Amici ed Amanti

Amici ed Amanti

~*~

Roman Holiday – Part 8

Two days.

Two days was all the time that had past since their return from that fateful trip to the seaside, but to Lucy Ann they seemed like an eternity. Liam spent his time acting like everything was fine between them, like nothing had happened. She knew better.

Gone was the playful banter they had always shared. He was very careful around her now, making sure that his words or actions could not be construed as anything other than what they were. It was as if she was a mere acquaintance rather than an intimate friend. Gone, too, were the comfortable silences between them. And that was what she hated the most.

Everything that they'd spent their entire lives building between them disappeared in the space of a few minutes of snogging.

Granted the snog was amazing, but was it worth the price of their friendship? She kept turning that over in her mind as Liam seemed to slip further and further away from her. There was now this gulf between them that neither knew how to repair.

She desperately wished now that she'd never accepted his offer to visit him in Rome. At least that way, she'd still have her best friend.

The front door slamming roused her from her thoughts. Liam was home.

They were going to have this out, one way or another because she couldn't stand this anymore. She would make him listen to what she had to say and he would believe her.

She stopped dead in her tracks halfway down the stairs when she saw who was in the foyer.

Isabella.

The bint was busy loading Costa down with her cases, parcels and robes, all the while scolding the little house elf. When she was done, she called out, "Liam! Sono a casa.!"

Lucy Ann watched her glance around until Bella's eyes landed on her. "He's not here."

"Where is he?"

"Out," she responded stiffly.

"Oh," the Italian witch purred, climbing the stairs only to stop right next to Lucy Ann. "That gives me time to freshen up because I'm sure my boyfriend will be very happy to see me."

She had to clinch her fists to refrain from slapping that smug little bint. She closed her eyes and drew in a slow, deep breath.

"Strike a chord there did I?" Bella taunted as she continued on up the steps, the shutting of Liam's bedroom door cut off the sound of her amused laughter.

She retreated to the lounge chair in the mottled shade beneath the wisteria covered arches on the terrace. If she stayed in the flat one moment longer she wasn't sure that she could have controlled the overwhelming desire to rearrange Bella's face. It was becoming an all consuming obsession the longer she was around that witch. Granted, she'd never liked any of Liam's previous girlfriends, but she could at least tolerate them. This one - this one made her want to just wrap her fingers around that long neck and squeeze.

"So," Bella drawled as she swept out onto the terrace in a red dress that left nothing to the imagination. She settled gracefully in the chair across from her. "Did you have a good time with my boyfriend while I was away?"

She narrowed her eyes as she regarded the other witch. "As a matter of fact, I did." It was the truth up until two days ago anyway, but the bint didn't need to know that.

"Don't think I don't know what you're about."

"Pray tell."

"You're trying to steal Liam for yourself," Bella said knowingly.

"We're friends."

"He'd never go for someone as plain as you."

"Does Liam know you speak English this well?" Lucy Ann threatened.

"He's rich, handsome and young," Bella continued. "He wants someone beautiful and fun, not someone dull like you."

"You have no idea what Liam wants!"

"I think it's obvious, don't you? He is with me, not you."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," Lucy Ann said smugly.

"Should I have a small wedding on the beach or a huge wedding? What do I care what you think, it's not like you'll be invited anyway." Bella grinned at her. "A big wedding I think. Of course, I'd have a one-of-a-kind dress made…."

"I wouldn't get too cozy with your dreams of a huge wedding," she said, cutting the other witch off.

"Why do you say that?"

"Two words: his Mum." Lucy Ann knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mrs. Malfoy would never, ever approve of that slag marrying her precious baby boy. The fireworks at Kew Gardens at New Year's would have nothing on that and what she wouldn't given to have front row tickets.

"That old bat isn't going to stop me from getting what I want," Bella said fiercely.

It was all she could do not to fall out of the chair laughing. That stupid bint really had no idea about Liam's mum. None. Nada. Zip. "You just go on deluding yourself about that because it's never going to happen."

"You're just jealous," the dark haired witch accused, her Italian accent becoming thick, "because he's mine!"

"I never claimed to own him, but if you want to get technical, he's been mine since kindergarten," Lucy Ann bristled, standing up to emphasis her point. "So if anyone could claim ownership, it would be me!"

Bella got up to loom over her, a wick, knowing smile curled her lips. "Yes, but which one of us is he fucking?"

The sound of flesh meeting flesh rented the air before she realized what had happened. Her hand stung from the force of the blow, it felt good though, but not nearly as good as seeing the reddening mark on the bint's cheeks. "That's all it is - fucking. He doesn't love you!"

"And you think he loves you?" she laughed bitterly, rubbing her cheek. "You're jealous. You came here to throw yourself at him and he rejected you and you can't stand it!"

It felt like all the air had been sucked out of her lungs. She knew that Bella had no idea how close she'd come to the truth with her wild stabbing in the dark. He had rejected her and it was a crushing blow. Their friendship was now in shambles. For what? A half drunken out of control snog? What was she thinking when she'd accepted his offer for a visit? Stupid, foolish romantic notions that's what and now sixteen years of friendship destroyed. But there was one thing she knew for sure, that bitch was never going to have Liam if she had anything to do with it.

"This isn't over yet," Lucy Ann threatened before turning to retreat to her room before she completely lost it. There was no way in bloody hell she was ever going to let that bint see her cry.

"Just remember you're not invited to the wedding!" Bella called after her.

She slammed her bedroom door shut, locking it with three different spells before casting a silencing charm before allowing herself to dissolve into tears. She indulged in a good crying jag, allowing all her frustration of the past few days to finally work itself to the surface. Exhaustion finally claimed her after a while.

The sun was low in horizon when Lucy Ann finally awoke, her tummy grumbled, reminding her that she hadn't had any lunch and it was time for dinner. She straightened her favorite green summer robes and hair before leaving the safety of her room.

It was at the landing when she heard it - Liam's raised voice, "Bella, fermata giusta!"

"Ma, ho pensato lei sarebbe felice di vederme," the bint responded.

"Bene, non sono."

They were in foyer just below her, arguing in loud voices. Lucy Ann only wished she understood Italian better so she knew what they were saying. She didn't feel the least bit guilt either for eavesdropping. From the sound of it, Liam wasn't all that happy to see the bint and she couldn't help the little feeling of thrill that was building in the pit of her stomach.

She watched from her vantage point as Bella tried to wrap herself around Liam.

"Fermata!" he said bitterly, forcefully untangling himself from her arms. "Non toccarme!"

"Che ha torto?" she asked softly. "Lei non me ama più?"

"Che ha torto?" he mocked. "Che ha torto?"

"È quella femmina non lo è? Lei ha avuto il sesso con l'ha fatto non?"

"Non osare la chiamata la sua una femmina ancora!" He grabbed her by the arms, shaking her hard.

"Lei me dolgono!" she cried.

Liam shoved her hard toward the front doors. "Uscire!"

"No, l'amo," she pleaded.

"Uscire!"

"No, l'amo."

"Lei te stesso ama soltanto. Uscire!"

Lucy Ann understood very little Italian, but she knew the phrase l'amo meant I love you and most importantly she understood Liam was ignoring the bint's desperate attempts at saying it. Her heart thudded in her chest at the knowledge that Liam didn't love Bella. She was just a shag, a beautiful, exotic shag and nothing more. She idly wondered if it was wrong to feel so giddy over the bint's misfortune, but then quickly decided that she really didn't care. That witch didn't deserve Liam Malfoy.

Her attention was brought back to the little drama playing out in the foyer by the slamming of the study door. Bella stood by the double entry doors looking stunned.

The study door opened abruptly. "And one more thing, my mother is not an old bat!"

"Che?" she uttered in confusion.

"Come off it, Bella! I overheard you and Lucy Ann arguing out on the terrace. I suspected you knew English better than you were letting on, but I had no idea just how well." He advanced on her again.

"You, you overhead," she stuttered.

"Yes, I did."

"She came here to steal you from me!" she said defensively.

"It is hard to lose something that never belonged to you."

"She's a whore!"

"She is my best friend. You call her a whore one more time and I will reverse my policy of not hitting women."

"Was she worth it? Did she scream for you or did she close her eyes and think of England?"

"Get the fuck out of my house," he said slowly and deliberately.

"Oh, that bad?" Bella asked priggishly.

"Get out!"

"You'll come crawling back to me soon enough when you're tired of your pasty little whore."

He opened the door. "Get out before you make me do something that I won't regret."

Bella's dark eyes narrowed as she spied her at the top of the landing. She turned, pressing herself suggestively against Liam as she whispered something in his ear before she waltzed out the door. He slammed the door closed as soon as the bint was through it, whispering several complicated locking spells before slumping against it.

Lucy Ann stood rooted, not believing what she had just witnessed. It was ugly and she was the cause of it, suddenly she didn't feel so well. She was torn between feeling giddy that the bint got exactly what she deserve and wondering just how much he'd overheard on the terrace. She had allowed the bint to goad her into an emotional response. It was just that she loved him so much and for so long that she couldn't help her reaction. She wanted to say something, anything to try to make this mess right, but was at complete loss for words.

He looked up at her then, just as her thoughts seemed to linger on him. Her cheeks reddened, embarrassed at being caught, before she could look away. "I can-" she started.

He shoved wearily away from the door. "I'm sorry you had to witness that."

"Liam," she said, starting down the steps.

"Save it." He held up his hand to her to stop any further words she might say. "I don't want to hear it right now."

He slipped into the study, shutting the door behind him. She plopped ungracefully down on the top step as she was unable to stop the strangled sob or tears.

"Miss Goosey," Costa said, bobbing beside her and patting her hand lightly. "Don't cry. Bad witch gone now!"

"I know," she said between sniffles. "She's gone because of me."

"'Tis good thing. She bad. Little master need good witch."

"I've ruined everything." She buried her face in her hands.

"Costa get Miss Goosey dinner. Come with me."

Costa conjured a scrumptious dinner for Lucy Ann while she prattled on and packed her cases for her departure tomorrow. All she could manage was pushing the food around on her plate with a fork and listen to the little house elf as she told stories about Liam when he was young.

She waited and waited for Liam. He didn't come so she readied for bed. She tried reading while Costa hovered over her, catering to her every whim. It was all that she could do to remain in her room. She wanted to go talk to him like she always did when his relationships went south, but this time things were different. Somehow she'd managed to embroil herself right in the middle of this one. It wasn't like she could waltz into his study make him laugh and tell him she'll always be there for him. No, this time she'd have to wait for him.

Morning came before she knew it. She'd slept fitfully, her eyes snapping open with any sound that could possibly be Liam. The study door was still closed when she ventured down to the kitchen for breakfast. She took her croissant, fruit and coffee out on the terrace in an attempt to enjoy her last morning in Rome.

"You forgot the strawberry jam." Liam was leant against the door jam holding a jar of her favorite jam. He looked like hell, hair messy, dark circles under his eyes and the same clothes he was wearing yesterday.

"Hi," she said softly.

He sat down across from her. "Hullo." He stole one of her croissants to slather liberally with jam before stuffing it in his mouth.

"Liam, about last night…we should talk."

"I don't want to talk about it," he said sternly, leaving no room for interpretation.

"Okay." She was at a loss, not knowing what to say or do, figuring it was just best to allow him to take the lead.

The morning was spent sitting together quietly. It was nothing like the companionable silences they used to share. This silence was looming and uncomfortable. She thought he looked like he was on the verge of saying something at any moment, but whenever he did speak it was just a simple question or comment. It was hard to keep the disappointment from showing in her face. She desperately wanted him to say something, anything really, about the previous afternoon, but he was pulling his stonewalling act. He was very good at keeping people at an arm's length when he wanted and it frustrated her to no end. She had so much to say to him, but there was no way he was going to listen to her, not right now anyway. So they sat in an uneasy silence.

"I suppose it's time," he said after checking his pocket watch. "Are you all packed?"

She nodded. "Yes, Costa helped me last night."

He stood up from the table. "I'll get your cases."

She slipped on her deep gray traveling robes and waited for him in the foyer.

"I think I got everything," he said when he stepped from the bottom step. He shrank everything and placed them in her new Louis Vuitton traveling case he insisted she have. "There, much more manageable."

"Thank you," she mumbled, reaching for the bag. Their fingers barely brushed, but the electric jolt of his touch rush through her body causing her heart to skip a beat.

He quickly grabbed her hand, pulling her close to him, then Apparating them to the Italian Ministry Floo hub. Once he made sure she was steady, he reluctantly released her hand so she could check in with the witch at the departure desk.

"She said it'd be about ten minutes," she informed him after walking back to where he stood by the windows. "I Floo to Paris and Portkey to London."

He simply nodded, not really looking at her. "I got you this." He produced a floppy little yellow duck stuffed animal from the pocket of his navy robes.

"Thank you," she said quietly, taking the little duck and hating the awkwardness of the situation.

"He's not a cute as Gustav, I know, but no duck could ever be that cute."

She laughed then, and it felt good, but the smile he gave her made her melt. That get-out-of-trouble half smile of his. No matter how hard she tired, she just wasn't immune to it. They lapsed into uncomfortable silence again as they stood side by side looking out over the cityscape of Rome.

"Honeychurch."

The sound of her name brought her back from her thoughts of confessing everything to him right then again and begging him to give her a chance to show him how much she loved him.

"That's me."

"Yeah," he said.

She searched his darkened grey eyes, looking for a hint of anything at all. "I should go." She started toward the terminal before she could start to cry.

"Goosey?" he asked awkwardly.

"Yes?" She stopped in her tracks, but refused to turn around. She didn't want him to see the tears that were already streaming down her cheeks.

He enveloped her in a tight hug and her arms went around his back to hold him even closer. She could feel the tension coursing through his body as he struggled with his own emotions.

"Last call for Honeychurch."

She weakly struggled against him, hoping he wouldn't release her. "I've got to go."

He sighed heavily before letting her go and watching her walk away. His mouth opened like he was going to say something, but he snapped it shut.

She turned to give him one last glance, to beg him to stop her before she tossed in the powder in the grate and shouted, "Paris."

But he had already Disapparated.

~*~