title: as sweet as honeydukes (now if only i could ask you out)

notes: This is definitely something I want to expand upon. But for now, Hogwarts!AU drabble.

-.-

Uzu fidgets nervously, peeking out from behind one of the trees surrounding the Black Lake and rubbing his sweating palms against the leg of his trousers. His eyes land on Ryuko, settled comfortably on the grass, with the sleeves of her button up rolled to her elbows and her tie loosened. Her shoes have been kicked off and her socks discarded and she's in the process of pulling up her hair and he gulps at the expanse of neck she's suddenly showing him.

"Okay, you can do this," he mutters to himself, rubbing his palms once more. Just walk up to her and ask her. That's all he has to do.

"Wow, you're pathetic."

Nonon appears beside him, sucking on a sugar quill and wearing the largest smirk he's seen to date. Behind her, Houka looks bored, but there's a glint of amusement in his eyes and he no doubt only followed his girlfriend just to see Uzu make a fool of himself.

"Shut up," he grunts, his face flushing red.

"It's really not that hard," Nonon says, absentmindedly handing half her quill to Houka. He pulls down the blue and silver scarf wrapped around his neck despite the heat and leans forward to take the proffered sweet. Uzu is both disgusted and jealous of them. "You just walk up to the girl and say, 'Let's go to Hogsmeade together'."

"You make it sound so easy."

"That's because it is."

Uzu grumbles under his breath and turns back to peek out from behind the tree again. There's a muttered "pathetic" behind him but he elects to ignore it. Ryuko's still sitting by the lake except Mako's joined her. His palms start sweating again and he goes to wipe them on his trousers once more.

"You know," Nonon says nonchalantly, "I hear the Transfiguration professor has a thing for her."

Uzu's ears immediately perk up as his fingers tighten against the bark.

"I heard he's waiting until she graduates to make his move."

"If you ask me, he should go for it. Monkey's obviously not going to."

"Of course you'd be all for the forbidden student-teacher relationship."

"Wouldn't you?"

Uzu pushes away from the tree and with a glare thrown over his shoulders at the smirking couple, stalks purposefully over to Ryuko. His steps falter as he nears and he starts to second guess his rash decision to ask her out, today of all days. He shakes himself out of his and his steps regain the confidence he doesn't feel.

Mako is the first to notice him. "Hello!"

Ryuko twists her upper body around and squints up at him and it makes his heart beat just that much faster and oh, dear Merlin, he knows his hands are probably sweating again. He reminds himself to take deep breaths and tries to calm his racing heart and keep the flush from spreading all over his face.

"Sanageyama," she greets.

"Matoi," he returns coolly only to start stammering. "Can I – er – that is – mind if I – you – we talk?"

Both girls blink at him owlishly, but it's Mako that catches on first. With a chuckle, she scurries off towards the castle with a quick 'see you later, Ryuko!' and Uzu finds he's both grateful and terrified with her departure. Now it's just him and Ryuko and the rest of Hogwarts that are still out here.

"Do you want to go somewhere –" Ryuko asks, trailing off uncertainly.

"No!" he says a little to quickly. Clearing his throat, he tries again. "I mean, here's fine. I don't – I don't think anyone's really listening to us."

"Alright."

He shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly. After a long, awkward minute, he moves to sit beside her on the grass. His fingers immediately search out a flower and he plucks it, twirling the stem nervously.

"I –"

He can't seem to get the words out and his mouth is once again opening and closing soundlessly. The flower stops twirling and instead its petals get plucked one by one. Gathering his courage, he tries again.

"Er – that is –" he coughs and drops the now mangled flower, shifting so that he's now facing her. "The – uh – next weekend's a Hogsmeade weekend –" Oh Merlin, he thinks he's about to puke, but he barrels on because if he doesn't do it now he's never going to. "I was wondering, if you didn't have any plans, will you – er – would you – I mean, you don't have to –"

He pauses and draws in a deep breath to steady his racing heart. Ryuko hasn't moved nor has she made a sound, instead waiting patiently and curiously for him to finish. Except he's positive she already knows where this is going.

"Will you accompany me to Hogsmeade next weekend?" he ends up blurting out, face red and fingers twitching nervously against the fabric of his trousers as he waits for her answer.

She blinks and then her shoulders are shaking. She's laughing at him and if he wasn't so flustered he'd be hurt. Wait, no, actually, he is. He moves onto his knees and is ready to bolt when one of her hands rests lightly against his own. It makes him pause.

"Sure."

"S – sure?" he parrots.

Ryuko nods and it's then that he notices the light dusting of link on her cheeks. "I'll meet you in the common room at one."

With that said, she scrambles to her feet, socks and shoes clutched in her hands. Hesitating, she dips back down and presses a soft his to his cheek and immediately scurries towards the castle barefooted. Dumbfounded, Uzu can only watch her leave, one of his hands coming up numbly to presses against the spot where her lips had touched him.

When it finally sinks in that he's got a date with Ryuko, a wide grin spreads across his face and Uzu does a little fist pump of victory. His euphoric high is immediately chattered by Nonon's voice cutting through the air.

"Fucking finally."