The broom closet was small, which was just how Anakin liked it.
Him and Padme got so few moments together, he had to savor the ones they had, and there were no distractions in the space.
Just the two of them, cheeks flushed, voices low, until the world came crashing back in.
House rivalries.
Blood status.
Age differences that meant she would soon be leaving him here.
But when they were together they could sort out any difficulty.
Padme pulled back from his soft kiss. "Ani, we need to discuss this. Seriously."
He tried to continue the embrace with a mumbled "we are, angel," but she put a hand over his mouth. "I'm not joking. We're not allowed to move within a foot of each other until we're done with this discussion, okay? It's important."
Despite being a teenage boy, he did an alright job listening, sitting down on an overturned bucket. She sat across from him. "I know you're worried about what would happen, but Anakin, I don't want to keep this relationship a secret anymore."
"Your family wouldn't like you being with a Muggle-born, Padme, and both of our houses are weird about the other."
Ignoring the rules she had set, Padme took his hands in hers. "I know it seems worrying right now, but those things can be overcome. I'm already friends with many of your friends, so the rest of the students don't matter, and my family will be happy if I'm happy. This thing we have going works, Ani, there's no reason to keep it secret anymore."
"The professors won't like it either. They say I don't pay enough attention to school work as it is."
"You do just fine."
Several minutes later they swung open the portrait into the Gryffindor common room. A decent number of people were crowded in the space, including Ahsoka and Rex, along with Rex's brothers, the twins Echo and Fives. A younger, brooding 2nd year named Hunter sat in the corner, and the fool of a fourth year Lux hovered around Ahsoka's chair being ignored. His friends in the middle of the room were what really mattered though. Fives looked up when they entered. "What's the Slytherin head girl doing here?" (which was ironic, since it was a Hufflepuff in the Gryffindor common room who asked the question.)
Anakin puffed out his chest. "I have something to tell you all! We've been keeping it a secret but no longer! Padme and I are dating!"
No cries of astonishment met his proclamation, just blank looks. "What, do you need me to say it again for it to sink in or something?"
"Skyguy, did you think that was a secret?"