"Can I ask you something?", Alex asked, looking up from his History of Magic homework. The both of us are sitting in the Slytherin common room at one of the study tables.
"Sure", I said placing my quill down, giving Alex my full attention.
"As you know, I've been catching feelings for Stass for the past year"
"Yes, I do"
"Well... Do you think it's worth it? You know her more than I do"
"Stass isn't focused on settling down with one person right now. You know how she is about boys"
"Yeah... That's why I wanted to ask you before I pursue someone else"
"Someone else? Who?", I smirked.
"I'm not sure about this person yet. I can't tell if they'll like me back"
"Alexander Black, you're one fine ass mother fucker. If this person doesn't like you back, they're an idiot"
"Thanks but, I don't know...", he said running his hand through the curls in his hair. "I don't think he goes this way"
"Alex, you have to tell me who it is"
"Oh, I don't know", he said shaking his head. "The boys are going to kill me... especially Draco"
"It's Potter, isn't it?". Alex looked over both his shoulders and silently nodded his head. I started to bounce in my seat, trying to hold in my happiness. After Alex came out to the group two years ago, I noticed that he spends a lot of time staring at Harry during class. "Aha! I fucking knew it"
"Please keep your joy at a minimum, I doubt Harry likes guys"
"Are kidding? Did you not see Harry ogling Cedric Diggory fourth year? He definitely likes boys"
"Didn't we all ogle at Cedric Diggory?"
"Fair enough"
"Promise me you won't tell the boys, I know Draco will give me shit for the rest of eternity if he finds out, you know how he gets when it comes to Harry"
"Yeah", I sighed. "I do. I promise I won't say anything, not even to Theo"
"Pinky swear?". Alex held his pinky finger up and I hooked mine around his.
"I swear on my diamond Harry Winston choker". The both of us kissed out thumbs, pinkies still hooked, and tapped the tip of our thumbs together. "Maybe I can help you with Harry. I have Potions and like ten other classes with him"
"No, it's alright. I want to talk to him on my own. Plus, I need to gather more evidence that the bloke is gay before I make moves"
"Hmm, maybe you should sneak into the Gryffindor locker room during a quidditch match", I teased. "I could sneak you into the Prefect's Bathroom"
"Stell... I am not going to seduce Harry Potter in the locker room or bathroom"
"Ugh", I groaned. "You're no fun"
"I could try to get Harry on his own at the Start of Term party Gryffindor is throwing tomorrow night"
"That's perfect! And if all fails, I'm sure there's a Hufflepuff witch that would fall at your feet. You're a hot commodity amongst them"
"I do love a Hufflepuff witch", he laughed.
Alex and I spent the next hour doing our Charms homework until it was time to head upstairs for class. Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts are the only classes my whole friend group is in. Luckily, I'm really good at Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts because Stass and I fuck around in class too much to actually know what's going on. Stass is always gossiping and making fun of all the girls in class to pay attention to our professors. I on the other hand am able to multitask and have the mental capacity to take notes in class, then giving her all of my notes.
Once I got to the third floor, I walked into the Charms classroom with Theo and I sat in the first row in between Stass and Theo. Professor Flitwick stood on a pile of his books in the front of the class by his blackboard. He started to write notes on our lesson on the blackboard with his wand while the three rows started to fill up with students. I took out my textbook, my notebook, and my quill out, placing it on my desk in front of me, waiting for class to begin.
"Alright class, it looks like everyone is here", Professor Flitwick said taking out a sheet of parchment and a quill. "Welcome to N.E.W.T. level Charms. This class will be difficult. You will be learning how to perform Non-Verbal Spells so pay attention closely". He then proceeded to take roll and then went over the objectives for our lesson on turning vinegar to wine.
Goblets filled with vinegar appeared on our desks and I started to practice on turning the sour scented liquid into red wine. I pointed my wand at the goblet and said the incantation "in vinum commutationem". The clear liquid slowly started to turn red but then changed back to clear. How in the fuck did Jesus do this without a fucking wand? Stass grunted and groaned at her goblet, not being able to even add a bit of color to her vinegar. Across from where I was sitting, Hermione was bouncing around in her seat, clapping for herself.
"Of course that buck toothed Mudblood got the spell right", Stass groaned. "I'm so over this. My goblet smells like ass and I wanna get drunk off the wine I'm slaving over"
"in vinum commutationem", I said pointing my wand at my goblet. The vinegar slowly started to change into a dark red color. Stass groaned and rolled her eyes at the sight of my successful attempt at the spell.
"Ah, Miss Blackwood", Flitwick said standing in front of my desk. "I think you've got it! Let me see", he said picking up the goblet and then taking a sip. "This is most definitely wine. Ten points for Slytherin!"
"Thank you, sir", I smiled.
"How the fuck did you do that?", asked Stass.
"Just focus on your goblet and imagine the vinegar turning into wine"
By the end of class, the only people who were able to get the spell right was Hermione, Draco, and I. Everyone else either wasn't able to turn the vinegar into anything or turned the vinegar into a block of ice or it exploded, like Ron and Harry's did. Even Seamus Finnigan couldn't blow up his goblet of vinegar, and that mother fucker blows up anything that is made up of atoms. If this is only the first lesson of the year, I don't know how the rest of the year and even class next year is going to go.
"Before I dismiss you all, I am going to put you in pairs for your homework. You and your partner will write a paper on Non-Verbal spells and pick one spell to do extensive research on", Flitwick said, making the class groan. "I know, I know, it's only the first week of class but it is very important for you all to understand Non-Verbal Spells and its uses, especially if you're also taking Transfigurations. Now, for the partners. Mr. Potter, you will be paired with Mr. Black".
I immediately looked over at Alex and gave him a wink. He shook his head and mouthed, "Stop"
"... Malfoy, you are paired with Miss Blackwood", Flitwick said making my head shot up. I looked over at Theo and he had a sorrowful look on his face after being paired with Hermione Granger.
When Flitwick dismissed our class, Theo and I held hands while walking down the corridor. Draco, Stass, Blaise, and Alex followed behind us downstairs to the library so we can get started on our assignment we were just given. The six of us took over a table in the back right by the large window that overlooked the Middle Courtyard. Sitting at the table next to our's was the Hermione, Harry, Ron, Neville, and Luna Lovegood. Draco was already crumpling up pieces of parchment, ready to throw them at Harry's head.
"I can't believe I got paired with Mudblood Granger", Theo groaned.
"Make sure you wash your hands after working with her", Blaise laughed.
"Please, like I'm going to touch her or anything she touches", he scoffed. "Why didn't Flitwick just pair me with you? We work well together", he said throwing his arm over the back of my chair.
"He's probably sick of seeing us together", I shrugged, taking out my Charms textbook. "Dray, do you wanna go look for a book for our research?"
"Sure", Draco said getting up from his seat across from mine. I grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill, kissing Theo on the cheek before walking off with Draco.
We walked through the many sections in the library to the Reference Section, in hopes of finding a book that can give us the history on Non-Verbal magic and maybe even a list of spells we can write about. I pulled out a seat at the desk in front of one of the bookshelves, placing my parchment and quill down.
On the desk was a device that is used to summon the books that we needed without the hassle of looking through every single shelf. The device was a cylinder with letters on the alphabet on it. Much like a lock, we have to turn the dials to spell out what we need and the books we're looking for fall from the shelves into our hands. I turned the dial to spell out "charms" and ten books flew from the shelves and was neatly stacked in front of me.
"Do you want to split the books? I do half and you do the other?", I asked splitting the books up between Draco and I.
"Yeah", he sighed, pulling the chair next to me out and sitting in it. "So, how are things between you and Theo since the whole... cheating thing?"
"We're fine, I guess. Theo's definitely been walking on egg shells since but maybe it's for the best", I said opening The Book or Charms and Spells. "Now he knows that I notice everything"
"If he were to cheat on you, not saying that he did, how would you have reacted?"
"Wow, Draco. You're not making me feel better about insinuating that my boyfriend was cheating on me with a Blood-Traitor"
"Sorry... I was just asking because I'm curious"
"I don't know what I would've done. It'd be hard for me to let go of Theo because I've known him my whole life. I've spent half my life loving him"
"You'd stay with him even if he was unfaithful?"
"I don't know, Draco", I sighed. "I don't want to think about it"
"Yeah... Sorry. Forget I even asked", he said shaking his head. Draco opened up Standard Book of Spells and began to look through the pages.
Why would Draco bring up Theo cheating on me? Draco is Theo's oldest and bestest friends. He wouldn't bring it up unless Theo was actually cheating on me, right? I can't think of any other reason as to why Draco would ask me about it. Just when I thought that I was done speculating Theo's faithfulness to me, Draco is now that it worse. Draco and I are close but we don't have the bond that he has with Theo. If Theo were to cheat on me, I can't tell if Draco would tell me about it or keep it a secret because of his friendship with Theo. Would he be so loyal he would keep his best friend's secret from his girlfriend, who also happens to be one of his best friends.
Theo and I have been dating since we were eight years old and out of the eight years of dating him, he's never made me doubt his loyalty. Of course there were times where I would get jealous because let's face it, the man is fine as hell. Girls often swooned over him and the boys in our friend group but at the end of the day, he reassures me that I'm the only one. I can't let my own insecurities ruin our relationship, not when we've been together for so long. The plan is clear, graduate from Hogwarts, go to university, and marry Theodore Nott. I cannot and will not derail my future plans with Theo all because of a misunderstanding that happened while we were high off of Draco's weed.