drowning! → regulus black

in a rut.

Laura hums as they continue to walk. "D'you think Dorcas will actually let me borrow something to wear? She seems like the type to shoot me with a boiling curse just for asking."

Regulus rolls his eyes. "Meadowes is harmless. She'd much rather bake you something than curse you, from my experience."

Laura looks out one of the windows overlooking the stars, which illuminate the sky somewhat hauntingly. "Lily likes to bake too. I'm still better than her at making pastry puffs though." Laura's eyes dart toward Regulus, who looks rather perturbed at the thought of her baking. "Don't tell anyone I told you that. Lily would have my arse if she found out."

Regulus lifts his chin haughtily, though his eyes betray him with an amused glimmer. "Bold of you to assume that I would find you important enough to consider during my free time. In fact," He smirks, "I'd say you seem to be growing quite the ego, Lovegood. Being in the right company can do that to you."

Laura scoffs incredulously. "And you think you're the right company? You practically jump at every opportunity to call me a whore that you can get."

Regulus peers down at Laura. "I prefer to call things as they are— and unfortunately, you, love, just happen to be a whore, and a rather dense one at that. I find it my civil duty to remind you of your harlot tendencies so they don't get lost somewhere in the depths of your meaningless, empty mind." 

Laura swats his hand away when he reaches out to muss her hair. "So what if I've fucked a few people? I'm no more of a skank than you are— half of the witches in our year have already slept with you at least once, and the other half mainly consists of lesbians and virgin prudes who would rather die than lose their virtues before marriage." 

"Of which, you are neither."

Laura kicks at a loose pebble mindlessly. "I know. I seem to be lodged in a rut of some sort when it comes to being like other people."

Regulus cocks his head. "A rut?"

Laura tilts her head as well. "Are you really so posh that you've never been in a rut before?"

Regulus narrows his eyes, though his piqued interest still shines through his expression. "No, that's not what I mean. I'm wondering what type of rut you're in."

"Why?" Laura responds, brow furrowing. "I don't really see why it's any of your concern."

The corners of Regulus' mouth lift slightly. "Call it curiosity."

Laura sighs. "I already told you, I'm just not normal enough. My mum agrees, and Sirius has probably made sure that my entire house does now too. I think I'm just too much of a grey area, and people tend to stray towards contrasting colors."

Regulus' brow draws into a frown, and Laura immediately regrets oversharing. "Forget it— it's probably just the sleep deprivation talking."

"I think you were put into the wrong house, Lovegood."

Laura hates the way Regulus is looking at her— as though he understands. He could never understand, not when he has his life so perfectly mapped out for him. He lives at home, with his real parents, and he has friends who he's known since childhood. Laura hasn't even spoken to her biological family in ages, and as of now, it seems like her secondary family isn't ever going to take her back either.

She bets that not even Remus will speak to her now.

Why would he? She was probably just a temporary companion, easily replaceable to him. Maybe Regulus is right. In her eyes, Remus had been her best friend, but he could have easily been humoring her just to get a good fuck out of her every once in a while. Merlin, how could she have been so stupid? She let him take her virginity, of all things, and he probably couldn't care less.