The School and the Sociopath {Revised Edition} ~teen!potter!lock~

Chapter 14: I Don't Know How

A/N: This will be Mycroft's POV again. Let me just say that at this time, wizard swears (courtesy of Neil Cicierega) are treated the way we treat "dadburn" and "scurvy dogs." They're old people swears and really aren't bad at all. At this time, wizards just use muggle curses to express their emotions. ~Kate

After running like cowards from that uncomfortable situation, Greg and I found ourselves in the owlery. I was actually quite glad. The Hogwarts owlery was always a comfortable place for me to be. When I came here, I would just think for hours on end, contemplating or deciding, it didn't matter. I didn't know why I liked the place so much; I had nothing against owls, but they were far from my favorite animal. I suppose the higher elevation helped me clear my thoughts? Maybe the air was cleaner, but anyway, I found that I was ready to talk to Greg when we got there. He leaned back against one of the cages while I stared out the window. For a moment, all was silent, while I searched for words. In the end, it was Greg who spoke.

"You want to take back that kiss?" he asked. I turned and looked at him in confusion.

"Why would I want to do that?"

"I know you don't like me, Mycroft. Whatever that was, I don't know what it is. You said it yourself, sentiment is not an advantage."

"... Yes, you're right. Sentiment is not an advantage." I looked down at my toes, a view I didn't very often allow myself. "But my brother says he's married to his work, and look at him and John. There are exceptions." Greg's mouth was parted slightly in shock. Was he so surprised I wasn't the iceman everyone called me? "That day... I was shocked. I didn't know what to do." I chuckled. "I still don't know. I want to give you everything, be the best man to you, love you to pieces, but I don't know how." We were close now, so close I could feel his breath on my cheeks. "Greg, I don't know how to love."

Silence. We didn't break our stare. Then I felt warm arms around me and Greg rested his chin in the crook of my neck. 

"Doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does. You would be happier with a woman, someone like Anthea."

"I could never get a woman like Anthea, nor do I want to," Greg said, now looking into my eyes. "I'm happiest wherever you are." This was starting to sound like a sappy muggle chick flick, but I didn't care. I smiled genuinely for the first time in so very, very long. Greg grinned back and pressed a kiss to my lips. He grabbed me by my collar and pulled me into the kiss so I couldn't pull away. Not that I wanted to. He was wonderful.

Soon, though, after an hour of kissing and touching, he realized it was time to return to our common rooms. Everyone was coming back from the ball now, and would wonder where we had gone. I wasn't sure if I wanted to make our relationship public yet, and Greg insisted he wanted whatever I did. Voldemort's nipple, I loved him. 

 About a month later, Greg and I agreed we were ready to come clean. The next Hogsmeade trip, we were at the Three Broomsticks (we as in Greg, Sherlock, John, Molly, Sally, and I) sipping butterbeer when Greg said that he and I had an announcement to make. Molly promptly blew her sip of butterbeer out through her nose in shock. It was really rather disgusting, but as I was more shocked than repulsed, I didn't think about that fact much at the time. 

"You're pregnant?!" she screeched. Immediately, all eyes in the restaurant were on us. I buried my face in my hands as Greg burned red and Sherlock smirked. John and Sally were totally bewildered about the whole ordeal. 

"No, idiot," I hissed, and instantly regretted it from the hurt look that rose on Molly's face. Sally glared at me, and I looked back down at my piece of cake, which was becoming increasingly interesting as I avoided looking at my comrades.

"No, we've started going out, me and Mycroft." Greg smiled, waiting for a reaction. Suddenly, my dear brother burst out guffawing. Once again, all eyes in the restaurant were on us. Thank you, Sherlock. The lady at the bar scowled at us, and we took that as enough of a suggestion to leave. Unfortunately, I had to leave that slice of cake, which had actually been quite good.

Our next area of assembly was Honeydukes. I was happy to browse the many sweets as Greg explained our relationship to our friends. He frequently mentioned many things that caused an involuntary blush in my neck, but since I was bent over deciding between treacle fudge and an acid pop, no one saw it. 

On the way back to school, everyone was talking about us. I knew that, by the end of the evening, everyone in Hogwarts would know. Not that I minded. I was happy to be known as Greg Lestrade's boyfriend.

Greg and I were sitting at the foot of some trees at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Our classes were done for the day, and the spring weather was pleasantly warm. Greg was dozing next to me. I turned to look at him. He really was quite attractive. Brown eyes, long lashes. An adorable nose that was crooked from a Quidditch accident and turned a bit up at the end. An oval face, with a bit of chin, slightly cleft. An athletic, healthy body. But the most beautiful part of Greg was his hair. It was almost shoulder length, and a perfect brown that shimmered gold in places because of the sunlight. Although he didn't spend too much time taking care of it, it always smelled nice and was silky smooth. I pressed a cheek to his hair and felt the comfortable coolness of it.

"You're a pervert, you know that?" Greg said suddenly. "Abusing my hair while I sleep." I chuckled and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Problem?"

"Not at all." And we kissed gently as the golden sunlight filtered through the trees and danced in Greg's wonderful hair again. 

I loved him, loved him, loved him. Even more than cake, and that was saying a lot.