"Your parents never accompany you when you leave for Hogwarts?"
"We are way past that stage."
Noah hummed. He walked beside Roseanne, pulling her luggage for her and only allowing her to hold a pastry he stopped to buy for her. It was all round and pink, just like her cheeks when he would look at her a bit longer. Noah couldn't explain it, but there was this feeling and need of protection when he was with her. It was obvious that her family was giving her a hard time, yet she kept her mouth shut and endured it all as if it's normal. He saw lots of things in his life, but Roseanne floating above the dinner table with her back arched and tears falling on the wooden surface was something he never wished to see again.
"Where is your pet, love?"
"I had to leave Coco behind. She is sick and I have to study more starting tomorrow."
Noah hummed again, then slowed down. He wished to spend just a bit more time with her until she leaves. Seeing all students around them with their parents must've been hard for her.
"Not really," she said.
"Sorry?"
"It's not hard for me. I'm used to it." She replied, then took a bite out of the small éclair.
"Legilimens?" He questioned.
"No idea. I just hear things sometimes, whether I like it or not. It's strange, though. I only experienced it with three people until now."
The young man didn't question her. Instead, he focused on the way she delicately held the pastry. He also noticed how round her cheeks became after a week of her getting home. Could it be that Hogwarts didn't feed the students well?
"Oh, this is just perfect." Rose almost moaned after finishing the small treat. "Thank you, Noah."
"You deserve it, little one."
He didn't fail to notice the small pause she made in her steps. But as if nothing happened, she gulped and continued to walk. He wished to know what caused that reaction. Perhaps his nicknames were too much for her.
They finally reached the train. Noah stepped in front of the girl, putting the luggage down for a moment. He gently pulled her towards one of the walls so he could peacefully say his goodbye.
"Miss Periculum, do I make you uncomfortable?" He asked.
"No, of course not." She replied a bit too fast, eyes focused on her luggage which was too far from them for her liking.
Noah sighed, then put his hand on the wall near her head. His other hand gently raised her head so that she could finally look at him.
"I know we started off a bit wrong that evening, and I wasn't much of an interesting company at the tavern, but I do think there's a lot to uncover."
Roseanne didn't speak. She watched his lips move and his eyes shine. Merlin, he had beautiful eyes. His manbun was slowly falling apart, the loose strands giving his face a gorgeous touch and making him look so breathtaking.
"I really want to know more about you. Knowing that you dislike peppers, alcohol and heels isn't enough," he laughed, "I want to know what makes your heart warm and your eyes sparkle."
The girl wasn't used to the sweet talk. Her head was becoming so warmed up she was worried it will explode. His smile only grew wider with each second that passed, the look on Roseanne's face being amusing to him.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to start over with you. Well, we didn't have much of a start, but you know what I—"
"I'm going to be late," she managed to whisper.
Noah bit his lip. His insides wanted to scream, he hated to be interrupted. He also hated when the other side didn't acknowledge his words. But he didn't want to scare her away. He took a deep breath, then stepped away from her. Her luggage was back in his hands until he walked her to the entrance.
"Rose..." he started again, hoping to finish this time.
She looked up at him with eyes so innocent and big that he felt like he could melt.
"Are you alright?"
Was she alright? Depends. When it comes to grades and exams? She is perfect. When it comes to friends? She is good. When it comes to family? Not really. When it comes to feelings? She isn't good.
"Your family, Rose. That kind of behaviour isn't something you should put up with."
"My family is fine, Noah."
Noah scoffed, not believing that she managed to convince herself that it is fine.
"I apologise for meddling in family issues, but a father using two unforgivable curses on his daughter during dinner doesn't seem fine to me. Please speak, let it out, scream it out. Just don't bottle it up."
"I'm not bottling—"
Warm fingers cupped her cheek, his thumb softly caressing it. For the third time that day, Rose was speechless and red in her face.
"You don't want that, believe me," Noah whispered, "I know."
What he did next even had Ronald Weasley and his sister gasping as they passed by. He pressed his lips to her forehead, keeping them there for a few seconds. He then pulled away, ready to let her go.
"Please send me a letter. Anything. I need to know that you're doing well."
Roseanne could only nod. She took her luggage from his hands, still surprised at the level of comfort Noah had with her. What surprised her more was the fact that it didn't bother her. Merlin, she might've even liked the way he pressed her against that wall. Non-sexually.
"Will do."
Noah gave her a sweet smile, brushed off a bit of pink sugar powder from her nose and stepped away.
"I hope to see you soon, Miss Periculum."
"I can say the same for you, Mr Han."
༻❁༺
"Tell me, George, have you ever been in love?"
The redhead froze in his seat. His head snapped towards his crush, his mind overflowing with thoughts of many kinds. The book in his hand now layed forgotten on his lap as his eyes examined her face. She sat to his opposite, taking up almost all of Fred's space while he was dozing off in the corner.
"Why do you ask?"
"Have you?"
If only you knew.
"Sometimes I wish I wasn't." George sighed.
Roseanne got up, careful not to wake up curled up Fred next to her. She sat next to George, putting her chin on his shoulder and looking up at him.
"Why?"
He couldn't even look at her. His eyes were fixed on the green fields behind the glass, his mind wishing he could avoid the question.
"It's painful."
"Who hurt your little heart, my favorite Weasley?"
Even though she said it to him only, he still didn't believe her. Even if he was her favorite Weasley, what then? He is just a friend to her, and will always be. There is no point in hoping at all. Merlin knows who got her attention, but whoever it was, George swore to teach them a lesson about her. She needed affection, even though she tried to run away whenever it was shown. She needed praises, compliments and occasional headpats, just to calm her overthinking mind and make her happy. She also needed chocolate pudding from time to time, even though she wasn't allowed to eat chocolate because of her skin. He knew how to take good care of her, but he couldn't do it the way he wanted: as a boyfriend, not a good friend.
"There's many types of love, Rosie. Sexual, enduring, obsessive... Currently I'm experiencing a one sided one."
"She doesn't like you?" Rose asked with a small pout.
George had to bite back an ironic laugh. He didn't think he'd have this conversation with his crush. It was painful enough to have her around while he wasn't allowed to treat her the way he wanted. Talking about love with her was an arrow to the heart.
"No." He simply replied.
༻❁༺
George Weasley didn't think that sitting next to his crush could ever be this awkward. She layed on the green seats, her head placed in his lap just like it always was when they travelled back to school. There would be nothing wrong if she didn't sigh and moan so much while she was taking a nap. The pants he wore were already becoming a bit too tight. But no matter what, he couldn't take his eyes off her. Her dream sounded very exciting.
Her chest was slowly rising and falling and beads of sweat were causing her hair to stick to her face. Small moans left her dry lips and her thighs rubbed together in hope to get release. His hand, which was resting on her stomach, moved down in a tempting way. He stopped himself right as it stopped at her skirt.
"What the fuck is wrong with you? You absolute pervert." He hissed to himself, disappointed and angry at the lack of control his mind and body had.
The girl then mumbled something, catching George's attention one more time.
"Please—" she moaned.
"Rose."
"I need to cu—"
"Roseanne." George shook her shoulder, begging the heavens to wake her up before Fred hears her. Or before he ends up in the toilet doing something he shouldn't do on a train. "Wake up."
She didn't wake up. Instead, she said something that made George's face go pale and his mouth dry. His heart had never felt this heavy. Disappointment took over his pain and jealousy. He couldn't believe his eyes and ears.
"Professor, please."