Sixth Year (Snowbaz)

28. Stop Bringing Up the Dragon

AN: I accidentally keep forgetting the Humdrum exists... Might never remember.

Simon

Baz and I make it through the rest of the school day without sneaking off for another rendezvous in the Wavering Wood. But once our Magick Words lesson finishes, we're both racing back to Mummer's House at full speed. It's tragic how desperate we both are, but neither of us seem to be embarrassed. 

We're on Baz's bed this time. Me pinned to bed, laying flat on my back, Baz's fingers between the buttons of my school shirt. My hands are in his hair. God. It's just so much more lush than I ever could have thought. Gradually, my hands move from in Baz's hair to the tie around his neck. I tug on  the right side of the tie near his collar and hook my fingers in the knot, pulling the red fabric loose from under his stiff white collar. I'm much better at undoing ties than tying them.

I'm not sure how far we're willing to go but I undo the first button of his shirt and wait on his reaction. He kisses me back harder. I undo the next one. He speaks my name into my lips.

"Simon..." He's been saying my name all day. He can't get enough of it, and quite frankly? Neither can I.

When I'm on the third button there's a loud knock on the door. Baz pulls away from me in a start and looks back at the door.

"Bunce," he says, frowning.

"Maybe not."

"It's her, I can smell her."

I flatten down my hair and straighten my tie.

"Simon, she already knows," Baz says.

"She doesn't know it's still happening."

"Well, what did you tell her?"

"I said that I accidentally kissed you four times."

"Snow, I don't think any of those four times, or everything else that's followed was an 'accident'."

"Yeah I know, but maybe she thinks we were drunk."

"Even so..."

"Do your tie back up! And re-button your shirt!"

Baz's eyes go wide at my bossiness, but he conforms, buttoning his shirt and tying his tie in one quick motion. He moves to his desk, opening up a Greek textbook pretending to study.

I answer the door. Penny's standing there with her arms crossed looking like she's about to let out an almighty huff. I skilfully avoided the subject of Baz during breakfast and recess by shovelling as much food into my mouth as humanly possible and offering her lots of shrugs. And well, I didn't see her at lunch...

"What the hell 's going on, Simon?" She pushes past me into the room. "I'm sick of you ignoring me. And where were you at lunch?" She's got herself in such a tussle that one of her knee socks has slid down her shin.

"I was seeing Miss Possibelf."  

"Bullshit," she's swearing like a Normal, I'm doomed. "Miss Possibelf was helping with my essay all lunch."

I'm shit out of excuses. "Well..."

"Has The Mage wrangled you into some other stupid quest? Is the Humdrum after you again?" Penny has me by the front of my shirt now.

"Ah...It's a little more complicated than that," I glance over quickly at Baz and see his cheeks are bright red under a curtain of dark hair. Penny catches me looking.

"Oh, Merlin on a bicycle..." I almost laugh at that. But Baz looks like he wants to crawl into his own skin so I decide it would be insensitive. "I should have guessed."

"Yeah."

Penny lets go of my shirt and steps back, gobsmacked. "So you two really are snogging?"

"I told you, Pen."

"I know," she says, staring emptily at the floor. "I guess I thought it was some sort of scheme to get Baz to tell you all the Old Families' secrets."

"Crowley, Penny. You really think I'm that low?" 

"You did kill a dragon, Simon."

I throw my hands up into the air. "God, can people please stop bringing that up! It was going to kill me for Merlin's sake."

"Dragon's don't attack unless they're being threatened," Baz pipes up.

Penny swivels towards him, accusation brewing in her brown eyes.

"You," she hisses. "What's your part in this? Are you luring Simon into some elaborate scheme so you or the Old Families can torture information from him?"

"Nope," Baz says "Just gay."

The finger she's jabbing at him drops. Thoughtfulness replacing the accusation for a moment, only to again be covered up again by cogs whirring the beginnings of a plan.

"Who have you told?" Penny asks.

"To be honest Bunce," Baz says "we were sort of planning on not telling anyone."

"Does Agatha know?"

I choke out a laugh. "Christ, no."

"What about all the drama with the Old Families?" Penny is fired up. "Baz, are you just going to drag Simon back to Hampshire and introduce him to that vile Father of yours as your boyfriend? Forgetting the whole 'Mage's Heir' thing? "

"He's not my boyfriend," Baz spits. 

My hearts sinks a little at that. 

"Plus," he adds "nobody has to know. It's nothing serious."

It sinks a little further.

Whatever. What was I even expecting? For Baz and I to start holding hands around the school grounds and spend the winter at his Gothic mansion together? Fat chance. Anyway, I like what we're doing now. It doesn't have to be long term. But at the same time the thought of any end to this fills me with dread. He's so open when he's in my arms. I don't think I want to go back to not talking and all that mindless scowling.

"Penny, maybe you should leave," I say. "I love you, but this isn't your place. We can talk about it later."

I've been treating Penny like a doormat. This whole school year I've treated her like nothing but an after thought. I watch as her face falls slightly and her hands go sad and limp by her side. I think she feels as if she's imposed on Baz and I's situation. Maybe she has. But Crowley knows I'd be just as stubborn and abrasive if I found out her and Trixie were having some secret love affair. That would never happen. Penny despises Trixie. But then again, I used to despise Baz.

"You're right, Simon. I'm sorry."

She gives Baz an apologetic smile and avoids my eyes and she heads for the door. I grab her arm gently before she leaves. 

"I mean it, Pen," I whisper. "Let's catch up tomorrow. Meet at the yew tree at lunch. We'll talk it out."

She nods.

"I love you," I say.

"I love you, too." she murmurs, slipping out the door back to the Cloisters.