A Tender Touch.
pairing; James Farrow x Stirling!Reader
summary; after you get injured, james helps clean you up.
warnings; friends to lovers, violence, making out, grinding, fluff
notes; fem!reader but can be read as other, since the start, callum turner had been my main fancast for james idk why, i know james sleeps in the tower but shh, idk if anyone will even read this thereâs like no iwwv x reader stuff, not much dialogue, no use of y/n, wouldnât rly say any spoilers
As always, Richard got different, when heâd start drinking. He was always violent, since childhood, evenâyou remember back to when heâd accidentally hit you too hard with a pillow or shove you too hard playing tag. But the real violence, the real Richard, came out when he was blackout drunk, unaware of his actions and their consequences in the later moments.
Being his sister, you always tended to keep an eye out for him at parties, sipping slowly at your drink in an attempt to not get drunk and keep a clear mind. Occasionally, youâd let go and enjoy yourself, but the one time every couple months where he drank too much made you constantly paranoid.
You poured yourself another drink from one of the many bottles that stood shoulder-to-shoulder on your kitchen countertop. âHey,â a slightly deep voice rung out from behind me. You turned, pressing you back against the counter. âHi. Where are the others?â You smiled at James. He stood beside you, looking over with a fond grin till his attention turned to the drink selection. âDonât know. We all split off and now the only one I can find is you.â He poured himself a drink as he replied; vodka with some random mixer he found.
You sipped slowly at your drinkâfeeling a slight burn slide past your throatâas you watched the on-goers of the party. James turned back from the counter and leaned against it beside you, mimicking your position. The both of you watched as people chattered, drank and slowly swayed to the music. You could feel the buzz from the alcohol taking its time to kick in.
Talk filled the air till it slowly was hushed and replaced by shouting from outside the Castle. With furrowed eyebrows, you looked up to James and he looked down on you with a similar, confused expression. His hand slid into yours as you tugged him along, heading for the door.
Once you reached the soft garden grass, the chilled breeze attacked you in every place your navy dress hadnât adorned, bringing goosebumps along your arms and legs. There was a crowd circled around the center of the yard. James moved ahead of you, pushing through the crowd and dragging you along till you both reached the front. âCome on, Oliver. Man to man, letâs see who gets her.â Richard was yelling at Oliver, inching forward while the smaller boy crept backwards with each step. Meredith, who you assumed Richard was getting thick over, stood slightly further back in the middle, watching them and screaming at Richard to leave Oliver alone.
Your jaw hung slightly as Richard shoved Oliver who was obviously fidgeting to apologise and attempt to calm Richard down. On impulse, you discarded Jamesâs hand from yours, running over to Richard and pushing him away from Oliver slightly.
âRich, what the fuck are you doing?â Your tone was harsh and sternâas if you were taking the place of your mother. His gaze turned to you and he snarled, âget out of my way. This has nothing to do with you.â His breath reeked of liquor. âYouâre drunk, stop this now, youâll regret it in the morning.â
A small thwack sounded out; a stinging feeling humming in your cheek and you stumbled back a bit, eyes looking up to glare at Richard. He had slapped you with the back of his hand. He never hit you before and you were left with a shocked expression, not fully realising what he just did.
Your cheek felt strange so you reached your hand up to feel it, being met with a crimson liquid dripping into your fingers. The ring that embellished your brotherâs finger had made such impact, it had split your cheek. An iron-like taste lingered on your tongue but you ignored it as Richard wasted no time after the hit.
âYou wanna get involved, huh?â The cruelty of his sardonic intonation brought an unease in your chest. A wicked grin was plastered across his face and you knew you werenât looking at your brother in this momentâmore of a dark shadow that cast over him like a dull cloud. âItâs none of your fucking business what I do.â He shoved you again, this time hard enough to make you fall back.
From the corner of your eye, you saw James spring forward towards you as you made impact with the ground, a sharp pain slicing through the back of your calf. Your leg had landed on a jagged rock, carving a narrow cut through your calf.
Two arms hooked under your arms from behind, lifting you up; you looked behind to see who it was, just to be met with Jamesâs soft stare. You stood up on your feet, the cut on your leg throbbing gently. Richardâs gaze burned into you but you avoided it like the plague, not giving him the satisfaction of seeing you upset, although you knew he would feel guilty throughout his hangover the next morning. That didnât mean you had to forgive him.
During this whole encounter, you had completely forgot that there was a crowd around you all watching and your cheeks grew hot as tears pricked your eyes. You crossed your arms over each other. The humiliation kicked in as people watched you walk back inside, James hot on your tail, holding both your forearms and guiding you through the people. The party was now filled with tension and you noticed people starting to leave.
James led you upstairs and you followed him aimlessly. He brought you into the bathroom, lifting you tenderly by the waist to sit on the counter next to the sink. You focused on levelling your breathing but all you could think about was the fact that Richard had actually hit you, and in front of all those strangers too.
âHey, you okay?â James spoke delicately as he searched through the cabinet beneath you. He pulled out a cloth and a couple bandages and some gauze. âIâm ok.â His careful fingers wrapped around the damaged leg, lifting it up slightly to take a look at the cut. ââs it okay if I clean this?â His eyes gleamed up at you, waiting for an answer; you just nodded silently.
James moved over to the sink, dampening the cloth with cold water before bringing it to your leg. He carefully cleared the blood from your leg, handling you as if you were porcelain. The wet pat against your calf stung, and you pulled your bottom lip under your teeth, trying to ignore the light sting.
Once he was done cleansing the wound, he moved back to the sink, grabbing the gauze. You turned your head behind you to take a look at yourself in the mirror. Your hair was slightly ruffled and your bottom lip graced a red slit, the blood starting to crackle and dry. Unintentionally, you licked your lips to moisturise them and tasted the metallic flavour of blood.
James still stood at the sink and your eyes flickered over to him. Heâs gorgeous, you thought, then tried to shake away your thoughts. The awareness of being half-drunk made you convince yourself that you were just being affectionate and flirty with everyone, and James just happened to be the only one in the room.
You ripped your view away from the mirror and looked to the ground tiles. The silence in the room wasnât tense, and you felt as if you could relax in it. As James came back to stand in front of you, he started to wrap the gauze tightly around your calf and your head fell back against the mirror, eyes closing and lips parting into a sigh.
It didnât take long for him to bandage the cut. Your eyes flitted open and you were met with him standing infront of you, looking at your face. He steadily brought his handâwhich gripped the wet clothâup to your cheek, smoothly wiping the small gash from Richardâs ring.
His hand lingered, even when the slice was washed out, and your eyes couldnât tear away from each other. If your legs hadnât been stretched out from sitting on the counter, forcing him to maintain a distance, you mulled over how far from your face he really would be. The eye contact drew onâaside from the broken moments where you strained from the temptation of looking at his plump lips but failedâ, the silence turning to a deafening tension. You hauled your eyes from his, moving your face to glance at your lap and clearing your throat.
âWe should get you to bed,â he said. You could hear the stiffness in his voice, as if he was forcing himself to break the silence. âYeah,â you replied. James wrapped his hands around your waist, lifting you down from the counter. It seemed he was reluctant to let you go, only sliding his hands off when you moved to the door.
The mahogany knob turned and you both stepped out from the bathroom. Your body felt exhausted but your brain still buzzed happily from your previous few drinks. âDo you want me to take you up to the tower?â Jamesâs voice was quiet although there wasnât anyone in the hall. Oliver and you both stayed up in the tower, while everyone elseâs bedrooms were scattered around the Castle.
ââm too tired to go up there, can I stay with you?â Your question had caught him off guard and you pulled back a smirk upon seeing the strawberry blush hinted across his cheeks. âYeah . . sure, of course.â He held onto your hand as you headed down the hall to his room. Pushing the door open, James led you inside his room. Your eyes darted aroundâas if it were your first time in here.
The warmth from his hand faded as he let go and went to sit on the small couch he had in the middle of the room. You followed, taking a seat beside him, maybe too close. You sat, one leg dangling off the couch; the other, bent at the knee and tucked under you. Jamesâs arms were stretched out, resting on the channel back of the sofa.
âThanks,â you murmured out, looking over into his eyes; they looked blue from afar, but really they were silvery-gray, even with a hint of gold-hazel splatted through them. You could see yourself in the reflection. He didnât say anything, just gazed back at you with a longing look etched into his features.
James really was beautiful. Youâd always known it, just never really had time to dwell on it. But now you felt like you had all the time in the world and couldnât help keeping your eyes from flickering between his and his lips. It was as if you were contemplating which were more endearing, and right now his lips were in the lead. The heat in your cheeks tingled and you silently wished he couldnât see your blush in the darkness.
Even if he did register your blush, he didnât make it known to you. He did, however, seem to notice your quivering gaze. You werenât sure if you were just imagining it, or if he really was leaning closer, but you subconsciously mirrored him. The tension and silence felt suffocating but all you could focus on was his lips.
The two of you leaned in painstakingly slowly. Your nose brushed his and it tickled you, mouth curling into a slight smile. Eventually after what seemed to be ages, his lips grazed against yours. He didnât push them to meet yours any further, just letting them skim past as if to tease you, or maybe just to be gentle, you didnât know.
After that ghost of a kissâif you could even call it thatâyou leaned back slightly, noses barely an inch away, and smiled at him softly as he returned the smile. You pushed forward, kissing him again but this time deeper and more controlling. Jamesâs hand drew up to hold your jaw between his fingers. His lips were pleasant and velvety under yours, his touch gentle and caring.
Taking your sweet time, you pushed against him and he to you. His head tilted back a little as the kissing grew passionate and needy. Your lips slot together like a perfect puzzle. You bit his lip gingerly, prodding your tongue at the crease and sliding it across his lips, asking and waiting for access.
Without hesitation, his mouth curved open more and allowed for you to slide your tongue in. They danced together, roaming every inch of each otherâs mouths as if searching for missing treasure. Before you knew it, you were throwing your leg across him and straddling his hips, holding him by his chest and pushing him further into the couch with your kisses. His hands fell to your waist, caressing the slope.
Every now and then youâd pull back to catch up on your rapid breathing. The tiredness youâd felt earlier was quick to disperse and allow for the adrenaline of the moment to kick in, leaving a buzzing feeling in your stomach, like butterflies.
Your temptation to grind down on his hips caved and when you did, his mouth parted and he drawled out a low, deep groan. His hands went from resting along your waist to grabbing down on your hips, helping you move against him. Warmth spread throughout and you couldnât help but smile and continue pressing kisses to his lips.
He moved his head downwards, kissing along your jaw, then suckling on your neck. You gasped as his teeth plucked at the sensitive skin and tilted your head further upwards to grant him a larger canvas. Hips moving against his, your stomach fluttered in the best way possible.
His hands that held onto your hips tightened and held you in place, refraining you from moving any further. You frowned and pulled back from him with a whine. âWhatâs wrong?â You asked, breaking the silence that had encased the room long ago. James shook his head. âNothing, nothing,â he assured you. âBut we canât do this right now, youâre drunk.â You smiled, then let out an airy scoff, âIâm barely tipsy, James.â You didnât want anything other in this moment but him.
Still, you felt the fatigue come back and slowly got off him, sitting down beside him again. Begrudgingly for you, his decision was probably for the best so you just complied. You pressed a kiss to his nose then stood from the couch, making your way to his bed that rested behind the sofa.
âYou need some clothes?â James asked, now also standing but making his way towards his drawers. âYeah, please.â You pealed your dress down, slipping the navy straps from your shoulder as James threw a large shirt over to your direction. You threw it over your head, then slipped on the pair of shorts he gave to you. You crawled under the patterned covers of his bed. Your arms sprawled out above the covers as you waited for him.
Glancing in Jamesâs direction, he still stood at his drawer. He was now wearing loose, green pajama pants. Unaware of your attention being on him, he lifted his shirt up, tugging it over his head and throwing it somewhere random, thinking heâd deal it with tomorrow. Breath hitching, stomach fluttering; you admired his slim but not so toned figure. You stared with no shame, as if it were your first time seeing his bare chest. Sadly for you, he tugged a grey shirt over his head, and you looked away as he approached the bed.
He climbed under the covers beside you and you felt his arm brush up against you. Turning on your side to face him, he was already facing you, seemingly staring at your face. The pale moonlight shone down from the window, illuminating one side of his face. God, heâs so kissable, you thought. Leaning forward in a sluggish, drowsy move, you pressed a chaste kiss against his lips. Moving one hand to rest under his head and cheek, your eyes were still shut when you placed another kiss on the corner of his lips.
Finally, your eyes opened to be met with his metallic ones looking back at you. In that moment you wished you could lay there forever, placing kisses along his angelic features. Had it not been the slight shine of the moonlight, youâd barely be able to make out his flushed cheeks in the dimness of the room.
James opened his mouth to speak, hesitated, then continued. âYouâre so beautiful; breathtaking.â His cheek was still cradled against your palm and your fingers curved along it, caressing it gently. You smiled, a breathy laugh coming out along with it. âSo are you,â you replied and kissed the tip of his nose.
He shuffled closer to you and you rested your head on his shoulder. A kiss was placed on the skin just behind your ear and you draped one arm across his shoulder, around his neck and let it lie behind his head. A warm but dainty hand crept up your waist, tugging you impossibly closer. And you both lay there, breaths mixing together in the darkness. It wasnât long before your breathing evened out, and when James noticed that it did, he allowed himself to fall asleep.
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Silver Necklace.
pairing; Regulus Black x Potter!Reader
summary; after being paired with regulus black in potions class, you manage to slowly become friends. he steals your heart and itâs only a matter of time till he breaks it.
warnings; overall just angst, bits of fluff, mentions of sex (just asking about it, no smut), making out, enemies to lovers-esque
notes; fem!reader, mean-ish(??) regulus at start, no use of y/n, kinda long fic so not proof read, ps. i know sirius is 1959 but it works out better if heâs 1960 so donât come at me, also, i read atyd for this .. (so this is kinda influenced by that)
Every passing day, you swore your heart ached more and more. Every glance you cast over to him in the halls, passing by as if strangers when not even a couple months ago you had been laughing and confiding in each other like idiots.
He had become so lifeless in such a short amount of time. You felt as if your grasp on your once joyful life had slipped through your fingers like coarse grains of sand.
Sooner than later, you had found yourself conflicted. Battling between wanting him by your side but having your beliefs clash. Then it was revealed and all was lost. You just wish you had the strength to go on as if he didnât exist, like you used to.
It had all started during your fifth year at Hogwarts. You normally kept to yourself, only really talking to your friends and of course the boys: James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. In all honesty, you forgot Regulus existed most of the time.
That was till you two were paired for a potions class. He was very intelligent, you must admit. But also quite snarky.
âYou will each be assigned a partner and then I would like you to work together to brew a specific potion,â your Potions Master, Professor Slughorn babbled on. âYou will be given a maximum time period of three weeks to complete the potion then will be graded on it.â
You sort of tuned out after that. The professor kept talking, listing out names and assigning the pairs a specific potion. Your head snapped back in his direction when he called out your name. âAnd . . . Regulus Black.â Your eyes met his stoic grey ones. Merlin, he looked so similar to Sirius yet so unique, you thought, holding the same dark hair and high placed cheekbones. You must admit he was very good looking.
âYou all will be making a Polyjuice Potion, which you can find in page 57 of your books. The lacewing flies, I have already stewed for each of you to save time. I advise you also check your potions some evenings to make sure theyâre going well. â Walking over to a table as Regulus Black followed, you pulled out your potion making book. The boy beside you watched as you flicked through the pages, looking for the Polyjuice potion, still not uttering a word to you.
Finally, you found it. âAha!â You mumbled as the corners of your lips quirked up slightly. After sitting in silence, you had decided to spark up conversation.
âHereâs the ingredients list. Could you get the cauldron ready while I gather the other ingredients?â Your eyes once again looked up to meet his as he muttered out a gravelly response and did as you asked.
After twenty minutes, the bell had rung commencing the end of class. You turned to Regulus to say something to him but he had already left. With a sigh, you gathered your things and headed to your next class.
You were now sitting with Lily in the Great Hall, waiting on your brother and his friends. âIâm stuck paired with Siriusâ brother for Potions. Heâs barely said a word to me at all, donât you think thatâs a bit strange?â You asked the red-haired girl, while casting a gaze over the Slytherin Table. Lily had replied but her words went through your ears as you studied the black and green robes. Your eyes flickered over to Regulus Black. He sat chatting to Evan Rosier.
âThere they are,â a familiar voice came, before the person owning it plunked down beside you, wrapping an arm around your shoulder. âHi Sirius,â you gave him a tight-lipped smile. James sat across from him, beside Lily, and Remus had took a spot on the opposite side of you. âHi Moony,â you had said when the brown haired boy ruffed your hair. âHello to them but not to your own brother,â James frowned. You rolled your eyes playfully, âHi James.â
The group made small talk and you (once again) tuned out. You sort of had a habit of that. Glancing around the Great Hall, your eye connected once again to your potions partner. Surprisingly, his were already set in your direction, glaring at the back of Jamesâ head, then across to his brother. Then the grey-toned orbs clicked with your own. Hurriedly looking away, your cheeks burned at being caught staring at him. Weird, he was already watching us, you had thought. Shrugging off your thoughts, you decided to just forget about that embarrassing moment.
Trudging through the halls to potions class, you had arrived with a few minutes till class started. It was when you were gathering your things again and setting it down to the table that Regulus Black stepped over and took a place beside you. You were reminded of catching him watching your group yesterday, but quickly dismissed it.
âHi,â you said while gathering the Polyjuice ingredients, not bothering to lift your head up to the boy. You glanced up to him with furrowed brows when you were met with no reply. He gazed down at you with a condescending look on his grey, dark eyes. âRight . . well, we should start. Thereâs 4 parts; we should have this done by the last class till itâs due.â
Regulus stood in front of the cauldron and you held the book in the crevice of your elbow. âIt says here: Add 3 measures of fluxweed.â Grabbing the container of fluxweed, he added what was needed into the cauldron. âI donât need you to read me out everything, I am not illiterate,â the Black brother grumbled, laced with an irritated tone. His voice was smooth and pronounced and you wouldâve wished for him to speak a little more, had his words not been so unkind. It reminded you heavily of his elder brotherâs; aristocratic and noble.
With a scoff, you threw the book down onto the table to the right of the boy. âWell, what do you suppose I do if youâre going to make the potion?â Regulus ignored you, not having a response to your question.
âMove.â You pushed Regulus out of the way of the cauldron, following the next step in the guide. âWhat do you think youâre doing?â His brows were angled down and his colourless eyes narrowed into a glare. âWell, if you wonât let me help, Iâm not going to let you brew the whole thing. Who says you wont fuck it up?â âI would mess it up? God, you Potters are so obnoxious,â he spat.
âMister Black, Miss Potter. Do we have a problem?â Slughorn asked the two of you. âNo, Professor,â Regulus answered as quick as it was asked. He had reciprocated your actions, shoving you out of the way and taking control of the potion again. He grabbed your wrist in a tight, iron grip that it was almost sore. âShut up, and do not cause another scene.â He glowered at you before finally letting go of your wrist. There was a red ring in the tracing of where he grasped your arm so roughly. You wouldnât be surprised if it bruised.
The Marauders and you had sat in the Gryffindor common room along with one of your dorm mates, Marlene McKinnon. âMerlin, Sirius. Your brother is the biggest git Iâve ever met.â Sirius, who sat on the ground beside the fireplace, gave you a puzzled look. âWhy? Whatâs he done?â You had explained the situation that had occurred during potions. Sirius had only replied with an âohâ. You rolled your eyes at the dry response but had left it at that.
Marlene spoke up from beside you on the couch. âDid you lot hear, Lucius Malfoyâs planning on joining the Death Eaters?â Her soft voice echoed through the empty common room. âHeâs hardly actually going to join,â James spoke up, doubt written all over his face, âHe barely left school. Only a couple years ago.â
âHe was a Slytherin, them lot are the type. Horrid,â Marlene spoke again. The Death Eaters were starting to gain more members but you hadnât thought people you knew would start joining.
Rising from your seat on the couch had caught Marleneâs attention. âWhere are you going?â The bright blonde questioned you. âJust goinâ to check on Slughornâs assignment. You want me to check yours? James, Iâm borrowing the invisibility cloak.â You didnât bother waiting for an answer before taking it.
âYes, please. Thanks mate.â She flashed you a beaming smile and you exited your houseâs common room.
It was late now and you were unsure if it was even a good idea leaving the common room at this time. The prefects were probably done their patrol by now, leaving just you and creepy old Filch wandering the halls alone. It was fine though, he wouldnât be able to see you with the cloak on.
âLumos,â you whispered, holding your wand out as the cloak draped over your lower arm. The tip of your vine wood wand came alight in a blue-white colour, brightening the hall for you to be able to roam freely with vision.
It wasnât long till you navigated your way to the Potions class, carefully pushing the door ajar so that it wouldnât let out itâs usual croaks. Upon stepping inside, yourâwell, Jamesâ actuallyâinvisibility cloak was thrown off and ditched onto the cold tiles of Slughornâs classroom.
Stepping further into the classroom, majority of the room was dark, aside from a corner where your cauldron happened to be. An illuminating light, that appeared to be the Lumos charm, lit the crevice of the room. A dark figure stood with itâs back to you. Would it be too late to slip back on the cloak and run back to your dorm?
The answer to that was already decided when the figure spoke as it turned to your direction, âWhoâs there?â It appeared to be the younger Black brother. When your eyes had met, his face quickly turned to a scowl.
âOh, just you, Potter.â His voice seemed to be laced with venom when he had spat your surname. âWhat are you doing here?â You asked, cautiously stepping up to the cauldron and the angsty boy. Peering into the cauldron, your potion seemed to be doing fine. âWhat does it look like? Someone has to check on it, seeing as you donât.â Regulusâ tone was harsh. You scratched the back of your head and walked over to another cauldron; Marlene and her partnerâs. The boy just watched you as you checked if hers was going well.
âSorry, I just forgot. You were the one who was so sure that you didnât need my help anyway.â He just ignored your comment. âListen, you can check on it on Thursday and Iâll check on it Saturday. Weâll keep watching it every two nights, taking turns. Alright with you?â He pondered for a minute over your decision before agreeing to it. âAlright.â
You walked into the great hall, venturing over to the Gryffindor table and taking a seat between Peter and James. âMorning,â you greeted, it being followed with repetition. âBig quidditch game this Friday; first of the season. You all coming to watch?â James asked to the group. âObviously, when have I missed one,â you grinned up to him. You took pride in showing up to support him for his matches. He is your big brother, of course. âWhoâre you playing?â Sirius questioned. âRavenclaw,â James replied with a smirk.
âPity, Sirius, that you got kicked off the team. You were probably the best beater we had, alongside Marlene,â you recalled. âI know, but I deserved it.,â Sirius groaned. A remorseful grin was evident on his face, recollecting the memory. âOf course, you deserved it after what you tried to do to Sev.â Lily had an angry frown on her face.
âDonât know why you even hang out with that freak anyway,â Remus taunted. James joined the conversation again, âHeâs pure evil.â
As Lily argued with the elder boys to defend her best friends name, you could feel eyes burning into the back of your head. You sat facing the Hufflepuff table, so the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables were behind you. Glancing over your shoulder, you were encased in an uncomfortable sense of eye contact with Regulus Black himself. His eyes widened a little from their previous narrowed glare when yours connected but he glanced away just after.
The day had gone quickly. It was already noon, meaning it was time for Potions, seeing as it was a Wednesday. Marlene and you had headed together to class, arriving and taking your places at your own designated cauldrons. The black haired boy was already there.
âHave you started the next step?â You had asked, standing beside him and opening the textbook onto the right page again. âNo, I need you to crush two lacewing flies.â
And, thatâs how the rest of your potion classes with Regulus Black went. Just loitering alongside him and aimlessly following any instructions he would give you in silence. To your content, he hadnât said anything patronising to you. But he hadnât said anything to you, conversation wise either. That was, till the one today. You had been measuring out the bicorn horn, getting ready to crush it to a powder, when Regulus spoke up. âIâve noticed how well Sirius and your little gang get along.â
You raised your head to look up at him with a âhm?â. âIâve never saw him smile or laugh as much as he does with your lot in my entire life,â he continued. âWell, he is best friends with James,â you had piped up, slightly bemused on why he was bringing this up. He had refused to look at you, instead staring down into the brewing and bubbling potion. âAh yes, I forgot about my replacement.â If you didnât know any better, you wouldâve thought he had a tinge of jealousy or resentment in his voice. Why would he be jealous?
âI wouldnât call him a replacement. Sirius thinks highly of you, even if he doesnât show it,â you had attempted to reassure him. This resulted in an irked scoff and finally, his eyes had met yours for the first time this whole class. âThinks highly of me? Thatâs a proper joke. He doesnât give a toss about me, seeing as he attempts to abandon me with our overbearing parents each Christmas and Summer. Iâm sure heâs told you all about our loving mother.â His voice was edged with so much sarcasm and bitterness you could drown in it. His last words held a sardonic tone and made you feel tense. You didnât know what to say, so you decided on not uttering a word.
It had been 2 days since your last conversation with Regulus Black. Luckily, it had been a Thursday, so you didnât have to be in his grudgeful presence till Monday which was the last day anyway for this stupid project.
Once again, you had stolen Jamesâ cloak, heading out after hours when all the prefects had already done their checks. It was your turn to watch over your potion. When Slughorn said that the students should look over their potions in the evenings, he probably didnât intend to do it this late, but it was more fun like this. A twinge of excitement erupted in your chest thinking about it. You were nearly finished after weeks of begrudgingly stirring, chopping up and grinding ingredients and following orders.
Stepping soundlessly into the room, you crept over to the cauldron belonging to you and Regulus. You stirred the sludgy mixture with a tinge of disrelish, nearly gagging from how repulsive it was. You were unaware of the presence who joined you in the room mere minutes after; inching towards you, feet not making a squeak against the shadowy tiles.
After concluding that your assignment was going fine, you had turned to head back to the Gryffindor dorms. Your heart jumped and you let out a quiet, shocked gasp. A man stood behind you. Upon seeing his face, your shoulders relaxed and eyebrows twisted into a frownâalthough, not genuinely cross. The corners of his lips pricked up into a grin (which looked like he was attempting to conceal) before falling back to their normal, neutral position.
âMerlin, Black. Nearly gave me a heart attack there,â you lightly scolded. âWhyâre you here? Itâs my day to check.â He walked past you over to the cauldron, arms brushing and you felt a light rush of breeze. He was now standing to your right and you turned to face him once again as he spoke, âCouldnât sleep. I decided to check on the potion, there isnât much else to do in this bloody castle.â
You had replied with a mere âohâ. He gazed into the potion for a minute, then his eyes met yours. Embarrassingly, you scrambled to pick up your wand, then walked over to the door to grab the cloak that lay sprawled out on the floor.
âAre you in a rush?â His looming voice echoed through the room. You hesitated before replying, âNo.â His next words had sprung some surprise in you, but you tried to not show it on your features; instead, aiming for a calm expression. âWould you like to go for a walk?â
After reluctantly contemplating the scenarios in your head of what he was trying to get at with thisâpossibly trying to attack you in a more secretive place, no one would catch him. No, thatâs silly. If he wanted to attack you he wouldâve already done it. Plus, he isnât pure evil like âSnivellusâ Snape; and he would have no reason to ambush youâyou agreed: âAlright.â His expression seemed to slightly change to a aplomb manner.
Following Regulus and sauntering through the halls together, some minutes in pure silence, some in light chatter, you both had managed to end up in the Hogwarts Astronomy Tower. The previously harsh wind settled to a leisurely breeze. Regulus had mimicked your actions, leaning against the metal railings of the tower. The whole atmosphere held a sort of serenity you felt that youâve never experienced before; you were friends with the Marauders, of course, and nothing was ever tranquil with them boys.
Your gaze had flickered over to the boy beside you. His long, black hair was moving delicately in the zephyr. It reminded you of gentle waves moving through the ocean, but you then realised that was a silly comparison. You never really took your time to observe Regulus Black. His face was strongly chiselledâalmost as if he was carved by that muggle, Michelangeloâelegant looking, really. He looked similar to Sirius, just younger and with his own distinctive characteristics.
Looking away as to not get caught staring like before, you realised you were both basking in silence for a few minutes. That was until you looked back to him and noticed Regulusâ dubious conscience to break it. Finally, he spoke. âIâmâSorry for freaking out in potions the last day,â he blurted out in a weak whisper. âWha-â I replied, confused for a second before speaking againâas so he didnât feel sheepish. â. . Itâs fine.â
âSerenity.â You could almost laugh if you were alone right now. How ironic, the thought of the once calm atmosphere being shrivelled up and thrown out like paper, replaced with this unbearably silent tension. âSirius meant the world to me, growing up. He was like a hero, in my eyes,â Regulusâ voice was more clear now, and he let out an airy laugh in spite of himself. âMerlin, I donât know why Iâm telling you this, you donât even want toââ
âNo. Itâs alright.â Your voice was firm, encouraging him to continue; and so he did. âI-WeâWe did everything. Now, he does it all with James. Wont even spare me a glance in the halls, during breakfast.â His voice trailed off and he went silent again.
His eyes havenât met yours in a while and you were guessing they mightâve been glossy, and heâd have been embarrassed if they were. âRegulus. Your brother, Sirius. He loves you, so much more than youâd think. He just . . doesnât express it well. He doesnât know how to. Itâs spiteful. He just feels different from you; always going on about how youâre the golden child and heâs the black sheep.â Black sheep of the Blacks. Ironic, yet again.
You both savoured the silence for a few minutes, settling on cherishing the midnight sky and how the starts shimmered like glitter. Regulus decided to change the topic, âDid you know, my family are all named after astrology, stars, constellations and all? Most, anyway; my ancestors mustâve been interested in sabaism.â
His appealing voice caught my attention and I turned to glance at him. âReally? Is Regulus one?â He adorned a small smile now. It was refreshing after being caught for days in his usual tempers. âYes. My fatherâs called Orion. Thatâs a constellation. Sirius, the dog star. Orionâs dog.â
You listened attentively as he rambled on. âMy cousin, Bellatrix, named after a star. Andromedaâs a constellation. I can go on further but weâd be here all night.â His silvery eyes shone in the night skyâit was majesticâand met yours, accompanied with a glowing smile on his sharp traits. You just returned the smile.
âYou know, youâre quite alright, Potter.â This took you by surprise. Regulus Black (sort of) complimenting you? Youâd have never thought the day would come. With a light laugh and smug but suppressed grin, you replied: âThanks. Youâre not so bad yourself, Black.â This persuaded a chuckle to slip past his pink lips. It was a deep, short laugh.
Letting a few more minutes pass up in the astronomy tower, you both had now agreed to head back to your common rooms. Now walking down the halls with the tips of your wands lighting the way, you had been making small talk with the boy.
How unexpected this whole situation was. If you had told yourself a week ago that youâd be wandering the halls past midnight with Regulus Arcturus Black, you wouldâve been in disbelief.
Jamesâ invisibility cloak was draped casually around your shoulders. The pale moonlight shone through the windows of the castle, painting streaks across Regulus and your facesâ each time passing one.
âYou know,â you paused for a minute before continuing. âYouâre welcome to stay with my family and I over Christmas.â You noticed the conflicted look on his face upon hearing your words, but nevertheless, kept talking. âIâm sure my parents wonât mind. James has Remus over each year, and Sirius when he can. Youâd be able to spend more time with your brother.â
He let out a mockingly amused snigger. âI think my parents would go mental if they found out both their heirs have gone rebel.â You let out a small giggle with this but then your lips settled to a gentle, closed smile. Regulus seemed to mirror your actions and you had settled into a comfortable silence again.
Till, of course, that was broken once again. But this time, not by you nor Regulus. âWhoâs there?â A gruff voice echoed behind you both from past the corner of the long corridor. Shit! You had completely forgotten about Filch. Giving Regulus a panicked lookâto which he shot straight backâyou quickly whispered: âNox,â and extinguished the light from your wand. Regulus had done the same so now you were both lost in the dark halls of Hogwarts, only having the blue-toned moonlight as a source to see as it glimmered off your silver bracelet.
Unexpectedly, the cloak was stripped from your shoulders, leaving a slightly cold breeze in its place. âWhat are youââ You whisper-screamed to Regulus but you were interrupted when his dainty fingers wrapped around your face, his palm covering your mouth.
He gave you a stern look, as if to say, âjust shut up and trust me,â and so you did. He threw the cloak across the two of you, backing you up against the wall (nearly knocking a painting down in the process).
Under the cloak, it was darker than before and quite stuffy. You had never shared the cloak with someone else like the Marauders did, so you werenât used to this. Your hands reached up and removed the hand splayed across your lips. Your position was also uncomfortable, being pressed up against the wall with Regulus towering over you. It seemed like all your senses were heightened.
One arm was just above your head, holding himself up and he brought the other in between you both to hold up his wand. âLumos,â he said in a sotto voice. The light was dimmer than usual but lit up between both your faces.
Footsteps approached. Filch was drawing nearer and nearer. Your eyes connected to his and in this lighting, you had realised how small the proximity between you really was, causing a small pink to tint your cheeks. It seems as he noticed too, as the sharp corners of his cheekbones were softened by a dull rouge.
It was as if you were inspecting him under a microscope. All his features were so close to your reach; all displayed right in front of your eyes. Eyes. His had a thin lining of artic blue around his pupils which you only discovered by being this close to him. They stared right back at you and you felt the blush crawl all through the back of your neck and hung high on your cheeks. âWhat are you gawping at?â His tone was soft yet also appeared harsh. Guess heâs still the same Regulus. âSorry.â
Merlin, time drove so slowly when you were waiting for it to go. You felt hot and self-conscious under Regulusâ gaze, but attempted to shrug it off. Iâm sure heâs just as embarrassed of this situation as you felt. Thinking back to what you said earlier, elegant was an understatement; this boy was angelic.
After what felt like forever, Filch finally came creeping down the corridor. Your body made sure you were aware of your heightened rubatosis as Filch drew closer. Regulus and you had waited with baited breath as he passed. Your eyes followed Filch from behind Regulus but it seems his never left you. Luckily, he didnât suspect nor notice you two at allâwell, how could he when you were both under the invisibility cloak.
Once he had turned the corner, both of you had collectively let out a sigh (one you didnât even know you were holding in). Regulus had waited a small bit longerâprobably just incase Filch comes backâand then stepped away from you. The invisibility cloak fell to your feet, and you hesitantly disconnected the eye contact to pick it up. You were sure your cheeks were still rosy as you could feel the heat still burning from them.
The rest of the journey back was glazed over with a tense, suffocating silence. You didnât know what to say after that and you doubt Regulus did either. Eventually, you had reached the changing staircases. âGoodnight,â you bid him goodbye as you treaded up the stairs to Gryffindorâs common room.
Turning your back away from him and following up the staircase, you had heard a small âgoodnightâ come from Regulus. That night you had went to bed with ruddy cheeks and a buzzing in your stomach.
It was the day that your potion assignment was due and frankly, you were quite nervous about it. You had desperately hoped youâd get a good grade, seeing as you really had tried with this project, and the amount of time spent on it.
Marlene walked alongside you out of Transfiguration. âGodric, Professor McGonagall really has it out for me,â she complained, her brows furrowed and whiny. âWhat makes you think that?â Your blonde friend had nearly answered before you even questioned her, âShe always gets cross when something goes wrong for me, but she just loves bloody Dirk Cresswell. Never gives out to him,â she sneered. You both made your way to the Potions classroom. âThink itâs because Iâm half-blood.â
You let out a defeated sigh, âMarlene, you do realise Professor McGonagall is half-blood too . .â Her annoyed expression fell and Marlene just replied with an âohâ.
Slughorn was now going through the room, grading each potion. You heard a couple âacceptableâs, two âexceeds expectations,â one âoutstandingâ and even three âpoorâs. Once your potion was graded, you were dismissed from the class.
You waited anxiously with Regulus standing beside you. Neither of you had said anything yet; you were far too nervous to, and still a little embarrassed from the other night. You wouldâve hated to have spent 3 weeks on this just for it to turn out to be shit.
At long last, Professor Slughorn stood infront of you both, peering into the small cauldron. âOutstanding, Miss Potter and Mister Black. Well done, youâre both dismissed.â
Your lips twisted into a proud grin, but you puffed out a small flow of air, trying to keep the grin in that just grew wider. Following Slughornâs orders, you had rushed out of the classroom and headed a little down the halls from the class.
âWait, Potter,â you heard in that oh-so-familiar voice. Turning around, you faced Regulus Black with a wide smirk. âYes, Black?â He swiftly caught up to you, towering over in front of you again. âI just wanted to say, good job. Wouldnât mind working with you again, as partners.â He let a smug grin adorn his lips. âThanks. That wouldnât be too bad, I suppose.â You flashed him a pearly-white smile, before turning back and continuing to walk down the halls.
It had been a few weeks since you were graded in potions and much to your content, Regulus Black and you had grown closer. You would even dare call yourself friends with the boy. Your brother was a little skeptical about the friendshipâas well as Sirius, and the other two Marauders tooâbut you assured them it was fine.
Speaking of Sirius, his birthday had passed and Lily, James, Remus, Peter and you had arranged a little âSweet-Sixteenâ birthday for him. It was a fun little get together, only consisting of a few friends.
The cool breeze flowed gently through your hair. âYou know, I donât really see why youâre friends with all them horrid boys. Like seriously, Barty Crouch, Evan Rosier, even Snape. Cop on, Black.â You both sat on the course ground of the Astronomy Tower. He let out a breathy laugh, âYou think Iâm friends with Snape? Not even people in my house like Snape. His only friends are Mulciber and Lily Evans.â
He continued to talk, defending his friends, âand, who do you suppose I be friends with? Xenophilius Lovegood? Heâs an odd one.â You let out a strong laugh, tossing your head back before looking to Regulus. Regulus smiled back at you as you laughed. âPoor guy, heâs quite nice actually,â you backed up the Ravenclaw boy.
âYes! Come on, James!â You screamed, throwing your arms up in celebration as your older brother threw the quaffle into a hoop, marking his third goal for Gryffindor. You didnât mind all the judging looks you earned.
Gryffindor was currently in the lead against Slytherin thanks to James. The commentators voice boomed through the air as each player whizzed past, doing their part for the team.
âAnd another ten points for Gryffindor!â The crowed around you roared, cheering proudly for their team. âIf we keep this up,â Lily said, âweâll be in the final in no time.â You just nodded to her, eyes still following the quaffle being passed around.
Twenty minutes passed, Slytherin had scored two goals and Gryffindor, one. âWhatâs that?â The commentator asked rhetorically, âRegulus Black, Slytherinâs seeker has just secured their win, catching the Golden Snitch!â Once again, the Gryffindor crowd went wild, everyone being shocked seeing as how well we had this in our grasp.
Although you were from Gryffindor, you were still just as happy for Regulus being able to win the match. You wouldâve even cheered for himâlike you do when heâs not playing your teamâbut you probably wouldâve gotten disowned from your own house.
âJames isnât going to be happy with this,â you thought. You made your way down and back to the castle, waiting for James and the rest of the boys in the Gryffindor common room.
After waiting for fifteen minutes, they all trudged in, tired and grumpy. You walked over to your brother. âWell done, James! You played so well, tough luck though,â you smiled to him, hoping he wasnât in too much of a mood. âThanks,â he ruffled your hair with his sweaty palm, grumbling the reply. âMerlin, youâre so sweaty. Get off me!â You playfully shoved him away, earning a grin from him.
You headed out from the common room and made your way through the halls. Eventually, you reached the Slytherin common room. Leaning against the wall beside the door, you were waiting for someone to head in or come out so you could ask for Regulus.
It took a couple minutes before you spotted Evan Rosier coming your way. âRosier! Perfect,â you exclaimed as he walked up to the door. ��What are you doing here?â His voice was cold but it didnât seem intentional, instead genuinely asking why. âWould you do me a favor and get Regulus, please?â
He waited for a minute and contemplated his options. âHeâs probably fairly busy with his win. But if I do?â You rolled your eyes. Merlin, are all Slytherins so greedy? âReally?â You puffed out a sigh, âIâll . . do your Ancient Runes homework.â âDeal,â he replied with a grin, âThanks Potter.â
The blonde headed into the common room and later returned with the dark headed boy a couple minutes after. Regulus wandered out past the door and you stepped up to greet him, Rosier heading back into the room.
âReg!â You smiled to him, gaining one back. âWell done. I canât believe you managed that, we were going so well.â You folded your arms across your chest and stood in front of him. âWhat can I say? Being a great seeker just runs in my blood.â That bit was quite true; his cousin, Narcissa Black was Slytherinâs best seeker, your generation would say so anyway.
âOh, shut up, you snob,â you giggled. He just held a content smile on his face. âAlso . . I have a proposal,â you started. His eyebrow quirked up suspiciously at this, âIâm not sure I should be scared or not.â You flashed a beaming smile again. âNo, no. Itâs not anything bad,â you reassured him.
He listened contently as your proposed your idea, âI was wondering . . if youâd be able to convince your parents to let you stay at Hogwarts during Christmas break? We could hang out more and you wouldnât have to put up with them. â You bit your lip anxiously as you waited to hear what he had to say. His expression didnât reveal his reactions at all. It was nerve wracking.
He scratched the back of his head, furrowing his brows a little with an unsure smile, âUh, Iâm not sure if theyâd let me.â Your face mustâve fell because his eyes widened a little and he quickly spoke again. âNot that I donât want toâof course. Iâll still ask,â he smiled at you, trying to reassure you he wanted to stay too. âIâll tell them thereâs going to be extra quidditch practices and I need to stay.â
You smiled at him gratefully. âThanks, Reg. You donât have to if you donât want to, you know.ââNo, I do,â he quickly shot back. âNo promises though.â You just chuckled, âAlright.â
And so, you spent Christmas break at Hogwarts with Regulus Black, instead of returning home with James, Remus and Sirius.
This was your first time spending Christmas at Hogwarts; there was barely anyone there. You noticed how empty the halls were compared to normal. It was nice though, calming.
The dull winter light shone through the windows of your dorm. It was extremely quiet. You didnât think youâd miss how loud the girls would be in the mornings till you woke up alone in your dorm room.
It wasnât long till you were dressed in your own clothes, happy that you had an occasion for not wearing your robes, and ready to head to the Great Halls. Upon arriving, you had realised that you were one of three students in Gryffindor who stayed at Hogwarts (or atleast, was awake and getting breakfast at the Hall).
You sat down at your house table and placed a slice of toast on your plate. The bench creaked as someone sat beside you. Looking up while taking a bite from your toast, you smiled, seeing Regulus sit beside you. âMorning, Reg.â
He greeted you back, grabbing some food for himself and placing it onto his plate. âThis is the Gryffindor table. If one of your Slytherins saw you here, theyâd never let this go,â you teased. He just shoved you playfully before stuffing a slice of toast in his mouth. âNot very prim and proper for a Black.â You let out a small giggle as he gave you a sidelong glance.
After making light chat to your Slytherin friend, it was a couple hours later now and you had been granted permission to head to Hogsmeade.
The ground was littered with light snow and it looked like a pristine, white blanket from a birdâs eye view. Your arms were wrapped around Regulusâ waist and your head lay gently on his back shoulder, peering down at the ground as you giggled and marvelled at everything. Regulus wasnât talking much but, neither were you, instead being too busy gazing at the forests and rivers down below.
You landed down just a few metres away from Hogsmeade, Regulus letting you off the broomstick first before getting off himself. âThat was fun,â you smiled. You werenât used to riding your broomstick much, seeing as you donât play quidditch so you didnât have much use of it. âYeah.â
The snow was crunchy under your boots as you both strolled into the High Street of Hogsmeade. âI need to get some things,â you told the boy, âIâll catch you later. Iâll meet you at the Three Broomsticks.â He just nodded, carrying his broom by his side. âAlright. Half an hour sound good?â
Regulus went on his way as you trotted down to Honeydukes. You werenât sure what to get everyone as gifts so you decided upon this. You already bought James a new quidditch set as the one at home was all battered and bruised up. You had bought Sirius some new cologne he had been talking aboutâthat you assumed he only wanted because Remus had complimented it a while backâand you had got Remus a few books about magical creatures. Peter would like a box of chocolate frogs from Honeydukes, seeing as they were his favourite.
You had also got things for Lily, Marlene and the other girls. But you just couldnât decide what to get Regulus. You decided to leave it and that youâd figure something out.
Honeydukes was a cosy little shop located in the centre of Hogsmeade. You entered the shop, alerting the shopkeeper with a small ring from the bell. Rows and rows of sweets were piled up all the way to the ceiling on teal-turquoise shelves. This really was a sweet toothâs heaven.
âAh, Miss Potter, how can I assist you?â The shopkeeper greeted. âHello!â You sent him a charming smile, âCould I get a box of chocolate frogs, please.â The shopkeeper was lovely, helping you and even wrapping it up for you in a delicate, silver wrapping paper. You thanked him on your way out.
Now, time to find Regulus something. You wandered through Hogsmeade till you approached a shop supplied with quidditch items. Peering through the window, the newly released, Nimbus 1009 laying gleaming in its spot. A new broom, of course! You knew that being a Black meant he could probably afford as many of these as heâd like, but itâs the thought that counts.
It had now been half an hour since you last saw Regulus and you sat alone at a wooden table by the fireplace, sipping away at your butterbeer. A small bell jingled as people entered and your head raised, waiting for Regulus to come. Youâd already bought a butterbeer for him, and it sat longingly across from you on the table.
Once again, the bell had rung. In entered your friend, taking a seat across from you. âFinally,â you huffed, âtook you long enough. We said half an hour.â He rolled his eyes and grinned, taking a swing from the drink in front of him. A small cream moustache lay across the top of his lips till he licked them, then spoke, âOh shush. Iâm only five minutes past, thanks for this.â He gestured to the butterbeer, drinking some more.
After finishing your beverages, you and Regulus had headed back to Hogwarts. Regulus had flown you both back on his broomstick once again and you were back in no time; flying was much quicker than taking the path over to Hogwarts.
You woke up, rubbing your eyes and yawningâstill slightly tired. Then you shot up from your bed. Itâs Christmas! You hurriedly ran to get changed and rushed down to the great hall.
Regulus was already seated at the Slytherin table. Once he spotted you, a friendly smile broke out alone his features. You were quick to fire one back, darting over to where he sat. You plunked down across from the boy.
âMerry Christmas, Reg!â You cheered, feeling giggly and excited. âHappy Christmas,â he smirked back. He looked far more posh today than normal. His jet-black hair was swept back with more gel and he held a more presentable, Black family look todayâif that makes sense.
You both shared light conversation over breakfast, agreeing to share presents tonight at the astronomy tower. You both had received letters and gifts from family, opening them together at the dining table. The whole day was spent with Regulus, but you didnât mind, you enjoyed his company. âItâs so strange how I once thought he was an absolute prickânot even too long ago as well,â you thought to yourself.
It was now half-past eight and Regulus was waiting for you on the astronomy tower, leaning on the rails holding a small box in his hands. You reached the top of the tower, finding Regulus standing which his back to you.
You walked up to him, the broom clasped behind your backâtrying to conceal it, but thatâs a bit hard seeing as itâs a whole broomstick. âReguluss,â you purred, catching the attention of the boy. He turned around with a grin and you could say you were equally as excited as him. He also held something behind his back with one hand, not letting you see it.
âOpen yours first,â you smiled, handing over the present to him. It was quite obvious what you got him. You werenât the best gift wrapper. âI wonder what it is,â he sardonically chuckled, unwrapping it and seeing that it was the newly released broom.
His eyes met yours and his smile stretched up to the bottom of his cheeks. âThank you, shit, I didnât expect this one. This is brand new, Merlinâs beard, not even my parents would buy me something like this.â You smiled at him and he placed the broom to the ground before scurrying forwards, coming towards you.
You werenât sure what he was doing till his arms wrapped around your waist and he spun you around. You gripped his shoulders, looking into his eyes. âRegulus! Put me down,â you giggled loudly.
After spinning you lightly, he placed you down, keeping one hand still on your waistâwhich made your cheeks heat up, but it wasnât noticeable in the dim lightingâbut bringing the other between you. On his palm, a small, forest green box. âFor you, mâlady.â He held a small grin on his face, and you just let out an airy laugh at him. âThank you, good sir,â you replied, picking up the box.
Unwrapping the thin golden ribbon around it, inside the box revealed a silver necklace, a charm on it that read your name. âRegulus . .â you marvelled at it, taking it out from the box. âItâs gorgeous.â
He smiled gently at you, taking it from your grasp and walking around you. You eyed him as he passed, feeling his presence right behind you. âCan you move your hair?â He asked, and you pulled it together and held it to the side as he wrapped the necklace around your neck with delicate hands.
âThank you,â you murmured, a faint blush on your cheeks upon feeling his hand brush the rear of your neck. The stroke of his fingers sent goosebumps tingling down your spine. A strange eruption of tickles could be felt in your stomach, like butterflies.
He stood behind you for a moment before you turned around to face him, showing the necklace sitting high upon your collarbones. Your cheeks were still pink, you knew as you could feel the slight burn of them.
The distance between you both was thin, you could faintly feel his breaths. His icey, storm grey eyes peered down at you, flickering along the plains of your face. You felt small under his brooding stare.
He looked like he was conflicted, eyes switching from your eyes to down your face. You matched his actions unconsciously.
Before you knew it, Regulus leaned in, closing the gap between the both of you. Subconsciously, you closed your eyes and mirrored his actions. You felt his lips graze yours lightly, not fully touching. Oh, them lips. How soft and plump they felt.
And then, he pressed them against yours. It felt magical (which is ironic, considering you were living in the Wizarding World). Your lips moved in sync. Regulusâ other hand moved to hold the opposite side of your waist, pulling you a little closer to him.
Your hands flew up to place themselves on top of his chest. After a few more kisses, you pushed away, gasping for air but trying not to show it. âRegââ You started but was quickly cut off by him. âDonât say anything. Iâm sorry,â your eyebrows furrowed at the boy but he wasnât looking, instead looking down at his shoes.
âI shouldnât done that.â One hand was brought up to his mouth and he slid his fingers across his lips, wiping them off. âWhaâWhat?â You asked. âNo, itâs alright,â you assured him. âI . . . I liked it.â Your fingers fidgeted behind your back and as soon as his stormy eyes, whipped up to meet yours, you sent him a small, closed smile.
It was only now that you had finally realised how you felt about the boy. The way your heart fluttered every time he smiled at you. The delicious ache in your chest you got every time you laughed with him or he laughed because of you. Youâd fallen for Regulus Blackâand you wouldnât have it any other way.
The proximity between you two had decreased as you stepped closer to him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders, fingers settling to play with the baby hairs at the nape of his neck. You placed a gentle kiss on his lips once again; then one on each side of the corner of his lips. They twisted into a grin. But not a mischievous one, this time, an endearing one that made your stomach flutter.
Everything going on at this moment made your stomach flutter. âWould you . . . want to be my girlfriend?â Hesitation was evident in his voice. You could almost giggle at how cute you thought he was when he was shy. âOf course, Regulus.â You both shared a smile and the corner of his eyes crinkled.
This time, you leaned forward, initiating the kiss. Your mouths slotted together and his hands slid further across your waist till you were completely in his arms. It was obvious, feeling him grin against you with your lips pressed together and next thing you knew, you were being spun around, causing you to erupt into a fit of giggles.
It was now coming towards the end of June. Christmas break was now long past and you and Regulus had been going out for almost six months. You didnât bother keeping it a secret, and Regulusâ pals didnât mind so muchâonly considering you were pure-blooded. Not keeping it hidden doesnât mean you went prancing around letting everyone know. Also, it doesnât mean you wanted Sirius to find out on his own . .
You were sitting in the Gryffindor common room one night. The girls had already gone off to bed but you decided to stay up a little bit longer with your brother and his friends.
Of course, Peter had already gone to bed as well as Remus leaving shortly after. They were so preoccupied with their exams and having good sleep for them. But, they were doing their O.W.L.s, so you understand why they were so stressed and pressured to do well. Sirius never bothered with exams, so he didnât mind staying up. Naturally, he dragged James along with him to stay in the common room.
You lay, sprawled across the couch, legs sitting on top of Siriusâ and James stood by the fireplace. You were getting tired. Your eyelids struggling to keep themselves open in the cosy heat the fire provided.
That was till Sirius blurted out: âAre you shagging my brother?â As if it meant nothing. Jamesâ head whipped over to look at Sirius as fast as yours did. Eyes blown wide and mouth gone dry all of a sudden, you stumbled over a response. âIâWhat.â Your cheeks were scarlet red and burning with embarrassment.
âYou heard what I said,â Sirius shrugged nonchalantly. âSirius! No, Iâm not.â James hadnât said a word, still staring at Sirius with a gaping expression. âAre you snogging Regulus?â He continued to pry with these personal questions.
You moved your legs off him, sitting up on the sofa and wrapping your arms around your knees, burying your head into your the crevice between them both. âUhm . . . yeah,â you managed to squeak out.
Unfortunately, Sirius didnât quite catch that, asking you to repeat yourself. âYeah. Merlinâs beard, I was gonna tell you.â You ran your hands down your face with a discontent huff. âIâm not mad.â Sirius let out an amused laugh.
You peaked one eye past two fingers, looking at the dark haired boy. He held an entertained grin. Lowering your hands, you looked over to James who happened to have the exact same smirk plastered on his face. âCanât believe youâve snogged someone before our Moony,â James sniggered. âOh, shut it.â Even though there was a slight harsh tone to your words, you sent the two boys a smirk.
âHow fascinating!â You beamed at your boyfriend, lying on a slightly-damp, patch of grass as he flew not too high above you, using the broom you had gotten him. âYour birthday also happens to be our 6 month anniversary. Thatâs half a year!â It was two days before Regulusâ birthday.
He replied with a small chuckle. âPity, I wont be able to see you for either,â you frowned slightly. Regulus returned to the ground, taking a seat beside you and relaxing back. âI know,â said Regulus, âbut thereâs nothing we can do.â You sighed, âYeah, I guess so.â
Regulusâ birthday arrived. You hid a small, navy blue box under your bed so the other girls wouldnât pry and nosy about. Finally, you were able to give him his present which excited you, hoping heâd like it as much as you anticipated.
And now it was time. You both decided to meet at your usual spot, the Astronomy Tower. You arrived first, waiting not too long for Regulus to show. You scurried over to him, meeting in the middle.
âHappy birthday, Reg!â You greeted him (for the tenth time today). You smiled brightly, the outer area of your eyes crinkling gently. âThank you, doll.â The nickname made your stomach flutter delectably.
The box in your hands was brought out in front of you for him to see. He smiled to you, taking it from your hands and placing a tender kiss to your lips. âWhatâs this?â He asked, in which you replied: âOpen it.â
He carefully took apart the bow you had done in it, lifting the lid off the box. Inside, a jar of green, shimmery powder was placed. Regulus reached his pale hands into the box, plucking the jar from it. âFloo powder,â grinned Regulus. You werenât sure what to make of his reaction.
âItâs soâso you can see me during summer. And get away from your family, and do what you want with it, of course.â You stumbled over your words nervously and the black-haired boy placed a peck on your temple. âI know,â he said languidly, âthanks, sweets.â Another pet name he used frequently.
His dainty fingers lifted your chin up, pulling you into him and smirking against your lips. He kissed you gently, backed off after one kiss, then leaned in again, trying to get as close to you as possible. His arms wrapped around your waist, yours pulling at his hair gingerly.
You were both practically devouring each other, not even bothering to separate for air. You accidentally tugged hard, eliciting a guttural groan from Regulus. ââm sorry,â you mumbled, lips still grazing his. He pushed further into your face, connecting them once again.
Finally, he pulled away again. Your noses were still abrading against each other and lips softly touching as well. âI have something for you,â he whispered against your mouth, breath coming out in small puffs.
You pulled away fully now, holding onto his shoulders. He brought out his wand with one hand, muttering an âaccioâ but you didnât hear what he was summoning.
A petite bouquet of blood red roses and pristine white baby breath came to his clutch and he handed them over to you. âItâs . . ehm, red because your Gryffindor, and the leavesâI guess, are green. Like Slytherin.â He chuckled nervously, hand immediately going to scratch the rear of his head once you took the flowers from his grip.
Before smiling at him, you took a whiff of the flowers. They smelled gorgeous and light. âThank you, Reg.â You leaned onto your tippy toes and gave him a peck on each cheek, then a prolonged kiss to his lips.
Summer days drifted away with the wind. It had already been two weeks into your holidays. Regulus has visited you once so far, you both going on a walk through a muggle park. He sends letters regularly. They always came sealed with a family crest stamp, and written in elegant handwriting with obsidian-coloured ink.
You wrote back as well, sealing the end of each letter with a lipstick mark (partly because you wanted to be romantic, partly because you thought it looked nice). He promised to visit you soon, and soon would be today.
The both of you were now in your bedroom. Regulus was laying down on your bed, and you were atop of him. Your mouths fit like jigsaws and your tongues danced gracefully. Silent moans slipped from each others lips every once in a while. It was bliss, you thought. His hands were placed on your waist, sliding up and down it gently, causing your shirt to ride up slightly in unison.
Three booming knocks came to your door and you heard James scream your name from outside the oak wood. Your eyes shot open and you scrambled off your boyfriend. âShit.â An alarmed expression lay on his sharp features and you wish you had time to laugh at him. He hurried over to your wardrobe, trying to shove himself into the cramped space. You stifled a giggle at him and shut the door for him.
âWhat?â You rolled your eyes at James standing at your door, giving him a harsh glare. âWhere. Is. My. Invisibility. Cloak?â He interrogatedâor more so, demanded. You pushed your palm to greet your forehead, sighing heavily. With an irritated tone, you replied, âI donât know, James. You used it last, idiot.â
He groaned, storming back over to your door. âFine. But if you use it without asking, Iâyouâll pay,â grumbled James. âYou only use it to sneak out to go drinking every once in a while. Donât blame me again, or I might just snitch on you,â you sneered. James just sent you a look, slamming the door on the way out.
âMerlin, what a cunt.â Your mood was instantly switched when you looked over to the wardrobe. âRegulus, you can come out.â Muffled words were coming from the wardrobe and you burst out laughing upon realising he was trapped in. You let him out, of course, but only after a couple laughs.
That was the peak. After that event, all went down hill. A week following Regulusâ visit, Sirius had burst into your home, looking wrecked and in disarray. He explained to James that he ran away from home. They were pressuring him to follow a path he didnât want to walk along. Your family (including yourself aswell,) welcomed him in with open arms.
Regulusâ letters slowed and they held a sort of edge to them that you couldnât explain. He also hadnât used the floo powder you gifted him to visit you. You speculated his parents mightâve found it and confiscated it, but there was no evidence for that.
But when you returned to school for your sixth year, nothing felt the same. And nothing would feel the same again. The war had caused a split between people. Most older Slytherins had joined the Dark Lord, bearing a mark on their arm to show their loyalties.
The first time you saw Regulus was at Kingâs Cross. You boarded the train with your brother, Remus, Sirius and Peter. Watching all the new first years bid farewell to their parents, your eyes scanned across the crowds of people.
Eventually, they landed on Regulus and the Blacks walking over to the train. He bared a stoic look with his parents. His face looking paler and sharper than ever. They didnât say much to each other upon his departure.
Once you arrived at Hogwarts, you were too busy unpacking and greeting the girls to find Regulus yet. It wasnât long till you were able to, sharing potions class again this year. The time whizzed by, and now you stood outside the classroom, waiting for your boyfriend to exit as well.
You noticed him walk out the doors. He immediately tensed when he noticed you standing there. âRegulus.â You tried to send him a comforting smile, but it was so hard these days with everything going on around you. âHello, doll.â The name still made your chest squeeze and brought a push of confidence in you.
You were shocked to find out how cold he seemed this year. You hadnât expected the drastic change in his behaviour, even towards you. But you attempted to ignore it, and the slight pit you felt in your stomach upon noticing it.
Over the months, your relationship with Regulus morphed into . . . a routine. Something that consisted of arguing, making up, then saying goodbye to each other without any other conversation. Your chats werenât filled with laughter and smiles like they used to, instead replaced with this. He did seem to be trying to return to the old Regulus you had known, just struggling.
Your last straw was one unfortunate, February night. âIâm so sick of this! Regulus. Look at me!â You were screaming out at him on top of the Astronomy Tower, your usual hangout spot.
His grey eyes met yours, furrowed angrily and slightly glazed over. Rivers of tears were already running from yours and the skin around them was red and puffed up. âYouâve changed. And I want to help you, but youâre not letting me.â The distance between you both was slim.
You rubbed your eyes, your mind attempting to tear your hands off to prevent making them even more red and sore. At your disbelief, he took a step forward, wrapping his arms around your waist. Your arms crept around his shoulders, head buried in the crook of his neck and soaking his shirt with tears. This felt faintly familiar.
âIâm sorry, doll,â he whispered in your ear. Not moving from that position, you both stood their, relishing in each otherâs presence. Aside from every other argument that happened this year, this one felt different. You felt like he might actually be coming back to you. âI love you, Regulus. But I need you to return to me,â you sniffled through weak sobs. âI love you too.â
In that moment, you felt happy. This was your Regulus. The one you had grown so fond over.
But happiness can only last for so long, right?
He pushed you back slightly, looking into your eyes. Under the dim moonlight, two small remnants of streams from his tears lay down his cheeks. His hand clutched your cheek, rubbing a soft circle with his thumb. âIâI have something to show you.â
All of a sudden, guilt and shame took over his features. He pulled his arm away from your face, using it to uncover his sleeve on the opposite arm. His skin. His pale, soft, smooth, oh lovely skin, was flawed and a Dark Mark was engraved in it. A skull and a snake in black markings.
A choked out sob forced itself from the depths of your throat. A pit formed in your stomach and you shoved him back, away from you. âIââ He started, but you shouted over him. âDonât. No. I will . . I will not stand to be with a Death Eater.â
He called your name, pleading. The only colour on his face was the burning red of his puffy eyes. âPlease . . I didnâtââ
âIâm sorry Regulus.â You were sobbing now, trying to control your shuddering words. âI wonât do it. I never thought you had it in you.â Your words were laced with venom. Each one you spat felt as if you dug a knife further into the pit in your stomach. âPlease! You donât understand,â he strained. âI haââ
âWeâre done.â He didnât say anything else. Instead, he just stared into your eyes longingly.
That was a month ago. Now, your entire relationship with Regulus, the walls he held up that you took time breaking down, were now rebuilt and more durable than ever. Whenever you saw him in potions class, or in the halls, or even during meals, most time heâd be staring at you with guilt-filled eyes.
You felt aches each time you noticed his glances, but not the aches you used to love; this time they were sore, painful, heart-aches. But you tried to push through them.
Of course, you still loved him. It was hard trying not to. But you managed to slowly distance yourself from your feelings and continue the mundane routine of being a Hogwarts student.
Your brother, Sirius, Remus, and surprisingly, even Peter had all felt the change in your attitude. Not only had Regulus turned into a hollow shell of himself, but your split had also morphed you into a duller, less joyful version of yourself. It wasnât shocking, that that would happen. Regulus was everything to you. He was what made you enjoy your classes so much, enjoy going doing to Hogsmeade, enjoy sneaking out past curfew. Now all them memories were just . . memories. Memories that you needed to forget.
Eventually, you had managed to overcome this downfall in your life. Stepping over it and being able to return to your old self. Not constantly thinking of the boy. Happy, old you, who hadnât a notion Regulus even existed; only knowing him as âSiriusâ cold, younger brother.â But oh, how much your heart used to ache everytime Sirius entered the common room with a playful grin on his face. He reminded you so much of when Regulus used to smile at you with twinkling eyes.
The wind was chilled, blowing softly through strands of your hair. You were sitting by the edge of the astronomy tower, leaning on the rail that stood strong in front of you. The floor you sat on was frozen cold under your fingertips.
Often times, you came up here and just sat on the ledge of the rails. You liked to watch the stars when you couldnât sleep. It calmed you, seeing as there was a war going on around you, as well as just calming any anxieties you had.
To your luck, each time you came up here, you never stumbled across a certain boy you were wanting to avoid. Speaking of . . Regulus, you had noticed he tended to disappear recently. The Slytherins were always acting mysterious, going off places, missing classes. You had a suspicion on what they were doing but, you canât just accuse people of that.
You sighed, it was getting late and you were already too deep into your thoughts. You really should be focusing more of your time on studying for the end-of-year exams, not wasting it up here, drowning in your thoughts.
Rising from your spot, your hands were gritty from sitting on the stone. You wiped them off on your clothes before turning around and walking over to the stairs. At the top of the stairs stood a figure. Regulus stood two steps ahead of you.
His eyes were red and he made no attempt to hide it. It was silent for a moment. He then broke the silence by calling out your name. âRegulus,â you replied, voice cracking slightly. Fuck. You really did think you were over him, but now here he was in front of you again and you were already about to keel and cry.
âWhat do you want?â Your voice was harsh, full of bite. It was a pitiful attempt to push back your tears and replace them with anger. But you werenât crying yet; you were merely teary-eyed.
âIâm so sorry, my love. I know you donât want to talk to me, and I only did what you wanted. But we must now.â Your eyebrows furrowed in both confusion and resentment towards the boy. âWhat is he talking about?â You thought. You stayed silent, letting him continue, to which he took the hint. âIâI needed to see you one last time.â One last time? He was starting to worry you. Your expression turned from one of bitterness to one full of anxiety. âReg, what are you talking about?â Your voice was strained.
He stepped towards you, taking your shoulders between both hands. Instead of being warm and comforting like you last remembered, they were now as cold as tiles. âYou need to listen to me,â you nodded your head as he spoke, âIâve defected the Dark Lord.â
âWhat?â You felt as if you were out of breath, panting as he towered over you. âI never wanted to join them. My parents, they pressured me into doing itâbecoming a Death Eater. Thatâs why Sirius ran. Thatâs why he ran. But Iâm not strong, like him. I couldnât abandon them, so I joined. But itâs gone too far. Heâs attacking hundreds of families. Itâs not right.â His eyes were gloomy and seemed a darker, thundery grey in this lighting. âRegulus-â
He cut you off, âNo. No, just listen. The Order would never trust me, so Iâve found a way to help. They wont know but I have to do something.â This time, you cut him off, holding onto his forearms, âI donâtâwhat are you saying, Regulus.â Merlin, the tears were flowing down your face already.
He sighed sorrowfully. âIâm leaving tomorrow. Voldemortâhe,â he looked away from you. âLook, I found out about a scheme he has. I intend to end it. Attempting this will cost me my life, doll. Iâm so sorry, for everything Iâve done. I just need to have you one last time.â
You looked deep into his eyes, his into yours. Long floods of tears streamed from your eyes but you didnât do anything to stop them now. Regulus leaned in and kissed you. You let him, kissing back equally as harsh.
He pulled away, tears falling from his gorgeous grey eyes. âI love you, I always have and I always will.â âI love you too,â you weakly replied. Your foreheads connected, noses touching and lips curling into each other. You kissed him once again. Passionate and desirable; as if you would never see him again, but that seemed to be the truth.
That night when Regulus left, you fell to your knees, creating small cuts in your smooth skin, breaking blood. It was the last time you saw Regulus black.
After that treacherous night, Regulus went missing from school. Whispers around school started. People spreading around that he was âmurdered by Voldemortâ or âkilled by one of the Death Eaters for cowardly betraying themâ. You constantly had searched for them stormy blue-grey eyes in the corridors, looking desperately for them on the Slytherin table, laughing with Evan Rosier, but to no avail. He was goneâpresumed dead, the Order had saidâand the pit in your stomach since that night remained as you packed your belongings, ready to return home for summer break. Fiddling with the last thing you had to remember him by, the dainty silver necklace he gave you on the day you two got together.
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