I was sitting in front of the fireplace in the common room, books sprawled all around me. Books on Charms, hexes, potions, anything that might come in handy. I was making notes on a long piece of parchment when the twins walked in, their arms full of books. I quirked my eyebrow at them as they plopped down in front of me. I leaned forward and placed the back of my hands against their foreheads. I felt them stiffen under my touch, they both sat frozen in place.
"Are you ill?" I pulled my hands back and sat back. "You're willingly studying."
"Oh, this is not for us, love." Fred grinned. "This is for you."
"I got my books already." I said gesturing around me.
"We got extra." George leaned closer and whispered. "From the restricted section."
"You really think that's needed?"
"You can never be over-prepared." They said before Fred continued. "You just go over your books and -"
"We'll go over these ones and make notes if we find something useful."
"You'd do that for me?" I asked, my heartbeat quickened a bit.
"Of course." They chimed.
Jack was a nice distraction, a really, really nice distraction but if Fred and George kept doing this, it's not going to be enough. The way they were looking at me made butterflies burst in my stomach. I quickly looked down at my notes. "Thanks." I whispered softly.
They didn't answer, they both just took a book from their pile and flipped it open. An hour later, Lee and Angelina joined us and picked up a book themselves, even when I tried to convince them to let me check them over. They all just scoffed at me as they started jotting down notes.
LB
Saturday night, dressed in a black sweater dress and over the knee boots, I bounded down the stairs to the common room.
"Hey, Alec." Harry started before he looked me up and down. "Where are you going?"
"I'm -" My speech faltered as I saw the twins' darkened eyes on me. "I'm meeting with Jack." I continued, looking back at Harry. "I'm sorry I haven't been much help, but I'm researching and Monday-"
"I know." Harry smiled softly before hugging me. "I know you're doing all of this to help me, to keep me safe." He pulled back. "But Alec, don't make it too hard on yourself."
"Have you met me? The more I have on my plate, the better." I winked.
Harry didn't look convinced. "Tell me if it becomes too much, alright?" I nodded. "I'm sorry about Sirius."
I shrugged. "Doesn't matter." I said, even though it still gnawed on me. "I should get going. Have a good night, Harry." I made my way to the portrait hole but stopped at the twins. "George, Fred. Put down those books and enjoy a free night. Go pull a prank or something." Then something came to me, and I smirked. "I heard Filch has just polished and reorganized the trophy room. Do with this information as you please. Good night." I winked.
The twins smirked at the idea, but something was off in their eyes. "Good night." They chimed before I headed outside.
LB
The Beauxbatons carriage was large. When you first step in, it's like a small entree way, where you can hang your coats and put your shoes. Then there is a hallway with at least ten sets of doors. Jack led me through the hallway until we reached the fifth one. It was a room with two single beds, two cupboards and two desks they could work on. He led me to his bed, and we sat down, our backs against the headrest. His hand with fine manicured nails stroked my cheek. I was drowning in his green eyes, and I leaned forward to capture his lips. His hand slipped to my neck and his fingers slid in my hair. I put a hand on his waist and pulled him closer as the kiss deepened. We kissed for a long time but were interrupted by a knock on his door.
Jack pulled back in frustration, making me chuckle against his neck. "Ja?"
"Ik ben het." Jazz head popped inside, a dazzling smile on her lips. "Mag ik binnen komen?"
"Als het moet." Jack sighed but he was smiling. I tapped the bed and Jazz leaped over the side on to it, already sitting cross-legged in front of us.
"Nu, vertel me alles over dien tweeling." Her eyes were sparkling and full of curiosity.
"There is not much to tell" I shrugged, and the two of them looked at me in disbelief. "Fine. I like them, okay? Both of them! That's the problem." I groaned in frustration. "I can't choose between them, I just can't."
"Why would you have to choose?" She asked incredulously, immediately switching to English.
"You're thinking of a triad?" My brows shot up high as I looked at the two. Jack was frowning as he looked at a string of my hair between his fingers.
"Why not?" He said. "You like them, really like them. And they like you too, that much is obvious from the way they look at me." He laughed.
"You know I can't do that. I tried that before, and it didn't work out then." I shook my head. "I don't think it's really possible, that there's already been a real triad without failing. Sex okay, but a relationship, no."
Jack placed his finger under my chin, guiding me gaze to him. "Is that why you came here? To forget about them?"
"I have to forget them, Jack. I don't want to lose them as friends, I have to put my feelings aside."
"Okay, we can try. But -"
"I know." I nodded.
I curled my hand around his neck and guided his lips back towards mine, trying to forget about those handsome twins up in the tower. Jack pulled me lower on the bed, his hand going under the hem of my dress. I felt a dip in the bed and Jazz was spooning me from behind as she started leaving kisses on my neck. Oh! It's been a long time since we did this!
Back in Beauxbatons, after Jack and I were dating for a few months, we had a few escapades with Jazz, we never had a real threesome back then, we were still so young, but kissing and heavy petting was certainly things we did. It was with them I tried the triad thing. Thought it would work because we knew each other for a long time and I loved them both. But it didn't work out. I was just happy we managed to put it behind us and stay friends. But now it seemed like it would be more than just kissing tonight as Jack slipped his hand in my knickers and Jazz's hands cupped my breasts, all the while without their mouths leaving my body. That night, for at least a few hours, they made me forget.
LB
"Hey, Cedric." I greeted him the next morning in the library. I was sitting next to Jack, while Jazz sat across from me with Angelina and Lee, the twins on my other side.
"Hey, Champion." He winked at me, and I ignored the twins' scowl. Jack just looked amused. "Congratulations, by the way. I haven't talked to you since the cup."
"Sorry, I've been a bit busy." I grinned, tapping the book in front of me. Cedric's eyes flickered from Jack to the twins, a grin of his own came upon his face.
"Busy, alright. Forgot to glamour one." He nudged his head towards my neck. I blushed fiercely and quickly covered it with my hair, but everyone saw it already. "I should let you to your studying, I'll see you in class." He winked before walking over to his friends a few tables further.
"Can we do something else?" I asked, trying to change the subject immediately. "I'm getting a headache just staring at those books."
"We could go flying." Jazz suggested and I scrunched up my nose. "You're cute when you do that." Jazz bobbed my nose. The others didn't think any of it, not knowing that Jazz was bi, and I like who I liked. "Come on, you love to watch us play."
"You play Quidditch?" The twins asked, their foul moods evaporated in an instant, they leaned forward in interest.
"Jack and I both do." She nodded. "I'm itching to play a game."
"I could do with one." Jack nodded, he retreated his arm from the back of my chair. "But we didn't bring our brooms."
"We have school brooms, they are a bit old, but they should do the trick." Angelina suggested.
"Who are we going to play against? And we still need extra players."
"You could ask Harry, I'm sure he wants a good distraction." I suggested. I had to pull back a smile and a punch on his arm, the way Jack's eyes sparkled at distraction. "And Alicia should be up for it too."
"Excellent, now we need a team to play against." Jazz said, her voice already full of excitement. "Didn't you say Cedric was in a Quidditch team?" She asked Angelina.
"Not Cedric." The twins grumbled.
"Why don't you go to the tower, get your things and Harry and Alicia. I'll talk to Draco."
"Malfoy?" Angelina asked surprised. Even though Draco didn't say or do as much as before, it wasn't like they were on friendly terms. Only the twins had talked to him during the summer, and Harry but no one knows that.
"Malfoy is fine." George said as he pushed himself up. "That gives us a little challenge, at least."
"On the pitch in half an hour?" I asked, following the others out of the library. They nodded and while the other Gryffindors climbed up the stairs, I guided Jack and Jazz down to the dungeons.
LB
When we neared the Slytherin common room, I saw Nott walking in front of us, his back towards us. Soundlessly, I ran up to him and flung myself on his back. "Hi, Emmett."
"Hey, gorgeous." He grinned. He lowered me to the ground and turned, looking at the pair behind me. "You must be the famous Jack." He extended his hand.
"Famous, huh?" He grinned, shaking it.
"And Jazz, heard a lot about you too." He smirked and kissed her cheek. Jazz's eyes widened.
"Yeah, he knows." I nodded. "This is Emmett Nott, we dated a little last year."
"Oh, you must have made the Weasley twins so jealous!" Jazz laughed and Jack grinned.
"No one was jealous." I interrupted before Emmett could say anything. I stepped inside the Slytherin common room and searched for my cousin. "Draco!" I called out as I saw him tucked against the window, a book in his lap.
"Cousin." He nodded, standing swiftly from the window ledge. "You've brought guests."
"Draco, this is Jack and Jazz. Guys, this is Draco, my cousin." Draco exchanged pleasantries with them, much to their amusement. Yes, very posh. "Gather your quidditch team, you're playing a game."
"Excuse me?"
"The Gryffindors want to play an unofficial game. And since they want to have a challenge, I'm here to collect you and your friends." I knew that I was putting on the flattery thick, but it still worked though. Draco straightened his back proudly.
"I'll gather them up."
"Great, at the pitch in half an hour." I kissed his cheek and walked out of the common room.
LB
Word had travelled fast, and the stadium was packed with students. I was standing between the two teams, telling them they ought to follow the official rules and that I would be the referee when Professor McGonagall walked up.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Harry and I needed a distraction, professor. I thought a friendly game of Quidditch couldn't hurt." Her eyes flickered between the Gryffindor team and the Slytherin team. "I didn't think so many people would show up, but you know how fast gossip travels in the castle, and it being snakes against lions."
"It's quite alright, miss Lupin-Black. I enjoy myself a nice, clean game of Quidditch. I'll be the referee for this match." Relief coursed through me. "Now, if the two captains could shake hands, we can get started."
LB
While Professor McGonagall was flying between the two teams, a whistle in her mouth, I stood next to Lee at his usual place behind the microphone. I was secretly happy that the professor suggested that she would be the referee because I was okay with flying but flying between Quidditch players and bludgers wasn't my idea of fun. My eyes shifted between all the players, but more than once they lingered on the twins. Their strong broad arms smashing the bludger to the other side.
"So, you and Jack are together?" Lee asked after the game as we made our way down after the game.
"Yes and no. I mean, we're friends – with benefits? I guess."
"Friends with benefits? What's that?"
"You know." I tried to express it with my eyes, but he seemed completely lost. "We're friends, who do other things without any feelings involved. I mean, I'll always love Jack, but I'm not in love with him."
"Oooh." He said slowly, probably trying to process what I just told him.
I spotted a ruffled blond-head first. "Draco! You did great."
"We lost." He grumbled.
"Maybe, but you got the snitch."
"I did, didn't I?" He smiled a little but then it dropped. "But how? Potter was right next to me, we were bumping against each other trying to catch it, and he suddenly dropped his arm. Did he let me win?"
"He would never do that." I said, but it was weird though. Harry would never let Draco win on purpose but what did happen then? "Go take a shower, then we'll go eat."
"Okay." He said, still looking at the snitch in his hand.
Harry was already in the changing room, Lee and Angelina were talking to each other just outside. So, I walked over to the twins, Jack and Jazz.
"So, how did it feel?" I asked grinning.
"Amazing." Jazz beamed. "Fred and George are quite the pair."
"Yeah, they're pretty amazing." I said softly, quickly avoiding their brown eyes.
"We'll go change in the carriage; I'll see you at dinner." Jack kissed my cheek.
"I'm sitting with Draco; you can join if you want."
"Actually, George and Fred wanted to discuss Quidditch tactics during dinner."
A little surprised, I smiled. "That's great. Thank Merlin, I decided to sit with Draco then." I teased.
Jack winked before he and Jazz walked off the pitch towards the carriage.
"You were watching us." Fred said with a lopsided grin, that didn't help the blush that rose up.
"I was." I said honestly. "I was watching everyone." But mostly them.
"You said we were amazing." George breathed, stepping closer.
I tried to push back a blush, tried to keep my heartbeat regular, but that was hard when they were standing so close, and their gazes fixed on me. I was surprised by my steady voice when I said. "You know you are amazing. You don't me to confirm that."
"Maybe." Fred shrugged. "But it's nice to hear anyway, especially from you."
I reached for their free hands, the other were holding their brooms. "You two are amazing." I stood on my toes to kiss Fred's cheek, then George's. I'm happy that I'm not the only one blushing. "And I don't mean only for Quidditch." I quickly ducked away and walked over to a freshly showered Draco.
"What was -" Draco started, but just then Harry walked out the Gryffindor changing room quickly and bumped into Draco. "Watch it, Potter."
I saw a blush forming on Harry's cheeks, his fingers going through his wet and unruly hair. I saw Draco's eyes following the movement, he swallowed thickly. "You were standing in front of the entrance, Malfoy." Harry managed to say, before turning around and walking to the castle.
I cleared my throat and looped my arms through Draco's. "Let's go, I'm famished."