Heartbeat of anticipation throbbed in Gilderoy's chest. No practice duels tonight. No warm-ups. Just him and Amelia, ready to test everything he had learned over months of training.
"Ready?" Amelia asked, her wand already poised, eyes glinting with mischief and challenge.
Gilderoy smirked, chest puffed slightly in mock confidence. "Lady Bones, I was born ready."
Her wand slashed through the air like lightning.
"Stupefy!"
"Protego!"
"Expelliarmus!"
"Protego!"
"Oppugno!"
"Incendio!"
The air between them erupted in brilliant arcs of light. Shields shimmered, and reformed, sparks raining down in a deadly ballet. Jets of coloured magic crisscrossed with an almost tangible rhythm.
To anyone else, it would have looked like chaos—but to them, every spell, every counter, every feint was precise, a dance in motion.
Gilderoy's focus sharpened, all extraneous thoughts stripped away. Yet even amid the storm of magic, he noticed the faint flush creeping across Amelia's cheeks. Memories flickered—her blush during their first Animagi transformation, the morning workouts, her insistence that he 'earn' it after the last Quidditch match. His pulse quickened.
Back and forth, spells fired and met with perfect shields. Gilderoy's silent casting had evolved beyond drills; now, his wand moved instinctively, as if extensions of his own thoughts.
Amelia pushed harder but even she could not anticipate every subtle feint he had mastered.
A jet of green light streaked past him—she was using a complex hex he hadn't seen before.
He pivoted, and countered with a flick that sent a shimmering blue shield forward, deflecting her spell back into the floor with a satisfying crack.
"Better," Amelia admitted, voice sharp, though her lips betrayed the tiniest twitch of amusement—and maybe something softer. "You've improved… but don't get cocky."
He grinned, spinning his wand lazily. "Cocky? Me? Never."
Minutes passed. Amelia attacked with blinding hexes, and rapid-fire magic. Gilderoy anticipated, dodged, countered, and struck with precision born of instinct over thought.
Finally, he saw his opening. Amelia's stance shifted subtly, a fraction too slow in her counter—a small misstep, born from fatigue and distraction. Gilderoy lunged, silent spell slicing through her defence and the wand going from her palm into his.
Both froze for a heartbeat, breath catching. Their eyes met. Flushes crept over their faces—Amelia's lips parted, chest rising slightly as the realization of defeat and proximity collided in one sharp pulse. Gilderoy's own heart hammered in rhythm, his smirk faltering into something softer, more urgent.
Without hesitation, Amelia stepped forward. Gilderoy's eyes widened, but he didn't pull back. Before he could respond, she pressed herself against him, her arms wrapping around his neck, pulling him close, lips crashing onto his. The kiss was hard, insistent, a challenge and a claim all at once.
Gilderoy responded immediately. His hands shot up, fingers brushing the nape of her neck first, tracing the line of her jaw, holding her steady. Then his grip slid lower, hands cupping her breasts, pulling her body flush against his.
Amelia moaned into the kiss, tilting her head, trying to guide him with subtle pulls. Gilderoy anticipated each movement, tilting her back against him, holding her steady while letting her attempts at control heighten the tension between them.
The kiss deepened into a battle of wills. Gilderoy's tongue teased, probing her lips, then slid into her mouth, claiming her with a measured boldness. Amelia responded eagerly, lips parting, tongue tangling with his in a push and pull of dominance and surrender.
Amelia's arms tightened around his neck, holding him as close as she could, as Gilderoy lifted her, leaning her against the wall. He pressed his body against hers fully, as she wrapped her legs around his waist. The heat of their torsos and the firmness of his grip drawing moans from her lips.
He broke the kiss briefly for air, resting his forehead against hers. His hands never left her body, fingers sliding down to her waist, then cupping her ass again, holding her firmly as she gasped against him. Her hair fell into her face, damp with sweat, but Gilderoy brushed it back with one hand, leaning in for another, harder, deeper kiss.
Amelia arched into him, hips rolling with him, but he guided her subtly, matching her motions. He nipped at her lips, teasing, then claimed them, teeth grazing, tongue probing, the interplay of dominance flowing naturally between them. She moaned against him, her hands fisting his robes and roaming over his back, arms tightening around his neck, but he held her, pressing against her, making the closeness electric.
Finally, they parted slightly, chests heaving, foreheads touching. Amelia's cheeks were flushed, lips slightly parted, breaths short and ragged, eyes glinting with mischief.
Gilderoy's hand held hers, thumb brushing over her knuckles. Leaning just close enough, his voice low and deliberate:
"Then… will you be my girlfriend, officially?"
Amelia's lips curved into a small, knowing smile, cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling. A nod and a tilt of her head said more than words ever could.
"Finally…" she murmured grinning, voice light but full of intent. "About time."
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It seems I haven't gotten any reviews yet… I'd really love to hear your thoughts! 💛
For my fellow Teyvat travellers:I still have to write the Genshin fanfic, but I'll try to get it out by earliest Monday. Thanks for your patience! ✨