[fic] grey magic [8/?]
Title: Grey Magic
Rating: T/PG
Summary: As a Slytherin Arizona Robbins knows that her crush on a Gryffindor has every chance of causing problems. But with the Triwizard Tournament again at Hogwarts and mysterious things seeming to seek out Alex Karev, her best friend, the Romeo and Juliet thing she has going with Callie Torres is the least of her issues.
{Grey's Hogwarts AU} The gang's all here, somewhere, but the focus is going to be Callie/Arizona.
The thrashing of the wind and rain was audible even over the roars of the students in the stands, making the speed at which the players were moving through the dark air reckless, if not outright dangerous. Madame Hooch hadn't tried yet to stop the first Gryffindor/Slytherin game of the season, though, regardless of the storm raging around them all - players on the pitch and the crowds on their feet.
Arizona ducked to avoid the bludger Callie sent straight at her but could see her girlfriend's smirk easily enough. There was no time to find the quaffle before the next bludger was barreling in her direction from Mark Sloan's bat. She had to drop her broom into a tight spiral, hanging under the handle while the ball shot just over her face.
It was simpler to dive than try to right herself, the wind and rain driving her down toward the pitch. Mark was looking down as she was forced to angle her route back into the game, gusts endeavoring to keep her from the higher altitude. Meredith Grey whipped past in pursuit of the Snitch, or maybe she just couldn't steer past the wind, shouting at her teammate to get moving. Alex sent a bludger after them as further incentive.
The score fluctuated back and forth between either team, the Chasers doing everything they could to keep the ball moving. Arizona couldn't spare the time to find either Seeker before she was deflecting another bludger from Sloan, sending it after Gryffindor Chaser George O'Malley. Slytherin widened their lead.
Arizona could hear Callie yelling at Mark to get his head in the game even over the wind but she didn't let it slow her down, passing them to meet an arching bludger and send it at the nearest Gryffindor that wasn't her girlfriend.
The sharp crack of a bat against something hard, easily mistaken as lightning in the storm, was her only warning before the bludger's pair caught her in the shoulder a minute later, the burst of pain nearly knocking her from the sky. She kept her grip with one leg and the uninjured arm but was again hanging under her broomstick, rain pelting her face and blinding her.
Gryffindor scored while she was righting herself, sitting upright and stretching the impacted arm slowly. Madame Hooch circled to check on her, yelling to make herself heard over the storm and the stands. “Can you play?”
Her good hand waved off the concern, sore but her arm unbroken. Probably, at least. Arizona felt sure she could play. The bludger hadn't hit her batting arm, though she had dropped her bat in her efforts to keep herself on her broom. The referee tossed the retrieved baton to her, nodding as Arizona caught it ably and gave a few demonstrative swings.
A sharp whistle recommenced the game before Callie could get close enough to check on her but Arizona sent her a reassuring smile, remaining still for just long enough to straighten her injured arm and get a grip on the handle of the broom. The storm made it impossible to steer with just her legs. Callie veered off in the opposite direction as the quaffle passed them, pursuing a bludger Arizona could barely see through the heavy, cold rain.
Fortunately she saw the other coming before it got to her, her shoulder protesting sharply as she dove to avoid it. She gritted her teeth and swung as it angled toward Addison Montgomery, her team's Keeper. Arizona couldn't help smirking as she sent it straight at Mark Sloan. Watching him swerve to avoid more than a glancing blow was worth the dull ache of pain in her own side.
Despite only being mid-afternoon the storm had rendered it nearly too dark to see and Arizona was not the only one relieved by the chime that signaled the end of the game. It was almost inconsequential that Slytherin had won. She just wanted to get on the ground and in front of a fire. The rain had drenched them all through, the wind ensuring that as soon as adrenaline from the game wore off they'd all be shaking.
They'd scarcely touched down before before yelling had erupted on the ground, Hunt laying into Sloan about his actions during the game. Alex was there a moment later, tearing across the wet grass toward the taller boy, leaving his broom behind him, both fists clenched.
Arizona barely got ahead of him, planting her sore shoulder in his middle and pushing back. Her feet slid and slipped against the turf but she managed to keep him from doing something they'd be made to regret. “He's not worth it, Alex,” Arizona ground out, shoving him back when her feet caught traction.
“Try it again!” Alex shouted over her, anger overwhelming sense. “We're both here now! You want to take us on, come on! We're right here, Sloan!” Everyone was on the ground now, though only a few had fled the rain. Most were watching them. “You're a coward!” Alex declared in front of everyone, catching his breath and lowering his volume only a little. He stepped up beside Arizona deliberately, though her back was to Mark and the Gryffindor team. Alex spit a mouthful of rain and sweat at their feet.
“Alex!” Arizona was quiet but stern. She jerked on his sleeve hard. “Slythern team, to the locker room. Now.” She didn't move until he did, following his stomping stride off the pitch with only one look behind her. Owen was in front of Mark, his glare withering, but he met her gaze for a grateful, serious nod. Callie stepped out of Mark's shadow, Meredith at her side, just before Arizona turned back to follow her team off the field. Beyond the Gryffindors the watching crowds started to dissipate, leaving a line of Durmstrang students surveying the Slytherins retreat.
The locker room was quiet with tension as everyone reconvened after getting into dry clothes. Alex was firmly staring at Arizona but she wouldn't meet his gaze. The rest of the team could feel the quiet frustration brewing between the pair of them and didn't know how to react to it.
Arizona's hair was still dripping as she addressed them, no more eager than anyone to extend the awkwardness. “Good work out there. It wasn't easy but it's done.” She rubbed her sore arm gingerly, hiding a grimace and steadfastly not looking at Alex. Thunder accented her words. “I'll see you all at practice on Tuesday. Have a good night.”
Alex waited until they were alone before he made a noise, huffing as he sat down to put on dry shoes. “He was targeting you the whole time.” He looked up, frowning. “If we don't fight back it's never going to stop.”
“I'm not saying we don't fight back,” Arizona countered, speaking over him when he started to protest her intervention on the field. “I'm saying we don't get in a fight in front of the whole school, Alex!”
“If I'd had my wand -”
“If you'd had your wand we wouldn't have our prefect badges anymore,” she snapped at him. The reminder calmed him down enough to hear her. “We're smarter than him. Let's act like it. We don't have to make any moves where everyone can see.” If Mark's temper had gotten him into trouble then so had Alex's. The Gryffindor boy clearly hadn't learned from his mistake but they were going to. The fight the first week of school had been public and would have been much messier if anyone besides Tim had come upon it.
Considering, Alex nodded slowly, leaned over his knees to wring his hands together. “Okay, so what are we going to do?”
Now that things had calmed down Arizona's arm was starting to throb and she moved gingerly. “We're not going to do anything.” Alex's groan of frustration made her have to repeat herself. “We're going to watch our backs until he does something dumb. Away from the rest of the school.” Alex looked intrigued, sitting up straighter. “I'm not saying we're going to jump him, Alex,” Arizona clarified with a pointed look. “We're defending ourselves, like always. We're just not going to let him catch us on our own.”
“And when he does something stupid?” It was a challenge. How far would she let things go?
Arizona took a deep breath, holding it for a few beats to test the pain response in her ribs. Her left side was sore but not too painful. It also gave her a moment to decide what to say. Before she could answer the door to their locker room opened slowly, prefaced only by a brief knock. “Arizona?” Callie peeked in cautiously. “Are you okay? I wanted to get here faster but -” she trailed off, relieved at the sight of her girlfriend on her feet but sensing that she'd interrupted something. “I'm sorry...”
“What, for your buddy trying to kill her?” Alex asked, sarcastic but not directly hostile. He stood up as Callie entered, moving restlessly and swiping both hands on his pants. “I'm out of here.”
"Alex,” Arizona protested, but he was already moving through the door.
“Was it something I said?” asked Callie with a sigh, looking over her shoulder at his retreat.
“Mark's not around, is he?” Arizona checked, stepping up to Callie and touching her sore arm absently.
Noticing a grimace, Callie pulled her hand down gently so she could inspect the injury herself. “No, he's in the Tower. Hunt is pissed about that shit he pulled during the game.” Arizona's shoulder was covered by her shirt but Callie pinched and lifted the fabric to try and get a glimpse of the bruise Arizona could feel warming up on her arm. “I bet he's still yelling,” Callie mused, tilting her head and frowning when she couldn't see much. “I got away -”
“If you want me to take my shirt off you could just say so.” Arizona's voice was close and warm, and Callie seemed to simultaneously go stiff and jump in response.
She breathed deep, glancing up to find blue irises, dark and deep, watching her expression. Her breath came out stuttery and Callie didn't know herself if she was going to move forward or back. The lump in her throat went down thickly but she didn't move. Her next breath blew out through her nose and a shiver made Arizona's shoulders tremble. It was chilly in the locker room in spite of their personal space - or lack thereof - and Arizona had changed clothes but her hair was still soaked, her skin cool and soft from the remaining damp.
The tension stretched but didn't snap, Arizona pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. She'd only just started to sway back toward Callie, head cocking, when her girlfriend finally spoke, “Whoa.”
“What?” asked Arizona, surprised and suddenly anxious that she'd misread signals. She withdrew quickly but the lockers behind her kept her from going too far. “Sorry -”
Callie blinked in her own clear surprise and shook her head. “No, I just -” She smiled and Arizona felt her knees tremor. “You're flirting to distract me.” A pale mouth opened to deny it, lips turning up in a relieved smile, but Callie continued before she could. “Just let me see how bad it is, please?” Arizona's growing smile seemed to wilt a little. “Then I'll be more than happy to kiss you. No promises on taking your shirt off, though.”
Smirking, Arizona took care of that for her. At least partially, guiding her t-shirt up and over her injured arm and head, though she let the crumpled fabric preserve most of her modesty while her girlfriend looked at the dark purple bruise that was still spreading across her fair skin.
“Ouch,” Callie whispered in helpless sympathy. One hand reached for the injury but she didn't touch it, her fingers brushing near enough that Arizona could feel the warmth of her hand without contact. “Are you sure you shouldn't go to the hospital wing?” she asked, leaning nearer for a better look. She looked up at Arizona through her eyelashes.
Arizona pulled on her bottom lip again. Now her breathing was shaky. “I've had worse,” she said after a beat, turning her arm over gingerly to take a look at it herself.
Brown eyes narrowed in displeasure but Callie didn't argue, just sighed. “What are we going to do with you?”
Sensing victory, Arizona guided her shirt back up and over her head and laced her fingers through her girlfriend's. “I have an idea about that,” she suggested quickly, swinging their hands. Callie cocked an eyebrow at her in question. “I'm still cold, so I'm all for you warming me up.” She pulled Callie along, smirking sideways at her. The rain outside was humming, making it hard to hear in the tunnels. Callie disengaged their hands but only to slip her arm over Arizona’s shoulder and pull her against her side. Arizona continued speaking after they were back in the castle. “It kind of sucks that there's nowhere warm we can go together,” she muttered as they walked. She had no inclination to be around the rest of the school after that game, just wanted to be alone with Callie.
The stone corridor was chilly and Callie had an idea as Arizona shivered beneath her arm. They couldn't go to Gryffindor Tower, nor did she think she'd be welcome in the Slytherin basement, but the Great Hall wasn't their only option. “This way.” They weren't heading toward the Hall but Arizona didn't question her, content to follow her lead. They stopped by the kitchens first but she knew where they were going by the time they reached the seventh floor. Callie paced to bring the door out and offered her free arm gallantly, grinning.
The room she'd required was already warm, cozy. One wall was a fireplace, the floorspace taken up with a wide couch covered in sinfully soft looking pillows. Thick carpet covered the floor. There was even an icepack in a bowl behind a jug of water on a table.
It appeared Callie had thought of everything.
“Perfect,” sighed Arizona gratefully. She stood on her toes to kiss Callie, both arms sliding around her waist. “This is perfect. Thank you.” She hissed in pain when Callie's hand brushed her arm accidentally.
“First things first.” Callie led her by the hand to the couch and pushed her lightly down to sit, setting their basket of food aside. Arizona's good hand was in reach of the food and she leaned forward to pick amongst the options. She hissed again when Callie pressed the cold wrap to her shoulder. It was soothing after a second and she relaxed. “Better?” Callie checked, whispering.
Callie leaned over to fuss with the ice again Arizona took advantage, hooking the nearer foot and her good hand at Callie's knee and elbow and using the leverage to tip her girlfriend onto the couch with her.
“Arizona!” Callie protested even as Arizona's injured arm did, objecting to the sudden extra weight on the bruise. Callie tired to push herself back up but Arizona's legs held her capably.
“That's better,” Arizona declared more breathlessly than she'd planned for. “Stay,” she said when Callie persisted. She smiled when Callie's face popped up over hers.
“You're ridiculous.” Callie shook her head but couldn't help smiling herself. Arizona just dropped her knees to frame Callie's hips. “Are you sure you're -?”
“I'm fine.” To prove it Arizona leaned up to kiss her. She couldn't use her right arm to brace herself for longer than a few seconds though and collapsed back to the couch before she could really make her point.
Callie laughed over the sound of her girlfriend's dismayed groan. “Come on.” Arizona shook her head but Callie just shifted to beside her. “Move up.”
Realizing what Callie meant sent Arizona pushing herself up deeper onto the couch. Her girlfriend followed her, stretching out beside her and letting her get comfortable before she was leaning over her good side to kiss her again.
Contact was slow, light, and soft for a heartbeat before they were each pressing nearer, Arizona's hands finding a grip on Callie's shirt to tug her closer while tanned fingers slipped into wet blonde hair. The ice was helping her shoulder, though nothing helped quite as much as the warmth of Callie alongside her, kisses warming her up from the inside.
Time passed as kisses and slow, soft contact, the pops of smoldering logs in the fire marking the minutes. They were alone and it was simple and easy, cozy and close.
Callie could feel Arizona's hand wander along her side between deep, breath-stealing kisses. She jumped but didn't withdraw when chilly fingers found themselves beneath the hem of her shirt. “Okay?” Arizona checked, breathing the words against her mouth.
“Your hands are cold,” answered Callie, teasing tone making Arizona's palm flatten against her middle. Her own attempt to move her hand resulted in tugging unintentionally on tangled hair. Their mouths broke apart to laugh, Callie dropping her face to the pillows in embarrassment as she worked to free her hand. Arizona simply brushed kisses softly to her girlfriend's neck. “Sorry.” The lips on her neck sucked just above her collarbone and Callie's breath caught again when the fingers beneath her shirt curled just above her hipbone.
“No apologizing,” Arizona said, still whispering. She relaxed back into the cushions once the pressure was off her scalp, laughing softly. Her laughter barked when Callie used the liberated hand to flick her sharply with two fingers. “Hey, none of that!”
Callie took another deep kiss, leaning over her prone girlfriend, before she pulled back. “Then what would you like?”
Curling her fingers again deliberately to watch Callie's eyes flutter before she withdrew her hand to the safer territory of her girlfriend's shirt, Arizona breathed slowly. “How about we eat something?” she suggested, reaching up to touch Callie's face. It was her turn to jump when Callie turned her head just slightly, enough to nip gently at the pad of her thumb between her front teeth. Dark eyes dared her to say anything but Arizona just swallowed, smiling helplessly when Callie's lips pressed a kiss to her palm.
“I need to get the fire going again,” said Callie as she sat up, stretching her arms up before she got to her feet. Arizona watched appreciatively from her lounge for a moment and rocked forward the edge of the couch to sort through their options for dinner.
Setting logs into the fireplace carefully, Callie waited patiently for them to catch without reaching for her wand to speed the process. “You find anything good back there?” she asked over her shoulder when Arizona was quiet. “Or is it all gone already?”
No answer came and Callie turned on her knee to look. Arizona was laid out on her side, good hand stretched out toward the table. She hadn't reached it though, her hand dragging the ground, her eyes closed. The scene made a smile grow on Callie's face. Arizona stayed tired and she knew it, her girlfriend stretched in so many different directions between classes and Quidditch, Prefect duties and dating. It had been a long day.
The fire was cheerfully consuming the fresh logs and Callie moved back to the couch in a shuffle on hands and feet until the base of the sofa was against her back. She tucked Arizona's hand back on the cushion carefully and reached for a snack.
It was quiet, peaceful, in their little bit of privacy. The fire and Arizona’s breathing were the only sounds. Callie knew she should wake Arizona, walk her back to the Slytherin basement for the night. But thinking about everything that there was to worry about beyond these doors was wearying. Arizona was safe here, now, with her. That wasn't something Callie was ready to give up yet for tonight.
Brushing crumbs carefully from her shirt, Callie stood up. Arizona was still breathing slowly, settled and calm in her sleep. Callie combed a blonde curl back gently and a smile curled Arizona's lips at the corners. She didn't wake though, just sighed and snuggled deeper into the cushions.
Callie moved gingerly, not wanting to disturb her rest. Arizona didn't stir as she climbed carefully over her and folded herself in beside her. Once she was settled, stiff and still, Arizona turned. Callie held her breath but her girlfriend was still asleep, just shifting herself. Maybe she was just seeking warmth but Arizona's blonde head found her shoulder unerringly, hand sliding across her waist. Relaxing a piece at a time, Callie let her own eyes fall closed.
It was habit that woke Arizona at dawn the next morning, even without being able to see the sun when she woke in her dorm. The Robbins household simply started their day with the sunrise. She wasn't in her dorm though. She wasn't anywhere she recognized, as a matter of fact. She was on a couch, not in her bed in the Slytherin dormitory. More importantly, she wasn't alone, another person's warmth pressed against her back, the pressure of an arm across her middle. Callie mumbled as she started to shift herself away and Arizona spontaneously relaxed back into the embrace as she remembered where they were. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
“It's not morning,” Callie grumbled in protest, not opening her eyes.
“I promise it is,” teased Arizona playfully.
“No,” came Callie's denial. Then one eye slowly forced itself open as she struggled to comprehend the assurance. “Wait, what?” Arizona didn't answer, letting her realize it for herself. The Slytherin just watched, smiling to herself. Callie was grumpy but rather cute when she was all groggy. “We were here all night?” One hand rubbed at her face and her eyes opened enough to see Arizona's face. “Ugh,” she groaned.
“Oh, thanks,”Arizona answered sarcastically.
Callie grabbed her arm to keep her from moving off the couch. “No, I - that's not what I -” Brown eyes rolled, probably without her meaning for them to. It was frustrating trying to explain herself when her brain wasn't fully awake yet. “I just - of course you're all perky first thing in the morning.” It wasn't quite grousing but close enough.
Arizona just laughed. “Annoying, isn't it?” She knew perfectly well how her ability to be fully awake and cheerful a minute after waking was received by those around her who didn't share her early morning attitude. Alex was one, and Tim to a lesser degree. It took him at least five minutes to wake up in the mornings.
Callie's eyes narrowed but she relaxed on their cushions. “It's lucky you're so cute is all I'm saying.” Arizona laughed but had only started to rejoin her in repose when Callie sat up quickly, nearly colliding with her. “We were here all night!”
“We've established that,” Arizona reminded her. The fire had burned itself out and the room was chilly outside of their blankets. “Nothing happened.” Callie blinked in surprise but Arizona only winked, a dimple framing her smirk. If she felt pressure for more physically with Arizona, it wasn't coming from Arizona herself. “So what's wrong?” Arizona asked, her tone gentle deliberately. “When someone says something just tell me and I'll kick their ass.”
It succeeded in winning a smile from Callie. “I'm not worried about that,” she said confidently, even as she straightened her clothes, rumpled by sleep more than by Arizona's wandering hands after the night's sleep. Bare skin at her hip made her blush and jerk her shirt down. Arizona didn't say anything but pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. Callie clambered carefully up and over Arizona to get to her feet. “We were out all night. I'm sure Alex is going to be tearing the castle apart soon, if he isn't already.”
“Oh.” After they'd talked about watching each others backs, she'd gone and disappeared on him. Arizona sat up, throwing her legs over the side of the couch. “Shit.”
“Right,” Callie confirmed, nodding as she brushed both hands down her sides. “So we should probably go.”
Rubbing her head, Arizona stood and stretched. Callie glimpsed of a sliver of pale tummy and jerked her eyes away as Arizona dropped back down flat onto her feet. “Maybe we can get breakfast once I calm Alex down?”
“That would be great.” Callie's cheeks were blushing but she smiled shyly. Finishing with the extent of her preparations, Arizona reached for her hand. Callie laced their fingers, still smiling to herself. “Let's go.”
As soon as they returned to the hallway, out of their own private sphere, it was obvious that something was happening. Students from every house, all three schools, were bustling, moving quickly in the same direction with pockets of conversation. Something tight settled between Arizona's shoulder blades, wiping away the relaxed, easy feeling left over from her morning with Callie. There was something wrong and her gut told her she wasn't going to like it.
Exchanging a look, they joined the trail of students moving toward what quickly became clear was the Slytherin basement. Curiosity would only take most of their classmates so far, Arizona edging them through the congestion as they neared their destination.
The entrance to Slytherin House was surrounded by prefects and teachers from all four houses, the prefects sending their housemates along as quickly as they could be persuaded from peeking and theorizing. Alex wasn't visible in the groups just outside and Arizona pushed forward, dropping Callie's hand in her distraction. Something had happened here last night and she'd been holed up in a private bubble with her girlfriend, forgetting the realities of her often precarious position inside the school.
No one barred her from the dormitory, though she caught more than one swift glance in her direction as she approached. “Where's Alex Karev?”
Catherine Avery turned at the sound of her voice, one hand on her chest, which contracted swiftly as she breathed a deep sigh. “He's not the issue, Miss Robbins. The more important question is where were you?”
Her Head of House's tone was sharp and Arizona blinked. As far as she knew she wasn't the one anything had happened to last night. True, she'd spent the night sleeping with a Gryffindor student, but the Gryffindor was her girlfriend and they'd only slept. Nothing to call the Head of Slytherin down to the dorms for, in her opinion. “What? I was - I fell asleep -”
“We checked the locker room and the library, Miss Robbins,” Avery informed her archly.
Arizona blinked again, endeavoring not to let her eyes start tearing. Mentally, she cursed her authority issues. “I was in the Room of Requirement. What happened here?”
Catherine Avery arched a brow at her, nodding her head toward the rest of the basement. “Go see for yourself. Perhaps you can find an explanation.”
Confused, Arizona started toward her room. She could smell the smoke before she reached the door. It pushed open to reveal Alex scowling and stern, arms crossed, next to the still smoldering remains of her bed.