"He hates her."
"No he doesn't, not really.
She just makes him feel things that he's claimed don't exist."
･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･･ﾟﾟ･｡
When Slughorn puts Callisto McAdams and Regulus Black in his potions class together, he unknowingly functions as a match maker...
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CALLISTO HOLDS HIM CLOSE, her arms wrapped tightly around Regulus as though she's afraid if she lets go, everything will unravel. His breathing has steadied, but neither of them makes a move to end the hug. The weight of the moment hangs between them—he is allowing himself to be vulnerable, something she never thought would happen. His breath is warm against her skin, his body still trembling slightly as if it's not entirely certain it's safe yet.
They are closer than they've ever been. For the first time, he's not hiding behind the walls he's so carefully constructed. And yet... something about this moment feels fragile. Callisto knows it might break any second.
Is this real? she thinks. Is this really happening?
She can feel every part of her body hum with awareness—the warmth of his arms around her, the sound of his breath filling the silence. RegulusBlack, the boy she's clashed with for years, the boy who's always kept her at arm's length, is letting her in. And yet, she can't help but feel a flicker of fear.
What does this mean for them? What does it mean for her?
His arms tighten around her waist and Callisto closes her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to enjoy the closeness, the tenderness she never expected from him. But why now?
She wonders, Am I the only one who's ever noticed that something is wrong with him? All year, she's watched him—watched the shift in his demeanor, the way he hides something darker underneath his cold exterior. Maybe it's just because she's the one person in his life who doesn't judge him for his connections, who doesn't expect him to be the perfect son or the perfect student.
But even I don't know him.
"Regulus," she says softly, his name a breath against the air.
He hums in response, but his head remains buried in the crook of her neck. Foramoment, everythingfeelsright. It's like the rest of the world has faded away, and they're suspended in their own little bubble, away from the expectations, the lies, the darkness.
She can't resist. "Look at me," she whispers, her voice almost too gentle. She brushes her fingers through the soft curls at the back of his neck. It's an instinct, the need to comfort him, to know what's inside his mind.
Regulus slowly lifts his head, eyes dark with something she can't quite place. But this time, there's no hardness in them—no masks. His eyes meet hers, soft, almost... searching. Her heart skips a beat, and she wonders if he feels it too—the weight of this moment.
For a heartbeat, time stands still. The world outside fades away, and it's just the two of them. It's like that moment at The Three Broomsticks, but different—this time, they're not hiding behind alcohol. "Tell me" She whispers.
