»𝕰𝖈𝖍𝖔« [ᴮᵉˡˡᵃᵗʳⁱˣ ᴮˡᵃᶜᵏ]

§ Chapter Four

"What about you," with the two fingers holding his cigarette, he pointed towards her. "Why are you up here?"

A humourless chuckle left her lips, "Family issues, too."

"Gotta love the mess that is pureblood society," he grinned.

Although she did agree with him, she couldn't help but scoff. "You should talk to my cousin, I'm sure you'd get along like a house on fire."

Hurt flashed over his features. "Do you not want to talk to me?"

"No - not at all! I was just-" She began to amend herself when she noticed the smile that was curling at his lips. "You're messing with me aren't you?" She spoke, unimpressed.

"Guilty," he laughed. 

Holding out the box of cigarettes, he offered one to her. Bellatrix reached over and pulled out one of the pale sticks, holding it between her index and middle finger. 

"D'you know how to-"

"-Yes, I know how!" She snapped. After a few seconds of fumbling, the end of her cigarette was lit.

"Well, alright then." The boy grinned again. He did that a lot, Bellatrix noted, it couldn't be natural and she worried for a brief moment that she was freely conversing with a lunatic.

Their gaze turned to the large overarching windows. The view from this height was always breathtaking, no matter how often she came up here Bellatrix doubted that she could ever get bored of it.

She took a long drag of her cigarette before turning to face him. "I'm Bellatrix."

"I know." He hid a smug grin as he took another breath of smoke. "I'm Rodolphus"

She held out a hand for him to shake. He stared at it for a moment or so before extending out an arm and returning the gesture.

"How come I've hardly seen you before?" she questioned.

"I don't speak to many people."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes at that. How dramatic. "Good thing you've got me now then, huh?"

"What?" Confusion laced with suspicion. Rodolphus had no idea where she was going with this, but it couldn't be good.

Bellatrix took a final drag of her cigarette before dropping it onto the floor and stubbing it out with the toe of her shoe. "No more hiding in the shadows, Mr Mysterious. I'm your friend now, and I expect to see you at lunch!" She patted his shoulder, smiling as she turned and left the tower.

Rodolphus grinned, again. "And if I say no?" he shouted after her.

She stopped walking for a second, Bellatrix glanced over her shoulder and shouted back, "I'd like to think you'd know better than that!"

He bobbed his head up and down in agreement, "lunch it is then!" A wide, genuine smile stretched over his face. 

The large wooden doors swung shut behind her, confirming her departure. Rodolphus returned his gaze to the great, green forests that seemed to stretch onwards infinitely. He let out a soft sigh and stubbed out his cigarette. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the balled-up letter and destroyed it the muggle way, ripping it apart over and over again. It was almost cathartic, the false sense of control it gave him. 

Bellatrix was always a fast walker, and this time was no exception. Nearly halfway down the staircase in mere minutes, Bellatrix wondered if it was healthy for a person to smile so much. Surely it must hurt Rodolphus' facial muscles after a while! She was so lost in thought that she collided with the Hufflepuff walking up the stairs. 

"Watch where you're going!" She huffed in annoyance before rushing off to her charms class.

The blond boy simply rolled his eyes, mumbling a sarcastic comment about the girl's eyes being perfectly functional.

§

Gabriel reached the top stair shortly after the collision, still frowning with annoyance. Heaven forbid that a Slytherin could actually open their eyes enough to see the universe doesn't revolve around them.

His curly mop of blond hair swung around his forehead. He shook his head and sighed as he pushed the door open.

Rodolphus whipped his head to the doorway as he heard the hinges creak. The alarm washed away as the two boys made eye contact.

"What's her problem?" The blond huffed as he moved closer to Rodolphus.

There seemed to be an invisible force pulling them towards each other, gravitating their souls and entwining them.

Rodolphus' eyes gleamed with amusement. "No idea, love."

Gabriel noticed how his hands were twitching and the poorly disguised panic that lay just under the deep azure waves behind his eyelids.

"What did they say this time?"

Rodolphus stared at the wall behind him, "Haven't the foggiest clue what you're referring to."

There was a short pause of silence. It truly was a nice day for mid-September. The sun was bright in the sky and the breeze was gentle and warm. Soft floral beads of nectar scented the air and the occasional buzz of an insect would break the silence.

"You tend to hide up here when you get a letter from your father," Gabriel spoke lightly. 

"Ah that," Rodolphus clicked his tongue, "Nothing to worry about, nothing I can't handle."

The blond grabbed the brunette's hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "You can talk to me about these things, you know?"

"I know," Rodolphus rested his arms over Gabriel's shoulders and played with the hair at the base of his neck. "I missed you."

A soft chuckle left his lips, "It's barely been two weeks."

"Far too long, if you ask me" Rodolphus mumbled.

Gabriel looked up at him, grinning. "I don't believe I did," he said cheekily.

God, his smile made Rodolphus weak at the knees. It was filled with so much warmth and didn't just curl his lips. His whole face smiled, the edge of his eyes always crinkled slightly and his nose scrunched in a way that was so adorable that the Slytherin didn't understand how it was possible.

Rodolphus rolled his eyes and huffed dramatically. "Shut up and kiss me."

"Not with that attitude, I won't," Gabriel jokingly pushed against his chest, his fingers flat and his palm rested over his heart.

Rodolphus leaned down and their faces moved closer together until their noses brushed gently against each other's. "You know you love me," he grinned.

"Hmm, do I though?" Gabriel looked up and twisted his mouth, pretending to be in deep thought. 

"Oh, please! Of course, you do, it's me" Rodolphus scoffed.

Gabriel hummed in amusement and leaned in even closer, their lips meeting.

A few blissful moments passed before they pulled away and fell into an embrace. Rodolphus rested his chin on top of Gabriel's head and they swayed slightly back and forth, relishing in the comfort that the other gave. 

Gabriel smiled into Rodolphus' chest. "Course I love you, moron."

§

A/N: Hello! Didn't take me a year to update this time 👀✨ Hope you liked the chapter, it was definitely a fun one to write... and I got to introduce two new characters. No Kimberly in this chapter (or any of the Gryffindor clan, for that matter!) but fear not, she'll be back next chapter! (Which I have planned, just not written yet!) Hope that life is slaying, until next time! :)