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"You know" Ben started "it would be easier if you stopped bothering me"
Connor sighed: he was tired of this; tired of Ben being an arrogant bastard who thought so little of his past self, tired of going to sleep and not being able to because the death of his best friend kept flashing in front of his eyes, tired of feeling like everything was on his shoulders.
"Look" the Gryffindor continued "I don't need your help, ok? All I want is finding Rackepick and"
"And getting yourself killed!" Connor snapped and looked at him with raging eyes "You know what? If you want to die that bad, I won't stop you! But bear in mind that even I couldn't defeat that bitch, so I can't imagine you doing it!"
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Ben scoffed while his cheeks turned red.
"You know what I mean, don't play dumb." Connor stopped walking and clenched his teeth "I am the best duellist of us all. Hell, I could be the best duellist of all this damned school, so if I can't defeat her no other student can. Let alone you."
"Oh, so am I a weak and coward guy? Is that what you are saying?"
Connor opened his mouth to answer, but before he could even breathe, he almost lost his balance. He felt a body being smashed against his chest and looked down. There was a girl, a little brunette girl who had a terrified expression and looked like she was ready to cry.
"Who are you and what's wrong with your hair?"
While the question might have sounded rude, it was justified: the girl's hair was spiky like someone thrown an entire bottle of hair gel and then shook her by her ankles.
"I....I am..." Then, the girl realized who she was talking to, and her eyes became even more watery "Thank God! It's you."
"I know it's me" scoffed Connor "But you still haven't answered my questions: who are you? What happened? Why were you running like someone was chasing you to murder you?"
Before the girl could answer a cry ripped through the air.
"GREEN! YOU ABSOLUTE MORON, WHERE ARE YOU?"
"Oh boy" Sighed Ben
"What did you do to piss off Merula that much?" Connor smiled sardonically
"I... I just...Look: I didn’t..."
"Yeah, yeah." Connor cut her off and gently, or at least he tried to, pushed her against Ben "Take her away, I'll deal with Snyde"
Ben opened his mouth to say something, but when he saw Merula storming off onward their direction he just shook his head, grabbed the girl's hand, and started walking away.
"Don't you even think about it, Copper!"
The Slytherin girl was ready to jump on him and probably murder the girl, but Connor put himself between them and grinned.
"Good morning, Snyde." He made a little bow bending the right knee "Aren't you an incredible remedy for my sore eyes"
"Cut the crap, Gates."
Merula tried to dribble him, but Connor grabbed her by her left wrist and stopped her. The girl roared with anger and pointed her wand on his chest.
"Don't you dare start this now." She pushed the wand a little further and Connor felt a burning sensation starting near his heart "She messed up, she needs to pay"
"Come on: what did she do to you?" he quickly looked at Ben going down the stairs with the kid "It's not like she killed anyone...Or wait" He grinned "Did she? And are you on a quest to get revenge?"
Merula's eyes shined for a second, then she turned, and she let go a frustrated growl.
"You stalled me."
"I did" Connor smiled and gently moved her wand away from his chest "But seriously what did she do to you?"
"Not to me, you dumb fuck" Merula put away her wand and looked behind her, not knowing if Ben and the girl took the stairs upwards or downwards "She messed up with some ingredients in the Potions' room: now, because of her, two other students are in the Infirmary and... Can I know why you are fucking laughing?"
'I am chuckling" He corrected her before grabbing her by the hips to keep her close. The girl didn't move. "Come on, Songbird...She was shaking like a bowl of jell, I'm sure whatever you did it was scary enough to make her regret every single action of her life"
Merula didn't say anything: she just made a step forward and slowly laid her head on his chest.
"Your face is awful"
"Always a charmer" Connor wanted to grin, but the only thing he was able to do was yawning "Sorry"
"Don't be" she caressed his head and moved a strain of his hazel hair "You are not sleeping...Having nightmares again?"
He didn't answer, he just kissed her head and closed his eyes.
I am so tired. I can't tell you how bad I am feeling cause you are probably gonna take it on yourslef. I love you so much.
"Nah, I just can't sleep for my life"
The boy stretched and let a painful moan leave his lips: damned back.
"You know" Connor grinned again "I love it when you are angry"
"Oh please," she retorted with a smirk "You love me. Full stop. There hasn't been a moment in your life in which you haven't loved me."
The boy shrugged "Can you blame me? Falling for the most powerful witch in all Hogwarts is too easy."
"Such flattery won't bring you anywhere" Merula's face didn't change, but Connor could saw how those words had warm her heart.
How in the world you didn't change after everything that happened it's beyond me; please: remain the guy who threw himself into a fountain just to make sure he didn't feel too embarrassed Thought the girl
Connor tilted his head on the right and raised his eyebrows.
"I can see the gears in your brain moving, Snyde. What are you plotting?"
She flinched: she always forgot that he could read her like any other.
Sometimes I wish you were a little bit dumber She thought while taking his hands.
"Oh, you know, the usual: world domination, becoming the most powerful witch in the world..."
"I'd say that if you dominate the world, you are going to be the most powerful witch by default" He snarked.
"Cut the tongue of my chatty boyfriend who keeps interrupting me" She kept going glaring at him "As I said: the usual."
"I call bullshit" he confidently smiled "I recall you telling me 'You kiss too good', after the Yule Ball. Or am I wrong?"
Before she could reply, Connor squeaked and clapped his hands twice "You also said the 'b word'!" He gasped and shook his hand like fan near his face like he was flustered "Are you becoming a softie on my regards, Snyde?"
"What 'b word'?" She snarked back "Bastard? because yes: that's what you are"
"My parents aren't married, so that's technically true"
"Wh..." Merula was actually surprised by this: she thought that Mr perfect family, as she started calling him after they got together, had actually a family that conformed to the so called 'rules' of society.
"Yup" Connor shrugged "Connor doesn't care too much tough, because he knows his worth does not depend on his parents’ marital status."
"Did you just talk about yourself in third person?" She pressed her fingertips against her temples: once out of three times, he always managed to give her a headache.
"Only because I know it bothers you, and I was hoping for you to kiss me to make me shut up."
"You know," She grinned and moved a little bit closer "If you want your girlfriend to kiss you, you should resort to other tactics."
"Oh," He grinned back a moved closer as well "Such as?"
"Such as complimenting her looks, style," She put her hands on his hips and looked at him in the eyes "Telling her that she's the most powerful witch in all Hogwarts...That kind of stuff"
"Well then" Connor coughed twice like he was the host of some famous show "Merula Snyde, you are the most beautiful witch in the world, your eyes are mesmerizing, and your sense of style is breath-taking, I mean: a green tie over a black robe? Who would have ever been that bold!"
The girl wanted to hit him, she really did, but she couldn't stop the laughter the broke the line of her steady lips.
"You are such an idiot" She muttered.
"Maybe," he replied with a grin "But I am your idiot."
Merula laughed again and pressed hard her lips on his mouth.
"My idiot. Now and forever."
Connor changed his grin into a real, warm smile and kissed her back.
"Yours and only."
She sighed and hugged him close.
"Don't ever change, ok?"
"Who, me?" He laughed and kissed her "Never, Songbird. I'll remain your proud and charming idiot forever."
She kept him close, inhaling his perfume of hot cocoa and pine: her favourite.
Don't you ever change, Connor Gates