Closed un-frog-ettable

it had been a few weeks since halloween and he knew he needed to talk to teddy. to appologise for running off like he had, to explain. to get the words and thoughts that were spinning around his head out. he had considered writing them down. and possibly would have if he wasnt worried someone would find the papers. he had considered writign something slightly coded to aunt meg for teddy to see in the next monthly making it so only teddy would know who ie was. but he had dismissed that idea pretty quickly, as editor he knew who aunt meg was and didnt want her to know his biggest secret at least not first. and even if he didt do it anonymously he was fairly sure morrie would recognise his handwriting. he needed to do this in person.
he had been keeping an eye out for teddy fora while. But it seemed almost impossible to catch the boy on his own, when he wasnt in the middle of something. he guessed Teddy's busy timetable and extracurriculars kept him busy. but this conversation was going to be hard enough for him he didnt want to have to do it in front of other people. and the couple of times he had seeen the sixth year with friends he had chickened out asking him for a private conversation
he had decided if he had no luck by friday he would ask Tempest if he could take her patrol the following Monday pretty sure she would say yes to a free pass to get out of a patrol though it would put him up to four duties for the week as he was already covering for someone else.
he was just heading to the prefects room to put the next week's patrol roster up when he spotted him. Teddy was in the corridor on his own. he made his way over to the younger boy, trying to keep calm and stoic, but he was already feeling his ears warming. and his hands starting to sweat "Excuse me, Teddy. Can I have a word with you for a second, um, in here? " he said cool politeness taking over his otherwise nervous body, gesturing to an abandoned classroom that he hoped to merlin was empty.

Teddy had been busy with homework and extracurricular activities that he really hadn't thought much about Halloween in well over a week. He hadn't seen much of Hugo either which helped him not think about it. He'd had a nice time with him and then Hugo had ran off. There could be a hundred reasons, but Teddy was inexperienced and latched onto the possibility that maybe he was just a bad kisser. He'd then decided not to think about it and pushed it aside, he was too busy to dwell after all. He’d done a pretty decent job of not thinking about it in over a week, right up until the moment he was facing Hugo again. He swallowed at the question, "Sure." He said, pulling his strap on his bag tighter, "In the abandoned classroom?"

hugo wasnt sure what to make of the situation. Did Teddy look nervous? had he forgotten about halloween. had it been plaguing him the same way it was replaying in his head? was he over it? was it all a mistake? and now hugo was in over his head. he took a deep breath. "Um yeah, if that's okay. I want it to be private he said he already knew he was goign to struggle with what he was going to say. he struggled on his own in the dorm; saying it to Teddy would be harder. and with an audience. that was going to be near impossible." But if you are busy, I guess we can talk some other time," he suggested, almost hopefully. Suddenly, he was not sure of himself giving Teddy an out, though he wasn't sure if he wanted him to take it or not. but Teddy had already said yes and was walking that way, and he was not that much of a coward that he would run away... again.
he closed the door behind them and looked at Teddy. before looking back to the floor, his face warming up. whay was it doing that? he was already nervous enough. he looked back at teddy. "I just want to appologise for halloween, it was a terrible thing to do. I, um, I shouldn't have done that, " he said. "Sorry" he finished. kicking himself. he had practiced what he was going to say run it through his head until it was smooth like perfecly melted chocolate but apparently somewhere between his head and voice it cracked

Teddy was fine to talk now rather than schedule some other time. He noticed how different Hugo looked from when he's been a prince at Halloween, he had nerves and guilt written all over his face. Teddy smiled to reassure him but that smile faded the moment Hugo apologised for doing that terrible thing. That was the kiss. Of course it was. And it hit Teddy like a slap. A flush crept up his neck. It was the same pattern again. He could lead a Quidditch team to the championship, top the house points table, win every duel. Yet when it came to something as simple as being wanted, he was always a failure. It didn't matter how good he was at everything else, romance just seemed impossible. He started to feel angry, angry towards Hugo for doing this. Teddy would have been perfectly happy playing along if he had wanted to pretend it had never happened. Why bring it up weeks later?

He swallowed hard and drew in a breath, lifting his chin to mask the blow. His voice came out flat and tight. “Right. Well, don’t worry about it. I haven't even thought about that since.” he said, barely managing to keep the bite out of his tone. “That terrible thing won’t happen again.” His fingers tightened around the strap of his bag as he gave a small, dismissive nod.

Teddys words hit Hugo like a punch in the gut. How had Teddy not thought about it at all when it had hardly been out of his mind? He knew he was nothing special, and teddy was smart and funny and good looking popular. but surly kissing someone was. How many people does one person have to kiss for kissing to be so insignificant you didn’t think about it once? "really? I haven’t been able to get you, uh, it out of my head since halloween" He said. He bowed his head part in shame and part to hide the red spreading aacross his face as Teddy said that the terrible thing wouldn’t happen again. he knewe it wouldnt, he had had time to process it, it wouldnt ee a suprise ot a shock next time. He reached for the cuff of teddys sleave as the yougner boy looked like he was about to leave. "yeah. it won't. I won't. not next time. I just. I wasn’t expecting… I freaked out i'm sorry" he said, the half-formed sentences tumbling out over each other as he spoke but he had to let teddy know he had had time to let that kiss and the connotations it presented sink in. after all it had caused a shift in the very way he saw the world and himself and sometimes that needed more than a few seconds to process.

Teddy was going to leave, but Hugo holding his cuff kept him there. He saw Hugo was hurt but he’d just tried not to make it a big deal, because big deals were scary, and feelings were worse, and if he gave it too much weight then it might be too heavy. It hadn’t been nothing. Not really, but Teddy could easily move on if he told himself it was. “It wasn’t..." He sighed, "Look, I have thought about it since, but you kissed me then ran off, and I figured maybe it was just a one time thing, or a terrible thing as you just called it. You didn't give me much to think about." He shrugged awkwardly. “So I didn’t." Teddy did have a nugget of sympathy, Hugo was clearly working out his sexuality, so was Teddy to a certain degree. "Maybe the spooky tent wasn't the best place to go kissing boys if you're partial to freaking out," Teddy was still feeling annoyed but less than moments ago.

Hugo's nerves were ebbing as the conversation progressed. He was almost starting to feel annoyed at Teddy. he was trying to apologise for running off, and he just didn't seem to be taking it. Logically, he knew that just because he apologised didn't mean Teddy had to accept it. But he wasn't the bad guy here.
It was then he heard what Teddy was saying. he had misunderstood what he was apologising for "Wait. I'm not apologising for kissing you. You kissed me first. And that defiantly wasn't terrible." he said. He would, in fact, quite like to kiss Teddy again. This time he could do it while he was prepared and not while ther were creepy skeletons and coffins, around and definatly not with a group of classmates watching intently.
He took a deep breath and sighed. "I went to the Halloween feast, met a friendly frog, and had a good time with him. I didn’t mean for us to kiss, and I certainly didnt expect to find out he was a prince in disguise. i didnt even know that was an option for me" he said mentally cursing his face for blushing again, if he kept it up, he could just pretend he had got sunburn, though he spent so little time outside it was hardly believable. "I'm apologising for freaking out and running off. That was a terrible thing for me to do" he said.

What was Hugo talking about? Teddy hadn’t kissed him. Hugo had been the one to kiss Teddy first. And if anyone was going to remember a detail like that, it was Teddy. He opened his mouth to argue the fact when Hugo threw him completely off with the frog prince disguise comment. For a second, Teddy just blinked at him. Then he laughed. Teddy actually felt a little lighter from laughing. "I didn't realise you were such a romantic Hugo." He teased, then listened to his apology, "So you're sorry for running off, but not kissing me?" He knew Hugo had basically just said that, but Teddy wanted to be sure. Two misunderstandings had already occurred between them and that was enough.

Hugo’s heart stopped as Teddy just stared at him blinging when he said he had found a Prince Charming. He hoped that he had not taken it in a bad way. And then he laughed and Hugo wasn’t entirely sure if it was good or bad way laughing. His eyes flicked to the door but he wasn’t going to bolt a second time. He just stood there slightly uncomfortably until Teddy said he didn’t realise he was a romantic. He felt the tension fade. Teddy thought he was boing romantic and he didn’t even realise it. im not. At least I don’t think I am he said before starting to join in chuckling as he felt the weight and tension around him dissolve.

As Teddy confirmed what it was he was apologising for he nodded. ”Correct. he said. Then swallowed wondering how forward he could be I would actually quite like to kiss you again sometime. If you want to of course he said looking anywhere but at teddy. His face now so red it like at risk of exploding.

Hugo was looking away from Teddy and Teddy didn’t like it. The lack of eye contact made him seem like he wasn’t being fully honest, or like he was holding something back. And was he blushing? Teddy was pretty sure Hugo hadn't always been quite so red. "You’re not a romantic? Could’ve fooled me." He teased, tilting his head, shifting into Hugo’s line of sight. He was trying to catch his eye. Especially after the comment that he'd like to kiss again. "Yeah?" he replied, his eyes fixed on Hugo. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

Hugo saw teddy made a comment about him being a romantic. "I suppose I have never had the opportunity before. so i am learning a lot" he said. looking at Teddy, their eyes locking. he smiled slightly, trying not to let the fact that his heart was pounding and he could hear the blood in his ears. he moved slightly closer to the other boy "Yeah" he whispered in reply to the almost question. And then smiled at the other question. "I guess there is only one way to find out. May I?" he said, pausing a moment for Teddy's response before closing the distance between them and kissing him lightly. Letting Ted decide how he wanted to be kissed. The kiss was just as good as he had remembered as he smiled against the other boy's lips, relaxing and feeling a lot calmer than he had done in a while.

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Teddy felt better when their eyes met especially noticing Hugo's kind brown eyes and feeling reassured by them. Those brown eyes were the last thing he saw before closing his own and kissing Hugo back, softy at first. His hand soon found the side of Hugo’s face as he deepened the kiss before pulling back, not by much though. "I enjoyed that." He said, just a little breathlessly, "Actually, let me check." He said, leaning in to kiss Hugo again.

hugo felt teddys lips against his and his hand against his face as their kiss deepened. he relaxed not really thinking of what he was doing just doing what felt natural. leaning against Teddy and wrapping his arms around him as they kissed. the world stopped revolving around the sun and the stars stopped rotating in the milky way as it felt like it was just them in the middle of the universe. that us until teddy broke it apart and hugo was left slightly breathless. he loosened his hold in case teddy wanted to move away though he was glad that he didn't he smiled as teddy said that he enjoyed that and let out a sort of grunt of agreement unable to form anything more wordlike in the moment.
thankfully, they werent left there awkwardly for long, as a moment later Teddy was kissing him. he kissed back shifting his posture slightly dropping his hands until they were looped around teddys waist. as he deepened the kiss
Hugo wouldn't have been able to say how long they stood like that, but all too soon, they broke apart again. gasping lightly for air "Yeah, that was definitely enjoyable." he breathed his mouth not too far from Teddy's cheek and ear. before he slowly moved away so that he could see Teddys face. he opened his mouth to say something about being able to handle it or making a joke about running, but under taddys green eyes gaze he was at an absolute loss of what to say so he just smiled slightly dopily at him.

The second kiss left a sort of hum in Teddy's chest and tingling lips which felt nice, he didn't say anything right away as he took in the new sensations. He could see the daze in Hugo’s eyes and feel his breath on the side of his face. Teddy knew he was feeling it too and he liked that. The Gryffindor's thumb traced gently across Hugo’s cheek, lingering for a moment before drifting down to rest at his side. “I’m definitely going to kiss you again,” Teddy said with certainty, “Might even become my new favourite hobby actually.”

Hugo felt the caress of Teddys thumb against his cheek before they moved apartThe air of the room suddenly cool against his body after the warmth of Teddy. He absentmindedly reached up to his cheek where he could still feel the phantom of the boys touch. yeah. Me too, you he said his face going warm again part of him wondering why he couldn’t stop blushing whenever Teddy smiled at him. don’t let your team hear you say that. They may be disappointed he said this might be my favorite part of the castle. I think it’s the same room we had our first kiss too he said. He hadn’t realised it when he had dragged Teddy in here to begin with. But it was a nice kind of symmetry. It sort of made it feel like the castle or the universe was on their side.

Teddy felt all light, airy and comfortable. He felt he could stay here all day with Hugo, but he was almost late for his next lesson and he knew he was going to have to pull himself back to reality soon. “I think they'd be okay with it. They don't have much choice." He smiled, thinking Hugo was cute, especially when he blushed.

At the mention of their first kiss, Teddy looked around the room, he hadn't really noticed where they were until then. “Oh yeah. I think you’re right.” Teddy had chosen to forget most from that game of spin the bottle, but he did remember kissing Hugo. "I guess it's our make out room now." With that, Teddy reluctantly pulled himself away, but it was time. "Unfortunately, I have a lesson now, but I want to see you again real soon."

hugo smiled as teddy said that the quidditch team wouldnt have much choice in the matter of teddys favorite hobby. "I dont know some of those players look like they can be slightly scary if they want to be. especially if given a beaters bat and a bludger" he teased feeling a lot more comfortable than he had before.
he looked around the room, yes this was definitely it. "There is even an old butterbeer bottle over there, too," he said. almost as if it was left from the game, though he doubted it was the same one. "Yes our make out room. but i shouldnt limit kissing you to one room. that would be a shame to miss out on kissing you outside in the sun, or on the north tower at night" he said. the real shame came as Teddy moved away. hugo would have quite happily spent the afternoon sitting in here with Teddy maybe with a coffee or a butterbeer and just getting to know him. he pouted slightly as teddy said that he had to go. "Aww. thats inconvenient. but i guess if you have to go you have to go, if you want to hang out later i will be in the monthly offices" he said. he often spent the evinings there or in the library they were more relaxed than the common room and ofthe two the monthly was a lot more private. as teddy made an actual move to the door hugo rached out and took his hand. "before you go can i ask you one thing?" he asked kissing teddy on the cheek because he was just too cute not to. "will you go to the yule ball with you as my date he asked, looking at Teddy, still slightly surprised how someone as sunny, smart, and cute as him would be interested in going on a date with him.

Teddy smirked then glanced at the butterbeer bottle, pretty convinced in that moment that it was the same one left behind from before, maybe put aside for the next round of Spin the Bottle. Not that he needed that game to get a kiss anymore. He was already looking forward to finding Hugo again later and picking up where they left off in that department. As Teddy took time gathering his things to leave, Hugo took his hand and asked to ask a question. Teddy gave a curious nod, then smiled when Hugo asked him to the ball. "Hmm I'll have to think about it." he answered, swinging his bag over his shoulder after Hugo kissed his cheek, he did really need to get to his next lesson. He moved towards the door but before opening it, Teddy turned back with a grin and said, "Okay I've thought about it. Yes I'd love to go to the Yule Ball with you."

Hugo should have expected Teddy's response to his question. There was a lot to think about for a ball date and he didnt even know what their future would be like. Was Teddy thinking of a relationship or someone he snuck into classrooms to kiss between classes? he knew which he would rather, and his willingness to go on a ball date was a bit of a tell. but they definitely had a bit of talking and getting to know each other ahead of them as he didnt really know much about teddy at all.
He watched as Teddy gathered his things, seeming to hurry and linger at the same time before opening the door. he was half out of the room without even saying a goodbye when he stopped. and looked back at him the smile on his face made hugos heart flutter and his lips twitch into a wider smile if just his grin hadnt done that his next words certainly would have as he not only agreed to go to the ball with him he would love to. "Um, great. i'm looking forward to it." he said grinning wider. he had asked someone out and had his first ever proper date. "have a good class. now dont get into trouble for being late. and see you this evening" he said as he watched teddy disapear out of the door.
and then Hugo was alone in the classroom. He leaned against the wall trying to recall the feeling of teddys lips against his andd kissed, the unexpected fluttering sparks that seemed to dance his body in his arms as they haover him and give him goosebumps when Teddy had stroked his cheek.
He replayed the conversation he had just had in his head. trying to work out the trap, the trick, the glitch in the matrix as what had just happened, as real and as fresh as it was in his memory, just didnt feel like it belonged in reality, at least not the reality he lived in.