Starry Serendipity || R.A.B

33. Valerie and the prize

February 1976

Lost in the labyrinthine corridors of my thoughts, I step out from the secluded enclave where I had been immersed in the forbidden knowledge of the third book. The quiet rustle of pages lingers in my mind as I prepare to leave, my fingers lingering on the textured surface of the old tome. My thoughts swirl with the weight of what I've just discovered, yet I remain unaware of the world around me.

In a moment that unravels like a thread of fate, I collide with another body, the impact jarring me from my reverie. My heart leaps in my chest, and my reflexes barely manage to steady me from tumbling to the ground. The sensation of strong hands on my hips steadying me breaks through my disoriented haze.

I look up, and my eyes meet the intense gaze of Regulus Black. His proximity is startlingly intimate, our bodies nearly touching. My cheeks heat up with a fierce blush, but I'm rooted in place, captivated by the depth of his gaze, the proximity of our bodies and his hands still on me. There's something magnetic about this moment, an unspoken connection that holds us together.

His eyes seem to trace the contours of my face, and for a fleeting second, I'm lost in the vulnerability of that gaze. The atmosphere is heavy with unspoken words, a tension that I can't quite decipher but can't bring myself to break either. The space between us seems charged with something beyond mere chance – a palpable energy that leaves me breathless.

Despite the crimson hue that warms my cheeks, I find myself unable to pull away. The brush of his fingers against my hips feels like a tether, grounding me in this fleeting instant. It's as if the world has faded away, leaving only Regulus and me suspended in a moment of connection.

His voice, when it comes, is a soothing contrast to the whirlwind of emotions swirling around us. "What are you doing out so late?" he inquires, his tone gentle yet laden with curiosity. It's a simple question, one that could lead to a myriad of responses, but it holds a deeper meaning in the context of this encounter.

I blink, momentarily caught off guard. My mind scrambles to find an answer that doesn't betray the secrets of the restricted section or the allure of the darkness that drove me to seek its forbidden knowledge. "I... I couldn't sleep," I manage, my voice a soft whisper that barely breaks the spell of the moment.

Regulus's gaze remains fixed on mine, and I can't help but feel that he sees through the facade, that he senses the unspoken truths lingering beneath my words. His touch on my hips lingers for a second longer before he slowly pulls away, a subtle shift that breaks the delicate connection between us.

The air between us seems to shimmer with a newfound awareness as he releases his hold on me. His cheeks tint with an enchanting shade of pink, an intriguing reversal of roles that I hadn't expected. In this brief exchange, our roles seem to have shifted, and I find myself observing him as he clears his throat, attempting to regain his composure.

We're near the courtyard, and the crisp night air rushes in through an open window, causing the curtains to flutter gently. Seizing the opportunity to regroup, I offer him a cigarette, a gesture that he accepts with a mixture of curiosity and intrigue. The small moment of shared indulgence brings an unexpected sense of camaraderie, a quiet recognition of the unspoken.

With a tip of my wand, I light my own cigarette and then extend the same courtesy to him. Our faces draw closer as I ignite the end of his cigarette, the tip glowing a soft ember in the dim light. As I lean in, I feel his eyes on me, a scrutiny that's both unsettling and oddly thrilling.

For a moment, time hangs suspended as our gazes hold. It's as if we're ensnared in a pocket of intimacy, the world beyond the window fading into insignificance. I find myself captivated by the shadows that dance across his features, the way his eyes seem to flicker with an unspoken curiosity.