"I'm sorry but that is just barbaric."

"It's Edgar Allan Poe. What do you expect his stories to be about? Butterflies and elves?" Cordelia asked with a chuckle as Regulus put down the small book with disgust.

"Obviously not. Merlin, what possessed him to write such depressing stuff?" he asked and then looked at her in amusement. "And what on earth possesses you to actually like something like The Masque of Red Death?" She laughed at the question offering a shrug as she glanced and saw several Hogwarts third years scampering down the hill towards where the Care for Magical Creatures class was taking place.

"I honestly don't know why I enjoy his stories so much. Maybe because it was the best thing I could find in my parents library when I was younger and had gotten sick." She said with a shrug. "Whatever the case, he was a rather dark person. Then again there's a darkness in all of us. It just matters on how we control it." She said. He stared at her and for a brief second wondered if she was implying anything to him. He kept his mouth shut instead turned his gaze to the sky.

"So, any reason why you decided not to play Quidditch this year?"

"I'm busy this year." He said shortly and she blinked.

"Did I upset you?"

"Hm?" He said looking up startled for a second to see a concerned look on her face. "No. You didn't." he said. "What makes you think you upset me?"

"Well your expressions changed ever since I made the comment about the darkness…"she trailed off and then had a look of clarity. "You think I'm talking about you?" she asked. When he offered no response she sighed loudly, flopping back on the ground. "For Merlin's sake Regulus, I'm not talking about you." She said.

"Then who?"

"Anyone and no one."

"Always with those trick answers." He murmured.

"Anyone has darkness, but no one believes they have darkness." She clarified. "At least that is what they let everyone believe."

"You're not dark." He said and to his surprised she chuckled.

"In some aspects I can be considered two faced. My parents and many adults see one side of me…" she sat up as she said this, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "And other sees another. The others normally see my true face. My parents see the mask I have created to appease them." She said, her voice surprisingly light but he could hear a tone of resentment.

"You have to make a lot of sacrifices to appease parents." He said and she smiled slightly.

"Yes we do. Growing up is chore." She finally concluded and he snorted.

"I'll have to agree with you on that."

Regulus sighed as he continued down the halls of Hogwarts, taking notice that it was just after dusk. Damn he had stayed in the library longer than he should and now he was running late.

"Oh come on Babe, just one. It's not like you have a boyfriend who will get all angry."

He paused for a second. Well it seemed like someone was trying to get together.

"I believe I told you once, twice, and three times that I politely decline. Which of those words did you fail to comprehend?"

Regulus froze for a second in shock at the feminine voice he heard before he felt something heat up in his chest and he stormed around the corner. In front of him was a Hufflepuff boy, and currently trapped between a stairwell railing and the boy was Cordelia. Her face was masked in cool indifference, but it was clear that she was annoyed and growing more testy with this boy who seemed to not be getting the hint.

"Oh come on."

"What part of no-"

"Excuse me." Regulus interrupted and the pair turned to see him standing there. Cordelia's face flashed to relief the boy was annoyance. Clearly he didn't have brains.

"What do you want?"

"I couldn't help but notice that she doesn't really enjoy your company." Regulus said, his voice cool. "And unless you want a group of Slytherin's hexing your arse for annoying a member of our house, I suggest you let her go. Now." He warned. For some reason something clicked with the guy, or it may have been at this point Regulus had withdrawn his wand from his cloak, aiming it at the Hufflepuff. Whichever the case the boy moved away, holding his hands up in a surrendering fashion. Regulus continued his glare as he grabbed Cordelia by the wrist and pulled her to him and around the boy dragging her down the hall. Once he was far enough away and once his temper had cooled, he turned to her, drawing her to him.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "Annoyed, but otherwise fine."

"He didn't hurt you did he? Because if he did-"

"Regulus, I am fine." She replied forcing him to look at her. "He just asked me out on a date. Repeatedly. Which I denied each time." She continued with a shrug. "Knowing my luck he was probably asked by my parents."

"Oh for crying…" he grumbled out. "Can't your parents leave you alone for a minute of your life?"

"They wouldn't know what to do with their free time." She said with a chuckle. "Thank you."

"It's never a problem." He said.

"I think that was the angriest I've ever seen you." She commented as they made their way down towards the dungeons.

"Well that bastard was harassing you." He said and then glanced at her when she chuckled. "What?"

"It seems it's not only your brother who achieved the so called Black temper." She said chuckling as they finally reached the Slytherin corridor. She then pulled him back around the corner, and before he could react really, kissed him, pressing him against the wall. His reaction was immediate and he pulled her closer to him, making sure they were hidden in the shadows.

"…Not that I'm complaining, but the occasion for that was…?" he asked after she moved away. She smiled against his mouth, and he tried to pull her back into a kiss but she pulled away, looking rather coy.

"That was to thank you." She said quietly, most likely trying to not gain attention if any Slytherin's walked by. "Also a hello since we really haven't been able to talk lately." She said. He smirked.

"Well then might as well say hello back."

"That would be the proper thing to do."

"Of course."

A BIT SHORT, HOWEVER I'M TRYING TO DO SOME FLUFF BEFORE IT GETS SORT OF…SAD…SO IN YOUR COMMENTS DO YOU GUYS WANT ME TO WRITE ANYTHING THAT REGULUS AND CORDELIA DO?