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"Get the porcupine quills," Regulus instructs.
Josie nods, swiftly making her way to the ingredient shelf in the potions class. The assignment requires them to brew a potion.
While searching, a girl rudely shoves her aside, prompting a glare from Josie.
"Stay away from Regulus" The girl says, giving Josephine a bitchy smile.
"No," Josie retorts, bumping shoulders with the girl before returning to her table, placing the ingredients for Regulus with a pointed glare.
"Are you okay, darling?" Regulus inquires, his attention fixed on the simmering potion.
"Fine," she mutters, finally shifting her focus from the girl to the potion.
Regulus, noticing her glare, queries, "What happened?"
"Nothing," she sighs, redirecting her attention back to the potion.
Regulus glances between her and the potion. "Can you pass me the quills?"
Handing them over, she watches as he adds the quills to the brew and slowly stirs.
"Now we wait," he murmurs, taking a step back.
Turning to her, Regulus changes the subject. "What book are you reading right now?"
Her eyes widen slightly, a blush coloring her cheeks. "Um, it's a romance book."
Regulus smirks knowingly. "One of those, then?"
"Maybe," she admits, glancing down to hide her flushed face.
"You're quite pretty when you blush," he whispers, leaning closer. Josie meets his gaze briefly.
Her breath catches. "People can see us," she whispers.
"But I find making you blush quite entertaining," he replies, amused by her reaction, though she averts her gaze.
"Stop," she murmurs, despite secretly enjoying these moments, knowing the risks of being caught.
Josephine cherishes these stolen moments, feeling as if time itself pauses, leaving only the two of them without any worries.
As Regulus chuckles softly and steps back, Josie exhales, glancing at their potion. Professor Slughorn approaches their table to inspect the potion.
"Very good, Mr. Black," Slughorn nods approvingly. "And you too, Miss Potter. Ten points to both of your houses," he announces before moving to another table.
"I hardly did anything," Josie comments, tapping lightly on the table.
Regulus shrugs casually. "You got the ingredients."
She laughs softly and shakes her head, enjoying their teamwork. As class concludes, Josephine packs her belongings and exits alongside Regulus.
"Come on," Regulus says, leading the way with a purpose, leaving her puzzled.
"Where are we going?" Josie questions, trying to keep up with him.
"To a closet," he states bluntly, his attention elsewhere.
She arches an eyebrow at his sudden proposition, but he doesn't meet her gaze. Following him through the bustling hallway, they find a door, and he cautiously leads them inside, closing the door behind them.
The darkness envelops them within the cramped space of the closet, rendering the walls and surroundings invisible. "Why are we in here, Regulus?" Josie's inquiry holds a hint of knowing.
A faint whisper fills the air, followed by the sudden flicker of candlelight on the walls, revealing the small enclosure. Regulus appears as alluring as ever.
"May I kiss you?" His voice, soft and subdued, seeks permission.
"Of course," she whispers back.
His hand gently cradles her face, the chill of his rings a stark contrast against her warmth. As he leans in, his touch on her waist makes her uneasy, though she fights hard not to flinch, relieved that he doesn't seem to notice.
Closing her eyes, she reciprocates the kiss, but the abrupt contact with the wall steals her breath. Not a suffocating panic, but a jittery nervousness. Instinctively, she lifts her hands to cup his face.
Moments later, their intimate moment is interrupted by the sudden opening of the door. They spring apart, wide-eyed, their attention drawn to the intrusion.
Taking a sharp breath, Josie's hands fall away from his face, nerves tingling.
James and Sirius stand frozen in the doorway, casting a heavy silence that seems to fill every inch of the small space.
Josephine's awareness heightens; she can feel Regulus's hands still resting on her face and waist, her heartbeat racing faster than before, pulsating with the intensity of the moment.
James appears dumbstruck, his mouth agape as if attempting to voice his astonishment. Sirius mirrors James's disbelief, blinking rapidly in shock.
As Regulus's grip on her waist tightens, Josie struggles to ease her mounting insecurities, a challenging task given the unexpected intrusion.
James hesitantly closes the door, only to promptly swing it open again. "What the fuck is going on here!" James bursts out, his hand still gripping the door handle while Sirius struggles to process the scene.
Josie moistens her lips nervously, turning her gaze towards Regulus, who seems at a loss, his options limited — to feign indifference or... she isn't certain what the alternative might be.
Clearing her throat, Josie summons her courage, gently tapping Regulus's hand on her waist.
Regulus seems to snap back to reality, retracting his hands from Josie.
"I knew it," Sirius mutters, a gleeful tone in his voice. "I knew it!" He laughs with a hint of mischief.
James glares at Sirius, demanding, "What do you mean you knew?"
Sirius clears his throat, quickly fabricating, "I honestly had no clue about any of this. None at all."
Regulus cautiously takes a step back from her, prompting Josie to offer reassurance. "It's fine. They won't tell anyone," she states firmly, fixing a stern gaze on James and Sirius. "You won't tell anyone."
They both nod in agreement before James cuts in.
"Have a good day," Josie declares, pushing away from the wall and exiting the closet, passing James and Sirius with a mix of frustration and exasperation. Honestly she is surprised James isn't more upset over this. But maybe he has finally realized that he can't control her.
Merlin, she couldn't even share a private moment with her boyfriend without an interruption.
