Disclaimer: Character's don't belong to me, no money is being made off of this.
Warning: Slash, be warned!
Author's Note: There needs to be more Regulus slash out there. So I wrote some! Cute and fluffy, as always! Enjoy!
Much Ado About Romance
"You dropped this!"
Severus Snape turned, slightly surprised by the voice behind him. He raised an eyebrow at Regulus Black, waving a quill and jogging to catch up with him.
"You dropped this," the younger boy said again. "It fell out of your bag. I didn't want it to get stepped on and I figured you'd need it…"
"Oh. Thanks." Severus took the quill and replaced it in is bag. He really wasn't sure *what* to think of Black's younger brother, he never had. The boy was a year behind them, and was *nothing* like his older brother. He was studious and intelligent and a Slytherin. He was also a damn good beater. But he was also rather odd. Not in the twitchy manner, like Ian Wilkes-one of Severus' close friends-but…odd. He was quiet and introverted, and never seemed to talk much. And he didn't blink much.
"So…you looking forward to practice today?"
"Yes." Why was Regulus still speaking to him?
"Evan's been working us really hard lately, hasn't he?"
"He wants to win. We've been beaten by those idiot Gryffindors five years in a row. The only time we won a *game* against them was two years ago. We want the cup." Was the boy really that thick when it came to social conversation?
"I don't' see why they keep beating us. You're twice the Seeker Potter is."
"Thank you." Was there a point to Black the Younger's incessant chatter.
"I bet we'll beat them this year."
"I would hope so, Evan and I are graduating."
"Yeah…" Regulus sighed and looked down at the ground. Severus wondered if there was some way he could slip away…"Did you hear that Sirius took off this summer?"
"No." And why did he care?
"Just up and left. Merlin, I hate him."
'Well, we have one thing in common then…" Severus said, looking around for one of his friends. He was mildly surprised by the bitterness and raw emotion in the younger man's voice at that statement.
"Well, we have a lot more then that in common, really," Regulus said, smiling.
"Oh?" This was going to be good.
"Well, Potions. I mean, I'm not as good as you by far, but I really like it. And Quidditch. And I love to read, and I know you do too. And I find Dark Creatures really interesting and I noticed you had that book…"
"Are you stalking me?" The words just slipped out, and Severus turned to stare at Regulus. Was he *mad*?
"What? No! Not stalking or anything. I just noticed it. I mean, we've been on the same team for three years now and we study in the same group sometimes and I notice things."
"Oh." It still sounded like Regulus had been stalking him.
"I…like you."
"Oh." That was even worse. "Er…I have to go now."
Severus hastily walked away, feeling slightly dirty. It was Sirius Black's little brother for Merlin's sake! And he was rather certain the snot nosed brat was calling after him!
"Severus! Severus! Oi, Sev!"
No, that was Evan Rosier. Severus turned to his best friend, a look of mild panic still on his face.
"Whoa…what happened to you?" Evan asked, skidding to a halt.
"Regulus Black likes me."
"Yeah," Evan said, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. "What, you didn't know?"
"No! I don't pay any attention to him, how would I know?"
"He *stares* at you. All the time. Everyone knows. We thought you know. How could you not know?"
"Because I don't pay any attention!" Severus exclaimed. "He's…I don't know. He's odd."
"He's a nice kid. Really likes you. Has for…years now, really."
"He knows things about me. It's disturbing."
"It's cute."
"Disturbing."
"Cute. Come on, we've got to meet Ian in the dorms." Evan patted Severus on the shoulder and began walking towards the dungeons. Severus trailed behind, still not convinced that Regulus Black's crush on him was anywhere near cute.
"I don't want to go to practice today," Severus mumbled, and Evan rounded on him.
"That is mad talk. Complete mad talk. We *need* you Severus! You're our *Seeker*!"
"Regulus is going to be there."
"He's also going to be in our common room, and at out table, and in our showers…you can't freak out just because now you *know* he likes you. He's always liked you."
"But now I know!" Severus snapped. "What do I say? He tried…talking to me today."
"He talks to you everyday."
"Yes, but it's generally along the lines of 'pass the butter' or 'can I look over your notes from last year'. Not 'you're amazing and wonderful and I like you'."
"He said that?" Evan asked, stifling a chuckle.
"I'm paraphrasing, but yes essentially."
"You can't be too hard on him, Sev. You were the same way once…"
"I was not!"
"You weren't? Does the name 'Lucius Malfoy' mean anything to you? As in 'Lucius-I'll-Carry-Your-Books-For-You-Even-Though-My-Next-Class-Is-On-The-Other-Side-Of-The-Castle Malfoy'? You were cow eyed over him. You worshiped the ground he walked on. You'd lick his boots, if he'd have let you."
"I was *twelve*. He was…blonde and so pale he glowed. And I *did* get over it," Severus said, primly.
"Did not. If Lucius walked in here now and said 'Severus, if you strip naked and run through the Gryffindor Hallways I'll give you a kiss' you'd do it in two seconds flat."
"I would not," Severus protested. "Not for just a kiss anyway. I'd expect a full blown shag session for that."
"I'll keep that in mind if I ever see the esteemed Mr. Malfoy…"
"Severus! Hi!"
"Er. Hi." Damnit! Why was Regulus in the common room? Shouldn't he be off somewhere doing whatever it was he did in his free time.
"You ran off so fast earlier, we didn't get a chance to talk…"
"Er. Yes." Severus licked his lips, glancing over at Evan for help. "Evan and I have plans, you see. I can't talk to you right now."
"Sure you can!" Evan said, grinning. "We'll just do our thing later."
"Oh no!" Severus shook his head. "This is *very* important!" What was Evan *doing* to him?
"Not at all. Actually, I just ask Ian to do it instead. You sit. Talk with Reg. I'll see you two at practice.." And with that Evan darted up the stairs to the dorm, leaving Severus standing alone in the common room with Regulus Black.
~~~~
"You can sit down," Regulus said, patting the seat next to him.
"Er. Thank you." Severus sat down hesitantly, holding his bag close to him. This was *not* what he wanted to be doing. At all.
"Um…so I wanted to talk to you," Regulus said. "Like I said earlier, I like you. A lot. I don't know if you knew…"
"I didn't," Severus said quickly.
"I figured." Regulus grinned sheepishly. "And I was wondering if I have a chance? At all?"
Severus blinked. He didn't know what to say. "No." He found himself saying, without his brain being much involved in the decision.
"I figured you'd say that," Regulus said. "And give me a chance to change your mind, please? I'm *not* like my brother. At all."
"I know. That's not why you don't have a chance. I just don't like you that way," Severus tried to explain.
"Do you like someone else?"
"Other then someone who graduated three years ago and don't have a snitch's chance in a seeker's meeting with? No."
"Lucius, huh?"
"Does *everyone* know about that?"
"Pretty much."
"And I thought I was subtle…"
"Anyway, if you don't like anyone you have a shot with, why not give me a chance?"
"Because." That was really all Severus could come up with.
"Let me put it this way: how would you feel if Lucius Malfoy walked in here and said he wanted to go out with you?"
"I'd feel that you're moronic brothers and his imbecilic friends were up to something," Severus said.
"No, I mean it. Lucius comes in here and asks you out. How would you feel?"
"I don't know!" Severus threw up his hands. "Pleased, I suppose." In truth he would be ecstatic beyond words could say, but he wasn't going to *admit* that. He'd spent the last two years trying very hard to convince everyone (not to mention himself) that he was *over* Lucius.
"Okay. That's how I'd feel if you said yes to me right now."
"Oh." Severus sighed. He really didn't like Regulus that way. But when he put it like that…
"Just a date. One date, and you can make up your mind then. And then I'll leave you alone. Unless you decide you want to date me, then I won't, but you get what I mean. I figured this was my last chance. You're going to be gone at the end of the year, I had to try."
"Well, yes." Severus sighed again. What had he gotten himself into? This was *really* going to piss Black off! On the other hand, this was *really* going to piss Black off! There was a bonus there. "All right. We'll go on a date. Basic Hogsmeade outing, nothing fancy."
"That's not for three weeks," Regulus pointed out.
"Oh." Severus frowned. "Well, you've waited this long you can wait a little longer."
Apparently he couldn't. Severus was taken aback when Regulus leaned over and kissed him soundly, pressing their lips together and holding him tightly about the shoulders. He didn't know quite how to react, other then drop his bag. Obviously Regulus took that as some sort of go-ahead, because he pulled Severus closer and attempted to introduce his tongue into the picture.
This was *not* the sort of thing that was done in the common room. Severus figured he ought to say something, but Regulus' tongue in his mouth rather made that difficult. It wasn't unpleasant either. In fact, it was quite nice. But this wasn't the place for it…
"…Regulus!" Severus finally pulled away. "We are in the common room! This is not the place for…for…*that*."
"Sorry." The younger boy actually looked sheepish. //he is quite good looking, you know.// While he wasn't the bronzed sex god his older brother was often hailed as, Regulus *was* attractive. Shaggy black hair, bright blue eyes and dark skin went together quite nicely. He looked vaguely gypsy-esque.
"Yes. Well." Severus straightened that. "It's nearly time for practice. We'll continue this...conversation later."
"But we were done talking," Regulus said, sounding confused. "We were making out…"
"I know!" Severus snapped. "I was being euphemistic. Euphemistic? When I said 'conversation' I *meant* 'make out session'. Oh lord…"
It was going to be a *long* night.
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