Cellophane

“He is beyond ridiculous.” Regulus mumbled to Evan. She was fighting to suppress a grin. 

“No, no, no, he is inspiring.” Evan was smiling from ear to ear. 

The two of them were pressed together at the shoulder, observing from behind their cauldron as Barty attempted to flirt with Sasha Goldburg, a blonde slytherin in their year. Sasha was not getting the hint. 

“It’s like a Shakespearean tragedy.”  

“Wait who was Shakespear again?” Evan turned to look at her, his eyebrows knit in confusion. 

“The playwright.” 

He looked at her blankly. 

“Taming of the Shrew.”

“Uh-”

“Romeo and Juliet.” 

“Still not ringing-”

“Muggle.” 

Evans' eyes lit up. “Ah! That angst guy with the crows, right?” 

“No. You’re thinking of Edgar Allan Poe.” 

“Who?” 

“Jesus fucking chri-”

“Mr. Rosier and Miss Black. What are you doing?” Slughorn asked suddenly. 

They both jumped and turned around. “Oh, we finished professor.” Regulus said, gesturing to their cauldron. Evan nodded. 

Slughorn went to the other side of their table and bent over to look into the pot. He observed for a moment. 

“Ah. Very nicely done Miss Black.” He regarded, nodding at Regulus, then moving on to the next group. 

Evan sighed dramatically, and rested his chin on his hand. “I feel like he was only saying that to you.” 

“He was.” Regulus replied. She stood up and grabbed the mixer, stirring the position.

“But we’re partners.” 

“You didn’t help.”

“Yeah but he shouldn't know that,” 

Regulus stifled a laugh.  

“Alright students,” Slughorn called. “Remember to finish that paper by Monday, class dismissed.” 

Regulus got her bag and pulled it over her shoulder. Evan was still getting his things together, they both looked up to see Barty coming over to them, he was grinning. 

“Great work over there Casanova.” Regulus said, mocking. 

“Haha, very funny. I’m just laying the groundwork.” 

“I thought you were still hung up on Vivian Lee.” Evan commented. The three of them started exiting the classroom, walking next to each other as they always did. 

“Oh no, don’t get me wrong I would still let her kick me in the face. I've just been wanting to make some more reachable conquests.” 

“Deep.” Regulus said sarcastically. They walked into the busy open corridor. Sun poured from the windows. 

“Oh, I almost forgot. Evan, tell Barty who you think Shakespeare is again.” Evan groaned. Regulus turned to Barty. “ Quote, ‘The angst guy with the crows right?’”

“Jesus Evan,” Barty was barking a laugh, “Even I know who Shakespeare is. And who the hell is the angst guy with the crows?”

“He meant Poe.”

“Edgar? God Evan, You’re a pill. I've got tears in my eyes.”

“Well forgive me for not being at the mercy of some dead muggle.” Evan replied, putting his hands up in mock surrender.

“Miss Black,” Slughorn called from the end of the hall. The three of them turned in unison to look back at him. “Oh and Mr. Lupin! Perfect timing,” Slughorn said, looking behind them. The three of them turned their heads back to see Remus Lupin who had stopped in his tracks, and looked just as confused as they did.

“The two of you, a quick word, if you don’t mind.” 

Awkward tension immediately filled the air. Barty and Evan both made wary eye contact with her before turning to leave. Walking silently past Lupin. 

Regulus walked to stand in front of Slughorn, he smiled at her softly, but he waited to speak till Remus was standing next to her. Thick tension flowed between them. Slugorn was oblivious to it all. 

“Halloween is fast approaching.” He spoke with a grin, and looked back and forth between them. Then he pulled out two envelopes from his pocket. Holding them out. 

Regulus reached for hers first. Lupin grabbed his after. 

“You two are some of my best students. It’s always a pleasure to have you attend my swarays.” 

“Right, Thank you professor.” Lupin said. His voice was tight. 

Regulus just nodded at him. That was enough for Slughorn. She actually didn’t mind him. Even though he was ridiculous. And his parties were a fate worse than death. It was nice to think about how Lupin is just as miserable. 

“Splendid!” Slughorn said, then promptly turned on his heels and strode back to his classroom.

Regulus and Lupin both watched him leave in silence for a moment. 

Their faces both mimicked the same expression, surely. 

Regulus didn’t spare Lupin a glace, before swiftly turning around and sauntering down the hall. 

“Black.” 

What the hell did he want? 

She turned over her shoulder. Her eyebrows turned together and she looked at him with confused annoyance. Like ‘what the hell could you possibly want’ expression. Remus thought that this was the most emotion he had ever seen her give him. Funny.

“Sirius is worried about you.” He had never said it verbatim. But it was more than obvious that he was. Remus didn’t mention that part though. 

She looked at him for a minute. Remus was tall, lanky. His hair was shaggy, and he wore a gray sweater over his button down. She didn’t exactly know how she felt about Remus. She didn’t like him. But he also never really gave her any reason to loathe him. Being affiliated with Sirius was probably enough. She was sure he loathed her. So this little stunt he was pulling was weird. Out of character. “Sirius is worried.” What did that even mean? First of all Sirius was definitely not “Worried”. Remus was making this up, but for what purpose? What was he trying to accomplish here? 

She didn’t want to indulge it. 

She scoffed and shook her head. Turned back around, kept walking and turned the corner. 

Regulus didn’t have time for this shit. She didn’t have time for Sirius and his friends and his dramatics. 

It was Friday. Her shoulders slouched as she walked the empty corridor.

She was tired. The sun was too bright, the air was getting cold, her shoulders were too heavy. 

She stopped. Bent over, and shoved the heels of her hands into her eye sockets. She exhaled heavily, staying like that for a moment. 

She needed a cigarette. 

“Don’t pass out Black.” 

Regulus snapped her head up

James. 

He was standing a few feet from her. His hands were in his pockets in a bored manner, sleeves rolled to his elbows, tie loosened and hair as perfectly disheveled as ever.  

Fuck. 

“You alright Black?” 

She didn’t move, her hands were resting on her knees, like she was out of breath. 

“Splendid.” 

He tipped his head back slightly and knit his eyebrows, looking at her like he was pretentiously analyzing a painting. 

“You don’t look alright.” 

“Quit pushing Potter.” 

“I’ll quit when you stop looking like you’re about to collapse twenty four seven.”

Regulus pushed up and stood up straight, tucking her hair behind her ears. 

“Then stop staring at me twenty four seven.” 

James looked past Regulus down the hall, then turned his head to look behind him as well. Empty. After proper surveillance he cocked his head toward himself. 

“Come here.” 

She did. 

Walking slowly till she stood in front of him. 

“Our conversations are getting predictable.” She said, looking up at him past her lashes. 

James sighed, “Yeah,” 

She looked down at his torso. Her fingers went to touch the fabric of his button down above his belt. 

He watched her. Then brought one hand out of his pocket and put it on her forehead, pushing her head back. He took a step closer to her and brought his lips to hers. 

They had been kissing a lot recently. Neither of them were complaining about it. 

James’s bit down on the bottom of Regulus's lip, and she opened her mouth to let him kiss her deeply. 

After a minute James pulled back. His hand was still on her head, and the other was still in his pocket. 

Regulus’s hands were grabbing the cloth of his shirt. She was out of breath. 

“Come back to my dorm.” 

“What? Don’t be stupid Potter.” 

“No one is there. I’ll sneak you in, don't worry.” 

She was looking up at him like he was stupid. 

“Seriously,” James continued, “I’m getting sick of fooling around in storage closets. I know you’re a mess Black, but I deserve somewhere with a bit more class.” 

She snorted and smiled a bit. James felt his heart fill. 

“We will get caught.” 

“Relax. We won’t, I promise. It’s a Friday, Black. No one is in the dorm, and no one is loitering in the common room.” James pulled out his other hand from his pocket and held up his pinky to Regulus. “I know all you Slytherins do is sit inside and scheme all day, but some of us also enjoy things like, I don't know,  social interaction.”

Regulus rolled her eyes. “Interacting with you is like interacting with a mentally underdeveloped hound. That’s enough for me.” 

“And you’re a hero for it. C'mon.” He shook his finger expectantly. 

Her eyebrows twitched together. She glanced at his pinky then up at him. Before rolling her eyes and wrapping her finger around his. 

“Jesus you’re a child.” She said, but didn’t make any move to disconnect.  

James smirked and stood up straight. He also didn’t make any efforts to release her finger, and pulled her by it their whole journey to the Gryffindor Wing. 

“I think this is too reckless.” Regulus said, stopping a few feet from the portrait hole. 

“I’ve got it under control. Swear.” His finger tugged her forward. 

They entered. James first, and Regulus directly behind him, holding the back of his shirt like a child. 

The common room was empty, James had been right. She hated when he was right. Regulus realized she had never been inside the Gryffindor common room before. It was warm. Filled with reds and oranges, pillows and chairs, books and a fire. 

It was revolting. 

“Told you.” James said. She didn’t even have to see him to know he was smirking.

Regulus let go of his shirt when he started walking. Getting up the staircase and to his section. 

She felt anxiety fill her when James pushed the door open. What a mess it would be if Lupin or Pettigrew was in here. Or worse, Sirius. That would be catastrophic. For everyone involved. 

They weren't though. 

James stepped inside and Regulus followed. “Told you.” He said again, turning back to look at her and grin. She rolled her eyes, but felt relief. 

James kicked his shoes off and stroud to his wardrobe. Regulus slid her own shoes off. She felt awkward standing in the entrance. 

Their dorm was in the same setup as her own. And it mirrored her’s in a way too. It was messy. Books and records and clothes were strewn about. Her room was the same way. 

“Bed on the end is mine,” James said, hanging his bag in his closet. 

Regulus hesitantly made her way over to it.The curtains were drawn back. The bed looked comfortable, plaid sheets, red duvet. It smelled like him.The whole room did. And being here was making her cheeks heat for some reason. 

She set her bag down against the side and gingerly sat down. She was facing James’s back, and watched him undo his tie to hang it up. 

He turned toward her, and smiled. 

Potter was annoyingly attractive.  

“If I didn’t know any better, I would say you looked nervous, Black.” 

“It’s good you know better then.” 

He laughed.

“You’re not very neat,”

James nodded and came closer till he was standing right infront of her. Sitting down she had to make a large effort to look up at him. “Yes well, I need to have at least one flaw don’t I?” 

He bent down to kiss her before she could say something witty back. 

 Putting his hand on the back of her neck, he tilted it up. And she raised her hand to hold his forearm. 

James stood up straight, and Regulus followed, not breaking the kiss. He turned and sat down with open knees, she stood between them. James was tall enough that sitting down they were close to seeing eye to eye. 

James broke their kiss. “What are you doing?” She mumbled against his lips. 

“One second.”

She straightened her back to watch him. He took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger, folded his glasses, then reached over to place them on his nightstand. She rarely saw him without his glasses on. She blushed, 

“What are you doing?” Regulus repeated. She looked at him, confused. 

“Laying down. C’mon.” He grabbed her wrist and tugged at her. 

“What?” 

“Listen i’m not going to touch you the way you want me to when you-”

“What the hell are you talk-”

“-Would you let me finish? I’m not going to touch you when you look like you got hit by a bus-”

“-What? So this is about you not finding me physically appealing?” Her voice was raising with her irritation. 

“-What? No-” He was matching her volume. 

“Seriously you’re unbelievable,” Regulus started, she pushed back.

James pulled her back by her wrist. “I mean you look like you haven’t slept in-”

“My god! Would you drop that already? You’re so-

“Jesus Black! I’m saying I’m not going to fuck you when-”

“-When I'm not pretty enough? You are so goddamn vain-”

“-When you look like you haven't been taking care of yourself-”  She was fighting him but his grip on her wrist was solid. 

“-Shut up Potter-” James took one strong pull and jerked her forward. His lips crashed into hers. She fought for a minute. Then she let go. Her shoulders relaxed and she kissed him back. 

This was annoying. 

James broke from her lips. The hand not gripping her wrist pushed her hair behind her ear. “You’re pretty,  Black. You’re so fucking pretty it pisses me off.” 

Regulus felt her heart erupt in her chest. She still looked at him with contentment. 

“But don’t tell me you feel fine because I know you don’t. You’re exhausted, I know. So just lay down with me for a bit.” 

She didn’t know how to respond. She wanted to. But she was too proud to say it. And she was still angry. She could not be 100% certain why. 

“Stop over thinking it,” James moved over so there was room for her to get on the bed. His hand was still holding her wrist. “It’s not a big deal.” 

She waited. 

Then sighed, and climbed next to him. Hesitantly laying down under his duvet. 

She turned so she didn’t have to face him. But she still felt him staring at her. James sat up and pulled the curtains shut. When he laid back down he wrapped one of his arms around Regulus’s waist and pulled her against him, resting his chin on the top of her head. 

She tensed, but didn’t pull away.