A Miraculous Year at Hogwarts (Miraculous Ladybug Harry Potter AU) •ABANDONED•

Chapter 20

Adrien didn't listen to the conversation the band was having. His gaze was fixated where Luka and Marinette disappeared around the corner.

"-drien!" Alya snapped her fingers in his ears. He jumped at the sudden noise.

"Didn't you hear us dude?" Nino asked him. Adrien shook his head. "You and Marinette are tight. Do you know what she wanted to talk to Luka about. She seemed off today. Usually she's more affectionate with him."

"She was probably just nervous. She'll tell you when she tells you. It's not my business to share." Adrien said. It's true. Also in case she chickened out, he didn't want to spread false rumors.

"Adriennnn. Pleaseeeee." Alya begged him. When he didn't break, she tried a different approach. Alya made a loud gasp. "Did she cheat on him with you!" Alya lied. Nino made a face and Alya raised her eyebrows as if to say just go with it.

"Yeah! And because Marinette has a guilty conscience about it she's going to tell him." Nino added on. Kim then got what they were doing.

"And that's why you both disappear all the time! At the same time-" Kim stopped mid sentence and looked at his friends. Adrien looked at them in shock.

"No! She would never do that!" Adrien said.

"At first we said that to try and get the real story out of you. But now that I think about it, that is weird. You both do disappear a lot, often at the same time." Alya was about to go off on a tangent but Luka walked up to the group. He looked depressed, but not too angry. Adrien made eye contact with the musician before looking behind him for the bluenette.

"Luka! My man! What's up?" Kim asked him to break the silence.

"Feeling pretty good besides the fact that I got dumped. Kinda deserved it though." Luka said blankly. Adrien felt hope surge throughout him. Adrien looked at the boy he once called his friend. "You should talk to her. She looked upset." Adrien marched up to him and grabbed his collar.

"If you hurt her ever again,
I will do much worse to you." Adrien let go and ran to the common room. Alya watched the exchange in shock.

"Luka... what did he mean by again? What happened?" Alya asked him. Luka responded. He told them the story. In full. He said the actions he regretted, followed by their talk. In the end he gained a slap from Alya.

"Dude..." That was all Nino could say. The 3 band members walked back into the Great Hall, leaving the damaged boy all alone.

•   •   •

   Marinette leaned into Adrien's warm embrace. They sat together on the floor in front of the fire in the common room in a similar position to the previous night. Adrien sat with his legs spread, leaning against the couch. Marinette sat in between them, her back against his chest. Adrien rested his arms around the girl who seemed so small in this position.

   "Maybe I made a wrong choice. He needs me right now." Marinette cried softly into the blonde.

   "Marinette, he needs to learn to how to control his emotions before being in a serious relationship. That should of been his main priority from the start. It's not your fault." Adrien reminded her for millionith time that night. This wasn't how he planned it. Adrien didn't expect to be spending his evening with the girl of his dreams crying over the guy she just dumped. Even the intimate position the two were in couldn't help him.

"Thanks Adrien. It's just when I broke up with him it was if the whole world crashed around him. I could see the pain in his eyes. Even more so when he talked about his parents." Marinette mumbled. Adrien decided there was no reasoning with her in this state. All he could do was hold her close. She leaned into him and inhaled his familiar scent. It was mostly cheese with an undertone of expensive cologne. "Thank you Adrien."

"Anything for you Marinette." Adrien said softly. She turned to face him.

"You do everything for me and I wasn't too warm and fuzzy for the past month." Marinette stared intensely into his eyes. It was an ombré of a dark evergreen to a soft lime. "I care so much about you Adrien. It killed me to hurt you. It hurt me too. I thought it would be better if I distanced myself from you. Safer."

"You don't have to explain yourself. I get it. It's in the past. Don't worry about it." Adrien said. "Just know that I'll always be there for you m'lady." Marinette rested her forehead against his with her hands cupping his cheeks.

"Adrien... Chat... I-" Marinette began. Adrien pulled away from her.

"Not now Marinette. You're too vulnerable." Adrien stood up and helped her up too. He led her to her room and said goodnight. Plagg was waiting for him when he arrived in his own room.

"Kid! The girl of your dreams was about to make a move on you! And you rejected her!" Plagg scolded his holder.

"She's just heartbroken right now. I know we have something, and I don't want to just be a rebound. Besides, she would regret it later on." Adrien flopped onto his bed and sighed into his pillow. With that heavy conversation, the door opened and his roommates flooded the room. Nino jumped onto his bed.

"Adrien! What is going on!" Kim said following Nino's lead. "Alya slapped Luka and we left him there. What happened with Marinette? How is she?"

"She'll be okay. It's just a lot going on. Marinette will get a break from Luka for Christmas." Adrien said simply.

"What about you. I know you like her dude, what are you gonna do?" Nino asked him.

"I'll wait. I won't ask her out until she's better." Adrien replied. "Can you leave me alone for now. I'm really tired, it's been a long couple of days." Nino and Kim retreated to their respective beds for the night. Luka never returned.

•   •   •

   Marinette sat next to Alya at breakfast the following morning as she used to do. Adrien sat across with Nino beside him. The four of them were at the very end of the table, isolated from the rest of their house. Several people came up to Marinette and complimented her on the concert the day prior. Besides that it was quiet. The group discussed winter plans and the latest homework assignment, Marinette giving them tips. They discussed the quidditch game that would happen after they all returned and the house cup. It was as if nothing happened. It was how it was before Halloween. Adrien felt his insides bursting with joy, but he couldn't show it. He could tell Marinette was still upset.

   "I'm surprised Luka wasn't Imperioed again last night." Alya said and Marinette nodded in agreement.

   "Yeah dude, he was upset. Maybe because he already was Imperioed before?" Nino suggested. Adrien crinkled his eyebrows.

   "Actually Hawkmoth hasn't attacked in a long time. It's kind of suspicious." Adrien said, directing it to Marinette.

   "You don't think he quit, right?" Marinette replied and Adrien shook his head. "What if he's planning something. Some huge attack that he needs to save his energy for." She made eye contact with Adrien for a moment in order to communicate her concern. In response he quickly changed the subject.

   "So what's the plan for Christmas?"

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