Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or its related works.
Author's Note: Another short chapter, I'm afraid. Next one is longer. But, since I have a very busy weekend ahead of me, I can't say when it'll be up. Wednesday at the latest.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Thursday, October 27th 2022
Ravenclaw Common Room, Hogwarts, Scotland
Grace is stretched out along the couch with her head in Lorcan's lap and her eyes closed as he gently untangles her hair. They have barely spoken all evening, but not because there's a lack of things to say. It just feels right for today be a time for quiet companionship and the occasional brief snippet of conversation. He starts humming, she's quite sure it's the same song as a couple of weeks ago, but she doesn't interrupt him. Instead, she listens until he she thinks he is done.
"Lorcan?" she asks without opening her eyes.
"Gracie?" His hands stop moving in her hair.
"Will you ever tell me why you like that song so much?"
There's a pause as he presumably considers her question. Then he says, "Not today."
"But some day, right?" She cracks open one eye and finds him looking down at her with a smile.
"Someday," he replies as he gets back to untangling her hair, "I promise."
She smiles and closes her eyes again and the silence returns. The sounds of the common room surround them but Grace is so focused on Lorcan's hands in her hair that they fade away. It doesn't matter who else is there, she thinks, because they're in their little couch shaped bubble and no one seems to dare break in. No one ever did, now that she thinks about it. They let Ashlyn share it with them once, but no one else ever approached them when they sat on this couch. She wonders why for a moment, but then she decides it doesn't matter. This is their time and if no one interrupts them then she will simply be glad for it.
"Gracie?" Lorcan asks after a while and she opens her eyes to show that she is listening. "Are you going to the Halloween party?"
"You mean the one on Saturday?" she smiles. He nods. "Eva informed me that I have no choice but to come along, so yes. Are you?"
"I was thinking about it," he says.
"You should come," she tells him quietly. "Really, you should."
He smiles. "Alright." She finds herself smiling back widely, because the prospect of a party sounds a whole lot more inviting now that she knows he will be there.
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