Rebariah: Sweet Dark Melody
It was already quite late at night, most of her fellow students were already in bed, but not Rebekah, she was still in the common room, lying on the couch. Her head was falling down from it, while her legs were up in the air, swinging from one side to another. She kind of loved to see the world upside down, when the ceiling looks like the ground where your feet should be able to walk on and so does the fireplace. Technically it should fall down because of gravity, but it didn’t, which made her laugh out of fascination, maybe even because of the whiskey she had. After all the studying she deserved whiskey and it felt great, the moment when it went down her throat, slowly and painful. She remembered how she groaned out of excitement, before she downed a few other shots. Since then nothing much had happened, she just fell onto the couch and watched the fireplace. Next to that she was waiting for someone to arrive, and that was kind of making her a bit excited. Zacharias was such a good company, she loved him to be around her, he always knew the right things to say and to do. After all the trouble she had been into, she really needed a laugh, someone she could talk to without hiding anything about her, not even the smallest bit. He knew almost everything about her, all the attacks, the killings, the mark, she felt comfortable around him and it was good that there was someone she could tell everything about it. Whenever she told him stories about her meetings and her family, he was the one who listened closely, consuming word by word. That memory made her smile, and she wondered how this smile might look for other people since she was lying upside down on the couch. Maybe people would think she’s sad because the right way around her smile looks like frowning and again, she laughed because of drifting away that quickly. She moved her hands to her head, slowly letting it wander over her hair, trying to find the last bit of it. It was already lying on the floor, probably covered in dust. She smiled, gently playing with it, while she began to count sheep in her head. A melody suddenly shot into her head and she began to hum along to it quietly, smiling along to it as she heard the wood cracking in rhythm. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, feeling that she slowly fell asleep. After a while, she couldn’t even say how long it was, she suddenly felt someone touching her feet. She was still in her sleep, deep down somewhere, so her reactions where way to slow to pull away or to open her eyes, so she made a few high noises and yawned instead, trying to wait for the person to break the silence.
After a long day of Quidditch practice, Zach decided to throw in the towel. His muscles were only slightly sore, his body used to all the vigorous training he had not only put himself through, but the Hufflepuff team as well in the past few weeks. The blonde boy sighed, showering and letting the hot water run down his golden skin. Tension instantly left him, the steam washing away all worries. The boy desperately needed a drink or something to take his mind off of the terrible house that he had been thrust into. Thankfully Rebekah owled him, the two agreeing that they would meet in the Slytherin common room. She had promised a bottle of fire whiskey and Rebekah was always good company. She was the one girl that understood what he wanted, how Zach strove for the kind of power that she had, admiring the mark every chance he got when he spotted it on her bare forearm and even listened tentatively when she spoke of the deaths she had committed, almost as if he was picking up tips from her. Rebekah was one of his closest friends, or perhaps the closest friend he had. She understood the power he wanted and she did not judge, she encouraged. And so, the Slytherin girl was not only his friend, but in some strange way she was his mentor, like she was prepping him for when he could get the dark mark himself. Zach smiled at the thought, the corners of his lips twitching up as his eyes darkened a bit, turning the water off and letting droplets of water fall from his blonde hair into his face. He quickly dressed, pulling on a yellow tee shirt and a fresh pair of jeans. Spotting the clock on the wall, he cursed under his breath for being so late. It’s not that Rebekah would have minded anyway, it was not that he was always tardy and she even knew he had duties to attend to when he was Quidditch Captain as well as Prefect. Zach rolled his eyes mentally at the thought, knowing Hufflepuff would never match up to the most prized Slytherin house but it’s not that Zach really cared. The green and silver house would always be better in his eyes, always be at the very top and most powerful than anyone could ever imagine and people are fools if they never saw it that way. The Hufflepuff boy made his way down into the dungeons, running his hands through his wet hair and once he got past into the common room, his eyes blinked only once to get used to the sudden change in lighting. As always, the common room ran under the Black Lake, the windows peering out into the murky water and the boy’s blue eyes found a set of feet on the top of the couch. Curiously he frowned, approaching the figure with a small smile on his face, his hands coming to either side of her feet. It was Rebekah, her eyes closed with the ghost of a smile upon her face. He touched her feet, moving her body slightly and the girl stirred but she did not waken. The corners of his mouth pulled, Zach licking his lips a bit before he let his hands run down to her knees and squeezing slightly. “Rise and shine, sweetheart.”
As she felt hands running down her leg to her knee, she chuckled a bit, moving closer to the hands that were slowly trying to wake her up. Rebekah still couldn’t open her eyes, but she recognized the voice within a second. “Zach”, she whispered sleepily, still making cute high noises like a small baby. In general she is used to pretend to be the tough one and there are only a few ones she can be herself with, Zach was definitely one of them, so she didn’t mind showing him her soft side, “you came.” She grinned, slowly opening her eyes as she got curious. “How was practice?”, she asked, truly interested about his life, about everything, “hey you even got the chance to shower”, she said as she looked at him. Everything was in place, his hair, his clothes, he looked peaceful. She dropped the bottle of whiskey by accident, she forgot that it was still in her hand as she reached over to her knees with them, searching for the big hands that were resting there. She was happy that he came, sleep was peaceful and warm, but now with him it was better. She hummed a bit, hearing the cracking wood from the one, and his voice from the other side. He was always so soothing, whenever she was upset or sad, he was there and it was blowing her away. Either because he tried to be funny or because he was just there and held her for hours. She closed her eyes again, slowly breathing in and out. He did it again, he was soothing her only with his presence. She grabbed his hands and squeezed them, before a smirk appeared on her face. That was not always a good sign, her smirk mostly indicate something going on in her mind, something evil or funny. “Join me”, she whispered softly, slowly pulling on his hands, trying to pull him over the couch to her, but it was harder than expected, she was not strong enough. She tried, but failed. “You need to stop working out”, she said and laughed, “if your strength grows even more then I will have no chance against you”, she pointed out, still laughing as she finally pulled him closer with her feet. “Now, get your pretty little ass over here”, she grinned up at him, opening her eyes again, “you’re too far away, I need to share my whiskey.” She still smiled, looking into his eyes as she waited for him to move.
Rebekah rolled out of her sleep, the girl a bit groggy and the features in her face softened. Zach tilted his head to the side as he peered at her, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips as his broad hands came down to her knees and her own followed his, her ivory hands tiny compared to the Hufflepuff. Finally she opened her eyes at him, sleep still hanging over her like a blanket and he licked his lips before leaning against the couch a little. “I did,” he confirmed in a chuckle, finding Rebekah to be highly cute as of now in her state. The mention of practice made him roll his eyes but still smile, he knew that she would already expect the answer, that he would speak ill of his housemates because to him, they weren’t his housemates. Zach was cheated from the Sorting Hat and he knew it, and even Rebekah saw it that he was a Slytherin at heart. “Same old, same old.” he replied in a retort, rolling his eyes a bit but he still smiled down at the girl in front of him, her chocolate brown hair haloing her head. He nodded at her comment though, absentmindedly running his hand through his wet hair, the locks waving out in the indication it was drying. “Do I smell clean?” he quipped, tugging gently on her jean leg by her knee. Spotting the bottle of whiskey by her hip, watching at she glanced back at it before finding his hands and she hummed a small tune. Zach sighed contently, muscles still aching as he leaned against the sofa and he blinked slowly, letting his eyelids linger closed. Her hands wrapped themselves around his, giving a light squeeze and his eyes opened then. Zach spotted the smirk on her face, his eyes squinting a bit, wondering what mischeivious thought she just came up with and the Slytherin girl tugged hard on his hands but the boy ended up going nowhere. He laughed then, letting the laughter ring throughout the damp common room. “You’re right,” he agreed, but either way he knew that Rebekah would always have the upper hand, even if Zach was physically stronger than her. Rebekah was cunning, like any other Slytherin but she had skills that made her an amazing dark wizard that Zach was yet to learn. At her grin and comment, he let the corners of his lips turn up, letting go of her knees but letting one hand linger as he came around the side of the couch, sitting next to Rebekah and picking up the bottle of whiskey in the process. He scanned the label for a moment before peering back at Rebekah with a small smile, sighing and leaning back against the couch, such at ease and a warm feeling of home that only the Slytherin dormitories could give him.
As Zach let himself fall into the couch, she felt how the fabric gave in and she found her head right next to his leg. She smiled contently, “let me check”, she said and raised her upper body a bit, leaning towards his neck and t-shirt, “yes, you definitely smell very clean”, she whispered and chuckled, letting herself fall back into the couch as she looked up into his eyes. She controlled her breathing, slowly raising her chest up and down as the air streamed into her lungs. Rebekah reached out for his other hand, pulling it closer so that she could toy with his fingers, like always. She didn’t know what to say, not because she didn’t have things on her mind, but simply because being with him was easy. She didn’t need to say anything, they could just be like this, sitting and lying next to each other for hours, without a word and it wouldn’t even be this typical embarrassing silence everyone fears, it would be a normal thing. While she was lost in thoughts, she scanned his face, trying to see if anything's unusual, but he was as pretty as always. She never understood why he wasn’t in her house, she always thought that the dimmed light of the fireplace and the dark walls suited him, specially when the light of the fire is falling on him in that kind of angle. He looked peaceful, but then there was something in his eyes, something that was screaming for adventure, for danger and she quite liked it. While she continued to stare at him, she explored his fingers, over and over, although she probably knew them by heart already. As she finally got back from all the thoughts, she smiled at him, trying to figure out what it was that would be perfect for this moment. “I’m glad you’re here”, she finally said, squeezing his hand, “the last days had been a bit rough.” She raised her head and placed it on his leg, pulling her hair along with her. It was now falling over his knee, down the couch, shining in the dimmed light. She brought her body closer to his, pulling her legs down from the top of the couch and sliding them down to all the pillows. She breathed in, slowly and softly, the scent of the burning fire was now mixed with his smell, which was quite enjoyable. She looked up into his eyes, still smiling, she was so glad about being able to let go, to let the mask fall down, being herself again. “I haven’t seen you in a while”, she whispered against his leg, “I’ve been worried about you”, she added, but chuckled as she rolled her eyes, “well maybe not about you, more about the others, who knows when you’re going to kill them all, sometimes you seem like a ticking bomb.” She laughed softly, hiding her laugh with her hand. “We need to spend this time we have wisely now”, she thought about it for a second. She was scared that he would leave too soon and that she wouldn’t get to see him in a rather long time again and she needed him, not just because he was there and listened, more because he understood and never judged about anything, not even about her being a murderer. She looked up into his eyes and smiled, “so, anything you have in mind?”
The boy sunk into the couch, a thousand weights being lifted off his shoulders as it often did when he was with Rebekah. She sat up, coming in close to his neck and smelling his fresh clean clothes and skin, the boy smirking and letting a laugh fall from his lips and he brought his hand up to wave her away playfully. And then she fell back down into the couch, her head on his knee and the boy sighed at the sight, unmoving as Rebekah took his hand and toyed with his fingers. It was a habit of hers Zach had grown accustomed to, finding some kind of strange sense of security at her touch and he let his eyes close shut for a moment. It was nice, just sitting there in the silence with the fireplace glowing a soft emerald to the room. They didn’t even have to speak, it was comfortable silence in fact because somehow and someway, the Slytherin girl always knew what he was thinking. When he opened his eyes, he looked down upon the girl, his blue eyes falling down at her smile and he gave her one of his own, a genuine smile that he rarely ever gave to anyone else. Was it perhaps that Rebekah understood him more than anything, that their friendship, their relationship came so easily to him? Whatever it was, he found the energy emitting from her fingers on his comforting, her smile pretty but dangerous and her eyes captivating. She was beautiful yet deceiving and that was what he loved most about her, that you couldn’t trust a pretty face because she was deadly. Rebekah was a snake, but so was Zach. They were one and the same and they knew that well enough. His eyes fell upon their hands, Zach turning his palm over for her fingers to run over the flesh. “It has,” he sighed. This much was true, everything with Jayden, even Jennifer Silmings going a little crazy from the curse she was put under, and of course there was Tate Hampshire. “But I’m here now. And we could drink and be merry,” he mused with a smirk, his lips turning up into a smile as his own hands squeezed hers affectionately. Her head found his lap, her dark hair draping over his legs and he tilted his head to the side as he peered at the long and shiny locks. “I know,” he shook his head incredulously, his mind drifting toward Quidditch and all that was going on. Rebekah was not kidding when she said that things have been hectic, but perhaps she was taking more of the damage than he was. But he wished he had her strength, had the amount of bravery Rebekah had. She was so fierce and so strong and he wondered why she never really got stressed and even if she did, it was curious that it never showed. He tilted his head to the side at her next words though, brow furrowing slightly. And just before he could speak, the boy opening his mouth, Rebekah cut him off and she spoke to explain her words. Instantly his features softened, turning into a wide grin and he even let out a small laugh, his hand coming up to run through her hair. “I am a ticking bomb.” he rolled his eyes, licking his lips and shaking his head a bit, the other hand coming up to push his blonde hair away from his eyes. “It’s just a matter of time,” he reasoned, giving her a small wink and the corners of his lips stretching into a smile as she laughed, her hand coming up to cover her mouth and the boy couldn’t help the next wave of chuckles that rumbled in his throat. “I’m sure we can make it last though. You know I’ll always make time for you.” Of course, when he wasn’t in Quidditch and Rebekah wasn’t with Alex, they could spend time together. He liked Rebekah’s company, liked that they were able to just be themselves around each other and not have to worry about being misjudged. “I don’t know, Bekah. You usually come up with the better plans.” his blue eyes gleamed, waiting for that temptress of adventure that the Slytherin girl knew like the back of her hand.
Rebekah smiled as she realized that he was enjoying the silence as well, it was soothing in this mad world. She continued to explore the inside of his hand as he turned it over for her, feeling his warm flesh against her soft skin. “Drink and be merry”, she repeated and smiled up at him, “well that sounds like a plan to me, where is the bottle?”, she asked and hummed as he moved his hand through her hair. She closed her eyes and smiled a little, making high noises again, hoping that he wouldn’t stop doing that. Her mother used to do this whenever she couldn’t sleep, so it was definitely something she enjoyed so much. While he was going through her hair, she thought about what he said and he was probably right, when the time is right, which will be soon, he will explode and everyone will see the real Zacharias Smith, the one that was hiding for way too long. She knew it, he knew it, but no one else did. Her smile turned into a grin as their eyes met, imagining how the dark mark will look like on his arm, how the black cloak will look on him. “I cannot wait for that moment”, she said and looked deeper into his eyes, before she bent up a bit, seeking for his left arm with her hand. As her skin touched his wrist, she let her head fall back in place, looking at his forearm, before she let go of his hand with her right one. She slowly moved it up and drove circles on his skin, over the place where his mark will be. While she did that, she looked at her own, trying to figure out if it will be bigger on his skin, or darker. She smirked, moving her head in his lap a little, trying to find the right position. She was excited for what was coming, it was different than usual. Rebekah talked a lot of people into the dark side, but no one like him, she felt how her body heated up in excitement. “I have this feeling”, she said and her smile vanished a little, looking a bit more serious now, “this feeling that something will happen, something unstoppable. I don’t think it’s the fact that Jennifer will die because of the curse though”, she said and tried to think of the right words to explain, “I feel like, it’s not just her, it’s someone bigger.” She didn’t know if her feeling was right, but something was coming up, something she couldn’t explain yet and something she was worried off, “we need to be prepared for this.” She moved her head again, feeling the fabric of his jeans against her face. The place where her face rested was already quite warm, comforting. Rebekah moved the rest of her body onto her back, moving her head along to it, looking up to the ceiling. She felt how her cheek was resting against his t-shirt now, feeling the warmth that was coming from his stomach, while her hair moved up as well, lying on his thighs now. She also moved his hand along with her, his arm resting on her stomach while she was still toying with his fingers. It was nice to know that he’d always make time for her, she smiled and squeezed his hand, “we could practice together, but please don’t cry if you lose”, she said jokingly, laughing loudly, “and if you fall from your broom, don’t worry, I will catch you.” She loved to tease him like this, because she knew how much Quidditch means to him and how much he loves it, of course he is rather convinced and sure about his skills. “Alright”, she finally said and smiled, “lets think about things we could do”, she said and frowned, “this will be hard, because this moment here is already kind of perfect”, she grinned a little, before she continued, “so to think of something better is even harder.” There was a silence, but not a bad one, sort of a good one, as usual. “We could sneak into the kitchen with our whiskey and eat everything that is in the fridge”, she said and laughed, but shook her head, “that would probably cause a lot of stomach ache, so maybe”, she said and laughed, “going outside to the Black Lake.” She didn’t look too satisfied with her ideas, so she bit her lip out of depression and looked up into his eyes, “no, you decide.”
The boy sunk into the common room couch with his eyes closed, breathing a steady paces as he let Rebekah turn his hand over him hers, the girl running her cool fingers against his skin. That was always so great about her, that her touch was like soothing water, yet she was a pyromaniac. It was ironic and that was what made him smile because she was just so different. “Yes, drink and be very merry.” he responded to her finally, opening his eyes and peering down at her smiling face, so innocent yet he knew she wasn’t. Rebekah was dangerous, a thrilling danger and perhaps that was what intrigued him, what really drew him to her. When she asked where the bottle was, his hand came to his side to fetch it, shaking it in his hand a little at her before chuckling softly to himself and laying it against the side of his thigh before running his fingers through her hair, finding the noises she made pleasant to the ears and his blue eyes scanned her before licking his lips. But then he told her that when the time was right, he would explode, Rebekah looking up at him with a grin and gleam in her eyes that told him she knew what he meant. It was just a matter of time when Zacharias Smith would show his true colors, that he wasn’t just a Hufflepuff, a wannabe Slytherin, a boy that talked too much and played Quidditch too hard. That he wasn’t just a sarcastic boy that everyone made him out to be. But no, there was so much more. Rebekah saw him for who he truly was from the very beginning, perhaps the very first day she laid eyes on him and even he knew then, Rebekah was destined for great things. He was fed up putting on an act for all to see and it bothered him to no end. Zach’s blue eyes met her brown orbs, twinkling as if he was dreaming of that moment now, his lips twitched up into a smile. “I know,” he said darkly, a low tone escaping him yet he was grinning and then following her gaze as she found his arm, her fingertips brushing along where the dark mark would be, comparing it to hers for a moment, the boy licking his lips in interest as the skull and snake caught his eyes. What would it look like, he wondered, biting down on his lip. The girl scooted into him, her head along his lower abdominal while her hair curtained his thigh. Zach almost allowed himself to run his fingers through her hair before she spoke up again, this time peering up at him with her smile faltering and her voice hardening. His brow furrowed at her words, trying to understand this but what was bigger than plain old Jennifer Silmings dying anyway? His eyes narrowed considering this, licking his lips in thought. Someone bigger? Who was there besides Michael Settler that hung around that girl like he belonged on her hip or something? But he nodded, “Alright, yeah.” he assured her. “If there is anything I need to do, I’ll do it.” Rebekah moved onto Zach’s chest, the warmth of her cheek pressing into the fabric of his tee shirt. She moved his arm into her, resting it on her stomach and he blinked slowly, letting his head sit against the edge of the couch and he sighed, enjoying just getting to sit here with her and forget about everything. With her, Quidditch was irrelevant, the Hufflepuff house was irrelevant, nothing mattered but them and it was comforting. He knew she was happy to hear that he would always make time for her when she squeezed his hand and answered him with enthusiasm, the boy laughing at her. “I can’t promise that, I am very sensitive, you know.” he teased, bring his hand up to poke her cheek a little. When she mentioned Quidditch, he had to roll his eyes at her, knowing she was only mentioning the sport because it did mean a lot to him, but as soon as everything was in place, Zach wouldn’t have to worry about Quidditch anymore, this he knew. “It is,” he agreed, pointing at her before letting his hand find her hair again and running his fingers through it, lingering over every strand. Her suggestions made him smile widely, chuckling because this was typical Rebekah and she was absolutely adorable. “Alright, let me think,” he told her, clearing his throat and pursing his lips together in thought for a moment. “Why don’t we do something like old times?” he suggested, his lips twitching into a smile with his eyes twinkling at a remembrance of the two. “A game of chase in the Forbidden Forest in the dark. And if I catch you, you let me finish this bottle of Firewhiskey?” he grabbed the bottle from his side, holding it up before raising his brow, tilting his head to the side and giving Rebekah a devilish smirk. “Unless you want to offer something else.”
She couldn’t help but smile, that feeling she has whenever she sees him. She ran her hand up across his thighs, grabbing the whiskey bottle that was leaning against him and moved his hand before, she placed it on her chest to see which one it was. “Such a good whiskey”, she said and chuckled, as she opened the bottle, “drink and be merry”, she repeated again and laughed, before she moved up her head a little bit. Her lips touched the hard and cold bottle and as the liquid reached her lips and flew into her mouth, she groaned slightly. She could feel how it was burning in her mouth and as she swallowed, it ran down her throat down to her stomach. She grinned and laid back again, looking up into Zach’s eyes before she moved to bottle back to the side of his thigh, where it was before she grabbed it. She saw how he rolled his eyes when she started to talk about Quidditch, but she couldn’t help. She knew that he loved it and she did as well, but right now it was probably one of the most unimportant things in the entire world, for both of them. Zach started to stroke her hair again, her lips turned into a smile again, softly biting her lower lip as she listened to what he had in mind. “A chasing game?”, she asked interested, widening her eyes a bit, “you are aware of the fact that you will lose right?”, she asked and bit her lip again. Even though she knew that he would probably win, she loved to tease him as much as possible. She slowly raised her chest, “but it’s so dangerous outside”, she said with a smirk as she was on her knees now, she turned around to face him, placing both hands on his chest, “and I am so scared, I heard of some people”, she said and tried to make it look real, “and they are so evil”, she whispered, trying not to laugh, “their names are”, she paused, looking into his eyes deeply, as she rested her forehead against his, “Zacharias and Rebekah.” She bursted out into laughter, slowly letting go of her grip, before she got up and stood straight, looking down at herself. “I cannot go out like this”, she said and chuckled, “hold on.” She walked throughout the common room into her dorm, quickly pulling off what was on her body, before she went to her closet, trying to find something appropriate for this event. She got dressed quickly, taking her jacket and her small bag before she slowly walked into the common room again. She wore a black lace dress, black tights and her favourite leather jacket as she walked into the room, the sound of her high heels filling the room with pressure. “So much better now”, she said satisfied, looking over to Zach, before she slowly walked towards him, putting her wand in the strap around her thigh. “Do you think you can take me out like this”, she said and looked down at herself, before she looked back into his blue eyes that were shining in the dimmed light, “or do I need to change again?” She smirked softly, pulling out her wand to expire the fireplace. They were standing in the dark now, but she knew the place by heart and so did he. She grabbed his hand and slowly pulled him towards the exit.
"Yes, a chasing game," he confirmed with a brilliant smile. "But we will see, Bekah. Run like we are being chased by the devil. But knowing us, we bow to their services." he grinned, the whites of his teeth peeking out from behind his pink lips. Zach peered at her, his lips parting with his eyes wide as Rebekah sat up, her hands on his chest with fear flashing in her eyes. The boy brought his hands up to cover hers, mock fear behind his blue eyes but his lips were twitching up into a smile. When she paused to place her forehead against his, the boy almost had held his breath, waiting for her answer as the two let heavy silence weigh in between him. Then she had bursted out into laughter, Zach only a step behind her and the two’s laughter rang through the common room, bouncing off the green walls. He let her slip away from his grasp, her hand slowly falling from his as she explained she could not go out in her clothing. The boy nodded, letting her climb up to the girls dormitory to change while he sat there on the couch, his eyes closing for a moment before she came down, Zach standing as she addressed him. He smiled as he eyed her, his lips pursing to the side a bit before he met her eyes, the corners of his mouth curling upward. The fireplace distinguished with a flick of her wand, her wrist moving fluidly and leaving them in the dark, the only light coming from the murky green water that glowed outside the common room windows. "I think you look perfect." he said a bit darkly, Rebekah’s hand coming into his. The boy let his hand stay in hers, her fingertips cool to the touch as she tugged on him and led him out of the common room, stepping into the night and out into the dark corridors. Moonlight lit the way for them, the two dashing through the halls with the wind whipping through their hair, grins plastered on their faces with the only sound coming from the sharp clicks of Rebekah’s heels. They soon reached the outside, the chipper breeze stinging the boy’s cheeks and piercing like a knife. "Now, run like our lives depend on it," he boy bent down to whisper in her ear wickedly with excitement, his heart beating hard against his ribcage as his blood ran through his veins.
As Zach pulled her along the empty corridors and halls, a smirk stayed on her lips the whole time. There were a lot of things on her mind, but the only things she could really focus on was the adrenaline in her body, her hand in his and the clicks from her heels, which were perfectly in rhythm with their pace. Without taking her head down and looking at her dress for once, she walked behind him, adoring the boy and his smirk in front of her. He really loved those games, being in danger, being scared, he was so attracted to the darkness that it was so fascinating for her. For a moment she thought about the consequences if they were getting caught by someone, but then she remembered that she was the head girl and he was the prefect, no one would be suspecting anything weird at all. As the door opened, the cold wind hit her face and she suppressed a groan. Not that the castle was very warm, but it was definitely cozier than the coldness that was surrounding her as she took a few steps outside, feeling the wind blowing through her curls. Her hand was still inside of his, she squeezed a little tighter, trying to convince herself that it wasn’t that cold or that dark out there, but it was, she barely saw the edge of the grounds, but the darker, the more appealing. ‘Run like our lives depend on it’, he said as he moved down to her ear, his breath tickling a bit, but it was warm and made her shiver even more and that were the words that made her blood boil inside of her cold body. She looked up into his eyes as he pulled away a bit, being only inches away. She peeked through her lashes, not looking away from his eyes, not ready to let go of his hand, “give me an advantage of two minutes”, she whispered back. She closed her eyes quickly, taking a deep breath before she let go of his hand immediately and ran as fast as she could, pulling out her wand from the band around her thigh. Rebekah felt how the cold wind was playing around her hair, how it blew around her face, causing pain like fire. She smirked at the thought, fire, her biggest passion and she was sure, that it would burn tonight. She was really quick somehow, the quidditch practice payed out for once, but she knew that he would be quicker, a lot quicker, so she gave her best and reached the gate to the forbidden forrest within no time. She turned around to close it behind her, already seeing a black figure running down the hill towards her. “Oh fuck”, she hissed through her teeth, turning back around and running into the forest, jumping over the tree roots into a known direction. The silence surrounded her, but she knew that it only appeared to be quiet, she knew that there was a lot of life in this forest, but it didn’t even scare her, it was attracting, it was making her dizzy, because of the blood that was rushing throughout her system, into her heart, into her head. She ran like she never did before, “you won’t get me”, she yelled into the darkness, knowing that he would hear it, “never.” She laughed a little, running into the night, before she swished her wand for the first time. A green light appeared out of the tip of her wand and she threw it behind her against a tree, a ball of fire. The wood cracked because of the ball’s strength, it slowly began to sink to the side, cutting of Zach’s way, while the fire was making it’s way throughout the inside of the tree. She smirked, knowing that he would curse and groan, but she also knew that he would find a way to pass the obstacle. “Come and chase me”, she yelled happily, still laughing loudly as she continued to run through the forrest.
Run like our lives depends on it. She knew he liked those kinds of games, the games of chase, cat and mouse. It made him think of darkness, do be scared and to make others scared, feed off their terror. Zach always thought about it, always thought about what he would do when he would obtain the mark, how he would kill and what he would do. He would make them suffer, torment them just like a game of cat and mouse. It was morbid, it was such an ugly thought to think but Rebekah didn’t think so. And what did it matter when she approved of the thought? No one else’s opinion mattered, Rebekah played the same game, didn’t she? She played the same game on Jennifer Silmings. When she turned toward him, giving his hand a squeeze before peering up at him, a smirk still played on his face as she asked him her question. Zach nodded, licking his lips as she peeked up at him through dark lashes. The thought of getting caught didn’t even cross his mind, of course no one would suspect anything, not when Rebekah McKenzie and Zacharias Smith were two perfect students, they were star pupils. And the funny thing was, no one even batted an eyelash to think they were amongst the most deadly. So he watched her run into the dark forest, counting down the two minutes in his head while, he trained his eyes on her, lowering his head as a deadly smile crept on his pretty face. Two minutes were up, and he was gone. Zach was zipping down to the forbidden forest, his footsteps heavy and the wind cutting through his skin like daggers, feeling pain but not responding to it. His heart hammered in his chest, legs stretching as far as they could take him as he ran after Rebekah. The blonde boy could feel adrenaline course through his veins, excitement boil up inside him because he could see Rebekah’s silhouette becoming closer, he could start to see her tanned skin against the black of her clothing just before she turned around again, dashing through the forest for him to chase her. His hand reached for his wand in his pocket, holding it tightly in his hands that his knuckles burned white, a pink tint raising up on his cheeks from the cold. The Slytherin girl knew he was closing in on her, that all the training for Quidditch wasn’t just for sport, it made him stronger physically, and if he was strong physically, there was only that one aspect he needed to be a great Death Eater. He needed to have skill, skill like Rebekah. She was tantalizing him in the dark, her voice ringing through the forest and sounding to eerie. He didn’t respond to her, only smirk and jump over tree roots to catch her, her laughter ringing through the forest. And then she done it, just as when he was closing in on her, a green spark shot in the dark, hitting a tree and catching fire, spreading until the previously dark forest glowed red. Zach stopped short, blinking with his lips parted, trying to catch his breath but his lungs burned from the cold, Rebekah’s voice again echoing in the clearing. But he thought quick, turning to his right and weaving through trees as he pointed his wand through a thick bundle of trees to clear his way.
The adrenaline shot through her body, she could feel it, it was there, he was, she felt how her muscles flexed more and more, how her body heated up in the coldness. Rebekah knew that he was closing in, it was as if she could feel his breath in her neck and although she didn’t hear him, because he didn’t respond to her cheery shouts, he was there, he was catching up behind her and it made her run more, faster, the blood was pumping through her head, she didn’t hear much anymore, the ruhsing surrounded her completely. When the tree fell and cut off his way, she knew it wouldn’t take long for him to pick up speed again. She began to shoot fire balls around, turning her head to see how plants caught fire. Smirking into the night, she turned around a little, seeing his silhouette clearly now, because of the dimmed light. His smirk was igniting, she smirked along as she jumped over roots, running deeper into the forest. Her thoughts started to revolve, the game they’re playing, cat and mouse, it was the perfect training, his perfect training. She didn’t realize that she was preparing him that well, that she’d show him the beauty of death that way, but she enjoyed it, she enjoyed the game and being chased by her best friend was making it even better. “Are you giving up?”, she yelled laughingly, running between the big trees, “I can’t even see you, love.” She shook her head slightly, seeing him clearly behind her. It was as if she could feel his arms around her waist already, feeling his touch and his breath, but she wouldn’t give in that quickly, the fire in her body would never die. Rebekah didn’t believe that he was that quick, but he was, she needed to find a solution to escape, to get away, but there was nothing on his mind. “Catch me”, she yelled again, trying to make him angry, trying to push him to the limit, seeing if he can catch up. This was a moment where she was happy about her existing condition, because without any practice she’d be screwed. Although it was Zach, the guy who would never hurt her, it was still as if she was running away from something dangerous. She chuckled at the thought, because he is dangerous, a ticking time bomb, waiting for his chance to explode. Rebekah waited for this moment for so long, she was the one who would witness the explosion and she couldn’t wait. She knew it wasn’t tonight, but she was sure that soon the time has come to let out the real Zacharias, the boy who knew how to play the game just as she did. The end of the path was soon to come, she already saw a light spot at the end of it, her secret room. It was only a few more minutes away, but even if she wanted to win this game, she already gave up her quick pace a little, because letting him win was more important right now, than winning the game herself. Besides, she was out of breath, she wouldn’t make it much longer and the possibility of him carrying her to the room was more appealing. “Come on”, she yelled back, he was closer now, he was only a few meters away and she knew, he would never give up.
Rebekah’s voice rang through the clearing again, this time much louder and he knew he was closing in her. Sweat was sticking to the back of his neck, hot and sticky, and yet cold as the chilled air brushed against his golden skin. She was begging him to catch her, calling out and provoking him and it was in that moment that Zach knew this wasn’t just a plain game of chase. No, it was more than that but perhaps he knew that from the start when he had suggested it back in the common room. It was a test, to get him angry and perhaps for this to a chance to release all the pressing emotions he had been having, to perhaps release some of that anger he held. Rebekah knew he was a ticking time bomb that it only took so much for Zacharias Smith to explode, and Rebekah would watch and she would have a smile plastered on her face all the while beside him. So she yelled out in the clearing, making him work and run but every step she took, he took two more. It was a wonder how Quidditch Practice could make his body this ready, it could make him faster, stronger, but it was more about just having physical strength. It wasn’t something that you decided overnight. You had to be ready; you had to have the mind for it, the drive that consumed you like the fire that Rebekah casted in the dark. That was his drive. He was ready, and he had been waiting years for this moment where he didn’t have to pretend every waking moment of his life. They would play, they would all play and Zach could play the game just like her, she knew that fairly well because she knew him like the back of her hand, they were two sides to a coin.He hardly felt his legs as he ran, used to this kind of work out and yet his footing was gentle, quite like he was walking on air. Zach couldn’t make a sound, he couldn’t call back out to her and give her that satisfaction because that meant giving his position away, give it away that he was closing in on her and he was closing in on her fast. And he stopped running through the forest, peeking through branches as his icy blue eyes caught her, she was slowing her pace into a walk and he could feel his lips twitching into a wicked grin, his hand tightening around his wand before he pointed it at her, just as she yelled out in the clearing. A ring of fire ignited around her, circling Rebekah and closing her in, an immense heat surrounding the entire clearing and it was then that Zach stepped out, climbing over a fallen tree trunk and approaching Rebekah, sweat dotting his forehead a bit, his tan skin seeming to glow in the firelight. He gave her a wicked grin, almost in satisfaction but there was a part of him that knew Rebekah was proud, all because she knew he was ready and he had just peered at her for a moment through the wall of fire, flames licking at his skin. He raised his wand hand, the circle of fire dispersing and leaving scorch marks on the mesh of the grass, Zach’s chest raising and falling before he stepped in closer to her, his wand hand slacked at his side but he was smiling. “Gotcha.”
Rebekah felt how he was closing in, it was as if she could already feel him, or smell. He was so close, but she didn’t turn around, scared that he might be right behind her, scared to give her the moment of just reaching out his hand and grab her, so she ran, still with joy. She was surprised that she could go on like this for hours, she wasn’t out of breath, her legs didn’t hurt, nor her arms. It was fascinating her a little, how much a human body could do in such a situation. Thoughts were running through her head, thoughts that filled her little body up with excitement. She was wondering if he was ready for it, for his big moment, he was her best friend over all, he would always be, doesn’t matter if he joined or not, she would always be there for him, so she would do what’s best for him and not for her. Running deeper into the forrest, seeing the lit torch clearer now, she tried to pick up speed again, giving the last bit to make it closer, although she knew, he was there already, he was closer than expected and she realized it, when she suddenly found herself within a ring of fire. She stopped immediately, taking deep breaths, trying to calm her heavy heart. She lowered her head, a smirk on her face as she waited for him to approach. He made it, he really made it and not just like catching, this was so much better, he knew how much she loved fire and catching her like that was just so unbelievable that she couldn’t stop smirking. She slowly turned around and looked at him, sweat dripping from his hair down to his face, a grin on his lips. She walked towards him, at least as far as she could, before the ring disappeared again. ‘Gotcha’, he said and she laughed, feeling the sweat running down her face. She quickly wiped it away as she decreased the distance between them, “yes, you do”, she said and grinned up at him, reaching out with her hand to wipe away the sweat from his face, laughing a little at how wet he was, but she didn’t mind, she drove her hand through his hair before she pulled away, checking her own hair which was rather dry compared to her neck. “I am so proud of you”, she said and grinned up at his face, before she pulled him closer to her. Her body slowly got colder, she began to shiver a bit when the wind began to dry the sweat. She felt his heart pumping against his chest, it was quick and strong, she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate, tried to breathe regularly. She slowly pulled away, taking his hand into hers as she began to walk towards the torch. “I know a place to go”, she said and smiled, “a place where we can rest, a place that is warm and filled with whiskey”, she added and sighed a little, slowly feeling really cold and shivery. She pulled him along the small path and as soon as they reached the torch, she led him downstairs, cold wet bricks surrounding them as she walked towards a door. The last time she has been here is a while ago. She smirked at the thought and opened the door, pushing it roughly open so that it crashed against the wall. “Here we are”, she said happily and took off her jacket, throwing it onto the table on the right side. In the middle of the room there was a big green couch pointing to the fire place and on the left side there was a pool table. She flicked her wand and lit up the fireplace, hearing the cracking from the wood already gave her the impression of feeling warmer. “You’re still wet”, she said as she turned around and looked at is hair, reaching out again to touch it, “I like that”, she teased him a little, before she walked over to the shelves and took out a new bottle of whiskey.
A game of catching that was what he had promised her. Zach had told her they would run; run like their lives depended on it and all the while Zach would be right behind her, he would catch her, close the gap between them and reach his hand out to pull Rebekah back by her wrist, draw her into him and the two would laugh. But no, Zach had a different approach then, his legs moving as far as they would take him, closing in on Rebekah. Something in him wanted this to be different, he wanted her to be proud of him because his time was drawing near and no one but Rebekah would really understand. She knew how much he wanted that mark, knew how much he wanted to feel that surge of energy, to feel that kind of immense power that was incredible, that coursed through his veins like fire. And that was it—fire, what Rebekah loved, craved because fire was energy in its whole, it burned, it grew and it swallowed you whole. He could tell if he looked up into the night sky that they were drawing close to their destination, where mischief took place and Zach let a wicked grin spread on his lips that contrasted from the pretty features of his face, his blonde hair rustling in the wind. She must have known he was close, must have sensed it whether it was from his presence or from his scent—sweat was dripping down his forehead, his golden locks sticking to his skin and there was this kind of musk to the air that Zach knew was coming from himself. Yet, he wasn’t going to stop, the boy pulling out his wand as he a grin spread on his lips, knowing what would catch Rebekah’s attention and sure, he could have ran out from lurking in the shadows, pulling her into his chest from behind but something else etched into his mind, a brilliant idea that would catch the Slytherin’s attention just nicely. Fire sprouted in a ring around Rebekah’s feet, the boy coming out from where he stood, breathing a bit heavily but it was nothing he wasn’t used to. Zach watched her wipe her brow, the blonde letting the fire singe into the ground and leaving a mark. Rebekah grinned, Zach having pride just as her hand came up to run through his hair, the boy pulling away from her in a laugh as his nose wrinkled. They were drenched, their clothes damp with sweat but Zach hadn’t denied her hug. Her words made him grin, knowing that she was proud of him gave him some satisfaction that told him he was ready, that his life was going to come into place nicely and for that moment, Zach was even proud of himself. She fell into his arms, Zach hugging her back with her chest pressed against his, his lips close to her temple and he could not only feel the rapid beating of her heart, but he could smell the scent of sweat and burning on her, filling his nostrils and there was that faint scent of flowers that drowned with the ash and smoke from the flames, woods masking her natural scent. Slowly, she had pulled away from him, her petite body retracting and he licked his dry lips as her hand fell into his, the boy lacing his lean fingers, palm slightly moist or that could have been his own. Once more, his lips twitched into a smile, the mention of whiskey because he could go for a drink and Rebekah was always generous, especially with him. “Lead the way,” he told her quietly, his hand coming up to rub her arms as she shivered, the girl pulling him along toward the light he had initially see in the sky. A path appeared, torches lit and Zach noted that the torch light must have been what he had saw in the sky. She lead him downstairs, bricks surrounding them and it looked old but that didn’t bother him, Rebekah pushing the door open and leading him inside. Zach strolled inside, peering into the slight darkness and he let his fingers graze over the wallpaper until he turned, facing her with a smile just before she ran her fingers through his hair once more, the boy smirking at her tease. “Wet is my specialty,” he teased back with a laugh, licking his lips as he trailed on behind Rebekah as she fetched whiskey, reading the label over her shoulder. “You always know the best kind of whiskey,” he noted, his grin ghosting over his lips.
Rebekah smiled as she noticed that he seemed to like the room. It had everything in it, the most important things, memories and gadgets, the table on the right side with all her papers, the bookshelf next to it with a few potions and important books. This was the room she cherished the most, the room she had spent a lot of time in and tried to fill it with as much life as possible. “This is not all”, she said as she checked if everything was still there and in place, she knew that this was not the safest place if someone’s checking the forbidden forest for hints, “as soon as you get the mark I will show you the real room, with the real equipment and the real stuff”, she smiled brightly and took the bottle out of his hands again, “that is because I am your best friend and I need to know the best kinds”, she smiled and opened it, before she handed the bottle back. “I would offer glasses, but I don’t have glasses”, she said and laughed slightly, taking off the jacket. Smiling a bit, she turned herself around a few times, closing her eyes and taking in the moment, being in a safe place with her best friend. She opened her eyes rather quickly as she noticed the smell that was coming from her own body. Smelling herself was kind of horrible, maybe because she was used to smell good or maybe because in her opinion the combination of smoke and sweat wasn’t the best, but when it came to Zach it seemed to be. Rebekah moved closer again and smelled on the whiskey bottle, it was indeed a good one, it was burning inside of her nose, leaving a cold feeling in her stomach. Moving closer one more time, she leaned her head against his chest, letting out a big sigh, while she smiled as she was inhaling his smell. It was hard to describe, but she smelled the forest, the fire and the sweet mixing together with his natural scent that reminded her about all the nights in front of the fire place. He always had something that soothed her, maybe because of his smell, the smell he had whenever she was crying in front of the fire place in the common room or whenever she was angry and he pulled her closer to comfort her. Rebekah smiled happily against his chest, feeling her forehead against his wet tshirt, which made her chuckle a bit because of the oddness of this situation, but in her head this couldn’t be any more perfect. When Rebekah pulled away after a few more moments, inhaling as much from this moment as possible, she grinned up into his face, taking his hand into hers and leading him towards the big green couch. “I’m so glad you caught me, I don’t know how long I could have continued to run like that”, she said and sat down on it, pulling him along, “I am not getting any younger, although the practice should tell me different.” Smiling the whole time, Rebekah enjoyed the sound of cracking wood in the background, the pieces of wood needed to be really dry since the cracking was louder than her voice. Her eyes were set on the flame and she thought about all the upcoming things, specially when it came to him. Scared that she might fall into her thoughts, she tried to pull herself out of them as soon as possible. But the fire was setting her in a trance, not letting her get away from the magic it was holding inside. Rebekah’s body tensed, she tried to escape and as she remembered his hand in hers, it was suddenly oh so easy to let go of the flame. Smiling into his face, she leaned a bit forward and grabbed the bottle that was still in his hands, taking quite a big sip from it. As the liquid reached her tongue she closed her eyes, slowly swallowing and pushing it down her throat. The feeling of fire running downwards her system was a sensational burning, it felt indeed like liquid fire, a wamrth that was filling out her whole body, leaving an aching but wanted pain. Not trying to make any silly faces, she licked her lips and tried to hold back the laugh that was building inside of her throat, not showing any signs of weakness. “It’s strong”, she said and bit her lip, smirking at him, while she toyed with his fingers in her hand again.
Looking about, he couldn’t believe the amount of things in this very room. How it was concealed, how no one found it was a mystery to Zach but then again, everything was a mystery when it came to Rebekah. A beautiful, mesmerizing mystery that Rebekah kept so well and he always found this piece of her alluring during their friendship. He turned to her as she had spoken up, his eyebrows raising slightly and when she had spoken up that once he get the mark, he would know more, the blonde boy’s face lit up, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a smile because he could not wait for that day. His blue eyes locked with hers, noting the bright smile on her face and the boy could not help but to return it, taking the bottle out of his hands and Zach allowed his hands to drop down to his sides. “That is true,” he laughed, Rebekah opening the bottle and handing him the whiskey, the boy shrugging as she told him she didn’t have any glasses, but it didn’t matter when they had had shared drinks like this on varies occasions. His hand came up to his forehead for a moment, sweat still dotting his skin and his body felt damp, rapidly attempting to cool itself down from their game and he brought the bottle up to his lips, allowing the harsh burn of the alcohol to run down his throat. Rebekah really did know the best kinds of whiskey. The scent of the whiskey, smoke and sweat drenched his skin, filling his nostrils and the cabin, Rebekah not seeming to mind so much and Zach had always had this kind of natural scent for the amount of hours he put into Quidditch. When she moved closer again, the boy allowed her to take hold of the whiskey, leaning her head against his chest and his arm had found the small of her back, pressing his palm lightly as sweat and the faint scent of cherries wafted over him. The had stayed there a bit in silence, both breathing each other in as Zach laid his chin upon her head, feeling her damp hair against his skin and he embraced her in a slight hug of thanks, his best friend always seeming to look after him one way or another and the boy couldn’t have been more thankful to her. They had been there for each other and Zach had blinked into the dim lighting of the room, finding the situation quite comfortable as his muscles relaxed from the run they had. Moments later, Rebekah had pulled away from him, grinning up at him and he couldn’t help but to return it, his hand falling into hers and their palms pressing together, the girl dragging him over to the couch that laid some feet away. The boy chuckled, his lips twitching up into a smile as he looked down, glad that she was proud of him because this meant quite a lot coming from her. “I had to wait for the right moment,” he told her, picking his head up again and flashing her a wink, his blue eyes looking a bit green in the firelight. The scent of burning wood filled the room, the smoke black and wood crackling, the only sound that filled the room besides their whispers and easy breathing. Silence came over them, but it was a peaceful silence and Zach had decided to shut his eyes again, thinking upon the day he would get his mark and he and Rebekah could have it all, the world against them and the thought was amusing, it was better than amusing because sooner or later it would happen. He would be a Death Eater. He could feel her tense underneath his touch and his eyes fluttered open, turning his head to face her with his brows furrowed but she eased his tension when she turned to him and smiled, grabbing the bottle in his hands and taking a sip, the boy instantly smiling. He sighed as she drank, noting the way her body relaxed as the whiskey filled her system and when she spoke up the boy smiled, leaning his head back against the couch. “The way it should be,” he chuckled, his eyes narrowing to find her eyes as the two exchanged a look, Rebekah smirking and the corner of Zach’s mouth turning up, letting Rebekah toy with his fingers as she often did.
“I’m glad that the right moment came”, she said and chuckled a little, “more sweating and I would have had to stop for sure.” Laughing a little, she let out a big sigh, grabbing the bottle again and taking a sip from it, letting the alcohol heat her up as usual. Looking over to Zach, she noticed that he seemed so content and proud of himself. His muscles were relaxed and a smile rested on his lips while he was somewhere deep in his thoughts. Looking into the fire, she realized that she really couldn’t wait for the moment, she always thought that he was more of a Slytherin and although he was sorted into Hufflepuff, he spent more time with her in the dungeons than up in his own common room. Taking another sip, her head was feeling dizzy already and she placed the bottle back into his hand, stroking the inside of the other one while she put her head back as well, looking up to the ceiling. “I can’t wait Zach”, she said softly in a quiet voice, “I can’t wait for you to become what you’ve always wanted and being a part of it makes me so proud”, she said and turned her head towards him, giving him the warmest smile possible. Thinking about it, she even felt a little tear in her eyes and usually she’d look away, but not when it came to Zach, he knew her better than she knew herself, nothing was ever embarrassing for her in front of him. He had seen her in all possible situations so far, so this one wouldn’t be the worst, those tears were tears of joy and he’d knew that.
Zach’s smile lingered on his lips, the two’s laughter mingling in with one another and perhaps Rebekah was right. “Which means it’s the perfect trap,” the blonde mused, humming a bit as he stretched his arm out on the top of the couch, Rebekah’s heat radiating off on him as they stayed close. He heard the girl sigh, reaching for the bottle and Zach let her, a smile still on his lips as his eyes were closed and he hadn’t noticed Rebekah was looking at him until he opened his eyes again, catching her just in time she glanced into the fire. But Zach had let his eyes flutter closed once more, his tee shirt damp against his skin with his muscles in a slow burn, pleasant and it paid off with all of the Quidditch practices he took part in. The bottle was back in his hand, cold against his palm and he opened his eyes again to bring the bottle up to his lips, the whiskey running down his throat in a burn but it was satisfying. “Me too,” he responded in a voice that was as equally quiet, his lips even tugging upward in a wider grin, licking his lips once more to take another sip from the bottle of whiskey. Turning his head, Zach looked over to the Slytherin girl, the flames of the fire reflecting off of her smile and Zach could see the tears glistening in her eyes, the brown orbs looking black in the dim lighting. “Can you see it now, Bekah?” he asked in a low voice, his hand coming to find hers, knowing her words were genuine because of course she was proud, she saw him for who he truly was when no one else did. A ticking time bomb. A snake. A Death Eater.
“I’ve always seen it Zach, since the day I’ve met you”, she said and rested her head on his shoulder, feeling the tears running down her face silently, “I’ve always thought that green looked way better on you than yellow and then I realized that black was the colour that suited you the most.” Looking up to him a little, she smiled although she seemed rather sad. Feeling the alcohol kicking in, she sighed, her head was tossing and turning and she liked it somehow, it was numbing the ache that was coming from her muscles, it also made her let go, maybe that was the reason that she reacted so emotional. But when it came to him, she never expected herself to react differently, because that boy was her first friend at Hogwarts, that boy has always been her best friend and without him she’d simply die. “I’m sorry”, she said and wiped away the tears, “this is probably just my way to tell you that I love you and that I am so proud of what you are”, smiling up, she moved closer to him, throwing her legs across his lap. Moving her head closer to his neck, his scent filled up her brain again. “maybe I’m just scared. This is the biggest step in your life and it has risks and consequences”, she whispered against his skin, “I would never want you to get hurt Zach. I would go mad, I’d kill every single person that touches you”, she whispered and sighed again at herself. Usually she’s never been the emotional kind of girl, but when it came to the most important things in her life, there was no way around it and she meant it. She’d do anything to save him from any kind of dangers and thinking about what lies ahead she knew that she will have to.
The blonde listened to her as she spoke, Rebekah laying her head on his shoulders and Zach looked straight ahead, into the fire and he knew she was right. This was a subject that was brought up between the two time and time again, that Zach was better off being a Slytherin, how someone like him, someone who sought that kind of thrill, that kind of power Rebekah got to hold each and every day. Rebekah was the first person to see what he truly was and what he really wanted to be, the girl embracing him and introducing him to a world where anything was possible. His lips twitched into a smile, turning to look at her just in time for their eyes to lock but the features in her face read sadness. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but whether or not, Zach was there to brush her tears away, the ones that brimmed her eyes and the boy took another swing of the whiskey, letting the alcohol course his veins and make his head slightly fuzzy. A soft chuckle past his lips, the boy licking his lips as he peered down at the girl, his voice soft but thankful, “I love you too.” He nudged her arm a bit, glad that he could make her proud, his best friend, because Rebekah’s opinion was the only one that mattered, no one else’s. A best friend, a mentor, that was what she was and Zach would be forever grateful. He welcomed her as she crossed her legs over his lap but it wasn’t until she spoke up again that his smile faltered, blinking as her warmth radiated over his neck. “Bekah,” he started, brow furrowing because he knew the consequences and although he wanted what he wanted, it scared him and he could not deny that. “You’ll be there for me, won’t you?”
Hoping that the two of them could spend more nights like this in the future, her mind trailed of again, thinking about the upcoming meeting with the Dark Lord, where she would get to know their tasks and also Zach’s one. Thinking about this it scared her somehow, she knew that he was ready for this and that he wanted it, but she hoped that his task won’t be too hard. Rebekah snuggled herself closer to him as he returned her love for him and sighed happily, holding on to him while her mind was trailing off again. She never realized how hard it was for her, but she tried to help him in every possible way and she knew that he would be able to take his task, didn’t matter what it would be. She couldn’t even think clearly, it was all a blur, maybe because of the strong whiskey or maybe because all the thoughts start to revolve in her head, which was already tossing and turning and somehow it made her weak, it made her realize that nothing’s forever, that things might have an end, but as long as they’re worth fighting for, Rebekah would never let that happen, Rebekah was always the one who took the fight, rather than losing what she needs the most. As she felt that the tone of his voice changed, she pulled away a little, looking into his blue orbs. Her mouth opened, unable to speak, a bit shocked from his question. Rebekah cupped his face and placed her forehead against his, their eyes locking again. “I will always be there for you Zach”, she said with a broken voice, tears escaping her eyes, “always and forever.”
Zach’s eyes closed, sighing contently because he always liked nights like this, relaxing with his best friend because the Hufflepuff was always at his most comfortable when he was with Rebekah. Somehow she always had that effect on him and when he wasn’t on the pitch and when she wasn’t spending her days with Alex, the two friends got to have their own time together, nights or reflection and laying around and it was peaceful to the boys mind. He had always thought about what his task would be, if he would be able to handle it because of course this was what he wanted and perhaps he thought he was fully prepared but what if he wasn’t? Zach didn’t want to think on thoughts like that, not when Rebekah was counting on him, even if he knew she would be there for him. There was a part of him that knew he would do whatever it took to become part of the dark side, to do the Dark Lord’s bidding and yet, the blonde was still somewhat worried, or perhaps anxious was a better word. He had been waiting for this moment for years and he would not mess it up, he just couldn’t. It wasn’t until he spoke up tentatively did Rebekah pull away from him, perhaps surprised and his brows furrowed slightly with a bit of shame, that perhaps it was a dumb question when Rebekah was his best friend and he had just told him that she wouldn’t know what to do if he got hurt. Zach blinked as she cupped his face, her forehead against his and he let out a breath from her words, holding her wrist as his eyes closed. “Love you, Bekah.”