ix. christmas party
- silks of heaven, chapter nine -
"MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE, DEAR," Euphemia said, as Regulus sat down at the breakfast table.
"Oh, Merry Christmas Eve to you too," he responded politely. Jasmine looked up from her breakfast and smiled at him. He smiled back.
"You two haven't been speaking a lot," Fleamont said. James eyed him, but he continued speaking. "Is it just you don't like speaking around us? Or is this how kids communicate with their friends nowadays?"
Jasmine forced a laugh. It was because of a kiss. Of course. But she couldn't say that.
"Yeah, it's awkward speaking around parents," James butted in. "You know! You two are just the old awkward parents and they're the cool kids or whatever you'll buy."
Jasmine forced another laugh. Regulus, however, didn't take his eyes off her. He was staring at her for the whole time and she hadn't noticed.
They held eye contact for a few moments ... until Euphemia spoke loudly.
"When you're finished with breakfast, dears, you need to go and get ready for the Ministry Party, okay? Even you, Regulus, you're part of the family now."
Those words were comforting to hear. This was sort of his family for Christmas. The family that won't force him to become a Death Eater.
His Dark Mark started to burn slightly under his shirt. Would they understand if he told them? Would they still accept him? Would they believe it when he told them he didn't want this life? That he wanted to go against the Dark Lord?
Jasmine started collecting her and James' plate loudly, interrupting Regulus' thoughts.
"Should I take yours, too?" she asked, slightly leaning over him.
"Oh, yeah, thank you," he said, and passed it to her. "Do you need help cleaning the plates?"
Jasmine shook her head.
"Thanks," she laughed, "but Mum just enchants it."
"Right," he said, standing up and tucking his chair back into the table. "Thank you, Mrs. Potter —"
"Oh, call me Effie, please, Mrs. Potter makes me sound old," Euphemia said.
"You are old!" James shouted from the kitchen.
"Thank you for the breakfast," Regulus said and left the table.
He entered the kitchen, expecting Jasmine to be there, but it was only James.
"Where's Jas?" Regulus asked.
"She went straight upstairs. But, hey, I'm just as good," James bantered.
"You look the same," Regulus joked.
"We're not identical, you know," James stated, stuffing his face with Christmas chocolates and sweets.
"Yeah, she told me the other night," Regulus said. The night the kiss went down. "I don't believe it, you look too alike."
James shrugged.
"Changing subjects, but if I asked you something, you'd tell me the truth, right?" James suddenly said.
"Yeah, of course," Regulus responded. "Why?"
"I'm scared for Jas. She's getting in too deep with you. She thought she liked you, then banged another boy, then you kissed her and she still thinks you don't like her more than a friend," James said all in one breath. "So do you?"
"Do I what?"
"Do you like her more than a friend?" James asked.
Regulus knew whatever he said that James would tell Jasmine. And he had nothing to lose.
"Yeah, always have. Just never told her because I'm scared of commitment. I mean, the friendship has been hard enough to keep together," Regulus said. "I'm — you're going to tell her right now, aren't you?"
James' face said it all. "Yeah, sorry, no take-backs. But if I tell her and you two still don't," — James made a circle with one hand and poked his finger into it with the other hand — "then I'll be pretty mad."
And with that, he rushed out of the kitchen.
Great, thought Regulus. Now she'll know.
***
The Ministry Christmas Party was extremely busy. Jasmine kept close to the others, fearing she'd get lost and go off to the wrong place.
They entered the room where the party was and immediately her parents were swarmed by their coworkers.
"James, stay close to your sister, we don't need another inci —"
"Yes, Mum, I will," James scoffed. "You two can go off, we'll stay close together."
"And please, for the love of Merlin, James, do not drink or eat anything from strangers. Only the nice people walking around with M.O.M badges!"
"Do I look like I want to get drugged?" James asked sarcastically. "Go on, go have fun."
She smoothed out his messy hair and left with Fleamont and the coworkers.
"Right, so I know of two guys carrying weed. Three guys carrying hard pills and the alcohol is everywhere," James said to the other two as soon as their parents left.
"I'm sticking with the weed, just to be safe," Jasmine said wearily and Regulus agreed.
"And there's a door down there that leads to the balcony thing. You can see the whole of London from there," he said. "Stay safe. Have fun."
And he left Jasmine and Regulus on their own.
"Come on," Jasmine said, and took Regulus' hand.
Her parents have been invited to these snobby, rich parties way too many times and she'd always been dragged along. Since last year, she managed to find all the good places to hide out to and who sells what stuff.
She walked up to a teenager, maybe a few years older than them, and cleared her throat loudly so he could look up at her.
"Two bags. Please," she said. He eyed her and Regulus but just passed her two bags of the weed and held out his hand for money. She gave him the silver and walked off with Regulus.
"Wow, Jas, how many times have you been dragged to these things?" Regulus asked.
"Too many times," she responded, rolling a blunt. She gave it to him and rolled her own. "Let's light them out there."
He agreed and they swung open the door that leads to the balcony. It was empty. Brilliant.
She lit Regulus' and her joint and stuck it into her mouth. They sat on the old chairs provided and Jasmine rested her legs on the ledge of the balcony.
"It's nice up here," Regulus said. Jasmine snorted.
"No, it stinks of dead animals," she scoffed.
"I meant the view," Regulus said. "It's beautiful."
She nodded. "Yeah, it is."
The puffs of smoke floated in the air around them and they watched as the cars moved below them. It felt perfect. Just the two of them.
"James told me."
Regulus looked up at her in panic.
"What did he tell you?" he asked.
"That you said you've always liked me more than a friend."
He swallowed. "It's true. Always have ..."
"And that you never told me because you're scared of commitment. Is that why you created the sixth rule?" she asked.
"Yeah, kind of," he said. "Can we talk about something else?"
"Yeah. Yeah, sorry."
The awkwardness was back. Great.
And they smoked in silence. The only noise being heard was the muffled music from behind the door and cars honking from underneath.
Jasmine stood up and leant over the ledge of the balcony.
"Jas, be careful," Regulus said, also standing up and pulling her away.
"I'm just looking down. I'm not high yet, don't worry," she said, pushing him off.
"Don't be stupid. You are clearly high," he said.
She laughed. "Yeah .. is it that obvious?"
He shrugged and took her hand into his.
"Come on, I don't want you leaning over if you're zooted," he laughed.
He led her back inside and took her over to the bar.
"Just a water, please," he asked.
"And Firewhiskey," Jasmine said. "Two, please."
Regulus huffed. When the bartender walked away, he turned to Jasmine.
"Jas, please try to sober up," he said. "Even a little."
"We're both high, may as well get drunk too. Come on, it's Christmas Eve and this party is boring as fuck," she said. "Live a little, would you?"
Regulus rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, you're right."
AND THEY DRANK THE night away. Jasmine nearly spent all her money that she brought with her all on the drinks. They didn't even realise how much time they spent at the bar until James came back to collect them.
"Mum and Dad said they're getting tired. Need us to get ready to leave," he said. "Are you —?"
"Yes," Jasmine replied airily. "I think I'm gonna faint."
"Shit!" muttered James. "Act cool. Act like you haven't just drank this whole bar. And you stink of weed. Great. How much did you take, Jas?"
"Not as much as Reggie," she laughed. "His eyes are red."
"I can't see straight," Regulus shrugged.
"Come on, just pretend you're tired," James said and he dragged them both to the exit, where their parents stood waiting.
"Oh, gosh, you'll never believe it," James said to Euphemia. "Danced the night away, those two. They made loads of new friends with your coworker's children. They're exhausted. We should hurry up and get them home, hm?"
Euphemia looked puzzled but she nodded.
"Yeah, come on, you two, you need rest. It's Christmas tomorrow," James said. The three teenagers walked ahead of their parents.
"Santa," Jasmine slurred. "We saw Santa on the balcony."
"No, you didn't, you were high," James said.
"We did!" Regulus defended. "He was walking down the streets of London. Numpty. Doesn't he need to deliver presents?"
Both Regulus and Jasmine burst out into laughter. James looked at them, disgusted.
"Why the fuck did I leave you two alone?"
***
When they arrived home, Euphemia and Fleamont went straight to bed, but James gave Regulus and Jasmine four glasses of water each to sober up.
It didn't work too well, Jasmine still felt lightheaded as she went into bed. She lay awake and heard Regulus and James talking down the hallway.
They both entered her room and sat on opposite sides of the bed.
"Night, Jasmine," James said, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Sleep tight."
He tucked her in properly and fluffed out her pillows and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Regulus was still sitting there.
"You okay?" he asked her.
"Still drunk," she said, "I think. Or high. I can't tell the difference."
She felt overwhelmed and soppy.
"Regulus," her voice cracked. "Thank you for being my best friend. At first, I thought you were doing it out of pity, but you actually stuck there for me through everything. Thank you."
She was now crying. When Jasmine drank too much, she gets emotional and sad.
Regulus shuffled over next to her and put his arm around her.
"You drank way too much. But you're welcome," he said. "I like being your friend."
She started sobbing into his arms.
"I'm a mess," she sobbed. "Why am I even crying?"
He laughed. She slipped out of his arms and wiped her tears. He thought she was beautiful. Even at her worst.
"C'mere, your hair's all knotty," he said. She turned around so her head was facing him. He leant over and got her brush from her bedside table and untied her hair. Without pulling on it, he brushed out the knots. Jasmine was still emotional and was sniffing while he untangled her hair. Once all the knots were gone, he ran his fingers through her hair. "All done."
She turned around and looked back up at him.
"Shit, now I'm even more emotional!" she sniffed. "Can you stay here for a while?"
"I'm staying until school starts again," Regulus chuckled. "Remember?"
"I meant stay in my room. Cuddle with me for a bit. Please?" she asked. Regulus knew it was a dangerous game to play, but she was drunk and sappy. He wanted to be there for her.
"Yeah, alright," he gave in.
He lifted the covers and got under them, staying close to Jasmine. He shuffled over a little bit, giving her space to sleep on her own, since she was drunk.
"Why are you so far away?" she whined. "Reggie!"
"Okay, okay."
He moved closer to her. She laid her head on his chest and he put his arm around her shoulders.
"Goodnight, Reg," she mumbled, sniffling. "Sleep well."
"Night, Jas," he chuckled.
***
author's note:
i'm going to try to update more now :] thank u for the reads!!