Regulus stormed all the way to the far edge of the Black Lake. He glanced around to make sure he was alone. Once he arrived, he placed a hand on the beech tree to steady himself. His breathing was ragged. "And he happens to be shagging my favorite lioness." Sirius' words spun like a broken record in Regulus' obsessive mind. He began to punch the beech tree over and over again, digging his palm hard into the tree's trunk each time the thought replayed. Tears flowed carelessly down the Slytherin prince's cheek until he finally collapsed on the riverbank. The release left Regulus feeling high. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried….years? He took a moment to gather his breath and used his sleeves to wipe away the stray tears on his sticky cheeks. He lay back on the grassy knoll and focused his eyes on the small drops of dew that hung suspended on each blade until the small bead began to shake, not being able to hold on anymore, and fell.

Regulus had fallen hard for Arielle. In the past four years he had managed to destroy his relationship with his best friend, Evan Rosier. He had cost Slytherin House the Quidditch Cup. All in the name of pursuing and protecting Arielle Malfoy. Yet, she still chose to be with someone else. Why? Had he not made himself clear to Arielle that night during the party at the Malfoy Manor that he would do anything in his power to earn her trust again? What if instead of pushing her away on the astronomy tower that night when she was reeling from the embarrassment of that smutty article published by Rita Skeeter, he made love to her instead? How could she do this to him?

How could she do this to him?

How could she do this to him?

Regulus began to laugh. How could she do this to him? Well, he could think of a few reasons. Perhaps it was how he humiliated her in front of the entire student body that attended Hogwarts by starting a competition with the sole purpose of taking her virginity. Perhaps it was how every time they argued he sought revenge by deliberately making out with other girls just to elicit any reaction from her. All of his actions were a desperate attempt to maintain the Gryffindor princess's attention. He could now see that all he had done was push her into the arms of someone else. Someone like George Thomas. The fucking git. He was handsome, intelligent, kind, older, popular, cool…the list goes on and on. George was a nurturer. He would shower Arielle with affection and kindness until she blossomed under his care into a beautiful flower. Regulus, on the other hand, stomped through the garden any time Arielle sprouted and dragged her back down in the dirt. In that moment, it dawned on Regulus that he had been selfish in his pursuit of Arielle and did not think of her feelings and even exploited her vulnerabilities at times to try to win her over. And in the end, it did not work. He only had himself to blame. He lay cold by the side of the Black Lake before he drifted into a numbing slumber.

Arielle perched herself up onto the stone wall in the courtyard. She glanced around looking at the faces of the Hogwarts students who were passing through on their way to their afternoon classes.

"Is this going to take long?" Severus complained.

Arielle rolled her eyes. "RELAX SEV, it will only be a minute. I promise we won't be late to Charms."

Severus huffed. "This is ridiculous, you know."

"What are you talking about?" Arielle asked, deciding to humor her older friend.

"This whole charade with George."

"Charade?" Arielle spat jumping off the stone wall and looking her friend dead in the eye.

"I can't think of two people more oddly matched." He remarked.

Really? You really can't think of two people more oddly matched? Try you and Lily. Arielle snorted internally. "We are not oddly matched Severus. Where is this coming from?"

"I doubt your brother will approve." Severus muttered.

Arielle shot Severus a disapproving glance.

"I am just saying it does not seem to me like you have thought this through. Especially after what happened the night after your new sister-in-law's engagement party. What will your family say? Didn't your brother command that you stay away from Sirius?"

"Oh Severus, he's been saying that for four years now. Besides, George is a pure blood wizard…not that that matters anyway!"

"I wonder at which point you will actually listen. Black, Potter…all their little friends are bad news. You…and Lily are so blind to their abhorrent shortcomings."

Arielle frowned. "I consider myself pretty astute as you very well know."

"Yeah, I wonder if Regulus agrees with your self-assessment."

"How DARE you–" Arielle began ready to ream out the Slytherin boy for his insolence until she spotted a familiar face wave at her across the courtyard. "Oh, hi George!"

"Hello darling." George exclaimed, enveloping the Gryffindor princess into arms.

"Severus." George greeted with a nod in the fifth year's direction. "How were your morning classes?"

"It's hard to focus knowing that I get to meet you afterwards." Arielle flirted.

George chuckled. "Well, don't fall behind because of me!"

"I won't. Severus and I are going to study in the library before my transfiguration course." Arielle defended before pulling the tall boy in for an epic snogging session.

"Uck, just meet me at the library." Severus spat before storming off.

Arielle ignored her friend and deepened her kiss with George who had lifted her up onto the stone wall. She wrapped her ankles around his behind pulling him while gliding her tongue along his bottom lip.

"The library….you said." George said breathlessly between kisses. Arielle let out a low chuckle.

"Well, there is also a broom closet not too far from here." Arielle teased with full intention of shagging him on the second floor of the castle should he find her proposition appealing.

"George!" A shrill voice echoed from behind the two lovebirds.

Arielle sighed and rolled her eyes.

"George, you promised you'd help me master the water making spell after class today! Oh–hi Arielle."

"Hi Angelina." Arielle waved, biting her lip at the girl's disappointed expression. Angelina was a friend of George's who Arielle was certain was in love with the bloke. She seemed like a nice girl but she reeked of desperation. Arielle had told George before that she thought it was weird how the Ravenclaw followed the lion around all the time. However, George reminded Arielle that they were good friends and that Angelina was just disappointed that they didn't spend as much time together as they used to. George had ditched Angelina as a study partner and worked with Arielle and Severus most nights instead.

"That's right–Angelina. I am so sorry! It slipped my mind, I was too busy daydreaming about–" George began winking at Arielle.

"OH! I understand. " Angelina interrupted. "Arielle, would you mind if I stole him away. I am really struggling with this charm. It's been troubling me for a few weeks now. And you know how good George is at charms! He changed his ice block into water on the first try! I have only managed to turn mine into sludge!"

"Of course Angelina, I understand. Aguamenti was hard for me to learn during my first year too." Arielle stated plastering a fake smile on her face. George smirked. One of things he liked about Arielle was how damn brilliant she was.

"Right. You have a knack for charms too." Angelina laughed nervously.

"Well, have fun you two. I am off to the library to meet Severus."

"See you in the Dining Hall later?" George asked, pulling Arielle back into his embrace for one last kiss.

"I wouldn't miss it." Arielle smiled looking up into George's chocolate brown eyes and kissing him passionately.

"Angelina." Arielle nodded before taking off towards the library.

Arielle found Severus lurking in a dark corner of the library out of sight. He always managed to find the most secluded section absent from all signs of life. Arielle plopped down on the chair across the small round wooden table from Slytherin boy. He was engrossed in a book on occlumency and how to invade the minds of unknowing hosts. He didn't flinch when Arielle slammed her books down on the table with a hefty sigh. She looked at him and sighed loudly again.

"Do you mind?" Severus spat.

"Angelina is such a nuisance. I swear by Merlin's beard every time I go to snog George, she pops up like a little weasel out of nowhere!"

"Then stop snogging him."

Arielle rolled her eyes. "Some help you are."

"We could penetrate her mind while she is sleeping. Give her some nightmares that will scare her straight away from you." Severus suggested. "I believe the next chapter of this book is on how to enter a magical mind that's in a dream state.

Arielle scoffed. "Why are you reading about entering people's minds anyway? That's rather dark. Didn't you learn your lesson after entering my mind? You're not planning on invading anyone else's headspace are you?"

Severus huffed, placing the book down.

"Are you?" Arielle asked more seriously.

"If Lily could only–" Severus began.

"Let me stop you right there. You can't invade Lily's mind. A person's mind is private. It would be the ultimate betrayal. It's cruel. Besides, Lily is brilliant, you know she would sense something was off and she would go directly to Dumbledore, I know she would. And then we would both be in trouble." Arielle interrupted.

"I suppose you're right." Severus sighed. "But Potter…that stupid git wouldn't sense a thing."

"Merlin, Severus….you sound insane." Arielle gawked.

"Not as insane as you for dating that Gryffindor." Severus chided.

"Not this again…"

"Lucius will be livid when he finds out."

"If he finds out." Arielle corrected.

"What exactly are you going to do if he does?" Severus inquired seriously.

"I don't know…lie? I am getting pretty good at that these days." Arielle replied.

Severus shook his head in disapproval.

"What? Lying about George, that's child's play compared to meeting with the headmaster in secret behind my family's back."

"Well, when you put it that way I suppose you're right " Severus acknowledged.

"Of course I am. Besides, Lucius is away in France for the next several months with Cissy for the honeymoon– that buys me plenty of time to concoct a plan."

"While you're at it buy me an umbrella."

"An umbrella?"

"Yes, perhaps you can concoct a charm to end the rainstorm currently plaguing the Slytherin common room."

Arielle raised an eyebrow. "Metaphorically of course–"

"No, unfortunately…we are dealing with a real storm, and all the older Slytherins are too preoccupied to deal with it. I have a mind to tell Slughorn."

"Well, then why don't you?" Arielle laughed. The thought of Severus walking around with an umbrella in his own dormitory amused her.

"Because then I'd have to reveal its source." Severus growled, biting his lip in obvious frustration.

"And? Since when do you have a problem ratting out a rule breaker?" Arielle laughed, growing more amused by the second.

"Regulus is on thin ice with Slughorn as it is already." Severus stated flatly. "After almost murdering Tobias in potions I hear… and then Rosier at Qudditch practice..the bloke is one misstep away from being expelled I'd say."

"Why were Evan and Regulus fighting?"

"Why do you care?"

"I don't!" Arielle yelled.

"QUIET!" Someone shouted from a few rows over.

"I don't!" Arielle repeated in a whisper. "I'm just curious."

"Well if you must know, if there is one person who is taking your new relationship extremely well it's Evan. He has been hopping around like a twinkling toad ever since the news of your relations with George hit the dungeon dwellings."

"Really? Why?" Arielle asked, confused.

"Don't be stupid Arielle."

Arielle scoffed.

"Evan is convinced that Regulus is the reason why you two parted ways. He'd tell it to anyone willing to listen…which is pretty much every snake in the dungeon considering you're a Malfoy. As far as he is concerned, it's a real victory that you chose to lie with George over his ex-companion."

"Huh. Perhaps, Evan's right. We were very happy together once…until Regulus entered the picture." Arielle spoke thoughtfully.

"Merlin Arielle….guilelessness is a poor look on you."

"Excuse me?" Arielle spat.

"Arielle, what are you even doing?" Severus sighed. "This is nonsensical. Haven't you punished the poor Black boy enough?"

"I don't think any punishment could ever repair the trauma of a group of boys holding a competition for my virginity…. like it was there's to take and not mine to give. It's a violation of the soul that you could never understand. I mean think about it, what if someone did that to Lily? Wouldn't you think it was weird if she could just get over it and be with the person who concocted the whole thing?"

"I'm sorry Arielle, you're right. I just thought you had moved past that with Regulus."

"How do you move past something like that, Severus?" Arielle practically whimpered.

"I don't know." He mumbled.

"And you know what the worst thing is…I almost did it. Even after what Regulus did, I almost slept with him that night on the astronomy tower after the Witch Weekly article. He refused..can you believe that? I think it's the one kind thing he ever did for me. I felt worthless…I feel worthless..like the only thing I have to offer is my body. George…well… George makes me feel like a person…a person that has ideas…that is talented…that is smart…worth something, you know?"

"Yes, I can understand that. But Arielle, I can't help but wonder… Did you ever think Regulus refused you because he felt the gravity of how horribly he violated you? Maybe he was trying to change his course because he cares for you."

"How can I trust that though? How could I love someone who makes me feel dirty and worthless? I don't have to think about these things with George."

"Well, perhaps true love exposes our deepest insecurities…maybe it's painful." Severus stated. "I would know."

Arielle locked eyes with the sixth year Slytherin. His dark black orbs glistened with sadness and pain.

"I can't explain the harrowing desire to punish the one you love. It intensifies when you are scared of losing them. It's ghoulish, really. But when I was scared of losing Lily to that prat Potter…I called her a mudblood. I lashed out and I don't know why. Regulus was scared of losing you to Evan…so he created the list. Regulus was scared of losing you to an impulsive decision on your part so he rejected your advances…Regulus was scared of losing you so he snogged other women to get under your skin."

"I don't know Severus, I hear you. I understand you. But, how can you love someone and hurt them in such spiteful ways?" Arielle inquired.

"I don't know Arielle. Maybe it's a Slytherin trait that a morally righteous lion cannot understand. And you are righteous Arielle. Is it not spiteful to reject someone who you care for because you refuse to forgive them?"

"The kind of wound that I have does not heal easily. Bloody hell, I don't even recognize myself sometimes anymore. I was a completely different person at the beginning of this year and it all changed…I changed. Everything has changed. All this darkness surrounds me…festers inside of me. Then one day I woke up and found myself in this hell pit and the person next to me was Regulus."

"You are one of my only true friends Arielle, I will always look out for you because I do respect your mind and ability. Merlin, you are in your fourth year and have mastered occlumency. Your magic and power mesmerizes me. You are special. I may be the only person who can attest to this, but Regulus knows how special you are, Arielle. He knows what you are worth. I studied with him for hours trying to help him skip fourth year Charms to be in class with you. He thought if he appeared smart, it would give him an edge over Evan. He did it to impress you. The poor git is madly in love with you and now the entirety of Slytherin House is suffering the consequences of his heartbreak. Like I said before, snakes tend to show their fangs, not their true hearts when faced with the affliction of love. "

"Severus, you are a marvel. I'd wish you'd let more people in so that they could see that." Arielle indicated. She swore she saw a hint of a blush playing upon the Slytherin's cheeks but it was quickly masked with the paleness of his regular disposition. "To be completely transparent, my pride is preventing me from having a deeper conversation with myself about my feelings for Regulus. I am not ready and I need time to heal. I am going to focus on what makes me feel good and that is George—at least for now."

"Just don't let your pride and righteousness steal away a great love like I did."

Arielle reached over and placed a gentle hand on top of her Slytherin friend's hand. She looked deeply into her friend's dark eyes reassuringly. "You are loved–deeply. I hope you know that. I'd be lost and consumed in my magic if I didn't have you to lean on."

Severus let out a rare half-smile. "Yes, you'd be an obscurial by now I reckon."

Hello! I hope you liked this chapter. I can reassure you that the love story between Arielle and Regulus is far from over. I try hard to make this story a great mash-up between overdramatic situations and harsh reality. I got some really negative reviews about Arielle sleeping with George. As someone who has lived life to the most wild extent, I can tell you now that life never works out the way you think it should. I think for Arielle, it is very true to her character to choose someone else over Regulus given how prideful she is and how he has behaved by creating that list and the women he continually uses for his own pleasure and games. Arielle is a strong character, a total feminist. I will not betray her character to appease any readers who think it's normal for a woman to sleep with a man after some of the shit he has done. Arielle is drawn to Regulus's dark side. That is why she keeps coming back. However, there needs to be a true reckoning or an outstanding situation to happen before the two of them before they can be together.

Anyways, sorry for my rant.