QLFC Season 10 Round 11: Why won't you look at me?

Main prompt: Write about taking the last resort.

Additional prompts:

1. [Object] Sketchbook/ journal/ notepad

2. [Action] Making a dramatic entrance

3. [Emotion] Satisfied

Word: 1600

A/N: I would like to thank plasticmoonandstars for their help to beta read this.

Dolohov sat beneath the tree with his sketchbook. He watched a pair of students with interest. The girl had beautiful long hair and twinkling brown eyes. She was wearing her Slytherin cloak. To Dolohov, she was not the prettiest or the best-looking girl in school; she was perfection.

He wondered what made her smile like that. As he sighed glumly, his hand flew effortlessly across the paper while his eyes darted between his paper and his crush.

"You have a beautiful smile," he murmured as he continued to draw her portrait. A beautiful smiling face was beginning to appear on his paper. "Would you accept my compliment if I was honest?" he sighed as he watched her engage in a discourse with her fellow Slytherins. He looked away from her to look longingly at his drawing. "You're so beautiful… but you'll never notice me," he mumbled as he touched her portrait.

Initially, it had all been just fun and laughter. He was just a boy and she was just a girl. Somewhere along the lines, his feelings blurred and she was no longer just a girl to him. She was the one who made him smile even when he was feeling moody. She was the one who made his heart flutter simply by saying hi to him. She was everything to him, yet at the same time, she was nothing to him because he was nothing more than a fellow student to her.

"Why couldn't I have told you first?" he sighed, touching her portrait lightly and gently. "Why was I so scared to risk it all and confess to you? Would I be standing by your side right now if I had done so?"

He closed his eyes, and leaned his head against the tree. He sighed heavily and his sketchbook remained open on his lap. It was a terrible feeling to stare at her from afar, and pretend he was happy to see her with someone else. How much longer could he tolerate such a scene that hurt him? Did he pale in comparison to the Hufflepuff boy? He was better than Edward Tonks in every way. He was better looking than the snotty twerp, and he was smarter. He never needed any remedial or supplementary classes for any subject, nor did he have to beg other students for their notes and joint study sessions.

As Dolohov was drowning in his jealousy, the screams of other students jolted him. He opened his eyes just in time to see a student riding their broomstick with the same flair and arrogance as a muggle surfer riding a wave on his surfboard. Dolohov's eye twitched. There was only one student who was shamelessly ostentatious enough to do something like that.

Corban Yaxley, the Slytherin Seeker, rode his broomstick expertly and proficiently. He had unnatural flying talents that created natural friction in the air and a trail of vicious flames always followed his broomstick. He flew fearlessly, swiftly, and fiercely. He chased the other students on his broomstick, laughing as they tried to duck and dodge him.

Who needed magic spells when they could be like Yaxley and created enough natural destruction just by flying? Dolohov glowered. He was not in the mood to be amused by Yaxley's shenanigans. He cast a quickfire spell at Yaxley who blinked and barely dodged the spell. He tumbled out of the air and landed on the grass with a laugh.

"You're terrible, Dolohov," Yaxley complained harmlessly as he got up to his feet. He dusted himself, carried his broomstick carelessly over his shoulder and swaggered over to Dolohov. "You could've killed me."

"Don't be dramatic," Dolohov snapped. "I'm not in the mood to be amused."

"Are you referring to my complaint or my entrance?" Yaxley asked innocently as he blinked his eyes slowly. It was just like Yaxley not to take anything seriously. The Scot was the most lackadaisical and whimsical wizard in school. It was a mystery how Yaxley was the best friend to the most tenacious and disciplined student. They were complete opposites yet they had more than just mutual respect; they had a precious friendship that had been tested to its limits many times due to their clashing personalities.

"I'm not buying your cute act," Dolohov hissed. "You ruined a perfectly good afternoon." He noticed that his crush was busy putting out the fire on Edward's ugly Hufflepuff robes. He smiled a little. "Perhaps, I can forgive your shenanigans this time," he said, smiling slyly as he watched the poor Hufflepuff student struggling with his robes. "There is something good that came out of your dramatic act of terrorism."

"Terrorism?" Yaxley echoed incredulously. "Now, who is being dramatic? I was just having fun. It's not my fault I'm talented at flying and they're slower than me." Yaxley shrugged carelessly. It was just like Yaxley not to take ownership for his actions; but it was also true. When Yaxley was flying, he moved faster than most students who ran on the ground. Dolohov huffed as he folded his arms and noted with a satisfied grin as Edward had stripped off his burnt robes.

Meanwhile, Yaxley noticed the abandoned open sketchbook and picked it up. He casually flipped through the pages. "Oh, if I had known you drew portraits this well, I would've asked you to draw me," Yaxley said with a smirk, wiggling his eyebrows. "Draw me like one of the French girls...or should I say, like Andromeda Black."

Dolohov's head immediately snapped as he turned sharply. A string of ardent denials were ready on his lips, but his mouth went dry when he saw his sketchbook in Yaxley's hands. For a moment, he stared in muted horror at the blond-haired wizard who was grinning wolfishly. His secret crush was now a secret shared with Yaxley, who was never known to keep secrets. Every secret became sensational news when it reached Yaxley. "Give it back," he demanded stiffly. He had no doubt that his face was flushed with embarrassment.

"No."

"I said, give it back!" Dolohov snarled as he stretched his hand outward. His eyes blazed fiercely and expectantly at the grinning wizard. "Return it, or Merlin help me, I'll take it back by any means necessary!"

The grin on Yaxley's face stretched into a wicked grin and Dolohov knew the next few minutes would truly test his patience and his willingness to keep their friendship alive. "ANDROMEDA!" Yaxley shouted as he began running away from Dolohov with the sketchbook tucked under his arm and his broomstick resting on his shoulder. "I'VE A SECRET FOR YOU!"

"Shut your damn mouth!" Dolohov cursed as he chased after Yaxley. "Don't tell her, or Merlin help me, I'll cut your tongue!" He vowed to take the secret to his grave. He would never tell Andromeda about his feelings. He would not burden her with them.

Yaxley laughed as he saw Dolohov chasing him. He reached Andromeda, who looked at him with amusement. Her lips curled into a smile as she watched Yaxley run towards her. It was no surprise to her that whatever secret Yaxley wanted to reveal had to do with the black-haired Russian wizard, who was glowering and snarling, and chasing him.

Andromeda smiled at her closest friends as she said, "What mischief have you been up to?"

"It's nothing!" Dolohov said fiercely as he tackled Yaxley. The boys tumbled onto the grass in front of Andromeda. Dolohov grabbed Yaxley's face and kissed him on the lips. A deafening silence surrounded them. Yaxley stared wide-eyed at Dolohov.

"I had suspected it, but I didn't know for sure..." She trailed off as she watched her closest friends with growing hilarity. Her words hung in the air, unspoken, as the boys broke apart.

"I… It's not what you think," Dolohov stuttered as he looked at Andromeda. "I… I can explain."

"It's okay that you're gay, Antonin," Andromeda grinned helpfully.

Dolohov's shoulders slumped. This was not how he wanted to act in front of Andromeda. Now, she was convinced he was gay. Surely, Merlin was laughing at him. Surely, the day could not get any worse than it already had... except it could.

"You didn't have to bite my tongue, Antonin," Yaxley grinned wolfishly as he wiggled his eyebrows at Dolohov, and Andromeda laughed. "That was a good kiss though. I don't mind an encore."

Dolohov did not even have the energy to send a scathing glare at Yaxley. He just wanted to dig a hole and bury himself. He snatched his sketchbook and stormed away.

Yaxley shrugged apologetically at Andromeda, "Sorry you had to find out that way. I've to take care of my boy now. You know how grumpy and moody he can be."

"I'M NOT YOUR BOY!" Dolohov huffed as he retreated into the castle. He would brood in his bed and engineer ways to end the gossip about his relationship with Yaxley. Damn it.

Thank you for reading.