The Serpent and the Lion [L.S]

Chapter 14

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Harry didn't know when he left Gryffindor Tower earlier that evening that he'd be ending the night by dodging puke, but here he was.

"Fucking hell," Harry jumped back, narrowly avoiding the disaster by mere inches, something booming fiercely in his chest.

It was his heart, incessant, swinging like a mallet against his ribcage.

Harry fucked up.

This was it. This was going to be the harrowing story from his youth. The one time he actually took a chance to kiss someone, and they literally fucking vomited as a result.

Louis hunched over with both his hands on his knees, trembling.

"Fuck," Louis spat, the word bouncing off the walls and echoing down the corridor.

Harry stood, frozen in the horrifying combination of icy air and his own stupid stupid decisions.

"I tell you what, that did not taste as good coming up," Louis slurred sadly, shaking his head. "I do not feel very good at all."

Harry pulled out his wand, grimacing while he pointed it in Louis's general direction. "Scourgify."

As the mess dissipated, Louis staggered back, slumping against the wall. He slid all the way to the ground, dragging his hands down either side of his face.

Harry held his breath and waited for the inevitable, for the screaming match, for Louis to call him every name he could think of, for the threats to tell the entire school what Harry did—what Harry was.

It never came. Louis simply rubbed at his temples for a moment, and looked up at Harry with apologetic eyes.

"I'm sorry for getting sick on your shoes."

Harry blinked.

The boy was sincere. He frowned at Harry, clearly disappointed in...himself.

"You...you missed," Harry said. Stupidly.

"Did I?" Louis appeared wholly surprised at the information, his brows shooting up. "Good for me."

Was he expected to apologize if Louis didn't seem upset about the kiss? Were they just going to pretend it didn't happen?

Harry shoved his wand back in his coat, and his hands into his pockets.

"You need to get home."

"But what about Liam—"

"You told Liam where you'd be. Worry about yourself."

Louis glanced to the left, and to the right. He cocked his head.

"You're right," Louis whispered determinedly. He pointed a finger to the left, and hiccuped. "I'm gonna go home. Home is... that way."

As it was, Louis seemed to be pointing in the complete opposite direction to the Slytherin dungeons. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Don't tell me you don't know how to get back to the dungeons."

Louis's entire face scrunched up at Harry's words. "Don't tell me you don't not know how to get to the dungeons."

Harry blinked. "What?"

"Exactly. What you said made no sense either."

"What I said made perfect fucking sense—can you stand up?"