Time For You and Me ((Oscar)) [PG-13]

[Theo Darke]

((This PG-13 thread contains homosexual and sexual references. Please read at your own discretion.))



Theo stood outside the Ravenclaw Common Room, expressionless and still. His legs were rooted in a cross to the ground and his left hand was splayed against the cold stonewall. His short blonde hair fell over his eyes as they averted to the ground, seemingly absorbed in counting the specks of white glinting on its silver surface. A few fellow Ravenclaws buzzed past him, greeting and waving to him, and he returned the gestures absently. His mind was on other things: Scott. Lori. Oscar. There was too much to think about; or rather, too many people to think about. However, he was mostly focused on his boyfriend, and at least generally those were calming and delightful thoughts. Oscar brought a smile to Theo’s face, there was no denying it. Every single time the Gryffindor was mentioned, every time he passed him in the corridor, Theo would feel his lips twitch, desperate to smile like a silly boy in love – and he wasn’t! He wasn’t in love. Theo couldn’t be in love with Oscar when he was in love with Scott. Why not though? his conscience countered stubbornly. If you can love Scott but date Oscar then you can love both of them, surely.

“No!” Theo wouldn’t have it. He had to choose, and that was the only upset he had concerning Oscar right now. He wanted to be with him, but it was unfair that he was crushing over someone else – Scott of all people, who Oscar was under the impression fancied him. It was bad enough that Theo had to fight his feelings for his good friend and boyfriend of his best friend, but now Oscar was making his life even more difficult. At least Oscar doesn’t think you fancy Scott. Your secret is safe and you know it. Theo’s lips twisted into a bitter frown. Whatever he thought and felt for either of the two Gryffindors, he had to cast all his worries aside and focus on Oscar and the positives for now. If he didn’t then this date would be one-sided and unenjoyable, and Theo wanted to enjoy it – wanted Oscar to enjoy it too. He didn’t want to burden his boyfriend with his inner struggles. Finally he heard recognisable footsteps approaching – Theo had even familiarised himself with his boyfriend’s movements and sounds – and looked up with a changed expression. His grin widened as he saw Oscar nearing him, though his eyes did a quick scan around them to make sure no one could see quite how happy he was. Theo had always been rather awful at hiding his emotions, which was why he had become rather adept at running away.

“You’re late,” Theo teased, his smile as radiant as the sun. He pushed himself off the wall and began walking beside Oscar, careful not to let their sides touch but close enough for him to feel content. To any outsiders the two boys looked like good friends strolling through Hogwarts together. Theo barely remembered what he was worrying about previously and he and his boyfriend climbed the moving staircases together, silently heading for a single destination. Oscar did that to him; like a drug, his presence drained away all his troubles and made him want to smile all day long. As they neared their target room Theo began to glance around them vigilantly, looking for any sign of another person in their vicinity. When he had concluded that it was safe to proceed he nodded at Oscar, who quickly opened a door in the side of the wall that had previously not been there. He stepped in and Theo followed him hastily, shutting the door behind him with a click. The Ravenclaw let out a breath he always held when they made this journey and grinned again, looking over at Oscar.

“Made it,” he commented in a playful sing-song voice, then grabbed the Gryffindor’s hand and weaved his fingers through his, pulling the taller boy closer. Without another word Theo leaned up and kissed Oscar gently on the lips. His other hand lay still against the Gryffindor’s chest. After a long, quiet minute Theo drew away and smiled. “So what have you been up to? How’s Quidditch?” He led Oscar to the sofa in the centre of the room and collapsed onto its comfortable surface. Theo snuggled up into the warmth of his boyfriend, laying his head onto his shoulder and playing with Oscar’s fingers absently. Thank goodness for the Room of Requirements, Theo thought as he waited for his boyfriend’s reply. It was ever so handy for private time alone with Oscar. The two of them had been so worried about being seen and discovered; there wasn’t a single place in the whole of Hogwarts that was completely inaccessible and private to others. Then Theo had remembered the Room of Requirements and for the last two weeks it had provided the same small, cosy room that was basically a miniature Common Room or Student Lounge – with a glowing fireplace and a cushy sofa. To say Theo was grateful was an understatement.

[Oscar Flynn G7]

Oscar was happy. He couldn’t have put it any other way. For a couple of weeks now he hadn’t let anything get to him; apart from that idiotic Slytherin. But other than that quick disagreement there was nothing. He was floating through it all without a care and the thing tugging him in the right direction was Theo. It was like… well, what was it like? Oscar never was good with metaphors. No doubt his boyfriend was, but Oscar didn’t understand how someone could think of something so unrelated to their current situation,but that linked to it in a manner that was both poetic and completely exact. He scratched his head in that stereotypical ‘I’m thinking’ pose as he leant back gently against the wooden fence behind him. Herra, his twittering twit of an owl, was perched on his arm, her talons digging into his flesh a little too hard to be comfortable for Oscar. Oscar hated the Owlery. He didn’t like the other owls, and disliked further the way they always seemed so hostile to him when he came into the Owlery. As if, because he didn’t have great talons, feathers and wings, he wasn’t allowed to be there. They were quite clever creatures Oscar knew- they had to be, to find addresses and deliver them. When Oscar had first learnt that these winged feathered things served as postmen in the Wizarding world he had thought it a joke. How did they know where to go? Wouldn’t they get irritated by the weight of the letter or package they were posting? Apparently most owls did not, although Herra had been known to refuse a package should it be too heavy. There was also the fact that the Owlery stank like bird poop that made Oscar a little hesitant to stay there long.

Luckily the letter that Oscar now gave to her was just two sheets of light parchments. She allowed him to slip it in place gently, before squeezing a little harder on his arm and taking off. She was neither a beautifully coloured bird, nor a particularly nice one. But she was reliant and consistent. And those were two things which Oscar really needed in his life; even in an owl. Luckily someone else had popped into his life that held both of these qualities too; this one neither feathered nor winged. Theo was consistently reliant and Oscar was so grateful for it; he just wished he knew how to show that thanks. With relationships he had had prior to this one, it could have been said that Oscar was romantic. He liked to spoil someone he was dating. Although he was just sixteen, nearing seventeen, he used to enjoy the company of girls enough to want to spend time, money and thought on them in a manner that could indeed be called romantic. But now Oscar didn’t just enjoy the company of girls... Theo had certainly alerted him to that. Oscar wanted to do something for his boyfriend; but what? With girls it was easier; it was obvious. But none of Oscar’s friends had ever had a boyfriend. None of them had ever wooed a boy or done something amorous for them. And it was so hard for Oscar to actually do anything for Theo. Their relationship was a secret. To Oscar’s knowledge, no-one knew of it or had reason to suppose its existence.

The matter of keeping the relationship hidden had been a problem for Oscar to deal with at the beginning; he didn’t want to keep it a secret. He saw doing so as hiding it, and Oscar only ever hid something if he was ashamed of people knowing about it. And this relationship did not shame Oscar. He lov- really liked Theo and loved spending time with him, holding him, kissing him... where was the shame in that? Although Oscar had indeed wanted to be honest with everyone about the relationship, he was having fun hiding it now. The two had met frequently over the past few weeks and each occasion brought more happiness for Oscar. And now they were having another... well, what was it? Oscar supposed it was a date. And odd one, in secret and behind doors and spelled walls, but possibly definitely a date... maybe. Pushing this thought from his head he drew his eyes away from the sky and to the direction that would take him away from the Owlery. He hoped Theo wasn’t waiting for him; Oscar had a tendency to be late, and was pretty sure he had been so on every single one of their ‘dates’ so far. He had been determined to make this not one of those occasions but apparently early would never be his thing. The Owlery was close to the Ravenclaw Common Room, which mean the Gryffindor didn’t have to cross the whole castle to reach his boyfriend.

He had forgotten how good it was to see Theo smile; yes, even in the short time that they had been apart, Oscar had missed that cheeky grin. He was so tempted to lean over and kiss the line-dimples (or rather, laughter-lines) that always creased Theo’s cheeks when he smiled so wildly. He resisted this urge, suppressing it for the moment with a girlish giggle. He wanted nothing more than to push Theo back against the wall and kiss the living daylights out of him, and for some reason trying not to do so amused him greatly. It was, he supposed, because he didn’t do so that he realised how much he actually wanted to. And the strength of this want surprised him into his laughter. “I’m always late.” He replied to his boyfriend’s comment happily. God that smile! He couldn’t keep his eyes off it. Before the two made a move, Oscar let his thoughts about keeping his feelings hidden slip slightly as he brought one hand up to touch Theo’s face. Last second he turned the gesture into a quick movement that made it look as though he had been about to ruffle his own hair. Ugh... could he not be near Theo without wanting to be even closer? Apparently not.

Making the familiar journey to the room of requirement passed so quickly that Oscar barely noticed it. He just wanted to be in that room, away from the public eyes. Once the two had slipped through the door Oscar turned to seize his boyfriend almost straight away; but, to his surprise, Theo beat him to the action. His grin grew at this. They were just... it was just... there were no words. Oscar thought he knew Theo’s kiss, touch, taste already- but the Ravenclaw continued to surprise him, to delight him. After a kiss Oscar reluctantly but obediently drew back, allowing himself to be pulled to the sofa. Once there he shifted slightly to let Theo’s body fit like a puzzle piece against his own. With one hand being played with by Theo, Oscar’s other moved around to finger his blonde locks gently. Only then did he allow himself to speak full sentences in reply to his boyfriend's question. “Just... thinking, believe it or not. About what I want to do after school. I haven’t given it much thought but for some reason am now. I mean, where do I want to live my life? With my parents and our old friends, as a muggle... or with magic and wizards. You’re lucky you don’t have to think much about that.” He sighed softly; not unhappily, but the realisation of this decision was heavy on his thoughts now. “Quidditch... oh, god.” He groaned, the sound turning into a laugh as it finished. “When is it lions versus eagles? I can’t wait.” He grinned, his eyes wide and twinkling. If there was one thing that could be said about Oscar, it was that he was competitive. “Playing against you... that will be interesting.”

((Sorry it took a little longer than I thought, had to go to a friend's last-minutee.))

[Theo Darke]

Theo frowned at first at the serious tone of Oscar's voice. The Gryffindor sounded frustrated and confused, and he didn't like it - he wanted to take it away. And yet he couldn't. It was a rather helpless position, loving someone - be it a friend or a lover or a relative - being concerned for them and yet not able to change anything. However, Oscar began to laugh light-heartedly, showing he wasn't completely absorbed with his future and worrying about it. Theo breathed easy. "Actually, on the contary, I do," he replied indignantly, enjoying the feeling of Oscar's fingers playing with his hair. "I don't have to worry about which world I'll live in, but I have no idea what I want to be either. There are so many options... and I like a lot of them, like being a healer. I've never been ambitious; there's never been anything I've always wanted to be. People say I'll do great whatever I do because I'm meant to be clever, but I wish I knew where my path led." He smiled wryly up at Oscar. "I wish I could find some sort of purpose, you know? It would make life so much easier. I don't know where my journey will lead me to. Even though I like some spontaneity I would like some direction." Theo buried his face Oscar's neck, breathing in his scent that was becoming familiar territory for him over the last few weeks. "At least being with you gives me some sort of purpose," Theo murmured quietly into the Gryffindor's robes.

"But you'll figure it out eventually, Oscar." Theo resurfaced and grinned reassuringly at his boyfriend. "I believe you will." Their banter became less reflective and more playful as the topic turned to Quidditch, and Theo laughed. "You can wait to have us beat you, you mean?" he teased, taking a cushion and thumping Oscar with it gently with a twinkle in his eye. "It'll be weird, that's what," Theo added. "I'm a little worried I'll hit you if I come on too strong." He chuckled at the pun in his words. "I might have to tackle you in the game. Or worse, battle with you for the Quaffle. Or you might have to send a Bludger my way. It worries me a little that I might not be able to play against you at all, and then everyone will wonder what on Earth is wrong with me, and it'll be all your fault." His words were serious but his expression was amused. "I'll get over you, though. No worries, Oscar. I'll beat you black and blue." Declaring this, he stared into Oscar's face confidently for a few seconds, before suddenly jumping up and flipping his boyfriend over, so he now lay on top of Oscar, who lay on the sofa, staring up at him in surprise. "You'd better be careful. I might just take you by surprise... like that." Theo laughed down at the expression on Oscar's face, before leaning down and kissing him on the lips.

Since that first time at Llanrynstud, Theo had become more used to these intimate moments with Oscar - more capable of initiating them rather than letting Oscar do all the work. However, every single time was just as passionate as the last. It never went far but it still brought Theo to a high, being in Oscar's arms like this. He belonged to him and only him and it felt amazing. For a while Oscar relented for Theo to take the lead, the dominating position, but eventually he flipped Theo back over again, being the stronger of the two, and Theo gave a cry of weak protest before his lips were sealed again and his words died in his throat. His hands gradually wound around Oscar's neck, pulling the Gryffindor closer to him, running his fingers through that soft brown hair. Eventually, when they were forced to resurface for breath, Theo said in short pants, "You can never get enough of me, can you, Oscar Flynn?" He laughed teasingly, but his eyes grew soft as his fingers moved to caress his boyfriend's cheek and lips. "Maybe it's too... early for me to say this. I don't want to scare you. But I think... I might just fall in love with you." The words hung in the air for a moment, before Theo's teasing grin was back on his face. "But you're going to have to make it happen first." He pulled Oscar down for another kiss, his hands moving down now and tugging at the edge of his boyfriend's clothes. Yep. Theo was much more bold than he was a month ago.

[Oscar Flynn G7]

Oscar listened to Theo talk with his head tilted slightly. He was delighted that the two could talk about this. Oscar had never spoken to his parents about the future and what he would be doing. Although they were completely supportive of his being a wizard he was sure they had considered the possibility of their only son moving houses, let alone worlds. Oscar realised long ago that he had two amazing people for his parents and he was insanely thankful for that. They were fair and strict when they needed to be, but always supportive of Oscar and any decisions he might make. They were, in short, the perfect parents. Would they continue to be so if they found out about Oscar’s relationship with Theo? He told himself that they would. Such a thing would not matter to them. As he thought this his belief in it strengthened but he could not ignore the niggling doubts at the back of his mind. Turning his attentions back to his boyfriend Oscar grinned. “You will do great. These ‘people’ are completely right. I didn’t know you’re interested in healing?” The thought of being a healer had never occurred to Oscar. He had visited St Mungo’s just once and only for a few minutes. The only thing he really knew about those that worked there was that their uniforms were often in very unattractive colours. Which of course wouldn’t matter with Theo. He could look beautiful in anything.

At Theo’s next words Oscar was filled with a surge of emotion; there was no feeling that could top that of feeling wanted, loved- needed. He wanted to seize that feeling and hold on forever. As the conversation continued Oscar nodded slowly when Theo mentioned that the Gryffindor would figure it out. I hope so. His thoughts were uncertain on this topic. On the next however they couldn’t be more sure. His grin widened as Theo’s eyes looked up at him. “Err- you, beat us? Never gonna happen.” He ignored the fact that it probably had happened in the past, shaking his head defiantly. “You wouldn’t be tackling me, although I wouldn’t complain too much.” He chuckled lightly. The thought of his boyfriend tackling him- albeit a little aggressively- was actually quite appealing. Oscar willed the Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor game to hurry up at the thought, but nodded solemnly at Theo’s next words. He wasn’t sure he could attack Theo with a bludger. The thought just seemed impossible now, lying so comfortably in the room with him. He knew that once in a game he would have to be the attack; it was inevitable. But Oscar didn’t like to think about it. The thought of Theo trying to ‘beat him black and blue’ made him laugh, but the former comment brought a small smile to Oscar’s face. “I could never get over you.” He murmured softly, his voice barely audible, the comment more a thought he had let slip than something directed to Theo.

The calm was broken as Theo swiftly moved his position. The movement had surprised Oscar but he welcomed it and once he felt the familiar weight of Theo on top of him he fell about laughing. This did not continue for long however. Theo had soon captured his lips in a kiss, and Oscar surrendered to it without hesitation. He loved this. These moments when Theo really did take him by surprise. He was the perfect partner, for Oscar was never bored. And one thing that he hated was being bored and having nothing to do. The latter was certainly not a problem now. For several minutes Oscar allowed the Ravenclaw to stay on top of him. But despite his joy at Theo dominating for a moment, Oscar knew that he always preferred it the other way around. This was soon displayed as he twisted around until Theo was beneath him. His left arm cradled the Ravenclaw’s side while his right hand hovered for a moment, before mirroring it’s partner. The only slight change was that, before settling, his right hand gentle pushed beneath the folds of Theo’s jumper, slipping beneath the material until skin met with skin.

They remained kissing and Oscar didn’t know how much time had gone by- it could have been seconds, it could have been hours. His mind was certainly not in thought mode right now. It was focused on just a few things and time was not one of them. The first was the feel of Theo’s hands in his hair, his fingers tracing through. Somehow such a simple gesture could make all the difference. Aside from the obvious kissing, Oscar’s mind could not pull away from the fact that Theo’s torso was so soft. Although different from Oscar’s own muscled form, Theo’s was certainly not ‘scrawny’ in any sense. It showed muscles and strength where Oscar’s did not. The Gryffindor’s hand traced slowly up and down as the two boys kissed. It was an abstract and almost absent-minded movement but Oscar himself was completely aware of it. You can never get enough of me… It took a moment for the words to register in Oscar’s mind. His hand still on Theo’s skin, his eyes widened slightly at the comment. “No. I can't.” He said in full honesty. Theo’s joking question had been teasing and playful. But Oscar’s reply was blunt, simple and as he said it he knew it was the whole truth in one word. He could never get enough of Theo.

The Gryffindor did not speak again in the moment that followed, his brown eyes looking directly into Theo’s blue ones. He was not prepared for what came next. It reached his ears as if Theo had shouted it. Once there it slipped into his mind, echoing over and over again in his head, rebounding off the walls only to bounce back. In one breath he drew back his body until he was further from his boyfriend, although his legs were still tangled in Theo’s. Whaaa?! His mind was racing. His already fast heartbeat was quickening with every second. His right hand had withdrawn from it’s place at Theo’s side but one finger was still touching the skin just above the Ravenclaw’s hip bone. “You what?!” He whispered. The echo in his mind repeated Theo’s words to him. His eyes were wider than ever. For what felt like forever he stayed there, studying his boyfriend below him. “Oh.” The one syllable slipped from his mouth and fell into the silent air where it remained. And then, ever so slowly, the corners of Oscar’s mouth curved upwards. “Alright then.” His voice now held the tone of one who is smiling. Why had that been such a shock to him? He felt completely the same way. And Theo didn’t need to make anything happen for him; he was already there, of that he was almost sure. Everything Theo could have done he had. With this in mind Oscar slowly leant forward again. He didn’t kiss Theo immediately. Instead he inched closer until his mouth was beside Theo’s ear. Once there, he whispered gently. “I’ll do anything to make that happen.” And then he followed the contours of his boyfriend’s soft skin down, crossing his neck and tenderly nipping it with his teeth.

[Theo Darke]

Theo inclined his head into a comfortable position in the crook of Oscar's neck and breathed deeply. "Yeah," he replied thoughtfully, his eyes trained on nothing in particular as the cogs in his brain contemplated his future. "It means I can work with people and I've always liked the hospital. Lori's scared of it, but I always found it fascinating. There's so much to learn there, so much I could give." Theo paused and smiled wryly. "My Ravenclaw side coming out there," he chuckled. The differences between the houses seemed to be a constant topic between him and Oscar; possibly because they were from different houses, and they each had such different traits. "I would class myself as a scientist rather than a creative person anyway, so healing would suit me pretty well. Still... I haven't decided for sure yet. It's just a possibility. Professor Flitwick was assigning our NEWTs at the beginning of this year... remember? Well, you had Professor McGonagall, but when I was talking to Professor Flitwick and he asked me what I wanted to do, I was kind of caught off guard. I'm only sixteen, how should I know what I want to be? So I chose all the open-ended subjects that would mean I could apply for any sort of job when I graduate." Theo shrugged casually against Oscar's muscled body. "Everyone else seems dead set on being aurors and healers and codebreakers already... but the future seems too far away for me to begin worrying about it. I just want to treasure what I have now." Smiling, Theo leaned up to place a blind, gentle kiss on Oscar's chin.

"What are you going to do, do you think, Oscar?" Theo asked quietly, curious to what his boyfriend had in mind. There was still so much he had to learn about Oscar Flynn... so much lying underneath those dizzying dark eyes and handsome face. In a way, Theo wanted to dissect Oscar, find out everything about him like he would a subject with a textbook. But he couldn't do that - he had to be patient. He had all the time in the world, so he just had to take it slowly, right? Theo wanted to savour every new thing he learnt about Oscar; every tiny detail mattered, made up the entity that lay beside him, warm and soft and desirable. He wanted a chance to digest it all, not to take everything in too quickly so he would drown or forget tidbits of information. Theo wanted to take his time with Oscar and not have to rush. After all, he had never been a stressed, pushy sort of person. He also got the impression Oscar wouldn't take well to too much pressurising. Theo just about caught the soft comment from Oscar's lips, and turning around to stare at him for a brief moment, let a beautiful smile break his face. Without a word, Theo settled back down again and squeezed his boyfriend's hand tighter in his own. Oscar didn't know it, but what he had just so carelessly uttered had sent ripples through Theo's heart that he had never before experienced; and he loved the feeling so very much.

The feel of Oscar's warm fingertips sliding under his top caused Theo to gasp in surprise, but it was soundless as his mouth was still covered by Oscar's. He tried not to smile too much as he adapted to the intruding hand, and arched a little to welcome his gentle touch. It seemed too long since he had felt Oscar against him, skin on skin. Llanrhystud had been their boldest encounter, which was odd, considering that that was their first time, the beginning of their secret relationship, but they just hadn't had the time or luxury of revelling in each other's bodies since then. The beginning of school and NEWTs - and who could forget Quidditch? - had caused both boys to be rather busy. Oscar's hand against his chest wasn't even close to the skin contact of their previous incident, but Theo hadn't felt it for so long it felt like new all over again, a blinding pleasurable sensation that crawled up his spine. When they paused the passionate kissing for a few moments, Theo grinned at Oscar's short, fast reply to his statement. He was glad his boyfriend's fingers refused to stop dancing across his chest. "You should be pleased to hear I'm not too ticklish," he murmured dazedly as he gazed up at Oscar with a fond, loving expression.

"You look surprised." Theo cocked his head questioningly at Oscar as he seemed to try to absorb what he had just said. "Is it really that surprising that someone could fall in love with you?" he asked quietly. The passion seemed to have halted for a moment, replaced by an atmosphere of intimacy and surprise. However, when Oscar smiled again, Theo felt the tension lift. He had been worried about his boyfriend's reaction to his words, but he didn't regret them. Theo wouldn't have said them if he hadn't meant them, even if Oscar did make him say and do the most spontaneous of things. "'All right then'?" Theo echoed with a teasing smile. "What does that mean, eh?" However, before he could prod his boyfriend for a proper answer or kiss him senseless to make him remember that he was lying beneath him, waiting for him to continue what they'd started, Oscar's face began to lean down towards his again, until their noses were nearly brushing. The words whispered into Theo's ear made him shudder, not just from the warm breath that blew gently against his lobe but from its contents. He didn't get a chance to reply, though, as Oscar had already begun to lower his mouth to his neck, his teeth grazing the soft flesh that had reddened due to their activities. "O-Oscar!" Theo yelped in surprise as the Gryffindor touched a particularly sensitive spot.

"Heey," he breathed heavily. "N-Not fair." However, Oscar refused to stop, and with the drunken emotions entering Theo's head he could barely think straight. His hands, instead, began to feel their way up to Oscar's collar again just based on instinct, and they began unbuttoning whatever was obstructing him from Oscar's delectable skin. Revenge - Theo wouldn't let his boyfriend get the better of him so easily. He was not the girl in this relationship - well, not all the time anyway. He wanted to give, not always receive. He wanted to watch Oscar writhe underneath him sometimes, just to know he had been the one to do that to him. It made Theo all warm and fuzzy, even if he didn't say that out loud. Finally, Oscar's top or whatever he was wearing over his torso slipped away, falling to a graceless mess beside the sofa, and Theo eagerly let his fingers skim his boyfriend's lean, muscular body, enjoying and admiring how toned he was. Before he could make a comment on it, though, Oscar's mouth caused him to gasp loudly again. Looking down, Theo chuckled breathily. "You're not going to get any further with this shirt on, you know," he teased challengingly.

[Oscar Flynn G7]

Oscar soon realised that he loved Theo’s ‘Ravenclaw side’. No more than he loved Theo normally of course. But these things… he didn’t know them. He didn’t know that Theo classed himself as a scientist rather than some sort of artist or anything creative. He didn’t know half of the things that Theo now told him, and as they reached his ears he soaked them up like a sponge. It was interesting not only what Theo spoke of, but how he talked about it. It made Oscar want something that he could speak about in a similar manner. “You know anyone who you could talk to about that? For example, someone who already works there… We could look into it beforehand. Might be useful.” Oscar was oblivious to the manner in which he automatically said ‘we’ at the suggestion. He just wanted to help Theo decide what he wanted to do. His boyfriend’s comment about what everyone else wanted to do made Oscar frown inwardly. Or Quidditch players… Quidditch was something that Oscar treasured. He enjoyed it more than almost anything else. But he was beginning to doubt whether or not he would want to continue doing it after school. He knew that it would be hard work. The matter of constantly being watched and under pressure also made him hesitant to look further into that career path.

But what else could he do? Theo’s question of this made him frown, this time the expression showing clearly in his face. He wasn’t particularly clever. He didn’t have much interest in the sciences, nor anything related to physical healing. He could neither draw, sing or write very well and although his dancing could be classed as entertainment, it would only be for the comedy in it and not the talent. “I want… I want to do something with other people, like you. I work well leading a team, or at least being part of one.” Another thing popped into Oscar’s mind and he smiled softly at it. It hadn’t occurred to him that it could be included as a possible career choice. He mentioned it anyway, an almost dreamy expression on his face. “And I want to travel. I’ve only been out of the England to go to Ireland for family. To see the world would be amazing. There are so many things we couldn’t even dream of, so many animals and creatures that we will never see if we just stay here. And what of the cultures, the people, their music?” Oscar’s voice rose as he swiftly adjusted to his topic. “We know hardly anything about that here. In muggle schools you learn of less-developed countries, they even to exchange trips to places like France and Italy sometimes. But to have a profession that brought you all around the world, that really would be something.” He blinked once. There was another thing that had been niggling at the back of his mind but he refrained from talking about it. Since Thandi had arrived he had noticed how different her former life had been to this one. Children suffered all over the world due to poverty, parents, natural disasters- it made Oscar hurt even to think about it. It was definitely something he wanted to look into.

Their kisses were no longer clumsy, as they had been in Llanrhystud. Oscar noticed this as they tumbled with a small smile. They had somehow adjusted further to each other and when they were together like this it really felt like they were one, moving together like- and Oscar hated comparing something so beautiful to something so related to Slytherin’s- a snake. When Theo arched ever so slightly, raising his body to press against Oscar’s a little more, Oscar shifted with him subconsciously. In Llanrhystud their limbs had been constantly tangled but now they shifted to allow room without hesitation as if knowing exactly where the other boy’s hands would be next. Theo’s comment to being ticklish made him grin and raise his eyebrows slightly. He was sure that tickling Theo was not the only way to make him breathless.

“I…” Oscar’s syllable fell into the air. He didn’t add to it for a moment as he thought about what Theo had said, about him being surprised that someone might love him… Was it true? Oscar got on with basically everyone and never upset people due to his character. It was safe to say that everyone liked him. But did anyone love him? Again, the mention of Theo having Lori as that confidant and person to love popped into Oscar’s mind. He frowned once more as he considered Theo’s words further. His parents loved him, that was always true. For a moment Oscar hesitated. Although the situation was entirely different, he again felt as though hours had passed, when in fact the time it took him to pause was merely a couple of seconds. Doubts that he hadn’t anticipated rushed through him. He realised suddenly how big this was; how much those words could change. Although Theo hadn’t actually said the three syllables just yet he had obviously implied them. And Oscar knew he felt the same. Without a doubt. So what was happening now? It was as if Theo’s question about Oscar’s surprise that someone could love him flicked a trigger in his mind, a switch in his heart. It unlocked doubts, worries and fears that he had hardly noticed before. Now that the two boys had implied their feelings there was so much more chance of them being hurt should anything happen. Oscar was sure it wasn’t- by no means was he thinking that the relationship was troubled. But he realised that the two had unknowingly chained themselves together now. Any scratches at their relationship would go deeper, and any emotional pain could be doubled and heightened. All because of what those silly words meant. So no, Oscar was not so surprised that someone could love him. But he realised that he was scared. Scared of giving everything- despite wanting to- and scared that should he give his all, it could get shredded to pieces before his eyes.

Turning his attentions from these confusing, worrying thoughts by returning to the body beneath him helped Oscar slightly. He pushed the worry deep down and could only hope that it would stay there. Once he had taken care of this his teeth continued at his boyfriend’s flesh softly. This brought reactions that made it almost impossible not to chuckle lightly; he loved bringing that emotion, that feeling, to Theo. They shouldn’t have to talk about what they felt right now. They could just do this. For this was, after all, what Oscar loved doing. Evidently Theo did too; the Gryffindor hardly noticed the fingers pulling away his shirt until it was coming off of his shoulders, revealing his chest to the boy below. The movement was so quick and the removal of his shirt so swift that it raised Oscar’s eyebrows, a half-smile appearing at his boyfriend’s cunning. It was difficult then to focus on keeping his tongue and teeth doing what they were good at, for Theo’s deft fingers were dancing across his torso. For a second Oscar was forced to grit his teeth to avoid laughter as the fingertips skimmed his sides; although Theo was not ticklish, Oscar knew that the Ravenclaw was aware of his own weakness in that area. The need to laugh was pushed away by Oscar’s wants then. “You’re right.” He stated matter-of-factly at Theo’s words. In a flash he had done what Theo had done to him, and removed the layers that shielded his upper body from him. For one moment he studied Theo below him. Although he tried, he was unable to stop his eyes from travelling a little lower as they flicked over what was not yet exposed to him. All earlier reasons for hesitation clouded his mind suddenly and he regretted some of his words… for Oscar was hesitant. Because of this he resorted to what he already knew, what he could already please Theo with. He returned to his lips while pressing into the Ravenclaw passionately, pushing all thoughts from his mind and focusing on the boy beneath him; the boy that he loved.

[Theo Darke]

"Yeah." Theo nodded with a smile at the 'we' pronoun in Oscar's sentence, his heart buzzing at the thought that he would help him. "It's a good idea. I think my dad knows someone..." He racked his brains but couldn't pull out a name. He looked up at Oscar as he replied and a soft smile pulled his lips. "You could become a journalist? A photographer? Something that would take you everywhere you've ever dreamed of," Theo suggested thoughtfully. "Maybe working for charity. I'd like to volunteer someday; go to Africa, see it for myself. They say it's life-changing." He leaned his head into Oscar's gentle touch, urging his fingers to sink deeper into his blonde hair. "It's not just that, though... I think I've always taken my life for granted. I can't appreciate what I have, not until I see what the world's like for myself." Theo's wistful smile changed into a supportive one. "But I think travelling's a great idea for you. You have to take me along too. I love travelling. We usually go somewhere every year... but there's only so much you can see in a summer. Plus," he smirked cheekily, "I get you all to myself with no interruptions." Theo's eyes became thoughtful again as they latched onto a subject matter he had neglected before. "I wish Hogwarts had some sort of foreign exchange thing. Maybe with Beauxbatons or Durmstrang... But Beauxbatons are too posh and Durmstrang are too rough. That's what they say in the year above. They're the only ones left who were here during the last Triwizard Tournament." He looked questioningly at Oscar. "Do you know what the Tournament is?"

Theo grinned at Oscar's response to his roaming fingers. "I may not be ticklish, but a certain someone is..." However, before he could further reduce Oscar to a laughing pile of mush, his boyfriend had quickly stripped away his shirt, leaving him in only his muggle jeans. "...And that certain someone is certainly eager," Theo teased as Oscar admired his half-naked body. "I know you like what you see," he began speaking again with an infectious, amused grin after a long pause for Oscar to stare, "But I'm waiting for--" His sentence was cut short as the Gryffindor captured his lips again, not hesitating to quicken the pace of their activities. Theo arched into the passionate kiss, teeth and tongues sliding against each other in a similar way to their chests. His senses were on fire, and although Theo had never gotten drunk before, he wondered if this feeling was similar to it. The emotion of riding so high you don't think you could ever fall off, like a roller coaster at one hundred miles per hour. Theo also compared it to the feeling of drowning; drowning in Oscar. Eventually their mouths broke apart, but their body contact certainly did not. Theo's lips trailed down Oscar's jaw to his neck, stopping between his throat and his collarbone. He licked the tender skin there almost territorially, grinning as he felt Oscar's sensitive nerves shiver at his touch. "Is leaving a mark a bad idea?" he mumbled distractedly as he continued to kiss his boyfriend's neck like a vampire to his blood donor.

Meanwhile, Theo's hands trailed up and down Oscar's side and chest, and after tiring of Oscar's neck somewhat, he began to skim the places of his boyfriend's body he knew he was most ticklish. Immediately Oscar was laughing and Theo was grinning with him. The loss of control let him push Oscar over so he was on top again, bearing down on him with glimmering eyes. After another long kiss, Theo lay down beside Oscar - the sofa was just about wide enough - so he was squashed between his boyfriend's warm body and the sofa's back, laying his head half on Oscar's shoulder, half on the arm of the couch. Theo's tongue darted out to lick Oscar's shoulder teasingly, but then leaned over to the boy beside him and settled into a slower, more languid kiss, feeling every movement, every breath, every gasp and every sound. Theo's arm draped around Oscar's naked torso, his fingers running along his side. He gave a small sigh when they parted again and looked up at the ceiling. "I wish this time didn't have to end." He gazed back fervently into Oscar's eyes again and leaned forwards to brush their noses together softly, the edges of their lips gently, barely, touching.

[Oscar Flynn G7]

Both of Theo’s suggestions brought a smile to Oscar’s lips, but he shook his head at the first two. They were too… too what? He didn’t know. Although he enjoyed writing he had no particular skill in it. He was neither very creative with his writing nor very original and both things could be relevant in journalism, this he knew. And while he was interesting photography he couldn’t see himself living a life based and supported by it. He preferred it as just a hobby, something that could help him store his memories away in aesthetically-pleasing packages. Photography also appealed to him because it was for anyone at all- young or old, male or female, on this side of the world or the other. Everyone could enjoy it and Oscar didn’t want to have a job that was so versatile for some reason. He wanted challenges that were for his mind and body, not just his creative sense. He was doubtful that being a photographer of any sort would give him these challenges he was already craving for. So while these suggestions from Theo were not much to go by, Oscar paused at his next one. “A charity?” His eyes widened a little and he blinked a couple of times. It was what had been on his mind earlier of course, and the fact that Theo came to it also made him happy. He listened to Theo continue with a grin that grew with every word. “I feel exactly same, Theo.” Oscar felt his boyfriend’s head edge closer to his fingers and continued to play with his hair, the movements becoming almost like a like massage against his scalp, comforting both of the boys.

“You’d come with me?” The question was more surprised than inquiring for an answer. This ‘date’ had brought about realisations that pleased Oscar immensely. First there was that spine-tingling, back-arching, brain-numbing, speech-stopping conversation they had had about love. And now it seemed Theo was offering to travel with Oscar. For some reason this seemed like a big step to the Gryffindor and surprisingly, one that didn’t scare him. After all, what did he have to be worried about if they merely travelled together? It wasn’t like getting married or anything of the sort. “I wouldn’t want to go with anyone else.” He smiled. “I’ve never travelled far. When I was younger we didn’t have much money to spend on holidays, and even though we’re better off now thanks to my mum’s business it’s not something we’ve discussed. I think they’re happier just staying at home where they know everyone and can be sure they are safe. But for me… I think they’ve always known I’d be out of the house after school, whether for travelling or for moving out.” Oscar was about to say more, but Theo’s comment about having him all to himself stopped him from doing so, his heartbeats speeding up as his mind wandered slightly at the thought.

His mind took a few minutes to register his boyfriend’s words before he could reply with so much more than a squeak. When he was able to answer his voice showed his strong interest in the topic. “I agree completely, it would be really useful and would probably teach the students who are so wrapped up in house differences a thing or two.” Theo’s mention to the other two wizarding school’s attitudes made him laugh. “I wonder what they see us as, if we see them as posh and rough. Clever? Old-fashioned and dated? Or just… boring?” He took a moment to thing about this, curious as to what the other schools really did think. He hadn’t heard an awful lot about the other wizarding schools and was not completely aware of them until quite recently. While Beauxbatons didn’t seem like his cup of tea, the things he had heard of Durmstrang had interested him and he wouldn’t have said no to an exchange or visit to the school. “Triwizard? Umm…” Automatically Oscar was thrown into feeling ignorant, although only through fault of his own. Was he meant to know about this tournament? Sometimes he wished he was not so obviously muggle-born. Perhaps he would know more about these things that everyone else seemed to know automatically then. Although the name of this tournament rang a bell in his mind he wasn’t sure what it was and shook his head slightly. It was hard for him to shake off the worry that Theo would see him as ignorant as he asked gently. “No, not really, although I think I’ve heard of it. Tell me about it?” Sure, he might not know these things that everyone else seemed to. But Theo wouldn’t care- Theo would help him.

The moments were drowned in emotions, but not so much so that Oscar wouldn’t remember them later. However as he felt Theo stop suddenly he froze. Memories of their first topless bundle in Llanrhystud came back to him, and how Theo had stopped their antics then. Was Oscar getting carried away once more? His fingers were itching to continue their path across Theo’s body, his mouth yearning to cover the Ravenclaw’s again. But he resisted and was flooded with relief at Theo’s words. Doubts were thrown out of the window automatically as he resumed his movements. But not before growling into Theo’s hair, “How can any of this be a bad idea? Do it…” Then the emotions, the movements, the biting, the licking, the kissing, sucking, nibbling- everything was thrown forward once more into motion and all of Oscar’s senses were alive. Even more so when Theo found his ticklish places; he cursed himself for revealing this weakness to his boyfriend all those weeks ago as he laughed uncontrollably. The distraction led to another change of position, and with it the transition from passionate and quick to gentle and calm. Oscar welcomed it all happily and a little breathlessly.

“I wish the same… I always do.” It was true. Theo had voiced Oscar’s own thoughts with his comment about wishing the moment could last. As the words slipped from his lips, Oscar rubbed a random muscle on Theo’s shoulder bone with his thumb, the pressure varying. “I…” His voice started again, only to fade away and fall into Oscar’s mind full of doubts. I want this to last so much I don’t care what people think anymore! I could kiss you in front of the whole school right now and I would never regret it. How can I regret this? It’s perfect… and I want people to share it with us. I… He wanted to say all this, and more. But how could he? For some reason it was a given that the relationship had to stay a secret. Although Oscar knew why, he was started to doubt the reasons after their recent antics. He shifted beneath Theo for a moment to capture his boyfriend’s lips lightly before sinking back into the sofa. He held his boyfriend close to him then, relishing in the simple delights of being with Theo, skin-to-skin, so close he could feel the Ravenclaw’s heartbeats beneath his own.

[Theo Darke]

"The furthest I've been is America, two years ago. We went with the Leighs - we always do. Last year we went to Barcelona." Theo smiled lightly. He didn't want Oscar to think he was bragging about his family's wealth, but he didn't want to hide his background from his boyfriend. "We usually go somewhere every year, even if it's down to Wales or up to Scotland. However close or far we always go on holiday in the summer. We're not upper class, but our families are well off enough to fund our excursions. My parents have always loved travelling." Theo closed his eyes and smiled. "I want to go to Asia. It's so foreign, so far away... And we can go together." His smile broadened.

"Hot." Theo supplied with a cheeky grin. "Well, you are, anyway. No one will be able to keep their hands of you, girls and boys alike..." He was joking, but it was true that Oscar was extremely good-looking - not just his face, but his body too. "I'd be a little offended if they thought we were boring," Theo murmured with a wry smile. "Even if it is true." He paused and thought about how to phrase his answer for Oscar, then spoke again. "The Triwizard Tournament is a competition between Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, and it's once every... five years. A few years ago it was held at Hogwarts and, well... you've probably heard about the incident; Harry Potter was too young to enter but he was chosen. Usually there's one student from every school that competes, and they do three tasks to determine that. I don't think they host it any more - not with what's happened in recent years." Theo shrugged. "It is a shame, but it was a dangerous game, anyway. People have died in it. Actually, the year Harry Potter was chosen, Cedric Diggory, the other Hogwarts student, died. It was all over the papers. I wouldn't participate even if I could; not because I'm scared, but it's just not... me."

Theo chuckled against Oscar's neck. His boyfriend was like fire and he himself was like water, and yet they meshed together in an explosion that was also meant to be. It was difficult to comprehend. Theo kissed Oscar's neck tenderly at first, but eventually he drew away and grinned wryly. "You're going to have to either tell people you've got a neck rash or you have a girlfriend who's... desperate?" He laughed. The two of them lay there on the sofa in comfortable quiet, until Theo groaned aloud. "Oh damn. I have to go... I have Quidditch practise. Being the Vice isn't all fun and games." He was hesitant getting up, sneaking in more kisses, but soon her had his top back on and was leading Oscar out of the Room of Requirements. He leaned on his toes and kissed him passionately before smiling. "Until next time." Then they left.