19 | TUTORING

YOU can take a VK out of the Isle, but you will never take the Isle out of the VK. The VK in question happened to be Harry Hook. It seemed, while he rather enjoyed the luxuries Auradon had to offer (especially a certain brunette) Harry still stayed strong with his Isle tendencies.

He was an incredibly handsome young man who—if he stayed focused—had a promising future. However, there was the issue, if he stayed focus. Harry Hook was, in all matters of the word, insane. And because of that, it made it slightly harder for him to focus on what he deemed as superficial matters.

In this case, his version of superficial matters happened to be schoolwork. It was only the second week, and yet somehow Harry was already failing half of his classes (the classes which did not happen to have Winter in it).

This was brought to Jay's attention because he was the captain of the Swords and Shields team, and as Harry was one of his members, it was Jay's duty to kick Harry off the team should he maintain anything less than a C grade point average.

The hard part was that Harry was the biggest asset to the boys' team, if Hook stayed on the team then Jay could guarantee a win against Dynasty Academy. Not only that, but Jay thought the aspect of Harry remaining on the Swords and Shields team was better for everyone at Auradon Prep.

Mainly because, if Harry had too much spare time then Jay had a feeling things were going to get a bit more interesting at the school (and not in a good way... like at all).

After Jay brought his concerns to Ben, he and the King decided there was only one thing to do. And one out of the two people involved in their plan was not going to like it very much.

And so, that was how Ben and Jay ended up cornering Harry on that Tuesday afternoon. Harry himself, attempted to run away but was stopped by Jay.

"Aye, what's the big idea!" Harry spat, ready to brawl Jay right there in the hallways.

Jay held his hands up as Ben came running after them, the King huffing as approached.

"Harry, your grades suck, dude, how are you failing already?" Jay exclaimed causing Harry to snicker.

"I's passed fine at Serpent Prep, lad," Harry shrugged casually, leaning his side against the wall.

"This is not your old suck-ass school—!" Jay did not get to finish his sentence as Harry suddenly dugout a gleaming weapon from his pockets.

In seconds, Harry had his hook against Jay's throat, a mad shimmer in his eye. Ben gaped, his eyes wide as he pulled Harry and Jay apart, Jay simply glaring at Harry with a dirty look.

"Don't ye' say anything about Serpent Prep, it was Dragon Heart that was full of wee wallopers like you—"

"Why do you have your hook?!"

Harry looked to Ben who had cut him off, the King making wild gestures with his hands as he realized Harry had been carrying around a weapon with him those whole time.

"You cannot carry that around!"

Harry shrugged with a smirk, his eyes gleaming from under his dark eyeliner. The pirate only took his hook off, putting his back in his pockets.

"Ye won't tell anyone, will ya, Benny boy?" Harry mocked as Ben scowled, already hating the nickname.

"First of all, don't call me that—"

"We're giving you a tutor to get your grades up," Jay blurted before an argument could start and the matter at hand would be forgotten.

"Wha' the fook?" Harry's accent had gotten so thick his words had warped into something barely English, and yet the two still understood exactly what it was Harry had said.

Harry himself was scowling, glaring heatedly at both guys.

If anyone were to stumble upon the sight now, they no doubt would have turned around. Three guys, one in multi-colored leather, another in a fancy suit, and the last wearing all black with one-too-many chains, would have scared anybody half to death. Especially with the way they were standing as though all on defense.

"Hell nah, I ain't care if ye' thraw' meh off the team, go rights on ahead!" Harry raged, his accent still thick with his words sticking together as though they were glue.

"But—" Ben tried only for Harry to take his hook out of his pocket and point it at him.

Ben gulped as a look similar to the one from when Harry and Uma kidnapped Ben all those months ago crossed Harry's face. Sometimes, especially here at Auradon, it was easy to forget just how dangerous certain VKs could be.

"I already said, I won't be—"

"Winter would be your tutor—" Jay barely finished his statement before Harry had shoved his hook back in his pocket, his entire stance changing and his mood spinning a total 180.

"Where do I sign up?" Harry eagerly asked.

Okay, so anything to do with Winter may have made him extremely easy to convince, but in Harry's mind, he was thinking ahead. Tutoring, sure he hated it, but he figured he and Winter would not be doing much studying.

Instead, he had different things on his mind, different methods of... studying.

"Oh, okay, ew," Jay crinkled his nose when he saw the look in Harry's crazed eye, already having a feeling as to what the pirate was thinking.

Harry smirked, looking to Ben who was gaping. Ben could not believe the pirate who had just been swinging his hook around, cursing, and handing out threats as though it were candy was now all for being tutored.

Was he bipolar?

Of course, he was–this was Harry Hook being referred to. But maybe there was more to this?

Maybe Winter had Harry wrapped around her finger more than any of them realized, even herself. It was then that it occurred to Ben no one had actually asked Winter whether she was willing to do it or not.

Winter was never the most open person and often avoided a social confrontation when possible, that was a given. The chances that she would agree to do this were slim.

However, a plan wrapped around Ben's mind. It was sneaky and honestly kind of mean, but Ben really had no other option. They knew Winter was in the library, so maybe if they just kind of told her then left Harry there and ran away she would have no other option.

Yeah, definitely a mean and childish plan, but it was one that would work.

"Well, your first tutoring session starts now," Ben clapped his hands causing Jay to tilt his head.

"But—" Jay did not finish as Ben began leading them toward the library.

"Let's go find Winter now,"

"You know where Winter is right now, mate?" Harry asked eagerly, Winter always disappeared after classes, and Harry was never able to find her.

Perhaps they would be leading him straight to wherever it was she always managed to hideaway.

"Of course, I do, she's always in the same place if not in her dorm room."

"Aye, then lead the way!" Harry cheered as Jay shook his head.

There was no way this was going to end well.

——————

When Winter entered the library that afternoon, the last thing she was expecting to see was Harry Hook standing with his daunting form next to an equally as daunting Jay just feet away. Their backs were to her and they appeared to be watching Ben as he inspected the library apparently looking for something.

As far as she had been concerned, Harry did not even know where the library was located prior to this moment. Her grip tightened on her backpack straps, the girl's foot beginning to unconsciously thump against the ground.

She intended to come here to finish off her schoolwork for this week (she only had like one more page left to do) then she planned on reading some sappy romance novel she had brought with her from home. It was a book titled: The Birds and the Bees.

Not that Winter would ever tell anyone, but it was actually a rather... naughty book about some girl who captures the attention of a cold-hearted bachelor. Essentially, the bachelor in question begins teaching the girl about the birds and the bees, and throughout the story, they fall into passionate love. Well, that was the PG summary at least.

It was one of her favorites if she was being honest and she had not read it for a while, so she was excited to binge through it again. However, it seems her plans were to be ruined as she did not want to run into Harry Hook.

She could only imagine if he got his hands on the novel, her cheeks burned just thinking of the haughty things the pirate would say about it.

Probably a bunch of innuendos.

Then again, this novel was probably better to read in the confinement of her dorm room anyway. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Winter was about to spin on her heel, but unfortunately Ben caught her eye.

"Winter!" He exclaimed earning a glare from the librarian and causing Harry and Jay to look behind them.

Winter's eyes widened when she met Harry's gaze, and without warning, she twisted around and began speed-walking in the opposite direction. She barely made it five steps before a larger hand clad in leather was clasped around her wrist and she felt warm breath by her ear.

Shivers unconsciously danced down her spine.

"Hello, my duckling," Harry smirked, his dark shaggy hair tickling her neck.

Winter's breath caught in her throat when Harry leaned down even further, seemingly ready to place a kiss on her neck, but he suddenly pulled back with a wild gleam in his eye. Realizing what happened, Winter shot the pirate a glare that was returned with a smirk.

A few wandering gazes looked at the scene, many surprised at the fact that Winter Frost of all people was giving this pirate the time of day. Yeah, he may have been hot, but so were most of the princes at the school, and Winter had never once even glanced in their direction.

Winter and Harry's battle of gazes was interrupted by Ben and Jay who approached, Jay giving Harry an odd look while Ben smiled at Winter in an overly-enthusiastic manner. Ever since the Isle incident, Winter had become more open to Mal's fiance, something that Ben was ecstatic about.

Ben had only been trying since their first year together to get Winter to reply to him with more than one-word statements.

"I need to ask a favor of you," Ben said, motioning fot Jay to take over what he was saying.

Jay cleared his throat trying to appear confident, and usually, he was. But there was something about the way Winter's sharp brown eyes zeroed in on him that had him melting on the spot. Winter may have not been the most physically-intimidating nor could she fight for the life of her, but something about the way she was capable of turning her gaze so sharp and focused unnerved many people.

It was a habit that Winter herself did not even realize she did.

Harry had noticed after the first day of classes they shared together, and unlike most people, it did no unnerve him but rather did the opposite. Instead, it intrigued him... and oddly enough, it sort of turned him on.

Harry Hook was an irate pansexual, that much was a given. While he loved the thought of dominating Winter, he also was not opposed to allowing her the reigns. Of course, thoughts like that came way down the road as he was still in phase one of trying to woo her.

However, going back to the matters at hand, Jay cleared his throat looking down as he was unable to keep staring into Winter's eyes. Winter rose a single brow, her lips pursing at the way both Jay and Ben shuffled nervously. She also did not like how Harry looked unceremoniously happy.

"Harry is already failing half of his classes..." Winter's eyebrows shot up in surprise, the girl looking to Harry who shrugged, "...and if he does not keep at least a C average, he will not be able to keep his place on the Swords and Shields team. We really need him, Winter, he's a huge asset," Jay explained, Winter turning to Harry and motioning toward the King and VK.

"Harry," she said in a slightly scolding tone, "do you hear this? They need you, you need to get your grades up," Winter still did not realize where this conversation was headed.

"I know, duckling, that's why we's comin' to ye," Harry grinned a smile that rivaled that of the Cheshire Cat.

Winter adorned an adorably confused look in Harry's opinion causing him to release a throaty chuckle. Casting her gaze back to the two nervous-looking boys, Winter narrowed her eyes distrustfully.

"What is he on about?" She demanded. "Do you want me to scold him or something?" Harry once again laughed at her words, shaking his head at Winter.

"Big words, little duckling, think ya' can actually control me?" He said with a challenging grin, letting out a small yapping bark at the end that made him sound like even more of a maniac.

Winter jumped back slightly, a startled look on her pretty features which caused Harry to grin even wider. Jay rolled his eyes, bringing the attention back to him.

"Winter, we need you to tutor Harry..." There was a moment of silence as Winter allowed it to sink in.

"Wait? What!" She exclaimed, her mouth falling open as Ben tried to explain himself, but Jay grabbed his arm and began pulling him toward the library doors.

"Thanks, Winnie!" Jay even went as far as to use Evie and Mal's name for her as he and Ben left. "Really appreciate it, by the way, if you could start now that would be great!"

And they were gone, leaving a gaping Winter and smirking Harry.

"So this is where ye' been hidin' out all this time?" He questioned and all that came from Winter was a breath, her eyes still wide with shock. Gripping her chin, Winter jumped as Harry forced her mouth shut. "Winnie, I like that for ye, it's cute."

Winter began blushing against her will, the girl finally bringing her gaze back to Harry. She could not help but want to push his dark locks back. It had grown since she first saw him way back when on the Isle. She ignored the feeling, her shoulders slumping as she breathed deeply.

"Okay," she murmured deciding to give herself a pep talk, "I can do this, yes, I can do this."

It looks like she would not be binge-reading: The Birds and the Bees for the rest of today after all.

"Of course ye can, lassie, besides we don't actually need to study," Harry rolled his eyes as though what he said was obvious.

Winter turned to look at him in disbelief. Oh, so he thought this was going to be like when they were in class or when they sat together during meals, huh? Well, Winter intended to bring a whole new meaning to what the pirate boy knew to the world of studying.

He was going to be wishing he was anywhere but in the library with her once she was through with him.

"Oh, buddy," Winter scoffed with a shake of her head causing Harry's eyebrows to shoot up in surprise at the tone she had taken. "If I am the one stuck tutoring you, then once I am through with you, you are going to be passing your classes with more than just a C,"

For once in his life, Harry actually found himself gulping at the intensity of Winter's gaze. Not a lot of things intimidated Harry, but if there was one thing, then it would be actual school.