A Little More Confrontation ((Col))

[Bradley Jameson]

Featuring Michelle and Santiago.

Things were almost back to normal. Bradley was sitting next to Colin in class again; meal times at the Gryffindor table were no longer awkward; and the whole group of friends were back in their usual haunt of the Student Lounge almost every night, exchanging funny stories of the day, or bemoaning the amount of work their professors were giving them in preparation for their exams. Bradley didn't realise how much he'd missed this normalcy. Sure, he'd thoroughly lamented Colin's absence - the gaping hole he'd left - in his life, and how much it had affected the rest of his friendships, but he valued it even more now that things were normal again, for he could truly appreciate and enjoy it now. Bradley would grin at Colin affectionately, would snatch Colin's Potions notes, would pat Colin fondly on the shoulder - and their friendship was better than ever.

But that was the problem. Bradley couldn't help but remember the night things had finally returned to normal - when Colin and himself had finally straightened out the situation regarding Michelle O'Riley between them. It had been a few days ago, and ever since, Bradley's mind had continued to be troubled, but for an entirely different reason. Katie's voice kept echoing through his head - jealous - and Bradley felt his resolve gradually weaken. Still, he would continue to deny his feelings. He felt nothing when Colin's arm brushed his as they walked along the corridor, chatting amiably; felt nothing when Colin helped him with his work in their Potions classes without patronising his pride; felt nothing when Colin smiled at him, big and warm and generous. Bradley wanted to tell himself he felt nothing - zero, nada, zilch - but he knew, deep inside, he was lying to himself. And he would keep lying, because he was scared - terrified; because he was a coward, because he wouldn't believe it, and especially because he didn't want to lose Colin forever.

As usual, the same topic revolved around Bradley's mind as he walked through the castle, eyes set dead in front of him but thoughts far away - specifically focused on his best friend. He was meant to meet Colin before their next class outside the Common Room, which he was heading to right now. Ever since that night, Bradley had acted fairly normal around Colin, enough to not make him suspicious; and any odd behaviour, Colin would no doubt attribute to the incident with Michelle - which yes, Bradley was still riled over, but as long as Colin was no longer making eyes at her the way she had to him, then Bradley was content. However, before the thought had even escaped his mind, a familiar, unwelcome pair of eyes suddenly caught his gaze, and he ground to a halt.

A few metres away, Michelle O'Riley stood, silent and still and staring. Bradley mirrored her, quietly watching her until he finally broke the silence. "What do you want, O'Riley?" he asked coldly, shouldering his bag further up his shoulder with a fisted hand and repressing the urge to stride forward and grab the girl by her collar to give her everything she deserved. "Don't you think you've done enough already? Get it in your head - you're never going to have Colin. He's smarter than he acts. And he'll always believe me over you, or anyone else, for that matter." Bradley paused, waiting for a response, but none was given. "Look, just leave me and Colin alone. Whatever problem you have with me, get over it. I tried to help you out years ago but you've never given me a chance, so I give up. I don't give a damn what you do, as long as it's nothing to do with me." He put up his hands in mock surrender, ready to step away and pass Michelle to head to the Common Room, when her clear, cut voice finally began.

"I'm never letting this go, Jameson. I'm getting my revenge, whether it involves Colin Morgensen or not. He just seems to be the best way into you. Right?" Michelle smirked triumphantly. "It's a shame he listens to you so much; a truly loyal friend of yours. Like a dog. But the more loyal the better; the greater the bond between you, the greater the pain when I rip you two apart." An ugly look danced across Michelle's face, eyes lit up bright blue with excited anticipation. "I'm going to take away the most important thing to you, Bradley Jameson, just like you ruined my family," she spat bitterly. "I'm going to make you pay ten-fold for the hell you put my parents through."

Bradley narrowed his eyes at the deranged look on Michelle's otherwise pretty face, and it took a lot of effort not to stamp forward and slap her when she mentioned Colin. "If you touch a single hair on him," he warned menacingly, "I will make sure you're ruined forever. What my father did has nothing to do with me - and especially Colin. If you continue to harass us, I will make sure you're expelled. That's not an empty threat; you know as well as I do about my family's contacts. It'll happen; trust me." He glared Michelle down, unaware that now there was only but a metre distance between them. "You shouldn't have messed with Colin like that," he added in a low growl, "I didn't have a problem with you before, but you pulled that stunt, and I can't forgive that. Colin's feelings are not to be manipulated, you hear me? You're a real heartless bitch if you could do that to him, and you owe him an apology." Bradley was so absorbed in Michelle that he didn't notice when they were finally joined by a third presence, until a voice interrupted their conversation.

[Colin Morgensen G7]

“This goes there, right?”

Santiago leaned over to check then shook his head, tapping a finger against the mistake scrawled on Colin’s parchment. “No. That’s not right at all. Katie told you how to do these problems last week, Colin. You need to start paying attention because, no matter how much she likes you, she’ll kill you if she thinks you don’t listen when she’s trying to help you out. Not even Angel or Bradley will be able to save you then.”

Colin cast him a dark look, and Santiago obligingly shut up as he evidently remembered how tense life had been at the start of last week. He hadn’t been able to concentrate long enough to learn anything, let alone this complicated string of runes that Katie had indeed patiently sat down and taught to him. Comfortable in their customary silence, the two seventh year Gryffindors bent their dark heads together over Colin’s work, attempting to puzzle out the numerous errors that he had made. There could always be no words with Santiago; he didn’t feel the need to fill silence with idle chatter, which suited Colin perfectly if he was in this kind of mood. He still had a lot to think about and reflect on, like his guilt in choosing someone like Michelle over the best friend he had known for years. His mother and uncle would be ashamed of him, but not as much as Colin was of himself.

“Hey.” Santiago nudged him gently, making Colin lift his head from where he had dropped it on his folded arms about half an hour ago. Shaggy black hair flopped into his eyes and Colin swiped at it half-heartedly, making no move to brush it away again when the strands simply fell right back into place. “You’re going to be late to meet Bradley, you know.”

After checking the time, Colin swore, jumped to his feet and took off running without pausing to pay mind to the librarian’s enraged hisses. Navigating Hogwarts wasn’t always the quickest or easiest thing to do, especially for someone in a rush. Staircases seemed to move with the sole intention of depositing him as far away from the Gryffindor Common Room as possible and he would swear that even the ghosts were purposely drifting towards him just to make him even later than he already was. The realisation that he had left his bag and work in the library didn’t really cheer him up either, but Santiago would be decent enough to take it back to the Common Room or Student Lounge if Colin didn’t go back for it. So, at the very least, something was sort of working out for him, even if everything else seemed to be crumbling and slowly rebuilding itself around him.

The sound of two voices, one familiar and the other very familiar, stopped Colin his tracks a few metres away from the Common Room. There was little coincidence to be found in Michelle’s proximity to Gryffindor Tower, Colin believed. She would be looking for him or for Bradley or some other idiot blind enough to be pulled into her sweetly entangling web of deceit. Bradley would be able to handle the situation without Colin stepping in though, so he leant against the wall with his head tilted back to rest against the cold stones as he listened attentively. As he had said at the time, Colin had believed Bradley’s story of the history between the Jamesons and the O’Rileys but hearing it from Michelle’s mouth was different; it made everything that much more final.

Colin judged that it was time to step in when Michelle started threatening Bradley. His friend wouldn’t stand for the implication that she was going to use Colin to destroy him, Colin knew. The two of them were too similar for Colin to reasonably believe that Bradley would just let that statement slide so, smile bright on his face, Colin stepped out from his hiding place and crossed past Bradley with barely a glance in his direction to pull Michelle into a hug. The embrace, for Colin at least, was bittersweet, speaking of what maybe could have been if only she didn’t hate Bradley. He didn’t miss the smug look of triumph she sent over his shoulder though, the expression conveying her clear assumption that Colin hadn’t heard any of the conversation except perhaps Bradley threatening to get her expelled any way possible. “I was thinking about you today,” Colin murmured regretfully, voice deliberately pitched for the words to reach Bradley, “and about how I wanted to ask you out on a date sometime. But, see, there’s a problem with that. I don’t date poisonous little vipers who try to use me to hurt the person who means the most to me. Better luck next time, yeah?”

Eyes cold and unforgiving, Colin released Michelle with disgust written on his face. A few backward steps placed him back where he ought to be, with Bradley on his left. He could ask if she had ever really liked him or if he had just been a convenient pawn in her twisted plan for revenge against someone who had never hurt her in the first place but Colin didn’t think that he really wanted to know. Sometimes ignorance truly could be blissful. Besides, Michelle didn’t deserve the vengeful satisfaction of knowing that Colin had appreciated more than her beauty. He and Bradley would deal with the backlash of it themselves, just like Colin had helped to clean up the mess that Holliday and Georgia had left behind in Bradley’s life, just as Bradley had done for him after Laura.

“I think your business here is finished,” Colin informed Michelle with unusual curtness, arms folded over his chest stubbornly. She was just the reminder of how he had been so easily persuaded to be a bad best friend, of how effortlessly he had been tricked by a pretty face and faked whimpers of pain. “I don’t care for any apology that may be owed to me; I don’t care enough for it to make any difference to me about what you tried to do. Just leave us alone. All of us. Bradley, me, Katie, Santiago and Angel. If you come near any of us with anything less than pure intentions then I won’t stop Bradley from getting you expelled.” There was nothing left to say anymore so Colin turned his back on Michelle, showing a wry smile to his best friend. “Ready to go, mate?”

[Bradley Jameson]

Bradley visibly balked when Colin appeared from nowhere to envelope Michelle in a seemingly warm hug. A wave of anger and fear crashed into his chest, and for a moment he couldn't breathe; couldn't believe his eyes, his paranoia flooding his senses like paralysing gas. However, as Colin drew away, his true intentions became clear, and Bradley could once again breathe easy. He let out a silent sight of relief, and scolded himself for being so easily manipulated by his best friend. He knew Colin, he trusted Colin; it was stupid of him to assume, even for a second, that Colin had once again fallen for Michelle's charms.

Bradley and Colin fell into standing side by side almost automatically; a comfortable synchronisation they'd perfected over the years. Both boys stared Michelle down, cold and unforgiving. Bradley shifted a little, so their arms were gently, reassuringly, knocking, and he shared a small, comforting smile with Colin. He was glad his best mate was here. Even though Bradley was more than able to go alone and act independently, he enjoyed having Colin by his side, always ready to back him up. For a moment, Bradley even forgot about his doubts about his feelings for Colin.

Bradley rarely heard his best friend angry (with the exception of towards him during the odd argument they had, and even then Colin's anger was quick to subside; he wasn't made to be angry and bitter), and barely ever saw him treat someone with disdain, for he was too nice a person to ever act malicious on purpose. Colin didn't have a single bad bone in his body. But when he was truly annoyed with someone, he could be really harsh, and Bradley was glad of it. He didn't like seeing Colin aggrieved, but it comforted Bradley to know Colin could look after himself even when he often let people walk all over his kind nature.

Before Bradley could reply to Colin, Michelle had flounced off - but not before sending both boys a thorough glare, as though to say this wasn't over. Bradley watched her retreating back with simmering but fast-fading anger. Finally, he turned to Colin with a small, grateful, and pleased smile. "All right?" he asked, concerned about Colin's feelings. "Thanks for... you know. Backing me up." He playfully knocked Colin's arm with a gentle fist, but froze when their eyes met. That feeling - that strong urge - was alive again, pulsing against his chest, and Bradley was failing to suppress it. He quickly averted his eyes and let his arm drop. "C'mon, let's go," he muttered, leading the way towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Where's your stuff anyway?" Bradley finally asked when they were walking in sync again, quietly comfortable. He made a point of not looking at Colin, but otherwise he was acting normal... or so he hoped. He really didn't want his best mate to catch onto his odd behaviour, because if he did, Bradley would have no idea how to explain himself; he could hardly understand his feelings himself.

[Colin Morgensen G7]

Michelle’s dramatic exit earned a low, mocking whistle from Colin, just like the ones he and Will had sent after the older girls with ridiculously short skirts that summer when they had been turning fourteen and Bradley hadn’t come with him and his mum to visit Armagh; that had been a good week, but, damn it, he had missed his best friend for all six and a half days. He was starting to forget what he had ever seen in her when he was constantly presented with these harsh, cruel new facets of the girl he had so quickly come to like. Perhaps Michelle O’Riley simply wasn’t built to inspire long-lasting affection from anyone. If not for the bond he shared with his friends and the far too short relationship he and Laura had shared, Colin would be doubting his own ability to hold on to people. Michelle was just different, the exception to the rule. Had she not tried to win him through coyness, trickery and the desire to hurt Bradley then maybe something better, less fleeting would have occurred.

“I’ll be alright,” Colin replied after a few moments, grinning up at Bradley with a nonchalant shrug. “Not like I was in love with her or anything; she’s too bitter for my tastes.” It was on the tip of his tongue to rebuke Bradley for daring to thank Colin for backing him up (because, really, what sort of best friend would he be to not back Bradley up against the latest in a line of psychotic females interrupting the peace in their lives?) but the way that Bradley turned away from him froze the words in his mouth. He wasn’t just imagining the distance that had suddenly developed between them, Colin was sure. So was this because he had hugged Michelle without warning Bradley? Surely he knew better than to believe that Colin would fall for her tricks again. There wasn’t that little trust between them. Bradley had to know that it was just a final farewell to that which could have been, just a way to fool Michelle like she had deceived him.

“Um. Santiago’s got all of it.” Colin flushed lightly, ducking his head in laughing embarrassment. “We were in the library working on the Runes homework but I kinda lost track of time and had to run to meet you so I just left everything for him to carry back unless I returned before he left.” Santiago himself wouldn’t mind but Colin was fairly sure that he would be hearing about it in the form of a lengthy lecture about taking advantage of her boyfriend from Angel at a later time. At which point, of course, either he or Bradley would throw in a quip about Santiago being ‘taken advantage of’ by another boy, Angel would protest that that wasn’t what she had meant and Santiago would roll his eyes at them for their behaviour. Depending upon whether they were in the Student Lounge or the Gryffindor Common Room at the time, Katie might join in with the fun, possibly siding with Angel to even the balance.

After a while, Colin hastened his pace to take the lead by a few steps then cut in front of Bradley and came to a stop, leaving his friend no other option than to stop walking or bump into him. Well, Bradley could always just sidestep but that was outright evasion and they didn’t work like that. Dark blue eyes studied Bradley’s form for a few seconds before Colin came to a conclusion. They were close enough to the Common Room to not be interrupted by people rushing to another class and few people actually used the Common Room around this time, as both of them knew from years of being in Gryffindor. Bradley had been acting oddly for long enough now, and it had continued even after Michelle had left so it couldn’t be just because of her.

“You going to tell me what’s up with you or do I have to guess?” Colin canted his head to the side impatiently, locking his eyes on Bradley’s unwaveringly. He wanted the normal Bradley back, the almost-prat who laughed and joked and talked without suddenly closing himself off and running away like he was now. There were probably better ways to go about finding out what the source of the problem was but this was the most direct, the quickest. Right now, he was sure that Bradley would appreciate Colin’s need for immediate answers. He was tired of half-truths and evasions after Michelle had supplied him with enough of them to last a lifetime. “And don’t try to fob me off by saying it’s just Michelle. I know you. There’s something else.”

[Bradley Jameson]

Bradley smirked, but his heart fluttered for a fleeting moment at how much Colin cared about him. "Idiot," he muttered fondly under his breath. He stopped himself from giving Colin a matching look, but knew he would probably falter during the process, so kept his eyes trained hard on the floor in front of him. However, he was forced to stop when Colin took a faster step and stood in front of him, effectively drawing Bradley to a halt. Blinking with surprise, he looked up and was unable to avoid Colin's stare. Bradley stuffed his hands into his robe pockets as he listened to Colin's concern, growing unrest niggling in his veins, his joints.

Bradley's initial thought was to pretend, again, that everything was fine, and that Colin was reading too much into him. To an extent, Colin would believe him; Bradley rarely lied to Colin, he certainly didn't make a habit of it. Their friendship was built on trust, after all. However, Colin was also extremely - most, in fact, besides Katie - adept at reading Bradley, so there seemed little point in lying when one day, he would definitely find out. If Colin wanted to get something out of Bradley, he would; only he and Katie had that kind of power.

"Colin..." Bradley began, a flash of pain flooding his face. He bit his lip, nervous and scared and confused all at once. "I don't know, Col," he muttered with frustration, running his hand through his hair as he closed his eyes. After a short silence, where Colin waited for Bradley's answer patiently, Bradley looked at Colin again, eye contact made but nerves evident. "Promise me you won't freak out," he babbled, fast and rushed. He looked around wildly, afraid that students or professors would walk by. The corridor was empty, but Bradley was still worried.

Without any warning, he pushed Colin against a corner of the wall with a hand on Colin's chest, using as little force as possible. Bradley pressed him up against the stone, with only his arm separating the little distance between them, their faces centimetres from each other. "I'm sorry," he breathed shakily, eyes searching Colin's frantically, "but I need to know... I need to know if I'm imagining it, or if I'm going crazy." He gave Colin no time to reply, and suddenly Bradley's lips were on Colin's, gentle and chaste and barely brushing - but a kiss nonetheless, a kiss.

It lasted seconds, but felt like millennia. A burst of feeling erupted in Bradley's chest, rushing through his body, through every vein and into every limb and nook and cranny. Suddenly, his feelings became crystal clear, and it hurt - it hurt, to acknowledge the truth. Bradley could barely breathe as he drew away, eyes still connected to Colin's, which mirrored his - wide and disbelieving, and shocked into stunned silence. "Oh [expletive]," Bradley swore in a whisper, fingers tightening in the material of Colin's clothes on his torso. Before Colin could respond, he ripped himself away and ran down the corridor, never once looking back. Because Bradley knew, then - whether or not he would ever accept it because of his father, because of his reputation, because he didn't believe he was gay - he wanted Colin Morgensen.

[Colin Morgensen G7]

Colin initially thought that he just wasn’t going to receive an answer. Bradley spent so long just staring at him, as if he was hoping that Colin would drop the subject and move out of the way so that they could carry on to the Common Room. He nearly did exactly that. Part of him thought that maybe he would be better off not knowing, if it was tormenting Bradley this much. Bradley had experience with torment, Colin reasoned; he did, after all, live with Arthur Jameson and that was torture enough for anyone to live through. He couldn’t do that though. Bradley was his best friend so Colin would help him in any way he could. He owed him for, however temporarily, choosing Michelle over him.

Oh Merlin. Honest fear filled him as Colin stared at his best friend. He couldn’t recall ever seeing Bradley look so frustrated, so flustered, so nervous, so much of so many emotions that Colin couldn’t identify them all. It didn’t signify anything good, Colin knew that much. “...Freak out?” Colin’s expression was clearly bewildered but he nodded nevertheless. Whatever Bradley was hiding, he would support it as much as he could. Because that’s what best friends did. They just...did. “Yeah, fine. I promise. Just tell me, alright? Even if we have to bury a body or two, I won’t freak out. Much.”

If he hadn’t made that promise then Colin would have protested, a lot and loudly, about being propelled backwards until his back hit the wall. As it was, since he had promised, he stepped back helpfully until he felt the barrier press against his flesh then lifted an eyebrow questioningly. Well? Time to share all, mate. Waited long enough already. Had he known what Bradley was about to do, Colin might not have chosen that particular phrasing for his thoughts. It didn’t really matter though, since reasonable thought (except bewilderment, which Colin felt was quite reasonable considering the circumstances) disappeared as Bradley’s face suddenly came too close to be platonic. If Colin had doubted that, the kiss that followed definitely wasn’t something that friends did. Nor was it quite what couples did, so Colin was immeasurably confused as he watched Bradley pull away and then run from him.

For the second time in only a few days, Colin didn’t chase after his best friend but instead blinked slowly and then walked in the opposite direction. Well, that was...different. Perhaps Bradley was just trying to be European? It was entirely possible that he had just gotten the custom wrong. It could happen to anyone. Anyway, he clearly hadn’t taken well to the idea since Bradley had literally ran off in disgust so Colin highly doubted that he had to worry about being pushed against a wall and kissed again. The next time they saw each other, Bradley would doubtlessly laugh it off and Colin would feel like an idiot for dwelling on the kiss. Oh Merlin, Bradley had kissed him and what the hell was that supposed to mean? Unless it was just some pureblood thing about nearly losing a best friend that Colin couldn’t understand? That was entirely possible, considering the numerous odd things he had observed Bradley and Katie doing over the years. Maybe he should ask Uncle Richard? He would definitely know.