𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆, regulus black

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕𝟓: 𝐀 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫

And yet, as she set down her quill for the last time and dared to steal a glance in his direction, she found herself ensnared once more by the intensity of his gaze. It was a gaze that held the weight of unspoken emotions. 

With a shuddering breath, Rune gathered her belongings and made her way out of the Great Hall, the echo of Regulus' stare burning in her mind. 

And as she stepped out into the cold bite of the afternoon air, she breathed in deeply. She knew to brace herself. She knew he was soon going to come and shove them into uncharted waters. 

***

In all her years of having her monthly shed, Rune could not remember having a worse one. For nearly the entire seven days, she found herself submerged in the icy waters of the lake within that cave, each relentless minute a struggle to maintain control over her senses and resist succumbing to her beastly form.

It felt as though her thoughts had materialized her fears, for the moment she allowed herself to ponder the curse, it seemed to engulf her entirely. And despite her previous determinations to fight it, she found herself welcoming it, embracing the transformation into her serpent self. 

Even her curse itself seemed a preferable alternative to wasting her days consumed by thoughts of Regulus Black.

When she finally emerged from the depths of her shedding, Rune felt drained both physically and emotionally. The weight of her maledictus curse seemed heavier than ever, pressing down on her like an invisible burden that she couldn't shake off.

Dragging herself out of the lake, the cool air brushed against her skin, offering a fleeting sense of relief from the heat that had consumed her.

Yet, even as she basked in the tranquility of the cave, her thoughts inevitably turned back to Regulus. He lingered in her mind like an uninvited guest. It was profound, the incessant pull she felt towards him. 

But as Rune pulled loose clothes onto her damp body and emerged from the cave, she made a silent vow to herself. She would not let Regulus Black unravel her, not when she had fought so hard to maintain control over her own destiny.

And since destiny was so fond of her, she found her gaze landing on his as soon as she stepped out of the common room. 

Regulus's voice cut through the charged atmosphere; his tone slightly hoarse with concern. "Where are you going?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, a defiant spark igniting in her gaze. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because I'm your prefect," he replied, "I'm currently on corridor duty, and you're wandering about after hours."

Her stomach grumbled in response, betraying her hunger, and as his eyes flicked down, she spoke curtly, "I'm hungry."

 Regulus's expression softened, a flicker of concern crossing his features and she took it as her cue to push past him and make her way down to the kitchens. 

Upon arrival, she found the elves had retired for the night, and there were no preparations for breakfast. Left with only leftover green beans from dinner, she resigned herself to a meager meal.

As she reached for the beans, Regulus's voice interrupted her. "You can sit. I'll make you something."

"You don't have to do that," she murmured, her guard still firmly in place.

He searched her face, waiting for her to meet his gaze before responding, "What?"

Rune's words cut through the tension; her tone tinged with bitterness. "You don't have to pretend you feel sorry for me because we slept together."