"Cousin." He didn't hear him, "Neil." Draco called out, "This is our stop."
Neil looked up from his book and nodded at his cousin. His wand was safely tucked in his pants. Most of Draco's friends didn't try to speak to him, the angry expression on his face was enough to let others know that they need to be at least two steps away from him. Neil picked up his shoulder bag and tucked his book into his back pocket. "Coming." He called out.
He saw the carriages and the limited space in them, "I'll take the next one, you and your friends can catch up." Neil said as he held his bags in his hands. The last carriage pulled up and Neil glanced at the last three people to board the carriage.
He put his stuff up and noticed the girl struggling to do so. "Need some help?" He asked, softly. Her embarrassment quickly revealed itself because of the blush that went up to her ears. She nodded and let go of her suitcase, allowing for him to put it up on the back of the carriage.
He then helped her into the carriage with a simple hand, offering to help her up. Neil quickly followed inside but halted himself. "Harry." He said stiffly.
Harry smiled at the new student, "Neil," He looked excited to see him, "Where did you sit? I couldn't find you after my father dropped us off."
"In the front." Neil said shortly.
"Everyone, this is my brother-"
"Adopted brother." Neil corrected him.
Harry deflated a bit and Neil felt a bit guilty for acting towards Harry the way he does. "Neil Black, he's a transfer student from Ilvermorny."
Ron looked guarded and Hermione just looked curious about him. "Nice to meet you." He muttered and took the book out of his back pocket, continuing to read the chapter where he left off.
Neil wondered how different it all was now, with students coming to school again, freely without having the threat of Voldemort hanging above their heads. He uncomfortably shifted away from Harry. It wasn't his fault, Neil likes to think.
It wasn't Harry's fault that their father Sirius Black had sent Neil up to New York with a house-elf to take care of him until the house-elf found a maj that would take care of a small child while the house-elf returned to doing chores around the house. They had access to the Black vault all the way up in the American wizarding community, so they were definitely taken care of there.
Neil had to find out from the newspapers that his father had escaped years ago, in 1994. Never, had he heard anything from his father until the man stood outside of his door with a stupid grin on his face. It was as if he expected his son not to grow up without him being around to see it. He only stayed in London for a week before he was forced to transfer schools.
The only ones he can consider family were the Malfoy's. Draco's mother had reached out to Neil's caretaker when she got notified that the bank was being accessed. It was then when the letters started between the two households, Neil was flown out to spend Christmas with them after his caretaker had passed away.
The moment the carriage came to a halt, Neil was the first one to exit the carriage that was filled with tension, mostly his brooding. He pulled out his stuff and noticed standing near him, watching him, observing him. "Hermione Granger." She introduced herself.
"Neil Black." The boy said and shook the hand that she offered, "I'll get your stuff out, just a second." He muttered and combed a hand through his hair to put it back nicely. He then pulled out Hermione's suitcases and put them in front of her.
She smiled at him and he was slightly taken aback by her nice attitude, most after seeing Neil just stopped trying to fake not being intimidated. "I'll see you around, Neil?" She asked quietly, glancing between her friends and him.
"I think so." Neil nodded. The girl smiled at him and she grabbed her suitcase before heading towards the castle. Neil quickly followed suit, allowing for himself to look at the architecture around the place. He put his stuff to the side and followed the stream of students who were entering some hall.
"Neil Black?" A strict voice called out for him.
He froze in his step and turned to look at the origin of said voice. "I'm Professor McGonagall. Fall in line with the first-year students please, you'll be the last to be sorted." Neil fell in line and he couldn't help but think about his job if he were still in America. It was supposed to be his last year, where they would go on internships and earn money and a name, but instead, he was once again shipped off to another country by his father.
He could hear singing from behind the door and Neil just cringed at the sound of it. Then the doors opened and the first-years followed after Professor McGonagall. Neil stuck out like a sore thumb, following after the first years. He watched them all sit on a small chair and have a hat placed on top of it, and have them appointed to a house.
"Black, Neil." Neil just walked up and looked at Professor McGonagall.
"Sorry Professor, but I think you'd understand why I won't be sitting down on that." He said sincerely. The Professor nodded and Neil just ducked a bit so that she could put a hat on top of his head.
He felt irked and irritated by the way the hat poked around through his thoughts, laughing at his anger but also admiring it, the grudge he held and the actions he had done. "Slytherin!" The Sorting Hat eventually called out and Neil's tie and scarf turned green instead of the black ones he bought.
The Slytherin table started applauding for the new student, Neil just clenched his jaw and sat down next to his cousin. "Our last year, Neil." Draco muttered, "I'm just glad that we're doing this one together. Don't think I would have survived with tweedle dee and tweedle dum here."
Neil snorted as he looked at the two Slytherin's and immediately understood what Draco meant, the two were sharing a pocket cupcake that they forgot about in the train, it was mushed and crumbly. Goyle and Crabbe weren't the most intelligent people around. "I'd rather be in Ilvermorny right now." He said quietly, missing the people back what he can actually call his home.
"I'd rather be in Durmstrang now." Draco snorted, "But mother wanted me to stay close."
"Got to respect aunt Narcissa." Neil agreed, the woman was a force to be reckoned with. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. "The Weasley boy, the one you've told me about. Does he have a staring problem?" He asked and nodded over at the ginger, staring at them.
"He's probably thinking you're a death-eater." Draco rolled his eyes, "The best I can advise you to do is ignore them."
Neil let out a breath, "Yeah, right." He muttered and started loading his plate when the feast commenced. The curious looks from everyone was getting on his nerves, he wondered how long it was going to take for people to stop looking as if he was some centaur with two heads.
It took them two weeks to stop staring, but only three days for them to start flirting with him. He was a bit smug about it, he knew that he was somewhat handsome but he didn't expect the girls to be so forward about it. During class, he'd sit in the back with Draco and Pansy when a girl of Gryffindor would come up to him and flirt, graze her hand against his arm, talk about how strong he must be and talk his ear off asking questions about America.
He kept in mind who flirted with him, so far it had only been one Hufflepuff who came up to him, asking if he was single with her hand on his chest, Draco told him that she was Susan Bones, his cousin felt the need to mention that she's a pureblood but a blood traitor.
Then were the Ravenclaws, one came up to him. Padma Patil asked him questions about America, just like the others did but then she started playing with her hair, laughing at every short comment Neil had. She was nice, he couldn't help but think that she was quite attractive like Susan Bones.
Slytherin girls didn't walk up to him but they took every chance to stare at him with intense eyes, especially Daphne Greengrass, a girl out of his year and class. Icy blonde hair framed her face and Neil wondered if she wasn't already taken by the way Theordore Nott glared at him every chance the Slytherin boy could get.
Gryffindors, they were bold. Three of them walked up to Neil, all in one day but different times. He found out from Draco that they were all chasers for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. The three were Neil's age, having stayed at home for a year when the war with Voldemort intensified. All three of them asked the same questions, used the same moves and tried to kiss his cheek, which he didn't let any three of them do.
"What about her, who's she?" Neil nodded over to Granger, they were in Alchemy, the only class that she didn't share with his adopted brother and their ginger friend. She had managed to make him stop in his steps when she walked past him for a class that she shared with the Hufflepuffs.
"Hermione Granger, mudblood." Neil really disliked that word, he was quick to send his cousin a stormy look. "Smart, but hopeless for her friends. Sometimes I wonder why she isn't in Ravenclaw and then I see her sacrifices for her friends." He tapped the wooden table in front of Neil. "Don't try, she'll make her priorities your brother,"
"Adoptive brother."
"-adoptive brother and that Weasel." Draco continued. "She's interesting, for a muggle-born." Draco admitted quietly. Neil just pursed his lips and nodded. "Are you coming with me to the Quidditch meeting?"
"Is it important?" Neil asked.
"No, just discussing strategy."
"Then no." Neil decided he was already made as one of the chasers in the Slytherin team. His reputation of playing for his local quidditch team had surpassed national borders and reached the U.K. "I'll be in the library," He said quietly, "Getting some reading done."
"Because being a broody Slytherin is so hard." Draco mocked and rolled his eyes. Neil snorted, "I can ask Pansy her friends to back off and act a bit normal."
"You reckon she'd listen, really Draco?" Neil was the one laughing now.
"Just go out to dinner with someone, have everyone know that you're not single and so only a few who are very desperate try to flirt with you." Neil rolled his eyes, "Try taking out Daphne."
"Have Nott put five different curses on me behind my back? Fair chance." Neil shook his head, "No Slytherin, too messy to shit where you eat."
Draco cringed, "You American idioms are bloody disgusting." Neil laughed at his disgusted face, students started to gather their stuff and walk out to do whatever they must before heading to bed and preparing themselves for the weekend. The Malfoy checked his watch and stood up, "We're not done talking yet." The group of quidditch players stood up and quickly followed after their Captain.
Neil was amused with how in step the students fell. The boy wiped his lips and drank another gulp of water down before heading up to the library, one of the only places he had found solstice in.
Even though he was surrounded by many books, he still read from the book that was always found in his back pocket. He sat in a single chair by a window and read for only god knows how long. "Excuse me, could you help me grab a book?" A girl asked and his head snapped up to look at her.
Hermione Granger was asking for his help, "Of course," He stood up and grabbed the book that she couldn't reach. "Forgot your wand?" He hummed, slightly amused.
"I did." She blushed, out of frustration or embarrassment, Neil didn't know enough to really pinpoint the meaning of the blush. Neil handed her the book and allowed for his hand to 'accidentally' graze her hand. This time she blushed a deeper red, she looked like she wanted to say something but opted to sit down on the couch next to the bookshelves on magical creatures and read with great concentration.
Her eyebrows were all furrowed and Neil thought it was endearing. Instead of bothering her while she read her book, he decided to follow her example of sitting down and reading. He sat back in his claimed chair and read.
They spent some more time in that comfortable silence, Neil was reading a book and Hermione was reading a book just across the room. Up until the point where she put her book down and looked over at Neil.
The Slytherin didn't notice as he was so immersed in his book. His posture was still straight but his hair was messy from leaning forward when he shifted in his seat.
"Hey, Neil. Could you help me find a book?" She asked and Neil nodded, lowering his book to look up at her. Hermione smiled at him, she couldn't deny the cute sight of his broken focus and disorientation.
"Well, I'm not sure if I'm going to be a great help, but I'll try to be." He said with a small smile and stood up, tucking his own worn out book in the back pocket of his pants. His heart wasn't angry when she spoke to him with that voice of hers. That voice could put him to bed at an instant.
"Thanks again, Neil. I looked everywhere but I just couldn't find it." Frustration leaked through her voice and she cleared her throat. "How are you fitting in?"
Neil raised an eyebrow at her action of not mentioning which book or where she tried to look. Rather in mentioning which book, she was going to be asking him questions. Neil wasn't sure what to feel about it but he let her off the hook, just because her voice was soothing.
"Rather nicely," He hummed, "After being thrown to the wolves by father dear, I think that I'm faring rather nicely." He hummed and Hermione's smile faltered a bit when the mention of Sirius Black came. She led them between two bookshelves.
"You used to go to Ilvermorny." She stated and he nodded. "Is it nice?" She asked, her eyes glancing at Neil and the books behind him.
Neil couldn't help but notice her glancing. "It is a lovely school, but I don't think it is fair to compare the schools." He said and looked around, "Which book are you trying to find?" He asked quietly.
"I was looking for a book about Potions, advanced." Hermione said and smiled softly, "I need to study unless I want Snape to fail me."
"He wouldn't." Neil frowned, "Fail you?" He looked around and started looking in the potions sections.
"He tries to." Hermione says humorlessly. "What about you, which book are you reading?" She asked, curiously.
Neil thought about telling her to mind her own business but decided against it and instead took the book out of his back pocket before handing it over to her. "First observations of dragons in the ancient world." He hummed, "Hope you can read Ancient Greek." He was a bit smug about being able to read it.
Neil watched as the girl carefully accepted the book, she then looked up at Neil, "Ancient Greek? I can only understand English." She noticed how soft Neil's hands are.
"My nanny taught me Ancient Greek." Neil said quietly, reminiscing about his old guardian. "She was very convinced that Greek Gods are still alive and just rule the world quietly." He bit his lip, trying to back a small smile. "You're a curious person." He mentioned his observation as he turned to look at her.
She blushed, "So you believe in the Greek Gods?" She asked, her eyebrows raised. Hermione was a curious person by nature, but he just managed to grab her attention as if it was nothing. She wanted to know who he was past the brooding front he has, she wanted to know if his heart also stutters every time they make eye contact, she needs to know. Hermione wanted to know what it would take to get close to Neil, the handsome, polite, absolutely mysterious transfer student.
No one had managed to learn anything about him, except that he was a transfer student from America, that was common knowledge. Everyone wonders, whenever he wore his muggle clothes, it was a shirt and a waistcoat, was that muggle clothing fashion normal in America?
"If there are still Chimera's walking around like they used to do in the ancient Greek World, then I'd like to believe that there are gods still walking around," He cleared his throat, "But I'm open to anything, even the possibility that there aren't any." Neil never told anyone that before, not even the Malfoy's in fear that they would laugh at him and disown him as family, he can't let that happen, they're his only family.
"Is it crazy to think that they still roam the earth with us?" He asked quietly, observing her expression closely.
"Well, I've seen centaurs, mermans and giants." She chewed her lip. Her curiosity about Neil was spiking with every word and expression he had, she couldn't help but look at him closely. The way his black hair fell in his eyes or the way his gray eyes resemble his fathers.
Neil was watching her right back and she looked away, breaking eye contact. He smiled a little, wondering if he wasn't looking right back at her, if she'd notice his small scar above his lip, the light freckles on his whole face. "Great minds think alike?" He offered.
"Yes, great minds do think alike." She was blushing and looking to the side to hide it, maybe use the way her hair fell over her face.
Neil suddenly reached out for a book that was behind Hermione, the girl was blushing even more because of how close they were to one another and Neil had to clench his jaw. Normally if he had found a girl attractive, he'd flirt a little and offer to occupy a broom closet together. Right now he would love to offer that option to her.
"Here you go." He hummed, he barely knew her, what was he going to do, pulling a girl into a brooms closet. "Anything else you need, Granger?" The way he said her name just smoothly fell off of his lips and he wanted to say it a couple more times. He handed her the book but didn't move out of her personal space, she wasn't pushing him out either.
Hermione blushed again and her heart was beating faster every second. "No," She said quietly, "I think that this is all for now." Neil nodded and nearly took a step back before she continued, "Could you do me a favor, Neil?"
Neil pursed his lips and checked his watch, his smile faltering. "I don't have time to do you a favor, I have to meet with my cousin, but see if you need that favor next time you'll see me?" He offered to Hermione. "Anything." His eyes glanced down to her lips.
She blushed some more, and he loved seeing it paint her cheeks. "Well, I wanted to ask if-" Just before she finished her sentence, a familiar grating noise shouted out.
"Hermione? Where are you?" Ron Weasley called out, he sounded prickly, irritated. "We were supposed to meet-"
Neil raised an eyebrow and turned to look at the exit between the bookshelves, "Weasley." He nodded.
"Hermione?" Ron spoke again, annoyed even when he said her name. "What are you doing with that Death-Eater?"
"You watch your mouth, Weasley." Neil growled as he turned away from gauging Hermione's reactions to Ron. "I wasn't here for your damned war and I am not a murderer." Weasley just rolled his eyes and Neil clicked his tongue, "Close-minded, stubborn and deaf, words used to describe you before I even met you."
"You'd rather call yourself Draco's cousin than Harry's brother."
"Harry is adopted." Neil corrected. "How can this be any of your business? I'm going to be late."
Ron rolled his eyes and didn't budge from the only exit, "What are you doing in the library?" Ron asked, but Hermione wasn't listening, she was looking at Neil, looking at his reaction when he was a bit angry, annoyed. But then, she was also distracted, he looked like he had soft lips. "Hermione, did you hear what I just asked?" He finally got Hermione's attention.
Neil raised an eyebrow at how commanding he was, how he had to know everything, probably because nobody tells him anything. "Draco must be right, you're rather rude." Neil whistled and Ron's eyes narrowed at him.
Obviously, the ginger didn't like how Neil was talking to him at the moment, as if people were supposed to cower when they were under the glare of Ronald Weasley. Neil's confidence might've thrown him off.
Hermione stayed quiet as she watched the tense conversation happen, her eyes moving back and forth between Neil and Ron. But she wanted to stay in the library, stay near the warmth of Neil and talk to him about anything, even dragons of which she could barely count one type off of her hand.
"Right then." His American accent stood out between the two Brits. "I'm excusing myself because I've got a meeting to get to." He stood in front of Ron, who wasn't moving aside. Neil raised his eyebrows at the ginger.
There they stood, face to face. "Out of my way, Neil." Ron said, his voice a bit higher than before, when he was barking out questions left and right. "Going to a Death-Eater reunion?"
Hermione was nervous now, she knew Ron was no match for Neil. Neil had muscles while Ron wasn't as confident in his own skin. "Just move aside, Ron." She called out, but the ginger shook his head.
"You're blocking the exit, mate." Neil was baffled at the audacity, "I am trying to leave." He really wasn't in a fighting mood but at the fire in Ron's eyes, he was.
"Out of the way, Neil. I have to speak with her." Ron retorted, his voice unwavering. Neil just rolled his eyes. His patience was starting to thin out.
"If you gave me a chance, I would've been long gone."
"I need to talk with Hermione."
"Then talk." Hermione said.
Ron looked between her and Neil and then shook his head, "In private." Still, Ron was persistent, not budging at all. Neil wondered if all Weasley's acted like this.
Slowly, Neil reached out and put a hand on Ron's shoulder, slowly moving him aside. "Can I?" He asked sarcastically, tilting his head to look at Ron, daring, challenging him to say something.
The ginger just turned red and continued to glare at Neil. "Yeah move, you stupid Yankee." Neil stopped in his step but heard the sharp breath that Hermione took in before leaving the library.
He had a sneer on his face the whole way from the library to the Great Hall, he moved over to sit by the Slytherin table, facing his cousin. "Ronald Weasley, is as you call it here, a bloody cunt." Neil felt his anger simmer and just pile up the burning stock.
"What happened?" Draco asked, the blonde slytherin had an assumption that it probably was about Neil hogging all the girls. The transfer student had gotten more attention from girls than Ron ever had talked to. "What did he do?"
"I was helping Granger find a book when he barged in, demanding to talk to her." He still couldn't believe how polite, nice Granger could hang out with such a brute. "Ron didn't want to move aside, because he was blocking the only exit." He let out an annoyed breath, "Like, does the Weasley just have the audacity or is this something British." If it was, Neil was back on the first boat to America.
"Not all British people are rude like him." Draco chuckled, "Did he move aside or did you make him?"
"Had to make him move aside." The two Slytherins had the same smirk, the same smug smirk. Must've been a family Black trademark.
"You laid your eyes on Granger?" Draco then said, raising an eyebrow at his cousin.
"Yeah, so what?"
"You don't help people without wanting something in return, what do you want in return, Neil?" Draco hummed.
Neil slightly recoiled at his cousin's suggestion, "Nothing, she just couldn't reach the book she wanted." Neil raised an eyebrow and let out an amused breath, "Why so defensive, Draco? Did she reject you once upon a time?" He hoped that his cousin would accept his banter.
"Are you crazy?" Draco said a bit loud, causing heads to turn and look. "She's a mudblood!"
"She's a muggle-born." Neil corrected him.
"Fine, defend your muggle-born." Draco huffed.
"My muggle-born?" Neil's eyebrows flew up, "You've got to be kidding me, Draco. No-one is my property, not even a house-elf." A girl walked past and grazed Neil's shoulders and Draco just rolled his eyes.
"You really need to get a girlfriend, you're like shark bait over here." Draco groaned, "You do know how to speak with girls, right?"
Neil huffed out a breath, "You don't think I can talk to girls, Draco?" The boy leaned over, "I've had no-maj in my bed, maj and even a ministry official begging for me." He whispered, "Freshly graduated." He added. "Besides, I could get any girl I want, even your little girlfriend." The two turned to look at her and Neil made a point through winking at her.
Astoria blushed and turned to her friends, giggling and talking about getting Neil's attention. "No need to talk, or flirt with my girlfriend." Draco said through clenched teeth. "Go for the muggle-born, I don't care."
Neil chuckled, "Maybe," Dinner was starting soon, "She's quite fine, especially when she blushes, looking hot and bothered." Draco cringed. Neil perked up when he saw her enter, his eyes narrowing as she was limping with plump red lips, walking behind her was Ron, in a far, far happier mood.
"The way she keeps looking over at you might be a sign that she's attracted to you too." Draco grumbled. "Maybe she won't reject your offer for a relationship."
"I'm attracted to her, not head over heels in love with her." Neil snapped, "I don't even know her well enough to even consider a relationship."
"If you don't act fast enough, she might be back in Weasley's claws."
Neil snorted, "Yeah, I saw them walk in together." He smirked and looked at his cousin, "It's all temporary if she's already looking at me." It was a dangerous line he was walking on, between being smug about her already looking at him instead of Weasley or her just having hooked up with Weasley.
The difference was that she has history with Ronald, but barely knew anything about the oh so, mysterious Neil Black. "Girls love confidence. You have the confidence, Neil, flirt." Draco urged. "Besides, I'd love to see Weasley's face after he realizes that she ran into a Slytherins arm rather than his." Neil let out an amused huff.
"I'll flirt with her when I see her next time." He was doing this for himself, not Draco. Neil liked the thought of being her first choice, not that Weasley would've been considered a choice if Neil had gone to the school earlier.
"Why not flirt now, in front of the ginger's face."
Neil chuckled, "Oh you're cruel Draco." He snorted, "It isn't polite to interrupt someone's dinner." He finished his plate and stood up. "I'm going to the common room, get some reading done before everyone waltzes in and starts to bother me." Draco rolled his eyes and turned to speak with his friends.
– – – – – –
"Neil Black?" He looked up from his book and smiled at the attractive prefect.
"Daphne Greengrass, right?" He asked, knowing full well who she was. Her pupils were blown a bit wide and Neil knew she was hooked. "Can I help you?"
She smiled at him, "Yeah," She hummed, "I got a report that you attacked a Gryffindor prefect."
"Ronald Weasley?" She nodded, "He's just mad that I was helping his girl, couldn't handle me helping her."
"The report said that you pushed him aside."
"Rather nudged him aside, you can ask Hermione Granger." He chuckled dryly. "Weasley blocked the exit so I nudged him aside."
Daphne bit her lip, "I'll ask Granger then." She scribbled something down on her paper and looked back at him. "Are you interested in Granger?"
"Just interested in helping people." He grinned, before Daphne could continue to try and flirt with him, he cut her short. "Anything else?"
She looked rather taken aback, "No, nothing else."
– – – – –
He was in the library, again. His fingers slid over the spine of books in the law aisle, he picked out a book and sat down in his usual chair. Reading and reading for ages, until he was distracted by the movement in the corner of his eyes.
"Granger." He nodded, acknowledging her.
"How are you, Neil?" She asked politely. Her voice was soft and Neil wanted her to say other things, maybe whisper in his ear.
"A bit prickly." He hummed, answering truthfully. "How about you, how are you doing Granger?" He asked with the charming smile on his face. Her face fell a bit at his answer.
"I'm fine." She replied, smiling back at him. "Prickly, why prickly?" She asked.
"I got reported by your boyfriend, giving Daphne a lovely chance to try and trap me."
She cringed, "Trap you? Boyfriend?"
Neil raised his eyebrows at her, "Weasley, your boyfriend." He stated.
"Not my boyfriend," she shook her head. "What did you mean, Daphne tried to trap you."
"I get some attention from girls that I don't reciprocate." He hummed and Hermione bit her lip. His eyes flew down to look at her bitten lip. "She took this as a chance to ask a lot of questions. But I only let her ask three."
"That's good." She hummed and then blushed.
Neil had a teasing smile on his face, "Good? Why is that good, Granger?" He wanted to know why it was good he didn't give Daphne a chance to flirt with him.
"That you didn't get trapped." She recovered quickly. "Were you bothered by her?"
"Well, I was reading a book." He cracked a smile at her, but the joke fell on deaf ears when she was looking at the book on his lap.
"Oh, I'll leave you to it."
Neil nearly stood up to not let her leave. Instead he closed the book and smiled at her, "The difference between you and Daphne is that you're not bothering me. Besides, You're good company." He said, making it clear that she wasn't bothering him in the slightest.
He might've talked a big game with Draco around but when Hermione was in front of him, looking at him with those hazel eyes and that soft-spoken voice of hers, his player reputation dissolves right by her feet.
"So you won't mind that I'll be sitting here." She asked, her cheeks graced with a light blush.
"I won't mind at all." He smiled, "Unless you need help with another book or help with teaching Weasley some proper manners." He said jokingly.
Hermione laughed softly as she sat down, her back on the arm of the couch, her body and face facing Neil who sat on the single chair next to it. Neil realized that he'd drop his book if she needed anything resembling help.
"No, I don't need any help at the moment," Her eyes dropped to his broad shoulder, "Maybe later though." Neil let out an amused breath and couldn't help but look at her long neck, the tension between them became sexual and Neil wondered if he might need his manners refreshed because all he was thinking about was inviting her into a closet for a make-out session, or more. "What book are you reading?" She asked and Neil was snapped out of his imagination.
He opened the book on his lap again, hoping that he could hide the bulge in his pants. "Magical laws of the British Ministry of Magic." He hummed and clenched his jaw. "Haven't had any time to brush up on it before I moved here."
"Why, thinking of getting in trouble with the law, Neil?" She said with a teasing smile on her face. Neil looked at her with intense eyes and a lazy grin on his face.
"No, do I look like trouble to you, Miss Granger?" He flirted, "Unless you don't like that, I can be good." He watched her gulp and he wondered how much it would take for her to come closer to him.
"Depends on what kind of trouble." She smiled, flirting back. "I've been on some of my own."
"Nothing too bad," He hummed and grinned at her, "Mostly inappropriate." They shared a short laugh, and heated looks.
"You flirt a lot, Neil." Hermione noted. "You flirt with everyone like that?" She questioned. Neil grinned and looked at her, her blush going down from her cheeks, to her neck, and down to her chest, hidden behind her shirt. She cleared her throat and his eyes snapped up to hers.
"I don't." He said and winked at her, "Only the special ones."
"So you like me?" Hermione asked, innocently. Neil grinned, knowing what game she was playing. He was interested in playing as well.
"I can't seem to figure that out yet, maybe I need a small taste before I know for sure." He flirted and clenched his jaw as she smiled at him, her eyes were ten shades darker than before.
"Then try, maybe you'll like it." She said boldly and Neil decided he likes the bold, the Gryffindor. How she flirted was straightforward and it made him just click his tongue.
He stood up, the book placed on the chair as he sat down on the opposite side of the couch. "You play a dangerous game, Granger." He hummed. "If you keep this up…" His words drawled off as he looked at her closely.
"If I keep this up then what?" She asked with a grin on her face. Neil could see how his words affected her, how her blush down her neck intensified and how she was squirming in her seat.
"I don't know." Neil hummed, "Have you ever been with a Slytherin before?" He flirted, his eyelids were heavy, making his eyes look darker.
"You can be my first." Oh the Gryffindors, known for their boldness. Draco never understood why she wasn't a Ravenclaw but Neil would know why she was one of the bold. Neil knew his flirting was working, she was about to drop her little agreement for a bit of Slytherin.
"Hm, but you've had enough of the red Gryffindor, haven't you?" He hummed, mentioning Ron. "You're aching for something new, aren't you." He whispered to her.
She looked a bit surprised, "I've been craving something new," She whispered, her eyes fixated on Neil, her pupils blown wide open. "I'm tired of Ron. He was fun for the summer but he doesn't like to play games like you do." Hermione was being reckless and she knew it, like some magnetism she shifted closer to Neil.
Neil saw it in her eyes, the urge to end her friends with benefits with Ron, how attracted she was to the Slytherin, how her eyes were wandering down his chest, to the bulge in her pants. She loved the game they played and she can't wait to win.
He saw her shifting closer to him, and he leant closer to her ear so that he could whisper in it. "Tell me, dear." He gave her a new nickname, a teasing one. "How many men have you been with?" He whispered, his lips grazing her ear.
He wanted to hear her say none, that the boy Ron was nothing compared to someone like Neil. That Ron was just some boy that didn't know what he was doing. His right hand reached out to rub her outer thigh.
"Just one." Her voice was soft, and it quivered. "Just Ron, he didn't flirt like you, didn't touch me like you do." He pressed a soft kiss against the shell of her ear, his smirk was one of a victor.
"He doesn't have any experience like I have." He whispered and she nodded, biting her lip.
"None." She said breathlessly.
"Good girl." Neil whispered and softly squeezed her thigh. He pulled her a bit closer to him, her chest against his, but it was good enough for Hermione, to feel his warmth against her. He saw the goosebumps on her skin, how her body responded to his touch. "What do you want?" He whispered and pressed a soft kiss against the spot where her ear and jaw met. "Tell me."
"You." She said softly, tilting her head, giving Neil space and easier access to her neck. It was like she was craving her touch, responding to the way he spoke. She felt his grin against her neck as he grazed his lips against it, dragging it down to another spot on her neck, pressing another kiss.
She let out a breathy moan. "Break things off with Ron," He whispered, as he came back up to her ears, "Then we'll see, yeah?" He asked quietly.
Hermione was reluctant to do it, Ron was her friend, he liked their arrangement of playing hooky whenever they felt like it. But she was craving something new, something better and if Neil continued to treat her like that, pressing kisses against her neck she would do anything he asked of her.
She felt her resolve slip as Neil went back to teasing her neck, her eyes closed in anticipation. His lips went down to where her shirt met her neck and he pressed a small kiss to it before biting it softly, she let out a gasp. It'd mark her neck, just where everyone could see it if they were watching closely.
She knew at that moment that she couldn't deny him.
Before she could put her hand against his stomach, to get a feel of him. Neil stood up from the couch, leaving Hermione cold, lacking the warmth of another body against her. "Find me after you break it off with Ron, yeah?" He whispered before pressing a short but passionate kiss against her lips.
She tried to follow his lips when he pulled away but found herself kissing cold hair, hands were wrapped around her chin, pulling her head up to look at him, his thumb over her plump lips. "Just a taste, like promised." He whispered.
The kiss was more than she expected, it was better, better than Ron. Neil also felt different to her than Ron. More attractive. She'd jump if he said jump, as long as he continued to kiss her like he just did. "Good night, dear." He said, teasing her with his new nickname for her.
He then walked out of the library, leaving her on her own, hot and bothered.
– – – – –
Ron knew something had happened, the way Hermione wouldn't meet his eyes and when she did, her eyes would be dilated and she'd be zoned out, thinking about something that happened.
When she said no to meeting him in the showers after she got back from studying in the library. He could see that she was hot and bothered. That left him wondering why she said no.
"I'm tired," was what she told him. The truth was that she couldn't dare look him in the eyes after what Neil had done to her, what she allowed the Slytherin do to her. It was electrifying to be around Neil.
They sat in the common room, Harry was nowhere in sight, most likely in the owlery delivering a letter to Hedwig to send to his godfather. "We need to stop," She blurted out to Ron.
Ron raised his eyebrow and looked up at her, he was dreading to hear that. "Stop what?" he knew what, he wanted to hear her say it, say why.
"Us." and the pin dropped. She was looking at the floor, guilty for ending their friends with benefits. But Ron had never made her feel like Neil did. The way her body gravitated towards his. "I can't do this anymore."
Ron nodded, he knew he couldn't get angry or sad. It was friends with benefits, not a relationship. Even though it felt like it at times. Then he knew that he had to do right by her, from then on. "Okay." He said quietly. This time he will do right, and be in a relationship instead of a fragile agreement.