Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Amici ed Amanti - Roman Holiday Part 3
Lucy Ann shrugged off her jumper before resizing her cases and unpacking a bit. She chided herself for being unable to shake the image of Liam's bare chest, not to mention the trail of fine pale gold hair that disappeared tantalizingly beneath the low waist band of his pyjamas. What she wouldn't give to...it was wrong to think of her best friend that way.
She shook her head hard to clear the image from her mind then splashed cold water on her flushed cheeks. It was all that other witch's fault she was in such state. If Bella wasn't around, draping herself all over Liam then everything would be okay. If only she were back in school...
"You have got to get a hold of yourself girl," she admonished herself as she picked out a simple pale yellow linen sundress decorated with lavender sprigs of flowers and brown leather sandals.
With a few quick styling spells, Lucy Ann's long chestnut colored hair was twisted up in an intricate knot. After a cursory glance in the mirror, she was prepared to face brunch with Liam and his bint.
Bella was lounging gracefully in one of the chairs in the shade sipping a glass of orange juice when she walked out on the garden terrace. Just as Liam warned, the day was hot already, but there was a nice breeze blowing to keep it from being unbearable.
Lucy Ann took the seat across from the dark haired witch. There was just something about this other witch that made just made her want to kill. She was going to put her best foot forward if it killed her despite the welling animosity. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Lucy Ann."
"Mmm," Bella purred, carefully looking her up and down.
"I went to school with Liam," she continued on, feeling the need to fill the space with idle chatter while she slathered a croissant with strawberry jam. "We've practically known each other our whole lives. Where did you meet him?"
Bella scrunched up her nose at her companion's breakfasting habits. "My English is not so good. I know not what you speak."
"I'm sorry! I don't speak Italian - just enough to get by," Lucy Ann explained awkwardly, wishing Liam would show up to break the tension. She couldn't remember ever feeling this uncomfortable around a witch he was dating - there was just something about this one in particular that set her on edge.
"Buon giorno!" Liam's voice stopped her mutinous thoughts of wondering where Bella kept her wand and where she'd love to stick it. "Che bel giorno con due donne magnifiche!" He settled in the seat across from Bella and began filling his plate with food.
Lucy Ann thought she was going to melt into a puddle right there on the spot if he didn't stop speaking in Italian - her wildest fantasy almost come true. It was one thing for him to speak English, but dear Merlin in Avalon, the way the Italian rolled so easily off his tongue. Why, why, why couldn't she have taken Italian instead of French?
"Va essere l'oggi caldo," Bella said, nibbling on grapes. "Sarebbe un giorno buono essere pigro."
He chuckled. "Non oggi mio dolce. Are you finding enough to eat, Goosey?"
"Uh, what? Oh yes," Lucy Ann responded, shaking her head to clear the thoughts of him whispering naughty things to her in Italian. She grabbed another croissant, nearly knocking over the pitcher of orange juice in the process. She could just feel Bella's scathing stare.
He caught the pitcher before it could spill, averting a disaster, and settling back in his chair like nothing happened. "I unfortunately have to go into work this afternoon for a bit. I thought you were coming this evening. I can't get out of it."
"It's all right, not your fault there was a misunderstanding," she said while leveling a dark look at the witch across the table. Bella gave her a slow smile in return.
"Good, that is settled. Bella will keep you company this afternoon, far� non lei mio dolce?"
"Si, sarebbe il mio piacere."
Liam gave Isabella a warm smile while pulling her towards him by the hand so he could lavish it with a kiss. "All right, I must go, but I'll be back as soon as possible. Lucy Ann, make yourself at home. Bella is going out of town for a few weeks, but she's not leaving for a couple hours yet."
"Okay." She tired not to seem crestfallen at the prospect of spending the afternoon with the bint.
He hugged her from behind, whispering in her ear, "Bella is fantastic once you get to know her."
Lucy Ann could feel her watching the exchange through narrowed eyes.
He took the black robes the little house elf was holding for him and slipped it on over his sky blue silk shirt and charcoal gray trousers before Disapparating.
Faced with spending the afternoon with that witch, she decided to make the best of breakfast, filling her plate with eggs, fruit and bread.
"Another croissant?" Bella asked critically, in lightly accented, but otherwise perfect English. She stood, smoothing out her pale blue raw silk sundress over her lush curves before heading inside. She turned to face Lucy Ann from just past the double doors, her voice dripped with pure venom, "You are already, how do you English say it? Ah, yes, sturdy."
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