Thalia
The first couple weeks of March passed quickly. School was getting more difficult as the year progressed, so my nights with Regulus often turned into study halls for us. Even so, I enjoyed every second of time we spent together even when we were writing essays or studying for an exam.
Both of us started to open up more as our relationship grew to be more serious. I found myself revealing things I had never told anymore, and him the same. Regulus told me about his relationship with Sirius and his parents, his fears, his insecurities. I couldn't fight the feeling that there was more he had yet to share, but I didn't want to rush him.
He was just so easy to talk to, so easy to trust. I never would have imagined that I would one day spill all of my deepest darkest secrets to the one boy who always seemed so unbothered, yet here I was.
But as my adoration for the Black boy grew, so did the difficulty of keeping our relationship a secret. I found myself staring at him for the majority of classes, resisting the urge to talk to him during the day, suppressing a laugh here and there that would make people suspicious.
I also grew annoyed at my fatigue. I wished I could have more time with him each day and fought to stay awake every night. Regulus would always make me go to sleep when he saw how tired I was, but I didn't want to waste the only time we had together.
It was one of those mornings where my fatigue caught up with me in my charms class. Professor Flitwick was trying to teach our class- Slytherins and Hufflepuffs- an undetectable extension charm, and I tuned him out. I was far too tired to make an effort at the moment. I sat in the middle row in between my friends and was fighting to keep my eyes open when a voice said my name from behind us.
"Hey Lark," a hushed voice called. I turned around and was faced with Archer Bones, the Hufflepuff quidditch captain.
"Hi," I said hesitantly. I felt Anna snickering next to me. Archer leaned forward as to avoid talking too loudly, though naturally my friends listened in.
"You got a date for the Spring formal?" Archer asked, drumming his fingers on his desk.
Ah, right.
"Do I need one?" I smirked.
"I dunno," the brunette shrugged, "Would you like one?"
I saw Regulus watching the interaction out of the corner of my eye.
I admired Archer's boldness. But I was also going to have to reject this poor guy in the nicest way possible.
"Not really," I shrugged. "I appreciate the offer though," I gave him an apologetic smile. He flashed me a smile, and I turned back around. I didn't feel too bad- Archer was popular enough that I doubted the next person he asked would say no.
"Why didn't you say yes?" Anna whispered.
"I don't want a date. Sort of want like a 'solo-moment', you know?" I lied.
"Alright alright," Anna smirked, "I'm sure everyone's going to be drooling over you anyway."
I laughed at this and waited a few seconds before daring a look over my shoulder at Regulus. He was staring at Archer with narrowed eyes and a locked jaw. He clenched and relaxed his fists a few times on top of the desk, flexing his fingers as if to remind himself that he couldn't exactly do anything about Archer asking me out.
He was jealous. He was jealous.
Regulus Black was jealous. Who would've thought? I supressed a laugh when Regulus caught my eye, and he rolled his eyes.
I forced myself to look back at my friends, though I noticed Hazel glancing between Regulus and I. That made any urge for laughter disappear. She was incredibly observant.
I made sure not to look at Regulus for the rest of class.
Regulus
The entire school was obsessed with this stupid dance. I didn't understand why, but for some absurd reason it was all anyone wanted to talk about. I even had to tell my teammates at practice to save the dance talk for after quidditch. It was exhausting.
Every conversation I overheard in the halls was about who was wearing what and who was going with who.
But to make matters ten times worse, in charms class Archer fucking Bones decided he wanted to ask out my girlfriend.
Well, not "technically" girlfriend, but you know what I mean.
But seeing that arrogant little shit smile and flirt with Thalia made me want to punch him into oblivion. I didn't even know why. I had never felt such possession or...envy over a girl. My girl.
I hated that I was jealous. But I hated even more that I couldn't do anything about it.
But what was even worse- maybe, I dunno, twenty times worse- was that Thalia had rejected him. Because Thalia rejecting Archer Bones (AKA one of the most popular people in the school) seemed to invite a challenge for other the other males at Hogwarts. "Who could win her over?" Seemed to be the question circulating.
Now every so often I would overhear seventh-year boys ask their friends about her. If she was dating anyone. Who she was last with. If she was a good shag. Etc. Etc. Etc.
I had to physically leave our potions class before I broke Kevin O'Brien's jaw.
Of course it was just talk, but it made me sick.
So when midnight finally rolled around, I was impatient to say the least. Thalia's feet barely made it off of the stairs before I had walked across the room and crashed my lips onto hers, pushing us both against the nearest wall.
She laughed in surprise- the sweetest sound I had ever heard- and kissed me back with just as much passion. I needed to taste her. Feel her.
No matter how hard I tried to forget about Archer, Kevin, and the rest of them, I couldn't. So instead, I kissed her so intensely so she would forget about them.
I devoured her as we stood entangled, bodied pressed against each other for minutes. Eventually, Thalia slowly pulled away, her eyes filled with amusement.
"That didn't have anything to do with Archer asking me to the dance, right?" She smirked sarcastically.
"No," I glowered.
"Really?" She smirked. "Because if I remember correctly you were just the slightest bit jealous in class today."
"Was not."
"Was too," she smiled smugly.
I didn't make any effort to argue and merely kissed her again.
When we pulled away, she leaned in and whispered in my ear, her hot breath sending chills down my spine: "Maybe I should make you jealous more often."
She smirked and playfully pushed me off of her.
"Well I certainly don't like it," I scowled.
"Oh I think you do," she smirked.
"Believe me I don't," I raised my eyebrows.
"You see," she whispered smugly, "Another part of you begs to differ." She sent me a sweet smile before pushing past and walking towards our couch.
Leaving me leaning against the wall with pants that had become uncomfortably tight.
I rolled my eyes and bit back a smile before joining her.
"Seriously though, I like possessive Regulus," Thalia smirked as she opened her book.
"Well I would rather you like 'possessive Regulus' more than Archer Bones," I muttered and she laughed, "But I also understand if you want a date to the dance."
I grimaced as the words came out. But if she wanted to go with someone, I would just have to deal with it.
"I'm perfectly fine going by myself," Thalia frowned.
I felt a twinge of guilt at her words.
"Are you sure?" I asked, "Because if you want-"
"I don't want to go with anyone," Thalia said. "Not if they aren't you."
"Thalia-" I started.
"And we can't go together," she acknowledged knowingly before I could say it, "So therefore I don't want to go with anyone."
I nodded and she smiled.
"Do you want to read with me?" She held up her book.
"What fucking muggle book is it this time?" I groaned and she shot me a fake look of offense. Even so, I leaned back and pulled her onto my lap as she opened the hardcover book.
The two of us read nestled together until the sky turned pink.
A/N: Y'all I'm so nervous I have a very important meeting today!
Also drop links to dresses for Thalia to wear here....