ix. christmas party - silks of heaven, chapter nine -
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"MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE, DEAR,"Euphemia said, as Regulus sat down at the breakfast table.
"Oh, Merry Christmas Eve to you too," he responded politely. Jasmine looked up from her breakfast and smiled at him. He smiled back.
"You two haven't been speaking a lot," Fleamont said. James eyed him, but he continued speaking. "Is it just you don't like speaking around us? Or is this how kids communicate with their friends nowadays?"
Jasmine forced a laugh. It was because of a kiss. Of course. But she couldn't say that.
"Yeah, it's awkward speaking around parents," James butted in. "You know! You two are just the old awkward parents and they're the cool kids or whatever you'll buy."
Jasmine forced another laugh. Regulus, however, didn't take his eyes off her. He was staring at her for the whole time and she hadn't noticed.
They held eye contact for a few moments ... until Euphemia spoke loudly.
"When you're finished with breakfast, dears, you need to go and get ready for the Ministry Party, okay? Even you, Regulus, you're part of the family now."
Those words were comforting to hear. This was sort of his family for Christmas. The family that won't force him to become a Death Eater.
His Dark Mark started to burn slightly under his shirt. Would they understand if he told them? Would they still accept him? Would they believe it when he told them he didn't want this life? That he wanted to go against the Dark Lord?
Jasmine started collecting her and James' plate loudly, interrupting Regulus' thoughts.
"Should I take yours, too?" she asked, slightly leaning over him.
"Oh, yeah, thank you," he said, and passed it to her. "Do you need help cleaning the plates?"
Jasmine shook her head.
"Thanks," she laughed, "but Mum just enchants it."
"Right," he said, standing up and tucking his chair back into the table. "Thank you, Mrs. Potter —"
"Oh, call me Effie, please, Mrs. Potter makes me sound old," Euphemia said.
"You are old!" James shouted from the kitchen.
"Thank you for the breakfast," Regulus said and left the table.
He entered the kitchen, expecting Jasmine to be there, but it was only James.
"Where's Jas?" Regulus asked.
"She went straight upstairs. But, hey, I'm just as good," James bantered.
"You look the same," Regulus joked.
"We're not identical, you know," James stated, stuffing his face with Christmas chocolates and sweets.
