There's Always More

by AlicevsWonderland

Hogwarts AU. When Hiccup's secret of being the first to train a dragon is revealed, he struggles to handle his new popularity among the other students. Jack decides not to bother him like many of the others, even though he is also curious about the whole story. Despite this, an unlikely friendship blooms between the two boys and eventually turns into something more. Rated M!

21. Shattered Illusions

This chapter is dedicated to my friend VDlovesbooks for her birthday :) Since we live on different continents I can't exactly get her anything but I know she loves my story, so this update is my small birthday gift to her.

---

Leaving home to go back to Hogwarts was always bittersweet.

The mild April sun kissed Jack's skin and his feet rested among the fresh blades of green grass splayed across the front garden. Hiccup had just finished turning Toothless back into a dragon and now there was nothing left to do but say goodbye to his family and head towards Hogwarts.

He took a deep breath of the clean Spring air before he turned to Emma, North and Anna. They hid their sadness behind neutral smiles but he knew their pain all too well. It rested in his own heart as well; the ache of separation.

"Are you sure you've packed everything you need?" Anna asked and glanced at his backpack resting on the grass.

"Yeah, I'm sure." he told her and slung his backpack over one shoulder, before he shared a knowing look with Emma and North.

Anna was always double checking that he had remembered everything whenever he went back to Hogwarts. Just like she always double checked that Emma hadn't forgotten anything before she went to school or that North hadn't left his designs at home before he went to work. It was a good thing she did, because the three of them did forget stuff at a regular basis. One year, Jack had gone back to Hogwarts without any underwear except the pair he was wearing. His friends had teased him relentlessly when Anna and North had to send him extra underwear by owl.

Anna nodded in approval. "Well then…I guess it's time." she said and pulled him into a warm hug. "Take care of yourself, okay?…and Hiccup too." she said and squeezed him before she planted her soft lips on his cheek.

"I will." he said, breaking the embrace. Anna's almost purple eyes had a soft sheen to them and it spoke of a particular kind of sadness and affection that only a parent could understand.

He turned to Emma as Anna gave Hiccup a goodbye hug and told him to "make sure Jack doesn't get expelled."

As if that would ever happen. He was way too clever to get caught doing something that could risk his education.

"I'll miss you, Kiddo." he told Emma with a small smile and poked her softly in the stomach.

"I'll miss you too." she said as she wrapped her arms around him. He stroked her smooth hair. "Don't go easy on Anna and North while I'm gone, you hear me?" he joked, partly to hide his own sadness of leaving her behind once again.

"I never do." she chuckled, cheek pressed against his hoodie.

"I'll be home again for the summer before you know it." he said as he slipped out of her arms again. He wasn't sure if he said it to comfort Emma or the both of them.

Emma nodded, a tiny smile on her lips. "And then we'll go to the beach and go biking and all that stuff, right?"

"Of course we will!" he grinned and received a bright smile in return.

In truth, Jack wasn't fond of the beach or going biking when the weather was hot but he did it anyway to see Emma smile. If it wasn't for her, he would spend most of the summer in the shade or in a cold pool.

"Maybe you could join us?" she asked Hiccup with hope in her eyes.

"Yeah, maybe I could. That would be great." Hiccup told her and nodded.

He and Hiccup hadn't actually discussed whether or not Hiccup would come home with him for a week or so doing the summer but Jack really hoped he would. It had been wonderful to have his family and Hiccup around at the same time.

Emma hesitantly approached Hiccup and put her arms around him. Hiccup seemed surprised by the action and stiffened for a second before he rested his hands on her back. It was a brief but genuine hug and it reminded Jack of how easily Hiccup had been accepted into his family.

North stepped forward, as Emma and Hiccup broke the hug and Jack already knew what was coming. He pursed his lips in amusement when Emma had only just stepped aside before North hoisted Hiccup off the ground and crushed him in one of his strong hugs.

Hiccup groaned and Jack couldn't help but laugh at his boyfriend's current distress, quickly joined by Anna and Emma. North did not give light hugs. That concept didn't exist in his adoptive father's mind. His hugs could crumble bones to dust.

"Hiccup!" North exclaimed, keeping Hiccup locked in the hug. "You better come back for summer!"

"I'll do my best to make that happen." Hiccup wheezed.

"I won't take no for answer!" North said. "We need to build stuff together in workshop!"

"Yeah, I'd like that." Hiccup agreed.

Jack shook his head fondly and shared an amused look with Anna. He could easily imagine Hiccup and North spending entire days in the workshop together, coming up with new ideas, teaching each other new stuff, building things together. He, Anna and Emma would probably have to drag them away by force in the end.

North finally put Hiccup down and smiled at him; one of those fatherly smiles he usually reserved for him and Emma and Jack's heart tingled with warmth as he watched the interaction.

As expected, Hiccup wasn't the only one on the receiving end of North's hugs. His adoptive father swept him off the ground and Jack's face was pressed into North's thick, white beard as strong, tattooed arms enveloped him.

"I'll miss you, my boy!" North told him.

He spat some beard out of his mouth and coughed. "I'll miss you too."

When North put him down, his adoptive father looked back and forth between him and Hiccup.

"You two take good care of each other, yes?" North said, his bushy eyebrows pushing down on his eyelids in one of those serious looks he did so well when he wanted to get a point across.

"Of course." Hiccup agreed.

Jack nodded with a smile on his lips. "We always do."

"Good!" North said and chuckled happily before he stopped himself abruptly. "Oh, I almost forget!" he exclaimed and smacked his forehead with a palm. Without a word, he hurried inside the house again, leaving Jack and Hiccup to stare after him in confusion.

"What was that about?" he asked Anna and Emma. They both shrugged but Anna's lips twitched ever so slightly and Jack already had a bad feeling about this.

The sound of the front door slamming alerted him that North had retrieved whatever he had gone inside to find. His adoptive father stopped a short distance from the four of them and waved for Jack to come over, like he was guarding something that only the two of them were allowed to see.

Okay. Now he definitely had a bad feeling about this. There was no way in the Chamber of Secrets that this could be good.

He slowly approached and eyed North warily like a scared dog doubting whether or not to trust a human. He wasn't sure what to expect from this.

When North handed him a plastic bag, Jack instantly worried what was inside. The last time he had given him such a bag, it had been one of the most horrible moments of his entire life.

The plastic bag rustled as he opened it and peeked inside. His cheeks bloomed with embarrassment and he couldn't meet North's eyes.

Holy hippogrifs and bat bollocks…

There in the bag, dried and neatly folded, were his and Hiccup's clothes from yesterday when they had undressed each other after being caught in the rain…right before they had…yeah.

Crap.

They had forgotten all about cleaning up after themselves downstairs, too caught up in the moment. Now that was coming back to bite him in the ass.

He stared at the clothes for a few moments, not knowing what to do. The heat spread from his cheeks all the way to his ears. North and Anna knew what they had been doing. They knew! They had found their wet clothes lying on the floor and put two and two together. Oh Merlin, this was horrific.

He quickly closed the bag and stuffed it into his backpack, as if the embarrassment would go away if he could get the bag out of sight.

But fate was not that kind.

When he slowly raised his head and dared to meet North's eyes, his adoptive father chuckled deeply and his blue eyes twinkled with amusement. He glanced at Anna who pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Oh, his adoptive parents were evil. They were loving this.

Thankfully, Emma looked confused. He wasn't sure he could handle his little sister knowing what he and Hiccup had gotten up to last night. That was not something a child should hear about.

He trudged towards Hiccup, having slung his backpack over his shoulder again. On the way, he picked up Blizzard from the tree it was leaning against. His boyfriend watched him with curiosity as he approached and Jack knew he was wondering what North had shown him.

"Ready?" Hiccup asked before he pulled himself into the saddle on Toothless' back.

"Yeah…" he said and got on his broom, clutching the handle tightly. He gave his family a wave and one last smile. They all returned it and he simply looked at them for a moment, burning them into his memory, before he decided they should get going. After all, they didn't want to be late for the feast.

"Okay." he sighed in determination. "Let's go."

Hiccup nodded and clicked his prosthetic into place. "Let's fly, bud." he told Toothless and the Night Fury warbled joyfully before crouching down and shooting into the air.

Jack quickly followed on Blizzard and the adrenaline bubbled in his blood as the three of them soared into the skies at massive speed. His lips formed a smile and the pain in his heart was dulled by the freedom of the skies. He relished the fresh air surging across his skin, the excitement making his stomach flutter and the familiar sounds of Night Fury wings and the clicking of a prosthetic. Once they had reached the appropriate altitude, they leveled out and set a comfortable peace, flying next to each other casually.

Jack let himself calm down a little and simply enjoy the view of the miniature towns below them before he decided to break the horrible news to Hiccup. His boyfriend had a content smile on his face and rubbed Toothless' scaly head, earning him a happy chirp in response. Jack almost felt bad that he was about to ruin his mood but Hiccup definitely needed to know this and Jack needed to share his horror.

"They know!" he told his boyfriend loudly to be heard over the wind and he mentally prepared himself for the reaction to come.

"What?" Hiccup said and narrowed his eyes in confusion. His brown hair flapped in all directions, pushed by the air currents.

"They know…what we did yesterday." he explained and despite the cool air, he could feel his cheeks warming up again.

"What?!" Hiccup blurted out. It was high pitched and disbelieving, evidence that his boyfriend was panicking from embarrassment.

"We uh…we forgot to clean up our clothes downstairs."

Hiccup's eyes filled with horrified understanding. "Shit!"

"I know." he agreed.

"What did they say?!" Hiccup asked, his green eyes wide from the need to understand what his parents were now thinking about them.

"They just think it's funny!" he explained and grinned in part embarrassment and part humor.

"Oh, the gods must hate me." Hiccup said and slid his palms down his face.

Jack chuckled. "You're so dramatic, Hic."

"I'm dramatic?" Hiccup said in disbelief. "I met my boyfriend's family for the first time ever this week and now his adoptive parents know that we…did stuff."

"You're cute when you're embarrassed." he teased Hiccup and winked, trying to pull some fun out of this otherwise horrible situation.

"Oh, like you're not." Hiccup rolled his eyes. "I see that blush on your face."

"Fine, you got me." he admitted and held one hand up in surrender. "But there's nothing we can do about it, so we'll just have to live with it."

"I can't believe we're that stupid." Hiccup shook his head. "How could we forget about that?"

"I know, right?" he agreed. "But…it's pretty difficult to think when you're getting naked with your boyfriend."

Hiccup bit his lip and turned his gaze away and Jack laughed. It was quite endearing that he still got awkward around him sometimes, considering all the things they'd shared by now.

He decided they needed a distraction to take their minds off this. After all, Hiccup might be taking this worse than him but he still didn't want to think about his parents knowing he did…that…with his boyfriend.

He gripped the handle of Blizzard tightly and swept past Hiccup and Toothless in a blur, slapping the back of Hiccup's head on the way.

"The last one to the next town is a stinky salamander!" he yelled and heard Hiccup laugh from somewhere behind him.

The sound of his boyfriend's prosthetic clicking floated through the air. Jack knew he didn't have long before he would hear massive dragon wings flapping quickly and a large black Night Fury would speed past him in a whirl of black.

He knew he couldn't beat Hiccup and Toothless when it came to speed.

But that didn't mean it wouldn't be fun racing.

---

When Hiccup saw one of the entrances to their magical school, he was excited to be back. He had enjoyed his time at Jack's house but Hogwarts was his home away from home and it was always great to return. Hundreds of windows were illuminated against the dark of the evening and lit torches hung on the lowest castle walls. Through the large open doors in the distance, warm familiar stone corridors welcomed them back.

He and Jack shared a smile that spoke of their attachment to this place as they headed inside and down a hallway towards the Great Hall. They knew their friends would be waiting there and they were both eager to see them again.

Because they had goofed around so much on the way, they had arrived with only five minutes to spare before the beginning of the feast. Therefore, it was no surprise that the hallways were completely deserted, the sound of their shoes and Toothless' soft paws on the stone floors echoing against the silence.

It didn't take long for their friends to come into view by the open doors to the Great Hall and Hiccup smiled as they approached. Flynn and Merida were in the middle of some kind of argument, most likely about the sexual tension Flynn kept insisting was there. Rapunzel, Fishlegs and Mavis were engaged in conversation, occasionally glancing at their two friends and chuckling at their banter.

When he and Jack were almost by their sides, their friends spotted them and their faces lit up in bright smiles. They all waved eagerly and called out to them and fondness settled in Hiccup's chest from hearing their voices again and seeing their happy faces.

Rapunzel was the first to greet them. "Hey guys!" she squealed before she rushed forwards and threw herself at him, hugging him tightly, before giving Jack the same treatment.

After a round of hugs and happy greetings from all of their friends and a lot of petting for Toothless, they all gathered in a half circle and smiled at each other. The noise from the chattering students in the Great Hall was loud and intrusive but it didn't lessen Hiccup's good mood.

"So…did you have a nice Easter, lover boys?" Flynn said and winked at him and Jack.

"Yeah, it was great!" Jack grinned, not even bothering to comment on the nicknames.

"Brilliant!" Flynn smiled. "How was meeting the in-laws, Freckles?"

"We're not married, Flynn." he replied and shook his head when Flynn did a dismissive wave of a hand, as if it didn't matter. "But it was great. Jack's family's really wonderful."

"Yeah, they're the best!" Merida agreed with an enthusiasm that could only stem from countless fun experiences with Jack's family through the years.

"Did you and North spend forever in the workshop?" Mavis smiled knowingly.

"Of course they did!" Jack said. "They snuck out there every chance they got."

"Hey, cut me some slack." he replied. "I've never seen a workshop like that before! It has everything!" he said and threw his arms to the sides to emphasize just how amazing it was.

"Yeah, it definitely does." Flynn agreed. "I can imagine you and North got all dorky about it, talking about wood carving and stuff like that."

"Yeah they did." Jack said and pretended to yawn.

"So?" Hiccup said. "It was fun."

"Hic? I love you and everything but that stuff is not fun." Jack told him as if he was a knowledgeable teacher lecturing a student.

"Man, I bet North loved you." Merida said. "He's so passionate about building stuff."

"I think he liked me, yeah." he nodded. He had definitely bonded a lot with North during the holidays and he had gotten the impression that Jack's adoptive father truly appreciated him and thought he was a good choice for Jack.

"He loved you, Hic." Jack said and nudged his shoulder.

"Good." he smiled. Jack had told him plenty of times that his family liked him but it was still reassuring to hear the words again.

"Did he embarrass you guys?" Mavis asked with a teasing smile.

"What do you think?" Jack asked and shot her a look that clearly said 'that is a stupid question'.

"Of course he did." she grinned and they all chuckled at that.

"Well, I think Professor Lunar is about to do his welcome back speech, so we better get in there." Fishlegs said and motioned towards the entrance to the Great Hall.

"Well, let's go get some food then." Merida said and patted her stomach. "I'm starving!"

"When are you not starving, Curly?" Flynn said. "You're like a bottomless pit."

"Oh, shut your cake-hole." Merida said and shoved him so he took a few steps back.

"What do you guys say we meet up afterwards in the Room of Requirement to catch up?" Hiccup asked the rest of them. He wanted to hear what they had been up to during Easter but he could only sit with Fishlegs and Rapunzel during the feast.

"Yeah, that sounds great." Mavis agreed.

"Yeah, let's do that." Fishlegs said and the rest of them nodded or hummed to show their approval.

"Great, it's a deal then." Jack said.

As they entered the Great Hall, Hiccup briefly lamented that his blissful break from crowds of staring eyes was over. Many students fixed their eyes on him and the others as they headed towards their respective house tables. They were a swarm of wasps; eyes crawling across his skin like bug legs. Prickling. Itching. Encouraging stressed fingernails to trap skin underneath them. Their whispers buzzed at the edges of his mind like wings. Incessant. Intrusive.

He snapped the strap of his satchel against his shoulder as he, Rapunzel and Fishlegs took their seats at the only empty space at the Ravenclaw table. Toothless jumped onto the wooden bench and leaned against his side for support. His best friend could always sense when he was getting stressed out.

The Ravenclaws sitting nearby all smiled and greeted him with an eagerness that fed the itch in his skin.

"Hi Hiccup!"

"Welcome back Hiccup!"

"Good to see you again, Hiccup."

He smiled tentatively in response. He still wasn't used to everyone greeting him and wanting to talk to him. And it only made things more awkward that people rarely said hello to Rapunzel and Fishlegs, except the occasional guy who wanted to charm Rapunzel or a student who wanted to get help with their homework from Fishlegs. Most of the time people seemed to only acknowledge him and not his two friends and that was not only unpleasant but frustrating as well.

As Rapunzel poured the three of them some juice, he glanced down the table and instantly regretted it when he locked eyes with Nicole, a fifth year red-head who had a crush on him and had made that very clear on a regular basis. She openly blew a kiss at him and her two closest friends chuckled next to her.

He instantly looked away and tried to focus on Rapunzel and Fishlegs but his face heated up nonetheless. When he met Fishlegs' eyes, his friend observed him with the tiniest of smiles. One of those that conveyed he knew exactly what was going on and found it amusing but chose to remain silent to spare Hiccup more embarrassment.

Hiccup sighed and took a drink of his juice. He was glad to be back with his friends but he could do without people watching him, whispering about him and especially hitting on him. The only one who could flirt with him was Jack. Everyone else made his entire being squirm with resistance.

He briefly looked at the Gryffindor table and spotted Astrid. He smiled when she saw him and waved and he quickly waved back. He hadn't spoken to her for over a week, which was unusual, so he was looking forward to catching up with her again at some time.

His gaze drifted further down the table and landed on Jack and Flynn teasing each other. A small smile spread across his lips. It would be great when they could come out to the rest of the students, so everyone would know that he and Jack were both taken. Maybe then all the flirting would stop.

At least that was his, probably naïve, hope.

---

That evening they all hung out in the Room of Requirement, telling each other what they had been up to during the Easter holidays. The flames of the large fireplace crackled eagerly and filled the room with a soothing light that made shadows dance across the walls. In a half circle around the fireplace, four large couches were placed, filled with soft, fluffy pillows. He and Hiccup shared one, leaning against the back. They held hands, warm fingers laced together, and the familiarity of such small things made him sigh with a soft joy. In Hiccup's lap, Toothless rested, his black tail swishing back and forth lazily.

They all smiled, laughed and ate snacks as they discussed everything about each other's holidays, from Fishlegs regaling them with the twins' newest mischief and how Snotlout had begun hitting on Ruffnut, to Mavis' story of how much fun she and Jonathan had had with her family and the book her dad had given her. A book her deceased mum had wanted her to have that told the story of how she and Mavis' dad met.

When they eventually moved on to discussing his and Hiccup's week, their friends broke down laughing repeatedly from the embarrassing stories they could tell.

"No way!" Merida said, breathless from laughter. She had a whole couch to herself and she made good use of it, stretching her limbs out. On her belly, a bowl of popcorn rested and bounced up and down when she laughed.

"North actually busted through the door and caught you making out in the bathroom?" Flynn asked for confirmation, a bright grin on his face.

"Yup." Jack said and put his arm around Hiccup, who smiled at him.

"Man…that must have been terrible!" Mavis said, holding a palm on each of her cheeks like she couldn't quite believe it.

"You have no idea." Hiccup said and squeezed his hand. "That was one of the most embarrassing things that has ever happened to me."

"Even worse than the time when-" Fishlegs started.

"Let's not play that game, okay?" Hiccup quickly interrupted him and they all chuckled at that.

"What did you guys do then?" Rapunzel asked them and leaned forward in anticipation. Pascal had been resting on Flynn's knee but began to crawl towards her and Flynn followed the small reptile with his eyes and glanced at Rapunzel with a small smile on his lips.

Jack observed his friend and one side of his mouth curved. Man. Flynn was so obvious. He wondered when he would make a move. He'd better do it soon or else Jack would definitely consider interfering.

"Well, what could we do?" Hiccup said and shrugged. "We had to just push down the embarrassment and try to get through dinner afterwards. Luckily, they didn't give us a hard time." he said and they shared a brief look. Jack could tell Hiccup was on board with the decision not to tell their friends about North's 'gift bag' or what they had done that night in Jack's room and how his parents had found out afterwards. These guys were their best friends but they would never let them forget it if they shared those stories.

"That was lucky." Rapunzel said with an amused smile and petted Pascal, who now sat on her shoulder.

"Yeah, but there were other times when we weren't that lucky." he told them and smiled as memories of the Easter break flooded his mind.

"What happened?" Merida asked, already grinning. "Did North talk to you about sex or something?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Yes he did." he said, waiting for the delicious looks of shock that was about to spread across his friends' faces.

"What?!" Merida shot upright, knocking over her bowl of popcorn.

Mavis and Fishlegs instantly dissolved into fits of giggles.

"Bloody hell." Flynn said before he joined the others in laughing their asses off.

"That sounds awful." Rapunzel said but couldn't help chuckling lightly despite the sympathy in her eyes.

"It really was." Jack said. "Trust me. You don't want a parent to talk to you about that stuff."

"Definitely not." Merida agreed. "I would die of horror if my mum ever tried to talk to me about that."

"Yeah, me too." Rapunzel said and clutched a lock of blonde hair nervously, as if the mere thought was enough to stress her out.

"So…" Flynn said and the smoothness of his voice and the gleam in his eyes told Jack that this was heading into teasing territory. Oh no. "Why did he suddenly want to talk to you about that? Did you and Freckles have trouble keeping your hands off each other?"

"So what if we did?" he said and grinned, refusing to give Flynn the satisfaction of embarrassing him.

"Oooooh." Mavis said, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Hot." Merida said and winked at them.

"By Thor, can you not say those things?" Hiccup said, his eyes darting across their friends, and his awkwardness right now was positively adorable.

"How many times have we been over this, Hiccup?" Flynn said and shook his head, pretending to be disappointed. "You know the rule."

"Yeah yeah, I know the rule." Hiccup said and sighed. His lips formed one of those hints of a smile that revealed his amusement.

"So did North tell you all about the birds and the bees?" Mavis asked him and leaned back against the couch.

"Uh, no. There's no way in Hell I would have sat still in that chair, if he had tried that." he said and chuckled. "He mostly just wanted to tell me about safety and…well…he wanted to know if me and Hic had…you know." he shrugged casually even though he cringed on the inside from recalling that horrible talk.

"Oh god no." Rapunzel said with horror stretched across her face.

"Well…have you?" Merida asked, keeping up a serious façade even though Jack knew she was enjoying this and hoping they would get embarrassed.

"No." he replied and tried to hide the fact that his cheeks were getting a little warm. He glanced at Hiccup who looked ready to hide his face in his hands.

"I could have told you that." Flynn said to her.

"Not this again…" Merida said and rolled her eyes before flopping onto her back again.

"What? It's true." Flynn said.

"What?" Hiccup asked in confusion.

"Flynn claims that he can always tell when people have had sex." Jack explained. Through the years, Flynn had pointed out a bunch of times that two people had had sex, seeming quite proud of his so called ability. Jack had no idea whether this 'skill' was actually true or not but Flynn certainly seemed to believe it.

"What?" Fishlegs said skeptically and stroked his chin. "That's just…not possible."

"Of course it is!" Flynn said with a confidence that shouldn't match that kind of absurd statement.

"And how exactly do you do that?" Rapunzel asked with a lifted eyebrow.

"There isn't a system to it, Blondie. I just know." Flynn shrugged.

"Yeah, right." Merida said.

"Well anyway…I hope you kept the snogging to a minimum in front of Jack's family." Mavis teased them.

"Of course we did!" Hiccup said. "What do you think we are?"

"Two teenage boys." Rapunzel said and bit her lip to keep from smiling. Fishlegs nodded to back her up. Hiccup scowled at them and muttered "traitors."

"By the way…what about Emma?" Mavis asked. "How did she react to you, Hiccup?"

"I think she liked me too." Hiccup said but there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice. Typical Hiccup. Even when people obviously liked him, he was in doubt.

"She definitely did." he said and smiled fondly at his boyfriend. In fact, Hiccup and Emma had gotten along more perfectly than he could have ever imagined.

He scooted to the end of the couch and rested his back against the armrest before pulling Hiccup into his embrace. Hiccup rested his back against his chest and Jack gently carded his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. He knew that made Hiccup relax and he enjoyed the feel of the soft strands against his skin. Toothless had followed along and curled up on Hiccup's belly, rubbing his furry head against the green shirt.

"Emma and Hic got along so well that they actually ganged up on me several times!" he told their friends.

"You deserved it." Hiccup said and he could hear the amusement in his voice.

"You probably did." Merida agreed and stuffed some of the popcorn left in the bowl into her mouth.

"I did not. I'm always on my best behavior." he said and all of his friends instantly scoffed.

Merida threw a handful of popcorn towards him but they landed on the floor.

"Of course you are." Flynn said, the words dripping with a sarcasm that only best friends could get away with.

"Anyway, Hic gave her a ride on Toothless." he said to change the subject and smiled as he remembered how happy Emma had been.

"Wow, really?" Fishlegs said with a look of surprise on his face.

"Yeah, I mean…" Hiccup said. "I trust Jack and he said they could all be trusted so...when she asked if she could fly on him, I thought 'why not?'"

Jack could feel his insides turn to goo at that comment. It reminded him just how far his and Hiccup's relationship had developed for him to trust him completely with something that important.

He dipped his head and placed a kiss in Hiccup's hair, earning him a content sigh from his boyfriend.

"How did it go?" Fishlegs asked, his eyes gleaming with excess interest as soon as anything involved dragons.

"Great, actually." Hiccup said. "It was just a slow, careful flight over the town and the nearby forest but she had a blast."

"Yeah, she didn't shut up about it for the rest of the day." Jack grinned. All of their friends smiled back at him. He wrapped his arms around Hiccup's chest and held him closer.

"Well, who can blame her? Flying on a dragon must be amazing!" Flynn said. "We still haven't tried that." he said and motioned to him, Merida and Mavis.

"You'll get to fly." Hiccup said softly. "I promise."

"Well, I'll definitely look forward to that." Mavis smiled.

"Me too!" Merida agreed. "It must be brilliant!"

"It really is." Hiccup said and Jack couldn't help but plant another kiss in his hair. It was three simple words but they were laced with such a deep sense of belonging that it warmed his heart. He knew the skies were Hiccup's and Toothless' real home. Where they felt a sweet rush of freedom they could never experience on the ground.

As the evening went by, he and Hiccup continued to tell stories from their holiday. Their friends all nearly choked on their own laughter when he told them how North had almost revealed something about his and Anna's sex life, that Jack only narrowly escaped because he hurried into the hallway. In turn, their friends told them more about their own time with their families, like how Merida's brothers had dressed up as bear cubs and almost scared their neighbor, an old lady with frayed nerves, to death.

Jack truly enjoyed being back at Hogwarts among his best friends, being in their presence, hearing their laughter, bantering back and forth. It was familiar. Comforting. Warm. He had loved being back home but he was also happy to be back to seeing his best friends every single day.

---

The corridors were stuffed with students on their way to the Great Hall for dinner and the noise and close proximity of people was invasive. Everywhere around them, mouths spewed myriads of words, shoes hit stone floors, clothes wrinkled and brushed against other students, bags were opened and closed. The sounds were magnified in Hiccup's mind and scratched against his scalp like long fingernails. His limbs were heavy from fighting practice yesterday and a few drops of sweat lingered on his neck due to the thick, warm air. The beginnings of a headache had appeared, pressing in on his brain from every angle.

The discomfort of the situation would have made Hiccup snap the strap of his satchel by now, if it wasn't because Jack's presence was taking the edge off his stress. His boyfriend's arm rested on his shoulder as words left his mouth in quick, excited sentences. Jack was telling him about the great Quidditch practice he had had today and Hiccup knew it was partly because he was excited about it and partly because he wanted to distract him and take his mind off everyone around them.

When a lull in the one-sided conversation appeared, Hiccup took the chance to bring up something they'd discussed earlier.

"So…how do you think we should do it?" he asked Jack quietly, not wanting anyone nearby to hear them. He glanced at Toothless who trotted next to them, efficiently avoiding walking into any students or getting trod on.

Jack hummed and squeezed his shoulder tighter. A reminder that he was there for him. "Are you sure you want to do it?"

"Yeah." he nodded with determination. "I'm ready."

He was rewarded with a beaming grin from Jack. "Well...do you have any ideas?"

"Not really." Hiccup admitted. "It's all kind of awkward."

It was more than just awkward though. Revealing their relationship to the other students meant risking other things as well. They didn't know how the news would be received and statistically, there was bound to be some homophobes around, perhaps even among the professors. Letting everyone know they were together could create hostility.

Hiccup had held off so far because he didn't want to put Jack in danger, considering the current situation in the archipelago. There had been a possibility of more sources inside the castle but as time went by and nothing happened, that idea seemed less and less plausible.

He was tired of hiding how he felt about Jack so they had agreed the other day that it was about time they came out to everyone.

"Yeah but…I have a plan." Jack told him with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

Hiccup didn't like that look at all. Jack could be so impulsive, doing things immediately without thinking first.

"Jack, no, not one of your pla-" he said but was immediately interrupted as Jack wrapped his arms around him and smashed their lips together right there in the corridor.

Hiccup couldn't help closing his eyes and resting his hands on Jack's waist, while his boyfriend kissed him slowly and tenderly. It was an automatic response that he couldn't fight.

The screeching noise of the corridor was broken by a sudden swarm of new sounds. Gasps, giggles, squeals and hushed conversations had erupted all around them and Hiccup could feel the blood rush to his cheeks from knowing they were being observed by other students. But he blocked it out and focused on how his and Jack's lips moved against each other so familiarly, evidence of how well they'd gotten to know the other's mouth. Jack's kisses always turned him into a mess and this was no exception. As Jack slowly consumed his mouth and his pale hands caressed his neck, his thoughts disappeared and the people around them were pushed away into the farthest corners of his mind.

When Jack broke their kiss and pulled away enough for them to look into each other's eyes, they smiled softly at each other. An unspoken declaration of love.

Hiccup didn't have time to take in the people around them and feel their curious eyes burn into his skin, because a breath later, Jack had grabbed his hand and was pulling him down the corridor at a fast pace.

"Well, that was…" he said, trying to fully comprehend what had just happened. Jack had actually kissed him. In the middle of the corridor. In front of everyone.

Well that was surreal.

"Pretty genius right?" Jack said with a proud grin on his face. His pale cheeks were a little flushed, evidence that he wasn't unaffected by this situation either.

"You certainly didn't leave any room for doubt." he told him and couldn't stop a smile from reaching his lips. He glanced around them, as they rushed further down the corridor. Jack hadn't let go of his hand and other students shot them curious looks as they hurried past them.

"Of course I didn't. Where would the fun be in that?" Jack replied and finally began to slow down. "And besides…this way I get to see one of those adorable blushes on your face."

"Oh shut up." he said and squeezed Jack's hand.

"I will if I get to snog you again." his boyfriend leaned in and whispered in his ear.

Shit. Jack knew exactly how to make his face burn. He looked away and he heard his boyfriend chuckle in that familiar, victorious way.

"So what now?" he asked, as he and Jack continued to stroll down the hallways, holding hands. He could feel people watching them but he was determined not to let that bother him. This was going to be their new situation so he should get used to it as quickly as he could.

"Now." Jack said, giving him one of those smiles that clearly stated he was up to no good. "We need to squeeze in a little alone time before dinner."

"Well…can't say I'd mind that." he grinned and let Jack lead him through the corridors.

---

As soon as he and Hiccup stood outside the Great Hall, it was evident that unveiling their relationship had had a dramatic effect on the other students in the castle. An overwhelming myriad of loud, eager chatter enveloped the Hall in a blanket of noise much louder than usual. There was no doubt in Jack's mind that the other students were discussing him and Hiccup.

He let go of Hiccup's hand and gave him a supportive smile. He knew it was difficult for Hiccup to handle peoples' stares. That it made him want to retreat to a quiet place where no burning eyes studied him.

Hiccup returned the smile but it didn't reach his eyes. He took a deep breath, clearly to prepare himself for what was about to happen.

"Ready?" he asked and Hiccup nodded.

They stepped inside the Hall and went towards their own house tables. As more and more students spotted them, people whispered, giggled and followed them with their eyes. Jack knew Hiccup would avoid meeting anyone's gazes but he didn't do that. He briefly locked eyes with several students on his way to his friends by the Gryffindor table and he could read different emotions on their faces. Some appeared amused or happy, others confused or shocked and, as he had expected, some faces were scrunched in annoyance or disapproval.

But hey. At least now he knew who he didn't want to talk to anymore.

He passed two fourth year Hufflepuffs who watched him with large, curious eyes, as if the very idea of him and Hiccup being together was too much for their minds to handle.

He was in a strange limbo between understanding and annoyance, as everyone's eyes continued to follow his every move. He wanted the other students to accept his and Hiccup's relationship. To see it as something natural, not a weird phenomenon to be studied or a deviance to disapprove of. However, he also understood that they needed some time to process this new situation. Their images of who he and Hiccup were had been broken and now the students were piecing remnants back together, creating images that reflected this new reality.

He gave the two Hufflepuffs a small smile before he spotted his friends and focused on them instead. They grinned happily at him and waved eagerly, clearly showing their enthusiasm for his and Hiccup's decision to reveal their relationship.

As he sat down next to Merida, she put his arm around him and squeezed him briefly. It was a show of support and Merida was not big on public displays of affection, so that was saying something.

"So…you decided to come out to everyone." Flynn said casually, putting his cup down.

"Yup." he grinned and poured some juice into his glass. "So…what's everyone saying about us? Apparently, it spread very fast."

"Are you kidding? It spread just as fast as when everyone found out about Hiccup and the dragons." Merida said.

"Well, give me the juicy rumors then!" he said and rubbed his hands together.

"Everyone's pretty much talking about how you and Hiccup snogged in one of the corridors." Mavis told him.

"Well, that's pretty accurate." he said as he glanced down the Gryffindor table, quickly spotting Liam, Harry and Jim sitting further away. The three of them grinned at him and gave him thumbs up. Apparently, they didn't care that he was in a relationship with a guy. He smiled at them and winked, appreciating their friendship even more now. He hadn't expected them to be homophobic, they had always been open-minded guys but even so…this was a new and unpredictable situation.

He caught Astrid's gaze and she smiled at him, seeming quite amused by the whole situation. Jack was glad she was supportive of his and Hiccup's relationship, despite her feelings for Hiccup. If those feelings even still existed. He gave her a little wave before returning his attention to his three friends.

"So let me guess…it was your idea to suck face in the middle of the hallway?" Mavis said and pursed her lips.

"Of course it was." he said, his smile blooming into a goofy grin. He couldn't help it. He knew he and Hiccup would probably have to deal with some crap along the way from other students but he was happy that everyone knew they were together now. That Hiccup was taken.

"Yeah, I definitely couldn't see Hiccup coming up with that plan." Flynn said. "How did he take it? I assume you attacked him all of the sudden?"

"Of course I did." he said and chuckled. "And he's fine. A little embarrassed but fine."

"I just hope no one will give you shit because of this." Merida said and scowled at the mere thought. She was nothing if not a fiercely loyal friend.

"Yeah, me too but…if anyone decides to be a jerk, we can handle it." he shrugged. In truth, he was a little nervous about the reactions from everyone but he wasn't going to worry too much. That was a waste of energy.

"And we'll back you up any time." Mavis said.

"Of course." Flynn agreed and Merida hummed.

"Thanks guys." he smiled. He knew the three of them always had his back no matter what and it filled his heart with gratitude.

After a briefly telling his friends about how the other students had reacted when he kissed Hiccup in the hallway, he filled his plate with delicious food.

Someone slumped down on both sides of him and Merida. Apparently, Jim, Harry and Liam had abandoned their seats to come over to him and the others.

"So mate…" Liam said and put an arm around him. "You really took us by surprise there."

"Yeah." Harry grinned. "We were definitely not expecting that."

"Well, what can I say?" Jack told them. "I'm full of surprises."

"I'm happy for you mate but…why didn't you tell us you liked guys?" Jim asked and there was a hint of disappointment in his voice. "We would have understood."

Liam and Harry nodded but they both had smiles on their faces.

"Well…to be honest…I didn't even know at first. It was only when me and Hic became really close friends that I found out." he explained quietly, not wanting anyone else to overhear this quite private conversation.

"Ah, okay." Jim said. "I was just a bit worried that you thought you couldn't tell us because you were afraid we wouldn't accept it."

"Nah." he said. "I know you pretty well…of course there's always a risk that people will react badly but…I didn't expect that from any of you."

The three of them nodded with satisfied smiles on their faces.

"So…you and Hiccup." Harry said.

"Yup." Jack agreed. "We're quite the couple aren't we?" he grinned.

"You sure are." Liam said. "I don't think anyone saw that coming."

"Least of all me and Hic." he said and chuckled, Merida, Mavis and Flynn joining in.

"Well, as long as you're happy. That's all that matters to us." Harry said and Liam and Jim quickly added words of agreement.

"Thanks guys…that…really means a lot to me." he told them and meant it.

"You've seriously disappointed a lot of girls though." Jim said with amusement in his eyes. "Some of them seem devastated."

Merida scoffed. "Maybe they shouldn't be so obsessed with blokes in the first place."

"Hey, it's not like you're any better." Flynn interjected. "But who can blame you? I mean, look at all of this." he said and gestured to himself.

They all laughed at that comment except Merida.

"I am looking." she said and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"You have a very strange way of showing arousal." Flynn said, causing the rest of them to laugh more.

"Anyway." Mavis said. "Do you know what everyone's saying? We only know that everyone's shocked that Jack decided to snog Hiccup in the hallways."

Jim shook his head with a bright smile on his face. "Oh, there's all kinds of reactions actually…devastation, jealousy, shock, denial, amusement. You name it."

"Disgust?" Jack asked, turning serious.

Jim's grin faded. "Yeah, there's a few of those too but…luckily, it's not many."

Jack nodded. He had tried to mentally prepare himself for this. He knew there would be some homophobic twats around. It was unavoidable.

"Idiots." Merida said and huffed.

"Yeah." Liam agreed. "Don't mind them. They don't know what they're talking about."

"Yeah." Jack said and gave them a small smile.

"They just haven't realized the obvious benefits of Jack and Hiccup being a couple." Harry joked.

"Like what?" he asked.

"Like the fact that the two most popular guys in school-" he began but was interrupted by Flynn clearing his throat.

"Fine." Harry continued after rolling his eyes and smiling at Flynn. "Two of the three most popular guys in school are now off the market, so the rest of us actually have a chance with the girls now."

"Hey, I'm still a major threat." Flynn said and puffed out his chest, pretending to be all manly.

"Yeah, you're a threat all right." Merida deadpanned. "A threat to everyone's appetite." she continued and held her belly, miming that she was feeling nauseous.

They all shared a laugh at that, before Flynn leaned in close to her and lowered his voice to a seductive tone. "But not your…appetite, eh Curly?" he said and purred.

Merida's fist shot out and collided with Flynn's arm.

"Oww!" Flynn said and rubbed the aching skin with a distressed look on his face. "Bloody hell…you flirt a little and she turns to violence."

"Come on…you knew that would happen." Jack said and Merida hummed and crossed her arms with a self-satisfied smirk on her lips.

"Yeah, I did…" Flynn agreed with a solemn frown. "But I guess I'm still hoping Red will come to terms with her need to get into my trousers."

"Oh shut up or you'll be rubbing your other arm too!" Merida shot back and the brief look of terror on Flynn's face had them all doubling over with laughter.

---

A sense of déja vu washed over Hiccup, when he trudged through the stone corridors. His muscles were tense after a long day of classes and unwanted attention and the leather strap dug into his skin, strained by the heavy books within the satchel.

Eyes roamed over his face and body like unwelcome touches from a stranger. Every breath, every step, every look was watched. Studied. Dissected by his observers to discover potential hidden meaning. Hushed conversations and giggles continuously emerged from different spots, too low for him to hear it properly but close enough for him to know it had to do with him and Jack.

He turned another corner only to walk among new observers and the same patterns repeated themselves, slicing off much needed layers of his emotional shield. Toothless sensed his discomfort and strolled along next to him, so close his black fur brushed against Hiccup's leg.

He clutched the strap of his satchel tightly and snapped it against his shoulder. He slowed his breathing and focused on how the strap hit his shirt and the underlying skin, how it felt smooth against his fingers, how the smell of the leather reminded him of being in the workshop. He did his best to tune out everyone around him and only process the act of snapping the strap and how it felt and sounded, until his awareness of the other students was softened.

He didn't regret that he and Jack had come clean about their relationship. It was the right time. He only wished other people wouldn't be so bloody curious and invasive. But he knew it was a natural human trait; categorizing and re-categorizing people. Trying to figure out which boxes they belonged to and how these boxes compared to the ones you were in. He and Jack had broken the other students' ideas of where the two of them belonged. Shattered their illusions. And now the people around them were re-thinking their view of them; deciding which new boxes to put them in – despite how faulty and superficial this process always proved to be. Because there's always more.

A touch on his shoulder disrupted his thoughts and before he even looked, he knew it was Jack.

"Hey Hic." that familiar, soothing voice said from next to him. "Are you okay?"

"Just a bit stressed out." he admitted and subconsciously leaned against his boyfriend.

Jack nodded with sympathy in his eyes. "Let's just get to the dormitory then."

"Yeah." he agreed. "That's probably a good idea."

It was a short walk to Ravenclaw Tower but for Hiccup it seemed longer. Luckily, fewer and fewer students were around the closer they got to the tower, since everyone was going to the Great Hall for dinner. He and Jack had decided to skip it today and get some food later. There was something they had been talking about during the Easter break and now they had the privacy to do it.

When they found themselves in the room he shared with Fishlegs, Riley and Matthew, Toothless jumped onto the bed and settled on the soft, blue bedspread. Jack looked around the room, observing the Ravenclaw banners and the piles of stuff on his roommates' night stands, while Hiccup pulled out the box he was looking for from under his bed.

"So…are you sure about this?" Jack asked him, when he opened the box and took out the Pensieve. He put it down on the wooden floorboards.

"Yes." he said as he sat down next to the stone object with the ancient runes carved into it. "I'd like you to see it."

Jack nodded and offered him a gentle smile. "Is it weird using it for the first time?"

He shrugged. "Not really. It can be a bit surreal at first…like being a ghost. No one can see or hear you but you can see and hear everything."

"Hmm." Jack said as his face fell into pondering folds. "Imagine that reality...never being seen or heard. That would be awful."

"Yeah, it definitely would." he agreed.

"Well…let's try it." Jack said and sat down cross-legged on the other side of the Pensieve.

Hiccup nodded and took out the bottle containing the memory in question from one of his pockets. He carefully poured the memory into the Pensieve and it swirled in dark, hypnotizing wisps. He glanced at Jack, who stared at it in fascination.

"So…" he said. "Are you ready?"

Jack blinked and looked at him. "Yeah."

Hiccup nodded. "Just stick your head inside it. That's all you have to do."

Jack slowly leaned in closer and closer with an uncertain frown on his face. Hiccup flinched when his boyfriend was sucked into the object and nothing but an empty space remained where Jack had been just a second earlier. It was normal. He knew that. But the sudden movement still took him by surprise.

Hiccup waited patiently for him to return. He knew it wouldn't take long, so he watched the swirling dark patterns in the Pensieve, fascinated by how they slithered, dissolved and reemerged like snakes made of the darkest smoke.

He wasn't sure how long it took but suddenly Jack reappeared in front of him and he flinched again. His boyfriend blinked a few times, seeming disoriented to be back.

"How was it?" he asked him and smiled. He had been a little dizzy and confused the first time he got back from using the Pensieve as well.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Jack exclaimed and scrambled to his feet to do a little jump. He was grinning brightly and Hiccup chuckled at his enthusiasm.

He got to his feet too. Jack's grin faded into a soft smile and he stepped closer.

"That was just…amazing. How you and Toothless first connected…" Jack shook his head. "It's incredible…I can understand why you use that memory when you conjure your Patronus."

Hiccup's smile carried the warm fondness that had gathered inside him. "Yeah…it's one of the happiest memories I have."

"You exposed yourself to him completely. He could have killed you so easily if he had wanted to." Jack said and the look in his eyes conveyed conflicting emotions, as if he was grateful for how things had turned out but worried that Hiccup had actually approached a dangerous dragon all alone.

"He could have." he agreed. In fact, Toothless could have killed him a dozen times in the cove alone if he had chosen to do so.

"But instead he just…chose to trust you." Jack said and glanced at Toothless resting on the bed. The black cat meowed in reply, like he wanted to express how happy he was that he had made that decision.

Hiccup smiled at his best friend, before turning his attention to Jack again. "Yeah. He did. And every day I'm grateful for that."

Jack nodded. "And I'm grateful you let me see it. It was incredible…"

Hiccup smiled softly. "I wanted you to understand more about the bond I have with him."

"You succeeded in that." Jack told him. "And…Þǫkk [Thanks]." he added.

Hiccup's smile widened. He had begun teaching Jack some Old Norse, just a little bit at a time. Eventually, his boyfriend would have to learn the language because even though everyone in the archipelago also spoke English, it was not only a cultural norm to be able to speak Old Norse but also a necessity; if enemies switched to the ancient language, Hiccup wanted Jack to be able to understand what they were saying but pretend he didn't. That could end up being an advantage. Hiccup desperately hoped that day would never come but if it did…he wanted Jack to be as prepared as he could be.

"You're welcome." he said and took Jack's hand and ran his thumb along the pale knuckles.

"Man…I had completely forgotten how cute you were back then." Jack grinned teasingly and squeezed his hand.

"Ugh. Don't use that word." he said and rolled his eyes. He disliked when people used the word 'cute' about him, even if they meant well. Puppies were cute. Little children were cute. A teenager, a Viking teenager at that, was not supposed to be cute.

"But you were!" Jack said and his grin only brightened from Hiccup's embarrassment. Jack loved it way too much when he could make him blush and become awkward. "Those noodle arms and that shaggy hair and you were so short and-"

"Yeah." he interrupted him. "I'm well aware of how I looked." he said and he knew there was a tiny trace of sadness in his voice. He didn't like to wallow in his past but it was impossible not to get a small stab of sadness once in a while. Everyone had always told him how pathetic and inferior he was because he was short and scrawny. Those emotional scars didn't just disappear all of the sudden, even if he had grown up now.

Jack's smile faded. "Come on Hic…you've always been great just the way you were." he said. "It's too bad I didn't see it back then."

Hiccup shrugged and gave him a small smile. "I doubt it would have changed much."

"Maybe we would have become friends sooner…maybe we would have been together a long time ago." Jack said quietly. There was a sliver of regret in his blue eyes that Hiccup didn't like.

He knew Jack felt bad about never noticing him much before his secret about the dragons was out. Like most people, he had underestimated him and thought he knew what kind of person he was. But Hiccup didn't blame him for it in the slightest. Jack was only human. Not to mention that he had been clever and efficient in maintaining his bookworm image, so no one would suspect anything. But that didn't stop Jack from getting pangs of guilt.

"And maybe we wouldn't have." he told Jack and clutched his hand tighter. "Maybe things would have gone wrong. Maybe we would have disliked each other back then or we could have grown apart or something else could have happened so we would have never ended up together." he said. "I'm glad things turned out the way they did."

"Me too." Jack said and softly pressed their lips together. Hiccup smiled into the kiss.

When they broke apart, his boyfriend grinned mischievously. By Odin, that look always filled him with a mixture of concern and warm happiness.

"Now…can we talk some more about how cute you were?" Jack said and winked.

"Ugh. Jack. No." he rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the hint of a smile appearing on his lips.

---

Merida barely registered the students around her, as she clutched the strap of her backpack, and her long, fast strides carried her down the corridors. Her surroundings were a faded background, the noises muffled and the people faceless, as her mind spent its energy shooting thoughts in all directions like a group of Bludgers.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team had an upcoming match with the Ravenclaw team and she was eager to come up with ways to improve her performance. She was already the best Beater in the castle but she always wanted to better herself, to push herself to the limit. That meant having to stay in shape and two steps ahead of the opponent, which not only required willpower and strength but a sense of strategy as well. She knew most people underestimated her. They recognized her athletic ability but had her pegged as a simple-minded jock with a temper problem. It was true that she was fiery but what most people didn't know was that she had a talent for working out her opponents weaknesses and how to use those against them.

She mumbled to herself as she traveled farther down the hallways, occupied by more ideas for new strategies. She breathed in fresh air as she passed some open windows facing one of the courtyards and the breeze was refreshing.

"- can't believe they're actually a couple." a girl's voice said somewhere nearby. Her voice was shrill and a mix of disbelief and annoyance laced the syllables.

Merida's head snapped to the sides, trying to find the voice. She was fairly certain this girl was talking about Jack and Hiccup and she was not going to put up with anyone talking badly about them.

"I know, right?" another girl's voice said. "It's so weird…how did that happen?"

She located the girls in question, sitting by a bench in the courtyard close to the entrance to the corridor. There were four of them, two Hufflepuffs and two Slytherins, leaning towards each other on each side of the bench, huddled up conspiratorially as they discussed Jack's and Hiccup's relationship. In other words, these were the kind of gossipy girls that Merida couldn't stand.

She halted her steps and leaned against the wall of the corridor, watching them like a hawk.

"I have no idea but…I hope they're not together for long." one of the Slytherins, a girl with blonde curls and dark red nail polish said to the others. Merida had seen her around plenty of times but they didn't move in the same circles.

"Yeah, me neither." one of the Hufflepuffs agreed before tightening her long, black pony tail. Merida had Potions with this one but couldn't remember her name either. "I'd like to have a chance with Jack." the girl finished.

Merida cursed her ridiculous memory. She could remember the names of all the players on every famous Quidditch team but she failed completely at remembering other students' names.

"Yeah, well. I'd like to get a chance with Hiccup but I doubt either of those things are going to happen now." the younger Hufflepuff girl, a red-head with rosy cheeks, said and pouted.

Merida mentally threw up in her mouth. These girls needed to find some other interests besides guys. And they also better leave her friends the Hell alone.

"Well…maybe we could…I don't know, do something about it?" the Asian Slytherin girl with the long black hair told the others, before she leaned over the table even more. "Like…with a love potion or something else?"

"Maybe." the blonde Slytherin said and bit her bottom lip. "But it would have to be something else than love potion because they don't eat or drink anything someone else gives them."

The two Hufflepuffs hummed in agreement.

"Yeah, that's true." the Hufflepuff with the long, black pony tail said. "But I don't have any other ideas."

"Well, we'll come up with something." the Asian Slytherin said and shrugged as if the idea of ruining someone's relationship wasn't morally questionable at all.

That pushed Merida over the edge. She had heard enough. These girls were not only disapproving of two of her best friends' relationship, they were actually conspiring to interfere with it!

She stormed into the courtyard, her wild curls bouncing with her angry stomping steps. The fury and the outrage made her insides boil and she dug her nails hard into the sides of her legs as she quickly moved towards those meddling, stupid girls.

She slammed her fist down on the wooden table and the four girls jumped in shock. "Oh no, you won't!"

"What the hell are you doing, DunBroch?" the blonde Slytherin asked, her nose wrinkled as if Merida was acting like some kind of lunatic.

"I heard what you said!" she shouted, not bothering in the slightest to be discreet. "And don't you dare do anything to them!" she hissed, making sure her eyes turned to threatening slits. She was going to defend her friends no matter what and make sure no one messed with them.

"I don't know what you think you heard but you should relax, Dunbroch. Don't be such a drama queen." the Hufflepuff with the pony tail rolled her eyes.

Oh, these girls knew exactly how to push her buttons.

"A drama queen?" she asked, wrapping every word with disgust. "You just sat there and conspired to break up two of my best friends! I'm not being a bloody drama queen, I'm protecting my friends!"

"We're not planning anything, so calm down." the blonde Slytherin told her with a bored pout. "Don't get your knickers in a twist."

She leaned in over the table and stared directly into the eyes of the blonde Slytherin and the Hufflepuff with the pony tail, since they seemed to be the 'leaders' of this little group. "You better not do anything to ruin what Jack and Hiccup have." she said, her voice a dangerously low tone she knew could intimidate almost anyone. "If I ever find out you've done anything to them, I swear to Merlin, I will hunt you down and rip that pretty hair straight off your scalp."

Four pairs of eyes widened in shock and the two youngest girls scooted further down the benches hastily to put some distance between her and them.

"You're a bloody psycho." the youngest Hufflepuff whispered with a level of horror that could match someone staring into the eyes of Hannibal Lecter.

"No. I just care about my friends." Merida said and pulled back, standing up right again.

She gave them one last look of repulsion before she turned on her heel and headed towards the corridor again. She had made her point. Now she had to cool down before she got to class because right now…she was ready to grab her bow and shoot something full of arrows.

The walk to the dungeons was quick and efficient, mainly due to her long, frustrated strides. She kept her eyes on the ground and her fists clenched by her sides and the students around her left her alone. Probably because they could tell she was in no mood for talking or even greeting others right now.

When she found herself in front of the door to the Potions classroom, she leaned against the doorframe. The old, dusty classroom filled with shelves and bookcases with different ingredients was already full of students hanging out by the different workstations, waiting for their professor to arrive.

Her eyes found the workstation she always shared with her friends. Hiccup and Fishlegs were there too as usual, spending any free time during the class with the others. Mavis and Fishlegs were looking at something in the thick, leather-bound Potions textbook, engaged in an eager discussion. Flynn sat on a stool next to them, leaning an elbow on the table. He seemed ready to fall asleep right then and there. On the other side of the workstation, Jack and Hiccup joked around with each other.

She stood there in the doorway, simply watching her two friends for a moment. They chuckled and laughed, pretended to be annoyed with each other, put on that mock superiority. All the little things that had become a part of that condescending banter they enjoyed so much.

Jack said something and nudged Hiccup's shoulder. Hiccup narrowed his eyes, trying to look hostile. He told Jack something that Merida was certain was soaked in acidic sarcasm, before Jack chuckled and leaned in to place a little kiss on his cheek. He whispered something in Hiccup's ear and the scowl slowly disappeared, giving way to a small, fond smile.

She shook her head to herself. How could anyone have something against what they had together? They were good for each other, they brought out the best in each other and they were happy. How could anyone want to ruin that?

Those girls didn't even know Jack and Hiccup. They just wanted to date them because they were nice, popular and good-looking guys. They didn't care about all the things that made them them.

But Jack and Hiccup…they cared. They cared about every little thing that made the other unique and during their strong friendship, they had come to know each other on another level than most. That was obvious to anyone who knew them.

Unfortunately, most people in the castle didn't know them and therefore couldn't understand the depth of their relationship. Even now, as most of the students were talking and laughing, enjoying the free time before class, several pairs of eyes were on them, conveying a myriad of emotions. Some were amused and happy, others curious and others jealous and cold. Merida made a mental note of keeping an eye on the ones who shot glares at her two friends. No one was going to bother them on her watch. Luckily, Jack and Hiccup either ignored it or were blissfully unaware of it.

She would never admit it to anyone but she hoped she would find a relationship like theirs at some point in the future. There were plenty of other things in life than romance and she had many goals she wanted to achieve but even so…she would like to find someone to share her life with…eventually. Someone who would accept her need for freedom and independence. Someone who wouldn't try to tame her rebellious spirit and turn her into someone she wasn't. Someone as fiery and adventurous as herself.

She sighed and headed towards her friends. She was going to enjoy their company and try to push the frustrations out of her mind, at least for now.

All of her friends smiled and waved at her, as she took her seat next to Jack as usual. Toothless rested on the wooden surface of the workstation and she gave him a quick pat on the head.

"Hey Simba. What took you so long to get here?" Flynn asked.

"Just Professor Birch droning on and on, forgetting the time." she lied. There was no need for Jack and Hiccup to know what had actually made her later than usual. They had enough to worry about.

Flynn nodded. "It's not the first time." he shrugged.

"Nope." she agreed. "She's really passionate about Earth Magic."

"Well, that's better than having a completely unenthusiastic teacher." Fishlegs said and closed the textbook he and Mavis had been looking in.

"Yeah, like Professor Walsh in first year Charms." Mavis smiled.

"Bloody hell, don't even mention him. I'll fall asleep just thinking about his classes." Flynn said and faked a yawn.

"Yeah, good thing he was quickly replaced by Professor Mansnoozie." she said.

Jack hummed. "He's a brilliant teacher. Even without being able to speak, he's much better than Walsh ever was."

"Definitely." Mavis agreed.

"I've always liked him." Fishlegs said. "It's a shame I don't have Charms anymore but I couldn't pick that many classes…"

"Yeah, I bet you'd take every class possible if you could." Jack teased him.

"Don't be silly." Fishlegs shook his head. "That would require a Time Turner. And there's no way the Ministry would ever allow a student to have one of those. That would be seriously irresponsible."

They all quickly agreed with that.

"Well…I'm sure Hiccup doesn't mind not having to see Professor Mansnoozie anymore, since that…incident." she said and shot a teasing smile at Hiccup. He was fun to tease and she would take every opportunity she could to do just that. After all…teasing was mandatory in their little group.

Hiccup turned to Jack with a serious look on his face. "Remind me again why we told them about that?"

"Because it was funny as hell." Jack grinned.

"Right." he said. "Once I got over the embarrassment…"

"Oh please, you're still not over it yet." Jack said. "Don't even pretend you are. You still avoid eye contact with Mansnoozie whenever we pass him in the hallways."

"Fine." Hiccup agreed. "I'm not exactly used to professors seeing me making out with my boyfriend in their empty classroom."

"Rawwr." Flynn said and winked at Hiccup, who seemed to instantly regret the words that had just left his mouth.

"Naughty boys." she chimed in, wanting to make her friend blush even more.

"Don't you know a classroom is for class, Hiccup? Not for ripping each other's clothes off?" Mavis teased.

"That's…it's…we did not do that." Hiccup said, flailing his hands around.

They all chuckled at Hiccup's sudden discomfort.

"And we told you to keep it in your trousers until you and Frosty are married." she said, putting her face in serious folds, pretending to be lecturing him.

"Yeah, don't go tainting his purity now." Flynn grinned.

"Oh, shut up guys." Jack said and shook his head. "Don't go there…again."

"Hey, we're just defending you from your lusty beast of a boyfriend there." Flynn said and motioned with his head to Hiccup.

"What!?" Hiccup squeaked, his eyes round with disbelief.

His shocked expression and the fact that Flynn had just called Hiccup, of all people, a lusty beast, caused them all to break down in a laughter fit.

"Maybe we should give Hiccup the benefit of the doubt, guys." Mavis said breathlessly and wiped a tear away, when their laughter slowly ceased. "Maybe he can keep it in his trousers."

Jack leaned in and whispered something in Hiccup's ear that made him blush more furiously, but his mouth formed a small, amused smile. Merida couldn't help shaking her head. She knew Jack was a flirt but bloody hell…ever since he and Hiccup got together, he flirted with him and made him blush at least once a day.

"Why is everyone on my case about this?" Hiccup asked and gestured to all of them. "Do I give off some kind of rapist vibe or something?"

They all chuckled at that ridiculous idea.

"No." Mavis said and folded her hands. "But Jack is so pure and innocent and we would prefer to keep it that way."

Hiccup scoffed. "Right…soooo innocent."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Flynn asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion, resembling a father who had just been told his daughter was easy.

"Nothing." Hiccup mumbled.

Merida gasped and clutched her chest dramatically. "Have you done something to jeopardize our Snowflake's purity?"

"Right." Jack rolled his eyes. "Before I met Hiccup I had never even had an impure thought in my whole life, but now…now he's leading me into temptation!"

"I bet he is." Flynn said and waggled his eyebrows.

"Oh gods…" Hiccup said and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just…please leave it alone, guys. I'm sensing an awkwardness overload approaching."

"Poor little Hiccy." Jack cooed and leaned in to place a brief kiss on Hiccup's lips.

"Awwwww." a group of girls at a nearby workstation sighed and Merida and the others snapped their heads towards them. The girls immediately giggled and looked away, leaning towards each other to whisper in secrecy.

"You two have become really popular, you know." Mavis said.

"What do you mean?" Hiccup asked warily.

"Well…I've heard quite a few girls in the corridors talk about how hot they think your relationship is." Mavis explained and pursed her lips to keep a grin away.

"What?" Hiccup blurted out in disbelief.

"Yeah, I've heard the same thing." Flynn said. "Apparently, you two have fangirls now…who'd really like to see you get it on." he grinned.

"Shit." Hiccup mumbled and covered his face with his palms. "Odin, help me."

"Come on now, Hic." Jack said and nudged his boyfriend's shoulder. "That's a compliment!"

"I don't like that kind of attention." Hiccup said into his hands.

"Yeah, I know but come one…it's better than negativity!" Jack said.

"Yeah, I guess so." Hiccup said, as he removed his hands from his face again. "Are there really people who think it's hot?" he asked, as if the mere thought was completely baffling to him. Which it probably was.

"Oh yes." Mavis chuckled. "I've heard some quite…steamy talk in the hallways."

"Yeah, me too, actually..." Fishlegs chimed in quietly and twiddled his thumbs, clearly a little shy about this topic.

Merida hummed in agreement. She had heard other students talk about that as well. She didn't understand it but Jack was right; it was much better than hostility. She briefly thought about those girls in the courtyard and a frown settled on her lips.

"I think I'll move into Toothless' cave and stay out there in the forest until this blows over." Hiccup said. The black cat in question raised his head and Hiccup scratched him behind one ear.

"Oh no you're not." Jack said and poked him in the side. "I'm not going to handle all of these fangirls by myself."

Hiccup grumbled. "You just find it funny."

Jack shrugged. "Not that much. Anyway…It'll probably blow over pretty quickly. They just need to get used to the idea that we're together."

"Or they just need to see you guys in action." Flynn teased them and bit his lip.

"Well, too bad because they're not invited." Jack said and stuck his tongue out.

"Is anyone invited?" Merida lifted an eyebrow.

"Err…no." Jack replied.

"You don't have to think about that for a long time anyway…since I assume you're not getting married any time soon." Flynn shrugged as if he was stating a widely accepted fact.

When Jack reached over the table to slap Flynn and Flynn jumped off his chair, a chase ensued. She and the others laughed as they watched Flynn dart around the Potions classroom, around workstations, people and other obstacles, with Jack close behind him. A crash sounded as Flynn accidentally knocked over a few containers with doxy eggs when he sped past a shelf and got a little too close. The eggs smashed against the floor and spread into a big black puddle.

Jack and Flynn froze, when Professor Creek cleared his throat, revealing his presence. The middle-aged professor looked back and forth from the black puddle to Jack and Flynn, a wrinkle of disapproval on his forehead.

"Uhmm…whoops?" Jack said and put on his most charming smile. The one Merida knew he always used when he tried to get out of trouble.

Professor Creek's face was a mask of stone and Jack's smile slowly faded.

"Bloody Boggarts on a broomstick…" he mumbled, probably knowing that he might get detention now.

---

Nighttime is a complicated affair for creative minds with insomnia.

The glowing flames of the fireplace wrapped Hiccup in a gentle light, as his hand moved the pencil across the paper in his sketchbook. Line after line. Shadow after shadow. Smudges of charcoal slowly forming a picture. He was working on a complicated drawing of Jack flying on Blizzard, trying his best to get every little detail just right.

He rested his back against the armrest of the soft blue coach. Toothless slept between his knees, the small furry body warm against his legs. Once in a while, he took a break and simply watched his best friend. The way his little body was curled up, rising and falling evenly from relaxed breathing. The way his green eyes were shut and his features calm. He was at peace and it was soothing for Hiccup to observe him. At least one of them was able to sleep and that thought was comforting.

He tore his eyes off Toothless and resumed working on the drawing. He guided the pencil, creating those white, disheveled locks he adored so much. The soft, messy strands that always appeared like Jack styled it to look like that on purpose, when in fact it was completely by coincidence. As Hiccup focused on drawing lock after lock, he could almost feel the texture of his boyfriend's hair against his fingertips. His lips twitched in the smallest of smiles.

The night was an invitation to create. The sun dips below the horizon to visit other places. Birds retreat to the treetops and cease their song. Humans close their eyes and rest their weary bodies on soft mattresses, their minds protected under the haze of sleep.

The world is still. Quiet. The only disturbance is the buzzing of your brain. It can be soft. Or frantic.

Insomnia disconnects the mind from its usual logic and restrictions. For the insomniac, it's a contradiction of love and suffering. The late hours of the night fuels creation, sparking ideas never considered in the light of day. For many creators, it is a needed injection of creativity. A hammer to break down the usual barriers that hinders potential.

These late hours are for painters. Writers. Poets. Musicians. Anyone with a creative streak they can let loose during this refuge of quietness in a world that never stops screeching.

Hiccup did not like being unable to sleep. But he did enjoy the quiet. As long as he could keep his mind busy creating, it wasn't a punishment being up while everyone else was sleeping.

But he knew the consequences if he stopped. Insomnia warps memories and perceptions, wrapping you in a blanket of sorrow. The grief of the world seems magnified. The concerns of the future more threatening. Your suffering grows as the darkness of night descends on you. It creeps along the inside of your skull, weaving its tendrils and leaves until the thick wall of worries and regrets obscure your clarity.

If the insomnia stretches on, robbing your mind and body of rest for too long, the numbness sets in. You feel removed from reality like an entity that does not belong there. The insomnia chokes the creativity it had originally sparked and you're left as nothing but a primitive pile of flesh without a functioning mind.

You eat. You walk. You breathe.

You exist. Nothing more than that.

Toothless snored and pulled him out of his thoughts. He realized he had been sitting still, just staring into the flames of the fireplace. He smiled softly at the sound and went back to working on Jack's hair. He sat like that for a while, keeping himself focused until he had managed to accurately portray that amazing head of white strands.

"Hey." Rapunzel's soft, familiar voice suddenly spoke.

He turned his head and spotted her standing by the end of the staircase to the girls' dormitory. Her long, pink nightgown almost reached her ankles and she was clutching a book in her hand. Pascal rested on her shoulder, looking sleep deprived, his eyelids drooping.

"Hey." he said softly and put his pencil and sketchbook in his lap. "What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep." she shrugged with a tiny smile. "You?" she asked, as she began approaching him.

"Same…" he said.

"Everything okay?" she asked, as she sat down on the other end of the couch. Toothless stirred and slowly opened his eyes.

"I just…I have a lot on my mind." he said and scratched Toothless behind one ear. "You?"

"Yeah, same thing…" she said with a sad smile and leaned on the armrest.

"Anything you want to talk about?"

She hummed and bit her lip in contemplation. "Yeah, maybe…"

"You can tell me anything." he said. "You know that, right?"

"I know." she smiled at him and this time it wasn't sad. "It's just…I'm a little embarrassed about it."

This had his interest heightening. He hoped this was going where he thought it was. "Why?"

Her eyes focused on her knees and she scraped away some imaginary dust from the bottom of her nightgown. "Uhm…I kind of…like someone." she managed to say, still not looking at him.

"Oh?" he said, trying to keep his voice calm even though he was excited about this. Now he was pretty sure he knew what this was about and it temporarily pushed his own worries away.

"Yeah…" she said. "But I'm not sure what I should do about it…if anything." she explained and sighed. She slowly lifted her head and met his eyes again. There was an uncertainty in them that he recognized from himself.

"Well…who's the lucky guy?" he asked and smiled, encouraging her to go on.

She hesitated and they watched each other in silence for a brief moment. He could tell she was considering whether or not she should put a name on this guy. He stroked Toothless a few times.

She took a deep breath. "It's Flynn." she said quickly, like she was trying to get it over with as fast as possible. Her green eyes filled with insecurity, as she waited for his reaction.

"I thought so." he smiled while he cheered on the inside. This was great. Jack was sure Flynn had a crush on Rapunzel, so it seemed their two friends would probably get together.

"What?" she said, eyebrows lifting in confusion.

"Me and Jack kind of…suspected that something was going on."

"Oh my god, Jack knows too?" she asked and rested her face in her palms.

"No, no. He doesn't know for sure. We just figured something was going on with you two." he said as his smile turned into a grin.

She raised her head and looked at him again. This time curiosity melted the insecurity. "How so?"

"Well…you're spending a lot more time together just the two of you than you used to."

"That's true. But… I don't know if he feels the same way about me."

"Rapunzel." he said. "I really think he does."

"You do?" she asked, as a small, hopeful smile appeared on her lips.

"Yeah. I mean…he's not flirting with girls anymore and he seems to be a little jealous when you're talking to guys who are outside our little circle of friends."

"Jealous? Really?"

He nodded. "Jack is sure he likes you…and he knows Flynn even better than we do."

"Yeah…" she said and bit her lip in thought. "It's just…really scary, you know? The thought of opening up like that."

"Yeah, I know." he said as he briefly thought about how nervous he had been about his feelings for Jack. "You're afraid of rejection."

She nodded slowly. Pascal climbed down from her shoulder and rested on her knee, closing his eyes. She stroked him carefully.

"Look." he said and she met his eyes. "I know it's frightening. I know how vulnerable you feel. I felt all of those things with Jack. But…you have to take a leap of faith here. If you don't, you'll regret it."

She thought about his words, pursing her lips in contemplation. Finally she nodded. "You're right. I have to do something…"

"Great." he said and couldn't hold back a happy smile. "Now all we need is to get Mavis, Merida and Fishlegs together in some kind of polyamorous relationship and we're done!" he joked to cheer her up.

She giggled and it was a lovely sound. Her green eyes lit up with amusement, briefly forgetting the troubles looming over her. Humor was amazing that way.

"Guys…" Fishlegs' voice suddenly said from the staircase leading to the boys' dormitory. "Why are you still up?"

"Why are you up?" he asked with a small smile. Usually Fishlegs slept soundly through the night, snoring loudly and talking in his sleep. It took a lot to wake him up.

"Woke up and saw you weren't there anymore. Figured I'd come down here to check on you." Fishlegs explained and shrugged.

"Thanks." he said, touched by his friend's concern.

Fishlegs nodded and waddled towards them, his steps slow and heavy from fatigue. He slumped down on the couch across from theirs and rubbed his eyes. "So…what's going on?" he asked. "Why can't you guys sleep?"

"I just have one of those nights…you know…" he said, because Fishlegs did indeed know. He knew exactly how much trouble he had shutting off his mind sometimes. How his thoughts would run wild, shooting in all kinds of directions, imagining worst case scenarios and 'what if's'. How he could only suppress it if he kept himself busy sketching or painting, designing a new invention or working on homework.

Fishlegs nodded. "Sorry." he said and smiled. It was a small, sad smile, full of empathy.

"But…" Hiccup said. "Rapunzel here, have some exciting news."

"Oh?" Fishlegs said, perking up. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the knees of his brown pajama trousers.

"Well, I wouldn't say exciting…" she said, her eyes darting back and forth from him to Fishlegs.

"Come on, it's great." he reassured her.

"Well, what is it?" Fishlegs asked.

"I kind of…have a crush." she said and grabbed some of her long, golden hair, running her hands along it.

"Oh, on Flynn? I already know that." Fishlegs smiled softly.

"What?" Rapunzel blurted out.

"How, how did you know that?" Hiccup said and gestured to his friend. "I mean, I know you know bloody everything but by Thor…"

Fishlegs shrugged. "It was pretty obvious if you know what to look for." he told them and the corners of his lips twitched in amusement.

Hiccup shook his head, once again surprised by Fishlegs' observational skills even though he really should have gotten used to it. He had always considered himself an observant person but he knew he was nothing compared to Fishlegs. Nothing got past his dear friend.

"Hiccup thinks I should…tell him." Rapunzel said.

"I think you should, too." Fishlegs said and nodded encouragingly.

"But…I just…what if he rejects me?"

"I don't think he will." Fishlegs said and his face softened with sympathy. "I'm pretty sure he likes you too."

"That's what I said." Hiccup told him.

"But…what if you're wrong? What if-"

"We're not wrong." Fishlegs said.

"But-"

"Rapunzel…" Hiccup said. "I know how you feel, trust me. Remember how scared I was about my feelings for Jack? I was lucky that he made the first move because if he hadn't…I'm not sure I could have. But I should have. I should have told him how I felt instead of bottling it up inside."

Rapunzel sighed and folded her hands in her lap. "I know you're right, guys…It's just…it's terrifying."

"Yeah. It is." Hiccup agreed.

Fishlegs nodded. "But Flynn's probably nervous too. I mean…there has to be a reason why he hasn't done something yet."

"Maybe you're wrong. Maybe he doesn't like me like that."

"I'm quite sure he does." Fishlegs said.

"And Fishlegs is always right about these things, Rapunzel. You should know that by now." Hiccup said. The three of them had been best friends for years and Fishlegs had never been wrong so far in reading people.

"That's true." she agreed and stared at Pascal sitting on her knee. Then she sighed. "Ugh, why is this so difficult?"

"Because it's important to you." Hiccup said. "Because you're taking a risk, you're making yourself vulnerable to someone."

"Yeah…" she said.

"It will be fine, Rapunzel." Fishlegs said and smiled reassuringly.

"Well, that's easy for you to say." she said as her lips curved into an amused smile. "You're not even close to that polyamorous relationship yet."

"What?" Fishlegs said, staring back and forth between them but he and Rapunzel only laughed at their friend's confusion.

---

It had been a long day and Jack's limbs protested as he forced them to move him towards the Great Hall. His body was sore all over, a consequence of the fighting practice he and the others had all participated in yesterday. He was slowly improving, much to his satisfaction, but it was hard work and it left his muscles aching for days. It didn't help his fatigue that he had worked on a Potions assignment with Merida in the library after school today. Now his body and his mind were worn out. But he had no time to collapse in the Room of Requirement and cuddle with Hiccup, because there was a great feast tonight. Since the battle of Hogwarts, a feast was held each year at the magical school to remember the second wizarding war and all the witches and wizards who died fighting Voldemort and his followers.

Luckily, the corridors were mostly empty as he strolled along the stone floors. On such an exhausting day, he enjoyed the quietness and the lack of curious eyes watching him. It didn't bother him that much but it was still nice to catch a break once in a while.

As he sauntered past some of the windows in the corridor, he peeked outside in the courtyard. Statues of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Albus Dumbledore had been created shortly after the war and had their place in this particular courtyard, as it was the largest in Hogwarts. There was also a large stone tablet where all the names of the people who fought against Voldemort at the battle of Hogwarts were written as a tribute to their courage.

He was getting lost in his own thoughts, when he turned a corner and froze for a split second, as he processed what he was seeing.

Further down the corridor, Sam was in some kind of argument with Oliver Johnson and Ryan Davies, a Ravenclaw and a Slytherin a year older than them. Jack quickly assessed the situation and it was obvious that it was serious.

The two guys had cornered Sam but Sam did not back down. He stared straight into their eyes with determination and disgust. His arms were crossed tightly and his posture was rigid, like it would take the force of a freight train to remove him from his position. Oliver and Ryan had clenched their fists and tried to stare him down. Jack knew he had to interfere.

He jogged towards them and quickly found himself by their sides, putting himself between Sam and the other two.

"Wow, guys. Calm down." he told them and held up his hands in a peaceful gesture.

Oliver and Ryan watched him for a brief moment, as annoyance flashed across their faces. They both rolled their eyes and Ryan scoffed before they turned their backs on him and Sam, leaving down the corridor in long strides.

Well, that was certainly easier than he had expected. He thought he might have to take on the role of the peacemaker but apparently, these guys were not interested in any kind of discussion.

"Hey, is everything okay?" he asked Sam and quickly looked him over to see if something had happened before he got there. But luckily, Sam appeared uninjured.

"Yeah, things are fine, Jack." Sam said with a forced smile and waved a hand dismissively. That didn't fool Jack for a second though.

"Obviously, they aren't. What was that all about?" he asked and glanced down the corridor where Ryan and Oliver had disappeared out of view.

"Nothing." Sam said and clenched his jaw. He had turned his eyes to the floor.

"Come on. Those guys were clearly bothering you." Jack replied, trying to find some way to get him to open up. Sam might be interested in Hiccup but that didn't mean he deserved to be bothered like that by two idiots.

"Yeah…" Sam said reluctantly. "They were talking about you and Hiccup."

"Oh…" he said and sighed. "Well, uhm…what did they say?"

"They were just being idiots." Sam said as he met his eyes again. "Saying it wasn't okay for you two to have a relationship. I overheard them talking about it and told them to shut up and stop being narrow-minded tossers."

"Huh…" Jack said, surprised by this explanation. He knew Sam was a decent guy but he still hadn't expected this kind of behavior from him. "Thanks for sticking up for us." he said and gave him a small smile.

"Of course." he said. "I can't stand to hear that kind of talk."

"You're a good guy, Sam." Jack nodded slowly.

"So are you…" he said and flashed him a flicker of a smile. "Look…I'm not happy Hiccup's taken now but I'm glad he's found someone like you. Someone who's good for him and treats him well."

He appreciated Sam's honesty, despite the slight awkwardness of the situation. "I'll always do that." he told him.

"I know you will, Jack. I can tell you guys are happy together. That's what matters." Sam said.

"Yeah. It is." he agreed.

Sam cleared his throat. "Well…I'm going to go back to the dormitories now…"

"You're not going to the feast?" he asked.

"Nah." Sam told him. "I'm not really in the mood for that right now."

"Sorry man." he replied and meant it. "But…thanks again Sam and…if those idiots give you any shit again, I'll back you up."

Sam nodded and a tiny smile appeared on his lips. He gave him an awkward goodbye wave before he quickly disappeared around the corner.

"Was that Sam?" he heard Hiccup's voice say from behind him. When did he get there?

He spun around and faced his boyfriend, who looked at him curiously.

"Yeah." he said and gave Hiccup a small smile to reassure him that things were fine now.

"What were you guys talking about?" Hiccup asked, briefly looking down the corridor, even though Sam was long gone by now.

"Just…someone was bothering him and I interfered." he shrugged.

Hiccup scratched his neck. "Why was someone bothering him?"

"They were being homophobic twats and Sam defended us." he explained and tried to push down the irritation he felt towards those two idiots. How dare they say that

"Huh." Hiccup said, as his eyes squinted in thought.

"Yeah, that was my reaction too." he smiled.

"But things are okay? They didn't hurt him or anything?" Hiccup asked, his concern showing in the creases on his forehead.

"Nah, don't worry. It's okay." he said and squeezed Hiccup's shoulder. "Now…what do you say we get to that feast?"

"You go ahead." Hiccup said. "I just need to stop by the dormitories first."

"Sure. I'll see you in a minute then." he said and Hiccup nodded in reply.

When he found himself in the Great Hall shortly after, he reflected on how different the Hall was tonight, as he waited for his friends to arrive. Tonight, there would be speeches, music and scrumptious food and drinks as the students could enjoy a simple night of fun and socializing with friends. Needless to say that Jack was happy about this temporary change.

The house tables had been removed and replaced with plenty of smaller tables, each with room for about 10 people. Students were allowed to sit wherever they wanted to celebrate friendship across the different houses. Each table was covered with a rich, dark brown table cloth, a flower arrangement, golden plates, cutlery and sparkling glasses, as well as a pitcher of delicious punch. Jack was currently enjoying a glass of the sweet, fruity liquid, as he took in his surroundings by a table by one of the walls.

On the podium in front of the professors' table, the frog choir was preparing for their performance. Some of the teachers had taken their places by the long table, while others hadn't shown up yet. Headmaster Lunar was deep in conversation with Professor Bunnymund about something, both of them gesturing with their hands to underline their words, their eyes wide with interest, while Professor Mansnoozie seemed to empty cup after cup of the sweet punch, apparently very thirsty. Or maybe he just had a sweet tooth.

Mavis was on the podium with the rest of the frog choir, speaking to Megan, one of Astrid's friends, as they both held their big frogs and fed them little treats. Behind them, a small array of instruments had been placed for a band to perform some relaxing music later on.

Jack took a swig of his punch and enjoyed the fresh taste covering his tongue. The feast officially began in half an hour, so most of the students had yet to arrive. However, a few tables housed a couple of students, deeply engulfed in conversation, drinking punch and laughing together. There was a relaxing vibe in the air due to the lack of divide between houses and Jack enjoyed the informal atmosphere. He had never been one for rules and limitations. It would be great when the rest of his friends showed up, so they could all enjoy a nice meal together. They were around each other all the time but all of them rarely got to eat together, since they had to sit at their respective house tables. As his eyes darted from one table to the next, he spotted Liam and Harry sitting with a few other Gryffindors and some of their friends from Hufflepuff. They both waved at him and he quickly waved back with a grin on his face.

Suddenly, someone poked his back, so he turned and came face to face with a familiar girl. Chloe was a Slytherin, a year younger than him, with soft blonde curls and smooth skin only interrupted by a few subtle freckles on her nose.

"Hi Jack!" she said, a big white smile showing off her perfect teeth.

"Hi." he said and gave her a small smile in return. He didn't like Chloe much but he tried his best to hide it to be polite. She was one of those girls who was always sticking her nose into other people's business, enjoying when someone slipped up or had something bad happen to them, so she could spread that cruel gossip around, reveling in the attention it got her. That kind of behavior rubbed him the wrong way.

"Can I ask you something?" she said and tucked a lock of blonde hair behind an ear with a slender hand. Her nails were perfectly manicured and decorated with dark red nail polish. They reminded him of the sort of nails a female Disney villain could have.

"Yeah, of course?" he said, wondering what this could be about. They only spoke together on rare occasions in classes, so he was naturally curious about what she wanted from him.

"You're paired up with Summer for the next Arithmancy assignment, right?" she asked.

"Yeah?" he replied. He was not looking forward to that at all. Arithmancy was not only his least favorite class but having Summer as a partner was horrible. She was a nice girl and he didn't have anything against her personally, but she was also very slow so she would be nothing but dead weight on this assignment. Not to mention that she had a high-pitched giggle that made him want to scratch his ears off.

"Well, I was just wondering if you would mind switching partners? I'm with Mavis and I know you guys are really good friends…and she and I don't really have good chemistry, so I'd rather have Summer as my partner." she explained.

She briefly glanced behind him, before her eyes focused on him again. He did the same and spotted Mia standing by the doors to the Hall, casually leaning against a wall with one of their other friends, an Asian Slytherin girl he couldn't remember the name of even though he shared a few classes with her. They were seemingly engaged in conversation, words quickly spilling from their lips and amused smiles on their faces.

"Yes. That would be great." he said, his restrained smile now blooming into a grin. Now he could do the assignment with someone who was not just one of his best friends but really clever as well. "Just make sure it's okay with Mavis and Summer." he added even though he was sure Mavis wouldn't mind in the slightest.

It was true what Chloe had said. She and Mavis weren't fond of each other while Chloe and Summer seemed to get along very well. Still…it would be disrespectful not to make sure everyone was okay with the switch before actually making it.

"Well, I already checked with both of them and they agreed." she said, her brown eyes lighting up with excitement at the prospect of getting a new partner. "So everything should be fine."

"Great. Well, it's settled then." he said and smiled before he took a small sip of his punch. He put the glass down on the table next to them.

"Brilliant!" she agreed, the corners of her eyes crinkling. She glanced behind him once more and he wondered why she kept looking at her friends. But perhaps that was normal in her circle of friends. After all…they seemed very co-dependent. Like the kind of friends who couldn't even voice an opinion before checking with the others first.

She smiled at him, a small but sweet smile and yet he didn't like it. There was something unsettling about it that he couldn't explain.

"Oh and Jack?" she said, as the smile slowly melted off her lips.

"Yeah?"

Before he could do anything, she pounced and crashed their lips together.

His eyes widened as her warm mouth covered his own. He froze in shock, his heartbeat stuttering in surprise, before he came to his senses again.

His palms found her shoulders, gripped on tight and pushed her off him, tearing her lips away from his. He looked at her in utter shock, his brain struggling to find some words to deal with this situation.

The corners of Chloe's lips moved ever so slightly as her eyes observed him with a gleam he didn't like at all. He could still feel her lips on his and he had the strong urge to go wash his mouth. Hiccup was the only one who was allowed to kiss him on the mouth. He wiped his lips with one of his sleeves, trying to purge himself of her unwanted presence as best he could right now.

He could sense the anger beginning to surface inside him, drowning out the shock that had temporarily shut down his ability to think and speak. His hands curled into fists by his sides and his jaw clenched. The way she looked at him, like he was some kind of amusing prey to toy with, was making the fury bubble in his veins.

Who the hell did this girl think she was? He had a boyfriend, everyone in the whole school knew that! And yet, she had just thrown herself at him, forcing him to kiss her! It was a complete disregard for his boundaries and he couldn't help feeling violated. Chloe must have known he wouldn't like this at all but she had done it anyway, not caring about his feelings in the slightest! What the hell was the point of this?!

He was about to release some of his anger, to spit out words high in volume and dripping with venom, untamed and wild like a tornado, when he noticed she was smirking and watching something behind him again.

He spun around to find out what was going on, assuming her friends were doing something that somehow played a part in this. What was their angle? Why would they mess with him like this?

As he looked towards Mia and their Slytherin friend, his blue eyes instantly widened. His boiling anger was chilled by freezing dread and he stopped breathing for a second. Nauseating fear churned inside him, threatening to make him vomit.

No no no no.

There, by the doors to the Great Hall…

…was Hiccup. Staring at him in disbelief.

His heart hammered against his rib cage, infected with raw panic. What was Hiccup thinking now? Did he think he had actually liked this? Was he going to leave now without letting him explain?

No. He had to get to Hiccup. He had to explain that this wasn't what it might have looked like!

He ran to Hiccup, not caring in the slightest that the few other students around him were staring. There was only one thing that mattered to him.

Hiccup was frozen in place, green eyes fixed on him as he approached. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad. He was relieved that Hiccup hadn't just turned and left but he didn't know what to expect from this.

He took Hiccup's hands and stared into his eyes, hoping with every cell in his body that he hadn't just lost the person he loved. Hiccup didn't move or pull his hands away. The shock on his face had faded into a blank expression. It bore no witness of hurt or anger and that unsettled Jack.

"Please, Hiccup, please don't- I just – I can't – it wasn't me - I just-" he rambled, so desperate to explain, that his tongue didn't cooperate with his brain. He needed to tell Hiccup that he was the only one he loved. The only one he wanted to be with. And he needed to do it quickly, because as soon as Hiccup decided to speak, he could tear him down; he could grab his heart and melt it in his palms like a brittle snowflake, leaving nothing but an empty void.

"You need to know - it wasn't - I didn't-" the nonsense spewed from his mouth, as he desperately clung to Hiccup's hands like a lifeline.

"Jack-" Hiccup said quietly.

"I know how it must have looked but I swear I didn't do it, she just threw herself at me and-" he blabbered, unable to stop himself before he had somehow managed to explain what had just happened and reassured Hiccup he wasn't cheating on him. That he would never cheat on him.

"Jack-"

"I would never do anything like that Hiccup, I swear-"

"Jack!" Hiccup raised his voice, a brief flash of emotion in his eyes.

Jack instantly closed his mouth. He squeezed Hiccup's hands, holding them tight, trying to hold on to him in case he was suddenly going to try to leave. He refused to let him leave. He needed him to listen.

"Calm down." Hiccup told him slowly.

"W-what?" he asked, completely baffled by this.

Calm down? What the hell was he talking about? Why wasn't he angry? Or sad? Of all the words that could have left Hiccup's mouth, these were some of the most unexpected.

"Jack…" Hiccup said and the way his green eyes softened made tiny vines of hope sprout through the emotional wasteland inside Jack. He knew that look. It was the look that said "I feel for you and I'm here for support." But he didn't understand why.

"We're not in some kind of teenage drama film." Hiccup told him. "I'm not going to see someone throw themselves at you and then assume the worst and run off without even talking to you." he explained, his calm demeanor a complete contrast to Jack's frantic, anxious mind that was still tearing him apart inside with shards of uncertainty.

"I swear I didn't do that." he said, his words urgent. "She just kind of attacked me and it-"

"I know, I know." Hiccup said soothingly and squeezed his fingers.

"You…you know?" he asked, looking into those familiar eyes that held so much reassurance. "But…the way you were looking at me before…"

"Of course I was looking at you like that. Someone had just kissed you. Right in front of me. I needed a moment to process what was happening." Hiccup said. "But I could tell you were shocked and angry about it. And I know you. You'd never do something like that." Hiccup told him, gazing into his eyes with that unwavering support and trust that Jack desperately needed right now.

A hint of a smile settled on Hiccup's lips and for Jack, it was like invisible floodgates had opened, dousing him in overwhelming relief and happiness.

He threw his arms around Hiccup, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. He needed the guy he loved closer. As close as he could possibly hold him.

"Thank you." he told Hiccup over and over, not loosening his grip on his boyfriend in the slightest. Hiccup's arms wrapped around him, strong and protective, calming his frazzled mind.

He buried his face in Hiccup's warm neck and inhaled that wonderful scent of pine, as he reveled in the sweet relief of not losing him. He probably should have thought that Hiccup would be too rational to assume the worst straight away but panic had set in at the mere thought of losing him. Of hurting him. Of never being able to kiss him and hold him ever again. That prospect was his own personal nightmare.

Hiccup's palms glided up and down his back in soothing motions and Jack sighed in content as his galloping heartbeat began to slow down.

It was Hiccup who, much to Jack's reluctance, broke the hug again.

"We need to take care of something." Hiccup said with determination written on his face. His green eyes blazed with a sudden flame of anger, before he stomped towards Chloe, who seemed to have been watching their whole interaction.

Jack quickly followed. Now that he knew he and Hiccup were okay, he needed to unleash some of his anger at the source of this whole situation.

"You." Hiccup said, as they faced Chloe. Before this, Jack hadn't known a single word could contain that level of repulsion. "What the Hel is wrong with you?" his boyfriend asked, eyes narrowed with an anger that threatened to evolve into red-hot fury. Toothless hissed at Chloe from his place on the floor.

"Calm down Haddock, it was just a joke." Chloe said and sighed, as if she was already bored of this conversation.

"Just a joke?" Jack snapped at her. "If a guy had done that to you, you'd be screaming at him that he was a bloody pervert or a rapist…but because I'm a guy, you think it's all right to force me to kiss you even though I don't want to and even though you know I have a boyfriend. You fucking hypocrite!" he spat, finally being able to vent some of his frustration.

Hell, this was the kind of thing that could ruin a relationship and yet Chloe didn't want to take any responsibility at all. If Hiccup had been a less calm and logical person, this could have been enough to end them and that thought alone fed the rage inside him.

"Sheesh, relax will you? Like I said…it was just a joke." Chloe said, resting her hands on her hips, her eyes turning hard as an obvious defense mechanism.

"No." Hiccup said and crossed his arms. His nose twitched as if he was witnessing something truly disgusting. "You don't get to tell us to relax. You think it's funny to mess with people's relationships?"

Chloe simply shrugged once more and the vague gesture was only making the frustrations build inside Jack at a violent speed.

"Hey, what's going on?" he suddenly heard Flynn's voice say. He, Fishlegs and Rapunzel appeared next to them a second after. Their eyes were narrowed, darting back and forth from him and Hiccup to Chloe, having figured out that something bad had happened.

"Chloe here thought it would be funny to force herself on Jack right as I came into the Hall, so I might think he was cheating on me." Hiccup explained and clenched his jaw.

"What?" Flynn and Fishlegs said in unison, their eyes growing large in shock.

"You didn't…" Rapunzel said and there was a sharp edge to her voice that Jack had never heard before. Her open and cheerful features had contorted, full lips pressed tightly together, dark eyebrows knitted.

"You think it's funny to hurt other people, huh?" Flynn asked and crossed his arms, having recovered from the shock. His warm brown eyes had become hard and unrelenting, a look Jack knew he reserved for when his protectiveness and anger was threatening to burn its way through him.

"No one got hurt." Chloe said and kept her eyes narrowed even as she fidgeted with one of her sleeves.

"No, but that was clearly the intention." Fishlegs said. "You wanted Hiccup to think Jack kissed you voluntarily so they might break up." he finished, every word prickly like sharp thorns.

"Of course not." Chloe said as if the mere thought was ridiculous.

"Oh really?" Hiccup said. "Then what was the point?"

"Like I said before, Haddock. It was just a joke."

"And where the fuck is the fun in that joke?" Jack spat, unable to stop himself. He was not done purging himself of the infuriating feelings this girl had sparked in him. "It's not fun to have someone force you to kiss them when you don't want to!"

"Oh, get over it, will you?" she said and sent him a glare. "It was just a kiss, take it like a man."

Jack was about to open his mouth and unleash a storm of razor sharp abuse, when Hiccup protectively took a step in front of him and spoke.

"Take it like a man?" Hiccup said. "Take it like a man?" he repeated in a low, disbelieving voice that was way more intimidating than any kind of shouting and screaming. "So you're one of those people...those who think equality only matters when it benefits women. That guys don't even have the right to feel violated when their boundaries are overstepped, because hey it's a girl that's suddenly touching you or making inappropriate comments, so that's fine no matter what and if you feel uncomfortable you're just a wimp, right?" Hiccup continued. "Wrong. You wouldn't like it if a guy forced himself on you. Therefore, you don't get to force yourself on a guy either. The same rules apply. Get that through your skull. Being a girl does not give you a fucking free pass to kiss my boyfriend and pretend you did nothing wrong." Hiccup spat and Toothless let out a long venomous hiss to show his hostility.

"Bloody hell, way to be a drama queen." Chloe said and crossed her arms tight like she was shielding herself.

"No no no no." Hiccup said, eyes flashing with the barely restrained fury inside him. "There's nothing dramatic about this. You need to respect people's fucking boundaries. You don't touch other people like that unless they've signaled that it's okay. It's as easy as that. It doesn't matter if it's a guy or a girl, you keep your hands and mouth to yourself. And if I ever see you kissing my boyfriend again or trying to throw yourself at him in some other way, I swear to Thor, you will regret it."

Jack wanted to back Hiccup up on this, to present a united front, but the sheer acid in the words and the use of curses left him speechless. He had never heard Hiccup speak that way to anyone before.

"What's happening?" he heard Mavis' voice say, interrupting Hiccup's and Chloe's interaction, as she and Merida joined them, both looking perplexed by the tense situation they found their friends in.

"Apparently, this idiot here-" Flynn said and motioned with his head to Chloe, "thought it would be hilarious to throw herself at Jack and make Hiccup think he was cheating on him."

"You what?!" Merida yelled and rushed forwards in an attempt to get to Chloe. Flynn and Fishlegs reacted quickly and held her back, each of them gripping an arm tightly.

"Let me go!" Merida shouted, eyes wide with rage.

"No." Flynn said, as he wobbled while trying to keep the right side of her in place, while Fishlegs used his weight advantage to hold back the other side. "I can't let you break her legs, you'll get expelled."

Merida huffed and fixed her eyes on Chloe, as she stopped thrashing to break out of their friends' grips. "You listen here!" she yelled.

Chloe took a few steps back, shock evident on her face.

In this moment, Merida resembled a feral animal. Strong and fearsome, wild and intimidating. Her chest heaved from the anger weighing down on her. Her face was contorted in disgust. "If you ever do something like that again, I swear, I will find you and hurt you! You'll regret ever messing with my friends! You better leave them alone!"

"Ms. DunBroch!" Headmaster Lunar's voice reverberated through the massive hall from his place at the professors' table. "Whatever the problem is, calm yourself, or I will have you removed from this hall!"

Merida was fuming, like the heat of her anger was boiling her from the inside.

"What is the matter with you?" Mavis asked and that voice could freeze bones. Her calm and sweet demeanor had evaporated, giving way to something frightening. This was a whole other kind of anger. While Merida was a blazing bonfire, Mavis was a deadly blizzard.

"Relax Mavis." Chloe said, trying to put on a confident façade but failing. Her defensive attitude was beginning to crack, revealing slivers of insecurity. She glanced warily at Merida, who was still restrained by Flynn and Fishlegs.

"Shut up." Mavis snapped, before anyone else could say something. "How dare you interfere with their relationship? What they have together doesn't concern you in any way. It's not your business and you better stay out of it from now on."

"Like I said before. It was just a joke." Chloe said, eyes darting back and forth between Mavis and Merida.

"No no." Flynn said. "That was not a bloody joke. That was an attempt to ruin our friends' relationship. And we're not happy about that."

Rapunzel hummed in agreement and took a step closer to Flynn, as she glared at Chloe. Their other friends all spoke words of support.

"Whatever." Chloe shook her head. She shifted her weight from one leg to the other and bit her bottom lip.

"Not whatever." Rapunzel snapped.

"If you mess with Jack and Hiccup, you mess with all of us as well." Fishlegs said and gestured to them all.

"Yeah, and trust me…you don't want that." Mavis said. "Now get out of here."

Chloe's eyes flickered from one person to the next and she briefly hesitated, before she headed toward the doors with uncertain steps.

"Are you okay, guys?" Rapunzel immediately asked, eyes large with concern.

"Yeah…" Jack said. "I'm just…kind of in a bad mood now."

"That's understandable." Flynn told him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

Hiccup nodded. "Definitely. I'm not in the best mood either."

"Well, maybe we should just enjoy the feast and forget about that stupid girl." Rapunzel told them with a small, encouraging smile.

"Thanks but…" Hiccup said. "I think I'd like to just spend some time with Jack right now. I hope that's okay with you guys."

Jack nodded to show he agreed. He would truly cherish some alone time with Hiccup right now after this horrible situation.

"Yeah, of course." Mavis said and nodded.

"Yeah, just…let us know if there's anything we can do." Flynn told them and removed his hand from Jack's shoulder.

"We will." Hiccup agreed.

"Well…I guess we'll just see you guys tomorrow then?" Fishlegs asked.

"Yeah…see you guys." Jack told them and Hiccup quickly added his goodbye too.

When they approached the doors, Hiccup put his arm around his shoulder protectively. Jack noticed the staring eyes of the students sitting by the tables and he didn't know how much they had heard or understood but they couldn't have avoided noticing Merida's angry yelling, that was for sure. Not that he cared in this moment. It didn't matter what they thought. All that mattered was that his and Hiccup's relationship was intact.

---

They left the Great Hall together. Hiccup kept his arm around Jack. He was not a possessive guy but someone had just kissed his boyfriend against his will and right in front of him, so he was feeling rather protective.

They were moving along the corridor with no destination in mind, a slightly tense silence hanging between them. Hiccup wasn't sure what to say right now. He just wanted them to be together, away from any stupid people who might want to interfere with their relationship.

As they turned a corner, Jack suddenly squirmed out of his grasp. He took his hand and dragged him towards the open door of an empty classroom. He let himself be led along and when Jack shut the door behind them, Toothless stayed outside, presumably to give them some privacy.

The room was dim, only a single lamp on the teacher's desk spreading a faint glow of yellow light. The dark stone walls were confining for his mind, threatening to weigh down on him from every side.

Jack sat down on a desk and stared at the stone floor, his lips sagging, and the emptiness of the room only seemed to call attention to his boyfriend's insecurities. Jack seemed small and fragile among the tall stone walls and the darkness.

"Hic, I…" Jack spoke, still avoiding eye contact. He wrung his hands.

"Jack, come on…don't feel bad. I'm not mad at you or anything." he said, the strong urge to pull Jack into a hug rising within him. But he held himself back. He wasn't sure what Jack wanted to tell him and he needed to give him the time to speak his mind.

"I know, I know…I just…It's…" Jack tried to explain. He gave up and sighed.

"What?" he asked, the concern increasing inside him from the uncertainty.

Jack slowly raised his head. His blue eyes were lacking their usual light. They seemed tired, dull and worried from the events that had just transpired in the Great Hall.

"Jack, what's wrong?" Hiccup asked and took a few steps closer to where he was sitting.

Jack left the desk and a second later, they were standing in front of each other. His boyfriend lifted his pale hand and gently brushed fingers over Hiccup's cheek.

"Jack, just tell me what's on your mind." he said softly.

Jack tucked a lock of his brown hair behind one of his ears carefully and remained quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "I just…I was really scared for a moment."

"Scared?" he asked.

"That I would lose you…" Jack said quietly and turned his gaze to the floor again. "I didn't know how much of it you'd seen…if it might have looked like I wanted it or something…I was just…really afraid when I saw you standing there behind me."

He appeared so insecure that a single word might rip him to pieces and it made Hiccup's heart sting.

"Jack." he said and placed his hand under Jack's chin to tilt his head up. When their eyes met again, he smiled at his boyfriend. "You didn't lose me."

Jack's lips formed a tiny smile, almost invisible by hesitance before it faded away again. His boyfriend frowned and Hiccup squeezed his shoulder to silently ask what was wrong.

"I can still feel her lips on mine." Jack said bitterly and touched his mouth.

That protective instinct surfaced in Hiccup once more. Someone had kissed his boyfriend without consent and there was no doubt Jack felt his personal space and his boundaries had been invaded. Hiccup knew he had to do something about that.

He gave Jack a fond smile. "We can fix that."

He gently pushed their lips together and his eyelids lowered as he showered Jack with slow, delicate kisses, pouring his love for his boyfriend into every brush of lips. He held on to each side of Jack's head while he devoured his mouth patiently, tickling sensations resting on his lips, their mouths gliding over each other in delicious warmth. It was tender and soft and Hiccup could feel the tension leave Jack's body, as he relaxed into the kisses. Small whimpers left Jack's mouth, evidence that he was still feeling vulnerable and enjoyed having his doubts slowly diminished by Hiccup's affections. And Hiccup was happy to oblige. He would kiss Jack for days without stopping if that's what it took to banish his insecurities and push that foolish Slytherin girl out of his thoughts.

When Jack broke their kiss, they watched each other in silence and Hiccup's hands slid down to Jack's waist and rested there, wanting to keep him close.

"Hic." Jack whispered and leaned in so their lips almost touched again. "I need you to know you're the only one I want."

Hiccup felt a soft smile appear on his lips. "I already know that." he told him quietly. He didn't have a single sliver of doubt.

Relief seeped into those clear blue eyes and Jack's white teeth showed as he smiled. It was a beautiful change; uncertainty and nervousness melting away, warmed by fondness and reassurance. Hiccup always wanted to be able to do that for Jack.

He was about to say something. To speak more comforting words that would put Jack's mind at ease. But Jack threw his arms around him and claimed his lips again and he was more than content to let his mind be clouded by his boyfriend's warm mouth.

It was a myriad of slow, deep kisses; brimming with gratitude and sweet relief. The way Jack took his time to patiently mold their mouths together, to lazily roll his slick tongue around Hiccup's in electric caresses, the way he gently held on to each side of Hiccup's jaw and let his thumbs softly brush his skin, like Jack wanted nothing more than to cherish him. It all spoke of Jack's fierce love for him and Hiccup could feel how much Jack wanted to reassure him. To show him how much he meant to him. Hiccup sighed blissfully into their kisses and his heart shed the weight of his worries and felt lighter, like it would soar towards the skies if he didn't keep it contained behind his ribcage.

He rubbed Jack's lower back and let everything else fade away, as Jack's wonderful caresses on his lips continued, lavishing him with amazing warmth and closeness. He breathed in through his nose and the scents of peppermint and Jack's hot breath were intoxicating, sparking an urge inside him to run his lips and nose all over his boyfriend, leaving kisses and nips along every part of that tempting slender body and inhaling that sweet pale skin.

He hummed into Jack's wet mouth from the satisfaction of his thoughts. Jack tightened the grip on his jaw, before slowly sliding his hands down to his waist. The lazy smacking of their hot mouths swallowing each other up was the only sound he focused on. His knees were struggling to keep him standing from the powerful stream of emotions inside him. Jack was fully capable of turning his bones to water with his touches.

His soft hold on Jack's waist turned tighter, nails pressing into skin and he tore his lips off him. "I love you." he whispered.

"I love you too." Jack whispered back, the smallest of smiles flickering across his lips before disappearing again. Hiccup knew it wasn't sadness that banished Jack's smile this time. Something familiar gleamed in shades of blue. Something bold and heated that had Hiccup swallowing thickly in anticipation. He licked his lips and Jack watched him, slowly leaning in.

When Jack pressed their lips together again, slow kisses turned urgent and hungry. Their gentle touches grew impatient from eagerness, fondling underneath each other's shirts to satisfy the craving of touching bare skin. Their lungs struggled to keep up as they neglected proper oxygen supply to claim each other's mouths with smoldering kisses that pushed them both farther away from soft reassurance and into the depths of desire.

Jack was his mead. He swam in Hiccup's bloodstream, warming his entire being from head to toe. He made his mind sing with elation and forget the usual boundaries of rationality and insecurity. Jack made him bolder. Stronger. Braver. He awoke something inside him that he had never known existed before that first brush of lips that day by the lake.

Hiccup could feel the heat rush south and his incoherent fragments of thoughts all revolved around how much he wanted to feel their naked skin together, how he wanted them to connect and share that intimacy they would never share with anyone else. That intimacy they both sorely needed right now.

Jack's attacks on his mouth and the way he began to rub against him, made his trousers unbearable tight and when Jack grinded their erections together, he was just about ready to crack. This was agonizing. Hiccup had a lot of self-restraint but not that much.

"Shit…" Jack whispered as he broke their kiss and they stared into each other's eyes, their chests heaving. Jack leaned in and nuzzled into his neck, his strained breathing heating Hiccup's skin. "If we don't get to the Room of Requirement soon, I'll have to rip your clothes off right here."

By Freyja…did Jack have any idea what he was doing to him?

"Let's go." he said and dragged Jack along with him, hurrying out of the door. He couldn't think of anything but how much he wanted to be close to his boyfriend right now.

Jack chuckled. "Impatient are we?" he said and Hiccup could hear the self-satisfaction in his voice. Clearly, he was thrilled with the effect he had on him.

"How can I not be? Look at you." he said, shooting a quick glance at Jack, whose pale cheeks were dusted with pink, whose white hair was perfectly messy and whose blue eyes were darkened. He was impossible to resist.

"I know right?" Jack said and chuckled again.

"You're hopeless." he shook his head and kept pulling Jack along down the corridor at a quick pace.

"You love it." Jack shot back.

"Unfortunately, yes." he agreed and smiled to himself, before he looked at the black cat walking next to them. "Bud, we're going to need some privacy." he told Toothless. His best friend looked at him and rolled his eyes. Not that Hiccup could blame him. He was pretty sure Toothless knew exactly what he and Jack were doing when they asked for privacy.

The trip to the Room of Requirement was slower than usual. They had to sneak awkwardly through the corridors, peeking around corners to make sure no one would see them. It wouldn't exactly be a proud moment if someone spotted them walking around sprouting two very obvious boners.

---

When the large doors creaked shut behind them, they were finally alone. The fireplace glowed with dancing flames that stretched their warm light through the room and the dark floors were covered with soft rugs in red nuances. In front of the fire, a large bed rested on the hard stone surface, a thick mattress on the bedframe, covered with soft comforter and a myriad of pillows.

It was perfect for them. Warm. Comforting. Private.

He grabbed Hiccup's shoulders and claimed his mouth in a deep, thirsty kiss, as he slowly began to slide off his boyfriend's black cloak. As the fabric fell to the floor, Hiccup pulled off Jack's own cloak.

He broke their kiss and their strained breaths accompanied their impatient fingers, as they loosened each other's school ties and dropped them to the floor. Jack moved on to unbuttoning Hiccup's white shirt, eager to uncover that appetizing skin underneath. When he had fiddled with the last button, he almost ripped it right off as he threw it away.

His palms slid down Hiccup's slender yet defined chest and stomach. He always adored running his hands down the small constellations of freckles and the scars that bore witness of his boyfriend's struggles. They undressed each other slowly, savoring every new part of exposed skin, until they were only in their boxers.

Jack held Hiccup's neck as their lips met in sweltering wet heat, expressing the deep desire that had risen within both of them. He softly pushed Hiccup back towards the small table by the doors, not taking his mouth off him for even a second. When the back of Hiccup's legs collided with the table, Jack was in for a surprise.

Hiccup switched their positions and forcefully hoisted him onto the table. Jack's breath caught in his throat from the unexpected movement. He kissed Hiccup harder, turned on by his usually gentle boyfriend manhandling him like that. It was beautiful and arousing beyond belief when Hiccup let go of his self-restraint.

He shivered as Hiccup's palms moved slowly up and down his pale, bare thighs, forming delightful goosebumps. His fingers quickly found his boyfriend's brown hair and carded through it in impatient desire. He wrapped his legs around Hiccup's ass, trying to get him closer and Hiccup took the hint. His hands slid from Jack's thighs to his ass and he pulled him closer in one hard move, pushing their chests and their hard dicks together, causing them both to gasp.

Jack pushed his pelvis back and forth into Hiccup's, wanting to feel the enticing sensation of his boyfriend's hard on. Hiccup followed his example and started to thrust, filling Jack with a desperate want to just devour him in every way possible.

He slammed his lips against Hiccup's over and over and their slick, hot saliva mingled in their mouths, as warm tongues rolled around each other. Hiccup moaned softly and Jack ate it up and yearned to just go one step further with his boyfriend. Hiccup thrusted more, pushing their throbbing dicks together with more force and Jack knew he needed to do something before he came undone.

Hiccup was wrecking him. Stripping away layers so nothing was left but base, primitive needs. His mind was in a thick fog and there was only one thing visible in the distance: the prospect of one of them fucking the other into the mattress. It was time for another new step and it was urgent.

He pulled their lips apart and panted, as he held his boyfriend's dark gaze. "I need you. Now." he whispered breathlessly. He was unable to keep his want inside him any longer.

Hiccup hummed with satisfaction and ceased pushing their groins together. "We. Better. Do. Something. About. That. Then." he said, kissing him briefly between each word. Jack felt his boyfriend's hand cup his crotch and he sighed with the pleasure of being touched there. A part of him wanted to thrust against Hiccup's hand because he was in desperate need of more pleasure. But another part knew he wanted to take things further.

"Hic…" he breathed heavily, holding on to one of Hiccup's shoulders. "I want…more." he said, digging his nails into Hiccup's muscles. He was hoping he would understand what he meant.

Jack wasn't prepared for the savage attack on his lips that followed. Hiccup's hands grabbed his neck and pushed their lips together hard. His boyfriend ravaged his mouth in ways that left no doubt that not only had he fully understood what Jack meant but he wanted the same thing. He swiped his wet tongue along the inside of Jack's mouth. He nipped and bit Jack's bottom lip. He massaged Jack's raging boner, earning him countless desperate moans and whimpers. The hard table was uncomfortable to sit on but Jack didn't care in the slightest because he was helpless and could do nothing but moan and shudder and delve his fingertips into Hiccup's shoulders to express his delight.

Shit, he loved it when Hiccup lost control over himself. The thought that it was him who made Hiccup become this greedy being of lust was beyond words like "hot". It was a side of Hiccup only he was allowed to see. Purely reserved for their intimate moments together, when the world was forgotten and only the two of them existed and Jack was grateful he was the one who got to experience how heated Hiccup's blood could become.

After a particularly bruising kiss, Jack pushed Hiccup back and jumped off the table. He took Hiccup's hand and led him towards the large bed in front of the fireplace. It looked so soft and inviting and Jack couldn't wait to shower Hiccup with love and pleasure.

In front of the bed, they helped each other get rid of their boxers. They had seen each other naked several times by now, so neither of them were embarrassed about it anymore.

They embraced each other and the warmth of their naked bodies firmly pressing together was perfect. When they pulled out of each other's arms, Hiccup smiled softly at him. "So, uhm…how…how do you want to do this?"

"Oh..." he said, trying his best to think even though that wasn't an easy task right now. "Do you have…any preference?"

Hiccup hummed quietly. "Not really. Neither of us has done this before, so…maybe we could do one thing this time and then switch the next?"

Jack nodded with a smile. He was fine with that idea but it left a massive question unanswered. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea...how do you want to start?" he asked and bit his lip. If he was completely honest with himself, he was a bit nervous about the thought of bottoming. Mostly about the potential pain.

Hiccup observed him for a brief moment and Jack was certain he could tell exactly what he was thinking.

A gentle smile tugged at Hiccup's lips. "I don't care. I just want you." he said and pressed their lips together. The warmth that surrounded Jack's heart from those words only deepened his urgent desire to have more of his boyfriend.

"Would it be okay with you if I started…you know?" he asked, uncertain if Hiccup would understand what he meant.

A ghost of a smile played on Hiccup's lips. Apparently, he had understood completely and he seemed strangely calm about the thought of letting him be on top. "Do what you want with me." he replied and the words carried an underlying teasing that Jack couldn't resist.

His mouth stretched into a grin. "Now we're going to have some fun." he breathed and pushed Hiccup backwards so he fell onto the soft bed.

He took a moment to appreciate the sight of his boyfriend splayed naked before him. The golden light of the flames licked across Hiccup's scarred, freckled skin. Shadows dipped into every contour of his slender body like dark caresses. His green eyes glowed, reflections of dancing flames swirling inside them. He was breath taking.

He had often told Hiccup he was part dragon but it had never seemed truer than now. Hiccup was gentle and caring but he was not some innocent lamb. He had the power and strength of a dragon right underneath the surface; the same untameable nature, the same soul longing for freedom and adventure.

Hiccup lay watching him with interest and Jack smiled and grabbed his bag from the floor. He crawled onto the bed, settling next to Hiccup, leaning against him. They gazed into each other's eyes and Hiccup's hot breaths brushed against his lips.

Jack reached out and gently wrapped his hand around Hiccup's warm, hard dick and moved up and down. Hiccup gasped and shut his eyes, his hands balling into fists.

He pleasured him briefly until Hiccup began to buck his hips and Jack decided it was enough. He let go of him and his boyfriend's eyes slowly opened. Jack smiled reassuringly before he reached for his bag and quickly rummaged through it. He pulled out the lube and condoms. It was a good thing he had decided to keep them in his bag. He and Hiccup sometimes made out in strange places and he had wanted to be prepared for whenever they were ready to go further.

He opened the lube and poured a generous amount of the cold substance on his hand. He rubbed his fingers together, distributing it evenly before he looked at Hiccup for permission. His boyfriend nodded with a small smile on his face that spoke of the trust between them.

Even though they had never done it before, it wasn't too clumsy and awkward. Jack did his best to do it slowly, giving Hiccup time to adjust along the way. He was inexperienced with this but he wasn't naïve. He knew the basics of what to do and how important it was to take it slow. Mostly, Hiccup was quiet except for his strained breathing that accompanied the crackling flames in filling the silence. He let him know through nods and small smiles that everything was all right.

It was a strange sensation to have his slippery fingers inside Hiccup but definitely not in a bad way. It was hot and slick and Jack couldn't wait to have his dick buried deep inside, making Hiccup leave red scratch marks down his back from sheer pleasure. They had both wanted this for a long time but inexperience and uncertainty had held them back. When Hiccup started relaxing properly, it didn't take long for his boyfriend to squirm and actually start to push down on his fingers. Jack watched in fascination as small groans left Hiccup's lips.

"This is…" Hiccup breathed. "Actually starting to feel okay."

Jack hummed and brushed his lips along Hiccup's throat, hot breaths fanning across the freckled skin. He repositioned himself and with his other hand, he curled his fingers around Hiccup's warm dick and pulled down on the sensitive skin. Hiccup's body twitched and his fingertips scrabbled across the pillows, as if desperately looking for something to help him hold on.

"Oh gods…" Hiccup sighed and his eyes closed so tight it made wrinkles appear between his eyebrows.

Jack could feel the blood surge to his cock as he watched Hiccup wriggle and moan and let out choked off whimpers as he shoved his lube slick fingers in and out of his wet tightness and jerked him off slowly. His boyfriend's eyebrows knitted together in needy pleasure every time his fingers thrust inside him and his hand pulled down on his cock. Jack's ego inflated just a little.

Hiccup's body was bathed in the warm light and ragged breaths bore witness of the delight Jack was bringing him. His skin glistened with a thin layer of sweat as if Jack had already fucked him senseless and bloody hell, that sight was so hot he could barely stand it. His heart raced in his chest and his cock swelled eagerly from the juicy thoughts rushing through his mind. He was certain he had never been this hard before.

He thrust his two fingers inside even deeper and jerked Hiccup off faster. Hiccup shuddered and let out a sharp gasp that faded into a long, delectable moan.

Jack exhaled shakily. Yep. That did it. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed to have Hiccup. He needed to show him how much he loved him in the most intimate way. He slid his fingers out and let go of his boyfriend's stiff, inviting dick. Hiccup lifted his head from the pillows. Those green eyes were glazed over with bliss, sweaty locks clung to his forehead and his mouth was open, releasing short, uneven breaths. He looked more than ready for Jack to ravage him.

Their chests rested against each other, as he crawled on top of Hiccup and held up some of his weight on his elbows. Underneath him, Hiccup was warm and firm. A lithe body wrapped in heated skin. He could feel Hiccup's heartbeat thumping madly, matching his own in its frantic pace. It was like they fed on each other's urgency.

He dipped his head and captured Hiccup's mouth in a fierce kiss that conveyed the restless longing inside him. When he pulled away, he gazed into those glowing green eyes that reminded him of green hills.

"You make me want you so bad." he told him, wanting him to know just how much he craved this. Hiccup had no idea how amazing he was and Jack was more than happy to tell him.

Hiccup raised his head so their lips were almost brushing. "I want you too." he said breathlessly and Jack swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat.

He lifted himself so he was crouching over Hiccup, his knees resting on the soft mattress between Hiccup's warm thighs. Their naked cocks slid against each other and he sucked in a breath at the amazing friction. Hiccup buried a hand in his hair and gently massaged his scalp, sending a spill of goosebumps across his skin.

"Ready?" he asked and planted a soft kiss on Hiccup's moist forehead.

"Yeah." Hiccup said and retracted his hand. His eyes revealed a hint of nervousness that contrasted the desire plainly written on his face.

"Okay." Jack breathed and quickly grabbed a condom and the lube from his open bag. Hiccup watched him with a small smile on his face, as he rolled the condom on and made sure to slather his dick in plenty of lube. This was their first time doing this and he wasn't sure if it would be uncomfortable for Hiccup at first.

He threw the lube and the empty condom packet to the side and parted Hiccup's thighs wide, keeping his sticky hands on them to hold them in place. He looked down at his boyfriend with a familiar surge of adoration. Hiccup lay beneath him, tantalizing with his kiss swollen lips, his sweaty bed-head and his hot, flushed skin that gleamed in the light of the flames. Shit, he was too beautiful.

He positioned himself so his cock gently poked at Hiccup's opening. It looked wet and soft and the amazing heat that waited for him in there had Jack summoning all of his self-restraint. He needed to do this carefully despite his own impatient lust. He hesitated and glanced at Hiccup.

"I want this." Hiccup said with a small smile. Jack did not doubt his words in the slightest.

He took a deep breath and began pushing inside, a little bit at a time. Much to his surprise, it didn't take as long as he had expected before he was almost completely inside. Hiccup didn't tell him to stop or showed signs of distress.

He slowly slid in fully and connected their bodies completely. His mouth opened in a silent gasp and his eyes widened from the tightness that pushed around the length of his cock with a warm velvet touch, slicker and hotter than in his filthiest dreams. Hiccup's body trembled and he sucked in a sharp breath that sounded like pleasure blended with disbelief.

"F-fuck." Jack said, unable to help himself. He had fantasized about this so many times since he accepted his feelings for Hiccup and it was surreal that he was finally buried inside the guy he loved, enveloped by an addictive, burning heat he was sure he would never get enough of.

Hiccup's hand glided gently along one of his arms and his boyfriend looked up at him with a look of reverence in his eyes. Jack's lips formed a fond smile. They were aching for each other but it was about more than lust. They were two people head over heels for each other, exploring the deepest levels of their bond.

"Okay?" he asked, his voice rough and breathless. Hiccup definitely didn't look like he was uncomfortable, but he had to make sure.

"Yeah." Hiccup whispered and shifted underneath him. His green eyes glimmered with determination. "Move."

"You don't have to say that twice." Jack breathed and Hiccup's calm expression transformed into a devious grin that made Jack's cock twitch with impatience inside him.

He carefully rolled his hips, pushing into Hiccup with languid movements. Hiccup let out a sigh of satisfaction and his eyes were half-lidded and dark.

Jack groaned from watching the pleasure on his boyfriend's face and the mind-blowing sensation of his cock sliding in and out that wet, hot channel. Despite Hiccup's eagerness, he was tight and his muscles clenched around the base of his cock in a grip that already had hints of euphoric spasms emerge low in Jack's gut. God, he hoped he could last long enough to satisfy Hiccup.

Hiccup's fingertips gently grabbed his sides as Jack proceeded to rock his hips, every nerve in his cock buzzing with raw bliss. "This is amazing." he panted, his nails burrowing into the flesh of Hiccup's parted thighs. Hiccup hummed and the low sound rising from his throat carried all the agreement in the world.

It was more than just amazing though. It was perfect. They kept their eyes locked on each other as they slowly fucked in front of the swaying flames of the fireplace. It was soft and gentle and they were mesmerized by the other's intense eyes that held so much emotion it barely seemed real. The sheer closeness of the moment was making Jack's heart soft and he couldn't help leaning down and placing small kisses on Hiccup's thighs and knees, earning him more wonderful sighs of joy.

First times doing this were not supposed to be this good. They were supposed to be awkward and slightly uncomfortable. This wasn't.

Jack couldn't help marveling at how far he and Hiccup's relationship had developed as he slowly glided in and out of his boyfriend, savoring every little twitch and gasp from Hiccup. At the start of the year, he hadn't even known Hiccup. He had been just been another student to him. And yet, here he was now, pushing inside him with a love and passion that could blind him with its intensity, Hiccup squirming and panting underneath him, looking drunk on the scorching passion and love crackling in the very air between them.

Being inside him felt so unbelievably good and the heat that had begun to knot tightly inside Jack was overwhelming and yet not enough. He basked in the tingling, hot pleasure of their love making but the burning pressure growing in his cock begged him to do more.

He rolled his hips faster and Hiccup sucked in a deep breath and shuddered. Jack grabbed Hiccup's hand and placed it around Hiccup's cock, so he could pleasure himself, while Jack fucked him. All those embarassing internet searches came in handy now. He knew Hiccup might not be able to come only by being fucked. Jack's own breathless moans floated through the air and melted together with Hiccup's, as he fucked him at slightly different paces and angles to find out what Hiccup liked the most. It took a little effort but gradually, Hiccup's noises grew louder and louder and he twitched and writhed underneath him, unable to keep still from the pleasure. Jack kept jerking his hips in the same way, so Hiccup would keep making those beautiful sounds. God, how he wanted this to last forever. To always be fucking Hiccup into the softness of the bed, hearing all the arousing noises he could make and seeing the myriad of expressions flickering across his face like leaves in the wind.

"Oh gods…ah! Jack!" Hiccup moaned and threw his free hand above his head, clutching the sheets in a tight fist. His other hand picked up the pace and jerked himself off faster. The heavenly sound of Hiccup saying his name like that... like he had a deep need that only he could satisfy. It was almost enough to make Jack come right there. It was so ridiculously hot to turn his strong, calm Viking boyfriend into a squirming, sweaty wreck underneath him, all but begging him to fuck him harder.

"Yesss. Yes..." Hiccup breathed and raked fingers down Jack's sides, probably leaving thin rosy lines against his pale skin. "Yesss…so good. That's it…oh gods, that's it. Don't stop…"

Against his will, Jack whined. Oh god, that was just not fair. The needy words made the burning strain in his cock unbearable, filled him with an urgent need to have more... more of Hiccup's arousing sounds, more of his sweet tightness and warmth, more of his nails digging into his skin. More.

"Fuck, you're so amazing." he panted and was rewarded with a particularly loud moan. He gripped Hiccup's hips and thrust into him harder, desperate to sate the primitive demand inside him. The sparks that crackled in his lower body were so delicious but not enough. No. He needed to feel the sweet high of coming.

The sound of his lube slick length gliding in and out of his boyfriend in sharp, powerful thrusts was perverse and he was surprised at just how incredibly arousing it was. Hiccup's dick gleamed with pre-cum and he gasped words in Old Norse now. Incoherent, fragmented sentences that shot thrills up Jack's spine even though he couldn't understand them, because the nature of them was abundantlyclear.

He could feel his release approaching, pulsating heat spreading through him, spasms clamping down on his swollen cock. He was cursing from the pleasure now, his body shaking with need. The room had turned into a furnace, the air thick with the heat of their bodies and beads of sweat slowly trailed down his back.

The sound of skin slapping against skin and Hiccup's sighs and gasps of encouragement only made the need inside him more urgent. He interrupted Hiccup pleasuring himself and grabbed his boyfriend's cock, tugging the skin up and down in a sloppy, frenzied rhythm that matched the quick, uneven thrusts of his hips. It was hard to fuck Hiccup and jerk him off at the same time, but shit was it worth it, seeing how much Hiccup panted and squirmed and was desperate for more.

They were getting so close now. So unbearably close. Jack needed the final push, the last taste of Hiccup's sweet, slick heat before the promise of ecstasy was within reach. "Hiccup." he exhaled and Hiccup opened his eyes to gaze at him with greed. His boyfriend arched his back and pushed against him and they rutted together in pure primitive instinct, the breathless sounds spilling from their mouths growing louder and louder as they searched together for that amazing high that would release them from the beautiful torture.

With one last thrust, Jack was pushed over the edge. He came deep inside Hiccup and cried out as his body twitched and shook, jolts of electricity rushing through his cock in the most powerful orgasm he had ever had.

Even as the satisfaction threatened to make him collapse, he pumped Hiccup's slick cock, eager to pleasure him as much as he could. When his name desperately rolled off Hiccup's tongue, his boyfriend jerked in euphoria and his chest heaved as pearly beads splashed onto his scarred, freckled skin.

Jack let go of him and Hiccup slumped down against the mattress. The pure bliss stretching across his flushed face was incredible. Jack quickly joined him, flopping down on his back on the soft bed, completely drained and overwhelmingly happy.

"Oh my god…" he struggled to not only express his feelings but simply breathe as well. He brushed away some sweaty locks from his forehead.

"Yeah." Hiccup agreed, sounding just as oxygen deprived.

They lay on the mattress next to each other in silence as they took a few moments to rest. Jack savored the way his mind and body were completely calm and satisfied, his brain wonderfully quiet and tired, his limbs weak and still twitching in the afterglow.

"Aren't first times supposed to be really bad?" he asked and chuckled, finally having enough air to actually speak properly.

"Yeah." Hiccup agreed and rolled onto his side as a blissful grin bloomed on his lips. "I'm really glad we skipped that."

"Me too." he replied before his ability to actually think returned and a thought occurred to him. "But…you know…it went a lot easier than I had expected."

Hiccup hummed in agreement. "Me too."

"Hic?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"Have you…you know, tried this before?"

"Uh, no? You know that." Hiccup told him with a sudden frown on his face.

"I don't mean the sex." he clarified. "I mean like…" he flailed his hands around, trying to find the right words. "Having something up…there?"

"Oh…" Hiccup said, understanding appearing in his eyes. "Uhm…I might have…experimented a little over the years."

"Seriously?" he blurted out. He had certainly not expected that answer.

Hiccup shrugged. "I'm a curious person." he said with the slightest twitching of lips. "And…unlike you, I've known for a long time that I like guys."

"Well, when you put it like that it doesn't seem so surprising." he said and smiled. "I guess I just…hadn't expected that."

"I thought you'd gotten used to my surprises." Hiccup said as a way too self-satisfied grin emerged on those swollen lips.

"I guess not." he chuckled. "But you know…I kind of like that you're able to keep surprising me."

"Me too." Hiccup told him and ran a hand through his messy, moist hair.

"Ah." Jack said, realizing they didn't have the proper means to clean up. "I don't have any tissues or anything." he said and motioned to the mess on Hiccup's chest and stomach.

"This is the Room of Requirement. It knew what we came in here to do. I'm sure you can find some somewhere." Hiccup said with amusement in his eyes.

"Hmm, maybe." he said and dragged his body along the mattress so he could reach the nightstand. His limbs still felt too weak to walk properly.

"Yatzy." he said as he discovered some packets of tissues, before grabbing them and efficiently cleaning them both up.

"So that actually means…" he pondered as he threw out the used tissues. Or rather…threw them on the floor in a little, messy pile. "That I didn't even have to bring the condoms and the lube. The room could have just given us that."

"Err, I guess." Hiccup said. "But that would be a little awkward."

"Are you seriously getting embarrassed by a room, Hic?"

"Oh, shut up." Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Lost your sass, have you?" he teased him and brushed some brown locks away from his boyfriend's brow.

"Never." he said and yawned. "I'm just too tired to deal with you right now."

"Oh, please." Jack said as he scooted towards Hiccup and poked him in the side. "You're never too tired to deal with me."

"Fine. You're right." Hiccup told him before he pulled him into his arms and kissed his nose. Jack rested his head on Hiccup's chest and he could hear the knocking of his heartbeat. The sound made him relax and he sighed as let his body melt against his boyfriend completely.

As they lay there on the bed, their warm, sweaty bodies embracing, their legs wrapping around each other, thoughts about everything that had just happened filled Jack's mind. He smiled into Hiccup's skin when he replayed the beginning of this situation and suddenly realized what must have been the reason for Hiccup's calmness and why he had let Jack decide what they were going to do.

"What?" Hiccup asked, looking down on him with curious eyes.

He placed a tender kiss on Hiccup's chest. "Thanks."

"For what?" Hiccup asked, only looking more confused now.

He smiled tentatively and let out a small sigh of contentment. "Hic…You like to be in control of situations because you…you've been hurt in the past…so now you protect yourself by putting up walls and trying to be prepared for every possible outcome…especially when it comes to people and what they might do."

Hiccup hummed softly and even though it was a noise of agreement, there was a hint of sadness in it.

"But you gave that up for me." Jack continued, brushing his fingers along some scars on Hiccup's chest. "You let me decide what to do to make me comfortable."

The small smile on Hiccup's lips confirmed that that was indeed what had happened.

"But…" Jack said, as his thoughts brought him to a more depressing place. "I really hope you didn't feel pressured to do it."

"Of course I didn't." Hiccup said softly before a relaxed sigh escaped his lips. "I just…I wanted you to feel good about this. It was our first time doing this...I didn't want you to be worried about pain or anything like that."

Jack lifted his head and planted a soft kiss on Hiccup's lips. "You're so seriously wonderful...you know that?"

Hiccup shrugged and made a dismissive noise in his throat.

"Oh no you don't." Jack said and slapped him softly on the head. "Don't go all dismissive and "I'm nothing special" on me, dragon boy." he said and grinned even though it was a serious point. "You. Are. Amazing."

Hiccup pressed his lips together tightly, the corners twitching with amusement, before he let a smile settle on his lips. One of those crooked, warm smiles that made Jack's heart flutter. "Thanks." he said, appreciation shining in his eyes.

"We'll try to switch things up next time." he told him.

"We don't have to do that until you're ready." Hiccup said calmly and squeezed him closer to him.

Jack hummed and one of his fingers skated across one of the long scars on Hiccup's stomach. "How was it though? You know...? Was there any pain?" he asked, eager to know how Hiccup had felt even though he had seemed to have the time of his life.

"Not really." Hiccup shrugged. "I mean, at first there was some pain but it was only a little burning. When I got some time to adjust and force myself to relax, it was completely fine."

"That's good." he said and began to shape patterns on Hiccup's stomach with his fingers. "I hope it was as mind-blowingly awesome for you as it was for me." he added and grinned.

"In case you didn't notice those sounds I made…it was." Hiccup told him and kissed his forehead and Jack sighed in relaxation.

They lay in silence for a while and Jack was so comfortable in his boyfriend's warm arms, sunk into the mattress, tired and worn out, that he could easily sleep. Apparently, Hiccup had the same thought because when he glanced at him, he saw his eyes were closed.

"Heey…are you sleeping, Hic?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"Almost." Hiccup mumbled weakly.

"Just sleep then." he told him. "I'm pretty spent too."

"Mhmm." Hiccup agreed. "Will you…let Toothless in?" he muttered.

"Of course." he told him and that seemed to be the last thing Hiccup registered because only a few moments later, his face was completely at peace, his chest rising and falling steadily with the calm breathing that only the sleeping world could provide.

Jack carefully slid out of his boyfriend's embrace and rolled off the bed. He watched him sleep for a brief moment, finding it soothing for his mind. This day had been an overwhelming rollercoaster of emotions. In the Great Hall, he had been so terrified that he had lost Hiccup but their bond was stronger than ever and he was so grateful for what they had together.

"Ek ann þér [I love you]" he told him softly before he went to let Toothless in.

---

Author's note:

Yeah... ahem...*cough* I'm well aware that first times are not usually this easy and this good for the ones involved. But I honestly just felt like letting Jack and Hiccup be one of those very rare exceptions.

The funny thing is...before I wrote the smut scene I actually thought "Okay Rikke, you need to limit yourself and keep it short and to the point this time." But then this monster of a smut scene happened during a long night of insomnia where the words just flowed out of me and it ended up almost just as long as the last one XD But I guess that's the most wonderful thing about fanfiction...that you can do whatever you feel like :P I had fun with it and I hope you liked reading it. And the rest of the chapter too of course.

Now I'm going to collapse on my bed and get 4 hours of sleep before I have to get up again and go to Sweden for the weekend. I'm not sure if there's wi-fi where I'm going or not but...no matter what I'll be looking forward to reading your reviews :)

See you!