Call It Home - Prinxiety [COMPLETED]

Chapter Seventeen: Finding Courage

Roman felt amazing. After his talk with Virgil at the clock tower, he felt connected to him. The house-less student had never opened up to him before. They'd discussed his mother, something that he knew Patton and Logan had been told about, but not him. He figured Virgil needed to feel closer to him to talk about it. It seemed that now they were close enough. Virgil trusted him.

The Gryffindor smiled and sighed happily as he walked through the halls. Val came up beside him, looking curious to know why he was so happy. "Hey Roman, what's got you in such a great mood?"

"Virgil opened up to me, he actually talked to me about some of his personal life," Roman answered honestly. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face, but he realized who he was talking to. He turned to him quickly. "Sorry, I forgot you- yeah- that..."

Val just laughed a little. "It's not a big deal, he rejected me, but he was nice about it," he replied, shrugging. "He had his heart set on someone else."

"Wait... if he rejected you because he liked someone else... who does he like?!" the other boy gasped, heart dropping in his chest. "I didn't know he liked someone! Oh god, I can't ask him out if he's got a crush on someone else! He'll probably reject me too!"

The taller Gryffindor felt the impulse to laugh, but he'd told Virgil he wouldn't let the princely boy in on his feelings for him. However, Roman looked a bit panicked now, so he needed to reassure him somehow without giving everything away. Val thought for a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek. 

"I don't think he'll reject you," he said. 

Roman looked at him skeptically. "Please, if he's crushing on someone, there's no way it's me. I can't believe it's not you. I thought he was really into you. If he wasn't into you, then why would he be into me? I'm the jerk that treated him like crap when we first met! Oh my god, I have no chance at all."

"Roman, you are talking nonsense!" Val exclaimed, grabbing his shoulders. "You guys already worked that out! And sometimes, the best love stories come from a place of conflict!"

The princely boy pouted uncertainly. The Gryffindor Beater sighed a bit and then got an idea. "Hey, the end of the school year is in a couple of weeks right?" he asked him. Roman nodded with a raised eyebrow. "Well, over the next two weeks, hang out with him, chat with him, and if things are going well, ask him if you guys could meet up over the summer."

"During the summer?" Roman repeated, eyes wide.

"Yeah, I think Virgil mentioned living relatively close by to your place. You guys could meet up or something," Val said. "That way, there's no Hogwarts influence. There's no houses or stereotypes, or rivalries. You guys can just be the two of you and see how it goes."

He appeared to think it over and then a smile spread across his face. "Yeah, I think I could do that... that might work!" He pulled Val into a tight hug, making him gasp in surprise. "You are the greatest wing-man ever."

"Thanks, Roman," he managed to say, smiling and flushing with embarrassment. 

~

A few weeks later, the end of the school year had arrived. Students were mingling and exchanging contact information to say in touch with each other during the summer. Virgil had a little notebook with all his new friend's addresses and phone numbers; some of them texted outside of school but most of them sent letters. 

A voice suddenly came from over his shoulder. "Hey Virge," Roman greeting him, smiling warmly. He noticed the address book and realization hit him. "Oh, did I give you mine?"

"Oh... no, I don't see yours, hold on," Virgil replied, pulling out a pen. "Here."

The Gryffindor smiled as he wrote his address and phone number in the boy's notebook, handing it back to him along with the pen. He'd drawn a couple squiggle hearts and stars, earning a laugh from the house-less student. 

"Oh hey, you and I both live in the same area of London," he realized as he read over it. 

"Really? Cool! Would you- um- would you want to meet up sometime this summer?" Roman stammered, feeling his cheeks flush. The other boy looked a little confused and he tried again. "I'm uh- I'm trying to ask you out on a date. Sorry, I'm usually way better at this."

Virgil's cheeks grew pink as he stared at the Gryffindor in shock. "Wait... really?"

"Uh, yeah, I think you're really cool and interesting, I'd like to get to know you more," he said honestly. He reached up to rub the back of his neck. "So, if I text you a time and place and you're available, would you want to go on a date with me?"

Virgil felt his heart fluttering like a bird trapped in a cage. He managed to nod, clearing his throat to try and control the grin that was attempting to break out. "Uh, yeah, if I'm available."

"Yeah, okay! I'll text you then!" Roman agreed, trying not to grin too. "I'll see you soon!"

He hurried away, leaving the darkly dressed boy to cover his blushing face with his notebook. He couldn't help the giddiness he felt. He didn't think that Roman would actually ask him, but he did. It hit him then that Val had told him not to be discouraged if he wasn't asked out before the end of the year. Val had known that Roman was planning on asking him on their last day. Virgil grinned to himself and headed toward his train compartment. 

Roman was heading to his as well, a beaming smile on his face. He'd asked and he'd gotten a yes! He was going on a date with Virgil at some point in the near future. He laughed happily in disbelief as he sat down in his compartment. Usually he hated having to leave Hogwarts, but now, he couldn't be more excited to go home.