"I didn't see this one coming," someone snorted, earning a few chuckles.

"Fuck off," something underneath me grumbled, pulling me in closer to the warmth.

"Reg you're going to be late if you both don't get up," an unfamiliar voice warned, tugging on the arm around my waist.

"Fine," it grumbled underneath me, the sound reverberating into my cheek.

"Lilah," warm breath hit my ear, slowly stirring me awake.

"No," I moaned, clinging tighter to the source of comfort.

"Trust me, if I could stay like this all day I would Sunshine," it chuckled.

I slowly opened my eyes, blinking in disorientation as I looked around at the sniggering Slytherins before us.

"Fuck off already," Regulus growled, leaning his head back against the pillow, pulling me closer to his chest. "We're awake, you can leave."

My face flushed red, not used to being in such close proximity to him.

"You can't blush at cuddling after what I saw you do last night," Regulus taunted, grinning darkly down at me, tightening his grip.

"I so can," I poked my tongue out at him before sitting up, realising that we had fallen asleep in front of the fire.

His hand darts out, quickly tugging me back onto the couch underneath him, his weight supported by his forearms as he hovers over me. "I don't remember saying that you could get up."

"I don't remember needing your permission," I pushed him off of me and onto the dark green carpeted flooring, sitting up once more.

"Watch it, Sunshine," Regulus growled, stretching out on the floor before resting his arms behind his head.

"Sunshine?" I spat, not particularly fond of the name.

"Because you're a ball of sunshine, obviously," he grinned up at me sarcastically before climbing to his feet. "Get up." He demanded, glaring down at me.

"No," I argued, not wanting to listen to the rude man.

His glare quickly turned icy, no longer were they a warning but a promise. He reached an arm out, painfully pulling me up from the couch before throwing me over his shoulder, my stomach landing uncomfortably against his back. I thrashed my legs out in protest, not at all accepting of the current situation.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I cried out angrily, beating against his back.

"What the fuck does it look like?" He snorted, moving to walk up the steps.

"Where are we going?" I demanded, not yet ceasing my incessant beating.

"Where the fuck does it look like?"

"Why?" I threw my hands out, already exasperated with our short conversation.

"If you want to go to breakfast looking like a cheap whore then be my guest," he shrugged, the motion jostling me roughly.

Cheap whore?

Who the hell does he think he is?

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"You're a fucking asshole."

"Tell me something I don't know, Sunshine," he turned his head, winking down at me before opening a door.

A door that belonged to a room full of girls.

He dropped me from his shoulder, leaving a hand on my waist to steady me before addressing a girl I knew to be Narcissa Black.

"Deal with her, would you?" He pushed me towards her before exiting the room.

"Asshole!" I screamed in retaliation, the fading sound of his chuckles only infuriating me more.

A giggle broke me out of my reverie as I turned to face the Slytherin girls behind me, smirking wildly at me.

"Uh," I mumbled, cheeks flushing at the scene they had just witnessed, "hi."

--

I walked down the steps slightly mortified, having been just attacked by makeup brushes and clothes. So many clothes. I shuddered.

"Finally," Regulus nodded his head in appreciation before walking towards the portrait, not waiting for me to catch up.

"Dick," I muttered walking out, only to collide face first with a hard chest.

"Heard that," he chastised, a smug grin lining his kissable lips.

...Kissable?

I shake the disgusting thought from my head, walking ahead of him to my dorm.

"Where are you going?" He slung his arm over my shoulder, subtly redirecting me to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"...My dorm?" I stared up at him, not having noticed the change in our direction.

"Not anymore, Sunshine. I'm hungry."

"And why is that my problem?"

"Because maybe I want some entertainment whilst I'm eating. Shovelling food into my mouth can get kinda repetitive, I'm hoping that you can spice it up."

I stare at him for a moment longer before letting out a loud, bellowing laugh, "You are so full of shit."

"I haven't lied to you yet," he shrugged nonchalantly, tightening his grip on my shoulders, "nor do I plan to."

He directs me into the hall full of peers, ignoring my blatant expression of confusion and the ill contained curiosity of our peers as they gossip about our newfound 'friendship'.

It's more like he won't leave me alone.

We walk straight past the Marauders and my dorm mates, ignoring their angry and surprised expressions, murmuring amongst themselves once we'd walked past.

"She didn't come back last night," Lily exclaimed, looking Regulus up and down in disapproval as we sat in the middle of the Slytherin table.

Regulus withdrew his arm, grabbing a plate before immediately piling it up with food, placing it in front of me and filling up my cup with pumpkin juice. "Eat," he commanded, reaching for a red apple.

"Maybe I'm not hungry," I protested, folding my arms across my chest stubbornly.

"Eat," he grunted, turning to face me, his cold gaze burning into me as he finished his sentence, "eat before you make a scene and I have to feed you myself."

I reluctantly gave in, knowing that he would follow through with his threat, despite not knowing him long I knew he wasn't one to make an idle threat.

I spooned some eggs into my mouth, not willing to show how much I did, in fact, enjoy them. It didn't take me long to finish the plate, ignoring his crooked smirk as he watched me chew.

"Don't," I warned, shooting him a sideways glare after I finished my mouthful.

"I wasn't," he held his hands up in defence, silently laughing as he tugged my braid out of the collar of the shirt I had borrowed.

"Sure," I playfully narrowed my eyes, only now realising how much of an influence he had over me – over my behaviour, over my emotions.

It was like he was acting as an anchor, keeping me grounded, keeping me sane. It was odd, especially considering I barely knew him other than what I had heard of him from Sirius and Dumbledore in the past – well, future.

He was a death eater, that much I remembered, but he wasn't what I had expected at all.

"What's going on here?" A voice gritted out behind them, successfully gaining my attention along with half the halls.

"What the fuck does it look like?" Regulus growled, rolling his eyes at James and Sirius before turning back to his apple.

"I meant with Lilah, you snake!" James yelled, face reddening as he had noticed the lack of space between them since they had entered the hall.

"We slept together," Regulus shrugged, taking another bite of his apple as he watched on in amusement as the two Gryffindor's steamed in anger.

"Regulus," I scolded, hitting his arm for his implication.

"Hey Sunshine, no need to get violent, it's just the truth," he winked, leaning against the table, knowing that they would be stupid to attack him at his own table, surrounded by his house, his friends.

"This isn't over!" James pointed at him, shoulders and muscles tense as he forced himself to walk away before he got in over his head.

"My brother of all people, Lil' Lupin? I expected better, especially of you," Sirius smiled sadly, "I'll see you around."

I turned back to face Regulus, tears held at bay, forcing myself not to cry at the emotion displayed in Sirius' eyes, mainly the disappointment, at least not in public.

"Don't you fucking dare," Regulus scowled in anger, holding his finger out at me scoldingly, "don't you fucking dare."

And finally I could read the hidden message behind his crude words; they weren't worth my tears.

"I know," I mumbled, forcing my lip to straighten out from its trembling state, "I know."