𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆, regulus black

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝟑: 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

The cabinet had the strongest scent of dust and mold. 

Not that it mattered to either of them. 

Not that they smelled it over the overbearing scents of each other.

Rune craned her neck away from Regulus. It was obviously the same perfume that Super Mysterious Guy and the rest of the roommates wore. 

Something about smelling it on Regulus felt awfully wrong to her. 

Professor Slughorn was humming a tune to a song by Weird Sisters. 

Rune clamped her lips together to hold in a chuckle. 

She glanced at Regulus and noticed the pained expression on his face as he seemed to be pressing himself as far up against the cabinet as he could manage. 

"You okay?" she whispered. 

Slughorn's humming seized at once and as Rune took a gulp of air, Regulus' hand pressed firmly against her mouth. 

Professor Slughorn's footsteps moved towards them as his voice boomed through the room. "Is someone there?" 

Rune looked up and she was so grateful for his hand over her mouth because she was sure she would have gasped at the way he was looking down at her. 

Even with the darkness in that cabinet, she could feel his gaze burning through her skin. 

There was not enough air in that space because she was struggling to breathe. 

His thumb stroked her cheek gently and her fingers bunched around his shirt. She wasn't even sure when she took ahold of it.

He used his free hand to place a finger over his mouth and motion for her to stay silent. 

Before she could register it, she was pressed between the cabinet frame and his body with his hand securely clasped over her mouth. 

Regulus waved his wand over them just as the door to the cabinet swung open and light streamed in. 

Rune's eyes flitted over Regulus' shoulder, and she watched how Professor Slughorn's gaze swept over them as if they weren't there. 

"Must be losing my mind," murmured Professor Slughorn as he stifled a yawn.

As the cabinet door shut again, Rune crumpled slightly in relief. 

She looked into Regulus' eyes again and her fingers began to tingle with nervousness. 

Her body hadn't quite learnt how to stop reacting to him. It was evident as he leaned down, and her eyes instinctively closed. 

He moved close enough for his lips to brush her chin before he whispered, "On three, run for your life." 

She braced herself for the count, but he immediately said, "Three" and shoved the door open. 

Rune didn't wait to see if he followed behind her or if Slughorn noticed. Her adrenaline kicked in and she bolted to the door and exited the office. 

She lingered around for a couple of seconds until Regulus emerged slightly breathless and looking far more disheveled than before he went in. His shirt hung haphazardly untucked over him. 

As soon as they made it a safe distance away from the office, she turned to him and scowled, "Why did you have to come?" 

He frowned. "I think you're supposed to say, 'Thank you for saving me from getting caught by Slughorn'."