Ezra stared at her intently, completely taken in by the movement of her lips as they formed words with which he could identify so strongly.  She didn't feel hurt or threatened by his momentary loss of control for which he was grateful.  It was uncharacteristic of him in general.  He didn't like being humiliated or unable to defend himself.  Normally he could smile and talk his way through anything while secretly planning a cruel and timely revenge that would leave his victim unable to connect it to him.  So to hear Livi offer to help him exact a quiet and possibly vicious revenge on Kesali.  It almost made him want to show her the altar hidden on the hill but he didn't particularly know her well enough for that yet.  They could always think of something else though.  Clearly they were both clever and resourceful.  He hoped he'd shown enough of his own on Halloween because he'd certainly fallen short today.

Of course, thinking in general might be a problem.  She spoke with her lips against his, he could feel her hot, moist breath and it made him think of other things.  That kiss, short as it was, might as well have lit a fire in his gut.  His grip on Livi tightened for the second time today but this time it was a firm hold on her hips, bringing her as close as possible.  He licked at her lips and stared at her hungrily once more.  "We should probably get out of the hallway unless we want Kesali to find us again.  Because I don't think I can stop right now."

He kissed her firmly and it quickly got a bit too involved for the hallway, even shrouded in the alcove as they were. He eventually pulled back, his lips wet and his breath coming in short, soft pants.   He didn't pull away very far though.  Like Livi, he spoke closely enough to not only be heard at a whisper, but also so that his breath touched the skin of her face.  "You are amazing and together we'll show him it's foolish to mess with us.  But that..."  His gaze flicked away from her eyes to her lips.  His tongue slipped out to wet his bottom lip.  "That will just have to wait until later."

This was the part where Livi's brain usually detached and she'd be thinking of all the things she had to do besides pay the appropriate amount of attention to her boyfriend (he was her boyfriend now wasn't he?), the obligation of being half a couple, going through the motions to keep the other half happy. Usually that's what would have been happening, in this particular case her brain had gone fuzzy and her stomach fluttered before feeling like it burst into flames that spread to knees left feeling more like jelly than bone and sinew. It was too easy to get carried away with the boy in front of her. She had the distinct notion neither one of them was actually in control though they were both used to being the ones with all the cards.

Her eyelids fluttered open as he pulled away, an almost bashful smile tugging on her lips as he cautioned their getting caught again, of course even as he said it he couldn't help kissing her again. The tiny rational part of her brain was setting off alarms, wasn't this how it had started with Dominik and Dolly? No, that couldn't be right. Even the author admitted that while she had been in love with Dom he'd been busy with other things. Still, the seed of apprehension was there, the notion that this was not something she would be able to calculate and control. The most disarming fact of it all was how fast it had come on and how much of a variable she was in this equation. It was hard to be even tempered and distant, to plan three moves ahead when he threw curve ball kisses at her.

She rested her forehead against his jaw as she tried to regulate her breathing. His words echoed in her ears, pinging around her brain, for a moment not making any sense. Then it all sunk in and she looked at him with her big doe eyes and gave a small nod of her head, bottom lip caught between her teeth. This was scary fast, head spinning fast, it went against her careful nature. She'd never just hitched herself to someone else without careful planning, an endgame in sight. With Ezra she wasn't sure she could see past the tip of her nose, and the most troubling part of all was how little she cared. Of course it was only troubling to the furthest reaches of the back of her mind, what was in front of her was far more interesting as she ran her fingers through his hair, "Walk with me to get my books? I actually do have History," she laughed a little, fingers trailing along his jaw.

Ezra loved being able to do this to Livi, make her dazed and breathless.  How many people, he wondered, how many had she dared to let witness something like this.  It stroked his ego and soothed some of his louder doubts and worries.  He wasn't the only ingredient in this potion.  Liviana was just as involved as he was and he'd just have to make certain that in time, as his investment grew, hers did too.  They would go in at equal measures or they wouldn't go in at all.  He could watch her closely and make sure she wasn't playing with him as time wore on.  Time revealed all secrets, hopefully it didn't reveal his first. 

Her eyes were big and her lips shining in faint light from further down the hall.  His scalp tingled when she pushed her fingers through his hair again.  It was no doubt standing fluffed up and mussed from all their snogging but he couldn't bring himself to care.  He'd go through the rest of day like this with a happy and satisfied smirk on his face because then everyone would know what he'd been doing this afternoon.  Unfortunately... there were other reasons he didn't want to rush back to the dorms.  An uneasy grimace flashed on his face as he shifted with his back against the wall.  He glanced down at Livi and then looked away, a little embarrassed.  "We may have to wait here for a minute, walking back to the dorms isn't really the best idea for me right now."  He glanced down at his robes.   

Slipping out from between Livi and the wall, he took a step or two away and kept his back to her.  "Perhaps I could convince you to skip History today."  He glanced over his shoulder and quirked an eyebrow with a small smirk.  "I could always tutor you in private."

Liv covered her mouth and tried not to giggle, her brown eyes bright with amusement (and possibly slight vindication). While it was his bodies natural response and probably any girl worth half her wit could do it... it was nice to know that she wasn't the only one left dizzy and breathless, consumed by adolescent hormones. She really hadn't ever had that problem before. With Dracon it had all been very calculated and even with Luc she had had enough presence of mind to react before things got carried too far. She pouted a little as he slipped away, taking up his spot against the wall, "I would tell you I'm terribly sorry for your current predicament but my father always told me it was wrong to lie," and there was just a note of a giggle to the comment. She wasn't making fun of him of course, she was intrigued more than anything but a random hallway was not the place to talk about such things.

Smoothing her hair out, she watched his back, the way his shoulders hung, a deeply satisfied sigh escaping her lips when he mentioned skipping class, "I'm sure you could, but the professors have a way of talking to one another. It would be just my luck that Kesali talked to Jowd and they put two and two together and then who knows what conclusion they would come to," she rolled her eyes a little pushing off the wall and stepping further out into the hallway, "either way it ends up in detention or a lecture from Headmaster Reid. Neither of which sounds particularly interesting or fun and both of which would take away from the amount of free time I have for you to shower me with affection," she slipped beside him, linking her arms with his as she dropped a casual kiss against his cheek - and while not at all strategic a few second year Hufflepuffs happened by at the same time.

Not having a broader understanding of how the male libido worked (outside of what she read in Dolly's books), she assumed the few minutes of air he'd had were enough as she tugged him fully into the hallway, headed toward the dungeons, "Besides, the class is only an hour. You can help me study after,..though I might have to see your tutoring credentials since you're not even taking History this term," she grinned at him for a moment before letting his arm go and skipping a few steps ahead, hands clasp behind her back. It would reach the ears of the masses soon enough that Livi and Ezra were up to something, it would officially be open season for psychological warfare from her counterparts. Exhausting though it was to think about she'd brace for it. Some things were worth being put through the gauntlet for and when he was tested she'd find out if Ezra was equipped to deal with it, she had an inkling he was.

Ezra allowed himself to be taken into the hallway because his little problem had gone down with the help of some creative, if distasteful imagining.  He sighed heavily and rolled his head back.  "I suppose you're right," he groaned.  The kiss on his cheek was too chaste to really make up for it entirely, but there was a pleasant bit of warmth associated with it and he couldn't help but notice the way she pressed up against his shoulder as she did it.  He was only human.  He smirked.  He wasn't taking History and probably couldn't help her very much.  It wasn't his favorite subject so he'd opted to leave it out of his more advanced curriculum.  That's was alright though, he hadn't really planned on studying anyway.

She danced out of his hold and ahead down the hall.  She didn't get far though because he reached forward and took hold of her wrist.  He twirled her back to him but kept moving in a vague forward direction so that they could both pretend they were putting forth their best effort at getting her to class responsibly and on time.  "You and I both know that if we try to study we'd never get anything done.  I have an essay to write for Charms and if you have homework to do, then we can meet up later tonight to have a bit of fun, in the Common Room perhaps."  He liked Livi and since they were out now, having kissed in front of those younger years, they might as well be seen together officially and prove that they aren't afraid or ashamed.

Liviana made a small surprised noise (though she really wasn't) when he grabbed her by the wrist and spun her around, dark tresses bouncing with the movement as they headed down the steps toward the common room, "I suppose it depends on what Professor Jowd has us doing. I'm terribly responsible and boring so most of my homework is done," she held her chin at a haughty angle for a moment before her lips twitched with a grin. Her grades and reputation as a good student were extremely important to her, having a boyfriend wouldn't change that because she saw them as her sole ticket to something besides marriage after her seventh year. Of course if her brother stopped being an idiot maybe her mother would lay off the notion of her needing to be wed before she was twenty.

"You have to promise me something," she paused on a stair and turned to look at him, "we cannot be one of those grossly affectionate couples who snog in front of everyone. I hate that, it's so....tacky". She threaded her fingers with his, her expression a mix of soft and serious, "I want people to know we're together, of course, but those couples that drool all over one another and have absolutely nothing to talk about because they're so busy trying to prove how 'together' they are are dreadfully boring," she wrinkled her nose a little though she squeezed his fingers affectionately, "And to make sure it's a very fair traded promise I will make sure all the kisses you get in private will be well worth your restraint," as if to prove her point she leaned over and gave him a lingering kiss, nipping his bottom lip before pulling away and resuming their path down the stairs.

Ezra's eyelids drooped and his chin raised, both movements almost imperceptible.  They gave him a slight air of irritation that mixed well with the slight exasperation in his voice.  "I'm a little insulted," he drawled.  "When have I ever drooled over a woman in public?"  Never, was the answer.  Ezra's flings were carefully considered and meaningless.  As an heir, he was obligated to perform in a certain was in public and he took that obligation very seriously.  Getting caught making out in the hallway, like he had today, was completely out of the norm and he could only hope that word of it never spread too far.  Like to his father.  That was an embarrassing conversation he would just as soon avoid.  His insult over her comment, while largely feigned, still had an edge of truth. 

"I'm not a fan of putting on shows," he said in a low voice, too rough and distinct to be a whisper.  His hand slipped free of hers and slid around her waist.  He squeezed her hip and as they continued walking towards the common room entrance, said, "When I spend time on you, I can promise that you will have nothing less than my full attention so long as I have yours."  He didn't give her any lingering looks, just continued to walk and talk.  To the students passing them, they were having a perfectly level and ordinary conversation.  "It's good we're both in agreement on the matter."  He gave the password and stood aside with his arm open in a gesture for her to go ahead of him.  Only now did he look at her with a small grin and warm eyes.  He placed a hand on her lower back and winked at her. 

Livi tilted her head, a little amused by his indignation. "I know all that Ezra," she paused sweeping her dark hair over the opposite shoulder so she might glance at him from the corner of her eye, "I just wanted to be sure we were in agreement". She stepped through the passage and couldn't quite kill the smile that twitched on her lips as he placed his hand on the small of her back. It was the little things that set Ezra apart from other boys, things that reminded her of how Dominik could be when he wasn't being a lout, how her father always was. Livi adored Alec Wiedman above all else in the world, she respected her mother but...she was a daddy's girl. He spoiled her in all the expected ways but he also made sure she knew there was more to her than just a pretty face and a future spent becoming a Wizarding Brood Sow.

Leaning close to Ezra's ear, her hand cupped to hide her lips from prying eyes who might try to read, "Given Halloween and this evening it's something we're both going to have to work on. You make it rather difficult to remember there are eyes and ears everywhere," her voice was teasing and she couldn't stop the giggle that tacked itself onto the end of the sentence. She would admit that little bit to him, no more no less, and let him do with the information what he wanted. It was going to be a delicate dance of trust between the two of them since the instinct didn't seem to come naturally. She wondered, vaguely if it was like that for everyone or if she were somehow malformed after five years in the snake pit. It didn't really matter in the end of course; she was who she was, whatever had made her that way and so was he. They'd figure it out...or they wouldn't.

The common room was still relatively empty but she had to make it all the way back to the History classroom. She'd have liked to linger there with him a little longer but she had to gather her things and head back up. Oh what a dreadful life, to have such a spotless reputation. She sighed and looked at him, dark eyes longing for a moment before she turned her head toward the girls' dormitories. "I am afraid this is where we must part ways, Love. I've got to change out my books and then get back upstairs. I loathe arriving places breathless. It's so... unseemly," she rolled her eyes a little, indicating a joke. She paused for a moment, wondering if he was going to kiss her one last time or not. He'd seemed rather offended (even if she'd told him why she had asked him to promise her they wouldn't be one of those couples), and she didn't want to infringe if he still wanted to pout.

Ezra rolled his eyes.  "If you hate being breathless, then I probably shouldn't kiss you goodbye then, right?"  He leaned in, despite his words and gave her a quick, firm peck on the lips.  It was perfunctory and a little businesslike but he was aiming for a little affection that sent the message that they were familiar enough with each other's kisses and comfortable enough in their relationship to not make a big deal about it. 

"I'll see you after class, and you'd better be ready to make good on your promise, if all this waiting doesn't kill me first."  He  drew away, his hand lingering just a tiny bit on her waist before they parted completely.  He sauntered across to the boy's entrance and disappeared up the steps.  He had homework he would do while Livi was in class.  That way they might be able to squeeze an hour or so out to spend together, preferably alone.  He had an entire weekend of second guessing to make up for, of course.