our universe

- T H E Y K N O W -

I giggled, feeling the soft brush of Xavier's lips on my neck. I swatted him away teasingly, "Xavier! I'm trying to figure out these plays!" I returned to my Quidditch playbook, scribbling notes in the margins of my diagram. Xavier peered over me, resting his chin balefully on my shoulder.

"No peeking either!" I chastised, "We have a game against you guys next week."

"Well then maybe you should stop doing that and focus on me." Xavier tore me away from my notebook, leaning back against his desk and pulling me towards him for a kiss. His hands hooked around my waist as I reached my arms around his neck.

"Shouldn't you be working on plays too?" I murmured between kisses.

"Already finished." He grinned as I groaned.

"Of course you did." I rolled my eyes, "Far be it from me to assume Xavier Zabini be anything less than perfect."

"Mmmm, if I'm so perfect why you haven't told anyone about us?" He teased, but there was a kernel of truth behind it.

Xavier and I had been dating for a couple of weeks now, actually maybe more than a couple. We'd be coming up on a month soon. It had been going well. Really well.

Wow. I hadn't realized it had been that long. I guess he was my boyfriend, my first real boyfriend. He called me his girlfriend sometimes, but I'd never called him boyfriend. Not aloud anyways.

No one knew. Viv, Jade, and Rory knew very few details, and the boys knew nothing at all. I spent every free moment with him. Kissing him, talking to him, listening to him play the piano. Which was so unfathomably hot. He's amazing, of course.

"That reminds me," I said with a smile, disentangling myself from his grasp. "I have to get back. Any longer and they'll come looking." Granted, it would probably take them awhile, the last place they'd expect to me was in the Slytherin dungeon.

"Or you could tell them about me." Xavier wrapped his arms around my waist, preventing me from leaving.

"Xavier." I put my hands on his chest, shaking my head, "Trust me, the longer I can keep this from them the better. I'm only trying to protect you." I could already picture the boys pouncing on him the second they found out, let alone what Teddy would say. I shuddered at the thought. I hadn't even thought about telling my parents. I was very deliberately putting it off. It was bound to be an awkward conversation, and I'd just...rather not.

"As long as it's for me." Xavier sighed dramatically, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, "Do you really have to go?"

I nodded, pecking him on the cheek. He pouted, "Can I see you later tonight then? After the headmaster induction?"

"I don't know." I bit my lip, "I'll be tied up with family stuff." I sighed, "We have to be up front with my dad the whole time." To tell you the truth I was not at all looking forward to the event tonight. It was just a silly portrait hanging. I didn't understand why he got one anyways, this was only temporary. At least I would get to see mum, and all my aunts and uncles too.

I shouldered my bag, making for the door again. Xavier grabbed my hand and drew me back to him, pressing a lingering kiss to my lips.

"Xavier!" I exclaimed, laughing, "I really have to go."

"One more kiss," he pleaded, batting his eyelashes.

"You already got one more kiss." I squeezed his hand a final time, finally walking out of the dungeons and back to the surface.

The clock chimed five times. Shit. I needed to get ready. Mum would have a cow if I was late, and I still had no idea what I was going to wear. What was the daughter of an interim headmaster supposed to wear anyways? I picked up my pace, briskly flying through the corridors. I always lost track of time when I was with Xavier. A goofy smile spread over my face, like it always did when I thought about him.