A Sweet Interuption [ARIA!]

[Christopher Davies]

The hot days of summer were still in full swing despite the lateness in the August month. Chris Davies didn’t remember the last time he felt the heat of an English summer. This was probably because the last time he did he was too intoxicated to remember. The truth was Chris had been out of England too long. It was as if he were avoiding something. Yes, he had moved for his job, but on the flip side all he felt he had been doing for years was running. He had run from the life he had known for seventeen years and invented himself into something completely different. He thought he could run fast enough and far enough away that he could forget the pain and mistakes he had made in his life but it always seemed to catch up with him at the last possible moment.

Walking the old streets of Hogsmeade felt as if he was in school again. It was eerily reminiscent of the times he had spent with his old friends, countless old girl friends, and many young drunken nights where he broke every rule under the moon. This was part of his old stomping grounds. He couldn’t run anymore. It was here that he finally realized what had all caught up with him. In many ways he had lost contact with his old self. He hadn’t seen many of his old friends or flames since he graduated. He hadn’t spoken to many or even heard from them, though he was sure they had at least heard of him. It was hard to keep quiet for someone like Chris Davies, especially when his life involved so much of being in the public eye. He didn’t particularly like his life, or what he did, but he dealt with it in the same way he dealt with much of the hurtles that came his way; roughly, and against any protocols.

Stepping into the Sweet Shop he let the sugary smells consume him. Taking off his large Aviator sunglasses and putting them on top of his head, he could now see what he had been missing. Now this was something he missed. Germany never had anything to compare with English Wizarding sweets. Stepping into an isle of taffy he took a bar, unwrapped it, took a bite and while throwing the wrapper on the ground continued to look about the shop.

”You’re not allowed to do that!” squeaked a small rotund boy pointing angrily at the taffy.

Chris stopped as just as he had picked up a stack of chocolate bars. Turning to the boy, a devilish smirk grew on his tanned face, “Do what? This?” he said as he took the taffy and pulled off at piece with his teeth. He chewed it tauntingly as he grabbed another favourable sweet, “Thanks for the tip kid.” He said as he saluted a goodbye.

”Hey aren’t you that guy...” the kid piped up again.

“Bullocks,” Chris said as he turned around to face him again. It was then he noticed the boy’s mother standing behind him looking rather aggravated at him, “Oh shit- I mean shoot...ah whatever you’ll hear a lot worse at school, believe me.”

He waved his hand dismissively as he took a couple steps backwards. The mother looked incredulously at Chris, reminding him of old professors he had hated when he was younger, “Oh yeah—stay in school, don’t do drugs and all that other crap—I mean shit-shoot!”

He was never going to be a good role model and he knew it, so why start now? He was who he was and nothing he said or did was going to do him any favours in that department. He took another step backwards, this time, however, he ran into something hard, knocking some of his sweets to the ground.

“Oh bloody hell,” he said as he turned around. It was then that he realized he had nearly bulldozed someone.
Great; real smoothe. This was turning into a fantastic day. Oh how he loved being back home. [/blockquote]

[Ariabella Blackwood]

Working in an Apothecary could be exhausting work, but magic was Ariabella Blackwood’s best friend…apparition to be specific. After a long day of work that wasn’t even over yet, Aria apparated to right outside Honeydukes Sweet Shop on her lunch break, her sweet tooth craving something good. She listened to the little tinkling bell as she entered the shop, and marveled like a child at the rows and rows of sweets. It was beautiful, and it was just what she needed. Of course, she also needed a good stiff drink, but that would come after her shift was actually over tonight.

Aria browsed the aisles, not really sure what she was looking for, a few coins squished in her skin-tight black jeans. That was the only bad thing about those jeans…the pockets were almost useless, but she didn’t really care, the jeans looked damn sexy on her. She had an ice-blue tank top on, and a white sweater-shrug that was mainly there for show rather than anything else. The tank-top matched her eyes perfectly, and her light blonde hair fell in loose curls partially down her back. She wore a light blue scrunchy on her wrist, that she used to pull her hair back when she was working, and blue feather earrings dripped from her ears. She was stunning, even in such simple attire.

Aria wasn’t really paying any attention to anything going on in the shop as she browsed the selection of sweets, so it was no surprise that she didn’t even hear the mutterings of Christopher Davies who happened to be standing a few feet away. In fact she hadn’t even noticed he was there. You would think, what with their past, that she would have noticed him immediately and left the shop in a rush so as not to get hurt. No. Aria just browsed the candy, humming a little muggle tune she’d heard the day previously. I’m a little drunk and I need you now… her mind sang. She almost laughed when she’d heard the song. It made her want to laugh and it made her want to cry, as it reminded her so much of her relationship with Christopher Davies years past. Just two years, but they felt like forever.

Lost in her thoughts, Aria hadn’t been paying attention when suddenly she was nearly tackled to the ground by a man running into her. She grasped the shelves for support, trying to re-gain her balance as she heard the voice say “Oh bloody hell”. She noticed some candy on the ground and bent down to pick it up, and when she straightened to hand it to the man she almost dropped it again as her breath caught. “Bloody hell…” She whispered. She was staring straight at…Christopher Davies.

[Christopher Davies]

Chris had quickly turned around and was mentally slapping himself as he saw a blond woman already kneeling, picking up his mess. Chris wasn’t usually like this when it came to women; usually he was slick and smooth. It was easy for him to pick up women and he had always considered it one of his many talents, but this was already off on a bad foot. He had nearly killed her...meh, he always liked a challenge. Chris had always had a thing for blonds. He couldn’t quite pinpoint why exactly but he knew it had something to do with one girl he had been in a relationship with at Hogwarts; Aria Blackwood. She had turned him completely upside down. She had made his heart race like no other woman had before. She had made him laugh and cry. It was all so intoxicating and thrilling...and yet, things had died between the two, mostly because of Chris’ will. He wasn’t a relationship guy, he would screw up. He did screw up. He felt guilty but he was now a different person. The chances of him ever seeing Aria Blackwood again were one in a million so it was best for him to just move on.

”Bloody hell,”fluttered a familiar, soft voice.

Chris was staring into the brilliant eyes of his old flame, Aria once again. Chris had to make sure he wasn’t drunk or dreaming because he would have never have imagined this reunion. His candies were sitting in her small hands and everything started to come together in his mind. He didn’t say anything and for a moment the two stood silent, staring at each other in awe and shock. Chris didn’t know what to say. As soon as their eyes locked he felt the rush of memories flood over him. This would have never happened in Germany. He hadn’t been back in England a couple of days and his past was already coming to remind him that it never really went away.

Some much had happened between the two that no words seemed sufficient enough to be spoken upon their reunion. He had never been so open with a girl before. They had started out as just hooking up but ended as so much more. The history was screaming at them and the tension in the room was nearly palpable.

Chris shook his head after the moment’s hesitation, “ Woah, Aria? Is that you?” he said incredulously. He flashed a quick smile and shook his head, “You look great! How long has it been?”

He was making small, polite talk, which was something Chris never did. He usually fell right back into his sarcastic ways almost immediately, but this, this was different. What he didn’t say said so much more than the small words he did.

He leaned forward, outstretching his arms and gave her a stiff, polite embrace. As soon as he was close he could smell her familiar perfume that always drew him in. He lingered in the hug a second longer as the memories of the past collided with him, but then drew away, stepping back into his new, grown up position a few feet away.

“How’ve you been?” he asked, a bit too curiously. [/blockquote][/size]

[Ariabella Blackwood]

As soon as their eyes met, Aria’s stomach flipped and her heart gave a little flutter…something she hadn’t felt since the last time she saw him. She didn’t let it show, however, she couldn’t allow herself to be hurt again. Chris shook his head before speaking, the shock plastered on his face. “Woah, Aria? Is that you?” He flashed her a typical Chris Davie’s winner smile and shook his head again. “You look great! How long as it been?” Aria smirked a little at the small talk he was attempting to make, but in all actuality was flattered by his compliment. He then pulled her into a stiff hug, holding her just a bit longer than would be expected of a casual embrace. When he pulled back he moved away a little bit. She was still holding his candies, and set them on a shelf close by, slightly guarding them so no one took them. “How have you been?” He seemed genuinely curious, and she thought for a moment. She couldn’t tell him the complete truth, so she just put on a small polite smile and said “I’ve been…alright.” She looked at him, taking the image in. He was as handsome and attractive as ever. No doubt the Quidditch she’d heard he’d been playing had helped keep in in fantastic shape.

“And you? I trust you’ve been well?” She asked politely. This was weird. Far too weird. She didn’t know what to do, or what to say. Memories flashed through her head, it was almost dizzying. She ran a hand through her long blonde hair, suddenly very aware of her appearance. Why did she want to kiss him?! It didn’t make sense to her. All through the months they were ‘together’, they’d both agreed that it was a hook-up, nothing more. Oh but it felt like so much more…and when Chris broke things off, Aria had felt pain like she’d never imagined. There was an aching in her heart that she couldn’t fix.

She looked at his candy and smirked softly as another memory flooded her mind. “Always have room for chocolate…isn’t that right?” She said with a small laugh. Their second ‘hook-up’…which turned into her ‘first time’ was in the kitchens at Hogwarts…in a pantry to be specific. After all the fun and games they were both starving. She had been wearing his shirt, and he searched the shelves for something to eat, coming up with some cereal and chocolate chips. He’d told her that he always had room for chocolate. She wondered if he even remembered.

[Christopher Davies]

No matter how hard Chris’ guard was up it still did not override the tingling emotions coursing through him as he and Aria locked eyes. She had always had that way about her. It was that coy elegance that entranced the better part of the male population for years at Hogwarts. Since then she had only matured into the beauty she had already had. Her flowing blond hair, her radiant smile, and her sparkling eyes was enough for Chris to melt back to the days when they were always entwined in one another. He had been so foolish then. He had taken her for granted. Now, three years later, there was nothing left by the niceties of a hello and goodbye.

She was doing alright, but somehow when Chris looked into her eye he didn’t fully believe it. There was something changed in them since the last time he saw her. There was something deeply and discretely sad about them. If he hadn’t known her so well he wouldn’t have noticed for he wasn’t the only one with his guard up. Aria, as well, was closing herself off, and Chris didn’t blame her. Their meeting was unexpected and had thrown the both of them for a loop.

“And you? I trust you’ve been well?”

“Oh you know, taking the world by storm one bar at a time—oh wait, I mean pitch,” he said with a cheeky grin.

He watched as she placed his sweets on a shelf nearby. He had almost forgotten where he was and what he had been doing. He had a number of candies sitting in the crook of his arm, while the taffy he had been nibbling on was dangling from his hand. He adored candies and sweets almost as much as he did women and alcohol. Actually, he wasn’t partial about sweets; he would accommodate any food that came his way. He was like a never ending bottomless pitch. The sinario seemed to spark something in Aria as a soft smile caressed her lips. Chris found himself drawn into her, wanting to know her thoughts, wanting to be close to her. How did she still have this power over him?

“Always have room for chocolate…isn’t that right?” she said and instantly Chris remembered. It was back when he was seventeen in the kitchens. It was the day that started what was to be the most exhilarating time of his life. He smirked reminiscently at the small detail. It was not like him to remember such a small and insignificant detail but somehow he remembered every second he had spent with Aria. He had replayed many in his head a million times. This was not good for his image nor was it good for himself. He had ended it long ago and that was where the moments were supposed to stay.

“Yeah I do like my chocolate,” he said non-committally. He shrugged his shoulders as he picked up the sweets from the counter. He didn’t want to let her in but at the same time he wanted her to stay there a bit longer. It was a complete dichotomy that continued to puzzle him late into the nights.

“Anyways, I should get going, I’m know I’m supposed already late to be somewhere for something to do with Quidditch. I’ll be getting a howler any minute from my agent...I try to limit his heart attacks to about four a week just to keep him on his game.” He added jokingly as he took a couple of steps across the room towards the register.

“It was nice seeing you again Aria,” he said with a light smile.

He knew he shouldn’t look back but before he could fight it he had already half turned around, trying to memorize her face. He knew he wasn’t ready to let go but that didn’t mean he was ever going to admit it to anyone, least of all himself. There was a battle going on in his head. His heart and his mind were two very different things that often struggled for supremacy within him. Usually neither won out. There was always a third party and that one resided in his pants.

“Hey, you know,” he said with a shake of his head, “ I’m not good at this press stuff anyway, you want to maybe grab a drink at the Three Broomsticks?”

He didn’t know why he asked. He didn’t know much about anything at that moment. All he knew that he didn’t want to just end things the way he had done three years ago. The pathetic excuse for a conversation now just didn’t cut it. This time the third party didn’t win, instead the internal battle was won by his heart but that did not mean the war was over by any means. [/blockquote]

[Ariabella Blackwood]

“Oh you know, taking the world by storm one bar at a time – oh wait, I mean pitch.” Chris answered her with a cheeky grin, and she smirked. So like him. He responded to her statement about the chocolate, then, and Aria’s smirk disappeared but she didn’t show disappointment when his statement showed that he clearly didn’t remember. “Yeah I do like my chocolate.” He’d said, shrugging his shoulders and picking up the sweets. How could Aria even expect him to pick up on the old reference? It was ages ago…three years. Gosh, had it really been that long? His words brought her back to reality. “Anyways, I should get going, I’m know I’m supposed already late to be somewhere for something to do with Quidditch. I’ll be getting a howler any minute from my agent…I try to limit his heart attacks to about four a week just to keep him on his game.” He joked. Aria gave him a small smile that she had to fake. “It was nice seeing you again Aria.” He said with a light smile of his own.

She could only nod. As soon as he’d turned to go she bit her lip as the familiar emptiness and pain coursed through her. She stood there motionless for a moment. Just before she’d regained confidence to turn around and leave Chris turned back towards her. “Hey, you know,” he started shaking his head. Aria let her bottom lip go from her teeth. “I’m not good at this press stuff anyway, you want to maybe grab a drink at the Three Broomsticks?” He asked her. How she wanted to say yes…but she couldn’t. She glanced at a clock on the other side of the shop. Her lunch break was almost over.

Aria gave him a small smile. “As much as I’d love to agree to that, Chris I can’t. I have to be back at work soon…I was just taking a lunch break, though working in an Apothecary doesn’t work up much of an appetite, quite the opposite, really. Makes me want to go drown myself in alcohol…which I will probably do later tonight.” She closed her mouth, realizing that she’d been babbling and said a little too much. She shook her head taking a breath, trying to clear her head, and then, being unsuccessful at controlling herself, she took a step forward. Without thinking she wrapped her arms around Chris’ neck gently giving him a small hug and placed a small kiss on his cheek before pulling away. “Glad you’re doing well.” She said and then turned away from him, taking a few steps towards the door. She couldn’t say that it was nice seeing him because honestly, it was the most pain she’d felt in a while.

[Christopher Davies]

Chris didn’t know why he had put himself out there. He knew that he should just end the awkward niceties and be done with it. Perhaps it was the chance to go to the bar and further rebel against anything and everything to do with his career that made him jump at the opportunity. That had to be it. Aria was the icing on top of it all. He could catch up with her but he was doing this for selfish work related reasons...wasn’t he? He had waited for her reaction and to be honest he did not expect her to say anything but a well worded yes. He knew he always had a way to get women to do anything he wanted by just flashing them one of his signature smiles, but this was different. Aria knew his tricks, mostly because she used to use the same ones. But still, he knew Aria, or at least he used to, and she never turned down an opportunity to have a drink with Chris.

When she said she couldn’t come with him he wasn’t sure he heard her right. She went on about working in an Apothecary and having a lunch break. It was then that he realized that they were in Hogwarts anymore. She had grown up a lot since he had last seen her. She had a life separate of him. She had a career, friends, family, maybe even a boyfriend. Why did he cringe at that thought? He shook his head. That didn’t seem right, but wasn’t that what he had wanted all those years ago? Wasn’t that why he had ended it all? He didn’t want to be tied down. He had left his old life behind when he was signed and in that left everyone who used to belong in it.

“Seems a bit weird doesn’t it? Us doing this whole adult thing.” He said reminiscently. Chris would always remain a child at heart. Growing up was always mandatory but maturing was definitely optional when it came to him. “Okay, well you doing this whole grown up thing,” he corrected.

She had a career and didn’t have the liberty to screw around whenever she wanted to. Chris did it because he did not have the responsibility of the average person. He had an agent for that and even then he tried his hardest to screw it up. He rebelled for the sake of rebelling. He didn’t care because he didn’t think there would be any consequences for his indiscretions. He had been traded for such indiscretions...actually he had played in Europe instead of England because of such screw ups. It seemed like he continually tried to self sabotage himself no matter the level of success he reached.

He had to smirk when she said she would love to drown herself in alcohol. It sounded oddly like himself...though he knew he had been a pretty big influence on her drinking during the time they were together. Suddenly she did something so unexpected that Chris nearly froze. His skin was electric as her soft, warm hand graced his neck. Their bodies entwined briefly in a hug and Chris found himself taking it all in. She sealed her goodbye with a friendly kiss that was just as intoxicating as the real thing, though it left him empty and hungry for more.

“Glad you’re doing well.”

She was walking away just as he tried to do mere moments before. Somehow it just didn’t seem right. Nothing about their meeting felt right; not even the friendly kiss. It was as if she was giving him a part of her to cling to but not enough to let him keep her where ever he went. He didn’t know if he really even wanted that. It had been three years and he had been with his fair share of women before and after Aria, but still he always found himself thinking back. Was the sex really that good?

Dropping the sweets on the counter Chris moved over beside her, a smirk plastered on his face foolishly, “ Oh come on, don’t tell me your sense of fun died with your youth! Blow off work for the rest of the day! Owl in sick! Say it’s...PMS or something.” he said with a joking laugh. He tossed some change on the counter for the taffy he had eaten before he began to steer Aria out the door and towards the Three Broomsticks.

“I will make it worth your while,” he said in a tauntingly suggestive tone, flashing back to the old days,” I’m buying.”

His devilish grin was one that was hard to say no to, and he was hoping that on some level she still couldn’t help but say yes. [/blockquote][/size]

[Ariabella Blackwood]

Aria heard a small thunk as Chris dropped his sweets on the counter and almost cringed as he ran back to her. Never one to give up, was he? No, that wasn’t right. He was the one that ended everything, not her. He gave her up once before, why was he trying now? “Oh come on, don’t tell me your sense of fun died with your youth!” Aria scowled at his comment that her youth had died. She had many years to go before she’d believe that. “Blow off work for the rest of the day! Owl in sick! Say it’s…PMS or something.” He said and laughed, and then after tossing coins on the counter he steered her out the door, towards the Three Broomsticks. “I will make it worth your while…” he said, his voice suggestive. “I’m buying.”

It was then that Aria made a decision she knew she’d probably regret later. She shrugged him off. That devilish grin wasn’t going to work on her this time, she was determined. “I have to work, Davies. Something you should probably learn to do.” Her tone was still soft, but with a small bit of an edge, and she almost feared it could hurt him, and then shrugged away the thought. She couldn’t hurt Chris. That was impossible. Only the opposite was possible. He was the only one that could really hurt her.

“Bills to pay, you know. Such is life after luxury.” She smirked. “Well, not that my life isn’t still luxurious…I love my place, but anyway…” She looked at his eyes. A big mistake. His gorgeous eyes pulled her in, and she spoke before thinking. “But I get off in a few hours…and I was going to go find some alcohol anyway…I wouldn’t mind having an alcohol expert along for the ride.” Her ice blue eyes found his again, and she was lost.

[Christopher Davies]

Over the past three years the people Chris had gone to school with had taken various paths to starting out their lives. The work ethic required to start and maintain a career was gruelling and consistent for a young witch or wizard trying to make it on their own. The big dreams of making it big quickly died for some and were replaced with the simplicity of getting by. Real life had a way of being a lot less glamorous than what one would hear when they were close to graduating Hogwarts. Sure, one day one would have a prosperous career and family but it was the way to get there that was always the difficult part. Chris, on the other hand, never took any of this seriously. He never really even knew if he wanted any of it. He had spent the better part of his life rebelling against everything and everyone. He did what he want when he wanted to with or without anyone’s consent. Maybe that was why Chris was considered such a wild card in his Quidditch career. Sure, his skill matched and surpassed many of the top Chasers in the various pro circuit, but it was his work ethic, his flagrant disregard to rules, and aversion to any type of control or authority that made him the wild card acquisition on deadline day.

“I have to work, Davies. Something you should probably learn to do.”

Chris smirked as Aria spoke. She had grown up quite a bit since the last time he saw her. She didn’t seem to be living off her parents. She seemed to have grown into herself in new and unexpected ways. Chris, however, had pretty much stayed the same with a tad more facial hair.

“Ohhh man,” he started tauntingly, “That would pretty much ruin my whole rebellious image…I couldn’t do that to my fans, they’d have a right fit! Plus work sounds like so much…effort.”

He let out a barking laugh at his own little joke. For anyone who knew Chris they would understand his reasoning. He had made a name for himself during his time at Hogwarts for not going to class and still maintaining the grades to play Quidditch…much to the chagrin of his father.

She continued on about bills and her place and Chris found himself intrigued by such small talk. Usually he would mindlessly listen to someone talk about details of their lives that had no relevance to the situation but with Aria he wanted to know what she was doing nowadays. He wanted to at least have a sneak peek into the Aria of now just to see if he could find that girl from three years ago. He didn’t know why he wanted to find that girl but for some reason it gave him comfort.

He slid his arm naturally around Aria’s shoulders. It was disconcerting that his arm seemed to fit so perfectly around her small frame. He pushed those thoughts aside however as he tilted his head so their foreheads were touching.

“Come on, what harm is one afternoon going to do? I bet there has to be at least one Quidditch fan at the Apothecary we can bribe.” He smiled mischievously and he let himself take in her scent. He would never let her notice it, however, and he tilted himself back away from her with more effort than it should have taken.

“But I get off in a few hours…and I was going to go find some alcohol anyway…I wouldn’t mind having an alcohol expert along for the ride.” she said as their eyes locked.

For a moment time stood still. In that instance it was as if they were the only two in the street. It was as if they were the only two in the world. The connection, the intense feeling that rushed over him had never been felt before. He didn’t know what it was, but then again the two of them had always had a kind of chemistry that could never be matched.

He put his hand in his pocket and shrugged his shoulders, “Suit yourself,” he said, “But I hope you know if you don’t come with me I am going to be eternally depressed which will make me drink even more than I already do…and we all know I cannot be responsible for my actions when I’m in that kind of state. So…if you really want that one on your conscious that be my guest.” He couldn’t help but smile through his words as he tried to be as dramatic as possible. His childlike ways were still apparent in his vivacious humour.

He had been gone three years and he had already discovered so much had changed in that time. Perhaps they were two different people now, though then again they were two very different people back then again. Perhaps growing up was what set them apart? Aria had a new life and he wouldn’t have blamed her if she was fighting for Chris not to screw that one up as well.[/blockquote][/size]