Champagne Coasts - Regulus Black x O.C

Partners..?

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"But why?" Lily asked incredulously.

"Because she's a gremlin!"

"Because he's a gremlin!-" We both said in unison.

How did we get here, you might ask? Well, it all began when that bloody traitor I call my best friend decided it would be convenient to pair me with that prick.

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Life is a one-way road-we come, and we go. Along the way, we meet two kinds of people who stick with us until the end: those who bring a fond smile to your face and those who leave a sour taste in your mouth.

You can guess which category Regulus Arcturus Black fell into.

From the very moment our eyes met, he became the bane of my existence. The Slytherin was hot-headed, arrogant, and infuriatingly self-assured. Unfortunately, not everyone shared my opinion.

Why? Because half of Hogwarts' female population was blinded by his so-called "attractiveness." But I wouldn't be caught dead admitting that, not even in the privacy of my own thoughts.

Regulus Black was one of the rare reasons I regretted receiving my Hogwarts acceptance letter, and that's saying a lot, considering how exhilarated I was when it first arrived. When I stepped into Hogwarts for the first time, I vowed to be the best student the school had ever seen, and that's exactly why I was appointed Gryffindor Prefect. Hard work and countless hours of potions homework had finally paid off.

It was the start of my sixth year, and the corridors were bustling with students as usual. The noise was muffled by the walls of the carriage, where I sat silently, lost in thought. My best friend Lily Evans --Head Prefect of sorts- was busy organizing a long stretch of parchment on the mahogany table in front of us. I was particularly vacant, save for the withering glances Regulus and I had been exchanging throughout the Prefect gathering.

"To finish up," Lily began, seemingly oblivious to the quiet sighs of gratitude that rippled through the carriage, "I wanted to discuss the changes to the mandatory night patrols. Our current system for curfew patrols is largely ineffective, so I've planned to implement a partner system."

A partner system? The collective attention in the room was immediately piqued.

"In the interest of encouraging Inter-House relations," Lily continued, shuffling her parchment, "each of you will be partnered with a Prefect from another House. This system will stay in place from now until the end of the year. The partner you are assigned is non-negotiable."

Even Regulus, who had adopted a lazy slouch to convey his disinterest, straightened up, eyeing Lily warily.

"Ruelle Rowle and Bishop Harper. Peach Khan and Ro Lance. Vane Keating and Beau Rios..." Lauren's eyes lifted to meet mine. "Willow Caddelle and Regulus Black."

Oh. Oh no. This was far worse than I'd imagined.

Regulus' jaw clenched, and I watched as he swallowed whatever insult he'd prepared. His stormy grey eyes, half-lidded beneath dark curls that had grown out over the summer, locked onto mine. "Bloody hell," he muttered, clearly irked.

The blood drained from my face, leaving me as pale as a ghost. I sat there, mouth agape, horror written all over my features before my expression twisted into a tight scowl. "Shut your trap, Black," I snapped, matching his intensity.

Regulus rolled his eyes, a frown settling onto his lips. His sharp features had hardened, darkening ever so slightly;a look that would've sent most girls squealing, had they witnessed it.

He said nothing more, folding his arms over his chest, the movement emphasizing the lean muscle beneath the fabric of his blouse.

Lily, oblivious to the mounting tension, continued sorting through her parchment. "You will meet with your partner tomorrow evening-"

"Wait, wait. Do we get a choice?" Regulus interrupted, his tone sharp.

"No," Lily replied curtly.

"Why not?" Regulus demanded, his irritation clear.

Lily sighed, leaning against the table with a bored expression. "Look, I've had to deal with enough petty squabbles this summer to last me a bloody lifetime."

"That's not my problem, is it?" Regulus shot back.

"No, it's mine. So spare me more trouble and just accept your partner, will you?" Lauren rolled her eyes.

I would've laughed at Regulus' expression if I wasn't facing the same dilemma. Instead, I shot Lily an icy glare, and she visibly stiffened.

"I'm not doing this," I stated firmly.

"But why?" Lily asked incredulously.

"Because she's a gremlin!" Regulus spat out.

"Because he's a gremlin!" I echoed, the words flying out of my mouth before I could stop them.

Both our heads whipped around to glare at each other, the animosity between us crackling like fire. His glare was fiercer, filled with loathing, but I didn't care. I shifted my gaze back to Lily.

"Why would you pair me up with him?" I demanded, my voice tight with frustration.

Lily opened her mouth to respond, but Regulus cut in smoothly, "Because I'm the only one who can tolerate your incessant nagging."

"Incessant nagging? I wouldn't have to nag if you actually did something useful for once," I shot back, crossing my arms.

"Useful?" Regulus raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I've done more useful things in one day than you have in your entire life."

"Oh really? Like what, exactly? Looking in the mirror and admiring yourself doesn't count, Black."

"You'd be surprised how much I accomplish while you're too busy tripping over your own feet," he retorted, his tone mocking.

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. He was infuriating, but the worst part was that he wasn't entirely wrong-I had tripped on more than one occasion, and he had seen it. The thought made my cheeks flush with embarrassment, and I hated that he could see it.

Regulus seemed to notice too, his smirk growing wider. "What's the matter, Caddelle? Cat got your tongue?"

"Shut up, Black," I muttered, unable to come up with a better retort.

He took a step closer, his eyes glinting with something I couldn't quite place. "I think I'll pass. It's too much fun watching you squirm."

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach that his proximity was causing. "You're insufferable."

"And yet, here we are," he said, his voice dropping slightly, almost as if he was enjoying this a bit too much.

Before I could respond, Regulus moved closer, his hand reaching out to grasp my chin. The movement was smooth, almost too smooth, and before I knew it, I was staring into his intense grey eyes. His touch was cold, but it sent a strange warmth spreading through me, and I couldn't tear my gaze away from his.

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you," he said softly, his voice low and commanding.

For a moment, I was frozen, unable to move or speak, completely caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as I tried to make sense of the situation.

But only for a moment.

I quickly snapped out of it, swatting his hand away as though it were a bothersome fly, and took a hasty step back. "Don't touch me," I warned, my voice shaky but determined.

I turned on my heel, clumsily making my way to the compartment door, my knees wobbling beneath me. "And don't be late!" I called out, avoiding his eyes as I dashed out of the room, leaving both of them behind, confused.

What on earth was happening to me?