Swallow your pride 2

Ruined date

Aurelius's Pov

It was almost midnight when Aurelius was finally returning from the kitchen duty that Sebastian had given him as punishment. He walked sullenly towards the Slytherin common room. Aurelius walked down the corridor, his mind still preoccupied with his conversation with Sebastian. As he turned a corner, he suddenly noticed a figure in the distance. His heart skipped a beat as he recognised the slender form and the soft, messy hair. It was *Isadora*. She seemed to be frozen, her back turned to him as if she was deep in thought.

"Isadora!" Aurelius called out, his heart now racing for a completely different reason. As soon as the word left his lips, he realised he'd been louder than he intended. He quickened his pace and called out again, this time in a softer, gentler tone.
"Isadora," he repeated, his voice filled with a strange mix of relief and worry. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night? Is everything alright?"

Isadora jumped at the sound of his voice.
"I... I couldn't sleep, I was waiting for you in the common room and when you didn't come back, I started to get worry and went looking for you. "

Aurelius's heart softened at her words. He could see the concern in her eyes, and it made him feel a strange mix of guilt and affection. "I'm sorry," he said, moving closer to her. "I had a conversation with Sebastian. It... it went on longer than I expected." He reached out and grasped her hand gently, needing the physical connection. "You shouldn't have waited for me. You should have gone to bed."

Isadora's heart fluttered at the touch of his hand, the way he spoke softly to her. For a moment, she felt the urge to tell him the truth, to confess where she was going and why. But the words died on her lips, the fear of his reaction stopping her. So she smiled weakly, giving his hand a small squeeze. "I... I know, but I couldn't help it," she mumbled quietly, trying to ignore the way his presence seemed to make her feel unsteady. "I was worried about you. You've been gone all evening...I wasn't going to be able to sleep anyway." Her eyes darted to the clock on the wall.

Aurelius's grip on her hand tightened. He was touched by her worry, by the effort she'd made just to see him. It was an innocent gesture, a sisterly concern, yet it struck a chord deep within him. "Worrying about me is a waste of your time," he said softly, his eyes meeting hers again, holding her gaze this time. "I can take care of myself, you know." He squeezed her hand gently, hoping to reassure her. "I'm fine," he assured her. "Sebastian just... well, he was disappointed in me. But I'm fine."
"I know you can," Isadora said, her voice quieter. She looked down at their hands, still clasped together. The touch of his skin against hers made her heart race all over again, heat creeping up her neck.
She swallowed hard, her mind still a jumble of chaotic thoughts. She longed to tell him about Marcus, but the words refused to come out. So many secrets between them, so much left unsaid.
"What... what did Sebastian say?"

Aurelius could sense the slight change in her tone, the quietness of her words. He knew she was curious about his conversation with Sebastian, and he felt bad for making her worry. He was silent for a moment, his thumb absentmindedly tracing gentle circles on the back of her hand, relishing the feel of her soft skin under his touch.
"It's not important," he finally said, trying to sound nonchalant. "It was just... a disagreement. But... it's nothing to worry about."
"A disagreement about what?" she asked.

Aurelius sighed softly. He knew he couldn't keep the truth from her forever. And the way she was looking at him, the way her skin reacted to his touch, it made his heart ache. "About... what happened earlier," He ran his thumb over her knuckles again, feeling the soft, warm skin under his fingertips. "Sebastian... he thinks I acted too impulsively. That I should have handled it differently."
She tightened her grip on his hand, her voice soft when she spoke. "You... you were just trying to protect me," she said, her voice cracking slightly.