When I tell you Regulus Black was not a man I expected to give up easy, but also not a man I expected to put in so much effort, I mean it. The last three weeks had been filled with little notes passed to Marlene for me, single carnations popping up in random places for me to find, my textbooks being enchanted with his notes, and just plain outright staring in the great hall.
James got out of the hospital wing the same week he went in, he walked away with minor injuries I was almost positive Pomfrey left as a punishment. Sirius had to go back daily to get screened for his concussion and daily potion to heal his head wound. Neither of them took too kindly to the looks coming from the Slytherin table.
"Just let me hex him!" James pleaded one night at dinner as he stared at Regulus.
"No!" We all chorused. James pouted while he drank his pumpkin juice. We'd explained a million times that starting a hexing war with Regulus Black would end with someone seriously hurt, and that person was most likely James. The boys stuck pretty close by me after Remus told them what happened with Rosier. I didn't mind much, they were a good distraction. After every meal these days you could find me and Siri in the yard having a smoke. Every night you'd find Remus curled up in my bed reading while Peter and Marlene chatted away. James was by my side after every class. He walked me everywhere, making sure I was safe or handed off to another person in our little group.
The only time I got to myself anymore was to go to sleep, but even then Marlene impishly pestered me about Regulus. I was one breakdown away from sleeping in the boys dorm.
"Vix? You coming?" Sirius asked, he stood to the side and seemed confused that I didn't just pop up with him. I nodded and shoved my last bit of roll into my mouth before falling in step with him. He wrapped an arm around me as we walked closer to the Slytherin table. He stared over my head at them. I looked away after catching Regulus' eye. "Roll with it." Sirius kissed my cheek and lowered his hand to around my waist. I could feel Regulus glaring at us as we walked out of the room. My breath caught in my throat. I blushed as Sirius laughed. I cracked a smile as we got outside.
"Maybe they'll back off of you now." Sirius joked as he lit my cigarette. I smiled.
"Not likely. They'll just come for us both now."
"At least we're in this together, Vix."
"Always are, Siri." I replied as I wrapped my arm around his shoulder. He groaned and tried to push me off. I clung on tighter until he gave in. We laughed while we smoked our cigarettes.
We walked back in a while later and were greeted by Marls in the common room. She raised her eyebrows at me in a motherly sort of way, I shooed Sirius off to his room. I sat beside her on the sofa.
"He slid this to me on the way out."
We need to talk. Now.
-R.A.B
The handwriting was somehow messier than usual. I crumpled it up.
"Come on, Nova. It's been a few weeks. Shouldn't you at least hear him out?"
"No."
"Merlin, what did he say to you?"
"That's not important. I'm not speaking to him."
"He'll just get more persistent in class then. You know that. Isn't it easier to talk to him in private now?"
"No."
"You're impossible." She shook her head. I sighed. She leaned her head on my shoulder and we just sat like that for a while, in front of the fire, neither of us spoke. We didn't need to.
