Jealousy, Jealousy || Jegulus & Rosekiller

8. The Prefect's Bathroom

Regulus

When Regulus enters their dorm room, he finds only Barty.

"Reg, did you cry? Are you okay?", Barty immediately stands up and walks up to him, taking Regulus' hands in his own.

"I did, but I'm okay", he smiles. "I cried with James".

"Did he make you cry? I will hex him".

"No, no", he laughs, "I just ended up thinking about my lovely family. But it was not James' fault", and he tells him everything.

"He's not who I thought he was", he murmurs, then lifts his head and says, "Barty, I think I like him".

"I already knew you did", Barty smiles.

"I didn't", he says. "Hug me, please".

"Of course", and Barty lifts him off the ground and spins him around, laughing and making him laugh.

When they are about to fall asleep, Barty is lying on top of him, his head is on Regulus' chest, and Regulus is holding him with his arms encircling him. Regulus whispers, "Do you think I should forget about James?".

"Why should you?", asks Barty.

"Maybe it would be for the best. We're so different... And what if he doesn't like me back? And I'm still not sure I trust him. He's friends with Sirius. What if I'm wrong about him? What if-"

"You're finding excuses, Reg. It's okay to be scared. Take your time, think about it", says Barty reassuringly, then he adds, "It might take a while, but get used to the idea that you might be in love with James Potter", and he squeezes Regulus.

The next morning, Regulus wakes up curled up on top of Barty and he smiles. He closes Barty's nose until Barty wakes up, all grumpy. Regulus is laughing, "I just wanted you to suffer as I suffer", he says dramatically. "I suffer because I don't want to go to breakfast and see James".

"No, we will go, and you will see your loverboy. I know you want to", laughs Barty, tickling his waist.

It takes some convincing on Barty's part, but in the end, they enter the Great Hall. Barty squeezes Regulus' hand to give him courage.

As they sit, Regulus searches for James with his eyes. He finds him, and smiles at him. James doesn't smile back, though. He just turns around.

Regulus is squeezing Barty's hand so hard that the other boy can't surely feel it anymore.

"Barty, I have to leave".

"Okay, just breathe for a second", Barty brings his hand to Regulus' cheek, and Regulus concentrates on the touch.

"I don't want to go to Charms", says Regulus as they are walking down the corridor.

Barty has a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Let's ditch and go flying", he grins.

Regulus beams, "I'd love that".

At lunch, they find Evan and Pandora. They ask them where they were that morning, they had to cover for them and say they were sick.

"We just didn't feel like being bored all morning", jokes Barty, dismissing it. Regulus is grateful to have Barty.

"Actually, I don't think you would have been that bored", says Pandora, smiling. "We planned something for tonight. We will sneak into the Prefect's Bathroom".

"Pandora! Are you planning to break the rules? I can't believe it!", exclaims Barty.

"I am indeed", she laughs. "Xeno is a prefect, and he had this idea of using his key to sneak us in when everyone is already gone to bed".