Chapter 2

Evan was double-booked on Saturday afternoon. Possibly triple booked, depending on what his parents' plans were. They usually liked him to floo home and watch his baby brother, but this weekend was a Slytherin game and Evan wanted to go see Regulus play. The informal dueling club that he was a part of also decided to meet this Saturday, instead of Friday night like they usually did, because most of them went to Hufflepuff movie night the first Friday of the month.

He was in the process of debating whether he should prioritize honing his skills in the one thing he excelled at or watching his best friend "own it on the Quidditch pitch" as he walked to his dorm room's door, from which a high pitched girlish giggling was emanating. Evan rolled his eyes: Saunders. Upon entering the room, however, he found that it was not Saunders; laying on Regulus' bed was the curly haired girl from the fire the other day, giggling and playfully shoving Regulus. Evan grimaced and couldn't hide back the bitterness in his voice as he said, "What is she doing here?"

Regulus sat up. "Evan! That's no way to welcome our guest!"

"Yeah Rosey-er," Hope smirked. "Play nice."

"It's Rosier," he growled.

Caldwell dissolved into giggles that grated against his nerves. Girls. Always so fucking giggly and ridiculous. Evan had long since resigned to the fact that Regulus' attractions lied in the feminine direction, but he was never particularly pleased about it. Especially since he was so goddamn popular, even with a girl he frequently called his inferior and referred to as a mudblood to her face.

Regulus shook his head and leaned over to whisper something in Caldwell's ear. She made a face at him, but settled down a bit. "So are you coming with us tonight, Evan?"

"Coming where?" he asked warily.

Regulus grinned. "To Hufflepuff movie night, of course!"

Evan stared at him in disbelief. "You're going to watch that muggle monstrosity? With her? And the Hufflepuffs? If Nott didn't already think-"

"Who cares what that idiot thinks? Caldwell and I are going. It's decided. You can come or not."

"Not."

"No, I just said. No one cares about what Nott thinks." Caldwell started giggling her ever present giggle.

Evan sighed. "Whatever, Black. I'm not going. You ought to know better than that too. You are a Black aren't you?"

Regulus shrugged. "There is no rule against me having fun with them is there?"

"Having muggle fun? At our wizarding institution? Honestly, Regulus."

"Alright, Evan, alright. I get it. You disapprove. I honestly could not care less."

"Oh you're all surprises."

Regulus shrugged and chuckled, putting his arm around Caldwell. "Don't mind him. He's always grumpy."

Evan slammed his book down on the floor and clenched his jaw. It wasn't about the girl in Reg's bed, he thought. It really and truly wasn't. Girls in Regulus' bed were not an uncommon occurrence and he didn't care about her. It was about his insolence. It was enraging and intoxicating at the same time. Reg's casual carelessness was a magnetic pull. It got under Evan's skin and drew him in in a way that he wasn't entirely comfortable with.

Regulus smirked at him and Evan made a sour face in response. Regulus would continue to belittle Evan's insecurities and pick on his distaste and all he could do was make an unhappy face about it. Regulus smirking with a hand around a girl Evan inevitably disapproved of was the tragedy of his fucking life.

Evan pulled the covers around his four poster bed angrily as Regulus' continued to look at him in amusement. Dueling it was then.

oOo

Regulus Black and Hope Caldwell were on opposite sides of the dividing lines in the Slytherin house-his friends thought she was trash and her friends thought he was evil incarnate, and really they shouldn't get along, but Regulus had taken a liking to her over the past couple of months. She was a year older than him and generally unassuming, but her recent involvement in what her friend referred to as the "muggle-born master race" had caught the attention of her housemates, Regulus included. She intrigued him. Her bad blood wasn't so much of a concern for him. Naturally, he selected his close associates based on their blood and social standing, but he wasn't above having a mudblood girl around for his own amusement.

The coming war had changed things somewhat, and Nott was one of the more vocal proponents of that change. Nevertheless, Regulus' mother had spoken before of the "pets" she used to have at Hogwarts-half-blood and mudblood girls who she kept around to bask in their constant admiration-and she had raised Regulus to show a certain amount of tolerance to those of bad birth. They were better company than blood traitors; after all, they couldn't help the way they were born. Of course they were inferior, but through no fault of their own. It was the responsibility of a proper pureblood to guide them and put them into their natural place in the world, not to reject and abuse them for the misfortune of their birth.

Besides, Caldwell had introduced him to the wonders of Hufflepuff movie night in the kitchens. Regulus may be the heir to the house of Black and a servant of the Dark Lord, but he was also a 16 year old boy, Getting plastered with the cheerful members of the Hufflepuff house and watching muggle moving pictures was perhaps not the most dignified way to spend his time, but it was fun, and the pretty mudblood girl was excuse enough for him to be interested in going without raising the eyebrows of his classmates too far. The delicate balance between propriety and a life worth living was one that Regulus had mastered at a very young age, and this was toeing the line.

When the movie was over, Regulus was lying with a cupcake in one hand and his other arm wrapped around Caldwell's shoulder. She snuggled up on his chest and sighed, reaching for his cupcake.

"Hey! Get your filthy hands off my food!"

Caldwell stopped and stared at her hands for a moment, frowning. "My hands aren't filthy. I washed them. I think. Sometime."

Regulus chuckled as he took a bite out of his cupcake. "Your hands are forever soiled by your ill-breeding."

The students in earshot of him turned and glared. "What'd'ya bring Black for, Hope?" one of them asked.

Caldwell waved her hand dismissively. "He's funny. Just leave him."

"Hilarious. I love when people call me a filthy muggle-born too."

"You said everyone who wants to come can come. So I brought him." Caldwell spoke firmly, but her ears were reddening in embarrassment as everyone in the kitchen quieted to observe their argument. After a moment she turned to Regulus and said, "Watch your mouth, Black, or I'll rub my filthy hands all over you."

She put her hands on his face before grabbing what was left of his cupcake and smearing it's icing on his nose. She giggled, but everyone else seemed to hold their breath, ready to defend their friend from the inevitable rage of the young Black's reaction. Regulus, however, cheeks flushed from alcohol and spirits raised from far too much sugar, merely laughed and pushed her off him. Caldwell grinned, looking relieved herself. She leaned forward a bit and licked the icing off his nose. "There you go, Black," she whispered.

Regulus made a face and wiped the spit and remaining icing off. "You really are filthy, Caldwell."

She shrugged and got up, offering him her hand. "I'm tired. I'm going back to the common room. You coming with?"

Regulus nodded and got up to follow her, ignoring her outstretched hand. On his way out of the kitchen, one of the older boys, someone he recognized as a good friend of Caldwell's, stuck out his leg to trip him and snickered as Regulus stumbled a bit. Regulus rolled his eyes and stepped on the boy's leg after regaining his balance, walking away before he could retaliate further. Caldwell gave him a disapproving look, but he ignored it and made his way to the hall.

"You didn't have to step on him. You hurt him."

"Good. He tried to hurt me. Serves him right."

Caldwell frowned, but didn't respond. She walked next to him quietly before grabbing his arm. When he stopped and turned to look at her, she pushed herself up on her tiptoes, put her hand on the back of his neck, and kissed him.

oOo

Evan meandered down to the kitchens. Bored and annoyed, he was hoping to find Regulus on his way back from movie night, likely drunk and in a pleasant mood. It wasn't that Evan particularly wanted to see Regulus at the moment—he was being a right little brat lately—but any companionship other than Saunders was a blessed relief and Reg was usually his good friend, even if he had shifted into Caldwell's friend seemingly overnight. It had only been a month since the argument with Nott when Reg had staked his claim on Caldwell and already they were like besties.

It was normal for Regulus to start chatting with a girl and pursue them for a few weeks, after which he would release them, smug and giggling, to their various girlfriends and the other males of the Slytherin house, but the way he treated Caldwell was different. Evan suspected her easy access to drugs and alcohol made him more chummy with her than the other girls, but even that was a newfound interest that had only arisen when Caldwell arrived on the scene. Perhaps the fact that she was a mudblood and showing interest in her got him attention played into it. Reg had always been testing the limits with the purebloods, edging his foot just outside the line and scoffing at anyone who dared challenge him. He followed his family's wishes for the most part, but he was a bit of rebel, probably got it from his older brother.

Heaven forbid you tell Regulus he got anything from Sirius, though. Evan had had the misfortune of pointing out a similarity between the Black brothers in front of Reg and faced an hour long lecture on how they were nothing alike and Sirius didn't know the meaning of family or hold the proper values of a Slytherin. "Egotistical", "reckless", "temperamental", and "uncaring" all came up within the course of the lecture. Evan bit his tongue and avoided pointing out that all of those adjectives could describe Reg just as well. Reg was more understated and underhanded than his brother, that was for sure, he was a proper Slytherin, but part of the reason they didn't get along well was because they were too similar and too insistent that they were totally, completely different from their brainless, cruel brother. Even their arguments were the same.

Evan was there for the big explosive argument between the two of them the first day back at Hogwarts after Sirius had run away. He and Potter had stood their awkwardly, occasionally interjecting in defense of their friend. Neither of them were invested in the fight itself, which dragged up all sorts of family issues, but neither of them felt they could leave their angry and domineering respective best friends in their time of need. So they mostly stood there and made apologetic faces at each other. Regulus absolutely despised Potter, and so Evan was meant to do the same, but he secretly thought that for a blood traitor, Potter wasn't all that bad. They had shared a moment of empathy for all that being friends with the Black brothers entailed before going their separate ways and hating each other again.

While Evan was reminiscing on that fight, he heard the familiar sound of Regulus' voice and turned the corner in his direction. When he finally saw Regulus he froze. He was in the hall kissing the mudblood. Narrowing his eyes, Evan turned on his heel and huffed away.

oOo

Regulus pushed gently on Caldwell's shoulders. "Hope…"

Hope blinked her eyes in the shock of being rejected and being addressed by her first name. She blushed bright red. "I'm sorry. I thought…I'm sorry. I'm dumb. Obviously you don't—"

Regulus shook his head. "No, it's fine. It's nothing to do with you. You're just not my type. No thank you?"

Hope laughed, pushing back the tears welling in her eyes. "I know. I should have known better. I'm still the house mudblood and," she gestured at her body, "me."

"I don't mind that. Not terribly. I mean, of course it matters that you're a mudblood, but I'm fine with that. And what's wrong with being you?"

"Well, you must know. I know what I'm not your type means. I know why guys prefer my friends."

"Because your friends are whores?"

"Hey!"

"Oh, come now. You're always with French and Cassielle. No one's under any delusions about what they're up to."

"Well, I think plenty of people vastly misunderstand Arielle's sex life."

"Because she's sleeping with girls and not the boys she's notorious for bedding? No, I'm on top of that. Doesn't change the fact that men are all over her because they think she's easy."

Hope made a face and then giggled. "She is easy."

Regulus raised his eyebrows. "Are you telling me this from personal experience?"

"No! I just, you know, hear about her escapades. But, but, but. I couldn't be a slut if I tried, is the point. Arielle and Antoinette are both prettier than me. I'm sure you'd prefer them."

Regulus shrugged. "You're pretty enough."

"Oh, that's so sweet and comforting. 'Sure, you're friends are prettier than you, but hey, you're pretty enough'. Which, I might add, is clearly not true."

"It is true. I'm sure you could be a proper slut if you put your mind to it."

Hope laughed loudly. "Well, thanks."

"And if it's any comfort, I wouldn't prefer Cassielle or French."

"Oh, sure. That is sweet of you to say, but excuse me if I don't believe you."

He shrugged again. "Don't believe me then. I would not though. I suppose I would prefer you to either of them."

Hope blushed. "But?"

"But I prefer none of the above. I am sorry."

"I knew it was a reach. You're Regulus Black. Charming and pretty and a Quidditch star to boot. And I'm not exactly the most popular girl in our house. I was honestly shocked you talked to me at all."

"You're amusing."

"Am I?"

Regulus laughed. "Yes. You are."

"Oh."

"You see? Pure wit."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Perhaps a bit."

"After you just rejected me. That stings a bit, Black."

"You can call me Regulus, Hope."

"Yessir."

Regulus grinned and they stood in the hall in silence for a few moments, both lost in there own thoughts before he said, "What do people think of my sex life?"

Hope flushed bright red again and Regulus smirked at her discomfort, only making her redder. "Uh—I mean—I guess pretty similar to Arielle. You get around with girls, which isn't surprising. You're Regulus Black," she reiterated. "Only no one calls you a whore because you're a man. And everyone thinks you're great."

Regulus chuckled, "Indeed. My cross to bear."

"Yeah, what a horrible life you have. I would hate for everyone to think I was great."

"No, no. That part's fine. Everyone should think I'm great. I am great. The part about being a man. Not that I would really want to be a woman, but it would put me in less of a predicament. I am sure French understands."

"Huh? Why would she? Pretty sure Arielle isn't harboring some hidden desire to be a man."

"Well I am not exactly enthusiastic about being a woman. I would not trade, only it would make life a bit easier if we could."

Hope shook her head, trying to clear it. "I'm not following you."

"You said that people are mistaken about French's sex life?"

"Yes…"

"You are equally mistaken about mine."

"Oh...Oh! Oh."

Regulus sighed. "Oh, indeed."

"What—well—do people know?"

"Of course not. That's just about social suicide for someone like me and I cannot afford social suicide. Especially not after Sirius ruining our name, I cannot afford to do anything other than toe the party line. And the party line is determinately straight."

Hope giggled. "Lines tend to be."

"Oh, hush," Regulus replied, punching her playfully on the arm.

"Well then, why are you telling me?"

"Because I like you. And you won't tell anyone. You don't go bandying around French's preferences, even when she doesn't take enough care to keep the rumors from spreading. I have no reason to suspect that you will not offer me the same courtesy. You are on the side of tolerance, are you not?"

"I am. You're not."

"And therein lies my tragedy. Such is life though."

Hope sighed. "You are like…the most well-spoken drunk ever."

"Thank you. You do not abandon Black manners for something as petty as alcohol."

"Well, so…this sucks. I was looking forward to kissing you. I still want to," Hope added a bit wistfully. "But I guess I'm really not your type."

Regulus leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Perhaps not," he muttered. "But despite my composure, I have had a bit to drink. Everything pretty appeals to me."

Hope caught her breath. Regulus' face was almost touching hers. "You think I'm pretty?"

Regulus put his hand on her cheek and kissed her with more force before whispering in her ear, "I do."

"Don't toy with me, Black," Hope whispered back.

"I have no intention of doing so," Regulus lied in his best seductive voice. "Come to bed with me?"

"You don't actually want to."

Regulus pulled away. "You simply will not take a friendly gesture."

Hope blushed but forced her face into a determined expression. "Having sex with someone you don't want to isn't friendly. It's…not right. And stuff."

Regulus shrugged. "Come to bed anyway? For company," he added, seeing the expression on her face. "And my reputation. You can just sleep with me in the literal sense."

Hope hesitated, knowing that this was probably a terrible idea, but she nodded and followed him back to the dormitory.

A/n: I'm not super pleased with this chapter, but I'm not sure what it needs, so I'm just posting it. Let me know what you think.