Shortly after Regulus had left Gryffindor Tower, Jack nodded for us to go upstairs, wearing an unreadable expression on his face.

I closed the dormitory door behind me, turning to face Jack. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, hands folded in his lap.

"Are you seriously back together with him?" Jack questioned, a blank expression on his face.

I feel like it's getting harder and harder to read him. He used to be like an open book, but now I struggle to figure out what he's feeling.

I shrugged, "He's not my boyfriend though."

"But you're still with him?"

"Yes," I answered, "We're together."

Jack sighed, "You're back together with him, even after all that shit? He hurt you, Meredith, twice."

"That was because of my own naivety," I said. "Not him purposely trying to hurt me."

"He made you cry."

I frowned, "And you haven't?"

Jack went silent, looking down at his folded hands in his lap. He looked young like that, he looked like he did when we were thirteen and he found out that his mum was sick. He cried for hours, and I didn't know what to do, so I just sat with him.

Jack's mum died the summer before fourth year.

"I just-, I just don't want to see him hurt you again," Jack stuttered.

"I know, and I appreciate that, but I can handle this," I explained. "It's different this time."

"And you know that for sure? You know that he won't just leave you or stop talking to you?" Jack questioned, his voice curious.

I pursed my lips together. I'd been trying so hard to avoid thinking about what would happen to us once we leave Hogwarts, once we don't see each other everyday.

"It's different this time," I repeated.

"How? How is it different, Meredith?"

I threw my hands up. "Because he loves me, Jack," I exclaimed, "He loves me this time."

"Sometimes love isn't enough."

Ouch.

"You're my best friend," I started.

Jack practically winced.

"I want you to support me in this," I continued, "This is my decision, not yours."

"And as your best friend, I don't want him to break your heart."

I sat down next to him, bumping my knee against his. "What is your problem with him anyways? What did he ever do to you?" I questioned, searching Jack's eyes.

"He didn't do anything to me," Jack replied. "But he did hurt you more than once, so that's why I have a problem with him."

"You never had a problem when I dated Dirk, and he made me cry," I pointed out.

Jack shrugged, "That's because I knew you guys wouldn't last."

"And me and Regulus?"

"I don't know, Meredith. Depends on if it's really different this time." Jack's hair hung in his face, covering his eyes.

When his mum died, it just left him and Katherine, his older sister, alone with their dad. Jack's father is a good man, I've known him for years, but something changed once his mum passed. He adored his children, but he wasn't present. When Jack lost his mum, he also lost his dad in a way. Katherine had just graduated and moved out, leaving Jack alone in a house that was far too big with a father who was too far gone.

I grabbed his hand and held it between both of my hands.

"I love you, you know that?" I said, smiling at him.

"And Regulus? Do you love him?"

I looked down at my shoes, not wanting to look Jack in the eye any longer.

"Yes," I replied. "I love him."

"Have you told him that?" Jack asked, staring at me.

I shook my head no.

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm scared," I whispered.

Jack frowned, "Why? He's already said that he loves you, so there's nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm scared because saying it out loud makes it real," I explained. "And I don't know if I'm ready to accept the fact that I'm in love with Regulus Black."

"Sometimes you have to do things that scare you. There are worse things to be afraid of, and I don't think loving him is one of them."

Oh, if only he knew.

- - - - -

I didn't see Regulus until dinner, and when I did see him I couldn't help but smirk. He practically strutted into the Great Hall, a small smile dancing across his lips, which was funny on its own. It was even funnier when I watched Evan smack him upside the head and say something that looked like "Get it together, mate, people are staring".

Regulus met my gaze and winked at me before taking his seat next to Barty. He was watching me from across the Great Hall, an amused look on his face.

I sat between Jack and Thomas, waiting for the Great Hall to fill up so we could start eating.

"Hey, Meredith, I heard something that you might want to know."

I turned around and looked up at Natalie Holkman. She's a sixth year, our Gryffindor seeker, and one of the sweetest girls I've met.

Emmeline gave me a confused look before I looked back at Natalie.

"Well, go on," I prompted, "What'd you hear?"

She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "People are saying that you left with Regulus Black last night. Nasty rumor, I reckon," Natalie whispered.

Maggie practically burst out laughing, her hand clamped tightly over her mouth.

I rubbed my neck, covering the very noticeable love bite with my hand.

"What? That is crazy!" I lied. "I wonder who would say that."

"That's what I said! It's just a stupid rumor, but I figured you'd want to know," Natalie said.

I put an astonished look on my face. "Yes, thank you for telling me," I said.

"Yeah, of course," Natalie replied. "See you at practice."

She smiled at the rest of our little group before taking her seat further down the table.

"Don't you say a fucking thing," I joked, pointing my finger at Maggie, who was completely red in the face from laughter.

After dinner, I tracked Regulus down and pulled him away from his friends, resulting in an eyebrow wiggle from Evan and a dirty look from Barty. I don't think Barty likes me very much, but that's okay because I think he's a cunt.

"Are you taking me somewhere to kill me?" Regulus teased as I dragged him down an empty corridor.

I rolled my eyes at him. "No, I want to talk to you," I said.

Regulus noticed my shift in attitude and stood up straighter, looking down at me.

"Tell me what you're thinking, Meredith."

I dropped my hands to my sides, fiddling with the hem of my shirt. I stared up at Regulus, frantically searching his eyes. It's now or never.

Better to get straight to the point.

"I haven't actually told you this before, but I want to be with you," I admitted. "And I-"

I took a deep breath and continued.

"I love you, Regulus."

He stared at me, staying silent for what felt like hours. In reality, it was only a few seconds but the silence was enough to want the earth to swallow me alive.

Regulus's lips curled into a smile that was enough to give me butterflies. He brushed my hair out of my face and cupped my face with his hands.

"I am catastrophically in love with you, Meredith."