QLFC S10 DP8

Competition 8: Truth or Dare: It's not me you're looking for

Prompt: [Dare] Person B giving Person A a piggyback back.

Word count: 2900

A/N: Thank you Jily Trash and Bellwhether2.0 for beta reading!

Tonight was the night before they officially graduated from Hogwarts, and the graduating cohort was granted permission to visit Hogsmeade. Naturally, everyone left the castle in their cliques. After all, there was no guarantee that they would still keep in touch after graduation; so, this was their last hurrah to celebrate their friendships.

In the Slytherin's girls' dormitory, Andromeda Black sat on her vanity and applied just enough makeup to feel a little prettier than usual. She had curled and twisted her hair in a fashionable high bun with tendrils running down her neck.

Through her mirror, she watched her best friend lying still on her bed with his eyes closed. His white shirt had its top three buttons unbuttoned with its sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His messy black hair that was a little too long fell over his face. If Andromeda was honest, she had always found him ruggedly handsome and he wore the lazy and disheveled look very well.

She smiled a little as she ended her blatant ogling and continued applying her makeup. She knew better than to assume he was in a deep sleep. If anything, he was just resting his eyes while waiting for her to finish dolling herself up. She slipped on a pair of heels, stood up and twirled slowly in front of her mirror. She smiled happily at her reflection, pleased at her transformation before she moved to her bed and shook the young man.

"Antonin," she called as she shook his shoulder harder. "Antonin!" Slowly, his eyes fluttered open and grey eyes looked lazily at her.

"What is it?" he drawled as he stretched and rubbed his face tiredly. "Are you finally ready to go?"

She grinned winningly and nodded excitedly. She took a step back and patted her dress down. "How do I look?" she asked hopefully as she did a slow twirl.

He yawned and gave her a quick appraisal. "You're better off in flats," he deadpanned as he sat up and combed his hand through his hair. "It's just the Three Broomsticks. It's a regular bar; and with our whole cohort squeezing in there, you'd be spending your time standing even if you found a spot to drink."

"It'll be fine," she dismissed his suggestion as she took his hand and pulled him off her bed. "We'll just go for an hour or two, and we'll be back before midnight so we can have our own private last supper together."

"I just want to be asleep before midnight," Antonin sighed tiredly as he allowed Andromeda to pull him along as she headed to the castle gates and into Hogsmeade Town.

The night had gone on for longer than Andromeda had expected, and she had left a little earlier than some of her peers. Antonin had glared at her from his spot near the exit for the past two hours and Andromeda flashed him sheepish, apologetic smiles before she successfully politely excused herself from her girl friends. As she gathered her things, Antonin walked out and waited for her just outside the raucous bar. Now, alone, at two hours after midnight, he strode ahead as soon as she emerged out of the bar.

"Will you please slow down, Antonin? My feet are hurting!" Andromeda whined breathlessly as she struggled to catch up to his long, brisk strides. Her ankles and calves were screaming and protesting. In hindsight, she should have listened to him and wore flats instead of insisting on her stilettos.

The cruel man who walked ahead turned his head to look at her from his shoulder. His lips quirked a little as he squinted to watch her stumbling in her steps to desperately close the large gap between them. "Absolutely not," he rejected her plea firmly but he still slowed down his pace just a little. "Will you speed up? I'd like to sleep in a warm bed before I graduate tomorrow."

Andromeda stopped to stare agape at the arrogant man in front of her. "I'd like to see you try walking in these!" she snarled as bent down and rubbed her sore ankles. The bands of her stilettos had bitten into her ankles, and left red warning circles on her skin.

"It's not my problem," he answered her easily and coolly as he stopped walking to turn on his heel to look at her casting simple charms to alleviate a little of the pain from her legs. He crossed his arms and tilted his chin just enough to look down at her critically through narrowed eyes. "I specifically remembered that I told you to wear flats," he said matter-of-factly as his eyes assessed her reddened and swollen ankles.

"None of my flats match the dress," she moaned as she massaged her calves and ankles. Her legs were hurting so terribly that she would not mind sitting on the gravel grounds of Hogsmeade Town and waiting for one of her peers to pass her by and help her back to the castle. She would definitely wake up to aches tomorrow if she could even make it to her bed tonight.

"Who cares?" he scoffed as he shrugged as if she was being silly for worrying about fashion.

"Who cares? Who cares?!" Andromeda echoed incredulously as her voice raised into a screech and she glared at him. "Of course, you don't care how I look!"

"I would," Dolohov denied smoothly as he closed the gap between them slowly. As he sauntered, he gave her an open, shameless and slow appreciative appraisal of her entirety. When he finally stopped before her, he took her hand and gently pulled her up to her full height. His eyes roved over her face observantly, pausing at her lips for a fraction longer before they settled on capturing her brown eyes in a fiery stare. "If, and only if, you actually dressed up for me," he murmured.

Andromeda felt her face warming quickly under his intense gaze. It was rare for men to look at her in that way. In fact, she could not remember the last time a man gave her a heated, smoldering look. She forced herself to turn her head and mutter under her breath, "Stupid man doesn't even know I dress for him."

"What was that?" he asked softly as he nudged her chin gently to turn her face back to him.

"I said, you're the stupid man who doesn't even know I dressed up tonight for him," Andromeda repeated stubbornly as she stared at him boldly despite the blossoming redness over her cheeks. There was absolutely no way he did not know how she was feeling…or even worse, finally recognised her feelings for him. She truly wished she did not blush this easily for him- especially when he was her best friend. He would never return her feelings.

He leaned in just enough that the tip of his nose left ghostly brushed on hers. "Oh, is that right?" he whispered as he caressed her cheek gently with his free hand, and then tenderly, tucking stray hair strands to behind her ear.

"E-eloquent," Andromeda stuttered breathlessly as she tried to pull away from him but his hands on her chin and face held her steadily.

Her brown eyes locked in a stare with his darkening, dilating grey eyes. Her lips parted just a little as her heart pounded harder. Her cheeks were heating and she was becoming more aware of his fingertips stroking her cheek and earlobe lightly. She was becoming afraid of breathing too deeply. Just quiet, shallow breaths, she pleaded with herself.

"Maybe I should reward you for dressing up for me," he crooned as his thumb grazed her parted lips lightly. His eyes glanced at her lips before he blew lightly on her lips. "What would you like?"

"I…" Andromeda stuttered as she felt her face burning and her insides squirming.

He tilted his head. He was slowly leaning in and the hand that captured her chin had opened up and spread to support her delicate jaw as he tilted her head up gently. She could feel his warm breath on her face as he closed the gap between their lips. Her eyes slowly fluttered close as she waited. At the slightest, lightest of brushes between their lips, Antonin jerked back and blinked, and she felt a whoosh as the moment ended.

"You… You should've started with that," he huffed impatiently as he turned his back to her and squatted. Andromeda stared mutely at him. Just mere moments ago, she almost… They almost… What in Merlin's name happened just now?

"What… What are you doing?" she asked warily. She was still lightheaded and frazzled. How could Antonin, her best friend, look so intensely? She never knew he could command a heated gaze that made her feel so…wanted. Was there a chance he might…feel the same as her?

"Climb on," he answered slowly as he looked over his shoulder at her. His eyes and face betrayed nothing as if he had not shared the heated moment with her.

"I'm sorry?"

"Do you want to get back to the castle or not?" he asked as his lips pulled into a scowl as he looked at her impatiently. "I haven't got all night to walk at your snail's pace with you."

Alas, her impatient best friend was back. Smoldering Antonin was just a strange phenomenon. This impatient one was the true Antonin. Andromeda pursed her lips as she struggled to keep her smile from curling onto her face. Shyly, she leaned on his back, curled her arms around his shoulders and neck, and straddled his waist. She froze for a split moment when she felt skin brushing against the back of her knees. Immediately she relaxed, when she realised it was just his hands supporting her.

"Thanks," she whispered as she buried her face into his shoulder as a smile threatened to blossom on her lips.

"Whatever," he dismissed her appreciation gruffly. "It would be sad to let anyone else see you waddle helplessly."

"Rude!" she laughed heartily as she slapped his shoulder lightly before she wrapped her arms a little tighter around him. It was just like him to show his concern and care in such a roundabout way. She leaned more onto his back and rested her chin on his shoulder. There was strength and security in his broad and sturdy shoulders.

As he walked on, she fiddled with the hair at the nape of his neck as she observed his side profile silently and appreciatively. He was the epitome of a virile, handsome man with the perfect balance of a sharp nose and a chiseled jawline. He had the perfect bone structure and just enough stubble to make him ruggedly attractive. Even his long eyelashes that curtained his grey eyes added to his rugged, dangerous handsomeness. However, he was more than just a physically desirable man; he was also very intelligent and skillful. After all, he was Hogwarts' four-times defending Champion Duellist - he was undefeated since he started participating in the yearly Duelling Competition in school, he was also so gifted in Charms that he became Professor Flitwick's handpicked apprentice, and he had already secured his first job at Gringotts Wizarding Bank at the start of their final year in school. Antonin was the perfect blend of brains and brawn… but she was his best friend. She was certain he would never consider her.

But, what if…

Maybe now would be the best time for her to speak openly with her heart because he would not be able to fully see her face. If it went badly, she would just pretend she was drunk and sleepy and had no recollection of the evening. That would spare her the embarrassment and save their friendship from ruin. There was also the option of running away and hiding from him as soon as the Headmaster officially announced their graduation.

"Antonin, you know, things wouldn't be all that different if we were actually dating," she whispered as she smiled a little wistfully as she watched his side profile carefully.

"What do you mean?" he asked as he turned his head just enough to look at her from the corner of his eyes.

Andromeda sucked in a breath as she noticed the small distance between their lips. She would not need to do much leaning in to close the gap and give him her first kiss. Instead, she tightened her hold on his shoulders as she moved as far as she could from his lips. "I… I mean," she stammered as she felt her blush returning to her cheeks with a vengeance. "Everyone already thinks we are dating… O-only difference would be putting a… an official label on it. We'll just move from best friends to…l-l-lovers."

He had not reacted in the slightest as she watched him digest her words. He just trudged on easily as if he was not hampered in any way by her weight or her words. Slowly, a smirk curled on his face as his grey eyes twinkled with undisguised curiosity and an emotion Andromeda was unsure of.

"Was that an observation from one of your girlfriends or an actual dream of yours?" he asked, but Andromeda heard the amusement layered thickly in his voice.

Of course Antonin would not return her feelings…and the sooner she accepted that, the better it would be for her heart. She would count her blessings to be his best friend… because in some parts, even if she was not the love of his life, she was still one of his loved ones. That should be enough…except it really was not if she was honest.

She swallowed thickly and smiled as widely as she could. "Of course, it's just a stupid observation from the girls," she dismissed her own thoughts with a dry chuckle that rang hollow to her. She loosened her hold on him and closed her eyes in defeat. She would pretend this never happened; and if he asked, she would lie. "What we have is good," she lied softly.

But it's really not enough.

Antonin looked at the beauty resting on his back for a fraction longer before he sighed tiredly and turned his attention to the front. Of course she was not attracted to him. She would never see him as a man. He was just Antonin Dolohov, the best friend. She would never consider him. She was only nice to him because he was her best friend. She was only around him because he was her best friend. She would never look at him the way she looked at Edward Tonks. She would never treat him genuinely and kindly the way she did the Muggleborn whom she tutored in Potions. For all his affections saved for her, his achievements and talents, and his family background, wealth and purity, he could not compete with Tonks for her because there was never a competition. There was simply no place for him in her heart and life except the tiny spot of best friend.

"I still prefer you in flats," he said curtly. For now, while she still tolerated his existence, he would look after and look out for her. He would always be right where she needed him… until he lost the prerogative as her best friend…until she finally decided to confess to Tonks and squash his hopes of spending the rest of his life with her.

Andromeda jolted as she blinked owlishly at him. He was not looking at her but she noticed the tightness of his lips. He was truly displeased with her choice of footwear tonight. Slowly, she nodded and acquiesced softly, "Alright, no more heels."

Antonin gritted his teeth when he heard the submissive tone. She was Andromeda! She was a princess. A Black princess. She should never have to lower her voice to anyone, least of all to him. She should be proud to hold her chin up…or was she training and changing herself to fit the idealised image of a Muggle wife? Was this the type of woman Tonks desired?

As miffed as he was, Antonin would hold his tongue. He would not say a thing. He would not do anything because that was the best he could do to support her and her dreams. It was not him she wanted. It was not him she desired. It was not him she loved. Out of respect for her, out of love and adoration for her, he would stand by and accept her changes without a protest even if it hurts to see her lower herself. He would support her choice of lover even if he was not the chosen one.

"Flats or heels, it doesn't matter. I'll still get us back safely. Just go to sleep," he murmured as he nudged her gently to readjust her on his back so she was resting more comfortably. "Good night, Princess."

Andromeda smiled as she wrapped her arms around him. That night, she slept peacefully and safely despite the unusual position. For one more night, and perhaps the last night, she would still be enveloped in his safety and strength. When the sun rises again, she would bade farewell to their friendship and bury her love and yearning for him.

Thank you for reading!