Regulus felt happy for once in his life. He was having actual fun. He had wonderful friends, a normal relationship with his brother and a real life boyfriend who liked him back. This was just like a dream. James and regulus had been going out for a while now, and he couldn't be happier.
Suddenly he heard a knock on the door.
"Hey, we're going to dinner, are you coming?" Dorcas shouted.
"Yeah, just a minute" regulus said "you go without me I'll catch up with you"
"You sure?" Sounded the voice of dorcas
"Yeah, yeah, it's no problem"
"OK then" and just as that, he was left alone again. He decided to finally get up and go to the great hall.
He arrived at the great Hall and found James' eyes staring at him as he walked by. They both shared a shy smile that resumed everything they felt. During dinner Dorrcas and Pandora were having a meaningful conversation about the upcoming gryffindor party. Regulus couldn't be bothered.
"Oi, black. Guess you couldn't get pass your mother, ey?" Snape snarled from across the great hall. It made regulus' nerves twitch. "Geesh, if she's so bad then why didn't you escape as your brother. Are you scared momma's gonna hurt you. Oooohhh poor little baby black"
That was it. He was fed up of Snape's constant insults. Regulus started to walk towards snape with fury running through his veins. He couldn't even mind to look at Sirius, to see if he had heard anything.
"Say it again Snape. I dare you." He snarled
"You're mamma's little ba-" even before Snape could finish the sentence regulus was already throwing curses at him, which Snape escaped easily.
Just at the moment where Reg thought he might loose the fight, behind him came sirius and James for backup. They continued fightung each other. Everyone was watching, slightly amused.
Snape threw a disappearing spell on reg's shirt. He was suddenly very aware that his upper body was showing. His feminine little body with two big scars across his chest was uncovered, and wost of all in front of James. He was sure James was staring.
The teachers came to break up the fight, as it was getting out of hand.
"You four," said mcgonagall sharply "do you understand the gravity of what you have done? You could have injured someone. Minus twenty points each and a month's worth detention. You, Mr Black go back to your dorm and go find a shirt. Potter, go with him."
Great, this was going so fucking great. regulus walked out of the hall without looking back to see if James was following. He could alredt feel him behind. His annoying, but charming self following regulus.
"Hey- hey!" James said grabbing one of regulus' wrists.
"What do you want now?" He was trying to cross his arms so that the scars would be covered.
"Are you OK?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Ummm... you seem... nervous."
"I am not nervous Potter." Regulus snarled back
He felt James's gaze turn down to his chest. Why did it have to be him out of all the people? Without wasting another moment regulus started walking faster to his dorm, not turning around, ignoring of all James pleads to stop and talk. Why did everything had to be talked with him? Why did it have to be him?
Once he arrived at the dorm he curled up on his bed and started crying. Gosh, this was so bad. James would eventually find out he wasn't a real boy and he would break up with him. The only good thing that had ever happened in his short life would be over.
He had been crying for a while now when he heard his roomates coming up. He pretended to be asleep so he wouldn't have to talk to them about what had happened.
The next morning went smoothly. He woke up before the others, had breakfast and then went to the library to study before starting classes. He couldn't pay much attention to them, his mind wandering at how we would explain it to James. Suddenly a paper airplane hit him in the head.
"Ow" he opened it and it read: meet me in the astronomy tower at the end of third period. Singed: you know who.
He did as said and found himself face to face with James. What a surprise!
"Hey. Come here!" James said pointing to an empty spot by the windowsill. He sat in front of him but didn't say a word.
"How you doing?" James asked
"Fine, I guess" he didn't meet his eyes.
"That's good."
"Did classes go well?"
"What did you want me here for?" He was tired and just wanted to get to the painfull point of the conversation.
"That's the thing... last night, at the end of the fight with Snape I saw you had some scars across your chest, and they seemed recent. Okok, so I know how your mom is, and I know she isn't great, but I thought you told me she had stopped hitting you.." James actually looked concerned about regulus.
Regulus laughed, a short dry laugh.
"No, don't worry it isn't like that. I promise"
"Then what are they from?" James looked calmer knowing her mom hadn't made them. He knew Regulus never broke any promises.
"That's the thing... ehhh..." regulus started saying "it's-it's difficult to explain..."
"I can try and understand it if you want "
"I don't think you'll ever understand it..."
"It isn't anything bad, is it?"
"You could say that." He thought that if he ever wanted to get more serious with James he would have to tell him, even if it meant he'd loose him forever. "Ehh, when I was born I wasn't exactly born as Regulus. I was actually named after a girl"
"What? I don't understand " he looked puzzled
"I-I was born a girl, James. I'm trans." He tried to hold back tears but failed.
"Ooh that's cool." James pulled him into a hug "Wait what? Ehhh I mean that's great reg. I don't mean it in the way that you were like... a girl but-" he was cut off mid sentence
"It's fine James. I get you." He said between sniffles
"I still love you though. Regardless of your identity." He pushed in and brushed his lips against regulu's. Regulus felt happier than ever. "Come, or we'll miss lunch..." James said hopping of the balcony. Je gulus could still taste James' sweet falacour on his lips.
All the way down to lunch he couldn't ignore the butterflys he was feeling in his stomach. Gosh, he thought he had lost James.