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17.Regulus Black

He slips his arm around her and feels her head lean against his shoulder. Rain pelts the window pain and her eyes are glazed over as she watches, probably deep in thought. Regulus sighs; so much for their Hogsmeade weekend.

All he wants is a quiet, carefree weekend with his girlfriend, but now the rain washes away all his plans. And his troubles soon pelt him like the rain to the glass outside. His older brother's treacherous ways sting like icy cold hail. His mother's demands of proper behaviour booms like thunder. The best wishes of his friends and girlfriend conflict, causing his insides to feel as though a tornado has ripped through.

And the cold, ruthless encounters he has had while attending the Death Eater meetings leave him with the ultimate chill.

"Don't you love the rain?" his girlfriend whispers, tilting her head to look up at him. His heart leaps up into his throat at the sight of those clear, bright blue eyes. Eyes such a vivid blue that they will remain etched into his mind's eye forever. "C'mon, let's go for a walk!"

She pulls him to his feet and leads him to the door of the Slytherin common room. They slip out unnoticed, and she takes off at a mad dash, laughing with joy as he follows along behind her. Her love of laughter and joy of life lifts his heavy heart for a brief moment, she gives his heart wings in the moments it plumages to its lowest.

She pushes open the doors to the grounds and continues to run outside. She doesn't stop until she's past the green houses and in the clearing behind them. Out of breath, Regulus catches up with her at last. There's a stitch in his side, but he won't let that bother him.

"C'mon Regulus! Come dance with me!" She says, lifting her arms as she spins. Her school uniform is dark and wet, and it clings to her, her brown hair is plastered to her face by the rain, but her blue eyes glitter with delight. She couldn't be anymore beautiful to him than she is in this moment.

"Regulus Black, are you listening to me?" Her voice pulls him out of his thoughts, back to the present.

Ironic, isn't it, that his family name should be Black in a time when the world is filled with black and white. A world in which each choice, each decision is either black or white, right or wrong. And one action could sentence you to a lifetime of duty to one side of the war.

He takes her hand and pulls her close. One of his hands is clasped with hers, the other rests on her waist. He hums softly in her ear as he leads them in a slow dance. She puts her free hand on his shoulder and leans her head against his chest and then she sighs in content.

He stops, but he doesn't let go. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulls her closer to him and then stands there, listening to the sound of the rain hitting the ground. He doesn't know how long they stand there, but at last the rain is reduced to a mere drizzle. She pulls away and looks up at him, a soft smile tugs on her pale lips. Raindrops slide down her freckled face. He chases a drop of rain down her pale cheeks with his thumb.

He drops his hands, freeing her from his grip. Behind her, is an archway of colour that lightens the grey sky. A rainbow. It is dull and pale as it hides behind the misty veil, but it is still there. A reminder that even when things are at their most grey and bleak, there is still colour, still hope, no matter how faint.

And suddenly, in his world of black and white, there's a little more colour.

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By ChatterChick

A/N: I thought it was strangely fitting that it was raining while I wrote this, and that it stopped when I was done. Hope you enjoyed it!