Disclaimer: don't own.

a/n: catapults Beater 1, light/dark relationship, Muggle restaurant, word: stranger.

Regulus knew it was a bad idea the moment he let it happen. It was a purely emotional decision and one he shouldn't be proud of on principle, but in practice it made his heart leap.

"Hi," she said again since their meeting, flipping through her menu.

"Hey," said Regulus, giving her a winning smile. He opened his menu with begrudging curiosity. How different was Muggle food? He scanned the prices as well; was he to pay for this date? He certainly didn't have Muggle money.

"I'm so glad we're out for summer. School was really starting to get on my nerves. I can't stand Professor Slughorn. How could a teacher so blatantly play favorites like that?"

Regulus knew that she was one of those favorites. He was too. It hadn't really bothered him before; but he already knew she was far more ethical than he was. He said instead, "Actually, Professor Sinistra drives me crazy. The class goes on so slowly. I swear she's halfway to the grave."

She giggled. His heart leapt.

He had been jealous. Sirius was always the one the witches went after; hardly anyone even knew who Regulus was in comparison to the almighty God of Gryffindor.

She was a Gryffindor girl, in Regulus' year though. He wondered if she knew his brother. He wondered if she liked him.

"Can I ask you a strange question?" He was already throwing caution out the window anyway. She nodded. "Do you know my brother?"

"He's funny sometimes, but he can be a right prat. Doesn't really know when he goes too far. I know you two don't get on. I'm sorry."

He shook off the wave of emotion that overcame him. "It's okay. Like you said, he can be a right prat."

She giggled again.

He had been angry. When Sirius swore off the family, he shouldered Regulus with a responsibility he was made for, but not, necessarily, one he wanted. All of a sudden, the amount of scrutiny on his actions increased tenfold. There was no room for error.

And he had been giddy. He had never felt such emotions from just a girl before, he didn't think he's even had a crush before, but they had come abruptly and with thousands of butterflies in his stomach.

They had met after Christmas this past school year in the library. It was a pretty typical friendship he supposed, Regulus didn't have many. They bonded over their favorite elective, Arithmancy, and did the homework together. He allowed himself cordial greetings with her in the hallways, and more personal conversations in secluded nooks in a library - plans for the future, how he felt about this and that. He had never really shared these things with anyone before.

She asked him out before they left for Summer and said she'd write. Regulus thought it worked the other way, but he wasn't about to complain.

And most of all, it had been reckless; because of who he was, because of his reputation, and most of all, because of who the girl was.

Kendra Shacklebolt was from the Shacklebolt family, an esteemed member of the Sacred 28, but one that made a point to be on the right side of history. Kingsley, her older brother, had just graduated as Head Boy and worked in the Auror Department now. Her parents were both high-ranking Ministry officials - her mother, a member of the Wizengamot, and her father, the Department of Magical Education. The Shacklebolts were constantly using their leverage and name to advance progress and equality in any way they could, and as a result, his parents hated them.

And so did his friends; the ones who had whispered connections, the ones Regulus thought of joining in his nightmares and in his dreams. Sure, it would be the perfect way to prove himself to his parents, and he'd like to make sure the old families remained in power for a long time. But these people had already been doing unspeakable things; by the time Regulus would be old enough to join, would he have to kill people? People like Kendra? He was still only fourteen. Would he punished for being with her today?

"So what are you going to get?" Kendra asked. "I'm craving pasta like no tomorrow."

He pushed the thoughts aside and brought them back to the menu. He had precious time before he had to decide and he wasn't going to waste it. And after all, there were stranger things than going on a date with a girl you fancied. In a Muggle Restaurant. That his parents would have a hard attack if he saw him at, with this girl, and that might change Sirius opinion of him completely, but he was too nervous to be seen with her practically anywhere in Wizarding public.

No big deal.

"Not sure," he confessed. "There's so much to choose from."

Kendra laughed, light and airy. Just the carefree tone of it made Regulus jealous. "Reg, you have to pick soon! The waiter's been round twice already, but you've been so zoned out. What's going on up there?" she giggled, pointing to her own head with a flourish.

Regulus smirked. "That's for me to know, and you to find out. And I'll have the salmon." She shook her head fondly, but Regulus began to think as they continued their conversations of school and Quidditch and interests.

How many times in his life would he be going on a date like this? What were the chances that his parents were planning on marrying off? What of the chances of him joining ranks with Voldemort? For whatever reason, Regulus got the feeling the number would be very low, and he told himself to do something he never had before: act like Sirius.

And so when they'd had their fill, Regulus leaned in and took her hand and asked "Do you wanna get out of here?"

Kendra's eyes widened, and Regulus turned a thousand shades of red. "Not like that! Just, out of here; let's go on an adventure."

"Where?"

"Do I really look like a guy with a plan?" He pulled her from the table and out into the fairly-bustling streets of lunchtime in Glasgow. They walked through the streets. A couple vendors had set up tables and they stopped at each one to examine. Regulus noticed Kendra take a second glance at a simple bracelet with a flat opal-like pendant, and bought it when she wasn't looking.

They sat on the steps of official looking buildings and watched people stroll by, commenting on whether they'd like the lives of this person, or that.

They pet a few dogs in the street. Regulus was shy at first, but Kendra convinced him when they were so friendly to her.

And at the end they found a park and garden, and they walked for hours, hand-in-hand about things they had seen today, worries for the future, friends and family.

Regulus was still guarded. He would always be. But Kendra respected his boundaries and it made him feel good.

And as the sun set she leaned in and kissed him, and Regulus wanted to hold her in that moment forever, and simultaneously write a letter to the expectations of society:

"Fuck you."