Dominik snorted.  "Believe me, the real special guest of the evening won't be getting within a ten foot radius of this one."  He pointed back at himself, letting it roll off his shoulders with only a wee bit of angst showing through in his posturing.  He had no delusions that he and Dolores would suddenly be on speaking terms just because he'd helped his family set up her special event at his family home.  The only reason she would be drawn down to his basement, as far as she'd given him reason to believe, would be to verbally lambaste him or screech about the key to her apartment which he insisted on keeping as a souvenir.

Dominik looked side-long at Liadan, surprised by her next comment.  That had been flirtatious, right?  Dominik wondered.  He wracked his memory - and no - he'd never heard her jokingly imply anything remotely close to intimate behaviours before.  She'd admonished him using words that even hinted at sexy times, in fact.  'Behaving inappropriately' did seem like Liadan speak for sexy times, if at least to Dominik's ears.

"Oh?" he asked.  Then again she did say she'd hate to give that indication, but her tone of voice implied otherwise.  Why were all women everywhere so confusing?  He cracked a cautious smile in her direction.  "I have to say I would hate to mire yet another reputation," said Dominik.  If it wasn't so much damned fun.

Dom laughed in defense of himself, a dim blush creeping up on his cheeks.  He did not need to be reminded just then that Liadan o Morain had seen him in his long johns last they talked.  He crossed his arms and grinned bashfully. 

"I'd be sooner caught dead than take my trousers off tonight without several locking charms about my door," he said, then leaned forward slightly toward her in a conspiratorial whisper.  "Merlin only knows what awful love spells are being aimed my way, between you and me.  Mum wants grandbabies so bad I wouldn't put it past her to force it outta wedlock."  He leaned back and shook his head, as though babies out of wedlock was a terrible thing to even think about.

He shook his head again and held up a hand at the hired servant coming round with the tray, and the man moved on.  Dominik uncrossed his arms and fished under his dress coat for his leather-bound hip flask full of rum.  Unscrewing the top he listened to Liadan as the expected admonishment for his recent behaviours made its appearance.  He took an extraordinarily long draw of his expensive rum before pausing to respond.

"I've had no choice but to behave, really," he admitted.  "I was held for a week in the holding cells," he looked at her guiltily.  "Then they pulled me out for Quidditch practice and the game last week."  He bit his tongue about the havoc he'd caused there.  No need to dredge that up.  Was his job and all, and he knew Liadan didn't like that. 

"Now they've got me back on community service duties and besides Dazmond has had me tied up with this shindig."  He gestured at the fire and took another long draw from his flask before letting it rest, propped up on his leg as he put his head back against the cushions.  It was true, he'd barely had time to try to smooth things over with Niobe and to help her celebrate her own birthday.  She wasn't exactly pleased with him, either.  He shrugged, appealing to Liadan.

"I just don't understand," he said earnestly.  "It should be our right to own the skies, to 'shine our colours,' - whatever.  I just want to be a free man, not a caged animal shrouded in blasted secrecy.  You know what I mean?"

"Well, Dominik, you are getting to be of an age where you should be having children. Though I highly suggest you find yourself married before word gets out you've found yourself expecting. No child deserves to be born into scandal." In a perfect world, Dominik wouldn't be doing the things required to have a child without being married... Nor would any proper, eligible, pureblood ladies. But realistically, Liadan knew that wasn't the truth. Chastity and good morals were slowly slipping- even from their own, small, upper-crust society. At least she could hold fast in knowing that wasn't the case for herself. Apart from a week ago- when Oscar had marched across his office and pressed his lips against hers- Liadan had never even been properly kissed. She smiled as she thought on it. Liadan could still feel the weakness in her legs from the encounter.

As he began to talk more about his arrest- and the deeds leading up to it- she gave him a genuinely sympathetic look. Liadan reached out, and rested her hand on his lower arm. "I know exactly what you mean, dear Dominik. For generations my family has collected items deemed by our ministry to be dark or illegal. I believe we should be allowed to pursue our interests in all fields of magic- not just the lighter side of things. Oh, I've no grand delusions of being some grand, dark witch. But I find the subject fascinating. And the only true way to know how to combat the dark arts is to have a thorough knowledge of them. And they chastise us for our beliefs, as though we are barbaric for finding ourselves superior to muggles or those with inferior blood."

"It is a good thing, Dominik, to be pure. To have a pedigree one can be proud of. Even the muggle witches and wizards tend to marry another witch or wizard when they come of age. Even they realize the need to keep magic within our community rather than risk an untimely exposure. Not that I believe muggles capable of harming our world, but without proper organization there is no way we could easily put them where they belong- which is securely beneath our thumbs."

Liadan rarely spoke so candidly about her own extreme pureblood views and beliefs. As a lady of society, it was improper to do so. Yet she trusted Dominik, and knew he would not go quoting her every word to the media. For strategic reasons, it was important for Liadan to keep those opinions to herself. Especially considering the trouble she had recently found herself in. Liadan was still thankful the truth of the matter had not come out. It was her little secret.

"But things will never be like that. The best we can do is hope to preserve our own traditions and bloodlines, in the hopes that one day our descendants will realize how things ought to be and do their best to fix them..." Liadan trailed off with a frown, patted Dominik's arm, and returned her hand to her lap. "This is far too heavy a conversation for such a festive evening, though. Let's speak of more frivolous things."

Dominik looked worried momentarily as he considered her advice to quickly marry anyone he might accidentally cause to be pregnant.  He hadn't considered the possibility of Niobe becoming pregnant, but they weren't always incredibly careful and he was sure she would take a lot of convincing, even if she was expecting a baby.  Getting her to agree to marry him would likely be akin to pulling teeth.  Given what they had just been through, it would probably be more like a miracle.  He made a mental note to be more careful, but he wasn't so sure he'd remember that when it counted.

He nodded along with her thoughts about Muggles and the Magical world.  He agreed.  Though he wondered why they would have to leave it to their sons and daughters to wage that war.  He'd tried to be that person, to fight for that ideal, and look where it got him.  The world was a confusing place sometimes.  He wasn't sure there was a clear answer to their predicament, but he appreciated having friends who shared his distaste with the way the magical world stood alongside of the Muggles like they were superior or equal to Witches and Wizards.  Which was, of course, absurd and unfair.

"Yes, let's," agreed Dominik at her suggestion that they lighten the mood.  There were only two ways such a conversation could go - either it would wind up depressing the both of them or it would inspire them to take reckless actions... and both Liadan and Dominik were trying to stay out of such troubles tonight, after all.

"Something frivolous and innocuous, hmm?  Any plans for the holidays?"  He smirked and drank again from his flask.