•| THE KITCHENS |•
"Are you sure where we are going is safe?" Regulus asked with a hint of fear in his voice, Kelly rolled her eyes with a smile, "Its the safest and cosiest place on Earth."
"Shh," She warned him as they reached somewhere but he couldn't comprehend where they were as it was too dark. He couldnt believe he was roaming in the castle at two in the night with a hufflepuff girl! She met his eyes slightly wide, "Just follow me okay?"
"I wasn't doing anything else all the time, in case you didn't notice," He grumpled with his hands in his pocket gaining a flat look from her. She shook her head slightly disappointed causing him to get offended.
"Why are you giving me that look?" He asked a bit irritated, "Dont act like you are the smarter one, until I came you could do nothing with our assignment, so stop trying to boss on me."
"Gosh, Reg, you talk a lot," She complained and indicated him to follow her while he was left there glued to the floor for a second, Reg?
He followed her until she stopped abruptly in front of a large painting, he heard her mumble to herself, "Is this going to make me any less loyal? No I am just feeding a hungry guy."
Regulus held a deadpanned look behind her, did she just call him a 'hungry guy'? He didnt like the sound of it even if it was true, it made him feel like he was a roadside starving beggar. He was starting to think upon aborting going wherever she was taking him until she did something on the large wall painting and it swinged open.
She strutted in and he followed quickly as now she had definitely scared him, he didnt know where he had come with her. His mouth fell agape, as he saw the view inside. So many small candels were lit in the whole place, radiating a warm vibe.
"Welcome to the hufflepuff common room!" She chirped brightly at him he passed her a sarcastic smile with a nod. Ishh, he smiled at her. She told her mind to be less dramatic.
It was surely the cosiest place he had ever come into, small and cute couches with soft colors. Everything was purposely made to look warm and comforting, completely opposite of the common room he had seen. He held an approving look, it was a likable place.
"Did you like this place?" She turned back to him with a bright smile and he was taken aback. He made a disgusted face, "No! Why would I like such a place? Its all yellow and pink, yuck! It looks like I have come in a kindergarten, this is disgusting."
He decided to shut up as he saw her bright smile fade away, now he didnt like that. She turned away from him and spoke in a small voice, "Oh, its okay if you dont like it, I like it. Its beautiful here."
"Definitely." He scoffed and reminded her he was still hungry. She chuckled and grabbed his hand quickly pulling him somewhere else now. He didnt why didnt he say anything when she was holding his hand. She was touching him. A muggleborn touching him. His tongue threatened to say something but he ordered it strictly to remain shut and went along with her.
"This is the huge, Hogwarts Kitchen!" Kelly gestured to the place cheerfully, he looked around slightly shocked not knowing the food that he ate everyday was cooked there, in that massive kitchen. Woah.
"Winky?" Kelly called quietly and the color started draining out of Regulus' face. Who was she calling?
"Hey— hey are you going to report me or something? Who are you calling?" Regulus asked worried and Kelly wanted to laugh, she was smiling at his behavior, while he was not liking it, "You did a prank on me? Is this all to get me detention? Stop smiling it is not funny, they might snatch my Prefect's badge if they found me in your common room!"
"Yes?" A tiny squeaky voice came and Regulus saw a little elf standing there, his mouth parted slightly while Kelly let out a soft laugh, "You are so dramatic, Reg!"
Reg, again. He stared at her. She went forward towards the elf with a cheery smile, "Regulus meet Miss Winky and Miss Winky meet Mr. Regulus Black!"
"You told my whole name!" Regulus whisper hissed to her. She waved her hand off and turned back to Winky, "He didn't have dinner tonight, he is hungry Winky, do you have anything to eat?"
Winky smiled warmly and nodded going inside quickly. Meanwhile as Kelly turned to Regulus she was met with a deadpanned look as he crossed his arm, "What happened?"
"I am not going to tolerate it anymore, you are making me sound like I am actually a starving beggar." Regulus said glaring at her. Oops. She blinked understandingly and looked up at him innocently, "Sorry, I didnt want to say like that, shall I say we are here to party?"
He didnt know if that was actuall innocence or sarcasm. That girl was driving him insane. She pointed at the cozy table and chairs kept in a corner and asked if he'd like to sit. He didnt reply instead went to sit slouching on the chair slightly. She sat and felt his legs under the table, ofcourse he was much taller than her and his legs needed more space.
He held a mundane look while she was smiling pleasantly looking around. Soon Winky arrived with a tray in her hands, Kelly saw she had only brought dessert, maybe nothing was left.
"Thankyou, Winky." Kelly smiled as Winky set the plates on their table and left with a bow smiling. Regulus glanced at Kelly, as she slid her plate towards him, "Why are you giving it to me?"
"Because I am not the one who hasn't eaten, We came here for you." She smiled and he pursed his lips looking down slowly beginning to eat slightly feeling awkward as he was eating alone and she was watching him, occasionally. He cleared his throat softly, looking up at her, "You can also eat, I dont want to eat alone."
A smile crept on her face, "No, you should eat, its alright. If you are feeling flustered because of me, I can look away."
"I am not feeling flustered!"
"Geez, chill." She chuckled whispering "You get defensive so quick."
She saw how he quietened, maybe she upset him. Buckling up a little courage she reached forward to take a spoon from the plate and took a bite, he watched her. She raised an eyebrow playfully, "Happy now?"
"Very." He replied sarcastically. She let out a soft laugh again and this time he liked the sound of it. A very tiny smile threatened to form on his face as he stole a glance at her, her eyes were threatening to shut and she was biting back a yawn.
"You know," Kelly began to resist falling asleep, "Other than Winky there are a lot of elves here, but they dont come out, I dont know why. When I was kid I wanted to meet them all because Elves amazed me, so I came here everyday but only Winky was here everytime, she is a such a sweetheart, you know. She even remembers my birthday, she makes a chocolate truffle cake everytime because I said I liked it."
She talked on and on and for the first time ever he wasn't irritated. He listened to her senseless rambling, and as much as he would hate to admit it to himself, he was purposely eating slow, just to listen her talk more and that stupid laugh she let out at the end of her talking before it again began. He liked the sound of it.
"I love ice skating, every winter break Maisie and I go to an ice skating park near our homes. One day we were ice skating and Maisie told me a guys was staring at me for too long, if you ask me he was a cute guy but Maisie said he could be a serial killer. We went home immediately and the next day that guy was at my house!"
"And then what happened?" He asked himself surprised that he was taking interest in her tales, she let out a huff, "I thought he'd ask me out or something and I was so excited because he was so cute but I guess he had some issues, he said I looked like his goldfish that died a year ago."
Regulus snorted.
Surprising both of them. She blinked at him halting for a moment but continued nevertheless with her ranting and he was thankful that she didnt comment on it.
"Are you not liking it?" Kelly asked suddenly halting from her ranting. Regulus fumbled, "Uh— no, Its quite nice, I was just— sorry I'll finish it quickly."
"No its alright," She shook her head generously, "Dont rush, take your time."
"Nope, its done." Regulus said and in three spoons he emptied the plate surprising her. She stared at him, he was the same guy who wasnt so nice, but somehow she managed to rant to him for almost an hour, Damn Kelly.
She couldnt believe she was back to being the same as she was before her parent's death. Her cheery, talkative demeanor was back and that too in front of him. It really shocked her. He unknowingly brought her back to being herself without even doing anything. He didnt even complain unlike others that she was irritating him with her talks. She smiled to herself.
"Let's go?" He asked standing up, she quickly followed him out after leaving a thankyou note on a napkin on the table for Winky.
"I know you might not be full but maybe that's all that was left tonight or Winky herself would have given you enough. And if I had told her that was not enough she would have began cooking but I didnt want to trouble her, I know she works all day and she too needs rest. But if you are still not full, I'll cook for you if you want—"
"God," Regulus interrupted her, "You cant shut up, right?"
Kelly pursed her lips but saw a very tiny smile tugging at the end of his lips. He was smiling! At her! She grinned cheekily, "Sorry, I guess?"
He shook his head moving ahead, going back to where they came from. She asked slightly worried, "Take care okay, go safely."
"Yeah, I will write to you once I reach back to my dorm." He said and she frowned. He let out a mocking groan at how oblivious and confused she was at time, "You are saying it like I am going on a war."
"Oh," She realised. He half smirked and half smiled, "Good night, and sorry for having you awake for this long."
That really didnt sound like him.
"Its okay, also its sunday tomorrow, I'll sleep in." She waved her hand lightly.
He nodded and was almost stepping to leave but she stopped him suddenly. "Wait."
He turned back to her quizzically, she didnt know if what she was going to say would sound stupid. All she knew was that if she didnt ask it, she wont be able to sleep.
"Are we friends now?" She asked and saw he halted a bit, maybe he was taken aback, yep definitely. He wasnt expecting that now she regretted asking it. That sounded so childish.
"Sorry, forget it—" She shook her head vigorously, slightly embarassed until he interrupted her. "Yeah, sure."
She stared at him surprised. He agreed? Woah. She smiled quickly, "Okay, Good night, Reg."
He stopped her now before she could do in, "Why are you calling me Reg, again and again?"
She made a confused face, "Because that's short for Regulus? Dont people call you that?"
"No, nobody does."
She gasped in shock causing him to frown deeply, "What's wrong?"
"Dont tell me your friends haven't given you a nickname!"
"They havent."
"It must suck right?" She twitched pitifully, he was going to retort but she added quickly, "But dont worry as I am your new friend, I will call you by your nickname. Okay Reg?"
"That's not my nickna—"
"Infact, I have an even better one," Her eyes shined brightly as she snapped her fingers, "How about Reggie? Yeah thats so cute. Reggie!"
"No!" He said like it was his destruction.
"Good night, Reggie!"
"Dont call me that—"
"Have a safe journey back to your dorm, Reggie!"
"NO—"
He was interrupted as she closed the door on his face with a sweet smile.
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