The two of you had started out as a friendship— an unlikely bond between two people who could not be more different if they tried. Where Regulus was reserved, scary smart, and sharp with his words when he needed to be, you were loud and outgoing and always ended up trying to drag him to house parties at least once a week. And somehow, after a sudden yet amusing conversation shared between the two of you amidst groaning from other students about exams, a spark was ignited. One that was supposed to just be friendly. Though it didn't stay that way for long.

If, in ten years' time, anyone asked Regulus how your relationship came to be, he had already planned out how he'd answer: "He tricked me." Even if that's far from the truth. Sure, he'd love to pretend like he didn't enjoy your flirting, or your lingering looks, or the way you'd so intentionally invite him to go places with you. But in reality, he loved it. It made his stomach feel funny, and it gave him this sense of freedom that he had never felt before. Growing up with his parents and a thousand pounds of pressure on his shoulders would suffocate anyone. And you were the first breath of air after he had been drowning for seventeen years.

It was a secret, of course, because Regulus would be killed if anyone found out he was having intimate relations with a boy. You two would meet up after curfew, or while the rest of the castle was at breakfast, things like that. Sometimes you'd just talk, other times you'd occupy your lips with unspeakable actions that left talking impossible. And every time, it was such pure bliss that, even if you two weren't together, it was like you practically were. You had even thought that Regulus would ask you soon. To become something more than a fling.

Regulus did not, for the life of him, want to leave school for the winter holidays. He wanted to stay at school with you, escape the chokehold of his parents and have the first happy Christmas of his teenage life. But you were going home, and his parents demanded his presence, so he knew it was impossible. He just didn't know how much he'd suffer now that he had a taste of what life outside of the Black name held.

His parents had brought up his responsibilities. His expectation to carry out the family name and join his parents as Death Eaters. It had made Regulus' skin crawl. He had muttered something under his breath, something spurred up out of a badly placed confidence, and seconds later, he was writhing on the ground, the Cruciatus curse capturing his entire body. It was done before long, yes, his mother releasing the spell before any real damage could have been done, but his body ached enough to remind him of what'll happen to him if he misbehaves. He didn't even need his parents shouting at him for another five minutes— the message was clear.

While you were ecstatic to return to school, return to him, he dreaded every moment of it. His holidays had reminded him why flings with boys are no good. Why he had to end things immediately.

He ignored you for the first eight hours of the day. Wouldn't even hold eye contact or offer you a smile. You thought, at first, he was trying not to be obvious, and he'd come find you later, but when he didn't, you knew that wasn't it.

You find him atop the Astronomy Tower after curfew. Where you two would often meet. That gives you a little bit of hope— before he doesn't even spare you a glance.

"Regulus," you say after a long moment, voice just as cautious as you feel. "We haven't talked—"

"I think it's better if we keep it that way," he says, revealing absolutely no emotions as he stares up at the stars, jaw clenched. Something ugly twists in your gut.

"What?" You ask, brows furrowing as you move to stand by him. "Reg, what happened?"

"Don't call me that," he says, his nose crunching as if in disgust, and he turns to look at you. That's when you notice the glassiness of his eyes. "Haven't I made it clear all day that I don't want to see you?"