Alec wondered exactly where the dragon that Victoria talked so fondly about was. Cyreen, he wanted to ask her but wanted to avoid any emotional toll on Victoria, Merlin knows that it's been enough.

He loved Ireland, he remembered fondly how Dorian and him would apparate there and go drinking. Then they would wake up still plastered. Her question though made him laugh at how childish it sounded.

"Blue" he replied immediately no matter how amusing he found it. "dark rich blue, royal blue really. And you?"

Victoria could see his mind turning. The question burning in his mind. She imagined she looked quite similar. But she tried not to ask.

"That's not fair. You're not being creative." She poked him in the side, right under the ribs, curious if he ticklish or not. "Green. Irish green. Almost Slytherin green, really." She didn't know why, but it had always been her favorite. She smirked at him, "Maybe I was in the wrong house."

Looking into his eyes, she wanted to know more. Something risky, something real. Something maybe that he didn't want to talk about. A part of her wanted to see him open up. "What's your biggest fear?"

Alec chuckled and poked her side. She wasn't meant in the Slytherin house, it would have eaten her alive. And while the house defended one another and protected their own, her compassion would have killed her.

"As much as I care about you, and I say this with the best intentions..you wouldn't survive in Slytherin. The color is one thing, but living in a house where you need to outwit another, gain their loyalty, and be a bit sharp, you wouldn't be fine. In Gryffindor, you just...get it, you don't earn it, you're an outcast in Slytherin until you earn your place among the snakes."

His biggest fear, she was playing with fire and he didn't like it. He avoided her gaze and looked up at the sky.

"Never being enough" he replied after a while. "Trying to be the perfect prodigy of my parents made me yearn for perfection and that pushed many away."

Ugh, he sounded vulnerable, that annoyed him. Things were getting a bit deeper and he didn't know if she wanted for him to open up so much where Pandora's box would occur.

"And yours?"

Victoria knew Alec was right. She wouldn't have lasted a week in their common room. She was too honest. she wouldn't say she was naive, but she trusted too easily. Or at least she used to, and she was trying to again.

"Yeah. But at least the decor would have been an improvement. Don't know if you noticed, but there's not much red in Tess and mine's flat. For good reason." She'd loved being a Gryffindor, but it was a bit overkill sometimes. And red didn't really work for everyone.

Her jaw almost dropped at his answer. It helped make her's easier to talk about. "Mine too, actually. But for different reasons." It was strange having something in common for once. "I've never been enough for my mother. And Bronn, well...that really didn't help either, now did it."

She could see Alec's reluctance to let go. But she wasn't sure that she'd get another chance at his honesty, not if she pulled back. "When was the last time you cried?"

Alec chuckled at her comment. She was too good, not even Tess was that good. Being in the Black family meant a sharp tongue, quick wit, and the power of manipulation. He ran his fingers through her soft tresses.

"Tess wouldn't have let you use too much red" he chuckled. "I remember your bed was green, was that for me" he teased her.

He was hoping to lighten up he pulled her closer.

"I guess this is why we're meant to be together. We'll fix one another, at least you're already doing your job"

He winced at the question and wrinkled his nose.

"Oh Merlin....when...when Tess moved out at sixteen" he said softly. "Our family was really ripped apart."

He couldn't really ask her the same.

"Where do you see yourself in a year from now?"

Victoria tried to look coy, but doubted she'd pull it off. "Maybe. Would you like that?' She smirked at him. She'd picked the color before meeting him, but would let him think what he wanted.

With his comment, she felt like all the air had been sucked out of their bubble of comfort. It had been one thing for him to ask her to be his girlfriend, or to talk about commitment. But another to say something like that. She tried to hide the shivers down her spine, not wanting to scare him away. She smiled lightly at his nose wrinkle. It reminded her of Tess and she loved that.

At his answer, she raised an eyebrow. She wanted to ask more, but figured she'd put him through enough for the time being. "I really don't know. I know people say that, but it's true. I'm working at Hogwarts, but it's not my dream position. I think I could teach, if something I wanted to do came up. It be fun to be an Auror, but I guess I can't. And I can't really keep Cyreen all to myself." But more importantly, "But I definitely would like to still be with you, if that's alright with you." She let out a small smile.

Alec laughed and squeezed her side fondly. She was terrible at acting coy, but he still found it amusing. He lifted his brow and let out a slow smirk.

"Don't play with fire love" he whispered to her teasingly.

If he was honest with himself, that frightened him a bit, thinking so far into the future. But he knew that was normal, it wasn't natural for him to be so domestic so quickly, but it was a better response than he imagined. Part of him was expecting to just push her away and run, for it was getting serious, but as he kept still and wasn't running that was something. Once he found his voice he shrugged.

"I wouldn't be opposed, but let's see how this goes"

Victoria felt like her skin was tingling. Her and Alec hadn't done more than kiss, yet she felt so physically comfortable with him. She didn't really understand it. She'd only had one other real relationship, and it had been born out of a friendship that had lasted for years. She just assumed that normal adults that started relationships were more physical, but she appreciated getting to know Alec as a person first...for the most part. She smiled knowingly at him, making a mental note to play with fire sometime soon.

She could feel his reaction to her comment, tensing up. When they'd first met, his answer would have hurt her a lot. But now, it only stung a little. Not because he didn't believe in them, but because he didn't have any frame of reference to even begin to think of them still being together a year from now. Sure, he said he'd been with his first crush for over a year, but adult relationships were different.

Leaning in, she kissed him lightly. "Okay." She didn't want to push him. She knew how hard it was for him to even say that.

Trying to keep it light, she grinned at him. "What is your most embarrassing moment?"

Alec wondered if he had messed up, but seeing her relax beside him, and not pull away, that was a good sign he figured. He didn't want to make empty promises, as great as it would be to last a year, especially since in a week the year would end, but to promise then break it, it'd hurt her more than him being vague.

He gladly kissed her back and grinned softly.

"Just so you know, it's not because I don't want to..but life isn't perfect and I would hate to hurt you with false hope"

He hoped she wouldn't take it the wrong way, but he was many things, and one of them was not a liar. He ran his fingers through his hair thinking.

"I was once caught by my parents in a...compromising position when I was fifteen. They kicked the...the guest out. My mom started crying and my father gave me a lecture. And you?"

Victoria felt her heart beating strongly in her chest. She wouldn't be surprised if he could feel it against his own. The fact that he was worried about hurting her threatened to bring tears to her eyes. But she fought against it, knowing that he wouldn't really understand her tears of happiness.

"I know life's not perfect. But how 'bout you let me worry about my hopes. I'm a big girl." And she was. She knew they might now work out. His two week hiatus had made it more of a reality to her. So, she had vowed to accept and appreciate all the time she had with him. "I'm not gonna let my past taint what we have. I refuse."

She laughed out loud at the idea of his parents walking in on him doing...whatever he was doing. She thought she almost saw a blush creeping into his face, but it was probably her imagination. "What kind of lecture?"

Alec raised his brow and merely kissed her forehead. She might be a 'big girl' as she said, but in all honesty he knew that she was still healing from that Bronn chap. He knew that she was surprised by his comment, but he meant it.

"Well I don't want this big girl to cry" he replied to her. "and I hope you don't"

He really wished she wouldn't compare their new relationship with the past but he wasn't stupid he knew that it was highly possible.He wagged his finger in front of her and flicked her forehead.

"You never answered my question. But I'll answer you cheat. He spoke about the birds and the bees."

Pushing away thoughts of Bronn, she idly wondered if she'd ever not think about him. He'd always be there, her first love. But she wondered how long it would take for her to replace thoughts of him with happier ones.

She playfully tried to bite at his fingers after he flicked her forehead. "I think I'd pay to have been a fly on the wall for that one. Bet that was awkward." She was curious about what they'd actually walked into, though she didn't want to sound crude by asking. But she wondered how much of the birds and the bees he'd actually known before that talk.

She giggled. "Okay. Don't be made, cause it has to do with Bronn. But we were...you know, at the camp. It was the first time we'd tried to do that, since I'd been so worried with the lack of privacy. Well...lets just say the men never let me live it down. Apparently I wasn't too quiet." It was mortifying at the time. But the men finally had accepted her when she accepted herself among them.

Alec wondered what would make him mad. After all, he wasn't a jealous person, not really, considering like him she had a past of her own. And Bronn, happened to be a part of it, he reminded himself this so he wouldn't need to feel jealous. He didn't want to be a hypocrite, it annoyed him so.

At her story, he laughed at how mortifying that must have been. He couldn't imagine that happening, but then again his seemed a bit worst than that. He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her smiling as he pulled back.

"Well I learned something new" he commented. "you're a screamer"

He let out a smirk and chuckled.

Victoria laughed along with Alec, feeling a slight blush, but nothing compared to when it had first happened. She'd walked through camp thinking that everyone was staring and laughing at her for a whole two weeks afterwards.

"Well, I wouldn't say a screamer, exactly." She smirked at him. Leaning into his ear, she whispered, "No spoilers for you."

Pulling back, she faked a pout. "You're cheating! You steal my questions. Come up with your own."

Alec raised his brow, roll over her for a second and leaned down kissing her deeply at her comment. She sure was a tease when she wanted to be, and this very entertaining. While she couldn't play coy very well, sensuality was easier to fall for. Pulling back, he let out a wink before whispering.

"Spoiler for you" he whispered softly. "I'm quite talented so it might be spoilers"

He gave her a peck before acting as if nothing happened and looked at sky hiding a smirk.

"So, what is your favorite book?"

Victoria was taken by surprise with his sudden kiss. She felt herself flush, but not from embarrassment. The look in his eyes made her feel feverish, weak, and bold, all at the same time. She made another mental note. Spoilers. Spoilers are good. She shivered when he whispered to her.

"Keep it up and we're going to melt the snow here." Though she really wouldn't mind it.

Seeing him go back to his playful self, she grinned. Who knew he could be so coy? Following in his steps she laid back on the blanket, looking at the snow falling. "I like fictionally historical adventure books. Like Davinci Code. But way more than that. And," she bit her lip, knowing he'd probably laugh at her, "I'm a sucker for a good vampire book." She knew it wasn't really the answer to his question, but she loved so many books it was hard to narrow it down.

Looking over at him, she smirked. "What's your favorite feature on a woman?"

Alec chuckled at her terrible joke. She kissed her forehead amused at how she reacted so easily. Her flushed made him feel confident in his abilities and finding out that seeing her flush was something he liked to see and not to mention cause.

He snorted at her comment and soon was laughing at the comment of vampire book. Those books were never fitting as to what a vampire really was, it just amused him more than anything and a waste of time.

Her question though sobered him a bit. His mind went to the obvious features of a woman, but he knew what it was.

"Eyes, usually they show a glint as to who they are," he poked her side lightly. "What attracts you to men most?"

"Hey!" Victoria smacked Alec in the chest with the back of her hand. "You asked! And don't knock it til you try it. There's a lot out there to believe in. Though the sparkles annoy the shit out of me." She feigned a shudder at the terrible association of a new creature to the historical vampire.

She turned her head to face him, scrunching up her nose at him. "You're stealing my questions again. You'll have to pay for that."

Lacing her fingers through his, she brought his hand up to kiss his knuckles. "I really like eyes too. But I really like hands. Some people, I just can't get over terrible hands. But yours," she brushed her thumb along his, "I love your hands." They were strong and sure, but dexterous.

"Are you an early bird or a night owl?"

Alec grabbed and squeezed her hand still snickering. He was never going to like those things, he preferred classic literature, thank you very much, but he found it amusing how riled up she got from his reaction.

"Right..right" he said trying to ease her, his grin though couldn't be hidden.

Alec wrinkled his nose confused. Hands? Really? He didn't see why people cared about hands and finding them...attractive? Women were strange creatures her admitted.

"You're...eccentric" he chuckled. "A night owl, definitely a night owl."

Looking up he wondered what the hell to ask next.

"What is your favorite dessert?"

Victoria grinned. She liked that her and Alec could laugh about their differences. Because they were definitely different people, but it was how they handled those differences that would determine their relationship.

At his statement she shrugged. "I know. That's why you love me." It was a simple phrase that she used all the time with family and close friends. But right after they left her mouth, her eyes widened. "I mean...nevermind." She didn't want him to freak out if he wasn't ready for that phase.

Trying to change the focus she tried to smile, though it was tentative. "Basically anything with chocolate is the key to my heart. Though I'm a sucker for cheese cake!"

Still trying to think of anything other than her slip up, she thought. "What kind of music do you like?"

Alec didn't say anything, he hadn't even taken it as such a big thing either. He knew he should run away, a normal person would. Hell anyone who had dated for this amount of time and heard the 'L'-word, would be running for the hills. But he merely tensed up and let out a deep breath decided to pretend he didn't hear it.

"Differences work" he said simply.

Her freaking out was a good sign though, at least to him because it meant that she knew that it was a bit rushed to say that. She changed the subject and went along with it, smirking at the fact that she was so adamant about her love of food.

"I like classical music" he replied. "Violins especially. Speaking of instruments, do you play any?"

Victoria was happily surprised at his answer. She hadn't expected classical music. Especially violins. It was such a muggle thing to her. "I play piano. Though I don't get much time nowadays since I don't have one. But I took lessons during holidays and when I was really young."

She was glad he wasn't freaking out about her saying love. It wasn't something new to her, but she knew it was to him. Or at least she thought so. Love had always come easy to her, with friends, and with Bronn. She was never one to doubt what her heart felt, which was probably why the betrayal hurt so bad. But she knew, if she was honest with herself, that she could never be any other way.

With those thoughts, she looked up at Alec tentatively. "Have you ever been in love?" She knew her voice was softer than usual. If Alec didn't want to answer that one, she didn't want him to feel like he had to. But she was an open book, and she just wanted to know about his own emotional history.

Alec nodded and was glad she could play an instrument, it was always charming. And looking at her hands, her fingers were long, perfect piano hands.

"Hm..we all play instruments in our family. It was part of our education as children before we entered Hogwarts, we did literature, etiquette, and music."

For the Black family being well versed in the arts was important. 'Virtu' was needed int he family ever since the Renaissance time, and today was no different.

Her question made him uncomfortable and he looked away. He wanted to word it appropriately but he couldn't.

"It never really interested me the older I got. It seemed like a cheesy want from people, like they needed it, I was happy with what I had. I never got how people looked for it."

He didn't want to ask her the same thing so he cleared his throat.

"Do you like Muggle movies?"

Victoria nodded. She'd heard similar things from Tess about their upbringing. Though she hadn't really talked about it in such a traditional sense. It intrigued Victoria, the idea that their family took their education into their own hands before Hogwarts. She'd spent her first ten years in America, so had went to a regular public school.

His answer made her smile softly. It was logical. But it also didn't rule out the possibility that he could fall in love, which made her heart beat a little faster. It also made her a little happy, knowing that no one else had gotten really close to him. She leaned over and kissed him lightly. "Thanks for being honest." It meant more to her than some sappy lie that other guys might have made up.

"Of course. I insisted on having a TV at our flat." She loved movies, maybe a little too much. "I'm a sucker for action movies. But, like, fiction action. Like Avengers more than Mission Impossible. But I like lots of other things too."

Her stomach growled and she sat up, digging into her bag. She pulled out a thermos with hot cider and some spiced donuts. She'd picked some made with pumpkin for herself, not sure if he'd like them. Biting into one, she offered Alec some. "What's your favorite holiday?"

Alec was confused of her reaction to his honesty, He knew that honesty was the best policy, but the kiss was unexpected. Then again who was he to go against her wishes, and immediately kissed her back.

"Yes...I saw that television, I thought you brought it into her flat." he said smirking. "But both of you watch television or just you or...why a television?"

He personally wasn't a fan of the telly. It really didn't appeal to him, he had gone but he preferred a good book, perhaps he was old fashioned.

"I'm not a fan of the media, television especially. It's not how we were raised and in reality, I prefer a good book or the radio at most."

He chuckled hearing her stomach grumble, she would be the one to get hungry first, but he bit his tongue not saying anything. He took out and being polite, he took a bite and chuckled.

"My birthday" he said teasingly. "In reality it's Christmas"

He took a sip of her coffee and smiled.

"Do you dance?"