I opened the door of my room as quietly as I could and crept out. The Hall was quiet. I moved silently towards the lift, with the help of a silence rune, and thought I had gotten away with it until I heard a voice.

"Going somewhere, are you?"

I spun around to see Izzy standing with her arms crossed over her chest, looking at me with amusement plastered all over her face.

"Um. Well. I-I couldn't sleep, so I, um, I decided to go for a-"

"Alec Lightwood, do not tell me you are going for a walk. I … heard you on the phone." She said sheepishly. I gaped at her.

"Izzy!" I whisper-shouted. "How much did you hear?"

Her expression told me clearly she had heard all of it. I groaned and put my head in my hands.

"Alec, if you want to go see him I'm not going to stop you. I heard how happy you sounded talking to him. I just want to see you like that all the time."

I dropped my hands to my sides and sighed, resigned.

"Fine, whatever. Can I just go now?"

She just smiled.

"And, Izzy…please don't tell anyone."

"You know I wouldn't do that, Alec."

I smiled at her one last time before turning and walking into the lift.

Magnus opened the door. He was dressed in what looked like the same outfit as what I'd met him in, only this time it was looser and a little less sparkly. This must be his version of pyjamas, I thought. Also, his hair wasn't gelled up into spikes; it hung down in a dark curtain over his face. This made him look more real, somehow, and I liked it this way.

"Wow." I said. "You even wear glitter when you sleep."

Magnus laughed. "Of course. A warlock can't get enough glitter. Do come in, Alexander."

I felt my face heat up with a blush at his use of my name. I didn't feel nearly as confident in person as I did over the phone.

I walked awkwardly over to one of the couches and sat down.

"Hot Chocolate?" Asked Magnus airily, but didn't wait for an answer before he snapped his fingers and two steaming mugs of hot chocolate appeared on a small coffee table in front of the couch.

"Thanks." I muttered, took one of the mugs and sipped tentatively. Magnus sat down next to me with his own mug, and turned to me.

"You've got a little bit…" He leaned towards me, making my heart race, "there." And before I could protest, he licked a drop of hot chocolate off of my lip, making me jump back in surprise.

"Magnus!" I exclaimed, but part of me was thinking again again again again again again again again again. My bottom lip still tingled from where Magnus's lip had touched it.

"What?" Magnus asked, his hands in the air, "I was only getting a bit off your lip, Darling. Just trying to help." But his act slipped at the last minute and a smile crept onto his face. I blushed furiously and looked down in response.

"Why do you have such a low opinion of yourself?" Magnus asked gently.

I looked up, confused. "What?"

"I can see it on your body language. The way your feet and legs press together, the way you don't relax, but hunch in over yourself – I mean, honestly, that can't be comfortable – and the way you always look down, and how you always blush – although, that is adorable, so I'm not really complaining."

Still looking at the floor, I said quietly, "you've been paying close attention." I closed my eyes and raised my head a little, towards him. It was quiet for a few seconds, but then I heard Magnus's voice, no more than an inch away.

"Open your eyes." He whispered. I did, and found myself staring straight into his sparkling gold-and-green-cat ones. Then they got closer, and I realised what he was going to do. He's going to kiss me, I thought. I wasn't entirely opposed to that idea, so I sat still as a statue and he came closer, and closer – our lips brushed, sending a tingle of warmth through me, then-

DING!

My phone vibrated in my pocket, making me jump.

Magnus growled. "This better be life or death because if not I'm going to murder whoever just texted you."

I half-laughed and looked at the text.

You okay? From Izzy. I looked back at Magnus. "Thanks, but I really wouldn't appreciate you murdering my sister, annoying as she is sometimes."

Magnus looked confused. I guessed he knew about how if The Clave found out about me being gay and (possibly) having a boyfriend, then I'd get stripped of my Marks and treated like an outsider. "Your sister, does she…?"

"Yes. Well. She sort of caught me as I was sneaking out."

"Oh. She must be a good sister." He smiled gently. "Even if she did interrupt." Suddenly he was playful again and pushed me over so I was lying on the couch with him leaning over me.

"Magnus!" I exclaimed. I was breathless, my heart thumping out of my chest, my stomach full of butterflies – no, more like giant vampire moths, making me almost queasy.

"Hush. You're fine." Magnus leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.