Things were different after the kiss on the quidditch field. Well, not completely different, but different to a point.

The nightly walks to the owlery resumed as if they had never stopped. Frank had began writing home, with Gerard's encouragement, and grew less worried for his mother after hearing several positive responses. (Frank would of hidden his sadness if it had been the other way, but Gerard found himself able to easily distinguish Frank's hidden emotions.) He began laughing more like their first years of knowing each other.

There was also the fact that their friendship had grown into something else. Their hands would lock together with intertwined fingers and their eyes lingered on each others, even when they were across a room from one another. It was a sweet thing that Gerard almost couldn't comprehend.

Gerard sat in his magical arts class, doodling a sketch of his and Frank's combined hands. He drew the ink that Frank had charmed to stay on his skin while he left his own hand bare.

"Remember, class, once you've completed your primary sketch you need to imagine how you want it to move." Professor Lester said as he moved along the room, looking over everyone's work. "It's not like a photograph! They will have a life of their own, but you need to believe in it for it to happen. If you can do that, your art will come to life after reciting the proper incantation, of course."

"Professor, I'm not sure I want this to come to life. It's a bit of a mess." Pete said, raising his hand with a skeptical and terrified frown.

"Nonsense! It can't be tha-oh..." Professor Lester made an expression very similar to Pete's when he made it over to observe his artwork, "Right... Maybe we move you to a less visual art form... Writings? That doesn't get as visually dark as this, I suppose?"

"I'm good with that." Pete nodded, setting his sketch work face down on the desk in front of him.

Gerard was finishing up one of his favorite pieces of art on Frank's hand. The spiderweb that was in a constant state of reformation; every day it was a different pattern or design, thanks to the charms used on it. Once he was finished, he raised his hand politely.

"Gerard! Yes, what do you have for me today?" Professor Lester asked, coming over to observe Gerard's work.

Gerard held up the piece, proudly. "I think I'm finished, professor."

"Very well done!" Professor Lester grinned as he looked it over, "The hand details are incredible. Do you remember the charm to bring it to life?"

Gerard wracked his brain for a moment before the charm's name came to him. "Yes!" He set his drawing down on the desk and pulled out his wand, "Motus." He spoke confidently with the circular motion, then flick of his wand towards the drawing. The next instant, the hands were in motion; the grips tightened, the thumbs slid across the other's hand flawlessly, and they even released to wave before reconnecting. Just the way he had pictured his and Frank's own hands.

"Brilliant, Gerard!" Professor Lester cheered, "Ten points to Hufflepuff! Keep up the good work!"

The professor moved on to help another student. Dallon took that opportunity to slide into the seat next to Gerard, bringing his own drawing with him. "That looks awesome." He grinned as he looked at Gerard's moving artwork.

"Thanks." Gerard smiled, feeling accomplished with his art. "What did you draw?"

Dallon set his drawing on the desk in front of them. "Just dancing music notes and moving designs... It's okay, but it's nowhere near as cool as yours."

Gerard shook his head, "It looks really cool! Our art isn't even comparable, because of the different subject matter. Art is hardly comparable, because everyone's concept of it is different." He gave Dallon a reassuring smile at the end of his words, earning a laugh from Dallon.

"You sound like a regular Ravenclaw! Thanks, Gerard." Dallon smiled at his friend before looking at his work, "What's that spell again?"

---

Frank sat in the owlery, biting a biscuit and offering some to the solid black owl on the ground next to him. He was reading over a letter that Alex had sent to him while waiting for Gerard. It was just a nice recap of things he had been doing since leaving Hogwarts. He had even included a few moving photos of his band and a solo one of himself and Jack.

Frank laughed as he looked through them, glad that his friend was having a good time outside of the school. It was an interesting choice of career compared to the direction most witches and wizards went...

The sound of footsteps made Frank look up from the letter. "Gerard?" He called out, not moving from where he was sat. "Finally get done with that late art class?"

There was no response at first, making Frank shrug and go back to the letter. "Alright, soft little Hufflepuff, see if you can sneak up on me..." He teased with a playful smirk on his lips, "Although, I've already caught you, so what's the point?"

"The point is that you should double check before you begin taunting success." A female voice replied, making Frank snap his head up from the letter.

Jamia walked around the corner, holding a small, white owl in her arm. Frank frowned almost immediately. He had still never really forgiven her for how she acted in their first year.

"Jamia." He spoke simply as he stood himself up. Fool scooted close to Frank's leg as he ruffled his feathers.

"Frank." Jamia nodded in response, "So, the rumors are true? You fancy a Hufflepuff?"

"Why does it matter?" Frank asked as he folded up the letter and photos from Alex to hide within the pockets of his robes.

Jamia shrugged, as if attempting to be nonchalant. "Just wanted to speak my congratulations to you. There's plenty of magical bloodlines running through that house."

"Thanks..." Frank muttered. He bent down, waving Fool onto his arm before standing upright.

Jamia raised her arm, prompting the owl on it to take flight. She watched it fly up with the tilt of her head. "So, who's the lucky girl?" Jamia asked.

Frank nearly choked on his breath. He had hardly interacted with girls at all during his time at Hogwarts, how was that the first thing she assumed? Well, she did have common culture on her side, but that wasn't the main point Frank should be thinking about.

"That Melanie girl, although, I hear she's been caught making goo goo eyes at our own Spencer." Jamia giggled as she brought her gaze back down to Frank, "Or what about that Elisa girl? The one that likes sunflowers in her hair. There's some others outside of our grade, of course, but those two are-"

"It's neither." Frank interrupted, "You've got the wrong sort of Hufflepuff on your mind."

Jamia's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? Frank... You're not dating a... Guy, are you?" Her eyes widened at Frank's lack of response, "You're a pure blood and you're just not going to pass it on!? Do you realize how few there are left!?"

"Christ, Jamia, we're fifteen! Who even thinks like that!?" He yelled with exasperation. Fool swatted his wings before taking off into the air with a swoosh of wind.

She shook her head. "Do you even realize what could be at stake? Pure bloods are dying out!"

"Magic is still there, so why does it matter?" He asked, "Why are so obsessed with blood status? This isn't You Know Who's reign anymore."

Jamia looked frustrated, as well as hurt, by Frank's words. "You don't understand." She spoke, lowly.

"Three years later, and you still don't understand." Frank shot back with the shake of his head, "I'll see you in class." He turned away from her, leaving her looking more mad than before.

"Frank!" She huffed in a borderline whine. Her wand slipped from her sleeve straight into her hand, as if it was a move she had been practicing. She pointed it at Frank, imagining herself stupefying him, before hiding it once again. She looked around nervously, biting her lip. "I need a new plan..." She muttered to herself before looking down at the floor.

Frank was on his way down the steps of the owlery when he bumped into Gerard. Frank fell back, but held onto Gerard so that the Hufflepuff would fall on top him rather than down the stairs he had just climbed. Gerard smiled sheepishly down at Frank. "Oops..." He giggled before attempting to push himself back to his feet.

Frank shook his head, tugging at Gerard's robes to bring him closer. "S'all right." He muttered before pressing a soft kiss to Gerard's lips. He smirked at the Hufflepuff's reddening cheeks when he pushed him away for breath, "You okay there?"

Gerard nodded, taking the opportunity to stand upright. "Y-yea... Are you-should we start back for the dorms?"

"Sure thing." Frank nodded as Gerard extended a helpful hand to pull him up.

"No letters tonight?"

"Nope." Frank lied, moving down the steps hand in hand with Gerard. He didn't want Gerard to deal with Jamia. Gerard didn't deserve to hear her old views. It was as if she still lived like... Like he was still alive... Which was thankfully not true.

Frank laced out other topics of conversation as they moved further down into the castle. Gerard happily tagged in, bringing in topics of Herbology and how he could help Frank study for the class.

"Talk to me about it tomorrow." Frank said as they reached the corridor with Gerard's common room.

Gerard nodded with a small smile. "I'll see you tomorrow!" He whispered before leaning in close and pressing a quick kiss to Frank's cheek. He then waved and hurried off down the corridor.

"Goodnight." Frank called out with an affectionate smile growing on his face. His cheek tingled where Gerard's lips had touched it. Why should he care about bloodlines when this felt so right?

---
A/N~ shorter chapter than usual, by almost half, but I didn't want to drag on. I hope you're enjoying it so far!

Do you have a favorite character or house sortment so far? I know I haven't really focused very much on Gryffindor, but that was the perspective of the whole HP series! I wanna look at Hogwarts from a new perspective that I hope you guys are liking too.

I hope you have a lovely day/night!

~Skittles Out~