Chapter 31: Fever
Grimmauld Place, July 31st 1997
The door of number twelve, Grimmauld Place, with its serpent door knocker materialise in front of me, as I apparate on the first step. I quickly walk inside, after taking a glance around me to make sure no one has seen me. The streets are empty.
Quietly, I make my way into the drawing room on the first floor, and find Regulus sitting there, waiting for me.
"Hi…" I say, and push my wand back to the pocket of my jeans, feeling slightly breathless.
We've seen each other a couple of times after the rather awkward encounter in the Burrow's kitchen, and both of those times have been dinners at the Burrow, with several other Order members surrounding us. Needless to say, there hasn't really been an opportunity to speak in private, about anything.
Regulus walks up to me, his expression blank, giving nothing away. Then, he takes my hand and pulls me towards him, his lips twitching upwards into a ghost of a smile.
"Many happy returns," He murmurs, and then leans closer to place a soft kiss on my lips.
Even if it is over quickly, I can feel my stomach bubbling with excitement, and my cheeks colouring instantly. "Thanks," I say to him, unable to suppress a grin.
"Oh!" I say then, remembering that Mrs. Weasley packed something with me. "You hungry?" I ask, lifting the bag in question. "Mrs. Weasley sent you some leftovers."
Regulus blinks at the bag, before looking at me, a small curl in his lips. "Sure," he says, glancing around the drawing room, and then gesturing at the seating area and the coffee table. "We can eat here."
Even though I am definitely not hungry, and urge Regulus to do most of the eating, I can't stop myself from having a piece of the leftover cake. It might be the best one Mrs. Weasley has made so far. That, or maybe it simply tastes better when I can share it with him.
"Anything exiting happen?" Regulus asks after he has finished eating, and Kreacher has cleaned everything away.
We're both situated on the couch, turned towards each other, and I think this is the most relaxed I've seen Regulus.
I give him a tight smile. "Oh, yes. Scrimgeour came to offer his best wishes," I say dryly.
Regulus stiffens, and his brows lift up in surprise. "What happened?"
I dig up the mokeskin pouch from the pocket of my jeans, as I speak, "He came to deliver Dumbledore's will," I explain and pull out the Snitch from the pouch. "Dumbledore gave Ron his Deluminator; an object you can put out and restore lights with, at least, that's what I know about it now, there could be other features, and to Hermione; a book – don't remember the name – and to me, this," I say and show him the Snitch, its wings fluttering lazily against my palm.
Regulus is silent for a moment before he speaks. "Why would he give you that?" He asks, looking contemplative.
I give him a small shrug. "Scrimgeour thinks there's something inside it. Apparently, Snitches have flesh memory – "
Regulus gives me a mildly amused look. "I know. I played as Seeker for my house team at Hogwarts."
"You did? I knew it!" I exclaim, grinning triumphantly at him, remembering how Ron and I had been bickering about if after I'd seen the picture of Regulus and the rest of the Slytherin Quidditch team in Slughorn's office – and how Ron had insisted that the position Regulus had been in in the picture, suggested that he was actually a Chaser, not a Seeker.
Regulus lifts his brows in question.
"Um. Never mind," I say quickly, and then gesture at the Snitch in my hand, "I've touched this one before."
"You have?" Regulus asks curiously, his eyes moving over the small ball. "…It doesn't look to be reacting to your touch, though."
I nod, a sly smile pulling up my lips. "Well, what the Minister didn't know, was that I didn't actually touch this with my fingers," I say, grinning widely at Regulus's puzzled look – I mean, it's not every day I manage to do that to him.
"I almost swallowed it," I continue, bringing the small object to my lips, brushing them against the cool metal.
Regulus looks impressed, and we both lean towards the Snitch, trying to see if anything happens – and something does.
There's writing. Dumbledore's handwriting engraved upon the smooth golden surface.
I open at the close.
"What does that mean? I open at the close?" I ask, glancing at Regulus with confusion.
Regulus looks thoughtful, but eventually shakes his head. "I haven't a clue," he mutters then.
There's a short silence, during which I try to rack my brains, thinking hard at the words, that have now vanished from the Snitch.
"…Maybe Hermione has an idea what this could mean…" I mutter absently, still running the words in my mind.
"Perhaps." Regulus says, watching me studiously. "Anything else happen with the Minister?" He asks then.
I glance at him and let out a quiet snort. "You think I would be here, if I hadn't acted mannerly?"
Regulus watches me with an amused smile on his lips. "When have you ever acted mannerly?"
I shrug. "I have my moments. It helps if I know by fact that the Minister is merely trying to find an excuse to haul me back to the Ministry," I say with a mirthless laugh. "His methods are…of his own kind."
Regulus expression darkens. "He threatened you?" He asks with a colourless voice.
"No, not straightforwardly. You know, just expressing his disappointment for my lack of cooperation," I say, and then remember something else Dumbledore intended to leave me. "Dumbledore left me the sword of Gryffindor, but Scrimgeour wasn't willing to give it to me," I say bitterly, and Regulus lets out an annoyed huff.
"Of course, not." He mutters, his brows creasing into a deep frown.
I don't know if he's thinking about the last time, he touched the sword, and the pain that followed, or the fact that we almost had a Horcrux-destroying weapon in our hands.
Either way, I shuffle towards him and take his hand, slipping my fingers through his. Regulus licks his lips absently and stares at our joined fingers with a strange expression.
I clear my throat and crawl even closer to him, into his space, gently placing my hand against his shoulder. "Let's think about that later, yeah?" I murmur, before leaning in for a kiss.
Regulus grunts softly, kissing me back, before taking a hold of my waist and pulling me slowly to sit on his lap.
"Oh…" I mutter in surprise, and dive back to meet his lips with a sigh, while his hands rub circles to my waist, sending delightful shivers down my spine.
Fuck, it feels so good. I want to move, to squirm against him, but I don't want anything to interrupt this – the way our lips glide against each other, the soft puffs of breath mingling, the quiet grunts – Regulus – and the soft sighs – me, embarrassingly – but then, Regulus moves his lips away from mine, trailing them delicately along the line of my jaw. When he starts to suck the skin under my jaw, I unintentionally jerk towards him, letting out an embarrassingly low groan, as both his lips and the friction I feel when our hips meet send a flashing pleasure into my groin.
Regulus pulls back a bit, breathing heavily, leaning his forehead against my shoulder. "Do you…" He mutters, pulling slightly back to look at me in the eye. He swallows hard before he speaks again, "Do you want to…go upstairs?" He asks quietly, almost nervously, like he's holding back, restraining himself.
He looks intense, with darkened eyes and flushed features. My eyes trail down to his lips, that are swollen, and very red. My mind obliges me to remember that between us, I can definitely feel him hard against my thigh. The knowledge only adds more warmness into the bottom of my stomach. I know that I don't want this to stop, that I want to see where this leads to, but I don't know if I have the courage to say it. Instead, I nod quickly to him, trying not to overthink it.
"Yeah," I breathe, trying to ignore the hint of awkwardness I feel as we disentangle ourselves and I back away to stand up.
The walk upstairs is quiet, and I mentally run the possible outcomes this could result. What are we actually doing? What exactly is he expecting of me? I'm feeling nervous, but at the same time, I can't seem to wait, since, as soon as we step onto the topmost floor, and Regulus gives me a hesitant look, I grab his hand and pull him towards his room.
As we walk over the threshold, I realise I've never been there. In his room. It's a bit smaller than his brother's, where I've actually spent a night, some months ago. I walk slowly further into the room, while Regulus stops behind me.
It's definitely better organised than Sirius's room; there're no posters of bikini-clad girls or photographs of his friends set up on the walls, and it's very minimalistic – there's only a bureau on one corner, next to a small reading nook. In the centre of the room, however, is a large bed, with canopy, curtains and everything. Every colour in his room is either black, silver, or emerald green.
"No point of wondering what house you were in at Hogwarts," I say jokingly, and turn to look at Regulus.
He looks back at me with a slightly reserved look. "We don't have to…We can go downstairs if you want," He says quietly, his eyes moving searchingly across my face.
I swallow hard. I know it would be easy to go back. But I've imagined him – this – so, so many times now. And I want to know…to see it through. I shake my head at him. "No, I was just. I mean, I've never been here…" I say, feeling a surge of boldness and back away slightly, until my feet touch his bed.
Regulus's eyes widen slightly, but then, he moves to close the door behind him, and walks up to me. He looks serious; the sharp angle of his jaw has become even sharper, and I know what he's about to say when his eyes darken with a stern look, as if he is about to reprimand me.
"Look. I want to." I say nervously, sitting down on his bed. "I just…um…don't really, you know…know what to do, exactly…" I stammer, and give him a slightly helpless cringe.
Regulus watches me quietly for a moment, before giving me a slight nod, and then leans towards me, to close the distance between our lips.
Our lips only brush each other, before I pull back and crawl backwards to the centre of the bed.
Regulus's eyes darken, and he clenches his jaw, following me, settling himself next to me.
"Come here," He breathes, reaching out to me, and I surge towards him, closing our distance with a heated kiss.
Instantly, Regulus grabs a handful of my hair, pulling me closer as his lips move against mine. Heat and excitement flow through my body, and we're both soon panting against each other between open-mouthed kisses. I press myself against him, still keeping a bit of my weight off of him with my other hand, while smoothing the other up against Regulus's chest, where I can feel his heart hammering through the fabric of his robes, and the way a groan rumbles in his chest, beneath my fingers, as my hips slot against his.
Regulus turns his head away, breaking the kiss and cursing under his breath. He looks at me, licking his lips. "You're sure?"
I swallow hard, and clear my throat, trying to suppress the want and the nervousness to think clearly. "I…yeah. I am," I say quietly, and then chew the corner of my mouth, feeling hesitant. "…I-I mean…maybe not…um…everything…right away…you know?" I ask, stumbling in my words, trying to stay unaffected as my cheeks start to burn.
I'm relieved when Regulus nods quickly. "I'm good with that," he says, his voice slightly hoarse. "Lead the way, I suppose?" He says, adjusting himself on the bed, looking a bit hesitant.
His body is tight, full of tension under me, and there's a definite shiver racking through him as I run my hand along his side, moving it downwards. I bring my face closer to his, until our lips are almost touching. "Can we…um…take this off?" I ask, tugging the fabric of his robes.
Regulus nods, and without saying anything, he moves to sit up, takes off his robes and puts them aside, revealing simple black t-shirt and black trousers underneath, before he leans back to lie down on the bed, taking a hold of the side of my neck and guiding me back partly on top of him. I lean in and let him cover my mouth with his, let him push his tongue inside my mouth and taste me as my fingers continue their path down against his chest, his belly, and then, skimming at the skin between the edge of his trousers and the hem of his shirt.
Merlin, I'm actually doing this, aren't I?
My fingers stay there for a moment, as I'm distracted by Regulus's lips, and how they seem to be feasting upon mine; sucking, licking, and…biting them, making me feel drunk and euphoric, starving for more.
I can only gasp against him, before Regulus murmurs quietly, between kisses, "Potter…"
Blinking my eyes open, only now realising I've been keeping them closed. "Yeah?" I breathe, assessing his features.
"Move your hand," He says with a roughened voice, looking rather intoxicated by desire.
I give him a sharp nod, and do as I'm told, my fingers trailing lower and lower, while our lips continue their exploration, uninterrupted. At least, until I find the unmistakable bulge in his trousers. After a split second of uncertainty, I give it a gentle squeeze, and a shuddering sigh escapes from Regulus's lips, making the pleasure flare up in my body, making it impossible to stay still anymore.
I start to grind my hips against him, while moving the heel of my palm against his erection; gasping, moaning, shivering against him. Regulus's hand travels from my side to between us, his fingers teasing the buttons of my jeans for a moment, before I gasp a ragged "Yes," against his mouth, and then, then, they're inside my jeans, inside my underpants, and…
Fuck.
Regulus is touching me, his fingers gliding along my length, making stars explode behind my eyelids.
"Shit…." I pant, and just as I get accustomed to his touch and the level of pleasure it brings, Regulus's hand starts rubbing me, drawing an embarrassingly loud whine from my lips. I'm swearing incoherently as the overpowering feeling fills me, the pleasure radiating in me, rushing into my every fibre, making me pulse, making me melt, until I can't hold off any longer, and spill myself into his hand with a deep moan. As the blood is rushing back to my brain, making me dizzy, I almost miss the way Regulus groans against my ear, his other hand pressing mine against his groin.
I feel weightless, and my mind is swaying. Everything happened so fast, that I don't think I have even realised it yet. There's a long moment, during which I rest my forehead against the crook of his neck, trying to gather my thoughts, trying to return to the present moment.
It's never felt like that. Never. And I've definitely done this by myself before. It's. Wow. I tell him this, still stammering in my words, still embarrassed to speak about it even after what happened, and Regulus lets out an amused huff.
"I know," he murmurs with a drowsy voice.
After we've both caught our breaths, and after I feel his pulse beating in its normal rhythm, I pull slightly back and give him a careful look. Regulus looks…contented…irresistible. His hair is tousled, his cheeks glowing, and his lips are full and red and how the hell have ever managed to keep mine away from them? But his eyes are what draw my attention…so dark that they're almost black. Watching me with hesitance, with nervousness…and with affection.
I lick my lips and lean down to place a soft kiss against his. Regulus's eyes flutter at the quick caress, but then he shifts, and I realise where his hand is still situated.
I give him a small grimace. "I think we need to get cleaned up," I mutter, but Regulus merely sits up and pulls his robes, that are folded neatly on our feet, closer, digging up his wand with the hand that's not currently in a mess and inside my pants, and flicking it at my groin.
Before I can even feel startled, or try to stop him from severing my manhood, Regulus frees his other hand, and I realise he's cleaned us up. I watch mutedly as he repeats the process to his own slacks, and then places his wand on his bedside table.
I love magic.
"Are you okay?" He asks, watching me searchingly.
I give him a small smile, feeling drained and sleepy all of a sudden. It has to be getting late. "Yeah," I say, stifling a yawn. "A bit tired," I mutter, and then glance at Regulus's bed around us, before looking at him, lifting my brows slightly in question. Should I stay here? Or is he expecting me to leave?
"By all means," Regulus says, nodding, while standing up from the bed. "I'll be back soon," He says and slips through the door leading undoubtedly into his en-suite bathroom.
I probably should take a shower. There're more than enough bathrooms in this house without having to wait for Regulus's to be available. But instead, I slump down against the pillows, and after a moment's hesitation, I strip away my shirt and trousers, leaving my underpants on, before slipping inside the covers.
Regulus emerges from the bathroom after a couple of minutes, stops in his tracks as he sees me, and then, very slowly, takes off his shirt and slacks, putting them neatly on his bedside table, placing his wand on top of them. And even though the Mark and his scar had been visible earlier, my eyes train at his forearm for the first time tonight. It's the first time I'm seeing the Mark after the woods. And it looks rather nasty. I wonder if it still hurts...? I wonder if he can still feel Voldemort summoning his Death Eaters, like he had before, as he once told me.
Regulus seems to guess my thoughts, as his expression hardens before he slips inside the covers, next to me. We're both lying on our backs, our eyes trained at the canopy of the bed.
"…Does it hurt?"
"It's fine, Potter."
I let out a frustrated huff. "Are you just saying that, so I'd leave it?" I mutter, and glance at him with a lifted brow. "Show me."
Regulus looks annoyed, but eventually turns towards me, leaning on his right side, and stretches out his left arm from beneath the covers, for me to see.
I mirror his position and take his hand, turning his arm so that I can inspect the Mark. Or what is left of it. "It looks…painful," I say quietly, my eyes flicking to his.
"It was."
His expression is unreadable, and he actually flinches as my fingers trail close to the Mark. "Don't touch it."
"Why?" I ask, feeling both curious and alarmed at the same time. "Will he know?"
Regulus shrugs. "He might. I doubt it…but no one actually knows for certain."
"Oh." I mutter, quickly removing my fingers from the Mark and the surrounding skin.
There's a silence. "When is it going to be healed?" I ask quietly.
Regulus gives me a long look. "There is a possibility that it won't," he reminds me, lowering his hand to rest on top of the covers.
I know that…Madam Pomfrey told us so. But there's still a possibility that it will. I give him a slow nod, chewing the inside of my cheek in thought.
"What happened after you left Hogwarts?" I ask, giving him a searching look. Regulus averts his eyes, his brows twitching slightly.
"Nothing particular. I stayed here. Lupin and my cousin baby-sat me. Went to a wedding. Got wasted and saw my brother," he lists flatly, and I lift a hand stop him.
"You saw Sirius?" I ask hastily, my eyes moving along his face, silently urging him to tell me more.
Regulus nods, his eyes focusing at mine. "Yes, I did. I told him what happened," he says with an unreadable look. "I told him everything."
Everything. That's…not great, necessarily.
"How…how did he take it?" I ask gingerly. Horcruxes, Dumbledore's death, Snape…I can't imagine how he could've taken any of it well.
Regulus arches a brow at me. "As good as you would imagine."
So…not well. I imagine Sirius in the chamber, pacing in front of the archway, shouting at his brother, pulling his hair in frustration.
God, I miss him.
"How is he?" I ask, my voice thick, the familiar mix of longing and hope filling me, as it does every time I think about my godfather.
Maybe…maybe we could try to sneak into the Ministry, even if we were hunting down the Horcruxes. It's not like we know where they are. We don't actually have anywhere to go from here.
"He's…still there," Regulus says bluntly, turning to lie on his back, looking away from me.
Which means that Sirius is there, hanging by a thread. Bloody hell… "You think we could…I mean, what if we tried – to get into the Ministry? We don't know where to go from here, where to look for the Horcruxes, but Sirius – "
" – It might be too dangerous. The Ministry has gone over a change during these past months. There are too many spies inside. And there is a chance that the Ministry is soon – if not already – in his grasp. The only reason I would go there now, is if there is a Horcrux hidden somewhere inside the Ministry," Regulus says, staring at the canopy with a contemplative look.
Regulus glances at me. "We'll wait, until the opportunity presents itself. In the meantime, we need to focus on bringing him down."
"Ron and Hermione are with us." I tell him, although I suspected that he already knew. "We, um…sort of…agreed that we'd come here, to plan how to find the Horcruxes, after the wedding. You know, since it's nearly impossible under Mrs. Weasley's watch…" I mutter, resisting the urge to blush with embarrassment under his hard stare.
Regulus's brows lift up slightly. "Oh?"
"I mean. If you're okay with it…" I say hesitantly, and when I see how his eyes flash with amusement, I quickly add, "Please don't say that it's my house."
"It is," Regulus says simply, but then there's a ghost of a smile on his lips. "I don't mind."
We talk a bit more; Regulus wants to know everything about the night of the seven Potters, especially the part where I faced him, and how I think my wand acted. I tell him everything I remember; about Hedwig, about Stan, then the pain, Voldemort, my wand – and Regulus listens intently. It isn't until the wee hours of the morning before we both fall asleep.
Grimmauld Place, August 1st 1997
I wake up into a buzzing sound. Potter's wand. Feeling exhausted, as if I haven't slept at all during the night, I slowly open my eyes. The sun has risen already, the light shining through the opening between the curtains. It's the day of the wedding, and Potter needs to leave soon. Yet, he doesn't even acknowledge his wand that is buzzing merrily next to his pillow.
"Potter," I grunt, suppressing a yawn.
Potter lets out a small noise of frustration, and then grabs his wand, ending the buzzing noise. His breathing turns heavier.
"I expect Mrs. Weasley to retrieve you personally if you are not at the wedding venue within thirty minutes," I say to him, knowing that he's heard me as the peaceful look on his face turns into a grimace.
"I'm tired…" Potter mumbles, his eyes closed.
Then, he lets out a weary sigh and blinks his eyes open, turning to look at me with sleepy eyes and ruffled hair.
"Morning," He murmurs, his dishevelled appearance strangely appealing.
"Good morning," I say back, watching him as he grabs his glasses from the nightstand and puts them on, blinking away the sleepiness. Potter then looks between us with a small frown, evidently realising how undressed we are. His ears tinge with red as he brings his eyes back up to meet mine.
Last night was…It was a long time coming, and I think we both knew that. But still, even if it was only a short moment, it was…quite incredible.
"Breakfast?" I ask Potter, and I'm unable to suppress a smile as he gives me a bashful look.
We both get dressed, and Potter takes a quick stop to the bathroom to freshen up a bit, before we walk downstairs. As we approach the kitchen, I remember I had something for him. A birthday present of a sort. I summon it from the drawing room, where I left it last night, and Potter eyes me curiously as we step into the kitchen.
Kreacher is already there, breakfast ready and the table set. The elf gives us both a rather offended look, before bowing low and disapparating with a loud crack.
"W-What…what was that?" Potter asks with a bewildered look as he takes a seat at the table.
My lips twitch involuntarily. "I would assume Kreacher was expressing its disapproval for us sharing a bed last night," I say casually. Potter gives me a disturbed look, and before he has a chance to say anything, I continue, "It is quite unusual in the pureblood culture, to do such before any sort of contract or betrothal between the two families."
Potter splutters, nearly spilling his tea onto the table.
"It's w-what? Um…I'm – there's no – and we're not – you know…?" Potter stammers, his face turning bright red.
I watch him with amusement. "We are not. I was merely explaining Kreacher's behaviour to you," I say simply, and Potter gives me a mixed look of incredulity and relief.
"I have something for you. A belated birthday present," I tell him, and then hesitate. "However, it might be the wrong moment. I would not wish to give you false expectations."
Potter's brows lift up slightly, and he looks curious. "Oh? I promise I'll try not to read into it too much?" He says, giving me a hopeful look.
A small smirk tugs up my lips, and I wave my hand, wandlessly revealing the silver ring in the middle of the table, covered with geometric figures and symbols.
Potter's eyes widen comically. " – T-That's a – a ring," He says, voice faltering. "I'm – um. W-What?" He breathes, giving me a look that borders disbelieving and horrified.
"It's my brother's ring. He got it from your father – at least that's what Sirius told me when we were young. I stumbled on it some time ago, and put it aside. For you," I explain, eyeing his reaction carefully.
"Just to make myself clear - it doesn't mean anything to me," I continue, giving Potter a stern look.
Potter frowns at me for a short moment, before letting out a nervous chuckle. "Okay. That helped," He says, and tentatively reaches for the ring.
"Go ahead," I say and nod at him.
He takes it, and inspects it carefully before looking at me with a question in his eyes. "Does it do something? I mean, why would my dad give Sirius a ring? I mean – " he says, his voice dying off, his expression turning into a horrified one, before his eyes nearly bulge out. " – They weren't – I mean, no, they couldn't have been! Merlin, I'm – "
"Before you work yourself into hysteria, Potter, no – I do not believe they were like that," I say quickly, interrupting him.
Potter looks disordered and slightly relieved.
"This ring was most probably given for its properties of healing and enhancing magical capabilities," I explain, and Potter's expression turns into a curious one.
"A healing ring? A ring that makes you stronger?" He asks, doubt and eagerness mixing in his eyes. "Is that actually working?"
"Not against harmful curses. Definitely not against the Unforgivables," I say, giving Potter a firm look. "I wouldn't go testing its capabilities to find out."
Potter gives me a sheepish grin, as if he was considering the option to try out the ring's powers.
I lick my lips absently, before nodding at the ring. "There is an addition to it, however."
"Oh?" Potter asks, his eyes flicking to the ring, as if he could see it merely by looking at it. "What is it?" He asks after a short moment, eyeing me studiously.
"It's a Portkey – to here," I say and glance around us. "It activates with the incantation engraved to the inside of the ring," I tell him, and as Potter's eyes scan it closely, and undoubtedly find the inscription, I continue, "I would refrain repeating it now, as it can be used only once."
Potter throws me a withering look. "I figured," he says blankly, and then eyes me with a mix of surprise and confusion. "You can create Portkeys?"
I shake my head, a small frown taking place between my brows. "Unfortunately, no. I asked Moody to perform the spell after I was made a Secret-Keeper of this place," I explain, and there's a flash of sadness in him as Potter nods at me.
After a short silence, Potter looks at me with a soft smile on his lips. "Thank you. I appreciate it," he says earnestly, and the way he gazes at me, with gratefulness, sincerity and affection, it makes me want to look away, as if I'm not worthy of the look he gives me. But I force myself to stare back at him, to welcome the feeling of lightness that settles somewhere in the bottom of my stomach.
Potter eventually blinks and gives me a sad smile. "I have to go. There's a wedding," He says with a deep sigh, and stands up from the table.
I nod and follow his example, escorting him towards the entrance hall on the ground floor.
Before he leaves through the door, we share one last kiss; soft and gentle, a promise of something more