alluringly entwined | f.w, d.m

10

"Someone shoot me." Da'Shylah dropped into the spot on the Slytherin couch next to Giovanni. "Why have I already got a little crush on Ginny Weasley, my future fucking wife?"

"That's a bad thing?" Mavi uttered, confused.

"I'll do the honors of shooting you." Joaquin raised a hand, sitting next to Mavi on the floor by the coffee table.

The friend group was in the Slytherin common room after classes to do a group assignment—Oshun, Jaoquin, Forest, Giovanni, and Tavius—so they all just met up to do work and talk.

"Thank you, Joaquin," Da'Shylah said, half sarcastic and half sincere. "I will forever appreciate your bravery."

He nodded, placing a hand over his heart.

Oshun chuckled and wiggled her feet, which now rested on Da'Shylah's lap. Oshun's back rested against the arm of the couch, her thighs over Giovanni's lap.

"We need to write down the six definitions," Giovanni said, patting Oshun's knee before he put the textbook over them. "I'll read them out and, Oshun, you write them down."

She nodded and he began to read them out. She had her parchment over another textbook on her lap, so she could write them.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but no one is getting together with their spouses yet," Da'Shylah said as she smoothed down the top of her head, her hair in perfect space buns.

"Because no one likes this new marriage law," Forest said, sitting on the armchair by the fire with her work on her lap. "Plus, we're all going to be forced to marry anyway, so it doesn't matter whether we build a connection and fall in love or not."

Oshun and Mavi, who was sitting on the floor by the couch, exchanged grim glances. "Brilliant," they mumbled under their breaths at the same time.

"Well, Oshun, you've got to choose one of your choices," Tavius said as he stretched out in his armchair, crossing his legs by the ankles.

"I'll just choose when the one-year deadline is up." She shrugged, still writing down the definitions. "Like I told Fred, I'll choose out of a hat because neither of them want me."

But perhaps she wanted one of them.

"You talked to Fred?" almost all her mates blurted unison, surprised. They all looked at her with saucer eyes.

Oshun shifted in her seat, clearing her throat. "Yes." Her cheeks pinked ever so slightly.

Silence.

"Come on, Oshun, share some more," Da'Shylah urged, patting said girl's shins softly.

"It was a couple nights ago in the common room when everyone was asleep," Oshun said, quieting her voice for their ears only. "It was just the two of us in the room."

"I thought Fred hated you?" Mavi mused, eyebrows drawn together in bewilderment.

Oshun's eyes glanced around the common room to ensure they were alone. "He said he doesn't. He said that Granger doesn't like him being around me."

"So she's insecure," Da'Shylah countered.

"Exactly what I said." Oshun nodded once.

"But have you spoken to Fred since then?" Joaquin questioned curiously, eyes flicking from the textbook on his lap over to her.

"Haven't seen him around much," Oshun replied, lifting her shoulders. She whipped her head lightly to toss a few loose curls over her shoulder and out of her face. "But I hope..." She faltered and shrugged again.