Chapter Fifty-Three: What is This Feeling?

I walked down the hallway with a determined spring in my step. Regulus had fled the hall when he saw me sit with my brother and I needed to talk to him. Voldemort has begun to ask for my allegiance and I had absolutely no intention of joining anymore. Maybe at one point of my life I had, but I would never want to again. Plus that was when I was an immature child who despised everything. Then last year had impacted my life more than I could ever imagine. Rounding the corner in the dungeons, I caught sight of head of dark hair stalking slowly toward the Slytherin Common Room.

"Regulus!" I called and sped up my already quick pace to catch up. "Reg, I need to talk to you!"

He sighed and reluctantly turned around. "What is it, Sophie? I'm really not in the mood for your antics today."

I felt a little pang toward my heart. Was I actually a bother to him? "Oh, well then I guess that I should just leave you alone then seeing how I am being such a bother to you. Maybe I'll catch you when your schedule isn't so busy with you doing absolutely nothing then." Then I turned around to walk away, but was stopped by a strong hand after only one step.

"No, wait," Regulus said regretfully. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I've been having too much stuff going on and I am so stressed."

I looked over my shoulder and was surprised to see how close Regulus was to me, his face only inches away. All I could see for a moment was his huge, stormy grey eyes that were filled with an immense amount of emotion. Sorrow, stress, nervousness, worry, regret, care, and another feeling that I almost couldn't make out. That emotion was love, I think. Was it even love I saw inside of his eyes? But what exactly did he love? Before I could deduct what it was, the youngest Black child shook me out of my daze when he called out my name.

"Then how did you mean it?"

He just stood there with his mouth hanging open and a conflicted expression upon his face. Regulus had no answer for me, and if he did, he would share it with me due to the multiple secrets that he was keeping.

Sighing in disappointment I pulled my arm away from him and took a small step back. "I only wanted to tell you that I got a letter from... You-Know-Who today during breakfast," I began quietly, making sure not to mention Voldemort's name to keep Reg from flinching. "He asked me to join him. That's all I wanted to tell you, so I guess I'll just be on my way now. You don't need anymore of listening to my problems now, due to you being so stressed. See you later, Reg."

Then I turned back around and he didn't try to stop me from walking away this time. As I neared the corner of the hall, I made a slight hesitation. Maybe he would follow after all. If I took a bit longer, he would come to his senses. The seconds slowly ticked away and the realization that Regulus wasn't coming dawned upon me. He didn't come after me and knowing that simple fact hurt. It hurt a lot.

My vision then became blurry with unshed tears and I ducked into a secret passage behind a tapestry to be alone. I leaned against the wall and then slid to the hard floor. Then I let the welled up tears finally fall down upon my cheeks. Why was I feeling like this? I felt alone and abandoned. Like my heart had been ripped into two pieces. What is this feeling? It couldn't be what I think it is, could it? It can't be... No, it's not that. That is a silly idea. I'm not in love.

I wiped my tears away and stood up slowly. I wouldn't cry over my best friend like this. I was never some little cry baby and I was not going to start now. So I just pulled myself back together and got ready to move on.

Regulus' P.O.V.

"Then how did you mean it?"

My mouth hung open stupidly as I heard Sophie ask me this question. The truth is that I have been avoiding her because of the not-so-subtle threat that my cousin, Bellatrix, made back at Hogsmeade. If anything ever happened to her, I would be crushed. She is the most important thing that I care about and knowing that she had gotten hurt because of me would kill me.

She heaved a great sigh and backed away from me. "I only wanted to tell you that I got a letter from... You-Know-Who today during breakfast. He asked me to join him. That's all I wanted to tell you, so I guess I'll just be on my way now. You don't need anymore of listening to my problems now, due to you being so stressed. See you later, Reg."

Everything inside of my wanted to follow her and tell her everything, but the stubborn brain of mine held me back from doing so. Sophie made just the slightest pause before actually walking around the corner and it broke my heart to watch her disappear.

Oh, if only I could tell her.

AN- I am so sorry for this chapter being months over due. Writer's block is a bitch, but I think that I've got it covered now. Special thanks to celeste.c. arguello for inspiring me to get back out there.

Also, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thanks for all of the review everyone! I really appreciate it!

Until next time. -Laura