She was absolutely crazy.

Liam couldn't do anything but stare at her and try to determine if she was joking. But he knew she wasn't; this was Eleanor and of course she would plan everything. Even this.

"-Room of Requirement," he caught her saying after zoning out, "The dorm rooms will be too risky with the chance of anyone interrupting-"

She was so direct about everything as if planning an appointment. An appointment. How could she keep a straight face planning all this?

"How about the last day of finals? Is that good for you?" Eleanor finally paused and Liam knew she was expecting a straight answer.

He couldn't form any answer.

"Um-" he stalled, his gaze wandering away from Eleanor's. It wasn't as if he hadn't thought about it. After telling Sean that they weren't ready for sex during Easter break, Liam began thinking that maybe he was wrong. He and Eleanor began dating since January of last year and then before that, they were friends for almost six years. They were comfortable around each other. They trusted each other. Why shouldn't they finally advance their relationship?

"Or is another day good for you because-"

"It's fine," he blurted out, turning his gaze back onto her. She raised her eyebrows, probably doubting his answer. "I mean, yeah, okay. It's – yeah – finals. Good day. Splendid day. Wonderful day."

She smiled softly. "Good."

-x-

He knew he shouldn't have agreed to it on the absolute worst day. It was not good, splendid or wonderful. It was the last day of N.E.W.T.S. He was supposed to be concentrating on his exams - passing with exceeding high marks to get a good job, to have a successful life, to plan for his entire future. It wasn't time to think about anything else – especially about being intimate with his girlfriend.

Eleanor had to know that his mind would be elsewhere. With every exam he took, it was another step closer to the last day of finals and he couldn't just memorize, perform, and describe spells at a time like this. He couldn't think of anything but her.

She knew. She planned this two weeks in advance; Liam was sure she did it to watch him squirm.

And she didn't even seem to care. For the whole two weeks, she was completely calm and nonchalant about the whole manner. He always waited for her to mention it, but she acted as though the conversation never took place. Liam often wondered if he imagined it. It could have been a dream. Or fantasy. Maybe he hallucinated. Maybe it was his brothers' teasing that finally got to him. He had often thought about lying and saying that he was, in fact, "experienced"; even if it was just to show them that he wasn't so little anymore and he was on the same level as them. He could have made up the entire thing.

But he knew it wasn't a dream.

It was real.

And it was happening today.

Liam couldn't remember anything about Transfiguration. Tapping his quill lightly against the side of the table, he took a deep breath and tried to come up with an answer – any answer. Stealing a quick glance over at Eleanor, he found her hastily scribbling.

She wasn't anxious. When her future rested on these exams, she wasn't going to let a silly little thing like her boyfriend ruin everything.

Liam sighed, pressing against the side of the table with his palms to straighten his arms. He had only answered a few questions with vague fragments. He was sure they were wrong but he didn't know how to fix them. He couldn't even think straight to write a full sentence.

His sanity was just withering away. Slowly. Making him go absolutely crazy.

Eleanor was the first one finished. Liam watched her hand her scroll of parchment to Professor McGonagall with a smile and then abruptly turn around to walk out of the hall. She was still in exam mode, her determined gaze straight-forward and unwavering. Then she was out of the doors before she could see him slouch back in his chair with a groan.

He was never going to remember anything about Transfiguration...

-x-

It took him an extra hour to finish the exam. Everyone else had finished so he scrawled an illegible answer for the last question and bolted out of the room, straight to the common room. He didn't even stop in the Great Hall for dinner; Eleanor was probably waiting for him and wondering what was taking so long.

He tried not to stumble over his own feet as he made his way down the corridor. What if Eleanor had changed her mind? What if she hadn't mentioned it because she forgot?

What if he really did imagine everything?

Liam took in a deep breath and then forced himself to keep walking. He wouldn't know unless he talked to Eleanor. He had to see her.

"Where are you going?"

He was already past the third floor corridor when he heard the familiar voice. It took a few moments for him to comprehend that someone was asking him a question; he whirled around at the corner, skidding to a stop.

"Oh." His eyes widened when he saw Eleanor staring at him, an amused smile pulling at her lips. "Sorry – I was – I was looking for you."

"You walked right by me," Eleanor exclaimed with a chuckle. "Though you were staring at your feet, so I'm not surprised." Liam tried to give her a smile, but he was sure it looked more like a wince. "How was your exam?" she then asked, grabbing onto his hand.

She began to lead him down the corridor as Liam struggled to come up with full sentence. "Um, I – it was – a bit horrible."

"Horrible?" She turned to him with an eyebrow raised.

"I think I failed it," Liam began to ramble. "I didn't remember anything and I made up answers and it was horrible."

"You did fine," Eleanor assured him. "Besides, it's over. You can't let yourself worry about it."

"It's over," Liam repeated.

Eleanor nodded. "Last day."

She was trying to kill him. "Yeah," he choked out, trying to ignore every implication of her short sentence. He tried to keep his gaze straight ahead, but then he felt her eyes on him.

Why was she staring at him? Was she asking him to take the lead? Did she want him to initiate something? Maybe she thought he was the one who forgot.

Taking in another slow, calming breath, Liam finally turned toward her and met her gaze. He was beginning to say "are we-" but then she pulled on his hand and they were walking in the direction of the Room of Requirement.

Okay, so she remembered.

They fell silent. Liam couldn't find a single thing to say (was he supposed to make a joke to lighten the mood? Reassure her everything was going to be fine? Tell her that he loved her?). He probably looked like a nervous wreck while was she completely calm – absolutely no worry in her expression.

When they got to the Room of Requirement, Eleanor paced in front of the wall and then let Liam led her into the room, shutting the door behind them.

It was a simple room; a coach, fireplace, and a bed in the middle of the room. Trying to ignore the way his heart sped up at the sight of the bed, he turned to Eleanor and took both of her hands in his. He expected her to show some nerves, but she wasn't even shaking and met his gaze directly. Maybe she really did plan the whole night to the second – she was always in control when she had a plan in front of her.

Suddenly, without any sort of warning, she leaned forward and, wrapping her arms around his neck, brought him down into a kiss. He froze as she pushed herself against him, moving faster than his brain could comprehend.

It was happening and he was stalling and forgetting how to breathe. He pulled away to breathe and heard her inhale sharply. Her hands were on his tie. He felt the pressure as she pulled down; now, he really couldn't breathe.

"Want to go over to the bed?"

How could she ask that so innocently? As if it didn't mean anything? Did it mean anything? It meant everything, right? All he could do was nod dumbly as she led him toward the bed.

He was thinking too much. He was over-analyzing everything and not giving himself a chance to enjoy himself. He needed to stop thinking – to just concentrate on Eleanor and not worry about anything else. Eleanor was sitting in his lap. She was real – right in front of him and waiting for him to respond. He couldn't afford to hesitate.

It was now or never. They had waited patiently for this and now it was here and she was straddling him and his hands were grazing the exposed skin at the bottom of her blouse and she was reacting so-

"Liam..."

And his name on her lips never sounded better.

He moved his hands to cup her face and deepened the kiss. She was quickly working on the buttons of his shirt, trying to pull his shirt open but his arms were in the way.

Breaking off the kiss, Liam rested his forehead against hers and moved his hands down to the top button of her blouse. Surprisingly, his hands weren't shaking as he went to work on the first button, managing it undo it quickly. He tilted his head to kiss her again and his eyes snapped open when he realized she was silently crying.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, pulling away to see Eleanor shaking her head.

"It's fine." His heart skipped a beat when she stumbled over her words. Eleanor never stumbled. "I'm just being a girl – it's stupid, okay?" She wiped her eyes and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's not stupid-" he tried saying, but she grabbed him again and opened his lips with hers.

He knew not to argue with her when she was shutting him up with a snog. He waited a few moments and then went back to the buttons on her shirt, taking his time just in case she changed her mind. When she responded with kissing him harder, he continued unbuttoning, then pulling away to see that she was wearing a pink bra.

Liam moved to her exposed neck, encouraged when she made a small sound as he began to kiss the bare skin. His hands were on her waist and when they began to move, he heard it.

A sob.

Pulling back immediately, Liam watched as Eleanor completely broke down in front of him. Her whole body was now racking with sobs and she was babbling something incoherent.

"Eleanor," he tried to get her attention frantically as he placed his hands on her face to get her to look at him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry – I'm ruining everything – you've been so patient – just ignore me - " she was mumbling, shaking her head and refusing to meet his eyes. With every word, she paused to hiccup and swallow loudly, as if she couldn't breathe.

"No, no, no..." he exclaimed, "it's okay."

She shook her head violently and, with a shaky voice, added, "It's only an act carried out for reproduction or pleasure involving penetrat-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he interrupted her, moving his entire head to meet her gaze. Her eyes were wide; Liam had never seen her look so afraid. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he continued, "It's much more than a definition. You can't just define it and say that's all it is." She continued to shake her head, her entire body shuddering. "You're not ready," he realized.

Her gaze finally snapped up to his. "No, no, you've been waiting. We've been together for over a year – we've been friends forever – we're ready, I'm ready!"

"Eleanor-"

"I trust you!" she continued, almost frantically, "It's not like I don't trust you. I love you. I should want to do this right now-"

Liam shook his head. "I understand-"

"I should want this," Eleanor cut him off, her palms holding his face, fingers curling and shaking. "I want you, I just - "

"You're scared-"

He watched as Eleanor frowned and then insisted, "It's fine. I'll get over it-"

"No." He grabbed her forearms, pulling down until her hands were back in her lap. She was still shivering and shaking and Liam knew there was no way she was going to convince him now. "I'm not going to do this until you're ready."

"No!" she repeated, "I want you and I want to show you how much I love you."

He chuckled and she looked at him like he was crazy. "I know how much you love me. You don't have to show me by doing something that you're not ready to do."

"Liam!" She was grabbing him again, her teary eyes boring into his. "I am ready! I'm just being emotional, a girl, stupid, dumb, just keep going-"

"I'm not," he replied softly, "I'm not going to do anything."

"Why not?" she insisted, her voice high and strained.

He pulled her against him, forcing her into a hug. "You'll regret it. I'm not going to let this be our first time if you'll regret it."

For the first time, she didn't reply right away. Instead, Liam felt her arms curl around him and her body shudder. She was crying again.

Liam wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't angry. He wasn't disappointed. He was just worried and a bit confused and concerned.

"I love you," he reassured her, pressing a kiss into her hair. She let out a shaky breath and nodded slightly against his chest. "No matter what."

He wanted to tell her that he'd wait for her, that she didn't have to force herself to do things she wasn't comfortable doing, that she was amazing and didn't have to give him anything, but the words wouldn't form correctly. He only hoped she knew.


So, who thought something was about to happen? This chapter was actually in my first draft of this story and I wasn't going to include it. However, I changed a bit and made it fit the timeline of this story; though, now it will probably seem like Liam and Eleanor will never take the next step. (Mwhahaha.)

But look, it didn't take me as long to update!

Hopefully, I use my summer to continue writing more often. There's some interesting things happening in upcoming chapters (a surprise wedding and a bad, bad, bad, bad decision for example).

Thanks for reading!