» all I ask of you, private

[Hope Burns]

After almost a week of being absent, Hope finally returned to her duties as a maid in the Winship's house. As usual, she woke up early, washed her face and brushed hair and braided them in a neat bun. Half an hour later she was sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast with the rest of servants. She smiled happily and listen to their chat. She was glad to be back. Those people were like a family for her, she missed them all and she looked forward to meet her employers again.

Especially one member of the family occupied her thoughts this morning – Edric. The fact that Hope was attracted to young master wasn't a secret neither for the girl's parents nor to the staff, but no one would say a word. The chances that something would happen between those two young people were close to impossible, so there was no reason to intervene in the situation. In that way Hope had silent allowance to admire the young man from the distance.

Around nine o'clock in the morning, others walked away to their duties, but Hope stayed by the kitchen table, knowing that the Winships will eat a breakfast a bit later. Then the cook stormed into the room when servants were eating their meals and announced that someone had to bring a breakfast to Edric's study. The girl almost knocked down a glass with pumpkin juice as she jumped on her feet and picked a tray from the man's hands. "I'll do it!" she announced to everyone who didn't understand yet her overly excited moves. She quickly left the kitchen and hurried upstairs to Edric's study.

Hope couldn't believe that only a few weeks ago she met Edric on the High Street and he walked her home. It was very kind from his side. The girl enjoyed every second she spend around him, knowing that no matter how much she loved him he would never look at her in that way. Her love was hopeless, but it was one of those few things that made her feel happy and... normal. Being normal was something for what Hope carved with every fibre of her being, since it was certain that she would never go to Hogwarts. But the most surprising thing he had done when they were whishing each other a good night. He took her hand and kissed her. She couldn't get rid of this picture and a feeling that this moment invoked in her body. It was the very first time when a boy, not to mention a man, touched her like that even if it was a polite and completely innocent gesture.

The young woman knocked to the door before she walked into the study with still warm breakfast. A shy, but happy smile lingered on her lips as she looked at the object of her affection. Her cheeks, as usual around him, were covered by pink blush and two sparks of enjoyment danced in her eyes. "Good morning!" she greeted Edric cheerfully. "Where should I leave it, sir?"

tag: Edric/Anastasia <3 | notes: adorkable
made by Emily exclusively for Charming

[Edric Winship III]

Edric woke early in the morning and walked immediately to his study. Being the senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic was hard work, and as such he had things to do. It was a work he enjoyed though, having the power that he did. His dream was to one day be the Minister of Magic himself, and he was sure it was a goal he could attain. He was after all Edric Winship III, and things had always come easily to him, especially things he wanted most. He worked the better half of the morning off, and having been awake long before most of the staff, he had gotten a good bulk of his work done.

When it came time for breakfast, he sent an owl down stairs to tell the servants to bring his breakfast up to his study. He almost put in to have Hope specifically bring it, as her meek demeanor and obvious crush was an amusing thing to him, but decided against it. He didn’t want to fill the little squibs head too full with the idea that she stood a chance with him. He would settle for toying with her when they met, and not arrange those meetings as not to give her too much hope. He didn’t need to lose one of his best maids after all.

It wasn’t long before there was a knock on his door and lo and behold, there stood Hope herself, beaming at him with rosy cheeks and dazzling eyes. He’d be lying if he said she wasn’t a beautiful sight, but he wouldn’t linger overlong on that fact. She had dirty blood and was of obviously lower class, so her beauty didn’t really matter with such factors counting against her.

“Ah Hope. Good morning to you. Please, just set it here on my desk.” He used his wand to clear a spot on the desk that was just moments before littered with papers. “Thank you for bringing this up to me. I trust you’re feeling well?” he recalled in the recesses of his mind that she had been absent, sick of something he didn’t care to look into. He offered her a dazzling smile with his words, watching her intently and scanning her over subtly as he waited for her to speak back.

She was definitely lovely, a nice little figure on her if a bit on the slender side. Her smile too was dazzling and he wondered idly why she didn’t show it more often. Her hair pulled back to expose her long neck, he found himself wishing that she was more than just a squib because she had a beauty deserving of him. But he wouldn’t lower his standards for a pretty face, no matter how beautiful she was.

He let his smile return once more as he waited for her next words.

[Hope Burns]

Even though Hope knew she stood no chance, the girl sill wanted to be around Edric as often as possible. She could admire him from the safe distance, which gave her their strictly master – servant relationship. It was hopeless and pathetic, she knew about it, but her sensitive nature craved for love and happiness, which was stolen from her in the day everyone got to know that she is a squib. She would never have anything, which some other girls in her age have – a husband and children. The young woman had only her love for Edric, which would never come true, but it gave her a feeling that her life didn't slip between her fingers.

She made her way toward his desk, feeling his watchful gaze on her. It invoked in her a feeling that her body was very light and she floated in the air instead of walking. The maid set a tray on the desk and turned around to look at him with her sparkling blue eyes. As usual her stomach knotted when their gazes met, but managed to response on his thanks with a small curtsy and a charming smile. "Thank you, sir" she replied wrapping her hands behind her back. "I feel good now. I am glad to be back to work. Lying in the bed was boring and I missed yo… everyone here." She blushed, ashamed of her unguarded moment. Having feelings for your employer's son was one thing, but speaking about it openly was another thing entirely. Even if it wasn't a secret for anyone in this house, it wasn't a wise thing to bring it up in the conversation.

He looked at her strangely, as if he was thinking about something far away from now and here. Hope waited politely for him to speak, but when it didn't come she titled her head on the side. "Do you wish anything else, sir?" she asked softly. The girl had no desire to leave now, but she knew that it would be odd if she stayed there when he had work to do and there were some other things that she should take care of.

tag: Edric/Anastasia <3 | notes: adorkable
made by Emily exclusively for Charming

[Edric Winship III]

Edric nearly laughed at the girls mistake. She’d nearly said she missed him rather than just the whole family. He didn’t believe it a simple mistake, but he wouldn’t let on that he’d caught her slip up. He didn’t want to embarrass the girl outright. He wasn’t a cruel man as to through her obvious affections back in her face after all. He would toy with her more subtly than that, such was his nature. He was the sort to toy with ones emotions rather than outright ridicule someone. He was sly and cunning, never brash.

“Please, sir is my father. Just call me Edric. I think we’ve known one another long enough for such familiarity.” He smiled, sipping on some of his tea. It was true that they’d known one another for a while. Hope’s mother had been a maid at his home for as long as he could remember, and oftentimes during Hope’s youth before she too began working as a maid for them, she’d linger around the home waiting for her mother to get off of work. They had known one another practically their entire lives after all, and he really did hate being called sir outside of his work.

“Well at any rate, I’m glad you’re better. Can’t have my favorite maid off sick, now can I?” His words weren’t lies. If he had to pick a favorite of his servants, it would be her. This was because he knew of her devotion to him and she did get the job done well. She was the perfect maid and her love of him only furthered his trust that she’d do exactly what he told her to do. There was nothing that made for a better servant than that, he thought.

When she asked if there was anything else he needed, he turned to his desk and quickly wrote a note to the kitchen, sending it off with his owl. “No, there’s nothing else I need, Hope.” He said with a pleasant smile, using his wand to pull out an extra chair from the other side of the room. “But please, have a seat. I’m having some tea brought up for you. I do hate having breakfast by myself after all.” He gave her a charming smile and waited for her flustered response.

[Hope Burns]

"I can't call you like that..." she started, blushing immensely. Even though they grew up together (at least technically), but he was her employer's son and she had to follow the rules. He was sir for her and for him she was a maid. A quick look at his face convinced her that she should follow his wish. "Edric..." she tried the name on her lips as if it was a sweet cookie. Countless times she tried to speak his name, but never out loud. "Mister Edric, maybe?" she asked, titling her head on the side.

Her smile lit up her face as little sun. Was she his favourite? That was something new for her. she tried so hard to be useful and to pay off any kindness the Winships gave her. A blush on her cheeks deepened appearing on her neck. "Why, thank you" she said, smiling brightly.

When he summoned a chair from another room her eyes widened. He asked her to keep him company during the breakfast. Shyly, she fell on the chair he brought for her. His invitation was a surprise for her. Many times she brought him up a breakfast, but never ever asked her to accompany him during one. She swallowed saliva, rubbing her hands on her laps, because she felt that they are sweating. "I guess I can stay for some time..." she said uncertain and a bit nervous.

tag: Edric/Anastasia <3 | notes: adorkable
made by Emily exclusively for Charming

[Edric Winship III]

He gave a chuckle when she said she couldn’t call him simply Edric. When she tested the name on her tongue, it made him yearn to hear her say it in a much different situation, one that required her being nude and beneath his own body. But he wouldn’t let such desires make him lessen his standards. Sure, she was beautiful, but that wasn’t enough to outweigh all the things that were wrong with her. Like her being the squib daughter of two muggleborns. The thought of that was enough to keep his thoughts of ravishing her at bay.

He nodded when she suggested calling him Mister Edric. “I suppose that’s better than ‘sir’” he gave her a charming smile. It was better than sir by far, and he quite liked the ring of authority being called that gave him. Plus, it didn’t make him have any untoward thoughts of her. Well, not any more than was becoming usual. It was becoming a habit for him to think of what she’d be like as he took her. He thought of the lovely blush that would be sure to paint her features, how she’d shyly avoid his gaze. It was enough to drive a man wild, but Edric had self restraint. And he was exercising it very well.

When the extra cup of tea arrived by way of another maid, he smiled and thanked her. “There you go, I hope it is to your liking.” He pushed the drink in front of hope and bid the other maid a farewell. He could have sworn she was wearing a look of jealousy as she left, and he wondered if perhaps Hope wasn’t the only maid there that had eyes for him. At any rate, she was the most lovely and fun to toy with, so it mattered not how the other maids felt.

“So, Hope,” He enjoyed the look on her face when he said her name. It made him feel like he had power over her, which he knew he did. “What do you do in your spare time? It’s come to my attention that we don’t know one another very well. This should be remedied, don’t you think?” He sipped his tea and started to eat his breakfast slowly. He was going to prolong their time together even if it meant eating a cold meal.

For some reason, the idea of playing with this maid was a tempting prospect indeed. He usually didn’t go out of his way to toy with others, but this was much too fun to pass up. The way she blushed and stuttered around him was enough to see to that. It wasn’t as though he truly enjoyed her company, he told himself. He just liked to see how much power he had over her, and it was turning out to be a lot. Taking another sip of his tea, he awaited a reply.

[Hope Burns]

Hope thanked quietly for the cup and smiled sheepishly to the other maid, but in return the girl gave her an envious gaze. It hurt her feelings, because she would never do anything to awake such feelings in the other person. Except the magic, she tried not be envious of anything. Hope strongly believed that everything what happened to her had its purpose. Maybe there was a purpose that the Fate made her a Squib? As far as it was unfair, maybe in time she will understand why it happened to her.

His question caught her off guard. Suddenly, she realized that her life went around work here, for the Winships and even her spare time was filled with work. She helped her neighbours, her mother in home. During holidays, when her brothers were home she took care of them. Edric's life must be exciting, she thought suddenly. Helena is always occupied with something and friends constantly call upon her. Her own loneliness struck her with its all strength. She didn't have friends except the Winships. Hope bit her lower lip, taking a small draught of warm tea.

Blue eyes looked at him. For Hope Edric was a definition of a handsome man. She knew his face as well as she knew her own. The girl could close her eyes and have a very clear picture of him. She wished so much to see him smiling to her sincerely and with love, but she knew it would never happen. Why the thought that one day he will bring a wife to his home was so hard? Why does her heart had to betray her like that? "I…" she started and cleared her throat, feeling that cry wrapped its grip on her voice. "I help my parents at home. I sew sometimes…" She hesitated, frightened that he might consider her as boring and order her to go away. "To be honest I try not to have spare time. I never know what to do with myself and I occupy my thoughts with daydreams that make me feel miserable…" Hope blushed as soon as she realized that she express loudly some of her deepest thoughts. She hated her heart for racing in the presence of Edric. She hated herself for being such a pathetic little rat. She should quit the job for this family as soon as she understood what was happening with her.

tag: Edric/Anastasia <3 | notes: adorkable
made by Emily exclusively for Charming

[Edric Winship III]

He listened to her as she spoke. It seemed really…pathetic. Her life seemed to revolve around his family and it was quite pitiable indeed. Did she never do anything for herself? It seemed very odd to the young, self-serving Edric. He often did things for himself and to think that there was someone in the world who seemed to do nothing for themselves was odd indeed. He kept his smile in place, however, and didn’t let show the pity he felt for her. “Aren’t daydreams supposed to bring happiness, though?” he said with a chuckle.

He figured that for someone who could get so little, however, that daydreams would not be such a great thing. They only reminded of what couldn’t have, or so he would assume. Being that he could have anything he wanted, he didn’t have this problem. So he could only imagine what it must be like for Hope. He didn’t even want to think of what it would be like to live a life like hers: completely devoted to someone else. But he supposed her devotion worked in his favor. He could use her as his little puppet and do with her what he saw fit.

It was devious, to be certain, but he didn’t care much. His job wasn’t granting him the amusement he wished, so he’d take teasing Hope on as an extracurricular hobby of sorts. It perhaps wasn’t kind, but no one ever accused Edric Winship III of being a kind man. He was devious, self serving and at times cruel. Though he wouldn’t go terribly far in his cruelty, there was no disguising that his toying with the young woman before him was cruel in some fashion.

He continued to smile at her as she sipped meekly on her tea. She seemed so mouse-like. He wondered how she ever managed to get any words out with her meek demeanor. It would be so easy to toy with her. This much he knew. She’d do whatever she was told, he was almost certain of that, and he’d be lying if he didn’t say he wondered just how far he could take things. He wouldn’t do anything too extreme however. He wasn’t a monster, after all.

“Surely there must be something you enjoy.” He wondered farther, trying to find out more about her. The more he knew about her, the easier it would be to toy with her. That was his perspective on the whole ordeal and he certainly wanted to be able to toy with her more aptly.