20

Olivia

There was a tradition at Hogwarts that had been kept for longer than anyone could remember. It wasn't a tradition that was talked about much, if only with whispers and giggles. No one knew when it had started or by who it had been created. The only thing the students of Hogwarts knew was that you hadn't lived until you had experienced it.

The game didn't have a name but most referred to it as the "closet game". It could be most easily described as 7 minutes in heaven except for the fact that it was completely spontaneous. Anyone could go into the closet, mostly without even having to be dared and whether there was someone in there or not, you always came out flushed and wondering. It was rare to ever know who you shared that time with and honestly, no one really wanted to know.

That night there was no designated closet. The entire circular room was filled with closed doors that led to dark closets and they were almost never empty. There were never any lines but there were always filled closets.

I had lost Draco a while ago, I couldn't keep track of the time. One minute he was trailing behind me, giving me fake reassuring smiles and nervous glances and the next minute he was gone. I told myself that I shouldn't be worried and that losing people at a party was normal but I was nervous anyway. As I aimlessly moved around the room, I kept my eyes out for him but I came up with nothing.

The closets caught my eye without my even realizing it. I inched toward them, ignoring the feet stepping on mine and the shoulders bumping into me. It was magnetic and affected all of us. It was the adrenaline of the party and something that couldn't be ignored.

I slipped into the nearest closet, anticipation making my stomach flip. The room was dark, so dark that I could just barely see the outline of the person standing across from me. It was small too, but somehow airy and cool. The music that was once so loud that I felt it thrumming through my body was now just a faint echo.

Hands circled around my waist and my arms immediately went around his neck. It was obviously a him but there was no way of telling just who. There was no hesitation when our lips met, just adrenaline and hunger and a feeling that we weren't magical wizards in a magical boarding school but just teenagers. Normal.

His hair was soft and short and I ran my hands through it as his hands made circles on my back. He had a broad chest and I couldn't but pull off the tie that hung from his neck. It was so meaningless and emotionless and everything I needed right then. To be able to stick my tongue down some guys throat without having to deal with being in love with him right after. I thought of Draco.

Now that made me stop. I jerked away from the guy, gasping in breaths of air without being able to get enough. I couldn't get the image of his pale eyes and hesitant smile out of my head and I suddenly wished that it was him holding him against him like I could slip away at any second. The feeling was like a wave rushing over me, overwhelming, until it was gone without a warning.

"Ok?" the guy asked, his voice rough but concerned which almost made me laugh. Any sort of person could enter the closet, what they did in the dark had no affect on them outside.

I kissed him again, taking in what enjoyment I had left which wasn't much. Draco still echoed in my head like a memory that was on the brink of disappearing. The guy kissed me back, quick and to the point before moving away like we had simply talked about the weather. I watched his outline, carefully knotting his tie and flattening his hair. I did the same, but I knew it wouldn't change the fact that my cheeks were red and my lips were was just another pleasure of the closet game.

"You want to go first?" He offered, clearing his throat. His voice was familiar, I had heard it a million times like background noise. I couldn't place the slight accent and I didn't want to. Knowing who you made out in a closet with just ruined the fun of it.

"Sure." I nodded, pulling on my dress one last time. "Thanks." It felt stupid to say but necessary.

I left the closet with a feeling of contentment and emptiness. My eyes scanned the crowd for any sign of a blonde head or gray eyes but there was nothing. Everything felt wrong.

Wes

"Come on, Wes." Will laughed, pushing me closer to the ominous looking door. I had heard plenty of stories and rumors about what was deemed the closet game. The last party I went to, I made sure to stay very far fro those closed doors but tonight apparently wasn't up to me.

"No way. I can't just kiss someone I don't know, it's scandalous!"

"You sound like my grandmother."

"I'd rather be an old woman then a whore."

"It's just kissing."

I sighed and shook my head, unable to look at the rows of doors that surrounded the room. I would never do something like that. Never. I couldn't even make eye contact with strangers much less kiss them. It felt...wrong.

"What if it's a girl?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest like a toddler.

"The closet has no sexuality, Wesley." Will replied in a sing song voice.

"Won't you be jealous? We have a thing, don't we? I'm pretty sure that counts as cheating."

"I give you my full permission."

"Oh my god, you are such a wimp." Maggie exclaimed, appearing out of nowhere as usual. Before I could protest she took me by the arm and dragged me over to the nearest closet. I tried to get out of her reach but her grip was like iron. In seconds I was thrown into complete darkness and welcomed with a surprised gasp.

It was a girl. A girl that was closer to me than any other human being had ever been that I could remember. The walls seemed to close in around me and I restrained from hyperventilating. I may have hated every second of being in that closet but there was no way I was making a fool of myself inside.

I put my hand of the girl's shoulder which felt incredibly awkward so I settled for waist which wasn't much fun either. Her thin arms went around my neck and I waited for some sort of kiss but nothing happened we just stood there, staring into the darkness because there was no way I could see her eyes.

"This is horrible." I whispered. The girl laughed loudly and pulled away to my great relief. "Can we just pretend that we had a hot make out session because I'm really not feeling this."

"Sure." The girl laughed again. "I don't even know why I'm in here anyway. Who kisses strangers?"

"Exactly!" I said. Her voice sounded familiar but I had a feeling that's what everyone told themselves when they were in a dark closet. It's everyone's worse nightmare to be put in a dark closet meant for making out with their worst enemy. It was all very psychological.

We waited until the appropriate amount of time went by before I thanked the girl for her time and left the closet feeling incredibly relieved. The grin on my face must've seemed like a good sign because Will looked delighted.

"How was it?" He asked as we were swallowed by the crowd once more.

"I was a true casanova."