Yes, I joined another comp instead of working on my main stuff, don't mind me!

The Houses Competition, Year 11 practice

House, Class, Drabble (drabble/standard).

Prompt: Mutual Pining

Word Count. 929

Warnings/Trigger warnings: none that apply!

'Pink looks good on you"

Dolores sighed, swirling her fork around her dinner. She wasn't hungry. Well, she was, she just couldn't eat. Her eyes scanned the great hall. She knew he wasn't looking at her, he wasn't even at dinner! Her stomach growled and Dolores forced down a bite. The food tasted like nothing as she forced down bite after bite.

Honestly, it was stupid for her to be feeling like this! She was attractive, and nice (to a point), and even though, yeah, she was a bit power-hungry, she was a Slytherin. Who wasn't? She could have someone at least in her year!

Still, she wasn't used to feeling like this. Dolores rested her chin on her hands, staring at the great hall entrance, hoping he would walk in. Every time his grey eyes met her own, her stomach twisted almost uncomfortably, her heart rate sped up, and her hands got all clammy. At first, she thought she was sick. After a quick visit to the infirmary, she learned that was not the case.

"Those are symptoms of a very serious disease," Madam Pomfrey quickly broke into laughter, eyes teasing but her smile soft."No, no, my dear. It is nothing worse than a crush."

A crush? On HIM? That didn't make sense! He was younger than her, and, and- shorter than her! Not to mention he was a smartarse! Always so condescending, trying to help out others who didn't need it, and not to mention that annoying sibling of his!

Yet, Dolores almost found herself believing it. Especially moments like now, where she watched and waited for him to walk through the two large doors. She had even sat in an easier viewing spot!

Oh, she was whipped. Half of her didn't seem to mind though, while the other half screamed at her to gain some sense. He wasn't anything like the boys she had expected to fancy. She always envisioned a strong, burly, tough man that would sweep her off her seat. Not… him.

He was perfect though, even if he wasn't Dolores' ideal type. She liked that about him. He seemed to both conform to the normality that was being a Slytherin and go against it all the same.

Dolores sighed happily, content with just the thought of him. Whipped indeed.


Regulus re-read the page in his book for the third time that evening. He was relaxing in the common room, listening to Severus Snape argue with Lucius Malfoy about something stupid. His eyes glanced across the room, taking in every person before landing on her. Dolores Umbridge. He was infatuated with her! She was so smart, and not to mention rather pretty. He liked the way she would tie up her curls, and how her brown eyes sparkled when she laughed. He even liked how she faked being cruel.

He had been watching from under a tree as her group of friends tormented a first-year Hufflepuff. Dolores laughed with them, but even then it didn't seem like her heart was in it. A few minutes later, Dolores had separated from her friend group and consoled the poor girl.

"Don't listen to those tossers, they just like being mean."

"If they're so mean, why are you friends with them?" The Hufflepuff sniffled, rubbing her nose.

"Sometimes it's just easier," Dolores smiled sadly, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small cloth. "Hear, keep it. It's enchanted to cure red noses."

Regulus was absolutely smitten.

Since then, the boy had been trying to catch her eye in the hallway, at meals, and even now in the common room.

Regulus Black had finally succeeded.

Big brown eyes stared into steely grey, taking each other in for just a moment. Regulus' eyes moved to her lips, just for a second, but it was enough to make the fifth-year's cheeks turn pink.

Huh, cute.

Dolores looked away, and Regulus cursed. Taking a deep breath, he did something he hadn't done in a long time. He was going to talk to her first.

"Dolores." He said, standing in front of her.

"Black?" She replied. It stung a little, but her blushing face was a dead giveaway.

"I have a game this saturday."

"And?" She raised an eyebrow and Regulus swooned.

"I want you there, number thirty-three." He turned around sharply, heading to his dormitory, trying to hide his bright pink face. She'd be there, he hoped.


Dolores felt out of place in the quidditch stands, a #33 drawn onto her cheek. Bertha, a seventh-year she was somewhat friends with, had teased her about it, but she didn't care. The pink ink matched the pink bows she wore.

The game had started fifteen minutes ago, but she didn't care, beauty took time, after all.

I hope Regulus thinks I look nice.

She shook her head, trying to rid it of any overly sappy thoughts.

A few minutes after finding a seat, a broom rushed overhead, doing a loop before settling in front of the stands. Number thirty-three. Regulus took off his glasses, grinning.

"You came!" Dolores nodded, face pink. "You look cute! Pink looks good on you."

And then Regulus was taken out by a bludger to the arm.

Dolores rushed to the edge, worried. Regulus landed on the ground, cursing as he held his arm. The captain (Dolores didn't care to remember his name) landed and slapped him over his head.

Regulus turned back, looked up at her, and grinned. She offered a little wave back, face as pink as the ink on her face.

Dolores was head over heels for Regulus Black.