Summary: George Weasley completely fails in Transfiguration and is about to never play Quidditch again. Fortunately (or not) for him, McGonagall makes you help him.
Warnings: a guy being weird, no use of y/n
Cw: slow burn
Wc: i wrote this on notes this time and couldnât count, sorry!
Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5 (finale)
It was obvious you noticed Georgeâs strange behavior. The fact he was practically ignoring you was bothering you, and you didnât even know exactly why.
Normally, heâd throw you a wink, flash that stupid little grin, or walk over to the Ravenclaw table to ask what new torture method you had prepared for him during tutoring.
But there he was, head lowered, focusing way too hard on his food. Seriously, what was wrong with him? It was hard not to frown at how weird he was acting.
You turned your attention back to the Ravenclaw boy, trying not to think too much about George.
You couldnât quite remember his name. Something like Roger? Probably. He was just another one of the many students who asked for your help with classes, and youâd heard heâd managed to get the grade he needed to pass.
âCongratulations,â you said with a small smile, once again trying to hide the uneasiness in your chest.
âIt was all thanks to you,â he replied.
âOh, no it wasnât. What actually helped you was your effort.â
âWell⊠Iâll have to disagree. It takes quite a bit of effort not to get distracted by you.â
âHuh?â You looked at him, visibly confused.
You heard a muffled giggle somewhere nearby, probably Charlotte. You ignored it.
âNo need to get shy. Iâm not the only one who thinks that.â
You gave him something that vaguely resembled a smile, trying not to look uncomfortable.
âRightâŠâ
Completely oblivious to your discomfort, Roger leaned in dangerously close.
âI was thinking⊠now that Iâm finally free from that class, maybe youâd like to grab a butterbeer with me sometime?â
âUm⊠I guess that wouldnât be a bad idea. I could use some relaxing. Whoâs going?â
At your question, he smiled in a way you immediately disliked.
âMe, you, and your prettyâŠâ you noticed his eyes shamelessly scanning you up and down, making you even more uncomfortable. âFace,â he finished with another grin.
âThe thing is⊠I have toâŠâ
Before you could finish your sentence, a strong hand landed on your shoulder. You immediately turned your head to see who it was.
George.
âSorry, mate. She already has company.â
Roger raised an eyebrow.
âOh yeah? Does she know that?â
He looked at you as if fully expecting you to reject George on the spot and go with him instead.
âSo? Do you actually have plans with⊠him?â
âYes,â you answered immediately.
You felt Georgeâs hand relax slightly on your shoulder.
âYou heard the lady,â George said with a grin stretching from ear to ear.
Unlike what you expected, Roger smiled even wider.
âWell, thatâs a shame. But I guess weâll still see each other there, wonât we?â
You had no idea what to say, but George only smiled more.
âOf course.â
For a second, Rogerâs smile faltered, but he simply nodded and stood up.
âSee you there.â
You stared at George in disbelief.
âYou donât actually think weâre going out, do you?â
âOf course we are,â he answered casually.
âIâll pick you up at five.â
And just like that, he walked back to his table.
Your friends immediately started bombarding you with questions like âSince when did this happen?â and âHave you two kissed already?â, but your mind was still trying to process the fact that you were apparently going on a date.
With George Weasley.
As everyone started leaving the Great Hall, you quickly rushed after George, who was already walking ahead with Fred and Lee.
Without thinking twice, you grabbed his sleeve and dragged him into an empty corridor, shoving him lightly against the wall with a deadly glare.
You noticed his face turning red almost instantly, though that smug grin never left his lips.
âCouldnât wait until the date, huh?â
Rolling your eyes, you crossed your arms.
âSo, are you going to explain what that was? Everyone saw!â
âAnd?â George asked as if publicly announcing a date in front of the entire school was perfectly normal behavior.
âAnd now what are people supposed to think? What if they think weâreâŠâ you trailed off, feeling your face grow hotter by the second. It was probably bright red by now.
That only made George grin even more. Of course he knew the effect you had on him, but seeing you like this, shy and blushing because of him, made him feel strangely better about himself, especially after all the insecurities and doubts that had been eating away at him lately.
âSo what? Since when do you care about what people say?â
âItâs not that I care, itâs just that⊠we donât exactly would make the best couple, do we?â
The words slipped out before you could stop them, and the moment you realized what youâd said, you turned quickly to look at George.
The smug smile he wore everywhere disappeared immediately. His lips pushed into the most offended little pout imaginable, and for a second, he genuinely looked hurt.
âAnd why not?â he asked, frowning dramatically.
âDo you seriously want to talk about the possibility of us becoming a couple?â you asked, secretly hoping heâd say yes. But if he did⊠what exactly would you even say?
âGeorge, itâs nothing personal, but youâre so⊠and Iâm soâŠâ
âSo what?â
You opened your mouth almost immediately, ready to answer, but nothing came out. The words got stuck somewhere between your throat and your pride, and judging by the way George was looking at you now, he noticed.
He was still leaning against the wall, but the smugness from earlier had faded into something much softer. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed, lips pushed into that offended little pout that wouldâve been ridiculous on anyone else. On him, somehow, it only made your chest feel tighter.
âYouâre popular,â you finally said quietly, avoiding his eyes for a moment. âYouâre⊠you. Everyone knows you. Everyone likes you.â
âAnd?â he asked.
âAnd Iâm not.â You let out an awkward little laugh, shaking your head. âI mean, look at us.â
The second the words left your mouth, Georgeâs expression changed again. The pout disappeared completely now, replaced by something sharper, almost offended in a way that looked strangely genuine. He pushed himself off the wall properly, standing up straighter as he looked down at you.
For a second, George just stared at you.
Then his eyebrows pulled together so fast it almost looked painful.
âWhat?â
You frowned slightly at his reaction. âWhat do you mean, what?â
âYou think Iâm the popular one here?â he asked, sounding genuinely baffled.
You blinked at him.
âGeorge, literally everyone knows who you are.â
âYes, because Fred once accidentally blew up a corridor and somehow people blamed me for it too,â he said immediately, waving a hand dismissively before narrowing his eyes at you. âThat doesnât explain why youâre acting like youâre some sort of social outcast.â
You opened your mouth, then closed it again.
George pushed himself properly off the wall now, looking at you like youâd just said the most absurd thing heâd ever heard in his life.
âYou cannot seriously think people donât notice you.â
A nervous laugh escaped you. âThey donât.â
George stared at you for a long moment before letting out a short, disbelieving laugh of his own. He dragged a hand down his face dramatically, shaking his head.
âYouâre joking.â
âIâm not.â
âYou actually are,â he insisted, stepping closer. âDo you know how many people talk about you?â
Your face scrunched immediately. âI donât think I like where this conversation is going.â
âOh, I do,â George said quickly, pointing at you. âBecause apparently someone needs to inform you that half the boys in this school are terrified of you.â
You let out an incredulous laugh. âTerrified of me?â
âYes.â His expression remained completely serious. âYouâre pretty, clever, and you have this look on your face like youâd hex someone for breathing incorrectly near you.â
âI do not look like that.â
âYou absolutely do.â
Your mouth dropped open in offense, but George only grinned slightly now, clearly pleased with himself.
âYou walk around carrying seventeen books against your chest like some judgmental little librarian,â he continued. âAnd every time someone says something stupid in class, you get that expression.â
âWhat expression?â
George immediately mimicked you, lifting an eyebrow and pressing his lips together in an unimpressed stare that was irritatingly accurate.
You shoved his shoulder at once. âI do not look like that.â
âYou do,â he laughed. âItâs terrifying.â
Despite his teasing, there was something warm in his expression now. Something softer underneath the amusement.
âYou really donât know, do you?â he asked more quietly.
Your confidence faltered slightly at that.
âKnow what?â
George looked at you for a second like he was trying to figure out how someone could possibly be this unaware of themselves.
âThat people stare at you all the time,â he said simply.
The smile immediately slipped from your face.
âWhat?â
âIâm serious.â His voice softened now, losing most of its teasing edge. âThey just donât approach you because they assume youâll reject them.â
âThatâs ridiculous.â
âItâs true.â George tilted his head slightly, studying your expression. âRoger practically looked like he was preparing for battle just to ask you out.â
You snorted despite yourself.
âHe did not.â
âHe absolutely did. I think I saw him reconsider his entire existence when you looked at him for too long.â
You tried to hold back your smile, but failed miserably. George noticed instantly. There it is, his expression seemed to say.
And suddenly he was smiling too, softer this time, almost fond.
âYou have no idea what you look like to other people, do you?â he murmured.
The question made your chest tighten uncomfortably. Because no, maybe you didnât.
And the way George was looking at you right now certainly wasnât helping.
Suddenly neither of you knew where to look anymore.
Your eyes dropped somewhere near the collar of his sweater instead, painfully aware of how close he still was. Close enough that you could smell that faint mix of parchment, smoke, and something warm that always seemed to cling to him after long days.
Merlin.
This was bad.
âYouâre thinking again,â George murmured quietly.
You looked up immediately. âWhat?â
âThat look.â The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. âYou get this crease right here.â He pointed vaguely between his own eyebrows. âMeans your brainâs about to explode.â
Your hand instinctively moved to your forehead. George laughed softly under his breath.
âThere it is.â
âOh, shut up.â
âYouâre cute when youâre annoyed.â The words slipped out casually. Too casually.
George seemed to realize it at the exact same moment you did because his entire expression froze for half a second afterward.
Then his ears turned bright red.
You stared at him.
George stared very intensely at the wall beside your head.
ââŠI meant scary,â he corrected weakly.
A smile tugged uncontrollably at your mouth.
âNo, you didnât.â
He let out a long sigh, dragging both hands down his face dramatically. âMerlin, this is humiliating.â
âYou flirt with everyone. How are you suddenly bad at it?â
George looked at you again then, properly this time.
And annoyingly, the teasing disappeared from his expression almost immediately.
âBecause itâs you.â
Your stomach flipped so fast it was genuinely unfair.
He said things like that so naturally sometimes, like he didnât even realize the effect they had on you afterward.
Or maybe he did.
Judging by the way George immediately looked nervous after saying it, maybe he did.
The silence stretched again, warmer now somehow.
George shifted slightly beside you, suddenly seeming very interested in the sleeve of his sweater before speaking again.
âI had this whole thing planned, by the way.â
You blinked. âWhat thing?â
âYou know.â He gestured vaguely between the two of you. âBeing charming after saving you from Creepy Roger.â
You snorted.
âCreepy Roger?â
âHe looked at you like he wanted to write poetry about your eyelashes.â
âThat is oddly specific.â
George shrugged. âI notice things.â
You looked away quickly before he could notice how much that answer affected you.
Unfortunately for you, George noticed everything.
His smile softened slightly as he watched you avoid his eyes again.
âYouâre doing that thing,â he murmured.
âWhat thing?â
âGetting shy and pretending youâre not.â
âI am not shy.â
âYou literally canât look at me right now.â
âThatâs because your face is annoying.â
George laughed quietly again, softer this time.
âRight.â
You hated how nice his laugh sounded when it wasnât loud and exaggerated for once.
For a moment, neither of you said anything again. You could hear distant voices somewhere further down the corridor, students heading back to their common rooms, but here everything felt strangely still.
Then George spoke again, quieter now.
âYou know⊠if this date goes horribly, we can always pretend it never happened.â
You looked back at him immediately.
For the first time since this conversation started, George actually looked nervous.
Not jokingly nervous. Really nervous.
Like despite all the flirting and teasing, a part of him genuinely thought you might still change your mind.
And somehow that made something in your chest ache.
âItâs not going to go horribly,â you said before thinking too hard about it.
A/n: comment if you want to be tagged on the next part!
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Plot: Them being cutesy in the corridors and around campus, but instead of the teachers minding, they coo and cheer for the couple?
(professors I thought of specifically would be McGonagall, Sprout-especially bc Ced is in her house-Trelawney, and even Professor Binns)
No disturbances - Cedric Diggory
People never really had the opportunity to wonder if you were dating or not, because the little (or big) displays of affection between you and Cedric had started out from the second you'd become a couple. Hand holding in the hallways was quite common, especially when walking each other to classes, and shared kisses on the field after a Quidditch victory was inevitable, not a shadow of shyness despite all students and teachers being there to witness the rather intimate moment. Surprisingly, your fellow classmates had a bigger issue with your relationship than the teachers did, gossiping about you no matter how far away you were.
'Did you hear that they've been together for half a year now? I was convinced he'd cheat on her by now. ' or even,
'I swear she's spoken to other boys while they've been together though?'
Despite all the talk from those who knew nothing of your relationship, you continued acting as you usually would, linking arms while leading each other through the crowded hallways and having intimate picnics by the black lake on days where the sun shone bright. Cedric, ever so proud of being able to call you his girlfriend, grins widely at teachers every time they cross you in the halls, though you shyly duck your head away, avoiding the intimidating eye contact with those you respect so much.
It was only one night when you'd been making your way down the halls way passed curfew that you thought you'd definitely lose all your 'turning a blind eye privilege' from the teachers. Clad in your warm pyjamas, you'd been making your way down to the Hufflepuff common room. You'd sighed in relief when you turned the last corner to get to the common room, the risk of bumping into teachers or prefects significantly increased due to how far both common rooms were. It was only when you walked further down the corridor that you saw the two figures approaching you, and you froze. It was too late to try to hide or run.
Right in front of the Hufflepuff common room entrance stood Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout, doing their rounds together for students out of bed. Your eyes widened and your jaw went slack, watching as the two older women realised your intentions. A sly smile made its way onto Professor Sprout's face as she chuckled quietly, Professor McGonagall only raising her eyebrows at you in mock surprise. At that same moment, the entrance to the common room opened, revealing your very own boyfriend standing in sweatpants and a Hufflepuff jumper.
"Oh shit." He whispered, eyes widening at the scene. You laughed awkwardly, looking down at your feet. "I didn't see anything." You heard Professor McGonagall mumble as she turned back around to walk down the corridor. Your head shot up at her comment, confusion overtaking you. Professor Sprout followed her movements, adding "Didn't see what?" Giving you the opportunity to run into the common room, all blood having rushed to your face.
âExplain.â Roger was apparently in no mood for comedy. His lips were quirked in the same way as when you were children and he was seconds away from throwing a temper tantrum.
âReally, Roger, at your ripe age, you should have better manners. Did Mother and Father teach you nothing?âÂ
âIâm waiting.â His foot tapped impatiently against the floor, arms crossed.
You frowned, disappointed that he hadnât taken the bait and blown his top. âItâs a scarf. Is that alright with you?âÂ
âI know itâs a scarf, you ninny.â He practically hissed. âBut why- Itâs a-â
Cho sighed, patting her friendâs arm sympathetically. âWhy are you wearing that scarf, babe?âÂ
âOh.â You looked down, giggling to yourself at the deep green and silver. âMustâve mixed them up.â
âMixed them up?â Roger looked as if he was going to faint. Good, served him right for being so dramatic. âAre you implying-âÂ
âCalm down,â Cho whispered. âSheâs obviously joking.âÂ
âExactly.â You smirked.Â
Roger sat down, pouring himself a glass of pumpkin juice. âDid he give it to you?âÂ
âIâll have you know this is Zabiniâs.âÂ
âLike thatâs any better.âÂ
âIâm going to pretend I didnât hear that.â You took a bite out of your muffin. âI donât know why youâre upset. Youâre not playing today.âÂ
âYouâre one to talk about manners.â Roger scoffed. âMother would have your head if she saw you talking with your mouth full.âÂ
You grinned wolfishly, giggling when Roger groaned. He was so easily vexed. âMother isnât here, is she?âÂ
âBabeâŠâ Cho frowned. âYouâre disgusting.âÂ
You shrugged, washing down your food with some tea. âSue me.âÂ
âYou know, out of Slytherin and Gryffindor, I would rather have you root for the latter.â
You muttered under your breath. âSomeone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.âÂ
âIâll have you know that I-âÂ
âYouâre being rather emotional, thatâs all Iâm-âÂ
âAlright.â Choâs voice cut through the bickering. âEnough. Just eat your breakfast without arguing for five seconds.âÂ
âYes, Mum.â You wiggled your eyebrows.Â
Cho stifled a laugh behind her hand, but Roger, it seemed, would not rest until he knew the truth. âWhy are you wearing it?âÂ
To be completely honest, it wasnât as interesting a story as you were making it out to be. You hadnât shagged with a Slytherin; in fact, you hadnât shagged anyone at all. Youâd simply been walking down the corridor when Mattheo Riddle had seen you shivering.Â
Heâd frowned when heâd seen you, a reaction you couldnât help but laugh at. âAm I that appalling this early?âÂ
âDonât fish for compliments, Davies. It doesnât suit you.â He gestured to your neck, laughing ever so slightly. âForget your scarf, have you?âÂ
âI was running late.â You stuck your tongue most unelegantly.
Perhaps not the best course of action. Anyone who was anyone knew of your crush on the boy, and sticking your tongue out like a child wasnât a sure-fire way for him to fall in love with you. âItâs too late to go back now, Iâll ask Roger for his when I get to the hall.âÂ
âHere.â He opened his book bag, digging through until he found his own scarf. âI wonât need it today.âÂ
You were sure this was a dream. âRiddle-âÂ
âAre you so stubborn that you wonât accept a gift?âÂ
âNo, itâs just-âÂ
âDavies.â He raised a brow, annoyed with your resistance. âJust take the scarf.âÂ
âFine.â You whispered, snatching it from his outstretched palms before he could take it back. âThank you.âÂ
He had no idea what heâd done to your stomach, how it had been twisting in knots ever since. How you swore heâd been watching you as you ate your breakfast. A hand waved annoyingly in front of your face. âHello? Are you still with us?âÂ
You glared at your brother. âI happened to forget my scarf. Blaise saw that I was cold and offered me his, like a gentleman.â
âOh.â He nodded slowly, like he was deliberating whether he was fine with it or not. âI can allow that.â You rolled your eyes, officially tired of your brotherâs antics. âDonât know why you were so adamant about not telling me.âÂ
âWell, when you have a drama queen for a brother, you can never be too careful.âÂ
âWe should get going.â If Cho had been done with you both before, she looked entirely exhausted now. Roger quickly shoved the rest of his food down his throat, barely offering you a goodbye before stalking out of the hall. You were honestly shocked he hadnât choked before your very eyes.Â
Cho stared, squinting as if she was trying to read your mind. âThatâs not really Zabiniâs, is it?âÂ
âDoes it matter?â You tried your best to look tired of the subject.Â
âNo.â She leaned forward, her voice hushed. âBut if itâs Riddleâs, you have to tell me all about it later.âÂ
You grinned, nodding. âOf course.â
The game, while entertaining, had ended terribly for Slytherin, Gryffindorâs abilities far surpassing those of the team led by Malfoy.Â
That had been their first mistake, electing Malfoy as their leader.Â
The field had been flooded with red and gold almost instantaneously. Only one Slytherin remained, angrily watching from the locker room entrance. You approached him slowly, worried he would become skittish and dart away. âYou played wonderfully.âÂ
âYeah?â Mattheo evidently found your compliment humorous, laughing bitterly to himself. âIâve never thought you were a liar-âÂ
âI never said the team played well. I said that you played well.â You crossed your arms. âTake the compliment.âÂ
âThank you.â You nodded, standing diligently beside him, both of you watching as the crowd became increasingly disorderly. His voice was scratchy but warm, like a jumper your mother bought you years ago. Comforting, but prickly. âAre you quite warm?âÂ
âI am.â A small smile grew on your lips. âYou know, it smells like you.âÂ
His eyebrows rose, a horrible smirk sneaking through his disappointed expression. âHave you memorized my âsmellâ then?âÂ
You shoved his arm, shaking your head to distract from the way your heart had stopped. âShut it.âÂ
âI donât think I will. I want to hear more about how I smell.âÂ
You dared to look over, to actually take in his face, pale, a touch of pink on his cheeks. âWould you like it back, then?âÂ
âThreatening me now?âÂ
âNot exactly.â You giggled. âItâs just- you look ill.âÂ
âIll?â He gasped. âThatâs rather rude of you to say.âÂ
âYouâre deathly pale.â You teased. âAlmost as fair as the winter snow.âÂ
âIâm fine.â Not only was he devastatingly handsome, but he was as stubborn as a jackalope. âReally.âÂ
âOh?â Your body seemed to have a mind of its own, moving before you could regret the action. Your palms, wrapped snug in your mittens, held his cheeks like he was something precious, something worth protecting. It had felt right in the moment; he had given you his scarf to stay warm, and now you were returning the favor. âYou're freezing.âÂ
His pupils had dilated, you found as you stared into them. He must be part Veela, because there was no normal explanation for the effect he had on you. âDaviesâŠâÂ
You hummed, your thumb gently caressing his cheek. âYes?âÂ
âIâve wanted to-â
âDavies!â You jumped back, Harryâs voice ripping you from his trance. He stood just a step away, hair a mess, his eyes glimmering, with a bright grin on his lips. âThanks for coming!âÂ
âOf course, Haz.â You smiled, hugging him quickly. âCongratulations.âÂ
âIt was a team effort.â His eyes quickly darted toward Mattheo. âWell played, Riddle.âÂ
As quickly as Mattheoâs walls had tumbled down, theyâd built back up, only giving Harry a slight nod in response. âIâd like my scarf back now.âÂ
âOf course.â You carefully unraveled it, placing it gently in his arms as if it were precious. To you, it was. âI-â He hadnât even said goodbye, just whipped around and stalked toward the castle.Â
Harry nudged your arm, head tilted ever so slightly. âWhatâs wrong with him?âÂ
âDunno.â You shrugged. The little voice in the back of your head let you believe perhaps Mattheo had been jealous, but the voice of reason had thought that was ridiculous. You watched as he refused to look back, his scarf smacking the grass every so often. âSore loser, maybe.âÂ
It was horrifying how one moment you could be so completely in love, so overwhelmingly affectionate toward a person, and the next, you couldnât bear to look at them.
It had happened so fast, you hadnât even registered in your mind how your fifth year at Hogwarts had changed the trajectory of your entire life. Your heart had been broken before youâd realized, every time you looked at him, a reminder of the way youâd once felt about him. What had been an innocent crush turned into this painful reminder of your naivety. You wished that youâd never entertained his teasing, that you had stayed, at best, enemies.Â
Most of all, you wished you hadnât fallen in love.
Hogwarts Express, September 1998
âYouâve drifted off again.â Hermione didnât even sound upset anymore. If anything, she sounded empathetic, pitiful. âAre you quite certain youâre ready? We could always wait - the Headmistress said that-âÂ
âMione.â You cut her off. âIâm fine, really. Just thinking.âÂ
Ron hummed, not bothering to look up from his game of Wizardâs Chess as he read you to filth. âYouâre a terrible liar. Riddle isnât worth all of this, honestly. Donât know what you see in him - heâs not the most enthusiastic to speak to.âÂ
You scoffed, throwing your long-forgotten novel at his head. âExcuse me, how do you even know Iâm thinking about that- that git?âÂ
âYou have that horrible look on your face,â Harry murmured. âThe one you have whenever you think of him.âÂ
âItâs concerning that you know my âlooksâ that well.âÂ
He shrugged, leaning back against his seat. âYou spend a year on the run with someone, you begin to know them.âÂ
âYeah, wellâŠâ You stuck your tongue out. âIâm not thinking of him. So there.âÂ
âWhatever you say, love.â He hadnât stuck on the subject very long, determined to beat Ron at Wizardâs Chess at least once.Â
âBut now that weâre on the subject-â The trio collectively groaned. âDo you think heâll come back?âÂ
âI highly doubt it.â You frowned at Hermioneâs words. âHeâd be quite brave to show his face in Hogwarts again.â
âWell, there you have it,â Ron smirked. Heâd seen how disappointed you were by her words. It was nice to have a friend who knew you so well. âHermione says so, so it must be true.âÂ
âItâs kind of odd being back here, isnât it?âÂ
You nodded, eyes lazily scanning the hall. The sight that had once brought you joy now brought flashes of horror, memories you tried to push to the very depths of your mind. You didnât know whether to laugh or cry. It was almost an out-of-body experience to be back in the hall youâd just watched dozens of your peers die in. To eat at the tables that had been used as makeshift beds for the injured, or worse, places of rest for the dead.Â
You shouldâve taken Kingsleyâs offer; youâd be halfway to becoming an Auror by now.
Harry, much like you, seemed to be entirely uneasy. His eyes looked glassy, much too sad for such a man his age. Too guilty. Heâd confided in you how he felt that all their deaths had been on him, and they always would be. How, if he had just surrendered earlier, maybe Fred would be alive, maybe Teddy would still have parents.Â
You reached down, holding his hand tightly in yours. âItâll be alrig-âÂ
If someone asked you to describe Mattheo Riddle in one word, without any hesitation at all, you would say dramatic. Perhaps you knew him better than you thought, because in the next moment, as if sensing that youâd subconsciously missed him, the Great Hall burst open, and there, as proud as ever, he stood, draped in his Slytherin robes. The hall burst into a quiet chaos, most of your peers speaking in hushed whispers, shocked he had had the gall to return.Â
âYouâre staring,â Harry whispered. âAnd you're clenching my hand so tightly I think it might fall off.âÂ
âSorry.â You gasped, letting go of the boy. âI didnât mean to.âÂ
âDonât worry about it, love.âÂ
You hated it, the way Mattheo still commanded your attention. He always had, since you were first years, but now, you felt entirely ashamed about it. When you used to look at him, your stomach would erupt into butterflies, and your head would become dizzy.Â
Now, you became nauseous, light-headed, but in an entirely uncomfortable way, like you would faint at any moment.Â
Hogwarts, June 1996
âDavies!â You ignored him, whipping around the corner, leaving a trail of fury in your wake. Your peers, nosy gits, the lot of them, whispered as they watched Riddle chase after you. âDavies, wait up!âÂ
âBugger off, Riddle.â You hissed. âI donât particularly want to talk to you.âÂ
âOh?â You hated the way he made your insides turn to mush, even now when you wanted to punch his perfect nose. He walked a step behind you, allowing you the illusion that you could outpace him. âYouâre talking to me now, arenât you?âÂ
âI swear to Rowena-â You whispered. âDonât you have anything better to do?âÂ
âWhatâs this all about?â He sounded as if he were frowning. Good. âYouâve been avoiding me for weeks now.âÂ
âI donât owe you an explanation, Riddle.âÂ
âYouâre right.â Before you could even find the time to be surprised, he continued. âBut Iâd like one all the same.âÂ
âYouâd like one?â You stopped, your wand clenched tightly in your fist, eyes crazed as you whipped around. âWell, since youâd like one, let me explain, Your Highness.âÂ
His eye twitched ever so slightly at the nickname, and a little drop of guilt crept into your mind. âYour Highnessâ was the nickname most Gryffindors used to tease him about his father, whom he had gone most of his life without knowing. That nickname, while horribly rude, had not hurt him an eighth of the amount he had hurt you. âDavies-âÂ
âYou called me a pompous, arrogant brat, who would most likely never amount to anything but living in my brotherâs shadow.â His face paled, and you found satisfaction in knowing that he was embarrassed. âThen, when Malfoy, Malfoy of all people, told you to stop, you kept going, saying that you couldnât believe that you ever thought I was attra-â Your eyes welled, voice catching. âYou couldnât ever believe you thought I was attractive.âÂ
âDavies, please-âÂ
âI donât want to see you ever again.âÂ
âLove-âÂ
âDonât.â You raised your wand ever so slightly, finding satisfaction when you saw the smallest flash of fear in his eyes. âIf you ever so much as speak about me, Rowena, if you even think of me, I will find you and I will make you wish you had never opened your pompous, arrogant, evil mouth again.âÂ
His mouth opened slightly, as if he wanted to argue. It was horrible, the way hope seemed to burst through you. The worst thing about it all was that if he had just apologized then and there, you would have forgiven him, no questions asked. But then, in true Mattheo Riddle fashion, he nodded, crossing his arms. âFine.â
Hogwarts, October 1998
Rumors were bound to spread; the whole of Hogwarts was desperate for any sort of gossip. You often wondered if anyone ever learned anything, because all you heard your fellow students talk of was who was shagging whom, and who had broken yet another of Snapeâs cauldrons. (Well, now it was Slughorn, but the sentiment remained the same.)Â
Most, if not all, of the rumors could be traced back to his father. The most popular had been that he had been Voldemortâs executioner during the war, personally seeing to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Muggles and magical beings alike.Â
The worst of them, the one that had made you feel truly horrible for him, was that Mattheo was not himself at all, that Voldemortâs soul, in the last second, had possessed him, as if he were nothing more than a host body.Â
Some poor first year, clueless to your connection to the boy and simply trying to participate in the Hogwarts rumor mill, found himself on the receiving end of a passionate rant about misinformation, the entire common room watching in moderate horror as you went on and on about how itâs not fair that we judge him by his parents.Â
Classes seemed to flash by; most of the information you already knew. Reason number two thousand, you should have joined the Aurors when you had the chance.Â
Most of your days were spent in the library, simply staring out the window, thinking. Thinking about how the only reason (not that youâd admit this to Hermione) that youâd come back was to see him, to know that heâd survived, that his father and his men hadnât finished him off. School itself was behind you; it had been since you left with the trio the summer before your seventh year. First Ravenclaw in history to drop out, or so Roger had said.Â
âDavies.âÂ
Of course, he had finally gathered up the courage to talk to you today of all days. You stood, clutching your books to your chest as if they were some sort of shield. âRiddle.âÂ
He looked entirely uncomfortable, swaying back and forth to distract from the feeling. Served him right, you thought to yourself. âYou look well.âÂ
You couldnât help but smile, trying to show that there was no ill will. At least, not as much as there had been last time youâd talked. âThank you.â
âIâve been a coward.â He practically blurted it out, eyes wide as if he was shocked by his own actions.
âOh?â You stepped around him, finding pleasure in the fact that he instantly followed after you. âDo tell.âÂ
âYou must know that Iâve wanted to talk to you for years.â Your heart clenched, the desperation in his voice odd, something you had yet to hear from the man. He was stoic by nature, scared to let anyone in.Â
âWhat stopped you then?âÂ
âI was scared.âÂ
The second time today, he had shocked you. Mattheo Riddle, one of the best duelers youâd ever seen, probably one of the most powerful wizards of your time, was scared of you. âYouâve got to be joking. If anyone should be scared, it should be me of you.â You leaned closer, as if you were telling him your darkest secret. âYou are, after all, the son of Lord Voldemort.âÂ
He laughed. âHave they gotten to you then? The rumor mills?âÂ
âTheyâve tried. Luckily for you, I donât fall for childish gossip quite so easily.âÂ
âLuckily for me, indeed.â He smiled, the first true smile youâd seen on him in years. âI wanted to apologize for what I did.âÂ
âMattheo-âÂ
âJustâŠâ He grabbed your wrist, pulling you to a stop. The corridor was busy, and students pushed past you, staring while they whispered much too loudly. You could imagine the headline now, Ravenclawâs Pride and Joy pulled to the Dark Side. âLet me apologize.âÂ
âYou really donât need to-âÂ
âI do.â He insisted. âI was harsh and unfeeling. It was entirely wrong of me, what I said.âÂ
âIâve moved on.â You whispered, wrist burning from his touch. âI havenât thought about it in years.â Liar.Â
âWell, I have. Itâs stayed with me like a disease. The guilt has been eating at me for years, and I cannot stand it any longer.â
He was truly oblivious to the effect that he had on you, of how deeply you still felt for him. And he never would. âThereâs no need to feel guilty any longer, I swear. We were young, and you- I forgave you eons ago. I know whatever caused you to-â Your eyes watered. Merlin, maybe you hadnât truly forgotten. âYou were going through so much, and I understand-â
âThat is no excuse.â He stepped closer, his breath moving the fallen strand from your braid ever so slightly. âYou are making it rather difficult to apologize, Davies.âÂ
âYou really donât need to.âÂ
âRegardless, I am sorry.â He whispered, leaning his forehead against yours. âSo deeply sorry.âÂ
âI know.â You smiled. âCan you promise me something?âÂ
âAnything.â Your heart clenched at his quick response. âIâll do anything.âÂ
You tried to sound as serious as you could, but his eyes trained on you made you loopy, grinning like the girl heâd known only three years ago. âNo more moping, and no more feeling guilty.âÂ
He nodded, holding his right hand to his heart. âAs you wish, love.âÂ
Hogwarts, April 1996
âYou look on edge.â
You fought the urge to scowl. âWhat do you want, Riddle?âÂ
âI-â The boyâs mischievous smirk faltered. âIs it so bad that I wanted to see you?âÂ
âYes, it is.â Your eyes darted toward the Room of Requirement, a sigh of relief escaping as the door melted back into the brick wall. It was ingenious, one of Hogwarts' many wonders. âI have plans.âÂ
âPlans?â His eyebrow rose ever so slightly. âHow vague.âÂ
âTheyâre vague because they donât concern you.â Your patience was growing thin.
âOh?â He stepped closer, his cologne rendering you utterly defenseless. âAre they urgent?âÂ
Malfoyâs horrifyingly yellow hair rounded the corner, eyes fixed on the wall that led to the entirety of the DA. Was that- your heart clenched. Shoved around in Filchâs grimy hands was a sobbing Cho Chang. âI really need to be going-âÂ
âLet me accompany you.âÂ
He sounded a little too eager. Had Umbridge sent him to distract you from helping your friends? You raised an eyebrow, curious to know the truth. âWhy are you so interested in me all of a sudden?âÂ
âIâve always been interested in you.â He spoke so casually that you almost missed the meaning behind his words. âYouâre an interesting woman.âÂ
âSure.â You laughed. âAbout as interesting as a teaspoon.âÂ
God, his eyes bore into your soul. You were sure he could read your thoughts at that very moment, the way his gaze searched yours. âDepends on the teaspoon.âÂ
Hogwarts, October 1998
âIâve heard something.âÂ
âOh?â You raised a brow, not bothering to look up from your paper. âDo tell.âÂ
âYou and Riddle were seen talking in the corridor.âÂ
You hummed, flipping the page. âNever took you for a gossip.âÂ
âWell?â He leaned forward. âWhat happened then?âÂ
âRonald.â You folded the paper gently. âMust you pry into my affairs?âÂ
âIâm not the one who had a very public conversation in the busiest corridor at school, now am I?â He smirked. âOut with it.âÂ
âIf you must know-â He nodded, hanging on to your every word. âHe apologized.âÂ
âDid he?â Rowena, he was way too smug. âHow mature of him.âÂ
âQuite. Now can I eat my breakfast, or will the interrogation continue?âÂ
âInterrogation?â Hermione plopped down beside you. âWhat interrogation?âÂ
Harry nodded, filling his plate. âIâm curious.âÂ
âStay curious.â You glared. âYou lot are a bunch of nosy-âÂ
âNo need to be so hostile.â Ron teased. âFriends tell each other things, Davies.âÂ
âIâm not telling, so might as well-â Ron had this horrible look in his eye, and you groaned. âPlease donât-âÂ
âRiddle apologized to her.â You kicked his shin under the table, but he kept going. âApproached her in the hall. Apparently-â You rolled your eyes. âIt was rather intimate.âÂ
âIntimate?â Hermione laughed. âThey were in the hall, Ron.âÂ
He raised his hands in surrender. âIâm simply relaying what Iâve heard.âÂ
âWhat was he apologizing for in the first place?â Harry questioned.
âNothing.â You looked over his shoulder, stomach flipping to find that Mattheo was already staring at you. âNothing at all. Now if youâll excuse me-â
Ron whined. âDonât run away. I was just teasing.âÂ
âNot everything is about you, Ronald.â You stuck your tongue out. âBesides, I have plans.âÂ
âPlans?â Harry smirked. âDoes it have anything to do with a certain Slytherin?âÂ
âDonât know what youâre talking about.â You muttered. âSee you in class, Mione.âÂ
âIâll be right behind you.â The Gryffindor waited until youâd left the hall to reprimand the boys in front of her. âReally, you two are the worst of them all.âÂ
âThatâs rather dramatic, donât you think?âÂ
âNo, I donât.â She watched as Mattheo raced after you, smiling to herself. âLeave the girl be.âÂ
The Battle of Hogwarts, May 2nd, 1998
âOne line!â The Ravenclaw first years stayed close as you ushered them down the stairs, gasping in fear as the castle they loved crumbled to ash. âItâs alright, everyone. Only a little longer-âÂ
âWhere do you think youâre off to, missy?â Amycus Carrow, the revolting git, stood in front of you, grinding his teeth. âThe Dark Lord wants to-âÂ
âThe Dark Lord can go drown himself in the Black Lake for all I care.â One of the students behind you whined, another started to cry. âLook away, children.âÂ
Flitwick, while rather meticulous, was a fantastic teacher. Heâd seen something in you, believed in you in a way that most hadnât. Youâd excelled in his class from the first day youâd arrived, able to perform most advanced spells by age twelve. So when heâd asked you to hang back that random Tuesday, offering to give you lessons in wandless magic, youâd immediately accepted. At first, you hadnât seen the need, but now, tasked with the protection of fifteen eleven year olds, you understood. âDonât make me hurt you.â Protego Totalum. Protego Totalum.Â
âI doubt you could,â Carrow smirked, raising his wand. âCruc-âÂ
Thankfully, you had beaten him to the draw. âImpedimenta!â
Carrow fell with a loud thump, the children behind you cheering, jumping erratically with joy. You grinned, allowing yourself to take a breath before remembering that you were currently in the middle of a very active battlefield. âAlright, weâve got to keep-âÂ
A great loud yell echoed through the staircase, shocking all of you. âYou- you wrench! You disgrace!â Behind you stood Alecto Carrow, Amycusâs twin sister, and, in your opinion, a conniving bitch. âAva-âÂ
You squeezed your eyes shut, hoping that your shield would hold. Hoping that the first years would survive, and that your momentary lapse in judgement hadnât just cost the lives of fifteen witches and wizards.Â
But the spell never came. Your eyes peeled open, cheeks growing hot when you saw Mattheo Riddle, in all of his glory, standing over a (you assumed) dead Alecto Carrow. âMattheo?âÂ
âDavies.â He grinned as he raced toward you, scanning you for injuries. âAre you quite alright?âÂ
âYou-â Your eyes welled, your adrenaline wearing off as you faced reality. If it hadnât been for him, you would have died, most likely scaring the children behind you. âYou saved us.âÂ
âAre you alright?â His hands hurriedly searched your face, cheeks, and even your hairline for cuts. âI thought-âÂ
âThank you.â Melinda Turner, all four feet and two inches of her, squeaked. âThank you so very much.âÂ
Mattheo smiled, stepping back to wave at the first years. You found yourself almost following after his touch, wishing that you actually had a wound so he could fuss over you. âDonât mention it.â
âHeâs very brave, isnât he?â Another whispered, causing giggles to erupt throughout your crowd. âAnd handsome.âÂ
Melinda turned to you, her head tilted. âIs this your friend?âÂ
You nodded without thinking, Mattheo grinning at the action. âHe is, yes.âÂ
âIs he your boyfriend?â Another, you couldnât figure out who, blurted.Â
You laughed, shaking your head. âThatâs enough out of you lot.â
Mattheo nodded. âYou listen to Davies, alright? Sheâs very brave, much more than I am.â You couldnât help but giggle at his compliment. The first years nodded, staring up at him as if he were a god. He grabbed you hand, squeezing it quickly. âStay safe.â
âI will.â You whispered, watching for just a moment as he raced away.Â
That had been the moment you'd realized your crush had never gone away, and never would.
Ministry of Magic, 2000
Robards had just dropped off the tenth box of files this morning, asking that they be sorted alphabetically and chronologically, when an owl, one youâd never seen and certainly not the Ministryâs, landed on your desk. A note was clenched in itâs beak, dropping it in front of you.
âThank you.â You reached out, petting it gently, smiling when it leaned into your touch. âWho sent-â As quickly as the owl had arrived, it had left, darting down the hall.Â
You stared suspiciously at the note, wary of touching it. Cursed items were a common occurrence in the Aurorâs office, and you didnât want to take your chances. Still, you had a feeling this was not one of those sorts of notes. You opened the paper, grinning at itâs contents.Â
You knew that handwriting.Â
Meet me by the fountain in five minutes.Â
You grabbed your purse, pulling out your mirror as you fussed over your hair. Harry watched with amusement, shaking his head. âYouâre too far gone.âÂ
âYou donât know what youâre talking about.âÂ
âReally?â He raised a brow. âSo youâre not meeting Riddle?âÂ
âShut it.â You glared. âDonât tell Robards where Iâve gone.â
âWouldnât dream of it.â He grinned, shouting at your back as you ran away. âHave fun!âÂ
You raced out of the elevator, smiling wide when you saw his familiar head of hair. âRiddle.âÂ
He turned toward your voice, arms crossed, eyes mischievous as ever. âDavies.âÂ
âTo what do I owe the honor of your presence?âÂ
âI have something to tell you.â Oh Merlin, not now, not here of all places. âSomething I should have said a long time ago.âÂ
âDonât.â You were sure you were going to be sick. Mattheo Riddle was about to reject you in your place of work. Now, everytime you looked at the fountain, you would be reminded of the day he broke your heart for the second time. âPlease donât.âÂ
âI have to, or I never will.â He took a deep breath. âYouâre a beautiful woman, Davies.âÂ
That had not been what you were expecting. You smiled, letting out a sigh of relief. âThank you?âÂ
âYouâre welcome.âÂ
âI have to admit, that was not-âÂ
âAnd Iâve fallen in love with you.âÂ
Holy- your breath caught in your throat. âCome again?âÂ
âIâm in love with you.âÂ
âIs this a joke?â You had to be dreaming. âYou? In love with me?âÂ
He nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. âThat is what I said.âÂ
âDonât be cruel.â Your eyes welled with tears. âI know you have a twisted sense of humor, but this is a new-â
âIâm not joking, love. Iâve-â He frowned. âDo you really believe I would do that?âÂ
âMattheo, you cannot possibly be in love with me.â This was a dream; it had to be a dream. Scratch that, this was no dream. This was your worst nightmare come to life. âThere is no possible-âÂ
âDonât tell me how I feel.â He whispered. âYou might not feel the same, but I couldnât go another day without telling you. It was maddening, being around you and not being able to- to tell you.â He took you in, as if he was trying to memorize the moment. âYou left. On the night I was going to tell you, you left.âÂ
A few weeks ago, youâd gotten dinner, and after, heâd asked if you wanted to come to his flat for a glass of wine. Youâd said yes, of course, but upon arrival, became so nervous that you lied and literally ran away while he yelled after you. âI did.âÂ
âMay I ask why?âÂ
âI-â You gulped. âI had a business meeting.âÂ
âAt half past ten?â He was now smirking.Â
âYes?â Your lie was a horrible one, easily seen through. âIt was sudden-âÂ
âIâm aware.â He took a step forward, practically towering over you. âYouâve done this four times now.âÂ
âDone what exactly?â You looked up, heart thumping against your ribs, rattling your bones. âIâm lost-âÂ
âFunny. So am I. Everytime I try to ask you back to my flat, something comes up.âÂ
âAn Aurorâs work is never done.âÂ
âAre you avoiding me, Davies?âÂ
âAvoiding you?â You laughed. âI would never-â
âWeâve gone out four times now, and every time I try to make a move-â He huffed. âYou run off. Itâs utterly maddening.âÂ
âGone out?â This couldnât be real. âMake a move? What do you mean by that?âÂ
âDates, Davies. Keep up, I thought Ravenclaw was the smart house.â
âThatâs actually a common misconception and-â You shook your head, focusing on the conversation at hand. âWhat the bloody hell do you mean by âdates'? Weâve just-â Had he been taking you to dinner with the intention of- Rowena, you felt like you were going to faint. âDo you mean-âÂ
âHave you honestly thought I asked you to dinner four times as friends?âÂ
âWellâŠâ Merlin, you felt like a right idiot. âYes.âÂ
He laughed so loudly the passing witches and wizards jumped, staring at the obnoxious man. âDavies-â He gasped between words, giggling like he was back in school. âYou actually believed I was bringing you flowers, taking you to dinner, and escorting you home as-â
âIf youâre going to tease me-â You hissed. âThen Iâll be leaving.âÂ
âAh ah ah.â He grabbed your wrist, stopping you before you could make your escape. âNot so fast.âÂ
âMattheo-â You whined. âThis isnât-âÂ
âIâm going to say one last thing, and then we can never speak of this again.â His eyes were dark, darting to your lips every so often. âWe can pretend this never happened.âÂ
âFine.â Not fine. You were very much not fine.Â
âYou donât need to love me back, but you must know-âÂ
âStop.â You smacked your hand over his mouth. âOne second.âÂ
He nodded, voice muffled from behind your hand. âAlright.âÂ
âThis is mortifying, what Iâm about to tell you, so donât make fun.â He nodded once more. âIâve- Iâve loved you for so long that itâs embarrassing, for so long that everytime I talk about you my friends groan. I loved you even when I knew you didnât love me, when you insulted me and I threatened you. You have been the only man Iâve ever even thought of, and-â You huffed. âAll this to say, I love you too.âÂ
He peeled your hand away from his mouth, wrapping it around your waist. You were flush against him as he leaned down, grinning wildly. âIâm going to kiss you now.âÂ
âAlright, but I-âÂ
âShh.â He placed a finger over your lips. âCanât very well kiss you while youâre talking, can I?âÂ
âI mean-â He darted down, his lips colliding with yours. Your eyes practically rolled back, hands reaching up to grab his collar, trying to pull him even closer. He groaned, pinching your waist ever so slightly, grinning when you squeaked. âYou-âÂ
âWhat a Chatterbox you are.â He spoke as he kissed down your neck. âThat will-âÂ
âIâm at work!â Your eyes fluttered shut, relishing in the way he held you. âYou cannot just-âÂ
âMiss Davies?â You jumped, pushing the man away from you as you straightened your clothes.Â
âSir.â You were most definitely fired. âIâm so sorry-âÂ
He raised his hand, rendering you speechless. âWho is this young man?âÂ
Mattheo grinned, extending his hand. âMattheo Riddle, sir.âÂ
âAh.â Robards shook his hand, looking curiously between the two of you. âAre you quite done?âÂ
You were sure you were dying of embarassment. âOf course, sir.âÂ
âWellâŠâ Mattheo whispered, and your eyes widened, elbowing him in the ribs. He gasped, clutching his side. âSalazar, woman!âÂ
âIâll see you back in the office.â Robards chuckled.
âIâll be right behind you!â You whipped around, glaring at the man still reeling from your attack. âYou are incorrigible.âÂ
âAnd you are horribly violent.âÂ
âYes, wellâŠâ You frowned, taking a step closer. âAre you alright?âÂ
âIâm fine.â He shooed you away. âGo on then. Iâll see you later.âÂ
âLater?âÂ
He nodded. âI believe it's time for a proper date. âÂ
âAh.â You smiled, kissing his cheek quickly. âBye, then.âÂ
Heâd waited until you were almost back to the elevator to yell across the concourse. âYou missed.âÂ
Heat rose to your cheeks as you whipped around, glaring at the boy. âYouâre relentless!âÂ
He shrugged, grinning when you raced toward him, jumping up and kissing him once more. âMerlin!â His arms found their way back to your waist, squeezing your sides like the menace that he was. âAttacking me with no warning, might I add-âÂ
âYouâre impossible to kiss when youâre talking.â You murmured against his lips. âDo you know that?â
summary: another year in hogwarts, but this time is different and twistedâŠ
warnings: tom is a manipulator, toxic as fuck, a dickhead and a groomer (reader is 17 and tom over 40), age gap, you belong to the prewett family and have a brother and a little sister, ravenclaw!reader, idk if this is cannonicly correct, if there are any mistakes please tell me respectfully, this is gonna be a series.
authorâs note: part two baeeee
Your paced steps advanced almost in a choreography to platform 9Ÿ. You knew the way by heart; you had traveled it so many times that you could go from your house to there with your eyes closed. The reddish bricks stacked on top of each other formed arches that separated the different boarding platforms.
The atmosphere was, ironically, magical. Wizards and muggles mixed as they walked each other, dodging to reach their respective destinations. Everyone carried luggage and wore different expressions: emotion, frustration, sadness, happiness. Some couples said goodbye with kisses and hugs full of feeling, accompanied by the odd tear.
âHey, don't get distractedâ Gale exclaimed dryly when you almost collided with a Muggle lady who was carrying her little son asleep in her arms.
âI'm sorryâ you apologized, trying to concentrate.
You walked several more meters until you reached that characteristic mural.
âYou firstâ your brother said, making a gesture for you to pass in front.
You placed the cart in front of the wall, a few meters away. You clung tightly to the metal railing, closed your eyes and ran towards the bricks.
Suddenly you felt that euphoria that ran through you every year over and over again.
You stopped, somewhat stunned. When you looked around you were surrounded by magicians with chests and pet cages. Gale appeared abruptly next to you. You both looked at the train in front of you and then looked at each other with a defiant expression before running towards it.
After almost running over several half-goblins, first-year students and the odd adult magician, you managed to get there earlier. One of the wheels of Gale's cart had been trapped in a crack in the floor.
You looked at him with a mocking smile. He answered you with a murderous look that only managed to make you laugh.
âYou've lostâ you said when he arrived to help you put your trunk on the train.
âThe first and last timeâ he replied, leaving the heavy briefcase in the hallway.
A reviewer in an elegant black uniform took both luggage and stored them in a luggage compartment that barely had free space.
Gale and you walked the train looking for your friends. On a table in the last wagon your eyes met some gray ones.
There was your brother's group of Slytherin friends.
Theodore was the only one who noticed your presence at first; he watched you with a neutral expression.
âHey, Prewetts!â Lorenzo shouted from his seat next to Theo.
Three heads turned to you.
âMy girl!â Pansy exclaimed with a smile, getting up to run towards you.
You hugged each other tightly.
âI'm glad to see you too, Pansyâ said Gale, who was still standing next to you, rolling his eyes.
You and your friend separated and she opened her arms to hug him too, although with much less enthusiasm.
âFuck offâ she replied.
When you noticed that Theo kept looking at you, you decided to excuse yourself to look for Luna.
âI'll be back later, I promiseâ you said to the black-haired girl.
âBut don't be late. I can't stand being alone with so many useless boys anymoreâ she added, looking at the table.
Gale had already approached and they were starting their usual handshake session.
âHey, we can hear youâ Blaise complained, turning in his seat.
You both laughed.
The rattling of the train made the ground shake and you almost fell on the gray carpet when the vehicle started. The driver blew the whistle, saying goodbye to the parents who were waiting on the platform.
You turned around and began to walk through the corridors while looking through the windows of the compartments in search of your friend.
On the way you met the Weasley twins along with Robert Dallahaw, Lavender Brown and Dean Thomas. Fred was the first to notice you and greeted you waving his hand behind the glass. You copied the gesture.
Then you gestured: «Have you seen Luna?»
He seemed to understand you. He shook his head.
You kept advancing to the last compartment. Through the glass you dress Ron, Harry and Hermione with their Gryffindor robes.
You opened the door and put your hands on the frame.
âHi guy-
âClose the door!â Ron exclaimed abruptly.
When you noticed the despair in his voice, you obeyed instantly.
âHow rude, Ronâ Hermione scolded him with her arms crossed. She hit his head with a newspaper.
âI'm sorryâ he murmured.
The redhead was lying on the floor looking under the seats. Harry looked at you with some shame.
âIs everything okay?â you asked.
âRon has lost his ratâ Hermione replied.
âI was here a second agoâ Ron protested from the floor.
âMaybe you forgot her at homeâ Harry suggested.
âNo, I brought the cage, do you see?â he said pointing at it.
âRon, did you check that Scabbers was inside when you were at home?â you asked.
There was a brief silence.
Ron got up and let himself fall on the old blue velvet sofa.
âI hadn't thought about it.
Harry smiled amused and Hermione rolled her eyes.
âIdiotâ he told him.
âAnyway, have you seen Luna? I can't find her anywhere.
âShe got on the train with Ginnyâ Ron replied.
âYes, she was wearing those weird colored glasses and distributing The Quibbler all over the trainâ Hermione added.
âOkay, thank you guysâ. You opened the door. âHave a good trip.
âLikewise!â Hermione replied.
When you failed in your search for Luna, you returned to the Slytherin wagon.
Pansy moved to one side to make room next to her on the edge of the table. In front of you was Theo, who looked at you with something that you could only define as nostalgia.
âHave you found Loony Lovegood?â your brother asked.
You glared at him.
âDon't call her that.
They immediately updated you on the conversation. You settled on the dark leather sofa and relaxed almost instantly.
âBlaise has spent the whole summer doing internships at the Ministryâ Pansy told you.
âAnd yes, it's as boring as it soundsâ he admitted.
You let out a laugh.
âI helped my father in the bankâ Pansy said proudly.
âBoringâ Lorenzo added, lengthening the word. âTheo and I went to muggle pools.
Draco made a noise of disgust.
âHey, it's not as bad as it sounds. At first we were just going to do some graffiti or something like that... maybe throw blood into the waterâ Enzo began with an arrogant smile. âBut it turns out that some girl-muggles are fine as fuck.
âThat's still disgustingâ Draco said.
âBut the one who triumphed was this oneâ Enzo added, patting Theo on the back.
Theo remained silent.
âReally?â Blaise exclaimed.
âYou and a muggle? Impossibleâ Pansy added.
âWhat can I say... it wasn't that terribleâ Theo finally replied.
He looked at you with those grey dead eyes, and for a moment you holded your breath.
âWell, what about the Prewetts?â Draco asked.
âThe most boring summer in historyâ Gale said, looking into the void. You noddedâ. Our parents punish us to the minimum.
âWe think theyâre susceptible because of Grace, butâŠ
âHow is she?â Theo asked, looking at you with concern. The silence felt heavy.
âGoodâ you replied. âSheâs getting better.
âBut well, now we're hereâ Gale said, changing the subject.
You knew how much he hated that people felt sorry for him.
âYes, now we are here and betterâ you added with a smile.
The conversation drifted towards lighter topics: jokes, revenge, parties, quidditch. The hours passed with laughter as the sun descended behind the mountains.
The temperature dropped and the tunic, which used to make you sweat, was now comforting.
âDo you know who the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is this year?â Draco asked with a malicious smile.
âTom Riddle?â Pansy exclaimed. âThe mysterious Tom Riddle?
Draco nodded.
âHe came to my house for dinner a month ago.
âAnd how is him?â Gale asked. âI really need to pass DADA, last year my grades were fucked up.
âWell, ask your little sister.
Everyone looked at you curiously.
You stood still. You didn't expect that.
âWhat is he talking about?â Gale asked.
You bit your lip, a nervous old tic.
âIt was the day they punished me and I had to deliver the mail. When I had dinner with the Malfoysâ you explained quickly while fiddling with your fingers under the table.
âWhy does he say to ask you?â he insisted.
âI don't know.
You glared at Draco.
The rest seemed intrigued. Except Theo. His jaw was tense.
âProfessor Riddle spent the whole dinner devouring your little sister with his eyesâ Draco added, talking slowly to remark every word. âEven though she was wearing the ugliest work uniform I've ever seen.
All mouths opened.
âIt's a lie!â you exclaimed. âDonât believe him!
âWhat?â Gale said, incredulous.
âAnd your sister enjoyed every second.
âHeâs lying!
Your cheeks were burning.
âYouâre blushing. It's true!â Gale roared.
âHow old is that man?â Theo asked in his usual low voice.
âAlmost fortyâ Draco replied. He dropped that information as it was nothing.
Pansy turned to you dramatically.
âAnd you haven't told me!
âThere's nothing to tell.
âIs he fine?
âPansy!
âEh, eh, ehâ Gale intervened by hitting the table. âNo one here is going to fuck an old man.
âTalk by youâ The black-haired girl said.
âI don't want to fuck anyone!
Draco smiled maliciously.
âBetterâ your brother growled. âBecause that's not going to happen.
Theo sketched a small smile looking at the wall.
âBesidesâ Draco continued, âHe had barely said a word in the whole dinner... until you arrived.
âI'm not surprised. The only interesting one in that house is Cissyâ you replied.
Everyone laughed but Draco, who snorted and stopped talking until the train stopped.
When you got off the train you felt a strange satisfaction when stepping on dry land.
Enzo, Draco and Blaise got ahead.
You and Pansy walked more slowly dragging your trunks.
âLadiesâ Gale said, taking Pansy's luggage.
Theo took yours, brushing your hand in the process.
âThank youâ you murmured.
He nodded but didnât look at you.
Pansy intertwined her arm with yours as you walked towards the carriages.
âSo you and Professor Riddle...
âPansy!
âI'm not your brother. You can tell me things.
You sighed.
âNothing happened. He's a handsome man, but nothing more.
âYou could use an adventure like that. You're Blair Prewett. You've never broken a plate.
He pushed a lock of your hair behind your ear.
Your mind went back to that afternoon at the Malfoy mansion. His gaze following you around the room. His slight smile. His soft flattery.
âMaybe he looked at me too much... as if he couldn't take his eyes off me. And there was something in his eyes...
You stopped.
âSomething weird?â Pansy asked.
âNo. Indecipherable.
The huge oak doors of the castle opened before you.
Pansy and you watched them in amazement.
The students entered en masse despite Professor McGonagall's attempts to keep an orderly line.
The corridors of Hogwarts, previously silent, resounded with voices full of emotion.
Candles floated throughout the Great Dining Room, illuminating it with a warm light.
The students were taking a seat at the tables of their houses. That's where you had to separate from Pansy to sit in Ravenclaw.
You immediately recognized the bank where you had spent so many years.
Suddenly a long platinum hair appeared in the crowd.
âLuna!â you shouted.
She stopped, looked for the origin of the voice and when she found you she walked faster towards you.
You got up and she threw herself to hug you.
âWhere were you? I've been looking for you all over the train.
âI was with Ginny handing out The Quibblerâ she explained. I also looked for you, but I only found your brother
âWe should have crossed paths.
The candlelights were dimmed and all the students were silent.
Director Dumbledore stood up.
His white beard seemed longer every year.
âDear studentsâ he began, âit is an honor to welcome you to this new course at Hogwarts...
After a few initial words, his expression became more serious.
âI regret to inform you that Professor Snape will not be attending this course due to a serious illness.
âI didn't like him a lot anywayâ Luna whispered.
âHowever, this year we have two new teachers...
Your heart stopped.
âProfessor Bob Hemmings will replace Professor Snape in Potions.
A short, chubby man with an orange vest got up. The applause was warm.
âAnd Professor Riddle will teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and will be the new head of the Slytherin house.
There it was.
Impeccable suit. Shirt rolled up. Black hair perfectly combed. Green eyes.
He looked at the dining room while the applause resounded.
Some girls held their breath.
You too.
You looked at Slytherin's table and met Pansy. She obscenely simulated a gesture with her tongue and hand.
You laughed.
When you turned your gaze to the front, his eyes were on you.
Unknown butterflies fluttered in your stomach.
You greeted him with a small wave of your hand.
He replied with a slight.
Stupid, why did you do that? Your heart sank into your chest and your breath was short.
Riddle sat down again.
âProfessor Snape is feeling better and sends you greetingsâ Dumbledore continued.
âA lieâ murmured a boy in front of you.
Luna and you laughed.
âAnd now a more joyful news: this year the much-loved winter dance returns.
The Great Dining Room eroped in cheers.
The selection ceremony continued and some new Ravenclaw joined your table.
summary: Hogwartsâ most popular DJ gets summoned to throw the party of the yearâbut when the birthday boy starts watching you like your a spell he canât resist, things quickly turn electrifying. Get ready for beats, banter, and tension that drops harder than any remix.
wc: 1.4k+
cw: dj!ravenclaw!reader @ every party in hogwarts, dj!ravenclaw!reader x draco, songs mentioned are not from HP and not even from the 1990s, draco who literally can't resist reader, down bad draco.
READ: Once "love me like you do" is mentioned, play the song! If you do this, gosh it hits so hard.
A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DRACO!!!
â± âââ â ÊâĄÉâ âââ â°
It all started in fourth year.
The Ravenclaws were throwing a victory party after the Quidditch semifinals, and it wasâfranklyâtragic. The butterbeer was lukewarm, someone tried to spike the pumpkin juice with a spell that made it fizz like a Dementor's bathwater, and the music? Absolute torture. Broken charm loops stuttered through the room like a dying phonograph, two different songs were clashing over each other, and at one pointâMerlin help youâsomeone conjured a harp. A harp. At a party.
You stood near the back, arms crossed, lip curled, watching your peers suffer through what could only be described as musical war crimes.
Enough was enough.
With a flick of your wand and a muttered incantation you'd been perfecting in your dorm, you hijacked the roomâs archaic spell-sound system. Your enchanted wirelessâspecially modified with some borrowed Muggle schematics and an irresponsible amount of magicâlit up with violet sparks. The speakers gave a hiss, a pulse of static... then dropped.
The Weeknd's âBlinding Lightsâ exploded through the room like a thunderclap. Bass booming. Lights flickering. Every head snapped up as the beat took holdâand then all hell broke loose.
Someone shrieked in joy. A Gryffindor chucked their shoe in celebration. People climbed tables. Confetti charms burst midair. Bodies moved like they were under a spellâwhich, technically, they kind of were.
And you? You just smirked, twirling your wand in your fingers, the spell still glowing at the tip.
You didnât just fix the party.
You became the party.
Word spread.
Since then, youâd been the DJ of Hogwarts. Gryffindors praised you like a god. Hufflepuffs made you mixtape cupcakes. Even Ravenclaws, with their thesis-length playlists and âcurated vibes,â bowed to your chaotic brilliance.
But the Slytherins? They didnât ask.
They summoned.
So when Pansy Parkinson found you lounging in the Great Hall, writing some lyrics on parchment, headphones glowing purple and silver, it wasnât a request â it was a decree.
"Youâll be DJing Dracoâs birthday party," She said breezily, dropping onto the Ravenclaw bench at lunch like she owned it. She was wearing serpent-green eyeliner and a look that dared you to argue.
You blinked, taking off your headphones. âIâm sorryâwas that a question?â
âNo, darling,â she said sweetly. âItâs an order. Room of Requirement. Ten PM. Weâve already prepped the fog spells.â
You sighed dramatically. âAnd if I say no?â
She gave you a dangerous smile. âThen Iâll cry. And Draco will pout. And do you really want to be the girl who ruined Malfoyâs birthday?â
You stared at her.
Then smirked. âFine. But Iâm bringing strobe charms. And no oneâs allowed to touch my booth unless they want to be hexed into the Stone Age.â
Pansy grinned. âKnew youâd see reason.â
The Room of Requirement had outdone itself. It looked like a club ripped out of a Milan fashion showâblack marble floors, glowing green chandeliers, floating drink trays, velvet couches in dramatic corners. Enchanted fog swirled over everything. And at the center, your DJ platform rose like a throne.
You stood behind your setupâcrop top glittering, hair styled for maximum bounce, eyes rimmed in silver glam. With one flick of your wand, your decks lit up. The air shimmered with potential.
You grabbed the mic. âLetâs get loud, Hogwarts!â
The beat dropped into Drake's âOne Danceââremixed with a thunderclap charm that shook the wallsâand the crowd exploded.
Every house was there. Gryffindors jumping like maniacs. Ravenclaws with color-changing drinks. Hufflepuffs forming a line-dance of doom. And Slytherins? They were pretending they werenât into it, but their shoulders betrayed them.
And him.
Draco Malfoy.
Leaning against a pillar with one hand in his pocket, the other wrapped around a glass of firewhisky. White button-up slightly unbuttoned, sleeves rolled to his forearms. His silver-blond hair a little tousled like he didnât careâexcept you knew he definitely cared.
And he was watching you like you were a flame he couldnât help but lean into.
You rolled your body to the beat. Slow. Teasing. Wicked. Your hips moved like you knew exactly what you were doing and truthfully, you did. The room pulsed with your energy, the floor shifting with heat and rhythm, but all of it blurred around the way Dracoâs gaze tracked you.
He took a slow sip from his firewhisky, his lips barely touching the glass as his eyes darkened, devouring every movement you made. He was still, coiled like a serpent, watching you like a secret he wanted to unwrap slowly.
You smirked and switched the track into a mashup of The Weeknd's "Die For You" and SZAâs âLow.â
âHEY EAGLE!â someone shouted. âYOUâRE A WIZARDING ICON!â
âDJ!â another screamed. âPLEASE STEP ON ME!â
You blew a kiss at the crowd, spun in your booth, and let the music melt into a remix of "Kiss It Better" by Rhianna that soon transitioned to "Positions" by Ariana Grandeâcrowd control charms at max. Bodies moved like waves. Lights flickered in time. Sweat, magic, and adrenaline painted the air.
And every time you glanced at the birthday boyâhe was still watching. Sipping. Like he wanted to devour the whole scene and you with it.
After your fourth set, sweat glistening on your forehead and your heart pounding from the energy pulsing through the room, you finally stepped down from the DJ booth, leaving on "Love Me Like You Do" by Ellie Goulding for the 'getting drunk' music.
Someone immediately pressed a glittering, frosted drink into your handâits chill a welcome contrast to your flushed skin. A nearby Hufflepuff leaned in with a wide smile, whispering, âYouâre literally the life of Hogwarts.â
You laughed, breathless and exhilarated, basking in the glow of the crowdâs adoration. The music still thrummed through the walls, but your mind was already drifting, seeking a quieter corner to catch your breath.
Turning sharply, you almost collided with him
You're the light, you're the night.
Draco Malfoyâwho caught your elbow with a steady hand, his icy gaze locking with yours. âCareful,â he murmured, his voice low and calm amid the chaos.
You looked up at him, flashing a sly grin. âEnjoying the party, birthday boy?â you teased.
He gave a dry chuckle, the corner of his mouth twitching into something like a smile. âItâs tolerable.â
You raised an eyebrow. âOh wow. Thatâs basically a love letter coming from you.â
Instead of letting go, he kept his hand lightly on your arm, anchoring you in the moment. âYouâre unreal,â he said quietly, his tone thick with something moreâadmiration, maybe something like awe.
"You flirt with the music, tease the crowd, make even the portraits blush. And Merlin, I can't believe someone can do all that and still look at me like Iâm the one worth noticing.
Your breath caught, your heart stuttering in your chest. You blinked up at him, the air between you electric and heavy.
âI donât dance,â he admitted, his voice dropping softer, more vulnerable, âbut every time you roll your hips like that, I forget how to breathe.â
You smiled, slow and deliberate, the kind of smile that promises trouble. âSo breathe with me,â you dared him. His eyes flickered to your lips, then back up to your eyes, hesitation warring with desire in their depths.
The space between you shrank until you could feel the warmth radiating off his skin, the faint pulse of his heartbeat in sync with your own. His fingers brushed your wrist, lingering just long enough to send sparks down your arm, as if testing his own restraint.
You leaned in just a fraction, your lips barely brushing the curve of his cheek as you whispered against his skin, âYouâve been staring all night, Draco. What are you waiting for?â His breath hitched, and you could see the flush rising in his cheeks, the pulse pounding at his throat like a frantic drum. Yet still, he held himself back, barely.
His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke, low and rough with barely contained longing. âIf I kiss you right now, I wonât stop.â
You tilted your head, a wicked smile curling your lips. âMaybe I donât want you to.â
The tension coiled tighter, a delicious electric ache between you. The music continued to hum in the background, but all you could hear was the relentless pounding of your heart in your ears.
Then, as if the universe were waiting for the perfect moment, your music rig pulsed with life, signaling the chorus.
So love me like you do, la-la love me like you do.
Draco let out a quiet, incredulous laugh. âSeriously? we're about to kiss with this song?â you didnât flinch.
âFitting, isnât it?â you tease. His gaze locked on your lips, eyes dark and burning with intent.
And thenâfinallyâhe kissed you.
It wasnât rushed. It wasnât frantic. It was deliberateâlike heâd been counting the seconds since the first beat dropped, biding his time, waiting for a moment when the rest of the world would fall away.
His lips met yours with a kind of quiet certainty, soft but hungry beneath it, like he needed to be sure this was real. His hand slid up to your jaw, fingers curling just under your ear, tilting your face as if he wanted to memorize the angle. The warmth of his palm sent a shiver down your spine, grounding you even as your knees threatened to give out.
You gasped softly against his mouth, and he took that as invitation, deepening the kiss with a slow-burning hunger that made your head spin. Your hands found the front of his shirt, bunching the fabric between your fingers, desperate to anchor yourself to somethingâanythingâas the world blurred into fog and light and heat.
His other arm circled your waist, tugging you flush against him. There was no more space between you, no more tensionâonly release. His mouth moved against yours like he knew exactly how you liked to be kissedâlike heâd imagined this a thousand times and was now trying to make up for every second he hadnât done it sooner.
He tasted like firewhisky and trouble. Sweet and sharp and utterly addictive. The kind of kiss that felt like a secret and a promise all at once. Somewhere in the room, music pulsed and people shouted, but none of it touched you. Not here. Not inside this space of want and heat.
You broke apart just enough to breatheâyour foreheads pressed together, your lips still brushing, your pulse hammering wildly beneath his thumb.
And he whispered, low and wrecked, âTold you. I donât stop.â
You grinned, breathless. âGood.â
Then, he kissed you again.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
âTHE DJâS SNOGGING MALFOY!â
From somewhere in the throng, Pansy raised a glass high and shouted triumphantly, âFINALLY.â
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going back and forth with logic and emotion, you wonder out onto the terrace of the astronomy tower in search of answers, encountering the source of you stress.
who: mattheo riddle x ravenclaw!reader
genre: fluff
wc: 2,5k
content warning: to disappear or to be found, this one has a little bit more tention, i don't know how many more parts until they get together, just know it is soon!
a/n: hmm, what do you think about their dynamic? what would you change?
vol ll kissing cherries in the rain
You wrung your hands together and leaned back. The warmth from the fire in front of you left your face instantly. You were sitting around the common room with a few of your friends, studying. It was getting late, as it always did for the students of Ravenclaw House.
Deep in your mind, you couldnât help but wonder what a certain slytherin was getting up to right about now. Embarrassed, you shoved the thought away just as it settled in. But you couldnât forget the way heâd been so close to you under that tree last rest day.
When he had snuck off and pulled you away from the detention that the two of you had unfairly been given. Youâd learned that the same day. But even stillâŠ
It hadnât been all that long ago, but it had been a good amount of importance, clearly, since you had imagined it over and over again, typically in the evening, right before you closed your eyes and drifted off. As well as in the morning, before the birds belted their songs and prepared to leave the nest to catch breakfast.
Riddle's golden eyes, like brown lava appeared every time. His whole aesthetic was so cinematic, like he was born to be in front of a camera. He was handsome, but so what? There were plenty of Hogwarts boys that were handsome. None quite like him though.
You wanted to whine every time you unconsciously whispered that to yourself. It irked you. Why did it have to be him? Why him? Of everyone, even Cormac might have beenâokay no, he wouldnât, but still.
It messed with your mind, the logical part of you saying it didnât matter what your heart felt, he was dangerous, even if you didnât want to blame him for his fathers deeds. The apple never falls too far from the tree, just take a look at you and your father.
Unfortunately, his tree was rotten, therefore his apple would also beâAlright what the hell were you even saying now?
âItâs almost time,â one of your friends murmured. While you werenât the last to leave the darkened, fire-lit heavy common room, you almost were, and Filch would no doubt be doing house sweeps, trying to get anyone he could in trouble. You shuddered at the thought of being the target of his mangy gaze again.
But then your heart leapt at the prospect of being in close proximity to him, which should have been a red flag, and yetâŠ
âHave a goodnight,â you waved toward your friends, heading further down the hall.
âGoodnight,â they replied back.
You shouldâve been tired, but when you settled your books, pens and parchment on your desk and turned to look out the window, showcasing the quidditch field, you felt the sense of exhaustion leave you.
Maybe you could take a walk around the dorms, maybe that would tire you out enough. But your mind was racing, daydreams had become a rather common occurrence with you. And they typically consisted ofâŠhimâŠunfortunatley.
A heavy sigh fell from your lips as you wrapped yourself in a throw blanket. You slid on a pair of slippers and swiftly made your escape.
The longer you roamed the dormsâstill warm, from the fire that had been put out right before the last of the students had leftâthe more restless you grew.Â
It bothered you, you realized. It bothered you that he had somehow got the better of you. That he had somehow won you over. Perhaps he had used a spell to make you feel this way? To make your heart flutter?
Slytherins were known for theirâŠactivites, you wouldnât put it past them to spell someone in order to get what they wantedâŠbut if that were true, then what did he want?
And nevermind that, werenât you just telling him youâd regretted misjudging him simply because of who he was? Why were you backtracking now?
Because you wanted an excuse. You wanted something to blame for the way you were beginning to feel toward himâwhich was a great deal less than a classmate should feel.Â
It wasnât fair, it wasnât at all fair. You bit the inside of your cheek. If people found out, your friends and familyâŠhow would they react? What would they say? A Ravenclaw and a Slyterhin. Or better yet, a Ravenclaw and the Dark Lord's son?
But you knew you were falling faster than you could stop to care about such things. You just couldnât admit that to yourselfâŠnot yet. Now now, when midterms were just around the corner and all eyes would be on you and your classmates.
You already had too much on your plate, between leading a study group for those who needed to catch up, working on your own studies, and making sure no fights broke out amongst the other students as Head Girl, it was just too much.
But again, a part of you didnât care, a part of you had already fallen headfast into whatever this was. And a part of you knew you were only saying all these things to yourself because you were afraidâŠafraid of rejection. It crawled up your skin like spiders, the feeling making you sick to your stomach, the thought of being rejected.
It had never seemed like something you had to care terribly about because you had never felt this wayâever.
Which brought you back to the feeling of exasperation and annoyance. Why did it have to be him? Why him?
You closed your eyes and stopped pacing. Rather, heading for the exit. You came face to face with a sleeping painting, thankfully they did not wake up. You slipped down the staircase and into a hall lit by wall sconces. The blanket wrapped around you and your night dress like a warm hug.Â
You knew exactly where you were going, it was a place that allowed you to think when it got too loud inside your head. You could breathe up there, and pretend the world away.
You made little noise as you twisted and turned around the corners of Hogwarts, careful to listen for Filch and maybe even SnapeâMerlin knew if the man slept or not, he didnât seem like the type to snore off into dreamland.
You climbed the stairs of the astronomy tower, resting against the top for a second before pushing off and stepping into the roofless tower. Hues of every kind of blue danced across the tables and tools in the room. They hit your face, outlining your features in the blue darkness.
Slowly, you made your way to the balcony, your hands falling onto the railing that overlooked all of Hogwarts.
It was a gorgeous sight. The most beautiful one you had ever seen in Hogwarts. It pained you to know that most students had not a single clue as to what the tower looked like at night, but you also took a bit of pride knowing that you shared this spectacle with very few.
A bang sounded from the classroom clad in midnight grace, like someone had banged something on one of the desks.
âWhoâs there?â Your eyes narrowed and you reached for your wand, only to realize it was on your nightstand in your dorm. You cursed under your breath and dropped the blanket, letting it pool around your feet.
You readied your stand, hands flexing as your eyes fixated on the figure in the dark. Tall, but not lankyâbuilt but not all muscle.
âShow yourself.â You glowered at the laugh that came from the dark. How annoying.
You prowled forward, teeth bared as you came face to face withâŠ
âWhat the hell are you doing here?â
Riddle smiled one of those half-smiles that never quite reached his eyes. âYou look cute,â he nodded, stalking past you, no longer in his robes, but in black sweats and a blue sweatshirt. âWho did you plan to fight in that moomoo? Filchâs cat?â He barked out a laugh, the skin around his eyes crinkling. It was genuine. That laugh. That smile
Snap out of it!Â
A scoff fell out of you just as a grin spread across your face. You hated how your heart leapt. âItâs not a moomoo, itâs a nightdress.â
He spared a second glance behind him, looking you up and down. One of his eyebrows raised and his expression went from amusement to concern, "there's a difference?â
You worked your jaw, âyouâre no spectacle yourself,â your arms braced your upper body against the railing, "I didn't know Slytherin's wore anything other than snake green.â
âYouâd be surprised at how we take the color black.â He tilted his head downward.
âBlack isnât a color,â you corrected.
âAh, yes, there she is. That Ravenclaw know-it-allâ
âIâm not a know-it-all!â
âRigh, and black isnât a color.â
Your eyes twitched just then, âI was just stating a face. That doesnât make me a know-it-allâ
âYou know, Iâm surprised you care at all what I think.â
âI donât.â
âActually,â he spun around, leaning his back against the metal, his hands gripping the sides of the pole, âI think you do.â
âOf course you do,â you rolled your eyes.
âOuch,â he brought a hand to his heart, âit pains me to hear you say that.â
âIs it life threatening?â You queried, batting your eyelashes up at him.
A bet passed and then a breath fell from him, âNo?â
You clicked your tongue and shook your head, turning away from him to overlook the snowfall below, âshame.â
You could feel his stare burning the back of your head, you could also feel the way your heart kicked up at the thought of how nice he looked in casual clothing. He looked as if heâd just gotten out of the shower, and if his wet hair hadnât been due to some freak accident, you were likely right.
âSo, what are you doing out here so late?â You hummed and glanced back at him.
He shrugged, âjust, thinking.â
âHmm,â you nodded, âdeep.â
Riddle scoffed, and waved with his hand, âWell, then what are you doing up here?â
You everted your gaze, unable to hold it without spilling your secret. Because you couldnât say that you were up here looking for answers about what to do with how you were beginning to feel toward him. Why was he even up here? Why now? Why did Merlin hate you!?
âKnow-it-all?â You heard him step closer. A shudder ran through you. You could smell him. He smelled like shower gel and freshly picked cherries. It reminded you of that day under the willow. It was intoxicating. The atmosphere did not help at all.
âYouâve been eating cherries.â The comment left your lips before you could even realize what you were saying. Cheeks flaming, you're turned away, trying to get rid of his presence by sheer will.
âIs it that obvious?â He sniffed himself, âI donât smell anything.â
âItâsâŠâ you stopped yourself. It was on his breath, in every word he spoke.
A long silence passed and in that time, he had collected himself again, shifting his body closer to yours so that your shoulders touched. You ignored it. You would ignore it.
âTo be honest,â he broke the tension youâd drafted on your own, âI came up here to confess something.â
You went rigid, your mind spinning a thousand thoughts per second. âWhat do you mean?â
âThe stars,â a dry chuckle rumbled from his throat, but it sounded more pained than joyous. âItâs stupid when I say it out loud, but I like to tell them my secrets, it helps bearing them a little easier.â
âBecause you canât tell anyone else, right?â You tried to ignore the way his boiling brown eyes swept over you, wringing your hands out in front you. âEven though youâre always surrounded, the only times you feel like you can speak your mind are when youâre alone.â His stare intensified, like he was really seeing you for the first time.
When he finally looked away, you exhaled. âItâs interesting.â
âWhat do you meanâŠâ perhaps he thought you were weird? Was that really the vibe you gave off?
The corner of his lip lifted in an almost half smile. It sent your stomach to your feet. âYou. Youâre interesting.â
Your lips pressed together and you swallowed. âI guessâŠ. I mean I get it. I came up here with a question. Maybe I hoped that they would answer meâŠor somethingâI donât knowâŠâ You shrugged, â...itâs complicated.â
âIf I understand anything, itâs complicated confessions.â
You snorted, âhow poetic.â
âItâs true though.â
You stared at him, taking in his appearance for a lot longer than necessary. âYou know you are such a nerd.â
âThanks,â a toothy smile gave way, and in turn, had you mimicking it.
You shook your head, âwhat did you want to confess?â
âWell, you see, thatâs only for them to know.â He pointed to the sky.
âI could be your star,â you mumbled, âif only for tonight.â
Riddle's grin made you want to crawl under your sheets and never resurface. âThat might have been that corniest line Iâve ever heard, Ravenclaw.â
âWhat, Iâm not Know-It-All anymore?â
âDo you want to be?â His quick-paced response pissed you off.
âYouâre annoying.â
âAh ah,â you clicked his tongue and shook his finger in your face, âStars donât talk, they only listen. Thatâs their job.â
âI hate you.â
âIâm sure you do.â He sighed, lifting his arms over his head, stretching.
You felt the need to punch the smugness off his stupidly handsome face. Stupid, stupid.
Silence encompassed the space between you and him, which wasnât much of anything. You felt your heart beat speed up as he shifted and cleared his throat. âSo, what was your question?â
You tried to keep calm, âitâs private.â
He raised an unconvinced brow, âyou canât seriously expect me to spill all my secrets and receive nothing in return.â
âI don't expect you to reveal any secrets!â Your face warmed and you turned away.
âAny louder and Filch might catch us again.â
âShut up,â you murmured.
âBut maybe,â he nudged you with his shoulder, âmaybe thatâs what you wantâŠâ
Wide eyes met his, the color of molten lava. You couldn't tell what he saw when he looked at you, you just hoped it wasnât something as pathetic as embarrassment.
That same half grin crept onto his face again, you wanted to punch it away. It would give you some relief, if only for a few minutes. But it might be worth itâŠ
âWhatever it is, Iâm sure itâs just as interesting as you.â He turned his eye back on the snowfall in front of him.
You stood there in the quiet cold for what felt like years. And it was nice. It was calming. Something you never would have expected from Mattheo Riddle, and yet here you were. Enjoying his presence more than youâd ever enjoyed being alone. That was interesting.Â
You snuck a glance over at him, flushing when his eyes flickered to your immediately after.
hi! i feel bad for spamming requests so pls ignore this if ur busy or not interested⊠would you mind writing a fic with james maybe where he overhears the reader saying she likes him? -đŻ
Dearest đŻ, never feel bad about spamming requests. It's what my inbox was made for. â€ïž And here is the requested James Potter love â€ïž
Hope y'all enjoy â€ïž â€ïž â€ïž
Venom
James Potter x ravenclaw!reader
3k words
cw: fluff, lil bit of pining
James hadnât meant to eavesdrop on you. If anything, heâd say it was your fault for having girlsâ night somewhere boys could go. AKA not your dorm, or any of your friendsâ dorms. Or at least, having the door closed so your voices didnât carry.Â
He was walking back from evening quidditch practice when he heard female laughter echoing down the corridor.Â
Then, he heard Pandora giggle, âOkay, okay, Y/N, your turn. Give us two truths and a lie.â
âOkayâŠâ James could hear your smile in your voice. âI have read Frankenstein three times, I started keeping a dream journal when I was eight and⊠Iâve been in love with James Potter since second year.â
James froze in his spot. He wasnât sure if he heard you right. After a second, he crept closer to the door but made sure he wasnât visible. He knew the dream journal was true; youâd told him about that before, and repeated it every time Professor Crebeck assigned dream interpretations. Heâd seen you with that Frankenstein book a few times so that was likely the other truth. So, obviously, you werenât in love with him. That was a bit of a let down.Â
âWell, you never shut up about that dream journal so thatâs a truth,â Lily laughed.
âAnd youâre in loooooove with Potter so that has to be the other truth,â Emmeline said, her voice teasing.Â
James couldnât see it, but your smile twisted mischievously.Â
He was also confused. How could that be the truth if youâve also read that book multiple times? Were you in love with him?
âBut sheâs read Frankenstein more than twice?â Dorcas said, voicing Jamesâ confusion. âCause she read it first year and then again in fourth. And I swear she had it in her hands in September.â
The girls looked at you intently. The silence was deafening to James.
âJames was the lie, my dears,â you said sweetly.Â
Oh. Guess not. Emmeline mustâve been wrong.Â
âOnly been in love with him since fourth year,â you continued. âHe was a bit of a prat in second, if Iâm being honest.â
âIn second year?â Lily gasped. âHe still it!â
âTo each their own.â
So⊠you were in love with James. He felt like he couldnât breathe. He turned around and took a different route back to the Gryffindor Tower, but not without passing Mary. She waved to James and went down the hall to girlsâ night.
âWhat I miss?â
âY/N pulled a technicality in two truths and a lie,â Dorcas said. âDo you know which year she fell in love with Potter?â
âFourth?â
âCorrect. This is why youâre my favorite.â
âWas he in here?â Mary asked, sitting down next to you.Â
âNo? Itâs girlsâ night? No boys here,â Pandora said.Â
âHuh. Well, I passed him on my way back. Looked like he was coming from this hall.â
Your eyes went wide with horror. The idea that James might have heard you declare your love for him made you want to curl up and die. Your best guy friend wasnât supposed to know that you liked him and wanted to be more than friends.Â
The Maraudersâ dorm door opened with a bang, James having used more force than necessary. He appeared to be in some sort of daydreaming state.Â
âShe loves me.â Air. Light. Tinged with a happy disbelief.Â
âWho you talking âbout? Your mum?â Peter asked. He got up to close the door James had left open.
âShe loves me.â
âItâs got to be his mum, right? No other she loves him,â Peter said, looking at Sirius and Remus.Â
âEffie loving him isnât new thought,â Remus said as James stood in the middle of the room.
âDidnât be come from quidditch?â Sirius asked. âMarleneâs the only girl on the team, and, uh, sheâs not loving Prongs anytime soon.â
âNot if Dorcas has anything to do about it,â Remus chuckled.Â
Sirius threw a wadded up sock at James.
âOi! Who loves you?â
âY/N loves me.â
The air in the room stilled. The three boys stared at James.Â
Ever since being introduced to you in second year, James had adored you. At first, he just thought you would be a fantastic friend. You had offered him and the boys advice on how to prank some Slytherins and not get caught, and then it worked. As James got older, he started trying to show off to get your attention. No matter what he did, it worked. If he succeeded at whatever he was attempting, you were smiling at him; if he failed and fell flat on his face, you were laughing and he loved that sound. It took him a little longer to realize that you were indeed very pretty and he wanted more than friendship from you. His fear of risking your friendship was enough to prevent him from asking you out.Â
âDoes she now?â Remus asked carefully.Â
James nodded. âSaid so herself. I heard her. And Emmeline said it too. That Y/N loves me. Emmeline doesnât love me.â
âY/N said so? To you? Just now?â Peter pressed.Â
âWell, not to me,â James said, breaking out of the dazed state he had previously been in. âTheyâre having their girlsâ night gossipy thing. I just happened to be walking by.â
The boys were all staring at each other. No one said anything. James was still on the high of hearing you say you loved him. Youâd loved him since fourth year. The other three were trying to figure out if they should be doing damage control or being wingmen.Â
Sirius broke the silence. âIâll bite. Whatâs next?âÂ
âWhat do you mean?â James asked.Â
âWhat do you do now? If she really said that, and you still feel how do you⊠Whatâs your move?âÂ
James didnât answer right away.Â
âRight, since you didnât burst into the room and snog her to death,â Peter said.
âBecause that wouldâve told them I was eavesdropping!â
âYou were.â
âUnimportant,â James said, waving his hand in front of him dismissively. âI think I just⊠try to let things happen but give it a little more umph.â
âMore umph?â Remus asked.Â
âYeah. Iâll be⊠more.â
More. Remus thought. Because James wasnât already a lot.Â
âDonât worry, lads. I got this. You know why?â
âWhy?â Sirius asked.Â
âBecause Y/N loves me.âÂ
---
In the morning, you were barely half awake as you walked into the Great Hall. You were only half surprised when James waved you over. Sometimes he was eager to hear what you dreamed about, other times he wanted to tell you what had occurred late last night or early this morning. But there was also the chance that he overheard you last night and that sat like a stone in your stomach.Â
You sat next to him despite that, and he pushed a plate in front of you.Â
âPut it together myself,â he said with a proud smile.
You looked at the plate. Your usual breakfast but the fruit was in the shape of a smiley face. Cute.Â
âThanks,â you said quietly.Â
You slowly picked at your breakfast. James had never put your plate together before, but he obviously paid attention to what you ate. You swore you felt the Marauders all staring at you.Â
âIs⊠is there something on my face?â you asked.Â
âNo. Nothing,â Peter said, as all four of them found something else to look at.Â
That wasnât reassuring. You ate the rest of your breakfast in near silence, and youâd stop by the loo on the way to your first class to ensure that you looked okay. James waited for you.Â
âFeeling alright?â he asked as you stepped out.
You jumped, not realizing that he was waiting for you. Your face burned.Â
âYeah. Yeah. Just a bit tired, I guess.â
âOh, then let me carry those,â James said as he reached for your books. âLate night with the girls?âÂ
Your face got even redder.Â
âI think we were sneaking back after curfewâŠâ
âMarlene was pissed I had evening practice. But we play Ravenclaw on Saturday. I had to have her there.â
âAfraid youâll lose to my house? The superior house?â you teased.
âYou know youâre invited to the party when we win, right?âÂ
You rolled your eyes. âOr you can come to our party when we win?âÂ
âAs tempting as that is, if we lose, Iâll be fighting an acromantula in the forest to regain my honor.â
âAh yes, because flying on a broom and fighting a large spider are about the same thing.â
âThey are!âÂ
âI think the spider is more impressive,â you said as you approached the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. âThe bigger, the scarier, the more impressive. And you never fight spiders. You win at quidditch almost every match.âÂ
âWould you want to see me defeat a big olâ nasty spider?âÂ
âNo. You cannot make me go into the forest for that.â You patted his cheek. âBut if you do, bring me back some acromantula venom. Itâs rare.âÂ
James smiled dumbly as you walked toward your desk. He didnât move into the classroom until you were sitting.Â
âWell?â Remus asked when James sat down next to him.
âIâm going to fight a spider for her.âÂ
âCome again?âÂ
James blinked. He shook his head and said, âI think I need to fight a spider. Big one. Might need backup but donât tell her that.âÂ
âYouâre⊠fighting a spider? I mean⊠No. I donât understand.âÂ
âShe needs venom.âÂ
---
After lessons, James practically insisted you work on homework together. He moved his chair so close that it was practically touching yours. Every time you moved, your arms brushed. He leaned over to compare his answers with yours, and every time he did so, you got a whiff of his cologne. You werenât sure if he had always worn it.Â
You thought James was simply being extra friendly today. That was it. Or so you thought. In the morning, you were met with your breakfast already put together and the smiley face fruit back. And when you walked to class together, he offered to carry your books again.Â
âJust trying to get extra weights in or something?â you teased as you handed over your books after Potions.Â
âGot to keep it up, you know,â he said. âCanât be slimming down.âÂ
You rolled your eyes and laughed. âI think youâre good.â
But you let him carry your books anyway. And you didnât think anything of it when he sat with you and Emmeline for lunch. If you had, you wouldâve simply assumed that he was trying to get an eye on the enemy for Saturday, in some roundabout way. It wasnât like the captain was discussing plays over sandwiches and juice.Â
Then James picked up your books to walk with you to Muggle Studies. You didnât even have the chance to carry your own books, especially since you wouldnât have stood a chance if you tried to rip them from his hands. And he continued to do so all day. Class to class, room to room and then to the library when he insisted that you study together again.Â
The same thing happened on Wednesday, except he didnât study with you after lessons. Just a quick hug and âI got practice!â
You were met with pre-made breakfast with fruit in the shape of a heart this time in the morning. And by the end of the day, you really realized that he had been walking you to all of your classes, even the ones that he didnât have with you. You tried not to think too hard on it. You knew it was essentially boyfriend behavior and there was no way that James liked you like that. He was just super nice. That was all.Â
---
You bundled up in all of your Ravenclaw gear before heading to breakfast. James waved you over like had every morning this week, despite knowing youâd stick out like a sore thumb. And just like every other morning, James had your plate ready, fruit shaped like a heart again.Â
âI canât believe youâre not cheering for me!â James said as you sat down and pulled the plate toward you.Â
âI can cheer for you in my houseâs gear. Iâm just cheering for my house and not yours. Not my fault that my favorite player is on the wrong team,â you said.Â
James leaned close to your face. âIâm your favorite player?â
You felt your face heat. You shoved a forkful of fruit into your mouth and nodded. Your voice probably wouldâve cracked if you tried to speak at that moment. You had assumed James knew he was your favorite player. You werenât a die-hard quidditch fan, nor were you exceptionally close with anyone on your houseâs team. So yes, youâd be cheering for him despite hoping that your house came out on top.Â
âItâs actually a win-win, if you think about it,â you said. âIf Ravenclaw wins, my house gets the win and bragging rights for a while. If Gryffindor wins, my best friends win and their happiness is mine.âÂ
âSo youâre saying I donât have to throw the match to see you smile?âÂ
You laughed so hard you almost sent juice out of your nose. âLike you would ever throw a match!â
For you, I would, James thought. Heâd never say it outloud, at least in public. He couldnât have his team knowing that heâd actually do that for you. You werenât even dating.Â
âItâs going to be a good game. I know it,â you said after composing yourself.Â
When James finished eating, you walked with him down to the pitch. He usually took longer than you to eat given the sheer amount of food he inhaled. In a totally casual way that definitely could not be read into as romantic, James put his arm around your shoulders as you walked.Â
âAm I really your favorite player?â James asked more genuinely than he had at the table. âLike out of all quidditch players, professionals too?â
You looked up at him. The sun was glinting off the metal frames of his glasses, his hair already looked windswept. He didnât even need to try to be good looking; he just was.Â
âItâs not even a competition.â You paused. âBut I donât know many professionals and I do know you really well. So I may be biased.â
âYouâre my favorite fan.â
âLike out of all quidditch fans? Professionals too?â
âOut of everyone.âÂ
âI think youâre trying to get me to cheer for your whole team,â you said. âYou wonât catch me in Gryffindor gear.âÂ
âWhat if it was mine?âÂ
You almost stumbled, but James caught you.Â
âLike my jumper or scarf or something?â
His hands were still holding you.
âUm⊠Maybe⊠If, if you werenât playing Ravenclaw in like half an hour.â
James ran a hand through his hair as he chuckled. âWell, yeah. But think about it? You could take one of my jumpers and wear it to classes or something or when we play Hufflepuff in a few weeks.â
âO-okay. Iâll think about it.âÂ
The rest of the short walk to the pitch was quiet. Your mind was spinning with the fact that James had just offered one of his sweaters to you, to wear to class and games. You couldnât put a platonic spin on that. Did James like you more than you thought? Or were you just reading way into it? But people didnât offer their clothes like that and have it be âas friends.âÂ
âGood luck hug?â he asked as you reached the locker room.
You nodded and wrapped your arms around him. He rested his chin on the top of your head. Both of you felt like this felt right.Â
âGood luck, James,â you mumbled into his chest before letting go. âBut Ravenclawâs going to sweep the pitch with you.âÂ
You winked and turned for the stands. You went to the Ravenclaw section and sat down to wait for the rest of the student body to join you. Not everyone had walked out with someone on the teams.Â
Slowly but surely, the stands filled up. The game started and it was immediately clear which team was better. You lost any hope of Ravenclaw winning when James scored his seventh goal of the match â and the other two Gryffindor chasers were holding their own as well. It probably wouldnât matter which team ended up catching the snitch. Gryffindor kept their pace and scored goal after goal. Ravenclaw trailed far behind. Even with their beaters trying to hit the chaser, Ravenclaw couldnât keep up. You wondered if the Ravenclaw seeker debated catching the snitch to just end the match after a while. Luckily, for him at least, he didnât have to make that decision.Â
A roar from across the pitch announced that the Gryffindor seeker caught the snitch. You werenât upset. Like you had said, their win was a win for you. James had played one of his best games. You pushed your way through the sluggish Ravenclaws so you could find him on the pitch. Having lost, your housemates werenât moving all that quickly.Â
It looked like a fair amount of students had already congregated on the pitch as you reached the ground. You scanned the sea of Gryffindors and various Hufflepuffs to find James. He was the only one you really needed to see. You could see the others later when they undoubtedly dragged you to their party.Â
He saw you before you saw him.Â
âY/N!â he yelled, waving.Â
Your face lit up now that you could see him. Even a good distance away, you could see his post-win glow. As you tried to move closer to him, James was weaving through the crowd to get to you as well.Â
When you reached him, you went in for a hug, as you usually did after a well-played match. He also appeared to be going in for a hug, except his hands found your face instead of wrapping around you. And then his lips captured yours in a firm kiss.Â
Oh.
OH!
It was better than you couldâve dreamed, his lips on yours, moving just enough for it to feel like a dream. His hands held your face near his.Â
After a few seconds that felt like minutes, he rested his forehead against yours.
âItâs not acromentula venom, but-â
âShut up and kiss me again.â
At least his sweater made more sense now. It wasn't platonic.
pairing :: james potter x fem!reader (implied girly!reader)
warnings :: mentions of getting laid (no smut), fluff!! please mind that english isnât my first language. 1.5k words
james was truly smitten. he couldnât not ogle at you at any given moment, heart eyes following you around every single room or corridor, sighs of pure admiration leaving his lungs whenever you would talk to him at breakfast or lunch while his head rested on his hand, dreamy eyes trying to catch yours.
but who was to blame him? you were just so pretty, your hair swaying lightly as you rushed to class, your hand accidentally brushing his as you stepped past him.
âwhy the rush, darling?â he asked, keeping up with your pace as well as he could, still tired from last night which had lasted longer than it shouldâve; peter, remus, sirius and him too busy sneaking around the castle and setting up shenanigans to sleep. at least there wasnât ever a single day of boredom with them in the castle.
butterflies erupted in your stomach at the nickname, but you tried to suppress it the best you could. he managed to fluster you with his little pet names everytime without exception, and every yet so small sliver of hope you would get from them, youâd kill off. youâd go mad, otherwise.
âiâm hurrying to class james,â you smiled at him, âand i think you should be too.â, grabbing his arm to pull him with you. you couldnât see the way he blushed at your action, and he was glad. it was embarrassing how in love with you he was, considering the amount of attention other boys were giving you.
he could understand, obviously. it was already hard to not fall for your looks, but the fact your bubbly and inviting personality was just as perfect? how could anybody not fall for that? he was sure the sole reason remus and sirius saw you as only a friend was because they knew how enamored with you he was.
but you didnât know. âheâs just a very sweet and nice personâ was what you said to lily when she asked you about it. you liked him, no question. but you saw the way he would flirt with other girls at parties and in hogsmead, occasionally winking at them even though lily and you were walking just next to him. so to you, he was just a friend, even though you would easily smother him in kisses if he ever just bought you flowers or opened doors for only you like the other stupid guys always did, not only as a friendly gesture but as something more.
you realized he wouldnât, so there was no point in waiting for him. instead, while he was busy chatting with different girls at parties, you were seated in a quiet corner, talking to your girlfriends and having a drink or two yourself, dancing with guys here and there if they asked you nicely and sometimes, if they were being very polite, youâd give them a tiny kiss on the cheek and a little wave before getting another butterbeer and walking back to your friends once again.
that was probably what made you so irresistible, the fact you would never go as far as even giving a little peck on the lips while other girls were ready to go back to the dorm with said guys. you werenât one to judge, neither the girls nor the boys, they could do whatever they want, it wasnât your business. and if they wanted to get laid and got the chance, why not do it? just not with you.
however, they thought you were playing hard to get on purpose, and who wouldnât be up for a challenge when itâs about a girl like you?
but even when every guysâ head turned to look at you whenever you entered the room, you didnât care. you didnât even notice, you were just living in the moment, deeply into the meaningful - or sometimes meaningless - banter with your friends, not a single care in the world.
well, for some reason one nerve of yours always got very terribly struck whenever you would lift your head only to see jamesâ hand steadied on some other gryffindorâs back. âwhateverâ was what you always thought, head turning back to whoever was talking right now.
and it didnât take long for james to leave your mind, at least until you were laid down on your bed at three in the morning where james would haunt your mind in ways you wouldnât dare to say out loud.
âyou got a date for the party today yet?â he asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as he possibly could. âi prefer to go with my friends, as you already know.â
âwell, we are friends, no?â
âclass starts in a few, we can talk later.â you said to him, avoiding his eyes as you made your way over to lily who was already sitting at your usual place in the charmâs classroom, her hands immediately going to fix the little ribbon in your hair when you sat down to her right. she mustâve seen that you were in a rush just a few seconds ago, and the confused look on your face didnât go unnoticed either. âwhatâs up with you, you look-â
âjames just asked me on a âdateâ, i thinkâ you stated, but it came out rather like a question while you knitted your eyebrows in a puzzled manner.
âwell, i told you before he has a thing for youâ
âbut i donât believe itâ
âwhy not? itâs basically written on his face that heâs head over heels for youâ
you were just about to reply, a look of disapproval already plastered on your face, but got interrupted by the professor. after the lesson the topic was already forgotten, lily and you talking about what you were going to wear tonight rather than the, to you very ridiculous, james situation.
it wasnât until the party, which you attended hand in hand with lily, that james and you began to talk again. you were just about to get yourself another firewhiskey shot when he appeared right next to you at the small bar counter.
âhow come you always reject when you get asked out?â
the question caught you off guard. he wasnât the first to ask you that question, but youâve never felt so called out after someone interrogated like that. your eyes widened slightly and you nervously bit your lip. what were you supposed to answer? âi realized i donât have a chance with you so i gave up on relationships completelyâ?
âi just donât want to date someone i donât like like that, i guess.â
it wasnât a lie, after all. you could just simply wait until the feelings faded, and then maybe you would be open for something new. until then, you would just have to keep on pretending like your feelings towards him did not exist.
âi suppose you donât like me, then?â
âwhat?â
âyou rejected me too today, didnât you?â
you were startled by his questions, and suddenly it felt like it was just you two in this actually very crowded common room, the air around you feeling tighter and more stifling than usual.
âdo you like me, james? like, like-like me? because everybodyâs been telling me but i feel like iâm going crazy because i like-like you but you keep flirting with other girls and you wink and wave at them and you put your arms around them and i hate that but i donât want things between us to be weird because i donât want to lose you as a friend eith-â you stumbled over your words in hurry, every nerve of yours spinning and pulling and you could feel your own face heat up.
âyou like me?â
âi- uh- i asked first!â your heard was racing and you hoped to merlin that he felt the same way and you didnât just make a fool out of yourself, confessing to a guy who doesnât even see you like that.
he didnât exactly answer the question, but he showed you.
his eyes were full of appreciation as he leaned down to you, gently caressing your face as he pressed his lips against yours. and finally, you felt at peace with your own feelings. your lips continued to move in sync until you heard a few claps behind you which broke you apart. when you turned around, you found sirius winking at you and lily eyeing you with a proud look on her face.
it was only when you faced james again that you saw the way he actually looked at you all this time, with his head resting on his hand, dreamy eyes trying to catch yours.