Filthy Purebloods | ʳᵉᵍᵘˡᵘˢ ᵇˡᵃᶜᵏ

Lots of Flirting

The bundle of nerves in Sidra's stomach which she could only assume were butterflies prevented her from having much of an appetite. She picked around her plate, eating bits and pieces but was more than ready to leave when she noticed Regulus wasn't at the table. She knew he was waiting for her in the library and she wouldn't leave him to linger for another second.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Marina asked through a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

Sidra held up her bag. "Lots of work to do." The lie didn't even sound convincing to her.

"Or lots of flirting to do." Marina cooed.

Sidra turned and eyed her best friend before sitting down with a defeated sigh. "How did you know?"

Marina winked. "I didn't. But you reek of that berry perfume that you only save for special occasions so I assumed. Tell me..." She leaned in. "Which of the brothers is it?"

Sidra gasped and playfully swatted her. "What an outrageous question."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on..." She urged.

Sidra looked around for any listening ears and finally relented. "Regulus. And you're keeping me from him."

Marina grinned. "How extraordinary! But..."

"But?"

Marina narrowed her eyes to the end of the long table. A group of boys with equally cruel sneers and even harsher words sat there, whispering among themselves. "His company is questionable."

Sidra agreed. The likes of Avery and Rosier were not those that you wanted to be associated with. Even if they had never done anything to her, she knew their type and what they were capable of - they were probably recruited too. Still, Regulus wasn't his friends. He was Regulus - handsome, snarky, angelic Regulus.

"I have to go." Sidra quickly said.

"Be careful." She heard Marina call but she was already out of the hall.

Regulus was reading over the spines in the Defense Against the Dark Arts section. Sidra raced to his side. "Sorry, I'm late."

"You're not."

"Should we sit? I have this spot near all the books I need."

He followed her to her usual seat and looked around in approval. "Very nice and... secluded."

"I like my privacy." She explained. "Anyway... What did you need to go over?"

He shrugged. "I figured we'll need to master more advanced spells; to impress him." She nodded. "So I swiped this from Dumbledore's office." He pulled a book from his bag and slammed it onto the table between them.

"Dumbledore's office?" She laughed, tracing her fingertips over the book. It sent a strange sensation across her body and she immediately dropped her hand.

"I have my ways." Regulus winked and it was all Sidra could do to not squeal in response or turn bright red like a tomato.

The title read Secrets of the Darkest Art in sizeable white text across the black leather cover. Tendrils of purple shot out at the sides and gave it a rather ominous allure.

"This feels very... powerful." She admitted. "Have you opened it, yet?"

Regulus shook his head. "I was waiting for you."

"Maybe we should warm up to it." She used one of her books to push the tome away and instantly a feeling of relief washed over her, almost as though the book had shrouded the space in dis-ease.

"Aside from that, I'm having trouble with non-verbal spells."

That was the sixth-year curriculum but Sidra was fairly accomplished when it came to spells. "They're not too hard, I can help you with that. Easy."

And she did. She spent every evening with Regulus, aiding him, teaching him and... fawning over him. The more she got to know him the more she loved him. He was an incredibly talented wizard and even more than that, a good person.

They went over lots of things - the most difficult spells known to the Wizarding World, but even Sidra couldn't help him when it came to things like Apparition. Not only was it illegal until she was 17 but it took a great deal of concentration which she found hard to muster when standing so close to Regulus.

She was beginning to think he may like her back. It was in the small things he did, like winking at her when they passed each other in the corridors or mindlessly touching her when they couldn't quite figure out how to do something. She loved it when he grabbed her hand in delight after just discovering something.

These small things had her fantasizing about what it would be like to date him.

During one particular Study of Ancient Runes class, Sidra was unable to take her eyes off him. She sighed dreamily and hesitantly turned back to her work, only to almost jump out of her chair when she spotted Marina next to her.

"When the hell did you get here?" She snarled, looking around to make sure no one had seen her catch the fright of her life.

Marina looked at her strangely and shook her head, her pink waves bouncing as she did. "I've been here this entire lesson."

"Don't lie."

"Don't accuse me of lying when the only thing you seem capable of seeing these days is Regulus."

Sidra huffed and turned to face the front of the classroom. Maybe Marina was right – perhaps she had been too distracted to even notice her. Still, she was sure she would have realized someone was sitting right next to her.

Just then, a bird – a finch, by the looks of it – made of parchment fluttered onto her desk, landing on top of her work. She looked around for the sender and Regulus winked at her, making her heart flutter.

Sidra, I was thinking we should practice tomorrow morning again, instead of prefect duty.

She gasped and scribbled a response, sending the paper bird back to him. It was scandalous, Regulus suggesting they skip prefect duty. She giggled at the thought while Marina gagged mockingly beside her.

"Can you two get a room?"

Sidra watched Regulus catch the bird in his hands. "I'm waiting for him to make a move."

"He spends every damn night with you. I'd say that's a move."

"It's every evening and it's for a perfectly good reason." One that she could not tell, not that Marina asked. Her friend seemed lost in her own world these days. Still, if she did ask what was Sidra to say, what would Marina think if she knew what she and Regulus were really up to?

The bird landed on her table again.

If you're looking so forward to patrolling the halls on a Saturday, then we can meet afterwards.

She rolled her eyes and tucked the bird into her pocket, knowing that she would drop everything to see Regulus whenever he wanted.