𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆, regulus black

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟏: 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

"That's playing dirty! I'm a girl! I need my eyebrows." 

"Good thing I chose pink. Really shows that you're a girl." 

She pointed at him as she fumed, "I will kill you, Regulus Black." 

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Good luck." 

And then with a war cry, she went galloping after him, chasing him all through the Common Room and down the corridors where they knocked over Filch, a bin, a group of first years and Professor McGonagall. 

"Sorry!" murmured Rune as she and Regulus pulled their Transfigurations Professor up to her feet. 

They were about to run off, when she grabbed hold of both of their collars and pointed between them. 

"Unbelievable! Unbelievable! Ten points each from Slytherin! And a week of detention. You cannot go bursting through the corridors like untamed hyenas knocking people over?" 

"It was his fault, Professor. Really1" tried Rune. 

"It's not time for the blaming game, Miss Westwood." She let out a huff as she patted down her hair and tutted off in the opposite direction. 

When Rune looked at Regulus, he was wearing a proud smirk and she pointed her finger at him and narrowed her eyes. "You sleep with one eye open, Black." 

Before he could retort, she huffed as Professor McGonagall had and stomped her way back to the dungeons.

***

Before long, the dooming pressure of O.W.L's fell over the fifth years and studying, revising and learning was underway. Hogsmeade visits were for purchasing ailments for anxiety, after school was for study sessions and even mealtimes were for quizzing each other on various anecdotes and spells.

Regardless of house and interest in studying, the atmosphere of academic diligence was seen all around. Professors and students alike were tense, and for the two students who were aiming for higher than the rest, tensions were at an all-time high. 

"Summoning Charm?" quizzed Regulus.

Rune answered easily. "Accio. Summons an object in direct sight or unseen. Can be verbal or nonverbal. Most popular use is in The Tales of Beedle the Bard and the only exception is Flobberworms." She took a breath. "Vanishing Spell?" 

With the same amount of articulation, Regulus answered, "Evanesco. Used to make objects, tangible or not, vanish. Vertebrates are more challenging than invertebrates. Objects can be enchanted to resist the spell. And also, most popular use in The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Five signs that identify the werewolf?" 

And so went on hours of the two students testing each other on every possible spell, counter spell, charm, origin and use for every subject. 

Just as Regulus had finished ratting off the difference between ehwaz and eihwaz, Rune dropped down onto the bed and draped her arm over her head.

"My brain is fried. I can't do anymore." 

"Okay," he said, sitting down next to her. "Should we call it a night?" 

"At the rate we're going, we're both going to get full marks for every exam. I think we can call it a year." 

He rolled his shoulders as he said, "If you told me a year ago that I'd be studying with you like this, I would have laughed in your face." 

"No, you wouldn't have. You rarely even looked at me before, let alone laughed with me." She sat up straight and pulled her nose. "You'd sit like this and glance at me from the corner of your eye like I was vermin." 

He turned to her and replied, "You'd look at me over your nose like I was beneath the dirt on your shoe." 

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, because you were horrible." 

"I still am."

"You're not horrible," she replied quickly. 

He didn't say anything, so she moved her face into his vision and met him at eye level. "I know you. You're not horrible." 

"You know me?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't I?" she asked, hopefully.  

He nodded. "I think you're the only person who has the faintest idea of what goes on in my mind." 

"Faintest idea?" she tilted her head at him, with a smile. "Don't you want to let me all the way in?"

He gently pushed her head with his finger. "Don't you want to let me all the way in?" 

When she laughed, he asked, "What's funny?" 

"It's funny that you think you can handle me, Reg." 

Though he bit back with the playfulness, she caught the hint of sincerity in his voice, "If there's anyone who can handle you, it's me. I know you too, Rune." 

When she stared up at him, he said in a lower voice, "We're two sides of the same coin." 

"It's weird," she commented. "I can't remember how to go back to hating you." 

"Do you want to go back to how it was when this whole Rabastan thing is over?" he asked, inching slightly closer to her. 

She dropped her eyes to his lips as she confessed. "The Rabastan thing has been over for a while now. For me, at least." 

"Then we're still doing this because...?" he prompted. 

"You tell me," she murmured, looking into his eyes. "Why are we still doing this?"

His eyes dipped to her mouth before he looked back into her eyes and shrugged, "I don't know." 

"Me neither," she hummed, moving her face just a tad bit closer to his. 

"I thought you knew everything," he replied breathily. "Or is that just part of your Miss-Know-It-All act?" 

"I'm going to beat you for O.W.L's just so you can see that it's not an act and I am actually smarter than you," she told him. 

"I'll be praying for your downfall, sweetheart."

"Oh. You pray for me, Reg?" 

"Every night. All your bad luck, that's on me." 

"I can't tell if you're flirting with me or trying to piss me off." 

"Why do they have to be mutually exclusive?" he asked, finally leaning a bit closer. "Can't I piss you off while flirting with you?" 

"You're annoying," she whispered. And since it was clear he wasn't going to do it out of his own freewill, she shut her eyes and said, "Kiss me." 

She felt him move closer to her, felt his breath on her cheeks, on her nose, on her lips. 

And then, she felt him hesitate.

1 second.

2 seconds. 

3 seconds. 

He pulled away from her.

"I can't. I'm sorry." 

Just as she opened her eyes, the door banged shut behind him.