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"Luke!" Michael says with a tinge of annoyance in his voice. Luke looks up from his charms book and turns to face Michael.
"What," Luke sighs. He twiddles his quill between his fingers.
"Okay, let's assess at our current situation, shall we?" Michael adjusts his robe, his green and silver tie reflecting the early morning light cast through the tall windows, "It's the start of the Christmas holidays and we're studying for our OWL's! Well, you are. I'm just keeping you company like a good mate should." Luke rolls his eyes and huffs, returning to his book.
"And what would you rather be doing?" Luke mutters, eyes still skimming the charms book. Who would ever need to use Tarantallegra? Well, the more spells the merrier, right? Luke starts to jot down notes about the hardly useful 'dancing feet' spell. Luke hears Michael get up and lean on the table, his robe ruffling.
"Let's go to Hogsmeade!" Michael says, voice bright. Luke looks up at Michael, and then outside the window at the light sprinkling of snow. It does look ace outside.
"Well," Luke looks at the lack of notes he's taken on his parchment paper. I'm not the one who needs a review on charms, it's Mikey. "Prove to me that you're prepared for your Charms OWL's," Michael glances at Luke with uncertainty, "Bring that book on Nogtails over here." Luke gestures to the bookshelf on the side of the room opposite them.
"You've underestimated me for the last time, Hemmings!" Michael declares in mock superiority. The green-haired boy takes out his rosewood wand, thirteen inches of unyielding wood, and points it at the thick and stout book.
"Mobiliarbus!" Luke hears Michael shout, and a few Ravenclaws raise their noses from their books. The book shakes dangerously low while floating closer to the pair, almost colliding with several Ravenclaws' heads.
"Shit, Mikey! You have to hold your wand higher!" Luke covers his mouth with a too-large hand and stifles a laugh. He plucks his pliable, willow wand from the table in front of him and says, "Wingardium Leviosa." Luke executes the spell perfectly: the book lands as light as a feather onto his lap.
"Told you I could do it," Michael says with almost no conviction. "C'mon, let's go let's go!" Michael shuts the charms book and practically pulls Luke from the chair. They walk out of the common room, and start making their way down Ravenclaw Tower.
"You're gonna fail your Charms OWL's, Mikey."
"Oi. Shut up, mate."
Luke and Michael walk side by side, exiting through the back entrance of the castle.
"D'ya suppose we go to Honeydukes first? Or Zonko's Joke Shop? We definitely need to hit Zonko's before we head back; I'll teach Ashton a thing or two for filling my bed with slugs." Michael says, balling up his mitten-wrapped fists. But it's all in good fun, Michael and Ashton some of the biggest pranksters at the school. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor duo does sound strange, but usually their pranks are executed perfectly. Usually.
Luke and Calum been friends since first year, ever since Luke made a fool of himself trying to get to platform 9 3/4.
"Are you crazy? I'm not running headfirst into a brick wall!"
"Just trust me: I've seen my sister Mali do it plenty of times."
They sat together on the Hogwarts Express, along with Michael and Ashton. And all four of them became the best of mates. You'll never see any of them alone; they're always together, whether it be in pairs or all of them.
Luke was only eleven then, and you can say he didn't know what true love was, but here he is five years later, still falling for the same guy: Calum bloody Hood. And he's pretty sure the bloke's straight. Whatever, that's Luke's luck.
Luke sees Michael running in front of him, towards the entrance gate of the Quidditch pitch.
"C'mon!" Michael shouts, "I think Ash and Cal are playing!" He disappears thought the Quidditch gate, his Slytherin scarf flowing behind him.
Luke looks up above the Quidditch pitch, light snow landing on his eyelashes. He sees red and gold clad bodies moving swiftly through the cold air.
"Gryffindor's team must be practicing," Luke says to himself. This means that Calum is there too. He pulls his blue and bronze striped beanie over his ears and starts running after Michael.
Luke walks onto the oval-shaped pitch, the high stands and towers blocking the chilly wind. The quaffle is being passed back and forth by the chasers and Luke thinks that they're working on new techniques to counter their sly rivals: Slytherin.
Michael waves to Luke, beckoning for him to come sit with him. Luke sees another figure sitting with Mikey, but they were too far away to identify. Luke's tired legs trudge up the steep stairs to the stands.
"Luke! Glad you could make it!" Michael says, laughing.
"Fuck, Mike. I may have the heart of a Quidditch player, but not the body." Luke sits down on wooden seat with a sigh.
"Luke, mate. Thought ya went back home for the holidays." Luke sees Gryffindor's seeker's head pop out from behind Michael.
"Not this year, Niall. Besides, it's more exciting at Hogwarts," Luke explains.
"But aren't ye muggle-born? Don't you miss your traditions?" Niall stares at the pitch for a moment, "Tell me about the telly, I have a feeling that me muggle history class doesn't do it any justice," Niall says with bright eyes and a smile.
Luke furrows his eyebrows, "Well, they're kind of similar to the newspaper, with the moving pictures and all. But telly screens only emit blue, red, and green light-"
"Look! It's Ashton and Calum!" Michael points toward the sky, where Calum and Ashton are beating a bludger back and forth. See, they're Gryffindor's Quidditch team beaters. They're the two that keep the bludgers from attacking the other five players on their team. Both beaters reach the frozen ground, Calum holding the bludger close to his body. The erratic movements of the ball look quite comical, but Luke knows from first hand experience that they can hurt like a bitch. Let's just say that was the last time Calum took Luke out onto the pitch.
Michael grabs Luke's forearm, "We're going down. Their practice is over!"
"Umm, talk to you later, Niall!" Luke waves goodbye to Niall with his other arm before disappearing down the stairs with Michael.
Michael and Luke walk towards their best mates. And- oh fuck - there's Calum in his uniform and Luke doesn't know why he's nervous but he just is. Calum's biceps flex as he holds down the bludger in the ball box. Ashton straps it in and closes the chest.
"Hey, guys. Whaddya doing here?" Calum brushes a thin film of ice off from his broad chest. His lucky number 25 is seen clearly in gold on his uniform.
"Oh, yeah, we were heading down to Hogsmeade. Did you want to come with us?" Luke says. Calum takes off his beaters cap and tousles his raven-black hair. Luke swears someone's just jinxed him with Locomotor Wibbly because he feels weak at the knees.
"Sure! That sounds ace, Luke." Calum straps his Firebolt 3000 to his back. Luke looks back at Michael and Ashton.
"-yeah, and I can change the color back to silver too." Michael points his wand to his head and mutters something incoherant. His hair starts to turn silver from the roots and the color fills out the rest of his fluffy hair.
Ashton smiles and runs his fingers through his own hair, "That's how you change your hair color? I always thought you dyed it!"
"Oh, you muggle-borns know nothing!" Michael says satirically. He points his wand back at his hair, emerald green locks appear along side the silver. "Slytherin spirit, eh?" Ashton just laughs.
Luke turns to Calum, who has his head in his hands, hiding a smile.
"C'mon, Luke. Let's leave those lovebirds be." Calum places a hand on Luke's upper back, gently pushing him towards the Quidditch gate.
"Lovebirds? Do you really think they're flirting?" Luke looks back at Ashton's doubled over figure, probably laughing at one of Mikey's lame jokes.
"They've been flirting for years, Luke. Glad you finally noticed." Calum chuckles, his nose crinkling and Luke feels like he can't stand it anymore. Luke's thoughts are cut short when Calum's hand brushes his and his breath hitches. Dear Merlin, I hope he didn't notice that.
Holiday break comes and passes, but its passing brings Calum's presence to Luke's dorm more. Even if he couldn't answer the riddles to get inside his common room.
They study a couple nights each week ('Are you having study dates now, Luke?' 'It's not a date, it's just studying, Mikey.'), seeing that it's hard for Calum to juggling being in Quidditch and studying for the O.W.L's.
Luke feels a light tapping on his shoulder. He looks up from his book on the history of merpeople ('which is utterly riveting!' according to Michael, but Luke's never really been into history, which is thanks to Professor Binns) and sees prefect Zayn Malik.
"Mate, found him waiting outside the door," Zayn jabs a thumb in Calum's direction, who walks over to Luke. Luke gets up from his chair.
"Okay, in my defense, the riddle today was harder than usual. 'S not my fault I'm not a clever Ravenclaw like you, Luke." Calum looks down at the book that he's holding, "Merpeople, eh? Looks like Mikey's been talking to you about his newest fascination too." Calum gives a soft smile with his soft, supple lips that are only inches away from Luke's face and- Stop, Luke. You know this will go nowhere.
"I- yeah, merpeople aren't really my thing. But the more knowledge the better, right?" Luke closes the book and starts for his dorm, Calum by his side.
"So, I know you didn't come here just to gaze at my pretty face, d'you need anything?" Luke sets the book down on his bed and Calum laughs, although it sounds choked.
"Did you maybe want to come with me tonight to the Astronomy Tower? There's supposed to be a meteor shower," Calum says.
Luke smiles, "Yeah, I'd love that. Suppose we meet there at 7:30?"
"Sounds perfect." Calum bends down and picks up a rather large book from the hoard of books that Luke has been studying. 'Advanced Potion Making' it reads. "Do you think you can explain how to make a Polyjuice Potion? It's still not too clear to me." Calum sits down next to Luke on his bed.
Luke opens the book and starts to read, and it seems that Calum already understands everything. But his warm breath is hitting Luke's neck and Luke just decides to enjoy the moment.
Dinner in the Great Hall that night tasted amazing as always, don't get Luke wrong. But there was something else in his mind that he was eating at. Calum. Could they ever be something together?
Harry Styles, a fifth year student, is sitting next to him telling the surrounding Ravenclaws about different muggle inventions. Being muggle-born himself, Luke finds hardly anything fascinating about the subject. Frankly, the only thing captivating his attention is the small watch on his wrist. 7:00, it reads. Luke looks over to the adjacent table: the Gryffindor table. He skims the length, not finding Calum there. Maybe he's already at the tower.
Luke pockets some biscuits from the table and gets up. He starts his journey to the top of the Astronomy Tower.
Luke finally reaches the Astronomy Tower ('the tallest tower at Hogwarts', Luke will have you know), out of breath. Maybe I'll take up Calum on his offer of Quidditch lessons. Except no bludgers this time! Wouldn't hurt to get in shape. Luke opens the door to the top of the tower, the sky stained royal blue. Many of the telescopes are vacant. In fact, only two are being used. Liam Payne, sixth year Hufflepuff, is using a telescope near the entrance, and Calum at the opposite end.
Luke walks up to Calum's back, his hand landing on his shoulder. Calum turns around, the moon light casting a soft glow on his face.
"Hey, I brought some food from the Great Hall. I didn't see you there, so," Luke trails off and opens his messenger bag, pulling out some biscuits. He tosses a biscuit to Calum, he catches it without dropping a crumb. "Good reflexes, beater." Calum smiles and thanks Luke.
It's 8:34pm and Calum and Luke are laying down on a blanket that Calum brought. Liam left, and they have the tower to themselves. They're laying on the balcony, underneath the sky of stars. It looks as if God himself had spilled the most breath taking galaxies above Luke and Calum. Meteors shoot across the sky, and Luke wishes the same wish on every single one of the shooting stars: 'please let us be more than friends.'
Luke hears Calum sigh, "Luke?"
"Yeah?" Luke's eyes stay focused at the stars.
"Have you ever- ever liked someone, but didn't know if they felt the same way about you?" Calum says, his voice gradually grower louder. Luke's breath catches in his throat.
"... I have, Calum. Yeah." Luke turns his head and gazes and Calum's face; it looks as if the universe itself is reflected in his brown eyes.
"Luke, I think I'm- You're the- never mind, I'm being stupid," Calum stammers. The boys sit silently in the moment, their breaths stabbing at the cool air.
It's 9:02pm when Luke and Calum decide to leave and go to their common rooms.
Luke only has two classes today: arithmancy and charms. Arithmancy is probably one of Luke's favorite classes, second behind astronomy.
Professor Vector dismisses everyone from her arithmancy class. Luke exits the room and heads for the charms corridor, where he runs into Michael.
"Luke, run! I left loads of dungbombs in Snape's classroom," Michael says, pointing up down the stairs to the potions room, where a greenish-brown cloud is making its way out from the door. It smells awful.
"Clifford! A detention for a week!" Snape roars, running out of the stink bombed classroom. Luke and Michael laugh, dashing into Professor Flitwick's classroom, taking seats at the back of the room.
"Serves Snape right. I'll teach him to give me an F," Michael trails off. Flitwick stands on a stool at the front of the room, reviewing the Summoning Spell.
"Muffliato!" Luke whispers, tapping him and Michael's shared desk with his wand. The Muffliato spell is a charm used to fill the ears of any person in the vicinity of the caster with a buzzing sound. Luke has found it very useful to have long conversations in class.
"Michael, I need to talk to you. It's about Calum, he's acting strange." Luke flips through his charms book mindlessly.
"Luke, can't you see I'm trying to learn about the Summoning Charm? Merlin's beard, you're a horrible influence on me." Michael makes wild hand gestures and Luke forces out a laugh. "Just kidding. Yeah, he's definitely been acting more secretive, spending more time alone."
Luke sighs, at least he's not imagining things. Class finally ends and the other fifth years file out of the class room and into the Great Hall for lunch. Luke holds his books in one arm and starts climbs the stairs of Ravenclaw Tower. He doesn't feel hungry at all, he'd rather just find Calum and talk with him.
"Luke. I'm glad you're here." Luke sees Calum standing by the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room, "I, uh, couldn't figure out the riddle to get in.
Luke smiles fondly at him and hits the bronze eagle-shaped knocker on the large wooden door.
"Which came first, the Phoenix or the flame?" the bronze eagle asks in a deep voice. Luke pauses to think, fingers fiddling with his lip ring.
"I'd argue that a circle has no beginning," Luke says. The door slowly opens and the two boys walk inside. The room is empty, except for the scattered books on the tables. Luke and Calum both speak at the same time: "I need to ask you something-" "I need to talk to you-"
Luke laughs, "Okay, you go first, Cal." Luke puts his books down on a table and follows Calum to the window. Niveous clouds blanket the sky outside.
"Luke, I need you to grab your coat: we're going to the Quidditch pitch," Calum says, smiling.
"Oh, okay. Be right back." Luke heads for his dormitory and grabs his coat and beanie. He exits his room and Calum grabs his arm, rushing down the steps.
Calum is one of Gryffindor's best beaters. Ever. Luke knows he's gonna go down in the history books along with the several moves he came up with himself. Michael, Ashton, and Luke can all agree that Calum gains his confidence the moment he steps onto the Quidditch pitch.
But this is different. Calum is a bit of a nervous mess right now and Luke can't help but be timid himself. They walk shoulder to shoulder onto the field, a symphony of crunching snow beneath their boots.
They stop in front of the stands decorated for Hufflepuff and Luke feels like time stops. Calum looks absolutely brilliant: hot breathe puffing out from his parted lips, falling snow landing on the tips of his eyelashes, and his rich brown eyes fixed on Luke's deep blue eyes.
Calum starts to close the gap between them (although this could completely be Luke's imagination) and Luke holds his breath.
He doesn't know why he didn't stop to think. He's a Ravenclaw, isn't that his thing?
Luke leans toward Calum and molds his lips to his. He closes his eyes and holds his arms to his sides, feeling almost scared to touch Calum. The boy's lips are dry, but soft. So, so soft and it's what Luke's always imagined they would be like.
Calum takes a step back and Luke doesn't know how to feel. Calum looks confused and shit shit shit!
"I- I'm so sorry, Cal. Fuck! I thought we were something more." Luke's eyes start to water and he pretends it's because of the dry air, "Just forget I did that. I have to go." He fumbles for his wand inside his coat, the thin willow slipping from his mittens.
"Luke," Calum looks taken aback. Luke kneels on the ground, his knees sinking into the ground. He grabs his wand with a shaky hand. Just as Luke is about to apparate, Calum grabs his shoulder.
"Oh bollocks." Luke sees that he's apparated to the right place: the fence outside the Shrieking Shack. But he hadn't expected Calum to travel with him.
"You can apparate, Luke? I thought that class was only for seventh years." Calum tries to prop himself up from his laying position in the snow, "Oh shit." Calum falls back onto the ground, a dark liquid stains Calum's sleeve.
"You're splinched. I need- I need," Luke starts mumbling to himself. Is it Gurdyroot that heals wounds? Wait, it's Mandrake Leaves, right? No, it's Dittany! Luke starts rummaging through his messenger bag for his bottle of juiced Dittany.
"Cal, I'm gonna need you to pull up your sleeve." Calum obliges, cursing when the fabric of his cloak drags on the wound.
"Luke, what was that that happened back at the pitch?" Calum asks, a hint of wariness shakes his voice. Luke's hand fumbles with the blood-stained cloth.
"I- I need to clean your wound, Calum." Luke ignores Calum's query.
"Listen, please. Luke, we just kissed," Calum says, disbelief laced into his words.
"And? Just drop it, Calum. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking." Luke busies himself with the potion in his hands. "You might want to bite on this." Luke hands Calum a softened piece of bark from the icy ground. Luke takes a dropper and extracts some Dittany from the bottle. He holds the dropper above Calum's arm, quickly dripping the liquid onto the tender flesh.
"Son of a Banshee!" Calum shuts his eyes and his jaw tenses, his teeth grinding on the wood. Greenish smoke billows up from his arm, causing Luke to cough. Luke fans away the smoke with his hand, clearing the air. The wound now looks already days old, the skin having healed at an extraordinary rate.
"Well, it worked. But you're going to have to wash your robes without any of the House-elves finding them, they'll ask questions you know-" Luke's cut short by Calum's lips colliding with his own. His eyes widen with surprise, but this is a pleasant surprise, definitely. Calum grasps the side of Luke's head, the pads of his fingers felt through his beanie. Calum pulls away, uncertainty in his eyes.
"I- We just- that was amazing," Luke stammers, his cheeks burning red.
Calum smiles, "Have you any idea how long I've been waiting to do that? Well, again, I suppose."
"Really? I thought you hated me for kissing you at the pitch."
"Seriously, Luke? That was probably the best thing to happen to me this whole year! Didn't have the balls to ask out at at the Astronomy Tower," Calum explains. "I really like you, Luke."
Luke smiles, "I really like you too, Cal."
They sit down on the snow, Luke half in Calum's lap, Calum's fingers running through his blond locks. After what seems like forever, they get up and walk through Hogsmeade back to Hogwarts castle. And if Luke's not mistaken, he sees Michael and Ashton inside Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, which, quoting Michael, 'is the haunt of happy couples.' Luke decides to keep this one to himself.