CONFUNDUS; harry potter [UNDER EDITION]

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

"Are you fucking serious right now?"

Lucca gasps at Milan's rude tone. She has been quite harsh towards him lately, Lucca doesn't like that. Where is the old sweet Milan? He wants her back.

"Yes!" Lucca nearly screams at her face. "I'm bloody serious about it — what if he regretted it? What if it was just the moment? Then, what? What am I going to do?"

Milan exhales, her fingers press on the bridge of her nose, and in a hushed rushed tone she utters several insults that are not very appropriate to repeat.

"You are dense. That's your problem. You're dense, stupid, idiotic — sos un boludo, basicamente."

Lucca agrees on that but she shouldn't say it so angrily. He turns to Cedric, who is quietly scrubbing the floor next to them, and listening to the silence he slowly glances at them, then shakes his head, going back to work.

"No," he says and scrubs faster. "I'm not commenting on this."

Lucca whines, tugging Milan's shirt impatiently. Doesn't she understand how much Lucca needs her advice on this? If what happened between them was an almost kiss because Harry fancies him back, then Lucca doesn't want to ruin it. He doesn't want to hurt Harry nor cause him any sort of unhappiness.

Milan closes her eyes, sighing. Cedric continues scrubbing the floor. Lucca cries, desperate.

"Lucca," Milan begins. "If you are telling me that Harry has been sleeping with you and you almost kissed yesterday, I guarantee you he fancies you, a lot."

"But how can you be sure?" Lucca asks, once again, ready to rip off all his hair and jump out of the window. "Terry has kissed me and I sleep with all my friends. What if I am mistaken? What if I tell Harry I want to be with him forever and he thinks I'm a freak? He was raised by muggles! His perspective of liking boys can be quite different —"

"No, Lucca," Milan interrupts. "I don't think this is a dynamic Harry has with his friends. Have you actually seen him holding hands with Ron or hugging Hermione?"

Lucca thinks about it. No, he hasn't seen Harry being touchy with his friends.

"But..."

"You're overthinking it," says Cedric, finally. "I agree with Milan. Harry isn't the kind of boy who is comfortable with physical contact."

Lucca knows this. He is aware the friendship he and Harry developed since the beginning isn't like the one Harry and Ron have. He has seen them interact and there aren't any moments when Ron holds Harry's hand out of nowhere like Terry and Lucca do or when they hug each other just because they need it. Harry is more hesitant to share his personal space than Lucca and tends to be awkward whenever other people show sudden interest in him. Lucca, who grew up with an affectionate mother and two sensitive sisters, can't express his love for the ones he cares about without it. Even Aurora, who doesn't like to be touched out of nowhere, had learned to reciprocate Lucca's love language.

And while Harry doesn't complain when Lucca holds his hand or cuddles him at night, Lucca can't just declare his love for Harry without being sure it's mutual. After all, Lucca has the tendency to spoil himself.

Lucca was a jerk towards Hannah, she didn't deserve to be treated that way. He knows it wouldn't be the same because he actually has serious feelings for Harry. He understands, now without the curse, he has always had eyes for Harry and Harry only. But Harry can always choose someone better; Lucca isn't enough, he isn't smart, funny, interesting or talented.

Lucca doesn't want to experience his heart breaking again.

"If you are insecure to ask him out, then wait for him," Cedric says when Milan leaves them to assist Fred and George with the bathroom they are cleaning.