ᴏᴍɴɪꜱᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ✵ʀᴇɢᴜʟᴜꜱ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ✵

𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈

☼ ꜰʀᴇʏᴀ ☼

»»-------≪ °❈° ≫-------««

After a rather lovely date Caradoc had put together for Freya in the kitchens with romantic candles and delightful desserts, he walks her to the Ravenclaw common room. Through squares of moonlight upon the fifth floor, past suits of armour whose helmets creak at the sound of their footsteps, they speak about the upcoming ball this weekend in high spirits. Once they reach the plain expanse of aged wood, Freya reaches out to use the bronze knocker shaped as an eagle.

Its large beak opens, and a soft, musical voice says, "What is always in front of you, but can never be seen?"

The answer comes to Freya almost immediately, mostly because the riddle doesn't apply to her. So she replies through a half-suppressed chuckle, "The future."

"Correct," the eagle sings, and a door swings open.

Freya lifts her chin to glance up at her boyfriend, rosy cheeks glowing as pinks lips curve. "I had a really nice time tonight."

"Me too." Caradoc's smile is broad and cheerful, showcasing a row of sparkling white teeth before he bends down to delicately kiss her.

"I know we've only been together for a month," Caradoc adds as they break apart. He gently brushes his fingers over the side of her hand, slowly and casually grabbing two fingers, the pinky and ring ones, with a squeeze. "But I... I think I'm falling in love with you, Freya"

Startled, she sucks in a sharp breath of air. "Oh."

"You don't have to say it back," Caradoc assures, quick and genuine. An indistinct shade of pink peeps through his golden skin. "I just wanted to say it."

"Thank you," Freya blurts out, internally shrivelling as soon as she does. She shifts from one foot to the other, feeling jittery, then stands on her tiptoes to brush her lips gently against his warm cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Caradoc nods and releases her hand. "Goodnight, Freya."

When Freya enters the common room, two figures stumble backwards. Emmeline and Benjy instantaneously pretend to take great interest in the tall statue of white marble. "You look marvellous today, Rowena," Benjy tells the bust, feigning nonchalance.

Of course, Freya knows they were just eavesdropping and she's caught them red-handed. She fixes the couple with an accusatory glare, hands planted on her hips. "Really?"

Emmeline curls her lips guiltily using minimal eye contact, unlike Benjy, whose eyes crinkle in his snickers.

"Did you say thank you when he said I love you?"

In the sitting area, Kingsley swivels his head around in disbelief. "He told you he loves you?"

"No!" Freya snaps speedily. She blushes and fiddles with her left earring. "He said he thinks he's falling in love with me."

Pandora doesn't look up from her fast moving fingers that sew a dress for the ball, but she does visibly grimace. "Already?"

Dorcas convulses in giggles. "And you said thank you?"

Freya's eyes roll skyward to the domed ceiling painted with stars. "Glad my humiliation is entertainment to you lot."

"I'm glad, too," Benjy jokes as he leaps over top-cushions to land on a couch next to Kingsley.

"We bully because we love," says Emmeline, squeezing between the boys.

The hearth is burning up a new fire, hot and fast, young logs crackling. Dorcas sits in front of it upon the midnight-blue carpet, charmed bottles of nail polish float to paint both her toes and fingernails. The deepest hues of red to match her gown for the ball. Freya throws herself sideways on the one-cushion sofa and lazily drapes a leg over the arm.