Hiraeth | Regulus Black

Chapter Sixty Six

Winter was setting in much earlier on Hogwarts than it had in previous years. For some reason though, Regulus thought perhaps it wasn't just winter that was making their days darker.
Most of their free time was spent holed up in the far corners of the library, huddled around mountains of books as they waded through the copious amounts of work they were being set from their lessons.

So that's what Dirk, Levi, and Regulus were up to that Wednesday afternoon. Their lessons had finished early and now seemed as good a time as any to make a start on some essays.
Though that soon came to a stop as Levi suddenly asked, "Why are Wigtown Wanderers the best quidditch team ever?"

Clearly the Gryffindor boy had grown bored of the revision and was hoping to spark some conversation.
Of course that question in particular ignited instant interest in Regulus, who slammed his book shut and looked across at the boy, "Did someone drop you on your head when you were a baby?"

"What?"
"They're clearly not the best quidditch team!"

Levi scoffed, rolling his eyes as he replied, "Of course you'd say that - a Puddlemere United fan! Of all the teams!"
"Yes, clear evidence that I have great taste!" Regulus argued.

At last, Dirk dragged his gaze up from the textbook he'd been intently reading in order to glare at the two boys, "So much for studying, yeah?" He asked.

"There's greater things at stake than our exams, Dirk. I really think Levi might have a brain injury." Regulus shook his head with fake despair.

"Oi!" Levi retorted, "You're starting your sound more like Avery with every passing day."
He nodded solemnly, "Yes, Esme really is a bad influence, isn't she?"

Dirk muttered under his breath, turning back to his book, "You can say that again."

The doors to the library pushed open and in walked Esme. She cradled a small stack of books and parchment in her arms, and appeared to be carrying even more books in the bag hanging from her shoulder. Over the past few months, her dark hair had grown so it was falling almost down to her waist. Around her face, it had been sculpted back out of her dark eyes and for once she was wearing a small smile of contentment.
Esme appeared to have gotten out of a particularly good lesson, as she continued to walk the smile on her face grew bigger. This only exacerbated her beautiful features.

"Reg, mate! Hello?" Levi waved a hand in front of the boy's face, snapping him back to reality.

"Sorry, what?" Regulus asked, blinking hard.
He laughed, "You completely just zoned out. I was talking and I thought you were listening because you were kind of looking at me but... You were just daydreaming."

Regulus gulped, becoming embarrassingly aware of the fact that he had completely tuned out of his conversation with Levi in order to stare at Esme. 
He tugged at his collar as he started to grow quite warm, "I-er... Sorry." He feebly apologised.

"Sup, losers." Esme greeted with a cocky smirk, slamming her pile of books onto the table.

As she sat down at the table beside Regulus, he could finally see her face up close.
Where Esme's hair had at first been sculpted out of her eyes, Regulus could now see it had been lazily pushed back from her face and looked as though it hadn't been brushed in quite some time. And her dark eyes were darker than usual - more deep set and shadowed by heavy circles of sleep deprivation

"Would you tell your boyfriend his opinion is wrong." Levi leant back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.

"Sure." She nodded before turning to Regulus, "You're wrong."

Where moments earlier he had been transfixed by how stunning she was, now Regulus was overcome with concern for her. So much so that he couldn't even pay attention to the conversation at hand.