Pretend.

chapter ten

At 9 pm, about 20 Hogwarts students were waiting by the entrance of the Room Of Requirement, wondering if this was just another prank of the Marauders (James took notes for next year) as they couldn't see the door. Sirius opened the room and played for the doorman. Everyone who entered the room had to have an invitation or a date with one. The room was nicely decorated, there was lots of food and Remus had found a spell to make the music play without someone changing the plate constantly.

The party had only started for 2 minutes, but somehow Sirius and Remus had ended up under a mistletoe 'accidentally' twice already. And one time intentionally. James looked around to see Peter. He'd spend the entire last hour asking James and Regulus if he looked alright. Actually, he'd been asking it to James, Regulus, Sirius and Remus, but Sirius took his job of keeping Remus busy very 'Siriusly' as he'd say himself.

Peter did look great, in his deep blue suit. Finally, James had found him. Next to him was a girl James believed was from Ravenclaw. She had short, black hair, and the tips were coloured blue. She looked really cool.

"Hey, Pete! So this is your secret lover?" James asked.

"Yeah. This is Ziggy. They're in their 7th year." Peter said nervously. James was confused at first as too why Peter said 'they' and not 'she', but when he realized, he felt incredibly guilty for misgendering Peter's date.

"Hey. I'm James." James said, smiling at Ziggy.

"Ziggy," Ziggy said.

"Do you know where Sirius and Remus are?" Peter asked.

"Check the mistletoes."

Peter and Ziggy left, and James looked around again. He didn't really have anyone to talk to, as Remus and Sirius were busy 'avoiding' mistletoes, and Peter and Ziggy were looking for them. He just ended up finding Regulus in a corner of the room, with his drink in his hand, reading.

"Boo," James said. Regulus got scared and spilt his drink on his book. James did a quick scourgify to clean it.

"Enjoying yourself Potter?" Regulus grumbled.

"Back to Potter are we?" James said, his heart racing.

"Shut your face, James."

"You can't 'shut your face'. How do you shut your face? That's impossible!" James said.

"There's a hole in it. You should try to shut it."

"There's actually lots of holes in a face, Reggie. Not only the obvious ones like your mouth and nostrils, but there are thousands of pores."

"Just shut up."

"And what are you gonna do when I stop talking to you? Go back to reading Hogwarts, A History? I don't think so. I've seen you read that book three times already."

"It's a good book! And I've only read it twice since I sleep in the Gryffindor tower."

"Three times, two times, same thing."

Regulus rolled his eyes and opened his book again. James took it.

"Chapter 15: Quidditch at Hogwarts. Sounds interesting. Do you mind if I read this?" James asked.

"Actually, yes, because it's a library copy. And I do not trust you with a book." Regulus said, taking his book back.

"Read it to me then."

"Pardon me?"

"I want to read it, but you don't trust me, so you should read it out loud."

"I'm not doing that."

"Then I'll have to go to the library tomorrow and try to get a copy."

"Are you not banned?"

"No that's Sirius."

-

Surprisingly, Regulus could stand James talking to him for the entire evening, because when James went to get some butterbeer, both Peter, Remus and Sirius told him they were heading back to the dorm. (Peter actually went to the Ravenclaw dorm) most of the guests were already gone, only a few who were too drunk to find their way back to their dorms.

"I guess we should head back as well," Regulus said.

"We don't have to," James said. "We could stay back a little."

Regulus rolled his pretty eyes but sat down either way. The boys were sitting on the floor, opposite of each other. They talked for a while, but eventually, Regulus got too tired. James got up first, and offered Regulus a hand, which he gladly took. When both boys stood up, Regulus looked up to James, as he was taller than him.

"What?" James said, when Regulus had looked up for quite some time. Regulus nodded upwards, where a small twig with white buds was hanging. "Mistletoe," James whispered. Regulus nodded. James looked straight into Regulus' eyes now. Regulus was staring back. James was suddenly very aware of the gap between them. He leaned a little closer, and Regulus did as well. Both boys came closer slowly, unsure if the other wanted this, but burning with need. When their lips were just centimetres apart, James' eyes flickered to Regulus' pink lips. James noticed the lipgloss on them. That didn't help with James really wanting to kiss Regulus, not at all. Regulus leaned in a little closer.

A/n
Hate me all you want. I do not care.