LIFELINE | 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙒𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙮

▪︎ 29.

It was dark and eerie. Even Peeves wasn't making his usual trouble, so it was a surprise that a Prefect of Gryffindor was in an empty classroom, after hours, doing nothing but something worthy of a week's detention.

The castle hallways were silent as two people tried their very best to not make sounds, but the breaths sounded ten times louder. The minds were in two, one concentrating on each other and two, listening for a hitch in the silence to break away.

"Kiss me more." Percy said, the blackness of the room hiding his red face. However, Eliza managed to convince him to take a late night detour to an empty classroom, he didn't know. But he did know she made him bend the rules he prided on following.

Eliza raised a brow. "Oh? I thought you were against the idea of being in an empty classroom after curfew?" She said, her voice full of teasing.

Percy shrugged sheepishly. "Times change."

She let out a small laugh. "Within the hour?" She asked. "And whatever so happened to: I cannot! I'm a prefect Alexandera!" Mimicking him very badly.

"Shh! Someone will hear us!" Percy said, whispering.

Eliza rolled her eyes, grinning. She took his collar and pulled him down suddenly, kissing him hard, him letting out a loud and surprised gasp.

"Umh—!"

And then they broke away when they heard anguished voices.

"Albus! Oh, thank heavens!" Professor McGonagall said, her voice distant but very audible.

Eliza and Percy stared at each other, wide-eyed and in horror. Slowly, Percy brought up a finger to his lips as they tiptoed, hand in hand to the door.

"To the Hospital Wing, Minerva. Mr.Creevy must've been sneaking there anyway." Dumbledore said with a serious voice.

"Another attack?" Eliza whispered worriedly, holding Percy's hand tighter.

The two teachers hurried their way, with their conversation hushed. It sounded very serious and panicked as they took Colin Creevy to the Hospital Wing.

When their voices were deemed a little far away from them, Percy turned to Eliza.

"Keep close to me." He said, trying his best to keep calm and not burst into nervous movement and flutter his arms all over.

Eliza simply nodded her head. What was supposed to be easy, heated, and laid back tryst turned a little less than a nightmarish adventure. The fact that the monster in the Chamber prowled the corridors the same night they decided to sneak out was not something Eliza wanted to imagine.

What if she was instead of Colin? Or worse, what if it was Percy?

She tugged on his hand as they made a move to get back to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Percy," Eliza called out. "Percy, don't go. Let's not go." She said, scared.

"What? Why not?" Percy said back immediately.

She locked her eyes with his. "What if... what if the monster is still out there? I don't want you to get attacked. Let's not go."

Percy took a deep breath despite himself feeling the same. He was a prefect, and at times like these, he had to look past emotions and lead.

"Alexandera." Percy said, "Listen, nothing will happen. It's just a stroll back to the common room, yeah?"

"It's not just—" Eliza started.

Percy pulled her into a small kiss, a reassuring one. He was never one to take motives as such. It seemed like the more time he spent with Eliza, the more comfortable he felt.