Note: I've been writing a lot (I think I'm on a streak), so this is the third chapter I've posted in four days! I'm hoping I can end this story by the end of September, as I can't wait to start a new fic. I'll be really sad to let this story go, and don't worry- I have no plans to rush through the ending of this story. I love these characters too much not to give them the ending they deserve. I hope you'll like this chapter, please leave a review! (or send me a private message if you have any comments/questions, I always answer).

WARNING: smut and talk of eating disorders are in this chapter. Having suffered from an eating disorder when I was sixteen and seventeen, I know how it feels and I wanted it to be in this story in some way.

Chapter 22: Ominous Warnings and Dark Cupboards

Elsa had barely begun unpacking her trunk when the door slammed open, Rapunzel tearing inside and throwing her arms around Elsa so fast she was temporarily knocked out of breath. Her friend hugged her tightly, already telling her all about Christmas and what she'd gotten and God she'd missed Elsa so much she'd come running when she'd seen Jack already downstairs-

'Alright, alright,' laughed Elsa, gently extricating herself from Rapunzel's embrace. 'Breathe. Drink water or something. You're going to give yourself a heart attack.'

Rapunzel made a careless gesture, as if giving herself a heart attack would be no big deal at all, and narrowed her eyes at Elsa.

'Now look here, you,' she began, in a much sterner tone, 'I didn't have time to properly yell at you on the train, but I fully intend to give you hell.' She crossed her arms. 'Starting now,' she amended, seeming to realise that she'd just thrown herself into Elsa's arms as if they were long-lost sisters that had been looking for each other for decades.

'Yell at me?' Elsa repeated, bewildered. Not all that worried, seeing as Rapunzel could barely resist holding her tongue more than three minutes and there wasn't anyone else to talk to in their dormitory, she turned back to her trunk, grabbing her folded clothes and laying them on the bed. She was particularly gentle with the scarf Jack's mother had gifted her for Christmas.

'Yes, yell at you! You didn't tell me anything about you and Jack. Finding out at the same time as the others did was very insulting, you know.'

'I'm sorry,' Elsa said, the apology spurred from surprise, turning back to Rapunzel. 'I didn't know if you'd tell Flynn or any of the others if I did tell you about it. And trust me, I've been dying to tell you about it. Keeping this all too myself has been very- overwhelming.'

'I would never tell my boyfriend- or anyone- something you told me in confidence,' Rapunzel declared, her green eyes wide. 'I promise. And I never break my promises.'

Elsa gave her a relieved smile. She believed her- Rapunzel was impossible not to believe, with those wide green eyes that seemed to shine with genuine honesty.

'Now,' Rapunzel said, grabbing her hand and guiding Elsa to her own bed. She sat her down, pulling her down right next to her before hoisting her legs onto the bed. 'I want to know everything.'

…

'Hello, dirty little liar,' was Jack's only greeting from the best friend he hadn't seen in two weeks.

'Hello Hiccup,' he said with resigned exasperation. 'Glad to see the holidays put you in a good mood.'

'Oh my holidays were excellent, thank you so much. Although they were tainted by the dark stain of your betrayal.'

Jack hid his grin, trying to look busy ruffling the clothes in his drawers, even though he'd already arranged his belongings back inside them. 'Someone's being very dramatic.'

'You think this is dramatic?' Hiccup boys that shared their dormitory hadn't arrived yet. 'Wait until you see Merida. She has a whole speech prepared.'

'Is this because I didn't tell you guys about Elsa?' Jack asked, even though he already knew the answer.

'No, I'm deeply disappointed by the way you cook sausages. Yes, it's about Elsa. Are you a moron and a liar?'

Jack snorted. 'You should create a Jack-Frost-is-a-moron-and-a-liar club with Snape. He'd love that.'

'I'll add it to my to-do list.'

Jack didn't answer, going over to his bed and making a big show of checking the drapes of the four-canopy were tied back properly.

'Seriously, Jack- why didn't you tell me? Don't you trust me?'

Jack fell back on his bed, taking a seat and lifting an eyebrow at Hiccup.

'First of all, no- I don't trust you. Everything I tell you, I can be sure Merida will know in the hour.'

Hiccup opened and closed his mouth a few times in outrage, before frowning. He shoved his hands in his pocket. 'Okay, that's true. But still-'

'Second of all,' Jack said, not letting him finish, 'Elsa asked me to keep it a secret, so I did.'

'But why?'

Jack shrugged, slumping back onto the bed, arms outstretched on the mattress. He looked up at the ceiling while he talked.

'I have no idea. Although she has perfectly good reason to not want the whole of Hogwarts to know she's my girlfriend.'

'Do you mean- because of what Rapunzel and Flynn went through?'

Jack sat up suddenly, his foot banging against the side of the bed. He stared at Hiccup. 'God,' he breathed. 'I didn't even think of that.'

He'd meant because of the attention she would get- and it hadn't even entered his mind that once the school knew, there was a possibility they would have to deal with the same things as Rapunzel and Flynn did.

After they'd decided to go public with their relationship, people had been- awful. He didn't know if it was because Flynn was a Slytherin- which was the house where most of the hostility had been coming from, although all of the houses had their share of blame- but it had been horrible on them. Flynn had been called a blood-traitor- but the worst of it had been for Rapunzel.

Slurs, insults and mocking jabs had followed Rapunzel everywhere for a month. He remembered how Rapunzel had wasted away, starving herself because of all the bullying. Once, Flynn had caught her making herself throw up- and he'd exploded.

The next time someone said something to Rapunzel, Flynn jinxed the guy so bad he had to spend a whole trimester in the hospital wing. Flynn had earned a month's worth of detentions- but no-one had dared bother Rapunzel after that.

Openly, at least. Looks and whispers had still followed them until the school got a new juicy gossip to talk about and their relationship became old news. There were still incidents though- like with Xavier and Ronan earlier this year when Flynn had positively lost it.

He couldn't stomach the thought of Elsa going through the same thing. She already had a tendency for overthinking and stressing out when things were fine. He couldn't imagine how the bullying would affect her.

Because she was a Muggle-born. And he came from a family that didn't have a speck of Muggle blood- something that was becoming increasingly rare, seeing as wizards bred with Muggles to survive. No, some people would frown on their relationship. Others would do more than frown.

He wished for a moment, that they'd never left the farm. Never left the safety of his bed, naked in each other's arms, not caring- for a beautiful, perfect heartbeat- about the rest of the world at all.

…

'I didn't know you'd gone through that,' Elsa whispered, eyes wide, taking in Rapunzel.

After telling her (mostly) everything about how Jack and she had begun their relationship, Rapunzel had bitten her lip and told her that even though she was happy for Elsa, she thought that she should warn her.

Then she'd told her everything- about the bullying. The depression, the bulimia.

'I wasn't controlling anything,' Rapunzel said, 'I felt so powerless to change things. And I expressed that by hurting myself- making my body look the way I felt inside.'

'Oh, Rapunzel,' Elsa breathed, giving her a tight hug. 'I'm so sorry.'

'I'm not proud of it,' Rapunzel said, taking a steadying breath. 'And when Flynn found out-' Rapunzel shook her head, and Elsa noticed her hands were shaking slightly, 'It killed me to see what it was doing to him. He blamed himself. And then he got into a lot of trouble and I just- stopped doing it. For his sake, and mine. My body couldn't take it anymore.'

Elsa didn't answer, reaching out and squeezing her friend's hand. She hadn't known or guessed- which was understandable, seeing as Rapunzel was the picture of health now; if a bit on the skinny side.

'Anyway, what I'm trying to say is-' she paused, sucking in a breath, 'I don't want to scare you or anything, but you have to be prepared. I was caught off-guard by their reaction, but you won't be.'

'We're still keeping it a secret for now, in any case. Only you guys know.'

It wasn't because she was afraid of the backlash: in fact, she couldn't care less. If people had something to say about her relationship, which was the purest and happiest thing in her life, she wouldn't give it a moment's thought.

But she was still afraid of her parents somehow having eyes at school. She couldn't risk them finding out. God, if they found out about her and Jack- or that Jack and she had-

She shuddered at the thought. She'd probably be summoned home and never be allowed to leave Arendelle again.

Rapunzel nodded.

'Come on then,' she sighed, 'Let's go take a walk.'

…

They were joined in the Entrance Hall by Flynn and Merida- the latter giving Elsa a piece of her mind about keeping her and Jack's relationship secret from them. Elsa took it, nodding and apologising, letting Merida run out of words. When the fiery red-haired paused for breath, someone behind her chuckled-

'Damn Merida, leave her alone.'

She didn't have to turn around to know who the mischievous voice belonged to. He was right behind her, and she resisted the temptation to lean back into his warmth.

'And you-' Merida said, launching into another tirade. Elsa turned, and Jack rolled her eyes at her, as if to say I've been yelled at for the past hour. How has your day been going?

She discreetly squeezed his hand. He got the message: Similarly.

'Alright,' Jack said, interrupting Merida, 'That's enough. Elsa and I are very sorry we didn't tell you. But you know now, so let's just move on, alright?'

With that, he grabbed Elsa's hand and pulled her ahead of the rest of the group. He swung an arm around her shoulders. She glanced around. They were the only one in the grounds, most of the students still settling in, chatting animatedly with the friends they'd reunited within their respective common rooms. Even if someone happened to be looking out the window, there was enough mist around them that they wouldn't be able to clearly see what was going on.

She twined her arms around his waist, snuggling into the crook of his shoulder.

'Look at us,' he murmured in her ear. 'We look like we have a completely platonic relationship.'

Elsa snorted, raising her brows. 'A very tactile platonic relationship.'

'I don't know what you mean,' he breathed, and Elsa threw a glance over her shoulder. The others were far behind, talking animatedly, probably about them. Elsa couldn't muster the effort to care. 'I'm sure friends do this all the time.'

He kissed her hair. 'And this? It's practically mandatory,' he added, before giving her ear a small nip. Her back arched a bit, and she felt heat bloom on her face. Her toes curled.

'It's going to be harder getting me alone now that we're back at school,' she whispered, turning her head to him. His white hair rustled a bit in the wind. His eyes dipped to her mouth.

'Are you worried about my not being able to satisfy you, Snowflake?' His voice was lower than it had been mere seconds ago, as if desire thickened it. A chill went through her.

She didn't let it show, however, keeping her cool. She turned her face away, shrugging and smiling slightly. 'Don't be insulted, Jack. I doubt even you-'

Faster than she could realise what he was doing, his arm tucked her closer into him, just as his hand discreetly slid under her sweatshirt, brushing over her nipple. The words died on her tongue.

'You were saying?'

She opened her mouth- to say what, she didn't know- but he pinched her hard enough that she found herself incapable of speech, and just gasped- in surprise, in pleasure, she didn't know- the small pinprick of pain feeling delicious. A torturous ache was already building in her core. He bent his head, his nose brushing her ear as he whispered. 'I accept the challenge, Snowflake. I'll get you alone every chance I get until you beg me to stop.'

He took back his hand, and she felt the disappearance of the heat of his touch like a loss. It was a wonder her legs were still holding her upright, she thought.

…

They'd found a more-or-less dry spot on the riverbank, where they'd all sat down and told each other about their holiday. When Elsa's teeth had started chattering, from the humid cold, Jack had pulled her in, settling her between his legs, her head resting on his chest. He'd crossed his arms over her body, and sure enough, heat started pooling back into her body.

The others shared a look, but Jack's eyes seemed to dare them to say anything; and they hadn't, to Elsa's relief.

They'd caught themselves up on each other's Christmas. Turned out, Rapunzel didn't ski very well: Flynn fed them the hilarious details of Rapunzel's attempts to keep her balance until they were all shaking with laughter.

'And then,' he said, once they'd calmed down a bit, 'If you can believe it, she found a way to blame me for her lack of talent.'

Hiccup and Jack roared with laughter- in solidarity with Rapunzel, Merida and Elsa tried (and failed) to rein in their amusement. Rapunzel jokingly hit Flynn's arm, but she didn't deny it. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, planting a kiss on her temple. He whispered something that sounded a bit like: I love you anyways, which made Rapunzel simultaneously blush and beam at him.

Flynn started talking again, but Elsa could feel herself drift away. She felt so warm and safe in Jack's arms, it was easy to doze off. When he talked, the rumble of his voice coursed through her pleasantly. She shifted into sleep.

…

He could tell, by the way she breathed against him and the way her head was turned, so that her rosy cheek rested on his chest, that Elsa had fallen asleep.

The trip back to Hogwarts- and the packing they'd had to do last night- had been tiring enough that she needed the sleep.

'I can't wait for Quidditch to start again,' said Hiccup. He was playing with Merida's hair, wrapping strands around his fingers. She looked like she was doing her best to avoid him.

'It's not us playing,' Jack reminded him. 'Ravenclaw will play against Slytherin in February.'

'I know,' Hiccup sighed dramatically. 'Elsa had better beat them.'

'I will,' she muttered sleepily, so quietly they barely heard her; they all chuckled, and Jack planted a kiss in her hair.

'I know you will, Snowflake,' he whispered, just for her. She shifted a bit against him in response. He thought about what she'd said innocently, knowing very well what the words would do to him.

It's going to be harder getting me alone now that we're back at school.

He gritted his teeth, desire for her flaring.

He pushed it down.

Later, he promised himself. Later.

…

After dinner, much later, Elsa was back in her dormitory, rubbing her eyes against the tiredness prickling there. Rapunzel, Ilra and the others were already asleep.

Ilra had barely acknowledged her when she'd joined them in their dormitory. Elsa hadn't particularly killed.

Elsa was reading a book titled Scottish Magical Traditions. She found the different rituals and sacred ceremonies riveting. That was what she'd missed most about Hogwarts- save for, of course, her friends- the library.

She was just about to blow out the candle she'd been reading by when she heard a strange tapping noise. She froze.

Slowly, she climbed out of bed, looking around herself when the tapping sounded again. That's when she saw the barn owl at her window, a scrap of yellow parchment in its beak. She could discern, despite the fog on the glass, her name written in scrawling ink. The owl tapped its beak against the window again, and Elsa cringed, scared that the noise would wake the others. But only Rapunzel stirred, snoring quietly. Elsa swallowed back a smile and padded to the window, taking the letter and scratching the owl's head in thanks. It took off with a soft hoot into the night.

She went back to her bed, crossing her legs so that her left ankle was over her right foot, and unfolded the letter.

Meet me in the Charms Corridor at midnight.

Jack

p.s. you looked beautiful tonight.

p.p.s. not just tonight. You look beautiful every night.

p.p.p.s. I will wake up the whole of Ravenclaw tower if you don't show up.

Elsa laughed softly, glancing at the clock nailed to the wall by the window. She had twenty minutes. And she didn't doubt for a second that Jack was perfectly capable of setting off a Dungbomb outside the Ravenclaw common room.

She changed out of her nightgown, grabbing a sweatshirt a lovely shade of pastel green, leggings and her sneakers. She glanced at the mirror. Her hair was a mess- she grabbed a brush, trying to smooth away the knots as best she could.

Setting the brush down, she quietly made her way to the door, opening and shutting it with a soft click behind her.

…

Jack was already in the Charms Corridor, on the third floor, waiting in the shadows. Peeves, he knew from Filch's yelling he'd heard when he'd been on the stairs, was wreaking havoc on the fifth floor.

'Jack?' Elsa's voice called softly for him. She stood at the end of the corridor, peering inside.

'Here,' he said, stepping out of the shadows. Her shoulders slumped with relief, and she walked over to him. He drew her in, kissing her.

'What's this about?' she asked.

He grinned. 'You'll see.'

…

He held her hand tightly in his as he led her down the corridor, past two doors and a few turns until they were in a deserted cramped hallway she had never seen before. In fact, it looked abandoned. There were no paintings, no furniture- save for a large cupboard in the corner of the corridor- and no lamps. Only the large glass windows let any light in- It was a clear, cloudless night, despite the cold. Moonlight gave her surroundings a ghostly, mythical glow.

Jack continued walking, pulling her behind him.

She didn't realise where they were headed until he stopped in front of the cupboard. She raised her brows. 'You can't be serious.'

'Oh, I'm serious.'

'Jack,' she gasped. 'Have you lost your mind?'

'Probably,' he grinned. He opened the door and pulled her inside after him. The doors shut behind them, sealing them in darkness- barely any light slid in from the creak between the doors. She could only see his eyes. The cupboard was surprisingly roomy.

'What are you doing?' she laughed breathlessly.

'Getting you alone,' he whispered. 'You're going to have to be very quiet.'

'You can't mean- in here?'

'You've been driving me crazy all day, so you better believe I'm serious.'

Elsa pursed her lips, reining in her disbelief. Before she could reconsider, she fisted her hands in his shirt, bringing his mouth down to hers. If he was surprised, he didn't show it. Their mouths crashed together- Jack wrapped his hands around her lower back, pressing her into him. When she touched him, the desperation to be with him, feel him came rushing back-

Jack rested a hand on the wall of the cupboard behind her, trapping her with his body. She slid a hand between them, palming him over his trousers.

She wanted to see how crazy she could make him.

She wasn't disappointed: he muttered a muffled curse, releasing her lips- she laughed softly.

'You think it's funny, do you, playing with me like that?' Jack whispered. His hands wrapped around her thighs, fondling her, his fingers working their way upwards slowly- her hips bucked, and she gasped out a moan as he brushed a knuckle against her core, over her clothes.

'Still funny?' He pressed harder into her when she shook her head, and she couldn't help the small whimper that escaped her. Her back arched. He gently covered her mouth with his hand. 'You have to be quiet,' he said with lethal softness, his hand going up to the band of her leggings- he brushed his hand once, twice over them, never quite-

'Please,' she panted over his hand. He smirked, fingers delving into her pants, pressing her against the wall of the cupboard, his hand still firmly covering her mouth as he played with her, rubbing his fingers just where she wanted them.

She cried out against him- his hand muffled the sound- and her body made an involuntary jerking movement when his fingers slid inside her. She couldn't get enough of it- the pleasure, the wanting-

He was gentle, going in and out so torturously slow. She opened her eyes to find him looking at her, panting and moaning, with him between her legs. He looked as if he was struggling to hold himself back.

'Jack,' she said, her legs shaking. She grabbed his hair, pulling down his ear to her mouth, 'I don't want you to be gentle. I'm sick and tired of you being gentle.'

She wanted him. Now. And she didn't want him to take his time. She didn't want him to treat her like a fragile doll.

'Elsa,' he groaned, his fingers going a bit faster. She caught her mouth with his, writhing on his fingers. He groaned again. She could feel his want for her- but also his hesitation.

'Please,' she breathed into his mouth. 'Please, just do it.'

It was like a leash snapped. He took her by the shoulders, spinning her and nearly slamming her against the wall so that her back was to him. He didn't even take the time to properly bring down her leggings.

He nudged her legs apart and sheathed himself inside her, a low sound she'd never heard from him before coming out of his throat. She bit her lip to keep from crying out at the sudden sensation of him- he wrapped one arm around her waist, pushing himself deeper inside her, the other one delving under her shirt, reaching for her breast, teasing, playing-

She shuddered, coming hard around him- he only went faster and faster. She barely existed out of the motion. In. Out. In. Out.

She came again. He was holding her up, she was trembling so much.

'That's it,' he whispered. 'That's it.'

He thundered into her, and she went over the edge again, her climax shattering around her- and this time he went with her. She felt his cock twitch inside her, the last throws of the peak of pleasure gripping them both.

They stood silent for a long while, completely still, Jack still holding her against him, the sweat on his chest and her back mingling. They were breathing hard, slowly coming back to reality. He broke the silence. He spoke quietly, softly, still holding her from behind.

'Did I hurt you?'

She shook her head, still beyond words.

'Are you alright?' He sounded worried.

She rested her head against his shoulder. She closed her eyes, smiling. 'Yes. I'm more than alright,' she breathed. She felt him sigh, in what sounded like relief.

He rested his chin on her hair, tucking her in closer. She sometimes forgot how much taller he was- but right now, without an inch separating their bodies, there was no escaping it.

She didn't know how long they stayed there, intertwined in the dark. When they heard a distant noise, they jumped. Elsa pulled up her leggings, Jack rearranged his sweatshirt before opening the door slowly. He looked right, then left.

'No one's here,' he whispered, stretching his hand out to her. 'Let's go.'

Holding each other tightly, they roamed the halls until they reached the entrance to the Ravenclaw Common Room. Once there Jack kissed her goodnight. The kiss was slow, open.

'I'll see you tomorrow,' he whispered in her ear. She nodded, turning to the door and solving the eagle knocker's riddle surprisingly fast.

She turned back to him. He was watching her particularly, looking as if he wanted to say something more.

She felt a sudden burst of panic, feeling those same three words rising up inside her.

But she couldn't say them. And she most certainly couldn't hear him saying them.

'Goodnight,' she said softly, closing the door in his face.