Nice guys always finish last (completed)

Chapter 10

"Why are you crying?"

Virgil looked up and wiped his eyes. There was a boy standing at the entrance to the Owlery. Virgil sniffed. "Why do you think I'm crying?" He muttered, looking back down at his sketchbook. The boy crouched down near Virgil and looked at his drawing. He laughed.

"Aw, Roman'll like that." He said. Virgil looked up at the boy, trying to get a better look at him. He had dark hair which covered his eyes and Slytherin Robes.

"Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Eric." The boy said, smiling a smile that Virgil didn't return. The boy coughed awkwardly and looked down at the drawing again. He pointed to the other boy in the drawing. "Is that you?"

"I guess." Virgil muttered, closing the sketchbook before looking back at Eric. "What do you want?"

"Well, Remus told me to tell you that he's sorry and that you might want to go to the Hospital Wing."

Virgil's brow furrowed and he looked down. "Well, tell Remus that it's fine but I won't be going to the Hospital Wing any time soon. I'd much rather be alone."

Eric shrugged and stood up. "Okay. But remember, I'm not an owl." He said before walking away.

Virgil turned his attention back to his drawing and he knitted his eyebrows together. Something was missing but he couldn't work out what it was. Virgil sighed and looked up at the sleeping birds that covered the Owlery's walls. A peaceful sort of quiet came over the Owlery and Virgil smiled slightly. He hadn't really felt at peace since Roman's accident. Virgil sighed again and looked back down at his drawing before turning over a new page and starting another sketch.

***

This sketch was different from the first but it still held the same happiness and heartbreak as the other one. This sketch was of Roman. Just Roman, sitting alone in the Owlery with a shadow sat next to him. The shadow was pale and faded while Roman's existence on the page was sharp and real. Virgil smiled slightly when he had finished it and started to close his sketchbook.

"You've missed out the best part of the picture again." A voice said, causing Virgil to whip around to stare at the Owlery entrance.

"Y-You?" Virgil asked.

Roman laughed kindly. "Hi Virge." He said, a kind smirk playing across his lips. Virgil dropped the sketchbook and ran towards Roman. Roman put his arms up, afraid that Virgil was going to punch him but instead, Virgil gave him a hug and buried his face in Roman's shoulder.

"Don't ever fucking do that again." Virgil mumbled into Roman's shoulder, making Roman laugh.

"I'll certainly try, Virge, but I can't promise anything. I'm a Quidditch player after all." Roman laughed, hugging Virgil back tightly. "But I will try." He muttered into Virgil's hair.

Virgil smiled and looked up at Roman. Roman smiled back. Virgil squinted into Roman's eyes as if searching them for something before closing the gap between him and Roman, kissing Roman.

Roman's eyes went wide but before he could react, Virgil pulled back. Roman could feel his whole face heat up as Virgil slipped out of his arms and ran over to the other side of the Owlery.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!" Virgil kept repeating. "I'm sorry, I know I should've asked first or something but-"

"Virge, Virge, breathe." Roman said, crossing over to Virgil and crouching down beside him. "It's alright, you're fine, I'm more than fine. It's going to be alright, just breathe."

Virgil took some deep breaths before looking up at Roman with wide eyes. "You mean you're really alright with me kissing you like that?" He asked in a small voice. Roman laughed loudly but not unkindly.

"Virge, I was the one to ask you out before this all happened so I think that, yes, I would be alright with you kissing me."

"Y-You mean you don't blame me for getting hit by a Bludger?" Virgil asked, huddling into a small ball and wrapping his arms around his knees.

"No, of course I don't. Why would I? If I had listened to you, I wouldn't have gotten hurt. If anything, it's my fault I got hurt. I didn't listen to you. Where did you get that idea from?"

Virgil looked down and the back at Roman. Roman nodded his head in understanding. "Remus says a lot of things he doesn't mean when he's upset. If he ran away from home the amount of times he said he would when he had a tantrum, he'd have run away from every home in the whole of England."

Virgil let out a small laugh at this, smiling slightly. Roman grinned at him. "There's the smile we all want." He said, making a light blush dance across Virgil's face. Virgil leaned his head on Roman's shoulder.

"So you're really okay with me kissing you?" He asked. Roman smiled.

"Virge, it's fine. Don't worry."

Virgil smiled. "Well, then, would you be fine with going to Hogsmead with me this weekend? Just the two of us?"

Roman laughed disbelievingly. "Are you asking me on a date?"

Virgil's pale cheeks reddened. "Maybe." He muttered.

"Sure, Virge. I'd love to go on a date with you."

Neither of them really know how long they sat there, just being in each other's company. But neither of them really cared. Virgil was relieved that Roman was alive and didn't blame him for being hurt and Roman was happy that Virgil didn't hate him. They just sat there, listening to nothing and not speaking, just being there, in the moment. They had a date to look forwards to, true, but that was in the future. Right now, they were just happy simply being in this moment in time.