The Talk - Future (Jacques & Ellie)

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Name: Gabrielle "Ellie" Brennham
Age: 17
Date: December 15, 2022

Ellie was a Gryffindor. This was something she’d sort of grown into over the past years since she started attending Hogwarts. She was courageous yes, and a little too headstrong, but nonetheless no longer did she question where she belonged. Well, this was almost true not entirely however. She knew that she belonged with her brothers but now she had a collective pool of best friends she belonged with as well. She knew that she was going to pursue a career as an Auror after Hogwarts because it was the best way to join together all her favorite subjects: Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Transfiguration. She knew that she was a pureblood but that needn’t define her entire behavior to the world. She likes dancing and ice skating which are two ways she stayed in shape alongside Quidditch, she was a serial reader (in the privacy of her own little room never outside the Common Room or bedroom), and that she - well.

She was sort of in love (she’ll never ever admit this outloud, ever and probably take it to the grave) with Jacques Clement.  
Oh she definitely was taking that fact to the grave. Things between them had always been rocky; never were they some cookie cutter couple (they fit this definition in the loosest of terms) that met, talked, liked each other, and eventually started spending a lot of time together. No it started with an argument in fifth year, then kisses, and more kisses, and then more and - Ellie shook her head, neither of those things were here nor there.   She let out a heavy sigh as she continued to fold her clothes.

 This was her last school year and this would be her last Yuletide (she preferred calling it Christmas Break really) as a Hogwarts student. This was also the last year that her siblings and her would probably be in the same setting, it struck a chord in her heart. Phil was going to be pursuing a Quidditch Career, Caelan was looking at schools to study abroad in, and Taela was only in her second year. Ellie felt quite fulfilled staying in the England area and wished to go to a wizard university in the area. Phillip was proud to be going into the athletic career- he was charming enough to get himself out of any real trouble should it arrive- and Caelan was excited to travel the world. Ellie wanted desperately to be an Auror and never live a boring life.

She gave a sigh as she sat down on her bed, biting her lower lip and playing with the hem of her grey Henley (this was Jacques, but it was comfy on her and she liked it; sue her). The future was approaching and it was coming fast. Soon she’d be graduating and soon she’d be studying to enter her preferred profession. The bulk of her best friends were going to college with her or accepting parental passed down jobs as Shopkeepers. She sighed and let herself fall back on the bed.

 The only person who’s future she didn’t know much about was the one person she was dying to keep walking alongside the path of life with - Jacques.

Sure they disagreed and argued, but never did she let the night die with them angry at each other. Plus it kept things interesting. Their conflicting views on things made for lively conversation and they liked some similar things. Before their Seventh Year they had been on-again, off-again but since late June, early July they made a point of acting more and more like a couple. The night of his birthday after spending it doing what he wished with him (she had told her parents it was Sammy’s birthday and there was a sleepover in Little Hangleton), she asked him softly what they were. He asked what she thought they were and she admitted she was pretty sure he was her boyfriend. Then he confirmed it and she was on cloud nine.

The only real problem was the sneaking around.   She knew that Caelan knew and was keeping it a secret, and Taela probably knew but was sly enough to keep it under wraps. Her best friends all knew. Why was she so scared to tell her parents? Probably because he hadn’t told his. Wait. Had he? The thought made her shoot up in bed with wide eyes. Truth be told, they needed to talk about where they stood and what they were going to be after Hogwarts. Also when they were going to make their relationship public. She took a deep inhale. She needed to have this talk and address all these things. And what better time than the now? She gathered her courage and her wits and headed over towards his room.   

“Jacques,” she called out rapping her fist against his door, immediately she felt self conscious of herself and nervous. “We need to talk.” She added, hoping he knew enough social norm that those words were meant to instill panic in anyone.

Subject: Re: The Talk - Future (Jacques & Ellie) Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:15 pm

The Talk - Future (Jacques & Ellie) 8021d1374156663-9

Name: Jacques Clement
Age: 17

Jacques had grown at Hogwarts in many ways. Grown colder towards his parents, check. Grown colder towards most of the world, check. He didn't much like people as a whole, they were tiresome, and normally boring. Hogwarts wasn't a place of power like Beauxbatons could have been... was, if Eleanor could be trusted. But he didn't show how much the decision bothered him, because that would mean being wrong.

the only thing, or perhaps he should say person, that kept him on the 'right' path was a Gryffindor.

The irony of that thought was one that Jacques had never believed he would say, least of all about himself. Gryffindors had always been the house he despised, not because of the house rivalry, oh no, but because every Gryffindor he'd come across had been a hot headed idiot that he simply could not deal with.

Except Ellie.

When their arrangement had started, Jacques could not be certain. They would meet in secret, on the edge of the grounds in the warmer months, in empty classrooms in the winter months. Anywhere out of sight suited the Slytherin. Sometimes they did homework together, sometimes they talked. Often they argued, often they fought. But most of the time, they had each other.

How it had happened, Jacques didn't know.

Perhaps it was the love hate relationship that had enticed him to Ellie. Well, no, he didn't love the witch - love wasn't something he thought he could ever be in with anyone. But the way they flipped from one feeling to another was exciting. It kept their 'relationship' interesting, never knowing the next step.

That had been, of course, until Ellie had asked him on her birthday what they were. Forcing some kind of answer from him as he asked her what she wanted them to be. The moment she'd asked him if they could be serious - or at least he be her boyfriend, Jacques had known that they were stepping over a threshold of something new. He'd agreed though, because he didn't want to upset Ellie on her birthday, and in honesty, how hard could it be?

But they'd kept their secrecy - or at least, Jacques had because he didn't like people knowing his business.

Jacques had been mulling it over whilst the house elves packed up his belongings, led out on his four poster bed. His hands rested behind his head, and his eyes were closed. They didn't open when a knock came at the door, and the sound of small cracks told him the House Elves had run off the instant someone had arrived.

Ellie.

"Missing me already?" Jacques called out in response. "Come in." He added, because he couldn't be bothered to get up. "Honestly, we're only going to be away from each other for a week. Maybe ten days." He told her, shaking his head and moving over on the bed for her. Jacques had never had the ability to capture every social norm, and normally when Ellie came unexpected... well, it was fun to say the least.

He most certainly wouldn't mind one last... anything before they left, either.

"Also, talking is boring." Jacques teased once she'd sat down, one hand reaching out to rest on her knee. It was his version of comfort, touching her in some manner when they were together was calming for him. Because as of yet, he couldn't tell there was something wrong.

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~ Clement Heir ~ 24 ~ Athletic ~ 5'11" ~ French Accent ~

Thanks to .V0ldiemort @ TDA for my signature!

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Ellie wondered if there was something wrong with her sometimes for feeling the way she did about Jacques. I mean, she thought, sure it would be okay if this was something that happened once or twice and we could still spit fire at each other, it would be okay if you only liked him when no one else was around, it would be okay if he was just your dirty little secret; but he’s not. You proclaimed him your boyfriend basically. It was scary to think about Jacques as her boyfriend. Sure her closest friends knew, besides her family, because she couldn’t hide it for that long.

Except she wondered if she could.

If things continued the way they did, would she and him just grow bored of each other? Or worse, would he one day grow tired of her and this push and pull that kept them both on the edge and just up and leave? Oh there would be hell to pay should that happen, she decided shrewdly as she ran her hand through her hair to pull it from her face. She figured that when - or if maybe - things were over they’d be because of some belief they didn’t quite share. Or because they’d found other people (note that she said they not he, not her, but they would equally have to find other people that fit them better).

So as she stood outside of Jacques door she was contemplating what to say. Should she just outright say what was bothering her? No. That would be counter productive. Besides what could she even say to properly express how she feels?

”Hey we’ve been doing this for quite a while so can I tell my parents and family? My dad’s gonna be pissed, he knows about how often we’ve gotten into arguments over the course of the years, my mom’s probably gonna laugh and then subtly suggest we break up because she thinks I can do better, but she’s always thought I should marry some prince kind of guy. Or, maybe she’ll let me date you but I don’t think this is gonna last long enough for us to get married.”

Except…

Wasn’t that the goal when you embarked on a relationship with someone? To make it long enough to get married?

“As if,” she scoffed as she entered the room, her lips pulling up just a little bit in the corners as she slid her eyes over him. She was a lucky girl, she thought appraisingly as she ran her eyes over his features, categorizing them all. She wasn’t surprised he didn’t understand the phrase ‘we need to talk’ either. Arrogant, came to mind immediately but she pushed it out as she sat herself on his bed and searched her brain on ways to bring up him coming with her for the holidays up. She settled on testing the waters or rather, testing his attitude to the idea of coming home.

“I know,” she murmured, leaning forward once he put a hand on her knee using one of her hands to keep her up as she pressed herself close enough so that their lips were just a breath away. She was close enough to let their lips touch with the slightest inch, but rather than letting their lips meet she pulled back and grinned at him.

“But,” she announced as she slid away from him and crawled atop his bed until she was sitting against the headboard, she patted the spot beside her, “that’s why I said we need to talk and not we should.”

Subject: Re: The Talk - Future (Jacques & Ellie) Sat Aug 08, 2015 3:07 pm

Jacques couldn't help but smile as the comment came back to him about not missing him. It was their usual mannerisms, never overly loving, mostly always teasing, but ever increasingly with something that little bit more in the background. Jacques, however, completely ignored that part of their conversations, not at all interested in analysing their relationship past the word 'boyfriend' that Ellie had labelled him with.

And, of course, Jacques would ignore the fact that whenever Ellie was around he felt comfortable. He would ignore how he could get lost in her every touch, look, word, because that would be a weakness he couldn't afford. Especially when she teased him by being so close to him, begging him to give in to her as her lips came close. For the briefest of seconds he thought about moving to claim her lips as his own, but he resisted, instead watching as she pulled away.

Running his tongue over his lower lip carefully, Jacques rolled his eyes as Ellie insisted that they should talk. "There's nothing to talk about, Ellie." Jacques insisted, shuffling over on the bed to rest his head in her lap rather than sitting up. "You're going home for Christmas, I'm going home for Christmas. I told you I'll be back here for New Year." Jacques told her, his tone tired because he still hadn't caught on to what she actually wanted to talk about.

"You're not going to die without me." Jacques teased, reaching up to tickle her sides. "Not to mention there are so many more exciting things we could be doing than worrying about seven days." He added, a smirk touching his lips as he looked up at her from her lap.

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~ Clement Heir ~ 24 ~ Athletic ~ 5'11" ~ French Accent ~

Thanks to .V0ldiemort @ TDA for my signature!

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Ellie sometimes regretted asking Jacques to be her boyfriend. Read that as sometimes. For most of the time, she truly enjoyed being his girlfriend. She liked the couple stuff they did; it made her feel like more.

Despite her being the baby of the family for five years, Caelan always needed more attention because of his health disabilities. And Phil was always off with Corie doing something if not another, and that left Ellie somewhat lonely for the most developmental years of her life. This should’ve made her some vengeful angry triplet, instead it made her more independent, and made her strive for diversity. Phil and Cay looked alike, and by fate of genetics Ellie looked everything like her mum and nothing like her dad. When she was 10 and upwards, she was always self-conscious of how she looked. Her eyes were almond shaped, not wide and bright green like Phillip and Caelan’s.

Now that wasn’t to say that she picked Jacques to be her boyfriend because he was the only one that she wanted; in fact she’d had a crush on not one but both of the Valois’ brothers throughout her fourth and fifth year. Naturally it was stupid since Gaston and Beau were both far older than her. But when she hung out with Marques and got to see them and talk to them, she felt a little bit better about the way they looked. She couldn’t help but imagine that they were flirting with her. They were terribly charming and terribly attractive after all*.

But…

Jacques had so much more influence than the Valois, and was it so wrong she get lost in the idea that she was a princess?

No, she told herself firmly as she focused back on the conversation at hand. Her lips quirked into something of a smirk when he laid his head down in her lap; for as many moments that they were in public that he didn’t act like a boyfriend there were just as many that he made her feel like his girlfriend.

“But don’t you know the benefits of talking?” She said innocently running her hands through her hair before her lips curled into a sexy smirk as she moved her hands to turn his face to her. There was a clear innuendo behind her words and shining in her eyes was a wicked, wicked gleam. She left the words unsaid, however, finding it more interesting.

“And I’ll try to be back for New Year,” she whispered, tilting her head up, finding that her heart was already racing at being in such close proximity with him. Every nerve in her body was in total awareness just by being so close to Jacques; she couldn’t stand how crazy he drove her. Even if she absolutely loved the torturous sensations he created in her.

At the dying comment, Ellie snorted and then continued to laugh and swat at his hands, feeling butterflies fly crazily in her stomach at how sweet the gesture of making her laugh was.

“And there are more interesting things, first...” She said trailing off and leaning back against the headboard once more, her words caught in her throat. She was toying with a way to say it without coming off as needy and clingy. Except there was no good way to say it was there? She hated this; she could just outright say, “Jacques lets go public with our relationship!” No that was too … cliche. And Ellie was anything but cliche. An idea came to mind then, a smirk curling up her lips.

“How about we play a game?” She said looking back down at him daringly.

{{OOC:* = Permission to GM the Valois was granted by Katie}}

Subject: Re: The Talk - Future (Jacques & Ellie) Wed Aug 12, 2015 4:16 pm

Jacques simply rolled his eyes at the mention of there being benefits from talking. Some talking he could deal with, but this, well, Ellie was stalling for whatever reason, and he didn't much like it. "I'm not seeing benefits at the moment." Jacques muttered in response to his girlfriend, though he couldn't deny she looked amazing even upside down in that moment.

But, at least, she said she would be back for New Year, which meant they could spend it together. It would be nice, Jacques thought, though he wasn't a romantic person, he knew it would mean a lot to Ellie to be together on such a big day of the year.

The agreement with the idea of more interesting things made Jacques aware that whatever he might want in that moment he wasn't going to get. Holding back a sigh, he looked up at the witch from his led out position and raised an eyebrow at her as she trailed off.

“How about we play a game?”

"Really, Ellie? A game?" Jacques asked, containing the urge to roll his eyes in that moment. "I don't understand your attraction to such trivial things..." Jacques muttered, mostly to himself because a lot of Ellie's personality he couldn't get his head around. "But if we must.... Dare." He added, because he knew his girlfriend had a knack for the game, though he didn't understand the entertainment factor of it all.

It was, in that moment, Jacques realised he did have a weakness in this world. Only one. And that, he knew, was going to lead to an untimely end. He was sure of it.

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~ Clement Heir ~ 24 ~ Athletic ~ 5'11" ~ French Accent ~

Thanks to .V0ldiemort @ TDA for my signature!

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Despite all of Jacques attitude, Ellie looked at her boyfriend and sometimes saw a child. A small part of her felt the need to ask him what his childhood was like. At first his status as basically French royalty didn’t affect her (she was 11/12/13 and she abhorred him so naturally she could’ve been told he was the Prime Minister’s son and still wished she could’ve spat on his shoes), but now that she was older she was coming to the realization that it must’ve been quite a burden on his shoulders… He probably didn’t have those moments like she did, jumping into a freezing lake with her dad and brothers, laughing freely or even the moments at Christmas when everyone was upset because an animal they’d taken in had passed away.

He didn’t have much of a childhood, Ellie thought dimly as she slowly lifted her fingers to run them through Jacques’ hair experimentally at first.

“S’okay, you don’t have to see the benefits yet since last time I checked you weren’t a Seer,” she replied casually, just liking the ability to gaze down at his face. Secretly, very secretly, she was grateful that he was well, hers. Having siblings didn’t really mean she got a lot of time to herself or well anything to herself. But having Jacques as hers, it made her life… Better. She liked it more with him in it.

Ellie merely grinned and swallowed her fears as a Gryffindor should, staying silent to keep her fears in. This was a make it or break it moment, and she did actually appreciate that Jacques remembered her favorite game.

“I dare you to visit me this Winter Break and introduce yourself to my family as my boyfriend,” she murmured with a sly smile quirking her lips, her eyes and body language turning nonchalant. Oh she’d learned something about internalizing from Jacques alright. If he were any other person, she’d feel the need to goad him, say something stupid like: ”But if you’re not man enough, but she knew better. That'd generate some unnecessary comment from him about him definitely being man enough, and take away from the real task at hand. She couldn't afford that distraction at the moment; she needed to see just how far he would go for her.

Subject: Re: The Talk - Future (Jacques & Ellie) Wed Aug 12, 2015 5:30 pm

Jacques managed to not roll his eyes once more as she mentioned him being a Seer. "That's all wishy washy anyway." Jacques muttered, not believing in the 'art' of Seeing. He knew a kid a year above them had been one, but he didn't believe she'd Seen anything of note, or not something that wasn't obvious, anyway.

But he remained indifferent as Ellie played with his hair, he eyes focusing on a random point in the room in that moment because his attention wasn't really in this conversation. Ellie was being her usual self, and although he liked everything about her, he wouldn't lie and say he always listened to her. Because that would be very time consuming and he didn't have the time to listen to everything.

The dare, however, was something Jacques did listen to, however, and his eyes moved instantly to Ellie's as his lips tugged in to a smirk. He didn't believe her for a moment, and it showed very clearly on his features in that moment. "You're not serious." Jacques asked, shaking his head at the thought.

"Come on, Ellie. We're two very different people, from very different backgrounds. Our parents..." Jacques shook his head at the thought of his parents knowing about this. The Brennhams might be powerful in their own right, but they were his kind of Purebloods. And if his parents weren't keen on her kind of family, Merlin only knew what they would think of his.

Pulling himself in to a sitting up position, Jacques turned to face his girlfriend, raising an eyebrow at her. "You're not serious?" He asked this time, trying to work out if she really wanted him to do that. Why on Merlin's soggy beard would she want this?

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~ Clement Heir ~ 24 ~ Athletic ~ 5'11" ~ French Accent ~

Thanks to .V0ldiemort @ TDA for my signature!

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Ellie couldn’t bite back her grin at Jacques’ comment about Seers, it was something totally typical of him to say. She liked being familiar with his mannerisms, and yet always surprised by some of his actions or the things he’d said. He was interesting to say the least. She was a wishy washy person by nature, truth be told; she didn’t stick around where there wasn’t any adventure or excitement. And that was the unique thing, she thought, about Jacques. It was who he was that she found interesting. He could probably lay out all his cards, show her all the pages of the book of his life, and she’d still spend hours sifting through the pages and playing with the cards.

It also helped he was really bloody attractive; from the prominent jawline to the curvature of his lips, down to the broad shoulders and defined arms. Yeah those were really nice additives and in the beginning the only reason she stuck around.

“Nothing wrong with Seers,” she murmured defensively, thinking of Phil’s girlfriend - err ex? Crush? She can’t really remember.

She pursed her lips, but smiled nonetheless when he said she wasn’t serious. It stung, it really did, because what girl didn’t want to show off her boyfriend? She rolled her eyes.

“Don’t be such a baby,” she replied, “I’m not telling you to wear a shirt that says ‘Ellie’s Boyfriend' or even tell your parents, and very different backgrounds?” She tightened her jaw and resisted the urge to flick his forehead, instead letting sarcasm drip into her words. “Guess I forgot the memo about needing to be the Princess of Austria to please Your Highness, my apologies, I’ll scurry back to my peasant hut immediately.” Disgust and irritation were entering her last words, and there was a small sneer on her face. Apart of her wished she was a Holmes; wished that she were a Slytherin like Auntie Tess and about to hide that this was irking her, be like Auntie Tess and have an honorable name to return to. To be fair, the Rose’s were best influential in America amongst wizards and amongst muggle money. The Brennham’s were well known, but at best nobility. Her mouth flattened out and she rolled her jaw to take the kinks from keeping it clenched out of her jaw completely.

When he sat up, there was a fair amount of calmness entering her system, and she raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t plan on marrying you and I know the feeling’s mutual,” she said plainly, and a tiny part of her felt totally and utterly crushed, but that was just their lot in life wasn’t it? No matter how they felt now, he’d marry someone of good blood probably a second or third cousin who was regal and elegant. She’d marry someone… When she was ready to go through these feelings again, someone who didn’t bore her.

"That doesn’t mean that lying to the people that love me the most doesn’t hurt me, cos it does. I want to tell my parents, and you can be there if you want to or not.” There, those were all her cards, and that was it. If he chose to end things now, she’d still tell her parents. Now her nerves were starting to seep in as her eyes pinpointed any place that wasn't Jacques' deep, mesmerizing eyes or the perfect features of his face.

“It’s your dare.”

Subject: Re: The Talk - Future (Jacques & Ellie) Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:05 pm

Ellie's temper did not come in to existence overly often. Or, at least, not with him. What she did when she was away from him... well, Jacques didn't really know. So when it flared when he replied to her question, Jacques knew that she had indeed been serious when she said that she wanted him to go to her parents as her boyfriend.

"Don't be ridiculous, Gabrielle." Jacques replied as she tried to mock him and his family's status. "You know what I meant, don't be an ass about it." Jacques insisted, his features turning serious now.

“I don’t plan on marrying you and I know the feeling’s mutual,”

However... that, that threw a lot of things in to question. Sure, they'd never spoken about the future, and he knew his father would be looking for him to find the right suitor, but he'd never written Ellie off as an option. After all, they got on for the most part, which was a lot better than can be said for most people in his situation. "Well, that was helpful to know." Jacques replied a little more sourly than he'd meant to in that moment.

The idea of Ellie hurting because they'd kept it a secret was not something Jacques would understand in his own situation. He had a lot of secrets, not that it made it okay to add more. "So you want me to stand before your parents, and tell them what, Ellie?" Jacques asked, trying to get his head around it. "Oh, hello Mr and Mrs Brennham, my name is Jacques Clement and I've been sleeping with your daughter for most of this school year. She's labelled me her boyfriend, but she has no intentions of this being anything further than that, so I'm just going to keep sleeping with her until she tosses me out for a suitable husband."

Looking at his girlfriend with a raised eyebrow, Jacques waited for a moment. "You want me to do that, knowing what you've just told me?" Jacques asked, shaking his head for a moment. "Fine. Fine. You want me to tell them you're in a relationship you see as going nowhere. Fine. But I don't understand why, Ellie."

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~ Profile ~
~ Clement Heir ~ 24 ~ Athletic ~ 5'11" ~ French Accent ~

Thanks to .V0ldiemort @ TDA for my signature!

» Fussy (Jacques & Ellie)
» While in France (Jacques + Ellie)
» A Bar in the Future (Naomi & Finley)
» Midnight Rendezvous (Jacques & Ellie)
» Rewriting the Future (Jake)