could you be the devil, could you be an angel [vi]

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The bad thing about flirting with someone you hardly knew was that it was difficult to find them when you wanted to see them. Considering Dustin always wanted to see Viovinnia, it was a pretty bad pickle for him. The more he tried to puzzle out where she would be, the more confused he had been. Diagon Alley had been an obvious choice, but people normally only made one shopping trip. The only things he knew about her was that she was a wealthy Slytherin and a self-proclaimed fighter. He didn’t know of any fight clubs, and even if he did…what happened in fight club stayed in fight club. It was the first rule.

The long and short of it was that Dustin was once again left wandering around like a lost puppy. He had thought that it was probably more likely to find Viovinnia in Knockturn Alley, but he was scared of the place, so he just hovered in Horizon Alley instead, pacing in front of Flimflam’s Lanterns. Even Slytherins needed to buy lights, right? Or maybe not. Couldn’t snakes see in the dark? He was pretty sure they could. Dustin groaned. He had made a mistake in trying to find his Slytherin girl – again.

@vi

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Horizon Alley was not a place that Viovinnia normally found herself in. Hell, she hardly ever went out if she could help it. But all summer she had been venturing out of the house in hopes of seeing a certain blonde Quidditch player and when she had finally found him, all she could think about was how she wanted to find him again. Vi left the house again in hopes that she would randomly run into Dustin, just like she had a few days ago. She knew she was dreaming big and her quest would likely be unsuccessful, but she couldn't help but at least try.

There was something telling her to be in Horizon Alley that day. She had never visited the bookstore there and thought that would be a good enough excuse to go and walk around to check the place out for the blonde Gryffindor alumnus. The street wasn't terribly crowded today, so she hoped that would make spotting him easier. Vi walked a slower pace than usual, taking her time as she made her way to the bookstore. She found herself wondering what Dustin filled his free time with... would he even be in a place like this? She honestly doubted he would, what with his very likely busy schedule because of Quidditch. The Slytherin smirked to herself at the thought of the Quidditch player. He was certainly something else.

Fate had a weird way of always presenting itself. Vi, herself, had never really believed in fate. But when she saw Dustin just a few short feet away from her heading in her direction, she was certain that fate was what told her to be in Horizon Alley today. Fate brought her back to Dustin Bainbridge.

"You again," Vi smirked up at him casually. She couldn't let it be known, of course, that she had been searching for him specifically. No, she had to keep things cool. That was just how Vi rolled.

@dustin

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Either somebody up above really liked him, or Viovinnia was just as determined to see Dustin as he was to see her. He wasn’t sure which answer was more plausible, if he was being honest. Maybe the Slytherin had just been flirting with him as some sort of power ploy. Maybe she wasn’t actually interested. Or maybe she was, and he was freaking himself out with trying to intellectualize feelings that didn’t make sense no matter how long you thought about them. Dustin decided to give all of his thinking a rest in favor of talking to Viovinnia again. He thought he had made a good second impression, so he’d like that to continue.

“Yes, me again.” He drawled, trying to seem as uninterested in their meeting as she was despite his eagerness to see her again. “You know, I was just thinking about you.” Dustin said, gesturing up towards the sign for the lighting shop. “Can snakes see in the dark? I figured a Slytherin would know that sort of thing.” Of course, it was a poor assumption – all the Gryffindor knew about lions was that they were big cats that lived in Africa. Still, it was a better conversation than stuttering while attempting to flirt, like he had the last time the two had met. It also opened up a whole world of opportunities for the rest of their conversation. There was nothing like asking someone you were interested in a hundred random questions, was there?

@vi

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Viovinnia was quite thrilled that the universe seemed to be working in her favor. How else could she explain her wanting to see Dustin so badly and then him magically appearing, just where she happened to be? It baffled Vi, really, but it brought an oddly satisfying happiness to her as well.

As the Quidditch player pointed up at the sign above them, Vi took a moment to look at it, raising an eyebrow. After a moment, and listening to his question, she looked back at him with a smirk. "You could say that," she began, coolly. "Snakes actually have the ability to sense their prey based on the heat their bodies give off. So.." Vi shrugged, still smirking proudly. "Don't ever try hiding from me in the dark. Because I'll probably find you." She flashed one quick wink at him.

"What about lions? Shouldn't they be able to sense such a threat like a snake?"

@dustin

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Dustin was quite interested to hear what the Slytherin girl had to say about snakes and their ability to hunt in the night via heat detection. The addition of her warning not to hide from her in the dark was…rather intimate, actually. “So, you go looking for me in the dark, Viovinnia?” Dustin asked with a chuckle. Hopefully that would throw her for a loop. He would certainly go looking for her… but only after taking her on at least three dates. Otherwise his mother would be disappointed in him, and Dustin would hate to disappoint his mother. She already had Penny for disappointment.

“Actually, my inner lion is not the best part of me at detecting snakes.” Dustin replied casually. He was much better at seeing threats – especially snakes, actually – when he was in his Animagus form. The bird’s eyesight was keen and he always felt like he could see everything brighter and crisper and better. He had never gotten around to telling anyone that he was an Animagus, though maybe Viovinnia would be the first.

@vi

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An actual smile spread across Viovinnia's face at Dustin's rhetorical question, and she bit her lip to attempt to conceal it but was certain she didn't do a very good job. "Let's just say, it'll be an easy feat." She said. She found her eyes glancing down at the Gryffindor alum's hand and realized that she really wanted to take a hold of it again but she decided against it for the time being. She didn't want to seem too overly eager for hand holding.

The Slytherin raised an eyebrow at Dustin. "Oh?" She inquired, the signature smirk showing itself now. "What part then, if I may ask, is?" She took a step closer to the Gryffindor, making the space between them only a few feet now. She wished it were less, but she actually found that she quite liked speaking to Dustin so casually. It wasn't something she was very familiar with and that made it very fun for her.

@dustin

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Viovinnia biting her lip was one of the finer pleasures of life, and Dustin was disappointed that he had been deprived of it for so long. The fact that she was biting her lip to hide a smile was even better. Dustin took a mental picture of the scene, trying to imprint every detail into his brain, just in case he needed something new to use for his Patronus Charm. Speaking of Patronuses…Dustin’s mind snapped immediately back to the fact that he still needed to decide whether or not to tell Viovinnia that he was an Animagus. Most of him was leaning towards yes, though a small part of the Gryffindor also thought about how disappointed his sisters would be that they weren’t the first ones to see it. Oh well. They never had to know. “I’m an Animagus.” Dustin told Viovinnia proudly. “A Brahminy kite – basically, a really big bird of prey.” He looked at her, eyes glinting. “I’m pretty sure they eat snakes.”

@vi

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Viovinnia quite liked how Dustin didn't say anything for a moment, but seemed to just take a moment to look at her instead. Their eyes met and Vi felt like they could easily sit there in silence with one another and be perfectly fine, which was an incredible realization for the Slytherin. But talkinga and asking questions was so much more interesting.

When the next words out of Dustin's mouth were "animagus," Viovinnia was incredibly surprised. She kept her expression blank, however, narrowing her eyes at him. His being a bird animagus could explain his love for Quidditch, but Vi being Vi was never one to believe things until she could see them. Even if she felt like Dustin was telling the truth (which she did,) she still wanted convinced.

"Show me."

@dustin

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Dustin couldn’t help but feel as if he was being challenged when Viovinnia asked him to show her his Animagus form. “Fine.” He said, arching his eyebrow for a moment. It didn’t take long for him to transform into the bird, and with a flap of his powerful wings, Dustin was perched on Vi’s shoulder. It wasn’t a comfortable position for a bird of his size, but the discomfort was worth the ability to peck her fondly on the ear. Everything changed when he was in his Animagus form; the lines were sharper and the colors brighter and everything seemed like it was…not better, because things could never be better when he couldn’t talk to Viovinnia. That was a stupid thought, and Dustin was glad that he wasn’t in human form so he couldn’t blush. Dustin let out a soft trilling noise, and a nearby bluebird came to land on Viovinnia’s head. Birds couldn’t smile, but if they could, Dustin would be smiling.

@vi

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Viovinnia grinned smugly when Dustin said "fine" and Vi held her chin up in spit of herself. She watched him intently as his body changed form from his human self into a bird; a Brahminy kite, to be exact. Vi hadn't known what type of bird that was exactly until Dustin had transformed into one and she had to say, she was surprised by the size of the bird. She allowed herself to just look at Dustin as a bird for a moment, her face relaxed and quite captivated by the beauty of the bird. When he perched upon her shoulder, Vi raised both her eyebrows at him in a questioning way. She was about to comment on the weight and discomfort when he pecked at her ear a little, which managed to get a light laugh out of the Slytherin.

It was something else, actually interacting with an animagus. Viovinnia had never encountered one before but she had surely heard and read stories about them. But it was a whole different story to actually experience them. Vi doubted highly that she would ever even attempt to become one. It sounded like far too much work and she was busy enough with her own training. Instinctively, Vi reached her free arm up and with her fingers gently pet the back of Dustin's bird head. She never had any pets, so Vi had never felt any type of bird before. Their feathers were soft... or maybe it was just Dustin's that were so soft.

Vi wasn't even thinking when a small, content smile tugged at the corners of her lips. That smile, however, disappeared momentarily when she felt tiny feet on top of her head. She slowly tried to look up and could make out blue feathers, telling her it was yet another bird. This time a small half smirk appeared. "What, can you talk to birds when you're like this, then?" She asked, though she already knew the answer and didn't expect one. "Hm. You're something else," she said, looking into the eyes of the bird, knowing she was really looking into Dustin's.

And that was a warm feeling.

@dustin

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Dustin made a chuffing noise when Viovinnia stroked the back of his head. Since this was the first time he had shown anyone his Animagus form, it was also the first time that anyone had touched him in his Animagus form. It felt nice, and it sent a pleased ruffle rippling through his feathers, sort of like a shiver down his spine. When she asked him her question, though, Dustin was forced to hop down from her shoulder so she could change back. He tried to be gentle, all too aware of how sharp the talons on his bird form were. Once he was solidly back on the ground, Dustin straightened back into his human form. He whistled a low note and the blue jay that was on Viovinnia’s head flew to perch on his finger, chirping quietly as it did so.

“I can talk to birds whenever I want.” He said with a mischievous smile. “It started around the same time the Animagus training did, though I think that maybe I could do it before, and just never realized it.” Dustin whistled again, a cheerful tune that caused other songbirds that were perched on various buildings in the alley to fly down to him, settling on his shoulders and head. “Just think of me as your personal Disney princess.” Dustin’s smile grew wider, though he wasn't sure if Viovinnia understood the reference. “I can even sing. And play piano. But most people aren’t interested in that part, since, y’know, Quidditch is more popular than piano.” Dustin scratched the back of his neck with a bashful smile. The nimble fingers that he gained from Snitch catching were good for more than one thing.

@vi

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Vi couldn't help the widening of her smirk when she saw the little ripple Dustin did on her shoulder. Birds could be cute, right? She hadn't noticed his talons until he was gently hopping off of her shoulder and back onto the ground. Her eyes widened, impressed at the size of them. "I see what you meant by 'bird of prey' now," she said looking down at the bird one last time. Before she knew it, Dustin was standing back in front of her just as quickly as he had turned into a bird. As pleasing as he was to look at as a bird, Dustin was even better to behold as a human.

Dustin whistled a low note then and Viovinnia looked at the bird that quickly left her head and flew to perch on his finger. Vi's eyebrows rose once again, impressed as the bird was chirping away. She met Dustin's eyes when he said he could talk to birds whenever he wanted and probably for the first time, Vi made no effort to hide the look of surprise on her face. It faded quickly into a smile, however, as Dustin whistled again and a few birds came flying down and landed upon his head and shoulders. He was something else, that was for sure. "Is there anything you can't do, Princess Dustin?"

@dustin

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Dustin chuckled a little at Viovinnia’s remark about him being a bid of prey. It didn’t look like he had cut her when he hopped down, though, which had been his hope. He chuckled even more when she looked openly surprised at his ability – he had finally managed to do something to shock her. He didn’t know it was possible to surprise a Slytherin, but it was good information to have. A few notes of a song, and the birds that had been on his shoulders evaporated, including the blue jay that had been on his finger. “They weren’t too happy to be used to show off.” He explained to Viovinnia. “Though they do agree that you’re pretty, so I guess I have some competition.” As if a bird would be competition for Viovinnia’s heart. He probably would have more trouble with the other pureblood boys that wanted to preserve the line or something.

“I’m working on being able to breathe underwater.” He teased. “I was named after a mermaid, you know.” That wasn’t exactly true, but whatever. “My middle name is Ariel. My mother agreed to it because she thought it meant ‘lion-like’, and you know, my dad was a Gryffindor, so…” Dustin cut himself off before he could ramble any further. “I’m sure you’ll find that, aside from underwater respiration, I’m talented in many areas.” He said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

@vi

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Vi was a little disappointed to see the birds go. It was one thing to see an animagus transform, but it was truly amazing to see one with the ability to communicate with the animal they tranformed into while in their human form. She had read about animagi in the past and she had never read anything about that being one of their learned abilities. Which made her wonder how Dustin had come to learn such a thing. Vi's right side of her mouth curved into a half smile. "That you do," she replied to his comment about having competition. "They're nice looking birds. Though, they can't quite compete with you in looks..." she smirked.

Viovinnia raised her eyebrows, amused at Dustin's teasing, then they stayed raised as a much more amused look appeared on her face. "Ariel?" She repeated, looking at him incredulously. "You're joking," she declared, though she had a strong feeling he wasn't. He hadn't so far, so why would he lie about something like that? Vi raised an eyebrow at him and smirked at his suggestive eyebrow wiggling. "Well, then," Vi said slowly closing in the space between them until she was just a few inches from his face. "Prove it." And with that, Vi planted her lips on his.

@dustin

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Dustin was used to getting smirks and nothing else from Viovinnia, so the half-smile was a nice change of pace. When she said that the birds weren’t any competition, Dustin matched his smiles with her, barely letting one side of his mouth turn up so that she wouldn’t see just how pleased he was by that compliment. It would be rather sad if she was more attracted to birds than humans, though, so maybe it wasn’t as big of a deal as Dustin was making it out to be.

“I wish that I was joking.” Dustin said with a shake of his head. He had gotten a lot of flak from his friends over the years when they discovered what his middle name was. His sisters were more delighted than anything, though they too tended to harp on his middle name. “But why would I joke about something like that?” There was no way he would subject himself to this kind of shame if it wasn’t true. Dustin was prepared to continue to banter about his stupid middle name, but Viovinnia apparently had different ideas. She stepped closer to him, and before he could think of any quick remark, her lips were on his. For all of his bragging about his amazing talents, all that Dustin could do was stand there, lips against lips, soaking in the warmth that was Viovinnia Nott.

@vi