Regulus smiled, nodding his head slightly. While he’d always thrived in the seeker position, it wasn’t what he initially wanted to do when he tried out for Quidditch. “Alright, I won’t put up a fight for seeker, because I’ve always thought I’d make a decent beater.” He smirked, bringing his arms up to flex his muscles. “I was too small when I first tried out, which was how I ended up as seeker. Think I’ve got a bit more strength now.” He laughed, ruffling his hair slightly as he dropped his arms back down again.
“No, I want to come.” Regulus replied. Ballet wasn’t something he’d ever had much interest in, but he certainly had a respect for it. He knew how difficult it was, listening to Lucinda complain about how badly her feet hurt for years made him realize that dancing really did a number on someone’s body. He wanted to support her, and show her that he cared about her and her interests. Regulus shrugged his shoulders at her question, unsure how to answer her. Right now he’d been spending his time researching and trying different spells and attacks to destroy a horcrux, but he certainly wasn’t about to tell Lucinda that. “Honestly, most days I just lay in bed and stare at the ceiling. Or clean my house - my parents passed not long after I’d gone away, so the house sat empty for quite some time. Kreacher was there, but he hadn’t been given any orders to keep the house in order, so it got a little out of hand.”
Smiling wider as she went on about her snitch collection, Regulus thought back to how badly she’d wanted to keep the snitch from her first game. It didn’t take much convincing on her part, there wasn’t much he wouldn’t do for her at that time. It was nice to hear she was still collecting them. His smile quickly flipped into a frown as she told him about her relationship. She was marrying somebody her parents had picked out for her? Regulus knew that was quite traditional, but not something he’d ever agreed with. Why marry somebody you’re not in love with? “You don’t seem overly thrilled by the idea.” Regulus mumbled, not sure if she’d be able to make out his words, raising his brow at her.
“You could never talk too much. I love hearing it.” He assured her, letting his smile return to his lips, though not quite as large as it had been before he learned about her arranged marriage. “I don’t have much to tell, honestly. I spent my time away traveling around the UK, it was nice but nothing is as nice as being home, really. Now I’m just trying to catch up with my friends and hear what I’ve missed.”
When Regulus flexed his muscles Lucinda had to actively force herself to stop from staring, and even then she wasn’t sure she’d succeeded. She had often found herself preoccupied with his body when they were at school - fifteen year old Lucinda would have paid good galleons to catch a glimpse of him in the shower after practice. She had told herself at the time it was because she was a silly horny teenager who needed to grow out of it. She had tried to grow out of it, partially because she was ashamed, but also because she knew she should not be thinking of a friend like that. Unfortunately, that hadn’t happened. If anything her thoughts of him had become more explicit. She was thankful Reggie wasn’t a legilimens because she was sure he’d be creeped out by what he saw her thinking. “Yes, you would make a wonderful beater.” She agreed a little too keenly. Deciding to focus her attention on the stack of napkins on the table as a form of distraction. She started folding one into a lop-sided swan as he spoke.
His life sounded very lonely, something she entirely sympathised with. But he was also so free. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d spent the entire day in bed. It sounded blissful. Especially if he were there. She was glad when he mentioned cleaning and Kreacher. She’d think about that instead. “Well I suppose if you do want to see a show we could go out for dinner afterwards and maybe a drink if I don’t have rehearsal the next day?” Oh dear. When she imagined herself with Regulus, she also imagined a different version her herself- bolder and more interesting. But now that awful fantasy Lucinda had slipped out and practically asked him on a date. She was already starting to panic, but when he mumbled about her engagement it only made everything worse. The napkin swan drooped in her hands and fell apart. She wished she wasn’t like this - saying stupid things and making herself look like an idiot.
He was talking about traveling but she couldn’t really hear him. Her heart was beating too hard in her chest and all the critical words her parents shot in her direction were playing in her mind. She was engaged, but here she was thinking about another man. It was disgusting. She was disgusting.
“I don’t feel well.” She announced, not sure if she’d interrupted him or not. She hadn’t been listening. She was desperate for some fresh air. And with that she was up on her feet, racing out of the café and into the cold winter air where she stood to catch her breath.
