Chapter 11* Under the mistletoe
oOoOoOo
Weeks of anticipation have passed in a blur of gossip, dress-drama and love declarations. Girls raced each other around the school, throwing their crushes names at eachothers heads, while the boys tried to act cool about their non-existing dance skills. Now the Yule ball was only a few hours away. Less than twenty four hours until they would see eachother differently. In classic attire and with the intention to dance the night away.
The sun shone bright on a day like this, covered in clouds of white. It was like a white sheer that spared the students of Hogwarts from the straight sun.
The boys were currently wandering around the castle on the search for their girl. They had started calling them 'their girls' after Peter had started calling Lovia 'his girl'. Though, Peter used every opportunity to remember the guys that technically 'their girls' was wrong as Lovia was his. And only his.
As they passed picture frames and other students they couldn't help but discuss the upcoming ball again. It was the most important and fun thing coming towards them.
"So, has Ivan asked you yet?" Peter asked Sirius with a knowing smile on his face. Peter knew he had. He had seen the bright smile on Sirius face yesterday, after he had returned from their meeting on the quidditch pitch.
His eyes were shining so bright and the look in his lips was nothing like the usual smirk he wore. It was a true an honest and real smile. Unlike Peter had really seen on him before. There was the smile that the boys got. Full of brotherly love, so true, everyone could see it. But this smile was different. It wasn't platonic or brotherly. It was everything but that, actually. It was lovely. Full of adoration, excitement and anticipation. It was the look that a lover threw his crush. And even if Peter knew that they weren't lovers, not yet, he knew that they soon would be. He was sure of it.
Because they fit so good.
Because they worked.
Because they were different. They made eachother different, better.
"Yes." Sirius said with a proud smile. Not the arrogant kind but the endeared one.
James clapped in his hands joyfully before patting Sirius' shoulder in a brotherly way. "That's great, man. We'll done."
"I'm happy for you, Siri." Remus couldn't help but throw a giant smile at his mate as well. He was so very happy that he'd finally found someone that made his smile as bright.
Peter's excitement about the ball rose with every second that passed. He couldn't bear the thought of Lovia going with another guy. It made his blood boil and the sound in his ears rise. And to know that she wanted to go with him, that she had waited for him to ask her even if that meant rejecting other offers, made his heart race in a speed he hadn't known to this day. His heart was filled with a love he didn't know until he met Lovia. He had felt it the first time he met as her as well as the second time. And even if those dates were years apart, the feeling was still the same. So indescribable to him. So different from what he had ever known. Yet, so very similar to what he had always felt around Lovia.
Love.
Passion.
Home.
Those were the feelings that hit him when he thought about Lovia. There was still this tiny sense of loss and broken along with those, but in the time span of the past weeks this draining feeling had weakened a lot. Her being here made everything better to him. It made him forget anything bad had ever existed and ever would. Lovia made everything better with just her existence. And even better with her presence.
Her coming back to him had changed Peter. After the change that the loss of her had created, her coming back had changed him again. But not how he was before. It had changed him in another way entirely. In a way he was unable to describe. Before Lovia had left, he had felt chatty, overly excited and infatuating. All those things children felt when they had their first crush.
But now he felt different. Adulation had caught up with him on that point. Yet, the feelings that filled his heart now because of Lovia's presence were deeper. Riper. More meaningful. Peter felt complete when Lovia was with him. He felt content, devoted and tender. But most importantly he felt content. A feeling that he hadn't truly felt in many years. Not the way he did now. He felt passionate and adored and understood all at once. Still, he knew that all those things weren't expected of him.
He felt them.
Not because he owed it to anybody, not because he should feel that way, but because he simply did. He felt home.
Peter was home.
Once again.
And he had a feeling that it would be forever this time.
oOoOoOo
Walking around the corridors of Hogwarts, Peter and Lovia were walking side by side. It was quite late at the time, as they had just finished supper in the great hall. It was a truly magical feast with all the decorations and nearly silent music that the walls rendered. People we're talking and laughing and they were all so very happy. It was incredible how all three schools were able to come together. There was no hatred, no discontent. There was no rivalry and no sides. They were just young. They were teenagers. Innocent to the dark of the world ahead of them. Still, now they were only young. And they didn't have to worry about anything just yet.
The sun had fully left the sky and let only half the moon rise up into the night. It was dark, yet so very light. Because it was Peter's eyes that shone through the night. And Lovia's smile along. Because they lit up the room. Every space they went they lit up everything. The were bright. So very bright.
If it had been full-moon Peter would never have wandered around Hogwarts like this. He would have stayed by Remus' side until the time of full moon was over. But as only half was able to be seen in all its glory, none of the boys had anything to worry about. Sometimes Peter felt weird about still liking the moon as much. But Remus didn't mind one bit. Because he did too. He enjoyed it any other night except one a month.
Still, as they wandered around the corridors and their voices reflected all through, something felt different. Peter knew so. Different good. And it was not the moon. Peter knew that as well. Looking to Lovia to his right, everything else vanished. Every weird feeling. Anything different. Only known. Only home.
They walked up the stairs slowly. Their destination the same as always: the astronomy tower. Because it was their place. They felt safe there. Peter and Lovia always would. Their hands almost touched. But now almost. Because the electricity between them almost made it feel like they did.
Both were ready to discover another night as theirs. As one in which they were reunited and whole and everything. And so when they walked through the gate to the astronomy tower, something magical happened once again.
Lights started to fill the room and bring warmth through the room. Blankets and pillows were gathered on the floor, perfect for two people to sit on. And to cuddle with.
"What is going on here?" Lovia asked with a husky voice. She looked around in wonder, frozen in her place. Because this was beautiful. It was magical, amazing and so very real. And she was able to experience and share this with Peter. Her love. Her one true love. Hers.
Peter was as shocked as she was but he couldn't help but tear his eyes away from the room and at Lovia. Because as the light reflected in her eyes she was more beautiful than anything he had ever seen. More beautiful than anything in the world.
"I have no idea but this is- We are-" As he spoke, Peter suddenly felt a tug at his heart. At his whole body. It felt weird. Not normal not anything that came from within.
It seemed as though Lovia felt it too, because she started looking around weirdly. And as both of them looked into every corner of the room, they came across one place that they hadn't looked at so far.
Above their heads.
And not only was there a light. There was something else as well.
A mistletoe to be exact.
Above their heads.
They knew what this meant. A magical mistletoe. They knew what they had to do.
And as their eyes met, they knew something that they didn't before. That they were both in love. That they were united in heart and mind. That everything that they had started feeling was reciprocated. That it was truly true.
They knew that their hearts would never be broken again. That there was nothing that could break them and rip them all apart ever again.
Peter and Lovia knew that they had been meant to be from the start. That they were one ever since. That they would always be.
And so Peter asked: "May I?"
"You may."