Love and Other Potions

7x + 21 {Bill Weasley}

Requested by LeviErenFangirlXOXO.

Young Bill x Mute/ Deaf Reader

You're sitting in the library glancing  at the numbers written on your parchment. The offending figures have blanks next to them and have been that way since you started. You have no idea where to even start. Stupid Muggle math.

You roll your neck and use this as an excuse to scan the library. Several people are here studying and most are in conversation with someone. There's even a couple snogging against a bookcase. You notice that Madam Pince realized the same thing and her face turns scarlet as she yells at them although you don't hear it. One of the few joys of being deaf: you've never experienced yelling.

Your gaze shifts back to your paper against your will. You close your eyes and put your palms there to try to will away your on-coming headache. You inhale deeply.

A hand suddenly materializes on your shoulder. Without thinking, your right hand shoots out and slaps something soft. Your eyes snap open to see Bill Weasley cradling his jaw. Your hand flies to your mouth in surprise. You immediately begin to sign an apology.

"Bill, I am so sorry! I didn't realize it was you!"

He smiles around the hand putting pressure on his jaw.

"But to be fair, you scared me so you deserved it."

He looks at you in disbelief. He drops his hand from his face to speak to you.

"I am so sorry that I tried to get your attention without scaring you and accidentally scared you anyways."

"Hey, I can read sarcasm mister. Watch it."

"Or what? You'll sign at me loudly?"

"Exactly. I've made grown men cry."

He grins at you as he drags the chair next to you out from under the table.

"So what were you doing before you assaulted me?"

You stick your tongue out at him before you turn back to your parchment. You then remember your earlier frustrations and groan. He wrinkles his eyebrows together and slides the paper over to himself. He lifts his eyes in understanding.

"You're struggling with the Muggle math?"

"Majorly."

"Do you want me to help you?"

You sit up straighter and look at him with wide eyes.

"You understand this?"

He smiles.

"Yes, I enjoy math. I hope to do something with it one day."

"Maybe you can work at Gringott's," you joke.

"Yeah, maybe. So what's confusing you?"

"Uh, is all of it an appropriate answer?"

He rolls his eyes playfully then he turns serious once again.

"Let's look at this one together: 7 (x+3). The first step is to put that 7 with both the x and the 3."

Your eyebrows crease together.

"But what if that 3 doesn't want that 7?"

He looks at you in confusion.

"What?"

"Are you trying to make me an accomplice of that 3's rape by 7?"

He realizes your train of thought and begins to laugh. You watch as he leans his head back and his Adam's apple bobs with the hearty chuckle. You smile to yourself for getting such a beautiful reaction from this handsome man. He calms down and points at the parenthesis.

"These parenthesis are consent bars. They show the numbers that want a turn with a 7."

"Okay, that's better. So 7's a whore?"

"In essence, yes. Since the things in the parenthesis want the 7, we give them 7. We multiply."

He grabs your quill, slips it into your ink bottle, and sets it aside for a moment.

"What's 7 multiplied by x?"

You think for a moment.

"7x."

"Right."

He picks up the quill and writes the "7x" under the equation.

"Now what about 7 multiplied by 3?"

"21."

"Yes."

He writes "+21" next to the "7x". Your new equation reads 7x+21.

"That's all you do."

You scan the other equations. You point at the second to last one.

"This one is different. How do I do that one?"

His eyes shift to the bottom of the page to the equation: 3(x-2).

"It's easier than it looks. It's the same concept. What's 3 multiplied by x?"

"3x."

He writes it.

"What's 3 multiplied by -2?"

"-6."

"Exactly."

He copies '-6' next to '3x', so your final equation is 3x-6. You point at another equation.

"That has a number next to x. Is that the same concept?"

He nods. He poises his quill under the equation 2(3x+7).

"What's 2 multiplied by 3x?"

You pause to think.

"6x?" You guess.

He nods again and writes it down.

"What's 2 multiplied by 7?"

"14."

He scrawls '+14' next to it.

"You're getting the hang of this."

You smile at him.

"Well, I had a great teacher."

He gives a small mock bow while staying seated. The next hour or so, he stays with you and helps if you get frustrated or make any mistakes. Once you get through the last equation, you throw your arms around Bill's neck in victory.

He wraps you in his arms and presses you to his body. You meant it as a friendly gesture, but you didn't take into account how warm he was. You sigh to yourself as you let go of him after holding him a few seconds too long.

"Y/N, I have one more math question. What's Bill multiplied by Y/N?"

You smirk.

"12."

He raises an eyebrow.

"12?"

"Yeah. As in meet me at the Three Broomstix tomorrow at noon."

You wink at him.

"Just to clarify, that's a date right?"

You roll your eyes.

"Yes Bill. If things go well tomorrow, we'll be dating."

"I am praying to every deity that I know of that tomorrow goes well."

"You're a cheeseball."

But you grin nonetheless.

"Yes and if my prayers are answered, I'll be your cheeseball."

"That you will, that you will."

You slide your ink and parchment into your bag and stand. You lean over and leave a kiss on his cheek before leaving the library.