Disclaimer: Since we have only seen the one Klaine kiss, we can all safely assume I have not been given ownership rights of Glee. And as far as Harry Potter goes, seeing as how I still only have about five dollars in my bank account, I seriously doubt I own that either.
Blaine cried for a long time and Kurt didn't try to calm him down. In fact, Kurt didn't do anything other than rub Blaine's back. Words seemed utterly useless in this situation, and Kurt doubted that Blaine would hear them in the first place, he was crying that hard. So Kurt concentrated instead on gradually increasing and then decreasing the size of the ellipses he was rubbing into Blaine's back.
Eventually Blaine's loud sobs were reduced to quiet ones, and then finally to the occasional hiccup as Blaine's body fell limp against Kurt's. Kurt kept rubbing the ellipses into Blaine's back.
"When was the last time you cried like that?" Kurt asked as quietly as he could.
"Long time," Blaine mumbled. His voice was hoarse. "Can you tell me again? Please."
Kurt kissed Blaine's forehead. "I love you. I'm going to tell you every day."
Blaine didn't cry, but his face crumpled with upset and he drew closer into Kurt's embrace. "You're shouldn't after what I've done. My father used to say they are called Unforgivable Curses for a reason, and he's right."
Kurt closed his eyes against the sudden anger that swelled up. What kind of a father treated his child that way? He never would have thought that he could hate someone he had never met so much. "You were a little kid, Blaine. You didn't know what you were doing."
"That's not true. I wanted to hurt Chase. I wanted to hear him scream for everything he put Tyler and me through. The only reason why I didn't get my wand snapped in half and expelled from school was because I was 'emotionally compromised' by the potion I took."
"The point still stands, then," Kurt argued. "You didn't have proper control of your magic or your emotions because you were drugged. I'm not going to hold that against you. And I don't think anyone else would, either."
"Nobody else knows," Blaine whispered. "Just you… and Chase."
"What about the guys?"
"They don't know details. They don't know I used an Unforgivable. All they know is that Tyler is in St. Mungo's for life because of something I did."
Kurt burred his nose in Blaine's curls. "I'm glad you trusted me enough to tell me."
Blaine looked up at Kurt. "Trusted you," he repeated. "Is that what that means?"
Kurt tried to smile, but he couldn't quite muster it. "I think so. Don't you?"
Blaine seemed to consider it for a moment. "I… I don't know. I want it to."
"Maybe we can work up to it," Kurt suggested.
"We," Blaine said as his gaze dropped to Kurt's lips and Kurt held his breath. Blaine hesitated for only a moment before leaning forward and touching his lips to Kurt's. Blaine's cheeks felt wet and clammy, and the kiss was almost lethargic given the lazy way their lips slid together, but Kurt the emotions wrapped up in the kiss settled over his body like the warmest blanket.
Blaine was first to pull away. He buried his face in Kurt's shoulder. "That feels… so amazing."
Kurt nodded. "I agree," he said breathlessly.
Blaine's breath warmed Kurt's skin through his shirt. "I'm going to want to do that a lot," the other boy mumbled.
Kurt flushed a little. "Me, too."
Blaine looked up. "Now?" he asked, breathing heavy. His eyes were dark.
"Please," Kurt said, not even caring how needy he sounded.
When their mouths met for the second time, Kurt decided that he wanted more this time. Shyly and a little self-consciously, he reached out with his tongue and licked tentatively at Blaine's lips. Blaine made a sound that was caught somewhere between a moan and a sigh and licked back. The feel of it was absolutely electric. That was the only way Kurt could think to describe it. It made his whole body tense with pleasure. It felt delicious.
It quickly became too much and not enough, and Kurt had to pull away before he embarrassed himself. The last thing he needed right now was to get an erection. He would have absolutely no idea what to do about it, and he could already feel that part of him start to throb.
"Merlin," Blaine whispered. He kissed Kurt's cheek. "I never knew kissing could be like that."
"Like what?" Kurt asked even as he tried to think of other things besides kissing so he could calm the blood that was rushing south.
"Like sharing souls or something." Blaine kissed Kurt's cheek again. "My heart is beating so fast. You did that."
"God, Blaine," Kurt said. This was the boy who said that he wasn't good with romance? Was Blaine crazy or just completely oblivious?
"Did I say something wrong?" Blaine asked, sounding worried.
Kurt shook his head. "No. It's just… what you said was beautiful."
Blaine smiled, and Kurt was relieved. He had been a little worried that Blaine wouldn't smile for a long time.
"Well, that's how I feel right now: beautiful. You did that, too."
Kurt's face burned hot. "You're embarrassing me," he mumbled.
Blaine's smile widened. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Kurt said immediately, and to his horror Blaine's smile vanished and his eyes teared up again. "Hey. You're not supposed to cry."
Blaine sniffled adorably. "I know. M'sorry."
Kurt tried to lighten the mood, "Please don't tell me you're going to cry every time I say I love you. Because I already told you I plan on saying it a lot."
Blaine made an effort to smile. He didn't do so bad, Kurt thought. It was a little watery, but it still made his eyes light up, even if only a little bit. "Maybe only for the first year we're together."
Kurt's body tensed as hope soared through him. He tried to keep it in check, just in case, but it refused to be held down. "You… want us to be together?" he asked, how voice blown with longing.
Blaine frowned at their hands and took hold of two of Kurt's fingers. It was an odd thing to do, Kurt thought, but there was something tender about it just the same. "I want to try. It's probably a mistake-"
"Please don't call it that," Kurt begged.
Blaine smiled apologetically, though he continued as if Kurt hadn't spoken. "-a mistake because I still get so angry sometimes, and it really scares me, but I want to try. Would that be okay? Would you be my boyfriend?"
"Of course I will."
By the time they got back to the Great Hall, it was already empty of both people and food so Blaine took Kurt's hand and they went down to the kitchens. Kurt had never seen a House-Elf before, and there were probably about fifty or so of them running around the humongous kitchen, and all of them seemed to adore Blaine.
They ran up to him and grinned excitedly at him as they begged to assist him in whatever way he needed. Blaine, of course, knew them all by name and was probably the cutest human being Kurt had ever laid eyes on. As Kurt watched Blaine interact with the Elves, all he could think about was how much he wanted to kiss him. It took Kurt a surprisingly long time to remember that he could kiss Blaine any time he wanted. When he did remember it though, he walked over to his new boyfriend and placed a quick kiss on Blaine's lips as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.
The action seemed strangely intimate and familiar, and Kurt was very conscious of that fact by the time he pulled away. It was the first kiss Kurt had initiated completely on his own, and in front of an audience no less—not that the giggling House-Elves seemed to mind. Still, the entire thing made him feel a little nervous but Blaine's jubilant smile kept Kurt from being too embarrassed.
After reassuring the elves about thirty times that he really didn't need help, Blaine put together a bowl of leftover fruit from that morning's breakfast and they both settled down on the floor to eat it. Their joined hands lay on the floor between them.
"We've really got to stop skipping class," Kurt said when they had finished all the fruit in the bowl.
Blaine frowned as he considered that and looked at his watch. "You think we should try to make it to Potions before it ends? There's about twenty more minutes left."
"No, but this should probably be the last time we skip for a while."
"Yeah, okay."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while before Blaine started chuckling to himself. Kurt quirked an eyebrow at him.
"I'm just thinking about everyone's reactions," Blaine explained between little fits of laughter.
Kurt groaned. "Oh, god. Can we just… not tell them?"
"Only if you plan on not holding hands in public, which might be a problem because I really like holding your hand and I'd like to do it as often as possible." Blaine gave Kurt's hand a gentle squeeze to emphasize his point.
"Alright, fine. But I will not be held responsible for what I do to Nick and Jeff when they do something stupid."
"Of course not," Blaine agreed, sounding completely serious.
After they finished their breakfasts and Blaine gave the Elves a rather long goodbye, promising to come back soon, they walked back up to the dorms still holding hands. Kurt decided that he wasn't going to give Blaine his hand back for a long time. Everything was beginning to feel a little bit too surreal and he needed the reassurance.
"So, I'm thinking pet names," Blaine suddenly announced.
Oh, boy…
"Pet names?" Kurt asked, hoping he didn't sound too freaked out. What if Blaine wanted to call him something stupid like… well, just something stupid.
"Yeah… like pumpkin or something."
Like pumpkin.
Blaine sped up a little so that he was ahead of Kurt and then twisted around so that he was facing Kurt and walking backwards. Frowning, he held one hand up as if to encase Kurt's face in an imaginary picture frame. The illusion didn't really word because Blaine's other hand was still holding Kurt's.
"You could totally be my pumpkin," Blaine decided.
"Pumpkins are orange."
"So? Pumpkins are cute."
"You think everything is either cute or adorable. Those are your go to adjectives."
"True," Blaine conceded Kurt's point. "But what's wrong with orange?"
Kurt's eyebrows rose. "Have you seen my skin, Blaine? Orange is just not my color. Plus pumpkins are all round and fat, which I am not."
"But… you wouldn't actually be a pumpkin. You'd just be my pumpkin. Big difference. Huge."
"No."
Blaine sighed in an overly dramatic way. "Alright, fine. But I'm going to think of a good one that you'll like."
Kurt shuddered at the thought.
They stopped at the entrance to the Tower and answered the riddle to get inside. When they entered the common room, almost all conversation immediately stopped. Several people glanced at their joint hands in what Kurt was sure they thought was a discrete manor. Others stared unabashed with their mouths hanging open.
Kurt felt his face heat up under everyone's intense scrutiny and Blaine squeezed his hand.
Nick, who was sitting at a table in the corner with the rest of the sixth year boys, broke the awkward silence. "So… you two are together now right? Because if not, I just give up on the both of you."
Blaine had asked him to be his boyfriend, but suddenly Kurt felt especially nervous, and more than just a little bit worried. Establishing their relationship when it was just the two of them was one thing. Declaring it established in a common room full of people was another.
And Kurt hadn't actually meant it when he asked Blaine if they could keep their relationship a secret, but what if Blaine didn't know that? Or worse, what if Blaine hadn't meant it when he said that he wanted to tell people?
But Kurt needn't have wasted his energy worrying over it, because Blaine grinned easily and said, "Yeah, we are."
A chorus of finally!'s erupted, and Blaine laughed and pulled him to the table where their friends were sitting.
Nick was grinning from ear to ear. "Two new relationships in one day!" he announced happily.
"Two?" Blaine asked.
Nick smirked and motioned between Thad and Jeff with his pointer finger.
Thad scowled, though Kurt could see a light blush on his cheeks. "We're not in a relationship. I only agreed to go with him to Hogsmeade." He gave Jeff a stern look. "And that's all I agreed to."
Jeff had the dopiest grin on his face that Kurt had ever seen. "That's fine, muffin. One date with me and you'll change your mind," he promised as he pressed his face close to Thad's.
"I doubt it," Thad deadpanned as he shoved Jeff away. The blonde just laughed. "And don't call me muffin."
"Hey!" Blaine suddenly perked up as he turned to look at Kurt. "What about—?"
"No."
The weather turned cold surprisingly quickly as November came to an end and Kurt quickly discovered that cold weather and large castles did not mix well. He felt like he was living in an icebox.
It was absolutely freezing in the halls. The only warm places to be found in the castle were some of the upper level classrooms, the common rooms, the dorms, and the Great Hall.
The cold was seriously messing with his mind, too. Each morning, he was actually happy to pull on the incredibly dull, incredibly boring, grey sweater that did absolutely nothing for his complexion. It was sick. Hogwarts, Scotland, and the less than favorable weather were killing his once incredibly loyal fashion sensibility. He mourned the loss every day.
In fact, he was currently indulging in a sin against fashion as he cuddled up on the couch in front of the fireless fireplace, still in his uniform and robes. Classes had ended long ago — it was almost nine PM— but Kurt just hadn't been able to bring himself to change. The layers felt so amazing piled up on his freezing flesh, and while his own clothes were beautiful, practical they were not. Plus, changing would require taking layers off and he did not want to do that.
He wished Blaine would hurry up and get back from his Prefect patrol so he could light a fire and Kurt could get warm.
As he sat there freezing, he muttered to himself about no good boyfriends — a new favorite past time of his since he actually had a boyfriend to mutter over now — the door to Ravenclaw Tower swung open and Blaine walked in shivering.
"Merlin, it's bloody cold," Blaine announced before his eyes landed on Kurt and he smiled wide. "Hi, love!" he said happily as he walked over to the couch Kurt was curled up on.
They had only been together for a little over a week and a half, but Blaine's determination to slap Kurt with an endearment had proven stronger than Kurt's attempts to talk Blaine out of it. When Kurt had made that rather unfortunate mistake of admitting that Blaine's suggestion of 'love' wasn't all that bad, Blaine had taken it and ran with it, much to Kurt's chagrin and delight, since secretly he kind of liked it when Blaine called him love.
"Hi, Bl- oof!" Kurt wheezed when Blaine dropped his body on top of Kurt's. "Blaine! Get off!"
Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt and snuggled in closer. "No way. I'm cold and you're so warm."
"You're suffocating me," Kurt whined, even though they both knew that wasn't true.
"Am not," Blaine said, but he lifted his body off of Kurt's just the same, though not before he placed a soft kiss on Kurt's cheek. "I got you a present," he announced happily.
"If it's not an electric heater, I don't want it."
Blaine frowned. "What's that?"
"It's a muggle device that uses electricity to make heat. You plug it into an outlet."
"Outlet," Blaine repeated, as he pondered the word. He always tried so hard to understand the modern technology Kurt was used to. His effort was adorable, mostly because Blaine had the cutest 'I'm thinking' face. "Those little rectangle things on the wall with the holes in them, right?"
Kurt nodded.
"Well, I don't have anything like that, but if you're cold…" Blaine leaned forward to grab Kurt's wrist and gently tugged until Kurt was resting against Blaine's chest with Blaine tucked in the corner between the back cushions and the armrest. Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt's upper body and Kurt allowed himself to relax into the embrace.
"Better?" Blaine asked.
"Now that you're not squishing me to death; yes."
Blaine grinned — Kurt couldn't see it, but he just knew — and kissed the top of Kurt's head. If Blaine was affectionate when they had been just friends, he was twice as affectionate now.
"But anyway, here's your present." Blaine sifted around some and then placed a little flower on Kurt's chest.
Kurt's cheeks colored as he gently picked it up between his thumb and forefinger. The flower was very small, tiny even, and it was a pretty purplish color with a green center. "Where did you find it?"
"Just outside the main entrance of the school. I didn't see any others. I think it might be the last flower of the season. I don't know how it managed to survive in this cold."
"It's so tiny," Kurt said.
"That's why it's so adorable. And pretty. If you want, we can press it in a book."
Blaine was entirely too skilled at doing and saying things that rendered Kurt speechless. "Okay," he said shyly. "No one has given me a flower before. Thank you."
"You're welcome, love."
They sat quietly for a minute before Kurt broke the silence. "No fire tonight?"
Blaine shrugged. "I don't want to move. I was actually thinking about starting it magically."
"Really?" Kurt asked, shocked.
"No," Blaine sighed after a pause. "I guess I'll do it now."
Reluctantly, Kurt leaned up and Blaine got up and walked to the fireplace. "Are we still going to go to Hogsmeade together on December fourteenth?" Blaine asked as he set to work.
"Are you seriously asking me that, Blaine?"
"Yep."
"Well, in that case, then no."
Blaine stopped what he was doing to turn and pout. "But, Kurt," he whined, "I want to show you how pretty Hogsmeade looks in winter."
"Then you had better stop asking dumb questions."
Blaine laughed. "It wasn't that dumb."
"Oh, but it really, really was."
"Maybe a little bit," Blaine conceded just as he got the fire going. "There." He turned to Kurt and held his arms open from his place sitting pretzel style on the floor. "C'mere."
Kurt shook his head. "It's got to be a billion times colder on the floor than it is on the couch."
"But the fire is here and I really want to lay in front of it with you. And maybe kiss you a bit, too."
Kurt couldn't come up with anything to argue with that bit of logic — not that he really wanted to in the first place — so he stood up. His heart hammered like mad in his chest as he drew nearer to Blaine, and he hoped he wasn't blushing too badly. "The things I do for you," he said, proud that he actually didn't sound as nervous as he felt. "You have the strangest ideas sometimes."
"But you love me… right?" Blaine asked as he looked up at Kurt's face from his place on the floor. There was a teasing smile on Blaine's lips, but that didn't fool Kurt. He could see the genuine uncertainty in Blaine's eyes.
Kurt kneeled down so that they weren't quite so far away and pressed his forehead against Blaine's, knowing that Blaine needed closeness. "Yes, Blaine, I love you."
Blaine sighed and burred his face in the juncture between Kurt's neck and shoulder. Then he turned his head to brush his nose and lips against the skin of Kurt's neck just below his ear. Kurt shivered.
"I love you, too," Blaine said softly, his lips moving against Kurt's skin.
Kurt couldn't help the desperate little whine that found its way past his lips.
"Merlin, Kurt," Blaine mumbled as he ran his hands slowly down Kurt's back. Then Blaine placed his lips on Kurt's skin with enough pressure to kiss him and Kurt gasped. "You're so responsive. I'm barely touching you…"
"Sorry," Kurt heard himself say as he tilted his head to one side. His body felt really heavy. He could barely keep his eyes open.
"Don't be," Blaine said just before Kurt felt Blaine's tongue taste him. Then Blaine closed his lips over the skin and just once, and very gently, sucked.
Kurt's eyes flared. "Oh…!" he gasped softly.
Blaine pulled back so that their foreheads were resting together again. "Too much."
Kurt was drowning in the fog like daze that had settled over his mind, which made thinking difficult, but he made the effort. "Too much? What's too much?" He hadn't wanted Blaine to stop.
"Too much, too fast." Blaine kissed Kurt's cheek. "We haven't even been dating two weeks. I swear I only meant to kiss you when I asked you to come over here."
Kurt was confused. It was so hard to focus - his blood was still rushing pretty loudly in his ears. "Isn't that what we were doing? Kissing, I mean."
"Yeah, but that was sort of… intense." Blaine was breathing a little heavy. "You make my head all spinny."
"You make my head all spinny, too." What an understatement.
Blaine laughed and dropped his head against Kurt's shoulder, and Kurt knew there wouldn't be any more intense kissing that night, which was okay because the fire was at the point where it was really pretty to watch, and Blaine's weight felt good against Kurt's body.
"I hope there's snow on the ground when we go to Hogsmeade," Blaine said after a long, but comfortable silence.
"Me, too," Kurt agreed.
"If there is you have to make snow faeries with me."
Kurt quirked a brow. "Snow faeries?"
"Mmhmm. You know, when you lay down in the snow and move your arms up and down and your legs out and in."
Kurt giggled. "Muggles call them snow angels."
"Oh. Well, so long as it's the same concept. And you can't say no."
"We'll see."
"Absolutely not," Kurt said the next morning at breakfast as he glared Nick and Jeff down.
"But it's a great name!" Jeff insisted.
"Best one we've come up with yet," Nick agreed.
"I have a feeling a lot of people are going to like it," Jeff said, looking incredibly devious. Kurt eyed him suspiciously, but before he could interrogate the blonde, Nick announced happily:
"Blaine certainly seems to."
Kurt looked over at his boyfriend and scowled at the dopey grin on his face. "We are not encouraging this, Blaine."
Blaine had the decency to at least look guilty. "It's really cute, though."
"It's not cute, it's ridiculous. This is exactly why I suggested that we never, under any circumstances, ever tell those two," he glowered at Nick and Jeff, "about our relationship. And now you know why."
Blaine's bottom lip slightly protruded in his signature pout. "But, Kurt, I really—"
Before Blaine could finish Finn came up behind Nick and Jeff's side of the table looking slightly uncomfortable. Everyone turned to look at him.
"Uh… hi guys," he greeted everyone before he shyly trained his eyes on Kurt and Blaine. Kurt frowned at his brother when Finn's cheeks turned red. "Er… h-hi… Klaine."
Kurt's jaw dropped open and Nick and Jeff roared with laughter. Looking wearily at Kurt, Wes scooted a little closer to David. Thad rolled his eyes. Blaine — the traitor — just looked rather delighted with the whole thing.
Kurt glared at Finn, his embarrassment rearing its ugly head, making him feel awkward. "What did you just call us?"
"Klaine," Finn muttered to the floor, his cheeks growing redder by the second.
Jeff smirked at the Gryffindor. "Nice shade of Kurt Gone Mental red."
Finn frowned at Jeff. "Huh?"
"Focus, Finn!" Kurt snapped. "Why did you call us that?"
Immediately Finn went back to looking like he might pass out in shame. "You… uh… told me to."
Kurt shot Jeff and Nick a dangerous look. Nick hid his nose from Kurt's view. "What do you mean I told you to?" he demanded without taking his eyes off the two boys.
Finn stuffed his hand into his robes pocket and pulled out a rainbow colored piece of paper with little purple hearts and stars all over it. Kurt gaped at it.
"I found this on my pillow this morning," Finn explained as he nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"Read it," Kurt ordered.
Finn took a breath and started reading. "I, Kurt Fabulous Hummel, formally request, or in my case demand on account of how bossy I am—" Kurt pressed his lips into a thin line "—that you, Finneas the Giant Hudson — that's hurtful, by the way, and my name isn't Finneas — from this point forward refer to me and my super tiny boyfriend, Blaine Dapper Anderson, as Klaine."
Before Kurt got a chance to say anything in response to Nick and Jeff's latest bit of nonsense that Finn had so obviously fallen for, Puck sauntered over to the table with an identical piece of paper in his hand and an arrogant grin on his face. "Sup, Klainey boys," he smirked and Kurt dropped his head in his hands and groaned at his misfortune.
Nick and Jeff were laughing so hard tears were rolling down their cheeks.
"I'm going to kill you both," Kurt snapped at them. "And where the hell did you get that tacky assed paper? I'm gay, not Princess Rainbow from planet Purple Heart."
Puck walked over to Kurt's side of the table. "Scoot, China," he told Wes, whose jaw dropped in abject outrage. Puck rolled his eyes and forced his way between Kurt and Wes, forcing everyone on Wes' side to move down a space. There was a yelp at the very end of the table followed by a dull thump. Once Puck was situated he gathered both Kurt's hands in his own.
Kurt went instantly red and tried to pull out of the other boy's grasp but Puck held tight. "What the hell are you—"
"Look, Hummel, I got your letter, and you're my boy. If I were into blokes I would totally fuck the hell out of you on a daily basis."
On Kurt's other side Blaine tensed. "Alright, that's enough, Noah."
Puck went on as if Blaine hadn't spoken. "And it's really flattering that you're, like, into me or whatever — Noah the Heaven Puckerman sounds really badass, by the way — but I'm really not into touching dick unless it's my own, so—"
Kurt finally succeeded in pulling his hands out of Puck's and slapped a hand over the Gryffindor's mouth. "There is such a thing as TMI, Noah!" Kurt yelled, his face hot.
He was about two seconds from releasing Puck to jinx Nick and Jeff into oblivion when something soft and wet ghosted across his palm and he ripped his hand away from Puck's mouth. "Ew, ew, ew!" Kurt whined as he scrubbed his palm against his robes. "You licked me!" Kurt accused.
Puck grinned rather raunchily at him.
"He did what?" Blaine yelled.
Nick shook his head at Blaine. "Now that just wasn't dapper at all, Blainey."
Puck shrugged. "I figured since I'm rejecting you, the least I could do is give you a little piece the Heaven. I'm not totally heartless, Hummel. Plus, your letter was probably the hottest thing I've ever read and that earns you some serious Fuck the Puck Points, even though you can't actually use them, cause I doubt I could get it up for a bloke. But you should still be proud to have them. I don't give those out to very many people, and never to a wizard before. I never pinned you as the naughty type, but coming on to me as you ramble on about some pet name you made up for you and your boyfriend…" Puck gave a visible shudder. "It really blows that you're not a girl."
Finn looked like he was going to throw up. "Oh, Merlin."
Rachel stormed over. "Kurt!" she yelled and Kurt groaned. Rachel slapped a now familiar rainbow colored paper on the table. "How could you?" she demanded. "Rachel the Crazy Eyes Berry? My eyes are not crazy, they are focused and determined. There is a difference. And while I agree that Klaine is quite possibly the cutest couple name ever, you have offended and wounded my pride and so I must refuse your request that I use it when referring to you both."
Wes pointed and accusatory finger at Nick and Jeff. "I demand to know how you two placed all of these letters. It is against school policy for boys to be in the girl's dormitories. In fact, you have no business being in another House's common room without the proper accompaniment."
Nick shrugged. "Jeff's half gay for Thad. We figured that would make it okay."
Thad choked on his coffee. Jeff pounded on his back. "Nick's making that up," the blonde told the still coughing boy.
"And as for the House thing," Nick continued, unabashed at the mayhem he was causing, "since when have we ever listened to the rules anyway?"
Santana came over. "Hummel, this has to be the gayest shit I've ever seen." She waved the offensive paper in Kurt's face. "I didn't think you were this much of a flammer. And Klaine? What the hell is that?"
"Porcelain, what in Merlin's name is this wad of rubbish?" Professor Sylvester joined the small group that was now gathered around the Gryffindor table.
Incredulous, Kurt stared at the two boys sitting across from him. "You didn't," he said through his teeth, but neither was paying him any attention whatsoever.
They were grinning broadly at their Defense teacher. "Good morning, Ma'am," Nick said with false brightness.
Professor Sylvester didn't so much as glance at Nick as she held up the paper for Kurt to see. This one had unicorns all over it in addition to the purple hearts and stars. "Now, admittedly, sometimes I do forget that you are in fact a male, but I gotta tell you that after receiving this, my conscience is clear." She gave a paper a little shake as if to emphasize her point. "Only now I am put in the vastly uncomfortable position of informing Doe Eyes here that he isn't as gay as he thought he was because it's obvious from this hideous paper that he is dating a five year old girl with some sort of sick rainbow fetish." The professor shook her head at Kurt as if he had done the world some sort of great disservice.
She continued, "Finally, and most importantly, the name Klaine makes me want to vomit the very rainbows and unicorns depicted on this devastatingly atrocious parchment. Take that to mean what you will, gentleman."
Kurt sat in stunned silence as Professor Slyvester walked away.
"Your boybriend id indane," Nick grumbled at Blaine as everyone minus Kurt walked to the Arithmancy classroom.
"Kurt's not insane," Blaine immediately defended Kurt.
"Oh, doh? Jud look ad whad he did do my dose!" Nick yelled. "Again!"
Blaine tried very hard not to laugh.
Jeff, on the other hand, laughed right in Nick's face. "It's ginormous! Sooo much bigger than last time."
Nick took a swing at Jeff and missed.
"You deserved it," Blaine said.
"I thought you said you liked the name Klaine," Jeff argued.
"I do," Blaine insisted. And he did. It was quite possibly the cutest thing ever. "But the notes you left on everyone's pillows was a little much. And creepy. Plus it's Thursday. You know Kurt stays up with me on Wednesday nights, and he's not a morning person on the best of days."
"Whadeber," Nick grouched.
"Mr. Anderson!" a squeaky voice called and the boys all stopped and turned. Professor Flitwaick was running up to them, looking out of breath.
"Are you alright, Professor?" Blaine asked as he worriedly eyed the goblin, who was now doubled over with his hands resting heavily on his knees.
"Fine, fine," Flitwick wheezed. "Getting old, you know." The small man sucked in a breath. "Professor McGonagall wanted me to remind you that the term break is approaching. You haven't indicated whether you would be staying yet and, well…" the Charms Professor trailed off, looking uncomfortable and Blaine knew why.
It was because Blaine always stayed. He was usually the only one in Ravenclaw House who did.
"It's okay, Professor," Blaine tried to reassure the man. "I'll send the official notice as soon as possible. I… forgot."
"Right, right, of course," Flitwick said, still looking rather nervous. "I'll let the Headmistress know… umm, carry on, boys."
The professor hurried off.
Nobody else moved.
They all just stood there in silence. Blaine could hear them breathe slowly in and out and he could imagine the thoughts bludgeoning around in their skulls as they tried to think of something to say. He wanted to move but his feet were rooted to the floor.
Wes broke the silence. "Blaine…"
Wes' voice was like the crack of a whip and immediately Blaine's desire to move overpowered his upset and he pivoted and pushed past his friends. "It's fine, Wes."
They all followed him. "It's not fine," Jeff insisted.
David placed a hand on Blaine's shoulder. "If it were up to us, we would take you back with us. It's just our parents…"
"All think I'm a Dark Wizard," Blaine spat. "Your parents and half the school. I get it."
The school board could cover up the fact that one of Hogwarts' students used and Unforgiveable on another student all they wanted, but they couldn't keep then entire incident a secret. Tyler's screams that day had attracted a lot of attention. And before Blaine had passed out he had been horrified enough at what he had done to make every candle as far as three corridors away explode. He was fairly positive that the students who witnessed it had gossiped themselves stupid at his and Tyler's expense, because when he returned the school the next year everyone was tripping over themselves to make sure he felt happy and accepted, and damned if that hadn't depressed him more because he could see the underlying fear in their eyes.
But none of that was his friends' fault, he reminded himself, and they didn't deserve to be snapped at.
"I'm sorry," Blaine sighed. "I know you guys are just trying to make me feel better."
"Which apparendly we're complede crap ad," Nick scowled at the floor.
"No," Blaine shook his head, "I'm just letting it get to me more than usual. I'll be fine."
David glanced sideways at Blaine. "Maybe you should talk to Kurt about this."
"No," Blaine said immediately. "It would only make him feel even more sorry for me than he already does. Or worse, it will make him sad."
"Blaine…"
"I'll be fine," Blaine insisted.
"What are you doing for the holidays?" Kurt asked as he and Blaine lounged in the Room of Requirement a few nights after Jeff and Nick's letter stunt. Kurt had finished his last end of term paper earlier that afternoon and he fully intended to laze around until term was over, and Blaine had somehow talked Kurt into letting him play with his beloved hair, which was why Kurt's head was currently in Blaine's lap. He wasn't exactly sure how Blaine had gotten him to agree to it, but even Kurt had to admit that Blaine's fingers felt incredible against his scalp. Not that Kurt would ever let Blaine do it during the day, but still… it was nice.
At Kurt's question though, Blaine's fingers came to a sudden pause and his body tensed up enough so that Kurt could feel it. Kurt frowned and opened his eyes. It was clear from Blaine's facial expression that something was wrong.
"Nick said something to you, didn't he?"
"No… why?"
Blaine shot him a panicked look. "Oh."
Kurt sat up and Blaine didn't try to stop him. "Blaine… we said we'd work on the trust thing, remember?"
"No, I know," Blaine said, frowning at his now empty hands. "It doesn't really have to do with trust."
"Okay… Well, obviously it has something to do with the holiday break since my question upset you, so maybe I should elaborate a bit. Given what you've told me about your family, I doubt that you guys spend a lot of time together over the holiday, if any. Am I right?"
Blaine nodded, still looking nervous. Kurt got the feeling that he was missing something, but he decided not to ask about it just yet.
"So I was wondering if maybe you would like to spend some of the break with me and my family."
Judging from Blaine's shocked expression, he really hadn't been expecting that. "Really?"
Kurt nodded. Then he thought about it and winced. "Well, if I can get my dad's permission, that is," he amended. "But I'm pretty sure I can with Carol's help."
The hope in Blaine's eyes abruptly died. "I don't think she'll want me there."
"Why would you think that?"
"Most parents wouldn't want me in their homes. Not that most students would invite me over to their homes anyway, so I guess it doesn't really matter."
Kurt frowned, confused. "What are you talking about? People go out of their way to say hello to you."
"And why do you think that is?" Blaine snapped. Then he sighed. "Sorry. People are afraid of me. They all think I'm some sort of Dark Wizard after what happened with Tyler. That's why they all come up to me. They all figured that Tyler did something to upset me so I attacked him. None of the guys' parents like that they are friends with me, and I'm not allowed at their houses."
Kurt must have looked as horrified as he felt because Blaine peaked up at him and was quick to add, "I'm used to it, though."
Kurt felt a little ashamed of himself. All those times people had run up to Blaine in the halls to say hi or give him a hug, Kurt had accepted their bullshit without question. He never would have guessed that those friendly greetings hadn't been genuine. Even worse was that he had never realized how uncomfortable that sort of thing made Blaine feel, because it was obvious from the way Blaine spoke about it that it made him uncomfortable.
And yes, Blaine was good at hiding his emotions, but that didn't really excuse Kurt's obliviousness. As Blaine's best friend, and especially now as Blaine's boyfriend, Kurt was supposed to be the one to see past those barriers Blaine constructed around himself.
Kurt reached for Blaine's hand and counted it as a blessing when Blaine didn't pull away. He even smiled a little.
"Carol isn't like that, Blaine, I promise. She won't judge you before she gets to know you no matter what rumors she's heard, if she's even heard any at all. She seemed to like you just fine at the Quidditch match. And if she gets my dad to let you stay with us, I promise no one will make you feel uncomfortable." Kurt caught himself and snorted. "Okay, that's a lie. My dad will probably go out of his way to make you feel uncomfortable, but only because you're my boyfriend and all the straight males in my life seem to think that they need to defend my honor or something." Kurt rolled his eyes.
Blaine's smile widened a fraction. "Have you asked her already?"
Kurt shook his head. "No, but only because I wanted to ask you if your parents would even let you leave in the first place. I don't know if you go away or something." Kurt and Blaine had never discussed it, but Kurt got the feeling that Blaine's family came from a lot of money.
The nervous expression was back on Blaine's face and Kurt tried to be patient when Blaine hesitated. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, obviously struggling to find the right words.
"I… I stay here for the holiday," Blaine finally admitted. "My parents usually go away, but I stay here."
"You mean… always?" Kurt asked, very careful to keep his as neutral as possible.
Blaine nodded.
"Even before you came out?"
"Yes. I don't have to stay here if I don't want to, though. My father leaves that up to me. He just signs the paper indicating whether I'll be staying or going and leaves the rest of it blank for me to fill out. So, I could go home if I wanted to, but… that house is so big. And it's really lonely. Not that Hogwarts isn't big or lonely during the holiday, because it is. It's usually just me in the Tower, but at least Hogwarts feels like home to me. I feel safe here." Blaine shrugged. "And I don't know, I guess it's kind of fun to watch the professors get completely pissed on Christmas Eve. It's not all bad."
Kurt didn't have to be a rocket scientist to tell that Blaine was lying. It was most definitely all bad. "Blaine… would you like to come home with me for break?"
Blaine only hesitated for a few seconds. "More than anything else in the world."
A/N:
Alrighty… so Blaine is going home with Kurt for Christmas! Yay! The holiday break is actually going to span a couple of chapters I think, though it shouldn't be more than two. The beginning of next chapter is going to include the visit to Hogsmeade. They have to buy presents, of course. And Blaine will want to buy something to thank the Hummel-Hudsons for letting him stay with them. But after that it's off to Carol and Burt's in Devon.
Something I feel I should warn you guys about now that Kurt and Blaine are officially together… this story is rated M, and I don't know when it's going to happen exactly, but I AM going to include their sexual relationship in this. I'm nervous about posting smut, because in my experience smut in fanfiction either enhances the story or just makes it super corny. I'd rather not fall into the corny category, but I'm going to take the risk because it will be important to their development as a couple over all. I just wanted to give you all fair warning in case anyone has a problem with reading about sex, in which case you can certainly skip over it once it becomes a more prominent part of the story. I will give warning at the beginning of chapters that include smut, so no one gets blindsided.
And finally, thank you to 'perchance to wake' for pointing out some things I forgot to mention in the last chapter regarding the consequences Blaine should have faced for using an Unforgivable. Since Blaine was a minor, he wouldn't have gone to Azkaban for using the Cruciatus, but normally he would have been banned from using magic and expelled from school (like in Hagrid's situation), but as Blaine said, the doctors determined he was emotionally compromised by his father's potions and not in the right state of mind, so no wand snapping for poor Blaine. Another thing 'perchance to wake' also pointed out... Blaine's father seems to have gotten away with drugging his son scot-free. My response is yes, he certainly has and there is a reason why that will be revealed later in the story. So sorry to anyone else who might have been confused!
If you read through all of that, you are a gentleperson and a scholar and my imaginary hat is off to you.
Hopefully I'll get the next chapter out faster than this one… midterms have been kicking my ass and sucking up all my free time :(
-Cerez