Wes and David came by on Monday afternoon - ostensibly to bring him his homework, but actually just to hang out. It was always a relief to Blaine when Wes dropped his intense Quidditch captain persona a little, turned back into the guy Blaine had met at breakfast during his first week of his first year, thinking Wes was so cool because he was a third year and on the Quidditch team, which, as far as Blaine was concerned, was as close to royalty as it was possible to be. And outside of practice Wes turned back into the guy who hated Potions, loved Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and refused to brush his hair in the morning because he'd just get it messed up at practice anyway. He snapped less, but also didn't think as carefully about his appearance, or what he said. And David, he could then become less the voice of reason and more himself, the caring friend that Blaine was certain he couldn't have survived his first months at Hogwarts without.
"…And then Brittany accidentally set fire to his robes," David informed him. "He was not best pleased. We have an essay due next week."
"In fairness," Wes added, "the only reason it happened is because she was trying to stop one of the Slytherin thugs from picking on Abrams."
"Artie can handle himself," David argued. "He's quick."
"Still. Those damn serps…"
Blaine interrupted. "Can you not use that word, please?"
Wes blinked. "What?"
"Calling the slytherins… that. Don't."
He blinked some more. "But… you mean, serpents? But, Blaine, you know, they call themselves -"
"That doesn't make it cool. We don't need to cause more drama. There are… there are cool Slytherins too."
Wes snorted. "Okay. When you find them let me know."
"Considering the fact that the only reason I'm still-"
David saw the darkening look on Blaine's face. "Okay! So, did you hear about what Mike Chang did during dinner the other day?"
Blaine let his eyes wander away from Wes. "What?"
"Well, I guess he and Tina had a fight, so he -"
Blaine sort of tuned the story out, to be honest. He was thinking about Kurt again, about how his day was going, whether he'd ever finished that Charms essay he'd talked about, and how much he wished he could have made their date tonight. They hadn't really planned anything, because they'd been focused on the match, but it had been Kurt's turn to pick, so he was betting there would have been hot chocolate involved. Kurt knew that the little marshmallows reminded him of home. His parents' house, he meant, because as time went on he was starting to believe that home might not be as centered around a place as he had always believed.
And then there was a sweeping sound as the doors swung open, and Kurt was standing there, like he'd heard Blaine's thoughts.
"I decided since you couldn't -"
He was holding his messenger bag over his shoulder, and his smile - my smile, Blaine found himself thinking, that's for me, and he bit his lip to keep from saying something stupid - disappeared when he saw Wes and David at the bed. He put down the smaller bag he was carrying on the next bed over and straightened his spine.
"Well, hello." he finally continued. "I hope you're feeling better." This was adressed to Blaine, who was betting that it sounded cold and detached to anyone who couldn't see the concern behind it.
"I should get out of here in time for breakfast tomorrow," he replied. "Thanks for asking."
"So," David tried cordially. "What brings you here, Hummel?"
"I -" he searched for a moment, his eyes searching, then lighted on his own arm. "I just wanted to get my wrist checked out."
"It hurts?" Blaine asked instinctively.
"I didn't want to bother with it earlier - there was stuff happening. But - just a bit. I just though I'd -"
"I guess that's just like a Slytherin," Wes said, not maliciously, but with subtle distain behind his smile. "Too stubborn to ask for help until everything gets worse."
Kurt's response was automatic, and Blaine wondered how long he'd had it waiting. "Just like a Gryffindor, ungrateful for any help, even if it saves your friend, because you wanted the glory for yourself."
"Listen," said Wes, straightening up, "if you think that just because you -"
"Wes, leave it," David said.
Wes ignored him. "You have some kind of -"
"I don't know what you-"
"Don't," Blaine pleaded quietly, his eyes on Kurt, who glanced at him and barely nodded.
Kurt brought his hand down a little harder than intended onto the railing of the bed next to Blaine's and winced as the pain hit him. Wes snorted.
"Surprised you didn't go crying to Mommy, Hummel, isn't that more the Slyth-"
"Shut up!"
Three sets of concerned eyes flicked to Blaine, the only one in that room, besides Kurt himself, who had known why Kurt's hand had gone for his wand, surprised at his outburst.
"My… I have a headache," Blaine shrugged. "Don't argue."
Wes opened his mouth to respond, but before he could Madame Pomfrey's voice filled the room, drifting from her office. "Mr. Hummel, could you come here? And remember, Mr. Anderson, only a couple more minutes before your guests have to leave!"
Kurt met Blaine's eyes briefly, then stalked off, his whole body tense.
Wes snorted. "Can you believe that -"
"His mother's dead, Wes." Blaine said quietly. That wasn't a breach of confidence, and Wes needed to know what he'd done.
The boy looked slightly floored. "Oh."
"Yeah."
"I didn't -"
"Yeah."
"I should -"
"Do what you want. I wouldn't, though."
Wes appeared to consider this. "How do you know? About his Mom, I mean? Did he tell you that first week?"
No, Blaine thought, he told me a week before we kissed, on the day I realized that he trusted me as much as I did him. "It isn't a secret."
"I didn't know."
"Yeah, well, now you do."
The click of Madame Pomfrey's shoes stopped any further discussion, and as she reached the bed, Kurt just behind her with a thin bandage wrapped around his right wrist, she rounded on Wes and David.
"Visit over!" She waved her arms. "Leave him to rest!"
Wes straightened up, but David's eyes were flicking between Kurt and Blaine.
After a few seconds Madame Pomfrey pulled out her wand. "Boys…"
"We're going!" Wes exclaimed. He turned to Blaine, patting him on the shoulder. "Later, Blaine. We'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"
David grinned. "See you soon, man." They both turned to the door and David made a point of pausing. "Bye, Kurt."
Kurt smiled minutely. "Goodbye."
Wes hesitated for a microsecond. "Later, Hummel."
Kurt's cool nod in response was honestly more than Blaine had expected.
Once they were gone there was relative silence, the bustling of Madame Pomfrey curtailing the verbalization of the conversation they were having with their eyes.
"Mr Hummel, you may return to your homework now," she said airily.
There was a long pause.
She announced loudly, to no one in particular. "Mr. Anderson, I need to get you more of this potion for tonight, if you want to be released tomorrow. I'll be back in a moment."
Her eyes were knowing as she bustled out of sight.
There was silence.
"Is your wrist okay?" Blaine asked.
"It'll be fine."
Neither of them was willing to break eye contact.
"I missed you."
"It's only been a few hours."
"I still missed you."
Another pause. Kurt finally let himself smile.
"I missed you too."
Blaine patted the bed. "Stay?"
Kurt bit his lip. "I can't."
"Why not?"
"This… news travels fast here. Wes and David saw me. They'll -"
"I don't care."
"You don't mean that."
Blaine took a second to make sure he was looking Kurt in the eye. "Yes, I do."
"This wasn't a good idea."
Ice filled his veins. "What wasn't?"
"Coming here tonight." Kurt caught his expression. "Oh. No! I wasn't saying - I didn't -"
He breathed again. "I know. But I want to spend time with you."
Kurt looked at him sadly. "You have too much to lose."
Blaine stared at him incredulously. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my life."
"Blaine -"
"Do you really think that this -" he gestured to the doors "…this secrecy - do you really think that this isn't us already losing?"
Kurt's face hardened slightly. "Well, if you don't think it's worth it -"
"I didn't say that."
They each took a moment.
"I should go," Kurt finally said.
"No, don't -"
He looked over his shoulder, then took a step closer to the bed. "This isn't me flouncing out. But you need to rest, so you can get out of here."
Blaine frowned.
"Hey, you want to get that date, don't you?" He let his fingers touch his hand, which turned to twine their fingers together.
"I really do miss you."
Kurt leaned over to press a kiss to his temple. "Me too. And… one day, we'll both be out of here, okay?"
Both tried not to think about how far away that day really was.
"Yeah," Blaine smiled. "I love you."
Their foreheads touched. "I love you too." There was a pause. "Even though you clearly do not currently have access to breath mints."
He huffed. "I nearly died, you know."
Kurt rolled his eyes. "I know, I was there. That is going to wear thin."
"I'm sure our grandchildren will appreciate it," he retorted. And woah, where the hell had that come from?
They froze. Blaine blushed.
"I - sorry. That was - I didn't mean to imply…" he took a deep breath. "Please don't freak out."
Kurt opened his mouth, then closed it again. "I - I'm not. Which is… odd."
"I'm not, like, planning anything," Blaine hastened to assure him. "I just… this feels good, you know? So it isn't as scary to think about - which, considering the circumstances, and how much we've had to -"
"I get it," Kurt said with a small smile. "But… let's not name our children just yet, okay? Because… this really should be freaking me out a lot more than it is."
Blaine blinked at him. "Yeah."
Madame Pomfrey bustled back over, and Kurt squeezed his hand before he let go.
"Well, Mr. Anderson, I think we'll have you out of here on time…. Mr. Hummel?"
"Just going." He picked up his messenger bag from the floor and smiled tightly before adding an outwardly cool "See you around" in parting.
Blaine took the potion, deciding he might as well get started on his homework. As he was being fussed over he noticed the small canvas bag that Kurt had left on the next bed over. Madame Pomfrey's eyes followed his gaze and picked it up, handing it to him.
"Is this yours?"
He opened the bag. Inside was a thermos of hot chocolate, a packet of mini-marshmallows, and a very, very small box.
"Yeah," he said. "It's mine."
She left, muttering to herself about sugar and nutritional content.
Blaine opened the to find a tiny, tasseled scarf. It was patterned in maroon and green, with silver and gold threaded through the ends. He took Godfrey the bear from his place sitting on the bedside table and replaced his green scarf with the newer one that Kurt must have made, probably with only slight magical aid.
Then he opened the marshmallows, offered Godfrey one before popping it in his own mouth, and started his homework, his mind somewhere else entirely.
