You Can't Argue With Everyone ((Bradley))

[Colin Morgensen G7]

Featuring Michelle, Angel, Santiago and Katie.

The past few days had been hard for Colin. Avoiding Bradley Jameson had once been the easiest thing in the world. It had been an effortless endeavour, but not any longer. They shared a dorm and friends, for Merlin’s sake; they practically shared a single life. Ignoring something like that wasn’t straightforward. Instead of their usual routine of Colin shaking Bradley awake (or pushing him out of bed, as the case might be), he had been reminding Santiago not to let him sleep in and then leaving long before Bradley would wake up. Michelle had taken to waiting outside the Gryffindor Common Room entrance in the mornings, her smile soft and understanding as she curled into his left side almost automatically. Every time that Colin thought about talking things through with his best friend, Michelle’s hopeful smile and innocent questions about whether or not Bradley had apologised for yelling at them for no reason yet popped into his mind and hardened his resolve. As long as the answer to her question was ‘no’, Colin didn’t think he could face talking to Bradley while knowing that his new friend, the girl he had a crush on, was so affected by what his best friend had said about her.

The oddest part about it was probably that he was now sitting next to Katie in every lesson they shared. The one time he had tried passing a secret note to her, she had waited for the professor to turn away before setting it on fire with a pointed flick of her wand. The Ravenclaw might have a soft spot for him but it seemed that no one would ever be able to distract her when Katie was determined to focus. She was no replacement for Bradley, Colin had concluded dismally. There was no fun without Bradley by his side. That was why they were here now, Michelle and Colin both together outside the Student Lounge. He needed proof that Bradley had just been overly suspicious and wound up that day. There was nothing wrong with Colin and Michelle being friends, and once Katie, Santiago and Angel proved that Michelle wasn’t the evil enchantress that Bradley apparently saw her as, Colin would be able to ask her out on a date without having second thoughts. He liked her, no matter what Bradley said. Colin had been able to see that Holliday and Georgia weren’t exactly the sanest occupants of Hogwarts so he would be able to recognise the same qualities in Michelle, but he didn’t so clearly there was nothing wrong with her. He would get his proof, confront Bradley with it and wait for him to apologise for being such a prat. Then their friendship would continue as it always had and life would go back to normal except that Colin would hopefully have a girlfriend if Michelle agreed to date him.

“I hope they like me. Bradley seemed to really hate me,” Michelle confided quietly, eyes turned up towards him as if pleading for him to reassure her. Colin barely refrained from huffing an impatient sigh, cursing Bradley silently. The girl wasn’t so tentative and shy when it was just the two of them; the only possible reason for this sudden bout of hesitation could be Bradley’s reaction to her and the fear that his other friends would react in a similar way.

“You’ll be just fine. They’ll love you. And I think Bradley has detention so there’s nothing to worry about. Just be yourself.” With those sparse words of reassurance, Colin pushed open the door and stepped through, amused as he glanced down and saw that he and Michelle were walking precisely in sync with each other. Mum would probably say that it was a sign, he mused idly, just as she had when he and Bradley had... Colin cut himself out abruptly, pulling Michelle over to Angel and Santiago with a broad smile. “Katie not here yet?”

Both his fellow Gryffindors studied the two of them for a short moment before Santiago reminded Colin that Katie wouldn’t be joining them for a while, pointedly adding that she had told him that before. How surprising. Colin would have expected Angel to be doing the talking; she was a bit more talkative than her boyfriend. Bradley had clearly spread his suspicions through the rest of the group of friends, Colin thought guardedly. Santiago’s blithe smile did nothing to prove or disprove his reservations though so he held his tongue. The last thing any of them needed was for a deeper rift to develop between the two who were generally most connected.

“This is Michelle,” he introduced cheerfully, taking his usual seat on the right side of the couch before rethinking and shifting over to the middle so that Michelle could take his typical spot. It felt wrong for her to be sitting in Bradley’s place so they would just have to make room for her despite the fact that Colin had always hated sitting in the middle of two people. “Michelle, these are Santiago and Angel, two of my best friends.” Maybe it was the small hint of begging in his smile directed at the two of them as Michelle arranged herself to sit in a way Colin could only describe as needlessly ladylike considering the company she was in. None of them were really bothered about propriety; he, Angel and Santiago were the poor relations of the group, as Colin had often remarked wryly whenever Bradley thought up one of his absurdly expensive excursions for them all to go on. Maybe it was just Michelle herself as she relaxed and regained her confidence. Either way, it didn’t take long for the conversation to flow smoothly, with Michelle regularly chipping in confidently and Angel, at least to Colin’s eyes, looking delighted by the new female addition to their ranks.

Unfortunately, the chatter trailed to an awkward halt after maybe an hour when Angel’s eyes slowly raised to a spot above Colin’s head. He didn’t really need to look to see who it was but he did anyway, twisting his body around and dislodging Michelle from her comfortably sprawled position against his chest. She had settled there only a few minutes before so he, inwardly content with their progress, was loathe to move her but she soon shuffled to another relaxed pose to accommodate his movement. “Bradley,” Colin greeted neutrally. “Katie. Joining us?” Going to be nice? was the question that Colin’s eyes posed as he locked gazes with his best friend.

[Bradley Jameson]

"Bradley Arthur Jameson, stop looking so miserably sorry for yourself. You're a pathetic fool."

Bradley didn't need to glance up to know Katie was looming over him, stern stare and exasperated expression marring her beautiful features. He gave a short-tempered sigh. "Leave me alone please, Katie. I don't want to talk about it."

"Tough," Katie retorted uncaringly, taking the unoffered seat next to Bradley and ploughing on regardless of the irritated face Bradley didn't make an effort to hide and the unfinished homework spread on the desk. "It's been days and you're still not talking, to me or to Colin. Don't you think this is going too far? I never thought you two would fall out over a girl."

"It's not that straightforward," Bradley growled, unable to ignore Katie's ploys to make him open up.

"Enlighten me then," Katie demanded, eyes flashing with the stubbornness both she and Bradley shared. "Talk to me, Bradley."

So Bradley sighed, gave up, and told her. He told Katie about Michelle O'Riley - who she was, why she hated him, what he knew she was planning. He told Katie about Colin - how he didn't believe him, and how this hurt more than anything, because they were best mates. He told Katie about the anger he couldn't control, the utter frustration of watching Colin slip away from his fingers, wound tight around the noose of a girl who he was sure was plotting his very own demise.

"And I swear I'm not being paranoid," Bradley added fervently when he was finished. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but you've got to trust me. The girl's insane; she hates Father and she'd do anything to get revenge for what he did to her family. I'm not saying this just because she's a Slytherin; she's hardly even acting like a Slytherin, simpering around Colin all the time. She's got him right where she wants him." Bradley scowled darkly; it was the first time he'd seen Colin so infatuated with anyone since Laura. "I just don't know how to make him believe me," he finished with a look of despair and frustration.

Katie watched her cousin for a moment, eyes calculating. Finally, she said, "I believe you, Bradley. But your theory sounds ridiculously far-fetched, even you must realise that. I've known you all my life; I know you wouldn't make this up, even if you were jealous. Which you are." She gave Bradley a pointed look and continued before he could protest. "You're letting your jealousy over Colin get in the way; it's making you angry and frustrated, and then you start yelling at him because he's too good to see the bad, and that's why your relationship's falling apart. You need to calm down, Bradley. Whether or not you like it, Colin's chosen to be friends with this girl, and you'll just have to try and convince him without screaming him down all the time and then storming off like a child in mid-tantrum." Katie shot Bradley a withering glare, which caused him to avert his eyes guiltily. "No one's going to believe you if you act like that."

Bradley looked downcast rather than annoyed all of a sudden, running a hand through his hair and tufting it into little upward spikes. "But what if he still doesn't listen to me?" he asked in a quiet voice. "What then?"

Katie stared long and hard at Bradley. "Then there's nothing you can do. Colin's not a child, Bradley; he's almost a man, an adult, and he makes his own decisions. You can't tell him what to do, or who to like; that's his choice, and you have to man-up and accept that." The cousins sat in silence for a moment, contemplative and thoughtful, until Katie grabbed Bradley's arm and pulled him up with her. "Now c'mon. I'm meeting Angel and Santiago in the Student Lounge. You're coming with."

For the first time, Bradley went without complaint, packing his things up and following Katie obediently. Once they were out of the Library and walking side by side down the corridor in amiable silence, Bradley mumbled, "Thanks. For... you know." Katie merely glanced at her cousin out of the corner of her eye and smiled.

The peace was not to last, though. The moment Bradley and Katie entered the Student Lounge, Bradley ground to a halt, catching sight of matching dark hair sitting opposite Angel and Santiago. "Oh hell no," he muttered under his breath, loud enough for Katie to hear. "I can't believe him. He brought her here!" Before Bradley could continue his rant and storm out of the room, though, Katie's arm resting gently on his made him look at her, and he saw the soothing calm in her eyes, the silent instructions of Pull yourself together. Gritting his teeth, Bradley followed Katie towards their friends.

Colin turned to look at them - at him - and Bradley found it hard not to unleash his tongue, to give Colin another long-winded, angry speech about how he was more important than Michelle O'Riley, about how she was a fraud, about everything that had been bothering him the last few days. Instead, Bradley held Colin's stare firmly, as if to say he had not changed his mind and he wasn't going to. His face remained as neutral as possible, though, as Katie answered in his stead too. Automatically, he took a seat next to her, feeling the stiffness in his joints as he bent his knees. Bradley was so used to sharing a couch with Colin, but now there was someone to replace him - a pretty, younger Slytherin, curled into Colin's arms like an innocent baby deer. It made Bradley sick, just watching her, so he decided to avoid her stares altogether and pretend she didn't exist.

Over the next few minutes, though, as conversation settled over the group, Bradley could not help but brood darkly in his own mind, so much so that he tuned everyone else out. He couldn't help but notice the intimate touches between Colin and Michelle, as though they were already best of friends - as though they were dating. He hated the smiles Colin bestowed upon her - smiles only reserved for him, goddammit. Bradley hated watching them, hated the fact he hated it, not only because he was suspicious of Michelle, but because he hated seeing Colin set Bradley aside, into second place, for a woman. Bradley was, as Katie had correctly said, jealous. He had always been Colin's number one priority - no girl, besides perhaps Laura, who didn't count because Bradley had still been 'top dog' in Colin's book, had ever usurped him, and right now, Bradley felt extremely threatened. He wondered if, after only a few days, Colin had already asked Michelle out. The thought made him feel ill to the core.

"I"m sorry," Bradley suddenly burst out, standing up abruptly with a pained expression on his face. "I can't be here. Excuse me." Without another word, he made to leave the Student Lounge, clumsily clambering his way through chairs, desks and students to get out, out of the claustrophobic atmosphere, away from the constant anger and fear, away from Colin. I'm losing him, I'm losing him, his mind taunted. I'm losing him and I love him too much and damn it, it hurts.

[Colin Morgensen G7]

The look of clear antagonism on Bradley’s face made Colin grimace faintly. It wouldn’t be obvious to the others, not as much as it was to him anyway, but Colin had always known Bradley best. Only Katie knew him better, and that was only because they had grown up together. Apparently he hadn’t had a detention after all. Even just a few days of being away from his best friend made Colin feel like he no longer had an idea what was going on in his life. It was a terribly lonely feeling to experience after nearly seven years of being as close as they were. There was a slight scowl being directed at him from Michelle but it disappeared so quickly that Colin had to wonder if he had simply imagined it. Surely he had. There was no way that Michelle – sweet, shy Michelle – could return Bradley’s hatred. Because if she did then that meant that Colin has misjudged the entire situation, that he had mistaken her craft for sincerity. Katie, however, looked more neutral and so Colin gladly turned his attention to her. Ignoring how awkward it made the conversation, Colin bypassed his best friend and the girl leaning against him completely, keeping entirely out of the conversation unless there was a remark directed unmistakably at him. He needed time to think, and he couldn’t do that here.

Colin wasn’t entirely sure if it was a good sign that Bradley didn’t kick up a fuss about sitting next to Michelle or not. Possibly the worst time to be around Bradley was when he wasn’t speaking. If he wasn’t speaking then he was thinking and there was never a more dangerous state for Bradley Jameson to be in, as all of them (except Michelle, Colin had to add as an afterthought when he bewilderedly recalled that it wasn’t just the five of them anymore) could attest to. Michelle dragged him from his thoughts when she obligingly shifted to sit practically in Colin’s lap to provide more space for Bradley on the couch. Her pointed gaze remained on him for a few moments as if waiting for a few words of thanks before she huffed a nearly silent wordless protest. Whether a subtle signal for Colin to reprimand him for being bad-mannered or simply a side effect of her moving about, Michelle’s elbow dug into his side for a few uncomfortable seconds. With his attention so focused on Bradley, she didn’t receive an answer.

“You’re quiet. Is everything okay?” Michelle’s loud whisper reached his ears and Colin bowed his head to shoot her a reassuring smile, telling her without words that nothing was wrong. Nothing that she could help him with anyway. Michelle inspired more feeling in him than Laura had, but Laura had never caused a rift between him and Bradley. Laura had been a sort of first crush, his first girlfriend, his excursion into the world of dating before his return to the waiting friendship that Bradley always represented for him. There had never been this separation between them or these awkward pauses and sideways glances. To put it simply, Colin hated the entire situation. There was clearly a decision that needed to be made: would he choose Bradley or Michelle? As the girl in question snuggled further into his body, black hair tickling his nose and working its way into his mouth until Colin couldn’t help but to pull a disgusted face (though the urge to stick his tongue out at Santiago for his laughing grin at Colin’s predicament after all the times he had innocently asked whether Angel’s hair tasted nice was also overwhelming), he pondered that question even though he already knew the answer, had known it from the second the problem had arisen.

“Bradley!” The call escaped his mouth without Colin even really noticing; he was up on his feet, out of his chair and chasing after his best friend before any conscious thought entered his mind. He didn’t look behind him to see Michelle clamber up from the floor where she had fallen since she had been leaning on him so heavily when he had taken chase, an ungracious scowl pinching her pretty features. Neither did he see Santiago’s sharp glance or his dark brown eyes tracking Colin’s movements, only seconds behind Bradley in the pursuit. All he knew was that Bradley needed him; all he saw was the expression of pure pain that had dominated Bradley’s expression as he fled the Student Lounge.

“Hey!” Putting on an extra burst of speed, using his long legs to full advantage in a way that made his chest hurt with the breaths being ripped from him, Colin caught up enough to grab Bradley’s elbow and tug at him insistently. He wasn’t really used to physical exertion so it was really just as well that Bradley hadn’t gotten far in the few seconds between him leaving and Colin sprinting after him. “What’s wrong? I thought you were trying, that you were getting over this hostility towards her.” There wasn’t a choice to be made, not really. In the end, what it all came down to was that Bradley was Colin’s best friend. Life wasn’t fun or enjoyable without him. Michelle was just a girl. A very pretty girl, admittedly, but just a girl all the same. He would never choose a girl over Bradley. “If you hate her that much then I won’t ask her out. But I want an explanation, Bradley. I deserve that much at least. Are you jealous of me, because she likes me?”

[Bradley Jameson]

Bradley hadn't expected Colin to run after him, which was perhaps why he failed to even register the call of his name as he left the Student Lounge, walking rapidly down the corridor in the direction of his dormitory. His thoughts were too focused on revisiting the image of Colin with Michelle, Michelle with Colin, and his stomach clenched painfully, bitterly, with regret and resentment. Colin's voice finally penetrated his cloud of inner turmoil when he felt a tug at his elbow, causing him to grind to a halt. He turned around and was surprised to find Colin, panting and regarding him with evident bewilderedness. "Colin," was all Bradley managed to say, in a voice heavy and stilted. He couldn't feel his throat, it was too constricted for freedom.

"I'm fine." Bradley waved Colin's concern away with a short answer, avoiding making eye contact. "I never will get over it, Colin. You just don't get it," he muttered darkly, pressing his brows together as he grimaced. Colin was not going to understand how Bradley felt, and it made Bradley want to break everything in sight. "I don't hate her," he protested, shaking his head. "She hates me, so of course I'm not going to be that fond of her," he spat bitterly. "She might pretend to like me, or make it seem like I'm the one victimising her in front of you, but she's the one with a vendetta, not me."

Bradley's heart soared with the possibility of Colin and Michelle not dating - was happy simply to know they weren't dating already. "So you're not together yet?" he asked straight away, manoeuvring his gaze back at Colin and staring. But then, Bradley's conscious - also known as Katie - kicked in, and he deflated visibly. "I can't tell you who to date, Colin," he said listlessly, "you're an adult and you make your own decisions." Still, Bradley was flattered - over the bloody moon - that he continued to be Colin's number one priority. Bradley was more important than Michelle to Colin, and that was all that mattered. "But she's a right bitch, Col. You've got to believe me. I'm not just kicking up a fuss about nothing."

Bradley's eyes widened at Colin's question, and he almost laughed at the sheer ridiculous hilarity of it. Instead, he snorted with evident derision, turning away from Colin and pacing up and down the deserted corridor. "I'm not jealous of you, Colin. Don't be an idiot." Despite the malice in his voice, Bradley had his back turned away from his best friend, unable to look him in the eye. "I don't care if she likes you. That only annoys me because I know she's out to get me, but I've told you for years - all girls like you. You've always thought I'm the ladies' man, but I'm crap with women. Look at Katie and Angel; and Holliday and Georgia. My own cousin can barely stand me. You're the one with the dorky charm, and they come flooding to you, and you never notice."

Bradley laughed out loud at last, bitter irony on his tongue. "I'm not jealous of that, though," he said a little quieter. "I couldn't care less about the girls who fawn over you. I get enough attention as it is until I open my mouth." A half amused smirk rested on Bradley's lips, and he finally caught Colin's eye again, shame and fear lingering in them. "Look, Col, I..." He trailed off, the words caught in his throat. Blonde hair fell over his eyes as he looked away again. "I should tell you the story about Michelle first, though, right?" Bradley took a shallow breath. "I never knew her before I came to Hogwarts. She wasn't even here when we were in our first year so I didn't meet her till our second year. And in the first week she'd cornered me and swore that she'd get revenge for her family."

Bradley's eyes pinched in sadness as he paused, staring hard at the floor. "Turns out, a few years ago, Father had caused the O'Rileys to become bankrupt. Ruined the whole family. They used to be just like the Jamesons, but Father... ruined it all. I don't know the exact details; Father beat me when I asked. I didn't ask again." Bradley's eyelids fluttered shut in memory. "I felt sorry for her, you know," he continued, referring to Michelle and knowing Colin would understand who he meant, "and I wanted to help her. I felt guilty on Father's behalf. Father didn't care, but I did. But she... she just hated me. She never spoke to me again, but when I tried to even so much as share air space with her, she'd tell me to go away. We've avoided each other since." Bradley sighed. "I'm not my father, and I can't undo what he did. I wish I could, but I can't. She doesn't get that, and she's hated me always. She might not act like she does, but she would love nothing more than to see me drop dead. Which is why I went nuts when I saw you with her. I just knew it wasn't a coincidence. And her innocent-little-girl act just proves that."

Bradley buried his hair into his hands, holding his head up with the tiniest energy left in his drained composure. "I'm sorry," he finally admitted after a long silence. Bradley didn't apologise often, but he was doing it now, because Colin was worth it. "I know I acted out of order, but I assumed the worse. I still do. You should be able to make up your own mind, Colin, and..." Another heavy sigh left his lips. "I don't know. I guess I just care too much. I was jealous, but not of you... I was jealous of her. I hate seeing you two together. I don't know, I just do." Bradley made a frustrated noise; he couldn't look at Colin, didn't want to see his reaction. "I think I..." Love you. Bradley couldn't ignore it anymore; the desire to wrap Colin up in his arms, to press his lips to his hair, to make him his own - his, his, his. Goddammit, Bradley didn't just love Colin, as he'd always known he did - he was in love with Colin. It had always been Colin, only Colin, and Bradley was a fool who had never been able to accept it; and maybe never would.

[Colin Morgensen G7]

Colin was now more determined than ever that this would be the end. This situation couldn’t carry on forever. Something had to give, and he was unwavering in his decision that it would be whatever secrets about Michelle Bradley was hiding from him. So he simply watched his best friend with a silent, alert gaze that missed nothing. Being pulled in two different directions by his best friend and almost-girlfriend evidently wasn’t working out for them. Conflict wasn’t good for Colin unless it was the playful arguments he always had with Bradley. “Don’t look so surprised,” Colin laughed weakly through hurried breaths. “As if I wouldn’t come after you. I do worry about you, you know, Jameson.”

“Of course she doesn’t hate you,” Colin snapped reflexively. “She barely knows you, for Merlin’s sake! Why would she hate you except for the fact that you’ve been so rude to her?” Something wasn’t right about this though. Bradley had changed from the bullying prat of first year; Colin had watched him mature and given him a few forceful shoves in the right direction along the way. It didn’t make sense for him to suddenly revert to that prattish behaviour. There had to be something that Colin hadn’t noticed, because he really didn’t want to believe that his friend really was still the prat he had been all those years ago. “So explain,” he pressed firmly. “Tell me what history you two have together. Make me understand.”

Colin nearly laughed. Same old Bradley. It was good to know that nothing much had changed during his temporary absence from his best friend’s life. “No, we’re not together,” he indulged his friend with the patient answer. The omitted ‘yet’ from his own response didn’t go unnoticed by Colin. He hadn’t meant to imply that he wouldn’t be dating Michelle ever but he knew that their future wouldn’t unfold any other way. Regardless of what Bradley said about not being able to tell him who to date, they both knew that Colin could never date anyone who had the capacity to destroy his friendship with Bradley. No one could ever compete with Bradley. They had too much history together. It wasn’t so easy to ruin them. “I believe you. You’re not like that anymore and it was wrong for me to accuse you of that. I’m sorry.”

Apparently he had been wrong in that conclusion, Colin considered wryly, if Bradley’s reaction was anything to judge by. “You’re contradicting yourself,” he pointed out light-heartedly, no longer angry now that he had decided to settle down and hear Bradley out. He never could hold on to any irritation directed at Bradley, try though he might. “If she’s only using me to get to you then she can’t really like me.” A hint of bitterness reached his smile. No matter what happened in Colin’s life, Bradley always overshadowed it somehow. He had honestly thought that maybe, just this once, Michelle would be the exception to that since she hadn’t seemed impressed by Bradley in the slightest. Colin didn’t think it was unreasonable for him to feel just the tiniest bit sullen to discover that the first girl he had really liked since Laura was only interested in him because of his connection to Bradley. “Katie loves you,” he contested with pure contentment as he started to feel the pieces of their friendship slip back into their rightful places, knowing the truth of his own words even better than Bradley did, “she’s just like the rest of us; she finds you tolerable until you open that big mouth of yours.”

In that moment, Colin hated Arthur Jameson more than he had ever thought possible. The man had ruined a family, had stripped a young girl and her family of the wealth they didn’t know how to live without and corrupted the girl’s innocence long before it should have happened. Not being rich was different for him; Colin had never known what it was like to be surrounded by wealth, unless being surrounded by Bradley and Katie counted. No wonder Michelle had been so bitter about not being able to afford school supplies without her family making some sacrifices. Not only that, so much more than how it had affected Michelle, was the effect that the event had clearly had on Bradley. Colin only had to look at him to see it. Just how blind was Arthur Jameson regarding his only son? “He beat you?” His voice was almost a snarl, ripped from him indignantly at Bradley’s confession. His mind was made up at that point: Arthur Jameson didn’t deserve to live, and if Colin happened to be there when that righteous end came then there would be not even a shred of sympathy or good feeling for the man. “Do you want to confront her?” Colin’s voice wasn’t quite as calm as he wanted it to be, still holding some of that lingering fury directed at Bradley’s father, but he observed Bradley patiently. His best friend was deserving of the chance to rip into Michelle for attempting to use Colin against him. He would not deny Bradley that much. No one came into their lives with the intention of ruining their friendship. That she had succeeded to some extent only made the matter worse. The thought that he could have actually lost Bradley’s friendship over her meant that there would be no forgiveness for Michelle. Almost anything else he would have forgiven her for, but not that.

“Don’t worry about it.” Colin shrugged off Bradley’s apology hastily. It was rare for Bradley to admit that he felt regret about anything but Colin wasn’t the type of person to dwell endlessly on an apology, especially when there was such a troubled expression on his best friend’s face. He hated seeing Bradley hurt, whether it was a Quidditch-related injury or something else but the worst was definitely when Colin was the one to put that hurt look in his eyes. That wasn’t the way their friendship should be.

What? Bradley was jealous not of Colin but Michelle?...No! For the first time, Colin vehemently cursed the closeness that made him on the same wavelength as Bradley almost all of the time. If Bradley meant what Colin thought he did then everything would change and awkwardness would ensue but that wouldn’t be a problem because surely, oh Merlin please, Bradley didn’t actually mean what Colin thought he did. He was just being an idiot, just misinterpreting everything and Bradley would laugh and cuff him if he ever learnt of what thoughts were running wildly through Colin’s head at the moment. “Bradley?” It almost seemed impossible that a single word of just two syllables should carry so much meaning; shock, disbelief, confusion but most of all a plea for clarification, for confirmation or denial...anything, because Colin couldn’t live with not knowing, with second-guessing every action that his best friend made towards him.

[Bradley Jameson]

Bradley shot Colin a pointed look. "That's exactly why I was trying to get you away from her. I can't tell if she's using you cold-heartedly or if she genuinely has... you know. Feelings." Bradley's mind ran numb at the simple thought of it. "Most girls like you; why shouldn't she? I wouldn't be surprised if she did like you whether or not she's using you to get to me." Bradley heaved a heavy sigh, sick of thinking about Michelle, sick of talking about it to Colin, sick of remembering the past. "Yeah," Bradley murmured almost silently, when Colin said Katie loved him. "She does." And I love her.

"Yes," Bradley said with conviction, before deflating somewhat. "No. I don't know. I want to; but I'm not sure I could control myself. I've lost it so many times the last few days just because of her and if I'm on my own with her..." Bradley shook his head. "I don't want to hurt her. I just want her to back off. I don't want her in my group of friends because, yeah, I'm selfish, they're mine." You're mine, he wanted to add fiercely. "But even if I confront her, she could just fake innocence like she's done for the past week, and then I'd be even more pissed."

Silence fell over them, and Bradley was suddenly hyper-aware of Colin; Colin's presence, his smell, his proximity, his voice. He wanted to reach out and touch, take, but his mind raced with the implications. Gay. Bradley froze. I'm not gay, he snarled ferociously inside. I like women. A lot. Colin's my best mate. My best mate, damn it. I love him like a best mate, I can't think of him as anything else. Because I'm not gay. I'm not. The sheer thought of being gay frightened Bradley into shocked silence. He couldn't be; his father would never forgive him, would disown him straight away, if he said he couldn't produce blood heirs to continue the family line. The whole wizarding world wouldn't respect him, he would never be the same again. Bradley could not accept this. This is a phase. A ridiculous notion 'cause I'm tired. It'll pass, he told himself firmly.

"Nothing, Col," Bradley found himself forcing out through gritted teeth and turning away. "Hey, sorry, I'm really tired. I really do want to go to bed. Um. I'll see you later, okay? Just... I'm sorry. I'll think about what to do with Michelle later." Avoiding eye contact, Bradley left Colin standing in the corridor, back turned and heart ramming painfully against his chest.

[Colin Morgensen G7]

He rather hated that thought, that Michelle was only using him to get to Bradley. Oddly, Colin despised the situation even more when he considered that she might actually hold genuine affection for him but plan to use him anyway. As he had shouted at Bradley earlier, sane people didn’t do things like that. “I don’t want her to like me,” Colin confessed painfully. “Not if she’s using me to hurt you. If she’s doing that then it would be better if she didn’t feel anything for me at all. Because real affection doesn’t work like that; you don’t deliberately hurt someone you like, and you especially don’t hurt his best friend.”

This was the Bradley that Colin had come to know and love over the past seven years. His best friend didn’t hurt girls. He didn’t hurt anyone. In that moment, everything seemed to snap back to the way it ought to be. Bradley was acting like Bradley again. “You wouldn’t be confronting her by yourself,” he snorted derisively, eyes holding more fondness than they really should as he glanced at his friend. “I deserve a chance to ask her what the hell she thinks she’s doing. No one messes with us, Bradley. Using me is fine, but not for that reason. Maybe if she was trying to make a boy jealous or something then yeah, I’d let it continue for a while.” It seemed odd to contemplate that only a little while ago, Colin had been firm in his belief that Bradley was just being irrational and petty. What a difference a little extra information, and the reassurance that his best friend wasn’t keeping secrets, could make.

The short seconds between Colin asking and Bradley answering seemed to drag on infinitesimally. His heart beat quicker in a panicked rhythm but he never seemed to draw breath as Colin waited for his best friend’s response. Of course. Colin relaxed imperceptibly. Bradley was just tired. The last few days had been hard on both of them. That explained everything; it really did. This was all Michelle’s fault. All the blame could be assigned to the Slytherin girl, and to Colin himself. He should have trusted in Bradley instead of being blinded by girlish smiles and soft touches that distracted him from the truth. There was a simple explanation for all of this: Michelle had messed both of them up with her craftiness and her lies and her fake feelings for him, so much so that Colin was seeing secrets and shadows even where the light shone brightest.

“Goodnight then,” Colin called dazedly, shaking his head and wandering slowly in the opposite direction after even the flickering shadows that Bradley cast had disappeared from sight. He didn’t think of returning to the Student Lounge, to Michelle and Santiago, Katie and Angel. The idea never even crossed his mind. His friends would explain to Michelle (probably with a patronising smile from Katie, who had most likely grown thoroughly sick and tired of Colin sitting next to her during class) that Bradley would always come first for Colin and vice versa. Destroying their close bond would never be accomplished so easily, and particularly not by a girl who had only just entered their lives. If Angel, whom they had known for years, hadn’t been the cause of arguments between Bradley and Santiago then there was no chance that Michelle could truly harm them. It was laughable.