a kiss
“Peter?” “Regulus…”
Regulus watched suspiciously as Peter set his books down next to Remus at the table they study at together. The three of them have been having a study hall every afternoon for three months, and for the first time… Peter missed on yesterday.
“Where were you yesterday, Pete?”
“What?” Remus leaned forwards to speak to Regulus, “You don’t know?” Peter rolled his eyes and groaned, knowing what was coming.
“Peter here has a little thing going on with a certain two someonesss…”
Regulus gasped, “Pete! How dare you not tell me! I need drama to survive”
“I didn’t tell you,” He sent a pointed look at Lupin as he opened his books and set up his parchment to write an essay. “Because there’s nothing going on.”
Remus rolled his eyes and turned back to Regulus. “They have been meeting up frequently, and Peter even abandoned the marauders last Hogsmeade weekend to spend it with them!”
Peter scoffed, “it was three hours, you were fine.”
“soooo, who are they?”
“none of your business”
“when did you start going out?”
“we aren’t going out.
“do you like them?”
“as friends”
“do they like you?”
“I’ll answer that one, yes.” Remus chimed in to Regulus’ berating of peter and he and Regulus laughed and ignored Peter’s bored look. “I’ve seen how they look at him, and it’s the look of love.”
This continued for a while, Remus thankfully not telling Regulus who it was he was seeing hanging out with.
Though Regulus eventually found out.
Three days later, again the three of them sat together in the library. Regulus and Remus hadn’t brought Peter’s secret friends, and they were having a productive study session. They were nearing their final hour; the library was slowly emptying and more candles were being lit.
Peter was finally done with his essay. He pushed the rolled parchment away and stretched, resting his head against the table.
“Three feet! Finally done!” he groaned. Regulus groaned, “I don’t want to deal with those extended essays next year.”
“They’re not that bad,” Remus stretched, “Peter just hates the Mombo Convention.”
Peter nodded and began packing his books up.
“Leaving Pete?” He again nodded, “yeah this was all I had planned, and I just got this new novel set in a game of wizards chess and it’s so good.”
He stopped himself, remembering that not many people actually think that deeply about the board game. “Sorry, I really love the game”
“Petey, don’t stop. You know how I love to hear you ramble.” Peter felt a hand come around his shoulders and quickly turned his head to find himself eye to eye with Barty.
He smiled and rolled his eyes.
“And what are you doing here, B? I thought you and Evan were working out.” Peter heard a choked laugh and whipped his head to look at Regulus.
Barty continued to look at Peter, though he sent a quick glare Reg’s way.
“Yeah, but it just wasn’t what I wanted right now. Would have been better if you were there.” He shrugged, and smiled at Peter, who blushed slightly.
“Hold on- Hold on,” Regulus finally stopped laughing and was holding his hands up, staring at Barty and Peter standing together in such close proximity.
“Since when are you two friends?” he had a look of disbelief pn his face, and Peter remembered that he hadn’t told Regulus who he was hanging out with other than the marauders.
“Petey, you haven’t told dear Reg about us?”
“You see him more!”
“You three are literally together every night for study group!”
Regulus scoffed, “yeah but B, you’re my roommate for Merlin’s sake. You both could’ve told me.” He looked to Remus, “so this is who we were talking about the other day? Peter’s ‘not dates’?”
Remus nodded, “yup. Barty and Evan have stolen my dear Peter away.”
The mention of dates didn’t go unnoticed by Barty, and Peter felt himself flush at the feeling of the other boy’s eyes on him. He was sure that would come back to bite him in some way, but he just wasn’t sure how.
“Well, this has been great.” Peter picked up his bag and pushed in his chair, “But, I have a book waiting me.”
“I’ll walk you back.” Barty followed along as Peter left the library and headed back to Gryffindor tower.
Barty grabbed Peter’s hand, “Soooo, talking about us to your friends huh?”
Peter rolled his eyes, “Remus asked me where I was one night, and it just slipped out. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
Internally, Peter knew it was a big deal. He was hanging out with two of the most rebellious and “rotten” Slytherins. And Remus seemed to think that they wanted to date him (absolutely absurd of course).
They reached the common room entrance, and Peter turned to Barty, realizing their hands were still connected. “Thanks for walking me back B. I’m gonna go read now.”
Barty nodded, slipping his hand out of Peter’s. He still stood close, face inches away from Peter’s.
“Have fun” He murmured before placing a chaste kiss to Peters lips. Peter was startled and didn’t know what to do. He watched as Barty leaned back, smirked, and turned on his heel to walk away.
He rushed through the painting and up to his dorm, hurriedly climbing into bed and shutting his curtains.
Does this mean Remus is right? He wrote in his journal, completely forgetting about the book he had been dreaming about reading.
Does this mean I like Barty? Do I like Evan?