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Regulus is hiding in the shadows. His foot is tapping against the cold floor, lightly enough so that it doesn't echo. Mrs. Norris would no doubt scratch his face off if she caught him lurking around after curfew.
He waits until the scraggly old cat rushes off into a corner before slipping out of his hiding place. If anyone caught him– animal or person –It would be humiliating. Regulus was clad in green, silk pajamas with a black cloak over it to preserve the little remaining dignity he had. The heir to one of the most powerful wizarding families was sneaking around dark hallways like a lovesick fool to see his boyfriend.
It truly was quite embarrassing. Regulus doesn't want to dwell on that too much.
He looks around one more time before coming face to face with Ravenclaw Tower.
The door to the tower is quite plain but the bronze, eagle-shaped knocker makes up for it. It's an all too familiar sight.
Regulus doesn't think twice about giving the door two swift knocks.
The bronze eagle begins to speak, “There are two sisters; one gives birth to the other and she, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are they?”
Regulus blinks.
He should be ashamed of how long he takes to decipher the riddle– actually no, Rowena Ravenclaw should be ashamed, who makes their password a bloody riddle? It makes no sense, anyone could just waltz on in if they get the answer right.
Eventually after a few grueling minutes he got the answer; only after a few hundred wrong ones. Regulus privately curses Rowena Ravenclaw in his head again.
The Common Room is the same as always, decked out in bronze and blue. He tries his best not to sneer when he finds a stack of exploding snap cards spread across one of the sofas. Honestly, for a house filled with smart children one would think they would be better at cleaning up after themselves.
The trip between the Common Room and the Boy’s Dormitory is relatively short, he gets through with practised ease. Regulus stops when he sees five identical poster-beds, all with their blue curtains drawn.
Regulus visits nearly every night but can never manage to make out which one is Barty’s bed– in his defense it's hard to tell at night.
He tries his luck and yanks open the curtains to one bed.
Luck was not on his side.
Xenophilius Lovegood has his blond hair sprawled across the pillow with a protective arm over Pandora. The two are thankfully still sleeping, allowing Regulus to slowly back away. He tries again.
This time he's met with mussed straw-blond hair and familiar hazel eyes. Though they don't look all that happy to see him.
“You thought my bed was Xeno’s again, didn't you?” Barty grins. He was never going to let that go, was he?
“Nope.” He answers, removing his heavy cloak. Regulus taps his boyfriend's leg through the covers so that he might move over. Barty simply raises a brow but complies nonetheless and happily lets Regulus get comfortable under his covers.
“Which riddle did you get this time?” his boyfriend asks.
Regulus groans and lets his head bump against the headboard, “Something about two sisters– a stupid fucking riddle in my opinion, it took me–”
“Oh, the one about day and night, right?”
He blinks. His boyfriend can never know how long it took him to solve that.
Regulus merely nods, grabbing Barty's hand as a distraction instead. They're soft with a few ink stains marking the fingertips. The signet ring he gave him glints in the moonlight.
“I don't get it, why riddles?” Regulus starts again, “Your sigil is a bloody eagle not a sphinx!”
Barty snorts, “I'm surprised you know what a sphinx does.”
“I do read, y'know, obviously I know what a sphinx does–”
Barty gives him a look.
“I do!”
“Merlin, alright! Fuck me for assuming you didn't read up on muggle myths,” his boyfriend huffs out. His fingers are still stroking absent patterns on Regulus' hand so he knows Barty isn't actually annoyed.
“Maybe later,” Regulus replies because he can. He doesn't comment on the blush that spreads across Barty's face like a good boyfriend would do.
They grow silent after that. It's nice, nothing like the quiet dinners back at Grimmauld Place. Regulus thinks silence with Barty is the only silence he can tolerate. Eventually his boyfriend drops his head onto Regulus’ shoulder and closes his eyes.
Yeah. This is really nice.
“Wait–” Regulus sharply turns his head towards Barty, “Did you say sphinxes are from muggle books?”
For a few seconds he doesn't get a reply and Regulus thinks Barty must've dozed off until the blond lifts his head again. He lays his chin on Regulus’ shoulder this time. In this position Regulus can see the small golden flecks that litter his eyes, along with the splatter of freckles that line his boyfriend's nose.
“Yeah, what did you think they were a part of?”
“You know they're also part of our world too, right?”
Barty doesn't respond.
Regulus bites back a smile, it's rare for him to pull one over on his boyfriend, especially in regards to Care of Magical Creatures– that was one of Barty’s favourite subjects.
“It's not like I've ever fucking seen one!” Barty splutters, his ears are growing red and his brows are all scrunched up together– It would be cute if Regulus wasn't too busy stifling his laughs.
“I've never seen one either– doesn't mean I don't read about them though,” he doesn't get a verbal response this time, instead Barty flicks his finger against Regulus’ forehead as retaliation.
“Very mature–”
Someone pops their head from in between the curtains. “Do you two ever sleep?” they whisper harshly.
Regulus and Barty jump apart like they've been burned. They quickly relax when they catch sight of silver-blond hair.
“Shut up,” Xenophilius is smiling as he speaks but his dark circles tell another story, “Or use a silencing charm, anything that lets the rest of us get some sleep.”
When the other boy retreats back to his bed, Barty grabs his wand from under his pillow and mutters a silencing charm. They don't want anyone else to hear them lest they're not as understanding as Xenophilius.
“Next time you're coming to my dorm.” Regulus says. This earns a snort from Barty.
“As if. I'm not wasting my time going all the way down to your creepy dungeons.”
“But I can waste my time climbing up all those stairs here?” Regulus practically whines, but he will deny that to anyone who asks.
His boyfriend grins, the dimple on his left cheek now prominent, “Yup!”
“How's that fair?”
“I have important things to do,” Barty shrugs and lets his head fall against Regulus’ shoulder again. His hair is slightly tickling the top of his cheek but Regulus doesn't mind, “I can't waste time sneaking through corridors”
“I'm the heir of the most powerful wizarding family– how do you have more important things to do?”
“Regulus, I take all twelve classes, I'm not walking all the way down to your common room when I could be studying,” then he adds as an afterthought, “I also don't like how cold it is down there.”
“Well– I don't like how windy your common room is!”
Barty nods like he understands– Regulus should be offended at how dismissive he's being but then he reaches up and kisses Regulus’ cheek so he can't stay too mad.
That doesn't mean he's going to stop complaining.
“Why do I put up with you?”
“Cause you love me.” Barty shrugs.
Regulus almost huffs in reply.
Then the words register in his head.
Barty must realize what he said because he immediately stiffens.
“What did you–”
Barty doesn't let him finish, opting to roughly rip himself away from Regulus’ side. Now that he can see his face clearly, Regulus notes Barty's wide eyes and tense jaw.
“Look at the time, I think we should go to sleep,”
“Wait–”
His boyfriend yanks the covers over his head leaving only a few tufts of blond hair visible. “Ok. Goodnight, sweet dreams, love you– I mean bye. Goodnight.”
Regulus doesn't have any words for once.
He's not going to get any answers from Barty now– not with the way he's curled up under the sheets and pretending to sleep– so Regulus follows suit. Normally he would wrap an arm around his boyfriend's frame but Regulus isn't sure if Barty wants to be touched right now. He shoves his hand under his pillow instead and tries to fall asleep.
Huh. Love. Who would’ve thought.
***
The next morning Regulus wakes up alone. It's not a nice feeling.
The other side of the bed is cold and the sun is barely up. Luckily, none of the other Ravenclaw boys seem to have woken up, allowing Regulus to easily slip out. He tries to search for a note before he leaves– maybe Barty left him a message before leaving, something that will explain why he left so early. He comes up with nothing.
Regulus almost runs into Xenophilius in the Common Room. There's a part of him that wants to ask if he knows where his boyfriend might’ve gone but he decides against it. They don't really talk without Barty present and Regulus wasn't going to start now.
He stalks down the hundreds of stairs in Ravenclaw Tower and safely enters the 6th Year Boy's Dormitory– Slytherin Boys Dormitory, this time. His roommates are still fast asleep, none the wiser of his late-night activities.
All except one.
“Hey there, Houdini.” Evan smirks at him from his place in– hold on why is he in Regulus’ bed?
“Why are you here?” Regulus asks, wrapping his cloak tighter around him, “This is the sixth year dorm, you're a seventh year.”
Evan just rolls his eyes. If they weren't friends Regulus would've hexed him for that, “I wanted to walk to breakfast with you,” his voice drops and his smirk deepens, “Imagine my surprise when I found an empty bed instead of your prickly arse.”
It's Regulus’ turn to roll his eyes now. Evan is waiting for him to take the bait, he knows very well where Regulus goes every night. Finding him in his own bed might be more surprising than finding it empty.
“Have you seen Barty?” Regulus asks as he opens his drawers. He yanks out his uniform, albeit a bit too harshly, but Evan has the decency not to comment.
“Shouldn't I be asking you that?” Evan replies, “What, did you fall asleep in the lake tonight instead of his dorm.”
Regulus drops his cloak on his bed, he can deal with that after his shower. “He wasn't there when I woke up,” He tries to hide the bitterness from his voice but Evan catches it anyway, “Thought you might’ve seen him.”
“Trouble in paradise?”
His hand stops mid-grab for his towel. Regulus values his privacy more than the average person. Evan is bold to ask questions like that, even as a joke. He almost wants to give his own snarky reply or better yet, not give any reply at all. But Regulus is also a curious person and his need for answers wins out this time.
“Have you ever been in love?”
He hears Evan choke behind him. Regulus slowly turns around.
“That–” Evan coughs out, “It is way to early to answer shit like that, what the fuck, Reg?”
“Well, have you?”
“Of course not!”
Regulus bites his bottom lip to keep from groaning. There goes that plan.
Maybe he can write to Narcissa? Or Lucius. They certainly know what love feels like. Even though Cissy would probably just laugh at him. Lucius would be delighted to know though, he was always a sucker for love stories.
That makes Regulus shudder.
Calling what he had with Barty a love story sounds so…juvenile.
What did they know about love?
His mother and father didn't love each other. Orion Black was a cold man and an uncaring husband. His mother wasn't any better– but if she did love anything, it was her children. It is an odd type of love, but love nonetheless.
He sees it shine through in little ways; She still has Sirius’ room kept the way he left it, only letting Kreacher enter inside to dust the shelves. She would always have dinner with him too, sometimes even lingering outside his door to say goodnight after. Walburga’s love was small and clumsy but it was something that Regulus wouldn't trade for the world.
Bellatrix loathed her own husband, but maybe she also loved someone. Regulus might’ve asked if he was brave enough.
And Sirius– Well, Regulus doesn't even know what's going on in his brother's life. Does he love someone? Does he even know what love feels like?
In the back of his mind Regulus wonders if his brother ever loved them– if he ever loved his family.
Regulus shakes all of those thoughts away. Evan is right, it's too early to think about these things.
“Nevermind, forget I asked.”
Evan looks like he's going to protest. If Regulus is curious then Evan is nosy. But he must decide against it since he promptly shuts his mouth again. Regulus grabs his towel and uniform and heads towards the bathroom.
He stops.
“Evan, what's a Houdini?”
“You have a boyfriend who takes Muggle Studies, ask him.”
***
Regulus scans the Dining Hall.
It's still quite early so not a lot of students are at breakfast yet. The Gryffindor table seems to only have Lily Evans and Marlene Mckinnon present while Hufflepuff is completely empty. Slytherin is filled with Mulciber and his lackeys.
His eyes unwillingly find the Ravenclaw table. Out of habit he searches for familiar blond hair and hazel eyes.
Regulus finds Barty hunched over in his seat, picking at his breakfast. Next to him Pandora is rattling away, not particularly worried if her friend is paying attention or not. There's a few students next to them studying.
Regulus has to stop himself from walking over there and yanking his boyfriend out of his seat. He forces himself to trudge on towards his own table.
Evan greets him with a wave. Regulus still has his eyes on Barty.
Evan gives him a once over, glancing between Regulus and the Ravenclaw table, “It's a miracle no one's figured you two out yet,” he mutters, “You're not even remotely subtle.”
Regulus kindly doesn't stab him with his fork.
His friend shoves a plate of eggs in front of him. Regulus ignores that too. Evan huffs in response.
“Just talk to him afterwards, for now–” Evan shoves the plate even closer, “–just eat.”
Regulus complies without argument for once but his eyes never truly do leave the Ravenclaw table.
Afterwards when he's nearly done eating and Evan is in the middle of some story, he notices Barty and Pandora getting up to leave.
Regulus stands up too, causing Evan to stop mid-sentence. He doesn't bother offering an explanation and makes a beeline towards the doors. If he's fast enough he might be able to catch up to them before his first class.
He has to sharply round one of the corners to get a glimpse of them at the stairs. Regulus doesn't want to yell to get their attention but it looks like he has no choice.
“Barty, wait up!” His boyfriend and Pandora stop at the bottom of the staircase. Barty's green-brown eyes meet his own blue-grey.
For a moment neither of them move.
Then Barty averts his gaze.
Pandora doesn't bother acknowledging him, she just taps her foot at the interruption.
“Hey,” Regulus greets. He hates how his voice cracks but neither of the Ravenclaws comment on it, “Uh–”
He really wanted to talk to his boyfriend alone. He sends Pandora a look– one that clearly says get lost, please. She gives him one of her own.
Pandora doesn't hate Regulus but she doesn't particularly like him either. She thinks he's a no-good, spoiled, arrogant bigot– she's technically not wrong about that –and holds a grudge against him because of the whole Evan thing. Regulus kisses his teeth when he remembers that entire debacle.
In short: Pandora thinks he stole her brother right out from under her and believes her best friend can do better than him.
They really only tolerate each other for Barty's benefit.
Evan appears behind him, breathing a little heavy from running after him so fast. He examines the situation before going to his sister. He wraps an arm against her shoulders and swiftly leads Pandora up the stairs.
He didn't really think this through.
“Hi, Houdini?” Regulus immediately cringes.
Barty, for his part, looks more surprised than anything. So surprised that he forgets his embarrassment from last night “How do you even know who that is?”
“Evan told me.” Evan absolutely did not. Regulus still doesn't know who the fuck that he is but it manages to get a hesitant smile from Barty.
It's a sweet moment– even if it is at the expense of Regulus’ dignity. He almost forgot why he was so worried all morning.
He takes a bold step towards Barty.
The moment breaks.
Barty steps back quickly, “Okay, bye–”
He whirls around and makes for the stairs but Regulus catches him by the wrist before he can leave. “Can you hold on a minute?”
He sees Barty breathe in sharply. His boyfriend slowly turns back around.
“Yes?”
“Are you okay–”
“Why wouldn't I be?”
“Well– I just thought since you, well– you left pretty early this morning so..”
Barty cuts him off with a tight smile, “I just didn't want to be late,” he glances back at the stairs, “I really have to go now.”
Regulus searches his face for something, anything. Barty's expression doesn't give away much– Bloody politician's son– but his lips, red and swollen from being bitten, are a dead giveaway to his agitation. He almost wants to do something stupid like kiss him.
Regulus does something else instead. He steps forward again and is relatively pleased when Barty doesn't move away this time. He brings a hand to cup the blond's face.
Regulus looks around before dropping his lips onto Barty's forehead, landing a soft kiss there. From the lack of distance between them he can make out the small splatter of freckles on his cheek along with the rising blush that's beginning to spread. “I'll see you tonight?”
Barty manages a nod before hurrying up the stairs.
Regulus isn't sure how he feels.
***
For the rest of the day he's filled with something
He can't find the words to describe that something, but whatever it is, it's hollow.
Hollow and empty– a feeling Regulus should be very familiar with but it manages to catch him off guard regardless.
The idea of focusing on class is almost laughable. Usually Regulus takes meticulous notes; precise wordings and loopy handwriting. But today his parchment remains empty and untouched, his quill laying lonely beside it.
He doesn't share many classes with Barty. That thought usually irritated Regulus (with a boyfriend who takes every bloody subject in school Regulus would think they'd at least share more than two classes together). If it were any other day that feeling would've bubbled up again. Today he's quite grateful for their unfortunate class schedules.
The class they shared together– Potions, today– went horribly.
Barty was glued to Pandora's side the entire time. He refused to even make eye contact with Regulus.
The hollow feeling returns when Regulus tries to shoot Barty a smile– a rare, dangerous gesture to do in public– and is promptly ignored with nothing more than furrowed brows as a response.
Nothing seems to cheer him up after that. Not Evan. Not Narcissa's weekly letter. Nothing.
The only thing that could cheer Regulus up is currently ignoring him.
It's with that thought in mind that Regulus vows this situation will end tonight. No more running away. Not tonight. Not anymore.
Merlin. He sounded like a bloody Gryffindor.
It feels like déjà vu when Regulus creeps into Ravenclaw Tower that night. He does his usual routine– avoid Filch, answer that sodding riddle and slip into the dormitories– but the sight that greets him is quite different from last night.
The familiar four-poster beds are there and like last night the curtains are drawn. But there's a light emitting from one of the beds. It's dim, covered by thick blue fabric but Regulus can make out a vague silhouette.
Oh. He knows that silhouette.
Regulus strides forward and gently pulls the curtains open. He was never good at identifying his boyfriend's bed but he was willing to bet his entire Black fortune that it was Barty behind the curtains. Besides– it would be terribly embarrassing if he was met with Lovegood's face with all the bravado Regulus was carrying.
It seems his streak of bad luck had ended.
Straw-blond hair–all floppy and tousled– with bright hazel eyes look at him for the first time today. Regulus’ breath hitches.
Everyone– by that he means Evan– thinks that Barty is love sick, spoken for moron in the relationship. And they wouldn't be wrong, not really. Barty is probably one of the most romantic people he knows– with the way he does anything Regulus asks of him regardless of how silly it is, the way he remembers every minute detail about Regulus. But Regulus would argue that it's the opposite.
If anything Lucius or Narcissa said was to be trusted then Regulus was the one who was a love sick fool.
Regulus can't argue that statement when he's constantly walking up four flights of stairs because his boyfriend doesn't like his cold dorm room. Not when he's willing to learn Barty's insane schedule by heart just so that they could run into each other throughout the day. Not when his face still flushes red whenever he looks at his sleepy boyfriend.
It was pathetic. But Regulus was willing to be that for Barty.
Barty looks at him with wide eyes. The covers are pulled up on his lap where an open book is laying. His wand, which is positioned carefully under the book, emmits a bright light against the pages.
“Hi?”
“We need to talk.” Regulus hurriedly says.
Barty's jaw clenches but he doesn't protest. He scoots over and puts the books away in his bedside table. When Regulus doesn't move his boyfriend simply pats the spot next to him on the bed.
Regulus doesn't delay any further.
The curtains are drawn behind him but the light from Barty's wand still shines brightly.
The white light frames his boyfriend's face beautifully. Barty's hair glows almost platinum– Regulus hates the way the strands look so soft, almost like silk. His eyes that are a usually a mix of brown and green seem to only shine green now, but the gold flecks that Regulus has grown to adore are still prominent.
Barty's hands fidget and something reflects in the harsh light. His signet ring.
Regulus’ signet ring. That he gave to Barty.
Barty twists the ring on his left middle finger and Regulus can only watch as the silver catches the light. It's not an extravagant thing– the mold is simple with the Black crest burned into it. It's one of Regulus’ most bland piece of jewellery– but Regulus has caught Barty eyeing it multiple times. It happened so many times that Regulus eventually just dropped the damned thing into Barty's lap one day and the ring has never left his finger since.
“Are you mad at me?”
Regulus blinks. What?
Barty must think he didn't hear him the first time because he repeats himself, “Did I– The thing I said last night. Did it piss you off?”
“Excuse me?”
“Look– I'm really sorry–”
“Wait, wait–” Regulus interrupts, “Why would I be mad at you because of that?
Barty sheepishly shrugs. “I just thought– I don't know, that'd I'd freak you or– or something.”
“I thought you were mad at me.”
“Why would I be mad at you?”
Regulus stares. Seriously? “You left without telling me this morning. You didn't talk to me at all,” Regulus lists off on his fingers, “What else am I supposed to think?”
Barty groans and brings his hands up to cover his face. Then he flops backwards onto the mattress, his head hitting the pillow lightly.
“I'm sorry! I just–” Barty groans again. His voice is slighted muffled by his hands but Regulus would by lying if he said the scene playing right now didn't amuse him, “I panicked and I don't know– I just didn't wanna face you, Reg.”
“But why?” Regulus looks at his boyfriend. Really looks at him. The sight pulls at his heartstrings. He's not too proud to admit that he wants answers. He wants something– anything that can explain the hollow feeling being replaced with warm honey now.
Barty's eyes poke out between his fingers. “Because I made a complete idiot out of myself.”
Regulus snorts, “You always do that.”
That brings a small smile to Barty's face if the dimples on his cheeks are anything to go by. He doesn't get up though, so Regulus flops down next to him.
He fights to urge to grab Barty's face and kiss him all soft and sweet.
“Not like last night,” Barty's smile drops and Regulus finds his own dropping too, “It was stupid– just forget anything I said.”
For a moment nothing happens.
Regulus doesn't speak and Barty doesn't push him to.
Then,
“Please?” Barty pleads quietly.
Regulus wants to nod. He wants to brush this all under the rug and go back to how it all was before yesterday. He would do anything to get the horrible look of fear off of Barty’s face.
But he can't.
No more running today.
“Did you mean it?” Regulus asks instead. Barty grows quiet next to him.
Barty finally turns around onto his side. He's properly looking at Regulus now. His wand is between them, the Lumos still glowing brightly.
“Yeah,” He breathes out, “I did– I do.”
Regulus sits up. Barty follows.
Regulus himself doesn't even know what love is, so how can Barty, someone who has gone through the wringer in similar ways, know what the pesky feeling is?
Was love even made for people like them? Love is a word one uses to describe Lucius and Narcissa. It's a word one uses to describe what Sirius and his friends have. It's a word one uses to describe mothers like Mrs. Crouch or Mrs. Rosier.
It's a feeling so fleeting and uncommon within Regulus’ life that he isn't sure what to make of it entirely.
How can Barty be so sure that he loves Regulus?
Regulus supposes it's the same way he knows he loves Barty.
It's odd to admit that. But it feels natural all the same.
He isn't sure what love is– not entirely– but Regulus has a good enough idea of it.
Love is the only thing that explains the burn in his chest everytime Barty ignored him now today.
Love is the only thing that explains how all he wanted today was for his Barty to be okay– to know that he wasn't drowning in his own lake of despair.
Love was the warmth after a day spent in a hollow chasm.
“You love me?” Regulus asks once again, just to be sure.
Barty nods. Then for extra measure he adds, “I love you,” it's quiet and soft but the world are there nonetheless, “I am very, very sure of it.”
Regulus doesn't respond.
Instead he grabs Barty's hand– his left hand. Regulus slips off the silver signet ring from his finger. Barty's face momentarily falls.
Regulus puts the ring back on. This time on Barty's left ring finger.
Barty’s breath hitches. When Regulus looks up he meets green-brown with grey-blue. His boyfriend’s mouth is slightly ajar and his pupils are blown. Regulus feels dread built back up in stomach. Did he do something wrong–
His train of thought is cut off by a pair of lips.
Barty's hand tightly grip his jaw as soft lips press into Regulus’ own. It brings a warm feeling to his heart– Love he recognizes now.
Regulus is quick to respond, his hands finding their way to the small of his boyfriend's back. Barty leans into him even closer, moving into Regulus’ space like he owned it– in some ways he really did. Barty climbs into Regulus’ lap soon after and chooses to straddle his hips.
Regulus’ grip tightens and he feels the soft fabric of Barty’s pajamas trousers beneath his fingers. He can also feel one hand sliding into his hair, gently gathering it in a fist. Barty pulls there and Regulus can't help but whine.
He yanks his boyfriend forwards so that they're now chest-to-chest. Regulus let's one hand stay perched onto Barty's waist while the other grabs at his face. Regulus tilts in to deepens the kiss. Now it's Barty's turn to moan.
The kiss feels like fire now, nothing like the sweet amber warmth that filled Regulus when he looked at Barty with mused hair and tired eyes. It seems love has many multitudes, indeed.
Barty grabs the bottom of Regulus’ shirt, moving to pull it up when the curtain suddenly pull up.
Regulus is proud to say that he didn't scream– no matter how much he wanted to– but he can't say the same for his boyfriend. Barty yelps and moves away like he's been burnt. He doesn't get far because Regulus keeps his hold onto Barty's waistiron-tight.
His boyfriend's pupil are so dilated that the hazel of his iris is barely seen. Barty's lips are swollen and red and so perfect that Regulus fights the urge to kiss them again.
In truth, he should've definitely been more petrified. If the wrong person caught them like this then there would be hell to pay. But alas, Regulus is still a teenage boy at heart. A teenage boy whose boyfriend had been ignoring him all day.
Regulus glares at the intrusion.
Xenophilius Lovegood looks mortified. “I–”
“What?” Regulus hisses out. Xenophilius gulps.
“I didnt think you guys were doing–” He gestures vaguely at them, “well– that!”
Barty squirms uncomfortably in his lap so Regulus loosens his grip. If Barty really wanted to get up, he could. But he doesn't. He stays in place and seems to only have enough shame to bring his hands out of Regulus hair– hair that must be all dishevelled by now.
“Got a problem, Lovegood?” Regulus’ eyes narrow.
Any previous embarrassment Xenophilius must have had vanishes quickly, “Yes, actually!” the Ravenclaw replies, “Some people are trying to sleep. Do us all a favor and use a silencing charm, yeah?”
“Go snog your girlfriend,” He retorts back, “Might put you in a better mood–”
“Oh I think you're doing enough snogging for the both of us, Black.”
Barty clamps a hand over Regulus’ mouth before he can bite back with something in reply. “Sorry, Xeno. Silencing Charm, right?”
To his credit Xenophilius just nods and goes back to his bed. Not without one last glare at Regulus, of course.
Barty immediately gets off his lap and searches the foot of the bed for his wand. They must've knocked it away while they were– well– while they were doing that.
Regulus patiently waits in his side of the bed. Really, someone should get him an award for not jumping Barty's bones again right there. They should also get him one for not murdering Xenophilius in cold blood.
Barty eventually finds his wand and mutters the charm before finding perch against Regulus side. He places a gentle kiss onto Regulus’ neck and fits his face into the junction between his shoulder and neck.
Regulus gives Barty his own kiss, this one landing on the crown of his head. He lays his cheek on top of the blonde hair, absentmindedly bringing an arm to wrap around Barty's shoulder.
“Does this mean you love me too?” Barty's says. His voice is muffled against Regulus’ sleep shirt but he hears it clear enough.
“Yes,” Regulus smiles, “I love you too.”