Authors Note: Just a quick little story I had an idea for that wouldn't go away. My apologies for any spelling, grammar, or general sappiness- I whipped this out this morning and now have a wide awake toddler to deal with so this has had absolutely no editing aside from spell check.
Disclaimer: I own Diamond, Jade, and the rest of their family whom I may or may not actually write about at some point. I own nothing else but the plot and a thousand apologies if anyone takes offense.
Diamond stumbled in through the dungeon common room door, her arms laden with books, as a fifth year student, she was relentlessly studying and panicking over the O.W.L.'s they would be taking at the end of the year- mostly panicking. Her sister, one of them anyway, referred to it as a personality quirk, one of the others called it an affliction and would suggest calming droughts before any test. However, potions not being said sisters forte, the draft she had given Diamond had resulted in an embarrassing departure from Charms class and begging Madame Pomfrey to allow her to stay in the Hospital Wing until her stomach stopped making sounds that could rival a fright train. And, of course, Jade, her sister, could not remember what exactly had caused the problem in her potion to begin with and, in an attempt to gain her sister's forgiveness, had publically declared her love for Professor Snape... an attempt that ultimately succeeded after Diamond saw the detention Jade was forced to endure from her own head of house. Yes, the pair of them were in Slytherin, the notoriously dark house of Hogwarts and advertised as only accepting those pure of blood. Diamond's own father was muggle born, a fact that she admittedly, did not advertise under any circumstance whereas Jade could not care less what a bunch of pale faced, stuck up, pure blooded, toe rags thought of her, her words. Diamond wished that she had Jade's confidence but for now, she'd concentrate on her O.W.L.'s. Lowering her tower of books, Diamond finally noticed that, speak of the devil, Jade was in the common room as well...
on the floor
with Adrian Pucey
and Terrence Higgs
TANGLED up with the pair.
"What exactly are you three doing?" Diamond hissed, gratefully noting that other than the trio, the common room was empty.
"Twister" Jade responded brightly "Would you believe that these two had never heard of it?"
"Given that it's primarily a-" Diamond gave another quick sweep of the common room "-muggle game" she finished "and they're pureblood, I'm not exactly shocked"
"Care to join" Terrence excitedly inquired "I'm winning" which wasn't a shock given the fact that he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team and Seekers were generally the smallest and most nimble of all the players. He had played for three years... until Draco Malfoy bought his way onto the team in his fourth year. He was gallantly offered the reserve place by Marcus Flint, the Captain, an offer that Terrence shot down in an instant. Adrian still played as one of the Chasers and that was probably the only reason Terrence still had anything to do with Quidditch besides his love for the game.
Jade did not play. She tripped on the way to class and would periodically misstep on the moving staircases, which is why she was forbidden to walk to class without someone to secure her safety.
Which is why it was so amazing that she hadn't fallen down playing as of yet- being sandwiched between the two players probably helped; Diamond noted that Adrian had yet to speak and, based on the shade of red his face was, probably wouldn't any time soon.
"No thanks" Diamond sighed "I've got Charms to study"
"I got an O on my Charms O.W.L" Terrence commented "I could help you out. Give you an idea what's going to be on the exam"
"I'd be extremely grateful" Diamond smiled. Adrian's face had turned purple, with a jerky cough, he finally spoke
"But you'll forfeit the game"
"Just like I gave up my place on the team. I'm good at forfeiting. Forfeit is my middle name. Forfeit, forfeit, forfeit" Terrence weaved his limbs out from in between his fellow students and rolled off the twister mat. "I'm sure you'll do a fabulous job carrying on without me. It's a talent of yours."
"You don't sound bitter at all" Jade teased, her own face now tinged with pink as there was now no one separating her from Adrian underneath.
"Oh no, not at all." Terrance replied with false sweetness "I'm thrilled that my best friend chose to take a Nimbus 2001 and a spot underneath a greasy, spoiled, albino and be commanded by a mutant troll over ME". He spun on his toe, leading Diamond across the common room to one of the other emerald green sofas.
"Your maturity is awe inspiring" Diamond quipped, sitting down with Terrence, still in view of the game so as to spy better on her sister- for purely selfless reasons, not to giggle at the sudden stalemate between the blushing students...
"All according to plan " the blonde boy grinned mischievously, "Think they bought it?"
"Bought what?"
"The act!"
"That was so not an act." Diamond protested "Deep down you do care that Adrian chose Quidditch over you"
"Very deep down" Terrence sighed "You don't understand. Quidditch isn't just a sport, it's a LIFE and I would've thought something seriously wrong with Adrian if he had chosen me over Quidditch." Diamond rolled her eyes
"Boys"
The pair stared over the back of the couch toward the still unmoving figures of Jade and Adrian.
"How long do you think they can stay like that?" Diamond whispered
"I don't know" Terrence shrugged "Probably not much longer-" there was a light thud as Jade's arms finally gave out and she landed on top of Adrian. "Your sister has absolutely no upper body strength." he finished. Seemingly frozen, the only sign that Jade had even registered the fall was the magenta shade her cheeks had now turned.
"Think they're communicating via face colors?" Diamond muttered irritably. It was so clear that the two seventh years had feelings for each other.
"I think I can translate" Terrence mused "Magenta means SNOG ME"
"You're wrong, that's crimson- magenta means take me to the nearest broom closet" they had to stifle their giggles lest they alert Adrian and Jade to the fact that they were not studying how to make an egg do a cartwheel.
After what seemed like forever, Jade finally leaned down and pecked the end of Adrian's nose. Diamond was now completely leaning forward over the back of the couch, determined not to miss a thing. There was a short pause as Adrian fully registered what had just happened. Feeling foolish, Jade began to dismount her classmate who caught her by the arm- pulling himself to a sitting position, Adrian took hold of Jade's chin and kissed her full on the lips.
Diamond was bouncing on her knees now, clutching Terrence who was looking all to pleased with himself, her other hand was plastered to her mouth to forcibly contain her squeals. Now locked in a full on snogging session, Terrence and Diamond began to feel a little uncomfortable watching the couple.
"So Charms?" Terrence cleared his throat, turning back to the pile of books
"Charms" Diamond confirmed, reluctantly spinning forward to her schoolwork "And then I have a Potions essay on the properties and uses of Wolfsbane. Twelve inches."
"Fantastic"
"I can help with that" Jade interjected, she and Adrian joined.
"Nuh uh. Not after that Calming Draft you messed up." Diamond refused
"That was just payback for the stay proof charm you gave me for my lipstick" Jade smirked "Madame Pomfrey had to practically glue my lips back on!"
"That's because you were supposed to charm your lipstick before you put it on" Diamond corrected "Not while it was on you- and I can see you still haven't done the correct spell" she gestured to Adrian's face- he hastily wiped the red lipstick off of his own.
"Wasn't really your color, mate" Terrence teased. Adrian glared back good naturedly, the fight obviously forgotten.
"I've always seen myself as more an all natural man myself" he agreed.
"You don't need make up to be beautiful" Terrence concurred.
"What about me?" Jade asked Adrian who stammered.
"No, you definitely need it" Terrence reassured her. Jade shrugged
"Eh, we can't all be natural beauties like Pucey here" she elbowed him in the ribs "I think I broke him" she concluded upon his further stuttering.
"perhaps you oughta kiss him again?" Diamond suggested with a cheesy grin.
"Not in front of us, please" Terrence pleaded "My virgin eyes can't take much more" Adrian snorted after Terrence said virgin
"What about that Beauxbatons girl at the Yule ball last year?" Diamonds face fell, Terrence didn't notice, too busy rolling his eyes
"She spent the whole time trying to get Victor Krum to make eyes at her after his date apparently left. I'm no ones second choice" at this, Diamond beamed.
"I know someone you would be first choice-" Jade stopped as her sister kicked her sharply.
"Don't you have some snogging to catch up on?" she asked pointedly. Catching the hint, Jade stood up dramatically, offering Adrian her hand.
"Follow me, Sir Pucey" she spoke airily "Come forth to yonder cupboard and engage in tasks that t'would shame thine father." Adrian stared blankly; she sighed "Wanna go find someplace private to make out?"
"Oh that!" he nodded eagerly and practically sprinted toward the common room door.
"It's a really good thing he's cute" Jade said with a huge smile, hastily following him out the door.
"They've got an hour before curfew" Terrence mentioned "Pleanty of time to make you an aunt" Diamond gagged at this realization, he laughed at her revulsion "Relax, there's hardly ever accidental pregnancies at Hogwarts."
"Why? Is their a fetus deletus charm I'm unaware of?" Diamond curiously questioned.
"That must've been the potions class you missed while you were in the hospital wing after the calming draft-"
"How'd you know I missed a potions class?"
"Your sister told me"
"Oh"
"Anyway, Professor Snape basically hurled a piece of parchment at us with a list of potions and preventative charms and told us to go to Madame Pomfrey if we had any questions, apparently contraceptives are 'not his division'". Diamond blinked at this revelation. "They do it for all of the fifth years" he shrugged.
"Well." she began "At least they're being safe?"
"Can we please stop talking about my best friend getting it on with your sister?" Terrence cringed
"Oh, like he's not going to be running to tell you everything right after" Diamond snapped
"Completely different!" Terrence protested
"Because I'm a girl?" she was aghast that that could possibly be the only reason
"Because she's your sister and my friend and she and I-" he slapped a hand to his mouth, eyes bulging at what he had revealed.
"Sweet Merlin, NO!" she was ready to hunt down her sister and forcibly bang her head against the castle walls. Jade KNEW how she felt.
"Last year, after Adrian took some Ravenclaw girl to the ball and my date left to pant after Krum" Terrence attempted to wave it off, but Diamond was having none of that.
"Is that why she didn't come home for Christmas with us? Because of you?" Diamond jolted up
"She was worried about how you would take it!"
"She was right to be worried!" Diamond snapped back "How could you do that to your friend? BOTH of them?! Adrian only took Mariette because she asked him and he can't say no to anyone!"
"She was there-"
"A wonderful reason to have SEX with someone!" Diamond was enraged. Both at the fact her sister had sex with the boy she had a crush on and that he had done it for the shallowest of reasons.
"She was helping me"
"Helping you? Do tell! Did she help you when you tripped and fell into her vagina!?" Diamond was shrill, nearly hysterical with anger.
"She helped me when I couldn't actually follow through with it!" now Terrence was red, but not from anger. Diamond stopped, confused.
"You're gonna need to elaborate on that" Terrence sighed, running a hand through his short blonde hair.
"We didn't actually have sex because I couldn't actually-" he made a gesture toward his lower region; it took a second for Diamond to fully register his meaning.
"So you couldn't because you felt guilty?" she asked perplexed but relieved that she wouldn't have to kill her older sister.
"Because I'm not attracted to her" Terrence strained to explain, this obviously being difficult for him. "She helped me figure out that I shouldn't try to be something I'm not... and I'm not the kind of guy who just sleeps with a girl..."
"When your friend has feelings for her?" Diamond attempted to finish his sentence for him, already guessing she was wrong.
"When I'm not attracted to her and am only trying to force myself to be what I'm expected to be"
"I don't know what you mean-"
"Diamond, I'm gay!" Terrence blurted out, tired of beating around the confession. Diamond didn't speak for a minute.
"Wow"
"I know"
"That's...
"I know. I shouldn't have led you on"
"You didn't, you never acted as more than a friend to me and you are a good friend" Diamond was finally finding her voice again, Terrence was looking at the ground. "You shouldn't have felt like you had to hide a part of who you are" surprised, Terrence met her gaze. Diamond wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "You are my friend and I love you no matter what".
"Now will you stop mooning over him? It's been killer trying to get you interested in someone else" Jade and Adrian had returned.
"You left just so I'd finally tell her, didn't you?" Terrence accused. Jade gaped at him in mock horror of his allegation.
"Duh" she pointed at her eschewed Slytherin badge as though it explained everything. "Besides, it wasn't my place to tell and I've been sick of the elephant in the room and the love sick gazes"
"I know the feeling" Terrence stared pointedly at Adrian who pretended to be preoccupied with fixing his shirt which had magically become refastened the wrong way.
"Don't know what you're talking about" Jade half heartedly denied, sharing a smile with Adrian. Terrence also looked at his best friend.
"I'm sorry I didn't trust you before, mate" Adrian just waved off the apology
"I've known since fourth year Defense Against the Dark Arts class" Jade and Diamond looked puzzled but Terrence clearly knew of what he was referring.
"How did you know that was me?"
"Oh please, even signed anonymous you have the hand writing of a serial killer" Adrian smirked "I sorted Professor Lockhart's Valentines in detention" he explained to the bewildered girls.
"Why didn't you say anything then?" Adrian shrugged indifferently
"It's in the best friend handbook: don't tell your mate he's gay before he's ready to accept it himself"
"But you never treated me any different"
"Also in the best friend handbook" Terrence was grinning now "Right under where it says to not try having sex with your best mates girlfriend to figure out your own sexuality." Jade and Terrence looked properly mortified.
"And how the bloody hell did you know that?" Terrence demanded as Jade was completely speechless at being newly referred to as his girlfriend.
"Oh, please. In all the time we've been here Jade has never stayed over the holidays because she actually HAS a decent family and-" he stared pointedly at Jade and Terrence "You two couldn't be in the same room as each other for two weeks without making some excuse to leave"
"You figured it out just based on that?" Jade was amazed "I've been giving you too little credit all of these years".
"And I've been saying that for years" Adrian put his arm around her "It's part of my charm to be decidedly oblivious. Just like I didn't know you wanted to use that game to force Terrence and I to talk again and he didn't volunteer to help your sister in a class he hates so we'd finally kiss". Diamond looked at her volunteer tutor
"You hate charms?"
"Only class I've ever had to actually try in" Terrence confessed "I loathe actually having to put forth effort."
"Learn something new everyday" Diamond joked. Jade was still staring at Adrian in awe.
"My boyfriend is a conniving genius" she gushed. Adrian cocked an eyebrow
"Boyfriend, huh?"
"You said girlfriend first"
"So I did"
"Guess that makes it official then"
"About time too" Terrence groaned "I don't think I could've taken another poem about her straw hair and cesspool eyes"
"Cesspool?" Jade glowered at Adrian who readily admitted:
"I'm absolutely rubbish at poetry... your eyes really are more hazel than sewage water"
"What a relief" she sarcastically drawled before interlacing her fingers with his. "At least you have your brains going for you or I might actually be upset"
"Thank Merlin for that" he agreed squeezing her hand and gazing into her eyes, still stunned that they were, actually, finally, really together. Terrence and Diamond shared a glance and mimed gagging which the couple chose to ignore.
Terrence smiled, feeling lighter than he had in months. His secret was out and his friends couldn't care less... he'd tell Adrian the other reason he was kicked off the Quidditch team another time; he couldn't risk him quitting. Maybe after graduation?
"Oi, Adrian?" Diamond was saying "You're wearing her lipstick again"
"Bloody hell."