Truth or Dare ✔️

AE - 15

Later that afternoon, Regulus and Ally were in the library of the Dog House just for something to do, each in a cushy wing-back chair reading. Ally soon realized that she was the only one actually reading; Regulus' eyes were on something he found quite fair...her.

She looked up and Regulus' eyes darted to the text in his lap as he smiled.

"Busted," she said in a low voice.

He clicked his tongue and nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"What's on your mind, Reggie?"

"I think that should be plainly obvious. Don't you?"

As hard as she tried, she could not hide her smile. "Do you remember the last summer at the Potters'?"

He nodded and smiled warmly. "I do, yes."

"Did you ever stop to think that the awkward, funny soundin' pain in the arse bird from Belfast might actually win your heart?"

He grinned as he looked over the same sentence for the fourth time. "Never in a million," he replied as he looked in to her eyes. "Funny that everyone wanted to pair you with my brother."

"It was the motorbike," she replied, half laughing.

He nodded thoughtfully. "And now you've given birth to his first child," he said; it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"You understand why, right?"

He scratched at the back of his head. "Remind me again?"

She looked down at the book in her lap and sighed. "He needed help. Said that he trusted me with it and...you...you were dead to us, don't forget.

He shook his head. "I haven't forgotten."

"She needs a Da..."

"She has Sirius," he said.

"No, Sirius is her father, not her Da...that's different."

He looked up into her eyes and she wasn't certain what she saw there...anger, jealousy, remorse, regret...?

"I was hoping that you and I could pick up where we left off?"

"That was a long time ago Allison. Besides, we're two different people now, aren't we?"

"Well, we've grown up, certainly, but..."

He closed the book the set it to the side on the table to his right as he shook his head. "No buts. You've grown into this beautiful woman, who's adored by thousands, perhaps millions and I'm just an average bloke...and a dead one at that, who's adored by..." He held out his hands and shook his head.

"At least one..."

He shook his head. "No, you fancied Remus Lupin."

"To make you jealous! Apparently, it worked." She smirked. "They should give me an award!" She rose from her chair and walked the expanse of the room to stand before him. "He tutored me in defense, that's it. Nothing more. I almost went in for Auror training, I was so good."

"I'm happy that you didn't."

"So am I! Pay's better as a professional quidditch goddess! And it's not quite as hazardous!"

He laughed. "Quite right," he said warmly.

She held out her hands toward him, smiling. He took them in his and she pulled him up and released his hands and slid hers up his chest and wound her arms around his neck. "So how about it?"

"What," he asked, pulling his head back so that he could see her clearly.

"Be my boyfriend..."

"What! That's all you want?"