Monday 10th November, 1976

I arrived at the Great Hall just as prefect duty started, relieved I wasn't late. I walked over to Regulus who had already started walking, intending to do our rounds, and hurried to catch up to him. As soon as I got a look at his face I knew something had changed between us.

He was distant, a mask covering his face as he walked, not even sparing me a glance. I was surprised to find how disappointed that made me as I realised I had been sort of excited to see him tonight, thinking we'd be planning our prank. Instead Regulus seemed to be content to ignoring me. Too bad I wasn't content with him ignoring me.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice. We had just gotton onto somewhat neutral ground, and then he had to go and ruin it with this mood of his.

"Nothing," Regulus answered. There was a beat of silence before, "I'm assuming the prank's off?"

"Wait, what?" I asked, stopping in my tracks. Regulus stopped too, turning to look at me while keeping his face carefully blank. "Why would you say that?"

Surprise briefly flashed across his face before it disappeared as Regulus gained control of his emotions once more.

"I saw you talking to your brother at dinner and assumed you forgave him and his friends," Regulus explained shortly.

"That doesn't mean I don't still want to prank them," I replied.

"So the prank is still on?"

"Definitely."

The rest of the night went smoother, with Regulus being less standoffish and more engaged in the conversation. We also managed to set a date for when we were going to put the prank into action. December 1st in a few weeks.

We'd nearly finished our rounds when Regulus came up with an offer. He seemed a bit nervous about it, his expression hesitant, but I blinked and the hesitance was gone, making me wonder if I'd actually seen it or not.

"If you wanted, we could study together after school," Regulus said. "For the Transfiguration assignment."

"That would be good," I agreed, smiling slightly.

We finished our rounds and bid goodbye to one another, and as I walked away, I decided to ignore the butterflies in my stomach as I thought about Regulus's offer.

. . .

Tuesday 11th November, 1976

The next day all I could think of was the study session with Regulus after school. I didn't know why I was obsessing over it. It was just studying, and with Regulus of all people. There was no need for me to be counting down the hours until classes finished, and yet that's what I found myself doing during lunch as I waited until I could study with Regulus.

"Hey, Y/n, want to join us on a trip to Honeydukes tonight?" Sirius asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

I knew about the secret passageway to Hogsmeade, and I knew about James's invisibility cloak, as we'd had multiple sneaky trips to Hogsmeade over the years. We hadn't all snuck out in a while though, and while I wanted to, I already had plans.

"Sorry, I can't," I declined. "I'm studying with Regulus."

"Poor you," Sirius commented sympathetically, ruffling my hair.

I swatted his hand away, rolling my eyes, when I realised I'd rather go to this study session with Regulus than sneak out with the marauders, so there was no need for Sirius's sympathy. I didn't tell him this, of course, because he wouldn't have understood. I didn't even understand it myself. How could I have gone from despising Regulus Black with every fibre of my being to being excited to hang out with him later today?

I honestly did not know.

The day continued, and I nearly cheered when I heard the bell go for the end of the day, already on my hunt to find Regulus. I eventually found him in the library waiting for me, a stack of books on Animagus already planted on our desk. Regulus himself was leaning against the table, arms crossed as he stared out the window. I tore my eyes away from him and followed his gaze out the window, noting how unusually sunny and warm it was for November.

"Do you want to study outside?" I asked Regulus when I arrived in front of him.

Regulus jumped, startled, as he finally noticed me. He looked from me to the window, contemplating my offer.

"Sure," he answered.

I smiled, and we grabbed the books before heading out of the library and the castle. We stopped by the kitchens on the way and got some snacks, and Regulus transfigured a rock into a blanket, making our study session resemble a picnic.

My smile widened at the thought as I unpacked the picnic like basket we'd been given, spreading some of the snacks on the blanket for us to nibble on. It was different from our other study sessions, and unlike our last ones, this one was full of talking and a bit of bickering instead of heavy silence. It was nice.

We did study, of course, but the studying was interrupted by random questions and conversation topics. I was surprised to find Regulus and I had a lot in common, and even more surprised to find I didn't hate that fact.

There was a rare silence as we finally managed to focus on studying a bit more when Regulus suddenly spoke.

"What's your favourite colour?"

I blinked, surprised by the question as Regulus started at me expectantly.

"Um, I guess I'd have to say f/c," I answered. "What about you?"

Regulus hummed, thinking as he looked at the sky above us.

"Probably green," he eventually replied.

I snorted. "I should have guessed. It's the only colour you ever wear."

"You notice what I wear?" Regulus asked.

I felt my cheeks heat as I waved him off, attempting to focus back on the book I was reading, but Regulus wasn't having it. He grabbed my book, forcing me to look at him as he smirked.

"I asked you a question Potter," he said.

"And I ignored it," I retorted, half-heartedly trying to get back my book. I failed, obviously, and Regulus's smirked widened at my pathetic attempt.

"What's so bad about my question that you had to ignore it?" he prodded.

I sighed, giving up as I slumped against the tree behind me. Regulus's eyes danced as he realised he'd won the barter between us.

"I don't need a reason to ignore you," I told him, "And to answer your question, yes, I notice what you wear. I notice what most people wear, Dumbledore included, so don't think yourself as special."

I was lying, of course. I hardly ever gave anyone's outfits a second glance, except, it seemed, Regulus Black's. I didn't even know why clothes on him seemed so appealing. They just did. I'd never tell him that, though.

"You notice what Dumbledore wears?" Regulus asked incredulously.

No.

"Yes," I lied.

He gave me sceptical look and I shrugged, trying to hide what a liar I was. I just didn't want him to think anything of my interest in his clothes, because there was nothing to think about. I noticed what he was wearing. That's that. End of story. Nothing more to be found.

We continued talking, asking one another random questions about anything and everything. Our work we were supposed to be doing was discarded, forgotten as we got to know one another without our mutual hate hanging over us.

Regulus's eyes looked beautiful in the sun, I decided. With the light shining off of it, you could see all of the specks of light grey in his eyes, reminding me of the stars in the night sky, and I found myself wanting to look at them forever.

I didn't, of course, and when I realised I was thinking those things I quickly averted my gaze, which just so happened to land on Lily and Remus, both of them walking along the grounds. I watched as their gazes landed on Regulus and I, a knowing smirk spreading across Lily's face as Remus raised his eyebrows at me, his lips twitching into a smile.

I rolled my eyes, wondering whether Lily had told Remus her theory and whether he believed it. I turned back towards Regulus, intending to ask him yet another question, when I found him already staring at me. My throat bobbed as an unfamiliar feeling surged through me, but Regulus had already turned away and focused on his book.

I did the same, picking up one of the forgotten books on our blanket and opening to a random page, trying to banish the strange feelings inside me.

A/N:

hello my lovelies <3

i think this chapter might be one of my favourites. i just like how cute and fluffy it is, y'know?

i decided on a jegulus meme because i was just neck deep in a jegulus fic where regulus is an assasin and james is an M16 agent thats been assigned to hunt regulus down and i'm in the jegulus mood rn (im in a jegulus mood constantly but thats besides the point).

it's called edge by pinkpalaceapartments on ao3 if you wanna check it out. i highly reccomend it.

3 updates in 3 days? i am spoiling ya'll so much. you better appreciate it >:(

jk, love you all so much, have a good day/night <3