𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆, regulus black

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟓: 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞

She was in the process of pouring his milk when three boys strolled into the kitchen, heaving loudly and reeking of thick cologne. 

"Hi, Rune," greeted Barty, with a smile. He pointed to the second mug, "Aw, is that for me?" 

"She's never even made me tea," complained Evan. "What makes you think she'll make for you? It's probably for Black."

"Er—" Rune glanced at Regulus just as Mason walked into sight and held up a tin of shortbread biscuits. 

"Found some," he grinned. Then he turned to the three Slytherin's and nodded. "Hey." 

"Oh." Barty raised his hands up. "My bad." 

Evan glanced uneasily from Rune to Regulus and when he noticed the palpable tension, he cleared his throat. "We just wanted to get some cold water before we head to bed." 

Rune remained still as Evan collected the three bottles. 

She stole a quick look at Regulus to find that despite his unreadable, cold expression, his eyes had hardened. 

"Well, enjoy your tea," pronounced Evan. 

Without speaking a word, Regulus left the kitchen with the other two boys. 

Rune stared after him until he disappeared from her sight and then she sighed loudly and lifted the two mugs. "Tea is served." 

***

"I know nothing," fretted Evan as he paged through Rune's Charms notes in agony. 

"Then hopefully you'll get marks for attendance," piped in Rune.

"Please can I have the juice?" asked Rabastan.

Both Rune and Regulus reached for the jug. Regulus barely looked at her as he took the jug and passed it to Rabastan. 

"Thanks," murmured Rabastan, looking uneasy in his seat. 

"Huh," commented Evan, perking up ever so slightly. "We haven't eaten together like this in months. Is everyone finally getting along?"

"Please can I have a slice of bread?" asked Rune.

Regulus reached for the slice from the basket and held it out to her, but she pettily stood up and stretched over him to get her own. 

"Guess not," muttered Evan under his breath.

Regulus turned to Rune. "Hey, can I talk to you quickly?" 

"Mmh," she hummed disinterestedly as she dug her knife into the jam and spread it over her toast. 

"Rune," he said.

"Hmm." 

"Rune," he repeated, trying to get her to look at him.

When she didn't bother answering him, he took hold of her hand and pulled her out of her seat and out of the exit of The Great Hall until they stood in the corridors where no one could hear them. 

"Okay I've had enough," he said, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "What did I do?"

She folded her arms over her chest and looked at him. "Why do you think you've done something?"

"Oh, I don't know!" he exasperated. "Maybe because for the last two weeks all you've said to me is hmm, mmh and a combination of both."

"That's a keen observation," she pointed out in a sarcastic tone. "Also huhmm. But it's a new one and it's for when I have better things to do and I'm going to say it right now. Huhmm."

She tried to walk away, but he gripped both her arms and held her steady in front of him.

"Rune," he murmured. "Talk to me." 

She shrugged. "I just figured that since Rabastan and Tina are together we can stop pretending. I've got what I wanted from you and O.W.L's are a few minutes away so I hope you've gotten what you wanted from me."

Regulus looked taken aback and she managed to use his shock to twist out of his hold and make her way further down the corridor.

"Wait wait wait," he called, hurrying after her and holding onto her arm to keep her back. 

"What?" she questioned harshly as she turned to look at him. 

"What else do you know?"

She scoffed. "Just how he- and Tina- have been aware of the fact that I asked you to fake being with me to make him jealous. You are so full of shit."

Regulus frowned and shook his head. "I told him before anything even happened between us."

"Yeah, well, you had plenty of time to tell me that after things happened between us." She inhaled sharply and stepped away from him. "Look, I don't want to fight with you, okay. Let's just call it an experience and never talk about it again."

As she turned to leave, he held her arm again and turned her to face him once more. 

Something in his expression had changed. "Don't you?"

"What?" 

He took a step closer to her and looked down at her with a taunting smile. "Don't you want to fight with me, Rune?"

Her face fell as his smile transformed into a smirk. "Isn't that what we do? Bicker, fight, argue. It's all a game between us." 

When she said nothing, he reached up and caressed her cheek with his index finger, but she swatted his hand away. "Don't touch me." 

"Don't tell me you actually fell for me." He held a hand over his mouth as he chuckled but then he tilted his head at her and gave her a pitying expression. "Do you have a little crush on me, love?"

Despite her usual eloquence and articulation, Rune could not find any words to describe the nature of her emotions nor any to respond with him with. 

He was the boy who slept on the floor because she wanted him to, he tucked her into bed, and complimented her and made her smile for the last couple of months. 

How could he turn out to be so cruel?

"You're horrible," she murmured. 

He broke out into a taunting smile. "I did tell you that. This is all terrible timing, don't you think? I do hope your emotions don't get in the way of your O.W.L's." 

"Fuck you," she bit out.

He took another step closer and bent down until his mouth was at her ear and he whispered, "I bet you five galleons you wish you could." 

She pushed against his chest until he was no longer up in her face. "I hate you, Regulus. I hate you so much." 

When his smirk grew, she continued, "I hope that no matter what happens, you never get to feel true love. I hope you're miserable and lonely for the rest of your life. And I hope more than anything that I never have to speak to you ever again." 

She finally turned around to leave, but he asked, "What's the score again, Westwood?" 

As she began to walk away, he laughed. "Doesn't matter. I definitely won this year."