Chapter 37: Jealousy
"Regulus."
"Emily."
The two faced off, their faces unreadable. Emily nodded to him and the group of Slytherins behind him. The lone girl in their group, Jessica Grundy, glared at Emily and took a step closer to Regulus, placing her hand on his arm in a possessive way. Emily gave her an icy look before looking up at Regulus. He was composed, perfect as always, not a trace of sadness in his eyes.
Emily, alone, stepped aside to let them pass even though the corridor was wide enough for all of them. Ever since school started she had kept away from Regulus and the rest of the Slytherins to quietly get through her school year without the pressure they would bring in. She focused on the Slug Club, which Slughorn graciously offered another invitation at the beginning of the school year months prior, and her Head duties. She only saw Regulus in class and the common room, but no more than that.
Even from a distance she could she how badly she had hurt him, and already she could she that Jessica had latched onto him like a leech thinking Regulus and Emily were finished. They might as well have been. Regulus's hurt became anger and Emily didn't have to avoid him, for he avoided her more than she him.
From his windswept look Emily assumed he had just gotten out of Quidditch practice and were headed to the common room to relax. A golden badge shined on Regulus's robes as well; he was made Quidditch Captain.
Emily herself had just entered the Slytherin common room only minutes before and was heading up to the library to do homework.
She watched as they passed her. Gaze forward while the rest shot her looks and sneers.
"I can't believe you were ever with her Reg." Jessica said, clinging even closer to him.
"Shut up, Jessica." Regulus said pulling away from her grasp.
Emily sighed and looked away from their backs, intent on going to the library, but she was stopped.
Rabastan broke away from the group and stepped in front of her, a smirk on his lips. A gleaming gold badge was attached to his robes as well. It was Emily's misfortune to be sharing the Head's title with him. While Professor Slughorn was proud to have two Slytherins as Head Boy and Girl Emily was less than happy to be sharing a common room with Rabastan. He was taking Regulus's and Emily's "break up" as an opportunity to make passes at her.
It was also unfortunate that once Rabastan was made Head Boy Slughorn invited him to be in the Slug Club so she had to see more of him than she would like.
"Hello Em."
"Hello Rabastan." She said monotonically, leaning against the wall to look up at him.
He didn't let her lack of tone bother him and touched her cheek. "So now that you and Regulus aren't together..."
"Who said we weren't together?" She cut in sharply.
"Regulus." He said with a grin.
Emily frowned, but didn't object to his statement. She couldn't blame Regulus for thinking that, she technically did break up with him, but she never meant to hurt him. She berated that thought and mentally hit herself. Of course she hurt him, she thought. She had let her fears get the better of her and told him they should separate for their seventh year.
It was only until she saw how many girls began to hang off him once he was a free man did her jealously arise and she regretted her decision. But her pride got in the way of telling Regulus of her regrets.
"...this weekend."
Emily snapped back into reality and refocused on Rabastan. "What?"
"I said, there is a Hogsmeade trip this weekend." He repeated.
"I know. That was when we planned it for." She said. It was a Head duty to plan the Hogsmeade weekends.
Rabastan rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall beside her. "Yeah, and I was thinking, you should go with me."
Emily pushed off the wall and began to walk. "No thanks."
"What? Why?" Rabastan asked following. "You still mad at me for what happened at the party?"
"Oh you mean when you tried to rape me?" She asked sarcastically. "Noooo, of course not."
"Well maybe if you weren't such a tease." He said under his breath.
Emily stopped dead in her tracks. "Excuse me?"
Rabastan crossed his arms. "You're a tease. As well as a very spiteful woman. Probably the most cruel and spiteful woman I've ever met."
Emily raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, have you met your sister-in-law?"
Rabastan laughed. "Well at least Bellatrix doesn't try to hide it. You on the other hand give off this innocent façade while what you're really thinking of is how you're going to manipulate everyone around you to be able to get what you want."
"Oh, so you think you've figured me out?" Emily asked, shifting her weight and placing a hand on her hip while her other arm cradled her books.
Rabastan smiled and leaned closer. "I can see right through you and I know that this isolation is driving you crazy. You may like the quiet, but you never realized that by taking a break from Regulus your were giving up all the respect and attention you gained as his girlfriend. So, because I know how you work I have a proposition..." He paused.
Emily waited, but he didn't continue right away. "Yeah?"
"Become my girlfriend. You can have your little break from Regulus, but still have a status." He said as if it was the best plan in the world. "And a little more..." He trailed off, his hand going to her shoulder.
"No." She said immediately, brushing him off.
"What? Why?"
"Because there are a couple flaws in your plan. I don't care about status as much as you think, I wanted to take a break from Regulus for that exact reason, and...I hate you." She smiled sweetly and moved around him to continue on her way.
This time Rabastan didn't follow, but called after her. "When you change your mind come see me Em."
"Ugh." Emily muttered to herself. "What a creep. Like I would ever."
Emily cheered with the rest of her House as the Quidditch team made their victory entrance into the common room. Regulus was on the shoulders of the two burly Beaters of his team, a large smile on his face when everyone cheered.
It was a big win for Slytherin, they finally beat Gryffindor after a six year losing streak. Emily knew that it was because James and Sirius had graduated, but she wasn't going to be the one to ruin the mood. She was having a good time as well and was cheering along with the rest of the House.
As Regulus passed his eyes caught hers and she smiled. His laughter died and he frowned for a moment before looking away. Emily's smile faded and she watched him pulled further through the crowd and dropped on the couch. By that time his smile had returned and he was immediately pulled into a conversation with whoever was near the couch.
Emily sighed and turned away, smiling again at the people around her at the table. One boy, Micheal, handed her a glass of firewhiskey someone sneaked in from Hogesmeade. She smiled at him and took a small drink, laughing at the jokes being told.
The girl sitting across from Emily, a skinny brown haired fourth year named Cindy. "So Emily, I was wondering..." She paused and twirled a curly piece of brown hair around her finger, her eyes glancing to her left to meet her friend Amber's eyes. Amber covered a smile and leaned on the table to grin at Emily.
Emily raised an eyebrow at the two. "What?"
They giggled to each other. Micheal shared a look with Emily and rolled his eyes. Emily returned it before looking at the two younger girls, waiting for them to finish.
Amber stopped first. "We were wondering if it was true that you a Regulus Black broke up?"
Emily took a drink of her alcoholic beverage before she answered. "What makes you ask that?"
"Well, you two haven't been hanging out as much as last year." Amber said.
"And you didn't go to Hogsmeade with him." Cindy added.
Amber nodded. "And you weren't with him after or before the game."
"And there's that." Cindy said pointed to something behind Emily.
Emily turned and her eyes widened. Cindy had been pointed to the couch that Regulus had been dropped on. He was still occupying it, but so was Jessica and her lips were attached to Regulus's in a less than private way. Anger coursed through Emily and her hand tightened around her glass.
"So...Yes, you're broken up." Amber stated.
Micheal shot her a look. "Shut up Amber, you idiot. Why don't you and Cindy just leave now."
The two girls had the gall to look offended, but didn't question Micheal, who was a sixth year prefect, and left the table. Emily didn't even notice, she was too busy watching with rage as Regulus was kissed by another girl, and kissed her back. The glass in her hand shattered and firewhiskey sprayed all over the table. Emily wiped the glass from her hand and stood up.
Some saw her coming and moved out of her way while some of the crowd were forcefully moved aside. She stood in front of the couch looking down at those sitting there.
Jessica was first to pull away and gave her a smug look. "Can we help you with something?"
Emily stared into Regulus's eyes intently for a moment then smiled at Jessica. "No." She looked away from the two and set her eyes on the third person on the couch. She grabbed Rabastan's hand and pulled him up, crushing her lips onto his. He wasn't hesitant in responding and Emily had to brace herself when he pulled her closer.
She pulled away and ignored his arrogant look and leer and instead looked at Regulus and Jessica again. Jessica looked shocked while Regulus seemed angry and hurt. Emily smiled and grabbed Rabastan's hand. "I was just coming to get my Rabastan."
She pulled him away from the couch before anyone could say anything and soon they were in the hallway, the portrait hole closing behind them. Rabastan immediately tried to pull her closer but she pushed him away. "Don't even think about it, I'm still sick from that kiss."
He didn't seemed discouraged whatsoever from her response. Instead he crossed his arms and grinned. "So you used me." He stated.
She nodded. "Of course. Regulus is free to be with whomever he wants, so that shouldn't stop me either."
"But you don't want to be with me."
"But you're his best friend."
Rabastan laughed. "Ooh, you are such a little witch."
Emily smiled and half shrugged, her arms crossed. "I know. Although that may have been a little drastic."
Rabastan shook his head. "No, no, I thought that was perfect. You stopped Regulus dead in his mindset. If you didn't notice he was using that Jessica as well. Although I think you should have at least choose someone up to your status. Someone less whiny."
Emily stared at the dungeon ceiling and let out a deep breath. "Yes well, she is very pretty, and her grades are...adequate."
He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. "She's no Head Girl."
Emily traced a pattern on the front of his robes. "Flattery will get you no where. I still hate you and only want to use you."
"I don't mind." He whispered, leaning closer.
Emily rolled her eyes and blocked his lips with her hand. "I will never have sex with you. This was only a way to show Regulus that he can't manipulate me because I'm the one in control. No one controls me. You say you know the real me, and maybe you do see it, but I see you as well. Go find someone else to warm your bed."
Rabastan's grin faded and he pulled away from her. He scoffed and crossed his arms again. A thoughtful look overcame his features and he looked down at Emily. She truly was beautiful, but not just in looks. She was strong, determined, not to mention powerful, but she also still had feelings for Regulus. Smiling, he leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"I'll pretend it's you." He laughed at the look on her face and turned away, heading back into the common room.
Emily sighed once he was gone and headed down the hallway away from the portrait hole. "Such a creeper."
She needed a walk....and wished she still had her firewhiskey. Whatever she expected from the break this was not it. She expected relaxation, not jealously and rage because Regulus decided he wanted to broaden his experience with women while away from her, or whatever he was trying to do.
If this was how he was trying to prove that they belonged together then he was doing a bullshit job of it.
She shouldn't be mad, she knew, because the space was time for the two of them to branch out and see if they were really what they both wanted, what they both could live with for the rest of their lives. Emily wiped her eyes and stopped walking.
It hurt to see him with someone else, hurt more than she realized it would. It was Regulus that broke her out of her shell. She hated herself, who she was, who her family was, but Regulus saw through her and cared for her. He took in her flaws and she took in his fears and they worked together, but when he wanted to see her fears and accept her she closed off. She saw all the bad of the world and just wanted to hide.
She thought she wanted to be a teenager, to spend her last year blissfully unaware of the outside world, but she couldn't. Part of living in the dark times she was in was learning to grow up fast. She couldn't be selfish because others depended on her. Regulus depended on her and she couldn't be childish. Wiping her eyes on her sleeve she stood up straight and headed for the staircase, intent to finish things.
Regulus was alone in his dorm room staring at the ceiling from his bed. The party was still going on in the common room, but the excited feeling he had at the beginning for catching the snitch and winning the game for Slytherin against Gryffindor disappeared when he saw Emily kiss Rabastan and then leave with him. After that he left, ignoring Jessica's whines, and headed for his room.
And that was where he found himself, wallowing in disappointment. His plan to make her jealous backfired and now he felt angry and hurt. Any relaxation she expected from the break never came. He was miserable without her. However, his pride didn't let him tell her that. He couldn't tell her that he didn't want to be without her, not when she needed the separation so much. He would just have to stop being childish and let her have her freedom, even if it was away from him.
A sudden tap on the window alerted his attention and he turned his head to look at the window. There was an owl perked on the sill. He stood and strode over to the window and opened it. It was an enchanted window, to be able to give the seventh year students access to post if they were to retrieve important letters.
He petted the gray owl as he opened the letter.
Meet me on the Quidditch field at Twelve O'Clock.
He turned it over, but there was no sender name. Furrowing his eyebrows he checked his watch and saw it was 11:30. The owl flew off once she saw he read the letter and Regulus watched her fly away. He closed the window and sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the letter. Who was it from? Could he hope to think it was from...?
Making a quick decision Regulus stood and grabbed his cloak. He pocketed the letter and headed out of his dorm and through the common room, intent on finding out who the letter was from.
BRING ON THE FLAMES! WOO!
