Heaven and Hell (2049)

"And thus it was that they looked upon the face of she who was indeed beautiful and took heart. For they that are indeed within Hope's embrace find the purest love..." Felipe closed the book, looking over his glasses at his companion.

"That was lovely." Eglantine murmured, smiling as she refilled his tea cup. "You read splendidly." He snorted at her praise but took the cup.

"You only say that cause I'm the only one here." He remarked pointedly.
"No... I say the truth." She never allowed his total acidic nature to cause them trouble. Only having known him for five months, during which time it had been off and on, Eglantine seemed to have gotten to know him far better than he knew her. It both irked and amazed him.

Although he had first sought her company with romantic thoughts in mind; quickly that line of thought had morphed into an entirely different creature. They were friends and both were happy with the arrangement. He bored quickly of his kin and she needed a rest from her students and lack of family, who were constantly busy.

They had at first glance very little in common. But slowly it could be seen that under their facades of reservation, in Eglantine's case and gruffness, in Felipe's, they both held broken hearts.

"Ack! Woman, you forgot the milk again!" Felipe spat out the tea, his tongue burnt from the heat. Eglantine laughed into her hand, a sound that Felipe found strangely uplifting. Normally he brought women to tears by his rough manners and scalding words. He liked that she took it as who he was and simply ignored it.

"You didn't request it." She countered, handing him the small cream pitcher.
"I... I didn't request it?!" he rolled his eyes crossly and dumped a sizable amount into his tea. "Merlin, a good hostess should know these things..." he muttered.

"Tell me about Dante..." Eglantine requested, changing the subject.
"Why the devil would you want to hear about him?" Felipe huffed, sipping his still too hot tea.
"You said you had his complete works."
"So does every complete library on the bloody planet."
"Please..."
Felipe shook his head, not today. They were going to discuss something more...optimistic. He was fine being a grumpy pessimist without a care for the world... but it didn't seem right for her to be lost in despairing thoughts as well.

"Let's go for a walk." he offered instead, setting his cup down. She looked disappointed, but she'd get over it, he was certain.
"Very well." Leaving the living room table to fetch their cloaks, Eglantine missed the worried glance Felipe tossed after her.
She was attached to darker things; ways to hide and cover herself or her thoughts. Again, he pushed it away. A walk would set them both to rights.
Taking the black cloak she handed him, Felipe noted its sombre colour for the first time. Perhaps he really was no one to judge her.

Not a gentleman, Felipe unconsciously left Eglantine to close the door and lock it as he began to walk down the sidewalk. His long strides slowed to allow her to catch up. The silence was comfortable as they walked. The air was crisp and freezing, but he enjoyed rugged weather. Plus the cloak and a heating charm kept him quite comfortable.

"Why don't you retire?" he asked suddenly.

Eglantine had been concentrating entirely on trying to keep herself warm and therefore his question caught her off guard.
"I beg your pardon?" she stopped walking, her silver cane making a resounding tap against the frozen stone.

"You heard me." Honestly Felipe could be so difficult sometimes.
"Why would I want to retire?" He stood about a meter in front of her, having turned to speak to her.
"Why do you want to teach? You wanted to talk about Dante... Hell's very definition is built within those walls. A bunch of snivelling ungrateful gits the lot of them."

Eglantine took a shallow breath, her lungs couldn't take a full one. The air was too cold. Even with several heating charms and her layered robes and cloak, she still felt the cold biting at her skin and flesh.
"You wouldn't understand..." she murmured, continuing on with their walk.

Felipe followed after her.
"Try me!" Eglantine didn't want to, but his hand touched her shoulder, pulling her to a stop and she was forced to look up at him.
"It is my life." Felipe didn't believe her, but he let it go.

"Fine... I left my life job and retired."

"You had a wife to go to."

"She's dead now."

"You didn't plan it..." Ah... the truth came out.

"You just don't want to face an empty house." Felipe folded his arms against the cold and gave her his best glare.

"And you hate a full one." The retort was sharp and unlike her. But the apology that followed closely on its heels was her to a T...

"So what? Empty... full... you've still got a life. Call up your husband and get him to come back."
"He doesn't want to."
"I doubt that. With your looks, he'd crawl back."
Eglantine almost stupified him.
"Oh stop it."
"What I'm being serious here." Throwing up his hands he gave up.
"Fine... live however you want. I don't care anyway." But he did, and he found that that bothered him more than anything.

They fell back into a comfortable stride, with two of Eglantine's strides to every one of Felipe's.
"Don't you though..." she murmured. Felipe's jaw clenched.
"I wouldn't lie to you, daft woman." he huffed, his tone not nearly as hard as he'd wanted it to be.
"You lie to yourself, why not to me." Eglantine cut in front of him, her cane not allowing him to go further as it touched his shins.

It was irony in itself that she had to look up at him; yet that he felt oddly captivated by her piercing emerald eyes.
"I do not lie to myself." he finally grounded out, anger beginning to rise in his voice.
"Yet you dare to claim I do." She had a point and it only further burnt against his already flaming pride.

"I've walked long enough." Felipe murmured, reaching to take Eglantine's elbow, less than gently pushing her cane aside. She remained silent allowing him to pull her along as they headed back to the McKevin residence.

They reached the door in a far shorter time than it had taken to walk away from it, partially due to the fact that Felipe had not slowed his pace and partly since no words were exchanged.

Knowing his every thought was written on his face, he forced himself to swallow the bitterness and slowly his frown lessened and his eyes ceased sparking flames.
"Do come in." Eglantine murmured, her calm facade in perfect order.
He did as she instructed and made himself comfortable on the couch as she hung up their cloaks.

Running a hand over his forehead and hair, he sighed. Eglantine seated herself beside him, although he could measure the large amount of space she left vacant between them. Partly he wanted to apologize, but pride reared its head and the thought quickly passed.
"Thanks." he mumbled, taking the tea cup she had conjured for him. It escaped his notice that her gloved hands were shaking and that her normally pale face was nearly chalk-like.

"Cream." The single word was like a balm as she smiled up at him, offering the very thing he had forgotten in their earlier tea. Taking it, he added some to his tea and sat back. His slowly returning goodness was halted as he finally saw the condition his hostess was in. Gentleman or not, he wasn't about to let her freeze to death on his watch. Telling her as much, he cast a warming charm on her clothing and then the couch.

She thanked him softly, eyes dropping to the carpeting.
"I do care..." he whispered, an out of character moment dragging the words from his soul.
"What?" Eglantine looked up sharply, her eyes wide.
"I do..." he repeated. His arm went around the small woman's back, pulling her across the expanse of fabric and cushion until he could feel her shallow breaths against his neck. Tilting her head back, he felt how icy her chin felt against his warm fingers. She was like an ice nymph, that should he warm, could very well melt away.

"Don't." she warned, her gloved fingers reaching to touch his cheek.
"Why not?" he countered, sparks of lust entering his eyes.
"Horatio." The single word meant so much and yet so little. He was her husband, the man she loved and the man to whom she was bonded for all eternity. But to Felipe, he was but a constant thorn and unwelcome burden on Eglantine's shoulders.
"To hell with him." Felipe's words were followed by an action that very well fitted them.

His lips gently melded against Eglantine's and their first kiss began.
He waited for her to push against him, to hear her whispered curses and feel the pain of Excessum, but instead he was pleasantly surprised to feel her return the kiss, even deepening it as her arms wound around his neck and pulled him closer to her. It was heaven and it was hell; he was a devil-temptor and she a fallen angel.

Kiara popped outside the McKevin house... it was odd to her... the McKevin house and no Horatio McKevin living in it anymore...

It Saddend her.. that Horatio and Eglantine seperated... but she prefer them to seperate then having then nearly kill eachother like they did last time..

Rubbing her hands together from the cold she walked to the front door only intending to talk to Eglantine for a moment. She was curious if she wanted to come over to her and Ciaran's place for dinner on her birthday.. or if she made plans for that day she wasn't sure. She thought it would be nice.... the house was more quiet now... Beagan had moved into his own place a few years ago and was currently studying to get his masters in charms. And Greta had went traveling to a different country's so unless there grandkids were over.. or neices and nephews the McConn house was quite quiet.... it would be nice to have Eglantine over... if she wanted to that was...

She raised her hand and knocked on the door, pretty sure she was home, as the light could be seen on in the window.

Eglantine sat up, blinking sleepily as she heard someone knock on the door. A smile flickered across her pale features when she looked down and saw Felipe's snoozing form. Romance for each and every person rarely was the same. They had fallen asleep after a lengthy loving moment and she gently pulled from his arms. She had missed the feel of arms around her at night... but not wanting to linger on that thought, she straightened her hair and approached the door.

It was Kiara. That much she knew before she even unlocked the door and slid it open.
"Hello." she murmured, knowing that she didn't have a hair nor wrinkle out of place. The only evidence of Felipe's presence was his form on the couch and perhaps the light garbling he made in his sleep. It was nothing like Horatio's heavy snores. "So wonderful to see you, lieb. Come in."

Kiara smiled when Eglantine answered the door, welcomeing the warmth of the house inside.

"Thank you same, to you Eglantine" she said softly upon seeing someone sleeping on the sofa. She cast a curious look to the name in the house and then back at Eglantine. Simply who he was.. kinda curious.. not what is he doing here curious...

"Just wanted to stop by and talk with you for a little bit, I am on my way to watch little Casey and I have some extra time before I need to be there.." she explained breifly.

"I am curious though.. what are you doing for your bithday? If you hadn't planned anything you are welcome to come over for dinner" She said and then she pasued her eyes still on the man on the sofa.

"Is he a firend of yours?" she asked softly once agai n so not to wake the guest.

"Oh how thoughtful." Eglantine smiled, nonchalantly vanishing the remains of their forgotten tea from the table. She mused over how Kiara might view the current picture of the sleeping man and lack of other persons... not to mention the fact she was both married and yet all but divorced. Life seemed to love its every twists.

"I had no plans..." she murmured, remembering that her birthday was in fact in two days and that Sevie would no doubt forget due to his schooling. She'd never really celebrated her birthday, allowing her loved ones to enjoy the time with her, but forgetting the day herself. With Horatio gone and Sevie lost in Hogwarts' social life, Kiara seemed to be the only one to remember the day of her birth. "That sounds lovely. Thank you."

Green eyes drifted from Kiara to Felipe's inert form.
"At times." she chuckled, gently touching his arm.

His eyes wearily opened, blinking in the dim light of the room.
"Confound it, woman!" he huffed loudly, a few choice words following that seemed to amuse Eglantine.
"Felipe, this is my daughter, Kiara McConn. Kiara, this is Felipe Blethyn."

"Ah, the Headmistress of that cracker-barrel-nuthouse." he sneered, rising to his feet and towering over both women.

Kiara couldn't help but find her self... curious about the relationship between the man and her mother. But kept it to her self it wasn't her place to judge.. and her and Horatio were seperated... yes still technically married, but they didn't act much like husband and wife now did they..

No matter what relationship Eglantine wanted to pursue with this man was her business...

Kiara rasied an eye brow to Felipes reaction to Eglantine waking him up... it could be concidered comical.. she would admit.

She did have her hand out to shake, when he sneered and insulted her school with the oldest insult in the book.

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Blethyn.. and yes I am the Headmistress of that cracker-barrel-nuthouse......" she said almost rolling her eyes at the old insult, her late muggle mother gave much better ones.

"Pleasure." Felipe returned, shaking Kiara's hand rather roughly. He found, after having been so rudely awoken, that manners hardly applied. "You've got gall anyway." he continued, unwilling to admit he found her return to his gruff slam to her occupation rather endearing. He liked people who stood up without making a scene. Simple unadorned defense was better than anger.

"Do sit down, love." Eglantine encouraged Kiara, at the same time conjuring another tea set. Felipe seated himself without an invitation, his signature scowl imprinted upon his face.

"So, you're married to Captain McConn. How many kids you got?" he asked, his manner showing plainly he could care less, despite his inward curiosity. He was chastised for his rudeness with a subtle gesture from Eglantine as she handed the piping hot cup directly to him, the saucer following behind. He burnt his finger and mischievous delight flickered within the infuriating woman's eyes. Biting his tongue, he kept from swearing, if only to not give her the satisfaction.

Kiara sat down with them, took the offered cup of tea, while raising a eye brow at Felipe..

"Thank you" she said simply, weather is was ment to be complent or not she wasn't sure..

She blinked at his rather blunt and random question about her and Ciaran, and since he really didn't seem all that interested she gave him a short anwser, "We have 5 children" she said as she took a sip of her tea.

She wasn't quite sure what to think of her mothers companion, he seemed rather rude at this first glance, she wondered how extactly they met..

Five... hardly a reasonable number in his opinion, but he refrained from saying so. Concise was nice anyway, and he grunted in reply, glowering down at his hot tea.

"Cooling charm?" Eglantine suggested, sipping her own luke warm beverage. Felipe glared at her. She knew he hated cold tea... too hot was better than too cold any day. It just said how difficult a man he was. No, too stubborn to heat it and too stubborn to cool it. And willing to complain and huff the whole way through.

Tucking an arm around Eglantine's delicate waist, he leaned back against the couch, his gaze only a decimal or so away from glaring at Kiara. Her presence was hardly welcome, in his less than humble opinion. Kids, not matter the age, always seemed to pop up just when they were entirely unwanted.
Eglantine, being of a different opinion, winked at her daughter, hoping she wouldn't begin to believe Felipe was simply all bad manners and gruff rudeness.

"Have you ever met George Blethyn?" she asked Kiara, deciding that more time given to Felipe would only spoil everything. "He's in Slytherin, same year as Sevie."

Kiara had to stop her self from laughing when Eglantine winked at her while Mr. Felipe Blethyan was a inch away from glaring daggers at her... didn't take half a brain to know he didn't want her there...

However at the moment in time, his opinion didn't really matter to her.. he was a guest in her mothers house just as she was... the only ones opinion she cared about was Eglantines.. as long as Eglantine was happy with her visit. That was good enough for her. However Felipe's currant aditiude did remind her of a certian Severus Snape... he could glare all he wanted at her... she didn't care.

At the question she thought for a moment, and nodded "The name sounds familiar, I believe I know who you are talking about."

She turned to Felipe.

"Relative?"

"Unfortunately..." Felipe sneered, as George was far from his favourite in his granddaughter's pack of children. Little Patty, George's sister, with her intelligence and pretty face had captured the fairly ill-tempered man, but he himself had only ended up fearing the dirt he walked on.

"Indeed, his great-grandson." Eglantine pointed out, ignoring the stab young George had been given. Sevie and George were best friends, despite their nearly opposite natures. "Sevie and he are friends."

Rolling his eyes, Felipe grunted.
"Hardly, more so snake and shadow..."

Kiara felt increacingly awkward.. she couldn't picture how any grandparent could talk about there Grandchildren like that. " Why do you say that? " she asked Felipe.

Caleb her oldest Grandson was also in hogwarts.. a year ahead of Sevie and his firend. She was quite proud of her Grandson.. he got into his far share of touble but who didn't?

Not for the first time did she wonder a the that moment what Eglantine saw in the scowling man in front of her.

Felipe chuckled.
"Why do I say what?" He returned, contemplating the fact that Kiara seemed the type to adore her children and grandchild alike. Well, he did love the boy, even if he was a disgrace to the Blethyn name. But that was not a fact he liked to proclaim to the world. "The boy is hardly worthy of the title of Slytherin much less my delight of his birth or raising." he explained, his tone demeaning as though she were no more than a curious child.

Eglantine chuckled softly, amused by the exchange.
Catching Kiara's eye, she mouthed, 'He really does love the child.'

Kiara raised a eye brow at him, " I see..." She said refraiming from her first instinct to defend the boy, even though she didn't know him to well.

"If you say so" she mouthed back to Eglantine.

She was even more curious now how Eglantine and this gruff old man met.. he was quite the opposite her mother it seemed.. Atleast the Egantine she knew....

Felipe resisted the urge to laugh with great difficulty. The raised eyebrow was something he'd seen quite often with Eglantine, although to be honest, he doubted it had anything to do with genes.

"So what does being a Headmistress entail, besides wiping runny noses and thrashing brats?" Felipe chortled, seriously he doubted that Kiara hadn't in fact done both, but that was beside the point.

Kiara blinked at his question, she would hardly call the children at hogwarts cry babies...

" I run the school, maintain the wards, Teach my own class for advanced spells... occasionally dealing with the ministry to keep them out of the school business... cordinated the teachers scheduals so everyything is balanced..." she said though it felt strange to speak of her job...

"What of you? what do you do?" she asked the she assumed he was reitired.. she didn't want to make that assumption aloud.

Felipe grumbled inwardly as she turned the question back on him. Honestly he hadn't expected that.

"I did work for the ministry... but I'm retired, relieved and rejoicing." sarcasm dripped from his words. "Babysit for my children and grandchildren and this one..." he poked Eglantine's arm, drawing a smile from her. "Makes me read to her. Dante and horrific other titles unfit for a true lady's eye."

Kiara had a contemplating look on her face, "Ah I see" she was starting to see perhaps Eglantine was amused by this man's antics. He certainly had a unique aditude on things. Which in her opinon was putting it nicely.

She couldn't help but laugh at his comment, something told her he wasn't that against it.. as he did it anyway.

"She makes you does she?" She said as she sent a amused glance to Eglantine.

"And how are they unfit?"

She seemed attaching to 'seeing' everything, Felipe noted with disdain. He thought about telling her to 'get a new line', but decided against it... True he was an unpleasant fellow, but he was not beyond salvage.

Eglantine returned the glance, her eyes sparkling with barely controlled mirth.
"Indeed I do." she smiled.

"Depressing the whole lot of em." Felipe bellowed, releasing his one-armed embrace of Eglantine and slamming his cup on the table. "In my day, a woman read what fluffy romance and humour she could, but not this one." Eglantine sighed, partly from weariness and partly from amusement. "Oh no, she wants to discuss hell, and demons, Dante's 7th ring of hell and Marlowe's Doctor Faustus."

Kiara seemed unsurprised with Eglantines interest in the darker kinds of books, she herself wasn't much for romance novels... Love poems read by Ciaran on the other hand....

Kiara laughed "Ah.. well I would think it would be rather odd if every woman have the same interest in books sir..." She said finding his behaivor almost comical

Felipe snorted, folding his arms over his chest.
"Indeed, but as they say, 'the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree'."

Unexpectedly, Eglantine's smile faded as his statement echoed through her mind. No... she didn't even want it mentioned that Kiara was like her, not even by the mocking only semi serious Felipe.

"How is Rossa doing?" she asked, subtly changing the topic.

Kiara nodded, almost looking like she agreed with him. Some ways she and Eglantine were a like others however they were very different.

"Yes, but the acron is still entirely seperate and indepandant from it mother tree, difference's are bound to occure.." she said and she left it at that.

She turned to Eglantine at her question, "She is well, busy I know for certian, she is starting her own ward now. In pediatrics at St. Mungos, why she is so busy now and that I need to watch little Casey while Demyan works on a potion, in another 20 minutes or so" she said with a smile. Casey reminded her so much of Rossa when she was little. If she didn`t know any better she would have said that were twins.

He had to hand it to her... her response was such that he could find no current fault with it. Yet.

Figuring 'Rossa' to be one of Kiara's children, he looked out the window, suddenly more interested in the leaves rushing by, propelled by the raging wind.
"Storm coming." he murmured, his usual pessimism rising even as his mood fell. Not that it had fall to drop.

Eglantine nodded, glad to hear both her granddaughter and great-granddaughter were doing well. "How lovely." she smiled, thinking firstly that it wasn't good for Demyan and Rossa to be so busy, but happy that Kiara was able to spend time with the girl. She wished she herself had time to offer to Rossa... but between her classes, getting Sevie out of trouble and her various other... 'works', she was swamped.

Kiara nodded to Eglantine, "Only for a few hours, I have to get back to Hogwarts after that. Rossa said she would be done at the hospital by then" she quickly explained. Rossa wasn't married to her job by any means and loved her daughter and husband more then anything... like her mother she made sure to be there for her family work or none..

Her eyes turned to Felipe at his mutter and looked out side, "Indeed..."

She then felt the awkward silence and sighed... it seemed things were truely over between Eglantine and Horatio... both had been hurt to deeply by the other..

From the obseved behavior between the two, Kiara was sure they were more then firends.. and the fact she found him sleeping on Eglantines couch.. like he was right at home...

She was glad Eglantine was happy again.. and she would try and get along with the man for her sake...

" Well... I should be going, See you later Eglantine" she said with a smile. Her dark blue eyes turned to Felipe and nodded her head to him.

"Mr. Blethyn, enjoy ther rest of your evening" she said as she rose form her seat.

Eglantine nodded, looking from Kiara to Felipe and then back again.
"Do say hello for me." she murmured, smiling. She had plans to return to Hogwarts that evening as well. Although it was more so to give a detention to her son and his friends... Mainly due to the fact that they had played a prank on two first year Gryffindors, resulting in a broken nose and inner house fractions. Sevie's nose would heal, but punishment for the prank had to dealt out... Usually the Head of Slytherin gave detentions to its members, but due to her position as his mother, she had requested the 'honour'...

Rising, Eglantine escorted her daughter to the door.
"Kiara." she whispered, taking the younger woman's hand. "I tried..." pain laced her words and she dropped her eyes to the floor. "I honestly did."

Felipe snorted at Kiara's words.
"Indeed I plan to."