Hermitcraft Harry Potter AU

Chapter Seventeen: Poker

Mumbo stared at himself in the mirror, doing his best to present a confident smile.

"Hey Grian, do you want to go... no stupid stupid stupid...

"Yo Gr-! No. No."

"Hey 'sup Gri? Oh my god..."

"G!"

He groaned and shook his head violently.

"Grian... I-I have liked you for a long time, and I was wondering if you wanted to go get a butterbeer with me... for a date"

He sighed and rubbed his temples. It was going to be today. It had to be today. After today, everyone was coming back from holiday and there would be no chance of getting Grian alone.

~~~

"Mumbo!"

Mumbo jumped nearly a foot in the air as a pair of skinny arms were thrown around his waist from behind.

"G-Grian?"

"Who else?"

The bunny retracted his arms, stopping at Mumbo's sides and pinching his ribs, making the taller boy yelp and curl in on himself.

"Why?!"

Grian covered his mouth to stifle his giggles, failing miserably as the look of pure shock and complete betrayal on Mumbo's face made him break into a full belly laugh, his eyes squeezing shut as his smile stretched wide between his ears.

"I'm sorry Mumbo, you're just too easy! I couldn't help myself"

Mumbo's ears burned and he wrapped his arms around his abdomen in an attempt to brush away the lingering tingles that had dissipated across his body. 

Do it now. Do it now. Come on!

"Grian-"

"Hey gremlin, are you guys gonna play or what?" False called from several tables over, flashing a deck of cards in their direction.

"Yes!" He turned to Mumbo. "As long as you want to?"

"W-what are you guys playing?"

"Poker" Grian said with a grin. "We play all the time at home"

"Poker? Like, the muggle game? I've, uh, never played"

"It's more fun than you think, I promise. We can share a hand and I'll teach you the rules"

Without waiting for him to respond, Grian simply grabbed Mumbo's hand and pulled him towards the table where the other forgotten children eyed them suspiciously.

"This is Mumbo!" Grian chimed, shaking Mumbo's arm a bit with excitement. "Mumbo, this is Impulse, Tango, Cleo, Bdubs, and you already know Doc and False"

Tango, Impulse, and Bdubs greeted him happily while Cleo False and Doc simply waved, False shooting Mumbo a knowing look that made his cheeks flush.

"Sit here" Grian said, gesturing to the last chair and the table.

"But where will you-"

Mumbo's words died in his throat as Grian sat down contentedly on his lap, not saying a word as he hooked one arm around Mumbo's neck and picked up the cards Doc had dealt for them.

"Oh, not the best" Grian whispered, pressing close to the taller boy's chest as he flashed him a 4 of spades and a 4 of clovers.