Work Text:
A Halloween party wasn’t exactly what Bram had in mind for tonight, but Garrett had insisted he tag along. He’d said something about how Bram never wanted to party and that college was supposed to be about having fun and after a while, Bram just gave in.
Bram had thought in college, everyone would dress up to hook up, that was what all of the movies had led him to believe. But somehow, Garrett had found a “sophisticated” college party, one where they were to dress up in actual costumes, not just find an excuse to wear less than normal.
Everyone already knew Bram was kind of a dork so he decided to play into it by wearing black robes over a white collared shirt and nice black slacks, a red and gold striped tie, and a Gryffindor scarf (his mother would be pleased that he was weather appropriate). He had also bought some fake wire-rimmed glasses and had an elegantly painted white lightning bolt scar on his forehead. Plus the wand his dad had given him for Hanukkah a few years ago.
Yes, Bram was solidly a Ravenclaw, but he was also very much into the idea of a black Harry Potter.
Not to mention, Bram was being brave tonight. He knew Simon Spier was going to be at this party.
Simon was this kid that lived across the hall from him and Garrett. He was outgoing and funny and radiated happiness, but was also sort of a disaster: perpetually messy hair, constantly needing help with homework, and just all around kind of oblivious. And Bram was so in awe of him. Simon had spent all of two minutes with Bram and Garrett on the move-in day before coming out to them. He’d been obviously nervous, but he’d done it anyway and Bram, of course, immediately fell for him.
The one other important thing that Bram knew about Simon was that he loved Harry Potter. So maybe he’d swoon over Bram a little bit at this party. Maybe Bram wanted that. And maybe, just maybe, Bram would have the guts to say more than ten words to Simon that weren’t about school.
Bram startled to a knock at the door. Garrett answered it before he could even move.
“Hey Eisner, Spier. Greenfeld, you ready to go?”
“Yeah, one sec.” Bram checked the mirror once more and then headed to the door.
“Hey Bram!” Simon smiled at him and all of his thoughts flew out of his head. He settled for what he hoped was a friendly smile back. “You look fantastic! You make an amazing Harry.
Bram blushed. “Thanks.”
“I love the lightning bolt, it looks so realistic.”
Simon was also wearing black robes, but he had a Hufflepuff tie.
“We match,” Bram replied, dumbly.
Simon gave him a wry smile, “Yeah, I guess we do.”
Bram barely noticed that Garrett and Nick were halfway down the hallway; he was too busy staring at his shoes.
“We should, um, follow them,” Simon said, pointing.
Bram nodded and walked alongside Simon, who did not seem to be in a hurry to catch up with Nick. More than ten words, Bram thought. Not about school. But Bram’s mouth betrayed him, “So, uhh, how did the English paper go?”
“Good! I did really well. Thanks for checking it over, by the way.”
“Yeah. Anytime.”
“So. Are you actually a Gryffindor?”
“No. Ravenclaw.” Not enough words, Bram thought, he needed to say something else, or Simon would think he wasn’t interested in the conversation. “Do I, uh, seem like a Gryffindor?”
“No, I thought you were a Ravenclaw, but I think it’s important to consider what house a person would sort themself into.”
Bram nodded thoughtfully. “So you sort yourself into Hufflepuff?”
“Yeah. They’re the kind and loyal and accept everyone. I don’t know if I actually qualify as any of those things, but it’s what I strive for.”
“I think you qualify.”
Simon beamed at him and Bram’s heart stopped for a second.
And then Simon was looking at Bram mischievously. “Okay, I have a serious question for you. Ron and Hermione or Harry and Hermione? Answer wisely, the future of our friendship depends on it.”
Bram laughed. “Ron and Hermione.”
“Correct answer. We can be friends.”
“Did you think Harry and Ginny would end up together?”
“Honestly? No. I kind of thought Harry and Cho. And then, you know, when I figured out I was gay, I was a bit obsessed with Harry and Draco.”
“And now?”
“Now? I kind of think Harry needed to take a minute to live his life without all the craziness before jumping into a relationship with anyone.”
Bram smiled. “So no more Harry and Draco?”
Simon shrugged. “I don’t know, Harry could have been a little in love with him, I think. What do you think?”
“I think Harry Potter is kind of an allegory for Nazi Germany. If Voldemort is Hitler, then Draco is kind of Nazi-lite, you know? I don’t know that I’d want Harry to be anywhere near that.”
Simon squinted, thinking. “Good point. Never thought of it that way.” And then he shuddered. “Ooh, you’re right though, that’s gross.”
Bram laughed again. Simon was too cute for his own good.
“So who did you think Harry would get with?”
“No one. I didn’t even consider a relationship for him until he was suddenly with Ginny.”
“So you like him and Ginny?”
Bram shrugged. “I don’t know. It felt too easy, but I also don’t care that much.”
“So what relationships did you care about?”
Bram blushed, afraid to answer. He powered through, though. “Honestly? Dean and Seamus.”
Simon went wide-eyed. “Really?”
Bram looked at the ground. “Yeah.”
“Why?”
Bram raised his eyebrows.
“Not like why in the sense of how could you think that, because obviously they’re meant to be. But like, why did you care about them, specifically? I’m just curious.”
Bram wondered if this was Simon’s way of asking him if he was gay or if he was just asking to ask. Either way, he wanted Simon to know. He took a deep breath. “Dean was a likeable black kid. And I, uh, wanted him to be gay. Like me. And I thought, maybe if he and Seamus got together, it meant I could have that, too. A relationship, I mean.”
Simon gave him a soft smile. “Thanks for telling me. And you can have that, if you want.”
Bram bit his lip. He was going to do it, he was going to ask Simon out and then-
“You guys are literally so slow!” Garrett complained, grabbing Bram’s elbow and pulling him toward a house, presumably where the party was happening.
Bram looked back to where Simon was standing and gave him an apologetic look.
Garrett dragged Bram around the party, using him as a wingman, introducing him to everyone imaginable. All Bram wanted to do was find Simon again, but he couldn’t come up with a good enough excuse to leave Garrett.
When Garrett finally found a girl willing to make out with him, Bram searched the house for Simon. He found Simon a little later, talking to some theater people in a corner of the basement. He was going to turn around and walk away, leave Simon to his friends, but Simon saw him and waved him over.
Bram felt awkward. He didn’t know anything about theater.
“Bram!” Simon exclaimed. He turned back to his friends. “Guys, this is Bram, my across-the-hall neighbor and the sole reason I am passing English right now.”
“Hi,” Bram said softly, slightly embarrassed. “And Simon’s not actually that bad at English.”
Simon’s friends gave him amused looks as they nodded hellos and introduced themselves. Cal, Brianna, Taylor.
“We were actually just going to get drinks, do you want anything?” Cal asked.
“Oh, no thanks.”
Cal nodded, and then, as if on cue, they all got up and moved toward the drink table.
“Um,” Bram started. “Do I smell or something?”
Simon giggled. “No.”
“Then why’d the all leave?”
Simon tilted his head and gave Bram an adorable look. “You’re cute.” Simon was probably a little bit tipsy.
Bram blushed. “They left because I’m cute?”
“No. They left because they know I have a crush on you.”
Bram blushed harder. “Oh.”
“Yeah. They’re giving me time to ask you out.”
“Ok.”
“Is that a yes?”
“You haven’t actually asked me anything,” Bram pointed out.
“Oh,” Simon tilted his head in the other direction.
Bram waited, feeling his stomach do summersaults.
“Bram, I like you,” Simon paused. “And I want to take you out. To dinner, to a movie, to wherever you want to go. Will you go out with me?”
“Yeah.” Bram bit his lip.
“I like it when you do that.”
“Do what?”
“Bite your lip. It makes me want to kiss you.”
“You should probably kiss me, then.”