#studying together

The Slytherin common room was hushed, the dim green lanterns casting ripples of light across the walls as the Black Lake swayed outside. Most students had gone to bed, leaving only a handful of tired seventh-years scattered about with parchment and half-finished essays.

You sat curled up in the farthest corner, your blanket draped around your shoulders like a shield. A pile of books leaned precariously beside you, though you hadn’t touched them in at least an hour. Your eyelids drooped, head bobbing slightly, when a voice broke the quiet.

“You’ll fall asleep there and wake up with ink stains all over your face.”

You blinked, finding Regulus Black standing a few feet away, his arms crossed. His expression, as usual, was carefully neutral, though his eyes betrayed a softness that only slipped through when no one else was looking.

“I wasn’t sleeping,” you mumbled, straightening. “I was…resting my eyes.”

He arched an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth threatening to curl into a smirk. “Resting your eyes with your quill still in your hand? Ingenious.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t fight the smile tugging at your lips. “What are you doing awake, then? Don’t tell me Regulus Black stays up late to…what, scold people for studying?”

“Hardly,” he said, settling down beside you with the smooth grace he seemed to carry into every movement. His shoulder brushed yours, and the contact sent warmth rushing up your arm despite the chill of the dungeons. “I came to make sure you didn’t work yourself into a collapse. You’ve been at it since dinner.”

You tilted your head at him, amused. “And you’ve been keeping track?”

A pause. His gaze flickered toward the firelight, his jaw tightening ever so slightly before he answered, “I notice things.”

That was Regulus for you. Always careful, always composed, but with these quiet admissions that slipped through in moments when no one else could hear.

“Well,” you said, nudging his knee with yours beneath the blanket, “I suppose it’s very noble of you, watching over me like that.”

For a moment, his lips twitched again like he might actually smile—until instead, he tugged the blanket from your shoulders and draped it over both of you. “You’re freezing,” he murmured.

“I’m fine,” you protested weakly, though your heart hammered against your ribs.

Regulus gave you a look that brooked no argument, one you’d seen him use on underclassmen and professors alike. But then it softened, and he leaned a little closer, lowering his voice as if the words were only for you.

“You push yourself too hard. If you don’t slow down, you’ll burn out.”

You wanted to protest again, to say something light or teasing, but the genuine worry in his tone made your throat tighten. Regulus Black didn’t show concern often. It was rare, like sunlight breaking through clouds, and it always caught you off guard.

“Maybe,” you admitted softly. “But it feels easier when you’re here.”

His eyes snapped to yours, wide for just a fraction of a second before his composure returned. He didn’t answer immediately; instead, he reached up and brushed a stray strand of hair from your forehead with surprising gentleness. His touch lingered, warm and careful, as if you were something fragile.

“I suppose,” he said finally, voice low, “that I can stay a little longer, then.”

The two of you sat there in silence, the blanket cocooning you against the cool dungeon air, the fire crackling quietly across the room. For once, neither of you needed words. His presence was enough—the steady weight of his shoulder against yours, the way his gaze softened when he thought you weren’t looking, the quiet promise that, even in the stillness of the night, you weren’t alone.

And when you finally let your head rest against his shoulder, Regulus didn’t move away. Instead, he shifted just enough to keep you comfortable, his fingers brushing lightly against your hand beneath the blanket until they laced with yours.

Amity could not do this. She just could not do this. When Luz had asked her to come to a study session at the Owl House to help her catch up with the homework she missed thanks to staying out of school for a couple of weeks to lay low in case the Emperor tried something, Amity had been overjoyed at the idea of helping her. Sure, it was awkward seeing Lilith living at the Owl House now after the whole deal with the witch's duel a few weeks back, but she was able to get over it.

No, what she had a problem with was Luz's need for bodily contact. No matter how she repositioned herself, Luz would snuggle up against her like some sort of pet. It was not good for her heart, and it just made it a thousand times harder to help the girl with studying!

"So how would you cast this spell?" Luz asked Amity while nuzzling closer which made Amity's face turn even redder. Looking down at the spell that Luz was talking about, Amity raised her eyebrow. She knew that they had to show off how well they could cast this for their class, but Luz didn't perform magic the same way everyone else did so wouldn't she need some other method to cast it?

"Uh...That...wouldn't help you...right?" Amity hesitantly asked as she looked down at Luz who narrowed her eyes and hummed to herself in thought before shrugging her shoulders.

"I'd still like to know. Plus, I love seeing you perform magic! You look awesome!" Luz happily answered causing Amity to let out a silent 'eep!' Gulping, she proceeded to show Luz how she channels her magic before drawing the necessary casting circle to perform the spell. She looked back over and smiled lightly at the bright look shining in Luz's eyes. It was moments like this that reminded her how she fell in love with this girl.

Looking back down at the books, she noticed one that was buried under a large amount of blankets. Reaching out for it, she heard Luz gasp and shuffle around, but she managed to pull it out and take a look at the cover. Smiling at Luz after seeing the cover, she held the book in her hand, "Trying to get out of studying math?"

Luz fiddled her fingers around with a defeated puppy look. "Math is really frustrating." Amity lightly giggled before settling back down next to Luz.

"Don't worry, by the time I leave, you will be a math genius," Amity promised Luz who proceeded to blush lightly at the confident look on the witchling's face.

"Wow, if you do that, then you really are the number one student in school!" Luz happily cheered causing Amity to smile confidently.