Midnight, The Stars & You

25.

"I did too." I smile at him, touching his shoulder. "Maybe tomorrow we can go to an arcade?"

"I'd love that." He winked. "I can beat you in air hockey."

"As if." Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I meant what I said earlier..." Arthur whispered longingly. "About my brother."

Ginny clenched her jaw, breaking eye contact with him. She could feel his gaze on her side profile. "You're better than Victoria. Charles should be with you- not her."

"Charles is just my friend."

"No." Arthur grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him with wide eyes. "I'm your friend. Charles is more than just a friend to you. And you're more than just a friend to him."

Ginny watched as Arthur dropped his hand back to the box of chocolate. He plopped a round one in his mouth. Ginny shook her head with distaste. "Your brother is dating Victoria. We're just friends."

"And Pierre?" Arthur raised a brow.

"What about him?" Ginny groaned, grabbing a chocolate for herself. Even if she had said only one... but she needed a distraction.

Arthur cocked his head to the side, his honey brown eyes glinting under the moonlight. "He's an asshole all right, but he didn't hit me over the head with a glass just because of that."

"What are you implying?" Ginny furrowed her brows.

Arthur chewed his bottom lip, swallowing the piece of chocolate with a gulp. He stared at Ginny like she was oblivious, and maybe she was. He let out a sad chuckle, "You've never noticed?"

"Noticed what?" Ginny was growing frustrated. Whatever Arthur wanted to say- he needed to spit it out. Ginny fiddled with the hem of her shirt. She threw the covers off of her long legs and swept them over the side of the bed. Arthur laid a hand on her thigh and squeezed gently. "He has a thing for you, Ginny. Pierre likes you."

Ginny gaped at him, staring with her mouth wide open. She was thrust back to 2006 when Pauline told her the exact same thing.

'Do you know what that means, Ginny Gin?'

'No?'

'Pierre like likes you.'

Ginny straightened herself. She shook her head quickly, dismissing Arthur's words. "Pierre is a bully and hates me. There's no way he likes me."

Though, a part of her heart knew she was lying. She had wondered if Pierre liked her- all the times he was nice when it was just the two of them... and what about the conversation when she first arrived? But Pierre was an unknown creature of the night. He made no sense.

Nothing added up when it came to Pierre Gasly.

He was a cruel prince with a soft side hidden away. If Ginny thought too hard about him and what he could possibly be thinking, her head started to hurt. He was a mystery through and through.

"He doesn't know how to express his feelings. He's not like Charles. He's not self-aware." Arthur let out a sigh. "I wish he was... then my head wouldn't be pounding."

"You said it didn't hurt." Ginny caressed the back of his head with her hand.

Arthur chuckled, turning his cheek into her hand like a puppy. "I might've fibbed a little."

"I'm gonna get you some ice." Ginny declared.

"I'll go with you." Arthur stood, but Ginny sat him back down. He rolled his eyes, but leaned back into her pillows. He kicked off his shoes and smiled as the breeze from the fan swept over him. His hair ruffled in the wind.