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!

22. Howl

~~~~ Hiccup ~~~~

The Room of Requirement was dim, the darkness of early morning yet to be chased away by the bleeding dawn. Flames from the fireplace illuminated Jack's skin, swirls of gold and shadows dancing in a playful display. His boyfriend was sleeping on his stomach with his head turned to the side, his weight delving into the soft embrace of the squishy mattress. The thick duvet was draped over his pale legs and butt, leaving his naked back exposed to the warm glow of the fire. From Jack's head, disheveled white strands spilled onto the pillow, resembling a raging river frozen in place, icy waves and ripples covered with gleaming frost in the winter sunlight. They beckoned Hiccup's hands to run through them, to feel their delicate softness contrasting his rough fingertips.

He took a lock of white hair and rubbed it slowly between two fingers. Jack smacked his lips before his face was once again still, the peace of sleeping sprinkled into every relaxed feature. Hiccup sighed and smiled as a familiar feeling emerged inside him. It was the kind of rich warmth that slowly spread from your core and into every part of you, like a steaming, spicy cup of tea on a chilly winter night where thick snowflakes fall from the dark skies.

It was incomprehensible how Jack could put his mind at ease without even doing anything. Watching his eyelashes flutter, the shifting expressions on his face, the parted lips that breathed life into his being. Even when asleep, he bathed Hiccup's thoughts in a soothing tranquility.

Jack licked his lips and memories of last night flooded Hiccup's mind. They had finally taken that last step and it had been incredible. Their passion had been a boiling ocean; blistering and steaming with crushing waves, impossible to tame. And yet, the tenderness was what stood out in his memories. The love and care infused in every touch, wrapped around every syllable and sound, reflected in every meeting of their eyes.

He rolled close to Jack and savored the heat radiating off his boyfriend's body. He brushed his nose along Jack's soft, warm neck, before he buried his face in it. He breathed in deep, wanting to inhale him like crisp winter air and coat his lungs with his scent.

The wonderful, familiar aroma of his boyfriend filled his nostrils and his fingertips slowly skated up and down Jack's back, following the dips and bumps of his spine. Jack stirred but remained sound asleep.

Sometimes Hiccup couldn't believe how lucky he was. He had fallen in love with one of his best friends, a guy nonetheless, who had never even been attracted to another guy before. The odds of Jack returning his love had been miniscule and yet it had happened.

Their relationship was still new and Hiccup was well aware the butterflies and sparks of electricity wouldn't last forever. But he hoped his love for Jack would never turn to ashes. That years from now, it would still be able to warm him from the inside out.

Jack's parted lips, coated with a sheen of saliva, called him closer. He leaned in and softly covered Jack's mouth with his own. After a few gentle kisses with no response, Jack began to kiss him back. It was soft and patient, a delicate declaration of love in the early hours of the dark morning.

When Hiccup finally pulled away, Jack slowly cracked an eye open and his lips curved to one side. "Well, hello there."

"Hi." Hiccup smiled and brushed his fingers up Jack's arm. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah…" Jack said as his other eye opened. He squinted from the soft light of the fire and blinked a few times. "What time is it?"

"Very early. You still have more time to sleep. But I need to go flying with Toothless."

Jack groaned and out of nowhere, he lunged and threw his arms around him, locking him in a tight embrace. Jack buried his face in his shoulder and Hiccup couldn't help smelling his hair. He put an arm around Jack's back and slowly stroked his boyfriend's skin. Jack hummed, a content sound that bred goosebumps on Hiccup's shoulder.

They lay like that for a while, bodies glued together, the heat of their skin mingling. Jack's limbs began to grow weak, evidence that he was falling back into sleep. And despite how much Hiccup wanted to lay here all day with his boyfriend, he also wanted – and needed – to go flying before the other students in the castle woke up.

He gently nudged Jack's cheek with the shoulder his boyfriend rested against. "Jack?" he said but got no response. "Jaaack, come on…I have to go flying now."

"Mhmm…it can wait." Jack said and tightened his grip around him, like a child clinging to his favorite teddy bear.

"No, it can't." he said. "Toothless is going to get impatient."

Toothless meowed from somewhere on the floor, confirming Hiccup's hunch. His best friend was very accepting of his relationship with Jack but if it got in the way of their flying time together, then he was sure that acceptance would begin to diminish.

"Pssh…" Jack said and snuggled closer into Hiccup's shoulder. "I'm sure Toothless will understand that I desperately need some cuddling from his rider right now."

"No, I'm pretty sure he won't." he said but he had to smile at Jack's insistence.

"Of course he will." Jack mumbled and still refused to let him go. "Cuddling is important. Very important."

"Yeah, but I'm sure Toothless thinks flying is more important."

"Well, he has to wait for a little while anyway…" Jack said, sounding incredibly pleased with himself.

As soon as the word left Jack's lips, a black, blurred shape shot through the air. Toothless sunk his claws into Jack's arm before any of them could react.

"Owwww!" Jack howled and wrenched himself upright, eyes full of shock. "Toothless!"

"I told you he wouldn't understand." he said and tried his best to keep from chuckling.

Toothless let go of Jack and sauntered across the bed with a pleased look on his face. The black cat sat down near Hiccup and stared at him through friendly round pupils, resembling a kitten who would never harm anything.

"Yes, I know, bud. You're the picture of innocence, aren't you?" Hiccup smiled and shook his head, as he received a meow of agreement.

Jack rubbed his arm where thin red lines had appeared. "That really hurt. Devil cat." he said and scowled at Toothless, though Hiccup knew he was just pretending to be angry. Just like he knew Toothless had held back, only wanting to teach Jack a lesson.

"You know…" Jack said, his expression and tone melting into the realm of seduction. "I much prefer your scratch marks." he said and nodded towards the red marks on his thighs from Hiccup's fingernails.

That comment was enough for Hiccup's face to burn and he decided the best course of action was to retreat before his boyfriend would start teasing him. He shook his head and jumped out of the bed but when his weight rested on his prosthetic, he noticed the soreness in his leg. He always took his prosthetic off when he went to sleep but he had fallen asleep yesterday without doing that.

It took him a brief moment to get used to the aching limb. He grabbed the bag on the floor containing his flying gear and armor and put it on a nearby table.

He pulled out one piece of clothing and armor after the other and put them on in the correct order. He had his back turned to Jack but he could feel his boyfriend's eyes on him, roaming over every part of his body. He didn't mind. Jack had seen him naked several times by now. There was nothing to be embarrassed about.

As long as Jack didn't make any teasing comments.

Familiar with the process, it didn't take him long to put all the gear on. When he finished getting dressed by strapping on the black shoulder pad, he heard Jack's voice behind him.

"Ugh…"

Hiccup turned and shot him a questioning look. Jack was lying on his side, resting his cheek on the soft pillow. His face twisted with pretend disgust.

"It's so unfair how good you look in that." Jack explained.

"Really?" Hiccup said, amusement playing on his lips.

Jack hummed in reply. "You are one hot dragon rider."

"Thanks." Hiccup said and shifted his weight onto the other leg. "You, ah…you're definitely hot too."

"Oh, I know." Jack grinned and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Bacraut [Asshole]" Hiccup rolled his eyes.

Jack chuckled. "That was cold, Haddock." he said. "I show you nothing but love and this is how you repay me?"

"You do not show me nothing but love, you idiot." he said, his smile growing.

"Pssh. You're full of lies, dragon boy." Jack said. "Just go fly, then. I'm going to stay here and cuddle with the duvet. The duvet loves me." he said and wrapped his arms around a piece of the thick, white duvet.

"I'm sure it does." Hiccup said dryly.

"Unlike some people." Jack said, pretending to be hurt.

"Oh, don't be such a drama queen, Snær Flekkr. I'll be back again soon."

"Well, don't expect to be on my good side."

"Really?" Hiccup said. "So…if I crawl into bed and try to cuddle with you, you'll just resist it?"

A long pause filled the air with silence.

"Maybe." Jack said, as if he didn't even believe himself.

"Good enough. See you later, Snowflake." he grinned and turned to the black cat waiting patiently by the doors.

"Let's go fly, bud." he told Toothless, before he put on his black cloak and the two of them left Jack behind to snuggle with his beloved duvet.

~~~~ Hiccup ~~~~

After an adrenaline pumping flight with Toothless through the red and golden dawn, he was wide awake and brimming with the sweet sensation of freedom. When he got back to the Room of Requirement, Jack was sleeping once more, his face buried in his new cuddle partner, the duvet. They still had time, so Hiccup managed to sneak in a cuddle session with his sleepy boyfriend. It turned out Jack could not resist. Unfortunately, they ended up losing track of time and had to skip breakfast to get ready for class. Their stomachs didn't agree with that choice but it was better to go hungry for a little while than get detention.

After quickly throwing on their school uniforms and slinging their bags over their shoulders, they headed through the busy castle corridors on their way to the Transfiguration classroom. Curious eyes lingered on them all through the different hallways, like small sharp sticks poking at them, asking silent questions of whether they were still a couple and what had really happened with Chloe yesterday. For most of the short stroll among the buzzing crowds moving through the castle, Hiccup kept his eyes on the floor to avoid the mental intrusions. Jack didn't seem too bothered by it but Hiccup knew his boyfriend could get enough of people's curiosity as well.

When they opened the creaky doors to the Transfiguration classroom, Hiccup spotted Flynn already sitting in their usual spot. A thought popped into his mind and he put a hand on Jack's shoulder to stop him from walking inside.

"You think Flynn's going to know?" he asked. "What we did…last night?"

"Nah, don't worry…he's just boasting as usual." Jack shrugged. Hiccup wasn't convinced but he would let it go for now.

They headed towards the long wooden desk where Flynn occupied a seat, busy flipping through his notes. They passed by rows of other tables with a few students sitting here and there. Some had the courtesy to try not to look at them, while others openly gawked, following their every move. Hiccup sighed to himself. Astrid smiled at him from the other end of the classroom and he gave her a wave, before he and Jack made it over to Flynn.

When they took their seats next to their friend, Flynn looked up and opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself. He sized them up, glancing back and forth between them, squinting his eyes as if trying to read their minds.

It immediately made Hiccup uneasy. What was he doing? Why was he looking at them like that? He truly disliked the feeling of being analyzed.

Flynn's face relaxed, like he had reached some sort of conclusion. His lips molded into a self-satisfied smile and Hiccup's uneasiness grew tenfold.

"You guys had sex." Flynn said casually and nodded to himself.

"What?" he blurted out, instantly worrying if it was so obvious that anyone could see it. He looked around them to make sure no one was nearby.

"Uh…" Jack said, temporarily stunned.

"Don't even bother denying it." Flynn said and twirled his quill between two fingers. "You totally had sex."

"How do you do that!?" Hiccup said, having found the capacity to form a sentence now.

Flynn shrugged but his face radiated smugness. "I have a gift, Freckles."

"Ugh…" he sighed. Great. Flynn knew. Now there would be endless teasing to come.

"That's just…" Jack began, wrinkling his forehead. "So…all those times when you've said someone had sex, they actually had sex?"

"Uh, yes. That's how the gift works, Jackie." Flynn said.

"Whoa whoa…" Jack said and held a hand up. "Wait a minute. So…that time where you said Professor Bunnymund had…?"

"Yup, he definitely had sex."

"With who?" Hiccup asked.

"Well, I don't know that, Freckles." Flynn said. "Anyway, stop deflecting. You guys shagged."

Neither him nor Jack spoke. Hiccup wasn't sure what to do or say right now. He hadn't expected his and Jack's sex life to be under Flynn's microscope.

Flynn chuckled at their awkwardness. He was clearly enjoying this way too much. "So…How was it?"

"Come on, we're not going to tell you about it." Jack rolled his eyes.

"Well, you don't really have to." Flynn said and shrugged. "Clearly, it was great…" he said before his smile bloomed into a devious grin. "Since you both look so…happy and… satisfied."

"Oh gods, please stop talking." Hiccup said, his cheeks aflame. "For the love of Thor, stop talking."

"Why?" Flynn said innocently. "Am I embarrassing you?"

"You know you are."

"I know no such thing. I'm just a friend asking about my other friends' wellbeing." Flynn said, pretending to not see the problem. "Now, give me some details."

"Mate. Stop it." Jack said and whacked Flynn over the head. "We're not going to tell you about it."

"Fine." Flynn agreed. "If you're going to be so boring about it."

"And don't tell the others." Jack added.

"Come on now mate, I can't promise that." Flynn said.

"Flynn." Jack said in that serious tone he used so rarely. "It's private."

"Fine. I won't say anything." Flynn said. "My lips are sealed." he said and mimed zipping his lips shut.

"Good." Hiccup said and sighed in relief. He knew their friends would love to tease them about this and he didn't appreciate having to blush like a school girl all the time.

"So how was the feast?" Jack asked, obviously eager to change the subject. Hiccup was a bit curious about this as well, since their dramatic encounter with Chloe was bound to have spawned a lot of gossip.

"Well…" Flynn began, the gleam of mischief in his eyes melting away. "It was actually quite fun. Things were a little tense for a while after you left and people were talking about what happened."

"So…everyone knows?" Hiccup frowned.

"Yeah, pretty much. I mean, of course they don't know everything but they could easily put the biggest pieces together. Anyway…it didn't last that long. Once the food appeared and the music started and everything, everyone seemed to forget about it and just enjoy themselves."

"Well, that's good." Jack said. "So you guys had a nice time even though we kind of bummed you out by leaving?"

"Yeah, don't worry, Jackie. Of course we were all a little down at first but we quickly agreed that you guys would be fine in each other's…company." Flynn said and winked at them.

"Please tell me you didn't all expect us to do…that." Hiccup fiddled with one of the wide black sleeves on his cloak.

"Nah." Flynn said. "Keep your heartrate down, Freckles. No one knew you would shag."

Hiccup nodded. "So you guys did end up having a good time?"

"Yeah, it was great." Flynn smiled with reassurance. "We spent some time with Harry, Liam and Jim and some of their friends. And we talked a little with Astrid and her friends too."

"Oh right, Astrid knows too now…" Hiccup said, mostly to himself. He glanced at Astrid who was occupied jotting down some last minute notes.

"Oh yes. You can bet she wasn't too happy." Flynn said. "It was a good thing Chloe and the others had disappeared when Astrid showed up because she was more than ready to throw a punch."

"I'm sure she was." Hiccup smiled with affection bubbling in his chest. "And they never came back?"

"Nope." Flynn said. "And that's probably a good thing for them. It seems like most people agree it was a horrible and stupid thing to do."

"Good." Jack said with an edge of bitterness to his voice. Hiccup was aware that he wasn't over this. His personal boundaries had been violated and that wasn't easily pushed aside. In truth, he wasn't over it either. Whenever he thought of Chloe and what she did, his stomach morphed into hard, gnarled roots.

Flynn hummed as a show of support, before his eyes darted towards the doors. Hiccup didn't have to look to know who was approaching. The way the teasing gleam in Flynn's eyes faded into gentleness, told Hiccup all he needed to know.

He found his suspicions confirmed a moment later, when Rapunzel took her seat next to him, a handful of books in her arms and a warm smile on her lips. Pascal rested on her shoulders among long golden locks and leaned against her neck, eyelids drooping. He had never been a morning chameleon.

"Hi guys." she said after putting the books down on the table.

"Morning Blondie." Flynn gave her a nod.

"Hey Punzie." Jack said and winked at her.

Rapunzel replied with an amused eye roll.

"Sleep well?" Hiccup asked.

"Yeah, fine." she smiled at him. "How about you? You weren't at breakfast."

"I know, sorry about that. Me and Jack decided to sleep in."

"Wise choice." she said and nodded towards Pascal. "I think Pascal envies you."

Hiccup scratched the chameleon on the top of his head. He knew that was Pascal's favorite spot and he was rewarded with a tiny lizard smile.

With Rapunzel there, they quickly turned towards more cheerful topics of conversation. Jack told them about the Quidditch training session he had tomorrow and how Merida was certain she had discovered a weakness in the Ravenclaw seeker's abilities. Hiccup was delighted to hear about that possibility. Even though he was a Ravenclaw and should be loyal to his house team, his boyfriend and his friends came first. He knew Quidditch meant a great deal not only to Jack but to Astrid and Merida as well, so he would show up in Gryffindor colors and support them in any way he could.

When Professor Hyde burst through the thick oak doors, the conversations bouncing around the room came to a sudden halt. Students rummaged through bags, flipped through their textbooks, unfolded parchment and dipped quills in ink. Their professor took his usual place at the front of the class by the old wooden desk and poured himself a cup of warm liquid from a thermos; one of the many small signs Hiccup had noticed over the years that Professor Hyde was muggle born and refused to use magic for every little thing.

He admired that. There was nothing wrong with doing things the muggle way once in a while. He couldn't tell what was in the mug but the way the vapor rose from it in slithering snakes of smoke was hypnotizing.

When Jack pulled him out of his thoughts with a cough, Hiccup spotted his boyfriend's half-done Transfiguration assignment lying among random notes scattered in front of him. He shot Jack a curious look. He was going to be busy for the next few days if he hadn't gotten more work done than what Hiccup could see on those papers.

His boyfriend shrugged with a small sigh that spoke of frustrations hanging over one's head. Clearly, Jack hadn't made more progress than this and felt the stress of having a deadline approaching. Hiccup made a mental note that he should squeeze in some time to help Jack out with this.

Today's class turned out to be a lecture with no practical elements. This wasn't a problem for Hiccup. He definitely enjoyed performing magic more than studying it but he easily saw the value in quietly soaking up knowledge from someone with many years of experience under their belt. And he had the discipline to sit still, listen to their professor's voice and write thorough notes that would surely help him later on.

Jack, however, was another story. Hiccup knew he got bored out of his mind with most lectures. To top it off, he rarely bothered to hide it. This class was no exception and Hiccup couldn't keep the amused smile off his face, whenever Jack would sigh or tap his fingers on the desk or spin his quill between his fingers. Luckily, Professor Hyde didn't seem to notice how the life force was slowly being sucked out of one of his students.

When the professor proceeded to go through the many precautions needed for human-animal transfiguration, Jack groaned and rubbed his forehead. Hiccup chuckled and received a scowl from his boyfriend. He squeezed Jack's hand underneath the table and the scowl melted into a soft twitch of lips.

He couldn't blame Jack for being impatient and bored. They had already learned the precautions for these kinds of transfigurations several times before, but apparently Professor Hyde found it necessary to revisit them due to the "dangerous and complicated nature of human-animal transfigurations."

Jack suddenly began to rummage through his backpack, as Professor Hyde drew some illustrations on the blackboard. After a few moments, he pulled out what appeared to be a small bag of sweets.

How typical. Jack had a very sweet tooth and his blood sugar was probably crashing because of their lack of breakfast.

Hiccup smiled. His boyfriend was still a kid at heart and by Freyja, how he loved him for it. Jack ran on sugar and fun times. And much like a child, he was quick to run out of fuel and quick to get it back again.

Jack opened the bag carefully to avoid making any noise. He handed it towards him, silently offering him one of the sweets. He took one without a thought, unwrapped it and threw it into his mouth. It was sweet and spread a fresh, rich taste of berries on his tongue.

He went back to writing notes on his parchment, while the candy swirled around inside his mouth. Sure, Professor Hyde was telling them something he already knew but it never hurt to make sure it was burned into his brain. After all, safety regarding transfigurations was important.

Sudden giggles to his left brought his attention back to his boyfriend. Jack and Flynn were whispering conspiratorially and trying to keep their laughter quiet.

They were definitely up to something. And judging by how their looks were aimed at him, he was most likely the target of their mischief.

Shit.

"What have you done?" he whispered to Jack.

Flynn squeezed his lips together to avoid making a sound that would draw their professor's attention. Jack shrugged and tried his best to look innocent.

But Hiccup knew him. He knew that gleam in his eyes. It was the sort of gleam a small child has when they switch the salt and the sugar and wait for their parents to drink their coffee.

He was up to no good. That much was clear.

He shared a brief, confused look with Rapunzel who had also realized something was going on. She wrinkled her eyebrows as she looked at their friends with skepticism, trying to work out what they were doing.

When his stomach started to rumble, his chest filled with dread by the uncertainty of what was going to happen. What had Jack done to him?

Without another second to fret, a loud burp left his mouth, echoing among the stone walls.

Students around them giggled, ravens in a nearby cage squawked loudly and Professor Hyde was so surprised, he drew a long line straight down the blackboard. He spun around and scanned the classroom with his hawk-like eyes before his attention landed on him and the others.

"Sorry." Hiccup mumbled, heat spreading across his face. Gods, this was embarrassing.

And now he knew exactly why Jack and Flynn were laughing and what those 'sweets' had been. It had been Burp Drops from Zonko's Joke Shop.

He was going to kill both of them.

Professor Hyde nodded once before continuing his illustrations on the blackboard. Hiccup desperately hoped he could suppress the urge to burp for the rest of the class, despite how unlikely that was.

He glared at Jack with the sharpness and chill of a thousand icicles but Jack was not intimidated in the slightest; he merely slapped his hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing even more. He looked ready to double over.

Hiccup could feel his stomach roiling again and he gathered all his will power to keep himself calm and suppress the effect of the candy. In the back of his mind, he knew it was a lost cause but by Thor, he was going to try.

It was no use.

Another burp slipped through his teeth and drew more attention to him. Their professor was not as surprised this time but stopped drawing for a few seconds. A deep sigh left him before he resumed moving the chalk.

Jack and Flynn were having the time of their lives, fueled by each other's amusement. Once in a while, they would seem to get themselves under control. Then they made eye contact and immediately broke down in breathless giggles. Despite his annoying situation, Hiccup did admire their ability to avoid the detection of Professor Hyde.

He narrowed his eyes at Jack. "You're a dead man, Frosty." he whispered to him and mimed a knife slicing his throat.

"Awww, come on now, Hic. You know you love me." Jack told him before he lost his composure again.

When several loud burps emerged from Hiccup's throat for the next 10 minutes, Jack and Flynn began to wipe tears from their eyes. Each burp was loud and impossible to cover up, earning him giggles from the other students and some rather stern looks from Professor Hyde who was not amused by being interrupted over and over.

When yet another unbelievably loud burp filled the air with noise and a nearby hamster in a cage squeaked in terror, Professor Hyde had had enough. He took a few steps closer to Hiccup. "Mr. Haddock. Since you are incapable of restraining yourself, please go outside for the remainder of the class." he said and pointed to the doors.

"Sorry, sir." Hiccup said and got to his feet. He headed towards the exit, despite the urge to explain the situation. If he told on Jack and Flynn, it could give them detention, so he chose not to say anything, despite the total shits they were being.

As his feet dragged across the stone floor, he could feel the staring eyes of the other students, intrusive on his skin like the sting of a freezing wind.

Why, Hiccup, why did you have to fall in love with the school prankster? See where it's gotten you? All embarrassed in a full classroom because you can't stop burping. Nicely done.

He opened the large, creaking doors and gave Jack one last look of contempt. Then he narrowed his eyes and mouthed "I hate you."

Jack blew a kiss at him before his pale lips parted into one of those disarming grins Hiccup knew so well. It was the kind of grin that revealed his perfect white teeth and made his blue eyes glow with laughter. The kind of grin that made it downright impossible to be annoyed with him because he was just too happy and proud of himself, filled with a boyish charm that was not only endearing but ridiculously attractive as well.

Jack could charm any hint of irritation straight out of him and Jack not only knew it; he exploited it.

When he left the classroom and closed the doors behind him, he sighed in relief of being away from giggles and staring eyes. The other students would probably be able to figure out that someone had played a prank on him and made him burp like that but even so…the embarrassment coated his cheeks and he ran his palms down his face.

Toothless was napping on one of the windowsills in the corridor, waiting for him like he did with every class where the professor didn't allow animals inside. His black fur shone beautifully in the sunbeams like obsidian; pitch black and gleaming. As Hiccup approached, the sound of his footsteps woke his best friend from his slumber. Toothless slowly got to his feet and meowed a greeting, which Hiccup returned with some scratching behind the ears.

A few moments later, he found himself sitting in the empty corridors with Toothless purring in his lap, stroking the black cat's back. He told him about Jack's prank on him and he swore he could see amusement in his best friend's eyes before the cat huffed and lifted a paw. Claws extended and Toothless green eyes fixed on him with a silent question.

"No, that's okay, bud. You don't have to maim him, I'll find some way to get back at him." he told him and scratched him under the chin as a reward for always having his back – even against his own mischievous boyfriend.

If Jack thought he was going to avoid revenge, he was sorely mistaken. He might have won this round and he might be irresistible with his bright smiles and those big blue eyes that reminded Hiccup of frozen lakes, but he would find some way to get payback.

He was a Viking.

And when someone wronged a Viking, they better sleep with one eye open.

~~~~ Jack ~~~~

After Professor Hyde dismissed them, they gathered their stuff as well as Hiccup's and met up with him the corridor. As soon as he saw the sour look on his boyfriend's face, it became obvious to him that Hiccup was definitely not going to let his little prank go right away. Jack wasn't worried though. He could get back on his boyfriend's good side in no time.

He, Flynn and Hiccup had Potions next, so they said goodbye to Rapunzel and began the long stroll to the dungeons, where Hiccup continued to pretend he was annoyed with him. If Jack was honest with himself, if Hiccup had in fact been annoyed, it would have been completely justified. But he knew his boyfriend and all the little signs that gave away his true emotions. He could see right through his mask of irritation to the amusement bubbling underneath.

It was still fun to try and earn his 'forgiveness' though.

"Come on, Hic. You love me, remember?" he said sweetly and wrapped his hands around one of Hiccup's arms.

"I'm struggling to remember why, right now." Hiccup retorted dryly without revealing any emotions.

Flynn chuckled next to them and Jack stuck his tongue out.

He decided he had to step it up a notch, so he put on his best 'hurt puppy' face. He had been told on several occasions that that look was downright adorable and he hoped to use that to his advantage now. He had to melt a certain Viking's heart.

"Awww. That really stung." he said and pouted with the saddest eyes he could muster.

"Good." Hiccup deadpanned, looking straight ahead. He was cleverly avoiding the challenge of his adorableness.

"Come oooon." he pleaded. "There must be something I can do to make it up to you." he grabbed Hiccup's arm tighter.

"No." Hiccup said but the corners of his lips moved. He was struggling to keep this up and Jack knew it wouldn't take long for him to crack.

"Nothing?" he asked and let out a small whimper to add to his cuteness.

"No."

"What about some sexual favors?" Flynn chimed in and nudged Jack's shoulder.

"Shut up, Rider." he said and grinned. "I didn't mean anything like that."

"Of course you didn't." Flynn said and winked slowly, like they were in on a plan together.

"Hiccuuuup." he said, letting his hand glide from Hiccup's arm to his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Don't be mad at me."

"Why not?"

"Because, look at me!" he said to get Hiccup to succumb to his charms.

Hiccup glanced at him and he turned up the 'hurt puppy' look even more. This puppy had been yelled at, locked in a room and had a door slammed on its paw. In other words, it was seriously heartbreaking.

Hiccup sniffed unimpressed and stared ahead again.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Jack said. "You're not even going to fall for the cutest weapon in my arsenal."

"It's not that cute."

"Oh, you are so lying. It's adorable!"

"I'm with Jackie on that one." Flynn said. "He can make pretty much anyone forgive him with that look."

Hiccup shook his head but Jack noticed the shine in his eyes.

Well, time for another strategy.

"Hic, I swear, if you don't forgive me, I'm going to kiss you senseless in every single class for the rest of the day. In front of everyone."

That threat was enough to crumble Hiccup's façade. After a fake look of terror, a grin bloomed on his freckled face and Jack found himself chuckling because he knew he had won.

"Fine, fine. I forgive you." Hiccup said and squeezed his hand.

"Finally!" he said, before swinging their entwined hands back and forth.

"Well, the threat of Jackie's kisses is enough to make anyone give in." Flynn remarked.

"Are you still here?" he scowled at Flynn.

"We're kind of heading to the same class, so…yeah."

"At least be quiet, I don't need you to make me look bad." Jack joked. "Now that I'm back on Hic's good side."

"Oh, I never said that." Hiccup said.

"What?" he asked.

"I said I forgive you. But I haven't forgotten this. And I'll get revenge on you."

"Seriously?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yup." Hiccup said. "You've pulled a lot of pranks on me but that one was by far the worst. So…I have to get you back some time."

Jack scoffed. "You don't mean that."

"Oh yes I do."

Jack hummed as he thought about that possibility. "Interesting…"

"Why?" Flynn asked. "He's got you back before when you've pulled pranks?"

"Yeah but this time he called it revenge." Jack said. "He's never called it that before."

"Well, if I were you, I'd watch my back, Snær Flekkr."

"I'm unimpressed, Haddock. I'm too clever for you to get me back now that you've warned me."

Flynn scoffed at that comment.

"No, you're not." Hiccup said. "You won't see it coming. It might be tomorrow or it might be next month…but I will get you back."

"But you've still forgiven me, right?"

"Yes." Hiccup smiled.

"Good, nothing to worry about then!" Jack grinned and clutched Hiccup's hand tighter.

"We'll see about that." Flynn said.

When they found themselves in the gloomy Potions classroom, Jack instinctively scanned his surroundings for Mia, since she also had Potions. She was Chloe's friend and he was sure she had a part to play in what Chloe had done. His eyes drifted over student after student but she was nowhere to be seen. That meant she was either sick or she was skipping class.

Typical. She wasn't even going to own up to what she did. She was just going to avoid showing her face until the gossip had died down.

Merida, Mavis and Fishlegs occupied their usual workstation, huddled close together in conversation around the square table where cauldrons, books and notes lay scattered.

When their friends spotted them, their faces lit up and they all exchanged happy greetings. Mavis, Merida and Fishlegs were eager to know if he and Hiccup were all right after yesterday's events and they were quick to reassure their friends that things were fine.

"So have you heard Chloe and her friends are pretty much social pariahs now?" Mavis asked with a small smile; a smile that spoke of protectiveness rather than taking joy in the misery of others.

"No?" Hiccup asked. "I mean, Flynn told us that people seem to think what they did was wrong."

"Well…" Mavis began. "The general consensus is that Chloe and the others are manipulative bitches."

"Yeah, that's what I've heard too." Fishlegs chimed in.

"That's a fair consensus." he muttered.

"Yeah. It seems almost everyone disapproves." Mavis said, stacking her scattered notes to get some order back on the workstation.

Jack nodded with a small smile but it wasn't genuine. He had a stream of conflicting emotions inside him that he hadn't sorted out yet.

"Isn't that a little reassuring?" Merida asked.

"I guess." Jack shrugged. He wasn't certain.

"I'm not really sure what to feel about all of this." Hiccup said, echoing Jack's own thoughts. "On one hand, it's nice to see that Chloe and the others are getting what they deserve. On the other hand, it doesn't make me feel better about everything that happened."

"Yeah, me neither." he agreed.

"But at least you don't have to worry about them trying something again." Fishlegs tried to make them feel better and gave them a sympathetic smile.

"We'll see." Hiccup said and chewed on his lip.

Jack hadn't considered the possibility of other attacks on their relationship but no matter what those dumb girls tried to do, it wouldn't work. He promised himself that.

"I don't think they'd dare do anything again, Hiccup." Flynn said, unpacking his Potions supplies and putting them on the workstation.

Hiccup merely shrugged. "You never know."

"If they do, I'll keep my promise and hurt them. Badly." Merida said and cracked her knuckles.

"Thanks Mer." Jack smiled and this time there was joy behind it. Having such supportive friends was a gift.

"How could they even think they would get away with it?" Flynn asked and glanced from one person to the next.

"They thought they had a clever plan." Hiccup said.

"Yeah." Fishlegs agreed. "I mean…from what I understand, Mia and the other one kept watch at the doors so they could signal to Chloe when Hiccup would be there to see it."

Hiccup nodded. "I'm pretty sure that's the gist of it, yeah."

"But…" Mavis said. "Why would Chloe even do that? She's never shown any interest in Jack?"

"But she has shown interest in Hiccup." he said and met Hiccup's eyes.

"She has?" Hiccup asked, eyebrows lifting in surprise.

"Not directly, Hic but…I've seen the way she looks at you. She clearly had a reason to break us up too."

"But what about the others then?" Merida asked and ran a hand through the untamed forest of wild curls spilling from her head. "Why would they even be a part of it?"

"I know Mia has a crush on Jack." Hiccup explained.

"Yeah." he agreed.

"Okay, that makes sense…" Mavis said, staring at her stack of notes in contemplation. "So…Mia obviously couldn't kiss Jack because Jack would hate her for it and that would ruin her chances with him….they must have agreed Chloe would do it instead, because she's not actually interested in Jack."

"Yeah, but how on earth could she believe she would have a chance with Hiccup after kissing his boyfriend?" Merida said and slammed her palms down on the workstation.

"Because she's not very clever." Fishlegs said and Hiccup hummed in agreement. "She must have thought Hiccup's and Jack's relationship wasn't very serious yet. That Hiccup would be hurt at first but then get over it and then she could swoop in and tell him all about how Jack kissed her and that she didn't want it and felt awful about it afterwards. You know…play the victim."

Jack scoffed. "Like that would ever work on Hic." He had no doubt Hiccup was too clever to fall for a scheme like that.

"Yeah, but she didn't know that. She doesn't know Hiccup." Fishlegs said and folded his hands on the table. "And she doesn't know what you have together."

"They're a bunch of idiots." Flynn shook his head. "Something like that would never be enough to break Jackie and Hiccup up."

"Of course not. But…they underestimated our relationship." Hiccup said and took Jack's hand under the workstation.

"Yeah, they did." he agreed and smiled, brushing his thumb over Hiccup's warm fingers.

Hiccup returned the smile. It was goofy and filled with happiness; a sudden change from the serious look from before. Jack couldn't help himself; the joy seeped into every part of his face, mirroring his boyfriend's elation.

God, the two of them must be nauseating to watch sometimes. But he didn't care. He was in love and he had the right to savor that.

"You two had sex." Mavis said knowingly from next to Flynn.

"What?" Hiccup blurted out and snapped his head towards her. "Would you keep your voice down?" he hissed and quickly glanced around them to make sure no one had heard it. Jack did a brief scan too. Luckily, all the other students were occupied by their own conversations.

"Flynn." he said and glared at his friend. If Flynn had actually told them after he had promised not to, he would be in serious trouble. "You promised not to tell them."

"I didn't say anything!" Flynn's eyes grew and he held up his hands.

"Flynn's innocent." Mavis smiled and crossed her arms, leaning back into her chair.

Merida snorted.

"Well…innocent in this particular situation." Mavis corrected her previous words.

"Okay." Jack nodded. "Sorry, mate." he told Flynn in an instant surge of regret. He did trust Flynn but how had she known if he hadn't said anything?

"No worries." Flynn smiled. "But I keep my word, you know."

"Yeah, I know." he agreed.

"So…our two boys are aaaall grown up." Mavis grinned and Merida whistled suggestively.

"How did you even know?" Hiccup asked.

"It's pretty obvious…" Fishlegs chimed in hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure he wanted to participate in this conversation.

"Well, we expected you to know. You know everything." Jack said. "But…you." he looked at Mavis. "How did you know?"

Mavis lifted one eyebrow. "Come on….Jack, I may not be Fishlegs, I know you. And I know Hiccup. You spent all night alone together after something so dramatic and you're looking at each other like two goofy idiots who are closer than ever. I think the conclusion is pretty straight forward."

"Pretty…straight forward?" Flynn asked and looked around to see their reactions, like a little child who had just done something he was sure would result in praise.

"You're kidding, right?" Merida asked. "You didn't just…ugh."

"What? It was a brilliant pun." Flynn insisted.

"No, mate." Jack smiled. "No, it wasn't."

"Pssh. You clearly don't recognize the humor of a genius."

"Yeah, we do. But that wasn't it." Merida said and smacked her forehead gently. "Idiot."

"Oh, Red…" Flynn said softly, holding his hands over his heart. "When will we put these petty squabbles aside and indulge in that burning desire we have for each other?"

Jack laughed at that absurd thought and the others quickly followed, except Merida. The laughter relieved the tension in his gut and even after he stopped, he couldn't remove the smile from his face. Being around his best friends always had that effect.

Merida directed a skeptical look at Flynn. "How about…never?"

"Aha!" Flynn exclaimed victoriously and pointed at her. "So you admit there's something there!"

"No!" Merida refused.

"Oh, you so do!" Flynn grinned.

Merida crossed her arms. "I would rather snog a goblin than you!"

"As if you could ever land a goblin- owwww!" Flynn said and rubbed the side of his head where Merida had hit him. "You seriously need to find other ways of expressing yourself than violence, Simba."

"No, I don't." Merida said, a satisfied smile settling on her lips. "Why change something that works?"

"Well, whoever ends up with you must be a bloody masochist." Flynn shot back.

"Don't be such a weakling, Rider. Besides…why are we even talking about me?" Merida said. "Those two had sex! Isn't that a bit more important"?

"Yeah, you're right!" Flynn said. "You know, I tried to get them to spill the details but they won't tell me anything."

"Will you be quiet?" Hiccup reprimanded them. "We don't want everyone in this castle to know."

"Oh relax, no one's going to hear anything." Merida said, whirling her hands around dismissively.

"That's easy for you to say, it's not like we're talking about your love-life." Hiccup said.

"He's got you there." he said. He was sure Merida would injure all of them severely if they ever discussed her romantic endeavors like this. "Well…not like you really have one, anyway."

"Whatever." Merida said. "The point is…you two bonked each other."

"So what?" he asked.

"So now you're no longer innocent." Flynn said

"Not that shit again, mate." he sighed. Why did they have to make that 'teasing is mandatory' rule when they were 12? "Stop it."

"Can't." Flynn grinned. "It's just a fact."

"Why is it that no one is ever talking about Hic's "innocence"?" he asked and gestured to his boyfriend who instantly shot him a look that said why-are-you-pulling-me-into-this?

"As much as we all love Freckles, you're our little brother." Flynn said. "We have to look out for you the most."

"Yeah, but you should really cut it out now." he said. "Especially you" he pointed to Flynn. "And you." he pointed to Mavis.

"Pssh, I'm pure as snow, Jackie." Flynn stretched his arms out casually.

Merida rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right!"

"What?" Flynn asked. "I'm saving myself for marriage."

"Of course you are." Mavis said dryly. "And I'm going to the beach to get a tan."

Merida snorted and they all grinned at that absurd idea.

"That's not the same thing, my dear vampire." Flynn said sweetly.

"You are not innocent. You've had sex. Several times. End of story." Jack said and bumped his fist onto the table to underline the finality of that statement.

"Pssh. Have not."

"Yes, you have, Flynn. Give it up." Mavis said.

"Hey, you shouldn't start either." Jack said and pointed an accusing finger at Mavis. "I know what you've been up to."

"So? Doesn't mean I can't give you a hard time." she said and stuck her tongue out.

Jack shook his head and smiled. But it quickly faded, as he felt the need to discuss something with them. "Have you guys noticed that Mia isn't here?"

Hiccup briefly looked around them, while Fishlegs, to no one's surprise, instantly said "Yes."

"Not until right now." Flynn said and Merida nodded.

"It doesn't really surprise me." Mavis said. "Chloe wasn't in Magical History, so…I guess they're all skipping classes today."

"They're probably ashamed to show their faces around here right now." Fishlegs said with an underlying annoyance that would go undetected by anyone who didn't know him.

"Good." Merida said through gritted teeth.

"Yeah." Flynn agreed.

Jack gave them a small smile to let them know he appreciated their support. He and Hiccup were truly lucky. They had wonderful friends who always had their backs and would be there for them no matter what. Not everyone could say that.

The double Potions class stretched on uneventfully. When Professor Creek arrived, they were told to brew Wiggenfeld potions today – a potion made to awaken someone from magically-induced sleep. The first hour went by with a lecture of the use of Potions ingredients they hadn't handled before and the history of the potion, as well as what could potentially go wrong. Afterwards, they set to brew their batches. It was one of the more difficult potions they had ever brewed, with a long list of ingredients and complicated directions that had to be followed to the smallest detail. It was also a temperamental potion, meaning if something went wrong, it would usually result in an explosion. This was confirmed by several students who managed to get their faces covered in soot and their workstations slathered in potion.

After Potions, he, Hiccup, Flynn and Merida had Defense against the Dark Arts, where they practiced silent jinxes and protection spells. He and Hiccup had a fierce competition going throughout the lesson, putting all their effort into succeeding with the spells. Merida and Flynn were equally competitive and decided to play dirty by whispering the jinxes and other spells at each other, when Professor Bunnymund was busy with other students.

After classes, Hiccup wanted to go to the workshop and work on some projects, while Fishlegs was meeting up with Rapunzel to work on a Magical History assignment. Mavis had frog choir practice and Merida had set some time aside today to fix up her Quidditch broom that had become damaged during their last training session. That left him and Flynn to hang out alone for a few hours before dinner.

They decided to go looking for Liam and Harry in the courtyards. It had been a while since Jack had spent time with them and he knew they often sat outside to do homework, preferring the fresh air much like himself.

After a quick stroll through several corridors in the light of the stained glass windows, greeting people they knew along the way, they found themselves by the entrance to one of the courtyards. Jack had taken a few steps on to the fresh Spring grass and breathed in the lovely mild air, before he noticed Flynn wasn't following.

His friend was frozen in place and staring at something. When Jack followed his line of sight he didn't need an explanation to understand Flynn's reaction.

The courtyard was near the Magical History classroom where Fishlegs and Rapunzel had agreed to meet up. Jack saw Fishlegs slip inside the classroom, his arms packed with books, but what drew his attention was Rapunzel and the company she was currently in.

She was standing by the doors, engaged in conversation with Evan Hill. He was a fellow Ravenclaw in the same year, tall and lean with auburn hair and a face full of freckles. He shared some classes with him and the others but Jack had only spoken to him a few times over the years. He seemed like a decent guy; kind and rather clever as well.

But that wouldn't soothe Flynn's distress. Jack knew the sting of seeing the person you liked with someone else. Their good qualities didn't matter; the hurt tightening in your chest was the same.

He edged towards Flynn, while keeping an eye on both him and Rapunzel. She hadn't noticed the two of them standing further down the corridor, too engulfed in the conversation she was having with Evan.

He noticed Flynn's jaw tighten when Evan reached out and petted Pascal, who was resting on his usual spot on Rapunzel's shoulder. Jack had the urge to stomp over there and slap the guy's hand away to help his friend.

He slowly moved closer to Flynn, who had crossed his arms tight and rested his weight against the stone wall. His friend hadn't even noticed he was coming towards him. His brown eyes were fixed on Rapunzel and brimming with dark emotions that Jack knew all too well.

When Evan made some kind of joke and Rapunzel giggled, Jack made up his mind and walked the other way. He knew he had no right to interfere but he didn't care. He would shield Flynn from this pain as much as he could.

He walked with brisk strides towards them and forced his lips to smile.

"Punzie!" he said with an enthusiasm he didn't feel at the moment.

"Oh, hey Jack!" she greeted him happily.

"Hey man." he acknowledged Evan who smiled and gave him a little wave.

"So, what's up?" Rapunzel asked him.

"I was just wondering if you'd seen Liam and Harry anywhere? I can't find them."

"Oh…no, sorry. I haven't seen them since…a few hours ago." she said and adjusted the leather bag hanging from her shoulder.

"Oh well." he shrugged. "Just thought I'd ask."

"If I see them, I'll let them know you're looking for them." Rapunzel told him with a soft smile.

"Great. Thanks Punzie." he grinned to cover up his real motivation for interrupting.

Rapunzel nodded, before looking at Evan. "Well…I should get going anyway. Fishlegs and I need to work on that assignment."

Evan nodded but Jack caught the disappointment in his eyes. "Sure. I'll see you around." he smiled.

"Yeah, see you." Rapunzel agreed. "And I'll see you too, Jack."

"Sure, see you later." he said.

Rapunzel disappeared into the Magical History classroom and Evan gave him a brief nod before he continued down the corridor.

Mission accomplished.

Jack would be lying if he said he wasn't a tad proud of himself. Yes, it wasn't his business that Rapunzel was talking to someone, she had the right to talk to whoever she wanted. But he couldn't stand by and see Flynn go through the same thing he had.

And he had even been discreet about it. Neither of them questioned him for interrupting. He wished Hiccup could have seen this. He would have to tell him about it later. His boyfriend always said he lacked discretion. Well, just look at him now.

When he was by Flynn's side again, his friend had relaxed and slipped into a casual façade. It would take more than that to fool him though. Flynn smiled at him but Jack could easily tell it wasn't genuine.

He squeezed Flynn's shoulder. "Hey…are you okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Flynn said, faking confusion. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, I don't know…" he said. "Maybe because you just saw the girl you like talk and laugh with another guy?"

"What?" Flynn said, disbelief twisting his features.

"I see it, mate. I know you like her." he explained with a sad smile.

Flynn sighed in defeat and ran a hand through his hair. His disbelief evaporated. "Fine…I like her."

"So…why don't you do something about it?"

Flynn looked into his eyes for a brief moment. "Come on." he said and motioned towards the courtyard.

Jack nodded and followed him into the pleasant fresh air and the golden touch of the late afternoon sun. A few other students were outside by different tables, some by themselves others in small groups, buried among piles of notes and books.

They found a secluded table close to one of the castle walls. A tall ash tree bathed half the wooden table in shadow and spread its branches, flourishing in shades of green, against the blue sky.

They sat on the table instead of the benches and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Jack listened to the whispers of the breeze in the bright green leaves on the ash tree, the distant quiet conversations among study partners at other tables, the soft symphony of birds' voices. Peaceful surroundings that contradicted the turmoil inside them both.

"So..." he said, giving Flynn an opening to start talking.

"It's not that simple, Jackie." Flynn said, like he had read his mind.

"What?" he asked, perplexed by Flynn's hesitance. It was a side of him Jack only saw on rare occasions and it surprised him each time. "You talking to a girl is "not that simple"? When did that happen?"

"This isn't just any girl." Flynn said and it sounded like an objection.

"Mate…" Jack said softly, deciding to dig straight into the roots of Flynn's insecurities. "What's holding you back?"

"I don't know." Flynn sighed and looked up into the branches of the tree. "Maybe…maybe I just think she deserves more."

"More?"

"Yeah. Someone better."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, taken aback by the trace of self-loathing he could hear in his friend's voice. He had seen Flynn insecure before but putting himself down like this? No. This was new.

"I'm not exactly the kind of guy I think Rapunzel would go for." Flynn explained, keeping his eyes locked on the branches, decorated with leaves gently swaying in the breeze.

"Why not?"

"Come on…I have a record, I'm not a model student, I'm not planning anything ambitious in the future, I'm known throughout the school for being a womanizer. I'm not the kind of guy you want to bring home to your parents."

Jack sighed. "You've made some mistakes in your life, you're not the ambitious type and you're a flirt. That doesn't make you a bad person."

"I never said it did. I just think Rapunzel wants to aim higher."

"First of all, you're a great guy. Second of all, maybe you should let her decide what she wants. Tell her how you feel."

"That's easier said than done. You of all people should know that."

"I do know it." he said and kept his eyes on Flynn until his friend met his gaze. "But even though it's terrifying, it's still the best thing you can do."

"Not if she rejects me." Flynn said and in this moment he reminded Jack of himself. Their situation was reversed now. It used to be Flynn who was trying to convince him to confess to Hiccup and he would refuse the idea because of his doubts and fears.

"I have a feeling she won't do that." he said, trying to reassure him. After all…he was pretty sure Rapunzel liked Flynn too but if neither of them ever made a move, nothing would happen.

"What? How do you know?"

"I don't know, I just…I think she likes you too."

"Why?"

"It's just a hunch. The way she looks at you. The time you've been spending together alone. You've grown really close."

Flynn quietly took in the information. He turned his brown eyes to the sky and watched the fluffy white clouds skate across a sheet of blue, pushed by the winds.

"Mate…" Jack said. "Hiccup thinks she likes you too."

Flynn looked at him again, a sudden surge of surprise dancing in his eyes. "Hiccup thinks so?"

"Yeah." he nodded. "And he knows Rapunzel even better than we do."

Flynn hummed. "Maybe there's some hope after all then…"

"Of course there is!" Jack said and patted Flynn on the back. "Come on, man…you're not usually the insecure type but I will list all of your bloody brilliant qualities if it'll make you feel better!"

"Thanks, Jackie." Flynn said. "But I don't think that's necessary." he smiled.

"So…will you consider telling her?"

"Yeah…I'll think about it."

"Good." Jack smiled. "You'd be great together, you know."

"You think so?"

Jack hummed. "Definitely."

Flynn scooted closer to him and held out a fist. "Thanks, mate. For everything."

"Any time." Jack smiled and met his friend's hand in a fist bump.

~~~~ Hiccup ~~~~

The scent of paint stayed in his nostrils as he left the workshop behind and wandered down the hallways. Toothless sauntered beside him on silent paws, green eyes sharp and alert despite just waking up from the nap he had taken on one of the workstations.

It had been a productive hour and Hiccup had managed to finish three projects, including a new bow for Merida because her birthday was coming up. This bow was larger than her other one, built in yew wood with pale tips of silver birch wood and a grip made of dark leather. The last bow he made for her had a pattern of Celtic knot symbols carved into the limbs but with this one, he had gone another way. Since he now knew Merida's Patronus was a bear, he had designed a pattern of vines and leaves that crawled along the bow with strong bears in between in different positions; walking, roaring, standing on two legs. He had wanted to make it a pattern representing strength and resilience, traits Merida possessed in abundance, and he was very satisfied with the result.

His fingertips were coated in a soft layer of sawdust and he brushed them along the stone walls, as he headed towards the nearest courtyard. He was looking for Jack and Flynn. They had talked about getting some air after a long day inside and that idea sounded wonderful to Hiccup right now. His brain was dusty and needed a fresh breeze to blow it away.

He turned around a corner and strolled along a corridor where a few other students were on their way to other places. There was a resigned quietness hanging in the air, as if everyone's minds were dulled after an active day full of classes.

The sound of angry footsteps had him staring down the corridor. Astrid came stomping around a corner, eyebrows pushed close together and jaw clenched like she was trying to grind rocks to dust with it. The other students moved out of her way and even the few who knew Astrid didn't dare say anything.

When his friend was closing in on him, he held out his hands towards her to get her attention. "Whoa, Astrid, Astrid. Stop."

Astrid halted her steps and only then did she finally see him. He and Toothless went to her and the frustration on her features softened.

"What's the matter?" he asked, concerned by her dark mood. "Did something happen?"

"It's not important." she said and waved a hand to dismiss his worries.

"Astrid, come on. You can tell me." he insisted. Astrid was fiery but she was rarely angry like this.

She sighed and briefly glanced down the corridor, where other students went on their way. "I just…I had to deal with some tossers and now I'm in a really bad mood."

"Oh? Who?"

"Brandon and Abbey." she spat out the names like they coated her taste buds with bitterness.

"Oh…" he said while his brain processed this information. Despite also being in Gryffindor, Brandon and Abbey were not people Astrid usually spent time with. Neither did Jack, Flynn, Merida and Mavis, for that matter. He knew Abbey didn't like him and the feeling was mutual, so he could only see one explanation for Astrid's sudden conflict with them.

"It was about me and Jack…right?"

She bit her lip in silence but her blue eyes gave away the answer. "Yeah." she confirmed. "Yeah, it was."

Hiccup nodded slowly. It wasn't a surprise but it left him with a strange feeling that could only be described as a mix of annoyance and sadness. "They think it's wrong for Jack to be with me?"

"Something along those lines." she said and Hiccup didn't overlook the way her fists tightened.

"So what happened?" he asked. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to know, but he could tell Astrid needed to talk to someone about this.

"I was in the common room and overheard them talking, when I was on my way to the bathroom. They were…basically saying your relationship with Jack is disgusting." she explained. "I couldn't handle that."

The word 'disgusting' stung. Despite expecting these sort of reactions, Hiccup couldn't deny the emotional stab they left. "What did you do?"

"I started yelling at them." Astrid said, flailing her hands around. "Told them they were idiots…that they better never speak of you that way again. Or Jack for that matter…or I'd rip their tongues out."

"Sure sounds like you." he smiled softly.

Astrid chuckled but it was quiet and restrained with the weight of dark feelings. "Yeah…"

"No one backed you up?"

"There weren't really anyone else there except a few first and second years and I don't think they had the nerve to get involved."

"Probably true…Thanks for defending us." he told her.

"You don't have to say thanks for that, Hiccup…" she said. "We're friends. I'll always defend you."

He took a few steps towards her and pulled her into a hug. She rested her arms around his waist and he stroked the long, blonde braid hanging down her back. "I'll always defend you too, though I doubt you'll ever need it." he chuckled. "I'm glad I have you as a friend."

"You better be, Haddock." she told him and it was lovely to hear the amusement chase away the anger.

"Don't get too full of yourself."

"Point taken."

When he let go of her, Astrid smiled at him; it was warm and genuine but melted away too quickly.

"It's just…unbelievable that some people think they have the right to judge you and Jack like that." she said.

"Yeah, I know…but people always judge, Astrid…that's not new." he sighed.

"I know I know." she agreed. "It just makes me so angry."

He nodded. "Yeah…me too…but I try to keep myself calm."

"Well, you've always been better at that than me."

"True." he agreed and a grin settled on his lips.

She nodded silently with a crooked smile.

"So…are you going to be okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just need to cool down. I was actually on my way to get my bow so I could shoot some arrows."

"Yeah, that's always a good way to get some anger out…Want some company?"

"That'd be really nice." she nodded.

"Let's go then." he said and turned to walk back the way he came from.

When he found himself in the small forest, the beauty of the late afternoon breathed serenity into his veins. The mild light traveled through the trees in golden columns, the shadows of the wooden trunks casting dark lines across the thick underbrush. The scents of pine needles and moist earth infused the air with a calming freshness, chasing away the smell of paint. A little rowan tree stood nearby, clusters of bright red berries hanging from its thin branches. Once in a while, a small bird would land and nip at the juicy fruits.

He and Astrid had just finished putting up the targets he and Merida used for practice and were now preparing to shoot some arrows. Toothless entertained himself by running after insects across the forest floor, catching them in his paws before letting them go again. He wasn't interesting in harming them, he just liked the chase.

At first, he and Astrid simply shot arrows at the targets in silence. He waited a while to speak, letting her get some of those frustrations out first. She drew her bow tighter and fired arrows at a quicker pace than him, clearly conveying the anger she still felt inside from the earlier conflict. He was content simply being in her company. It had been too long.

After watching a squirrel jumping from tree to tree with acrobatic grace, disappearing into the leafy crowns stretching out above his head, he decided to find out how his friend was doing.

"So…how's everything going with you? I feel like we haven't talked properly for a while. I mean, I only briefly heard about your Easter break the other day and besides that, we almost haven't talked at all." he said and frowned at that realization. Astrid was important to him, so he didn't like not knowing what was happening in her life.

"Yeah, I know. I'm really sorry about that." she said as she released an arrow that found the middle of the target. "I've been swamped with all kinds of things since I came back here. Prefect duties, Quidditch training and making new strategies, homework, extra classes and all that. I've barely had a moment to just sit down and relax."

"Nothing new there." he smiled. "You always have so much going on."

"True…" she agreed. "You know I like to keep myself busy. But I have to admit, at the moment it's getting a bit stressful."

"Maybe you should cut down on all of those activities? I mean, I know you have to do some it but…isn't there room to leave some of them, at least temporarily?"

"I'm not sure." she said as she released another arrow. It shot through the air in a blur and found its target without faltering. "But it'll probably get a little better after our match with Ravenclaw."

"Yeah, I've heard from Jack that our team has become a lot better." he said as he drew his bow and prepared to launch an arrow.

"That's true." she agreed. "They have a new Seeker and they also switched that dummy goalkeeper of theirs. So now they're an actual threat."

"Well, I'm sure you're working the Gryffindor team to the bone. At least that's what Jack says." he said and fired the arrow. It landed in the center of the target and he smiled with satisfaction.

"He's always been more into fun than hard work." Astrid said but there was no disapproval in her eyes.

"True. But sometimes those things can be combined."

"Yeah. That's how I feel about Quidditch…and fighting practice. Even when it's tough."

He nodded. "Do you think the Ravenclaw team actually have a chance against you guys?"

"They might have." she admitted reluctantly. "Are you going to stick with your own house this time?"

"Nah. You know me and Fish and Rapunzel will always back you guys up." he said as he launched another arrow that landed in the same target, right in the middle.

"Great." she said and smiled. "I'm glad to hear it."

The arrow had been his last and Astrid had run out as well. Pine needles cracked under his shoes as they retrieved arrow after arrow from the targets in silence and put them in their quivers. Among the quiet melody of the forest, his mind turned to other thoughts and when they had finished gathering the arrows, he decided to ask Astrid about it.

"Astrid?" he asked.

"Mhm?" she replied absent mindedly as she swung the quiver over her shoulders again and picked up her bow from the rock it was resting on.

"Can I ask you something personal?"

"Sure." she said

"Do you still…uhm…you know…do you still have feelings for me?" he said and hoped this topic wouldn't put Astrid in an awkward position.

Astrid was quiet for a moment. She pulled the bowstring back and released, the arrow hitting the target with a loud thud. She lowered her arms, holding the bow in one hand.

"Yeah, a little. But…it's getting better." she smiled at him. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

He studied her features, looking for anything that indicated the contrary. But Astrid's eyes were calm and her small smile was genuine and reassuring. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

"Good." he returned the smile.

"You know, Hiccup…for what it's worth, I think you and Jack are good for each other." Astrid said, as she took out another arrow and drew her bow, eyes locked on the target.

"You do?"

"Yeah. He makes you happy, anyone can see that. And you're a good influence on him."

"How?"

Astrid's lips twitched when she let go of the bowstring and the arrow buried into the target. She turned and fixed her eyes on him. "Well…he's better at focusing now. I mean, he still goofs around, it's Jack after all, but…there's a better balance now. It's like he knows now when it's the proper time to be a class clown and when it's better to push everything down and get the job done. And…it doesn't hurt either that he seems to help you let go of your worries."

"Yeah…he does."

"That's important." she said. "You have too much going on in that brain of yours."

"Tell me about it." he agreed. The last few months had been a mess for both his mind and body; the torture, Professor Cooke, the threat of the hostile tribes still looming over his home, everyone finding out about his and Jack's relationship, McGowan's, Levin's and Zamora's trial, the upcoming trial for Professor Cooke…it had been one hit after another.

But Jack had been there through everything.

He smiled to himself.

"Odin's beard…" Astrid said and scratched her cheek. "Stop thinking about your bloody boyfriend." she chuckled.

"Fine." he agreed and drew his bow.

Astrid pulled out another arrow from her quiver. "Come on, lover boy. Let's turn this into a little competition."

~~~~ Jack ~~~~

TIME SKIP: NEXT WEEK

No one could deny the awe the Hogwarts library instilled in you.

Tall walls of sand colored stone where light streamed through colossal windows to contrast the darkness. Majestic bookcases reaching for the impressive arched stone ceiling, packed to their limit with books of all sizes on every magical topic conceivable. The glossy dark floor boards, dented and scratched by being stepped on by wizards and witches for hundreds of years. The sheer age and wisdom of the room should be enough to impress anyone.

He and Hiccup had found a secluded spot in the back of the library by a table next to a large pointed arch window. The sun was hidden by endless granite clouds, a mild Spring drizzle making soft droplets trickle down the pale glass. Toothless rested on the table, black furry limbs tucked in neatly under his body. Sometimes he would follow their conversations, other times he would gaze in different directions, keeping an eye on everyone who passed by.

They were supposed to be studying. Getting some work done on that Potions assignment, they were partners on. Somehow, it had ended up turning into Old Norse lessons instead. Jack didn't want to take responsibility but it was completely his fault.

"So, what's this called then?" he asked and grabbed his wand.

"Vǫlr." Hiccup said.

"Vǫlr." he repeated, as best he could.

"Vǫlr." Hiccup said again, enunciating the word.

"Vǫlr." he said, trying to roll his tongue just right.

"Better." Hiccup smiled at him; a small smile dimmed by fatigue. Under his eyes the skin was darkened and his brown hair was messier than usual; a victim of frustrated fingers pulling and scratching.

Jack reached over the table and brushed his hand over Hiccup's sympathetically.

Hiccup had had a terrible day, filled with worries and lack of rest. He hadn't slept well last night, when they were together in the Room of Requirement. He continued to have nightmares on a regular basis about the torture, tossing and turning, mumbling words in Old Norse. Jack knew it was natural but that didn't comfort him. Earlier, he had had no idea what Hiccup was saying, but as he continued to learn more Old Norse, he could understand fragments of it. It didn't make it easier to watch his boyfriend in distress.

On top of the lack of sleep, Hiccup had received a letter this morning from his dad with updates on everything in the archipelago. Not only was Ivar the Bonesmasher still missing but the other hostile tribe leaders were nowhere to be found either. It was unnerving and left Hiccup stressed out. He didn't talk much about it but he had been unfocused in classes and retreated into his mind almost the entire day. Jack knew he was thinking about worst case scenarios and how he could protect his home and the ones he loved.

Later, Villieldr brought him another letter. This one was from the Ministry of Magic to inform him that Professor Cooke's trial had been carried out yesterday and he had been sentenced to life in Azkaban. The Wizengamot had judged so harshly because Professor Cooke had abused his status as a teacher and the knowledge he had of the inner workings of Hogwarts.

While it was good news that Professor Cooke had been convicted, Jack knew it reminded Hiccup of things he would rather forget. His thoughts were now circling around the torture and how someone he trusted had betrayed him.

He squeezed Hiccup's hand before he let go and pointed to his textbook. It was better for Hiccup to distract his mind with something else so he wouldn't succumb to the stress of worrying about things he had no control over. "This?" he asked.

"Bók." Hiccup said.

"Bók." he repeated. "Well, that one's not too difficult."

"Nope." Hiccup agreed.

"This?" he said and patted the table.

"Borð."

"Borð."

"Try again." Hiccup told him, clearly not satisfied with his pronunciation.

"Borð." he said, attempting to emulate how Hiccup had said it.

"Better." Hiccup nodded in approval.

"Ugh, why do you guys have to roll your tongues on the R's? And you have some of those weird letters I've never even seen anywhere else." he said, partly joking and partly being serious. Old Norse was a difficult language to learn, especially for someone who wasn't even used to speaking a language with similar sounds.

"I don't know, it's not like I invented the language." Hiccup told him with a tiny amused smile.

"Somehow, I'll find a way to make it your fault." he grinned and pointed his wand at him.

"I'm sure you will, Snowcone." Hiccup said without looking intimidated in the least.

Jack was about to open his mouth and shoot a clever remark back in his boyfriend's face, but Hiccup peeked to the right at something, trying to be discreet.

Jack wasn't fooled though. He glanced to the side and was surprised to see Wallace, a dark-haired Hufflepuff, walking by them with quick strides and a spooked expression on his face.

It sparked some thoughts in Jack that he'd had before. He had begun to notice a pattern; practically every time he saw Wallace and Hiccup was around, the guy looked positively terrified.

"Hey Hic?" he asked.

"Yeah?" Hiccup said though it sounded absent minded. He was staring out the window where the dark clouds bathed the earth in mild drops.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"What?"

"Why does Wallace look like he's about to shit his trousers every time he sees you?"

Hiccup bit his lip and didn't look away from the window. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Okay…?" he said, uncertainty squirming inside his chest.

"That Quidditch match when you were hit by the hexed Bludger?

"Yeah…?"

"Wallace did it."

"What?" he asked. He needed to hear it again to make sure he hadn't imagined it.

"He did it. I saw him." Hiccup said. He was speaking calmly but the tightness of his jaw and the way his fingertips suddenly dug into the wooden table told Jack he was angry.

"So…" he said, trying to process this information. "If you knew…why didn't you say anything?"

"I couldn't prove anything no matter what and…I was trying to prevent the others from beating him to a pulp or hexing him and getting themselves expelled." Hiccup explained and finally tore his gaze away from the rainclouds. His eyes were apologetic, like he was worried Jack might be angry.

He nodded slowly as he took this in. "But…why is he scared of you?"

"I might have…threatened him a little." Hiccup said reluctantly.

"What?"

"I needed to make sure he wouldn't try to hurt you again. Ever. So…I told him that if he ever messed with you, he'd be messing with me too. And that I wouldn't think twice about shoving his wand down his throat."

"Wow…" Jack said, surprised by this revelation. "But…back then we'd only been friends for a few weeks."

"Yeah, well…you were already becoming very important to me." Hiccup said with a careful smile.

"I must have, since you were willing to threaten someone to look out for me." he said, still surprised by that thought.

Hiccup nodded but didn't speak anymore.

Jack mulled this new information over for a little while, before he decided to interrupt the silence. "You must have been bloody scary for him to be so afraid of you."

"I was pretty furious..." Hiccup said with bitterness in his voice.

"I can imagine…I would feel the same way if it had been the other way around." he said, knowing with certainty that that was true. If anyone ever laid a hand on Hiccup, he would unleash an avalanche of frostbitten hurt on them.

Hiccup's eyes shined with appreciation before a frown appeared on his face. "I'm sorry for not telling you until now. I hope you're not mad about it."

"No…it's okay." he said. "It was a long time ago and…you were trying to protect me. And the others too."

"Yeah…" Hiccup said and sighed. "I don't know if I made the right choice but…at the time it was the only thing I knew how to do."

Jack nodded until another unanswered question emerged. "But…why would Wallace even want to hurt me? I've never done anything to him?"

"I don't know." Hiccup said. "That was the one thing I couldn't find out. He said he was sick of you and how everyone loves you and talks about you. I figured he liked a girl who was interested in you. That's usually the kind of thing that makes teenagers do stupid things like that."

"Yeah…" he agreed. "Wauw…I can't believe he hated me so much and I didn't even know."

"I don't think he hates you. I just think he blames you for his own problems."

"Maybe." he said. "Anyway, enough of all that serious stuff. We don't need more shit to worry about." he smiled softly and Hiccup nodded.

He pointed to Toothless with a silent question in his eyes. The black cat's green eyes gleamed with mild interest.

"Cat or dragon?" Hiccup asked.

"Why not both?" he shrugged.

"Cat…kǫttr." Hiccup explained. "Dragon…dreki."

"Kǫttr…Dreki… Kǫttr…Dreki…Kǫttr…Dreki." he chanted to himself to make his brain remember it.

"Add it to your notes?" Hiccup suggested.

"Yup. I'll do that." he agreed, flipping open the notebook he used to jot down words in Old Norse. He quickly added the new words, their meaning and the pronunciation.

Hiccup covered his mouth as a yawn slipped out. He blinked a few times in quick succession.

"Maybe we should call it a day." Jack said. He doubted Hiccup could focus much longer. It was already a dumb idea to try to study when he was this tired but his stubborn boyfriend had insisted it was fine.

"Yeah, maybe we should." Hiccup agreed.

They silently packed notes, quills and books into their bags and left the library with Toothless on their heels.

Through the castle hallways, Jack kept up his attempt of distracting Hiccup's mind by telling him more about the great Quidditch training he had yesterday. His teammates continued to be impressed by how much he had improved now that he had Blizzard. The broom Hiccup had made for him was faster than any of the others' and had incredibly maneuverability, allowing him to do sharper and quicker changes in directions and altitude than ever before – priceless improvement for a Seeker.

"I think some of the others are going to ask you if they can buy some brooms from you." he grinned.

"Huh." Hiccup said. "Well…I wasn't really planning on making more. Unless, maybe if Astrid or Merida want one at some point."

"They'd probably like one, because they're totally envious of Blizzard but…I don't think they'll ask you, because they know how much work you put into it."

"It is a lot of work, yeah." Hiccup agreed. "But fun too."

"Ugh, you're such a dork." he said and ruffled Hiccup's hair.

"And you're an idiot." Hiccup smiled, as they turned around a corner, coming face to face with two familiar boys.

"Hey guys." Harry said, his freckled face brightening in a white grin. Liam waved at them.

"Hey." Jack smiled, happy to run into his friends. Hiccup smiled too but it was dimmed by his lack of energy.

"Sorry, we haven't hung out in a while, mate." Harry said. "We've been swamped with this ridiculously ambitious Astronomy project."

"Yeah." Liam said. "It's going to be the death of us, I swear."

"No problem." Jack smiled. "We'll find time at some point."

"What about today?" Liam said. "We actually don't have anything planned after dinner."

Jack glanced at Hiccup. His green eyes dulled at that suggestion, like the last dying ember after a bonfire. Jack knew it wasn't because he didn't like Harry and Liam but because he just wanted to retract from the world. He was tired and stressed so socializing was probably the last thing on his mind.

"Now's actually not the best time for us." Jack said. "But maybe the day after tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure." Harry smiled. "After Care of Magical Creatures?"

"Yeah, it's a deal." Jack said, already looking forward to spending time with them. "We'll bring the others too."

"Great!" Liam said.

"So where are you guys heading?" Harry asked, looking back and forth between him and Hiccup.

"I'm not sure actually." he told them and looked at his boyfriend. "We were just going to relax a little."

"Oooooh." Harry grinned.

"Relax." Liam said, doing air quotes.

"I swear, you're almost as bad as Flynn." Jack shook his head, looking at Hiccup whose lips curved into a tiny but amused smile.

"We'll take that as a compliment." Harry said and Liam nodded.

"Tossers." Jack said and ruffled Harry's long, blonde hair.

"Hey now, don't talk that way to the handsomest guys in school." Harry said and gestured to him and Liam.

"You two?" Jack said. "I don't think so."

"By the way…" Liam said, turning serious. "Just a head's up: you should probably spend the next couple of nights in the dormitory, because a few people have been asking about you."

"What do you mean?"

"Like, late in the evening when everyone's going to bed, a few people have been asking where you were."

"What did you say?"

"Don't worry." Harry said. "We covered for you. We'll always cover for you. And Flynn and the others are there too of course."

"Thanks guys." he said. He and Hiccup would both get in trouble if the teachers found out they'd been sleeping in the Room of Requirement every once in a while.

"No problem." Liam said.

"Well, I think me and Hic will get going now."

"Sure, mate. See you." Harry said and patted him on the back.

"Yeah, see you guys." Liam said.

"Bye." Jack smiled and Hiccup waved.

"You could have spent some time with them, if you wanted." Hiccup said, as they strolled down the hallway again.

"I know that." he said. "But I'd rather be with you right now."

Hiccup nodded with a small smile but it faded all of the sudden and he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Oh no." Hiccup sighed deeply.

"What?"

"Look." Hiccup said, his eyes fixed on something in the distance.

Jack looked down the passageway. A familiar group of girls stood close together in a suspiciously intimate half circle by one of the large stone columns. Their rosy lips gave birth to fast paced conversation and long shiny hair swished back and forth whenever they threw their heads back or leaned forward with shrill giggles.

Jack recognized them. They were a year younger than him and Hiccup and had taken an interest in their relationship. And by 'interest', he meant 'watching intently and giggling' every time they were around. They had other girls who clearly approved of their relationship but this particular group were the most obvious because they didn't even care about discretion.

"Oh…" he said, now understanding Hiccup's reaction.

"Yeah." Hiccup grumbled.

"Well, there's no way around it." he shrugged. "Just give the fangirls a wave and let's move on."

"Fine." Hiccup agreed.

"Just think of them as wild dragons." he grinned.

"Can't. I prefer wild dragons."

"Oh, I know." he chuckled. "But still…it's just a challenge to get through."

Hiccup rubbed his forehead. "Let's just get it over with."

"That's the spirit." he grinned and patted Hiccup on the back.

When they approached, one of the girls spotted them and whispered something to the others. In one second flat, five pairs of eyes were locked on them.

"Hi Jack. Hi Hiccup." one of them, a Hufflepuff with a brown French braid and large blue eyes that reminded him of a doll, said and waved. Jack had long ago identified her as the 'leader' of this little group.

"Hi." he put on one of his confident, toothy smiles.

Hiccup managed a reluctant wave, fulfilling his promise without any enthusiasm.

As soon as they acknowledged them, the girls broke down in a fit of giggles and huddled closer together to whisper, like they were hatching an evil plan. That thought left sourness stinging in his chest.

"Every time." Hiccup said, when they had left them behind.

"I know." he said. "It'll probably blow in time."

"Let's hope so." Hiccup sighed. "It's getting old."

Toothless hissed from next to them.

"Yeah, you said it, bud." Hiccup told the black cat.

"Yeah…" he said. "I kind of agree with you both there."

"Really? I thought you just found it funny?"

He shrugged. "I just…it's become a bit much lately. And since everything that happened with Chloe, I guess I just don't have the same tolerance anymore. Is that bad?"

"No." Hiccup said softly. "It's not bad."

They wandered aimlessly through the hallways and Jack resumed talking about Quidditch, this time to give them both something else to think about. He let Hiccup decide where to go and he soon realized that his boyfriend was guiding them towards Ravenclaw Tower. He probably wanted some safe, comfy surroundings to rest and that was more than fine by Jack. He didn't care where they went as long as they could keep each other company.

The corridors became more and more deserted the closer they got to the tower. That wasn't unusual. Dinner time was approaching so the other students were either heading to the Great Hall or squeezing in some last minute socializing with their friends from other houses.

He was in the middle of regaling Hiccup with the magnificent story of how he stole Merida's beater's bat during practice and started swinging at Bludgers, when they spotted something in the distance that made them both stop.

"Oh god, not those guys." Jack groaned.

Further down the corridor, Jarvis, Know and Kinney had surrounded someone against one of the stone walls. Their rigid body language and the sneers on their faces made it clear that they were threatening someone.

"We need to do something." Hiccup said.

"Yeah." he agreed.

They strode towards them with determination. Jack's muscles twitched with uncertainty and he mentally tried to prepare himself for whatever was about to come.

"Hey twats!" he said and the three guys turned their heads towards them, showing hostile eyes and sagging mouths.

He and Hiccup had reached them by then. "Back off." he added.

"Well well well." Jarvis smiled sweetly. "Look who's here. The new couple."

"Back. Off." Jack repeated and kept staring straight into his eyes. Jarvis was taller and more muscular than him but that didn't mean he would hesitate in challenging him. From next to Hiccup, Toothless hissed and narrowed his green eyes.

Jarvis and Kinney stepped closer to them, revealing the person behind them.

It was Liana. The sweet brunette Hufflepuff who not only shared the Building, Managing and Repairing Magical Objects class with Hiccup, but who had seen McGowan, Levin and Zamora drag him into the workshop and had gone running for help. She was the reason Hiccup was still alive.

Know kept his grip tight on Liana's arm and with her skinny frame, there was little she could do. Her eyes were asking them for help to get out of this.

"Why on earth should we back off?" Jarvis asked casually, as if there was nothing unusual about this situation. "We're just having a friendly chat with Liana here." he added and patted her cheek. The way she winced from the contact was heartbreaking. It was definitely not the first time these guys had bothered her.

"There's nothing friendly about what you're doing." Hiccup said, his eyes drifting from person to person. Jack knew he was planning strategies for a potential fight and thinking about the possible outcomes.

"Well, that's not really up to you to decide now is it, Haddock?" Jarvis said, his voice now carrying a sharp warning.

"Actually it is, since you're hurting her." Hiccup said and cast a concerned glance at Liana, who kept quiet out of fear and tried to make herself as small as possible.

Jarvis scoffed. "We're not hurting her. We're just talking."

"Yeah, right." Jack snapped, already growing impatient with this. "You need to leave her alone."

Jarvis stalked towards him. "Or what?"

"Or we'll have to make you do it." he said and motioned to himself and Hiccup.

"That'd be interesting." Jarvis smirked. "Maybe you shouldn't make threats you can't follow through on."

"Who says he can't?" Hiccup said.

Jarvis squinted as if considering his answer.

"Look. Just let her go and leave." he said, hoping to solve this without too much conflict.

"No." Jarvis said. "You're not the boss of us."

"Doesn't matter." Hiccup said. "You're clearly bothering her. And we want you to leave her alone."

Jarvis stepped even closer, standing only a few feet from Hiccup. If Hiccup was feeling any uncertainty or concern, he didn't show it in the slightest. His face remained a blank mask and his body language was strong and confident, signaling that he believed in his own abilities if this turned ugly.

Toothless arched his back and his fur bristled. He may just be a cat right now, but there was no doubt he was able to do some serious damage too.

"Oh really? And what are you going to do about it, Haddock?" Jarvis challenged Hiccup with a mocking head tilt.

"Are you seriously trying to get him to fight you?" Jack asked in disbelief. "I know you're a tosser but you can't possibly be that stupid."

Everyone in school knew Hiccup could fight. Only an idiot would try to attack him.

"We're three against one." Jarvis said, a gloating smile stretching his thin lips.

"Uhm, nooo." Jack said, like he was speaking to a slow child. "You're three against two."

Technically, three, since Toothless would never let them fight by themselves.

Jarvis rolled his eyes. "Like you're any use to him, Frost."

"Jack can hold his own." Hiccup said calmly. "He could definitely kick your ass if he wanted to."

Jarvis held Hiccup's gaze and kept his words trapped behind his teeth. Something flickered in his eyes; a fragile doubt growing through cracks in his confidence.

Jack realized he was beginning to consider backing down. Despite being a narcissist and therefore reliant on his massive ego and pride, Jarvis was not the type to get into physical fights. He much preferred verbal abuse and manipulation. Hiccup's assurance that Jack could back him up had left an indecision brewing in Jarvis' mind. Was it better to stand down and swallow the damage on his pride or to gamble and risk getting his ass kicked?

Know and Kinney must have figured out their 'leader's predicament. Kinney shifted his weight back and forth restlessly, his small eyes fixed on Jarvis in an attempt to read him. Know had loosened the grip on Liana a little and rubbed his free hand on his trousers.

Jarvis focused his attention solely on Hiccup and the two of them stared into each other's eyes for a moment. Nobody made a sound as they all waited for Jarvis to decide if he wanted to fight or leave.

Jarvis finally tore his eyes off Hiccup and gave Know a curt nod. Know released Liana, who rushed towards him and Hiccup to get as far away from the others as possible.

Jarvis motioned for his friends to follow him and they obeyed with a word. The three Slytherins moved hastily down the corridor, their sharp strides powered by the frustration of defeat. He and Hiccup kept an eye on them all the way down to the corner of the hallway.

Know and Kinney disappeared around the stone wall but Jarvis took one last look at them. "Fucking faggots!" he spat, before he vanished out of view.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!? COME BACK HERE AND SAY THAT?!" he bellowed and took a few steps forward, despite the fact that they were gone now. The anger flared inside him, shooting blistering sparks through his blood.

Hiccup put a calming hand on his shoulder. "Ignore them. They're idiots."

"Yeah, but we can't just let them say that shit!" he said and pointed to the corner where the three Slytherins had just been.

"I know, I know." Hiccup agreed. "But when they spit it out right before leaving, we shouldn't go after them and start a fight. They're cowards. They don't even have the guts to say it to our faces."

Jack took a deep breath and tried to will the anger away.

"Are you okay, Liana?" Hiccup asked.

"Uhm, yeah…" she said and rubbed her arm. The white skin was pink where Know's fingers had dug into it, leaving red marks like an oddly distributed sunburn. It must have hurt.

"You sure?" Jack asked softly, having forced his rage down. He didn't want to scare the poor girl with his frustrations. "It looked like a pretty unpleasant situation."

"Yeah…" she said, eyes downcast. One of her dainty hands fiddled with the hem of her white school shirt.

"We won't tell anyone." Hiccup said with a gentle reassurance. Jack wondered if that was the same voice he used to calm dragons. "You can trust us."

Liana peeked at them through her brown fringe. "They've been bothering me for a while." she mumbled.

"Why?" Jack asked, wondering what she could have done to get on their bad side. Liana was a quiet girl who kept to herself, like she was guarding her inner world from everyone. She was shy and rarely spoke to anyone but she had a kind nature.

"They want my homework." she said, refusing to look at them. "Mostly for Charms…"

"We have Charms together…I've never seen them talk to you in class?" he asked.

"Of course not." Liana said, a hint of sadness sneaking into her voice. "They're jerks but they're not stupid…If they did it in class, Professor Mansnoozie would notice."

"So…they wait until no one's around?" Hiccup asked and wrinkled his nose with disgust.

"Yeah…pretty much." she said quietly, fingers twitching by her sides, unable to keep still. She was clearly nervous and embarrassed about being in this situation at all.

"Have you told the teachers?" he asked.

"There's nothing they can do." she said. "Unless they catch them in the act, I have no proof of anything. And they can't punish them without proof."

"Liana…" Hiccup said and stood in front of her. "If they ever bother you again…you let us know. Okay?"

"I don't want to drag you guys into this." she said. "It's not your problem."

"Don't be ridiculous." Jack said. "They're hurting you. We can't just let that happen."

"You're a good person. You don't deserve that." Hiccup said.

"Thanks." She said. "I hope you're not just doing this because of…you know…that day."

"No." Jack said. "We're not…Look…I'm eternally grateful for what you did for Hiccup but…even if you hadn't been there that day, we would never let them hurt you."

Hiccup nodded. "I know what it's like…to be cornered and not be able to fight back. To be forced to accept that you're either going to fold or be in a world of pain. I would never want that for you."

Liana's lips moved ever so slightly in a careful smile. "Thanks…both of you…I think you're one of the few people here who know what this is like, Hiccup…but who's actually able to stand up for himself now…"

Hiccup smiled at her. "Just…promise me you'll tell us if they hurt you again?"

She nodded. "I promise…and thank you, again."

"Any time." Jack said and meant it.

"I should go now…" Liana said, looking down the corridor. "I need to get to the Great Hall."

"Of course." Hiccup said. "We'll see you."

"Yeah. And take care, okay?" Jack added.

"I will…" she agreed before leaving them alone in the passageway.

"Well…that was just what I needed after a horrible day." Hiccup sighed. Toothless rubbed his lean, furry body against Hiccup's legs and Hiccup bent down to stroke him a few times.

"Yeah, I know." Jack said. "It's been pretty rough today, huh?"

"Yeah." Hiccup agreed. He rubbed his forehead as a sigh blew past his teeth. "I just want to take a shower now and go to bed."

An idea sparked in Jack's mind.

He would need to convince Hiccup but it would be brilliant and a great way for his boyfriend to relax and push the troubles out of his brain.

"Hey, Hic?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's go this way." he said and pointed to another corridor.

~~~~ Hiccup ~~~~

"Admit this was a really good idea." Jack said as they both slid into the warm water of the huge bath, surrounded by massive stone pillars and solid steps of white marble.

Hiccup sighed happily as he sat down on one of the steps inside the bath. The water lapped at the middle of his chest and the pleasant heat blanketing his skin reached into his muscles and melted away the strain of his worries.

"Fine…this was a good idea." he said and smiled tiredly.

"A really good idea!" Jack insisted with a bright smile.

"A really good idea." he agreed and rolled his eyes.

The darkness of early evening had devoured the sun but the pearly radiance of the full moon gleamed through the tall windows circling half of the large bath. One of these windows was made of stained glass in shades of blue and green, picturing a mermaid on a rock in the middle of a river.

The surface of the water was a snowy landscape; decorated with a thick, fluffy layer of white foam, covering their bodies from view. Like they were bathing among bulbous clouds of sparkling frost. The warm shine from the few lamps hanging on the stone walls painted the endless bubbles with flakes of gold.

"I'm still bloody sore all over from fighting practice yesterday." Jack groaned as he stretched his arms out under the water.

"But you're improving a lot." he smiled.

"Thanks." Jack said. "Do you think it'll be long before me and the others can try to actually fight each other?"

Hiccup hummed as he considered that. He rested his elbows on the edge of the bath. "You're not ready just yet, that's for sure."

"Probably not." Jack agreed. "Man, it takes a long time to get good at fighting."

"It takes years."

"Yeah. A long time." Jack repeated.

Hiccup chuckled. "I know patience isn't always your thing but…just stick with it and you'll get really good."

"Yeah, I'll do my best." Jack agreed. "Who knew, though?"

"Knew what?"

"That you and Fishlegs can be such drill sergeants?"

"Oh please…if you think we're being tough on you, imagine being taught by Astrid."

"Bloody hell…I'm not sure I would survive that." Jack chuckled. "But Mer would probably love it."

"Yeah, I'm sure she would. Those two together would be seriously lethal."

"Oh yeah." Jack agreed. "They're dangerous enough as it is when they're together for Quidditch."

"Definitely." he smiled and plunged his arms into the water again, savoring the way the heat seeped back into his flesh.

Jack gathered foam in his palms and blew on it, making small bubbles float into the air like a swarm of tiny glass air balloons. He did it repeatedly, watching the bubbles with that childish glee in his eyes that Hiccup adored. Jack never failed to find joy and fun in even the smallest things. It was a special gift that had to be cherished and protected.

He sunk further into the water, closed his eyes and rested his neck on the edge of the bath. He slowed down his breathing and concentrated on how the pleasant burning in his bones consumed fragments of his stress.

It had been a rough day. One of those days where everything goes wrong. That's why Jack had managed to persuade him to sneak into the prefects' bathroom. There were only showers in their dormitories and the promise of a relaxing, hot bath where he could soak in the warm water had been too tempting.

He could hear Jack take the soap from the edge of the bath, water sloshing around with his movements. He assumed his boyfriend was washing himself and despite how enticing that thought was, he couldn't be bothered to open his eyes.

Suddenly, a gentle hand rubbed his wet shoulder. "Hey…" Jack said.

"Hmm?" he mumbled, not caring about forming coherent words.

"Feeling some of that stress fade away?"

"Yeah…" he sighed.

"Good." Jack said and there was a suspicious hint of amusement in his voice now.

Great. Now he had to open his eyes. He slowly forced his eyelids up, only to find his boyfriend grinning at him.

"What are you planning?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing nothing…" Jack said innocently and looked the other way briefly. "Just THIS!" Jack started thrashing his hands in the water, splashing foam topped waves at him.

He blinked the water out of his eyes, even as more water kept dousing his face. "Oh, it's on!" he said and began shoving water towards Jack as quickly as he could, forgetting his own fatigue.

They flailed their arms everywhere, trying desperately to get the other to surrender. Water sloshed all around them in the huge bath, sprinkling a myriad of tiny drops and soft bubbles into the air. They both laughed as they kept up their little competition, refusing to back down. They yelled taunts at each other and screamed homemade battle cries, as they forced white foam and warm water in each other's faces. In that moment, they were like two children in a tub.

But it was hard work to keep moving water around and after a while, they both grew tired and their frantic movements gradually slowed down. Large waves turned to pathetic ripples. The noise of water splashing calmed to a dull squelching. Hiccup's stomach was cramping from fits of laughter and Jack was trying to catch his breath. Both of them were drenched with soap running down their skin and bubbles in their hair.

"Truce?" Jack asked breathlessly, in between remnants of giggles.

"Hmm…" he said, squinting at Jack to pretend like he actually had to think about it. "Okay." he agreed.

"Good. My arms are killing me." Jack smiled.

"Yeah, me too." he said and rested them by his sides.

They sat in the water quietly for a moment, catching their breath and relaxing in the lovely heat. Hiccup found himself thinking it was a good thing the bathroom was up here on the fifth floor since it had so many windows.

"You know…I'm not much for hot baths but-" Jack suddenly began.

"Oh really?" he interrupted him. "You, Jack Frost, lover of all things cold and wintery, isn't much for hot baths? I never would have guessed."

"Well, look who managed to unleash a week's worth of sass all at once there?" Jack said and poked him on the side of the head. "Anyway…I'm not much for hot baths but there are certain…advantages to them."

"Like what?" he asked.

"Like…" Jack said and inched closer, so they were sitting shoulder to shoulder. "Soaking in warm water with a naked Viking."

"Huh…" Hiccup smiled. "You like naked Vikings?"

"There's a certain naked Viking I like." Jack told him. "Although I have to admit…he's kind of annoying. I only like him because he's hot."

"Hmm…" he said. "Well…I'm sorry Jack, but I'm pretty sure Fishlegs only wants to be friends."

Jack splashed water on to his face. He flinched from the sudden wet intrusion and blinked the drops out of his eyes.

"Idiot." Jack laughed and shook his head.

"What?" he asked innocently before wiping his eyes with wet fists.

"You know bloody well I wasn't talking about Fishlegs." Jack grinned.

"Then…I don't know who you were talking about?" he asked and shrugged. "I mean…I'm not annoying, so it couldn't possibly be me."

Jack got to his feet and the water squelched as his boyfriend stopped in front of him. A myriad of drops trickled down his slender, pale body like miniature waterfalls. Jack looked down at him, a familiar predatory spark igniting in his blue eyes.

Hiccup's heartbeat raced with anticipation. He was left momentarily speechless, while he waited to find out where this situation was leading. Judging from the look in his boyfriend's eyes, Jack was in the mood for a special kind of mischief.

Jack carefully crawled on to him, resting his knees on each side of Hiccup's thighs. Their naked cocks slid against each other in the warm water and by Freyja, Hiccup was already getting seriously turned on by this.

"No." Jack said and leaned closer to his face. "You're not annoying."

"Well, thank you for-" he was about to throw a sarcastic remark in Jack's face, but then those pale lips attacked his neck and throat, nipping and sucking and kissing. He choked on the words as the blood in his body surged downwards. Jack's white teeth scraped along his sensitive skin, his warm tongue dragged lazily over his throat, lips gently pressed down on him like the touches of a soft flower.

"Jaaaack…" he protested weakly even though he didn't want Jack to stop. The irresistible burn of desire was being awakened inside him but gods, this really wasn't the place for…that.

Jack hummed, his warm breath buzzing on Hiccup's skin. He could feel Jack smiling against his throat and before he could blink, his boyfriend resumed his merciless assaults.

He leaned back his head to feel more of Jack's mouth on him. This was against his better judgment but he couldn't help himself. Odin, that mouth was so ridiculously talented and by now in their relationship, Jack knew all the places that pulled the plug on his brain and made his body twitch with impatient lust.

His throat had dried up and his lungs stuttered with shallow breaths. When Jack's tongue crawled teasingly under his chin, while a pale hand rubbed up and down his chest, he shuddered and knew he had to do something. This was leading to somewhere it wasn't supposed to.

"Jack, come on…we're in the bathroom." he protested and much to his regret, his voice was shaky with need already.

"I know where we are." Jack whispered against his skin. "And I don't care."

Hiccup's cock hardened from the underlying lewd promises. Gods...this was unbearably hot. Jack's heated breaths on his neck, his low voice filled with desire, his knees on each side of Hiccup's thighs, their drenched, soapy bodies so close to each other.

"What if someone hears us?" he managed to say in between his quick breaths, pulling on the last threads of rationality he could grasp at.

"No one is going to hear anything." Jack said before planting one last kiss on his throat and brushing his nose against the skin in a loving gesture.

Hiccup had his doubts about that though. They could both get pretty loud during sex. It spurred them on but made it difficult to be discreet.

"And even if they do…" Jack muttered in his ear. "I. Don't. Care."

And that was it.

Jack had crumbled any reservations in Hiccup's mind about this. His dick was now insufferably swollen and longing for them to just have each other right here in the bathroom. A thrill tickled in his stomach from the idea of having sex in a public place where they could get caught and the fact that Jack couldn't even wait for them to get to the Room of Requirement to fuck only made it hotter.

Jack's mouth left his ear and they stared into each other's eyes, mesmerized by the yearning hiding in each other's dark pupils. They both knew what was going to happen now.

Slender, pale fingers disappeared into the water and brushed up and down Hiccup's cock. He sucked in a breath from the blissful touch and Jack's lips formed a crooked smile when he discovered how utterly hard he was; a clear invitation for Jack to continue touching him. Gods, how he needed him to keep touching, no matter what.

Jack leaned forward and that soft, tempting mouth was so close to him. They breathed with parted lips, warm sweet air calling for him to tear Jack apart with slow deep kisses until both their minds were raw and wanting.

It was too much for him to handle. Jack was straddling him with one hand stroking his cock teasingly, his pale body slick with water and his white locks gleaming beautifully in the soft light.

He rubbed his palms along Jack's soapy, naked back with a certainty in his heart that his fingertips would never have their fill.

"Don't you want this?" Jack murmured, his hungry eyes pouring fuel on the bonfire in Hiccup's veins. Drops of water made it down Jack's face at an excruciatingly slow pace and Hiccup had the strong urge to lick them away. To lick and kiss every inch he could reach.

He groaned. Jack knew very well he couldn't resist him when he poked that primal instinct inside him.

"You know I do." he admitted.

"Then…let's play." Jack whispered.

Hiccup closed the gap and swiped his tongue over Jack's bottom lip, smothering the water drops. Their lips met in sweltering kisses, tongues swirling and licking in each other's mouths, writing passionate stories of sweet surrender.

Hiccup found Jack's cock under the water, while their mouths filled the air with wet smacking sounds, expressing their aching need. It was just as stiff as his own and Jack gasped into their fiery kisses, when he softly caressed it with his fingertips.

Jack tore his lips away to lick teasingly on his ear. The warm wetness tickled his sensitive skin and sent a shiver through him. When Jack folded his fingers around his throbbing cock, Hiccup had no choice but to moan, as his boyfriend began to please him slowly in the warm water.

His fingertips dug into Jack's ass, kneading it hard to release some of his sexual frustration. He tried to roll his hips and bury his dick deeper in Jack's palm but Jack softened his grip and slowed the kisses on his ear.

He knew what Jack was doing.

He was trying to get him to play rough. Hiccup had learned his boyfriend liked it when he let go of his restraint sometimes. When the desire filled him up to the point, where he got impatient and had to take the lead.

Well, two could play at that game. If Jack wanted it so badly, he was going to give it to him.

He pushed Jack backwards and quickly switched their positions, water and bubbles sloshing around from his sudden movements. He turned Jack around, pressed his swollen cock against his ass and forced him to bend over the edge.

"There he is." Jack breathed victoriously, leaning his soaked upper body out of the bath.

"Well, you wanted this, didn't you?" he asked, though he already knew.

"Oh yesss." Jack whispered and pushed his ass back further against Hiccup's dick.

Hiccup leaned to the side and grabbed Jack's backpack lying on the marble edge. He rummaged through it and found the lube and condoms Jack kept there, for occasions such as this.

After rubbing a generous amount of the clear, cold gel onto his fingers, he held on to Jack's hip with one hand and began prepping him with the other. He was gentle and patient, waiting for Jack to give him a sign every time before moving on. He placed rows of delicate kisses along his boyfriend's soft lower back and rubbed his hip with soothing fingertips, telling him to take as long as he needed. They had done this quite a few times by now but going slow was still important.

Hiccup didn't mind. He enjoyed slowly preparing Jack, having his fingers inside that wonderful, warm moistness. He loved caressing Jack's hips and raining chaste kisses on his delectable skin. The skin only his privileged lips got to taste.

The hormones raged inside him as his fingers slipped in and out of Jack's delicious ass. Naughty images of what they were about to do made his cock swell with impatience but his priority was making it good for Jack; to lavish him with gentle love and then make him scream with delight until his lungs were aching.

Luckily for Hiccup's restless teenage dick, it didn't take long for Jack to adjust. Soon his boyfriend was panting for more, pushing his ass backwards in short jerks. Hiccup groaned involuntarily at the insufferably hot display. Jack was thirsty for more pleasure and Hiccup was more than willing to oblige. He pushed his dripping fingers in and out of Jack's warm, soft opening quicker and quicker, eliciting wonderfully greedy sounds from Jack's tantalizing lips.

Jack's lithe back rippled as his muscles clenched to the rhythm of Hiccup's lube gleaming fingers. He reached deeper and deeper inside his boyfriend, reveling in the way Jack trembled on unsteady legs like he was about to collapse.

Keeping up the fast pace, he leaned over Jack and moaned in his ear. "Gods, you're so perfect. I love you so much."

He needed Jack to know how amazing he was. That he held his heart in his soft, pale palms. That he could spark a searing wildfire in his blood that no one else could.

Jack's answer was an unbelievably loud, breathy moan, reverberating between the walls.

Jack was definitely ready. And so was he.

He pulled his fingers out and took in his boyfriend's slippery back with a feverish desire in his heart. That delicious pale skin glistened in the soft light, every inch covered by a myriad of shining water drops. Clusters of bubbles rested in beautiful, glimmering patterns and watery soap slowly slid down Jack's back in ghostly trails.

He was so achingly beautiful. Hiccup would never tire of drinking him in, of running his fingers along every part of him, of devouring him in their passionate love making.

"Tell me what you want." he told Jack breathlessly. He wanted to hear those filthy words spilling from Jack's sinful lips.

"I want…" Jack began between shallow breaths. He dipped his back, pushing his ass further up, before he glanced back at him.

Hiccup swallowed from the amazing sight.

Jack's cheeks were flushed pink and his chest heaved from the strain of his moans. His blue eyes were glazed over with arousal and snow-white tresses clung to his forehead, soaked and drizzling with sparkling drops. A mischievous smile played on Jack's lips, as they stared into each other's eyes. It was a dark smile that made Hiccup's breath stutter.

Shit. How could Jack always have that effect on him?

"I want you to fuck me." Jack told him shamelessly.

His cock jerked with lust from those lewd words. He would never be able to say no to that.

His flesh searing with pent up desire, he grabbed Jack's hips and pushed against his boyfriend's ass. Gods, how he loved that ass. It was firm and inviting, teasing him with the pleasure that waited for him inside.

"Are you ready for me?" he asked for permission.

"Yesss." Jack sighed and turned his face away.

That was all he needed to hear. He quickly got a condom on and coated his cock with plenty of lube, desperate to fuck Jack as fast as possible.

He poked Jack's lube dripping opening before sliding all the way inside. Jack sighed with pleasure and Hiccup gasped from the exquisite bliss of warm wetness grabbing onto his cock from all angles.

Finally.

"Shit, I need this so much..." he exhaled sharply and let his wet fingers glide down Jack's slippery back.

It wasn't a lie. He needed to forget his troubles. What better way to do that than to lose himself in the amazing feel and sounds of the guy he loved?

"Me too." Jack panted.

Hiccup rolled his hips, gently sliding in and out of Jack's wonderful slickness. He moaned with satisfaction and began to color Jack's snowy back with nibbles and kisses.

"Oh my god." Jack sighed, fingers pressing down hard onto the white marble.

"You feel so amazing." he breathed against Jack's milky skin. Jack always felt amazing. Warm and soft, moist and addictive. It never ceased to fry Hiccup's brain.

Jack shuddered in response to the compliment and goosebumps spilled across his back. Hiccup caught delicious, soaked skin between his teeth and left more marks along his boyfriend's juicy flesh.

He fucked Jack softly with lazy strokes, taking his time to savor this impulsive first taste of public sex. Jack moaned his delight and it mingled in the air with Hiccup's harsh breaths.

"Yesyesyes." Jack murmured. "Yesss. That feels so good."

Hiccup's dick twitched inside Jack's dripping heat and the words made a devious plan form in his mind. It would be tough for him to hold back but it would make everything even more amazing in the end.

He slowly slid out of Jack, watching how his hard cock gleamed with lube in the glow of the lamps and the pale moon.

Jack grunted in disapproval. "Come oooon, Hic." he panted and arched his back encouragingly. "Don't tease me like that."

Hiccup's lips formed a small smile. He leaned over Jack's back and kissed him on his ear before nipping on it. "I'll do whatever I want, Jack." he whispered. "I think you deserve to be teased."

The way Jack sucked in a breath and his body trembled in response, was exactly what Hiccup wanted. And now he knew: Jack found it hot to be teased. To be told he couldn't get what he wanted.

He delved his fingers into Jack's sides and kissed a trail down his back, tasting warm water and bubbles on his tongue. When he reached the lower back, he showered him with soft brushes of lips in that exquisite curve.

"Come on, Hic." Jack whined.

"No." he said and wrapped his arms around Jack's waist, resting his chest on his back. He reached for his boyfriend's cock. It was stiff and warm in his curled fingers, dripping with water. He slowly moved his grip up and down, pleasuring Jack just enough to make him squirm and moan but not enough to give him what he craved. "That prank you pulled on me…" he growled in his ear. "It's time for payback."

Jack's cock hardened in Hiccup's hand and he couldn't help smiling with delight at his boyfriend's reaction. Jack weakly pushed further into his hand for more friction but Hiccup made sure he didn't get it.

He lavished Jack's swollen cock with delicate touches and licked and kissed across his soft back. He brushed his fingertips along the length of the shaft, he circled the head with his thumb, he pulled on the poor needy cock a few times for extra pleasure and then went back to the almost non-existent touches. He did everything he could to tease.

Jack wriggled restlessly against him, needy whimpers leaving his throat. His pale fingers crawled back and forth over the marble as if trying to get those unbearable urges out somehow. Hiccup savored tormenting his boyfriend like this; it was unbelievably hot to pleasure Jack's exquisite body, filling him with animalistic greed. He wanted Jack's mind to rip itself to shreds from the wild yearning pooling inside him until he would beg to be fucked.

And he was hoping he could be strong and hold back.

Jack's amazing cock in his hand, the eager sounds he made, the thought of ramming into him right here in the stone bath. It made drool collect in the corners of his mouth.

His own dick was rock hard, begging for the thrill of sex. He rubbed it against Jack's ass, while he slid two fingers over the head of Jack's cock, smearing hot pre-cum over the skin.

"Oh god." Jack moaned and slammed his fingertips onto the marble. "Oh god…more, Hic. Please…more…"

Hiccup bit his lip hard and kept up the slow pace that was driving his boyfriend mad.

Jack was desperate for it now. His confident, stubborn, mischievous boyfriend was begging him for his cock and it was taking everything Hiccup had to avoid giving in and pushing inside that tempting warmth. Gods, how he wanted to fuck him deeply and sink his nails into his flesh. Hear him scream without a care that someone might hear them. Feel their bodies shake as they both came.

"Hic, come on….more." Jack breathed and a long moan tore itself from his mouth as Hiccup decided to tighten his grip around the leaking cock. "Hiccup!…Hic…I want-"

"I know what you want." he whispered and pulled himself upright. He kneaded Jack's ass with both his hands and stared at that enticing body.

Hiccup knew he couldn't do this anymore. He was getting desperate to have his dick pushed deep inside him. "Shit, I can't wait any longer."

He aligned himself with Jack's ass and plunged inside, the silky heat clamping down on his thirsty cock. They moaned their pleasure loudly in unison, as he took Jack right there in the prefects' bathroom.

Someone could come in. Someone could see Jack's naked, dripping body bent over the edge and Hiccup fucking him like there was no tomorrow. But that only made it more exciting. They were having sex in a bathroom in their school, their loud sounds echoing among the stone walls. It was risky. Dirty. And so hot Hiccup knew he wouldn't last long.

"Ohhhh! Hiccup! Ah!" Jack cried and parted his legs as wide as he could to give him more access. The view of his boyfriend desperately spreading his legs for him left Hiccup moaning Jack's name and he rolled his hips faster, the sounds of wet skin slapping together and heavy panting drowning out any other noise.

It wasn't sweet and gentle anymore. His stiff, lube coated cock snapped in and out of Jack, reaching deep inside to make him scream with pleasure. Heat radiated from their skin and thickened the air around them with the smell of sex. Their bodies melted together, blistering with lust, the chill of the evaporating water forgotten.

"Oh god, yes! Yes!" Jack moaned over and over as Hiccup jerked his hips faster to bring them both closer to the release they desperately wanted.

"Fuck! Harder! Oh god, harder!" Jack begged him and clenched his fists, his body trembling.

"Oh gods, you're so hot." Hiccup panted, almost unable to breathe, and sunk his nails into Jack's fleshy ass. He gave his boyfriend what he wanted and fucked Jack harder with powerful but sloppy strokes. They were both getting close now and Jack's greedy cries for more were so arousing Hiccup could feel the beginnings of an orgasm tightening inside him.

"Hiccup!" Jack gasped, fingers raking across marble. "Oh god! Yes! Yes! YES!"

"Jack…" he moaned and left scratch marks down Jack's heaving back. He frantically kept up the fast pace, drowning in the urgency of his approaching orgasm. He couldn't wait to come deep inside Jack's intoxicating warmth and feel that heavenly ecstasy overtake him. He watched his wet dick glide into his boyfriend and back out, glossy with lube and Jack.

"Jack!...I'm getting close." he choked out, struggling to find the words. Jack was flooding his senses on every level; nothing mattered but being buried inside him, feeling Jack's tight muscles squirming around his cock, his smooth, burning heat melting away the world.

"Yesss…Please…yessss." Jack murmured. He pressed his ass back against Hiccup and they bumped together in a blazing frenzy, controlled by the haze of pure carnal desire. Hiccup groaned and kept thrusting into Jack over and over, the promise of that sweet high and Jack's sinful noises spurring him on.

His face felt scorching from the sweltering air and the pressure grew to torturous heights inside him, knotting tightly in his lower body. He was so close now, he could almost taste it.

Just a little while longer…just a little…more…Oh gods, he wanted to come so badly…

"Jack! Ah!" he cried out as the orgasm rampaged through his body, rattling his bones and filling his head with sweet euphoric buzzing that could rival any drug. Warm cum streamed from his cock and he scratched Jack's hips and moaned his name as the storm of pleasure wrecked him.

A sliver of reality came back to him and he reached around Jack and grabbed hold of his cock, pumping up and down quickly, needing to get Jack to this high with him.

Jack stood up and trembled in his embrace, throwing his head back. Broken breaths and loud chanting of "Yes! Yes!" seeped from Jack's lips and Hiccup basked in the remnants of his ecstasy. His chest heaved and his head swam with joy, as he pleasured Jack to make him come undone.

"That's it. Yes…yes…that's it!" Jack moaned, sounding feverish now. Hiccup kissed gently along his sweaty neck where white strands still dripped. Jack shuddered when he hummed lovingly against his creamy skin, brushing his nose over one of his shoulder blades as he continued to jerk him off fast.

"Hiccup, I'm close." was all Jack managed to say before his legs shook and he came in pearly ribbons across the marble, gasping Hiccup's name. His slender body quaked with the power of his euphoric orgasm and Hiccup held on to him, feeling every twitch and shiver.

When Jack stilled, Hiccup released him and instantly slumped down on one of the stone steps in the bath, warm water reaching his navel. His mind hummed with pleasant exhaustion and his limbs felt like melted candles. He was amazed that he had managed to stay standing for this long.

Jack grinned at him and he was a heavenly sight with flushed cheeks and glossy eyes. He took Jack's hand and pulled him down towards him. Jack sat down one step below, resting his head against Hiccup's stomach. He wrapped his arms around Jack's neck and they both sighed from the relaxation of sexual satisfaction.

He leaned forward and kissed moist white locks. "That…was just what I needed." he told Jack before resting his back against the edge of the bath again.

"Yeah." Jack chuckled. "Me too. There's seriously no better way to de-stress, am I right?" he asked and Hiccup could practically sense the happy grin on his boyfriend's face.

"Definitely." he agreed and smiled, before squeezing Jack closer.

"So…was that your revenge?" Jack asked.

"Oh no." Hiccup said. "You're still not off the hook."

Jack chuckled. "You're hell bent on making me pay, aren't you?"

"Yeah, definitely." Hiccup grinned.

"Well, whatever…I'm not frightened, dragon boy." Jack said. "Besides…I'm too relaxed now…" he sighed and leaned further back on Hiccup's stomach.

Hiccup hummed. "Me too." he said and softly carded his fingertips through Jack's soaked strands. "Hey…scoot forward a little."

Jack did as he was told, creating a little more distance between them.

"Now lean your head back." he said.

Jack tilted his head back so his neck almost touched the water. Hiccup grabbed Jack's backpack from the marble edge. He pulled out the bottle of shampoo Jack had brought, opened it and squirted some of the pale liquid into his palm.

He rubbed the shampoo into Jack's wet locks, carefully massaging his scalp. Jack sighed happily and closed his eyes. Soap bubbles filled the white hair and glistened like a moonlit ocean. He took his time distributing the shampoo and rubbing it into every strand, wanting to care for his boyfriend. When he thoroughly rinsed it out, the shampoo slithered through the water like soapy ghosts.

They stayed there in the stone bath, soaking in the water until the heat had disappeared, leaving only cold liquid enveloping their skin. When they decided to leave, they retreated to the Room of Requirement and fell asleep in each other's arms.

~~~~ Hiccup ~~~~

TIME SKIP: A FEW DAYS LATER

When the castle came into view, powerful stone walls and majestic towers cutting into the clear blue skies like jagged mountains, he sighed in contentment.

Rapunzel's bubbly voice was a familiar, soothing melody as she told him about her next art project. Fishlegs' strong presence on his other side was a reminder of trusty friendship that would endure any hardship. With both his siblings by his sides, he was always comfortable.

They were coming back from spending some quality time together, just the three of them and Toothless. They had gone to the forest, where he and Rapunzel had sketched animals and plant life, while Fishlegs had read in a newly acquired Herbology book, sharing interesting facts with them now and then. Toothless had sun bathed in a patch of tall grass, his black fur warmed in the golden beam of light. Peaceful and familiar, Hiccup had savored every minute of their time together.

Now they were going to meet up with Jack and the others and go to the Quidditch pitch to see Jack, Merida and Astrid practice. The Gryffindor Quidditch team had intensified their training to be prepared for their upcoming match with the Ravenclaw team. That meant practicing more often, for longer periods of time and experimenting with new strategies. He and the others were there once in a while, not only to give their friends support but because they found it exciting to watch them train.

Small colorful flowers bloomed along the rough paths leading back to the castle and hills of lush grass filled his eyes with green. On a day like today, he felt the approach of summer in the warm touch of the sun and every inch of nature sprouting with life.

When they reached one of the courtyards, he spotted Chloe, Mia and their two friends sitting by one of the tables. He bit his lip hard. Seeing them around hadn't gotten easier yet. Their faces reminded him of how they had attempted to ruin the love he had with Jack. He wasn't the type to hold grudges but that was unforgiveable.

It seemed however, that Chloe and the others had ruined things for themselves. By focusing on their little schemes instead of respecting other people's feelings, they had made themselves unpopular among many of the other students. Hiccup had noticed that when he saw them now, they lacked their usual energy and confidence. Hopefully, they had learned their lesson from all of this.

Rapunzel told them about an idea for a new painting of Pascal as a Viking chameleon, and he and Fishlegs gave her some suggestions, as they entered one of the corridors. Since it was Saturday, only a few students were roaming the hallways, everyone else occupied by activities. Hiccup much preferred deserted corridors, empty of screeching voices, hot air too thick to breathe properly and accidental touching.

Fishlegs was in the middle of explaining to Rapunzel what a Viking chameleon might wear, when a shrill howl sliced through the quietness of the corridor, drowning out any other noise with its overpowering intensity.

Hiccup froze in his tracks. Fishlegs flinched and turned to him. They stared into each other's eyes in a moment of panic that lasted an eternity, while the howling raged on around them. Toothless meowed in alarm.

No.

No…

Anything but that.

Waves of nausea rocked inside his stomach. He couldn't breathe, invisible hands wrapping around his neck.

"Is that…?" Fishlegs asked hesitantly, afraid to finish the sentence.

Hiccup reached into his pocket, mute with fear, and took out the tiny box. It was open wide, unleashing constant piercing howling.

He closed the lid and looked at the box in his palm. The sound of his heartbeat drummed in his brain.

He swallowed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his determination crushed his paralyzing fear.

"We have to go." he said.

~~~~ Jack ~~~~

The grass glittered like the dust of crushed diamonds, gleaming raindrops clinging to green blades. It had rained earlier today but it had stopped in plenty of time before Quidditch training.

He and Merida had met up with their team by the Quidditch pitch to settle a conflict with the Hufflepuff team on who was allowed to use the pitch today. Apparently, it had been booked by both of them, due to the confusion of one of the teachers who had recently been assigned responsibility for the Quidditch teams. Luckily, the Hufflepuff team was convinced to move their training session to tomorrow.

After a quick motivational speech by Astrid, he and Merida headed towards the dormitories to change into their Quidditch uniforms and grab their brooms. The air was fresh against his skin, laced with a mild humidity after the rainfall. Merida complained to him about the current state of her broom, as their shoes scraped over the bendy, moist grass. She had managed to fix the worst damage to it but there was still some things she couldn't repair properly. He suggested letting Hiccup take a look at it and she agreed that that was probably a good idea. She knew a bit about fixing Quidditch brooms but not enough for something this complex.

They had put a little distance between themselves and the Quidditch pitch when Hiccup's voice overpowered all nearby sounds and the blood in Jack's veins chilled with sudden dread.

"ASTRID!" Hiccup roared, his voice brimming with panic.

Jack snapped his head around frantically before he managed to spot him. Hiccup, Toothless and Fishlegs were sprinting across the grass, like they were being chased by a pack of lions. They were heading in the direction of the forest. Rapunzel lagged behind, shouting desperately at them to stop. She sounded like she was about to cry.

Astrid was frozen by the Quidditch pitch, staring in Hiccup's direction. Then she dropped her books and shot off towards them like a viper.

Jack watched her retreating form, still stunned by shock.

That was the moment his mind put the puzzle pieces together. The only reason why Hiccup would be panicked and only turn to Astrid and Fishlegs was…

No.

His heart was squeezed in the sharp grip of fear and he sucked in a breath.

No.

Not that.

The realization that Hiccup was going to leave him behind hit him like a train and his mind shed the petrified shock at once. He sprang into action. He had to go with Hiccup! He needed to protect him!

He bolted towards the forest, one thing blaring in his head: Stop Hiccup. Stop him at all costs. "NO! HICCUP, NO!" he screamed after him, desperate to stop him. His voice echoed and he knew Hiccup had heard him. But he didn't stop.

"JACK!" he heard Merida yell before the sound of footsteps followed him.

Hiccup, Fishlegs and Toothless closed in on the forest, Astrid not far behind. Jack knew they were going for the portkey. Rapunzel had gained on them, her terrified cries filling the air. She flailed her arms around and begged them to stop but they continued to dart towards the line of trees in the distance.

"HICCUP! DON'T YOU DARE DO THIS TO ME! NO!" he screamed, his voice grating the skin in his throat. The fear of losing the one he loved, of Hiccup getting injured or traumatized or dying, overwhelmed his being.

The veins in his legs pumped acid. His lungs were sore and throbbing. Behind his ribcage, his heart was frigid with anxiety.

He didn't care.

He ran and screamed with a fury that mirrored the desperation inside him. He couldn't let Hiccup do this. No. He had to go with him. He had to keep him safe. He had to-

The others had reached the edge of the small forest up ahead. As soon as they were concealed from other students by the trees, Hiccup took out his wand. When Toothless grew and fur disappeared to make room for gleaming, black scales, Jack knew it was almost too late.

"HICCUP!" he bellowed in a last desperate attempt, his throat burning. "DON'T DO THIS! NO!"

Hiccup looked at him for the briefest of moments and the unspoken apology on his face filled Jack's gut with rocks.

No.

Hiccup had made up his mind. He was leaving him behind!

No! This was wrong! This couldn't happen!

Hiccup swung himself into the saddle, quickly followed by Fishlegs and Astrid. Rapunzel had almost reached them but Astrid pointed her wand at her and shouted at her to stop.

He used the last remnants of energy inside him to force his legs forwards even faster. His vision was swimming with unshed tears of fear. His cheeks stung with anger. He kept his eyes locked on Hiccup. He was the only thing that mattered.

Even from afar, he saw determination shining in Hiccup's eyes. That scared him more than anything.

Hiccup wasn't changing his mind! He was going through with this!

But Jack was so close now…he was almost there…if he could just…

A second later, Hiccup and the others vanished into thin air.

He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the empty space where Toothless large paws had just rested.

No.

NO!

He fell to his knees in the wet grass, every will to move lost. The pain was overwhelming. One brief moment had smashed him to pieces and poured the shards into his blood, cutting him open from the inside out.

Hiccup had left him behind! How could he do this to him!?

He was going to be sick. The poisonous grief stuck its tainted fingers down his throat, nausea bubbling in the pit of his stomach.

He slammed his fists into the ground and screamed, coating the world around him in his screeching pain.

Author's note:

Yup...that just happened.

In the next chapter there will be an Ivar the Bonesmasher POV.

(Edit): For anyone who might be confused: the box that howls is mentioned in chapter 6. Hiccup has enchanted it to open its lid and howl when his dad opens a matching one back on Berk. That way Stoick can let Hiccup know if Berk is under attack and need him, Toothless, Astrid and Fishlegs to come home and help defend it.

(Edit): Regarding Liana (and similar situations in the story where there is no proof), I've chosen that the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts and other magical institutions with some kind of authority over either all or some witches and wizards don't consider memories a reliable way to prove innocence or guilt. This is because memories can be tampered with and therefore, they can't ever be considered solid evidence. No matter how unlikely it is that someone has tampered with them (for example, it must be assumed Liana don't have those kinds of skills, at least not yet) then you can't be sure because it can be done either by the person themselves or someone else can do it to them (and without them even being aware of it). So, by principle, no memory is a reliable source of what actually occurred in a situation.

Guest: Thank you for your lovely words! I really appreciate it :)