Closed Once upon a midnight dreary

[Horror Zhefarovich]

The night air was chilly, but Spring was upon the school. Horror Zhefarovich hated this sort of weather, which was why he invited Astraea Vale out to the very same spot where he had once made her smile. He sent her a rose before, and knew that there would be a conversation about it sometime. Horror spread out a black blanket that had some stitching of their house on it, and sat down to wait for Astraea. She would never leave him hanging, as, honestly, she was the only person that he could tolerate being around for more than a few minutes. That even included his own siblings. The people in his house were stereotypical or boring. Horror saw no reason to bother with them. At least, those in their year. He could hear soft footsteps, and even that, he recognized as hers. He already knew that she was coming. He clasped his hands together on his lap, and waited for her pale face to emerge. That would be a much more welcome sight than anyone else, or the life returning to the plants all around him.​

 

[Astraea Vale]

Astraea hadn't spoken to Horror about the rose that he had sent her. She was unsure of her reasons to not have asked him about it, but she had kept the note and the stem on her bedside table. Astraea wondered if perhaps she was worried that the rose didn't mean anything, but she tried to stop her brain from wandering down that track. She also found herself wanting to talk to her mother about it, but figured she would wait until the break.
Astraea hadn't replied to the invitation from Horror, but there wasn't a doubt in her mind that she would go meet him. She knew Horror would know that as well. He was the only person at the school that she had any time for. The Slytherin made her way to the Forest, spotted Horror and moved towards him, waiting at the edge of the blanket.

 

[Horror Zhefarovich]

Horror could not be more pleased that it was most certainly Astraea that came to him. If it had been anyone else, he would have gotten up and waited closed to the girl's dorm just to wait for his thorn to emerge. He made a gesture for her to sit down on the blanket, within her own space if she didn't want to be close to him. Space was important. He knew that as a twin. It still shocked him that Terror got a prefect badge after loudly boasting about saying mudblood during a dueling tournament. Professor Castillo must have had a short memory. "Did you pluck the pink petals from the rose that I sent you?" Horror asked, unknown that she kept it. He sent it of his own free will, and it was not payback. "I know you wouldn't stand for pink, but the meaning behind the color is why I sent it."​

 

[Astraea Vale]

At Horror's gesture, Astraea sat down near Horror, staring at him unblinkingly, though she was impressed at his forwardness. She was surprised at the feeling in her stomach - that it was feeling something, almost a sense of relief, that his rose did mean something. "I threw them at the feet of the boy who delivered it." Astraea said in response about the petals. "Why did you send it?"

 

[Horror Zhefarovich]

Horror could have snickered at that, since it was like Astraea to do that. She was great with directions after all. "I sent it because as close as we are, I don't want anyone else to be as close to you as me. Just as I don't want to be close to anyone other than you." Horror paused, and wondered if this was making any sense. It likely wasn't, so he needed to just be more blunt. "I suppose the terms, as cliched as they are, I want to be your boyfriend from here on out."​

 

[Astraea Vale]

Astraea tried to keep her face steady, as she was sure she had no control over the palpitations her heart was currently having. She never understood when her parents - or other people in general - spoke about 'having feelings' for someone, but Astraea supposed this was what it meant. The way that Horror explained it was exactly how she felt. If she had to watch him grow a relationship with another person, Astraea would want to make that person's life miserable - more than she wanted to make June Davenport's life miserable. For the first time in her life, Astraea was unable to formulate a response with words, so she did what her body told her to do and moved towards Horror, putting her lips against his.

 

[Horror Zhefarovich]

The silence was heavy, like a weighted blanket. What was she going to say? Yes? No? Get lost? Horror waited, and waited. And luckily, the wait did not last long as she pressed her lips to his. She, Astraea Vale, actually kissed him first. And this was his first kiss. The initial shock only lasted a second as he returned the favor. He even placed his hand on her shoulder, not sure what else to do during this situation. He did not want anyone else to have this sort of relationship with Astraea. He thought that he might go as far as setting them in fire to make sure that she was his and his alone. Like father, like son, in the end. And, it was lucky that they were not caught by prefects or staff members. Perhaps he had chosen the perfect place.​