Boys will be Boys

"Crabbe, Goyle. Stay here, and watch for prefects."

Draco led Pansy into the abandoned classroom, and closed the door behind him. Vincent and Greg sat next to each other against the wall. Greg leaned his head against the wall, and they sat together in silence.

Vincent tapped his fingers on the floor.

"Vincent?"

"Yeah?"

"Stop tapping your fingers."

He stopped, and turned to Greg. `Why do we do this? Watch out for Malfoy, I mean."

Greg put a hand on his shoulder. "Cause it´s what we do. We protect him now, he´ll protect us later." Vincent could feel the pressure of his hand on his shoulder still. He knew what Greg meant too. When the Voldemort returned, when the Death Eaters rose again in the public eye . . . He didn´t like to think about it.

More time passed as they waited for Draco to come out of the classroom. They could hear the ticking of an unseen clock.

"Greg?"

"Yeah?"

"Your hand´s still on my shoulder."

Greg´s face went a little red and he dropped his hand to the floor. "Sorry," he muttered. Vincent was clenching and unclenching his fists, as he always did when nervous. In a sudden movement, he dropped his hand over Gregs´ and left it there. Now both their faces were red. The ticking continued, unseen.

"Vincent -"

The classroom door banged open, and they pulled their hands away swiftly. Draco looked at their red faces.

"What the hell were you two up too?" Pansy giggled, and looked at Draco. He put his arm around her waist and she smiled at him. Vincent and Greg stood awkwardly, and as Draco started to walk away, they followed, not meeting each other´s eyes.

~ ~ ~

The moonlight shone brightly in the dorm rooms as Vincent went to wake Greg and found that he was already awake. He motioned to him to follow him to the common room.

The fire had burnt out, only the embers remained, dimly lighting the chairs in front of the fireplace. They sat across from each other. Both of them looked at their hands in silence. Vincent´s mouth was dry. He tried to speak, but found he was shaking from nerves and he was afraid his words would come out twisted and wrong. Greg spoke first.

"Look Vincent. About . . . outside the classroom . . . when you . . . Look. I just think-"

There was more silence between them. It seemed to stretch out slowly.

"I hate this Greg. For the last two months I haven´t known what to say around you anymore." Vincent paced in front of the fire. Greg watched his silhouette with widened eyes. "There is an awkward silence between us now that wasn´t there before... before when the silence just meant peace and quiet, but now... now I am afraid that I have offended you, and that was why you weren´t talking to me." He collapsed into the chair again, feeling foolish and tired. He closed his eyes. He didn´t want to see Greg´s face. "And I think about you all the time now too. I think..." he paused and took a deep breath before continuing again. "I think I like you Greg."

There was more silence as Greg struggled to find words.

"Vincent." He looked up. Gregs´ eyes were studying the embers intently. "I know... I think I might like you too."

Vincent felt the space between them, but he could not bring himself to move. The only sound that could be heard in the common room was their breathing.

Slowly and without the two boys really noticing, the vast space between them was gone, and they stood face-to-face, inches away from each other. Their eyes locked, and Greg raised his hand to trace the jawline of his friend, slowly. His thumb brushed his lips and a moment later his lips brush the other set of lips, only inches away from him, they were hard and rough, but also sweet, somehow.

They broke apart, and turned away.

Vincent clenched and unclenched his fists nervously. Greg slipped his hand into the other boy´s, they felt comfortable and warm. It felt right. Vincent turned again, and pulled Greg to him, kissing him hard. Their lips fought for domination over each other. Their hands were in each other´s hair, tracing their faces, exploring. Vincent hated himself for it, but couldn´t stop. The kiss broke, but they stayed close lips barely touching, brushing up against each other, feeling each other breathe.

They stayed like that for a long time. Oddly content just to hold each other, and feel the other´s breath. When they finally broke and went to bed, they dreamt of each other.