The Luckiest Man on Earth

The Luckiest Man on Earth

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and no trademark infringement is intended or implied - not to say that I would not like to but please do not sue.

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Chapter 8: Seeing is Believing

Angelina stopped in her tracks when she rounded the top of the stairs to the North Tower. She knew that she would find Adrian here. It was one of his favorite places. And she had definitely found him. She watched Adrian pull away and smile into Terry’s eyes.

“He still loves Terry, and I bet he always will,” thought Angelina, as she stood there frozen in the doorway. They could not see her. Angie felt almost detached from her body as she watched them kiss again. She stood in the doorway uncertainly. A persistent voice in her head was asking whether she was jealous because Terry was kissing Adrian or was she jealous that Terry was not kissing her?

Angelina blinked and gave a slight cough. Adrian looked towards the door and gave a bright smile. Terry turned and gave a start of guilt.

“Angie,” said Adrian with an inward shudder of guilt. He wondered what she had seen. He decided to brazen it out. He could feel Terry stiffen beside him. “How did you find me, love? We got thrown out of our room. Flint had a rather pressing engagement.”

“With who?” asked Angelina lightly.

“Ahhh,” said Adrian as he motioned Angie to come closer to the blanket. “I believe he and Miss Bell had a desperate need for a shag.”

“Merlin,” said Angie as she settled herself down on the blanket. “I swear those two are going to spend the first year that they are married in bed.”

“Or in the bath, on the sofa, on a chair, the list could go on and on,” said Adrian with a laugh.

“They are going to get caught by Snape,” said Terry. “He’s relentlessly patrolling the dungeons lately.”

“Besides,” said Adrian as he covered Angie’s cold hand with his own. “I do believe they are going to be doing other things this year.”

“Like what?” asked Angie.

“Baby things,” said Terry.

“Oh yes,” said Angie. “Like changing nappies and waking up with the baby.”

“Don’t nannies do that?” asked Adrian with a quizzical expression.

“Or house elves,” said Terry with an equally puzzled look at Angelina.

“Rich boys,” said Angie as she shook her head.

“Well,” said Terry smoothly as he got to his feet. “I should be going. I have an assignment to finish in the common room.” With a grin, Terry beat a hasty retreat.

“Coward,” thought Adrian darkly. He turned to smile at Angelina with a shining innocent look on his handsome face.

“Do you do that often?” asked Angie casually.

“Do what?” asked Adrian with a patented confused look that never fooled his mother but maybe he would have better luck with Angelina.

“Kiss your mates like that,” said Angie intently.

“Ahhh,” said Adrian. “I must confess that I have never kissed Marcus. I have kissed Alec though. Once, when we were drunk. His voice still gives me goose bumps sometimes.”

“He does have a sexy voice,” said Angie quietly. “But we are not talking about Alec. We are talking about Terry. You do have to admit, his case is different.”

“Yes,” said Adrian seriously. “You know Angie, I do love you. And I love him too. Love comes in different forms. The love I share with Terry isn’t this all consuming thing I used to have for him. Merlin, I used to be completely mad for him. You should have seen me last year. I was obsessed. I admit now that it wasn’t really healthy. Marcus used to try to tell me that in a round about way. Terry tried to tell me once that it wasn’t possible to love everyone in the same way. I used to think that idea was rubbish. I see now that he’s right.”

“Do you still sleep with him,” asked Angelina tensely. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer but she had to ask the question.

Adrian looked into her tense face and smiled. “No,” lied Adrian coolly. He knew if he had told her yes, she would walk away from him. He couldn’t handle that. She was his emotional center, Adrian realized. He needed her.

Angie looked down at her hands and was racked by guilt. He did not know about her and Terry. She lifted her head and smiled into his serious eyes. She would make sure that he never found out.

When Adrian turned the subject and talked about the stir Marcus and Katie had made in the Great Hall concerning their wedding, she followed his lead.

“Angie,” said Adrian seriously after a few minutes. “You need to tell Bell that she needs to be careful. Several rumors are going around right now that she is pregnant. Keep her away from the nasty gossips. You know who they are.”

“Yes,” said Angelina grimly. “I do.”

The Slytherin Common Room

“Daria,” said Mariah with concern. “What is it?”

Daria pulled her friend over to a quiet corner and sat down. Her face was flushed and unhappy.

“A Ravenclaw came up to me in the Library tonight,” said Daria with a suppressed sob. “She told me that she had seen Terry with some Gryffindor girl last night. She said that they were being intimate.”

“He was fucking her?” said Mariah with outrage.

“No,” said Daria. “Yes, I don’t know! She said intimate.”

“They could have been talking,” said Mariah a bit doubtfully.

“Do you think it’s because I haven’t let him do anything more than snog me since that night?” said Daria tearfully.

“Look here Daria,” said Mariah with a determined tilt to her head. “You can’t go off and confront Higgs over this little thing.”

“Little thing?” hissed Daria.

“You have to play it smart,” said Mariah. “Learn from my mistakes. I thought you said you wanted Higgs and you were in it for the long haul.”

“I am,” said Daria tearfully.

“Pull yourself together and listen to me,” urged Mariah. “Do not let this little thing discourage you. Men will have their playthings. Make sure that he comes home to you.”

“You mean turn a blind eye,” said an upset Daria.

“No,” said Mariah. “Be open and tell him calmly that you know about his tart. Tell him that you will wait for him to finish playing.”

“What if he runs off to her,” said Daria plaintively. “What if he chooses her over me?”

‘Why would he Daria?” said Mariah as she threw an arm over her shoulders. “You are the smartest, prettiest witch in our year. He genuinely likes you.”

“Terry is the smartest and most interesting boy I have ever met,” said Daria. “His theories on ancient Gaelic runes are most fascinating.”

“Really,” said Mariah as her lips twitched. She looked at her friend with indulgent eyes. Daria was head over heels in love with Higgs. Granted he was pretty gorgeous.

“Talk to him,” urged Mariah. “Be calm and in control.”

“Okay,” said Daria as she took a deep breath.

“Play your hand right,” said Mariah seriously. “And you’ll be Mrs. Terrence Higgs one day.”

“Really,” said Daria with hope in her dark eyes.

“Yes,” said Mariah confidently. She looked towards the common room entrance. “Here he is. Go talk to him.”

“Now,” said Daria in horror.

“No time like the present,” said Mariah as she pushed Daria towards Higgs.

Terry gave a sigh of relief when he walked into the Slytherin common room. He hoped Adrian would make it home in one piece. Angelina looked boot faced when she came up the stairs. Terry knew that she had seen them kissing. He saw Daria and smiled.

“Terry,” said the little dark haired witch with a tremor in her voice.

“What’s wrong,” asked Terry as he guided her over to a couch. He sat beside her.

“Nothing,” said Daria swiftly. Her heart was pounding.

“Daria,” said Terry with a smirk. “When you are upset, you wring your hands. You do it every time Vector has a particularly hard lesson.”

“That is Arithmacy,” said Daria with protest. She blushed when she caught herself twisting her hands together. She stilled her hands in her lap and looked up into Terry’s blue eyes.

“I have somethto ato ask you,” said Daria.

“Is it about the Ancient Runes exam on Monday,” asked Terry. “Alec and I are studying on Sunday night. Would you like to join us?”

“Yes please,” said Daria eagerly. She shifted closer to Terry and asked him what he thought about the logic puzzles that Vector was trying to introduce to them.

They talked about Arithmacy and Ancient Runes for nearly an hour when Daria gave a jerk of surprise. She had completely forgot about confronting Terry about that girl. She gave a small smile whee ale also realized that Terry had his arm round her waist. The common room was getting deserted. Daria decided not to talk to Terry about that girl tonight. She would wait for Sunday after the study session. She shifted closer to him and sighed.

Terry kept talking as he reached out and began to stroke her hair. He wound a black silky strand around his finger. He loved talking to her. Most girls thought that Ancient Runes were boring.

“Terry,” said Daria with a soft sigh. His stroking of her hair was making her breathless. In fact, every time he came near her made her heart beat faster. She had wanted him for so long.

“Daria,” murmured Terry as he leaned down and kissed her softly parted lips.

Daria leaned into his mouth and gave herself up to the pleasure flooding through her body as he explored her mouth lazily and intently. She jerked in surprise minutes later and wiggled out from under his large frame. She blushed as she straightened her robe. She had no idea how he had managed to unbutton her robe without her noticing.

Terry sighed and tugged her back to lie against his body that was sprawled out on the sofa. She tried to wiggle away again but Terry wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her even closer.

“I have to go,” said Daria.

“Don’t go,” urged Terry with a little pout. “I’ve been tossed out of my room and I don’t know how long I’ll have to sit here all by myself.”

“Tossed out?” asked Daria with a raised eyebrow.

“Flint and Bell,” sighed Terry. “Honestly, Marcus should just close his bed curtains, slap on a silencing spell and be done with it. Like most of Hogwarts isn’t aware that they shag.”

“From what I hear,” said Daria with a smile. “They shag all the time.”

“Yes,” said Terry with a mournful look at Daria. “Marcus is a lucky bastard. My girlfriend only lets me kiss her on occasion.”

“Oh,” said Daria with a start. Her heart was stabbed with a jolt of sorrow and jealousy. He was going to tell her about that Gryffindor tart. “Who’s your girlfriend?”

Terry gave her a surprised look then laughed.

Daria pulled away from him with an immensely hurt look on her face.

“You silly girl,” said Terry when he finished laughing. He held her hand in an unbreakable grip. His other hand gripped her chin and forced her to look at him. “You are my girlfriend, aren’t you?”

A look of comprehension flooded her face and her cheeks went rosy with pleasure. She looked at Terry with shock.

“I’m your girlfriend?” asked Daria with a small squeak.

“Who else would you think I was talking about?” said Terry with a frown.

“It’s just that we have never said,” stuttered Daria.

“I know,” said Terry. “I do ask you to go to the library with me and we do take walks together. Should I formally ask you?”

“Yes,” said Daria with a raised chin and the beginnings of a pleased smile.

“Will you be my girlfriend Miss Daria Isis Greengrass?” said Terry as he raised her hand to his mouth to kiss.

“Yes,” said Daria as she threw her arms around Terry. “You know my middle name.”

“I do listen to you when you talk,” said Terry as he held her hand. He looked into her pleased face with affection.

“Your middle name is,” said Daria. Her voice dipped lowly. “Aldolphus.”

“Shhh,” said Terry with a look around the quiet common room. “Someone might hear.”

“I know,” said Daria. “That is why I said it so softly. Remember you told me how embarrassed you were over it.”

“I mean really,” said Terry with his nose scrunched up in disgust. “Could my parents found a more foul middle name? Why didn’t they choose something more modern? I mean Terrence Aldolphus Higgs trips off the tongue so lightly don’t you think?”

“It’s very distinguished,” said Daria loyally.

“Stay with me?’ coaxed Terry as he leaned down and nuzzled her neck.

“Yes,” said Daria as she stroked his fair hair. She was so glad she hadn’t confronted him about that girl. It can’t be true. She should learn not to listen to idle gossip.

An hour later, they were entwined together on the sofa exchanging hot sucking kisses. Daria was more or less on Terry’s lap. A silky voice interrupted them.

“Mr. Higgs and Miss Greengrass,” said Professor Snape smoothly.

Daria and Terry leapt apart as if an electric current went through them. Daria was looking everywhere but at Professor Snape. Her face was scarlet red.

“It is late,” said Snape with an inward smirk. “I suggest you go back to your rooms at once.”

“Yes sir,” whispered Daria. She gave Terry a faint smile good night then she fled.

“Mr. Higgsaidsaid Snape. Terry turned and looked at his head of house.

“Sir?”

“I believe I should remind you that Miss Greengrass is a Slytherin girl from a good family,” warned Snape as he glided over towards Terry.

“I know that,” said Terry levelly. He edged towards the seventh year corridor.

Snape was silent for a minute then nodded at Terry. Higgs nodded back and began to go down the seventh year corridor to his room. He wondered if Alec was still up. He would beg a place to sleep from him. Suddenly to Terry’s horror, he realized Snape was following him.

“Is there something else sir,” asked Terry politely. His heart was thumping a mile a minute.

‘No,” said Snape smoothly. His black obsidian eyes glittered in the low light of the corridor. “Lost, Mr. Higgs?”

“No sir,” said Terry lightly as he turned towards his room. He calmed his beating heart as he realized that Snape was coming with him. He stood uncertainly in front of his door and jumped when a voice behind him broke the silence.

“Let me help you with that door,” said Snape silkily. “It seems to be rather heavily warded.”

“Thank-you sir,” said Terry with an inward wince.