This was a stupid idea. He wasn't going to deny it, it was appallingly stupid for him to be walking through the slums. He could easily get mugged (well, maybe not easily, Edward was a tough man), or followed home, or who knew what else. But, it had been a long day at the office, with no fun and far too many documents to fill out. He figured it served him right for leaving it all to do at a later date, but it was very easy to pass off the blame to whoever it was who dumped it all there. Either way, he was tired, fed up, and wanted to go to bed, but handling the busy High Street wasn't what he wanted to do. He figured cutting through the Slums, though potentially dangerous, was quicker and a lot less tedious. All he had to do was keep his head down and keep walking.
However, keeping his head down was a lot easier than it sounded. Despite what it may appear from Edwards weary state, he couldn't help himself when his curiousity was peaked. He'd heard the old yell or shout on his way through the Slums, but they all seemed innocent or friendly enough. This series of shouting though, sounded heated and as though it could break out into something worst. He looked down the tiny dark alleyway where it was coming from, and strolled towards it, squinting his eyes to see through the dark. The sounds had changed now from yells to a hiss and a muffled scream, and Edward pulled out his wand cautiously.
The silent streets of Hogsmeade always scared her, even when she walked through the slums district, where she was familiar with most of the citizens. Sometimes, she crossed this dangerous poor district on her way home, because it was a short way to Mr. Seymour's manor. Cloaked in a dark cape, Blanche could easily blend in the crowd, but from time to time she just wasn't able to go through streets without a harm. Drunk men were shouting or whistling as she passed by them, however usually it ended on it.
This evening she was returning to home very late, and she didn't exactly pay attention on what was happening around her, focusing on a quick walk. Blanche sticked to shadows of houses, keeping her gaze on the ground with a hood pulled onto her head. She heard as men, who just left the pub were yelling something about prostitutes, but she didn't stop so they followed her. The woman tried to move faster, but they were just behind her. Blanche clenched her fingers around a wand in her purse, and turned into the first back alley, hoping that they will lose attention or just stay behind her, and lose track. It was her mistake.
Blanche heard as they started to run towards her, so she turned back, taking off hand with the wand. One of them was quicker than her û he disarmed her with a quick move of his wand. She moved a few steps back, and did what a woman should do in this circumstances û scream. A high scream of fear and anger filled the air around, quickly cut by a hand on her lips. She kept struggling to free herself from those hands, but they were everywhere. Blanche bit the hand with all her might, the man hissed and cursed, but it gave her a second to scream once again. "Help! Somebo--!" Once again the hand silenced her.
Edward held his wand out, and muttered "lumos" quietly, the wand glowing and showering a beacon of light, showing a young beautiful woman, with blonde flowing hair, being held tightly by an obviously drunk man, who had a hand over her mouth, stiffling any screams. Edward glowered at the man angrily, and pointed the wand at him. However, he couldn't get a clear shot at the man, as the woman continued to struggle, but he kept his wand level, aiming it at the man as best as he could.
"I'd suggest you let her go, Sir, if you want to be able to move in the morning," he growled towards the man, not flinching.
He glanced his eyes over to the struggling woman, who looked absolutely terrified trapped in the man's grip. Edward couldn't help but admire her looks, despite the awkward situation the pair of them were both in. He tried to remain calm and suave, to reassure the woman, but it was hard to when he didn't know how the man would react to a possible threat.
"I mean it," Edward insisted calmly, as he felt his night getting worst and worst.
Her heart was beating faster and faster, because of fear and anger. She wasn't afraid of rape, though it was a minor danger in this situation. The man, who handled her in though clench, was strong enough to strangle her and end her miserable life. His ugly smell of alcohol, dirt and cigars filled her nose, as he pressed her body to his. Despite the hand on her mouth, Blanche howled angrily, trying to save the rests of her dignity by this pointless act. He dragged her deeper into the back alley, away from the public view. She heard only her quick breath, rustle of her dress, and his low, lustful breath on her neck. When she thought about what he was going to do, she felt very sick deep inside. He was obviously drunk, dirty and Merlin knew what else!
Suddenly a soft, magical light glittered in the dark and a male voice spoke with a threat towards the man, who hold her. Instinctively, Blanche stiffened and tried to stay calm while her knacker was thinking about the words which hung in the air between them. She couldn't see her savior's face, but his voice seemed very serious, and it made her hope that nothing will happen to her this time. The man who held her wasn't drunk enough not to realize that as clear as she did, because he moved forward, using her as a shield, and when they were close enough he pushed Blanche towards the man with the wand, forcing him to catch her, and ran away as fast as he could.
The push was strong enough for her to lose balance, and certainly she will end on the ground if not on this man. She clenched her fingers on his arms and clothes not to fall down to the mud. The woman raised her blue eyes full of fear and humiliation onto the saviour. "T-thank you" she mumbled quietly, feeling how her body shakes, and knees became weak. Blanche took a few very deep breaths to calm herself down, but it didn't help at all. She was shaking as if it was cold or she was going to cry. Slowly, the woman moved off her shaking hands, and started to massage the parts of her arms where the man clenched his hand. "Thank you" she repeated louder this time. "I don't know how it would end if not for you, mister. I owe you a favour, without doubt." Blanche looked at his face once again in the dim light from his wand, studying his facial features, and smiled to him gratefully. In this moment, in this light he seemed very handsome and mysterious, for her which wasn't usual in her life. She didn't meet many men, who intrigued her only by their outlook. "But who do I owe a rescue?"
He saw the man throw the girl towards him, and Edward instinctively dropped his wand and went to grab her. As she fell through the air, Edward swooped in, and held her up delicately.
"You're okay, Miss, I've got you..." he told her soothingly.
"T-thank you" she said weakly.
"It's the least I could do, honestly. Are you okay?" Edward asked, concerned, leaning down to look straight at her.
He stood back to let her get some air, but he couldn't resist admiring her looks while he did so. He knew she was of a lower class than him, but he was allowed to admire who he liked, and didn't care about what others thought. Her silky blonde hair was beautiful, as were her eyes, and to be fair, all of her. It was like when he'd met Mrs Elkins the other day.
"I don't know how it would end if not for you, mister. I owe you a favour, without doubt."
"Heh, think nothing of it. Just the sight of you is favour enough," he said playfully, realising he was being flirty only seconds after he'd said it.
"But who do I owe a rescue?"
"Edward Church. And may I ask who the beautiful woman that I rescued is?" he asked gently, as he retrieved his wand from the floor.
She had to admit that being held in strong, but at the same time delicate and friendly arms was much more pleasant than being touched by such an ugly creature, who had just escaped. And the owner of those arms was enjoyably handsome, yet it was difficult to say, what exactly in his posture was so attaching. Mr. Seymour, for example, had this look of a tough guy, who knew exactly what he wanted. Despite this very weak light, Blanche was astonished by him. It was a rare situation in her life, because she thought that the men kind had no secrets from her.
"I'm fine, I just feel little dizzy" the woman answered, brushing one of her golden locks from her cheek. Her eyes met his gaze as he was examining her. Probably the man found her attractive, which wouldn't be surprising, at least not for her. Blanche knew how she looked and cared deeply about her appearance. In this woman there wasn't such a thing like fake modesty. She knew exactly what she wanted and she wasn't afraid to reach for it. So when she met his eyes a soft, concessive smirk appeared on her lips, as she looked directly into his eyes and straightened herself, feeling that new power is filling her veins. "It's nothing, sir. Do you see my wand anywhere? That man disarmed me before I was able to protect myself. Merlin, damn it."
Pain in the arms slowly became lower, so she made a few steps towards the main street. Shortcut through the back alley didn't appear as a good idea after what just happened. Blanche chuckled, when he told that her sight was enough prize for saving her dignity and most likely û her life. "I assume that you will be more than happy if I ask you for a small favor then." She said with a flirty tone in her voice. Her smile became even more dazzling than before. "After that horrible event, I'm afraid of going alone the rest of my way home. Would you be so kind and accompany me? I'd feel much more safer with such a brave man like you by my side." When he reveled his name and asked for her, she took off a hand towards him to allow him to kiss her palm. "A beautiful woman, who you just rescuedà " she looked at him with a playful spark in her eyes. "is named Blanche Hawk. Shall we, mister Church?"
"It's nothing, sir. Do you see my wand anywhere? That man disarmed me before I was able to protect myself. Merlin, damn it."
"I'll have a look for you," Edward smiled warmly, and he looked around the alleyway.
He kicked around at the floor, hoping to hear the wood rolling along the stone floor, and heard a slight clutter. He bent down, pulling out his wand again and casting the lumos spell, and illuminated the pavement. There on the dark brickwork was a wand, and he picked it up and offered it out to her.
"Yours I presume?"
He gently gave it to her, and put his own wand away, glad that he'd done the woman a service. He made eye contact with her, and felt that maybe she might be reciprocating the feelings he had towards her beauty about his looks.
"After that horrible event, I'm afraid of going alone the rest of my way home. Would you be so kind and accompany me? I'd feel much more safer with such a brave man like you by my side."
"Of course, Miss, I can't let a gorgeous woman like you get hurt..."
"A beautiful woman, who you just rescuedà is named Blanche Hawk. Shall we, mister Church?"
He could tell that she was deliberately acting seductive and playful, but he fell for it, and stepped closer, taking her hand, and leaning in to say a few words.
"We certainly shall, Miss Hawk," he whispered, winked, before leading her off out of the alley by the hand.
"Thank you" Blanche said gratefully as he gave her back the wand. She caressed gently the soft wood of the thing, before hiding it in her purse. The man was constantly staring at her, as if she was the very first woman he saw on earth. It was hilarious for her, but at the same time it assured her that she had a power over him. However, she felt some kind of connection between them as if they knew that they both were attracted to each other.
She smiled to him as he took her hand, her gaze was admiring his every move just like a saved woman should do. Blanche knew that men liked to feel that they are needed and without them a woman would never survive in this big, dangerous world. Such a rubbish! But she had to return some of the interest, which Edward gave her. She couldn't ignore him, because it would hurt his pride and cause anger. So she leaned her hand on his forearm and with a soft smile the woman let him lead herself off the dark back alley.
"You are too kind to me, sir. This way" she pointed direction with a small nod of her blond head. The alley led straight to the middle district of the village. "So mister Churchà " Blanche started after long while of silence. "I assume that you don't save damsels in distress each night and day, no matter how delightful it sounds. What are you doing? I felt strong muscles on your arms when you caught me, so I think that you are not just an ordinary white collar worker. Am I mistaken?"
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