Life’s easy if you’re Regulus Black
He was so laser focused on searching for the snitch that he didn’t notice Evan had flown up until he was right beside him.
“Hey Reg” he knocked his elbow into his arm but Regulus' eyes didn’t leave the pitch. It might have only been practice but he wasn’t the best seeker in the school for no reason, his eyes were fixed, still expertly scanning the field for a flash of gold. “Who’re you taking to hogsmeade this weekend?”
“We’re taking dates?”
Evan shrugged, swishing his bat around absentmindedly “I asked Artemis to go with me.”
“And she said yes?” Regulus asked, unable to keep the incredulous tone out of his voice.
“Piss off” Evan scoffed “i'll have you know I’m a catch.” He flicked a hand through his wheat blonde hair, flashing a smile towards the stands.
“To who?” Regulus quipped “dementors?”
“To girls you dolt!”
“Not usually to Fawley.” Regulus thought of the thousand times that Artemis Fawley had rejected his friend, though he didn’t show it he was pleased she’d finally said yes.
Evan smiled a dopey sort of smile “yeah well…she came around. Anyway who are you taking, since you’re such a big shot and all.”
Regulus paused, thought about it and then said “Greengrass.”
The bat clutched between his fingers slipped and Evan had to scramble to catch it as he repeated “Greengrass!”
“Are you deaf?” Regulus asked with a roll of his eyes.
Playfully shoving him Evan laughed “no but I think you might be daft if you think she’ll just go out with you. She’s the hottest girl in school Reg, girls like that don’t just say yes, they wanna be wooed.”
“Who says I’m not the hottest guy in school?”
“Humble” Evan quipped sarcastically “you almost sounded like your brother then, besides everyone knows that Calista Greengrass and Avery are practically engaged, you’ve got no chance.”
“So you think she’ll reject me?”
“Of course she will.”
The corners of Regulus’ lips turned up into a smirk “watch and learn Rosier” and then he was off, nose diving theatrically.
He cut through the wind like a bullet, a streak of lightning darting away in a flash of emerald and silver. Before anyone had time to realise what he’d been doing his fingertips had brushed the soft gold metal of the snitch and he was holding it triumphantly over his head. Cheers and claps erupted from all the stands but Regulus pointedly ignored them, flying to one specific section in the corner.
“Hey Greengrass!” He yelled.
Calista Greengrass looked up from the book she was pretending to read, a small smile pulling at her lips. “Yes?” She asked coyly.
He flew closer and pressed the snitch into her open hand, all around them coos and awestruck gasps could be heard. “I’m taking you to hogsmeade, this weekend.” He said “that okay?”
Her warm hands closed around the tiny fluttering ball, a soft flush creeping across her ivory cheeks. “Okay” she agreed, biting the edge of her lip, “i'll see you then.”
“Sure thing” and he flew away as she stared at the little snitch she was holding, unable to hide the girlish grin on her lips.
“See?” He said to Evan as they landed, slinging his broom casually over his shoulder “easy.”
Rosier pouted “maybe if you’re Regulus bloody Black” he murmured “then everything’s easy.”
——————-
In the distance an owl was hooting softly, the echo catching on the lilting breeze of the night. Regulus stood at the edge of the garden, staring upwards at the moon his mind a swirl of thoughts and emotions.
The taste of tobacco rolled across his tongue as he inhaled another puff of his cigarette and he welcomed it. Welcomed the rush of nicotine in his veins, calming him like a calming draught.
There was silence and then he heard the sound of the back door opening and turned, expecting to see Sirius. Instead, in the low light of the moon, he saw Hermione silhouetted on the porch.
“Shit” he mumbled, quickly stubbing his cigarette out on the old tumbling brick wall and running a hand through his unruly curls.
“Hey.”
He nodded in her direction “hey yourself.”
“It’s cold outside” she observed “what are you doing out here?” but Regulus just shrugged.
She stepped closer, and he began to be able to make out her features as a distant street lamp briefly lit her up. Her eyebrows pinched together as she narrowed her eyes at him.
“Were you smoking?” She asked, an accusatory note in her tone.
“No.”
She sniffed, catching the notes of cigarette smoke in the air and lifted her eyebrows at him “liar” she teased, “thought you were gonna quit?”
Regulus folded his arms across his chest and tipped his chin upwards, avoiding her gaze “well I didn’t.”
She looked at him for a moment, resting a hand on the wooden beam of the balcony instead of moving closer. “What’s wrong?” She asked.
“Nothing” he replied quickly and Hermione rolled her eyes.
“Boys” she muttered, Harry and Ron had been her best friends since she was eleven and yet she still didn’t feel like she’d completely gotten used to the moods of boys.
His fingers stroked over the packet of cigarettes in his pocket and he swallowed and looked up at the moon so that he wouldn’t have to see her eyes, the eyes he could never look away from once he’d caught them.
“I-I was wondering if-“ He paused
“Wondering if what?” She asked.
“Maybe we could-“ he stopped and sighed, kicking at a loose stone on the garden path.
“Just if you wanted a cup of tea.” He said eventually “I’m going inside.”
“Oh” her mouth opened, her eyebrows crinkling as she seemed to realise that he wasn’t telling the whole truth. “Erm no thank you.”
He nodded stiffly and then strode past her, distinctly aware of every inch of his being that was close to her as he passed. “See you then.” He said and she lifted a hand in goodbye.
He stood on the other side of the door for five whole minutes. His forehead pressed to the dark wood. “Life’s easy if you’re Regulus Black” Evan Rosier used to tease him with but it didn’t feel easy anymore.