back into her eyes as though they were the only two people on the planet gave her hope. Hope that maybe she could convince him this was possible, that it was okay, that he didn’t need to be afraid of it. Being afraid was her job, the job of the young inexperienced teenage girl who was falling swiftly head over heels for a man almost three times her age. She was the one who would be hurt in this scenario when he realized she was not mature enough for him. She was the one who would be left in the dust when he was offered a better job somewhere and left or when he got spooked by the administration if anyone caught on. She was the one who would be hurt so what was he so afraid of?

He was looking at her with such obsession, or was it devotion, she couldn’t tell. She was not very learned in the ways of men. The few relationships she had been a part of over the years had never made her feel the way DG made her feel, not at all, no where close. And the way he was leaning towards her was like something she would read about in a book, something someone would use to describe the gravitational force between two people who were madly in love with each other. Trying to process what all of this meant made Bella’s head spin and it was all she could do just to look deeply back into his eyes. Finally she smiled and took a breath, breaking the connection and looking down, slightly embarrassed because she was nervous.

You want to kiss me don’t you? It was a nervous question, with a hint of laughter in it. It wasn’t that she thought it was funny it was just that this moment was so intense that she didn’t know how to handle it and just wanted to find something to say. In truth she wanted him to take her in his arms and hold her and touch her just to let her know that all of this was real, that she wasn’t dreaming. Because oh if this was a dream she would be quite disappointed.

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[professor edward p. d'arcy]

Hungriness took over the older man’s body as he glanced down at the young girl, his heart pounded at every blink she took and every emotion that crossed her precious face. She was finally his, even though she was probably his before, he was just dim-witted to even think that she could be serious about the 2 of them having something. But now they are both stated their cases, fought hard against their feelings, and here they are completely vulnerable to one another; well at least that was how Edward was feeling.

Silence crept slowly between them even though they were somewhat talking with their eyes and body language. Bodies magnetically leaning towards each other and Edward could feel his feet shuffled by the centimeter towards her. Suddenly their silence broke and his eyes opened wider as he came out of his trance slightly. Her question made him sigh relieved a bit that she hadn’t changed her mind but it also made his desire for her deepen and he smiled. “I always want to kiss you…” he said quietly and he felt his neck crane down towards her face but suddenly a voice called for him at the end of the aisle. “Professor D’Arcy, are we going to have the pitch tomorrow?” the boy called and angry pierced the happiness Edward was having and he snapped his head towards the boy and stepped away from Bella. “I swear I’ve told you a hundred times boy, yes, and talk to Scorpius for gods sake if you have a question! At least he pays attention to me when i speak!!” he hissed at the boy who soon scurried off.

He regained his composure and sorted out his feelings and finally glanced back down at Bella, a weak smile crossed his face. “Sorry about that….” He murmured and he began to fiddle with his cane once more unsure of what to do.