Blood [Pops] and Chocolate(Mafalda)

[britkneeboo]

She wasn't sure what she was sorry about still. It just seemed like the appropriate thing to say. Then, he kept talking. He started answering most of her questions, like he was reading her mind, and it made her uneasy feeling. Suddenly she felt like she shouldn't be there. She wanted to leave. The feeling of uncomfortableness had escalated to more than even Mafalda liked.

"Indigo," she whispered, knowing the name. She made a face - a not-good face. She knew who the girl was. Indigo was the Gryffindor girl who always seemed less than amused with Mafalda. They hadn't really been on bad or good terms at first, but Mafalda knew for a fact that the girl had said a thing or two about her mother and that was enough for Mafalda to want to keep her distance from the girl.

"Thats great Reg," she said, glancing from him to the exit. "Really, I'm glad that I could help fulfill your hormonal needs in-between girls. I'm sure you'll have a great time at the ball," she said, nodding and pushing slowly past him as she made her way toward the door. Now to the pub. "I should go," she said, as she pushed passed. That was the first time she realized how tiny and cramped the aisles in Honeydukes were.

[brett]

The smile faded from Reg's face for the first time since he had seen her. He couldn't quite explain, but he didn't want Mafalda to go. Maybe he just didn't want to be alone. Actually he knew he didn't want to be alone, but maybe there was something else to. Regardless of what it was he couldn't let her walk out, at least not without him. "Mafalda wait," Regulus called.

Okay, good start, but now what? Regulus Black had really chosen a poor time to be at a loss for words. "I, uh, I didn't mean to uh...where are you headed?" Regulus asked deciding to switch subjects mid sentence. He wasn't sure what he had been trying to say originally. Most likely he was trying to apologize, unfortunately he'd never learned to say the words I'm sorry. He looked at Mafalda his eyes pleading that she not leave him alone.

Mafalda was the first and only girl to 'fulfill his hormonal needs' and even though it had been a drunken accident it meant something to Reg. Part of him wondered why after that night that had tried getting along more...probably because they were both so freaked out by what had happened they weren't even sure what to do. Then eventually it just became easier to laugh and make jokes about it then ever actually talk.

[britkneeboo]

Mafalda had only made it as far as the door, when she heard her name being called. Her had was on the knob, but she wasn't opening it. She debated between ignoring him and walking out anyway, or actually listening to him. Obviously her legs had choosen for her, because they stood rooted to the spot, unable to move. What could he possibly want now? She thought, but she let her hand fall off the door-knob and turned around.

Obviously he didn't want anything, because he seemed to have a hard time forming any words. After looking at him for a moment he finally managed to compose a sentence. "Umm well I was planning on having a drink at The Three Broomsticks actually," she said, sort of half-smiling to herself. "You would think I would have learned my lesson by now, huh?"

Mafalda waited for him to say something, still unsure of why he had stopped her. He had obviously accomplished his goal of making her feel utterly ridiculous and flustered. Had he not wanted to send her off with nothing to say? That was what she thought. If so, why were they both still standing there then?

[brett]

Oh this was gonna sound stupid. "Let me come with you," Regulus said offering it as a suggestion more than a demand. He still hadn't wanted to use a question, it would have been to easy to say no if he just asked if he could. Of course this initial offering probably wasn't going to sound to enticing. "I could protect you from creepy drunken guys," he smiled. That was not helping.

"...I just don't wanna be alone," Regulus confessed finally. It was tough think for him to admit, but he had become so accustom to being around people over the past few weeks that the thought of just going back to his dorm and laying in his bed bothered him immensely. That and there was still the feeling that he cared, somewhat, about Mafalda, but there was no way he was going to admit that. His eyes continued to plead, and say what his voice couldn't.

Surely Mafalda couldn't deny such a modest request, even coming from Reg. She could probably use the protection too, not just from creepy guys like the one he had saved her from last time, but the guys like him as well. Why Regulus Black all of a sudden felt charitable he wasn't exactly sure, but he knew that this had all started with Indigo. Love did funny things to a person.

[britkneeboo]

Well that was definitely not what Mafalda was expecting. She had no idea why Regulus would want to accompany her anywhere that evening, especially to The Three Broomsticks, but he didn't seem like he wanted to cause any trouble. She looked down at her feet while she thought of a way to say no, without sounding like he had actually gotten to her.

As soon as he spoke again, her decision changed though. She looked up to see his face, and knew there was no way she could turn him down now, even if he had been anything but inviting to her the whole time they were in the candy shop. Still, it was true that he could provide a certain degree of protection from other men harassing her. Mafalda hated it when that happened. She was a very modest girl, despite what one drunken night had made her do, and other than herself and her mother - Regulus was one of the few other people that even knew what she looked like under all those layers of clothes. Not even the other girls in her dorm saw her changing. Still...he might be able to protect her from disgusting old men, but there was one question still to be answered-

"And, who will protect me from you?" she asked, rather seriously, but when she realized how rude that might have sounded, she smiled to make it seem like a joke. She was actually quite sure that he wouldn't try anything on her again. They had both had a moment of weakness, and that didn't mean they couldn't ever go the the pub together again.

[brett]

"Old creepy drunk guys who think they stand a chance getting in pants," Regulus smiled taking a few steps toward Mafalda. They should really charge the cashiers for the little show they were putting on for them. Reg was sure they must be watching, and honestly he didn't blame them, they were working a late shift at a candy shop and it was a quiet night. The entertainment could serve to make up for the fact that neither one of them had bought anything.

"...young drunk guys who save you from the old drunk guys and offer to buy you drinks, and hope they stand a chance at getting in your pants," he added now standing only a few feet away from her. It was no secret who he was describing with this new addition. But this time would be different. Reg now had the advantage of not already being drunk, as well as the fact that he had a girlfriend now so there was no chance of a repeat performance.

"And I can still pay for your drinks...if you want," Regulus offered figuring this would be the least he could do. Of course considering last time maybe it was a stupid thing to offer. "I won't try anything and I won't have more than two drinks, sound fair?" Regulus asked once again his eyes pleading that she say yes. He thought his offer was more than fair and in actuality now that he knew where she was was going he could just follow her there and there would be really nothing she could do about it.

[britkneeboo]

For the first time since she had been at Honeydukes Mafalda actually laughed. It wasn't a fake laugh, sarcastic laugh, or the type of laugh that you used when trying to cover something up. It was a laugh because Regulus had said something that Mafalda found funny. At least he was trying to be nice. He had a weird way of showing this niceness, but Mafalda could tell what it was.

"Sounds like you may be on to something there Regulus," she said, nodding in agreement. "I suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world if I allowed you to accompany me tonight. And, if you slipped up and there was a repeat performance, well...you weren't exactly bad at it," she said, smirking as she turned back around and pushed the door open.

The lights in the back of the shop went out, and it was obvious that the shop was closing. It had only been completely dark outside for ten or fifteen minutes, but that appeared to be long enough for the employees to not want to be there. The lights going out was also a less-rude way to tell any customers in the store, including the two of them, that it was time to get out.

Mafalda exited the store, waiting for Regulus to follow her out into the street. She wrapped her sweater tighter around her, and tightened the ties around her waist. The air that night was ice-cold, and she wanted the walk to the pub to be as quick as possible, even if it was at the very end of the street, several blocks away.

[brett]

Regulus allowed the words Thank you to reflect in his eyes, but once again those were words he would never allow to leave his lips. A rather pleased smirk crossed his face at Mafalda's comment. It was comforting, if not completely unexpected to know how Mafalda felt about his 'abilities.' "Careful Mafalda, it almost sounded like you were paying me a compliment," he smiled. It was nice to be back into joking and smiling conversation rather than have the seriousness that had closed in on them just moments earlier.

Regulus followed Mafalda out of the shop into the darkness of the night. It was colder out than Regulus had thought. He zipped up his gray hooded sweatshirt a little more than halfway to help protect his torso from the unexpected chill. Walking along the streets listening to the sounds of their footsteps watching the long shadows cast a head of them by the street lights, Reg wondered if he should attempt conversation while they walked. He was a bit afraid of saying something stupid, but it also seemed silly to walk in silence seeing as they were a couple blocks away.

Regulus stuffed his hands in his sweatshirt pockets and made his decision. "Do you regret it?" He asked curiously. It was a bit more serious a question then he hoped, but the words had come out of his mouth before they could be stopped. They should really pick a new topic considering how the night had gone so far, but oddly enough Reg didn't want to. He had always wondered if she regarded it as a mistake, something she regretted constantly, but hopefully she didn't.

[britkneeboo]

As the door slammed shut after Regulus exited the shop, Mafalda let out a giggle again. "It's okay. I actually think I might have meant it as a compliment, as hard as that is to believe. Just don't get used to it," she said, stuffing her hands in her pockets just like he had done. Her hands were still chilled, and the brown fabric of her sweater did nothing to help warm them. She watched a smoke-like screen reach its peak and then dissolve as she breathed in and out.

It got sort of awkward again as they walked. Mafalda blamed it on the silence, but was glad that it wasn't as weird as it had been earlier. She looked over to the side and watched him for a minute, sensing that he was feeling the same way as she was. Only a moment more and he came up with something to say.

She could play dumb and ask him what he meant. Ask him if she regretted what?, but she knew exactly what he was asking. She thought it was a weird thing to ask, and found herself once again wondering why he cared so much about what she thought. He always struck her as the type to be big-headed. The type that thought they were good at everything and didn't care what other people said. She may have been wrong about him once again. "Sort of," she said, shrugging. "I mean, I don't regret it to a point- because I knew you and sex doesn't really mean a whole lot to me. It's just another way for people to get what they want, and if you get too attatched to somebody sexually they'll just use you and leave you hanging, so why bother letting them have the oppurtunity?" Mafalda was referring to her father leaving her mother after he got her pregnant, but knew that Regulus didn't know anything about that. "But, I partly regret it because I didn't mean anything by it and would hate for you to have thought I did."

[brett]

Regulus smiled, so complimenting him was an acceptable action now was it? Well like she said it was hard to believe and he certainly wasn't expecting it to happen again anytime soon. Still, that didn't mean he could bask in the glow of this moment. In fact the rarity of the event only added to the fact that he should enjoy it now, and he certainly was enjoying it.

Regulus ears perked at the response, and his eyes immediately looked to Mafalda assuming an explanation was to follow. 'Kind of' was not exactly what he'd hoped to hear, but if he had been thinking clearly it would have been what he would have expected. He listened as Mafalda explained and the first part made him wonder. They hadn't gotten close enough for him to 'leave her hanging' had they? Regulus didn't think so and if nothing else he was here now, but it seemed like Mafalda was speaking from some previous experience.

The last part really answered what Regulus had wanted to know. It hadn't meant anything to her. Regulus was both relieved and a bit dissappointed. He was glad she wasn't expecting anything from him so clearly he had been right that he wasn't the cause of her trouble with getting too close. On the other hand he was dissappointed because even though it was an alcohol induced one night stand he thought it should mean something. But Mafalda had made it clear sex was just a way to get what you wanted. Maybe his parents were more normal than he thought. They certainly didn't love each and used sex to get what they wanted, namely Reg and his brother...well not so much his brother anymore.

Realizing these thoughts had quieted him Regulus finally spoke up, "No, I didn't think it meant anything...it was just sex," he said dismissively. In a way it was true, which meant that in a way it was also a lie, but Regulus lied so often that the pause before his repose would be the only thing that could have given him away. It wasn't that it meant a lot to Regulus, it barely meant anything. The only significance it really held was that it was his first time. Mostly the lie came from the fact that he wanted it to mean more. He felt like at least one of them should have felt something...

[britkneeboo]

They walked along, in silence once more, and Mafalda thought maybe she hadn't given him the answer he had hoped for. She hadn't meant to say anything that he might not like, but she was only telling him the answer to what he had asked. She figured it would have sparked more conversation not bring an end to it once again. What she didn't tell him was that even though she didn't put her heart into it, she wouldn't take it back either. What had happened had happened, and she wasn't exactly sure it would never happen again. Anytime that thought crossed her mind, she tried to ignore it though.

"Come on, Regulus," she said, nudging him a little. They weren't even haflway to their destination yet. The cold air seemed to make them walk slower than normal, or maybe it was just the heavy mood. "You act like I'm the only girl you've ever hooked up with. I'm sure you've been with more important girls than me. You know, with the whole pureblood thing and stuff," she said, jokingly. Mafalda had no idea that it had been Regulus' first time. Her first time had been during the summer between her fifth and sixth year, quite some time ago.

[brett]

Regulus took in Mafalda's next words. Somehow he had expected her to know it had been his first time, but he wasn't sure why since he never told her. He supposed someone could just tell, that maybe it was different when it was the first time. Either way he now figured it hadn't been hers. Again this was a mild disappointment, but in truth he wasn't surprised, he just hadn't known for sure until now.

"Actually, you were the first," Regulus said offering a sort of half smile as he glanced at Mafalda before looking away. He was a bit ashamed, and was now sorely wishing that he had lied. Lying was always his first instinct, and yet this time it hadn't been. Regulus really hadn't had any experience beyond making out, which he began at the tender age of 11. Other than that Reg had dated girls, but broken up with them after only two weeks, deciding that he really didn't care that much about them. The idea of sex never even really occurred to him. His last girlfriend Danni, who he was still friends with, probably would have been his first had the relationship not ended only a week after it started. That sounded odd, but Regulus had really cared about Danni, but after punching out 3 guys who tried hitting on her in a period of three days they decided they were better off friends.

Now Reg had Indi and hopefully one day they would get to have sex...preferably without the aid of alcohol. Hopefully then it would mean something beyond just sex. Ironically, that was why Regulus hadn't just had one night stands before. But when he was drunk that night it hadn't seemed to matter. Maybe it was because he was drunk and just forgot the fact that he wanted it to be important. Maybe it was that he thought it could mean something with Mafalda. Whatever it was it had happened, for the first and so far only time in his short life.

Now

[britkneeboo]

This time there was no long, drawn out pause. Regulus actually answered her question quickly, which probably wasn't a good idea on his part, since it didn't give him enough time to think if he actually wanted to asnwer it or not. The answer did catch Mafalda completely by suprise though, and she didn't even no what to say or what to think. If she had thought about it she would have felt like a complete jerk, for even bringing it up.

"I was?" she asked, dumbfounded. What else could she say? She had never expected Regulus to have been a virgin. If she had known she would never have let it go as far as it had in the library. She may have been drunk, but she still would have had enough sense in her to know that taking what tiny bit of innocence he had left was wrong. Now, for some strange reason, she felt like she was the one who had taken advantage of him.

Mafalda stopped walking, and just stood there. She had a hard enough time not stumbling when she wasn't thinking, but when in deep thought it was hard for her to multi-task. If she kept going, without resolving this, she would surely end up on the ground. "Why didn't you tell me."

[brett]

Regulus had taken an extra step not realizing that Mafalda had stopped. He now turned to face her. Did she actually care? Hadn't it 'just been sex?' Regulus emerald green eyes looked to Mafalda's. He was going to allow himself time to think this time. Actually this was a question he needed to think about.

"I don't know...wanted to know what it was like I guess," Regulus shrugged. He was still giving answers that felt far too weak escaping his throat. "What does it matter anyway?" he asked bringing some sharpness to his voice. Not anger in any respect, just really a return to his normal arrogant, voice rather than the wimpy embarrassment he had held in his voice through the previous answer.

Regulus had held his gaurd down for too long. This was Indigo's doing, she had showed him that opening up to someone could actually be a good thing. Now he was dropping his guard and making friends with people in other houses, caring about others...it was weird. And yet it wasn't terrible, part of him actually liked being able to talk about things instead of simply bottling them up inside. Really though, he had a reputation to maintain.

[britkneeboo]

Wanting to know what it was like. The answer made sense, especially for a sixth year boy. It was the age to experiment, and the age when your hormones got the best of you. He had wanted to know what it was like, and alcohol was just the nudge he needed to find out. Well, alcohol and a more than willing Mafalda. But still, something made her not feel right about it. It was just sex to her, and she assumed it was to him too, at the time. Now it seemed as though it was more than just sex to him, it was his first time. It was something he was going to remember for the rest of his life, or what was left of it. That time he got totally piss drunk and had rough drunken sex with some Hufflepuff behind a shelf of books in the closed school library. The more she thought about it the less bad the memory seemed, and the more exciting.

"It just matters okay," she said, letting out a deep breath. "If I would have known I wouldn't have gone through with it. I mean, your first time should have been with someone you care about. It should have been with somebody that cared about you. It should have been sober. It shouldn't have been just sex. It shouldn't have been with me."

She really was putting herself down in a way, as she told him how she felt, but in reality Mafalda didn't think she was worth being anybody's first. It wasn't just him, but she remembered how she had felt after her first time, and it wasn't very good. It was the same thing, minus the alcohol. They were two hormonal teenagers, and she never saw the boy again after it. She always felt like she had deserved more, and right now she felt like Regulus deserved more too.