**Costumes and Corsets {Elena}

[granton]

There's only so long one can spend in a room before they want nothing more than to get out of it. And that was how Granton felt about having spent the majority of his day in the Great Hall helping and assisting the Professors with the preparations for the Halloween Ball. He liked the responsibility of being Head Boy, but some part of it - such as this - made him wish he could just dump it on the prefects and be done with it, but, alas, he couldn't. And so most of his day had been wasted charming pumpkins and arranging napkins and other such tedious business.

Finally, about twenty minutes before the ball was due to begin, he was finally allowed to go back to his common room to get ready. It was probably just as well that he hadn't planned to turn up in any kind of fancy, elaborate costume. He would never have made it in time. His rather simple magician costume left him plenty of time to shower and relax before getting dressed and heading back to the Great Hall.

How much simpler could it get? A black tux, bowler hat, and a pack of playing cards. Costume completed.

When he did arrive back at the Great hall he was surprised to see just how many students had turned up for the very, very beginning of the celebrations. There was a whole different atmosphere to the place with party-goers there.

Still, he hung back near the doors, watching the comings and going of his fellow students and finding himself quite amused, but also rather impressed, at the costumes that he saw. The students really had gone all out this year, hadn't they? The professors, too, from what he saw.

Leaning against the door frame he could see the best of both in the hall, and in the entrance, so he hadn't missed the sudden flow of doe eyes students ogling at one of the professors. Dupree, wasn't it? There was undoubtedly a potion involved somewhere in all of this. Love potion - it happened every year. And here Granton was thinking that Valentine's day was the holiday for lovers - Halloween was most popular for it.

Granton had also seen a slight... commotion involving Evan and his mind returned to the conversation they'd had in the common room not so many nights earlier. Was this what he had hinted at? Something he was doing with his uncle? At that point, Granton had hid slightly out of sight so that he still had a clear view of what was going on and he ended up rolling his eyes. Another 'attack' that involved witnesses. Were they stupid? He'd have to keep a close eye on the Prescott girl from now on, even if he didn't know exactly what had just passed between her and Evan.

Granton was like the eyes and ears of this place, even more so that the paintings and ghosts were. He could fade into the shadows when he wished to and then be the center of attention in less time that it took to say 'boo'. What would his dear friend say if he told him that his little stunt had more than just one blond-haired witness.

As the night wore on Granton grew tired of snooping into other people's business. He wasn't about to drink the punch - the potion with Dupree had been one thing, the fact that students had randomly started eating each other's faces had been another. That meant at least two spiked bowls. While the... commotion, between Connors and Parker had been rather amusing to say the least, he didn't much fancy being the next to fall prey to the potions' charm. Especially not if it would result in him in a similar situation to what they had shared. No thank you. No thank you at all.

So, no drinks it was, but before he could do anything else, a blond head caught his eye. He'd recognize that hair anywhere - that body too.

Elena.

With a smirk he headed over to her, a hand going to rest on her waist. "Are you busy, my darling?" Right now, he needed something fun to take away the tediousness of the day, and Elena was almost guaranteed to be fun company. Whether through words or... actions.

[elenahaworth]

Thanks to all the idiots who'd thought it would be fun to spike the punch, Elena had to find another source for getting a drink. Thankfully one of the seventh year Slytherin's had been kind enough, or were too stupid to know when they're luck was in with a girl, to give her a flask of fire-whiskey, she managed to conceal on her thigh, beneath the short skirt of her costume. The whiskey was the only thing making this party look anything close to interesting now the fun with the those loved up idiots was out the way. Dumbledore definitely wasn't looking too happy and neither was Professor Dupree who looked on the verge of crying.

Rolling her eyes, Elena turned away just in time to feel an all too familiar arm work it's way around her waist, and sure enough when she looked up she saw it was Granton. Finally things were beginning to look a little better. "Busy? No! Bored? Yes...think you could remedy that for me?" she asked, leaning in close to him so her lips brushed against his ear as she spoke and her body pressed against the front of his. As she pulled back she let her body brush against the front of his and she smirked. Their's was a strange kind of relationship, with no apparent label, so no one knew exactly whether these two were friends, lovers, partners...

"Head duties kept you busy all night? Not seen you around?" she asked, finally taking a moment to take in his outfit and smiling at it. It wasn't anything spectacular, but it suited him. As she awaited his answer, she placed a hand on the waist he didn't have hold of and looked up at him, "Or been busy trying to charm your way into some poor unsuspecting girls affections...like the lovely Stefan over there...?" she asked jokingly, knowing he'd know she was only teasing as she nodded towards Stefan who was holding a red head dangerously close on the dance floor. One of her hands played with the belt around Granton's waist as she awaited his answer.

[granton]

"Busy? No! Bored? Yes...think you could remedy that for me?"

Granton smirked as she spoke, her body pressed against his. He let his arms wrap securely around her waist to stop her from pulling away. "That depends - how daring are you feeling?"

"Between head duties and general curiosity, I've been a little... distant, tonight. However boredom is winning out now. So I'm trying to charm my way into a not so poor and unsuspecting girls affections." Granton gave her a wink and a smirk. "Are you feeling charmed yet, or do I need to dance you around the floor like out dear friend over there?"

He knew why Stefan was there with the red-haired Gryffindor but personally, he wouldn't have done it himself, not even if it was supposed to be to help fellow Slytherins. His nose curled up slightly when he looked over to the pair. How old was she anyway? Hardly more than a child. Stefan better watch himself...

Shaking his head, Granton turned his attention back to the blonde in front of him and the way that she toyed with his belt. He was pretty sure that he knew exactly what her answer to his question would be. Elena wasn't really the type to care about the niceties such as dancing and all of that. She was more of a down-to-business kinda girl. Thankfully.

[elenahaworth]

"That depends - how daring are you feeling?"

Elena found herself matching Granton's smirk with one of her own as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, effectively holding her into place. "You know me lover...I'm up for anything...exactly how daring are we talking here?" she asked him, deciding that suddenly the night was looking to be a good one as it so often did when the man in front of her was involved.

She smiled and chuckled lightly when he shot her his famous knee wobbling smirk and winked at her. "Babe you had me charmed the moment you made your way over here...there is no way I'm going to make you suffer through any dancing..." she said, inclining her head to the side, "...although if your lucky I'll give you a private dance lesson sometime, maybe later on tonight if you play your cards right again..." she promised with a smile, shooting him a wink as well.

She paid no attention to the Stefan or the red head, she'd said all she needed to say on that front and wasn't keen on wasting any more time analysing what he was doing. She just hoped for his sake it didn't go any further than he'd told everyone...

Looking up at Granton she smiled, and hooking a finger through his belt buckle she leaned up, letting her lips graze the sensitive skin of his neck before she leant in towards his ear, "Lead the way then..." she whispered, her lips brushing softly against his ear before she pulled back, her eyes locking with his eager to get away from the crowd, and part of her wondered what he had planned...what did he think was daring...

[granton]

"You know me lover...I'm up for anything...exactly how daring are we talking here?"

Granton smirked again to match Elena's. Truth was, he didn't really know what he was planning, he just knew that after the day that he'd had he wanted a bit of fun mixed with an adrenaline rush, and a feel-good to boot. "Exactly what would be too daring for you?"

He knew before he said it that Elena wouldn't want dancing and all of that nonsense. This wasn't the time for it. But that private dance lesson sent a whole load of images racing through his mind that he probably could do without while they were still in such a public place. The images that her words stirred up went straight to his pants. "We'll I've got plenty of cards in my pocket tonight." And in quite the literal sense since a pack of them made up the final touches to his magician costume.

With the mention of cards, Granton almost wanted to suggest a game of strip poker but he knew that he didn't have the patience for that now. What he wanted he wanted now and he wanted fast. When Elena slipped her fingers through his belt buckle and whispered to him to lead the way he eagerly complied.

Though he still didn't know quite what he wanted to do, he knew that he didn't have very long to work it out. As he pulled her with him out of the Great Hall he paused for only a second to look around. The front doors of the castle were open, as he knew that by now, plenty of students were beginning to drift outside to get some fresh air. He headed for the door.

Outside he could see student milling all around and his gaze went skyward, a smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth. Silently, he summoned his broom to him, glad that he'd been practicing a lot with his wandless, non-verbal spells. He kept them in the shadows hoping not to be seem by the other students milling around and waited for the familiar wooshing noise of a object flying towards him.

Holding out his hand at just the right moment, he felt the handle of his broom slap against the palm of his hand. Looking back at Elena he raised an eyebrow and smirked, mounting the broom and making sure that there was space behind him. "You coming?"

Granton waited till Elena was comfortably settled on the broom behind him before kicking off and heading at an almost vertical climb towards the roof of the castle. All the way up, he only stopped when he reached the tower with the slightly flatter roof.

On landing he slipped off his broom and stepped away, leaving it with Elena as he took a few steps backwards, hands going to the top buttons of his shirt.

Even from where he stood he could still see the yellow glow of light from where the entrance door were open, and he could make out the outlines of students below. He didn't think they'd been seen and it didn't look like there was anyone staring up after them. Good.

Why had he chosen this spot? Because by comparison it was relatively flat, it was in clear view of the grounds, and it wasn't very big. Granton raised an eyebrow at Elena and smirked. "So..." His smirk turned into a grin. Elena could be a screamer - this could be really, really amusing.

[elenahaworth]

"Well as of yet I've never had to do anything to daring so I have no limits...well none that I know of..." she told him, her smile widening as he mentioned already having a deck of cards in his pocket. Rolling her eyes she chuckled softly and shook her head, "Well maybe next time we can have a fun game of strip poker...although we both remember how bad you sucked at that game last time..." she chuckled, her mind flashing back to that fun filled night.

Nothing more was said as Granton all but hurried them out of the Great Hall, pausing for only a brief second before they stepped out the front doors and into the cool night air. Elena stepped back into the shadows seeing the other students, not really in the mood for the curious stares and whispers they were sure to get being seen out together. When Granton stepped into the shadows with her, she half wondered what he had planned surely he wasn't expecting them to stay here...if she knew him...and she did better than most, Elena knew he had something planned.

Her suspicions were immediately confirmed when she saw him reach out to grab something. It took her a moment after he mounted the broom for her to realise just what it was, and with a smile she slid on behind him. Wrapping her legs either side of his, she snaked her arms around his toned torso, pressing herself firmly against his back as he kicked off. The vertical climb up to the top of the tower, would have knocked some people ill but Elena didn't mind, nor did she care as she held onto Granton.

As they landed she remained in place, watching Granton as he slid off the broom before moving back away from her, his hands already working on the top buttons of his shirt. So this is what he had meant when he said daring....she looked around and nodded her head in approval. They were both known for making some noise so yeah, he'd picked a pretty daring spot, the chances of being caught were at an all time high...

She smiled and slid off the broom herself. Letting her wings drop to the roof floor next to the broom she took a step closer to Granton, reaching an arm around to the back of her dress. "So..." she repeated his statement, a smirk playing on her lips as she took another step towards him. She slowly worked the zip down enough to wear the dress became loose and all but slid down her body, crumbling to the floor. Taking another step she kicked it back towards the broom, now only stood in her underwear and heels but with no shame at all. Stepping closer to him, she reached up, her fingers expertly moving over the buttons of his shirt, "I do believe you have too much on..." she said, lifting her gaze from the buttons to look at him properly.

[granton]

Granton stood motionless as he watched Elena slide out of her dress and his eyes took in everything from the curves of her body to the way her hair seemed to brush over each part of her right where he longed to touch and kiss and caress.

As she moved towards him he let his hands move to her waist and ran them over the warm skin that he found there, leaving the buttons of his shirt to Elena to undo. It didn't take long before his shirt was off and thrown to one side and his trousers were fast on the way to following. Before they could slide down he felt something slipping in his pocket and reached to grab it - finding himself with his pack of playing cards in his hand.

He smirked at Elena before holding them up in front of them. "It doesn't look like I need these after all." Releasing them, he didn't move his eyes from Elena's as the wind caught the cards and swept them away and off the roof. And thankfully in the opposite direction to the main entrance of the school.

That done, he returned his full attention to Elena and getting her out of her underwear. The boots could stay on though. Those things were damn hot and he sure got a kick of of them, but the underwear, while deliciously sexy, was in his way. If he felt like taking thins slowly then he loved to take time getting her undressed but times like tonight? He didn't want anything in his way of her and what he wanted.

With a swift motion he had the clasp freed and the straps clear of her arms. That material quickly followed in the direction of his shirt and her dress as he leaned down to lavish a little bit of attention to his gorgeous friends body. "Beautiful." He managed to mutter between nips and kisses.

[granton]